• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Print Subscription
  • Contact Us

Chappaqua

What public place in your town do you enjoy visiting to lift your spirits?

February 27, 2025 by Ronni Diamondstein & Naava Katz

Abby Woodworth

“My favorite local place to get away is Rockwood Hall on Phelps Way in Sleepy Hollow. It is the grounds of an old Gilded Age mansion. There are miles of hiking trails, the old stone foundation of the mansion and amazing Hudson River views. I enjoy going for sunset hikes with my husband, catching up with my college son over an am walk, but my favorite visit was seeing fireworks over the Hudson on the 4th with my youngest son.”

Abby Woodworth lives in Mount Pleasant. She is a member of the Byram Hills Education Foundation Board and volunteers regularly at 914Cares in Armonk with her friend 92-year-old Loretta Adamo.


Hidenao Abe

“Being raised in several countries, my ‘town’ could be several places including Tokyo. I have lived in Chappaqua for the past 17 years, the place I’ve stayed put the longest and now consider home. Flights to New York thus feel like coming home. Spending some moments on Haneda airport’s rooftop observation deck prior to boarding fills me with joy, relief and optimism. Its ambience awakens joyful memories of my childhood airplane obsession. Spotting the plane for my flight to New York gives me a sense of relief and parked within reach from the deck – a sign of peaceful society – makes me feel optimistic that freedom from fear is indeed possible”

Hidenao Abe lives in Chappaqua and is a photographer and former board member of Chappaqua School Foundation and Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund.


Chris Hildenbrand

“There are so many areas in Town that are spirit-lifting, but two that stand out are Whippoorwill Park and Glazier Arboretum. It is not an exaggeration to say that we have spent parts of almost every day with our dogs in one of those two incredible preserves! They are five minutes from our home but allow for a total escape into nature, for both active exercise and peaceful contemplation.”

Chris Hildenbrand has lived in Chappaqua with his family since 1998. Chris works in investment management, and in Town ran youth baseball and softball and served on the New Castle Town Board.


Jennifer Sugar Frawley

“I love Rockwood Hall in Mt Pleasant on the Hudson. It has the ruins of William Rockefeller’s majestic house and beautiful special trees. When you walk the property you feel transported to the Gilded Age. The beauty of the 1,000-acre park is that anyone can walk or enjoy the ruins of the house and the nature surrounding you. I remember my children rolling down the grassy hill on a warm summer day.”

Jennifer Sugar Frawley is a Pleasantville resident who resided in Chappaqua for 58 years. She works for a local chiropractor and as a personal assistant for a friend and artist.

Filed Under: Portraits and Profiles Tagged With: Armonk, Chappaqua, Glazier Arboretum, Pleasantville, Rockwood Hall, Whippoorwill Park

Willowbrook Swim & Tennis Club: A Fun-Filled, Memory-Making Place for Families

July 1, 2024 by Adrianna Cmiel-Walsh

Mount Kisco, NY — Looking for plenty of summertime fun for the whole family? You’ve come to the right place when you enter Willowbrook Swim & Tennis Club. With its deep connection to the community at large, the club offers a wide range of compelling summer recreation programming to its members.

Willowbrook opened in 1965 as a solution for a community lacking a public pool. At the time, a vote was conducted to build a public pool in town but the decision was not approved. As a result, multiple swim and tennis clubs were constructed and put into operation around the Chappaqua area — including Willowbrook Swim & Tennis.     

Since 1965, Willowbrook has offered a family-friendly place where kids of all ages can disconnect from their devices, kick back, play, swim and engage outdoors.

Volunteers Mary Dempsey (left) and Verena Dunniganat at a June Ice Cream Social at Willowbrook Swim and Tennis     Inside Press Photo

And the adults love it too. Harriet Engel, President of the Board of Directors at Willowbrook, described the varied offerings, from monthly ice cream socials, regular wine and beer tastings to board games and bingo days. There’s even a book club!

At a post 4th of July event on July 6, members can enjoy a bounce house, a waterslide with treats like popcorn, snow cones, and cotton candy.

Along with its pool, Har-tru tennis courts, and the addition of two new pickleball courts, Willowbrook members also have access to Somers National Golf Club due to a reciprocity agreement between the two clubs.

Perhaps the most exciting feature of Willowbrook is its very successful swim team: every child has an opportunity to participate.  Engel mentioned, “Our swim team is the ‘winningest’ swim team in Northern Westchester.  A lot of the competitive swimmers around town got their start here; this was their very first swim team.”

