Italian community i need advise

[msgsing]

Just wondering. Do people from LA or anywhere in the state use the term Cali?

[bloom]

Originally Posted by silverkris

In NYC, Little Italy isn't very Italian any more, despite the shops like Ferrara's Bakery. It's probably analogous and similar, demographically, to SF's North Beach - being next door to Chinatown, it's now majority Asian.

In Brooklyn, there are traditional Italian neighborhoods like Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, and Carroll Gardens, but the Italian population is slowing dying out. You'll probably find more Asian immigrants and other groups in these neighborhoods as well.

Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is NYC's real deal Little Italy, not the bad touristy one in Manhattan.

[Pedro2000]

It's like anything, as time goes on, new generations become less and less aware of their ancestors and become assimilated into the new culture. There are still many pseudo "italian, irish, german, etc but most are just 'italian' in name. It's like the "jersey shore' cast and people acting like idiots. These days the new immigrants are more asian, russian, latin american and in a few spots, Indians from India. And the new kids are still connected to their culture. Whereas A 1/10th Italian 22 year old whose family came to NYC in the 1800s probably has no clue about their history and probably doesn't really care to either.

When you grow up in that world, take over a family business and try to keep your roots, the culture tends to stick around. But if most of the kids grow up and leave, have kids that are far away from those neighborhoods and family, you lose that culture. Do that over a few generations and suddenly most of the culture is just something you say, not something you really are.

[sweetvenom1986]

thanks so much for the advise

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by msgsing

Just wondering. Do people from LA or anywhere in the state use the term Cali?

Good question. I've never met anyone who did, face-to-face or on C-D. Hmmmm.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by msgsing

Just wondering. Do people from LA or anywhere in the state use the term Cali?

There are always a few people who, annoyingly, use it. Mostly, no.

[sschibuola]

Originally Posted by cruitr

St Louis has a large Italian population: The Hill St. Louis - Ultimate Guide to Dining and Shopping on The Hill in St. Louis

Thanks Cruitr - who knew? We Italians do get around . . .

. . . and sorry if my previous post seemed to equate the presence/absence of a Little Italy as a sign of a strong Italian culture . . .I was only acknowledging that SD has one and might lead some to assume that means a lot of Italians . . . or that Italians have not migrated to the suburbs as their collective wealth has increased . . . sometimes keeping but often abandoning their older neighborhoods to new immigrants . . .

I actually have a simple test for the strength of Italian culture in any given place . . .and it would work for 90% of cultures around the world . . .but can only be tested every 4 years . . .watch the streets after Italy wins a World Cup match . . .

[CNYC]

Originally Posted by bloom

Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is NYC's real deal Little Italy, not the bad touristy one in Manhattan.

As a NYer I can vouch for that but even that area has been gentrified.

If it helps I look italian and feel rather out of place in San Diego for it but I like the city regardless.

[sweetvenom1986]

To answer the person who made a comment about me using the term Cali yes I was born and raised in Brent wood near Beverly hills and yes my friends and I use that term. So what's the issue with it? and for all the others with great advise thank you.