The San Bartolomeo Feast Day celebration in New Orleans on Sunday August 23rd is drawing near and we need all those planning to attend to please get their reservations/payment/menu selections in the mail this week.  Next week we will have to supply Andrea’s with a head count.  For details, see the CSBA website (http://www.ustica.org/san_bartolomeo).

Last year, we prepared small gift bags of biscotti which were distributed to parishioners after mass at the church and to lunch participants at the restaurant.  We’ll continue that tradition this year and are looking for volunteers who want to help make the cookies.  This Saturday, August 15th, we’ll meet at the Fleur du Lac Condominiums, 400 Metairie Hammond Hwy, Metairie, La from noon to 4pm.  We’ll be using the large community kitchen in the complex and I’ll make sure to have copies of the recipes available.  We’ll see if we can make more than we eat!

As we gear up for our celebration, don’t forget that our friends on the Island are prepping for a celebration on a much grander scale.  Vito Ailara, the president of the Centro Studi, wants us all to know of a special event they have planned on Ustica.  On August 19th, the Wednesday before the feast day, the Centro Studi will host a concert and exhibition paying homage to Louis Prima.  Louis Prima’s mom, Angelina Caravella, was a native of Ustica and it is a matter of great pride that binds the residents of Ustica with the community of Usticesi descendants throughout the world.  See the poster at http://www.ustica.org/centrostudi and make sure to also visit the “new” Centro Studi website form the links at the bottom of the page.

Viva San Bartolomeo!!

Chris Caravella,
President CSBA