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The Harlem Wizards are Coming to Town!

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Chappaqua’s favorite day of hoops and alley oops is back on Sunday, January 26that 1:30 pm. Come watch the beloved teachers of the Chappaqua Challengers as they take on the Harlem Wizards! This annual highly anticipated event, hosted by the Chappaqua School Foundation, is the definition of local family fun. Not only an opportunity to support your schools, it’s guaranteed laughs as the tables are turned and the kids cheer on their teachers.

Make this event even more memorable by purchasing the coveted Benchwarmer or Courtside Plus VIP seats! Both include premier seating, a meet & greet with the Wizards, a souvenir lanyard, team poster and discount on team jerseys.  The newly introduced Benchwarmer seats, however, is the only way to watch the action straight from the Wizards bench and includes a half-court photo opp.

Don’t miss out on the fun and purchase tickets today.

Courtesy of the Chappaqua School Foundation

“New Era of Expanded Services” at the Renamed Hollis Laidlaw & Simon P.C.

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HLS Group, (L-R): David Simon, Moira Laidlaw and Dan Hollis.

Shamberg Marwell Hollis Andreycak & Laidlaw, P.C. has changed its name to Hollis Laidlaw & Simon P.C., ushering in a new era with new leadership, a growing team, and expanded services.

Thirty-year partner Dan Hollis, managing partner Moira Laidlaw and partner David Simon comprise the new leadership team. Mr. Simon, who joined the firm in 2018, has bolstered the litigation and land use practices, expanded the corporate practice, and added an employment practice. “I am honored to take a leadership role at such an exceptional firm,” said Mr. Simon. “I was drawn to the firm because of the collaborative nature of our attorneys and the obvious benefit to the client when we put our minds together.”

Hollis Laidlaw & Simon has recently welcomed new hires, expanding the team to 15 attorneys. “We’ve been fortunate to attract incredible talent over the years,” said Ms. Laidlaw, who has overseen the growth in her own trusts and estates practice and across the firm. She appreciates the strength that a larger team affords. “We love the challenge of working with any client who walks in our door,” she said. “With a deeper bench, we are positioned to provide a broader range of legal services to our existing clients and cater to an even wider clientele as we move into the future.”

Mr. Hollis appreciates that while the firm has evolved, it still honors the values of the past. “Our concentration has always been on providing excellent service and surrounding ourselves with the smartest people with the highest ethical standards,” he said. “With our new leadership team, this will still be our theme, and we will continue to thrive.”

Hollis Laidlaw & Simon looks forward to continuing to provide their clients with the highest level of excellence and personalized counsel in their core areas of practice: litigation & dispute resolution, land use & zoning, corporate, employment, real estate, trusts & estates, guardianship, specials needs planning, and elder law and Medicaid planning.

Five Rules When Talking to Adult Kids About Money

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BY RICHARD BLOOM

More than 22 million adult children between the ages of 18 and 34 are living at home with their parents.1 This phenomenon is partially driven by the financial realities facing 20-somethings today, but it also illustrates the strong ties that exist between boomer parents – who have been scrutinized for “helicopter parenting” – and their boomerang kids. The U.K. Journal, Psychologist, found that more than half of millennials phone, text or email their parents nearly every day.2

Despite communicating frequently and openly about everything from playground gossip to con­flicts at work, however, one topic families continue to avoid around the dinner table: money.

With more than one-third of millennials admitting to finding it difficult to start conversations with their parents about saving and investing,3 it is hard to imagine millennials addressing the more sensitive (yet necessary) conversations, such as estate planning. Here are some rules that apply specifically to some of the challenges parents face when talking about money with their adult kids.

1. Be smart about how you support.

No matter how old or “grown up” your child is, it’s a mistake to think that a parent ever ceases to be a parent. You will always have a responsibility to mentor and guide your children as they tackle life’s many obstacles. However, this unconditional support does not necessarily need to extend to the financial realm. The proverbial financial cord may never be severed completely, but it is often in your child’s best interest for them to establish a certain level of financial independence.

