Bronx Voice - October 26, 2022

Cop mugged around corner from P. Diddy’s School in the Bronx

By Dan Gesslein

An off-duty police officer was robbed of his wallet and badge at gunpoint around the corner from the Bronx charter school music icon P. Diddy opened.

According to published reports, the 36-year-old Wallkill police officer was robbed by a group of men in a Mercedes which appears to be part of a

pattern robbery.

At around 1 am on October 23, the officer was robbed at gunpoint by four men near the corner of Merritt and Givan Avenues in Co-op City.

The industrial side street filled with auto repair shops sits behind the Peartree Shopping Center. The area made news last week when musician

P. Diddy visited Capital Preparatory Bronx Charter Schoolthe charter school he founded housed in the Peartree Shopping Center.

This morning’s armed robbery took place on the street behind the charter school.

The officer lives in Middletown, NY. The gunmen made off with his badge, wallet, iPhone, a

bracelet and a watch. Investigators are looking into the possibility that Sunday morning’s mugging was done by the same robbery crew responsible for a number of robberies in the 45 and 43rd Precincts.

Cops say so far 10 gunpoint robberies can be attributed to this crew that drives around in a Mercedes or Chrysler.

Anyone with information should 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 remain confidential.

Bank robber caught ‘red handed’

By David Greene

Police officers from the 52nd Precinct were heard racing to the scene as they looked for a "red-faced" male who fled the scene of a bank robbery-- and his red face was not from being unsuccessful but having the booby-trapped dye pack hidden in the cash, reportedly explode in his face.

The hold-up was reported at the Capital One Bank, located at 151 East Fordham Road, at East 190 Street, at 1:15 p.m. on October 14.

According to police radio transmissions, officers were looking for a male suspect who fled west on East Fordham Road and that the bank's dye pack had exploded, leaving the suspect with red dye on his face and hands.

One officer reported, "He's going to be wearing black pants, black shoes, possibly a white t-shirt and possibly a black baseball hat.”

The officer added, “He's going to have dye pack marks on his hands and on his face, red dyepack marks on his hands and on his face." The suspect reportedly fled on a southbound Number 4 Train at Jerome Avenue.

The NYPD would later announce the arrest of Kashiffe Beckford, 29, of Ellis Avenue. He was charged with a single count of robbery. One NYPD official later confirmed, "As he fled the location a dye pack exploded staining the suspects clothing. The suspect was apprehended a short time later.”

That same police official added that Beckford is not the same individual that is responsible for three similar Bronx bank robberies since July.

On July 11, an individual removed $500 from a teller at the Chase Bank, 1536 Westchester Avenue, after passing a note.

On August 15, the same suspect struck at the Capital One Bank

at 557 Melrose. Again, passing a note, the suspect fled with $3,250. And on September 8, the same individual passed a note to a teller at the Capital One Bank

at 2159 White Plains Road and fled with $3,185.

The individual in the three cases is described as a dark skin male, 25 - 30 years of age, 5'7''

- 5'8'' in height and has a thin build. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie sweatshirt, black hat, and black face mask.

Anyone with any information

on any of these incidents are urged to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1 (800) 577-TIPS or Spanish, 1 (888) PISTA (74782), all calls remain confidential.

Cops flood subways to combat rising crime

By David Greene

With just 17 days before the midterm elections, when Americans will choose their Senate and Congressional representatives, and New Yorkers will choose their next Governor—current Governor Kathy Hockul and Mayor Eric Adams announced that NYPD officers will add an extra 1,200 overtime shifts per day so officers can join their Transit counterparts and flood the subways with hundreds of uniformed officers who will be stationed at over 300 stations during peak hours.

At the announcement held at Grand Central Station in Manhattan Hochul called the new deployment, "Cops, Cameras, Care," that will also create dedicated units at psychiatric facilities that will address the homeless on the street and in the subways with severe mental illness as well as new training for MTA Police, NYPD and EMS on dealing with the homeless and those in need of psychiatric evaluation.

