Ah, Memorial Day, the most official—yet, unofficial—beginning to summer we have. You can start wearing white again, switch to flip flops and iced coffee. In case you’ve forgotten how much snow we got this year, Long Island was hit with a snow storm nearly every other week since December. People were cranky. Animals were confused. Poor little Malverne Mel couldn’t even perform his Groundhog duties because of the ice and snow. Cabin fever set in. But thankfully that’s all in the past now. Lucky for you guys, we spent all those hours stuck inside the house doing hours of research, looking for things that we would do once we were able to scrape our way out of the front door. So, after months of snow and weeks of torrential rain we’re going to go out on a limb here and declare the nice weather is finally here to stay. And just to make it official, we give you our summer to-do list. From arm wrestling contests to farmer’s markets, pop concerts to slightly obscure shows, street fairs to reality stars, we’ve put it all here for your reading and planning pleasure. But, hey, we can’t do it all. Now it’s up to you to decide what you’re going to say in September when someone asks you, “What did you do this summer?”

Thursday, May 26

Rihanna
She may be bad, but she’s perfectly good at it…and she’ll be doing it in public in the center of Rockefeller Plaza for free. But you’d better get there early. Part of NBC’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series, you won’t need a ticket to see RiRi, but keep in mind tourists from Idaho to Alabama will be there and they get up early. THU 5.26, Rockefeller Plaza (Also with Cee Lo Green at Nassau Coliseum on 7.19)

Out at the Movies: Gun Hill Road @ Cinema Arts Centre
Filmmaker Rashaad Ernesto Green and star Harmony Santana discuss the film, in which Santana plays Michael, a teen exploring a sexual transformation.

West Side Story @ Gateway Playhouse

Black Velvet @ Ripe Art Gallery
Black-based abstract landscape paintings

Memorial Week Carnival Opens @ Huntington YMCA

Carl Labove @ Governor’s Comedy Club
Relationships, the evil of zoos, the family tree and treachery—nothing is off limits when Carl takes the stage. Through 5.28

Painting Hitchcock
For the past decade, artist John Abrams has explored the images found in art house films, focusing on themes and storylines ranging from seduction to politics. The exhibit comprises painted scenes from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much, Rear Window, Torn Curtain and others. THU 5.26-6.13, Boltax Gallery

Friday, May 27

Lady Gaga
While subway trains are jetting through NYC with giant Lady Gagas plastered on the side of them, thousands of Little Monsters awaited their mother on the streets for days just to catch a glimpse of Gaga on Saturday Night Live last week. Needless to say, this free concert in the park is a ticketed event, so unless you got lucky on the May 20 drawing, you probably won’t get in, but you could always climb a tree—or watch Gaga perform between 8 and 9 a.m. on Good Morning America. FRI 5.27, Rumsey Playfield Central Park

Bomber Flights & Air Show
If you’re excited about the air show at Jones Beach this weekend, consider this the VIP pre-party. An extremely rare B-29 Superfortress, B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and B-25 Mitchell bomber are among the operational WWII aircraft that will be open to the public saluting soldiers and American veterans. They will be joined by period fighters and paratrooper planes along with a column of WWII armor led by a Sherman tank. The only operational B-29 in the world, this aircraft, the B-24 and B-17 will offer flight experiences at donation levels that vary based on the aircraft. FRI 5.27-5.30, American Airpower Museum

A Taste of the East End @ Bistro 72

Sidewalk Sales & Early Bird Shopping @ Tanger Outlets, Riverhead
Three miles of sidewalks paved with savings

Tamara Wallace/Lucas Prata @ Dream

Babylon Arts Festival Opens @ BACCA

Girls, Uninterrupted III @ Governor’s Comedy Club

Superstar Beer Tasting @ Coram Superstar Beverage

Wine Fair @ The Wine Shack

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes @ Stephen Talkhouse

Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body Opens @ Long Island Children’s Museum

Saturday,  May 28

The American Bombshells, Save the Catalina Hangar Party @ The American Airpower Museum
The American Bombshells are a nonprofit entertainment troupe with the mission of lifting the spirits of our troops and our wounded and disabled Veterans.  We travel and raise money so that no veteran is left unappreciated for their sacrifices. This exclusive event includes big band music, air show pilot meet and greet, warbird and military aircraft, plus a private sunset warbird flight demonstration.

Armed Forces Helicopter Landing @ Eisenhower Park Kite Field
A helicopter landing in the middle of the park? Yes, please.

Emmylou Harris @ Rockefeller Plaza

New Suffolk Chowder Fest @ New Suffolk Waterfront

Sugar Shack Burlesque @ Stephen Talkhouse

Wine Fair @ The Wine Shack

Sheep to Shawl Festival @ Old Bethpage Village Restoration
Sheep sheering, old-fashioned “Base Ball,” band concerts and Model A Fords. Through 5.29

Montgomery Granger: Saving Grace at Guantanamo Bay @ Book Revue

Splish Splash Opening Day @ Splish Splash Water Park
Yes, this is the summer you were referring to last summer when you confidently said you would go on the Cliff Diver slide next summer. What? It’s only an 8-story, 3-second drop. While you’re trying to gather your courage, check out the brand spankin’ new 4-foot wave pool.

Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit @ Bowery Ballroom

One Love @ Crazy Donkey

Summer Pleasures Opens @ Tulla Booth Gallery

The Greater the Risk @ Vibe Lounge

Muttville Comix: A Canine Comedy Show @ Long Island Game Farm

David Johansen @ City Winery

Live Music on the Patio @ Duck Walk Vineyards

Bayside/Silverstein @ Best Buy Theater

Memorial Day Fireworks @ North Hempstead Beach Park

Asteroid Viewing @ Custer Observatory

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars @ The Bell House

Huge Book Sale @ Shelter Island Public Library

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
This isn’t just a screening of the cult favorite. This show involves audience participation. So bring your props, party with Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Magenta and Riff Raff and this time throwing a buttered slice of bread in the air and doing the Time Warp in the aisles won’t get you kicked out. We promise. SAT 5.28. Also 7.9, 7.29, 8.20; Cinema Arts Centre

Mozart Festival
Mozart’s work is still referred to as “violent,” “sensual” and “voluptuous” today. Not bad for a guy who died 200 hundred years ago, eh? Pre-concert events including children’s activities, tours and lectures pay homage to Mozart’s work in the day and in the evening concerts feature renowned violinist Anna Rabinova and Flutist extraordinaire, Lance Suzuki, and the LI Mozart Festival Chamber Orchestra conducted by Daniel Boico, assistant conductor of the NY Philharmonic. SAT 5.28 & SUN 5.29, Old Westbury Gardens

Bethpage Federal Credit Union Air Show
Due to technical issues, the F-22′s are grounded and will not be performing in the 2011 air show. This year’s show will feature three world-renowned aerobatic pilots including Sean Tucker, who was named a “Smithsonian Living Legend,” Lt. Colonel John Klatt, who has flown three combat deployments in the Middle East, and Michael Goulian, a world-renowned sports aviator. Together, they will have your toes curling in the sand. SAT 5.28 & SUN 5.29, Jones Beach State Park

Imagine: a deepwater port on the North Shore, possibly where the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant was once going to be, bringing in cargo ships brimming with products from around the world and exporting the East End’s agricultural bounty to international markets. With one bold stroke, Long Island’s economy and culture could grow by leaps and bounds, giving the Island an entirely new dynamic.

It’s one of the more provocative proposals floated in The Long Island 2035 Regional Comprehensive Sustainability Plan, a 120-page overview of the issues affecting the future health and vitality of Long Island recently released by the Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC) as a means of offering potential solutions to many of the Island’s most daunting challenges.

“It’s obviously a creative idea,” says Michael White, the group’s executive director, of the port. “Cities around the world are fighting each other to have more active ports. Think about this, if we had a port and more rail freight, our bridges and Long Island roadways would look totally different. Does it make sense? Is it feasible for Long Island?”

Well, maybe not, says Lee Koppelman, the former executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk County Regional Planning Board (LIRPC’s precursor) and now professor emeritus at Stony Brook University.

“A seaport makes absolutely no sense,” Koppelman says. “If construction is at a low ebb [now] and the [future] population increase is limited, how is that going to cut costs?”

Those kinds of questions call out for further study. The deepwater harbor is just one notion proposed by the report—the most ambitious project to come out of the local planning world in decades. After spending some $750,000 over more than a year and a half, the council and its team of consultants scrutinized almost 900 planning, engineering and government documents prepared over the last 40 years, and broke new ground with studies of their own. They held dozens of public meetings around the Island and conducted several intensive brain-storming sessions—called “charrettes” in the planners’ parlance—with key political officials, industry leaders, stakeholders and influential community members.

The resulting study is bolstered by five additional technical reports spanning governance, economy, infrastructure and transportation, land use and equity. Each represents the distillation of thousands of pages of more detailed analysis and policy debate.

A quick sampling:

• Create a Long Island Regional Infrastructure Bank to spread the cost of financing regionally significant improvements in water, sewer, roads, rail, power and other public amenities.
• Invest in new mass transit options along the north-south corridors to improve cross-Island connectivity and reduce dependence on cars.
• Encourage residential and retail development in the Island’s “downtowns” for young people to have more affordable housing and recreational opportunities.
• Change the way Long Islanders use our water resources by reducing consumption, increasing recycling, cutting down on waste and making distribution more efficient.
• Provide more connections across the Sound so residents and businesses can avoid the region’s congested core.

How many of these initiatives will ultimately become reality on an Island where so many previous proposals have come to be buried remains unsettled.

“It’s a compilation of a lot of ideas, most of which the council and its consultants have vetted, and we believe are viable,” says John Cameron, president of Cameron Engineering, a firm with offices in Woodbury and Manhattan, and the voluntary chairman of the LIRPC.

The first phase is barely complete and already it’s drawn national recognition. Earlier this month the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs selected the Long Island 2035 Sustainability Plan as a model in developing a framework for regional planning and implementation.

The two men spearheading the rollout of the LI 2035 project differ as much in appearance as they do in demeanor but they share the same goal. Cameron is close-cropped, dynamic and direct; White is bearded, professorial and laid back.

Cameron, a Nassau native, still finds the time to surf at Long Beach, while White, a former Montauk surfer born in Smithtown, put his board away years ago and these days watches his sons swim in national college championships. This pair of Long Islanders have known each other since 1984. Together, they bring a mix of enthusiasm and realism, with an attention to small details and an eye on the big picture.

“We all know Long Island has tremendous assets,” they proclaim in the sustainability report’s Open Letter to the People of Long Island. “We must use these assets to attract new economic growth to the region, to keep our youth on the Island and to create sufficient housing options. We must find ways to properly and equitably educate all our children.

Finally, we must act to enhance environmental, transportation and energy infrastructure to protect our natural resources and support the current and future population of the Island. Long Island has a tremendous opportunity to redefine what it means to live and thrive in a sustainable 21st Century suburban community.”

The passage above would not be mistaken for poetry, but it could symbolize the strengths and weaknesses of the report: a keen awareness of the problems facing the Island, an urgency to confront them and an opaque ability to solve them.

