WAG Magazine edition of November 2012

november 2012

Paula Zahn In tune with the arts Cindy Joseph Model for the ages

Stella McCaffrey designs

Choices made For the younger set

Alex Donner From the bar to baton

Mary Jane Denzer

Grande dame of retail

Money angel Stephanie Newby

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november 2012

Choices made 12 The devil made ’em do it … or maybe not 14 Are we there yet?

17 Andrew McCarthy finds himself at home in the world 20 ‘On the Road’ to stardom (maybe) 22 Life under the Amalfi sun 24 Enchanting fashionista 26 The wedding singer 28 a life in pictures 30 When in ROAM … shop!

32 Seize the day 36 Seeding a future 38 Running with scissors 40 Oil and water do mix for Jilly Dyson 44 Silver fox 47 Lights, camera, cello Abby Ritman with daughter, Charlotte.

See page 60.

55 Saying ‘no’ to hoochie mamas 58 A Milkshake for the soul 60 Mommy track vs. career track

Real empathy.

If medicine is an art, why shouldn’t caring be a science? At Greenwich Hospital, we’ve mastered the application of both. Here, we provide world-class medicine. But we also practice world-class caring. Among our pioneering initiatives, we’ve implemented a robust service excellence program that produces tangible, measurable results. That means the Greenwich Hospital experience leads to levels of satisfaction unseen at most other hospitals. To us, caring is always the first step to healing.

Real life. Real care. greenwichhospital.org

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November 2012

34 wear

Features

Choosing that party dress

51 way

A charmed life

62 whims

Les Nouvelles

64 whims

007 leaves us shaken and stirred

66 wear

The legacy of Loro Piana

68 wear

Trés gray is trés chic

70 wear

Food for your face

72 wear

The senior set on fashion

74 wagging

‘Critter candidates’ for family pet

75 wine&dine

A new road for the Trumps

77 wanders

Breakneck beauty

80 well

A portrait of a doctor in the making

82 well

Choosing to change

85 when&where

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Upcoming events

86 worthy

Destinations

87 wit

We wonder: “If you had it to do all over again, what would you do?”

88 watch

We’re out and about

96 class & sass

With Martha Handler and Jennifer Pappas

8 Waggers 10 Editor’s letter Cover photograph courtesy of Paula Zahn and “Discovery ID.”

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Greg Fernandez, Rick Johnson, Rochelle Stolzenberg, Dan Vierno and Konstantine Wells

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PUBLISHER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dee DelBello MANAGING EDITOR Bob Rozycki EDITOR Georgette Gouveia SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Caitlin Nurge Harrison DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY David Bravo CLASS & SASS COLUMNISTS Martha Handler • Jennifer Pappas STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Sinéad Deane • Bob Rozycki MEDICAL SPECIALISTS Michael Rosenberg, MD • Erika Schwartz, MD WAG WEAR EDITOR Zoë Zellers FEATURES ADVISER David Hochberg CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Patricia Espinosa • Patrick Gallagher • Geoff Kalish, MD • Sarah Hodgson Scott Newman, MD • Debbie O’Shea • Mary Shustack • Zoë Zellers ART DIRECTOR Dan Viteri Publications Manager Michael Berger

Audience Development DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Alissa Frey CIRCULATION MANAGER Holly Gallicchio Director, promotions and sponsors Marcia Pflug CIRCULATION SALES Kristina Cook • Marcia Rudy • Sylvia Sikoutris EVENTS MANAGER Holly DeBartolo

Advertising Sales General Manager Dennis Connaughton Advertising Director Richard Free ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Greg Fernandez • Rick Johnson • Rochelle Stolzenberg • Dan Vierno • Konstantine Wells

FOUNDING PUBLISHER Mary Ann Liebert

WAG A division of Westfair Communications Inc. 3 Gannett Drive, White Plains, NY 10604 Telephone: (914) 358-0746 • Facsimile: (914) 694-3699 Website: wagmag.com • Email: gg@wagmag.com

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All news, comments, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations in WAG are those of the authors and do not constitute opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations of the publication, its publisher and its editorial staff. No portion of WAG may be reproduced without permission.WAG is distributed at select locations, mailed directly and is available at $24 a year for home or office delivery. To subscribe, call (914) 694-3600, ext. 3020. All advertising inquiries should be directed to Michael Berger at (914) 694-3600, ext. 3035 or email mberger@westfairinc.com. Advertisements are subject to review by the publisher and acceptance for WAG does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service.

WAG (Issn: 1931-6364) is published monthly and is owned and published by Westfair Communications Inc. Dee DelBello, CEO, dd@wagmag.com Michael Gallicchio, Chief Operating Officer

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In 1992, Paula Zahn made her Carnegie Hall debut with The New York Pops, conducted

by Skitch Henderson.

See page 47.

©Steve J. Sherman

8

editor's letter Georgette Gouveia

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I come from a family of drivers and so have often been driven – in more ways than one.

Some of my happiest memories are of my sisters and myself in the backseat of Aunt Mary and Uncle Sam’s red and white station wagon – listening to the radio, gazing out at a sea of grass and a water tower or up at the stars as they drove us to their summer place on the Jersey shore or my great aunt’s Massachusetts home.

My mother, too, was a big part of the “motor pool,” chauffeuring us to school, activities and doctors’ appointments in her salmon-colored El Dorado with the creamcolored hardtop that I thought was just the greatest car in the world.

On special occasions, my father – a NASCAR driver who owned a limousine service and who my mother said would drive to Hell itself if it were paved – would get behind the wheel of one of the limos and pile the whole family in, with my sisters and me fighting over who would be stuck sitting on the hump in the middle of the pull-out “jump seats.” One glance from my father in the rearview mirror was all it took to settle us down.

They’re all gone now – my parents, Aunt Mary and Uncle Sam – but my sisters are continuing the family tradition. This past summer, Gina drove me to visit Jana at her home in Virginia. We hit the Beltway in the wee hours of the morning, drinking coffee and listening to “road music,” Simon and Garfunkel – a pair of Thelma and Louises (minus the cinematic violence, of course).

Upon our arrival, Jana took over some of the driving duties, while I rode shotgun or sat in the back with her three boys, who now argue over seat assignments just as my sisters and I once did.

Perhaps because of this, I’ve had plenty of time to think about the road and its rich metaphoric implications. Our November issue is all about the “roads” some fascinating people have taken, the choices they’ve made in lives purposefully lived.

Like our cover subject, the incandescent Paula Zahn, who could’ve just as easily been a professional cellist instead of an Emmy Award-winning journalist. Happily, though, she combines her passion for truthful storytelling with her love of music and culture as co-host of ThirteenWNET’s “NYC-ARTS,” even as she continues to perform.

Some of the people you’ll meet in this issue have taken to the road – albeit some-

times a waterway – in search of love and self. Kiwi Jilly Dyson leaves the shores of Oceania to sell her maritime paintings on those of Greenwich. Actor/director/travel writer Andrew McCarthy casts himself as an existential Ulysses, struggling to get back to his own patient Penelope, in his travel memoir “The Longest Way Home.”

In her upcoming travel memoir, “Amalfi Blue,” lawyer and boutique travel specialist Lisa Fantino journeys to the famed southern Italian coast for some healing and unexpected romance when her father dies.

We’re big on Amalfi this month. Check out our own Cappy Devlin’s memories of navigating its hairpin curves. (She could’ve used Bond, James Bond, who also appears in these pages.)

Many of the “voyages” you’ll find here, though, have been interior. When former J.P. Morgan exec Stephanie Newby hit the glass ceiling, she decided to turn her frustration into a venture capitalist firm that helps women entrepreneurs. Makeup artistturned-model Cindy Joseph, who was “discovered” at age 49, has made it her mission to help women feel good about their looks at any age, with a natural line of cosmetics.

Conair “hairess” Babe Rizzuto, our first cover girl (February 2011) has started a clothing boutique with her daughters. Laura Straus has transformed a lifetime of experiences into a Piermont art gallery.

Like Tennyson’s Ulysses, they are products of all that they have met, heartening reminders of what novelist George Eliot said: “It’s never too late to be the person you might have been.”

OOPS

In the October issue of WAG, we misspelled Melissa Thornton’s name in our Wit feature (though we spelled it correctly elsewhere, so we’ll take half-credit). Hey, we’re glass half-full kind of folks. Our apologies to Melissa Thornton, spelled correctly here.

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The devil made ’em do it … or maybe not

B

Go on. Eat the apple. You know you want it.

Maarten van Heemskerck’s “Adam and Eve.”

12

By Georgette Gouveia

lame it on Adam and Eve. No, wait. Eve first.

She just had to give into the devil’s temptation to bite that juicy red apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Memo to tree: You need a shorter name, honey.) And then she just had to offer it to Adam, who just had to follow the wife’s lead and they just had to get themselves kicked out of the primo piece of real estate on earth. And that’s why we have to wear uncomfortable, expensive clothes and work 9 to 5.

But what if it wasn’t Adam and Eve’s fault (or the devil’s, for that matter)? What if there were no free will?

That’s the thesis behind “Free Will” (Free Press), a provocative little tome (only 83 pages) by Sam Harris – philosopher, neuroscientist and everyone’s favorite atheist now that Christopher Hitchens has gone to meet his, er, non-Maker.

In “Free Will,” Harris uses neuroscientific research – including the work of physiologist Benjamin Libet – to state that free will is an illusion. Decisions are made deep in the brain milliseconds and, in some cases, whole seconds, before we are conscious of them. What we perceive as our decision-making is nothing more than our awareness of a decision that’s already fait accompli.

Indeed, your decision to read this article – and mine to write it – was a done deal before you actually thought to read it and I thought to write it.

Easy enough to understand when the example is that innocuous, right? But what about when you consider Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which took place 49 years ago this month? Harris would say Oswald didn’t choose to shoot the president any more than the president chose to go to Dallas. Their collision course was sealed by their neural activity. Biology is destiny, as Freud said.

Whew. It’s at this point that my brain says, “I’d rather look at the pics of a shirtless Tim Tebow in Vogue.” And I say, “It’s all right, brain. Grab a latte, put your feet up and go right ahead.”

With my brain back on the job, though, it has to wonder, as I’m sure yours, dear reader, must by now: What about the role of responsibility? If we’re not in control of our choices, can we be

accountable for our actions?

This is tricky, but Harris writes that we can.

“Judgments of responsibility depend upon the overall complexion of one’s mind, not on the metaphysics of mental cause and effect. …If, after weeks of deliberation, library research and debate with your friends, you decide to kill the king – well, then killing the king reflects the sort of person you really are. The point is not that you are the ultimate and independent cause of your actions; the point is that, for whatever reason, you have the mind of a regicide.”

Decisions are made deep in the brain milliseconds and, in some cases, whole seconds, before we are conscious of them. What we perceive as our decision-making is nothing more than our awareness of a decision that’s already fait accompli.

So the lack of free will doesn’t let us off the hook for our behavior, nor does it preclude a criminal justice system based on the need to protect society. But, Harris goes on to write, “Once we recognize that even the most terrifying predators are, in a very real sense, unlucky to be who they are, the logic of hating (as opposed to fearing) them begins to unravel…. even if you believe that every human being harbors an immortal soul, the picture does not change: Anyone born with the soul of a psychopath has been profoundly unlucky.”

“The role of luck, therefore, appears decisive.”

Maybe so, but I’m willing to bet that regardless of what science tell us, most of us – especially most of us Americans – would rather believe that we make our own luck, that we’re in control of our destiny.

Yep, we’re going to go right on taking a big bite out of that juicy old apple – and blaming someone else. n

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Life truly is a highway

By Georgette Gouveia

14

W

hat is it about the road that beckons, that stretches out – teasingly, tantalizingly – before us?

For most of us Americans, the road and its principal vehicle, the automobile, are encoded in our DNA, the asphalt and steel poured into our veins, the narrative and its metaphors reinforced by our cinematic mythology. “VideoHound’s Golden Movie Retriever” lists no less than 400 road pictures, including many classics like “Easy Rider,” “Rain Man,” “Thelma & Louise” and “The Wizard of Oz.” But the road does not begin and end with us. In a sense, it began with the first man and woman to put one foot in front of the other and make the choice to journey to a new place and thus a fresh start.

It’s the story of Adam and Eve’s descendants and the first quest myths, like the epic of Gilgamesh; Odysseus’ meandering voyage back to Ithaca – even though the road there is a watery highway; the inexorable march of conquerors like Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Napoleon; the pilgrimage of the medieval faithful in “The Canterbury Tales” and to the shrine of St. James the Greater in Santiago de Compostela, Spain; the search for the ideal in the Arthurian legends and Cervantes’ “Don Quixote.”

The road can be a finite route or traverse the globe in any number of ways. It is ancient Rome’s Appian Way, where a vision of Jesus is said to have restored the shaken courage of St. Peter. It’s the Silk Road – actually a series of routes linking Europe and Asia – that enticed everyone from Alexander to Marco Polo, inspiring an exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, a publication and program by National Geographic, a music ensemble led

by Yo-Yo Ma and a store in Bronxville.

Ostensibly, the byway itself is not the point. Those “On

the Road” – to borrow the title of Jack Kerouac’s cult novel, whose film version will be released Dec. 21 – have somewhere to get to. They’re on pressing business (“Rain Man”).

They’re headed for vacation (“Thelma & Louise”). Or they just want to go home (“The Wizard of Oz”).

But who’s kidding whom? The destination and its objective are what Alfred Hitchcock called the MacGuffins – the plot devices that the characters care so desperately about but mean nothing to us, the audience. We know that the end in itself is only part of the story. Often what really matters is the journey, the people encountered along the way and the choices we make.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

So Robert Frost ended his 1916 poem “The Road Not Taken.” But what is “the road not taken?” Is it the path that sighing, nostalgic, individualistic narrator chooses, “the one less traveled by?” Or is it the one forsaken that might’ve led to a different life?

Often the choice – particularly in the restless, disenchanted postwar America populated by the Beats and their hippie successors – has been to follow an open road and see where it takes you, “to get your kicks on Route 66,” as Nat King Cole sang. The young men at the heart of “On the Road,” the TV series “Route 66” and “Easy Rider” were looking for adventure – liquid, erotic, hedonistic and otherwise.

Yet just as often the road forks, and while the choices may become more clear-cut, they are no less easy – love or self-centeredness, responsibility or freedom, life or death.

In “Easy Rider,” Captain America fatally turns back to help his fallen friend. In “Thelma & Louise,” the women – on the lam and facing life in prison – kiss and, clutching

each other’s hands, drive on over a cliff.

Sometimes, the road ends in death.

But not before we arrive at our destination, not before we come full circle though we may be far from home. In “Rain Man,” the selfish Raymond kidnaps the autistic but financially advantaged brother he believes was the hated father’s favorite only to wind up caring for him. He becomes his brother’s father and in so doing, becomes the parent to himself.

Of all the roads we choose to take on this earth, none is more important than the one that leads to the journey within. n

Road warriors

1. “Easy Rider” (1969) – Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper’s microcosm of druggy, violent, hippiedippy ’60s America ushered in indie productions.

2. “My Own Private Idaho” (1991) – Keanu Reeves and especially River Phoenix give memorable performances as two hustlers in search of power and lost love.

3. “The Road” (2009) – Viggo Mortenson and Kodi Smit-McKee are a father and son on a journey of survival in a post-apocalyptic, cannibalistic America.

4. “Rain Man” (1988) – Dustin Hoffman won the Oscar but Tom Cruise gives the performance of his career as a self-involved luxury-car dealer who comes to love his autistic brother.

5. “Thelma & Louise” (1991) – This road pic struck a nerve for its depiction of two women (Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon) on vacation who unwittingly become desperadoes.

What’s your favorite road flick? Continue the conversation on WAG’s Facebook page.

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Andrew McCarthy finds himself at home in the world

I

By Georgette Gouveia

n his beautifully written new travel memoir, “The Longest Way Home,” actor-director Andrew McCarthy casts himself as a modern-day Odysseus, struggling to get back to his own patiently waiting Penelope – the soon-to-be wife he identifies as “D.” Only the challenges he encounters have not been stirred up by a wrathful sea god. Rather they’re the product of his own roiling psyche.

“I love that,” he says of “The Odyssey” analogy, although he adds, “in fairness, I am writing travel articles.”

McCarthy is perhaps best known as a member of the so-called “Brat Pack” – whose films, including “Pretty in Pink” and “St. Elmo’s Fire,” helped define the generation that came of age in the 1980s. But he has of late also won acclaim as editor-at-large for National Geographic Traveler and the author of probing, even poetic, pieces that chart the inner landscape.

Or as McCarthy puts it, “the only way out is in. …I go away so that I can come home a better version of myself.”

The imperfect balance

“The whole notion of travel as escape has never been my experience,” he says. “You drag it all with you. The only things you leave behind are your safe, comfortable habits.”

In “The Longest Way Home,” (Free Press/Simon & Schuster, Inc., $26). McCarthy leaves the safety and comfort of his acting and directing career in New York City, which has included episodes of “Gossip Girl” and the various “Law & Order” series, to climb Kilimanjaro, cruise the Amazon and trek through Patagonian glaciers and Costa Rican rain forests. It’s all in an attempt really to understand why he’s not ready to marry D, a wise, so-

ciable filmmaker who’s the mother of his daughter and an equally devoted stepmother to his son by a previous marriage. (The subtitle of the book is “One Man’s Quest for the Courage to Settle Down.”)

There are several factors that prevent this from being yet another story about yet another man who can’t commit to yet another woman. One is McCarthy’s uncompromising portrait of the journey, including his unsparing depiction of himself as a rather solitary person who remains something of a mystery. This longing for solitude seems to have been born in part from being the quiet middle child of a remote, raging father and an engaging but sickly mother in suburban New Jersey.

But what really elevates the book is McCarthy’s willingness to plumb one of life’s essential questions: What do we owe others in this world and what do we owe ourselves?

“That is the crux of the matter,” he says.

“How do we find that balance? My wife begins with ‘us’ and finds the ‘me,’ whereas I need to bring ‘me’ to ‘us.’”

In negotiating what he calls an “impossible balance,” McCarthy experiences turning points on the daunting pilgrim’s route to

17

Andrew McCarthy atop Mount Kilimanjaro.

Santiago de Compostela, Spain – where he has an epiphany about travel as the journey into the self – and on an outing with his future in-laws in Vienna.

“You never know what those places will be,” he says.

“That’s what the road does. It opens us up.”

But perhaps the most poignant “negotiation” between self and others comes when he finds himself traveling with strangers aboard an Amazonian riverboat.

“That’s your dream, baby,” D says with a laugh when he calls her. “Surrounded by strangers with no exit.”

Yet when McCarthy encounters a village child with a life-threatening infection that has left her tongue blackened and swollen, he is moved to tears and to tell the other passengers about this. He thinks the story has made them uncomfortable. Still, on the last night of the trip, each presents him with a business card and an offer to help her. (The little girl, Doris, is now fine.)

“Suddenly,” he writes, “ tears are burning in my eyes; quickly I excuse myself. I’m not sure if it’s their concern or the feeling of unwitting connection with these strangers that has snuck up on me that has taken me so off guard.”

and is fed, by McCarthy’s work as an actor and director and that sets him apart as a travel writer. The Society of American Travel Writers named him Travel Journalist of the Year in 2010 and honored him with its Grand Award last year.

While he’d love to go to Myanmar “before McDonald’s gets there now that (the country) has opened up (to the West),” he adds, “I usually find the story I want to tell before I find the place.”

And so he’s off to Darjeeling in search of the tale of the perfect cup of tea – a subject inspired by the habit he’s developed, thanks to his Irish-born wife.

“Stories help me describe the world,” he says.

“When you read them, they have this visceral effect: ‘I want to go there’ or ‘I’ve had a 15-minute vacation.’”

And if the actual vacation or the travel assignment turns out to be like the real “Odyssey,” well, McCarthy chalks it up to adventure.

“I find once things go terribly wrong that’s the moment they’re about to get better.”

Stories to visit

Watch Andrew McCarthy in “Christmas Dance” on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 9. For more, visit andrewmccarthy.com. n

It’s this gift and passion for storytelling that feeds,

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Garrett Hedlund 20

‘On the Road’ to stardom (maybe)

By Georgette Gouveia

W

hen I think of Jack Kerouac’s 1957 novel “On the Road,” I think of a handsome boy with long blond hair who slept his way – quite literally – through the American literature seminar we were in at Sarah Lawrence College while the rest of us sat at a round table and earnestly made our way through the canon from Nathaniel Hawthorne to F. Scott Fitzgerald.

That is until we got to Kerouac, and our Endymion rose from a neighboring couch to proclaim “On the Road” the greatest book ever written. Whereupon he promptly went back to sleep.

“On the Road” has that kind of effect on beautiful boys. It is itself in part the story of a beautiful boy, hedonistic hellion Dean Moriarty, and the havoc he wreaks on his circle, which includes the literary narrator – and Kerouac alter ego – Sal Paradise. In the film version, which opens Dec. 21, Moriarty – based on Kerouac pal Neal Cassady, muse of the alienated ’50s Beat Generation – is played by Garrett Hedlund, whose star has been on the rise ever since he played Patroclus to Brad Pitt’s Achilles in “Troy,” the not-as-bad-as-you-might-think 2004 adaptation of “The Iliad.” In a different time, Pitt himself might’ve played Dean, who also conjures images of another Dean, James.

That Hedlund isn’t a Brad Pitt-ish star as yet is cer-

tainly not for lack of trying. He’s sported leopard pants on the cover of W and is the subject of a moody, impressionistic photo essay in the October Vogue, where he’s hailed on the cover as one of the “Magnificent Seven,” along with decidedly not back-uppity backup quarterback Tim Tebow and new Spider-Man Andrew Garfield. (Sigh.)

Will “On the Road” – co-starring Sam Riley as Sal and Kristen Stewart (late of “Twilight” and Rob Pattinson heartache) as Marylou, one of the many women who serve as so much Dean detritus – make Hedlund a star?

