As the famous writer, Miguel de Cervantes said in Don Quixote, “All sorrows are less with bread,” and based on the success of the many bread bakeries and wholesalers in The Bronx, it is safe to say, most of the general public would have to agree.

For nearly 100 years, less than a handful of bread bakeries, located right here in The Bronx,  have been producing fresh bread daily and supplying stores, restaurants, delis and bodegas regularly with a constant supply of this beloved and age old sustenance.

Four Bronx bakeries in particular, have built their reputation and fame in the area over the past century, known by name throughout the neighborhoods for which their bread can be found. Take for example, the South Bronx and Washington Heights, where Prince Bread has been an important staple since the 1970’s and ‘80’s.
​

Personally speaking, I have my own very personal memories of this Bronx-made bread from my days as a college student at Fordham University.  Spending my sophomore year summer living on Arthur Avenue to attend classes, I’ll never forget the smell that filled the air in the wee hours of the morning of the baking bread from Prince Bakery on Belmont Avenue in Little Italy.  

​In fact, on those “mornings” when we strolled home from a late night out at the bars, we would make a pit stop on our way home to purchase a loaf or two of the freshly-baked bread, still hot and steamy.

And, I’m not the only one whose youth was filled with “Prince bread” memories.  Alexandra Maruri, founder of Bronx Historical Tours recalls, “I remember going to the local bodega after school and ordering a spiced ham and cheese hero.  Spiced ham and American cheese was the sandwich of the times and all the kids ordered it - on Prince bread with extra mayo.”

Prince Bakery was actually described best by a reviewer on Yelp, who is quoted as saying, “Prince Bakery supplies the Bodegas of the Bronx and Washington Heights with some quality bread.  Started by Johnny Prince, this bakery is the talk of the hood.  Ask any resident of any hood in The Heights and The Bronx who makes the best bread and the inevitable answer will be Prince.”

Another Belmont section based bakery, with a fifty year history is Terranova Bakery.  Founded in 1967 by Pietro “Peter” Terranova, with the goal of honoring old world baking methods, Terranova earned the proud distinction of “Top Bread in New York City” by Zagat.   

The young Terranova arrived in America from Sicily in 1961, settling in the Little Italy section of the Bronx, where he began working at a local bakery sweeping the floors. Learning the craft and trade of bread making,  Peter bought the business in October 1967, giving birth to Terranova Bakery on 187th Street.

​With the addition of his brother Gandolfo in 1969 and the tireless efforts of their respective wives, Terranova Bakery has grown into a steady supplier of bread throughout the North and East Bronx and Westchester County, which includes significant distribution to Italian restaurants.
​

*************
DID YOU KNOW...
THE WONDERS OF WONDER BREAD
The Ward Bread Company, founded by Irish immigrant
Hugh Ward in 1849 on the Lower East Side, was a major
company with factories all over the country, 
including one in Brooklyn and in The Bronx. 

In the early 20th century, the company revolutionized
the baking process, employing new technology
to bake bread in a mechanized assembly line.
In the 1920s, Hugh’s grandson William attempted
to monopolize the American baking market,
using dirty business tactics.

To distance itself from the negative press
and its tarnished reputation, the company
assumed the name of one of the companies it acquired:
Wonder Bakeries, makers of Wonder bread.

(source: 6tocelebrate.org)
​
*************

​
​Going back a bit further to the 1920’s, The Bronx has two historic bread makers, who are part of the fabric of the Borough. These include Nicosia’s Original Bronx Bread Company and Zaro's Family Bakery.
 

A bread tradition that started in 1925 on a side street in Harlem, Nicosia’s Original Bronx Bread Company is now a 4 generation business. According to their website, “Calogero Nicosia began cultivating his passion for bread in the foothills of a town in Sicily, Santa Caterina. It was here that the tradition began.”   

Made fresh daily, their bread is “slowly fermented and baked to a light golden color to enhance flavor.”  Clearly, they have a winning formula having served the communities of the North and East Bronx, as well as Westchester for nearly 100 years, which appears to have no end in sight for the family-run bread company based on Burke Avenue.

And if bread is a family tradition, so is the business of bread making, as is the case withZaro's Family Bakery. Opening the doors to his first bakery in The Bronx  in 1927, Joseph Zaro started a business based on great customer service. According to their website, “Our business is inseparable from our family—great customer service is a personal Zaro family mission. 

