The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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16 Ensembles Convey Sandy Hapoienu’s Signature Unpretentious, Eclectic Style

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…in a Fashion Event Run at Neiman Marcus

Sandy Hapoienu
Sandy Hapoienu

It wasn’t long after I launched Inside Chappaqua Magazine that I had the good fortune of meeting Sandy Hapoienu and discovering her superior styling skills. Sandy has styled several features for us including a most memorable one, the Flood Sisters, whose work saving lives formed the basis for a February cover story. After watching Sandy’s career “take off” both in the freelance realm and at Bloomingdales, it wasn’t surprising for me to hear that Sandy was hosting a Fashion Event Run at Neiman Marcus in White Plains.

Sandy personally scoured the department store at The Westchester and chose coveted designer brand dresses, separates, accessories and shoes to create 16 ensembles, each possessing Sandy’s distinct unpretentious signature. And, while I’m not a fashionista, particularly, I couldn’t help but feel my spirits soar seeing Sandy’s fun and lighthearted “mix and match” of designer fabrics; with winter’s snow rapidly melting away, watching Sandy’s show made the promise of beautiful spring and summer wear feel blessedly real again. For more information about about Sandy and her services, visit www.stylingsession.com

— Grace Bennett
colorful

purple

green skirt

 

Bravo to Kristen Ruby and Fellow Cast Members of Friends to Lovers

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Kris and Alex in Premiere of Friends to Lovers crop

Kristen Ruby and “Friends to Lovers” are two things America can be excited about.

Kristen Ruby
Kristen Ruby
The show premiered last night, January 12th, on Bravo, portraying five different pairings of good friends each with great romantic potential. The premiere episode opened following Kristen Ruby and Alex Goldman who are engaged in a very realistic type of platonic friendship … you know … the kind with that oh so erotic edge that many have experienced during the course of their dating lives.

The show portrays each partner’s contrasting and sometimes conflicting personalities and goes back and forth between them individually talking about their feelings for the other. In Kris and Alex’s case: Alex is in unabashedly in love with Kris … Kris is on the fence. Their adorable and undeniable chemistry left this viewer eager for the next episode … and rooting for love to conquer all.

Meanwhile, gorgeous from head to toe, Kris positively sparkled at a New York City premiere party treating her friends, family, and attending press to a lovely time and a chance to watch and celebrate the premiere with cast characters The funny, playful, and passionate romantic-friendships, and the significant star quality to Kristen Ruby, are sure to help make this show a hit. Bravo.

Tips for Transitioning a New Nanny

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New Nanny

Finding the perfect nanny can be nerve-wracking and even a little scary. After all, she will be caring for the most precious things in your life: your children. Once you’ve found a nanny you’re comfortable with, it’s still a big adjustment for everyone in the family.

However, there are ways to make it easier, and most of them come down to good communication. Here are some tips for successfully integrating your new nanny into your home, your lifestyle, and your way of doing things.

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A “Foodie’s Dream” at the Beautiful New Campagna in Bedford

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A memorable evening and very special treat for this publisher this holiday season was attending the opening reception for Campagna, the flagship restaurant now open at the recently renovated Bedford Post Inn. The opening of Campagna followed the recent opening of the Garden Grill and the Barn this summer.

Chef Michael White
Chef Michael White
Owners Ahmass Fakahany and Chef Michael White (Altamarea Group) offered samples of all the dishes on the restaurant’s menu, but all in smaller format. It was any foodie’s dream in an intimate, beautiful setting. My first taste which set the tone of all that followed was an unbelievably delicate fluke dish. I later asked for details, and received this: “It was our Panzanella di Passera–our take on a traditional panzanella salad. It’s made with Castelvetrano olives, tomato conserve, croutons, and fluke crudo. Our fluke comes from Montauk, and PJ (our Exec Chef) claims it to be the BEST fluke available.”

It was also hard to resist asking for a second helping of a lobster dish: Campagna’s Astice appetizer –Lobster claw salad with black truffle & celery root. Some other items of note: Bistecca-dry-aged ribeye with a bone marrow panzanella and roasted garlic. Creste Nero-squid ink pasta, squid, shrimp, scallop, bomba calabrese (a condiment made with eggplant, calabrian chile, sundried tomato) finished with mollica (seasoned breadcrumbs)

Several signature drink samples were also served: the Green Vespa, made with sage, pear vodka, pear puree, lemon juice, and simple syrup. And the Fior d’Arancia–old forrester bourbon, ramazotti (an Amaro), madeira, and vanilla. Both absolutely delicious, and allowed those to substitute for dessert for me, though those samples looked wonderful too, of course.

For more information and reservations, visit www.thebedfordpostinn.com.

Bedford Post Inn Collage

Are woodpeckers damaging your house or deck?

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Most people would agree that woodpeckers are beautiful birds to look at, particularly with the bright red feathers on their head and black and white striped feathers on their bodies. But late autumn is the time of year when woodpeckers can become a real nuisance to homeowners.

Woodpecker damageWoodpeckers peck holes in trees, decks, and wood siding on homes for three reasons … for drumming, feeding, and nesting. Woodpeckers “drum” in order to make noise, either for attracting a mate or to advertise that the nearby territory is claimed. Woodpeckers also make holes in search of food, like beetles, larvae and other insects. And finally, extensive drilling in one location can mean a woodpecker is looking to make a nest.

When woodpeckers are pecking, they do not differentiate between a tree, and other types of wood. So this is when woodpeckers can damage your deck or home. Covering up the holes will not prevent the woodpeckers from pecking somewhere else on your deck or home. And most people don’t realize that woodpeckers are protected, so harming them in anyway is against the law.

So how can homeowners protect their homes and decks from pecking woodpeckers this fall/winter? There are many different types of deterrents on the market. After many years of experience, the knowledgeable staff at Chappaqua Paint & Hardware have found that the two most effective deterrents are fake owls and scare tape. Owls are a natural predator to woodpeckers, so putting a decoy up on your house will scare woodpeckers away. And scare tape is a shiny aluminum foil like tape that is hung on bushes or the deck or house and the reflective nature of the tape deters woodpeckers from landing anywhere nearby. Sometimes with persistent woodpeckers, we suggest using both deterrents at one time.

Whatever problems you encounter with woodpeckers or any other types of birds, we are here to help. We at Chappaqua Paint & Hardware are your resource for all your homeowner needs, damaging birds or otherwise. We have a knowledgeable and experienced staff that can advise you on the best products and assist you with any household problem. We hope to see you in our store soon!