As the famed French observer, Alexis de Tocqueville, wrote in his 1840 book Democracy in America, “Democratic nations care but little for what has been, but they are haunted by visions of what will be; in this direction their unbounded imagination grows and dilates beyond all measure…. Democracy, which shuts the past against the poet, opens the future before him.”

The Long Island 2035 Regional Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

Some of the best minds of our generation here hope foresight can save Long Island from itself, but if the past is prologue the prospect looks daunting. After talking to participants, advocates and critics, LI 2035 could be either the most comprehensive, far-reaching analysis of the challenges confronting us yet assembled, or a colossal waste of energy and money. The answer depends on those who’ve already invested so much of their time and effort just to get to this point. Can they overcome the inertia so endemic to our region and keep their report relevant? Or will they wind up watching their work collect dust on a shelf?

“The reality is that no Long Island Regional Planning Council can actually implement [the report’s recommendations] because we don’t have regional government,” says Lawrence Levy, executive dean of Hofstra University’s National Center for Suburban Studies, who was intimately involved in producing this new report. “It’s up to the counties, the towns and the villages to create a consensus over what needs to be done and how to do it.”

Mitchell Pally, chief executive officer of the Long Island Builders Institute and former vice president for governmental relations at the Long Island Association, agrees.

“They rely on others to implement what they come up with, and that’s the hardest part,” he says. “But that’s the same for any lobbying organization, and to some degree that’s what they are.”

Levy warns against letting this study collect dust.

“[LI 2035] ends up on a shelf if the people who pay for it keep it on a shelf,” Levy says. “If they let it die, they’d be wasting a lot of money.

“This was as in-depth, as deep and as broad a study of the entire region,” Levy exclaims, as anything he’s seen or participated in. And in his former role as a Newsday columnist and editorial writer, he knows firsthand the oblivion that can await even the noblest exhortation to improve Long Island. Levy emphasized that LI 2035 is “not a master plan, not a transportation plan, not a housing plan—but something that connects all the dots and looks at the Island as a whole and all of its needs. It’s not: What do we need to do in 25 years? But: what do we need to start doing now so that in 25 years this will be a livable place?”

Either way, somebody had better get busy.

Behind the glass display case at Wheatley Kosher Bakery in Great Neck sits a generous spread of good old-fashioned Long Island bakery fare: carrot cakes, croissants, tarts, wheat, rye and seven-grain breads—the usual. Quite delicious, if not especially kind to the waistline. But come in for a closer look at that cheesecake or those cookies and you’ll notice some other, perhaps less-familiar goods: traditional Persian breads and pastries, plastic pint containers filled with a bean and barley stew. That stew—as you will be informed by the bakery’s owner—is called “cholent,” a traditional soup made by Ashkenazi Jews (i.e., Jews of European descent).

Although today, it seems, that culinary designation is up for discussion.

“You call it cholent?” asks Sadeh’s friend, Barry Sedhagt. “No! It’s…it’s called…it is called ‘aash,’ a Persian dish—something similar to an Ashkenazi food called cholent.”

Sadeh shrugs.

“Cholent,” he says.

Here, you may notice that a good portion of the workers and customers at Wheatley Kosher Bakery are speaking in Farsi, a bouncing and consonant-heavy language that to the untrained ear might be mistaken for Arabic or Hebrew. Indeed, both Sedah and Sedhagt are from Iran and identify as Persians (the word “Persian” refers to the race of people from the area now called Iran). The Jews from Iran are Sephardi Jews; distinct from Ashkenazi Jews in a host of ways.

Sadeh is a large and garrulous man; Sedhagt is short and intense, with a thin brown moustache and a cup of coffee clutched in his hand. And on this snowy Friday morning, as the pair explains to this writer the traditional delicacies available at Wheatley, these small arguments continue to erupt.

Shahram “David” Sadeh

“There are these flat-breads,” says Sadeh, offering to share some of his shop’s wares. “You could have those.”

“They are called Barbari bread!” corrects Sedhagt. “Barbari. A traditional Persian bread.”

Sedhagt owns Safa, a Persian restaurant down the road, and is a bit more invested than Sadeh in the Persian-ness of the foods discussed.

“Or you could have some challah,” Sadeh goes on. “We make good challah.”

“Don’t give him the challah,” interrupts Sedhagt. “Give him the Persian bread, the Barbari! It’s very good toasted with tarragon, Persian pickles, and a cup of Persian tea.”

“Persian tea is just black tea with sugar,” says Sadeh.

“No!” says Sedhagt. “Persian teas are famous! Like Indian teas!”

These are the battlefields where culture is won and lost at Wheatley Kosher Bakery of Great Neck, a store where most of the staff and many of the customers are refugees of a massive and violent revolution that occurred three decades ago.

The store sits smack in the center of Middle Neck Road, the main street of Great Neck—an iconic American suburb that is mostly Jewish. A great portion of the village’s population lived in Iran just 30 years ago, along with a whole culture of Iranian Jews dating back at least 2,600 years, until the 1979 Islamic Revolution. This revolution took down the secular government of the Shah in which the Jews had thrived, and instilled the current Islamic regime in Iran today.

In just the last few days, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has tried to praise the peaceful protests in Egypt and compare them to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But according to many of those in Great Neck who had to escape that revolution, this is a strained comparison.

