Santina C. (Sandra) (Tanasi) Bellantuono
Santina C. (Sandra) (Tanasi) Bellantuono, 81, of New Britain, Conn., died Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at Hartford Hospital. Santina was born in New Britain, and was the daughter of the late Sebastiano and Angelina (Gionfriddo) Tanasi. She worked as the director for the YWCA for several years. Santina was a member of St. Maurice R.C. Church, Sons of I...
‘A Painter’s Journey’ at Cahoon examines Moro’s career
The Cahoon Museum of American art presents a large-scale exhibit, "Paul Moro: A Painter's Journey" as its opening exhibition of the 2017 season. This landmark exhibition is a retrospective of artist Paul Moro (1886-1953), whose oil paintings showcase a masterful vision of Cape Cod in the early twentieth century. Cape Cod was an important influence...
Dining review: Pat’s Italian Restaurant in Johnston gets a splendid reboot
If you haven't been to Pat's Italian Restaurant in a while, you haven't been to Pat's. Before a visit last month, I hadn't been to Pat's since the Boston Red Sox were down three games to the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series. I was there the Saturday night the Sox lost, 19-8. For that dinner at Pat's, I dined by a fau...
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno celebrates National Meatball Day in the city's South End
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno celebrated National Meatball Day with a meatball crawl through five of the city's most iconic Italian eateries. Accompanied by City Solicitor Ed Pikula and Communications Director Marian Sullivan, the mayor visited Red Rose Pizzeria, Milano Importing, Frigo's Foods, Mom and Rico's and La Fiorentina/Zonin's Market on...
How the Italian Immigrants Came to New England
Italian immigrants have stamped New England as indelibly as any Puritan ever since they started to arrive in large numbers during the 1890s. Today, the descendants of Italian immigrants make up more than 10 percent of the population of every New England state except Vermont and Maine. Any New Englander can recognize the voice of Don Orsillo, Joe Ca...
New pizzeria opens in Topsfield
Topsfield has a new pizzeria. Osteria Peppino Pizza had its grand opening last Saturday at 414 Boston Street. The family friendly restaurant is brightly lit and has bistro seating near the kitchen to complement the dining room tables. When the Transcript stopped by around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, almost all the tables were full. Owner Giuseppe Giugl...
Isabella Pradella, 97, of Grafton
Isabella (Allegretta) Pradella, 97, passed away peacefully Sunday, March 5, 2017 following an illness. She was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Guido Pradella. Isabella is survived by her son, Ferruccio Pradella and his wife Joanne; her grandchildren, Dominique Burke and her husband Chris and Nikki DeSimone and her husband Mark; and several...
Sons of Italy Ladies’ Lodge to host fashion show
The Sons of Italy Braintree Ladies' Lodge, 161 King Hill Road, will host its annual fashion show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23. The theme will be Focus on Spring, with fashions from Caryn's Corner, of Quincy, modeled by club members and local celebrities, including Shannon Driscoll of Project Prove, ADA Director Kristin Zechello and local columni...
Italian Bluegrass master Beppe Gambetta
He once crossed the Iron Curtain to play a bluegrass fest in Czechoslovakia. He sought out Slovakian gypsies to learn their traditional music. He sought out Pete Seeger to jam at his home. He traveled to Mexico just to play with a Mariachi band. Forget the Dos Equis guy. Beppe Gambetta is the Most Interesting Man in the World. Since hearing Doc Wat...
WPRI Celebrates 30 Years of Meteorologist Tony Petrarca
Tony Petrarca refers to his first time on the air at WPRI after graduating from Lyndon State College as “the scariest three-and-half minutes in his life.” “March 17, 1987,” Tony recalled. “I just remember going a mile a minute. My mom called after the newscast [and said] ‘You were hyperventilating. Slow down.’ But it got better from there.” Now, WP...
Review: New Haven's Olives and Oil Offers Italian, in Technicolor
A 1904 New York Tribune article about Italian immigration to New Haven carried the fevered headline “ITALIANS ARE FLOODING CONNECTICUT.” The article quotes the Rev. Joel Ives of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, who worries that the Italians coming into the state are “poor, superstitious, ignorant, and indifferent.” Well, the Rev. Ives has dep...
Venture north for a true Italian treat
Portofino Italian Restaurant in Merrimack, N.H., is a true family ristorante. Patriarch Giuliano Mastantuono handles the cooking while his wife, Maria, and his brother in-law, Helder “Pepper” Pimenta, are among the family members who help out. Giuliano is a native of Italy and worked in his family’s restaurant as a young man. When he was in his tee...