A Lovely Video Tribute To Leo Coladonato, Carroll Gardens' Much Loved And Missed Deli Man

Joe's Superette at 349 Smith Street the way it was until the summer 2011

"This is not the story of a famous man, a figurehead or even a powerful man. It is just a simple tale of a man who worked hard and cared about others more than himself"  begins this lovely tribute to Leo Coladonato, Carroll Gardens' most famous deli man.

Leo was the owner of Joe's Superette at 349 Smith Street. He had taken over the Italian deli from Joe, his former boss, in 1985. Though Leo was known for his amazing hero sandwiches, which he prepared with a big smile,  it was his deep-fried rice balls and prosciutto balls that made him famous. At lunch time, customers would wait patiently in a long line to place their order. If they came in for a sandwich, they would invariably add: "And give me some prosciutto balls with that."

(My kids used to call them yum-yum balls and my favorite Leo sandwich is still the Italian tuna with mayo, tomato and shredded lettuce on a hero.)

Sadly, Leo passed away in May 2011, his store closed shortly afterwards and the wonderful old store sign that even predated him is long gone. Many in the neighborhood still miss him. I know I do.

That's why I was so delighted to find out that his niece Christina made a short film about her uncle. It not only tells of his move from Italy to this country at age 15, and his time as a Brooklyn deli man, but includes wonderful interviews with Joe Alameda,  Joanne Rizzuto,  Peter Demetrio, and Charlie Benevento, who knew Leo for most of his life.

Thanks for sharing this, Christina. What a  beautiful tribute to Leo.

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Don't Know What You Missed: Born And Raised In Carroll Gardens

One of my favorite things about writing this blog is to hear from people who grew up in Carroll Gardens, but moved away. The love and attachment that they still feel for the neighborhood is wonderful and very touching. It doesn't seem to matter if they moved away 10 years or 40 years ago, they remember every detail of their lives here.

Below is an email I received from former Carroll Gardener Joey Vento. He writes:

Born and raised at 260 Carroll Street!! The best childhood ever...St.Agnes...scary Halloweens...the Beatles..the Italian Barber...Carroll Park school..The World's Fair..Joe's Supprette...Queen Pizza...The I.L.A....Christmas...and grandma's house at Hoyt and Carroll. Kids today just don't know what they missed huh!!! Your blog is very wonderful and is perfect for someone missing all that was Carroll Gardens. We go back when we can and I'm glad that the cracks in the sidewalk outside 260 Carroll Street are still there!!!

All the best, Joey

Sounds wonderful indeed, Joey! Please share more of your memories.

And, please, to those lucky enough to have been born right in the neighborhood, we would love to hear more about the way it was, so write in.

And to read more Carroll Gardens memories, click and scroll down here: Pardon Me For Asking: A Carroll Gardens Life . Enjoy!

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"Nine Good Teeth": Meet Mary Mirabito Livornese Cavaliere, Born In Carroll Gardens/Red Hook In 1899

photos courtesy of www.ninegoodteeth.com

Nine Good Teeth

Oh, what a beautiful movie. You will love it. It is deeply moving, both funny and truly touching
"Nine Good Teeth" is a lovely tribute to the life of Mary Mirabito Livornese Cavaliere, a spunky Italian-American, who was born in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn on September 8, 1899, the second of thirteen children. Actually, it would be more correct to say that she was born in Red Hook, as this was the official name of our neighborhood until realtors decided to give it a more picturesque name. (My friend Celia Cacase reminds me of that fact very often.)

The film was made in 1995 by Alex Halpern, her grandson, when 'Nana' was 96. Through interviews with Mary and relatives, Alex uncovers long-kept secrets and family tensions. Slowly, a portrait emerges of an intelligent,independent and capricious woman who has more spunk than many a younger person.

As you watch the movie, you will surely recognize Union Street at the corner of Clinton Street in one scene.
The movie was recently shown at the Eileen Dugan Senior Center on Court Street.

It is a truly touching and I hope you will take the time to watch it.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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A Carroll Gardens Life: Tony, A Real Italian Gentleman

President Street between Smith and Hoyt Street

A row of majestic brownstones on President

320 President Street

The kitchen at 320 President Street, circa 1960. That's Gina on Poppy's lap.
John (the oldest) standing and Michael in on her left.

The kitchen once again, circa 1961. Gina still on Poppy's lap,
Michael to her right and Gin'a mother Anna
" the best mother that God put on His green earth."
Brother John took the photo.

