The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Inside Press

43rd ANNUAL CHAPPAQUA ANTIQUES SHOW: Antiques AND Home Design

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One of the most highly anticipated antique shows in the Northeast, the Chappaqua Antiques Show will be held on November 6th and 7th at the Westorchard School. Now in its 43rd year, it will feature over 50 top dealers from the region and beyond. In addition, interior designers and interior space planners and raffle prizes and a mouthwatering homemade dessert table will make this annual event a hit with guests of all ages and interests.

Sponsored by the New Castle Historical Society, the show raises important funds to support the Horace Greeley House Museum and its rich calendar of educational activities for school groups and community members. Event co-chairs Betsy Guardenier, Lois Dannecker, Susan Blumenfeld and Tess Cerra, with the help of honorary chair, star chef Sandra Lee, and a dedicated team of 150 volunteers will hold the Society’s most important event of the year. “More than ever, our homes are havens for relaxation and a more home-centered lifestyle,” says Guardenier. “Our honorary chair Sandra Lee, pictured here, brings this idea to life in her TV programs and books. The Chappaqua Antiques Show is one place to find the best for ourselves and our homes. With its varied assortment of antiques—everything from jewelry, rugs, prints, kitchenware and furniture—our show has truly something for everyone, at every price point. And now, with our emphasis on home design, shoppers will find unique treasures and inspired ideas on how to make them work in their homes.”The popular “Gold in Your Attic” booth features treasures donated and consigned by New Castle residents to benefit the Historical Society.

This annual event is a favorite in the region and in previous years has welcomed as honorary chairs former President Bill Clinton, actress Vanessa Williams, and singer-songwriter Dar Williams.

Stuck with Your Middle? How to Trim Down!

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By Sue Treiman

If you’re feeling a bit long in the tooth, odds are you’re getting wide around the tummy, too.

As we age, metabolism slows, muscle mass declines and, sadly, the dreaded middle age spread often debuts. The round-the-belly bulge actually consists of two layers, the subcutaneous fat lying just beneath the skin and the deadlier visceral fat. Lying close to vital internal organs, the deepest fat layer can actively interfere with metabolic processes, wrecking havoc with insulin levels and increasing the risks for high blood pressure and other conditions.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that the right tools can help anyone let the air–or the fat–out of their spare tire.

“People can and do lose weight well into their 40s and 50s,” reassures Dr. Maria Briones, an attending physician in Cardiac/ Orthopedic Rehabilitation Services at The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. “The thing is, the older you get, the more aggressive you have to be about weight loss. Once you’re 45 or 50 you have to be very into it and know a lot to simply maintain your shape.” Sadly, metabolism declines by an estimated five per cent per decade, which makes yesterday’s jelly donut far more fattening today.

So Dr. Biones’ strategy is create educated, aware and committed patients. Shunning the strict no-carb rules of the Atkins diet, she opts for foods that are low on the glycemic index, releasing their calories gradually. High glycemic founds, causing the most dramatic fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels, are avoided. They include white bread, potatoes and certain fruits. Starvation is also verboten, since dramatic reductions in calories can send the body into a fat–protective mode that can drop the metabolic rate by 25 per cent.

Dr. Briones designs controlled portion meals rich in vegetables and choc-full of lean proteins to guard against the loss of muscle mass.

In addition to a sensible eating plan, Adam Pliskow, owner of New Castle Physical Therapy in Millwood, prescribes regular cardiovascular routines and frequent weight resistance exercises. “If you want to get rid of the spare tire, you need to do cardio work three to five times a week and strength train two to three times, while controlling your diet on an everyday basis. There’s no shortcut,” he insists. Pliskow and Dr. Briones agree that quick-fix remedies hawked on infomercials–from fat-melting pills to ab exercise machines –just do not deliver.

“You cannot spot reduce,” Pliskow emphatically states. “It’s a myth.”

