WAG January 2016

MARIANO RIVERA An all-star family guy

WOMAN AT THE CENTER NFL’s Dawn Hudson

GOING TO MARKET WITH DECICCO ABOVE BOARD

Grant Tankoos crafts career

ANNE-MARIE KAVULLA WEAVES A LIFE STORY CHARLES DEPARTMENT STORE

Four generations of tradition

D2’s INTERIOR MOTIVES

celebrating

FAMILY JUDGED

BEST MAGAZINE WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE JANUARY 2016 | WAGMAG.COM

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CONTENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE: 12 16 18 20 24 28 32 34 38 40 42 46 50 54 92

My big fat Greek family drama The Rolls-Royce of royal families Crouching emperor hidden empress Dynamic design duo Board-certified designs His, hers and theirs To the manor reborn Game on Good food with a heaping helping of family Designed to fit A storied legacy Weaving family and career Green grocer takes on new meaning…

COVER STORY: Now pitching for education… Mariano Rivera From puppies to pals

Detail, Mariano Rivera in 2008. See story on page 54.

Photograph by Keith Allison.

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84 WELL Face time

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74 WONDERFUL DINING Familial spirit 76 WINE & DINE The Tuscany you don’t know 78 WHETTING THE APPETITE Jackie Ruby’s Lemon Basil Mashed Potatoes 80 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Family farm to family table

88 WELL A New Year’s mantra – Move it 90 PET OF THE MONTH Masterful Murdock

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John Rizzo Photography- 85 johnrizzophoto.com Royal Closet - 10 royalcloset.com

93 WHEN & WHERE Upcoming events 96 WATCH We’re out and about 104 WIT What does family mean to you?

MARIANO RIVERA

ON THE COVER:

An all-star family guy

WOMAN AT THE CENTER NFL’s Dawn Hudson

GOING TO MARKET WITH DECICCO ABOVE BOARD

Grant Tankoos crafts career

ANNE-MARIE KAVULLA WEAVES A LIFE STORY CHARLES DEPARTMENT STORE

Four generations of tradition

D2’s INTERIOR MOTIVES

celebrating

FAMILY JUDGED

BEST MAGAZINE WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE

IN NEW YORK STATE

JANUARY 2016 | WAGMAG.COM

4

WAGMAG.COM

Mariano Rivera being honored at the Latino U College Access gala.

Photograph by Mike Dardano/Buzz Potential.

JANUARY 2016

LISA CASH

ANNE JORDAN DUFFY

BARBARA HANLON

MARCIA PFLUG

PATRICE SULLIVAN

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LEXI CURNIN 8

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Laura Cacace graduated from Hunter College in 2014 with a major in English creative writing. At Hunter, Laura also stage-managed, then co-directed two plays with the college theater company.

She is in the final editing stages of her first novel, a work of fiction that she hopes will not be her last.

LAURA CACACE

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EDITOR'S LETTER GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

no introduction. Nor perhaps does his own family with wife, Clara, shepherding the Refugio de Esperanza church in New Rochelle, and Mariano III — the oldest of their three boys — set to embark on a career with the Washington Nationals. But Mariano’s family also includes the students and parents his foundation At “Ken Downing’s Trend Report,” Neiman Marcus has helped by partnering with Westchester. Photograph by José F. Donneys.

Latino U College Access.

(For more, see Page 60.)

Or consider Dawn Hudson, We begin our year of celebrations with executive vice president and chief a look at one of the most essential, marketing officer of the NFL, for whom complex and fraught subjects that we the league is as much a family as is celebrate — the family. her own husband, two daughters and “It’s the basis from which we begin, mother, whom she also spoke about and it’s the foundation from which at the recent Women’s Leadership we grow. It’s what sustains us,” Katy Council breakfast. (Dawn is one of Coppinger, executive director of detwo Dartmouth women in this issue. velopment at Mercy College, tells us in New Wagger Lexi Curnin has woven a WAGwit. lovely story of weaver Anne-Marie KaIt’s also what befuddles and bedevils vulla — wife, mother and owner of Pirtti us, as the ancient Greeks knew only too Handwoven.) well. (See our opening essay. And just Or take the d’Ornanos — the glamorto balance Aeschylus and company, we ous Franco-Polish family behind Sisley have two happy Greek families — the Paris cosmetics, with their long history Livanoses of the Livanos Restaurant of political and aesthetic service — and Group and the Pampafikoses of Royal surprising tie to White Plains.

Regency Hotel in Yonkers.)

These stories are heartening for me, But just as family can try us, we in particularly as my relationship with my our modern society have tested the parents was a troubled one. Fortunatefamily. Industrialization, population ly, I had Aunt Mary — along with my growth, urban mobility, an aging desisters Jana and Gina, extended family, mographic and gender politics are friends, neighbors and colleagues — just some of the challenges that have who have given me all the love I felt my put a strain on the family as it has conparents never showed me. But it wasn’t tracted and expanded, disintegrated until I lost my aunt that I realized I had and reconstituted itself. Nowhere has it backwards all along. We create a famthat been more apparent perhaps, ily not so much by the love we get from Audrey writes, than in China where others but by the love we give to them. the disastrous effects of its one-child This past summer, I celebrated a big policy have produced a generation of birthday with family and friends — my disaffected young men and left behind ever-growing community. a generation of children struggling to I look forward to widening that circle survive in rural areas as their parents when we celebrate again this year. seek work in the big cities.

Georgette Gouveia is the author Family, however, is not only bound of “Water Music” and the forthcomby blood ties, as our WAGwits told us. ing “The Penalty for Holding,” part It means the workplace, community, of her series of novels, “The Games country — humanity.

Men Play,” which is also the name of Witness cover subject Mariano Rivethe sports/culture blog she writes at ra. His New York Yankees family needs thegamesmenplay.com.

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“Orestes at Delphi� (circa 330 B.C.), Paestan red-figured bell-krater. British Museum.

MY BIG FAT Greek family drama

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

“ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE,” LEO TOLSTOY WROTE IN “ANNA KARENINA.” “EACH UNHAPPY FAMILY IS UNHAPPY IN ITS OWN WAY.” Fiction — for which conflict is the lifeblood — has charted this in every way imaginable, rarely better than in the myths and dramas of the ancient Greeks. With the backdrop of the Olympians — a family of boisterous, squabbling gods and goddesses — meddling in the affairs of humans fatally flawed by hubris, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides spun tales of families divided by loyalties (Sophocles’ “Antigone”) and ravaged by betrayal and retribution (Euripides’ “Medea”).

But perhaps the daddy of all family dramas is Aeschylus’ “The Oresteia,” the only extant example of an ancient Greek theater trilogy, which took first prize in the Dionysia festival in Athens in 458 B.C. and would influence the work of modern storytellers like Eugene O’Neill, JeanPaul Sartre and Joyce Carol Oates.

The back story begins as all tragedies do — with someone else’s thoughtless act. Eris, the goddess of discord — think the wicked fairy in the “Sleeping Beauty” story — has not been invited to the Olympian wedding of King Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis, who will become the parents of the Greeks’ greatest warrior, Achilles. So she tosses the guests an apple that says, “To the fairest.” Hera, queen of the gods, and her stepdaughters Athena, goddess of wisdom, and Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, immediately begin to fight over it. Off they go — accompanied by stepson/brother Hermes, the winged messenger god — to be judged in all their fleshly glory and with all their worldly bribes by the Trojan shepherd/prince Paris, a gorgeous layabout. Paris chooses Aphrodite and her promise of the world’s greatest beauty, Helen, who unfortunately is married to Menelaus, king of Sparta.

Menelaus doesn’t take kindly to being cuckolded and enlists his older brother, Agamemnon, king of Mycenae (also called Argos), in spearhead-

ing a war of revenge on Troy. (The brothers have a family history of adultery, murder, revenge, cannibalism and curses upon their house, so you know things aren’t going to go well.) On the island of Aulis, the campaign is stalled by Athena’s and Aphrodite’s sister, Artemis, goddess of the hunt, who demands a human sacrifice in that peremptory way that gods do. So Agamemnon devises a ruse to lure his oldest daughter, Iphigenia, to the island, sending word that she is to be married to Achilles. What Agamemnon doesn’t count on, or care about, is his wife Clytemnestra’s outrage at having her child sacrificed and Achilles’ anger at being used. (This story is poignantly told in Euripides’ “Iphigenia in Aulis” and in the 1977 Greek film “Iphigenia.” The scene in which Iphigenia, recognizing that the only thing she can control is her attitude toward her death, relieves Achilles of his pledge to defend her and goes off to that death remains one of the most moving and memorable moments in drama.)

With the noble Iphigenia thus dispatched — in the deus ex machina that is sometimes part of the story, she’s spirited away by Artemis to become her priestess — and the Greeks bound for Troy, the stage is set for the bad blood between Agamemnon and Achilles that will drive the opening of Homer’s “The Iliad” and for the sequence of ghastly events that mark “The Oresteia.”

In the first play in the trilogy, “Agamemnon,” he returns to Mycenae, where Clytemnestra and her lover — Agamemnon’s vindictive, dispossessed cousin Aegisthus — wait as patient as cobras, ready to strike.

Wielding an ax, Clytemnestra hacks him and his enslaved mistress, the doomed-never-to-be-believed Trojan prophetess/princess Cassandra, into pieces, mimicking the animal sacrifices that mirror daughter Iphigenia’s death. The arrogant Aegisthus becomes king, but the Greek chorus — there’s always a Greek chorus — warns that Orestes, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra’s son, will come home to exact vengeance.

WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

13

In “The Libation Bearers,” Orestes — spurred by his sister Electra, a daddy’s girl if there ever was one, and his soulmate, Pylades — exacts that revenge, even as Clytemnestra bares the breasts that nurtured him.

With the blood of Aegisthus and his mother on his hands, Orestes is now hounded by the Furies, female deities who avenge injustice, in the final play, “The Eumenides” (“The Kindly Ones.”) But a trial ensues, with Apollo, god of truth, representing the defendant, and Athena casting the deciding vote for acquittal.

“The Oresteia” — which is often viewed as a shift from vengeance to justice, from a matrilineal society to a patriarchy — inspired Eugene O’Neill’s 1931 trilogy “Mourning Becomes Electra,” set in Civil War New England with a sub-theme of incest between the Electra and Orestes characters. Among the other notable versions are Jean-Paul Sartre’s play “The Flies” (1943), an existential take on embracing the circumstances in which you find yourself, and Joyce Carol Oates’ 1981 novel “Angel of Light,” which locates “The Oresteia” amid the politics of Washington, D.C. But perhaps the work that comes closest in epic spirit, if not in plot, to “The Oresteia” is “The Godfather” trilogy, in which the tragic hero, Michael Corleone, is drawn deeper into the family’s mob activ-

“Orestes and Pylades,” attributed to the Pasiteles school in Ancient Rome. Grand Palais.

ities as a way to save and protect the family. When he forgets what family is, however — shunning his estranged wife, Kay, for having an abortion and, especially, murdering his hapless brother Fredo for his unwitting role in a plot to kill him — he crosses the

line into true villainy.

And so he pays with the life of the family member he cherishes most, his daughter, Mary.

It is an ending of which both Tolstoy and the ancient Greeks would’ve approved.

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The Rolls-Royce of royal families

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

THERE HAVE BEEN THE EVER-POPULAR TUDORS, THE TABLOID-READY WINDSORS AND THE TRAGIC ROMANOVS. But it’s fair to say there’s never been a royal family like the Plantagenets (plan-TA-ghah-nets).

The men were brilliant; the women were beautiful.

The women were brilliant; the men were beautiful.

For more than 300 years — from the ascension of Henry II to the English throne in 1154 to the death of Richard III in 1485 — they conquered and consolidated, thundered and plundered, quested and lusted, fighting their enemies and especially themselves.

Their names and associations are legendary — Becket, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Lionheart, the Black Prince, Agincourt, the Princes in the Tower — woven into histories along with fiction by Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Jean Anouilh, Thomas B. Costain, James Goldman and Sharon Kay Penman.

And to think this juicy family tree sprang from a dry plant or “sprig of broom” (Plante Genest) that Geoffrey V, count of Anjou, liked to wear in his bonnet. (That’s right: England’s greatest dynasty had its origins in France.) Geoffrey married the Empress Mathilda, heiress of Henry I of England. Mathilda and Geoffrey’s child became Henry II — king of England, count of Anjou and Nantes, duke of Normandy, lord of Ireland and ruler of Scotland, Wales and Brittany. A larger-than-life figure absorbed in maintaining and expanding the holdings of his grandfather and namesake, Henry battled his pal and chancellor Thomas à Becket once he made him archbishop of Canterbury, forgetting that the job really does make the man. Their maneuvering would result in Becket’s martyrdom and sainthood.

Henry’s other mighty opposite on the chessboard of life was his incandescent wife, Eleanor — duchess of the rich, romantic French province of Aquitaine and the former wife of Louis VII of France.

Even though she had borne Louis two daughters, Eleanor was able to obtain a papal annulment on the grounds that she had given him no sons and was distantly related to him. She promptly married Henry, 11 years younger and a third cousin. But then, Eleanor — who had accompanied the pious, in-over-his-head Louis on the Second Crusade to Jerusalem — was not the kind of woman to be refused. Henry would discover this again and again as they fought over their eight children — five boys and three girls — and the disposition of their realm among them, with Eleanor often taking her sons’ part against her husband. William, named for the Norman conqueror of England, died in infancy. Henry, prince of Wales and daddy’s favorite, was actually proclaimed the Young King in his father’s lifetime, which only fueled the rebellious ambitions that died with him. It would be Eleanor’s pride and joy, Rich-

Samuel Cousins’ “The Princes in the Tower” (mezzotint), after John Everett 16 WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016 Millais’ 1878 painting. National Portrait Gallery

ard — the dashing Crusader known as “the Lionheart” — who succeeded Henry II. Richard, however, was so bound up with military interests outside England that Eleanor would actually rule in his absence, trying to keep the Lionheart’s backstabbing baby bro, John, who aspired to the throne, at bay.

In the end, John got his wish, succeeding his childless brother. But he proved to be no charismatic Richard and was forced to concede lands to his rival, Philip II of France, and considerable power to his own barons in the document known as the Magna Carta.

By then a pattern had emerged of strong kings followed by weak or childless ones, creating a power vacuum. It would not be John’s son, Henry III, but his grandson, the tall, intimidating Edward I (“Longshanks”) who re-established the centrality of the monarchy, subduing the Welsh and engaging in an ongoing war with Scotland that he left to a son, Edward II, most unsuited to the task. Preferring everyday pursuits like gardening, this Edward remains one of England’s most controversial monarchs, not for the disastrous favoritism he bestowed on his soulmate Piers Gaveston but for its equation with

a kind of fey homosexuality (most notably in Mel Gibson’s historically inaccurate film, “Braveheart.”)

Whether or not Edward II was bisexual, it was political favoritism, not sexual identity, that led to his deposition and death at the hands of his increasingly unhappy wife, Isabella of France, and her lover, Roger Mortimer.

But Edward would be avenged by his son, Edward III, who quickly dispensed with Mortimer and expanded England’s power during a popular reign of 50 years. And it looked as if that popularity would continue under his eldest son, Edward, the Black Prince, an imposing military leader in the Lionheart mold. He, however, took ill on one of his campaigns, leaving his succession in the hand of his young son, Richard II, whose lofty view of absolute monarchy and favoritism — shades of Edward II — would lead to his deposition by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and subsequent death.

This Henry — the fourth of that name to rule England — would give his country one of its greatest rulers, Henry V, whose stunning victory against a much larger French force at Agincourt and marriage to the

French princess, Catherine, would cement his fame and presumably the united thrones of England and France for his son, Henry VI. However, Henry VI suffered a mental breakdown that ushered in the War of the Roses between his own Lancastrian branch of the Plantagenets and the Yorkist branch of the family.

The House of York triumphed and Edward, son of Richard, the third duke of York, ascended the throne as Edward IV. Here the Plantagenet curse of murderous ambition — visited upon father and son, brothers and cousins – would play itself out for the last time as Edward’s brother Richard imprisoned the king’s sons (the children Edward V and Richard, Duke of York) and succeeded his brother as Richard III. Did Richard actually murder the two “Princes in the Tower,” as they came to be known? There is no concrete evidence, but he did depose and imprison them, meeting his own ghastly end at the Battle of Bosworth Field at the hands of Henry Tudor, a descendant of Edward III. Henry married Edward IV’s daughter, Elizabeth — thus ensuring his claim to the throne and that the Plantagenet blood, if not the dynasty, would endure.

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Crouching EMPEROR

hidden EMPRESS STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY AUDREY RONNING TOPPING

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SINCE THE FALL OF THE IMPERIAL DYNASTIES, China’s

How China’s one-child policy has benefited women

traditional family structure, based on Confucius’ philosophy of filial piety, has changed dramatically. Mencius, the leading Confucian scholar, taught that “There are three things which are unfilial, and to have no posterity is the greatest of them.” Before a son reached 21, his parents would provide him with a young wife to have as many children as possible to ensure the succession of the male line — and thus the parents’ care in old age.

In 1979, Communist China introduced its one-child policy — aimed at the Han Chinese, the ethnic majority — to control a population that had burgeoned to 1 billion.

(In a directive that may now seem counterintuitive, China’s ethnic minorities were allowed two or three. But the Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang — a hotbed of separatism — had what the government deemed “worrying high birthrates” of five or more.)

The effect of the policy was profound. Though many people, especially in rural areas, bitterly contested these

restraints, ultrasound enabled couples to abort female embryos. Female infanticide, illegal under Chinese law, led to a government crackdown, but not before a generation of spoiled, self-centered “little emperors” had been born.

But ironically, a society that would seem to favor men had found a way to disadvantage them. By 2010, there were 116 boys born for every 100 girls. The onechild policy had caused an imbalance of 33 million more marriageable men (known as “bare branches”) than women.

Even when after three decades of restrictions the Communist Party allowed Han couples to have a second child, only 12 percent applied to do so, given the high cost. With the number of people over age 65 doubling, that means these men not only have to pick up the slack in the workforce but care for aging parents. The Chinese media has dubbed them “the loneliest generation.” They might be called “the overburdened generation” as well.

