The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Armonk Cover Stories

North Castle Considers Plastic Bag Ban

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On April 22nd, towns and cities across the world will be celebrating the 49th anniversary of Earth Day. As Earth Day approaches, communities pause and take into account the environmental impact of their actions. One such focus is the use of plastics in society and the ramifications it has on the world around us. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it takes 100-400 years for plastics to break down in a landfill. Many municipalities have targeted one specific area–plastic bags. Single-use, disposable plastics bags are a major source of litter and pollution in our environment as they do not biodegrade and are extremely difficult to recycle.

New Castle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck and Rye are all Westchester towns that have passed laws prohibiting the use of plastic bags. North Castle is now evaluating similar legislation regarding the banning of plastic bags in retail stores. Two prominent figures who are spearheading the movement for this ban are North Castle residents, Linda Trummer-Napolitano and Beth Pollack.

“We launched a BYOB campaign a few years back to encourage residents to bring their own reusable bags wherever they shop. We are in an active period of gathering signatures on a petition from residents who support legislation that restricts single plastic carry out bags and imposes a fee on other carry out bags modeled after the New Castle law.”

New Castle passed its Reusable Bag Law on January 1, 2017 with the objective of reducing plastic bag usage. The law only applies to retail transactions and its goal is to ban the use of single-use plastic bags.  Certain establishments such as grocery, convenience stores and pharmacies are required to charge 10 cents for paper bags. Restaurants, delis, boutiques and liquor stores are exempt from the fee. When deciding how to enforce the law, the New Castle Sustainability Board decided it would rely on reports from consumers and merchants to identify businesses that were not in compliance.

“Our goal is to find a solution that will work in North Castle without causing hardship to anyone. We are a long way from proposing any legislation but we think momentum is on our side.”

Inside Armonk interviewed local North Castle residents about their views on this important issue.  “I think eventually the town should ban the plastic bags. The negative impact it has on the environment is obvious,” says local resident Michael Aberman. “There needs to be a more gradual change to the issue because this is not like other issues.” He then goes on to talk about implementing a tax on plastic bags, much like they do in New Castle. “I think there could be a ten-cent tax to the bags which could incentivize customers to bring their own.”

Some have questioned whether imposing a tax on plastic bags would hurt business owners. However, research from around the region has provided evidence that the long-term effects on stores are very positive. Two studies conducted by Fairfield University one year after Westport, CT passed its law shows a significant increase in reusable bag rates (approximately 50 percent) at the Westport Stop and Shop.

“In DeCicco’s, they shouldn’t ban grocery bags, but for other small stores they should,” states Armonk resident Rianna Rabinowitz. “I wouldn’t think twice about using a paper bag or plastic bag in a large store like DeCicco’s.” Many Armonk residents appear in support of banning plastic bags or imposing a ten cent charge. When asked about whether North Castle should ban plastic bags, Armonk resident Blake Rosen stated, “They should ban it where it is necessary. I know that some states charge ten cents a bag and I think that could be effective in Armonk.”

According to Napolitano, “We believe that many North Castle residents are supportive of a reusable bag or BYOB bill because they recognize the perils that plastic bags pose to our wildlife and the environment.” The Armonk Chamber of Commerce supports the BOYB campaign. She further states that the best solution to this problem is to create legislation.

Revitalizing the Glamour of Old Cinema: The Bedford Playhouse Reopens its Doors

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Passing under the iconic arches flanking the entrance of the Bedford Playhouse, Home of the Clive Davis Arts Center, one is instantly transported to the era of old Hollywood glamour. From the old fashioned box office that greets guests to Paul Shaffer’s grand piano from the set of “The Late Show” with David Letterman gracing the foyer, it’s evident that the Playhouse boasts a rich history. The meticulous detail, however, beguiles the fact that it’s been mere months since the grand reopening of this cultural hub that’s now emerging as a bright star after a questionable future.

A Grassroots Movement

The Bedford Playhouse first opened its doors in April 1947 to much fanfare. In 1983, the theater was acquired by Bow Tie Cinemas and divided into two smaller theaters, losing much of its historic nature. In early 2015, when Bow Tie opted not to renew its lease, the beloved theater closed. That’s when the community unified to take action. Lindsay Hearon, director of marketing of the Playhouse recounts, “The community banded together in a ‘Save the Playhouse’ grassroots movement of sorts and reached out to local resident, John Farr, who was instrumental in resurrecting the Avon Theater in Stamford. The landlord gave us 120 days to raise $2M to prove there was significant interest in the project. That goal was accomplished in six weeks. That’s when they began taking us seriously.”

