GRIAA holds Hall of Fame dinner
The Greater Rockford Italian American Association held its annual Hall of Fame dinner Oct. 13 at the Venetian Club. Nino Castronovo received the Special Recognition Award. GRIAA honored Castronovo’s Dress Shop, which was opened by Castronovo’s mother in 1937 and is still in operation today at 323 N. Main St. The GRIAA awarded the GRIAA Hall of Fame...
Author to stage three trivia challenges
Carla Gambescia, author of the acclaimed compendium ”La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A-Z,” will be in town this month for a whirlwind series of Italian-style trivia challenges. “These challenges have been a big hit across the country,” Gambescia explains. “People come away entertained and ultimately awed by...
The Grid: Exploring the Little Italy neighborhood
Welcome to the “The Grid,” the Chicago Sun-Times’ in-depth look at Chicago neighborhoods. Today’s stop: Little Italy. Located four miles west of downtown Chicago, Little Italy was the first stop for many Italian immigrants arriving to the city in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Filled with family-owned shops, restaurants and churches, it was the h...
Eligibility verification
This step-by-step guide will help you determine if you are eligible to apply for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis, that is, by descent. However, please note that the outcome of this guide is not a guarantee that you will be recognized as an Italian citizen and you will still need to submit a complete application. Also, note that in order to be re...
Ciao Bistro to Open This Week in Ohio City
This week, Ciao Bistro (3800 Whitman Ave., 216-371-1007) will open in the attractive brick building that was briefly home to Cha Spirits and Pizza, which relocated from Battery Park at the tail end of last year. The spot on a quiet residential street in Ohio City was also home to Pastas and Pastries, an even shorter-lived restaurant concept. “This...
IAET to salute Weber, Discipio, Cascio
The Italian American Executives of Transportation will honor Mario Giuseppe Weber, Dr. Samuel Cascio and Dr. Joseph Discipio on Nov. 17 at Alta Villa Banquets in Addison. (708-212-1051) The organization submitted the following profiles: Mario Weber — Man of the Year Mario Weber was born in Park Ridge, Illinois, in 1978 to Alberto and Josette Mentes...
Discover Two Hidden Italian Jewels: Murano & Matera
When: Monday, November 5, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM - Where: Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL Join us as two Italy-only travel companies, La Dolce Via Travel and Divertimento Group (DG) showcase two hidden Italian jewels: Murano, the island hidden within Venice's lagoons and Matera, the city chosen as the 2019 European Capital...
Maria’s Little Italy to open in Sycamore
For Maria Male, cooking Italian food is the multigenerational glue that holds her family together. And soon, she’ll get to share that family love with the rest of DeKalb County at her new restaurant: Maria’s Little Italy, 1969B DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore. Male is part of a four-generation Italian legacy beginning in a small town, fittingly called Carb...
Sheboygan restaurants: Il Ritrovo pizza and paninis wow taste buds | Scrumptious
In the new installment of Scrumptious Sheboygan, the staff of the Sheboygan Press went to lunch at Il Ritrovo, one of local chef Stefano Viglietti's brainchildren. The translation of Il Ritrovo is "A place to meet." It was certainly a place for your taste buds to meet yummy goodness for sure. Opened in 2000, Il Ritrovo is known for its pizza, whi...
Italians Ready To Repesent At The Rugby Weekend
Italy comes into Chicago hoping to get the city's huge Italian-American community behind it, but there are other points to prove, too. FloRugby checked in with Ian McKinley and Luca Morisi, who will be part of the Azzurri arriving in Chicago. Both have had their struggles. McKinley retired after a rugby clear went into his eyeball (yes, it is as gr...
OSDIA to host autism fundraiser
The Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, Grand Lodge of Illinois/Wisconsin, will go to bat for the less fortunate this fall with a fundraiser benefiting the Doug J. Flutie Foundation for Autism. The event will run from noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park. Dubbed “An Afternoon with Frank,” festivities wi...
West Loop’s Getting a New Spot From the Owner of Lincoln Park Italian Mainstays
The chef/owner of popular Lincoln Park Italian restaurants Riccardo Trattoria and Riccardo Enoteca is planning a new spot in the West Loop/Fulton Market. Riccardo Michi is taking over the shuttered Vera space at 1023 W. Lake Street, according to a liquor license application first noticed by Block Club. There are no additional details yet on its nam...