POSTED BELOW IS THE OBITUARY FOR COACH MILO BADGER AS IT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL. Coach Badger was included in "La Nostra Costa" as an "Amico Della Costa". He had a great influence on me and many of the boys who grew up on the Coast. I mention his name in two of the Chapters. In Chapter 20 "Sesso E Altri
Divertimenti (Sex and Other Amusements), page 217, I speak of his Physical Education Program at Mission Hill School and on page 219 I included an endnote regarding Coach Badger and his family who lived directly across the street from 'Casa D'Valentina' on Seaside Street. In Chapter 28, "IL Ponte E La Policia" (The Bridge and the Police), page 323, I describe how I had to face Coach Badger and Sgt. Charles Derby after I was suspected (I was one of seveal suspects) of stealing a wallet from a locker in the Boys' Gym. As I stood there, Sgt. Derby asked Coach Badger, "Do you have any reason to suspect this young man"?
I will always remember what the Coach said in a firm an unequivocal manner, "No". Thanks Coach. I will never forget you. ivn0
October 29, 2006
MILO FRANK BADGER
Milo Frank Badger, known to many simply as "Coach," passed peacefully away on Sunday, October 15, 2006, at his Hydesville, CA, home after a short and difficult battle with cancer. He is survived by his five children: Alan, Wade, Pam, and Clay Badger, and Betsy Howard, and eight grandchildren. A natural outdoorsman, Milo Coach enjoyed nothing more than a long day of fishing or a tough day of doggin' through the brush in hopes of jumping a nice buck. He began leading summer camping trips for students to the Sierras, where many kids who had never had such an experience caught their first fish or, not so impossibly, got their first mosquito bite. Milo was able to touch the lives of so many kids from all walks of life and, for some, this influence changed the course of their futures to come.
Coach Badger should be remembered for all the things he was - son and husband, father and grandfather, teacher and coach, friend; and for the things he loved most - gardening and chopping wood, camping and hunting, fishing and storytelling, but most of all, family. He will be dearly and sincerely missed by many. We will carry his memory forever in our hearts, and use the things he has taught us to the best of our abilities in our own lives and gardens.
Memorial services with a reception to follow for Milo Badger will be held on Sunday, November 26, 2006, at the Mission Hill Middle School Gymnasium at 1pm.
Copyright © 1999-2006 Santa Cruz Sentinel.Ottaway Newspaper, Inc.All rights reserved.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
"FIGLIO DI SANTA CROCE" - LEN KLEMPNAUER
LNC: THE HISTORY OF 'LA COSTA' MUST INCLUDE THE IMPACT THAT ALL THOSE NON-ITALIAN PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ (AND THE COAST) HAD ON THE "ITALIANI DELLA COSTA". IN THE BOOK I INCLUDED SUCH NAMES AS ROGER BAER,CHARLES DERBY, JOHN EVANS, EDITH KING, VIOLA MEINTS, DONALD YOUNGER, VIC CALHOUN, MILO BADGER, DON SANTOS, KIM NOVAK AND OTHERS. LEN KLEMPNAUER'S ARTICLE BELOW REMINDS US HOW DIFFERENT YET HOW SIMILAR OUR FAMILIES WERE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
Reading your bit about how the FBI showed up to check your radio during WWII, I am reminded of a story a cousin told me about my family. Although we were living in Kansas City during the war and my family was of German descent, the FBI showed up at my grandfather's home sometime during the war to question his loyalty. (My cousin, a year older than I, was raised by my grandparents.) My grandfather, born Heinrich Johann Klempnauer in West Prussia in 1878, had become a naturalized American citizen before the war and his name was now Henry John Klempnauer. According to my cousin, my grandfather, who was a fairly big man, was so outraged that he wanted to take on both FBI agents until cooler heads -- particularly my grandmother, also of German ancestry -- prevailed. He was so irate because three of his sons were in the Army, one an officer in the Pacific and the other two in the European campaign. Also, one of his younger brothers, who was born in the U.S., had fought in World War One. My grandfather was in his 60s at the time. My grandfather was 3 years old when his father, who fought in the Franco-Prussian War, and his mother came to the U.S. with him and his 5-year-old brother in 1881. After my parents moved to Santa Cruz in 1946, we lived one year on River Street, next to Petroff's Motel, and I attended Mission Hill Elementary for one year. Some of my classmates' names were Marlene Spezia, John Biondi, Nilda Bertolli and Jim Scoppettone, son of the muni court judge.