He focuses on large muscle groups routines, squats, leg curls and others lower body exercises, to jump-start the burn, also emphasizing core training for people concerned about their mid-sections.

“I work on postural awareness and isometric exercises for the abdominals, which are basically the foundation of Pilates. A simple stabilization exercise, where you tighten up and draw in the muscles just below your belly button, offer the best chance of reaching the deepest corset muscles,” says Pliskow.

Hastings on the Hudson resident- Sue Treiman, an Emmy Award winning writer, TV producer and online executive, is a Sunday Business contributor to the New York Post and runs her own communications business.

How Jen Cook Lives the Dream

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By Vicki de Vries

If Indiana Jones were in search of a female counterpart, he could do no better than to select Jen Cook. While never forced to flee the Temple of Doom, Cook already has had her share of “nail-biting” moments— from becoming a certified scuba diver to taking flying lessons, from being first runnerup in the New York Teen Miss America contest to driving a fire truck. And those are only for starters.

Residents of New Castle will know Cook as the president and founder of Lighten Up Massage, which she started in 1995. Ever since, she has been on a crusade to help people realize that “massage therapy is for everyday life because it relieves stress and chronic pain and helps the body to heal.” To celebrate the 15th anniversary, she renamed the business Chappaqua Wellness Center, which now provides such related healthoriented features as chiropractic care, nutritional advice, and electrolysis.

Busy, Busy Hands
A psychology major in college, Cook “just happened” to work for a massage therapist during her college years. After graduation, she attended massage therapy school and then opened her own place in Chappaqua. But some people also know her as the generous, warm-hearted person who volunteered her massage therapy skills to help the clean-up volunteers after 9/11. “They were the most meaningful massages I’ve ever done,” said Cook. “I could just feel the pain and sadness through my hands as I touched their bodies. Some of them would talk about what they had seen, and others would just cry. It blew my mind that here they were doing something so tremendous yet were so appreciative of us.”

Then, soon after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Cook again felt compelled to help: “Having the opportunity to make people feel less alone and more hopeful, just by simply being there with water and food was a time I’ll never forget.” She credits both of her parents for instilling in her a desire to help people.

From Le Creuset Pan into the Fire
Without a doubt, Jen Cook is an inveterate entrepreneur, someone who dreams big and is willing to take risks. While still keeping her massage therapy business in operation, she enrolled in evening and weekend classes at ICE, a wellknown culinary school in Manhattan. With a degree in hand, Cook began working as a parttime personal chef—something she had always wanted to do. Then last summer, she worked as an assistant chef on the TV program “Top Chef.”

In the past year, Cook spent an exciting two weeks with a master chef in Florence, Italy, How Jen Cook Lives the Dream By Vicki de Vries Photo by Bill Bramswig September/October 2010 Inside Chappaqua 14 to learn the art of pizza making. Upon returning to the States, she decided to start a mobile pizzeria that includes a custom-made wood-burning brick oven, which heats up to 850 degrees F. and can bake four small pizzas in two minutes. Thus was born her outdoor pizza business aptly called “Cooking With Fire.” Obviously, for Jen Cook, the expression “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen” does not apply, since she has sought out heat in a very real sense of the word.

And as if life weren’t exciting enough, this summer Cook won a recipe contest that required a video submission. The “prize”? Being a guest chef alongside Bobby Flay on “Grill It,” [to air September 19 on the Food Network].

Now, could all of this passion for cooking be tied to her last name? “Absolutely,” Cook admitted. Kids would tease her on the school bus with the same question: “What are you cooking for dinner tonight, Cook?” Her answer was always the same: “Pizza,” one of her favorite foods—“a universal food.”

