The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Just Between Us

So Much that’s Amazing

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As we head into ‘back to school/fabulous fall’, I’ve compiled a 10-point snapshot of so much that’s AMAZING and crazy fun ‘round here. See if you agree. Warning: this ‘quickie’ list is by no means ‘complete’. Let me know what ‘should’ have been on here or might make the cut next time: grace@insidepress.com That said, here goes (more on some of these ‘inside’):

1. The Jacob Burns Film Center, now celebrating 20, may just be everyone’s favorite theatre/cultural center, mine included.  October brings us the ever popular Jewish Film Festival and more than 20 movies to choose from!

2. The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, in its 9th year, draws a gazillion residents & visitors to town to meet favorite childhood authors and discover new ones. Surprises, galore and memories waiting to be made on October 15.

3. The Armonk Outdoor Art Show, turning 60!, boasts phenomenal artists’ exhibits with such creative family fun activities. Save the dates: October 1 & 2.

4. Neighborhood Theme Days. Whether it’s Community Day (9/17) in Chappaqua or a Block Party (10/1) in Pleasantville, gotta love days that encourage us to mingle with neighbors, embrace where we live AND to #ShopLocal.

5. Arts Splendor Close to Home. I love keeping up with the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Arc Stages and Armonk Players. This fall, I plan on taking in one of the spectacular shows lined up at the Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack. And after a summer of enjoying glorious Caramoor productions in Katonah, I’m staying tuned into what they’re planning next.

6. Metro North to New York City. The Big Apple will always beckon. Broadway! Lincoln Center! Central Park! My son! And, don’t get me started on all the boro gems.

7. Charitable Westchester. Way too much to report for this short space, but for a pull my heartstrings fix, I’m psyched for a tour of the 914 Cares facility soon. Stay tuned to learn about the essentials they distribute to those in need.

8. The Music Scene is back with a vengeance after a Covid pause so if you haven’t visited your favorite musician/band of late, well, please do! Karaoke lovers, take note too. Bring a wipe and grab a mic. Chamber and orchestra music lovers have it MADE with the 914 Orchestra and Friends of Music concert offerings.

9. Dining Meccas. Some new ones on the scene will leave you hungry for more.

10. Nature! Parks, hiking trails, bodies of water. We’ve reported on them all, or nearly all. So much makes the county home, sweet home.

Interns Rocking the Inside Press

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Illeana Baquero
Alexa Troob

If I had to pick my favorite part of running a hyperlocal press, it has been working with brilliant young people at different junctures, mostly during the spring and summer, but not exclusively, either. Over the years, many teenagers or young adults both at local high schools, or later, home from college, have approached the Inside Press for an opportunity to learn about magazine journalism and to gather their own body of work for a future career–whether that career takes them into journalism or not.

Adrianna Cmiel-Walsh
Irene Byrne

I love the energy and enthusiasm and their sense of hopefulness and am also often startled by the sheer level of talent too, as both reporters, and writers. This past year has been an especially productive ‘intern year’ for the Inside Press.

Across the three Inside Press Magazines, and at insidepress.com, you’ll find work from a half dozen high school and college aged youth. During this publishing cycle alone, Alexa Troob helped (a too busy) me shape the Derek Anderson profile as we went to press. Illeana Baquero went above and beyond contacting every fire chief in the towns we cover, to produce her “call to volunteers” package. And Adrianna Cmiel-Walsh picked up the story about Jared Saiontz, a food allergy awareness advocate. Over at Inside Armonk, I appointed Abigail Glickman editor of the entire edition and she lined up former classmate Johnny Cozza, Ella Manners and Irene Byrne, former Byram Hills classmates to contribute to the issue.

Johnny Cozza
Abigail Glickman
Ella Manners

Journalism has changed drastically over the last ten years or so, so trust me when I tell you that I learn from younger voices, too. So, highlighting their faces and names here to convey a sense of who they are. I hope you enjoy all their work and you can learn more about each of them in their story bios too!

Peace & Kindness…

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I have a little announcement to make. After 25 years of Chappaqua living, I’m downsizing and moving this month to Pleasantville! I look forward to discovering the joy of a Mount Pleasant residency and all its treasures, to meeting new neighbors, and making new friends. I’m also viewing it as a boon to getting more fit as I’ll be just that much closer to two favorite walking destinations, the Rockefeller Preserve and Rockwood, and also to Club Fit in Briarcliff (where, note to self, I really MUST start reserving class time). I’ll also be closer to the upper West Side where my son lives, not to mention dear friends. Life is good.

