On Our Radar

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 24 March 2014; Created: 24 March 2014; Last Updated: 25 March 2014; Hits: 8182

raskin Silhouettes Photographer Ruth Raskin will exhibit photographs from a two-week western road trip at the Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery in Larchmont from April 1 to 26. The show, titled "Road Trip: New Mexico" is part of a two-person photography show that also features a study of Hungarian Gypsies by Rita Baunok of South Salem. The gallery will hold a reception on Saturday, April 5, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

"This show is the culmination of a two-week road trip I took last year," said Scarsdale resident Raskin. "I shot 13 rolls of black and white film over the 1,500 miles my husband and I covered." Her trip started in Albuquerque and ended in Santa Fe. White Sands, Roswell, Santa Rosa and Taos were some of her many stops. Raskin does all of her own printing in her home darkroom.

In addition to the Mamaroneck Artists Guild, Raskin is a member of Soho Photo Gallery in New York City, Westchester-based The Ground Glass, The Greenwich Art Society and The New Rochelle Art Association. Among her awards was a "First Place in Photography" at the 2011 Armonk Outdoor Art Show. She studied at the International Center of Photography and the Center for the Arts at WCC.

The Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery is located at 126 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. See more of Raskin's work at: www.ruthraskin.com
RaskinRoute 66 Chevrolet Santa Rosa

Details: Written by: Bruce Wells; Published: 18 March 2014; Created: 18 March 2014; Last Updated: 18 March 2014; Hits: 6724

BBQ Have a hankering for BBQ? The D&A Smokehouse recently opened at 749 Central Park Ave and is well worth the trip. Walking into the small storefront near Men's Warehouse, you immediately realize this is the real deal. From the blues on the stereo, to the tin ceilings, it screams authentic BBQ, and D&A delivers. It is a small venue with about 6 tables and a 6-person bar. They offer takeout as well.

The menu is straight-forward, chicken, brisket, pulled pork and spare ribs. This is a meat-lovers paradise. Vegetarians should find another venue. D&A uses their own dry rub and everything is smoked on premises. Since the food is all freshly made they sometimes run out of select items. On a recent visit, there was no more chicken, which was just another reason to come back another day.

The BBQ is amazing. Pulled pork, brisket and spare ribs were all wonderfully done, juicy and tender. The dry rub comes through nicely and does not overwhelm the meat. Since it is dry rubbed, the meat is not covered in a sweet sauce as is some BBQ. If you want to add sauce, they have three tomato-based varieties that are made in-house. ... choose from mild, hot or a new beer-based sauce made with Broken Bow beer that is wonderful.

The four different meats are served on sandwiches, by the half or full plate or in combos if you have a large party or want to try different things. Be warned; you should be very hungry to order a large plate for yourself, but they make great choices for a larger party. Three large plates are plenty for a table of four. Sandwiches include smaller portions of meat served on a roll which is good for lunch or for those who don't want to gorge on a full plate of meat.

Good BBQ needs good side dishes and D&A delivers here as well. The sides follow the same "simpler is better" philosophy of the BBQ choices. The slaw is a required side for any BBQ aficionado – it's creamy and freshly made with ample pepper. There are also garlic "dirty" mashed potatoes, smoked baked beans, Mac and cheese and potato salad and of course traditional corn bread However, on a recent visit, they were out of corn bread too. It's baked daily and delicious when available.

BBQ would not be complete without a good selection of beer, and D&A has 3 craft beers on tap. The night we visited they were serving Eastchester's Broken Bow Pale Ale, Bronx Brewery seasonal --a roasty porter -- and a Lagunitus IPA from California. They also had an impressive craft bottle list and a wine list for those who have not yet discovered the pleasures of craft beer.

In all, D&A Smokehouse is a great place for any BBQ lover. Authentic BBQ served with proper sides, a great beer selection and blues playing on the stereo. Hard to go wrong with the simple "nothing fancy" menu. l. Highly recommended.

D&A Smokehouse
749 Central Park Avenue
Scarsdale, NY, 10583
(914) 725-6400
dnasmokehousebbq.com

Open Tuesday - Friday 11:30 am - 9 pm
Saturday 1 pm – 9 pm
Sunday 1 pm – 8 pm
Closed Mondays

Details: Written by: Deborah Skolnik; Published: 11 March 2014; Created: 11 March 2014; Last Updated: 11 March 2014; Hits: 4854

guysanddolls Ten dollars normally doesn't buy you much around here. You could maybe get a half-pound of bakery cookies (and do hours of Pilates as penance). But this weekend, ten bucks can score you a much sweeter deal: the chance to see a musical starring Scarsdale's very own eighth graders! The Scarsdale Middle School Players are presenting Guy & Dolls, Jr. at 7 pm on Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th, at the Middle School Auditorium. Tickets are on sale from 11 am to 1 pm all week at the school's Great Hall; any remaining seats will be sold on performance nights. (But why take your chances? Buy now!).