And what of the ladies, who have seen the age at which women marry rise from 14 to 17 when my grandparents served as missionaries in imperial China to 20 after the establishment of the People’s Republic in the 1950s to 25 in the 1980s? When I was in Beijing two years ago, I was struck by the number of beautiful single women in important positions.

Today, the average marriageable age for educated,

high-earning women is 30. Living the single life longer than their parents and grandparents did is their own choice and, boy, can they afford to be choosey.

By 2030, China may have 160 men of available age for every 100 women. The common adage, “A woman would rather be crying in a BMW than happy on the back of a bicycle,” is evocative of these changes.

From “little emperors” China has unwittingly moved to empresses with their own agendas.

While urban women may have been the inadvertent beneficiaries of China’s policy, children of both sexes are suffering in rural areas thanks to the government’s clumsy handling of urbanization. In 1980, one of China’s greatest migrations began as millions of peasants streamed into the cities to work in construction, state industries and foreign companies looking for cheap labor. Millions of children were left in the countryside because of the hukou-system, which divides urban and rural. The mingongs or (peasants-who-become-workers) lack the right to become permanent city dwellers with facilities for children.

According to a survey by the All-China Women’s Federation, there are 61 million “left-behind children” of migrant parents virtually home alone. Although their basic physical needs are met, the vulnerable psychological well-being of these youngsters has put them at higher risk for accidental death, mental illness, rape and suicide. Only 50 percent see their par-

ents once a year. One third, in rural areas, are living with grandparents. Most are virtually orphans.

Ruan Mei, author of “Pains of the Century: Investigation into China’s Left-behind Children,” based on research into 900 minor criminal cases involving youngsters in juvenile detention, found that 90 percent of the inmates were left-behind children and 40 percent were mentally impaired, thinking their parents didn’t love them. “Their pain is like the moon in the daytime,” she said. “It’s invisible, but it’s still there.”

Yu Minhong, a top government official, said it would be catastrophic for society if left-behind children were unable to receive affection as adults. Li Yifei, deputy director of the Educational Research Center at Beijing Normal University, believes that the tragedies involving left-behind children are just the tip of the iceberg.

“The whole of Chinese society has failed to pay enough attention to left-behind children. We urgently need to care for their emotional needs. If this group comes of age filled with pain, regret and even hatred, the effect on society would be unimaginable.”

Yang Dongping, director of the Twenty-First-Century Education Research Institute, recommended establishing a national Left-behind Children’s Day on June 9 — the day when four left-behind siblings (ages 5 to 13) committed suicide by drinking pesticide after their parents left them to fend for themselves.

WAGMAG.COM

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Dynamic Kerri Rosenthal, left, and Denise Davies 20 of D2WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016 Interieurs.

design duo

BY MARY SHUSTACK | PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROZYCKI

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I

f there’s one thing that the families who work with D2 Interieurs come to know about the Weston-based interior-design firm’s approach, it’s the proverbial expect the unexpected.

Clients aren’t, for example, going to come away with a house filled with subtle, safe surroundings.

D2 doesn’t do, as creative director Kerri Rosenthal says, “the grays, the beiges, the greiges” so long associated with traditional — and many might say boring — design.

No, D2 Interieurs is about bold strokes, bursts of color and plenty of sophisticated shine.

As founder and owner Denise Davies says, “If this is what you want, buckle your seatbelt because this is what you’ll get.”

And D2, which marks its fifth anniversary in May, has found a ready audience for its work, which while daring is strongly rooted in functionality and livability.

“What we specialize in is moving young families from the city,” Davies says.

Those families, headed often by couples in their 30s, are bringing a fresh perspective to life after the city.

“They want to move here but they don’t want a traditional home,” referring to what’s inside as opposed to the physical structure.

When it comes to trends, they say it’s more about creating an inviting backdrop for family life.

“I think the modern is coming into play more,” Rosenthal says, clarifying that she means not the design movement but rather the “contemporary, now” sensibility.

Mix prints. Embrace color.

It’s about, she adds, “being a little fearless with your design.”

TEAMWORK At D2, there’s a palpable synergy in place. Davies and Rosenthal finish each other’s sentences. Their styles complement each other, while also reinforcing their sophisticated-with-an-edge approach.

Davies calls on her interior-design background

while also serving as the company’s official photographer, while Rosenthal contributes both her artist’s eye — and her work.

Many projects either include a Rosenthal painting, which are also sold in galleries, as an element or feature rooms built around a particular work.

Both agree that what has propelled D2 ever forward is the way they work, including the actual nuts and bolts that allow them to keep a pace that in 2015 alone included more than a dozen fullhouse projects.

“Our process is very unique,” says Davies.

“We have such a very tight process,” Rosenthal agrees. And it’s one they’ve fine-tuned to perfection. “That’s what gets us through.”

In brief, Davies and Rosenthal meet with a client in their impressive headquarters, new space on Davies’ home property. From the first steps in the door, where a Vespa is jauntily parked, and up the stairs to the light-filled white space lined with fabric samples, one can sense the creativity that underlies every move.

There, the team conducts an intense conversation that touches on both likes and needs to help them craft an incredibly detailed plan. Three months later, the family sees its new space, down to the last detail.

FAMILY MATTERS Davies and Rosenthal, both longtime Weston residents with children, know what’s needed.

Stairways need runners. Fabrics should not only look good but also hold up to rough wear.

Carpets can be lush but must also be durable.

It was, Davies and Rosenthal say, their second project that showed them precisely how their work could make life easier for families.

They went into a home where they were, literally, stepping on Legos. The result? Creating a “Lego Room” for the family’s children, an award-winning design that proved as stylish as it was practical.

They also keep in mind that rooms need to grow with families.

“We’re designing kids’ rooms for the long haul,” Davies says, showing how a recent room designed for a child under age 3, with surface tweaks such as new bedding, can carry them through their teenage years.

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The work of Weston-based D2 Interieurs has a common thread – a sophisticated, artistic approach to family living.

Photographs courtesy of D2 Interieurs

“This is our signature, which is something called ‘the last layer,’” Davies says of the way they bring a van full of finishing touches.

“We curated a lot of items,” she adds, whether its one-of-a-kind lamps or vintage details. “We’re constantly looking for new resources. We don’t like to repeat.”

As Rosenthal adds, “It’s constantly trying to be fresh and new.”

It is that final tying together that reflects the people who will live and grow within the rooms.

“We treat the house as a whole because every room has to flow,” Davies says. “You never want to work on a house and feel ‘Oh, the decorator just left.’”

A FUTURE, BY DESIGN While projects take up the day-to-day work, D2 is always looking ahead. Two years ago, the company began designing and manufacturing its own rug line.

“It’s the next natural step,” Davies says. Called RODA, its name is a play on both the beloved television character of Rhoda Morgenstern as well as the first two initials of their own last names.

Next up is Happy Walls wallpaper featuring

Kick off the New Year creating some BUZZ for your business...

Rosenthal’s artwork, plus a collection of custom lacquered and Lucite mirrors.

“Down the road we could be doing tabletops,” Rosenthal adds.

D2 is also testing the commercial waters, having recently worked on the Westport flagship of JoyRide Cycling Studio.

“We’d love to do a restaurant,” Rosenthal says.

“Give us an inn in the Hamptons.”

Davies says there are many rewards to the

work of D2.

“Our goal is, of course, to get our name out there and make money,” but it’s also to help create “artful, thoughtful homes.”

As she says, “What we do is we give the clients homes they can live in.”

And really, that’s all a family wants, Rosenthal agrees.

“In the end, we leave — and it’s their home.”

For more, visit d2interieurs.com.

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Grant Tankoos of Soundview Millworks, at the company’s Darien headquarters.

24 WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

BOARD-CERTIFIED

DESIGNS GRANT TANKOOS CRAFTS A CUSTOM BUSINESS

BY MARY SHUSTACK PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB ROZYCKI

SOUNDVIEW MILLWORKS may be a thriving business, but there’s a decidedly hands-on, homey feeling to the Darien-based company.

As Grant Tankoos welcomes WAG on a recent morning, he ushers us toward a shop carved out of a converted garage while saying, “You’ll notice we’re not fancy.”

Soundview is, we will notice, an incredibly orderly and impressively inventive company dedicated to crafting “fine and custom wood products for land and sea.”

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Tankoos, a lifetime local, launched Soundview in 2008 with a childhood friend (who would go on to pursue other interests). From the start, Tankoos — a self-proclaimed “boat dork” — says the goal was to “create a really great nautically inspired gift.”

“We came up with the idea of a cutting board. I said, ‘What if we put a cleat on it?’” he says, a nod to boating hardware and a step that would launch his future.

Soundview Millworks, though, was not the first foray into the business world for Tankoos, a corporate communications major who minored in psychology at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

“I was at Vineyard Vines six and a half years,” Tankoos says of the New England-based clothing and accessories company. “I sort of started there folding tissue paper and tying boxes.”

He rapidly expanded his role, working with founding brothers Shep and Ian Murray to help “bring to life the retail vision” before eventually feeling the urge to branch out.

“It just sort of became time to stir the pot and try something different,” Tankoos says, adding that the Murrays have remained supportive.

“Talk about guys that want to see people succeed. They could have just as easily walked away from me. They are my biggest wholesale account and my biggest cheerleaders.”

But it was still a slow build.

“I didn’t take a paycheck for four and a half years. I got a job waiting tables at a restaurant,” Tankoos says of juggling paying gigs with Soundview’s early days.

From the start, Tankoos felt the unwavering support of his father, Randy Tankoos, whom he describes as — no pun intended — “a sounding board” and “someone who has my best interest at heart.”

The support, he shares, has gone from the literal — “I said ‘Can we use the garage?’ and he said, ‘I don’t see why not.’ … In the beginning, we weren’t able to pay him rent, pay him for space.” — to the more figurative.

Tankoos says most every evening his father will pop in after his own day at work, saying “So, boy, what’d you do today?”

His mother, he’ll add, is equally supportive, with Linda Tankoos, a nurse at Greenwich Hospital, always talking him up.

“She burns through more (business) cards than any of my accounts,” Tankoos says with a laugh.

With decades of experience on the water and associations with both the Noroton Yacht Club and the New York Yacht Club in Newport, R.I., the Tankoos family is all about life on the water so it was only natural that would come into play with Soundview.

“Boating is obviously a big part of who I am and a big part of what Soundview is, as well. … I spend

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Keith Bennett works on a custom cutting board at Soundview Millworks.

all my free time on boats and working on them and just being out on the water.”

But, Tankoos says he’d come to realize that keeping Soundview’s creations strictly tied to nautical themes would be limiting.

“For every one boat person that’s out there, there’s 15 golfers,” he says. “If someone took me golfing at Winged Foot, it would be great to send them a cutting board with a tee handle.”

Such thinking led to expanded designs that touch on everything from equestrian to hunting to fishing, with custom designs always available, too.

Randy Tankoos also added another pivotal element to the company.

“My dad was actually the one who came up with the idea to do the personalizing and engraving,” Tankoos says. Now, he adds, close to 90 percent of all the cutting boards are engraved or personalized in some form.

That’s just one thing that makes them stand out.

“They’re all handmade in the United States,” Tankoos says. “It does cost a premium to do it, but we have a great product and we’re proud to stand behind it.”

The cutting boards are crafted out of American hard maple and Santos mahogany from South America.

Today, the company works with a production facility for manufacturing but does all finishing work, including computerized engraving, sanding, oiling

and then preparing for shipment, on site.

“What’s nice is we’re still able to touch every product that comes through,” Tankoos says, as craftsman Keith Bennett adds handles to a board then carefully wraps it for mailing.

The process has found an appreciative audience, Tankoos says.

“It’s a special customer who purchases our products.”

But, Tankoos isn’t becoming complacent.

“I still think of it as a small business that has to go a long way,” he says, though he never wants to lose that personal touch.

“Ever since the beginning we’ve done a lot of holiday gift shows and trunk shows,” he says. “It’s irreplaceable in value, just being able to connect with customers one on one.”

The company has also begun crafting furniture, especially tables such as the custom teak and holly beauty that WAG sees in production. As Tankoos describes how it will look when done, his passion for both sailing and Soundview Millworks come into sharp focus.

“I love that classic nautical look, the high-gloss finishes and the contrast between the light and the dark.”

Though he may be standing in a converted garage in Darien, it’s clear Tankoos is envisioning smooth sailing ahead.

For more, visit soundviewmillworks.com.

A large-scale glass installation project. Photograph courtesy 28 WAGMAG.COM JANUARY GlasSolutions.

2016

HIS, HERS AND THEIRS

BY DANIELLE RENDA

Laughter isn’t the only thing binding George Distefano and Maria Bilotta.

This North Salem couple brings together two family-owned businesses — his, GlasSolutions, a glass and metal company, and hers, Bilotta Kitchens, a custom cabinetry company. Combined, the businesses have been open for nearly a century.

“Two family businesses: She deals with my family. I deal with her family. It’s amazing that everybody gets along,” Distefano says.

“And we still have the greatest holidays,” Bilotta adds with a smile. “I mean, it’s so difficult to run a business, especially with family.”

The two gather around their kitchen island, sipping coffee. To their right is a wood-burning pizza oven surrounded by marvelous wooden cabinetry. To their left, you can see a spotless glass fence bordering the backyard deck. Straight ahead is the kitchen stove, complete with a glass backsplash. Just outside of the kitchen is a wine shelf, featuring an array of corks on the wall underneath, courtesy of Bilotta herself. Farther down the hallway is a nautical-themed bathroom with a glass, showcase-style sink embedded with seashells — keepsakes collected by their children during a family vacation.

It’s safe to say the duo’s handiwork has turned their house into a home.

Maria Bilotta and George Distefano. Photograph by Bob Rozycki.

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HIS George’s father, James Distefano Sr., started GlasSolutions in 1954 as Real Glass Co. The Newburgh-based business had only three employees — including George’s mother — and specialized in residential projects. In 1999, George rebranded Real Glass Co. as GlasSolutions Unlimited Corp., which has since grown to 28 employees and locations in Newburgh, Somers and Mamaroneck.

Now specializing in commercial work, GlasSolutions’ projects include schools, hotels and stores, in addition to residential work.

“It’s all about how you service people,” Distefano says. “I like to see things being built and what they look like after they’re finished. Working with architects and designers, it’s always exciting to watch what they ask for and to be involved in creating and seeing the final projects.”

Distefano explains that many of GlasSolutions’ projects are similar in scope, but he encounters the occasional unusual request, including a comedian’s call for privacy.

“He was getting photographed by paparazzi,” Distefano says. “(The comedian) would line his living room with 50 cans of paint and in the middle of the night, the lights would be blazing in his apartment, and he’d be there throwing paint on a canvas. We found out that people were downstairs photographing him, so we had to find a way to shield the windows, but at the same time, he didn’t want to lose his view.”

Distefano’s solution was a specially tinted glass that allowed the comedian to see out but kept prying eyes from seeing in.

“You can’t make this up,” Bilotta says, laughing.

Despite the sporadic spontaneity of the business, one consistency remains — safety.

“Our business has a lot to do with safety,” Distefano says. “All of my people are trained with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) safety training, because they’re handling glass and metal, climbing on ladders and working with equipment.”

Unlike the earlier days of Real Glass Co., most of the glass used by GlasSolutions is “safety glass,” such as laminated or tempered glass. Instead of breaking into large, jagged shards, which may cause severe injury, laminated glass will splinter but remain intact, while tempered glass will crumble.

“Some people say, ‘Oh my God, how do you handle that? Glass breaks so easily.’ And I say, ‘Well, that’s why business is so good, because glass breaks.”

HERS Maria’s father, Jim Bilotta, founded his business in 1954 as a residential construction company. It wasn’t

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An example of a kitchen featuring custom cabinetry from Bilotta Kitchens. Photograph courtesy Bilotta Kitchens.

until 1985 that his children, Jim, Maria and Regina Bilotta, opened Bilotta Kitchens, specializing in cabinetry, with a flagship showroom in Mamaroneck.

“My father was a general contractor for 30 years and he had a great reputation in the county,” Bilotta says. “My sister, brother and I all went to school for different things. I was in the food business, my sister was in city planning and my brother wanted to be a forest ranger…This was 30 years ago. He let us take it and run, and we did.”

Bilotta Kitchens, which is celebrating 30 years, has also expanded to two other locations, in Mount Kisco and New York City, and works with celebrities ranging from Emeril Lagasse to Mary Tyler Moore and Bruce Willis.

“Anything that needs cabinetry, we’re there,” Maria Bilotta says. “We do libraries, bathrooms, bars, laundry rooms, mudrooms. And then we get involved in everything — counters and appliances. We’ve worked with the same people for 30 years. Some of our installers have been with us since we opened.”

She is particularly proud of Bilotta Kitchens’ contribution to charities like Friends of Karen, a North Salem-based nonprofit providing emotional, financial and advocacy support to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Recently, Bilotta Kitchens held its seventh Friends of Karen event, “A Night of Your Life,” with live music, games and a silent auction. (See Watch on page 107.)

Maria oversees all of Bilotta Kitchens’ involvement

in support of Friends of Karen.

“We do a lot of charity work,” she says. “We do fundraisers every few years.”

THEIRS The duo may each operate a separate family business, but GlasSolutions and Bilotta often collaborate on projects.

“We try not to talk about it much at home,” Distefano says.

He smiles at his wife, who returns the expression.

But the success of their businesses is not what keeps the wheels turning for this family.

“Despite all of the business stuff that goes on, when you see your kids turn into good human beings, that’s what you’re most proud of,” Distefano says. “The businesses are great, but your kids, when they grow up, and go on with their lives and really become good people, that’s what’s important.”

The couple chat about their three children, recalling memories and sharing some of their accomplishments.

“I feel like they were such a part of our businesses,” Bilotta says. “They’ve come with us to all of our sites.”

“But they do have their opinions,” Distefano says.

“And they let us know.”

GlasSolutions Unlimited Corp. is at 212 S. William St. in Newburgh. For more, call 845-569-0001 or visit glassolutions.com. Bilotta Kitchens is at 564 Mamaroneck Ave. in Mamaroneck. For more, call 914-3817734 or visit bilotta.com.