A couple of blocks down the street lived a fellow by the name of John Maranta, but he attended Holy Cross Elementary and High Schools and I never met him until we played on the Santa Cruz American Legion baseball team together in the summer of 1953. We became good friends and shared a duplex together at San Jose State with Scoppettone and five other guys from Santa Cruz. I was best man at John's wedding.
In the sixth grade (1947-48), we moved to the corner of Lighthouse Avenue and Gharkey Street, right in the midst of the Italian-American community of Santa Cruz and I attended Bay View Elementary. My classmates included Mary and Margaret Ghio, who were first cousins; Yvonne Herman, who was a granddaughter of Cottardo Stagnaro; Aldo Mazzei, and Rose Neri.
Later, at Mission Hill Jr. High, my first girlfriend was Esther Frizza, who lived a couple of blocks away and was in your class.
Santa Cruz was quite a different mix for me, for the surnames in my Kansas City neighborhood, were, for example, Rader and Schaffer and Keller. (Missouri had more residents of German ancestry than any other state then.)
After the war, when the Italian fishermen were allowed to have boats again and fish Monterey Bay, they all would eat at my parents' restaurant, the Cross Roads Drive-In at the foot of West Cliff Drive next to the SP Depot, after making their nightly catch. Their names included Bossano, Bregante, Canepa, Carniglia, Ghio, Oliveiri and Stagnaro. I remember especially the Canepa brothers -- Augie, Danny, Robby and Louie.
Of course, I attended the March 8, 2003, dedication of Via Riva Trigoso, the alleyway that extended between Lighthouse Avenue and Laguna Avenue from Bay Street to Gharkey Street. The street was named for the area in Italy that most of the Italian fishing families came from. There were three of us there from the SCHS Class of 1954: Mary (Ghio) Stagnaro, one of the main speakers; the late Jean (White) Giudici, a former Cross Roads carhop who married into a local Italian family and whom I dated a couple of times; and myself. [Photo Attached] My parents actually started their drive-in in an old building on the same site that probably went up in the 1920s or 1930s. They then moved across the street to the VFW 888 Hall (now a motel) about 1950 until the "new" Cross Roads, the one still standing, was built in 1951 and opened in January 1952. The Fifties were the heyday of the teen-aged drive-in restaurant, carhop and cruisin'-the-drag culture in the U.S. A lot of Santa Cruz High students worked at the Cross Roads -- especially girls as carhops -- and at Santa Cruz's other drive-in, the 5-Spot at the corner of Ocean and Water Streets. Virtually all teenagers hung out at the drive-ins after games, dances or the movies before heading out to West Cliff Drive to neck.
The old Cross Roads is now the retail sales outlet for the Homeless Garden Project in Depot Park. The City of Santa Cruz plans to raze the structure and replace it with a new Natural History Museum instead of incorporating the building as part of the museum complex. The building withstood the Christmas Flood of 1955 and the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989. The 5-Spot was torn down years ago and replaced by a two-story bank building.
Incidentally, I have a web site devoted to my failed efforts to try to save the Cross Roads building from demolition. It's the only remaining drive-in restaurant building left in Santa Cruz County and one of the few in Northern California. It was built in 1951 and opened in January 1952. (The first 5-Spot -- in San Jose -- has been declared an historical landmark.)
The Cross Roads web site is at:http://www.webspawner.com/users/crossroadsdrivein/index.html
Finally, Ivan, may I add the following. I attended a rather conservative Protestant church in Kansas City, mainly because it was the only one in the neighborhood. After we moved to Santa Cruz, I attended that same Protestant denomination here. But I stopped going after the sixth grade. When my mother was in her late 70s, I happened to ask her why I stopped. Here's what she told me:
"You told me the church believed only Protestants would go to Heaven and everyone else would go to Hell. So you said that if all your Italian friends, who were Catholic, were going to Hell, then you wanted to go to Hell, too, so you could be with them."
-- Len Klempnauer
Reading your bit about how the FBI showed up to check your radio during WWII, I am reminded of a story a cousin told me about my family. Although we were living in Kansas City during the war and my family was of German descent, the FBI showed up at my grandfather's home sometime during the war to question his loyalty. (My cousin, a year older than I, was raised by my grandparents.) My grandfather, born Heinrich Johann Klempnauer in West Prussia in 1878, had become a naturalized American citizen before the war and his name was now Henry John Klempnauer. According to my cousin, my grandfather, who was a fairly big man, was so outraged that he wanted to take on both FBI agents until cooler heads -- particularly my grandmother, also of German ancestry -- prevailed. He was so irate because three of his sons were in the Army, one an officer in the Pacific and the other two in the European campaign. Also, one of his younger brothers, who was born in the U.S., had fought in World War One. My grandfather was in his 60s at the time. My grandfather was 3 years old when his father, who fought in the Franco-Prussian War, and his mother came to the U.S. with him and his 5-year-old brother in 1881. After my parents moved to Santa Cruz in 1946, we lived one year on River Street, next to Petroff's Motel, and I attended Mission Hill Elementary for one year. Some of my classmates' names were Marlene Spezia, John Biondi, Nilda Bertolli and Jim Scoppettone, son of the muni court judge.
