Last Day of The TART

ONCE UPON A TART Closing After 23 Years in Soho

SATURDAY August 23, 2014

The LAST DAY of THE TART

It's a very sad day in our neighborhood of South Greenwich Village / Soho today. Our beloved favorite little Mom & Pop Bakery / Cafe UNCE UPON A TART is Closing today. It's the last day, my last Coffee and the last time to see our lovely friends; Cleo, Samina, Kanai, and Jerome .. 

Once Upon a Tart has been like family to us. Those of us living in the neighborhood like myself who go there the first thing in the morning after leaving my house, I go to Once Upon a Tart fo my morning Coffee. But it's much more than that. It may sound Cliche, but in my case it really is, these people (the gcounter girls) are literally like family to me. I'm single and don't have a family and going to The Tart is almost like going to a second home where these lovely ladies, Cleo, Anna, and Samina are so nice and sweet, seeing them each morning brightens my day and starts it off just right. It really means a lot to me. And let me not forget Jerome, the owner of the Tart who with his wonderful little bakery / cafe, has brought joy and a place to go for those of us in the neighborhood as well as a multidude of tourists who find a lovely little cafe were they can get a bite to eat, a coffee and a bit of relaxation in a wonderful independent non-Starbucks cafe. How refreshing.

I've bee going to the Tart for 23 years since the place first opened. My girlfriend Dante and I were strolling the neighborhood and discovered this lovely little place. I've been going there ever since, never missing a beat. I love this place and will "Miss it Greatly." I will miss the nice ambiance, the coffee, tasty muffins and tarts, but most, I'll miss those wonderful girls who give me my coffee with a sweet smile each and everyday. I'm almost about to cry. Thank You to The Tart, to Jerome, and all the lovely ladies who have worked there over the years. A not so sweet but sad goodbye. Farewell.

Semena, Myself, and Cleo

One of my cafe Friends CHRIS N ...

Jerome (The Owner) & I

SOME TARTS

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Robin Williams Dies at Age 63

ROBIN in Good Morning Vietnam Where He Turned in

A BRILLAINT TOUR De FOCE PERFORMANCE

"As USUAL"

A Chicago native, Williams spent time at Juilliard, where he was briefly classmates with Christopher Reeve. 

After an appearance on NBC's Richard Pryor Show, he got his big break, playing the wacky alien Mork in what was supposed to be a one-off guest role on ABC's Happy Days. "We started rehearsing and I realized that I was in the presence of greatness," star Henry Winkler recalled on CNN Monday night. "No matter what you said to him, no matter what line you gave to him, he took it in he processed it and it flew out of his mouth never the same way twice and it was incredibly funny every time."

The character proved so popular that he commanded his own spinoff. Mork & Mindy, costarring Pam Dawber and Jonathan Winters, became a phenomenon, spiking sales of rainbow-colored suspenders and adding "nanu-nanu" and "shazbot" to the lexicon. The sitcom ran from 1978 to 1982. "I am completely and totally devastated," Dawber said in a statement Monday afternoon. "What more can be said?!"

Robin Williams With Bruno Kirby

In GOOD MORNING VIETNAM

A MASTERPIECE MOVIE With a GENUIS PERFORMANCE

by ROBIN in The LED ROOL as a POPULAR AIR FORCE DJ

For ARMED FORCES RADIO in SAIGON During The VIETNAM WAR

ROBIN As Well as The TALENTED BRUNO KIRBY & FOREST WHITAKER

All Turn in BREAT PERFORMANCES

Sadly Bruno Passed Away in 2005 at Age 57 (Leukemia)

Williams made the leap to film with a string of wildly successful movies, showcasing a range beyond the motor-mouthed improvisation he built his standup career on: The World According to Garp, Moscow on the Hudson, Awakenings, The Birdcage, Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and Insomnia. He carved out a rich career as a voice-over actor in such animated features as Aladdin, Happy Feet, Robots, and FernGully. 

He earned Oscar nods for Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King, and Good Morning, Vietnam, before finally capturing the elusive statuette by upstaging Matt Damon and Ben Affleck with a touching supporting role in Good Will Hunting.

Among the films he completed before his death were May's The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, with Peter Dinklage and Mila Kunis, and the upcoming Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, where he reprised his role of Teddy Roosevelt in the Ben Stiller-led franchise. The latter is slated to open in December. 

Despite being one of Hollywood's most bankable movie stars, Williams never forgot his TV roots. Through the years he fronted several standup concerts and joined with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal to launch the Comic Relief television specials. Williams also made memorable appearances on Friends, Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order: SVU, and The Larry Sanders Show.

He returned to television in last season's CBS comedy series The Crazy Ones opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar. The show was canceled in May.

In addition to his Academy Award, Williams won two Emmys, five Grammys and six Golden Globes (including the career-capping Cecil B. DeMille Award). He also won the admiration of generations of top comedic talent.

