Thursday, December 27, 2012

WHERE TO CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S EVE!

CULINARY ROAD 
By Morris Gut
BRONX, NEW YORK, December 27- Ready or not, here it comes! 2013 is upon us, so whether you’ve been naughty or nice its time to make plans with friends and family. If you are planning to go out, here are some dining suggestions for every palate, each offering a good dose of New Year’s cheer…
MULINO’S HOLIDAY CELEBRATION!
It is over-the-top during the holidays and it begins with the bright lights and smell of chestnuts roasting at the entranceway. Take home a bag of them. The annual Christmas Holiday Fest at Mulino’s, White Plains, lasts right thru the season and it’s a sight to behold! The fountain garden is beautiful as is the lavish dining room and bar/ lounge. General Manager Gimmy Cavagna and his staff are keeping the premises spiffy as ever: gesticulating Christmas decorations galore, holiday carolers, life size toy soldiers, the bursting colorful floral displays, the sparkling grappa and glassware collection, the handsome multilevel seating area. The Cold Seafood Platter is a wonder and fine to share as is their decadent version of Linguine Carbonara; plump tender Rack of Lamb served on the long bone; delicate Dover Sole finished off in the dining room; and perhaps for dessert have the wait staff whip up warm Zabaglione with fresh ripe berries tableside. And, oh that smooth Italian cheesecake. Open 7 days thru the Holiday Fest. Bring the whole family. The place sparkles! Valet parking. Reservations advised. Mulino’s of Westchester, 99 Court Street, White Plains 914-761-1818  www.mulinosny.com
DINE WITH PANORAMIC VIEWS OF THE SOUND!
Lou and Rose Promuto have re-opened The Marina Grille Waterfront Restaurant & Bar located at Wright Island Marina in New Rochelle surrounded by boat clubs and L.I. Sound. It had formerly been The Sea Breeze. The Promutos also own Valentino’s Cucina Italiana and Sunset Grille both in Norwalk, CT. Chef is seasoned Sergio Dechiara, a graduate of the New York Restaurant School, who is not bound by culinary borders. His menu offers such comforting dishes as: New England Clam Chowder; Artichoke Crab Dip; Coconut Shrimp; a massive Paella Valenciana, served with mixed seafood with chorizo-chicken rice; Buttermilk Fried Chicken served with broccoli, mashed potatoes and brown gravy; Porterhouse for two; and an occasional tender hunk of Short Rib on the bone with all its delicious juices. Complete Dinners served Monday thru Thursday: $18.95. Daily happy hours in the bar/lounge. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday thru Sunday. Ample free parking. The Marina Grille, 290 Drake Ave., New Rochelle. 914-365-1860.
DINE AMONGST VINTAGE PHOTOS OF ITALY!
Proprietor Michael Vivolo and his wife Margaret of La Riserva, 2382 Boston Post Road, Larchmont (914-834-5584), have been serving ‘the Italian classics’ here for 34 years and the refreshing atmosphere and friendly ambiance keep it a treat. Be seated in the lovely refurbished dining room, now part vintage photo gallery, and let veteran manager Ellie Cucino suggest such specialties as: flavorful Polenta al Gorgonzola with shrimp; Angel Hair Abissi Marini, thin egg noodles in a light cream sauce with shrimp and mushrooms; Veal Chop alla Griglia, with mushrooms and roasted potatoes; or the Branzino Mediterraneo. Michael’s son Dean operates Trattoria Vivolo in Harrison. Private party facilities. Open 7 days for lunch and dinner. Free parking. www.lariservarestaurant.com
TITILLATING PASTA AND CANNOLI!