A couple of blocks down the street lived a fellow by the name of John Maranta, but he attended Holy Cross Elementary and High Schools and I never met him until we played on the Santa Cruz American Legion baseball team together in the summer of 1953. We became good friends and shared a duplex together at San Jose State with Scoppettone and five other guys from Santa Cruz. I was best man at John's wedding.
In the sixth grade (1947-48), we moved to the corner of Lighthouse Avenue and Gharkey Street, right in the midst of the Italian-American community of Santa Cruz and I attended Bay View Elementary. My classmates included Mary and Margaret Ghio, who were first cousins; Yvonne Herman, who was a granddaughter of Cottardo Stagnaro; Aldo Mazzei, and Rose Neri.
Later, at Mission Hill Jr. High, my first girlfriend was Esther Frizza, who lived a couple of blocks away and was in your class.
Santa Cruz was quite a different mix for me, for the surnames in my Kansas City neighborhood, were, for example, Rader and Schaffer and Keller. (Missouri had more residents of German ancestry than any other state then.)
After the war, when the Italian fishermen were allowed to have boats again and fish Monterey Bay, they all would eat at my parents' restaurant, the Cross Roads Drive-In at the foot of West Cliff Drive next to the SP Depot, after making their nightly catch. Their names included Bossano, Bregante, Canepa, Carniglia, Ghio, Oliveiri and Stagnaro. I remember especially the Canepa brothers -- Augie, Danny, Robby and Louie.
Of course, I attended the March 8, 2003, dedication of Via Riva Trigoso, the alleyway that extended between Lighthouse Avenue and Laguna Avenue from Bay Street to Gharkey Street. The street was named for the area in Italy that most of the Italian fishing families came from. There were three of us there from the SCHS Class of 1954: Mary (Ghio) Stagnaro, one of the main speakers; the late Jean (White) Giudici, a former Cross Roads carhop who married into a local Italian family and whom I dated a couple of times; and myself. [Photo Attached] My parents actually started their drive-in in an old building on the same site that probably went up in the 1920s or 1930s. They then moved across the street to the VFW 888 Hall (now a motel) about 1950 until the "new" Cross Roads, the one still standing, was built in 1951 and opened in January 1952. The Fifties were the heyday of the teen-aged drive-in restaurant, carhop and cruisin'-the-drag culture in the U.S. A lot of Santa Cruz High students worked at the Cross Roads -- especially girls as carhops -- and at Santa Cruz's other drive-in, the 5-Spot at the corner of Ocean and Water Streets. Virtually all teenagers hung out at the drive-ins after games, dances or the movies before heading out to West Cliff Drive to neck.
The old Cross Roads is now the retail sales outlet for the Homeless Garden Project in Depot Park. The City of Santa Cruz plans to raze the structure and replace it with a new Natural History Museum instead of incorporating the building as part of the museum complex. The building withstood the Christmas Flood of 1955 and the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989. The 5-Spot was torn down years ago and replaced by a two-story bank building.
Incidentally, I have a web site devoted to my failed efforts to try to save the Cross Roads building from demolition. It's the only remaining drive-in restaurant building left in Santa Cruz County and one of the few in Northern California. It was built in 1951 and opened in January 1952. (The first 5-Spot -- in San Jose -- has been declared an historical landmark.)
The Cross Roads web site is at:http://www.webspawner.com/users/crossroadsdrivein/index.html
Finally, Ivan, may I add the following. I attended a rather conservative Protestant church in Kansas City, mainly because it was the only one in the neighborhood. After we moved to Santa Cruz, I attended that same Protestant denomination here. But I stopped going after the sixth grade. When my mother was in her late 70s, I happened to ask her why I stopped. Here's what she told me:
"You told me the church believed only Protestants would go to Heaven and everyone else would go to Hell. So you said that if all your Italian friends, who were Catholic, were going to Hell, then you wanted to go to Hell, too, so you could be with them."
