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Book Clubs

Spring Spotlights & To Dos in Briarcliff Manor

February 24, 2022 by Christine Pasqueralle

Photo Courtesy of Briarcliff Manor Department of Parks and Recreation

Briarcliff Manor is an idyllic village with much to offer its community. With its mix of charming shops, great restaurants and plenty of bucolic outdoor spaces, there are so many things to explore throughout the village. And spring is the perfect time to take in some special events, hike or bike on a trail, or just bask in a sunshine-filled park and relax for a bit. 

Nestled along the scenic Hudson River and at just under six square miles of land, Briarcliff Manor is a wonderful place to raise a family or just visit for the day. The 2020 census put its population at 7,569 and it is situated within the Town of Ossining and the Town of Mount Pleasant. Briarcliff Manor was incorporated as a village in 1902 and it maintains over 172 acres of active and passive parkland.

Easter Egg Hunt Photo by Police Officer Gregory Campus for the Briarcliff Manor Police Department

Discover ‘Famed’ Tree Streets

Some neighborhoods of note in Briarcliff Manor include Scarborough, Chilmark and the famed “tree streets” such as Elm Road, Oak Road and Satinwood Lane–which is an ideal neighborhood for families to trick-or-treat on Halloween. Briarcliff Manor’s Crossroads neighborhood is a development of streets named after local World War II veterans including Schrade Road and Dunn Lane. 

This Spring, come see what Briarcliff Manor has to offer! Whether you’re a longtime resident, new to the neighborhood or just visiting, there are many things to explore within the village. 

Get Up To Speed On Real Estate Trends

The Briarcliff Manor Chamber of Commerce is planning a real estate event tentatively scheduled for late February at The Briarcliff Manor. Board member Hillary Landau will be moderating a panel of local realtors about trends in the general Westchester area as well as what makes Briarcliff Manor stand out. It will cover what realtors think buyers would like to see in a local community as well as what businesses they’d like to have in their community. 

Spring Cleaning Opp

Now is the perfect time to gather up all that unwanted paper and take it to be shredded. The Westchester County Mobile Shredder will be at 10 Buckout Road on Saturday, March 12 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Your space and your mind will feel a lot lighter. 

Make Your Voice Count

Make sure your voice is heard – don’t forget to come out and vote at the Annual Village Election. It takes place on Monday, March 14 from 6 a.m.-9 p.m.at the William J. Vescio Community Center at 1 Library Road.

Briarcliff Manor Public Library Photo courtesy of Briarcliff Manor Library

April 9th Egg Hunt 

Gather the kids and and come down to Law Memorial Park for the annual Spring Egg Hunt (weather permitting). This event is always a lot of fun and in addition to the hunt there will be jelly bean and chocolate egg guessing contests, a children’s entertainer and even a visit from the village’s mascot Briar Bear–who comes out of hibernation especially for this event. 

Summer Concerts Kickoff In May

Briarcliff Manor is a wonderful place to listen to live music. In late May, the Recreation Advisory Committee will sponsor a concert at Law Memorial Park to kickoff the “unofficial” start of the summer season. Further down the road, the Chamber of Commerce will partner with the village on its popular Summer Concert Series scheduled for Thursdays in July at Law Memorial Park.

In Addition…

• Dreaming of those summer days? Memorial Day weekend marks the opening of the Village pool, currently scheduled for Sunday, May 29.

• Time to get out and move! Want to find the best trails for just that? Download the Hiking Project App which features many of Briarcliff Manor’s and other local trails including the Kate Kennard Trail, Pocantico Lake Trail and the Richard Wishing Park Walking Path. Briarcliff Manor has so many park spaces for a wide variety of activities including basketball, playgrounds, baseball and soccer fields, fishing and so much more. One of the village’s newest additions are the Pickleball Courts at Chilmark Park.

• Also in early May, the outdoor clay tennis court season opens–there are three clay courts at Law Memorial Park in addition to a year-round all-weather court.

The Village has a ton of great shops for whatever’s on your wish list. In May, the Chamber will present the Spring Sidewall Stroll, a tag sale along Pleasantville Road incorporating as many businesses as possible. Businesses not located along the road will have tables set up to converse with the community. Also planned for the event are live bands and food trucks. 

Jim Domzalski, the Chamber’s President, speaks of the closeness of the community as a whole, as well as the importance of these community events. “There’s something about walking down that main street that is so charming and familiar. What makes us unique is that small town feel. It’s such a wonderful and friendly place. We all want to be able to get together and do it safely.”