The Daily Telegraph signaled his performance “a gritty revelation, desperate and magnetic.” So far, the film, which bowed this past May at the Cannes Film Festival, has garnered mixed reviews, perhaps in part because the novel, considered one of the most seminal of the 20th century, fills many with ambivalence. As Linda Holmes wrote in her astutely observed review for NPR, “It’s perhaps a testament to my resistance to this material that I’ve never felt moved to read Jack Kerouac’s ‘On The Road,’ but I have to suspect it’s better than this disappointing adaptation, or at least more interesting.

“First things first: As a general matter, any story that proposes that young writers are the most interesting and amazing people in the world – as a largely autobiographical story by a writer is in danger of doing – begins with an uphill battle. In fact, any film in which all the characters seem ut-

terly convinced of their own importance and coolness from the outset has the same battle. No one wants to hear a story in which the underlying thesis is that the person who wrote the story is better than the people hearing it….

He’s sported leopard pants on the cover of W and is the subject of a moody, impressionistic photo essay in the October Vogue, where he’s hailed on the cover as one of the “Magnificent Seven...”

“What I wanted from ‘On The Road’ was something that would capture what people love about Beat literature. What I got was a movie that genuinely draws all its pleasures from people speaking painfully affected dialogue and doing lots of drugs and having lots of sex with each other.”

Touché. Still, “On the Road” is supposed to be about the five Ls – love, lust, longing, loneliness and loss — and there is Hedlund.

That makes it worth a look-see, no? n

21

Life under the Amalfi sun

By Georgette Gouveia

Move over, “Under the Tuscan Sun” and “A Good Year.”

There’s a new sheriff in town and she’s here to offer a variation on the foreigner-goes-Continental-in-search-of-love-and-life’s-meaning theme.

Her name is Lisa Fantino, and her book, “Amalfi Blue: Lost & Found in the South of Italy,” is due out mid-January from Wanderlust Women Travel Ltd., her Mamaroneck-based concierge travel business. It offers off-the-beaten-path trips to Italy and the United Kingdom, like a cooking tour of the Amalfi Coast this Thanksgiving. (See related story on the Amalfi Coast in Wanders.)

Lisa hasn’t always been in travel. She’s a lawyer with a transatlantic practice and a former radio reporter and anchor with stints at WINSAM, WCBS-FM, WBGO-FM and Danbury-based WRKI-FM on her résumé. But as is often the case in life, tragedy led her in a new direction, professionally and romantically.

It was 2006, and Lisa’s father, architect Alfred Fantino, who suffered from dementia, passed away.

“I was put through the ringer, not only with my dad’s care but with settling his estate,” which, she adds, took two years.

She has always been close to both parents. “I think because they were divorced, they went out of their way to make us feel loved.”

Now with one gone, she was emotionally and physically spent. So she took herself off to Italy in the spring of 2008. After some mishaps in Rome, involving a not necessarily desired traveling companion and a crazed veterinarian, Lisa headed south to Sorrento and the neighboring Amalfi Coast.

That’s when and where she met Rocco, a trained chef who was working on a ferry as a ticket-taker. She writes of the moment: “I hadn’t noticed him before, maybe the crowd had obscured my view or perhaps I just wasn’t ready for him. . . yet, there he stood, like the suntanned descendant of Apollo himself. “ ‘So, you like Capri,’ he asks . . His dark eyes peered over his black sunglasses like deep pools of liquid chocolate, melting my veneer.

“The smiles were brief. The greetings exchanged in two languages but it was the silent discourse that resonated between us and the ferry crowd melted away into the Bay of Naples.”

“Amalfi Blue” isn’t all sun-tanned Apollos and melting chocolate, however. There are the biblical rains, $10 gas prices and the stench of garbage – things that are not included in travel brochures but that became apparent to Lisa as her relationship with Rocco heated up and she developed a travel blog and business that kept her in southern Italy for extended periods.

“Life doesn’t have the conveniences it does here,” she says. “Everything is lugged up a hill. There are transportation strikes at the drop of a hat.”

Similarly, her relationship with Rocco has been a mixed blessing, characterized by love, lust and an emotional and financial toll as it’s played out on two continents.

“When you’re having a relationship, it should be only two people,” Lisa says. “Unfortunately, everyone has an opinion.”

Despite strong encouragement from her adored mother, Teri, Lisa’s friends have voiced misgivings about Rocco’s capacity for fidelity. Apparently, the reputation of Italian men precedes them. Meanwhile, his friends and family wonder about the feasibility of such a transatlantic bond.

The 20-year age difference, with Lisa as the senior partner, doesn’t matter, she says. And yet it does: “The age difference comes into play in how you see life. He hasn’t experienced losing a parent or having the carpet being pulled out from under you professionally.”

The loss of her father has seasoned Lisa and changed her outlook.

“My life continues to be lived in the moment.”

As for the ultimate destination of her relationship with Rocco, well, who knows?

Only one thing is certain.

“It won’t be a book,” she says with a laugh.n 22

Lisa Fantino in Italy.

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Mary Jane Denzer

24

here’s something about the way Mary Jane Denzer carries herself – the glide in the step, the head held just so, the face and hair impeccable. In conversation, the words chosen rather than just spoken.

A true sophisticate.

Mary Jane is the hands-on owner of the exquisite fashion store in downtown White Plains that carries her name.

How did she arrive at this station in life?

Boarding school? Check.

Fashion model? Check.

Working at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman? Check.

Dealing with high-end clientele while running an executive showroom for Diners Club in Manhattan? Check.

Being the lucky recipient of genes mingled from a Southern belle and a college professor? Check.

Mary Jane’s mom was an identical twin who grew up in Moultrie, Ga., a small town dripping with Southern charm and the fragrance of magnolias.

“They were the femme fatales of the South in their day,” Mary Jane says. “They were both adorable and beautiful.”

Dad, on the other hand, “was a serious scientist, not at all like her.”

The Southern charmer and the no-nonsense chemical engineer met by chance in Atlantic City.

“Dad was a teaching professor at Colum-

bia. He was so brilliant, an amazing and smart man. My mother was fun and never had education on her mind. It was more, ‘Let’s have a party.’ And my father was a teetotaler. Very serious about life. So it was quite a combination. They were so opposite.

So I guess I kind of became a little bit of both of them. Because I always love to have fun, but I also have a very serious side.”

But that serious side was not apparent when Mary Jane was 14 years old and her father wanted to lock her in her room to keep her out of trouble. Her sentence was four years at Abbot Academy in Massachusetts, an all-girls school that would later merge with Phillips Andover Academy. The school helped mold her, she says. It was then onto Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. But two years in, Mary Jane was begging her parents to let her return to “civilization,” as in the family home in Woodmere, L.I.. She was accepted at Columbia University where her father was teaching. Six months later, though, he died and Mary Jane quit school and went to work as a model for Saks Fifth Avenue.

That’s how she started her career.

“I had always said to my dad, ‘Let me go to a fashion school. I want to be in the retail business.’ I love clothes and I love everything to do with fashion. And he said, ‘Get your liberal arts degree. And then if you want to work, fine, but I’m sure you won’t. You go get married and have a family. And that’s it for you.’”

She did get married and had three children, leaving retail behind, but she needed to keep busy. So she started chairing every organization she could, including working for Thirteen-WNET. Divorce came and then she remarried shortly after and had a fourth child. When her daughter turned 3, it was back to retail at Saks in White Plains.

Then it was on to Bergdorf Goodman.

While there, a customer approached her one day and asked if she would be willing to set up and run a woman’s fashion shop. “‘I’ll give you 50 percent of the business,’” Mary Jane said the woman told her.

“And I said ‘OK, for 51 percent I’ll do it.’”

But after a year it just wasn’t working out so Mary Jane opened her own store on East Post Road in 1980. It was 2,000 square feet of hard work and problems.

But through it all she endured.

Ever think of giving up? “Are you crazy?

It was just so far removed from my life not to have it. It was like my best friend. It was so important to me to have my business.”

The store was on East Post Road for 15 years. Her husband, who was in the metal fabricating business, said he was going to retire and suggested, “Why don’t we retire?”

Mary Jane told him, “You can retire, I’m not going to. As a matter of fact, I think I’m going to open another store and you can manage it for me.”

And so he did for her next store in Westport in 1985. That freed her up to do buying

in Paris and Milan. Ultimately, she decided to concentrate on the White Plains store and closed the one in Westport.

Wanting to create a new and larger space, Mary Jane began doing research.

“I went to Rodeo Drive. I went all over Paris. I went all over London. I went all over Milan. And I found the store of my dreams on Rodeo Drive. It was Christian Dior.”

She found out the architect was Stephen G. Lochte of Brand + Allen Architects of San Francisco, which also happened to have a New York City office.

In 1996, Mary Jane Denzer opened its doors at Mamaroneck and Maple avenues.

“I’ve been in business going on 33 years.

I’ve probably been in this business longer than anybody. I have. I never thought I would say that, but it’s true.”

As far as who’s hot in fashion today, Mary Jane’s choices are Erdem, Roland Mouret and Giambattista Valli.

“Of course, I always love Valentino and Oscar de la Renta.”

Her other love is Bodhi, a true lap dog, living up to his heritage as a Papillon, a breed that is depicted in paintings by European artists as either sitting with or being coddled by its owners. This day is Bodhi’s ninth birthday, but it doesn’t prohibit him from remaining the official greeter of the store with a huge bark that belies his wisp of a body.

Mary Jane welcomes the bark. It means another client is at the door. n

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25

The Former wedding singer divorce lawyer says it with music

By Georgette Gouveia Alex Donner has seen them coming and going. Or should that be going and coming?

“In the entertainment business, I see people at their very best,” he says. “And I saw them at their worst as a divorce lawyer.”

That’s because Donner – a part-time Garrison resident who practiced matrimonial law in a firm in which Roy Cohn was a lead partner – has been a successful singer and bandleader for 25 years, performing for everyone from Frank Sinatra to Tom Cruise, everywhere from San Francisco to Jaipur.

At times, it was a bit confusing.

“I had one (business) card in one pocket and the other in another pocket. Once, I handed my divorce lawyer’s card to a woman who was getting married. That didn’t go over too big.”

If the tootsies are shuffling along, then it’s time to slow things down. But if they’re moving ahead of the music, then it’s time to jazz it up. It’s all about, “controlling tempo and dynamics, like a painter using light.”

Donner has known performers – and no doubt he is one himself – “who can walk into a room and know how the evening is going to go.”

Since every crowd is different, the bandleader must also be able to motivate his musicians – “You may have to praise them; you may have to challenge them” – and command a vast repertoire. When Donner began, the most requested numbers were “In the Mood” and “Mack the Knife.”

Then it was on to “Y.M.C.A.,” “I Will Survive” and “Last Dance,” “My Girl,” “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” and “Beat It,” and now rap, hip hop and anything by Lady Gaga.

once a midtown nightspot, where his lyric baritone got the thumbs up from a patron who was a fair baritone himself – none other than Ol’ Blue Eyes.

Though patrons were not allowed onstage, Donner ceded the mike once – to Tony Bennett, who sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

“It was just wonderful,” Donner recalls.

When Elmo, as the club was nicknamed, went the way of disco, Donner headed to Fordham University School of Law – appearing on weekends with the Lester Lanin Orchestra – and then to the firm of Roy Cohn, the onetime Red-baiter whose clientele ranged from the Archdiocese of New York to the New York Yankees to members of the mob.

“He was very street smart,” Donner says. “He was very, very good to his friends and very, very bad to his enemies.

Alex Donner with, from left to right, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and fashion designer Donna Karan.

Today, there’s less confusion if no less activity. Heading Alex Donner Entertainment, Donner reps magicians, musicians and other artists. And he continues to be the vocal equivalent of Peter Duchin with Alex Donner & His Orchestra, having performed with Tony Bennett, Jimmy Buffett, Natalie Cole and Liza Minnelli before the likes of President George H.W. Bush, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Kevin Kline, Susan Lucci, Queen Noor of Jordan, Itzhak Perlman and Carl XVI Gustaf, king of Sweden.

These appearances have taken place from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan to the Palace of Versailles outside Paris, to benefit causes ranging from the American Cancer Society to The Preservation Society of Newport County to the San Francisco Symphony.

Among his charity appearances were two benefits – organized by the former TomKat (alias Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes) – to raise money for firefighters who suffered from illnesses incurred at Ground Zero.

“She came up and sang with the band,” Donner remembers. “They couldn’t have been nicer.”

Despite their recent split, the couple set off no alarm bells in the former divorce lawyer’s head.

“I thought they were very charming and very good together, just a cute couple.”

Follow the feet

Such gigs have taught Donner the importance of reading an audience and adjusting accordingly.

“If more people are coming onto the dance floor, you want to keep that momentum going. And you want to watch their feet.”

26

These can be performed by any number of musicians.

About a third of Donner’s clients want a big orchestra; a third, a contemporary band with more singers than instrumentalists (“very young, very hot”); and the remaining third a DJ with saxophone and bongo drums.

Sometimes, Donner has to range from swing to hip hop in one performance.

“You have to vary it in all sorts of ways to hold (the audience’s) interest.”

Citizen Cohn

In a sense, adulthood is a reaction to childhood.

“My parents had intended I be a lawyer,” says Donner, a New York City kid.

Yet music was the steady beat in his life. His father, a Wall Street broker who had started an a cappella group during his Princeton days, took him to jazz clubs. An aunt had a box at the opera, though Donner recalls that as “too much, too young in itching gray-flannel pants.”

Still, it was an artistic family, with a mother who painted and four children – Donner is the oldest – who include the composer/poet Belinda Donner.

And there were signposts. During a gap year before Donner followed his father to Princeton University, he studied at the Sorbonne and played guitar in the metro in Paris. First, the passersby threw nothing, then centimes and then francs.

“You know, you’re really good,” said the friend who had suggested the venture.

Donner – who sang in choruses and musicals all through school and studied voice, piano and guitar – still wasn’t convinced. But he sang at parties and with a band and after Princeton, got a job singing at El Morocco,

And the world was either friends or enemies. He ran the law firm with a lot of freebies for powerful people and that gave him tremendous influence. I think he already knew he was dying of AIDS.” Donner recalls riding with him to court and going over a case on the way. After a short while, Cohn simply said, “Enough.” At trial, he held the court spellbound.

Asked if he sees a correlation between performing onstage and in a court of law, Donner replies, “Yes, I would say so. You have to sell a song and you have to sell a case.”

‘Sway’ to the music

Soon Donner’s legal and singing careers were intersecting. Standard Oil heiress Camilla Blaffer asked Donner, who handled her divorce, to sing for her second marriage in Jaipur, India – an event covered by Town & Country and TV’s “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” It was time for Donner to go out on his own.

“The stock market was doing well. People were throwing parties. And I was a fresh face – not too young, not too old.”

Among those who hired him was event planner Kate Edmonds, who evidently liked what she saw and heard. The two married and had no trouble finding a wedding planner or singer. (First song – the mambo number “Sway.”) Teenage stepson Miles attends school in the Hudson Valley and Donner tries to spend a couple of days a week in Garrison. Otherwise, he’s in New York City or playing in Europe, Florida and California.

“I’m very blessed,” he says. “I meet interesting people, famous people. And sometimes they’ve gone from being clients to becoming friends.” n

ale x d o n ner

27

a life in pictures

L

aura Straus’ work life has been diverse, to say the least.

She has loaded trucks for a wallpaper company, answered phones for a publisher and sold furniture on New York City streets.

She has created and exhibited her own fine art. She has filed and edited photographs of others but taken so many more of her own. She has earned a teaching fellowship, won awards and had books published. And she’s long worked not only to protect the rights of other artists but also to promote her own community.

The linear path clearly holds little interest for Straus, who admits it’s been quite a journey.

“The fact that it’s been so varied gives me a lot of leeway,” she says with an infectious laugh.

She’ll spin tales of people she’s met through those jobs, of things she’s learned and places she’s gone. And those stories simply serve to show that most every aspect of her past is reflected today in Piermont Straus, her ambitious Piermont art gallery and bookstore, which has just marked its first anniversary.

Getting to the gallery

Tucked into a cozy storefront along the Hudson River community’s main drag, Piermont Straus is a rare find.

It’s an art gallery that sells honey, a bookshop that features T-shirts and a museum shop that hosts book signings, art openings and wine tastings.

The common thread, of course, is the multifaceted Straus, whose local roots run deep. She grew up in Purchase, a daughter of a book publisher and a professor – they’re the Straus in Farrar, Straus and Giroux – and attended The Whitby School in Greenwich and Hackley School in Tarrytown before going on to graduate with a fine arts degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.

Straus would spend the next 25 years in Manhattan.

She turned to photography after a career in photo editing, in which she worked for Magnum Photos and as director of photography for Abbeville Press. She has published a number of photographic monographs, starting with “A Child’s World” for Hearst in 2000. A series of titles for Andrews McMeel Publishing followed, with her photographs also appearing in The New York Times and Elle and People magazines. Straus’ work on the “American Family” project led to her winning the 2002 New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Photography.

“When I got the NYFA, it kind of just changed me,” Straus says. “I think I kind of respected my own work a little bit more.”

Since 1998, she has also worked with the Artists Rights Society in Manhattan, representing the estates of artists ranging from Pablo Picasso to Henri Matisse to Georgia O’Keeffe.

Straus says she never really felt the urge to go into the family publishing firm, which she casually calls FSG. Her grandfather, Roger Straus, was a founder of the publishing giant, and her father, also Roger Straus, was a publisher as well and is now an architectural photog28

By Mary Shustack Photograph by Bob Rozycki

rapher. (He’ll be signing his latest book, “Houses of the Presidents,” at Piermont Straus Nov. 8.)

She did, though, work at FSG during teenage summers. “Because my grandfather ran the company, they were so scared to give me any work,” so she was relegated to the reception desk.

Beyond the bright city lights

Straus came to settle in Piermont four years ago with banker John Alexander, whom she married in 2009.

But it wasn’t a retreat to a quiet life in the suburbs.

Since then, she has become an active advocate of the local community, a force on the Piermont Business Council.

Straus and her husband have created the Piermont Straus Foundation, dedicated to contributing to the arts and culture of the Hudson Valley.

“I think the thing that really drives me is I learn a lot from throwing myself into all these things,” Straus says.

The gallery opened in October 2011, a move she says “felt like the next natural step in my life,” with themed exhibitions taking center stage.

“We take an author and try to celebrate their work through imagery,” Straus says. The current “Green Acres & Simple Pleasures,” for example, features artwork that reflects “Simple Pleasures,” by Cornelia Guest.

“This place has done more for me in terms of feeling I have my hand in the creative world than I could have imagined,” she says.

The back of the gallery, originally set to be a storeroom, has become a mini book shop boasting towering shelves filled with both new and used titles.

“It’s been really half our business,” Straus says. “I’d like to grow this part of the business. It was almost an aside at first.”

Like everything else, it’s all about adjusting to what’s working.

“We don’t have any absolutes about what this needs to be,” Straus says.

It’s much like the way she produces products to celebrate Piermont as a destination (she made T-shirts, caps and magnets once she “realized there was no swag in town”) or items such as limited-edition scarves using artwork of those featured.

“If the artist is interested, we often try to take their work and do what a museum shop would do,” she says.

At first, Straus says she was tempted to use the gallery to showcase her own work. She first considered using the space as a studio, then moved on to the gallery concept.

“The evolution of this became more about becoming a part of the community here rather than showcasing my work,” she says. “I have never actually done a solo show here in my own gallery. I feel the multi-artist shows are when I can slip in.”

And one of her drawings is indeed featured in the current show, which will yield to a December exhibition on the work of book-and-paper artist Ramon Lascano. His creations will be complemented by works from a number of local artists and artisans who are using everything from old newspapers to old books to other source materials to create “something that’s unusual or visually stunning, hopefully,” Straus says.

That she’s not exactly sure how it will play out isn’t a concern. At Piermont Straus, it’s all about experimenting.

“That’s sort of what this place is about.”

The art she sells offers people the chance to bring something personal into their own surroundings, something that resonates with them.

“We need to have these things in our life to give us the connection to each other,” she says.

And whether through a renewed commitment to her own art – she’s currently creating a ceramics studio in her basement – or the work of Piermont Straus, she will continue to reach out.

As Straus says, “There is a lot of room for us to grow.”

Piermont Straus is at 530B Piermont Ave. in Piermont.

It’s open Fridays through Sundays or by appointment. For details, call (845) 459-3124 or visit its Facebook page. n

29

When in ROAM ‌ shop!

By Mary Shustack Photographs by Bob Rozycki Babe Rizzuto, right, and daughter Sophia Wojczak at ROAM, their new Greenwich boutique

30

A

A step into ROAM is a step into a very stylish world.

The new Greenwich boutique is at once dramatic and funky, sleek and elegant, eclectic and cutting-edge.

Think glossy black floors and chic mannequins dotted with tiny mosaic mirrors. Add some Moroccan lanterns and Buddha figures. Accent all that with white orchids and fun-fur pillows. It adds up to an evocative backdrop to a stunning mix of hand-selected contemporary fashions and accessories.

ROAM has got personality.

But then what else would you expect from Babe Rizzuto?

Babe – WAG’s first cover girl in February of 2011 – is perhaps best-known as the vibrant vice president of public relations for Conair Corp. in Stamford, the multibillion-dollar company founded by her father and noted for its beauty products and kitchen appliances.

A flair for the dramatic, a love of family and a passion for fashion are trademarks of this Westchester resident. ROAM ties them all together into one fashion-forward mix, an effort that finds Babe working hand-in-hand with her two daughters in a collaboration she playfully describes as “three babes.”

“I am so proud of my girls’ contributions,” she says. “I just know that they’re capable.”

Indeed, the effort is fully hands-on, with Sophia and Tatiana Wojczak taking on distinctive tasks to launch the new business, which Babe adds to her continuing duties at Conair.

Sophia, who has a background in hospitality and retail, designed the logo and promotion cards and does most of the buying, while Tatiana, a criminal-justice student at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, is “a satellite contributor,” working on the social media aspect and press releases as well as coordinating photo shoots.

Babe says that as a single mother for 15 years, “I’ve always had them with me,” helping with product launches and television segments and serving as spokesmodels.

ROAM taps into Babe’s own business expertise and strengths as well.

“Detail is my thing,” she says, adding that opening the door of a new boutique was not an impulse.

“We’ve been talking about doing it for two years, three years,” Babe says. “We were just waiting for … everything to line up.”

