The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Cover Stories

Take a “Walk in the Words”

by

…and Experience the Magic of Books and Connection at The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival on October 15

Take a “Walk in the Words” and experience the magic of books and connection at The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival on October 15, 2022.

Inspired by the beautiful and diverse stories told by the 150+ authors, the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (CCBF) celebrates literacy, the power of words, and the unifying quality of books. Festival organizers thank Hudson Talbott, author of American Library Association (ALA) honor book, A Walk in the Words, for creating this year’s incredible poster art, and for showing readers that words are stepping stones and that they should always take their time to “savor the story!” (Talbott).

The 9th annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival will take place on October 15, 2022 at the Chappaqua Station from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Many fan favorites are returning, along with beloved traditions, including author signings, sponsor activities, story time, and musical performances, and there will be lots of exciting new additions. While the festival made a much-anticipated return in 2021, albeit on a small scale, organizers anticipate this year to be a perfect fall day for readers and families to meet their favorite authors and enjoy all the town has to offer.

“It’s a thrill to be heading into our ninth annual festival,” Dawn Greenberg, Executive Director of CCBF, said. “We are so happy that it’s bigger than ever with some very exciting new authors plus our many favorites from years past. We are expanding our family fun zone and our food truck area, too. We really want families to come and spend the day…and then to take some time to explore our beautiful town! Fall is the best time in Chappaqua. Combine that with smiling kids meeting their favorite authors–it’s a day like no other.”

Historically the festival has been a county-wide favorite, and has drawn authors, illustrators, and visitors from many neighboring states. Among those are local authors and illustrators including Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty), Barbara Dee (Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet), Sujean Rim (Zoogie Boogie Fever), and Matt (Pet) & Mara Van Fleet (Three Little Mermaids). Recent award winners Veera Hiranandani (How To Find What You’re Not Looking For) and Kyle Lukoff (Too Bright To See) will return as part of the day’s lineup; and celebrated authors, Phil Bildner (A High Five For Glenn Burke), Mike Curato (Where is Bina Beat?), Alyson Gerber (Taking Up Space), Chris Grabenstein (Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game), Dan Gutman (My Weirdest School), James Howe (Bunnicula), Victoria Kann (Pinkalicious), Alan Katz (Awesome Achievers in Technology), Torrey Maldonado (What Lane?), Janae Marks (A Soft Place to Land), Kate Messner (Over and Under the Waves), Laurie Morrison (Coming Up Short), Co-authors Gae Polisner & Nora Raliegh Baskin (Consider the Octopus), Lauren Tarshis (I Survived), and Mark Teague (King King’s Cousin) will ALL be in attendance again, just to name a few!

Some of the highly anticipated new additions include Selina Alko (I is for Immigrants), Melanie Conklin (A Perfect Mistake), Carrie Firestone (The First Rule of Climate Club), Josh Funk (My Pet Feet), Valerie Goldstein (Violet’s Victory), Rajani LaRocca (Red, White, and Whole), Claribel Ortega (Witchlings), Eric Rosswood (Strong), Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Operation Sisterhood), Elly Swartz (Dear Student), and Jennifer Thermes (Manhattan: Mapping the Story on an Island).

Also new to the festival (and traveling great distances to meet readers) are rockstar husband & wife team, Chris Barton (How to Make a Book (About My Dog)) and Jennifer Ziegler (Worser), Lisa Fipps (Starfish), Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Invisible), and Sally J Pla (Benji, The Bad Day, And Me).

Emily Barth Isler (Aftermath), who will be flying in from California shared that, “The opportunity to connect with other authors in person is always exciting, but meeting readers and getting to connect with the people we truly write the books for is the best part.”

The full roster of authors, illustrators, and sponsors can be found on the CCBF site. Be sure to check it out so you can plan your day!

