The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Chappaqua

Gun Violence Prevention Groups Promote Coalition Building

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Congresswoman Nita Lowey:  Act Now Despite ‘Tumultous’ Political Climate

By Stacey Pfeffer

Chappaqua, NY— Several Westchester-based gun violence prevention (GVP) groups yesterday presented key action items that community members can take to reduce gun violence in light of the recent Presidential election.

Speaking at a forum held inside New Castle Town Hall, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a long-time gun safety advocate, noted that despite a “tumultuous” political climate, it is our responsibility to act now – regardless of the politics – to spare families the pain that gun violence brings. I will continue working with local legislators and activists to stand up for what is right when it matters the most and keep guns out of the wrong hands.”

Inside New Castle Town Hall: Congresswoman Nita Lowey together with members of several Westchester-based gun violence prevention groups during a forum held on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Representatives and members from Million Mom March/Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action, The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and Prevent Gun Violence Westchester were all in attendance. The event was sponsored by Up2US (an outgrowth of Chappaqua Friends of Hillary) and the New Castle Democratic Committee. Concerned citizenry from the UP2US group were in attendance as were Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein and Town Councilman Adam Brodsky. 

Jessica Meller, one of the leaders of Northern Westchester’s Million Mom March, noted that many of these groups collaborate on efforts and events together but this was the first time that the groups held a forum so that members could get “a clear picture of each group’s unique profile, goals and actions, and how we function both individually and as a coalition.”

Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-Mount Kisco) who attended commented that “it’s events like this that help galvanize people to action and to advocate for gun safety legislation.” Buchwald has been a strong advocate for gun safety and noted that Westchester has a gun safety storage law and he is one of the co-sponsors to support that bill so that it is adopted state-wide.

With 91 Americans killed everyday with guns (7 are children), Barry Graubart, the head of Westchester’s Moms Demand Action group noted how important it is to keep this issue front and center even when so many other progressive issues such as immigration and abortion are in peril. 

He explained that women are five times as likely to be shot when there is a gun present at home and that LGBT teens are four times as likely to commit suicide if a gun is available. He urged all in attendance to join Gun Sense Action Network, a group of over 200 gun sense activists from states across the country who spend a daytime hour each week reaching out to voters in battleground states and fighting for stronger gun laws in America. http://everytown.org/act/

While New Castle may seem immune to gun violence, there are areas of gun violence throughout the county. Mount Vernon had several shootings over the holiday period this year. Another particular area of concern for GVP groups locally is the Gun Show that was held two weeks ago at the Westchester County Center (WCC) in White Plains. The gun show was banned from the center for four years by County Executive Rob Astorino following the shootings in Newtown, CT but the ban was lifted this year. 

Prevent Gun Violence Westchester’s Chuck Bell stated community members can work to prevent the show returning next year to a county-owned building like the WCC. He urged those in attendance to call their legislators to override Astorino’s veto. “We also have no way of tracking how the firearms purchased at the show are used,” Bell noted.

Stacey Pfeffer is a frequent contributor to Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk. Her articles have also appeared in NY Family Magazine, Westchester Family Magazine, Westchester Parent and Kveller.com.

 

Aura Style Bar Aims to Have you Radiate Beauty

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Premium Blowdry and Makeup Studio in the Heart of Chappaqua

Looking for somewhere local where, following expert and convenient services, you can walk out and ‘radiate beauty’?” Introducing: The new “Aura Style Bar,” a premium blowdry and make up studio at 191 King Street in Chappaqua. According to stylists Leticia and Jenn, the goal every time will be to help you radiate beauty ‘from the inside out.’ As per the opening promotion information here, you can enjoy special introductory rates on all services, a complimentary scalp massage and conditioning masques through the end of February. ‘Sunrise hours’ of 7-9 a.m. are available by appointment, and walk ins are welcome during regular business hours. See additional info below or visit:  www.auraboutiquesalon.com

At Aura Salon: Jenn Filardi (left) and Leticia Villagran.

 

 

Local Clinton Supporters Plan to Join Marches in NYC and Washington, D.C.

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“This is just a general march to say, ‘We are all humans first, and we expect to be treated with the equality promised in our constitution.’” Katherine Siemionko, commenting about the NYC March planned too.

By Andrew Vitelli

Like many of Hillary Clinton’s neighbors in Chappaqua and the surrounding communities, Pleasantville resident Francesca Hagadus had hoped to travel to Washington D.C. next month to for the historic inauguration of her neighbor and hero.  Recount efforts and evidence of Russian interference (as confirmed by the CIA) notwithstanding: Assuming the Electors approve the results of the election on December 19th, Donald Trump will take the oath of office on January 20th. So Hagadus, like many of Clinton’s backers, will still be making the trip.penn-ave

Busses from Chappaqua and Armonk would be among those coming from across the country to bring marchers to Washington on Jan. 21, the day after President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, for the Women’s March on Washington. The march aims to mobilize Clinton’s supporters, and others concerned about the incoming administration, as Trump begins his term in the White House.

