Lifestyles with our Sponsors Archives - Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk: The Magazines for New and North Castle

Leone Dental Group in Armonk: A Dentist Visit That Feels Like a Day Spa

October 22, 2017 by Kelly Leonard

A cool, elegant marble reception area and warm, smiling faces welcome patients and visitors to Leone Dental Group at their new flagship location in Armonk Square. Creating a soothing and relaxed atmosphere that integrates the most advanced, state of the art medical and dental technology, Leone Dental Group aims to change a patient’s perspective of what going to the dentist means.

Dr. Frank and Dr. Lucy, who have been in practice for over 30 years and trained at New York University College of Dentistry, recently opened their new Armonk office designed by Frank, Lucy and their son Raphael.

“The integration of each practitioners equipment and work style influenced how we designed the facility. One key attribute that never changed throughout the design/building process was the importance of patient comfort,” noted Raphael.

Dr. Frank is one of only 426 Diplomates of the American Board of Oral Implantology in the nation and a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. The ABOI/ID Diplomate designation symbolizes the highest level of competence in implant dentistry.

Many dentists try their hand at implant dentistry due to the way the procedure is marketed to dentists by implant companies. Frequently, Dr. Frank is called upon to remedy mistakes or issues arising from complications due to practitioners not formally trained in the advanced science behind implantology. Because implant dentistry is a true dental specialty, only a trained and knowledgeable professional should practice it. Leone stocks a large variety of implant sizes, brands and types because simply put, one size does not fit all.

“If you have been told that it can’t be done or you are not a candidate for dental implants such as having a bone deficiency, it is time you scheduled a consultation with Dr. Frank,” Raphael recommended.

Dr. Lucy, an advanced general and cosmetic dentist and member of both the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and Facial Esthetics, combines artistry and dentistry to give her patients a true smile makeover. This combination of treatments, unique in a dental practice, offers advanced cosmetic dental and facial esthetics (Botox and Juvederm fillers). The result is a complete smile makeover that will help patients look years younger in just a few visits.

Leone Dental Group believes in a dynamic process of dental care, each treatment tailored to patient needs, as each individual has her or his own unique set of health concerns. Leone doesn’t have a cookie cutter process or time limits for patients and emphasizes the importance of practicing a higher form of healthcare.

For patients who are apprehensive, the Leone Dental Group offers different modalities of sedation to ease anxiety throughout treatment. Nitrous oxide and IV sedation are available. 3D and 2D high-definition x-rays with minimal radiation are among the array of advanced tech they utilize.

A fee-for-sevice provider, Leone Dental works with patients’ insurance providers to get patients reimbursed for the maximum amount their plans allow. Family owned and operated, Leone Dental Group is not affiliated with any corporate dental chain so it has the ability to service clients based on patients’ needs and not an umbrella corporate policy.

Leone Dental Group aims to give their patients smiles that radiate confidence, brilliance and distinction.To learn more, visit leonedentalgroup.com, follow facebook.com/leonedentalgroup and instagram.com/leonedentalgroup. To schedule a complimentary consultation, call 273-2333.

DeCicco & Sons: Where Quality & the Customer Always Come First

October 22, 2017 by Stacey Pfeffer

The wine and beer tasting bar is a popular feature at the Millwood location. PHOTO BY STACEY PFEFFER

Before you even enter the DeCicco & Sons supermarket in Millwood, you’ll notice that things are done differently at this grocery store. The shopping carts are lined up orderly, each one gleaming with wheels that glide smoothly along the immaculate floors. The outside display features seasonal mums attractively lined up. As soon as you step inside, you can see fresh-cut flower bouquets and a beautiful bounty of the freshest produce with many products purchased in partnerships with local farms. It’s an attention to detail and an emphasis on quality first that puts this beloved supermarket at the heart of the community.