Chef Anna Catalano of Agostino’s, 336 Pelham Road, New Rochelle (914-235-6019), prepares everything in her regional Italian kitchen from scratch: her sauces, the pastas, right down to the fresh cannoli shells and desserts. Be seated and let Anna, her husband Antonio and brother Gasperino Di Fabio serve you such home style favorites as: Portobello e Polenta alla Griglia con Gorgonzola; Spaghetti alla Chitarra alla Pescarese con Frutti di Mare,  seafood in a light marinara sauce; homemade Ravioli di Aragosta in Salsa Rosa, with lobster in a light cream sauce with touch of tomato; classic Zuppa di Pesce all Mamma Lucia, with clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, scallops, octopus and fish of the day with linguini; Pollo alla Scarpariello prepared here on the bone sautéed with garlic in a white wine sauce; or Involtini di Anna alla Fantasia, stuffed with provolone and shitake mushrooms. And, oh those wonderful cannolis! Fresh pasta for take home by advanced order. Cozy bar/cocktails. Open 7 days a week. Free parking. Valet evenings. www.agostinositalianristorante.org
THE QUARRY’S COMFORTING FARE!
Owner Dominic Cesarini of The Quarry, 106 Main Street, Tuckahoe (914-337-0311), has settled into new larger quarters in downtown Tuckahoe, a handsomely renovated bi-level 70-seat dining room and bustling bar/lounge that is always engaged in spirited networking. There are artsy exposed pipes and vents on the ceiling. A lovely area rug and acoustics temper the noise level. Handsome brown wood and clay tone walls, warm lighting fixtures and modern sturdy dark brown butcher block type chairs and tables highlight the floor with large picture windows with seating spilling out onto Main. The staff here is most friendly, efficient and eager to please. Cesarini, a ‘local grill man’ himself whose family owned and operated several cafes and grills in the Bronx-Tuckahoe-Eastchester area, has kicked it up a notch with a good mix of reasonably priced American tavern comfort fare with a good dose of broccoli rabe to go around. Good salads, burgers, Prime Rib and Short Ribs on weekends. Open 7 days. www.thequarryrestaurantandlounge.com
CELEBRATE BIG AT CHIANTI!
Here’s a big guy who likes to cook big! Chef/proprietor Paul Caputo of Chianti, 174 Marbledale Road, Tuckahoe (914-346-8844), opened a bustling ode to Italian-American cuisine served in generous style. He previously operated Gina Marie’s Bella Vita in Mt. Vernon and the former Bella Vita in Mahopac. Over the years he has worked for a storied cast of kitchens from Rigoletto’s and Amici’s on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx to the original Valentino’s in Yonkers to the former Gregory’s in White Plains. Over on one wall in the dining room is inscribed: “chi mangia bene, viva bene” (if you eat well, you live well), and that’s the overriding philosophy here. Chef Caputo has a history of serving big portions of fresh made-to-order food; ‘family style’ some call it. Check out such specialties as: Spiedini ala Romana; his amazing Garlic Bread Paoliccimo with chopped broccoli rabe; Zuppa Di Pesce over Capellini; Steak Compagniola; or giant Veal Chop De Benedictis. Don’t worry; there are always plenty of doggie bags on hand for take home. Complete lunch and dinners available daily. On and off-premise catering.
(Morris Gut, restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor, has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in the Bronx and Westchester area for over 25 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591.
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Monday, December 24, 2012

