"Ravenwood" - Marin City, California - 4th of July weekend

Freya's Folk announces... Ravenwood

Where: Marin City, California

Heathen Campout/Fun & Frolic & Blots in N. California

Event Details: The last Ravenwood!!! Celebrate our 25th and LAST Ravenwood 4th of July weekend 2015.

What to Bring: Food & camping gear & $ for Heathen shopping

Price/Donation: $75 each, $125 couple, $25/vehicle

Join us atop the "Sleeping Lady" (Mt. Tamalpais) for a mellow weekend campout with fun, frolic, and a feast. Learn about the American Vinland Association, Romuva, and the California Utlandr Alliance. Enjoy Heathen fellowship, workshops, and merriment around the fire with the Politically Incorrect Song Singers (P.I.S.S.) . Loggats Tournament, (with prizes) , special events, and guests. More information will be sent with your registration (in June) .

Vendors welcome, but must donate an item worth at least $20.00 to the raffle. Workshop/ritual presentations welcome/encouraged. All Registrations or cancellations must be received by June 30th. Late registrations accepted only if space permits.
No on-site registrations. Any one NOT registered will NOT be admitted.

Registration includes three nights camping, feast on Saturday, one raffle ticket, and a commemorative item. Tent camping only. Our campground has flush toilets, water, sinks, and food cupboards. We have the large campsite A with a limit of 50 people (but there are several motels nearby for the less hardy) from 2 p.m. Friggsday till noon Manisday. Tree worship on Friggsday. Other daily blots & symbels. Annual American Vinland Association & Utlandr Alliance meetings. If you'd like to present/perform, please contact us. NO day passes.

Flyers available by 1/31 or contact us at valknot@juno.com!

Event Location: Panoramic Highway in Marin City

Event TIME Details: 2 pm Friggsday - noon Moonday

Directions: Entrance is opposite Mtn. Home Inn on top of Mt. Tamalpais about 20 minutes North of San Francisco. Map is sent with registration. NO on-site registration! Full refund if cancellation request is received by June 30th.

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Swiss Italians in Australia

It should be clarified that the proper term is "Swiss Italian," not Italian Swiss. As has been covered here before, an immigration--earlier than that to California--had been to the state of Victoria, Australia. Just like with other smaller Alpine regions, such as Val Camonica or Valtellina, the Swiss Italians/Ticinese have a local type of cuisine. It appears that there were many similarities between the California settlers and the Victoria settlers.

Swiss Italians of Australia

Swiss Italians of Australia, are Italian-speaking Swiss that settled in Australia during the 1850s and 1860s. The Swiss Italians initially settled in the area around Daylesford, Victoria. The Swiss settlers were from the canton of Ticino and the southern part of Graubünden

The influence of the Swiss Italians of Australia—Italian-speaking Swiss from the cantons of Ticino and Grison and the northern Italians is still present in the township of Hepburn Springs—through the names of its residents, the names of its springs (Locarno) and buildings (Savoia Hotel, Parma House, Perinis, Bellinzona) and the annual Swiss-Italian Festa.

The heart of the Italian-speaking community was the area around the Savoia (Spring Creek) Hotel and the Macaroni Factory. The Savoia is named after the royal family of unified Italy. An Italian reading library was located at the hotel and pasta was made opposite in Lucini's Macaroni Factory which was also home to the Democratic Club. Lucini's moved from Lonsdale Street, Melbourne in 1865, where they had set up as the first pasta factory in Australia in 1864. Vanzetta's bakery supplied bread to the community and Crippa, Perini, and the Gervasoni's (Yandoit Creek) produced wine.

In 2007 the Melbourne Immigration Museum featured a display entitled Wine Water and Stone reflecting the Swiss and Italian heritage of the area.

Swiss Italian food and culture

The Swiss Italians loved sport, food, and music. Their influence on local culture is celebrated annually during the Swiss Italian Festa. Swiss Italians of Australia have made their mark in spheres of art, music, literature, journalism, sport, education, science, and engineering.

A local delicacy is bullboar, which is a sausage made from beef, pork, garlic, and spices. Local families jealously guard their recipes. In 2005 Daylesford Secondary College came in second place in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Young Gourmets by making bullboars from the Gervasoni and Sartori recipes, which gained much media attention over the fate of Charlotte the pig, with little concern for the steer involved. The bullboar has been named an endangered recipe by the Slow Food Movement.

The Hepburn Springs Swiss and Italian Festa is an annual  five day celebration in late October of the area's Swiss Italian and Northern Italian heritage, with music, food, art, wine etc. Ticino and Val Camonica are very kindred cultures, both being Lombard-speaking mountain communities. The Lombard cultural relationship doesn't just end because some long ago German king decided to build a fence. This is a part of our culture as well. 

