Ticinese heritage in the wine country

The Swiss Hotel

History

[From SwissHotelSonoma.com]

In 1835, fifteen years before the Bear Flag Rebellion that established the California Republic, Mexican General Mariano Vallejo laid out the streets of Sonoma around an 8 acre town square. The square is known locally as The Plaza, and is the crown jewel of Sonoma’s architectural heritage.

Between 1836 and 1840, the General’s Brother, Don Salvador Vallejo, built his family home in the middle of the block on the north side of the Plaza. That beautiful adobe structure still stands today. As a hotel, the home is said to have served as a stagecoach stop in the 1870’s. In 1892 it was acquired by the Toroni family and run as the Ticino Hotel, serving railroad passengers and employees who stopped in Sonoma to spend the night. When another hotel on the west side of the Plaza burned to the ground, the Toronis simply took its name for their own, and to this day the Vallejo home is known as the Swiss Hotel.

Hank Marioni is the fourth generation of his family operating the Swiss Hotel as a hotel and restaurant. His great grandfather, Mose Mastelotto, purchased the building in 1923, and it passed from him to his daughter, Antonetta and her husband Henry Marioni in 1929. In 1945, their daughter, Helen, and her husband Ted Dunlap took over, running the Swiss Hotel until 1991. At that time, their nephew Hank Marioni spent one and a half years remodeling and retrofitting the building, and re-opened the Swiss Hotel as a modern hotel and restaurant while preserving the historic charm.

With a bar that is virtually unchanged through four generations, and walls covered with a photographic history of the town, its people and notable visitors. The Swiss Hotel remains today, as it has for well over 100 years, a beautiful reminder of Sonoma’s colorful past.

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Deep Ticinese roots

Backdated from 9-7-22

After a long period of disarray, I'm currently living in Sonoma, California. The weather is blazing hot compared to coastside, where heat waves only last two to three days. You don't even need to look at the weather report here during the summer. With a population of only 10,739, the surrounding farmland dwarfs the residential area. The Sebastiani Winery is just down the highway, maybe just over a mile away. The decorative flags downtown reflect the regions' old roots: American, Californian, Mexican, Italian, Spanish, French, English, and Swiss which essentially represents Ticinese roots... although there had also been Swiss German farmers in the distant past.

Ticino--just like the Val Camonica, Valtellina, Val Chiavenna, or the Bergamo Alps--is culturally and liguistically Alpine-Lombard. Along with Italian or Swiss flags, once in awhile a flag of Ticino can be spotted. Ticinese or Swiss Italian heritage is historically connected with San Francisco, San Mateo County, Marin County, Sonoma County, and Napa County. A few months ago back in Brisbane, I noticed a flag of Ticino attached, with a forward mounting bracket, to a fence in the Brisbane hills. Spiritually, I feel like it's a small expression of deep cultural continuity for me across the 60 mile trek from home.

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'Magnificat' by Claudio Moneverdi (Cremonese ancestry)

Claudio Monteverdi - Magnificat (complete)

1,045,138 views - April 4, 2012

S. Quimas

Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈklaudjo monteˈverdi]; 15 May 1567 (baptized) -- 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.

Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition -- the heritage of Renaissance polyphony and the new basso continuo technique of the Baroque. Monteverdi wrote one of the earliest operas, L'Orfeo, an innovative work that is still regularly performed. He was recognized as an innovative composer and enjoyed considerable fame in his lifetime.

Music in this video

Magnificat II a 6 - Anima mea

Magnificat II a 6 - Et exultavit

Magnificat II a 6 - Quia respexit

Magnificat II a 6 - Quia fecit

Magnificat II a 6 - Et misericordia

Magnificat II a 6 - Fecit potentiam

Magnificat II a 6 - Deposuit potentes

Magnificat II a 6 - Esurientes implevit

Magnificat II a 6 - Suscepit Israel

Magnificat II a 6 - Sicut locutus est

 

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'Magnificat'

 

The Magnificat (Latin for "[My soul] magnifies [the Lord]") is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary and, in the Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos (Greek: Ἡ ᾨδὴ τῆς Θεοτόκου). It is traditionally incorporated into the liturgical services of the Catholic Church and of the Eastern Orthodox churches. Its name comes from the incipit of the Latin version of the text.

The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke (1:46–55) where it is spoken by Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, the latter moves within Elizabeth's womb. Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith (using words partially reflected in the Hail Mary), and Mary responds with what is now known as the Magnificat.

The Magnificat is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn. Within the whole of Christianity, the canticle is most frequently recited within the Liturgy of the Hours. In Western Christianity, the Magnificat is most often sung or recited during the main evening prayer service: Vespers in the Catholic and Lutheran churches, and Evening Prayer (or Evensong) in Anglicanism. In Eastern Christianity, the Magnificat is usually sung at Sunday Matins. Among Protestant groups, the Magnificat may also be sung during worship services, especially in the Advent season during which these verses are traditionally read.

