The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

DeCicco’s Supermarket is Coming to Millwood Plaza!

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DeCicco StoreBy Stacey Pfeffer

Residents and merchants alike have been clamoring for a new supermarket in Millwood Plaza ever since A & P declared bankruptcy and closed. The long anticipated wait though will soon be over. DeCicco & Sons., a family-owned supermarket business based in Westchester announced plans earlier this month to open in Millwood Plaza by this winter.

New Castle Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein said he anticipates a December grand opening date. Construction and demolition on the site was visible in July as the new owners began gutting the store and adding new refrigeration systems and environmentally-friendly features.

For months, local residents tried to persuade Trader Joe’s to take over the lease with a petition started on the Chappaqua Moms Facebook page. Greenstein and Town Board member Adam Brodsky played a pivotal role in getting DeCicco & Sons on board, working with Dodd Farber, owner of Dodd’s Liquor City which has been in the Millwood Plaza for 42 years.

Brodsky, who has a background in commercial real estate, conducted extensive market and demographic research along with Greenstein and other board members to identify a supermarket that would be a good fit for Millwood.

“We looked at affluence, population density and educational background within a five-mile radius. We found that Millwood has amazing demographics and so much potential, so much upside that it was an unidentified opportunity,” noted Brodsky. The proximity to Route 100 and the Taconic State Parkway was also a key benefit that “helped us advocate for why DeCicco’s should come here.”

Brodsky and Greenstein did identify other supermarkets such as Trader Joe’s and Balducci’s for the location as well. Overall, they were initially surprised at how responsive the supermarkets were to them. Brodsky said he then took that as “an opportunity to advocate for our community.” Dodd Farber is an Armonk resident who frequents the Armonk DeCicco’s. He approached the DeCicco family at their store in Armonk Square.

Farber felt strongly that the Millwood locale would be a “homerun” for a new DeCicco’s. He felt that the store could be a draw not only for New Castle residents but also ones from Ossining, Croton and Briarcliff. “DeCicco’s has high quality, good selection and great service at a fair price,” commented Farber. “One Sunday I decided to approach the DeCicco family in their store. I told them I have a business in Millwood and that it would be a great place for them to open.”

That Monday morning John DeCicco Jr. and Sr. walked into Dodd’s liquor store and asked [Dodd] if he had an hour. Farber took them around the area in his car and explained the local demographics. “When he [John DeCicco Sr.] got out of my car, he said I think we are going to try to go for it.”

Unique Offerings

DeCicco & Sons operates six other supermarkets in the area, including the Armonk Square location. “We will have similar offerings to our Armonk store and although that store is a little larger we are going to try to maximize the retail space that we have in Millwood,” noted John DeCicco Jr., who manages the Armonk store.

The store will feature a wide selection of produce, organic items, deli, seafood, meats, cheeses and other gourmet and specialty prepared items. Each store though has unique features and this location will incorporate their first sushi bar where customers can sit and watch the fish being prepared by chefs and then eat it on-site. Like the Armonk store but smaller in scope, the Millwood store will also feature a craft beer sampling area and an additional dining area.

Extensive interior renovations are already taking place. “The interior of the store will have a “New England/Nantucket/Cape Cod feel to it to blend into your downtown,” noted John DeCicco Jr. The store will have a new refrigeration system which will be HSF-free with no ozone-depleting materials in it.

If possible, DeCicco Jr. hopes to achieve GreenChill Platinum-level certification by the Environmental Protection Agency for the Millwood store. Their Larchmont store has it and they are currently renovating their Pelham location to obtain the certification. Only 18 supermarkets in the country have earned the GreenChill Platinum certification.

Residents are Ready!