-- Len Klempnauer
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
BOOK SIGNING A GREAT SUCCESS IN DAVENPORT
THE BOOK SIGNING EVENT AT THE SWANTON BERRY FARM IN DAVENPORT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO JOINED ME IN THE FESTIVITIES. THE EVENT WAS TAPED BY PETER McGETTIGINE OF SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY TV FOR AIRING LATER THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT. I HAVE POSTED BELOW A FEW OF THE E-MAILS I RECEIVED REGARDING THE BOOK AND THE EVENT:
Hi Ivan:
What a great success! It warmed my heart to see so many wonderful people re-connecting with their history. Your work has borne great fruit and many warm feelings for the history of the Italian families of the coast. Thanks again, to you and all.
Jim (Cochran) Swanton Berry Farm
Note from Mr. Larry Arnerich - San Jose:
Dear Ivano,
The highlight of my 92nd birthday was receiving your excellent book Thanks.
It was most descriptive and reflected your sincerity and love towards your family, friends and the Santa Cruz community. I hope others will treasure this rare book and that it will receive a much deserved exposure.
You are to be highly commended for your time and work. Best wishes, love, Larry Arnerich
Gioavanni Biondi said...
Ivano: You did a great job on the book.(It) should be a must read for all Italians in Santa Cruz.
IVANO FRANCO COMELLI: Can't tell you how great everything was. To begin with the place you chose to have the signing ,(where your DAD had worked at one time) was a great choice. Thepeople who came were all very SPECIAL people in your life. It must have made it extra special . Again congratulations on a great event . RENO (Cantarutti)
LNC: Reno, Having you there with your wife Franca and son Gary made it very special. And then your sister Norma and her family show up. What a surprise to have you all there at one time. I hope Gary got to see the location of that wind-blown "shack" that "hung near the edge of that cliff", were it all began for the Cantarutti Family.
I appreciate very much you saying those emotional words about my mother Valentina. At times, with all the "hoopla" surrounding the 'Old Rancere' he forgets to mention her enough. You are correct, she was often at the forefront and often lead the way for my father and others 'su per la costa' . Ivano
Hello, Ivano....
I really enjoyed the get together at the "Big Ranch". It was wonderful! Also, your family is beautiful.......they clearly love their Papa.
Norma and I kick ourselves that we didn't say more when you called us up front. She loves to tell the story about our living next door to one another in New Town, and how she tried to shut me up as a crying infant by stuffing a banana in my mouth.......If she's told that story once, she's told it 40 times.....then we get up in front of a fresh crowd and she clams up! Mah! We're quite a pair.......both pretty tongue-tied, too.
Thanks again for a good time. I am sending the book off to my Auntie this week. Next week I go to Italy and Greece for 2 weeks. Lucky, huh?
Ciao for niao.
Patty (Morelli)
Ivano:
That was a nice picture, and thank you for putting Joe [Brovia] right up front with you and your grand son. Someone must have taken that with the wide view, as the second time I looked at it, I kept moving the screen over and saw the whole front of the cookhouse. very nice picture.... a nice action picture of you....
I just loved that food, especially the brocolli salad....just wonder what kind of dressing the person used.... would sure love to have her receipe... All the food was excellant, and please pass along my thanks to those good cooks...
Thanks for inviting me to the book signing.... My son in Thailand, said to say he was sorry he could not make it...(I always forward stuff to him, he was wondering who the young boy was.) Cathy Brovia
[Cathy: The young boy was Kristian my grandson. He is quite a baseball player himself. ivn0]
Ivano,> Your day was superb. You have a wonderful ability to make people feel good. There was a feeling of joy throughout the room. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for including me.> Donaldo (Binsacca)
Caro Ivano:
Che bella festa che era Sabato. Tutto molto bello!!
It truly was a beautiful gathering Saturday. Everyone
Had such a wonderful time. It was so good of you to
Acknowledge so many people.
The food was delicious and we ended up buying quite a
Few things as well. We will definitely go up there more
Often.
Thanks for signing the book for my cousin Laura – am
Sending it out today. Need to buy a few more of your
Books – have been giving them as gifts and everyone really
Enjoying them.
Again thanks for a beautiful day – so good to see you and your
Family and so many old dear friends.
Forwarding some fotos taken – also have the video – the fotos are
Untouched – just so you can see them – if you want touched up
Ones or more let us know.
Grazie per ora – tu amici Norma (Dinelli-Wilson) and Al
Ivan,We're so glad that you had a great turn out!! it was so nice for Bob to see many people that he'd not seen for many,many years. For me it was fun visiting with Patty Morelli and catching up on what Mac is doing and of course visit with dear Norma. Glad also to see your brother, even for just a few minutes that he was there.Hope that your happy in how things went on Saturday, the food looked great,but like Bob told you, we'd had a big lunch down on the wharf.Guess that's it for this time,again, Bob's happy that we did come down.Deanna & Roberto (Degli-Esposti)
Ivano:
It was most appropriate for you to have the book signing at "Il Rancho Grande". Your writings in the book described the ranches and cookhouses and cooks and so this was certainly appropriate. I thought you had a wonderful turnout and had the feeling everyone enjoyed themselves so much. To see some of the old timers was great. I can't help think how pleased you must be to have such an outpouring of appreciation and approval.