The power of books and connection

The CCBF board actively seeks to ensure that all readers find books that both highlight their identities and help them to develop empathy towards others. This mission is grounded in the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop who is widely respected for her commentary on the importance of diverse books which reflect the world in which we live. In her 1990 essay, she wrote:

“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms the human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of a larger human experience.” (Bishop, 1990).

A little over 30 years later, as many diverse children’s books have become the targets of criticism, CCBF is proud to promote literacy and openly stands against censorship and book banning. The board and all volunteers hope the event serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the power of words and the many ways books unite us.

Jyoti Gopal (American Desi), who volunteered at the Chappaqua Book Festival in the past, is “excited to participate as a debut author this year!” She says, “Books were a lifeline for me growing up but I rarely found books that represented me. I love the range of stories and genres that are available at the Festival and am thankful that I will be one of the many voices represented there–it’s vitally important for children to be able to see themselves and their experiences in books, to see that their identity is affirmed and valued. And it’s a super fun day!”

Festival organizers will follow up-to-date guidelines and protocols regarding social distances, crowd numbers and masking policies. They will ensure that the festival is a safe space for all and encourages everyone to do what makes them feel most comfortable and excited to attend and enjoy the day.

9th Annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Chappaqua Train Station
ccbfestival.org

From Ecuador to Pleasantville Came Paul Alvarez, with a Dream Built by Hard Work & American Grit

by

Photo by Donna Mueller

Paul Alvarez isn’t living the American Dream. He is the American Dream.

And the Pleasantville Dream too.

Alvarez went from the streets of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, with desperately poor, hungry people, robberies, and the possibility of getting kidnapped, to the streets of Pleasantville.

“In Quito,” Alvarez explains, “someone could grab you off the street and ask your family for ransom.”

In contrast, Pleasantville was quiet and safe.

“It was an awesome experience to walk to school,” Alvarez remembers.

Alvarez’s father, Guillermo, started working at the age of three, picking fruits and vegetables on farms. He worked in a plastic bag factory and bought and sold propane tanks. After Paul was born, Guillermo, also known as Bill, came to the United States in 1987, when Paul was five years old, to try to make a better life for his family.

Bill got a visa to fly to Mexico and was arrested there for overstaying the visa. His brother Walter, who was in the United States at the time, had to pay to get Bill out of jail. Bill traveled to the border, then crossed the Rio Grande to get in the U.S.

From there, Bill made his way to Pleasantville, where Walter was living.

“He was a dishwasher at a deli in the morning. He worked as a landscaper and he was a dishwasher and busboy at the Riviera, on Tompkins Avenue. He took whatever jobs he could get,” Alvarez recalls.

Alvarez’s mother, Maritza, came to the U.S. two years later. Paul was then cared for by his grandparents and uncles.

The first time Maritza tried to get into the U.S., she was arrested in Mexico and put in a Mexican jail, then deported back to Ecuador.

“We couldn’t find my mom for three months,” Alvarez says. His mom came back home, and the family tried again to get her to the U.S. Maritza was then able to get a tourist visa to the U.S.

Alvarez came to the U.S. in 1992, on a tourist visa too. The family lived in a house with three other families on Marble Avenue.

After Alvarez’s six-month tourist visa expired, “I was here unlawfully,” he says.

Alvarez’s father worked so hard at the deli that he earned a promotion to chef. The owner of the deli helped Bill obtain legal status here.

Paul started as a fourth-grade student at the Bedford Road School. He was nine years old.

“I was feeling like I was so behind everyone. I couldn’t speak English. The only thing I knew how to say was ham and cheese. One kid called me stupid.”

Alvarez, who was at the top of his third-grade class in Ecuador, worked hard to learn, with the aid of an ESL (English as a second language) teacher.

“What pushed me more, to learn more, I felt I was at a disadvantage,” Alvarez says. “I want to be the best at everything I do.”

It turned out that Pleasantville was the perfect place for Alvarez.

“I loved what the village offered. I had a really positive experience in Pleasantville,” he says. “I started doing sports and making friends.”