It all began with John DeCicco Sr. who started his career working in the food industry as a 12-year-old immigrant from Calabria, Italy. As a part-time employee in a fruit store on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, John Sr. honed an appreciation for quality products and customer service. When the opportunity came up to purchase a bankrupt supermarket in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx in 1972, he jumped at that prospect and began purchasing other supermarkets with family members. Today there are currently seven DeCicco & Sons store in Westchester and his sons John Jr. and Chris play an integral role in the management and operations of all locations.

The DeCicco family celebrates Chris DeCicco’s knighthood at Belgian Beer Weekend 2017 (L-R) John DeCicco Sr., Chris DeCicco, John DeCicco Jr. and Marie DeCicco
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS DECICCO

A Commitment to Health

The family cares deeply not only about the quality of the products available but also about improving their customer’s health. They have revamped all of their prepared items and are eliminating vegetable oil and corn oil replacing it with olive oil. They use sea salt instead of regular salt without compromising on taste and that’s just the beginning. All of their meats (chicken, pork and beef) in their prepared items are antibiotic and hormone-free and purchased from local farms. They try to source wild fish and fresh fish (not frozen or farmed). They also have relationships with local farms to secure in-season produce.

Customer Service is King

The DeCicco family places a premium on customer service, which is evident to any shopper that enters the store. The cashiers are friendly and courteous and the staff goes out of their way to help customers looking for products. “We only take 15-20% of employees that apply for jobs and we have an intensive training process where we emphasize customer service. We are on top of customer service every day. It’s not something you can let go,” explained John Jr. The family is also dedicated to improving employee satisfaction and regularly conducts surveys and meetings to ensure that any staff concerns are addressed.

Giving Back to the Community

“We live in these communities ourselves so we always want to do the right thing,” explains John DeCicco Jr. And indeed they do by supporting many philanthropic causes over the years. The stores have a community school rebate program, which donates 1% of pre-taxed sales to local PTAs and allows them to allocate funds appropriately. Customers at the Millwood location can stop by customer service and link their reward card to the Chappaqua PTA. The DeCicco family also supported a breast cancer walk at Manhattanville last month. In addition, they donate 250 Thanksgiving meals to local families in need annually.

Creating a “Green “Supermarket

After receiving the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Platinum Green Chill Certification for their Larchmont location, they knew they wanted to install a similar HSF-free refrigeration system in the Millwood store, which would use less electricity and less reliance on fossil fuels than traditional supermarket refrigeration systems. But first they needed a complete gut renovation of the former A & P store. Construction began on August 20th last year and the store opened on December 30, 2016. “The town was very supportive and it was the quickest we had ever done a store. The supermarket is “green” as can be” and also received the EPA’s highest certification: the Platinum Level Green Chill Certification. “The fact that we are doing this as an independent grocery store is remarkable- Whole Foods only has one in the whole state!” noted John DeCicco Jr.

Heaven for Beer Lovers

“Everyone in the Hudson Valley knows if you want good beer, you go to DeCiccos,” exclaims Chris. The family got into craft beers early in the 1990s before it was a trend.

“The industry has grown as we have grown. We have the biggest selection,” Chris continues. The family imports a lot of beer from Europe and they have great relationships with brewers. In fact, they are so well-known and knowledgeable about the beer industry that Chris was recently inducted as an honorary knight in Belgium in a 13th century tradition called the Knighthood of the Brewers’ Mash Staff that took place at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels. The hour- long ceremony includes two priests and a bishop consecrating a cask of beer. The DeCicco family was all in attendance to watch this great honor.

PHOTO COURTESY OF “Belgian Brewers-Lander Loeckx”

Distinct Features & Thanksgiving Offerings

Although there are several DeCicco & Sons supermarkets throughout Westchester each supermarket has distinct features and the Millwood location features a beer and wine tasting bar and dining area that is a popular spot for lunch. The fresh sushi bar is a hit with customers. In addition the store offers full-service catering which is helpful for the upcoming holiday season.

