philadelphia rowhome magazine food issue

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DINING INVOL 15_ISSUE 25_2012 GOHOMEPHILLY.COM

FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 2012

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2 | ROWHOME MAGAZINE gohomephilly.com

INSIDETHIS ISSUE14_LIFE RowHome Remembers Larry McMullen by Dorette Rota Jackson photos by John McMullen

18_ POLITICS18_Buyer Beware: The Changing Face of News by Vince DeMentri

22_ 2011 City Wrap-up: Philly takes Top Spot for Culture by Larry Gallone

24_THE MENU24_ A Toast to Toast and Other Favorite Family Recipes

25_ Breaking Bread by Lauren Gordon photos by Phil Kramer

42_ Isgro Pastries Spring Catalog photos by Phil Kramer

46_FASHION46_ Sexy in the City: Early Bird Fashions Spring 2012 by Alicia DeLeo & Phyllis Palermo

48_ BRIDE’S GUIDE50_ Bon Voyage and Bon Appetite! by Liz Emory

54_ BUSINESS54_ Philly Food Facts

56_A Friendly Face by Jessica Lista photo by Hector Valentin

58_HEALTH58_ Love the Way Life Looks on You by Lauren Gordon

61_ A Good Heart by Danielle Rosati

68_MUSIC & THE ARTS68_ ‘The Kid’ Can Sing by Lauren Gordon photos by Hector Valentin

70_ BMX Star has RowHome Roots by Maria Merlino photos by Hector Valentin

74_ The Best Is Yet To Come… Celebrating 55 Years of Frank and Sid by Mark Casasanto photos by Mike Moffa & Meg Capobianco

78_PRH PETS

80_ Keeping Families Together by G.W. Miller III

82_PRH TECH82_ When Food and the Internet Unite by Daniel P. Olivieri III

83_ Cooking Apps for Culinary Genius by Joe Osborne

84_ It’s Good Business to be On Facebook by Antoinette Marie Johnson, CEO, At Media

88_WRITERS BLOCK

88_ A Papal Tribute by Larry Kane

89_ South Philly on a Roll by David W. Cava

90_THE SCHOOLYARD91_ Student Writers Block My Grandparents’ Living Room by Michael Gillen

92_ Saints Neumann-Goretti High School: Breaking Grounds by Rosella Eleanor LaFevre photos by Hector Valentin

88 WRITERS BLOCK

24 THE MENU

68 MUSIC

VOLUME _15 ISSUE 25_ 2012 GOHOMEPHILLY.COM


48 BRIDE’S GUIDE

18POLITICS

Brighten stained teeth with whitening, bonding or veneers

1517 Packer Ave, Philadelphia

(Across from Chickie’s & Pete’s)

215.462.2424

Repair worn or broken teeth with crowns or veneers

Restore teeth with strong tooth colored fi llings

Replace missing teeth with a dental bridge

Permanently replace missing teeth with dental implants

Voted Top Dentists in South Philadelphia

Keeping you smiling for over 30 years

Drs. Steven A. Moskowitz and Kenneth S. Donahue

invite you to make an appointment

for a whiter, healthier smile.

Call today — new patients welcome!FREEconsultations for

cosmetic procedures

REGULARS6_FROM THE PUBLISHERS Weight a Minute!

10_MAILBOX RowHome Reader Recipes

12_NEIGHBORHOOD NOIR

16_HANGIN’ OUT President Obama enjoys a Philly cheesesteak

20_FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH Auld Lang Sign by Clark DeLeon

48_BRIDES GUIDE Serving up the Magic by Joseph Volpe, CEO, Cescaphe Event Group photos provided by the Cescaphe Event Group

52_ LAW & ORDER Calling All Drivers: Hang up or pay up by Frank DePasquale, Jr., Esq.

76_ON THE CORNER Mushroom Trip by Mark Casasanto

86_GREENSPACE Healthy Environment. Healthy You By Kerri-Lee Mayland

96_PRESSED Heavenly Pizzelles By Dorette Rota Jackson

76 ON THE CORNER


4 | ROWHOME MAGAZINEgohomephilly.com


52 LAW & ORDER

TOAST

|

which

dates back more

than 6,000 years - is

symbolic of the time-

honored tradition

of breaking bread

— sharing food with

loved ones around

the family table.

PRH celebrates

that tradition with

DINING IN recipes

handed down through

generations. Each is

filled with the most

important ingredient

of all — memories.

See Page 24.

96PRESSED

86 GREEN SPACE

ON THE COVER

24

Dr. Cohen and Staff are dedicated to addressing all of your orthodontic needs. We are committed to staying current with the latest technology and advances in orthodontics.

strongly that this delivers the highest quality of orthodontic


Dorette & Dawn

photo by Phil Kramer

How many times have you opened the

refrigerator door late at night to help

yourself to a leftover chicken cutlet?

Or a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice

cream right from the container?

Most people forget 40% of what they

eat in a day. Universally, the food most for-

gotten is ‘picking food’ -- food eaten when

preparing or cleaning up after a meal. Not

to mention all those tasty treats you nibble

on throughout the day (and night!).

If you’re looking to drop a few pounds

in time for beach season, be aware of

everything you eat throughout the day

and track your calories, say the experts.

At the Professional Aesthetics and

Wellness Center (PAWC), Dr. Rich-

ard Dittrich and staff will help you lose

weight quickly and safely. And best of

all, you can keep it off permanently.

There are several weight loss options

available through PAWC’s Center for

Medical Weight Loss. Each program is

customized to meet the patient’s needs,

motivation and medical conditions.

Give them a call today at

215.465.9600 or visit www.wellness-

centerpa.com for more details.

Do you want your business featured on our Publishers’ Page?

Call PRH at 215.462.9777 for details.

WEIGHT A MINUTE!

ROWHOME MAGAZINE | 7

FROMTHE PUBLISHERS

VOLUME _15 ISSUE 25 2012 GOHOMEPHILLY.COM

Leave the sun. Take THE CANNOLI.

Dawn weighs in with

PAWC Medical Director,

Dr. Richard Dittrich, while

Dorette savors a powdered

sugar snack she swiped off

a staffer’s desk.


PRESIDENT | PUBLISHER Dorette Rota Jackson

VICE PRESIDENT | PUBLISHER Dawn Rhoades

EDITORDorette Rota Jackson

VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING & PROMOTIONS

Dawn Rhoades

CREATIVE DIRECTOR | PRODUCTIONOmar Rubio

CONTRIBUTORSMark Casasanto

David CavaAlicia DeLeo

Clark DeLeonVince DeMentri

Frank DePasquale Jr., Esq.Dr. Richard Dittrich

Larry Gallone Brett Jackson

Larry KaneJessica Lista

Maria Merlino

Dr. James MoylanJoseph OsborneDaniel Olivieri, IIISharon PinkensonMichael RhoadesDanielle RosatiLeo RossiJade RotaTony SantiniDavid SpitzbergBob Wagner

ASSISTANT EDITORLauren Gordon

GREEN SPACE EDITORKerri-Lee Mayland

THE BRIDES GUIDEJoseph Volpe

COPY EDITORMaria Merlino

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Carol Vassallo

PHOTOGRAPHERSPhil Kramer

John McMullenMegan Capobianco

Felicia PerrettiHector Valentin

ACCOUNT MANAGERTheresa Palestino

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERMike Rhoades

INTERN PROGRAM COORDINATORLauren Gordon

PUBLISHED BY:Philadelphia RowHome Inc.

P.O. Box 54786Philadelphia, PA 19148

Phone – 215.462.9777 | Fax – 215.462.9770www.gohomephilly.com | www.phillyrowhome.wordpress.com

Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Magazine and its contents are copyrighted. Content printed in the magazine may not be reproduced or reprinted, in whole or in part, by any other party without the expressed written consent of Philadelphia RowHome Magazine. 2012 Philadelphia RowHome Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the USA. Published by Philadelphia RowHome Inc.

David M. Spitzberg1505 South Broad StreetPhiladelphia, Pa. 19147

P: 215.952.8800F: 215.952.0800

www.CPAforBusiness.comwww.CPAforSolar.com

[email protected]

There are twocertainties in life.Only one comes

with options.

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 25 FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 2012 GOHOMEPHILLY.COM


THEMAILBOX

DEAR PRH:This recipe started out as a way

to use up leftovers from home-

made burritos!

Bean DipIngredients:• A microwave-safe dish with

high sides. I use a square

10X10 ceramic dish.

• can of fat-free (vegetarian - or

regular) refried beans

• can of black beans

• about 1 cup of medium heat,

chunky salsa

• about cup guacamole

• about cup light (or regular!)

sour cream

• chili powder (to taste)

• about 1 cup of Mexican

cheese

Directions:Rinse & drain your black beans.

Easy, eh? Smear can of refried

beans in an even coat on bottom of

dish. Sprinkle can of black beans

over ENTIRE dish. Smush them

into the refrieds a little. Spread

salsa over bean mixture. Use a

teaspoon to dollop both the gua-

camole & sour cream over your

bean & salsa mixture. Sprinkle chili

powder over everything. Apply a

generous layer of cheese over

entire mixture. Put in microwave

on HIGH for 6-7 minutes, until

cheese is fully melted and mixture

bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Jessica Geoghan,

West Philly

DEAR PRH:Getting my family to eat eggs is

like taking them to the dentist.

There is a lot of screaming, crying

and begging. Here’s one recipe

that I can get them all to eat with-

out complaint. Bonus: it’s healthy!

Can you really go wrong with

healthy and tasty for breakfast?

The Santa Fe Style Egg

Ingredients:• 1 Tbsp. butter

• 2 eggs

• cup salsa of your choosing. If

you are feeling creative, go with

homemade. It really just tastes

better.

• cup shredded Monterey jack

cheese

• 1 tortilla

• salt and pepper to taste

• freshly chopped cilantro

• freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place

your tortilla on an oven-safe dish

and place it in the oven to keep

warm. In a small pan, melt 1 Tbsp.

of butter over medium-high heat.

Gently crack your eggs into the

pan. Season them with a bit of salt

and pepper (This is important. It

might not seem it but the seasoning

will make all the difference and give

you a super tasty egg). Allow them

to cook slowly. The whites of the

egg will turn a milky color as they

heat up. Once the entire bottom of

the egg white is cooked, gently flip

your egg. Season the other side.

Allow the egg to cook for another

minute. While it is finishing, grab

your plate from the oven. Sprinkle

your cheese on top of the tortilla.

Carefully remove your eggs from

the pan and place them on top of

the cheese. Surround the egg with

salsa and top that with some fresh

cilantro and lime juice.

Kim Cooper, Maryland

DEAR PRH:A new twist on an old classic!

Nana’s Polenta (with a cheesy twist)Ingredients:• 4 cups cold water

• 1 cup yellow coarse ground

corn meal

• teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,

softened

• 2 ounces gorgonzola cheese

Directions:In a medium saucepan, combine

all ingredients except the butter

and gorgonzola cheese. Place

saucepan over medium high heat

and stir constantly with a whisk or

wooden spoon until the mixture

comes to a boil. Reduce heat to

medium low and continue to stir

until the polenta is smooth and

thick and pulls away from the sides

of the pan as it is stirred, about 25

minutes. Add the butter and gor-

gonzola cheese and stir until fully

incorporated. Taste! Does it need

more salt, butter or cheese? If so,

add now. Pour the polenta into a

serving bowl or onto a wooden

board and allow it to rest, about 5

minutes. To serve from a bowl, dip

a large spoon into hot water and

scoop the polenta onto individual

dishes. To serve from a board,

cut the polenta into segments with

a string or a knife. To cut with a

string, fit the string under the po-

lenta layer and draw it through to

the top surface. Transfer to plates

with a spatula or cake server.

Cook’s Note: It’s traditional to

stir the polenta in one direction.

Tom DiCampli, Jr.,

South Philly

DEAR PRH:Delicious Spanish dish for all to

enjoy!

Rice & Beans Recipeserves 3-4Ingredients:• 2 tbsp olive oil

• cup chopped ham

• cup chopped onions

• cup chopped green Bell pep-

pers

• 2 minced garlic cloves

• cup water

• 1 can (15.5 oz.) Goya beans,

undrained (red kidney, pink,

small red, roman or pinto beans)

• 1 packet Sazon Goya with Ci-

lantro and Achiote

• 1 package of rice or cook your

own white rice

• Pepper to taste

Directions:Heat oil in a large skillet on medi-

um heat. Add ham, onions, pep-

per and garlic. Cook for 10 min-

utes. Stir in remaining ingredients

and bring to a boil. Reduce heat

and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve

over warm white rice and enjoy!

Lydia Torres, Berlin, NJ.

DEAR PRH:I couldn’t think of what to send in,

but this is one of the best home-

made recipes we make.

Homemade Chicken SaladIngredients: • 2 -3 boneless, skinless chick-

en breasts

• 1 green pepper

• 4 hard-boiled eggs

• 1 onion

• cup mustard

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• salt

• pepper

Directions:Boil chicken breasts for about

45 minutes until tender. Cut up

chicken breasts into small piec-

es. Cut up green pepper, onion

and eggs into small pieces and

add to chicken. Add mustard and

mayonnaise (per ingredients or

as much as you like). Season to

taste with salt and pepper. Mix

thoroughly. Salad can be placed

in refrigerator to chill or can be

eaten immediately. I like to eat

my chicken salad on Keebler

Townhouse crackers. Spread on

crackers and enjoy. Enjoy!

Elizabeth Frink, Philly, Pa

EMAIL YOUR LETTERS TO:[email protected] VOL15/12

1965. Marie

Elena Abbr

uzzi, Ralphie

“Head” Ab

bruzzi, Mar

ia Altobello,

Debbie

Leuzzi and

friends at Pa

lumbo’s seei

ng the Soul

Survivors.

1930’s. Ann and Cha

rlie Stolfo with

children Bud and M

argie

1979. Fratto, Salvatore, Altobello, Sorge,

families and friends at J & A

Caterers, New Year’s Eve.

1948. South Philadelphia. Louis Bordo on the boat to London for the Olympics.

1920. Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Alfonso L. Baldi, funeral director of

the Baldi Funeral Home.

1949. Camden, NJ. Lydia Torres at age 16.

1909. South Philadelphia. It

alian Society of the Italian M

arket.

1940s. Carolyn (Angerome) Vassallo as

a bridesmaid in her cousin’s wedding

12 | ROWHOME MAGAZINE www.gohomephilly.com

1940s. Carolyn (Angerome) Vassallo as

a bridesmaid in her cousin’s wedding

1930. Verna Art Photo Studio. 806

Christian St. Daniel Olivieri, Sr

1900’s. Mr. & Mrs. Pasqual

e Olivo with

children Josie, Pete and Jos

eph.

1940s. 1800 Watts Street. Frank & Rose Donatucci enjoy a night out.

1930’s. Paul and Fortuna Nastri.

1943. Dominic Marzelli and his sister

Mary Marzelli Salvatore.



‘I think you’re on to something with this

magazine,’ he told us before biting

into a Tony Luke’s cheesesteak sev-

eral years back. ‘Even if the two of you

never publish another issue, consider

yourselves a success.’

It was a compliment that motivated us

to continue our quest to write about our

neighborhoods. A nod from a respected

journalist who spent his career penning

tales of life on the streets. Eight years

later, Larry McMullen’s contributions to

Philadelphia RowHome Magazine were a

crucial part of that success.

So, you see, the standard “template”

obituary would insult his integrity. And Lar-

ry McMullen was not a fan of mediocrity.

He was a perfectionist who cut the rest of

us as much slack as he thought we earned.

McMullen lived every day like a jour-

nal entry. Not a lot of fluff. Straight to the

chase. Over the last 30 years, he shared

his observations of life with thousands

of readers – faithful skeptics – who, like

Larry McMullen, believe that good even-

tually conquers evil. That decent people

sometimes make bad decisions.

He loved this city and his memories of it.

Even the crummy ones.

Yes, Larry McMullen was mightier than

the pen. He was the voice. The voice that

rattled in our heads as we hung on every

word he wrote for the past 30 years. And

it was music to all our ears.

Try to keep the Divine rumblings to a

minimum, McMullen.

Thank you for the legacy you left in our

trusted hands.

Rest in peace, Friend.

Dorette & Dawn & your PRH Family

FROM THE STAFF:“Larry once told me in a casual conversa-

tion that in many ways I was a lot like him...

big family, same high school, a South

Philly corner guy. The wise sage was cor-

rect and there isn’t a day that this once

young scribe ever forgets those words. I

was truly blessed to have known him.”

Mark Casasanto

“Larry was the voice of the regular, ev-

eryday man. He had a unique writing style

that was witty, cutting and informative.

Sometimes, all within the same column!

At his best, he was the best. Thanks for

everything Larry! God Bless.”

Bob Wagner

“Very sad news indeed. I never met Mr.

McMullen, but that’s not to say I didn’t

know him. He didn’t just write a Daily

News column, he shared. He shared his

beliefs, his knowledge, and his love of

Philadelphia. I guess in many ways we all

knew Larry, and we will all miss him greatly.”

David Cava

PRH LIFE

ROWHOME REMEMBERSLARRY MCMULLEN

by DORETTE ROTA JACKSONphotos by JOHN MCMULLEN

Larry at Penn’s Landing, Dec 12, 2002.

1. Great granddaughter,

Kaelyn, on her 1st Birthday.

2. Larry with his great

granddaughter, Kaelyn.

3. Larry with wife Theresa and

their beautiful family.

4. Larry on his 76th Birthday

posing with his nephews.

5. Larry with his four

daughters and great

granddaughter.

6. Bernie Parent, Larry

McMullen and Bob Watson.

7. Bob Kelly playfully

punching Larry McMullen.

8. Larry with all of his

five daughters.

9. Larry with Jerry Blavat at

the Blue Sapphire Awards.

10. Larry with his two

grandsons.

11. Larry, head shot for

RowHome Magazine,

April 6, 2005.

12. Air Force Honor Guard

photo submitted by

granddaughter Jess Jones.

13. Under the Ben Franklin

Bridge on Dec 12th, 2002.

1

2

5

6 7

8

9

10

11

13

12

4

3



HANGIN’OUT1_ Big hugs to Mark Squilla from the Phillie Phanatic.

photo by Maria Merlino

2_ Susan Tavella of Vincenzo’s Deli and her famous

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (don’t miss her recipe in

our menu section).

3_ Darren Daulton pays Pastificio a visit!

4_ Anna & Pat Scioli with their granddaughter Vanessa.

5_ Old friends Pete Santini and Benny Coco reliving

their childhood days growing up at 7th & Sigel.

6_ Lino Giuseppe Tete enjoys dinner at the home of his

grandparents, Pasquale & Anna Scioli.

7_ President Barack Obama chows down at Pat’s King

of Steaks.

8_ Wolfgang Puck and Tony Luke hang out.

