Fra Noi

In honor of Italian American Heritage Month, Chief Judge Charles S. Beach II, the Italian American Judges Association, the Justinian Society of Lawyers and the judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County will host a tour of the Richard J. Daley Center. the main courthouse of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The tour will start at 9 a.m. on Oct. 7. Check-in is at 8:45 a.m. at the Randolph and Clark entrance of the Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago.

“Where the Hummingbirds Sing” (© Mark Guglielmo) A photographer by training, Mark Guglielmo now uses his background as a springboard to explore a range of themes. A native of New York City, Mark Guglielmo started taking pictures at age 12 with a Kodak Instamatic he purchased with profits from his paper route.

Dell’Anna as Mother Cabrini An acclaimed actor in her native Italy, Cristiana Dell’Anna truly inhabited the role of America’s first saint when she crossed the Atlantic to star in the 2024 biopic. Ah, classic films. They just get better with age, like the wines of Tuscany. They’re life-altering and perspective-establishing. The actors become part of our families, with regular visits on phones, computers and flat-screen TVs. “They just don’t make ’em like that anymore” is a common refrain.

Local News 0 Views OCTOBER 2/9/16/23/30 Who: Casa Italia What: Essential Italian-American film series Where: Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia (Stone Park) Time: 7 p.m. Cost: Free (donations appreciated) Contact: 708-345-593 Details: “Pane Amaro” on Oct. 2; “The Italian Americans, Part I” on Oct. 9; “The Italian Americans, Part II” on Oct. 16; “And They Came to Chicago: The Italian American Legacy” and “5,000 Miles From Home” on Oct. 23; “Prisoners Among Us” on Oct. 30.

A photographer by training, Mark Guglielmo now uses his background as a springboard to explore a range of themes. A native of New York City, Mark Guglielmo started taking pictures at age 12 with a Kodak Instamatic he purchased with profits from his paper route. Transfixed by the magic of making images, he studied photography at Hastings High School and Haverford College, often sneaking into the darkroom on weekends and after hours to hone his craft.

Dining 4 Views (Photo by il21/Shutterstock) Two Italian wine cooperatives are the best in the world, according to an article in WineNews.

Sapori Napoletani at 8235 W. Irving Park Road in Chicago opened in July. The fledgling eatery features Italian cuisine, Neapolitan pizza and craft cocktails across two floors, two bars and a rooftop. The menu is rooted in tradition and in recipes passed down through generations to owner Antonio Vitiello, who was born and raised in Naples, Italy. Vitiello runs the restaurant with his wife, Ewelina, a native of Poland who met her husband after she moved to Italy.

Dining 4 Views Bucktown Pizza opened in July at 1912 N. Western Ave. as a casual, counter-service spot serving thin-crust slices and pies, Block Club Chicago reported. Owner Joe Smith moved to the Chicago area, where his wife grew up, a few years ago. This is his first restaurant in the city, after previously working at and running pizzerias in the Chicago suburbs and in several locations on the East Coast, including his native Newark, New Jersey. Smith said his focus is on quality ingredients.

After 24 years in suburban Ingleside, Zaza’s Steakhouse & Italian Eatery closed its doors in July. In a Facebook post, the owners attributed their decision to the yearlong closure of Washington Street, which they said resulted in a 75% customer loss. The road reopened in spring 2025 after a realignment project by the Lake County Division of Transportation.

Gabriella Gariti The queen and her court Gabriella Gariti was crowned queen of the 2026 Columbus Day Parade at a glittering pageant on July 29 at the Des Plaines Theatre. Sponsored by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, the event was chaired by Rose Mary Ranallo, president of the JCCIA Women’s Division, and emceed by Ron Onesti, president of the JCCIA.