"We selected the musical for its traditional and fun flavor," says Rachele Ketterer, the production's choreographer. "It's a great play for middle-school students because there are many full- and partial-cast numbers." (Translation: Your favorite little guy--or doll--will be getting plenty of soft-shoe time on stage!). The kids are ready for their close-ups, thanks to plenty of hard work. "We've been rehearsing for weeks," Ketterer says.

If you're unfamiliar with this classic 1950s Frank Loesser musical, you're in for a toe-tapping treat. It's about dice-rollers and do-gooders in 1930s Times Square, and the hilarity that ensues when their worlds collide. Chances are you've at least heard some of the tunes before: "There are songs that everyone should expect to know, such as 'Luck Be a Lady,' " Ketterer reveals. And if you ever caught the 1955 movie version, you'll be floored at how well our kids stack up against Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and Jean Simmons. "The comedy stylings of some of the actors playing gamblers are a pleasure to watch--the students have really started to perfect their comedic timing," Ketterer says.

All they need to hit it home? Our support! It's crucial to the kids' self-esteem and development, Ketter explains. "The musical is a place for any student to shine, regardless of academic or athletic achievement. A large audience helps the kids feel all their hard work was worthwhile. The laughs are bigger and the applause is louder, so the kids can fully rise to the occasion." So go ahead and get your ticket today--it's no gamble. A great time is guaranteed!

Deborah Skolnik is the proud Greenacres mother of Guys & Dolls do-gooder.

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 05 March 2014; Created: 05 March 2014; Last Updated: 05 March 2014; Hits: 4595

goldfinchcover With winter weather keeping us inside, residents are busy reading, listening to audio books and watching movies at home. We asked Leni Glauber at the Scarsdale Library to tell us what books and films were receiving the most circulation and here is what she reported. If you're reading something good, recommend it to other Scarsdale10583 readers in the comments section below.

What Scarsdale is Reading

The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
The Invention of Wings – Sue Monk Kidd
Still Life with Bread Crumbs – Anna Quindlen
Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War – Robert Gates
The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History – Robert Edsel
Killer: an Alex Delaware novel – Jonathan Kellerman
The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America – Amy Chua

What Scarsdale is Watching:

Blue Jasmine
Gravity
Captain Phillips
12 Years a Slave
Dallas Buyers Club

What Scarsdale is Listening to:

The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
The Invention of Wings – Sue Monk Kidd
Still Life with Bread Crumbs – Anna Quindlen
Sycamore Row – John Grisham

And you can do more than borrow books at the library. Here are three events you might want to attend at the library this month:

Film: The Iran Job. a documentary focusing on an American basketball player, Kevin Sheppard, who accepts a job to play in Iran, one of the world's most feared countries, is the March film in the Scarsdale Public Library's monthly new independent or foreign film series. The movie will be shown at the Scarsdale Library on Wednesday, March 12, at 6:30 pm and a matinee on Friday, March 14, at 1:30. In Iran, Kevin finds a country brimming with generosity, acceptance and sensuality. He forms an unlikely friendship with three outspoken Iranian women who share with him their strong opinions on many topics. Kevin's season culminates in the uprising and subsequent suppression of Iran's reforming Green Movement – a power prelude to the sweeping changes currently unfolding across the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring. Admission is free, along with snacks and soda.

Theatre: A reading of the three-person play The Grain of the Wood about the life of Justine Wise Polier, a visionary family court judge, will be given at the Scarsdale Public Library on Sunday, March 9, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. The program is sponsored by the Westchester Region of Hadassah. Justice Polier, the first women justice in New York State, and the daughter of prominent Rabbi Stephen Wise, dedicated her life to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and fighting social injustice. Justice Polier worked with close friend Eleanor Roosevelt to open a school for delinquent boys and mobilized to rescue 20,000 German refugee children desperate to escape Hitler Germany, going up against fierce anti-Semitism in the U.S. The play was written by Ellen W. Kaplan, a professor of theatre at Smith College, who collaborated with Debra Bradley Ruder, a journalist and granddaughter of Polier. A discussion and Q&A with the cast and producer will follow the play. Reservations can be made at 914-937-3151. A donation of $10 is suggested and refreshments will be served.

Lecture: Want to have a healthy diet without sacrificing taste? Ronna Corlin, a certified, plant-based whole food nutrition educator and holistic health coach, will describe how at the Scarsdale Public Library on Saturday, March 15, at noon. The Other Affordable Wellness Act" according to Corlin is today's prescription for nutritional excellence and aging well. Through conscious, plant-based food choices and learning how to triumph in the kitchen, she says, one can learn to eat for health affordably. Corlin holds a counseling certification through Columbia University's Teacher's College and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She formerly owned Ronna's Sweet Necessities on Chase Road. Plant-Centered refreshments will be served.

Details: Written by: Deborah Skolnik; Published: 27 February 2014; Created: 27 February 2014; Last Updated: 27 February 2014; Hits: 5413

OMG! So you thought you knew how to text...but you've been wrong, way wrong. The rules are different for us Scarsdalians—always. Learn what these popular abbreviations mean within our city limits!