There
is so much content embedded in this blog especially the slide shows to
your right & the media embedded with the posts below it could
take up to 30 seconds to load it depending on your computer/speed.
Sometimes hitting refresh or scrolling up n' down a few times helps the content to load.
If you're looking at this on your mobile device some content specifically embedded slide shows
or videos may not be viewable.
I have been trying to solve this issue.
The blog is visually amazing when viewed on a lap or desktop. Click through the various posts
available as you continue to scroll below or in the
monthly archives in the right column.
After more than 7 years I rarely blog here
except to update posts however
EVERYTHING that can or cannot be seen are available here:
https://sites.google.com/site/loretosfamily/
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday, December 2, 2013
Marini History
The blog was created to highlight through films & photos the more than 60 years Clara & Dan Marini spent in NY & Quincy with daughters Linda & Janet.
The images & home movies were those made available from Dan's 8mm films & their photos including current videos I took when visiting.
The blog also traces Clara's "Cedrone," family & Dan's 1930 voyage with his Marini family to the US.
The blog is not a history of all the Marini's. That is up to Dan's family to create online as I did for my own family:
I did not include images of grandchildren (excluding those featured in videos) because to be fair I would have to include all of them multiple times over the years & the only photos available would've been those from Clara & Dan's library.
If you're a "Marini,"grandchild, cousin, even a friend of the family & would like to contribute more images/videos linked to this blog email me:
yourbestdj@aol.com
Video quality: In the 80's Clara had Dan's films transferred to VHS. Unfortunately the quality was fair to sometimes bad. Assuming she no longer needed the original film they were discarded. I salvaged the data from those tapes converting them so they could be made available to view online. At times the quality is not the best. But it is better than the alternative...nothing.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
The End Of An Era
A poor blue collar Italian immigrant family, who like many came off the boat (Loreto, Maria & oldest daughter Annunziata aka Nancy seated to your right, came from the "old country,") to make a better life for themselves.
Her passing also brings to an end many family traditions.
That generation stood for family. Family values. Family was everything. The good. The bad. The happy. The sad. All of it evolved around family and being Italian...FOOD!
On any given Sunday Clara pictured below was in the kitchen like her mother & sisters before her filled with family & food.
Notice the small photo pulled from a 1960s 8mm movie. I swear it's the same pot she was using some 40 years later.
The links to the videos below will more than wet your appetite.
Beyond tables filled with food, the home was filled with laughter.
Laughing!
Everyone talking if not YELLING all at the same time. Often times they were the same old stories you heard 100 times before but enjoyed hearing once again. Clara loved to cook & we loved eating what she made. Pasta to cookies, string beans to salad, chicken to rabe'. You couldn't have enough of it & if you were lucky (as I was) you didn't leave without leftovers.
Clara's Sunday Leftovers 1080p (p for Pasta)
But you also left with memories. Memories of a family that started from nothing. That endured hard ships. A family that stood tall. Proud of who they were & what they became.
Today they are once again reunited.
My mother died in 1988 when I was 32.
Clara having two daughters often referred to me as the son she never had.You don't often get a chance at a second mother. She was much like one to me & a grandmother to our kids who never really had an (Italian) grandma.
The memorial video linked below has about 30 seconds of dark screen. There is a dialogue box detailing how she & Dan met.
However, some devices/browsers don't see the dialogue. If you don't, just cue past that to about 7:00.
Dan Marini
Clara often said she was too old. She said she'd never see him graduate high school. But she did.
It was this time of year, Thanksgiving 2009 where she & Dan (who passed away 3 years prior) were featured in the local paper after I discovered Dan's local Quincy Christmas Parade footage:
http://marinisofquincy.blogspot.com/2009/11/parade-memories.html
I had 32 years with my mother with almost as many with Aunt Clara who was as close to a second mother as you could be lucky to have. She, my mother & the rest are now reunited.
Clara The Movie 1080p
Clara Marini's Fresh Gnocchi's!
Clara's Sunday Leftovers 1080p (p for Pasta)
Italian Sunday Dinner 1080p (Pasta Vision)
Italian Sunday Dinner HD
Italiano!
Food, Wine, Song. Italian!
Italian Christmas
Italians!
Abudanza Marini Style, 8mm Home Movie
Aunt Clara's
Clara Marini Making Pasta at 93
Clara Marini 8mm Pasta
Clara Marini Cooking Pasta 8/23/09
Clara Marini's Macaroni
Claras stories...live on:
Clara Meets Dan 1080p (Paisan Vision)
Clara's Punch 1080p (Punch Vision)
Aunt Millies 1080p (Pasta Vision)
Dan Burns His Backside (HD)
Clara's Horse Story
I found just weeks after Clara died an early/mid 1980's audio cassette. No one knew they existed. They were never heard by anyone. We assume Clara may have listened to them, but they could've been recorded then stored away & forgotten.