Gina's mother Anna as a 9 month old, 4 year old brother John
and their mother Rose. This photo was taken in Italy, circa 1926

One of the wonderful aspects of writing about my neighborhood is the fact that I get to hear from many former Carroll Gardeners who stumble onto this site. They all have one thing in common: they seem to miss the old neighborhood and are grateful for the photos and news posted here. Amongst one of the nicest emails I received recently was one from a resident of Florida. This is what she wrote:

My name is Gina Holden and I grew up at 320 President St., between Smith & Hoyt. My father lived there until his death in 2004. I just love your web site! It makes me feel as though I am still there, walking up to Court Street to get a slice at Mola (Is it still there?) or a Italian Ice at Monte Leone's. I live in Florida now, but President St will always be home to me.

I immediately wrote her back to inform her that sadly, Mola's and the nice Italian family that ran it were long gone, replaced by a new pizza parlor called World Pie.
Over the next few days, we exchanged a few more emails. I asked Gina if she could share some of her childhood memories with us all. Thankfully, she accepted. Here, then, are Gina's remembrances of growing up on President Street in Carroll Gardens.
I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.

I would love to share some of my memories with you and your readers. Carroll Gardens was a great place back in the 60's and 70's. My brothers John and Michael and I went to school at St. Agnes Parish School which was located right next to the church on Sackett St. My parents were married in that church as my mother came to the States from Italy in 1931 and never left the neighborhood. I was baptized, received my First Holy Communion and Confirmation there!
When my parents purchased 320 President Street in 1957, the area was known as Red Hook. But in the early 70's was renamed Carroll Gardens. Both of them were very proud of that house and the area. My father, Michael Zulich, came to the US from Austria after the war and proudly hung the American flag outside of our house everyday until the day he died. As a matter of fact, my two brothers and I had it at half mast the day of his funeral.
My parents' house was built sometime in the late 1860's. The house had been empty for quite some time and in a great deal of disrepair. As they were only the second owners (it had passed down from the original owner to their children. Only one daughter was still alive at the time) it had remained pretty much the way it had been in the day. It seems that President St was built pushed back from the other streets and at each end (Hoyt and Smith) were gates so that only the residences could come and go. The first floor consisted of a large dining room and in the back was the kitchen, complete with a fireplace that was used for cooking. The second floor or parlor floor was used for parties and dances, the third was sleeping quarters and the top was for the servants. There was a small bathroom on the first floor, right off of the kitchen and one on the third floor. (My parents later put one on the second floor).
The neighborhood consisted mostly of Italian's who took pride in their gardens. Everyone looked out for every one else's child. Summer nights would find the adults sitting on their stoops, chatting with neighbors and us kids playing corks or marbles or stoop ball. Later, when we all became teenagers, we used to congregate in one gate with radio in hand and play cards and talk. At 10 PM like clockwork, the adults would bid each other good night, called for us kids to come home knowing it would start all over again the next evening.
Falcone Funeral Home sat on the corner of President and Smith Streets. Joe's Superette was where we got all of our cold cuts. Mazzola Bakery on Court Street was the only bread my father would eat. Helen's Candy Store was where the Bagel store now is on the other side of President. My brother and his friends used to go in there and scrape the ice out of the coolers in the summer and make snow balls. They broke a rear view mirror one day. Clinton Apothecary on the corner of President and Clinton St was where all of our prescription would get filled. There was an A&P where the Met is now and a Bohack on Court and Douglas St. My mother and I used to take our shopping cart and do our weekly shopping there.
Carroll Park was not the place to go back in the late 60's. My mother forbade us to even go near there especially at night. The smell of marijuana could be detected all the way down to Hoyt St! One time, I must have been around 10 or so, the kids that hung out there started a riot down President St. They armed themselves with chains and came rushing down the block, Our next door neighbor and his son at 318 both happened to be NYC police officers as well as another neighbor who was a detective, came out of their homes, guns in hand. What a scene that was! But as time went on, the park was cleaned up and the old men were once again able to play bocce ball, my grandfather included.
It was very difficult to sell my father's house when he died in 2004. I wish that I could have afforded to buy my brothers out but that was not possible at the time, so we had to let it go.
I could go on and on and I will on another day.
I hope that we can keep in touch and maybe you could take a picture of 320 President St for me?

