The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

community

Chappaqua’s Alison Leighton Creates a Community for Expectant Moms

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALISON LEIGHTON

Alison Leighton’s move to Chappaqua wasn’t all that different from many other newcomers to this bucolic town. She was looking for a great school district, beautiful surroundings and a place to put down roots for her expanding family. Her Sutton Place South apartment was getting crowded and her husband Matthew who is partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP needed a reasonable commute to his office a block away from Grand Central. 

The family moved here in July 2021 and she was eager to meet new moms and other young families. While she lived in the city, she had started a Social Parents group for new parents in her neighborhood in 2019. Armed with a background in marketing with positions at Citibank and American Express, Leighton loved organizing in-person events for new parents such as brunch meetups and a Babies and Brew playgroup but with her move north of I-287 in the middle of a pandemic, she knew the format of her group would have to change. 

“When I moved to Westchester (with a baby due this April), I wanted to revitalize the Social Parent brand, so she started hosting a free weekly Zoom group for expecting women called Pregnant Mama. “This was my passion but also the group was also created because meeting people with the COVID barrier was hard,” she admits. 

When Leighton’s first son Paul was born in the city at NYU Hospital there was a weekly support group for new moms. “It was my favorite time of the week,” she reminisces. “I made close mom friends and I wanted to create and build that community here.” The group helped serve as a resource for her and provided helpful information to let her know what to expect down the pipeline. Other moms provided tips such as traveling with a baby. 

“Going to a website to research something about your baby is very different than talking to a mom. It can give you validation. Maybe your baby is having a four month sleep regression and you wonder if it is just your baby–that real time connection plus building friendships is invaluable.” 

Her Pregnant Mama group in Westchester has helped forge friendships while providing expert advice. Examples of experts who have given webinars to the group include Armonk-based perinatal and child therapist Sloan Post and Liza Montanino, a pediatric sleep consultant and founder of Rock-a-Bye Baby Sleep. Other speakers have included a financial advisor and a prenatal masseuse. The group meets weekly Thursday night at 8:15 pm via Zoom as of press time. 

With COVID winding down and a new baby on the way, Leighton has no plans of slowing down though. “I plan to lean into it [Social Parent] more.” She plans on holding in-person events for the toddler set so that her children can meet other toddlers and babies and hopes to host in-person events for new moms and dads this summer. 

When she isn’t moving full steam ahead with Social Parent or working on her freelance marketing and writing career, Leighton and her family are enjoying the outdoors here hiking or spending time at area playgrounds. “The whole town is like a big nature preserve and I love the trees in my backyard,” she gushes.

For more information about her group or to partner with her on events, email SocialParentNY@gmail.com. She also provides parenting ideas and inspiration on her Instagram handle @SocialParent_Westchester.

Embracing Growth & Community in Pleasantville

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Board Members of the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce. BACK ROW (L-R): Karen Cammann, Ed Elliott, Maria Amato, Allen Wallace and Lynda Lederer-Natale. FRONT ROW (L-R): Evelyn Tierney, Bill Flooks, and W. Paul Alvarez
PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

Full disclosure: When I moved to Northern Westchester about a decade ago, I fell in love with Pleasantville. Although I live in a neighboring town, I found myself spending a great deal of time in this charming village. It all started with a much beloved independent business, the toy store, Try & Buy. As a newcomer to the ‘burbs with kids of nursery school age, it seemed that every Friday I was scouring the aisles for presents for the upcoming weekend which would be chock full of birthday parties. 

But my love affair with this village didn’t stop at the now defunct toy store. With my stroller, I found that it was a remarkably walkable town which was key for someone accustomed to tallying up miles in the streets of Manhattan. Here, I could grab a cup of coffee, walk into the bookstore and bribe my kids to behave with sweets from the candy store.