Fortune 52 Honorees for the evening were:

• Three Walt Whitman High School who teenagers started a non profit to honor and thank non paid family caregivers by raising awareness of their selfless sacrifices. Jennifer Kielawa, Maria Pezzino, Haley Kammerling and mother Patricia Kielawa founded Caregivers for Life and they award restaurant gift certificates, spa treatments, house cleaning and other gifts to non paid family caregivers.
• Catherine Gaynor, Founder of Sophia’s Cure Foundation. Catherine’s daughter Sophia was diagnosed with SMA (Spinal Muscle Atrophy, a degenerative disease that affects one in 6,000 babies. Last year Catherine and her husband Vincent founded Sophia’s Cure Foundation to assist in funding clinical research and to support other families who have children with SMA. But in a very short time, they have done what no other non profit on LI has accomplished. They won a $250,000 grant through the Pepsi Refresh Contest.
• Jennifer Cona, Esq., Managing Partner of Genser, Dubow, Genser & Cona, LLP and Founder – GDGC Charitable Events, Senior Dreams Come True
  Jennifer is an expert in elder law and has seen the way many senior citizens are struggling financially. She wanted to something different to help others. She founded Senior Dreams Come True which benefits low income LI seniors by raising the funds to grant their wishes: it might be money to buy a dress for a child’s wedding or paying for the airfare so they can visit a child who lives far away.
• Melinda Murray – Founder – Dominic A. Murray 21 Memorial Foundation – Melinda’s only child, Dominic, died at the age of 19 from Sudden Cardiac Arrest while playing a pick up game of basketball at Farmingdale State College. Her goal is to certify 2,100 people in CPR. She offers the training for free, so that there is no financial burden on anyone wishing to be trained. The foundation also advocates for youth-athlete cardiac screenings, AED accessibility, and provides PCR-AED training.
• Susan Cohen, PHd, RN, CS – Co Founder, The Soldiers Project, Many of our soldiers have returned with PTSD which not only affects them, but their spouse and children. TSP is a non profit group of volunteer licensed psychiatrists, psychologist, social workers, mental health nurses and family therapists who offer free, confidential counseling to military service members and their loved ones. Susan has amassed a network of more than 70 therapists who are ready to donate their time and expertise to help these soldiers and their families.
• Shari Bender – President and Co Founder NYC Hemophilia Chapter. Shari’s daughter, Rose, was diagnosed with hemophilia type A when she was 9 months old. Rose is one of only 12 females in the US with HA. Shari has dedicated herself to fundraising for a cure and in 10 years the Benders helped raise more than $1 million for research and Shari is a co founder of the NYC Hemophilia Chapter.
• Virginia Peragallo-Dittko, RN, Executive Director, Winthrop University Hospital Diabetes and Obesity Institute. Virginia was a pioneer in diabetes education and literally built the education center from the ground up. Winthrop’s program was the first to be accredited in NYS and many programs have been modeled on its structure.
• Renee Brennan – President R Promotions, Cancer Advocate – Renee was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer last year. While undergoing chemotherapy she suffered with extremely painful mouth sores that made it impossible to sleep, eat and talk. After trying every medication, she found that a new drug was just FDA approved – tried it and miraculously her sores were gone within a week. She was so excited to share the news with her doctors, but they were less enthusiastic and said that they wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else because it wasn’t on the formulary list. Renee then began going from cubicle to cubicle when she was receiving chemotherapy telling the other patients about MuGard, the new oral rinse that healed her mouth. She has continued to lobby the medical community and advocate for this new drug and hopes that by sharing her story it will inspire other cancer patients to have hope.
• Joanne Brass – President, Brass Private Investigations – Joanne Joann worked for her husband’s business United Claims Services in Baldwin for more than 20 years and continues to run the business even after his death two years ago. She now runs Brass PI with her sister Maryellen Schook. Joanne does a lot of pro bono work, especially for women who are abused or whose children are being bullied and only charges $50 an hour. She advocates for pre-marital background checks and for those who are online dating.

Last night, Rena Krasnow, COO and Fashion Director of women’s fashion footwear collection, Aquatalia, shared her journey of success and empowerment at the Dress for Success “Stepping Up” Ceremony at York College/CUNY in Jamaica, Queens.

Krasnow shared her story with 17 women who were attending the “Stepping Up” ceremony to celebrate their membership in the Professional Women’s Group. Last night marked a successful year of employment and the completion of a mentorship program for the young women.

As Krasnow spoke of her journey, she announced her company’s plan to donate 80 pairs of footwear from its collection to the Manhattan branch next month. The donation will aid women in need of work appropriate footwear.

Click to see Aquatalia’s current footwear collection>

Aquatalia is a partner of Dress for Success and will be donating pumps, penny loafer pumps, driving loafers and shoe-booties worth $25,000. The luxury brand is known to retail at high-end stores like Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman with prices ranging from $250 to $595 a pair. Not only are the donations expensive and stylish, they are also 100% weatherproof- perfect for ever-changing, unpredictable New York weather.

Krasnow, who oversees operations for the family-owned brand, dedicated her night to share the story of her career, one of which started in law. The attorney-turned-fashion director spoke about her work in Aquatalia, which her father first started in 1989. Krasnow’s father, Marvin Krasnow, the company with the vision of giving the world a footwear collection that mixes style and quality. It is a collection that uses the finest Italian leathers and suede’s yet withstands the harshest elements, something most footwear companies don’t provide.

Today, through hard work, Rena and her father maintain the brand and keep the company on top and in top stores.  They travel to Milan to work with Italian craftsmen to ensure the highest quality materials and latest designs. And while Rena maintains her mighty position as Aquatalia’s Chief Operating Officer and Fashion Director for the multi-national brand offices, she says she still maintains a great family life, making sure to drop her daughters off at school each day.

Dozens of attendees gathered Nov. 18 at the Roosevelt Hotel to learn from a panel of researchers who broke down the science behind the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Program (BCERP), a five-year national study on the impact of pre-natal-to-adult environmental exposures that may predispose a woman to breast cancer. Researchers discussed how exposure to certain chemicals combined with a fatty diet during a woman’s developing years, or “Windows of Susceptibility,” increases their cancer risk.

