running · chappaqua 150 hardscrabble lake drive $1,350,000 susan slotnick armonk 27 creemer road...

Know Your Candidates!Get Ready for Election Day

ThanksgivingTraditions

Community Caring and Sharing Olympian Medalist

Ariana KukorsShares Her Expertise

Armonkwww.theinsidepress.com

The Magazine for North Castle and Beyond

November 2015$3.95

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Local Lodging Options

November 2015 Inside Armonk 1

5 Pheasant Drive$2,495,000 Amy Singer

ARMONK OFFICE 914.273.3074

Armonk Armonk

Pleasantville

Armonk

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15 Woodcrest Drive$1,089,000 Stacee Massoni

Armonk 10 Quaker Meeting House Road$1,799,000 Stacey Sporn

Armonk 11 Cobblers Lane$1,299,000 Stacey Sporn

Chappaqua 150 Hardscrabble Lake Drive$1,350,000 Susan Slotnick

Armonk 27 Creemer Road$1,249,000 Angela Schuler

41 Long Pond Road$1,895,000 Amy Singer

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V O T E D # 1

Armonk Briarcliff Chappaqua Hastings-on-Hudson Irvington Katonah Rye Scarsdale Somers Tarrytown Yorktown

Pleasantville 63 South Old Farm Road$899,000 Lisa Koh

2 Inside Armonk November 2015

DelVecchio-Scarano Team

A selection of The DelVecchio-Scarano Team’s Listings

e [email protected] | [email protected] 914.273.3074 c 914.490.1928 | 914.646.9322w thedelvecchioscaranoteam.raveis.com

Delvecchio-Scarano TeamLicensed Real Estate Salespersons

Thornwood 1 High Hill Farm Place $2,000,000

Armonk 94 Cox Avenue $1,299,000 6 Meadow Lark Lane $1,000,000Armonk


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12 Perry Court$1,049,000 DelVecchio-Scarano

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Bedford 3 Quartz Ledge $1,475,000 Diane Freedman

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V O T E D # 1

Armonk Briarcliff Chappaqua Hastings-on-Hudson Irvington Katonah Rye Scarsdale Somers Tarrytown Yorktown


November 2015

www.theinsidepress.com

From the Inside Out6. It Takes CourageBy Beth Besen

Inside Thoughts 24. Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone By Jodi Baretz31. Political Correctness Like wildfires, political discussions can quickly escalate out of control. Some may like the heat, but, for those who don’t, our author suggests a couple of well-practiced strategies for playing it cool. By Dan Levitz

Et Cetera32. Reframing Loss and Gain By Kourtney DeRosa-Radice

Armonk Physical Therapy & Sports Training ...............................13 Jodi Baretz ..................................................................................29Beecher Flooks Funeral Home, Inc. .............................................20Breezemont Day Camp ................................................................29Chappaqua Paint & Hardware .....................................................29Delvecchio-Scarano, William Raveis ..............................................2Douglas Elliman ............................................................................7 Drug Mart ...................................................................................20Euphoria Kitchen & Bath, Ltd. ....................................................13 Eye Designs of Armonk ..................................................................9Houlihan Lawrence Listings ................................................... 16,17Houlihan Lawrence Agents ..........................................................19 Jodi’s Gym ..................................................................................29Joseph Richard Florals ................................................................25L.O.L Kids ....................................................................................15Lucille Liang, William Raveis ............................................. GatefoldMarch Boutique ...........................................................................23Brian Milton, Houlihan Lawrence ...............................................11 Neave Pools .................................................................................25Pazzo Pizzeria & Trattoria ............................................................5Pinsky-D’Angelo Photography ....................................................29Riverside Memorial Chapel .........................................................15 Rosenthal JCC .............................................................................25Amy Singer, William Raveis ............................................... GatefoldThe Harvey School .......................................................................23The Massimi Group .....................................................................20The Way of the Entrepreneur, William Raveis ................GatefoldWorld Cup Gymnastics ................................................................25

Advertisers at a Glance • November 2015

William Raveis • The MHA of WestchesterNorthern Westchester Hospital

Cover Story21. Jamie’s 5K Run For Love An Inside look back at an annual Armonk event that brings out the very best of humanity and community with loving support for a cherished son, brother, classmate, friend and all-around vibrant young man. By Deborah Notis

8. Thanksgiving TraditionsHow do you celebrate this most American of holidays? We’ve asked a few of your neighbors to share their annual plans. By Heather Skolnick

10. Exploring Local LodgingWhen your house can’t hold everyone, don’t de-spair. We’ve got the lowdown on where to stay in and around Armonk. By Liz Susman Karp

14. Meet the North Castle Candidates A helpful overview for the upcoming election with profiles of all those running for contested positions. By Louise T. Gantress

26. Socks that RockDavid and Andrew Heath are home-grown entrepreneurs helping those in need with their company. By Beth Besen

27. Interfaith Sharing and CaringDoing unto others, neighbor helping neighbor. Our community is blessed with those whose kindness nurtures both body and spirit. By Miriam Longobardi

30. Olympian Ariana KukorsIn the swim of things inspirational and encouraging, this celebrated medal winner spent some time instructing and motivating local youth. By Susan Draper

Cover: Jamie’s University of Vermont teammate, Aaron Szotka,

got off to a strong start and finished first in the Men’s Division of the 5K Race with a time of 18:17.

Photo by Jim D’Angelo for Pinsky Studiopinskystudio.com


From the Out…IT TAKES COURAGE…

www.theinsidepress.comNovember 2015 • Volume 12, Number 5

For Story Ideas or Press Release submissions, please email: [email protected]

For Advertising Inquires, please email: [email protected]

Publisher & Editor in Chief, Grace Bennett

Inside ArmonkTM is published six times a year, and is owned and operated by The Inside Press, Inc. Mailing address: PO Box 643, Millwood, NY 10546 Copyright © 2015.

All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Reproduction of any portion is prohibited without permission from the publisher.

Phone Number: 914-238-2600

Ever stare at a blank piece of paper, or, in today’s terms, a blank screen, and wonder what to write? Trust me, it can be daunt-ing! Perhaps it’s what inspired Er-nest Hemingway

to pen Courage is Grace under Pressure.

Seriously though, what is cour-age? And where is it found? It’s been described by many, and in many ways. Our cover story speaks to the cour-age one family found to move on after the untimely passing of their son and brother. They, their friends, his friends and the greater Armonk community remember and honor Jamie Love each year with a 5k run. Most of us are deeply fortunate in that we have not had to experience the nightmare that is the loss of a child. To come from that dark place to a wish for others to laugh and smile in Jamie’s honor is truly an act of courage as well as love.

Giving of ourselves is another way we show courage. While we are all fa-miliar with the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto to you,” it isn’t always easy to step up and make a difference in others’ lives. In simple Darwinian terms, we’re pro-grammed to put ourselves first. Time is precious, and truly as big a gift as many other resources. Those who make time to volunteer are not only doing good deeds, but showing that they can put

aside their atavistic me-first tenden-cies. Our story, Neighbors Feeding Neighbors in Body and Spirit, describes the many ways local lay individuals and clergy members make our world a better place.

On the other hand, there are those among us who find it quite hard to say “No”. Psychologically speaking, they’re called “people-pleasers”. In general, people pleasers want everyone around them to be happy and they also often crave others’ approval. It’s a perfect-storm way to over-schedule and under-care for oneself. Consider the upcom-ing Thanksgiving holiday. We love and look forward to it year after year; the traditions, the feast, the time off from work and school…and the chance to be with our friends and family. But, what if we’re not a Hallmark movie? What if we can’t house everyone or set a Mar-tha Stewart table? Let’s have the cour-age to say “yes” to what we can do, and “no” to what we can’t. If you turn to When An Air Mattress Just Isn’t Enough, you’ll find we’ve gathered a list of great local lodging options that can help ease the strain of holiday hosting.

And speaking of Thanksgiving Tradi-tions, make sure to read our fun piece on this very topic. Discover what some of your neighbors plan to do, maybe find an inspiration or two you’d like to try for yourselves! Chez moi, I know we’ll watch the parade in our PJs while cooking and setting up for the holiday dinner. I’m especially thankful to have my family coming to me this year, including one of my brothers, his

children and his ex-wife! I admire their civility, and, yes, their courage in putting nega-tive issues aside in order to celebrate the positive and make the holiday family-centric for all the children.

Election Day fast approaches. Do you know what positions are up for the vote in North Castle?

We offer a very helpful overview in They’re up for the Vote!; I highly recom-mend acquainting or re-acquainting yourself with the candidates. I’m vol-unteering to help at my polling place for the first time this year, and, I don’t mind sharing, I’m a bit anxious about it. I attended two evening workshops, but they both took place last summer. What if I can’t remember all the rules? Still, my sense of reason tells me I’ll be ok, that others with more experience will be available to help me and, more to our point about courage, that I owe myself the chance to prove myself as well as fulfill a great public service.

