Nonnina

“Hot Italian” necklaces from with mia sorella-amica …
Our Christmas gifts to each other 🔥🇮🇹😂💃🏻💃🏻
Two Nonnas meeting and plotting. Stay tuned!

Today, November 1, is La Festa di Ognissanti (All Saints’ Day), both a Catholic feast day and a national Italian holiday. Tomorrow on November 2 is Il Giorno dei Morti (The Day of the Dead). Both are focused on honoring the dead and feasting with family and friends. Cemeteries are flooded with people bringing flowers and candles to their deceased loved ones and people all over Italy are celebrating life and honoring death.
Though beginning to be overshadowed by Halloween, both days are deeply embedded in Italian culture with roots in ancient folk traditions from around the world. In pagan times, many believed autumn was a liminal period, when the veil was thin and we could connect with the departed. I’m feeling closer right now to my dearly beloved and departed family members 🖤
1. Nonna (Luigina Scatena Fanelli) and Mom (Janice Ellen Parks Fanelli) with my siblings (L to R) Joe, Carla, Dan, Andrea, me
2. Nonna and me, First Communion
3. Mom and me
4. Aunt Corinne Fanelli (siblings high to low: Dan, Tony, me, Andrea)
5. Aunt Teresa Fanelli and me
6. My Mom (nursing me alongside her Mother, my Granny Helen Talaiko Parks, and her grandmother, my Great Grandma Talaiko)
7. Grandpa Albert Parks and me

Portlanders are so lucky to finally have access to a few excellent Italian bakery options, unlike years past, and is very happy to partner with them and bring you a full Tuscan meal experience from start to finish. My fellow little Nonna friend Michelle made these soft garlic herb breadsticks to pair with the polpette (meatballs), specifically to dip in the sauce and clean your plate. She also made her delectable Amaretti for the cookies this time around, which are always included in the Italian feast option! Thanks as well to both who has been my tireless top biscotti provider so far and who has fired off focaccia for me more than once! Love and gratitude to you all, i miei amici! ✌🏼🇮🇹
Deliveries coming at you tomorrow vía 🚚! Thanks for the support always! XOXO