Aprile 2023

Get To Know the Guest Front Cover Artist Emily Stahl

submitted by Emily Stahl

I’m a St. Louis lettering artist and graphic designer. My business started as freelance work, but after being diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disorder, Late Onset Tay Sachs, in 2016, I wanted to find ways to get involved. I participated in an art show for the Muscular Dystrophy Association selling hand lettered prints, which is how my product-based business got started. Since then, I have gotten into multiple shops and expanded my product line to cards, stickers, magnets, mugs, pins, ornaments, apparel and more.

My most popular designs are St. Louis based, but I knew I had to create a collection in honor of The Hill. My grandma, Dorothy Barbaglia, grew up on Elizabeth Avenue and I have come here my entire life. It has always felt like a second home to me. I started with The Hill Essentials design and grew the collection from there. I reached out to The Hill Neighborhood Center to partner with, because I wanted to give back to the neighborhood. A percentage of all the sales from this collection goes back to the center.

Having a disorder isn’t easy, but I am a big believer in chasing your dreams. I have had the opportunity to work with some dream clients over the last few years including: creating the artwork for three

theme nights for the St. Louis Blues. You can also shop the full Emily Stahl Design Co. collection in collaboration with Lusso Merch in the STL Authentics Shop at Enterprise Center.

If you have any interest in working with me or collaborating on social media content, you can send me an email at hello@emilystahl.com. I am a huge believer in shopping small and eating local, so I am always posting about The Hill when I visit

at The White Rabbit and at Cozy Shop on Main Street in St. Charles. Shop online: emilystahl.com/shop You can shop The Hill Collection at the The Hill Neighborhood Center during their hours. On Saturday, March 25, The Hill Neighborhood Center had a pop up I sold products at. You can also shop a few other local vendors and artists including Clauser’s Wood Creations, Moonbeam Jewelry, Mother’s Helping Mother’s Ministry and the Prayer Shawl Ministry!

Where to find me on social media:

Instagram: @emilystahldesignco

Facebook: Emily Stahl Design Co.

Website: emilystahl.com

Email: hello@emilystahl.com

Emily Stahl

the neighborhood. I love to highlight other small businesses on my social media, so get in touch with me.

Where to purchase products: You can shop my products locally

Il Pensiero is honored to have Emily’s artwork grace the front cover of this April issue.

Il Pensiero supports the community’s talents and businesses.

publishers

Antonino Lombardo & Carina Marino

editorial art

MANAGING EDITOR

Anthony Gandolfo

ENGLISH EDITOR

Marianne Peri-Sack

COPY EDITOR

Amanda Coyne

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Courtney Kamm

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Gus Torregrossa office

BUSINESS MANAGER

Linda Marino

DISTRIBUTION

James Marino

Alexandra Marino

MAIN OFFICE 314-722-6728 italia

DIRETTORE PER ITALIA

Salvatore Gandolfo

Via Delle Palme 7 91021 Campobello di Mazara (TP) Italia

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IL PENSIERO

A Prayer Service for Sam Vitale

St. Justin Martyr

March 4, 2023

St. Louis, MO

Sam’s family organized a time for those close to him to gather and pray the rosary together for his recent health diagnosis.

Please keep him in your prayers.

LA COLONNA DEL NOSTRO CORRISPONDENTE: GUS TORREGROSSA

Official Photographer

St. Louis’s Anthonino’s Taverna

“On The Hill” Expands to Schnucks Markets, Inc.

(Frozen and Ready to Bake)

“Famous” Toasted Ravioli & Hand-tossed Gourmet Pizzas join our jarred Marinara Sauce

St. Louis-based Anthonino’s Taverna “On The Hill” expands to a broader audience as it joins with local grocery chain, Schnucks Markets, Inc. Frozen and ready to bake “famous” toasted ravioli & handtossed gourmet pizzas locally made by hand hit the shelves at Schnucks Markets, Inc. at the end of March 2023.

Anthony & Rosario Scarato, owners of Anthonino’s Taverna, are consummate professionals with degrees from the top-rated culinary program at St. Louis Community College. They follow in their father’s footsteps from Athen’s Café to Anthonino’s Taverna, an integral part of The Hill neighborhood for over twenty years.

Anthony Scarato told us, “Creating a product that our guests could take home and easily prepare has been a mission since our toasted ravioli became famous on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

Partnering with Schnucks Markets, Inc. during the pandemic with our jarred marinara sauce became a relationship we value for our team and patrons.

Like many restaurants navigating the pandemic forced us to think outside our four walls. The frozen and ready to bake, pizza and award-winning toasted ravioli are a natural fit.