Now that the deluge of birthday parties has ended and my kids are no longer toddlers, I still find myself drawn to Pleasantville. With the Jacob Burns Film Center and plentiful restaurants, I am here at least weekly. Turns out, I am not alone in my love affair with Pleasantville as the latest housing market data shows demand outstripping supply and the median sales price for single family homes steadily increasing from $665,000 (pre-pandemic in 2019) to record sales highs last year with a median of $739,000. It seems that the magic of Pleasantville is attracting buyers from the city and lower Westchester looking for more space, a place to raise a family with a great school district plus a pedestrian-friendly layout to access shops and restaurants easily. Buyers frequently cite the convenience and walkability of the village as key factors influencing their home purchasing decisions.

Linking the community and commerce has been at the forefront of Bill Flooks mind since he joined the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce in 2004. Fast forward a few years and he is now the President of the Chamber for more than a dozen years. As the owner of local business, Beecher Flooks Funeral Home on Bedford Road,  he is distinctly aware of the many challenges that small independent businesses face to ensure that Pleasantville remains a vibrant village for both businesses and residents alike.

Flooks describes his Chamber position as “fun.” He enjoys meeting the business owners and residents and “helping the community get to where it wants to be.” Currently with almost 150 members in the Chamber, Flooks and his team help the businesses gain exposure so that people in town know about the many local services and retail spots available to them right outside their front doors. The Chamber also organizes fun-filled events that attract Westchester residents to visit the village and hopefully patronize its many businesses.

Chamber’s Website Relaunch

Chamber members run the gamut from accountants, lawyers and non-profits to several restaurants as the 10570 is quickly becoming a foodie destination in Northern Westchester (more on that later) and beyond. The Chamber recently relaunched their website at pleasantvillechamber.com with a user-friendly member directory plus parking information including rules and regulations including meter payment through the Pango app. Flooks and the Chamber members wanted the revamped website to be as user and mobile-friendly as possible for shoppers and businesses. 

Businesses can also now apply or renew their Chamber membership online. So far, the relaunched website with a new look and enhanced navigation seems to be a hit and the Chamber is already ahead of membership renewals in Q1 2022 versus previous years. 

Keeping Chamber members and residents informed of construction in the village is a top priority for Flooks. With the ongoing construction on Manville Road and by Memorial Plaza, Flooks wants local businesses to know when key segments of projects are completed and how that will impact parking for customers. The website includes information about various infrastructure projects and e-newsletters are sent to Chamber members detailing the various construction phases.

Chamber Events Enhance Pleasantville’s Appeal

“Linking community and commerce” has been the Chamber’s tagline for more than a decade and Flooks lists a number of key events and initiatives that help accomplish this goal. From ribbon cutting ceremonies for new businesses in town captured on film by Pleasantville Community TV to the Chamber’s well attended Business Person of the Year event, the Chamber is always looking for ways to help members achieve exposure and grow their business.

One such event was the 1st Annual Oktoberfest Street Fair held this fall when COVID was on a downward trajectory featuring live music and ping pong plus a variety of foods from local Chamber members on Wheeler Avenue which was closed off to vehicular traffic. Commenting on the inaugural event, Flooks noted that “people were looking to get out [then] and do social stuff. We will definitely do it again, expanded hopefully, with some children-friendly events. It showed we are back and willing to help the businesses and the community.” Echoing Flook’s enthusiasm for the event, Chamber Administrator Evelyn Tierney said, “It didn’t hurt that people were able to enjoy an alcoholic beverage and eat in the open air and move around to see and talk to friends. Businesses on Washington Ave had spillover from Wheeler Ave – so it was good for their businesses too.” The event was well-promoted with flyers on Facebook and Instagram plus the 10570 Facebook group shared Chamber posts about it with their 5,000 subscribers. The Chamber is also hoping to help support the Pleasantville Music Festival which is currently scheduled for July 9, 2022. “The festival is a great event that brings thousands to the village and historically we’ve always had good weather,” Flooks commented.

