Centro

A new restaurant named Live2eat has opened in the South Baltimore space that was formerly Bicycle and more recently Centro. Here's what Live2eat says about itself on its website: "Liv2eat utilizes traditional methods and techniques to best showcase available seasonal products each day. We feature seasonal entrees and salads as well as house pastas and bread. We care about where our food comes from and understand the importance of sustainability. The offerings change several times a year and are complimented by a varied wine and craft beer list.

A new restaurant named Live2eat has opened in the South Baltimore space that was formerly Bicycle and more recently Centro. Here's what Live2eat says about itself on its website: "Liv2eat utilizes traditional methods and techniques to best showcase available seasonal products each day. We feature seasonal entrees and salads as well as house pastas and bread. We care about where our food comes from and understand the importance of sustainability. The offerings change several times a year and are complimented by a varied wine and craft beer list.

Baltimore's Centro de la Comunidad celebrated its fifth anniversary with a Fiesta Latina, a shindig with salsa (both at dinner and on the dance floor) at Lista's restaurant in Fells Point.The evening began with a mariachi band and margaritas. No, that wasn't a conga line snaking onto the back balcony. It was just folks waiting for their chance at the burritos, black beans and rice.Among those enjoying this evening were Haydee Rodriguez, Centro's executive director; Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, chair of Centro's board of directors; Dr. Leonardo Ortega, board vice chair; Dr. Wilfredo Nieves, Hector Torres and Andrew Jezic, board members; Angelo Solara, vice chair of the Mayor's Committee on Hispanic Affairs; and Rahn Barnes, Provident Bank of Maryland.

Centro Tapas Bar has closed. The Riverside restaurant's last meal was served on Saturday night. George Dailey, owner of the popular On the Hill Cafe in Bolton Hill, opened Centro Tapas Bar in the spring of 2010 in the old Bicycle space. Dailey, who was raised in Venezuela, brought a South American twist to the tapas at Centro -- Venezuelan corn masa cakes  topped with oxtail meat, avocado and a fried egg; chicken livers dusted with crispy corn meal; sweet-corn pancakes is topped with queso blanco and a chili glaze.

After working for three years at a pastry shop in Baltimore, Sonia Quezada said she thought the business administration skills she learned in her native Guatemala were going to waste.With help from Centro de la Comunidad, a Hispanic community center in Southeast Baltimore, Quezada, 35, not only found a job as a community health worker, but was able to fill out the paperwork she needed to become a U.S. citizen."The Centro is like my second house," she said. "It's like going to my country."Quezada is one of thousands of Hispanic immigrants who have used the center to break cultural and language barriers to enter mainstream America.

Baltimore Latino advocacy group Centro de la Comunidad is launching a toy drive today for needy families. The effort is also sponsored by the Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Latin American Motorcycle Association of Baltimore. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off today from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Centro de la Comunidad at 3021 Eastern Ave. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, through Dec. 20.

Hot food and hot music gave Fiesta Latina 2000 a spicy flavor. Some 220 supporters of Centro De La Comunidad, Baltimore's Latino Community Center, gathered at Lista's Mexican restaurant in Fells Point. The guests savored salty margaritas as a mariachi band strolled through the crowd. Taste buds got another tingle at the dinner buffet, thanks to the hot wings, fajitas and refritos. Then salsa music set the dance floor on fire. Among those getting into the Latin swing of things: Lilian Laszlo, Kristi Beidenbach, Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner and Antonio P. Salazar, event committee; Carmen Nieves, executive director of Centro De La Comunidad; Dr. Leonardo Ortega, Centro board president; Hector Torres, board member; Petra Pineyro, Mexican Association of Maryland president; Vinny DeMarco, executive director of Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative; Ernie Crofoot, senior and health-care coordinator for AFL-CIO; Beltran Navarro, director of Navarro, Kim & Associates; William Stagg, chair of Prince George's County Hispanic Advisory Committee; Arta Perez, director of Montgomery County Department of Human Resources; Ricardo Flores, staff attorney with the Public Justice Center; Ken Fischer, CEO of CreativeTechConcepts; and Peter Fillat, principal with Peter Fillat Architects.