Hochul stated, "People are still very much concerned about transit crime. I've heard this from New Yorkers. As I said, I walked the streets, I take the subway to go to baseball games. We're expecting in a few hours there'll be a lot of people taking the four-train up to the Yankees. We all have heard, seen the subways, the stories, the headlinesviolent attacks, muggings... Nine homicides in our subway so far this year. Tragic loss of life.”

Hochul continued, "The Mayor and I have been working to find solutions literally since his

first day in the job, I believe it was January 6th when we went to the subway together and talked about a new era of cooperation between the state and the city to solve these common problems." The Governor added, "I'm also proud to announce that we're going to help fund the deployment of more NYPD officers to perform these services.”

Appearing with Hochul, Mayor Adams offered, "This effort will help with two things New Yorkers desperately want: The addition of hundreds of additional strategically deployed officers on our trains and help to those suffering from serious mental health illness so they can find a way out of the subway system." He added, "The bottom line is that riders will see more officers in the system, and so will those thinking of breaking the law. On behalf of all New Yorkers, we're thankful for this state investment that will make our subways safer.”

Norwood resident Chris Perkins recalled a recent subway ride, when he told the Bronx Voice, "I just took the subway on Friday, and it blew my mind. I took the 4-Train and when it got to 161st Street (Yankee Stadium) they said, and it's the first time I've heard this announcement, it must have been the first day, because everybody was looking around, like what the hell are they talking about.”

Perkins continued, "We'll anyway, the conductor says, 'This is 161st Street, Yankee Stadium and there is also a police department subway district,' and I was like why would they say that?”

"That was the first time," Perkins recalled, "And we all looked around like crazy, we're like was that a message from him? Is he telling us to watch ourselves and warning us the cops are coming on the train and searching us? That's what I thought. I've never heard that before, I'm thinking the NYPD's coming on the train to search the train.”

Perkins said he'd observed about two officers deployed at every other station between the Bronx and Brooklyn. Recalling that initial announcement, Perkins concluded, "They'd say, 'There are officers on the platform, should you be in need of any assistance,' but the first time it was just weird and then you got used to it along the way and all of a sudden I'm thinking I haven't seen a cop on the subway in three-years and now they were like freaking everywhere.”

Shortly after the joint announcement between Hochul and Adams, Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch Tweeted, "This is unsustainable. The NYPD is more than 1,000 cops below its budgeted headcount. We have 12.45% fewer rank-andfile cops permanently assigned to the subways than we did in 2020. The increased workload is crushing the cops who remain. The answer is not to squeeze them for more forced OT." Lynch added, "Our city must immediately boost pay and improve working conditions in order to recruit and retain enough police officers.”

On September 10, during the "End of Summer Peace Rally"

at Devoe Park, State Senator Robert Jackson (D-31) who has served Manhattan for the last three-years, seemed overconfident about his victory come November 8, if elected he would also serve Morris Heights, University Heights, Fordham Heights, Kingsbridge Heights, and a section of Riverdale.

The Bronx Voice asked Jackson if he was worried about a backlash the Democrats could receive regarding bail reform, when Jackson responded, "No, not at all because our bail reform was 2019, we made some changes based on what we thought it was, input we had from other sources in 2020 and 2021, and there is a possibility that we will look at some possible changes," in the future, while adding, "but there's no guarantee.”

Jackson added, "I believe that the Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D35) and (Assembly) Speaker Heastie (D-83) said that we're not looking at that right now.”

Meanwhile, the NYPD has identified and arrested Deshaun Smith, 21, of Brooklyn who was charged with assault, reckless endangerment and harassment after police say he slugged a 62-year-old man as he waited for a train at East 149 Street and the Grand Concourse, in the latest unprovoked subway attack.

