Superintendent Thomas Hagerman to Compete in Spelling Bee
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Mark your calendar for Friday, January 23 at 7:30pm, when people of all ages will swarm to the Scarsdale High School auditorium for the fifth annual Friends of the Scarsdale Library Adult and Teen Spelling Bee. Veteran teams will compete against novices, adults will compete against teens, and library trustees will compete against patrons. In a new acme of town-gown relations, a team consisting of schools Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Hagerman, Board of Education trustee Chris Morin, and Scarsdale Teachers Association President David Wixted will also compete in support of the library.
The fun starts when the doors open at 7:00pm. Silent auction items include an eight-week TestTakers SAT prep course valued at $2195, and a Painter for a Day, donated by A.G. Williams Painting Company, Inc., and valued at $600. Raffle prizes include fitness classes at FlyWheel, I Train with Juan, FlyBarre, and Pole Position Dance and Fitness, baskets of children’s games, a spa basket, a wool Indian Kashmiri shawl, and more. Raffle tickets can also be purchased at the Library on Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, January 11 from 12-4pm. Ticket holders need not be present to win.
Admission to the Spelling Bee is $5, and refreshments will be available for purchase. Audience members will be entertained by trivia quizzes served up between rounds. Ed Coleman, the voice of the New York Mets, will once again play emcee. Judges include NYS Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, and Spelling Bee committee member Margaret Smith.
Proceeds from the 2014 Spelling Bee will be used to fund a high-level speaker series, bringing quality programming to Scarsdale and making the library the intellectual hub of the community.
The Friends are grateful for the generous support received from the sponsors of the Spelling Bee. To date, sponsors at the Diamond Level are Mercedes-Benz of White Plains, and Sara and Richard Werder. At the Gold Level, sponsors are Houlihan Lawrence, Drs. Renu and Anil Lalwani, Linda and Jonathan Flaxer, and Margaret and Larry Smith. Those who are interested in sponsoring the Bee by making a donation of $250 or more should contact Renu Lalwani at 917-584-8834 or renublalwani@gmail.com, or Carolyn Mehta at 914-584-5903 or kamncar2@aol.com. In addition, anyone can become a "Friend of the Bee" by making a donation of any amount. A donation form is available at the Library’s website, scarsdalelibrary.org.
Gas Station Robbery Suspect Arrested
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale Police report that the NYS Police have arrested a suspect in the December first robbery of the Shell Gas Station on Post Road in Scarsdale. The suspect, Bernard Kilkenney of Wappinger was arrested and charged in Federal Court in White Plains on December 11th for his alleged role in 15 robberies that took place in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties between October 30th and December 6th.
In several of the cases, including the robbery in Scarsdale ,the suspect used a BMX style bicycle to flee the scene. When he was arrested by the State Police on Thursday, Kilkenney had a BMX bicycle in the truck he was driving.
Cub Scouts Round Up Hundreds of Books for Charity
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- Written by: Midori Im
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"To help others at all times" is part of the scout oath, and one of the ways a pack, or local branch, does so is through acts of community service. Each year Scarsdale Cub Scout Pack 440 chooses a particular project for which to enlist the whole group, which is comprised of over 50 boys, ages six to 10.
In past years the projects have ranged from national (sending care packages to troops stationed abroad) to local (providing supplies to the Ronald McDonald House in Valhalla). This year Pack 440's annual service project centered on literacy at a local level. The pack held a children's book drive, and the new and gently used books were then donated to the Institute for Family Health clinics in Harlem and the South Bronx. The books will be distributed to patients. In particular, those for young children will be used as part of the Reach Out and Read program (http://www.reachoutandread.org). Celebrating its 25th year, Reach Out and Read program is an evidence-based nonprofit organization of medical providers who promote early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by integrating children's books and advice to parents of underprivileged backgrounds about the importance of reading aloud into well-child visits.