With the holiday season arriving shortly, the Inside Press had to inquire about what Thanksgiving is like at the DeCicco family’s celebration. “Thanksgiving in our home features a 25-30 pound turkey, stuffed artichokes, Italian antipasto, and an insane amount of pies and desserts. We make a traditional American Thanksgiving with an Italian flair,” said John DeCicco Jr. Envision all the traditional Thanksgiving items combined with scrumptious Italian delicacies such as roasted peppers with mozzarella, stuffed artichokes and antipasti. And to top it off a dessert table to envy with pies and cakes galore. Customers can replicate a DeCicco Thanksgiving feast simply by calling their catering department and placing an order. For additional information, please visit: www.deciccoandsons.com.

Stacey Pfeffer is the editor of Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines.

Discover 35 Reasons to Love Gymnastics

October 22, 2017 by Jodi Rosenwasser Levine

Builds strength.
Mastering a skill feels empowering…and proves that hard work pays off.
Kids love to cartwheel! Being able to cartwheel is like riding a bike–once you’ve got it…you’ve got it. Forever!
Teaches courage. Children encounter things that will push them out of their comfort zone. Making a decision to trust themselves (and their coach) is a skill that will carry over to all areas of their lives.
Develops grit … a child choosing to keep trying a skill repeatedly. Teaches how to fall down, regroup and get back.
Increases balance.
Offers opportunity to be social outside of school in a small, fun group setting. Encourages friendships by working together.
Builds confidence. Confidence spreads quickly to all areas of life. On and off the mat.
Enjoying the excitement of jumping off of high mats, on bouncy trampolines and over challenging objects in a safe setting. Simply fun!
Children naturally love to move in all different ways. Gymnastics is all about movement.
Patience is practiced daily…whether waiting for a turn or working to achieve a desired skill.
Students learn how to fall now so that they can safely fall later both in and out of the gym.
The thrill of a new skill after months of hard work.
Teaches children that hard work is necessary to reach goals. Not everything happens in an instant.
Improves motor skill development.
Improves motor planning.
Builds strong bones.
Introduces fitness at an early age which will lead to healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Every field or stretch of sand turns into a place to tumble. Every tree branch turns into a bar. Every curb turns in to a balance beam.
It is the sport for all sports! Start with Gymnastics and go anywhere. Best physical foundation.
Increases upper body strength while swinging and supporting oneself on the bars.
Teaches the value of repetition.
Children work toward their personal best, and support their classmates in theirs.
Increases reading readiness.
Balancing and achieving skills on a 4” beam that at one point seemed intimidating, makes almost anything seem possible.
Improves hand/eye coordination as well as foot/eye coordination.
Increases attention span.
More and more research supports gymnastics as extremely beneficial to brain development.
Improves focus.
Children of all abilities can participate and benefit. Wonderful for children with special needs and different learning styles.
Persistence is encouraged and necessary. Children must repeat skills to accomplish them, a reminder that you must work hard to find success.
Increases flexibility.
Increases bone strength with weight bearing exercise.
Being upside down can actually make one feel happier and calmer.
It’s soooo much FUN! The best reason of all!

Jodi Rosenwasser Levine is the founder and CEO of Jodi’s Gym. She is a leader and expert in children’s fitness and has been sharing the joy of gymnastics to kids since 1982.

For information about all of the 35-year celebrations happening at Jodi’s Gym locations, please visit Jodisgym.com

Play Care Early Learning Center Aims to Ready Kids for Kindergarten and Beyond

August 25, 2017 by Justin Ellick

The Director of the Play Care Center, Xann Palmer

Ask any working parent with young children what their number one concern is and most will say finding quality childcare. As someone who attended a daycare center in Chapapaqua as a young child, I can attest how important it was for my parents to find a day care for me that allowed them both to relax on the job and not have to worry about my safety and wellbeing. They wanted to find a place that would also inspire a love of learning in my formative years. Luckily, there is a great option here in town for Chappaqua parents called the Play Care Early Learning Center.

