Armonk Cover Stories

Beach Bopping Around Westchester

May 31, 2019 by Shauna Levy

As temperatures warm, a migration of sorts occurs as northeasterners are instinctively drawn to the beach after months of deprivation. The need to insert ourselves into a Slim Aarons photograph is almost palpable as throngs of us load our cars with beach supplies for day trips to the waterfront. What many Westchester residents, however, may not realize is that this need can be satisfied in mere minutes by a number of hidden gems within the county lines.

Westchester County Parks Deputy Commissioner Peter Tartaglia said, “With warmer weather here at last, we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the beaches when our pre-season begins on Memorial Day weekend. Croton Point Beach is attached to a 500-acre park with everything from a nature center to a full-service campground; Glen Island Beach offers beautiful views of Long Island Sound and of course Playland Beach is part of our iconic Playland Park amusement complex. So there is always a lot to do and see.”

Grab your beach bag, toss in your county park pass or proof of residency and get going! Be sure to go online in advance of your expedition to view specific hours and applicable fees for each location.

Croton Point Park Beach, Croton-on-Hudson

Situated on the Hudson River’s largest peninsula, this 508-acre park boasts stunning views of Haverstraw Bay as sailboats dot the water and low mountains line the horizon. Beachgoers will be thrilled to see that this location offers a wide expanse of sand suitable for spreading out a full service set-up. History buffs may be interested to learn that archeologists confirm that this land was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 7,000 years ago.

1A Croton Point Avenue Croton-on-Hudson
(914) 862-5290

Glen Island Park, New Rochelle

Among Westchester’s jewels, Glen Island was initially developed as a summer resort in the late 1800s. In the 1920s, Westchester County acquired the property and connected it to New Rochelle by a drawbridge. Today, this 130-acre property features a beautiful crescent-shaped beach with access to the Long Island Sound in addition to picnic pavilions, boat launching, pathways, a restaurant and more.

Weyman Avenue New Rochelle
(914) 813-6720 or 6721

Stephen E. Johnston Beach, Mamaroneck

Located on Harbor Island Park, known as the “jewel of Mamaroneck,” this lovely 700-foot beach flanks a wide range of amenities. There’s something for everyone including a playground, spray ground, pavilion, showers, marina, boat-launching area, docks, fishing floats, tennis club, ball fields and more!

123 Mamaroneck Avenue Mamaroneck
(914) 777-7784

Orchard Beach, Bronx

Orchard Beach, located in New York City’s largest park, Pelham Bay Park, is the Bronx’s sole public beach and can be reached by car in approximately 45 minutes. This artificial beach is 6,000 feet long and was created in the 1930s, when it was proclaimed “the Riviera of New York.” The property features a promenade, pavilion, snack bars, food and souvenir carts, two playgrounds, two picnic areas, a large parking lot, and 26 courts for basketball, volleyball, and handball. Overlooking the Long Island Sound, this beach offers calm waters and has earned it’s designation as an NYC icon.

Bruckner Blvd. & Westchester Avenue Bronx
(718) 430-1890

Playland Beach, Rye

There is no other beach in Westchester where sun soakers can alternate between dipping their toes in the water and going on the rides at Rye’s Playland amusement park. This stretch of sand offers general-public access to the Long Island Sound and convenient access to Playland’s park and pool and a range of restaurants overlooking the water. And, animal lovers can rejoice – it’s also dog friendly!

100 Playland Parkway Rye
(914) 813-7010

Exploring Wampus Pond: A Bucolic Beauty

May 31, 2019 by Christine Pasqueralle

One sunny spring day last month, my family and I packed a light lunch and set out to explore the bucolic beauty of Wampus Pond in Armonk. The expansive pond is certainly the focal point of the park and the first thing you see as you enter. It’s amazing to think that right off one of the busiest roads in the area, such a peaceful enclave of nature exists. Wampus Pond is one of those hidden-in-plain-sight gems that you don’t want to miss. If you’ve never been, may I suggest a visit in the near future–you won’t be disappointed.

Located right on Route 128 in the Town of New Castle and the Town of North Castle, Wampus Pond is a breathtaking jewel of a park. The park offers an array of activities for all–whether you want a bit of an adventure or you just want to sit peacefully with a good book while enjoying nature.

