The 200 block of Wyoming Avenue will be closed to motor vehicle traffic for the 6 p.m. event, which will include a host of attractions intended for all ages.

"We're expecting a lot of people," said Bonita Ferguson, a church spokeswoman.

"Our summer First Friday (events) usually are big. We block off the street and we have a lot of people, including dignitaries like (Lackawanna County Commissioner) Mike Washo and (Scranton Mayor) Chris Doherty."

More than 275 people turned out for the church's First Friday event last month and at least 300 attended in July, Ms. Ferguson said. Because First Friday events during the summer have grown and become more popular, Ms. Ferguson said the church has scheduled activities in its extensive facilties and on Wyoming Avenue in September.

Today, events at the church will include Bloomin Idiots: "Guitar Hero" and sumo wrestlers presented by Pennsylvania Army National Guard; displays by NEPA Auto Racers and Jerry Tully's Custom Bikes; live music, "Act Out" by Galucci Music and "Steamtown Church"; display of personalized T-shirts and more by Seraphin Designs; observing the moon, stars and planets with Lackawanna Astronomical Society's Dobsonian Reflector; photography by Paula Davis, Barbara Long, Jessica Diehl, Fran Kavulich and Sandra Hobbs; treats by Manda's Goodies; papier mache display of Rock Band, "The Dancing Flower Pots," by Keystone Community Resources PEP Program; display of Rocky Glen Amusement Park exhibit.

Contact the writer: sbrown@timesshamrock.com

Part of this month's First Friday artwalk in downtown Scranton, and a warm-up to the Sept. 13 celebration of Interdependence Day 2010, the exhibit will feature over 400 hexagons made by students from four countries.

"They all speak to issues of interdependence. How we're all interconnected," said Hexagon Project chair Beth Burkhauser. "The global concept of shared responsibility, human rights and individual rights, women's rights and children's rights."

"The gallery is just plastered with these wonderful, thought-provoking artworks," she continued. "All types of media are represented - ceramic clay, sculpture, hexagons, relief sculptures, collage, painting, drawing. It's just a wonderful thing to see."

Among the highlights of the exhibit will be "Hexagons of the Heart," an installation depicting the connection of hexagons made by Tunkhannock Area High School art teacher Patricia Hahn's class with a group of Haitian children whom Keystone College professor Dave Porter met during a trip to the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean nation back in March.

Complementing the installation will be a Haitian kite-making workshop - the kites are shaped like hexagons - overseen by Keystone college students Kati Kameroski and Danielle Cady. Meanwhile, hexagons from Rebecca Rabel's students at Mid Valley Secondary Center that traveled to and from Haiti in March with Marianne Milks' OneBigBoost Soup Kitchen also will be on display.

In addition, there will be a T-shirt decoration and design workshop overseen by Sarrah Dibble of the Blue Ridge School District. Attendees can create a T-shirt for a donation of $2, which will go toward providing copies of author Patricia McCormick's novel "Sold" to young girls in Nepal. The book, which tells the story of an impoverished Nepali girl sold into prostitution, is the centerpiece of a major educational campaign in Nepal to establish a national anti-human-trafficking conversation.

Back in January, Ms. Burkhauser and Ms. Milks travled to Nepal to give a workshop on the Hexagon Project to a group of high school students in the town of Butwal. A visual slide presentation of their trip will be available for viewing at the exhibit.

At 7 p.m., the exhibit will hold a recognition program that will include a theatrical component by the Arts Engage students of Electric Theatre Company's Zip-Zap-Zop and local playwright Nancy Hasty.

Taken as a whole, the exhibit should offer attendees no shortage of things to think about.

"Art is more than a pretty picture on a wall. It can project what children think is right and take a stand on it," Ms. Burkhauser said. "It reflects their heart and their feelings."

Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.comIf you go

What: Interdependence Day Hexagon Project Exhibit IV

Where: MAC Gallery, 123 Wyoming Ave.

When: Opening reception today from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit will remain on display until October.

Details: The exhibit can be viewed at other times by calling 499-5202 or emailing info@Melberger ArtsCenter.com. For more information on the show, visit www.interdependencedaynepa.org.

He didn't appear to be a rock star.

And the atmosphere at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain on Wednesday was less rock concert and more an invitation to a neighborhood house gathering where entertainment was spontaneous and the entertainer an unabashed but distant cousin.

Jackson Browne's show was perhaps the most understated concert in recent Toyota Pavilion history. The typical pyrotechnics, fireworks and oversized screens were absent. There was no thunderous drum or guitar riffs or a puff of smoke for a grand entrance. But the intimate gathering of an estimated 3,000 fans seemed to have enjoyed every moment of the two-hour-plus concert.

Mr. Browne and longtime back up singer David Lindley simply walked onto the stage, sat down on a pair of wooden chairs, said hello and began playing.

The duo started with a short acoustic set that included "For Everyman," and a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Brother Under the Bridge."

Mr. Browne left the stage about 25 minutes into the opening set, announcing he'd be back later with his band.

When he returned a half hour later, the laid-back crowd came to its feet for one of the few times during the evening. Mr. Browne's set included the popular "Just Say Yeah," "Fountain of Sorrow" and "Take It Easy."

