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‘Ready, Willing and Able’ and Branching Out at the Sheptin Tutoring Group

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Many of you know me and my company as academic support and test prep experts. I can say that my team is the best in Northern Westchester, bar none. From the Regents to SATs to ACTs to APs, we are ready, willing and able. And, as I write this article, I am planning an SAT program for students in the United Kingdom and opening registration for our well-received finals program for Greeley students.

In my practice, I wear two hats. Yes, Math is my superpower: Mrs. Goldberg, my 7th grade math teacher who recognized this talent, would be proud. But did you know that I have visited over 120 universities and colleges both in the United States and abroad? I am a professional member of the IECA, the premier qualifying organization whose members ethically guide students through all aspects of college planning. Our expertise is peerless. I am proud to be a card-carrying member. Mid-May will bring me to Chicago, where I will visit three schools and attend an annual IECA conference. After the frenetic first three weeks of June, I intend to visit five colleges in the Boston area.

After a tutoring session, the conversation often turns to college. Kids tell me schools they’ve recently visited and I try to offer some other interesting ideas. Too many of our students only consider a handful of schools that just do not have the bandwidth to accept everyone from our local schools. In my travels, I have encountered gems that are academically just as engaging and will provide unparalleled opportunities. Do a little digging or hire someone like me to do the legwork and you will be rewarded.

Since I have seen universities abroad (ask me about Uppsala University or the University of Bristol!) I’ve been asking my students and their families to put European universities on their list. Most European degrees programs are three years in duration –and some are free of charge–even to Americans! And classes are conducted entirely in English!

To wit: a three-year Bachelors Degree at the University of Amsterdam will set you back 30,000 Euros (for all three years!). You can’t even get that inexpensive an education at a SUNY.

While a full international education may not be an option for everyone, think about the advantages of an it, cost aside. Immersing your student in an entirely different culture, especially in our intertwined global economy, shows employers that a student can be independent, open and willing to take calculated risks. In most countries, international students with a student visa can work during the academic year and into the summer. It would make your child unique!

Perhaps the rah-rah of the Saturday football game is not available abroad, and Greek life is not a “thing.” However, every university I have ever visited has robust Student Unions, replete with societies (clubs) for everything imaginable under the sun. From Harry Potter Societies, to Jewish Societies, to Rowing Societies, you can find them all abroad.

So, if you see me, let’s talk about college. Whether you want to explore programs here in the US or abroad, to quote Frances McDormand, “I have something to say.”

Sheptin Tutoring Group, LLC

914-232-3743

alan@sheptin.com

Chappaqua: 175 King St., Chappaqua, NY

Manhattan: 157 E. 86 street, New York, NY

The Benefits of Having a Financial Advisor on Your Side

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In today’s complex and volatile markets, making sound investment and financial decisions is a challenge. Investing on your own can be complicated, overwhelming and risky. In fact, studies have shown that self-directed investors can often be their own worst enemies, entering and exiting the market at inopportune times in reaction to market movements that make them uncomfortable or emotional.

Steps to Successful Investment

Successful investing involves fortitude and a focus on the long term. The first steps you can take toward minimizing the likelihood of costly mistakes are:

1. Understanding the emotional and behavioral factors that contribute to investor pitfalls

Psychology influences the choices investors make, such as how often they trade and how they make buy-sell decisions. Common psychological blind spots include:

  • Overconfidence – assuming you know more than you do.
  • Mental accounting – consciously or unconsciously dividing your wealth into separate buckets.
  • Anchoring – fixating on past prices, such as what you paid for a particular stock.
  • Loss aversion – putting more emphasis on avoiding losses.

2. Defining your goals and developing a plan–and an asset allocation–that helps you reach them

Having a plan and sticking to it can help you avoid making emotional decisions.

3. Having the discipline to stay the course as markets fluctuate

Some investors try to time the market by moving in and out of it. Professional advice can help keep you focused by taking emotions out of the equation.

Your Financial Life Is More Than Just Your Investments

Over the past few years, the proliferation of robo-advisors that provide digital financial advice based on algorithms has received significant buzz. While robo advice offers a low-cost entry into investing, it also comes with little to no human intervention. Instead, an asset allocation is generated from an investor’s answers to an online questionnaire. But, how you value money–and what you believe about money–cannot be captured or solved by mathematical rules or algorithms.

The bottom line is that you want advice that connects with your thinking, experiences and beliefs around money.

If you’re deciding among traditional Financial Advisors or robo-advisors, consider the following:

  • What is most important to you at this stage of your financial life?
  • How confident are you in your financial knowledge?
  • Are you able to take emotions out of your financial decision-making?
  • What are the financial complexities that you currently face?

If there are complexities in your financial life–debt, children, employee benefits, major life events, estate and tax issues–you may want to consider choosing a traditional Financial Advisor who can help you customize a plan that is tailored to your specific situation.

And, keep in mind that reaching your goals often involves going beyond investment advice to include conversations about estate and wealth transfer planning, risk management and even your philanthropic aspirations.

By working with an experienced Financial Advisor, you can have the best of both worlds–the freedom to make your own investment and financial choices, but with the guidance of a professional who understands your unique needs, improving your chances of achieving your goals.