Pleasantville isn’t just beloved by local residents. People from neighboring communities and Southern Westchester are also drawn to the village. County Executive George Latimer notes that “Pleasantville’s critical location in the Saw Mill River Valley draws people from all around it. The Jacob Burns Film Center is a key asset offering entertainment that you can’t find elsewhere.” Latimer, a Rye resident, often frequents it as well as the bustling restaurant scene. “Pleasantville has terrific restaurants and the farmers market adds to the town’s appeal. The farmers market was one of the first in the county to go year round and people are willing to travel to it because it is so unique and well organized. It brings a distinct energy level to the village. There is a certain vibe of Americana that you feel in Pleasantville. People say hello to each other on the street. Plus the school system is great and you have a non-partisan local government truly looking after the best interests of the village.” 

While many beloved local independent businesses have been mainstays in the community for years like Glass Onion Originals, Black Cow and the Village Bookstore, there are several national chains such as convenience and coffee shops that are also part of the village. The majority of these chains are not Chamber members but Flooks doesn’t view that as a serious problem to contend with. “We go back to them and ask them to join but many of them have to go through corporate and they just view us as another town to do business in. Maybe you grab a coffee [from a chain] and then pick up a sandwich from Sundance Deli or Frank & Joe’s. The great thing about America is you have choices,” he adds.

It is clear that the Chamber members do not just view Pleasantville as a place to do business in. They support many local charitable initiatives from PTA events to the Tina Shaina Gambino Memorial Foundation 5K, an event which raises money for organ donation named in honor of a local Pleasantville High School senior who passed away suddenly in 2004. Several Chamber members donate thousands of dollars a year to hyperlocal causes or by providing services or food pro-bono.

10570: A Foodie Destination

On the topic of food, Pleasantville is one of the top foodie destinations in the county. With specialty shops such as Second Mouse Cheese Shop and Flour & Sun Bakery plus the all new Root2Rise, a 100% plant-based café, recently relocated suburbanites and foodies with a sophisticated palate have plentiful options. Restaurants such as Southern Table have even received Michelin recognition. “In the evening parking eases up in the village, so if you can’t get into one restaurant, you might discover another that’s also really good,” explains Flooks. “Once you park your car, the restaurants are all within easy walking distance of each other.”

Many of these restaurants on Wheeler Avenue set up outdoor seating during warmer weather and have had to pivot to expanded take-out options and curbside delivery during the pandemic.

Pleasantville truly is a walking village and the people who are moving here to a house or apartment may only need one car or none at all as many now work from home. “People can walk to whatever they need here to buy, eat, drink or see a movie. The way the village is set up with business and residential so close to each other is a homerun,” exclaims Flooks.

“I think with the recent housing explosion a lot of the businesses are happy. You are going to have more shoppers, more eaters, more drinkers and more visitors coming to the village.” The future of the village seems poised for success and continuous growth. “This will only make Pleasantville more vibrant and [ultimately] more profitable for business,” sums up Flooks.

Note: This article is based on excerpts from an interview with Bill Flooks that aired on Pleasantville Community TV. To access the full interview, visit www.pctv76.org.


Photos Courtesy of the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce

How Caramoor’s World Class Performances Resonate with its New President and CEO, Edward J. Lewis III

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Edward J. Lewis III PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

A new era for the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts has been ushered in–from the return of in-person performances to solidifying its mission of promoting classical music and embracing a variety of musical genres. In this newest era, Caramoor’s overall vision and management falls into the capable hands of Edward J. Lewis III. As the newly appointed president & CEO, Lewis has over two decades of experience in performing arts leadership. 

Lewis previously served as Vice Chancellor for Advancement at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he is credited with “surpassing all annual and campaign fundraising goals.” He was the Senior Director of Development at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland College Park, where he led a comprehensive fundraising program.

Walkway from Venetian Theater and the artist patio looking towards the Pavillion Terrace at Caramoor in Katonah New York on August 25, 2020.
PHOTO by Gabe Palacio

As a professional violist, he is a founding member of Baltimore’s Soulful Symphony and a former member of the Dallas Opera Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Sphinx Symphony, and Toledo Symphony. 