 

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'Magnificat' is a hymn which a part of the musical setting 'Vespro Della Beata Vergine' 1610

Vespro Della Beata Vergine - Claudio Monteverdi - John Eliot Gardiner (complete)

Vespro della Beata Vergine (Wikipedia)

 

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Volpi Foods - 118 year old family business of Lombard origin in St. Louis

Volpi Foods - Patience and Passion Since 1902

volpifoods

VOLPI CRAFTS FOOD WITH CARE

We’re the only midwestern specialty foods company that makes our own dry-cured meats, letting nature perfect each flavor in our family’s authentic recipes. There are no shortcuts or artificial processes. We let nature take its time to bring our foods to their delicious peak with fresh local meats and few ingredients.

Volpi is mindful of what goes into our foods so that you can feel good about eating them.

visit VolpiFoods.com for more


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Our Heritage

In 1898, John Volpi arrived in America from his home in Milan, Italy, bringing with him little more than a craft and a vision. Having learned from his elders the ancient European art of dry curing, John had a dream of importing the centuries-old traditions across the ocean—thus continuing to serve his customers once they migrated to America.

Four years later, in 1902, he opened Volpi Foods at the intersection of two dirt roads in the St. Louis neighborhood known as The Hill. There, he created cacciatore—dried salami small enough to fit into the pockets of the local clay miners. He used only local ingredients and suppliers and dried the meats using the same method he’d learned in Italy: opening and shutting windows to control the temperature and humidity of the air that circulated throughout the room. The response to John’s exquisite craftsmanship was overwhelming. He soon added delicacies such as prosciutto, guanciale, pancetta, and coppa.

As demand grew, John expanded both his products and his personnel, recruiting his fourteen-year-old nephew, Armando Pasetti, from Italy. His new apprentice traveled by boat to his new home in America lived upstairs from the shop and learned the business just as his uncle had: from the bottom-up.

Armando swept the floors, tied sausages, and eventually, mastered every aspect of his uncle’s craft—right down to the opening and closing of the windows.

In 1957, upon John’s passing, Armando took the helm of the company, which was now a thriving business. In 1980, he continued to meet consumer demand by bringing Volpi Foods national and enlisted his daughter to help run the manufacturing plant. An eager pupil, Lorenza studied first-hand the techniques behind Volpi’s premium meats—and supplemented her culinary expertise with an MBA from Washington University.

In 2002, exactly 100 years after John Volpi opened his business, Armando passed the torch to Lorenza. Now, as president of Volpi Foods, Lorenza continues to refine her great-uncle’s craft—while adhering to the techniques he brought with him to America more than a century ago. Volpi Foods still relies exclusively on local suppliers. It still dries its meats by adjusting the temperature and humidity of natural airflows. It still prides itself on satisfying consumer needs. And it still sells cacciatore from its storefront in The Hill.


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Lidia's Italy in America with Volpi Foods

volpifoods

Lidia's Italy in America stops by Volpi Foods in Saint Louis.


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Our Home

At Volpi Foods, we continue to improve on our traditions as we move forward to keep pace with our customers.

Our home remains on The Hill in St. Louis. There, as long-standing members of the community, we’ve been serving generations of meat lovers from the same storefront for more than 110 years. We also follow our customers, distributing Volpi Foods to locations throughout the country. And whenever those customers come back to The Hill, we’re ready to help them recapture the taste of the “old neighborhood.”

We prepare our meats in the same facility John Volpi opened in 1902, although we’ve added two more since then. Our meat is still sourced here in the Midwest. All of our farmers are within two hundred miles of our facilities, and all of our meat arrives within forty-eight hours of slaughter. As a result, our meat is the freshest anywhere. Plus, our pork has the ideal pH level to ferment naturally, which means we don’t steal flavor or nutrients by over-processing. Instead, we tolerate only the most minimal processing, allowing nature to take its course, and letting the natural flavors in the pork blossom.

Each of our facilities—Uno, Due, and Tre—comes with its own climate, humidity, and airflow. The conditions of each are paired with certain products, so we plan accordingly. They cure salami and other deli products in Uno, prosciutto and specialty items in Due, and Primo and Prep products in Tre. Our craftsmen continually adjust the conditions of each room, ensuring that all of our salume is prepared to perfection, and in the most natural way possible—individually, and by hand.


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Milanese heritage

"The Hill" in St. Louis was long ago a "Little Lombardy" in particular, and is still a mostly Italian neighborhood. Actually, the Lombard community was specifically from the Milano province. The Lombard community still in San Rafael, California also has it's roots specifically from the Milano province, and was also one of the dozen "Little Lombardys" from a century ago.

I purchased Volpi mortadella meat from Safeway in Daly City yesterday, without any knowledge of Volpi Foods. I saw they were in St. Louis, and I suspected the possible connection. What I also liked is that there are no nitrates or gluten.

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Camonica Club of North America - All-Time Blog Statistics

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Total All-Time Pageviews - 386,642

 


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Camonica Club of North America

A blog about Lombard heritage with an emphasis on the east Lombard Alps, issues dealing with neopagan folk revival with an emphasis on Indo-European traditions, ancestor reverence, dark occult issues which affect our lives, folklore, spirituality, real environmental conservation, mysteries, history, real science including metaphysical issues, music, art, and other items.

Total All-Time Posts - 892


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San Pellegrino - Mineral water from the Bergamo Alps Celebrates Its 120th Anniversary

S.Pellegrino Celebrates Its 120th Anniversary

SanPellegrino TV

2019 marks the 120th anniversary of S.Pellegrino! It all started as an Italian story and over 120 years that story has become yours as it is ours. 120 years of sharing experiences and fine dining moments. To celebrate this special occasion, S.Pellegrino launches the 120 Years Anniversary Limited Edition Bottles, available at S.Pellegrino’s exclusive events and fine dining tables all over the world.