“The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world, that women’s rights are human rights,” the march’s organizers write on their website. “We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.”

The march will convene at 10 a.m. near the U.S. Capitol Building, meaning those traveling to Washington from New York that day must leave before dawn. As of Monday, Dec. 12, 68 people had signed up for a bus from Chappaqua to the march, while a bus leaving from Armonk at around 4:15 a.m. had 26 riders signed up.

“I hope that it makes a statement. It shows people that we are not just going to wait out the next four years,” said Hagadus, a retired teacher in the Chappaqua school district. “We are a majority, and we want to make sure that our voices are heard.”

Hagadus may not go to Washington to make her voice heard. For locals who don’t plan on making the four-hour trip to the U.S. capital, there is an option closer to home. Katherine Siemionko, a Brooklyn resident and a professional project manager, has organized a sister march in Manhattan, with the march concluding outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.

“[People] are afraid that their rights are at risk,” said Siemionko. “People want to come out and voice their opinion, and say that we support equality for everybody.”

Siemionko said she is planning for up to 100,000 people to attend the march, with marchers flying in from across the country and even from abroad to participate.

“This is just a general march to say, ‘We are all humans first, and we expect to be treated with the equality promised in our constitution,’” Siemionko said. “The goal of this is to bring the community together.”

Hagadus, who volunteered for Chappaqua Friends of Hillary and went to Pennsylvania to knock on doors for the Democratic nominee, said she plans to attend one of the two marches, though she hasn’t decided which one.

“Considering I live in Pleasantville, [the New York march] would be a lot more convenient for me,” said Hagadus. “The question is where we can have the most impact.”

For information on busses to the Women’s March on Washington, visit rallybus.net/womens-march-on-washington. To register a group for the Women’s March on NYC, e-mail volunteersmarchonnyc@gmail.com.  

Andrew Vitelli is the Editor of Inside Armonk Magazine.

 

Editor’s Note: We will add info on busses leaving to this article as more information becomes available.

 

 

High Fashion for the Kids, Right Around the Corner

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Three years ago, Julia Rozenfeld found her calling. The Juilliard graduate and classically-trained pianist turned Wall Street powerhouse took over LOL Kids in Armonk. She quickly revamped the small clothing store and turned it into one of Westchester and Connecticut’s premier shopping destinations for the under-14 set.

Rozenfeld, a Chappaqua resident, has a four-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. An avid shopper at LOL Kids, she told her husband that she wanted to take it over when the previous owner decided to move to the West Coast. “It was the only shop in Westchester that I liked for clothes for my kids,” she remembers. Her husband initially thought she was joking.

Yet Rozenfeld was completely serious. She moved the store next door to a larger space with an additional floor and added more than 30 new clothing lines. She transformed LOL Kids into a high-end, hand-picked, unique boutique with over 35 hard-to-find children’s clothing brands for girls and boys. From Stella McCartney’s children’s line, Kenzo, Gautier, and Chloe to cult labels from Australia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania, Rozenfeld is introducing Westchester’s littlest fashionistas to her curated collection of clothing.  “We offer a unique niche because everything is fashionably fine and hand-picked, and we try to keep the price point competitive.”

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For the holiday season, Rozenfeld has chosen several one-of-a-kind items, including unique necklaces for young girls, exquisite newborn outfits, special dresses from Tutu du Monde, and this year’s favorite–giant pompom hats. She hopes people will come in for that special something, whether it be a small stocking stuffer or a more elaborate gift.

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“We want to sell things that will make children look and feel very special,” says Rozenfeld. Rozenfeld, who also added photographer to her list of talents, has her daughter Sophie test out many of the girls’ clothing lines and serve as the fashion model for the store.

“We would feel very special to be able to help people out, to meet more people, and to share our vision of beautiful things with them,” says Rozenfeld.

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Her favorite part of owning the store is meeting so many new people and connecting with clients. While she has lived in Chappaqua for over 12 years, opening LOL Kids enabled her to meet many more members of the community. And she says that “the most exciting part of my day is when clients text me pictures of their kids wearing my outfits. It really warms my heart.”