When we try something new, when we take that first step into the great unknown, we’re actually making the proverbial ‘leap of faith’. If you think about it, courage and faith actually walk hand in hand all the time. Psycho-therapist Jodi Baretz describes the pro-cess in greater detail in “Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone.” And, back in September, my rabbi, Rabbi Jona-than Jaffe of Temple Beth El, delivered a very thought-provoking sermon on The Meaning of Faith; among the many takeaways, I share the following with you: Faith springs from the large gap between the two poles of certainty and absurdity…occurs when I am asked to act irreversibly upon only partial evidence…is not a matter of belief, as belief does not ask anything of me…is a matter of action, in which I am called to make a commit-ment based upon my convictions.

When Inside Press Publisher Grace Bennett approached me to help her launch this magazine, we knew each other very little and had only worked together once or twice previously. She took a leap of faith, as did I. And you, our readers and merchants, showed faith and courage too. You welcomed us and gave us the opportunity to become The Magazine for North Castle and Be-yond. I’ll be stepping down as Executive Editor but will continue to contribute from time to time. So, this is not good-bye, but a fond farewell for now.

Happy Holidays, best wishes and, until the next time,

Beth Besen

– Beth

Inside Armonk may not necessarily agree with any one editorial viewpoint or necessarily endorse any advertisement or any particular product or service advertised.

Editorial submissions should be mailed to the above address or sent to: [email protected]. For more information,

rates and advertising calendar, go to www.theinsidepress.com.

Graphic DesignerDina Spalvieri

Publisher AssociateCaroline Rosengarden

Executive EditorBeth Besen

Web DesignRyan Smith, Rick Waters

Accounts/BillingIlene Amiel

General CounselBrian Hand


LUXURY AMENITIESArmonk | $3,200,000 | Amazing 9,700+ sf, 6-bedroomColonial boasts a chef’s kitchen, soundproofed theater,hot tub, sauna, party kitchen, hobby room, fire pit,nature trails and a filtered koi pond; all on over 5 acres.Web# 4518323 Armonk Office 914.273.1001

PARADISE FOUNDWest Harrison | $2,998,000 | Stunning, thoughtfullydesigned, gated 9,200+ sf Colonial estate rests onnearly 10 breathtaking acres with 80 ft pool with spa,waterfall, lazy river, all-weather tennis court and hugepatio. Web# 4509454 Armonk Office 914.273.1001

GRACIOUS LIVING AT ITS BESTThornwood | $1,850,000 | Luxurious center hallColonial offers 4 bedrooms 4.5 baths,and a state-of-the-art kitchen. Resort living outside with heated pooland spa, waterfall, covered terrace, patio and cooking.Web# 4509454 Armonk Office 914.273.1001

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BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED Pleasantville | $875,000 | Set back from the road withlong driveway for extra parking, this 4-bedroom, 4-bathcenter hall Colonial with 2-story entry foyer is great forentertaining. Deck overlooks large level backyard. Web# 4541757 Pleasantville Office 914.769.3333

METICULOUSLY UPDATED Bedford | $849,000 | Gracious 4-bedroom 3.5-bathColonial on cul-de-sac. Numerous renovations includehigh-tech kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, den/study with stone fireplace and a whole house generator.Web# 4541546 Armonk Office 914.273.1001

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DE Inside Armonk Nov-Dec 2015_Layout 1 9/25/15 4:10 PM Page 1


By Heather Skolnick

Thanksgiving marks the begin-ning of the holiday season for many. Thanksgiving triggers autumnal images of softly falling leaves and a feeling of chill in the air–a sure sign of what’s to come weather-wise. It signals the begin-ning of the holiday shopping season for those in retail with a daily countdown to Christmas. And for many, it evokes memories of meals and unique traditions that encircle the meal. These Thanksgiving tradi-tions can be pretty wide and varied.

As a child, my Thanksgiving tradi-tions were pretty straight forward–extended family came to eat. And eat we did. We enjoyed turkey with the standard carbohydrate-laden fix-ings, and enough desserts to satisfy the sweet tooth of a small nation. The meal was not complete until we all suffered from indigestion–all before 7 p.m. It was what we did before the meal that was different. Each year, my father and I awoke earlier than most on a holiday, put on sweats, and took a short drive to a neighboring town. We then participated in a local “Turkey Trot”–a five mile run in an attempt to help offset the meal we’d be eating a few hours later. That was our tradition.

My husband’s family didn’t believe in the “Turkey Trot”–instead, Thanks-giving was all about football. Neal, his brothers, cousins, dads and friends all got together to play a serious game of touch football. The colder, wetter and muddier it was outside, the better the game. While their game would end before dinner, the trash talking around that game could last an entire year. Area resident and brother Lyle said, “We would even keep track of records, from most touchdowns, consecutive games with a reception, best play, to worst mistake, and most times ‘giving in’!” Building on the football theme, af-ter playing, they would all return home and begin watching the football games on TV before indulging in their meal.

Other Thanksgiving traditions abound as well. The annual Macy’s

Thanksgiving Day Parade is, of course, available to one and all on TV. How-ever, heading in to the city to watch it “live” is a popular tradition for some in our area. From seeing the balloons to watching the performers, the pa-rade route is packed with onlookers of all ages.

Signaling the official start of the holiday shopping season, Black Friday shopping has long been a tradition for some; short-lived deals often abound on that day with big box stores opening early and staying open late. However, let’s not forget our local stores, many of whom offer great deals after Thanksgiving too! Our local stores offer the convenience of holiday shopping nearby without the hassle of maddening crowds and you can often find wonderful Black Friday deals in town too.

Katonah mom Samantha Holcman and her family spend their Thanksgiv-ing doing a little bit of each of these things. They start celebrating at the Thanksgiving Parade. Samantha said, “It’s such an exciting, iconic way to spend the holiday and so easy for lo-cal New Yorkers...my kids love it and we love to watch the parade through their reactions.” Later, the Holcman family dines back in Westchester at one of our fabulous local restaurants, choosing a different restaurant each year. Lastly, Samantha’s husband Brad and his mother go shopping and scour

stores for bargains, sometimes not returning until 10 a.m. the next day! Of shopping Thursday night, Samantha said, “For people that like a deal, it’s a unique and very fun experience.”

Volunteering is a wonder-ful way to enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving while enjoying some quality family time. One option is to spend part of the day together, helping to provide a meal for others. Neighbor’s Link coordinates a food drive in anticipation of the holiday. On the actual day, they provide a full Thanksgiving meal and a full bag of groceries to take home.

Armonk mom Abby Hollander will be doing just that. She, along with her family, will be serving Thanksgiving meals in coordination with local reli-gious affiliates. Abby decided to begin volunteering on Thanksgiving because “I thought it was really important as my son turns five this December to expose him to those less fortunate and show him what he can do to help. “ She continued, “We want to teach him to appreciate and be thankful for what he has. We really want him to see how he can help make the world a better place. It’s a tough concept to explain to such a young child so we hope by showing him and participating he will also feel proud that he helped even in a small way.”

The common theme threaded through all of these traditions can clearly be identified as spending qual-ity time together as a family and/or with those who are most important to you. So whether you are a traditional-ist in your Thanksgiving approach or not, let’s remember that Thanksgiving is about being surrounded by those who are important to you and appreci-ating the moment.

Heather Skolnick is a New Castle resident with her husband and three young children. They will be enjoying their Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by family and food, with a little football mixed in.

Thanksgiving TraditionsVolunteering, Shopping and Turkey OH MY!

November 2015 Inside Armonk 9575 MAIN STREET, ARMONK, NY 10504 | 273 -7337 | eyedes ignso fa rmonk .com

OP-RS16-WRK054_Armonk-7.5x10in-V2.indd 1 10/6/15 9:29 AM


By Liz Susman Karp

While there’s no place like home, as the saying goes, there’s sometimes simply no space there to spare for every dear family member or friend who comes to visit or cel-ebrate a holiday or special oc-casion. Fortunately, there is a wealth of lodging available locally where guests can stay without compromising family relationships, a friendship or the festive spirit.

“If I needed convenience,” said longtime Armonk resi-dent Anita Greenwald, “and if the person did not drive, did not have a car and needed to be close, I would put them at La Quinta. It’s basic, it’s bare bones, but it’s very conveni-ent so I would absolutely call there.” Additionally, she adds, “When we had my daughter’s bat mitzvah years ago, we had people who stayed at the Holiday Inn in Mount Kisco.”

Pleasantville empty nester Margaret Atkinson also uses those local spots for visiting relatives. When Atkinson and her husband downsized nine years ago, they wanted to continue to host big holiday celebrations in their home. “We lived in Chappaqua and when both of our kids were gone and finished with col-lege, we downsized to a townhouse at Pleasantville Country Club. While it’s large, we have a large family,” she laughed. “And if we’re all here, there’s about 26, 27 of us; then we can’t ac-commodate everybody in our house.”

Reflecting further on holiday logis-tics, Atkinson suggested that trans-portation is also a consideration and appreciates her guests’ thoughtfulness, “When my family comes from out of town, they either drive or fly in and rent a car.” This means she does not need “to give one of our cars to some-one to use or shuttle people back and forth” which is, she continued, “prob-ably the most difficult part of having people at a hotel…“getting them back and forth without your having to leave on Thanksgiving morning to go pick people up…that sort of thing.”

