What's Cookin' ? Smithtown - Le Vin Wine Bar And Tapas

What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

Le Vin Wine Bar and Tapas – Joie De Vivre comes to the Smith Haven Mall

By Nancy Vallarella

With a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for this month’s end, LeVin has already set itself apart from the big corporation hospitality one is accustomed to finding at the mall. This casual eatery offers a respite for shoppers and anyone who enjoys an atmosphere of detail and warmth.  Once inside, you will be transported far from the mall.  The wine, food, and atmosphere will carry you away to a Parisian bistro.

French natives and local businessmen, Chef Guy Reuge and Christophe Lhopitault, have produced a wine and tapas bar of rare quality that shines.  Chef Reuge, a four-time James Beard nominee and Lhopitault, a renowned retail wine boutique proprietor (Lake Side Emotions, Stony Brook Village) nuanced a comfortable and inviting, yet sophisticated adult gathering space.

Since opening in mid-March, Le Vin Wine Bar and Tapas has hosted a variety of well-wishing locals.  Mom’s night out, book club gatherings, foodie fans, local chefs accompanied by their staff and date night patrons come to experience Le Vin’s je ne sais quoi.

Oenophiles, as well as casual wine indulgers, are satiated with a Wine and Champagne menu spanning regions, varietals, and price ($5 - $28/glass).  Take note - it is not a typo, you can get a good glass of white wine here for $5 and red for $5.50 any time after 12:00 p.m. Glass bottled soda by Harmony Springs Beverages and craft beer are among other beverages served. 

Le Vin’s tapas menu is revised based on customer feedback and local, seasonal availability. The latest menu offers small plates that satisfy appetites for comfort food, seasonal and elevated cuisine. Boneless BBQ Baby Back Ribs with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Long Island Fluke Ceviche, and Bone Marrow with Horse Radish Gremolata are a few examples. Tapas Menu price range:  $7 - $14. 

Artisan cheese and charcuterie boards are standards offered at $18 - $20.  Imported “Pata Negra” – Spanish Iberico Ham is also featured.

Early in the day, Le Vin serves daily lunch specials for $13. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. most nights which makes for a lovely night cap glass of wine and dessert destination.  The current dessert menu items include Bread Pudding, Strawberry, Rhubarb Pavlova and a Chocolate Pot de Crème that reads like chocolate velvet in your mouth (think chocolate mousse without the air) for $8 each.

Beginning in May, Le Vin Wine Bar and Tapas will be hosting Educational Wine Tastings and Sunday evening Paint and Sip events.  Coming soon: Le Vin’s smart phone App for 10% off dining. For more information on operating hours, scheduled events and money saving App - Click Here  

If you are looking for a convenient getaway oasis, a small plate of something new or comforting, adult conversation, a class on wine, a place to relax with friends, sip and paint…give Le Vin Wine and Tapas Bar a try! Where else can you be whisked away to a Parisian Bistro and have a good $5 glass of wine so close to home? 

Bon Appetit!

Le Vin Wine Bar and Tapas is located on the Middle Country Road side of Smith Haven Mall next to Bobby’s Burger Palace. Le Vin’s entrances are located outside and inside the mall entrance. For group reservations call: 631-979-9463

"Honk Your Horn For Patient Care" St. Catherine Nurses Host Informational Picket

By p.biancaniello

Registered Nurses(RN’s) at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center went to the picket line today. The RN’s were joined by members of the Communication Workers of America to spread their message that they have been without a contract for over a year. They are the lowest paid nurses on Long Island and practices currently being enforced at the hospital are taking the RN’s away from their patients and jeopardizing the quality of health care offered at the facility.

New York State Nurses Association(NYSNA) representative Michael Chacon called on the hospital administration and Catholic Health Services of Long Island to listen to the issues and to correct them.  According to Mr. Chacon, who is a resident of Smithtown, too many nurses are getting their early experience at St. Catherine’s and leaving as soon as they can for better paying positions at other hospitals on Long Island. The nurses, short staffed already, are being asked to answer phones, fill-in for technicians, transport patients, fill-in for custodial people, and take care of patients.

Nurses continuously rank at the top of professional lists with the highest integrity, honesty and ethics. According to Michael they are being asked to do more and more at the expense of patient care. When asked if they want better compensation the answer is a resounding “yes”, but there is so much more. They want to take care of their patients as the professional people they are. Staffing standards have been in place for over 17 years; but, according to Chacon, today’s patients are much different and more complex than those of 1999. In addition, in 1999, nurses were not expected to do all the non-nursing work they are being required to do in 2016. 

Negotiations and protests are not exclusive to St. Catherine’s, other community hospitals experiencing the same issues are St. Charles and St. Joseph both members of Catholic Health Services. 