Robin in THE FISHER KING

with

JEFF BRIDGES

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SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian Americans Cook

LEARN How to Make SUNDAY SAUCE

alla CLEMENZA

From The GODFATHER

CLICK HERE to SEE !!!

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

ELVIS PRESLEY

ELVIS

Elvis Aaron Presley

1935 - 1977

Tupelo Mississippi

Memphis, Tennessee

REMEMBERING ELVIS? The KING of ROCK & ROLL !!! No Doubt About It !  Elvis was The King. Love by Millions .. He died on August 16, 1977 , a Sad day for his many Millions of Devoted Fans. We remember Elvis, The King of Rock & Roll and one kind man. 

ELVIS PRESLEY

"ONE HANDSOME DUDE"

Another Dude !

"Not So HANDSOME" ???

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

LEARN HOW to MAKE CLEMENZA'S

GODFATHER SUNDAY SAUCE

ITALIAN GRAVY

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LOOK For Daniel Bellino Zwicke's Latest

SEGRET ITALIANO

Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes

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AUGUST 15, 2014 PUBLICATION DATE

New York's Best Cafes

CAFFE DANTE

Macdougal Street GREENWICH VILLAGE

New York

100 YEARS OLD Next YEAR 2015

Is

NEW YORK'S BEST ITALIAN CAFFE

BEST ART in a CAFE

Caffe Reggio

photo Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

CAFFE REGGIO

Macdougal Street

BREENWICH VILLAGE

New York

For Great Art in a Cafe, You Can't Beat CAFFE REGGIO

in GREENWICH VILLAGE .. Caffe Reggio Boast

a Painting from The SCHOOL of CARAVAGGIO

and

a RENAISANCE BENCH From a MEDICI PALACE

Florence, Italy

Le COLOMBE

LAYFAYETTE STREET

Near ASTOR PLACE (8th Street)

East Village, NY

GREAT AMBIANCE & GREAT COFFEE

A Winning Combination!

STUMTOWN COFFEE

at

THE ACE HOTEL

WORLD'S PRETIEST BARISTA

STUMPTOWN COFFEE

GREAT COFFEE & GOOD LOOKING BARISTAS

And A Great Hang in The Lobby

of The ACE HOTEL

photo Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

ABRACO ESPRESSO

NEW YORK'S BEST CORTADO

and

BEST OVERALL COFFEE

If 

A Bit Much on Attitude at Times ...

PORTO RICO COFFEE

BEST COFFEE in NEW YORK

WHY The HELL Would ANYONE Be DUMB

Enough to Buy COFFEE BEANS at STARBUCKS  For $12.95

When YOU CAN BUY NEW YORK'S BEST COFFEE

For 5 DOLLARS LESS At $7.95 a Pound?

Guess Some People are Just Plain DUMB ???

CLICK HERE!

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TEAM USA SOCCER at CAFFE DANTE

DEMPSEY SCORES GOAL With STOMACH

CLINT DEMPSEY

SCORES GOAL Off HIS STOMACH

Off Great Pass From GRAHM ZUSI

To Give TEAM USA a 2 to 1 LEAD

Agains TEAM PORTUGAL

In WORLD CUP Action in BRAZIL

SOME 10 Minutes Later

Silvestre Varella would Score a Goal

From a superb pass from Porutgese Super Star

Christiano Ronaldo to Tie Team USA

with Only 16 Seconds to Play ..

The Goal was devastating to U.S. Fans

Who It Seemed They Had a Win in The Hand

But it Turned Out to Be, as they say,

"IN THE BUSH" and Not In Hand

As PORTUGAL TIED Team USA

A WIN Would HAVE Put The USA into The NEXT ROUND

of PLAY AUTOMATICALLY

NOW We Must EITHER WIN or TIE GERMANY on Thursday

to Advance, a Feat Easy Said Than Done Against a Tough Team like Germany.

As with Yesterdays Game Against Portugal, Thursdays Game Should Be Quite Exciting

and will Bring Out Millions of U.S. Fans watching at Home and at Bars all aorund

the Country and The WORLD.

As usual, as in the past 20 Years, I watched the game at Caffe Dante in

New York's Greenwich Village ...  Caffe Dante owned by Mr. Mario Flotta from Avellino 

(Near Naples) Italy is a huge Futbol (Soccer) fan whose # 1 Team is The Azzurri (Team Blue) of ITALY .. I watched Italy lose to Costa Rica with Mario at Caffe Dante the other day .. Needless to say, Mario wasn't very happy at that one, and kept telling me, "I don't like this Game Danny." Of course not Mario, your team was losing ... My teams as some of you may know, are; # 1 Team USA, # 2 being ITALIAN-AMERICAN  I always root for Team Italia as long as they are not playiny USA .. And then I love Brazil as my # 3 team. Hey I've been down there a couple times on vacation and love the country, the people and of course the gorgeous women. Wow!