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Maria and Nick Pampafikos run the day-to-day operations at the Royal Regency Hotel in Yonkers.

TO THE MANOR REBORN

BY COLLEEN WILSON

When you walk into the recently refurbished Royal Regency Hotel in Yonkers, what first catches your eye is a spacious, chic foyer and then a staircase that leads to the upper lobby walled by a rich, dark wood paneling that complements the regal purple theme throughout.

But if you look a little closer, there are subtle clues that tell the story of the building’s history and the people who have played a role in its evolution over the last 50 years.

In the trim of the guest rooms, the sconces outside the baths and the fabric of some of the lobby chairs is the Greek fret or key pattern — a motif of upside-down and reverse “L”s that is prominent in Greco-Roman and neoclassical art.

Maria Pampafikos, a co-owner of the boutique ho-

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tel, explained that even though the sporadically placed design is supposed to be a subtle nod to her heritage, it says a lot about the culture of her Greek-American family, which has owned the hotel since 1992.

“The gods used to disguise themselves as weary travelers and knock on the door of their citizens and dependent upon how the citizens would treat the traveler, they would be either rewarded or punished,” she explains. “We treat our guests like divinities, because you never know.”

But the guests of the property on Tuckahoe Road weren’t always there for a hotel stay. Pampafikos’ parents bought the property from the family of Greek-American Tom Carvelas, the soft-serve ice cream pioneer whose dessert company Carvel Corp. had owned the building since the 1960s.

The Carvel story, Pampafikos says, started with an ice cream truck in Westchester County that broke down one day but ultimately inspired Carvelas to have a stationary location to sell his product. The building that now houses the Royal Regency was a home base for the Carvel brand and operated as an ice cream store, office, inn and training facility for franchisees.

Much has changed since those days and now after the completion of a more than $4 million interior renovation and with exterior remodeling in progress, the

building would hardly be recognizable to the Yonkers residents who used to buy a soft-serve cone there.

The purpose of the investment, Pampafikos said, was to “completely reimagine the brand,” creating something “sleek, clean, modern, trendy — kind of getting away from a traditional decorating style.”

The transformation is what Pampafikos said she has enjoyed most during her more than 10-year tenure with the hotel.

The sometimes small decisions or ideas that have come to fruition, be it those that “we as a family have made or any one of us individually putting into action,” she says, have brought the “business to a better place, a more profitable place, a more enjoyable place for guests. That’s probably been the best. It really gives you a sense of accomplishment.”

Pampafikos has also gone through a transformation with the hotel. Her parents — a father from Greece and a mother from Albania — made sure that she and her siblings learned hard work and family values by way of waiting tables, hosting and dishwashing for the hotel when they were in high school.

In college, Pampafikos started an internship on the administrative side of the hotel doing paperwork, sitting in on meetings and eventually starting full time at the Royal Regency after graduating college.

“I don’t know if I made a decision,” she says about taking on the day-to-day management of the hotel, a job she inherited from her father and now shares with her husband, Nick. “But I just kind of went with it. I enjoyed what I was doing.

I enjoyed the challenge of improving what we already have, so I guess I just sort of fell into it.”

Improving the hotel, she says, hasn’t been limited The lobby entrance to the Royal Regency Hotel was recently renovated as part of a more than $4 million investment to reinvent the hotel. Photograph by José F. Donneys. to physical renovations.

Giving a nearly 20-year-old company an online presence has also been a part of which represent the ways many young people come the updates. across ideas, people, businesses and trends.

“The millennials are doing things in such a different “Just like any other business, it’s just keeping up with way. They’re searching in a different way. They’re lookwhat’s happening at the current time,” Pampafikos ing for a different experience. They want things to be says. “We’ve been in the community for such a long done differently,” Pampafikos says. time and we’ve been through the hard times with the The challenge has been keeping up from a technolcommunity and I think that we’re going to be around ogy and social media standpoint with mobile-friendly even 20 years in the future.” websites and Twitter and Instagram accounts, all of For more, visit royalregencyhotelny.com.

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Dawn Hudson takes on key role in NFL

BY EVAN FALLOR

For Dawn Hudson, chief marketing officer of a “little brand called the NFL,” “football is family.”

Not only is the game — now America’s pastime — a social event with an increasingly female viewership. (About 45 percent of the audience is female.) But Hudson thinks of the NFL organization as a family — the young female assistants who may look up to executive vice presidents such as herself, the guys on the gridiron, “99 percent” of whom, she says, are big kids themselves who are happy to spend time with youngsters and promote charities, their own and those of others.

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Bronxville resident Dawn Hudson has served as chief marketing officer of the National Football League since October 2014.

Photographs courtesy NFL. WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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It is this message that Hudson delivered recently as keynote speaker for the United Way’s third annual Women’s Leadership Council event at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown. And it is this message she will continue to refine for a league that has been rocked by violence on the field (concussions leading to brain damage) and off (domestic abuse).

In these, partnerships are key, she told the 175 women — and a few good men — who gathered for the breakfast meet on a rainy morning. The NFL has partnered with General Electric to come up with technologies to mitigate head injuries.

“I do believe the NFL should make players as safe as can possibly be,” she says, noting that jockeys suffer from the most concussions.

Asked about the new movie “Concussion” — in which Will Smith plays Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist who fought the NFL to publicize his findings on the link between football concussions and CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy —Hudson says, “It’s another opportunity to talk about the issue.”

The NFL has also teamed with No More, an organization that works to combat domestic violence, for a campaign that included a much-discussed PSA (more than 100 million views) on last year’s Super Bowl broadcast featuring several of the league’s players.

Domestic violence isn’t just a football problem, she says, but a pervasive, deeply entrenched American one for which it may take seven or eight tries before the victim leaves her — or his — abuser. That story has to get out as well, she says.

It was a September afternoon in 2014 when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell phoned Hudson to ask if she wanted to help the NFL tell its story.

The two, both Bronxville residents, had worked closely while she was president and CEO of PepsiCo North America. (She was instrumental in the league’s transition from Coca-Cola to Pepsi as its official soft-drink sponsor.) At the time, Hudson was in the midst of selling The Parthenon Group, a Boston-based boutique consulting firm, and planned to remain with it in some capacity.

But, she tells WAG, “All I could think about was how badly I wanted the (NFL) job.”

“Little did I realize how much (Goodell) needed me,” she says.

Having decided it was an offer she couldn’t refuse, Hudson nonetheless went off with her mother on an 36

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Dawn Hudson at midfield at MetLife Stadium.

80th birthday trip to Africa — where cell phone service was patchy. She returned to discover the NFL had been blitzed. A video of Baltimore Ravens’ running back and former New Rochelle High School star Ray Rice cold-cocking his then-fiancée (now wife) Janay Palmer in an Atlantic City elevator had been leaked, and the league — a $45 billion business — was under attack.

“We are no different than society,” Hudson tells WAG. “Our players and employees are magnified under a microscope. It’s all about the speed with which you react. There is an importance to transparency.”

To retain that transparency, Hudson’s team works with the 32 franchises and their owners, media partners and corporate sponsors to craft an entertainment that appeals to both the casual and the hardcore fan.

She oversees the Scouting Combine, the annual draft, the Super Bowl and the league’s international games, played in London in October and November.

This year, she helped spearhead the Super Bowl High School Honor Roll, a $1 million campaign that allows schools to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to expand and improve their football programs. The Honor Roll also awards a commemorative golden football to each high school that has produced a player or coach who has participated in the program. It’s a feature of Super Bowl 50, which is set for Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The Honor Roll is just one of the NFL’s youth initiatives. Its Play 60 program — designed to put kids on a physically fit, nutritionally sound footing — is a partnership with the United Way.

“Big brands can always have an impact, but sports are also a way in which you can touch people,” Hudson says. “That’s the fun of this job — creating something with many people and making a difference.”

Hudson has always enjoyed sports and being creative. At a “small college in New Hampshire” called Dartmouth, she played tennis and golf. (She would later become chairman of the board of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.)

But she also loves advertising and would go on to work for such agencies as DMB&B and Omnicom.

It was while she was at Dartmouth that she interviewed for an advertising job. When the recruiter followed up, Hudson’s mother suggested he was sweet on her. Hudson was shocked.

“Mother,” she recalled saying. “This is about a job.”

But two years later, dear reader, Hudson married Bruce Beach.

“That’s why I tell my daughters (Morgan and Kendall), ‘Always listen to your mother.’”

On any given game day, mom can be found on the sidelines or in front of the tube.

“Something new happens every Thursday, Sunday and Monday,” she says. “It’s all about staying on top of the job.”

Hudson will be at the Super Bowl, but like the league’s other 599 employees, she won’t have a rooting interest. Or rather, week in and week out, from moment to moment, they all root for the underdog.

“We just want to see a good, close game,” she says, “that keeps everyone involved.”

Additional reporting by Georgette Gouveia.

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NOTES

GOOD FOOD with a heaping helping of family

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSÉ F. DONNEYS 38

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Bill, Corina and Nick Livanos with some of their best sellers at City Limits Diner in White Plains.

Clockwise from top, the chicken meatloaf; the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon (City Limits has its own smokehouse.); the orange juice-infused waffle with fruit; and the oriental chicken salad.

IT’S NOT QUITE LUNCHTIME AT CITY LIMITS DINER IN WHITE PLAINS, BUT ALREADY THE RESTAURANT IS JUMPING. Out front, regular patron and fashion expert André Leon Talley is holding court like a latter-day Lorenzo de’ Medici, resplendent in red and black.

At a table in the back, Mark and Joyce Corpas are perusing the menu, having driven up from Yonkers, as they are wont to do. They’re enticed by the restaurant’s “variety.” As Joyce puts it, “It’s not your typical diner.”

While the pot stickers, chipotle ribs and assorted other appetizers are among their favorites, Mark is thinking of going with perhaps the ultimate comfort food — the chicken meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable — while Joyce flirts with the oriental chicken salad, thin slices of chicken tenting field greens and drizzled with a tangy dressing.

Meanwhile, the WAG reporter is dreaming of the fluffy orange juice-infused waffle — whose nooks and crannies cushion blueberries, blackberries and strawberry and banana slices — or the whole-wheat pancakes with bacon and fruit sides.

At City Limits, there is no limit to the good food, good service and good company.

“I started going to City Limits in 2002 as I discovered it driving around on Saturday afternoon looking for a car dealership,” says Talley, a once-a-day regular whose faves include the potato leek soup, the waffle with blueberries and the Tuesday night special, turkey with all the trimmings, including “the wonderful cranberry sauce.”

“Why do I love it? For so many reasons, but most importantly, the staff, the team, the sense of a family unit that works together.

It stems from the executive chief, Peter Eric Assue, and goes all the way down….It’s like my canteen outside of my home.”

That no doubt is music to the ears of siblings Nick, Bill and Corina Livanos, owners of The Livanos Restaurant Group that includes City Limits White Plains, City Limits Stamford, Moderne Barn in the family’s hometown of Armonk and three Manhattan eateries – the flagship Oceana; Molyvos, named for the ancestral hometown on the Greek isle of Lesbos that the family returns to each year; and Abboccato Italian Kitchen.

The Livanos patriarch and restaurant

group founder John is still “very active,” in the business, says Nick, the oldest of the siblings. Matriarch Chrysa “does office work once and a while,” he adds — when she isn’t making great meals for the family, like her stuffed cabbage with ground beef recently.

“It was so good,” says Corina, the youngest of the three.

“She made stuffed cabbage?” Bill, the middle child, asks. “I missed it.”

The siblings’ have an easy, teasing relationship with one another that makes the answer to the question “What’s it like to run half a dozen restaurants with people you’re related to” a foregone conclusion.

“It’s been great,” Bill says. “We each play different roles. Nick has it the toughest.

He goes back and forth between all the restaurants.”

Bill oversees the City Limits locales; Corina, Oceana and Moderne Barn.

As a result of the siblings’ complementary duties, Corina says, “I never see my brothers — though I do go into the city with Nick on Wednesdays.”

The recent sit-down with WAG at City Limits White Plains was a rare moment for the Livanoses to gather and consider their culinary past and future.

It began in 1957 with their father, a Greek immigrant who said goodbye to life in the merchant marine when his ship docked in Boston, Nick says.

Making his way to New York, he found work as a dishwasher in his Uncle Kosta’s restaurant on 42nd Street and Second Avenue. Three years later, he bought a luncheonette in Long Island City.

In 1985, John opened Livanos Restaurant on the site of what is now City Limits White Plains (near Westchester County Center at the juncture of Central Avenue and Tarrytown Road). Two and half years ago, the family revamped the diner to give it more of a restaurant feel, complete with paintings by Redding artist Julie Hardridge.

Now, the family is looking to add to its portfolio with a new place in Via 57West, described as the gateway to the residential block the Durst Organization is developing on the West Side.

With the next generation beginning to come of age, the family’s restaurant dynasty would seem assured, although as Nick says, “let me find their own path.”

For more, visit livanosrestaurantgroup.com.

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Designed to fit

BY EVAN FALLOR

Peter Gisolfi Associates has completed projects on numerous libraries in Fairfield and Westchester counties, including the Byram Shubert Library in Greenwich. Photograph courtesy of Peter Gisolfi Associates.

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Peter A. Gisolfi says he’s in the fit-in school, not the stick-out school. Fans of his projects would beg to differ.

The founding partner of the Hastings-on-Hudson firm Peter Gisolfi Associates, Architects and Landscape Architects LLP, he has made a living out of constructing buildings, parks and school additions that are designed to underscore the identities of communities. He calls it “shaping places,” which typically involves enhancing groups of buildings connected by open space, reinforcing their community’s cultural and historical significance.

“When you’re shaping places, you’re influencing a place that’s already there but not coming in with a sculptural object and saying, ‘Look at me, I’m great,’” Gisolfi says. “It may be more important to be a part of the community that you’re working in. To say ‘We didn’t create it, but we improved on it — it distinguishes us.’”

Take the “Four Corners” in Bronxville — the meeting point of Village Hall, the Reformed Church of Bronxville, the Bronxville Public Library and the Bronxville Public School, Gisolfi’s team improved upon the Pondfield Road site through a series of $2 million to $5 million projects that doubled the size of the library and expanded the school and village hall, leaving the church untouched.

At the Peekskill Community Center, a new gym, auditorium and sports facility developed by Gisolfi have turned into a sevenday-a-week gathering place for the city’s active folk.

“There is plenty of chance to build buildings that relate to a real physical and cultural context, not just on their lonesome,” he says. “The village centers are at each railroad station. Darien, Greenwich, Bronxville, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, Tarrytown — any of these places, you can immediately imagine the center of town.”

In 2003, he designed the Dobbs Ferry Public Library’s new location on Main Street, which he said is “knitted” into the fabric of the village because of its unique position at the bend of that thoroughfare.

In a tightly packed borough like Manhattan where zoning is strict, the flexibility to be creative in design is not quite what it is in Westchester. One of the firm’s larger projects, a $60 million renovation of the Trevor Day School’s upper school on the Upper East Side, was completed earlier this year. But even in a metropolis like New York City, where designing and completing a project is much different than in the suburbs, the appreciation for blending in remains the same. Rockefeller Center, he said, fits in rather than sticks out, he said.

It’s a message he preaches to his students at The City College of New York, where he teaches architecture and landscape archi-

Peter A. Gisolfi

tecture. He also taught architecture at Columbia University for 12 years after earning degrees from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.

“The Parthenon — a temple where the goddess Athena is protecting Athens — that’s a major stick-out piece,” he says. “What I think happened in modern architecture is people think they’re designing the Parthenon.”

The size of the firm’s projects can range anywhere from $5 million to $60 million, though Gisolfi said most now fall on the lower end of that range since the recession, minus the roughly $26 million implementation of new athletic fields at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry several years ago.

What started as a small office with two other employees in downtown Hastings-on-Hudson in 1979 has grown to a 30-plus employee firm that owns two buildings on Warburton Avenue and expanded to a second office in New Haven. The company grew to as large as 50 employees, but Gisolfi said it is at the right size for today’s market.

Over his nearly four decades in the field, Gisolfi has worked in dozens of communities throughout Westchester and Fairfield counties, completing educational, arts, library, office, retail, housing, community and recreation projects.

The size and scope of the projects may be scaled back, but he said his favorite parts of the process remain the same — when projects are in the home stretch of construction and the interaction he has with clients.

Just don’t ask him what project he’s most proud of.

“I have so many projects, so I’d hate to have to pick any one favorite,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t want to offend any clients.”

For more, visit petergisolfiassociates.com.

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Boots on display at Charles Department Store.

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A storied

legacy

BY LAURA CACACE PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB ROZYCKI

Kelly Raneri has been greeting customers at Charles Department Store in Katonah since she was 12 years old. She leads me past the shoe department and kitchen appliances up the stairs to the second floor and into the clothing department, smiling when she says, “People love the creaky floors.” The floors may be creaky, the ceiling may be made of tin, but Charles Department Store feels like home — a warm welcome after a long day.

That’s due to the multigenerational ownership of the Raneri family, continuing the legacy of Charles Raneri, who first opened the doors of the store, then Charles Dry Goods, in 1924. An Italian immigrant, Charles got his start peddling goods along the railroad, taking orders from customers in his community, then traveling to Manhattan to fill the orders and bring them back. He saw the demand and met the needs of his customers — his neighbors, friends and family. Ninety-one years later, Charles’ grandchildren, Jim and David, have continued the family tradition of fostering and maintaining personal relationships with each customer who walks through the door.

“People still love the relationships that they’ve built by coming in here over the generations,” David says. “Lots of families have shopped here. I know the grandparents, parents, kids and grandkids. It creates a feeling of comfort, like being at home — you’re very comfortable coming in here.”

The store is practically a second home to the Raneri family, and working there is genuinely a rite of passage. In the 1940s, Charles’ son, Phillip, joined his father in the business, using his background in radio engineering and electronics to bring a whole new aspect of service to their customers for the next 50 years.

“My father was a forward thinker,” David says.

“He also had the ability to build and display things.

My grandfather hated assembling things, but my father had the gifted hands. Still does, at 90 years old.” With Phillip’s lead, the store began to offer repair services, allowing customers to have their TVs or small appliances fixed — just another way to cater to their customers’ needs.