Wampus Pond was named after the Indian from whom the land was originally bought in 1696. The name Wampus means “opossum” and the natural pond was formerly known as Wampus Lake Reservoir. Wampus Pond was once part of the New York City water supply and in 1963, Westchester County bought Wampus Pond and 93 acres from the City of New York.

Recently, a cultural resources inventory was performed which unearthed several Native American artifacts as well as remnants of historically significant residential developments in or near the park. The rich history of the land makes for a truly thought-provoking visit through Wampus Pond. You never know what you may come across or who may have walked the same path hundreds of years ago.

Activities All Year Long

Throughout the year, there are many things for visitors to do at Wampus Pond including ice skating, fishing, boating and bird-watching. Dogs are welcome in the park but must be on a leash at all times and are not permitted in the picnic areas. One activity that many anticipate in the warmer months is the opening of the pond for row-boating. Take a few hours to enjoy a peaceful sail across the pond or pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

Rowboat rentals are available on weekends and holidays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visitors may rent the boats in the building situated between the parking lot and the water. Boat rentals can be purchased hourly or daily and the fee is discounted for those with a Westchester County Park Pass. Visitors may also choose to bring their own car-top boats but must have a permit.

In addition to the rowboats, there are picnic tables set up throughout the park so visitors may be able to relax and enjoy the serenity of the park’s natural surroundings. Wampus Pond makes for the perfect spot to enjoy a quick lunch-hour break, relaxing in its quiet serenity. Please note the park is a carry in/carry out facility.

As Westchester County Parks Deputy Commissioner Peter Tartaglia says, “Wampus Pond is a fantastic spot for a picnic, to study nature or take a few turns in a rowboat on a beautiful summer day. Its location on Route 128 between Armonk and Mount Kisco make it an easy spot to visit when you’re visiting either or both towns.”

Take some time to visit Wampus Pond throughout the year. In the spring, the buds on the trees start to come alive, while in the fall all of the gorgeous autumnal colors of the leaves frame the pond. Kids and adults alike will enjoy ice skating in the winter while summertime is made for boating. Wampus Pond is one of Westchester’s loveliest spots and it’s right here in Armonk. Plan your visit soon and prepare to be amazed with its splendor.

It’s Prom Time: How Local High School Students Prepare for the Big Night

May 31, 2019 by Ella Ilan

Tis the season of promposals. Sitting at a restaurant the other night, I watched a waitress deliver a nutella calzone coated in powdered sugar with “Prom?” spelled out in chocolate sauce to a teenage couple dining at a nearby table. The boy looked expectantly at the girl, who replied “yes” as neighboring diners applauded.

A promposal refers to the creative way in which many teenagers ask a date to the prom. Fashioning the perfect element of surprise and creating a clever promposal has added another line item to the prom to-do list.

Byram Hills High School Principal Christopher Walsh has been a party to many promposals. “I’ve been asked to bait somebody and call them down to my office. Sometimes they’re nervous because they’ve never been called to the principal before, but then someone pops out and asks them to prom. I’m always happy to be part of that but I think there is a limit to it and it should all be done in good fun. I’ve heard of students renting aircrafts, arranging skywriting and getting really creative. It’s always interesting for me to hear about them,” he says.

Say Yes to The Dress: The Prom Version

For some girls, the dress is chosen long before they know their date. Once a dress is purchased, the trend in recent years has been for girls to lay claim to their dress by posting a picture of it in a dedicated Facebook group for the girls of the senior class. This ensures that no one wears the same dress. These Facebook posts begin as early as January. Although my senior daughter and I didn’t start shopping for a dress until March, we certainly felt pressured to find and commit to something quickly.

“Shopping for prom attire was significantly easier with my son than it was with my daughter,” reports one local Armonk mom. “My son went to one tuxedo rental place where he selected everything he needed, including shoes, in under 30 minutes. My daughter, however, tried on at least 30 dresses at multiple stores before finally selecting one that had to be shipped from another country!”

Changes in Store for This Year’s Prom

Both Byram Hills High School and Horace Greeley High School are having their proms at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle. Greeley’s prom will take place on June 6th and Byram Hills’ prom will be held on June 13th. This marks a change for both schools. Since 1993, the Byram Hills prom has been at World Yacht off of Pier 82 in New York City. In past years, the Greeley prom was held at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor.

