Who Are the Real Italian American Girls?

Now a days it's getting harder and harder to tell the real Italian Americans from the so called, mainstream media "Italian Americans." I think its fair to say you can have your own definition or meaning of being Italian American based on how you were culturally brought up or what the "norm" is --based on your geographic/ tri-state location. Its so hard to explain what that actually means, but to break it down, I guess everyone wants to be Italian American. Can you blame them?

As I was working on some new projects for the Italian American Girl site, I began to think who are the real Italian Americans? I have a hard time accepting the mainstream ideas, images, personas and stereotypes. Then, I said to myself the very purpose of my site was to really feature the true ITALIAN AMERICANS the local personas, friends and celebrities.

I can speak for myself as an Italian American woman, that I'm proud of who I am, where I come from and what I've achieved. As the Italian American Girl site grows we've included and featured many up and coming; successful Italian American women.

The focus is to bring positive attention to the accomplishments of the real Italian American Girls.

Take a look at the list for the Top Italian American Women:

Margaret Fontana.- Creator of the Italian American Girl Site & Italian Americans in Social Media.

Alicia Vitarelli- Television Anchor & Media Personality for News12 NJ

Dawn DelRusso- Stylist and Fashionista

Giada Valenti - Singer, Songwriter

Patricia Volonakis Davis- Italian American Author

Rossella Rago - Host of "Cooking With Nonna"

Serena Palumbo- Accomplished Professional & Contestant on Food Network's "The Next Food Network Star"

Maryann Maisano- Comedian and creator of "Italian Chicks"

Ornella Fado- Host of Brindiamo TV

If you would like to be considered for the Top Italian American Women's List on IAG, please email me to be included with a brief bio and link to your site.

**This listed was originally posted on August 10, 2010

Grazie!

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Italian American News Anchor & Television Host; Alicia Vitarelli Shares An Exclusive Interview.

Alicia Vitarelli - New Journalist 

The Italian American Girl site is dedicated to showcasing and sharing news and notable profiles on influential Italian Americans around the world and in the community. This week we have an exclusive interview with New Jersey's most talked about and admired Italian American news anchor from News 12 New Jersey. She's also the host of an informative-magazine style and culinary show called, "Buck Wild" and "A Roma Aroma."


To learn more about Alicia Vitarelli we sat down to get the scoop on this Italian American Girl.


Q: As an Italian American Girl what is your cultural Italian upbringing, who in your family comes from Italy?
A: I was born and raised in New York City in an Italian household. While my mother is not Italian, my father's family has very strong roots a has kept the culture alive and well in our home. His mother, Marie (Vitale) Vitarelli, will be 97 years old in July. She still makes sauce on Sundays and says it's the olive oil that is her secret "fountain of youth." Her family came from Calabria, where they owned a bakery. My grandfather, Umberto Vitarelli, came from Craco, in the Basilica region. As the next generation of Italian Americans, we were schooled by Roman Catholic nuns and priests, celebrated all of the Italian and Catholic holidays, and traveled to Italy often (I have been there about 10 times).

Q: You’re the host of a very successful show called, “Buck Wild” and you also anchor for News 12 NJ, do you feel you have any pressure as an Italian American to represent the Garden State in a positive light?

A: I don't feel the pressure, rather the responsibility. I think both young Italian Americans AND young people from New Jersey have to work extra hard to combat some very negative stereotypes that persist and are fueled by reality TV shows. I take my role in this regard very seriously, knowing how important it is to spread a positive message and fuel a good image of both my culture and state.

Q: What part of your Italian upbringing do you identify with most? Why?

A: That's simple. Family. I am sure you get this answer often and that is because the family unit and time spent together are two of the most powerful building blocks of Italian culture. Sunday dinners are not merely meals, but bonding experiences, and keeping that tradition alive has bridged the cultural divide between older and younger Italian Americans. I also identify with the work ethic of our immigrant ancestors who traveled here to find "The American Dream," working hard, complaining little. I attribute my work ethic to that and also believe that very little can hold us back if we have a dream. They overcame many obstacles and led by example and I intend to keep that spirit alive!

Q: Have you ever been to Italy and do you have any family there you know of that you would possibly connect with in the future?

A: I have been to Italy many times, from coast to coast, soaking in the arts, culture and history, and admiring the way the locals live, eat and experience their incredible country. I am in the process of connecting with relatives on Facebook (seriously!) and also learning the language.