At the helm of Caramoor’s executive team, Lewis will help chart the course for future growth, addressing emerging issues, long-range planning, organizational structure, policy-making and institutional budgeting. “To ensure that Caramoor is a place that reflects a broad and inclusive sense of community and that delights both artists and audiences.” 

He first heard of Caramoor from radio broadcasts in the 1990s.“I recall the performances being of the highest caliber.” In October of 2020, when approached about the CEO position, he said yes, “Once I realized that everything that Caramoor offers resonates with me; world class music performances, nature and history.” 

The return of live in-person music performances at the historic 80-acre estate highlights its 76th season. The gorgeous gardens and grounds are a spectacular setting for the intimate and world-class musical performances. Indoor offerings in the Spring and Fall are housed in The Rosen House, a beautiful and “acoustically perfect venue, a work of living history, made for music,” which is included in the National Register of Historic Places.

The upcoming music room performances include a recital by renowned pianist Stephen Hough, a Vivaldi program by the British period-instrument ensemble The English Concert led by Harry Bicket, the Isaiah J Thompson Quartet, singer-songwriter Raul Midón, who blends flamenco, jazz, and R&B to create his distinctive sound, and a wonderful Christmas program by the vocal quartet New York Polyphony. And The Holiday Tea Musicales will be back in December. 

The challenges of keeping an Arts organization thriving is ensuring that it responds to the demands of the ever-evolving creativity of artists and changing expectations of audiences. “Maintaining relevancy by developing programming that helps build new audiences while maintaining current audiences will be key,” Lewis remarked. His aim is to “fully engage with the community and culture around our organization and ensure that broader diverse audiences can hear themselves in the music and see themselves reflected back from the stage.”  

Being successful in promoting classical music relies on discovering ways that entice and invite audiences to participate. To that end, he enjoys working collaboratively “with a team of passionate and accomplished creatives with the goal to help make a difference in the world.” 

For Lewis, being successful has meant “being truly happy and fulfilled doing what you love while also making a positive impact for others.” 

He grew up in a family that appreciated music. “I remember my mom having us do household chores while listening to opera, jazz, soul, and R&B.” A sixth-grade school trip to hear the National Symphony Orchestra, helped him realize that “I wanted to make and be part of the orchestral sound, the violin section in particular.” He tried the violin and learned that he had had natural talent and facility. “From then on, I knew that that’s what I wanted to do.”

Caramoor is peerless with its Sonic Innovations program of sound art exhibited strategically throughout our campus. Not many other music venues have this combined richness of experiences. – Edward J. Lewis III

He became a violist, earning his Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. When asked if he and his Viola might be gracing the Caramoor stage this Season, Lewis cited his many responsibilities in leading the strategic direction and fundraising efforts at Caramoor, that would deny him practice time. “However, I look forward to sneaking into the Rosen House Music Room to play a Bach suite or two in those glorious acoustics.” 

At home in Chappaqua: Edward Lewis with his partner Scott Palmer. and their cat, Sandy   PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

And how is he settling into his new home in Chappaqua? “So far we have enjoyed meals at Crabtree’s Kittle House and Ibiza; shopping at Whole Foods, the Saturday Farmer’s Market and the occasional breakfast at Bobo’s Cafe; working out at Lifetime, and several trips to Chappaqua Paint and Hardware,” He added that he and his partner, Scott Palmer are “looking forward to exploring all that Chappaqua has to offer.” 

Audiences are invited to explore the lush grounds and magnificent gardens, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, tour the historic Rosen House, and discover beautiful music. In the Fall and Spring concerts are held in the  Music Room of the Rosen House, and in Summer in multiple venues including Friends Field, the lovely Spanish Courtyard, and in the Venetian Theater.

Caramoor is located at, 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, NY 10536

Call The Box Office at 914.232.1252 or visit: boxoffice@caramoor.org

Entry Circle looking down center walk at Caramoor in Katonah New York on August 25, 2020.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS by Gabe Palacio
Center walk leading to The Rosen House at Caramoor in Katonah New York on September 13, 2020.

