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By Elizabeth Westbrook Mama mia! This was our reaction when we first met our neighbors across the street. That was many years ago — even before the Italian American Club came to existence. Phillip and I love everything that's Italian: the food, the wine, The Godfather, Bocelli, Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Rome, and Venice. Imagine our wonderful surprise when we found Little Italy in our neighborhood. Giorgio and Silvana Varone immigrated from Calabria and Sicily respectively in the 70s. Giorgio's excellent masonry on marble and mosaic created a magnificent backdrop for their wedding in 1992. Introduced at a house party, Silvana, who had lived in New York before moving to San Gabriel, retired from Alitalia Airlines. Is it any wonder that the colorful backgrounds of this couple will create an atmosphere of the sights, smells, and sounds of Italy? The plants surrounding their house are not from nearby stores. When they visited Hawaii, seeds were brought back. Silvana's job allowed her to bring back seeds from Sicily. Their visits to Italy afforded opportunities to bring back more seeds. Years later, citrus fruit trees perfumed the air — much to the delight of neighbors passing by. Ripened red peppercinis glowed like rubies around the perimeter of their backyard. Practicing what Giorgio learned from his family's garden in Calabria, he grafted seven species of roses to create a bouquet of flowers growing on a single bush. His experimentation on grafting continued onto the lemon trees from Calabria creating a myriad of shapes from what seemed to have landed from another planet. We marvel at the giant lemons! Giorgio's magic touch on growing cherry tomatoes could produce 50 pounds and we loved getting some; I would prepare it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar from Modena, and sprinkled them with spices. Add his cured black olives, which he procured with blessings from Morongo Casino's trees that peppered their sidewalks. Finally, top it off with his homemade bread, and cheeses bought from a market in Claremont specializing in international foods, and deliziosa! Did I mention bread? I have a special tone for Silvana's number and when it sings, we react like kids, "Yay! Giorgio made bread." He makes enough to stock our fridge and when we're invited for a meal, Silvana uses only the freshest ingredients and you know it, she's made enough to feed an army. Giorgio's favorite dishes reflect the way Italians would shop twice a day to make their meals — vegetables, lamb, and hot peppers — the simpler the better. Don't ask for recipes because they've been created from memories and experimentations. Silvana's uncanny touch to keep houseplants healthy and thriving puts me to shame. Trust me, I don't mind it when she tells me, "What's-a-matter with you? You were drowning your plant." She'll laugh and offer us espresso. Even Phillip breathes in this Italian air because he surprises me with the way he speaks with hands flying in the air. Our Christmases have never been the same since Giorgio and Silvana started sharing their homemade cookies; their pomegranates were succulent for making juice and I added it to our limoncello. Apparently, this Italian talent for creativity is hereditary. Silvana's brother, Salvatore, who moved recently up on a hill near Four Seasons Circle with his wife, baked cookies too pretty to eat — shaped and colorful like fruits and vegetables — more like museum pieces. Phillip and I have been blessed to have wonderful neighbors. I'm hoping you have found yours too. Ciao! 12 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2023 Starting bottom left, clockwise: Silvana at their wedding in San Gabriel; Giorgio; Secret recipe for making bread; Is it a lemon?; Gigantic lemons; A sample of red peppercinis; Silvana relaxing at home Little Italy on My Street