If there is a need for a handicap accessible room, Atkinson suggests

making sure the room is not oversold as happened to a cousin. “Overall,” she commented, “I would say that the ex-perience we have had at the hotels lo-cally has been a good one. But you’ve got to plan well in advance.”

On the flip side, when transpor-tation is not an issue, the options increase substantially. “Of course, Armonk is so close to White Plains,” Greenwald pointed out, “so if someone had a car and did not mind a 15-min-ute drive…you have so many hotels in White Plains.”

Indeed, there are a number of well-known hotel chains at various price points in White Plains including the upscale Ritz-Carlton as well as the Crowne Plaza White Plains-Down-town, Cambria Suites, Hyatt House and Residence Inn by Marriott. Fur-ther west in Elmsford are the Shera-ton, Hampton Inn and Westchester Marriott. A bit more old world-elegant in neighboring Tarrytown is the Castle Hotel & Spa, an 1897 medieval struc-ture that has been transformed into a

luxury hotel and spa with 31 guest rooms and suites and an award-winning restaurant as well.

An alternative to hotel chains is the Edith Macy Conference Center in Briar-cliff Manor, a rustic haven for guests and an easy drive to Armonk. Situated on 405 wooded acres, the center, which is owned by the Girl Scouts of America, offers 52 comfortable guest rooms of varying sizes. For those thinking ahead like the Atkinsons, note that for the past two years the center has closed the last week of December and first days of January. Trivia fact: the County’s first hotel, Briarcliff Lodge, opened in 1902, near the Center.

Local bed & breakfasts are a charming option. Crabtree’s Kittle House in Chappaqua, also an ac-claimed restaurant and event space, offers 14 gracious rooms all with en suite bathrooms and modern amenities. Ac-tor and Bedford resident Richard Gere and friends restored the Bedford Post

Inn in 2007. The property, a member of Relais & Chateau, a luxury lodging group, now boasts eight beautifully appointed guest rooms as well as two popular restaurants and a yoga studio.

Online platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) provide a non-traditional route fast becoming mainstream for all kinds of lodging needs. Elizabeth Schub Kamir rents out her quaint two-bedroom home in Chappaqua for half the year through Airbnb while teaching screen-writing in France and has found it to be very rewarding.

“Amazingly, there is a constant demand for my house,” reports Schub Kamir. “Who knew that so many peo-ple had so many reasons for wanting to stay in Chappaqua short term? I would say I have equal demand from Airbnb and local people who either know me or have been referred to me on Chappaqua Moms–most of whom are looking to escape renovation hell.”

WHEN AN AIR

MATTRESS JUST

WON’T DO: LOCAL

LODGING OPTIONS

Continues on page 12


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“Most people are looking for a temporary place to stay while they renovate their homes, others come for work or to visit family in the area,” continued Schub Kamir. “I had another family last year whose daughter was at boarding school in Westchester; they wanted to be closer to her for a while. I have also had several guests from the city who want to test the water in Chappaqua. These are generally young families who want to experience life in the area before making the commit-ment to buy a home here.”

Schub Kamir’s long-term rentals have fostered enriching connections. “For me renting my home on Airbnb at times becomes a very personal experi-ence,” she said. Currently hosting a family from Brazil for three months, she was able to help them register their daughter for high school and even put the student in touch with potential classmates.

“I knew what it was like to have a child start school in a new country and it was so gratifying to be able to ease the transition to for someone else…For me being a good Airbnb host is more than just providing a clean,

pleasant home. It's an opportunity to make a difference for people in unique situations.”

Using Airbnb or VRBO is vastly dif-ferent than booking an established ho-tel directly or through a travel agent, which confirms an assured experience. It’s prudent for users to carefully fol-low all proper protocols as with any online transaction.

As nice as it is to gather family and friends to hearth and home for the holidays, it’s not always possible for everyone to stay in situ. Hosts don’t al-ways have the extra room while guests often appreciate being able to return to a hotel for some quiet relaxation or breathing space after a long day of visiting. Regardless of where one stays, the goal is enhanced time together; we lucky residents can take advantage of ample options for lodging, as varied as the reasons for needing them, in and around Armonk.

Liz Susman Karp is a freelance writer and public relations practitioner. She, her husband and two teenage sons live in Briarcliff Manor near the site of Briarcliff Lodge where they used to explore the ruins when the boys were young.

On Being Brave in Preschool“My stomach feels funny. What if no one likes me? What

if someone is mean to me? I think I am going cry. I should turnaround. I am going to close my eyes. Okay I am in. Okay let mommy’s hand go.”

Choosing to be coura-geous starts at an early age. We see this bravery in our World Cup students every day. From choosing to walk through the doors on their first day of preschool to ask-ing to join in a game with other children, to committing to their first back handspring, even our youngest students amaze us with their valor. As parents and as a community, we should nurture this cour-age by giving our children

the opportunity to make those spirited choices. Chal-lenge them to try new things like a new sport or a new vegetable from the farmer’s market, and make sure to praise them when they do. Introduce them to the brave role models in their neighborhood, from the fireman and policeman to their local politicians. Show courage by your example. Explain to your child how you don’t just follow the crowd but follow your own path based on your beliefs. www.worldcupschools.com

C O U R A G E O U S I D E A S F R O M O U R S P O N S O R S

Continued from page 10

Courage Learned in Dance

Extends to Many Life Arenas

At Armonk Center for Dance, the teachers begin the feelings of courage and kindness that are present throughout the studio. The dancers continue these feelings by constantly encouraging each other, and striving to be better dancers. The studio operates with a non-competitive atmosphere allowing the dancers to express themselves and make lasting friendships. Students learn to dance and to have self-discipline, self-esteem, team work, and the confidence to stand in front of the classroom, the boardroom, and even the courtroom. www.armonkcenterfordance.com

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LOCAL LODGING WEBSITESLa Quinta Inn & Suites,

laquintaarmonk.comHoliday Inn Mount Kisco, ihg.com

Renaissance Westchester, marriott.com

Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook, doralarrowwood.com

The Hyatt Regency, greenwich.hyatt.com

Homestead Inn, homesteadinn.comRitz-Carlton, ritzcarlton.com

Crowne Plaza White Plains-Downtown, ihg.com

Cambria Suites, cambriasuiteswhiteplains.com

Hyatt House, whiteplains.house.hyatt.comResidence Inn by Marriott,

marriott.comSheraton, sheratontarrytown.com

Hampton Inn, hamptoninn3.hilton.com

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T O P T E N A N Y T H I N G !

10. When shopping for kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, be sure to compare apples to apples as to cabinet manufacturer, construc-tion options, and most importantly quality of finish. There are a million cabinet makers out there from low end to the most prestigious; pick one that fits your budget.

9. Find the right salesperson. Work with someone who understands you and can guide you properly. Ask for referrals.

8. Spend a little time researching cabinets and cabinet dealerships. You will feel much better about your purchase decision and you will be armed with information when you enter a showroom. Knowledge is key.

7. Ask around for opinions as far as design and cabinet details (door style, finish, etc.). One idea may lead to another and all of the sudden you have the start of something beautiful!

6. Start a “kitchen ideas” file. When something catches your eye in a magazine (door style, finish, design, counter top, etc.), clip and file it. After awhile you will return to the file and eventually find exactly what you want.

5. Hire a General Contractor to manage the renovation . Unless you have been through a renovation by yourself, the value of a one-stop-shop is priceless. You work with one person who in turn hires the trades.

4. Be sure the contract for any renovation includes a payment schedule. Never give more money than necessary up front; ask for pay-ments to be payable upon completion of job tasks.

3. Make a decision and stick with it. Your first decision about something is usually your best; never second guess yourself.

2. Remember that your renova-tion is an investment! Kitchens and baths are the selling points of a home on the market. On the other hand, if you plan to live in the home after the renovation, what better way to spruce up your house and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

1. First and foremost, avoid being pound wise and dollar foolish. You get what you pay for, so do your home-work and you will definitely make the right deal with the right person.

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By Louise T. Gantress

North Castle includes the three hamlets of Armonk, Banksville and North White Plains. The first two are residential suburban whereas North White, as it is called, is quasi-urban. Elections are at large, with positions voted on by the entire town. North White often feels it is “apart” rather than a part of North Castle because elected officials tend to live in either in Armonk or Banksville. Not long ago lo-cal government in the Town of North Castle was rife with contention. A lack of civility upset most residents.

This year, Supervisor, two Council positions, Clerk, and a Judge are up for election. However, only the Council positions are contested. The unop-posed: Supervisor Michael Schiliro,

Clerk Alison Simon and Town Justice Elyse Lazansky. There are three candi-dates for two Councilman positions: Stephen D’Angelo, Guy Mezzancello and Jose Berra. Additionally, the seat for County Board of Legislators (BOL), District 3, which includes North Castle, Mt. Pleasant, Pleasantville and parts of Greenburgh, Ossining and Sleepy Hollow has two candidates vy-ing for the position (left open in July when Legislator Michael Smith unex-pectedly withdrew): John Diaconis and Margaret Cunzio.