Mr. Browne chatted with the crowd, speaking about a woman he met backstage at a show "35 years ago. Maybe it was closer to 38 years," and proclaiming that he felt good. Mr. Browne had recently canceled a couple of his performances because of illness, and the Scranton show was thought for a while to be in doubt, but the icon made it and put on a charming show.

Among other evening highlights were Mr. Browne's performances of "Seminole Bingo," "Off of Wonderland," "Giving That Heaven Away," "In the Shape of a Heart" and "Running on Empty."

At the close of the evening, Mr. Browne bid adieu to his guests and the crowd filed out of the pavilion as if they were leaving a neighbor's home, thanking the host with hearty cheers and tips of the caps.

Contact the writer: sbrown@timesshamrock.com

The restaurant is an expansion of Clarks Summit's Atlantic Fish and Fabulous Food into downtown Scranton. Co-owner Jessica Nepa said the name for the new restaurant was chosen to reflect its connection to the shop in Village Shopping Center in Clarks Summit while getting across the idea of "it being more of a café than Atlantic Fish and Fabulous Food. It is not strictly take-out," she said.

"We were approached by PNC to open a store in the lobby," Ms. Nepa said. "We thought it would be a great way to expand our customer base."

Ms. Nepa, who takes care of the business end of the restaurant and catering operation while sister Amanda Liples handles the chef's duties, said the new operation provides both eat-in dining and take-outs.

"There is a full lunch menu, salads, etc. There is a deli case of prepared foods like poached salmon, brown rice and grilled chicken."

One of the options the restaurant offers with its deli case is for downtown workers to pick up dinner on the way home. Items in the deli case are priced by the half-pound. "So dinner for four would be between $15 and $20," Ms. Nepa said.

Fabulous Foods II is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The breakfast menu includes pastries and breakfast sandwiches with prices running around $3.50 to $4. The lunch menu includes deli sandwiches, specialty sandwiches with a choice of breads and wraps, flatbread with toppings and specialty salads plus items from the deli case. Prices run $5 to $7, she said.

Akita Hibachi Sushi

Qin Chen intends to open Akita Hibachi Sushi Friday in the restaurant formerly occupied by Pepato's Café and Grill on Routes 6 and 11 in Chinchilla.

Mr. Chen, who owns Atami Sushi in the Gerrity's shopping center in Clarks Summit, said he is opening the restaurant to provide "authentic Japanese cuisine."

In addition to sushi items, there will be hibachi grilling of beef, chicken and mostly seafood, he said. Mr. Chen said "we couldn't have a full kitchen menu in Atami. Here we will have a full kitchen menu," including chicken, beef and noodle dishes.

The interior has been remodeled in an Asian motif and provides seating for 36 people. He recommends making reservations for eat-in dining by calling 586-8988. Takeouts will be available. Customers may fax orders for lunch by calling 586-8989.

Akita will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, until 10:30 p.m.

Prices for lunch will be about $8.50 and up while dinner prices start at $15, Mr. Chen said.

BOB GELIK is food editor of The Times-Tribune. Restaurants may send information to bgelik@timesshamrock.com.

Giovanni's originally opened April 15, 1990, in Dickson City behind the former Montage Video, and moved to Main Street in 1995. The eatery found a permanent home in 2004 in the shopping plaza in Dunmore located on North Blakely Street. And finally, owner Giovanni "John" Mandarano feels like he's home.

"We're set up to facilitate pizza. The bakery is in the back to help the product get to where I want it," Mr. Mandarano said. Besides improved workflow logistics, he feels he is in the right place spiritually, too.

"Coming to Dunmore was like coming home," he said. "It's where I learned to cook years ago. It was a big neighborhood, and still is."

He fondly recalled playing in neighbors' yards in his native town as the smell of meatballs, cookies, or tripe cooking wafted through the air.

"If you cut someone's grass, they'd pay you in food," Mr. Mandarano laughed. It was in this friendly way that he first began to learn how to cook, in addition to what he learned at home from his hard-working parents, Domenick and the late Rose Mandarano. Though professionally, he eventually veered into the baking business (later working in the Jewish bakery at the Giant Market on Meadow Avenue in Scranton), he also cited cooking at the Green Ridge Diner as a big influence.

"I'm not a chef. A lot comes from my childhood, but I picked it all up and incorporated what I learned over the years into the product," Mr. Manadarano said. "At the diner, it had to be fast, but it had to be good."

Prepared from scratch

At Giovanni's, the signature is using fresh, whole foods to prepare from scratch Italian-American and Greek dishes, according to Mr. Mandarano. Well known for its New York-style pizza, which he became intimately familiar with from spending lots of time in traditional pizzerias in the city during frequent visits, the menu boasts traditional varieties, including the basic Margherita, and ranges to specialty gourmet kinds, including French bread, shrimp scampi and double crust. Old Forge and Sicilian styles are also available, as well as dozens of different strombolis, calzones and bonatas (stuffed baked dough pockets).

Mr. Mandarano said though many traditional Italian dinners, which use imported pastas from Italy, can be found on the menu, he considers his cuisine fusion because of way it blends many ethnic flavors.

