She was 80 years old, in 1968 the opening of the osteria in Pescheria with her husband. A sincere woman: opera, traditions and a lot of work. “She was the queen of the island”
TREVISO. It often happened to walk on the bridge of the Pescheria and hear people sing. A voice that invited you to stop and listen, even just browse to see who still had the heart and passion to put in the square without fear. And looking into the door of the Muscoli’s tavern, you ran into a lady in the way, sometimes even with the “crossbar” on her belt, who sang about her business or to cheer up an improvised banquet in front of her. the two whites late in the morning. It was Giuseppina Gargiulo, for all “Bepa”, or rather “La Bepa de Muscoi”. All capital letters conquered on a usually all male field: that of the taverns.
“La Bepa” died yesterday morning at Menegazzi where she had been hospitalized for some time. He was just 80 years old; in the hands and in the heart a lifetime of stories to tell. It was 1968 when the restaurant in front of Pescheria opened with her husband Bruno “Muscoli” Tambarotto, a man in one piece with whom there was certainly no fear of lowering the shutter in the evening in a district that had a completely different face than the favor of today. The place was adjacent to the current tavern, it was called “Bar Cavour” and – listen, listen – at the beginning it was a white bar, that is, without a license to sell alcohol. Life smiled: three children in three years. But after a while he took Bruno away from her, leaving her alone at the counter.
What to do? Giuseppina did what she knew: roll up her sleeves. She began to mix and serve by becoming a “hostess” as were Ettorina di Arman and Elsa with her from the restaurant of the same name in Piazzetta San Gregorio. The tavern was named after her husband (hence Muscoli’s) and like all of them it was a jumble of blasphemies and masculinity. A woman behind the counter was seen in only two ways, she and the others won recognition, honor and respect. Giuseppina became “Bepa”, as the years passed the article “La” Bepa also arrived, and Muscoli’s with her became a crossroads of true Treviso style.
Singing had always been a passion of hers, she enjoyed it alone while she worked in the morning to prepare the place she managed with her children, and on all occasions of celebration. Some outings with the Sante Zanon choir, but no claim to professionalism, just passion. The same one she put into politics, siding with the League of her friend Giancarlo Gentilini (“She was the one and only queen of the island,” he recalled yesterday, “a tough, vital woman, a lover of traditions. great piece of Treviso ») and committing himself as councilor of the central district; and also in organizing social initiatives for the city, ward parties, initiatives for traditions with his friend Fantin.
The tavern was the job she had in hand – you couldn’t talk about “choosing”, alone and with three small children – but it proved to be cut to the millimeter. Few frills and firm feet, very ready for a “Dear me ben, come here” as to a desecrator “Mavalà, mona” for those who were too much of a peacock. Very willing to welcome friends but also to slap the “Rompibae».
It tells of a memorable episode in which even an old municipal councilor ended badly, and also of a customer almost taken in a bottle. «No fear of coming face to face with the most mangy customers» remember the children, «and he always ended up with so many apologies to Bepa and lowered eyes».
She was little “La Bepa”, but she had the scepter of command and the magic wand for the magnar ben. «Semo ‘na tavern, you magni from tavernWas the motto as he juggled in the kitchen he knew, bacaeà, fonthi and meatballs. An unpretentious cuisine in a city and a fish market that was changing year after year and which has now lost the figure that has fully lived and represented it.
She leaves her children Fabio, Mauro and Alessandra, five grandchildren and an entire city of friends who imagine her enjoying ashadow at peace with someone up there.