Q: How has participating in Italian American events this past year affected your passion for your culture?
A: I have been honored three times as the Italian American Woman of the Year by various groups in New Jersey, and I could not be more proud to not only represent my culture and showcase it to the state, but to connect with New Jerseyans who are doing the same. I am amazed at how strong the community is here. As a native New Yorker, I was raised amongst very proud Italian Americans, and I am humbled to have been so warmly and generously embraced by the New Jersey community. I see their accomplishments everywhere, and being able to share that with my viewers is an incredible honor as well. There are so many wonderful groups here doing fantastic work, and I am thrilled to be working with them.

Q: Being that we’re both Italian Americans living in New Jersey we’re subjected to many stereotypes and including the more recent debates stemming from the MTV show “Jersey Shore;” Do these stereotypes create or offend you or do you think they’re based more on a tri-state cultural theme?

A: Good question. I have always said that stereotypes don't create themselves. Watching shows like "Jersey Shore," I can say that there are young people among us in the tri-state area who do live, speak and act that way. It is unforvision of our culture based on a small pocket of people seeking 15 minutes of fame, regardless of the ramifications on our reputation as a whole. What is more unfortunate is that there is more negative publicity than positive examples of young Italian Americans who are doing wonderful things to make our culture proud. I feel we have to work extra hard to push the good examples to the forefront!

Q: How good of an Italian cook are you and what types of Italian dishes do you prefer to make? Or suggest?

A: I am a work-in-progress cook! I have been married for three years and have truly made it my mission to master Italian cuisine! I grew up with an Italian grandmother who wouldn't let you within feet of her stove, so while I grew up eating the dishes every day and watching them be prepared, it wasn't until later in life that I tackled it on my own. Some of my favorite dishes to make include homemade ravioli and various pastas (orchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage is a good one, and I LOVE pesto!) I am constantly learning and evolving in the kitchen and I have a great hands-on coach in NJ 101.5 radio host Dennis Malloy (who IS 100% Italian). Together we host a weekend cooking show on News 12 New Jersey called "A Roma Aroma."

Q: Do you feel your upbringing has supported your success as a television personality? Will we be seeing you on national news for the future?

A: I absolutely feel my upbringing contributed to my success, especially when it came to paving my own path. I was the first person in my family to get a college degree (and a Masters Degree) and leave the "nest." I have studied and worked both abroad and here in various states, and that feeling of being a pioneer is something I felt was in my blood. I have an incredibly strong work ethic, and rarely rest. I absolutely hope to take my career to the national level, and also have a family someday. I have a wonderful husband Matthew (who also comes from a strong, amazing Italian American family). He supports me and my endeavors and I could not be more proud of him as well.

Q: Which Italian Americans do you look up to in mainstream media?
A: In my business I honor and respect all of the broadcasters who kept their Italian surnames, as I did. I was told many times that it would hold me back, that it is not understood or embraced in some parts of our own country. To me, it is a badge of honor and I wear it proudly. I admire others who do the same. Positive examples are so important to our culture and I am happy to be a part of that.

Q: As a media personality do you think positive television programming focusing on the achievements of Italian Americans is lacking and how can we as Italian Americans work to improve our image in mainstream media?
A: I do believe it is lacking and hope to see more Italian Americans showcased and celebrated for doing great things. I tell young people to consider this: the most powerful and irreparable thing in life is a reputation. Once it's marred, it is very hard to repair that damage. Consider the impact your actions have not only on YOUR life, but on your culture.

** I should add Alicia Vitarelli has since moved onto to a Philadelphia station 6 ABC. **

Thank You to Alicia Vitarelli For A Fantastic Interview! Grazie Alicia!

For the latest on Alicia go here: https://www.facebook.com/alicianews/

This story orginally posted April 1, 2010 

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I'm Italian and Yes, I Have Curly Hair.

So, you're probably asking right about now, why am I writing about curly hair? Just this week alone my blogs have been about politics and serious topics...well today I want to talk about curly hair. I get tons of emails all the time about yes, my hair.

I have to say, I am very lucky to have super curly hair that's somewhat manageable. There was a time when I didn't know how to style it and always felt like odd girl out..while all my friends had their gorgeous straight hair.