The Burgundian Library in the Rosen House at Caramoor in Katonah New York on April 15, 2018.

Afternoon Tea in the summer dining room of the Rosen House at Caramoor in Katonah New York on June 3, 2016.

New Resolve, Restored Balance & Enhanced Appreciation

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A Pandemic Year’s Impact on Wendy Craft and Evan Echenthal

Jacob, Wendy, Evan and Tyler    PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson

It stands to reason that many lessons have been learned over the last year as the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on society. For Chappaqua resident and finance icon Wendy Craft, she learned the true value and satisfaction in saying no. 

For Craft and her husband, litigation attorney Evan Echenthal, their lives, like so many, were upended last March when the coronavirus halted travel, shuttered businesses, schools, and regular everyday life, and forced them to adjust to a unique routine comprised of Zoom calls, eLearning, remote work, and a continual sense of stress. 

The couple quickly learned the typical 9-to-5 workday would become extinct and early morning phone calls on the weekends and late-night texts or emails during the week with requests to do menial tasks would become something to get used to working from home. 

“It’s endless. There’s no guilt free day off anymore,” said Craft, who was relishing a meteoric award-winning career as the Chief of Staff for Fulcrum Equities. “You’ve lost all sense of boundaries because your home has become your work.”

But in balancing her home life, her twin 12-year-old sons, her work and stressors stemming from the pandemic, Craft over time became more aware of her mental health. As a working professional, being both a woman and a mom, she said she has always felt pressure to go beyond her abilities to say yes to everything. 

Craft, who heads a single-family office in New York City that invests in real estate and operating companies around the world, is a member of several prominent committees, organizations, and bar associations, including the U.S. Supreme Court. She also travels the nation and globe speaking on family office topics and their synergies.

Due to her dedication and passion, Craft has been honored with two Congressional Awards for being a leader in her field. Additionally, she has twice been named in the top 50 most influential women in private wealth by Private Asset Management Magazine. 

Wendy Craft

The Power of ‘No’

But with the pandemic bringing both men and women into the same shared experience, Craft has enjoyed the liberation of saying no and refusing to alter her schedule to satisfy a never-ending workday. 

“I would always take on so much because I felt bad about saying no, but now I’ve gotten to the point where I can say that I’ve gotten to my capacity and I have nothing more to share,” she said. “A year ago, I would have rearranged my whole schedule to appease my job but I’m no longer available 24/7, and the funny thing is, I didn’t have to be, but I felt like I had to say I was.” Craft added, “I just say no. It’s empowering.”

Before anyone could truly comprehend the long-term impacts of COVID-19, the idea of a two-week staycation seemed ideal to most. For Craft, she referred to it as a gift. 

Craft would often spend up to five days a month traveling the nation and globe attending conferences and speaking at events. She’s done this for the last 20 years. 

But on March 8, 2020 that all changed. “I came home and that was it; that was the first time I haven’t traveled in 20 years.” Craft said. 

While the strain of the pandemic helped her realize work isn’t life, her job is part of her identity. She described losing the ability to go to the office every morning, have a normal workday and travel monthly as a difficult adjustment. 

“It was great being home for the first six to eight months because I traveled all over the world so extensively and to be home it was almost like a gift,” Craft said. “And then it became really monotonous not to have my ‘adulting’ time at work, which was always part of my identity.”

Eventually Craft’s structured life started to unravel, as she strived to find the right balance between work, remote learning, and daily home chores. She was also faced with monitoring her children’s mental health as they navigated this new life, where seeing friends and going to school was no longer an option. 

However, despite the already busy schedule, she quickly realized that while the laundry would get done and the school day would eventually end, the workday began to shift. With her job expecting her to be available at all hours of the day, she felt any remaining sense of normalcy vanishing. 

But with 2021 showing signs of hope, Craft said she sees new glimmers of the old structure. With her husband, and her sons having returned to in-person work and school, respectively, she plans a return to the office soon, too, “to normalize my mental health and those boundaries,” Craft said. “And I need that so it’s not Groundhog Day every single day.”

