Little Italy San Jose

Fundraising Gala Event

November 21, 2009

San Jose, CA - September 22, 2009 – The Little Italy San Jose committee will be hosting a special evening of fine Italian cuisine and wines to raise money to bring a thriving new business district to downtown San Jose. The gala is the launching point of an effort to raise $200,000 for the project. The proceeds will be utilized to build three archway entrances and a beautiful tile mosaic mural under the Guadalupe Freeway leading into the new district. The ticket cost, sponsorships and donations are all tax deductible.

Details of the event are as follows:

Date: Saturday November 21, 2009
Time: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Location: Peralta Square Building 100 N. Almaden Ave
San Jose, CA 95110-2437
Price: $75 in advance/$85 at the door
Attire: Cocktail

Tickets can be purchased at www.littleitalysj.com.

About Little Italy San Jose – The Little Italy committee is a grass roots effort made up of members of various Italian organizations, and those interested in Italian culture. The proposed site for Little Italy San Jose is the River Street area of downtown. Specifically, it is the area bound by W. St John, N. Almaden Ave, W. Julian, and River Street just blocks from the HP Pavilon. The River Street area was home to the first settlement of Italian Americans from the 1870’s to 1900 so it serves as the ideal location for San Jose’s own Little Italy. The historic homes will be refurbished and renovated to house restaurants, bars, and shops to bring new energy to downtown.

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Italian American Heritage Foundation and Willow Glen Business Association

Invite You to “Experience A Little Bit of Italy in San Jose”

San Jose, Calif.—July 10, 2009—Italian culture and local history will convene in an eventful weekend long celebration in Willow Glen beginning Saturday, August 29 and continuing through Sunday, August 30. For the third year in a row, the Italian American Heritage Foundation (IAHF), and the Willow Glen Business Association (WGBA) will partner to present the 29th Annual Italian Family Festa in Downtown Willow Glen, Lincoln Avenue.

“We are pleased to bring a little bit of Italy to downtown Willow Glen for our 29th Festa,” says Joe Rizzi, Chairperson of the Festa. “The Italian Family Festa was such a success last year in downtown Willow Glen that we hope to make the 2009 event the biggest, most exciting yet.”

Both Saturday and Sunday will feature authentic Italian foods, a great variety of continuous entertainment, arts and crafts, an Italian car exhibit and an extensive historical photo display of the local Italian American community.

Activities will also include a grape-stomping contest, children’s games, a Tarantella dance competition, bocce ball and much more.

The opening ceremony festivities begin on Saturday, August 29th at 11:00 am and the Festa continues to 9:00 pm. Sunday’s hours are 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is free.

“Most people come for the food,” says Joe Rizzi, Chairperson of the Festa. “However, the entertainment is expected to be one of the highlights of the weekend.” “We have an incredible line-up of continuous entertainment on two stages that include Pasquale and Italica. Making their annual appearance at the Festa are Bella Sorella, Italian Opera Singers and the Silicon Valley Accordion Society. New performers for this year include Rick Ellis, Frank Sinatra impersonator, Steve Albini on the accordion, The Ricco Dancers, The Don Giovannis, Heartstrings Music and Mark Russo and the Classy Cats,” says Rizzi. For more Italian Family Festa information visit www.iahfsj.org or phone (408) 293-7122

 

About the IAHF: 

The Italian American Heritage Foundation was founded in 1975 and is recognized as one of the largest and oldest Italian Cultural Centers on the West Coast. The IAHF preserves and promotes the rich culture of Italy, increases the awareness of its history and recognizes the achievements and positive contributions made by Americans of Italian descent.

 

About the Willow Glen Business Association

The Willow Glen Business Association is committed to making downtown Willow Glen a desirable destination to shop, eat and locate a business by engaging in: the maintenance and beautification of the appearance of downtown Willow Glen; the promotion of a positive identity for the Willow Glen business community through advertising, public relations, sponsorships, events and Festivals; the improvement of business conditions by being a strong advocacy organization; and the preservation of the historical and architectural character of downtown Willow Glen.

