WAG Magazine - March 2021

BUILDING COMMUNITIES WITH REAL ESTATE’S

RUP SINGH

Your home as a pandemic-free paradise History is key to RALPH MACKIN’S contemporary houses Retail therapy at AU CIEL FLOWERS & MORE, BARNEYS AT SAKS GREENWICH, THE HAMLET Nouvelle Chinese at GOOSEFEATHER Take your dog to work with trainer CRISTINA LOSAPIO

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MAGAZINE

IN NEW YORK STATE 2014, 2015, 2016 2018, 2019

WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE

MARCH 2021 | WAGMAG.COM

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CONTENTS MARCH 2021

8 Editor’s letter 10 Architecture as resurrection 14 Cover story – Building the American Dream 20 Out of Africa and into Mount Vernon 24 More than ‘Nine’ lives

65 FOOD AND SPIRITS 66 A feather in the cap of Tarrytown dining 70 ‘Divine combo’ – wine and chocolate 72 Secrets of ‘sauce’-y success 74 Spice is nice

27 HOME DESIGN 28 Holding the key to the 21st century home 32 Way 36 Quilting in the age of Covid 40 Publishing ‘house’ 44 The store’s the thing at The Hamlet 46 Do you 48 Turning nature into art 52 What’s trending 54 Magic carpet ride

75 TRAVEL 76 Grand hotels, still 80 From Russia with love 82 A world of design at Casa de Campo 84 The friendly pandemic skies 86 Wheels McLaren

55 FASHION AND BEAUTY 56 ‘Spring’ing into fashion 58 Of Saks and (the male) sex 60 En Garde (Robe)!

64 Fizzy and fine

A Namji doll family from Cameroon. Smithsonian favorites, Namji dolls are treasured by women of the Namji tribe as harbingers of fertility and good luck as well as family heirlooms. $1,350 for the set at Luangisa African Gallery in Mount Vernon (Page 20). Courtesy Luangisa African Gallery.

89 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 90 Common wellness questions answered 92 Don’t be afraid of the Covid vaccine 93 WAGGING THE TAIL 94 Supervet 96 Should you bring your dog to work?

98 Juan in a million 100 WHEN & WHERE 104 WE WONDER: How have you adapted your home to the pandemic?

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Some readers think WAG stands for “Westchester and Greenwich.” We certainly cover both. But mostly, a WAG is a wit and that’s how we think of ourselves, serving up piquant stories and photos to set your own tongues wagging.

HEADQUARTERS A division of Westfair Communications Inc., 701 Westchester Ave., White Plains, NY 10604 Telephone: 914-694-3600 | Facsimile: 914-694-3699 Website: wagmag.com | Email: ggouveia@westfairinc.com BUILDING COMMUNITIES WITH REAL ESTATE’S

RUP SINGH

Your home as a pandemic-free paradise History as key to RALPH MACKIN’S contemporary houses Retail therapy at AU CIEL FLOWERS & MORE, BARNEYS AT SAKS GREENWICH, THE HAMLET Nouvelle Chinese at GOOSEFEATHER Take your dog to work with trainer CRISTINA LOSAPIO

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IN NEW YORK STATE 2014, 2015, 2016 2018, 2019

WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE MARCH 2021 | WAGMAG.COM

COVER: Rup Singh.

Photograph by Lucas Goldman.

All news, comments, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations in WAG are those of the authors and do not constitute opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations of the publication, its publisher and its editorial staff.

No portion of WAG may be reproduced without permission.WAG is distributed at select locations, mailed directly and is available at $24 a year for home or office delivery. To subscribe, call 914-694-3600, ext. 3020. All advertising inquiries should be directed to Anne Jordan at 914-694-3600, ext. 3032 or email anne@westfairinc.com. Advertisements are subject to review by the publisher and acceptance for WAG does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service. WAG (Issn: 1931-6364) is published monthly and is owned and published by Westfair Communications Inc. Dee DelBello, CEO, dee@westfairinc.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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BY GEORGET TE GOUVEIA

f our March “Reinventing Design” issue seems to have taken on a new urgency, it’s because in the age of the coronavirus, the home — and everything attached to it — is more important than ever.

As interior designer and Wares columnist Cami writes this month, we are looking to reimagine our homes completely — delineating spaces to accommodate both school and office; squeezing the last square foot out of everything from kitchens to closets; and brightening the palette to lighten our moods. So this month, we’ve assembled experts across the board for tips on how to make your homes more enjoyable.

Call it a design for living, with more suggestions on our Wits page.

Rising real estate star (and cover subject) Rup Singh, a Yonkers resident, and North Salem-based architect Ralph R. Mackin Jr. offer trends on homebuyers looking to move to the suburbs and suburban homeowners looking to sell, respectively. Each in his own way is a visionary, with Singh viewing real estate as a way to build community, while Mackin considers the past to create livable environments for present and future generations.

Several Waggers tackle subjects to help you feather those nests.

Phil’s got everything you ever wanted to know about quilts and quilting — of growing interest to artists and hobbyists alike, particularly in Connecticut. What’s New Again columnist Katie reintroduces you to the wonderful world of rugs — which are often the most expensive items in a room and its real design anchors. Rugs can carry the personality of a small space or create separate spaces in one large area.

Specifically, Katie writes about Oriental rugs from the Middle East, a subset of which is made up of Persian rugs. Persia is a subtheme of this issue, as you’ll see in our story about floral artist Minoo Hersini, owner of Au Ciel Flowers & More in Irvington, who pours her soul into her entirely organic arrangements. But that’s just one part of the story. In a Covid pivot, she and her development director-niece, Niliou Safinya, have opened a lifestyle boutique (the & More part of Au Ciel), whose unusual home goods, accessories and plants — all housed in the neoclassical former Cosmopolitan Building — will give you more ideas for decorating.

