Videos

🍬🍷 Family, candy, and the mafia? Author Don Ladolcetta shares a remarkable story about his grandparents’ candy store—where a hidden speakeasy operated during Prohibition. To get to the underground bar, patrons had to walk right through the family shop! What started as a simple neighborhood store became entangled with the…

Coffee brewing. Laughter echoing. Family at the door. ☕ In our next episode, artist Pat Benincasa shares how memory, art, and ancestry intertwine — and how one burned book changed everything. 🎧 Episode 74: Interview with Pat Benincasa — Coming Soon!

💔🇮🇹 In Sicily, there once existed something called a foundling wheel—a secret place where desperate parents left babies in the dead of night, turning the wheel to deliver the child to the nuns on the other side. Author Don Ladolcetta shares the heartbreaking truth that one of his own ancestors…

📖✨ “Don’t just see your grandparents as the old folks on the couch, ask them about their history.” In our latest episode of Italian American Stories, author Don Ladolcetta reminds us how important it is to hold on to family stories before they’re lost. From parents to grandparents, every memory…

In 1929, Detroit police walked into a house on St. Aubin Street and found one of the most horrifying crime scenes in the city’s history. A mystic. A shrine. A decapitation. And an entire family murdered in their sleep. Nearly 100 years later, the case remains unsolved… but the whispers…

A hug, a smile… and a secret dollar. 💖 Rich’s @south_philly.rich Italian nonna didn’t speak English, but every Sunday she spoke the language of love. 🇮🇹🥹 #NonnaLove #ItalianAmericanStories #FamilyTradition #ItalianCulture #GrandmothersLove #HeritageAndHeart #PodcastClip #StorytellingPodcast #ItalianAmericanHeritage #philly #philadelphia #philadelphiaitalia

In this episode of Italian American Stories, Stephanie sits down with author Don Ladolcetta, whose heartfelt novels preserve the legacies of his family on both sides of the Atlantic. Don shares the inspiration behind his books, Hannah, the Lighthouse Girl of Newfoundland and A Brooklyn Tale, stories that weave together…

Even when life feels like a disaster, those are the words you say! A little reassurance across an ocean, a language of love that never fades. ❤️ In the new episode of Italian American Stories, we talk with director Valentina Signorelli and musicians Luca Chiappara and Mario Monterosso about their…

✨ Coming Soon! ✨ Episode 73: Interview with Donald Ladolcetta 🎙️ Available October 23, 2025 Join us as we sit down with author Don Ladolcetta, who brings family history to life through his books Hannah, the Lighthouse Girl of Newfoundland and A Brooklyn Tale. From Ellis Island struggles to the…

In this special bonus episode of Italian American Stories, I sit down with director Valentina Signorelli and Italian musicians Luca Chiappara and Mario Monterosso to talk about their new documentary Mamma, That’s All Right , which just debuted at the National Italian American Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Gala in Washington, D.C.…

Did you know it wasn’t gin, but beer that made Al Capone rich? Supplying thirsty mill workers during Prohibition turned into a gold mine, proving beer has always had the power to shape history. 🍻 #AlCapone #Prohibition #History #italianamericanstories

Tales From the Archives #4 is here! ✨📜 From a Sicilian saloonkeeper who fought off trouble with just a broom 🧹… to six monkeys lost in a Nashville fire 🐒… to a Detroit courtroom defense about missing pants 👖… and the rise of Chicago’s unstoppable Nut Queen 🥜… These are…

💔✨ Out of loss came resilience, love, and purpose. Cindy Hollenbeck shares how her brother’s passing forever changed her path—teaching her to say “I love you” every time, and inspiring her to write a book in his memory. 📚❤️ Her story is a reminder that life is precious, grief can…

Part Two of Angelina Garramone’s story takes us deeper into Denver’s Little Italy in 1910. From mysterious disappearances to shocking courtroom drama, Angelina’s world was filled with scandal, fraud, and even murder. Discover how Dorinda’s tragic fate, rumors of secret societies, and handwriting evidence tied Angelina to crimes that shook…

✨ Previously on Episode 68: Angelina Garramone ✨ From the celery dispute at Denver’s City Market to the fiery courtroom battles, Part 1 revealed the beginnings of a scandal that rocked Little Italy. But this is only the start… 👀 Stay tuned for Part 2 – Coming Soon on the…

🔨 Childhood lessons, sharp knives, and the freedom to explore, Cindy Hollenbeck shares unforgettable memories of growing up with a dad who let his kids learn by doing. From sneaking around the workshop to wandering off to the community center at just 4 years old, her story is both heartwarming…

🕵️‍♀️ Family secrets, lost stories, and hidden truths… Cindy Hollenbeck uncovers the reality behind her Italian American family’s journey. 🇮🇹✨ From Ellis Island myths to newspaper records that tell the truth, she shares how secrets of affairs, lost children, and broken marriages were buried, not out of malice, but out…

Imagine the pride of a mother seeing her son win the Nobel Prize. Louis shared how, at that moment, his mom felt 20 years younger—rushing up and down the block telling everyone, “Did you hear about my son?” Even more special, she was healthy enough to join him in Stockholm,…

In this heartfelt episode of Italian American Stories, Stephanie welcomes Cindy Hollenbeck, a Navy veteran, writer, and proud Italian American who takes us on a deeply personal journey through her family’s past. From uncovering long-hidden truths in old newspapers and genealogical records to growing up in her father’s leather shop…

A chilling gesture, a sinister code… In 1911, Angelina was accused of murder after witnesses claimed she bit her own little finger—a signal in Italian culture meaning “I will kill you.” Was it a threat to silence Dorinda? Or just a haunting misinterpretation? Either way, this dark detail adds an…

Coming Soon! 🔎 Episode 72: Interview with Cindy Hollenbeck 🎙️ Available October 16, 2025 In this episode, Cindy Hollenbeck shares her fascinating journey of uncovering family mysteries—digging through records, chasing name changes, and piecing together the truth behind her Italian American roots. 🇮🇹✨ From Ellis Island myths to surprising discoveries,…

In 1910, Denver’s Italian community gathered for the annual Feast of St. Rocco. But while the celebration carried on, one woman was missing… Maria was last seen just days before the feast — and she never arrived. 🕯️ Dive into this mystery from Denver’s Little Italy and the stories history…

Known in Denver’s Little Italy as The Queen of Little Italy, Angelina Garramone’s legend is as eerie as it is unforgettable. One shop owner described her chillingly: “She gathers people around her, they find out too much. Then poof, we see them no more, and next we hear of their…