☕✨Espresso Yourself Mondays
☕✨Espresso Yourself Mondays
Celebrating Italian American Heritage & Ancestral Folk Ways
☕✨Every Monday I send either a snippet of a conversation from La Befana’s Table podcast, a poem, an excerpt from something I've read, or a lyric I can't get out of my head along with a reflection & prompts to inspire you to Espresso Yourself.
Last week in celebration of Italian American Heritage month I featured a snippet of a conversation that I had with Sharon Leggio Falchuk, a functional medicine health coach and Founder of Intended Holistic Wellness.
And this week I have a real unexpected gift to share with you which in many ways is a testament to the magic that unfolds when we take the time to honor our ancestral roots.
Through a friend of a friend that I met when I was last in Sicily, I was put in contact with an incredible human being named Giorgio Maltese.
He was going to be in New York City from Sicily and though I am no longer living in New York full time the stars aligned for me to take a friscaletto lesson with him- an instrument from my ancestral lands.
My first introduction to wood wind instruments was through my music teacher Ms. Thomas who if you hail from the Nyacks you would most likely speak of her as one of the most influential teachers of your life.
It’s wild to contemplate how many hundreds of students more than 30 years later can still bust out a toon on the recorder or sing one of the many songs she taught us in morning program.
Aside from my parents, I credit her with instilling in me a love of music from an early age.
While there was a long period of time in my life where I never would have considered myself to be a “musician” when my friend Florencia brought me a flute from Peru around 2013, it soon became a trusted friend.
I learned to play it walking around in the woods in a time in life in which many things were falling a part.
It became a tool for self healing and I think in many ways playing it all those years is perhaps one of the reasons I now have a magic friscaletto of my own.
When Georgio sent me the address for our lesson it was five minutes from where my Nonna used to live in Ridgewood, Queens. One of those serendipities of life that is like a cosmic wink from beyond.
I treated the day like a sacred pilgrimage astonished by the mysterious ways in which our ancient past finds its way into our present and our future.
Before our lesson I stopped by Corato’s Pizza on Fresh Pond Road one of the places that me and my Nonna used to go. I ate an arancini (rice ball) before making my way down Madison Street recalling the ways in which my father used to somehow always find a magical parking spot whenever we’d visit.
On the corner was a florist and so I bought a flower and mischievously left it in the handle of the front door along with a blessing for the current residents of her old apartment.
And then it was time for our lesson!
After pouring me a glass of water, he laid out many friscalettos on the table and took me on a bit of a journey showing me the differences of each of the flutes and the ways in which they differ by region and sound.
What impressed me the most was his dedication to both seeking and preserving the songs of the land, not the ones that are meant to impress tourists but the ones played by old and wrinkled hands.
He talked to me about one particular shepherd who played only one song his whole entire life and yet how each time he played that song it was somehow unique.
There is such a tenderness when I think of that. One shepherd playing one song for the entirety of his life.
And as Giorno Dei Morti (Day of the Dead) approaches and I contemplate ancestors both known and unknown, I’m thinking that one way to honor the roots from which I come is by learning and committing to playing this one simple song.
I’ll let you know how it goes!
☕✨Espresso Yourself Prompts
Ancestral Gifts: "Have you ever experienced a moment that felt like a 'cosmic wink' from your ancestors? What was it, and how did it influence your life or perspective?"
Teachers of the Heart: Is there a teacher or mentor from your past who left a lasting mark on your heart or passions? What did they give you that you still carry today?"
Simple Songs, Deep Roots: "Is there a 'simple song' or small ritual that you do regularly to connect with your roots or your sense of self? How does this practice ground you?"
Healing Through the Arts: Is there an art form, instrument, or creative outlet that helped you through a difficult time? How did it support you?"
Honoring Sacred Spaces: "When revisiting a place meaningful to your past or ancestral heritage, what emotions or memories come up for you? How do these places speak to you or call you to honor them?"
Upcoming Happenings
⭐On Saturday November 2nd, in collaboration with my friend Michael Pergola, Founder of The Cascades Guest House & Permaculture Sanctuary located in Canaan, NY we are co-hosting a potluck & dinner experience inspired by the Italian/Sicilian tradition of Giorno Dei Morti (Day of the Dead) Join us at the table where all are invited to share the stories of beloved ancestors and the gifts they bring to our lives. This is an intimate dining experience with an option to stay at The Cascades Guest House for a discounted rate. Seating is limited so get your tickets asap.