Winter is over! LONG LIVE WINTER!
The last weekend in January was the most snowy in recent memory.
At the Bottom
Returning for another run
Arrivingat the top
Those last few feet
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Alex Sledding
February 2, 2011Dominick Joseph Colaneri 1920 – 2011
January 27, 2011
Our long-lived and much-loved Uncle Dick passed away at age 90 after a recent age-related illness. Dick was the youngest son of Italian immigrants Grace (Grazia) Palmieri —-after whom many a female family member is named—and Gaetano Colaneri —whose roots in the mountainous village of Castiglione in Abruzzo Uncle Dick was ever seeking to investigate.
Dick was the apotheosis of the term “gentleman and scholar.” His refined manners, good looks and velvety eloquence reminded one of the British actor James Mason.
The last of ten children who grew up in Jersey City, he attended Dickinson Highschool and graduated from Jersey City State.
He served as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy receiving two Bronze Stars and a Distinguished Service Award in the South Pacific during World War II, and was married for an incredible 58 years to the stunning and gracious Bernadette Mastro. That she adored him was obvious to all. She was his beloved and prized beauty. Of Aunt Bernaette I have the following anecdote.
Once, while I and Aunt Sadie perused a an antique photo album we came upon a picture of Bernadette in her youth, and I was forced to observe that, “She was as beautiful as a Hollywood starlet.” Aunt Sadie was quick to respond, “She still is!”
Dick completed graduate studies at NYU then became an educator, first a teacher and administrator in the Newark public schools, then as principal in East Brunswick. Eventually he was Director of Alumni for Jersey City State, but continued on after retirement as president of the Essex County Retired Educators Association and on the Board of the NJ State Opera.
Uncle Dick was always fun and enlightening to be around. Puns, witticisms and cultural references poured out of him with a spontaneity that belied their profundity. He could be critical of the foibles around him, but never bitter. He loved baseball and Italy, food and drink. He prepared an awesome dry martini. He could cook (though not quite at the level of Aunt Bern), write, expound on the Roman Empire, history, current events and art. He loved opera and used his exalted status as the uncle of conductor Joseph Colaneri to swing us premium tickets and backstage passes at the Met on more than one occasion.
Lately he liked exploring poems that touched on the subject of Italy, reading about Byzantium, hanging around with the crowd of recent immigrants at San Remo coffee shop in Totowa, taking lunch at the Short Hills Mall and going for walks-and-talks around towns in NJ. Once, on a recent excursion, we found ourselves quite by chance wandering into the Livingston Mall. Uncle Dick asked where we had arrived, and I told him, “The Livingston Mall, Uncle Dick.”
He thought for a moment, then smiled and responded, “Ah! The Livingston Mall, I presume.”
Gustavsons visit NJ
December 17, 2010On our recent Holland America cruise sponsored by Scientific American we made friends with an outstanding couple from Boulder Colorado, John and Carole Gustavson. After an amazing and eventful visit with the Gustavsons in Colorado late summer, we decided to have them visit us in NJ. They are highly sophisticated world travelers who have visited New York many, many times before, so therefore we decided to show them was the bohemian side of NY/NJ, the haunts and entertainments that we ourselves enjoy year-round. The climax was of course a performance of “La Boheme” itself at The Metropolitan Opera the night before their departure back to their homestate.
We took a stroll through Greenwich Village
John prudently stopped to purchase a hat at a sidewalk haberdasher
Then a quick coffee and piece of pie at the famous and ancient West Village coffee house Caffe Dante
A viewing of an independent, foreign film at Film Forum
The ineluctable dinner at Yaffa Cafe. The Gustavsons were thrilled that I had participated in painting Yaffa’s outside mural in 1992 as an assistant to professional artist Federico Castelluccio
The garish decor of Yaffa
A stroll on historic Boulevard East
The famous Duel Grounds where Alexander Hamilton lost to Aaron Burr
A visit to the hospitality at Dennis and Marianne’s museum-like mansion on Boulevard East
The famous Blue Delft kitchen, where John Gustavson was quick to spot a Danish plate among the predominantly Dutch pieces
Marianne’s elegant parlor
Dining area
The famous Steinway on the left and a spectacularly decorated Christmas tree to the right of the ladies
Enjoying the hospitality
Then how about Paterson’s Great Falls?
And a walk on the bridge crossing those falls
Yes we were there too!