They wanted to be in Greenwich, have a great space and present something unique.

All that has been accomplished in ROAM, which is a play on both Babe’s Italian heritage (“When you think of fashion, you think of Paris, Rome, but we’re not just Italian designers”) and the idea of wandering.

“It was kind of like alluding to roaming around and finding things,” Babe says.

“That’s how our approach to buying is,” she adds.

It might be a dress Sophia spots in a designer showroom or handbags discovered on travels to Morocco.

“The roaming around, that’s what’s going to separate us, because most of the stores on the avenue are franchises,” Babe says, referring to the town’s main shopping boulevard, Greenwich Avenue.

Finding and showcasing the unique will be a strength.

“I kind of just have been going with what appeals to me,” Sophia says.

And that includes sleek teal leggings, leather-accented denim, tops with unusual detailing and coats with dramatic flourishes. There are also high-fashion shoes and glittering clutches, statement totes and jewelry with delicate stone details.

Individuality is encouraged, Sophia confirms.

“I just want women to feel good and feel comfortable.”

So far, they seem to be feeling just that at ROAM, which is housed in an airy space on West Elm Street just steps off Greenwich Avenue.

“I kind of like being off the avenue,” Sophia says. “It’s a little more laid-back.”

There’s no high-pressure salespeople or mandates of what is the must-have item or look.

Instead, Babe says, ROAM “lets people find their own style.”

Staffers, though, are more than willing to offer opinions when asked. As a young woman tried on an edgy, emerald-hued dress on a recent afternoon, she’s told how flattering and “totally modern” it looks.

And it does.

Babe seems fully in her element at ROAM, which goes beyond the bottom line.

“I really love clothes, so it’s more than even the idea of getting or being in retail.”

Participation in community events and working with nonprofit organizations, as well as having ROAM trunk shows at local events, will spread the shop’s name.

“There’s a little mystery still,” Babe says.

And they already look forward to the day when ROAM is a noted destination and perhaps even the flagship of a growing empire.

“I would eventually love to get one open in the city, you know – five-year plan,” says Sophia, who lives in New York City.

Right now, though, Babe says one of the toughest things is not buying up everything in the boutique herself.

With a hearty laugh, she rationalizes her frequent purchases in a way only she could: “I like to put a good karma on the register.”

ROAM is at 19 W. Elm St. in Greenwich. Call (203) 625-0200 or visit wheninroam.com. n

A mannequin dressed head to toe in ROAM fashions and accessories greets shoppers at the boutique’s entrance.

31

Seize the day George Constantin lives life to the fullest

By Georgette Gouveia Photograph by Sinéad Deane

eorge T. Constantin is not your typical businessman.

Cultured, multilingual and athletic, the president and CEO of Heritage Realty Services L.L.C. combines Old World sophistication with New World industry.

As he is fond of saying, “Time is the only commodity. Use it well.”

You’d have to say Constantin (pronounced “CON stan teen”) seems to use his time exceptionally well and not merely in tending the elite properties he co-owns or manages in Westchester County and New York City, totaling more than $400 million in assets. Spend some time with the man – say over a leisurely lunch in his office at 4 Gannett Drive in White Plains – and you discover a person with a deep love of family, church, community, his Greek heritage and hobbies that range from running and biking to fly fishing.

They’re all part of time well spent, a life that is well lived.

Cents…

Constantin’s well-roundedness is apparent the moment you walk into his office. The polished, carved wood desk and the sculpture of a seated horse that rests on the windowsill suggest an aesthetic eye. The matching carved wood and glass cabinets are filled with books, running shoes and banners that say “Dad.” The walls are graced with delicate images of brownstones.

“We love art, being creative,” he says. Indeed, art will play a role in the capital improvements already under way at 2, 3 and 4 Gannett Drive. The new entry to 4 Gannett has just been completed. A new conference center and café at 2 Gannett are slated to open Jan. 2.

Total cost of the entry, conference center and café is $1.2 million. Shuttle service from the buildings to the White Plains train station will go into effect sometime next year.

Meanwhile, the grounds – which make splendid use of the sculptural qualities of the rocks that were deposited here by glaciers some 10,000 years ago – are being re-landscaped. There’s new lighting, climate controls and hands-free bathrooms in all three of the buildings as well as an energy-efficient roof on 3 Gannett, WAG’s home.

All of this is the result of listening to tenants, Constantin says.

“It’s a people business and I really enjoy being around people. (Real estate) also requires a lot of common sense.”

And sensibility

“These last few years have been difficult. I’ve had to sit down with people in their 60s and 70s who have 32

never had the experiences they’re having now. I had one lady who was crying. I told her, ‘You don’t have to cry. I’m going to help you.’ You have to be respectful and sensitive and always, there are new ideas.”

When times get tough, Constantin suggests, the tough need to get creative. This shouldn’t be hard for Westchester County, he says, ticking off its abundant resources – an educated workforce, excellent public schools and numerous institutions of higher learning, premier retail centers like The Westchester and a suburban transportation network second to none in the metro area.

“The quality of life is very good here,” says the longtime Scarsdale resident, whose sons Alexander and Andreas have attended local public schools. His wife, Jennifer, is active in the Junior League of Central Westchester and Constantin himself enjoys running and biking on the Bronx River Parkway on Bicycle Sundays.

And yet, he sees a disconnect.

“The fact that there are vacancies along the (Interstate) 287 corridor baffles me,” he says, shaking his head. “There has to be a new public-private partnership,” one that reinvests in existing buildings, seeks new technology and biotech companies to go along with powerhouses like IBM and Regeneron, champions local union workers and provides startups with free rental space.

Constantin is following his own lead by giving temporary shelter at 4 Gannett to Kid’s Kloset – which provides clothing to children in need – while the nonprofit’s White Plains home recovers from fire and water damage.

But his vision goes beyond stopgap measures. Con-

stantin says he’s happy to work with Avalon Properties, which will turn two buildings behind 3 Gannett into residential housing, and Life Time Fitness Inc., which is transforming 1 Gannett into a 209,000-square-foot health and fitness destination, to create pathways and a track around the office park.

“We’ll be the only office park with a lifestyle component.”

Greek to him

Constantin’s is an immigrant’s story. He comes from the port city of Piraeus, Greece and grew up in a West German farming community. He speaks French and Spanish, along with Greek, German and English. At the local hall, he’d spend some time weekends watching “Bonanza” on TV. His sense of America was the Cartwright family’s Ponderosa spread.

So imagine the astonishment of an 11-year-old arriving in New York City with his divorced mother and staring up at the looming architecture.

That instilled in him a fascination with property and buildings. He paid for his education at Syracuse University by working summers at the Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale where he had “an affinity” for the gregarious real-estate execs who were members. He was already on his career path.

Constantin became vice president of Hospitality Consultants Inc., where he coordinated acquiring, developing and evaluating hotels, restaurants and mixeduse real estate in Florida and Texas. Then he spent 20 years with Helmsley-Spear Inc., working under Earle S. Altman, one of Harry Helmsley’s key people, ultimately becoming managing director of the company’s Institutional Realty Advisory Group.

He calls Helmsley-Spear perhaps “the last entrepreneurial real estate company.”

Entrepreneurship has surely been a topic of the yearly forums he organizes as chairman of the Real Estate Committee for the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, the first and foremost Greek-American business organization in the United States. Constantin is proud of his Greek roots, attending the Greek Or-

“We love art, being creative,” constantin says. Indeed, art will play a role in the capital improvements already under way at 2, 3 and 4 Gannett Drive. The new entry to 4 Gannett has just been completed. A new conference center and café at 2 Gannett are slated to open Jan. 2. thodox Church of Our Saviour in Rye, where his wife is president of the Ladies Philoptochos (Friends of the Poor) Society.

Along with his church, his family and Greek culture, he’s also passionate about fly-fishing at the Kensico Dam. “The day is here,” he says, echoing his philosophy.

“Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Use it. To me, fly fishing at the Kensico Dam is a good day.” n

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wear

Choosing that party dress When the invitation’s no help

By Debbi O’Shea

The fellows are still crazy for the lady in red, as in this Valentino number.

34

“Black Tie Optional.” I think most women would rather be served with divorce papers than open an invitation and see those three little words.

What exactly does that mean? A floor-length gown, a sequined cocktail dress or your best LBD? And what does that require of your significant other? Should you bring his tux to the cleaners?

Or will his best navy suit be appropriate? In a smaller, more rustic venue, say a Vermont inn for a 6 p.m. wedding, would charcoal flannel pants and a navy blazer do?

When it comes to event dressing, most people prefer to have it spelled out. In my experience, Black Tie Optional creates a bit of confusion resulting in a mixed bag of attire. I have also learned not to “assume” anything based on the venue. I’ve been to spectacular, no-expense-spared events that were not black tie. Why? You’ll have to ask the hosts.

What other attire requests spark a shiver of worry? “Festive Attire.” “Sparkling Attire.” “Dazzling Attire.” “Casual Chic.”

“Cocktail Attire.” I’ve received them all.

If you are unsure about what you should wear, the best way to find out is to communicate with the hostess. Generally, it is her vision, and attire may well play a part in the theme or mood she is trying to achieve. If you are accepting an invitation, it is your duty as a good guest to heed instructions.

For instance, you have a beautiful, long dress that you have only had occasion to wear once. You receive a Black Tie Optional invitation and are thrilled you will have a chance to wear it again.

But after touching base with the hostess, you find out only the bridal party will be wearing long (and so probably will Aunt Esther.) What to do? Wear short.

Or you’re invited to a costume party but hate to dress up. Some people love costume parties. Some people loathe them. Most of us feel extremely silly when we are getting dressed and even sillier on the drive over, dressed as the Cowardly Lion. Ultimately, when everyone arrives, it is a fun-filled night. The one thing you don’t want to do is accept and show up as a “couch potato.” If you can’t embrace the spirit of the event, decline the invitation.

I think it’s always acceptable for the hostess to be a notch more festive than her guests. After all, it’s her special day or night. One thing you don’t want to do is outshine her so it’s always safer to err on the side of something elegant and a little more conservative rather than giving a second outing to something you wore to your own important event.

What about business dinners or 7 p.m. charity events? If you’re coming from work, this would be a perfect night to wear your classic navy wool sheath dress. By day, pair it with boots and a cardigan. By night, change into burgundy suede Jimmy Choo pumps, ditch the cardigan, switch your day bag for an understated clutch and add a touch of bling. Similarly, if you don’t work, this is not the night to wear the short, bare LBD, you wore to your best friend’s 40th birthday party on a SoHo rooftop. You don’t have to wear a pinstripe suit, but your own ensemble should echo what the majority of attendees will be wearing.

I think everyone has had a moment when they looked around and felt like a fish out of water by appearing under- or overdressed. Of the two, I’ll take the latter every time. In a pinch, you can always let it be known that you will be attending “two parties” that night and will be leaving a bit early.

Given the choice, I’d rather appear glamorous than unwitting.

Visit Diva Debbi at divadebbi.blogspot.com. n

Seeding a future

Investor Stephanie Newby helps women entrepreneurs

S

tephanie Newby’s trajectory at J.P. Morgan had been by all accounts an impressive one; but for her, one that lacked purpose.

In the male-dominated industry of finance, Newby had ascended to the top ranks where she headed several global divisions, including futures and options and private banking.

But it wasn’t until she was offered a supporting role as chief operating officer of global equities that she felt she had hit the proverbial glass ceiling.

“You’re not running the whole business. You’re not running the revenue side,” she explains. “I could have said ‘no’ I suppose, but you don’t. I thought, wow, how could they let that happen?

I’m only one of two global business managers who are female and no one ever thought I wasn’t good at it,” she says of the Wall Street boys’ club.

It was then she decided she would start Golden Seeds – an investment firm dedicated to delivering above-market returns by giving capital to women entrepreneurs. Still, she would stay on at J.P. Morgan for two more years before embarking on that mission so she could rebuild her finances after a costly divorce in which she fought for custody of her two children, Adam and Holly, now 24 and 22 respectively.

Six months before she left the company she was asked to head up e-commerce, which was a new role in 1999, but by then she had checked out and had her sights on starting Golden Seeds.

Breaking the glass ceiling

“What I realized is that we needed more women owning and running companies from the beginning, because it’s all 36

By Patricia Espinosa about corporate culture. That is, if you have a culture that is 200 years old that’s always been basically run by men, it’s impossible for them to see the world differently,” Newby says.

Last month, she was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article about Ina Drew, the J.P. Morgan chief investment officer whose $6 billion trading loss forced her to resign.

In the article, Newby explained how women in those days kept their family matters hidden at the office. She made sure never to have pictures of her young children around or even mention them.

“You never wanted there to be an excuse for why you couldn’t get ahead,” she told the Journal.

Over a cup of tea in the kitchen of her Greenwich home, the Australian native described what it was like to work on Wall Street back then.

“So we pretended we weren’t women really or that we didn’t have any other responsibilities.”

She acknowledges, however, that a lot of progress has been made in the last 10 years. People feel more comfortable talking about how women are different than men instead of trying to prove that they’re the same. And that, she says, is a significant difference.

“Because a lot of studies about diversity have shown that it’s the diversity that’s valuable.”

One of those studies appeared in the Harvard Business Review, in which Anita Williams Woolley, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, found that a group’s collective intelligence had little to do with the IQs of its individual members. But if a group included more women, its collective intelligence rose.

Another report appearing last month in The Wall Street Journal from Dow Jones VentureSource, which tracks startups and

their investors, found that venture-capital backed companies with female senior executives are more likely to succeed than companies in which only males are in charge.

“I don’t want all women, because I believe in diversity. I think when you get men and women together, you get better results,” Newby says.

Getting her wings

This is the premise on which Golden Seeds was built.

Before launching that enterprise, however, she took some time off, sleeping in and playing lots of tennis. She also sailed around the world with her longtime love and future husband, Eddy Healy; his two children, Matias and Nicole; and her own.

Energized by the trip, she decided her next move ought to be learning the private equity business, so she volunteered to work for free at Bold Cap Ventures, a little fund started in 2001 by Kay Koplovitz – founder of USA Network – with women limited partners.

It was at BoldCap Ventures that Newby learned about angel investing, in which an individual provides capital for a startup in exchange for ownership equity. Many angel investors organize themselves in angel networks, like the one Newby joined, New York Angels, in which she was only one of three women in the 75-member group. That makeup, she says, is fairly typical in the business world.

“So we just tipped the normal ratios upside down,” she says, referring to the female/male ratios at the company she started in 2004.

Today, Golden Seeds’ angel network consists of 250 men and women, is the fourth largest in the U.S. and the third most active in terms of deals accomplished in 2011. Its venture capital group

of eight managing partners has two funds with $30 million under management and investments in 26 portfolio companies. A third fund hopes to raise $150 million.

Its mission is to support women entrepreneurs because women tend to get a smaller piece of the venture capital pie.

But Newby makes a distinction between women in business and women entrepreneurs.

“We’re only investing in high-growth businesses. So they have to be able to get $20 (million) to $30 million in revenue in five years,” she says.

All of the companies funded by Golden Seeds are still in business, some doing better than others, like Crimson Hexagon, which evaluates social media. So important is this company to Golden Seeds that Newby has stepped in as interim CEO while the board makes a management change.

“If this company does well, then our fund one is going to do really well. You only need a couple of companies to do really well for the whole fund to do well,” she says. “So I said I would go up there (Boston) and run it until the board had enough time to find a really great candidate.”

Supporting other women at Golden Seeds gave Newby the purpose that had eluded her throughout her career at J.P. Morgan, which for her made all the difference.

“I do think that if you’ve managed to create financial security then it’s fabulous to be able to do something that has real meaning. You’re not just working for money,” she says. “Once you’ve earned a big house, you can’t wait to get into a small house. So the point is you realize you don’t actually need all that money anyway. But until you’ve had it, you don’t actually know.” n

Stephanie Newby pictured at her Greenwich home.

Photograph by Matias Healy.

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Running with scissors Christopher Noland tailors cuts and conversations to clients

By Zoë Zellers Photographs courtesy of Christopher Noland Salon and Molinoff Photography L.L.C.

Hair stylist Christopher Noland doesn’t just want to make people look good. He wants them to feel good as well.

Two years ago, he realized his dream when he opened his own hair salon with John Castagnetti, his business and life partner of nearly seven years, on Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich. Despite tight competition from the area’s many salons, Christopher’s business is thriving, longtime clients are still with him and bringing friends and his philosophy remains the same: “I only want to give (clients) the best.

“Our salon is kind of like a stew. All the flavors complement each other and there isn’t one flavor that’s stronger than the rest, because if there is, that kind of ruins the stew.

“I hear from clients daily, ‘I love it here because everyone is so nice. The people around you are so good,’ and I have to be honest, that is the best compliment I could ever get.”

To maintain that atmosphere, Christopher relies on biz-savvy John, a former director of eyewear for a major brand who became co-owner, manager and head of public relations at the salon two years ago. The two share a Colonial with a modern interior in North Stamford with their three dogs – Napoleon, Carmela and Teddy Kennedy – and two cats, Oscar and Sophia.

When Christopher and John are not working, they love to catch a bite at local restaurants like China White in Greenwich, Arrosto in Port Chester and Le Pain Quotidien in Stamford, where they’re sure to bump into familiar faces. Home is “close enough to New York” and yet they 38

John Castagnetti and Christopher Noland

“enjoy the environment of Connecticut.”

Of their relationship, Christopher says, “Oh, I’m totally the artist. Jonathan will talk to me about business and I know certain things by instinct but not by experience. He has more experience there and I speak to what I have experience in.”

Yielding to each other’s expertise also played into the salon’s name.

“I didn’t want the salon to be my name.

John, from a marketing standpoint, thought that it would be better for it to be someone’s name. He was adamant and kept telling me, ‘It needs to be your name.

It does.’”

Plus, Christopher’s proud mother, Linda, still gets a kick out of calling for her son and hearing receptionists greet her with “Christopher Noland Salon.”

“When I first saw the awning, I cried,” Christopher says. “I was just so excited, you know? Now I see it and it’s funny because people make remarks to me, ‘Oh my God, you’re like famous’ and I’m just like, ‘OK, I do hair.’ You know what I mean? I like to make people happy and I do hair,” he says with a smile.

Christopher first picked up a pair of scissors at 13 – sewing scissors. He and his family moved around a lot. He learned to sew from his mom who wanted to make a pair of curtains for their new home in Newport, Fla. From curtains, he graduated to hair, his own.

“It was like a skater haircut, a tri-level shaved out underneath and really long on top, probably similar to Miley Cyrus’ hair right now.”

Soon after, Christopher’s look caught on and he was doing his friends’, their mothers’ and his own mother’s ‘dos.

A foray into fashion merchandising only proved his future was in hair. He immediately started landing positions at salons in Manhattan, Queens and Fairfield county until he finally was pushed by John to be his own boss and work “seven days a week.”

Much of his growth stems from Christopher’s uncanny ability to balance today’s trends with personal style and of course, functionality.

“It’s really just having an instinct and a conversation. If I recommend bangs to

someone and you want to give them a little of that downtown flavor and they’re kind of hesitant, I actually have bangs that I can clip on…. And if they’re like, ‘No, I hate hair on my face,’ trust me, I’m not going to do that,” he says.

And if by chance he does do something clients don’t like, he’s ready to fix it: “We’re always giving them that return policy.”

Looking forward, Christopher is anticipating winterizing dry, damaged hair with a popular protective keratin treatment ($300) and is also foreseeing “a lot more short hair,” thanks to fashionably sheared actresses like Selma Blair, Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway.

Sensitive by nature, Christopher takes his conversational cues from his clients.

But adds, not surprisingly, “The thing that’s really strong in our salon is conversation: ‘Where are you going?’ ‘What are you looking for?’ And then of course, remembering that, because if you have an in-depth conversation….Chances are, you’re going to remember it….

“And if someone really doesn’t want to talk to me, you know what? I get it. This is really their time….It’s about the client and how the client feels and sometimes things get a little fun and a little loud, and sometimes they don’t,” Christopher acknowledges. “But it’s good to appreciate it when it does.”

For appointments at Christopher Noland Salon, 124 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, call (203) 622-4247 or visit christophernoland.com. n

GREENSPACE

39

Oil and water do mix for Jilly Dyson

By Georgette Gouveia All images courtesy of the artist

40 “A Red Sail” by Jilly Dyson.

Jilly Dyson has “sailed” the world on her marine paintings, whose swirling impasto evokes both Winslow Homer and J.M.W. Turner. I caught up with her on a beautiful fall day aboard SeaFair, the megayacht venue for exhibits and dining, when it was docked in Greenwich. At the time, I was as struck by her presence – a gentle, friendly manner; white-blond hair and Botticelli bone structure – as I was by her Turner-esque seascapes on display.

Jilly divides her time between Sydney – she’s actually a native Kiwi – and this country. At the time we met, she was just about to fly off to the Southern Hemisphere and summer (lucky stiff). But she and her work stayed in my mind and a few days later, I requested an email interview.

Herein is our conversation: Jilly, why did you decide to become a painter? “(It) began more as a feeling, a yearning that my mother recognized and encouraged. She brought me my first box of oil paints when I was 6. I remember those paints flummoxed me quite a bit, but I loved their tantalizing smell. That was the beginning. It was that smell, I think.

My kids say it probably explains why I’m loopy.”

Why the choice of marine painting over, say, portraits?

“I grew up on a coastal farm near the Bay of Islands in New Zealand. Riding horses with my young sister, I’d have to say even more than the luscious smells of oil paint, the splendor of sea and sky started the creative juic-

Jilly Dyson in her Sydney studio.

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“Homeward Bound” by Jilly Dyson.

es running. That huge, vast expanse of shimmering seas and sky everywhere you looked.

“A love of the sea has always been in the family. My great-grandfather was Capt. William Boyd, who brought settlers to New Zealand in the 1870s. My brother wrote books on sailing.

“The Bay of Islands is one of the most glorious places on earth to grow up in. It was a wonderful childhood filled with a zest for adventure. On days pouring with rain, my parents usually decided it would be a great day for a picnic. We’d climb in the Land Rover and set out for a wild, remote stretch of rocky beach, light a fire and steam pippies (New Zealand clams) in the teeming rain.”

