Toronto Vol.2, No. 3

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 2 • V O L . 2 • N O . 3

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR Tony Zara EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Filippo Salvatore MANAGING EDITOR Viviana Laperchia

Mr. Joseph Rizzotto

IT’S HARD TO PLAY THE GAME IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE RULES….

People are unfortunately injured everyday, driving cars, crossing the street, walking in a mall or store, entertaining with friends at a club or even attacked by a dog. In each case, you are entitled to be compensated for your losses as a result of any injuries.

At this point, you have to make a decision to start a personal injury claim. It is no easy matter. It is not a game…big insurance companies are almost always involved.

Insurance companies create mazes that one has to go through to access benefits and compensation. They play with your health, peace of mind and future. The Rizzotto Law Firm with years of experience helping injured people, will guide you through the maze. They help you access tiers of benefits and compensation.

Motor vehicle insurance is complex. The changes to motor vehicle insurance law in Ontario that came into effect September 1, 2010 added to the maze and consumer confusion.

These changes especially affect the relationship with a person’s own car insurance carrier – the Accident Benefits carrier.

If you or your family members have been injured, you have rights that need protecting within the time limits permitted by law. It would be in your best interest at this point to hire a trained professional lawyer to help you obtain the maximum benefits and compensation for your losses. Even the playing field.

Joseph J. Rizzotto, B.A.(Hons), M.A., LL.B., LL.M. of the Rizzotto Law Firm is such a lawyer and has many years of experience dealing with insurance companies and claims.

“It is important to hire someone that will carefully review and research each case individually in order that the appropriate action is taken quickly and is effective. Knowledge is key.”

DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adam Zara MONTREAL MANAGING EDITOR Gabriel Riel-Salvatore

PHOTOGRAPHY Gregory Varano

VICE PRESIDENT – MARKETING & SALES Earl Weiner ADVERTISING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Bruna Ruggiero ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Dom Fiore David De Marco

ART DIRECTION David Ferreira GRAPHIC DESIGN David Ferreira Manon Massé PROOFREADER Marisa Pellegrino Rita Simonetta

Guest Editor: Marcello Tarantino

CONTRIBUTORS Salvatore Garau Salvatore Difalco Daniele Bozzelli Veronica Pontecorvo

David De Marco Alessia Sara Domanico Gaia Massai Jenny Galati Dante Di Iulio

Editorial Editor-in-Chief .......................... 8-9

Alessio Galletti Daniela Di Stefano Stefan Morrone Monica Gerli

Chef Lorenzo Loseto ................. 28 Vini per l’estate ......................... 29

Euro 2012

Opinioni Evasione Fiscale ........................ 10

Italian-Canadian Olympians:Past, Present and Future Victoria Altomare........................ 12-13 Melissa Tancredi and Carmelina Moscato .........................14 Future leader: Alexandra Orlando ...15

Life & People Bob Gaspari ......................... 16-17 Maria Luigina Grimaldi .............. 18 One More Day ........................... 19

Travel Pienza ........................................ 20 Seaside Living ........................... 21 Veneto: Terra Ferma .................... 23

Food & Wine Pizza Party! ........................... 24-25 Erbe Aromatiche ........................ 26

It’s Time for Redemption ...... 30-31 Match Schedule ........................ 32 Stadium Guide ........................... 33 Road to Euro 2012 .................... 34 Where to Watch ........................ 35 Siamo Number One ............. 36-37

Lifestyle Living Italian Style ................. 38-39 Fashion: Mellow Yellow ....... 40-41

Arts & Culture Ciaolom ..................................... 43 Gabriella Giandelli .................... 44 Internment Camps .................... 45 Viva Vitalità Showcase ..47-54

Community Events Various Events ...................... 56-62

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Ed i t o r i a l

Will the economic crisis oblige the European Union to turn into a true federation?

By Filippo Salvatore t the last G8 summit on May 17 and 18, held in the peaceful and lush serenity of the presidential residence in Maryland's scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, US President Barack Obama played host to Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Italy's Premier Mario Monti, Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President François Hollande, UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron, Russia's Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

The G8 is a very select club of the world's ‘most industrialized’ economies. Each country (USA, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, England, Russia) has the task of hosting the annual meeting on a rotating order. The first summit took place in France in 1975 at the invitation of then French President Valéry Giscard D'Estaing and involved only six nations. It was called to discuss how to deal with the oil crisis that was playing

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havoc with the world's biggest economies. Italy and Canada joined this exclusive club in 1976. In 1977, the European Community (now European Union) was invited as an observer (the EU is a G8 member, but cannot host or chair a summit). In 1998, Russia joined the G7, making it the G8. It represents about half of the world economy and a quarter of its population. China, India, Brazil and South Africa, four of the world’s leading emerging economies, are left out of this select club.

Lately the bigger G20 has overtaken the G8 in importance and relevance. The G20 summit is now considered as the official and most important international forum where global economic and political issues are discussed and decisions taken.

On May 18, the G8 leaders dealt with a ten-point agenda which included Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear weapons and the threat they represent for world peace, the civil war in Syria and Libya, the wider situation in the Middle East and the importance of including women in the political process. The following day the focus shifted to the economy, food security in Africa and energy and climate change issues. Three new leaders sat around the table: France’s newly elected President François Hollande, Italy’s Premier Mario Monti and Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

The Camp David summit focused on the economic woes affecting Europe (the debt crisis and the recession)

and attempted to find a balance between budgetary rigour, defended by Germany, and economic growth, proposed by France, Italy, the USA and, to an extent, by Canada and Japan. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a member of the G8 since 2005, is the European Union's dominant political player. The German economy has avoided the recession plaguing the so-called PIGS countries (Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain) and to a lesser degree Italy and France in the euro zone. She also has been spearheading the fiscal compact, the European Union's roadmap out of the debt crisis and into balanced budgets. In November 2011, Mario Monti was appointed to lead a technocratic government, after Silvio Berlusconi’s resignation. Monti, in an effort to figure out how to tame Italy’s debt crisis while also increasing the demand for goods and spurring job growth, has introduced a number of measures _ tax hikes, budget cuts and pension reforms _ aimed at restoring his country’s financial credibility and the confidence of markets. He is a former economics professor and is known as ‘Super Mario’. As a European commissioner from 1994 to 2004, he made quite a reputation for himself for his competence and guts in taking on vested corporate interests.

57-year-old François Hollande, made his debut on the international stage after his recent election victory over Nicolas Sarkozy. The new French President wants

Ed i t o r i a l to rewrite the ‘Mercozy’ pact the euro zone countries have agreed to and to alleviate economic anxiety by focusing on growth rather than on austerity. Besides Italy’s Monti and USA’s Obama, Hollande surprisingly found an ally in UK’s Cameron. Further talks on how to change the approach in tackling the euro zone economic crisis will take place in June. That is when the German and the Italian/French opposing views will clash and concrete measures will have to be taken.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who won a majority mandate in May 2011, has been leading Canada from the recession slowly but steadily. But full recovery will be difficult to reach by 2013, because of record-high levels of consumer debt, a strong dollar, lagging exports and high unemployment.

In the press release at the end of the summit, US President Barack Obama and other G8 leaders expressed hope that Greece will remain in the euro zone.

Greece’s default and return to its national currency, the drachma, would impact other countries and spread its economic troubles around the world. It is in everybody’s interest, therefore, it was wisely argued, to strengthen the euro zone and help Europe's economy grow. President Obama said the eight leaders agreed that “Europe's financial crisis must be addressed with a mix of growth and austerity measures. There's now an emerging consensus that more must be done to promote growth and job creation. (...) Europe has taken steps to manage the crisis. Individual countries and the European Union as a whole have engaged in significant reforms that will increase the prospects of long-term growth.”

Germany's Angela Merkel relented somehow from her previous focus solely on budget cuts. She declared that growth and deficit cutting reinforce each other and work needs to be done on both threads. Neither devastating austerity measures nor massive stimulus

spending is Canadian Prime Minister Harper’s position as well. He sees trade as a way to cultivate growth.

Presently Canada is working towards a free-trade agreement with the European Union.

2012 will be a year of reckoning for the world economy. It has become intertwined to such a degree that the crisis affecting several countries in the Euro-pean Union, will have severe repercussions also in labour intensive countries like China, India and Brazil, in export power-houses like Germany or the USA or even in natural resources rich Canada and Russia or oil exporting Arab nations.

The last G8 summit brought to the fore the European Union’s dilemma: to cut or not to cut spending.

Since 2008’s global financial crisis, several countries like Greece, Italy and Spain, are facing a truly difficult problem: how to reduce the huge public debt and keep the high labour wages which make it, contrary to Germany, difficult to export their products. An easy fix is hard to find. If a policy of cutting is implemented, the risk of causing or deepening a recession increases and so will social turmoil. Lower wages will not lead, in the short run, to a rise in exports. Moreover, companies and borrowers will concentrate on repaying their debts and

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will spend less or not at all. And as a result the recession will increase and last longer. The new fiscal compact being proposed by Germany is based on a tough set of rules that limits to 3% the borrowing of a country. The same rules were set in the ‘90s, but almost no countriy respected them, not even Germany. The situation has changed, it may be argued, and tougher control is now in order. If cuts are not made, the risk of default or of financial collapse goes up exponentially, as in what is occurring in Greece, which is burdened by an expanding debt-load and a loss of confidence in markets.

What are some possible solutions to this intricate economic riddle?

The new fiscal compact ought to be linked to a new and strengthened role for the European Central Bank (ECB). Premier Monti and French President Hollande are speaking about Eurobonds which enable a country to be bailed out. ECB president Mario Draghi is considering asking the European parliament to expand his mandate in this direction. Reform of the mandate of the ECB would entail a loss of national autonomy and making the European Union truly a federal state. It is the logical road to take, but resistance will be very strong; nationalism is on the rise in several countries. Another possible solution would be a form of programmed inflation, say at 10%. The cost of the public debt in Italy is, for instance, about 3.6%. If a 10% inflation were allowed for several years, it would reduce Italy’s public debt by 6.4% per year and bring it back to an acceptable 70% of its internal product. This is of course a proposal that clashes with Chancellor Merkel’s policy of rigorous fiscal accountability.

Will the formula (a mix of rigour and growth) that came out of the last G8 summit work? Will the economic crisis turn into an occasion to build a stronger European federation? Only time will tell.

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Opinioni

10

Il governo Monti e la lotta all’evasione fiscale

Salvatore Garau

Tra i problemi che il nuovo governo Monti sta cercando di affrontare con determinazione c'è quello dell'evasione fiscale. Si calcola che solo nell'ultimo anno siano stati evasi più di 180 miliardi di euro. Una cifra enorme, se si considera che la pesante manovra finanziaria approvata dal governo lo scorso dicembre ammontava a 30 miliardi: un sesto, dunque, del totale evaso. Un altro dato può aiutare a capire l’entità del fenomeno: secondo le ultime stime, l'evasione sarebbe cresciuta più del 13% solo nell'ultimo anno, una percentuale di poco inferiore alla crescita che il prodotto interno lordo è stato capace di registrare nel corso di quindici anni. l governo precedente aveva spesso lanciato messaggi contraddittori riguardo all'evasione fiscale. L’ex primo ministro Silvio Berlusconi aveva dichiarato espressamente che evadere le tasse poteva essere “moralmente giustificato” se queste erano troppo alte. Il governo Monti, al contrario, ha imposto fin da subito un cambiamento di rotta, promettendo che il contrasto all'evasione avrebbe rappresentato una priorità assoluta. In particolare, il nuovo esecutivo ha dato l’impressione di voler agire su due livelli distinti: uno culturale e l’altro più strettamente politico.

La netta riaffermazione di una cultura della legalità ha rappresentato una delle prime azioni intraprese dal governo. Il risultato più immediato è stato il peso del tutto inconsueto che il tema dell’evasione fiscale ha acquisito sia nei giornali che nei dibattiti televisivi. Il problema, finalmente, è stato affrontato non come un attributo dell'italianità talmente radicato da essere di fatto irrisolvibile, ma come una delle cause profonde della crisi economica in cui versa l'Italia e, dunque, come un aspetto della vita pubblica che non può più essere tollerato.

Il governo Monti ha sostenuto con convinzione alcune operazioni a sorpresa eseguite recentemente dalla Guardia di Finanza, come i controlli a tappeto a Cortina, Sanremo e Milano. Naturalmente operazioni come queste, per quanto rilevanti per il loro notevole impatto mediatico, nel lungo termine non possono

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rappresentare una soluzione ad un problema tanto complesso. Costituiscono però il tentativo di iniziare una battaglia lanciando segnali molto forti che dovrebbero costituire il preludio a misure più organiche e strutturali.

Il governo sta infatti lavorando, nell’ambito della riforma del sistema tributario, a delle misure che mirano ad affrontare il problema dell’evasione in maniera più efficace rispetto a quanto non sia stato fatto nel passato. C’è dunque la speranza che, a breve, le buone intenzioni mostrate fino a questo momento si traducano in norme efficaci.

Rimangono tuttavia degli interrogativi, soprattutto nel lungo termine. Per cambiare un malcostume tanto diffuso servono naturalmente molti anni e un’azione di governo costante. Il mandato dell’esecutivo guidato da Monti scadrà però nel 2013 quando, con le nuove elezioni, i tecnici usciranno di scena per lasciare il posto agli stessi partiti che così poco hanno fatto nei decenni precedenti per affrontare il problema. Resta inoltre da vedere quanto i cittadini italiani saranno disposti ad accettare una seria lotta all’evasione se questa dovesse essere condotta non da un governo tecnico ma, dopo le elezioni del 2013, da una classe politica screditata e costantemente travolta dagli scandali. Solo i prossimi anni potranno dirci se il cauto ottimismo di questi mesi sia mal riposto oppure se il contributo di questo governo si rivelerà duraturo.

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2011-12

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11

Italian-Canadian Olympians

At first glance one could easily mistake the tall and fair-eyed Victoria Altomare for a runway model on her day off – casual, relaxed, and stunning. Even her name befits the persona. And doubtless, she’s no stranger to admiring stares but make no mistake: Victoria isn’t just another pretty face. The 20-yearold doesn’t ply her craft in pumps and frilly couture.

Her easy smile and grace belie the heart of a ferocious competitor and a world-class athlete.

Photographer: Gregory Varano Make-up artist: Desi Varano

Spiking Future Olympian the Future

Victoria Altomare

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his is not to say her chosen sport, beach volleyball, and its requisite skimpy bathing suits, lacks for mystique and sizzle. Once the gritty pastime of Hawaiian and California beach bums seeking a break from surfing, beach volleyball blazed into the public consciousness with its inaugural appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Its blend of minimally-clad, sculpted bodies, daring athleticism and sheer novelty endeared it to the crowds. Now a commonplace on beaches worldwide, the sport has come a long way from its scruffy surfer dude beginnings.

During the past two years, Toronto native Victoria Altomare has emerged as one of the bright new lights on the beach volleyball scene, with a cluster of glowing achievements. These include gold medals in two National Championships, a first ever gold for a Canadian in the 18-under American National Championships, and an unprecedented silver medal with her partner Melissa Humana-Paredes at the 2011 FIVB Under 21 World Beach Volleyball Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia (the first Canadian women ever to stand on the podium at a FIVB event), as well as a curio’s store of sportsmanship and outstanding athlete awards.

This past April, Victoria and Melissa Humana-Paredes mounted the podium again at the 2012 Ontario Sports Awards (Ontario Place), where they picked up the prestigious “Team of The Year” honours.

Although Victoria won’t be competing at this summer’s London Olympic Games, she hopes to represent Canada on the sand courts at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And while it may be premature to earmark her as a Canadian medal hopeful for a future Olympics, judging from her meteoric rise in the world volleyball ranks, and her ongoing passion and commitment to the sport, one gets the feeling that if all goes as planned she’ll be in the medal mix.

Victoria, who trains full-time at the national training center in Toronto, is refreshingly humble and clear-eyed about her achievements and her future. She admits that without the emotional and financial support of her parents, she couldn’t have pursued the sport. It follows that when asked to name her role models she quickly mentions her

father, contractor Luigi Altomare, whose family hails from Cosenza, and her mother Cheridan, an Australian native. “They’ve worked so hard to give me this opportunity _ and it’s slowly paying off. But let’s face it _ beach volleyball is kind of an elitist sport. I wouldn’t have gotten this far if they weren’t there every step of the way.”

A late bloomer as an athlete, Victoria describes a radical growth spurt in grade seven that gave her a distinct advantage over her peers in volleyball. After mastering the indoor game, she turned to the beach variation during summer holidays to keep her skills sharp, and liked the game’s freedom from politics and combustible team tensions. “It’s just you and your partner,” she concludes. “You can’t run, can’t hide. So you have to be motivated.”

Of course, she relishes performing for ardent crowds and traveling the world. At her first world championship in Turkey, she recalls “receiving not so much a culture shock as feeling awed by the pure spectacle.” But even with all her medals and a strong debut on the pro circuit, she’s realistic about a career in beach volleyball. “Except for the top 10 players, most volleyball pros live paycheck to paycheck. It’s not an easy life.”

As for her Italian/Australian heritage, Victoria equally embraces both sides of her family, and admits a few, perhaps predictable culture clashes. It seems Nonna Altomare and Grandma Cheridan compete a little as cooks _ diplomatically, Victoria concedes that “stuffed eggplant,” is her favourite dish, full stop.

Heeding her parents’ counsel, Victoria isn’t about to put all her eggs in one basket. “Education is key,” she believes. And despite a grueling daily training regimen, she’s taking kinesiology and psychology courses at York University, with an eye on a possible career in child psychology or law enforcement. Already cultivating her rapport with children, she volunteers precious weekend time to the Pacman Volleyball Club in Mississauga, a developmental league run by educator Kelly Smith.

When asked what she thinks the future holds for her, Victoria offers a sage and level response. “You know, as cliché as it sounds, I’m taking it one day at a time.”