Gina's Family today: Gina's husband Alan, Gina, Michael's wife, Gayle and John's wife Nora. Gina's son Christopher, seated next to him is her brother Michael, all grown up. Brother John, once again is snapping the photo.

Related Post:

A Carroll Gardens Life: Tony, A Real Italian Gentleman

A Carroll Gardens Life: My Friend Dolores

A Carroll Gardens Life: Mrs. Agatha Messina

A Carroll Gardens Life: Meet Antoinette Pirrone, The Twinkies Lady



For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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A Carroll Gardens Life: Mrs. Agatha Messina

Tony's Baptism in 1941,
In the backyard of his family's house.
He is being held by his glamorous Aunt Louise
Who was a buyer and designer for Best & Company.

March 1, 1942
in front of the house were he grew up and still lives now.

Tony with his cousins at Easter.
He is the smily kid on the right in the middle row

Tony with his grand-mother Agatha in 1953
That's Smith Street in the background.

Here he is in 1955 on Graduation Day with his grand-father Rosario.

Tony knows everything about Carroll Gardens. He also knows most everyone in this brownstone neighborhood. No wonder! He was born and raised here and spent his entire adult life in this wonderful Brooklyn enclave.
It is a real privilege to count Tony amongst my friends. He is a real gentleman, much like his father, who was still alive when I moved to Carroll Gardens.
Tony is a great story-teller. He is full of entertaining anecdotes. He knows that I will always find the time for one of his reminiscences of the Carroll Gardens he knew and I wished I could have experienced.
As a child, Tony shared a one floor brownstone apartment with his parents and grand-parents. He attended school at St. Agnes and later at Boys High School.
Tony remembers a quieter time, when there hardly were any cars on the block and the local kids would play stickball and fist ball. Handball was played in Carroll Park whereas softball was reserved for the playground at P.S.32. Mr. D'Agostino, the nice ice man who lived on Tony's block, would give the children ice lumps to cool off in the summer.
9 Pm was curfew time and all the kids needed to go home. By 9:30 Pm, Tony told me, his block was deserted.
A sugary treat could always be gotten at the candy store at 361 Smith Street, now the home of Swallows. Next door, at 363, in what is now Giardini's Pizza parlor, there was a Rolston's grocery store.
Occasionally, Tony and his friends would venture to Columbia Street at the corner of Union, then a happening shopping strip. They would treat themselves to an egg cream for 5 cents or a "Charlie Rooster", pieces of delicious pound cake with whipping cream and a cherry on top, all served in a paper cup. The price? 3 cents.
Now, that was living!
Thanks so much for allowing me to show everyone these super photos of you as a baby, Tony.



Related Reading:


A Carroll Gardens Life: My Friend Dolores

A Carroll Gardens Life: Mrs. Agatha Messina

A Carroll Gardens Life: Meet Antoinette Pirrone, The Twinkies Lady


For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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A Carroll Gardens Life: Mrs. Agatha Messina

1946

Left, Carmela Spinelli, center, Antoinette A. Pirrone, right, Rosalie Pirrone

Did my mom live in Carroll Gardens?

Ask anyone

Since 7/10/1921

My mom is Carroll Gardens!

That is what Antoinette's son Francis answered me when I asked him if his mother had lived in the neighborhood all her life. He also told me that she was the "queen of her kitchen."
Way back, when Twinkies, the snack cakes made by Hostess cost an 'astounding' 10 cents each, Antoinette decided to come up with her own version. Francis was kind enough to send me her recipe. So here it is, for those bakers out there:

Antoinette Pirrone's Homemade Twinkies Version

Supplies:
One empty bottle of Manhattan Special
12 pieces of aluminum foil
A Pastry bag
Toothpick

For the Cake:
3 Egg whites
16 ounces of yellow cake mix
2/3 cup water
Non-stick Spray

For the filling
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Make mini-cake molds one at a time by shaping pieces of aluminum foil one at a time around the bottle, leaving one side open.
Arrange molds on a cooking sheet and apply cooking spray

Beat egg whites until stiff
Then combine with cake mix and the water and mix
Fill each mold 3/4 inch deep with batter
Bake for 30 minutes.

Cream butter and shortening
then slowly add both sugars, evaporated milk and extract
Mix until fluffy

When cakes are done and cooled, use a toothpick to make tree small holes in the bottom of each.
Using the pastry bag, inject each cake with the filling through all three holes.

