Page 22 - Italian American Herald - September 2022

22 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | SEPTEMBER2022 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD
Barbara Ann Zippi-Och, Executive Producer Text/Cell/WhatsAp 610 566 4883 CiaoBellaLivingItalianStyle@gmail.com
! ! Sharing * Heritage * Culture * Traditions * Foods * Connecting * Family * Friends * People * Firms * Non Profits !
The Italians Are Coming ! The Italians Are Here !
Tropicana Adventures in Atlantic City
I first visited my grandmother, Lucia Nobilio Acciavatti,s village in Loreto Aprutino, Abruzzo Italy in the 70’s. My cousin Irene Acciavatti was a young girl who saved her ‘American Dollars’ given to her from visiting aunts & uncles or from
a purchase with them at her mother’s family
shoe store, Milord Calzature e Abbigliamento located on the street level of their home. Irene has not visited America since her honeymoon with husband Renato over 20 years ago. Her father Orlando, visited us in America many times, and returning, told tales of how things were bigger and better in America. With an eye for fashion and a mind for business, during the past 20 years, she grew Mi Lord from a village family shoe & apparel store, into, pre-covid, 10 Geox locations in Abruzzo. After my visit to Italy in February of this year, Irene arrived in July with her daughter, Rachele (19). Her goal, to introduce Rachele to her American family to return next summer and perfect her English. Her sister Greta (14), studying English with Italian school books featuring the travels of Christopher Columbus discovering America, stayed home with her father to watch over the stores (post covid, now 4) and family.
I was excited to pick them up in my convertible with Philadelphia Soft Pretzels at the airport in the sweltering heat of July to take them to the cool breezes of Wildwood. Where were they? Everyone came through the doors but them. Seems they had been diverted to a different line because they had ‘Italian meats confiscated’ by customs but the cheese made it through.
8:30pm catching the summer sales including ”buy 2 get 1 free” at some places. They went back 3 times in less than 48 hours. Ordering Chicken Parmesan Italian style, it seems, there is no such dish in Italy combining chicken, cheese, tomato sauce and pasta. They found it interesting.
Their visit was perfect timing for “BEST OF” Main Line Today magazine (sister publication
of Italian American Herald) at The Drexelbrook where upon entering they spotted an “Influencer” from Bellami’s who they saw at Congress
Hall because of her style and fashion. Meeting Artillery Brewing of West Chester owner/ friends Michael Loveless and Paul Zippel (very close to my name) they danced and partied the night away and left with goodie bags to bring back to Italy.
Margaret Kuo hosted an authentic Chinese Banquet at the Granite Run location for them with American Cristinzio family cousins. Kuo’s husband, Warren, & family friend Dr. Chang, had joined my organized trip to Italy and visited this ancestral village. Overnight visits with cousins, The Crane and Christinzio ‘s plus Hershey
Mills at Pam Mariani’s where they questioned ‘the gates surrounding all the resident garden plots’, think deer. They got to experience an over 55 townhome community and Maris Grove visiting Aunt Grace. A visit to Valley View Golf highlighted the fact that golf and senior living choices are not very popular in Abruzzo. All new experiences for them.
Visiting Cemeteries in Italy is a family tradition of respect. Small and beautiful, very different from here in the USA. So instead, we did drive-bys
on the homes of deceased and living relatives, sounds crazy, but it meant a lot to Irene to see where the American visitors to Italy lived. Their recent visit instilled American cousins from
the younger generations too. 8 to 12 year old Johnston Boys, to upcoming Honeymooners, Louis & Jen Acciavatti and others who now want to visit our grandmother’s village in Italy.
A visit to Philadelphia was certainly on their bucket list. Of course, they had to see ROCKY and William Penn. I love to share Philadelphia growing up in Girard Estate, family from 10th
& Wharton by the Italian market, we did a drive-by day in Philly. Kelly Drive, BoatHouse Row, John’s Roast Pork for the Best Cheese Steaks, Packer Park homes of our relatives who lived on 17th Street and a family artwork sculpture on South Street by 10th whose first stone was brought to USA from their home in Italy by our 3 uncles, John, Raymond and Orlando Acciavatti. When going past the row homes of Philly, Irene was insistent I go around this one block to see “Pretty Woman”. I couldn’t understand what it was they saw. After pulling over, I expected to spot a fashionably dressed woman, but no, it was the FIRE ESCAPE of the city row homes. Think Richard Gere climbing up the Fire Escape to Julie Roberts in the movie Pretty Woman.
With a little English, a little Italian, Italian hand signals, and the wonders of Google Translate and What’s App, you too can enjoy hosting your Italian family..
Ciao Bella ! Lady Z
Main Line Today Magazine’s “BEST OF” party Barbara, Publisher/Owner Rob Martinelli, Irene & Rachele
On the way to the shore we rode through the disappearing farmlands with a stop for the best peaches ever at Swedesboro’s Peplowski’s Fruit Farm. Once in Wildwood, Ocean Towers gave them the Beach, Pool, Tram Car, Friday Night Fireworks and the National Anthem everyday at 11am. From our 3rd floor condo, they could see American Patriotism at its finest, from the Bike Path to Beach Goers, to the people in the pool, EVERYONE STOPS and STANDS at attention. Followed by Kate Smith’s God Bless America and Bobby Rydel’s Wildwood Days, their adventure begins. The Christmas
in July decorated Golf Cart Parade, the first ever, greeted them. Husband Renato told her
she would not be tasting good espresso until she returned to Italy. She proved him wrong giving “Best Of” when visiting Hershey Ice Cream Shop at Ocean Tower for espresso & biscotti’s by Grandma Rose during their stay.
Driving to Cape May with the top down and
the CD music of Italian Songs, think Mambo Italiano, we stopped at Ross Dress for Less & Marshall’s. They wanted to get locked in for the night so they could shop forever. Next stop, an authentic American breakfast at my Dad’s favorite year-round secret location, The Cape May Airport Flight Deck Diner located among the best military displays of WWII planes to Vietnam vehicles. Sausage, Bacon, Omelet, Scrapple, Chipped Beef, Pancakes, we ordered everything. BreakfastisnotlikethisinItaly. AvisittoCape May Point, we drive pass the Victorian bed and breakfasts, The Houses of The 7 Sisters and make a stop at The Lobster House to eat on the docks by the commercial fishing boats for a taste of American Seafoods: clams, lobster, mussels, shrimp and more. Then a drop off at Congress Hall to stroll the Cape May Mall. More Shopping and an evening at The May’s home on the bay
in Stone Harbor for the annual Boat Parade was filled with food from Pink Garlic at Reading Terminal, dance band music and a special appearance by The Woodland String Band.
Onto 2 nights at Tropicana in Atlantic City for a visit with the Di Giulio and Acciavatti clans which was cut short to a wave from their balconies because of COVID. With me on a newspaper deadline, they left the hotel at 9am for the AC Tanger Outlet stores and didn’t return until
Shopping Shopping & more Shopping Atlantic City Tanger Outlets
Wildwood’s 1st Golf Cart Parade Christmas in July
On the Way to Cape May!
Back in Italy with Family!
Irene, Andrea, Renato, Roaldo, Ilda, Silvia
Tweens to Seniors: “Building Bridges, Connecting People: Tales on Culture, Heritage & Traditions of all Nationalities”and “2022 Adventures In Abruzzo: An Exhibit & Video Presentation” Bookings accepted * Local to International Public Relations, Television, Social Media, Newspapers & Events Contact CiaoBellaLivingItalianStyle@gmail.com