Visit Our Shop Learn about how Genetic Genealogy works. Helping adoptees and people of unknown parentage (re)discover their roots through modern DNA testing and traditional genealogy –– so that they can (re)connect with their biological family, and finally complete the picture of who they are. ______________ DNA DAVIS (aka Carla Davis) is a Genetic Genealogist with a passion for connecting families® –– one strand at a time. Carla brings 15+ years as a genealogical research hobbyist and 4+ years of using DNA testing to identify specific lines of descent to help unique people who are searching for their roots.  Adoptees. Donor Conceived. Foundlings. Misattributed Parentage Events (MPE). Unknown Parentage. www.dnadavis.com   Podcast Video Click here to join our group on Facebook Carla in Rome

Visit our store My Bella Vita Travel, LLC was created by Cherrye Moore, a native Texan who has spent the last 15 years traveling to and living in central Calabria. The company specializes in custom vacations and private heritage tours to southern Italy and designs bespoke group tours with an emphasis on heritage, food, wine and culture. You can join Cherrye two times a year for the Small Group Heritage Tour of Calabria – an 8-day exploration of Calabria’s diverse landscape, food and culture that combines small group tour experiences with a private visit to your family’s ancestral village. My Bella Vita Travel is registered as an LLC in the state of Texas and all business, banking and legal processing is conducted in the US. cherrye@mybellavita.com Podcast Video https://youtu.be/eYluCwN-Ves Click here to join our group on Facebook

Visit our shop I knew from early on after starting my research that I had noble Spanish ancestors through my great grandmother Emilia Caracciolo, but I did not know about Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar “El Cid”, until he showed up on my chart drawn by Ky White.  As “baby Boomer”. I remember the great movie starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren as my 27th great grandparents.   My interest was renewed as I began watching the new series on Amazon. El Cid came from a minor noble family and was a Castilian Knight and warlord.  El Cid, the name, most like comes from the Arabic al-Sayyid, or the Lord.  His story is closely intertwined with several other great grandparents, such as King Ferdinand the Great, and his son Sancho II.  I do not descend from Sancho, but his brother Alfonso “the brave” of Castile. El Cid lived from 1043 to 1099 and served many masters.  In 1057, he fought against the Moors in Zaragoza.  In 1063, he served with Sancho against his uncle and cousin from Aragon.  When Sancho was assassinated in 1072, most likely by his brother Alfonso and sister Urraca,  It is thought by some that El Cid had Alfonso swear that he was not part of this plot.  In any event, he served Alfonso VI and was sent to the court of al-Mutamid to collect the tribute due. In 1079 he was exiled by Alfonso for an unauthorized expedition into Granada.  He attempted to serve Ramon Berenguer of Barcelona ( another GG ) but was refused.  So he went to Zaragoza and served the Moorish King al-Andalus in 1081.  In 1084 he defeated the Aragonese.  In 1087 he was recalled by Alfonso, but eventually returned to Zaragoza, but had his eye on Valencia. In 1090, El Cid defeated Ramon Berenguer II, who’s son, Ramon Berenguer III married El Cid’s daughter Maria to create and alliance.  In 1093, he began a siege of Valencia and by 1094 he was in control.  He died on July 10th 1099.  Valencia was taken by the Moors in 1102 and did not become Christian again for another 125 years.  El Cid’s wife Jimena returned to Catile in 1101, with his body. El Cid Relationship Click here to join our group on Facebook By Té y kriptonita – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4774388

Pick up your copy of my new book Bob talks with Elena Frigenti from Franky In New York about Italians living in America and her project to connect Italians and Italian Americans. Franky in New York is an IRS recognized 501 c3 not for profit organization founded to spread the Italian culture, or “coolture” as we prefer to name it because we consider cultural stuff a cool thing. We put together Italians and Italian Americans together through these four elements: words, beauty, food and friendship. Join us, here and on social media. Like our page. Share our posts. Help us grow together, we’ll have fun. Elena Frigenti and Massimo Basile, are both Italian journalists with thirty years of experience. We come from Tuscany (Firenze and Livorno) but have lived in Rome for twenty years before moving to NYC in September 2018. From the States, we write as correspondents for daily newspapers, magazines and press agencies. If you’re wondering why we chose to brand us as “Franky in New York”, here’s the answer. First of all, the name is a tribute to Frank Sinatra, a great Italian American and a fulgid example of persistence. Besides, Franky is also one the most common names among Italian Americans, while New York is actually the city where any dream can come true. As Frank Sinatra sang, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere”… Want to keep in touch with Franky? Tell us your story, your memories, your projects? Email to franky@frankyinnewyork.com! Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Visit our Shop Jeff Vaillant talks about finding out that his family was from Calascibetta Sicily after thinking he was French. California Genealogical Society Podcast Video Visit our recipe page here Click here Click here to join our group on Facebook