The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Chappaqua

The Downtown Revitalization Project: What to Expect Next

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Editor’s Note: Many residents and merchants are excited to see the end result and improvements of all the activity in town. Yet as downtown Chappaqua is being intensively worked on along Greeley Avenues and up and down King Street, and traffic and commute times affected, the Inside Press has been contacted by various readers asking about plans and timelines as the town carries out the Master Plan worked on for so long. We turned to town board member Adam Brodsky to provide details and a timeline. We also asked Joseph Fleisher to record a visual history of this ambitious project.

 

Temporary water pipe on the north side of the triangle at Quaker Street and South Greeley Avenue.

The scope of the project, according to Brodsky includes (but is not limited to):

  • 1. replacement of the water system, sewer system and portions of the stormwater system under the streets
  • 2. replacement of all the sidewalks with concrete with brick accents and granite curbing throughout
  • 3. creation of several public gathering spaces
  • 4. widening sidewalks wherever possible
  • 5. installation of a traffic signal at King and Greeley with a traditional four way crosswalk
  • 6. installation of 60 new street lamps
  • 7. placement of 43 benches
  • 8. installation of a clock
  • 9. planting of more than 75 trees and shrubs

The projected timeline which is subject to change is as follows:

  • Completion of the installation of water system, sewer system and portions of the storm water system (Late Spring 2018)
  • Installation of sidewalks, curbing, streetlamps (Summer/Fall 2018)
  • Repaving downtown streets and completion (Late November 2018)

“This project is setting the stage for revitalization of the Hamlet and its growth over the coming decades,” noted Brodsky.

Water pipe crossover in front of Susan Lawrence on North Greeley Avenue
Looking towards the intersection of King Street and Greeley Avenues
Looking north towards the triangle at Quaker Street and South Greeley in front of Bank of America
Site of future bump-out in front of Chappaqua Tavern at King & Senter Streets
Looking south on South Greeley Avenue in front of the Shell Gas Station

Acts of Kindness “AOK DAY” Campaign Underway

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By Molly Alexander

Get ready to get kind, Chappaqua!  Monday, October 23rd is a county-wide Act of Kindness Day! This means get out and do something nice for someone–hold open a door, pay for someone’s coffee, compliment someone, etc. You’ve probably noticed signs up and around town with kind phrases on them; those were put up by the director behind this whole event, Evy Rosen.

Evy Rosen with her daughter, Nat

After becoming certified in positive psychology, she had to do a project surrounding the idea of what made her happy, and being kind was just the thing! She decided to spread the act of being kind in spite of all of the negative news we both hear and expect in our daily lives. “Due to negative news, most people are anxious all of the time,” Evy explained. “Performing a kind act actually causes a psychological and emotional shift in your body. Feel good hormones also come out when you do a kind act, similar to those you feel after working out.”

These positive hormones don’t only affect the person doing the kind act, but receiving and seeing it as well. “It’s like when you’re watching a movie and somebody does something really nice or romantic – you feel happy just watching it,” Evy said.

 Keep the Kindness Coming

The day doesn’t need to end once midnight strikes. The goal of AOK Day is to cause a positive ripple effect, encouraging people to continue to be kind every day to change society’s negative perception.

A recent AOK Day in Pittsburgh led to positive results, such as the community feeling closer than ever and overall good responses. Evy’s goal is to not just spread kindness throughout Chappaqua, but to eventually have an AOK Day in Pleasantville, Mount Kisco, etc. “I am hoping to engage the entire community; schools, stores, places of worship, etc.” Evy added.

With the stress of the new school year and everyday life activities like work and sports, spreading kindness is really important to our mental health since it will only create positive change within us. Once the positivity begins, our negative feelings about change and anxiety will only follow. In Evy’s words, “Kindness can have a ripple effect and we can all benefit from kindness.”

Share your acts of kindness with the official Facebook page and coming soon Instagram account to be featured!

Molly Alexander, a senior in the LIFE School at Horace Greeley High School, is an intern for Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines.

 

Chappaqua Performing Arts Center Presents Sō PERCUSSION October 14

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Chappaqua Performing Arts Center Presents
Modern Percussion Ensemble “Sō Percussion” October 14
Opening Reception for NWAG’s “Method & Melody Art Exhibit
CHAPPAQUA– Nothing stirs the senses like extraordinary art or the magic of a musical performance. On Saturday, October 14, the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, the newest artistic jewel in the tri-state region, will provide its guests with a vibrant night of audio and visual simulation.

