The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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Camp Tours with Tuition Discounts at WeeZee

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WZW gagaWee Zee World of “Yes I Can!,” voted “Best of Westchester” by Westchester Magazine, has announced tours of its 18,000 square foot play space including “play trials” and special discounts on camp tuition.  WeeZee is offering hundreds of dollars in savings and free play to new touring families if they register for camp during the tour. Tour reservations are required by calling 914-752-2100.  Families that sign-up for camp at the time of their tour will receive $100 off 2-4 weeks of camp and $200 off four or more weeks of camp.

In addition, during the month of June, there will be special promotions and discounts through the WeeZee Facebook page, www.facebook.com/WeeZeeWorld.

WeeZee’s Sensational Summer Camp challenges the brain and body with half- and full-day camp programs that run from June 24 through August 30, featuring a different theme each week.  A fully-supervised outdoor-indoor program on WeeZee’s beautiful 100-acre campus provides an area for children ages 3-12 to engage in various games, water and team-building activities.  Camp features an impressive camper-staff ratio; using cutting edge training equipment and techniques, WeeZee’s specially-trained Coaching Staff will lead fundamental skill-building activities in soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, hockey, lacrosse, gaga, golf, art, cooking, Mad Science, music, dance, drama, academics and Technology for School

Water play will be a highlight including water play activities in WeeZee’s  one-of-a-kind Rain Room (containing 20 different types of nozzles & sprays). 

Teens, ages 13-16 can participate in a Sensory-Coach-In-Training (S.C.I.T.) program.

Early drop-off and an after-camp program, “Camp After Camp” can extend the day from 8 am to 6:30 pm, and Camp After Camp is also available to children coming from other camps via bus – ideal for working parents.

Each week of camp will feature a different theme:

June 24-28: Clowning Around

July 1-5: SEA-ing is Believing

July 8-12: Do you HEAR me now?

July 15-19: Wild Wild West

July 22-26: Nick Games

July 29-Aug 2: Boo! Trick or Treat

August 5-9: Kids Biz:

August 12-16: Game Show Week

August 12-23: Out Of This World

August 26-30: What’s Up Doc?

About WeeZee World of “Yes, I Can!”

WeeZee… World of Yes I Can!, located at 480 Bedford Road in Chappaqua, NY, is Westchester’s only “family play space” offering kids and parents 18,000 square feet of sports, fitness and “sensory” fun, enjoyment and relaxation. Designed for kids of all abilities, ages 1-12, the colorful, interactive facility boasts an expansive gym equipped with the latest state-of-the-art sports and fitness equipment and games, along with a host of highly engaging, interactive and imaginative sensory activities that exercise and strengthen intellectual, physical and social skills.  Staffed by a team of Sensory Coaches, WeeZee is a matrix of large space and small rooms containing 135 plus unique attractions including a “Rainforest & Storm Zone,” a “Vibration Station,” an “Oxygen Bar” and “Cyber Action Floor;” as well as Sport Stalls and Reaction Training to help with hand-eye coordination; and a Music Room with a sound studio and a Karaoke room, to name just a few. The equipment and programs at WeeZee are based on a plethora of research by the Autism community. All children can benefit from WeeZee’s activities and programs including those with sensory integration issues.  Parents are invited to “play for free” or unwind in the “Zen Den” that features dim lighting, soothing music, iPads and full-body massage  chairs — while their children are fully supervised as they follow their Sensory Fitness Plan or engage in Free Play. WeeZee also hosts parties for Birthdays, Graduations and Bar Mitzvahs. WeeZee’s popular After-School program and Summer Camp include transports from many elementary schools in Westchester County.

WeeZee is open from 8:00am to 9:00pm seven days a week. Please visit, www.weezeeworld.com/summerprogs.html or call 914-752-2100 for more info.

Total Turf: “Landscaper of the Year” Finalist

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Jason Gordon
Jason Gordon

Total Turf Inc. a landscaping maintenance and construction company located in Millwood NY, has been recognized for its outstanding work by New Holland Construction and Total Landscape Care magazine in their prestigious 2013 Landscaper of the Year program. The annual program which recognizes the best and brightest from among thousands of professionals who work in the landscaping industry, received over 2600 applications from across the U.S. this year.

Total Turf Inc. was recognized for its high level of service for residential clients and homeowner associations. The company’s work ranges from landscape maintenance, design and build projects, chemical applications, irrigation and lighting installation and maintenance, masonry work and golf course renovation. During the winter, they offer snow plowing, sell firewood, install holiday lights and restore Teak furniture.