The unidentified victim fell to the tracks and was pulled from the tracks by responding officers. The incident was reported at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday, October 23, and did not occur during the "peak hours" of "Cops, Cameras, Care."

Morris Heights Health on beating Breast Cancer in the Bronx

By Kayla Mercedes-Lee

According to the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common cancer found in women who live in the US, behind lung cancer and certain skin cancers, is breast cancer.

A woman’s chance of getting breast cancer is dependent upon a combination of risk factors, some of which are unchangeable. A few examples of unchangeable risk factors are a woman’s age, certain aspects of reproductive history (i.e., age of first

period, menopause), genetic mutations, breast density, and family history of breast and ovarian cancer.

Who exactly is at a higher risk for developing breast cancer?

Is there a specific combination of risk factors that deter-

mine your chance of developing the disease?

While it is extremely common for a woman to have some of the unchangeable risk factors related to breast cancer, it is also possible that a woman who has one or more of these unchangeable risk factors, to not ever be diagnosed with breast cancer. All risk factors are different, and this makes it difficult to determine a woman’s chances of developing the disease based on risk factors alone.

On the bright side, there are so many lifestyle changes that women can make to decrease their chances of developing breast cancer—these are called changeable risk factors.

Some examples of risk factors that women can have control over are level of physical activity, weight, taking hormones (i.e., oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy), alcohol consumption, and some aspects of reproductive history (i.e., age of first pregnancy and the decision to breastfeed).

For over a decade, the Bronx has been the unhealthiest borough in New York State—out of the 62 counties, the Bronx comes in last at #62. In the Bronx, the rate of breast cancer diagnoses has been steadily increas-

ing over the years. However since 1976, the rate of mortality caused by breast cancer has significantly declined.

Among the five boroughs in New York City, the Bronx has the highest rate of prevalent obesity and alcohol consumption, and the lowest percentage of adults who have exercised in the last 30 days. All these factors are related to changeable lifestyle choices that are correlated to diseases like breast cancer.

There is a significant disparity between the health of populations of white women and minority women in the US. Although white women are more likely to develop breast cancer compared to Black or Hispanic women, there is a disproportionate number of breast cancer related deaths in minority

women who live in low-income neighborhoods in New York City. Minority women who live in the Bronx may be aware of the ways in which they can act preventatively against breast cancer but may not always have access to the resources necessary.

A reliable medical provider can make a world of difference for women when it comes to taking care of their health. Getting regular mammograms and reproductive health screenings are essential aspects of preventative health care for women.

MHHC is a Federally Qualified Health Center that aims to provide its community with the highest level of health care and support. The center has been providing women’s health services in

Daphney Quinones—breast cancer survivor who works as a Senior Practice Manager.

Karen James selling breast cancer awareness shirts and merchandise to raise money.

Screen to beat Breast Cancer

By Dr. Sheldon M. Feldman, chief, Division of Breast Surgery & Breast Surgical Oncology and director, Breast Cancer Services, Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center; professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Dr. Della F. Makower, medical oncologist at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center & associate professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

In the United States, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, aside from skin cancer. Nationally, about 1 in 8 women will develop

breast cancer. In New York, 6,300 women are newly diagnosed each year.

Closer to home, we see a little less than 1,000 new breast cancer cases in the Bronx annually. While we are making major strides in treatment of breast cancer, early detection is still key for survival and ensuring we can provide the widest array of therapeutic options.

The earlier breast cancer is found, the survival rate is improved, less severe treatments are needed and a person’s normal breast appearance can be maintained.

Early detection is a combination of at-home awareness and in-person care from your doctor and nurse.

Most breast changes have benign “non-cancer” causes, and might look like a bruise or a bump. Sometimes these changes could be a signal of disease – if you have concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to your primary care provider.

When to Start Breast Cancer Screening

At Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center, we recommend starting mammograms

Screen to beat Breast Cancer

at age 40. We have the most accurate breast imaging screening with 3D tomosynthesis mammograms, this is an imaging test that combines multiple breast x-rays to create a three-dimensional picture of the breast. 3D tomosynthesis mammograms enable us to look for breast cancer in people who might have no signs of disease.

