The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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20 Local Dancers to Appear in 19th Year of MCD’s Nutcracker

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Twenty students from the Armonk Center for Dance will appear in MCD’s 19th annual Nutcracker at The Riverside Theatre in New York City December 6-8th, 2019.

Local dancers include Lily Auster, Dani Eder, Abby Eickelbeck, Kourtney Gann, Jillian Gendal, Ella Horowitz, Zoe Horowitz, Grace Kretzmer, Phoebe Miles, Jordyn Ogilvie, Brooklyn Ogilvie, Olivia Peters, Finnley Silverstein, Skylar Silverstein, Ainsley Sorenson, Kendall Sorenson, Charlotte Thielmann, Alexa Tusiani, Abbie Varco, and Emma Zhu will appear alongside an international cast of professional dancers in MCD’s Nutcracker! The dancers range in age from six- to 18-years old.

This holiday classic features dolls coming to life and soldiers and mice battling. Watch Clara journey through the land of Snowflakes to a land of Sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy. This show is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! Tickets are available by calling 212-870-6784 or by logging onto trtnyc.org/upcoming-shows.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD CONDE PHOTOGRAPHY

 

My Dad’s Most Impactful Contributions to New Castle As Town Supervisor

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Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein and Jessie

Last month right before Election Day, I was asked to interview and write about our Town’s Supervisor (aka my dad) Rob Greenstein, and hear what he thinks were his ten most impactful contributions to the New Castle community. Luckily, I have direct access to him so scheduling time with him wasn’t an issue. Here is what my dad believes are his ten most significant accomplishments, besides surviving Chappaqua Moms!

1. He helped to start the eNewsletter.  He tells me that the eNewsletter and his Supervisor reports inform residents on town updates and events. Does anyone really read them?

2. He planned and completed the infamous infrastructure & streetscape project. He tells me the project includes new sewers, drainage to stop downtown from flooding, and hopes to improve the appearance of downtown Chappaqua. It will also make it safer to walk around. Are you kidding Dad? The construction hazards were also treacherous. And what about all those cones?!?!

He worked on updating the zoning in downtown Chappaqua to encourage more housing. He even helped to plan our first all-inclusive playground. The new basketball court in the back corner of town hall parking lot will bring people to play and exercise, and maybe after a game they’ll stop at one of the many nail salons- only kidding :). To highlight all of this, DiscoverChappaqua.com was created. I can’t wait to see it…

3. My dad played a pivotal role in Chappaqua Crossing. Everyone loves Whole Foods & Life Time. And I can’t wait for the Starbucks! I mean a drive thru Starbucks right next to the high school, that’s a coffee addict’s dream come true. He tells me that some new restaurants are coming. We’ve been hearing that for a long time. When?

My dad told me that Chappaqua Crossing will once again become an economic engine that drives our commercial tax base. Huh? I do think it’s cool that the old Readers Digest headquarters is now housing. My dad is also very proud of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. It is nice, and the price was right ($1) but it needs some work. It’s no Radio City Music Hall but it will only get better.      

4. My Dad also helped bring DeCiccos & Sons to Millwood. I mean their guacamole and chips is exceptional! But, rest in peace A&P.

5. He helped create the Distracted Driving initiative in town. His team started the “Hands Off the Phone and On the Wheel” project. He loves his magnets. Just look around. We have lots of SUVS in town–many with magnets.

6. Like my older brother, my dad is really into the environment. He tells me New Castle was the first municipality in New York State to choose green electricity.  That apparently means that our energy comes from renewable sources. He also helped ban plastic bags in town. The funny part is that he still forgets to bring his reusable bags to stores. It’s fun watching him juggle the groceries when he leaves a store. I guess I could help.

7. He helped institute the 2017 Comprehensive Plan. What the heck is that?  He tells me that we received an American Planning Association Award for it. Get a life, dad.   

8. He is proud of a few committees they started such as Every Person is Connected (EPIC), Community Inclusion & Diversity Committee and the New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee.

9. He also helped pave a lot of streets. But, I think they forgot to pave our street.

10. Finally, my dad helped to create the New Castle Holocaust Memorial. With help from members of the community, 750 daffodils were planted. The Daffodil Project hopes to plant 1.5 million Daffodils in memory of the children who perished in the Holocaust. I can’t wait to see the flowers in the spring.

Dad, I know myself, the rest of the family, and the community have given you a tough time over the years. But retirement has come! Let’s buy a walking cane and anti-grey hair spray (oh wait, you don’t have hair)!  Thank you for all you have done for the town. Your efforts have most certainly not gone unnoticed. It was evident how much you cared and contributed to the town and I know you will forever leave a mark on the community.

Adding a Personal Touch to Turkey Day

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There’s something almost primal about Thanksgiving in our country. Who among us doesn’t have at least some early memories of the day be it related to travel, cousins, football, parades and, stating the obvious, food! Sure, there’s a lot to be said about the meaning of this wonderful non-denominational holiday. The importance of family/friends gathering and showing gratitude for the bountiful meal and what it represents is a powerful and meaningful tradition. The holiday even has a nice story about pilgrims and native Americans initially appreciating the beautiful land and its kind abundance together. But I digress, for the purpose of this story, dear reader, you can undo the top button on your trousers, dip a cinnamon stick into your apple cider and care not about the burnt marshmallow at the bottom of the oven.