The evening will feature a special concert by the internationally acclaimed quartet, Sō Percussion at 8 p.m. The groundbreaking ensemble will perform five special selections from their extensive repetroire —  “3rd Construction” by John Cage, “Springs” by Paul Lansky, “Taxidermy” from Caroline Shaw, Jason Treuting’s “Amid the Noise,”  and “Music for Wood and Strings,” a composition by Bryce Dessner of the acclaimed indie rock band The National.

Tickets for Sō Percussion are $30 – $60 and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or in person on day of the show at the lobby box office.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a special a special art exhibition entitled “Method & Melody” displayed in the Center’s lobby. The installation features artwork created by the Northern Westchester Artists Guild.   The exhibit’s opening reception, co-sponsored by Sari Shaw of Platinum Realty in Chappaqua, will take place from 5 – 8 p.m. All of the work from “Method & Melody” is for sale and will be on display through November 17th.

Sō Percussion specializes in innovative multi-genre original productions, sensational interpretations of modern classics, and an “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam,” (The New Yorker). In the process, the company has redefined the scope and vital role of the modern percussion ensemble. Their repertoire includes works of 20th century classical composers such as John Cage and Steve Reich , as well as creative collaborations with artists who often work outside the classical concert field. In addition, the quartet composes and performs their own works, ranging from standard concert pieces to immersive multi-genre programs.

According to the group’s website, Sō Percussion’s goal is “to create a new model of egalitarian artistic collaboration that respects history, champions innovation and curiosity, and creates an essential social bond through service to our audiences and our communities.”

The quartet — which includes Eric Cha-Beach, Josh Quillen, Adam, Sliwinski and Jason Treuting – has performed with such luminaries as the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Caroline Shaw, American soprano Dawn Upshaw and on stages ranging from the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall to such popular festival events as Bonnaroo, MassMoCA, and TED 2016. In addition, Sō Percussion has been named the Edward T. Cone Ensemble-in-Residence at Princeton University, Co-Directors of the percussion department at the Bard College-Conservatory of Music, and directors of the annual Sō Percussion Summer Institute, which provides college-age composers and percussionists an immersive exposure to collaboration and project development.

Visit Sō Percussion online:
sopercussion.com
Facebook.com/sopercussion/
Instagram.com/sopercussion/
Twitter.com/sopercussion

 

 
Located on the former campus of Reader’s Digest in a building once known as the Wallace Auditorium, the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center — or ChappPAC for short — was recently saved from demolition by the Town of New Castle and established to provide a rich blend of local and national arts presentations and cultural programming for people throughout Westchester County and the surrounding region.  The 425-seat venue celebrated its grand opening on September 23, 2017 with the first of 12 concerts, plays and performances scheduled for its inaugural Fall Season.

The Chappaqua Performing Arts Center is located at 480 Bedford Road, Chappaqua, NY 10514 just inside the gate on the former Reader’s Digest campus.

Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000

For additional information, visit www.ChappaquaPAC.org or call 914-458-5143

Follow on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ChappaquaPerformingArtsCenter/
 
 
 
 
 
 

This Weekend: Chappaqua Performing Arts Center Kicks Off Inaugural Season 9/23

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Opening Night Features Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist CYRILLE AIMÉE Performance and Love Art Gallery Exhibit / Reception Saturday September 23

CHAPPAQUA, NY –  Westchester County’s new hidden treasure, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, is finally ready to officially open its doors this weekend.

The inaugural season kicks off Saturday, September 23 with an opening night concert by the acclaimed jazz vocalist CYRILLE AIMÉE at 8:00pm. Tickets are $25-$75 are available in advance at Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 and in person on the night of the show in the lobby box office.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy an entire evening of rich artistic experiences. Chappaqua Performing Arts Center has partnered with the LOVE ART Gallery to present a pop-up exhibition and reception entitled “Art for Positive Social Change” taking place in the lobby of ChappPAC from 4:00 to 7:00pm. The exhibition will feature a group of twelve artists from Connecticut and New York sharing a cross section of works focusing on social issues from race, to feminism to politics.