By Salvatore Difalco

T

571 Chrislea Road Woodbridge, Ontario 905-856-6263

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566 Arvin Ave Stoney Creek, Ontario 905-643-3964 atlantisbathcentre.ca

Victoria Altomare

Salvatore Difalco

A prima vista, si potrebbe facilmente confondere Victoria Altomare, alta, occhi chiari, con una modella lontana dai riflettori – sportiva, rilassata e bellissima. Persino il nome si addice alla sua personalità. Non è senz’altro estranea agli sguardi d’ammirazione, ma attenzione: Victoria non è il solito volto carino. La ventenne non si allena con scarpe, décolleté o frivole acconciature. La sua grazia e il suo docile sorriso celano il cuore di una feroce avversaria e atleta di classe mondiale. on per questo però il suo sport, la pallavolo da spiaggia, che prevede costumi da bagno striminziti, manca di fascino ed emozione. Una volta passatempo sulla sabbia per bagnanti hawaiani e californiani in cerca di una pausa dal surf, la pallavolo da spiaggia ha sconvolto l’immaginario collettivo con la sua ammissione nel programma olimpico a partire dai Giochi di Atlanta, nel 1996. La combinazione di corpi scolpiti e poco vestiti, di atletismo audace e di pura novità l’ha resa irresistibile per il pubblico. Oggi sport ordinario sulle spiagge di tutto il mondo, il beach volley è molto lontano dai suoi inizi e dai goffi surfisti.

Negli ultimi due anni, la torontina Victoria Altomare è emersa come una delle nuove speranze sulla scena della pallavolo da spiaggia, con una serie di brillanti conquiste.

Tra queste, due medaglie d’oro in due campionati nazionali; il primo oro canadese nei campionati nazionali americani under-18; una medaglia d’argento senza precedenti con la sua collega Melissa Humana-Paredes ai campionati mondiali di Beach Volley della FIVB under-21 (Federazione Internazionale di Beach Volley) nel 2011 ad Halifax, Nova Scotia – le prime donne canadesi in assoluto a salire sul podio per un evento della FIVB – nonché una collezione di particolarità sportive ed eccezionali premi atletici.

Lo scorso aprile, Victoria e Melissa Humana-Paredes sono di nuovo salite sul podio in occasione degli Ontario Sports Awards (Ontario Place), per ricevere il prestigioso titolo di “Squadra dell’Anno”.

Nonostante non partecipi ai Giochi Olimpici di Londra di quest’anno, Victoria spera di rappresentare il Canada sul campo dei Giochi Panamericani del 2015, a Toronto, e alle Olimpiadi del 2016, a Rio de Janeiro, in Brasile. E sebbene sia prematuro parlare di una futura medaglia olimpica canadese, a giudicare dalla sua salita meteorica nelle classifiche della pallavolo mondiale e dalla sua costante passione e impegno verso lo sport, si può pensare che, se tutto va come previsto, anche lei potrebbe essere tra i premiati.

Victoria, che si allena a tempo pieno al Centro di allenamento nazionale di Toronto, è sorprendentemente modesta e sicura dei suoi traguardi e del suo futuro. Ammette che,

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Italian-Canadian Olympians

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senza il supporto economico ed emotivo dei suoi genitori, non avrebbe potuto proseguire nello sport. Ne consegue che, quando parla dei suoi modelli, non esita a menzionare suo padre, l’imprenditore Luigi Altomare, la cui famiglia ha origini cosentine e sua madre Cheridan, nativa dell’Australia. «Hanno lavorato molto duramente per darmi questa opportunità, che li sta piano piano ripagando. Ma parliamoci chiaro, la pallavolo da spiaggia è una sorta di sport elitario. Non sarei arrivata così lontano se a ogni passo non ci fossero stati loro».

Atleta di tarda fioritura, Victoria racconta come il suo straordinario sviluppo, iniziato ai tempi della scuola media (Grade 7), l’abbia notevolmente avvantaggiata rispetto ai suoi compagni di pallavolo. Ormai esperta del gioco al coperto, durante le vacanze estive decise di optare per la variante in spiaggia per mantenere allenate le sue doti, e la libertà dalla politiche e dalle forti tensioni di squadra le piacquero molto. «Sei solo tu e la tua compagna» - conclude. «Non puoi scappare, non puoi nasconderti. Devi avere tenacia».

Victoria, ovviamente, adora esibirsi davanti a un pubblico infuocato e viaggiare per il mondo. Durante il suo primo campionato in Turchia, ricorda di «non aver subito l’impatto culturale perché impressionata dal puro spettacolo». Eppure, con tutte le sue medaglie e un solido debutto da professionista, Victoria è realista rispetto a una possibile carriera nella pallavolo da spiaggia. «Ad eccezione dei migliori dieci giocatori, la maggior parte dei professionisti della pallavolo vive con i soldi contati. Non è una vita facile».

Per quanto riguarda le sue radici italiane e australiane, Victoria ha adottato entrambe le origini della sua famiglia, confessando l’esistenza di alcuni, forse prevedibili, scontri culturali. Sembra che nonna Altomare e “grandma” Cheridan competano un po’ in cucina – in modo diplomatico, Victoria rivela che le melanzane ripiene sono il suo piatto preferito, punto.

Attenta ai consigli dei suoi genitori, Victoria non ha intenzione di puntare tutto su una carta sola. «L’istruzione è fondamentale» - sostiene. E nonostante il faticoso regime di allenamento giornaliero, segue corsi di chinesiologia e psicologia presso la York University, in vista di una potenziale carriera in psicologia infantile o nell’applicazione della legge. Già coinvolta con i bambini, Victoria dedica loro preziosi fine settimana, prestando volontariato presso il Pacman Volleyball Club di Mississauga, una lega per lo sviluppo infantile gestita dall’educatore Kelly Smith.

Se le si chiede cosa riservi il futuro per lei, la risposta di Victoria è saggia e diretta. «Sai, per quanto possa sembrare banale, vivo giorno per giorno».

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14

Italian-Canadian Olympians

Present Olympians

By Salvatore Difalco and Daniele Bozzelli

The Road to London 2012: Melissa Tancredi & Carmelina Moscato

Panoram Italia: How do you size up the team’s chances of medaling in these London Olympics?

Melissa Tancredi: Heading toward the Olympics, of course we were excited to qualify. We knew we had something to prove and we were ready for the challenge. But I must admit it’s been a lot of work, with an intense commitment, and buying into what John (Coach Herdman) has brought this team. As a result we’ve had recent success and we hope it continues. Medaling? We’ll see. But we’ve never been as fit as we are and we’re confident.

PI: In another interview you explained your temperament as being “Italian.” Talk a little about your Italian roots and identity.

MT: I was born in Hamilton, and I’m very proudly Canadian, but I have an absolute sense of my Italian origins. My parents are Italian, so it’s hard to ignore it. But it’s a beautiful country and I have a deep connection to it. I love the family traditions and customs. I enjoy Italian culture and Italian food; and of course Italian soccer. I’ve been watching Serie A my whole life. My dad’s a big soccer fan _ he’s from Ascoli Piceno _ and he really encouraged me to play as I was growing up.

PI: Given your exposure and status playing for the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team, what do you think of being a role model for young Canadians?

MT: I’m quite honoured to be playing for my country. It’s always an honour. And I don’t shy away from being a role model. I’m one hundred per cent behind encouraging and mentoring young people. My sister teaches at Cathedral High School in Hamilton, my Alma Mater, and I’ve been happy to do some coaching and mentoring there and give something back to the community.

And I hope to do a lot more of it in the future.

lancing at the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team roster, two Italian names pop out _ Carmelina Moscato and Melissa Tancredi _ and both have become integral components of the National Team. The 23-year-old Carmelina Moscato pairs on-field hustle and skills with passion and humour. Melissa Tancredi, a fearless forward, relishes the role of clearing room for strikers like Christine Sinclair and occasionally popping in a goal herself. The 30-year-old Hamilton, Ontario, native has earned the nickname “Tank” for her uncompromising approach to the game.

In many ways, both Moscato and Tancredi embody the physical, passionate style of play that coach Herdman has tried to instill since taking over from Carolina Morace, who departed in September. Panoram Italia had the pleasure of talking to both women after they helped Canada qualify for the Summer Olympics.

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Carmelina Moscato

Melissa Tancredi

Currently ranked seventh in the world, the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team faces a difficult challenge at this summer’s London Olympics after drawing both defending World Cup champion Japan and World Cup bronze medalist Sweden in Group F of the opening round. South Africa, fortunately not a soccer powerhouse, rounds out the group. The top two teams from each of three preliminary-round groups, along with the top two third-place finishers, advance to the quarter-finals.

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Panoram Italia: How was the atmosphere during the qualifying tournament?

Carmelina Moscato: It was fantastic! Playing our games at BC Place in Vancouver in front of our fans gave us so much energy to play well. We wanted to represent our country and make them proud. We accomplished our goal of qualifying. Now we're on to the next step in trying to win gold at the Olympics this summer.

PI: John Herdman is Canada's new coach for the women's national team. He was hired to succeed Carolina Morace who resigned after Canada's disappointing World Cup tournament in Germany.

What do you think of the change, and how did Carolina improve the national side while she was in place?

CM: John is a great coach, full of energy and desire to win.

Carolina allowed us to see the game in a different way. She implemented fundamental tactical techniques that modified the way we played the game. Her high level of tactics changed our approach to the game. Despite the outcome of the World Cup, we were successful under her leadership. One of my great memories under Carolina was winning the 2009 Cyprus Cup. PI: You are both a player and a student of the game. What steps have you taken in your playing career that have helped your development?

CM: I've learned things from all of my playing experiences. I played in the W-League with the Vancouver Whitecaps, in Italy with UPC Tavagnacco, and in Sweden with Pitea IF. I've been able to see different systems of play and learn from my teammates and coaches along the way. The season in Italy was a particularly fun experience. Being an Italian-Canadian, I really enjoyed being immersed in the culture. At the same time, I am now happy to be back home with the national team.

The Canadians will face South Africa on July 28 in Coventry, then wrap up the preliminary round versus Sweden at Newcastle on July 31.

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Italian-Canadian Olympians

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Past Olympian

Alexandra Orlando Future Leader:

Alexandra Orlando loves doing what she does, which is to say, the former Olympian loves doing it all, and doing it well. Whether addressing a crowd as a motivational speaker, penning a book, coaching or promoting athletics, Alexandra prepares and executes with the same passion and drive that made her Canada’s dominant rhythmic gymnast for more than a decade, and one of the few non-Europeans to compete at the sport’s highest levels. he energetic little girl who could never sit still and who for 16 years channeled that verve into athletic excellence is all grown up now, and though she’s hung up her hoops and ribbons, she is still driven to excellence, and still a noteworthy sports presence.

Recently she sat on the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Bid Board of Directors. To say that sport has made her the woman she is today is an understatement.

“Being a part of a team and learning how to win, how to lose and how to lead has given me the tools to succeed not only in sport but in life. It taught me that life isn’t easy. Sport can be harsh, cold and painful but every day is a mental and physical challenge that forces you to get the best out of yourself.”

And getting the best out of herself has become routine for this highly decorated former athlete. An accomplished public speaker, Alexandra attributes her confidence to early media exposure. “I had a lot of media attention and quickly realized that I loved to be on camera. It was like a show _ my own performance.”

The game changed a little when she realized the impact her talks could have on people, and youth in particular. She embraces the opportunity to motivate a generation

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Photographer: Gregory Varano

By Salvatore Difalco

of young Canadians. “I want to show others that they have a potential that can take them places they never imagined. I am honoured to be considered a leader in my community and whole heartedly love what I do and will continue to try and make a difference.”

Her book, Breaking Through My Limits, is a moving and honest account of her journey as an athlete. She describes the process of writing the book as trying but rewarding. “Some days I had nothing to give; it was hard to articulate my emotions and go back in time to remember difficult memories. Times when I was hurting or wasn’t proud of who I was - felt like a failure. Those were the most difficult times to write about but the most healing.”

Alexandra, whose father is of Sicilian origins and whose mother hails from Salerno, speaks proudly of her Italian heritage. “We are a passionate loving people that value family and tradition. It has definitely affected my performance as an athlete and became a part of my persona; I was a very emotional competitor. My fans used to say I was on fire when I competed, which reminds me of the strong Italian personalities that come out of my family!”

As for that lively family, she gives a big nod to her parents for her success. “They supported me from my very first Saturday morning class to flying half way around the world to China to cheer for me at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.”

As for the future, Alexandra plans to bring to life some ideas she has been collaborating on with other leaders in the sport community. She’d also like to study for an MBA in Marketing, and further “indulge her creative side: writing, dancing and choreographing.” Spoken like a true Renaissance woman, a label she doesn’t shy away from. “Renaissance woman? I love that, actually.”

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The Daddy 16

Li fe &People

he never knew

By Mike Hanley (The Hamilton Spectator)

More than 50 years after it was written, a son discovers an amazing letter written to him by the father who feared he would never be coming home to his little boy. The following article was originally published on the front page of the Hamilton Spectator on June 6, 2000. ob Gaspari was two when his father went to war. He didn't return, leaving his son with no memory of the young man who held his hand during his first steps, kissed him goodnight and lifted him from his crib in the morning.

Private Louis Gaspari was 27 when he was killed during the Normandy campaign. He's buried in Beny-Sur-Mer, not far from Juno Beach where 18,000 Canadian soldiers landed on D-Day, June 6, 1944. "I was left with a few photographs and my mother's stories," Bob says. "That was it."

A few months ago, a young relative was working on a school project and asked him if she could borrow any of his father's military mementoes. Bob offered a framed picture, a handful of medals and a letter from the Department of National Defence, advising his mother that her husband's personal belongings would be shipped home in a carton.

Bob was working that day and his wife, Faye, offered to drive to his mother's to pick up the medals and letter. "She phoned me at work," Bob says. "She asked me if I had any idea what was in that letter." It was not a letter from the Department of National Defence. It was a hand-written letter from his father. Bob was stunned. "My mother thought I had read it. Believe me, I would have remembered. But the good news is, I have it now." He carried it around for three days, too emotional to read it. "I can't explain why, but I was truly afraid."

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‘If I don't get back you will have to be mother's protector because you are the only one she has. You must grow up to take my place, as well as your own, in her life and heart.’ Finally, with the house empty, he pulled the letter from the envelope and slowly read the words, lovingly written by his father. It's addressed to "Dear Bobby" and is signed "Your daddy." In between, he explains why he's at war and tells his son how much he misses him. "More than anyone will ever know," he wrote.

At that moment, the face in a frame became a person. After 56 years, Bob met his father. "I couldn't stop crying." Faye cried, too. So did their two twenty-something sons. "They were very touched," Faye says. "I think they wanted to be cool but they quickly disappeared into another room."

Louis Gaspari was raised on Ferrie Street in Hamilton's North End. He worked at Hendershot's Corrugated Paper Co. on Catherine Street, north of Burlington Street. Ted Wilcox, a Spectator columnist, went to school with Louie and later worked with him at the paper company. "This was during the Dirty Thirties," Wilcox says. "You had to shoulder your way through men who were looking for work. There were a lot of tough characters working there including some pretty good prize fighters. But Louis was almost the antithesis. He was one of the kindest, gentlest men you could ever hope to know. He always saw the best in everyone."

Louis Gaspari

But when the big fight started, Louis was quick to answer the bell. He was in his early 20s when he joined the army and later served with H.Q. Company, 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Canada. "He was one of the first to join," Wilcox says. "We used to go to the door to watch the recruits marching to Eastwood Park for exercises.

They were a rag-tag bunch but they marched with pride. And we were so proud of our Louie. Then we got word that he was gone. Killed while fighting for his country. It broke us all up. I'll never forget him. Neither will anyone else who had the good fortune of knowing him."

Bob has talked with some of his dad's friends, including Wilcox, and can now count himself among those who knew him. "There was an interruption," Bob says.

"But I feel like we've been reconnected. He may not have been an educated man but his letter is so beautifully written. It's like the words just leaked from his pen and flowed across the page without interruption."

The letter wasn't dated but it was likely written around the time of the D-Day invasion, a month before he was killed. "It's so eerie, you get the feeling he had an idea he wouldn't be coming home."

In the letter, he asked Bob to look after his mother, keep in touch with his grandparents, and remember his daddy. "Pray for him to come back," he wrote. "And if it's God's will that he doesn't, be the kind of boy that your daddy wants (you) to be." Bob did keep in touch with his grandparents, visiting them Sunday afternoons.

A few years after his father died, his mother remarried and had three more children. Bob kept dad's name but embraced his new family. "I was quite young so I never felt Bob Gaspari like I had a stepfather, stepbrother and stepsisters. We were a family. We got along very well."

Li fe &People Text from the letter sent to Bob Gaspari from his father, who was killed in the Second World War Dear Bobby, From your mother's letters it seems you miss your daddy very much. I miss you too, more than anyone will ever know.

Since I've been over here I often thought of how we can grow up together and do the things a boy should.

When you are a little bigger you will know why your daddy is not home so much anymore.

You know we have a big country and we have ideals as to how people should live and enjoy the riches of it, and how each is born with equal rights to life, freedom and pursuit of happiness.

Unfortunately, some countries in the world don't have these ideals and where a boy cannot grow up to be whatever he wants to be with no limit on his opportunities to become a great man such as a great priest, statesman, doctor, soldier, businessman, etc.

Because there are a lot of people who want to change our nation, its ideals, form of government and way of life, we must leave our homes and families to fight.

In the meantime take good care of mother.

Be a good boy and grow up to be a good

young man. Study hard when you go to school.

Be a leader in everything that is good in life.

Be a good Catholic and you can't help being a good Canadian. Play fair always.

Strive to win, but if you must lose, lose like a gentleman and a good sportsman. Don't ever be a quitter, either in sports or in business or your profession when you grow up.

Stay close to mother and follow her advice always. Obey her in everything no matter how much you disagree. She knows what is best for you and will never let you down or lead you away from the right and honourable things of life.

Love your grandmother and grandad, they too will never let you down. Love your aunts and see them as often as you can.

Last of all don't ever forget your daddy. Pray for him to come back and if it is God's will that he doesn't, be the kind of boy you know your daddy wants to be.

Kiss mother for me every night. Good bye for now. With all my love and devotion for mother and you.

Your daddy

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Maria Luigina Grimaldi

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Veronica Pontecorvo

Li fe &People

Ha 107 anni la nonna degli Italiani in Canada

È nata in un giorno speciale – quello della festa internazionale della donna – a San Marco in Lamis, in provincia di Foggia, nel 1905, anno in cui in Russia scoppiava la rivoluzione, Albert Einstein sconvolgeva la fisica e il mondo con la teoria della relatività e in Francia entrava in vigore la legge sulla laicità dello Stato. In Italia, Giolitti era al suo secondo mandato, nascevano le Ferrovie dello Stato e il primo dirigibile azzurro si alzava in volo. Ha visto passare due guerre mondiali, 10 papi, affrontato con coraggio gli anni della Grande depressione, ha avuto 6 figli, è bisnonna di 26 pronipoti e trisavola di 2. È la signora Maria Luigina Grimaldi che, spegnendo 107 candeline l’8 marzo di quest’anno, si è guadagnata uno dei primissimi posti tra gli Italo-canadesi più longevi del Canada. ra il maggio 1928, quando la nonna italiana del Canada, a bordo della SS Roma – la storica nave che faceva la spola tra il Bel Paese e le Americhe – attraversò l’Atlantico fino a New York e da lì arrivò alla Little Italy di Toronto in treno, per raggiungere il marito, Gabriele Grimaldi. Erano gli anni del primo periodo della grande migrazione italiana verso la “Merica”, quando ogni anno ondate di circa 900mila connazionali partivano alla ricerca di un futuro migliore, armati unicamente di una valigia di cartone chiusa con lo spago, contenente pochissimi effetti personali e tanta speranza.