"It's casual, come-as-you-are, but you can get a fabulous penne pasta plate down to a slice in two minutes," he said. "Customer input dictates much of the menu. Who knows better than the public? I wake up everyday and want to be better.

"There's no (formal) education, but I have two hands, two ears to listen, a strong back, and a good attitude," Mr. Mandarano said.

"You have to love people in this business. That's huge," he added. "And you have to do your homework."

The restaurant seats about 50 on its dining room side, and another 35 or so on the other, where a "mashup mural" of the Brooklyn Bridge, created by local artist Frank Bonner, greets guests. The entire Mandarano family works together, including Mr. Mandarano's wife, Michele, and six children, John, Jude, Christina, Michael, Paul and Victoria. Family pictures crowd the pizza counter, along with a variety of baked goods including giant-sized cookies, rich chocolate brownies, and biscottis.

Captures the esssence

A side catering menu increases business and allows Giovanni's to be a part of special occasions, (everything from baptisms to kids' sports teams' celebrations) as well. But Mr. Mandarano's keep-it-simple philosophy on preparation extends even to large orders.

"I've learned to capture food in its essence," he said. "This is soul food, and that just means it comes from my soul. But I'm flexible. When I'm stirring a batch of soup, I see all the people's faces in it that are going to eat it. I cook for them.

"We make our own pitas, bake our own breads ... we make everything here," he added. "And it shows. It separates us from the herd."

Contact the writer: pwilding@timesshamrock.comGiovanni's Pizzeria

Address: 702 N. Blakley St., Dunmore

Phone: 558-7979

Cuisine: Italian-American, pizza, and Greek

Price range: 50 cents to $14.95

Hours: Mondays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sundays, noon to 10 p.m.

Website: www.gio delivers.com and www.dunmorepizza.com

An accomplished artist who has been featured at multiple galleries around the world, as well as several art magazines, Mrs. Kelly's signature is ceramic sculpture and photography and her works are often inspired by an event that personally touches her.

The Montrose native, whose works will be displayed Friday in an exhibit titled "Evolution" at ArtWorks Gallery on Lackawanna Avenue as part of this month's First Friday artwalk, insists that art teaches people to care as well as not to care.

"Both in my life and in my art, I try to find a space that seems to be found between caring and not caring," Mrs. Kelly said, repeating a favorite description of what inspires her that is also on a type-written paper hanging on the wall of the local gallery.

"Within this precarious balance, I find my way forward. After carefully making a piece of sculpture, I am compelled to relinquish it to uncertain forces, sometimes fire, sometimes water. This requires an act of faith, a letting go, an accomplishment that perhaps control is not always the best way forward," she said.

Special firing method

In addition to the usual art exhibits that will be featured at 30 downtown businesses, Mrs. Kelly's work, like her words, are, at the least, thought provoking.

Mrs. Kelly's creations are mostly in raku-fired clay, a medium she chose after spending time doing metal sculpture and watercolor painting.

"My husband wishes that I would stick to watercolors," Mrs. Kelly said. "It's much easier to carry around."

Mrs. Kelly also sculpts animals, a love of hers that was born out of being raised on a farm in Susquehanna County.

"I don't think honor has been properly paid to the actual being of the animal that I create," she said. "Some of my work is naturalistic. I am drawn to the spiritual presence of these animals, what it does for us, as individuals, to look at them."

Light from dark

Inspiration is also drawn from the suffering and, sometimes, unpleasant events that she encounters.

"I came up with the idea of dissolve art when my son was leaving home," Mrs. Kelly said. "I did a sculpture and put it under water, fired it, just to see what would happen. It came out well. Then, I found that a friend of mine had cancer and she had been waiting for treatment. I got the idea of taking an image of her and watched it as I dissolved it. That started me down the path of photography."

Mrs. Kelly earned a bachelor's degree in art from Syracuse University and a MFA in ceramics from Marywood. Her primary focus has been exploring the expressive possibilities of clay through animal imagery. She manipulates slabs of raku-fired clay that are then formed by pushing from the inside, creating textures that express the nature of the creature she is representing.

"It's not only about the beauty of creation, but also the beauty of the cyclical process of composition and decomposition that transforms everything," Mrs. Kelly said.

Her works will remain on display at ArtWorks Gallery and Studio through Oct. 29. A second reception is scheduled Oct. 1 at 6 p.m.

Contact the writer: sbrown@timesshamrock.comIf you go

What: "Evolution - Selected Works by Pamela Earnshaw Kelly"

When: Friday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.

Where: ArtWorks Gallery and Studio, 503 Lackawanna Ave.

Details: As part of the First Friday artwalk, Mrs. Kelly will present an exhibition of her work which features ceramic sculptures and photography. She will discuss her work at 6 p.m. A second reception is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. at ArtWorks Gallery and Studio. AFA Gallery, 518 Lackawanna Ave.: Denis A. Yanashot Sculpture, "Sculpture Yanashot: Biomorphic Forms."

Alexander's Salon & Spa, 431 Lackawanna Ave.: Jordan Fortuner, Ruth Janiszeski, Erin McClelland, Photography and Pottery

Anthology Books, 515 Center St.: Joe Pavelka Drawings & Writings.

