Fordham, Pizza, and Family

There are plenty of exciting things to see and do outside of Fordham's Rose Hill campus, including the Bronx Zoo, Botanical Gardens, and Manhattan. However, sometimes staying on Fordham's campus and enjoying its beautiful atmosphere can be just as enjoyable. This weekend, my mom and my two younger brothers came to visit me here at Fordham Rose Hill! Since it has been so cold here lately, we decided that going out for dinner would not be very comfortable. Luckily, Fordham has many authentic Italian, Chinese, and Mexican restaurants that deliver right to the residence halls on campus! After some deliberation, we finally decided to order pizza. 

One of my brothers was so excited about the pizza,
he took this picture and uploaded it to Snapchat!

We ordered two cheese pies from Pugsley's Pizza, a family owned Italian pizzeria located just outside Fordham's campus. When the pizza arrived, my younger brothers were astonished that the delivery came right to my residence hall! It was very convenient, and my family was happy that they did not have to go outside in the cold. We ate the pizza in my residence hall, and we had a great time laughing and catching up. I am so happy that my family loves to come to Fordham just as much as I do! 

Fordham has two amazing campuses that feel like home to its students. My family is very pleased that when I am not at home with them, I am just as happy at my home here at Rose Hill. Fordham has always been a very welcoming place for me, and I loved showing my family that here at Fordham, we are a "Ramily!"

Ferragosto on Arthur Ave: NYC’s “real” Little Italy

This past Sunday was a special day on Arthur Ave as the area celebrated Ferragosto, an annual festival.  Ferragosto is a centuries-old Italian tradition that recognizes the end of the harvest with the consumption of the fruits of the labor.  Several blocks of the Avenue were closed to cars and opened for local vendors to set up shops along the street.

The crowded streets during Ferragosto 

I was quickly overwhelmed by the options for food but also impressed by the variety and quality of it all.  Along the street, there were people selling handmade pastas, fresh raw oysters, all kinds of breads, freshly roasted coffee, stuffed clams, and many types of cookies and pastries, not to mention the choices for pizza.  Also, restaurants along the street added outdoor seating and were serving from their menu.  It was difficult to decide what I wanted to eat, but I soon found myself in line for sausage, pepper, and onion sandwiches.

One of the many markets on the street

Another vendor selling Italian specialties

After eating, I continued walking down Arthur Ave and saw some of Ferragosto’s other offerings, including handmade cigar rolling, wine tastings, and several musical artists performing live.  Although it was crowded, I very much enjoyed spending the day taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the festival.  And while perhaps not every trip to the “real” Little Italy of New York City is quite as entertaining as it was on Sunday, I feel very fortunate that the Italian restaurants and specialty shops open every day on that street are less than a 5 minute walk from my home at Rose Hill.

Vendors cooking food right on Arthur Ave.

Blog By: Brendan Burke

New York is My Campus, Belmont is My College Town

To an American young adult, the "college town" atmosphere is one of the most prevalent and familiar settings in pop-culture. This small close-knit community is about as far as you can get from the backdrop of the world's most cosmopolitan city, but at Fordham, our Rose Hill campus lets a few thousand students get the opportunity to combine the best of both worlds: a classic lush, collegiate campus tucked into the concrete jungle of the Bronx. For the Fordham Community, the Belmont neighborhood of The Bronx is the "town and gown" community associated with the Rose Hill campus. To the rest of the world, Belmont is the Little Italy of the Bronx (the real Little Italy of NYC), and world renowned for it's history, culture, and cuisine. 

FCRH sophomores Jackie McDonald & Lauren Keefe at Ferragosto

Every fall, tens of thousands flock to Arthur Avenue for Ferragosto, Belmont's tribute to the traditional holiday commemorating the end of the harvest season in Italy. The streets are lined with booths and tents extending out of restaurants to showcase the authentic cuisine and culture that makes the Belmont area so famous.

Ferragosto's timing couldn't be more perfect for new students at Fordham. As a freshman last year, going to the festival was a great way to discover all of the shops, restaurants, and cafes that are less than a 10 minute walk from my dorm room. Coming from Ohio, I knew little about what was around the Bronx, and a huge event like this was the perfect opportunity for me to acclimate myself to my new neighborhood.  While the festival is only once a year, Little Italy is a hot-spot for Fordham students year round. In fact, many local businesses in the Belmont neighborhood offer a discount to Fordham students who flash their student ID, including a personal favorite of mine, Palombo Bakery & Cafe.

Arthur Avenue filled with festival-goers at Ferragosto

How to Boogie Down in the Bronx

Living at the Rose Hill campus I, along with many other students, have grown to know and love the Bronx.  In the past year and a half while here, I’ve come up with four of my favorite parts of the Bronx. 

Arthur Ave

Coming from an Italian family who loves to eat great food, my first choice is an easy one: Arthur Ave, the original Little Italy.  Arthur offers its guests great Italian restaurants, bakeries, food markets, festivals, and a discount to Fordham students!!  One of my favorite pastimes on Arthur is to eat at one of the restaurants and then get a cannoli at Palombo’s for 20% off!  If you’re more into the cooking part of food, then Arthur is still your place.  Borgatti’s pasta and Casa della Mozzarella have you covered!  Both shops make their food right in the store and will even give you a life story of their travels from Italy free of charge!

Palombo's Bakery

City Island

This next one is a place that I wish I went to more: City Island. It’s great for a nice fall day where you’re still trying to hold onto the summer, or a warm spring day where you’re just starting to feel the summer!  After an easy bus ride to the island, you’ve teleported away from the busy city into a small fishing oasis.  When I first went there with some friends, we took the bus to the very last stop, in front of Sammy’s Fish Box.  We took one look at the building, saw Santa relaxing on the moon and knew this was the place for us.  The multi-course meal and best vanilla custard ever just confirmed our faith in Sammy! After that huge meal, you should take a stroll, work off all of that food, and see the island.

Sammy's with Santa on the Moon

Yankee Stadium

I don’t care if you’re a Yankee’s, Boston, or another (less fortunate) fan, but everyone should make at least one trip to Yankee Stadium; it is the Cathedral of Baseball after all!  The stadium is the sixth subway stop from Fordham Road, and when you walk out from the subway, you can see all the glory and history that is Yankee Stadium!! Often times throughout the year, residence halls and Campus Activities Board, CAB, even give out free or very discounted tickets.  If there isn’t a sale on campus, you can still buy a $20 ticket and enjoy the game with the legendary Bleacher Creatures.

Sitting with the Bleacher Creatures 

Bronx Zoo/Botanical Garden

This final place is a two parter that every student has probably done many, many times: Go to the Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo.  Both are literally across the street from campus and very welcoming to Fordham students.  The Botanical Garden is free for Fordham students, and on Wednesdays you can get into the zoo with a donation of your choosing!  These are great places for a relaxing afternoon walk or activity on a beautiful day.  Many students go for runs through the Garden, stroll through the flowers, or simply mingle with the various animals at the zoo.

The Botanical Garden during a Halloween exhibit

Although many view New York City only as Manhattan, Fordham helps everyone to realize that there are so many activities we can do without even leaving our own borough!  So get out and Boggie Down in the Bronx!!

Public Service Announcement: For your own safety, try not to wear non-Yankees apparel around the Bleacher Creatures.