When Worlds Collide: Managing Expectations

As Craft was struggling with her identity and juggling her responsibilities, Echenthal, had similar worries in his work and family life. 

While his office and the courts had been shut down, he was still required to meet the same billable hours as previous years. This constant pressure to find work where there was none resulted in his days devoted to being dad and his nights dedicated to working.

“It’s been very trying since courts are closed and employers aren’t very sympathetic with the lack of work,” he said. “Before I’d go to bed at 11 p.m., but you don’t do that now, so now you fire up the laptop to meet the expectations and just work harder.”

Echenthal said the first half of the pandemic felt like everything was colliding at once and the inability to compartmentalize everyday duties became more and more difficult. He said one moment he could be working and the next he was folding laundry or explaining to his kids why they can’t see their friends. 

And the work-related emails and phone calls never ceased. “When you’re at home, nobody seems to have a problem calling you at 9 p.m. to ask for something. And why am I getting emails 24 hours a day?” he said. “The expectation from the employers, the courts and your adversary haven’t changed. They expect more because you live at your office now.”

While Echenthal has returned to work recently, he said the stress and expectations are still the same. Only now he’s taking on a new venture; running for a seat on the Mount Pleasant Town Board, an endeavor he described as an opportunity to contribute to his community and expand his social bubble. “I’m starting to see outside of myself and consider my neighbors and my community,” Echenthal said. “I’m getting out of my own space and seeing that everyone is in the same situation and everything is different and there’s got to be a way we can come together to figure everything out.”

Echenthal describes a personal shift this year, too. A major homebody pre-pandemic, he said he now takes time out of his day to call his friends and catch up, something he rarely did prior to the pandemic. He has also shared with his sons the pure joy of a White Castle slider, as trips across counties have become a weekly activity. “After being forced to stay home, I’m constantly on the phone with my friends gabbing and I realize I like going out,” Echenthal said. “You don’t realize what you have until you don’t have it anymore.”

Gratitude for Family Time

Despite the stress and hardship the pandemic has brought on Craft and Echenthal, both are grateful to have gotten to spend quality time together as a family. Craft added she has been fortunate to find an identity outside of her occupation. I know I will look back years from now and think how great it was that we got that time as a family together,” Craft said. 

Stephanie Spiegel on Finding Centerpeace

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On a typical morning, prior to the pandemic, a keen observer would notice a stream of legging-clad women darting in and out of the chasm marking the brick structure nestled in the heart of Chappaqua. They exit with slightly mussed hair, a light sweat and an unmistakable peaceful glow. To those familiar with Chappaqua’s Stephanie Spiegel, it’s no surprise that she’s behind it all. She is the owner of Centerpeace, a studio based on the full-body workout developed by ballet dancer, Lotte Berk. Classes are challenging yet fulfilling and distinguished by Spiegel’s words, which convey a spiritual sensibility wrapped in the approachability of a longtime friend. Her trademark positivity transcends the studio, radiating through Zoom and even here in typeface. 

Stephanie Spiegel
PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson

The Metamorphosis of Centerpeace

Born and bred in California, Spiegel came to New York almost 25 years ago where she was introduced to the Lotte Berk method. She recalls, “I danced my whole life. In college, I was a dance major with a psychology minor and I fell in love with the discipline of the method.” After undergoing teacher training and working at several studios, Spiegel launched Centerpeace in 2007. Her unique approach features a faster pace and longer reps, while integrating her background in dance and psychology. She explains, “When you weave the two together it creates, what I believe to be, an extraordinary practice and is a foundation for life. There is an intensity to the discipline of my classes that requires a focused lens. Life is filled with distractions–I wanted Centerpeace to be a lily pad where everything could be left at the door and anyone can tune in to their feelings.” 

