This gorgeous bouquet created by Whispering Pines in 2012 helped lend an additional festive feeling to a most memorable 10th year anniversary milestone party for The Inside Press that was celebrated with a couple hundred guests at Crabtree’s Kittle House. Owner Beth Kuck-Hundgen playfully included the publisher’s 10th year anniversary cover in the vase too.
From Cabin Fever to Spring Fever
Woman Discovers What Kind of Chair She is
By Janine Crowley Haynes
Ah…spring is finally here, but there’s no denying it was one heck of a cold and lonely winter. However, with the help of social media, I survived. Uploading TGIF photos of my dog wearing a Hawaiian lei propped up by a pink mai tai helped to temper my cabin fever. Also, I took up coloring again…as in…coloring in a coloring book. It’s only the first paragraph, so please don’t judge me quite yet.
I know I was not alone in my innocuous endeavors to maintain sanity. Last winter, I noticed a strong uptick of social media postings of crazy cat videos and unlikely interspecies alliances. The Youtube video of the cockatoo feeding individual strands of spaghetti to his canine companion is, not only adorbs, but a metaphorical template for ending world hunger. Also, tagging and sharing anything wine-related was considered a lifesaving ritual that friends did for one another. You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy wine was more than just a platitude; it was a public service announcement for the online adult community. I discovered that the Roman god of wine, Bacchus, is alive, well, and on the internet engineering kitchen faucets flowing with fruity, full-bodied pinot noirs. Now there’s a jobs program. We can build it. We have the technology. Let’s get to work, America.
But nothing kept away my winter blues quite like sipping and clicking. That is, sipping hot cocoa and clicking on the latest online quiz. My index finger robotically clicked on teasers like Let’s Play! and Take this Quiz!.…I mean, come on, who doesn’t want to know what kind of dog they’d be? Most of my friends are golden retrievers and German shepherds. I happen to be a husky, playful but tends to disappear for days at a time. Days is an understatement–I disappeared for an entire winter. I burrowed beneath the frozen layers of snow and nestled warmly in the cyber bosom of self-discovery. I suckled on the teet of BuzzFeed and PlayBuzz quizzes till my belly was full and my mind ripe with fantastical notions of who I really am.
Who knew the definition of an alternative lifestyle could be extended to life as an inanimate object? Isn’t everyone just the slightest bit curious about what piece of furniture they’d be? I’m an upholstered wingback armchair. Translation: I’m comfortably sophisticated and often found next to fireplaces. This is how I project myself in the world. It pleases me to know I’m not a beer-stained barcalounger with mystery meat rotting beneath my cushions, begging the question, “Dude, what’s that smell?” Ahem…FYI, I’ve been tested and actually smell like lavender which makes people feel relaxed in my presence. This is consistent with my purple aura results. Defining myself by my hue is not shallow–it’s cool and pairs nicely with my hippie name, Blossom, and my musical note, G.
Interestingly, from the countless hours of quiz taking, a pattern definitely emerged. A pattern of relaxed sophistication, and I’m comfortable with that label. Speaking of labels, PlayBuzz told me if I were a suit, I’d be Jennifer Aniston’s Gucci scarlet red tuxedo–shirt optional. This is serendipitous because I also got Rachel in Which Friends Character Are You? quiz…and…and…I scored Bradley Cooper as a celebrity husband, who was Jen’s onscreen hubby in the movie He’s Just Not That Into You….Crazy, right? Not me, silly, my results. Coincidence? I think not. Jen and I are practically twins.
Sure, I could’ve spent the winter baking decadent red velvet cupcakes, which PlayBuzz reveals is my confectionery makeup, but nothing fed my soul quite like esteem-building scrumptious morsels of self-discovery. The brilliance of these quizzes is that you can never really be wrong, only alike or unalike from your friends’ results. For example, invisibility and flying–both awesome superpowers, just different. Cinderella and Elsa–equally respectable Disney princesses, just different journeys.
