BRONX SCENE
Holiday happenings at Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, NOVEMBER 2 72 9-DECEMBER 5, 2019 BTR
Drop in to the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum on Sunday, December 22 with your little ones
to decorate some holiday cookies to take home after exploring the mansion decked out for
the season. Photo courtesy of the Bartwo-Pell Mansion Museum
The Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum is
decking the halls and preparing for a festive
and fun holiday season. Now in their
ninth year, the museum’s bespoke holiday
trees are back. As always, the trees will
be decorated by some of the New York
metropolitan area’s leading designers,
and this year each designer will choose
a ‘Wonder of the Bronx’ as inspiration for
their decorations.
The revelry kicks off on Friday, December
6, with the fi rst glimpse of the trees at
the annual Holiday Luncheon. Guests will
enjoy fi ne food and friends, while shopping
at the Bartow-Pell holiday boutique
for unique gifts and home-baked gourmet
food and goodies donated by museum
members and their friends. That evening
the merriment continues with the Holiday
First Friday! Music and Trolley featuring
the festive sounds of Julie Blenzig and her
band.
Holiday fun begins early the next day
at the Annual Holiday Family Day, Saturday,
December 7. Children and parents
alike will delight in a magic show, arts and
crafts in the Orangerie, holiday shopping,
and of course the much-anticipated meeting
with Santa. For those who made the
“nice” list, professional photographs with
Mr. Claus himself will once again be offered
for an additional fee.
Saturday evening, cocktails and caroling
will kick off the soiree, followed by a
delicious buffet dinner, silent and live auctions,
a raffl e (Jet Blue tickets, anyone?!),
a bourbon tasting with Taconic Distillery,
and more. This year’s fete will be a night to
remember—don your gay apparel and get
your tickets early!
Through it all, the nine ‘Wonders of
the Bronx’ adorned trees will delight visitors
from entrance hall to double parlors
to Lannuier bedchamber, and beyond.
This year’s designers are an impressive
mix from throughout the tri-state area and
including Alice Pirsu, Alice Pirsu Interiors
(New York Botanical Gardens theme);
Laird Morgan Tolan, Sandra Morgan Interiors
(Bronx Zoo theme); Joe Burke (Edgar
Allen Poe theme); Lindsay Bleier/
Katy Garry (Bartow-Pell theme); Tracy
Neumann, The Garden Room (Wave Hill
theme); Colleen Zale, CZ Floral Design
(Hunts Point theme); Dawn Pintauro, Pintauro
Designs (Pelham Bay Park theme);
Bartow-Pell Board and Staff (NY Yankees
theme).
The merrymaking carries on throughout
the month of December. There’s
something for everyone this season—including
our famous Teddy Bear Tea, candlelit
tours of the holiday mansion, and
Victorian Carolers—all magical ways to
celebrate with a bit of 19th-century spirit
and support the preservation and programs
at Bartow-Pell.
Tickets may be purchased online at
bpmm.org
Holiday Luncheon: Friday, December
6, noon to p.m. : Start the holiday season
off with a bang at BPMM’s festive annual
luncheon. Enjoy the company of friends,
delicious food, and shopping for gifts and
home-baked goods. Reservations required.
Cost $70 and $90 (includes listing
in program).
Holiday Party, Saturday, December 7,
7 to 10 p.m.: Celebrate—and support—the
museum in holiday splendor. Enjoy cocktails,
buffet dinner, and a live auction amid
trees decorated for the season! Reservations
required. Cost $150 (after November
16 and at the door $175).
First Friday! Music & Trolley: Friday,
December 6, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. : Julia Blenzig
and her band will be performing contemporary
holiday songs for our December
First Friday. Enjoy the music, explore
the museum, and indulge in some light refreshments.
The trolley makes an hourly
loop starting at 5:25 p.m. from the #6 Pelham
Bay Park subway station to BPMM
to City Island. Registration requested.
Cost Bartow-Pell Heritage Members and
above: free; Bartow-Pell Friend Members:
$5; Not-Yet Members: adults $15; seniors/
students $10.
Holiday Family Day: Santa, Crafts, and
a Magic Show: Saturday, December 7, 10
a.m. to 1 p.m.: Celebrate the spirit of the
holidays! Explore the 19th-century mansion
decorated for the season and enjoy
hot cocoa and crafts, shop for unique gifts,
and meet Santa in a historic setting (professional
photos with Santa available for
an additional fee)! Space is limited. Registration
requested. Cost $20 children one
year and up; Bartow-Pell Family or Patron
member children $15 (children under one
year and adults free when accompanied
by a child).
Candlelight Tours and Victorian Carolers:
Saturday, December 14, 7 p.m.: Experience
the mansion by candlelight with
costumed docents highlighting 19th-century
holiday traditions. Victorian carolers
add to the festive atmosphere while
you enjoy wassail and holiday snacks in
the conservatory. Registration requested.