Earlier screening and supplemental breast ultrasound and MRI are indicated for women at increased risk based on family history, genetic mutation or abnormal biopsy. We also have a high risk breast cancer surveillance program at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center so people coming in for screening can receive personalized screening and prevention recommendations. In addition to regular screenings, a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and nutritious diet are important for prevention.

Taking breast detection a step further, we held our 14th annual Edward S. Greenwald, M.D., Breast Screening Event. During this time, women can receive same-day breast exams and screening mammograms. This event was free for women without insurance, including people who are undocumented.

A Team-Based Approach to Treatment

From detection to treatment, it is important to know

Clinical trial to help Black, Latina Women concerned about chemo-induced hair loss

For many women of color, hair styles such as braids and Afros can represent an important link to their history, culture, and identity. Yet, there are no proven therapies to prevent hair loss for women with tightly curled or kinky hair undergoing cancer chemotherapy.

A clinical trial now kicking off at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) will test whether scalp cooling can protect Black and Latina women with textured hair

types from hair loss due to chemotherapy, known as chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). The trial will also determine which women are at high risk for permanently losing their hair due to CIA.

“For too long, science has failed to identify strategies for preventing hair loss in a diverse patient population despite the psychological distress we know hair loss can cause,” said Beth N. McLellan, M.D. director, Sup-

portive Oncodermatology at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center, chief of the division of dermatology at Montefiore Health System. “Our goal is to predict who is at high risk for persistent CIA and to see if we can modify existing scalp cooling techniques for Black and Latina women with ‘natural’ hair. We’re not only addressing a top quality of life concern, but also ensuring we are doing everything possible so that worry over hair loss won’t cause

Get Even MORE Bronx news

women to avoid what might be their most effective cancer treatment.”

CIA is one of the most common and distressing side effects of chemotherapy, affecting some 65% of people who undergo treatment.

Chemotherapy attacks rapidly dividing cells—cancer cells as well as the skin’s hair follicles from which hair grows.

Scalp-cooling systems use “cold caps,” which are tight fitting helmet-like hats filled with a cold gel or liquid. By reducing blood flow to the scalp, the caps prevent chemotherapy drugs from reaching and destroying hair follicles and causes cells to divide at a slower rate. Cold caps are most effective when the cap is close to the scalp, which can be difficult to achieve when hair is thick or tightly curled compared to

Clinical trial to help Black, Latina Women concerned about chemo-induced hair loss

straight hair.

MECC’s study will enroll 30 women undergoing taxane-based chemotherapy. The taxanes are a class of drugs that are often used as a “first-line” therapy for breast, lung, and gynecologic cancers, which are among the most prevalent cancers in the Bronx, where MECC is based.

Taxanes are also associated with an eight-times higher risk of persistent, suboptimal hair growth six months

after treatment compared to other chemotherapies. The commonly used taxanes are the drugs Paclitaxel (Taxol) and Docetaxel (Taxotere).

Participants will be assigned to one of two different study arms based on their preference. The participants who select the treatment arm will undergo scalp cooling after their hair is prepared with a deep conditioner and put into loose braids or twists. There will also be a con-

trol group in which the participants will receive no hair preparation or scalp cooling. The goal is to determine if using this specialized hair preparation technique, intended to reduce the volume of hair, improves scalp cooling efficacy and CIA prevention in patients with textured hair. The investigators have partnered with a local hairstylist to perform onsite hair preparation and to assist women with styling.

To investigate cellular and genetic determinants of CIA, investigators will perform genomic sequencing on samples of plucked hairs, rather than traditionally used, more invasive skin biopsies, to identify possible biomarkers for CIA.