In high school, Alvarez became a varsity wrestler. He achieved All-Section Wrestling honors. Alvarez sang in the high school choir and was a drummer in the school band. Also, he volunteered at the Bedford Road School as a teacher’s aide.

Paul and his parents got permanent legal status to live in the U.S., in 1999. They all became citizens in 2005.

He earned a scholarship to SUNY-Oneonta in 2001, where he met his wife, Katie.

Paul remembers his father pushing him constantly to excel.

“My dad would make me read books at night. My parents have always strived for me to succeed.”

After college, Alvarez worked as an interpreter at the law office of Julie Mullaney, in Mt. Kisco. From there, he advanced to paralegal, then lead paralegal and office manager.

He didn’t do well the first time he took the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). His father stepped in again and pushed Alvarez.

“Dad urged me to continue my education. He was like, ‘I didn’t struggle in this kind of job so you could settle.’”

Alvarez took the LSAT again and got a higher score. He was accepted at Pace Law School in White Plains. He finished in two and a half years.

His parents continued to work hard as well. They opened a commercial and residential cleaning service and purchased a building on Washington Avenue to house the business.

“I helped dad run his businesses,” Alvarez says. “We’re employing 20 people now.”

Alvarez moved Mullaney’s law practice to Pleasantville in 2020, then purchased it. He specializes in immigration, traffic, and criminal law.

“Everyone I employ here has an immigration story. We’re trying to give everyone else the American dream,” he says.

Alvarez has become a vice president at the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce. Also, he ran for office as a Village Trustee for Pleasantville in 2020 and won.

Chamber of Commerce President Bill Flooks says of Alvarez: “He’s willing to give his time to make stuff happen. He’s very involved–he brings a lot of youthful ideas to the chamber. That’s great for Pleasantville. He’s a very, very big asset.”

“I started seeing how I could give back to the community,” Alvarez explains. “I’m the chair of the organization that does the Christmas tree lighting. I was the chair for the first-ever Pleasantville Oktoberfest in 2021 and I’m the chair for the Pleasantville Block Party in October 2022.”

Alvarez’s sister is a speech pathologist at a New York City private school. His wife, Katie, is a teaching assistant for the White Plains school district and bookkeeper for Paul’s father. The couple have a boy, six years old and a girl, who just turned three.

“My parents pushed us to be professionals,” Alvarez says. “My mom is humble, with family values and religious values. We’re trying to make this world a better place. She says, ‘that’s your purpose.’”

“I want to give everyone hope–you can see it with a little boy who came here without speaking English–anything is possible.”

“I love Pleasantville. I’ve invested my whole life here,” Alvarez says. “I want Pleasantville to be proud of me.”

Discover The Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack

by

Outstanding Ensemble Emphasizes Creative Freedom & Pay it Forward in its ‘Artistic Homeplace’

The Importance of Being Earnest
Photo by Stephanie Berger

To be, or not to be: that is the question.

Or, to be at the Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack: that is the real question. The answer? Yes. Be there!

After a two-year postponement due to the pandemic, the first annual Phoenix Festival will take place in Nyack on weekends from September 16 through October 16, showcasing carefully selected theater productions meant to resonate with current times, engage audiences and lift spirits.

The Festival is produced and presented by the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. All performances will be held outdoors at the Marydell Faith & Life Center in Upper Nyack and the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center in the heart of Nyack village.

Headlining the program are three classic plays: The Skin of Our Teeth, an “epic,” humorous tale celebrating the “triumph of the human spirit,” The Importance of Being Earnest, acclaimed by many as the “funniest play ever written in the English language” and Chekhov’s rarely performed gem The Harmfulness of Tobacco.

“All three plays are family-friendly, high-spirited–and just plain hilarious,” said Craig Smith, Executive Director of the Phoenix ensemble and the Festival.