Engel’s own three children started swimming at Willowbrook. “This was their very first swim team and now they all swim in college; that’s the case for many competitive swimmers in the area.”

In fact, the Horace Greeley High School Swim team was featured in this very press last year to acknowledge their achievement of being the first Horace Greeley team to win state championships three years in a row. Engel said, “Several of those boys got their start swimming here and still swim on the team here.”

The swimming success stories might well be attributed to the great staff and swim coaching Willowbrook offers.

One coach who has become positively legendary is Kelly Blacker. Blacker is the head coach at Willowbrook and a year-round USA Swimming Team swim coach with Storm Aquatics. Engel added, “Of the Chappaqua pool clubs, we’re the only one that has a USA Swimming swim coach who expertly teaches the strokes to the kids.”

Kelly Blacker, head coach at Willowbrook Swim and Tennis, and year-round USA Swimming Team Coach with Storm Aquatics   Inside Press Photo

Several kids, as young as five years old, got their start in the kiddie pool. They joined the swim team, and grew to be competitive college swimmers like Eric Engel, Oliver Engel, and Connor McHugh. Willowbrook members can take advantage of certified swim instruction lessons, tennis camps and clinics with coaches and staff  who are experienced and care deeply about the people and community.

Ultimately, Willowbrook is about family bonding and memory making. Engel said,” My family has been a member here for 20 years; my kids have grown up here, I think it’s a great family environment.”

Visit willowbrookswimtennis.com for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Health & Fitness, Health and Wellness with our Sponsors Tagged With: Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, Pickleball, Private Swim Club, swimming, Tennis, Willowbrook Swim and Tennis

Hopes for a Miracle and Joy-Filled Sentiments Expressed at Chabad Chanukah Celebration

December 8, 2023 by Grace Bennett

 

December 7, 2023, Chappaqua, NY–Deeply felt hopes and wishes for a miracle for the release of all the hostages along with experiencing the joy and meaning of Chanukah itself were among an array of poignant messages expressed by both organizers but also by attendees at a festive and meaningful Chabad Menorah lighting celebration attended by several hundred at the Senter Street Community House.

The lighting followed a host of fun and traditional activities and songs both area families and visitors enjoyed plus remarks from Chabad’s Rabbi Butman and New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz.

“This Chanukah, we take a moment to join public menorah lightings around the world to pray that those who are being held hostage be returned home to their families,” said Rabbi Butman in his remarks, “so that they can celebrate and light the Chanukah menorah in freedom.”

“Be the light and bring joy and happiness,” said Town Supervisor Lisa Katz. “Certainly, let’s use this time to remember all the hostages who are still not released and to pray for their release and for the end of Hamas, for the end of war, and to make sure that all innocent lives are protected.  Most importantly, let’s feel community and love each other.”

The community event opened with creative and engaging activities indoors by ‘The Mad Science Show’, and outdoors by ‘The Amazing Andy’, who transfixed the crowd with his fire juggling and balancing acts. The children’s program was organized by Esther Butman, director of Chabad education, working closely with Chappaqua’s Faina Preston. The children were also treated to donut (“sugnaniot”) decorating and assorted coloring and crafts activities. Following the remarks and lighting, Rabbi Butman led the crowd in traditional Chanukah songs.

This reporter, who is Jewish, took time to enjoy the festivities, and prior to the lighting asked residents gathered why they were attending and how they think a Chanukah celebration held special meaning this year.  Betty Jabloner, was straightforward: “I’m Jewish. And I’m here to support the town!” She was attending with her friend Vicki Bergstrom, a long time proprietor of Lange’s Deli in Chappaqua. Said Bergstrom: “Given everything about how our Jewish friends feel, I feel I can’t just sit in my house.”

Stacey Blaustein Divack stated: “We are really bonded together as one people and we are hopeful that there will be a miracle. We are hopeful that the Jewish religion and Israel will continue to thrive, that we have peace and Shalom with everyone in the world, and that we learn to respect one another and live together.”

Maud Bailey offered: “My heart is filled with hopes and prayers for peace.  What has happened is very sad!  But this feels like a very joyful moment…” 

And, from Kristin Lore: “This Chanukah, it’s about looking for that miracle again and looking for that light in the darkness that we are feeling. She paused, recollecting an accompanying worry. “When I have to think about whether it’s even safe to come to my small town lighting of the menorah, it’s pretty sad… and heartbreaking.”

Despite any sadness and worry expressed, the mood was ultimately joyous.

As Katz noted in her remarks: “It was wonderful to go inside and see kids happily decorating the donuts, and playing with science. So even when I’m no longer your supervisor, I hope you will always come out to celebrate your community and never forget to be the light.”