ArtWorks Gallery & Studio, 503 Lackawanna Ave.: Pamela Earnshaw Kelly, Clay Sculpture & Photography "Evolution."

B's Floral Design, 131 Penn Ave.; Various from Heart to Art, "Jung Vergo" Acrylic; Music.

Banshee, Penn Ave.: Camera For A Cure, photography by Timmy Walsh, opening reception Sept. 3, 6 to 9 p.m..

Boccardo Jewelers. Jefferson at Spruce: Corning Artist, Glass, Corning Museum of Glass live show.

Carmen's Wine Bar, 700 Lackawanna Ave.; Sameer Ali Photography, "Through My Digital Eye."

City Café, 116 N. Washington Ave.: Trinka Ravaioli Prints.

City Lights Church, 534 lackawanna Ave.: Laurie Stasi, Nicole Ryder, Oil & Acrylic on Canvas, "Renaissance Revisited."

Creedon's Flower Shop & Gallery, 323 N. Washington Ave.: Video & photo by Kevin Vogrin; music by Shane Shumate

Duffy Accessories, 218 Linden St.: Natalie Glitzed Décor, Live folk/bluegrass music.

Eden - A Vegan Café, 344 Adams Ave.: Alex Krowiak Photography, "This Is Water": photography by Alex Krowiak.

Exhale Hookah Lounge & Kabob Grill, 136 Wyoming Ave.; Kali from Lotus Fire Dancing.

Laura Craig Galleries, 307 Linden St.: Impressions of Italy: New Works by Thomas Wise and Brian Keller

MAC Gallery, 123 Wyoming Ave.: Fourth annual Hexagon Exhibit: "Hexagons of the Heart," featuring local student art.

Northern Light Espresso Bar & Café, 536 Spruce St.: Ryan Bossert, Billy Rogan; Acrylic on Canvas; Live Music "Harmonious Creations."

Outrageous, 515 Center St.: Various Comedians, Improvisational Comedy.

STAR Gallery at the Steamtown Mall, Second Floor Atrium: All STAR Members; "Just Blush"

St. Luke's Church, 232 Wyoming Ave.: PA Army National Guard; NEPA Auto Racers; Jerry Tully's Custom Bikes; Live Music inside; Live Music outside; Seraphin Designs; Lackawanna Astronomical Society; Paula Davis; Barbara Long; Manda's Goodies; Jessica Diehl; Keystone Community Resources; Fran Kavulich, Sandra Hobbs; Rocky Glen Amusement Park, Guitar Hero & Sumo Wrestlers; "Act Out" by Galucci Music; "Steamtown Church"; Display of personalized T-shirts & more; Observing the moon, stars & planets with the "Dobsonian Reflector"; Digital Photography; Color Photography; 'homemade goodness in every bite"; Xtreme Dimensions Photography; Papier Mache - "The Dancing Flower"; Photography - "Italian Sojourn"; Photography - handmade notecards; Display of exhibit "Bloomin Idiots."

The Bog, 341 Adams Ave.: Martin Dull, Works in Oil, Pencil & Charcoal.

The Crazy Pineapple, 317 Linden St.: Glass, Kliszewski Art Glass

The Fanciful Fox, 342 Adams Ave.: Rachel Tracewski Photography, "He's Still Working on Me - Images From India."

The Keys, 244 Penn Ave.: "Where the Wild Things Are": abstract artwork by Kathryn Bartizek; followed by DJ Ben O'Leary.

The Vintage Theater, 119 Penn Ave.: Various Artists, Art, Live Music. "The Very Vintage Veterans": The Vintage Theater celebrates one year on Penn Avenue with reflections of past, present, and future.

Wendell & Company Interior Design, 214 Wyoming Ave.: Ryan Ward, Nina Kouznetsov, Oil Paintings & Printmaking; Russian Piano Artist "Paintings & Piano."

It wasn't until later that the same grape garnered widespread fame under its Italian name, pinot grigio. But Kate MacMurray, daughter of ranch founder and actor Fred MacMurray, said planting "gris" and keeping the French name of the grape fits the vineyard's place and the wine style - one that tilts Alsatian rather than Mediterranean.

"It's about where we are in the world," she said.

The ranch is in the Russian River Valley, 13 miles from the ocean, where cool Pacific breezes keep the temperature cooler, slowing down ripening and allowing the development fruit character and pleasant acidity. In pinot gris, that results in pear, apple and melon and a roundness, Ms. MacMurray said. Conventional grigios, she said, tend to be leaner, lighter and citrusy.

MacMurray pinot gris reminds me of other aromatic Alsatian wines such as riesling and pinot blanc. Ms. MacMurray echoes that with her suggestions of having pinot gris with fish, pork or Thanksgiving dinner, meals at which riesling would not be out of place.

MacMurray Ranch is best known for pinot noir from various regions including Willamette Valley, Ore. Pinot gris, thought to be a spontaneous mutation of pinot noir, is a natural for MacMurray and the Russian River Valley. Pinot gris grapes are not white; they range from pink to grey-blue. "Gris" and "grigio" both mean "grey."

