The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Advertorials

DIVISION ONE: “More than an Athletic Gym”

by

Karl Pfshtner, owner and Head Strength Coach at Division One Prep
Karl Pfistner, owner and Head Strength Coach at Division One Prep

“This place is really [a gym] for everybody.” It’s with this idea that Karl Pfistner, owner and Head Strength Coach at Division One Prep, on the border of White Plains and Armonk, runs his lively fitness facility. No matter who you are, or what level of training you’re at, Pfistner assures you, “You’re going to come in here and feel like you belong.”

A strong advocate of “effective training” over “just working out to work out,” Pfistner–a former athlete at the high school, collegiate and professional Arena Football levels–prides himself on Division One’s unique approach to training, which, in keeping with his beliefs, focuses just as much, if not more, on the mental health, body control and overall movement aspects of the workout as the actual physical workout. “You could come in here and squat 400 pounds, [but] if you can’t move on the field, that means absolutely nothing,” he explains.

divisiononeaEager to instill his clients with this same way of thinking, Pfistner creates any given workout in the same way. “My focus is on getting you moving,” he says, straightforwardly. “It’s about quality over quantity or time [spent], and achieving the absolute best possible results for your body.”

To that end, while every workout covers several key focus areas–agility work, strength training, core work, and static stretching–the specifics of each session, 60 minutes in length, are tailored to each individual’s needs. “We push clients to their full maximum potential, so that they get full range of motion, and receive full maximum burn,” says Pfistner, adding that programs are further categorized into “sport-specific” exercises, so they can easily be translated onto the appropriate field/court/pool, etc.

Essentially, no matter what your age, conditions or limitations, “You’re going to have a workout that really caters to your goals and what you’re looking to accomplish.” (For the record, Division One’s staff also includes a Nutritionist and Life Coach to give clients the full “mental health” experience).

Another element Pfistner cannot emphasize enough? Structure. “That’s the biggest difference between us and other fitness facilities or high school gyms,” he explains.

“There’s a big difference between having a history teacher sitting there supervising an open gym, and an actual structured, laid-out program. Especially with colleges as competItive as they are to get into nowadays, athletes need structure. It can really set them apart.” Though his gym is indeed open to people of all ages, as a dad of four– who range in ages 5 to 15, he can’t help but hold a special place in his heart for the youth athletes. “I love working with youth,” he says, stressing the importance of instilling children with these values and ideals at an early age. “They’re hungry for knowledge; they just soak everything up.”

But, as mentioned, they’re not the only age group he sees: “I have a 45-year-old ex-college football player that wants to train before he goes to work on Wall Street.

I have two middle-aged tennis pros, who also used to play football, I have a 62-year-old retiree who’s looking to pursue a new passion and lose some weight. It really runs the gamut.”

And with so many people of different ages and abilities, and various levels of training, filtering in and out of the gym at any given time, Pfistner acknowledges it’s hard to say who will retain what they’ve learned after leaving the gym.

Still, he’s fully aware of the role he plays in the lives of his clients and strongly encourages them–and everyone else–to follow through. “The bottom line is it’s a small piece in a much larger puzzle,” he explains, in reference to his clients spending just one hour (out of 23 others) at the gym.

“My goal is to motivate my clients and instill in them a desire to stay healthy, so it’s ringing in the back of their head throughout the day… It’s my job to make you want to come back, and to give you the right training to get you excited about working out. If I can instill that idea in my clients, and have them carry that [healthy outlook] on through their life, then that’s a win for me.”
Division One Fitness Prep is located at 4 New King Street in West Harrison. For more information, please visit www.divisiononeprep.com.

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

divisiononeb

High Fashion for the Kids, Right Around the Corner

by

lolkids4

Three years ago, Julia Rozenfeld found her calling. The Juilliard graduate and classically-trained pianist turned Wall Street powerhouse took over LOL Kids in Armonk. She quickly revamped the small clothing store and turned it into one of Westchester and Connecticut’s premier shopping destinations for the under-14 set.

Rozenfeld, a Chappaqua resident, has a four-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. An avid shopper at LOL Kids, she told her husband that she wanted to take it over when the previous owner decided to move to the West Coast. “It was the only shop in Westchester that I liked for clothes for my kids,” she remembers. Her husband initially thought she was joking.