Disclosures

Article by Morgan Stanley and provided courtesy of Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.

Richard Bloom is a Financial Advisor in 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104 at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). He can be reached by email at Richard.Bloom@morganstanley.com or by telephone at (212) 893-7597.

This article has been prepared for informational purposes only. The information and data in the article has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. It does not provide individually tailored investment advice and has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. The strategies and/or investments discussed in this article may not be suitable for all investors. Morgan Stanley recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.

Asset Allocation does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining financial markets.

Richard Bloom may only transact business, follow-up with individualized responses, or render personalized investment advice for compensation, in states where he is registered or excluded or exempted from registration, http://brokercheck.finra.org/Search/Search.aspx.

© 2018 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.   Member SIPC.   CRC 2149104  06/2018

March Boutique: A Local Gem with On-Trend Clothing for Fashionistas

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Nestled into a corner of downtown Briarcliff Manor’s main thoroughfare, Pleasantville Road, March Boutique offers Westchester fashionistas on-trend apparel and accessories. Whether you are looking to mimic the styles of a model on a Milan runway or looking for a more casual Instagram-worthy outfit, this jewel-sized boutique should be on your radar.

Lynn Puro, the owner and a Briarcliff Manor resident opened the store twelve years ago. Her exquisite taste and style is evident as soon as you step into the store. Puro scouts fashion showrooms in New York, Paris, Milan and Los Angeles and carries lines that you may not be familiar with such as Bailey 44 and Fifteen Twenty plus well-known and beloved labels like Nicole Miller and Joseph Ribkoff.

Everything But the Shoes

Saturday is the store’s busiest day as many customers come in needing something to wear that evening. “We get a lot of last-minute requests and we love helping clients choose an outfit and accessories such as handbags and jewelry. We offer everything but the shoes.” Puro strives to offer many options for customers at different price points.

“Fit is everything” is Puro’s cardinal fashion rule. To that end, she always tries on every product in her store when visiting showrooms. She brings an additional employee to showrooms as well with a different figure to see how the clothing fits before deciding to sell it in her boutique.

On a recent visit, I had fun perusing the racks and checking out spring trends. The store reminded me of a trendy Soho boutique with exposed brick and a copper tin ceiling. Everything was thoughtfully displayed and photos of Puro’s fashion icon Audrey Hepburn adorn the walls.

As a petite person, I’ve been wondering how to embrace the wide-legged pants trend seen all over the spring fashion magazines. “Not to worry,” advises Puro and she pulls out a wide-legged jean made by Just Black Denim which I try on and lo and behold, it actually looks good. Puro and all her employees have a strong sense of style and can immediately size up your silhouette and provide ideas of items to try on. I wonder what shoes to wear with the jeans and Puro offers suggestions. “The number one question we get from customers, is what shoes should I wear with an outfit?”

Next up, I want to try on a floral dress as the fashion magazines are saturated with them for spring. On a small frame, prints can look overwhelming but Puro knows what patterns will work with my figure. The kelly green floral wrap dress by Cupcakes & Cashmere is a winner and best of all, it is not like the dozens of black dresses I have hanging in my closet. With graduations and baby showers on the horizon, I am all sorted with this little number.

Snapworthy Spring Trends

I want to know what other spring trends are blooming and Puro is at the ready with several sartorial suggestions. Flower prints and pastel colors are popular. She also carries several leopard print items.  Leopard print is big this spring but if you don’t want a full outfit with it, the store has leopard print hats, scarves and bags. Other trends include cropped and slightly flared jeans or pants and any item in blue. “Blue is the new black this season,” proclaims Puro.

“Fashion should also be fun,” attests Puro. She holds several themed events to coincide with popular television shows that have stylish costumes such as “Downton Abbey” and “Mad Men”.

As Puro wraps up my items (I also purchase a Nicole Miller dress for an upcoming Bar Mitzvah on my visit on the sale rack no less), I notice the lovely tissue paper decorated with delicate dragonflies. It’s no surprise that before opening March, Puro worked in beauty for Estee Lauder. Confidence breeds beauty was one of Lauder’s favorite sayings and as I walk out the door with my fashion-forward items, I feel like a million bucks and can’t wait to wear my new dresses this spring.

March Boutique

1207 Pleasantville Rd

Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510

Phone: (914) 923-2100

Marchboutique.com

Top Five Things You Need to Know About the Measles

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Measles outbreaks in surrounding communities, including confirmed cases in Westchester County, have raised concerns for the community, as well as questions about how to protect yourself and those you love.

“Measles is one of the most contagious of all infectious diseases,” says Debra Spicehandler, MD, Co-Chief of Infectious Diseases at Northern Westchester Hospital. “My advice? If you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated immediately. And, avoid high-risk areas, if possible, especially if you have an unvaccinated baby.”

Debra Spicehandler. M.D.