2. Create a culture of “family partnership.”

Glenn Kurlander, Head of Morgan Stanley’s Family Governance and Wealth Education unit, notes that, “one of the biggest concerns I have encountered among parents with considerable means is the fear of raising entitled children.” He believes that the best way to prevent this sense of entitlement is to create a culture of family partnership. In other words, driving the philosophy that “we’re all in this together,” and that while you are prepared to use your family’s wealth to help your children in meaningful ways, you are not prepared to remove every obstacle or challenge from their path. Denying your child the opportunity to learn some life lessons on their own (even if it’s the hard way) could end up hurting them in the long run.

3. To trust is relative.

Trust is an important component of any conversa­tion related to money. While you may trust your children and their ability to make smart financial decisions, you may not necessarily trust the people they choose to listen to. Because it’s impossible to know who may influence your child in the future (perhaps when you’re no longer around to make your case in person), you may want to consider us­ing certain wealth management structures (such as trusts) to protect the family wealth. To avoid resent­ment and confusion in the future, it is important to explain your rationale to your children: make it clear that your primary objective is to protect them and your family’s interests – it is not a reflection of a lack of trust or a desire to limit their financial freedoms.

4. Family finances are never one-size-fits-all.

As parents, you will have to decide what’s “fair and appropriate” for your unique family. This is partic­ularly relevant when it comes to estate planning. In some families, “fair and appropriate” may mean giv­ing equal amounts to each child; in other families, fair may mean treating each child differently based on their individual needs or challenges.

Use your resources, even the small ones.

Even when your children have children of their own, it’s not too late. In fact, this momentous event in their lives may present an opening: a timely reason to start a conversation about the family finances. Whether you want to encourage your children to become more fiscally responsible them­selves, or address sensitive topics such as your own estate plan, grandchildren can help break the logjam and diffuse the situation: “Now that there’s another generation in the picture, we want to make sure that you are planning appropriately and responsibly for them.”

Whatever challenges you face or conversations you need to have, a Financial Advisor can act as a re­source and a buffer. They can be present to facilitate the discussion in person, or help you prepare talking points in advance.

FOOTNOTES

1. “Helping Adult Children”, Pew Research Center (2015)

2. “The Ascension of Parent-Offspring Ties”, Karen Fingerman. Psychologist Journal. Vol. 29. (Feb. 2016)

3. Millennial Money Study, Fidelity Investments® (2016)

DISCLOSURES

Article by Morgan Stanley and provided courtesy of Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.

Richard Bloom is a Financial Advisor in 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104 at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). He can be reached by email at Richard.Bloom@morganstanley.com or by telephone at (212) 893-7597.

This article has been prepared for informational purposes only. The information and data in the article has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the infor­mation or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. It does not provide individually tailored investment advice and has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. The strategies and/or investments discussed in this article may not be suitable for all investors. Morgan Stanley recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

Richard Bloom may only transact business, follow-up with individualized responses, or render personalized investment advice for compensation, in states where he is registered or excluded or exempted from registration, http://brokercheck.finra.org/Search/Search.aspx.

© 2018 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 2160695 07/2018

LaGravinese Jewelers: Serving Armonk’s Jewelry Needs with a Personal Touch

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Armonk’s original jewelry store, LaGravinese Jewelers, located on Main Street in Downtown Armonk is in its 26th year of providing its clientele with beautiful jewelry. The LaGravinese family has been in the jewelry business for over a century. Debra LaGravinese, owner of the Armonk store, is trained in diamond grading, gemology, gem identification, and pearl grading by the Gemological Institute of America. LaGravinese Jewelers carries a large selection of jewelry at all price points and are known for their custom design work, excellent service, and quick turnaround time.

Custom Design

Clients looking for handcrafted custom pieces specifically made for them meet with LaGravinese and her trusted bench jeweler/“right-hand man,” Art Manfredo, to create the design they have in mind. They can incorporate a sentimental piece of family jewelry into a new design or simply construct an entirely new piece of jewelry. Approximately eighty percent of LaGravinese’s business involves redesign, repairs and special orders.

“If you have an estate piece that nobody is wearing and it just sits in a drawer, we can make something current out of it, either trendy or classic, that the next generation wants to wear,” says LaGravinese.

Celebrating Milestones

Jewelers often get to share in their clients’ most joyous celebrations. Helping clients choose the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or any momentous event, is what they do. It is especially sweet when they have personal relationships with those clients.

“I have recently been working on a lot of engagement rings,” LaGravinese says. “All of my clients’ children are at an age now where they’re all getting married. After 25 years in the same town, it’s great to see these generational milestones. I have amazing clientele and I’m so lucky to be part of their process of buying and giving to their family.”