The day begins really early in our house. My wife Laurie handles the turkey expertly and in a stress-free manner. When it emerges many hours later it will be juicy, golden brown and so excessively large that I had wondered if it would actually fit in the oven. My childhood memories of Thanksgiving in no way involve how the table may have looked but as a modern host the “table-scape” has become an important element. I’m not involved in this in any manner other than posterity related photography (see below) and (sincerely) praising my bride’s fine eye as the table looks clean yet absolutely autumnal with orange/red/brown details. There might even be a few pinecones involved.


As Laurie crafts her turkey magic, I am tasked with preparing the stuffing and having it done before the bird goes in the oven. I make a lot of it. Enough to fill the bird and lots more as a supplement. Is there any more subjectively controversial food item than stuffing? It’s quite personal and it’s connected to the version one’s been most exposed to. When we first hosted the holiday years ago we’d have several different types of stuffing represented from both sides of the family. Inevitably (barely) civil debates would arise about which was superior. Every year my simple recipe (cornbread, onions, seasoning and an absurd amount of chicken stock) is exactly the same and our regular annual guests are now addicted. The other stuffing’s are now but a culinary memory. Another Pavlovian success story!

Speaking of subjectivity, I love the unique dishes of different family’s versions of the feast. Somewhere along the way I started making chopped liver (!) on Thanksgiving. Initially, it was just an appetizer that I enjoy and wanted to try making. People seemed to like it and Aunt Sally, a respected elder of our clan, would request it so now it is firmly entrenched in our delicious ritual. I did think that, perhaps, this ethnically defined dish might be contrary to the spirit of the day. However, when I learned that our friend Shira makes stuffed cabbage (really good!) for Thanksgiving, I concluded that slightly off-message dishes add depth to the experience.


Dessert on the big day can be complicated. Too many times after overeating, I had been rendered into submission by the time dessert was served. (*Note to young over-eaters from a seasoned veteran: Go easy on the appetizers, mashed potatoes, stuffing and biscuits ). I’m a traditional dessert guy. Love the pumpkin pie. Our one departure is an ice cream turkey which is an ice cream cake shaped like a turkey with caramel skin, waffle-cone drumsticks and two flavors of ice cream representing white & dark meat (mint chocolate chip & rocky road respectively). Some consider it kitschy, I embrace it as a fully legitimate annual dessert item.

A happy element of the day is working with Laurie hosting. One of my duties is preparing two gravies. One is a light au jus that comes directly from the pan and the other a more formal gravy which is silky and luxuriant. One Thanksgiving, I looked in our fridge and saw a container of store prepared gravy! Was I insulted? Yes. Was I going to confront my wife while she was preparing a meal for 25 people? No. I may be sensitive but I’m not crazy. The “back-up” gravy controversy has faded, this year’s feast is fast approaching and I cannot wait!

Our beloved caramel coated ice cream turkey cake PHOTOS BY DAN LEVITZ

Loving Briarcliff

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BY PETER CHATZKY
Official Historian* of Briarcliff Manor

Briarcliff’s own:       Peter Chatzky 

For generations, my family has called Briarcliff Manor our home. It’s six square miles–Briarcliff’s, not our house’s–are nestled between the Hudson and the Pocantico, earning Briarcliff the historic title “a Village between Two Rivers.”

In 1902, my great grandfather on my mother’s side*, Walter Law, helped incorporate the Village. In exchange, residents named a park for him and put in a swimming pool, some tennis courts, and a Pavilion. Papa Wally famously concocted the original recipe for the grilled hamburger served at Squire’s restaurant*, repeatedly named the best burger by a competing glossy magazine and, to provide locals a dining alternative, oversaw* the conversion of the original Briarcliff Firehouse to the Patio Restaurant. The original fire bell still sits atop the building.

Ironically, two well-known Briarcliff landmarks–Club Fit and the Edith Macy’s Conference Center and Girl Scout Emporium–are not located in Briarcliff at all. (The first is in the Town of Ossining, and the latter in Mount Pleasant, or maybe Ossining–who can tell?) No one seems to know where the village actually starts or ends, or how you get here, partly because the Metro North station is called Scarborough instead of Briarcliff. For bragging rights, though, Briarcliff offers valet service for nearly unlimited train station parking and, on Friday evenings, fancily clad volunteers welcome home commuters with cocktails, mini crab cakes, and cheese straws.*

Speaking of volunteers, the Village runs on the benevolence of its residents. The impressive Briarcliff Manor Fire Department and Ambulance Department are both supported by generous residents who give their time and energy to keeping us safe. Elected government and appointed committees, the School Board, the Sustainability folks, and most of the coaches and referees of more than 172* sports programs are all local moms, dads, or near-adult children. Rotary International was first launched in Briarcliff,* and now holds weekly meetings at our Village Hall, a building that was the original headquarters for Ohio Art Company, the company that first sold the Etch A Sketch.*

Two major golf courses, Sleepy Hollow Country Club and a second one named for Melania Trump, provide members with exclusive access to facilities for golf, tennis, fine dining and the chance to hobnob with page one celebrities. Annual dues are waived for local seniors.* Call the clubs directly for details.