Manhattan comes up short



 
 
 
By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, December 24- College basketball fans in New York City were treated to the second collegiate tripleheader in eight days at the newly opened Barclays Center in Brooklyn. As on the previous Saturday, the bill featured local teams and impressive visitors.
The Manhattan College Jaspers (3-7) played its second straight game in Brooklyn and remained within the city for their third consecutive contest. They will continue to enjoy home cooking for the rest of the month as their next game is against Columbia in Manhattan before they return to the Bronx to meet Stony Brook on New Year’s Day. Their first game outside the city limits since December 7 will take place on nearby Jersey City against Saint Peter’s on January 4.
On the other hand, the South Carolina Gamecocks (8-3) traveled from their home state to face Manhattan. This was their second visit to NYC this season. In late November, South Carolina was routed by St. John’s, 89-65, in Jamaica, Queens. Its visit to Brooklyn on December 22 was far more successful.
The scoring began with a field goal and free throw by Donovan Kates of the Jaspers. Manhattan missed its next four attempts from the floor as the Gamecocks netted 11 unanswered points to take an 11-3 advantage, its largest of the first half. The Jaspers immediately followed with a 15-5 scoring run to move in front, 18-16. The score was knotted for the fifth and final time in the first half with 2:42 left on a dunk by Rhamel Brown of the Jaspers. The half ended with South Carolina leading by a score of 36-30 after they closed the half on a 9-3 scoring run.
Manhattan began the second half with great energy. Its 11-2 start gave the Jaspers a 41-38 advantage at 14:04. Ten straight points by the Gamecocks ended the final Manhattan advantage mid-way through the second half. A three by South Carolina’s leading scorer of the contest, Brenton Williams, raised the spread to double figures for the first time in the game with 4:59 on the clock.
Both coaches attributed the result to the difference in rebounding between the clubs. Steve Masiello said clearly, “I think the difference in the game tonight was the backboards.” Carolina’s first year coach, Frank Martin, stated, “There’s one thing we did well during the year and that’s rebound. ‘Rebounds win games’ I fully believe that.” Manhattan was out rebounded, 42-23, and on the offensive boards by 19-10.
Another factor not mentioned by either coach in the post-game press conferences was the poor free throw shooting by Rhamel Brown. He missed eight of ten free throws. In every other facet, brown played an excellent game. He scored 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the floor, grabbed 9 boards, blocked 3 shots and stole the ball 4 times.
One surprise to most Manhattan fans but not to the coach was the performance of freshman Shane Richards. The frosh, averaging less than two points per game, sunk 6 of 11 shots from beyond the three point range to net a career high 18 points. Coach Masiello commented, “That’s what I see every day [in practice]. That’s why I recruited him.”




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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

DNA Solves 20-Year-Old Murder Cold Case

BRONX, NEW YORK, December19- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a murder charge has been filed against a 60-year-old defendant in connection with the brutal stabbing of a woman in Riverdale 19 years ago on October 20, 1993.
Lucius Crawford, of Beekman Avenue, Mount Vernon, New York, was indicted by the grand jury on one count of murder in the second degree. The indictment alleges that Crawford acted “with intent” in causing the death of 38-year-old Nella West by “blunt force trauma and sharp injuries to the head, face, and abdomen.” The deceased was stabbed multiple times and had sustained multiple fractures to her skull and numerous blunt force injuries and lacerations to her face.
Crawford, who was arrested last month in Mount Vernon, was arraigned before State Supreme Court Justice Richard Lee Price in Part T-16. The judge ordered that Crawford be held without bail.
The homicide remained unsolved until March of this year when the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner developed a full DNA profile of a suspect as a result of advances in DNA technology that was not available when the homicide occurred. Investigators were able to develop a profile from forensic evidence retrieved from vaginal swabs taken from the deceased.
(No sex crime could be charged in this case because the Statute of Limitations for sexual offenses has expired.) The profile was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and was found to be a match to Crawford, who was paroled in 2008 after serving ten years on a conviction in Westchester County.
The investigation was re-opened by the NYPD 50th Precinct Detective Squad and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office as a result of a grant to test DNA forensic evidence in “cold cases”.  Court records indicate that upon his apprehension the defendant admitted to causing West’s death.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rachel Singer, Director of DNA Prosecutions.

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Monday, December 17, 2012

Holiday Train Show

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Muggers Caught on Tape

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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Parkchester Holiday Tree Lighting

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Monday, December 3, 2012

Riverdale News: Toy Drive to Help Children in Need

Riverdale News: Toy Drive to Help Children in Need: BRONX, NEW YORK, December 3- With the holiday season upon us, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) will create a...
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Toy Drive to Help Children in Need

