Yesterday I read about an Italian-American neighborhood that was the original Little Italy in New York City. No, not Mulberry Street in lower Manhattan but East Harlem above 96th Street. Today, both those areas are “Italian” by the skin of their teeth. Mulberry Street is enveloped by Chinatown. East Harlem is better called Spanish Harlem (nicknamed El Barrio) for the massive influx of Puerto Rican and Dominican residents after World War II. What I was reading was an article in Atlantica Magazine from July 1934. No food or fashion, Atlantica was probably the first intellectual periodical in our community. The …

Sept. 21 marked the 70th anniversary of the Rocky Marciano-Archie Moore fight of 1955. It was Marciano’s last bout and final knockout of an opponent. He retired the following year with a 49-0 record, 43 of which were knockouts. He’s the only boxer to retire undefeated. Sadly, he died in a plane crash at age 46 in 1969. Such a career should be ripe for the silver screen, but Marciano’s back story was too humdrum for Hollywood. However, the champ’s short life did make it to television in 1979 starring Tony Lo Bianco and again in 1999 starring Jon Favreau. …