Italian-American Festival

For the second year in a row, the Italian-American Festival was a great success. Organizer Barbara Zippi did a great job of putting it together…bigger and better than before. But the glue was Charlotte Higler and her crew, without whom most of us wouldn’t have had such a no-hassle day.
For me, the highlight came from the women who stopped at my signing table. Many didn’t know about Victorious Woman when came to my table. I’d watch them flip through pages and, as they read something here and something there, nodded. Most of them bought an autographed copy. The ones who didn’t or couldn’t buy a book signed up to get info about upcoming classes. Many asked for advice and I was happy to talk to them and share tips that they found helpful.
Sadly, one misguided and obnoxious woman thought the festival was the appropriate time and place to lecture me on how women should be subservient to their husbands. She said if they would, their husbands would honor them and not stray. I told her I didn’t think Elizabeth Edwards, an attorney who became a stay-at-home mom and supported her spouse’s career, would have agreed with her.
It’s hard for me to understand, in this day and age, how women still insist on playing themselves small. We don’t need corporations to create a glass ceiling when we make our own.
The author’s tent had some amazing local writers. I had the pleasure of sitting between to George Anastasia and accordion player Carmen Vitanza. Carmen was promoting a book about his life as a Philadelphia entertainer. George is a writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and appears on Mob Talk on the local. Fox affiliate. His beat is the Philadelphia mob and his books are fascinating. However, his most recent book isn’t about the mob, but about the disappearance Ann Mare Fahey. If you are local, you know how it was news for months. Delaware politician Tom Capano was convicted of her murder and is currently in prison. And if you haven’t read James Vanore’s novel, Grave Departure, you’re missing a good mystery.
And the food…cheezlouise…the pork roast was perfect. There was pasta, sausage and pepper sandwiches, Italian water ice and soft pretzels everywhere. But the Cannoli’s from Viso’s of Aston were incredible and the Tiramisu from Edgmont Country Club was another personal favorite!
It was exciting when the string band played – pure Philly Italian – and hoagie and pizzelle contests and other special events at the main stage…but I was so busy that I never even got to walk around to see them. Maybe next year…