Bob talks to Bob Puglisi about growing up in Corona Queens and how he came to write “Railway Avenue” and “Midnight Auto Supply.” Both are great reads and certainly a must for those from Corona. Bob Puglisi’s Story I’m just a kid from Queens (N.Y.) that’s where my story begins. I’ve had a varied background, including IT professional, actor, playwright, screenwriter, producer, and librarian. I was on stage in plays produced in Los Angeles and at the Crested Butte Mountain Theatre in Colorado. My acting credits include stage, film, and television. Some of my memorable TV roles were on MATLOCK with the late Andy Griffith, HILL STREET BLUES, and several appearances in comedy skits on The TONIGHT SHOW with Jay Leno. In the year 2000, I won a fellowship from the Colorado Council on the Arts for my screenplay BIG WHITE BONNEVILLE, which was produced as a short film, entitled My Bonneville. It toured the film festival circuit around the country. When I’m not writing, I love to snow ski, fish, hike and bike. I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico with my wife, Anita, and our cockatiel, Skipper.  Railway Avenue will make you laugh, cry, and in the end, the characters will remain with you long after you have finished reading. It is a love story that spans the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. In it, Vietnam vetTommy DiNardo is willing to kill to avenge the murder of the woman he has loved since he was five years old.Tommy grows up in the working class Italian-American neighborhood of Corona, New York. Growing up in the fifties, Tommy and his friends do things kids of that era did: build clubhouses, catch fire flies, ride bicycles, and spy into a mysterious church of holy rollers. As teens, they hang out on stoop tops, listen to rock and roll, go to drag races, attend high school proms and have early sexual experiences. But there is a dark side to this pleasantly sounding story. These kids endure domestic violence, an abusive nun, a polio epidemic, a fire that threatens to destroy their homes, the violent death of a young friend, the racial turmoil that erupts in 1960s Corona, the Vietnam War and murder.  Midnight Auto Supply takes place one year after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War continues to escalate and the draft hangs over the heads of young men in Corona, New York. The sounds of doo-wop, the Four Season, Elvis, and Sinatra still play on the juke box at Al’s Bar and Grill where twenty-one-year-old Frankie Russo and his friends hang out. On one of the most important days in young Frankie’s life, he has an accident with his brand new 1964 Pontiac Bonneville, and it becomes one of the worst days of his life. The actions he takes following the accident change his life forever. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Visit Our Shop Bob and Frank talk about his family from Sicily, Chicago roots and his website and podcast. www.italianamericanlife.org Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. He has traveled to Italy many times and attended two study abroad programs in Italy, one in Roma and one in Firenze. He is the former President of The Harlem Avenue Italian & American Business Association and was on the committee to start an Italian American Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago. He is a Director of Casa Italia, and LITTLE ITALY Cenetta. He is on the committee of the Festa della Repubblica celebrated at Pompeii Church. He is a Chicago area representative of C.T.I.M., Comitato Tricolore per gli Italiani nel Mondo. He also has been a proud and active supporter of The Balbo Monument and the Columbus holiday and statue. He is a former director of Italidea-Midwest. He has performed with (IATC), the Italian American Theatre of Chicago. He is a former committee member of the Columbus Queen Contest in Chicago. He has organized and sponsored a seminar on Italian aviation and a cultural dance for young Italian Americans as well as Italian language classes for the youth. He has lived his entire life around the North Harlem Avenue area. He has been married for more than 29 years to his wife Ivana (who was born in Calabria, Italy) and together they have 2 children. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Visit Our Shop Tom Damigella talks about his parents roots in Sicily and coming to Boston’s North End, and his return.  Also, his nobility connection and how he traced his roots and return to home town in Sicily. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video Mom and Dad Mom and Dad Mom Mom and Dad Honorary Citizen Tom’s Dad in the North End Tom’s mom passport photo

Visit Our Shop John Cavallone talks about his dad’s Sassano roots and his mom’s Sicilian roots.  In particular his Sassano to 48th & Federal Street Chicago project.  You can find the project at www.sassanochicago.org where John has lists of surnames, dates, addresses and much more. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

For sometime now I have been considering applying for Italian citizenship.  I thought about going about myself, but after interviewing Giorgio at ITAMCAP, I decided that in my case it’s best to use a professional.  The reason for this decision is mainly because I am up there in years and cannot wait 6 to 8 years for it to go through.   I learned, from Giorgio, that you can get it much quicker if you spend 45 to 60 days in Italy after your paperwork is completed and you have approval from the consulate in the US.  Gathering the proper paperwork, getting apostiles and translations can still take a significant amount of time, but once approved you are on the fast track. Step 1 with ITAMCAP is to fill out a short from so that they can determine if you are eligible “by blood”, through either your mother or father.  I was pretty sure I was good, but this was just confirmed by the team at ITAMCAP and I gave them approval to start the research. Here is my full interview with Giorgio to learn more about ITAMCAP and how to get coupon for 5% discount.