Dear Norwood News Readers,

‘Tis getting a little late in the holiday gift buying season, which is why we pounded the trails of the local shopping districts in the Norwood News’ coverage area — from Fordham to  Kingsbridge to Gun Hill Road, from Bainbridge to Jerome Avenue and East 204th Street to Southern Boulevard — to find the best deals, merchandise and innovative ideas for presents in 2011. We do this every year for two reasons: (1) We know you could use the help, and (2) We believe in supporting our local merchants right here in the Bronx. So take this newspaper (it may even help you get a better deal at some places), hit the local shopping circuit, contribute to your neighborhood economy and reap the benefits of a job well done. You’re welcome.

Sincerely,

The Norwood News Elves

Send Your Sweetie to Boot Camp
We all need a little help shedding those holiday pounds, so this holiday season get your sweet-toothed sweetheart the gift of personalized training with the Belin Challenge Fitness Boot Camp and see results in a matter of days. Boot camp starts Jan. 9 and is limited to just 10 trainees.
To sign up, or for more information, call (646) 801-3153.

A Girl’s Best Friend
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and they might make her want to be your best friend this holiday season if you do her the honor of stopping in Freilich Jewelers, which has a beautiful and wide-ranging selection of diamond earrings. Or, gift her with the Swarovski Crystal sterling earrings and 24K gold encrusted Christmas rose, a package deal that can be yours (or hers) for $99. Plus, act now and get a $15 gift card when you spend more than $100.
Freilich Jewelers is located at 312 E. 204th St. and is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday,10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (718) 798-1063.

Give the Gift of Meat
The Hillside Meat Market is a one stop shop for all of your Christmas roasting needs. Hillside has a large selection of pork cuts, including pork shoulders and pork thighs that, if pre-ordered, Hillside will de-bone and season for you. An 8- to 10-pound shoulder (which feeds about a dozen people) will cost between $15 and $20. Hillside can also help with your specialty meats orders, such as a rack of lamb or duck.
Hillside Meat Market is located at 3117 Bainbridge Ave. and is open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Original Stocking Stuffers
If you’re not one that sneezes or gets quick headaches from too many fragrances at once, make a visit to Original Products, an incense and spiritual candle megastore on Webster Avenue which has aisles of small (and magical) goods that would be a welcome addition to any stocking. Looking for a gift to say ‘I like you’? Try the Attraction oil, the Compelling oil, or the Come to Me oil (all available in three sizes). Or, help your most unfortunate of friends with the ‘Fast Lucky’ fragrance, or the New Year Incense – to bring health, money, and love (for $2.95). Many of the products are made in-house, and at affordable prices. It is an emporium to satisfy your spiritual (or kitschy) needs.
Original Products is located at 2486 Webster Ave., and is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Call (718) 367-9589.

Cool Glasses at Cool Prices
Who doesn’t need a new pair of glasses from a trusted and affordable local optometrist? Mosholu Optical has been serving the community’s eyewear needs since 1968. From bold and trendy, to smart and sophisticated, Mosholu Optical has the style that will fit your special someone. Plus you can walk in off the street and pick up your new glasses in an hour.
Mosholu Optical is located at 3490 Jerome Ave., near the corner of Gun Hill Road. Call (718) 654-5860 for store hours.

Give the Gift of Wound and Foot Care
Dr. Jian Zhang, who heads the Bronx Foot Surgeons, is a board certified foot surgeon, and has been practicing for over a decade. Besides all spectrums of podiatric and surgical services, he also specializes in wound care, diabetic foot infection and limb salvage. Zhang treats those diabetic patients who have chronic open wounds that never heal at the hyperbaric oxygen chamber center located at the Montefiore North Division. The hyperbaric oxygen will stimulate the body to generate more arterial blood flow to the area where the circulation is lacking. As a result, those patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers can heal without risking more infection or even amputations.
There are several offices associated with the Bronx Foot Surgeons Corporation. Visit Dr. Zhang at their new location at 3112 Webster Ave. or the other doctors at 1619 Pelham Pkwy. No. Please feel free to check the website at www.bronxfootsurgeons.com, and call (718) 655-3410 for an appointment.