Hersini’s tutorials on flower arranging are just one of the many how-tos in this issue. Douglas Greenberg not only tells us about Garde Robe, the museum-quality storage and protection service for textiles that he owns with Chappaqua’s Adam Gilvar; he shows us how to care for our clothes the way Garde Robe does for top fashion designers and Hollywood stars. Yonkers resident Marie Rama, creator of Hudson Green plant-based sauces, is only too happy to whip up vegan recipes using her tasty products. (We topped some spinach tortellini with her Organic Meatless Bolognese. Delizioso.)

Elsewhere, we approach design in all its forms — for clothing (men’s accessories at the new Barneys at Saks in Greenwich, plus Neiman Marcus Westchester’s spring trends for mens and womenswear); retail itself ( Jeremy, getting in touch with his British roots at the new The Hamlet in Mount Kisco); skincare (Valmont’s fabulously fizzy new Valmont DetO2X mask packets and Hydra3 Eye cream for dark circles); and wheels (Bob’s report on the new McLaren Artura, high-performance hybrid series supercar; and new Wagger Melissa Hull’s take on flying in the pandemic era).

For a sheer nesting doll of design — interior, architectural, fashion

A chandelier of dried flowers is among the unusual touches at Au Ciel Flowers & More in Irvington. Courtesy Au Ciel Flowers & More.

— it’s hard to beat Debbi’s story on Casa de Campo, a Dominican Republic resort that’s home to Altos de Chavón, a 16thcentury Mediterranean-style villa that in turn houses Chavón, The School of Design, where you can learn about fashion and the visual arts.

But we also have gorgeous buildings galore, from Russian palaces (Barbara’s story) to recently conceived hotels ( Jeremy); from the baronial setting for Goosefeather, the piquant nouvelle Chinese restaurant in Tarrytown ( Jeremy again) ,and our House of the Month, this time from neighboring Greystone on Hudson, to a Bedford home that was once the estate of publishing scion Arthur Hawley Scribner.

You don’t have to live like a czarina or a publishing titan, however, to know that all the clichés are true: There’s no place like home, and that home is your castle. Our private spaces and our public ones — like the new Daniel Patrick Moynihan Train Hall and the Vessel, both in Manhattan and both discussed in our opening essay — aren’t just about square footage. They are the magnificent shells of our souls that we create to remember a long-gone or recent past in an uncertain present for future generations. As such they are exquisite expressions of time.

A 2020 YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester Visionary Award winner and a 2018 Folio Women in Media Award Winner, Georgette Gouveia is the author of “Burying the Dead,” “Daimon: A Novel of Alexander the Great” and "Seamless Sky" (JMS Books), as well as “The Penalty for Holding,” a 2018 Lambda Literary Award finalist (JMS Books), and “Water Music” (Greenleaf Book Group).

They’re part of her series of novels, “The Games Men Play,” also the name of the sports/culture blog she writes. Her short story “The Glass Door,” about love in the time of the coronavirus, was recently published by JMS. Read WAG’s serialization of “Seamless Sky” here.

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E T TE G O U

VEIA

Rup Singh – founder of The Legacy Group, part of RE/MAX (Page 14) – is high on the Vessel, a honeycomb of staircases bridging the shops and restaurants of Hudson Yards in Lower Manhattan that The New York Times has called the Eiffel Tower of New York. But do such 11 2021 architectural jewels loseMARCH their luster if noWAGMAG.COM one’s there to savor them?

“We travel every day across bridges and through tunnels and along subway tracks that were built in difficult times, because other generations invested in us. Moynihan Train Hall is a symbol of our will to do the same thing today, because investing in the future is actually one of the best ways we have to keep afloat in the present.”

— architecture critic/Moynihan Train Hall adviser Paul Goldberger at the opening of the hall, Jan. 1, 2021 “Creating something for people is like a new start, a fresh start. It’s something to look forward to.”

— Ralph R. Mackin Jr., Mackin Architects PLLC (Page 28)

W

hen the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Train Hall opened in Manhattan on New Year’s Day, it did more than provide Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road passengers with greater access to most of Pennsylvania Station’s 21 tracks. Named for the late New York senator who championed humanistic urban renewal and the project, the 486,000-square-foot, $1.6 billion complex restored the James A. Farley Building — New York City’s former main post office, now home to the hall — while conjuring the ghost of another Beaux Arts-style gem by McKim, Mead & White, the original Penn Station, whose neoclassical glory met the wrecking ball in 1963.

In the ensuing decades, as the idea of historic restoration has taken hold, New Yorkers have become kinds of design-minded Adams and Eves, in search of an architectural paradise lost. Critics have praised the new train hall as a thing of glasshouse beauty embracing a central atrium, retail space, a 320-seat waiting area, restrooms and artwork in a structure that recalls the soaring, girded, lucent old Penn, while noting that it does nothing to resolve the subterranean problems of the current Penn, slithering beneath Madison Square Garden.

Still, with the Moynihan Train Hall, New Yorkers have gotten something of their own back at a time when they were laid low, even if the very thing that laid them low, the coronavirus, has prevented the

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usual throngs from enjoying it. It’s the irony of a great deal of design, isn’t it? Created by an individual or group in an uncertain present, often to reimagine a long-gone past for an unknown future. Yet it’s what we humans do.

We build onion-domed, gracefully scalloped monuments to the dead — like the Taj Mahal, Indian emperor Shah Jahan’s tribute to wife Mumtaz Mahal — knowing someday we, too, will die and it will be left for others to love them.

We seek to recapture the past or at least

The new Daniel Patrick Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan revives some of the old Penn Station glory.

Photograph by Garrett Ziegler.

RESCUING SYRIA, BRICK BY BRICK On April 13, Thames & Hudson will publish “Building for Hope: Towards an Architecture of Belonging”

by Syrian architect Marwa al-Sabouni (“The Battle for Home”), a compelling, new exploration of how cities and buildings — scarred by conflict, blight and pandemic — can be healed through design and urban mindfulness.

“The Battle for Home,” chronicling how her city of Homs, Syria was undone by decades of architectural mismanagement, brought al-Sabouni to the attention of international media and institutions. In “Building for Hope,’ she draws from personal observations of Western cities, lessons from Islamic culture and a range of thinkers to explore how cities and buildings might be rebuilt in the aftermath of conflict, crisis or financial depression — and create lasting peace in a polarized world.

