The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

anniversary

Sweet and Beautiful

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I’ve been thinking about beauty a lot lately. With 2019 marking the 16th year of publishing Inside Chappaqua we wanted to mark our sweet 16 by featuring some sweet and beautiful content. First off, check out the sumptuous desserts from local restaurants, on pages 31 and 36.

This issue includes several essays on the evolving concept of beauty from different perspectives. High school senior Julia Bialek’s essay discusses how social media puts pressures on teens to conform to a certain unattainable societal standard of beauty but she’s hopeful that more campaigns like Dove’s real beauty will change people’s attitudes about what constitutes beauty.

Marlene Kern Fischer’s essay touches on the cookie cutter mold of beauty that prevailed during the Laverne & Shirley years and how as she has grown a bit older her idea of beauty has evolved. I identify strongly with it. When I was 16, I was in awe of the popular sitcom Beverly Hills 90210. I wanted to look like one of the characters Brenda played by Shannen Doherty so badly that I had my hair cut and colored the same color.

But modern day me would never walk into a salon and ask to look like a celebrity. I’m more comfortable in my own skin and have come to realize that confidence is beautiful. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading Daniel Levitz’s heartwarming essay about his wife’s beauty which still awes him even though they are no longer nineteen-year-olds. I hope you will too!

And there are some additional articles in this issue that also celebrate beautiful things. Empty Bowls, a division of (914) Cares fights hunger locally and this year’s fundraiser in our community pulled in $120,000 in funds to help feed the 1 in 5 Westchester residents who are food insecure. Local award-winning Haiku poet Scott Mason sees the beauty and wonder in nature’s smallest creatures.

Luckily with spring approaching, our town and its surroundings serve as inspiration for his poetry. My favorite sign of spring is the chorus of small frogs called peepers that I hear in the small pond behind my house. My children love the sound of the ducks flapping their wings around in the water.

Here’s to a sweet and beautiful spring for all of you.

Enjoy, 

P.S. I am so proud of our publisher Grace Bennett celebrating a 16th year of publishing Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines. I am also embracing our new slogan: ‘Sharing the Heart of your Community.’ In more news, the Inside Press also launched its latest hyperlocal magazine this month, Inside Pleasantville.

Look Back at the 125th Anniversary White Plains Hospital Gala

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The Friends of White Plains Hospital hosted the 125th Anniversary Gala of White Plains Hospital on Saturday, September 29th.  The sold-out evening at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club, the site of the Hospital’s first gala in 1956, raised $1.7 million for Hospital programs and services. 800 guests enjoyed a historical video tribute showcasing the Hospital’s remarkable longevity in the community, followed by dinner, dancing, a silent auction, and fireworks display.

Betsy Gordon and Dr. Mark Gordon, of Armonk; Dr. Julianne Dunne, of White Plains
Seth Lerner, MD; Helen Jhang, MD; Frances Bordoni; and Fred Berardinone, all of Armonk
Dr. Randy Stevens of Scarsdale, Dr. Bradley Adler and his wife, Lauren, of Chappaqua

Discover 35 Reasons to Love Gymnastics

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PHOTO BY SOPHIE MATHEWSON
  1. Builds strength.
  2. Mastering a skill feels empowering…and proves that hard work pays off.
  3. Kids love to cartwheel! Being able to cartwheel is like riding a bike–once you’ve got it…you’ve got it. Forever!
  4. 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.
  5. Develops grit … a child choosing to keep trying a skill repeatedly. Teaches how to fall down, regroup and get back.
  6. Increases balance.
  7. Offers opportunity to be social outside of school in a small, fun group setting. Encourages friendships by working together.
  8. Builds confidence. Confidence spreads quickly to all areas of life. On and off the mat.
  9. Enjoying the excitement of jumping off of high mats, on bouncy trampolines and over challenging objects in a safe setting.  Simply fun!
  10. Children naturally love to move in all different ways. Gymnastics is all about movement.
  11. Patience is practiced daily…whether waiting for a turn or working  to achieve a desired skill.
  12. Students learn how to fall now so that they can safely fall later both in and out of the gym.
  13. The thrill of a new skill after months of hard work.
  14. Teaches children that hard work is necessary to reach goals. Not everything happens in an instant.
  15. Improves motor skill development.
  16. Improves motor planning.
  17. Builds strong bones.
  18. Introduces fitness at an early age which will lead to healthy habits that last a lifetime.
  19. 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.
  20. It is the sport for all sports! Start with Gymnastics and go anywhere. Best physical foundation.
  21. Increases upper body strength while swinging and supporting oneself on the bars.
  22. Teaches the value of repetition.
  23. Children work toward their personal best, and support their classmates in theirs.
  24. Increases reading readiness.
  25. Balancing and achieving skills on a 4” beam that at one point seemed intimidating, makes almost anything seem possible.
  26. Improves hand/eye coordination as well as foot/eye coordination.
  27. Increases attention span.
  28. More and more research supports gymnastics as extremely beneficial to brain development.
  29. Improves focus.
  30. Children of all abilities can participate and benefit. Wonderful for children with special needs and different learning styles.
  31. Persistence is encouraged and necessary. Children must repeat skills to accomplish them, a reminder that you must work hard to find success.
  32. Increases flexibility.
  33. Increases bone strength with weight bearing exercise.
  34. Being upside down can actually make one feel happier and calmer.
  35. 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

