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NOTE: The FIERI Boston Newsletter is now an email publication. |
Adesso! The FIERI Boston Newsletter
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Inside This Issue
President Vice
President Secretary Treasurer Director
of Social Events Director
of Public Relations Director
of Culture & Education Upcoming Fieri Boston Events Date Event 4.02.05 FIERI Boston's 9th Annual Pasquetta Scholarship Awards Gala Event 4.08.05 Docufilm: Killing Silence @ Dante Alighieri Society 4.09.05 Musical recital in Belmont MA featuring FIERI Boston's own Gary Gengo! 4.30.05 FIERI Boston Dance Party 06.16-19.05 FIERI International Convention in NYC For more information on events visit our website: www.fieri- boston.org/news.htm Mille
Grazie:
Massachusetts
School of Law
Northwestern
Mutual
Noddle
Island Soaps
ALL
THINGS SICILIAN Cambridge Watch and Jewelry Buyers 303 Washington St Room 421B Boston MA, 02108 617-263-7766 cjwb1@aol.com
Home
Improvements and Repairs Editor:
David Spada Visit
Us Online!
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Fieri
Boston's 9th Annual Pasquetta Scholarship Gala April 2, 2005 At Pasquetta, FIERI Boston will present its 2005 Scholarship Awards to the following graduating high- school seniors:
We hope that you will join us in congratulating Christina and Anthony and their families on their outstanding achievements. Auguri! Ticket prices for Pasquetta are $55 for FIERI members and $65 for non-members and guests. Entertainment will be provided by DJ Lou Auciello. Please contact Annie Marascia, FIERI Boston Director of Social Events, for tickets or for more information at social@fieri-boston.org Pasquetta is FIERI Boston's major fundraiser of the year. Please invite your family and friends to attend...the more the merrier! We appreciate your support. Cultura:
La Festa di San Giuseppe Two days after the feast of the great Irish Saint, Patrick comes the feast day of Saint Joseph, "the just man". Saint Joseph's day is celebrated by generations of Italians and Italian Americans on March 19. Saint Joseph is the patron saint of many places and many trades. He is the guardian of the spiritual home of Christians, the church as well as their material home. He is also known as the protector of Mother Mary and her child, Jesus. It is also known as father's day in Italy. The tradition of Saint Joseph's day began in the middle ages when there was a severe drought in Sicily. The people asked Saint Joseph, their patron saint to intervene. They promised Saint Joseph a big feast in return for rain. Their prayers were answered with rain. As a sign of gratitude the people prepared a big feast and all were invited to celebrate. Today many Italians and Italian Americans continue to celebrate Saint Joseph's Day. In many Italian villages, especially in Sicily, many people contribute food to a table spread in the public square as an offering for favors received from Saint Joseph. The bread that is made resembles a scepter or a beard. Many people celebrate by going to mass. In other Sicilian villages a unique minestrone is made with various vegetables and is served with toasted bread crumbs instead of grated cheese. This is the origin of the Sicilian expression, minestra di San Giuse. (signifies confusion or chaos.). Other foods eaten on Saint Joseph's feast day are lentils, dried beans. In other parts of Italy Saint Joseph's day is celebrated by making zeppole. These are delicious round, fried pastries filled with cream. Saint Joseph's Day is also the onomastico or name day of anyone named Joseph, or any derivative of that name; Giuseppe, Giuseppina, Josephine, Pino, Pina, Peppe. Growing up in an Italian family Saint Joseph's Day was always a special day for us since my father's name is Giuseppe. My family usually celebrates by having dinner together and then indulging in some delicious zeppole for dessert. I associate the name Joseph with strength, virtue and loyalty because of its association with Saint Joseph and all of the remarkable people I know who possess that name. Buon Onomastico to all Giuseppes and Giuseppinas! Mangia: Recipes Courtesy of All Things Sicilian Sausage & Peppers Pasta This is sausage and peppers in a flash. I add a sliced onion to the sausages, but you can leave it out if you want to. By the time the pasta is done, so is the rest. When you put the pasta in the water, start cooking the sausage.