As it turned out, and I think I mentioned it to you, my husband went to school with Roger Princevalle's brother and had a wonderful visit with him. John had a close friendship with Bob Princevalle while at Cal Poly and after graduation he lost track of him.
Thank you again, Ivano, for such a great time on Saturday. Where is the next book signing going to be, maybe the Davenport Cash Store?
Did Theresa Darling tell you that the next Davenport Reunion is going to be Sept. 29, 2007.
Con un bacin d'Amor.
Thelma (Micossi-Gill)
Ivano,Felicitazioni! Congratulations again on your book and thank you for a great afternoon.Thank you for letting me tell my little story and doing the same for the others.I enjoyed seeing Jerry and Don and meeting many other now "famous" people from your book.I like the singing too. My grandmother used to sing "Quel mazzolin' di fiori" all the time.Un abbraccio, Florence (Bianco-Bell)
Norma: It was so nice to see you again. And your daughter and grand-daughter were the greatest. All a product of "La Costa" so long ago. I am so glad you and your family came. And Reno and Franca and Gary too. That was more than I expected, but oh so great to see them there. (Gary had certain facial expressions that reminded me of Guido, your father.) BTW: The presentation which you missed was video taped for Santa Cruz Community TV. It probably will be broadcast later this year or early next.
You can't miss Reno and I singing "Faccetta Nera" and "Cara Virginia" . (Unless they edit it out.)
As for the Cauliflower dish, I didn't get a chance to taste the food, however, I heard that it was delicious.
If you call the Farm at 831-425-8919, and talk to Lisa, I bet she can get it for you. They are very friendly and helpful people. Ivano
Original Message -----
Ivano,
I am wondering if by chance you would know how to get the recipe for the cauliflower dish served in the very large bowl.
My daughter would LOVE the recipe.
norma (Cantarutti) reiter
P.S. We so enjoyed the GATHERING!!!
Hi Ivan
Just want to tell you what a great time I had yesterday. It was truly the social event of the season. Again, thanks for such a great afternoon.
Alverda (Orlando)
Hi Ivan:
What a great success! It warmed my heart to see so many wonderful people re-connecting with their history. Your work has borne great fruit and many warm feelings for the history of the Italian families of the coast. Thanks again, to you and all.
Jim (Cochran) Swanton Berry Farm
Note from Mr. Larry Arnerich - San Jose:
Dear Ivano,
The highlight of my 92nd birthday was receiving your excellent book Thanks.
It was most descriptive and reflected your sincerity and love towards your family, friends and the Santa Cruz community. I hope others will treasure this rare book and that it will receive a much deserved exposure.
You are to be highly commended for your time and work. Best wishes, love, Larry Arnerich
Gioavanni Biondi said...
Ivano: You did a great job on the book.(It) should be a must read for all Italians in Santa Cruz.
IVANO FRANCO COMELLI: Can't tell you how great everything was. To begin with the place you chose to have the signing ,(where your DAD had worked at one time) was a great choice. Thepeople who came were all very SPECIAL people in your life. It must have made it extra special . Again congratulations on a great event . RENO (Cantarutti)
LNC: Reno, Having you there with your wife Franca and son Gary made it very special. And then your sister Norma and her family show up. What a surprise to have you all there at one time. I hope Gary got to see the location of that wind-blown "shack" that "hung near the edge of that cliff", were it all began for the Cantarutti Family.
I appreciate very much you saying those emotional words about my mother Valentina. At times, with all the "hoopla" surrounding the 'Old Rancere' he forgets to mention her enough. You are correct, she was often at the forefront and often lead the way for my father and others 'su per la costa' . Ivano
Hello, Ivano....
I really enjoyed the get together at the "Big Ranch". It was wonderful! Also, your family is beautiful.......they clearly love their Papa.
Norma and I kick ourselves that we didn't say more when you called us up front. She loves to tell the story about our living next door to one another in New Town, and how she tried to shut me up as a crying infant by stuffing a banana in my mouth.......If she's told that story once, she's told it 40 times.....then we get up in front of a fresh crowd and she clams up! Mah! We're quite a pair.......both pretty tongue-tied, too.
