Armonk

MAY we Suggest? Things to Do In and Around Town!

April 21, 2016 by The Inside Press

With Spring turning to summer and the school year winding down, here are three ideas of things to do in Armonk and three more to do around Westchester County in May…and for some, in June and beyond.

In Town

1. Get to the pool. Now is a good time to get your swimming gear from the attic. The North Castle Pool opens on Saturday, May 28, with the town holding an opening day event with free admission, a DJ, music, and pool contests. Free snacks will be offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pool season runs until September.

“Animals Out of Paper” at e Hudson Stage Company

2. Go (back) to the theater. In our last issue, we listed some of the great upcoming performances on the stage in Armonk. The next couple months will give you even more chances to check out your local theaters. Hudson Stage Company’s “Animals Out of Paper,” a love story about a high school teacher and an origami artist, runs until May 14 at Whippoorwill Hall Theatre at the North Castle Library. The following weekend, on May 20 and 21, Lighthouse Youth Theatre will perform “Urinetown” (LYT will perform “Legally Blonde” the following month, June 10-12). From June 3 to 11, you can catch The Armonk Players performance of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged),” as three actors put on the Bard’s 37 plays in 97 laughter-filled minutes. Finally, catch Spotlight Theatre Company’s production of “The Producers” June 17-26.

3. Check out your first ‘First Thursday.’ If you’ve never been to Armonk’s ‘First Thursday’ celebration’s before, this spring is the perfect time to enjoy a wonderful local event for the whole family that helps promote commerce. Held on the first Thursday of each month (for this issue, May 5 and June 2), live entertainment is provided in the Hamlet’s downtown from 5 to 9 p.m.; many businesses will offer promotions. First Thursdays are hosted by the Armonk Chamber of Commerce.

First Thursday in Armonk. Photo by Mike Dardano.

Around the County

1. Visit Playland. Not all communities are lucky enough to have an amusement park like Rye Playland just a 20-minute drive away. Whether it’s been years since your last trip to the 88-year-old amusement park or just a few months, now’s the time to go back. Opening day at the park is Saturday, May 7, so you won’t have to wait long to ride the Dragon Coaster again.

At an ArtsWestchester Exhibit, work by Laurel Garcia Colvin

2. Embrace local arts. Just as you don’t have to go to Manhattan to see great theater, there’s no need to cross the county line to explore New York’s art scene. For starters, make your way to White Plains for ArtsWestchester’s exhibit “SHE: Deconstructing Female Identity.” The exhibit, which opened in March to celebrate Women’s History Month, is on display through June 25. Also check out the Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase, the Clay Art Center in Port Chester, the Canfin Gallery in Tarrytown, the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, and the Katonah Museum of Art.

3. Go hiking. Last issue, we mentioned Betsy Sluder Nature Preserve off Old Route 22 as a great spot for hiking, and if you haven’t made it to the trail yet, it should be high on your list. But Betsy Sluder is just one of many great hiking trails in Westchester. You can also head to Peekskill to try Anthony’s Nose, one of the area’s best trails leading to a beautiful view of the Bear Mountain Bridge. Then, make your way through the Cranberry Lake Preserve in New Castle, next to the Kensico Reservoir. Yorktown’s Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center is another great option. For a list of hiking trails throughout Westchester,visit
parks.westchestergov.com.

The writer is a lifelong Westchester resident and the guest editor of Inside Armonk Magazine.

Avoiding Injuries While Getting Back into Shape

April 21, 2016 by The Inside Press

Armonk Physical Therapy & Sports Training Clinical Director Robert Fay

Article and Photos By Andrew Vitelli

You’ve spent the summer sitting on your couch, your treadmill collecting dust and the golf course or tennis courts frosted over. Now, with temperatures finally back in the 70s, you’re eager to spend every free moment at the driving range or on the track, enjoying the sunshine while putting your underused muscles and joints through the wringer. It’s an experience many of us can relate to and, according to Armonk Physical Therapy & Sports Training Director Robert Fay, a leading cause of injuries during this time of the year.

“If you do too much too quickly it leads to overuse injuries like tendonitis, stress fractures and that sort of thing,” Fay explains. “A lot of these injuries can be avoided if people go a little slower as they start up. But I know that it’s hard sometimes.”

Fay, who co-founded Armonk PTST in 2001, sees an increase in these kinds of injuries around this time of year. A general rule of thumb for aerobic workouts, Fay says, is to increase your workout by no more than 15 percent from your previous efforts. If you’ve only been eking out a mile at a time on the treadmill over winter, don’t try running a half marathon the first time you make it to the track.

“As the weather starts to get nice, we’ll get somebody this weekend that’ll go out and play golf Saturday and Sunday, hadn’t picked up a club in several months, and go and play 18 holes,” Fay says. Instead, he suggests, “Maybe go and just play nine holes the first couple of times.”

A large part of Fay’s practice consists of treating patients who have sustained injuries, whether minor, like Tennis Elbow or tendinitis, or serious, such as an ACL or Achilles tendon tear. Fay and his staff also, however, will meet with healthy athletes to evaluate where they may be particularly prone to future injuries.

