Nick Krkuti, one of the owners of Uncle Paul’s Pizza. Photo courtesy of Uncle Paul’s Pizza
Head to Uncle Paul’s Pizza on Vanderbilt Ave - Fortunately, Uncle Paul’s Pizza is alive and making pizza and a full menu for takeout, delivery, and eat-in at its newly constructed outdoor structure. If you want to indulge, go for a luxury pie like duck confit or lobster and grilled corn. Or dig into a grandma pie with your choice of toppings. Or maybe a plain old oozy cheesy mozzarella Margherita with vine ripened tomatoes. And maybe some pasta, salads, sandwiches, heroes. Or baked burek in phyllo thin dough filled with meat or cheese or veggies? Good idea to call ahead for hours if you want to eat in or pick up on your own. 973 355-7638. Located at 70 Vanderbilt Ave in Grand Central area.
A community’s loss - It’s not easy in these high-decibel days to find a community leader - or anyone for that matter - who everyone has nice things to say about. But then there was Flo Kelly who served as president of the Sutton Area Community, was a director on the Turtle Bay Community Board and a founder of the Sutton Place Parks Conservancy in 2015. Flo and her beloved poodle Toby were known to every doorman and dog owner along East 57th Street. Bernie Dworkin, a past-president of SAC and founder of SPCC, who served as counsel to both community organizations, remembered Flo who he said “had no hidden personal agenda or political motives. She wanted to make our Community better and, indeed, she did. When she wasn’t working to improve the neighborhood, you would find her walking her dog Toby.” Community leader and activist Meryl Brodsky, remembered Flo as being “friendly and laid back.” Flo passed away unexpectedly on December 22, 2020. The SPCC Board of Directors, in a memorial to Flo Kelly, wrote “The Conservancy cherished her friendship, her wit and her love of her neighborhood. Lunches at Parnell’s will not be the same without her. She is indeed a loss we all share.”
Support for Sammy’s Law - Last column about State Senator Brad Hoylman’s introduction of a bill that would reduce speed limits on city streets generated an outpouring of support for the law. Judge Rick Braun, retired Justice of the NY Supreme Court whose court attorney for 22 years, Gary Eckstein Cohen, was Sammy’s father, encouraged New Yorkers “In Sammy’s memory and to help save the lives and limbs of others,” to contact their NYS Senator at https://www.nysenate.gov to urge them to support the passage of Sammy’s Law. A good New Year’s resolution.