HANGIN’ OUT

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JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH 2023

1. Lisa Davis, Celia Cinquino, Maureen Murphy & Joanne Fiore are hangin’ out at Kitchen Consigliere.

2. Brett Jackson is hangin’ out with Uncle Danny Vanore of The Business at RowHome’s Blue Sapphire night at Vie.

3. Kenny, Alexis & Joseph Bonavitacola are hangin’ out with mom Cass on her 90th birthday.

4. Rowan, Elle, Erin, LaToi, Melanie & Brenda are hangin’ out at Flight on Ice - six locations open through February 26th.

5. Elaine Bruno, Loretta Gillen, Kathleen Dintino, Patty Mastroddi, Ginger, & Rosemarie Mesi are hangin’ out.

6. Philip Frascarelli is hangin’ out at the Phillies Game.

7. The Wednesday Night Dinner Club celebrated Christmas at Caffe Ida - George Martorano, Carmen Nasuti, Joe Sweeney, Frank Daniel, Ken Adams, Joe Moderski, Joe Canuso, Dr. Bob Desipio and Vito Canuso.

8. Carmen LaRosa, Sly Stallone & Lil C LaRosa are hangin’ out in Philly.

9. Bob Jackson is hangin’ out with Deana Martin - Dean Martin’s daughter - who was Grand Marshall at the Italian American Heritage Parade.

10. On The Corner Mark attended the VIP Reception with headlining superstar Deana Martin at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City benefiting the Save Lucy Committee in advance of the historical landmark’s late December unveiling.

11. Tony Santini & Frank Anastasi are hangin’ out at Citizens Bank Park, Game 5, of the 2022 NLDS, Phillies vs. Braves. 12. Michael, Carla & Michael Joseph Toppi are hangin’ out at the Phillies Game.

13. GiaCapri, Elle & Santino are hangin’ out with Mommy (Aunt) Jade, MomMom Dawn & GiGi Dorette.

14. Janet Cedrone Alvarez (Cedrone’s Flowers) is hangin’ out with GiaCapri & Elle at the Yo’ South Philly Phest.

15. Flyers legend Bernie Parent is hangin’ out with Joe Messina, the NG Millay Club’s Person of the Year. Joe got to update his 1973 pic with Parent at the celebration.

16. Michael Impagliazzo, Jr. is hangin’ out with Santa Claus.

17. Brenda & Jane are hangin’ out at Tony-winning play Take Me Out on Broadway. Cast member Jesse Williams is a former Philadelphia public school teacher who graduated from Temple University.

18. Anna Brennan is hangin’ out with Mom & Dad – Carmella & Joe – and sister Shea before PPACS 8th grade Turkey Trot.

19. Brett Jackson, Alexa Zepp & Socks are hangin’ out with Santa.

20. On The Corner Mark and the Executive Protection team from Imperial Events Security Services are hangin’ out with the guys from Barstool Sport’s Spittin’ Chiclets Podcast after a recent and successful local appearance.

21`. Hangin’ out at PPACS Pep Rally with Bob Kelly.

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MEMORIES ARE MADE of this

ON THE CORNER with MARK CASASANTO

his past December, I had the pleasure

Tto reconnect with Deana Martin, with whom, for more than a few years now, I’m honored to call a friend. Having missed the opportunity to say hello when she served as the Grand Marshal of Philadelphia’s Italian-American Heritage Parade in October, I did what any good “pallie” would do. I cleared my schedule to make sure I was available the next time Deana was in town.

Sitting down to talk with Deana Martin is as heartwarming as walking into a loving cousin’s home. There’s a genuine ease to conversations that transport you back to a time when life was carefree and easier. When friends were loyal and families were wrapped in love. True Love.

International superstar aside, there’s absolutely nothing pretentious about Deana and her loving, supportive husband, or as she says, “my handsome husband John.” Frankly, there aren’t many people that come to mind that embody all that this issue of RowHome represents: Food, Family and Traditions.

Her widely popular Friday Facebook Live concert series – started days after the world went dark during the Covid pandemic – is quickly approaching its 150th show and has even topped Pollstar’s list for online concerts with more than 50,000 viewers. “It’s been unbelievable, just so great to bring a little joy and laughter every Friday to people all over the world, some, who for a long time couldn’t even get out of their homes.”

In returning to Atlantic City for the first time in seven years, she arrives as the caretaker of her father’s musical legacy and in more ways than not, the standards of the American songbook. She encompasses the talent, charm, and glamour of all those who frequented her living room as a child and possesses the sense of humor and quick wit of The Rat Pack. Hers is a broad reach. Evident by the powerful and notables mixed and mingled with faithful fans and tucked into every corner of the legendary showroom. “I have a lot of pallies from Philadelphia and this area,” she mused.

The night itself held significance at every turn. The stage of the Superstar Theater at Resorts Casino Hotel was the same spot where her father last performed in the resort town (with Frank Sinatra). In fact, “Uncle Frank’s” stage stool was sitting there, stage right, next to Sinatra’s piano of choice, a Bosendorfer baby grand.

Yet, as we talked before her appearance in support of the Save Lucy Committee’s restoration project of the iconic landmark, Lucy the Elephant, our conversation veered somewhat off course and turned to family and food. A nod, as she said laughing, “to our heritage”.

“My grandmother is smiling down on us right now,” she said adoringly when I asked her for permission to publish her Grandma Angela’s Pasta Fagioli recipe, a Sunday staple for the Martin Family. After honing her skills with her nonna at the age of nine, and with the promise of not sharing the recipe with anyone, Deana held the recipe close to the vest, from memory only, for many years. And just as her Grandma envisioned long ago, the recipe became the intimate connection between her, her dad and of course, Grandma Angela.

Recalling a Christmas past, when struggling to come up with something unique to gift her

dad, she got the idea to make his mom’s Pasta Fagioli. She set out to the market to obtain the needed ingredients, then got down to business in the kitchen. Happy with the result, she proudly jarred the finished product in a mason jar, adorned it with a red ribbon, and off she went for a Christmas visit with her father, Dean Martin. “When I handed it to him… he had this look in his eyes and said, ‘Is that what I think it is?’ She paused. The vivid recollection effectuated both chills and goosebumps simultaneously for both her and me. The following week, she received a call. ‘Deana, this is your dad’ Amused, she said, “I know your voice, dad…” He had but one request for his daughter. ‘Do you think you can make that pasta fagioli again?’ She would then make her dad his favorite homemade dish for the rest of his life. “It was so remarkable for me, from the many times standing next to my grandmother, pouring the olive oil in and stirring and stirring while learning the recipe, then seeing the joy on my father’s face…” She continued to reminisce, “I miss those big Sunday night family dinners, seven kids, mom, dad, grandparents, all of it.” Indeed, sweet memories are made of this. PRH January / February / March 2023 | ROWHOME MAGAZINE | 15