Massage therapy… cooking…. Most people follow one main pursuit but not Jen Cook, whose enthusiasm for life and ability to overcome challenges– and sometimes hunt them out– are bordering on legendary. When her beloved grandfather, a former fire chief, died ten years ago, her way of coping with the sad loss was by becoming a volunteer firefighter. “Some of my best memories are sitting with him in the fire truck on parade days,” said Cook. So, with a bucket of determination, this 5’ tall trailblazer applied as a volunteer at the Chappaqua Fire Department, which was “very supportive” and doubtless, not a little surprised, especially when she announced she wanted to drive the fire truck. “That was the only issue,” Cook said, but one she worked hard to overcome by spending many evenings at the firehouse studying every detail of the fire truck.

To sum it all up, Cook added in a humorous vein: “I can stand the heat,” and “I not only can start an oven fire, but I know how to put one out.” Thank goodness for multitasking.

Recipe for True Success
While being a female firefighter is an exciting “ride” and helps the community, another important benefit for Cook is serving as a role model. One day, while driving the fire truck, she overheard a little girl shout, “Look, Mommy, it’s a girl driving the fire truck!” and the mother reply, “You can do that too someday!” It should be obvious by now: Jen Cook also enjoys breaking stereotypes, a trait she credits to her mother, who was the first female EMT in Ossining.

“Having a very independent, courageous and confident mom has been the ultimate gift in my life,” Cook said. “She raised me and my brother, Chris [one year younger] to follow our hearts and dreams. And most importantly, to approach each new task or challenge with the mindset that whether you reach the final goal or not, you’ve just learned something you can take away and build upon.”

This attitude encouraged Cook and her brother to “grab hold of everything we can possibly fit into our lives. This is why I follow my heart with new ideas about how to experience it all.” But “going for the gusto” and breaking stereotypes, as important as they are, still don’t measure up to what Cook considers her supreme calling in life—being able to help people.

“Into Every Life, A Little Rain Must Fall…”
It may be a truism, but every successful person has learned to deal with hardship in some way. Cook said she and her younger brother, Chris, had a wonderful childhood even though her parents divorced when she was 4 years of age, and a few years later, her mother shocked family and friends by revealing that she was a lesbian. “It was not spoken about until my brother and I turned 11 and 12 years old [respectively],” said Cook. “We felt we had to protect Mom from society, but it was not a struggle for us to personally accept her lifestyle choice.” In fact, “we were not traumatized by it except that there was a lack of acceptance by the parents of some of our friends, by the school we attended, and by family members.”

Cook sees the silver lining in that struggle: “Mom’s being ‘different’ was a gift to us in the sense that both Chris and I are not prejudiced and are risk takers.” Learning to adjust to society’s unwelcoming attitude toward her mother and to the feeling of being treated as different helped shape Cook’s outlook: “The world is a much easier place to live and succeed in, if you can accept all people in spite of their differences and try to find the good in everyone.” When turning 16, however, Cook felt so alienated from her parents, especially her father, that she tried to commit suicide. Fortunately, teenagers in a red Ford pick-up truck rescued her from an oncoming train. Eight months in a rehab hospital helped her to deal with her emotional issues, although she angrily told her father, “I never want to see you again!”

“The reason I’m sharing this personal revelation,” Cook said, “is to encourage families, many of whom are struggling with different kinds of issues. Many parents and kids feel alone and keep their struggles bottled up inside like a secret poison that hinders inner healing. Cook believes that many parents and teenagers could be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome due to 9/11: “Teenagers today were in elementary school in 2001. Back then, the sadness could be felt thick as a fog.” Eventually Cook and her father enjoyed a restored relationship: “After a ton of self-reflection and very difficult personal growth on my father’s part and mine, I realized my Dad had been traumatized himself growing up. He needed love and support too, and we healed together.”

A Point of No Return
Cook now has no regrets, except for a tragically major one– August 9, 2007, the day her father, Greg Cook, was killed by a car that drove ten feet down a sidewalk in Chappaqua before hurling him into a nearby glass window.