So, I’d say this winter, albeit long, was kind of a productive cerebral season for me. I’ve come away with plenty of insights, at least, enough to write this bizarro essay. Now that it’s spring, I can head back into the woods for my daily walks fully aware of what kind of woodland creature I’d be. After reading this, you might be thinking I’m a real piece of work, and you’d be correct. I happen to be the famous painting At the Moulin Rouge because, like Toulouse-Lautrec, I seek out alternative crowds and, apparently, alternative thinking. What piece of work are you? Go to PlayBuzz and take the quiz!
Janine Crowley Haynes is the author of My Kind of Crazy–Living in a Bipolar World.
Getting to Know Georgia Hobaica Frasch
A Chappaqua Mom Extraordinaire!
By Grace Bennett
When Georgia Hobaica Frasch (friends call her Georgie) arrived in Chappaqua eight years ago, she could not have predicted that, fast forward three years, she would be so heavily involved with a powerfully influential social media platform (now over 5,000 members strong) that has been all the rage in New Castle: Chappaqua Moms on Facebook!
Georgia, and her husband Ron Frasch, a former President of Saks Fifth Avenue and CEO of Bergdorf Goodman’s, arrived here for the same reasons so many of us do: they viewed Chappaqua as a wonderful place to raise a new family, and they prepared to take advantage of our highly ranked schools and all the natural beauty this town has to offer.
And it is here that the couple has been happily raising twins: Honor, a 5th grader at Bell, Christian, a 5th grader at the Windward School in White Plains; and Gracie Bea., a second grader at Roaring Brook. The most recent adorable addition, Buster, a mini goldendoodle puppy greeted me too, wagging his tail happily from inside his crate.
While their house hunting began in Greenwich, the couple shifted their sights to Chappaqua, after falling in love with a 1902 Center Hall Colonial on Hardscrabble Road, a home they have lovingly and completely refurbished, including restoring an original, stone chapel in the backyard–and in 2013, adding a jewel of a pool. Their quaint and welcoming but meticulously restored home has since been featured in a New Castle House Tour by the New Castle Historical Society, and Georgia has added membership on the board of the NCHS to an impressive list of volunteer activities. “I have a million ideas for ways to promote local music, art and history,” she excitedly shared.
Indeed, what emerged most from meeting Georgia is that while many of you may know her best as the lady who so diplomatically manages so much of the chatter on Chappaqua Moms–the page originally founded by professional photographer and Chappaqua Mom Julie Scott–there is way more to Georgia than her role with Chappaqua Moms. The same combination of TLC and professionalism she displays on a Facebook page is in full swing elsewhere too.
But first, there are humble beginnings to note…underpinnings of the seemingly storybook life Georgia leads today. Her early life experiences shaped her deeply ingrained work ethic and also a profound sense of appreciation for everything she enjoys today. That is as true for her as it is for her husband Ron too, she related. “I pinch myself every day. I never lose sight of the fact that I’ve been blessed to have everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m so content,” she said. “Ron and I both come from similar backgrounds and feel honored to be able to give back to the community”
For Georgia, giving back has been an exercise of offering her time toward what she is most passionate about. Music, and specifically a love for Bach, ranks as #1. “I studied piano as a child and classical music really spoke to me, especially Bach,” said Georgia, who, after ten years on the board, is now Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the prestigious Orchestra of St. Luke’s–the orchestra that is in residency at Carnegie Hall and the Morgan Library from fall to spring, and every summer at Caramoor.
She is also on the advisory board of the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee and on the Board of Directors for The Bach Vespers in New York City.
Georgia was born in Utica, New York, in 1962. Her parents were both first generation Lebanese. The family struggled for a time while her father went to dental school (thanks to the provisions of a GI Bill) and her mother raised Georgia, the eldest of three children. She describes jobs cleaning homes in Utica at age 12 to start saving money for college. “I had three or four houses I cleaned. I did what I had to do. I raked leaves too and sold Christmas cards door to door.” Georgia was also a bright, diligent student. And in high school, she studied Italian for all four years.