FOLLOW - http://www.facebook.com/SanPellegrino
JOIN - http://www.youtube.com/SanPellegrinoTV
DISCOVER - http://www.sanpellegrino.com
READ MORE - http://www.finedininglovers.com


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S.Pellegrino is a symbol of Lombard and Bergamasque heritage. The Alpine water is collected and processed at San Pellegrino Terme in the southernmost part of the Orobie Alpini.... the Bergamo Alps. Above, the Grand Hotel--which opened in 1904--along the now world famous waters. The terme ("baths") were, according to ancient legend, said to possess special properties.

'The town that lost its fizz! The birthplace of San Pellegrino mineral water sits eerily empty....'
 

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Add a Twist of Flavor with S.Pellegrino Essenza - Villa

SanPellegrino TV

Discover new S.Pellegrino Essenza. A twist of Mediterranean flavors and the gentle bubbles of S.Pellegrino. Add a twist of flavor.

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Martinelli's Cidery of Monterey County---with Ticinese origins---turns 150 years old

I wanted to get this in before the end of the year, as 2018 marks a century and a half of Martinelli's Cider.


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'BREAK OUT THE BUBBLY: MARTINELLI’S TURNS 150!'

By Garrick Ramirez - SantaCruz.com - July 25, 2018

Beloved sparkling cider and apple juice producer S. Martinelli & Company is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, and we’re bubbling over with excitement! Founded in Watsonville in 1868—the same year Ulysses S. Grant was elected President—the effervescent company is still family-owned, locally-based, and making juice the way they always have: fresh and 100% natural. We’ve got the inside scoop below, and trust us, it gets juicy!

If you were like us, you were introduced to Martinelli’s via their iconic, apple-shaped glass bottle that you begged your mom to buy on trips to the supermarket. Then at Thanksgiving, you’d act cool filling your kids' cup with their sparkling cider from a champagne-style bottle. We weren’t the only ones pretending, either. It’s believed that Dean Martin would swig Martinelli’s—not martinis—onstage, and Martinelli’s cider would double as champagne in Hollywood movies during Prohibition.

But before the Rat Pack and 18th Amendment, there were Swiss-born brothers Stephano and Luigi Martinelli, who immigrated to the U.S. during the Gold Rush years and started farming apples in present-day Watsonville. They introduced a fermented, or “hard,” cider in 1868, and by 1885, they were churning out 15,000 gallons a year (in 2017, Martinelli’s produced that much in less than 2 hours). The brothers began racking up gold medals for their cider at state fairs which explains the medals you see on the labels today. In anticipation of Prohibition, Martinelli’s bottled its first unfermented—alcohol-free—apple juice in 1917. In 1933, the brand introduced its famous apple-glass bottle with the slogan “Drink Your Apple a Day,” and the rest is history.

con't....


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'Martinelli's, long-known for non-alcoholic cider, celebrates 150 years by bringing back hard cider'

'On Martinelli’s 150th Anniversary, We Remember Stephen C. Martinelli'

'Martinelli’s to Release 1868 Hard Cider for 150th Anniversary'

'150 Years of Martinelli’s Labels'

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Yogi Berra's 10 Best Quotes & Sayings

'Yogi Berra's 10 Best Quotes & Sayings'

By J.P. Scott - Athlon Sports & Life - April 4, 2018

The former Yankee catcher was universally liked, mostly due to his "Yogi Berraisms."

New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra passed away at the age of 90. An 18-time All-Star and 10-time World Series champion, Berra was not only one of the most accomplished catchers of all-time, he will go down as one of the greatest to ever wear the famous pinstripes of the New York Yankees.

The Missouri native played as an outfielder and as a catcher with the Yankees from 1946-63, followed by a short stint with the Mets. In addition to his playing experience, Berra was a manager in Major League Baseball with the Yankees in 1964 and again from 1984-85. He also managed the Mets from 1972-75.

Growing up as a Red Sox fan, I despised everything about the New York Yankees. I didn't like the players, the managers, the fans or those pinstriped uniforms. I didn't like any of their history either. You could say — like many people — I was a Yankee hater.

But I never hated Yogi Berra.

Yogi was baseball to kids growing up in New York. Your grandpa would talk about him like they were friends. If you played catcher, you were the next Yogi Berra.

But Yogi was bigger than just baseball, largely due to some of the crazy-yet-poiniant things he would say. The zaney statements came to be known as "Yogi Berra-isms." Here are some of his best:


Yogi Berra's 10 Best Quotes & Sayings

"When you get to a fork in the road, take it."

"It gets late early around here."

"A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore."

"The future ain't what it used to be."

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental."

"I really didn't say everything I said."

"You can observe a lot just by watching."

"Half the lies they tell about me aren't true."

"If you don't know where you're going, you might end up someplace else."

"We have a good time together, even when we're not together."


A bonus (and perhaps the most famous of his fantastic baseball quotes):

"It ain't over till it's over."


Today, we're all sad it's over. Rest in Peace, Yogi.