2 large Italian sausages, hot or sweet to taste Phyllo
Dessert "Purses" 16
oz. cream cheese, softened Variation: Add lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the cream cheese filling; omit the orange zest. Use Fig or Blackberry jam instead. OR Keep the orange zest, but use Cherry or Strawberry jam instead of the Red Orange Marmalade. Pasta Primavera with Spring Lamb & Herb Meatballs "Primavera" is, of course, the Italian word for "spring." In light of the spring theme, the meatballs for this dish are made with ground lamb and seasoned with mint, parsley, rosemary and a little oregano. The lamb makes a nice addition to classic pasta primavera, loaded with fresh veggies and a sauce with a touch of cream. Serves 4 to 6. For Meatballs: 1
pound ground lamb 8 hours ahead -- wrap the meatballs well and refrigerate, covered, until cooking time. Heat the Rosemary olive oil in a frying pan and cook the meatballs Until well browned on all sides. Remove from oil and set aside. For
Pasta:
For
sauce Add the artichokes and peppers. Add the broth and raise the heat to high. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with dried herbs. Let sauce reduce 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Add cream, meatballs and pasta; toss while heating through to blend. Sprinkle with cheese and toss again. Servewith freshly ground black pepper and more cheese, if desired. Learn to cook at All Things Sicilian! One Sunday afternoon each month, come to a cooking class using All Things Sicilian products hosted at our stores. In March welcome Spring with "Flavors of Spring & Easter Customs" April features Mother's Day Brunch ideas *Special Enrollment Price - 2 for $25" All those who enjoy the class will also be treated to samples of the goodies prepared and a 20% off "student" coupon for use in any of the All Things Sicilian stores. Classes will begin at 3 pm and go for about one hour. Recipes and tips will be provided on paper. Time:
3 - 4pm Dates: March 20th - Nashua-Flavors of Spring & Easter Customs April 3 - Lawrence-Mother's day Brunch Ideas * Special Enrollment Price 2 students for $25 April 10 - Lawrence-Mother's day Brunch Ideas * Special Enrollment Price 2 students for $25 April 17 - Nashua-Mother's day Brunch Ideas * Special Enrollment Price 2 students for $25 Also, students will receive a discount shopping pass good at any of our stores or on-line! To sign up or for questions, contact Christine in Lawrence:(978) 978-7667 Lindsay/Meg in Peabody (978)877-7787 Lindsay/Yana in Nashua: (603) 882-1133 Enroll today!!! Limited Class Size! Editors Note: All Things Sicilian has generously offered a 20% discount to Fieri Boston Members at any of their locations. On behalf of Fieri Boston we thank All Things Sicilian for their support! By Doug Mavilia As young professionals living in greater Boston, we have all had times in which we struggled to make ends meet. Between high rents, expensive real estate, lack of parking, and just high cost of living in general, how can we possibly reach into our pockets and find something left over at the end of the month? The answer is discipline. If you have ever read the short story "The Richest Man in Babylon," you will remember one echoing theme- pay yourself first. Before you pay your rent or mortgage, your phone bills and utilities, and all other ancillary expenses, set aside at least 10% of your net income. Even if your salary is not huge at this point, getting into the habit of saving early is the best thing you can do for yourself, and trust me, you will thank yourself later on. Let's take a typical scenario. You're 25 years old, 3 years out of college and in your second job since graduation. You are now earning $45,000 per year, and living on your own, paying your own way. After taxes and payroll deductions, let's assume you bring home $2850 per month. If you set aside 10%, that would come out to $285 per month. You may think, what is the point of saving and investing today when I plan to make double what I am making now in 10 years? Won't it be easier for me when I'm 35 to save that much? Let's just take a look at the numbers: Here are the monthly investments required at different ages to accumulate $1,000,000 by age 65, assuming an 8% compounded rate of return:
I think you get the idea here. The longer you wait, the harder you have to save to catch up. As a young professional, even though your salary may not be very big, your time horizon is! So what is the lesson here? Start early; pay yourself first, and stick to the plan! Still not convinced? Let's look at it in a different way:
Impressive, isn't it? The Plan B person had to save twice as much to earn 2/3 the results of the Plan A person. The time value of money is a very interesting phenomenon. The numbers may not appear to add up, but they are real. So let's all take our financial situations to the next level, and pay yourself first, because time truly is on your side. Viaggia