Michael Schiliro is seeking a sec-ond term as Supervisor. He is cross en-dorsed by the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Independence par-ties. Schiliro said, “The real task is to balance development with maintaining the small, quaint town atmosphere

with three distinctly different ham-lets” and “provide the level of service people expect.” He seems to be suc-cessful; a longtime resident said, “Dark clouds have lifted from town politics. Mike’s uncontested status speaks to his results and professionalism.”

Incumbents can point to the restora-tion of the town’s fund balance and its AAA rating from Moody’s Investors Service, and contracts signed with all four unions include contributions towards health care. Negotiation with Brynwood concluded with a “fee simple” solution to tax the proposed multiunit housing as separate prop-erties, and not a lower condo rate. A new source of revenue will be added in 2016 once Governor Cuomo signs the bill allowing North Castle to levy a hotel tax. State Senator Latimer and

They’re up for the Vote!

Margaret Cunzio, a current candidate for Board of Legislators

Guy Mezzancello, currently completing his first year in office

Jose Berra, seeking election to town council

Stephen D’Angelo, current Councilman seek-ing re-election

John Diaconis, a current candidate for Board of Legislators

Michael Schiliro, Supervisor, running unop-posed for a second term

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Continues on page 18


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CROSS ROADS FARMARMONK | WEB# CQ1171470 | $5,995,000

Historic estate encompassing 11 breathtaking acres with English garden, dramatic rock outcroppings with waterfall, pond and saltwater pool. 15,215 square foot Stone and Shingle Center Hall Colonial built in 1905 and exquisitely restored with 21st century sophistication. 10 foot ceilings, eight bedrooms, and 12 fireplaces.

PARADISE AT WAMPUS LAKE – Breathtaking modern five-bedroom, 6093 square foot home designed by noted architect Roy Johnson. Set on over six private acres, features Zen-like gardens, koi pond, foot bridge, large pergola, pool and spa. WEB# CQ1090740 | ARMONK | $3,368,888

BORDERING SANCTUARY – Armonk home unique for its total privacy and splendid architecture, this Stone and Shingled manor blends sophisticated style with luxury amenities. Featuring high ceilings, custom millwork and light-filled interior. WEB# CQ1104492 | ARMONK | $3,000,000

HIDDEN OAK – Masterfully-crafted new construction home offers an inviting country lifestyle with light-filled sophisticated spaces while retaining a true Colonial flavor. Five en-suite bedrooms with sensational tile work. Approved pool site. WEB# CQ1149131 | ARMONK | $2,995,000

YOUNG AND ELEGANT – Brick Colonial set on four acres with grand two-story marble entry. Designed for today’s lifestyle with quality craftsmanship, solid construction and thoughtful design and flow. Amenities are endless and magnificent landscaping. WEB# CQ1161329 | ARMONK | $2,099,000

BEAUTIFUL YOUNG COLONIAL – All the latest design styles including Brazilian hardwood flooring, custom kitchen cabinetry, French doors, nine foot ceilings throughout, extensive molding package, oversized walk-in closets and so much more. WEB# CQ1159270 | ARMONK | $1,825,000

1930 COLONIAL – Exquisitely updated and expanded front to back Center Hall Colonial with every amenity, offers Old World with modern charm. Every detail is stunning with coffered ceiling, extensive moldings, custom wainscoting and painting. WEB# CQ1151229 | ARMONK | $1,499,000


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GRANDEUR IN CONYERS FARMARMONK | WEB# CQ1157045 | $19,900,000

Majestic ten-acre Conyers Farm estate on Converse Lake with heated pool, putting green, conservatory. Sophisticated 26-room 19,387 square foot Stone Manor custom designed for celebrated professional athlete. Six bedrooms; ten full, two half baths, trophy room, fitness center, home theatre, and indoor basketball court.

MAJESTIC SETTING – Nature’s beauty at your doorstep. Ensconced in privacy off Round Hill Road, Rolling Hills is set at the top of a gentle crest and is surrounded by over 21 acres of natural splendor. Designed by esteemed architect Alan Shope. WEB# CQ1142888 | ARMONK | $12,999,000

EXQUISITE CONYERS FARM – Elegant French-style Chateau on over 13 acres. Two story reception room opens to salon, living room and dining room. Lower level with pool, hot tub, sauna and gym. Outdoor living with patios, formal gardens and pool/spa. WEB# CQ1131977 | ARMONK | $5,900,000

HAMPTON’S INSPIRED – Stone and Shingle newly-built estate with upscale modern design. Perfectly sited on one of Bedford’s idyllic country lanes in a coveted estate area. Heart-of-the-house kitchen and family room, sparkling pool and tennis court. WEB# CQ1148312 | BEDFORD | $4,895,000

ELEGANT AND MODERN – This dazzling residence captures an exciting modern lifestyle in the enviable estate enclave of Hammond Ridge. Entertaining amenities abound with gym, recreation room, terrace, pool and pool house overlooking level grounds. WEB# CQ1125147 | ARMONK | $2,950,000

THOMAS WRIGHT ESTATES – The finest details begin with a dramatic rotunda entry. Featuring spectacular millwork, gas fireplace, spacious chef’s kitchen, warm family room with artisan stone fireplace. Fabulous master suite and finished lower level. WEB# CQ1128756 | ARMONK | $2,895,000

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Assemblyman David Buchwald shep-herded the bill’s passage.

The three Council candidates agree on keeping taxes low, paving roads and saving Miller House, the headquarters of General Washington during the Bat-tle of White Plains.

Stephen D’Angelo is a current Councilman running for a second term. He points to the “revitalization” of the town during his tenure, includ-ing Armonk Square, new restaurants, and an accelerated road paving sched-ule. He said that town taxes were kept under the state cap and resolution of Miller House is ultimately a county responsibility.

D’Angelo is not taking anything for granted in this year’s election. “I will work hard to get their votes, I will work hard for the town,” he said. He is an 11 year resident of the town, a graduate of Manhattan College and CPA who maintains his accounting business in Armonk.

Guy Mezzancello is completing his first year in office, having won a special election, by 22 votes, to fill the council seat vacated when Michael Schiliro became Supervisor. Initially Jose Berra was selected to fill the posi-tion. Mezzancello said, “You need time to get things done. I learned a lot this year.” He lists priorities as parking in downtown Armonk and paving roads. He wants to keep seniors in town, but has no specific plan. He would consider a bike lane where feasible.

To fix the roads quickly, he would take advantage of low interest rates currently available and go to a bond issue. He is appalled that Miller House sits in disrepair and would like to see it rebuilt on site as soon as possible. The town has done a “fairly good job” of keeping taxes under control, and coor-dinating with other towns for equip-ment or other purchases is helpful.

Mezzancello moved to Armonk in the mid-1980s from Harrison and has been involved in Little League baseball, becoming commissioner. He also served on the Planning Board. “I think you have to listen to everybody,” he said. He operates a contracting business and said he is “unafraid to tackle” the town’s contracts because he “knows the gray areas.”

Jose Berra proposes accelerat-ing the pace of road repair but, even if the town bonds, he would like to remain within the current budget for road maintenance. He wants to start a dialog, including special tax breaks, to keep seniors in town. Parking is a con-cern, but he rejects meters along Main Street in favor of a satellite lot for shop employees. He would investigate traffic rules for bicycles as slow moving vehicles and educate cyclists.

Berra favors cost sharing with other towns, bulk purchases and using part-time town workers “as appropriate.” He supports efforts to have the county step up to its responsibility to Miller House. A graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a CPA, he worked for the US Treasury and private business. He wants to bring his “unique background to address issues” to make North Castle “even better.”

Both BOL candidates want to keep taxes low, save Miller House, and sup-port County Executive Astorino for a resolution of Dept. of Housing and Ur-ban Development (HUD) Settlement which stipulates the construction of 750 units of affordable housing avail-able to non-county residents, includ-ing out-of-state.

Romance brought John Diaconis (Democrat, Independence, Working Family) to Armonk when he wed Anne Danzig, long time Armonk resident and a co-founder of the North Castle Citizens Corps Council (NC4).

Diaconis was Treasurer of the Friends of Miller House and co-chaired the Ethics Task Force. He says “the proposed ethics code will be one of the strongest in the state and covers elected, appointed and board volun-teers.” Formerly he served on the town board in New Castle and was a town prosecutor.

Diaconis said drawing on reserves and borrowing are short term tac-tics to keep taxes low, and he would explore cost savings through shared services. As an attorney, he handled housing discrimination cases and has experience with HUD. He agrees with the position of the county execu-tive to keep the Settlement limited to the four points of the Agreement and would work towards a resolution which dissolves the Agreement, not al-lowing HUD to expand its interpreta-tion. He supports saving Miller House and ethics reform in the county.

Diaconis also stated that his goal is to “bring people together” and that he is a “builder” and “fair minded.” He would assist the District in any capac-ity, especially to share information for decision making to the benefit of the towns in the District. “Public service is really the highest calling. I want to make a difference and serve the pub-lic.” He is a partner of the law firm of Bleakley Platt & Schmidt.