Between looking at home for books they had outgrown, to buying books to donate or seeking books from
friends and neighbors, the scouts were able to amass over 500 books to distribute to families in need. On Saturday, December 6th, the pack met to sort out the books by age and pack for shipment. Children were also able to attach a book plate to a book to explain why they liked or recommended the book to the recipient. In keeping with the projects focus on literacy and its environmental theme of reuse, the boys also engaged in a craft project where they made journals out of cereal boxes.
Scarsdale Child's Play and Taiim Wine Cellar Closing in the Village
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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It's one step forward, two steps backwards in Scarsdale Village where a successful effort by the Chamber of Commerce and TAP to increase shopping downtown on Small Business Saturday was followed by the closing of a well-loved toy store and a restaurant.
Bonnie Ernst, the proprietor of Scarsdale Child's Play told me that after two and a half years of consideration she has decided to close the store which has operated in Scarsdale for 33 years. Her personal advice and expert customer care made the store a go-to destination for gifts for children of all ages. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends relied on Ernst to recommend the right toy for birthday gifts, holiday presents, goody bags and camp care packages. Kids loved to stop at the store to wave the large wand and send bubbles floating through the village.
Ernst said that she couldn't continue to work demanding retail hours and that the steps in the store kept her running up and down for inventory all day. She was unable to sell the store and is now running a retirement sale and offering all merchandise at 50% off.
Also gone is Taiim Middle Eastern Wine Cellar on Boniface Circle. The restaurant opened in January 2013 as a wine bar with light Middle Eastern fare including hummus, cheese plates and falafel. A year later, the original owners parted ways and the restaurant was redesigned and experimented with more formal fare. The interior was stunning but local laws prevented the restaurant from having a grill and exhaust fan so it was difficult to create full meals.
Owner Erion Hasko made numerous attempts to revise the menu but was unable to secure the loyalty of local diners. Sadly the restaurant has closed its doors leaving another vacant space downtown.
Petra: The New Greek Restaurant in Scarsdale
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- Written by: Cynthia Roberts
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My Greek grandmothers are cooking for Scarsdale. Or at least when I closed my eyes during dinner at Petra I imagined they were.
If you have traveled to Greece you will be transported back to the Aegean Islands via your fork. This is authentic Greek food. A wide variety of hot mezedes (appetizers) include keftedakia (spiced meatballs), saganaki (flamed Greek cheese), and steamed mussels with garlic, wine and cheese. Charcoal grilled octopus is my personal gage of quality in a Greek restaurant and it was perfect--tender with a light charring.
Cold mezedes include creamy tzatsiki the classic yogurt, fresh dill and cucumber dip served with grilled pita bread, dolmadakia (grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs), and a roasted eggplant garlic and spice dip, among many others. While there are six lovely salads on the menu from which to choose, we enjoyed the Petra house special salad-a traditional Greek salad of vine ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and feta amended with grilled zucchini, peppers and onions.
Having opened only a few weeks ago, dinner time is already busy at Petra.
My mother chatted in Greek with Mike, the head waiter and charming Zorba look-a-like, who made us feel right at home.
We shared a plate of mousaka, a hearty dish for a cold night. The eggplant and meat filling were topped with a lightly browned, yet fluffy béchamel topping. Having attempted mousaka at home, I know the topping is the challenge. The grilled baby lamb chops were cooked to order and tasty. My husband insisted on trying the grilled jumbo shrimp marinated in lemon, garlic and olive oil and we were all happy that he did.
We spoke with friendly co-owner Philip Varis who hopes that families will come to Petra. While the menu has all of the traditional Greek foods many of which are kid-friendly, they also offer a $6.95 hamburger.
We couldn't resist tasting a homemade dessert. The karidopita, a walnut cake, had just enough honey syrup to moisten, yet not overpower the taste and texture.
We look forward to working our way through the menu and especially want to try the homemade loukoumades (fresh Greek donuts), a favorite of the children of all ages in my extended Greek family.
I hope you enjoy Petra as much as we did.
Petra is located at 66 Garth Road directly across the street from the Repertoire Dance Shop. To help commuters rushing home from the train they provide both take-out and a clever curbside pick-up so you don't have to park. Delivery will be offered shortly and they are awaiting their liquor license.
Phone: (914) 874-5674