Il Mondo: Egypt-- The Birthplace of Western Civilization Alexander the Great and Julius Cesar once walked in the shadows of the great pyramids and gazed up at them in awe. Egypt is a land of wonder where each day you see and learn something new and amazing. I sat down to speak with my sister Rachael and brothers David, Edward and William about their recent trip to Egypt. T:
What would you say was your favorite moment in Egypt? T:
What information would be helpful to others who want to travel
to Egypt? Divertimento:
Battle of The Italians By: Nicole Vellucci
Sport: Bruschi, the Idol of American Fans By Matteo Scipioni, Gazzetta di Parma, 02/13/05, translated by Donna Bottari
By winning three Superbowl championships in four years, the New England Patriots have made history, adding themselves to the list of American sports' dynasties. Part of the New England Patriots' dynasty speaks Italian-more precisely "Parmigiano." Tedy Bruschi is one of New England's patriarchs. Even though playing a defensive position is not center stage, Bruschi, who is a linebacker, is definitely one of the idols at Foxboro Stadium. His number, 54, is one of the best-selling T-shirts. His autograph is the most requested and his name is the one fans scream for the most. Although his small build may not be ideal for a linebacker, Bruschi has become one of the best in his role - - thanks to his fortitude and what we Italians call heart. He's comparable to Italy's Paolo Maldini or Frank Baresi of the oval shaped ball. With a mix of charisma and competition, he has the skills to also be an astute businessman. Bruschi does not have a manager. In fact he negotiates his own contracts and concludes them in little time. With more than a decent grasp of Italian and quite a good pronunciation, Bruschi spoke to the Gazzetta di Parma as a sort of "tribute to his father." Bruschi's father, Anthony, with whom he was very close, passed away in 2001 and had held on fondly to his family roots. "My grandparents Giovanni and Adele," Bruschi recounts with visible emotion, "met and married at Casa Brina in Pontestrambo, where my sister, Maria, lives now and where my brother Giovanni lived for some time. From there, my grandparents immigrated to New York, and there my father was born." It is both interesting and touching to hear a sports star enthusiastically talk about his experience in Parma, where he lived in 1999 for a short time with his wife, Heidi. "I was very impressed and excited to read that the newspaper from my hometown, the Gazzetta, wanted to tell my story." (Throughout the interview he refers to Parma as his hometown) "Visiting Parma had been a trip for me to rediscover my origins. My father had told me many family stories and he showed me my grandparents' house and the many places from their childhood. It was an unforgettable experience. I firmly believe that one should never forget their roots. Your roots mold you into the person that you are and they form your character. After that trip, I began to ask all my teammates about their roots and their family history." Bruschi found out that the history of his teammates came from Italy. Besides Bruschi, other players like Andruzzi, Fauria, Izzo, Nimmo and Vinatieri also have Italian roots. "The desire, the passion, the determination and the emotions that I demonstrate on the field during a game," confirms Bruschi "Are most definitely attributed to me being Italian." For Bruschi, playing football started for fun. Yet thanks to the persistence of his father, football coaches and talent scouts it became more. He began in high school not only to play a sport, but also to make his father happy. From there, he says "it all happened so fast." "Even when I had difficulty convincing the various coaches because of my smaller physique, my father always believed that not only would I play in the NFL but that I would one day win the Super bowl," Bruschi says. He has played nine years for the Patriots and has just signed on for another four years. "For me football doesn't last only the length of my career, it's for a lifetime," Bruschi says. "My father told me that I was born to play football. I believe that I will continue even after I retire, maybe as a college coach. But for now I want to remain here, with the Patriots: I'd like to remain loyal to this team." And what about returning to Parma? "Since my father passed away, I have not been back to visit and I have not been in contact with my siblings. However, I do miss my father a lot, and I would like to return to Parma also for him. It is a place that will always be in my heart," Bruschi, excitedly, with his charming nature concludes. "Want to know the secret of my success?" he asks. "To eat pasta, lots of pasta. I love it; I eat it all the time before and after every game and I will never stop eating it."