— Edited by Georgette Gouveia

preserve the remains of its day, like Iraqi archaeologists in Babylon, trying to hold off time and developers at a replica of the ancient city’s fabled, cobalt-tiled Ishtar Gate.

We strive to heal what has been ravaged, making it whole in ways that are perhaps better but certainly are also different (the new World Trade Center). In this we are much like Hana in “The English Patient,” who shores up the staircase of a bombed-out monastery where she is caring for the critically burned patient of the title in World War II Italy as much for her own soul as for him.

Indeed, such is our hunger to create and recreate that we do it against all odds.

Sometimes we do so unwittingly, for everyone’s past is someone else’s present and future, just like everyone’s present and future will be someone else’s past.

No one could’ve foreseen the pandemic when now-struggling Hudson Yards or the Moynihan Train Hall were in the planning stages. The Chrysler Building was topped and plans for the Empire State Building were underway just as the stock market crashed in October of 1929. Neither would be fully occupied for decades. But that didn’t stop the investors, the architects, the builders, the workers and the visitors from going all in.

We should take comfort in that. The structures now standing half-empty in New York City will find new life or at least their sites will, and those who gave so much to realize them will see their work remembered if not themselves. Even now how many know that the Moynihan Train Hall’s project manager, Michael Evans, took his own life 10 months before completion of the work he so painstakingly oversaw? Still, it is his Taj Mahal, with mementoes of his life, including his hard hat and work boots, sealed into one of the hall’s columns.

But his real legacy are those visitors and future generations, who in running for a train or sitting in the waiting room or buying a gift or cup of coffee, will marvel at the space and bless him without even knowing his name.

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M A E R D N A C I R E M A E H T BUILDING TT

BY GEORGE

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E GOUVEIA

Rup Singh. Photographs

by Lucas Goldman.

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R

up Singh, a rising star in metro-area real estate, is a lot like George Bailey in the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Just as Bailey wanted to use the family’s Bailey Brothers Building and Loan business to give the residents of Bedford Falls the chance to be homeowners, Singh — founder of The Legacy Group, part of RE/MAX — would like to create a community of jobs and homes within the next five years, a place where people can pursue the American Dream.

“I don’t chase money,” says the 28-year-old Singh, A PASSAGE FROM INDIA Singh, who grew up in Westchester and whose company grossed Dutchess counties, has always been pas$30 million in 2019. “If sionate about real estate and not just propyou do something out of erty but what you can do with it.

“I was always into handmade things,” he your heart and follow says. “I love architecture, the idea of buildyour passion, the money ing.” will come to you.”

As soon as he could, he bought a house for his family in Yonkers — father Paul, mother Sabi, brother Manu and maternal grandmother Swaran — complete with his mother’s dream kitchen. (Paternal grandmother Harbans and grandfather Ajit, who were also big influences on his life, are deceased.)

The family hails from Punjab in India — a country with a long tradition of oldest sons caring for the parents and multiple generations living together. They are in many ways the classic immigrant story, with Paul, his American name, working a variety of jobs in gas stations and convenience stores before becoming head supervisor at Yonkers’ Domino Sugar plant. Today, Paul and Sabi own the revamped Paulie’s Gourmet Deli at 34 Tuckahoe Road in Tuckahoe. (Their real estate-minded son is very precise about addresses, down to the zip code. Mention this article, Singh adds, and get a free cup of coffee there.)

As a first-generation American, born at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, Singh is acutely aware of the idea that the first

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generation plants the tree whose fruits subsequent generations will enjoy. It’s why he named his company The Legacy Group.

“I wanted something more for the team,” he says of his five employees. “I wanted them to have their own identity. I wanted to leave a legacy, to leave wealth.”

And because this is a classic immigrant story, it is really the tale of two countries.

Singh has visited India and is engaged by its complex politics. He is fervent in his support of its protesting farmers — many of whom are minority Sikhs from the states of Punjab and Haryana — who’ve been camped outside New Delhi since November over the recent repeal of government protections, which they believe puts them at the mercy of potentially greedy investors.

But he was in many ways also a typical American kid, attending Sacred Heart Grade School in Yonkers and becoming an all-star Little League pitcher in Wappingers Falls, where the family moved to and where he attended Roy C. Ketcham High School.

At Boston University, he abandoned a brief flirtation with medicine. Indians share the rest of Asia’s respect for academia and in particular the medical profession. Singh’s parents worried about real estate as a career choice. At the time, Singh says, it wasn’t the going concern it is

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Rub Singh and brother Manu. Courtesy Rup Singh.

today. And while they gave him their blessing, their fears were almost immediately realized. Singh remembers the $5,000 commission he earned on a New Rochelle home in 2014, not only because it was his first commission but because it was his only one that year. At the time, his parents’ deli wasn’t doing so well either. But Singh believes that “good things come with time.” By 2015, things were looking up.

“Now they tell everyone their son does real estate,” Singh says of his parents’ pride. “That to me is a blessing.”

VIEW TO THE FUTURE Singh’s success goes hand in hand with an ability to anticipate trends in the commercial and residential real estate markets in the metro area. With interest rates low, Westchester and Fairfield counties remain both buyers’ and sellers’ markets amid a continuing Covid-19 exodus from New York City.

“A one-bedroom unit on the Upper West

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Side can cost you $1 million,” Singh says.

“People figure they can get much more for their money in the suburbs,” where, he adds, houses can begin around $500,000.

And while the commercial market has taken a hit, Singh sees opportunity in the transition of office buildings to mixed-use spaces with residences, a little retail and other businesses and with whole buildings becoming warehouses — what he calls the Amazoning and eBaying of America. But though it may take a couple of years, he is optimistic about New York City and the return of residents who will find themselves in a position of greater purchasing and negotiating power. Even in its darkest days, New York continues to reimagine itself, recently opening Penn Station’s triumphant new Moynihan Train Hall. (See story on Page 10). Central Park was built amid the panic of 1857; the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, in the early 1930s, amid the Great Depression.)