“Body weight is still the main driver in the puberty clock, but not the only one,” said Dr. Frank Biro of the University of Cincinnati, a principle investigator in BCERP. “There are lots of others who believe that chemicals are major cause. I clearly believe that they are contributing.”

BCERP is a continuation of a prior seven-year project in which researchers studied the blood work and urine samples of six-to-eight-year-old girls correlated with chemical exposure and diet. The same girls now in the BCERP project are teenagers and will be studied further.

Toxins that have been linked to the disease include heavy metals, some solvents and endocrine disrupting compounds found in everyday consumer products. Researchers are studying the hormonal effects of the endocrine disrupting chemicals bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in certain plastics and children’s products. BPA was recently banned in New York State.

Other toxins researchers are concerned about include: Parabens, which found in cosmetics; Phthalates, found in both cosmetics and certain plastics; And brominated flame retardants (PBDEs), found in the upholstery of furniture manufactured before 2005 and in certain electronics.

Of the 84,000 chemicals found in the environment, only 200 of them have been tested for their toxicity, and only five have been banned since the 1970s. Forty one percent of Americans have been diagnosed with some type of cancer.

Such chemicals, researchers believe, have caused girls to reach puberty as young as seven years old, which prompted researchers to offer a word to the wise for the students in attendance: Data suggests that girls with relatively low-fat, high fiber diets tend to reach puberty later, lowering their cancer risk.

The Long Island-based advocates who helped organize the conference were awarded five-year grants by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to be community partners with New York City-based researchers in BCERP.

Laura Weinberg of the Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition and Karen Miller of the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition, Inc., will create an outreach program for Dr. Susan Teitelbaum and Dr. Jia Chen at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who are studying the effects of parabens and triclosan, which is found in anti-bacterial soaps and cosmetics. The advocates will also represent the community perspective in the interpretation of study results.

Weinberg and Miller were credited with organizing the conference along with Kaya Balke of the University of California, San Francisco.

For more information, visit: www.bcerp.org; BCERC: www.bcerc.org; Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition: www.greatneckbcc.org; Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition:  www.hbcac.org

Great Neck Mayor Ralph J. Kreitzman approves the ban of smoking on sidewalks (Village of Great Neck).

Great Neck has banned smoking on public sidewalks in front of business and other areas on Middle Neck Road.

Mayor Ralph J. Kreitzman said the ban, approved on Tuesday, was enacted after officials got complaints about smokers standing outside stores in the village.

“After complaints about smoke entering Village stores and upsetting customers,” Kreitzman said, “the Village decided to enact this local law to prevent such situations. It also is a health benefit for pedestrians. It would be great to see other Villages follow in our footsteps.”

It’s the first municipality in the state and third in the nation to enact such a restriction, according to a Great Neck village board press release.

The law prohibits smoking tobacco and other substances on sidewalks along, or within 125 feet of, Middle Neck Road in front of commercial establishments, the Village Green Park and the Village Housing Authority. The ban also precludes smoking at benches in municipal parking lots with access to Middle Neck Road and within 10 feet around them.

Kreitzman said violators found smoking on sidewalks in the 1.2-square-mile village could face fines of up to $1,000.

Neighboring New York City is currently considering a smoking ban in parks and pedestrian plazas.

With the Associated Press

Nancy Fallica

Nancy Fallica was the matriarch of a very sweet family. Along with her two daughters, Rose Fuger and Monica Tarantino, Nancy owned and operated A Taste of Home Bakery in North Bellmore, a staple in the community for more than eight years, and a gathering place for local residents and business owners to meet over a cup of coffee and a just-baked piece of cake or Danish.

Rose makes all of their baked goods in-house, including the usual confections and added homemade gelato, chocolate, candies…whatever they needed to do to stay competitive. They serve breakfast and lunch. They have a deli in the store. They open early and close late. They work hard all year round, but especially during the holiday season, traditionally their busiest time of the year. They recently re-launched their website, www.ATasteofHomeBakery.com, and are now getting orders from around the country and have garnered some large corporate clients in addition to their strong base of local business. They had a lot of holiday orders to fill this year. Things were looking up.

Nancy had been ill for the past several weeks and tired easily but still insisted on helping her daughters at the bakery. Her illness progressed and Nancy had to be hospitalized, but even then she was asking Monica to bring bakery boxes to her hospital room to put together, to keep her hands busy. Nancy knew that mid-December was crunch time in their line of business and wanted to help. Sadly, on Thursday, December 16, Nancy passed away.

Devastated by their mother’s passing, Rose and Monica went to the one place where they felt comfort with Nancy’s presence: their bakery. “Mom was a fixture from the day we opened,” Monica says. “She just loved people.”

Says Nancy’s son, Raymond: “People thought of my mother as an old friend.  They were deeply upset.”

The family was greeted by their many friends who wanted to pay their respects. And then, everyone stayed to help the sisters get their holiday orders out. “About 25 people chipped in,” Monica says. Raymond adds, “My sisters needed help and people came out of nowhere, all because of the positive effect my mother had.”

Everyone came together to make sure that every order was delivered, helpers included teenagers, employees who came in off the clock, local PTA members, friends, relatives and many local business owners including Kim from Oberle’s—the florist across the street from A Taste of Home—and many members of the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, of which Rose is President.

Susan Tasker, from local radio station B103, went to pay her respects to the grieving family and stayed to pitch in during the weekend. “I kept going back,” Susan says. “It was very community. It’s what people should do when something like this happens. Everyone was packing and wrapping trays, it was non-stop.”