With a proficiency in Italian, she was off to enjoy a three-month exchange program “all over” Italy immediately post high school. Soon, Georgia (while working full time at Barney’s) attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and graduated in 1982. Her next plan was to attend Boston University to study art history. She never made it to B.U., she explained, after being approached by Zanella, the Italian men’s clothing company, to help them develop a fledgling women’s wear line. (They were impressed by her Italian language skills!) The only caveat was “that I’d have to be available to travel every six weeks to Italy.”
“I was having doubts about art history, and wondering how I would parlay that into making more money to support myself,” she said. Accepting the job offer, Georgia began to lay the groundwork for a highly successful career in the merchandising and production of Italian luxury goods.
Early on, at Zanella, Georgia met her first husband from Stockholm, a marriage that lasted three years. Between that time and when she met Ron, Georgia described a “Sex in the City” single-woman lifestyle, living in several Italian cities: “I dated but I also had a knack for staying friends with most of the men I went out with- some are still my closest friends!”
At the same time, Georgia’s career catapulted her to roles at different Italian wear companies, and she continued to grow professionally–first at Malo (an eight year position running their women’s cashmere division in Florence) and finally at the famed Rebecca Moses, north of Milan.
While at Rebecca Moses, Georgia met Ron Frasch (but not for the first time), at the Principe Hotel in Milan; they were both there for the Italian fashion shows. He was with his people and Georgia was with hers. The encounter was professional: “In fact, I had been keeping a clipping folder on Ron since my days back at Zanella,” she recalls. Following one meeting in which Ron was clearly harboring a secret crush, a date followed at Calle Ocho in NYC. “We had such a great time, and discovered we were both from upstate. We laughed our heads off; I thought he was a wonderful man but that maybe I could set him up with an older and beautiful woman I knew.”
She continued, “I didn’t think of him as a candidate. I was 38 and he was 53. I still wanted kids; he already had grown children!” (Ron’s kids from his first marriage are Nicholas, who lives in New Mexico, and Laura, outside of Atlanta.) A cat and mouse game ensued for weeks as Georgia did possess a clear “sense that he liked me.”
“Ron was everything I was looking for but we seemed to be in different places in our lives.” Ron wasn’t letting this one go without a fight, however. On Bleeker Street, over another date at Da Silvano–a hot spot of “who’s who in the fashion world”–the two kept comically being interrupted by fashion celebrity figures.
“Just as Ron was getting confessional, Calvin Klein came over to our table, and then the fashion director of Bloomingdales. Finally, Ron found a quiet, intimate moment in which to say to Georgia that he thought we made a “great couple” and would make “even better parents!” Basically, Ron Frasch made crystal clear to Georgia that he was open to having more children. “We quickly fell head over heels, crazy in love, and went off for a magical year of travel, south of France, Capri, Portofino…
That these love birds eventually found their way to raising three children in Chappaqua in recent years has proved to be a boon to the community at large.
In 2008, Chappaqua-based photographer Julie Scott, then a parent of preschoolers, decided that a “Chappaqua Moms” page on Facebook would foster a much-needed sense of community. And not only as a place to exchange tips for travel or find a referral to a good plumber.
“In dire circumstances, especially, such as Hurricane Sandy and the recent Metro North tragedy, it has been an incredible tool.” Over time, Julie tapped Georgia for help with the page. “She was very encouraging and supportive of me and has become a great friend too,” Julie explained.
“Georgia puts so much of her time into it, and I applaud her efforts. Three years ago, after Sandy hit, Georgia said they thought it would be good to “open the group to other towns to share information and resources,” and membership then quickly exploded.
So, of course, I had to ask: “With all you do, Georgia, why are you taking the time to manage Chappaqua Moms?” She was very prepared to share her reasons:
“I view it as a civic obligation to the community.”
“I enjoy it.”
“I enjoy seeing people come together for the greater good.”