Thanks again for a good time. I am sending the book off to my Auntie this week. Next week I go to Italy and Greece for 2 weeks. Lucky, huh?
Ciao for niao.
Patty (Morelli)
Ivano:
That was a nice picture, and thank you for putting Joe [Brovia] right up front with you and your grand son. Someone must have taken that with the wide view, as the second time I looked at it, I kept moving the screen over and saw the whole front of the cookhouse. very nice picture.... a nice action picture of you....
I just loved that food, especially the brocolli salad....just wonder what kind of dressing the person used.... would sure love to have her receipe... All the food was excellant, and please pass along my thanks to those good cooks...
Thanks for inviting me to the book signing.... My son in Thailand, said to say he was sorry he could not make it...(I always forward stuff to him, he was wondering who the young boy was.) Cathy Brovia
[Cathy: The young boy was Kristian my grandson. He is quite a baseball player himself. ivn0]
Ivano,> Your day was superb. You have a wonderful ability to make people feel good. There was a feeling of joy throughout the room. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for including me.> Donaldo (Binsacca)
Caro Ivano:
Che bella festa che era Sabato. Tutto molto bello!!
It truly was a beautiful gathering Saturday. Everyone
Had such a wonderful time. It was so good of you to
Acknowledge so many people.
The food was delicious and we ended up buying quite a
Few things as well. We will definitely go up there more
Often.
Thanks for signing the book for my cousin Laura – am
Sending it out today. Need to buy a few more of your
Books – have been giving them as gifts and everyone really
Enjoying them.
Again thanks for a beautiful day – so good to see you and your
Family and so many old dear friends.
Forwarding some fotos taken – also have the video – the fotos are
Untouched – just so you can see them – if you want touched up
Ones or more let us know.
Grazie per ora – tu amici Norma (Dinelli-Wilson) and Al
Ivan,We're so glad that you had a great turn out!! it was so nice for Bob to see many people that he'd not seen for many,many years. For me it was fun visiting with Patty Morelli and catching up on what Mac is doing and of course visit with dear Norma. Glad also to see your brother, even for just a few minutes that he was there.Hope that your happy in how things went on Saturday, the food looked great,but like Bob told you, we'd had a big lunch down on the wharf.Guess that's it for this time,again, Bob's happy that we did come down.Deanna & Roberto (Degli-Esposti)
Ivano:
It was most appropriate for you to have the book signing at "Il Rancho Grande". Your writings in the book described the ranches and cookhouses and cooks and so this was certainly appropriate. I thought you had a wonderful turnout and had the feeling everyone enjoyed themselves so much. To see some of the old timers was great. I can't help think how pleased you must be to have such an outpouring of appreciation and approval.
As it turned out, and I think I mentioned it to you, my husband went to school with Roger Princevalle's brother and had a wonderful visit with him. John had a close friendship with Bob Princevalle while at Cal Poly and after graduation he lost track of him.
Thank you again, Ivano, for such a great time on Saturday. Where is the next book signing going to be, maybe the Davenport Cash Store?
Did Theresa Darling tell you that the next Davenport Reunion is going to be Sept. 29, 2007.
Con un bacin d'Amor.
Thelma (Micossi-Gill)
Ivano,Felicitazioni! Congratulations again on your book and thank you for a great afternoon.Thank you for letting me tell my little story and doing the same for the others.I enjoyed seeing Jerry and Don and meeting many other now "famous" people from your book.I like the singing too. My grandmother used to sing "Quel mazzolin' di fiori" all the time.Un abbraccio, Florence (Bianco-Bell)
Norma: It was so nice to see you again. And your daughter and grand-daughter were the greatest. All a product of "La Costa" so long ago. I am so glad you and your family came. And Reno and Franca and Gary too. That was more than I expected, but oh so great to see them there. (Gary had certain facial expressions that reminded me of Guido, your father.) BTW: The presentation which you missed was video taped for Santa Cruz Community TV. It probably will be broadcast later this year or early next.
You can't miss Reno and I singing "Faccetta Nera" and "Cara Virginia" . (Unless they edit it out.)
As for the Cauliflower dish, I didn't get a chance to taste the food, however, I heard that it was delicious.
If you call the Farm at 831-425-8919, and talk to Lisa, I bet she can get it for you. They are very friendly and helpful people. Ivano
Original Message -----
Ivano,
I am wondering if by chance you would know how to get the recipe for the cauliflower dish served in the very large bowl.
My daughter would LOVE the recipe.
norma (Cantarutti) reiter
P.S. We so enjoyed the GATHERING!!!
Hi Ivan
Just want to tell you what a great time I had yesterday. It was truly the social event of the season. Again, thanks for such a great afternoon.