Rabbi Butman also emphasized that the celebration offered an opportunity to educate during these difficult times. “Chanukah is a derivative of the word ‘Chinuch,’ which means education– it’s a time to explore and understand education principles. There must be moral clarity, an appreciation that every single human being, that any student in any school or on a college campus, that every citizen in this great country, has the right to walk in freedom without fear, and that every parent has the right to sit home and not worry about the well-being of their child…. Education represents moral clarity and a sense of safety and security for all of us.”

 Rabbi Butman concluded his remarks and expressed his gratitude to all who attended with this: “For over 2000 years, he said, “we’ve contributed to the world with goodness and kindness and will continue to do so, with pride, with embracing our identity, with joy, with celebration, and certainly there is no greater answer to antisemitism than Jewish people coming out celebrating Chanukah with pride and without fear.”  

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Chabad, Chanukah, Chanukah Celebration, Chappaqua, Chinuch, New Castle, Rabbi Butman

Back to Calm & Peace

August 18, 2023 by Grace Bennett

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

Filed Under: Just Between Us Tagged With: 20th year edition, Armonk, Back to School, Briarcliff Manor, Calm and Peace, Chappaqua, Editor's Letter, Hillary Clinton, Inside Press, Just Between Us, Lombardi Park, Pleasantville

Popular Sport Takes Hold in North Castle – Thanks to The Pickleball Ladies of Armonk

August 18, 2023 by Fran Goldstein

North Castle’s (L-R): Dara Lepofsky, Wendy Ranieri and Heather Hecht
PHOTOS BY DONNA MUELLER

As a long-time competitive tennis player, Heather Hecht was hardly impressed when she first saw people playing pickleball. “I thought it was a very noisy sport that looked like a completely ridiculous made-up game,” she recalled.

“But the fact that the players were having so much fun stuck with me. So, a few years later, while vacationing in South Carolina with my family, I noticed some courts and decided to give it a shot since I’ve always been eager to play any racket sport,” said the Pleasantville resident whose kids are in the Byram Hills Central School District.

Heather instantly fell in love with the game, which is often described as a mix of tennis, racquetball, badminton, and Ping-Pong. She introduced it to her family, as well as to her close friend and Armonk resident, Dara Lepofsky. Dara, another lifelong tennis player, was also smitten and became determined to make it available to residents in her community.

Before long, the two helped pave the way for the fastest-growing sport in the United States to take root in Armonk. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, more than 8.9 million people in the United States now play pickleball, up from 4.8 million in 2022.

Last year, Dara, who oversees the tennis program at the Windmill Club, convinced management and fellow board members to paint pickleball lines on one of the tennis courts. The catch was that a pickleball instructor had to come on board to teach and to make sure the court would be well used. Dara turned to Heather, who had previously taught tennis at a local camp. The two created a curriculum, and Heather’s classes booked immediately. Residents who had already taken up pickleball were thrilled to have a place to play and take lessons close to home. One resident created a community group on the popular Team Reach phone app so residents could communicate and coordinate playtimes. Over the past year, the club painted additional courts, offered more classes, and planned periodic social events, thus giving the sport its due alongside tennis.

“It was like if you build it, they will come,” joked Heather.

 

A Little Pipe Dream Come True

“Within two years, the little pipe dream we came up with while sitting at the beach in South Carolina has become a reality in the area, and I couldn’t be more proud,” said Dara, who is a school psychologist for the Mamaroneck School District.

For Heather, a former benefits consultant, the sport provided a new teaching career. Not long after her classes started at Windmill, the Town of North Castle Parks and Recreation Department joined the ranks of community centers around the country eager to offer facilities for the popular sport and hired Heather to teach.

The Town launched the pickleball program at Lombardi Town Park’s tennis courts last fall, and Heather’s first four introductory classes sold out. Given the interest among residents, the Town offered a winter class on an unused basketball court at the North White Plains Gym, as well as several spring classes at Lombardi, ultimately reaching about 120 residents. Pickleball lines were also painted at Winkler Park’s tennis courts, so the Town now has six public courts for the sport, and residents can play on a first-come-first serve basis. Beginner and intermediate classes are expected to be part of the Town’s recreation programs in the fall, winter and spring.

To some pickleball afficianados, the situation is not ideal since the lines are painted on existing tennis courts, sometimes causing confusion, and players have to learn how to properly adjust the tennis net. “Ultimately, I would love to see the town find space to build dedicated courts so pickleball players have their own place to play,” said Heather, noting that it’s difficult to find dedicated courts except perhaps at private clubs that have converted paddle ball or basketball courts. “But I’m thrilled that we’ve come so far,” she said.