Margaret Cunzio (Republican, Conservative, Reform) was raised in Armonk. Her father, Vincent Masi, was chair of the Conservative Party and she was a district leader. She has years of behind-the-scenes experience, including volunteer activities. “This is not about me,” she said, “it’s your job (as an elected) to listen and come up with a solution.”

Cunzio intends to work with the county executive to fight HUD because she believes the Settlement overrode home rule and says, “We need work-ing class housing for our residents.” She wants no tax increase, and will investigate “creative” solutions, includ-ing consolidation among the various towns for shared services.

She will focus on economic develop-ment, while keeping the “charm” of the county, to broaden revenue sources so as not draw down fund balance. Cun-zio remembers Miller House as a child and would look into the best means to preserve it, including a partnership similar to Playland.

She said, “I want to be present and to listen. We need to find a way to move forward in many different ways.” Cunzio is an adjunct professor at Iona College and at Western Connecticut State University, a former elementary school teacher and a current fitness instructor at Equinox in Armonk.

Cunzio has served on the Mount Pleasant Architectural Review Board, with the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department’s Senior Program and volunteers with the rescue program of the Westchester SPCA.

Louise T. Gantress is a freelance writer and author of Bitter Tea, a novel avail-able at www.amazon.com/Bitter-Tea-Louise-T-Gantress

Continued from page 14

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When the Race is Run for LOVE

By Deborah Raider NotisPhotos by Pinsky Studio

Armonk was treated to a perfect, warm and sunny day on September 20th. Many residents celebrated the last day of summer at Armonk’s Chamber of Commerce sponsored Fall Festival. The town was bustling, with people laughing at the competitive pie eaters and humming along with the band on the Wampus Park gazebo. Children played on inflatables, com-peted in bean bag toss games, and ran the 100 Yard Donut Dash and

Macintosh Mile. Highlighting the morning’s events was Jamie’s 5K Run for Love, a race in memory of Jamie Love and benefitting the Friends of the North Castle Library.

The 5K race began in 2008; Jane El-len Gertz and Grace Mui of the Byram Hills PTSA made it part of their larger Halloween Fun event, and proceeds benefitted the PTSA. Soon after, the race became part of Armonk’s Cider and Donut Festival. Sean Ryan, then President of the Friends of the North Castle Library, a retired IBMer, and the track and cross country coach at Briarcliff High School, took over coordinating the event with proceeds donated to the Friends of the North Castle Library.

Friends of the North Castle Library supports programming at the North Castle Library, including events not

supported by tax dollars. Ryan says he became involved to “bring a fun com-munity events to our town where we could focus all residents on the good works we were doing and planned to do at our library.” In 2011, the race was part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Armonk Outdoor Art Show. Then, in 2013 the race was named for Byram Hills High School graduate Jamie Love.

Jamie was an Armonk resident, and a University of Vermont student stud-ying mechanical engineering. While

growing up in Armonk, he was actively involved in children’s programs at the North Castle Library. He worked at Hickory and Tweed Ski and Bicycle Shop, and he ran for the BHHS cross country team. In 2013, his Junior year, he passed away in his sleep from an undetected heart ailment.

The BHHS cross country team was always a huge part of the annual 5K race, whether it sup-ported the PTSA or Friends of the North Castle Library. Jamie ran in the earliest races before attending UVM; his strong re-lationship and history with the BHHS team and the race made this a perfect way to memorial-ize him and honor his memory.

“We are incredibly honored that people continue to love Jamie and come out to support him even three years later,” Jamie’s mother, Michelle Love,

says of this Chamber of Commerce sponsored event. Love is particularly appreciative of the Ryan family’s con-tinued support for the event. “They do all the heavy lifting.”

Love describes her son as a young man who truly appreciated his friends, his family and his life. For friends who cannot make it to Armonk, her family tries to send out custom tee shirts. “That way, whenever friends and fam-ily cannot make it to the race, they can still celebrate Jamie, whether they are

Jamie’s UVM teammates, left to right: Philip Vernimb, Women’s Division winner Sydney Durand, Men’s Division winner Aaron Szotka, Maurie Clark and Tucker Nixon.

BHHS grads Jeannette Martimucci (left) and Evan Bauer often come back to visit and for community events. Running for the first time, Evan says he’s especially happy to be part of something that “brings community together.”


running, biking, hiking, eating or sim-ply laughing together. This year, one friend even hosted a pulled pork din-ner to honor Jamie,” mentions Love. The image on these shirts, designed by Jamie’s sister and Sean Ryan’s daughter, is a silhouette of Jamie Love and teammates from from BHHS. All of these boys went to State finals for cross country during high school.

Re-naming the race in Jamie’s honor sparked an added energy. This year, 286 runners finished Jamie’s Race for Love. Jamie’s UVM teammate, Aaron Szotka, came in first in the Men’s Division at 18:17, and Sydney Durand won the Women’s Division at 20:05. Maurie Clark and Eddie Paniccia came in second and third in the Men’s Divi-sion at 18:36 and 19:04 respectively. And Shannon Duffy, with a time of 21:39, and Isabella Vesco, with a time of 22:42, finished second and third in the Women’s Division.

The race also united the North Castle community with Jamie’s UVM team-mates and friends, many of whom have run the race since Jamie’s death. “Having the race named after Jamie is another chance to celebrate Jamie and what an amazing friend he was. We preserve his memory by wearing JBLOVE rubberized bracelets every-day. I never take the bracelet off,” says Tucker Nixon, Jamie’s good friend and UVM classmate.

Armonk resident Charlotte Wit-tels, a friend of Jamie’s sister Noelle, brought the Byram Hills tennis team with her to run the 5k. “This incident was very close to home, and I’m glad I was able to support Noelle and her

family by bringing the tennis team to the event,” states Wittels.

“The race serves as a great memorial for Jamie as well as a great reunion for all of us,” notes Philip Vernimb, who credits Jamie with his decision to attend UVM. “Jamie was what brought us together in the first place. When we were still running for UVM, every race was dedicated to Jamie. Personally, he is in my thoughts every day.”

Ultimately, Love feels that friends and family should honor her son by “laughing and living their lives to the fullest.” Jamie’s UVM friends fondly

recall that Jamie always had a smile on his face. On a beautiful day like Sep-tember 20th, with people enjoying the beautiful weather, listening to music, visiting with friends and community members, running races and shopping local, Jamie most definitely would have been smiling.

Deborah Raider Notis is a writer and co-owner of gamechanger, LLC, a free referral service connecting Westchester families to highly qualified, competitively priced instructors. She lives in Pleasant-ville with her husband, four boys and their dog Oscar.

The day was a celebration of all things bright, beautiful and fun–just like Jamie would have wanted and loved!

Sean Ryan, whom Michelle Love gratefully describes as the event’s “heavy lifter.”

And they’re off–close to 300 runners turned out for Jamie’s 5K Run for Love this year.


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“Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone”By Jodi Baretz, LCSW, CHHC

I received a candle with the above quote from one of my clients. I’m so glad that message resonated with her, as it rings so true for me as well. Most of us are afraid of the unknown and pushing ourselves beyond our limits. We are comfortable with the familiar, and have trouble with change, even if the “familiar” isn't serving us so well. Doing something new or different pro-duces anxiety by its very nature. Our brains have to switch out of autopilot (default mode) and focus on the new circumstances. Without this ability, there can be no courage.

Courage comes from the Latin words for heart and era meaning “the era of the heart,” symbolizing the conscious decision to follow your heart. Courage means willing to be vulnerable. To have courage means to “put your-self out there,” even if you may fail. Courage does not mean that you don’t get afraid. You feel the fear and do it anyway. It means that you start to master the fear and it doesn’t prevent you from following what you believe to be right or do what needs to be done.

No one is fearless. Being fearless sounds great and inspiring, but the fear always returns and the inner-voice will always be there second guessing,(unless, of course, you’re Donald Trump). Our critical side is there to protect us from pain, vulner-ability and failure. We have to ac-knowledge the voice, but not pay much attention to it. We can thank it for trying to keep us safe, and keep mov-ing toward our goals. The people we admire for being fearless are not. They are just good at managing their fears and keeping them at a distance.

Most people play it safe for fear of ridicule, failure and shame. This is a creativity and innovation killer. It is a travesty in the workplace because we are cheated out of wonderful ideas from employees who do not have the courage to take risks. Furthermore, those who go to Ivy League schools may not have the courage to take a challenging math or science course because of the fear of not having a perfect grade, cheating the world of

their brilliance. As a culture, when we use shame to motivate, either in the workplace, school, family or even in The Biggest Loser show, it may work temporarily, but will eventually ham-per willingness to take the risk to do something truly courageous and mean-ingful. The same goes for our children. As parents, we may want to stop em-phasizing achievement as the marker of self worth. They need to know they are special, win or lose. That way they will not fear failure and always be will-ing to take risks and know whatever the outcome, they are still worthwhile. We need to be proud of them for just showing up and willing to take risks.

Our core beliefs can also hinder us from being courageous. When I first started my business, I struggled with my belief about myself that I couldn't speak in public. How was I going to get my message out there? I had to acknowledge the fear and do it anyway. My first “mindfulness” group was in my basement with six friends. I remember not being able to eat beforehand because I was so nervous (and nauseous).