“We have a lot to learn to identify who is likely to permanently lose their hair due to CIA,” said Dr. McLellan, who is also an associate professor of medicine

at Einstein. “We look at gene expression and molecular markers to distinguish who is at risk for cancer recurrence and to tailor cancer treatments, why can’t we do the same for hair?”

This trial is being supported by Paxman, which is covering the cost of the cooling caps and machines, and is being funded by grants from Pfizer/Skin of Color Society and the American Academy of Dermatology.

Morris Heights Health on beating Breast Cancer in the Bronx today

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

the Bronx for over 40 years, starting as a Women's Health & Birthing Pavilion, which was the first out-of-hospital, midwifery-run childbearing center in a low-income community in the US. MHHC continues to stay pro-active in its goal of providing preventative health care to its community of women through providing maternal and reproductive health education, free mammograms, and breast examinations.

MHHC also focuses on providing workshops and access to resources relevant to women’s health, maternal health, and breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is an example of one way in which new mothers can lower their chances of developing breast cancer, while simultaneously providing the highest nutritional value to their newborn baby.

Unfortunately, the Bronx has the lowest percentage of women who exclusively breastfeed, compared to the four other boroughs. MHHC’S WIC program regularly holds educational sessions on breastfeeding to explain the benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies. Education is at the core of preventative care within MHHC’s overlying mission to create a healthier Bronx.

In its continuous mission to solve the issue of racial disparities in women’s health care, MHHC has extended its reach to the women of the East Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn with its Maternal Center of Excellence and Women’s Health Center at the new MHHC Brooklyn location, which opened this fall. MHHC’s role in preventing breast cancer for its communities across the Bronx and Brooklyn is education, access to healthcare, insurance, and support.

Although breast cancer is a serious disease that affects many women across the US, the sooner that breast cancer is detected, the higher the survival rate is for a woman diagnosed with the disease. Yearly mammograms are the best way for women to catch breast cancer when it is still localized, meaning that it has not yet spread to other parts of the body. According to the CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, for females with breast cancer, the rate of survival is much higher than the mortality rate. In 2019, there were 264,121 new cases of breast cancer reported with an 84% survival rate. Even after a diagnosis, there is high hope for survival through early detection practices and appropriate post-diagnosis treat-

ment.

MHHC’s Senior Practice Manager and breast cancer survivor, Daphney Quinones, has been a part of the organization since 2019 and is a real-life example of a woman who was diagnosed with the disease without the risk factor of having a family history of breast cancer. Having a family history of breast cancer is one of the risk factors that can potentially increase a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer.

During her first mammogram, 37-year-old Daphney was diagnosed with stage 3 Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), a non-invasive, localized, type of breast cancer that develops in a milk duct. It is more common for women over 50 to develop breast cancer, but it can also occur in younger women, such as in Daphney’s case.

“I felt like I was suspended in time. Everything happened very quickly.”

Daphney states about the moment she received her shocking diagnosis at her first ever mammogram. She was lucky to receive high level attention and care by her medical provider to begin the post- diagnosis treatment plan as quickly as possible— “My oncologist was super informative and actually picked up the phone to

connect me with a surgeon within their network immediately.”

Daphney began to receive chemotherapy every day for 6 months, one month after her diagnosis, in preparation for the mastectomy.

Working in healthcare and then being diagnosed with breast cancer was a hard experience for Daphney, but she said she “felt supported and loved by her [my] colleagues.”

Daphney is now cancer-free and feels called to share her story to educate women on ways breast cancer can be detected early as well as to provide support for women going through similar experiences. As a breast cancer survivor working in healthcare, Daphney shares, “Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor questions—be brave enough to advocate for yourself.”

MHHC strives to fully educate their patients on how to decrease their chances of developing complex diseases such as breast cancer. The women’s health providers also give female patients the support and resources necessary in the case of a breast cancer diagnosis. Early detection and time are of the essence in ensuring a higher chance

of surviving this type of disease.