Donna Cariello, a former manager at Fed Ex and now the founder of The Long Island Way, spent the weekend coordinating the shipment of hundreds of holiday baskets and cookie trays. “It was an amazing experience to see the community come together to support the family due to the loss of their cherished mother who was a mom to all,” says Donna. “The Taste of Home family has continually nourished the community, and supported Long Island businesses and non-profits for years. Nancy’s presence at the bakery will be missed and remembered. Her wishes were for all of us to give love and value our time together.”

Paul Telese, owner of Elisa’s Restaurant in East Meadow, sent over a hot meal for all of Santa’s helpers. Sue said that other restaurants began sending over food to help feed the masses. Sue took over the task of coordinating deliveries with the many restaurants who wanted to do something to help Rose and Monica, so that they weren’t all sending over food at the same time.

Besides packing up mail orders, there were four Breakfast With Santa bookings that were reserved. Dozens of children were looking forward to the event, which coincidently was at the same time as Nancy’s wake. Volunteers called the people who had reservations and combined four seatings into two. New Santas and servers had to be found due to the time change. Andy and Lynda Calimano of Starfish Junction, a local event-production company, had been at the bakery, helping out. Lynda was wrapping and Andy was delivering packages. When they found out they needed a Santa, Lynda called her father, Chris Danker, who volunteered to suit up. They were one waitress short, so Sandra Johnson CPA of Bellmore and President of the LI Center for Business and Professional Women, donned an apron and served breakfast. “People just rallied around us,” Monica says. “They told me not to worry, that they’d come through for us, and they did.”

Says Lynda: “Everybody who came through the door had a story about Nancy and every single person asked what they could do to help.”

Janine Kelly, a local chiropractor, says, “There were elves everywhere, even the ones you couldn’t see. I always tell Rose, ‘You know who your friends are,’ and they all rallied when Nancy passed.”

Rose and Monica will carry on Nancy’s legacy. “Mom had lots of jobs, but she was always our ambassador of goodwill,” Monica says. “Her first question was always, how are your children and how are you? She would break perfectly good cookies and then give them out. You never left empty handed. Everybody left with something. She was old-school.”

“I have another crew coming tonight, we are going to do our best,” Monica vows, but after a long breath says, “Yesterday was hard. I had to count the money.”

That was always Nancy’s job.

A Taste of Home Bakery, 1992 North Jerusalem Road, North Bellmore, NY, 516-486-1670
www.atasteofhomebakery.com

First lady Michelle Obama presents a 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service to Dina McNeece, the director of Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue, N.Y., center, and community member, Zheni Velasquez, left, during an East Room ceremony Dec. 17, 2010, at the White House in Washington. The National Medal is the nation's highest honor for museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Patchogue-Medford Library became a center of healing for its community following the stabbing death of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero in 2008.

Now, First lady Michelle Obama has recognized that library with a national medal for bilingual education.

The First Lady presented the National Medal for Museum and Library Service during a ceremony Friday in the White House.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services selected the Patchogue library for its work bringing together Spanish-speaking immigrants and English speakers.

The Suffolk library was among 10 recipients of the medal.

The library has been credited for the substantial role it played supporting the community of Patchogue after Lucero was killed by a mob of teenagers targeting Hispanics.

With AP.

“We are honored that AFPLI has selected MSC as the recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Corporation Award,” said Erik Gershwind, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MSC. “Giving back to the community is part of our core values, and a standard of our culture.  This award is very special because it is a testament to our associates’ passion for supporting our communities.”

MSC associates are encouraged to participate on various cross-functional teams that help further the company’s Corporate Citizenship efforts.   These teams carry on the tradition of giving and corporate social responsibility established by the company’s founder, Sidney Jacobson, and expanded upon by his son, Mitchell Jacobson, Chairman of MSC’s Board of Directors.  Today, under David Sandler’s leadership as MSC’s President and CEO, the company and its associates are proud to continue their founder’s legacy by partnering with non-profit organizations and supporting their communities at large.  

Other honorees recognized at the Philanthropy Day luncheon include:  Joseph Mancino, The Horace Hagedorn Outstanding Philanthropist Award; Frank Pelliccione, Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer of the Year;  Alan J. Kelly, Outstanding Fundraising Professional;  Ann McDermott-Kave, The Gilbert Tilles Award ; Kyle Orent, Leaders of Tomorrow.

“The dedication to support the less fortunate by professionals, volunteers, corporations and individuals makes our community strong and demonstrates that we place a high value on a culture of caring, particularly for those who are less fortunate and cannot take full advantage of all Long Island has to offer,” said Patricia Chambers Daly, Chairperson of Philanthropy Day 2010 and Director of Development for the Dominican Sisters of Amityville.  “This year we are pleased to present an especially dynamic group of honorees, and we are proud to recognize their efforts and celebrate their accomplishments.”

Philanthropy Day is celebrated in November in cities across America.  Fundraising professionals, board members, business leaders, community activists and individuals gather for professional development and to honor their leaders.  Long Island’s Philanthropy Day is one of the largest one-day fundraising conferences in the country and regularly attracts more than 700 attendees and 60 exhibitors, with the highlight of the day being the Awards Luncheon.

The Port Washington resident, who has been with CML since 1983 and editor in chief since 2001, will be succeeded by Pamela Loeser of Baldwin, one of CML’s two associate editors.
 
“After 27 years at CML, reading thousands of magazines, literary journals, and newspapers, it is still a thrill to find well-written, informative, provocative, soul-nurturing articles, short stories, essays, and poetry to share with our loyal subscribers. I feel confident that Pamela Loeser is ideally suited to carry on the work of this magnificent project. I am happy to continue to work at CML in a part-time capacity as we face the challenges ahead.”