Buildings like the Empire State and its

rival, the Chrysler Building — that bauble of Jazz Age dreams, which was topped just as the market crashed in October 1929 — were mainly unoccupied for years. So the idea of empty office space in Manhattan isn’t new.

Singh says structures like these and the new Vessel — a dazzling honeycomb of staircases between the restaurants and shops of Hudson Yards — will never go out of style.

“These landmarks are always going to live,” he adds.

While he keeps one eye on the Big Apple skyline, the other looks lovingly on the suburbs where he sees great community support and where he is determined to do his part. He not only donates food to homeless shelters but has seen to it that youngsters there receive haircuts at Royalty Chop Shop in White Plains.

“I want to make a difference in the world,” he says. “That is my greatest passion.”

For more, visit rupsinghrealty.com.

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African queens: Zulo basket hats and beaded jewelry, including bib necklaces, create a regal air.

Courtesy Luangisa African Gallery.

OUT OF AFRICA AND INTO MOU NT VERNON

BY GEORGET

TE GOUVEIA

If we’ve learned anything in the past tumultuous year it’s this: Black women rule.

Their central role in the Black family and in historical events such as the American women’s suffrage movement has already been duly noted. They are, however, also in increasing ascendance not only on the national political stage but in weaving the fabric of local businesses and communities.

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Beaded jewelry and a beaded spear let you get in touch with your inner warrior.

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More beaded wear at Luangisa African Gallery

A

n example of this is Rose Luangisa, whose Luangisa African Gallery is celebrating 25 years of bringing the work of African artists and artisans into American homes and museum gift shops while also enriching the cultural life of Mount Vernon, where the gallery is located.

The gallery features home goods, men’s and women’s wear, accessories, jewelry and artworks rich in color, pattern and texture, a hallmark of African works. Vibrant, fanning basket hats vie with the beaded salad sets that Luangisa says are beloved by museum shops. Elongated, wooden Namji dolls from Cameroon, a Smithsonian favorite, remind the viewer that they are treasured by women of the Namji tribe as harbingers of fertility and good luck as well as family heirlooms. And don’t get Luangi-

sa started on beaded bib necklaces by the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania. “Oh, my God, oh those move fast,” Luangisa says of the neckwear, which allows you to tap your inner Egyptian goddess and/or Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There are calabash paintings of what appear to be gourd-like fountains, ebony wood unisex bracelets that are popular with the guys and serene bronze heads from the kingdom of Benin — not to be confused with the country of Benin — that flourished in southern Nigeria from the 11th through 19th centuries.

In a sense, Luangisa was born to bring the arts of Africa to the United States. She hails from Tanzania, where her mother, Gertrude, who now lives here, ran a shop in a market in Dar es Salaam, that country’s largest city. Coming to America in 1987, Luangisa attended Concordia College in Bronxville before receiving a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and an MBA from Iona College in New Rochelle.

But she never forgot her mother’s shop, from which she would receive goodies.

Downsizing in Mount Vernon in 1995, she thought, What to do with all of them? The answer came at the now defunct African Family Day celebration on the city’s Me-

morial Field in July 1996. Luangisa rented a space to sell the items. She made $1,000 that day.

She sent the money home and in turn received more goods. That was the beginning.

Today, Luangisa connects with artists and artisans throughout Africa — paying them upfront for their wares so they can support their families and send their children to school and placing their goods in museum shops and selling them at trade shows and from the gallery, which is open by appointment.

As with everyone and everything, the pandemic has wreaked havoc with her business, closing borders among African nations and sending shipping costs soaring. But things are looking up now that museums are reopening.

And Luangisa plans once again to hold the Wakanda 4ever Celebration on Labor Day weekend — this year, Saturday, Sept. 4 — to honor Black excellence. It will include an open house at the gallery, which is yet another illustration of that excellence.

For more, visit luangisa.com or call 914-664-3681 or 914-720-7179.

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S E V I L ’ E N I N ‘ N A H MORE T

BY GREGG

SHAPIRO

Theater people know their leading ladies and leading men. True theater people know their librettists and composers. From Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein to Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe, from Leonard Bernstein to Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman Stephen Schwartz and Lin Manuel Miranda. The name Maury Yeston also belongs on that list.

Yeston, the man behind Tony Award winners “Nine: The Musical” and “Titanic,” as well as “Grand Hotel,” “Death Takes A Holiday” and what has come to be known as the other “Phantom of the Opera,” a hit at the now permanently closed Westchester Broadway Theatre, has had a fantastic career in the theater. To underscore this, we have two recently released albums — “Maury Sings Yeston” and “Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston” (both on PS Classics). The title of the first says it all. It’s a collection of demo recordings of

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Yeston performing songs from his canon. The second is the cast recording of the off-Broadway musical celebrating Yeston’s theatrical accomplishments. Yeston was kind enough to answer a few questions about his work earlier this year:

Maury, I’d like to begin by wishing you a belated happy 75th birthday.

“Thanks. I’m touched and honored to have had two new albums welcomed by the public during this time…and grateful for the folks who have enjoyed my work.”

Maury Yeston.

Courtesy of Maury Yeston.

Maury Yeston.

Photograph by Getty Images.

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“I loved creating the beach at the beginning of the second act of ‘Nine: The Musical,” by simply alternating two chords in the orchestra that simulated the slow wafting of the waves, gently rolling in and inexorably retreating back to the sea along the beach.

Film has always seemed to me to be a natural medium that provided me an impetus from which I could gain inspiration to paint a story onstage with music.”

Do you have an all-time favorite recorded rendition of one of your songs, either from a cast recording or an album by a particular performer?

“Yes, I do. If I can name a few…”

…of course, please do.

“Rebecca Luker’s ‘Losing Roberto,’ Raul Julia’s ‘Guido’s Song,”’Anita Morris’ ‘Call From the Vatican,’ Elena Shaddow’s demo of ‘More and More,’ and Brian d’Arcy James and Martin Moran’s ‘The Proposal.’”