BRONX, NEW YORK, December 3- With the holiday season upon us, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) will create a festive environment for patients and their families thanks to gifts from the 'Care to Share' Toy Drive, sponsored by LaSorsa Auto Group. Gifts for the toy drive will be accepted now through December 16 at various locations throughout the Bronx and the toys will be delivered at CHAM on December 17.
"The 'Care to Share' Toy Drive is not just for patients, it's also for their families who spend a lot of time in the hospital caring for their loved ones as well,” said Roberto S. Garcia, senior director of community and governmental relations at Montefiore Medical Center. “We truly appreciate the support and generosity of the community in helping to bring some of the season’s joy to children who may not be able to spend the holidays at home with their families."
The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore has been consistently ranked in U.S. News & World Report's Best Children’s Hospitals editions and is recognized worldwide for its expertise in a wide range of pediatric specialties as well as its innovative clinical and translational research. CHAM has more than 8,200 admissions, 130,000 outpatient visits and 80,000 emergency department visits annually. Each year more than 6,300 babies are born at Montefiore, and the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit admits nearly 900 fragile, premature infants.
“We are here to support the community with the Care to Share toy drive and ask you to do the same, at this time of year when it's most important,” said John LaSorsa, President of LaSorsa Auto Group.
Unwrapped gifts for babies, toddlers, and older boys and girls can be dropped off at the below locations through December 16.
- LaSorsa Auto Group, 3510 Webster Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467
- BESO Lounge, 320 East 204th Street, Bronx, NY 10467
-  Drug Rite, 3432 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467
- Leroy Pharmacy, 314 East 204th Street, Bronx, NY10467
- LeMED Pharmacy, 159 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY
- MAS Inc., 3602 E Tremont Ave, Suite 206, Bronx, NY 10465
CHAM and LaSorsa Auto Group are collaborating with Mosholu Preservation Corporation, Jerome Gun Hill BID, East 204st & Bainbridge Ave. Merchant Association, BESO Lounge, Drug Rite, Leroy Pharmacy, LeMED Pharmacy, and MAS, Inc. for the 2012 'Care to Share' Toy Drive. 
For more information about types of toys needed and other events, please contact Angela Porcelli, MAS, Inc. 718-283-4081 or angela@masmarketingny.com.
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Riverdale News: Independent Quinn

Riverdale News: Independent Quinn: 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, December 3- This past Sunday The Independence (not to be confused w...
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Independent Quinn

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press
BRONX, NEW YORK, December 3- This past Sunday The Independence (not to be confused with Independent) Party held its 13th Anti Corruption Ceremony. 
We never heard of the first 12 so what makes this one special. Three 2013 mayoral hopefuls are listed as attending current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, and former State Senate Leader Malcolm Smith. Smith is one of the honorees receiving a “Voice for the Voiceless Community Award” (not an Anti Corruption award) for his work in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Quinn with her close ties to current Mayor Mike Bloomberg who ran and won on the Republican and Independence lines should be running as a Democrat, but appears to be looking to capture the Independence party line also. 
Carrion has renounced his Democratic enrollment to become an “Independent” registered voter (no party enrollment) as is the case of Mayor Bloomberg. Carrion appears in his bid to run for mayor (or whatever else) to be seeking the Republican and now Independence lines. Smith a former State Senate Democratic Majority Leader has said that he might run for mayor on the Republican line, and now appears to be courting the Independence Party also.
This Moe, Larry, and red (or is it orange) headed third stooge trio are the perfect guests for the political party that needs to call the gala it is holding not the Anti Corruption Ceremony, but “Which One of these Three Stooges is Allegedly More Corrupt”? Quinn is best know for the statement “I told my office to stop doing that” after it was revealed that there was a five million dollar slush fund in the name of phoney neighborhood organizations run by the speakers office. Carrion was fined $10,000 by the NYC Campaign Finance Board for having renovations done on his house by a contractor who came before him (as Bronx BP) for an approval, and Carrion was also made to pay for the work done. Smith was involved in the Aqueduct Race Track Casino Probe of bid rigging, and Senate Majority Leader during the whole Pedro Espada State Senate drama.
On to the City Council redistricting drama as Speaker Quinn who denied involvement in drawing up the new district lines, and that there was nothing that she could do, has now sent a letter to the redistricting committee to redraw the lines they drew up. There were questions of a Brooklyn City Council district being redrawn so that disgraced Assemblyman Vito Lopez could become a city council member. Then there was the question of the new 8th council district. Was this redrawn to be a Bronx majority district so that Bronx County Leader Carl Heastie would have the Bronx Democratic organization endorse Speaker Quinn in her 2013 Democratic Primary. Carl, the last city council speaker to run for mayor Gifford Miller came in fifth in a four person primary in the Bronx in 2005.
I would not want to forget to mention that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was at his best when he hosted the Bronx Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebration. Every month BP Diaz celebrates a different ethnic heritage, and with so many different ethnic heritages in the Bronx sometimes there is more than one in a month. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see photos of the celebration, and the return of State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. looking like a new man after his full recovery from knee surgery.
Finally, in 2005 a city DEP inspector found what appeared to be a trace of asbestos in the glue of a 40-year-old tile that was removed from one of the apartments in Co-op City. 86,000 air tests and $20 million later, lawyer (and former assemblyman) Steve Kaufman is now suing the city on behalf of the 55,000 Co-op City residents who have had to foot the bill to a tune of $4 million annually since 2005. What is even worse is that two Riverbay asbestos consultants have agreed that the asbestos abatement work was not needed, one being a former DEP Commissioner.
Don't forget to check my blog for items that may come in after our deadline, more details on stories that you may see in this column, and photos of the events. If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
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Riverdale News: What is CB 8 Chair Bob Fanuzzi Hiding?