If the first phase of revitalizing the Playhouse was about generating support, then the second phase can be characterized by reimagining, rebuilding and redesigning the structure. According to Hearon, “Since a movie theater didn’t work, we needed to redefine the Playhouse’s role in this phase of its evolution. The local communities were craving a cultural hub. To tap into that void, we conceived of a space anchored by films, but with the capability to function as so much more. The introduction of a wine tasting room and café, where people grab a smoothie or meet friends for a drink was instrumental in the transformation.” Armonk resident and founding donor, Robert Greenfield concurs, saying, “My wife and I absolutely fell in love with the renovation and the overall experience. It’s this intimate, luxurious cultural destination that’s right in our backyard. It’s different from a movie theater or a concert hall. It’s about bringing the community together to have a dialogue, listen to directors speak about films, attend family programming or just have a drink with friends. You simply can’t beat this.”

To make this vision a reality, the team began working fervently, assembling a group of advisors.  “We consulted with the absolute best,” according to Hearon, “from designers to architects to state-of-the-art technology teams to ensure that no detail was overlooked.” Amongst this exclusive team of advisors is local resident and music industry legend, Clive Davis. Hearon explains the icon’s role, “When Mr. Davis learned about what we were doing, he wanted to get involved both personally and philanthropically. He identified with the need to bring arts and culture back to the community. His decades of incredible experience and connections have been instrumental.” Davis’ contributions were so impactful that the Playhouse thanked him by designating the Clive Davis Art Center as its partner entity, an honor prominently reflected on the building’s façade.

“It’s different from a movie theater or a concert hall. It’s about bringing the community together to have a dialogue, listen to directors speak about films, attend family programming or just have a drink with friends. You simply can’t beat this.” – Robert Greenfield

A Marriage of Old and New

The grand opening of the Bedford Playhouse revealed an opulent interior depicting the perfect marriage of old and new. The theaters feature sumptuous, buttery-soft leather seating with trays for food and drink, vintage film posters and waterfall curtains, complemented by state-of-the art Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. “Our doors opened on September 30th, featured three days of fun-filled programming and culminated in a party with guests including Clive Davis and Paul Shaffer. We’ve been chugging along ever since,” Hearon proudly announces.

“Our programming incorporates a hybrid strategy of arts and film that touch topics that are captivating the community’s interest like the “Me Too” movement or politics–we’re not going to shy away from controversial issues,” says Hearon, further explaining, “We have a really exciting footprint where we take a movie and add a unique component to it.” One space in particular has been designed with flexible furniture to accommodate everything from a themed cocktail event to author reading event discussion to a children’s birthday party.

A series of unique events have already taken place. The Playhouse screened Always at the Carlyle, accompanied by a Q&A with the film’s directors complete with a cocktail event that recreated the hotel’s legendary Bemelmans Bar. Mary Poppins Returns featured a “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” Spelling Bee and costumed Mary Poppins offering spoons full of sugar up and down the aisles. Martha Stewart hosted a private event in the wine tasting room, while Glenn Close headlined a sneak preview screening of the Oscar-nominated film, The Wife, complete with a Q&A event and cocktail party; former head writer of SNL Alan Zwibel held a Q&A and a screening of Love Gilda. And, there’s no sign of the momentum slowing. In the coming months, the Playhouse is set to offer a special screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey, a Q&A with the David Boies, the subject of the documentary, The Case Against 8, and a comedy show starring comedian Robert Klein.

All of the excitement is evidence that the Bedford Playhouse has tapped into the community’s collective yearning for culture. “We’ve even seen the naysayers come out,” Hearon says, continuing, “People really want to join together in a cultural experience. The community has been hungry for this.”

Local Students Explore Options Abroad at First Ever Gap Year Fair in Northern Westchester

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2018 Greeley grad Sophie Meinen speaks to parents and students about her gap year experiences

More than 100 students, parents and guidance professionals poured into Seven Bridges Middle School to learn more about gap year programs on a cold wintry night this past January. The first in our area, the gap year fair–hosted by the Horace Greeley PTA and organized by USA Gap Year Fairs, provided a wealth of information about this growing trend.

The idea of taking a gap year came into the spotlight in 2016 when the Obamas announced that Malia Obama had been accepted to Harvard but was taking a gap year. While it is not known exactly how many students opt for a gap year, TD Ameritrade reported in a recent survey that more than 35 percent of high school students are considering it.