But you didn’t stay “down on the farm.”

“I left the farm as a young woman to live in Italy where I spent several years studying in the great museums. Fortunately, I was always able to sell enough work to survive and buy materials. Even from Liberty of London (gallery) at a very early stage in my career. I’ve been lucky that way.

It was the beginning of my lifelong journey as a painter, first in Europe and then to Sydney where I live now.”

That journey has often brought you to WAG country.

“I have been selling and exhibiting in Connecticut (and New York) for about 15 years, particularly Katonah. Year in year out, we had exhibitions and I developed a wonderful clientele. It was so great to go back and visit magnificent Connecticut homes and see my works framed, spot-lit and hung over fireplaces. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. The feeling of pride was enormous.

42

“Then came the World Trade Center tragedy. It was like turning off a tap. I holed up in my home in Sydney, but just kept painting. I painted every day. I still do. I never go to sleep at night not feeling exhilarated about the work I plan to tackle next day. There’s no doubt the more experienced, the better the painter. And I believe the older I become, the wiser. It reflects in my work.

“Over the years since 9/11, I never stopped visiting Connecticut, often twice a year. Last January I ventured to Old Greenwich and spent a day hiking around Tod’s Point. The silver skies and the complete and utter glory were indescribable.

I went for three weeks and ended up staying for eight months. I lived in a little garden flat at the Harbor House Inn. Rather exposed to the elements, but I’d have to say it was possibly the greatest experience in my life. When the sun shone, I lay the paintings out on the grass to dry. I worked on several at a time with Old Holland paints and oils – layers and layers to build up a thick crusty texture, in chilly winds or burning sun. Often I used my hands instead of brushes. I walked around the island every day and painted outside whenever possible.

“If it wasn’t for my children and a new visa, I’d still be there. Something about the searing, silvery light and the change of seasons. It’s what a painter lives for. The expo aboard the SeaFair was a culmination of these works.”

Who inspires them and you?

“Since I can remember, I loved Picasso’s Rose Period.

Such feeling and emotion. I find it difficult to understand art without a rush of some kind of emotion – sad, happy,

peaceful, angry, anything but blank. I went through the great Impressionists, loving and learning from their work.

Joseph Mallord William Turner: How ahead of his time he was, to capture the feeling of sea and sky rather than an actual picture. Every brush stroke fraught with emotion and a lifetime of skill. ‘To touch on beauty is to touch on the sublime.’ I’ve forgotten who said that but it’s pure Turner.”

“It was so great to go back and visit magnificent Connecticut homes and see my works framed, spot-lit and hung over fireplaces. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

The feeling of pride was enormous.”

What’s next?

“I am back in Sydney now spending time with my two grownup kids. It is magnificent, but as usual either relentlessly blue or gray and dull. I hope to go to Nantucket in the spring. That expanse of sea and sky makes me tingle to get my hands on a paintbrush. I may even live there, who knows? How lucky am I?” Contact Jilly Dyson at jillymarie.dyson@gmail.com. n

43

Silver fox The timeless beauty of Cindy Joseph

By Mary Shustack Photographs by Bob Rozycki and courtesy Cindy Joseph

I

t’s still generally considered impolite to ask any woman her age.

But then Cindy Joseph isn’t just any woman, which you quickly realize about the laidback, personable and, yes, beautiful, fashion model.

During a visit to her artfully eclectic 1898 Yonkers home perched above the Hudson River, Cindy offers up her age without even being asked.

“I am 61-and-three-quarters years old,” she proclaims. “Every moment of my life has been important.”

Cindy’s perspective is downright refreshing to anyone struggling with the concept of aging.

“It’s not time to accept it,” she says. “It’s time to celebrate it.”

She is a shining example of second – and third – acts that offer a renewed sense of life’s possibilities.

After more than 25 years as a makeup artist for the fashion industry, Cindy was “discovered” at age 49 on a Manhattan

44

street, the start of a modeling career that not only capitalizes on her gloriously silver hair but continues to defy long-held beliefs about beauty being confined to youth.

And if that weren’t enough, Cindy translated that high profile into a third career by launching BOOM! By Cindy Joseph, a cosmetics line that focuses on highlighting a woman’s natural beauty.

Not bad for “a total, absolute, by-thebook California flower child,” as Joseph describes her younger self.

The early years

Growing up outside San Francisco – where she and her girlfriends would catch a bus to attend shows featuring Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and Cream – Joseph was a cosmetics junkie until a dramatic turn in 1969.

“I was addicted to makeup when I was in high school,” she says. “I would wear two pairs of eyelashes. …Once I let go of that I was totally the other way. I was

anti-beauty and fashion. …How I ended smack in the middle of the fashion industry in New York City is amazing.”

Over time, Cindy realized that she could celebrate beauty, individual and natural, by doing makeup for local photographers. A pivotal assignment with photographer Oliviero Toscani, in San Francisco to work with Esprit de Corps, provided all the advice and inspiration she needed.

“The way to get to New York from a small town in America, to have credibility, was to go to Europe and work for a year or two,” Cindy says. A three-year stint in Paris allowed her to settle in New York where her signature – a natural style that capitalized on a woman’s individual strengths – earned her steady work with celebrities and supermodels such as Cindy Crawford.

Next came what Cindy casually calls “the modeling thing.” Being approached by a scout for Dolce & Gabbana led to a campaign with a renowned photographer

that would launch countless assignments.

“It was a tearsheet from Steven Meisel,” she says. “It was a ticket.”

Still, she was shocked that as a 5-foot7 49-year-old, she was even considered, since she long thought models had to be “18 years old, 18 feet tall and be 18 pounds.”

But Cindy indeed was model material, signed by Ford Models Inc., which led to work with clients ranging from Macy’s to Sundance, Banana Republic to J. Crew and so many more.

At first bemused, one day she says she realized, “Oh, duh, boomers want to see themselves in ads.”

By that point in her life, she had the confidence to pull it off.

“I realized being photogenic was really about feeling good in your skin, not being self-conscious. …By the time I was 49, I was like ‘This is me. Take it or leave it.’”

Pro (style) choice

Along with modeling, she was able

Cindy Joseph

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to realize a longtime dream when she launched her own cosmetics line, BOOM!

By Cindy Joseph, some two years ago. “They sell a lot of makeup because of our fear of aging,� she says of the industry.

BOOM! would be different, something that “didn’t tell women they had to fix anything. ‌You’re right exactly the way you are. What cosmetic line does that?â€?

Cindy says she’s supports a woman’s choice to do whatever she wants to herself – to color her hair, for example, if she does it for herself, not to please others. “When it comes from fun and pleasure, I’m all for it,� she says.

Her makeup, she adds, is designed to bring out the beauty that women show when they are enjoying life. “I always say if you’re working out or making out, if you’re dancing or romancing.�

In brief, her line features natural ingredients and her signature BOOMSTICKS, in Color, Glo and Glimmer, and BOOMSILK moisturizer offer women of all ages products that bring out a natural color, moisture and sparkle.

As Cindy juggles new BOOM! products, modeling assignments, a weekly video blog and travel, she finds herself called on more and more to talk about what she calls the “pro-age revolution.�

She takes part in activities involving an organization called Silver Sisters – “to show the world how gorgeous silver can be� – and was interviewed by Jane Pauley at AARP’s Life@50+ convention in New Orleans in September.

Cindy, mother of two grown children, is often accompanied by her fiancĂŠ, Bruce Kocher, as they promote the cosmetics line across the country. “BOOM! is our baby. BOOM! is the hungry baby,â€? she says with a laugh. “When are we going to get around to hav-

ing a wedding when the baby is screaming all the time?�

On the road

This month, she will be speaking and showcasing her cosmetics at Terri Optics in Dobbs Ferry, where she is also a customer.

Optician Teresa Gelsi says she first recognized Cindy from Eileen Fisher ads.

The women got to chatting, with Gelsi now a BOOM! devotee.

She’s expecting a great turnout since whenever Cindy stops by, it causes a bit of a stir. “Whatever middle-aged woman is in here, all the time, they get a girl-crush on her,� Gelsi says with a laugh.

It is Cindy’s accomplishments and her message that resonate with her and other women, Gelsi says. “I need role models. I’m 55. She’s a little bit older than I am. She can be my role model.�

But Gelsi notes that two of her team members, both in their 20s, are equally excited about Cindy’s appearance, “so it’s that ‘trickle down.’�

And that’s exactly what Cindy is all about – getting women of all ages to acknowledge, address and embrace aging. “I want them to keep that conversation alive. I want to keep it going. I want women to realize their own value, because that’s when others will value us,� Cindy says.

And she says the next generation can be inspired as well. “What great news for young people to hear: ‘Guess what? It gets better.’�

Cindy Joseph will be speaking and showcasing BOOM! By Cindy Joseph from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at Terri Optics, 468 Broadway in Dobbs Ferry.

For more details, call (914) 693-0035.

For more on Cindy Joseph and BOOM!, visit boombycindyjoseph.com. n

Lights, camera, cello

By Georgette Gouveia

Paula Zahn performing with the Sejong Orchestra at Zankel 47 Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2008.

Paula Zahn and Philippe de Montebello, co-hosts of Thirteen-WNET’s “NYC-ARTS.”

48

M Music or journalism?

Why not choose both?

Paula Zahn – broadcast journalist, cellist and allaround cultural goddess – has always found a way to combine her passion for reporting that gets it right with her love of the husky, dusky cello, whether she was part of a musical ensemble of colleagues on CBS or playing with civic orchestras during TV stints in Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Diego.

For the last four years, though, she has had perhaps the perfect gig for a journalist who’s also culturally minded. As co-host of Thirteen-WNET’s popular, acclaimed “NYC-ARTS” (with former Metropolitan Museum of Art director and fellow Emmy Award-winner Philippe de Montebello), Zahn offers viewers a unique perspective on everything from the classical institutions to the cuttingedge artists that make up New York City.

“I look at us as curators of arts and culture in New York,” she says. “We’re filling a huge void in the landscape. And we’re not afraid to be unpredictable, compelling and relevant.”

Indeed, an “NYC-ARTS” program might feature a Zahn interview with contemporary composer John Adams, whose operas are known for their driving melodies and controversial subjects (“Nixon in China,” “Doctor Atomic”), along with a look at the stately Frick Collection in “The Curator’s Choice” segment. Meanwhile, news correspondent Christina Ha, a longtime Westchester resident, gives viewers a taste of the weekly arts happenings about town.

Thirteen-WNET, PBS’ flagship, extends the reach of “NYC-ARTS” through mobile apps and by sharing its content with PBS stations around the country. So important is the show that earlier this year, Thirteen moved it to prime time (8 p.m. Thursdays) from the Sunday afternoon slot where it had been a fixture since its 2008 debut.

(Encores are presented at noon Sundays.)

“PBS is the only place you can go to consistently for this kind of coverage,” Zahn says.

Grace under fire

As she talks in the intimate, state-of-the-art WNET Tisch Studios at Lincoln Center – where she’s taping stand-ups, promos and an interview with Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis – Zahn holds your gaze with her light blue-green eyes. She has a radiance that’s underscored by her choice of jewel-toned, autumnal outfits – forest green and burgundy with gold accents. This is one reporter who’s not afraid to get up close and personal, to

borrow a phrase from ABC, one of the four major networks and channels where she was an anchor. (The others are CBS, CNN and Fox News.)

When you’re introduced to her, she takes your hand firmly and holds it with both of hers. Folks at WNET like to tell the story of the time she was the only reporter to get persnickety Cuban leader Fidel Castro to answer a question directly by situating herself at the front of a line after making her way through a throng of reporters. It’s no wonder she’s scored interviews with President

Zahn’s radiance is polished by a professionalism and poise. On the set, she is meticulous down to the last blond hair that might be slightly out of place.

(Still, she’s playful enough to joke with “NYC-ARTS” editorial director Joan Hershey, the crew and her WAG visitors that she doesn’t want any cleavage showing, because “this is, after all, PBS.”) Obama and his seven immediate predecessors, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams and movie icon Katharine Hepburn.

Zahn’s radiance is polished by a professionalism and poise. On the set, she is meticulous down to the last blond hair that might be slightly out of place. (Still, she’s playful enough to joke with “NYC-ARTS” editorial director Joan Hershey, the crew and her WAG visitors that she doesn’t want any cleavage showing, because “this is, after all, PBS.”) Zahn has exhibited her grace in everything from hosting the WNET broadcast of Andrea Bocelli’s 2011 concert in Central Park, where Mother Nature offered percussion of her own, to going live on CNN with Aaron Brown to cover the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 – her very first day with the cable network.

With fond humor, she remembers the Bocelli event – which began with a storm right out of the Brontës and ended with stars onstage and in the heavens.

“Our single greatest concern was not getting electrocuted that night,” she says laughing. “Our second was that the audience would flee through the driving rain, which they didn’t being tough New Yorkers. And our third was whether Bocelli would tough it out, which, of course, he did.”

Her mood turns serious when she recalls covering 9/11. Zahn wasn’t scheduled to report to CNN until the following day. But when the planes hit, she called her then boss, Walter Isaacson, in Atlanta and said, “Where do you need me? ...I need to come into work.”

She wasn’t even sure yet where CNN’s New York City bureau was. But she made her way there on foot from her home on the Upper East Side and went live with Aaron Brown as F-16s swarmed overhead and the cable network was flooded with information, some of it wrong.

Throughout the day, Zahn strove to honor the dead and serve the living by sifting fact from fiction. You can’t help but think the qualities she exhibited then were born, or at least strengthened, by the dedication musicianship requires.

Certainly, she has a visceral insight into the artists she interviews, like conductor-pianist Daniel Barenboim and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, with whom she has performed.

“I think as any parent knows who tries to instill in a child the love of a musical instrument, discipline is an integral part of musical training. …It’s given me an enormous respect for what goes into training and a greater appreciation of (the artists’) tremendous passion and dedication to their craft.”

Getting to Carnegie Hall

Like most musicians, Zahn, an Omaha, Neb., native, was introduced to the craft at an early age.

“I grew up in a very musical family,” she says.

Her mother, a pianist, was the high school sweetheart of composer Henry Mancini, known for the insouciant “Pink Panther” theme and the plaintive “Moon River,” among other compositions. Zahn’s siblings played percussion, clarinet and violin. But when 5-year-old Paula stretched out her hand to the instruments assembled in the cafeteria of her suburban Chicago public school, it alighted on a cello.

“Grateful” is a word that laces Zahn’s conversation.

“Grateful” is what her parents felt with her choice.

“I don’t think they could’ve tolerated another percussionist or wind player.”

Zahn practiced four hours a day and earned a cello 49

Paula Zahn served as mistress of ceremonies for Carnegie Hall’s opening night, 2006.

All photographs courtesy of Paula Zahn and “Discovery ID.”

50

scholarship to Missouri’s Stephens College, touring the country in a trio that fulfilled a scholarship requirement.

But it was also in college that the journalism bug bit and “the fever got me.”

There were internships at the BBC in London and CBS in Chicago.

“It was my first real exposure to how the news business worked. I loved to take on controversial subjects.” She’s still doing that as the host of Investigation Discovery’s crime series “On the Case With Paula Zahn,” which no doubt reminds viewers of the kind of investigative reporting she did on CBS’ “48 Hours.”

Zahn made her on-camera debut with Dallas’ WFAATV in 1978, working her way up to co-anchor ABC’s “World News This Morning” in 1987. In the early ’90s, she co-anchored “CBS This Morning,” then spent three years at the Fox News Channel followed by almost six at CNN, which included her prime-time program “Paula Zahn Now.” Then came the day when Neal Shapiro – president and CEO of WNET, who had been the host of “SundayArts” – called to say, “I want to fire myself so I can hire you.”

Throughout her broadcast career, however, music has remained a strong thread. In 1992, Zahn made her Carnegie Hall debut with The New York Pops, led by Skitch Henderson in a piece Henderson composed for Zahn.

Call it a variation on the “CBS This Morning” theme — “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!”.

“It was the most terrifying, exhilarating experience. I worked closely with Skitch and there were a dozen rehearsals. But what I remember was the feeling of walking out onto the stage with the cello and playing that first note. There’s nothing to compare to the acoustics at Carnegie Hall.”

Two years later, she was the only nonprofessional musician in an orchestra of 100 cellists playing transcriptions

by Pablo Casals under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich in St. Petersburg. Talk about cello heaven.

Zahn remembers the maestro, a cello virtuoso himself, as “passionate” and “demanding.”

“It’s no easy feat to conduct a 100-cello orchestra, but he was able to combine all of us into a rich sound. We got three standing ovations.”

That’s impressive when you consider that the Russian audience is made up of some of the most ardent and discerning music lovers in the world. So is the South Korean audience, which Zahn has gotten to know performing with the Sejong Orchestra in Seoul and at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall.

When Zahn looks back on these experiences, she’s both grateful for her luck and sad for those youngsters who’ve been deprived in recent years of musical education in the public schools. She’s made sure her three children have been exposed to the arts. Her son, who studied Suzuki violin, plays guitar and composes.

For Zahn, “NYC-ARTS” is a way of whetting students’ appetites as well as inspiring friends old and new to inject a little culture into their weekends.

“Whatever I can do to help the arts,” she says, “I’ll do.” n

way

A charmed life The Columns blends the modern with the historical

By Mary Shustack Photographs by Bob Rozycki and Tim Lee

51

Presented by Houlihan Lawrence

THE COLUMNS at a Glance

• Mount Kisco • 5,789 square feet • 9.6 acres • Bedrooms: 8 • Baths: 7 full, 1 half • Amenities: Alarm system, close to shops, eat-in kitchen, five fireplaces, guest and caretaker cottages, Lord & Burnham greenhouse, master bath, patio, two ponds, pool with pool house, privacy, powder room, river, skylights, tennis and basketball courts, two-hole golf course with three tees, three-car detached garage, walk-in closets.

• Price: $4.877 million 52

Bill Lewis

he Columns, a relaxed spread that straddles Mount Kisco and the town of New Castle, is a property with a storied past.

After all, it’s not every home that can truthfully state “Frank Sinatra slept here.”

But then again, the former owners of the home long known as the “Cerf-Wagner estate” were themselves notables who rubbed shoulders with the elite of the literary, entertainment and political worlds.

The eight-bedroom, seven-and-a-half bath classic 1927 Colonial was the country retreat of Bennett Cerf, the head of Modern Library and Random House publishing, who went on to more widespread fame as the author of humor books and a panelist on the popular television show “What’s My Line?”

In the early 1930s, Cerf purchased the estate on the banks of the Kisco River. With his 1940 marriage to Phyllis Fraser, an actress, journalist and publisher, he and their growing family would build their life together there (and in Manhattan) until Cerf’s death in 1971. His widow would go on to marry former New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr., and they would live at The Columns, part time, until his death in 1991.

Over time, the property’s guest cottage, a spacious retreat complete with a large living room, full-size bedroom and two baths, hosted notables from Sinatra to Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) to John F. Kennedy, among others.

The 5,789-square-foot main residence, tapped for a recent New Castle Historical Society house tour, today retains much of its historic charm thanks to current owners Bill and Jane Lewis, who have made substantial renovations over the past 15 years while retaining the home’s original character.

The lure of the country

The Lewises were living on a houseboat at the 79th Street Boat Basin on the Hudson River when they de-

cided it was time to return to dryland.

Bill Lewis, a veteran of the employment and training industry, says he came home early from work one day to find his then-8-year-old son watching television.

“This is not a way for a kid to grow up,” he remembers saying. “The boat basin was not a place for play dates.”

And it was very unlike his own childhood in Yonkers, full of outdoor adventures.

After a house search that focused on Westchester, they came across the property that captivated them from the start. Lewis says his wife, upon seeing the abundance of books, the fireplaces and the foyer, was hooked.

“The bookshelves were full of first editions because of Bennett Cerf,” he remembers, pointing out to the foyer.

“Jane walks that far in here and says ‘Bill, buy this house.’”

And that was basically it.

Of course, they did their research and were taken not only with the home, its past and its grounds, but also its more practical attractions such as its school district, a key factor for their sons, now aged 29 and 19.

The home’s 9.6 private acres – threaded by a long, gently curving drive that leads to the main house – feature buildings that fall under the town of New Castle and thus, the Chappaqua school system. The remaining three-plus acres are part of the village of Mount Kisco and provide the address.

The Lewises felt at home from the moment they arrived, complete with a new station wagon and a grill picked up at a store on the drive up. That first weekend would be spent assembling the grill.

“Immediately we became suburbanites,” Lewis says with a laugh.

Today, it’s easy to see what so captivated the Lewises.

The dramatic entrance foyer, which leads right through to the back of the house, is anchored by an understatedly elegant staircase. A side hallway houses the original telephone room, a sweet reminder of the home’s age.

French doors open onto a formal living room, a gracious space complete with one of the home’s five fireplaces.

Fireplaces – and so much more

Though the home appeals in any season, Lewis remarks, “What could be better than sitting around the fireplace, or three or four, on a snowy day?”

A built-in bookcase wall adds a literary touch, with many of the books left behind from the original owners.

A library/den is a cozy retreat complete with leather furniture and evocative paneling, while the spacious dining room – home for countless gatherings of extended family and friends – includes a large bay window and yet another fireplace. A butler’s pantry leads into a large, renovated kitchen, which includes not only a sitting area with a bay window and gas fireplace, but a breakfast room with cathedral ceilings at the opposite end. Rounding out the Bilotta-designed kitchen are statuary marble countertops, an island with prep sink and butcher block and professional appliances.

A pair of bedrooms lies beyond the kitchen area, complete with a separate entrance and back staircase, allowing for easy conversion to office, studio or other use.

An office at the house’s other end, now used by Jane, a psychoanalyst with a Manhattan-based practice, could also convert to a guest or second master suite with its bay windows and private bath.

Upstairs, the true master suite includes a fireplace, built-ins and a French door leading to a Juliet balcony.

A large walk-in dressing room is adjacent to his-and-her bathrooms. Another office, this one Bill’s, again features the trademark bay windows. Five more bedrooms of varying sizes complete this floor, which offers access to a walk-up attic. A lower-level family room – renovated in 2010 to include a wet bar, wall-to-wall carpeting and an unexpected touch in two restaurant-style booths – boasts 53

space for entertainment, exercise and access to the large storage, laundry and utility rooms.