Happy Customers

Many of LaGravinese’s clients have been customers for decades. The business is well sustained by virtue of repeat customers and word of mouth.

“You don’t get to stay in business 25 years doing the wrong thing,” she remarks. Despite being a small store in a small town, she makes certain that the store remains competitive. “We are very close to Manhattan, so I compete with that and I compete with the internet. I make sure I am giving the best possible deal to my customers,” she says. LaGravinese travels to jewelry shows and strives to acquire a diverse collection and unique pieces such as watches from Shinola that her clients may not have seen elsewhere.

As a full service jewelry store, they cater to all their customers’ jewelry needs, including watch battery, watch repairs, appraisals, ear piercing, custom orders, redesign, pearl restringing, and they buy diamonds, gold and silver.

LaGravinese is grateful for her clients and to many of them that have become friends over the years. “I’m blessed to know them,” she says.

With the fall season upon us, LaGravinese is stocking up on plenty of new inventory for the holiday season. Be sure to stop in and check out their selection. Also, be on the lookout for their occasional specials when a portion of proceeds are donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

LaGravinese Jewelers
430 Main Street in Armonk
P: (914) 273-5432
lagravinesearmonk.com

So You Want to Update Your Kitchen? An Interview with Felipe Gomes of Modern Tradition Kitchen & Bath

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As any homeowner knows, taking on a renovation can be an arduous process. Where do you begin? How do you manage through the actual renovation? I have firsthand experience, having recently completed a major kitchen renovation with Modern Tradition Kitchen & Bath. I spoke with owner Felipe Gomes to get some helpful tips for those thinking of a home re-design in the future.

Gomes opened his first showroom in Pleasantville in 2016 and relocated to Thornwood this past July. His 15 plus years of experience working in the hospitality field as well as his involvement in numerous design and renovation projects led him to open his own business. Modern Tradition aims to provide customized services to make its clients dreams become a reality. The company also prides itself on being family-owned and oriented. Gomes and his brother Christopher, owner of Riverview Contracting Inc., work together on each project to ensure quality-control and a seamless design and construction process from start to finish.

When it comes to his own design approach, Gomes has sound advice to ensure a positive designer/client relationship. “Listen to everything, assume nothing. Write down everything and do what you promise without fail. The client hired you as an expert. Show him or her your expertise and stand by your opinion and work.” His method as a designer is to help make the homeowner truly love and enjoy the space in which they live. And at the end of the day, isn’t that the ultimate goal?

Gomes states, “My design philosophy is the belief that life inside of one’s home should feel good in every sense. A well-designed space should embody an extraordinary design that is timeless while maintaining a striking interior that is unique, luxurious, functional, livable, comfortable, and most importantly speaks the client’s language. A home should be designed for one’s self, it should reflect the personality of its occupants in a unified and well-tailored design.” I couldn’t agree more.

As for his advice for those thinking of taking on a home renovation, Gomes keeps it simple yet solid, “Ask questions, don’t second-guess yourself, think of the final result and trust the people you hired.” It can definitely be hard to let go, especially when your home is turned into a den of chaos during a renovation. But these are the experts after all, and as clients, we must find someone we trust to ensure that the vision we dreamt will come to life in the final results.

Before
After

For those overwhelmed with style choices, Gomes believes the Transitional style is always a great bet. “It combines elements from both traditional and contemporary designs to create a one-of-a-kind kitchen. The balance between a traditional kitchen’s attention to detail and the sleek lines of a contemporary  kitchen make for a beautiful transitional kitchen.”

In terms of upcoming trends, I asked Gomes what he sees as some of the top trends for 2020. The first: statement appliances in a wide range of color and finish options. The ability to really customize one’s space helps to ensure a polished, individualized look. Mixing metals is another big trend he sees on the horizon. “We love breaking rules and mixing metals are one of those classic design no no’s.

“But 2020 is finally the year of saying yes-yes to all the metal combos. It’s time to get funky people.”

As for my own kitchen renovation, I couldn’t be happier with the results. My new kitchen reflects not only my personality but also that of the rest of my home. It’s no longer a thorn in my side, but a place where family and friends can gather, enjoy each other’s company and make lasting memories.