Casa: Organize Your Closet Once and
For All Not enough space in your closet? Can't find that particular shirt that you wanted to wear? Maybe it's time to systemize your closet. A good way to create space and bring order to that mess behind the door is to replace that wasteful single shelf and single rod, that's about to fall down, with a closet organizer. If you want improved functionality at a low, low price, wire shelving is the way to go. For about $25, you can increase the hanging space in almost any closet by 50%. Add the optional shelf for $10, and you've just increased the shelf space in your closet by the same 50%. You can do this by taking a "split- level" approach - the left side of the closet is devoted to two rows of short hanging items and the right side is reserved for tall items, like dresses or full- length coats. You can do 60-40 or 70-30 if you like, but do reserve some space for long things. Thankfully, this paradigm forces you to categorize your clothes. For another ten or fifteen dollars, you can get a nice tie/belt organizer. But follow the directions carefully, or all your clothes will be on the closet floor the next morning. Now, if you're a homeowner and you want to raise the value of your house or condo, you should use "wood" shelving (melamine covered particleboard). There are several advantages to "wood" shelving. It's adjustable; it's washable; it looks really nice; and it's appealing to potential buyers. It says "I took pride and care in this place." You can even add drawers and there are more accessories to choose from. It is more expensive though; the same 60 inch closet with optional shelf would cost $160 . The labor is about the same for wire or wood. Here are some things to consider if you want to do "wood" yourself. Some of the individual pieces are heavy and unwieldy; the boxes can be up to 70 pounds and 7 feet long, and there can be a lot of boxes. Are you confident in your mechanical abilities? Are you certain that you can find a stud in the wall? Do you have wood or metal studs in your wall? What's a stud? (The 2x4's in the wall that hold up the wall.) If you put drawers in your closet, make sure that walls and doors won't get in the way of their operation. A word on drawers: my feeling is that you should use your limited closet space for hanging clothes and shelves. If you have room for a bureau in your room, use furniture for drawer space. If you think you may want to hire a professional, remember this. He or she will come to your house, measure everything, and probably give you a few different designs to choose from. Since they've done this before, they can get the optimal use of the space, and install it for you before you get home from work with no problems. Professionals tend to get a discount on materials which is part of their compensation, so let them buy the materials. For ideas, you can take a look at my web site www.homestead.com/improvements to see some of the closets that I've designed and installed. Since you're going to have more room, there's not much reason to "cull" your possessions, but if you feel compelled to, here's how to do it. Take all of your stuff out of the closet all at once; don't stop to think about it. Before you put your possessions back in, separate them into 3 piles: "definitely keep", "maybe" and "give away". Notice that I didn't say "throw away" - most of us have trouble trashing perfectly functional clothing that we've outgrown or no longer wear. Instead of feeling guilty, giving it away will make you feel good. Bring the give away items to your favorite charity or relative or friend before you have a chance to rethink your decisions. Go with your gut; you would have at least put it in the "maybe" pile if you wanted it. Put the maybes into a big trash bag and save them. After one month, if you haven't yearned for something from that bag, you probably don't need it or want it. Bring the bag to your favorite charity or relative or friend before you have a chance to rethink your decisions; go with your gut. After you've installed your organizer, obviously you'll put your shirts in the top-left quadrant and so on (see above). But within those grand classifications, I suggest creating sub-categories. I have created a spectrum of formality for myself with painting shirts on the left, informal shirts to the right of that, nice shirts and finally tuxedo shirts all the way to the right. I go one step further and break them into short-sleeve and long-sleeve within each section. Same thing goes for my pants on the rack below. If you go with wire shelving, those one-foot segments in the rods make great category dividers. Now you'll know exactly where to look to put together an outfit for any occasion. Sam