Cost Bartow-Pell Members: Free; Not-Yet
Members: adults $15; seniors/students
$10
Bronx Arts Ensemble sresents Holiday
Classics String Quintet Concert: Sunday,
December 15, 1 p.m.: Join in for a
memorable afternoon of elegant music in
the parlors. Registration requested. Cost
is free with museum admission.
Bartow-Pell Teddy Bear Tea: Thursday,
December 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.:
Celebrate the season with a child-approved,
bright, colorful, and deliciously
decadent holiday-themed menu, story
time with the Bartow snow queen, and a
sing-along. Perfect for 3- to 5-year-olds
accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or
favorite adult. Registration required. Cost
$25 per person.
Cookies & Crafts: Sunday, December
22, noon to 2 p.m.: Drop in with your little
ones to decorate some holiday cookies
to take home after exploring the mansion
decked out for the season. Recommended
for ages 4 and older. Children
must be accompanied by an adult. Cost
Free with museum admission ($8 adults,
$6 seniors and students, free for children
under age 6).
* * *
Bronx Community College Foundation
will host a special holiday performance
of Handel’s Messiah with the Bronx
Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the
Bronx, conductor Michael Spierman, on
Sunday, December 15, 3 p.m., at the Roscoe
Brown Student Center, Hall of Fame
Playhouse, on the Bronx Community College
campus, 2155 University Avenue.
This performance is open to the general
public.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at
the door. BCC students with valid ID and
K-12 students will be admitted for free with
advance reservation through Thursday,
December 12.
For more information call (718) 289-
5394 or visit bccfoundation@bcc.cuny.
edu.
* * *
Stop by picturesque City Island and
enjoy the exciting programs offered at
the PSS City Island Center, which is located
at 116 City Island Avenue, Monday
through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Experience
the exercise classes from gentle
Yoga Stretch, Balance Class, Arthritis
Workshop and Tai Chi as well as the vigorous
Fit For Life and Cardio Fit. They also
offer acrylic painting, calligraphy, health
presentations, blood pressure monitoring,
gardening exchange, singing group and
parties. Lunch is served from noon to 1
p.m. suggested donation is $2. The center
participants go on shopping trips every
day; i.e. Shop Rite, Dollar Tree, Target,
Kmart, as well as theatre excursions, special
trips, special luncheons and more. It’s
free to become a member, but you must
be 60 years of age or above.
Special Events: Friday, December 6, at
12:30 p.m., Elder Abuse Talk; and at 1:15
p.m., Coping with Holiday Stress. Also,
Monday, December 16 at 1:15 p.m. will be
a Holiday Concert directed by Napat.
For more information contact Patty at
(718) 885-0727 or email pattis@pssusa.
org for their monthly calendar.
* * *
The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center is
having its annual Bazaar & Carnival, on
Sunday, December 8, from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m. with something for people of all ages
and free admission.
This is an indoor event held at VCJC,
at 3880 Sedgwick Avenue.
There will be vendors, with various
types of merchandise and art, carnival
games with prizes for kids, raffl es, brica
brac, public service information booths
and more. This is a great place to purchase
presents for Christmas and Chanukah
– or if you’re lucky you could win
a prize.
Raffl e prizes include: 1st prize: TCL 50”
4K Smart TV ($480 value); 2nd prize: Dyson
Cordless Handheld Stick Vac ($300
value); 3rd prize: BOSE Neck Band headphone
($300 value); and 4th Prize: pair of
TempurPedic Pro-Mid Plus Cooling Pillows
($300 value) and many more, including
gift cards from Amazon, Bed Bath and
Beyond, Food Dynasty and others.
There is an Online Auction running
from now through Saturday, December 7,
at www.BiddingForGood.com/vcjc.
For additional information go to www.
vcjewishcenter.org/2019bazaar/ online or
call (718) 884-6105.
* * *
The Our Lady of the Assumption
Senior Bingo Group is sponsoring a
bus trip to Wind Creek on Thursday, December
12. The casino has slots, table
games, buffet, food court and restaurants.
The designer outlets are all indoors for
your holiday shopping. Designers are
Coach, Van Heusen, Bass, Tommy Hilfi
ger, Chico’s, Corning and many more.
Bus departs 8:30 a.m. from Ampere
Avenue and Kennelworth Place; and 8:45
a.m. from 985 Morris Park Avenue (in front
of MP Library). Due to cold weather, remain
in your cars or at the library until the
bus arrives. In case of heavy rain or snow
in New York or PA, the trip will be cancelled.
Tickets are $40 with a return of $35
slot play, For further information and to
RSVP, call Fran Arico at (718) 828-5073.
All are welcome. Be sure to bring a New
York State picture ID.
Bingo is played on Tuesday afternoons
at 12:30 p.m. in the OLA Church Hall.
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/vcjc
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