March 16, 2004: Through the curtesy of Marisa Antonini of the Marisa Antonini Foundation Filippo was invited to attend an official dinner of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council honoring the Honorable Italian Ambassador Vento at the Beverly Hills Hotel. During a photo-op at the private VIP reception which preceeded the banquet, the Ambassador remarked that he remembered meeting Filippo and hearing him sing in Washington, DC last fall. The dinner following was attended by eight Ambassadors from other nations and dignitaries from Santa Barbara to San Diego including Diego Brasioli, The Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, Joe Cerrell, President of NIAF, Frank Caperino, President of UNICO and Frank DeSantis immediate past president of OSIA. Following the Ambassador's speech, Filippo was photographed by Mario Trecco Editor & Publisher of the Italo-Americano Newspaper with other VIPs, including actor Robert Davi. March 14, 2004: Filippo is the special guest of Doug DeLuca, producer of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live at the annual Sicilia Culturale Awards banquet in Los Angeles. Filippo was honored by the Culturale in 2000 with its Veramente Siciliano Award. Also at the head table were actor Mario Macaluso, entertainment attorney and immediate past president of the Italian Lawyers Association Claire Ambrosio, and film composer Victoria Dolceamore. Feb. 12, 2004: Filippo receives endorsement from the Las Vegas Tropicana with the purchase of 500 of Filippo's Love In Italiano CDs to give as gifts at their upcoming premier High Roller Event. Jan. 22, 2004: Mrs. Eva Franchi of the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation personally invites Filippo to perform at the "And Let the Music Play" Memorial Concert. "I have selected Filippo and the other best of the best performers of the past ten years for this 11th annual concert," says Mrs. Franchi. This year the concert will be held on September 11, 2004, on the grounds of the Sergio Franchi Estate in Stonington, CT. Dec. 10, 2003: Filippo is featured in the monthy NIAF News singing at their annual convention. Among the attendees were Roberto Benigni, Tony Bennett, CNBC anchor Ron Insana, actress Doris Roberts and Eva (Mrs. Sergio) Franchi. To view a PDF of the article, click here. Oct. 26, 2003: Filippo gets mentioned as VIP in attendance at NIAF Gala in Washington Post's article by Don Oldenburg titled "This Banquet's Dominant Flavor Note: Zesty Italian." The article goes on to read "...Tony Bennett was treated like Italian royalty at the reception, where other VIPs included Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, Italian Ambassador Sergio Vento and Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Jerry Colangelo, actor Antonio Sabato Jr. and recording artist Filippo Voltaggio."