According to the National Center for Health Research, one person with measles can infect 12 to 18 others, in an unvaccinated population, before they even know they’re sick. Why? It’s airborne. Also, the virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace where an infected person has coughed or sneezed. So, if you’re not vaccinated and breathe contaminated air or touch an infected door, you’re at risk. This is why it’s so important to get vaccinated – wearing a mask will not prevent you from getting sick. Anyone who has not been vaccinated can get the vaccine free through the Westchester County Department of Health. Call 914-995-5800 for an appointment.

Here are Dr. Spicehandler’s tips on the top five things you need to know about measles:

• You may not even know you’re sick:
Here are symptoms to watch out for: The measles virus incubates for the first two weeks after infection, which means you won’t have any signs or symptoms. Even when you begin to have symptoms, you may mistake them for a common cold. A cough, runny nose, sore throat, or conjunctivitis is common during the first stage. When the virus progresses, usually three days after symptoms begin, you may notice a diffused itchy rash that starts on the face and progresses downward toward the hands and feet. Fever is also common during this stage. Accompanying the rash and fever, people often notice bluish-white spots in the mouth. You are contagious four days before the rash starts and up to four days after the rash appears.

• Call your doctor:
If you believe you or a loved one was exposed, or if you have symptoms, call your doctor, but do NOT go into a healthcare facility unannounced. Your doctor’s office, or community hospital, likely has plans in place to treat measles, but there are protocols in place to ensure others don’t get sick. Please call ahead before entering one of these facilities.

• If you were exposed, you have three days to get vaccinated:
After this time period, a vaccine is not effective. Typically, you should avoid all contact with others for 21 days, as it’s still possible for symptoms to develop during this time. Speak to your doctor or local health department to discuss when it is safe to go back to work, school or other public places.

• Revaccination is “a thing” but you probably don’t need it:
If you received two doses of the MMR vaccine or if you were born before 1957, you should be fully protected against the measles. However, it’s not harmful to receive additional doses if you’re unsure of your status. If you’re concerned, ask your doctor for a blood test to check your immunity levels.

• If you’re not vaccinated you’re putting others at risk for serious complications:
For those who are pregnant, immunocompromised, or babies under six months old, the measles can be devastating. The MMR vaccine is a live (weakened) virus vaccine, so these individuals cannot receive it. However, you have other options. Protect yourself (and baby) by making sure everyone who enters your home is vaccinated, get your titers checked (they identify the amount of antibodies in a person’s blood), practice good hand hygiene, and avoid high-risk areas. If you fall into one of these categories and have been exposed to the measles, you may benefit from a temporary vaccine called immunoglobulin. It’s best to speak to your healthcare provider to explore your options.

Info here via a release courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

About Northern Westchester Hospital
Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook

Mindful Moms Lakeside Meditation Series Continues this Summer

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At the end of a dirt path hidden on an ordinary street in Millwood there is a stretch of sand that leads to a small private lake. Every few weeks throughout the summer months this becomes the location where a group of mindful moms take their meditation practice outdoors. The beach is quaint, the lake reflects the trees, sky and clouds; the sun shimmers and sparkles over the surface of the water. It is the ideal setting to bask in the present moment.

Jodi Baretz, a mindfulness-based psychotherapist and holistic health coach, and author of the Amazon best-selling book Mindful is the New Skinny, has made it her life’s work to help people maximize joy through meditation and other mindfulness techniques. For almost a decade, she has worked to help clients with stress, food issues and relationship problems so they can feel and look their best. She offers individual therapy and coaching through The Center for Health and Healing in Mt Kisco and has pioneered several successful mindful mom’s programs, including her new program: “Club Mindful – A Gym for the Mind”.  Baretz developed the summer lake meditation series several years ago and it has grown to become a highlight on the calendars within the local mindfulness community.

“There are so many benefits to practicing mindfulness. I have become a better partner, mother and friend. I have always found water to be so calming so the lake meditations have been a wonderful addition to my mindfulness practice.” says mindful mom, Tamara Leopold from Armonk.

Inspired by the beauty and peacefulness of the private lake as well as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) founder Jon Kabat-Zinn’s well-known lake meditation, Baretz facilitates her outdoor meditation program surrounded by nature’s beauty. All that is needed to participate is a towel, a bottle of water and the desire to destress. Sitting on the lake’s beach with legs crossed, eyes closed the sunshine can be soaked up. The winter is long and opportunities like this are rare and valuable.

The image of the lake evokes peace and tranquility. We are reminded that there is something larger than ourselves which allows us to find humility in the grand beauty of nature. Zinn’s meditation offers an awareness of what the lake can teach us symbolically; “carrying a vast reservoir of mindfulness within your heart, we can be the lake in silence.”

Baretz has been known to incorporate a variety of meditations into her lake series. Sometimes there is a walking meditation or a body scan meditation. She often reads inspirational parables that encourage the mindfulness practices of living in the present, practicing non-judgment, compassion and gratitude. Regardless of what form the experience takes it is a relaxing way to spend an hour doing something most people don’t get enough of. It is a time to restore and appreciate the beauty and goodness of life.

Baretz feels that “meditation takes on a whole new level when you’re outside in nature. You are able to immerse yourself and pay attention to the beauty that you normally miss by being busy.”

More information on the lake meditation series and other mindfulness programs can be found at jodibaretz.com