Growing up with curly, frizzy hair always made me feel like a bit of an outcast. During middle school, teasing and spraying hair was pretty big. I could never do that, because if I teased I ended up looking like a poodle who got electrocuted. It was hard.

Then, in my later years in high school, I started to get the hang of it. It isn't till now, that I really love my hair and can style it with super products available for curly, ethnic hair. Yes, whether we like it or not, its "ethnic." If you research the curly hair characteristics and cultures of where people have curly hair, well..you guessed it..I'm in that percentile.

I guess I am the owner of the fitting characteristics of a Southern Italian woman. To add to the curly hair, not only is it hard just to figure out what to do with it, but in a business world such I am in daily..its another job trying to figure out how to fit in with the business types without my hair going wild.

My hair is usually pulled back and combed straight...just not to scare off people who can't handle my curly. Its a proven fact that perceptions of people with curly hair differ greatly in the sense that there is evidence of discrimination. I can second that. I find that people will treat you differently with curly as opposed to straight hair. I'm not looking for issues or things to look up, but I had someone ask me this morning...and it just grew into this discussion about curly hair. My shout out to all the Mediterraneans with Curly Hair.!!!!

Here's an interesting study and article about people with curly hair:

http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/0/8/9/5/pages108957/p108957-3.php Tweet

My Italian Father and His Garden...

If you're Italian or grew up Italian American with strong Italian traditions than that would mean someone in your family has an Italian garden. The garden that you grew up knowing with tons of tomato plants, eggplant, basil, zucchini, (from which you got your zucchini flowers to make fritelle) and so on.. what didn't the Italian garden have?

In my case, you were the kid who went to school bragging about your father's garden and how you ate fresh vegetables or how you made tomato sauce at the end of the summer with the tomatoes from your garden. My mother would always prepare nightly dinner in the summers with all fresh vegetables right out of the garden, now a days this is called "GREEN" or "ORGANIC." Who knew my mother and father had me living so green conscious and organic from an early age, to me it was just normal. It still is. So when people talk about starting a herb garden, I kind of snicker not because it's funny, but because I laugh to myself about how lucky I am that I grew up with such a vast knowledge of agriculture, good food, great cooking and always understanding the quality of what you eat.

My father still grows tons of tomato plants as you can see from the photo above and we do in fact make our sauce with those tomatoes from the garden, which lasts the whole winter. It's a tradition we preserved as Italian Americans-- my brothers, sister and myself hold this to be very sacred and consider ourselves extremely fortunate to know how to bottle the sauce in jars. Not only are we making our own sauce, but we've learned to cultivate fruit trees, such as peach trees, which we make our own jam and pies. We know my father is the garden guru, he has neighbors and strangers just stopping in his yard nightly just to ask him questions about how to grow the best garden. Not only does he give advice, but he's giving away plants too, better yet he comes to your yard and plants it for you. It gives him immense pleasure to see others succeed in gardening. No one like my father, that is for sure. So, if you were thinking of actually starting that garden, stop thinking and just do it - there is something extremely therapeutic to gardening and not only that, but it's preserving a very important tradition in our Italian American culture.

** Update my father is now 89 years old and is preparing his seeds for this summer's garden. 

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The Italian-American's Guide to a First Visit Home

Everyone’s first trip to Italy is bound to be special. The land’s natural beauty, rich history and vibrant culture create an atmosphere that’s unlike any other in the world. Coming to Italy for the first time is even more special if you come from an Italian-American background. You may technically be a tourist, but you’re also a child of the land who’s coming home to the place where you can trace back your roots.

As a returnee to the motherland, you’ll want to see as much of it as you possibly can in the limited amount of time that you have. It’s your opportunity to reacquaint yourself with where your bloodline came from and to experience what Italy is all about.

If you’re an American of Italian descent, here’s a list of places that you’ll want to visit when you go to Italy. You may not be able to land on all of these locales in one trip, but you’ll want to hit as many of these targets when you do make the trip. Here are our suggested places along with useful info on food and language:

Do Your Research

 The first place to begin this exciting journey is to research the roots of your family in Italy. A great number of the Italian diaspora left the towns and villages near Rome, along the Amalfi Coast and the Mediterranean island of Sicily. Whether you know the exact ancestral village of your family or just the general region, a journey to Italy will greatly enrich your Italian pride.