The Perfect Post-op Gifts
The Women’s Center is the first stop many women make after mastectomy surgery. Why? It has everything covered for all surgical and breast care needs, including selection and privacy. The relaxed, friendly showroom has a wide selection of attractive and comfortable recovery items offering custom-fitted post-mastectomy bras and forms to fit any body type, skin color and surgery. If the Women’s Center doesn’t have what you want, don’t worry. They will order it. Custom forms and bras aren’t all that’s on display at the Center. They also offer wigs, scarves, designer hats, bathing suits and other accessories.
Located at 262 E. Gun Hill Rd., the Women’s Center is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (718) 654-1882 or (800) 648-4466.

Toy Deals and Givebacks at Leroy
After moving into an old Blockbuster on East 204th Street, Leroy Pharmacy has had the space to stretch out and add a few programs to benefit its customers. Now in a 4,500-square-foot store, they were one of a handful of Bronx pharmacies picked to participate in a pilot program by Medicaid called Medication Therapeutic Management, or MTM, that seeks to build better communication among patients, providers and pharmacies. This holiday season, Leroy donated over 65 turkeys to families in need and is also working in conjunction with Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera’s annual Holiday Toy Event, sponsored by both Montefiore Medical Center and Leroy Pharmacy. On Saturday, Dec.17, over 500 children will be receiving toys in Leroy, and in addition, a huge selection of their toys and holiday gift items are on sale up to 15 percent off regular prices.
Leroy Pharmacy is located at 314 E. 204th St., between Hull and Perry avenues.

Buy Honey, Be Healthy
To aid circulation, to curb a cigarette addiction, to clear your sinuses — all can be aided with a spoonful of honey. The medicinal and culinary uses of this sweet and ancient nectar are endless, but one thing is for certain — it has loads more health benefits than sugar cane or, heaven forbid, high fructose corn syrup. In the winter months when blood circulation is lower and hot beverages consumed on the daily, the gift of honey is an especially warm gesture and you can find it at Forever Young.
Forever Young is located at 12 W. Kingsbridge Rd., and is open 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Call (718) 367-8161.

Smoked to Perfection
You might be asking yourself if the hype of Korean BBQ is really merited, or if it’s just a lot of smoke. Walk into KBBQ on Kingsbridge Road and your nose will do the deciding. The family-owned restaurant and bar uses oak wood to fire up the grills, making the slow roasted pork juicy and tender to perfection. If you go for lunch, order the Bulgogi sandwich, served on a hero with thinly sliced spicy beef, with sweet chili oil and sautéed onions and peppers. KBBQ offers gift certificates, and makes for a dining experience that would impress any date.
KBBQ is located at 119 W. Kingsbridge Rd., and is open Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call (718) 601-5510.

Malcolm, Martin and Obama Mementos
Have an urge to wrap yourself in our President’s face? Have you been searching for natural clay soap, raw organic shea butter, or maybe just a warm wool scarf for $12? All of these can be yours at Sunkofa on Southern Boulevard. The store is a mecca of African products, ranging from hard to find books, to masks, beaded jewelry and blown up prints of historical figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Also for sale are large throw rugs sporting President Obama’s smiling face.
Sunkofa is located at 1789 Southern Blvd., and is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tattoos for Everyone
Tattoos were once only acceptable on the arm of a sailor or the neck of a prisoner, but nowadays shop owner Willie at The Coven has inked pretty much every type of person, he says, even a mother and daughter who came in to get matching tattoos. The Coven is a friendly and clean local tattoo shop, that is offering 20 percent off any tattoo over $50, if you bring in a new gift for a child in support of a local gift drive.
The Coven is located at 3154 Bainbridge Ave. and is open Monday to Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Call (718) 231-0111.