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Yogi Berra was of Milanese/Lombard descent. He was from "The Hill" in St. Louis, which was a Milanese district going back to the 1880s up to about a century ago when it started to become a Sicilian district.

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'Autumnal Equinox' - Eliwagar

Eliwagar - Autumnal Equinox

Runahild

Video made by Runahild to celebrate Autumn...






BODEGA PIATTELLI VINEYARDS

A Donde Vamos

'From Argentina to Minnesota: Piattelli Vineyards Launches Second Line'

Kelcie McKenney - Minnesota Monthly - July 2015
Try a taste from a new vine, and sip on wine from the heart of South America. Piattelli Vineyards from Argentina has just launched a new line from their second winery located in Cafayate, Salta—a northern province of Argentina located on the Tropic of Capricorn.

When their first line of wines—made at their original winery in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina—made their way into the United States, Minnesota was the first state to get their hands on the freshly imported bottles.

The reason why? Piattelli Vineyards’ owner Jon Malinski is a Minnesota native and lifelong resident who has spent the past 15 years passionate about Argentina’s wine after he and his wife found the potential for a winery on vacation in 2000. While Argentina is the fifth largest wine producer in the world, hardly any of those bottles were being exported—hence the light bulb that went off in Malinski’s head when he realized there was an opportunity he couldn’t pass by.

Today, between both wineries, Piattelli Vineyards has a total of 16 different wines including Malbec, Trinità, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé, Torrontés and Malbec-Tannat, with many in reserve, grand reserve and limited edition bottles.

While Piattelli Vineyards’ first winery had 121 acres of land to grow red and white Argentinian grapes, the new winery in Cafayate, Salta, Argentina—a northern sister region of Mendoza—has over 470 acres of land. So beyond those delicious grapes, this new location makes Piattelli the only Argentina wine brand to produce two full lines of wine in two distinct wineries and wine regions.

Beyond their unique status, Piattelli Vineyards has won over 35 awards and is currently sold in 10 countries. But the best part is the affordability of the wine. With a price range falling between $10-$30, a bottle of this rich wine—whether on reserve or not—is hard to pass on.

For your first try from Piattelli Vineyards, we suggest their 2013 Cafayate Reserve Malbec. With its 90-point rating from the Wine Spectator and at only $17 a bottle, this wine from their newest vineyard is a delicious steal. Similarly, the 2012 Premium Reserve Malbec from Mendoza also received a 90-point rating and is an equally recommended option.

You can find Piattelli Vineyards at Surdyk’s Liquor Store, Haskell's, South Lyndale Liquors and your local liquor store.

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In Argentina, as in northern California, the pioneers of the wine industry have long been people of north Italian regional ancestry. Another connection is the deep roots of Lombard people in both Argentina and the Great Lakes region. For example, Cordoba, Argentina or Duluth, Minnesota are both fairly large cities with deep Lombard roots... although apparently they don't know each other. I guess to complete the circle, the late Robert Mondavi was originally from Minnesota, and achieved his fame and fortune in the Napa Valley wine industry; and his wife was Ticinese/Lombard. I suppose you could just as easily state that both, or even all three, regions also have deep German roots as well. I like this Minnesota-Argentina connection in any form it may take, and further so since I'm an Argentophile and I have family in the Great Lakes region.

Piattelli Vineyards website

"The Clan"

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family; whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." 

-- Jane Howard

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A.C. Milan coming to Chicago, San Jose, and Minneapolis during the next 30 days

Ticketmaster

Schedule:

July 27
Milan vs. Munich
Soldier Field, Chicago

July 30
Milan vs. Liverpool
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

August 3
Milan vs. Chelsea
U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

Coincidentally, the three locations are somewhat close to what had been "Little Lombardys" a century ago (San Rafael CA, Rockford IL, Duluth MN).

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Swiss Italian Festa

Swiss Italian Festa

Donna Kelly

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I think this is in Australia.

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Regusci Winery - Deep Ticinese roots in the Napa Valley

Regusci Winery


Family

With four generations raised on our family Ranch, farming runs in our blood. During our century on this property, we've planted and grown just about everything, from prunes and hay to citrus and olives. Knowledge about our land passes down from father to son and then father to son. Generation after generation, our passion and commitment only strengthens and through this, we're able to grow and make world-class wines from our home to yours.


Gaetano Reguschi

Born near the Italian-Swiss border, Gaetano Regusci journeyed to Napa Valley in 1891, working at a dairy along today's Silverado Trail. In 1932, Gaetano cashed in his entire life insurance policy and purchased a foreclosed property across the road, known today as the Regusci Ranch.

For the next 30 years, Gaetano wrestled a living from the land, farming corn, hay, walnuts, plums and grapes. He ranched cattle, ran a dairy and opened a retail market. Surviving both prohibition and the Great Depression, Gaetano held onto the Ranch, passing along the historic Stags Leap District property to his son Angelo in the 1960s.

Today the Ranch features 160 acres of vineyards and is home to the third and fourth generations of Regusci farmers. Our proprietary Patriarch red wine is named in Gaetano's honor.


Helvetic Los Angeles (YouTube)

Reguschi: California Wine with Tony

Wine Country at Work Episode 4 Regushi YT (in depth - 30 min)

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Out of Iron Mountain: Tom Izzo and Steve Mariucci - Part 1

Steve Mariucci

Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci (born November 4, 1955) is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. 