“If you have weakness in one joint, a lot of times that’s not the joint that you injure,” Fay explains. “You might have a shoulder weakness, and then you overuse the next joint.”

Or, for example, having strong quads but weak hamstrings could make you more likely to tear your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Of course, getting healthy people into a physical therapist’s office to prevent injuries is a lot tougher than it is to get them in once they’ve hurt themselves. Mostly, Fay says, those who come in for preventive treatment are high school athletes whose parents are concerned about potential injuries.

“But I think it should also be done for that weekend warrior, 40-year-old or 50-year-old type person,” Fay notes.

After evaluating the athletes, Fay’s team can advise them of what exercises or stretches they can do to address their deficiencies and lower the risk of injury. And if saving oneself from a serious injury isn’t sufficient motivation, Fay points out that the weaknesses that these injury prevention exercises address can also be hurting their performance. “So that’s the key thing that I think it’s very important to get across to people.”

Fay, now the sole owner, co-founded Armonk PTST in 2001 after previously working in Pleasantville and Greenwich, Conn. His aim is to give clients true one-on-one therapy, meaning their trainers are only working with one person for the full hour.

Physical therapist John Connolly works with client Gwen Grotta at Armonk Physical erapy & Sports Training — Physical therapist John Connolly works with client Gwen Grotta at Armonk Physical Therapy & Sports Training

Armonk PTST also offers services ranging from Pilates to occupational hand therapy (a full list can be found at their website, armonkptst.com). Armonk PTST’s trainers, Fay explains, have a greater understanding of injuries than a typical trainer, giving them insight when working with clients who have suffered injuries in the past.

Not all pain and soreness is injury related. Fay acknowledges that, as anyone who’s gotten back into working out after hiatus can attest, a moderate amount of soreness the next day or two can be expected. If, however, you feel pain during your workout rather than the day after, that can be a sign of an injury. Another red flag, Fay says, is if the pain is in the bone or tendon rather than the muscle.

While there’s no fool-proof way to avoid all injuries, taking precautions can make them a lot less likely. The two most important things to keep in mind, Fay concludes, are not overexerting yourself early on and addressing weaknesses and imbalances before you reach mid-season form. Otherwise, you may spend the bulk of the outdoor season rehabbing indoors.

For more information, visit http://www.armonkptst.com/.

Andrew Vitelli, a lifelong Westchester resident, is the Guest Editor of Inside Armonk Magazine.

Byram Hills Music Education Program Honored

April 13, 2016 by The Inside Press

Byram Hills has been honored with the “Best Communities for Music Education” designation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Byram Hills is one of seven Westchester County school districts – and just 476 districts nationwide – to receive the prestigious designation from the NAMM Foundation. The district’s excellent music program spans all four district schools and includes instruction that builds as students grow. Students can begin studying one of 10 instruments in the fourth grade. By the time they reach the high school, students can participate in a variety of choral, band and orchestra groups and continue their music education with courses that range from introductory guitar to Advanced Placement Music Theory. Byram Hills students have been chosen for All-County, All-State and National Music Honor ensembles.

“Although I am new in my position, it didn’t take long for me to see just how special our music program is at Byram Hills,” said Director of Fine Arts Deepak Marwah. “We have a dedicated music faculty of passionate educators, and the work they do in the classroom inspires high levels of musicianship and creativity in our students each day.”

The Best Communities Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in their music program, including providing all students with access to music education. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Byram Hills provided NAMM with information about district funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community-music-making programs.

The NAMM Foundation, which began as the National Association of Music Merchants, is an international association representing the music products industry and championing the intrinsic value of music education.

A Community Passover Seder

April 10, 2016 by Inside Press

Join us for a traditional, meaningful Passover Seder
Relive the Exodus, discover the eternal meaning of the Haggadah, and enjoy a community Seder, complete with hand-baked round Matzah, fine Passover wine, and a wonderful meal spiced with unique, traditional customs.

Held at the La Quinta Inn, Armonk

For reservations and more information please click here www.ChabadAcp.org or contact Chabad at: Phone: 914.273.9770
Email: info@chabadacp.org

Michael J. Schiliro, Leading Armonk into the Future

March 6, 2016 by The Inside Press

Supervisor Michael J. Schiliro

Age: 51

Party: Democrat

Supervisor since: 2014

Town Board since: 2008

Current term ends: 2017

Profession: Banker

Previous Political Office: Councilman 2008-2013

Wife: Lori

Daughters: Paulina, 20; Emma, 17; Gina, 11.

Pets: Two dogs, Rudy and Cosmo

Goals in Office
Macro: Leave the Town better than when he started.
Micro: Provide residents with honest, transparent, fair, and apolitical representation with integrity, and always strive to improve the quality of life in our Town. Listen to residents and be accessible. “There is no purer form of government than local municipalities.”

Mets or Yankees? Mets!