David and Jim joined their father in the store in the late 1970s, becoming the third generation of Raneris to welcome the community into their little home on Katonah Avenue. As the family expanded, so did the store, gaining another floor with shoe

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Raneris all: Jim, Kelly and David on the second floor of their Katonah store.

and clothing departments, adding to the already extensive supply of goods, appliances and services.

But David remembers having to earn the customers’ trust.

“Customers don’t come to me,” David recalls saying to his father. “They all go to you.” His dad’s reply was simple: “Wait. They’ll come. Once you

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prove yourself.” And with time, that’s exactly what happened.

For the family, it’s that trust, those moments of connection with customers that make it all worthwhile.

“I was at the dentist office recently… and someone said, ‘My mother loved shopping in your store.

Now she’s moved to North Carolina, but as a kid, I’d

come with her,’” David recalls. With an ever-present eye toward the future, the family is looking to re-establish those relationships, even if they are long distance.

“It’s a big goal of ours,” Kelly, David’s daughter, says of online shopping. The store website details the array of products it has, but does not yet offer online ordering. Given the popularity of online shopping, a family-owned store like Charles Department Store wants to be up-to-date in the way it markets itself and its products. Even so, the Raneris do not want to lose that personal connection, that trust they have worked so hard to earn over the years.

“It’s a great way to capture the audience that’s moved away, which has been hundreds of customers that we’ve gotten to know over the years, who would still love to be able to support Charles,” David says. “We just haven’t been able to dedicate the time to reconnect to them.”

That’s where Kelly, a fourth-generation Raneri, looks to leave her mark. “I’ve been working on computerizing the inventory. My contribution will have to be the technology side,” she says, eager to continue her family’s legacy. It’s clear that Kelly is following her great-grandfather’s lead in seeing the demand and rising to meet it.

For more, visit charlesdeptstore.com.

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Anne-Marie Kavulla with Adeline.

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WEAVING

family AND career

BY LEXI CURNIN PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB ROZYCKI

It comes as no surprise to learn Anne-Marie Kavulla was a dancer. Her grace and quiet confidence betray her past as a performer, but her warmth is a quality all its own.

Perched on the sheepskin throw covering her weaving bench, Kavulla reminisces about childhood days spent faking illness to stay home from school and watch “Jeopardy” with her grandmother. It was during these days that her grandmother taught her to knit.

Though her primary focus for the past 10 years has been weaving, she has not forgotten her beginnings. She points out a doll-sized sweater framed and hanging on the wall, the first she ever knit.

Knitting remains an important means of expression for Kavulla, but when she was introduced to the loom during a trip visiting relatives in Finland, she was instantly enamored.

“It was much more common to have a loom (in Finland),” she recalls.

“Everyone, in my mind, knew how to weave, like we have knitting here.

My mother’s cousin let me sit at her loom. I threw two or three times and I was like, ‘That’s it. This is what I want to do.’”

Upon returning home, Kavulla wasted no time seeking out a mentor. Though it took a year to find a suitable teacher, she was up and run-

ning after only four lessons. Kavulla then set about improving her new craft by experimenting with creating her own patterns.

It was only after having children, however, that Kavulla turned her weaving into a business. Although she recognized that dancing, acting and singing did not have a place in her life as a mother, she was taken aback when someone suggested she would have to put away the loom and stick to knitting after the birth of her daughter.

“I thought, ‘No, I just got this thing. I’m going to figure it out.’ I saw (weaving) as something unique, and I figured the only way I was really going to keep it up … was if I give myself a little bit of a threat, the threat being, are (the works) sellable?”

Kavulla had her answer after discovering the strong demand for hand-woven scarves. She put one scarf to auction where it did better than she had anticipated. Then, when she placed several scarves online as part of a small collection, they sold out in four hours.

Mindful of her roots, Kavulla christened the business Pirtti Handwoven, pirtti being the Finnish word for a traditional farmhouse in which meals are shared and crafts made. In other words, a pirtti is a place of comfort and love.

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Anne-Marie Kavulla at the loom.

Kavulla’s workshop is situated within her very own pirtti, the beautiful Sleepy Hollow home she shares with her husband, Brandon, and their three young children, Anastasia, Adam and Adeline.

Yarns with colors of infinite richness and complexity are so plentiful that the spools can barely be contained within the cabinets. Photographs, some taken by Kavulla herself, and bits of textile are pinned to an inspiration board. A LeClerc floor loom, rather appropriately, occupies the center of the room,

and a glass door opens directly into the playroom of her children.

The window into her children’s lives afforded by the door is symbolic of Kavulla’s conscious effort to be present in every aspect of their childhoods.

In order to maintain focus on her weaving without missing a single pick-up or drop-off, she plans to begin weaving at least part time in a space closer to her children’s school. She also strives to involve her children in her art. Her daughter Anastasia already has her own miniature loom.

Kavulla attributes her success in juggling a small business with motherhood to finding the right work-life balance. She advises moms to ask themselves why working is important and go from there.

“I think it’s important to keep in mind why you’re doing it, and if that’s a good reason for you, if it keeps a shred of yourself, or it adds extra money to

your household, or it keeps you sane so you can be a better mother, then that’s a good reason to do it.”

The scarves Kavulla is working on are intended for the season into Valentine’s Day. The colors featured are inspired by the depth and diversity of hues found in the stone walls of nearby Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

By working several at a time, Kavulla is able to weave three or four scarves in four hours. The entire process, however, takes much longer — about 24 hours to measure the fibers prior to placing them on the loom, do the actual weaving and hem-stitching and wash and iron the final product.

As far as developing her brand, Kavulla is not the type of small-business owner to shy away from expansion. She insists, “I’m completely open to hiring more weavers to help me do my work. My dream is not for it to be just me, but… a studio of weavers.” She is also considering moving beyond scarves to other hand-woven creations such as table runners and blankets.

Regardless of Kavulla’s strategy moving forward, her creative talent and dedication to producing pieces of style and quality make her work worth following.

For more, visit pirttihandwoven.com.

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Joe Jr., Chris, John Jr. and John DeCicco on the mezzanine in the new Larchmont store.

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Green grocer takes on new meaning for DeCicco & Sons

BY DANIELLE BRODY PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROZYCKI

DeCicco & Sons is one of the last remaining family-owned grocery stores, yet the business is anything but old fashioned. Its brand new Larchmont store is equipped with some of the most cutting-edge green technology, John DeCicco Jr. said.

He has been involved in the family business since childhood. His father, John DeCicco, opened the first store in the Bronx with brother, Joe DeCicco, in 1973. Much has changed since then. The business now has six locations in Ardsley, Armonk, Brewster, Harrison, Larchmont and Pelham. (There are also six stores owned by another branch of the family under the name DeCicco Family Markets.) Some of the more than 600 employees include John’s sons, John Jr. and Chris, John Jr.’s wife, Luisa, and Joe’s son, Joe Jr. In mid-December, just days before the Larchmont store’s grand opening, John and John Jr. gave WAG a tour. The new space is warehouse-sized but with an intimate feel due to the reclaimed barn wood and brick, neatly organized aisles and

a mezzanine — complete with seating and a bar — overlooking the store.

John Jr. said the store will use solar panels on the roof to generate 75 percent of its electricity during peak sunlight, reclaimed heat from the refrigeration system to reduce use of natural gas, appliances with low-water flow, fans to reduce heating, LED lighting and refrigeration using carbon dioxide to help reduce global warming. The kitchen’s computer-controlled ovens remember recipes that are cooked every day and can automatically adjust.

When asked who came up with the ideas for implementing the technology, John nodded to his son, who shyly took the credit, then showed us the basement, a control center with the high-tech infrastructure, including compressors, a backup generator and computerized temperature control.

This allows the family to monitor what works and bring it to the existing stores.

The store also has a refrigeration wall (made with recycled glass) with about 3,000 different beers. The new locale also serves chopped salads, prepared sandwiches, sushi and the premium, quality items DeCicco is known for, John said.

The family adds stores based on customer needs,

and there was a need in Larchmont for a DeCicco’s.

“We try to give customers what they want,” John said.

Luisa DeCicco also did market research to make sure the location would work, he said. John Jr., who said he is passionate about the construction side of the business, had his eye on the property, which was formerly a Guitar Center, for a couple of years.

He said that Somers could be the next locale for a store.

Customer service has been the key to success, John said. This is what sets the business apart from other grocery store chains and has allowed it to grow.

Being ahead of the curve and offering a different experience has also helped, Chris said: “We don’t want it to be a chore to go shopping.”

Joe added that being able to evolve is what has kept them in business. Other companies like A&P failed to do that, he said.

John Jr. admitted that working with family has its ups and downs. He laughed as he recalled Joe and Chris teasing him when his technical expertise earned him a magazine cover story.

Still, Joe Jr. said, “We’re lucky we all get along.”

For more, visit deciccoandsons.com.

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Now pitching for education …

Mariano Rivera

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

The cycle of family life has an imperfectly perfect symmetry.

Witness New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera.

“I didn’t finish school. I went to work,” he told roughly 100 admirers as Latino U College Access honored the Mariano Rivera Foundation during its recent “Visiones: Making College Dreams a Reality” gala at the C.V. Rich Mansion in White Plains.

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Mariano Rivera accepts an award for the Mariano Rivera Foundation from Latino U College Access.

Photograph by Mike Dardano/Buzz Potential.

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Mariano Rivera on the mound for the New York Yankees in 2007. Photograph by Keith Allison.

In the poor Panamanian fishing village of Puerto Caimito — where children fashioned baseball gloves from milk cartons and bats from branches — 16-yearold Mariano worked alongside his father, captain of a commercial boat, catching sardines six days a week.

It was long, hard, dangerous work.

But when it came time for another Mariano, the third of that name, to follow in his father’s footsteps and sign with the Bronx Bombers last year, the man who is considered the greatest closer in baseball history — a 13-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion with Major League Baseball records for

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saves (652) and games finished (952) — said, “No. I wanted him to finish school.”

And so Mariano III graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle — the first Rivera to receive a college degree.

With this, the Latino U audience erupted into applause.

“You may not be cheering in a minute,” Mariano said, a smile wreathing his face as it always did win or lose with the Yanks.

Mariano III has signed a baseball contract, he added — with the Washington Nationals.

Such is the importance of education to Mariano and his foundation — which emphasizes youth programs — that it has partnered with Latino U to award five scholarships. The five students — Lisdy Giron Contreras (Pace University), Daniel Guerra (Iona College), Mariah Jusino (Pace University), Jocelyn Nieto (American University) and Bryam Suqui (Binghamton University) — are the first in their families to go to college. All have faced economic challenges and other struggles to get there but have met them with determination.

“Paying for college was a great concern for my

family,” said Lisdy, who presented the award to Mariano and his wife, Clara.

Lisdy credits not only the generosity of the Mariano Rivera Foundation but also God, her parents, who hail from Guatemala, and hard work for getting her to Pace. Now the sky is the limit.

“Someday I hope to work in the criminal justice system and go all the way to the Supreme Court and become another (Associate Justice) Sonia Sotomayor,” Lisdy said.

And why not? As Mariano’s own field of dreams has demonstrated, anything is possible, even for a young, soccer-playing Panamanian fisherman to become the closer for the Olympian Yankees.

Hindsight is always 20/20, particularly when it comes to success. A golden career must’ve always been golden, right? But Mariano met with obstacles, too, after signing with the Yanks in 1990 for a mere $4,700 in today’s money. There were the hurdles of homesickness and a second language. (He advocates English-Spanish bilingualism for sports journalists as well as Latino ballplayers.) Right elbow surgery and a sore shoulder accompanied an uneven record as a starter. But Mariano — one of the “Core Four” along with starter Andy Pettitte, catcher Jorge Posada and shortstop Derek Jeter who debuted with the Yanks in 1995 — developed a stinging cutter (think the movement of a slider with the speed of a fastball) that he used with pinpoint accuracy.

In 1996, Mariano was the setup man behind closer John Wetteland. Their tandem was a key ingredient — along with the avuncular leadership of manager Joe Torre, gutsy pitching from Pettitte and former Mets star David Cone and timely hitting from the likes of Jeter, Posada, (October WAG cover subject) Bernie Williams and catcher (and now manager) Joe Girardi, to name but a few — in an improbable World Series triumph over the vaunted Atlanta Braves, the team’s first since 1978.

But a pitcher bears a disproportionate responsibility for a team’s success or failure. He’s the only one who can get a “W” or “L” after his name. Fans will remember — though they won’t want to — the game-tying home run Mariano gave up to Sandy Alomar Jr. in the American League Division Series the following year that helped end the Bombers’ chances for a Series repeat.

Then came a remarkable run — 1998, when the Yanks fielded what is considered one of the greatest baseball teams ever, with a record 125 wins; 1999,

Mariano Rivera and wife, Clara, at Latino U College Access’ recent “Visiones: Making College Dreams a Reality” gala in White Plains. Photograph by Mike Dardano/Buzz Potential.

when Yankee Stadium introduced Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” whenever “Mo” came into the game during another championship season, and a new nickname, “Sandman,” was born; 2000, when the Bombers bested their crosstown rivals, the Amazins, in a Subway World Series.

But then came 2001 — the year of 9/11. In Game Seven of the World Series, Mariano blew a save in the bottom of the ninth inning for an Arizona Diamondbacks triumph — his first and only postseason loss. The measure of a man, though, is not only in his accomplishments but in the attitude with which he meets adversity. Mariano has met failure, pressure, team and New York media intrigue and injury with the same affable, organic grace with which he pitched.

He took solace in the 2001 World Series loss sparing the life of teammate Enrique Wilson. (Had the Yanks won, Wilson would’ve stayed in New York for a parade and later boarded the doomed American Airlines Flight 587 to the Dominican Republic that killed all 260 aboard and five people on the ground in Queens.) Mariano has stood by troubled teammate Alex Rodriguez through his steroids scandal and subsequent comeback. He chose to end his career with the close of the 2013 season rather than in

2012 when he suffered a freak knee injury shagging fly balls before a May 3 game against the Kansas City Royals.

“Write it down in big letters,” he told the press: “I’m not going down like this.”

That resilience earned the admiration of Jackie Robinson’s widow, Rachel.

“I’ve always been proud and pleased that Mariano was the one chosen to wear (Jackie’s number, 42), because I think he brought something special to it.”

Mariano has always credited his success and grace to his Pentecostal faith. At the Latino U fundraiser, he talked about another key member of the team — wife Clara, pastor of the Refugio de Esperanza church in New Rochelle that they renovated.

“My wife raised them,” he said of their three boys — Jafet and Jaziel, along with Mariano III. “I was never home. Thank God for her.”

To which many in the audience no doubt silently added, “Thank God for you, too, Mariano.”

Perhaps master of ceremonies Joe Torres, a WABC-TV anchor/reporter, spoke for them when he suggested, “After he speaks, I feel like we should stop. He’s the closer.”

Indeed, for fans of baseball and humanity alike, the name “Mariano Rivera” says it all.

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WEAR

The Sisley Paris Boutique on Bleecker Street in Manhattan offers a complement of spa services. Courtesy Sisley Paris.

Distinctively

SISLEY

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

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WHEN YOU THINK OF SISLEY — THE LUXE COSMETICS LINE DEVELOPED BY ONE OF THE MOST STORIED FAMILIES IN BEAUTY — YOU THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST OF PARIS. But White Plains also plays a role in a brand that’s sold in more than 90 countries. It’s the headquarters of Sisley USA, with sleek, modern white offices near The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester and Mary Jane Denzer — making Sisley virtually the only major cosmetics company based in Westchester County.

With a pioneering use of botanicals in its luxurious, nurturing products, a commitment to quality over cost and an approach to service that makes you feel as if you’re the center of the universe, Sisley Paris is a top-selling brand at

such select stores as Bloomingdale’s White Plains, Neiman Marcus Westchester and Saks Fifth Avenue Greenwich.

No doubt patrons will be flocking there for the Feb. 3 release of Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge.

It’s a product designed to address the signs of aging caused by such behavioral factors as stress, smoking, poor nutrition and excess sun exposure through a combination of a yeast and soy protein complex and lindera and Persian acacia extracts.

It’s the latest in a family of skincare, makeup and fragrance products created to enhance natural beauty.

“You can always see a Sisley woman coming down the street,” says Jim Maki, president of Sisley USA. “She’s just glowing.”

That radiance is the pursuit of the d’Ornanos, a remarkable, aristocratic Franco-Polish family whose members served both countries with distinction over centuries and whose blood ties embrace a swath of notables from Marie Walewska, the blond beauty beloved by Napoleon, to Stanislaw Radziwill, onetime husband of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ sister, Lee. Sisley paterfamilias Count Hubert d’Ornano was the son of Guillaume d’Ornano, who was already experienced in the field of beauty, working with legendary perfumer François Coty, when he created Lancôme

with Armand Petitjean in 1935. (It was Hubert’s mother, Élisabeth, who suggested naming the new cosmetics line after the lush Lancosme Forest near the d’Ornano country home in the Indre Valley she so loved.)

Guillaume — who would earn the Croix de Guerre and Legion d’Honneur for the key roles he and Élisabeth played in the 1944 surrender of German Gen. Henning Botho Elster and his 20,000 men — believed in a more global approach to business and so parted ways with Petitjean. (Ultimately, Lancôme would be sold to L’Oréal.) After World War II, Guillaume helped sons Hubert and Michel start a perfume business, Jean d’Albert (named after the mother of Henri IV, who had made Alphonse d’Ornano the family’s first Maréchal, or Marshall, of France.)

That success led them to launch the complementary Orlane cosmetics — named for Élisabeth’s wordplay on Ornano, which is of Corsican origin — a modern, scientific brand that produced the first royal jelly-based cream, made from bee secretions.

Though Hubert would become chairman and CEO of Jean d’Albret-Orlane after the family sold it in 1968, he ultimately decided on another beauty adventure, this time with artistic wife Isabelle — the Polish-born, Portuguese- — and Spanish-reared and English-educated scion of two of Poland’s most prominent families, the Potockis and the Radziwills.