Play Care on Orchard Ridge Road in Chappaqua was established in 1971 as a cooperative and a mission of the First Congregational Church, allowing mothers the opportunity to participate in various community events and activities. The Director of the Play Care Center, Xann Palmer, who’s had more than 20 years of experience in the field of Early Childhood Education, views this origin as a big reason why Play Care has evolved into what it is today.

“The church, in 1971, started a co-op here, church members helping each other, where the moms took on shifts, so to speak”, said Palmer. “One person maybe watched kids on Monday and Tuesday and the other person did Thursday, Friday, in that kind of capacity. And we’ve grown into a licensed program by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.”

Since that time, Play Care has developed into a fully-equipped day care facility and preschool with a large experienced staff of teachers, aides and of course the Director of Play Care, Xann Palmer. While the center isn’t affiliated with the church in any way, the center has maintained a close relationship with families by continuing the robust volunteering program that birthed the program in the first place.

“We’re not affiliated in any way with the church, there is no faith-based learning.

We serve everyone. We have all kinds of cultures and people from diverse backgrounds in our program and we honor them all. But, we have held on to where the parents play a part in the program in a volunteer component”, said Ms. Palmer. “We like having the parents present and a lot of them can be present in the morning and some can’t, so we find other ways for them to participate as well.”

The center has two levels of classroom spaces, both of which are above grade so the classrooms are actually filled with natural light. Over the past two years they have updated the spaces by putting in new tile flooring and renovating parts of the main level.

Additionally, Play Care provides a high level of security with a centrally wired alarm system and locked security doors at the program’s entrance. Only staff members and enrolled families are assigned access keys eliminating the entry of unauthorized visitors. The center also has a spacious and gated outdoor playground area that children use for outdoor activities and games.

The Play Care Early Learning Center’s goal is to be the program that families turn to in the Northern Westchester community to provide their children a quality early childhood experience. The employees recognize that these early learning years are crucial in laying the foundation for all future learning environments and they take pride in providing the resources to families in a nurturing and respectful manner, especially Director Xann Palmer.

“Our goals are just to help children have that first school experience be a positive one,” said Palmer. We want them to want to come to school. We want them to enjoy learning. And we want to offer them as many good experiences as they can while they’re with us,” she continued. “Most of all, we want to ensure that every child leaves the program ready for kindergarten and all other future endeavors.”

Lange’s Little Store and Deli: A Beloved Community Treasure Celebrates 50 Years

August 25, 2017 by Dana Y. Wu

In 1965, Richard and Christa Lange moved with their daughters, Vicki and Heidi, to Crest Road. Mr. Lange took over the existing “The Little Store and Deli,” put his name on the sign (“Lange” rhymes with “bang”) and started serving the fresh, homemade classics that are still favorites. Mr. Lange’s successful enterprises over the years included stores in New Jersey, Scarsdale and Bronxville, but this community eatery has remained at the top of the hill on King Street since Vicki started kindergarten in Chappaqua.

What is “Lange’s secret sauce” for 50 years of success? “We just make the best homemade, great quality deli food that we can,” says Vicki.

Since 1967, there are daily fresh selections, great sandwiches and cheerful company. Starting at six a.m., Lange’s is packed solid with breakfast crowd regulars who grab their coffees, bagels, muffins and bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches to go. At lunch, groups of Horace Greeley High School students text in their orders (914-506-5388) and their hearty sandwiches are ready to devour when they arrive.

(L-R): Richard Lange, Christa Lange, Maddi Bergstrom and Vicki Bergstrom

There is always chicken cordon bleu on Thursday, fish on Fridays, and daily fresh roasted turkey and homemade chicken noodle soup to hit the spot. The savory, comfort food in the steam table is very popular with the crews of construction, landscaping and painters who appreciate the ample parking for their vehicles and a chance to fuel up on savory lunch specials such as tasty burritos, rice, ribs, meatloaf and jerk chicken.

