The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

Sheep to Shawl: Philipsburg Manor Event in Sleepy Hollow POSTPONED

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EDITOR’S NOTE:  Please note that all of the Garden Conservancy Open Days have been canceled up through Mother’s Day at this point.

The Sleepy Hollow’s Philipsburg Manor for Sheep-to-Shawl event originally scheduled for April 18 and 19 had planned to include on-site activities include crafts for children, including a giant 20-foot diameter weaving project.  Fashionista visitors can check out Project Colonial Runway all while tapping their feet to a live bluegrass band.

Visitors to this event will be invited to follow the process of textile creation, from the sheep’s back to yarn, experiencing the entire process of turning wool into cloth, watching as sheep are shorn by hand, and taking a turn dyeing and weaving the finished product–all done just like it was over 300 years ago! Updates at hudsonvalley.org.

This is a view of the Sheep-to-Shawl event at Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. on April 23, 2017. (Photo by Tom Nycz)

 

Kisco Park: A Neighborhood Straddling Chappaqua and Mount Kisco

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Kisco Park is a much sought-after neighborhood encompassing the best of Chappaqua and Mount Kisco. It is a quiet and friendly neighborhood that is close to town and shopping, yet is also quite bucolic and close to nature as well. Kisco Park lies within the Chappaqua school district with a Mount Kisco PO.

Kisco Park is also home to the Bueti family. The family consists of Mary O’Rourke Bueti, Key Account Manager at American Regent, Sam, Director of Sales at Pepsico, Emma, age 18, college freshman, Lily, age 14 and Alex, age 12. The Bueti family has lived in Kisco Park since 2003. Sam grew up in the neighborhood and that was one of the reasons the family decided to move to the area. They enjoy being so close to family. Sam’s siblings also live in Kisco Park and the Bueti children can walk to visit their grandmother’s house.

The Bueti family really enjoy all the things their Kisco Park neighborhood has to offer. One special feature is that there are many dog owners in the area, which definitely helps with meeting new neighbors. As Mary says, “There are lots of dogs. You can get together with neighbors for dog walks. I met some of my best friends in the neighborhood.”

Kisco Park is also a hub of fun and festive community activities. They hold a wonderful Halloween parade each year that both kids and adults enjoy. There is also an annual picnic for families, held at Smith Park. A Town of New Castle park, Smith Park lies within Kisco Park and features a multi-purpose athletic field, playground and half-court basketball area.

Kisco Park has a lot of natural beauty to offer its residents including a brook that runs right behind the neighborhood. The brook separates Kisco Park from Riverwoods and Croton Avenue. As Mary says, “Many houses have a view and access to the brook.” It’s definitely a lovely, relaxing feature – one of many reasons to enjoy living in Kisco Park.

Hardscrabble Lake: A Dream Neighborhood for Families

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The Gilet Family has called the Hardscrabble Lake neighborhood home for more than six years. Anthony Gilet, a radiologist, Nikole Ostrov-Gilet, a gynecologist and children Dylan, age 9 3/4 and Briella, age 6 1/2 enjoy everything Hardscrabble Lake has to offer.

Moving from Manhattan, the family was looking for a town that was convenient to both parents jobs, safe and family oriented, had great schools and was a close-knit community where they could find friends and neighbors for all to “grow up” with. Says Nikole, “When we were looking at houses all across Westchester, it wasn’t until later in our search that we discovered Chappaqua and the second we pulled onto Hardscrabble Lake Drive, I said to Anthony ‘this is my dream neighborhood’ and it hasn’t let us down.”

The kids are able to ride their bikes in the street of their cul de sac and are always able to find other kids playing whenever they venture outside. Everyone in Hardscrabble Lake is always willing to lend a hand. “I love that if I need help getting one of my kids off the bus there is always a willing neighbor. I love that we have neighborhood text chains. I love our neighborhood Facebook page where we can ask for opinions and advice. I love that we have the greatest sledding hill in our front yard and other kids come over to enjoy it too,” says Nikole.

Living in Hardscrabble Lake gives the Gilets a real sense of community. Says Nikole, “This is a neighborhood where kids can just be kids and adults can rely on each other for advice, some eggs in a pinch, child care help, a friend to take a walk with and lifelong bonds. I still to this day get the feeling that I had when I drove in that very first time during our house search, that Hardscrabble Lake is my dream neighborhood.”