Another comedy favorite on the program is Love’s Labour’s Lost to be performed by the Children’s Shakespeare Theatre company–a Rockland County-based troupe of kids aged 8 to 18 who have bravely and masterfully delivered the Bard’s plays for 23 consecutive seasons.

Festival-related pop-up events will include film screenings, jazz performances, art exhibits and more. Tickets are now on sale at 833-681-4800 and NyackArtsFestival.com. Discounts are available using the code “WEST.”

Nyack Is the Stage

All live theater performances will be presented in the afternoon to allow Festival-goers time to enjoy Nyack village. Covering just a little over one walkable square mile, Nyack packs in an amazing array of first-class restaurants, one-of-a-kind shops, lively night spots, hiking, biking and river recreation opportunities–plus access to the Governor Mario Cuomo bridge pathway offering majestic vistas of the Hudson River.
For visitors interested in combining art and entertainment with an exploration of Hudson Valley culture and history, the Festival team has created a special program for this event–entitled Nyack Digital Dreaming-AR Adventures–an exciting multimedia, family-and phone-friendly introduction to the village and its lore and legends, incorporating walking tour narratives, documentary video, and augmented reality.

The Phoenix Rises – and Uplifts

“During the pandemic, we saw how hard everyone was struggling to keep going,” Phoenix Ensemble Artistic Director Elise Stone said. “We’ve always believed that performing arts uplift everyone. The Festival offers something we all need after the challenges of the past couple of years.”

Stone and Smith know the territory. Both are long-time actors and theater-makers who met, married and worked together for years in repertory theaters in New York City. They together founded the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble in 2004–today an internationally recognized leader in the world of creative contemporary theater and winner of multiple awards for excellence in theater arts.

The ensemble prides itself not only in the work they do, which is primarily classical theater (more than just Shakespeare), but also in the creative freedom they give to their actors, directors, designers, writers and others on the team. If one of their costume designers has an idea for a show, they’re all ears.

“At Phoenix, everyone has a voice,” said Smith. ”That’s what makes this Festival a special experience for our audiences.”

Festival ‘How To’: Build the Community Foundation

Skin of our Teeth
Photo by Stephanie Berger

After moving to Nyack in 2018, Smith and Stone saw the potential for getting the community involved in theater arts, but also for the ensemble to get involved with the community itself–one of their core values.

They started by producing benefits and shows for organizations such as the Nyack Library and the Rockland Holocaust Museum & Center for Tolerance and Education. The idea of a festival soon came to mind.

Over the past few years, Smith and Stone have built an infrastructure to support the new Festival by reaching out to local government and collaborating with civic organizations such as VisitNyack.org, the Nyack Chamber of Commerce and Nyack Village, and listening to merchants and businesses on how the Festival could work for everyone.

As part of Festival due diligence, for example, Phoenix commissioned a study conducted by Brockport Research Institute, polling 2,000 tri-state arts enthusiasts and Rockland residents. The results point toward high Festival attendance, as well as significant financial benefits–upwards of half a million dollars in net revenue to local businesses.

Come One, Come All

The Festival is very much for everyone, Stone and Smith emphasize. Both believe that the arts should be accessible to all with no obstacles, whether financial or geographic. The Festival includes a “pay it forward” program to provide tickets to families who can’t afford the full price. A special program for public school students is also part of the plan.

Geography should also pose no barriers. “Whether you’re coming from Westchester or Rockland or Jersey, a first-class professional theater experience is available right on your doorstep,” Stone said. And as she wants to remind those in Westchester, “We’re right across the bridge!”

So, to be at the festival or not to be at the festival … is that even a question?

For details and ticket purchases, visit NyackArtsFestival.com or call 833-681-4800. Discount tickets available with the code “WEST.”

Visit nyackartsfestival.com/become-a-sponsor to learn more about becoming a sponsor for the event. For further information regarding family discounts and student programs, contact Craig Smith at Craig@PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org or 917-717-1617.