Early career

Mariucci was born and raised in Iron Mountain, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he met best friend and current Michigan State University basketball head coach Tom Izzo. Both attended Iron Mountain High where they were teammates on the football, basketball and track teams. At Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette, where they were roommates, Mariucci was a three-time All-America (Division II) quarterback . In 1975, he quarterbacked NMU to the NCAA Division II National Football Championship. He then went on to play two weeks with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater (1978–79), and moved to Cal State Fullerton (1980–82) and Louisville (1983–84). Mariucci's first pro position was as a receivers coach for the United States Football League's Orlando Renegades in 1985. Later that fall, he had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams as quality control coach.

He joined the USC staff in 1986. He coached WR Ken Henry to a season where he had 807 yards with 7 TD. WR Randy Tanner also had 408 yards with 3 TD.

He then moved to the coaching staff at the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) in 1987. In 1987, WR Brian Bedford had 515 yards with 4 TD. WR Mike Ford had 479 yards with 3 TD. In 1989, WR Brian Treggs had 746 yards with 4 TD.

In 1990 and 1991, he served as the Golden Bears offensive coordinator. QB Mike Pawlawski threw for 2,069 yards with 17 TDs and RBs Anthony Wallace & Russell White combined to run for 2,002 yards with 16 TD. In 1991, QB Mike Pawlawski threw for 2,517 yards with 21 TD and RB Russell White ran for 1,177 yards with 14 TD. WR Sean Dawkins had 723 yards with 11 TD.

In 1992, he was appointed as quarterback coach for the Green Bay Packers.

After four years as quarterback coach for the Packers, Mariucci returned to Cal as head coach in 1996 where the team finished 6–6, including a loss in the Aloha Bowl to Navy.


Coaching career in professional football

Following his season with the Golden Bears, Mariucci was considered a leading candidate for several National Football League coaching positions, and was hired to coach the San Francisco 49ers.

Mariucci's 1997 team went 13–3 during the regular season, earning home-field advantage in the National Football Conference (NFC). After defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Playoffs, San Francisco hosted the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game, but lost 23–10 in a muddy, rainy contest at Candlestick Park. The defeat was the 49ers fourth NFC title loss of the 1990s, following losses to the New York Giants in 1990 and the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and 1993. In 1998, the 49ers posted a 12–4 record and returned to the playoffs as a wild card team, but lost 20–18 in the divisional round to the eventual NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. Two losing seasons followed, but in 2001, the 49ers returned to the playoffs after a 12–4 season, once again to be eliminated by the Packers.

Mariucci's final season in San Francisco was 2002. The 49ers won the NFC West with a 10–6 record and beat the New York Giants in a controversial wild-card game, posting the third-biggest comeback playoff victory in NFL history (second biggest at the time). However, they were crushed 31–6 by the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round. On January 15, 2003, the 49ers fired Mariucci, reportedly after the coach lost a power struggle with general manager Terry Donahue. As San Francisco's coach, he compiled a 60–43 (.583) record, while his teams earned playoff berths four times.

Mariucci was named the Lions' 22nd head coach on February 4, 2003, and was fired on November 28, 2005. In his 2+ years in Detroit, he compiled a disappointing 15–28 record. Mariucci's troubles in Detroit were partially attributed by many fans and experts to poor personnel evaluations by then Lions' General Manager Matt Millen, who had signed Mariucci to a five-year $25 million guaranteed contract, the NFL's highest coaching contract at the time. During his time in Detroit, the Lions never finished higher than third in their division and never contended for a playoff berth. The decision to fire Mariucci came after a 27–7 blowout loss on national television on Thanksgiving Day to the Atlanta Falcons.

During the Brett Favre–Green Bay Packers dispute throughout the 2008 off-season, Favre discredited the Packers for not interviewing Mariucci for their head coaching job in 2006. Mariucci, who previously worked with Favre, was figured to be a great candidate for the West Coast Offense style played in Green Bay.

Mariucci is one of thirteen head coaches since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970 to lead his team to a division title in his first season. Mariucci established an NFL mark for consecutive wins by a rookie head coach with an 11-game winning streak, which has since been trumped by Jim Caldwell's 14–0 start with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2009 season.

Iron Mountain, Michigan

After coaching

Since being fired by the Detroit Lions, Mariucci has not returned to coaching. He has since been hired by NFL Network to work on their show NFL GameDay and contribute as an analyst on NFL Network's four-hour pregame show "NFL GameDay Morning", as well as provide follow-up reports from the late afternoon and Sunday night matchups on "NFL GameDay Highlights".

Many speculated that Mariucci would be considered for the head coaching position at Michigan State after the dismissal of John L. Smith. However, Mark Dantonio was hired to replace Smith. Mariucci had been a prospective coach to replace Karl Dorrell at UCLA but such assertions were dismissed with the hiring of Ravens Offensive Coordinator and UCLA alumnus, Rick Neuheisel. He was also speculated to be in talks with the Washington Redskins, who have hired West Coast-style offense personnel since Joe Gibbs' second retirement. However, the Redskins named former Seahawks' QB coach Jim Zorn as the Head Coach.

