Anthony and Domenick
Anthony de Maio and Domenick Falcione met 34 years ago in Atlantic City at Caesar’s Palace, where Anthony was working the craps table. His chiseled features and pale blue eyes captivated Domenick instantly.
A few months later, they officially met in a bar, again in Atlantic City, and Domenick “dragged him home.” Thirty-four years later, they are still together. They work together. They play together and their relationship is strong, and by the looks of their biceps, VERY strong. It is fueled by their Latin blood but built on honesty and trust.
Both Anthony and Domenick share strong Italian backgrounds. They are passionate about each other and everything else - from their love of Italy, to Domenick’s cooking and abstract painting, to the restaurants that they have renovated from top to bottom. They are open and forthwith and even living in a small New Jersey town, where their relationship began, they have never hidden their gayness.
Anthony explains how his co-workers at Caesar’s Palace would ask him questions like “Who is the male and who is the female?” He would jokingly answer, “He's on top Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I'm on top Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and we fight for it on Sunday.” While they received some flack for flying the rainbow flag outside of their beach restaurant in Margate, New Jersey, their proclivity for working out at the gym, their athletic build and their loveable personalities have kept any real trouble at bay.
Domenick came out to his parents at age 16. When Domenick and Anthony were caught in the act of making out on the couch of Domenick's parents, his father expressed his dislike and refused to welcome his son's lover into his home. Domenick and his father did not speak for five years, but things have changed and now Anthony is treated like a son. The older Mr. Falcione and his wife, now in their 80’s, live with the couple for long stretches of time over the winter months - and they love it.
Being in the restaurant business at a Northern beach resort allowed the couple to travel for many of the winter months and soon they found themselves in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they opened MOJO, their current restaurant and one that they built from the bottom up and designed themselves to showcase Domenick’s art. Domenick, “an artist in the kitchen and on canvas” as Anthony says, is the chef. Anthony, with his background in business and marketing, works the front of the house. It’s a perfect system. As demanding as it is, it’s their “only child” and they adore it.
When asked about the leather harnesses, they explain that they wear them sometimes because they are “masculine, mysterious and dark” and not because they are fully invested in the “leather" scene or "bear" culture, although they are very supportive of both communities. The men do, however, have an interesting spin on their relationship. Anthony recounted, “We did something abnormal in the gay world when we first met…. we concentrated on ourselves. There was no promiscuity. We were in a relationship for almost 14 years and when it was right for us, we opened the doors to play around collectively with other people.” They do not stray individually. That’s the rule. They experiment sexually only as a couple. Currently in a triad relationship with a young man 29 years old – their young “pup” as they refer to him – is keeping the fire extra hot. They are both certain that the sexual openness is in no way a threat to their relationship.
Since this photo was taken, the laws in New Jersey have changed and the couple will return this year to their former home state to tie the knot with their "pup" as their best man. It seems they are all very serious and committed to make the "triad" permanent. Anthony and Domenick are deeply in love and committed to each other and looking forward to nurturing and loving their new addition…Caleb…"the pup."