TCNYW June 2014

10 T o D a Y S C N Y w o M a N . C o M I J u n e 2 0 1 4

( I N T h e k N o w )( I N T h e k N o w ) ( I N T h e k N o w )

olive on Brooklea was kind enough to host Today’s CNY Woman and our readers for an evening of delecta-bly smooth olive oils and pungent vinegars. we enjoyed gannon’s vanilla ice cream drizzled with dark chocolate balsamic vinegar and blood orange-infused olive oil. Violinist Sara Silva, whom we featured in our March 2014 issue, serenaded our guests with live music. we raffled off prizes from brooklea Drive vendors and donated the proceeds to the Fayetteville-Manlius food pantry. Many thanks to Michelle watts of olive on brooklea for being our hostess! oliveonbrooklea.com

race for the Cure The Scotsman Media group was a proud sponsor of the

20th anniversary Susan g. komen of CNY race

for the Cure, May 17, NYS Fairgrounds. 93Q’s amy rob-

bins—our inaugural cover girl—and Ted long emceed the day and Carrie lazarus,

the 2014 honorary Chair, and our May 2014 cover woman, shared the touching story of

her mother’s breast cancer scare. The winning male

runner was Mike Melfi; the winning female runner eileen

Ferguson; Yvonne Shaw of Yvonne’s angels rallied the

largest team; and koenig and Selzer remain the highest fundraising team raising

$125,000 to date. (Team CNY woman raised $1,100!) Dona-

tions still accepted until June 22. Photography by bob brock

komencny.org


What began as a handmade fashion statement for Francis Lombardi of Skaneateles has now grown into an internation-ally known brand for fine leather goods. “It really started as a per-sonal quest of mine to design and make what is now the signature buckle-less leather belt,” Lom-bardi says. “Once I made them for myself and started wearing them, a lot of people would come up and ask me where I got it.”

In November 2012, Lombardi founded Lombardi Leather in his home. The next summer, he raised more than $51,000 in a Kickstarter campaign. Since then, his product line has expanded from that signature looped belt to bracelets, tote bags made with Café Kubal’s burlap coffee sacks, and—new this summer—footwear. He plans to introduce bracelets that integrate precious metals soon. Lombardi says his goal is to create beautiful lifestyle products out of the best available American leather. “The motto is aesthetic beauty with functional utility,” he says.

Lombardi Leather goods are available at lombardileather.com, thegrommet.com, Skaneateles 300’ (2 W. Genesee St., Skaneateles), Designer

Warehouse (222 Walton St., Syracuse), and by appointment at Lombardi’s studio in the Bentley-Settle Building (120 Walton St., Syracuse). —w

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lombardi leather showcases its lovely lifestyle must-haves.

by ashley m. Casey

Double wrapped strap stitch bracelet (shown in london tan; more colors available), $79; four band cuff (shown in black; more colors available), $119;buckle-less leather belt (shown in rose; more colors available), $99; up-cycled coffee bean bag tote, $98.

luxe leather


Curb Appeal

by ashley m. Casey, Courtney rae kasper, Joanne settel moorePhotography by douglas Lloyd

FooD TrUCkS brINg goUrMeT Fare To SYraCUSe

The food truck craze has arrived in Syracuse, bringing with it a mouth-watering array of delectable and multi-cultural offerings. From falafel tots with curried slaw, to grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to banh mi, foodies in the Salt City have never had it so good. And judging by the lines that snake around each truck, their arrival is long overdue.

There aren’t enough days in the week to sample the fare from all the trucks serving the downtown area. But that didn’t stop the editorial team at Today’s CNY Woman from trying. In the course of a week or so, we visited six different food trucks to see how Syracuse does local lunch these days. While we each had different favorites, there was one thing we all agreed upon—the food trucks are a welcome addition. —w

Ossie’s Streateryowner/chef: Roy osborne

year started: 2014Location: Pioneer Business Park, dewitt

Ashley m. Caseyassociate editor

Courtney rae kaspereditor-in-Chief

Joanne Settel mooreSenior editor

Our Tasters (Today’s CNY Woman magazine editors got out for some lunch!)

25J u n e 2 0 1 4 I T o D a Y S C N Y w o M a N . C o M

Ossie’s Streateryowner/chef: Roy osborne

year started: 2014Location: Pioneer Business Park, dewitt

CoUrTNeY’S ChoICe: Chicken Philly Cheesesteak. a gourmet take on a standard american classic, ossie’s serves up savory grilled chicken with melted mild Provolone—not processed Cheese whiz—and flavor-ful peppers and onions piled on a fresh baked roll. This sandwich was born in the U.S.a.

JoaNNe’S ChoICe: Chicken riggies. ossie’s interpretation of this ubiquitous upstate recipe is a winner. lots of tender chicken, mushrooms, sweet and hot peppers bathed in a rich tomato sauce served over a very generous amount of ziti. It had a good amount of heat without being overpowering.

aShleY’S ChoICe: Pulled pork on a fresh baked hard roll. ossie’s keeps it simple with the perfect ratio of sauce to swine, letting the pork’s natural flavor shine through. The whole concoction is cushioned in a yummy roll.