We are excited to continue to promote Gift A Meal. Becoming the first restaurant on The Hill to become a part of this important organization feeding the less fortunate in our community, we would love it if every meal we serve in our restaurant and through your purchase at Schnucks Markets, Inc. accomplished that goal. Joining is free and every picture taken on Gift A Meal in our restaurant and on our frozen and ready to bake handtossed gourmet pizza feeds our community through Operation Food Search.

Stay tuned for more local charitable giving with our frozen and ready to bake products, and thank you for your support!

Mizzou’s Italian Club

submitted by Sophia Malecek

Mizzou’s Italian Club started around the time the university first began offering Italian as a foreign language. However, due to the pandemic, meetings and events were canceled along with other activities around campus causing the club to fade away over time. Recently, freshman Valentino Bonora, discovered the club’s need for a president and was eager to participate in hopes to reconnect with his native country. Bonora

moved with his parents and brother to St. Louis, Missouri from Torino, Italy when he was about eight years old. Coming from an Italian background myself, I immediately knew I wanted to help rebuild and revitalize the club along with him, compelling me to undertake a leadership role.

As secretary of the club, I plan meetings, events, and socials for members and alumn associated with the organization. On March 9, 2023, we had our first meeting where we hosted our own Festa Di San Giuseppe (Festival of Saint Joseph). We began by learning about Saint Joseph and the significance of this holiday within Italian culture. Growing up, I spent Saint Joseph’s Day with my family and attended mass at the Shrine of Saint Joseph Church in downtown St. Louis. There we received pane (bread) and frutta (fruit) that were blessed by the priest. I wanted to share this tradition with other students by bringing in Italian bread and oranges for the club to enjoy.

It’s important for me to focus on the cultural aspects of Italy rather than the language to make the material I learn in class at Mizzou different. Additionally, each meeting will focus on learning about the various traditions and holidays celebrated during the year. In doing this, we will keep these customs alive for future generations to come.

For our April meeting, we will be coloring eggs and having a mini feast. Everyone will bring in their own dish to share with the group to celebrate Pasqua (Easter), the second biggest holiday in Italian culture. Next, I will have students participate in an Easter egg hunt for a chance to win treats and prizes including chocolate eggs. For our May meeting, we will celebrate Festa della Mamma (Mother’s Day). In doing this, we will indulge in pastries and coffee while writing letters and mailing them to our mothers back home.

The Italian club is held once a month and is open to all majors and minors. The next meeting will be held on April 13 from 6-7 p.m. in the Arts and Science Building in room 101 at the University of Missouri – Columbia. For more information on meetings and events follow our Instagram @mu.italian.club.

Observations on the Italian Diaspora

submitted by Silvio Laccetti

Americans, particularly Italian Americans, are barely aware of the dimensions of the Italian Diaspora - the settlement of Italians across the globe. People of Italian heritage have played major roles and have significant presence in a number of countries. A brief listing shows that:

1. For reference, Italy has 60 million people

2. Brazil has 32 million of Italian heritage, or 15% of its total population

3. Argentina has 25 million, a whopping 62.5% of its total population

4. The United States has an estimated 17 million , about 6%. But the National Italian American Foundation claims the number could be as high as 25 million, since the census department stopped asking about Italian ethnicity in this century.

5. Venezuela, 1.7 million or 6%

6. Canada, 1.5 million, or 4.5%

7 and 8. Australia, 1 million or 4.4% and Uruguay 1 million, BUT 40%

If you are wondering, US cities with the most Italian Americans are: New York City, 1 million, followed by Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston with about 1/2 million. The biggest concentration of Italian Americans is in the Northeast with New York and New Jersey leading the way.The municipality with the highest percentage of Italian Americans is Fairfield, NJ at 50%.

I was intrigued by these statistics, and so decided to ask two individuals associated with the work of my foundation, The Silvio Laccetti Foundation, about issues facing their Italian communities, one from Brazil, and the other from Australia. It would appear that the two uppermost issues for Italian Americans concern 1) the Columbus controversy and 2) Italian Studies in public schools.

First, I inquired of Bill Macina to give us the lay of the land in Brazil.The peak Italian migration to Brazil occurred at about the same time as that to the US, 1870-1920, with a smaller flow occurring after World War II. Atypically, Bill is a triple mover. His grandparents came to the US from Italy. As a student, Bill lived in Paramus, NJ, and afterwards in Washington Township, but in later adulthood, he moved to Brazil to establish his successful business, ITAMBRAS.

With regard to the two issues of importance to Italian Americans, Bill states that Columbus in a nonissue. There are very, very few monuments to him in Brazil, which, after all, was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Cabral. October 12 is celebrated as a quasi-religious “Children’s Continued on page 6

by Carina Marino BIRTHDAYS

Isabella

Michael

Josie

Gia

Lombardo

Lombardo

Lombardo

Marino

ANNIVERSZARY

April 2

Josephine and Michael Sabaski

Submit content to info@ilpensiero.net before April 14, 2023 to be featured in the May issue. We look forward to receiving your announcements!

