Business Notebook: Cultural events at the Baby Grand Café

Warwick - Although it was closed for a short while, the Baby Grand Café, 7 West St., Warwick, is now under dynamic new management and open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to offering a large selection of used books including collectable, rare and out-of-print editions in a relaxed cafe atmosphere, owners George Nitti and Steve Calitri have partnered with the Hudson Valley Cultural Society to host a series of weekly events and presentations. The Cultural Society, which meets at the Baby Grand Café, will sponsor these timely and interesting presentations by experts in literature, history, the fine arts, and drama. The events, open to the public admission free, have initially been scheduled for Fridays at 8 p.m. On July 28, for example, Maria T. Molinari, professor of English at Bergen Community College, gave an interesting presentation and slide show titled “The Poetic Muse and Its Influence on Dance and The Visual Arts.” The following week, Patricia Wilson discussed “The Legacy of Katherine Dunham: A Life in Dance.” This evening, Friday, Aug. 11, at 8 p.m., the public is invited to the Baby Grand Café for a presentation by Beth Aviv titled “Holocaust Literature: The Poetry of Witness.” Admission, as usual, is free. Although the Baby Grand Café is the first retail venture for co-owner and manager George Nitti, his credentials are ideal for the challenge. Nitti, who studied acting, traveled to Hollywood and appeared in the popular cult film, The Fight Club, also is a published poet and author. He holds a master’s degree in English and has taught that subject on both high school and college levels. “I would like the Baby Grand Café to become a community center where we can showcase emerging talent including poets, musicians, writers and artists,” he said. “And since we have this beautiful piano, I would even like to host recitals for local students.” In addition to further developing his café business, Nitti will use his literary expertise to expand the store’s book collection to include some new items and to also enlarge the children’s section. His ambitious plans include exhibiting original artwork and opening a gift shop in the spacious facility. Next Friday, Aug. 18, Nitti will offer his own special presentation on “The Renaissance Man in the 21st Century.” For additional information, visit www.babygrand.com. Cooking with the seasons This month, the Iron Forge Inn, 38 Iron Forge Road, Bellvale, will host a series of “hands-on” cooking classes. Chef Erik Johansen, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, will lead each class in what he describes as a relaxed kitchen environment. “Each student,” he said, “will find out just how easy cooking can be by learning to prepare dishes from scratch and to make variations.” Johansen explained that the students will work with seasonal organic ingredients. “During the class,” he said, “we will talk about the fundamentals of cooking vegetables, matching flavors, pairing wines and cooking meats, along with variations on basic recipes.” The first adult cooking class, which begins at 6 p.m., will be held next Wednesday, Aug. 16. The cost is $85 per person and includes all ingredients and kitchen utensils. Each class is limited to eight people. “No experience is necessary,” said Johansen. “Just bring your appetite and comfortable shoes.” The menu for the Aug. 16 class includes a risotto, duck breast, sweet corn, wild mushrooms and smoked bacon. The next class, scheduled for Aug. 23, will feature seared tuna loin. In addition to the adult cooking classes, the Iron Forge Inn will offer a cooking class for children ages eight to 12 or thereabouts beginning at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22. For additional information or reservations call 986-3422 or visit www.CookingWithTheSeasons.com. Street painting It’s a tradition that originated in Italy during the 16th century. On Saturday, Aug. 26, King’s Highway will be closed to car traffic and participating artists will create pastel works of art on ten-foot square sections of the roadway. The Street Painting Event is a fund raiser for Community Vision Committee projects to improve the safety, accessibility and beauty of the Craft Hamlet. Each participating artist may sponsor his or her own square or be sponsored by a business or individual. Squares are $25 each and $10 for children age 12 or under. A grand prize of $500, two $250 best of show prizes and two $100 honorable mentions will be awarded for the most outstanding creations. Historically, many of the traditional Italian street painters copied famous works of art representing the Madonna and Child. Thereafter, all of the street artists became known as “i Madonnari,” or the Madonna-makers. The Street Painters will begin working at 10 a.m. with judging at 4 p.m. The contest is just part of an all day family event, the Sugar Loaf Summer SMASH, which features nonstop family entertainment, children’s craft projects, pony rides, and other fun competitions. For applications to participate or more information call Nick Zungoli at 469-9382 or visit www.sugarloafsmash.org.