A chi le chiede quale sia la ricetta per una vita lunga come la sua, risponde sempre: «facendo del bene agli altri e lavorando sodo». E lei, che nel 2002 ha ricevuto la Medaglia del giubileo d'oro di Elisabetta II, - assegnata ai Canadesi che, tramite il loro lavoro esemplare e i servizi resi alla comunità, hanno contribuito a costruire il Canada di oggi – di rimboccarsi le maniche e aiutare gli altri ne sa qualcosa.

I primi tempi in Canada non furono facili. Erano gli anni bui della Grande depressione e Maria non parlava l’inglese né aveva familiari su cui fare affidamento. «La sua fede inossidabile, la sua favolosa energia interiore e l’amore per la sua famiglia le hanno dato la forza e il coraggio per affrontare sacrifici e avversità» - spiega Lucille, figlia della signora Maria, che descrive sua mamma come una donna eccezionale, con un carattere di ferro e un cuore grandissimo.

Mamma di sei figli, Maria preferì stare a casa per dedicarsi a loro a tempo pieno.

Quando il signor Gabriele fu nominato direttore di un ufficio postale a Toronto (fu il

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primo italiano a ricoprire una carica di tale responsabilità) divenne sua fedele assistente, ruolo che ha mantenuto quando suo marito aprì un’agenzia di viaggi e quando, più avanti, divenne notaio. Nel secondo dopoguerra, in Canada ci fu la seconda ondata migratoria di italiani e casa Grimaldi divenne un rifugio e un punto di riferimento per quanti arrivavano dall’Italia impreparati ad affrontare il nuovo ambiente, resi ciechi, sordi e muti dall'incapacità di esprimersi in inglese.

Nel 1961 i Grimaldi si spostano a Etobicoke e, nel 2007, a Mississauga, dove nonna Maria ha vissuto fino a 4 mesi fa, quando, anche a causa delle condizioni di salute non più ottime, si è trasferita a Villa Forum. Ancora abbastanza lucida, la sua memoria a breve termine vacilla, ma se le si chiede dei tempi passati, dell’Italia e della sua amata Puglia, il suo sguardo si illumina, la mente torna in un mondo lontano nello spazio e nel tempo e i racconti diventano puntuali, ricchi di dettagli, emozioni e ricordi. «Le piace parlare di ‘prima’, dei cari lasciati in Italia, della sua giovinezza» - ci dice Lucille. Adora raccontare aneddoti, proverbi e cantare le canzoni in dialetto: «Alla sua festa di compleanno ha stupito tutti quando, con il suo tamburello, ha accompagnato i musicisti che intrattenevano gli ospiti al suono della Tarantella – prosegue – e cantato a memoria vecchie canzoni italiane e canti popolari, anche se da tempo non le ascoltava».

Anche se Maria si dice grata per tutte le opportunità che la terra della foglia d’acero ha dato a lei e alla sua numerosa famiglia, se le si chiede qual’è la sua patria, senza tentennamenti risponde «l’Italia mia ce l’ho sempre nel cuore».

One More Day Zaccaria De Vuono

I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to be the man my nonno Zaccaria De Vuono was.

I'd be hard-pressed to put into words exactly what he meant to me. In particular, the lessons he taught me are ones I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.

“Don't worry about the mundane, what's important in this world is to live your life in a way that people will remember you for the good things you did.” Leave a good name, my nonno used to say, and people will remember you forever. A good friend of his, the late Senator Peter Bosa once told me in regards to my nonno, “non è la statura che fa l'uomo.” Senator Bosa was right. My nonno wasn't a big man by any stretch. But to say he wasn't a great man would be false. I loved hearing his stories, and I loved talking with him about anything and everything. In speaking with him, he always showed caring, interest, and above all, the immense wisdom that can only come from the experience of life.

Growing up in Calabria at a time when formal education was rare, an alternative form of schooling was the military. He went on to attain the rank of Sergeant Major, and was responsible for provisions for about 2,000 troops. Among the many stories I like to tell people about my nonno, is how at the close of the Second World War he was recruited to work for Interpol, the world's largest criminal police organization. In 1945, after his work with Interpol was complete, he rejoined his family and established a mini food terminal in Cosenza where his customers included the Vatican.

Vito Antonio (Tony) Malfara If I had one more day, I wouldn't tell you to stop hugging me because I have clothes to wash, dinner to make, or beds to make. If I had one more day, I wouldn't yell at you for playing with the kids and making a mess or for fear that someone would get hurt. I would sit and play with you and enjoy the time we have, as it went way too fast. My dear, dear husband, you left way too young, we were just getting to know each other; and then God decided your 47 years on Earth were enough and took you away from us. Now I'm left here alone with the children, still in shock at how quickly life can be taken away and we will never be able to talk, laugh or see you again. Now my eyes sting from tears, our children hurt that you will never be able to see them grow up or just reach out and hug them. All that they do will never be acknowledge by you. But although a year has passed, and the pain of your loss burns inside us, we know you will always be in our hearts and our memories will help us move forward as we know you will be travelling along side us.

With all my love, Your wife, Franca

Want to share your story? Send your ‘One More Day’ submission to info@panoramitalia.com along with a picture. The best entries will appear in our August / September issue.

Li fe &People

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What would you do if you had one more day to spend with a deceased loved one?

My nonno arrived in Canada on his birthday in 1948, full of hope and suitcases full of food products to test in the Canadian market. But Canadian legislation restricted imports and he ended up giving them away to family and friends. My nonno never saw this as an obstacle. Eventually, he went to work as a labourer for his uncle. Seeing an opportunity to further develop his skills, he begged to be taught bricklaying, but was told that a good bricklayer needed five years experience of manual labour to learn the trade well. Not about to let such obstacles get in his way, he got hold of some bricks and mortar and each night after work, he taught himself the art of bricklaying. Soon, he met two gentlemen who wanted a house built at Sheppard and Bathurst. So he built it. Then he built two more, and more and more still.

By 1956, just eight years after arriving in Canada, he had close to 100 bricklayers and 40 labourers, mostly of Italian heritage, working for Zachary De Vuono Ltd. He went from building that first house to building some of Toronto's tallest buildings, his last being the Bay-Charles Towers overlooking the University of Toronto. His career in building would see him go on and serve four years as President of the Masonry Contractors Association of Toronto.

In a profile of his life published by the CIBPA, my nonno was asked by now Ontario Court Justice Salvatore Merenda if he had any advice for success. His advice was simple. Have a goal, seek the wisdom of someone experienced in the desired field, learn from them, and then strive for perfection. “Even a better shoelace can make you a millionaire.”

It's been five years now since my nonno's passing. I still miss him terribly, and often think about the most obvious thing the two of us share: a name. Sometimes, a name becomes more than just a name. Sometimes, it becomes the embodiment of the character and values of the person with whom we most closely associate it.

Sometimes, it's an honour bestowed upon us by our parents or other loved ones. To me, it's the greatest gift I've ever received.

Zaccaria Di Luca

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Pienza: Tuscany’s Tra vel

By David De Marco

Hidden Treasure

In the middle of the Crete Senesi – the picture postcard Tuscan landscape south of Siena filled with green, rolling hills, grazing sheep, and marching lines of cypress trees – rises the tiny town of Pienza. Famed for its sublime sheep’s-milk (pecorino) cheeses and its delightful Renaissance architecture, Pienza is miniscule: just nine blocks long and three blocks wide with a population of just over 2,000, including the surrounding area. However, for what would otherwise be a scenic blip on the map, Pienza has a captivating history and the type of charm that one is drawn to immediately. n the 1400s, Enea Silvio Piccolomini was born to a prominent family in the little Tuscan town of Corsignano. He entered the Church, eventually became a cardinal, and in 1458 was elected Pope. He took the papal name Pius II, or Pio Secondo. It was in this Tuscan town that Renaissance town-planning concepts were first put into practice after Pope Pius II decided, in 1459, to transform the look of his birthplace.

He chose the architect Bernardo Rossellino, who applied the principles of his mentor, Leon Battista Alberti. This new vision of urban space was realized between 1459 and 1462 in the superb square known as Piazza Pio II. The new look begged for a new name, so the Pope modestly renamed Corsignano after himself – “Pio's town," or Pienza.

Pienza now centres around Piazza Pio II, a square whose design was literally lifted right out of a Renaissance painting (or at least a popular theme of the era known as "The Ideal City," practiced by the likes of Raphael and Piero della Francesca). The piazza is surrounded by a cathedral and three palaces, one each for the local government, the bishop, and Pius II himself. It was all designed to feel like an “outdoor room” and ended up providing the blueprint for what became modern urban planning in Western Europe. It is for this reason that in 1996 the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While Piazza Pio II is Pienza’s pride and joy, the entire town – a mix of old stonework, potted plants and grand views – is fun to explore. Nearly every shop sells the town’s delicious pecorino. It is available fresh (fresco) or aged (secco), and sometimes contains other ingredients like truffles. Pecorino al forno or alla griglia often topped with local honey or pears and served with Tuscan bread and a glass of local wine will lead one to a new understanding of la dolce vita. Pienza is yet another must-see stop in the remarkable Tuscan countryside. Its quaintness combined with its grand history and stunning architecture make it a true jewel that should not be missed.

I

right up to the edge of Pienza's little cliff, which allows light to stream through its windows, but slow erosion and general subsidence of the cliff face has for centuries threatened to collapse the entire altar-end of the structure. There is a huge crack that runs along the floor and up the left-hand wall near the apse-end of the church.

Palazzo Comunale Across from the Duomo is Palazzo Comunale with its colonnaded portico and elegant tower. It is a Renaissance take on the typical medieval town hall.

Palazzo Vescovile Adjacent to the Duomo, the Palazzo Vescovile (Bishop's Palace) was built by Pius II’s nephew, Cardinal Roderigo Borgia (who later became Pope Alexander VI – that infamous Borgia Pope whose reign was rife with scandals and assassinations). It now houses the town's Museo Diocesano, with some fine Sienese altarpieces by Il Vecchietta and Bartolo di Fredi.

Palazzo Piccolomini Rossellino built the pope's personal Palazzo Piccolomini along lines similar to those used by his teacher, Alberti, on the Palazzo Rucellai in Florence, but with one significant addition. Rossellino tacked on an Italian version of the ancient Mesopotamian hanging garden (on the left of the inner courtyard). This comprises a triple-decker loggia spilling over with plants above a tiny strip of box hedges. All of it rises directly atop Pienza's little cliff behind the Palazzo Piccolomini. From here there are sweeping countryside views that stretch across the breathtaking patchwork of fields to Monte Amiata, the largest mountain in southern Tuscany, in the distance.

The sights of Pienza: Duomo The Duomo (Cathedral), with the Piccolomini coat of arms front and centre, dominates Piazza Pio II. The interior is charming with several Gothic altarpieces and painted arches by 15th century Sienese masters. Dotted, inside and out, are more than 400 cinque lune (five moons), the Piccolomini family symbol. The church was built

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Veneto Food & Wine - 4 days from $1259 Slow Food Tour of Tuscany - 7 days from $2529 Slow Food Tour in Piedmont - 6 days from $2119 Amalfi’s Cucina Del Gusto - 7 days from $2679

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905.303.0200 Toll free 1.877.586.8747 info@pgtravel.ca

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Seaside Living Discover the Italian Riviera’s elite waterfront towns in Liguria

By Alessia Sara Domanico

Liguria in the summer is one of Italy’s brightest regions with its blend of picturesque scenery, superb cuisine and sophisticated attitude. Highly appealing for well-to-do Italians, it provides an escape that’s physically close, yet worlds away from their hectic city life. So if you’re wondering where all the locals are in the summertime, we have two very probable answers…

Portofino

Santa Margherita Ligure Many Italians have chosen the seaside town of Santa Margherita Ligure as their Ferragosto getaway. From a location point of view, it doesn’t get much better than this.

With the Cinque Terre (five lands, UNESCO park area) just a short ferry or train ride away and Portofino as a coastal neighbour, Santa Margherita is an idyllic place that makes a convenient base for a vacation on the Italian Riviera.

With its palm trees, yacht-packed marina and Art Deco architecture, this city is both attractive and well-serviced. In the afternoons and evenings, locals and tourists congregate around Piazza Martiri della Libertà.

Santa Margherita Ligure Surrounded by shops, bars, eateries and gelaterias, this chilled out area is the perfect place to indulge in a little dolce far niente, ‘the art of doing nothing’.

Hands down Liguria’s ritziest seaside area, Portofino, is world-renowned for its luxury lifestyle appeal. Back in its heydays of the 1950s and 1960s, Hollywood celebs and Mediterranean oil tycoons would rub elbows with one another at the portside cafes and restaurants. Nowadays, its harbour is still considered a status spot, but slightly less glamorous than back when Truman Capote would stay here to write his new novella or when Elizabeth Taylor would show up for a short stint – the screen icon came here four times, each of them with a different husband! Recently the likes of George Clooney and Beyoncé have graced its shores.

Best before sunset, take a stroll by the shore and check out the latest billionaire yachts lit up with impressive lights and the latest in life-at-sea gadgets. Some of these floating mansions even boast multiple levels. Also to be admired is the Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino, the surrounding green area and cliffs which provide great views and pleasant walking routes.

Portofino

Santa Margherita Ligure

WHERE TO STAY:

WHERE TO STAY: Grand Hotel Miramare Via Milite Ignoto 30 Santa Margherita Ligure, Genova www.grandhotelmiramare.it

Private Beach, saltwater pool, private park grounds, restaurant and bars Hotel Metropole Via Pagana, 2 Santa Margherita Ligure, Genova www.metropole.it

Private Beach, pool, breakfast buffet on the terrace Hotel Continental Via Pagana, 8 Santa Margherita Ligure, Genova www.hotel-continental.it

Private beach, wellness centre, panoramic restaurant

WHAT TO SEE: Villa Durazzo 19th century estate, park and botanical garden complex The Basilica of St. Margaret of Antioch 14th century Church built in Ligurian Gothic style The Abbey of San Fruttuoso (Camogli) A beach experience unlike any other - take a ferry to San Fruttuoso and soak up the sun against the backdrop of this stunning 10th century abbey WHERE TO EAT: Pizzeria da Gennaro Piazza Martiri della Liberta, 30 La Lampara Via Maragliano, 33 L’insolita Zuppa Via Romana, 7

Hotel Splendido Salita Baratta, 16 Portofino, Genova www.hotelsplendido.com

Wellness centre, tennis court, pool, complimentary shuttle service, cruise and sailing, restaurants and bars Domina Home Piccolo Via Duca degli Abruzzi, 31 Portofino, Genova www.dominahotelhomepiccolo.com

Restaurant, café, garden, solarium terrace Eight Hotel Portofino Via del Fondaco, 11 Portofino, Genova www.eighthotels.it

Breakfast buffet, suites and junior suites WHAT TO SEE: Castello Brown Genoese-built castle that passed through the hands of the Venetians, the powerful Savoy

family, the Sardinians, the Austrians and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Abbazia della Cervara Built in 1361, this abbey can claim three popes, Saint Catherine of Siena and Benedictine monks as its guests.

Chiesa di San Martino Consecrated in 1548, this Church features a sculpture of the Deposition of Christ by Genoese artist Anton Maria Maragliano as well as other paintings and important religious art.

WHERE TO EAT: Taverna del Marinaio Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta, 36 O Magazin Calata Marconi, 34 Ristorante Puny Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta, 4-5

“The Lanzi family’s story is a remarkably accurate and beautiful account of a Tuscan family’s trials and tribulations during the rise of Fascism and into World War II. A truly fantastic read.” – Panoram Italia Magazine Buy these and other remarkable books (available in English and Italian) directly from Italian-Canadian author Giancarlo Gabbrielli at the special price of $15.00 each.

E-mail him at: Giancarlog552@gmail.com or phone him at (647) 980-3661 to ask for a personalized dedication.

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NON-STOP FLIGHTS TO THE MOST DESTINATIONS IN ITALY DEPARTING FROM TORONTO - Rome (daily flights) - Venice and Lamezia (weekly flights) *We’ll be rolling out our new cabins over the next two years.

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23

Terra Ferma

Visiting Veneto’s

By Amanda Fulginiti

Bound on the west by the breathtaking Lago di Garda and on the north by the towering Veneto Dolomites, the landscape of Veneto is rich and varied. Veneto’s hinterland was originally perceived as a dangerous and unpredictable place by early Venetians, which explains why the city of Venice was actually founded in the uninviting marshlands of the Laguna.

Eventually, at the height of the Venetian Republic, Veneto’s landscape had become a quiet and popular summer retreat for wealthy, influential Venetians, who, over the course of time, managed to fill what they called the “Terra Ferma” with their signature of unabashed prosperity. From the grandeur of the city of Vincenza and its impressive Palladian villas, to the medieval flavour of Padova or Shakespeare’s fair Verona, Veneto is definitely a fascinating region to explore.

Vicenza

Where better to begin your trip than the region's capital. The city is best known for housing twenty-three buildings designed by the famous architect Andrea Palladio.