Wrights Mill: New Appeal for an Old Section of Town

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The Wrights Mill neighborhood has a storied past dating back to the American Revolution. Thomas Wright, for whom the area is named, owned property and operated a mill in North Castle. Major Andre, who worked as a spy with Benedict Arnold, was captured in Tarrytown and held in a barn at Wright’s mill. A plaque now commemorates the sites of Thomas Wright’s mill wheel and buildings.

Today, Wrights Mill is a neighborhood filled with lovely homes close to downtown Armonk as well as to Wampus Pond Park. Calling this neighborhood home is the Arany family. Dr. Karina Gritsenko, an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center and Mr. Magen-David Arany, who works in finance, live here with their four sons Joshua age 14 (going on 26), Isaac age 4.5, Jacques age 2.5 and Yonatan, age 3.5 months. The family moved from New York City two years ago after 16 years of living on the Upper East Side. With a growing family, they knew they needed more space–it was just a question of where.

As Karina puts it, she came to Westchester kicking and screaming. She and Magen-David even had a friendly competition for who could find a new home first, with Karina looking at apartments and Magen-David at houses. He eventually found one in Wrights Mill that was perfect and the family has loved living there ever since. The family truly enjoys meeting new people wherever they go and even realized soon after moving in that two of Karina’s colleagues at Montefiore are also Wrights Mill neighbors.

The Arany family love the social aspect of the neighborhood and are always happy to help out their community. Magen-David is a volunteer firefighter in town and Karina is involved with the PJ Library. As she says, “Give the busiest person something to do and they’ll do more.” Wrights Mill is a very family-oriented neighborhood with people always willing to lend a helping hand. For example, during a recent blackout, neighbors offered showers and hot meals to those who lost power.

Some of the family’s favorite outdoor spaces in town are Lombardi Park and the Montessori playground, as well as their own backyard. As Karina says, “We always look for adventures and everything in Westchester is routinely 15 minutes away.” Definitely a perk of living in a place with so much to offer.

Northern Westchester Hospital Suggests Ways to Keep a Cool Head Amidst Coronavirus Fears

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Mount Kisco, NY – The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting virtually every aspect of our lives, including how we work, learn and connect with one another. You cannot watch, listen or read the news without hearing the latest coronavirus news.

“All of this has many of us feeling scared, nervous or anxious, which can make things worse and take a toll on our mental health,” says Rachel Merchan, LCSW, a social worker a Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH). “However, there are simple steps people can take to lower their fear level, reduce anxiety and keep calm.”

Here are Merchan’s tips to support your emotional health and wellbeing, and help you, and those you love, cope:

Consider a news detox

A never-ending stream of information and misinformation from a variety of sources may contribute to the rising sense of panic we feel when thinking about coronavirus.

  • Consider taking a break from, or reducing, the number of updates you consume.
  • See how you feel after taking a pause from the news for a few hours, or a day, and go from there.
  • If you must search, seek trustworthy sources – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gov, or your local health department.

 Make decreasing stress a priority

Find ways to de-stress, such as listening to music, a deep breathing exercise or guided meditation, stretching, or a walk outside.

Understand the root of your concerns

Ask yourself: What am I most worried about? Fear often stems from the unknown. Try to understand why you are afraid, and then seek reliable sources of information to address your concerns, such as the CDC, or your healthcare provider. This can also be an important starting point when discussing the coronavirus with loved ones who are afraid. Open and honest communication can go a long way in helping us feel heard and understood.

Ask for support

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unable to manage your emotions or struggling to function, it’s time to seek help. Let friends and family members know you’re having a hard time and seek professional support.

Acknowledge what you can control

There’s still a lot we don’t know about coronavirus. It’s okay, normal and expected to feel uncertain and scared. However, staying in that scary, uncertain space long-term isn’t good for us.

Think about taking action in a safe way:

  • Learn the facts
  • Share your knowledge with others
  • Let loved ones know you are available for support
  • Treat others with respect, whether you are a patient, care provider or community member
  • Acknowledge that we’re all in this together

“We will get through this as a community and become stronger, together,” says Merchan. “Take care of each other, take care of yourself, and wash your hands.”

Information in this post is courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital.  For more information, please visit www.nwhc.net 

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