In keeping with Westchester tradition, the public schools are, of course, among the best in the country, according to both US News and World Report and most of the parents of all the school-aged children who live here.

Perhaps the Village’s best kept secrets are our miles of wooden trails and parklands, with a scenic picnic site abutting the Hudson River, and trails winding through Pocantico, and the Hudson reservoir. Hikers can choose the shortish Kate Kennard Trail, or follow the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, or wander the 70-acre Pocantico Park, the Village’s largest park abutting the Pocantico River. And, of course, the Westchester County Bike Trail runs through Briarcliff, with easy access behind the Village Library, which also provides complimentary refreshments and spa facilities for tired cyclists.*

Despite all these amenities, Briarcliff seems designed to deter visitors. Sure, we have plenty of nail salons and a Japanese restaurant that sells awesome French macaron (no asterisk), but the roads are purposefully windy and romantically lit, and we encourage deer and wildlife to dart out in front of speeding cars. As with many Westchester communities, drivers here know that the double yellow lines are more of a suggestion than a rule.*

Come visit us! We are open around the clock, and locals are eager to make new friends, or welcome weary travelers from far away places like Pleasantville, Chappaqua, or even Mount Kisco. Risk the trip down Pleasantville Road construction. You’ll be happy you did.

*Peter Chatzky is not actually the Official Historian of Briarcliff Manor, although he did somehow twice manage to hold elected positions on the Briarcliff Manor Board of Trustees, once as Mayor and once as Deputy Mayor. Some of his facts may be slightly exaggerated, and we have marked them with an asterisk.

Back to School: Then and Now

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Full disclosure – Deadlines being what they are, I am writing this back to school piece at the end of June. School just ended today and my youngest son graduated high school a week ago. As the weather is finally starting to get steamy, it’s a bit hard to imagine school resuming again, though of course I know it will.

Things have changed a lot since my oldest son started kindergarten in 1996. Back then, there was no online shopping and no prepackaged school supplies vendors. We would take the supply list we received by snail mail to Staples and, in scavenger hunt style, search for each item. There were always one or two items we had difficulty finding and we would go to another store on our way home to complete our task.

By the time my youngest son began school in 2006, to quote B.B. King, “The Thrill Was Gone” and I was only too happy to take an easier route and get the prepackaged box of supplies from Supplies to Please, rather than dragging all three kids to the store. I admit that although it was easier, there was a small part of me that missed the annual ritual.

Another thing that was different “way back when” was that there was no portal. Our district didn’t launch it until my middle son was in high school and, initially, it was only for report cards at the mid-point and end of each quarter. Now, in addition to report cards, there are grades for each test, homework assignment and more. The portal was accessible all the time until the district shut it down during school hours because some kids were checking their grades between each class, which was extremely anxiety provoking.

Although I found there were certain advantages to having a portal, I also felt that with its implementation something was lost. I missed the days when a teacher would have to pick up the phone to tell me my kid was screwing up. The portal made things impersonal and wasn’t always even all that accurate–some teachers seemed to update it all the time, while others (despite district guidelines) were slow to post on it. Having come late to the portal technology, I never got the hang how often I was supposed to be checking and how much responsibility I should leave to my child, although maybe there isn’t one right formula for that.

Another less-than-positive change is the pressure of getting into college, which has escalated to an alarming degree over the ten-year spread between my oldest and youngest. Living in a high achieving town where educators and parent put undue emphasis on college ratings, there were always demands on the students.

Recently, it’s gotten completely out of control, as was highlighted by the college admissions scandal.

Whereas some of my oldest son’s classmates were tutored for college entrance exams or an occasional subject in which they were struggling, now there are tutors for everything–SATs, ACTs, Regents, SAT 2s, even the ELAs. I thought my youngest was joking when he told me that but, apparently, it’s a thing. While it may be good news for tutoring businesses, it’s incredibly expensive, as well as time-consuming.

While schools are offering mindfulness classes and workshops for parents billed as “How to help your student manage stress,” they seem to be swimming against the tide. Parents are stressed. Kids are stressed. I am not sure where it’s all heading but I can say for sure that where someone goes to college is way less important than what they do when they get there.

There are a lot of mental health issues and angst in college and strengthening the skills that can alleviate some of those issues before a kid starts college is crucial. Working on independence, self-advocacy, balance between work and play, etc. needs to take precedence over getting admitted to a school a few slots higher on the US News and World Reports college lists.

Even though much has changed over the decades, I can say for sure that one thing that has not changed is the desire well-meaning parents have to do the best they can for their children, whatever form that might take. I am curious to see what transformations in edu-cation occur in the upcoming years.

Although I will be a spectator and not an active participant in the 2019-2020 school year, I wish all the parents and their students a successful year, one that’s filled with growth, learning, and joy in the process.