Like most hot grape varieties, pinot grigio has fallen victim to over-production and mediocrity, like merlot and more recently syrah. Ms. MacMurray is generous in her assessment of gris vs. grigio, seeing a place for both styles.

"Wines are all like friends. You have your close ones but you don't forget the others," she said. "You still get together and hang out."

Most gris smell like grigios, but the differences emerge in the mouth, where tree fruits and rich textures come through. A pinot gris usually has some seriousness and conviction behind it. Here's some that hit the mark on style and quality.

MacMurray Ranch 2008 Sonoma County Pinot Gris smells of pear and minerally and tastes like apple and green fig with a gentle acidity that begs for food. $18. HHH 1/2

The complex J Vineyards 2009 California Pinot Gris pushes pinot gris limits with lemon drop, white blossom and smooth, rich texture of lime, tangerine with slight nettle, wrapping up with a crisp acidity and intense lime rind finish. The '06 and '07 are in Pennsylvania. $15. HHHH 1/2

The copper-tinged Hahn SLH Estate 2008 Pinot Gris, Santa Lucia Highlands, is richly textured with an apricot and peach finish. The 2006 is available in Pennsylvania for $28. HHH 1/2

Oregon is another great place for pinot of all kinds. Cloudline Oregon 2007 Pinot Gris smells like nugat and spice with green apple and white peach flavor. $16. HHH 1/2

If you are a grigio fan, or not, get into gris.

GRADE: Exceptional HHHHH, Above average HHHH, Good HHH, Below average HH, Poor H.

DAVID FALCHEK, a Times-Tribune business writer, reviews wines each week. Contact him at dfalchek@ timesshamrock.com.

Over the last eight months, the Old Forge resident has sent in five of his best recipes. And here's the thing - they're all really good.

Alas, we could only pick one of them, and, after much thought and consideration, Mr. Gryczko's recipe for the classic Greek dessert Baklava was deemed most worthy of the spotlight. It's the winner of this week's contest, earning Mr. Gryczko a $75 gift certificate for Rossi's ShurSave Market in Old Forge.

Lavone R. Lewis, of Susquehanna, was awarded the $25 runner-up prize for her Easy Crock-Pot Chicken. Her recipe can be found online at www.thetimes-tribune.com/localflavor.

In addition to Baklava, Mr. Gryczko submitted his recipes for: Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce; Penne with Shrimp and Herb Sauce; Zeppole, aka Italian doughnuts, which he stuffs with vanilla pudding and slathers in chocolate ganache; and Soft as a Baby's Rump Roast, which "literally falls apart in your mouth," he said.

A tractor-trailer mechanic by trade, Mr. Gryczko was laid off from his job a while back and has been using his down time to enhance his already commendable culinary skills.

"Yeah, I cook constantly. I enjoy it. I just don't like doing the dishes," he said with a chuckle. "Basically, I take a recipe and do it the way it's supposed to be, and then I add a little of my own touch to it."

He first started cooking at the age of 6, at the knee of his grandmother, the late Evelyn Gryczko.

"I barely remember my grandmother. I just remember her food," Mr. Gryczko said. "Unfortunately, like me, she never wrote anything down. But, my mom remembers the basics (of the recipes) and I just go from there."

Mr. Gryczko's Polish and Italian ancestry is equally represented in his cooking, from his halupki and farmer cheese pierogies to his meat ravioli and chicken marsala.

He loves making soup (beef barley, Italian wedding, New England clam Chowder) and has "at least 20 different ways to cook chicken."

"I'm always looking for something new," he said.

The first time he tried making Baklava was a couple of Easters ago. It went over really well, and has since become a big request among family and friends.

His Baklava consists of finely chopped walnuts and almonds sandwiched between razor-thin layers of buttery phyllo dough that's drizzled with a sweet syrup he laces with honey and lemon. The result is a rich and decadent sweet tooth's delight.

"It's not too hard. It's just a little time-consuming," said Mr. Gryczko, noting the most difficult part of the process is applying the butter to each of the 30 sheets of phyllo dough called for in the recipe.

"Basically, it's like trying to butter tissue paper," he said.

Mr. Gryczko said he'd like to take his talents to the kitchen of an area restaurant. He's applied for a few short-order cooking positions, but so far hasn't received any takers.

"I'm old, so they think I can't keep up with the younger kids," he said. "I'd be willing to start as a dishwasher."

Note to area restaurant owners - the man can cook. Simple as that.

Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.com

Michael Gryczko's Baklava

30 sheets phyllo dough
1 pound butter, clarified
1-and-1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh is possible)

Lemon-honey syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons honey

For baklava: Butter bottom of baking pan. Lay 10 sheets of phyllo in pan, brushing each sheet with butter. Combine nuts, sugar and spices. Sprinkle half of mixture evenly over this layer and drizzle with melted butter. Repeat with another layer of phyllo (10 sheets), nuts and butter. Lay remaining sheets of phyllo and brush with butter. Trim edges and cut, without cutting all the way through, into squares or diamonds. Bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for one hour. Finish cutting and allow to cool.

For lemon-honey syrup: In a saucepan, boil sugar, water and lemon for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lemon and add two tablespoons of honey. Stir. Pour over cooled baklava.