"Maury Sings Yeston" album cover.

On the double-disc set “Maury Sings Yeston” (PS Classics), listeners have the chance to hear recordings of you performing your compositions over a 40-year period, which you describe in the liner notes as “…personal private notes. They are my work product and process recorded often at the earliest stages of writing and were never meant to see the light of day.”

Now that the album is out there, what does it mean to share them with your audience?

“It means a great deal to me. First, because it’s the greatest privilege in the world for an artist to be received by the public — for the audience to be moved or entertained by one’s work and to make a connection to others all over the world. To have had the experience of standing waiting to cross the street and hearing a stranger next to you humming one of your tunes…is indescribable.”

In addition to “Maury Sings Yeston,” the original off-Broadway cast recording of the musical revue “Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston” (PS Classics), conceived and directed by Gerard Alessandrini, was also released in 2020. Alessandini has been spoofing you since his first installment of “Forbidden Broadway.” Is that how you came to work together on “Anything Can Happen in the Theater”?

“I’ve known and loved and been a friend of Gerard’s since the early ’80s when he was a participant for a number of years in the BMI Music Theatre Workshop — over which I presided. He continually would bring in gifted material, new theatrical songs for promising new shows he was writing. One day he

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brought in a hilarious spoof of a well-known Broadway song, and it brought down the house. He loved doing it and we all encouraged him to continue.

As soon as ‘Forbidden Broadway’ became a smash, both Stephen Sondheim and I immediately began the practice of sending Gerard our scores to any of our new shows just as soon as they opened. That process still continues. When Gerard branched out to directing, he really showed his true mettle, directing a regional production of my ‘In The Beginning’ in Maine and, of course, ‘Anything Can Happen…’ in New York City.

Among the most fascinating aspects of your creative career are musicals such as “Nine,” “Phantom” and “Grand Hotel,” which were based on movies. Would you please say something about what is appealing about that transformation process?

“Film, theater and music all share a common remarkable and magical characteristic — they all unfold in time. They create mood, touch the emotions, have the capacity to describe locations, vague sensations, intimations, yearnings —wordlessly. This has always been true in music — whether it’s (Franz) Schubert creating the sound of a galloping horse on the piano to accompany a song about a father riding desperately to the doctor with his sick child in his arms; or Claude Debussy making you smell the salt air and feel the undulating waves of the sea with only the sound of an orchestra; or Richard Strauss musically showing you Don Quixote passionately charging against a windmill.

Over the years, your songs have been performed by Raul Julia, whom you mentioned, as well as Barbra Streisand, Betty Buckley, Antonio Banderas, Laura Benanti, Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman and Sophia Loren, to name a few. Is there someone who has yet to perform a composition of yours that you would love to hear sing one?

“Johnny Mathis, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Andrea Bocelli, Alicia Keys, Carol Burnett, Taylor Swift, Alison Krauss, Diana Krall, Bonnie Raitt and Julie Andrews.”

Is there someone deceased who never had a chance to sing one of your compositions that you wish had done so?

“Lena Horne, Edith Piaf, Rex Harrison, John Lennon, John Denver, Robert Morse, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston and Natalie Cole.”

Your previously mentioned adaptation of “Phantom” was a success when it played the Westchester Broadway Theatre, which was recently shuttered due to Covid-19.

Would you please say a few words about your experiences with Westchester County theatergoers and what having that audience means to you?

“Westchester Broadway Theatre has always been among my favorite audiences of my career. The audiences at WGT all have gained knowledge and experience from habitually going to theater. And if they laugh, then you know it’s funny. If they are moved, then you know you’ve connected and you’ve touched someone, and if they applaud, it’s the most genuine, selfless gesture and the greatest gift any artist can ever receive.”

For more, visit mauryyeston.com.

HOME & DESIGN P. 28 Holding the key to the 21st century home

P. 32 Bucolic beauty on the Hudson

P. 36 Quilting in the age of Covid

P. 40 Publishing ‘house’

P. 44 The store’s the thing at The Hamlet

P. 46 Do you

P. 48 Turning nature into art

P. 52 What's Trending

P. 54 Magic carpet ride

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Gambrel shingle-style house by Mackin Architects PLLC. Photograph by Scott Francis.

HOLDING T HE KEY TO THE 21 ST CENTU RY HOME

BY GEOR G

E T TE G O

UVEIA

We tend to think of the past, present and future as three separate entities.

But for many us — indeed, for many architects — time is a river. Architects draw on the past to create, or recreate, a building for people to live and work in not only for the present but for the future.

“We work on old structures respectfully but adding new elements,” says Ralph R. Mackin Jr., “because you know this house is going to live on.”

And that’s true whether it’s a Manhattan brownstone or a Cape Cod beach house. “When it’s done right, any style can be timeless,” he adds.

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M

ackin is the owner/principal architect of Mackin Architects PLLC, a boutique architectural firm in North Salem specializing in residences in Westchester County, Connecticut and the wider metro area. The firm includes architects Thomas Milano and Chris Creighton as well as business manager Bridgette Shaffer, who is also Mackin’s wife.

The age of Covid-19 has proved to be a busy time for architects, particularly those like Mackin who are adept at historical restoration. Hunkered down, many homeowners are looking to make better use of their space or expand it. Others in the suburbs are seeking to take advantage of a hot residential real estate market by sprucing up their homes in the hopes of enticing city dwellers who in turn have been hoping to escape the pandemic.

Much has been written recently about a return to the more intimately scaled rooms of the traditional home in an effort to afford those working and studying there more privacy. But Mackin says what the pandemic has done to reveal what homeowners have always wanted — open, flowing spaces, like the large kitchen opening onto the breakfast nook and great (family) room, but with some areas for privacy.

Even with these open floor plans, Mackin says, “homeowners always required a space off the family room for mom and dad to get away and work on the weekend.”