“We are honored to be one of the 12 national finalists in this program. We have worked very hard to be successful and to remain competitive during a time that presented many economic challenges. First and foremost we take great pride in the high level of customer service we provide, but we also worked diligently with our business consultant so that we could provide high quality products and services when similar companies were actually going out of business. And in fact our business has grown 60% since 2009,” stated owner Jason Gordon who started Total Turf Inc. in 2001.

Total Turf Inc. is a member of New York State Turf and Landscape Association and American Landscape Contractors Association and has New York and Connecticut licensed pesticide applicators and Certified Landscape Technicians on staff. They are also licensed Home Improvement Contractors in Putnam and Westchester counties. More information can be found at www.totalturflandscaping.com or by calling 914-666-4866.

Pierce House – “An Important Stop on the Road to Freedom”

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Front Inside ChappIn the early 1720s, Quakers migrated from Long Island to settle in and around Pleasantville. The Pierce Family made their way to the area in 1740. Quakers owned five of the seven main farms in Pleasantville during this time period.

In 1805, Joseph Pierce inherited 125 acres of property from his father, James. The home, known as Pierce House, is believed to have been built around 1813. The original house consisted of just the front two rooms of the current structure. An ardent Quaker, Joseph Pierce became a key figure in providing a safe path for slaves escaping through Westchester. Pierce House played an important role in the Underground Railroad, offering nighttime shelter for those seeking freedom.

This finely crafted, Federalist style Colonial home has undergone a number of changes over the years. The library and interior arches were added in the late 1880’s, when the house served as the Protestant Shelter for Children. During their ownership of the house, the Payne family of Reader’s Digest fame added mahogany paneling in the living room and the library. They also expanded the living space with a brick addition designed by James Renwick Thomson.

Today, this historic house has been meticulously renovated and restored while maintaining the integrity of the original period details. The residence is now a stunning home that is perfect for modern lifestyles.

Historic Greeley Barn for Sale!

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houlian house 2The hamlet of Chappaqua is home to several historical structures. One notable property is the barn pictured here that Horace Greeley built on his farm in 1856.

History books tell us this was the first stone and concrete structure built in the United States. The barn overlooked his farmlands that are now much of the area we now know as “downtown Chappaqua.” Notoriously frugal, Horace Greeley considered concrete more economical and warmer than traditional wooden barns. Not only was its structure unique, but the barn’s “form equals function” design pre-dated Bauhaus by 60 years. The barn was made from 4,000 to 6,000 tons of stones gathered or blasted from the surrounding area.  Greeley, known as a man of ideas, was interested in improving the practice of agriculture in any way he could. Greeley’s idea of a poured concrete and stone structure was an engineering feat for the time. Cattle were housed on the main level (now a very large family living room 20×40 feet and 15 feet high with a floor to ceiling stone fireplace). The basement was accessible to carts through an arched stone entrance (now serving as the entrance to the doctor’s consultation office). Hay was brought to the second floor by a rear entrance where the grade was higher, thus eliminating the need to lift heavy bales.

After his death, Greeley’s daughter Gabrielle inherited the barn. She and her husband, Reverend Clendenin converted the barn into a five bedroom family home designed in the Victorian Gothic style.  They named the home Rehoboth after the biblical term meaning “broad space.”

houlihan house“This special property has been the home to the same Chappaqua family for the last 41 years,” states Helen Dorman, the listing agent. “It is a fabulous opportunity to own a piece of history.”

The home is currently featured in the Chappaqua Historic Society exhibit, “New Castle’s Beginnings: Our Founding Farms.” It is also listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

What to Consider Before Photographing your Next Event

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toast photoBy Steve Lesnick

You’re planning a big event, a special day that will be remembered for years to come.

But, there’s no way around it: You are about to spend some serious cash!

So what about photography? There are lots of options. You can have your friends use their phones. You can ask Uncle Joe since he has a digital camera. You can get the cheapest guy you can find. You can fly in the fabulous photographer from London. Or, you can hire the well-rounded, versatile photographer.  Overwhelming, I know.

To make this decision, you have to ask yourself two questions:

1) What do I want to have five years from now to remember this event? (An album, framed pictures, photos on the computer, all of the above?)

2) How important is it to me?

Photographers come in all shapes and sizes, with different levels of talent and expertise. There’s the brand new photographer with a high-end digital camera, the event photographer who only shoots events and nothing else, and the well-rounded photographer who has a lot of experience in many things photographically.  The challenge is to pick the one that has enough skills to match your needs and level of expectations, and is still able work within your budget.

The important thing is to make sure your photographer understands your needs and is open and honest with what he/she is going to give you. It’s really a question of who you’re comfortable with, who is going to blend in with everyone at your event, and who will fulfill your needs.

Steve Lesnick is currently a NYC 
advertising photographer with over 20 years of experience. Due to his love of all things that are happy, he has expanded into event photography. He lives in Westchester with his wife and two 
teenage daughters.