Jon Brolin and his wife Tamara Brolin, nine-year residents of New Castle feel like having A & P closed has hurt the businesses in Millwood Plaza. Mrs. Brolin echoed the sentiments of several residents who now find themselves traveling further afield for grocery shopping. “DeCicco’s will be a big win for us because they have a lot of allergy-free products too which is important for my family,” noted Mrs. Brolin. “I’m very happy to have a high-quality supermarket so close to home. It will be great for the other merchants in this strip to have DeCicco’s as an anchor store,” added Mr. Brolin.

“I think DeCicco’s is going to be a great thing for Millwood and bring people to the area who haven’t been here before. I think it is going to transform and add a lot of value to Millwood,” summed up Brodsky.

Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua. She has written for New York Family Magazine, Kveller.com, Westchester Parent and Inside Armonk. She hopes to be at DeCicco’s on opening day in Millwood and sample some craft beers.

Studio Taps into the Fun & Joy that Dance Brings

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A Visit with ‘Ms. Carol’ and ‘Ms. Dina’ inside Chappaqua’s Dance Emotions Studio

dance emo 1
Ms. Dina (left) & Ms. Carol

By Matt Smith

“Not everybody takes dance to become a dancer–and you don’t have to. [Dancing] is fun and healthy for anyone’s body and mind. If you have the desire within you, you shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Such is the reigning philosophy at Dance Emotions, the Chappaqua-based multi-arts studio nestled on the second floor of a professional building in the center of town. With its wide variety of dance and fitness classes–from Zumba, yoga, barre and core workouts, to tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, etc.–the studio prides itself on its inclusivity, opening its classes up to people of all ages, regardless of ability. “[We feel] that everyone is important, and we’re here to give everybody the equal opportunity to develop their skills,” emphasizes Carol Mamara, known affectionately as ‘Ms. Carol’ to students and alumni, and who founded the studio over 30 years ago. “[We’re] a very loving, caring, and accepting place.”

A dancer herself, Mamara trained under ballerina Nina Tinova and famed tap dancer Charles Lowe, to name a few, before heading onto the June Taylor School of Dance and continuing with jazz great Frank Hatchett, among others. She also performed on TV and at such esteemed venues as Carnegie Hall and the Broadway Dance Center.

After moving to the suburbs to raise her family (and while on the Board of the Westchester Dance Council), Mamara sought to create her own company as a way to “bring the professionalism of New York City to Westchester.” She began at a studio in lower Westchester, but felt compelled to move to Chappaqua as “I felt at home here.” Lucky for her, her students felt the same way, and followed her uptown. (“I even had a couple of families who ended up moving into the area,” she laughs.)

Warren Rosenberg Photo
Warren Rosenberg Photo

“We’re a family place,” Mamara reiterates–and she means that in the fullest sense of the phrase. She caught the bug from her mother, and has successfully passed it on to daughter Dina Michelle, who heads the studio’s Community Outreach division. Hoping Dina will eventually bring in the next generation, Mamara’s happy to report that several alumni have followed suit with their kids: “We have moms that we taught when they were kids [who] are now bringing their daughters and sons to us,” she explains.

And why shouldn’t they? They’ve already experienced everything Dance Emotions has to offer! In addition to the aforementioned programming, dancers perform at a variety of county-wide events and several off-site community centers throughout the year, including BOCES, school enrichment programs, the JCC, and Cerebral Palsy of Westchester. Regional and national competitions round out the season at large, which culminates in an collaborative end-of-year show held in June. And don’t forget The Nutcracker, presented in part by Impact Dance Company, their non-profit organization, and performed with live accompaniment from The Chappaqua Orchestra.

There’s also the fact that several alumni have gone on to prestigious careers in the dance and performing arts fields, appearing in worldwide dance companies, music videos, tours, TV commercials, and even on Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance–which, of course, make Ms. Carol and Ms. Dina very proud.

They also take pride in knowing they helped get the students there, and are equally affected when the students recognize them for that. “All our alumni–and even our current students–say to us, ‘If it wasn’t for you and Dance Emotions, [I wouldn’t have] the confidence in myself to do these things,’” shares Mamara.