The first ten minutes were awful and I’m sure my voice was shaky. What was I so afraid of? What would they think of me? That was my ego talking, the in-ner critic who always second guesses. When I stopped worrying about what others thought of me, and focused on getting my message out there, I was at ease. Just because I haven't done it before, didn’t mean I wasn't capable. It wasn’t easy, and still isn’t, but each and every time it gets easier. It also doesn't hurt that I begin the work-shops with a meditation!

Political candidates and public fig-ures are no different. It is courageous to put yourself out there and subject yourself to endless criticism. Every-thing you’ve ever done gets rehashed, and people are always there to watch you fall.

Now with social media, people can be exceptionally cruel and more anony-mous. It takes tremendous courage to stand up for what you believe and make changes. Maybe we can all think about that the next time we attack a

candidate with whom we don’t agree. The courage is showing up and playing the game.

I will leave you with part of Theodore Roosevelt’s speech from The Man in the Arena, in my opinion, that perfectly describes true courage.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, be-cause there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actu-ally strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devo-tions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know vic-tory nor defeat.”

Jodi Baretz, LCSW, CHHC is a psy-chotherapist and holistic health coach at The Center for Health and Healing in Mt. Kisco. She specializes in helping busy men and women reduce stress and anxiety using mindfulness and medita-tion. Jodi runs a Mindfulness Bootcamp group called “Mindful is the New Skinny,” and speaks to various groups, schools and organizations on the topic. Please visit www.jodibaretz.com.


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Socks that Rock and the Guys Behind Them By Beth Besen

Socks. We all need them, we all wear them. Without doubt, most everyone has a sock drawer. Maybe even two sock drawers. There are socks for sports, even specific socks for specific sports, and socks for everyday wear.

And yet, socks are, well, to put them in garment industry terms, “basics”. Often sold in multi-set packages and mer-chandised with other founda-tions, socks, ironically, aren’t exactly known for ‘knocking our socks off’.

That is, until a couple of local guys put the sexy in socks. Not X-rated sexy, but purpose driven, integrity-driven, win-win driven sexy. And it all started with a quote…

“Socks are the number one most requested clothing item at homeless shelters”-David and Andrew Heath read that, and it moved them to want to do something to help. They realized that buying and donating a bunch of socks might accomplish something in the short term, but would have little sustaining long term impact. So, they put their considerable backgrounds in business and finance together and came up with a bee-utiful plan.

Bombas donates a pair of socks for every pair sold

Bombas comes from the Latin word for bumblebee. That bees work commu-nally to enrich their hives made them a perfect symbol for the Heath brothers; as they put it, “when we say Bee Better, we mean it as a mantra, a way of ap-proaching every day. It’s stitched into the inside of every pair of Bombas for a reason. It’s a reminder to push yourself harder to be better at your athletic pursuits. A reminder that these socks are engineered and designed with thought to bee better. A reminder that you helped someone in need with your purchase. And a reminder that we’re all connected and little improvements can add up to make a big difference.”

Busy bees, one and allAndrew and David (and a younger

sister Emily) grew up in Armonk,

where their parents always modeled the importance of taking part in and giving back to the community.

Dad Robert, who invented the Fibrar safety system that supports wood-chipped playgrounds, was President and Chairman of the Board of the Music Conservatory of Westchester. He is also involved with the Armonk Outdoor Art Show which raises money for the local library (you can read more about both the Music Conservatory and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show in our last issue: theinsidepress.com/).

Mom Linda was President of the Harrison PTA before the family moved to Armonk. After the move and with-out skipping a beat, she became presi-dent of the Byram Hills Scholarship Fund and also volunteered for eight years as a costumer in the Byram Hills Theatre program. Linda is a CFP and, as such, has done pro bono financial literacy work in the greater Westches-ter County community. She has been on the Board of the Mount Kisco Child Care Center, and also served as Presi-dent for two years.

Even as a young boy, David always knew he wanted to run his own busi-ness. Later, in high school, he realized there was only one college he wanted to attend; he applied early to Babson College, was accepted and graduated in 2005.

Andrew, the more athletic of the brothers, went to Occidental Univer-sity to play water polo. He graduated in 2004 with a degree in economics and spent eight years in corporate finance. Recognizing how much David loved

his Babson education, Andrew decided to attend Babson for an MBA, completed in 2012.

Today, both brothers live in Manhattan but, whether for a family dinner or to escape the noise and heat of the city, find that they frequently return home to visit. They say they “carry a great sense of commu-nity from Armonk”, consider it home and would definitely think about moving back one day. They recall a shared memory of having envied kids who went to bigger schools than Armonk’s, but today realize the value of

coming from a small town. In fact, Da-vid allows that he is “best friends with 12 guys who are all from Armonk and see each other weekly.”

More s-o-c-k-s moments...An old joke comes to mind. It helps

to know a bit of Spanish, but it’s pretty accessible regardless. Basically, a traveler from Spain, who forgot to pack socks, finds he needs them when he ar-rives in the states. He goes to the store and tells the salesman that he needs socks, “Necesito calcetines.” The sales-man does not speak Spanish, but wants to help and wants to make a sale, so he points to his shirt. The visitor shakes his head no. The salesman then points to his pants. Again, the visitor shakes his head no. Looking ever more perplexed, the salesman next lifts the leg of his pants and points to his sock. The visitor claps and smiles, shakes his head yes and says, “Eso si que es!” Sales-man replies, “Well if you could spell it, why didn’t you say so!?” *rimshot please*

Goofy jokes aside, most of us rec-ognize that “eso si que es/that’s it” moment. Another word is epiphany. Andrew and David had an epiphany when they read the quote that changed their lives. Today, their company, Bom-bas, continues to change the lives of many others. They say they see them-selves continuing to focus “on building a brand that people love to be a part of, designing products that people wear proudly and bringing awareness and help to the less fortunate.”

Beth Besen is the Executive Editor of this magazine, and a very happy and satisfied Bombas customer.

David (left) and Andrew Heath with their colorful Bombas socks.

Photo, courtesy of Bombas


By Miriam Longobardi

Thanksgiving is a time when we reflect on that for which we are grateful as well as share our abundance with others. The holidays can be a time of year when those in need ex-perience a sense of lack more keenly than other times, but, thankfully, there are many local organizations and houses of worship that offer nourish-ment for bodies and souls. Although some programs are specifically geared toward the holidays, others are ongoing throughout the year.

Nils Chittenden, rector of St. Stephens Episcopal Church on Bedford Road in Armonk, said that the influence of the worshipping community is far-reaching. Members of his congregation participate in ongoing work with the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry.

AnnLee Malani and Sue Brown coordinate food deliveries to homebound adults, and, not only are the recipients grateful for the food, but, because the women have developed relationships with these people, they look forward to the weekly visits as well as the deliveries of food.

The sense of companion-ship and someone checking in on them is as important as the food itself. Each year before the start of the annual Frosty Parade in Armonk, St. Stephens holds a winter fair in their main hall, and there are family-friendly activities as well as tables set up for non-profit groups to promote their causes. There are roving carolers as well as a bake sale to raise money for a different charity each year.

This year the bake sale proceeds will go to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for biliary cancer research. An-other important ministry of his church is hosting one of the largest Alcoholic Anonymous meetings in Westchester. Hundreds of people attend weekly, and meetings are held every day except Sunday. “The holidays can be a time when people with alcoholism experi-ence an extraordinarily high need for

support and we are glad to be able to provide that here,” Chittenden said. St. Stephens also regularly hosts Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and the focus on citizenship and volunteerism also positively impacts the community.

At Temple Beth-El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua, mitzvahs, or any good or praise-worthy deeds, abound throughout the year. Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe shared some ongo-ing work as well as special missions happening near Thanksgiving. A group of his congregants will be collecting donations for the people of Cuba and

will then travel there to help the Jewish community as well as the larger Cuban community by providing much-needed medical supplies. “They are a communist country so they aren’t starving. What they can really use are a variety of medical supplies and some types of clothing. We will be collecting donations through December and the group will go down over the holiday break.”

The group includes some fami-lies with children old enough to assist as well as older people. “It’s a mixture of people who want to help,” Jaffe said. Each year boys and girls preparing for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are part of the Mitzvah Corp Program by choosing a nonprofit company for which to volunteer.

Current Mitzvah Corp as-signments include Pleasantville Community Garden, where they will help plant foods grown for donation, Atria Senior Living, where kids visit and plan a Ha-nukah party for the elderly, and the Miracle League of Westches-ter that provides opportunities for youth and adults with special needs to enable them to play baseball in a specially designed adaptive field.

Mitzvah Corp kids commit to volunteering for five consecu-tive months so they really form relationships with the people they are helping and learn the rewards of service. Temple Beth-El also participates in the multi-denominational Interfaith Council that takes turns hosting a service and free Thanksgiving meal. Temple Beth-El hosted last year’s dinner and this year it will be hosted by St. Mary’s Church in Chappaqua. The meal

follows an interfaith service comprised of members from Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim faiths. Addi-tionally, Temple Beth-El holds a High Holy Day Food Drive so when many members are fasting, they are also donating food to the Westchester Food Bank.