During the month of October, MHHC has been bringing awareness to the importance of breast cancer screenings and mammograms through having them readily available to its entire community, including employees, through mobilized pop-up events or onsite.

MHHC honors women during Breast Cancer Awareness month by raising money for the disease through selling breast cancer awareness merchandise and collecting donations. If you wish to support MHHC’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit MHHC’s main building at 85 W Burnside Ave any weekday in October, from 11 am - 2 pm to donate or buy a shirt— all proceeds will support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On October 19th, 21st, 24th, and 27th, MHHC will host breast health education sessions—follow @ mhhc_inc on Instagram for more information.

If you or another woman you know would like to get a mammogram screening or be examined by a women’s health provider, visit mhhc. org to find a location near you or call 718- 716-4400 for more information.

Screen to beat Breast Cancer

that cancer care is all about having a team.

Central to successful breast cancer treatment is having a multidisciplinary team including: oncologists, cancer surgeons, reconstructive surgeons, social workers and support staff so that each person who comes through our doors has a personalized treatment program. Our Na-

tional Cancer Institute-designated cancer center helps us bring access to many clinical trials so Bronx residents can benefit from the newest and best treatments options. Some examples include: non-surgical tumor ablation and intra-operative radiation, a form of breast conservation therapy that involves radiation being delivered at the same time as surgery, al-

lowing people to have fewer treatments and potentially fewer treatment-related side effects. We also offer immunotherapy, and other new medications.

To support much of this work, we recently earned an American Cancer Society grant so we can add navigators to streamline appointments, such as imaging studies, lab assessments

and treatments, for individuals with locally advanced, non-metastatic cancer who would benefit from neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), which is intended to shrink a tumor prior to surgery. This new initiative is particularly important in the Bronx, where only 60% of our patients at Montefiore complete all intended NAT visits and up to 40% miss at least one due to

treatment toxicity or socioeconomic factors like lack of transportation. We feel confident that these additions to our staff will benefit many of our patients.

Today, we are more equipped than ever before to deliver the very best care for everyone with cancer. This October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, prioritize your health and don’t forget to get screened.

Culinary Road

By Morris Gut

Let your taste buds take a cultural journey

Diwali, the Hindu ‘Festival of Lights’, is a major holiday throughout India and the rest of the globe. Most of it has just passed, but you can still enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavors of India cuisine.

Typically, Diwali lasts 5 days, this year Oct. 22-Oct. 26, marked by rituals, parades, and plenty of good food. Here are some local spots to take in those vibrant flavors. Dine in or take out:

Tandoori Taste of India, 223 Westchester Ave., Port Chester. 914-937-2727 Owner Bharat Patel will be marking Diwali on Thursday, Oct.27th. www.tandooritasteofindia.com

Indi Q Indian Bistro & BBQ, 61 Old Route 22, Armonk. 914-273-5931 Lovely setting operated by the owners of Tandoori. www.indiqarmonk.com

Jaipore Royal Indian Cuisine, 280 Route 22, Brewster. 845-277-3549 A lot of local history coming out of this historic mansion. www.jaiporenyc.com

Chutney Masala, 76 Main St., Irvington. 914-591-5500

Chef Navjot Arora runs a creative kitchen as recognized by the Michelin Restaurant Guide. www.chutneymasala. com

Mughal Palace, 16 Broadway, Valhalla. 914-997-6090

Alam and staff are consistently accommodating. www. mughalpalace.com

RaaSa Fine Indian Cuisine, 145 E. Main St., Elmsford. 914-347-7890 A solid kitchen and front of the house team recognized by the Michelin Restaurant Guide. www. raasany.com

Ambadi Kebab & Grill, 141 E. Post Road, White Plains. 914-686-2014 Indian and halal cuisine by the owner of Mughal Palace. www. ambadiusa.com

