By Dan Gesslein
A robber strong armed his way to $1,500 cash when he pushed his way past a clerk at a Bronx gas station. Police released the revealing surveillance video of the crook as he stole cash from the till.
Police are looking for a droopy drawers robber
who tried to cover up his appearance and not much else during a robbery of a Pelham Parkway gas station.
At around 2:26 am on September 26, the thief who covered most of his face in a black hoodie, walked into the Exxon station at 2090 Bronxdale
Avenue. Surveillance video showed how the crook pushed past the cashier behind the counter. He then rumaged through the tills for the convenience store and the lottery. All the while exposed to the camera with his dropping pants and drawers.
The crook then ran out
of the store and fled down White Plains Road. Cops say he made off with $1,500 cash from the cash register. The suspect is described as a male with a dark complexion who is in his 30s or 40s. He has a medium build and was last seen wearing a black hooded sweater, light gray jeans and white and gray sneakers.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.
By Dan Gesslein
A man who stabbed his wife to death in front of his young children, inside a Bronx homeless shelter, will serve the next 20 years in prison for the vicious murder.
Ernesto Valerio, 27, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering his wife, 19-year-old Emilsy Calix, in front of their daughters ages 2 and 5 months old. Valerio left the children in the apartment with the body when he fled the murder scene.
Prosecutors said on October 2, 2019, Valerio and Calix got into a heated arguement inside their apartment in a Bronx homeless shelter at 85 East 171st Street. During the fight, Valerio admitted to
grabbing a kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbing Calix in the face, neck and chest. Security guards at the shelter heard screaming and went to the apartment to investigate. Valerio met the guards at the apartment door. He told them his wife went to the store and that one of his children had fallen while he was watching them. When the guards went to the lobby to check the sign-out book, Valerio fled the building- leaving the children alone with their mother’s
Emilsy Calix was stabbed to death by her husband in front of her children.
body. The guards returned to the apartment to find Calix’ body in the bathtub.
“The defendant stabbed his wife in front of their children,” said Bronx District Attorney Clark. “This vicious attack not only took
the life of a 19-yearold woman, but also ripped the two children from their mother and caused trauma to staff working to provide services to the defendant at the shelter where the stabbing occurred.”
Nearly 11-months after a double shooting / homicide in the Inwood section of Manhattan, police have announced the arrest of a third suspect in the crime.
On November 16, police announced the arrest of Blake Martinez, 22, of 10th Avenue in Manhattan, who was charged with murder,
robbery, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
The arrest comes a little more than three-weeks after police announced the
arrests of two Bronx men, Luis Rodriguez, 28, of Valentine Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights and Jeremy Lopez, 21, of Waldo Avenue in Kingsbridge, who were both charged in the killing.
Police say the three men took part in the crime that took place at 10 p.m. on December 17, 2021 when police officers from the 34th Precinct were called
to 690 Academy Street. On the sidewalk officers discovered a 29-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the head and a 21-year-old male who had been shot in the left arm.
At the time police reported that the 21-year-old male was transported by EMS to Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and the 29-yearold victim was rushed to Harlem hospital where he
succumbed to his injuries on December 20, 2021.
The victim was later identified as Rainer Rodriguez, 29, of Cooper Street in Manhattan.
Both Rodriguez and Lopez are also facing murder, robbery and assault charges as well as criminal possession of a weapon.
On October 30, the Bronx Voice visited Rodrigez' home on Valentine Avenue, where a man confirmed that the location is a group home of disabled adults.
The brownstone Rodriguez lived in is connected to a more modern, out of place 2-story building, one resident of the block was asked about the property, when he said, "I always ask myself what this building is.”
The male resident was told that a resident of the property had been charged with a murder in Manhattan, when he replied, "No way. Wow. I don't even know what that building is all about.”
The Bronx Voice has attempted to reach out to the New York City Department of Disabilities as well as the group home, but they have not yet responded before the publication of this article.
An elderly man was struck and killed by a car while he was raking leaves in the middle of an intersection in Morris Park.
Police say 91-yearold Simone Canepa was struck and killed at the intersection of Rhinelander Avenue and Radcliff Avenue.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Canepa was standing in the intersection raking leaves at around 5:30 pm on November 11.
