ROCCO RETIRES;
Rocco's Cappriccio restaurant closes
 
Rocco Gargano, chef and owner of Rocco's Capriccio in Little Italy, has announced his retirement.
The restaurant closed its door April 31.
Born and raised in Matera, Italy as the son of a farmer, Rocco arrived in America in 1962 to work with his father who owned a luncheonette and a restaurant in New York City. After serving in the military for two years, he returned to his passion of cooking, moved to Baltimore, and opened a handful of successful pizzerias. Yet to truly display his talents in the kitchen, Rocco wanted a fine dining restaurant.
In September 1996 he took over as restauranteur of Capriccio, renaming it Rocco's Capriccio, and operating it with his daughter, Rosa Gargano, General Manager. He instantly become a local favorite - as a genius in the kitchen and a colorful "entertainer" while visiting tables in the dining room.
"We are very happy and sad to announce Chef Rocco has officially retired and Rocco's Capriccio is closed," said Rosa. "Thank you to all of our friends, family and customers for your support throughout the past 17 years. You all have helped create beautiful memories that we will not forget."
Some comments posted on facebook about Rocco's ...
(there were many more!)
"Wow, 13 years of Saturday nights at Rocco's What incredible meals by the very talented Chef Gargano and the great service by the gorgeous Rosa and Rocco Jr. It was a blessing to have found you guys and to be a part of the Rocco experience all these years. I will never forget how special you treated Phyllis and I and made us feel like family. We love you and God bless you all" ~ Donato Danzi
"Best wishes to our friends at Rocco's Capriccio and the Gargano family as Rocco officially retires and enjoys a well-deserved break. A fixture in the neighborhood, I don't think he'd ever taken a single day off in 17 years, serving lunch & dinner daily. Auguri." ~ Sergio Vitale, Little Italy restauranteur
"Thank you to Rocco's Capriccio for always being there for all of the guests staying at the hotels in our city. Even when the weather was unbearable they would call and let us know they were open."
~ Dee Horan
"All the love and respect to you guys. Thanks for making me feel like family whenever I came to visit." J.T. Liss
"All the best to you Rocco! You know I waited tables there in 1980-81. I remember one night I served Walter Cronkite. He had linguine in white clam sauce." ~ Greg Pannoni
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BE A FESTIVAL VOLUNTEER!
Immerse yourself in the Italian community while helping St. Leo's parish with one of their major fundraisers of the year! The Sat-Sun June 8-9 Feast of St. Anthony Italian Festival takes place in the streets and is one of the more festive events in The Neighborhood! Here are their volunteers needs:
- help prepare food Mon/Tues/Wed before the festival
- setup Friday June 7
- cleanup after festival (Sunday night, Monday morning)
- work at the food and game stands
- shifts: 10:30a to 3p ... 10:30a to 7p ... or 2:30p to 7p
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email or call volunteer coordinator Sue Corasanti at wtwindstar@aol.com or 410.321.7765. Indicate area of preference to work, what day(s) and what shift time preferred.
New festival times for 2013!
11am to 7pm
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design courtesy Justin Duvall
Little Italy resident
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'PASSAPORTO TO LITTLE ITALY' package
Don't miss this raffle during June 8-9 festival!
These Little Italy businesses have donated their services, and others are expected to be added! LIKE our page on Facebook so you can check back to see what else is included in this "passaporto"
Can't make the festival but would like to be included
in the raffle? Pre-purchase your chance here!
(Stub will be mailed to you)
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BOCCE TOURNAMENT ACCEPTING TEAMS 
St. Leo's Feast of St. Anthony Bocce Tournament is hosted annually by the ITALIAN AMERICAN BOCCE LEAGUE and part of the fees are donated to St. Leo's. Tournament is double elimination. Entry fees are nonrefundable. Prizes awarded! Contact tournament coordinator Dino Basso, 410.536.0886, to enter a team or for more information.
Saturday, June 8 -- 16 double teams
Entry Fee $70 ($10 of each team fee donated to St. Leo's)
Sunday, June 9 -- 16 four-person teams
Entry Fee $140 ($40 of each team fee donated to St. Leo's)
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click image to go to SHOP page!