Today’s protesters walked on 25A in front of the hospital. Cars lined the road to the north and to the south of St. Catherine’s and RN’s walked down the hill from the hospital giving up their breaks and lunch time to send out their message. The nurses were not alone as car after car passing the protesters responded to the picket signs that challenged people to honk their horns if they supported nurses. 

Michael Gendron is no stranger to the plight of workers. A Communication Workers of America (CWA) union representative, Gendron rallied the nurses and offered the support of CWA. Gendron thanked the nurses for the support they have shown to the striking Verizon workers. 

The spirit of the informational picketers was both enthusiastic and determined. The men and women marching were determined to let those seeing the protest know that adequate staffing, recruitment and retainment means better patient care. 

Mr. Chacon said in addition to a contract, NYSNA wants legislation to ensure adequate staffing:patient ratios, an idea that has not received much support from NYS Senator Flanagan or Assemblyman Fitzpatrick. He acknowledged that it will be a challenge to get their support, but is not giving up. Nurses have the support of the patients said Chacon, “because they trust nurses to do the right thing.”

Legislator Trotta Introduces Legislation To Suspend Red Light Camera Program

 Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta Sponsors Legislation to Suspend Red Light Camera Program in Suffolk County

Cites 100% Increase in Traffic Accidents with Injuries in the 13th Legislative District

(Smithtown, NY)…At the April 12 General Meeting of the Legislature, Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R, Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta at a press conference announcing that he is sponsoring legislation to suspend the Red Light Camera Program in Suffolk County.Fort Salonga, NY) introduced legislation, IR 1395, to suspend the Red Light Camera Program in Suffolk County. Legislator Trotta has received numerous complaints from his constituents in the 13^th Legislative District, as well as from other residents in Suffolk County, about the County’s Red Light Camera Program.  Objections range from the short length of yellow lights turning red to the location of the cameras. This law was initially introduced to enhance the safety of residents according to county officials. However, it is Legislator Trotta’s contention and that of many residents that this program is nothing more than a ‘money grab’ to increase revenue in the county. Furthermore, Legislator Rob Trotta said, “Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has turned the residents of Smithtown into crash test dummies.” 

Last October, Suffolk County Republican legislators held a hearing in Hauppauge to solicit input from the public about the County’s Red Light Camera Program. Mothers, fathers, and seniors as well as fire rescue personnel, questioned the location of some of the cameras, as well as the timing of the lights. They made reference to an increase in rear end accidents since people were stopping at the yellow to not get caught on camera if the light turned red while they were making a right turn.

Since the inception of the Red Light Camera Program, Legislator Trotta has been a strong critic of the program. “This is just another example of Suffolk County Executive Bellone’s administration’s attempt to raise revenues through ‘taxation by citation,’ said Trotta. According to the latest report from the Suffolk County Red Light Safety Program for the calendar year 2014, accidents with injuries in Legislator Trotta’s district have actually increased over 100% at certain intersections in which there are red light cameras.

Red Light Cameras Causing More Accidents in the 13^th LD

Intersection Avg. Accidents Avg.    Before    After   Accidents W/Injury Before  After 

• Indian Head Rd. & Rt. 25                   19.0         34.3           8.7                                  19.3
• Commack Rd. & Dorthea Rd.             17.0         35.2           6.7                                  19.3
• Commack Rd.& Rt. 25                         22.0        29.6           6.7                                    9.1

Based upon data in this report, Legislator Trotta is introducing legislation to suspend the Red Light Camera Program. He asserts that the public has lost confidence in the program and, in some cases, accidents with injuries have actually increased, such as, at Indian Head Road and Route 25 they saw accidents go from 19 before cameras were installed to 34 accidents after they were put in. Therefore, Trotta says, suspending the Red Light Camera Program will provide an opportunity to re-evaluate it and consider changes that will be in the best interest of the taxpayer and drivers.

Commack Native Melanie Ehrlich Makes Hollywood Debut With Matt Damon

Commack Native Melanie Ehrlich Makes Hollywood Debut With Matt Damon In Alexander Payne’s Downsizing

Local actress will also recur in new Netflix series, The OA

Melanie Ehrlich With Alexander Payne (photo www.MelanieEhrlich.com)April 2016, New York, NY—Up-and-coming actress and Commack native Melanie Ehrlich will be making her Hollywood debut alongside Matt Damon in Alexander Payne’s upcoming film, Downsizing. The New York native was handpicked by Mr. Payne after auditioning for the movie in December, and flew out to film last week in LA.

Born and raised in Commack, Ehrlich is a bicoastal actress andMelanie Ehrlich voiceover talent, working not only on-camera in film, TV and commercials, but also behind the mic in animation and video games. She was recently featured in a national Dish Network commercial with Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, and will be recurring as “Ali” in the new highly-anticipated, and highly secretive, Netflix series, The OA. Ehrlich’s fun, quirky nature and driven approach to her work has led to an impressively untraditional career path, including a 1.5-yearlong stint in South Korea (and the ability to speak the language) and a performance at Carnegie Hall earlier this year.

