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Evviva Santa Rosalia!
Photos by New York Scugnizzo
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By Giovanni di Napoli
Thursday night, I finally got to go to the Feast of Santa Rosalia in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. After a grueling week of work, I was really looking forward to blowing off some steam and having a good time.
Visiting the outdoor chapel to venerate la Santuzza, I said a few prayers for the earthquake victims in Italy, for my ailing relatives and my ancestors. As always, I made a small donation and picked up some prayer cards to share with my loved ones.
Afterward, I met up with some friends and we sampled a number of the sundry Sicilian specialties the feast has to offer. Ever since Gino's Focacceria closed (2014), I've been unable to get my customary vastedda (beef spleen) or panelle (ceci fritters) sandwiches, so instead I've been having grilled stigghiola (lamb intestines) from Lucy's. Sausage and peppers and braciole are great, but I prefer the offal delicacies.
Completely sated, we took a short passagietta up and down the teeming avenue reminiscing about the old neighborhood. Happy and reinvigorated, I am ready to go back to work. Evviva Santa Rosalia!
Thursday night, I finally got to go to the Feast of Santa Rosalia in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. After a grueling week of work, I was really looking forward to blowing off some steam and having a good time.
Visiting the outdoor chapel to venerate la Santuzza, I said a few prayers for the earthquake victims in Italy, for my ailing relatives and my ancestors. As always, I made a small donation and picked up some prayer cards to share with my loved ones. Afterward, I met up with some friends and we sampled a number of the sundry Sicilian specialties the feast has to offer. Ever since Gino's Focacceria closed (2014), I've been unable to get my customary vastedda (beef spleen) or panelle (ceci fritters) sandwiches, so instead I've been having grilled stigghiola (lamb intestines) from Lucy's. Sausage and peppers and braciole are great, but I prefer the offal delicacies.
Completely sated, we took a short passagietta up and down the teeming avenue reminiscing about the old neighborhood. Happy and reinvigorated, I am ready to go back to work. Evviva Santa Rosalia!
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| The outdoor chapel on 18th Avenue, between 71 St. and 72 St. |
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| I picked up a few prayer cards for family and friends, as well as for the inside of my cappello |
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| Festive street lights line the Avenue |
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| (Above and Below) There was plenty of delicious Palermitano street fare at Lucy's, including stigghiola and grilled octopus |
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| Spiedini alla Siciliana |
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| Some hot peppers for those of us who like a little heat |
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| I started off with a little Stigghiola (roasted lamb intestines) |
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| Technically not part of the feast, but we walked to DaVinci's (6514 18th Ave.) for a slice. While eating, my friend half-jokingly observed that there were more Italians inside the old school pizzeria than at the feast |
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| Back at the feast, we made our obligatory stop at Villabate Alba Pasticceria (7001 18th Ave.) for some espresso and Baked Iris |