So why not take a stroll through town, grab a coffee and treat and head to Law Memorial Park to sit and relax with a good book. Did I mention the Briarcliff Manor Public Library is located right there?

Join A Book Club

The library features many programs for its patrons–including a variety of book clubs on offer, which are currently being held over Zoom. There’s also an online class on Ancient Egypt for seniors being offered through Westchester Community College taking place late February through early March.

The ‘Human Library’

On April 30, the library will host the ‘Human Library.’ This is a learning platform that uses library terminology to match “books,” or those who have experienced prejudice, with “readers,” those who want to learn more. Each reader “checks out” a book for a 30-minute conversation and the idea is to help “un-judge” people. 

Human Library is a Copenhagen-based organization that hosts programs on a global level and has received local support here through the Library Board, the Friends, staff and patrons. 

The library’s Director Donna Pesce says, “This library is a place that brings the residents such joy. They love to visit, to browse and discover an interesting book or to sit in a comfortable chair to read. But it is the warm and personal environment that our patrons most appreciate.”

Get To Know The History Keepers

Keeping the history of the area alive and well for residents and visitors alike, the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society is anticipating a spring reopening of their space on the lower level of the library. Unfortunately, their space was damaged by Hurricane Ida in September 2021. Karen Smith, the Society’s Executive Director says, “Our center is a project-in-motion.” She hopes people can resume visits in the spring and says, “We’ll be ready to welcome all visitors and ready to answer all questions about Briarcliff Manor history.”

As Josh Ringel, the Village Manager puts it, “Briarcliff offers a rustic residential environment, with top quality schools, ample parks and trails, and convenient access to NYC via the Scarborough Train Station.” It’s truly a fantastic place to live or visit and has so much to offer both residents and visitors alike. Come out this spring and discover what Briarcliff Manor has in store for you.

Dates may be subject to change – please check briarcliffmanor.org, briarcliffmanorchamber.com and briarcliffmanorlibrary.org for the most up-to-date information.

Briarcliff Pool shot circa 1927 … the current pool is in the same exact footprint, and the pavilion is now located directly behind where the kids are standing on the end wall. The original pool shared a common wall with the pond on the right, which has now been reconfigured and pushed further south, away from the pool, to create a grass lounging area. Photos courtesy of Briarcliff Manor Parks and Recreation

Filed Under: Cover Stories, Pleasantville Cover Stories Tagged With: Book Clubs, Briarcliff Manor, Briarcliff Manor Parks and Recreation, Briarcliff Manor Public Library, Spring, The Human Library, To Do, Village Pool

Residents Find Friendship and Intellectual Stimulation at Local Book Clubs

December 2, 2018 by Anna Young

When Chappaqua resident Kate Feher moved into the area four months ago she quickly missed the bonds she had made back home.

As a first-time mom adjusting to her new life in Chappaqua, Feher said she struggled to meet people and make friends. Her longing for friendship led her on a search to joining a group she had never been apart of before; a book club. But for Feher, her search for a friendly neighborhood book club turned into a grand effort to start her own group.

“I posted on the Chappaqua Moms Facebook page if anyone was part of a book club that needed new members. I thought I’d be meeting 10 to 12 ladies when I made that post,” Feher said. “I got over 100 responses and realized there was a clear and untasked need and excitement around joining a book club.”

As Feher began organizing her newest venture, she said it was imperative the club have equal ambition and wine. “People are looking for intellectual stimulation, but also social connection and book clubs have a good balance of both,” she said. “Reading is good down time and if you have a book club forcing you to take some down time hopefully it helps people take time for themselves.”

On Nov. 1, Feher kicked off the first meeting of the Chappaqua Moms Book Club, a group comprised of roughly 75 women from Chappaqua, Bedford, Briarcliff, Pound Ridge and other neighboring towns.

With 75 a large number for a community book club, Feher said the club will be broken down into five separate groups who will meet once a month at a place of their choosing and control their reading choices. While each group will run autonomously, suggestions will be made by Feher based on a survey she issued to members prior to the November meeting.

Suggested books include, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon, The Power by Naomi Aiderman, and Less by Andrew Sean Greer.

While the entire group will meet once a year to discuss their experiences and reading choices, she added that the club was less about books and more about meeting other people in the community and making new friends. Women like me with new children that really don’t know anyone just want to get to know other people, she said.

“I think a lot of people use social media to connect but it’s a digital connection, it’s not a person-to-person meeting and I think people are missing that,” Feher said. “I think this is a way for people to get to know others and feel more connected to the community. People in the community and so many women are so hungry for it.”