I wish I'd found them before she passed away.
Enjoy:
Thanksgiving. Listen to all the food coming out of the kitchen & that's just the "little something," to hold you over:
https://app.box.com/s/tuvny9ka2l0etcxxq2gx
Dan singing the songs he sang to Clara when they were courting:
https://app.box.com/s/ma83g22uub0f9tys8769
Thursday, May 16, 2013
How To Use Or Read This Blog
I am not a Marini. My parents were Frank Tocci & Christine (Cedrone). Clara is my mother's sister. That's why there are so many " Tocci -Cedrone," links. I created this blog as a "sister," to my family blog. The images/videos represented here reflect Clara, Dan, Janet & Linda as well as "my side," including Dan's 8mm home movies which also feature the Marini's.
If you're a Marini & would like to contribute to the blog please contact me, (there is no charge) so I can help you link your photos & videos.To use this blog...
Scroll this page. This will lead you to & through various posts.
You can also view past posts by scrolling all the way down past the last post & click on "older posts," or just scroll down the right column to the Blog Archives. Click a month & then any of the posts within that month.
The slideshows to your right will take you to the web sites where all the images & mp3's are available to download for FREE.
The one question I'm often asked, "Why so many versions of the same video, or content."
When I first began I had limited video quality available. I was pulling clips from videotapes, sometimes not the best. As I restored video, I didn't delete the older versions because of the work involved. Instead I created a link within the older version which would direct you to the newer version(s).
However as explained throughout this blog, back in the 80's Clara had her home movies transferred to VHS. Assuming she no longer needed the original films she threw them away! I had no knowledge of this at that time. (ALWAYS keep your originals). The transfer quality was only fair. By today's standards they would be poor. The tapes are worn, further diminishing quality. I converted the data of those tapes into digital files so they could be made available online. While the quality is lacking, it's all that's left. View them below.
This one page contains everything:
https://sites.google.com/site/loretosfamily/
Comments? Email: yourbestdj@aol.com
Marini 8mm Home Movie History Twelve
If you're a Marini & would like to contribute to the blog please contact me, (there is no charge) so I can help you link your photos & videos.To use this blog...
Scroll this page. This will lead you to & through various posts.
You can also view past posts by scrolling all the way down past the last post & click on "older posts," or just scroll down the right column to the Blog Archives. Click a month & then any of the posts within that month.
The slideshows to your right will take you to the web sites where all the images & mp3's are available to download for FREE.
The one question I'm often asked, "Why so many versions of the same video, or content."
When I first began I had limited video quality available. I was pulling clips from videotapes, sometimes not the best. As I restored video, I didn't delete the older versions because of the work involved. Instead I created a link within the older version which would direct you to the newer version(s).
However as explained throughout this blog, back in the 80's Clara had her home movies transferred to VHS. Assuming she no longer needed the original films she threw them away! I had no knowledge of this at that time. (ALWAYS keep your originals). The transfer quality was only fair. By today's standards they would be poor. The tapes are worn, further diminishing quality. I converted the data of those tapes into digital files so they could be made available online. While the quality is lacking, it's all that's left. View them below.
This one page contains everything:
https://sites.google.com/site/loretosfamily/
Comments? Email: yourbestdj@aol.com
Marini 8mm Home Movie History Twelve
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Youtube Channel
I've made every video available in playlists
on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/8mmhomemoviechannel
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Clara & Dan's 50th FULL LENGTH Videos
Clara & Dan's 50th FULL LENGTH Anniversary video can be viewed &/or download below.
The 1st video was recorded by myself the other by Frank Patane.
If you have email addresses &/or phone #'s of someone featured in these videos (especially on the Marini side, many of whom I do not know) please forward or show these to them.
Frank's video jumps a bit at x's. I've adjusted the tracking but cannot stop it from doing so. On the upswing he & Marie asked guests to say a few words & there are some gems. Especially Chris Gentile's mother who at that time was 90 & doesn't understand what's going on so she puts the mic to her ear saying hello like she's talking on the phone!
Considering most of the video's online are of 8mm it's wonderful to hear everyone's voices.If you have email addresses &/or phone #'s of someone featured in these videos (especially on the Marini side, many of whom I do not know) please forward or show these to them.