Another change for Byram Hills is that transportation on coach buses will be provided for students from the high school to Glen Island and back to school after prom. Previously, students arranged their own transportation, often by limousine or party bus.

“One of the things I noticed when I became principal,” says Walsh, “was that the community was really detached from prom in many ways. Since the venue was on a boat in the city, many families were scattered and there were a lot of different pre-prom parties that tend to be somewhat exclusionary. I was looking for a way to make it more of a community-centered event and a safer experience for our kids. I thought we could kill two birds with one stone by having the kids arrive here on a red carpet for a school-wide pre-prom and transport them on nice coach buses to and from the prom.”

While some students have expressed disappointment that the prom will no longer be in the city, most are looking forward to this rite of passage with great anticipation.

“I’m excited to see how it all comes together at the end…it’s going to be great to all leave from the school because our whole grade gets a pre-prom together. It’s a lot more inclusive,” says Byram Hills senior and Grade Activities Board member, Julia Weiler.

Greeley’s change in venue comes after several years of passionate pleas from some students to move away from Trump National due to the President’s controversial comments about immigrants and minorities. Students were excited about choosing a new location and forging new traditions.

“Using both the research we collected about possible prom venues and input from the class, we chose Glen Island,” says Julia Bialek of Greeley’s Class of 2019 Executive Student Leadership Council. “We could not be more excited for prom! The location is absolutely gorgeous and, who knows, perhaps we could start our own prom legacy.”

Safety First

Parents, as former prom attendees themselves, approach prom with a mix of anxiety and excitement. Knowing that prom night rarely lives up to heightened expectations, many parents hope their kids have the best time possible while most importantly, remaining safe.

Most prom-goers are excited about the after-prom parties. Prom night, however, can be dangerous with so many teenagers out on the roads late at night and the potential for drug and alcohol abuse. The atmosphere of freedom and celebration, coupled with the pressure to make prom a memorable experience, can lead kids to behave in ways they would never do in their everyday lives.

Hopefully, after speaking with promgoers seriously about behaving responsibly, parents of graduating seniors can share in this rite of passage with their children and enjoy a safe and fun prom season.

The Armonk Players: Community Theatre at its Best

April 18, 2019 by Ella Ilan

The Armonk Players (the “Players”), a true embodiment of high-quality theatre and community participation, is Armonk’s local community theatre group, which has been putting on productions at the 186-seat Whippoorwill Theater Hall adjacent to The North Castle Public Library for more than 22 years. Staging two full productions every year, one of which is a musical, along with free staged readings, the Players offer a plethora of opportunities for people to see great theatre, perform in shows, or work behind the scenes.

Key Players

The Players was the brainchild of three longtime Armonk residents, Barbara and Hal Simonetti and Susan Geffen. Geffen’s and Mrs. Simonetti’s friendship developed in the 1980s when they were both living in Tokyo while their husbands were on work assignments for IBM. Simonetti, whose passion had always been theatre, was directing a staged reading for the Tokyo International Players, and asked Geffen, an interior designer by profession, for help with producing, staging, and costumes. Geffen loved the experience and there began a great friendship and shared love of theatre.

Upon returning to Armonk, the women learned that the library was adding on a theatre complex to the building. Once it was built, they decided they needed a community theatre group. “My husband Hal, Susan and I sat in my kitchen and said ‘Let’s put on a show!’ and that’s how it all started,” recalls Simonetti.

“First I thought it was a crazy idea because even though we knew about theatre, we didn’t know about the making theatre end of it,” says Mr. Simonetti. “But after we started it, we found that out of the woodwork from every direction came people who were interested in it. We gave them an opening and in they came.”

The Armonk Players is sponsored by The Friends of the North Castle Library (“The Friends”), a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise money for purchasing “extras” for The North Castle Public Library. One of the Friends’ biggest fundraisers is the annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show, which benefits the library and the Whippoorwill Hall theatre. Geffen was on the board of the Friends and was instrumental in arranging the early funding for the Players.

“When you have a theatre group, you need an angel and there was the magic confluence of the Friends having as their mission to bring culture and education to the community, having a theatre, and putting together a theatre group,” explains Geffen.