“I feel satisfied and fulfilled to be part of that process.”
“I am proud of the many philanthropic and kind people in this community. When a call to arms is raised, we come together: whether it is helping a family forced out of a home on account of a fire, or helping to find transport for a mom going through chemo, or creating meal trains for people who are ill or otherwise challenged. We have collected eyeglasses for third world countries and bundles and bundles of clothing.”
What have you learned, I asked. Georgia is unequivocal when she states that she believes in the goodness of everyone. “If people are given a chance to do good, they will. Chappaqua Moms offers that platform. I am very proud to be part of a virtual Main Street USA that connects people in the community.
It is not without its issues.
The exchanges can create a guise of intimacy that can be somewhat false, Georgia offered gently. “People write things they might say to a friend but forget it is being broadcast to 5,000 people.”
“Sometimes, comments exceed the boundaries of graciousness and good manners,” she adds too, with a wink.
“I give everyone the benefit of the doubt, however; I’m not Judge Judy; I don’t want to act as the arbiter of what is polite and what’s not. But I draw the line if there is character assassination, name calling and business bashing. I’ll private message the offender first with a heads up.”
By and large, the greater good far outweighs the occasional conflict. “It’s a wonderful group of people. We support our local moms and help get the word out about who we are and what we can do for each other and the community.”
Grace Bennett, publisher and editor of Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines, has gotten great story tips “listening to Chappaqua Moms talk” and appreciates the opportunity to share Inside Press posts with this virtual community.
No Place Like Home for World Traveler Varda Singer
By Jennifer Leventhal • Melani Lust Photos
“My home is my sanctuary,” says ICD owner and Chappaqua Mom Varda Singer. Nestled in a tranquil, wooded neighborhood, Varda and Roy’s (husband Dr. Elliot Roy Singer is known as Roy) stylish, contemporary home is filled with the treasures collected from all over the world. “I love to travel and I love to be in our store, but when I come home and open the door, all the stresses of the outside world fade away, because I am surrounded by so many of my favorite things.”
Indeed, her collections are museum quality. Richly hued Roman glass, a magnificent iron Tree of Life sculpture from India, bronze sculptures from Vietnam, tribal art from Papua New Guinea, and ancient coins made of 22-karat gold and natural pearls. Scattered casually amid the beautiful bounty are small, signed photographs of her with several past presidents and dignitaries. They are not blown up and framed; they are just modestly part of Singer’s everyday surroundings.
ICD’s motto, “Timeless Elegance,” suits Varda Singer perfectly. She is both glamorous and down-to-earth. While she exudes a worldly confidence, she is also a warm and approachable mother and grandmother. And just as her Feng Shui designed home is a perfect backdrop for her art collections, her luxurious neutral dresses and suits are a fitting canvas for her own favorite pieces of jewelry. “I personally love the warmth of high karat gold jewelry, 18-karat and 22-karat gold, with special detailing and granulation,” Singer says, “I also love South Sea pearls. My favorite pieces are very organic and interesting, and those that tell a story.”
40 Years in Chappaqua
Singer and ICD have been part of the Chappaqua community for nearly 40 years. She was born in Israel, the daughter of a prominent diamond merchant. After serving in the Israeli army, she came to the United States to attend Columbia University, and then she began her career as a jeweler. In Chappaqua, she raised two children who attended Grafflin, Bell, and Horace Greeley High School. They are grown now, but live in Manhattan, so she is able to see them often and to spend time with her four beloved grandchildren, as well.
Now that Singer’s children are grown, she can say with confidence that, “A mom is a mom forever. Your children depend on you whether they’re three-years-old or 40-years-old. It’s great to now be able to communicate and consult with my children in more of a friendship role. For me, the feelings and experiences you gain from being a mother cannot compare or compete with any feelings or experiences in your other relationships.”
Earlier in her career, the balance of raising a family and running a successful business was a bit more challenging, and Singer suffered the same moments of guilt as most working mothers.