Curry On Purdy, 7 Purdy

St., Harrison. 914-600-8500

A vintage location for regional Indian cuisine. www. curryonpurdy.com

Royal Palace, 77 Knollwood Road, Hartsdale/ White Plains. 914-289-1988

Owner Jagdish Mitter has been operating this sprawling Indian eatery for over 20 years. www.royalpalacecuisines.com

Neha Palace, 27 Meyer Ave., Yonkers at Cross County Shopping Center. 914-476-5900 Elegant spot

serving Halal cuisine. www. nehapalaceyonkers.com

Tandoori Place, 2146 Starling Ave., Bronx. 347-9036440 www.tandooriplacebronx.com

Cumin Indian Restaurant, 3549 Johnson Ave., Bronx. 718-432-2484 www.cuminindianrestaurantbronx.com

Riverdale Indian Cuisine, 308 W. 231st. Street, Bronx. 718-684-6228 www.riverdaleindian.com

Khalil Biryani House, 2062 McGraw Ave., Bronx.

718-409-6840 www.khalilsfoodorder.com

WHERE TO CELEBRATE MEXICO’S ‘DIA DE LOS MUERTOS’!

‘Day of the Dead’ is a public holiday in Mexico from Monday, October 31st. culminating Wednesday, November 2nd, when villages gather to commemorate family members who are deceased. There are costumes, parades, and rituals, but it has

Stuffed dosa with two sauces at Tandoori.

Let your taste buds take a cultural journey

FROM PAGE 14

no relation to Halloween. It is a derivative of All Saint’s Day. It’s an especially festive time to visit your favorite southof-the-border eatery and take part in the customs, traditions, and good food. It often starts with a good Margarita or shot of tequila. Here are a few suggestions…

‘LOS MUERTOS’ DEALS

AT CANTINA TACO, WHITE PLAINS!

Owner, host, and actor John Solo, of bustling Cantina Taco & Tequila in White Plains, is offering a 3-taco lunch for $9.95, or you can choose one of their tasty quesadillas with steak, chicken, shrimp, or a big Burrito. A new Street Bowl is available with choice of protein, for $8.95. Might be a good

time for one of their frozen drinks, too.

Cantina is a playful, colorful restaurant. A bright aqua pastel façade attracts along Mamaroneck Ave. They serve a bouncy menu of reasonably priced southof-the-border fare. Try the new Birria Tacos, Cheeseburger Tacos, and such ongoing house specialties as: Carnitas, Chicken Mole, Garlic Shrimp, and Steak

Fajita. Cantina Taco & Tequila, 166 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. Open 7 days. Bustling Happy Hours. 914-461-3959. www.cantinawhiteplains.com

VIBRANT FLAVORS/ DECOR AT EL BARRIO!

Chef/owner Sal Cucullo Jr. and partners have created a vibrant eatery, El Barrio, highlighting Mexican street food. There is indoor

and outdoor seating. There are knockout flavors and fine talent at work here, and a playful design. Specialties at El Barrio ready for take-out, delivery and patio dining include Mexican Street Corn off the cobb; Calamares y Camarones Fritos, arbol aioli; traditional Guacamole; Wood-Fired Quesadillas; Tacos and Tostadas; an El Barrio Burger wrapped in a flour tortilla; and fresh-made south-of-the-border cocktails. El Barrio, 185 Summerfield St., Scarsdale. 914-7232600. www.elbarriony.com

‘LA DOLCE VITA’ TRIVIA NIGHT FOR FOODIES!

The Westchester Italian Cultural Center in Tuckahoe is presenting ‘La Dolce Vita University Trivia Challenge’ especially for food afi cionados on Friday evening, Nov. 11th starting at 6:30 p.m. MC will be noted author and lecturer Carla Gambescia. Antipasti & wine will be served. Prizes, too. WICC is located at 1 Generoso Place, Tuckahoe. 914-771-8700 For ticket & general info: www.wiccny. org

(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: 914-2356591. Email: gutreactions@ optonline.net)

The colorful wall mural at El Barrio.