Just the week before his death, Cook had decided to tell him, “I forgive you, Daddy.” Ironically, they had arranged to meet in town on the very day and at the very spot where he was killed. She also had planned to hug him–“something she hadn’t done since childhood” and now would never get to do. Over 300 people attended Greg Cook’s funeral. “The love and support from not only friends but also strangers gave me the will and determination to remain in town,” Cook said. News of the horrific accident also reached Hillary Clinton, who said it would be a loss to the community if she moved away. “That just really touched my heart!” said Cook, who is still struggling to forgive the driver whose gross miscalculation cost her father’s life and left her and her family devastated by the incalculable loss. Four months later, Cook bought a 1955 Ford pick-up truck, which she still enjoys driving around town. But the truck is more than a novelty: it reminds her of her dramatic rescue when she tried to commit suicide, and is a way to honor her father’s memory: “Dad would always tell me, ‘I really wish people would make eye contact with passersby and smile.’” Now when she drives down the road, everyone looks up at her and smiles at the truck. “I always smile back and think, ‘Dad, they’re finally doing it!’”

Her estrangement and eventual reconciliation with her father taught Cook that “kids can come to understand their parents also have struggles, while parents can realize they’re not alone” in their battles with themselves and their kids. But not being able to hug her father and say she had actually forgiven him is something Jen Cook will always regret.

Blazing New Trails
Thinking about her life, Cook said: “I never want to go through the rough spots of my journey again, but I also can’t imagine who I would be without my past.” Those very experiences–especially how she has handled them–have shaped her life. And her personal tragedy has made her more determined to help people, whether she’s at work or involved with her other pursuits that put her in constant contact with the public.

The Future for Cook
Rumor has it she and her brother want to create a fabulous health drink, an elixir that will help people feel better. The only drawback is the lack of novelty, since Jen Cook is already used to helping people, whether she’s in a red fire truck or her Ford pick-up or using her hands to soothe an aching back or prod some pizza dough.

Vicki de Vries is a freelance writer/editor living in Westchester County and also enjoys teaching writing classes and cooking.

Feed Me Fresh, An Edible Evening

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By Pamela Brown

Healthy, organic, and homegrown is the cornerstone of Feed Me Fresh (FMF), a yearround, garden-to-table, sustainable nutrition program at the Mount Kisco Child Care Center. “People are interested in serving their families fresh food for its nutritional benefits and supporting local farming initiatives. The children at MKCCC are fortunate to be in an environment where we make this possible,” said Dottie Jordan, Executive Director.

Fresh delicious food from local and regional farms takes center stage. At MKCCC’s 6th annual “Feed Me Fresh–an Edible Evening.” The event, taking place September 25th from 6:30-10 p.m. at Ivanna Farms in Bedford Corners and co-chaired by Lauren Schwarzfeld and Lauren Wysmuller, benefits MKCCC’s scholarship program. “It’s a fun night with lots of delicious food, great music, and silent auction. It’s a great way to support the children,” said Jordan.

Seasonal tastings will be offered by chefs from area restaurants, including Cafe of Love, Crabtree’s Kittle House, The Flying Pig on Lexington, Myong Private Label Gourmet, and La Tulipe Desserts. Cynthia Brennan’s Table Market is catering the event. Also, the following are being honored for their commitment to MKCCC: Pam Moskowitz, Volunteer Coordinator; Cynthia and Patrick Brennan, of Katonah; parents and longtime supporters; and Mimi Edelman, of Katonah, organic farmer/educator and FMF creator. Moskowitz feels volunteerism is win/win for both recipients and volunteers. “It’s hugely fulfilling seeing everyone involved walk away enriched for their experiences,” she said.

Established in 1971, MKCCC is a non-profit, non-sectarian child care facility for children, 3 months to 11 years, whose mission is providing safe, ffordable, and exceptional care and education to a diverse group of children of the working families of northern Westchester county. “It’s our deep conviction the Center should maintain a richly diverse population that reflects the makeup of our community in an environment that fosters understanding, cooperation, and tolerance,” said Jordan.