What architects are really seeing, he adds, are requests for outdoor living areas — including decks, patios, terraces, pools and outbuildings for gyms and arts activities. Recently, Mackin has been working with one couple in northwestern Connecticut on a “barn” — whose look, he says, can work with many architectural styles — that would enable the husband to lift weights to loud music and the wife to do yoga. A segmented space shared simultaneously or one big room with alternating activities?

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Ralph R. Mackin Jr., owner/principal architect, Mackin Architects PLLC. Courtesy Mackin Architects PLLC.

A shingle-style home in Greenwich, designed by Mackin Architects PLLC. Photograph by Scott Frances.

It’s the kind of question that Mackin and his colleagues encounter in their Zoom meetings and masked, socially distanced on-site visits.

Another client has moved into a house that Mackin created for the previous owner and wants an upgrade. Other potential clients may be looking to capitalize on the hot suburban residential real estate market by selling now and are wondering how far they should go in renovating to do so.

Mackin advises talking with Realtors and design professionals before making any moves, as there are two schools of thought — take less money and let the next owner make the place his/her own or upgrade the kitchen and bathrooms at the very least to attract a buyer with bigger bucks who’s looking for a turnkey property.

Whether you’re building a home or expanding and refreshing it, you would do well to consider Mackin and company.

They are expert in what he calls today’s “hybrid” — modern flow and amenities paired with classic detailing, as seen in one project, a Dutch colonial on the Long Island Sound in Rye that makes superb use of molding, wainscoting, trim, recessed areas, diamond shaped windows, stone married to wood, cabinetry above fireplaces and covered and screened-in wraparound porches while losing nothing of modern spaciousness.

Mackin’s love of architecture was born

in North Salem, where he attended public schools and deeply observed the structures in his raised ranch-house community and beyond.

“As a kid, I was exposed to different styles — Bronxville and New Rochelle Tudors, colonial beach houses and city brownstones …. There was farmland around us with old barns and old buildings and as kids we’d play in them. In the summer, we’d go to the Adirondacks and visit the old camps …. When we create something as architecture, we trigger memories, but we also invite modern elements.”

Mackin loved the feel of old buildings. At the same time, he says, “we live in today.”

He took that philosophy with him to Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where he studied with Peter Blake — the late architect, critic and editor in chief of the now-defunct Architectural Forum magazine — who served as the university’s chairman of architecture and planning from 1979 to ’86. Mackin credits him with developing the school’s “very good architecture program.”

“You learn a lot at school, but you also learn a lot in life,” Mackin says. Returning to New York in 1985, he worked locally for a number of architects before branching out with his own firm in 1992.

“I was really lucky,” he says. “I knew what I wanted to do and was able to do it.”

For more, visit mackinarchitects.com.

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BUCOLIC BEAUTY ON THE HUDSON COURTESY GREYSTONE MANSION GROUP

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N

estled in the Greystone on Hudson enclave bordering the Taxter Ridge Preserve high above the river, this stately Georgian offers a quiet, country retreat just 13 miles from New York City.

With every detail carefully considered, this exquisite, 8247-square-foot home is designed for 21st-century living. You enter through a covered portico to a reception hall with a soaring 20-foot ceiling. Wide plank wood floors usher you past the grand stair to generous rooms, including a great room, a living room, a formal dining room and a mahogany study, along with a gourmet kitchen and butler’s pantry that feature top of the line Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances.

The second floor contains a primary suite with a sitting room, a private terrace, two primary bathrooms with luxury fixtures and two dressing rooms. Three additional bedrooms with en-suite baths complete the second floor. In all, there are six bedrooms and seven and a half baths, plus such optional features as an indoor basket-

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ball court, a home theater, a wine cellar and a pool. As the weather grows warmer, you’ll also enjoy 2,239 square feet of a multi-level outdoor terrace and veranda for relaxation, sunset views and al fresco entertaining.

Outside and in, this home — which lists for $5,995,000 — offers bespoke details, with old world millwork, custom cabinetry and mahogany windows designed to fill the home with natural light. In all, timeless beauty meets concierge lifestyle in this classic estate.

For more, contact Amy Ensign at 914-348-1777 or amy@greystone-on-hudson.com.

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QUILTING I N THE AGE OF COVID

BY PHIL H A

LL

For the quilting world, the pandemic period has been a Dickensianworthy best of times and worst of times. On one hand, individuals who found themselves moored at home during quarantine lockdowns brought a new passion and energy to their craft.

“With Covid, everyone started sewing, because we needed to make masks or we're bored,” says Mary Watt, owner of the New Hartford retail store Quilted Ewe. “Or, we're at home and we decide, ‘Let’s teach our children something that they can use later on.’ Not all school systems are offering homework or classes, so we can do something and make things together.”

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Bisa Butler’s “The Equestrian.”

Courtesy Katonah Museum of Art.

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W

att has also seen more newcomers to quilting finding her store.

“You can come in and buy a piece of fabric that's preprinted and you just cut the items out,” she adds. “And you can make a pillow or a little quilt. That goes a little bit faster for the newbies.”

Mary Juillet-Paonessa, owner of CT Quilt Works in Mystic, has seen a stream of customers who’ve done extensive home inventories during the lockdowns and discovered long-forgotten quilts in need of restoration.

“They're going through their house and finding things that their parents put away, and they remember the quilt pieces when they were younger and want them finished,” she says. “It's a family heirloom that that they really want.”

On the other hand, the communal aspect of people joining together in quilting bees has been put on indefinite hold by the pandemic, severing an invaluable social connection for many.

Mary Ann Meils, president of Goodwives Quilters, a quilting guild based at the Rowayton Community Center, ruefully acknowledges her group has not met in person for more than a year because of the ongoing health crisis.

“We've been going for probably 35 to 40 years,” she says of her group. “We do a lot of charity work. We’ve done a lot of quilts for both Americares and Family and Children's Services in Norwalk. We stay in touch, obviously, but we can't get together. It’s just too dangerous at the moment.”