So as team USA Played Portuagal Sunday and Caffe Dante was packed to the gills, the air was filled with excitement. We were soon a bit deflated as Portugal scored a goal agains bad U.S. defense on this particular play. The rest of the first half was a bit uneventful with no more goals for the half. We had a few shots on goal, and Tim Howard didn't let another goal in in the half. I was drinking my Negroni and hanging with Mario and Raoul when Howard made one incrediable save that was quite exciting. There was a hard shot on goal that hit the post, a Portugese player got the rebound and took a shot on goal which Tim Howard miraculously deflected up and over the net. It was incrediable.

When the half ended, I ordered a LASAGAN, which Caffe Dante makes one of the best in the city, I love it. Just like my Aunt Helen and my ex-girlfriends Mom MRs. Lee used to make. "Real Tasty."

I told my friend Raoul, that's OK ( that we were down by 1 goal), the first half was their's, the second half will be ours. I was right! Sort of anyway. Jermaine Jones scored a sizzly goal to tie the game at 1 - 1 ... The game was tied and with just 10 minutes to play Grahm Zusi hit a gorgeous pass to Clint Dempsey who hit the Ball off his stomach and itno the Protugese net for a 2 to 1 U.S. lead .. Caffe Dante went Wild. It was pandimoneum with 100 excited U.S. Fans .. It seemed as though a Wine was in hand, but alass it was in the Bush, Varella hit a header into the US Net on a tremendous pass from Christiano Ronaldo and the win was gone, out of hand and into the bush. We had to settle for a Draw and hope for the best on Thursdays game against Germany. "Go Team USA" GO !!!!!

Click !

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My Dads Cadillac & The SS UNITED STATES

1959 CADILLAC ELDORADO

Owned by David Warren Zwicke

Ny Dads Ship

The SS UNITED STATES

The SS UNITED STATES holds the Blue Riband for a passenger liner ship that crosses

The Atlantic Ocean in Record Speed. The SS United States broke the previous record held by Cunard Lines Queen Mary. The United States broke this record on July 3, 1952 on her Maiden Voyage of which my father (David Warren Zwicke) was a part of. The United States made the maiden voyage passing Ambrose Light at New York harbor to Bishop Rock off Cornwall, England in 3 Days 10 hours and 40 minutes at an average speed of 34.59 Knots or 40.96 Miles Per Hour. The SS United States still holds The Bule Riband and record to this day (June 21, 2014) and it likes like the record might never be broken and the Blue Rimand stays in the hands of this great AMerican ship which has been docked on the Delaware River on Pier 82 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1986 ...

The SS UNITED STATES 

in

NEW YORK HARBOR

United States Lines

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Balotelli Nothing Italy Loss to Costa Rica

SUPER MARIO

 MARIO BALOTELLI

ITALAIN NATIONAL TEAM

AZZURI

SUPER MARIO BALOTELLI

with

SUPER MARIO ITALIAN FANS

WEST BROADWAY For THE WORLD CUP

Novecento

West Broadway

"They're For ARGENTINA HERE" !!!

There were many sad faces at Caffe Dante and all over Greenwich Village today as Italy led by Mario Balotelli aka "Super Mario" and Italian Teamates are unable to score even 1 goal in Team Itay's crushing defeat against Costa Rica  ... As with almost every Italian World Cup game in the past 20 years I watched the game at Caffe Dante on Mcdougald Street in New York's Greenwich Village, the longtime most famous Italian neighborhood in Manhattan.

Greenwich Village and Soho are hotbeds for watching World Cup action with many Eropeans and South Americans living in the area. Caffe Dante is the preferred local for watching Team Italy Games, while Novecento and Felix on West Braodway in Soho is thee # 1 hottest location to watch South American Futbol (Soccer) Games in New York .. Novecento owned by Argentinians who have a Novecento in Buenos Aires is # for games of team Argentina while the French Bistro across the street Felix is Groudn Zero for Team Brazil (Brasil) as the owners wife hails from Brazil .. It's quite alot of fun watching eithr Brazil or Argentina play at this spot on West Broadway near Broome Street in Soho, and I have long said it is one of the greatest locations in the World to watch World Cup Soccer matches .. It's quite exciting, and you will almost feel as if you were at the game live. If you can't be there, being on West Broadway at Felix or Novecento are the next best thing.

Yes, it was a let-down for Italian fans today. For me, Team Italy is my # 2 team after TEam USA, and I'll always root for Brazil as my team # 3 if Italy or USA are not playing, it's quite fun to have a few favorites (in a certain order) to root for.

IT'S TEAM BRAZIL

"BRASIL"

ALL THE WAY

at

BISTRO FELIX

Legendary DIEGO MARADONA

of

ARGENTINA

CLIKC HERE !

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