The Church of St. Patrick in Armonk organizes a variety of social ministry initiatives with the purpose of involv-ing as much of the parish as possible to help others. “Our area is so blessed and others are not nearly as fortu-

Neighbors Feeding

Neighbors in Body

and Spirit

Jack Desmarais helps unpack fresh produce.


nate,” said Val Sprague, one of the lay leaders of the church led by Father Jeffery Galens. “We began Project Embrace as a way to reach out to as many people in need as we can. Under that program, different lay leaders of the parish organized committees to address different people’s needs. It continues to expand each year.”

Sprague herself helped start F.I.A.T. , which stands for Faith In Action Taskforce. F.I.A.T. volunteers participate in Midnight Run, which provides clothing and toiletries for the homeless, and organizes pan-cake breakfasts and pasta dinners to feed people dealing with food scarcity and donate clothing to the Children’s Hope Chest.

The CYO (Catholic Youth Organi-zation) teams each adopt a group of children and donate to them by buying gift certificates and clothing, as well as holiday gifts. The teams pre-pare beautiful food baskets which are donated to the Greenwich Food Pantry. The CYO motto is “Not just basketball.”

Also formed under Project Embrace is the Christmas Angel Program which connects to a sister parish in Peekskill that is very impoverished. Donations of winter clothes and holiday gifts are collected and sent to them. Christmas Angels also purchase $25 gift cards for the women in the Bedford Correctional Facility to give to their teenaged chil-dren who visit them.

“This allows them to be moms to their kids. Even imprisoned, we want

to make sure there’s joy,” Sprague said. During a special mass on De-cember 13th, parishioners bring in their donations of food, clothing, and gifts. Following the mass, everyone sorts through and organizes all the donations to be distributed, even the children. “It’s important that the chil-dren see that the holidays are not just about making a list of what they want, but to be involved in giving to others,” Sprague explained.

The Mount Kisco Interfaith Pantry is an organization that, as the recipi-ent of food and resources from many local congregations, last year was able to serve over 31,000 thousand people. Kate Lombardi, the communications director, shared what makes the Inter-faith Pantry so special.

“Unlike other food pantries, which hand out pre-bagged meals, we are set up like a regular market, and peo-ple are free make choices that suit their tastes and dietary needs. There is a dignity in making your own selections.”

Food is not the only provision, though. “We offer home deliveries to the home-bound as well as a variety of

helpful classes, such as cooking demonstrations, how to budget for food, food prep, bilingual nutrition, and best use of food. We are trying to build a healthy community,” Lombardi said. The volunteers shop for food at the Westchester Food Bank. The Food Bank does not serve clients directly; rather, they provide food for local pantries and organizations at greatly reduced prices.

Pantry VolunteersLombardi is proud of the fact

that they are able to provide a huge variety of food, includ-ing a large assortment of fresh produce, truly a luxury for a food pantry. The Mount Kisco Community Garden maintains a space where they grow food specifically for the Interfaith

Pantry. Lombardi reminded me that the entire Mount Kisco Food Pantry is run entirely by volunteers–their Board of Directors, the people that organize food distribution, those who maintain the website, the grant-writers and newsletter-writers, and of course, everyone in between.

While they are grateful for all dona-tions, the most helpful are financial donations. “For every dollar donated, four dollars’ worth of food is pur-chased, and this helps feed over 250 households each week. We are neigh-bors feeding neighbors, and you never know when families may encounter a crisis and need help providing food.” To learn more about how you can vol-unteer or donate, visit their website: mountkiscofoodpantry.org/donate

Whether you are hungering in body or spirit, in need of comfort or would like to serve others, there are places nearby where you can receive or pro-vide help. You are not alone during this holiday season, and there is a commu-nity of people to whom you can turn for a variety of needs and with whom you can share your time and energy to benefit others.

Miriam Longobardi is a freelance writ-er, fourth grade teacher and single mother of two daughters living in Westchester. A breast cancer survivor, she volunteers for the American Cancer Society and has completed four marathons and travels the world. Follow her on Twitter @writer-MimiLong.

Meg Gregg (left) sorts food with other volunteers at the Inter-faith Food Pantry.

Local clergy and Council members together at Temple Beth El for last year’s Interfath Council Thanksgiving dinner. Front Row, from left to right: Candace Downing, CantorStar Trompeter, Nada Bernstein, Rev. Katy Cates, Phoebe Washburn, Richard Laster, Elinor Griffith, Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, Rabbi Maura Linzer. Second Row, from left to right: Rev. Leigh Pezet, Roo Streich, Kristina Sibinga, Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs, Ellen Lewis, Joanie Ferroni, Rev. Msgr. Tom Gilleece.

Photo by Allyson Barri-Guida


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By Susan Draper

Never underestimate an Olympian! When she retired from swimming in 2012, Ariana Kukors set out to use her experiences to inspire change in oth-ers. From kids’ clinics and corporate presentations, to her role as Direc-tor of Health Inspiration at LifeWise Health Plan of Washington & Or-egon, Ariana has been able to engage, encourage, and motivate people from all walks of life. As she set out to work with over one hundred of our local athletes during the last weekend in September, I was in awe of just how much valuable information, pertinent to performance, could be included in a 2-2.5-hour workshop. I knew the workshops would be inspiring and insightful, but I didn’t realize that they had the potential to be life changing.

Ariana’s first Westchester work-shop, graciously hosted by the Bristal in Armonk, was a Dream Clinic for teens looking for targeted ways to become better at their craft. The teens were everything from equestrians to soccer players, with obviously some swimmers in the mix. Ariana began by telling the story of how she was a member of the National Swim Team since age 13, and that her first crack at the Olympics was in 2008. She can-didly described the details of finish-ing the semi-finals in first place, but sinking to third place in the final lap of the 200 IM. One doesn’t have to be a swimmer to know that coming in third by .09 seconds is a devastating experi-ence. The ensuing night was rough, but beginning the next day–after dropping a full 9 seconds in the 200 breast–she began to develop a comeback plan. The clinic was an opportunity to explore

one’s personal philosophy and vision with a suggestion to develop a vi-sion board for life. The teens learned about positive self talk, mindfulness, and steps to calm the mind through meditation. She explained exactly what techniques she employed in order to break the world record, not once, but twice to win the gold medal at the World Championships in Rome in 2009, being named American Swim-mer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine. The teens worked on their own personal ideas during the session and left with techniques to complete a comprehensive plan for success. One parent let me know that her daughter didn’t waste any time putting elements of the plan into practice, scoring points for her team in a competition the very next day.

That Sunday, Ariana conducted swim clinics at the Boys and Girls Club in Mt. Kisco. Again, she began with her story, which every swimmer in the room could relate to as she spoke. “Who has had a bad race?” Again, she described that fateful race of 2008 where years of training kept her in first place for the first 150 meters. She described how panic set in as her mind strayed to the thought of being chased down by freestylers who at moments in the past had been flat out faster than her personal best time. Her honed technique fell apart as she pan-icked. Everyone in the room identified with her at that moment–including swimmers I had seen repeatedly take first place at Metropolitan Swimming championships. It was her absolute humanness that drew them in to her world. Every swimmer has had the race where they put themselves out there only to touch the wall and look back at

the clock to see that they fell short of their goal. There were questions about strategy, mental preparation, oppo-nents, and how to pick an element to develop to drop their times. There were moments of laughter and mo-ments where she tugged at their heart strings. For much of the afternoon she was in the pool with them working their strokes in new sets and drills. In the end, all of them had their opportu-nity to race an Olympian while swim-ming their best stroke. As the session closed, I could see that they had fallen in love with Ariana as they all stayed for photographs, autographs and even more laughter.

The afternoon brought me back to thoughts when, as a family, we met Ariana at the Olympic Trials. She had realized her dream of becoming an Olympian in a race that we watched on the edge of our seats the even-ing before. Little did we know in that moment as she touched and placed second–erupting in tears of joy as she connected with her family–that she was destined to take a place in our hearts. I knew the kids at the work-shops would love her too, but what I learned is that she is truly as amazing outside of the water as she is in the pool. She put her heart and soul into the preparation for these clinics and once again, it paid off as a true gift for everyone involved. We can’t wait to have her back again!

Susan Draper is currently pursuing her RN degree while teaching yoga and spinning in her spare time. She lives in Armonk with her husband, daughter, and competitive swimmer son who inspired the whole family to “dive” into the sport eight years ago.

Boys and Girls Club Marlins coaches Bobby Hackett (Distance Coach), left, and Dennis Munson (Head Coach/Aquatic Director), right, welcome Olympian Ariana Kukors.

Ariana gives tips and advice to a rapt group of competitive young swim-mers at the Boys and Girls Club in Mount Kisco.