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DECESSI

Submit an obituary to info@ilpensiero.net by April 14, 2023 for the May issue.

A Special Note:

He Is Risen!

Carina Marino

and the Il Pensiero staff

Easter Mediterranean Dip

2 cans of artichokes

1 cup of mayonnaise

1 cup of Parmesan cheese

Chop up artichokes and add the ingredients and mix together. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with your choice of cracker.

more Italian Studies in the curriculum and display a strong interest in obtaining dual Italian-Brazilian citizenship.These trends are particularly evident in Bill’s home town of Serra Negra, which has 90% Italian heritage, and in the San Paolo area in general.

When Old Becomes New

by Courtney Kamm

Local businessman and restaurateur, Anthony Favazza, is bringing back a lot of STL food history with his latest project.

In late 2022, Favazza purchased Hank’s Cheesecakes making this the third food business under his name — behind Amighetti’s and family-owned business, Favazza’s. Amighetti’s and Hank’s Cheesecakes are both local legends in the St. Louis restaurant industry, and Favazza plans to keep that history alive as he opens a collaborative location in the old Hanneke Hardware building.

Bill Macina, Founder and CEO of ITAMBRAS

My second contact is Italian Australian Zack Facione, He is an amazingly accomplished world class scholar-athlete, a seven-time all-American track star who is finishing up a Master’s degree at Wake Forest University, North Carolina. Interestingly, in the heart of that state, Zach is identified by peers and associates as Australian, rather than a person of Italian heritage!

Regarding the Columbus controversy, in Australia, as in Brazil, there are very few markers and no fuss about the Great Navigator. Of course, Australia was “discovered” by the Dutch in 1606 and rediscovered by British Captain Cook in 1770, long after the Columbian voyages to the New World.

As for Italian Studies, as we saw in Brazil, there is a growing interest among young Italian Australians to learn more about their heritage, perhaps as tourism to Italy is rising. But in schools and universities, Italian language is being cut out. Indeed, one university has ceased teaching any languages, stating that this study is not compatible with its mission (?) whatever that may be!

Zach lives in a suburb of Sydney, a major city which features its own “Little Italy.” But he has no such place in his American home of Winston-Salem-NC. The best he can do is visit Dioli’s Italian Market for some Italian specialities!.

Favazza acquired the Hanneke building in 2015, before purchasing Amighetti’s, and attempted to turn it into a multi-tenant retail space. Now, he has decided to recreate Amighetti’s, which closed nearby. A lot of the Hanneke building’s original glory was restored, including the green and black Vitrolite panels and parts of the original Hanneke Hardware neon sign.

As of March 28, you can stop by for an Amighetti’s sandwich and add a piece of cheesecake to your order, or pick up an entire cheesecake to go. They are open seven days a week.

Extra Sauce, Please

by Courtney Kamm

Buy Brazie’s sweet oil and vinaigrette salad dressing at J. Viviano & Sons on The Hill! The bottles are available in person or online. Shop salad dressings and more at shopvivano.com.

St. Louis Gets Another Gioia’s Deli

by Courtney Kamm

Gioia’s announced in a Facebook post in early March that they will be opening another St. Louis location this spring in the Interstate 44 corridor. Based on their post, this new location is in the Point 44 shopping center and will be located right next to Starbucks.

This is the fourth STL-based location for the James Beard award winning deli. Its doors are expected to open in late April or early May of this year.

Northern Italian Wine Dinner

by Courtney Kamm

Continued from page 5

Day”! On the second matter, about the maintenance and expansion of Italian language and cultural studies: unlike here, it is the younger generation which is very concerned with this matter. They lobby for

Zach Facioni, an Italian Australian, is a seven time All American track star at Wake Forest Univ.

I conclude by urging all readers to delve more deeply into the topics raised in this essay and to learn more about the geography and politics in your hometowns.

Silvio Laccetti, Ph.D. is a retired Prof. of History and has been a national columnist for 20 years. His self-named Foundation promotes Italian heritage and culture in the US and abroad.

Be transported to Northern Italy with Bartolino’s upcoming event “A Wine Dinner” by Anthony Saracino. This perfectly paired five course meal is an unforgettable experience that will have your taste buds souring. From seared Ahi Tuna and Sauvignon Blanc to herb roasted lamb and Amarone Classico, this is one meal you definitely won’t leave unsatisfied.

Northern Italian Wine Dinner takes place at Bartolino’s Osteria on April 5 and kicks off at 6 p.m. Reservations are required, so call 314-644-2266 to reserve your spot!

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Continued from page 6

When One Door Closes, Another Door Opens

by Courtney Kamm

Pasta House closed a long time location last month in West County in St. Louis. The Italian chain’s location at 14007 Manchester Road now has a sign reading “closed” on its doors, but don’t worry because this is not the end.