Purchasing the small botanical cosmetics business Sisley in 1976, they transformed it into a multinational company that does not even consider cost when it comes to creating products that promote wellness along with beauty, says Cristina Bisono, public relations manager of Sisley USA. Sonya Menon, Sisley USA’s senior vice president of marketing and education, points to the So Intense eyeliner, fortified with a vitamin peptide to nourish lashes, as one such product.

Together Hubert and Isabelle have overseen Sisley’s distinctive look, working with Polish sculptor Bronislaw Kryzsztof, who created the pensive heads that top their fragrances.

Today, oldest son Philippe is CEO and youngest daughter Christine directs international marketing while continuing to build the U.K. subsidiary. (Another daughter, Elisabeth, was the face of Sisley in the 1990s.)

“These days you don’t risk a precious and solid legacy on someone who is not up to the job, just because they are part of your family,” Hubert wrote in his charming book “Boundless Beauty” (Félix Torres Éditeur, 2014). “When we realized that our children were interested in the business and capable of succeeding, Isabelle and I decided that Sisley would be a family business, a family brand.”

For more, visit sisley-paris.com.

483 Cherry Street Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914-218-8357 www.customcandleco.com

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it up

MIXING

WEAR

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSÉ F. DONNEYS

WHEN KEN DOWNING SPEAKS, NEIMAN MARCUS – AND, BY EXTENSION, ITS CUSTOMERS – LISTENS. THAT’S IN PART BECAUSE HE OCCUPIES A VERY IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE LUXE DALLAS-BASED RETAIL FAMILY AS FASHION DIRECTOR. BUT ALSO BECAUSE HE SETS AND ANNUNCIATES TRENDS IN SUCH A STYLISH, CHARMING MANNER.

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61 WAGMAG.COM JANUARYKen 2016Downing

So it was no wonder that Julie Gaynor — vice president and general manager of Neiman Marcus Westchester — says she was looking forward to his recent appearance at the White Plains store, along with some 75 patrons who came to hear, and see, what he had to say.

And Downing didn’t disappoint with one of the best fashion shows this side of Mary Jane Denzer’s Oscar de la Renta show for the 2013 White Plains Hospital gala.

Pencil-slim with a shock of blond hair — think a kinder, warmer Andy Warhol — Downing honed his fashion instincts at the knee of his mother, whose style was part Cher, part Mary Tyler Moore, he says. And it’s safe to assume that Cher, Mary and mom would’ve been at home at his “Trend Report” show where the runway featured many ’70s looks. The Me Decade of Watergate, disco, bellbottoms, “Rocky,” three Triple Crown winners and magical New York Yankee teams

The 1970s had an influence on Ken Downing’s fashion forecast.

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continues to have a moment with clothes that exemplify “an amazing folkloric spirit” — the show opened and closed with the same flowing print skirt, repurposed — as well as wide-legged pants.

“You need to embrace the wide pant,” Downing tells his audience.

Another sign of the ’70s — the layered look. “I love being in the Northeast,” he says, “because you can layer and wear coats with abandon. But for Downing, layering also means mixing pat-

terns, textures and accessories — lace and suede, crystals and pearls (“the unsung hero of the runway”), fringed scarves and teal velvet flower chokers.

“So pretty on you, my love,” he tells the female models.

But the layered effect isn’t limited to the ladies. The guys can step out in style by mixing it

up with a tux jacket, turtleneck and distressed denim pants.

The blazer — once a staple of women’s wardrobes as it is always of men’s — is making a comeback, particularly for the resort season, for which sherbet colors rule. Pair the classic jacket, Downing says, with a handbag you can carry in the crook of your arm, which enables you to show off a ring on every finger. As for makeup, the palette is softer with a petal pink lip and a strong brow. But if you do go red — hey, you’re allowed — make it a matte lip in Bobbi Brown’s Red Carpet.

(Brown did the makeup for the show.)

If there was one takeaway, it was don’t be afraid to dazzle — whether you’re swathed in winter white and its “best friend,” black, or dripping in crystals and pearls.

Even when it comes to daywear, fashion this season belongs to the night.

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Chic CHOICES

GIFTS AND NEW PRODUCTS IDEAL FOR ANY OCCASION COMPILED BY MARY SHUSTACK

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SUSTAINABLE SIPS [1] Settle in with a hot drink and perhaps spark a conversation along the way with illy’s sustainArt 2 service. The special-edition collection renews illy’s commitment to supporting coffee-producing countries and emerging artists, showcasing the work of artists from coffee-growing regions including Colombia (Felipe Arturo), El Salvador (Ernesto Bautista), Ethiopia (Wanja Kimani) and Brazil (Marcelo Moscheta). Available as a set of four espresso ($155) or cappuccino ($175) cups and saucers.

For more, visit illyusa.com.

Photograph courtesy of illy

THAT’S ITALIAN [2] Italian-based SMEG, noted for its 1950s retro-look appliances designed in collaboration with leading architects, satisfies the taste for both form and function. Integrating the latest technologies, the SMEG Blender ($249.95) whirrs away as you blend up drinks or crush ice, while the SMEG Stand Mixer ($459.99) encourages kitchen time creating everything from homemade cookie dough to fresh pasta.

For more visit, smegusa.com or williams-sonoma.com (blender) or bloomingdales.com (mixer).

Photographs courtesy of SMEG

HOME, STYLISH HOME

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[3/4/5] Feeling the urge to spruce up your surroundings for the new year? Founded in 2000 by Constance Posse, the Los Angeles-based, American-made Posse Furniture — with a showroom in New York — has plenty of options. Selections catching our eye include, opposite page, the Chesterfield Sofa in antique hand-rubbed leather ($10,200); the Hudson Valley Side Table in black crackled lacquer with Chinoiserie finish ($5,600), left; and the funky Atli Nordic Chair in camel velvet, above ($3,800).

For more, visit possefurniture.com.

Photographs courtesy of Posse Furniture WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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WANDERS

Rosa hotel entrance 66 Alpina WAGMAG.COM JANUARY

2016

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vacation worthy of la famiglia

BY JEREMY WAYNE PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ROSA ALPINA

Canals, boats and the possibility of awesome pizza twice a day are virtually irresistible to children, which is why — contrary to everything you may have heard — Venice is a great vacation spot for families with kids. Yes, lone and lonely travelers come to find themselves there (Von Aschenbach in Thomas Mann’s novella “Death in Venice,” Milly Theale in Henry James’ novel “The Wings of the Dove” and Jane Hudson, the Katharine Hepburn character, in David Lean’s film “Summertime,” anyone?) and lovers will always love Venice, but in my view, La Serenissima — as Venice has long been known — is absolutely made for kids.

From its doges to its dungeons (and what kid, after all, doesn’t like a bit of medieval cruelty?), Venice has it all. Wars with Moors, world-class opera, terrific gelato — and that’s just for starters. If something doesn’t fire your kids’ imagination in the floating city, then — dare I say it? — nothing ever will. But here’s the trick: Come to Venice in the winter months when the early morning fog can hang over the city like a shroud, but you more or less have the place to yourself. By afternoon, a weak sun more often than not breaks through, casting soft

shadows on the piazzas. In winter, the vaporettos seem to struggle as they snake their sluggish way along the Grand Canal, the steely, hibernal light bouncing off the water, and the gondolier’s song is more of a weather-beating, rousing sea shanty than his summer evening ballad of wistful love.

In winter, in a Venice free of crowds, you skulk around atmospheric corners with your coat collar up against the wind and drink hot chocolate in Florian, on Piazza San Marco, where the waiters — unlike in July and August — are pleased to have custom-

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The Rosa Alpina bar

ers to serve. At midday you can take the all-but-empty vaporetto to one of the near-deserted islands of the lagoon, a lunch of spaghetti alle vongole on Torcello, perhaps, before a visit to Murano to watch the glassblowers at work. Then, just when mid-winter in the Italian northeast can seem at its bleakest, in the last week of January, Carnevale bursts upon Venice, the city exploding in a riot of color. Grab a mask and a cloak (but don’t forget to wear your thermals underneath) and join in. This is Europe’s ultimate dress-up

bedroom door in five minutes flat, the right size and even the right color. (How on earth do they know your favorite color? Well, they just do). Agnellis adore Rosa Alpina and Frescobaldis — Italy’s first family of wine — flock here. And did I mention Rosa Alpina loves children? Well, were I a child, I’d love it back. And I certainly couldn’t think of a better place to learn to ski.

Now if by chance you don’t do snow, and let’s face it, some of us don’t, you can hike or bike or spend all day at the fabulous, on-site spa, where they offer Dr. Howard Murad’s cell-renewal therapies along with treatments using Pharmos Natur Green Luxury products. And then there’s the food. Rosa Alpina has three terrific restaurants, including the Michelin-starred St. Hubertus, while about two miles down the road, there’s La Siriola, another Michelin-starred joint, owned by a Pizzinini cousin. Over at Corvara, meanwhile, barely 15 snowy minutes away, La Stüa de Michil is yet another Michelin-starred restaurant.

It boasts the world’s largest private collection of Sassicaia wine.

So there you have it — the culture and exuberance of Venice coupled with the sheer exhilaration of the slopes. Frankly, I can’t think of a better winter combination.

party and, incredibly, it goes on for a full 17 days ( Jan. 23 through Feb. 9 this year).

At Carnevale’s end, I think it’s fair to say, you need some clean air and clean living. This is the time then to head up to Alta Badia, Italy’s loveliest skiing region, just two and a half hours’ easy drive north of Venice. High in the Dolomites — with more than 800 miles of runs as well as off-piste, natural-slope tobogganing, curling, skating and riding — it’s not unusual to see three generations of the same family out on the slopes. In the picture-postcard village of San Cassiano, you’ll find the Relais & Châteaux hotel Rosa Alpina, owned by the ineffably glamorous Pizzinini family, where the well-drilled, well-dressed staff is as chic as the guests, which believe me is saying something.

Isn’t that Sophia Loren by the elevator in the Bulgari earrings? No, silly, that’s the lady who does the flowers. Old money, old-fashioned comfort, but 21st century management, slick and on the ball. Forget to pack your skiing jacket? No problem. Hugo or Ursula Pizzinini will lend you one, delivered to your

Dream Kitchens and Baths

The Friends & Family Concert February 7 at 3 pm

CRAFT-MAID ■ BIRCHCRAFT ■ HOLIDAY ■ CABICO ■ STONE ■ QUARTZ ■ CORIAN ■ DECORATIVE HARDWARE

Ted Sperling, conducting Dawn Upshaw, soprano Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Golijov: Three Songs Mendelssohn: Octet for Orchestra FA M I LY

Kids FREE with adult admission.

Pre-concert instrument “petting zoo”

O W N E D

A N D

O P E R AT E D

S I N C E

19 6 5

KITCHEN & BATH, LTD. 164 Harris Road, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914.241.3046 | www.euphoriakitchens.com H O U R S : T U E S - F R I 10 : 3 0 A M - 5 P M S AT 11 A M - 4 P M

Westcheste er Philharmon nic 914.682.3707 | westchesterphil.org Concerts at the Performing Arts Center, Purchase College.

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Dawn Upshaw

|

G C L I C . # W C - 16 2 2 4 - H 0 5

Pictured: Ravi Coltrane, Monterey Jazz Festival Š Deborah Feingold

JANUARY 23 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center 24 National Theatre Live: Coriolanus 31 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

FEBRUARY 4 13 14 20 21 26 27 28

Purchase Film Series: Ivory Tower Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour National Theatre Live: Jane Eyre Martha Graham Dance Company Decoda Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana The Intergalactic Nemesis Zuill Bailey, cello

For event details and tickets, call 914-251-6200 or visit

WWW.ARTSCENTER.ORG THANK YOU

JANUARY RESOLUTIONS: HIT THE RESET BUTTON

Get past the confetti this 2016 and stick with it!

Six-Pack Abs: Get in Better Shape Club Fit 584 N. State Road Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 10510 914-762-3444 clubfit.com

Equinox 1053 W. Boston Post Road Mamaroneck, NY 10543 914-777-1919 equinox.com

YOGASMOGA The Westchester Mall 125 Westchester Ave. White Plains, NY 10601 888-990-9642 yogasmoga.com

Relax and Rejuvenate Castle Hotel & Spa 400 Benedict Ave. Tarrytown, NY 10591 914-631-1980 castlehotelandspa.com

Oasis Day Spa 25 Stanley Ave. Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-409-1900 oasisdayspanyc.com

Red Door Spa The Westchester Mall 125 Westchester Ave. White Plains, NY 10601 914-840-8880 reddoorspas.com

You Are What You Eat Bigelow Teas 201 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, Conn. 06825 888-244-3569 bigelowtea.com

Citarella Gourmet Market 600 W. Putnam Ave. Greenwich, Conn. 06830 203-861-6900 citarella.com

Lilli Pilli Health Bar 240 Main St. White Plains, NY 10601 914-230-0064 lillipillihealth.com

New Year Deserves a New Look The Christopher Noland Salon & Beauty Spa 124 Greenwich Ave., Second floor Greenwich, Conn. 06830 203-622-4247 christophernoland.com

Conair Corp.

1 Cummings Point Road Stamford, Conn. 06902 203-351-9000 conair.com

European Wax Center 164 S. Ridge St. Rye Brook, N.Y. 10573 914-937-9299 waxcenter.com

Enjoy Life to the Fullest with Family and Friends Bruce Museum 1 Museum Drive Greenwich, Conn. 06830 203-869-0376 brucemuseum.org

Barcelona Stamford 222 Summer St. Stamford, Conn. 06901 203-348-4800 barcelonawinebar.com

PepsiCo Gardens 700 Anderson Hill Road Purchase, N.Y. 10577 914-253-2000 pepsico.com

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Donate Time to an Organization or Nonprofit Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich 4 Horseneck Lane Greenwich, Conn. 06830 203-869-3224 bgcg.org

Community Plates 27 Ann St., Ground floor Norwalk, Conn. 06854 800-280-3298 communityplates.org

Food Bank for Westchester 200 Clearbrook Road Elmsford, N.Y. 10523 914-923-1100 foodbankforwestchester.org

Learn Something New Iona College 715 North Ave. New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801 914-633-2000 iona.edu

Sacred Heart University 5151 Park Ave. Fairfield, Conn. 06825 203-371-7999 sacredheart.edu

Invest in You Sotheby’s International Realty of Greenwich 1 Penwick Plaza Greenwich, Conn. 06830 203-869-4343 sothebyshomes.com

Vincent & Whittemore On the Green Bedford, N.Y. 10506 914-234-3642 vinwhit.com

William Pitt Sotheby’s Realty 121 Towne St., Stamford, Conn. 06902 203-327-2050 williampitt.com

Organized by Cincinnati Museum Center, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the Women of Color Quilters Network

January 16 – April 24, 2016

Bruce MuseuM | Greenwich, cT | www.brucemuseum.org

Lucy Terry Prince The Griot’s Voice (2012) Peggie Hartwell Summerville, South Carolina 47.5 × 48 in.

Materials: Cotton fabric, cotton batting, cotton thread, nylon thread Techniques: Hand appliqué, machine appliqué, machine embroidery, machine quilting

BRUCE MUSEUM

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Bob Scinto mulls a spreadsheet he made during the 1990s to chart his trajectory for getting out of debt.

THE SCINTOS’ FAMILY VALUES

BY REECE ALVAREZ

Over several decades Bridgeport native Robert “Bob” Scinto has built a $200-million commercial real estate empire that spans 3.2 million square feet of office space in eastern Fairfield County.

He is the definition of self-made.

Battling dyslexia and hearing issues, Bob finished high school with only a fourth grade reading level but would go on to graduate from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield while working during the day as a plumber with his father, Daniel.

It was an early lesson in family as the bedrock of business for the developer, whose own burgeoning brood — four children and 10 grandchildren — is poised to continue the legacy of R.D. Scinto, his Shelton company.

Yet for a man who has worked for his father and with family members, he has some ironic advice for prospective familial entrepreneurs.

“I would tell them try to avoid it,” he says. “It is very hard to be in business with brothers and sisters. It is definitely a challenge, but you have to adapt. I like to tell people I can never change any72

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body. I can only change the way they affect me.

That’s what’s in my power,” Nevertheless, his children have become an integral part of his firm, beginning with his youngest, Robert Jr., chief operating officer of the company and the likely successor to his father’s title.

“I grew up in the business,” Rob says. “In fifth grade, I wanted to buy a skimboard so I went to work as a maintenance man.”

Now Rob is hands-on with tenants and regularly starts his day with his father on job sites.

“We have a lot of fun together,” he says. “We are both funny, energetic people. We love people. We get serious, too, though. At the end of the day, we are both deal junkies trying to drum up as much business as we can for the company.”

A love and respect for people is central to the company’s philosophy and recipe for success, says Bob’s daughter Amy, who is the director of marketing for one of the company’s premier properties, Il Palio restaurant in Shelton (April 2013 WAG).

“My dad often says it is important to be two things,” she says. “You need to be a good person and you need to be kind, and I think he genuinely displays that effortlessly every day.”

Her father has always put family first, she adds,

as illustrated by the extended maternity leaves Amy and her sisters Katie and Dana have taken from the business to start new families.

Katie, who recently had her first child, says there has been very little friction among family members as each has his or her own defined role.

“There are not too many challenges,” she adds.

“We work for our father, he created this business and we are lucky enough that he let us be a part of it. There are always arguments and there is always wanting to do things our way, but he didn’t get to where he is now without being five steps ahead of everyone else.”

Amy is just returning to the family business following a 10-year hiatus raising four young children and Dana has been raising a family for several years following working for her father in public relations.

“He is so proud of the way my mom raised us,” Amy says. “He loves the fact we are stay-at-home mothers and raising the children and now he is extremely happy to know we are getting our hands back in the business.”

She adds that her father will often refer to her mother, Barbara — to whom he’s been married for 40 years — as his rock and frequently discusses decisions with her.

While Barbara does not work directly with the company, Bob credits her as his greatest asset and a pillar of support in his most trying times.

“I woke up one morning in 1990 and I owed $62.5 million personally,” he recalls. “I was losing $500,000 per month,” he said. “When things were going off the table, some women would have said, ‘Don’t you think we should put everything in my name?’ She never had that attitude. She said, ‘Bob, you are going to get through this somehow.’

“It is very hard to be successful and not have a good marriage. Divorce takes up time and energy and just sidetracks you,” Bob says. “Just look at Tiger Woods.”