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PHOTO BLAST FROM PAST
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[printed caption] "Missing" Officer Returns - Reported missing in action in July, 1942, Chief Petty Officer Francis Napolillo, Jr. (center) turned up at his home, 316 S. Exeter Street [Little Italy] recently, very much alive and well. But not even to his father (left), Francis Napolillo, would he talk of his experiences - "Security reasons," he said. On his lap he holds his nephew, Francis Blatterman. Napolillo has been in the Navy eight years and holds the Silver Star.
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"This old picture from the Baltimore News Post is of my grandfather, uncle and me. My uncle, Francis J. Napolillo Jr., was on the PT Boats in The Philippines during WWII. He was lost for about a year when his group was disbanded and he was left to survive on his own in the jungle like many other sailors. He was finally rescued and sent home through Australia. The story of this action was published in the book "They Were Expendable," in which my uncle's name is listed among those involved in the action. The book was made into a movie starring John Wayne."
Vintage photos of Little Italy or of Italian ancestors may be emailed in .jpg format to info@LittleItalyMD.com. Include year of photo, your name, city, state and a brief caption.
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ITALIANO 101
Oggi impareremo l'imperfetto. Mentre in inglese l'impefetto ed il passato assoluto sono lo stesso, in italiano sono diversi:
Today we will learn the imperfect. While in English, the imperfect and the absolute past are the same, in Italian they are different.
essere = to be
avere = to have
io ero - I was
io avevo - I had
tu eri - you (singular) were
tu avevi - you (singular) had
lei/lui e' - he/she was
lei/lui aveva - he/she had
noi eravamo - we were
noi avevamo - we had
voi eravate - you (plural) were
voi avevate - you (plural) had
loro erano - they were
loro avevano - they had
Italian 101 content is graciously provided by Italian teacher Elisabetta Longardi.
Email lesson questions here.
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PAID SPONSOR
Sponsors accepted for this space at $19 donation per issue
 Basignani Winery is a small family-owned winery started by Bert & Lynne Basignani in 1986. Located just a half hour from Baltimore City in the rolling hills of North Baltimore County, the winery is open for tastings and wine sales Wednesday thru Saturday 11:30a to 5:30p and Sundays 12 to 6 pm. Click an image to visit website and learn about their SUMMER EVENTS.
410.472.0703
15722 Falls Road
Sparks, MD
lynne@basignani.com
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PAID SPONSOR
Sponsors accepted for this space at $19 donation per issue
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Distributed locally by Southern Wine & Spirits and imported by MS Walker. Contact Vince Grande vgrande@mswalker.com
for more information.
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Neighborhood News is produced
and distributed bi-weekly by ...
EDITOR:
Suzanna Molino, Director
The mission of the Promotion Center for Little Italy, Baltimore, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity organization, is to act as a voice for Little Italy as an ethnic neighborhood through consistent communication and promotion; to conduct fundraising activities to support its charitable and educational organizations; and to help preserve the neighborhood's culture, beautification and history.
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ST. ANTHONY STATUE ONE OF 50 'THAT DEFINE BALTIMORE'
Right up there with a can of Old Bay, a lock of Edgar Allan Poe's hair, Enchanted Forest exhibits, and a peppermint stick in a lemon -- in the Sun Magazine's
"50 Objects that Define Baltimore" is the St. Anthony statue at St. Leo's church in Little Italy. Here's the blurb ...
Jeffrey F. Bill, Baltimore Sun photo / April 12, 2013 When the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 threatened to jump the Jones Falls and engulf their community, residents of Little Italy prayed to St. Anthony; the fire stayed away. Every year since, celebrants at the St. Anthony's Italian Festival have commemorated his intercession by carrying statues like this -- a copy of the original inside St. Leo the Great on South Exeter Street -- through the streets. |
FLY YOUR ITALIAN FLAG! 
If you are a Little Italy resident, we challenge you to FLY AN ITALIAN FLAG! Just one small way to add festivity and color to The Neighborhood while displaying pride in the Italian culture and welcoming in the busier summer days of visitors.
[3x5 nylon Italian flags are an affordable $23 from CRW Flags, Furnace Branch Road, Glen Burnie; CRWflags.com. Other fabric/sizes/prices starting at $10. ORDER A BATCH OF FLAGS WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS to use the discount.
