It's not every day you get to see an eternal Italian sex symbol like
Gina Lollobrigida up close. Still gorgeous at 80 and wearing a sexy red gown, Gina was one of the standouts at 32nd Annual National Italian American Foundation Gala in Washington D.C. I attended this past weekend at The Hilton
Washington and Towers.

Superstar attorney Bill Scari of Pepper Hamilton LLP in Pennsylvania, whose partner Joe DelRaso is on the Executive Board Committee of NAIF, extended the
warm invitation for my partners Paul and Jonas and myself to attend the event with him and his lovely wife Jen.

Every year NAIF honors great Italian Americans and raises money for the Benefit of The Program and Scholarship Fund of the Foundation. The faces walking past our table on their way to the dais in addition to Gina, were outstanding and I couldn't snap my iPhone fast enough.

Martin Scorcese, Rudy Guiliani, Nancy Pelosi, Connie Stevens, William Novelli CEO of AARP, Dina Martin (Dean's daughter), Yogi Berra, Maria Bartiromo, Ellen Pompeo ("Grey's Anatomy"), Justice Antonin Scalia, Justice Samuel Alito, Ambassador to Italy Giovanno Castellaneta, etc., etc.

There were dignitaries and businesspeople from Italy. There was opera, great Italian wine, great food and great warmth — all the wonderful things that Italians are so well known for.

Finally, an event to acknowledge that all Italians are not living like the Sopranos.
Made me feel proud to be an Italian American. Made me proud to see the "excellence" of Italian Americans being recognized. Made me reflect on and appreciate what my grandparents risked to come here and start a new life that has led to mine having so much opportunity. Made me really annoyed at myself for cutting my college Italian class.

Ciao!

Debbie