“We’re very blessed to have the facility that we have at the library and we’re extremely blessed to have the Friends be our patrons and supporters – that’s an unusual situation and a very lucky one,” says longtime Armonk resident Rodd Berro, board member and former president of the Players. Berro, who is the president and co-owner of Pegasus Asset Management, has been involved with the Players since performing and doing lighting for them in their very first show.

Let’s Put on a Show

For that first staged reading, the Players chose 84 Charing Cross Road, a play about a writer and an antique bookseller, for its literary focus since the theatre was at the library. Mrs. Simonetti played the lead and Mr. Simonetti directed it. It was a community effort from the very beginning.

“For the set, we took furniture from people’s houses… a desk, bookcases, books, an old fashioned typewriter… Everybody involved brought something from their home,” remembers Mrs. Simonetti. “Everyone that came out that day, either in the show or doing tech or costumes or props for the show, ultimately stayed as long as they could over the years to help us with all the shows we did.”

Current Artistic Director Pia Haas was brought in as a director soon thereafter to direct Lovers and Strangers and has stayed on ever since to help any way she can. She currently handles publicity for the Players in addition to her role as Director of Press and Public Relations at Westchester Broadway Theatre.

“I was immediately accepted as part of the family and it really was a family at that point,” says Haas.

Delivering High Quality Theatre

“We supply good theater to the community –remember, we are within a stone’s throw of Broadway so in order to get people to come, there have to be a couple of reasons and one of them is to see your friends and one of them may be the price, but at the end of the day you need to put on quality performances,” says Berro.

“I think we’ve achieved a quality that is kind of remarkable for a community theatre. I think our shows have really high quality productions and we pride ourselves on that,” says Haas.

“Many of us go into New York to go to the theatre. It can be a multi-hundred dollar event–we are either taking a train or driving a car in and paying fifty dollars to park, we’re going out to dinner, we buy tickets, and we get home after midnight.

“Here, you can go to the theatre within 10 or 15 minutes, you don’t pay for parking, you’re home by 10:30, and you’ve seen excellent theatre,” proffers Geffen.

Amazing Volunteers

It takes an enormous amount of effort to put on a show. The Players are grateful for all their devoted helpers and are always looking for more volunteers. From early on, they were lucky to have Haas and Christine DiTota, both experienced directors, on the theatrical side. Berro, besides his contributions as a leader, on the board, and on the stage, was critical in setting up lighting for the shows. Berro’s father, Nat Berro, designed and supervised the construction of authentic-looking sets.

“Some people have been with us for 20 years…Phyllis Sederbaum, Ann Nisenholtz, Ron Aaronson, and others…these are stalwarts whose lives have been affected by this. It’s a successful cooperative community effort that’s longstanding. Not too many of those around,” says Mr. Simonetti.

“One of the biggest challenges is finding volunteers. Everybody enjoys the acting part but finding people to do the work–from the backstage to the lighting to building the sets and taking them down to getting props and costumes to just being in there to organize–the people that do this are the unsung heroes and the unsung volunteers,” says Berro. “It’s a challenge but it’s always wonderful when new people come in. The challenge creates an opportunity to meet new people and to have new ideas.”

“We really need more people to do this; to make an investment in the town where they live,” says Geffen. “I love this town and made a decision to bring in a theatre group and get involved wherever I can. I get back so much more than I give. I have met the best people because the volunteers are always the best people.”

“For me, personally, it was the start of getting involved in volunteer work and community spirit. Even though I had a love of theatre, having a BFA from a conservatory, and it was wonderful to get back into theatre, what it did most for me is allow me to recognize the importance of community outreach to make the community stronger and better through the arts and through other volunteer organizations,” reflects Berro. “It was also wonderful to have my dad, who is now 97, involved. He built some wonderful sets over the years.”

Coming Up

Their next show, Baby, a musical comedy, is scheduled to run for two weekends beginning May 10th and promises to be a great production. The musical with a book by Sybille Pearson and music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. first ran on Broadway in 1983. Poster design and graphics for the show were provided by generous volunteers, Janet and Rich Ferrante.

“Baby is a very relatable story about three couples all in different age brackets who discover they are all pregnant at the same time. The music is fantastic and the cast is phenomenal. It’s not a show that is produced too often so it should be really interesting for the audience,” says Director and Choreographer Tom Coppola.

