By Mark Hallum
Taste of Bayside and Beyond delivered Tuesday night. Restaurants from across the neighborhood gathered under a tent in the parking lot of Vivaldi Ristorante on Cross Island Parkway to showcase their best dishes.
Among the establishments participating were D’Aquila Pastry Shop, Agra, Monahan & Fitzgerald, Bayside Milk Farm, Big Green Apple Market, Bourbon Street, Maggie May’s, Papazzio, Sabor Guarani, Krave It, Tequila Sunrise and Harry’s Habana Hut.
A popular stand for attendees was the one from D’Aquila Pastry Shop. Laura and Claudio D’Aquila carry on the 40-year tradition of making quality European confections, a skill that they picked up from their grandfather, who migrated from Sicily to Venezuela, and then to Astoria before the shop moved to its current location at 33-31 Francis Lewis Blvd. in Bayside. The cannolis are a customer favorite, according to Claudio D’Aquila, and attendees concentrated around the pastry shop’s display table for much of the night.
Sabor Guarani had a table where samples of Paraguayan empanadas were handed out, Papazzio owner Dominick Bruccoleri was showing off his signature dish. Rigatoni Messenise, and Agra was dishing out chicken tandoori. A raffle was held in which items such as a variety pack of fine cigars from Harry’s Habana Hut went to one lucky winner.
Taste of Bayside is an annual event sponsored by the Bayside Business Association. Every year the association decides upon a non-profit organization to donate the proceeds to. This year Transitional Services for New York was chosen. TSINY provides in-patient and out-patient assistance for people struggling with mental health concerns. The Queens-based organization provides full recovery programs that lead to many patients overcoming the obstacles in their lives and becoming more independent.
According to the non-profit’s director of public affairs, Ave McCracken, it was fitting that TSINY was chosen to receive the proceeds from the event since May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
“This event is huge for us,” McCracken said. “We’re out there trying to reduce the stigma against mental health. One in four adults, and one in five children have some kind of mental health issue.”
Patients may start in a residential program and work toward living apart from TSINY’s facilities to working in the book shop owned by the organization. Turn the Page Again on Bell Boulevard in Bayside is operated by clients who have moved up through the TSINY programs. McCracken is working on two videos for Queens public television that will offer information to viewers recovering from mental illness.
“This is a major resource for the people of Queens and it is so exciting to be acknowledged by the Bayside Business Association for the great work we do. Any funds that we receive will go directly to supplement the items that the consumers need on a day-to-day basis such as furniture, medication, transportation, anything that will help the quality of their lives. The Bayside community has now stepped up to the plate to do this and we are very grateful,” TSINY CEO Larry Grubler said.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall
