The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Back to School

Start the School Year Smiling: Advice From Chappaqua’s Lipari & Mangiameli Dentistry

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PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

The Practice

At Lipari & Mangiameli Dentistry, the foundation is relationships and trust. What started as a family-centered dental office has grown into a modern cosmetic and restorative practice while maintaining the personal feel patients appreciate. We’ve evolved by incorporating advanced technology, expanding cosmetic and restorative services, and focusing on patient comfort and experience. Our goal has always been to combine high-level dentistry with genuinely personalized care.

Working with Family

Working together as a family creates a level of trust, communication, and collaboration that our patients can genuinely experience. We share the same values, commitment to excellence, and philosophy of compassionate, patient-centered care. Regardless of which provider they see, patients can expect the same high standard of attention and personalized care.

Family Values Shape Patient Care

Family values are at the center of everything we do. We believe in treating patients the way we would want our own family members treated–with honesty, compassion, and patience.

That means taking the time to educate patients, never rushing conversations, and creating an environment where people feel comfortable and genuinely cared for. We want patients to feel known by name and confident that their long-term oral health is our priority.

What Patients Appreciate

Patients often mention how warm and personal the atmosphere feels. Many families have trusted us with their care across multiple generations, creating lasting relationships built on familiarity and continuity.

Our name is on the practice, and we take tremendous pride in every patient experience.

Fall Dental Check-ups Matter

As families settle back into their routines after summer, fall is an ideal time to prioritize oral health. It’s also an excellent opportunity to maximize any remaining dental insurance benefits and flexible spending account (FSA) funds before year-end.

The return to school brings changes in eating habits, sports participation, and daily schedules that can affect oral health. A fall dental check-up allows us to identify concerns early and keep smiles healthy before the busy holiday season.

How Often Should Children Visit the Dentist?

Children and teens should generally visit the dentist every six months for routine cleanings and comprehensive examinations. Preventive visits allow us to monitor dental development, detect cavities early, evaluate orthodontic needs, and reinforce healthy oral hygiene habits. For children at higher risk for cavities or those undergoing orthodontic treatment, more frequent visits may be recommended.

Common Back-to-School Dental Issues

As families transition back into the school-year routine, we often see an increase in cavities related to more frequent snacking, inconsistent oral hygiene, and changing schedules. We also see more sports-related dental injuries as children return to athletic activities.

For patients with braces or clear aligners, lapses in oral hygiene can quickly lead to plaque buildup and gum inflammation. Frequent consumption of sports drinks, energy drinks, and other sugary beverages can also increase the risk of enamel erosion and tooth decay. Consistent brushing, flossing, and choosing water whenever possible can go a long way in preventing these common concerns.

Tips for Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene

Consistency is everything. Even on busy days, brushing twice daily for two full minutes and flossing once a day should remain non-negotiable.

Simple ways to stay on track:

  • Keep toothbrushes and floss visible and accessible.
  • Use electric toothbrushes with built-in timers.
  • Pack water instead of sugary drinks whenever possible.
  • Encourage brushing before school.
  • Make brushing and flossing part of a consistent bedtime routine.

Treating Chappaqua Families

Serving families in Chappaqua is both an honor and a privilege. This community is built on lasting relationships, trust, and a shared commitment to excellence, and we are grateful to have been part of so many families’ lives over the years.

One of the most rewarding aspects of our practice is caring for multiple generations of the same family–from children at their first dental visit to parents and grandparents who have entrusted us with their care for years. Those relationships reflect the confidence our patients place in us and inspire us to provide compassionate, personalized, and exceptional care at every visit.

We never take that trust for granted. Being part of the Chappaqua community is a responsibility we value deeply, and we remain committed to helping our neighbors achieve healthy, confident smiles for generations to come.

125 King Street, Chappaqua, NY 10514
914.238.0213
info@NYGREATSMILES.COM
NYGREATSMILES.COM

Back to School with your Local Bookstore

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PHOTO BY SUZANNE SAMSEN

As summer winds down and a new school year approaches, reading remains one of the most valuable ways to help children prepare for academic success. Beyond building vocabulary and comprehension skills, books foster curiosity, creativity, empathy, and critical thinking. Even just 15 to 20 minutes of daily reading can help children maintain learning momentum and strengthen their confidence as they return to the classroom.

Parents can encourage reluctant readers by letting children choose books that match their interests, whether that’s sports, graphic novels, mysteries, fantasy, or nonfiction. Reading together, discussing stories, and making regular trips to your local bookstore can help transform reading from a chore into an enjoyable habit. The goal is not simply to raise stronger readers, but to nurture a lifelong love of learning and discovery.

We are very fortunate to have beautiful and inviting bookstores right in our towns. I had the opportunity to speak to the owners of the Village Bookstore in Pleasantville, Make Believe Books in Armonk, and Scattered Books in Chappaqua. All shops have old-school, bookstore charm and appeal combined with modern features and conveniences, such as their own fulfillment systems. All three owners agree that nobody enters bookstore ownership for the money, but the satisfaction of hand selecting every title, their passion for books, and their relationships with their patrons, is priceless.

Scattered Books

Beyond its thoughtfully curated collection of books, there are many distinctive touches throughout Laura Schaefer’s shop, but perhaps none are more beloved than the Bookstore Bunnies, the shop’s unofficial mascots. Kids and adults alike love seeing Moo, Chip, and Chuck and she is in the process of writing children’s books about them in partnership with a local author. Meanwhile, follow their adventures on social media via @BookstoreBunnies.

Schaefer notices that a growing number of younger kids are moving away from silly, adventure books to historical, realistic fiction and even nonfiction, a more sophisticated trend. For adults, she started “Blind Date with a Book”, where books are beautifully wrapped with origami and bought based on description only without seeing or knowing the title. It is the literal act of not judging a book by its cover. Many people in book clubs pre-buy the books when it is their turn, have them wrapped, and distribute them. The same can be done for children’s book clubs. Each is thoughtfully assembled with carefully selected paper, ribbons, and details tailored to complement the book or match a customer’s chosen theme.

She also creates custom, themed gift baskets for all occasions. Customers select the books and specialty items available in the shop, which she then artfully arranges and wraps into beautifully curated baskets. Sharing the space with Whispering Pines of Chappaqua allows for an abundance of creative options, with flowers and gifts adding another layer of charm and personalization to the shop’s offerings. Schaefer also partners with the Chappaqua Public Library for author events, so check for upcoming programs at the store’s website below.

Visit them at: 29 King Street, Chappaqua, NY scatteredbooks.com

PHOTO BY SUZANNE SAMSEN

The Village Bookstore

Jennifer Kohn, owner of the Village Bookstore, who was browsing in the store before she became owner, recalls thinking, It would be great to own a bookstore. A lot of research went into her decision, as well as fortuitous timing. After speaking to the owners, she learned they were heading towards retirement, and she expressed interest in buying their shop when they were ready. That was in 2018, and the store continues to draw new audiences through its flourishing calendar of events and community engagement.

A fun-filled event is the annual Book Party. Every June, rising 5th-8th graders may come in for a drop-off party where they can talk about books, socialize, pick out books for camp, or make recommendations. Pizza and snacks are offered, and it is a great kick-off to summer. Parents can use that same idea to generate excitement for back-to-school. Bring kids in to pick out books and host a small book party to get them excited about reading.

There are also author events and conversation for adults in partnership with the Mount Pleasant Library in Pleasantville. Working in partnership with the Jacob Burns Film Center, there is a program called, “Silent Date with a Book” where certain evenings from 7-9 people bring a book and gather at the Take 3 wine bar upstairs at the Burns. For the first half hour people socialize a bit, then spend time quietly reading, and after they have the opportunity to discuss what they are reading. It is a multigenerational drop-in, so no registration required but check the store website below for specific dates and other events throughout the year.

Visit them at: 10 Washington Avenue, Pleasantville, NY thevillagebookstore.net

Make Believe Books

Store owner Laura Topolosky is optimistic that reading of actual books versus screen reading seems to be making a comeback. As schools throughout the country focus much of their budgets on keeping up with ever-emerging technology, many districts are rethinking the amount of time kids spend on devices and seem to be scaling back toward more paper and pencil work, and good, old-fashioned books.

PHOTO BY SUZANNE SAMSEN

“If you own a bookstore, you need to educate yourself,” Topolosky said. Local bookstores do not set the prices; publishers do, Amazon being the exception because they sell at a loss. For many people books are a luxury, but they are willing to spend more to shop local. For online shoppers, try ordering via a site called Bookshop.org. Local stores, including the stores featured here, have their own page, and while the site does not compete with Amazon pricing, buyers have the option to select their local bookstore which receives a small percentage of the sale at no charge. This is a great way to support your local shop with the convenience of online shopping. There is also Libro.FM which sells audiobooks and people may choose their local bookstore page and support them in the same way. Audiobooks are another growing trend among adults and kids alike.

Many parents ask how to get their child more engaged with books, and one of the most important ways is to be flexible and allow them to choose books of their interest, not what the parent wants them to read. Modeling reading and reading to kids helps, as they take their cues from adults, who spend a lot of time on screens. Bringing the children into the store to browse, pick up books and look through, also sparks their curiosity.

Topolosky also participates in reading events at schools and is in the process of expanding partnerships with the North Castle Public Library in Armonk for author events.

Visit them at: 15 Maple Avenue, Armonk, NY makebelievebooks.net

Overall Trends

TikTok’s “BookTok” community has become a major force in the literary world, bringing together readers who share reviews, recommendations, reactions, and discussions about books. Its influence has proven powerful enough to propel certain titles onto bestseller lists and spark renewed interest in others, and even preteens and teens come into the store, not only shopping for those books, but discussing them amongst one another. In particular for teenagers, Fantasy/Romantasy books are very popular. Parents may want to check some BookTokers not only to get ideas of books their child may enjoy, but also themselves.

Another growing trend is the expansion of graphic novels. Once mainly relegated to the primary grades, graphic novels are very popular for pre-teens and older, with complex plots and characters. For younger readers, the illustrations help give context to vocabulary and story, and they often reread them, which is less often done with books with only text. It can encourage reluctant readers and gives them a feeling of accomplishment. Even lengthy classics such as The Odyssey and Watership Down are increasingly being reintroduced as graphic novels, offering condensed and visually driven adaptations for modern readers. Even more sophisticated and lengthy novels by Rick Riordan and Stuart Gibbs are being released in graphic format. These books provide an entry point and are finding new audiences, and oftentimes when the children get older, they will read the originals. Today’s kids live in a visual world, and graphic novels spark discussion and interest.

PHOTO BY SUZANNE SAMSEN

Back-to-School Advice from a Parent with Three Decades of Experience

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Full disclosure – I have no one going back to school this year; none of my sons nor any of their significant others. Not nursery school, K-12, college, or graduate school. I will only know when school is back in session when I see yellow busses around town.

However, having done back-to-school for three decades, I do have a few things to say.

I clearly remember starting each school year with a mixture of dread and excitement. Dread because I never knew what the next ten months would bring. Would my children like their teachers? Would they do their homework? Would I survive all the projects, activities, carpooling, etc.? I have three sons, each five years apart, and I was always all over the map. Different schools, different activities – I needed a flow chart to keep it all straight.

With my older sons, there was no portal, no online anything. When they weren’t doing well, I found out the old-fashioned way – a phone call or email from their teacher. And there were plenty of those.

But despite the bumps in the road, I also found the school year a little magical. Seeing my sons’ excitement when they learned something new. Attending their concerts and marveling how much better they got year to year. Discovering which subjects they were drawn to. Middle son loved history so much he majored in it in college. I had to force my youngest son to do his reading logs… not surprising that he chose math as his college major.

I always thought there needed to be a better way to ease into the school year – after a relaxing summer, the first few weeks of the new year always felt jolting. Like jumping into an icy pool. The forms that needed to be signed, the supplies that had to be procured, the assignments that came fast and furious. But perhaps jumping in is better than dipping a toe – there’s no time to contemplate what’s ahead.

In any event, I recall that soon enough, we all got in the groove. By the time I attended back-to-school night, the lazy days of summer were a distant memory.

Each year was its own separate experience. Sometimes I knew what might be ahead based on first or second-hand knowledge of the teachers. But even that wasn’t a guarantee of success or failure. The middle school science teacher who had made my oldest son’s life a living hell (and in turn mine) didn’t even seem to notice my youngest son when she had him ten years later – he tended to fly under the radar in school. I also told him never to mention his oldest brother and, if it came up, deny that they were even related.

I think if I had one piece of advice to give younger parents whose kids are starting the school year it would be, “Be prepared for the unexpected. And keep your sense of humor about all of it.” I guess that’s two pieces of advice. You especially might need that second recommendation when you find yourself helping your child with a huge assignment they haven’t started that’s due the next day.

For anyone who is thinking, “My child would never not do an assignment” – when it comes to kids, never say never. And for those who are saying, “I would make them do it themselves or accept the consequences of not doing it,” please don’t judge me. Every parent needs to figure out how best to survive the school year. Yes, I may have enabled my sons, but they all made it through. And more importantly, I did too.

My wish for you all is a successful 2024-25 school year with as little stress as possible. And I will think of you when I see the yellow busses go by.

Happy Back-to-School!

Back to Calm & Peace

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Grace Bennett Photo   by Donna Mueller

While it may seem counterintuitive, ‘back to school,’ with its flurry of activities and family fun events, can also bring a renewed sense of calm and peace. Maybe that involves setting some new goals for yourself… a class, a job search, a new exercise (pickleball anyone?), eating more healthfully, joining a book club, taking in a hot new movie (or two, or three!), a live arts performance, or just browsing anew inside one of the independently owned bookstores, we are so lucky to have in abundance in northern Westchester. If this time of year brings you calm, if it brings you peace, then it’s also likely bringing you joy. Hey, run with that and accept your good fortune with a healthy dose of gratitude.