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calendario e notizie
SWEET SUCCESS!
 A Bake Sale held over Mother's Day weekend at St. Leo's helped to propel LIPOA (Little Italy Property Owners Association) to reach their $2,700 goal, funds which will be used to help maintain the nine strands of decorative lights across the streets of the neighborhood. Along with an Orioles ticket raffle, revenue raised from their Carnevale event, and private donations, the committee is thrilled to report their success. They thank the Sudano Family for donating fruit to make fruit baskets, and Bob Marsili who is diligently paying attention to lights repair, an ongoing process.
ST. LEO'S HOLDING
TOILETRIES DRIVE FOR NEEDY
As part of St. Leo's outreach to the poor, they are requesting donations of
toiletries for men and women (toothpaste, soap, deodorant, razors, etc).
Please drop off donations to the parish office.
St. Leo's is asking for pizzelle donations for the St. Anthony Festival June 8-9. If you are able to make pizzelle or assorted Italian cookies, please contact Lisa at the parish office 410-675-7275.
BUS TRIP TO ST. ANTHONY SHRINE Thursday, June 13 8:45 am $65 Shrine VISIT ~ LUNCH ~ BUS TOUR OF D.C. The St. Anthony of Padua Society will celebrate the Feast day of its patron by visiting the St. Anthony Shrine in Elliott City, MD. The Shrine is home to the 'Companions of St. Anthony" who promote devotion and prayer to the saint. Following the visit, enjoy a meal at Maggiano's Italian Restaurant in Chevy Chase, MD for a family style 5-course meal. After lunch, reboard the bus to enjoy a visual tour of Washington, D.C. For more info, contact Jerry Elliott 410.561.0199 or Fred Petrella 410.256.4043.
VOLUNTEER MONEY COUNTER NEEDED AT ST. LEO'S
St. Leo's parish office is in need of 2 more volunteers to count money one Monday each month from 9-11 am. For more info, contact the parish office, 410-675-7275. Volunteer screening will include reference requests.
SAVE THE DATE!
The 2013 Columbus Day Parade & Commemoration will be held SATURDAY OCTOBER 12! Watch for details in this newsletter or LIKE its  (click) page for updates.
LIKE THE LODGE?
If you like the Little Italy Lodge, then like the lodge on too! (click)
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GUESS WHERE IN LITTLE ITALY?
 | TRY AGAIN!
NO WINNER YET!
(Just take a guess! HINT: in a restaurant)
Email your guess to info@littleitalymd.com and be entered in our souvenir drawing! (SUBJECT LINE: GUESS WHERE) |
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In Italy, Italians have to give part of their wages to the church. This is deducted before they get paid. There is no choice and you cannot give to another charity.
source: italy.knoji.com/little-
known-trivia-and-fun-facts-about-italy
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from our emailbox
"Love the newsletter and love visiting Little Italy. My husband and I go there as often as possible, but not nearly enough!"
PAT KREITZER
HARRISBURG, PA
"I'm at the festival every year. Never miss at least one - try to go to both as my unofficial start and end to my 'Italian Summer'"
MIKE SCANDORA
 Join the 'LITTLE ITALY BALTIMORE' group on LinkedIn!
I LOVE LITTLE ITALY BALTIMORE
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LITTLE ITALYBALTIMORE
(no space intended)
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PROMOTION CENTER
FOR LITTLE ITALY
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BALTIMORE'S
LITTLE ITALY
2,796 members
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WILL YOU CONSIDER A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO THE nonprofit PROMOTION CENTER FOR LITTLE ITALY?
Help us to carry out our mission of promoting the nonprofit components of Little Italy and The Neighborhood as a cultural and ethnic area to visit. Consider a donation today in support of the nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt Promotion Center for Little Italy.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We are busy producing this newsletter, ordering promotional items for the St. Anthony Italian Festival in June, serving on the Columbus Day Parade committee, supporting the other nonprofit orgs in Little Italy (parish, lodge, bocce, learning center) with promotion and communications, printing Film Fest movie schedules to hand out, and maintaining content on two websites!
Prefer to mail
your donation?
Promotion Center for Little Italy
c/o 1020 Stiles Street
Little Italy, MD 21202
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