9_ Stuart Skinner, Deputy Secretary, Catholic Health

Care Services; Mike Czekner, Chief Financial Of-

ficer, Catholic Health Care Services; the Most

Reverend John J. McIntyre, Auxiliary Bishop of

Philadelphia and Joseph J. Sweeney, Jr., Secretary,

Catholic Human Services, at the dedication of the

chapel at St. Monica Manor.

10_ The staff of Geekadelphia (and PRH Tech writers

Daniel Olivieri III and Joe Osborne) poses at the first

annual Philadelphia Geek Awards.

11_ Elisa Maldonado poses with celebrity Jamie Ken-

nedy at the Penrose Diner.

12_ Madison and Olivia Farlow, Phillip and Jude McFillin,

sport their PRH pride!

13_ Celebrating at Irish Weekend for Janyne (Osborne)

Evanitsky’s bachelorette party.

14_ Guys and Dolls from three different decades of the

corner hangs around 19th & Snyder enjoy a reunion

at Cavanaugh’s River Deck on Delaware Avenue.

15_ Actor Danny DeVito can’t resist a treat from Isgro

Pastries. Pictured with Gus Isgro.

16_ Dr. Steven Moskowitz, Sam Snyder and Erik Da-

Rosa out on the water.

FEB|MARCH|APRIL 2012

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PRHNEWS & POLITICS

A t the risk of dating myself, I grew up in a time when the newspaper was King. At my house,

we got the morning edition of the Inquirer and the afternoon edition of the now defunct Bulletin. And if you took the El or the subway to work, you could grab a Daily News from the newsstand in the vestibule of the stop.

As the years went by, television news slowly

but surely stripped the “King of his clothes.”

You see TV news could do what newspapers

couldn’t with the use of film early on and then

videotape. TV news could bring the viewer to

the scene of what was happening, in vibrant

Technicolor. Television began to show its

news dominance over newspapers with the

advent of “live” reporting. Now the viewer got

to see what was happening, live, as a report-

er or anchor walked them through the story.

When I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, there

were only three local stations broadcasting

local and national news, 3-NBC, 6-ABC, 10-

CBS. Cable hadn’t come to fruition yet, so it

was common to see the city’s row homes lit-

tered with rooftop antennas to capture the “off

air” signals filling the airwaves. Thus, you had

to seek out the news. Stations in Philadelphia

only broadcast two, maybe three, local news-

casts daily along with the national news, which

was shown on tape at 6:30 pm daily.

By the mid 80’s, cable became a player, of-

fering some 50-plus channels. And then, like

newspapers, the TV news game changed its

landscape in 1980 with the birth of cable’s

first 24-hour all-news station, CNN. Now you

didn’t have to wait for your local and national

news to be shown at a specific time. Tune

into CNN and you could watch local, national

and world news, which was constantly up-

dated any time you wanted. CNN was the first

“news on demand.”

Even though the landscape of news was

changing, they all had one common denomi-

nator – all were staffed by usually well-sea-

soned, well-trained professional journalists.

And you could be fairly certain if you read a

story in a newspaper or saw it on the evening

news, it was accurate.

Then, along came the Internet and now any-

body could post whatever they wanted in a

“blog.” Most of it was opinion, sprinkled with

some facts but not usually enough to move it

from the gossip class to accurate reporting.

Fast-forward to today, and the world of

news besieges you. Mobile phones now al-

low you to get headline tweets, texts, alerts,

email, etc. Do a Google search of any news

subject and sometimes hundreds of thou-

sands - even millions - of hits appear. Prob-

lem is, the line between professional report-

ing by journalists and now, “citizen journal-

ists,” have blurred the lines between fair and

accurate reporting and opinion-based report-

ing, masked as fact.

I recently read an article where Tom Bro-

kaw, the former anchor of NBC news, cau-

tioned against becoming a “couch potato”

when it comes to news.

I agree. Now more than ever, when you

seek the news, do your homework. Don’t be

a “couch potato.” Buyer beware. And above

all else, consider the source.

by VINCE DEMENTRI

BUYER BEWARE

NEWSTHE CHANGING FACE OF


PRHNEWS & POLITICS PRH FOR WHAT

IT’S WORTH

N ew Year’s Day just wasn’t the same this year

without my annual Joey Vento photo op. I’ve been

marching with the Froggy Carr comic wench brigade for

more than 25 years. You’ve heard of The Frogs. They’re the

only mummers brigade with its own personal police escort

from the clubhouse on Second Street to the line of march on South Broad Street.

Why the armed escort? Well, let’s just say that a roving band of 800 testosterone-

impaired men and boys wearing satiny dresses can get distracted sometimes.

The cops are there to ensure that The Frogs

arrive at Broad Street on time. In years past, I

would stop at Geno’s around dawn to say Happy

New Year to the crew and pose for a picture in

my wench suit with the legendary cheesesteak

proprietor and philanthropist, who had already

been hard at work since 4 a.m. Joey Vento,

who looked fit enough to go three rounds with

a heavy bag until the day he died last August of

a massive heart attack at age 71, was absent

from his gleaming stainless steel and neon

South Philly landmark for the first New Year’s

Day since he opened Geno’s in 1966.

And that got me to thinking about the whole

Philadelphia steak sandwich phenome-

non. What used to be our private little culinary

cosa nostra, this “thing of ours, with”, is now a

global menu staple in several fast food corpo-

rate empires. The cheesesteak has gone all

McPhilly. And to think it all started with a single

failing hot dog stand on a triangular concrete

wedge in the middle of the confluence of 9

th

& Wharton Streets and Passyunk Avenue, a

lively intersection near the Italian Market that

historians would later describe as the “fertile

crescent of Philadelphia junk food.” We all

know the origin story/creation myth of the first

steak sandwich. According to legend, a man

named Pat Olivieri was operating a hot dog

stand at that location during the first Great De-

pression. It was lunchtime. Business was slow,

Pat was hungry and sick of eating hot dogs. So

he goes to a local meat merchant, orders some

beefsteak, slices it up in thin strips, throws it in

a skillet with oil and onions and then prepares

to devour it all between two long slices of an

Italian roll. Smelling this wonderful epiphany, a

man walking past pokes his head into the win-

dow and says, “What’s that you’re cooking?”

Pat replies, “My lunch.” Man asks, “How much

you want for it?” And when the deal was sealed,

the cheesesteak industry was born.

Pat’s, Geno’s, Jim’s, Larry’s, Sonny’s, Chubby’s, Abner’s, Chickie’s. Have you no-

ticed that most of the best cheesesteak shops

in Philadelphia bear someone’s first name or

nickname? Even Tony Luke’s sounds like two

first names. I have no idea what that means but

for every Campo’s or Dallesandro’s, there

seems to be a Cuz’s or Sam’s or Mama’s. We

like to be on a first name basis with our chees-

esteak makers. One of my favorite cheesesteak

establishments in West Philadelphia serves ha-

lal (like kosher only Islamic) prepared food. It’s

called Saad’s, which is a Muslim first name. I

think. The irony of ironies for someone who has

happily eaten thousands of cheesesteaks dur-

ing a Philadelphia lifetime is that I don’t really

like the cheesesteaks served at either Pat’s or

Geno’s. I know, I know. This is like saying that

the communion wafers at the Vatican taste fun-

ny. But it’s the truth. I don’t like the way they cut

the meat at both Pat’s and Geno’s. The slices

are too thick, not wafer thin and juicy like Son-

ny’s or Jim’s. Still, there’s no better show than

9

th

& Passyunk after dark -- especially after the

bars close at 2 a.m. Through the dense South

Philly rowhouse darkness, hungry revelers ride

from Center City down Wharton Street. Not a

soul moves on the wee hours streets until a dim

glow becomes visible at 10

th

Street and then

within a few yards, almost like someone pulled

back a curtain to reveal the explosion of neon

that is the Las Vegas strip -- BOOM! -- you’re

in another world. It takes my breath away every

time. And one of the original architects of this

glowing concrete island, this 24-7 South Philly

landmark, Joey Vento, left us last year. But not

before he changed the face of our city PRH

by CLARK DELEON

CLARK DELEON

AULD LANG SIGN

Veteran journalist and Philadelphia native Clark

DeLeon has been speaking his mind about the

city he loves for more than 30 years.


PRHNEWS & POLITICS

2011 CITY WRAP-UPPHILLY TAKES TOP SPOT FOR CULTUREby LARRY GALLONE

absurdity which goes on daily

in Washington, DC), and even the

latest celebrity meltdown. How-

ever, the City of Philadelphia has

continued to deliver innovative

programs, engage its citizens and

work toward a future to position

Philadelphia as a city poised to

lead in the 21st century.

Let’s take a look at some of the

initiatives launched to help improve

the quality of life for all Philadelphia

residents and visitors to the City.

PHILADELPHIA RATED TOP CITY FOR CULTURE

The City of Philadelphia was rat-

ed by Travel & Leisure Magazine

readers in the “America’s Favorite

Cities” survey as the Top City in

the nation for Culture. This ranking

improved from No. 10 in the 2010

survey. In addition, Philadelphia

was rated as No. 3 city for “Food,

Drink and Restaurants” and a Top

5 city for Shopping.

According to a recent report re-

leased by the Office of Arts, Cul-

ture and the Creative Economy,

Philadelphia currently has the fifth

fastest-growing creative sector in

the nation. And the city’s creative

sector ranking is 70 percent stron-

ger than national benchmarks.

“You know you live in a great city

when you’re rated number one for

cultural amenities as well as for be-

ing ‘sports-crazed’,” Mayor Michael

A. Nutter said. “Philadelphia is a di-

verse city with many cultural assets

that visitors and tourists appreciate

when traveling to our city.”

CHANGE BY USMayor Nutter and the Mayor’s

Office of Communications an-

nounced the launch of the ‘Change

By Us Philly’ website. This website

serves as an interactive social me-

dia platform that enables citizens to

connect with City officials, commu-

nity-based organizations and each

other to share ideas and create

projects to benefit the City of Phila-

delphia. Visit philly.changeby.us for

more information.

“Our Administration wants to

know what is important to its citi-

zens and actively works to make

the changes Philadelphians want

and need,” Mayor Nutter said.

“The ‘Change by Us Philly’ website

is an innovative, social media tool

that will enable Philadelphians to

present ideas to City officials, get

involved with existing City projects

and create new initiatives to make

Philadelphia a smarter, safer,

greener, cleaner and better City.”

Change By Us Philly was created

by Code for America, CEOs for

Cities and Local Projects with the

support of the Rockefeller Foun-

dation and the John S. and James

L. Knight Foundation. The website

will be administered by the Mayor’s

Office of Communications and as-

sisted by non-profit partners with

site maintenance and upkeep.

HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS

City officials signed a historic

agreement to increase the num-

ber of high-performing schools in

the City. The Philadelphia Great

Schools Compact unites the

mayor, school district and charter

school leaders in a bold, collab-

orative plan to focus on replicating

and sustaining the most success-

ful school models, regardless of

their governance structure.

At a press conference at the Stet-

son Middle School in Kensington,

the Bill & Melinda Gates Founda-

tion announced plans to provide

a $100,000 grant to support the

implementation of the Compact.

Philadelphia joins 14 other cities

that have signed District-Charter

Collaboration Compacts with the

support of the foundation. These

cities are eligible to compete next

year for a share of more than $40

million in Gates Foundation funding

and Program-Related Investments.

PHASE 2: BUSINESS SERVICES CENTER

In November, Mayor Nutter of-

ficially launched phase two of

the Business Services Center, a

website that provides companies

with a tool to understand the per-

mits, licenses, financing, taxes,

tax credits and services through

the City that relate to their busi-

ness. This phase creates a “Busi-

ness Assistant” wizard, which will

prompt business owners to com-

plete a questionnaire to create a

customized dashboard for each

individual company. The web-

site will give Philadelphia’s small

businesses, service providers

and entrepreneurs access to the

necessary information to start or

expand a company.

“Our Administration is committed

to making Philadelphia a smart city

and a smart choice for business,

and this new, online tool is one more

way for companies to get the infor-

mation they need to do business in

Philadelphia,” Mayor Nutter said.

Since launching the “Business

Assistant” wizard on the site in

September 2011, 720 users have

registered and created business

profiles and more than half of

these registered users indicated

they were looking for informa-

tion on creating or expanding a

business. The site is the result of

cross-departmental cooperation

to provide companies with a full

understanding of the services the

City offers to businesses. Visit the

Business Services Center website

at www.phila.gov/business.

E ach year, the chang ing of the calendar

represents both memories and mile-

stones. And so it is in Philadelphia.

Looking past the headlines that fo-

cus on crime or the weather-- scorch-

ing heat, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes -- 2011 seemed

like we were living in the Old Testament. There were sensa-

tionalized fires, news of “occupying” somewhere (the


More than 6000 years ago, in the warmth

of the Egyptian sun, a piece of bread

was held above a roaring flame. And unto

man, toast was born. According to histori-

ans, toasting bread was used as a way to pre-

serve this universal sustenance. The process

spread through centuries and generations,

across cultures and nations. Today, toast

is symbolic of the time-honored tradition of

breaking bread – sharing food with loved ones

around the family table.

As simple meals evolved into elaborate feasts

through the ages, the custom of family dinner has remained intact – one of

the oldest traditions in the world, according to the experts.

In this special collectors edition of Philadelphia RowHome Maga-

zine, we reached out to our RowHome network, asking them to share

some of their most memorable family recipes with you.

Whether you are dining around your own family table or enjoying an

exquisite entrée at one of your favorite restaurants, food will continue

to bring people together.

We celebrate that tradition and the most important ingredient in every

recipe that follows - memories.

A TOAST TO TOASTAND OTHER FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPES

PRHTHE MENU


Within feet of the entrance to Liscio’s Bakery in

Glassboro, New Jersey, the unmistakable aroma

of fresh baked bread attacks your senses. Two

massive ovens occupy the soaring space behind

the walls of this Garden State warehouse –dwarf-

ing everything and everyone within its shadows.

Two multi-tiered mobile cooling racks greet you

like soldiers at attention. Everywhere you look,

men on high scaffolding scrub every nook and

cranny of the famed bakery’s headquarters.

Instantly, you long to sink your teeth into a Tony

Luke’s cheesesteak. Or a sumptuous hoagie from

Chickie’s & Pete’s. Two of the famed names that top the Liscio client list.

Partners James Liscio and Chad Vilotti are proud of their family-owned bread

business that eventually led to its present-day wholesale operation. They trace

its humble beginnings to a chance encounter more than two decades ago.

Vilotti’s great-grandfather Luigi Vilotti opened one of the city’s first Italian

Bread bakeries in South Philadelphia on the corner of Marshal & Fitzwater

Street in 1910. His business grew to become a larger distribution company

called Vilotti Food Ingredients, a supplier for the company where James

Liscio once worked.

Before long, Liscio – who was introduced to the bakery business as a

young teen worker – started talking shop with Chad Vilotti and the two em-

barked on a friendship that is now approaching its 20

th

year. They even mar-

ried women who grew up in the same neighborhood and have been best

friends ever since.

In 1994, Liscio, with the help of his family, opened the doors to his first

bakery. The business grew steadily and before long, his operation became a

little too much for one business mastermind to handle on his own.

In the meantime, Chad Vilotti sold his supplier business and turned up the

heat on a former family passion – baking bread. The two friends joined forces

in 2004, purchasing the current Liscio location in Glassboro, NJ.

Today, they are the proud owners of numerous delis, distributors of fine

frozen food products and even “Proud Partners” of the Philadelphia Phillies,

signing Ryan Madson as the spokesperson for Liscio’s in 2011.

The secret to their ongoing success?

“We cater to our customers,” Vilotti says. “Aside from the taste, we make a

consistent product.”

For Vilotti and Liscio, every day is a challenge they graciously accept.

“Chad hasn’t been on vacation in what, five years?” Liscio asks with a smile.

“Actually, six, to be exact,” Vilotti laughs.

“The thing of it is, at the end of the day, Chad and I are a family,” Liscio

adds. “Our kids mean everything to us, and having each other allows us to

spend time with them. We want to run a successful business and not miss out

on the home stuff either.”

Breaking bread. It’s a family tie that binds.

LISCIO’S BAKERY IS A MEMBER OF THE PRH BUSINESS NETWORK.

PRHTHE MENU

BREAKING BREAD

Chad Vilotti and James Liscio at headquarters

by LAUREN GORDONphotos by PHIL KRAMER


PRHTHE MENU

RICE & HOT DOGS TO THE RESCUE

by CELIA BORDA CANDELORO

Feeding seven children on a Saturday af-

ternoon was a challenge for my mother,

“Mommy Jo.” The other six days were

easy: On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thurs-

days, we ate spaghetti and meatballs.

Mondays were soup days. Expect stew or

a platter on Wednesdays and, of course,

fish was always served on Fridays.

Mommy Jo sailed to America from Cal-

abria, Italy, when she was only 11years old.

With her, came the timeless Italian dishes

she so skillfully prepared. As a child, I loved

hot dogs so much that my aunt gave me 13 hot dogs for

my 13

th

birthday. I guess that’s what sparked Mommy Jo’s

decision to deviate from her Italian roots and cook up a

very American Saturday meal. An easy, inexpensive de-

light that has since become a family favorite, Hot Dogs &

Rice is a true blend of culture and tradition.

Years later, as a young mother of four, I faced the same

challenge. What do I feed four finicky children and a hus-

band who eats anything? Rice & Hot Dogs to the rescue.

This dish became such a family treat that we served it on

Monday nights at the request of visiting relatives.

Many years later, baby-sitting was never a chal-

lenge if Grammy made their favorite dish, Rice & Hot

Dogs. And what do their mothers cook when all else

fails? You guessed it.

What began as a means to feed a large family has be-

come a cherished recipe that has fed four generations.

My great-grandchildren will one day discover this tasty

meal and soon enough, I hope that you do, too.

THE CUTTING POINT PRESENTS:Celia Borda Candeloro’s Family

Go-to: Rice & Hot Dogs

INGREDIENTS:1 package of D&W Hot Dogs

3-4 cloves garlic

2 cups of rice

5 cups of water

coarsely chopped onion

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small can of tomato sauce

(or leftover gravy)

Served with Salt, Locateli

cheese and Italian Season-

ings to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large pot, saute garlic, on-

ion and olive oil. Lightly brown

one package of D&W hot dogs,

chopped. Add rice, water, sea-

sonings and tomato sauce. Sim-

mer with lid on until rice is cooked,

adding more water as seen fit.

Once rice is cooked, top with

cheese and serve! Bon Appetit!