The sticky evening air simmered with mariachi music, providing the perfect backdrop to enjoy the salty bite of a margarita. And that was only for starters at "Fiesta Latina 2001," a fund-raiser for Centro de la Comunidad. Many of the 200 guests browsed the buffet at Lista's Restaurant and danced up a storm to the Latin beat of Grupo Latino Continental -- both activities again requiring further margarita reinforcements for many of the participants. Among those at the party: Lilian Laszlo, event chair; Nancy Alexandrou, event committee member; Dr. Leonardo R. Ortega, Centro de la Comunidad board president; Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, Antonio Salazar, Dr. Sonia Fierro-Luperini and Hector Torres, board members; Carmen Nieves, Centro de la Comunidad executive director; Jane Harrison, Abell Foundation senior program officer; Angelo Solera, Baltimore Health Department Hispanic community liaison; Ana Bertrando, Career Communications Group Inc. conference coordinator; Mario Armstrong, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development IT manager; Bill Stagg, Prince George's County Hispanic Advisory Committee chair; Albert Smink, ARTEX Inc. safety manager; Vincent Talarico, retired General Electric vice president; Dr. Christos Davatzikos, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor of radiology; Wendy Senft and Sue Glick, English as a second language teachers; Susana Ptak, I.H. Services Inc. owner; Ruth Hernandez, David M. Lutz PA paralegal; and Ruth Crystal, Cramer.

Emily Lincoln wins service award from family agency Emily Lincoln, a real estate agent with Re/Max Columbia, is the 2003 recipient of the Robert B. Russell Distinguished Service Award. The award, bestowed by Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland, honors the memory of the agency's former board president, who died in 1995. Lincoln has been a member of the governing board of Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland since 1998, when the Columbia-based Family Life Center merged with the regional nonprofit agency.

Centro de la Comunidad The lilt of Latin music, and goldfish bowls on dinner tables set a bubbly tone for the evening inside the American Visionary Art Museum's sculpture barn. Welcome to "Fiesta Latina 2003," the annual fund-raiser for Baltimore's Latino community center, Centro de la Comunidad. More than 200 guests browsed a buffet of paella, carved tenderloin and grilled chicken, and sampled drinks from a martini bar. They needed a little fortification before getting down to the tough business of negotiating the silent auction tables or taking to the dance floor.

Centro Tapas Bar is off to a promising start. This is the old Bicycle spot, and it's nice to have the place back open after a brief hiatus. Centro was lively on the weeknight when we visited, though only the front room, which includes the bar, was seating diners. The two smaller (and, frankly, less inviting) dining rooms weren't in use, and Bicycle's sweet old back patio, appearing to be in peak condition, was waiting for nice weather to come and stay. Centro is the project of George Dailey, whose On the Hill Café in Bolton Hill has earned him many friends and fans.

Baltimore Latino advocacy group Centro de la Comunidad is launching a toy drive today for needy families. The effort is also sponsored by the Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Latin American Motorcycle Association of Baltimore. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off today from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Centro de la Comunidad at 3021 Eastern Ave. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, through Dec. 20.

Emily Lincoln wins service award from family agency Emily Lincoln, a real estate agent with Re/Max Columbia, is the 2003 recipient of the Robert B. Russell Distinguished Service Award. The award, bestowed by Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland, honors the memory of the agency's former board president, who died in 1995. Lincoln has been a member of the governing board of Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland since 1998, when the Columbia-based Family Life Center merged with the regional nonprofit agency.

Centro de la Comunidad The lilt of Latin music, and goldfish bowls on dinner tables set a bubbly tone for the evening inside the American Visionary Art Museum's sculpture barn. Welcome to "Fiesta Latina 2003," the annual fund-raiser for Baltimore's Latino community center, Centro de la Comunidad. More than 200 guests browsed a buffet of paella, carved tenderloin and grilled chicken, and sampled drinks from a martini bar. They needed a little fortification before getting down to the tough business of negotiating the silent auction tables or taking to the dance floor.