These “things” in question are, of course, social skills and self-esteem. “You can walk into a room and just feel good about yourself,” states Mamara. It’s exactly this strong and healthy sense of self Mamara aimed to tap into when she first opened the company.

“The studio is called ‘Dance Emotions’ for a reason,” she explains. “There are many emotions in dance.” Mamara’s very happy to know that students walk away having experienced each of them.

And what does Mamara consider the most rewarding news to receive from an alum? “That they [now] use dance as a stress reliever! It’s not a job; it’s just fun.”

Of course, whether the students and their families know it or not, that rewarding feeling is reciprocated: “I feel honored for them to be trusting us,” notes Dina.

Likewise, Mamara wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s my calling in life,” she says, with a smile. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity of having the world of dance opened to me. If I can be instrumental in bringing this joy, fun, and happiness to others,” she concludes, “I’ll consider myself a lucky girl.” There’s no doubt she has.

Dance Emotions is located on the second floor of 75 South Greeley Avenue. For information on programs and performances, please visit www.danceemotions.net

Matt Smith is a writer and regular contributor to the Inside Press. For further information or inquiry, please visit www.mattsmiththeatre.com.

Deborah Lea Cohen Photos
Deborah Lea Cohen Photos
Deborah Lea Cohen Photos
Deborah Lea Cohen Photos

Oak Lane Sets the Bar High for Local Child Care Centers

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Oak Lane teachers and staff enjoying an evening out at this summer at a Sparkle for a Cause fundraiser at Crabtree’s Kittle House. Staff attending
Oak Lane teachers and staff enjoying an evening out at this summer at a Sparkle for a Cause fundraiser at Crabtree’s Kittle House. Staff attending

Article and Photos By Justin Ellick

As someone who attended Oak Lane as a young child, learning the details about this stellar child care center doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all. My mother (Adina Olin of Chappaqua) worked extremely hard, stressful hours, sometimes not returning home until seven or eight o’clock at night. I often heard from her that Oak Lane’s flexibility and family-like atmosphere allowed her to relax on the job and not have to worry about my safety or getting me home at a particular time.

“I needed long days. If I ever needed to leave you there past ‘hours,’ it was never a problem. The teachers even insisted,” my mom said. “It wasn’t just a place to go that had a babysitter, they were extremely interactive”, she continued. “The place was always immaculate, very personal. It always felt like home.”

With a year-round program, the Center allows working parents to leave their children in trustworthy hands virtually at any time.

Founded in 1972, Oak Lane Child Care Center began as a small community of families and staff that worked tirelessly together to create an environment for local children that working parents could trust. When they moved into their current home in Chappaqua in 1982, it quickly became the go-to childcare and pre-school center for working parents throughout the community.

As early as 1990, the Center became the first childcare center in the area to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Among other things, the NAEYC requires a certain level of education among the staff at the centers they accredit. Consequently, all of Oak Lane’s head teachers have at least a Master’s degree, while assistants must have at least an undergraduate degree to work at the Center. This allows the staff to create a well-planned, developmentally appropriate program that highlights convictions about community, preferences, equality and fairness. These types of programs allow the staff to effectively address each child’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive needs. Additionally, teachers at Oak Lane tend to find a home when it comes to a suitable place to work.

“One of the knocks on child care is that there’s always this great staff turnover, and Oak Lane doesn’t have that,” said Executive Director Ronnie Weinberger. “Besides being a wonderful place for children and families, it’s also a great place for people to work.”

Staff attending Community Day, 2015
Staff attending Community Day, 2015
A not-for-profit childcare center, Oak Lane serves children from 18 months to five years old. When it comes to the reliability of the center, Oak Lane can’t be beat.

“From September to June is an academic schedule. And the, from the end of June to August we turn it into a summer program,”continued Weinberger. “We provide care for working families that starts as early as 7 a.m. and we stay open as late as 6 p.m.”