Launched in 1962, CML is supported by the nonprofit Lucerna Fund, created by LuEsther T. Mertz, a founder of Publisher’s Clearing House. For nearly 50 years, CML has been providing the best in contemporary periodical literature to people with disabilities. Material selected by CML’s editors is recorded, unabridged, by professional narrators and distributed, free of charge, to a national audience. Issues are often filled with the works of award-winning writers, and eligible subscribers receive 48 hours of listening each year.

Ms. Mochson had a 15-year career as a copy editor, associate editor and managing editor at such publishing companies as Harcourt Brace, Macmillan, and McGraw-Hill, before joining CML as associate editor in 1983. She was promoted to editor in chief in January 2001 following the retirement of Doris Fields. “It was a joy to work with Doris for so many years and an honor to continue in her footsteps, she said. “Since becoming editor, I have been fortunate to work with dedicated staff members and talented editors. It was truly a labor of love.”

Before joining CML 10 years ago, Ms. Loeser had her own freelance copyediting business for 17 years. “As Choice Magazine Listening approaches its 50th anniversary, it continues to grow and change with the times,” Ms. Loeser said, “but the one thing that will never change is the exceptional writing our subscribers have come to count on. I’m so proud to be part of this unique audio magazine.”

For more information about Choice Magazine Listening (www.choicemagazinelistening.org), please contact Paul Rabin, 516-503-0271 (psrabin@verizon.net).

Before mass-produced beers ruled the earth, brewers used a variety of yeast strains, spices, grains, and artisanal methods to produce rich, brews full of robust aromas and exciting flavors. For years, the tiny nation of Belgium, located at the crossroads of many European culinary traditions and agricultural regions, has been at the center of this brewing heritage, where hundreds of breweries produce countless styles and varieties of beer. The Belgian style of beer is a time honored tradition that dates back to the middle Ages beginning in monasteries. The Monks started making beer that was exclusively for them and the word soon spread that there was something special “brewing”.

These days you can pretty much go to any distributor on Long Island and find many styles of Belgian Beer from the traditional dubbel (brown in color) and tripel ( strong pale ale) to the more well known White or Wheat beers. Many of these beers are bottle conditioned and unfiltered. When you pick up a bottle from the shelf you might notice a very cloudy appearance with some stuff floating around the bottom of the bottle, do not be alarmed this is the way it is supposed to be. They leave the yeast in the bottle so the fermentation can continue until the bottle is opened.

There are many Belgian styles that are produced in the states, and few do it better than Brewery Ommegang. This authentic Belgian brewery is nestled in the picturesque town of Cooperstown, NY. Started in 1997 on an old hop farm Brewery Ommegang was based on the philosophy that truly unique ales must be built from the ground up. They now produce 5 award winning Belgian Style ales. Ommegang is the only brewery that I know of that ages their beer in caves to keep a constant temperature. They use the famous Howe Caverns which is only a short drive from the brewery.

If you are looking for Belgium beers that are imported you might want to try one of the finely crafted brews from Brewery Van Steenberge–their two most popular beers are Gulden Draak and Piraat. Another brewery receiving high praise is Brewery Bavik, offering their Bavik Pilsner and their Wittekerke Wit. Newest to the scene is the Brewery Musketeers which started in 2004 and already picked up a Gold medal at this year’s World Beer Cup for their Troubadour Blonde.

If you are looking for a chance to try these great Belgian beers and others like St. Feuillien, Urthel, Rodenbach, Leffe, and Affligem come down to the International Great Beer Expo at the Nassau Coliseum on November 13. Take a world beer tour, no passport required. Cheers!

By Lynda Calimano

The biggest names in international brewing are returning to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on Saturday, November 13, 2010 for the third annual Long Island International Beer Expo. This year’s international beer tasting extravaganza will showcase more than 20 countries, more than 50 breweries, and more than 100 beers from across the globe. Each country will provide samples of their country’s proudest brewing achievement. Shoulder to shoulder with some of America’s best breweries—including many Long Island favorites—will be amazing beer from England, Germany, Italy, Canada, Scotland, Indonesia, Belgium, Spain, Czech Republic, Mexico, and others.

This year’s special guest is Mr. Dougal Sharp, Owner and Brewmaster of Scotland’s Innis & Gunn Brewery. Making a rare U.S. appearance, Sharp will address festival attendees with an engaging and informative talk on Oak Aged Beer, a process that makes Innis & Gunn beer so unique and so desirable. “New Yorkers have really embraced the Innis & Gunn beers. Those who try them, love them, and want to learn more about them,” said Dan DeLuca, Managing Director, Innis & Gunn USA. “I can’t wait for everyone to meet the man behind the beer. He’s a great story-teller and he’s got a great story,” he added.

As the U.S. beer industry continues to battle for highly coveted market share with the wines and spirits category, the range of styles and flavors offered by the imports are attracting new fans and enthusiasts. “We want to help introduce Long Islanders to some great imports. Beer lovers here on Long Island are educated about beer and have sophisticated tastes. I think they are ready to do some global exploring. A sold-out event is expected,” said event producer Andy Calimano of Starfish Junction.

Back by popular demand, the entire middle of the expo hall will be set up as a beer garden with German beer tastings sponsored by DAB, Jever, Weihenstephan, Konig, Veltins, Gaffel, Hofbrau and Radeberger. To compliment the beers, a special menu of German-inspired food will be available for purchase.

The International Great Beer Expo will have two sessions: 12:30-4pm and 5:30-9:00pm. A limited number of tickets will be sold. Once the event sells out, no additional tickets will be available for purchase. Tickets are $45 each and can be purchased at the event website www.GreatBeerExpo.com or at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum box office. Tickets include admission to the expo, participation in special programming, a souvenir tasting glass, and the freedom to enjoy a 2 oz. sample of any of the beers present at the expo. Designated driver tickets are also available for $10 each. No one, including designated drivers, under 21 will be admitted and photo ID is required for entry.