Frank's video jumps a bit at x's. I've adjusted the tracking but cannot stop it from doing so. On the upswing he & Marie asked guests to say a few words & there are some gems. Especially Chris Gentile's mother who at that time was 90 & doesn't understand what's going on so she puts the mic to her ear saying hello like she's talking on the phone!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Marini 8mm Home Movie Montage
Excluding the first photo this slideshow was created from images pulled from the Marini 8mm home movies.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Clara & Larry Patriot Ledger Thanksgiving 2009
Parade
Memories. Clara Marini-91 with her nephew Larry Tocci. Larry converted
to digital,home movies of the Quincy Christmas Parade which her
husband Dan had taken 50 years ago.
In compiling his family history, Larry Tocci dug up a bit of Quincy history as well.
He was searching through old photographs in his aunt’s West Quincy home when he came upon VHS reproductions of 8mm reels. He gave the tapes a look and was
In compiling his family history, Larry Tocci dug up a bit of Quincy history as well.
He was searching through old photographs in his aunt’s West Quincy home when he came upon VHS reproductions of 8mm reels. He gave the tapes a look and was
transported to Christmas in the 1950s when Quincy Center was known as Shopperstown USA.
It’s some of the only footage known to exist of the formative years of the city’s Christmas parade, a community tradition that began in 1952 and continues this Sunday.
Ed Fitzgerald, director of the Quincy Historical Society, enthusiastically accepted Tocci’s offer of copies of the tapes, which Tocci has posted on YouTube.
“We have some ’50s footage, but we don’t have a lot,” Fitzgerald said. “The holiday parade stuff is fun. It’s a great little capsule of a whole other time. You’ve got these street scenes of places that are long gone.”
Holly and garlands hang from lampposts, majorettes twirl batons and Santa waves from a holiday float as it passes department stores on Hancock Street.
“We’d bundle up the kids and we’d all go over to watch the parade,” remembered Clara Marini, 91, Tocci’s aunt, who has lived in Quincy since 1942. “It was a big thing. All my friends, all my neighbors over here, we all went. We walked.”
Clara’s husband, Donato – he went by Dan – had a documentarian’s eye. He didn’t just film his daughters Linda & Janet majorettes in the parade, but the entire event, as if he were covering it for live television.
“Imagine me, I’m scanning this and going, ‘What is he doing? What is he trying to shoot? Who is he trying to get?’” Tocci said. “He just filmed the parade.”
Dan Marini, a carpenter from New York, moved his family to Quincy in 1942 to take a job at the Fore River shipyard. He built barracks during the war.
He and Clara raised their two daughters, Janet and Linda, in Quincy. In the 1950s – which Fitzgerald called “the great age of home movies” – Marini began documenting family events with an 8-millimeter camera.
The footage – of weddings and birthdays and anniversary celebrations – proved invaluable as Larry Tocci compiled the family history.
Clara Marini said her husband was careful with his film. “He was very meticulous,” she said. “He kept it just so.”
Dan Marini died three and a half years ago. Shortly thereafter, his nephew found the tapes.
As he combed through the footage, studying the vintage cars and Sunday-best clothing, Tocci realized his uncle was preserving a record of the time, not just of the family.
“This speaks of a very simple time,” Tocci said. “They didn’t need to have just quick edits, fast pace, almost like a video game or an action movie. This is very simple. You can see all the local townspeople just out, watching their family and friends in a parade. That’s just simple, pure Americana.”
Quincy Ma. Holiday Parades Late 1950's
It’s some of the only footage known to exist of the formative years of the city’s Christmas parade, a community tradition that began in 1952 and continues this Sunday.
Ed Fitzgerald, director of the Quincy Historical Society, enthusiastically accepted Tocci’s offer of copies of the tapes, which Tocci has posted on YouTube.
“We have some ’50s footage, but we don’t have a lot,” Fitzgerald said. “The holiday parade stuff is fun. It’s a great little capsule of a whole other time. You’ve got these street scenes of places that are long gone.”
Holly and garlands hang from lampposts, majorettes twirl batons and Santa waves from a holiday float as it passes department stores on Hancock Street.
“We’d bundle up the kids and we’d all go over to watch the parade,” remembered Clara Marini, 91, Tocci’s aunt, who has lived in Quincy since 1942. “It was a big thing. All my friends, all my neighbors over here, we all went. We walked.”
Clara’s husband, Donato – he went by Dan – had a documentarian’s eye. He didn’t just film his daughters Linda & Janet majorettes in the parade, but the entire event, as if he were covering it for live television.
“Imagine me, I’m scanning this and going, ‘What is he doing? What is he trying to shoot? Who is he trying to get?’” Tocci said. “He just filmed the parade.”
Dan Marini, a carpenter from New York, moved his family to Quincy in 1942 to take a job at the Fore River shipyard. He built barracks during the war.
He and Clara raised their two daughters, Janet and Linda, in Quincy. In the 1950s – which Fitzgerald called “the great age of home movies” – Marini began documenting family events with an 8-millimeter camera.