If you are dealing with hardship in any arena, and I can relate, it might also be a good time to study the art and science of resilience. At a workshop I attended on Navigating Change at Kripalu, a popular yoga and spiritual retreat in the Berkshires, we were advised to face and respect that which is difficult. The challenge, a wise instructor offered, is to shift even slightly to imagining a more positive story than the one you’re living, to eliminate obstacles (she called them ‘goblins’), and slowly take steps, even baby ones, so that the change you are seeking can become your new reality.

So with a greater sense of calm and peace, I had a great time getting these editions ready, from visiting the Miller House to help celebrate a new grant to playing pickleball in Armonk’s Lombardi Park with “the pickleball ladies.”  Kudos to Dawn Greenberg and her team for a 10th year of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, and to the Greeley Boys Swim & Dive Team who are aiming for a third NYS win (which would be unprecedented)!  More notes of congrats: to the Pleasantville Children’s Center on 50 years of excellence, and to Megan Stopera, a Curling champ in Briarcliff Manor, who could be a contender for an Olympic medal! 

As for the Inside Press, well into a 20th year, we have already shared a variety of testimonials and will continue doing so.

In fact, following dinner with a very special neighbor and friend in town – who so many know and admire as a paragon of resilience and perseverance – I asked if she’d be open to writing a testimonial about this press. And voila! I’m very proud and grateful to include Hillary Clinton’s kind words during this publishing period, with only one more ‘cycle’ to go! (Our holiday/winter 2023 editions mail November 10.)

Please enjoy all our contributors’ fine work here. Wishing you all calm and peaceful days this fall season and year round.  –  Grace

What your Favorite School Supply Says About You

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Inside Press intern Mia Brown reveals her favorite school supply item!

As we begin the upcoming school year, back-to-school shopping quickly enters everyone’s lives. While school supply shopping can be a hassle, there’s always at least one item that we have a soft spot for. Whether it is a backpack or just a simple eraser, your favorite item has a lot to say about you, and here’s what I personally think they say. See if you agree.

Backpack

You buy a new backpack every year and conduct a deep search to find the perfect one. You start your back-to-school shopping in the middle of July because you want the best and nothing less. After mom and dad set a budget on it (groan…) you choose a little less expensive one but still snazzy. When you walk down the hallways in September, you eat up the compliments. You want school to start now. What it says: You are Fashion Forward but also growing savvy about a good deal!

Calculator

You love math and science and are probably taking rigorous courses in that area. Math has always been easy for you. You would rather spend time solving math equations than ever having to read a book or write an essay. At this point in your math career, you have games downloaded onto your calculator for when class is boring because it just isn’t hard enough for you. What it says: You also have big dreams and can’t wait to continue your learning this school year!

Laptop

You hate pens and pencils and wish you never have to write on paper ever again. You take pride in being a Google Chrome or Safari user and will only stick with one search engine. You try to carry as few things as possible with you and keep everything you need on your computer. What it says: You are extremely tech savvy and will be taking an engineering class in the fall.

Notebook

You are organized and take pride in it. You are always willing to show off your beautifully categorized notes to help your friends out when they are struggling. Being in the top of your class is a priority, but you somehow manage to do it with ease. You are the classmate that can always manage to give your peers a piece of paper if they don’t have any… and they all are extremely thankful for that. What it says: You are pumped up for the school year and can’t wait to see your friends in the fall!

Pencils

You have a strict preference between mechanical or just a simple number 1 pencil. You either are an incredibly talented artist who can transform any sheet of paper into a masterpiece or just hate that pens aren’t erasable. The only thing that you don’t like about pencils is when the eraser runs out. What it says: You are excited to meet your new teachers and can’t wait to be back at school again.

Pens

You have a h3 dislike for writing with pencils and hate making mistakes. English or history is your favorite class because you enjoy being able to write on paper instead of typing on your computer. Your goals for the school year include getting straight As and perfecting small doodles on the side of your paper without ruining the rest of your school work. What it says: You’re a hard worker who wants to excel this school year and won’t let anything get in your way.

Post-It Notes

You like to pass notes during class and think it is better than secretly texting on your computer. When shopping for Post-Its, you like to get a variety of colors. You are a bubbly and vibrant person. What it says: Seeing your friends is Priority #1 when you go back to school.

White Out

You often make mistakes, but you also know that mistakes are the foundation of learning. You are probably taking difficult classes this year and are preparing for the worst, but you are also ready for the challenge. In class, your friends thank you for helping them cover up their mistakes quickly. When you get bored in class you paint your nails with White Out or draw with it on the side of your paper. What it says: You know school is always a wild ride and you can’t wait for it to begin!