Since its inception, the studio has indeed become a haven to its base of loyal followers. Longtime enthusiast, Rebecca Scarpati of Sleepy Hollow, credits the practice for changing her life. A passionate recreational dancer and breast cancer survivor, Scarpati was a self-proclaimed  “mess” when she found Centerpeace, recounting, “I had just completed chemotherapy as well as multiple surgeries for injuries I developed throughout the years and could no longer dance at my former level. Stephanie taught me to push through my limitations while listening to my body to grow strong. The exercises brought back the emotional connection I had for telling a story using choreography and I got stronger in my own body.”

The Centerpeace practice is a holistic integration of the body and mind. “The practice sculpts and strengthens while simultaneously elongating every major muscle,” Spiegel says. “The focus throughout class is mind/body alignment with an emphasis on core strength. The power of a body comes from our core. All exercises help to promote better balance and good posture; not to mention the chemicals that fire up our brains, which is important,” she adds, her eyes twinkling, “as we grow young.” 

Spiegel adeptly shifts between challenging seasoned devotees and supporting greener clients. Everyone receives the same encouragement. “Work from where you are. Be mindful and listen to your body.” And, Zoom has expanded her audience across the country. Spiegel steadily scrutinizes form and choreography, calling out adjustments while bestowing inspirational messages. 

Long Island resident Marni Ellis, for one, is “living in fear” that Zoom classes may ultimately end. The longtime barre enthusiast says, “The practice has changed me physically and mentally. Not only does Stephanie have a deep understanding of the body and form, but she’s a special human being with an organic teaching style, exuding a contagious energy and passion that translates across the screen.”

Stephanie with Morgan and Brandon. PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons from the Studio

The positive vibe of the Centerpeace community is palpable, a fact Spiegel simply attributes to “the laws of attraction,” saying, “People come together to create good collective energy. I am so proud to be a part of such an amazing group.” Spiegel had no idea just how deeply she would come to rely upon this community when she opened the studio, candidly sharing, “My husband of 20 years was diagnosed with cancer ten years into my practice with Centerpeace. Week-after-week, day-after-day, that group of women were the life vest that held me up.” 

In 2017, Spiegel’s husband, Scott, sadly lost his battle. “There’s nothing more valuable than the net that holds us when we need it. The community gave me unbelievable support and strength at a time when my heart was so broken. I believe that my clients and my team know how central they are in my life. When you are surrounded by such great people, it becomes so much more than a job. It becomes part of the very fabric of your life.”

Woven within each class is the theme that life is a gift. Spiegel says, “I wake up every morning, look to the left and think, ‘This was not the way my story was supposed to go.’ I know how fast life can be taken away, so I always talk about the importance of making each day count. After losing my husband, every day I asked myself, ‘What’s today going to be Stephanie? You get to choose.’ And so I would cry, put the tissues in my pocket and head out to breathe in fresh air. I worked, walked miles and spent every day loving my kids through the most unimaginable pain.” Calling her children, Morgan, Brandon, Adam and Taryn “central in my life and in my heart,” she guided them through this time. There was no roadmap, but she said, “I don’t know how to do this either, but we’re going to learn together and I’m going to love you through it.”

When the pandemic came, those lessons proved instrumental. Spiegel and her family had just regained a semblance of normalcy when the ground was again pulled out from under them. This time, however, everyone was impacted. “I already knew that I could handle anything difficult because I’ve been through the worst.” Spiegel shared this insight with her children and Centerpeace family saying, “We’ve trained for this. We can do hard things. When you get deep into muscle and work your body hard like we do, you learn to center yourself when there is uncertainty. Stop asking when we can get our lives back. Life is happening. Life is right now.” 

Resilience

Living a life of resiliency has become central to Spiegel’s philosophy. The ability for our minds and bodies to bend, move and stretch is only achieved through practice. “We don’t become resilient simply because we want to,” she imparts. “Taking the time to move and connect to yourself, whether at Centerpeace of somewhere else, makes us better to ourselves and the people in our lives. It’s creating strength from the inside out and maintaining that discipline to stand tall when life shifts or the wind blows or a pandemic comes about. I always say, ‘Look up so you can see where you’re going.’ We might get knocked down but none of us are staying down,” adding resolutely, “Not if I have anything to do with it.”