Pasta House is set to open a new location in Kirkwood at 10312 Manchester Road, the former location of Pi+Rico which closed late last year. There is no word as to when this new Pasta House will open, but founder Joe Fresta told St. Louis Magazine that the Kirkwood space was “in perfect condition” and “almost all the amenities we’d need were in place and usable.” Stay tuned for more information on an official opening day.

Italian Film Festival USA of St. Louis To Host Italian Director

The nineteenth annual Italian Film Festival USA of St. Louis features nine recent, award-winning Italian films, in original language with English subtitles. Screenings held on Fridays and Saturdays of the first three weekends in April at Washington University.

Highlights of the festival include a visit by director Mimmo Calopresti who will

provide a Q&A session after the screening of his film Aspromonte, Land of the Forgotten at Washington University on April 14, at 7:30 p.m.

Admission is FREE and open to the general public. For further information, please visit the festival’s website, italianfilmfests.org or call 314-422-3102.

The festival is sponsored by Volpi Foods, with the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago as Cultural Partner; in collaboration with Washington University’s Program in Film and Media Studies and Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.

Celebrate Easter Sunday at Casa Don Alfonso

Join Casa Don Alfonso to celebrate Easter Sunday with a decadent brunch buffet service beginning at 11 a.m. The Casa Don Alfonso culinary team has carefully crafted a festive menu combining elevated takes on classic brunch dishes with regional Italian spring recipes. Guests may upgrade their experience with endless Bellinis or Bloody Marys or enjoy whimsical coffee and cocktail creations from the Casa Don Alfonso bar.

The menu will include dishes like Spring Pea Soup with Crispy Pancetta, Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Lamb Jus and Housemade Gnocchetti with Lobster as well as Truffle Eggs Benedict. An abundant spring dessert display will also include Mango Easter Egg Profiteroles, Chocolate Strawberry Pot de Cremes, Lemon Meringue Tarts and more. To make the day even sweeter, the Easter Bunny will be spending the day visiting with junior guests across The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis property from 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m..

Reservations are highly recommended and available from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. The brunch buffet service is $80 per person excluding tax and gratuity. Endless Bellinis and Bloody Marys are $50 per person in addition to the price of the breakfast buffet service. To reserve, please call 314-719-1496 or visit the website, casadonalfonsostl.com.

CONSOLATO GENERALE D’ITALIA

THOMAS BOTZIOS–CONSOLE GENERALE

500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1850 Chicago, IL 60611

phone: 312-467-1550

fax: 312-467-1335

italcons.chicago@esteri.it con.chicago@cert.esteri.it

Hours: (open to public)

Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Onorario D’Italia/Honorary Vice Consul Joseph Colagiovanni

Office: 314-275-0351

Mobile: 314-705-2413

saintlouis.onorario@esteri.it italianconsulstl@gmail.com

VISTI/VISAS visti.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5487

PASSAPORTI/DOCUMENTI VIAGGIO/ NAVIGAZIONE/ PASSPORTS/ TRAVEL DOCUMENTS passaporti.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5485

AIRE/ anagrafe.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5485

ELETTORALE/ ELECTORAL elettorale.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5485

STATO CIVILE E CITTADINANZA/ VITAL RECORDS AND CITIZENSHIP cittadinanza.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5484

UFFICIO STUDENTI/CODICI FISCALI/ EQUIPOLLENZA TITOLI DI STUDIO/ COMMERCIALE/ STUDENT OFFICE/ FISCAL I.D./EQUIVALENCY OF DEGREES AND PROFESSIONAL TITLES/ COMMERCIAL commerciale.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5486

NOTARILE/NOTARY legale.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5483

UFFICIO SCUOLA/ EDUCATION OFFICE scuola.chicago@esteri.it

312-995-5489

Italian Trade Agency 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1720 Chicago, Illinois 60611

chicago@ice.it

312-670-4360

website:ice.it/it

Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo/ Italian Government Tourist Office 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2240, Chicago, IL 60611

312-644-0990

COMITES

Presidente Luigi Sciortino comiteschicago.com

Facebook: Comiteschicago Illinois 3502 N. Harlem Ave. Chicago, IL 60634 +1 773-414-0636

Emergency Number

Italian Citizens ONLY: (accidents, arrests, serious medical problems, etc.)

+1 312-909-0304

Emergencies between

10 p.m. and 8 a.m. CT, contact the MAECI at 011 39 06 36912666

Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Chicago

Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1450 Chicago, IL 60611 phone: 312-822-9545 fax: 312-822-9622

email:iicchicago@esteri.it website:iicchicago.esteri.it

Dott. Luca Di Vito, Director

misericordiastl.com