“There were some times when my children were younger that I was worried because I couldn’t be two places at one time. I think that all mothers struggle a bit with some guilt or questioning of this balance,” she says. “When my daughter was in college, I asked her if she ever felt I should have spent more time at home when she was growing up, and she replied, ‘No, mom, I felt that the quality of the time you spent with us was so wonderful, and you were a great role model to me as a working mother. I wouldn’t have wanted you to do it any other way.’ Now, she is a successful working mother, and I’m so proud to watch her balance it so well.”
Singer’s strong relationships with her extended family still create an important balance in her life as a business owner. “I carry these family values with me into the store,” she says, “which I hope creates an environment that is very warm and very welcoming.” Both clients and staff feel that sense of family.
When the February 3rd Metro North train accident took the lives of four members of the Chappaqua community, including ICD employee Ellen Brody, the outpouring of grief and love and support for the business was enormous. “Ellen was one of us, and she had a heart of gold,” says Virginia Shasha, ICD Director of Private Sales.
“We are absolutely heartbroken, but we are not only heartbroken because of Ellen. We grieve all of the losses that our community has suffered. We grieve for all of the victims and their families, and we grieve along with everyone else in Chappaqua.”
Respecting Values
The people of Chappaqua mean a lot to ICD and to Singer. Her clients are her neighbors. “I’ve had the privilege of working with several generations of families,” she says. “Their values have stayed constant, but the trends in fine jewelry have changed a bit over the years. When we first opened, the jewelry was chunkier and heavier, but today it’s more streamlined and wearable with an active lifestyle. But it’s still always classic and meaningful.”
Singer enjoys getting to know the younger generation of Chappaqua Moms. “So many of the moms in town today are professional women–whether or not they are taking some time off to raise their children,” she says. “The women who shop in Chappaqua are very worldly, intelligent, and stylish. They are fun to be with and to create pieces for.”
Custom design is a big part of ICD’s business, and Singer herself designs more than half of those pieces. She travels the world to find the very best diamonds, gemstones and South Sea pearls. “We’re doing more and more redesigning of pieces clients already own. We work with them to recreate outdated or inherited heirlooms into fresh, new, wearable works of art.”
Over the years, Singer has shared with her clients her philosophy that there is so much more to a special piece of jewelry than just the intrinsic value of the gold or the gemstones. “People today are looking for more meaning in the jewelry they wear,” she says. “They want their jewelry to be timeless and beautiful, of course, but also to bring good luck, good memories, and good Karma.”
Amy Knox of Millwood recently had the opportunity to work with Singer on a meaningful piece of jewelry. “The necklace I made with Varda was something I dreamed about for many years. Her enthusiasm for the design and truly understanding what it meant to me is what made it so special. Making a custom piece requires many steps, and Varda did all of the legwork for me and kept it fun along the way. I agree with Varda that jewelry should have meaning, whether it’s to mark a milestone or elicit a great memory. Her passion for this makes me want to work with her again when I am lucky enough to buy or design something new.
A Very Special Client
While all of Singer’s clients are important to her, she has particularly enjoyed working with President Clinton on creating custom fine jewelry for his wife, Hillary. “A couple of years ago, President Clinton brought me a gorgeous Tanzanite that he had selected and purchased in Africa, and together we designed spectacular statement ring for his wife. Then last year, we worked together to create a special bracelet for her to commemorate their new granddaughter.”
Jennifer Leventhal is a former lifestyle and fine jewelry editor. Her current venture, with partner Rachel Rader, is By the Book Fundraising, a marketing and book production company that helps non-profit organizations create meaningful fundraising tools that tell stories that donors can actually hold in their hands.
The Gift of Dance
By Ellen Bachner Greenberg
Becoming a Bat Mitzvah signifies a girl’s transition from childhood to Jewish adulthood. Preparation for this milestone event includes learning the responsibilities of Jewish religious rituals and commandments, and embracing the importance of doing good deeds. Typically, students experience the Jewish obligation to help others through initiatives known as Mitzvah Projects. While synagogues and agencies often have lists of suggested projects that students can choose from, many students opt, instead, to create their own project.