FMH highlights MKCCC’s concern with health and nutrition. “The curriculum couples hands-on farming units with cooking classes based on seasonal offerings from our school-yard gardens,” she said. Daily, children eat fresh, homemade food; families are included through dinner nights, sharing recipes, and garden work. FMF has changed the children’s eating habits.

120 Bridge Work: Hopes High for Completion in 2010

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By Nina Markowitz

The ongoing Chappaqua bridge construction has caused a town full of
headaches. Construction began in late September of 2008 and–with shorts breaks in between for winter and budget concerns–rambles on. New Castle Town Supervisor Barbara Gerrard, who has worked hard to keep the project moving as smoothly as possible, has hope the bridge will be completed soon. “It’s a major project, separating the two parts of town,” Gerrard said. “It’s been under review and consideration for more than ten years.”The careful planning was itself a struggle. With the bridge badly deteriorated, there was no question that it needed a makeover. But the extent of the changes was a cause of much debate.

Chappaqua seemed split in two: the historical group that preferred the bridge as it was, natural charm and stonework preserved; and the second group which called for a practical expansion of the bridge from two lanes to three and complete modernization.

Asthetics aside, the biggest change the bridge will undergo is the addition of a third lane. Gerrard hopes this will reduce traffic in the town dramatically.

“The only way they could build the bridge and [simultaneously] enable it to have two way traffic at all times was to have three lanes,” Gerrard explained. “That way they can be demolishing one lane while the other two were still active.”

Construction–headed by the Conti Group–included demolishing and reconstructing lanes, replacing huge support beams, and placing stones on the retaining walls to maintain the bridge’s charming look. While this seems like a laundry list of giant tasks, Gerrard believes the work is likely to wrap up not too far behind schedule.

“It could conceivably be completed by the end of the construction time for this year, like the end of November of 2010,” she said. “If the weather holds and a lot of other things work out.” The original plan estimated construction to be completed by September 2010, or even earlier. The new, later estimate is due to rainy weather that prevented work on the bridge. By the time the new deadline rolls around, Gerrard hopes the bridge will be smooth and have all three lanes open for use. However, she does acknowledge the possibility of work on the bridge extending into spring.

“We’re hoping it will only be part of the aesthetics, like finishing the stonework,” she said. “There may be lighting fixtures that have to be added. But we’re hoping all the lanes of traffic will be open by the end of this year.”

The issue of the bridge construction has been about more than potholes and weaving through florescent cones. With two thirds of Chappaqua’s population on the side of west side town, and the rest of the population and emergency responders on the east side of town, the bridge acts as an obstacle between them. Increased traffic and lane closures due to construction could possibly delay help from crossing to the other side of town. “It’s a big deal when you can’t get your responders to two thirds of the population,” Gerrard said. The bridge construction also includes adding an additional waterline underneath the bridge. “It would give support if there’s any problem with the waterline over here. There will be a supplemental waterline it
could go to.”

The waterline was paid for by the town of Chappaqua. The bridge, which costs $19 million, was paid 80% by the Federal Government and 20% by the State Government. Data and figures aside, the construction has had very real impacts on the lives of residents.

“[When construction stopped], everyone was forced to drive by the portable walkway as well as the unfinished, unattractive construction site that left one of the busiest intersections in Chappaqua with narrow lanes and heavy traffic,” said lifetime resident Alexandra Ferrari. “Not to mention how that is the first thing people see entering our town.” Maggie Goldberg, who works the counter at Pizza Station located just next to the bridge, commutes to work from Ardsley and drives through the construction twice per day. “It’s pretty bumpy and narrow,” she said. “The sooner they get it finished, the better.”

Nina Markowitz graduated in June from the University of Miami with a degree in International Studies and Print Journalism. An Armonk resident, Nina is moving to Stockholm, Sweden, this fall to work at the American Embassy.