The sticky evening air simmered with mariachi music, providing the perfect backdrop to enjoy the salty bite of a margarita. And that was only for starters at "Fiesta Latina 2001," a fund-raiser for Centro de la Comunidad. Many of the 200 guests browsed the buffet at Lista's Restaurant and danced up a storm to the Latin beat of Grupo Latino Continental -- both activities again requiring further margarita reinforcements for many of the participants. Among those at the party: Lilian Laszlo, event chair; Nancy Alexandrou, event committee member; Dr. Leonardo R. Ortega, Centro de la Comunidad board president; Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, Antonio Salazar, Dr. Sonia Fierro-Luperini and Hector Torres, board members; Carmen Nieves, Centro de la Comunidad executive director; Jane Harrison, Abell Foundation senior program officer; Angelo Solera, Baltimore Health Department Hispanic community liaison; Ana Bertrando, Career Communications Group Inc. conference coordinator; Mario Armstrong, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development IT manager; Bill Stagg, Prince George's County Hispanic Advisory Committee chair; Albert Smink, ARTEX Inc. safety manager; Vincent Talarico, retired General Electric vice president; Dr. Christos Davatzikos, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor of radiology; Wendy Senft and Sue Glick, English as a second language teachers; Susana Ptak, I.H. Services Inc. owner; Ruth Hernandez, David M. Lutz PA paralegal; and Ruth Crystal, Cramer.

Latinos and Latino activists will celebrate the second "Noche de Accion Latina" in Annapolis today to support the passage of two bills in the 2001 legislative session. The bills would require language translation in Maryland's court system and other state agencies, as well as translation of important documents into any language spoken by at least 3 percent of the state or regional population. The event is sponsored by Maryland Latino Coalition for Justice, a statewide advocacy organization.

Latinos and Latino activists will celebrate the second "Noche de Accion Latina" in Annapolis today to support the passage of two bills in the 2001 legislative session. The bills would require language translation in Maryland's court system and other state agencies, as well as translation of important documents into any language spoken by at least 3 percent of the state or regional population. The event is sponsored by Maryland Latino Coalition for Justice, a statewide advocacy organization.

TOWSON -- County Council members voted unanimously last night to proceed with condemnation of 25 acres on Cowenton Road to be part of a park system for the new planned community of Honeygo.The property owner, Vincent Del Pizzo, refused the county's offer of $385,000 for the land. Although he has tried to sell the land for $1.5 million, his representatives say his first choice is to develop the property himself.Council members also voted unanimously to condemn a 98-acre tract at Falls and Greenspring Valley roads, owned by businessman Clarence Elder.

Hot food and hot music gave Fiesta Latina 2000 a spicy flavor. Some 220 supporters of Centro De La Comunidad, Baltimore's Latino Community Center, gathered at Lista's Mexican restaurant in Fells Point. The guests savored salty margaritas as a mariachi band strolled through the crowd. Taste buds got another tingle at the dinner buffet, thanks to the hot wings, fajitas and refritos. Then salsa music set the dance floor on fire. Among those getting into the Latin swing of things: Lilian Laszlo, Kristi Beidenbach, Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner and Antonio P. Salazar, event committee; Carmen Nieves, executive director of Centro De La Comunidad; Dr. Leonardo Ortega, Centro board president; Hector Torres, board member; Petra Pineyro, Mexican Association of Maryland president; Vinny DeMarco, executive director of Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative; Ernie Crofoot, senior and health-care coordinator for AFL-CIO; Beltran Navarro, director of Navarro, Kim & Associates; William Stagg, chair of Prince George's County Hispanic Advisory Committee; Arta Perez, director of Montgomery County Department of Human Resources; Ricardo Flores, staff attorney with the Public Justice Center; Ken Fischer, CEO of CreativeTechConcepts; and Peter Fillat, principal with Peter Fillat Architects.

Baltimore's Centro de la Comunidad celebrated its fifth anniversary with a Fiesta Latina, a shindig with salsa (both at dinner and on the dance floor) at Lista's restaurant in Fells Point.The evening began with a mariachi band and margaritas. No, that wasn't a conga line snaking onto the back balcony. It was just folks waiting for their chance at the burritos, black beans and rice.Among those enjoying this evening were Haydee Rodriguez, Centro's executive director; Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, chair of Centro's board of directors; Dr. Leonardo Ortega, board vice chair; Dr. Wilfredo Nieves, Hector Torres and Andrew Jezic, board members; Angelo Solara, vice chair of the Mayor's Committee on Hispanic Affairs; and Rahn Barnes, Provident Bank of Maryland.