PHOTO BY JULIA LUBARSKY

 

After the Party

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CREDITS: Gold dress by Pesavento Couture at Elephant’s Trunk in Mount Kisco (thank you Susan Ward, Robert and Rafael!); earrings by Jolie B. Ray at ROCKS in Armonk; at Aura Salon, kudos to Lu Camarena Meshulam for makeup and to hairdresser Dawn Hiller for the cascading curls–and to Ana for nails. Special thanks to ICD Contemporary Jewelry for a gorgeous bracelet and to March Boutique for a stunning black and gold cover up. Whispering Pines sent over a fabulous bouquet with the 10th anniversary issue of IC cleverly tucked inside the vase. Chappaqua’s Joy’s Balloons decorated the tables. Beascakes Bakery in Armonk created the “CQ,” multiple layer strawberry shortcake. Finally, The Flower Pot in Larchmont supplied the single stem roses for all. I so appreciate everyone’s TLC on this special day. Photo by Amy Kerwin
CREDITS: Gold dress by Pesavento Couture at Elephant’s Trunk in Mount Kisco (thank you Susan Ward, Robert and Rafael!); earrings by Jolie B. Ray at ROCKS in Armonk; at Aura Salon, kudos to Lu Camarena Meshulam for makeup and to hairdresser Dawn Hiller for the cascading curls–and to Ana for nails. Special thanks to ICD Contemporary Jewelry for a gorgeous bracelet and to March Boutique for a stunning black and gold cover up. Whispering Pines sent over a fabulous bouquet with the 10th anniversary issue of IC cleverly tucked inside the vase. Chappaqua’s Joy’s Balloons decorated the tables. Beascakes Bakery in Armonk created the “CQ,” multiple layer strawberry shortcake. Finally, The Flower Pot in Larchmont supplied the single stem roses for all. I so appreciate everyone’s TLC on this special day.
Photo by Amy Kerwin

Pulling together a May issue in the midst of 10th year party planning and festivities was no small feat…but of course, I’m sure glad I did. I’m thrilled to be prominently featuring one of my best friends in Chappaqua…Jodi Levine, owner of Jodi’s Gym… After 30 years of bringing gymnastics into the lives of families in the city, northern Westchester and beyond, she is a good friend to many, and beyond that, an incredible business woman and mentor. Happy Mother’s Day, Jodi!

A past IC cover girl, Chappaqua’s famous “good enough mother,” Rene Syler, is featured again…with all that she’s up to, sorry, but “good enough” just doesn’t begin to describe her!  And there’s also a spotlight on Dawn Greenberg.  If you haven’t heard about all the various initiatives Dawn seems to singlehandedly take on–including the spearheading of the October 5 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, you’re either not on social media or you’re not shopping local nearly enough!

Toward that end, we’ve produced a first time ever  pull out “Mother’s Day Must Have/Must Do” guide highlighting our sponsors best suggestions.  Carine Feist and her son Mike went all out especially in spotlighting Mother’s Day dining delights, in words and in so many pics, so very grateful for their efforts.  We also used the guide as a vehicle to support the Neighbor’s Link Festival de Primavera on May 11.  Check its back cover for details!

Here’s hoping you find this issue filled with at least half as much love that I felt at my party at Crabtree’s Kittle House on March 14.  While I churn out these issues year after year, it can sometimes be hard to tell how Inside Chappaqua is received.  So now, well after the party, let’s just say I can happily embark on a second decade of publishing with renewed confidence that this little magazine is still appreciated, internet options and all.  Have a very happy Mother’s Day.

For highlights from IC’s 10th, click here