And voilà, Mrs. Antoinette Pirrone's Homemade Snack Cake recipe.

Wishing you a belated birthday, Mrs. Pirrone.
Thank you for sharing your recipe with all of us!

Other Carroll Garden Lives:

A Carroll Gardens Life: Mrs. Agatha Messina

A Carroll Gardens Life: My Friend Dolores

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A Carroll Gardens Life: My Friend Dolores

As you know, dear reader, in the last few weeks, I have posted some photos of Carroll Gardeners, some from the past, some from the present, in a series called
" A Carroll Gardens Life." It is my little way of paying tribute to all who contributed to make this neighborhood what it is today. This week:

Meet Mrs. Agatha Messina of Carroll Street, sitting with her husband Rosario in front of her house in this photo taken in the 1950's. She died in 1974 at the age of 98. She was only the second owner of the brownstone she bought with Rosario. The house is still occupied by her grandson and her great-grandson who lovingly take care of it in honor of their ancestors. So Agatha has not been forgotten and lives on in the memory of some people on Carroll Street. I think that Agatha and Rosario would be happy to know that on lovely evenings, their descendants sit in front of the brownstone on a wooden bench very much like the one above in the photo.


More In The Carroll Gardens Life Series:

A Carroll Gardens Life: My Friend Dolores

Remembering Carroll Gardeners From The Past: Vincent Spinelli


Links To This Post:

Brownstoner: Monday Links

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A Carroll Gardens Life: My Friend Dolores

Meet Dolores

This is Dolores on the slide in Carroll Park in 1941 as a 19 month old. In the background is President Street, off Smith Street.  Notice the wooden slide.

Here she is in 1942 with Mrs. Viola, her mother.
The houses in the background are on Carroll Street,
looking towards Court Street. Some of the elm trees in the
photo are still standing today.

This is my favorite photo of Dolores, circa 1950.  It was taken along the Park on President Street.

Dolores as a 16 year old.
I wish I could have met her then.
I love the self-assured pose.
She is standing in what is now the park's ball field,
looking towards President Street.

These last three pictures are of Dolores in Carroll Park

in 1973 with her son Stephen.

The monument is still the same of course,

but notice the little fence around it.

In the back are the brownstones on President Street.

May I introduce you to my friend Dolores, who has lived in Carroll Gardens all her life? One of the greatest pleasures of living in this neighborhood is to sit on Dolores' stoop on a summer evening and to listen to her stories about growing up, marrying and raising a son right here in Carroll Gardens.

I could listen to her for hours. I consider it a privilege that she is sharing some of her earliest memories with me. Recently, when I mentioned to her that I wanted to document stories like hers, to hold on to the Carroll Gardens that she knew in her youth, she told me with a twinkle in her eye that she had old photos that she could show me.
So yesterday, Dolores delighted me with many wonderful pictures. I especially loved the ones that showed familiar places in the neighborhood. The photos above were all taken in Carroll Park, first, when Dolores was a baby and then, as a teen and finally, as a mother. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
And Dolores, my friend, thanks for sharing them!

Links to this post:

The New York Times: Money for nothing, and your tickets for free

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Remembering Carroll Gardeners From The Past: Vincent Spinelli

Project Carroll Gardens Ancestors

Wonderful Carroll Gardens reader Frank sent me a nice email a while back. He had a great suggestion:

"Wouldn't it be nice to get the word out and post a few pictures of what this wonderful neighborhood was really like? I'm surer many residents have pictures of their parents, childhood as I have a priceless set of albums from my dad, ..........1930 to 2008 of family, friends and first place."

Well, I couldn't agree more. There have to be hundreds of pictures floating out there. I am hoping that many neighborhood residents who grew up here will take part and will send us pictures of themselves as children or of their ancestors. Especially wonderful would be photos with neighborhood houses or local streets in the background.

Together we could create quite an archive. So get going. Scan those old photos and send them to: pardonmeinbrooklyn at gmail dot com

(If you have no scanner, a digital camera can be used to re-photograph the picture.)


And here is the very first Ancestor:


May I present Vincent Spinelli?

The picture was sent to me by reader Frank who writes:

The picture is of my grandfather, Vincent Spinelli

and his son, Dominick circa 1930

Dominick succumbed to pneumonia, my mom said.

My grandfather was a boss on the docks

1883-1958

Well, it is awfully nice to meet you, Mr. Spinelli...

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