Also disrupted are the arts organizations that have worked to reinforce quilting’s place within the fine arts. Last March, the Katonah Museum of Art was set to open an exhibit of Bisa Butler’s mixed media creations that incorporated quilts into a celebration of Black culture, but the gala premiere never occurred because of state-mandated shutdowns. Still, Emily Handlin, associate curator of exhibitions and programs, says there was a happy ending of sorts when the exhibit finally opened as a virtual presentation last July and remained online through October.

“It ran a little longer than expected, which was wonderful because the reception was just more than we could ever have imagined,” she says. “It probably was our best-attended exhibition in quite a while. And in terms of the range of people we reached with the

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Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry’s “Corona II: Solar Eclipse,” from the collection of The National Quilt Museum.

Courtesy the museum.

show, we brought in visitors from across the country and around the world. It couldn't have been better.”

Quilting can trace its roots to ancient Egypt and the pursuit has occasionally turned up in unlikely historical connections, most notably when antislavery advocates hung quilts outside their homes that included coded messages to aid slaves escaping on Underground Railroad routes. In the 1990s, the AIDS Memorial Quilt forced the nation to acknowledge the devastation created by that pandemic.

“There was a major quilt revival in the 1970s at the time of the bicentennial,” says Pamela Weeks, curator at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts.

“That's also when many of today’s art quilters started doing their work.”

The pandemic struck the quilting world while it was at a curious crossroads. According to the Craft Industry Alliance, an industry trade group, the estimated size of the U.S. quilting market is $4.2 billion, with between 9 million and 11 million quilters. The demographics for this pursuit are nearly monolithic: The trade group estimates that 98% of quilters are female and 65% are retired.

Bisa Butler’s “The Princess.” Courtesy Katonah Museum of Art.

But one thing that remains in flux is trying to define what contemporary quilting is all about.

“Some of it is folk art and some of it is fine art,” says Weeks. “And some of it are bed coverings.” That versatility is part of the genre’s attraction.

Frank Bennett, CEO of The National Quilt Museum, observes that visitors to his museum aren’t looking for bed coverings.

“Our visitors are art enthusiasts who go to art museums,” he says. “We have very, very high reviews on Tripadvisor, where we're a Travelers ‘Choice winner.”

Bennett’s collection spans more than 650 quilts and features touring shows and rotating exhibitions. The aforementioned statistics on quilting demographics, he points out, include a growing number of teens and twentysomethings participating in youth quilting programs.

“There's a misperception out there that quilting is a dying art form, when in reality quilting is a life cycle,” he says. “I'll give you an example: There's not that many 20-year-olds playing golf right now, but there's a whole bunch of 65-year-olds playing golf right now.

But you wouldn't say golf is a dying sport since there's not a lot of 20-year-olds that golf.

“It's the same thing in quilting,” he adds.

“The average person becomes a quilter after their kids go off to college and they're looking for where their identity is going to go next. It's just not a thing that that many young people do, not because they have any aversion to it but because that's just not where they are in their life. They’re more focused on career building and having kids in that life cycle.”

But the New England Quilt Museum’s Pamela Weeks credits new generations as well as the Modern Quilt Guild, a global nonprofit with more than 15,000 members in 39 countries, with taking the quilting tradition in new directions.

“The modern quilters have developed another quilting revival,” she says. “And it's a true movement. It’s a younger demographic with women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who are producing quilts that are art. It's a very modern aesthetic and it's wonderful.”

Still, quilters are not solitary beings and there is an energetic eagerness to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror and gather together again for their communal creativity.

“Everybody's done a YouTube video on how to make different quilt & blocks and things, but there's nothing like having the inclass, one-on-one help from a teacher,” says Quilted Ewe’s Mary Watt. “I have a large space that is about 3,500 square feet, which allows us to have at least 30 people in the shop, including our employees. We're just waiting to open our doors to get everybody back in.”

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This Mediterranean-style abode in Bedford was once part of publisher Authur Hawley Scribner's estate.

Courtesy Anthony Acocella of Modern Angles.

’ E S U O H ‘ G N I H S I L B PU

BY GEORG

E T TE G O U

VEIA

At a time when people are working from home and thus looking for houses with intimately scaled rooms that afford privacy, this turn-of-the-20th century manor house combines traditional elegance with all the modern amenities.

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T

he house was once part of the country estate of Arthur Hawley Scribner (18591932), one of the sons in and presidents of Charles Scribner’s Sons, publisher of such literary luminaries as Henry James, Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Kurt Vonnegut and Stephen King.

(Scribner’s is now part of Simon & Schuster.)

The Mediterranean-style abode, on Chestnut Ridge Road in Bedford, is set behind gates on 9.9 magnificently lush acres that offer panoramic views from every vantage point. Inside the 11,649-squarefoot space, you flow through jewel-colored, antiques-filled rooms that are rich in architectural elements, including stucco walls;

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dark-wood moldings, paneling and trim; as well as French doors, which along with a patio and a terrace look out onto manicured lawns and a pool. (There are seven bedrooms, seven full bathrooms and two half baths in the main house, with two bedrooms and two baths in the guesthouse.)

While the place has the look of something a silent-movie siren might’ve lived in many midnights ago — apologies to Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard” — it is also thoroughly up-to-date, from state-of-the-art baths and kitchens to a full-house generator and lightning protection for the house and surrounding trees.

Indeed, the only kind of lightning that will strike is a bolt of love for this exquisitely detailed, $7,900,000 manse.

For more, call Ginger Ruckman at 914391-8304 or visit 69ChestnutRidgeRoad. com.

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THE STORE’S THE THING AT THE HAMLET

I

BY JEREMY WAYNE

t was Napoleon who was credited with calling England “a nation of shopkeepers,” intending it as a snub, implying the English were not brave enough to go to war.

But the fact is, you have to be brave to open a shop, a bricks-and-mortar store — especially during a pandemic, especially in the age of Amazon and especially when you have never in your life run a store before.

Who on earth would do such a thing?

Enter longtime Mount Kisco residents Drew Hodgson, a British expatriate of some 30

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years, and his wife, Leigh, along with Mike and Karen Ransom, their Mount Kisco neighbors and business partners (“I was the motivator,” quips Mike.)