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DEPASQUALE LAW OFFICE PRESENTS:

MARY “AUNT BABE” DEPASQUALE’S BREADED FLOUNDER WITH SPINACHINGREDIENTS:

6 pieces of flounder filet

1 large box of frozen leaf spinach

2 bags mozzarella - shredded

4 fresh tomatoes, sliced

1clove of minced garlic

Beaten egg for dipping fish

Italian breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:Set oven to 350º. Defrost and fry spinach in oil

and garlic for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Dip each piece of flounder in beaten egg, salt and

pepper. Cover each piece with breadcrumbs, fry

and set aside. Grease baking pan and lay floun-

der in pan. Cover each piece of flounder with

spinach, mozzarella and slices of tomato.

Bake for 30 minutes. ph

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PRHTHE MENU

THE KITCHEN CONSIGLIERE PRESENTS:

BIG PAULIE’S CAULIFLOWER AND MACARONIINGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb of pancetta (Italian Bacon) cut into cubes

1 large onion diced

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 cup of Chianti wine

4 cans all purpose crushed tomatoes

1 head of cauliflower cut into small pieces

1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

10 basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

2 cups flavored breadcrumbs

1 lb of your favorite macaroni or spaghetti style pasta

Salt, pepper and pepperoncini (red flake pepper) to taste

DIRECTIONS:Sauté pancetta until golden brown and remove. Add olive oil, chopped

garlic and onions. Cook until translucent. Add wine to deglaze the pan,

scraping up all the flavorful bits. Reduce until pan is clean - add toma-

toes and season to taste. Cook 20 to 30 minutes. Add cauliflower and

cook until tender, about 25 minutes on medium heat.

Breadcrumbs: in a skillet toast breadcrumbs until golden brown adding

small amounts of olive oil until desired color is reached. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta until desired tenderness, top pasta with sauce, toasted

breadcrumbs and pancetta. Garnish with parsley and basil.


POTITO’S ITALIAN AND AMERICAN PASTRIES PRESENTS:

BUTTER COOKIESINGREDIENTS:

1 lb butter

2 lb shortening

1 oz salt (about 5 tspns, adjust to taste)

2 lb granulated sugar

2 lb cake flour

2 lb all purpose flour

oz vanilla extract (about 4 teaspoons)

oz almond extract (about 4 teaspoons)

1 cup whole eggs (crack eggs into a glass measuring cup)

DIRECTIONS:Preheat oven at 375º. Incorporate all dry ingredients in a large mixing

bowl and stir on medium speed. Add eggs and mix on high speed for

5 minutes. Once dough is formed, spoon onto un-greased pan and let

bake for 15 minutes. Yield: 150 cookies.

“You can mix colored sprinkles into the batch or wait until they cool to decorate...”

LOMBARDI’S PRIME MEATS PRESENTS:

GRILLED CUTLETS: Steak, Chicken or VealINGREDIENTS:

1 lb of meat of choice from Lombardi’s Meats

Italian bread crumbs

Grated cheese

Minced garlic

Chopped parsley

Chopped basil

Chopped mint

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:Combine seasonings and bread crumbs in bowl. Brush cutlets with

olive oil and bread them. Spray grill pan with non-stick spray and grill

cutlets until thoroughly cooked.

For optimum cooking, make sure pan is hot before grilling cutlets.

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AVALLONE TOMATOES PRESENTS:

THERESA BELFIORE’S GRAVYGRAVY INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil to coat the bottom of a large pot

1-1/2 pounds of sweet sausage, sliced into 3-inch chunks

1 spear rib (optional)

1 large onion, diced

6 fat garlic cloves, chopped

2 28-ounce cans of Avallone crushed tomatoes

1 handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sprinkling of dried oregano

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:1-1/2 pounds of ground beef, pork and veal mixture

3 extra –large eggs, beaten

3 to 4 slices of top-quality white bread, crusts removed,

soaked in water and squeezed out

About 1 scant cup of grated Parmesan

1 handful of Italian parsley leaves, chopped

2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped

Vegetable oil for frying the meatballs

GRAVY DIRECTIONS:Heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the sausage and

optional spear rib and brown on all sides. Add the onion and

sauté for about five minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a few

minutes more. Lower the heat, add the tomatoes, salt, pepper,

basil and oregano. Blend well. Place the lid askew and simmer

for about 20 minutes while you form the meatballs.

MEATBALL DIRECTIONS:Place all of the remaining ingredients, except the vegetable oil,

in a large mixing bowl. Blend carefully with your hands. Heat

the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Working in batches, carefully

form the meatballs and brown them on all sides. Once they are

browned, add them to the pot.

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, lower to a simmer, re-

place the lid askew and simmer for one hour.

Serves four to six.

Note; To make braciole, get a thin slice of beef, then sprin-

kle with garlic, parsley, parmesan cheese, and a whole hard

boiled egg (optional), roll it up and tie with string and fry, then

put it in the pot of gravy.

PRHTHE MENU


2531-35 S. Broad Street,Philadelphia PA 19148

DR. RICHARD DITTRICH PRESENTS:

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST FROM THE PROFESSIONAL AESTHETICS & WELLNESS CENTERINGREDIENTS:

Whole challah unsliced—dense

(challah is a braided egg bread)

6 eggs

cup of milk

cup of confectioner’s sugar

teaspoon of vanilla extract

teaspoon of water

Dash of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS: Cut six slices of challah – to 1 inch thick

In medium sized bowl, beat eggs, milk, confec-

tioner’s sugar, vanilla, water and cinnamon till

even consistency. Put challah in large flat pan

and pour mixture over it to cover. Soak over-

night in the refrigerator.

Cook on nonstick griddle sprayed with cook-

ing oil. Cook on low flame until thoroughly

cooked. Turn to prevent burning and re-spray

when turning. Be patient and keep flame low.

Two hints: When removing mixture from pan af-

ter soaking, pick up with large flat spatula as piec-

es will crumble. If not thoroughly cooked through

middle, microwave for short period of time.

To serve: Taste before adding syrup—usually

sweet enough. For a nice presentation, sprinkle

with confectioner’s sugar and garnish plate with

fresh fruit—you’ll think it has less calories. Ha-ha!

Disclaimer: Special treat not on any of Dr.

Dittrich’s weight loss programs, but surely bet-

ter than a couple of doughnuts!


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JOHN’S ROAST PORK PRESENTS:

LAMB AND EGGSserves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:cup Olive oil

cup Chopped Onion

3 lb Spring lamb, shoulder cut, cubed

1 large can chicken broth

8 eggs, beaten

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 dry bay leaves

tbs rosemary

cup parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:In a Dutch oven, heat oil to sauté celery, on-

ion and garlic. Add cubed pieces of lamb, bay

leaves, rosemary, salt & pepper. Cook over

medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring.

Add broth and simmer for 15 minutes. When

lamb is tender, slowly stir in eggs so they are

scrambled into the broth. Continue to stir until

broth is clear and egg is cooked into threads.

Spoon soup into bowls and sprinkle with par-

mesan cheese.

“Have some Italian bread on the side to soak up the flavorful broth...”

NEW YORK BAKERY PRESENTS:

HONEY SALMONINGREDIENTS:

1 lb of steaks/fillets of salmon

Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Honey (to taste)

Garlic salt (to taste)

1 beaten egg or olive oil for coating

DIRECTIONS:Pre-heat oven to 400º. Mix together seasoned

bread crumbs and garlic salt in a bowl. Brush fil-

lets in olive oil or dip in beaten egg. Bread them

with the crumbs. Bake until fillets are golden

brown and flaky. Add honey and serve.

“Drizzle salmon fillets with honey and serve for a uniquely sweet flavor...”

PRHTHE MENU

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CONCETTA ACELLO, OF THE CESCAPHE EVENT GROUP FAMILY PRESENTS:

STUFFED CALAMARI& MAGIC COOKIE BARS FOR DESSERTThese recipes have been in my family for three generations. Handed

down from my grandmother, Benadette Germana, to my mother

Josephine Messina, then to me. Since then, I have been making this

recipe every Christmas Eve as part of our traditional Feast of the Seven

Fishes. It has long been a family favorite ever since my grandmother

made it many years ago. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

STUFFED CALAMARI WITH RED SAUCEMakes Eight ServingsINGREDIENTS:

Stuffing: 2 cups Bread

Crumbs, Seasoned

1 cup Locatelli

Cheese, grated

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

tsp Thyme, dried

tsp Old Bay Seasoning

tsp Garlic, minced

tsp Black Pepper

1 cup Spanish Olives,

finely chopped

cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

cup Chicken Stock

Red Sauce: 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cans Whole Tomatoes,

crushed in a blender

(28 oz each)

2 lbs Cleaned Squid Tubes,

including Tentacles (smaller

pieces are better)

2 tbsp Oregano, dried

Pinch each of Red Pepper

Flakes, Italian Seasoning

& Old Bay

White Wine (as needed)

2 tbsp Fresh Basil, minced

DIRECTIONS FOR STUFFING:In a medium bowl, with fork, combine dry ingredients and toss to thor-

oughly incorporate. Add in chopped olives and garlic and again mix.

Slowly begin adding olive oil, keeping in mind the stuffing should be

wet enough to hold together, but not too wet. Using either a spoon or

pastry bag, stuff squid tubes, leaving a little space for stuffing to ex-

pand. Close with toothpicks and set aside to add to sauce.

DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE:In a large saucepot, sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium low heat. Once

golden, add the tomatoes and dry seasonings. Bring to a boil, then let sim-

mer for an hour. (If too thick, add white wine.) After one hour, gently add

stuffed squid tubes and tentacles. Continue to simmer for another 35 min-

utes. Add fresh basil and serve over al dente cooked pasta.

MAGIC COOKIE BARSMakes 18 BarsINGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp Crisco or Butter

2 cups Graham

Cracker Crumbs

2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar,

tightly packed

1 stick Margarine, melted

1 can Sweetened

Condensed Milk (8 oz)

1 cup Semi Sweet

Chocolate Chips

1 cup Flaked Coconut,

unsweetened

1 cup Walnuts,

chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 13x9 metal pan by greasing

with either the Crisco or butter, then set aside. In a medium bowl, thor-

oughly mix graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar to melted mar-

garine to form crust. Transfer into the greased pan and press firmly,

being sure to evenly distribute crumbs over bottom of the pan. Then

add condensed milk over crust, again in an even layer. Follow the milk

with layer chocolate chips, again being sure to evenly distribute across

pan. Add flaked coconut on top of the chocolate chips, and then top

with the walnuts. When all layers are in the pan, press down firmly to

pack in ingredients tightly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top layer

is golden brown. Cool completely, and then cut into bars.


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PRHTHE MENU

DEPASQUALE LAW OFFICES PRESENT:

MARY “AUNT BABE” DEPASQUALE’S CARROT CAKEINGREDIENTS:

3 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

***Sift above ingredients***

2 cups sugar

4 eggs - beat well

1 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

cup chopped walnuts

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple

3 cups grated carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting4 ounces butter, softened to room temperature

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese

with mixer. On low speed, add the powdered sugar, a half-cup

at a time, until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Spread on cooled cake.

DIRECTIONS:Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix oil, vanilla

and sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients slowly and mix well.

Stir in nuts and carrots. Grease and flour 13 x 9 pan and pour

mixture in. Bake for 1 hour.

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VINCENZO’S ITALIAN DELI PRESENTS:

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKESINGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp margarine, softened

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon

1 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese

DIRECTIONSIn a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.

In a separate large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, vanilla,

vegetable oil and margarine. Mix in lemon zest, lemon

juice and ricotta cheese. Stir dry ingredients into egg mix-

ture; mix until smooth. Do not over-mix!

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium

high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, us-

ing approximately cup for each pancake. Brown on both

sides and serve hot.Top with powdered sugar and fresh

strawberries. Enjoy!

“The lemon zest and juice give these pancakes a light citrus taste and the ricotta blended into the batter adds a creamy and fluffy texture.”

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UNCLE TOMY’S PIZZERIA PRESENTS:

SAUSAGE, ESCAROLE AND BEANSINGREDIENTS:

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 (15 ounce) cans cannelini beans

2 (15 ounce) cans light red kidney beans

1 can petite diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 heads escarole, cleaned

1 head roasted garlic**

2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:Coat the bottom of a heavy pot with olive oil and begin

browning sausage on medium-high heat crumbling it

up as you go .After 5 minutes add carrots, celery,

onions, salt, black pepper & crushed red pepper.

Cook until bottom of pan becomes sticky. Add beans

(undrained) and tomatoes to pot and simmer about

20-25 minutes. Add escarole and garlic, cook until

escarole is tender, approximately 10 minutes. Top

with parsley and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

**Roasting garlic: Preheat oven or toaster oven to

350°. Slice the top (about 1/4 inch) off of a head of

garlic. Place it in a square of tin foil and drizzle with

one tablespoon of olive oil. Seal at the top and roast

for 30 minutes. When cool enough to work with,

squeeze head of garlic to release cloves. Smash with

a fork before adding to beans.

PRHTHE MENU

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PAT CIARROCCHI’S

STUFFED MUSHROOMS WITH PROSCIUTTOINGREDIENTS:

1 lb large fresh SherRockee Brand Mushrooms

1 T. parsley, minced

1 slice of prosciutto, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 TB grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 TB breadcrumbs

cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS: Pre-heat oven to 300°. Rinse mushrooms. Remove

stems from caps and chop fine. Combine prosciutto,

cheese, breadcrumbs, mushroom stems, parsley, salt,

pepper and egg. Spread the mixture evenly inside the

mushroom caps. Place in a single layer in a baking dish

and drizzle olive oil over the top. Bake uncovered for 25

to 30 minutes.

MUSHROOM STORAGE TIP

Store your fresh mushrooms in a brown paper bag in the

refrigerator up to 5 – 7 days for best freshness and taste.

Storing mushrooms in air-tight plastic bags will cause

mushrooms to retain moisture and thus spoil quicker.


PRHTHE MENU

TERRYIN RESTAURANT PRESENTS:

PAD THAI: SHRIMP2-3 Servings

INGREDIENTS:teaspoon ground

dried chili pepper

1 egg

4 teaspoons fish sauce

3 cloves minced garlic

ground pepper

white pepper

lime

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

package Thai rice noodles

1/3 cup extra firm tofu

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 minced shallot

1/2-1/4 lb shrimp

Chopped peanuts

DIRECTIONS: Start with soaking the dry noodles in lukewarm or room temperature wa-

ter while preparing the other ingredients. Getting the noodles just right

is the trickiest part of making Pad Thai. By the time you are ready to put

ingredients in the pan, the noodles should be flexible but not mushy. Juli-

enne tofu and cut into 1-inch long matchsticks. When cut, the super firm

tofu/pressed tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency. You can

fry the tofu separately until golden brown and hard, or you can fry with oth-

er ingredients below. Cut the Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set

aside a few fresh chives for a garnish. Mince shallot and garlic together.

Use a wok. If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do. Heat it up on

high heat and pour oil in the wok. Add shallot, garlic and tofu and stir them

until they start to brown. The noodles should be flexible but not expanded

at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep

things from sticking. Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce and chili pepper.

Stir. The heat should remain high. Make room for the egg by pushing all

noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble

it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles. The noodles

should be soft and chewy. Pull a strand out and taste. If the noodles are

too hard (not cooked), add a little bit of water. When you get the right

taste, add shrimp and stir. Sprinkle white pepper around. The noodles

should be soft, dry and very tangled.

Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with ground pepper and pea-

nuts. Serve hot with a wedge of lime on the side.

As always, in Thailand, condiments such as sugar, chili pepper, vinegar

and fish sauce are available at your table for your personal taste. Some

people add more chili pepper or sugar at the table.

HAPPY WINDOWS

2-inch wood

Shutters

Verticals

Mini Blinds

Pleated Shades

Roman Shades

Drapes

Valances

DISCOUNT PRICE

WITH INSTALLATION

Call Eileen 215.465.7525

Cedrone’s FlowersAny Occasion. Every Day.

800 Lombard StreetWashington Square WestPhiladelphia, PA 19147

PH: 215. 629.9858CELL: 215.990.7812www.cedrones!owers.comEmail: [email protected]

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Come enjoy Old Italian Style dishes as

Executive Chef Angelo Lutz presents the experience of a real, authentic home-style cooking.

BYOBReservations encouraged

The Kitchen Consigliere Cafe

8 Powell Lane, Collingswood, NJ 08108

Phone: 856.854.2156 Fax: 856.854.2184

Open 7 Days a Week

WWW.KITCONCAFE.COM

MI-PAL’S DELI PRESENTS:

SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA CON VONGOLE serves 4-6 people

INGREDIENTS:3 TB Olive Oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 oz or more Calamata black olives, pitted

& chopped

1 tsp capers, coarsely chopped

1 large fresh tomato, peeled & coarsely

chopped

4 or 5 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped

2 cans minced clams, drained

1 lb spaghettini

1/3 cup finely chopped parsley

tsp salt

tsp pepper black

1 tsp crushed red pepper

DIRECTIONS:Place the olive oil in a frying pan and add

the minced garlic. When garlic is golden,

add the olives, capers, tomato, anchovy fil-

lets and clams. Stir well and heat through for

about 6 minutes.

Cook the pasta al dente and drain it. Place in

a warm bowl and add half the sauce. Toss well.

Add the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle

on the parsley with some salt & pepper to taste.

Serve hot.

“Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top before serving for extra flavoring. This dish can also be made without the clams.”

DORETTE & DAWN PRESENT:

NANA’S RICOTTA PIEPerfected by Caroline Angerome

INGREDIENTS:2 (8 ounce) packages Philadelphia cream

cheese, softened to room temperature

1 (15 ounce) container of whole milk ricotta

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

9 tablespoons flour

1 pint container sour cream

DIRECTIONS:Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 3

quart glass baking dish. In a large bowl, mix

the ricotta and cream cheese together until

well combined. On low speed, stir in the sugar,

eggs, vanilla, and flour. Add the sour cream last

and stir. Pour into prepared glass baking dish.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour. Turn off

the oven and leave it in for one hour more. Cool

completely in the refrigerator before serving.

Passing it forward!

Dorette & Dawn

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NEUMANN-GORETTIWE WILL GET YOU THERE!

SAVE THE DATES:8th Grade Scholarship/Placement Test: 9

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N-G Students Class of 2011

Proud recipients of more than $9.5 million in college scholarships

More Information 215-465-8437Saints John Neumann and Maria GorettiCatholic High School 1736 South 10th Street Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.465.8437 WWW.NEUMANNGORETTIHS.ORG

OLIVIERI JEWELERS PRESENTS

LINA OLIVIERI’S CHICKEN CACCIATOREINGREDIENTS:

6-8 pieces of Chicken Breast (cut

in 1/4), legs and thighs

4 cloves of fresh garlic

cup Olive Oil

cup Red Wine

Pinch of Salt, Pepper and Oregano

DIRECTIONS:In large pot, saute garlic, olive oil, salt,

pepper and oregano. Add chicken and

cover for of an hour on medium heat,

regularly flipping chicken. When fully

cooked, lower heat and douse in red

wine. Cook until wine evaporates.