Out of doors

Step outside onto a veranda to glimpse the two-story columns that give the property its name.

The backyard gently slopes down to the scenic Kisco River, which is bordered by conservation land on its other bank.

It’s a view well-savored from ample seating scattered about.

The outdoor amenities also include a flagstone patio featuring a professionalgrade outdoor grill system; a two-hole golf course with three tees; and an in-ground pool complete with a heated flagstone deck and a pool house with his-and-her changing and bathrooms, a kitchenette and stone barbecue.

A leisurely glance reveals a tennis/basket54

ball court, two ponds with algae-treatment systems, a full garden and a Lord & Burnham heated greenhouse. A caretaker’s cottage and maintenance buildings complete the wellmaintained and landscaped grounds.

One can’t imagine wanting to leave this private and expansive retreat, but Lewis says he and Jane, with their love of travel and plans of returning to houseboat living, are finding it a practical, if bittersweet, decision.

“It’s so comfortable and wonderful and here all the experiences are great – but there’s two of us.”

For more information, contact Susan Battaglia at Houlihan Lawrence at (914) 238-4766, ext. 304, (914) 4003466 or sbattaglia@houlihanlawrence.com. n

Saying ‘no’ to hoochie mamas Stella McCaffrey does tasteful for tweens and teens

By Patricia Espinosa “It was divine intervention,” says Greenwich’s Stella McCaffrey, newly minted designer and entrepreneur, about losing her banking job with French conglomerate BNP Paribas during the recent financial crisis.

“Because, really, I wouldn’t have had the guts to leave a very high-paying job to start my own dress company.”

So after more than 16 years working on Wall Street, the newly divorced

Stella M’Lia designer Stella McCaffrey. Photographs by Stephanie Haig.

mother of two launched Stella M’Lia, a line of special-occasion dresses for girls ages 9 to 16. She came up with the name by combining hers with that of her children. “M” stands for son Michael and Lia is daughter Katherine’s middle name.

The impetus for creating Stella M’Lia occurred when Katherine turned 12 and began receiving two to three invitations a month for bar/bat mitzvahs.

“Katherine needed fairly dressy dresses, and the shock of it all was when you went out to the stores you couldn’t find anything that was appropriate or tasteful because a lot of it was black, bedazzled, short and tight spandex, which made the girls look like ‘hoochie mamas’ before they were even technically teenagers,” says the mom.

“A lot of the dresses would be too mature, too exposed or gave off a lot of messages that I don’t think these girls are ready or even aware they are putting out there.”

Feeling under pressure to compromise and spend a lot of money on something she didn’t like, McCaffrey realized these girls were being underserved in the marketplace. That revelation, combined with her professional background and passion for designing, made her uniquely prepared to launch Stella M’Lia. “I always wanted to do something entrepreneurial and in fashion, but I never thought that it was a serious career,” says the self-proclaimed math and science geek, who put her dream on hold while she earned an engineering degree in her native Manila and later an MBA in marketing and finance from Carnegie Mellon University.

55

Audrey, Katherine, Mia, Izzy, Natalie and Ava modeling Stella M’Lia dresses. Hair and makeup provided by the Jaafar Tazi Salon in Greenwich. Hair stylist – Katy; makeup artist – Javier Diaz.

As a young girl growing up in the Philippines, she remembers how her mother always had Vogue magazine lying around the house.

“We were always exposed to fashion,” she says.

But with five kids, there wasn’t a lot of flexible income to spend on clothing. So the budding designer learned from an early age that if she needed a dress, she would have to design it herself, find the material and hire a seamstress to make it. It wasn’t until she came to the U.S. at age 26 for an engineering internship that she started to buy clothes off the rack. Still, even then she would “re-engineer” the garments.

Indeed, just days before her wedding, she decided her dress had too much material so, without a second thought, the bride asked her seamstress to rip off the sleeves altogether.

“This was not foreign to me,” she says 56

of her penchant for putting her personal mark on clothes.

Her dress line is inspired by those she refers to as “the masters,” including Valen-

they’ll look good on a variety of shapes.

“These are party dresses first and foremost,” McCaffrey says. “But we draw the line. We don’t want to be pageant-wear or

“These are party dresses first and foremost.

But we draw the line. We don’t want to be pageant-wear or ‘Toddlers & Tiaras.’ I think Honey Boo Boo would find the clothes extremely boring.” tino, Proenza Schouler, Versace, Carolina Herrera and Alberta Ferretti. With a keen eye on the runway, McCaffrey distills the best ideas into trends that are appropriate for tweens and teens to wear.

The challenge, she says, is creating designs that fit girls’ changing bodies. For that reason, the dresses are constructed with a bit of wiggle room to ensure that

‘Toddlers & Tiaras.’ I think Honey Boo Boo would find the clothes extremely boring,” she adds with a smiling reference to the 6-year-old beauty queen featured on “T&T.” That niche strategy has already paid off not just from a financial standpoint – the dress line is sold in 45 better specialty stores in 18 states as well as Australia, New

Zealand and Canada – but from a personal one as well.

“As a business, we are grateful to be able to support charitable causes for women and children in the U.S. and through UNICEF and generate job opportunities for moms and dislocated factory workers in deeply impoverished areas in my native Philippines.

“And now that my kids are teenagers, I have to be more vigilant. I think it’s more critical for a parent to be around,” she says about being able to work from home.

“So from a lifestyle perspective, this company is more aligned with my priorities, what I should be focusing on at this point.”

Stella M’Lia dresses, which range from $100 to $300, are available at Darien Sport Shop, Hoagland’s of Greenwich, Wishlist, All Dressed Up and stellamlia.com. n

Where Experience and Vision Blend Beautifully

The Institute for Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery at Hudson Valley Hospital Center keeps growing, adding more talented, board certiďŹ ed cosmetic surgeons and more innovative treatments. Drs. C. Andrew Salzberg and R. Michael Koch who developed a reputation for excellence as members of the New York Group for Plastic Surgery have been joined by Dr. Jordan Jacobs. The Institute for Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery team also welcomes Drs. Kayvan Keyhani, William Losquadro, Dennis Pastena. These doctors add new capabilities to the wide range of reconstructive and aesthetic surgeries and non-surgical cosmetic treatments already offered.

Every procedure is performed in our state-of-the-art private surgery suites, in a comfortable, technologically advanced new facility. It’s a beautiful thing.

A partial listing of our many services offered:

Cosmetic Surgery Breast Augmentation One-Step Breast Reconstruction Tummy Tuck Face Lift Liposuction BOTOX Injectable Fillers

Oculoplastic Surgery Rhinoplasty Nasal Reconstruction Hand Surgery

Institute for Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery

For more information, please call 914-293-8700

hv

g r o . hc

*Model featured is not a patient.

1980 Crompond Road Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567

57

58

A Milkshake for the soul

By Patricia Espinosa

“I

like having 9,000 balls in the air,” says entrepreneur Amy Jurkowitz.

“I do better that way.”

The busy mother of five (three of whom are applying to college this year) isn’t kidding.

With two businesses – Milkshake, a website she co-founded about individuals and organizations that give back, and Jurkowitz & Co., a consulting firm – the Greenwich resident thrives on organized chaos.

But working hard and thinking outside the box are nothing new for Jurkowitz, whose grandfather, Charles W. Lubin, founded Sara Lee, the food company he named after his daughter, Jurkowitz’s mother.

“I come from a family of entrepreneurs.

It has always been in my blood,” says Jurkowitz, who saw firsthand growing up how a company could flourish.

“That was a big success story and I’ve also seen when things don’t work. But my dream has always been to have my own companies, run them and build a brand and connect with customers,” says the petite mom, who nonetheless packs a punch.

‘Here I go again’

Straight out of college, Jurkowitz took a job at a big sports marketing firm where she was able to combine her love of sports – she played tennis for Colgate University – with business. From there she went to business school at Northwestern University where she met her future husband, Dan. After graduating, Jurkowitz applied for a Paramount Pictures producer-intraining position in Los Angeles. With 10,000 applicants and only five positions open, she never expected to land the job.

“Somehow, I got the job but,” she says laughing, “I also got the ‘Will you marry me?’”

Following her heart, Jurkowitz chose love over the glamour of Hollywood.

The couple married and she took a job with Unilever, which she says was the best thing that happened to her, because it was there she learned how to run a brand with a bottom-line focus.

“I stopped working for a while, but I knew I was always going to go back,” she says about taking time off to start a family (five kids in four years, including twins).

After her third child, she decided to go back to Unilever, but in the end, her crazy hours at work were taking their toll on her young family. So again, she took time off to be home with her kids.

When her youngest was 2, she and her friend Tina Mikkelson had the idea to start an upscale workout and loungewear

line for women and called it Material. In two short years, they were in 200 stores.

This was around the same time Lululemon hit the scene. But unlike Lululemon, they didn’t own their own stores.

“We made a lot of mistakes, but we learned a ton.”

Their biggest mistake, she says, was not bringing in someone who knew the retail trade. Eventually, Material disbanded but the partners remained good friends.

In 2007, Barry Sternlicht – founder and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, a private investment firm focused on global real estate – asked her to consult on three new hotel brands he was creating at his company. She describes the role as ideal, except for the fact that after two years, she was back to working overtime and not having enough time for her family.

“Here I go again,” she remembers thinking to herself about not being able to find a balance.

It was at that point the go-getter decided to leave Starwood Capital Group to launch her own Jurkowitz & Co., a consulting firm for people who have ideas but don’t know how to launch them.

“It’s about being passionate and curious about different segments and seeing something that someone else hasn’t seen,” she says, describing what she’s done throughout her career.

“Because anyone can have an idea and people have them all the time, but I’m really good at taking action. I can do it and I can see that nothing’s going to stop me.”

“I go in, do my piece and find the right people to run it. I love it. It’s intoxicating to me,” she says.

Get out the ‘blender’

Milkshake was the same thing, only different. Two years ago, Pamela Caffray came to Jurkowitz with the idea of launching a Daily Candy with soul, referring to the lifestyle website. Jurkowitz thought Caffray was on to something, but this time, she wanted to be part of it. As a former branding executive at Unilever, she knew it had to be visual and fun.

“You don’t want to be a tree-hugger site.

It won’t last,” she remembers telling Caffray.

Milkshake – the name came from Jurkowitz’s husband, “because milkshakes are good and happy” – is sassy and lighthearted, with concise, readable content that makes it easy for you to get involved.

With two editions of daily blasts – a global edition and a kids’ edition for parents with children under age 12 – Milkshake aims to be at the forefront of change

Amy Jurkowitz

The Jurkowitz siblings.

in the world by shining a light on individuals, initiatives, events, services and products that are innovative, unique and focus on “the triple bottom line (people, planet and profits).” Its mission is “to put ‘giving back’ in the context of the larger world we live in – discovering ways to shop, travel, eat, read and interact with greater purpose, with the ultimate goal of dazzling you with a find, encouraging you to initiate change and inspiring you to be part of all that’s good.”

Looking to extend the brand this past May, the company launched Milkshake Global Bazaar, a showcase event featuring18 vendors selling products, all with a “give-back.”

A second Milkshake Global Gift Bazaar will take place Nov. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 16 Rockwood Lane, Greenwich.

The Goods Powered by Milkshake is a product line in the works, which will use the same model employed by TOMS shoes and eyewear – buy one, give one.

The company is also testing a Milkshake blog on three college campuses – Dartmouth College, Bucknell University and Trinity Col-

lege – and one Connecticut boarding school, The Hotchkiss School. (Jurkowitz’s three daughters attend the school.)

Each school blog has an editor in place writing about what’s charitable on campus and what’s inspiring to the students, whether it’s a song or a story about students teaching English to youngsters in Panama.

“Green was such a big deal for us, but now you’re not building anymore unless it’s LEED-certified. It’s the same with these kids,” Jurkowitz says. “They do not start a company unless there’s some kind of give-back or they’re somehow educating a community or they’re employing a community in Costa Rica.”

That’s why she believes the Milkshake campus blog will resonate with students.

If all goes well, the plan is to roll it out to other colleges.

“When you talk about a different road, I’ve gone through all these different roads where I’ve worked for corporations, I’ve worked for different people. But where I am in my life now, this is beyond ideal,” she says.

To learn more about Milkshake, visit getmilkshake.com. n 59

Mommy track vs. career track

By Patricia Espinosa Photographs by David Bravo

Charlotte

Pierce

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Recently, Yahoo’s new CEO and president, Marissa Mayer – who got the nod when she was four months pregnant – caused quite a stir when she announced she would be taking only one to two weeks maternity leave before returning to work.

On the other side of the spectrum is Greenwich resident Abby Ritman, who makes no apologies about her decision to stay home with her children.

“I always thought I’d want to be a stay-at-home mom, but it wasn’t until I actually did it that I realized how much I enjoyed it,” says Abby, with a smile that lights up her face.

She and husband Jimmy – parents of Pierce, 3, and Charlotte, 1½ years old – are expecting their third child in January.

The couple met in the Hamptons where they both had summer time-shares.

But it wasn’t always changing diapers and nursing babies for the Southern Methodist University graduate. After college, Abby moved from her native Dallas to New York and soon began working in television as a casting director for reality shows like “Trading Spouses” and “Fashionista Diaries.”

She also freelanced for HBO and counts working with director Morgan Spurlock, who created the documentaries “Super Size Me” and “30 Days,” as one of her fondest professional moments.

Is it a privilege to stay home with your kids?

“I have lots of friends who are moms and have wonderful jobs who seem to be really happy to do that. The privilege,” she says, “is being able to choose what you want to do, whether that means staying home with your kids or going to work.”

For her, staying home was important, because she knew she could create a safe, loving, happy environment for her kids.

“I feel like I can provide consistency and security. Women who work can provide that as well, but they’ve got to work harder at finding someone who can do that,” she says as son Pierce climbs onto her lap after just waking up from his after-

noon nap to give his mommy a hug.

Even though she’s a stay-at-home mom, she acknowledges having a lot of people helping. As Hillary Clinton famously wrote, “It takes a village.” Indeed.

“My son has an amazing teacher (he attends Putnam Indian Field School); I have three sisters-in-law in the area who are such great aunts; my parents come visit from Dallas often; and I have Patricia (her housekeeper and sometime babysitter), who’s here a lot and helps out.”

Explaining why she thinks it’s important for her children to be surrounded by a lot of people who love them, she says, “I don’t want them to think they can only depend on mommy. I want them to have relationships with people outside of me.”

What she misses most about working is the adult interaction. That is why she makes it a point to carve out time to do things that are important to her, such as her work with the Junior League of Greenwich and the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, a cause near and dear to her heart, especially since becoming a mom. Abby and Jimmy are on the committee for the annual fundraiser, help raise money and awareness and are involved with a number of their other events.

“I don’t have to have a job to be a good role model for my children,” she says about her volunteer work.

Abby admits it’s hard to think about going back to work right now, but if the timing was right and it was a good opportunity, she says she would consider it.

But at this point in her life, there’s nothing she’d rather be doing.

“Today my daughter had a music class, but I was having so much fun with her that we didn’t even go to the class. Charlotte and I were having a little tea party.

She was pouring the tea, and I didn’t want to interrupt her to put her in a car and go to class,” Abby says.

Then she flashes a huge smile and adds, “But then there are other days when I can’t wait to get to the class.” n

Abby Ritman. Hair and makeup provided by Red Door Spa Salon at The Westchester in White Plains. Hair stylist – Danielle Spatola. Makeup artist – Guerline G. Fequiere.

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les nouvelles by

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Zoë is wearing a Loro Piana Windmate jacket with knit lining and fur-trimmed hood, $4,595. Zoë’s makeup is Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, Golden Bronze powder, Rose Bloom blush, Gilded Bronze and Gilded Rose Gold eye shadows, Violet Sky color liner, Faux lash mascara, Laque Rogue lip lacquer and glacé in Gilded Veil.

Photograph by Sinéad Deane. Laura Mercier makeup by Patti Massello at Neiman Marcus.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

Falling for autumn Romantic November enters with falling leaves and exits with falling snow, so keep transitional fall fashion all about luxe comfort. (After all, it’s the last month before we start to look like we’re all wearing the same oversized black sleeping bag jacket.) Take a hint from this Sagittarius: Stay adventurous, cool and cozy with warm knits, vintage flannels, durable leather bags, booties and knee-high boots to plow through leaves. Stickto-your-bones chili

and seasonal hand-poured candles for entertaining at home also help. Whether you’re traveling near or far, test the ‘gobble gobble effect’ by surprising your T-Day hosts with a box of Dominique Ansel macaroons from SoHo. (Try the vanilla dulce de leche macaroons for maximum indulgence.)

1. Worn-in vintage flannels, available at Flying A, 169 Spring St., Manhattan or flyinganyc.com.

2. Comfy sweater by Humanoid, $390, available at Flying A. 3. Gift for the T-Day hosts: Inventive macaroons from Dominique Ansel Bakery. Macaroon Box, small $13.50; medium $23.50; large $46; available at 189 Spring St., Manhattan, dominiqueansel. com.

6.

7.

4. Lace-up boots by Justin, $165, available at Flying A. 5. Clever Lunch bag, $21.50, available at Flying A. 6. Prada suede cutout bootie, $850, available at Neiman Marcus.

7. Wild turkey sightings, free.

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007 leaves us shaken and stirred

By Zoë Zellers

James Bond, who celebrates his 50th anniversary in films with the release of “Skyfall” Nov. 9, is a man’s fantasy of a man the way Mr. Darcy is a woman’s fantasy of a man.

He can leap out of airplanes, fight the Bond Villain from a moving train, whip out the latest tech toy and woo the Bond Girl – all while looking great in a tux.

Some Bonds have emphasized the brute in the beauty – Sean Connery, the current Bond, Daniel Craig – while others have gone for the beauty in the brute – Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan. Does anyone remember George Lazenby, poor dear?

All, however, have captured Bond’s unmistakable, irresistible tough-tender allure, which we celebrate on these pages.

Bond, jam Tiffany bar set and sterling silver ice tong by Paloma Picasso, prices available upon request at tiffanys.com.

James Bond 007 cologne, $40, available at Kohl’s and kohls.com.

2013 Neiman Marcus edition McLaren 12C Spider, $354,000, call (888) 756-0775.

WAG’s Bond Konstantine Wells of Greenwich wears a Boss Hugo Boss suit, $895; Boss Hugo Boss shirt, $175; Zegna tie, $195; available at Neiman Marcus at The Westchester.

Photograph by Sinéad Deane. Products courtesy of Tiffany & Co., P&G Prestige and Neiman Marcus.

Roger Moore

Sean Connery

mes bond

Pierce Brosnan

Daniel Craig

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The Legacy of Loro Piana

By Zoë Zellers Photograph by Sinéad Deane

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Zoë is wearing a furcollared Loro Piana coat, $5,995; Loro Piana woven jacket, $3,995; Dolce & Gabbana trousers, $875; Rag & Bone Durham boots, $525; and Ippolita drop earrings, $395.

Makeup is Laura Mercier illuminating tinted moisturizer, Golden Bronze powder, Rose Bloom blush, Gilded Bronze and Gilded Rose Gold eye shadows, Violet Sky color liner, Faux lash mascara, Laque Rogue lip lacquer and glacé in Gilded Veil. Laura Mercier makeup by Patti Massello at Neiman Marcus.

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he hand-stitched legacy of luxury Italian fashion company Loro Piana is a tale of family history, traditional craftsmanship, sustainability and the enduring appeal of quality. Snuggled in a Loro Piana cashmere pullover, the wearer knows it’s not just about fashion; it’s about a one-of-akind feeling created with the world’s finest fibers.

Slip into this fall’s chinchilla-neck cashmere poncho with three-quarterlength batwing sleeves ($4,595), and you will instantly understand the understated, warm elegance that is Loro Piana in its softness and classic-with-a-twist design. The company doesn’t miss a beat in its appeal to conservative, chic globetrotters who balance daily demands with casual downtime. These are the clothes for the woman who might be skiing with friends in St. Moritz one day (in the Demitasse black fox fur, gray cashmere and wool-knit vest, $7,395); and taking meetings on Park Avenue the next (in a posh, turmeric, orange cashmere and fox-collar jacket, $5,450, and matching pencil skirt, $1,995). And on weekends, the Loro Piana woman might be found sipping a cappuccino with the kids on Greenwich Avenue in a cozy, beige, ribbed cashmere knit turtleneck sweaterdress ($1,395).

The hidden luxuries – like the mink collar on a tonal suede-trimmed cashmere knit coat ($7,495) – are emblematic of the company, which has been around since the early 1800s, trading wool and fabrics. In 1924, Pietro Loro Piana took it to the next plateau and established its headquarters in Italy, before Franco Loro Piana took the reigns. Seizing potential, Franco started to export fabrics and explore new markets for trade in the mid-1940s.

His sons, Sergio and Pier Luigi, have expanded his vision and maintained family relationships with suppliers, operating in more than 130 stores in addition to select department stores while seeking to discover fine new raw materials and preserve resources around the world. The latter became part of the cornerstone of Loro Piana’s business, which supports sustainability and research of new materials, like lotus flower fiber from Inle Lake in Myanmar. This in turn provides customers with the most luxurious knitwear, outerwear, pants, suit jackets, scarves, stoles, leather

goods and accessories.

Many pieces in seasonal collections are extremely limited because of the scarcity of unique fabrics and the long hours and many craftsmen it takes to create just one garment. Today, Loro Piana is the world’s foremost cashmere manufacturer and the largest single buyer of the finest wools. In Australia and New Zealand, buyers seek the highest quality fleeces from merino sheep to use in pieces like this season’s weather-ready charcoal-colored wool coat with a hood trimmed in nutria fur ($3,595). For added incentives, Loro Piana established the World Record Challenge Cup awarded to the year’s suppliers of the finest wool.

A significant component of the company’s heritage is its special relationship with precious cashmere. In the mountains between Mongolia and northern China, Loro Piana buyers work with local herders to acquire the extremely rare fleece from the underbelly of Hircus

goat kids. Baby cashmere exclusively produced by Loro Piana comes from the first shearing of a kid before it reaches 12 months and by nature, only happens one time to each animal.