Mariucci now resides in Monte Sereno, California. He has four children – Stephen, Tyler, Adam, and Brielle. Stephen and Adam are founders and frontmen to their pop-rock band The Relay Company. His eldest son Tyler is an Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Maryland.

Shortly after Pete Carroll left USC, Mariucci was reportedly seen on campus, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported shortly thereafter that Mariucci was a candidate for the Trojans head coach position and that the university had "made contact" with the announcer.

Following the dismissal of Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, Mariucci was recommended as a replacement by Carroll.

Mariucci expressed interest in the head coaching job of the San Diego Chargers in late 2012 with speculation of Norv Turner's departure from San Diego.


After coaching

Since being fired by the Detroit Lions, Mariucci has not returned to coaching. He has since been hired by NFL Network to work on their show NFL GameDay and contribute as an analyst on NFL Network's four-hour pregame show "NFL GameDay Morning", as well as provide follow-up reports from the late afternoon and Sunday night matchups on "NFL GameDay Highlights."

Many speculated that Mariucci would be considered for the head coaching position at Michigan State after the dismissal of John L. Smith. However, Mark Dantonio was hired to replace Smith. Mariucci had been a prospective coach to replace Karl Dorrell at UCLA but such assertions were dismissed with the hiring of Ravens Offensive Coordinator and UCLA alumnus, Rick Neuheisel. He was also speculated to be in talks with the Washington Redskins, who have hired West Coast-style offense personnel since Joe Gibbs' second retirement. However, the Redskins named former Seahawks' QB coach Jim Zorn as the Head Coach.

Mariucci now resides in Monte Sereno, California. He has four children – Stephen, Tyler, Adam, and Brielle. Stephen and Adam are founders and frontmen to their pop-rock band The Relay Company. His eldest son Tyler is an Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Maryland.

Shortly after Pete Carroll left USC, Mariucci was reportedly seen on campus, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported shortly thereafter that Mariucci was a candidate for the Trojans head coach position and that the university had "made contact" with the announcer.

Following the dismissal of Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, Mariucci was recommended as a replacement by Carroll.

Mariucci expressed interest in the head coaching job of the San Diego Chargers in late 2012 with speculation of Norv Turner's departure from San Diego.

During coverage for NFL Combine, he had been mocked for cutting Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner.


Miscellaneous

Date of birth: November 4, 1955

Place of birth: Iron Mountain, Michigan


Career information

Position(s): Quarterback
 
College: Northern Michigan

 
Head coaching record

Career record: 72–67 (Regular Season)
3–4 (Postseason)
75–71 (Overall)

 
Stats

Coaching stats: Pro Football Reference

Coaching stats: DatabaseFootball


Team(s) as a player
   
1974–1977 Northern Michigan


Team(s) as a coach/administrator
   
1978–1979 Northern Michigan (RB)
1980–1982 Cal State Fullerton (QB)
1983–1984 Louisville (WR)
1985 Orlando Renegades (WR)
1986 USC (WR/ST)
1987–1989 California (WR/ST)
1990–1991 California (OC)
1992–1995 Green Bay Packers (QB)
1996 California (HC)
1997–2002 San Francisco 49ers (HC)
2003–2005 Detroit Lions (HC)

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'Steve Mariucci shares vintage photo of Tom Izzo from 1977'

Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo and NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci have been best friends ever since their high school days in Iron Mountain, Mich. in the early 1970s. The pair both attended Northern Michigan University, where Izzo became school MVP in basketball, with Mariucci doing the same in football.

With Izzo on the verge of taking the Spartans to their eighth Elite 8 in his 20 years as head coach, his old buddy decided to break out a classic Throwback Thursday photo on Twitter.

The hairstyle may have changed, but Izzo is still pretty recognizable. Mariucci on the other hand, looks ready to audition for Adam Driver’s role in Girls.

One surefire way to tell that the photo is 37 years old? Izzo wouldn’t be caught dead in Adidas gear these days.

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Dr. Fiorella Terenzi - Famous Lombard astrophysicist

Fiorella Terenzi

Fiorella Terenzi is an Italian-born astrophysicist, author and recording artist who is best known for taking recordings of radio waves from far-away galaxies and turning them into music. She received her doctorate from the University of Milan but is currently based in the United States.

Described by Time magazine as "a cross between Carl Sagan and Madonna", Dr. Terenzi has studied opera and composition at Conservatory G. Verdi, Corsi Popolari Serali and taught physics and astronomy at various U.S. colleges and universities; she is currently on the full-time faculty at Florida International University in Miami. In research at the Computer Audio Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, she pioneered techniques to convert radio waves emanating from distant galaxies into sound, with some of the results released by Island Records on her acclaimed CD Music from the Galaxies. The goal of her audiofication/sonification of celestial data is to investigate how sound could reflect chemical, dynamical and physical properties of celestial objects, what she calls "Acoustic Astronomy."

Website of Dr. Fiorella Terenzi

Fiorella Terenzi YouTube channel

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Dr. Fiorella Terenzi song "Eternal"

Astro-physicist and composer Fiorella Terenzi has used the most modern radio-tele- scopes and computers to convert the natural radiation from a galaxy designated UGC6697 into the audible range then add instrumental harmonies.