“It’s one of my favorite musicals,” says Rachel Schulte , the actress playing the role of “Lizzie,” in the show. “I fell in love with the music after listening to a CD of it in college and it’s been a dream role of mine ever since.”

In addition to the regularly scheduled staged readings, the Players recently hosted their first “improv night,” which was a great success. They hope to do more in the future. For tickets to Baby and information about upcoming performances, please visit armonkplayers.org

VARIOUS PRODUCTIONS OF THE ARMONK PLAYERS

Local Residents Help with the Refugee Crisis & Resettlement Needs

April 18, 2019 by Anna Young

Four years ago, a photo of a Syrian boy’s lifeless body washed up along the Turkish shore went viral and enlightened so many to the plight refugees succumb just to have freedom, peace and safety.

The three-year-old boy, who was one of 12 Syrians who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea attempting to reach the Greek Island of Kos, encapsulated the determination and desperation refugees experience trying to escape the horror and danger they were born into.

That photo served as a catalyst for several residents and organizations throughout Westchester County to work together to support refugees overseas and aid in integrating and assimilating them as they sought refuge in the United States.

Armonk resident Jackie Tarascio said she was shocked by the image and felt an urgency to help refugees in anyway.

“When I saw it, I just felt like I had to do something. It was an awful image of these refugees seeking freedom,” Tarascio said. “It’s easy to go to dinner with your friends and have a day-to-day life, and then you become aware of what’s going on and you feel guilty for spending $5 on coffee, having a home, wearing a jacket or travelling through a border. These people can’t even cross a border to get to safety.”

Wanting to help those in need, Tarascio searched through social media for groups devoted to connecting refugees and volunteers, eventually joining several private groups on Facebook that serve both local families and those overseas. It’s a networking team that has been built up over the years and you learn the people you can trust, she said.

Tarascio noted many instances where her volunteerism assisted someone resettle locally, find a job, or acquire a doctor to perform an essential surgery overseas, adding that each individual and family is grateful to receive support. But while Tarascio is fortunate to help so many, she said it’s a highly emotional circumstance where some cases simply can’t be solved.

“Sometimes you need to come to terms with a family being unable to get out of their situation,” Tarascio said. “It’s a burden you expect, and it’s a weight on your shoulders and an awareness of what is happening. It took me seeing a news report to want to know more but if I can help get someone a stroller it’s heartwarming.”

Chappaqua resident Mary Refling, who started the Westchester Refugee Task Force in 2015, said she became aware of the violence in Syria after seeing the graphic photo in church one day. After learning there wasn’t a resettlement agency in Westchester, she said it was time to step up to the plate and help those seeking asylum.

“Most of the people in our group feel this real strong connection to this sense of civic responsibility that we are here and the privileges we enjoy as American citizens are due in part to our grandparents and our parents,” Refling said, noting how difficult it is for people to leave their life, and sometimes families behind, to emigrate to the United States with almost nothing. “We just feel like someone did this for us so it’s our turn to make it possible for the new generation of immigrants.”

Kathie O’Callaghan, president and founder of Hearts & Homes For Refugees (HHFR), felt similar discouragement after she launched her non-profit grassroots humanitarian group in 2015. O’Callaghan collaborated with several civic groups and faith-based coalitions to create the Westchester Refugee Initiative to broaden the scope of work they could do to resettle refugees. In the last two years, she said her organization has resettled 12 cases, or 100 individuals.

While O’Callaghan and Refling are proud of the work they are doing, both noted that the Trump Administration has made every effort to prevent refugees from seeking asylum in the United States. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of State, the number of new refugees in New York decreased from a high of 5,026 in 2016 to 1,281 in 2018.

With the number of refugees decreasing, O’Callaghan said her organization is focused on supporting recently resettled immigrants, citing that many of them have particular needs and run into obstacles as they integrate into the community. “The US has always been the country people look up to, and we’re not going to model the current behavior that this country has shown,” O’Callaghan said. “We’re not going to save the world by resettling refugees but it’s important that we make sure that we do our part. We’re not going to disappear.”

Armonk Cover Stories

Beach Bopping Around Westchester