Olympic Swimmer Inspires Local Youth


I N S I D E T H O U G H T SBy Dan Levitz

Many first-time parents realize quickly that honesty is not always the best policy. Situations with children arise where it’s just sensible and pru-dent to deny them the truth which, if told, may cause fear, anxiety, or any reaction a parent would want to avoid. For example, think of all the kids com-forted by their dog or cat going to that idyllic farm upstate. You know, the one with the pet-loving owners with acres of golden sun-soaked fields for Socks or Trixie to romp in unencumbered. Eventually children may catch their parents playing with the truth to be kind: “Mom, why do you now say Aunt Roberta looked like a stuffed sausage in those jeans when you told her she looked cute?” We explain that sometimes in life one may have to be a little dishonest simply to not hurt another’s feelings. The discussion of The Little White Lie can lead to an important moment in a young child’s maturation as they come to realize a rule like “Lying is wrong” absolutely has exceptions. This may be the mo-ment where a child learns that life is not as simple as black and white.

The presidential election is about a year away, but the fun and games have already begun in earnest. Before the leaves of 2015 began to turn, mud had already been slung, party saviors self-appointed and political debate is in the air. I have strong opinions about issues, policy and, most of all, candidates. Believe me, I could go on and on about this candidate who, for many, is refreshingly not politically correct (and, to others, a vulgarian) or that candidate who some see as the latest representative of an exhausted political dynasty (and, to others, a nation’s savior whose turn has finally come ’round). However, when talking about politics, especially with friends, neighbors and relatives, I know from hard-learned experience that a Little White Lie of silence is generally the best policy. And, believe me, I’m using imagery of children with this type of lying quite intentionally!

Years ago, we had a dinner party where a college buddy of mine aggres-sively offended just about everyone with his political bombast. From fried calamari all the way to the appropri-ately flavored blood-orange sorbet, our friends felt assaulted. That night, I learned the sanctity of the seating chart and, more importantly, how one must tread cautiously in the context of politics and personal relationships. An even greater lesson was to just keep my mouth shut. You see, I agreed with everything my friend said, but by dumb luck or a rare sensible instinct on my part, I somehow kept my opin-ions locked down.

Let’s say I’m on line at Lange’s Deli to get my ham & egg on a roll, and another fellow starts with the political chit-chat. The specifics are irrelevant. I go into full political Omerta. I never thought I could truly identify with the characters from Goodfellas, but, in this scenario, De Niro was right about the most beautiful thing in the world: “Always keep your mouth shut!” Especially if the person next to you wants to get into Hillary, Jeb, The Donald, Guns, Gay Marriage, Obama-care, Bernie, or Carson. Or maybe The Godfather had it right when he said, “never tell anyone outside the family what you’re thinking.” I have to admit, it’s not at all bad feeling like a connect-ed guy in these otherwise mundane scenes from real life.

When basketball immortal Michael Jordan was at the peak of his play-ing days, he was asked to endorse a Democratic African-American can-didate from his beloved home state of North Carolina. His Airness flatly refused, and infamously explained that

“Republicans buy sneakers too.” At the time, I felt disgusted and betrayed. The cynicism of his response was crass and shocking. I think for many people, that moment destroyed his image of something more than just an athlete/businessman. However, I can’t help but think that if he had just kept his mouth shut about his politics (or lack of political commitment), he might have maintained the transcendent high-regard he’d experienced up to that point. Eiether way, there is power to be gained from the restraint of keeping it to yourself.

I’d be remiss to at least not touch on social media in regards to politi-

cal discussion. Ugh! I’m something of a lurker, keeping virtually quiet, but the “discussions” there are just astounding and often times vicious. Between memes, links and video, what used to be just a vigorous verbal debate can now devolve quickly into a full blown multi-media personal attack. I think the false feeling of distance provided by typing in your underwear allows people a frankness and directness that, in real life, would be amazingly inappropriate. Again, I

urge restraint and civility, especially when online.

It may sound counter-intuitive or passive to deny expressing one’s opin-ions when confronted with a conflict-ing view. As a young man, I would never back down from any kind of discussion especially if my sensibilities were offended. However, the idealism of youth tends to mellow towards a more realistic perspective; one forged to make it easier to just get through the day and simply avoid those inevi-tably unwinnable political debates. The political, issue-oriented milieu is not one that results in agreement or positional adjustment. Now, if you’d like to debate Yankees vs. Sox (not this year!), Beatles vs. Stones (not easy) or evolution vs. creationism, I’m right there ready to go. Well, then again, maybe not that last one!

Dan Levitz, an art dealer and writer, has lived in Chappaqua for 12 years and has a blog on The Huffington Post.

ES LIES LILIES LIESLIES LIES LIES LIESLIES LIES

Little RedWhiteBlue Lies


E T C E T E R A

By Kourtney DeRosa-Radice

Not too long ago, I was 85 pounds heavier than I am today. I moved to Westchester, had two children back-to-back and pretty much put my needs and wants on the back burner. I prepared my children organic baby food, dressed them in the cutest little outfits, brought them to those fancy gym classes for little ones and LOVED them beyond words. However, my self-care was another story. I started eating frozen processed foods, traveled around in faded black sweatpants, canceled my gym membership, and pretty much stopped caring for myself. My days of being that women I once was were now gone; this was the new me, the new mom me. My priorities were different and that was okay, or so I told myself.

One day, after getting a glimpse of a picture of my kids with a “stranger,” aka mom, I de-cided to take action and started a journey down a road that would eventually lead me back to the women I once was, the women I loved and knew so well. Ironically this journey pretty much mirrored all that I had been doing for my children. My days started consisting of eating mostly clean, non-processed foods (similar to what my children had been eating), completing daily workouts (though not at fancy gyms like my kids) and dressing like I was leaving the house (even if I wasn’t).

The result of my efforts was a huge weight loss, which I am congratulated about daily. Each day I hear the words, “Wow, congratulations on your loss…” “Awesome job with your loss…” “You must be so proud of your loss…” Hear-ing the word loss day after day, used in such a positive manner feels odd. I had been programmed from a young age to think of loss as a negative. I've always connected loss to sadness. I've connected it to stress and aggravation. I've viewed it as loss–not gain.

Then, one day, after being at a Moms Night Out and talking about my loss

yet again, I had that “ah hah” moment. You know, those moments when you realize you need to rethink our think-ing! Wait, I thought. my weight loss isn't the only loss in my life that has been positive. I quickly went through the moments in my life where I experi-enced sadness as a result of loss. I thought about my husband losing his

job on the trading floor when the mar-kets went electronic. I thought about losing a beautiful home in Pleasant-ville in a bidding war. I thought about losing out on what I thought was my dream teaching position in Westch-ester. Then I thought about what I gained from each of these experiences. My husband losing his job led me to become a nutrition coach which has allowed me to support hundreds of people with their weight loss. Los-ing our dream home in Pleasantville encouraged us to expand our search and this led us to finding a home in Armonk. And that dream job–well, had I been offered it, I would have never decided to stay at home part time with my children. This idea that a loss could actually bring you to a happier place, a healthier place, an all around better place was now clear in my mind.

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday and I continue to think about this whole idea of loss I can't help but wonder if everyone already knows

what it took me 36 years to figure out. Do people know that loss, though negative in some aspects, can also be positive as well? Do people know that sometimes a loss is actually just a gain in disguise?

This year things will be different at my Thanksgiving table for sure.

For one, the food I typi-cally prepare will be getting a facelift. There will be no marshmallows on my sweet potatoes and no cream in my corn. There will be no green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup and no gravy on my turkey. There will, however, be a revised list of what I am thankful for. This year I am going to take a step back and reflect on all that I have lost. I plan to give thanks for all the loss in my life that has brought me to the place I am today. Some-times it is hard to see the positives in loss, but, when you put on those special lenses, they begin to jump out at you.

With this I challenge you to go beyond only giving thanks for what you have gained this year and, instead, think about what YOU have lost. Have you experienced a loss this year, which has inadvertently led to a positive in your life? As you sit at your Thanks-giving table and you give thanks for all the gains you have attained, remember to include your losses too. After all they deserve to be thanked as well.

Kourtney DeRosa-Radice is an Armonk mom, public school teacher and Team Beachbody Health and Fitness Coach. When not enjoying her children or teaching her students she devotes her time to assisting clients in reaching their health and fitness goals. Kourtney can be reached at: [email protected]

Reframing Loss and Gain

Apple picking with the family in 2014: From left, Timothy Radice, Gabriella Radice, Gavin Radice, Kourtney DeRosa-Radice.

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THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF WESTCHESTER

Community Conversation Series

Raising Our Youth with the Best of Intentions: The Hidden and Not-So-Hidden Pressures for Success

You are invited to join us for a vital conversation about the messages we

explicitly and implicitly convey to our children, how we can better recognize stressors and how best to respond

and what we can do to increase emotional resilience short and long term.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015 from 7 to 9 pm at the Rosenthal JCC of Northern Westchester

Panelists include: Christopher Borsari, Principal of Byram Hills High School

Shari Applebaum, parent, advocate and educator

Barbara Bernstein, PhD, MHA Westchester

invited members of the clergy

and young adult graduates of local schools.

No matter the ages of your children, it’s never too early or late for this conversation.

Presented by The Mental Health Association of Westchester and Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines.

Event is free. Space is limited. Register now at www.MHAwestchester.org

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