Today, that original Bronx location has grown into a bakery chain with 11 stores throughout the New York City metropolitan area, which even extends to New Jersey and casts a net even further with its wholesale business. Here in The Bronx, Zaros distributes through its neighborhood pastry shop as well as the small coffee shops within Montefiore Hospital.

Eighty-five years since Joseph Zaro came to America, Zaro's is a fourth-generation family-owned and operated business.

Till next time,
-Elisa

​If you squint your eyes and cover your ears while observing The Andrew Freedman Home, you’d be hard pressed to ever guess that you were standing in the middle of the Grand Concourse. 

Architecturally, this century-old building is designed more akin to a French or Italian Renaissance edifice with its soft gray and yellow limestone rather than structure found on a main avenue in the South Bronx. 

Today, and as of 2012, The Andrew Freedman Home is known as a daycare center as well as an event space venue for a variety of artwork exhibitions in various mediums including photography, live installations and video projections. ​

But just how did this exquisitely designed building originate and for what purpose?

​The creation of The Andrew Freedman Home was the vision of the man for whom it is named. While there is not much information to be found about Andrew Freedman, which causes me a great deal of frustration, being a history fanatic, I will share the few facts that I was able to ascertain in my research. 

​Andrew Freedman was born in NYC in 1860, becoming a successful businessman, who built a multi-million dollar fortune by the end of the 19th century.  There is not much known about his personal life, except that he was Jewish and attended Grammar School No. 35 in lower Manhattan.  It appears that he was never married, nor did he have any children.  Records do not really exist for exactly how he created his personal wealth.  

His business accomplishments are, however, pretty impressive. Freedman became the principal owner of the New York Giants of the National League in 1895, after purchasing a controlling interest in the ball club from Cornelius C Van Cott, at a cost of $53,000, which in today's dollar terms would amount to approximately $1,596,148.

He would remain owner until 1902, but not after first purchasing a controlling interest in the Baltimore Orioles of the American League that same year.

​According to a New York Times Article published on December 1, 1901, Freedman's difficult personality, which led to many run-ins with his players, resulted in National League presidential candidate Al Spalding calling Freedman an "impossibility in baseball," further stating that the "only condition under which he would accept the Presidency of the National Baseball League would be that Andrew Freedman should be forced out of baseball." Freedman refused.

Apart from baseball, Freedman's financial interests extended across other areas of industry. For one, he was director of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT), which was founded and owned by August Belmont and John B. McDonald, for which Freedman reportedly invested $1.7 million (or approximately $49,228,077 by today's standards) into the company in 1901 and 1902.

This business mogul also served on the board of directors of the Wright Company, established in 1909 to market the Wright brothers' airplanes in the United States.  Further, as the owner of an ice yacht, named "Haze", Freedman won a pennant race in North Shrewsbury, New Jersey in 1904.  

Quite an interesting resume of business ventures for a man whose methods for financial accumulation is not very clear. According to Christopher Gray's NYTimes article on May 23, 1999, "He (Freedman) had been involved in real estate and subway financing, owned the New York Giants baseball team and was a close associate of the Tammany Hall boss Richard Croker. But Freedman's entry in the authoritative Dictionary of American Biography ventures only that ''by ways that are no longer traceable he achieved a conspicuous success.''"

The facts remain that Andrew Freedman was a man of substantial means, who lived a wealthy lifestyle, realizing that life could very easily take a turn for the worse, leaving even the richest individuals poor and destitute, after he encountered a scare during the Panic of 1907, when he nearly lost his entire fortune. 

His fear would prompt him to create a charitable trust, with which to build a home for older individuals who had lost their fortunes, where they could live in their retirements in a style they had grown accustomed.

​At the time of his death in 1915, Freedman left an estate valued over $4 million ($99,100,000 in current dollar terms) and bequeathed money to build the Andrew Freedman Home.  

​​The home was intended to serve as a retirement home for "aged and indigent persons of both sexes", who had formerly been of "good circumstances" financially, offering each resident a rent free place to live, along with free servants. This exquisite retirement home included formal English gardens, a well-manicured lawn, public rooms with fireplaces and oriental rugs and each private residence contained a white marble shower stall. The Home could accommodate 130 residents at a time.