Described as “one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation” by the Wall Street Journal, CYRILLE AIMÉE is a vocalist with French and Dominican roots who fell in love with gypsy music and its culture heritage at an early age. Aimée grew up in Samois-sur-Seine, France – a village best known as the home of gypsy guitar icon Django Reinhardt – and its little wonder that its legacy resonates throughout her performances and recordings. In recent years Aimée has toured and recorded in a variety of ensembles configurations, among them, various duet projects with  Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo. Her rich hybrid of influences has resulted in an award-winning vocal style that incorporates gypsy swing with Brazilian rhythms and melodies into well-known standards and original compositions that led the New York Times to proclaim, “No other young artist gives me hope for the future like Cyrille Aimée, the brilliantly inventive jazz vocal prodigy.”

Located on the former campus of Reader’s Digest in a building once known as the Wallace Auditorium, the 425-seat Chappaqua Performing Arts Center — or ChappPAC for short – was recently saved from demolition and established to provide a blend of local and national arts and cultural programming for people throughout Westchester County and the region.

2017 CHAPPAQUA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FALL SEASON LINE UP
9/23 Cyrille Aimee (Jazz)
10/8 Tim Kubart & The Space Cadets (Children)
10/14 So Percussion (Classical)
10/20 Soulshine: An Allman Brothers Experience (Rock)
10/27 Rocky Horror Picture Show (Film)
10/28 Echos of Sinatra (Swing)
11/2 Matt Schofield (Blues)
11/11 The Greatest Pirate Story (N)ever Told! (Children)
12/1 What Fresh Hell Live! (Spoken Word)
12/9 Ragtag Theatre’s Cinderella (Children)
12/17 ELF (Film)

The Chappaqua Performing Arts Center is located at 480 Bedford Road, Chappaqua, NY 10514 just inside the gate on the former Reader’s Digest campus.

Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000

For additional information, visit www.ChappaquaPAC.org or call 914-458-5143

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChappaquaPerformingArtsCenter/

Remembering ‘Back to School’ Days

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EDITOR PHOTO BY Sally Foster; HAIR & MAKEUP, Aura Salon and Style Bar, Chappaqua

Six years ago this month we moved to Chappaqua from the city two days before school started. We had wanted to move in the summertime but the house closing and Hurricane Irene had other plans for us. I was nervous that my city born and bred son would have trouble acclimating to a new school and an actual house as opposed to an 800 square foot apartment but those fears quickly dissipated once we started school.We were welcome with open arms at my kid’s nursery school. So many parents had made the same journey just like us – from city parents to country transplants.

Yes my parents still consider this lovely part of Northern Westchester “upstate N.Y.”  After all, I do have deer roaming my backyard. What drew us to our community was the excellent school system. This is one of the many reasons why I am so delighted to helm this “back to school” issue as the new editor of both Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk. There are so many great things happening in our schools and the wider community that I want to highlight.

First up, I had the pleasure of interviewing and writing the cover story on The Comedy Kids for Inside Chappaqua. These two Roaring Brook Elementary School students had an idea to raise money for pediatric brain cancer that germinated during rainy day recess. It all started with a simple idea that grew from a grassroots joke booth at the Chappaqua Farmers Market to a charity that has gained national attention.

Our cover story for Inside Armonk is also “back to school” themed and features the Byram Hills Preschool Association which plays a critical role in making sure Armonk’s preschoolers are ready to enter elementary school and helps parents and caregivers make connections in the community.

With the back to school season in full swing, there’s never been a better time to visit downtown Chappaqua on October 14th for the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, an annual event that now draws more than 90 children’s authors and illustrators and thousands of attendees to the town. Be sure to read the profiles of three Chappaqua-based authors Matthew & Mara Van Fleet and Barbara Dee who will be meeting eager readers and signing books at the festival. Even if you don’t have children that are school age anymore, the Festival is a lot of fun and a book is a gift that you can open again and again. Plus what’s better than an autographed book for a beloved grandchild?

If you are hoping to savor the beautiful autumn weather, North Castle is chock full of events this fall such as the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Jamie’s 5K Run and the Cider and Donut Festival. There’s something for everyone right at your doorsteps or in a neighboring town.

Finally if your kids need a break from hitting the books or you are too tired from figuring out after-school schedules, check out Jordan Stutts story on the best local biking trails and get a sneak peek of fall’s foliage. Yet another reason to love living in Northern Westchester.

Best,

Stacey
Editor, Inside Press