While the Scinto family looks to a future with new generations in the wings, Bob is in no rush to hand over the reins.

“I have a theory that you either continue to grow or start to die, and I’m going to be dead a very long time so I am not worrying about this,” he says.

In the meantime, he plans to continue his seemingly simple formula for success that has elevated him from a working-class man to real estate titan.

“You want your children to do well and be good.

It is the same type of relationship in business. You want people to be successful. The secret of my business is really simple — you don’t lose any tenants. Be such a great landlord and such a great friend that no one ever wants to leave you.”

For more, visit scinto.com.

by Christopher Noland

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WONDERFUL DINING

Familial spirit STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIELLE BRODY

The interior of Rosa’s La Scarbitta features soft lighting warm colors.

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At Rosa’s La Scarbitta Ristorante, the chef of the self-named restaurant, is the host at every dinner. She doesn’t just cook the food, she explains the menu, checks up on guests and treats them like they’re in her own home.

I heard about the 4-year-old restaurant in Mamaroneck from a friend, who says the chef gave her a hug at the end of the meal. I didn’t quite understand, but I knew I wanted to go there for WAG’s family-themed issue.

Rosa and Angelo Merenda.

An inscription to the left of the entrance of the restaurant explains this: “Rosa welcomes you. Come in as a stranger, leave as a member of the family.” Walk in and you will learn this is not an empty promise.

While Italian restaurants are known for catering to families and making you feel at home, La Scarbitta takes it to another plateau. Rosa Merenda runs the restaurant with husband Angelo, serving simply made dishes reminiscent of the food she grew up with in Italy.

The restaurant is an unassuming spot on a retail strip across from the train station on Halstead Avenue. The façade welcomes commuters, locals and visitors with orange and yellow stucco and potted plants in front of the windowed wall revealing curtains and soft lighting inside.

The interior is equally as welcoming, with warm colors, a family photo, framed paintings and charming lights hanging from the ceiling, which Rosa says remind her of Christmas festivals home in Italy. In the back is a more formal room used for private events and additional seating on busy weekends.

The main dining room is big enough to hold several couples and families, yet small enough for Rosa to emerge from the kitchen and strike up conversations with her guests, talking about her passion for her work, her healthy cooking style and even the old adage that food is the way to a man’s heart, which applies to her and Angelo.

On a Wednesday night, Angelo, the quiet complement to his gregarious wife, greeted us with a plate of warm, toasted bread served with a clove of garlic on the side. He took orders but also advised guests to consult with Rosa. When she came to our table, she recited her menu, a soliloquy of Italian specialties and heavily rolled “r”s.

We started the meal with a steamed artichoke served open on a ceramic plate. The fresh, soft vegetable had just enough lemon flavor, giving it zest. The eggplant rollatini, typically a heavy dish, didn’t feel damaging as it was lightly fried and accompanied by a tomato sauce that had an unexpected sweetness.

For dinner, I had pollo alla Scarbitta, chicken with lemon and wine sauce, a dish Rosa says she makes for her own family. It resembles traditional chicken Marsala, yet this sauce emphasized citrus flavors and complemented Cheesecake at Rosa’s La Scarbitta.

rather than covered the chicken taste. The extra sauce was perfect for dipping crispy, roasted potatoes and second (and maybe third) rounds of bread.

My friend ordered the pasta primavera, made with tubular pasta and chunky, tangy tomato sauce. The only thing I would have changed was the temperature of the food. It could have been hotter.

I liked that Rosa doesn’t do anything in excess — from the décor to the portions. Everything on the plate is used to flavor or enhance the meal, not just serve as garnish, Rosa says. Even after many courses, I never felt loaded down with carbs as I might at some Italian restaurants.

This even remained true for dessert. The creamy cheesecake, made with fresh ricotta, was rich yet still airy. The tiramisu, a dessert I don’t typically order because it tends to be soggy, was spongy and punctuated with tangy pomegranate seeds and fruit syrup.

La Scarbitta is well known among the locals. Visit once and you’ll return as family, as Rosa promises.

For more, visit scarbitta.com.

WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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WINE & DINE

Alberto Tanzini, owner of Roccapesta winery in Tuscany’s Morellino di Scansano region.

The Tuscany you don’t know STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG PAULDING

As will happen when land prices escalate, acreage becomes scarce and suitable grape planting areas are tapped out, wine producers start to explore other areas for expansion.

Tuscan producers are looking no further than a couple of hours by car mostly to the south and west, still in Tuscany. The area south of Montalcino and extending almost to the Mediterranean coastline is comprised of the coastal Morellino di Scansano and the inland, elevated Montecucco wine regions and is broadly known as the Maremma. Their wine histories extend well back to the Etruscan and Roman civilizations, both of which planted grapes and other agriculture extensively. Then the Roman Empire fell and neglected drainage areas backed up, turning fields into marshland, while summertime malaria epidemics made the lower-lying Morellino di Scansano seasonally a place to avoid.

These regions are different from the Tuscany I know. There are no highways and essentially no industry within them. All the towns are connected by small two-lane country roads, barely big enough for a couple of cars to pass comfortably. The cities and towns are considerably smaller. There are now many vineyards, the majority of them planted in the past two or three decades. And there are grey and silver-green olive groves dotting the long and distant hillside views.

Most of the houses are small, rustic and homey.

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it. There are massive wine producers long established in other wine regions, notably Cecchi and Frescobaldi (Tenuto dell’Ammiraglia in Morellino di Scansano) and the titled Count Ferdinando Guicciardini of Chianti’s Castello di Poppiano (Massi di Mandorlaia in Morellino di Scansano), who have bought up large tracts of land, some under vine and some to be planted. There are boutique-style producers, Alberto Tanzini of Roccapesta and Giovan Battista Basile of Basile, both of whom migrated from other careers, finance and law respectively, to chase (and catch) a dream.

There is Sergio Peteglia of Peteglia winery. He grew up locally and from his hillside winery told me, “Mom was born in that yellow house over there. Dad was born in that house on that hill up there.” Peteglia’s production is small, just 30,000 bottles a year. There are some unfinished building projects on the estate. He and his team also sell beef and olives and when money comes in, they fire up construction again and move the winery closer to their dream.

And there is Claudio Tipa of ColleMassari winery and president of the Montecucco consortio, who has made an attractive fortune in pharmaceuticals and has just put the finishing touches on a gorgeous fromthe-ground-up winery in Montecucco. Tipa is the region’s largest producer by volume and has the ability, commitment and influence to improve the wines, transform the region and raise the bar and reputation for all the producers of the area.

The rules are rather new and simple. Morellino di Scansano was granted Denominazione di Origine

Controllata status in 1978 and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), Italy’s highest designation, in 2007. Morellino di Scansano DOCG must be made from 85 percent Sangiovese, or Morellino as the grape is locally known. All the grapes used must be grown in the region. Montecucco received its DOCG designation in 2011 and the wine must contain a minimum of 90 percent Sangiovese. Both regions produce DOC, DOCG and Riserva wines with minimum aging and oak requirements. And there are rules dictating vineyard yields. Smaller yields create a more nuanced grape with more depth and complexity.

Virtually all the producers of the Maremma are moving toward biodynamic, organic and earth-friendly production and carbon-neutral methods. Both regions also make white wines and rosatos and some of the producers also make a Vin Santo, a sweet and delicious dessert wine. Vin Santo wines are labor intensive, require longer oak time and rarely turn a profit.

But it’s part of the Tuscan heritage and family members often insist on it as a requirement in the winery.

On a recent trip to the region, we tasted red wines, many of which were very pleasant, fruit- forward and value-driven vintages that will stand up to and enhance most any dinner party. The wines’ fresh fruit approach leaned toward red or black cherry. The better wines showed hints of currants with oak time contributing a spiciness, tobacco and leather flavors and a dusty or velvety texture in the mouth. Delicious.

Write me at doug@dougpaulding.com.

WHETTING THE APPETITE

You say potato…

Now that all the holidays are over, it’s time for a dish that has no butter or cream. Once you make these potatoes, you’ll never go back to traditional mashed.

Lemon Basil Mashed Potatoes

BY JACQUELINE RUBY PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROZYCKI

Ingredients: • 16 new potatoes – chopped small • 2 cups of chicken broth, plus 1/4 cup • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons • 1 teaspoon of lemon zest • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon sea salt • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper • ¼ cup finely chopped basil

Directions: For more, contact the Saucy Realtor at jacquelineruby@hotmail.com.

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In a medium saucepan, place potatoes, 2 cups of chicken broth, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are tender — 25 to 30 minutes. Toss with basil. Use a hand mixer to mash the potatoes and add 1/4 cup of broth and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice as needed.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

FAMILY FARM to family table

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROZYCKI

Val Morano Sagliocco samples family’s olive 80 his WAGMAG.COM JANUARY oil at Lago.

2016

Having lunch with the Morano family at Lago, their restaurant in the Silver Lake section of Harrison, means knowing the warm embrace of an Italian family. The wine flows — as do several lines of conversation. The dishes keep coming — as do the laughs.

WAG first introduced you to Val Morano Sagliocco — scion of the family, director and principal designer of Morano Landscape Garden Design in Mamaroneck and co-owner of Ridgeway Garden Center in White Plains — in our June “Passion’s Tides” issue. A tiller of the soil with a head for business, Val explored the idea of planting olive trees in an underused section of the family’s ancestral estate in southern Italy’s Calabria region with his grandfather, Angelo, while he was still a teenager. Sadly, Angelo passed away a short time later in 2001. But Rosina — the eldest of Angelo’s three daughters and Val’s mother — was undeterred. She planted 2,000 2-year-old olive trees. (The olive grove, which is organically treated, totals about 30 acres.)

“They’ve grown to be so beautiful,” she says. And

fruitful, yielding an extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil that beginning this month will be used in dishes, featured on tables and available for purchase at the restaurant.

The Moranos are no strangers to olive oil production — or winemaking, for that matter.

“We make wine there for our own consumption,” Lisa, the youngest of the Morano sisters says, adding to laughter, “and we consume a lot.”

Similarly, the family has always made its own olive oil. (Originally, they had 500 olive and chestnut trees.) But Val’s dream has become the family’s avocation, particularly with three-quarters of the new trees producing 7,000 liters of olive oil.

“This has been a learning process for all of us,” Rosina says.

Olive oil is a complex undertaking so the family turned to an in-law, an olive oil baron who lived in a neighboring town. He told them they needed three kinds of trees — noccolare, lecchese, and roggianese — to produce the three kinds of olives necessary for the right acidity, color and density, Lisa says.

This is tricky, because the olives must be picked right before they mature for maximum flavor and each type has a different maturity date (between November and mid-December). The olives must be handpicked. None can touch the ground as that messes with the acidity. Once picked, they must be cold pressed right away, each kind separately. Only then are they blended together.

Challenging stuff but the oil’s slightly nutty flavor makes it all worth it.

Olive oil is part of Val’s larger plan to take Lago beyond farm-to-table. He’s creating what will ultimately be an enclosed 3,500-square-foot space nearby to grow organic fruits and vegetables that will feed Lago patrons. It includes an herb garden on the restaurant patio.

“I am, after all, a gardener,” Val says.

For more, visit lagoristorante.com.

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www.clubfit.com Jefferson Valley: 914-250-2750 WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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WEAR

Time out

with

Carson

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

Makeover maestro Carson Kressley surveyed the audience of roughly 200 who turned out for “The Makeup Date” at Bloomingdale’s White Plains on a pleasant Sunday morning.

“Only one man,” he notes. “That’s all right. We can share.”

And with that, makeup enthusiasts were off to a rollicking start as Kressley — Emmy Award-winning star of Bravo’s “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” Lifetime’s “How to Look Good Naked” and ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” — guided attendees through everything from Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip, her newest lipstick collection, to Thairapy, offering the latest tools for hair and new to Bloomingdale’s.

Through it all, the cosmetic lines’ representatives served as foils for Kressley’s quick quips.

When the Dior rep suggested flashing the audi-

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Carson Kressley

ence — with Dior Skin Flash, a light skin perfector — Kressley replied, “I thought that only happened on the parking deck.”

He was serious, however, about the latest trends in makeup — neutral palettes, contouring and brow emphasis — and about the way women neglect themselves, which he talked to WAG about briefly after the show.

“Really, does any woman take time for herself?

They’re concentrated on their families.”

But as women juggle career and home, he says, they should take a 20-minute beauty break, if only to try on a new lipstick. And just as they have a health checkup every year, they should have a beauty checkup to get in touch with their appearance.

Kressley — whose new book is due from St. Martin’s Press in November — is active in such philanthropic causes as The Human Rights Campaign and AIDS WALK. He founded the first scholarship for LGBT youth in his hometown of Allentown, Pa. This is not surprising for the man whose accomplishments include the children’s book “You’re Different and That’s Super,” promoting tolerance of diversity.

But what may surprise you is that this trustee of The American Saddlebred Museum shows American Saddlebred horses — a passion whose luminaries have included Clark Gable, Joe Louis, Will Rogers and William Shatner.

So when he’s not dispensing style advice, he’s seated in style astride a horse known for its own.

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WELL

Face time

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE SPA AT DELAMAR

Winter is traditionally a time for dry skin, but for some of us, the arid season never seems to end. So when The Spa at Delamar Greenwich Harbor — part of a family of Delamar spas — invited us in for a facial, we couldn’t resist.

We had been to the Greenwich spa to sample some of the products in its full complement of services for May 2014 WAG’s Chic Choices feature. We also savored some tea in The Spa’s lavender and periwinkle Relaxation Room with its delightful aviary-themed wallpaper.

So we had a taste of the relaxation and rejuvenation in store. Now our actual spa experience would deliver all that and more.

We put ourselves in the subtle, skilled hands of spa supervisor Stephanie Torres — who in addition to being licensed to give facials, body treatments and massages is a former equestrian conversant with animal massage. Stephanie would bring that refined sense of touch to a series of purifying, hydrating, targeted and radiance products from Valmont, a luxe Swiss antiaging line. (The spa also partners with Biologique Recherche, a French skincare line.)

Valmont is also known for the butterfly technique with which its products are applied — a sweeping, upward motion designed to work against gravity to relax and re-energize you. Stephanie would use this movement in most of the various products she applied to my face, neck and décolletage, beginning

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with the White Falls fluid cleansing cream. This was followed by Vital Falls invigorating toner.

One of the mistakes people make in their skincare rituals, Stephanie says, is to neglect applying toner after cleansing their faces in the morning and evening, often because they think it will be too drying. (Guilty on that front.) If so, Stephanie says to look for one that has rose oil, or another oil, instead of alcohol.

The next step was the Face Scrub revitalizing exfoliating cream, a morning product that Stephanie massaged into the skin with tiny circles, avoiding the eye area. After she rinsed this off thoroughly, it was time for the Prime Renewing Pack instant rebalancing mask — which is applied in a thick layer and left on for 20 minutes, the excess being removed with a clean, dampened cloth. This is a great protective, rejuvenating product for frequent fliers, Stephanie says, as it goes on clear — so you won’t be frightening fellow passengers the way Julia Roberts, sporting a cakey green mask she fell asleep in, startled Rupert Everett in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.”

From that mask we moved to another evening product, the Moisturizing With a Mask instant thirst-quenching mask, to be used twice a week

in a thick layer, avoiding the eye contour. After 20 minutes, Stephanie removed the excess, which can be done with a soft tissue or by rinsing. Then it was time for the Clarifying Infusion illuminating face serum followed by the Hydra 3 Regenetic hydration activator concentrate. (The Hydra 3 Regenetic products are particularly good for dry skin, Stephanie says.)

If it seems as if our eyes and lips were being neglected, they weren’t. Stephanie dabbed on the Prime Contour eye and lip contour corrective treatment with her fingertips, before applying the Clarifying Surge illuminating face cream and the Hydra 3 Regenetic prolonged hydration cream over our face and neck. In applying creams like these, she says, don’t forget the back of the neck.

Stephanie completed our facial with the Just Time Perfection tinted antiaging complex enhancer cream. One look in the mirror told us this would be a great product if you’re on the go sans makeup. But being the high-maintenance diva that we are, we just had to top it all off with our own full “Memoirs of a Geisha”-style palette — smoky eyes, crimson lips.

Thanks to our facial at The Spa at Delamar, our makeup glided along the contours of a renewed, dewy landscape.

There’s also a spa in the Delamar Southport and one that is scheduled to open with the Delamar West Hartford in 2017. For more, visit spaatdelamar.com.

ANNOUNCING OUR 2016-2017 TOURS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA Just getting back to photography? Our clients come from all skill levels, including beginners. Lessons are tailored to help you progress, no matter how much experience you may have, including film to digital transition.

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WELL

Dr. Scott and Bonnie Loeser of Urgent Dental Care at their Central Avenue locale. Photograph courtesy of Urgent Dental Care.

The tooth, AND nothing but…

Urgent care medical centers have been popping up in many communities over the last year or two. Dr. Scott Loeser, and his wife, Bonnie, saw that trend and thought, “What about dental emergencies?” So they created the area’s first Urgent Care Dental office in Greenburgh last year. The concept was such a success that, only a year later, they opened a second location in Riverdale.

Scott Loeser has been practicing dentistry for more than a decade and has been at his current location in Thornwood for more than 13 years. But he realized that emergencies never happen when it’s convenient, and that’s why Urgent Care Dental is available when most dental offices are closed — seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Urgent Care Dental specializes in treating dental emergencies and pain exclusively. It’s staffed by board certified dentists and a professional team equipped to provide a range of care. The office does not, howeer, provide ongoing comprehensive dental treatment but rather works in conjunction with local general dentists and specialists to ensure that pa-

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tients get the ongoing care they need.

Urgent Care Dental does address tooth pain and toothaches; abscessed teeth; broken/knocked out teeth; tooth extractions; oral and tooth infections; injuries to the mouth and lips, including lacerations and abrasions; problems with dental implants; problems following dental work; and loss of a filling or crown.

Besides convenient walk-in, after-hours services, the Loesers say advantages include: A reliable alternative to a hospital visit — Emergency rooms in hospitals are dedicated to serious, life-threatening injuries. The wait time for a “simple” medical treatment in a hospital can take hours. Urgent Dental Care provides a much better alternative to a hospital emergency room, which is generally not equipped to handle dental emergencies.