All fabrics are moved to the workshops in Italy where craftsmen make the garments and do much work by hand still to this day. It’s part of the celebration of the pureness of these fine fabrics.

The exceptionally soft baby cashmere is used in spectacular long overcoats in the company’s limited edition Caravan pieces and in its Baby Cashmere for Babies line, which includes bodysuits, berets and socks in natural, undyed white.

It takes 19 fleeces to make just one medium-weight pullover cashmere sweater.

An overcoat might require fleece from 58 kids. Hence, the Caravan collection includes coats over the $50,000 mark.

This season, beautiful dark mink got an unexpected update with Loro Piana’s sportier hooded puffer jacket with ribbed

knit trim ($34,495). The line is also focusing on functionality (and preparing for a chilly winter) and the coat, like many other versions for both men and women, is reversible, with the opposite side revealing a high-performance, windresistant fabric. Utter elegance and sheer sportiness are its two faces.

The company’s dedication to respecting and cherishing natural resources is best seen in its 20-year relationship with the vicuña, a relative of the llama.

Before the 16th century Spanish conquest of Peru, there were a million vicuñas that called the high mountains of the Andes home. Illegal poaching drew the species very close to extinction. The extremely soft golden-colored fur of the vicuña was once reserved only for Incan emperors – and the loss of the species would have been the death of an ancient Peruvian symbol.

In 1994, Loro Piana proposed a plan to save the species, reintroduce the mate-

rial to an international market and employ locals to protect the vicuña – once known as “The Princess of the Andes” – using cruelty-free Incan practices. Needless to say, the plan was a success story and Loro Piana has renewed its commitment by additionally creating the Dr. Franco Loro Piana Reserve for further research on vicuñas.

Still, the stakes are high and a limited amount of vicuña fur is available each year as adults produce small amounts of fleece and can only be sheared every two years. Thus, one vicuña overcoat can drive a high price and require the fleece of 30 animals. But allegedly, it will be the softest, lightest and warmest coat of your lifetime and that is the Loro Piana legend.

Shop for Loro Piana at select department stores, including the fine apparel floor of Neiman Marcus at The Westchester in White Plains and at Loro Piana at 748 Madison Ave., Manhattan. n

Call us for your next private party louiesrestaurantbar.com 67

wear

trÉs gray is trÉs chic

By Zoë Zellers

Silver has never been sexier.

From Anderson Cooper, Bill Clinton, George Clooney, and Richard Gere – whose 50 shades of gray have progressed from “premature” to “distinguished” – to such sterling leading ladies as Jamie Lee Curtis, Judi Dench, Emmylou Harris and Helen Mirren, model Cindy Joseph and IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, silver may just be the new blond.

Though perhaps not in bottle-blond-friendly Greenwich. (“I just don’t see it working here,” says color maestro Joel Warren of Warren-Tricomi Salon.)

Apparently, though, it works plenty well for W magazine. The 40th anniversary issue, which features Gere, also portrays the blond Scarlett Johansson with a white streak through a dark mane – think a dash of Cruella De Vil, a pinch of Morticia Addams – and the brunet Keira Knightley with a white-blond ’do that conjures the cool beauty of Kim Novak in “Vertigo.”

It’s one thing to dress up for W, another to go gray in real life. But that’s just what “Fashion Police” correspondent Kelly Osbourne did earlier this year, complementing her new, sleeker bod.

She’s leading the charge of the deliberately silverstreaked set, which included a parade of runway models with designers Karl Lagerfeld, Gareth Pugh and Maria Barros this season.

Time was when women wanted to get rid of “those ugly grays.” (Think Cher in “Moonstruck.”) Now some are dyeing their hair gray, uh, silver. (Technically, gray hair is not gray but hair that is stripped of its original color, so “gray” can actually have tones of silver, white or – the least desired – yellow.)

Perhaps in our post-feminist times, women are just finally realizing they can be what they want to be, including salt and peppered, just as men like President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney have always done.

“Anderson Cooper is naturally gray, as is Bill Clinton. They are letting Mother Nature take its course,” Warren says. “They look good and are lucky to have a silver tone to their hair.”

Still, the woman who goes gray naturally or otherwise is bucking decades of experience. In 1950, 7 percent of women dyed their hair. Today, it’s around 95 percent. That’s because in the 20th and 21st centuries, gray hair has been associated with decline and lack of vigor, in men as well as women. (Hence the popularity of Grecian Formula and Just For Men – Touch of Gray.)

Women, who carry the beauty standard, have particularly felt the pressure to remain youthful. “Going Gray” author Anne Kreamer has even coined a word for it – “hair-colorism.”

Yet as the population ages and women attain more 68

President Bill Clinton

power in the workplace, many are OK with gray, like Essie Weingarten, founder of Essie Cosmetics, and Linda Fargo, senior vice president of the fashion office and store presentation at Bergdorf Goodman. Indeed, Fargo actually goes to Warren-Tricomi Salon for the sharp bob cut that adds edge to her natural hair.

“Jamie Lee Curtis, Emmylou Harris, Linda (Fargo), Judi (Dench) and Ruby Dee are all naturally gray. It takes confidence to embrace it,” Warren acknowledges, adding, “these women are lucky to have a nice tone of gray hair. Not everyone has that shade of gray.”

Or the skin, skin tone and bone structure to carry it off.

If you do decide to go gray, “there are ways of highlighting the hair to transition it,” Christopher Noland of the Christopher Noland Salon in Greenwich says. “It’s all about the individual.”

Going gray naturally is one thing, Warren says, dyeing your hair gray, another.

“This look cannot last and needs constant maintenance. To get the look, you need to strip hair of all its color and then use a gray toner. This leaves hair in

very poor condition. If you have a beautiful natural gray tone and you do not want to color your hair, then gray works for you. Otherwise, I would pass on this trend.”

He does, however, like the dark brown hair, accented by a silver streak, flaunted by Stacy London, co-host of “What Not to Wear,” but reminds admirers that “Stacy’s gray streak is natural and something she has had since she was born. It was not added artificially.”

Gray, though, may be here to stay.

“What I find women are constantly redefining is what is appropriate for them,” Noland says. “It’s not about what’s in style. It’s not about what’s in fashion.

And I think that a lot of women opt to just go with their natural hair color.

“I think it’s not necessarily people feeling like they don’t want to color their hair or they’re concerned about the chemicals. I think it’s people wanting to be the best that they can be.”

Visit Warren-Tricomi at 1 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich. Call (203) 863-9300.

Visit Christopher Noland Salon at 124 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich. Call (203) 622-4247. n

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food for your face

By ZoĂŤ Zellers Images courtesy of Lush Cosmetics

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et ready to winterize and personalize your skin-care regiment with natural, handmade beauty offerings from Lush Cosmetics.

As the U.K.-based Lush continues to celebrate its store opening in The Westchester, here are some favorite, tested products that are worth the trip:

Younger skin

“It’s never too early to start practicing good skin-care routines,” says assistant manager Barry Nelson of Rockland County. Starting at age 13, beauty chicks should begin to use the Herbalism facial cleanser ($13 for a quarter-pound), designed for oily, sensitive and pimple-prone skin, he says. With China clay to draw out oil, ground almonds and rice bran to exfoliate, calming anti-inflammatory sage, chamomile, marigold and rosemary to revive and nettle powder to detoxify, it’s a fantastic cleanser that leaves skin with a soft matte finish. Oil be gone.

“I love (the) Tea Tree Water facial toner,” says Barry, adding that you can use the vegan formula multiple times a day to freshen up. It’s great for clogged pores, yields quick results in reducing redness and irritation (a cold-weather-induced problem for many) and has grapefruit and antiseptic juniper berries, which smell softly energizing. ($8.95 for 100 ml/ $19.95 for 250 ml.)

Vanishing cream ($39.95) is a light moisturizer with nourishing organic jojoba and grape seed oil; smoothing shea butter; witch hazel, which acts as an astringent; and honey, rose and lavender water to control your skin’s oiliness and soothe sensitive areas.

Oatifix fresh face mask ($6.95) is a delicious dessert – for the face. It’s a sweet, balanced mixture of oatmeal (to soothe), banana (to soften skin), ground almonds (to exfoliate) and vanilla. “And,” Barry says, “all of our masks actually expire, because they’re made with natural, real ingredients so you need to store (them) in the fridge for up to three months, but you’ve got to use (them).”

The prime of life

Stress and just daily living show on the skin so clean up your act with the Fresh Farmacy facial cleanser ($11 for a quarter-pound.) It’s a pale-pink cleansing bar for skin that gets sore, red and blotchy

(hello, winter). It cleanses with calamine, while hints of chamomile and rose calm.

“I like to keep my toner in the refrigerator so you get that cold spritz,” Barry recommends as he sprays his face with Lush’s Breath of Fresh Air facial toner ($8.95 for 100 ml/ $19.95 for 250 ml).

The toner combines hydrating water from the Pacific Ocean, rejuvenating rosemary, nutrient-rich seaweed absolute, aloe vera and softening rose. Take it everywhere for a refreshing “me” moment.

Lush’s Imperialis moisturizer for daily use targets combination skin with a blend of smoothing olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter and glycerine. “The core of Lush products,” Barry says, “is that we believe whenever you take something away from the skin, you must add something back. … If you use a moisturizer every day but don’t use something to get rid of excess oil, it actually affects how your skin regulates the oil it’s producing.” So the formula also combines oil-regulating lavender to encourage dry skin to produce more oil on its own too. Imperialis tiger lily, sweet violet, mullein leaf and St. John’s wort soothe. For $23.95, this might be the most affordable moisturizer that actually does the most for you.

Meanwhile, Lush’s Silky Underwear Dusting Powder ($7.95) might be your new best friend. You can wear it with panties, under your arms or around the bosom, where many ladies also struggle with perspiration and odor. The powder – made with cocoa butter, cornstarch, China clay and lightly sweet-smelling vetivert and jasmine – leaves skin properly moisturized and you feeling fresh and confident day and night.

with murumuru butter and almond oil. It smells like a garden in bloom with antiinflammatory chamomile blue, rose and Tagetes oils. But perhaps the most creative ingredient is portobello mushrooms, which fight free radicals, reduce inflammation and minimize the appearance of fine lines – seriously.

The Gorgeous moisturizer ($89.95) is such a nourishing treat to apply, especially for women seeking a lighter moisturizer that won’t clog pores. “Men can totally use it, too,” Barry says. “All of our products are actually not gender specific. … no strange ingredients and no artificial scents.” Coconut oil maintains the skin’s elasticity while neroli oil regenerates cells and lemon, orange and pineapple juices tone and brighten skin. Antioxidant-rich and organic cold-pressed avocado, grape seed, wheat germ and evening primrose oils are packed with replenishing vitamins and rejuvenating properties. “Cold-

pressed is really important, because that’s the oils’ purest form.”

Anti-aging effects are an unusual quality to find in a purifying mask, but behold The Sacred Truth face mask ($6.95), your answer to combating aging with enzymatic papaya that cleans away dirt and removes dead skin cells. Barry, who calls this a favorite, says you can use this two times a week, even more depending on your skin’s history. Yogurt and honey soften while shea butter, coconut oil and evening primrose oil “plump up” the skin to combat wrinkles. Fresh eggs tighten and hold it all together and a concoction of energizing ginseng, wheat germ and green tea get rid of free radicals.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and for samples when you visit Lush at The Westchester in White Plains. You can also rent out the store, which has a killer sound system, for your own beauty bash for $150.

For more, visit lush.com. n

The silver set

Angels on Bare Skin facial cleanser ($12.50 for quarter pound) is a clay-based deep exfoliating cleanser. It blends ground almonds to exfoliate and polish, glycerine to help skin retain water and rose and lavender to balance oil production and leave a delicate fragrance.

One of the most popular items in the store is Lush’s Full of Grace solid facial serum bar ($13.95), which like all Lush bars of soap is sold in take-home bags at the counter. Though designed for sensitive and mature skin, it’s so fabulous that everyone should use it, Lush at The Westchester employees say. Full of Grace attacks dry, cracked skin and adds elasticity 71

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The senior set on fashion

By Zoë Zellers Image courtesy of powerhouse Books

Frida Kahlo used to tell friends that she approached getting dressed every day just as she approached painting – with a thoughtful, self-expressive eye and the artistic expectation of making people turn heads and ask questions. Frida unearthed a defining piece of her identity in the elaborate, richly metaphorical, traditional Mexican garb and dramatic jewelry that would become her unforgettable signature style. And although Frida passed away in her late 40s, one can only think that today, she would have absolutely loved to turn the pages of street photographer Ari Seth Cohen’s wonderfully entertaining “Advanced Style,” a tribute to the “silver-haired set” of lifelong fashionistas.

Inspired by his close relationship with his chic grandmother, 31-year-old Ari opened his eyes and pointed his lens at the most elegant, carefully composed, creative, kooky and exciting group of style icons he saw – active and curious women in their 70s, 80s, 90s and yes, even 100s. What began as a blog has become a serious quest to document this much overlooked demographic of rousing fashion figures.

Filled with revealing and funny quotes and envy-inducing style shots, “Advanced Style” (powerHouse Books, $35) should have a place on every coffee table. It is the book that reminds us all that we have, at some point, looked up to an older fashionista in admiration. Had my own important source of inspiration, my grandmother Lois Ann Zellers, lived in SoHo instead of Ohio, surely her chic Ralph Lauren blazers, Hermès scarves and antique Native American turquoise jewelry would have caught Ari’s attention as part of a breed of women who thought every day was an occasion for which to dress.

The book also offers rare perspective. If you are adventurous, confident and know yourself, you can become your own model of advanced style, avoiding the mundane routine of becoming older and less ambitious in your wardrobe selection. (Just say “no” to sweatpants.)

While the fashion industry keys in on younger buyers and has more or less aban72

“Young woman, you’re gonna be an old woman someday. Don’t worry about it, don’t sweat it. Don’t worry about getting older. Every era, it builds character.” doned the 60-plus crowd of style-conscious women, Ari’s book provides a refreshing, intimate look at those older ladies of rarified refinery, those who still wear gloves, pearls, lipstick and never leave home without hosiery.

That’s not to say that “Advanced Style” doesn’t also feature its fair share of wildly dressed, colorful characters in oversized plastic framed glasses, layers of bangles, deliberately clashing Pucci prints and bright orange hair. Irreverence in dress is also a daily celebration.

Still, as West Village writer Alice Carey says in the book, “You don’t want to look crazy. The object is to look as chic as you can – but your average person on the street would never wear this.”

On the following page, Carey, pictured in a tweed men’s wear-inspired jacket with ankle boots and a printed burgundy scarf to match her red hair, advises, “Fie on women in sneakers and sweats.”

Meanwhile, featured in spunky sunglasses, Jean and Valerie, “The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas,” offer their own wise reminders like, “People need to get less stressed about fashion and get into the enjoyment of it.”

On the next page, clad in a mélange of stripes, circles and pyramid prints, accented by geometric hats, they say, “Young woman, you’re gonna be an old woman someday. Don’t worry about it, don’t sweat it. Don’t worry about getting older. Every

era, it builds character.”

We wish we could all have an advanced style fairy godmother on our shoulders to remind us of the sage – and hilarious – words these women live by. Ari documented not only their closets, but also their mindsets, which inspire us always to be ourselves and never give up. As the glamorous Lynn Dell put it, “We must dress every day for the theater of our lives.”

Other good advice to keep in mind, “Whenever you’re in a difficult situation ask yourself, ‘How would Fred Astaire handle this?’” says Mary, a perfectly poised, leopard-print loving lady. She also offers, “Sunglasses are better than a face-lift. They hide the ravages of time and let you spy.”

The posh Rose, more than 100 years old, wears a uniform of tightly pulled back hair, bright lipstick, an elaborate belt, a long strand of beads, chunky earrings and a wide smile. “Inexpensive lipstick,” she advises, “is as good as expensive, only better.”

While “Advanced Style” could have easily just been a fascinating photographic journey, the author goes further in recording these fashionistas’ candid words of encouragement that they hope followers adopt.

“I think most people give up. In some ways you should always be in love and never say I can’t wear that because of my age.

It’s all how you feel,” says Beatrix Ost, an elegant, slender woman, who wears a widebrimmed hat, dark lipstick and a bright floral-printed coat with a bright green jumper and platform wedges.

In the book’s forward, the cleverly dressed author and illustrator Maira Kalman writes of Ari’s effort, “He has looked at our grand population and singled out the people that, in a way, are most invisible and have the most to offer. We are lucky when any older person crosses our path.

Our lives are enriched just by proximity.

The wisdom. The spirit. The saying exactly what they think.”

One of the book’s subjects, Ruth, does Pilates, weightlifting and stretching every week and reminds us to, “Celebrate every day and don’t look at the calendar.”

She’s photographed in a spectacular Burberry jacket, gold earrings and a Chanel handbag. Ruth says that even at her ripe age of 100, she dresses every day because “You never know whom you may meet on the way to the mailbox.”

For more on “Advanced Style,” visit powerhousebooks.com or your local booksellers. n

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wagging

‘Critter candidates’ for family pet

By Sarah Hodgson

E

very fall, my house becomes campaign central. Speeches are given; promises made. The lobbyists scramble to show their candidate in the best light. But this year, it’s a tough sell.

The candidate is a rat. Literally. Because in my house, the campaign season is all about holiday pets.

Like their taller and more seasoned counterparts in the political world, my kids paint a very rosy picture for me: Clean water bowls and spotless cages for all. Generous, allowance-based subsidies for food. Absolutely fair and equitable division of care and feeding.

Experience tells me that my kids, like all good politicians, will fulfill some of these promises, compromise on others and shamelessly wiggle out of one or two. But all in all, my children are capable pet caretakers and I’m thinking of voting for the rat.

If you’re thinking about a pet this holiday season, consider the physical and emotional needs of your intended.

There are a multitude of choices beyond dogs and cats, some of which can be surprisingly engaging. Every animal responds to your presence. Granted, there are levels to this response. Cats and dogs are more obviously affectionate than a hamster or ferret, and it may take a trained eye to fully appreciate the

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subtleties of lizard joy. But if you learn to listen with your eyes and speak with your actions, you can have a wonderful relationship with any pet.

Here are some choices:

Dog

Highly intelligent, social and emotionally demanding, dogs are highmaintenance pets that are not ideal for busy or working households. Dogs who are sidelined in a crate or isolated become loud, destructive and fearful or frustrated in their attempt to escape and explore. If you’re truly interested in getting a dog, come check out my website (whendogstalk.com) or buy my book, “Puppies for Dummies,” in which you’ll find advice on choosing and caring for this wonderful but demanding pet.

Cat

Cats can be terrific pets. Somewhat less labor-intensive than dogs, cats still need socialization and stimulation to stay healthy and fit. If you’re away from home a lot, consider two cats, preferable from the same litter or a mother/kitten combo. Kids and cats need to be socialized mindfully: Cats can misinterpret a child’s enthusiasm.

Rabbit, Guinea Pig or Ferret

Smaller pets can still pack a big emotional punch. Members of this group will happily alert you to their presence with a repertoire of very endear-

ing sounds, twitches and dance moves.

It’s important to socialize, nurture and properly handle these little guys so that they can spend time outside their enclosures. Keep in mind that in the wild (yes, there are wild guinea pigs), these small creatures are prey animals and may suffer stress in the hands of an overexuberant child.

Lizard and Fish

While lizards and fish don’t appear to be particularly emotive creatures, each of these species can make an engaging and entertaining pet that will imprint (perhaps “bond” is overstating it) on their caregivers. Tropical fish and lizards need heat-regulated enclosures to survive, as well as consistent food and water. In my house, we have a bearded dragon lizard named Lizard Boy. We socialized him like a dog and LB appears to enjoy our company. We even take him with us on our walks during warmweather months.

Bird

In the market for a long-term buddy with excellent conversational skills?

Think birds. Though most don’t talk, all birds are social creatures who communicate with what I call feather talk.

Busy and bright, birds provide an endless stream of interaction and do best in a household that appreciates and engages them. Like a dog, a lonely bird can become frustrated and destructive.

Birds need to be protected from other

pets – kitties, I’m talking to you – and small children. If handled with respect and included in family routines, birds make excellent companions.

this year, it’s a tough sell. The candidate is a rat. Literally. Because in my house, the campaign season is all about holiday pets.

Whichever pet you chose, think of your new addition as a foreign exchange student. Be patient as you introduce him to your unfamiliar culture. Socialize and acclimate him to people, sounds and activities; stay consistent with routines; and provide as natural a habitat as possible. Your reward will be a pet that depends on you with unconditional abandon.

A final note: If you are choosing a pet for the holiday, consider giving your “package” a few days after. The big day is often full of the kind of noise and distraction that can unnerve a young animal. I recommend a wrapped gift containing a photo, collar, cage or book to hint at the upcoming arrival.

And anyway, anticipation is always the best part, isn’t it? n

wine&dine

Trump Vineyard Estates in Charlottesville, Va.