Yet Rozenfeld was completely serious. She moved the store next door to a larger space with an additional floor and added more than 30 new clothing lines. She transformed LOL Kids into a high-end, hand-picked, unique boutique with over 35 hard-to-find children’s clothing brands for girls and boys. From Stella McCartney’s children’s line, Kenzo, Gautier, and Chloe to cult labels from Australia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania, Rozenfeld is introducing Westchester’s littlest fashionistas to her curated collection of clothing.  “We offer a unique niche because everything is fashionably fine and hand-picked, and we try to keep the price point competitive.”

lolkids6

For the holiday season, Rozenfeld has chosen several one-of-a-kind items, including unique necklaces for young girls, exquisite newborn outfits, special dresses from Tutu du Monde, and this year’s favorite–giant pompom hats. She hopes people will come in for that special something, whether it be a small stocking stuffer or a more elaborate gift.

lolkids3

“We want to sell things that will make children look and feel very special,” says Rozenfeld. Rozenfeld, who also added photographer to her list of talents, has her daughter Sophie test out many of the girls’ clothing lines and serve as the fashion model for the store.

“We would feel very special to be able to help people out, to meet more people, and to share our vision of beautiful things with them,” says Rozenfeld.

lolkids5

Her favorite part of owning the store is meeting so many new people and connecting with clients. While she has lived in Chappaqua for over 12 years, opening LOL Kids enabled her to meet many more members of the community. And she says that “the most exciting part of my day is when clients text me pictures of their kids wearing my outfits. It really warms my heart.”

lolkids2

Stop in and introduce yourself to Rozenfeld. Experience the latest fashion trends for children, right here in Armonk. Whether you’re searching for French children’s brands like Catimini and Petit Bateau, niche Italian brands like Fun&Fun and Mi Mi Sol, or super-fashionable, reasonably priced European brands like Nikolia, Rozenfeld has them. And she will make sure you can find that perfect, one-of-a-kind outfit for your child.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIE ROZENFELD

Deborah Notis is a writer and co-owner of gamechangernow.com, a free referral service connecting Westchester families to highly qualified instructors. Deborah’s writing can be found in the Inside Press publications as well as on suburbanmisfitmom.com.

Her Sweet & Personal Touch: Why Armonk Loves Julie Dickens & Beascakes

by

beascakecakes_3a

Have you ever driven past Armonk Town Center on Route 22, and found yourself lured in by the seductive scent of freshly baked donuts and signature Lavazza coffee, wafting from a small shop comfortably positioned within the plaza? If so, you’re not alone…and, if, by chance, you think your nose is deceiving you, we wholeheartedly assure you the aroma is 100% real, and it’s as good as it gets!

In operation since 2004 — first by the bakery’s namesake, Beatrice Schedy, and, since 2008, by its current owner Julie Dickens — the full-service bakery has quickly become a local Armonk institution, offering personalized cakes, cupcakes, desserts and baked goods perfect for any occasion and any time of year.

A lifelong baker originally from Ohio, Dickens came to New York in 2007 to pursue her culinary passion full-time. She began her journey at the French Culinary Institute –where she met her now-husband, Mike Defeo–before briefly working under famed chocolatier Jacques Torres following graduation. In late 2007, the two began browsing ads for bakeries within the New York area.

Naturally, they came across Beascakes, then situated in the white house at 29 Main Street, and promptly took over the quaint little shop. They ran the bustling bakery at that location, before moving it to current location within the plaza in 2012. The rest, as they say, is sweet, sweet history.

Dickens, for one, couldn’t be happier, as she’s not only fulfilled a lifelong dream in acquiring the bakery itself, but also spends each day actually living it out as the “head honcho” at the shop.

“It’s a way to be creative,” she says, of her attraction to her craft. “Especially with cakes. I love the way I can envision a cake before it’s even done and follow it through,” from designing to baking to decorating to final delivery. The dedicated baker has a deep-rooted belief that every cake should have its own personal touch, and prides herself on crafting confections that equally appeals to the eye as much as it does the taste buds.

Customers concur, as they repeatedly come out in droves to see what new creation Dickens has cooked up next.

In addition to their vast array of cakes for any occasion, the bustling bakery offers a daily selection of cupcakes, muffins and coffee, in addition to doughnuts (“made fresh every morning,” notes Dickens) and what is undoubtedly their #1 bestseller: the chocolate chip cookie.

“I love being involved in the customers’ lives,” Dickens says, when asked which element of her job she likes the best. “Certain customers. I’ve done their wedding cakes, then their [baby] shower cakes, and then the kid’s first birthday cake Just seeing the families grow up and being with them in that way is very special and personal.”

Dickens also makes an effort to extend her welcoming persona onto the community at large, volunteering in a wide variety of community events in and around town. For the last eight years, she’s been providing tasty treats and beverages to audience members who attend the Small Town Theatre Company’s summer concerts at Wampus Brook Park. “She also offers pastries to our audience members, performers and crew [when we perform] our theatrical plays at the Hergenhan Center,” notes Sam Morell, who runs the Armonk company, for which Dickens bakes. “[She’s] always available, always helpful, and always a warm, welcoming, friendly smile to members of our community.”