Rightfully called the “city of Palladio”, he and his pupils built houses directly inspired by antiquity. Easily accessible by foot, some of Vicenza’s most famous Palladian buildings include: the awe-inspiring Basilica Palladiana, centrally located in Vicenza's Piazza dei Signori, Palazzo Barbaran da Porto, home of the Museo Palladio, Palazzo Chiericati, home of the town pinacotheca (gallery) and the renowned Teatro Olimpico (Olympic Theatre), the oldest surviving enclosed theatre in the world. Tucked away in the city’s outskirts, the Palladian Villas of Almerico Capra (a masterpiece of beauty and simplicity also known as La Rotonda), and Valmarana, equipped with four rooms painted by Tiepolo, and Villa Di Maser (also known as Villa Barbaro), decorated by Veronese, are all well worth a visit. His masterful touch to the city’s landscape is one of the reasons why this quaint city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Verona

No trip to the Veneto region would be complete without a visit to the romantic city of Verona, the setting of an Italian folk tale from which Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is based. Why not relive the romantic tale by visiting Juliette’s house and call out to your lover from the balcony! Or perhaps leave a love letter which will eventually be responded to by a member of the voluntary love-letter answering secretaries which promote the Shakespearean legend! Verona is particularly famous for its Roman amphitheatre, the Arena di Verona, located in the city's largest piazza, the Piazza Bra. Completed around 30 AD, it is the third largest in Italy after Rome's Coliseum and the arena at Capua. Once famous for its gladiator matches, today it is internationally recognized for its large-scale opera performances. From June to September (2012), this summer you could be privy to one of six operas: Don Giovanni, Aida, Carmen, Roméo et Juliette, Turandot or Tosca!

Treviso Also worthy of at least a day trip is the city of Treviso. Surprisingly, it markets itself as a città d'acque and although it can hardly be compared to the lagoon that is Venice, water is still a very important feature of the townscape. The town centre is home to clothing empire Benetton, which has a large flagship store behind the Palazzo dei Trecento. If you are looking to do some shopping, head to Via Calmaggiore which stretches from Piazza dei Signori towards the Duomo. The street is characterized by rows of arches which mimic those found in Venice. The principle museum in Treviso is the Museo di Santa Caterina,a former church and convent which has recently been restructured to house the Civic Museum, the town's art gallery and archaeological collection.

Padova and Villa Pisani Famed for its university founded in 1222, Padova (or Padua) is a principle city in Italy's Veneto region. Easily reached from Venice (about 30 minutes by bus), it makes for a more inexpensive place to stay for those satisfied with only day trips into la Serenissima. An important landmark to check out in the city is the Arena Chapel (also known as the Scrovegni Chapel) whose interior frescoes were made by Giotto during the fourteenth century. These frescoes are particularly famed for their stunning blue and gold leaf starry skies which went on to influence a generation of Italian painters. An important monument housed in the city is Donatello’s equestrian statue of Gattamelata, which portrays the Renaissance condottiere Erasmo da Narni. The statue is centrally located in the Piazza del Santo, next to the beautiful Gotich-Byzantinesque Saint Anthony’s cathedral. The statue is known to be the first Renaissance equestrian statue inspired by the grandeur of Classical equestrian portraiture. Other than artistic ventures, be sure to take a walk along the Prato della Valle and to check out the Orto Botanico di Padova. Founded in 1545, it is known as the world's oldest academic botanical garden. A short and worthwhile excursion from the city is Villa Pisani in Stra. This eighteenth century villa, completed by the architect Francesco Maria Preti, is best known for its illusionistic ceiling painted by the famous Venetian artist Tiepolo in the ballroom.

The site is quite large so it might be fun to pack a picnic and enjoy a nice leisurely day in the area!

Conegliano Only 30 km north from the town of Treviso, Conegliano is noted for its wine, chiefly the white, sparkling Prosecco (made from the grape of the same name). This perfect happy hour wine is found in abundance in the north and is used to make the popular Veneto drink known as Spritz.

Definitely a bottle (or two) will be worth bringing home to the family. Interestingly, the city is home to Italy's oldest and most prestigious wine school called Scuola Enologica. Besides sipping the days away, be sure to check out the remains of Conegliano’s medieval castle built in the tenth century, which belonged to the Bishop of the Vittorio Veneto Diocese. Although only the bell tower is intact, it now houses a small museum. The vineyards that fill the surrounding countryside up to the town of Valdobiadene are also reputed to display some of the finest landscapes in the country.

Air Transat offers direct flights from Toronto and Montreal to Venice. Visit www.airtransat.com for more details.

Pizza Party!

24

Food & Wine

Recipes and photography by Claudia Ficca

Making pizza at home is easy and delicious. It’s all about the toppings and the possibilities are endless. If you’re planning a pizza party, prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and let your guests join the fun by letting them create their own pizzas.

Making your pizza:

Shape pieces of dough into a pizza. The dough will be fairly elastic, so you’ll have to stretch it out using the palm of your hands or a rolling pin. If it gets too sticky dust it with a bit of additional flour. To prevent the toppings from making the crust soggy, brush dough with olive oil. Once you are done topping your pizza with your favourite ingredients, slide it in the oven onto the hot stone (or simply put your pizza on a baking tray), slightly sprinkled with cornmeal, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until crust is golden.

Making your pizza dough: (Makes 3 pizzas)

• • • • • •

1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoon) 1 cup lukewarm water 3 cups 00 flour OR all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon salt Extra Virgin olive oil Cornmeal for dusting

*This part can also be done by hand if you don’t have a mixer In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine yeast, warm water and sugar and stir gently to dissolve. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn mixer on low and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add flour, a little at a time, mixing at lowest speed until all flour has been incorporated (about 4 minutes). When dough starts to come together, increase speed to medium. If dough is too sticky, add flour (1 tablespoon at a time). If dough is too flaky, add water (1 tablespoon at a time).

Once dough has taken shape, turn it out onto a lightly floured area and knead into a ball. Place dough in a large bowl that has been coated with olive oil, and cover it with a plastic wrap. Set to rise in a warm place for an hour or until it doubles in volume.

Preheat oven with pizza stone on bottom rack at 500 °F. Once dough is ready, transfer onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into 3 equal portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Pizza Margherita (Makes 1 pizza)

The Perfect Country Setting!

Join us in Caledon at The Terracotta Inn TUES TO SUN • LUNCH • DINNER • SUNDAY BRUNCH

17 5 K I N G S T R E E T . T E R R A C O T TA . O N . T 9 0 5 8 7 3 2 2 2 3 . W W W. C O T TA . C A

• • • • •

Tomato sauce, preferably San Marzano (passata) Pinch of salt 1/2 mozzarella ball Fresh basil leaves Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing on the pizza crust

Make a simple tomato sauce (using passata will be quicker) and let it simmer until right consistency is reached; it should not be too watery. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a pizza paddle and place your pizza dough on it (or put pizza on a baking tray, sprinkled with cornmeal). Evenly spoon your tomato sauce over pizza and cover with pieces of mozzarella. Transfer pizza to preheated pizza stone (or slide baking tray) in the oven by carefully sliding it off from the paddle or pan. Bake at 500 °F, about 8 to 10 minutes, until toppings are bubbly and crust is golden brown. Top with fresh basil leaves and enjoy.

Food & Wine

25

Potato, Caramelized Onion and Black Olive and Mozarella Pizza (Makes 1 pizza)

• Caramelized onions: 3 large onions, peeled, sliced.

(Drizzle 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Toss in the sliced onions and sprinkle with salt. Cook the onions over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 to 45 minutes. When they’re almost brown and have an intense, rich flavour, they’re caramelized) • 2 medium, waxy potatoes, peeled, cooked, and thinly sliced into rounds or into juliennes. (In pot of boiling water, cook sliced potatoes for 10 minutes or until almost tender but still firm) • 6 black Sicilian olives, pitted and halved • 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese • Olive oil for brushing pizza crust

Brush dough with olive oil and top with mozzarella followed by caramelized onions. Then layer the sliced potatoes, gently brushed with olive oil, and place olives onto pizza. Transfer pizza to the preheated pizza stone (or slide baking tray) in the oven and bake at 500 °F, for about 10 minutes, until potatoes and crust are golden brown.

Asparagus, Gorgonzola and Egg Pizza (Makes 1 pizza)

• 10 roasted asparagus spears (sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 °F for 10 minutes) • 2 eggs, cracked into separate small bowls • 1/4 cup gorgonzola mascarpone or crumbled blue cheese

Brush top of dough with olive oil. Place knobs of gorgonzola mascarpone. Add asparagus spears over cheese. Transfer pizza to preheated pizza stone (or slide baking tray) in the oven, and then quickly but gently pour each egg yolks onto pizza. Bake at 500 °F, for about 8 to 10 minutes, until toppings are bubbly, crust is golden brown and eggs are cooked.

Le erbe aromatiche e officinali nella tradizione italiana: Food & Wine

26

storia, scienza e usi in cucina.

Gaia Massai

Le erbe si dividono in due categorie, da cucina e medicinali (o officinali); alcune erbe medicinali però sono usate anche in cucina. Esse hanno da sempre accompagnato l'umanità e sono state considerate a lungo un regalo degli dei: sacerdoti, sacerdotesse e sciamani le utilizzavano per curare i malati, insieme a preghiere e riti purificatori. ’Erboristeria, ovvero l’arte di riconoscere, coltivare e utilizzare le piante a scopi terapeutici, cosmetici e nutritivi, è una tradizione popolare del mondo occidentale, ancora oggi fortemente praticata in Europa. Nasce a partire dalla Grecia e dalla Roma antica, quando medici tra i quali Asclepio, Ippocrate, Galeno e Plinio il Vecchio studiarono le proprietà terapeutiche di numerose piante. Mentre i Greci prediligevano l'uso delle erbe in cucina, i Romani erano attratti dall'uso delle spezie provenienti dai commerci con l'Estremo Oriente e, più che utilizzarle in cucina, le disponevano in casa in grandi urne per profumare gli ambienti.

Nel Medioevo le erbe aromatiche venivano utilizzare per mascherare i cattivi odori e scongiurare il dilagare di malattie: negli ospedali si bruciavano bacche di ginepro e rosmarino per disinfettare l'aria e prevenire il contagio. Nei monasteri si studiavano le proprietà medicinali delle erbe, si preparavano medicine e si compilavano erbari; il popolo però si rivolgeva prevalentemente a guaritrici e levatrici che preparavano cure a

L

base di erbe “semplici”, che potevano essere reperite facilmente.

Nel Rinascimento le spezie vennero messe da parte e si ristabilì l'uso primario di erbe fresche o essiccate in cucina: le erbe infatti esaltavano maggiormente il sapore delicato di ingredienti semplici e stagionali.

Coltivare erbe aromatiche in vaso o in giardino è un modo semplice, divertente ed economico per averle sempre disponibili: possiamo infatti usarle fresche durante la bella stagione e congelarle o essiccarle per goderne durante i mesi invernali. Ecco una lista, non certo esaustiva, delle erbe aromatiche più utilizzate nella cucina italiana: alcune, come l'aglio, difficilmente possono essere coltivate in Canada perché prediligono climi caldi. Molte invece sono facili da coltivare: sono sufficienti piccoli accorgimenti come la scelta di una posizione soleggiata e riparata dalle correnti fredde e l'utilizzo parsimonioso di acqua, che provoca, se troppo abbondante, marciume radicale, attacchi da parte di funghi e l'affievolirsi dei profumi.

Aglio

e agnello, come nel tipico abbacchio (Lazio).

Proprietà: espettorante, antisettico, antibiotico, antimalarico, abbassa la pressione sanguigna e il colesterolo.

Rimedi fai da te: olio di oliva e rosmarino contro i dolori muscolari. In infuso con la salvia è ottimo contro il mal di gola.

Ricette tradizionali: erba fondamentale nella cucina italiana, il sapore è tanto più acuto quanto più viene tritato. Spaghetti aglio, olio, peperoncino (Italia Centrale e Meridionale) e Fettunta (Toscana) Rimedi fai da te: Infuso o decotto contro la febbre e catarri bronchiali. Cataplasma per calli e verruche.

Basilico Proprietà: stimolante, eccitante, antispasmodico e disinfettante, combatte alitosi, emicranie e spasmi gastrici.

Ricette tradizionali: aggiungere alla fine della cottura e spezzettare con le mani per non perdere l'aroma. Ingrediente basilare per pizza, salse di pomodoro e pesto alla genovese (Liguria).

Rimedi fai da te: gargarismi con infuso di basilico contro il mal di gola. Le foglie fresche ingerite aiutano la digestione, mentre usate come impacchi calmano le irritazioni cutanee.

Origano Proprietà: antisettico, analgesico, antispasmodico, espettorante, calma la tosse e aiuta la digestione.

Ricette tradizionali: utilizzato fresco in insalata, è una delle poche erbe che acquista maggiore sapore e aroma una volta essiccato. Immancabile condimento della pizza e della salsa Salmoriglio (Sicilia).

Rimedi fai da te: crema anticellulite (100 gr. Olio di mandorle dolci + 10 gr. Olio di origano). Cataplasma ottimo per il torcicollo.

Prezzemolo Proprietà: diuretico e depurativo, ricco di proteine e vitamine.

Ricette tradizionali: erba utilizzata in abbondanza nella cucina italiana, da aggiungere a fine cottura. Esistono diverse varianti regionali di salse a base di prezzemolo, come la Gremolata (Lombardia) e la salsa verde (Toscana). Si sposa egregiamente con i funghi.

Rimedi fai da te: il succo delle foglie schiarisce le efelidi e l'infuso rende i capelli lucenti se utilizzato come risciacquo dopo il lavaggio.

Rosmarino Proprietà: stimolante, tonico, antiossidante e antinfiammatorio, migliora memoria e concentrazione e combatte efficacemente la depressione.

Ricette tradizionali: erba utilizzata sia nella preparazione di dolci come il Castagnaccio e il Pan di ramerino (Toscana) che per marinare carni e verdure alla griglia. Si sposa con patate, fagioli

Salvia Proprietà: antisettica, antibatterica, stimolante, digestiva, espettorante, cicatrizzante, tonica del sistema nervoso, antispasmodica e antisudorifera.

Ricette tradizionali: è una delle erbe maggiormente utilizzate in cucina come aromatizzante di carni, pesce, minestre e verdure. In genere si usa da sola, come spezia, in quanto avendo un aroma così inteso, annulla il sapore delle altre erbe. Tra le più tipiche ricette ricordiamo: ravioli burro e salvia (Nord Italia), fagioli all'uccelletto (Toscana), salvia fritta e saltimbocca alla romana (Lazio).

Rimedi fai da te: decotto di salvia unito all'acqua del bagno contro i reumatismi, la sudorazione eccessiva e per tonificare il sistema nervoso. Le foglie di salvia strofinate sui denti li rendono più bianchi e purificano l'alito.

Enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Little Italy.

B AT H U4R56S T S T.

COLLEGE ST.

Come experience

College St. SHAW STREET

COLLEGE STREET

S H A5W22 S T.

Honoured to be serving this community for the last 37 years. We invite you to come and experience our red carpet service.

Fernanda Alves Branch Manager

747 college St. 416-537-3182 www.nbc.ca

Ristorante ● Pasticceria ● Lounge

582 College Street | Toronto ON | M6G 1B3 | Canada (416) 535-3621 | bar-italia.ca | info@bar-italia.ca

BATHURST STREET

Food & Wine

28

Up close and personal with

Chef Lorenzo Loseto

By Jenny Galati

A Chef, by definition, is a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation. For Executive Chef of Toronto’s George Restaurant, Lorenzo Loseto, the definition is much more than that. Being a chef is about making a connection with food and putting his personality on the plate. A native of Bari, Italy, he remains true to his roots, taking what he’s learned from working in some of the city’s best kitchens, to serve up complex flavour combinations with Italian undertones. Panoram Italia had an opportunity to learn more about one of Canada’s Premier Chefs, culinary professor at George Brown College and winner of many awards, including two Zagat Awards: “Extraordinary to Perfection for Food and Service 2012” and “#1 for Canadian Cuisine in Toronto 2012”.

Panoram Italia: How would you best describe yourself and your style of cookery?

Lorenzo Loseto: In a sense simple, but if you see my food it doesn’t look very simple.

The food itself has a lot of little tastes, layered flavours and interesting components. It’s not rustic by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it’s also not out of reach for many people. We like to call it Toronto cuisine; it reflects the cultures of the city with definite Italian undertones.

PI: Since you hail from Bari, is there a Barese favourite that you enjoy?

LL: I wouldn’t say I have a favourite; I like everything from that region. A lot of the good bread and pasta comes from Puglia. The food from Puglia and other southern regions tends to get forgotten, yet it is very interesting and as good as anywhere.

PI: How important is your Italian culture and heritage in what you do?

LL: It’s very important, in my opinion, cooking-wise. I believe it always gave me a head start. When I first started cooking, there were things that were common knowledge to me and that I realized others struggled with; things like quality issues, how to recognize the ripeness of a fruit or vegetable or the freshness of fish. I understand a lot about food and it just comes naturally.

PI: Is there something you can’t live without in your kitchen?

LL: The one thing that’s never missing from my kitchen is an artichoke and when it’s in-between seasons, I panic. It’s one of those vegetables that people are not sure of and it takes a bit of work, which is probably why I enjoy working with it. You can do a lot with it; it’s very versatile.

PI: With the summer season upon us, what is your favourite seasonal dish?

LL: I get bored easily so I like to change it up. It’s about what’s good in that particular year. In summer though, it’s all about the fruit: strawberries, apricots, peaches and of course, Ontario artichokes.

PI: You have worked in the company of illustrious chefs like Susur Lee. How would you describe those experiences and what did you take from working alongside them?

LL: Growing up Italian, I never wanted to cook in an Italian restaurant because it was a cuisine I felt I knew a lot about. I wanted to learn about other cultures and I got to do that with Chef Susur Lee. I learned from him that food is very personal; it is putting your personality on a plate. When you eat at his restaurant you know you’re eating his food, and I wanted to be like that.

PI: You have been involved in many noteworthy causes such as Big Night at the Green Barn benefiting The Stop’s Green Barn (a sustainable food production and education centre). How do you choose where to commit your time and talent?

LL: It depends on who asks. If it’s someone you’re really close to or a cause you really believe in, then obviously you give it more thought. The causes that I’m really close to are Alzheimers, Cancer, anything to do with children and The Stop, which is in my community.

PI: What lies ahead for Chef Loseto?

LL: I’d like to do a book, but nothing is set. I’ve always been happy being in a position to cook. This is everything I’ve ever dreamed of.

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Solitamente, le temperature estive fanno preferire le bevande fresche quali vini bianchi o rosati, che accompagnano idealmente piatti leggeri a base di verdure. All’inizio dell’estate però si rispolverano anche i forni a legna e i barbecue alla griglia; i ritmi frenetici si fanno più rilassati e, in genere, ci si concede maggior tempo per preparare un buon pasto all’insegna della convivialità. Molti non rinunciano quindi al piacere di un buon bicchiere di rosso, specialmente la sera come compagno ideale alle immancabili grigliate. Quale che sia la vostra preferenza, ecco alcuni vini che abbiamo selezionato per le vostre giornate all’aperto.