Motivation for considering a gap year was varied as the students in attendance who hailed not only from Chappaqua but also surrounding school districts including Somers, Byram Hills and Bedford. Students and parents perused several booths at the fair and spoke with representatives offering the following options:

  • Travel and adventure: Costa Rica, Beijing, Japan, Jordan, Brazil, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Borneo. There were literally programs for students to choose from anywhere in the world.
  • Volunteer service work: It’s all about self-discovery and immersion. How about combining a thirst for travel with a service-learning project? Rebuild homes in the Galapagos Islands or assist with farming practices in the Amazon rainforest.
  • Work on environmental causes: Students work in eco-tourism in Costa Rica or on installing solar systems in rural Kenya.
  • Explore interests: Live in an artist community in Ireland, immerse in a language program abroad, or spend a semester at sea!
  • Have a religious experience: Experience a Buddhist monastery or study Hebrew and dance in Jerusalem.
  • Build college-readiness skills: Thirty percent of students won’t make it to their second year of college, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Report published in 2014. All programs provide students with a year of maturity, but some focus on college readiness and independent living skills in a more in-depth way.
Carl Jaramillo of Nomad Planet

Students were not the only ones driving attendance. After four years of academic rigor, juggling sports and activities, SAT prep, etc., some parents were pushing their kids to explore the fair. As one parent expressed “I just want her (my daughter) to take a year to breathe and just be.”

Sophie Meinen, a 2018 graduate of Horace Greeley who just finished three months in Bolivia and Peru, shared her experiences with the parents and students in attendance. The Inside Press wanted to know what motivated her to embark on her gap year adventure; “Chappaqua has very intense academics and I definitely felt burned out by the end of high school. I was really eager to just take a break from all of that before I went to college and I’m really glad that I did.  I may have not been learning from a traditional model, but I do think that I have learned a lot and I’m eager to keep learning in college. I also think that I have a better sense of what I want to study which will make me choose classes that I’ll be really engaged with.”

How does a gap year impact how universities view applicants?

The answer is almost universally positive. It does help to understand a specific university’s policies and procedures. Many have a statement regarding gap years right on their website, or you can search by state under “University Deferral Polices for Gap Years” on the Gap Year Association website at  https://www.gapyearassociation.org/

Why would colleges and universities encourage the gap year?

The Gap Year Association provides some studies that indicate students who take a year off actually do better–with higher graduation rates and GPAs.

 

Salwa Sabaa of CET Academic Programs
Elissa Allen of United Planet and Alexis Jungdahl of EF International Language Campuses
Emily Greenblatt of Semester At Sea
Charlie Taibi of Year On
Beth Warsof of LeapYear, Naropa University
Kelly Daniels of Seamester

The following resources may assist families in search of the perfect gap year opportunity:

Links and Resources

Gap Year Association
gapyearassociation.org

USA Gap Year Fairs – also provides lists and descriptions of about 50 programs: usagapyearfairs.org/fairs

Gap Matcher – enter your interests and preferences and Gap Matcher suggests programs that might be worth looking into: gapmatcher.com

From the Boroughs to the Burbs … and Back

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The view from the Davis’ new city apartment

One of the most famous lines in cinema is “There’s no place like home” uttered repeatedly by a young Judy Garland playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. What one wants in a home and a community though often changes over time. For many city dwellers with a burgeoning family, the excitement of the city soon takes a back seat to practical needs. The suburbs call out with abundant green lawns, tranquility and good public schools. Cramped apartments and endless cultural opportunities give way to multi-bedroom houses with ample closet space and sprawling backyards. A slower pace. Less noise. The smell of cut grass comes from the lawn outside rather than from a high-end room spray from Bloomingdales. As the spring housing market heats up, we spoke with young families who made the move north of I-287 and empty nesters who said “sayonara” to the suburbs and found their footing in the city.

Growing Families Sprout to the Suburbs

From Park Slope to Parks Aplenty

For Cori and Matt Chmielecki the decision to leave their two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Park Slope was a difficult one. They were happy in Brooklyn; they had great friends, a deck, a yard, a driveway and central air. But with the birth of their twins their apartment became too small for their family of five.

They began their search in the suburbs looking for more space and good schools. They were glad to get away from the feeder school mentality. “Right now all of my friends in Brooklyn are interviewing to get their kids into middle school. I knew that process wasn’t for me” remarked Cori. They preferred Westchester because it was close to family in Connecticut and Metro North offered an ideal commute for Matt, who works in the city.

The Chmielecki kids catch their school bus

“We loved Brooklyn and thought we wouldn’t be cool anymore if we left.” Said Cori, who can’t help but bring the Brooklyn vibe wherever she goes. “Getting into a store with a double stroller and a buggy board on the back was not fun. Life in Brooklyn felt hard, more hectic,” Cori recalls. They were a bit hesitant about going so far north but when all things were considered, Chappaqua was their best option.

