Yorktown and Cortlandt region

Nisha Mirchandani of Yorktown wrote in she and her family made a giant snowman. Here’s what she had to say:

Hi. My name is Nisha. I am 11 years old and live in Yorktown Heights in Westchester. Me, my little brother Arjay, my mom, my Uncle Mike, and my cousins, Kara, Arika, and Olivia, all built this HUGE snowman! I like to call him Prince Xavier the 3rd! The snowman is measured from head to bottom to a whopping 8’6”! We had to get up on a ladder to get all the stuff on and get the head on!

Nisha’s mom, Jann Mirchandani added it took about an hour to build and that they used a piece of plywood to roll the mid-section on top of the bottom piece.

Picture courtesy of the Mirchandani family: l to r: uncle Mike LaGoy of Pittsburgh, Nisha Mirchandani, Kara LaGoy and Arjay Mirchandani.

A raging blizzard can be a bad time to deliver a baby. Luckily, Cortlandt Paramedic Kenny Barton and members of the Mohegan Lake Ambulance squad are a very determined group.
Desiree Pearson called for assistance with her delivery at Skyview Cottages in Mohegan Lake, but the parking lot was covered with snow. After hiking in on foot, the EMS team called a snow plow to clear a path for the ambulance, but it didn’t make it to the hospital in time.
A healthy baby boy was delivered in the back of the ambulance on Monday morning, on Route 6.
Jabril Ali Barrow, who weighed nearly seven pounds at the time of his birth, is resting comfortably at Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt with his mother. Barton is a hospital employee.

Photo caption: left to right: Desiree Pearson, baby Jabril Ali Barrow, and Cortlandt Regional Paramedic Kenny Barton.

With a dimly lit dining room and a seductively long bar, The Tavern at Croton Landing looks like the kind of place you’d come for one thing: beer. Not so. Owned by Brian and Lynn Panessa, the tavern is actually a great spot for anyone interested in inventive but casual food. You’ll find creative, fresh sandwiches, like this artichoke-turkey burger:

Photos by Xavier Mascareñas/TJN

and, of course, the tavern’s staple dish: thin-crust pizza.

But breakfast is where chef Ralph Croteau’s real out-of-the-box thinking shines.

Photos of the breakfast, and the tavern, after the jump.

Looking for a great deal on groceries? Head to Valley Market, which opened next to Home & Hearth on Route 6 in Cortlandt in early November. The store’s focus is food — make that reasonably priced, good food. “We’re a lot cheaper than other stores in the area,” owner Mark Perez says. You’ll find Zurro’s and Terranova bread from the Bronx, a cheese section, a deli counter stocked with Boar’s Head meats and a seafood counter with 30 varieties of fish (branzino, anyone?). But you won’t find household staples like cleaning supplies or paper towels (no worries, Shop Rite’s just up the road). “We’re focused on produce, deli, seafood and dairy,” Perez says. There are even some exotic fruits: yucca, star fruit, cactus pear, persimmons and more.

Details: 2084 E. Main St., Route 6, Cortlandt Manor; 914-930-7733.

— Mary Lynn Mitcham

Yorktown and Croton are home to beautiful parks, sprawling farms and interesting shops. The restaurant scene, however, remains a low point. But there may be hope. Executive Chef Tom Costello —

— recently opened Thyme Restaurant on Route 202 in Yorktown, and his open-kitchen ambience and New American menu may be just what the neighborhood ordered.

More photos, after the jump.

The Peekskill Police Department has announced that the winter parking weather alert issued by the city on December 26, 2010 has been rescinded.

Snow removal operations have ended and motorists can now resume non-restricted parking on city streets, police said.

It isn’t often that a new food truck gets our attention. But Sharion’s D’Lish Dish, parked at Maple Hill and Veteran’s Road in Yorktown Heights, isn’t your average truck selling average food.

Yes, there are the typical food truck selections like hamburgers and hot dogs. But this mobile food stand’s impressive menu also includes “d’lish” items like BBQ Beef on Brioche, Chicken Parmesan sandwiches, New England clam chowder, and Cajun-seasoned waffle fries. Desserts include fresh banana chocolate chip bread and cranberry orange muffins. And everything’s prepared with locally grown, farm fresh produce and served in environmentally-friendly containers. Looks like Sharion Waith’s truck is on the road to success.

Details: Maple Hill and Veterans Road, Yorktown Heights, Open 10 am to 2 pm, http://twitter.com/sdlishdish

—Latoya West

The New York State Comptroller’s Office released information this week on an audit it conducted on the Ossining Union Free School District.

The audit examined the district’s administrative costs from July 1, 2008 to May 3, 2010. According to the 17-page report, auditors found the district has higher administrative costs than those of comparable districts in the region. By reducing the number of administrators and limiting its administrative costs to that of other comparable districts, the Ossining school district could realize annual savings of up to $670,000, the report showed.

Those funds could be used toward instructional services or to reduce the overall budget, the audit indicated. Auditors recommended district officials analyze its administrative positions and determine why it has more administrators than similar districts and also determine whether cost savings can be made by reducing administrative staff.

The district’s response to the recommendations included a plan already in place for the 2011-2012 school year that calls for a reduction in two administrative positions.

To review the entire audit report, go here.

A new bakery has arrived in Croton-on-Hudson where the baked goods are fresh, delicious, and expertly “baked by Susan”—Susan O’Keefe, that is.

The popular local baker, whose sweet treats are sold at farmers’ markets and distributed in the city, opened Baked by Susan this month. It’s worth a visit because there are “no stacks of cakes that have been sitting there for weeks,” she tells us, explaining that she will whip up a customers’ order with little notice. “You could walk in and tell me you want an apple pie in the morning and it will be ready in the afternoon,” she says. Even though Baked by Susan isn’t open full-time just yet, customers can place their orders by phone whenever the shop is closed. (Consider ordering the flourless chocolate cake. It’s a hit!)

Details: 163 Grand Street, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 914-862-0874; bakedbysusan@gmail.com.

— Latoya West

Victoria  Home in Ossining has shared news of their holiday celebration. Read below for more information from Victoria Home on the festivities:

This Holiday Season at Victoria Home, the tiny corner of the British Empire with panoramic views overlooking the Hudson River celebrated the holidays with all 49 residents. Gathered in Victoria Homes King Edward’s room joined by the DBE, family, friends and staff celebrated with music, food and gifts. Each resident received gifts from a member of the DBE, which supports the home. Residents received an array of gifts ranging from classical music, pajamas, blankets and jewelry.

Staff members dressed up in Santa and elf costumes playing carols and dancing, filling the hallways and rooms with the holiday spirit, for those residents who enjoy the privacy of their own room. Early Christmas morning, residents woke up to a hot breakfast, carols and more gifts from the DBE and Victoria Home. A resident at the home stated “You shouldn’t have, but I’m so thankful that you did.”

The home is run and supported by the DBE (Daughters of the British Empire), whose mission started in 1916. That mission has evolved over the years and Victoria Home now welcomes elderly men and women from the local community of all backgrounds. At Victoria Home, “it’s the little things that make a big difference.”

Photo courtesy of Victoria Home from left to right: Melissa Maute, Michelle Sidote, Sophier Campbell.