CANNULI’S SAUSAGE PRESENTS:

RITA’S SAUSAGE SCALOPPINIINGREDIENTS:

1 pound CANNULI’S Hot or

Sweet Sausage Links

2-3 red or green peppers,

seeded and sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, washed

and sliced

1 (8 oz.) can Hunt’s tomato sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Place the sausage in a frying pan and

pour in about 1 cup of water. Bring to a

boil and let simmer until sausage looks

white. Pour off the water, then brown

sausage evenly on both sides. Add

sliced pepper, onion and mushrooms

and saute until golden brown. Add to-

mato sauce and simmer about 10 min-

utes. Season to taste.

“Serve with a dry red wine and a loaf of Italian bread...”

PRHTHE MENU


IBEW LOCAL 98 PRESENTS:

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKEby Jean Neill

INGREDIENTS:Cake:

1 stick of butter

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs, beaten lightly

2 cups all purpose flour

tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 tbs Vanilla

Topping (optional)

Combine:

tsp Cinnamon

cup sugar

chopped nuts

2 TB butter, cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:Heat oven to 350°. Combine sour cream, baking soda

and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, bak-

ing powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl,

cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs to the mixture,

beating well. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mix-

ture alternately with the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until

combined. Pour mixture into a greased bundt pan with

tube. Sprinkle on topping. Dot with butter. Bake for 45

minutes. Open door and allow cake to cool in oven. Re-

move from pan immediately after taking from the oven.

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SPRING IS IN THE AIR

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are practicing GYNECOLOGY at

1313 Wolf StPhiladelphia, PA

215.465.3000AND

Glendale Executive Campus1000 White Horse Rd., Suite 612

Voorhees, N.J.856.435.9090

Dr. Richard Dittrich&

JoAnn Casella, CNP

JoAnn will also be joining Dr. Dittrich at Professional Aesthetics & Wellness Center

Conveniently located at

1315 Wolf Street Philadelphia, PA

215.465.9600

Dr. Dittrich’s MedSpa offers

Wellness Programs for both women and men.

Services Include:Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Laser Treatments and Cosmetic Procedures Medically Managed Weight Loss

Anti-Aging Therapies

Please Stop In For A Tour!

TOGETHER AGAIN

Did you know that Isgro Pasticceria once

was commissioned to create a cake that looked like the Philadelphia

Museum of Art - and succeeded in doing so? When it comes to your

dessert table, search no further than this family-owned bakery, nestled

in the heart of the Italian Market for the last 108 years. Whether you

are craving a creamy home-baked ricotta cheese pie or an intricately

designed pound cake, a decadent delight from Isgro is another sure

sign that spring has sprung!

1 : Original Easter Bread

2 : Assorted Easter Breads

3 : Easter Ham Pie

4 : Easter Egg Basket

Poundcake

5 : Easter Ham Pie

6 : Brown Derby

7 : Pastera


Poundcake Décor Details

9 : Assorted Easter Pies


Poundcake Décor Details

11 : Four Egg Easter Bread

12 : Ricotta Cheese Pie

13 : Rice Pie

14 : Assorted Mini Pastries

15 : Easter Egg

16 : Iced Easter Bread

with Cream Cheese

& Butter Icing

To place your order please visit or call:

ISGRO PASTICCERIA1009 Christian Street

Philadelphia, PA 19147-3707

215.923.3092

Hours: Sun 8am–4pm;

Mon-Thu 8am–6pm;

Fri-Sat 8am–8pm

WWW.BESTCANNOLI.COMIsgro Pasticceria is a member of the PRH Business Network.

photos by PHIL KRAMER

ISGRO PASTICCERIA


PRHTHE MENU

PASTIFICIO PRESENTS:

MEATBALLS… GOT BALLS?INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground veal

1 lb ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced very fine

4 eggs

1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 tsp garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:Combine beef, veal and pork in a large bowl.

Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and

pepper.

Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. The

mixture should be very moist but still hold its

shape if rolled. Shape into meatballs.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet (to about 275-

300 degrees). Fry meatballs in batches.

When the meatball is very brown and slightly

crisp, remove from the heat and drain on a

paper towel.

“If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better...”

PIZZERIA PESTO PRESENTS:

Pesto Potato SaladINGREDIENTS:

5 lb potatoes, cleaned and cubed

5 stalks of celery

1 onion , peeled

cup pesto sauce

Salt, pepper and olive oil (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:Chop onion and celery fine and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add

prepared potatoes and cook until al dente.

Start checking in ten minutes with a fork. Once

potatoes are at desired firmness, remove from

water and let completely cool. Toss potatoes in

remainder of ingredients to cover completely.

Chill, and then serve!

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photo by Andrew Graham Todes

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CHEF SAVAS OF THE PENROSE DINER PRESENTS:

Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)serves 8-12 people

INGREDIENTS:5 lbs Ground Meat

1 Onion, chopped

4 Cloves fresh garlic, chopped

5 tsp Olive oil

1 lb. Misko Macaroni Pastitsio #2, (or substitute

DeCecco brand Perciatelli)

Parsley (to taste)

CREAM SAUCE:lb Flour

gallon Milk

lb Butter

tbsp Ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:Heat oven to 275°.

Sauté ground meat in a frying pan. While meat is browning

add the onion, garlic and parsley. Once meat is browned,

drain all excess juice. At the same time, boil the macaroni

to al dente. Once you begin to boil the macaroni, you can

start the cream sauce. To make this, first melt the butter in a

saucepan and then mix in flour until you have a thick paste.

Next, add milk (warmed) and cinnamon. Stir well.

Now that you have all three parts prepared, you can start

to layer the macaroni on the bottom of a lasagna pan. Next,

evenly spread the ground meat on top of the pasta. Then lay-

er the rest of the macaroni on top of the ground meat. Lastly,

top it all with your cream sauce, spreading evenly. You can

sprinkle grated Romano cheese on top for extra flavor.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool, slice and enjoy.


Early Bird Fashions: Spring 2012

SEXYAND THE

CITY

by ALICIA DELEO & PHYLLIS PALERMO

PRHFASHION

ACCESSORY WATCHSave your favorite vintage clutch for another

day and set off any outfit with this must-have:

the Doctor Bag. Pick up one with metallic or

silk trims. Studs and leather prints are hot too,

but you can also go for good solid colors like

cream, yellow or black.

CANDY-COATED COLORSDid someone say eye candy? The hottest col-

ors are in sorbet hues such as pastel green,

orange, lilac, oceanic blues and citrus. If you

are feeling bold and daring, go for the candy-

coated looks and make a splash like those

featured in Christian Siriano’s spring collec-

tion. Pristine white has washed the runways as

well by big contributors like Chanel and Louis

Vuitton. Layer white on white, with a blazer and

capri pants. And for a mega chic look, add your

fave extra-large sunglasses.

GIRLY SKIRTS AND DRESSESFull skirts and drop-waist bands, pleats and midi-

lengths -- these feminine fancies are must have

trends. Find prints like hand-painted florals or

daring shapes. Try bold colors and unique cuts.

The peplum, a single, short overskirt that instant-

ly adds a little allure or drama to any piece, is all

the rage. Best for the straight figure with a slight

pouf at the waist, it adds dimension to any dress

or skirt, whether cinched or laced at the hips or

on the waist. Check out Vera Wang’s spring col-

lection for inspiration. If you’re curvy figured, try

the elongated drop-waist.

PAINT ME PRETTYMakeup this spring is all about the soft features.

Go angelic with gray lids and pale pink cheeks,

light glosses and sheer balms. For a little heavi-

er look, indulge in pewter on the eyes and pink

chiffon blush. Top the look off with small, loose

braids that wrap around your head like a halo.

FANCY AFFAIRSGet the tuxedo chic look with sleek black

pants, a fitted white shirt, skinny tie and sky-

high heels. Or mix it up with sparkle and shine

by adding a sequin blazer over a short black

dress and opaque tights. Add some color to

the mix with a red-hot manicure.

Time to go shopping!Alicia & Phyllis

TONY’STIRES

New & Used Tires Any Brand

9th & Oregon Ave.215.755.1011

TIRES REPAIRED WHILE YOU WAIT

WE’VE MADE IT THROUGH THE COLDEST

months and ostensibly could still get away with wearing cozy boots and comfy

sweaters. But why not think spring? Start with a few early bird fashions from

PRH’s trend team and say, “Hello spring! The 2012 fashions are here!”

John J. Dougherty, Business Manager

Bringing Philadelphia into the 21st Century

One Energy Project at a Time

SERVING UP THE

MAGICby JOSEPH VOLPE

CEO, CESCAPHE EVENT GROUP

photos provided by the CESCAPHE

EVENT GROUP


Pat & Anna ScioliBrand Name Designer Suits from Italy

1744 E. Passyunk Avenue

215.334.0990

PRHBRIDES GUIDE

Serving delicious cuisine that

also has stunning visual ap-

peal is such a big part of my

wedding planning process.

But there’s no denying that

the best part of any wedding I’ve

ever attended, and every wedding

I’ve produced, is the cocktail hour.

Cocktail Hour involves a perfect

storm of dressed up guests, happy

mingling, refreshing cocktails and

engaging servers bearing tasty

treats. What’s not to love?

WELCOME TO COCKTAIL HOUR

We like to stretch our cock-

tail hours to an hour-and-a-half,

giving the newlyweds and their

guests plenty of time to indulge on

an abundant assortment of hors

d’oeuvres. Our jumbo shrimp,

lobster, crab legs, clams and mus-

sels often steal the show, but the

lamb chops, Hawaiian meatballs,

pastas, artisan Italian meats and

cheeses, and 30 to 40 different

butlered delights always stimulate

our guests into weaving their way in

and out of conversations about the

happy couple. Delicious food and

drink seem to magically engage

just about everyone at the party.

After cocktails and hors d’oeuv-

res, we introduce the new bride

and groom and cleanse palates

with vibrant salads followed by a

fruity sorbetto.

DINNER IS SERVEDA little dancing, more drinks

and a few toasts later, and we’re

on to dinner service. My dinner

philosophy? We’re as good or

better than any hot restaurant. An

ambitious statement for sure, but

this is one of the reasons we’re

the busiest wedding brand in the

city of Philadelphia — a city of citi-

zens that clearly love food. Our

brides and grooms select three

entrée choices but it seems like

every wedding today involves a

special vegetarian, vegan or al-

lergy-specific request that keeps

our chefs on their A-game.

ROOM FOR DESSERTFor dessert, we like to blitz our

clientele with every pastry pos-

sible. Our guests love our choc-

olate fountains as well as our

crepe and dessert stations. Do

you want a presentation of deli-

cious cannoli, chocolate dipped

biscotti and profiteroles? How

about we butler mini root beer

floats, milkshakes, warm milk

and cookies, fried Oreos, Chip-

wiches or cheesecake lollipops?

We can carry out anything that re-

flects your lifetime of love for des-

serts. It is what we do. And we of-

ten pair up gourmet after-dinner

cocktails like white Russians,

hot chocolates and Irish coffee

to wash down the sweet delights.

I’m certain this narrative has

made you hungry to attend a

Cescaphe Event Group wed-

ding. I can tell you that whether

you attend a celebration at our

Cescaphe Ballroom, Tendenza,

The Atrium at The Curtis Center

or our newly opened Vie at 600

N. Broad Street, you won’t leave

hungry. You might even leave

with a goodie bag that includes

TastyKakes’, soft pretzels and

cheesesteaks, so you can reflect

on how much fun you had at the

celebration over brunch the next

morning. Now hit that treadmill,

start your diet and do everything

you do to look good and feel great

this year. That’ll ensure you’ll fit

into your fancy clothes and be

ready the next time you’re invited

to enjoy an affair with us.

CESCAPHE IS A MEMBER OF THE PRH BUSINESS NETWORK.

About Joseph Volpe, the Brides Guide. Ever keeping his eyes

focused on the latest wedding trends, Cescaphe Event Group

CEO/Chef Joseph Volpe is recognized as the area’s leading

authority on ballroom bliss. With his innovative approach to

the most important celebration of your life, his award-winning

Cescaphe Ballroom, The Atrium at the Curtis Center, Tendenza and Vie,

combine a captivating ambiance with exquisite cuisine for an unforgettable

experience. Visit cescapheballroom.com or call 215.238.5750.


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TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED UNITS

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As a Cruise Specialist, I

travel the high seas and

experience the fine cui-

sine that cruise ships have

to offer. If you have dietary

needs, they are deliciously met.

If you are diabetic, cruises pres-

ent many low carb and sugar-free

foods from which to choose.

Watching your sodium intake?

You can indulge in salt-free foods

as well as an array of beneficial

fat-free foods to maintain your

healthy lifestyle while on vaca-

tion. Here are a few examples of

cuisine on a cruise ship:

CARIBBEAN/MEXICAN - Try

the tacos, Brazilian steaks, black

bean mango salad, chicken to-

stadas, fiesta rice, shrimp salad,

broiled seafood, spicy chicken,

tortilla soups and lots more.

BUFFETS - Dig into scrumptious

salads of every kind including

Garden, Caesar, Antipasto,

Spring Mix, Rice and Bean sal-

ads. Enjoy American fun foods

such as juicy burgers, pork

chops, pizza, broiled and fried

seafood. Asian cuisine offers

a lineup of all your favorite Chi-

nese delicacies, chicken on a

stick, fresh sushi rolls, noodle

dishes, dumplings. All this is sur-

rounded by plenty of fresh veg-

etables and many different types

of rice and potatoes.

ITALIAN SPECIALTIES - Just like

Mama used to make! You will find

delicious gravy, lasagna, ravioli,

gnocchi, cavatelli, spaghetti, lin-

guine, penne pasta and rigatoni

served with meatballs, sausage

and braciole.

DESSERTS - Options galore

here! Strawberry cheesecake,

chocolate soufflé, ice cream and

sherbet, lemon tarts, chocolate

truffle cake, rum cakes and many

more gooey goodies. For dieters

and diabetics, enjoy portions of

sugar-free delights like cheese-

cake, chocolate cake, ice cream

and fruit salad.

I have traveled many different

cruise lines in my years and have

always found good, healthy eat-

ing options while I am on vaca-

tion or critiquing the food they

offer to their passengers. And if

you are throwing caution to the

wind, fear not! Cruises are all

about choice and you are free to

indulge in any type of food your

heart desires while on vacation.

Bon Voyage and Bon Appetit!

PRHBRIDES GUIDE

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brought to you by LIZ EMORY OF SEASATIONAL CRUISES


John S. Galati Accountant

1522 E. Passyunk Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19147

P: 215.271.5000 | C: 856.207.1111

FAX: 215.271.5720JohnSGalati@comcast .net

LAWORDER&Calling all drivers

HANG UP OR PAY UP

by FRANK C. DEPASQUALE JR., ESQUIRE

Thinking about sending that text while be-

hind the wheel or letting the new young

driver in your life pack the car with his

friends? Think again. Learn all about the

new driving laws and how they affect you.

Q: I recently heard that cell phone

use while driving has been banned in

Philadelphia. Is that true?

A: Yes. It has been the law since April of

2009. For some reason, the Philadelphia

Police were not aggressively enforcing

the ban. They are now. Police cruisers are

equipped with roof-mounted cameras de-

signed to detect cell phone use. The fine for

violating the cell phone ban is $150 to $300

unless you pay the fine without contesting it

within 10 days. Then the fine is $75.

PRHTIPS FROM THE PROS


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LEGAL

Legal quest ions for Frank

DePasquale? Email him at info@

gohomephilly.com or mail to PRH Law

& Order, PO Box 54786, Phila., PA

19148. Please include your name,

address & phone number for verifica-

tion purposes. PRH will not publish

your last name.

LEGAL QUESTIONS

His peers again recognized Mr. DePasquale

as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for 2011.

He heads DePasquale Law Offices, 2332-

34 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145.

P: 215.755.4410. Email: frank@depaspaule-

law.com or visit www.depasquale-law.com

The Pennsylvania legislature just passed a

State law banning text messaging while driv-

ing that becomes effective March 9, 2012.

Curiously, the State law does not address the

use of a cell phone for calls. Constitutionally,

the State’s silence on that issue voids Philadel-

phia’s ban on cell phone use after the effective

date in March. I suspect the Legislature may

pass new legislation correcting the apparent

inconsistency in the law or a constitutional

challenge will eventually be brought. The fine

associated with this offense is $50.

Q: My son is 16 years old and just got his

license. Is there any limitation on how many

kids he can have in my car at one time?

A: Yes. A recently passed State law provides

that a teen driver can only carry one non-fam-

ily passenger under the age of 18 during the

first six months of driving. It then increases to

3 non-family passengers under the age of 18

provided that the teen driver maintained a clean

driving record during the 6-month period. The

limits apply until the teen turns 18 years old.

Dolly Madison served ice

cream for dessert at the

second inaugural ball, held at the

White House, originally located

in Philadelphia at 526-30 High

Street (now Market Street).

Philadelphia’s Basset’s ice

cream (1861) is the oldest

ice cream producer in the country.

Schoolteacher Louis Du-

bois Bassett first sold his

ice cream from a stand at 5

th

&

Market back in 1861.

When Reading Terminal

Market started selling

food in 1893, Bassett’s was

there in all its creamy glory.

Ice cream hawkers were

called “hokey pokey men”

who sold containers of the sweet

treat through the streets of Philadel-

phia back in the early 1800s – a fore-

runner to today’s Mr. Softee truck.

Philadelphia surgeon Dr.

Philip Syng Physick in-

vented carbonated soda water in

the early 19

th

century.

Philadelphia pharmacist

Townsend Speakman

added fruit juices to carbonated

soda water in 1807 and voila!

The soft drink was born.

Root Beer is considered the

original American soft drink,

invented by Philadelphia druggist

Charles Elmer Hires back in 1875.

The Hires Root Beer

Company was founded by

Charles E. Hires, a Philadelphia

druggist, back in 1893, when he

bottled and distributed his soft

drink to the rest of the nation.

Local concessionaire

Robert Green sold a mix

of carbonated water, cream and

syrup to customers. When he ran

out of cream, he substituted ice

cream. His sales jumped from

$6 to $600 a day and the ice

cream float was born!

Girl Scouts and cookies

first paired up during a fun-

draiser held in the window of the

Philadelphia Gas & Electric Com-

pany in 1932. It is now the major

annual fundraiser for Scout orga-

nizations throughout the nation.

The first sugar refinery in

the U.S. was founded on

3

rd

& Vine.

Philadelphia’s Franklin

Sugar Refinery grew to

be the largest in the world and

by 1870, the combined refiner-

ies in the City produced almost

$26,000 worth of sugar – a huge

chunk of change back then.

60 | ROWHOME MAGAZINE www.gohomephilly.com

JOHN’S CUSTOM STAIRS& ELEGANT ENTRIES

2115 S. 8th st.phila., pa 19148

Phone: 215.463.1211fax: 215.463.0806

“Three Generations of Quality Craftsmanship”

Fully Licensed and Insured

959-001_PGS_24-61_7.qxd:Layout 1 4/2/09 1:18 PM Page 60

PRHMENU

PHILLY FOOD FACTS


In 1685, William Penn gave

beer his stamp of approval,

calling it “a very tolerable drink”

when infused with sassafras or

pine. A few years later, Colonists

started to experiment with ale.

Quaker Anthony Mor-

ris opened his brewery

on Front Street below Walnut in

1687, the oldest brewery con-

tinuing into the 20

th

century.

Philadelphian Benjamin

Jackson first manufactured

mustard in this country in 1768.

Philip Bauer and Herbert

Morris started the Tasty

Baking Company in Philadel-

phia in 1913, naming their prod-

uct “Tastykake.”

Started in 1985 to pro-

mote Philadelphia’s res-

taurant renaissance, the Book

and the Cook is the largest,

most expansive annual food fes-

tival in the United States.

Joseph V. Horn and Frank

Hardart opened the first

Horn & Hardart restaurant in Phil-

adelphia at 39 S. 13

th

Street on

December 11, 1888.

Horn & Hardart opened

their first automat restau-

rant in Philadelphia on June 12,

1902 at 818 Chestnut Street.

By 1940, Horn & Hardart

restaurants were feeding

10 percent of the city’s popula-

tion every day with dishes like

creamy macaroni & cheese,

chicken pies, creamed spinach,

Harvard beets and baked beans.

Philadelphia’s Dock

Street was the first food

distribution center in the country,

established in 1683.

Elie Magloire Durand

bottled the country’s first

mineral water from his drugstore

at 6

th

& Chestnut.

Licorice was invented in

Philadelphia in 1900, fol-

lowed by bubble gum in 1928.

In 1986, Philadelphian Ian

Cooper invented the pret-

zel cone by combining two local

favorites – ice cream and pretzels.

Philly born and raised, GOLDENBERG’S! PEANUT CHEWS! candies

were developed in 1917 by the Goldenberg family and used by the

U.S. Military during World War I as a ration bar.

Your Insurance Professionals


I n the wake of our nation’s economic

troubles, lending institutions are open-

ing the lines of communication with cli-

ents – offering them reasons to stay the course

or find a bank that betters suits their personal

needs. Numerous people have decided to leave their bank be-

hind and put their faith in a credit union. If you are still on the fence

as to whether a credit union is right for you, there is one credit

union that not only has a stellar reputation, but is deeply rooted in

the history of Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Federal Credit

Union (PFCU) makes its members its top priority.

PFCU dates back to 1951,

when it first opened its doors to

municipal employees as the Phil-

adelphia City Employees Federal

Credit Union at 12

th

and Market

Streets in the heart of Center

City. Thirty-one years later, the

credit union decided to modify

its name and offer its services to

a larger audience. Today, PFCU

is a full-service financial institu-

tion serving more than 104,000

members in several branches

throughout the Philadelphia re-

gion, including a location at 929

Snyder Avenue in South Phila-

delphia. With assets exceeding

$800 million, PFCU is among the

PRHBUSINESS

A FRIENDLY

FACEby JESSICA LISTAphoto by HECTOR VALENTIN

Anita Ban, Michael Burns, Anna DeFusco, Board Member, Ivana Dussell,

Manager, Robert Pacchianelli, Asst. Manager, Christopher Yurkow and

Bethann Vogt are some of the friendly faces at PFCU

PHILADELPHIA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION


top five credit unions in the area.

Karen Eavis, Communications Specialist for PFCU,

says that striving to help all members reach their spe-

cific financial goals is PFCU’s key philosophy.

“Our mission is to help our members build a suc-

cessful financial future,” Eavis explains. “Our commit-

ment to sound business practices enables us to re-

turn profits to members in the form of higher dividend

rates, lower fees and more free services.”

She cites numerous benefits to banking with credit

unions like PFCU, including a prime incentive. “A

commercial bank returns profits to their sharehold-

ers. PFCU is 100 percent member-owned and our

profits are always returned to our members.”

In this technology-driven society, companies are

constantly on the lookout for customer convenience.

PFCU’s micro-site called BetterThanMyBank.com

is one of those valuable tools that keeps members

up-to-date on the credit union, its services and show-

cases its Philadelphia roots.

“The concept behind BetterThanMyBank is a Bill

of Rights theme with actual PFCU members speak-

ing honestly about their relationship with the Credit

Union. There is such a rich history in our city and the

Credit Union did not want to lose sight of it. We’re

proud to be the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union and

offer our services to the entire city.”

PFCU prides itself in its ties to the community and

offers some unique services to help keep members

informed on topics including homebuying and finan-

cial fitness. Services like free financial literacy semi-

nars along with free financial counseling. In addition,

PFCU has its own Volunteer Board of Directors. Two

of those directors, longtime Philadelphia residents

Anna DeFusco and Elaine Melchiorre, were instru-

mental in getting the South Philadelphia branch off

the ground, Eavis says.

“At PFCU, the employees are your friends and

neighbors,” she added. “You go in and are doing busi-

ness with a friendly face. At PFCU you are not just a

member.”

The Philadelphia Credit Union at 929 Snyder Av-

enue is a member of the PRH Business Network.

Jefferson HeartCare at MethodistLeft to right: Gaetano Capone, MD; David O’Neil, MD; Andria Jones, DO

Je!erson HeartCare at Methodist welcomes Andria Jones, DO, to the practice."Dr. Jones brings a focus on women’s heart health and medical therapy of peripheral artery disease (PAD) to our patients.

Je!erson HeartCare at Methodist provides: Comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases including: congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, heart valve disease, coronary artery disease and PAD.

Preventive care, especially for individuals with a personal or family history of cardiac disease, lipid disorders, diabetes, smoking or obesity.

Convenient o#ce location across from Je!erson’s Methodist Hospital.

Patient-centered, compassionate care.

Non-invasive, on-site testing.

Coordination of care with $omas Je!erson University Hospital when the most advanced technologies and treatments are necessary.

1317 Wolf Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148

To schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, please call 215-755-5449

“OUR COMMITMENT TO SOUND BUSINESS PRACTICES ENABLES US TO RETURN PROFITS TO MEMBERS IN THE FORM OF HIGHER DIVIDEND RATES, LOWER FEES AND MORE FREE SERVICES.”



by LAUREN GORDON

THE PROFESSIONAL AESTHETICS & WELLNESS CENTER

LOVE THE WAY LIFE LOOKS ON YOU

PRHHEALTH

PROFESSIONAL

C E N T E RLove the way life looks on you

A s a 48-year-old

active adult, you feel agile and spry. You love to dance, try exciting

foods and visit exotic places with a tenacity that runs circles around

your youngest child. But when you look in the mirror, your crow’s

feet and laugh lines tell a different story. You see only a faint trace

of the youth you feel within. You aren’t alone. .

Dr. Richard

J. Dittrich


According to Ropers Reports,

91 percent of women aged 35-

49 receive aesthetic treatments

to feel better about themselves.

A facelift is an extremely invasive

option that could entail months

of recovery, and “revitalizing”

creams from the drug store may

not work quite as well as they

advertise. A safe, FDA-approved

option with minimal recovery

time and impressive results may

sound too good to be true, but

can easily be found in Botox™

and Dermal Filler treatments.

“So many people just want to

look the way they feel,” says Dr.

Richard Dittrich, Medical Direc-

tor for the Professional Aesthet-

ics & Wellness Center (PAWC),

a MedSpa he founded to serve

the ongoing needs of more than

three generations of patients he

has served as a trusted obste-

trician and gynecologist. “You

want to create a natural look and

bring people back to where they

were 10 years ago.”

At PAWC, Dr. Dittrich not only

offers top-of-the-line health

products and anti-aging thera-

pies, his extensive training and

experience guarantees a natural

looking result where your facial

appearance is significantly soft-

ened, not radically changed.

“It is all about targeting the anat-

omy of your body to help smooth

the wrinkle definitions that your

body has,” he explains. “Knowing

which areas should be focused on

brings out the best results.”

But with Hollywood horror sto-

ries and self-conscious concerns,

many avoid these completely safe

and effective methods of enhanc-

ing their look. At PAWC, Dr. Dit-

trich and his skilled staff assure

clients how these easy treatments

can change the way you look and

feel about yourself.

What is Botox?FDA-approved as an aesthetic

drug for 20 years, Botox Cos-

metic is a purified protein inject-

ed by trained professionals that

blocks signals from nerves to

muscles to stop them from con-

tracting. This relatively painless

procedure will soften and relax

wrinkles within three to 14 days

of treatment and usually lasts be-

tween three to six months.

In general, any soreness lasts

only for a day and cool com-

presses or some anti-inflamma-

tory medication will address any

discomfort, Dr. Dittrich adds. If

there is any bruising or stiffness,

it is very temporary.

“The needle that we use is a

very fine gauge needle. Although

you can use an anesthetic for

those who are more sensitive, it

really isn’t necessary,” Dr. Dittrich

assures. “The gauge is so fine,

you can hardly feel it. It much

resembles the small needles dia-

betics use for insulin injections

they give themselves.”

How are Dermal Fillers Used?

There are many types of dermal

fillers, Dr. Dittrich explains. The

primary products used at PAWC

are Juvederm™, Restylane™ and

Radiesse™. Both Juvederm and

Restylane are made of a naturally-

occurring body substance called

hyaluronic acid used to create

volume and elasticity in the skin.

Radiesse stimulates the body to

produce collagen in order to rid

the face of deep wrinkles. Dermal

fillers generally last between nine

months and a year. Since these

injections may cause a little more

discomfort than Botox, many have

built-in anesthetics to reduce pain.

The best thing about these aes-

thetic treatments is that they are

not permanent.

“By using a filler, you can perk up

drooping areas and dramatically

enhance areas like the lips,” Dr.

Dittrich clarifies. “These substanc-

es are easy to work with and very

pliable, so patients are overwhelm-

ingly thrilled with the results,” Dr.

Dittrich ensures. “In general, Botox

works on wrinkles from the nose

up, while Dermal Fillers work their

magic from the nose down.”

The ProcedureWhat can you expect when

you make your appointment at

PAWC? Your visit begins with a

consultation. After completing a

medical history form, you fill out

a cosmetic questionnaire so the

team can address any questions

or concerns you may have. A li-

censed aesthetician will discuss

all of the procedure details be-

fore you reach the examination

room. While holding a mirror to

your face, you will be asked to

identify the areas you wish to ad-

dress with treatment. Both Botox

and dermal filler procedures take

only 15 to 30 minutes to com-

plete and your restrictions are

very minimal.

“Because I have been so well-

trained in these procedures, I

can often easily see what I can

do to enhance a person’s look,”

Dr. Dittrich says. “But you need to

listen to your patient’s concerns,

first. Something that might be

slightly off may not be a problem

area for the client. We cater to

each client’s needs and comfort

levels while offering suggestions

to get the perfect look they want.”

So What Will You Look Like?

“So many people are con-

cerned that they will look wind-

blown,” jokes Dr. Dittrich. “The

idea is to create a look that is

natural and to move in slow incre-

ments to ensure that you’ll have

a look you are satisfied with. We

routinely schedule a two-week

follow-up visit for just this reason.

“This is a feel-good, look-good

service,” Dr. Dittrich assures.

“We want you to ‘Love the way

life looks on you!’” PRH

3 ESSENTIAL SKIN CARE TIPS from PAWC to keep your skin looking its best and to enhance aesthetic treatments

1No matter what the season –

including winter – always use

at least a SPF 15 moistur-

izer or a sunscreen along with a

moisturizer to protect your face

when you go outside. Your face

is the most exposed part of your

body so it sees the most sun

damage. In the winter, the sun’s

heat may be less because of the

angle of sunlight, but the ultravi-

olet A and B rays are still strong

enough to cause skin damage.

2Are you aware that what you

eat can dramatically affect

how you look? Eating cer-

tain foods can improve the ap-

pearance of your skin, hair and

nails. For instance, blueberries

help keep the skin’s elastic-

ity, preventing wrinkles! Brazil

nuts help protect your skin from

harmful UV rays and salmon

contributes to smooth, soft skin.

3Drinking plenty of water

keeps your skin hydrated

and prevents dryness, re-

sulting in a younger looking,

healthier complexion. Toxins

are flushed from your body when

you consume large amounts of

water, instead of building up in

the body and escaping through

the pores of the skin, causing

acne breakouts.


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1640 W Ritner St.Philadelphia, PA 19145

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“You’ve tried the rest, now try the best!”

Whether you are stand-

ing in the kitchen

preparing a sumptu-

ous meal or sitting at

a table about to enjoy

the fruits of someone else’s cu-

linary talents, your posture is

very important.

Just like grandma told you,

“Stand up straight, sonny!”

Slouching or leaning your head

too far forward will fatigue the

muscles, ligaments and tendons.

This also increases the weight

bearing on the discs and can lead

to pre-mature arthritis of the neck.

This postural stress is also

common in the low back. It can

increase the forward curve of

the lumbar spine and lead to

chronic low back pain, sciatica,

leg weakness and lower ex-

tremity circulation issues. Prop-

er spinal posture also improves

your digestion.

Some suggestions:Standing: Shifting your weight

side to side can be helpful, but if

you have a small footstool, place

one foot on the stool and one on

the floor. Make sure your shoul-

ders are back and your ears line

up over your shoulders.

Sitting: Slide back in the chair.

Don’t leave a gap between your

low back - hips and the chair

back. Also, keep your shoulders

in line with your hips and your feet

flat on the floor.

When I evaluate a patient’s

posture, I check from the front,

back and sides to ensure proper

balance and alignment. I look for

variations in your stance and align-

ment of your knees, the leveling of

your hips, height difference of your

shoulders and tilt of your head.

Once aligned, you will be better

able to enjoy your meal -- whether

you are preparing or eating it! PRH

Dr. James E Moylan, D.C,. Chiropractic Physician, is a member of the

PRH Business Network.

A RECIPE FOR YOUR POSTURE

PRHHEALTH

by DR. JAMES E. MOYLAN, D.C


*Located next to the Penrose Dinner2020 PENROSE AVENUEPHILADELPHIA, PA 19145

TEL: 215.339.1596 | FAX: 215.339.1598E-MAIL: [email protected]

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A

visit to the doctor’s office is sometimes

an uneasy experience, especially for

individuals who are dealing with serious

medical conditions. When choosing the

right medical professional, individuals

seek the most experienced physicians to over-

see their care. They also want to feel comfort-

able with their practitioner. Cardiologist Andria

Jones, DO, understands the importance of

balancing medical expertise with a personal

touch when it comes to patient care.

The practice of medicine has always been

a significant interest to Dr. Jones. “In high

school, I really enjoyed anatomy and dissect-

ing different things. The human body always

interested me,” she explains. The idea of

becoming a doctor not only lingered in her

mind, but prodded her to pursue her mission

in medicine. Graduating from the Philadelphia

College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2004, Dr.

Jones completed her residency and fellow-

ship at Lankenau Hospital. In October 2011,

Dr. Jones began her work in HeartCARE at

Jefferson’s Methodist Hospital, where she

specializes in a vast range of cardiology care

including echo-cardiology, nuclear cardiology

and women’s heart health.

Exceptional patient care is always a top prior-

ity at Jefferson’s Methodist Hospital, Dr. Jones

says. And the personal attention she offers her

patients helps ease their minds and lead them

down a path to a healthier lifestyle.

“Many patients feel anxious coming into the

office. My goal is to make each patient feel bet-

ter and to offer sympathy,” Dr. Jones explained.

She also feels a special connection with many

of her female patients, which is why women’s

heart health is one of her specialties. A spe-

cial component to working in women’s heart

health is offering comfort, support and advice

on a woman-to-woman level. “As a woman, I

feel a sympathetic connection with my female

patients. I can relate to the women emotionally

and offer support,” Dr. Jones said.

Maintaining a healthy heart is Dr. Jones’ main

goal for her patients. Not only is it important for

those who suffer from heart-related issues, but

for everyone, as well. According to the doc-

tor’s orders, it is crucial to practice the follow-

ing heart-healthy tips.

Keep lean meats and white fish in your diet.

Avoiding red meats is another important

component in keeping a healthy heart be-

cause many red meats contain high levels of

saturated fat.

Fresh fruits and vegetables should be con-

sistent in meals daily.

Food containing carbohydrates may be dif-

ficult to pass up, but its daily intake should

be limited.

Some of Dr. Jones’ final tips suggest at least

30 minutes of exercise, five days a week, as

part of your routine schedule. Taking the stairs,

walking with friends and riding a bicycle in-

stead of driving are easy ways to incorporate

exercise into any routine.

And Dr. Andria Jones does not consider her

medical profession a job. It is her passion. At

Jefferson’s Methodist Hospital, patient com-

fort and care are consistent efforts. And doc-

tors like Andria Jones fulfill Jefferson’s Meth-

odist Hospital’s reputable standards.

Jefferson’s Methodist Hospital HeartCare is

a member of the PRH Business Network. PRH

A GOOD HEARTby DANIELLE ROSATI

Dr. Andria Jones

Jefferson’s Methodist Hospital HeartCARE


PRHHEALTH

by DR. RICHARD DITTRICH O

n March 23

rd

2010, President Barack

Obama signed the Patient Protection

and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into

legislation in order to initiate a massive

overhaul in the U.S. healthcare system.

Based on the old system model, the U.S. was

spending nearly 17 percent of its Gross Do-

mestic Product (GDP) on healthcare costs, the

highest among any developed country. Yet 46

million Americans remained uninsured.

According to recent polls, more than 49 per-

cent of Americans still are confused about the

legislation, what it means and how it will affect

them. Below are answers to some of the most

frequently asked questions regarding the ACA.

OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE

REFORM

OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE

REFORMHOW WILL THESE

CHANGES AFFECT YOU?


Richard Dittrich, D.O., is the Founder and Medical Director of

Professional Aesthetics & Wellness Center, 1315 Wolf Street,

Philadelphia, PA. 215.465.9600. Call today to schedule a

comprehensive consultation. Dr. Dittrich is also available for

consultation at his office in Glendale Executive Plaza, 1000

White Horse Road, Suite 612, Voorhees, NJ. 856.435.9090.

Visit wellnesscenterpa.com for more information.

Is my company required to provide me with healthcare insurance?

Under ACA guidelines, com-

panies that employ 50 or more

workers are required to offer em-

ployees healthcare coverage or

risk fines. If your company em-

ploys 200 or more individuals,

your company is required to en-

roll you in a company-sponsored

healthcare plan. You may opt out

of this coverage if you choose.

Is coverage available to unemployed workers even if my former company did not offer health insurance?

