Spotlight: South Bronx Food Co-op - A Healthy Way of Eating For All

With an alarmingly high percentage of obese and overweight residents in the South Bronx, The South Bronx Food Co-op is a beacon in Melrose to the rest of the surrounding neighborhoods. Located at 3103 Third Avenue @ East 158th Street in Melrose, the Co-op offers a variety of fresh organic produce, whole grains, hormone-free meats and dairy products as well as eco-friendly household and person products.

No longer do local residents have to travel into Manhattan to go to Whole Foods to obtain basic organic food and green products that are good for the environment. With the South Bronx Food Co-op, on a smaller scale, you have everything that they offer and more because they will special order certain items. But that is not all what the Co-op offers.

The Co-op is a community run and founded organization that dedicates itself to be the green alternative to for profit supermarkets in the local area. They contract with local farmers to bring in the freshest produce and products from as locally as possible to minimize the carbon footprint of our eating habits. Along with these principles they also provide services such as cooking classes, nutrition education (workshops run by healthcare professionals from Montefiore Hospital), health screens, fitness workshops (including three yoga classes with one in Spanish).

Although you do not have to join the South Bronx Food Co-op to benefit from what they offer, if you join you get a discount on all prices in the store. All products are labeled with two prices, one for members and another for non members which is considerably lower. Membership fees are also very reasonable for all economic situations. Senior Citizens and those on certain types of public assistance can join for $40.00; Students for $60.00; Families of 2 or more $80.00 and $120.00 for just regular folks. Note: you must provide ID to prove you qualify for the discounted membership fees and also know that these fees are ONLY ONE TIME FEES and can be PAID IN $10.00 INSTALLMENTS. This makes it attractive to all residents who desire to make a change within themselves, their families and their communities by affording them the opportunity to pay such a low installment.

As a member of the Co-op you are required to work 3 hours every 4 weeks which really isn't much considering that time is money after all and by working just 3 HOURS every 4 weeks you are helping keep prices down.

For more information visit their website, call 718-401-3500, email at info@sbxfc.org or just simply drop by and say hello at 3103 Third Avenue between East 158th and East 159th Streets right here in the Heart of Melrose. Slowly but surely with the likes of the South Bronx Food Co-op and healthy eating alternatives such as PeaceLove Cafe, Melrose and the rest of the South Bronx is eating to a healthier future.

A big Melrose THANK YOU to the South Bronx Food Co-op for providing us with a healthy alternative to eating right!

Welcome to Melrose Milestone...of Sorts

14 days, 15 entries (including this one) is how long we've been on the web. Yesterday we hit a milestone of sorts...for the first time since starting this blog 2 weeks ago, Welcome to Melrose had over 200 hits yesterday, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 and we could only thank YOU, the followers who continue to read up on Melrose and what we have to offer on a daily basis and spreading the LOVE! Since it's launch we have consistently grown in hits on a daily basis from starting around 70 hits per day to over 140 hits daily especially since our friends The BoogieDowners gave us a nice shout out! (Please do visit their blog as it is by far THE finest blog about The Bronx!)

As Welcome to Melrose continues to grow in readership, I personally invite YOU, the public and citizens of Melrose, to feel free to drop me a note sometime and let me know if there is that special Melrose resident, business or organization that you would like featured.

Once again, a big Melrose THANK YOU to all of you who continue to visit and support this blog.

Spotlight: PeaceLove Cafe in Melrose

As some of you know by now, one of my favorite places to spend some free time, socialize with the locals and listen to live jazz is the new PeaceLove cafe located at 617 Melrose Avenue between E 151st and E 152nd Streets. After living in such neighborhoods as the East Village and Kips Bay in Manhattan and finally resettling back in the neighborhood that I was raised in, it is truly a great feeling that the first and only cafe of its kind in Melrose has opened.

PeaceLove is the brainchild of one of the South Bronx's very own daughters, Darada David (owner and founder of PeaceLove), who was born and raised just a few blocks in nearby Betances Projects on East 143rd Street and St. Ann's. Ms. David has spent all her life involved in the arts and music whether performing in bands, at church or as choir director. She also attended the famous LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan which further enriched her experience as an artist and musician.

So what exactly is PeaceLove Cafe? According to Darada, it is not only a dream but was a new years resolution this year to start her own business. She pursued her goal even after being rejected by the bank she has done business with for so many years as well as several well known lenders who told her about her business plan, "That's nice but would "those" people want that in that neighborhood?" That and the fact that she knew The Bronx and the South Bronx needed a place like this only pushed her harder to proceed with her plans. "PeaceLove is a health food cafe...a place you can come in and relax, enjoy a cup of organic coffees and organic fair trade teas, home made salads, sandwiches, wraps while either surfing the Internet on one of the public laptops or listening to live jazz on certain evenings," says Darada. She also goes on to say that she wants to change the environment where one socializes...in other words, provide options since most local places, "you either get too drunk (read: bars) or get sick after eating not-so-healthy food."

So what are you waiting for? Come on over and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere that PeaceLove can provide you with. Oh and did I mention that they have homemade sweet potato pie made with all natural ingredients? Just the pie alone is worth the trip!

PeaceLove offers Live Jazz Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM and occasional Sunday Brunch performances at 3:00PM and coming soon: Poetry and Theatre nights! For more information contact PeaceLove at 347-577-6397 or simply email them at: PeaceLoveCafe@gmail.com

A big Melrose THANK YOU to PeaceLove for offering Melrose and the South Bronx what many other neighborhoods in Manhattan take for granted and a bigger THANKS to Darada David who took a leap of faith after her bank and several other lenders said "would "those" people want that in that neighborhood?"

In the beginning...

Well I'm finally doing what I've had sitting on the back burner for a few years and what my friends have been encouraging me to do for some time. Welcome to the Village of Melrose! It has been long overdue but now all you ever wanted to know about Melrose but were too afraid to ask will be featured here...well maybe not everything but I'll pass what I know on to you.

This blog is dedicated to the people of Melrose, both living and deceased; to those who stayed through the toughest years of rubble strewn lots, abandoned buildings, drug wars, unbelieveable murder rates and those who fled; to the businesses who stayed in the neighborhood despite the odds and to those who fled; to the politicians who stayed by our side during our darkest hour and those who gave up hope on us.

Here's to you Melrose! Like the great phoenix (yes I know it sounds cheesy but it's true) Melrose stood proudly in its beginnings, literally burned to the ground throughout so many of its blocks and now we are rising tall and proud yet again.

So please join me...join US as we show you what Melrose has to offer.