I hope that everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving.  I did spending it with daughter Linda in Newberg, Oregon.  It was cold though! I had a great time. We did our normal November and Thanksgiving events – great as usual.  Love shopping up there as there is no sales tax!

Traveled to “cold” Chicago in the middle of November where Emilio Nunziati proposed to Brianna Galvan.  It was a beautiful and exciting celebration.  I am finally getting

Buon Natale to my Sisters and Brothers,

The end of our year is finally near. I hope everyone’s year has been prosperous with happiness. 2025 looks like things will be moving forward for the Grand Lodge of California and all our members here.

In traveling around Northern California, I’m excited about many of the Ophelia Lodges growing memberships. On November

San Francisco’s 156th weekend celebration of Italian Heritage began on Friday night, October 11, with a great reception at INNOVIT…the Italian Innovation and Culture Hub in San Francisco, hosted by our Consul General Sergio Strozzi, for Queen Isabella and her Court, their parents, and the Italian Heritage Celebration Board of Directors.  The next night the Italian Heritage Celebration hosted its beautiful Grande Ballo at the JW Marriott Union Square,  with over 250 people witnessing

Congratulations to Napa’s junior member, Austin Graeber, and fellow United States Coast Guard recruit, Amy Crowther. Austin and Amy were recently sworn in and are heading to boot camp in Cape May, New Jersey, where they are set to graduate as full-fledged Coasties on December 13th.

Amy hails from Texas, and her husband, Lieutenant Commander Chris Crowther (Retired), is a friend of Austin’s aunt, Master Chief Erica Graeber.

Austin is following in the footsteps

Polenta is in the air…On Saturday, November 2, the Cornelia-Vita Nuova Lodge of San Francisco held its fundraising Polenta and Sausage Dinner at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club in North Beach.  Past Lodge and State President Maria Fassio Pignati welcomed the large group of 240 guests, and introduced Lodge President Jennifer De Palma Chandler who addressed the crowd.   Representing Italian Consul General

Polenta-A-Plenty

Polenta is a hearty porridge made from stone-round cornmeal, originated in Northern Italy and has roots that go back thousands of years.  In the 16th century, corn, also known as granoturco (Turkish grain), was introduced to Europe from the Americas and became the main