The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

North Castle

John Diaconis on…Togetherness, Reaching Out & Preserving History at the Miller House

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PHOTO BY Donna Mueller Photography

When one thinks back on the past year, a few words stick out: family, friends, love and togetherness. These are the important things in life that have really come to the forefront in 2020 and beyond. Life as we know it has changed in many ways and people are learning how to live in this “new normal.” 

Armonk resident John Diaconis is one of those people. 

A partner at White Plains law firm Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP, he is also a former New Castle Town Board member. Diaconis is now President of Friends of Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters, having been a longtime advocate for the North White Plains historical site. 

Diaconis moved to Chappaqua in 1990, when he says, the area was semi-rural and very quiet. He relocated to Armonk ten years ago, where he now lives with his wife Ann Dantzig and her 91-year-old mother, Janice Rabinowitz, whom he says “has more energy than all of us.” 

Diaconis served on the New Castle Town Board for five years and was the Town Prosecutor until moving to Armonk in 2010. He credits his time on the board with his eventual involvement with Miller House. 

“I moved to Armonk in 2010 and the first thing I became involved with was Miller House,” says Diaconis. He was asked to participate by Dorrie Watson, a founder of the North Castle Historical Society and town historian, whom he says was a legend in North Castle. The first order of business was to help work on getting the house refurbished and renovated, as it had been neglected for a number of years. 

“Credit goes to George Latimer: he spearheaded the renovation,” says Diaconis. The Miller House hopes to be back open to the public in the near future, but for now they will offer virtual programs.

As the world began to shut down last March, working from home became the norm for many, including Diaconis. As he says, no one was pressured to go into the office and that it is fortunate that most of the work he does can be done from home. Now, the firm is back up and running at 100% with all safety features, such as protective glass in place. Diaconis works in the office as much as he can now, but employees still have the option to stay home when what they are doing does not require them to be in the office. In many ways, it seems the work-life balance has greatly shifted for everyone over the past year.

Appreciating One Another

Diaconis definitely understands the vast importance of family, especially at this time in the world. Unfortunately like most of us, he has also experienced loss. Diaconis’ son Ari passed away three years ago at the age of 33. While he was sick, he spoke a lot about the importance of relationships. As Diaconis says, “He was a really smart kid. My family and I are very attuned to appreciate one another and our friendships. If anything, the social distancing and stay-at-home parts of the virus have reinforced the importance of connection with people.” Ari and his sister Alix both attended school in Chappaqua.  After graduating from Horace Greeley High School, Alix is now living in Brooklyn and working as a video editor. Ari went on to graduate from Cornell Law School and practiced law in New York City. 

Diaconis also has two step-daughters. Natasha graduated from Byram Hills High School while Lexi graduated from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry. Lexi lives in Providence and Natasha in San Francisco. The family does a lot of Zoom calls and speaks regularly on the phone. Alix comes up to visit after quarantining and Diaconis visits her in Brooklyn as well. 

PHOTO BY Donna Mueller Photography

 

 

 

 

Everything that’s been happening this last year has made them all closer. The community has definitely come together during this time as well. Diaconis says, “Armonk is an interesting town: everyone is pulling together.” North Castle Town Supervisor Michael Schiliro always starts each board meeting with “Dorrie TIME”. These are good deeds that people in the local community have done inspired by Dorrie Watson. “A lot of people are involved in community efforts to help homeless people,” says Diaconis. 

Community Involvement

Local churches are doing outreach and are doing what they can to provide shelter as well as community members volunteering with food distribution and at soup kitchens. There is also a large effort to preserve local history: many in the community are actively involved with helping to fund the library and historical society. 

Diaconis really enjoys the sense of community Armonk provides as well as many of the local spots in town–La Mer Seafood, David Chen and DeCicco & Sons included. He spends a lot of time downtown, as it is so walkable and vibrant. As for his role in public service, it all comes down to one thing. “My mentor was Marion Sinek, former New Castle Town Supervisor. People are in public service to try and do good things for people. I try to follow that motto now, as do others in public service.” 