If you are currently unem-

ployed, you may be eligible to

receive coverage from a state-

based health insurance ex-

change that will go into effect

in 2014. These exchanges are

designed to create a one-stop

online shopping site where you

can purchase independent, in-

dividual health insurance. The

goal of these exchanges is to

create transparency and stimu-

late competition between health

insurance companies, enabling

individuals to purchase cover-

age unattached to previous em-

ployers at an affordable cost.

How will this legislation impact Medicaid coverage?

The ACA will expand Medicaid

- a program that provides health

insurance for the poor - to cover

Americans with incomes that are

up to or below 133 percent of

the United States poverty line.

As opposed to previous years,

Medicaid also will offer cover-

age to non-disabled, non-elderly

American citizens without de-

pendent children.

Are you over 65 years of age or nearing the age of Medicare eligibility?

In order to help fund this

healthcare system expansion,

the ACA will initiate cuts in the

rate of reimbursement (amount

that the Medicare program pays)

to physicians and hospitals for

treating Medicare and specifi-

cally, Medicare Advantage pa-

tients. It is unclear how these

cuts will affect the growth and

development of the medical

field.

What does Compulsory Healthcare Coverage mean?

An important aspect of the

Patient Protection and Afford-

able Care Act is that it mandates

“Compulsory Healthcare Cover-

age” making healthcare insur-

ance a requirement for every

American resident. After much

debate over the constitutionality

of mandatory health insurance,

the U.S. Supreme Court will

rule on this aspect of the ACA

in June. However, regardless of

whether or not the Court rules

for or against compulsory cover-

age, the ACA has initiated mas-

sive changes in our healthcare

system that are here to stay.

Dr. Richard Dittrich is a member of the PRH Business Network.

RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONCE AGAIN, MEMBERS OF THE

Philadelphia Eagles walked

the runway in fashions by Pat

Scioli, “tailor to the Eagles,”

during Philadelphia Row-

home Magazine’s annual Red

Carpet Gala held this year at

Vie. Sponsored by Cescaphe

Event Group, the evening con-

venes more than 300 mem-

bers of the PRH Business

Network, celebrity guests and

media personalities to cel-

ebrate our business commu-

nity – the heirs and the entre-

preneurs that are the eco-

nomic backbone of our city

of neighborhoods. As part of

its annual ‘Salute to Service’

program, PRH presented its

2011 Blue Sapphire Awards

to Bobby Henon (Community

Service), Bill Conlin (Harry

Kalas Memorial Sports Award)

and Charlie Gracie (Lifetime

Music Achievement Award),

whose new hit, “Baby Doll”, is

the #1 single in Philadelphia

and #52 nationally, according

to BILLBOARD.

RIVER TO RIVER.

ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Philadelphia RowHome Magazine presents



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PRHMUSIC&ART

“I remember the day Frank

Sinatra died. My grandmoth-

er was bawling her eyes out

in the dining room,” remi-

nisces 19-year-old crooner

Brandon Tomasello as he adjusts

his crisp suit sleeves. His manner-

isms are that of an old soul.

He walks over to a bookshelf

in his family’s livingroom. He

brushes his hands along a seri-

ous lineup of Frank Sinatra CDs.

One by one, he calls out the titles

of his collection. He starts with

Sinatra’s Gold Album, fondly

remembering the first song,

“Young At Heart.” He recalls how

he memorized Sinatra’s breaths,

fell in love with his arrangements.

He explains how his passion ulti-

mately evolved into a career. He

quickly backtracks.

While a third-grader at the Phila-

delphia Performing Arts Charter

School, Tomasello says he met

his own “Rat Pack” member - Ste-

phen Garbesi, presently co-owner

of FIMA Productions – a multi-

media business he and Tomasello

began in their junior year of high

school. It also was back then

when he first met the school’s fiery

mentor, founder and CEO Angela

Corosanite. Tomasello credits his

reluctant singing career with his

acceptance into the Philadelphia

Boys Choir way back when.

“That audition was the begin-

ning of my ‘but I don’t want to do

it’ phase,” Tomasello laughs. “But

Angela wouldn’t have any of that.”

She pushed Tomasello to ex-

cel at every turn. From the choir

to starring rolls in plays like Guys

and Dolls, a Sinatra signature

performance, the talented teen

said Corosanite was there to

nudge him onto center stage -

time and time, again.

After graduating high school, To-

masello accepted a part-time job

at the Charter School. Corosanite

asked him to sing a Sinatra tune at

the School’s annual gala. Despite

his departure from the stage a

half-dozen years prior, Tomasello

entertained the thought of a come-

back. He started rehearsing in the

studio that he and Garbesi built.

When Garbesi heard him sing Sina-

tra, he made up his mind. Brandon

Tomasello would cut an album.

“No matter what I did, it came

back to Sinatra,” Tomasello says.

‘THE KID’ CAN

SINGby LAUREN GORDONphotos by HECTOR VALENTIN


PRH

SEE THIS AD?

Call For Details 215-704-4958Singing, Tomasello adds, was

not a top spot on his career path.

His dreams included fighter pilot,

maybe a funeral director. “I didn’t

choose Sinatra. Sinatra chose

me,” he laughs.

One quick year later, Tomasello

found himself on the upper rungs

of the entertainment ladder – a

level that artists dream of reach-

ing. With help from family and

friends, his smooth vocals caught

the attention of entertainment

manager Joe Donofrio. The sea-

soned scout recognized the sing-

er’s ability and encouraged him

to refine his sound through vocal

lessons provided by Cathy Dono-

frio. As he set out to perfect the

pitch, Tomasello wanted to mimic

the look. Searching for some-

thing Retro, he said he was mes-

merized by an old black & white

photograph of Ole Blue Eyes that

hangs on the wall of local jew-

eler Dan Olivieri. A suited Sinatra

sports a stunning pair of cuff links,

custom designed by Olivieri’s fa-

ther for the legendary entertainer

back in 1951. He asked Olivieri to

make him a pair of his own, along

with a family crest engraved pinky

ring like the one Sinatra wore and

a signature “Tomasello” lapel pin.

Fine-tuned and dressed to im-

press, Tomasello landed a regu-

lar gig at Atlantic City’s Whiskey

Lounge in Resorts International

Casino. He got to perform with

entertainers like Joe Piscopo

(who dubbed him “The Kid”) and

Grammy winner Jimmy Sturr.

Brandon Tomasello credits Re-

sorts CEO Dennis Gomes with

giving him his first break. He let

him perform his act, “Sing, Swing,

Sinatra” at the casino’s Superstar

Theater – the same room where

Sinatra himself performed many

times. The young singer says he

was overwhelmed by the show’s

rave reviews during its more than

month-long recent run.

“I want to keep improving and

learning how to do this the right

way,” Tomasello says.

But like all dreamers, this char-

ismatic crooner has an ultimate

goal. “To do this with a 22-piece

orchestra and record an album

for Capitol Records like Frank.

Even if I never reach the historic

level he did, doing this is like a

dream come true.”


PRHMUSIC&ART

Move over Bernard Hop-

kins, Cole Hamels and

Claude Giroux. There’s a

new sports idol in town –

devil-may-care thrill-seek-

er and international BMX star, Tom

White. The fearless rider is known

to do any grind down stair rails or

balustrades and has the multiple-

broken-bones X-rays to prove it.

You can watch his moves at FDR

Park or 15

th

and Market.

“When I was in middle-school,

I saw a few boys doing flips and

things on a ramp,” he recollects.

“I had that urge to do it, too. There

weren’t that many in the crowd and

I wanted to be part of it. My first bi-

cycle was a piece of junk, but I got

a little job and part by part, I had

a decent bike.” He is now spon-

sored by three companies and is

a spokes model for them. “Animal

Bikes has all the parts, like tires

and handlebars. Scavenger sells

the actual frames for the bikes

and I wear DT Shoes.” Every three

months. the companies shoot

footage of him.

For those who are new to the

sport, BMX bike racing, an off-

shoot of motocross, had its start

in 1970’s California. Skilled riders

dazzle their audiences with speed,

balance and coordination dur-

ing gravity-defying performances.

When Center City’s Love Park was

remodeled, the result was a less

“user-friendly” gathering spot for

the city’s skateboarders, BMX Bik-

ers and X-Game enthusiasts. De-

spite a powerful pitch to “Share the

LOVE” from native actor Kevin Ba-

con, the city was dealt a major eco-

nomic blow in its failed attempts to

attract this youthful key market.

A world traveler with his sport,

White spent hours on the streets.

“Me and my roommate, we used to

come to the city every single night.

After 9 PM, businesses are closed,

so you can ride the whole city. It

kind of made sense to move here.”

Well-known men’s hair stylist,

Sandy O’Donnell, White’s girl-

friend of seven years and new

mom to baby Nathan, quickly real-

ized that White was more cosmo-

politan than any of her friends. “He

would go to New York or Baltimore

on weekends with his sport. He

went to Barcelona and that was

difficult because it was a month-

long trip and we were just starting

to get to know each other. A week I

can handle, but more than a week,

I get antsy and miss him and I want

him to come home.”

Now living in Pennsport in a

home that was gutted and trans-

formed, White and O’Donnell are

the new modern couple. “We

do have a 50/50 relationship,”

O’Donnell lets me know. “Every-

body says you had a baby, now

you have to get married. We’ve

been together for seven years.

The only thing different is a ring on

the finger, so we’re not in a rush to

do it. I always said that I don’t care

what order we did things in. As

long as you know you’re with the

right person.”

Though a modern-age couple,

they have an old world charm. Both

love the row home lifestyle. “When

we lived on Winton Street, there

were five houses connected. We

were all friends,” White said.

Fatherhood is an embraceable

experience for White. “Not to say

that it’s not hard,” he nods. “I can’t

complain about anything. It’s been

easy so far. The only problem I

think we might have is when I go

on trips because I travel a lot.”

“I don’t even think that’s going

to be that much of a problem,”

O’Donnell cuts in. “ Nathan is the

first grandkid on both sides!”

Though he is passionate about

his sport, plans include a business

for White in the future. Already a

spokesman for BMX-related prod-

ucts, White says he would like to

open a storage facility one day. “I

want to be my own boss.”

For now, life is pretty ideal for the

White-O’Donnell family. “We really

enjoy everything. Living-wise, the

baby, the dog, the house. I wouldn’t

change anything,” O’Donnell

agrees. “We can both have our in-

dividual time and time together. We

talk about our plans for the future.

This is our young home.”

BMXSTAR HAS ROWHOME ROOTS

by MARIA MERLINOphotos by HECTOR VALENTIN

Photo was taken while

filming for Animal Cuts BMX

video; photo previously

appeared in Dig BMX

magazine.

Rider: Tom White

Photo Credit: Rob Dolecki/

Animal Bikes/ Dig BMX

Magazine

References:

www.animalbikes.com,

www.digbmx.com,

www.twicebmx.com


PRHFILMWest Coast

by LEO ROSSI

WRITER, ACTOR, PRODUCER EASTMAN-ROSSI PRODUCTIONS

Celebrities are always seek-

ing great food emporiums.

South Philly’s own Steve

Martorano has had the

#1 Italian restaurant in the

Miami area for the last 10 years

with Shaq O’Neal as his “biggest”

customer. Even the cast of the

Sopranos hangs out there. When

I told Steve that I was in Miami, he

said, “You better stop by, Cuz.”

When I walked in, he had my

scenes from Analyze This playing

on his four flat screen TVs.

Closer to home, culinary ge-

nius Frankie Borda has his own

celebrity hot spot, Franco Lu-

igi’s, located in the heart of South

Philly at 13th & Tasker where the

elite go to meet and greet. As you

stare at walls lined with photos of

celebrities who have dined there,

waiters, who are also opera sing-

ers, take turns serenading you

while you feast.

When I was in Philly in Novem-

ber, I did a TV commercial for the

new Indian restaurant, Tashan, at

777 S. Broad Street. The food is

a five-star extravaganza. Anum-

pam Kher is a famous actor from

India and was in town while film-

ing a movie with Robert DeNiro

and Philly’s own Bradley Cooper.

Kher said to me that Tashan was

one of the best Indian restaurants

he has ever experienced. He

liked it so much, he arranged a

dinner party for the entire cast.

Last, but certainly not least, Tony

Luke’s at Front Street and Oregon

Avenue is a magnet for celebrities

who are in Philly. While I was inhal-

ing my Pork Italian sandwich, Mi-

chael Vick and Riley Cooper from

the Eagles walked in. Ten minutes

later, radio talk show legend Tony

Bruno arrived and ordered six

cheesesteaks to go!

Ciao Philly!

MA

RTO

RAN

O’S

SI

ZZLE

S IN

MIA

MI

John’s Roast Pork

14 E. Snyder Avenue – South Philadelphia(Across from Snyder Plaza)

215-463-1951

!!!."#$%&'#(&)*#'+ .,#-Hours of Operation

MON - FRI 6:45 (- - 3:00 *-(grill shuts down at 2:30 pm)

Look out for Saturday spring hours starting in April!

H#-. #/ )$. O'010%(2 R#(&) P#'+ S(%3!0,$ (%3 )$. U2)0-(). C$..&.&).(+

since the 1930s


F oodies and film fans have

been enjoying an enduring

friendship since the early

days of cinema and long be-

fore Rocky Balboa ate his first

cheesesteak. Food provides the

ultimate comfort and film depicts

some of life’s most memorable

milestones -- but that is not at all

the extent to which these natural

collaborators engage.

What about when dinner stars

in the movie as was the case

in Law Abiding Citizen (Jamie

Foxx, Gerard Butler)? An item

from DelFrisco’s Steakhouse

was a key part of the storyline af-

ter the producers/director dined

there during their initial location

visit to Philadelphia (fact: this is

also the site of the train station

scene from Unbreakable). An-

other leading steakhouse to ap-

pear in a locally produced block-

buster is Union Trust, which was

used as a location for the James

Brooks film, How Do You Know

(Reese Witherspoon, Jack Nich-

olson, Owen Wilson). Getting

filmmakers to pay restaurants

as locations…what a great and

novel idea (shameless plug: ad-

vertise on film.org)!

Even more exciting (to non-

restaurant owners) might be

East Coast

by SHARON PINKENSON

when dinner is the production.

Philadelphia and the region have

been road-trip destinations for

several. Kitchen Nightmares,

in town to whip a deserving res-

taurateur into shape, should

be commended for donating

unused set equipment as part

of GPFO’s GreenerSETS initia-

tive. Rachael Ray treated a live

South Philly audience to her

quick, affordable and tasty fam-

ily meals. The Food Network’s

Dinner: Impossible produced

by ShootersTV, was such a suc-

cess that it inspired Restaurant:

Impossible, also produced at

the Philadelphia production and

post-production house.

And finally, sometimes dinner

is just a traditional destination.

Stephen Starr (Starr Restau-

rants) reported that Robert De-

Niro ate in every one of his fabu-

lous eateries during fall filming

of The Silver Linings Playbook

(Robert DeNiro, Bradley Coo-

per, Jennifer Lawrence).

To learn more about hosting

and advertising opportunities

for marketing your restaurant

or catering services to film pro-

ductions, please contact Nicole

Giles at [email protected] or call

GPFO at 215-686-2668.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GREATER PHILADELPHIA FILM OFFICE

DINNER, TV, FOODIES &

FILM!


by MARK CASASANTO | photos by MIKE MOFFA & MEG CAPOBIANCO

It is difficult to imagine anyone doing any-

thing for 55 years. But as sure as William

Penn stands watch over our great city, so

too does former Philadelphia RowHome

Blue Sapphire Award recipient Sid Mark

when he brings The Sounds of Sinatra to the

people who love him most every weekend.

This past November, a few hundred of Sid’s

friends, fans and family joined in celebration at

Galdo’s in South Philly to honor this Philadel-

phia legend. Broadcast pioneers, Jerry “the

Geator with the Heater” Blavat, Pierre Robert,

Bob Craig, Dom Giordano and Tom Lamaine

were on hand as was actor and journalist Bill

Boggs to wish Sid “the best of everything.”

After emotionally-charged tributes from

the likes of luminaries such as Tony Bennett,

Larry King and Brian Williams to name a few,

funny man-turned-songster Joe Piscopo took

to the stage to honor Sid and began to swing.

Backed by the City Rhythm Orchestra, Pisco-

po popped through a set of Sinatra classics to

the delight of an appreciative Sid Mark and his

capacity crowd.

To echo the sentiments of Ol’ Blue Eyes him-

self regarding Sid Mark, and on behalf of all of

us here at Philadelphia RowHome Magazine,

“You’re a true friend Sidney and we love you!”

PRHARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE BEST IS YET TO COME…CELEBRATING 55 YEARS OF

FRANK & SID

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long time Sinatra family friend, Merrill Kelem. | 5: 76ers PA Announcer Tom Lamaine, WMMR’s Pierre Rob-

ert, Jerry “the Geator with the Heater” Blavat and Sid Mark. | 6: Olivieri Jewelers presents 14K Gold cufflinks

to Sid Mark and Joe Piscopo.

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MUSHROOM

TRIPIN MY 46TH YEAR OF LIFE, I HAVE FINALLY come to realize the relevance of the mushroom. As a child, the only mushrooms

I knew tasted like overboiled bursts of blah. I guess the gifted Italian ladies in

my life just never mastered the art of “i funghi”. There were no portabellas or

porcinis, just slices of brown boredom in a bowl.

But as I took the helm in my own kitchen encounters, I was quickly taken by the

magic of the mushroom. Little did I know that the epicenter of all things mushroom

lies just a short drive down Route 1 in scenic Chester County, Pennsylvania.

In my quest to learn more, I headed south to meet with a pair of local

experts, Jamie and Chuck Ciarrocchi of Modern Mushroom Farms. Like their

grandfather before them, a native of the Abruzzo region of Italy, the brothers

represent the third generation of Ciarrocchis to harvest mushrooms. And if

you’re wondering, yes, that is their sister Pat, who has been a reporter on KYW-

TV News since the 1980’s.

I had previously contacted Jamie in a quest to find some “wild mushrooms.”

My wife’s grandfather was known to disappear for days on end, returning with

bunches of mushrooms that were ultimately blanched and jarred for use in his

famous Chicken Cacciatore. When I picked up a tray of oyster mushrooms at

last year’s Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square, the “Mushroom Capital of


PHILADELPHIA ROWHOME MAGAZINEpromotes the members of the

PRH Business NetworkPlease support your local businesses.

To become a member of the

PRH Business Network

Contact Dorette or Dawn

at 215.462.9777 or

[email protected]

To become a VIP Subscriber,

call Carol at 215.462.9777

or log onto gohomephilly.com

RIVER TO RIVER. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.

the World,” it was the closest my cacciatore came to

adding that long lost ingredient from dinners gone by.