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Vino fresco e aromatico prodotto da uve Insolia nella Sicilia orientale. Giallo paglierino dalle note floreali e agrumate, questo vino secco e dalla gradazione alcolica contenuta è ideale come accompagnamento a grigliate di pesce, formaggi freschi e come aperitivo.

UMBERTO FIORE BARBARESCO DOCG 2006 Manfredi/Umberto Fiore S.P.A. Piemonte $16.50 (LCBO #254870) Il Barbaresco è un vino Docg prodotto da uve Nebbiolo. Questo, in particolare, proviene da vigneti situati nel Piemonte meridionale.

Invecchiato per due anni in botte, ha un colore granato dai riflessi aranciati. Il bouquet intenso di frutti rossi e violette, unito alla buona corposità e morbidezza, lo rendono ideale abbinamento di arrosti e formaggi stagionati.

29

30

Euro 2012

It’s Time for Redemption

By Adam Zara

Euro 2012 in Poland and the Ukraine is upon us and the tension is palpable. From opening kick-off in Warsaw on June 8 to the tournament final in Kiev's Olympic Stadium on Canada Day (July 1), millions of eyes will be pointed towards Europe's top football competition. For Italian tifosi, nothing can replace the sight of 11 men in blue coming out of a stadium tunnel about to line up for l'inno di mameli. They'll be impatiently awaiting some redemption following 2010's catastrophic South African World Cup. hankfully, head coach Cesare Prandelli's new-look azzurri bears little resemblance to Marcello Lippi's 2010 selection that left many dumbstruck. At least half the players brought along to South Africa will be left off the current squad. 2011-2012 Serie A champions Juventus will enjoy the best representation of all clubs; a comforting notion considering the Torino side finished its season undefeated in league play, having allowed a mere 20 goals in 38 games – Europe's lowest record. The bianconeri will be sending midfield general Andrea Pirlo, national team staple Gianluigi Buffon, as well as Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, and Leonardo Bonucci. For firepower, Prandelli and co. will look to 21-year-old striker Mario Balotelli and pray the young Manchester City champion succeeds in keeping his infamous temper in check.

The azzurri will be playing for their first Henri Delaunay trophy in 44 years, the only one coming as hosts in 1968 with Riva, Mazzola and Domenghini running the show. The closest they've come since was in 2000, in what most will remember as an agonizing last second comeback by Zinedine Zidane's France in the final.

The group stage will prove a valiant test for the Italians. Their opener against the Spaniards on June 10 in Gdańsk, Poland, will mark a seventh senior international tournament (2002-2012) for captain goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas as starters, more than any other keeper in the tournament. The last time the two national sides squared off was for a friendly tilt in August 2011 which Italy took 2-1, and prior to that was

T

in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 when Spain progressed via the dreaded penalty shootout (officially recorded as a draw), going on to win the tournament. Though Spain is winless against Italy in competitive fixtures since the 1920 Olympics, one can be assured that the world's top ranked team will be cautiously dealt with. In their next two group match-ups, Italy will look to dispose of a pesky Croatian side that is undefeated versus the Italians since the breakup of Yugoslavia, and former Italian national team head coach Giovanni Trapattoni's Republic of Ireland.

If Prandelli's men can emerge from Group C unscathed, then the sky's the limit. As far as odds-on favourites go, usual suspects Germany, the Netherlands and Spain are preferred to go all the way, with Italy pegged as an outside contender. Many are still putting money on a third Spanish title in four years, though no country has ever managed to win consecutive Euro Cups, much less a Euro-World-Euro triumvirate. Surely however, if the Greek shocked the football world in 2004 by lifting silverware for the first time, the Spanish can certainly dream of cementing their dynasty.

Included inside Panoram Italia’s 2012 Euro Cup dossier: a look back at the Italian national team’s progress since World Cup 2010, an exclusive pull-out match schedule and stadium guide, as well as a guide to the best places to watch the Azzurri in action in the Greater Toronto Area. Buona lettura!

Euro 2012

31

L’ora del riscatto Adam Zara

Con gli Europei 2012 di Polonia e Ucraina alle porte, la tensione è tangibile. Dal calcio d’inizio a Varsavia l’8 giugno alle finali nello Stadio Olimpico di Kiev il giorno del Canada Day (1° luglio), saranno milioni i riflettori puntati sul campionato di calcio più importante d’Europa.

Vedere quegli undici uomini in azzurro uscire dal tunnel dello stadio e allinearsi per intonare l’inno di Mameli è un’esperienza ineguagliabile per i tifosi italiani. Dopo i catastrofici mondiali in Sud Africa del 2010, la voglia di riscatto renderà l’attesa febbrile. er fortuna, i nuovi azzurri di Cesare Prandelli hanno poco in comune con la selezione di Marcello Lippi che nel 2010 ha lasciato tutti esterrefatti. Almeno la metà dei giocatori scelti per il Sud Africa verranno esclusi dalla nuova formazione. La Juventus dei campioni di Serie A del 2011-2012 vedrà i rappresentanti migliori di tutte le squadre; una nota di conforto visto che la squadra torinese ha concluso la stagione imbattuta nei campionati, subendo solo 20 reti in 38 partite – il record più basso d’Europa. I bianconeri metteranno in campo il centrocampista Andrea Pirlo, la punta della squadra nazionale Gianluigi Buffon, così come Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini e Leonardo Bonucci. Come potenza di fuoco, Prandelli e compagni puntano sull’attaccante ventunenne Mario Balotelli e pregano affinché il campione del Manchester City riesca a tenere a bada il suo malfamato temperamento.

Gli azzurri si contenderanno la coppa Henri Delaunay per la prima volta in 44 anni, dopo l’unica occasione nel 1968 con Riva, Mazzola e Domenghini a dirigere lo spettacolo. L’opportunità era già stata sfiorata nel 2000, momento in cui molti ricorderanno un angosciante ritorno dell’ultimo minuto della Francia di Zinedine Zidane alle finali.

Il campionato sarà una prova di valore per gli Italiani. L’apertura contro gli Spagnoli il 1 giugno a Gdańsk, in Polonia, sarà la settima del campionato internazionale senior per i portieri e capitani Gianluigi Buffon e Iker Casillas (2002-2012), più che per ogni altro portiere in gara.

L’ultimo incontro tra le due nazionali è stata l’amichevole dell’agosto 2011, quando

P

l’Italia ha vinto con un 2-1, e prima ancora nei quarti di finale degli Europei 2008, quando la Spagna ha superato i temuti rigori (partita ufficialmente registrata con un pareggio), avanzando e vincendo il torneo. Nonostante sin dalle Olimpiadi del 1920 la Spagna non abbia mai vinto contro l’Italia nelle non amichevoli, non è da escludere che la squadra più quotata al mondo non sia un’avversaria da sottovalutare. Nelle prossime due partite, l’Italia dovrà disfarsi di una fastidiosa Croazia, imbattuta dagli Italiani sin dallo scioglimento della Yugoslavia, e della Repubblica d’Irlanda di Giovanni Trapattoni, ex allenatore della Nazionale italiana.

Se gli uomini di Prandelli riusciranno a emergere incolumi dal Gruppo C, non ci saranno limiti. Eppure, le solite Germania, Olanda e Spagna sono le favorite per le finali, mentre l’Italia potrebbe essere l’outsider. Molti prevedono la possibilità di un terzo titolo spagnolo in quattro anni, ma nessun Paese prima d’ora è mai riuscito a vincere gli Europei in modo consecutivo, tanto meno una tripletta EuropeiMondiali-Europei.

Di certo, se nel 2004 i Greci hanno sconvolto il mondo del calcio vincendo per la prima volta il campionato, anche gli Spagnoli possono sognare di rafforzare il proprio prestigio.

Compreso nel dossier sulla Coppa Europea 2012 di Panoram Italia: un’esclusiva guida pieghevole dello stadio e al calendario delle partite; una rassegna sul progresso della Nazionale Italiana dai Mondiali 2010 e una guida ai migliori luoghi della Greater Toronto Area per seguire gli azzurri in azione. Buona lettura!

GROUP A

June 8

June 12

June 12

June 16

June 16

2

9

10

17

18

June 10

June 10

June 14

June 14

June 18

June 18

5

6

13

14

21

22

14:45

14:45

14:45

12:00

14:45

12:00

TIME

Spain

vs

ITA

CRO

SPA

ITA

IRL

SPA

RUS

POL

RUS

CZE

CZE

GRE

Winner 27 Donetsk

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

IRL

SPA

IRL

CRO

CRO

ITA

Poznań

Gdańsk

Gdańsk

Poznań

Poznań

Gdańsk

CITY

FINAL

June 13 June 13 June 17 June 17

11 12 19 20

24

23

15

16

June 19

June 19

June 15

June 15

June 11

June 11

7

14:45

14:45

14:45

12:00

14:45

12:00

TIME

Winner B

DEN

POR

NED

DEN

GER

NED

SWE

ENG

SWE

UKR

UKR

FRA

England

vs

vs

Runner-up A Gdańsk

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

Lviv

Kharkiv

Kharkiv

Lviv

Lviv

Kharkiv

CITY

Portugal

FRA

UKR

ENG

FRA

SWE

ENG

Kiev

Kiev

Donetsk

Kiev

Donetsk

Kiev

Donetsk

CITY

Sweden

Runner-up C

Winner 28 Warsaw

TEAMS / RESULT

Winner D

Winner 26

vs

GER

NED

GER

POR

POR

France

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

DEN

Germany

TEAMS / RESULT

SEMI-FINALS

June 24 14:45

Ukraine

28

DATE

8

14:45

14:45

14:45

12:00

14:45

June 28 14:45

MATCH

30

June 9

4

12:00

TIME

Denmark

June 22 14:45

June 9

3

26

DATE

Netherlands MATCH

Match 31 W 29 vs W 30 July 1, 14:45 Kiev

Republic of Ireland

Runner-up D Donetsk

vs

Warsaw

Wroclaw

Warsaw

Wroclaw

Wroclaw

Warsaw

CITY

Russia

Runner-up B Warsaw

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

vs

TEAMS / RESULT

Croatia

vs

Winner 25

Winner C

*All kick-off times are EST

DATE

Italy

GRE

CZE

POL

GRE

RUS

POL

SEMI-FINALS

Winner A

June 27 14:45

June 23 14:45

29

MATCH

27

14:45

14:45

14:45

12:00

14:45

12:00

Greece

TEAMS / RESULT

Czech Republic

TIME

June 21 14:45

June 8

1

25

DATE

MATCH

Poland

GROUP D

QUARTER-FINALS

GROUP C

GROUP B

UEFA EURO 2012 MATCH SCHEDULE

QUARTER-FINALS

UEFA Capacity: 40,000

Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw

UEFA Capacity: 40,000

Municipal Stadium, Poznań

UEFA Capacity: 40,000

PGE Arena, Gdańsk

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Donbass Arena, Donetsk

UEFA Capacity: 35,000

Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv

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Olympic Stadium, Kiev

National Stadium, Warsaw

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Euro 2012

34

The Road to

Euro 2012

By Adam Zara

2010 Newly appointed head coach Cesare Prandelli (formerly of Fiorentina) and the azzurri are drawn into a relatively easy European Championship qualifying group with Serbia, Slovenia, Northern Ireland, Estonia and the Faroe Islands. Their campaign kicks off with three wins and a draw. In the year’s last qualifier in Genoa, play is suspended after six minutes due to rioting by Serbian fans, and Italy is awarded a 3-0 victory. The road to Euro 2012 is looking bright.

2012 The year begins on a sour note with a late-February friendly 1-0 loss to the USA in Genoa. In line with Cesare Prandelli’s new code of conduct, striker Mario Balotelli and midfielder Daniele De Rossi are both left off the team for the game, with the former serving a four-match ban enforced by the English FA for a stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker, and the latter suspended one game for arriving late to practice with his side AS Roma. Some good news comes when Antonio Cassano makes his official return to play in April as a substitute against Fiorentina, while Giuseppe Rossi’s hopes for a comeback are dashed that same week after re-injuring his knee during training with Villareal.

2011 Italy qualifies for Euro 2012 on September 6 via a 1-0 win over Serbia in Florence courtesy of an 85th minute goal by Giampaolo Pazzini. The azzurri close their campaign on October 11 at the top of Group C with eight wins and two draws, only allowing two goals against in the process. Antonio Cassano finishes the 10game run as Group C scoring leader with six goals.

The last week of October 2011 will infamously be remembered as a turning point for Prandelli’s starting line-up, as Antonio Cassano suffers a minor stroke while flying back to Milan from Rome, and Giuseppe Rossi tears a knee ligament during a league match versus Real Madrid; both incidents occur within days of each other.

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Euro 2012

35

WHERE TO WATCH THE AZZURRI

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2012

EURO CUP!

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36

Euro 2012

“Siamo Number One!” Celebrating Italian Victories Since 1982

By Riccardo Lo Monaco Photography By Roberto Portolese

Do you remember where you were on July 4, 2006, when Fabio Grosso scored that dramatic goal in the 119th minute against Germany to put Italy in the finals of the FIFA World Cup? Do you remember watching him run across the playing field to celebrate, shaking his head wildly and wagging his finger back and forth, screaming, “Non ci credo! [I don’t believe it!]”? remember. It was my mom’s birthday and my closest friends and family gathered at my house around the brand new television my dad bought just for the World Cup. There was a deafening silence before that goal. I remember this strange feeling of anxiety and how it was eclipsed by a sudden sense of surprise that vibrated through my bones. But it was more than that. It was also relief, amazement, and pride. It brought me to my knees and launched me into the air. I remember hugging and kissing everyone – even the dog – and then grabbing my gigantic Italian flag and sprinting like Grosso through the front door, down the street, and out into a busy intersection. I’m still not sure how I wasn’t hit by a car.

Apparently Grosso was re-enacting a legendary moment in 1982 when Marco Tardelli celebrated similarly after his goal against West Germany. I was born in 1986, so I have no recollection of this. I could only take my dad’s word for it. He remem-

I

St.Clair Avenue, July 4, 1982

bers Tardelli’s goal and celebration and he told me that just thinking about it allows him to relive the same kinds of emotions I experienced when I watched Grosso’s.

As soon as the 1982 final game ended, a massive street party erupted along St. Clair Avenue West in Toronto. It wasn’t a complete surprise. People had already begun to wave their flags after the quarter and semi-final matches in a crescendo that would inevitably lead to an outburst if Italy won the tournament. And still, no one could have anticipated just how impressive it would be. Some 300,000 people showed up. Moments like these, which characterize the triumphs of the Italian national soccer team on the world stage, create rare opportunities for two different generations of people to connect: those who left their homes in Italy years ago to find a better life for themselves and their family in Canada, and those who call the first group their parents and grandparents.

Euro 2012 My father came to Toronto in the 1970s at the end of a major wave of immigration from Italy. He told me about the difficulties of integrating into a society that was often hostile toward the rapid accumulation of Italians. This caused him to struggle between the desire to preserve his Italian identity and the temptation to reject it in favour of assimilating completely and escaping scrutiny or harassment. Although he was not one of the thousands on the streets of Toronto on that day, the 1982 World Cup victory still played a large part in easing the struggle for him.

Filled with curiosity about the event, I began a study. I visited bars and stores along St. Clair Avenue on a sunny day in 2011 hoping to meet people who were there 29 years earlier. Not only did I find a lot of them, I also found pictures of the 1982 celebration pinned to all the walls! Every time I asked a shop owner or patron about the event depicted in the photos their apprehensiveness immediately became laughter.

They would start telling me their stories and unwaveringly they all wanted to make sure I knew that Italians celebrated peacefully, respectfully, and non-violently on that day. Some even declared that Italians taught Canadians a lesson on how to celebrate properly! This claim is increasingly powerful when you consider how other sporting events became outright riots – the 1983 Argonauts’ CFL Grey Cup win, for example, which made a mess of Yonge Street; or most recently, the chaotic aftermath of Vancouver’s defeat in the 2011 NHL finals.

I researched further in libraries and archives and came to realize that an important and often-overlooked fact might help explain the good behaviour. Soccer had traditionally belonged to the public sphere of recreational activities – men like my dad gathering in bars and social spaces to watch, listen, or read about games. But in 1982, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) televised the World Cup live for the first time ever in Canada. People could now follow the entire tournament from the privacy of their home, allowing the whole family to watch and support their team. This encouraged women and children to participate in the victory celebration as well, transforming what was once almost exclusively a male domain into a family activity.

I also learned that the celebration was made political since it occurred in a contested public space. Throughout the 1960s, groups of Italian men gathered around transistor radios outside St. Clair’s espresso bars to listen to live radio broadcasts of soccer games from Italy. Assuming they were up to no good, the police would come to disperse them. When Italy won the World Cup in 1982, these same Italian men reclaimed that space and converted it into an Italian ‘place’. They drove dump trucks covered in Italian flags up and down the street and blocked traffic while swarms of people surrounded them. The trucks connected the thriving construction industry,

37

where so many Italians worked, to the Italian-Canadian pride in developing the city of Toronto. The celebration symbolically cemented their significant contributions to the city’s general prosperity.

Thanks to positive responses from Canadian journalists and the continuing tradition of celebrating soccer victories in public, the event of July 4, 1982, has grown in importance and can now be considered a pivotal part of the history of Italians living in Toronto. Inspiring headlines in the Italian-Canadian press like ‘Siamo Number One!’, the celebration marks the point in time when Italians realized their worth in Canadian society. It introduced Italians to Canada – and to one another – as peaceful, civilized, hardworking, and proud people. They were integral and indispensable to Toronto and every bit a part of this newly budding Multicultural nation.

In 2006, Italy won the World Cup for the first time since 1982. Just as Grosso relived the actions of Tardelli after scoring an important goal, Canadians of Italian heritage proudly marched the streets of Toronto with their Italian flags like their predecessors did. But this time it was different. In 1982, the World Cup win paved the way for equality, advertised Trudeau’s Multiculturalism, and created a sense of solidarity that Italians had not previously experienced in Canada. In 2006, however, it was about second and third generation immigrants rediscovering and reaffirming the values that made them proud to be Canadians of Italian descent.

I remember joining in with all the cell-phone-carrying teenagers and young adults in 2006 as we filled the streets. We chanted “Forza Italia,” with our CanadianEnglish accents and acknowledged the things that made us part of the same ethnic community. The ecstasy we felt was real, the tradition we re-lived is permanent, but the comfort and the ease with which we could proudly declare our love and appreciation for our cultural heritage is something we owe to those who made it possible by taking the leap for the first time in 1982.

