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One of my favorite delights is going out to a restaurant for a nice meal. With lockdowns and mandates, takeout was the rule of the day. We did a lot of ordering to help businesses remain solvent. Now that eateries are once again opening their doors to customers going out for a meal can be risky as many establishments are short staffed or have inexp...

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After a two-year hiatus thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the streets of Jessup will be filled this weekend with people celebrating a tradition brought here by Italian immigrants decades ago. Whether you’ve never experienced the annual St. Ubaldo Day or you just need a refresher before the big event, here’s what you need to know about la Festa dei C...

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My Family and the Mob: An Evening with Russell Shorto. Thursday, June 9, 2022 • 7 - 8:30 p.m. Senator John Heinz History Center | 1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Register HERE. Join New York Times best-selling author Russell Shorto at the History Center for an evening of revelations drawn from his recently published book, “Smalltime: A Story...

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If you’ve spent any time shopping for meat and cheese on South 9th Street in Philadelphia, you’ve heard the word. It entered the national consciousness a couple of decades ago, as Tony Soprano and family ate their way through the popular TV show. Others remember it from “The Office,” in an infamous episode where Michael tries to order it for a clie...

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Frank Filia was a jazz musician, artist, poet, storyteller, husband, uncle and friend who enjoyed talking about his life in Las Vegas and Johnstown’s old mob days while sipping on cognac when he had money or brandy when dollars were tight. Filia, who lived in Old Conemaugh Borough, died on Tuesday at age 86. Last year, he spoke about life and death...

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It’s that time of the year. Philly’s largest block party returns this weekend.  The 2022 South 9th Street Festival also known as the Italian Market Festival will take place May 21st-22nd from 11 am to 6 pm along the iconic 9th Street corridor in the Italian Market. Bring the entire family and enjoy all the Festival Events, including Live Musical En...

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A Pittsburgh-raised, two-time World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion is coming to the big screen. Bruno Sammartino, who was born in Italy and emigrated with his family to Pittsburgh when he was four years old, was the longest-reigning WWE champion, holding the title for 2,803 days. The authorized biography, Bruno Sammartino, will be released on T...

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There’s a new, zen-like space at The Andy Warhol Museum. The first things you’ll notice in the gallery are stacks of colorful mattresses hanging above one another. The work, “Milano,” was produced in collaboration with More-So, a division of Italian design company Moroso, and you’re invited to slip on some shoe coverings and hop inside. “They kind...

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When three mayors from Vicenza province toured the Northeast in late-April, they gained a new perspective on the U.S. Army, American history and much more. While the Vicenza area has been home to thousands of Americans over the past seven decades, this first-of-its-kind trip to the States gave Nicola Ferronato, mayor of Caldogno, Renzo Marangon, ma...

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According to his driver’s license, Charlie Sacchetti is 75 years old. In his mind, though, he’s a much younger man, dwelling forever in that magical age on the brink of adulthood, looking at the world through the youthful lens of limitless possibilities. That inner child, he reckons, is “probably between 18 and 21 years old.” “I like being a kid in...

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