Similarly, she also makes an appearance at the annual Cider and Doughnut Festival, also held in Wampus Park — “I just take my doughnut machine down to the festival and make doughnuts all day long” — which yields her a similar boost in business. “People who didn’t even know about the bakery before are suddenly hooked because they’ve eaten a doughnut [at the festival]. It’s great!”

Meanwhile, regulars like Morell think the cakestress is just as sweet as her products, stating: “Armonk is as warm and friendly as it is because of generous and caring people like Julie Dickens.”

beascakecakes_1a

Beascakes Bakery is located within Armonk Town Center at 575 N. Main Street in Armonk. For more information, please visit www.beascakesny.com.

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

White Plains Hospital Urgent Care Center in Armonk

by

whiteplainshosptial_image-2
The team at White Plains Hospital Medical and Wellness in Armonk.

Since last fall, Armonk residents have had one of the region’s top urgent care centers right outside their doors.

White Plains Hospital Medical and Wellness, a 24,000-square-foot facility on Armonk’s Business Park Drive, opened last November and has served thousands of patients from northern Westchester and Connecticut.

“What people will find in Armonk is urgent care that goes well beyond basic services,” says Frances Bordoni, Senior Vice President of Ambulatory and Physician Services and Business Development at White Plains Hospital. “Our physicians are able to diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions. They have access to the Hospital’s extensive clinical resources, and they can support patients after an urgent care visit, right here in the community, through referrals to and communication with our extensive physician network.”

The urgent care center is geared towards patients with injuries or illnesses that require immediate medical attention but aren’t necessarily serious enough to merit a trip to the emergency room. This includes sore throats, the flu, or common sprains.

“As one of only two hospital-operated urgent care centers in New York State, we are able to provide a higher level of care than most urgent care centers that offer only basic labs, basic x-rays,” says Farrukh Jafri, M.D., Co-medical Director of Urgent Care. “Here you’ll always be seen by an Emergency Medicine physician. We also have on-site imaging, and we can analyze blood work and labs in real time.”

The center is open seven days a week, from 3 to 11 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, while a full-service Diagnostic Imaging Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. For more information, the public is invited to call 914-849-7900 or visit www.wphospital.org. The center is located at 99 Business Park Drive in Armonk.

Sunshine Staff Play Vital Role in Bringing Holiday Joy

by

“Thoughtful and Inclusive” and an Interdisciplinary Effort

The Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehab Center is a very special place. This local facility is recognized as one of the top facilities of its kind, earning both five stars out of five from the government, as well as ranking in the US News and World report two years in a row.

What does Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehab Center offer? Their website says “Sunshine Children’s Home is a 54-bed licensed nursing facility that specializes in the care and treatment of medically complex children who require post-acute, rehabilitative care.” What does this mean to the lay person? They offer both short term and long term care, depending on the needs of the child. Unique to Sunshine is that the warmth that emanates from them.Their mission is, in part, to be a “second home” to the child, while providing necessary medical treatment and/or other related services. They foster an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating physical therapy, speech services, occupational therapy etc., as needed.

sunshinexmas2

For the children who reside at Sunshine, the holidays are especially important. The children look forward to this festive time all year! They are celebrated several different ways, and the celebratory season begins with Thanksgiving. For this kick off to the holiday season, the extended family, inclusive of the children, their family and their Sunshine family all dine together on a Thanksgiving meal. Children create various themed crafts in celebration of the holiday.

As the holidays progress, Linda Mosiello, the Administrator for Sunshine, said, “The month of December is one extended, inclusive holiday season as we celebrate Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. Each holiday is rich with traditions and customs, energizing our staff to prepare joyful celebrations that capture the spirit of each. We have come to learn that thoughtful and inclusive holiday celebrations bring comfort to all the families–embodying our view that we are a second home for them.” This perspective and approach are part of what makes Sunshine such a special place.

Linda also expressed much gratitude to our local community, its organizations and volunteers alike, as well as donors who play such a vital role in the holiday celebrations for the children who reside there.

She said, “We are joined in our efforts by the generosity of community organizations and volunteer groups who seek to bring smiles to the children through ongoing celebration and gift giving.” She cited Scouts who make cards and sing to the children, as well as retired and still active members of the Police force who help bring holiday cheer to the children. Volunteers and staff guide the children in holiday games, baking, caroling and of course, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehabilitation Center fills a need in the Westchester community and excels at it by creating a home away from home for these children and their families. Ms. Mosiello said it best when she said, “Sunshine is a remarkable home for our special children all year round, and they are extra blessed during the holiday season.”

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

sunshinexmas1