Working parents can relax at their respective occupations while their children are in more than safe hands up until the point they get off from work. This again plays into the willingness and dedication of the staff at Oak Lane to really nurture each and every child and make them feel as comfortable as possible without their guardians present, which can sometimes be an extremely difficult thing to do.

The uniqueness and willingness of Oak Lane has been a staple in our community for at least the past 20 years; I’m glad that I can help them gain the recognition they deserve for the enormous impact they have on the youth here in Chappaqua.

Greeley grad Justin Ellick, a sophomore Media and Communications Major at Ursinus College in Philadelphia, is an intern for Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines this summer.

Exceptional People: A New, New Castle Committee Formed to Address Special Needs

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A New, New Castle Committee Formed to Address Special Needs

Kevin O’Brien
Kevin O’Brien
By Heather Skolnick

The Census Bureau estimated in 2010 that 19% of the United States population has a disability. That’s approximately one in five. That means in a group of five friends, one of them may have a disability. In a classroom with 20 students, four may have a disability. While the definition of disability may be broad, the prevalence of it in the United States is incredible.

National statistics on those with a disability are alarming. Those with a disability are significantly less likely to earn their high school diploma. They also earn far less than their same age peers, and are far more likely to be living in poverty.

To support our neighbors in our community with disabilities, in 2015, the town of New Castle formed the New Castle Exceptional People Committee. According to Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein, its mission is to “report and make recommendations to the Town Board on the concerns of the Town’s special needs residents, provide updates on the Americans with Disabilities Act, and disseminate information on the Town’s recreational, educational and social programming for all age groups of residents with special needs.

The Committee will focus its efforts on organized recreational, educational, social and skill-building activities and work to raise general awareness about the needs and rights of persons with disabilities.”

Thus far in 2016, nine members were appointed and a round table session was held to discuss employment opportunities for people with special needs. The committee meets a few times a month and discusses the things they would like to accomplish. The Committee includes people who have disabilities themselves as well as those who have a friend or family member who does.

I met with Kevin O’Brien, one of the appointed members of the Committee. Kevin is the youngest member of the committee and has special needs. At 19, he brings a unique perspective and represents the young adult population. Kevin is very passionate about the New Castle Exceptional People Committee. He said, “It offers me a good way to express my ideas and suggest strategies for people with different disabilities that we think can make their future better.”

Kevin’s ideas span the gamut, from social to physical to philanthropic activities. Kevin would love local opportunities to be social, in a way that is comfortable to him and people like him. He is, after all, a teenager, and would like to be with peers and have fun! He has organized his ideas into two categories. The first encompasses exercise and nature. He suggests organized bike rides, hikes, bird watching. Another idea is watching sports, but for those with sensory issues, all buzzers, loud noises and flashing lights eliminated. he second category includes ways to be a part of the community. He suggests book discussion groups, art and music classes.

Kevin also suggested a Habitat for Humanity project that is specific to the Special Needs community and their abilities. These are all things that New Castle currently offers for the general population, but Kevin suggests separate instances with modifications as needed.

Kevin recently graduated from high school and will soon be looking for a first job that suits his skill set and meets his interests while accommodating his special needs. This is an area the committee will continue to address–how to ensure that the special needs community has the necessary job skills to get and maintain a job as well as how to find an appropriate position. Perhaps someone reading this very article knows of something that would be a good fit for Kevin!

A recent post on Facebook’s Chappaqua Moms group by one of the members let the community know of the group’s existence with the intent of identifying more of the Special Needs community. The group wants to be sure that they truly are serving the wishes of the community that spans young and old, with various disabilities. The need is clear for a group such as this one and there is no doubt that they will accomplish much if my conversation with Kevin is any indicator.

When I initially reached out to Kevin via email, he responded, “I am so inspired by the town‘s responsiveness to the concerns of people with disabilities.” But it is I who is inspired by him and his passion for making this town a better place for those with a disability.