A 2006 Hyundai Elantra was traveling westbound on Rhinelander Avenue when it struck Canepa.
The victim was rushed by EMS to nearby Jacobi Medical Center with trauma to the head. Canepa succumbed to his injuries and died the next day.
The 59-year-old female driver remained at the scene.
The case is being investigated further by the NYPD's Highway Collision Investigation Squad.
By Dan Gesslein
A former college student was sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking guns and high-capacity magazines from Tennessee to neighborhoods in the Bronx and Manhattan.
Shakor Rodriguez, 23, was sentenced to 10 years for trafficking 73 weapons and high-capacity magazines throughout the Bronx and Manhattan.
“The defendant, who was a college student at the time
in Tennessee, trafficked semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines from the south to New York City,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. “He brought some of the weapons in duffle bags by bus and then sold them to an undercover NYPD officer. The illegal influx of guns threatens the safety of Bronxites. I thank our partners at the NYPD for intercepting these guns before they ended up on our streets.”
Investigators said Rodriguez would run the guns from his college town in Tennessee to his home neighborhood on Weeks Avenue in Mount Eden section of the Bronx as well as Allen Street outside Little Italy in Manhattan.
Rodriguez would store the guns in duffle bags and in some cases rode a bus up from Tennessee to NYC.
Rodriguez was busted as
part of an undercover investigation dubbed “Operation Overnight Express,” a joint investigation by the NYPD Firearms Investigations Unit and the Bronx District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau.
According to prosecutors as part of the investigation, Rodriguez, also known as Sha, sold 73 weapons to an undercover officer between July 17, 2020 and December 22, 2021. Of the weapons sold 59 of the guns were loaded. He also sold high-capacity magazines including multiple “drum” magazines. The undercover cop paid between $1,000 to $1,500 per gun.
By Dan Gesslein
A Good Samaritan was shot at when he tried to help a woman escape a pair of purse snatchers in the Bronx, cops say.
At around 11:45 pm on November 3, a 28-year-old woman was walking down a street in Mount Hope. As she walked past a deli at 230 East 174 Street, she was approached by two men in black. Investigators said the men exited a black vehicle and then darted past a parked van to run up on the woman with guns drawn demanding the purse.
The NYPD released sur-
veillance video from a nearby business of the robbery which shows the robbers pointed guns at the victim.
Cops say a man in the deli seeing the robbery, tried to intervene. The robbers turned and opened fire on the Good Samaritan. The thieves fired multiple rounds striking the door frame of the deli, causing the Good Samaritan to duck for cover.
The gunmen then took the woman’s purse off her, and jumped back in the black car.
No one was injured in the shooting. Cops say the gunman
ran off with the purse which had cash and credit cards.
The suspects are said to between the ages of 18 and 20.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
A popular young man died a short distance from his childhood home after police intervened in a violent dispute between two men in Norwood.
According to NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig, the dispute began inside a bodega located at 330 East Gun Hill Road, at 11:30 a.m. on, November 3, when members of the Queens Warrants Squad were in an unmarked police vehicle, in the area on an unrelated matter.
At a press conference shortly after the shooting, Essig stated, "A white Lexus pulls up at the southeast corner of Hull Avenue and East Gun Hill Road. He entered the bodega when he engaged in a vi-
olent struggle with a 21-yearold male.”
Essig stated that the 29-yearold male entered the deli and began stabbing the 21-yearold before fleeing to his vehicle, when the 21-year-old man fired at the fleeing man when he was confronted by police who fired "numerous times.”
The 21-year-old male was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The 29-year-old man fled the scene, but was located a short distance away and suffered a graze wound to the
head. He was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Family and friends of the deceased, later identified as Kyle Lockett, 21, of Kingsbridge, packed the Granby's Funeral home on White Plains Road for his funeral service on November 11.
Longtime Norwood resident
Jessica Lugo, who had known Lockett, said he had attended P.S. 94 and M.S. 20 and was an aspiring rapper. Lugo told the Bronx Voice, "Growing up he was always a good kid. He was well adjusted, playing in the park with his friend's. They all grew up together.”
