Thursday, February 14, 2013

Feb 14th, 2013

Valentine's Day in Rome

We went to see the temple. On our first attempt we went to the wrong hill and saw prostitutes. Figured it wasn't the right neighborhood. After some detective work we found the right place. We made a couple of videos and am trying to post to YouTube.
The Via Veneto. Good enough for Fellini, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. I got a peck, too!
 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

A Reaction Post for Francesca...

Mom with the local archevist in Pescara who performed miracles for us. He invited us to come back tomorrow to do more. His name is Antonio. Really, I am posting this to comment that Mommy and I read Francesca's blog comment in the hotel room. I couldn't read it all the way through for the laughter. Mom had to come over and read the rest herself! BTW, Mom thinks this guy looks like Gale Westover. I see no resemblence.
 
OK, it can't all be genealogy. We stopped at Gelateria Artegiana in Torre de Passeri to celebrate our finds at the cemetary.
 

Tuesday in Abruzzo

Girls; your grandmother was Gina. Her mom was Maria. Giovina in the photo was the sister of Maria. Strong family resemblence. We found this gravestone in the cemetary of Torre de Passeri.

This is the only church in Abbateggio. Girls; this is the church that Luisa Marinelli attended in the 1870's. Luisa is the mother of Maria and Giovina. My mother remembers her as tall and severe.
 


More from Abruzzo

Mom and Franca our friend and local genealogy expert. They are getting names and dates from the 19th century birth records from the Archivio di Stato di Chieti.

Girls (grils): your father is Tony. Your grandmother was Gina. Your great grandmother was Maria A. Her father was Isidoro. He was born in Ripa Teatina. This is Ripa Teatina. The fighter, Rocky Marciano's father was also born here (no relation).


Sunday, February 10, 2013

Italy, What a Way to Do Genealogy!!!!!!

OK, so because I have been told I cannot use any data on my phone while I am in Italy, I have been non communicado with my fam for days now. I am in deep withdrawal and I cannot wait to share what has happend so far. 

I arrived in Milano Thursday night, we rented a car and drove to Vigevano and stayed at a low cost hotel that was very, shall I say, European. Not too spacious, out dated, motion activated lighting so it looked dark most of the time and not the warmest. Cold tile floors, radiator heat (not much of that) and the best part of the room was the bathroom, so Italian. They do LOVE their bathrooms and spare no expense. We went to eat dinner down the street from the Hotel, wow it was cold outside, so glad I brought my parka! The food was fantastic, even for a little hole in the wall place in a small forgettable town like Vigevano. Complementary bruschetta, GREAT bread, I had grilled veggies, some amazing polenta with mushrooms on top and Daddio had some fantastic risotto. I have to say, I have not had any bad food in Italy yet.

We left the next morning early because we needed to drive about 4 hours south to Pesaro to meet another fellow ABET affiliate head. His name is Walter Tonucci. His son Jacobo did an internship in New Jersey when we were there and now is the affiliate head of ABET PTY (Australia). They took us out to an  absolutely amazing place up in the hills overlooking the Adriatic Sea. We had fresh seafood done in such interesting and creative presentations, delicious!!!!! His wife Nicoletta gave me a beautiful pottery piece done by Vincenzo Molaroni, signed and hand painted.So thoughtful!  Here is a pix of the place and Nicoletta and Walter:

This is a really bad pix of me, but is shows the food really well:


 After we ate, we went back to the warehouse and had a tour. Here are a few photos:



                                                                                        Lobby



                                                                     Nice cabinetry ala ABET LAMINATI



                                                             Walter's office with cool stratificato desk

                                                                   Jacobo and dad Walter Tonucci

Jacobo btw speaks very good English and has an interesting accent as he learned much of his English working construction in Massachusetts where his uncle lives. A very cool guy.