Brusco is a licensed general contractor who designs, builds
and installs closets. He also performs other home improvements
such as bathroom renovations, kitchen remodeling and deck
building. To learn more, go to In Memory: Nature was Liburdi's favorite artist Painter's work graced billboards, stamps, walls By DAVE SHEELEY From the March 4, 2005, editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Menomonee Falls - Louis Liburdi Sr.'s artwork had landed in the top 10 of state and federal waterfowl stamp contests. But it wasn't until 1985 that he took first place with his oil painting of two wild turkeys that was designated the Wisconsin stamp for turkey hunters. That painting wasn't the only mark left by Liburdi, an artist whose portfolio stretches from paintings of wildlife and religious scenes to scores of billboards throughout the Milwaukee area, including one portraying the Mona Lisa wearing headphones. Liburdi, of Menomonee Falls, died Monday at the Woodland Health Care Center in Brookfield after suffering a series of strokes. He was 84. Inspiration for his winning stamp came after Liburdi spent several mornings waiting for a flock of turkeys to photograph. "I finally got the picture I wanted," Liburdi told a Milwaukee Journal reporter in 1985. He said he crouched with a camera in the early morning waiting for the flock to get close enough to snap a photo. The painting was reproduced on stamps the state required with small-game hunting licenses and permits for turkey hunters. It was the winning entry in the state's first turkey stamp contest. Throughout his life, Liburdi, whose name as an artist was Peter Anthony, painted duck, deer, horses, geese, cowboys and mountain men in outdoor scenes. Walls in the basement of his home were painted with panoramic scenes of wildlife. "He made sceneries in the house as if he's sitting in his cabin up north," said his daughter Christine Barham. His children described him as a quiet, modest and humorous family man who was loyal to his wife, Lucille, and protective of his family. "He was the most talented artist in the area, but he never bragged," said his daughter Catherine. He was born the son of Pietro and Domenica Liburdi in Ceccano, Italy, on Aug. 19, 1920. At age 6, Liburdi moved to America with his siblings and soon after made his way to the Waukesha area. A hunter and conservationist, Liburdi developed a love for wildlife while growing up in rural Waukesha County in the 1930s. Liburdi attended the old Layton School of Art in Milwaukee and took private art lessons in the United States and abroad. He also served in World War II as a topographical engineer. His commercial artwork for outdoor advertising companies was likely seen by thousands of people. Billboards advertising dairy and insurance companies and car dealerships could be viewed throughout the Milwaukee area. The art director and freelance commercial illustrator for various firms sometimes incorporated his children into billboards, flashing his daughter Catherine's "megawatt" smile across a sign promoting the goodness of milk, she said. The Mona Lisa billboard was an advertisement for the Koss Corp., and it asked readers if they wondered why the Mona Lisa was smiling, according to Christine Barham, of Pleasantville, N.J. Barham remembered when her father blended her features with those of her sister Elizabeth for a billboard depicting a girl with pigtails next to a cow in a dairy company advertisement. "He would use us kids as a model," she said. In those days, Louis Liburdi stroked his paintbrush against the billboard while hanging from a swing stage in all types of weather. "He'd paint by hand those wonderful paintings," Barham said. By 1980, he quit commercial art and reserved his time for wildlife painting. Louis Liburdi told The Journal in 1985 that he admired wildlife, describing nature as the "supreme" artist. "When I see something in nature - whether it be a beautiful deer, a duck or a sunset - it inspires me to paint," he said. His daughter could attest to that motivation. "His main passion was his artwork," Barham said. Louis Liburdi was the maternal grandfather of Fieri Boston Vice President Sal Di Stefano. Fieri
Boston would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Sal and
his family. |
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