There are local (Bay Area) Swiss Italian events, and in other parts of the state, but they're hard to find as they would usually only pertain to those of that cultural family; and perhaps through the "Pro Ticino" clubs. However, there should basically be no difference between--for example--the Ticinese of west Marin County and the Milanese of east Marin County. Not only does the canton of Ticino border with the province of Milano, but both are from the same "West Lombard" dialect.

I came across an article on the Switzerland information website entitled 'Italian Swiss... or Swiss Italians?' Although interesting, that issue has been covered here before. Still, I wanted to link it for anyone interesting in reading up on it. The Ticino question becomes important to us partly because of the large past immigration in a few areas, and because we should bridge the gap finally with the idea of "Lombard cultural identity."

The "clan" concept is great, but let us not forget the ancient nation of Lumbardia. One "Lumbard" cultural family: Bergamo, Brescia/Val Camonica, Como, Cremona, Lodi, Mantova, Milano, Monza/Brianza, Pavia, Sondrio (Valtellina/Valchiavenna), Süd Graubünden/Val Poschiavo, Ticino, and Varese.

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Caffè Como: "Russian Hill's new hotspot"

I believe that this is probably standard Italian cuisine, but since it bears the name of the Lombardian province of Como--and it's in San Francisco--it deserves a mention on that alone. They're even on facebook.

From the San Francisco Chronicle ad:

Caffè Como's Eatery

Caffè Como's staff and fare are top notch. Recently remodled, the space is immaculate and cozy, prefect for a casual meal or an intimate conversation.

Come in and experience Russian Hill's new hotspot, Caffè Como.

Breakfast M-F 7-10AM

Dinner M-Sun 5-10PM

Brunch Sat-Sun 7-3PM

2550 Van Ness Ave (@ Filbert Street)

(415) 529-2615

http://www.caffe-como.com/

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Osteria Stellina: "Point Reyes Italian" food

This month, the San Francisco Chronicle released it's annual 'Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants'. Included on the list, for the third year in a row, was Osteria Stellina in Point Reyes Station, Marin County; which is described as "Point Reyes Italian" under it's cuisine (in the hard copy version). As you may know, perhaps from earlier entries here, that many of the towns founders and founding families were of Cisalpine or Ticinese origin. Of course, they continue to be a part of West Marin County, especially its dairy farming industry. That name is so cool; reminds me of "Ostara."

Osteria Stellina

11285 Hwy. 1 ( at B Street)
Point Reyes Station
Tel. (415) 663-9988      
Map | www.osteriastellina.com

Christian Caiazzo gathers most of his ingredients from Marin County and calls his creations Point Reyes Italian. Even though the restaurant is still in the 415 area code, Point Reyes Station feels as if it could be on the Irish coast, and the downtown could easily be the set for a spaghetti Western. The food, while homey, is sophisticated; his Beans and Greens alone is well worth a special trip. The interior of this corner storefront is modest, but the care that goes into the restaurant is evident in the fresh flower arrangements and pristine produce displayed around the dining room.

Specialties: Oyster pizza; Tomales Bay mussels with house-made sausage; Beans and Greens; beef stew; braised goat with creamy herbed polenta; grilled cheese at lunch; any dessert.

Hours

Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily; dinner 5-9 p.m. nightly.

Cuisines

• Italian

 

Features

• Beer and wine
• Credit Cards: Accepted
• Parking: Easy
• Lunch
• Seating (57)
• Reservations: Accepted

Overall

Price

Noise

Food

Service

Ambience

Date	Status	Details
04/03/2011	Revisited	Top 100 Restaurants 2011  -- Michael Bauer
04/04/2010	Revisited	Top 100 Restaurants 2010  -- Michael Bauer
05/10/2009	Reviewed	Osteria Stellina bursting with local goodness

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Evening of Ticinese Culture in San Francisco: Monday, October 19

Settimana della lingua italiana: Evening of Ticinese Culture

The Consulate General of Switzerland and the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco invite guests to celebrate the art and architecture of Ticino. Note: Presentations given in the Italian language.

19 Oct 2010 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM Pacific Time


Practical Information:


Location:

730 Montgomery St. San Francisco, CA 94111

Free. Advance RSVP required.

In celebration of the tenth Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo, Week of the Italian Language in the World, the Consulate General of Switzerland and the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco cordially invite you to an evening celebration of Ticinese culture, hosted by swissnex San Francisco.

The program includes two presentations in Italian, "Il Ticino: terra di artisti," from by Marco Cameroni, and "Antonio e Giuseppe Sardi da Morcote - Architetti ticinesi nella Venezia del Seicento,” by Paola Piffaretti.

Questions? Contact vertretung@sfr.rep.admin.ch or call 415.788.2272 ext 102.

Organized by the Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco and the Italian Cultural Institute, with help from swissnex San Francisco.


Program:

6:30 pm doors open
7:00 pm presentations and Q&A
8:30 pm reception
9:30 pm doors close

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See above link for more information, to register online, and for directions.

