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Friday, September 17, 2010

Italian Festival this weekend

Phil (the better half) is from Melrose Park, Illinois, which is 20 minutes from Chicago. He's half Italian, half Polish (hold the jokes.) Melrose Park is a small, mostly Italian suburb of Chi Town, where you can drive down any street with a local, and they will point out a house where some mobster grew up. There's Joey Aiuppia's house, he finally got pinched for skimming from a casino. Or, Anthony Arcardo lived there, he was the "BIG BOSS." So, when we go back to see the family, we're always passed from Italian aunt and uncle to cousins, ect, "come for dinnah, we'll throw togetha a little sumpthin." Which means fabulous traditional pasta, gravy, hot and mild sausage, peppers and onions, eggplant, homemade this, homemade that, some huge selection of desserts and lots of brand x wine and coffee. Sleep it off, and do it again tomorrow at another relatives house. ANYHOO, can't wait to go to the FIRST Italian Festival at the Fairgrounds this weekend. Not only will there be GREAT Italian food from all over the county, (which I will be comparing to the "real thing") a real live Dean Martin impersonator, (I can't resist impersonators) funny chefs, a strolling accordion player, dancing and bocci ball. Too fun. It will be like a trip Chicago, without the lost luggage and storm delays! Yay!
By the way, last time I was in Melrose I found out what WOP means (a derogatory word for Italian American) In the Ellis Island immigration days, it meant With Out Papers. Tee hee.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Women's Triathalon here this weekend

You've probably seen all the women of all ages training around the Shores for the past few months. They will swim, bike and run their way to victory this Sunday. This is a much welcome event here in the shores. It is a great cause (raising money for the Breast Imaging at Sierra Memorial Hosp. so women who can't afford mammograms can get them). It brings athletes, volunteers, family and friend spectators here, to enjoy the beauty of our forest and the always impressive views at Scotts Flat Lake. The mood is always festive, and the crowd friendly and orderly. It is well organized and unobtrusive. I can't think of a better place in Nevada County to hold this event. A few weeks ago a local resident wrote an unpleasant editorial to The Union, which they published, complaining about his life being inconvenienced by the women's training here. For anyone reading this, I'd like to say that he is the one and only person I have ever in my 11 years here heard complain. The President of the CSHA, Harry Wander wrote a quick rebuttal letter to editor that was also published. Thank you Harry. And Gary, SUCK IT! Good luck ladies. I am in awe of you all!