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THE PASSIONATE OLIVE (April 3, 2009)

On Friday, the Italian American Heritage Foundation was graced with the presence and a formal presentation from Carol Firenze, the author of a book called The Passionate Olive.  This book explores the wonders and history of olive oil throughout the centuries until today, where it is still prized as a substance of great worth, exquisite taste, and unexpected usefulness.

The evening started out with lovely appetizers and samples of a variety of extra virgin olive oils.  We enjoyed cheese, wine, bread, olive oil, and Italian meats while we had a chance to talk to each other in the newly created dining area of the IAHF hall.  Several board members were in the crowd and hosted the event. 

After our stomaches were filled we were summoned to the main room to gain a whole new perspective on olive oil.  Having previously worked in high tech, Carol decided over 4 years ago to finally pursue her passion for olive oil.  It is was a passion that she exhibited from a young age, and she decided that the time was right to write a book about it and share it with the world.  More information about her book can be found at thepassionateolive.com. 

There are a lot of interesting facts that we never knew about olive oil.  Some of the lessons learned are the following:

• If you are allergic to olive oil, maybe you don't exist.  Allergies to olive oil are very rare.
  
• if you don't have a green thumb, plant an olive tree.  Olive trees are hardy and resiliant.  There are few ways to kill an olive tree, including fire and frost.
  
• Lice are smothered by olive oil.  It is the leading natural way to counteract lice in grade schools.  Olive oil can be used to smother ticks too, and help remove them from the body in one piece.
  
• Olive oil can be used for cleaning around the house, make up removal, and sensual uses.

We also learned that olive oil needs to be scrutinized when bought in the store, as it is the most adulterated oil there is.  There are 3 main grades of oil: extra virgin, virgin, and plain olive oil.  The ratings help determine the acidity of the oil, the other oils that may be mixed into the concoction, and your decision on how to use the oil.  Also, be sure to check the location of packaging and the processing of the oil, because olive oil should be processed within 24 hours of picking the olives. 

I want to thank Carol for her time and for sharing her passion for the liquid gold that so many Italians love and cherish.

-- Sharing how it was.... Erik

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Contact:

Judy Verona Joseph, President

Primo Public Relations

408-315-1435

www.primopublicrelations.com

 

 

“Italian American Heritage Foundation announces Ken Borelli 2009 President”

 

SAN JOSE, CA, January 8, 2009 –The Italian American Heritage is pleased to formally announce, Ken Borelli as the organization’s 2009 President. An Installation ceremony will be held on January 23, 2009 starting at 6 PM at the IAHF. Ken brings a wealth of experience to the IAHF. He assumed the chair of the IAHF’s Cultural Committee over twenty years ago. He has been involved in projects related to the IAHF’s long term support for Opera San Jose, various film festivals, authors forums, theater, art and musical events as well as bocce ball tournaments. Ken actively promotes Italian heritage and culture and other Italian values and traditions throughout the Bay area. Judy Verona Joseph, former IAHF Vice President states that “Ken will do an excellent job of helping to build relationships between all the Italian organizations that have a common interest in promoting vibrant cultural production and exchange in our area.” Fourteen Board members will be part of the Installation event, including Vice Presidents, Dr. Anthony Russo, Nancy DeVincenzi Melander and Joe Ponte.

 

Highlighting the Installation event is a special guest Vincenza Scarpaci, the author of “The Journey of the Italians in America.” The book illustrates the strength of immigrants and their descendants and documents the hardships, disappointments, achievements and successes many faced during their American experience. Ms. Scarpaci's work has been published in journals and encyclopedias across the globe. She was recently honored with the 2009 Sons of Italy National Book Club award.

 

About the IAHF

The Italian American Heritage Foundation (www.iahfsj.org) was founded in 1975.  It is recognized as the largest and oldest Italian Cultural Center on the West Coast. The IAHF preserves and promotes the rich culture of Italy, increases the awareness of its history and recognizes the achievements and positive contributions made by Americans of Italian descent.

 

About Primo Public Relations

Primo Public Relations is an innovative marketing and public relations firm that specializes in business-to-business and business-to-customer strategy positioning, advertising, public relations, and event planning and entertainment on behalf of its clients.  Founded in 2005, Primo Public Relations is headquartered in San Jose, CA.

For more information visit www.primopublicrelations.com.