Shattuck’s paddy Wagonowner/chef: George shattuck (former Pastabilities and bc Restaurant chef; his family owned the restaurant chain schraffts)year started: 2014Location: 700 block of south state street, syracuse

CoUrTNeY’S ChoICe: Chicken-changa. This signa-ture dish features a chimichanga-style eggroll filled with tender pulled chicken in a zesty cream dressing. Fusion comfort food all the way.

JoaNNe’S ChoICe: Pulled Pork barbecue Sandwich. great smoky flavor. loved the flavor contrast of the sauteed apples that were mixed in with the cheese and onions.

aShleY’S ChoICe: Falafel Tots with Carrot, Curry, and raisin Slaw. These “tots” had the perfect mix of heat and sweet with the curried slaw. generous por-tions and an appealing texture make the falafel a win.

For more: shattuckspaddywagon.com

worth mentioning: Don’t leave ossie’s without a bag of donuts to go. we all agreed

that these fresh, fried cake donuts stole the show. especially the glazed one.

For more: eat with ossie


Lady Bug Lunch Boxowner/chef: Pam dwyeryear started: 2001Location: Firefighter Park / south street and East Fayette street, syracuse

Stir mobileowner/chefs: dave marnell Jr., sebastian Backer, Rob sansoneyear started: 2013Location: Pioneer Business Park, dewitt

CoUrTNeY’S ChoICe: The ham-ilton. an artisan approach to the traditional pork sandwich, this de-licious work of art tucks perfectly fried dill pickles, crisp cabbage slaw and tasty chile braised pork in a warm flatbread. The tangy aioli gives it an extra kick.

JoaNNe’S ChoICe: Cbr Fries. got to love the genius behind making french fries a stand alone meal. Curly fries, with crispy chicken, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a sriracha ranch dressing. Comfort food at its very best.

aShleY’S ChoICe: Street Chedd burger. This double-decker burger is twice as nice with the creamy combination of sharp cheddar, caramelized shallots, and garlic lemon aioli. It tastes just like your dad grilled it.

For more: stirmobilefood.com

CoUrTNeY’S ChoICe: Plump Juicy Turkey burger. Served with garden fresh lettuce and tomatoes, grilled onions and cheese on a kaiser roll, this meaty burger doesn’t disappoint. and the lady bug honey mustard takes this sandwich from good to flavortown.

JoaNNe’S ChoICe: Popeye grilled Cheese. This is not the grilled cheese of your childhood. Not even close. This oversize sandwich pairs spicy cheddar cheese with warmed fresh spinach between slices of hearty bread. The result is absolutely delicious.

aShleY’S ChoICe: “bigger Is better with This Sau-sage” Sandwich. lady bug’s take on the State Fair classic keeps it simple with a heaping helping of hot sausage and veggies. Served up on a fluffy roll, this “bigger Is better” sandwich will have visions of summer dancing through your head.

For more: Lady Bug Lunch Box

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Food Trucks II: The SequelWe were unable to try a couple of trucks due to their schedules of operation at press time. But we’ll be sure to re-visit this issue.

Bacon Banditsowner/Chefs: Chris Dambach, Matt Visker, Caden DambachYear started: 2014location: South Franklin Street in armory Square, in front of the MoST buildinglook for: large metal pig on roof of silver truckSpeciality: bacon on every menu item. Think: garbage plates with bacon, bacon macaroni and cheese, and cheese steak with bacon jam For more: nybaconbrothers.com

Stevie’s Street eatsowner/Chef: Steve leClairYear started: 2011 (brick and mortar location at 989 James Street, Syracuse)location: Check Facebook page (Stevie’s Street eats) for specific locations.look for: bright red truckSpeciality: Specialty sand-wiches, ethnic fusion dishes, house made dessertsFor more: steviesstreeteats.com

CoUrTNeY’S ChoICe: Italian Chicken Sub. Fresh off the grill is right when it comes to this simple and savory sandwich. balanced ingredients of sauteed peppers and onions and melted Provolone cheese don’t overpower the flavorsome chicken seasoned with Pasta’s signature Spicy hot Tomato oil.

JoaNNe’S ChoICe: grilled Peanut butter and Jelly. another grown-up take on a childhood favorite. we tried it out of curiosity, but we’ll be ordering it again. and again. warm and delicious. Yeah, it’s that good.

aShleY’S ChoICe: Chicken bacon ranch wrap. This mega-sized wrap is big enough to share, but you’ll want to keep it all to yourself. In addition to the three ingredients in its name, this wrap delivers veg-gies and shredded cheese to fill your belly until dinner time.

