On the Road to Newcastle

“This is a really good time.” Vern Tessio, Stand By Me

So, I’d become accustomed to dining in the company of family serving the best Penne Norma, Tortellini Sugo, and pizza EVER, plus religious experience inspiring Sicilian meatballs. I’d settle into my personal seat at the bar. Women who ordinarily went out of their way to avoid me were willing to take a chance. During holidays like Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, I had a destination I could share. My personality bloomed, even my co-workers seemed to tolerate me with the greatest of ease (at least 60% of the time).

La Fornaretta Restaurant, located on Raymond, just south of the Rose Parade route in Old Town Pasadena, made me Smilin’ Jack.

Next thing you know, I’m carrying my La Fornaretta bar stool down Green St. on the way to my car at the end of the restaurant’s ultimo Giorno (last day). And I’m not that vengeful for a half-breed Sicilian, but I’d still love to advise the continuing Braley Building owners on instructions of what they could do with their next pamphlet.

The La Fornaretta owners: Cesare and Suzanna DiLorenzo, and sons Gilberto and Gianluca, were all patients of mine; their names on the schedule always brought a smile. Said bar stool from paragraph #1 now rests in treatment room #2, where parents can choose a support perch while their little kids receive dental care. Our restroom door reads “Vespasiani” just like at La Fornaretta, named after the Roman Emperor Vespasian, the man who made Roman restrooms public.

The DiLorenzo family moved northward to Newcastle, about a 45-minute drive up Highway 80 from Sacramento International Airport. I began a consistent meatball commute for several years. I’d stay over at la Casa DiLorenzo several times a year, shoot hoops with the two boys, hike with Suzanna, and eat just like Emperor Vespasian visiting Palermo.

I’d grace Southwest Airlines with a couple of pizzas and a bag of meatballs on my return trips to Pasadena (SWA never smelled so good). I did New Year’s Eve all-nighters three years in a row on my way to three consecutive USC Rose Bowl wins. The trips up north made me feel like a kid again.

And then Cesare and Suzanna split up. Years passed, but in 2016, two team members and I took a sleep dentistry course in Sacramento at the UC Davis Medical Center. At the end of the all-day sessions, we consecutively drove first to Auburn and Cesare’s new restaurant, and 24 hours later to La Fornaretta in Newcastle. Cesare and son Gianluca were there to greet and serve us. It was like a brief but loving famiglia reunion. Gianluca looked like a professional athlete. Cesare passed away in 2019.

24 years ago, Dani Williams visited our office, Temple City Dental Care, for an interview and barely received the time of day from the dentist who was way too busy being busy. After receiving a Drill Sergeant reprimand from my Office Manager, Dani, RDA returned to become an award-winning Dental Assistant, the next Team Leader, and a dear friend (we’re even starting a new business together, Impact Assisting Academy). Dani’s December 2^nd birthday falls on the same day as my dad’s.

Dani’s sister, Denise, became part of our extended family until, on a lucky day for the dental practice and the community, the adoption was made official. Denise had 16 years of experience working in a Pediatric dental practice (she was battle-tested). Denise had never worked as an administrative team member; when I saw her smiling while taking a phone call, I knew she was special. Today, Denise owns Next Level to Success and consults/coaches dental practices across the U.S.; she’s also an award-winning public speaker.

My dental practice team became my family away from home (even though they weren’t notified) when my mom passed away and I was the only Von Bulow left standing (Btw, I realize Von Bulow is not Sicilian, Mom’s maiden name was Blandino). On selling my practice in 2022, the Williams sisters returned the favor and adopted me back.

Dani traveled up north for a La Fornaretta, Newcastle visit once, at least fifteen years ago; she’d been a regular, aka the “Brazilian,” back in Pasadena. Our Pasadena La Fornaretta years had preceded Denise’s joining our practice. We three had contemplated a visit to Newcastle for the last 2-3 years.

Two weeks ago, Dani, Denise, and I took a road trip to Newcastle and La Fornaretta by way of LAX to Sacramento and a rental car exploration of the ecology near and around Highway 80. We even added another family member at Sacramento International. Melinda stayed over from a work event; and she’s so special that she retains sister status without the “ex-in-law” designation.

From Friday morning through Sunday evening we exercised all seventeen smile muscles to the max. Melinda even volunteered to take the wheel. We toured the countryside guided by a generic woman’s voice coming straight outta the iPhone, dashboard, or whatever advising (without my consent) the road to Auburn, CA and beautiful views of cows, horses, goats on a rock and llamas. We got the last rooms available at Holiday Inn. Next stop: La Fornaretta.

I hadn’t seen Suzanna or Gilberto in about 15 years. Suzanna was as youthful, beautiful, and energetic as ever. Gilberto wasn’t a skinny little 12-year-old anymore, he was the La Fornaretta boss (I accused Denise of making me look short in a photo she took of the two of us). The two dinners and hangin’ out in Old Town Auburn and the California Gold Rush territory with friends and family and famiglia, having a glass of wine at the end of the day around the hotel fire pit, and taking what seemed like a thousand photos of smiling faces was like a big bowl of Italian Lentil soup (with jalapeno) for the caring human soul. The service and cuisine at La Fornaretta was Michelin-star provided by Famiglia.

What a beautiful trip; it was the best kind of recovery time with a touch of “Stand by Me” for adults. When Suzanna pulled up a chair to be with us on Night Two, I couldn’t hide a tear of joy, love, and gratitude. The photo of we “The Four Meatballs” with Suzanna and Gilberto is a keeper.