Ehrlich says of her experience working on Downsizing, “Alexander Payne is an absolutely brilliant director, and Matt Damon was incredible to work with too. Honestly, I spent most of the day just in awe of how brilliant they were, watching them work! I’m incredibly honored to be making my Hollywood debut in this fantastic film with this wonderful cast and crew.”

Downsizing, written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor (Sideways, Election), tells the story of an Omaha man who undergoes a new process that reduces people to a tiny fraction of their size, and moves to one of the many communities of small people that are sprouting up around the world. This is Mr. Payne’s seventh full-length feature, and his most ambitious to date. Filming is scheduled to take place mostly in Toronto over the next four months.

Downsizing stars Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig, and also features Christoph Waltz, Alec Baldwin, Jason Sudeikis, and Neil Patrick Harris. The movie is scheduled for theatrical release on December 25th, 2017. For more information on Melanie Ehrlich and Downsizing, visit http:// www.MelanieEhrlich.com. 

Theater Review - 'Beau Jest'

THEATER REVIEW - ‘Beau Jest’ 

Produced by Theatre Three – Port Jefferson 

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur 

Bob Kaplan, Scott Joseph Butler, Ginger Dalton, Brett Chizever, and Jenna Kavaler participate in a Seder to remember. Photo by Peter Lanscombe 

This delightful ‘Beau Jest’ farce about a Jewish family in modern-day Chicago has nothing to do with the ‘Beau Geste’ (with a G) 1920s film that starred Ronald Coleman … or the succeeding French Foreign Legion movie ‘Beau Geste’ adaptations that featured Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and other notable leading men of the day. Nor, for that matter is Port Jefferson’s current Theatre Three ‘Beau Jest’ (capital J) production in any way related to the stage adaptation that failed in ‘29 along with the stock market … despite the fact that the show enjoyed the contribution in the title role of none other than Laurence Olivier!

All that said, it’s likely Sir Laurence himself would have loved the show that opened last weekend, and is scheduled to run through May 7 at Theatre Three. Yes, it’s that good! 

Under Mary Powers’ spot-on direction, the Goldman family, wherein Bob Kaplan is the all-suffering dad, ‘Abe’ … Ginger Dalton plays a typically insistent mom, ‘Miriam’ … and Scott Joseph Butler is psychologist son ‘Joel,’ he of the even keel and steady hand at the wheel … all descend on schoolteacher daughter ‘Sarah’s’ (Jenna Kavaler) apartment to meet her boyfriend over dinner.

Problem is, Sarah hasn’t had the internal fortitude to tell the family that the man of her dreams isn’t a doctor (as they had naturally presumed) … in fact ‘Chris Kringle’ (played by Steven Uihlein) isn’t even … ready with the Digitalis? … he’s not even Jewish!

OMG! 

So Sarah hires an actor named Bob (the marvelous Theatre Three veteran Brett Chizever) from an escort service, and the ‘Beau’ in this ‘Jest’ turns out to be a dynamite actor indeed. Soon he’s got the family convinced that he’s David (of course), a doctor, (what else?) who operates on hearts, brains, and other miscellaneous organs with aplomb.

Needless to say, Mom absolutely swoons over the guy, but oh-oh!… so does Sarah … and that’s when things get downright ‘Meshuga.’

There have been so many hilarious shows written featuring Jewish humor it’s hard to pick one that might be called superior. ‘Fiddler’ comes to mind. So does ‘Funny Girl,’ and the inimitable ‘The Producers.’ But for pure, rib-tickling, Hebrew slapstick that never lets up, you can’t beat this inoffensive ‘Yiddishe’ farce.

Obviously, Ms. Kavaler as ‘Sarah’ sets everything in motion, and Dalton combines with Kaplan to portray her haggling parents flawlessly. But Brett Chizever has the best lines and sight gags, and he doesn’t squander a single one! 

Having seen his sensitive interpretation of Greg Connell, Peter Allen’s reticent partner in ‘The Boy From Oz,’ one can’t help but be stunned by the extent of Chizever’s acting range as displayed in this role. He has almost assuredly put himself in the running for a Long Island ‘Encore’ Award come December.

Randall Parsons’ set, Robert W. Henderson, Jr’s lighting, and the costumes of Amanda Geraci and Teresa Matteson are all Broadway caliber. Moreover, the aforementioned Mary Powers deserves an A-Plus for directing her charges so expertly in this rat-ta-tat comedy, where timing is so vital. Accordingly … this show is a winner in every respect!

My grandfather Antoine, a Goy who loved quoting Jewish idioms (but fractured them mercilessly) would probably have said, “Go see ‘Beau Jest’ … from laughing to death, you wouldn’t die!”

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His newest book, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. It maintains that each wrote the other’s most famous work. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com