It’s a demanding transition while producing magazines. In fact, it’s downright stressful! Nonetheless, I feel confident that once I get on the other side of it, a move here will have been worth all the angst.

And since I have ever more paper to shred, drawers to empty and boxes to pack, I’ll try to be brief!

In our June/Summer 2022 editions, I believe you’ll find a nod to the peace and kindness the Arts promote. The upcoming Pleasantville Music Festival is a local giant, and I’m glad we can provide an update on what’s planned in my new hometown. We are also so lucky to live a stone’s throw from some true splendor. I hope you feel enticed by our coverage to set aside time to enjoy the beautiful Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, a Katonah-based, Hudson Valley destination. In Katonah too, there is a gem of a museum to visit and revisit: The Katonah Museum of Art.  And in September, it’s a short trip to the celebrated Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack; please do check out our spotlight on this intriguing festival, too.

Of course, right here at home, there’s never really any excuse to feel bored. Especially with a world class table tennis center in our backyard! So if you haven’t visited the Westchester Table Tennis Center recently, summer is a great time to grab a partner, and hone your ping pong skills. Please do say hello to owner Will Shortz if you spot him there. If he’s not too busy playing or perhaps writing a crossword puzzle, let him know you saw him on the cover of a magazine!

Of special note in Inside Armonk: During an extraordinary week of Yom Hashoah remembrance programming, the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, hhrecny.org,  honored Jennifer Laden, Social Studies Department Chair 6-12 of Byram Hills Central School District in Armonk at the 20th annual Susan J. Goldberg Memorial Teacher Award. https://hhrecny.org/susan-j-goldberg-memorial-teacher-award/ The award, presented at the annual William H. Donat Shoah Commemoration Event at Iona College on  April 27, preceded a lecture and Q&A with historian Dan McMillan, the acclaimed author of How Could This Have Happened? Explaining the Holocaust. 

As the HHREC related: “… Jennifer Laden has promoted global understanding through her development and teaching AP Human Geography and AP World History courses. As one of the developers of the three-year Global Scholars program at Byram Hills, she spearheaded the design of curricular units to help students understand important human rights issues, teaching them about the Uighur Muslims in China, the Rohingya in Myanmar, and the refugee crises in Syria and Yemen. Laden has also encouraged student partnerships with the HHREC, welcoming survivors of the Holocaust to the high school to accompany students to the annual High School Human Rights Institute.

This year, three BHHS students were recognized at the Institute for their commitment to human rights, community service, and racial equity, a testament to the profound impact Jen’s work has had. Byram Hills School Superintendent Jen Lamia thanked the HHREC Board of Directors “for recognizing Jen Laden for her work teaching about human rights and the violations that perpetuate adversity….”

In your Inside Chappaqua & Millwood edition, I note there’s a timeless sense of peace & contentment one feels at a local library, so delighted to read Ronni Diamondstein’s 10 reasons the future of libraries is bright, and of creative Chappaqua Library Centennial festivities.

I am intensely proud to feature Jean Sheff’s beautiful story about Danielle Leventhal’s life and legacy, of her family’s efforts to help realize ‘Danielle’s Dreams,’ and how you can help, too.

There’s always so much ‘good stuff’ happening around town, including Frank Shiner’s and the 914 Orchestra’s rollicking ‘Swingin’ into Spring’ eve introducing “the San Miguel Miracles” at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. All that, on the heels of the 2022 Rotary Citizen of the Year Awards to Frank and Suzanne Shiner, the Paul Harris Fellow Award to Eric Nicolaysen, and the Student of the Year Award to Kyra Chung-Olagbaiye.

In another arena, last month too, Town Supervisor Lisa Katz and the town of New Castle kindly introduced 10 food allergy awareness signs in our playgrounds. Local advocates Stacey Saiontz, Jared Saiontz and Heather Brown appeared with Katz and Council member Vicki Tipp to proudly share the news.

 I also learned that the New Castle Democratic Committee extended honors to Nichelle Maynard Elliott and Zabeen Mirza, New Castle Council on Race and Equity co-chairs, and to Vedat Gashi, 4th District Legislator. Congrats!

