The first and most famous area is the portion of lower Manhattan centered on Mulberry Street, north of Canal Street. At the turn of the last century, the neighborhood ran from Bowery and Broadway on the east and west and Canal and Houston on the north and south. The ancestors of many Italian-Americans first lived here after they immigrated to the United States. Research into my husband’s family tree discovered that his mother’s and father’s families lived less than two blocks from each other!
Nowadays there’s very little left of the old neighborhood, as adjoining Chinatown has virtually taken over. A New York urban legend says that the Orientals would have completely engulfed Little Italy, except for a sit-down between some major wise guys and Chinese tong leaders who all agreed to preserve a small section of Italian heritage. True? As they say in New York, go know.
Stroll by the Transfiguration Church at 29 Mott St. Originally an Episcopalian church, it was sold to the Roman Catholics in the mid-1800s. Mother Cabrini, among others, ministered here. The Irish dominated the church in the late 1800s, and forced Italian members to worship in its basement. These days, services are offered in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Take a break at Ferrara’s, the landmark pastry shop, for some cannoli and an espresso. Visit Umberto’s Clam House at 129 Mulberry St. for seafood and mob memories – Joey Gallo got whacked here on April 7, 1972. (Look at the rear kitchen door, about three feet up. A lone bullet hole remains.) My favorite stop is Di Palo’s at 206 Grand St. -- officially a latticini (dairy product store), but they also carry imported meats, pasta, etc. Their aged provolone is sharp enough to make your tongue hurt (the true test of a fine provolone, according to my husband). They have American-made fresh mozzarella every day, and once a week they get in genuine buffalo-milk mozzarella from the old country.
And if you can possibly swing it, attend the San Gennaro festival in the fall. Streets are blocked off for the three-million-plus pedestrians who visit each year. There are carnival games, t-shirts and souvenirs, and tons of food. Everyone enjoys the festival, regardless of their ethnic background, and you’ll hear lots of Italian (and bad Italian) spoken. Official festivities include the procession of the money-bedecked saint statue through the streets, and the Blessing of the Stalls when traditionally-clad monks accompany a priest as he douses each seller with holy water. Last year, a woman standing behind me exclaimed, “But I’ve already eaten my sausage sandwich — and the stall wasn’t blessed yet. Do you think it’s OK?” This year’s festa will be held September 13-23, 2001.
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