Opening Soon: The Landmark Miller House

Situated on a stretch of Virginia Road in North White Plains sits the Elijah J. Miller House. Once almost lost to disrepair, the historic home has undergone an extensive renovation thanks in part to Westchester County and Friends of Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters. The site was the home of Elijah and Ann Miller and it is where George Washington once stayed during the American Revolution. Unfortunately, it had spent more than 20 years with sustained structural damage and visitation was not allowed. 

In 2019, County Executive George Latimer led efforts to renovate the house so that visitors could once again come and learn about its historical significance. John Diaconis, President of Friends of Miller House says, “Credit goes to George Latimer, he spearheaded the renovation.” And Kathy O’Connor, Commissioner of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation goes on to say, “We were thrilled that the restoration of the Miller House was a priority for the Latimer administration. We look forward to the day when we can begin programming again to educate children about this important landmark and history of their County.” 

John Diaconis, outside the Miller House with Philip Sieverding, a Greeley grad who is on the historic house’s board of directors.
Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

Storied History

Originally situated on a 100-acre farm, the house is an 18th Century Rhode Island-style farmhouse, built in 1738 with an addition built in 1770. Miller House served as General Washington’s sleeping quarters and command post during the 1776 Battle of White Plains. Shortly before the battle, Elijah, along with his two sons, John and Elijah, Jr. were killed.

Ann then turned the house into a field hospital, and many soldiers were tended to by her and others in the house and on the grounds. Eventually Charles Lee, Washington’s second-in-command was court-marshaled and the last phase of his trial was held at Miller House. In 1976, Miller House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated a Local Historic Landmark by the Town of North Castle. 

Diaconis is looking forward to the day Miller House can re-open its doors to the public. “We would love to get school trips up and running again, it’s an important part of what we plan to do–to get things back to where they were.”

He has received emails from people all around the Northeast saying how they used to go to Miller House on field trips and that it was a highlight of their elementary school experience. 

Millennial Interest

The Friends of Miller House board includes some millennials, whom the group hopes to connect with younger kids to help expose them to the important local history right here in Westchester County. “Anyone can join the Friends; we always want input from people with suggestions about programs they’d like to see and more. We want to hear from the public.”

For now, Miller House is planning a variety of virtual events including its George Talk book club series, which will feature a book written about Charles Lee. As Diaconis says, “We are grateful for County Executive Latimer’s leadership in preserving this historic landmark. John Nonna, Sharon Tomback and many others also worked countless hours to save the house,” which incidentally also included the saving of a 300-year-old sycamore tree.

Latimer says, “While we may not be able to gather at the Miller House in person, the meaning behind the historic home should never be forgotten. This building tells us the story of the American Spirit.” And we will all look forward to the day when we can once again take in its vast history on its grounds and inside its walls.

Home is Where the HeART is: Time Out and IN with Evan Lorberbaum

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Artist at Home: Evan Lorberbaum @elovisualart on Instagram  PHOTO By Donna Mueller

Please, let us take this time to dive into the heart of your home; where the art is (not?).

Did you know that having art in your home is just as important as having breathable air within its walls? Have you considered that your children require bright colors and creative visuals to inspire and encourage innovative thinking (especially now that they are stuck at home with you most days)? Could you allow yourself to be vulnerable and understand why an artless home-office could actually be making it harder for you to do your job?

The home, where you’ve been spending more time than ever before, craves the ability to fill its inhabitants with personality, originality, mood, color, culture, inspiration, empathy, and character. What you hang on your walls, stand on your floors, or loop thru your exposed rafters, speaks volumes about you. Loud volumes.

So, now that the base is bumping, allow me to introduce you to a fellow Armonkian, Evan Lorberbaum. Evan is a visual artist who creates under the moniker ELO, which is short for his movement “Encourage Life Originality”. ELO aims to inspire others to reach their full potential in life through embracing their own individuality. ELO’s artistic style and vision is influenced by graffiti, abstract expressionism and his own relationship with time, personal growth and pop culture. Armonk is art savvy–thanks to the Armonk Outdoor Art Show–a great place for him to call home and office.

Evan has an interesting story to tell of how his journey all began. He also gives you this feeling that things can take off really fast, really quickly. He is a natural artist. I believe this is why his art speaks; even when left wordless.