Interestingly, another prominent Bronx individual, Samuel Untermyer, lawyer, civic leader and former owner of the Yonkers estate which is now Untermyer Park, served as executor of Freedman's estate. It was he who would oversee the construction of The Andrew Freedman Home, in the purchasing of the land on the Grand Concourse in The Bronx and hiring architects Joseph H. Friedlander and Harry Allan Jacobs to design the two-story building.

​At a cost of $1 million ($14,620,000 in current dollar terms), the new edifice took two years to construct, being completed and opened in 1924. An expansion would be added between 1928 and 1931, with the addition of two new wings designed by architect, David Levy.

Unfortunately, as the years went by, the trust's money decreased and by 1965, residents were required to pay rent. Shortly thereafter, as the area around the Grand Concourse began to decline, people started to move out.

In 1992, The Andrew Freedman Home was named a New York City Designated Landmark and remains today one of the grandest buildings in the Bronx.

Till next time,
-Elisa



Resources:
* New York Times - December 1, 1901 (reprinted 2012) 
* New York Times - January 4, 1904 (reprinted 2012)
* New York Times - October 3, 1913 (reprinted 2012)
* New York Times - November 23, 1909
* New York Times: Streetscapes/The Andrew Freedman Home; A Retirement Home Built for the Formerly Wealthy By Christopher Gray, May 23, 1999  
* Landmark Preservation Center, 1992

Take a visual tour of The Bronx with BronxHistoricalTours.com
​

Since it's humble beginnings, Bronx Historical Tours has grown by leaps and bounds to include a plethora of tours in every category imaginable for visitors with any and all interests.

In addition to the above mentioned tours, Maruri's company now offers a variety of walking and bus tours that include the following:

• South Bronx Historical Tour
• A People's History of the South Bronx Tour
• Bronx Forest Bathing Tour
• Bronx Street Art Tour
• Westchester Square Tour
• Fort Apache, The Bronx Tour
• Taste of The Bronx Tour
• I Grew Up in The Bronx Tour
• Bronx Sightseeing Tour
• The Bronx Immigrant Experience
• Beer Baron of The Bronx Tour
• ​City Island Tour ​

​
With more and more being added all the time!

​Thanks Alexandra Maruri for putting The Bronx on the international tour radar scene!
​
-Till next time,
Elisa

You know what I love about The Bronx — the spirit and sense of pride
of its residents in being from The Bronx,  regardless of their gender,
race, ethnicity, cultural background or sexual identity.

So it is no wonder that a few members of The Bronx LGBT community have decided to
come together to plan the first-ever Bronx LGBT Expo.  The event will
bring together local businesses, entrepreneurs, talent and artists
from The Bronx under one roof in celebration of World Pride 2019 and
the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and a half-century of
LGBT liberation.

Adding to this already illustrious and historic background, The Administration Building on the campus was also designated a NYC Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places at the same time as Fonthill Castle.

Built between 1857 and 1859 in the Early Romanesque revival style, there is no uncertainty about the architect, with the initial structure of the Administration Building designed and built by Henry Engelbert,.  

The original building is a five-story red brick building on a fieldstone base. It features a six-story square tower topped by a copper lantern and spire. The tower is flanked by five story gabled sections. At the base of the tower, a double stairway rises from a porte cochere to the level of the veranda, leading to the entrance. Subsequently, the building was expanded in 1865, 1883, 1906-1908, and in 1951 respectively. 

​Till next time,
-Elisa

​The church has undergone much restoration, breathing new life into the beloved church. Many necessary modifications were made to keep up with the neighborhood’s changing demographics and serving a whole new wave of latino immigrants arriving from Central and South America.

Combining reverence for the old with the implementation of the new, restoration included replacing worn out floors, painstakingly matching original Italian marble used to repair church columns, refurbishing ceiling frescos, relocating existing statues of saints within the church and adding much-needed exterior lighting.

Additionally, new statues of saints, held in high esteem by the new neighborhood immigrants from Mexico and Latin America were added. New paint colors were used to brighten certain interior spaces, such as the baptism area, and a new church organ was purchased.

​The church also uses new candles that do not emit soot, in order to better preserve the ceiling frescos.

Spanish language masses were added to the existing English and Italian ones for more inclusiveness to the members of the community.