As we dust off our Italian flags for more fun this summer in the 2012 UEFA European Cup, we think of these defining moments in our collective memories and crave more. We want an excuse to bite off our finger nails with anxiety; a reason for our hearts to leap with anticipation; a chance to run out into the streets clad in the azzurro of our national team’s jersey, waving the green, white, and red of our national flag. When Italy wins a soccer game, it’s so much more than a soccer game for us – it’s an opportunity to share smiles, tears, and laughter, and a rare opportunity to connect with our parents and grandparents on an emotional level.

Most of all, the chance to watch an Italian victory from the comfort of our homes here in Canada reminds us of our great fortune to live in a country that embraces our Italian culture as a part of its own. This summer, each time Italy wins a game we will celebrate on the streets just like they did in 1982. But, if I’m doing my math correctly, our celebration will be nothing like 1982 at all. This time, there will be many, many more of us!

38

Living Italian Style

Lifestyle

Tony Pallotta

Nickname: Toe Occupation: Musician for the band Talk Age: 20 Generation: Second Nonni on dad’s side from: Guardiaregia, Molise Mom from: Ribera, Sicily Speaks: English Raised in: Woodbridge Passion: Music Favourite designer: Hugo Boss Boutique: Buffalo, New York Mall Restaurant: Baton Rouge Favourite dish: Nonna’s pasta and panzerotti Absolute must in the pantry: Homemade sugo Type of drink: Water Last time you went to Italy: Never been but must go!

Favourite band or singer: Queen Best Italian movie: La Vita è Bella Italian soccer team: AC Milan Dream car: Lamborghini What you like most about our magazine: The pride of Italy in a magazine

Suburbs or downtown: Suburbs Best way to feel Italian in Toronto: Go on College Street for the Euro and World Cup Mare o montagna: Montagna with a “mare” viewing Best pizza in Toronto: Gran Gusto Pet peeve: Family members leaving the car gas empty for you to fill up when you need it You know you are Italian when or if: You thought talking loud was normal Your fashion idol: Giorgio Armani Favourite thing to do in Toronto: Leaf games, Blue Jay games, and Italian festivals Most common name in your family: Tony (3, including me)

Photographer: Gregory Varano Make-up: Desi Varano

See all past profiles on panoramitalia.com

You know you were raised Italian when: Your nonna hits you with a shoe when you’re bad Italian artist or actor you would like to meet: Ralph Macchio Favourite colour: Blue Spaghetti o penne: Spaghetti Favourite flavour of gelato: Limone Favourite Italian song: Tarantella Napoletana Favourite Italian city: Rome Best memory growing up as Italian: Making sugo and wine Favourite thing about being Italian: Always having a variety of food to choose from Plans for the summer: Work at Costco and do live gigs for the band Talk

Jennifer Campione

Nickname: Jen, J, JJ Occupation: Teacher (TCDSB) Age: 25 Generation: Second Mom & Dad from: Cattolica Eraclea, Sicily Speaks: English & Italian Raised in: Toronto Passion: Travelling, reading and fitness Clothes: Zara tank and cardigan, Jbrand jeans; Aldo shoes, Gucci jewellery Favourite designer: Tom Ford Boutique: BCBG Restaurant: Spuntini, Yorkville Favourite dish: Focaccia with arugula and tomatoes Absolute must in the pantry: Green Tea and of course Nutella Type of wine: Valpolicella or Amarone Favourite Italian saying or quote: “E’ cosa buona!”

(Nonno Joe) Place you must go back to at least one more time in your life: Minoa Beach in Cattolica Eraclea

Favourite band or singer: Kings of Leon, Ramazzotti, Celentano Italian soccer team: Palermo, but for my relationship’s sake - Forza AC Milan!

Sexiest Italian: Giancarlo Giannini What you like most about Panoram: It portrays the past, present, and future of our Italian heritage and culture Thing about you that would surprise most people: Other than my age? I write poetry Best coffee in Toronto: Dark Horse Espresso Bar Best pizza in Toronto: My nonna’s You know you are Italian when or if: You have an Italian town association membership card in your wallet

Your fashion idol: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel Most common name in your family: Giuseppe/Joseph (10) You know you were raised Italian when: You bring a deck of Italian cards to elementary school to play Scopa on “Play Day” Favourite Italian song: Innamorati by Toto Cutugno Favourite Italian city/town: Taormina Favourite thing about being Italian: The strong understanding and appreciation of family, love, and respect Plans for the summer: Teaching summer school, travelling down South and spending time with the greatest family, friends, and boyfriend anyone could ever ask for!

Lifestyle

Sarah Colbourn

Andrew Di Trani

Nickname: Di Trani Occupation: Student at Ryerson U., Bachelor of Commerce, Employee at LCBO Age: 22 Generation: Second Dad from: Montescaglioso, Basilicata Mom from: Pisticci, Basilicata Speaks: English Raised in: North York Passion: Sports, technology, and business Clothes: Zara shirt, DKNY pants and tie, Diesel belt, b2 shoes, TW Steel watch Favourite designer: Diesel Boutique: Holt Renfrew Restaurant: Burger Bar Favourite dish: Cozze e vongole Absolute must in the pantry: Salsiccia Type of wine/drink: Amaro Lucano Last time you went to Italy: Not yet, on my to-do list after I graduate Favourite band or singer: The Black Keys Best Italian movie: Ladri di biciclette by Vittorio De Sica Italian soccer team: Juventus F.C. Sexiest Italian: Hayden Panettiere

Dream car: Lamborghini Aventador J What you like most about Panoram: How it enables Italians to unite and appreciate their roots Best way to feel Italian in Toronto: Summertime on College Street Thing about you that would surprise most people: I’m an awesome cook Best coffee in Toronto: Any espresso made using a traditional coffee maker Best pizza in Toronto: Spacco Pet peeve: People who walk on my grass You know you are Italian when or if: You have a 100 year-old family recipe for ricotta Your fashion idol: Renzo Rosso

Most common name in your family: John (4+) You know you were raised Italian when: You have the inability to whisper and are very superstitious Italian artist or actor you would like to meet: Joe Pesci Favourite colour: Azzurro Favourite flavour of gelato: Menta Favourite Italian song: L’italiano by Toto Cutugno Best memory growing up as Italian: Making “cartellate” at Christmas time with Nonna Vita Favourite thing about being Italian: Amazing family get-togethers Plans for the summer: La dolce vita

39

Nickname: Sarah-belle, Sarah-bear Occupation: Manager, Marketing Age: 24 Generation: Third Dad from: Toronto Nonni on mom’s side from: Puglia Speaks: English & some Italian Raised in: All over the GTA Passion: Cooking, design, cars, fashion, travel, marketing, skiing, martial arts Clothes: Zara dress, Aldo shoes, Echo Trends bracelets Favourite designer: Valentino, Louis Vuitton, DSQUARED2 Boutique: Capezio Restaurant: Alimento on King West Favourite dish: Nonna’s ricotta and spinach canneloni Absolute must in the pantry: Nutella Type of wine: Valpolicella or Chablis Favourite Italian saying or quote: “Tutto è bene quel che finisce bene” Last time you went to Italy: Haven’t been; hopefully next year

Favourite singer: Drake Best Italian movie: Roman Holiday by William Wyler Italian soccer team: Napoli Sexiest Italian: Monica Bellucci What you like most about our magazine: The recipes!

Best way to feel Italian in Toronto: College Street Festival Thing about you that would surprise most people: That I love sports and muscle cars Best coffee in Toronto: Anywhere on College Street, Manic Coffee/Green Grind Best pizza in Toronto: Vesuvio’s on Dundas at High Park

To be considered for a photoshoot in future Living Italian Style sections, simply like Panoram Italian on Facebook, and express your interest on our wall. An administrator will get back to you with further details.

Your fashion idol: Rihanna Most common name in your family: Rocky/Rocco (3) Giuseppe (3) You know you were raised Italian when: There’s live eel in the bathtub a day before Christmas Italian artist or actor you would like to meet: Sofia Loren Best memory growing up as Italian: Making sausage and gnocchi in the basement kitchen at nonna’s Favourite thing about being Italian: I can eat more than most of the men in my life Plans for the summer: Learn more Italian, enjoy the beach and travel!

Lifestyle

40

Mellow

Hey there sunshine, salute the season with its trademark hue

By Alessia Sara Domanico

Bottega Veneta Borsalino

Self confident, good humoured and intellectual – when it comes to the practice of colour therapy, these are the characteristics attributed to yellow – a ‘warm’ colour on the spectrum. While yellow is praised as being a stimulating colour that promotes clarity and relief from depression, it is often avoided in fashion. We would much rather play it safe and get the white dress that we can wear every day, the brown leather bag that goes with everything in our closet and the classic black heels that’ll last for years. hy is the longevity of yellow constantly scrutinized? Why does such a ‘cheerful’ colour get so much slack? In my opinion, yellow is just too memorable. People are 10 times more likely to remember you wore that yellow dress than recognize a repeat little black dress. We limit the use of yellow by thinking it will hang in the closet more than on our backs. At times even the best of us want to go unnoticed and so a vibrant saffron-tinted handbag or pair of heels won’t do us any favours with that. The fact of the matter is that one just needs to find some time to experiment with what’s already in the closet. Give yellow a chance.

The best way to make it last is to break it up and single it out: a sweater, skirt, accessory or piece of jewellery can change how it looks each time you wear it, thus making it new instead of a repeat.

This spring, divine style intervention took place in the name of yellow. Almost all the major fashion maisons debuted numerous headto-toe looks in ranges as vast and bright as sunflower to light lemon and deep mustard to neon pineapple. With colour blocking back in style, brands like Louis Vuitton and Elie Saab debuted entirely yellow ensembles in silk and chiffon which looked phenomenally ladylike. Michael Kors found inspiration for his new collection with an African safari theme where warm colours like yellow, orange and brown evoked the mood of the South African landscape. Burberry used a very tame and sophisticated ochre shade in its clothes and accessories to make its yellow more day-to-day appropriate.

Having said this, yellow shouldn’t just be about playing it safe – it is meant to make a statement. For those of you who want to make splash, go for a scene-stealing pair of sassy pumps or a shiny handbag that reflects your happy summer swagger.

W

Prada

Stuart Weitzman

Vogue Louis Vuitton

Max Mara

Lifestyle

41

Yellow Giuseppe Zanotti

Miu Miu Marc Jacobs

Burberry

Carolina Herrera

Mulberry Juicy Couture

Mulberry

Louis Vuitton

Elie Saab

Chanel

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43

A Brief History of Toronto’s Jewish-Italian Camaraderie

By Dante Di Iulio

In 1933, newspaper articles reached Toronto bringing word of the atrocities that the Nazis were committing against the Jews. As a result, many Anglos began forming Swastika Clubs, attempting to have Jews and other ‘foreigners’, like Italians, banned from the Beaches area. On August 16, huge crowds gathered at Christie Pits for a baseball game, between the Anglo St. Peters team and the predominately Jewish, Harbord Playground. Throughout the game, St. Peter’s supporters chanted ‘Heil Hitler’ and later unfurled a large flag emblazoned with a swastika. All hell broke loose. As word of the fight spread, reinforcements _ including many Italian friends of the Jews _ rushed to the area. The resulting five-hour melee spilled onto the streets, resulting in busted heads, blackened eyes but no deaths. The Christie Pits Riot of 1933 shows a darker side of Toronto history, however, it also serves as a noteworthy chapter in the co-operation between the Italian and Jewish communities in the city. ews and Italians have interacted for over 2,000 years. Their long-standing interactions have resulted in a number of cultural, social and physiognomic similarities, with a recent genetic analysis of the Jewish people revealing DNA similarities to the Italian people. Jews have played an integral role in the history of Italy, starting from the Roman siege of Masada to moneylending in Venice, the Second World War until present day. Modigliani, Moravia, Bassani and Levi are just some of the Italian Jews to have influenced Italy’s cultural, artistic and scientific landscape.

Rome is home to the oldest Jewish community in Europe.

In Toronto, the Jewish and Italian communities have shared a warm, cordial and mutually beneficial relationship. Since the 1960s, Toronto has been home to the largest Jewish and Italian population in Canada and remains the cultural epicentre for Jewish and Italian-Canadians. Both have played an integral role in the development of the city with Jews giving Italian labourers their first start until they, in turn, began their own development companies. Originally congregating in the area known as the Ward, both communities lived intermittently before centering in a main area. Bathurst Street acts as the heart of the Jewish community while Dufferin Street continues to be the major axis of Italian settlement, with each community migrating north as their numbers increased.

Each has built up their respective communities through religious devotion and tradition as well as cultural preservation. Although Toronto isn’t exactly known for its piazzas, Italian and Jewish communities have always built around their religious place of worship and the community centre. Italian Community organizations such as Villa Colombo and Columbus Centre were developed using the preexisting Jewish models and hiring Jews as consultants. They looked to Baycrest Home for the Aged, the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre and the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre (JCC) for inspiration.

Even in pop culture the two have an affinity. CBC’s King of Kensington had Al

J

Waxman as a Jewish wheeler-dealer working closely with his Italian sidekick played

by Bob Vinci. Steve Solomon’s Italo-Jewish comedy My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m in Therapy just came to town, while Toronto director Joe Mari recently finished his short film Pizza Bagel, which highlights the perceived stereotypes between Italians and Jews that he witnessed at the Columbus Centre.

Last year, the Italian and Israeli Consulates in Toronto along with the Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto and the Canadian Institute for Mediterranean Studies in the Department of Italian Studies at St. Michael's College decided to co-sponsor a project in order to celebrate and promote the close relationship between Jews and Italians, past and present. A one-day academic conference, sponsored by the Italian, Israeli, Greek and French consulates, was held on olive oil – the elixir of life that brings people together. As well, Edward Goldberg, the founder of the Medici Archive Project, came to discuss the Medici Archives, which contain more than 1 million documents, of which 60,000 deal with the Jews of Tuscany, who were surprisingly the first to import coffee into Italy through Livorno. Recently, the new excavations at Tel Huqoq, an Ancient Roman settlement in Israel with a synagogue and mention in the Bible, have been unveiled as the official project for the Jewish-Italian Friendship Event.

After living, fighting, building, learning and working together for the better part of a century, the Italian and Jewish communities of Toronto have left an indelible mark on the city while creating a strong connection based on tradition, preservation and mutual satisfaction. Whereas religious and cultural differences may have halted collaboration in other cities, the Italian and Jewish communities have been able to co-operate and grow together here, supporting Toronto's motto, “Diversity Our Strength." Whether it’s Manischewitz or Montepulciano, pastrami or prosciutto, Toronto’s Italians have proven to be real mensches to their Jewish amici.

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& Cu l tu re

Immagini in bilico tra sogno e realtà A Toronto una retrospettiva dedicata a Gabriella Giandelli

Interiorae. Copertina, 2006

Gabriella Giandelli, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Toronto.

Foto: Alessio Galletti

Alessio Galletti

Panoram Italia: Come nasce la sua passione per il fumetto?

Gabriella Giandelli: Il percorso è stato piuttosto canonico. Mi piaceva disegnare e così ho deciso di fare l’istituto d’arte. Una volta finito non avevo le idee chiare ma ho scoperto che esisteva una scuola di fumetto e ho deciso di provare. È strano, ma come altri disegnatori non ho un passato da lettrice di fumetti. Poi, però, mi sono appassionata e ho scoperto un linguaggio che mi permetteva di raccontare molto, di progettare storie intere. La “cosa” mi ha preso la mano (sorride). Sono stata anche fortunata perché quando ho cominciato c’erano tante riviste e si potevano pubblicare anche storie brevi.

PI: Hai iniziato negli anni di riviste come Frigidaire, che hanno fatto scoprire al grande pubblico un fumetto diverso, più arte e meno intrattenimento.

GG: Frigidaire in particolare aveva questo di bello: parlava della contemporaneità,

GG: L’illustrazione ti obbliga ad approfondire cose che per abitudine o per una tua poetica normalmente non tratteresti. È bello perché ti si pongono davanti scenari nuovi ed è un grande arricchimento. Ti ritrovi a studiare di più, ad andare a vedere pitture, materiali fotografici che altrimenti non cercheresti.

Interiorae, 2006

Il mondo dei sogni che s’incontra col reale. È questo il segreto di Gabriella Giandelli, graphic novelist e illustratrice italiana a cui l’Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Toronto dedica una retrospettiva che chiuderà a settembre. E l’autrice, ora impegnata in un nuovo progetto che affronterà il tema della lontananza non solo nel tempo ma anche nello spazio e che avrà per protagonista due gemelli, non ha voluto mancare all’inaugurazione della mostra di Toronto.

PI: Che frutti ha dato questa simbiosi tra illustrazione e fumetto?

GG: Quando vieni dal fumetto sei abituato a lavorare quasi come un regista, con una

seguiva tutte le direzioni possibili dell’arte di quegli anni. Il fumetto veniva pubblicato come opera d’arte accanto all’articolo sull’artista contemporaneo. Ed era anche uno spazio per il dibattito non solo per gli addetti ai lavori o gli appassionati. Poi questo spazio si è chiuso, in un periodo quasi di restaurazione, ma allora Frigidaire era una rivista straordinaria.

sceneggiatura, e allora vuoi raccontare una storia anche in una singola illustrazione.

Chi fa solo illustrazione tende a fare un lavoro di sintesi, più decorativo. Noi che veniamo dal fumetto, in quella singola immagine vogliamo suggerire anche ciò che precede e che segue. Poi ti capita di disegnare un personaggio che ti piace tanto e decidi di usarlo per il fumetto al quale stai lavorando.

PI: A cosa è dovuto questo passo indietro sul fumetto inteso come arte?

GG: Non l’ho capito. Forse quell’apertura ha portato un gran numero di voci diverse

PI: E il resto delle idee dove nasce?

GG: Credo si tratti di ossessioni. Tutti i disegnatori hanno delle fissazioni. E poi

di fatto ingestibili per il mercato del fumetto italiano. È come se a quel punto non ci fossero state energie sufficienti per far proseguire quest’onda e si fosse deciso di tornare al fumetto di genere. Esiste ancora la volontà di fare fumetti diversi, ma chi fa una scelta simile, in Italia, deve integrarla con altri lavori come l’illustratore.

PI: Nel tuo caso, però, ti ha permesso di fare esperienze interessanti lavorando per testate come La Repubblica o Internazionale.

tantissime idee vengono dai sogni. Per me il disegno è legatissimo al mondo onirico.