A safe, stress-free environment — Dental emergencies are stressful as it is. The spa-like environment of Urgent Care Dental helps to relax the patient, while the dentist alleviates his or her physical pain. The rate of an Urgent Care Dental visit is significantly lower than the price of a standard emergency room visit, further putting a patient’s mind at ease. Urgent Care Dental also accepts all major dental PPO insurances.

From Urgent Care Dental’s inception, Scott and Bonnie have been working to help fill a void in the

health-care industry. They have collaborated on every aspect of the business from choosing the name and logo, finding locations and developing a business plan, all the way to picking out the chairs for the waiting room.

“We really work as a team, complementing each other’s skills and expertise in the different facets of this endeavor,” Scott says.

As Westchester residents, the obvious place to begin was close to their home in Scarsdale. As that first office became successful, they wanted to expand into yet another familiar area, Riverdale, where Scott was born and where they lived when first married. This has truly been a family endeavor.

“Our three children have also been a part of this exciting time in our lives. Helping to explain different nuances of Instagram to us and handing out toothbrushes at our grand openings, they are as vested in this as we are,” Bonnie says.

The Loeser family hopes for continued success with its Urgent Care Dental practices and expansion for the future.

Scott and Bonnie Loeser are the owners of Urgent Care Dental in both Greenburgh (1088 Central Park Ave.) and Riverdale (3509 Johnson Ave.). For more, visit urgentcaredentalny.com

WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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WELL

A NEW YEAR’S MANTRA –

MOVE IT

BY GIOVANNI ROSELLI

AS WE BEGIN ANOTHER YEAR FULL OF PROMISE AND ASPIRATIONS, I WANT TO WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS AN ELEMENTARY, YET EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO GET 2016 OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT — MOVEMENT. In physics we learn about Newton’s First Law of Motion: Objects in motion stay in motion while objects at rest stay at rest. This is also the way our bodies work. A person who sits for most of the day and doesn’t do much moving around usually ends up sitting and not moving around. On the other end of the spectrum, I’m sure you can think of some individuals who are always on the go — and feel almost uncomfortable if they aren’t doing something.

The fitness industry currently has a lot of one-liners, one of which is “Sitting is the new smoking.” In today’s world where kids would rather play on electronic devices than run around outside, and where some may be “chained” to their office desks, we are faced with the expectation that you’ll sit most of the day.

Now you may have already heard that sitting isn’t the best thing for you. Let’s dig deeper into the reasons why: ▶ Your aerobic capacity decreases, which decreases stamina. When you sit for an extended period of time, your heart and lungs are transporting oxygen to your muscles at a lower rate, and you lose stamina. You are now feeling more lethargic than you should.

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▶ Blood volume decreases, which decreases cardiac output. When you sit for too long, blood doesn’t circulate as well, decreasing the blood that is pumped by the heart, leading to poor circulation as well as fatigue. ▶ Bone density decreases, increasing the risk of brittleness and injury. As we grow older our bone density naturally decreases, which is why in a previous WAG column I mentioned the importance of strength training to maintain your bone density, along with weight-bearing exercises like walking. ▶ Muscle mass and strength decreases. You aren’t building muscle by sitting, so if you sit for too long your basic strength will not be there. ▶ Distorted posture presents itself, increasing joint wear and tear. It is challenging to sit in an absolutely perfect position. You are going to lean on one side. Your legs will be at different angles, shoulders probably at different heights. Sit too long and these positions will solidify themselves, creating imbalances and asymmetries that inevitably lead to pain and/or injury. ▶ Abnormal reflexes and patterns emerge, which decrease reaction time. When you are seated, you do not have to react nearly as quickly to anything as compared to when you are on your feet and/or moving. This will start to slow down your reaction time to the world. ▶ Insulin sensitivity is reduced, which decreases metabolic efficiency. ▶ Testosterone and human growth hormone, also known as HGH, decrease. For all the men out

there, this is something we are hearing a lot about, especially as we age. With low testosterone and HGH levels, the body will not control, produce, or maintain the naturally occurring male characteristics optimally. ▶ A loss of collagen decreases stability and strength. We want to have long, strong bonds of collagen throughout our bodies. This gives us good shape as well as a strong overall body structure. Sit for too long, and your collagen weakens, which makes your body weaker overall. ▶ Sluggish digestion decreases nutritional absorption. When sitting for too long, your gut isn’t able to work as efficiently, which directly affects how your food is being absorbed. As the saying goes, “It’s not what you eat, it’s what you absorb.”

Do you now have enough reasons to understand exactly what sitting can do and is doing to our bodies? Next time you are sitting at a desk, on an airplane or on your couch, try to get up every hour and move around, even if it’s going for a short walk or a stretch. For whatever reason resonates with you, make a resolution to become more active in 2016.

Happy New Year to you, and get moving!

A special congratulations to Jeff from Chappaqua, who won the challenge I posted in last month’s column and a free Equinox Tier 4 assessment at our private E club facility. Be on the lookout for more contests in the coming months.

Reach Giovanni on twitter @GiovanniRoselli and his website, GiovanniRoselli.com.

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PET OF THE MONTH

MASTERFUL

MURDOCK

IN THIS SEASON OF STARK SOLITUDE, WE WARM THINGS UP WITH MURDOCK, A REAL FIRECRACKER.

This 3½-year-old Dachshund mix, who was rescued from a high kill shelter, may be tiny, but he packs a punch.

Murdock is off-the-charts friendly and super playful. He’d love a fenced-in yard to romp in. He can also be pretty excitable at times, so older kids (age 14 and up) are the best fit for him.

Murdock is working on his basic training and would like to go to a home where he can continue to learn things.

He gets along well with other dogs and will be an amazing companion for an active owner or family.

To meet Murdock, visit the SPCA of Westchester at 590 N. State Road in Briarcliff Manor.

Founded in 1883, the SPCA is a nokill shelter and is not affiliated with the ASPCA. The SPCA is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. To learn more, call 914- 941-2896 or visit spca914.org.

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Attaboy, Bob!

 Snuggles, featured in February 2015

PET EXTRA PET EXTRA

 Cody, featured in April of 2014

WAG’s own Bob Rozycki has certainly turned out to be a lucky charm for our (and the SPCA’s) Pets of the Month. We’re proud to say, everyone one of the guys and gals whom Bob has photographed has been adopted. You can help keep

 Socket, featured in December of 2014

Bob’s record perfect by supporting the SPCA. In the meantime, way to go, Bob and pooches.

Photographs by Bob Rozycki.

PRINCE WILLIAM HAS PRINCE HARRY, SNOOPY HAS SPIKE – YOU KNOW, THE BAD-BOY BABY BRO WHO’S A CHUNK OF CHARM AND A TON OF TROUBLE. That’s what WAG Weekly is to WAG. In our e-newsletter, we let down our hair (and occasionally, our grammar) to take you behind behind-the-scenes of the hottest parties and events, offer our thoughts on the most controversial issues of the day, share what couldn’t be contained in our glossy pages and tell you what to do and where to go this weekend – all while whetting your appetite for the next issue.

If you can’t get enough of WAG — or you just want to get WAG unplugged — then you won’t want to miss WAG Weekly, coming to your tablet each Friday a.m.

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One of the many puppies of Puppies Behind Bars.

Photograph by Peggy Vance, courtesy Puppies Behind Bars.

From puppies

to

pals

NONPROFIT RAISES SERVICE DOGS FOR VETERANS

BY DANIELLE RENDA

If dog lovers are asked to describe the relationship with their furry companions, they’ll often mention “loyalty.” That and “unconditional love.”

These are just two of the fundamental values of Puppies Behind Bars (PBB), a New York-based nonprofit that trains inmates to raise service dogs for war veterans. Founded in 1997 in the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, the program places Labrador Retriever puppies with inmate trainers for approximately 24 months, during which the pups are raised to care for wounded veterans, including those suffering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

PBB initially specialized in training guide dogs for the blind, transitioning to training explosive device canines after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

When soldiers began returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan in 2006, PBB made a final transition to training service dogs for veterans.

And even though the program is held only in five prisons — four in New York, one in New Jersey — PBB’s 92

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efforts have had a nationwide effect.

“Counting a class of six veterans who are being trained with their dogs right now, we will have 87 teams of veteran-service dogs,” says Eric Barsness, director of development for PBB. “They are nationwide, from Washington state to Georgia and everywhere in between.”

To be eligible for the program, inmates must maintain a perfect disciplinary record for one year before asking permission of the prison administration to join. If approved, they are interviewed and, if accepted, they are required to participate in a full day of classes each week. On average, PBB accepts only one out of seven applicants and pairs only 15 to 20 service dogs annually. About 75 percent of dogs graduate and those that don’t are released for adoption.

In the program, puppies are taught 95 commands.

Specialty commands include “Got my back,” in which the dog is asked to stand by the veteran’s side while looking behind; and the “clear” command, for which the dog enters a room, turns on the light and does a full turn prior to the veteran’s entry.

“Aside from the commands, the dogs focus on the veteran and the veteran focuses on the dog,” Bars-

ness says. “It’s a very strong calming effect. It makes it much easier for the veterans to go out in public.”

For inmates, PBB offers an opportunity for life after prison.

“They become expert dog trainers and handlers,” Barsness says. “If they have been in the program for 18 months, they receive a certificate from the New York Department of Labor stating they have this skill.”

They also learn loyalty and love.

“Some of them have never experienced the unconditional love given by the dogs in their lives,” Barsness says.

The program concludes with 16 days of team training, which largely takes place in the prisons, enabling inmates to teach veterans how to take full advantage of their dog’s skills.

“That aspect really brings the process full circle,” Barsness says. “The inmates are able to see the effect that dogs have on the veterans’ lives firsthand.”

PBB covers all costs for veterans to train with their dogs, including follow-up visits to the veterans’ homes, recertification for the dogs and assistance with any challenges.

For more, visit puppiesbehindbars.com.

THROUGH JAN. 2

served during ice sculpture demonstrations, jazz sets

The Pelham Art Center presents “Craft-tastic: An

and holiday light shows. 7 to 10 p.m., 2900 Southern

Exhibition and Sale of the Handmade.” This special

Blvd., Bronx; 718-817-8700, nybg.org

WHEN & WHERE

exhibit features works by 24 craftsmen. 155 Fifth Ave., 914-738-2525, pelhamartcenter.org

THROUGH JAN. 3

JAN. 3 The Bruce Museum Seaside Center reopens with a lecture on “The Life and Times of New England Gray

For the second year running, the “Westchester Winter

Seals,” followed by family activities and a visit to its

Wonderland” at the Kensico Dam Plaza features the

animal tank. 2 p.m., 6 Tods Driftway, Greenwich; 203-

“Holiday Cirque” with performances three times a day,

869-0376, brucemuseum.org

an outdoor skating rink, unlimited rides on the Wonderland Express, visits with Santa, boutique vendors and an indoor food court. 5 to 10 p.m., 1 Bronx River

JAN. 5

Parkway, Valhalla; 914-328-1542, winterwonderland.

“Dancing with the Stars Live” hits the road for a visit

com

to Westchester County Center. The “Dance All Night Tour” features a newly expanded cast and special

THROUGH JAN. 10

surprise guests performing popular acts from the TV series and never-before-seen numbers. 8 p.m., 198

“Tarzan, The Stage Musical” comes to life for a lim-

Central Ave., White Plains; 914-995-4050, countycen-

ited time at the White Plains Performing Arts Center.

ter.biz

The musical was adapted from the Disney film by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang and features music composed by rocker Phil Collins.

JAN. 6

2 and 7 p.m., 11 City Place, White Plains; 914-328-1600,

A screening of “Bass Clef Bliss,” about a young man

wppac.com

with a passion for music who struggles with autism, at

FIERCE AND FRAGILE: BIG CATS IN THE ART OF ROBERT DALLET JAN. 10 THROUGH MARCH 13

the Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester. Ex-

THROUGH JAN. 18 The annual “Holiday Train Show” at the New York

ecutive Producer Michael Berlin will lead a post-screening discussion. 7:30 p.m., 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale; 914-472-3300, jccmw.org

Botanical Garden sees its biggest production yet, with trains humming along a half-mile track through 150

JAN. 10 Jonathan Galassi will read from his new novel, “Muse,” at The Hudson Valley Writers’ Center. A poet and translator, Galassi explores achieving fame as a poet in this, his first

recreated landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge and

JAN. 7

Penn Station. Also includes behind-the-scenes film on

Chappaqua Library hosts nutritionist Shanti Uret-

the exhibit. 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; 718-817-8700,

ta, who lectures on the health benefits of veganism

)))

nybg.org

in “See What I See: My Vegan Path.” 7 p.m., 195

PJS Jazz Society hosts alto sax player Antonio Hart at the

S. Greeley Ave.; 914-238-4779, chappaqualibrary.org

First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon as a part of

JAN. 1

novel. 4:30 p.m., 300 Riverside Drive, Sleepy Hollow; 914332-5953, writerscenter.org

the Second Sunday Concert Series. 5:15 p.m., 199 Columbus Ave.; 914-667-0823, pjsjazz.org

John Jay Homestead is holding its First Day Family

JAN. 8

Hike through its grounds. Afterwards, hot cocoa will

The Katonah Museum presents “Found Materials” as a

Greenburgh Nature Center presents “Nature in the New

be served around a roaring bonfire. 1 p.m., 400 Jay St.,

part of the “Imagine It! Days” series. Featuring inter-

Year,” a talk on winter wildlife with appearances by the

Katonah; 914-232-5651, johnjayhomestead.org

active pop-up stations with sound bytes, experiments

center’s own critters. 2 p.m., 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale;

in texture and altered perspective games. 1 p.m., 134

914-723-3470, greenburghnaturecenter.org

JAN. 1 and 2 The Capitol Theatre presents Joe Russo’s Almost

Jay St., Katonah; 914-232-9555, katonahmuseum.org

)))

))) Curiosity Concerts presents “Sonic Escape” at the Western Greenwich Civic Center. The concert, “Echo-

Dead, a quintet dedicated to faithful Grateful Dead

JAN. 9

covers. 8 p.m. 149 Westchester Ave., Port Chester; 914-

Tribute band Terrapin performs an assortment of Grate-

story of our country’s heritage through the voices of

937-4126, thecapitoltheatre.com

ful Dead and rock hits at the Emelin Theatre with special

immigrants. 4 p.m., 449 Pemberwick Road; 203-532-

guest, saxophonist Crispin Cioe. 8 p.m., 153 Library Lane,

1259, curiosityconcerts.org

JAN. 2, 8-9 and 15-16

ing Voices: A Musical History of America,” tells the

Mamaroneck; 914-698-3045, emelin.org )))

The New York Botanical Garden hosts “Bar Car Nights,”

The Westchester County Center hosts the 16th annu-

JAN. 10-MARCH 13

a series of evenings for adults 21 and over to enjoy the

al “Westchester County Bridal Expo,” showcasing

In “Fierce and Fragile: Big Cats in the Art of Robert

winterscape at the Garden and view the “Holiday Train

a multitude of vendors and products. 11 a.m., Central

Dallet,” Hermès, the Parisian luxury house, and Pan-

Show” after dark. Complimentary cocktails and treats

Avenue at Tarrytown Road, White Plains; 860-563-

thera, the global wild cat conservation organization

from the newly opened Frosty’s Schnapps Haus will be

2111, jenksproductions.com/westchesterbridal

based in New York, join forces with the Bruce Museum WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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to pay tribute to the late French artist and naturalist.

JAN. 24

1 Museum Drive, Greenwich; 203-869-0376, brucemu-

Join the naturalists of Greenburgh Nature Center for

seum.org

“Crunch, Craft, Granola!” 2 p.m., 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale; 914-723-3470, greenburghnaturecenter.org

JAN. 12 Talk Cinema presents the latest in the Westchester Coun-

JAN. 27

ty Sneak Preview Film Series of independent and foreign

Join the Neuberger Museum of Art for “Rebirths

films. With a post-film discussion. 7 p.m., AMC Loews Port

and Transformations: Spirituality and the Art of

Chester 14, 40 Westchester Ave., Port Chester; 800-551-

Liza Lou,” a discussion of how the artist’s evan-

9221, talkcinema.com

gelical upbringing influenced her work. 12:30 p.m., Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road; 914-251-6100,

))) Lance Grande of the Field Museum of Natural Histo-

neuberger.org

ry will speak about “The Lost World of Fossil Lake: Snapshots From Deep Time” at the Bruce Museum. 7 p.m., 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich; 203-413-6757, brucemuseum.org

JIM BRICKMAN JAN. 30

JAN. 30 The New Westchester Symphony Orchestra performs at New-York Presbyterian Hospital. Conductor Benjamin Niemcyzk leads the performance of works by

JAN. 15

Emelin Theatre for those 21 and over. Watch and partic-

Schumann and Sarasate. 2 p.m., 21 Bloomingdale Road,

God Street Wine, Strangefolk and Assembly of Dust

ipate as Chekov’s Uncle Vanya plays an interactive game

White Plains; 914-682-9100, newsymphony.org

will perform at Capitol Theatre for those 18 and over. 8

of the infamous “Cards Against Humanity.” 8 p.m., 153 Li-

p.m., 149 Westchester Ave., Port Chester; 914-937-4126,

brary Lane, Mamaroneck; 914-698-3045, emelin.org

))) Westchester County Center presents Itzhak Perlman

)))

with Rohan De Silva. The violin virtuoso is accompa-

)))

Irvington Town Hall Theater presents “Guys and

nied by De Silva on the piano. 8 p.m., 198 Central Ave.