Winestein says
If you can find it, a white Port wine would be a decadent match for the Baklava. Runners-up would include a French Sauternes or Spanish Sherry, all sweet, rich and flavorful drinks.

This is the time the couple begins preparing porketta - lots of it - at a kitchen inside the Career Technology Center in Scranton. It's a regular meeting place where the Yannis and others, as part of the Scranton chapter of UNICO, cook to feed the thousands who attend La Festa Italiana, the annual Labor Day weekend celebration that will again take over Lackawanna County Courthouse Square in Scranton beginning Saturday.

The couple is hush-hush about a secret ingredient that goes into their porketta, but all one needs to know is that whatever the secret, festivalgoers have obviously been impressed.

"People seem to really like it," Mr. Yanni said. "We get a kick out of it and we have fun making it. It helps that the people like it."

La Festa Italiana is the region's largest celebration of culture and cuisine, according to organizers.

Come together

Each year about 70 individuals, businesses and organizations participate in the festival, displaying and selling Italian foods, arts and other items.

This year's festival will feature entertainment from more than two dozen performers on two stages. The acts include the Ron Leas Orchestra, Take Five, Ringold Pops, Frank Sinatra Tribute featuring Chris DiMattio, The Gene Dempsey Orchestra, The Fortunes, Two for the Road and many others.

Dozens of vendors again will line Linden Street, Adams Avenue, Spruce Street and North Washington Avenue.

For 3-1/2 decades, the Yannis have been among those vendors.

The couple have been dedicated volunteers at the festival and, through their effort, more than $20,000 a year has been raised for local charities, according to Mr. DiMattio, who is also a festival organizer.

As the festival has grown in popularity, Mr. Yanni is quick to point out noticeable differences between now and when the event was in its infancy.

"The difference with La Festa now and 35 years ago is that it used to be held on Columbus Day weekend, but after a couple of years and because of the cold weather in October, we decided to move it up to Labor Day weekend," Mr. Yanni said.

"The other difference is that we'd have 1,200 to 1,500 people attend the festival. Now, we get 150,000 to 200,000 over the three days."

The large attendance means Mr. Yanni has to make more porketta than ever before.

"Tell me about it," the retired businessman said. "I use to prepare about 60 pounds of porketta and I'd be afraid that we'd still have a lot left. Now, I'm preparing over 4,200 pounds of it and I'm hoping that's enough."

Helping hand

Mr. Yanni has also made it a practice of helping to erect stages and other things for the festival.

Also, he has created flower carts, set up trailers and repaired faltering equipment. "Whatever my talents are is what I try and give to the festival," he said.

The Yannis usually arrive each day at the festival at 6:30 a.m. The couple remains until the last person leaves, usually around 10 p.m., Mr. Yanni said. "There is a camaraderie at the festival with those who worked there," he said. "We're like brothers and sisters there. It's a lot of fun."

Mr. Yanni, 82, grew up in Scranton and he and his wife of 59 years reside in the only home he's ever known along Court Street. "It is truly home. The house and the city," Mr. Yanni said. "We're not going anywhere, I tell my wife. But, she's a good sport. She's put up with a lot of my shenanigans over the years. We have fun, especially at the festival, where we raise a lot of money for some good causes."

Contact the writer: sbrown@timesshamrock.com

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Residence: Scranton

Professional background: Professional theater director and administrator since 1980.

Title: Producing artistic director, Electric Theatre Company

Q: How did the idea for this fundraiser come about?

A: In June ... I ran into John Graham (not too surprising, as he lives on the third floor of my building) and he told me how much he supports what we're doing at ETC, and offered to organize a benefit with his magician friends. He himself is an outstanding magician with an act that is funny, wonderfully structured, and delightfully puzzling, so I took him up on it. From that point on, it's all been John's effort. He's taken care of everything.

Q: Who will be performing?

A: John is the headliner. He will be joined by Damian, Bill Dickson, Tony Leoni, Denny Corby and Michael Simon.

Q: What kind of magic will be seen?

A: The group represents a broad range of style. John's act is really of a piece, tied together from beginning to end by a kind of story and some wonderful patter and conversation with the audience. He uses lots of different techniques, and the overall effect is wonderful. Bill Dickson specializes in classic dove tricks, but applies a contemporary flair to the act. Tony Leoni is known as the funny man of magic. Denny and Michael will be doing close up magic in the lobby during intermission.

Q: How much money are your hoping to raise?

A: We could raise about $3,000. We hope!

Q: How exactly will the proceeds be used?

A: The money will be used to get us into our 19th season. While we have gained both sponsors and contributors in 2010, the amounts people are giving are understandably lower than is customary, so we're really in dire need of funds to cover payroll and other expenses for our first show, "Under Milk Wood." The average cost of one performance is $2,000, and revenue from ticket sales for an average performance is about $500. So, there's a gap which is filled by sponsors, program ads, Annual Campaign, and benefits like this one.

Q: What is unique about this event?

A: It is very rare that you see a show with more than one, maybe two magicians at the most. John has assembled six. Also, the way he's structured the event is really ingenious: From the beginning to the end, the audience will experience a wave of magic in various modes.

If you go

What: A Magical Evening at the Theatre

When: Saturday, Sept. 4, 8 p.m.