We were well into press when Grease rehearsals kicked off, but anticipating another amazing Greeley Senior Musical. Wishing all the 2022 graduates a grand future, and all the Dads, heaps of kindness and special attention on Father’s Day!  Peace out, 

 

Jared Saiontz, a student in Chappaqua and a food allergy awareness advocate, points out one of 10 food allergy awareness signs now appearing in New Castle playgrounds. PHOTO BY GRACE BENNETT
Horace Greeley High School Senior Musical, lead cast of Grease, with background setting of competition field. As we were going to press, we learned that, for the first time, the Senior Musical will be performed outside on June 2-4. PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON
During a May Open House at Caramoor: Inside Press spring and summer intern Adrianna Cmiel-Walsh, a 2022 graduate of Westlake High School in Thornwood, with Ed Lewis, the executive director of the Caramoor Center for Music & the Arts.
The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center honored Byram Hills’ Jennifer Laden during a Yom Hashoah Remembrance event at Iona College
PHOTO BY GRACE BENNETT
Nichelle Maynard Elliott (left) and Zabeen Mirza, New Castle Council on Race and Equity co-chairs, were honored by the New Castle Democratic Committee this spring. Legislator Vedat Gashi was also honored.

Moms of the World

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A ‘selfie’ before the Chappaqua Library author talk. I was ‘hair ready’ too thanks to Carolyn Vento and Miranda at the King Street Salon!

A picture of strollers left on the Poland/Ukraine border to greet the massive influx of refugees pulled heartstrings internationally. So many good moms of the world, parents & non-parents alike, are reeling from what has befallen Ukraine especially knowing that children have been killed and in harm’s way. One child victim is one too many. As I wrote this column while closing editions on March 19th, I hoped by the time you read this, a peace, however imperfect, would have arrived. But here in my update, I’m sad to state this brutal war goes on. However, no surprise to me, local moms and non-moms alike are stepping up to do what they can.

I was especially grateful to hear about an effort by two area humanitarians–Ivana Denniston (an aesthetician formerly of the Chappaqua Wellness Center) and Kristen Salomon–who were with an on the ground team working furiously at press time to help Ukrainian refugees into Slovakia. I shared their efforts online in case you missed it.

Meanwhile, strolling along Armonk’s Main Street one day, I came upon two young ladies, both freshmen at Byram Hills High School, selling baked goods on behalf of the Ukranian Crisis Mission Relief. Adrianna Zawojek had asked her friend Ariana Foreman to join her in baking some 200 items to sell. Adult friends also dropped off coffee & cake to their table. They raised close to $3000!!!, including what was donated to their Venmo, @helpingukraine914

The girls offered this statement: “When you have no political power (for example, high school freshmen), and the world is in dire need, you often feel helpless. You think, ‘Oh, I’m not a politician, I’m not a huge business owner, what influence can I have to make this better?’ It is humanity’s obligation to help each other when the time calls for it. When we heard the appalling & terrible news of what was happening in Ukraine, we knew that we had to do something!”

‘Mom’s World’ happened to be a theme developed months ago before this war began. Of all the issues published each year in the last 19 years, preparing Mother’s Day editions is always my favorite. After all, nothing has brought me more joy in my own life than being a mom, even with its challenges sometimes. I loved gathering the heartfelt essays and stories you’ll find in the current editions and here online from talented contributors who I count as dear friends now too.

For our Mother’s Day coverage, I was thrilled to include a touching cover love story about two Chappaqua Rotary Citizens of the Year, the indomitable Frank and Suzanne Shiner! Plus, please check out our more up close and personal interview with New Castle’s dynamic new Town Supervisor Lisa Katz. Please also don’t miss the spotlight on the Chappaqua School Foundation and consider supporting their efforts for innovation in education at the upcoming Tacos & Tequila night on April 29! It’s sounding like a rollicking great time is in store. In Armonk, we were struck by the enthusiastic response to the Armonk Fire Department’s CPR education offered free to local residents, thanks to the department’s awesome Julie Gallagher, assisted by Rich Greenwald. We were also delighted to learn about the return of the Fol-de-Rol!

A side note: while producing these editions, I thoroughly enjoyed and learned a lot from my interview with author Dorothy Wickenden during a Chappaqua Library Author Talk: Dorothy Wickenden Sheds Light on the Strength & Perseverance of Three Women Who Fought for Abolition & Women’s Rights (theinsidepress.com)  For  the next edition, I’m looking forward to sharing future events the library has planned to celebrate 100 years of serving the New Castle community; indeed, we plan to explore the future of libraries in general!