A new road for the Trumps

By Geoff Kalish, MD

As the adage goes, “If you want we’re successful here it would not be out to make a small fortune from a winery, of the question to purchase another winestart with a large one.” Such has been making property.” the case for many a second-career entreWhen I asked why he thought the preneur. Just ask Patricia Kluge, who re- Trump family could make a go of it when portedly received upward of $25 million Patricia Kluge – who probably spent upfrom her ex-husband, media mogul John ward of $100 million over the past 12 Kluge, and sank it and quite years – couldn’t, his answer a bit more into a Charlotteswas both upbeat and compreville, Va., winery that declared hensive, showing more than a bankruptcy two years ago. It’s passing knowledge of the businow Trump Vineyard Estates, ness. owned by none other than “It takes quite a while to the Donald. So how does he develop a world-class winery expect to make money from from scratch and when she this rather risky, capital-intenwas here, Patricia Kluge and sive business? To gain some her staff did an excellent job Eric Trump Photograph by insight, I tasted some of the at developing the site. But Jim McGuire. newly released wines and chatthe vineyards and rest of the ted with Eric Trump, a son of the Donald, property are finally maturing and now who is now in charge of the project for his should be able to consistently produce family. what we think is exceptional wine. ImWhile Eric has no formal training in the portantly, we feel that a quality product wine business, he has developed a modest is the key to our success. Also, we have collection with a great interest in the his- many natural marketing avenues open tory of each bottle that he purchases. He to us like our country clubs, casinos and particularly enjoys bottles from smaller, hotels that can serve as outlets for the undiscovered areas. With responsibility wines. And while we do not have difor other projects, like development of the rect experience in the wine business, we Seven Springs property in Bedford, he’s have a great staff, top-class consultants not planning to live in Virginia but visits like world-famous winemaker Michel frequently and says that he’s “loving” the Rolland and we certainly understand opportunity and challenge. marketing and sales dynamics and what Currently, the amount of wine being it takes to excel in any business, which produced at the facility is about 45,000 again means putting out a high-quality cases, which is about the same amount as product that will develop customer loyproduced by Château Lafite Rothschild alty.” in France and less than 1 percent of what So, are the wines any good? Let me the Robert Mondavi Winery in California say that before I tasted them, even with produces. the Trump hype and a classy label, I was “We have the capacity to put out over not expecting much from recent vintages 100,000 cases of wine, but we need to in- from this bankrupt property in Virginia – crease our production gradually so that we not regarded as a winemaking mecca even maintain the quality,” Eric says. “Also, if though the area has been well-known for

growing grapes and winemaking since the time of Thomas Jefferson. Moreover, the last Trump foray into the licensed beverage market, with a rather harsh-tasting vodka at a premium price, was unsuccessful. Surprisingly overall, I thought that the wines were quite good, especially the reds,

with the sparkling and whites showing promise – all far exceeding my expectations.

So to Eric, the Donald and the rest of the Trump family, I raise my glass in a toast to your continued success at newfound careers in the wine business. n

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wanders

beauty

Breakneck Driving Italy’s Amalfi Coast

By Cappy Devlin

Photograph by The Consortium.

I

f there is one place that should be on everyone’s “bucket list,” it is the Amalfi Coast.

I love to drive. I’ve driven in many places over the world – Paris, Rome, the Alps and Highway 1 in California. Nothing compares to the 26-mile Amalfi Coast with its maximum elevation of 1,300 feet. High-flying beauty: Without exaggeration, the Amalfi Coast must be one of the most beautiful locations in the world. Certainly, UNESCO thinks so. In 1997, the organization declared the Amalfi Coast a World Heritage site.

I drove this coastal road in the fall of 1965 with my friend Diane. I didn’t realize I was taking my life in my hands. The views are beyond stunning and the drive is a real-life roller coaster. You must have two in the car.

Don’t go it alone. We drove our compact car to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and mountainous Ravello, which is gorgeous and must-see and had the best lunch you’ll ever have.

As two girls in our 20s, we loved the Italian men, who honked their horns and yelled and waved to us as we drove. It’s kind of a national pastime in Italy.

Enticing views

The real problem for the driver is you absolutely must keep your eyes on the road at all times. This iconic road offers spectacular scenery that lulls your senses so you forget it is one of the most stressful and dangerous drives you

Towns to see along the way Positano

The busy central Piazza dei Mulini is connected to a narrow downhill path and some occasional flights of steps that lead to the sea. You must leave your car as all streets heading to the waterfront are for pedestrians only. The only way to reach restaurants on the beach, which serve fresh fish daily, is to go on foot. These streets also lead to the cathedral, ceramic shops, fruit vendors and apparel retail shops. Positano is alive at night with clubs, bars and cafés that remain open until the sun comes up. Some of the best hotels in Italy are in Positano and the villas along the Amalfi Coast.

Recommended hotel: Le Sirenuse; Il San Pietro.

Amalfi

This coastal town is situated in a port along a stretch of pebbled beach. In front of the port of Amalfi is the only bus station along the coast. The pedestrian streets are filled with bars and cafés, plus many shops selling limoncello, casual apparel and ceramics. Sights to explore include the spectacular cathedral and a paper factory and its museum. There are also first-rate hotels, villas and restaurants. Recommended hotel: Santa Catarina.

Sorrento

Sorrento is a quaint town with a stunning panorama of the Bay of Naples. You can also enjoy speeding across the bay with Jetfoil to the beautiful isle of Capri where you can ride the funicular to Capri village. Recommended hotels: Grand Excelsior Vittoria; Parco dei Principi.

Photograph

by The Consortium.

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will ever take. Every turn, tunnel entrance and exit and curve has something new to offer, and you desperately want to look at these fantastic views and the amazing color of the sea.

The coast road is one compact-car wide in each direction. The buses are much wider and longer and they have the right to come across the wrong side of the road to get around the hairpin bends, so any car coming the other way has to back up out of their way.

The answer to my dilemma was we made many stops along the way. Naturally, there were no parking lots. Because most of the coastline is a cliff face, there is nowhere to park off the road, so you pull over wherever you want and pray that your car won’t be hit.

The roads are clearly far too small for the amount of traffic. It is not wise to drive on the weekends and in the summer months when there are so many tourists.

Winding through the different towns was magical, with the mountains above and the sea below. The different mountain peaks made it possible for the towns to be built, and combined with the vibrantly colored houses on the cliffs make the Amalfi Coast unique in the world.

Even though I love to drive and have done it twice on the Amalfi Coast, especially in the high season, I would recommend that you take a tour bus or a private taxi driver, so you can really relax and experience the breathtaking views.

Visit Cappy’s Travel at 195 N. Bedford Road, Mount Kisco. Call (914) 241-0383 or email Cappy@ travel-by-net.com. n

Positano, the pearl of the Amalfi coast.

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well

A portrait of a doctor in the making

By Erika Schwartz, MD

W

hen I was 5 years old in Bucharest, my uncle, a physician and researcher, took me to his lab. What I saw there ignited in me the burning desire to become a doctor, a desire that has never been extinguished.

Oddly enough, the stuff that started me on the road to becoming a doctor was a sink full of bullfrogs. My uncle’s lab did animal research.

The bullfrogs were ugly – big, green, bulbous and full of what seemed like acne.

They crawled all over one another in too small a space.

I had never seen a bullfrog in real life, and I immediately felt compelled to save them. So I pushed the mesh covering them a bit, hoping they would all exit quickly.

No such thing happened. A lab technician covered them and I went on to the next life-altering moment of that particular day, which involved swabbing my cheek and looking at its contents under a microscope. What I saw then has lingered in my mind ever since.

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I saw an entire world of moving things.

Who would ever think there was live stuff in one’s mouth? It was amazing. Different shapes and sizes, brightly lit by the microscope light and magnification, these strange and miraculous beings stunned and engulfed me.

I was nothing short of mesmerized. But as not too many people become doctors at age 5, I went to elementary school just like everybody else. I was a pretty good student in general, because I was and still am curious about many things, especially the objective sciences. I loved math and physics and marveled when I figured out how to solve chemistry equations.

At the age of 15, I moved with my parents to Rome on our way to the United States. I was fortunate to attend an American high school and learn English and continue my education in a free environment that was very different from the Communist regime I had known.

Every weekend my parents took me to the museums and I saw the most amazing and wonderful art the West has to offer.

To this day, I wonder how I stayed the course and became a doctor when I was surrounded by such magnificence and inspiration in the fine arts, literature and, of course, fashion.

I’ll tell you how. I learned to integrate things early on. After visiting shops and museums, I went to local hospitals and volunteered to help old people, people in pain, anyone I could find who was accepting of my inexperienced, poorly communicating but caring young self.

Soon after my graduation from high school, my parents and I moved to New York where my doctor-uncle, a partner in a private hospital on the Upper East Side, helped me get my first summer job in the hospital’s research facility.

Since I was never a fan of animal research – the bullfrog thing – I pretty much sabotaged the work by allowing male and female guinea pigs and mice to cohabitate and multiply. The results were a nightmare for the researchers, but they made me exceedingly happy. We had dozens of baby guinea pigs and mice scurrying around the cages and wreaking havoc in the lab.

This naturally led to my immediate transfer to the outpatient clinic, where I was taught to give injections and dispatched to work on another project, an anti-aging vitamin infusion that was to-

tally avant-garde in those days.

The leader of the entire anti-aging section at the hospital was an elderly gentleman named Dr. Emanuel Revici. He was a genius and one of the unsung heroes of anti-aging medicine. He was short and stocky and quite ebullient even though to me he looked older than the hills. (I was 18. He must have been 60.) He spoke with a thick accent and kept on telling patients they should take medications “by mouse.” This caused fits of laughter wherever he went. Yet somewhere deep inside of me, the idea of practicing anti-aging medicine had taken hold.

That was still in the future. I went to New York University on an academic scholarship and luckily sailed through the entire premed curriculum. At that time, it was particularly difficult to get into medical school – especially if you were a woman – because the Vietnam War pushed more men than usual to go to medical school to avoid the draft. Between anti-war demonstrations and student sit-ins, life in college was full of distractions. But I kept my eye on the prize.

The only time I ever encountered a problem was with animal research, again.

True to form, I almost started a riot in genetics class where we followed the development of eggs into hatched chicks. As the semester progressed, I started a class rebellion by refusing to continue opening the eggs before they were hatched. As a result the professor, who did not want a total insurgence, acquiesced and our entire class took home two baby chicks once they hatched. Needless to say, my parents, who were the recipients of the chicks, were not enthused.

Finally, having understood animal research was not for me and medicine for humans was, I applied to medical schools and was lucky to get accepted. But not without a few male interviewers who asked me things like “Why would a woman want to be a doctor?” or “You should have children instead of trying to take a medical school spot from a man who will make a much better doctor than you.”

Thanks to my parents, who taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to, and my never-wavering desire to be a doctor, here I am today – 35 years out of medical school, with a wonderful clinical career, loving every minute of it.

Email Dr. Erika at Erika@drerika. com. n

well

Choosing to change

By Scott Newman, MD

M

ore than 10.5 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2011 – an increase of more than 197 percent. And the number is still growing.

The statistics from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reflect the evolution of aesthetic medicine over the past few years. Conceptual changes have altered the approaches to facial aging, especially as they relate to the forehead, eyelids and lower face. Technological changes include the increasing use of the laser for facial cosmetic surgery and minimally invasive techniques for face, breast and body contouring. As a plastic surgeon, I am now performing about half the number of face-lifts I performed in 2005. On the other hand, I am seeing five times the number of patients for nonsurgical treatments, including Botox, fillers, laser and

R

skin tightening.

Why consider cosmetic surgery? Patients choose cosmetic surgery for many reasons. Some want to recapture the looks they had in their youth. Age, sun damage and childbirth can take a toll on the face and body. There are many plastic surgery procedures that can bring back a youthful appearance. Today, many procedures have better results and shorter recoveries than ever before.

Liposuction, tummy tucks and breast augmentation are popular choices for women who want their pre-pregnancy figures back. Facial surgery, laser and injectable treatments can erase the lines that come with age and restore quality to the skin in ways never before possible. People who have rejuvenating plastic surgery procedures do so, because they want to look like themselves, only better.

There is a steep increase in the number of “career” people who are enhancing their

appearances through plastic surgery. Their opinion is that this can be a necessary step to compete with their younger colleagues.

Although I have always seen many entertainers, politicians and models in my

“Today, many procedures have better results and shorter recoveries than ever before.” practice, I am now treating many executives, professionals and salespeople who say that their appearances change the way they’re viewed both within their business and to prospective clients. The general feeling is that “looks matter.”

Social pressures also cause many people to seek out a cosmetic surgeon, although this isn’t always the best reason to opt for

plastic surgery. Talk to your doctor about the results you can realistically expect from various procedures. Only then can you decide which approach and choice are right for you.

Cosmetic procedures can help to improve your self-confidence and add to your sense of well-being. Successful results often depend in part on how well you and your surgeon communicate and what options he or she has available. Make sure you feel comfortable with your surgeon and that you are open with him or her about your goals and questions.

Also, choose a physician who has many or all of the options available. Surgeons who perform the full range of cosmetic procedures, including skin care, injectables, laser procedures and surgery have all of the tools in their cosmetic “toolbox” and have the experience to devise a plan that’s right for you.

For more, visit psurgery.com. n

Monteverde at Oldstone

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when&where WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 7 ‘LADIES… A SPECIAL NIGHT OUT’

A Women’s Health Forum hosted by St. John’s Riverside Hospital, 6 to 8 p.m.; Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Plaza, Yonkers. (914) 559-1075, jrokicki@ riversidehealth.org.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8 MARTY MANN AWARDS DINNER

Nine-time Emmy Award-winning medical journalist Max Gomez serves as keynote speaker during an awards dinner held by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency/Westchester Inc., 6:30 p.m. reception, 7:30 p.m. dinner; DoubleTree Hotel, 455 S. Broadway, Tarrytown. $175. (914) 949-8500, ncaddwestchester.org.

‘STORIES, SIPS AND SPECIALTIES’

Kids X-Press celebrates literacy with musical entertainment, a silent auction, fine food and spirits, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.; 300 Central Ave., White Plains. $100. (914) 261-0815, kxpevent@gmail.com.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8 AND FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9 TREAT YOURSELF

Junior League of Central Westchester’s 26th annual holiday boutique features merchandise from more than 40 vendors, plated samples from Westchester restaurants, wine, spirits and beer tastings and mini-spa treatments, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 9; Lake Isle Country Club, 660 White Plains Road, Eastchester. $35 suggested donation Nov. 8 (includes entry for both days), $20 suggested donation Nov. 9. (914) 723-6130, jlcentralwestchester.com.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9 THROUGH SUNDAY NOVEMBER 11 PROVoCaTIVE DRAMA

Actors Conservatory Theatre presents Milan Stitt’s “The Runner Stumbles,” a true story beginning with love and ending in a trial for murder, 8 p.m.

Nov. 9 and 10, 2 p.m. Nov. 11; 20 Buckingham Road, Yonkers. (914) 391-6558, actshows.org.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10 25TH ANNIVERSARY CHAMPAGNE BALL

Phelps Memorial Hospital Center celebrates its silver anniversary with cocktails, dinner and dancing, 6:30 p.m.; Trump National Golf Club, 339 Pine Road, Briarcliff Manor. $500. (914) 366-3107, phelpshospital.org.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10 AND SUNDAY NOVEMBER. 11 Westchester Philharmonic

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 18 ‘UNKOWN PALISADES TOUR AND LECTURE’

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15 ‘MUSIC FOR MEDICINE’

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 30 SPYRO GYRA

performs Beethoven with Tito Muñoz as conductor and Jeremy Denk as pianist, 8 p.m. Nov. 10, 3 p.m. Nov. 11; Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase. (914) 682-3707, westchesterphil.org.

Members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra perform at a benefit concert, hosted by the American Austrian Foundation, to raise funds for medical seminars that help educate physicians from developing nations, 7 p.m. award ceremony concert, 8:30 p.m. dinner, live auction and raffle; Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Ave., Manhattan. Aaf-online.org.

‘STARWRITE AUTHOR’S LUNCHEON’

The Connecticut chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s third annual luncheon, with bestselling author Jane Green, includes networking, an auction and a book-signing, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Hilton Stamford Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, 1 First Stamford Place, Stamford. $75. (203) 6651400, lls.org/ct/starwrite.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16 CLASSICAL TUNES

A curator-led tour of the Hudson River Museum’s exhibition “Unnecessary Memorial II,” followed by a discussion on the Palisades, 1 p.m.; Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave. Yonkers. $5, $3 seniors and children (ages 5 to 16). (914) 963-4550, hrm.org.

The Spyro Gyra band performs American jazz, 8 p.m.; Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck. $67. (914) 698-0098, emelin.org.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 1 10TH YEAR RETROSPECTIVE

A Westchester Jazz Orchestra concert revisiting band and audience favorites with Alan Broadbent as guest conductor, Irvington Town Hall Theater, 85 Main St., Irvington. (914) 591-6602.

‘NUT/CRACKED’

A modern-day adaptation of “The Nutcracker,” 8 p.m.; Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck. $42, $21 students. (914) 698-0098, emelin.org.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 5 ‘TREE OF LIFE’

The Juilliard String Quartet performs Beethoven and participates in a pre-show lecture/demonstration, 8 p.m.; Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck. $57, $29 students. (914) 698-0098, emelin.org.

Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester hosts a celebration and tree-lighting reception for individuals to honor their loved ones, 5:30 to 7 p.m.; Westchester Hilton, 699 Westchester Ave., Rye Brook. (914) 682-1484, ext. 122.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 17 ‘MUSIC, MYTHOLOGY AND LEGEND’

THURSDAY DECEMBER 6 CLAY AIKEN HITS THE PALACE

A benefit concert by Ars Antiqua exploring the love of cats, followed by a buffet of feline-inspired desserts, 7:30 p.m. box office opens, 8 p.m. concert begins; Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, 191 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua. Call for ticket information. (914) 238-8015, ars-antiqua.org.

SHOWING SOME MOVES

The Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation’s annual choreography showcase features works from local dancers and choreographers, 3 p.m.; Dance Theatre Lab, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase. $15, $10 seniors/students. (914) 328-1900, steffinossen.org.

Stamford Center for the Arts celebrates the 85th anniversary of the Palace Theatre with a performance by Clay Aiken, 8 p.m.; 61 Atlantic St., Stamford. $58, $48, $40, plus SCA fees. (203) 325-4466, scalive.org.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7 THE SPINNEY BROTHERS

A bluegrass band performs, 8 p.m.; Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck. $38. (914) 698-0098, emelin.org.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 8 SHA NA NA

A rock ’n’ roll performance, 8 p.m.; Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck. $62. (914) 698-0098, emelin.org.

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worthy destinations ALYESKA RESORT 1000 Arlberg Ave. Girdwood, AK 99587 (800) 880-3880 alyeskaresort.com THE ARRABELLE AT VAIL SQUARE 675 Lionshead Place Vail, CO 81657 (888) 333-0690 arrabelle.rockresorts.com ASHFORD CASTLE Cong, Ireland ashford.ie ATRIUM HOTEL SKIATHOS Skiathos Island, Greece atriumhotel.gr BEDFORD VILLAGE INN 2 Olde Bedford Way Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 472-2001 bedfordvillageinn.com

THE DORCHESTER Mayfair, London thedorchester.com ENCHANTMENT RESORT 525 Boynton Canyon Road Sedona, AZ 86336 (928) 282-2900 enchantmentresort.com GALLEY BAY RESORT & SPA ANTIGUA St. John’s, Antigua (866) 237-1644 gallerybayresort.com THE GANT ASPEN 610 S. West End Aspen, CO 81611 (970) 925-5000 gantaspen.com HOTEL LE FONTANELLE Pianella province of Siena, Italy hotelfontanelle.com

HOTEL LE K2, COURCHEVEL THE BOULDERS France 34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive Hotellek2.com Carefree, AZ 85377 (888) 579-2631 IL BOTTACCIO theboulders.com London bottaccio.it CANYON RANCH 165 Kemble St. IL PELLICANO Lenox, MA 01240 Province of Grosseto, Italy (800) 742-9000 pellicanohotel.com canyonranch.com INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE CASTLE HILL INN 20 Stonecoast Road 590 Ocean Drive Lincolnville, ME 0484 Newport, RI 02840 Innatoceansedge.com (888) 466-1355 castlehillinn.com KASSANDRA BAY HOTEL Vasilias Beach, Skiathos, Greece THE CHANLER kassandrabay.com AT CLIFF WALK 117 Memorial Blvd.

LA MAISON D’AIX Newport, RI 02840 Aix-en-Provence, France (401) 847-1300 lamaisondaix.com thechanler.com THE LITTLE NELL CLARIDGE’S 675 E. Durant Ave. Mayfair, London Aspen, CO 81611 claridges.co.uk (888) 843-6355 Thelittlenell.com CLIFFSIDE INN 2 Seaview Ave. LOCANDA L’ELISA Newport, RI 02840 Lucca, Italy (800) 845-1811 locandalelisa.it cliffsideinn.com MARPUNTA COTTON HOUSE VILLAGE HOTEL MUSTIQUE ISLAND Alonissos Island St. Vincent, West Indies Sporades, Greece (800) 223-1108 marpunta.com cottonhouseresort.com NORMANDY BARRIERE DAS KRANZBACH Deauville, France Garmisch-Partenkirchen, lucienbarriere.com Germany daskranzbach.de/en

MONTE KARLO WATERFRONT INN & RESORT Catanduanes Island Philippines montekarlo.net NECKER ISLAND British Virgin Islands neckerisland.virgin.com OCEAN HOUSE 1 Bluff Ave. Watch Hill, RI 02891 (401)584-7000 Oceanhosueri.com PETRIOLO SPA REOSRT Civitella Paganico, Italy petriolospa.com

Main harbor of Skiathos, Greece. Photograph by Arne Nordmann.

THE PHOENICIAN 600 E. Camelback Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 941-8200 thephoenician.com REID’S PALACE Madeira, Portugal reidspalace.com SABI SANDS Mpumalanga province South Africa sabi.krugerpark.co.za TOMBOLO TALASSO RESORT Tuscany, Italy tombolotalasso.it

Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

VILLA SAN MICHELE Fiesole province of Florence Italy villasanmichele.com THE VILLAS AT SNOWMASS CLUB 0160 Snowmass Club Circle Snowmass Village, CO 81615 destinationsnowmass.com THE WAKAYA CLUB & SPA Wakaya Island, Fiji (679) 3448-128 wakaya.com WITT Cihangir, Istanbul wittistanbul.com

Alonissos Island, Sporades, Greece.

W RETREAT & SPA Vieques Island, Puerto Rico wvieques.com

A game drive in the Sabi-Sabi Game Reserve.

Photograph by Eduardo Sortica.

86

bogart

dardano

fingerhut

grajales

jiser

mandelker

wit wonders: “ If you had it to do all over again, what would you do?”

“If I had to do it all over again in public relations, I would start out at the top. I would abolish all No. 2 pencils and editing software from client premises. I would see to it that the news media hire only reporters who take phone calls and recognize instantly the inherent worth of every pitch.

Other than that, I would change very little. But of course, those changes will have to wait until I finish drafting my client’s latest news release and posting our latest tweet.”