Heather Skolnick and her husband Neal  have three young children. They have been New Castle residents for ten years. When Heather isn’t writing articles, she works for a footwear company as their Director of Planning.

Say No to Plastic, YES to Reusable

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It will be the law soon in New Castle anyway!

Photo from cawrecycle.org
Photo from cawrecycle.org
By Matt Smith

“One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

These, of course, were the famous words spoken by astronaut Neil Armstrong to mark the momentous occasion of the first moon landing–no doubt, also a personal feat for Armstrong himself. While New Castle residents have yet to journey beyond our planet (if you have, please step forward), a landmark May 31 passing of the New Castle Reusable Bag Initiative–which officially identified our town as the first municipality in the state to pass such a law–constitutes a giant leap too, at least at the local level.

The ordinance, which will officially go into effect on January 1, 2017, will limit the number of single-use plastic shopping bags in a variety of local businesses, encouraging patrons to instead bring their own reusable bag when shopping.

The greenlight comes after an in-depth, two-year study of bag laws in towns across the country, and an equally-lengthy deliberation process, in which Sustainability Advisory Board members worked hard to devise a law that aimed to maximize protection of the environment, while still benefitting local businesses.

Following an additional deliberation period, which included reviewing the law with merchants and residents, getting petitions signed, answering questions, and responding to overall feedback, the final law written by SAB member and RBI initiative leader Jennifer Mebes Flagg, and then, of course, ultimately passed. Needless to say, it’s a decision with which the Town Board is incredibly proud.

“I ran for this position to make a difference,” says Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein, on the subject, “and I feel that by passing this initiative, we have done just that.” In addition, Chairman of New Castle’s Sustainability Advisory Board Steven Wolk praises both the “incredibly supportive” residents of New Castle and the “tireless commitment” of the Town Board, stating that, in passing the law, “[Our] message is clear: [The well-being] of our environment, and ultimately the health of our children, is worth giving up a small amount of convenience.”

Free Bags at First

But any big transition comes with a period of adjustment, and the Board is prepared to handle such circumstances. To ease customers into the change, “We’ll distribute free reusable bags at first,” explains Greenstein, “but the goal is that hopefully, there will be a shift and shoppers will either bring bags on their own, or recognize that a bag may not even be needed.”

As a convenient alternative, stores will offer up paper bags…but in keeping with the effort to be environmentally-friendly and encourage reusable bag use, since paper bags are also highly polluting, they’ll come with a 10-cent charge (kept by the stores to offset the cost of acquiring such bags).

Greenstein, who adds that the change will most impact “the biggest providers of plastic bags” in the area, including Rite Aid, Walgreens, Chappaqua Village Market, and both the incoming DeCicco & Sons (Millwood) and Whole Foods Market (Chappaqua), notes that this ten-cent bag fee will be waived for businesses that mayoffer decorative paper bags for branding purposes.

“I understand the importance for small businesses like gift shops and jewelry stores to have nice paper bags with their name and their logo on it, [and] a design,” he explains. “We tried to respect their right to continue to do that, without having to [charge a fee].”

Additionally, due to the nature of the product and the necessity of the plastic bag, the ordinance would neither affect nor apply to bags for meat and produce, newspapers, or dry cleaning.

No Plastic Bags at All

But for all businesses, plastic shopping bags will be banned entirely. And while some New Castle residents are quick to express dismay, Greenstein urges those opposed to see the positive effects of the decision: “The evidence is overwhelming that this will have a positive impact on the environment.”

Indeed, it’s true. Plastic bags “contribute to climate change, harm our health, and pollute our streets and waterways,” says Wolk. “The problems translate into a giant tax on all residents.” Prohibiting plastic bags would tremendously decrease all these negative impacts.

Furthermore, in the economic sense, “Most people are not going to want to go to Walgreens and pay ten cents every time,” notes Greenstein. “[With this initiative], not only are our residents preserving the environment, but they’re also saving money.”