 

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The Cudighi sandwich... Lombard-Yooper culture in Upper Michigan: Part 1

The Cudighi Sandwich

From the TV6 & FOX UP YouTube channel

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/


The Lombard "Cudighi sandwich" ("COO-dih-gee") is to Upper Michigan, what I suppose the Sicilian "Muffuletta sandwich" is to southern Louisiana. In the Lombard language, "cudighi" means "cotechino" in Italian. Cudighi is also known as "Yooper sausage," and I like the idea of it as both "Lombard-American" and also just as "Yooper culture" in general. In the Val Camonica, cudighi is usually spelled as either codèghiì or cudighì in the Camuian dialect. The town of Ishpeming, in the video below, is nearby the city of Marquette in Upper Michigan.


Cotechino (Wikipedia):

The cotechino is an Italian charcuterie product, similar to salami, but requiring cooking; usually it is boiled at low heat for about four hours. Its name comes from cotica (rind), but it may take different names in the different production areas. According to tradition, it is served with lentils on New Year's Eve, because lentils—due to their shape—are 'credited' to bring money for the coming year.

It is prepared by filling the natural casing with rind, pork meat (usually of secondary choice), and fat mixed with salt and spices; in industrial production, nitrites and nitrates are added as preservatives.


Varieties of cotechino

The cotechino Modena is an Indicazione Geografica Protetta-IGP product, meaning its recipe and production are preserved under the Italian law.


Four Italian regions have so far declared cotechino a traditional food:

Lombardy: cotechino (Cremona, Bergamo, Mantua, Pavia)

Molise: cotechino

Trentino: pork cotechino

Veneto: recognises seven different products: coeghin nostran of Padua; coessin co la lengua of Vicenza, coessin of Vicenza, coessin of Val Leogra, coessin in onto of Vicenza, coessin co lo sgrugno, cotechino di puledro

Irpinia: cotechino pezzente





Cudighi tradition continues in Ishpeming
 
From the ABC 10 UP YouTube channel
 
While the origins of the cudighi can be traced back to Northern Italy, the sandwich itself has taken on a life of its own in Marquette County.

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Alternate names for "Lombardia"

By alternate, I mean in different languages. The following is from the "List of European regions with alternative names" Wikipedia page. I added a few, which I was familiar with, from the left-hand side language links from the Wikipedia Lombardy page. I couldn't add them all because it would be unreasonably time-consuming.

There are alternate names for other major regions, cities, or land forms, and we can add that sometime. For example, Brescia, Bergamo, and Val Camonica. "Brescianische" is German for "Brescian"; however, "Brescianer" means "Brescian" in a different context. "Bergamaschische" means "Bergamask" in German.

"Camunische" is German for "Camunian," while "Camunienne" is French for "Camunian. "Vallis Camunnorum" is Latin for "Valle Camonica." "Kamunowie" is Polish for "Camunni" in the ancient sense.
 
Lets stick with Lombardia today. It's interesting that in Latin, below, they formed a name based on the term "Langobard." Also below, Gaelic Irish always provides for some really interesting words.

Langbarðaland (Icelandic)
 
Langobardia (Latin)
 
Llombardia (Catalan)
 
An Lombaird (Irish)
 
Lombardei (German)
 
Lombardia (Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Italian, 
Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Eastern 
Lombard, Ladin, Magyar, Sardinian, Norwegian, 
Indonesian)
 
Lombardía (Spanish, Piedmontese)
 
Lombardie (French, Czech; Friulian)
 
Lombardiet (Danish, Swedish)
 
Lombardija (Croatian, Maltese, Serbian, Slovene, Latvian)
 
Lombardije (Dutch)
 
Lombardiya (Turkish)
 
Lombardye (Afrikaans)
 
Lombardy (English, Scottish, Tagalog)
 
Lumbardìa (Western Lombard, Corsican)
 
Lumbardéia (Emilian)
 
Lombardïa (Ligurian)
 
Lummardìa (Neapolitan, Sicilian)
 
Łonbardia (Venetian)

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Hymn of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom

Although presented as "the hymn of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom" by the uploader, it seems to really be the hymn of the Austian Empire ("The Habsburgs") of which it was non-voluntarily part of. I believe that our people, on a cultural level, "own" the two regional flags. The double-headed eagle symbol has some roots in Lombardy, and the other flag has the crests of both Lombardy and Venetia, with the Austian flag in the middle. There's one version without the Austrian flag.

As far as the hymn, part of me fancies it as almost like what the Bonnie Blue flag hymn was to the South. However, what would be a stretch. Intrinsically, it's a great hymn. It's very spirited, and neither too gaudy, nor too bland. It could be a symbol of the Germanic influence (Langobards, Goths, Cimbrians, Austrians) of the northeast; as opposed to the French Piedmont or Roman Tuscany. "Transalpine vs. Cisalpine" struggles have been part of our history going back to ancient times. I think at this point it transcends a historically simplistic "Germanophile" or "Germanophobe" outlook.

One strange factoid relating to the period of Habsburg rule, was that during the Kingdom of the Lombards many centuries earlier, the region of Lombardy, the Tri-Veneto area, and the Trentino was called "Austria." The country that the English-speaking world now calls Austria, is really named Österreich.

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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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The Battle of Pavia - 1525

The Battle of Pavia - 1525

The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.