For more: pbandjslunchbox.com

the Chicken Banditowner/chefs: cindy Baker and dennis souva

(of the former mcshane’s Restaurant)year started: 2014

Location: 300 block of west washington (cross street is Franklin)

CoUrTNeY’S ChoICe: bandit 1/2 chicken (aka McShane’s Seasoned Chicken). This perfect picnic-for-one portion of peppery no-batter fried chicken (it’s gluten free!) comes with a buttery homestyle biscuit—just like grandma used to make, y’all.

JoaNNe’S ChoICe: The Dynamite. aptly named, this delicious chicken tikka masala dish was an instant favorite. Very generous portion of tender chicken in a spicy tomato sauce over brown rice and served with warm naan bread.

aShleY’S ChoICe: Vietnamese banh Mi. This perfectly seasoned pork sandwich, while a bit messy, is great for burger lovers who want to switch it up. The pickled veggies on top give it a delightful crunch.

For more: chickenbandit.com

pB&J’s Lunch Boxowner/chef: Pat orr

year started: 2012Location: Laurel and state

streets, at st. Joseph’s Hospi-tal, syracuse

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“He judges nobody, nothing … He says, ‘I’m here—

I’ve got a tummy to rub.”


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“We go as much as we can—as much as we’re allowed,” Mayerhofer says.

Seeing people smile is what drives Mayerhofer.

“A lot of people never have anybody. When the nurse comes up to [me] and says, ‘You’re the only one who goes in that room,’ … I almost feel guilty if I can’t go,” Mayerhofer says.

Mayerhofer enjoys seeing Lumpi bring people out of their shells. She recalls a patient in Upstate’s rehab unit who began serenading Lumpi in Italian.

“It was a neat thing, that he felt that way [around Lumpi],” Mayerhofer says.

“They all of a sudden open up to you and tell you about their pets and their children,” she says. “A dog can actually connect people.”

Lumpi’s company helps some patients regain their abil-ity to communicate.

“Sometimes patients haven’t spoken very much, or if they have cognitive difficulties … that can be the key,” she says of their interaction with the dog.

When she first started volunteering with PAWS, Mayer-hofer didn’t realize that the time she and Lumpi spent with those in need would deeply affect her as well.

“I myself never thought I would gain that much out of it,” she says. “I didn’t realize how much their conversation to me was important.”

Mayerhofer and Lumpi keep their skills sharp with weekly training sessions at the Syracuse Obedience Train-ing Club. “You have to stay in tune with your dog. We’re like a team,” she says.

But it’s Lumpi’s unconditional puppy love that inspires Mayerhofer the most.

“I thought I was always judgment-free,” she says. “He judges nobody, nothing. A lot of the patients are extremely ill. He says, ‘I’m here—I’ve got a tummy to rub.’” —w

Do you know any unsung heroes?

If you know a volunteer or

another inspiring person who

gives her all to her community

without asking for anything in

return, let us know. email

[email protected]

with your ideas.

umpi is not a lap dog—at least not for his owner, Anna Mayerhofer. But put him in a room of nursing home residents, and the 5-year-old standard dachshund is all about the cuddles.

For the past two-and-a-half years, Mayerhofer and Lumpi have volunteered for the animal assisted therapy program through PAWS of CNY. They visit Van Duyn Home and Hospital, Hutchings Psychiatric Center, and the University Rehabilitation Center at Upstate Univer-sity Hospital, where Lumpi—named after Pablo Picasso’s dog—is a furry friend to healing patients and lonely resi-dents.

“He likes to snuggle and he likes to lay on his back and get his belly rubbed,” Mayerhofer says. “That’s what he’s known for at the rehab center.

“He’s extraordinarily kind as a dog can be kind,” May-erhofer adds. “He has the softest eyes you can imagine and he looks right through you.”

When she first got Lumpi in 2009, a dog trainer sug-gested that Lumpi’s big heart, soulful stare, and gentle, laid-back personality would make him a good therapy dog.

“He said, ‘You’ve got to do something with this dog. He’s really different, really unusual. He’s submissive,’” Mayer-hofer remembers the trainer saying.

“I filed it away because he was maybe 16 weeks … really just a baby,” she says. Even at that young age, “He really knew his craft.”

A retired art teacher—she taught in the West Genesee school district for 39 years—Mayerhofer paints, draws, and volunteers with Lumpi.

“I’m not dead yet,” she laughs. “I really, really enjoy it—I can’t get enough.”

She also volunteers at Amaus Medical Services through the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse. She and Lumpi volunteer with PAWS of CNY twice a week and frequently attend community events.

by ashley m. Casey Photography by emily Jureller

retired art teacher anna Mayerhofer and her dachshund lumpi spread joy to those who need it most.

Lending a Paw

Pet assisted wellness services (Paws) of Cny is a nonprofit organization based in Syracuse that promotes positive, healing interaction between animals and humans.

each month, PawS connects more than 200 volunteers with 800 residents of 55 facilities in onondaga, oswego, Cortland, Madison, and Cayuga counties. To learn more, visit pawsofcny.org.

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TCNYW June 2014

Documents

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luxe leather24 t o d

leather belt

lombardi leather goods