Before Prohibition in America, which took the form of the18th Constitutional Amendment in 1919,
went into effect 1920, and was enforced till 1933 (4 years before the first anti-cannabis laws were written into law)
till it was replealed by the 19th Amendment – before all those LAWS FOR PROFIT AND MARGINALIZATION
which still continues till this day (VOTE YES on PROP 19)
The site of the currently dry and paved LA River near Downtown LA, running alongside Broadway Ave.
was VINEYARDS! Acres upon acres of grapes growing, specifically for the production of WINE.
This area, near present day Chinatown, formerly Little Italy, at the start of the 20th Century was wine country.
Santo Cambianica
In 1917, Santo Cambianica, an Italian man from the northern Italy province of Lombardy, immigrated to Los
Angeles and started the winery at its current location. Hoping for good luck, he dedicated the winery to Saint
Anthony (in Italian: San Antonio) by naming it as such. When Prohibition was enacted in 1920, Cambianica
asked for permission from the Catholic Church to continue operating his winery for communion wine. Granted
such permission, he continued the winery's life. The winery has been declared as historical monument #42 in the
city of Los Angeles. (from wikipedia)
Since 1917, the Riboli family has operated the San Antonio Winery, same location, same bottling factory,
same onsite restaurant, tasting areas. Today, their grapes are grown mostly in Northern California,
before they are trucked down to the Winery, still located at 737 Lamar St. in Los Angeles, where the
wine is made in oak casks, then bottled, boxed and sold.
My mother, my brother and the tour guide
What set the Riboli family apart from the others – the many wineries that once lined the LA River near downtown –
is the fact that when Prohibition went into effect, ALL the wineries were shut down, except for the Riboli’s winery.
They were allowed to continue to make Communion wine for the numerous Catholic Churches around California –
all the historic Mission Churches needed wine. And for that, only ONE winery remains in Los Angeles.
And that is: The San Antonio Winery.
Viva Italia! I recently had a brunch at the San Antonio Winery after mass with members of the
Italian Catholic Federation. , a group that my mother belongs to, so I go along with her to their conventions and
meetings and polenta dinners. That's Amore! That's a spicy meatball!
Last week I gave a speech at an ICF meeting about my Culturebook. I talked about briefly about culture shock
and then counter-culture shock; that is, when a person returns to their home country and their own culture
shocks them.
My culture shock after coming back to America, after living in SKorea for only one year, was quite substantial.
I physically couldn’t enter a person’s home WITHOUT removing my shoes. It just felt wrong.
Also, it is customary in SKorea and North Asia, that when a younger person hands something to an elder,
even by one year, the younger person always uses TWO HANDS out of respect. I found myself doing that subconsciously,
without effort. Physical memory and whatnot. Like saying excuse me when someone sneezes.
In SKorea, when somebody sneezes, nobody says nothing. Culture and customs are all learned behaviors.
But, the biggest SHOCKER about American culture for me whenever I'd return to America was how RUDE
young people were. How little regard the youth paid to elders.
I used that Seinfeld bit as an example, that scene when Elaine is dating that British man and after Elaine says,
“What?” Brit replies, “In England, it’s proper to say ‘Pardon’. We find 'what' rude.” The episode
eventually pokes fun at Brits, but I remember thinking, "Brit's right! 'What' is rude! Ever since 1998 and
first seeing that episode and after hearing my nephew and other youths say, “What?” I’ve said ‘Pardon’.
Saying 'What?' as a reply when you don't hear somebody clearly IS rude.
As is using pronouns to refer to someone the room, especially someone older. In England, if I'm talking
about my mother and my mother is in the room and I say 'she', someone might quip,
"WHO'S SHE, THE CAT'S MOTHER?"
Young people are very rude these days in comparison to how we were before, generations ago.
Now, everyone wants to be on a first name basis; there's no sir or ma’am anymore, or standing up
when adults enter a room. It's a Sign of Times, like Formerly known as Prince.
That’s what the Culturebooks are all about. Culture. Attaching meaning when and where it seems necessary.
Happy Chinese, that is Lunar New Year 2010, MMX to Romans, the Year of the Tiger to all Asians and asiatics and asiaddicts as well.
My family and nephew's friend Alfonzo, a.k.a. Alfatso, at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown on Chinese New Year 2010, February 14th, aka Valentines Day.
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