One gorgeous church down and one more to go! With the rain coming down on and off, we made our way to the Allerton section, about five miles away from the Belmont section (and our visit to Our Lady of Mount Carmel) to St. Lucy’s Roman Catholic Church in the East Bronx. 

The atmosphere and mood on this visit was a bit different. Whereas Our Lady of Mount Carmel is located in the very populated and hustle bustle area of Little Italy, with its stores, restaurants and cafes, St. Lucy’s is situated in a more residential, less congested area.

Parking, as a result, was no problem, and there were no meters to worry about. As we walked up Bronxwood Avenue from my parked car, we approached a tall fence, which enclosed the caves and catacombs on the grounds of the church, located behind the infamous Grotto!

Once again, allow me to digress and present a bit of history about St. Lucy’s and the Grotto …

The history of The Grotto dates back to 1937 when it was built under the leadership of Pastor Monsignor Pasquale Lombardo.

After traveling to the famous Grotto in Lourdes, France, Monsignor Lombardo set out to build a replica of the Lourdes Grotto on the church ​grounds of St. Lucy's.

Lourdes is a French town in the Pyrenean foothills which was home to eighteen sightings of the Virgin Mary beginning with Bernadette Soubirous’ vision on February 11th, 1858.

Monsignor Lombardo’s goal was to provide parishioners, as well as visitors, with the spiritual experience of the Lourdes, France Grotto without the transatlantic pilgrimage.

Situated within the churchyard, but clearly visible from the street, Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto is made of stacked stones that form a thirty foot “cave.”

​​ Completed in 1939 at a cost of $10,000, the Grotto has a large two-level catacomb section underneath and behind it, filled with statues of saints. Unfortunately, it is rarely open to the public, and the gates were closed and locked during our visit.

As with the original French cave, the water from the waterfall near the Bronx Grotto is said to be holy.

Each Sunday, the bell at St. Lucy’s is rung, creating the same D natural tone as the church in Lourdes, France. The Grotto is open daily, morning to sunset, weather permitting.

During my visit, it started to rain a bit, but, it was still beautiful to behold. There were a handful of visitors who came to collect the holy water. Some arrived with small plastic bottles, while others arrived with gallon-sized ones.

I noticed many rosary beads hanging around the Virgin Mary statue, that had apparently been placed there by visitors. Standing beneath the Grotto was a wonderful experience and I felt very fortunate to have visited a place with so much history and spiritual meaning to so many so close to home.

Inside St. Lucy’s Church, a rather humble and unassuming space, is the most gorgeous tile mosaic on the wall closest to the entrance. Alexandra informed me that it was originally behind the altar, but was subsequently moved to its current location. As we were exiting the church, the church bells were playing Ave Maria, which was more lovely than I could ever describe.

Attached to the church through a separate entrance is the Hall of Saints and a door and staircase that led up to a small gift shop. I enjoyed perusing through the shop, with its many interesting items, including holy water from the Lourdes France Grotto, as well as empty bottles for which to fill with water at St. Lucy’s Grotto.

The store manager, Michael was extremely helpful and most knowledgeable about the church.

In a word, my Bronx Church Tour Day was Divine!!

Till next time,
-Elisa

​Historically, Fordham Road has some of the most notable Bronx landmarks in all of the Borough and worth every moment of a visit whether you are a Proud Bronx resident or a visitor. 

1. St. Nicholas of Tolentine's Church
   This stone twin-towered church is deemed "The Cathedral of the Bronx" and is a prominent landmark on West Fordham Road at University Avenue in University Heights.
2. Rose Hill Campus of Fordham University
   Established in 1841 by bishop John Hughes, it is comprised of 85 acres in the central Bronx and among the largest privately owned green spaces in New York City. 
3. Theodore Roosevelt High School
   Located at the southern edge of Fordham University's campus and the northern edge of the Bronx's Belmont section, the former high school operated from November 1918 to June 30, 2006. 
4. The Bronx Zoo
   Comprising 265 acres of park lands and naturalistic habitats separated by the Bronx River, the zoo was opened on Nov 08, 1899 and features a number of NYC Designated Landmarks and National Register of Historic Places including The Rockefeller Fountain and the The Rainey Memorial Gates.
5. New York Botanical Garden
   Nearby The Bronx Zoo at the eastern terminus of Fordham Road in Bronx Park is The New York Botanical Garden, established in 1891, comprised of 250-acres, which supports over one million living plants in extensive collections.
6. Fordham Plaza
   While not necessarily an historic destination, it is a major commercial and transportation hub and the site of outdoor markets, conveniently located across from Fordham University, on Fordham road, right in the Heart of the Bronx!