Book Lovers meet monthly at the North Castle Public Library as part of the Current Affairs Book Club. Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

But women aren’t the only one’s hungry for engaging conversation. For Armonk resident Daniel Vock, it was his passion for history and topical news that served as the catalyst to launch his Current Affairs Book Club five years ago at the North Castle Library.

After attending a similar book club in Greenwich, Conn., Vock approached library officials with the idea of starting his own club in Armonk. Since then, he has collaborated with North Castle Library librarian Mary Johnson to obtain non-fiction reading material either listed on The New York Times bestseller list or suggested by the groups five core members.

With the group meeting on the second Tuesday of each month, excluding August, Vock said their 90-minute discussion will revolve around the book, and what’s happening in the news, which Vock said always results in a lively discussion.

“We learn from reading the book and we learn from each other,” Vock said. “If you don’t learn from history, history will repeat itself again. And that’s what we feel we’re seeing now, and we learn from debating.”

Along with reading books, Vock said they will occasionally invite the books author or other historical authors and specialists to join the book club in their discussions.

But while most book clubs are comprised primarily of women, Vock said his group, comprised of all men, struggles to attract female membership. With energetic discussions and debate a core value of the club, he added he also wishes residents who are in support of President Donald Trump would join the group to enable a more well-rounded debate.  “We’re missing that component to the club because we can’t build on those opinions,” Vock said.

Despite the occasional controversial topics up for discussion, Vock said his group of “fair-minded” men gives senior citizens, like himself, the opportunity to get together and talk about the many national and international issues facing them. He joked it also gives his wife a break from his political gab.

“The men that are in this group I consider as brilliant and well-informed people who have led a full life, have seen a lot of things and have a lot to contribute,” Vock said. “We want to learn and exchange ideas rather than impose points of view.”

Chappaqua resident Holly Blum, who has been a member of Words with Wine Book Club since 2013, agreed that book clubs provide a night out and enlist members from all different backgrounds, education and upbringing to contribute and provide a more dynamic dialog.

“I’ve met a lot of great people through the book club,” Blum said. “What I really like about it is that it brings together a lot of different women who I would not have had the opportunity to know of otherwise.”

Blum said she appreciates her book club because they allow the reader to reflect on their experience with the book, while also giving room to reexamine the book with the roughly three-hour discussion that erupts during their monthly meetings.

“The women in the book club are not particularly shy about sharing their opinions,” Blum said. “It’s really an opportunity to get together with semi-likeminded people who enjoy a glass of wine, who like to read and hopefully have something interesting to contribute, book related or not.”

The need for stimulating conversation, friendship and community is exactly why Armonk resident Anita Luden Greenwald started Book Club Armonk three years ago.

While her kids were growing up, Greenwald said she was part of an Armonk-based book club for 16 years until it eventually disbanded due to residents retiring or moving out of the area. Some time later when her kids were all grown up and out of the house, Greenwald said she was in search for a new group of people who shared her desire for camaraderie and had a commitment to the community.

When a search on the Armonk Moms Facebook forum led her to a thread about reading and book suggestions, she decided to launch the Armonk Book Club.

“I got this resounding yes from people I didn’t know to join this book club,” Greenwald said. “I reserved a table at Beehive Restaurant and we all came with books we wanted to read. We had 12 to 15 people come and it was incredible.”

Book Club Armonk is comprised of 12 Armonk residents who meet monthly at a members’ home for snacks, wine and conversation. With books chosen a year in advance, the group will provide suggestions on reading material, and the books that share an overlap will ultimately be chosen. The rest is based on reviews, Greenwald said.

“It’s very democratic,” she said. “Somebody inevitably is always organized with questions from a book club guide, but someone will start talking about how they felt about a book and then everyone continues to chime in.”

While most book clubs choose their selection based on the book, Book Club Armonk centers their choice on the author.

“We choose an author, so you can read whatever book you want by the author and then compare notes and look at similar writing styles,” Greenwald said. “It’s really an interesting way to do a book club. Everybody was willing to try this, and through our Facebook page we poll to see who the author will be.”

Since she pioneered the group, Greenwald said it’s something she looks forward to every month, adding that the group encourages people to talk about more than gossip but share in intellectual discussion and get to know each other on an intimate and personal level. When you run into other members in town, it’s so nice, she said.

But as an avid reader, she said there’s nothing better than getting lost in a book.

“Books take you on a voyage to other locations, other cultures and other time periods,” she said. “There’s nothing like having a cup of tea with your book with the fireplace going. It’s perfect.”

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Book Clubs, bookclub, community, friends, locals, Love of Reading, North Castle Public Library, reading, social

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