E poi dalla musica, dalla casualità del quotidiano, da quello che vedi per strada e che ti torna in mente quando sei davanti alla tavola.

PI: È questa la doppia cifra dei tuoi lavori, un “realismo magico”?

GG: Questo è il mio obiettivo, illuminare il reale con una luce più onirica, più magica. Insomma, quel tocco di metafisico che è tipico del sogno.

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Tracing the Forgotten History of Italian-Canadian Internment Camps

By Daniela DiStefano

Joan McKinnon remembers the day she came home in tears when a boy from school told her that her grandfather was in jail. It was June 10, 1940, in Timmins, Ontario, and she was in grade one.

McKinnon was unaware that earlier that day in Italy, Benito Mussolini, alongside Adolf Hitler, had declared war on France and England, and therefore on their allies, including Canada. The country that had become home to her grandfather, Leo Mascioli, and her mother, Loretta Mascioli, now considered them enemy aliens to be feared and isolated.

Leopoldo (Leo) Mascioli with children Maria and Loretta, and brother Antonio (Tony) Mascioli, Courtesy of Sandra O’Grady, Columbus Centre Collection Military guard patrols the grounds of Petawawa Internment Camp, ca. 1940.

Photograph from the March of Time film, Canada at War, Wide World Photos, Columbus Centre Collection

y mother tried to explain that sometimes in war, people become so frightened that they do unreasonable things,” says McKinnon, now living in Waterloo, Ontario. “At that moment we didn’t know where granddad was, but my mother calmed me down and told me he was innocent and it would all prove to be a mistake.” The family soon learned that 64-year-old Leo Mascioli had been arrested and sent to an internment camp in Petawawa, Ontario along with his brother Antonio Mascioli and 600 other Italian-Canadians who were abruptly taken from their homes and places of work by the RCMP. “We had relatively no contact with him for the year he was interned, and the separation was very hard especially since my father was fighting for Canada overseas, and my mother was left to care for my younger sister and I,” says McKinnon, whose mother was born in Cocullo, Italy.

More than 70 years have passed since this forgotten time in Canadian history as McKinnon and her younger sisters Sandra O’Grady and Dianne Lafrance sit in Toronto’s Columbus Centre for the presentation of the project, Italian Canadians as Enemy Aliens: Memories of World War II. A collaboration between the Association of Italian-Canadian Writers (AICW) and Columbus Centre, the project combines the history and memory of Italian-Canadians and their families who were affected by the internment in the form of a permanent exhibit, website and two books Beyond Barbed Wire: Essays on the Internment of Italian Canadians and Behind Barbed Wire: Creative Works on the Internment of Italian Canadians.

“The stories of people like my grandfather dramatically tell us how fragile and precious the gift of democracy is in this country,” says Sandra O’Grady, who was two years old when her grandfather Leo and great uncle Antonio Mascioli were interned.

Through the War Measures Act, the government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King gave itself the power to suspend the rule of law, revoke rights, seize property and arrest those who were deemed a threat to the safety of Canada.

“M

Although no one was ever charged with criminal activity, Italian-Canadians were kept imprisoned for up to two years. The authorities did not discriminate by social rankings or occupation when it came to arrests, and labourers, lawyers, doctors and business owners were sent to camps between 1940 and 1945. Another 31,000 ItalianCanadians across the country were photographed, fingerprinted and ordered to file monthly reports to the RCMP on their activities and whereabouts.

Under the designation of “enemy alien,” everyday life was difficult for many Italian-Canadians. Often those interned or under surveillance were the family breadwinners, and being imprisoned or stigmatized meant many families struggled to get by.

“People in the community were afraid to shop at my grandparents’ grocery store in North Bay during those years, and the business suffered,” says Judi Jessen, whose grandfather Carmine De Marco was interned at Petawawa for almost two years. “My grandmother would tell me that on a good day they were lucky to bring in $22.”

After returning home from the camps many Italian-Canadians tried to put the dark experience behind them, but their internment left a lasting mark. “Before the war my grandfather was a prominent figure in the construction community, but when he returned friends and business contacts would avoid him on the street,” says O’Grady.

“There was a lot of shame associated with his internment and it was painful to speak about it.”

Though today Canada has become a country of tolerance and multiculturalism, these events profoundly affected the Italian-Canadian community. By remembering and recording these stories, the Enemy Aliens: Memories of World War II project aims to help the next generation recount how the community persevered.

“Discrimination can be very painful and leave lasting marks,” says Jessen.

“Although it is hard to talk about these painful times it’s important to remember and record them as part of the fabric of our nation.”

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A showcase of Italian and Italian-Canadian art

By David De Marco

To celebrate Italian Heritage Month, an art exhibit organized by Marcello Tarantino with the co-operation of the National Congress of Italian-Canadians will be held at the Carrier Gallery at Columbus Centre starting Friday, June 8 at 6:30pm. The exhibit will showcase several works of art by three world-renowned Italian artists – Guido Borgianni, Gigino Falconi and Rodolfo Marma – and three ItalianCanadian artists - Antonio Caruso, Joseph Cusimano and Silvio Mastrodascio. Each of them has his own unique style and the pieces that will be on display are inspiring and thought-provoking.

hether it is the surrealism of Cusimano, the life-like bronze sculpture of Mastrodascio, Marma's playful take of the streets of Florence, Caruso's innovative strapatti frescoes, Borgianni's fresh approach to pointillism, or Falconi's suggestive style, the artwork will make for a truly memorable exhibit. This event will be one of the highlights of Italian Heritage Month and all members of our community are welcome to attend.

An additional art exhibition organized by Marcello Tarantino and Melina Zeppieri with the cooperation of the National Congress of Italian-Canadians will be held at the Vaughan City Hall Atrium starting Monday, June 18 at 6:30pm. The exhibit

W

will include works by three well known Italian-Canadian artists. Sam Paonessa's beautiful and peaceful landscapes, Anna Zinato's expressive brush strokes and vibrant colours, and Joe Catalano's bold use of colour and modern flair will illustrate the true talents of some of Canada's leading artists. Attending this event will be the perfect way to celebrate Italian Heritage Month.

Please visit the Joseph D. Carrier Gallery at Columbus Centre, 901 Lawrence Ave. W., Toronto, 416-789-7011, www.carriergallery.com or the Vaughan City Hall Atrium, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr., Vaughan 905-832-2281.

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Columbus Centre Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery Exhibit Featured Italian Artists

Rodolfo Marma

(Florence, 1923 – 1998)

Marma attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence and the studio of Emanuele Cavalli at the same time. He has portrayed Florence with great feeling and dedication as well as the many other cities he visited. He held numerous exhibitions in Italy and abroad, especially in the United States, France and Germany. Marma received several awards and recognitions, including the Premio Vallombrosa in 1971. His works are part of public and private collections in Europe and the United States, including the White House in Washington, D.C.

Guido Borgianni (New York, 1915 – Florence, 2011) Borgianni studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. His passion for painting led him to extensive travel throughout Italy, France and Spain. He was appointed to the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno of Florence in 1952. He has received countless awards and recognitions. Many of his works are found in the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, in the collection of self-portraits in the Vasari corridor, and in the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, as well as in numerous private collections.

TOP: Mercatino (1280x620) LEFT: Firenze dai Tetti (904x1280) RIGHT: Piazza d'Azeglio, Sinagoga (1015x1280)

Piazza della Signoria (1280x959)

Vaso con Fiori (922x1280)

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Columbus Centre Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery Exhibit Gigino Falconi

(Teramo, 1933)

Falconi began painting at the age of sixteen, and in 1954 obtained his degree at Liceo Artistico of Pescara. During the early years of his career, Falconi worked as an art teacher, refining his technique by copying thousands of paintings and drawings. In 1975, he abandoned teaching to devote himself entirely to painting. His works have been showcased in the most prestigious Italian galleries, including Giulia in Rome, La Forni in Bologna, Appiani ArteTrentadue in Milan and Davigo in Turin, arousing the interest of authoritative art critics and the press. He has also had solo exhibitions in numerous foreign countries.

Il lago nero (1280x1029)

La stanza dei misteri (955x1280)

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Columbus Centre Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery Exhibit Featured Italian-Canadian Artists Antonio Caruso (Italy, 1951) Caruso studied at the Brera Fine Arts Academy of Milan and the Carrara Fine Arts Academy of Bergamo. From 1976 to 1987, his collaborations with Ghitta Hussar led his works to international exhibitions of historic importance. In 1979, he achieved remarkable success with his innovative technique called frescografia.

He has been active in Canada since 1982, specializing in fresco, frescografia and wood sculpture. Caruso is known for incorporating Canadian subject matter into his art. His works are now part of private collections, as well as collections in museums, cathedrals and churches in North America and Europe.

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Columbus Centre Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery Exhibit

Silvio Mastrodascio (Cerqueto, 1943) Mastrodascio has been active in the fields of painting and sculpture for over 30 years. His work synthesizes classical and contemporary elements, inspired chiefly by the female form and characterized by simplicity of expression. Maurizio Calvesi, one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading art historians and critics, says this about his sculptures: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Using a technique that reveals craftsmanship perfected over time and toil, they reach out to us as if they were alive, a trait typical of an artist who looks into the soul of the persons portrayed to define their characteristics and mirror their emotional state.â&#x20AC;?

Cuore solitario (733x1280)

Solitudine (1280x1052)

Joseph Cusimano

(Italy, 1935)

In 1958, Cusimano left Italy and moved to Toronto where he studied at the Ontario College of Art from 1961 to 1962. During his formative artistic years, he was intrigued by the works of metaphysical artists Carlo CarrĂ and Giorgio De Chirico, and by surrealist artists Salvador DalĂ­ and Paul Delvaux. Since 1961, his work has been exhibited in Canada and Europe and much of his art is now in public and private collections across Europe and North America.

Cusimano preserves his own individuality by adhering to his belief that "every painter aspires after a new art."

Eros' Repose, Oil on canvas, 1991 (30 x 24)

The Enigma of an Evening, Oil on canvas, 1967 (18 x 24)

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Vaughan City Hall Exhibit Joe Catalano

(Oshawa, Ontario)

Catalano graduated from the Ontario College of Art and has earned his living as founding partner and president of Concept 3 Advertising Agency in Toronto. In this capacity, he has been awarded many of North America's most prestigious awards for his graphic and creative design. Since 2001, Catalano has been introducing a new concept to the Canadian fine art scene – a blend of art and philanthropy that he calls “Art and the Art of Giving.” It began with a pivotal painting named Colours of Freedom, which has become the namesake and symbol of a movement for peace.

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Vaughan City Hall Exhibit Anna Zinato

(Niagara Falls, Ontario)

Poanessaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career began in Toronto as a junior layout artist followed by work as an illustrator at Hallmark Canada. Over the past 28 years, he has created more than 500 images for greeting cards and various retail products and numerous paintings have been reproduced for the Painters of Canada card line. Currently, he is an art director at Hallmark and an active member of the Ontario Society of Artists.

Poanessa finds his inspiration from a range of subject matter and takes painting trips at least twice a year. He focuses on landscapes, but sometimes includes figures to make his paintings more narrative.

(Venice, Italy)

Zinato is a painter based in Toronto and Venice who works primarily in oil paint and encaustic. She studied painting, drawing and encaustic at the University of Padua from 2002 to 2005 and also completed a threeyear art program at the CTS Art Centre in Toronto from 2009 to 2012. Zinatoâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s work has been greatly influenced by her time spent in Venice. What she loves most about painting is how she is able to bring a moment of the past to life and seize it forever on canvas. Her art is held in private collections across Italy, Canada and the United States.

Luna, oil on canvas, 2011 (30x40)

Epiphany - St. Peter's Basilica

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Events

Nonna’s Party Ashley Burton

Nonna’s Party”, la prima produzione di Ashley Burton Productions ha debuttato lo scorso 14 aprile al The Annex Theatre. Portato in scena da un’unica attrice e sceneggiatrice, la commedia suscita qualche risata, ma soprattutto molte perplessità.

Ashley Burton è nata a Oakville da madre siciliana e padre canadese. Diplomata presso la Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, nonché cantante e ballerina, il curriculum della giovane Burton include importanti partecipazioni a film, telefilm, opere teatrali e celebri musical, quali: “Rock of Ages” e “Mamma Mia”.

Cresciuta a stretto contatto con la famiglia materna, Ashley trasferisce nella sua performance quello che lei definisce un “omaggio” alle sue radici. Lo fa in vena comico-satirica con forte capacità espressiva, ma attingendo sistematicamente a luoghi comuni e stereotipi negativi degli immigrati italiani: il cibo, il gesticolare, l’atteggiamento incurante, l’accento, l’uso continuo di espressioni come, per esempio, “mangiacake”.

Filo conduttore dello spettacolo è la festa di compleanno a sorpresa per nonna Rosa, pretesto con il quale la Burton ci presenta anche il resto della famiglia, trasformandosi, durante

strategiche pause musicali in nonno Antonio, mamma Luisa e la stessa nonna Rosa. Imita, di volta in volta, i familiari esagerandone certe caratteristiche – una nonna imprecante e una mamma libertina – scivolando spesso nel cattivo gusto.

Unico momento drammatico dell’intera serata è la morte recente di nonno Antonio che, pur non riuscendo a incastrarsi nella logica della festa, vede l’attrice intonare una commovente Ave Maria di Schubert. A dare allo spettacolo un tocco sperimentale è la proiezione di video amatoriali di feste di compleanno e di vecchie foto ricordo, nonché l’intrattenimento pubblicitario in cui Ashley appare come testimonial in versione comica.

“Nonna’s Party” non è certo un ritratto felice della comunità italiana, o tanto meno della famiglia dell’attrice. Gli stereotipi che tanto fanno ridere degli italo-canadesi ancora una volta non sono controbilanciati da un’analisi che tenga conto anche degli aspetti positivi dei personaggi, troppo spesso volgari.

Ashley Burton, tuttavia, giovane di indubbio talento è una bella scoperta per il teatro torontino e con una prossima e migliore produzione, si spera, farà senz’altro molta strada.

(Monica Gerli) www.nonnasparty.com www.ashleyburton.ca

David Occhipinti and Camera Ensemble David Occhipinti is a guitarist/composer known for his talents throughout the world of contemporary jazz. Never one to be pigeonholded, Occhipinti has always composed music that is influenced from a variety of sources. And in keeping with his sense of adventure, the Toronto-born Occhipinti delved into new territory recently with a chamber music concert on Monday, April 30. The event took place at Glenn Gould Studio on Front Street West in Toronto. Occhipinti was joined by some of the great classical and jazz musicians in Canada as they prepared for a recording of the material to be released later in 2012.

All together the group is known as the Camera Ensemble. In addition to Occhipinti, Camera includes

Max Christie on clarinet, Andrew Downing on bass, Amanda Goodburn and Aline Homzy on violin, David Hetherington on cello, bassoonist Nadina Mackie Jackson, Beverley Johnson on percussion, and vocalist Robin Dann. Occhipinti has performed all across Canada, in the U.S., Europe, Japan and in Italy where he lived for a short time. He currently teaches guitar and ensembles at the University of Toronto and Humber College. Occhipinti has released four CDs featuring his own compositions. His latest, Forty Revolutions, was nominated for a 2007 Juno Award in the contemporary jazz category.

(Rita Simonetta)

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Events

From left: Stan Cappadocia, CIBPA; Amelia Luk, York University; Viviana Laperchia, Panoram Italia; Lucandrea Campanelli, Recipient; Narda Razack, York University

The Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association (CIBPA) once again encouraged and honoured academic excellence with its Education Foundation The Bursary Awards Dinner, which was held on March 28, distributed $48,500 to 24 deserving students. One of the recipients of the bursary was Lucandrea Campanelli, a student of Italian Studies at U of T, who was presented by Panoram Italia.

“The Canadian Italian community has always viewed education and community service as the road map to a better career and life in Canada,” said Bob Sacco, president, National Federation CIBPA & CIBPA Education Foundation. “The CIBPA took on this challenge by helping with community based fundraising for charitable causes and providing bursaries and scholarships to Italian-Canadian students so they could get the head start required to prosper as Canadians.”

The Education Bursary Program supports students of Italian heritage in all fields of study, as well as non-Italians enrolled in Italian studies curriculums.

“These bursaries and scholarships do come with strings attached,” said Sacco.

“Our expectation for these students is to stay in touch with the CIBPA. As CIBPA student alumni we would hope that with personal prosperity that they will financially contribute to the CIBPA Education Foundation to help the next student get a leg up.”

Since the start of our program the Foundation has awarded about $483,000 to more than 788 students.

(Rita Simonetta)

Ordine al Merito Awards In keeping with its tradition of honouring distinguished Italian-Canadians each year, the National Congress of Italian Canadians Toronto District held its recent recognition ceremony on May 4. The reception and dinner, which took place at La Primavera Hospitality and Convention Centre in Woodbridge, recognized Mario Cortelluci, Angela Gauthier and Stephen Lecce.

From left: Angela Gauthier, Mayor of Vaughan Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mario Cortellucci, Stephen Lecce and MP Julian Fantino Mario Cortelluci received the Ordine al Merito Award.

Along with his brother Nick, Mario Cortelluci launched the Cortelluci Group in 1971. The organization has since become a formidable player in the GTA development industry.

Cortelluci is also founder and chair of the Universal Youth Foundation whose goal is to provide education assistance to children and youth in need.

Angela Gauthier was also awarded the Ordine al Merito Award for her commitment to enriching the life of students across Toronto. In addition to her extensive career working for the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), Gauthier is also a member of the Executive Committee for Angel Foundation for Learning. The TCDSB organization helps to support vulnerable students with nutrition programs, class trips, leadership activities, and funding for social work emergency needs.

Stephen Lecce received the Youth Achievement Award. Although he is only 25 years old, Lecce already has a distinguished CV and job position. The University of Western Ontario top graduate is Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s deputy director of communications. Lecce also helped Vaughan MP Julian Fantino in his by-election bid in November 2010 when he worked as Fantino’s campaign press secretary.