Where: Electric Theatre Company, 326 Spruce Street

Details: Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for seniors, and $15 for students. Call 561-7464.

In the case of SADS, a little education goes a long way, and Alex is using his lifelong love for the performing arts to bring some much-needed awareness to the cause.

On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Scott Twp. teen will hold his second Sing It! For SADS fundraiser at 7 p.m. at Dunmore's Holy Cross High School, where Alex, 17, is about to begin his senior year.

A classic vocal talent competition in the mold of "American Idol," Sing It! For SADS is open to all local singers ages 12 and up. There will be three rounds in all, with a panel of local celebrity judges and the audience ultimately determining the final outcome. The winner takes home a $500 cash prize.

"You can be 90 years old and take part. That'll make it even more interesting," Alex said. "And the judges are told to be impartial on age."

Participants must put up a $25 admission fee, while tickets to the event are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. All proceeds from the competition go to the Salt Lake City-based SADS Foundation, which provides a number of services to families affected by the disorders.

SADS refers to several genetic heart conditions - Alex suffers from a form called Long QT Syndrome - that can cause sudden death in seemingly healthy people under the age of 40. However, given proper awareness of the warning signs - fainting or seizure during exercise; excitement or startle caused by something as innocuous as an alarm clock; consistent or unusual chest pain and/or shortness of breath during exercise - these conditions can be diagnosed and treated with medication.

"I think more people have (SADS) than know they have it," Alex said.

Alex is hoping to top the $3,000 he raised at last year's event, which featured the vocal stylings of 22 area songbirds.

"And you wouldn't believe how talented some people are. It's ridiculous," he said. "It's everything from Broadway to country, from Elvis to Taylor Swift."

"The audience truly had a good time. People thought it was so worth their money. They went away very happy," added Alex's mom, Linda Rojek. "We're very proud of him. And it's an excellent way to showcase the phenomenal talent of this area."

A member of the drama club and chorus at Holy Cross who also plays the piano, Alex got the idea for the fundraiser after taking part in last year's The Giving Gig, a Broadway-style revue starring area kids that benefited St. Joseph's Center.

"It raised $30,000 for St. Joe's. It was huge. So I thought I could do something small like that. Something that could benefit the community," said Alex, who will be handling the event's behind-the-scenes responsibilities. "(SADS) meant something to me personally. And no one is aware of these conditions."

From there, he approached Laura Wall, vice president of development and marketing for the SADS Foundation. At first, she was a bit taken back by Alex's youth.

"I wasn't skeptical, but I was hopeful he could carry through with it," Ms. Wall said.

In the end, though, she "was stunned with the level of maturity (with which) he handled the planning details."

"He impressed me beyond measure," Ms. Wall said. "And he had a wonderful time doing it, and made it seem effortless. That was a huge deal. ... I was absolutely thrilled that he was doing it again."

Kathy Yaklic, director of religious formation at Holy Cross, said she was particularly struck by Alex's fortitude and persistence throughout the project, whether he was signing up the competitors, finding the judges or soliciting local businesses for raffle donations and the contest's prize money.

"He's also a collaborator. He always lets people in on helping him on the journey," Ms. Yaklic said. "All I did was give him the moral support. He ran with it.

"He's a terrific young man."

Diagnosed as infant

When Alex was 4 months old, he underwent open heart surgery to correct a partial anomalous pulmonary venous return. After the surgery, doctors discovered that something was still amiss. It turned out to be Long QT Syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder that can potentially cause fast, chaotic heartbeats.

Long QT is a genetic mutation, so the whole Rojek family had to be tested for the disorder. Mrs. Rojek and Alex's two sisters, Jillian and Taylor, all showed signs of the disorder.

Following a rigorous series of stress tests, as well as a good deal of daily stress (Mrs. Rojek and her husband, Ed, had to keep the kids from vigorous exercise, riding roller coasters and even reading scary books), it was determined that only Alex's condition was serious enough to require medication.

That being said, Alex has never shown any symptoms of the disease. And it hasn't kept him from physical activity - he's the captain of Holy Cross' cross country team and a member of the track and field squad. His parents also run, and his sisters are training for this year's Steamtown Marathon.

"We've now come to the point where running is good for us, not bad for us," Mrs. Rojek said.

Ranked first in his class with a 4.0667 GPA, Alex has applied to several first-rate colleges, including Yale, Colgate and Hamilton. Career-wise, he has designs on becoming an orthodontist.

Meanwhile, he has every intention of making Sing It! For SADS an annual event. Ms. Wall, for one, would love to see that happen.

"Any way we can get the warning signs out to people, then we can save a life," Ms. Wall said. "You can live and thrive with this condition."

Alex is living proof of that.

Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.comMeet Alex Rojek

Age: 17

Residence: Scott Twp.

Family: Parents, Ed and Linda Rojek; two sisters, Jillian, 21, and Taylor, 20.

Education: Senior at Holy Cross High School in Dunmore, where he's currently ranked first in his class with a 4.0667 GPA He's the captain of the school's cross country team, president of the student council and a member of the track and field team, chorus, drama and pro-life clubs and the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science. He's also the coordinator of the benefit talent competition Sing It! For SADS 2.

