Lover of food, fabric, bicycles: MariaScati by Maria Farnese

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Lover of food, fabric, bicycles: MariaScati by Maria Farnese

POSTED: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 6:15 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Product Placement

Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio

Though South Philly insiders know Mr. Martino's Trattoria (1646 Passyunk Ave.) has been open for going on 18 years now, the tiny restaurant's limited hours -- just Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights -- combined with the roll-down gates that protect the storefront's plate-glass windows seem to confuse potential guests. "A woman who has lived in this neighborhood for 30 years saw the gates up yesterday, and asked if I knew 'when that restaurant was opening'!" said Maria Farnese, who owns the trattoria with husband Marc. For the first time, the gates are up at Mr. Martino's, to best display Maria's latest project: a series of hand-made bags designed especially for cycling she calls MariaScati. "Philly has become the bike town! You used to be really odd if you rode your bike," she exclaimed. A fabric designer before she embarked on the life of a restaurateur/cook (Maria won't let anyone call her a chef), a need to create personalized gifts for a slew of nieces, as well as to utilize a stash of unusual fabrics, led to the first MariaScati bags. "I'm a bike rider, and I hate how everyone wears a backpack on a bike! It looks like you are going camping! And I never carry a handbag. I'm the most un-girly girl." Maria's long-strapped, envelope-style messenger pouches eschew unnecessary buckles or frills, but are made of high-quality, unique fabrics on an industrial sewing machine. "I'm having so much fun making bags, they are getting a little out of control," Maria said. "I have to start selling them or they are going to take over the sewing room. I never really want any publicity for Mr. Martino's, but I figured I could get these out there." MariaScati bags are on display in Mr. Martino's front window, and you can call the restaurant for more information at 215-755-0663.

kibby

Posted 2010-05-04 14:14:31

Oh my God, I just love everything about Mr. Martino's.  Everything!!!!

clint

Posted 2010-05-05 09:31:32

This place is amazing.

Hah, of course, Kibby and I would comment on this.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 6:15 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews here — those are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to caroline@citypaper.net.

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