(Rita Simonetta)

ATTENTION BUILDERS CONTRACTORS & INTERIOR DESIGNERS

La Rose Italian Bakery and Delicatessen 30th anniversary Lizzi Family (owners), from left: Salvatore, Maria, Maggie, Cosimo, Emilia and Domenic

A delicious celebration takes place on Saturday, June 16, as La Rose Italian Bakery and Delicatessen salutes its 30th anniversary with an outdoor party. The menu features homemade Calabrese sausages, rotisserie porchetta, pizza, San Pellegrino products, Sicilian cannoli and much more. Visitors can also enjoy bocce lessons, prizes, and face painting for children. All proceeds go to the construction of Milton’s first Hospice Care Centre. La Rose is located at 327 Bronte Street South. (Rita Simonetta)

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Photo by Chris Young

CIBPA Bursary Awards Dinner

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Events

Reel Film Pictures in Vaughan On April 13, organizers of Reel Film Pictures rolled out the red carpet for the second annual A Grand Social gala. But this wasn’t just an excuse to get glamoured up — the motivation was to help Canadian artists and filmmakers to continue their important work. The event, which took place at Bellvue Manor in Vaughan, aimed to raise $10,000 that will go toward funding grants, scholarships and educational programs for talented artists and filmmakers throughout the country. And there were plenty of Canadian actors who participated and showed their support: Ellen Dubin (Napolean Dynamite), Jordan Johnson Hinds (Flashpoint), Rob Muriel (Boon Dock Saints), Peter Kent (host of Stuntdawgs), as well as Canada’s top-ranked boxing athlete, Troy Ross, who starred alongside Russell Crowe in Cinderella Man in the role of legendary boxer, John Henry Lewis. The two-time Olympic boxer attended in support of Reel Film Pictures’ next project: a documentary that explores the ups and downs of Canadian boxers. The elegant Reel Film Pictures affair was also an opportunity to put the spotlight on the vast amount of talent that Vaughan has to offer, and with that in mind,Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua attended to lend a supportive hand. Guests enjoyed an art exhibit lobby, open bar, appetizers and four-course meal. Awards and live entertainment capped off the evening. (Rita Simonetta)

The Italian Question screening at ROM The Aysha Productions’ newest documentary, The Italian Question, was presented on March 30 at the Royal Ontario Museum by the Mariano A. Elia Chair in Italian-Canadian Studies at York University and funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. “The past is a foreign country,” said Gabriele Scardellato, assistant professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics, hoping that that the film will serve as a map to a better understanding of one of the most dramatic episodes in Italian history: the internment of Italian-Canadians in labour camps during the Second World War. When Italy entered the war on the side of Germany in 1940, the Canadian government used the War Measures Act to declare all Italian citizens as “enemy aliens.” The RCMP proceeded to round up approximately 630 Italian-Canadian men and intern them indefinitely in labour camps. The documentary provides a political commentary on government power during times of crisis and the fragility of human rights. It reminds that oftentimes, the freedoms that are taken for granted are the first to be withheld from citizens during dangerous times, and similar events are still taking place around the world. “The film is not only about those events,” added Scardellato. “It’s about the implications of a government act (the War Measures Act) that has so much power over citizens. We, as citizens in a liberal democracy, must be vigilant to ensure the government doesn’t overstep its boundaries.”

(Stefan Morrone)

From left: Antonio Ienco, Reel Film Pictures; Olympic Boxer Chris Johnson; Mayor of Vaughan Maurizio Bevilacqua; Mark Pagliaroli, Reel Film Pictures

Young Apulians, il social network della pugliesità

“Non vogliamo che i giovani rientrino; vogliamo che rimangano”. Così Giuseppe Cuscito, Presidente dell’Associazione Internazionale Pugliesi nel Mondo, spiega lo scopo dell’iniziativa di Young Apulians, il social network dei giovani pugliesi nel mondo lanciato ufficialmente lo scorso 26 marzo.

A presentare il progetto finanziato dalla Regione Puglia, in diretta sulla web tv interna al portale, lo stesso Giuseppe Cuscito; il presidente della Camera di Commercio di Taranto, Luigi Sportelli; il Dirigente Scolastico dell’ITCG “L. Einaudi” di Manduria (TA), Italo Montinaro; il Presidente dei Giovani Imprenditori di Confindustria Puglia, Dario Polignano, e infine, la Coordinatrice delle Donne Pugliesi nel Mondo, Perla Suma.

Nato da un’informale chiacchierata in una bar di Remscheid, cuore minerario della Germania e ricco della presenza di numerosi immigrati italiani, il social network - dotato di tutte le funzionalità tipiche di condivisione, quali la posta, la chat, il profilo pubblico, ecc - ha come obiettivi la cooperazione dei membri e la promozione del territorio. “Cerchiamo di formare individui che stiano bene dappertutto, ma saremmo tutti contenti se partire fosse una scelta e non una necessità” spiega Italo Montinaro, sottolineando le potenzialità del progetto sul piano economico. Ad aver lasciato la Puglia in cerca di migliori opportunità sono molte donne, spesso imprenditrici o ricercatrici, che a detta di Perla Suma “sono risorse che perdiamo”. Riconnettere, quindi, queste risorse sparse per il globo alle proprie radici è quanto auspicato dai creatori di Young Apulians che hanno scelto di comunicare con il linguaggio di internet e della modernità. www.youngapulians.net (Viviana Laperchia)

Events

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This year’s Italian Heritage Month festivities promise another successful round of events to honour the Italian community in Ontario. The month-long itinerary kicks off with a Flag Raising Ceremony at Queen’s Park in Toronto on June 2 at 11:30 am; Vaughan City Hall will also have its own ceremony at 4 pm. The following day, there will be a Mass and Concert for Seniors at the Columbus Centre. It’s a fitting site for such an important event considering the Columbus Centre is the largest Italian-Canadian cultural centre in Canada. Youngsters will also participate in the Italian Heritage Month festivities with Youth Day, which will be held at the Columbus Centre on June 4. On June 10 the community centre will host the opening of the Internment Museum with a lecture on the internment of Italians during the Second World War. The project commemorates the experiences of about 31,000 Italians who were designated as enemy aliens, 630 of whom were forced to go to internment camps in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. On June 15, the CIBPA showcases its Gala Dinner Liberty Grand, and on the following day, Famous People Players, a beloved theatrical company in Toronto, kicks off its salute to all things Italian with Volare Amore, which runs until June 30 (for tickets call 416-5321137). Ashbridges Bay will host a Father’s Day Walk for Prostate Cancer on June 17, while Hilton Garden Inn, located in Woodbridge, will present Inspire 2012, an initiative featuring Canadian leaders who will share their experience and advice with Canadian youth as a way to inspire them to pursue their goals.

For more information, visit: www.italianheritagecanada.ca (Rita Simonetta)

About this edition’s promotional porster by Antonio Caruso: « La ballerina da me realizzata rappresenta arte, eleganza, femminilità, sensualità e quindi la Bellezza Italiana incoronata dal colosseo. Alle sue spalle, il Teatro alla Scala di Milano dove Giuseppe Verdi lanciò una delle sue più belle opere: il Nabucco. Così ebbero inizio i moti per liberare l’Italia dall’invasore Austro-Ungarico. Il trillium, la foglia d’acero e la CN Tower rappresentano il Canada: terra che ha accolto i nostri talenti. » -Antonio Caruso

Conductor Sabatino Vacca

Photo by Tony Pavia

Federazione Abruzzese honours Sabatino Vacca

Federazione Abruzzese (Toronto’s Abruzzo Federation) honoured conductor Sabatino Vacca on March 24 as part of a special edition of its annual Festa di Primavera. About 400 guests took part in the event to applaud the musical accomplishments of Vacca, who is a conductor for the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra. Vacca has also conducted orchestras in the Czech Republic, Symphony Hamilton, the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Brampton Symphony Orchestra. For Opera York he has served as artistic director for productions of Carmen, La Traviata, The Barber of Seville, Tosca, Rigoletto, and La Bohème, among others. Vacca is well-known throughout Canada’s musical community since he’s on staff as a vocal coach with Opera Hamilton and Wilfrid Laurier University. He also recently completed arrangements for Quartetto Gelato’s latest CD. The event took place at Da Vinci Banquet Hall in Woodbridge, and it was emceed by Francesco Ventresca. There were musical performances by Charles Sy, tenor, as well as soprano Claire de Sévigné. In addition to his most recent accolades

by Federazione Abruzzese, Vacca is also the recipient of the Spirit of Ontario award for the Arts by the National Congress of Italian Canadians. (Rita Simonetta)

Italian Heritage Month at Dante Alighieri Academy The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), whose history is rich in Italian traditions and culture, has proclaimed the month of June to be Italian Canadian Heritage Month throughout the school board’s communities and offices. And as part of this mandate, Toronto Catholic high school Dante Alighieri Academy will take part in the celebrations. The school has been chosen to host the Italian Canadian Heritage Commemoration on Wednesday, June 13. The event, which will take place from 10 am to 1 pm, will include a mass as well as a variety of performances involving students from TCDSB elementary and secondary schools. The bill will showcase Italian-Canadians and their accomplishments, a multimedia presentation, musical performances and dramatizations performed by the students of Dante Alighieri. Dante Alighieri Academy is located at 60 Playfair Avenue.

For more information call 416-393-5522.

(Rita Simonetta)

Events

Una Voce per Padre Pio nel Mondo Il grande evento televisivo RAI Una Voce per Padre Pio che quest’anno giunge alla sua tredicesima edizione, attraverserà per la prima volta i confini nazionali per arrivare in Canada. Dal 24 al 26 agosto, infatti, le comunità italiane di Toronto e Vaughan ospiteranno il programma con una serie di iniziative musicali, religiose e di beneficenza, arricchite dalla presenza di celebri volti della televisione italiana e locale, quali Massimo Giletti, Dina Pugliese e del sindaco di Vaughan, Maurizio Bevilacqua.

A far sì che lo spettacolo fosse presentato in una delle più grandi comunità di Italiani all’estero è stato Carlo Baldassarra, proprietario di Greenpark Homes, l’impresa edile più grande del Canada. «Sono molto devoto a Padre Pio e ho subito contattato la RAI perché venissero qui, sponsorizzati da Greenpark. Visto che a Toronto abbiamo costruito una grande chiesa per Padre Pio e che sono anche uno dei benefattori della chiesa di Padre Pio a Kleinburg, ho fatto in modo che l’evento si tenesse qui».

Baldassarra sottolinea come la devozione degli Italiani per il frate di San Giovanni Rotondo sia molto profonda non solo per le vecchie generazioni ma anche per i giovani che, sempre più spesso, tornano in Italia per visitare la città del Santo.

Il ricavato dell’evento verrà destinato alla costruzione di un Villaggio di Padre Pio a Yaou, in Costa d’Avorio.

«Credo che questo genererà entusiasmo per molti anni a venire» conclude Baldassarra con un sguardo al futuro.

Un’occasione unica per i fedeli di tutto il Canada per mostrare la propria solidarietà verso altre comunità di fedeli nel mondo. Per maggiori informazioni e per il calendario degli eventi, consultate il sito www.padrepionelmondo.com (Viviana Laperchia)

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Maranello Fiat’s Grand Opening in Vaughan

Sergio Marchionne & Remo Ferri

Italy’s iconic Fiat has found a fitting home in Vaughan, Ontario, a bustling city that’s home to a significant Italian-Canadian population. On Monday, March 26, the city of Vaughan welcomed the Grand Opening of the Maranello Fiat showroom to 200 Auto Park Circle.

The event included the participation of Sergio Marchionne, president and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC and CEO of Fiat S.p.A. Guests were treated to all things Italian, with food from Toronto’s best Italian restaurants, as well as live music, prizes, and cappuccino.

The real stars of the event were the 2012 Fiat 500 hatchback, Fiat 500 Cabrio, Fiat 500 Gucci and the allnew Fiat 500 Abarth. The new 2012 models build on the attributes that made the original version an icon more than 50 years ago. Maranello Fiat boasts 15,000 square feet with a café, lounge, 8-car showroom, 6-car service drive-thru and underground parking. The Vaughan showroom, which will serve as the flagship

Fiat store in Canada, joins 69 other Fiat studios in the country. “Toronto is a key market for us in our continuing expansion of the Fiat brand throughout Canada,” said Reid Bigland, president and CEO of Chrysler Canada. “Fiat continues to do very well, outselling Mini in Canada by more than 50% in 2011. The Fiat 500 is an incredibly fuel efficient and stylish vehicle ideally suited to the Canadian market.” The dealer, Remo Ferri, has opened Maranello Fiat near Vaughan Chrysler, his Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck dealership. Ferri said he was proud to welcome Fiat back within the Chrysler automotive group: “With Fiat and Abarth here in Canada, the exceptional new product, the great vision and leadership from Sergio Marchionne, and our strong team here at Maranello Fiat, I’m very confident that we will become one of the most successful Fiat franchises in North America.”

(Rita Simonetta)

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Events

Vancouver: Buon 35esimo compleanno Centro!

Non sono stata testimone diretta della nascita, trentacinque anni fa, del Centro culturale italiano di Vancouver. Una bella realizzazione, un complesso architettonico pregevole, situato in zona strategica della metropoli atta a richiamare soprattutto le molte famiglie italiane dei quartieri limitrofi. Ho appreso più tardi che non era stato, all'epoca, un parto facile. Purtroppo aveva provocato polemiche e divisioni all'interno della comunità. Nel periodo culminante della seconda grande ondata migratoria dall'Italia, le esigenze e le idee dei nuovi arrivati si differenziavano da quelle di chi li aveva preceduti. La realtà preesistente non era da ignorare o da buttar via. Per rendersene conto basterebbe scorrere la locale storia comunitaria, risalente a oltre un secolo fa con la fondazione delle varie società di mutuo soccorso. Si tenga presente che il primo giornale in lingua italiana edito a Vancouver, l'Italia del Canada, risale al 1911. La realtà locale non era, insomma, una tabula rasa. Tuttavia, il merito di avere realizzato il Centro va a un manipolo di persone capeggiate dall'allora console d'Italia, Giovanni Germano, in aperta rottura con la preesistente Confratellanza italocanadese, guidata dal giudice Angelo Branca. Il loro slogan prediletto? «Il Centro è nostro e noi siamo il Centro». È ancora oggi così? Dopo 35 anni è stato capace il Centro di diventare la casa comune degli Italiani di Vancouver?

Esso, senza dubbio, costituisce il punto di aggregazione della Italian Cultural Centre Society, la federazione di trentacinque associazioni, Confratellanza compresa, che annovera centinaia di soci.

Negli anni successivi all'apertura, avvenuta il 24 giugno 1977, il complesso del Centro è stato più volte oggetto di lavori di ampliamento. All'iniziale e vasta ala culturale e dei servizi, comprendente: salone delle feste e cucine, biblioteca-galleria, laboratorio linguistico, aule scolastiche e uffici, fu aggiunta l'ala ricreativa con locali adibiti a trattoria e a osteria, salette riunioni e corte coperta per il gioco delle bocce. Nel tempo, grazie

a generose donazioni e contributi pubblici, furono edificati il pensionato per anziani Casa Serena e la casa di cura Villa Carital, al servizio di anziani italiani e non, pensionati autosufficienti o bisognosi di assistenza e di cure. Di recente realizzazione, invece, è il piccolo ed elegante Museo, dedicato al recupero e alla conservazione delle tante testimonianze di italianità, altrimenti destinate a essere disperse e alla dimenticanza. Oggi, i suoi locali ospitano la mostra A Question of Loyalty, dedicata all'internamento degli Italocanadesi filofascisti durante la Seconda guerra mondiale. Sul Centro continuano a pesare i debiti iniziali e di percorso, relativi alla sua gestione, che i diversi responsabili in carica si assunsero per finanziare le numerose attività. Nonostante la società del Centro non abbia fini di lucro, i più recenti amministratori si sono visti costretti a mettere in atto scelte più legate alla convenienza rispetto ad altre più fedeli al fondamentale obiettivo statutario, tuttora proclamato, di mantenere, promuovere e sviluppare la cultura italiana attraverso la lingua, la letteratura, l'arte e la musica. Il realismo sembra, quindi, aver vinto sull'idealismo della prima ora: tutto per far quadrare i bilanci e per poter ridurre, gradualmente, le obbligazioni finanziarie. Ai volontari di sempre, nati in Italia ed emigrati in Canada, si è aggiunta una relativa maggioranza di oriundi. Questi discendenti di immigrati hanno il merito – a differenza di tanti che sono indifferenti e disinteressati – in forza del sentimento di orgoglio delle proprie origini, di offrire un valido e fattivo contributo alla valorizzazione del centro comunitario. Ciò che è davvero importante è che vi sia continuità, seppur nell'applicazione di più aggiornati e vantaggiosi sistemi manageriali. Deve, infatti, essere ben preservato il senso di famiglia, di armonia e di rispetto reciproco. Deve essere preservato il gusto della comunicazione in lingua italiana, oltre al necessario uso della lingua ufficiale, l'inglese. Deve esservi un giusto rapporto di fiducia e collaborazione tra proprietari (i soci) e dipendenti (impiegati e salariati).

Devono essere custodite e conservate le belle tradizioni che ancora riscaldano il cuore di tanti anziani. Devono trovarvi un sicuro punto di riferimento, così da non perdere del tutto la propria identità, le giovani famiglie. Alla scadenza del trentacinquesimo, insieme con il programma di festeggiamenti, Il Centro culturale italiano promuove una campagna di raccolta fondi. Ottima occasione per utili regali di compleanno!

(Anna M. Zampieri Pan)

Kids Help Phone Fundraiser Sometimes youngsters struggling through issues in their lives just need to talk to a person on the other end of the line whom they can confide in. That’s just what professional counsellors at Kids Help Phone do 365 days a year both day and night for countless youth throughout the country. In recent times, Kids Help Phone has witnessed a sharp increase in calls and online posts, and the demand exceeds the supply. Children, teens and young adults are being placed on hold and waiting longer to receive the help they seek. The organization’s online professional counselling site (Ask Us Online) closes during some days of the months to kids posting their issues. In order to meet this demand and continue its important work, the organization held a Walk so Kids Can Talk fundraiser on May 6, 2012. “Everyone struggles sometimes, and at one point or another everyone needs help,” said Alisa Simon, vice-president, Counselling Services & Programs at Kids Help Phone. “Young people have an amazing amount of resiliency, even in times of uncertainty, instability, or stress. When they contact Kids Help Phone, it is a demonstration of hope – they believe that whatever the problem is, it can be solved.”

For more information visit www.walksokidscantalk.ca (Rita Simonetta)

Volunteers (from left): Mary Mauti, Gerry Fiuma, Deanne Ciccone, Gulia Maglio, Daniela Panetta, Nicole Maglio, Erica Carnevale and Daniela Massara

Committee Members (from left): Emcee Lance Brown, event chair Mary Mary, Marcella Carelli, Michelle Welch, Amanda Sinopoli, Luis Leon, Kelly Unwin, Emilia Valentini, Elena Manica and Kerry Arbour