Out on the wharf, the steaming rows of compost

blend sit in neat, tight rectangular rows emitting

smoke and gas by-products into the cool, crisp winter

afternoon. From there, we walked the impressive

8.5 acre indoor facility that houses everything from

the corporate offices to the harvesting bays. Along

the way, the compost blend becomes inoculated

with mushroom spawn (seed), then cased in its

wooden beds and topped with a peat moss mixture.

The watering process begins and soon fresh air will

be introduced to the rooms. Pinning (growing) then

occurs, eventually giving way to the harvest and

picking process. All told, “about a 45-day process,”

says Jamie. “It’s a 24/7 operation.”

Once harvested, the freshly-picked product hits the

refrigerated processing building where the various

varieties are prepared, packaged and labeled for same-

day shipping. More than 525,000 pounds of hand-

picked mushrooms ship from this building weekly. In

addition, Modern Mushroom Farms is the exclusive

distributor for all Green Giant Mushrooms. In fact,

Pennsylvania is responsible for about 70 percent of the

United States’ production of mushrooms.

To enhance your mushroom experience, the family

also operates Rockee’s Mushroom Outlet about 10

miles down the road from Modern Mushroom Farms

(just across from Lincoln University). You can purchase

all the fresh-picked products you need at either

location.

Take your own mushroom trip by visiting www.

modernmush.com for everything mushroom. As Jamie

will confirm, “Mushrooms never take a day off.”



PRHPETS

PAWS is funded entirely by

donations. Help us continue

our mission and offer services to

those in need. Donate online at

www.PhillyPAWS.org

or mail to:

PAWS

100 N. 2nd Street


ple, you made New Year’s resolu-

tions just before or after the big ball

dropped in Times Square. Now

that it’s February, studies show that

you are probably not as resolved to

change as you were only a month

ago. According to statistics, Pro-

ActiveChange.com reports that

the most common resolutions are

health related: quitting smoking,

losing weight, and exercising more.

But studies reported by Psychol-

ogy Today and Web MD suggest

that only 64 percent of people who

make New Year’s resolutions are still

keeping them after one month. And

the number drops to 46 percent af-

ter six months. We know that being

healthy is an important part of living a

happy life so why do we fail to reach

the goals set just months before?

The biggest obstacles to change

are ingrained habits that appear to

keep our lives “normal” and “comfort-

able” and the lack of outside emotion-

al support to help change bad habits

into good ones. It stands to reason

that going it alone is the toughest way

to achieve one’s goals -- and some-

times deconstructive criticism from

loved ones can be just as bad. Enter

your new best friend and exercise

buddy: your pet! Pets have no pre-

conceived notion of whether you are

doing good or bad things; they simply

want to love and be loved. Man’s best

friend really does stand by you when

other “friends” may let you down.

Turn to your pet (or adopt a new

best friend) this time of year and start

keeping those resolutions by work-

ing on them together. Here’s how:

If you are like most peo-

by DANA SPAINFounder & President, PAWS Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society

PLAN YOUR EXERCISETake a walk for both your dog’s call of na-

ture and also to get both your heart rates up.

Animals, like humans, need exercise and a bal-

anced diet to keep them trim, fit and healthy.

A good walk or run with your dog will do you

both a world of good. Be mindful of the cold

for your pooch just as you would yourself. Set

achievable goals each week and stick to them:

choose a length of time/distance and gradu-

ally increase them each week. Always reward

yourself and your pooch after an exercise ses-

sion with a healthy snack. A chew toy or fiber-

filled treat for him and fresh raw vegetables or

a handful of almonds for you will keep you both

performing your best.

Too cold to take your pooch outside for a long

walk? Exercise inside with a rugged pull toy

for 20 to 30 minutes. You might not think this

is good exercise for you but depending on the

size, strength and tenacity of your dog, you will

get a great core and upper body workout in the

comfort of your living room. Cats might seem

to have their own way of burning off calories

where even the oldest cat will tear across the

room, up and down the stairs for no apparent

reason. Give them something to chase and join

in the fun and exercise -- inside only, please.

Climb your staircase and throw a ball with a bell inside

down the steps. Run after the ball while Fluffy chases

alongside you. For apartment dwellers, you can use this

same game from room to room by bouncing the ball and

chasing after it. It might seem silly but it is a lot of fun, good

exercise for both of you and a real bonding experience.

Afterward, you can reward yourself with crunchy treats!

WATCH YOUR DIET (AND THEIRS)Obesity in animals is common in this country (as it is

with humans) and is directly related to the onset of a

number of chronic illnesses and disease. Make your

pet a diet partner by limiting treats for both of you and

using them only as a reward for achieving health-related

goals. Watch your meal portions as well. You both might

be a little hungry in the beginning as you break the habit

of cleaning your plate and going back for seconds but

both of you will sleep better, move more easily and feel

stronger as a result.

FIND YOUR FURRY EXERCISE PARTNER AT PAWSNeed a new friend to help you keep your resolutions

now and for years to come? PAWS is Philadelphia’s

largest animal rescue and only no-kill shelter. Visit our

boutique Adoption Center at 100 N. 2

nd

Street (at Arch

Street) to meet our cats and dogs. We are open 7 days

a week. For hours of operation, information on adoption

and a list of adoptable animals ready for their new home,

visit www.PhillyPAWS.org

RESOLUTIONS

FURRY FRIENDSHELP YOU KEEP YOUR

BRANDYWINE VALLEY TALENT (610) 358-9010

(610) 358-9010

PHILLYDANCEBANDS.COM


On the first day that the Red Paw Emer-

gency Relief Team existed back in July, Jen Leary received a

phone call at 5 a.m.

“There’s a fire in North Philly,” she was told. “There are six

pit bulls that need help.”

She reached out to another volunteer and they collected the

displaced dogs whose home had been decimated by flames.

Leary put three dogs in her back seat and the other volunteer

took the other three. All six animals found shelter at a boarding

facility until their owners could recover from the fire.

“I’m certain that had they gone to Animal Control, the dogs

would have been put down,” Leary says, referring to the ani-

mal shelter contracted by the City of Philadelphia. “Our whole

goal is to reunite the animals with their families.”

That auspicious beginning sent Leary and her small team of

volunteers down a path they couldn’t have imagined.

PRHPETS

KEEPING

FAMILIESTOGETHER by G.W. MILLER III


KEEPING

FAMILIESTOGETHER “I’ve been on call every day

since,” she states.

She gets phone calls at all

hours of the day and she fre-

quently has to dash off to far flung

places to rescue distressed dogs

and cats whose families have suf-

fered tragedies. Then, she has to

find a temporary home for the

animals, and occasionally, get

them medical treatment.

“What Jen is doing is amazing for

people who have no resources,”

says Linda Bialous, the owner of

Country Kennel in Lindenwold,

NJ, one of the facilities that pro-

vides care for Red Paw animals.

“These people have lost every-

thing in a fire. It could be devastat-

ing to lose your animal, too.”

Red Paw began because

Leary, a firefighter with Engine

20 in Chinatown and the Phila-

delphia County Animal Response

Team coordinator, kept seeing

animals not cared for at emer-

gency scenes. The Red Cross

would step in and provide food,

clothes and shelter for people

but animals were usually collect-

ed by the city and sent to the Ani-

mal Care & Control Team shelter.

There, they would be among the

hundreds of other abandoned

or unwanted animals, at a facil-

ity that euthanizes hundreds of

dogs and cats every month.

Animals taken in by Red Paw

are guaranteed two weeks of

emergency care but most dogs

and cats are fostered for more

than one month as owners try to

get back on their feet. “It takes

way longer than two weeks for

people to recover from a fire,”

Leary says. “Just knowing your

animal is not in a shelter and you

don’t have to get them within

48 hours or they’ll be put down,

that’s very reassuring.”

Red Paw acts as a resource for

the Red Cross of Southeastern

Pennsylvania, so they contact

Leary when animal services are

required. There is no funding

stream beyond donations. Fos-

ters and area kennels volunteer

their time and space. Leary, who

has four cats, two dogs, a turtle

and fish, has fostered Red Paw

rescues in her South Philadel-

phia home.

Red Paw is in the process of

becoming a non-profit organi-

zation. There are already eight

board members, one of whom is

Leary’s battalion chief. Her dep-

uty chief’s wife is among the vol-

unteers, as are other firefighters.

“The fire department has been

really supportive of Red Paw,”

Leary says. “Before we started,

there was no one looking after the

pets. We’re all animal lovers.”

VISIT WWW.REDPAWEMERGENCYRELIEFTEAM.ORG


GrubHub is a service that helps

hungry people find local restau-

rants that deliver food within

their immedi ate neighborhood.

Restaurants, complete with full

menus and integrated Yelp reviews,

are found based on user query and

geographic proximity. Customers can

conveniently place orders online via the

web or through the free GrubHub app

on any mobile device. GrubHub’s value

to both the customer and the restaurant

lies within the direct connection it

makes between the two parties.

Famished customers place their order

for pickup or delivery with GrubHub

with no additional cost. For helping to

establish a connection that creates a

new channel for demand, restaurants

kick back a small commission from their

profits to GrubHub.

Founded in 2004 by two Chicago-

based software engineers, Mike Ev-

ans and Matt Maloney, GrubHub man-

aged to raise enough venture capital

to pioneer the emerging online food

delivery service industry with a simple,

savvy and slightly disruptive business

model. Originally marketed to aca-

demic campuses and college-aged

students, GrubHub saw tremendous

growth almost instantly… and the

numbers don’t lie. From 2007, Grub-

Hub has seen annual revenues jump

from less than $1 million to an $8.3

million spike in 2010. And they oper-

ate with fewer than 100 employees!

Currently serving nationwide through-

out almost 20 major cities, over the last

six months, GrubHub has seen an as-

tonishing 300 percent increase in or-

ders made just through mobile devices

alone. With GrubHub’s app, users can

now save credit card information and

leave their wallets at home or not even

have to get off the couch to pay for their

food. While their yearly numbers are im-

pressive, the growth of GrubHub hinges

on the acquisition of new customers as

well as retaining customers to increase

annual revenue. Evidence suggests that

GrubHub’s success has been facilitated

by customer loyalty, superior customer

service and a certain convenience fac-

tor. Fellow entrepreneurs should take

notice. GrubHub is removing traditional

barriers within the food and service in-

dustry while completely rewriting its own

rules for success. Bon appetite!

Daniel Olivieri is a systems admin-

istrator, journalist and entrepreneur

currently living in Philadelphia, PA.

Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.

com/hey_daniel

WHEN FOOD AND THE INTERNET

PRH

TEC

Hby DANIEL P. OLIVIERI, III

Francis S. Matarazzo, DDS Anita M. Milici, DMD2416 -18 S. Broad StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19145215-389-3161www.matarazzoandmilicigroup.com

The South Broad Street office of Drs.’ Matarazzo and Milici have been creating healthy, beautiful, smiles for discerning patients from the Main Line to the Jersey Shore. Both doctors have dual specialty training from Penn’s elite Periodontal–Prosthesis program. Their office offers highly advanced technologies and their team is dedicated to ensuring a warm and personal experience.

Services include:

Gum Sculpting and Grafting

Pictured:

UNITE


COOKING

APPS FOR CULINARY GENIUS

by JOE OSBORNE

PRH

TEC

H

You’re having a bunch of friends over

for dinner tonight but you forgot to go

shopping and they will all be at your house

in an hour. What do you do? Once again,

that iPhone or Android phone in your

pocket could save your forgetful behind.

There are a host of apps available in both the

Apple App Store and the Android Market that

could help you make a scrumptious meal--

whether you’re prepared or not.

HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING: By New

York Times columnist Mark Bittman, this

app’s title alone should be enough to down-

load at least its free version. While the free-

bie comes with 102 essential recipes, for

$9.99, would-be cooks will score more than

2,000 recipes. Cooking for veggie lovers?

Bittman has an app for that, too. (For iPhone

St. Monica Manor We’re in your Neighborhood!

2509 South 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19148

215-271-1080 stmonicamanor.org

Short-term Rehabilitation Skilled Nursing Care

Stop by to see our beautiful new Chapel and Short-term Rehab Unit!

and iPad, Free to $9.99)

WHOLE FOODS MARKET RECIPES: If you’ve recently jumped into the health

craze, you’ve more than likely walked into a

Whole Foods Market (and walked out with

an empty wallet). Even if you’ve found more

economical resources for healthy foods,

this free app provides a number of recipes

that users can create around dietary pref-

erences like low-carb and gluten-free. (For

iPhone and iPad, Free)

LOCAVORE: For those who’d rather sup-

port their local farmers’ markets than some

dastardly corporation, this free app helps

point them out and lets you know what’s in

season. Users can share their rare food dis-

coveries on Facebook and find recipes to

cook up with the in-season ingredients they

pick up. (For iPhone, iPad and Android, Free)

COOK IT ALLERGY FREE: One of your

friends coming tonight just texted you say-

ing that he’s allergic to soy sauce, but you

planned on making stir fry. Oh, and he’ll be

there in 30 minutes. Download this app to

find quick alternatives, but more important-

ly, learn how to turn your recipes into non-

allergenic dishes. (For iPhone and iPad,

$4.99 and $8.99)

BIGOVEN: This is the ultimate app for un-

prepared at-home chefs. BigOven offers

more than 170,000 recipes, but its mir-

acle feature is called “Use Up Leftovers.”

This enables users to enter whatever might

be in their fridge and the app will come up

with a meal. An hour of panic just turned

into an hour of cooking. (For iPhone, iPad,

Android and Windows Phone, Free)

Joe Osborne is a freelance technology writ-

er for sites such as games.com and PCMag


PRH

TEC

H

by ANTOINETTE MARIE JOHNSON, CEO, At Media

WHY SHOULD MY BUSINESS BE ON FACEBOOK?

IT’S GOOD BUSINESS TO BE ON FACEBOOKThis is a question I am asked too often. Over

the last three years, I have consistently tri-

pled income for my own business and our

clients with much of the success owed to

the ability to utilize the web and social me-

dia. So to me, the answer is simple: Face-

book is listed as the most frequently visited

website on the World Wide Web, even more

popular than Google. Every day, about

200,000 people sign up for Facebook ac-

counts. Likely, 3 out of 4 of your competi-

tors are already using the social media tool.

Steering away from using Facebook is like

placing yourself in the most inconvenient

of locations. You’ve heard of the Starbucks

effect, where it’s better business to place

yourself near your competition rather than

in a far out location likely regarded as incon-

venient for your target audience. Well this is

the same concept for social media. Locate

yourself in the context of conversation to

seem relevant, up-to-date and convenient.

The reason why businesses can attribute

success to using social media is because

social media allows you to engage your

audience. Typical marketing tools, such

as an impressive brochure or your web-

site, are considered a one time tool to grab

your attention. Once they leave your sight,

you are no longer prompted to continue

purchasing or engaging in the product/

service. Facebook, however, captures

that audience, so as soon as they ‘like’ you,

they become a part of your network where

they will learn about your daily specials,

seasonal promotions, events, press and

pass it along to their friends. They become

an “ambassador” of your business and are

likely to spread the word just by comment-

ing on your posts or sharing with their net-

work. The ability to engage using Facebook

marketing (Twitter and E-mail as well) is the

new age of increasing brand identity and

repeated sales.

SOME TIPS & TRICKSMany businesses make the first mistake

of signing up as a Friend Profile account

rather than a Business account. This

seems easier at first but it in fact is detri-

mental to the way you’re communicating

with your customers. I’ve seen far too many

clients spend time and energy on getting

thousands of friends under their business’

friend page, and then get flagged and de-

leted since Facebook’s terms say that a

“Friend” is an individual or person. If you

have a “Friend” account now as a business,

you are treading on thin ice to be deleted.

Hurry and correct the problem by creating a

Business Page and ask your friends to “like”

the new page.

In the past, it was super easy to get a lot of

‘likes’. Unfortunately, now the settings have

changed and you’ll likely experience a situ-

ation where it will take months to get hun-

dreds of likes. There are several options to

increase your likes and I recommend the

tips and tricks that have helped our clients

gain fans and followers quickly on our blog

at http://atmediadesign.com/blog/

IF YOU’RE STILL NOT CONVINCED, HERE ARE SOME STATISTICS:!! 81% of business executives state that social media marketing boosts their

bottom line results and enhances their brand and business relationships.

!! 85% of small business owners claim to reap direct benefits from use of

social media.

!! Facebook increases repeat sales up to 47% when their target consumer

‘likes’ their page

At Media is a branding and

marketing firm that is focused

on making your presence

known. Johnson has main-

tained an average 84 percent

growth rate for her business

by leveraging social media &

the web since 2008


PRHGREENSP CE

CROConstruction, LLC. Philadelphia, PA

If you can DREAM it,

We can BUILD it!

CRO Construction, LLC

215.952.8740www.croconstruction.net

Bill No. 110548-A: Starting January 1, 2014, you’ll still need a Busi-

ness Privilege License, but the $300 permanent

fee and alternative $50 annual fee will be gone.

(If starting a business in 2012 or 2013, and you

don’t qualify under the following provisions, save

some money by paying for an annual license.)

The Philadelphia Business Privilege Tax

(BPT) is waived under certain conditions.

Effective for tax year 2012, for the first two

tax years of a “New Business” in Philadel-

phia, the BPT tax is zero. Various license fees

during that period are waived.

A New Business is one that was not subject to

the BPT at any time during the five tax years

preceding the tax year 2012. This includes

businesses that existed during that time but

didn’t do business within Philadelphia during

that five-year period.

The New Business must create and increase full

time employment. At least 3 and eventually 6 new

employees must work in Philadelphia at least 60

percent of the time for the two-year period of tax

exemption. Family members don’t count.

Businesses primarily engaged in holding,

selling, leasing, transferring, managing or

developing real estate are excluded.

Businesses won’t benefit if related to another

business that doesn’t qualify.

A New Business Waiver Application must be

filed.

Even if the BPT tax rate is zero during the two

tax year periods, Business Privilege Tax Re-

turns still must be timely filed.

Unincorporated businesses exempt from the

BPT must still timely file and pay the Philadel-

phia Net Profits Tax (NPT). (The BPT credit

that is normally applied against the NPT will

not be available.)

Bill No. 110554:

For Tax Years 2013 and 2014, those doing busi-

ness both within and outside of Philadelphia will

have availability of a nonrefundable tax credit.

Certain taxable receipts will be excluded

from the Gross Receipts portion of the BPT.

For tax year 2014, the first $50,000.

For tax year 2015, the first $75,000

For tax year 2016 and thereafter, the first

$100,000

There will be a pro-rata deduction for the

Net Income portion of the BPT taking into

consideration the $50,000, $75,000 and

$100,000 exclusions noted above.

The Business Privilege Tax rates are as follows:

On receipts: .1415% is permanent

On net income: 6.45% currently and re-

duced to 6% as of 2023 (The reduction in

the tax rate will be slowed down.)