Alverda (Orlando)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
INFORMATION - "LA NOSTR-COSTA DAY'
Those of you seeking more information re: "La Nostra Costa Day", on Saturday Oct 14, between 1-4pm, at the Swanton Berry Farm, on Highway 1 at Swanton Road, (2 miles north of Davenport) the successive three articles posted below, will give you a pretty good idea what it is all about. The first article is a Santa Cruz Sentinel News article by Tom Ragan who vividly discribes what I am trying to accomplish, the second article gives you information on the Davenport Roadhouse at the Cash Store and the third article gives you a brief history of Davenport and a self-tour. So scroll down the BLOG and become informed. IVN0
October 9, 2006
WATSONVILLE
Son of Italian immigrants farms background for bookBy TOM RAGANSENTINEL STAFF WRITER
With shovel in hand and old-country hat on head, Ivano Comelli re-enacted a scene of what it was like to be an Italian farmer in Santa Cruz County at the start of the Depression in the late 1920s.
His theatrical performance was delivered before Agri-Culture's Focus Ag class, which had gathered Friday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds to listen to Comelli.
Comelli, the son of Italian immigrants, grew up on a farm three miles north of Santa Cruz. He's written a book based on his experiences.
The book is called "La Nostra Costa," or "Our Coast."
Of course, the title is a play on the phrase, "La Cosa Nostra," made famous by the Sicilian mafia and which means "Our Business" and don't meddle in it if you know what's good for you.
With about a dozen black and white photographs and nearly 400 pages, Comelli's up close and personal account of what it means to be Italian is refreshing in that it paints a different portrait of Santa Cruz's Italian community — one of farmers instead of more well-known fishermen.
"It's basically the story of my mother and father and our family — as told to me by them and as seen with my very own eyes," said the 69-year-old Comelli, a retired San Jose police officer who now lives in Morgan Hill but whose youth was spent among Italian immigrants near Davenport.
Comelli said he still remembers how his father, with nothing but a shovel and bare hands, would section off ditches as the water came in, making sure it flowed properly to the Brussels sprouts and artichokes.
"It was hard work," said Comelli. "But he'd sing a lot of Italian songs as he did it — usually World War I military songs."
Comelli, a graduate of San Jose State University, describes the hard times that all Italian immigrants faced living in Santa Cruz County shortly after World War I.
In one passage, Comelli writes of his father, "They called him Bronco. That, of course, wasn't his real name. It was the name given him by the Italian ranchers who worked on the rugged north coast of Santa Cruz County. The ranches were known as "rancios" and the ranchers were identified as "ranceri."
So what we've got in Comelli's book, which took him four years to write, is a vivid historical biography of the Italian community, both in Santa Cruz County and in Nimis, the town in the northeastern Italy, where many of the Italian farmers came from.
Comelli walks us through his family's journey to the United States and what it was like for family members who stayed in Italy to live under Nazi occupation during World War II.
Contact Tom Ragan at tragan@santacruzsentinel
book Signing
WHAT: Ivano Comelli's book, 'La Nostra Costa.'
WHEN: 1-4 p.m. Oct 14.
WHERE: Swanton Berry Ranch cook house, at the Highway 1 and Swanton Road, two miles north of Davenport.
Price: $18 for soft cover; $23 for hard cover.
Information:
October 9, 2006
WATSONVILLE
Son of Italian immigrants farms background for bookBy TOM RAGANSENTINEL STAFF WRITER
With shovel in hand and old-country hat on head, Ivano Comelli re-enacted a scene of what it was like to be an Italian farmer in Santa Cruz County at the start of the Depression in the late 1920s.
His theatrical performance was delivered before Agri-Culture's Focus Ag class, which had gathered Friday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds to listen to Comelli.
Comelli, the son of Italian immigrants, grew up on a farm three miles north of Santa Cruz. He's written a book based on his experiences.
The book is called "La Nostra Costa," or "Our Coast."
Of course, the title is a play on the phrase, "La Cosa Nostra," made famous by the Sicilian mafia and which means "Our Business" and don't meddle in it if you know what's good for you.
With about a dozen black and white photographs and nearly 400 pages, Comelli's up close and personal account of what it means to be Italian is refreshing in that it paints a different portrait of Santa Cruz's Italian community — one of farmers instead of more well-known fishermen.
"It's basically the story of my mother and father and our family — as told to me by them and as seen with my very own eyes," said the 69-year-old Comelli, a retired San Jose police officer who now lives in Morgan Hill but whose youth was spent among Italian immigrants near Davenport.