Twelve year old Arielle Levy instinctively knew that the most meaningful way for her to give back to others was to incorporate her passion for dance into her Mitzvah Project. A student at Armonk Center for Dance since she was three years old, Arielle broached the subject of sharing dance with developmentally disabled children with her mentors there. The Center introduced her to the Steffi Nossen School of Dance, with two studios in White Plains and a program in Chappaqua, and to the Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation which furthers the school’s commitment to serving populations that are underserved or have special needs through various outreach programs. Arielle requested an interview and was subsequently offered the opportunity to serve as a Volunteer last summer at Moving Wheels and Heels, Nossen’s camp-like program for children with special needs.
Each and every day that she volunteered at the Moving Wheels and Heels program, Arielle lived by Steffi Nossen’s philosophy that “anybody can dance and everyone should.” She brought her love of dance to the program and, through her warmth, smiles, and sincerity, enriched the lives of the children she worked with. Her hands-on approach to giving back clearly demonstrates kindness, compassion and a commitment to bringing enjoyment to the lives of those less privileged and/or disadvantaged. “It’s important in our busy lives to stop and be thankful for what we have and realize what others don’t have and to also take responsibility to help those who are not as fortunate,” says Arielle.
Many other twelve years olds might have felt that their Mitzvah project was completed when the summer program ended, but not Arielle Levy. She so loved seeing the joy that dance brought to the children at Moving Wheels and Heels that she wanted to give the gift of dance to other special needs children too. Arielle turned her passion into action and requested that, in lieu of Bat Mitzvah gifts, her guests donate the money they would have spent on a present to the Steffi Nossen Foundation’s Moving Wheels and Heels program. When asked why she did not want gifts, Arielle thoughtfully replied, “The gift I received is knowing that other children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to dance now do.”
Judith G. Ross, Community Relations Director at Steffi Nossen School of Dance, watched Arielle interact with the campers and remarked,
“Arielle’s empathy and sensitivity to people with special needs is way beyond her years. She, in particular, is such a young person to be so comfortable around people with special needs.”
Perhaps this is partly her nature, partly her nurturing family’s values. Arielle’s mother, Julie Levy, explained that being philanthropic and compassionate are values she and her husband, Jerry, have instilled in their family. “Philanthropy is not just about giving money –it is about something that is in your heart. I grew up in a family that was very philanthropic and my husband is very philanthropic–that’s what our children know.”
Arielle’s Bat Mitzvah was held last October and, while the celebration of accepting the responsibilities of becoming a Jewish adult is over, the impact of her philanthropy will continue for a long time. Recognized “for her generosity of spirit and selflessness in giving to the Steffi Nossen Foundation Moving Wheels and Heels adaptive dance program”, Arielle was invited to and honored at the Foundation’s March Benefit.
As a direct result of the donations received on Arielle’s behalf, there will be many more opportunities in Westchester for the underserved and those with disabilities to, as Judith Ross stated, “enjoy the same dance and movement opportunity as their typical peers.” Initiatives include a substantial financial aid package for the Moving Wheels and Heels summer program to anyone in need for the next two years. In addition, four new programs will be offered at no charge throughout Westchester: classes for 64 students at the Cerebral Palsy School of Westchester; a series of classes at Burke Rehabilitation Center for Young Parkinson’s group; a summer dance program for 65 children through the Yonkers Park and Recreation Department; and a newly created Moving Wheels and Heels program in Chappaqua.
Through her commitment, kindness, and generosity, Arielle has illuminated the lives of the less fortunate by giving them the gift of dance. She feels blessed to have received as much as she gave, and is looking forward to volunteering again this summer; Steffi Nossen is delighted to have her back.
Ellen Bachner Greenberg, a lifelong resident of Westchester, is a certified Parenting & Family Life Coach. Ellen can be contacted at ebg0516@aol.com