Riverdale News: What is CB 8 Chair Bob Fanuzzi Hiding?: Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, December 3- With last week’s article by our fellow columnist Mary L...
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What is CB 8 Chair Bob Fanuzzi Hiding?

Riverdale Report
By Robert Press
BRONX, NEW YORK, December 3- With last week’s article by our fellow columnist Mary Lauro about Community Board #12 comparing CB 12 to CB 8, I must tell you things are not what you may think they are in CB 8 Mary. 
One has to pry an answer out of CB 8 Chairman Bob Fanuzzi, because he is not forthcoming with information. The CB 8 Economic Committee is meeting on Tuesday, December 4th (which is after our deadline), and the agenda was revised to add a renewal application of a Sidewalk Cafe. The matter of sidewalk cafes is taken up in the Traffic and Transportation committee, and this particular application was approved last year by the T&T committee. One has to wonder why this has been placed on the agenda of the Economic Development Committee when it was sent in only two weeks ago, and there is plenty of time for it to be placed on the next T&T Committee agenda for a proper public hearing. The matter of Street Activity Permits (SAPO) is also on the December 4th Economic Development agenda, but that matter was discussed at the last T&T committee meeting with a resolution for the entire board being approved by the committee at the meeting. We will have the answers for you in next weeks paper, and have to ask what will be next for CB 8 liquor license applications or renewals being heard in the Youth Committee.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz had city council candidate Andrew Cohen with him at a recent call for Con Edison to place power lines underground in what has become the “Spuyten Duyvil Triangle” where nine apartment buildings experience power outages on a regular basis. Several of the 40 area residents gave accounts of how even a gap of a second requires all appliances, building elevators, boilers, and washing machines to be reset. Ms. Blance Morganstern who needs a walker to get around said that she was a prisoner in her cold 4th floor apartment for ten days while the area had no power. She thanked her neighbors who brought her bread, non dairy cheese, and canned milk to go along with the few cans of soup she had to live on.
City council candidate and Community Board #8 Aging Committee Chair Andrew Cohen said that it is seniors like this woman who have to throw away spoiled food or medicine, are cold since there is no heat, and are trapped in their apartments when the power goes out for an extended period of time. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more on the protest see the photos of Assemblyman Dinowitz, Candidate Cohen, the crowd, trees that are currently on top of other area power lines, and poles that have been or should be replaced. It has been estimated by Con Edison that the cost could be $5,000.00 per foot to put overhead wires underground.
Finally if you did not attend the Riverdale Avenue Street Festival here is what you missed. There were pony rides, a petting zoo, the RKA Middle School Chorus (led by vocal teacher Ivan Salnas), an Elvis impersonator, other entertainment, speeches by the local elected officials, and a possible preview of the 11th City Council race as both candidates Mr. Andrew Cohen and Mr. Cliff Stanton were on hand to try to woo voters for next years race to replace current Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. Go to my blog to see photos of the ponies, petting zoo animals, entertainment, the many different offerings by the Riverdale Avenue Merchants, local elected officials, and the two candidates for Councilman Koppells seat next year.
Don't forget to check my blog for items that may come in after our deadline, more details on stories in this column, and photos of the events, like the Riverdale Avenue Street Festival.. If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
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