Chappaqua’s Jared Saiontz Recognized for Advocating for Children with Food Allergies

by

Photos courtesy of Jared’s mom, Stacey Saiontz

Jared Saiontz is only 14 years-old and entering his first year of high school yet he has done so much as an advocate for Food Allergy Awareness. He has suffered from severe food allergies his whole life.

His allergies include dairy, egg, oat, rye, cats, dogs, sesame, and many more. Instead of accepting the difficulties that come with living with allergies, he decided to take action to help improve the lives of all those living with food allergies.

His most recent accomplishment was advocating for the passage of a Westchester County Food Allergy Restaurant Safety law that will allow restaurants to properly serve people with allergies. Every restaurant in Westchester County will now have on-site personnel who are trained in food allergy safety. Additionally, signs will be posted identifying the top nine major allergens (note Jared was part of the successful advocacy effort at the federal level to add sesame as the 9th allergen companies must label for) along with symptoms of an allergic reaction and steps to take to treat it. This new law will not only help so many people suffering from allergies, but it is only one of the great things Jared has accomplished.

Jared has always been passionate about helping other children with food allergies. Most recently he successfully advocated for placement of allergy awareness signs at the Town of New Castle playgrounds. When he was younger his parents couldn’t risk letting him ride the school bus because at that time school bus drivers were not allowed to administer epinephrine. This potentially meant that if Jared or any other child at the time accidentally consumed something they should not, the bus driver was not allowed to administer epinephrine even if it meant saving the child’s life. Jared asked his mom if they could meet with their State Senator Terrance Murphy and Assembly Member David Buchwald to change this.

Jared explained that every May since the age of 4, he, his mother and older brother Elliott would drive hours to attend meetings in Albany so he could be an advocate for not only himself but all the other children that had allergies. Thanks to Jared and other allergy advocates, a law was passed in 2017 to change this rule and now all school bus drivers in New York State can legally administer epinephrine in the event of an emergency. Jared, alongside other advocates testified for and helped pass the following New York State laws: a law that allow schools to stock non patient specific epinephrine; a law that allows students to self carry their life saving epinephrine; a law that requires all preschools to have allergy awareness training; and a law that allows park rangers to carry and administer epinephrine.

Helping Keep Food Pantries Stocked with Safe Food Options

Jared has always been passionate about helping other children and adults with easy accessibility to allergy safe food options. In the midst of the 2020 pandemic, the food shortage made it harder for Jared and his family to find allergy safe food options that worked for him. One day at the dinner table Jared asked, “How are people who cannot afford allergy safe food handling this? Do food pantries provide allergy safe food?”

He and his mom Stacey Saiontz reached out to the Mt. Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry and asked them how they handle clientele with food allergies. The Food Pantry did not yet have food allergy protocols. Roberta Horowitz at the Food Pantry asked Jared if he wanted to partner with her to help create food allergy protocols for the Pantry and he did! He created innovative posters in Spanish and English to be displayed at the food pantry. These signs not only had writing but symbols to indicate to clientele to advise an employee about their food allergies.

But this is not the only way Jared helped the food pantry. The food pantry surveyed its clientele and asked what allergies they had. Using this information, Jared’s former middle school and other local schools conducted an allergy friendly food drive so guests at the food pantries could have options that worked for them. Now every year during Food Allergy Awareness month (May) those schools annually conduct food drives for the pantry. This year with the help from the PTA and the Seven Bridges Share Jr. Club, the Chappaqua schools collected and donated 734 pounds of allergy friendly food.

Next on the Horizon

Although he’s achieved so much already, he is still not done! Jared hopes to help pass a bill that will require all New York State teachers to be trained to recognize if a child is experiencing anaphylaxis and understand how to administer an epinephrine auto injector. Jared noted that “1 in every 13 children suffer from food allergies. This bill would allow teachers who spend most of their time with children to recognize if a child is having an allergic reaction and save their life. A lot of kids try foods for the first time at school and could experience their first reaction at school.” Jared has testified for this bill annually for 10 years now and he will not give up until it is passed into law.