A GoFundMe page was set up to help Lockett's family cover the cost of the funer-
al and has so far raised over $4,000 of the $10,000 friend's hope to raise.
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old male, identified as Ajamu Demmerle is facing attempted murder and other charges.
The incident is currently being investigated by the NYPD's Force Investigation Squad as well as The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigations.
An 18-wheel tractor-trailer knocked over a street sign after its rear wheels got caught over a somewhat-new pair of "bollards," two, two-foot-high plastic barricades designed to protect pedestrians on a traffic island-- and the NYPD reported it was the second crash at that Fordham Manor intersection in less than 8-hours.
An unnamed NYPD official told said the bollard crash was reported at 12:19 p.m. on October 25.
Reading from the police report, the official explained, "It was a single-vehicle collision, I think it looks like the driver of the vehicle, a 32-year-old male was operating his vehicle northbound on University Avenue attempting to make a left turn into West Fordham Road
when the truck struck a traffic sign at the southwest corner of the intersection, causing damage to the sign and the lane divider.”
The official added that, "no injuries or criminal activity involved, just property damage."
Police officers had West Fordham Road blocked off for about 2-and-a-half hours as a heavy-duty tow truck lifted the trailer's rear wheels over the bollard and was towed to the side of the road. The truck belonging to Steven's Transport and bearing Texas license plates, was met by a similar truck so its cargo could be offloaded due to damage to the original truck's rear rims and tires.
The police official confirmed a second crash at the same intersection at 4:45 a.m. that morning,
now reading from a second report, "This one looks like it mounted the median, and the operator of the vehicle fled the location." Asked if the vehicle had been reported stolen, the official replied, "It doesn't appear that way, I guess they just didn't stay there to report it... I don't know if they left the car per say since the vehicle fled, but (the driver) didn't notify about the damage.”
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has been installing bollards at intersections across the city for about the last two-years, most people do not notice them and most of them seem fine. However, one such intersection at Van Nest Avenue and Morris Park Avenue, has seen multiple crashes reported and at least three bollard-related crash-
es took place in the month of April.
On April 29, a request was made to DOT about an April 4 crash, an April 26 crash, and an April 28 crash, but the DOT never responded.
On November 15, a request was made with DOT asking for information regarding the two October 25 crashes at University Avenue
and West Fordham Road, as well as any statistics currently available on the bollard program, but DOT has not responded.
In regard to the new bollard program, in January a DOT official stated, "As with many of our safety improvement projects, it takes time for motorists to get adjusted to the new street design."
The Bronx has been the unhealthiest county in New York State for over a decade, and a core aspect of MHHC’s mission is to change that statistic and create a healthy Bronx. Since it’s conception in 1981, MHHC has developed and transformed itself into the community staple for health and wellness in neighborhoods across the Bronx.
The Federally Qualified Health Center, known as “The Caring Place,” has strived to make the Bronx a healthier place by emphasizing the importance of caring for the health of its community through sharing—the sharing of resources that enable members of its community to live healthier lifestyles.
The holidays are a special time for giving for everyone, but at MHHC, The Caring Place, there’s always a reason to give back to the community all yearround. Besides providing high quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare for all, MHHC acts as a catalyst for change in the Bronx through the provision of education on subjects such as nutrition, exercise, and preventative care, access to healthy food options through assistance programs and partnerships, and access to healthcare coverage.
Overtime, the 41-year-old healthcare organization developed an initiative that is now known as “MHHC Days of Giving.” The goal of this initiative is to spread awareness about inneed communities in the Bronx
and partner with organizations whose missions align with that of MHHC’s, to inspire the act of giving. Through the act of giving, MHHC’s partners, donors, and sponsors support MHHC’s calling to provide more than just healthcare to its patients and members of the community. MHHC Days of Giving encompasses events, giveaways, raffles, fundraisers, and all other ways in which MHHC gives and shares with its community throughout the year.
What usually comes to mind when thinking of Thanksgiving is food, togetherness, and gratitude. To show appreciation for the community during MHHC Days of Giving, the Bronxbased non-profit partnered with over 10 organizations, held 7 nutrition-focused Thanksgiving workshops, distributed over 300 bags of fresh food, and provided over 1,500 turkey vouchers to local Bronx residents.