Parents also love to pick up delicious items for healthy dinners. Favorite options include broasted chicken (“we use a special pressure cooker so it is crispy but not greasy”), mashed potatoes, split pea soup, eggplant parmesan, and even Cornish hen. There are various great salads (kale, chicken, spa tuna, egg, cucumber or fruit) and flavorful sides. “Lange’s was our second kitchen while we were renovating ours,” attests one grateful mom.

As Hillary Rodham Clinton said in 2016, “Lange’s is Bill’s and my favorite neighborhood spot. The only thing better than the coffee and sandwiches is getting to catch up with all the friends who drift in and out all day long.” Mr. Lange is known to share laughs with customers, especially making sure all kids always leave full and happy. The managers, Rich and George, have been at Lange’s for more than 25 years and their staff will make anything for customers (“people ask for avocado a lot these days”). They fulfill many catering orders for events and holidays such as Thanksgiving with all the trimmings. Families love wings for their Super Bowl parties (“always big orders if it is a home team that is playing”), and load up with signature sandwiches, pickles and chips for car trips.

“‘Stay in your own lane’ is a good way to describe what we do. We have four cooks who start at seven a.m. to make everything fresh. Generations of families come here and they know they are going to get the food they remember. I always make sure we have the sides–cole slaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, ambrosia salad, the custard and jello –that everyone loved” says Vicki, who demurs that she “just works here like everyone else.”

Remembering how she used to buy Levi’s jeans at Family Britches, got ice cream at Lickety Split, and shopped at the Old Colony as a kid, Vicki is hopeful about the new infrastructure and streetscape projects in downtown Chappaqua. “More people walking around, more restaurants in town, it’s all good for us. You become your own competition to be the best that you can be.” Vicki offers that Lange’s will be improving its seating since customers like to linger to chat or use the WiFi and sprucing up with new paint soon.

Not only is Lange’s truly a beloved local business, it also makes a difference in the community by quietly supporting organizations with generous donations of wraps for fundraisers, food at Thanksgiving and Christmas for families in need, meeting space for Habitat for Humanity and hosting Empty Bowls volunteers. There are many stories over the years of how Mr. Lange has refused payment for coffee for ambulance volunteers or provided sandwich trays for local non-profit events.

As a 50-year-old institution, Lange’s has shared in a myriad of joys and sorrows with its loyal diners. Every day, its “old-fashioned goodness” continues to shine out though, greeting hungry, loyal customers (and celebrities) who come to the top of the hill for Lange’s always friendly hospitality and deeply satisfying menu.

Dana Y. Wu is a freelance writer and a local Chappaqua mom who appreciates having Lange’s at the top of the hill.

What Chappaqua Moms say … “What is your favorite thing about Lange’s?”

“The South Greeley”
“Roast beef, with cheddar and BBQ sauce on onion roll”
“Green chicken panini”
“Vicki is my favorite person!”
“Toasted and scooped everything bagel with egg whites, bacon, cheese, ketchup, salt and pepper… please..”
“The Betty–chicken cutlet with tomato, mozzarella, basil”
“Sometimes my husband and I lie in bed and talk about how delicious their macaroni salad is. Okay, not really. Except sometimes, really.”
“We love their egg sandwiches!!”
“My kids love their Philly cheesesteaks!!”
“Fresh turkey lettuce tomato with Russian dressing on pumpernickel bread.”
“Grilled cheese with chicken cutlet and bacon on white in the panini press.”
“The Cuban sandwich for sure.”
“Turkey on toasted rye with Russian dressing and cole slaw. Extra on both the dressing and slaw.
“Chicken cutlet on a roll with cole slaw and Russian.”
“Everything is delicious at Lange’s but if you ask my son, he will say that his favorite thing is seeing Mr. Lange!”