A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy (and working in conjunction with the garrison of Pavia, commanded by Antonio de Leyva) attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve of Mirabello outside the city walls. In the four-hour battle, the French army was split and defeated in detail. The French suffered massive casualties, including many of the chief nobles of France; Francis himself, captured by the Spanish troops, was imprisoned by Charles V and forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Madrid, surrendering significant territory to his captor. The outcome of the battle cemented Spanish Habsburg ascendancy in Italy.

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Danilo Gallinari's behind-the-back pass

Small forward from Lombardy making a name for himself in the NBA

Danilo Gallinari (Wikipedia page)

Danilo Gallinari (born August 8, 1988) is an Italian professional basketball player with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He is 6ft-10in in height and 225 lbs in weight. Danilo mainly plays at the small forward position. His nickname is Gallo, which is Italian for "Rooster."

Pro career

Italy

Gallinari's father, Vittorio Gallinari, played professional basketball with Olimpia Milano (along with future head coach Mike D'antoni), Pallacanestro Pavia, Virtus Bologna, and Scaligera Basket Verona in the Italian league.

Danilo starting playing professionally in 2004 for Casalpusterlengo, a team in Serie B1 (third level in Italy).

In 2005, Gallinari was acquired by Armani Jeans Milano, which then sent him to Edimes Pavia, a team competing in the Italian league second division championship during the 2005–2006 season, so that he could earn more experience with extended playing minutes. Even though he played only half of the season due to an injury, in 2006 he was nominated as the best Italian player of the Italian league second division championship, averaging 14.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 assists in 17 games.

In 2006, he was recalled by Olimpia Milano to play in the 2006–2007 Italian league first division championship and also in the second level tier European wide cup competition, the ULEB Cup. In his first season in the top Italian division, Gallinari was named as the league's best player under the of age 22, averaging 10.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 assists per game in 34 regular season games and 11.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 0.9 assists per game in 8 playoff games. During the season he also won the 2007 Italian All Star Game 3-point shootout contest.

He spent his last season with Milano in the top Italian league, finishing first in the league's overall efficiency ratings. During the 2007–2008 season, he averaged 17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.3 assists per game in 33 regular season games and 18.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 assists per game in 8 playoff games.

In the 2007–2008 season, he also played for the first time in the elite Europe-wide Euroleague competition, which is the first tier level continental club competition of Europe. In the Euroleague he averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in 11 games; he posted a season-high 27 points against Maccabi Tel Aviv in his final game. He made an instant impact on basketball courts around the continent and he was subsequently named the Euroleague 2007-08 season's Rising Star award winner.

NBA career

His contract with Olimpia Milano had an escape clause for playing professionally in the United States, effectively eliminating major encumbrances that would have prevented him from joining the NBA. On April 23, 2008, he decided to declare himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft. Gallinari signed an endorsement deal with Reebok before being drafted into the NBA. He has his own sneaker, made by Reebok, called "The Rooster."

Gallinari was drafted 6th overall in the 2008 draft by the New York Knicks. He then signed a two-year contract with the team.

In his first NBA Summer League game, Gallinari showed off his ball handling skills by executing a "Shammgod" dribble move in order to beat his defender to the basket and draw a foul.

2008-09 season

Just one game into the 2008–09 season, it was announced Gallinari would most likely miss most of the remainder of the season due to back problems. Despite his back problems, he came back into play on 17 January, during a game the Knicks lost to Philadelphia. On 4 March, Gallinari scored a season-high 17 points against the Atlanta Hawks, shooting 4–5 on three-point field goal attempts.

2009-10 season

On October 23, 2009, the Knicks picked up Gallinari's contract option.

With the Knicks freeing up roster space for Gallinari with the trade of Quentin Richardson, and with Al Harrington being relegated to the bench, head coach Mike D'Antoni named Gallinari a starter two games into the 2009 NBA season. On October 31, 2009, the third game of the 2009 season, Gallinari scored a career-high 30 points and made eight three-pointers in an overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, one short of tying a Knicks franchise record held by Latrell Sprewell and John Starks. Gallinari set a new career high on April 6, 2010, with 31 points in a 104-101 win over the Boston Celtics.

2010-11 season

On February 22, 2011, Gallinari was traded to the Denver Nuggets in a three-way blockbuster deal, which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves, that brought Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to New York. In just his second game with the Nuggets, he almost matched his career high with a 30-point effort in an overtime loss against the Portland Trail Blazers.

2011 NBA lockout

During the 2011 NBA lockout he returned to Italy to play for Emporio Armani Milan.

2011-12 NBA season

On January 25, 2012, Gallinari re-signed with the Denver Nuggets on a 4 year, $42 million deal.

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Sports names & faces: Nick Montana

 

Sports names & faces: Nick Montana

Chronicle News Services - January 17, 2012

Another Montana is transferring. The University of Washington has announced that quarterback Nick Montana, son of the 49ers' Hall of Fame QB, has been released from his scholarship. Montana just completed his redshirt freshman season with the Huskies. He landed at Washington with much fanfare, but Keith Price won the starting job. Montana made one start when Price was injured at Oregon State. Montana played in six games. Montana's older brother, Nate, transferred three times during his college career, ending up at - where else? - Montana

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