And with public facilities now available, Armonk residents started hitting the courts for pick-up games this summer.

“At the end of Heather’s spring intermediate class, several of us wanted to continue to play,” said Wendy Ranieri, a retired physical education teacher who decided to take pickleball classes to stay active and meet new people. After Heather created a TeamReach group, Wendy took it upon herself to become the group administrator and encourage fellow players to use the phone app to schedule games.

“It’s wonderful to have a core group of people who I see regularly twice a week on the courts,” said Wendy. Ironically, she recalls playing a version of pickleball in college and then improvising in the gymnasium with her middle-school students to keep boredom at bay in the winter months. “I’ve come full circle,” she joked, “but of course the game is very different now.”

The sport has been around since 1965, but started soaring in popularity around 2018. Compared with tennis, pickleball is relatively easy to learn. The plastic, wiffle-like ball doesn’t bounce as much, and the shorter, lighter racket is easier to handle. There’s also less running required since most people play doubles games, and the court is smaller than a tennis court.

“I can’t think of another sport that you can learn well enough within an hour to actually play and feel successful,” Heather said. “You can quickly attain a level of confidence to say ‘yes’ when someone invites you to play. It also provides good exercise, but is easier on the bones and joints, and you can feel like you’re getting cardio without killing yourself.”

But perhaps its biggest appeal is simply that it is a fun social activity. Even players who play competitively can be heard laughing and enjoying themselves. While initially it was most popular with those in middle age and older, 20 and 30-year-olds across the country have discovered the sport. It also lends itself to a great family activity. Both Heather and Dara’s children – ranging in age from 12 to 17 – have been willing to join their moms on the courts.

“It’s taken on a life of its own, and I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to,” said Heather, who now teaches at several locations in the area. “As a teacher, it’s very rewarding to see people pick it up so quickly and have so much fun playing. And seeing pickleball taking off in North Castle has been beyond amazing.”

Where To Play

The list of places where you can play the country’s hottest sport is growing throughout the area. Several public parks have repurposed some of their existing tennis courts to accommodate pickleball. Here’s a roundup of just a few of the public facilities in our local communities.

Armonk – Lombardi Park

85 Cox Avenue
Two tennis courts with pickleball lines
Drop-in play based on availability

Pleasantville – Foxwood Condominiums Park

9 Foxwood Drive
Three tennis courts with pickleball lines
Drop-in play based on availability

Chappaqua – Town Hall Basketball Court

200 S Greeley Ave
One court (sign up in advance)
Sundays: 9 am -12 pm
Mondays: 9 am – 1 pm
Thursdays: 5 pm – 8 pm   

Briarcliff Manor – Chilmark Park

48 Macy Road
Six pickleball courts
Drop-in play open to residents and nonresidents based on availability.
Permits required (application available on briarcliffmanor.gov.

Bedford – Winkler Park

Off Greenwich Banksville Road
One tennis court with pickleball lines
Drop-in play based on availability

To search for additional locations, check out the USA Pickleball Association’s search function: places2play.org

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Armonk, Briarcliff Manor, Chappaqua, Lombardi Park, North Castle, Pickleball, Pleasantville, Popular Sport, Where to play Pickleball

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 46
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Please Visit

William Raveis – Armonk
William Raveis – Chappaqua
White Plains Hospital
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Briarcliff
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Raveis: Lisa Koh and Allison Coviello
Purple Plains
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Korth & Shannahan
Douglas Elliman: Chappaqua
Houlihan Lawrence: Harriet Libov
Congregation B’nai Yisrael
Roamfurther Athletics
Elliman: Pam Akin
Dr. Briones Medical Weight Loss Center
New Castle Physical Therapy
King Street Creatives
Houlihan: Kile Boga-Ibric

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Armonk Inside Chappaqua and Millwood Inside Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Publisher’s Note Regarding Our Valued Sponsors

Inside Press is not responsible for and does not necessarily endorse or not endorse any advertisers, products or resources referenced in either sponsor-driven stories or in advertisements appearing in this publication. The Inside Press shall not be liable to any party as a result of any information, services or resources made available through this publication.The Inside Press is published in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertising or sponsor driven stories that appear in this publication. The views of advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher’s.

Opinions and information presented in all Inside Press articles, such as in the arena of health and medicine, strictly reflect the experiences, expertise and/or views of those interviewed, and are not necessarily recommended or endorsed by the Inside Press. Please consult your own doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2025 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in