The event is sponsored in part by www.LIBeerEvents.com, WBAB 102.3 FM and Draft Magazine. This event will raise funds for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund.

By Joe Chierchie

It was just eight short years ago that William Grant, the family whisky distiller behind Grant’s and Glenfiddich, commissioned brewer Dougal Sharp to create a beer that would impart flavor into the barrels being used to mature his whisky. With a special recipe and technique Sharp was able to create a unique, malty beer to be placed in the barrels for 30 days, before being discarded to make room for the whisky. Sharp had no idea that the beer he would produce for the whisky maker would become such a successful brand and sought-after beer.

While the ale cask whisky was a success, it was many months later, after thousands of gallons of beer had been used and discarded, that Dougal received a call that would change everything. Upon emptying the barrels and carrying out analysis of the beer, the staff at the distillery had discovered that the beer had been completely transformed by its time in the oak barrel, an unexpected yet welcomed discovery.

In 2003, after the beer had received high marks from industry experts and taste-testers, Innis & Gunn’s Oak Aged Beer was officially launched and has been a consistent award-winner in industry competitions, earning them a series of prestigious awards for their premium oak aged beer.

The beer…think vanilla, toffee and orange aromas, with a malty, lightly oaked palate; soothing and warm in the finish. It goes well with many different foods. The oak imparts a creamy smooth palate and the kind of complex, diverse flavors you might experience in a good wine. This makes it a natural match with a wide range of foods. The high alcohol content lends itself well to more robust flavors, while the lower bitterness in the beer means it does not overpower more delicate flavors.

Always a favorite among attendees at the tasting events and beer festivals, Innis & Gunn will be a star attraction at the upcoming International Great Beer Expo taking place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 13th. Dougal Sharp, Brewmaster and Founder of Innis & Gunn, will be a special guest at the event, flying from Scotland to New York to meet and greet festival attendees. He will also be part of the event programming, leading a talk about the history of his brewing company. “We are truly honored that Mr. Sharp will be coming all the way from Scotland to be part of our show,” said event producer, Andy Calimano. “Attendees are in for a really special treat,” he added.

Curious about the name Innis & Gunn? It’s the middle names of the founder, Dougal and his brother Neil.

Cheers!

The party will be at Four on Nov. 4th, and is free and open to the public. There will be an open bar from 9:30-11 pm and raffles with prizes including $1,000 Tattoo Lou’s gift certificates and gift certificates to different restaurants.

The tattoo parlor has given out over 2,000 free breast cancer ribbon tattoos this month. All proceeds from the event will help the fight against breast cancer.

Click here to view photos of Russell Simmons’s label Argyle Culture

This is part of Simmons’ nation-wide tour, where the public can come meet the media mogul and check out his fashion line. He will be visiting Macy’s in Virginia, Illinois, Georgia and Michigan as well. 

The event will take place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Those who attend will get a limited edition Mini World Dogtag Pendant and chain from Simmons Jewelry Co. with any Argyle Culture purchase of $100 or more.

The Girl Scouts are meeting at the Girl Scout Service Center in Garden City from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., where they will collect, sort, pack and donate food to Island Harvest.

NOTE: This article is from 2010. For 2011 the offer will be honored at the Selden location only. 

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Long Island tattoo chain Tattoo Lou’s is giving out free tattoos of the pink ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness symbol.

“Every year during this month we usually run specials on breast cancer ribbon tattoos,” Mark Perez, Tattoo Lou’s marketing director explained. “This year we just asked the artists what they wanted to do and they said ‘we’ll just do it for free.’”

The tattoo can be of a pink ribbon or a regular ribbon, and Perez stressed that there is no catch or fine print.

The free tattoo is available in every location from every artist. There is no need to schedule an appointment; walk-ins are welcome. Tattoo Lou’s has shops in Selden, St. James, Huntington and West Babylon, and has a Deer Park shop opening next month.

Jersey Shore star Jenni "JWoww" Farley visited Gold Coast Bank in Huntington to speak about the importance of breast cancer awareness.

Jersey Shore star JWoww visited Gold Coast Bank  in Huntington Monday to support breast cancer awareness and unveil a banner to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. JWoww, whose real name is Jenni Farley, was joined by several breast cancer activists and Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone.

Gallery: JWoww in Huntington

The 25-year-old Franklin Square native, who arrived in a pink stretch Mini Cooper limo equipped with a jacuzzi, spoke about the cause.

“As a Long Island native, I’m concerned about the high rates of breast cancer [on Long Island],” said Farley. “This is clearly a disease that can affect women of all ages.”

The tone shifted as Farley got defensive when a reporter questioned her status as a breast cancer awareness advocate.

“Its insulting to me to hear that because I smoke or I had a breast augmentation that I shouldn’t be here. Everyone should be here,” she said.

The bank announced that throughout the month of October, all profits from their ATM fees will be donated to charities benefiting breast cancer.

The Long Island Press would like to extend a huge thank you to the cast and crew of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Long Island’s own Sal Ferro and the Alure Home Improvements team and the thousands of Long Island residents and business owners who generously volunteered their time and services during the week-long effort to transform the Lutz family home.

Not only did Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Alure Home Improvements make the Lutz’s dreams come true, but they also brought together the Long Island community. Thousands of lives have been touched by the experience and we hope this won’t be the last time that Ty and Co. join forces with Alure Home Improvements to build a Long Island dream home.

Please share your thoughts and reactions on the Lutz family and their Extreme Makeover with us in the comments below!