A trip Lena’s Gallery got us a private performance of a doo-wop group of artists whose works were on exhibition there
Here’s a scene from the Franco Zefirelli stage set of Puccini’s “La Boheme”
Christmas New York Style
December 5, 2010Alex had his first visit to Rockefeller Center on December 4, 2010
Before even arriving at Rockefeller Center we encountered a phalanx of gargantuan wooden soldier Nutcrackers!
Here Alex stopped to pose in front of a stunning, gigantic Swarowski Star composed of gems
Soon we stood before the famous evergreen
Pop got to pose with Alex here
Alex spotted Santa himself on the ice!
Skaters seen skating below the famous “Prometheus” statue
The spectacular Art Deco designs at Rockefeller Center never fail to impress!
Here a little chickadee nestled in one of the “stars” along the promenade
No trip to Fifth Avenue at Christmas time is complete without a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Marzena and Alex viewed the Nativity scene inside St. Patrick’s
We couldn’t fail to get Alex a eagerly-sought pretzel, despite the incredible ($4.00) price!
Thanksgiving 2010
November 29, 2010Photos for this blog were taken by Maisey Arlotto and Alexander J. Hughes
Host & Hostess
Here we are with Aunt Rita in whose tradition of holiday hospitality we hope to continue
Tina Ambrose labored lovingly to produce the most artistic and delicious cupcakes, perhaps, ever for the party
Photo taken by Alexander J Hughes!
Cousin George Arlotto shepherded his crew from Washington D.C. up for the event
Accompanied of course by his lovely wife Gina Anzelone Arlotto
and their gang of exceptional children
Helpful photographer Alexander J Hughes
First time attendee Jayden Murillo
Never let a little shrimp of a photographer shoot you from below, George, but if they do—NEVER open your mouth!
Doktor John’s Famous Piano-Top Animated Halloween Display for 2010
October 10, 2010As usual for the last several years, here’s an updated version of the animated exhibit I construct atop the baby grand in my “Cathedral.” The latest addition is Zelda’s Wax Museum. There are a few added trees and a taxi on the “road to perdition” as well as Frankenstein’s monster with his bride motorcycling thie way down the hill from the laboratory.
4th of July
July 11, 2010We had a great 4th of July weekend in Cape May, at the home of our friend Frank Foti’s hospitable mother Maryanne and her magnanimous husband Dick Youshack, a local entrepreneur and the senior owner/operator of a number of enterprises that have provided fun to shore-goers and tourists for generations. Dick, one learns, started out many decades ago running a grocery/convenience store—one of those 16 hour a day, 365 day a year responsibilities that ever so slowly paid off for him and his family who now reap the benefits of his success and generosity. His enterprises have grown to include motels, a water-park, sight-seeing vessels and the like, which Dick continues to oversee with a sense of purpose and responsibility that just won’t quit!
There were many, many fun events, social as well as gustatory. Frank, his restaurateur brother Danny and Marzena performed as creative geniuses of the culinary arts, while the rest of us provided kitchen help as well as formidable appetites.
The high point of the weekend was the annual trip aboard Dick’s sea-going fishing yacht, the “Reelin’ Feelin’.” Here you can see a view from the boat as we passed the back of Dick’s and Maryanne’s beautiful home, decked out of course with the American Flag for the holiday, en route to deep waters of the Atlantic off Cape May.
And then we were out at sea. That’s Danny and MaryEllen at the very bow of the boat, with Frank and Bonnie sunning themselves in the foreground. In the background: The Great North Atlantic!
Here's Marzena on the beach at Cape May
Neapolitan Music
April 24, 2010We had the very special experience to attend a performance— at Manhattan’s Symphony Space—of the extraordinary music troupe of Teresa De Sio, an artist and historian of Southern Italian folk music. She sings both traditional and re-interpreted Napolitano songs accompanied by electric violin, two guitars, electric bass, percussionist and full drum set. The audience was wild. This video is poor, shot with a phone camcorder, but the sound quality is pretty decent. Click on the Youtube image to share in the experience!
Christopher’s Birthday Party
April 17, 2010On April 17, 2010 Christopher John Ambrose had a 1st Birthday party at his Pop’s and Marzena’s place. Here he is performing at the piano!
Then we sang Happy Birthday to Christopher. That’s Ian screaming in the background
Alex demonstrated how to blow air into a traditional party favor noise maker
Eric Grossman at Marianne Colaneri’s Musical Soiree
April 11, 2010Renowned violinist Eric Grossman performed Bach and Bartok pieces before an appreciative audience consising of family and friends of Marianne Colaneri at her mansion-like home on Boulevard East in Weehawken, N.J.
April 10, 2010
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