Comelli said he still remembers how his father, with nothing but a shovel and bare hands, would section off ditches as the water came in, making sure it flowed properly to the Brussels sprouts and artichokes.
"It was hard work," said Comelli. "But he'd sing a lot of Italian songs as he did it — usually World War I military songs."
Comelli, a graduate of San Jose State University, describes the hard times that all Italian immigrants faced living in Santa Cruz County shortly after World War I.
In one passage, Comelli writes of his father, "They called him Bronco. That, of course, wasn't his real name. It was the name given him by the Italian ranchers who worked on the rugged north coast of Santa Cruz County. The ranches were known as "rancios" and the ranchers were identified as "ranceri."
So what we've got in Comelli's book, which took him four years to write, is a vivid historical biography of the Italian community, both in Santa Cruz County and in Nimis, the town in the northeastern Italy, where many of the Italian farmers came from.
Comelli walks us through his family's journey to the United States and what it was like for family members who stayed in Italy to live under Nazi occupation during World War II.
Contact Tom Ragan at tragan@santacruzsentinel
book Signing
WHAT: Ivano Comelli's book, 'La Nostra Costa.'
WHEN: 1-4 p.m. Oct 14.
WHERE: Swanton Berry Ranch cook house, at the Highway 1 and Swanton Road, two miles north of Davenport.
Price: $18 for soft cover; $23 for hard cover.
Information:
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
DAVENPORT ROAD HOUSE AT THE CASH STORE
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE ARRIVING EARLY OR STAYING LATE FOR THE "LA NOSTRA COSTA DAY"BOOK SIGNING EVENT AT THE SWANTON BERRY FARM ON SATURDAY,OCTOBER 14 BETWEEN 1 AND 4 PM, please be informed that the "Davenport Roadhouse at the Cash Store", is open for business and does serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. And for this Event, it is serving a "La Nostra Costa" special. Please check the note below from Aria Marinelli:
La Nostra Costa Special:
Pork & Pumpkin Stew with Cannelloni Beans
Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesano Reggiano & Roasted Elephant Garlic Vinaigrette
Homemade Rosemary Foccacia
This will be offered to locals and your supporters on Saturday for the special price of $11.00 per person. The special will run from lunch into dinner. Even though our main dining room is closed from 3:00 – 5:00 this special will be available all day and during that time.
I’m looking forward to seeing you on Saturday.
Ciao!
Aria Marinelli
Aria Marinelli
Assistant Manager - Inn, Retail, Events
The Davenport Roadhouse
WHERE: 31 Davenport Ave. Menu: Breakfast, $5-$9; lunch, $6-$13; lounge menu, $4-$6; dinner, $12-$15. Full bar.Retail store: www.davenportroadhouse.com; 426-8801; (800) 870-1817; info@davenportroadhouse.com.
Also: Please click on "comments"below for some heart-warming,
heart-wrenching comments by Silvia (Gianninni) Dunn re: the DeLucca Accident in Davenport (1947).
IVANO FRANCO COMELLI IS THE AUTHOR OF "LA NOSTRA COSTA" (OUR COAST) A FAMILY'S JOURNEY TO AND FROM THE NORTH COAST (1923-1983). ORDER ON LINE AT : www.authorhouse.com , or by telephone 1-888-280-7715
10:21 AM
La Nostra Costa Special:
Pork & Pumpkin Stew with Cannelloni Beans
Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesano Reggiano & Roasted Elephant Garlic Vinaigrette
Homemade Rosemary Foccacia
This will be offered to locals and your supporters on Saturday for the special price of $11.00 per person. The special will run from lunch into dinner. Even though our main dining room is closed from 3:00 – 5:00 this special will be available all day and during that time.
I’m looking forward to seeing you on Saturday.
Ciao!
Aria Marinelli
Aria Marinelli
Assistant Manager - Inn, Retail, Events
The Davenport Roadhouse
WHERE: 31 Davenport Ave. Menu: Breakfast, $5-$9; lunch, $6-$13; lounge menu, $4-$6; dinner, $12-$15. Full bar.Retail store: www.davenportroadhouse.com; 426-8801; (800) 870-1817; info@davenportroadhouse.com.
Also: Please click on "comments"below for some heart-warming,
heart-wrenching comments by Silvia (Gianninni) Dunn re: the DeLucca Accident in Davenport (1947).
IVANO FRANCO COMELLI IS THE AUTHOR OF "LA NOSTRA COSTA" (OUR COAST) A FAMILY'S JOURNEY TO AND FROM THE NORTH COAST (1923-1983). ORDER ON LINE AT : www.authorhouse.com , or by telephone 1-888-280-7715
10:21 AM
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