-Till next time,
Elisa

When most folks hear the words Yankee Stadium, they immediately think of… Well, the New York Yankees and baseball. But if you are a foodie, like I am, your mind immediately strays to the question, what’s new with their dining options?

I know it’s a bit of a stretch for many, namely diehard Yankee fans, however I’d like to take you on a little adventure through the plethora of tasty options available on the 2019 Yankee Stadium dining guide. ​This year, more than ever, the menus are more inclusive for all culinary tastes, including vegans and vegetarians.

I've viewed a whole lot of menus and dining guides in my day, and I was super impressed with the ease of which the Yankee dining guide is to navigate and find options for whatever your taste buds desire and exactly where to find your desired delicacy within the stadium.

There is no shortage of options for the All-American all-inclusive "I will eat anything" fan.  From Bareburger with choices ranging from bison to beef to turkey, to City Winery with its Burrata Burger made with custom-blended beef, imported Italian burrata, pancetta, oven-roasted tomato relish, baby arugula and its City Winery Burger which includes Custom-blended beef, Applewood smoked bacon, pinot noir red onion jam, drunken goat cheese - it's a carnivore's delight!

But, wait, not so fast, many of these "meat-eater delight places also cater quite extensively (and inclusively) to plant-based diet attendees.  Take for instance, Bareburger and Field Roast's vegan burger, Frank's Redhot Terrace's vegetarian Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bun, served with celery slaw, creamy blue cheese and Noodle Bowl's vegan Veggie Sushi and edamame.   Serious Yum factor!

With a large-scaled focus on eating gluten-free, there is absolutely no limit to the options across the board at the majority of eateries including Might Quinn's selection of Gluten-free baby back ribs and chicken wings and Premio hot or sweet Italian sausage, turkey burger and Red Bridge Beer at NY Grill.

The basics are still here as well with lots of chicken, shrimp and pork options such as the all-new for 2019, Crispy Maple Chicken Sandwich with spicy maple drizzle, white cheddar cheese spread and pickle on a butter-toasted, the Roast Beef Po' Boy made with Garlic studded roast beef, shaved iceberg, sliced tomato, pickle or the 
Shrimp Po' Boy with Cajun fried shrimp, shaved iceberg, sliced tomato, pickle at Mastercard Batters Eye Deck. 

For the steak lover, Lobel's stand features their signature hallmark Lobel's USDA Prime Steak Sandwich, as well as their decadent Steak & Potato Fries, comprised of shaved prime steak, fried russet potatoes, sour cream, green onions, cheddar, bacon.   
Pork lovers will salivate over King's Hawaiian's Original Sweet Pineapple BBQ Kalua Pork Sandwich made with banana-leaf-braised pork, shoyu red cabbage slaw on a King's Hawaiian bun or their Original Sweet Pineapple BBQ Kalua Pork Nachos topped with banana-leaf-braised pork, shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, spicy mayo, and wonton chips.

A few other additions for 2019 include Buffalo Wild Wings, with their offering of  traditional and boneless wings served with a variety of sauces and dry rubs, as well as Big Mozz, featuring melty Wisconsin mozzarella cheese in a fresh garlic, parsley and pecorino Romano crust.  

If you are not looking to chow down a huge hungry man (or woman!) meal, Yankee fans can enjoy some wonderful light fare, such as  Assorted deli wraps (Kosher), 
fresh fruit and salads from Melissa's Farmer's Market.

Sweets are in huge supply which include an array of milkshake varieties, served in a souvenir cup.  Honestly, the Chocolate All-Star Shake made with chocolate chip cookie, fudge brownie, M&Ms and crushed Oreos sounds mouth watering!

And lest we forget baseball stadium staples that are always on hand, including the infamous frankfurter, popcorn, cotton candy and peanuts which are all available in abundance throughout the venue!

With all these food options, one might lose sight of why they are at Yankee Stadium in the first place - to see our mighty Bronx Bombers play ball!!

