Monthly Archives: June 2025

………………….Happy Father’s Day in Heaven Dad…….I’m sure you are enjoying it with your dad who you were so very close to….My father’s dad, my grandfather, top picture second in from the right, was a loving compassionate man who adored his grandchildren. I remember him fondly….My father was his first child….his first son to be followed by FIVE GIRLS…..so my dad was very special to him. Eventually, after the six children my grandparents had another son, my namesake, my Uncle Louie, and then their baby my Aunt Edith…….from left to right…my mom and dad with my brothers Mauro, and my brother John in my Dad’s arms….Next is my dad and me in a park in Brooklyn…..My grandparents with their children. My dad is at the extreme left….I have to say my grandfather had great style!…The top right photo is of my parents, my brother John and me…..I was such a GEEK….The haircut, which my dad gave me. didn’t help…..He use to cut my hair until he nipped off a part of my ear. It didn’t hurt, but I bled like a pig! That was it!! My mom forbade him from cutting my hair ever again!…..The bottom right picture was taken in the Catskills on a family vacation…..I hated going there because I had terrible allergies, and there were SNAKES!!!! that always seemed to find me!………My favorite memory of my dad was….we would sit together after dinner in our finished basement, which was his pride and joy, with the lights very low, and listen to music….He would always pour for me, in a beautiful cordial glass, some RASPBERRY LIQUOR. That’s how I leaned, and grew to love all of the great singers and the wonderful bands……Something young people don’t know or appreciate today…My dad had over 1000 albums…..I also grew a fondness for fruit liquors!!!! I know my Dad is celebrating Father’s Day today with his Dad, my Mom and my brother John, who I would also like to wish a Happy Father’s Day in Heaven to.

…………………..Recently, when the temperatures soared into the 90s, I was inspired to make “SUMMER SALADS”…..all from Jac’s receipts……..I made a PASTA SALAD with BARILLA TRI COLORI RIGATONI. al dente [you can substitute TORTELLINI too], multi color CHERRY TOMATOES cut in half, PITTED BLACK OLIVES….STEAMED BROCOLI, on the crisp side [you don’t want them mushy!]…a diced RED PEPPER [optional]……MOZZARELLA BALLS….1/2 to 3/4 cups of OLIVE OIL….1/4 to 1/2 cup RED WINE VINEGAR…..and I like to add PAUL NEWMAN’S YESTY ITALIAN DRESSING…mix it all up…You can add a little salt and pepper to taste…I let it cool and cover with saran wrap…a CUCUMBER SALAD…..I take four large cucumbers, cut the long ways down the center, and scoop out the seeds…..Then I slice them about 1/4 inch thick and put them in a bowl. Next I salt them and take another bowl filled with water and place it on top of the sliced cucumbers. I press the water filled bowl down on the cucumbers, and let it sit for at least one hour. This helps the cucumbers to “sweat”, and get rid of excess water. Then I drain the cucumbers in a strainer….I then, in a sauce pant, put 1/2 cup WATER and one cup of DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR with a 1/2 cup of SUGAR. I bring the liquid to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar…then pour the boiling liquid over the cucumbers….I add one small finely chopped RED ONION, some fresh minced DILL, mix it all up and let it all cool. Then I cover with saran wrap…….The THREE BEAN SALAD…..I take one can of CUT STRING BEANS, rinse them in a strainer, and put them in a large bowl. I do the same thing with one can of CHICK PEAS, and RED KIDNEY BEANS…..I add one bunch of finely chopped SCALLIONS, and a finely chopped RED PEPPER…..Then I pour one cup VEGTABLE OIL…..one cup APPLE CIDER VINEGAR….1/4 cup SUGAR, and mix it well…..Cover with saran…..I then put all of the salads into the refrigerator…..If you make them in the morning you can serve them in the evening….but……it’s best to let them sit in the refrigerator over night so the flavors can really meld together!…….There’s nothing like cool summer salads to have as a meal or serve as side dishes!

………………..Last night Lou and I had a “BOY’S NIGHT”……….Actually I did invite Lou’s wife Maria to come, but she was a little under the weather….so it was just the two of us…..We ordered pizza, had a few beers, and had my chocolate cheesecake for desert…and smoked cigars….actually Lou did the smoking….cigars aren’t my thing!……It was also the first time I lit the firepit. The weather was perfect….The air cooled down from the 90 degree heat and there was just a slight breeze off of the water

…………………..”ITALIAN KNITS”……….there simply are none better!…..For the twenty plus years I worked in Italy developing knitwear for Anne Klein I met some of the most marvelous people…..There are countless numbers of yarn suppliers and knit manufactures all over Italy…..The first week of my stay in Florence, Italy appointments were made to see many yarn companies to review their collections. They would come to the office of Ciampini/Pestelli where I worked with Giovanna. She and her husband Marcello owned the company. After I made my selection, and yarns to make samples were ordered it was time to design the sweater for each yarn……The second week was calling in the different manufactures and giving them the sketches and spec sheets I developed…..Sometimes Giovanna and I would go directly to the factories which was always great fun and an incredible learning experience……At the factories we would see knit swatches for the sketches that were already sent to them…..Every detail was discussed, and then it was time for them to do their work. When the sweaters were finished they were sent to my office in NYC for my review. Sometimes corrections needed to be made and new samples were submitted…..The photos are an example of one of the groups I designed for my AK Resort 1991 collection……Each sweater was trimmed in tiny brass golden beads….all hand sewn……They were a huge success!…….Years later I did another group of sweaters using the same detail for my Linea collection for QVC………They were a huge success too…..and reordered many times……I miss those days of designing in Italy….traveling the country with Giovanna, and working with wonderful people!…..I still speak with Giovanna often!….We are FAMILY!!