Santa Rosalia
I got Brooklyn pride. I got Bensonhurst pride. When I was born, Bensonhurst was known as a heavily Italian neighborhood. Now, 20 years later, Bensonhurst Italians are spreading outward to Staten Island or New Jersey, whereas minority immigrant groups are moving in. The “heart” of Bensonhurst is 18 th Avenue and the 60s-70s Streets. Mind you, I actually live on Benson Avenue, not just within the vague boundaries of Bensonhurst you see on Google Maps, so I am a little miffed that people don’t consider my street to be the center of Bensonhurst…. Every summer, Bensonhurst is the host of the Feast of Santa Rosalia – better known as The Feast by locals – in honor of the patron saint of Palermo, Sicily. The Feast is similar to the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy in the fall, and both have their pros and cons. San Gennaro is far more popular and located in a historic, chic neighborhood, particularly with the Lower East Side and SoHo ...