Although Thanksgiving and the holidays are usually associated with indulging in comforting, decadent, home-made dishes, MHHC makes sure to show its patients and community how to eat healthier, even during the holidays. The Thanksgiving themed nutrition workshops included teaching the community ways to integrate vegetables and fruits into traditional Thanksgiving dishes for different cultural groups, ideas for healthy alternative Thanksgiving sides, portion control, and how to “curb your craving for
sugar.”
All of the workshop themes are relevant to MHHC’s mission, as diet and nutrition play a large role in preventing diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, hyper-tension, and obesity, all of which are prevalent in the Bronx.
Obesity alone can higher one’s risk of developing diabetes and heart diseases, which is why nutrition education is a key component in MHHC’s preventative healthcare strategy. Social determinants of health also impact the chance of an individual developing a disease like hypertension or becoming obese. Social determinants of health are the conditions in which we live, learn, work, and play (CDC— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
MHHC ensures that all members of its community are not only able to learn more about healthier and more sustainable eating habits, but also able to access what is needed to bring those taught habits into reality. Providing access to fresh, nutritious foods and where to find them is one of the ways in which MHHC is actively promoting health and wellness and preventing diseases correlated to poor diet. This summer, MHHC launched its Fresh Food Farmstand with GrowNYC, a partnering organization dedicated to providing New Yorkers everywhere access to the freshest, healthiest local food. The Fresh Food Farmstand is open
all year round and is conveniently located steps away from MHHC’s 85 W Burnside Ave location. Local residents can visit the farmstand at the corner of W Burnside Ave and University Place, every Wednesday from 11am-3pm. The farmstand is not only accessible geographically, but it also accepts various forms of payment such as cash, card, EBT, Snap, and Health Bucks. The week before Thanksgiving, MHHC gave out over 100 Health Bucks to nutrition workshop attendees, which were used to purchase fresh fruits and veggies at the farmstand.
As MHHC continues to raise awareness of its local farmstand, the organization has also developed a campaign designed to prevent diabetes in its community—“Curb Your Craving For Sugar”. According to Bronx Health Reach, the South Bronx has a 16% rate of residents who are diagnosed with diabetes, whereas the state and national averages are 8% or below. Through its nutrition and diet focused workshops and educational events, MHHC informs its community on how to moderately consume sugar by providing real life examples, such as sugar content contained in popular beverages that can be found at bodegas and nearby grocery stores.
Children are the future of our community and child obesity and diabetes are serious issues in the Bronx. The “Curb Your Craving for Sugar” campaign launched during Halloween, as a strategy for both
parents and their children to learn how to have fun healthy treats that contain less sugar or only natural sugar, found in whole foods such as fruits. During these events, kids were given apples to decorate and turn into “monsters’ and learned how to make “spooky” healthy treats such as “banana ghosts” and “grape eyeballs”, through a handson demonstration. MHHC’s community liaison team is happy to say that 0 of the attending children asked for candy and were excited to learn about healthy alternatives to candy.
Engaging with the community to make the Bronx a healthier place is a significant part of MHHC’s strategy for a healthy Bronx. As a patient-focused community healthcare organization, it is important to directly connect with the people who live in the community it serves. For this reason, MHHC holds and participates in over 300 community-based events per year. Through these events, real connections are made to better understand who the individuals we serve are and what they truly need. Wellness is more than just physical health; it is associated with a higher quality of life that includes care of the soul and mind in addition to health of the body. Healthcare is a human right, but without wellness, health cannot exist in the Bronx.
To learn more about MHHC’s initiatives and events, visit mhhc.org or follow @mhhc_ inc on Instagram.
Veteran’s Day is a time to express our gratitude to the women and men who have proudly served in the military to preserve our freedoms. For many Americans, the holiday can mean a parade down Main Street or a day of shopping Veteran’s Day sales, but for millions of veterans it can be another day struggling with a serious health issue tied to their service.