“if art could talk”

With the new(ish) demand for a home office and some space for your kids to be schooled at, Evan has started working directly with decorators, realtors, and homeowners. He is bringing air to suffocated places, lifting walls beyond their 2D-selves. Suddenly you find your brain functioning differently, better, and you hear your kids talking to each other with vigor about the difference between teal and turquoise.

If art could talk, I think it would ask, “why am I here?” Maybe, “why the heck am I hanging on YOUR wall?”

Meeting an artist and pursuing a unique, personable buying experience affords you the opportunity to have these answers. It allows you to tell your friends and family why the piece exists when they come over for dinner and ask you about it (once you can have company again). It comes with a story. Your story. No one else could tell that same story because it’s your art that you bought and no one else was there. And then the art hangs and tells its’ own story. Even as you sleep. No dialogue is needed.

Throughout our interview, I made a few internal chuckles (maybe some slipped out) when I realized we had some similar thoughts about art and life and knowing that his mother and I both attended the same college (Bear down!). But there was one thing that really stuck out to me. Evan muttered something that made me feel ok about something I never really thought was ok. As so it goes “never be afraid to move art around your house.”

Folks, the purple flower doesn’t HAVE to stay on THAT white wall and the whimsical sculpture doesn’t HAVE to be stuck in a corner of the laundry room. Breathe in. Breathe out.

“something meaningful”

I encourage you to reach out to Evan for whatever reason you feel so inclined. Don’t overthink it or second-guess yourself. If you find yourself envious, go get inspired and pick up a can of spray paint on your way home. If you want to commission Evan to paint meaning ON something meaningful or help you upcycle and bring life back to your grandma’s old vanity, he is up for the opportunity and purpose. Whether you want someone to paint your silhouette on a surfboard, or design custom sneakers, or you just want to visit his studio, he will welcome you and your spirit. You will leave feeling refreshed, enlightened, and surprisingly, listened to. Perhaps he’ll even loan you a collector’s piece to try out in your space.

You need art to survive. Your children need art to thrive. The world needs art to breathe. And you can’t have a heart if you don’t have any art.

Evan’s journey includes travel, graffiti, musical inspirations, and collecting his own sort of oddities and collectibles. His art is displayed in libraries, office buildings, hotels, commercial spaces, residences, and outdoor areas all throughout the tri-state and his residential collectors are country-wide. Evan also hosts other artists, collectors, designers, and realtors, at his home studio.

Some interesting nuggets about Evan:

• One of his childhood camp counselors owns numerous pieces of his art (and so do a handful of other buyers).

• He is a graduate of the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study where he focused on the Business of Art & Entrepreneurship, and was recognized as an Honor Scholar.

• This is his 4th year participating in the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.

• ELO, in collaboration with Garrixon Studio, created a 1/1 New York City inspired Nike SB Dunk that incorporates his original artwork, as well custom printed leather that pays homage to the city, named “What the NYC”.

• Throughout the pandemic, Evan donated proceeds from his paintings to Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco.

To learn more about Evan’s work or to inquire about a private tour, visit www.elovisualart.com

PHOTO By Donna Mueller

Catching up with the Very Decent Michael Schiliro

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After nearly 20 takes, Michael, with the help of his daughter, compiled their first “watchable” video. His days during quarantine, just like the rest of ours, had gone a bit sideways. Mike played barista in the morning and his wife wore the chef hat come dinnertime. Something he admits he always wanted to do more of, COVID-19 finally afforded him the time he wanted to enjoy dinner at home with his family almost every night. Supervisor Schiliro also took this time to address his love for big, gooey, soft, homemade pretzels which took a hit when he became gluten-free. Not really known to be a baker, he wept. I’m kidding. COVID also afforded Michael the time to find some great recipes. In addition to the pretzels, he claims his gluten-free bread and chocolate chip cookies are also not to be messed with. Wow. Ok, I’m hungry!

As the Senior Vice President at PCSB Bank in Yorktown, Michael would tell you that his days were quite different both as a banker and Town Supervisor… conferences got cancelled, breakfast and dinner meetings were long-past rescheduling, golf outings were caput, and cocktail parties were no-more. Bank time was spent handling loan deferrals and PPP loans vs. new loan referrals and Town time was spent assessing and adapting by the hour vs. using year-old best practices.