– Jeff Bogart Principal, Bogart Communications in Hastings-on-Hudson, Hastings resident “When I first got a credit card in my early 20s, I traveled to all the major cities, but I didn’t spend time exploring or taking full advantage of the opportunity. Now I don’t have time. I wish I had made the effort to take full advantage of each city I traveled to.”

– Michael Dardano Marketing executive, BuzzPotential in Tuckahoe, Tuckahoe resident “I personally would not do anything differently, because I believe life is based on the experiences you have. There’s no rewind.”

– Jack Fingerhut President of SmartPros Ltd. in Hawthorne, Westwood, N.J., resident

a travel agency and working in both the hospitality and financial services industries. Although I’ve enjoyed and learned a lot from each of these career opportunities, I’m very happy to have now re-entered the hospitality field – managing sales and marketing at the DoubleTree by Hilton Tarrytown.”

– Peter Jiser Director of sales and marketing, DoubleTree by Hilton Tarrytown, Westport resident “I’d become a debate coach for presidential candidates.”

– Carolyn Mandelker President and CEO, Harrison Edwards PR & Marketing in Bedford Hills, Katonah resident “The hardest thing when you’re starting out is knowing you can negotiate. You are worth negotiating. People should know they don’t need to settle with the first job that comes along, a job interview should go both ways.”

– Kat McKee Client relationship manager, Mount Kisco resident

“I would probably read more and study more.”

– Hector Grajales Managing director, Eternal Asia in New York City, Long Island City resident

“I wouldn’t change a single thing. Life definitely has its share of ups and downs, but I am a believer in the importance of the journey over the destination. There is a proverb from Japan (where I had the good fortune of living for eight years) that I think captures it best…. ‘When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there.’”

– Leila Siman Director, employee engagement communications, ITT Corp. headquartered in White Plains, New Fairfield resident

“If I had to do it all over again, I would have decided on my career at an early age. My recommendation would be to start pursuing your interests while in college via internships and then stay the course with a great company in an industry that you truly have passion for. I have been fortunate to do a lot of interesting things throughout my life, such as owning a restaurant, a retail jewelry store and

“If I could do it all over again, I would have left the corporate world earlier to pursue my entrepreneurial aspirations of working towards my own goals and being in charge of my own destiny. Being your own boss offers many benefits, including the ability to skip out and play a round of golf, but the long hours can certainly be grueling. About five years ago, my partner and I began to review franchise op-

mckee

siman

smith

portunities in the area and then decided on opening up a Jake’s Wayback Burgers restaurant when the burger craze first began. Since opening the business, I’ve become the queen of multitasking, learned to deal with many different personalities – from customers to our staff – and have realized there should be eight days in the week, instead of seven, to accomplish everything I need to do.”

– Deb Smith Co-owner of Jake’s Wayback Burgers in Hartsdale, Peekskill resident “Quicker.”

– William Van Vlack Vice President, senior business relationship manager, HSBC, Port Chester resident

“I think if I had to do it all over again I would take the time to enhance my personal development or leadership skills.”

– Jacqueline J. Warner Attorney, Hinman, Howard & Kattell L.L.P., Ossining resident “If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have been so indecisive. If I had known I was going to be in the dental practice management field, I would have stuck with my original major in business management. People always say to go with your instinct and I should have listened. I must have changed my major four different times in college. I couldn’t make up my mind and couldn’t see myself doing any one particular thing, which was so frustrating for me. I was just going with the flow and continuing to further my education. Although I wasted a lot of time, it led me to where I am, and who I am, today. …And, I’m happy to say that it all paid off. I was quickly promoted to office manager and I now help manage two offices and a team of 14 people.”

– Ashley Witkiewicz Office manager, Valley Pediatric Dentistry in Yorktown, North White Plains resident

van vlack

warner

witkiewicz

Compiled by Alissa Frey. Contact her at afrey@westfairinc.com.

87

watch The way they were

“It’s a night for memories,” state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins said as she took in the throng gathered for the opening of ArtsWestchester’s “Celebrities: We Remember Them All.” Over wine and “sinsuous” chocolate fondue provided by The Melting Pot, arts lovers strolled down Memory Lane with Marilyn, James Dean, Satchmo and assorted Kennedys – 175 candid photographs and studio portraits of the last half-century. Among the most poignant were Allan Tannenbaum’s Central Park snaps of John and Yoko, taken just days before he was murdered. In the well-heeled crowd few were more soignée than Stewart-Cousins, who always looks her best. Acknowledging the compliment, she told us, “I want to be WAGable, in the best sense of the word.”

Photographs by Larry Blucher.

Photographer Photographer Allan Tannenbaum Joseph Squillante

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach; Jacqueline Walker, president of ArtsWestchester’s board of trustees; and Westchester County Legislator William Ryan

“Celebrities” curator Milton Ellenbogen

Barbara Elliot and Joanna Cooper

ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam with guest

Go figure

No skinny Minnies for Gaston Lachaise. The Franco-American sculptor liked his women va-va-va voom. Case in point – his adored wife and muse, the former Isabel Dutaud Nagle. And though he captured New York City Ballet co-founder Lincoln Kirstein in the buff and a host of 20th century greats’ likenesses, he is best-known for his zaftig goddesses. Recently, more than 200 Bruce Museum patrons, sponsors and guests paid tribute to his fleshy tastes at the opening of the museum’s “Face & Figure: The Sculpture of Gaston Lachaise” (through Jan. 6). No doubt all the attendees felt extremely thin.

Wendy Morgan, Arsen Charles, Marie Charles and Ned Barron

Sonja Berggren and Patrick Seaver

Jean Doyen de Montaillou, Michael Kovner and Aundrea Amine

All identifications are from left unless otherwise noted.

88

Not so round

From a Lady Gaga impersonator to an over-the-top drumming extravaganza, “Lighten Up, Get Out of the Box” was not your father’s or mother’s round table. The event, presented by The Business Journals and WAG, was sponsored by Red Door Spa and Winston Flowers and held at Renaissance Westchester Hotel.

Photographs by Bob Rozycki.

Zoilo

Model Carolyn Cianciotto-Elmo

Joe Guilderson and Mimi Klein Sternlicht

Model Guerline Fequiere

Model Jillian Reyes

Zoilo and team

Jill Prince and “Lady Gaga”

Emily Pinon of Winston Flowers

Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson moderated the event.

Ann Giuli and Michelle Lovlie

Jill Singer and Sandra Rampersaud

“Diva Debbi” O’Shea and Nicole Valentino of Red Door Spa.

Kat McGee

Elizabeth Barker, Emily Pinon and Ryan Zoeller, all of Winston’s Flowers.

89

watch Food for thought

Mount Kisco Child Care Center (MKCCC) recently hosted its eighth annual “Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening” at Eric Hadar’s Ivanna Farms in Bedford Corners.

Guests savored fare from more than 20 Westchester restaurants and farms. Proceeds from “Feed Me Fresh” will be used to provide scholarship assistance to children enrolled at MKCCC. Photographs by Ed Shenkman Photography.

David Griff, MKCCC board president; honorees Isidoro and Frances Albanese; and honoree Curtis Beusman.

Phyllis Herz and Clark Robson

Susan Matlow, Tori and Jim Aiello and Anna Carucci

Christine Caruso and Christine Pesola of Frannie’s Goodie Shop in Mount Kisco.

Jim and Twink Wood with Eric Hadar

Carolyn Hauptman, Fran Flamino and Pam Moskowitz

Dottie Jordan, MKCCC executive director

McNally in full

A packed house honored playwright Terrence McNally (“Love! Valour!

Compassion!”) during Westport Country Playhouse’s annual fundraising gala, “The Full McNally: A Celebration of the Writing and Works of Terrence McNally.”

Photographs by Kathleen O’Rourke.

Nathan Lane, Joanna Gleason and Jack O’Brien

Tyne Daly and Terrence McNally

90

Marin Mazzie and Malcolm Gets

Camille Zamora

Ann Sheffer and Richard Thomas

Gala chair Giancarlo Giammetti; Kathy Brown, New York City Ballet executive director; designer Valentino; Peter Martins, New York City Ballet ballet master in chief; and gala chairs Sarah Jessica Parker, Pamela Joyner and Maria Bartiromo. Credit: Julie Skarratt

Where everything’s beautiful

The New York City Ballet (NYCB) recently held its fall gala at Lincoln Center, celebrating Valentino.

The Italian fashion designer created costumes for three works

by NYCB ballet master in chief (and Westchester resident) Peter Martins, including one world premiere, as well as costumes for a pas de deux choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.

Anne Hathaway Credit: Julie Skarratt

Iman Abdulmajid Credit: Julie Skarratt

Charles Askegard and Maria Kowroski in Peter Martins’ “Sophisticated Lady,” featuring costumes designed by Valentino . Credit: Paul Kolnik

Barbara Wollenberg, AGD creative director; AGD model Maggie; Brittany Zachos, AGD co-founder; Jay Alvear; Lynn Zachos, AGD cofounder and president; Rosa Russo, hair stylist; and AGD model Kendra.

Laurence Gottlieb, Jim Steets, Holly K. Benedict and Martin F. Sheehan

Fashion kickoff

Ava Gray Direct (AGD), a Westchester-based apparel company, has announced it will bow in the Northeast with its fall/winter collection. AGD recently wrapped its photo shoot for the launch in Elmsford, with makeup by celebrity artist Jay Alvear of White Plains.

Mary K. Spengler, Katharine Wilson Conroy, Larry Dix, Louis D. Vizioli and Jon Schandler

Twenty years of caring

Terry Geller, Anna L. Shereff and Michele Geller

Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester (HPCW) toasted its 20th anniversary with its annual “In Celebration” gala cocktail reception at Westchester Country Club in Rye. More than 200 guests attended the event, which raised funds to support the Anna & Louis H. Shereff Caregiver and Complementary Care programs.

John Barnes of Reckson, a division of SLG Green; Patricia Lee of CodeGreen; Kevin Plunkett, deputy Westchester County executive; Stacey Tank of Heineken USA; White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach; Dolf van den Brink, CEO of Heineken USA.

Heineken goes gold

Heineken USA celebrated the company’s LEED Gold certification for its efforts to incorporate eco-friendly design into its White Plains headquarters. The event gave company executives, Westchester County representatives and beer lovers a chance to mingle over appetizers.

91

watch Saying ‘thanks’

United Way of Westchester and Putnam welcomed longtime supporters, nonprofit leaders and government officials to its 50th anniversary Top Chefs celebration, held at Westchester Country Club in Rye. The event, which offered a five-course tasting menu from the area’s most renowned chefs, gave thanks to the thousands of individuals and corporations who contribute to United Way through giving, advocating and volunteering.

Photographs courtesy of United Way of Westchester and Putnam.

Chef David DiBari of The Cookery, chef Eric Gabrynowicz of Restaurant North, chef Joseph Albertelli of Westchester Country Club, chef Leslie Lampert of Café of Love, chef Peter X. Kelly of X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, and chef Marc Lippman of Crabtree’s Kittle House.

Bill Mooney and Marissa Brett

Martha Reddington, New York Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and Mary Jane Reddington

Michael Carriere, Florence McCue, County Legislator Judy Myers and County Legislator Pete Harckham

92

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino with Naomi Adler, CEO and president, United Way of Westchester and Putnam.

Monica Tufts and Gary E. Knell

Peter C. Rockefeller and David Yawman

Robin Colner and Stacy Geisinger

Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Barbara and H. Rodgin Cohen

‘Paint the Town Pink’

Caroline Gould Lewittes of Thompson & Bender and Kristine Cappo of White Plains Hospital.

Drs. Caren Greenstein, Randy Stevens, Sara Sadan and Julie Monroe.

Danielle Gagner, Dr. Sunny Mitchell and Una Hopkins, all of White Plains Hospital.

Dawn French, Frances Bordoni and Susan Fox, all of White Plains Hospital.

Geralyn Plomitallo and Anne Marie Grealish, White Plains Hospital

Guests enjoyed free makeovers, treats and custom drinks following the panel discussion.

Francine Orefice, Dr. Cynthia Chin, Maggie Zhang and Susan Liller, all of White Plains Hospital.

Arif Boysan, general manager, Bloomingdale’s.

It was an evening of learning as well as relaxing as White Plains Hospital hosted a panel discussion for Breast Cancer Awareness month at Bloomingdale’s. In addition to learning about prevention, nutrition and early detection, guests also visited a “beauty bar” full of treats, makeovers and customized drinks.

Photographs by John Vecchiola

Barbara Rohonczy and Patty Byrne

Moderator Dr. Erika Schwartz.

Heidi Banziger and Dara Zinney.

Kellie Montagnino and Jessica Gleason of White Plains Hospital

Pauline Camras and Susy Glasgall

Sweetooth Bakery in Katonah treated guests to its homemade cupcakes; Meryl Lefkowitz and Sandy Hapoienu of Bloomingdale’s enjoy a bite.

93

watch The Wakiles in White Plains Gaucho Grill, an Argentinean steakhouse in White Plains, recently hosted a meet and greet reception with the Wakile family from “Real Housewives of New Jersey.”

Photographs by Dave Kotinsky.

Richard and Victoria Wakile

Rosie Pierri and Kathy Wakile

Driven to be healthy

Mary Hamill and John Neale

Ruth DeFord Kotecha, Mahesh Kotecha and Scott Wright

Mariangela Remetz and Julie Spellman

Diane Blanchard, LRA co-president

Jeanne Betsock Stillman, PPAF board secretary

Some 75 guests recently attended the Lyme Research Alliance’s (LRA) cocktail reception and “What You Need to Know About Lyme Disease” briefing at Mercedes-Benz White Plains. After mingling in a Mercedes showroom filled with vintage cars, Peter Wild, LRA’s executive director, greeted the attendees and introduced speakers Harriet Kotsoris, MD, LRA’s chief scientific officer; John Aucott, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and Toni L. Salvatore, MD, a pediatrician at Greenwich Hospital.

Billy Faridi, Becker Chicaiza and Lucas Magnum of Becker Salon.

Hair-raising

Becker Salon recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with a party for clients, friends and guests at the salon, 268 Mason St. in Greenwich. The event featured food, wine and Champagne from Douro Restaurant and Bar and signature cocktails from Broken Shed New Zealand Vodka.

Photographs by Marsin Digital.

Carlos Lithgow, senior fellow, PPAF; and Selvish Capers Jr. of the New York Giants.

The perfect blendship

Ambassador Zina AndrianariveloRazafy, permanent representative of Madagascar to the United Nations.

94

The Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF) held its Partners Against Poverty Benefit at Resource Furniture in Manhattan. The event will support PPAF’s project in Haiti, Initiative for Clean Cookstoves and Clean Fuels.

Photographs courtesy of findingpaola.com.

David Stillman, executive director, Public-Private Alliance Foundation; and Charles Antoine Forbin, consul general of Haiti to New York.

LEGACIES CELEBRATED

Reggie LaFayette, Ken Theobalds Mauro Romita, Carla Romita Eccleston and Timothy Idoni and Justin Driscoll

Judith Huntington

Shiba Russell, 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. anchor, WNBC-TV News 4

Michael Niedzwiecki, Eileen Niedzwiecki and Sister Mary Jane Robertshaw

Lawrence Otis Graham, Allison Wesley-Jones and Darryl Jones

Kevin Service, Angie Klein and Rev. Leo O’Donovan

The College of New Rochelle closed the inaugural year of President Judith Huntington with a celebration of the legacy of Sister Dorothy Ann Kelly, the 11th president of the college, at the recent trustee gala in New Rochelle. CNR alumnae Rosa Kittrell Barksdale, CEO, Barksdale Home Care Services; Dee DelBello, CEO, Westfair Communications Inc.; Celeste M. Johnson, associate commissioner/ regional director, Metropolitan Area Regional Office New York State Department of Health; Dolores Castellano King, former CEO, William J. Hirten Company Inc.; and Valerie Salembier, senior vice president, publisher and chief revenue officer, Town & Country, were honored for exemplifying the values and ideals of Sister Dorothy Ann. Photographs by John Vecchiolla.

Russel Taylor and Connie Vance

George Mayer, Mary Sommer Sandak and Jay Sandak

Dennis Kenny, Judy Kenny and Mary Alice Donius

Rosa and George Napoleone

Amy Bass and Evan Klupt

(front) Dolores King and Dee DelBello (back) Rosa Barksdale, Celeste Johnson, Judith Huntington and Valerie Salembier

Want to be in Watch? Send event photos, captions (identifying subjects from left to right) and a paragraph describing the event to afrey@wagmag.com.

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class&sass

By Martha Handler and Jennifer Pappas

Jennifer, age 5, and her mother.

When I was 15, just starting high school and in the throes of my first serious relationship, my mother decided – to my horror – that she wanted to go to medical school. She had always had a brilliant mind, but she was not using it to its fullest potential while raising her children.

She was restless and needed stimulation (something that I can now relate to after having three children of my own. There just isn’t a whole lot of think-tanking going on at those Gymboree classes). To make a long story short, she got accepted, and moved the whole family from Southern California (where I would cut class to go surfing) to Augusta, Ga. (where there were now cows grazing across from my house). Needless to say, I was less than thrilled. I considered it to be a whim of hers and was unyielding in my anger toward her for yanking me away from everything that I loved. How dare she? At that period in my life, I was only concerned with my own selfish wants.

I didn’t appreciate at all that at 37 years old, and with three young children, she had chosen to dedicate herself to making a difference in people’s lives. And make a difference she did. After eight long years of study, one where she received the honor of being chosen from a pool of 50,000 applicants to do a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Univer-

J

Martha, age 4, and her mother.

sity, she has helped to save the eyes and the lives of countless children. Hats off to my amazing mom – and to all of you out there who take the road less traveled.

Although my mother wasn’t a docM tor, she no doubt saved many lives (and marriages) during her lifetime. On the outside, she looked like your typical ’50s housewife. But under that veneer was a force to be reckoned with. In our kitchen hung a print of ducks gliding around on a pond and the caption read, “A good hostess is like a duck, floating serenely on the surface while underneath she’s paddling like hell,” which described her perfectly. If Facebook existed back then, she would’ve had a billion “friends.” She knew everyone in town’s birthday and anniversary, but more important, she knew and took care of every neighbor who was ill or infirm. Her Monday and Thursday bridge groups weren’t frivolous ladies’ card-playing sessions. They were reconnaissance missions from which she returned laden with information. Post-bridge, she knew if you’d skipped a class, smoked a cigarette or driven the car without permission.

When confronted with our misdeeds, we had to look her in the eye and explain why we’d transgressed. Her look of disappointment was the worse punishment imag-

inable. She could have written the book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are from Venus,” as she was forever advising her friends to tell their husbands exactly what they wanted or needed, explaining that while men were good at certain things, reading body language and picking up on subtle clues were not their strong suits. So here’s to powerful women who change the world from both in and outside the home.

These are just two examples of very J different women, with one thing in common – being a mother. The path to and through motherhood has been welltrodden by hordes of women, but to each and every one of them, the experience is a truly unique one. Raising a child is not to be taken lightly. It is 80 percent hard work and 20 percent “Kodak moments” (requiring you, like that duck, to paddle like hell to stay afloat at times). Yet, it is one of the most rewarding things that a woman will ever do. is one thing I’ve learned in M Iflife,there it’s that we all have to be way less judgmental and much more supportive of one another. I hate reading about the so-called “Mommy Wars.” Like everything in life, there is not one size that fits all or even most (despite what some clothing companies would like us to be-

lieve). Some women plan to be at-home mothers, but in the end it just doesn’t work for them, while others plan to keep working and then come to regret the decision. I think the important thing is that we learn to be honest with ourselves about what we want and to keep growing in whatever role we choose for ourselves.

Because in the end, no one is happy if mama isn’t happy!

Wag Up: • Michelle Obama – No matter what you may feel about our president, I don’t think anyone can deny that our first lady has done a bang-up job. (M) • Taking the “road less traveled” – It’s always scary to be the first one in, but those brave souls make true change happen. (J) Wag down: • Parents who don’t parent – Whether or not you’re a stay-at-home parent, your kids need hard-and-fast rules to function in society. (M) • The fact that there aren’t more full-service gas stations. I’m as much for women’s equal rights as anyone, trust me, but I still like someone else to pump my gas when it’s 10 degrees below outside. It doesn’t mean I’m weak, just freezing. (J)

Email Class&Sass at marthaandjen@wagmag.com. You may also follow Martha and Jen on Facebook at Wag Classandsass or access all of their conversations online at wagmag.com.

IntroducIng the brIstal

the best of assIsted lIvIng noW comes to WhIte PlaIns s Another Quality Community By The Engel Burman Group

What does The Bristal mean to me?

s

Confidence.

Lew, Resident of The Bristal

“When I moved to The Bristal I barely weighed 141 lbs. I was weak and out of sorts. But now I’m surrounded by pros — and pals! — who follow my health every day, who care enough to watch over me, even when I don’t. Their attention and assistance has made me stronger, and the gourmet food hasn’t hurt. The gym, pool and daily activities also keep me fit. Today, this retired submarine engineer is back to 180 lbs.... and I even won a Medal for Bocce at the 2012 Senior Games.”

How did Lew regain his stride? Tune in at thebristal.com/lifestories

Welcome center now open!

305 north street, White Plains (914) 681-1800 | amiller @ thebristal.com

t h e b r I s ta l . c o m

o t h e r l o c a t I o n s : east meadow | east northport | lynbrook | massapequa | north hills | north Woodmere | Westbury Licensed by the NYS Dept of Health. Eligible for Most Long Term Care Policies. | All photos are representational of typical communities of The Bristal.

Our new White Plains location presents the most advanced Plastic Surgery Center in Westchester County offering: Breast Augmentation • Breast Lift • Breast Reduction • Breast Reconstruction • Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) • Liposuction • Eyelid Surgery • Facial Plastic Surgery •

Dr. Scott Newman was voted a Castle Connelly Top Doctor in New York for the past nine consecutive years. He is Chief of Plastic Surgery at St. John’s Riverside Hospital, is Academically Affiliated, and is the Medical Director for the Aesthetic Laser Group in White Plains.

Scott Newman MD FACS

It’s your life.

Feel good in your body... by Dr Newman.

914-423-9000 • www.psurgery.com WHiTE PLAiNS • YONkERS • PARk AvENuE • LONG iSLAND