Tuesday, May 1, 2012

It's Springtime: the most wonderful time of the year!!


Dear friends and readers,

I’m back writing my BLOG!!
Well I was away for a while! I’ve been singing, writing songs and enjoying life!!
In the mean time winter is over and Spring is blossoming in NYC.
I love this season: the mild weather, the colorful flowers blossoming all around and people getting ready for the summer!! Yes SUMMER my favorite season of all!! I can’t wait!!!

Yes, I have my bikini ready and the flip-flops too. And to be ready for that, as a lot of us, me too I’m heading to the gym every day to loose some extra winter pounds and I’ve started a healthy diet with a lot of salad and fresh fruits!!

I’ve been busy writing new songs, with songwriters from Nashville, Canada and London and I can’t wait to share them with all of you in my new CD. I’m also just finalizing the details for the filming of a Television Specials for PBS. This will be a big step forward for my music. It will allow me to reach so many new people that hopefully will love my romantic music. Of course it will also make possible for me to do a tour around the USA. I can’t wait to share all of this in detail with you!!
And for all my fans in Europe and the rest of the world…..I will be coming there too!! Stay tuned!!

The Certificate of Recognition

Last weekend, on Sunday April 22nd,  I was honored to receive an award from the Comitato Italiano of St. Brigid in Westbury Long Island, NY.
The Italian Committee of St. Bridget is formed by a group people, who, in communion with the parish and in compliance with the program of the parish, works for the benefit of the whole community' of Italians in Westbury.

Purpose 'of the Committee is to promote and coordinate social activity, cultural and religious identity of the ‘Italian community that reside in Westbury.

The Award
Every year they have their Annual Gala Italiano where they honored a few Italians who distinguished them self in their own field and they give scholarship to young children of their community.

This year I was honor to be among their honorees together with Rosa Cangialosi and Dr. Gerardo D’Aversa.

It was a very uplifting and happy day. Outside the rain was coming down furiously. Inside we were celebrating happily with great food and wonderful company!!


All standing for the Anthems
The Children singing the Anthems!!
The ceremony started with the Italian and the American National Anthems sang by the children of the Italian Cultural Class. It was so sweet and funny too. Kids as you can imagine can’t stay still for long so even while singing there was a lot of swinging and moving around!! And it was priceless to see their happy and proud faces when the applause came!! It reminded me of when as a child I loved to sing my songs and get the standing ovation of my family!! Priceless memories of the start of my singing career!!

After the Anthems there was the blessing of the wonderful father Gregory Rannazzisi and then the President of the Comity, Alfonso Sposito, started the award Ceremony!!
AnnaMaria presenting me the Award
I was the first to be called on stage. To present my Award were two very special friends, Anna Maria Izzo Barbieri and Giovanna Auriemma the presenter of the popular Italian Radio Program "Souvenir D'Italia on WRHU!!
It is always very touching to receive Awards for doing what you love so much!! The award was given to me in recognition of my distinguished service in promulgating the beauty and value of the Italian Culture and Heritage!
With Giovanna Auriemma, Alfonso Sposito & Anna Maria Izzo Barbieri
I briefly thanked everybody for the honor to receive this award and I said that I will cherish it for years to come as I will use them to remind me to work harder!!
And now also this award is my office together with the others I got during the years. I really look at them a lot and in the tough days and I must say they give me inspiration and strength to move forward and keep working on my dream!!

Dr.Gerardo D'Aversa with his daughter and Alfonso Sposito

Father Greg Ranazzisi, Rosa Cangelosi, Monsignor Ralph Sommer  & Alfonso Sposito
After me they awarded also a wonderful eye Doctor , Dr. Gerardo D’Aversa who is doing an incredible work helping people restore their vision in Ghana and a wonderful woman well known in the community of the St. Brigid Parish, Rosa Cangialosi!!

The three wonderful recipients of the Scholarship
It was then time to get the scholarship to three wonderful young ladies.

While in Europe it is possible to have a good education for people of all social classes, here in the USA it is different!

The most prestigious schools, collages and university are private and very expensive. So for children of the middle class it is not so easy to attend them. That’s why in America there are many great associations helping those bright kids to get a great education, giving them scholarships!!

I’ve been honored to be part so many great events that are collecting money for scholarships. The annual Gala in Washington of the OSIA and the NIAF, and the Columbus Citizen Foundation in NYC, all giving every year millions of dollars in scholarships to young kids. It is always so special to meet young students who are so happy to receive the scholarship, as they know this will make possible for them to study in some great colleges or Universities and create a better future for themselves!

And also Sunday it was very special to see those happy proud faces. They say destiny is shaped by events, and for sure are events like Sunday that will create great future for those very bright young ladies!!

After the Scholarship …dinner was served!!

With Sal and Rae Lanzilotta
There were a lot of children walking around and dancing to the music, family and friends gathering at their table and having a great time!! I was happy to share this wonderful day with some dear friends who came to celebrate me, like Angelina Izzo, my USA mom as I call her, Annamaria, and little Adriana, but also the past President of the OSIA Grand Lodge of NY, Sal Lanzilotta and his wonderful wife Rae who I’m blessed and honor to call dear friends.

With JJ
And of course my dear JJ!!

It was such a wonderful day! A day to remember and to cherish for year to come!!
Of course I was asked to sing a song and I did it gladly even though I was already dealing with a sore throat!!
Result of it was a bad laryngitis that kept me silent for a few days last week.
But I’m back to normal now and all that matter is that I was honored to be able to bring my music to some new people and cherish my God’s gift once again with the world!!

So stay tuned for my new week BLOG as I will share with you some more news and adventures of my life and my dream: bringing romantic music around the world!!

Love Always,

Giada