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Newark Swiss Park

Up until a few decades ago in California, and particularly in the Greater Bay Area, there were many Swiss clubs. As far as I know, they were largely Italian-Swiss in culture. The record seems to be very clear on this: the traditional "California Swiss" were Italian-Swiss. However, there were German speaking Swiss as well. Between, roughly, 1850 and 1930, 20,000 immigrants arrived in California from the Italian speaking (Lombard dialect) Swiss canton of Ticino. This was the biggest happening in the history of the tiny canton. Up until the decline of the Swiss clubs, 20,000 people, and perhaps double that in descendants, was a comparatively (in%) larger number of people than it would be today. They apparently thought of themselves as "Swiss," rather than Italian. In fact, culturally and ethnically, they were Lombardian. I view Ticino, like Brescia, as another province of Lombardia.

A few years ago I attended the annual local spring Swiss celebration in Newark. I was hoping, perhaps even expecting, to see at least a booth for the Ticinese culture. When I first entered the park, the friendly entry person asked me if I had a "Swiss connection" of some type. I replied that my family was from Lombardy, and how that culture was the specific one represented in Switzerland. The main building was a marvelous German-Swiss traditional style design. A tall fence surrounded a cement patio area (which included a large grill and stage area) around the building, with also a grassy area with picnic tables. A very practical setting for a gathering. There was music, food, booths, etc.

Surrounding the main area was a grassy area on one side, with a dirt parking lot among some trees, and it was fenced in. It had long been a community center, with a bar and restaurant, events, and a nice large hard wood floor room with a high ceiling, which wasn't in use that day, but I walked in to look around briefly. Traditional dancing was probably a much bigger thing way back when it was constructed. Surrounding the facility was a shopping center and Holiday Inn. The building spoiled the visual environment to be honest. I mean, a beautiful traditional building with one tall modern building next to it. In Italy they are pretty good about planning freeways and large buildings, as to not spoil the look of the countryside. It was clear that there was a mixture of the old with newcomers, from the old country. However, you don't have to be Swiss. Anyone can visit.

In general, although very German, they were not a tall people. More of an Alpine type. I did see one beautiful young woman in traditional dress. A classic tall blonde German beauty. Most Germans (Germans, Austrians, Swiss, etc.) are of Alpine stock, with Nordic traits. It depends, at Oktoberfest, there are definitely some tall people. One time I was watching one video on YouTube, and there were two German girls. They looked eighteen or so, speaking German. One with dark blonde hair, basically Nordic looking, and the other struck me as looking so much like one of my grandmothers. Very Alpine. There are German Alpines, French Alpines, Italian Alpines, and Slavic Alpines. I remember that happened one other time. My family used to have an old photograph of one of my great grandmothers when she was probably in her early twenties. I memorized her face from it being there for so long. Anyway, one time I saw a young woman who had the same face! I think everyone has had an experience like that at least once It's funny because, if you told them, they would never understand.

After we got some bratwurst, as I started to sit at one of the picnic tables, a very burly brooding red haired man with a walrus mustache growled that the seat was taken. However, the people at large were very friendly. Sometimes in popular culture, Germans are portrayed as being brooding, calculating, and humorless. I don't really see how that can wash, as there are so many loud, gregarious, beer drinking, laughing, back-slapping Germans. I never did see anything "Italian-Swiss" at all. There is a group "Pro Ticino Nord California," which is part of what amounts to a Ticinesi nel Mondo type group. I sent them a letter once time, but I received no response.

While I'm on sort've this German-Swiss Alpine subject. Recently I read something online about Bavarian immigrants in America, in certain places, where they, for a couple of generations in America, only married other "Bavarian-Americans." I mean, like, not even other German speaking or descended people. I thought that was curious. Historical regions, like Bavaria, were distinct, regardless of what administrative jurisdiction they were under. I'm referring to the way it was over centuries. For example, even when Polish speaking districts were broken up under different kings or empires, there was still "a Poland." I always thought it was tragic that Prussia was erased from the map.

The following text is from the Newark Swiss Park website: "The Newark Swiss Park was constructed on dairy and farm land in rural Alameda County in 1934, by Swiss Immigrants who wanted to preserve some of their Swiss Culture and Traditions. As time has passed, suburban Newark has grown up around the park. The restaurant and bar is open to the public, serving both American and Swiss/German fare. The Park and Banquet Hall are available for rental use. Many Swiss events are held at the facility and are open to the public: Regular Swiss / German Ländler Music and Dancing; Spring and Fall Schwingfests (Swiss Wrestling Competitions); The Big Swiss Independence Day Celebration, occurring near August 1st each year."

Aside from Newark Swiss Park, there were two other California Swiss websites that I found when I was searching for Newark Swiss Park, which I wanted to place here, even though they are not connected to anything Italian-Swiss. They are the Lugano Swiss Bistro restaurant in Carmel (not Ticinese at all, despite the name), and the Swiss Park Banquet Center in Whittier.