Highlights

  It’s been more than eight years since I began writing the Fra Noi Petals from Roseland column, but I haven’t been writing it by myself. Those who came before me such as Mario Avignone also write this column with me. You might well ask, “How do they do that?” The simple answer is through the words they left behind in their writings or in the projects they took part in that have benefited posterity. Unfortunately, I never received any of Mario Avignone’s files, records or copies of his columns, however I did receive copies of St. Anthony’s Broadcast, which …

When I start talking “octo” let me tell you I’m not talking about “octo-mom!” I’m talking about the wonderful and outstanding octo-genarians of Pullman Free School of Manual Training — more fondly known as Pullman Tech. The Pullman Tech Alumni Association held an All-Class Reunion Luncheon on Oct. 14 at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park. I was fortunate enough to be invited to give a short presentation on the current status of Pullman as many of the graduates hadn’t been back to Pullman in many years. Frank Rossi, our well-known South Side entertainer beyond compare, provided the musical …

    Christmas is once again upon us. It is, of course, a time for wishing the best to everyone. It is also a time for family gatherings where there will be plenty of storytelling with lots of laughter. I’m sure there will also be impromptu debates as to whether the stories are based on real events and retold just as they had happened. Why would there be any question? I’m sure we all remember Ralphie’s Christmas Story and his wish for a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock? If we …

  There are plenty of reasons to give thanks this time of year but it occurs to me that many of those reasons center around love and happiness. This is particularly true when we are talking about the Roseland, Pullman, Kensington communities. In all the annual gatherings — the Friends of Pullman Annual Picnic, the Zimbauer Family Roseland Reunion, the many Fenger Reunions, the St. Anthony Dinner Dance, the St. Louis Academy Reunions and the St. Nicholas Class Reunions — there is a common thread: love and happiness. These events come about because of the love we share, not only …

  In the column I wrote last month about widespread efforts to blot out Columbus Day, I touched upon a game-changing encounter that took place a quarter of a century ago. In July 1991, Native- and Italian-American leaders entered a room as adversaries and left as allies who embraced each other’s cultures and supported each other’s causes. As a result, peace reigned over Chicago’s quincentennial Columbus Day celebrations. But how exactly did this remarkable détente occur? For the answers, I turned to its principal architect: Dominic DiFrisco. A gifted public relations professional and talented mediator, he served as president of …

  Columbus Day is under assault as never before. Once unabashedly celebrated throughout the land, it was hailed initially by President Harrison in 1892, designated a national holiday by President Roosevelt in 1934, and pegged to the second Monday in October by President Nixon in 1972. A couple of halcyon decades followed during which schools, banks and governmental agencies across the country closed each year in honor of the Admiral of the Ocean Sea. The hero of the day is particularly cherished by Italian Americans, who have celebrated his history-altering accomplishments and shared ancestry with parades that back to San …

  When it comes to writing this column, I am sometimes at a loss for a topic and then, I receive a gift of buona fortuna. That’s what happened this month. On a Wednesday, my buddy Ed Wolak and I decided to try out the $8.95 Italian Feast Buffet at Carlo Lorenzetti’s. On the following Sunday, I was invited by my friend Johnny Aver to be a guest at the annual Treschè Conca San Luigi Gonzaga luncheon at Lorenzetti’s. The next Tuesday was the last Tuesday of the month, which most every Roselandite knows is Spaghetti-O’s Tuesday at Lorenzetti’s. That …

  This has been a very busy year so far for Pullman, with ceremonies, celebrations, tours, national competitions, and approval of and arrangements for new business developments and new construction. By the end of 2018, the largest building in the Pullman National Monument Park will be the Whole Foods Retail Distribution Center building, at 140,000 square feet. As with many new projects in Pullman, the efforts of the Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives have once again proven productive. The building will be located just north of the Methods products planet-friendly soap factory, which is situated across from the Police Station on 111th …

The Friends of Pullman Annual Reunion Picnic will be taking place soon, and you’re invited. The event is open to former Pullmanites, Roselandites and Kensingtonians and their friends and family members. If you’ve ever told your children, grandchildren, friends or complete strangers about where you grew up and the great people you grew up with — this is your chance to show off. Over the past seven years, this picnic has grown into the single largest one-day event in Pullman. In the beginning, many visitors came by just to see what was happening. They showed up without any food or …

  As a youngster in a first-generation Italian-American family in Roseland, eating out wasn’t something we did very often. As a matter of fact, if I try really hard I can only recall an occasional First Communion or Confirmation that led to some fine dining, Roseland style, at Pesavento’s. As a result, finding our way out of the family kitchen typically involved developing our own circle of friends and enjoying new experiences, including learning more about the many culinary offerings that were available in our neighborhood. As I got older, I saw that each of my brothers and sisters not …