When asked if there was anything he would like the readers to know Jared said, “Even though I have all these allergies I am still able to do all the same things as everyone else… I just can’t eat the same foods.” After an interview with Jared, it’s clear that he can not only do what anyone else can but beyond that. At such a young age he has helped countless people with food allergies and raised so much awareness. Let it be known that Jared has a very bright future ahead!

Have you Heard? The BURNS is 20!

by

Editor’s Note: An ongoing ‘Celebrating 20 Years Together’ at the Jacob Burns Film Center features a local favorite of many, including moi, the Jewish Film Festival. A peek into its screenings and more of what the remarkable staff of the Burns say theater goers can look forward to at their favorite Westchester destination theater, next door. Do consider a membership to help support programming at the Burns Center. – Grace Bennett

This year’s Jewish Film Festival will feature over 20 films, several with Q&As, and even a Film to Table program boasting a tasting menu inspired by Israeli television series The Chef. Opening night kicks off with Karaoke, a charming dramedy filled with suburban ennui, and the series continues with heartwarming flicks like iMordecai – starring Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane ‐ as well as More Than I Deserve, a poignant coming-of-age story. With lighthearted fare such as “Fellini-esque gangster comedy of Jewish despair” The Plot Against Harry, plus documentaries covering everything from the little-known history of the Wild West’s Jewish cowboys to breaking the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s glass ceiling, this year’s festival truly has something for everyone.

Two of the filmmakers featured in this year’s festival are Westchester natives! Most notably, Ethan Fuirst is a former employee of the Jacob Burns Film Center! Originally hailing from Chappaqua, Ethan worked at the JBFC Theater’s box office as a teen. His short film The Victorias, which made the rounds on the festival circuit before being selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick, will screen as part of JFF. Filmmaker Sophie Parens is also a local, originally hailing from Sleepy Hollow!

More about the Film Shorts

The Victorias


At NYC’s Tenement Museum, a diverse group of costumed interpreters took turns performing as 14-year-old Sephardic immigrant Victoria Confino in 1916. After being laid off during the pandemic, the “Vickies” reflect on the experience of telling another’s story. Filmmaker Ethan Fuirst’s quirky short packs a surprising emotional punch.

2022. 15 m. Ethan Fuirst. US. English. NR.

Zaida

Sophie Parens tells the story of her grandfather Henri Parens, who escaped the Holocaust at the age of 12 and went on to become a globally recognized psychoanalyst dedicated to the prevention of prejudice. Sophie was moved to make this film in the wake of the 2017 Charlottesville riot.

2020. 32 m. Sophie Parens. US. English. NR.

On October 11 at 6:30 p.m., you can also join a Q&A with filmmakers Sophie Parens and Ethan Fuirst with festival curator Bruni Burres, followed by a reception in the Jane Peck Gallery.

100 Years of Nosferatu

Additionally, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Nosferatu! Nosferatu will screen October 25, 7 p.m., with live musical accompaniment from Ben Model.

An unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Nosferatu is the quintessential silent vampire film, crafted by legendary German director F. W. Murnau (Sunrise, Faust, The Last Laugh). Rather than depicting Dracula as a shape-shifting monster or debonair gentleman, Murnau’s Graf Orlok (as portrayed by Max Schreck) is a nightmarish, spidery creature of bulbous head and taloned
claws–perhaps the most genuinely disturbing incarnation of vampirism yet envisioned. Nosferatu was an atypical expressionist film in that much of it was shot on location. While directors such as Lang and Lubitsch built vast forests and entire towns within the studio, Nosferatu’s landscapes, villages and castle were actual locations in the Carpathian mountains. Murnau was thus able to infuse the story with the subtle tones of nature: both pure and fresh as well as twisted and sinister.

To confirm dates and times, and to follow all that’s happening at the Burns, please visit burnsfilmcenter.org