Toys and Deals
The selection of traditional children’s toys like train sets or baby dolls makes Kids Outlet on Jerome Avenue a reliable source of classic Christmas morning cheer at reasonable prices. That train set is a bargain at $19.99. Even better, owner Sam Khalil is throwing in 20 percent off toys to anyone who brings in this holiday gift guide.
Kids Outlet is located at 3485 Jerome Ave. Call (646) 204-4639 for store hours.

Sneaks for the Sneakerhead
Bronx Sneakerheads, if you don’t already have your Nike Shox R4s or Griffey Air Max II’s, Sneakerbox on Fordham Road has them for less than the retail price, at $130. And for those anticipating the release of the Jordan 11s, sales representative Jose Valette says he expects 30 to 40 people to line up outside the store for their release on Christmas Eve. Valette says the store may only get up to 50 pairs, so if you want to honor number 23 on your feet, you’ll have to be one of the first at the store.
Sneakerbox is located at 136 E. Fordham Rd. Call (718) 220-0007 for store hours.

This Suits Your Man
Porta Bella has now been providing menswear in the neighborhood for a decade, according to manager Marcos Jiddou. The store has an expansive selection of suits, sweaters and shoes for relatively inexpensive prices. They carry two-piece suits for $48.50 and jackets that start at $19.99.
Porta Bella has several Bronx locations, including 3449 Jerome Ave. Call (718) 231-4736 for store hours.

 The Gift of Fitness
Think your loved one might be turning into a holiday cookie this holiday season? Gift them with a Planet Fitness pass for 2012 — the gift that will give back to you! As the clock turns on the New Year, gym memberships across the country spike for a reason. Planet Fitness has two locations close to each other, one on Fordham Road and another a few blocks away on the Concourse. Monday through Friday PF offers 5-person fitness training classes that are free with a membership. Membership passes start at $10/month after $20 down, not including a $20 annual fee, and each location is open seven days a week/24 hours a day (perfect for accommodating any work schedule).
Planet Fitness locations: 2480 Grand Concourse (718) 637- 6485; and 309 E. Fordham Rd. (718) 933-0900.

 When in Doubt, Buy Booze
Whether your Christmas dinner is on the day itself, or on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve), you’re going to need holiday drinks. K & S Liquor’s Shelly Ali recommends Black Cork, a sweet red dessert wine for some post-dinner holiday sipping. The store also carries traditional holiday gift boxes. A Grey Goose gift box costs $35.99, and there’s also a Remy Martin Cognac gift box for $49.99.
K&S Liquor is located at 3394 Jerome Ave. Call (718) 405-5775 for store hours.

Get Your Games On
There’s no better Christmas morning feeling than opening up a new game console. This year at DVD Video on East Gun Hill Road, you can get a Nintendo 3DS for $169.99. Other popular releases include “Gears of War 3” and “Batman: Arkham City,” the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Arkham Asylum, and is now garnering Game of the Year buzz. The store also boasts a robust collection of DVDs and Blu-ray discs, along with pre-paid Boost Mobile phones.

DVD Video is located on East Gun Hill Road.

Pets Make for Gift Paradise

Upon entering Pet Paradise on Gun Hill Road, owner Augie Santana jumps at the chance to tell you about his animals’ powers of therapy. Santana brings tropical birds and fish to nursing homes or schools for disabled children. Santana says a parrot will run you into the hundreds, but that he has fish and other birds at more affordable prices, like parakeets at about $15.

Pet Paradise is located at 289 E. Gun Hill Rd. Call (718) 881-2870 for store hours.

Cigars, Rolled to Unwind

A neighborhood stalwart, Rosario’s Cigars is famous for its top-notch Dominican hand-rolled cigars. We recently profiled the store and found people were drawn to its ability to suspend the city’s torrid pace, instead opting for slow appreciation. Like having a cigar. Or lounging on an island in the Caribbean.
Rosario’s Cigars is located at 325 E. Gun Hill Rd. Call (718) 798-6769 for store hours.