Tarrytown Music Hall hosts the Blind Boys of Alabama

Dolls,” performed by the Clocktower Players JR TEEN

White Plains; 914-995-4050, countycenter.biz

and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band as part of the “Down

Troupe. 7:30 p.m., 85 Main St., Irvington; 914-591-6602

thecapitoltheatre.com

Southern spirit in the first joint performance by these

JAN. 22

two groups. 8 p.m., 13 Main St., Tarrytown; 914-6313390, tarrytownmusichall.org

JAN. 16 The Emelin Theatre presents “Seussical,” a special

))) Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys perform Cajun

by the River Tour.” Jazz and gospel are joined by a

music at the Emelin Theatre. 8 p.m., 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck; 914-698-3045, emelin.org

The Fifth Dimension with Florence LaRue performs

)))

at Tarrytown Music Hall. High-energy soulfulness has

White Plains Performing Arts Center presents adult

earned the group seven Grammy Awards and five num-

contemporary musician Jim Brickman on The Plat-

ber-one hits. 8 p.m., 13 Main St., Tarrytown; 914-631-3390,

inum Tour “Celebrating 20 Years.” Expect to hear

tarrytownmusichall.org

new music alongside Brickman’s chart-toppers.

adaptation of the Broadway show for children. 11 a.m.

)))

and 1:30 p.m., 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck; 914-698-

Ridgefield Playhouse presents a concert version of The

3045, emelin.org

Who’s “Tommy,” one of the first rock operas, featuring

8 p.m., 11 City Place, White Plains; 914-328-1600, wppac.com

Broadway performers. 8 p.m., 80 E. Ridge Road; 203-

JAN. 17

JAN. 31

438-5795, ridgefieldplayhouse.org

The Cowsills perform at Ridgefield Playhouse. The family

The Greenburgh Nature Center presents “Nature

band, formed in 1965, reunites to play several concerts

Spies,” a talk on the basics of animal tracking. 2 p.m.,

JAN. 23

99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale; 914-723-3470, green-

Ridgefield Playhouse presents “The Australian Bee Gees

burghnaturecenter.org

Concert,” a multimedia tribute to the group whose music

)))

was the soundtrack of the ’70s. 8 p.m., 80 E. Ridge Road;

Westport Country Playhouse presents “Chicken Dance,”

203-438-5795, ridgefieldplayhouse.org

a performance for children about two chickens, Marge

JAN. 18

this year. 8 p.m., 80 E. Ridge Road; 203-438-5795, ridgefieldplayhouse.org

)))

and Lola, who dream of winning the barnyard talent con-

Naturalists of the Greenburgh Nature Center lead the

Lettuce, a band known for its funky sound, will perform

test. 1 and 4 p.m., 25 Powers Court, Westport; 203-227-

“Winter Nature Walk” to explore the natural beauty

at Capitol Theatre for those 18 and over. 8 p.m., 149 West-

4177, westportplayhouse.org

of the surrounding woodlands and the creatures that

chester Ave., Port Chester; 914-937-4126, thecapitolthe-

inhabit them. 11 a.m., 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale; 914-

atre.com

723-3470, greenburghnaturecenter.org

JAN. 21 and 23 Three Day Hangover performs “Drunkle Vanya” at the

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JANUARY 2016

))) “Live Art Fest 2” hosts 20 artists for a day of artmak-

)))

ing. Visit the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary

Learn about “Legumes & Ancient Grains” in a class led

Art to see the creative process in action. Food and

by Chef Rinku Bhattacharya at the Hilltop Hanover Farm.

drinks will be served, and the art-making will be ac-

4 p.m., 1271 Hanover St., Yorktown Heights; 914-962-2368

companied by live music. 1 p.m., 1701 Main St., Peekskill; 914-788-0100, hvcca.org

RP Wag ad jan.qxp_Layout 1 12/14/15 2:41 PM Page 1

THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE

Don’t Miss These Great Shows!

for movies and the performing arts

80 East Ridge • Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877

Non-profit 501 (c) (3)

valentine’s day gala A multimedia concert experience and nostalgic trip through the legacy of the Bee Gees.

January 23 @ 8PM

Travis Tritt

Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ‘66

An intimate, solo acoustic performance – playing his songs like you’ve never heard before!

Celebrating 50 years of Brasil ’66! A night of Brazilian jazz with the king of Bossa Nova.

Bob Marley’s

Dweezil Zappa

January 14 @ 8PM

Three Little Birds

January 16 @ 2PM & 4:30PM A New Reggae Children’s Musical based on the story by Cedella Marley.

The Who’s Tommy January 22 @ 8PM

In Concert

February 14 @ 6PM

Where Rock and Roll and Broadway Collide, starring some of Broadway’s hottest stars.

Dave’s Faves℠ Comedy Show

January 29 @ 8PM

Some of Letterman’s favorites comedians who appeared multiple times on America’s iconic late-night TV show!

The Cowsills

January 31 @ 8PM

The band that inspired The Partridge Family!

A fun night of oldies like “Hair,” “The Rain, The Park & Other Things,” “Indian Lake” & more!

February 3 @ 8PM

& the Zappa Plays Zappa Band February 4 @ 8PM

After years of ‘Zappa Plays Zappa’ shows, Dweezil Zappa has released his first new solo album, Via Zammata!

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and the BFG’s

February 5 @ 8PM

Perfectamundo Tour

This Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s new album with an afro-Cuban flavor.

Bebel Gilberto

February 11 @ 8PM

The multi Grammy-nominated Brazilian music star, and daughter of Goao Gilberto and singer Miucha, with her cool and ethereal music.

The Fab Four

February 18 @ 8PM

If you want to experience the best Beatles tribute ever, you won’t want to miss The Fab Four-The Ultimate Tribute.

Tickets on sale now! (203) 438-5795 • ridgefieldplayhouse.org WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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WATCH

FIGHTING HUNGER

The Food Bank for Westchester hosted a new, expanded selection of top chefs and restaurants for its 25th annual “An Evening in Good Taste,” held at 1133 Westchester Ave. in White Plains. The event, which spread the message of ending childhood hunger in Westchester County, raised nearly $250,000 for the Food Bank.

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1. Food Bank staff and restaurant participants 2. Ellen Lynch, Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Maria Bronzi 3. Joe Sasso, Ed Mitchell and David Pellon 4. Sean and Chris Murphy

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Photographs are from left.

JAY WALKING

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Recently, more than 200 guests gathered at the American Yacht Club to celebrate another banner year for the Jay Estate in Rye. Everyone got a sneak peek at 3D models and concept plans for the continued restoration of the home of Founding Father John Jay. In keeping with a party theme of “US History from Jay to Zebra,” revelers donned black, white and striped attire.

5. Karyl Thigpen, Keelin Pye, Elisabeth Casey and Meghann Kelly 6. Jamie and Nikolas Hellen 7. Suzanne and Rich Clary 8. Scott and Caroline Wallach 9. Joe Cassin 10. Sam and Ann Croll 11. Peter and Carol Sellon, Martha Otis, David Parsons and Steve Otis

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BIG ‘SKY’ COUNTRY

Kids X-Press Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes learning, literacy and leadership among children, recognized several “Dream Big” honorees at its annual “Touch the Sky” reception recently at the C.V. Rich Mansion in White Plains. Tara Rosenblum, News12 Westchester anchor, was the emcee for the ceremony.

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1. Lauren Sulaiman, Marsha Tom and Sacha Sulaiman 2. Nivia Viera and Yuval Marcus 3. Stephen Jones and David Richman 4. Tara Rosenblum, Joseph Riccardo Jr. and Brooke Baldwin

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PRINCESS ANNE HONORED

The National Maritime Historical Society in Peekskill paid tribute to Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne, Princess Royal, at its recent 2015 Gala Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club. Princess Anne received the Distinguished Service Award for her diligent support of the maritime heritage of Great Britain and her patronage of the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

6. Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Michael Boyce receives a Ship of Glass replica of HMS Victory from George W. Carmany III 7. NMHS Chairman Ronald L. Oswald receives the David A. O’Neil Sheet Anchor Award from Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr., USCG (Retired).

8. Princess Anne receives the NMHS Distinguished Service Award from NMHS overseer Gary Jobson.

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CARING FOR OUR

COMMUNITY

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WATCH

‘KICK’OFF

Recently, 914 Krav Maga, a specialized martial arts and fitness kickboxing school in Greenburgh, celebrated its grand opening. The event featured several live martial arts and self-defense demonstrations from instructors and students of all ages.

1. Karin Messina, Marty Fareri and Greg Melia 2. Sotira-Marie Friscia and Greg Melia 3. Livia Meneghin, Miriam O’Sullivan and Thomas Messina 4. Greg Melia Sr. 5. Gordon Burrows 6. Victoria Rivera, Gina Naclerio, Tina Kennedy and Nicole Pastore

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HONORING MARY BOIES

The Westchester County Board of Legislators declared Nov. 16 “Mary McInnis Boies Day” in honor of the lawyer and Armonk resident. This came the week after Boies was awarded a Judge Learned Hand Award by the AJC of Westchester/Fairfield for her legal and philanthropic work. She is counsel at the law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner.

Photograph by AJC Westchester/Fairfield & Boies, Schiller & Flexner.

9. Jeremy Temkin and Mary McInnis Boies

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GOBBLE, GOBBLE

Stop & Shop helped The Food Bank for Westchester kick off its annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive by donating 800 turkeys.

1. Danice Tatosian, Denise Killeen and Ayesha Khan 2. Chad Salter, Eric Aho and Robinson Terry 3. Arlene Putterman

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IN VINO VERITAS

Harrison Wine Vault hosted its fourth annual “Grand Fall Wine Tasting.” The event featured more than 100 wines from New World, Old World and everything in-between. It also marked Harrison Wine Vault’s first food drive, with all donations benefiting the Food Bank for Westchester.

Photographs by Cassandra Sawyer.

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4.Chris, Tracy and Anthony D’Arpino and Frank and Jean Amodio 5. Katie Amodio, Erin Mara and Avery Brooks 6. Jeffrey and Taylor Graybiel

OFFERING HOPE (AND MORE)

Hope’s Door hosted more than 170 guests at a luncheon at the Mount Kisco Country Club. The event raised funds for the organization and awareness about domestic abuse. Guests purchased raffle tickets at the Buckets of Hope tables, bid on silent auction and made donations toward items on the giving tree to help the many victims and their families. The centerpieces featured gift cards and items that were underwritten and donated directly to Hope’s Door’s clients.

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7. Daisy Rosado and Dyllan McGee 8. Michael J. Smith and David Buchwald 9. Terrence Murphy and Andrea Stewart-Cousins 10.Kevin Plunkett

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Featuring pediatrics, primary care, imaging and many other medical & surgical specialties. As well as urgent care open nights and weekends.

To make an appointment please call 914.849.7900 WAGMAG.COM JANUARY 2016

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WATCH

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

The first Night at the Museum Family Benefit held by the Bruce Museum was a sold-out success. More than 350 guests enjoyed the evening, in which the children came dressed in their PJ’s and ran between the different activities and exhibits. Photographs by Big Picture/ Kyle Norton.

1. Zac, Jen, Andy and Peri Bernstein 2. Christopher, Finn, Trish and Maguire Estill

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UJA CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

To kick off its annual campaign year, UJA-Federation of New York’s Westchester Business and Professional Division hosted speaker Lee H. Perlman at its fall breakfast. More than 175 guests attended the event at Willow Ridge Country Club in Harrison. Guests were asked to bring new toiletries to the breakfast for donation to families in the Fresh Start program, which aims to provide them with much-needed items not covered by federal government benefits.

EXPLORING EMOTIONAL EATING

The UJA Federation of New York’s Northern Westchester Women’s Philanthropy kicked off its 2016 annual campaign with guest speaker Lyssa Weiss, author of “The Skinny Jeans Diet,” who explored emotional triggers that lead to overeating. More than 50 women attended the event, which took place at Temple Beth El of Westchester in Chappaqua.

5. Randi Kreisler, Michele Gregson, Lyssa Weiss, Tracy Stein and Mindy Bass

4. Jason Friedland, Bonnie Hagen, Lee Perlman, Susan Taxin Baer and Ben Blumberg

FAB AT 40

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The New Rochelle Council on the Arts celebrated its 40th anniversary recently at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle. The “Lush Life” Ruby Gala recreated some of the glamour of the Big Band era, with more than 300 people attending. The event honored some of the city’s arts leaders – actress Frances Sternhagen, pop artist Charles Fazzino, musician Kathryn Donovan Wiegand, Viacom Executive Vice President Michael Armstrong and author /arts and cultural critic Christopher John Farley. Photographs by Nick Carter.

6. Nelson Boyce and Michelle Sanchez Boyce 7. John Carlin and Frances Sternhagen 8. Terri Prettyman Bowles and Alvin Bowles 9. Susan and Charles Fazzino 10.Lori Hall Armstrong and Michael Armstrong

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PARTY TIME

Booked Parties, an organization that provides birthday parties for homeless children, recently held its annual Westchester County Community Toy Drive for Birthday Wishes. This year’s drive collected 10 boxes of toys and close to $400 in gift certificates for needy children in the community.

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1. Claire Gilvar 2. Jason Ward and Chad Weiss 3. Melissa Lawrence 4. Jamie Rapfogel, Maria Valente and Chris Ann Sepkowski

CHRISTMAS COMES TO CROSS COUNTY

Thousands of people gathered at the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers recently to see the center host its first winter holiday parade.

The new event kicked off the holiday season with marching bands, holiday characters and Santa strolling down the main thoroughfare.

Following the parade, there was the lighting of a 40-foot tree and then attendees watched Westchester’s first fireworks display of the season.

News12 Westchester anchor Tara Rosenblum was the emcee.

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5. Miss Italia Mt. Carmel Sabrina Knaack, Miss Hudson Valley Dana Wachter, Miss Hudson Valley Teen Perpetua Smith, Miss Westchester Morgan Modugno and Miss New York Jamie Lynn Macchia 6. Deepika Mehra, Congressman Eliot Engel; Carl Calabro, Phoebe and Jackson Starr and Robert Ryan

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LIVING HISTORY

Recently, the Larchmont Lions Club presented its scrapbook, covering its 90 years in the village, to Lynne Crowley, archivist of the Larchmont Historical Society. The material was offered in support of the village’s 125th anniversary celebration.

7. Phil Oldham, Lynne Crowley, Drew George and Peggy Rao

KISSINGER AND BURNS AT WCC

Westchester Community College in Valhalla recently presented the institution’s annual President’s Forum event, "Building a World Order: Strategies and Tactics." with former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and former Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns.

Kissinger and Burns discussed global security, recent conflicts and world history during this thought-provoking evening.

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WATCH

RECOGNIZING TOP CPAS

With tax season months away, six CPAs accepted their awards with good humor at the annual “Beyond the Bottom Line” event in Briarcliff Manor Nov. 10. The event, hosted by Westfair Communications Inc. and founding sponsor People’s United Bank, drew about 140 guests, who enjoyed the evening of cocktails and recognition.

The winners, chosen from a qualified pool of candidates working in Westchester County, were awarded in five categories. Alan Badey, partner at Citrin Cooperman’s White Plains office, and Douglas Ruttenberg, tax partner at O’Connor Davies, tied for the Most Trusted Adviser Award. A new award this year, Independent CPA, went to Spencer Schwartz, a CPA who is the CFO of Atlas Air Worldwide.

The Most Generous Award went to Spencer Barback, partner at Citrin Cooperman’s White Plains office.

Thomas Blaney, partner at O’Connor Davies, won the Ahead of the Curve Award. The winner of the Top Accountant Under 40 Award was Steven Stern, director of accounting at Weiss Advisory Group LLC. Stern said following the lead of knowledgeable, experienced professionals like the ones being honored led him to where he is today. Photographs by José F. Donneys.

1.Katherine Dapolito and Christian Gosselin 2. Trevor Curran and Chris Peck 3. David Colby and Kevin Kelly 4. Eddie Monroy and Mark Leeds 5. Harris Markhoff and Linda Jamieson 6. Scott Roper and Dan Baker 7. Dan Sheridan, John Kenny and James Frommert 8. Michael Tardella and Joe McCoy 9. Katherine Bicari and Laura Stern 10. Karina, Alan, Maria and Michael Badey 11. Mitchell Ostrove and Howard Klein 12. Bill Zeboris and John Rath 13. Douglas and Nancy Ruttenberg 14. The evening’s winners; Alan Badey, Spencer Barback, Thomas F. Blaney, Spencer Schwartz, Douglas S. Ruttenberg and Steven A. Stern 15. George Bautista and Susan Lauer

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FILLING A NEED

Empty bowls were filled with soup, donations and lots of love and goodwill at the Whippoorwill Country Club in Armonk during the inaugural Empty Bowls Westchester event. Part of the Empty Bowls project, the event raised more than $100,000 to combat food insecurity in Westchester County and will benefit three area food pantries.

This was the first fundraising event of Chappaqua Cares, an organization founded by Dawn Greenberg and Jessica Reinmann to connect residents with philanthropic opportunities for volunteering, fundraising and donating. In exchange for their donations, guests were asked to take home a hand-painted bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. Photographs by Ronni Di-

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1. Rita and Joe Bertino, Dawn Greenberg and Jessica Reinmann 2. Lucas Cascardo and Lisa Salvadorini 3. Peg Kafka Sackler and Nancy Woolf 4. Mindy Kombert 5. Marc Hirschfield and Madeline Finesmith 6. Paul Greenberg and Stu Rosenblatt 7. Jason and Chrissy Chapin

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NIGHT TO REMEMBER

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Bilotta’s “Night of Your Life” was held at Life...The Place to Be in Ardsley in memory of Jim Bilotta Sr. to benefit the Friends of Karen. The organization provides emotional, financial and advocacy support, at no cost, to children with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses and their families. Pho-

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tographs by Anthony Carboni.

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8. Rita Luisa Garces and Randy O’Kane 9. Juan and Michael Maldonado 10. Paula Greer 11. DeVaughn Williams, Dalana Kellmana and Kaylah Williams 12. Maddie and Sandy Johnson and Virginia Mead 13. Kristin Ohnmacht and Katie Bonanno 14. Jemar Coleman and his father Jeffrey talk about how Friends of Karen was there for them.

15. Marie Martell, Gwen Salmo and Maria Bilotta

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WIT WONDERS:

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WHAT DOES FAMILY MEAN TO YOU?*

Madeline Byrne

Chris Carlucci

Jeanne Cronin Ceccolini

Katy Coppinger

Jonathan Donald

William Flank

Laurel Forest

Ellie Jacob

Jason Ruan

Ajay Shah

Iris Shorin

Marilyn Weissman

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JANUARY 2016