Caput Mundi

 Start your journey in the Italian capital of Rome. The Eternal City was once the capital of the ancient world and is now a vibrant, chaotic mix of  modern comforts and relics of the past. You can stand in the Piazza Campidoglio which was designed by Michelangelo and just around the corner, visit the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland).

 Photo

Photo: Piazza Campidoglio in Rome

For those of you who have an interest in history, it’s important to understand how young Italy is.The country wasn’t the state that we know now until 1871. For centuries, Italy was a group of semi-autonomous territories ruled by monarchs, foreign leaders and popes. Rome was named the capitol of the Republic of Italy when the nation was put together, giving birth to the Italy that we know and love today.

Naples and the Amalfi Coast

 An easy distance from Rome is the ancient ruined city of Pompeii, the city of Naples and the enchanting Amalfi Coast.  Spend a day exploring Pompeii and learning about this once wealthy Roman town that was buried alive by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.Its fragments come alive with vibrant frescoes, houses, temples and shops all preserved in the volcanic ash that sealed the locale’s fate.

Head overto the city of Naples. It’s bordered by Vesuvius on one side and by the Bay of Naples on the other.  You can visit Bourbon castles, shop in lively markets and take long walks along the bay on newly pedestrianized lungomare.

Just under an hour from Naples is one of the most beautiful drives in the world. The over 1,000 twists and turns along the SS163, also known as the Amalfi Coast Drive, affords views off dizzying precipices, sparkling seas and fragrant lemon groves. Spend a few days exploring the pastel villages that seem to precariously cling to the steep cliffs. Take the time to immerse yourself in the culture and observe how the residents of this area have preserved a lot of elements in the old Italian way of life.

Photo: Road going to the Amalfi Coast

Sicily

 A large portion of Italian-Americans can trace their roots back to Sicily – Italy’s largest island. If you’re Italian-American and you’re not sure where your family hails from, there’s a good chance that this is your ancestry’s motherland. When you visit Sicily, be sure to see Mount Etna, the dramatic and still active volcano near the ancient cites of Ragusa, Noto and Modica. Modica, with its soft, orange baroque architecture is best known for the delicious chocolate that it produces. Combine learning about your family history with ancient history in the town of Agrigento with a visit to the Valley of the Temples.  The 5th century BC ruins are set in an almond grove with beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Photo: Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily

Food

 Food is as much a part of Italian culture as art, fashion and history are. Italians who migrated to the US in its early days brought along their great culinary practices which have evolved over time. The result is a separation of paths between authentic “Italian cuisine” and what we know in the mainstream to be Italian food.

For the record, there really is no such thing as Italian food. The culinary styles in Italy are diverse and regionalized. What you’ll see being served in Rome will be vastly different from what you’ll see in Venice. Also, a lot of dishes that you might recognize as Italian in the US do not actually exist in Italy. A lot of what Italian-Americans know as Italian food are actually creations of Italian migrants who established food businesses when they were in the US. The difference in the availability of ingredients and the tastes of customers in America have compelled Italian cooks to improvise and adjust their recipes according to local supply and demand.

For instance, you will not find spaghetti and meatballs served together in Italy. You may get a strange look from a waiter if you ask for chicken parmesan. You’ll definitely not want to ask for Caesar dressing on your salad even if it seems like the right thing to do. In Italy, olive oil and balsamic vinegar are the preferred flavorings for fresh vegetables.

Language

 I was recently chatting with a millennial 9^th-generation Roman over a plate of amatricina and he said something interesting about Italian-Americans who visit Italy.  He explained to me that they often speak Italian with a vocabulary from 100 years ago. Using words that now in modern Italy only bis-nonna’s use and with a degree of formality seldom heard. Think of it as akin to someone speaking like one of our founding fathers. Also, know that sometimes the slang or dialect you may have learned at your grandfather’s and uncle’s knee may be infinitely more vulgar than you intend.

Your first trip to Italy will infinitely strengthen your Italian American identity and heritage.It’s a very special feeling that gives you a better sense of belongingness and perspective about yourself and the world around you, Pack your bags, board that plane and enjoy your trip to the land that gave rise to your family. Hopefully, your first trip to Italy is just one of many more to come. Ciao!

About the Author

 Priscila Siano is the Marketing Director of  Tour Italy Now, an online tour operator specializing in Italy travel. She's a respected expert on making dream Italy vacations a reality for clients. For more on Priscila and her work, connect with her on Google+.

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