While there are more than 18 million U.S. veterans approximately 200,000 leave active duty each year. The irony of veteran health is that upon entering service, most are at the peak of health and fitness; however, after leaving the service some veterans can face a myriad of health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI), musculoskeletal injuries, mental health challenges, and illnesses as a result of environmental exposure.
Veteran health issues are complex and they are driven by many factors including age, race, gender, if the veteran saw combat or not, the
geographic location where the veteran served, and the conflict itself. For example, according to the U.S. Census, 2019 American Community Survey, those who served in the past 20 years, post 9/11, have a 43 percent chance of having a disability connected to their time in the military.
Veteran statistics on PTSD vary based on the era in which the veteran may have served. Eleven to 20 percent of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year, Gulf War veterans, 12 percent, and it’s estimated as high as 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime.
Each veteran’s health pro-
file is unique and working as a team with the individual, health care providers can devise a strategy to meet the patient’s health needs. To help veterans live their best lives and improve their health we take an approach of healthy living practices and prevention. The U.S. Veterans Administration offers the following evidence-based recommendations:
* Get high quality sleep each night and seeking help for sleep difficulties.
* Keeping your recommended screenings and immunizations up to date.
* Being active in your health care and working with your healthcare team to meet your specific needs.
* Managing stress.
* Cutting out tobacco use.
* Limit alcohol use*.
* Taking measures to protect yourself and family from harm and injury, including self-harm or domestic abuse.
* Maintaining a healthy weight and eating right.
* Staying physically active.**
Veterans Day is a day to honor those who answered the call, and it can also be used as a reminder to our veterans that help is out there whether their wounds are physical or in the form of mental health challenges, or both.
If you are a veteran or take care of someone who served, it’s important to take an active role in your health with your health care provider.***
To reach a trained crisis counselor, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) at 988 or 1-800273-TALK (1-800-2738255). You may also text 988 or chat at 988.lifeline.org. The lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support.****
* OPTUM DISCLAIMER: If you do not drink, it is not recommended that you start drinking alcohol. If
you choose to drink, do so only in moderation.
Drinking too much can harm your health.
** OPTUM DISCLAIMER: Talk with your doctor before significantly increasing your activity level. Ask about the amounts and types of activities that may be best for you.
*** OPTUM DISCLAIMER: If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others — or you know someone having those thoughts — seek help right away. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 — or go to the closest emergency room.
**** The Lifeline provides live crisis center phone services in English and Spanish and uses Language Line Solutions to provide translation services in over 250 additional languages for people who call 988.
The glittering 31st Holiday Train Show is on track thru January 16th, 2023, at the beautiful New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx near Fordham University. It’s an annual seasonal treat; a must for the young and the young at heart. I look forward to visiting NYBG, walking thru the beautifully restored Enid Haupt Conservatory and seeing the seductive floral arrangements and dramatic plantings. For additional info, times, and advanced tickets: www.nybg.org After taking in all that beauty, we do get hungry. Here are easy-to-reach suggestions… HOLIDAY DINING AT NYBG!
There are themed Dining Pavilions throughout the park and near the Enid Haupt Pavilion: the casual Pine Tree Café and farm-to-table Hudson Garden Grill. Open daily. Early dining is recommended since they keep Garden hours to 6 pm most days. For info: 646627-7711, or 718-817-8700. www. nybg.org/visit/dining/ MARIO’S IN NEARBY LITTLE
Arthur Ave. is just a stone’s throw from the Garden. Since 1919 five generations of the Migliucci family have worked the front and back-of-the-house making sure patrons are well served at this venerable ‘Little Italy’ institution. Amiable Regina Migliucci is at the helm. For starters enjoy the palate pleasing lagniappe of marinated carrots, hot peppers, and good crusty Arthur Ave. bread. Great appetizers include Hot Antipasto Platter for 2; and Spiedini alla Romana, skewered deep-fried mozzarella sand-
wiches. Move on to such entrees as: Penne Rustica with sausage; stuffed Braciola Napolitana; Osso Buco the size of Mt. Vesuvious; or the traditional Chicken Parm. Open Tuesday thru Sunday. Private party facilities. Free parking lot and valet service. Mario’s, 2342 Arthur Ave., Bronx. 718-584-1188 www.mariosrestarthurave.com
When Nick DiCostanzo was growing up on the Island of Ischia on the Coast of Naples in Italy, his earliest memories where of the simple seaside meals he would enjoy with his family, farm-to-table and of course sea-to-table. As proprietor of Mamma Francesca for nearly 40 years, located on the banks of Long Island Sound with 6-story views of the ‘Queen City’s’ seafaring boat clubs, this culinary philosophy still holds true, albeit with a sprinkling of contemporary taste. There are private and semi-private party facilities for up to 100 guests and catering packages to suit your needs. Robust Italian/American specialties include freshly made Manicotti, Calamari Fritti, Ischia Salad, Chicken Parmigiana, Misto Frutti di Mare. Rabbit Cacciatore, too. Daily Happy Hours. Off-premise catering. New woodburning pizza oven. Free parking. Mamma Francesca, 414 Pelham Road, New Rochelle. 914636-1229 www.mammafrancesca.