All three editions offer a substantial nod to the considerable gardening and beautification efforts around town–a maternal endeavor if ever there was one considering the many moms involved. Their efforts are spotlighted in each edition, and the upcoming Mother’s Day Plant Sales, but we also ‘packaged’ them altogether for a special Mother’s Day floral celebration of sorts in Inside Pleasantville & Briarcliff Manor. In that edition, you’ll also find info about the upcoming Pleasantville Day, an animated conversation with two key community leaders about all things spring and summer in Briarcliff Manor, plus a colorful ‘mom profile,’ Stacey Winnick, a compassionate local volunteer and businesswoman.

We have additional articles for your reading pleasure as always. We have also been actively promoting the idea of subscriptions in print and/or online if you’d like to support our efforts! Finally, the balmy weather arrived early, so we spotlight three fabulous locales for spring strolling on Mother’s Day, or any day! Enjoy!

 

The Beauty of Publishing

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There’s no business like show business… except for maybe publishing community magazines!  With a cover story in Inside Armonk Magazine about Treasures and its wonderful volunteer and philanthropic efforts, I’m feeling that too. I’m also delighted we could bring you our Inside Chappaqua Magazine cover story in which BGCNW executive director Alyzza Ozer shares so many of the amazing accomplishments of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester. Both these stories were ‘from the source’–sharing from their hearts–and we may include more of these in future articles about non-profits, too.

Toiling away in my own little corner in my own little chair over the last 18 years, I’m not always immediately aware, but over time, I can become quite buoyed by the impact different stories have on a person, a single organization, or an entire community for that matter.

I won’t lie either. The occasional expressions of gratitude we receive in producing our own little show makes publishing feel like a truly beautiful and worthwhile endeavor. This past fall, we received two such letters! Please see excerpts from each below.

We have some wonderful stories about several of our sponsors in this edition as well, and I present those with deep gratitude, too. The ‘independent’ stories we produce would not be possible without advertising/advertorial support, and in truth, the stories about our sponsors can be equally well received–as most of them are your neighbors and friends, too! And, oh, so impressive.

The beauty of expressing gratitude also emerges as a theme in these current and end of the year ‘beautiful-inside and out’ themed holiday editions. We have several essays addressing that vital feeling of appreciation of others, or even of oneself (if you’re prone to discounting your own beauty; I know I am). I’m personally grateful for all the arts venues bursting back onto the scene, and yup, I sure love getting out of the house again! As much as possible, in fact! in these editions, we visit the Taconic Opera Company and the iconic Capitol Theatre (rock and roll heaven in our backyard) to acquaint you, or at least remind you of all the irresistible shows.

An end note here as well that the holiday season can be especially treacherous for families with children with food allergies, so don’t miss Ella Ilan’s story about two moms making a huge difference. And that’s beautiful too.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

Letters to the Editor

“I am writing to send you sincere thanks for your story about the Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden in your September-October issues of Inside Armonk and Inside Chappaqua & Millwood. The articles were so well written and illustrated that we could not have done a better job ourselves! It is clear that the results of your articles have increased our admissions at the Hammond Museum, both because the past several Saturdays have brought the most visitors that we have had in a single day (except our Opening Day), with about a 1/3 increase over prior Saturdays, and also because several individuals specifically remarked that their visit was the result of seeing your article in their local magazine. In fact, a visitor, who is the head of a local community group, remarked today that she heard about the Hammond at a gathering several weeks ago but suddenly “I’m seeing the Hammond promoted everywhere!” She specifically mentioned that one of the primary sources was your magazine. So we cannot thank you enough for your interest and support in our institution…  — Elizabeth Hammer, Executive Director, Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden

“I’m writing to express my gratitude to you and Pia Haas for the story in the September-October issues of Inside Chappaqua & Millwood and Inside Armonk magazines welcoming me in my new role as President and CEO of Caramoor Center for Music & the Arts. The piece captures the richness of the experiences that can be enjoyed at Caramoor year round, whether it be teas, tours and concerts in the Music Room of the Rosen House in the Fall through Spring, or our extensive summer season of outdoor musical performances enhanced by garden strolls, picnics and our Sonic Innovations Sound Art collection. Caramoor is a local gem and we can’t thank you enough for sharing it with your readers. Publications like yours play a vital role in the community and it was an honor to be included. It was also wonderful to work with your photographer Donna Mueller (who, by the way, miraculously coaxed our Sandy to pose for a photo!) and to meet you in person on Chappaqua Day! …  — Edward J. Lewis III, President & CEO, Caramoor Center for Music & the Arts