Till next time,
-Elisa

With the news of Father Jonathan's request to leave the priesthood, Maruri commented that while she was very sad to see this wonderful priest leave his role in the community, she is simultaneously, quite happy for him in his new calling to create a family of his own, and wishes him much love as he begins a new life path.
 
We know that Father Jonathan will be missed; wished much love; and always welcome in the neighborhood he called home for so many years!!

-Till next time,
Elisa

Have you noticed that things are changing all around these days, particularly when it comes to people’s sense of empathy and caring? Most of us are aware of the increasing concern for Mother Earth and the well-being of our fellow living creatures.

Laws are changing all around the country to protect our animal friends, and there are even some pretty stiff penalties for those individuals that harm and abuse them. More and more manufacturers are jumping on board with eliminating any business procedures or ingredients that include animal suffering of any kind.

This evolution towards living a more cruelty-free and kind existence in kindness seems to be especially prevalent among the younger generation, who appear to be a bit more enlightened about how all who share this planet, are connected. Growing numbers of teens, twenty-somethings and even thirty-somethings have put their money where their beliefs are and are increasingly embracing a vegan lifestyle, and what this means for savvy business owners and entrepreneurs is a whole new market segment with which to capitalize and serve.

As a vegan myself, I am amazed at the changes that are happening on a daily basis. More and more vegan options at restaurants, fast food chains offering vegan-targeted meals, supermarket shelves and freezers having readily available food items for these plant-based shoppers as well as exclusively vegan restaurants, bakeries and travel destinations!

All around the globe, like never before, can a vegan be assured that there are places to eat and socialize where they can enjoy more than a few raw vegetables being classified as a vegan meal. It’s truly amazing and a real game changer.

Personally speaking, as a travel blogger and vegan, one of the highlights of my excursions near and far, is researching and experiencing vegan eateries wherever I go. In fact, some cities around the country are quickly gaining a reputation for their enormity of vegan restaurants and food options!

With all this said, I must add, that when it comes to The Bronx, the vegan experience is a tremendous opportunity for visionaries in the food services industries. Right now, across New York City and Long Island, there are limited choices for us vegans. Manhattan leads the way with the number of options from which to choose, with Brooklyn running a close second with the borough’s vegan pop up markets and eateries. 

Here in the Bronx, the opportunities are limitless! To date, there are only a handful of entrepreneurs, mostly women ironically, who see the void in this growing demographic. (I refer you to earlier published stories about two of these Bronx businesses in ThisIsTheBronx.info, Bronx Founder of The Uptown Vegan and Freshly Made by Two Female Entrepreneurs.

​And, of course, while other establishments are beginning to add a vegan dish here or there, this market is prime for more dedicated vegan food destinations! Allow me to give you 5 reasons why I am so passionate about the development of more!

1. College Kids
The Bronx has more institutions of higher learning than any other borough, with a captive and willing population of young people, many of which are vegans or simply enjoy a healthy lifestyle, surely appreciating plant-based food joints.

2. Diverse Cuisines
Populated with such a diverse community of ethnicities, the sky”s the limit when it comes to the plethora of vegan cuisines that are possible for Bronx residents. Simply google any dish you like and you will find there are vegan versions. Imagine the possibilities within our borough!

3. Vegans will Travel for Food
There is an accepted aspect of being a vegan that traveling for food is part of the lifestyle. As a result of the shortage of vegan restaurants – and good ones at that – vegans are accustomed to going well out of their way to find a satiating meal. Me and my Travelin’ Cousins blog partner, Tanya, have been known to drive miles and miles out of our way to enjoy a good vegan meal.
So, for future Bronx vegan restaurants, it is not simply the local community that would be potential patrons; it’s a way to get you on the national and world map as well tapping into the vegan followers on social media.

4. New and Fresh Borough Reputation
Unfortunately, most of us Bronx lovers know that there is a pretty dark view of our borough around the country and the world. With so much history, culture, diversity, art and educational initiatives, it is that much more imperative to obliterate that false reputation. I believe that appealing to this new demographic of foodies, The Bronx can add an interesting spark of interest and curiosity, namely, for tourists, helping word to spread fast how truly amazing The Bronx is, which, residents already know.

5. More jobs
The food industry is exciting and fresh. Look at all the attention cooking and eating gets on a daily basis since the arrival of the Food Network several decades ago. More exciting eateries can lead to more job opportunities for young people and that’s always a good thing!

Till next time,
-Elisa