com
Owner Spiros Chagares and
his staff offer patrons an inspired melding of traditional and contemporary dishes served with flair. Sit back in one of several dining areas and enjoy such changing specialties as: hearty Seafood Chowders; Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups; Wood Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Scallops; hunks of tender Short Rib; a massive Zuppa Di Pesce; tender Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb; Chardonnay Poached Salmon with seafood; and fresh Lobster prepared in a variety of styles. Big combo platters. There’s a loaded Lobster Salad Roll at lunch. A selection of craft beers. Check out the bar/lounge most evenings for good networking. Private party facilities. Open 7 days. Free parking. Artie’s, 394 City Island Ave., Bronx. 718-885-9885 www.artiescityisland.com
Three-time winners of Michelin’s prestigious ‘Bib Gourmet’ Award, brothers Peter and Giovanni Cucullo have been causing a stir in New Rochelle, drawing patronage from all over the county to their flavorful riff on Italian/global cooking. Named after Mother. Love their happy hours from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. when they offer some favorite beverages and small plates that are loaded with flavor. I am already hooked on such eclectic dishes as: Glazed Pork Ribs, Truffled Green Beans, Grilled Sausage with sweet & spicy Peruvian peppers, Mom’s Meatballs, Cauliflower Fritters, and Roasted Shishito
Peppers. Nice dining room and bar filled with artifacts from home. Friendly staff, too. Good networking spot. The family also operates bustling Fratelli’s Pizza and Pops Café next door. Closed Sundays. Maria, 11 Huguenot St., New Rochelle. 914-636-0006 www.marianewrochelle.com
MODERN IRISH AMERICAN WITH PIZZAZZ AT JACK’S BAR, EASTCHESTER!
Owner Shane Clifford and his friendly crew have delicious finger foods and generous specialties coming out of Chef Brendan Donohoe’s kitchen. Great Burgers; decadent Short Rib Mac N’ Cheese; Jack’s Meatballs; Seared Scallops; Chicken Curry; Shroom Pizza out of their woodfired oven; Berkshire Pork Chop; and Grilled Lamb Sliders. Their full Irish Breakfast at brunch is a winner. Open 7 days for lunch, dinner & Sunday brunch. Jack’s Bar, 219 Main St., Eastchester. 914-652-7650 www.jackseastchester.com
WINE INDULGENCES AT ERNIE’S WINE BAR, BRONXVILLE!
Out of this tiny kitchen come laudatory renditions of American/ Global dishes bursting with flavor. Oenophiles, take note. The carefully selected wines served here, many from small-batch independent producers, can be heavenly. It is a wonderful place to unwind, take in some music on special nights, and indulge. The small bar is great for networking, too. Recent food tastings here have included Escargots Provençale style; Luisanna’s amazing meatballs; cheese & charcuterie platter; Duck Wontons or Duck Confit; a wonderful Fettuccine Carbonara; Mushroom & Pea Risotto. There is live entertainment. Check ahead for updates. Open Monday thru Saturday for happy hour and dinner. Ernie’s, 7 Pondfield Road, Bronxville. 914652-7859 www.ernieswinebar.com (Morris Gut is a restaurant marketing consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in the Bronx and Westchester for 30 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net)
