Contact Daniel

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Il Uomo Perfetto

The Man meets The Man

Prior to this NY visit, it was unbeknownst to me that I have a cousin on Popi's side (Popi's first cousin) who, just like me, is considered Il Uomo Perfetto

The Perfect Man. 

I met Carlo Spagnoli during my marathon trip to New York. Unlike ships passing in the night, our trips miraculously coincided. Carlo hails from the small yet indomitable town of Borgo Taro, a tiny mountain village that produced some famous people, like accordionist Pete Spagnoli (my grandfather), Porcini mushrooms and the cows that make Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Carlo came to visit family in the US for just a short week. But lucky for me, for one of his valued stops, he visited Nanni with his nephew Joseph. We found out that same morning that he was making the journey to Long Island. And with that sort of adrenaline, my parents managed to feed and clothe us then throw us in a car in record timing so that we could all converge at Nanni's apartment for our grand meeting of the Perfect Men.  

Bonus: Almost everyone in our family made it despite the
last-minute surprise

Lucas meeting his first genuine off-the-plane Italian!
Carlo was long crowned Il Uomo Perfetto when the famiglia met him in Borgo Taro in 1998. While spying on the Piazza near the Hotel Firenze (where all the men hang out since nobody seems to need to work) the family noted that Carlo is the popular guy around town. He showed my family some of the best places to eat in.the.entire.world right there in Borgo Taro.

Here I am learning to read Borgesan (an Italian dialect)
with Carlo and Joseph. (Ok it was English)

Here we are with Nanni as Carlo and myself exchange
trade secrets of the Uomo Perfetto

And a successful visit was had by all!

No comments:

Post a Comment