Tomorrow, Saturday May 1st you can meet me, the “Mayor” of Melrose as well as a bunch of other great Melrose residents, business owners (such as Darada David of PeaceLove Cafe)and Bronxites as well at the first ever Bronx Food Summit at Hostos Community College from 9AM – 5PM.


Please come meet members of the South Bronx Food Cooperative, which is located right here in Melrose, who will be facilitating the following workshop from 11:45am – 12:45pm:


CLASSROOM 462What is a food co-op and why are they important?
South Bronx Food Cooperative
Not exactly sure what a food cooperative is and how it can benefit you and your community?  Come and find out exactly what a cooperative is, how it functions as well as how it is integrated into the very fabric of our communities.  Learn the difference between a cooperative and your traditional bodegas and supermarkets as well as how you can take control of where your food comes from.


And from 2:30pm – 3:30pm you can come and listen to me speak on the following Panel Discussion:


Afternoon Panel Discussion #1:  C-390 STUDENT LOUNGEHealthy Food Now! Exploring Food “Deserts” and Alternative Solutions for Bronx Communities
Moderator:  Paula Lukats, CSA in NYC Program Manager, Just Food
Panelists:  Kim Latimer-Nelligan, Chief Operating Officer, Low Income Investment Fund; Kate Scallion, Food and Fitness Business Development Coordinator, NYC EDC; Ed Garcia, Board of Directors President, South Bronx Food Cooperative; Christina Grace, Manager Urban Food Systems Program, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets; Robert Volosin, Chief Operating Officer, Inner City Development 
A food “desert” is defined as a specific area lacking access to healthy food options due to a shortage of supermarkets and places to buy fresh food. In place of supermarkets and places to by fresh  food, there’s an abundance of fast food chains, dollar stores and bodegas selling highly processed, poor quality food. Many health care professionals believe there’s direct relationship between the lack of access to healthy fresh food, too many fast food chains and obesity and diabetes.  Hear directly from supermarket developers, policymakers, CSA organizers, and Food Coop owners about the issue and the solutions.


or you can attend the following workshop from 2:30pm to 3:30pm and meet Darada David, owner and operator of Melrose favorite, the healthy PeaceLove Cafe:


Afternoon Workshop #5:  CLASSROOM 454Bronx Flavors: The Television Show!
Facilitator(s):  Baron Ambrosia, Culinary Ambassador and host of Bronx Flavor; Darada David, owner of Peace Love Café; Sybil, H.I.M. Italian Restaurant
Have you ever seen the show Bronx Flavor?  Meet Baron Ambrosia, creator and producer of this TV show featuring the many different flavors of Bronx culture and the foods we eat.  Learn about one restaurant that’s keeping it real with fresh, healthy ingredients.

The much loved neighborhood establishment, Coqui Mexicano, has been SAVED! After a court date yesterday to appeal the unexpected eviction notice, community support including letters from local congressman Jose E. Serrano, and Henry Weinstein (owner of the old Bronx courthouse) to name a few, helped save the restaurant from closure.


After much persuasion and the show of overwhelming support from the community, the landlord caved in and generously offered a 6 month payment plan that met the needs of Coqui Mexicano.


News12 the Bronx was at Coqui Mexicano yesterday as well as the Daily News to cover the story which was first heard here and picked up by our friends, the BoogieDowners. The broadcast appeared last night on Bronx Cablevision channel 12 at 10pm.


Furthermore, a writer from the New York Times was there today to write about Coqui after hearing what was going on from welcome2melrose.


So alas, a neighborhood came together to shout out to the world in unison that we were not gonna let one of our own go down without a fight.


A big Melrose THANK YOU to all who came out in support of COQUI MEXICANO! ¡ÓRALE WEPA GÜEY!

A little over a week ago the cultural soul of Melrose received an eviction notice – Coqui Mexicano, which in less than two years since it opened has become not just a restaurant but a myriad of things to a people as diverse as its offerings.  


Melrose residents have long enjoyed frequenting Coqui Mexicano, or Coqui as it is affectionately known by locals, not just for the deliciously healthy and affordable food which they offer (yes – it sounds like an oxymoron that a Puerto Rican/Mexican fusion establishment can be considered healthy but alas it is achieved through the use of high quality ingredients, including the use of olive oil in all recipes instead of the lard and artery clogging oils that other restaurants in the area use) but they also come for the live music which spontaneously, without warning just comes together or for the free literacy project which Danisha, the coqui aspect of the name, started to combat the dearth of bookstores in our area.


Coqui also is a community dining room where friends converge and discuss anything from politics to love and just life in general so it was with great shock to the residents and family – for all who come here are considered to be part of an extended family, that they were on the verge of losing their beloved restaurant. 


This past Friday, April 23rd, patrons including Henry Weinstein, owner of the beloved “Old Bronx Courthouse” and Fred Connelly of Real Estate Financing, Inc. (REFI) and members of the South Bronx Food Cooperative all converged to raise funds for Coqui and was organized by the Bronx Defenders (the non-profit 501 (c)(3) public defenders located in Melrose) who are always fighting for the underdogs of the South Bronx.  For an organization always representing the little guys they truly were there, en masse, vowing that all will fight for the survival of Coqui Mexicano.  


Just as positive things are happening in the neighborhood with residents of Jardines de Seline moving in (the first development with mixed, low and middle-income units), the 400 middle-income apartments of the 700 unit Boricua Village called Northrose scheduled to begin occupancy beginning June 2010 through August 2010 and Courtlandt Corners, another massive project of 343 units of mixed, low and middle income units as well beginning occupancy around October 2010 residents are concerned that this may be a sign of things to come otherwise known as the dreaded “g” word: gentrification.  Many were quick to comment that it all seems too big of a coincidence that they receive the eviction notice just when almost a 1,000 new units are about to come online within the next 6 months and not to mention that business had picked up at Coqui considerably.


In the meantime, locals will continue to rally alongside Coqui Mexicano and fight to make sure cultural gem of Melrose remains open and for those of you who have yet to taste what it’s all about, come on down and step into our kitchen. 


Oh and don’t forget to sign the online petition! It literally takes less than 1 minute to do so!


Where:
Coqui Mexicano
871 Brook Avenue (where Third Avenue meets 161st Street and Across from the Old Bronx Courthouse)
Bronx, NY 10451
718-450-3477


When: 
Mon-Fri, 7:30AM to 6PM
Sat, 8AM – 6PM
Sun, CLOSED

Proud Owners, Diego and Danisha

Henry Weinstein, owner of the Old Bronx Courthouse

speaks with Diego

Check out this book by a former trial chief of the Bronx Defenders available at a great price only from Amazon.com.
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