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Homecooked dinner celebrates twins' B-day

December 6, 2005
Anthony Ciolino, left, an advertising junior, prepares baked pasta with his roommate Andrew Malinovich on Wednesday, Ciolino's 21st birthday. Ciolino invited his twin sister Angela and a dozen friends to celebrate and eat the homecooked meal of sausage bagels.

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30 — Anthony Ciolino

"Come on guys, start eating," Anthony Ciolino said. "Mangi."

In Ciolino's cramped East Village apartment, his twin sister Angela and more than a dozen friends surrounded a spread of homemade dishes, including pasta, spinach and artichoke dip and Ciolino's acclaimed sausage-topped bagels.

"It's an ancient, secret Ciolino family recipe," said the advertising junior, who cooked a modest feast in celebration of his and his sister's 21st birthday.

Ciolino rushed from his apartment to another down the hall so that he could utilize two ovens. He worked and served in his bare feet, donning a Pop-Tarts brand apron and a pink-and-white Nike headband pulled over his frizzy brown hair.

Ciolino's quirky, carefree personality is further evident in his interior decorating.

Above the couch, a large beguiling portrait of a silver-haired senior citizen known only as "Flo" watches over the festivities with a sly smirk. Just above the portrait is a party store banner that reads "Happy Baptism" in Spanish. A picture of comedian and "Full House" father Bob Saget hangs in the bathroom, while another of Pope John Paul II watches over the dining area. A framed portrait of Natalee Holloway rests on top of the television.

"It's sort of funny," he said. "My friends and I like to joke about it, because of all the sensationalism with her."

But the crown jewel of the apartment is Henri, a broken stick horse named after French philosopher Henri Bergson. The toy horse, whose stick is now secured with duct tape, has gained near-godlike status among Ciolino's friends.

Ciolino said the wobbling stick and bobbing head now better resembled a real galloping horse.

At midnight the night before, Ciolino had gone to The Peanut Barrel Restaurant to celebrate.

"I had two Long Islands, a shot of tequila and I stumbled back home," he said. "I could do the usual and go to the bar and get drunk again, but a lot of my friends aren't 21, so I'd rather just be here with them."

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