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Stop in and introduce yourself to Rozenfeld. Experience the latest fashion trends for children, right here in Armonk. Whether you’re searching for French children’s brands like Catimini and Petit Bateau, niche Italian brands like Fun&Fun and Mi Mi Sol, or super-fashionable, reasonably priced European brands like Nikolia, Rozenfeld has them. And she will make sure you can find that perfect, one-of-a-kind outfit for your child.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIE ROZENFELD

Deborah Notis is a writer and co-owner of gamechangernow.com, a free referral service connecting Westchester families to highly qualified instructors. Deborah’s writing can be found in the Inside Press publications as well as on suburbanmisfitmom.com.

Plastic Surgeon & Chappaqua Native Dr. Elan Singer Heals Soldiers and Helps Beautify New Yorkers

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dr_s_headshotListening to Dr. Elan Singer reminisce about his childhood growing up in Chappaqua, it is easy to appreciate how idyllic this town is. There were soccer games, bike rides into town to visit his mother’s store ICD Contemporary Jewelry and practices with the Greeley ski team. But more than anything he credits his time volunteering during his teenage years with the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CVAC) as setting him on his chosen career path as a preeminent plastic surgeon with an office in Manhattan and a recently opened practice at Radiance MedSpa on North Bedford Road in Mount Kisco.

Dr. Singer, a 1990 Greeley graduate joined CVAC as part of the youth corps when he was 16 and became an EMT when he was 17. “I carried a beeper around high school and my experience at CVAC was integral in helping me choose medicine as a career.”

A medical officer in the Navy Reserves, Dr. Singer spends one weekend a month at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which is the largest American military hospital in the world. It treats all branches of the US military. “My reserve unit is actually very special because we are the only unit that does surgeries at Walter Reed on the weekends there.” During the month, Dr. Singer communicates with the active duty surgeons at Walter Reed about cases and when he goes down there, Dr. Singer helps offload some of the backload of cases that the active duty plastic surgeons aren’t able to get to.  “It’s mostly elective surgeries now, so breast reduction or reconstruction but in years past, we had a lot of wounded warriors.”

All reservists are eligible to be mobilized to war-torn areas such as Iraq or Afghanistan. Most are mobilized for eight months. Some of his medical colleagues in the Reserves have been mobilized but Dr. Singer notes that other specialties such as orthopedics, anesthesia and neurosurgery are in higher demand overseas. “In plastic surgery, most of the work we do is highly specialized and needs a lot of infrastructure so that tends to take place here in the United States. We are dealing a lot with reconstruction so we see the same patients repeatedly for multiple surgeries.”

Dr. Singer likes the large complex surgeries that he performs on Reserve duty. But he’s equally skilled at performing elective cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction, skin rejuvenation services, facelifts and body contouring procedures on his patients in Manhattan and Westchester. He enjoys the diversity of surgeries that he gets to perform at Walter Reed and in his private practice.

Dr. Singer with his wife Dana and son Yonatan at Fleet Week
Dr. Singer with his wife Dana and son Yonatan at Fleet Week

As a Reservist, Dr. Singer is required to spend two weeks a year performing plastic surgery as part of his commitment. His last two weeks of service was on the USNS Mercy, a large naval ship that went on a humanitarian mission to Asia in July where he performed several surgeries on Vietnamese civilians. He’s also served as a physician on the ships that station in NY Harbor during Fleet Week as part of his two-week commitment on Reserve duty.

In addition to the humanitarian mission that he did with the Reserves, Dr. Singer has also gone on civilian humanitarian missions to Haiti after the earthquake to perform pro-bono plastic surgery. As a chief resident at Mount Sinai Medical Center, he flew to Southern Nigeria to work on burn reconstruction patients.  “Each one of these humanitarian medical missions “was unique and very eye-opening to me as a young surgeon.”

Dr. Elan Singer on a Humanitarian Medical Mission in Vietnam Pictured in the “N” Cap
Dr. Elan Singer on a Humanitarian Medical Mission in Vietnam Pictured in the “N” Cap

Dr. Singer’s family connection to the military is quite extensive. His father was in the Navy as a doctor in the submarine service in the late 1960s. His mother was in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as a spokeswoman for the IDF to the foreign press, providing them with details at media briefings during the Six Day War.  His grandfather was a physician in the army in France during WWII and landed six days after D-Day. “So I’m actually the third generation in the US Military as a physician in my family.”

Dr. Singer is looking forward to building his new practice in Mount Kisco. Although he currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and three young children, he enjoys coming up to his hometown to spend time with his parents and his children enjoy spending time outdoors in their grandparent’s backyard just as he did as a young boy.

Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua. She has written for New York Family Magazine, Westchester Parent, Westchester Family Magazine, Kveller.com and Inside Armonk.