By Deborah Raider Notis

Photos by Cathy Pinsky

From the Miller House, which headquartered George Washington during the Battle of White Plains, to Smith’s Tavern, which housed travelers for over 200 years, North Castle is a thriving town with a rich history. Over the past few years, North Castle, and most notably Armonk, experienced a bold revitalization. Building this enticing new hub required time and teamwork, much of which was led by Town Supervisor Michael J. Schiliro. Yet, as North Castle continues to grow, Schiliro impresses, “We need to move forward, but we cannot forget this town’s legacies.”

Schiliro, who was elected to the position of Town Supervisor in 2013, feels that Armonk was well-planned out in a very methodical way. And while downtown Armonk was substantially developed over the past few years, the town was careful not to overbuild or overgrow. “When I moved to Armonk, people constantly said how different it was from a decade earlier,” Schiliro said. “We have just continued with that growth.”

Supervisor Schiliro (second from left) leads a North Castle Town Board meeting.

Schiliro has been intrinsically involved in town politics, planning, and volunteering since he moved here 17 years ago, when his oldest daughter was three years old. He and his wife raised their three daughters and two dogs in Armonk, in a house that is walking distance from town. He was a founding member of North Castle Citizen Core Council (NC4), a group of North Castle resident-volunteers that was formed in 2003 to assist and protect residents in the event of an emergency. Amongst the many altruistic efforts of NC4, Schiliro and his fellow volunteers at NC4 were responsible for setting up round-the-clock shelter for North Castle residents during Hurricane Sandy. He also served on the North Castle Town Board for more than five years before being elected Town Supervisor of Armonk.

As Town Supervisor, Schiliro is the leader of the Town Board, and essentially, the Chief Executive and Financial Officer of North Castle. He works closely with the newly appointed Town Administrator Joan Goldberg, who is North Castle’s Chief Operating Officer, meeting with her weekly. He meets with town supervisors throughout Westchester County monthly. And the buck stops with him for all budget, zoning, code, and planning decisions. But Schiliro credits the North Castle Town Board with working as a cohesive team on all decisions that impact the area. He is particularly careful about making any major changes in the small business area. “I started out as a member of the North Castle Town Board, and I know the importance of working together as a team and keeping the best interests of the town first.”

Supervisor Schiliro with his dogs, Rudy (L) and Cosmo

Schiliro is particularly careful about making any drastic changes in downtown Armonk. He is exceptionally aware of zoning requirements and served on the Town Board when the middle income housing program was being implemented in Armonk. He is now working with Westchester County to contribute an adequate number of affordable housing units in Armonk. “We always had middle income units, now we are building affordable units. For this program, we are just following the rules,” states Schiliro. Armonk is building affordable housing units in Brynwood, on the old lumber yard, and on Old Route 22, amongst other places.

Building up the town without overdeveloping has been a primary mission for Schiliro, who hopes to create a Vision Committee comprising entrepreneurs, financial experts, and professional firms. When he joined the Town Board, Schiliro played a key role in turning around North Castle’s finances. He helped to make sure that North Castle restored its AAA Moody’s rating, which they lost in 2008. He also helped to re-envision the town’s finances and budget. Today, the North Castle budget is over eight million dollars, up from $800,000 in 2008. Schiliro also worked to put checks in place to prevent future budget crises.

Supervisor Schiliro with Con dential Secretary Mindy Berard

Building up downtown Armonk and opening up Armonk Square was a proud accomplishment for Schiliro, who likes to think of Armonk as a walkable town. Making it a reality required a significant amount of collaboration by residents and town department heads, but the results were well worth the work. “Armonk Square has brought so much life into Armonk. People in other towns talk about it, it’s won awards, and it has drawn people here to visit and dine,” effuses Schiliro, who enjoys doing occasional restaurant “crawls” to get a flavor of the many different and lively restaurants in town. The new development has also made Armonk an even more desirable place to live, as people particularly appreciate the liveliness and accessibility of the town.

Schiliro is hoping to make the same positive changes throughout the rest of North Castle as well. As the Town Board reviews and updates North Castle’s comprehensive plan, Schiliro is hoping to revive commerce in Banksville and tweak the North White Plains business district to enhance profitability. “Banksville is a very rural area that used to have a small but thriving downtown area. I would like to see that area revitalized,” notes Schiliro.

With so much happening throughout North Castle today, Schiliro continues to acknowledge the past. He takes time at every board meeting to acknowledge a past board as well as individual citizens who contributed to the town. Every meeting has “Dori time,” a moment to note positive events in North Castle and named for Town Historian Doris Watson. “A town like this is only as great as the people who put time into it, and all of these people have so much value and historical significance because they helped create what is here today.” Like his predecessors, Schiliro will most definitely be remembered as someone who contributed to North Castle’s growth and prosperity.

Deborah Raider Notis is a writer and co-owner of gamechanger, LLC, a free referral service connecting Westchester families to highly qualified, competitively priced instructors. She lives in Pleasantville with her husband, four boys, and their dog Oscar.