Putting aside, for a moment, that it was the center of organized crime in the region, offshoots of the Cleveland families, as I understood it, the town has a rich Italian heritage which still manifests itself in small yet noticable ways ways. Pompilio's Resturant (Where Dustin Hoffman counted toothpics in the Movie Rain Man) is this fantastic mom and pop Italian-American place, and they always have a booth front and center at the festival.

My favorite part, though, has nothing to do with the food. It's the "Italian Family Heritage Tent." It's this huge booth, decorated with panel after panel of family trees and photographs from the area. Each panel basically represented one family... a map of Tuscany ca 1880, a scratchy yet stately wedding photograph from the turn of the century, another generation in WWII uniform, a picture in front of Newport Steel, a few prom photos of the 70s, and sinewey family tree that often slices and continues through the other panels. It's an incredible feeling when you recognize names or see old photos from places you still walk by occasionally (I lived and worked in Newport for about five years in a job where I met a LOT of locals)

Yeah, I get a little worked up about it.

Anyway, Panegyri was last weekend. I am usually a bit scared to go, given the long lines, sweltering humidity and shade-free blacktop, but this year the elements behaved themselves.

But have you ever felt your canines getting longer and longer? I swear that happened to me in the gyro line. It was a hundred yards long and just seemed to inch along. But as I edged closer and closer I could just smell the five or six "loaves" of lamb just basting in the sun and being sliced up in huge, succulent pieces. Entirely worth the wait.

I had the chance to go there with my two best and oldest friends here in town, Josh and Leslie, who have transitioned seamlessly from gen-X malcontents into married bliss -slash- parenthood. They brought their two kids, ages five and two. And the oldest one got a little antsy after a ride on the "Dizzy Dragon" and emptied the contents of his right nostril on my shirt.

Worse things have happened. And it was worth it to have Baklava like this...

So as most of you know I'm going on vacation next week, and, well, food will be involved. I'll talk to you guys when I get back!

Posted by Jeff at 5:30 AM:: Permalink :: (Comments Closed)

Comments:

Doesn't Matter Wrote:
good to see you again.
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