Bill No. 110758: Effective May 1, 2012, the Business Privilege

Tax will be renamed the “Business Income

and Receipts Tax.” The Business Privilege

License will then be referred to as the “Com-

mercial Activity License.”

For more details consult with your tax pro-

fessional and, as always, visit cpaforbusi-

ness.com for updates.

RECENT CHANGES TO PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS TAX LAWHERE IS A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE PROVISIONS

by DAVID M.

SPITZBERG, CPA


PRHGREENSP CE

by KERRI-LEE MAYLAND

CORN SPOON

PUDDINGA REAL FAMILY

MEAL

C

ooking sounds so good, but let’s face it, it can be un-

adulterated chaos as it often is in my home. Let me paint you a

picture of what the dinner hour can look like:There I am trying to be little Susie-Homemaker preparing a

delicious, healthy homemade meal for my family, right? Well,

here’s the reality check. My “homemaking” is usually happen-

ing while I am bouncing a fussy newborn in her baby Bjorn as

I simultaneously entertain/supervise an energetic six-year-old.

This is in addition to attempting to listen to the evening news as

I answer texts from my husband about what time he plans to be

home. Meanwhile, the dog is clawing my leg for his dinner and

the bunny is body slamming herself into the side of her cage to

remind me she is ready for her nightly carrot. For real, this hap-

pens. I am in no way kidding.

So I am in need of “favorite family recipes” that are easy, un-

complicated and can accommodate some serious multi-tasking.

For my birthday this past spring, a good friend gave me a wonder-

ful cookbook from a delightful shop on Martha’s Vineyard called

“Potluck at Midnight Farm.” The owner of the store spent a year

bringing friends together for seasonal potlucks featuring various

themes and plenty of great food. In turn, they all swapped recipes

and it is those that make the cookbook the eclectic collection it is.

I have stolen one of those recipes as my own (with apologies,

Mary Steenburgen) and now make it frequently as an accompa-

niment to Thanksgiving dinner, a quick addition to soup or stew

at suppertime, or just as a light summertime treat next to salad

or seafood. It’s (now) called “Kerri-Lee’s Corn Spoon Pudding”

and every time I make it, someone asks for the recipe. Seriously.

Every time. It’s so painfully easy but has a down-home taste with

fresh bits of corn and it isn’t dry at all, as cornbread can be.

I will even give you permission to re-name it with your own han-

dle, because that’s just kind of how it is done. (My mother-in-law

calls it “Diane’s Dish”). Here it is:

photo by KELLI DEASE photography


CORN SPOON PUDDINGINGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ounce) box corn muffin mix (I like Jiffy)

1 (7 ounce) can WHOLE kernel corn,

drained

1 (7 ounce) can CREAMED corn

1 cup sour cream

2 large eggs, beaten

cup melted unsalted butter

cup grated Swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS:Heat the oven to 350 degrees (to save energy,

don’t preheat and turn the oven off 5 minutes be-

fore cooking time ends). Combine all the ingredi-

ents except the cheese in a large mixing bowl (one

bowl recipes mean fewer dishes to wash which

also save water and energy). Pour into a lightly

greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake for 35 min-

utes. Sprinkle grated Swiss on top and bake for 10

minutes more (using the remaining heat once the

hot oven is turned off should be hot enough for the

energy conscious). You will know it’s done when

a fork comes out clean (use the fork instead of a

toothpick because the fork can be used again).

Serve warm Now, instead of being distracted and flustered

during the whirlwind dinnertime routine, I can relax

when this is on the menu. My son loves to dump in

the ingredients and stir the mixture, while my hus-

band looks forward to a little sample as it’s going

into the dish to cook (just to be sure it tastes ok)

and I am able to enjoy my baby girl, dog and bunny

instead of slaving away for hours in the kitchen.

Bon appetit!

“MOM MADE IT BEST WITH JERSEY FRESH!”

Portions of the proceeds will benefit Eden Autism Services.

Frankie Avalonphoto by Phil Kramer

www.avallonetomatoes.com

AVALLONE TOMATOES


PRHWRITERSBLOCK

by LA

RRY KAN

E

St. Peter’s Square is a ma-

jestic site on a normal day,

but on this day in October

1985, it was even more

dramatic, the low Autumn

sun glistening over the Bernini

columns, the crowd of twenty

thousand warmed by the sun-

shine and what was to come.

I was in that crowd, dispatched

to Rome for one reason – to cov-

er the Papal audience, and meet

Pope John Paul 11, to try and get

a visual message to John Cardi-

nal Krol of Philadelphia on his

25

th

anniversary as Archbishop.

Although no one can uncover

what happened in the 1978 vote

that brought John Paul to the

papacy, it is generally acknowl-

edged that Krol, a man proud of

his Polish-American heritage,

played a major role in working

with his fellow Cardinals to el-

evate the first Polish Pope.

This story brings to light the im-

portant role of the late Cardinal

John Foley to that special day

and so many other moments in

my career and the life of Phila-

delphia. Foley, a friend when he

was editor of the Catholic Stan-

dard and Times in Philadelphia,

had kept in close touch. Now an

Archbishop and a major commu-

nications leader at the Vatican,

Foley arranged for me to sit in

seat #1 at the reviewing stand.

He stood by me as the Holy Fa-

ther approached. He was a man

of great talent, undying devotion

to human beings and their chal-

lenges. He was a great man, a

man of reason, and on that day,

he became a sympathetic friend.

The following is an excerpt from

my first book, “Larry Kane’s Phil-

adelphia”.

Beside me at the Papal audi-

ence was Imelda Marcos, the

First Lady of the Philippines.

After congratulating the band

that played that day, the Pope

walked up to me. He said my

name (he was well-prepared)

and…offered some thoughts

on his friend, John of Philadel-

phia. My hand was clasped in

his, a physical way of trying

to keep him a little longer. I

wasn’t returning to Philadel-

phia with just 30 seconds of

commentary on the Cardinal.

I needed more. My grip got a

little tighter… the Pontiff talked

a little more… the plainclothes

detective and a member of the

Swiss Guard winced… one of-

ficer put his hand on a pistol

holster. I quickly let go, realizing

I had tempted danger by grasp-

ing too hard with the leader of

the Catholic Church…Later the

leader of the guards lectured

me with the courtesy on the

perils of pushing too hard….he

received a gracious thank you

from me. The firm handclasp

had paid off. There was enough

video for a papal tribute to Cardi-

nal Krol. Archbishop Foley was

pleased… Later at lunch we had

a laugh… and laughed about it

for years later.

Foley was a human being who

understood communications,

and its power, anchoring Eng-

lish language broadcasts of the

Pope’s Christmas masses to the

world. He remained a man who

understood the hunger and de-

sire for a reporter to get a story.

When I had my brief moment in

the sun with charismatic John

Paul, he smiled broadly, know-

ing that my little risk of holding on

a little too long would please the

people of Philadelphia.

Like many in our community, I

miss him and the clarity and hon-

esty he brought to religious life in

our community, along with his ex-

traordinary help on that sunlit day

inside the Vatican.

PapalA

TributeP

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PRHSCHOOLYARD

ST. NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINE’S ANNUALPROCESSION OF SAINTS AND ITALIAN FESTIVAL photos by HECTOR VALENTIN

The century-old parish of

St. Nicholas of Tolentine

celebrates its annual

Procession of Saints and

Italian Festival. Festivals

like this one, which dates

back to the 4th century,

attract faithful followers

who enjoy time-honored

traditions of prayer and

fellowship. The festival

drew thousands of

participants who shared

great food, good music

and cherished memories.


ITALIAN SPECIALTIES 1338 JACKSON STREET G PHILADELPHIA PA 19148

WWW.DEMARCOSFOODS.COM

215.463.9666 G 215.463.4975 FAX

DELI G CATERING G GIFT BASKETS

S ize. People usually think

bigger is better, but good

things can come in small

packages. Just like the

small 67-year-old living

room on the 1800 block of Schley Street.

There they sit in their chairs, facing the

old television set. My 98-year-old great-

grandparents.

When we gather for holidays, I sit on the old

yet soft beige carpet that covers the entire

room. Behind the television is the old and

rickety railing of the steps. With the white paint

that is slowly chipping off after half a century of

covering the railing.

In this small room are six generations of

great family memories, passed on like an

heirloom from child to grandchild to great-

grandchild. These are the types of memories

that bring a family together to mourn yet smile

at the same time.

The wallpaper that has the style of the Fifties,

the same wallpaper that was on when they first

moved in, still hangs there. The same white

curtains and the same ceiling art. This room

has been in my family for years. It will stay in

the family for years to come.

As you walk out the front door, you look

across the street and, automatically, you tell

that the street is wide. Not too wide but just

right. This place is one of the most important

places in the world to my family and me. This

old brick house. The picture memory I will

remember for my whole life.

by MICHAEL GILLENChestnut Ridge Middle School

Washington Township, NJ

Grade 8

MY GRANDPARENTS’ LIVING ROOM

Student Writers Block


PRH SCHOOLYARDSaints Neumann-Goretti High School

BREAKING GROUNDS

School President John Murawski led a prayer service,

then shared the significance of having the field house

built on the same site of the old St. John Neumann High

School, which is now a senior citizens’ housing facility.

“God approves of recreation for the relaxation of the

mind and the exercise of the body to foster mental,

physical and spiritual well-being,” Murawski said.

In the early 1980s, the McNichol family, which

owned a local trucking company, donated the land to

Saint John Neumann High School. Since the 2004

merging of Neumann and Saint Maria Goretti High

School at 10

th

& Moore Streets, the high schools

retained use of the field although the athletes had

nowhere to change and shower. The Development

staff at Neumann-Goretti submitted a grant proposal

and in 2005, received a $250,000 grant from

the Department of Community and Economic

Development, made possible by alums like Hank

Clinton and others involved with Catholic Health Care

Services, the technical owners of the land.

The field house represents the continued fulfillment of

the Neumann-Goretti community’s commitment to “an

unparalleled education for the youth of Philadelphia,”

Murawski said. “This addition, along with the recent

additions of two new science labs, a media center, the

City’s first Nintendo Wii Fitness Lab and the City’s first

iPad Lab are proof that Neumann-Goretti has made this

commitment and that we will continue our strides to offer a

top-notch Catholic Education here in South Philadelphia.”

The building of a field house, equipped with a coach’s

office, a concession stand, a film room, 90 lockers, a

storage area and a weight room, shows the 710 students

currently enrolled in Neumann-Goretti “that the diocese

and the school care enough for them to provide them

with a state-of-the-art facility that they will be able to be

proud of,” Murawski said. “The students are chomping

at the bit to say they were the first team to use the facility

and they are all excited to be the first team to hang their

championship plaque on the wall.”

Construction on the field house should be

completed in April 2012 – just in time for baseball

season, Murawski said.

T HE SUN SHONE BRIGHTLY ON THAT NOVEMBER 1

ST

AFTER-

NOON, ALL SAINTS DAY, AND THE DAY OF THE MUCH-AN-

TICIPATED GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE NEW

FIELD HOUSE FOR SS NEUMANN-GORETTI HIGH SCHOOL.

AFTER YEARS OF FUNDRAISING AND BROWBEATING, THE

FACILITY WILL BE BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE MCNICHOL ATHLETIC FIELD

ON MOORE STREET BETWEEN 25

TH

AND 26

TH

STREETS. NEARLY 100 ALUM-

NI AND FRIENDS TURNED OUT TO MARK THE MILESTONE.

by ROSELLA ELEANOR LAFEVREphotos by HECTOR VALENTIN

Principal of Neumann-

Goretti, Mrs. Patricia Sticco.

Officer in Millay Club,

Mr. Ed McBride.

President of Neumann-Goretti,

Mr. John Murawski, Jr.

Senior at Neumann-Goretti,

Joseph Gorman.

President of Neumann-Goretti,

Mr. John Murawski, Jr.

Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Church

9th & Watkins Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148

100th Anniversary Celebration

April 29, 20122 PM Centennial Mass

4 PM Gala Event

Vie Ballroom by Cescaphe Event Group

600 N. Broad Street

Cocktails, Hors d’oeuvres & Chef Stations3-Course Gourmet Dinner

with Filet Mignon & Crab Cake

Top Shelf Open Bar

Music by the City Rhythm Orchestra

Plus Special Guests

Tickets $80

215-463-1326


Order your custom T-Shirt at gohomephilly.com & get a *FREE annual subscription to PRH!

Or call us at 215.462.9777

*(Limited time offer)

Proud to be

PRH SCHOOLYARDRowHome Remembers

TABLING TRADITIONS

feature frittatas, an egg omelet with

ricotta cheese, accompanied by

Easter Bread with icing and rainbow

sprinkles. Thanksgiving? Home-

made Escarole Soup with little meat-

balls. Memorial Day Picnic? A large

bowl of penne and gravy. Why? Who

knows? It was tradition.

Some traditions grow more mean-

ingful with each passing year. The

cousins from the Altobello, Fratto,

Salvatore and Sorge families get

together faithfully every December

over Aunt Grace’s house to bake

Cousin Mary’s Butter Cookies. It

doesn’t matter that Mary passed

away more than 12 years ago and

Aunt Grace hasn’t actually lived in the

house in a number of years.

One tradition that I love is the Pet-

tinelli Family Tablecloth. In 1977, the

matriarch of the family, Lydia Pet-

tinelli, took a plain white tablecloth

and hand-stitched the family name in

the center with some additional em-

broidery. Lydia and her husband Lou

have set out the tablecloth at every

holiday function since and friends

and family who visit sign the linen and

maybe add a short message.

The tablecloth gets covered with

clear plastic before dinner is served.

Every November, just before Thanks-

giving, Lydia embroiders the signa-

tures from the past year with red or

green thread so they are preserved

forever. The rules of the tablecloth

are simple: You only sign once and,

even though people may no longer

be around because of break-ups or

divorces, names are never removed.

Since Lydia and Lou no longer

host the big family dinners, the Pet-

tinelli Family Tablecloth has become

a traveling heirloom, going with them

to the homes of whichever one of

their three children and their families

is hosting a holiday dinner. Signa-

tures include sentimental handprints

of babies and pets. Lydia estimates

there are more than 250 names on

the cloth ranging from the youngest

to sign at two months old to the old-

est to sign at 82 years old. There are

handprints from a set of four-month-

old triplets and at least a half-dozen

paw prints of beloved family pets,

then and now.

I’m proud to say, on one of the

tablecloth’s embroidered candles,

you’ll find, “Tony Santini, RowHome

Magazine, 2011.”

by TONY SANTINI

G rowing up Italian involves many tradi-

tions with food as the focal point. At

Christmas, we dine on Minestra: Italian

greens and pepperoni. On New Year’s

Eve, some families insist on roast pork,

which supposedly brings luck throughout the year to anyone

who eats a roast pork sandwich that night. Easter Sundays

17th & Oregon Avenue

Philadelphia

215.389.8100

www.thecuttingpointsalon.com

FUN COLOR HAIR


PRH

I

t was a typical RowHome morning.

Coffee at Café Chicco before head-

ing to the office where the daily de-

bate over who is more exhausted

ensues. Anyone with a job knows

the drill. And it’s even worse during

the holiday season when you have

to juggle jobs, kids, shopping, bak-

ing, decorating and the heart-heavy

trip to the cemetery.

It was an unusually warm, sunny

December day and we figured this

was a divine sign that we should

drop what we were doing and visit

Nana at New St. Mary’s.

“Wait,” I told my sister Dawn and my moth-

er as we piled into my car. “I forgot some-

thing.” I headed back inside and grabbed

the sandwich baggie containing a few of

the pizzelles I baked the night before.

‘Are you hungry?’ my sister asked from

the passenger’s seat as she stared at the

pizzelles I rested on the console.

“No,” I’m bringing them to Nana’s grave,”

I answered.

‘Let me understand this,’ she continued.

‘You’re bringing pizzelles to the cemetery.’

“Yes, if you don’t mind. It’s personal. I’ve

been baking Nana’s pizzelles since I was 5

years old. This is the first Christmas without

her. I want to bring her some pizzelles. See?

I put them in a plastic baggie to protect them

from the elements,’ I said as I proudly waved

the crispy wafers in front of her face.

We headed across the bridge and pulled

into the gates to the entrance.

To our amazement, rows and rows of

Christmas trees and wreaths and twinkling

lights decorated the gravesites of loved ones

throughout the cemetery. A heart-warming

tribute to friends and family laid to rest.

We, the three wise ones, got out of the

car and made our way to Nana’s plot.

As I knelt to place the pizzelles beside the

marker, my mother’s voice broke the silence.

‘We should have brought a tree or a

wreath or a holly bush. Something. Any-

thing. We have no gift for my mother.’ She

sounded distraught.

“I brought her pizzelles,” I pointed out.

No response.

“She is very happy that we are here,” I

continued trying to persuade her. “A proper

graveside ornament is irrelevant.”

My mother wasn’t buying it. The air was

thick with disappointment as we headed

back to the car, enroute to one more

gravesite before we left the cemetery. Our

beloved family friend Ann and her sister

Maryanne are buried nearby. A beautiful

bouquet of silk flowers was displayed in a

vase beside their headstone. In the cen-

ter of the arrangement, a vibrant crimson

bloom simultaneously caught our eyes.

“We could “borrow” one of Ann’s flowers

and share it with Nana,” I whispered softly

as we paid our respects. My mother quietly

nodded in agreement. Dawn was horrified.

‘I can’t believe you are stealing flowers

from Ann’s grave!’ Dawn snapped. ‘I want

nothing to do with this,’ she flipped as she

stormed back to the car.

“Ann wouldn’t mind!” I hollered after her.

“She loved Nana! Ann shared everything

she had with everyone she knew.”

“Besides,” I told my mother, “little Anna

(Ann’s daughter and one of my best friends)

gave her these flowers. She told me the other

night. It’s not as though we’re stealing flowers

from a stranger. I will tell Anna what happened

when I get home,” I tried to rationalize.

As I twisted and wrenched, tugged and

yanked, the plastic stem finally snapped

from the arrangement. My mother and I

headed back to Nana’s grave with the fiery

red blossom in tow.

We pierced the plastic pizzelle baggie

with the stem of the flower and admired

the presents we placed at the foot of

Nana’s beautiful marble headstone. As we

watched the twinkling lights carefully taped

to an adjacent headstone, we realized that

the gifts we brought that day were not from

us, but for us. Memories of Nana baked

into a Christmas cookie and a flower from

a friend who taught us the joy of sharing.

PRESSEby DORETTE ROTA JACKSONHEAVENLY

PIZZELLES

CE SC A PH E BA L L RO OM ! T E N DE N Z A ! T H E AT R I U M AT T H E CU RT I S CE N T E R ! V I E

Mastering the Art of the Wedding 215.238.5750 ! CESCA PHE .COM

Bonus gift

inside,

see page 24.

philadelphia rowhome magazine food issue

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