VOL. 114 - NO. 49 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, DECEMBER 3, 2010 $.30 A COPY Dear Santa: Please Bring Me the Gift of Simplicity Again Dear Santa, but under the clock at up with my steady This year all I want for Filene’s on the corner of boyfriend — now Christmas is for you to take Washington and Summer husband — on the me back in time about 45 Streets — and once again corner of Temple years so I can once again laugh with them as heartily Place and Wash- experience the thrill of the as we did when we invaded ington Street. sights, sounds, gaiety, and I.J. Fox to try on fur coats On that night hustle and bustle of down- none of us could afford to buy. in December town Boston as it was in the At the time we barely had 1965, we went 1960s. enough money to go to the down to Filene’s I don’t need any money, I lunch counter at Kresge’s, Basement and just need for you to rewind Neisner’s or Woolworth’s for bought toys for our time so I can run into S.S. a hot dog, let alone to buy a nieces and neph- Pierce to buy a few jellies mink. If we could do it again, ews. After we or jams, walk through I wonder if any one of us loaded up his car, R.H. Stearn’s — or was it could — or would want to pur- which was parked R.H. White’s? — and have a chase one of those now po- on Temple Place moment to stop to buy flow- litically incorrect fur coats. in front of the ers from the vendor outside It would be nice, too, if be- branch of the of the subway stop on Winter fore Christmas Day, instead First National Street. I always meant to do of standing outside to meet Bank where he that, but never did. someone, I could walk into worked, we went I’d also like to go to the Filene’s, get on the escala- up to Tremont original Windsor Button Shop tor and as the scent of the Street and walked on Chauncey Street to find perfumes on the street floor through the a replacement button for my fade away, have one more lighted Boston favorite coat and resist the chance to look down at the Common trying to urge to buy a new one at breathtaking view below. decide where to either Raymond’s or Conrad The twinkling white lights have dinner. I’m & Chandler’s instead. Also, wrapped around shimmer- a little fuzzy as having the opportunity to ing garland hanging in per- to where we went, buy something at the Jordan fect loops from the tin ceil- but I’m pretty Marsh basement store on ing and the decorated sure it was either “Dollar Day,” or to once again Christmas trees at every Dini’s on Tremont see my aunt standing counter were more beauti- Street, or Café behind her counter selling ful than anything I’d ever Marliave on Christmas rush 1913 on Washington Street, Boston, when Van Raalte lingerie would seen before or since. You Bromfield Street. Downtown Crossing was the “Pride of Boston.” mean so much. were there, Santa. Do you I know for cer- (Photo from Post-Gazette archives) Please, Santa, if only for a remember that sight? tain that we didn’t go to Realistically, if I’m asking Merry Christmas and moment it would be fun to I don’t want to appear Locke-Ober’s because, as for too much, perhaps the thank you, Joanna return to the afternoon I met greedy, but most of all I’d love you must remember, Santa, next time I see you at a mall Joanna Alfano is a regular my girlfriends — where else to relive the evening I met in those days unless Harvard you could give me a wink columnist for the Melrose won a home game against and a nod just to confirm Free Press. We hope that Yale, women were excluded that you got my letter and Santa grants the wishes she from the main dining room. that you too believe it was a has so eloquently described However, where we had din- wonderful life! and requested here. News Briefs ner doesn’t matter because even though it was cold by Sal Giarratani and snowy, we ended our evening at Bailey’s to devour Buon Natale Rick Perry in ’12? ice cream and hot fudge from NORTH END ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION not only an overflowing sun- presents the Who best can run for president as a Republi- dae cup, but from the silver can in 2012 to hopefully turn the current occu- th tray underneath it as well. 40 Annual pant of the White House into a one-termer. If you can pull any of this Some members of the GOP are thinking Mitt off, I promise I won’t leave 2010 NORTH END Romney. Others are talking Mike Huckabee, the past without bringing now a Fox News host. Many members of the CHRISTMAS PARADE home either a blueberry Tea Party movement still like Sarah Palin. The muffin from Jordan Marsh or SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2010 - 1:00 P.M. Boston Herald even threw our own US Senator a couple of the famous al- Scott Brown out there on page one. mond macaroon cookies I believe the Obama-Biden ticket can be baked on-site at Gilchrist’s. beaten. The mid-term elections showed, except Further, while I’m back in in Massachusetts and New York, that Demo- time I swear to you that crats are viewed on the wrong side of most when I drop a coin into the issues of interest to voters. I believe with the slot to release the latch hold- recent defeat of so many southern Democrats, ing the shopping bags at the that the way back to the White House must entrances to most of the come from the South or Southwest if the stores, I’ll be nice and not Republicans are to take back the White House naughty. As tempting as it in two years. still may be, this time around Merry Christmas As someone who often travels to the great I’ll make sure my sticky fin- SEE SANTA CLAUS ARRIVE AT NORTH END PARK state of Texas, I view Texas as the future of gers take only one. BY HELICOPTER AT 1:00 P.M. America. This is a Red State with a growing In case of bad weather, Parade will be held the next Sunday, December 19th Work your magic, Santa, Latino population. It is conservative on social because although I know I issues and somehow has weathered the eco- can go to Jordan’s Furniture nomic downturn surprisingly well. Many give Dedicated in Memory to see the Enchanted Vil- credit to Republican Governor Rick Perry who lage, I’d rather take my just won a third term in office over a popular of grandchildren to its birth- (Continued on Page 10) place; the Jordan Marsh de- JAMES “Jimmy” PALLOTTA partment store in downtown Boston. Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, DECEMBER 3, 2010 In Loving Memory of Diana Marie Dill December 14, 1980 - December 14, 2010 30 th Year Anniversary OCTAVIUS BECOMES AUGUST You toiled so hard for those you loved, Augustus in Latin means to death. Minor faults drew Sacred edifices, which You said goodbye to none, sacred, venerable, majestic, degrading penalties like had gone to ruin through and magnificent. Octavius standing all day long before lapse of time or by fire, Your spirit flew before I knew, was given the title of the General’s tent holding were restored. Greek or Your work on earth was done. Augustus by the Roman ten foot poles or even a Latin books of little known Senate when he became clump of sod. authors were collected and I miss you now, My heart is still sore. emperor in 27 B.C. In this Augustus is credited with destroyed. Selected sibyl- But, as time goes by I miss you more! full career he engaged in creating such favorite say- line works, especially those Your loving smile, Your gentle face. numerous wars to protect ings as “more haste, less of the sibyl Cumae were the frontiers of the Roman speed,” “better a safe com- collected and preserved. No one can fill your vacant place. Dominions and also waged at mander than a bold”, “that is Females who could foretell Your life was love and labor. least five civil wars of which done quickly enough which the future were called sibyls two were against Mark is done well enough,” and and Cumae was prominent Your love for your family true. Antony, and one against “A battle should not be begun in Roman mythology. You did the best for all of us. Brutus. The head of Brutus unless the hope of gain is Soldiers were stationed in was sent back to Rome so clearly greater than the fear strategic locations to guard I will always remember you. that it could be cast at the of loss.” against any kind of crime feet of Caesar’s statue. Augustus divided the city either day or night, and “All my love” Augustus made many of Rome into regions and the records of old debts to the changes in the armies and wards, placing the regions treasury were burned be- Uncle Ray enforced the strictest disci- under the charge of “Magis- cause they were being used pline.