The footage – of weddings and birthdays and anniversary celebrations – proved invaluable as Larry Tocci compiled the family history.
Clara Marini said her husband was careful with his film. “He was very meticulous,” she said. “He kept it just so.”
Dan Marini died three and a half years ago. Shortly thereafter, his nephew found the tapes.
As he combed through the footage, studying the vintage cars and Sunday-best clothing, Tocci realized his uncle was preserving a record of the time, not just of the family.
“This speaks of a very simple time,” Tocci said. “They didn’t need to have just quick edits, fast pace, almost like a video game or an action movie. This is very simple. You can see all the local townspeople just out, watching their family and friends in a parade. That’s just simple, pure Americana.”
Quincy Ma. Holiday Parades Late 1950's
The first 1/2 is now available in HD:
The 2nd 1/2 of this parade was further enhanced:
Quincy Ma. Holiday Parades Late 1950'sI had a little fun with the photo too:
You can also watch it on my laptop!
Quincy Holiday ParadeFOUND! After this interview, two minutes of ORIGINAL 8mm footage were found with Linda's reels . You'll see quite the difference in quality. Featured is Linda. Janet is seen too & again in the crowd with neighbors at the end:
Quincy Ma., 1950's Christmas Parade.
1950's Quincy Christmas Parade
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Marini Restored Photos
Donato Marini comes to AMERICA!
I guess Dan (left) WITH CIGARETTE & his brother also with a smoke, (No. This is not photoshopped), must've need a good smoke to relax them before the long trip to America. Dan entered the states as shown above when he was 15. He's about 8-10 here so he must've been really relaxed! Or wired...without cigarettes on board.Click on each picture to view/print full size. Badly spolied by water marks, dust & tears, I have restored this vintage Marini photo in b&w & sepia. Recently found was the additional photo taken that day. The children are without hats but Mrs. Marini is now wearing "fur."
The backdrop is just that, a fake background very common for portraits during this period.
However imagine the photo taken in San Dona to. It might've looked more like this one "pictured," above in the old country. 
I've also taken the ship's document, blending it with the San Donato photo:The next two offer a custom blend of the photo with the ship's manifest including the ship itself:
Clara (in white) & Dan meet for the very first time!
Is this real? Well, maybe not but it's what they would've looked like when they first met.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Clara Cooking Pasta
The same pot! Insert, 8mm still from a 1960's home movie. Larger image is a screen shot from 2009 camcorder video. It's the same pot. It's truly the (golden) fountain of youth.
Color Corrected Pasta? WATCH:
2010: With new High Def camera's here is Clara making pasta in HD. Or is that HP? Hot Pasta:Clara Marini Pasta
2009 Videos:
Both are featured below & linked here. These were recorded August 23, 2009. Part two shows Clara in 1959 making home made pasta, & we see her 50 years later still making Sunday dinner:Clara Marini Cooking Pasta 8/23/09
Clara Marini Pasta Part Two
This 8mm was film by Ed Mahoney Looks like
Homemade Gnocchi's are on the menu:
Clara Marini's Fresh Gnocchi's!
8MM & TODAY! Picture in Picture, or is that Pasta in Pasta?!:Aunt Clara's Pasta
Here's the alternate version:Clara's Pot of PastaWhat's new is old. 2011 HD video converted to 8mm!
Enjoy a meatball 'sangwedge:"
LIVE! At Aunt Clara's
Clara will tell you it is HER sauce which was Aunt Millie's (now discontinued). The woman behind Aunt Millie's knew Clara. She tasted Clara's, loved it, then made it slightly different calling it her own!
Recorded June 11th 2011:
Aunt Clara Aunt Millie
Typical Sunday Dinner:
Enjoy a meatball 'sangwedge:"
LIVE! At Aunt Clara's
Clara will tell you it is HER sauce which was Aunt Millie's (now discontinued). The woman behind Aunt Millie's knew Clara. She tasted Clara's, loved it, then made it slightly different calling it her own!
Recorded June 11th 2011:
Recorded Holidays 2011. Clara's Stories:
Clara once rented the 2nd floor apt of a Hawthorne (NY) home when she & Dan married.
The landlady's daughter in law asked what Clara was cooking....
Aunt Clara Aunt Millie
Clara's Sunday Leftovers 1080p (p for Pasta)
Take a bite out these videos. Clara talks about how Aunt Millie's became a popular spaghetti sauce & then dig in to Sunday dinner.Clara & Aunt Millie HD
Italian Sunday Dinner HD
Italian Sunday Dinner MANGIA! HD
Italian Sunday Dinner HDItalian Sunday Dinner MANGIA! HD
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