It was mid-April, and Michael and his dog were out collecting litter left behind by a few bad apples and COVID-19. Keeping our 232-year-old town tidy is something he takes extremely seriously. Litter leads to more litter (broken windows do the same).

Schiliro was the only car headed north on the Taconic that day. Headed to work, busier than ever between his job as a banker and an elected official, when all of a sudden an eerie feeling set in. A pit in his stomach. He was never the only car on the road; not THAT road. Quick to find a smile, he reminded himself of the lady who greeted him at DeCicco & Sons the night before. She was proud to offer a smile that glowed through her mask, add him to the in-store headcount, offer gloves and a mask, and without saying anything, offered the comfort and reassurance he needed to feel safe shopping there. He smiled and felt eager to get off the Taconic and back into DeCicco & Sons.

Listen, Michael knows the school systems, the restaurant scene, open spaces, and claiming to be the pizza capital of Westchester is all incredibly appealing to a potential homeowner, but none of these matter if you don’t have soul. We. Have. Soul.

The proof is in the pudding…

A doctor Michael never met reached out to make an appeal to him during the early onset of the pandemic. Her medical facilities were already experiencing a shortage of masks and she needed his help blasting a call-to-action to the community. Done. Email sent. Well, the plastic bins Michael left on his lawn to collect the masks kept proving to be too small. As the days past the bins continued to overflow with donated masks; first medical ones, and then cloth. And WHOLLY CLOTH. LEARN THIS: our town is full of agile and scrappy seamsters and seamstresses. Photos of families in town with their sewing machines started popping up on social media outlets (and Michael’s inbox) and materials and ideas were flowing through town about how to even make one of these things. But not a soul was deterred… okay, maybe ONE person got fed up with the bobbin and threw in the towel, but Michael wasn’t kidding when he said THOUSANDS of homemade cloth masks were dropped off at his home to be donated. These savvy Mask-Makers were incredibly inspiring.

Got Soul?

As they reduced staff based on local orders, the excellent leadership of Town Administrator Kevin Hay and Confidential Secretary Mindy Berard stood strong with all of our employees and continued to service our community in the way it deserves. Thankful to the police, fire departments, frontline medical staff, clerks, supermarkets, deli-workers, sanitation contractors, and everyone who put themselves out there when other people were not even allowed to go to work, Michael will be forever grateful for your courage and bravery.

BE DECENT. My takeaway from our interview with Michael is that all he wants is everyone to be decent to each other and our environment. Small ask. Big task. But we can do it. Full speed ahead.

And some more pudding for you…

Wrights Mill: New Appeal for an Old Section of Town

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The Wrights Mill neighborhood has a storied past dating back to the American Revolution. Thomas Wright, for whom the area is named, owned property and operated a mill in North Castle. Major Andre, who worked as a spy with Benedict Arnold, was captured in Tarrytown and held in a barn at Wright’s mill. A plaque now commemorates the sites of Thomas Wright’s mill wheel and buildings.

Today, Wrights Mill is a neighborhood filled with lovely homes close to downtown Armonk as well as to Wampus Pond Park. Calling this neighborhood home is the Arany family. Dr. Karina Gritsenko, an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center and Mr. Magen-David Arany, who works in finance, live here with their four sons Joshua age 14 (going on 26), Isaac age 4.5, Jacques age 2.5 and Yonatan, age 3.5 months. The family moved from New York City two years ago after 16 years of living on the Upper East Side. With a growing family, they knew they needed more space–it was just a question of where.

As Karina puts it, she came to Westchester kicking and screaming. She and Magen-David even had a friendly competition for who could find a new home first, with Karina looking at apartments and Magen-David at houses. He eventually found one in Wrights Mill that was perfect and the family has loved living there ever since. The family truly enjoys meeting new people wherever they go and even realized soon after moving in that two of Karina’s colleagues at Montefiore are also Wrights Mill neighbors.

The Arany family love the social aspect of the neighborhood and are always happy to help out their community. Magen-David is a volunteer firefighter in town and Karina is involved with the PJ Library. As she says, “Give the busiest person something to do and they’ll do more.” Wrights Mill is a very family-oriented neighborhood with people always willing to lend a helping hand. For example, during a recent blackout, neighbors offered showers and hot meals to those who lost power.