Favorite subjects: English and chemistry

Career plans: To become an orthodontist If you go

What: Sing It! For SADS 2 vocal talent competition

Where: Holy Cross High School, Dunmore

When: Saturday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m.

Details: Tickets to the show are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Any local singers ages 12 and up are welcomed to participate in the competition, with the winner receiving a $500 cash prize. Registration forms can be found at the website http://singit4sads.weebly.com. Printed forms can be mailed to: 35 Andrew Drive, Scott Twp., Pa., 18433, or to Holy Cross High School, 501 E. Drinker St., Dunmore, Pa., 18512. For more information, e-mail SingIt4SADS@hotmail.com, or visit the event's Facebook page.

The South Scranton resident insisted, she'd stay there, too.

"1877," Mrs. Azzarelli, 45, said wistfully. "Even though those were hard times, they were simpler times. People fought together, they weren't afraid to do what they thought was right. Today, people don't stick together as much."

Sticking together is one of life's lessons Mrs. Azzarelli, an author and historian, teaches her daughter, Marnie, 18. The teen has worked with her mother and father, Dominick Azzarelli, on several historical projects, including a book Mrs. Azzarelli just completed about the history of Taylor.

"I can't wait to go to Borders books store and see it on the shelves," Marnie said.

It was with similar excitement the two worked to see to fruition their plans for a historical marker that now graces the 500 block of Lackawanna Avenue.

Paved the way

The marker notes the site of the infamous 1877 riots that took place as part of a Scranton labor strike that year. "Those workers, the people, they paved the way for everyone to have better working conditions today," Mrs. Azzarelli said.

A grant, which Mrs. Azzarelli worked hard and diligently to obtain, was awarded to her for the marker, which is at the corner of Lackawanna and North Washington avenues. It commemorates those who lost their lives in the riot.

"There are so many who pass through there (Lackawanna Avenue) every single day and they don't realize what took place there," Mrs. Azzarelli said.

Mrs. Azzarelli is secretary and a charter member of the Taylor Historical Society. She also volunteers her time at the Anthracite Heritage Museum and has worked to put headstones on the graves of those of historical note that are buried at Forest Hills Cemetery.

"A lot of people from the riots are buried there as well as those from the Civil War," Mrs. Azzarelli said. "We go now and put flowers on the graves on Mother's Day, Easter and other occasions."

Mrs. Azzarelli also has served as chairwoman of the Scranton Iron Furnaces.

"We're trying to get more people out to the Iron Furnaces because there are many who don't realize the importance from an industrial point of view," Mrs. Azzarelli said.

Mrs. Azzarelli's interest in local history intensified a few years ago when her husband, an HVAC worker, came across an old trunk while working at a client's home. "The people said we could have it. It was old stuff, but as I went through it, I found these documents and letters from 1877," Mrs. Azzarelli said. "There was locks of hair in there, too, because back then when someone died they'd have their hair cut and someone would keep a lock of it."

The find led Mrs. Azzarelli to do some additional research, which then prompted her to apply for a grant for the 1877 marker along Lackawanna Avenue.

It also led to the production of a play about the Scranton riots that took place.

While Mrs. Azzarelli wrote the script, Mr. Azzarelli directed the 2007 play.

"We partnered with the Lackawanna County Historical Society to put on the play," she said. "I don't think a lot of people realized how many people were killed at that corner of North Washington and Lackawanna avenues. These were working class people."

And, while 1877 Scranton has been of major interest to Mrs. Azzarelli, she has also spent a lot of time on her new book about the history of the borough of Taylor.

The book, titled "Taylor," takes readers to Nov. 23, 1893, when Judge R.W. Archbald signed a decree that made Taylor a borough. Originally, the area was called Unionville but was renamed Taylorville in honor of Moses Taylor, a New York City financier who bought most of the abandoned coal land and reopened the mines in the mid-1850s.

Washington's bodyguard

The book explores the legend of Parley Hughes, a Taylor resident and Revolutionary War soldier who was also a bodyguard for George Washington. It contains various images that depict the transitions of the borough.

"I'm excited about my mom signing the books," Marnie Azzarelli said.

"History is all over the place and knowledge is power," Mrs. Azzarelli said. "I tell my daughter that she cannot know where she's going until she knows where she's been. You have to respect history and I think Marnie will do just that."

Contact the writer: sbrown@timesshamrock.com

TO NOMINATE A NORTHEAST WOMAN, please submit requests via e-mail to lifestyles @timesshamrock.com or mail them to Northeast Woman Nominations, The Sunday Times, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Please include the woman's name, address and the reason the reader feels the woman is deserving. Those submitting need to include their name and a daytime phone number.Meet Margo Azzarelli

At home: The daughter of Donna and the late Thomas Crispino, Mrs. Azzarelli lives in Scranton with husband, Dominick, and daughter, Marnie.

At work: A homemaker and author of "Taylor," a new book about the borough.

Inspirations: Her mother and Cheryl Kashuba, a historian.

Aspirations: Would like to continue to write books and research history.

Diversions: Loves to read.

Aversions: Ignorance and those who misrepresent history.

Quote: "The more I read about history, the more I get involved. History should always be respected."