Since moving to Chappaqua they acknowledge missing their friends and the culture and diversity of Brooklyn; but overall the Chmieleckis couldn’t be happier. They love their neighbors, the schools, their yard, the weeping willow in front of their house and the creek that runs through their property. Cori especially appreciates the school bus picking her kids up at the end of their driveway.

The Arany Family in the City

Addicted to Armonk

Karina Gritsenko and David Arany and their three sons moved from the Upper East Side to Armonk in September of 2017. Though they loved their rent stabilized two-bedroom apartment on Park Avenue, it was starting to feel too small for their growing family.

The Aranys had the standard requirements when looking to move to the suburbs. They were considering space, location, schools and community. Karina is a physician and commutes to Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. David works in finance in Stamford, CT and Manhattan, so proximity to these places was a consideration.

It wasn’t long after moving that Karina started teasing David that he was “Addicted to Armonk.” He loves everything about it: the focus on family, the community, the safety and especially the indoor and outdoor space. “Armonk is a family town in a way other towns aren’t. It has a real feeling of community with festive events like the Frosty Day Parade and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.”

“We have an amazing town,” Karina says with pride. “Everything is geared towards the kids.  Armonk feels like the Upper East Side, only with houses instead of apartments.” David says that coming home to Armonk from the city “makes him calm and happy.”

Empty Nesters Flock to the City

A Nest in the Sky

Cheryl and Danny Strick moved to Armonk from LA in 2004 when their two kids were 10 and 6 years old. They had heard from friends that Windmill Farm in Armonk is one of the best places on the East Coast to raise kids. After looking around, they agreed and settled there. “It was such an easy place to meet people and make friends,” recalls Cheryl.

When their kids grew up and went away to college, Cheryl, a television producer, found herself at home alone with her three dogs working on projects while her husband worked long days in the music industry getting home late most nights. They decided that they would be able to spend more time together if they downsized and moved to the city.

The Stricks saw moving to the city as an opportunity to reinvent and rediscover their relationship. Cheryl feels that “you thrive by reinventing yourself.”

The thing the Stricks miss most about living in Armonk are their many dear friends. Cheryl makes a point to come back to Armonk regularly for Canasta games and lunches. The couple has an annual tradition of watching the Super Bowl and celebrating July 4th with their friends in Armonk.

Cheryl has enjoyed constantly recreating and redecorating her home as life has changed. She looks at this stage of her life as a continuation of that. This time she has built her home as “a nest high in the sky”. Though they miss their backyard with the screened in porch, pool and Jacuzzi, the Stricks now have a view from their Upper West Side 18th floor apartment terrace that they love.

Turning the Page

Lisa and Stephen Davis lived in Chappaqua for 31 years. They built a wonderful and happy life, and found it to be an ideal place to raise their three children. They established deep roots in the community. Lisa was on the Chappaqua Board of Education for nine years and served as the president of Temple Beth El; but the couple had both gone to college in the city and they lived there before having kids. Though they loved their life in Chappaqua, they always knew they would eventually go back. Eight years after their youngest finished college, they decided that it was time.

Lisa feels that “New York City is a great place to be as an older adult. You don’t have to drive, there is so much culture and you walk more.” It made sense that this was the place for their next phase. “It’s energizing and exciting to turn the page…and a little frightening”. Yet, Lisa emphasizes that it’s important for the timing to be right.

Lisa still maintains ties to Westchester, as she reverse commutes to her job as Executive Director of the Westchester Putnam School Board. On the other hand, her husband enjoys having a fast and easy commute to his job in the city.

The Davises are glad they moved to New York City, however Lisa misses being connected to the community like she was when she lived in Chappaqua. She has stayed in contact with her friends, however she misses being close to some of her favorite places like the Jacob Burns Film Center, Rockefeller State Park Preserve and her beloved temple.

Suburbity: A Combination of the Suburbs and the City

The city; an hour, but sometimes a lifetime, away. The decision about where to live often becomes about priorities and changing lifestyles. However, leaving one place doesn’t mean you must completely detach. And so, we can create a hybrid, a mash-up, of what we want and need from both places across the timeline of our lives. It is nice to know we have the best of suburban life still within a reasonable distance of all that the city offers, even if it takes years or even decades to get there.

A Local Winter Wonderland Thanks to Westchester Land Trust

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In 2009, through a partnership with Town of North Castle and the Village of Mount Kisco, Westchester Land Trust preserved a nearly 30 acre parcel next to Byram Hill Lake in Armonk. The stunning lake is used by recreational fishermen and boaters (Note: permits are required) during warmer months but during the winter it makes a magnificent backdrop for photographs. The preservation protects the drinking water supply for local residents. The conservation easement also protects significant wildlife habitat including forests and wetlands.

Photos courtesy of Westchester Land Trust