Some of the family’s favorite outdoor spaces in town are Lombardi Park and the Montessori playground, as well as their own backyard. As Karina says, “We always look for adventures and everything in Westchester is routinely 15 minutes away.” Definitely a perk of living in a place with so much to offer.

Making Holiday Memories: Inspiring Ideas for Families

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The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to shop, plan celebrations and also enjoy all our communities have to offer at this special time. Here are a few ideas to help celebrate and enjoy the season all while having fun locally:

1. From Friday, Dec. 13, to Sunday, Dec. 15, in Chappaqua, shop artists’ special pop-ups between the King Street Studio and The Art Closet Gallery in the loft at Family Britches. The kickoff will take place in conjunction with the downtown Chappaqua Wine Around Town event on Dec. 13 from 5-8 p.m.

2. For a break from all the preparations the holidays entail, check out the Jane Condon Holiday Comedy Show at Armonk’s Whippoorwill Theater on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Rabbi Josh Strom of Congregation B’nai Yisrael will emcee the evening, which will also include a performance by Boston-based comic Kathe Farris. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.

3. Westchester’s Winter Wonderland returns this year to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. Hours and days vary now through Jan. 4, winterwonderland.com for more info. There’s a circus, ice skating, rides and more. Tickets are $20 for ages 3 and up.

4. While the menorah lighting as well as a tree lighting already took place in Armonk on Frosty Day, before this issue went to press, the details of Chappaqua’s menorah lighting ceremony had not yet been firmed up. Ike Kuzio, superintendent of New Castle Recreation and Parks, said residents can keep abreast of this important annual event at Chappaqua’s community center by checking in on the town’s website.

5. Enjoy a screening of a Big Band Holiday program from Jazz at Lincoln Center in the New Castle Town Hall Assembly Room. The program runs from 6:30-9, p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 starting with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Chappaqua Library and will feature songs both “sacred and secular.”

6. Or attend The Movies’ Greatest Christmas Songs on Sunday Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at the New Castle Community Center on Senter Street. Jon Reichman will use film clips, photos and piano performance to explore the history of famous holiday tunes White Christmas, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and Silver Bells.

7. Have yourself a historic Christmas. Visit the Horace Greeley House on Saturday Dec. 7, where a crafts workshop will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. and a tree lighting at 5 p.m. will be accompanied by the Horace Greeley High School Madrigal Choir leading carols, and a visit from Santa.

8. Why not spend some time in early December learning about the traditions of various cultures, communities and religions? Besides boasting many resources for learning about Christmas and Chanukah, the North Castle Public Library has several books about Kwanzaa (Dec. 26-Jan. 1) and a CD of Kwanzaa music for loan. The Chappaqua Library also offers a book about the Hindu festival of Diwali (this year, celebrated already in October), titles about Chinese New Year, and more.

9. To offset the effects of kugel and cookies, give snowshoeing a try. Skip Beitzel, owner of Hickory & Tweed in Armonk, said “Snowshoeing is great. My adage for snowshoeing is, ‘snow and they will go.’” Beitzel, whose shop sells snowshoes for all ages, said his customers snowshoe on local golf courses or on the bike path that runs through Millwood. Those seeking a more arduous experience may even take their snowshoes to ski areas to use them when climbing uphill. “Why not snowshoe as a family?” Beitzel said, since after all many families ski together, and snowshoeing can be done easily and locally–providing there’s snow.

10. Or plan a family hike to The Eugene and Agnes Meyer Preserve, a 247-acre spot with more than six miles of color-coded trails. Spanning New Castle and North Castle, the preserve has kiosks at each entrance to help visitors plan their hikes. For more outdoor appreciation, make the Christmas Bird Count a part of your family’s December traditions (find dates and locations on audubon.org) – or even closer to home, join Cornell’s Project Feeder Watch (join.birds.cornell.edu) and find out how families can contribute meaningfully to important statistics on birds and migration patterns. It’s not too late to join this information-collecting effort, which will get you through the winter and into spring.