40 DECEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 7, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
Bay Ridge running group participates
and completes Athens Classic Marathon
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
From Bay Ridge to Greece!
After countless outings and
runs around the neighborhood,
eight members of the local Ridge Runners,
a group of runners from the Bay
Ridge area that was founded three
years ago through a Facebook group,
made the trip to Greece to participate
in the Athens Classic Marathon, which
was held on Sunday, November 12.
The historic race dates back to the
Persian Wars of antiquity, when the
Greek runner Pheidippides ran just
over 26 miles from the site of the Battle
of Marathon into Athens to deliver the
message that the Athenians had won
the battle.
Felix Chen, who founded the
running group after realizing South
Brooklyn could use one, said the experience
was surreal.
"Completing the historic marathon
was a moving experience for the
group, both literally and figuratively,"
he said. "The course was full of hills. I
personally thought it was a bit more
difficult than expected, but nonetheless,
we all had an amazing time on
the course. All eight of us ended up
completing the race. Although I had to
walk a portion of the marathon, I made
sure to finish the race. I didn't want to
give up on 26.2 miles after flying halfway
across the world to participate."
Chen added that the other members
of the group also considered the experience
to be a moving one. "The other
runners had a blast. We had three
first-time marathoners, and they all
ran a very strong race," he said.
Before the trip, Chen had discussed
with this paper why he brought
group to Bay Ridge. "The Ridge
Runners group was created as a way
to bring racing enthusiasts from all
walks of life together in an area that
didn’t have a huge running presence,"
he said. "I used to be part of a running
club in Manhattan and I quickly realized
that was something we could
also use in South Brooklyn. The club
was founded to connect people – to
create a community. As individuals,
we create mountains made up of
experiences, hardships and achievements
throughout our lives. When
we bring these mountains together,
we form the ridge that makes up
Ridge Runners.”
After completing the race, the
group enjoyed their time in the historic
country and took in the scenery.
"Greece was breathtakingly beautiful
and the food was delicious–I definitely
plan on going back sometime
in the future," Chen said. "Exploring
Athens and eating all the delicious
food it had to offer was definitely
the highlight of my trip. The locals
were warm and welcoming. I even
ended up learning how to read Greek
during the trip."
Chen was thrilled to see what his
creation has become just a few short
years later.
"The group has come a long way," he
said. "I'm proud of how far everyone
has come since we began a few years
ago, and I'm excited to see what's to
come."
Celebrity chef Sue Torres hosts cooking
demonstration at Sunset's Beyond
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Thanksgiving dinner with
a Latin flavor was demonstrated
by a celebrity chef in
Sunset Park.
Beyond at Liberty View, 850 Third
Avenue, hosted a cooking demonstration
with renowned chef and
television personality Sue Torres on
Sunday, November 19, just before the
holiday.
The event was a huge success,
according to Director of Brand Integration
at Beyond Bari Fagin.
“We were thrilled to be able to
have Sue Torres, one of Latin cuisine’s
most celebrated chefs, join us
to do a cooking demonstration on
how to cook Thanksgiving Latin
style,” she said. “I think that the
audience was excited with what Sue
cooked up and was thrilled with the
information and great recipes she
shared with them. And they were
delighted to try all the delicious food.
We learned and tasted. It was just
amazing. We are very excited to be
able to bring events like this to our
site in Sunset Park and Brooklyn as
a whole. We hope to be a continuing
destination for events like this, not
just during the holiday season.”
During the demonstration, Torres
made Turkey Mole from scratch. She
explained all of the steps and shared
all of the knowledge she had when it
comes to Latin cuisine right down to
the particular characteristics of the
chile that she used.
Other recipes included Sweet
Potato Puree and Mole Poblano.
“I think attendees were thrilled to
be able to meet her,” Fagin added. “It
was a very personal presentation.
She was very involved with the audience.
She answered questions. We
are hoping to have her back again.”
Fagin also noted that the week prior
to Torres' appearance, Borough
President Eric Adams did a cooking
demonstration in the event space,
sharing his healthy cooking tips and
thoughts how to live a healthier life
through eating better.
For information about upcoming
cooking demonstrations, visit www.
bedbathandbeyond.com/brooklyn.
Photo courtesy of Felix Chen
The Ridge Runners in Greece.
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Corazon Aguirre
Celebrity chef Sue Torres.