Columns

After around 30 years of research experience, I have reached a point where I do what I do like a machine.  I don’t think about the method.  I just do it and it works. In the process of getting ready for presentations on “Beginning Italian Genealogy” I had to ask myself “How did I learn to do this in the first place.’ Then I decided that I don’t want any of you to learn the way I did, which was pure painful trial and error.  There should be a simple guideline for the research method, to help you focus on …

My April column covered a range of topics pertaining to Mendel Catholic High School, from teachers and tunnels to dances and athletic events. The number and passion of the responses from Mendel Monarchs was overwhelming, showing me how much their experience at that legendary high school meant to them. The only way I could do justice to the tidal wave of nostalgia that washed over me was to print it word for word. The enormous number of comments I received demonstrates what a welcome part of my reader’s lives Petals from Roseland is, and the opportunity to connect with their …

I recently attended a symposium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art focusing on the Met’s stunning exhibit “Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color.” The speakers and their presentations were captivating, and then to see the works up close brought the experiencing to a gratifying conclusion. The exhibit featured reconstructions of ancient sculptures painted in vibrant colors as they were created 2,000-plus years ago. Although sculptures created during the Renaissance were as monochromatic when they were created as they are today, that often isn’t the case with ancient sculptures. According exhibit literature, “Greek and Roman sculpture was originally richly embellished with colorful …

Italian Possessive Adjectives for Things Possessive adjectives allow one to describe ownership. Did you know that to describe possession in English, we simply put a possessive adjective (my, your, his/hers, etc.) before a noun under discussion? The word placement is the same in Italian. But there are otherwise many differences in the English and Italian approach to describing our relationship to the things we own. In English, the possessive adjectives refer to the person who is the “owner” of the thing being talked about. However, the Italian use of possessive adjectives requires a different way of thinking, since Italians match …

To speak fluently in another language, it is important to know how to describe the characteristics of the people, places, and things that we encounter every day. Adjectives can enliven the listener’s perception of a subject and provide additional shades of meaning. In English, adjectives are generally placed before the noun. But in Italian, most adjectives are placed after the noun the modify, while a few groups of adjectives are placed before the noun. And finally, many Italian adjectives can hold either position in relation to their noun — either before or after. Interestingly, where an Italian adjective is placed in …

  If anyone tells you they can predict the outcome of today’s market, unless they have a crystal ball and know how to use it, run. That’s right, asking what the 2023 housing market is going to look like is as fruitful as asking what this year’s stock market is going to do. Guess all you want, only time will tell. There are, however, several factors that seem to point in the direction of a decent market. They may not give off a multiple-offers-by-noon vibe, but they seem to guarantee that buyers and sellers will be coming to the closing …

I’ve recently heard from a number of Mendel Catholic High School graduates. I was reminded of their motto — “Mendel Men are Gentlemen” — and asked when I was going to write about Mendel. Many Roseland residents have offered comments throughout the years on the good times they have had at Mendel, either by attending as students or going to their events. I’ve put the word out and I am going to do my best with this month’s column to give everyone that’s been affected by Mendel the spark to bring up those great memories. Let me begin with something …

Starting Feb. 25, I began a series of monthly presentations at Casa Italia to give people the easiest way to get started with creating their ancestor family tree. A lot of people know a lot of disorganized information, some of it accurate, some of it not. My goal is to help you organize the info you have, and confirm the accuracy of what you know, or what you thought you knew. The types of information you can find is endless, but the traditional accepted way of comparing your family tree with others is to know seven essential facts about yourself …

New York’s Museum of Modern Art paid tribute to actress Claudia Cardinale in February with a retrospective of 23 films, including 17 restorations. The collaboration between MoMA and Cinecittà in Rome drew audiences to the heart of Manhattan to watch a treasure trove of beloved cinema classics. Cardinale’s daughter, Claudia Squitieri, introduced the first film of the series, Luigi Comencini’s 1963 “La ragazza di Bube” (Bebo’s Girl), which was followed by the new documentary, “Un Cardinale donna” by Manuel Maria Perrone. Born in Tunisia in 1938 to Sicilian parents, Cardinale attended elementary school in the ancient city of Carthage. Her …

 Use the Italian “in” for Italian Regions Both Italian prepositions “a” and “in” can be used to describe where someone is going, as well as their destination when they arrive. The Italian “a” can be translated as both “to” or “in” in English.  The Italian “in” is translated the same as in English — “in”!   In simple terms, Italian prepositions are linked to the place that they describe.  We’ve already learned the basics of how to use the Italian prepositions a and in  in our first blog on this topic, Italian Preposition “A” or “In”?  The general rule, stated again, …