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pack”, Clint Eastwood, Farah Fawcett, Liza Minelli, pray for. Customers line up twenty deep to buy fresh Cher, Joe Pesci, Tony LoBianco, Jill Hennesey, Michael zeppole. Meanwhile, there is plenty of activity over at Imperioli, Denzel Washington and James Gandolfini. Cosenza’s Fish Market where patrons enjoy raw seafood In 2003, a scene from the HBO hit series The Sopranos specialties; and the businesses from the Arthur Avenue was shot in Mario’s Restaurant. Current New York City Retail Market like Joe Liberatore’s Garden of Plenty and Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also made numerous Mike’s Deli are out in full force too - selling seeds, plants, appearances on Arthur Avenue, the most recent was in fruits, vegatables, fresh grilled sausage, pinwheels, and late 2009 prior to his re-election as Mayor for a third roast suckling pig, among a variety of the other Italian consecutive term. specialty products. If you can ever make it to the Ferragosto Feast held Today the tradition continues with sons, daughters, every year in early September you will have one fun neices, nephews, grandchildren and even great filled time at this cultural event for the entire family. grandchildren remaining on Arthur Avenue, or This isn’t your average Italian street fair; it isn’t filled returning here, to own and manage business begun by with outside vendors that come in, setup shop for the their immigrant ancestors. “Nearly every shop on Arthur day and then disappear into the night never to be seen Avenue is already some sort of institution,” as one well until the following years feast. This is something much known local writer put it. The vast array of markets, more personal. This is a true display of Italian pride; and butchers, pasta and pastry shops is supported not only a true display of community and camaraderie that you by long-time area residents but also their relatives and seldom see or feel at a street fair anywhere else in New children from far and wide, who regularly return for the York City. The vast majority of the “street” vendors tastes and memories. As years go by there remains one at this event are actually neighborhood businesses. constant, and with every generation that passes, one Restaurants have their tables outside allowing patrons to sentiment remains the same Joe Liberatore is not only dine al fresco in the beautiful weather we all hope and a pillar of the community but a bonafide living legend. Arthur Avenue has had its pop culture contributions of James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces grew up in as well. Among the notables born and raised here this area. Many of the scenes and locations used in are actor Chazz Palminteri, author and playwright The Godfather and The Godfather II were meant Don DiLillo and 1950’s doo-wop music star Dion to portray the neighborhood. The 1973 film “The DiMucci who named his group (The Belmonts) after Seven-Ups” starring Roy Scheider was filmed on a street in the neighborhood. Joe Pesci began his act- Arthur Avenue and Hoffman Street. Joe Liberatore ing career after being discovered by Robert DeNiro of course had a cameo in the film. With the reason- working in a restaurant. ing being, if you want it to feel like Arthur Avenue Robert De Niro’s directing debut, A Bronx Tale, you have to include “Little Italy’s unofficial mayor.” takes place within Little Italy (BX), however, it was Italian rock band Elio e le Storie Tese at the end of largely filmed in Astoria, Queens. Additionally, the their song “Gargaroz” in studio album “Studentessi” series Third Watch was based on Arthur Avenue ini- featured a mock advertising of a food shop in tially, with the first episode referring to the firehouse Arthur Avenue, in italian language with some as “Camelot,” based on its location at the intersec- strange americanisms. Some notable return visitors tion of King Street and Arthur Avenue. Leonard to Arthur Ave have been Frank Sinatra and the “rat pastries,espresso machines, the only place to buy Italian Donalds or any other chain establishments around here. sausage, and more. The paradox is real: Many New But of course you don’t have to be Italian to enjoy the Yorkers never heard of the place, while for others it’s Little Italy of the Bronx. License plates from all around home away from home, although it is often a well-kept the Tri-state area, and as far away as Vermont and Penn- secret. sylvania, attest to the thriving tourist market. Driving We’re describing the Belmont section of the Bronx. in via several easy-access routes that connect Arthur Av- Whether you call it Belmont, Fordham, Little Italy of enue to “the outside world,” visitors find easy parking in the Bronx or Arthur Avenue, the area beats its other ri- a safe, secure environment where they can spend a whole vals in the sheer number of establishments offering fine Saturday shopping, eating and shopping again - often in foods, dining, and other goods. connection with a visit to nearby Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo or the New York Botanical Garden. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia spear-headed one of the neighborhood’s most beloved attractions, and the pres- Most of all, it;s probably the dining experience that ev- ent day staple and keystone - the Arthur Avenue Retail ery year delights Arthur Avenue’s many visitors. Were Market - a kind of covered Italian bazaar that brings to- else can you find such a wealth and breadth of fine Ital- gether under one roof all the shopping also found on ian cuisine within a short walk through the neighbor- nearby streets, from sausage makers to bread bakers, hood. As one food critic put it recently, “The restaurants cafe’s to florists. The variety is truly staggering - all told of Arthur Avenue make Mulberry Street’s look like step- some nine restaurants, five pastry shops, four butchers, children of the Olive Garden.” two pasta-makers, six bread stores, three pork stores, five gourmet delicatessens, two fish markets, three gourmet Generations of Italian families have given the area a spe- coffee shops and one gourmet Italian wind shop - to list cial small-town character unique for an urban setting, only the food category. And then there are the gift and at the same time establishing traditions that permeate house ware shops. You will not find a Starbucks, Mc- the area. The neighborhood is not just for the bronxites, Those who say you can never go home again have never Joe Liberatore, a 91-year-old market proprietor, is the been to the Arthur Avenue market. “I’ve been coming last original push cart merchant still working in the here for over 50 years since coming from Italy,” said market and remembers the transition to the new market. Enza Andriano in her Italian-spiced English, clutching “The spaces they gave were small, 6-by-7 feet, except for a bulging, shopping bag filled with various groceries. the butcher and the fishmonger, who had larger spaces,” “My husband and I moved upstate a long time ago, but said Joe Liberatore, describing the rows of 117 stalls that we still come for the things we can’t find where we live made up the new retail market. “Some people felt that -- good parmigiano and prosciutto. Nothing can taste we didn’t have enough space.” exactly like Italy, but this comes close.” The Arthur From the begining, the Arthur Avenue market has Avenue market’s history began when Mayor Fiorello catered to the large Italian-American population that LaGuardia decided that the pushcart peddlers needed lived in and around the Belmont area, many of whom to come in off the streets into enclosed indoor market. had moved to the Bronx to help construct the Bronx Thus became the Arthur Avenue Retail Market which Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. opened on Oct. 29, 1940. The city owned the building; Ask a New Yorker about Arthur Avenue and you get rent for a stall was $4 a week, a hefty increase over the either puzzlement or a flood of loving sentiment about one-dollar-a-week rent peddlers paid for pushcarts. the real Little Italy, the best place for bread, pasta, meat, .

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