Originally from Kendal in England’s Lake District, former musician Drew, whose regular job is in health care as an actuary, explains it like this: “We’d been thinking about doing this for years and then what with the pandemic and people not being able to get home (to the United Kingdom), we thought, let’s just do it. Let’s get on with it.”

Drew and Leigh Hodgson stacking jars in The Hamlet. Photograph by Jeremy Wayne.

The store’s name, The Hamlet New York, pays homage to William Shakespeare, but also evokes a typical, small English village.

To accentuate the association, there is a bucolic view of Ambleside, another small Lake District town, painted on the left wall as you enter, beside an iconic, though as yet nonfunctioning, red British phone box.

And Hamlet is also the name of Britain’s most popular cigar and no one who grew up there in the 1980s or ’90s can forget its witty commercials, in which some hapless

individual, after some particularly trying ordeal, finds sweet solace in lighting a Hamlet cigar — to the soothing accompaniment of J. S. Bach’s “Air on the G String.”

If you’re expecting a pastiche of Old England, though, and a ragbag of “Keep Calm” mugs, plastic models of Tower Bridge and a bunch of other kitsch souvenirs, you have come to the wrong place. For a start, the space, a former bank, is extensive and attractively lit, with beautiful displays, stateof-the-art freezer cabinets and high-level carpentry.

When I drop in on The Hamlet just before its official launch, the place is a hive of activity, with everybody, including the Hodgsons’ two daughters, called in to lend a hand. They are hoping to open in just two days and there’s still all manner of things to be done, not least unpacking and stacking the shelves and tables with the very best of the British. And while there are no Proustian warm madeleines to trigger my childhood memories, I am nevertheless immediately catapulted across the Pond, not only to my youth but to contemporary Britain. Adele is playing on the sound system.

The British love their candy bars — “chocolate bars” in Britspeak — and there’s no shortage of them here, from Cadbury’s default Dairy Milk to its dense, ambrosial Wispa bar. There are breakfast cereals galore (including Weetabix, in its traditional stout box) the finest English jams and jellies from Tiptree, revered Frank Cooper marmalade, Coleman’s English mustard, pickles, relishes, sauces and of course, crisps. Crisps — that’s what you lot call potato chips — are the great mainstay of British life. Give a Brit a bag of crisps and he or she will be putty in your hands. Honestly, we can’t live without our crisps and at The Hamlet, a whole area is devoted to them, from classic Walker’s crisps to the racy Burt’s Guinness crisps. There is even — did I get this right? — a Champagne and Serrano chili crisp. Oh well, never say never — above all, about a crisp.

In the frozen food section, you’ll find English bacon, sausages and upscale meat pies and pasties (a traditional mincemeat-filled English pastry,) all touchstones of culinary British life. “We really want people to come in and have an experience here, something different from walking in to another grocery store,” says Drew.

“My thing is the books. I’ve always wanted a bookstore,” put in Leigh, walking me toward the back of the store where she has assembled a carefully curated collection of British authors, old and new. Representing the classics are novels by Charles Dickens, Charlotte, Jane and Anne Brontë and Jane

Austen. There are volumes of Winston Churchill memoirs for history buffs; James Herriot for animal lovers; Shakespeare, for poets and romantics. Also J.R.R. Tolkien for fantasists; biographies of Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales, for royal watchers; travel books; lots of great kids’ books, like the enchanting “Mr. Men” series; and J. K. Rowling for just about everybody.

On a round table, new books, both hardback and paperback, are artfully arranged, the criterion being they should have all appeared at some recent point in time on the (London) Times bestseller list.

Just behind the table, the original bank vault, with its steel door still in situ, is now the vinyl vault, housing Drew’s all-for-sale record collection — remastered Rolling Stones’ and Beatles’ albums — (I have my eye on that “Sergeant Pepper”) — along with David Bowie, Radiohead, Roxy Music, Elton John and Oasis, to name but a few. It’s all here.

And if you’re wondering what Jimi Hendrix is doing among the Brits, Drew will enlighten you. “His band was all British. He was the only American.” (Spot on: He was practically an adopted Brit and even died in London’s Notting Hill.)

Back in the main part of the store, an arresting wall of teas is hard to resist. Fancy blends jockey for position with no-frills brands like Yorkshire Tea and PG Tips, strong teas known affectionately in England as “builders’ teas,” because that’s what you give the builder to drink. Mind you, in England these days, your builder is far more likely to be Polish or Croatian but will still enjoy a cuppa.

Delightful and utterly de-lovely as The Hamlet is though, the big question is will the customers come. While we’re no strangers to kosher delis, Japanese supermarkets, Swedish furniture stores and Chinese emporia, a British grocery and gift store is surely something of a novelty. “Well, we’ve been hitting it hard on social media and the word has spread pretty quickly,” says Leigh, who will be mainly responsible for the day-to-day running of the store. And Drew confesses he never knew there were so many expats in the region, “all coming out of the woodwork now.”

But, of course, you don’t need to be British to enjoy The Hamlet. And whether you’re looking for some gourmet or everyday treats, great reads or classic sounds, or maybe you just need a new teapot, this shopping adventure will whisk you to another world.

You won’t accrue any mileage, but you’ll certainly feel transported.

The Hamlet is at 23 S. Moger Ave. in Mount Kisco. For more call 914-864-0234 or visit thehamletny.com.

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T

DO YOU

BY CAMI WEINSTEIN

he United States has always been a mobile society but it’s even more so now, thanks to the pandemic.

Many people have been moving out of cities in record numbers. Young families are moving to the suburbs years earlier than many intended to, older couples are moving to warmer climates in droves and many young, single people have made their way back to their childhood homes.

All of these changes have created several exciting, new trends in home design.

Completely open concept has given way to delineated spaces for working from home, remote learning and exercising. Although kitchens have always been the heart of the home, we are looking at creating layouts for families to cook together. We are pulling desks out of kitchens and using that space for better pantry storage. Desks are getting moved to a quieter part of the house with

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The pandemic means more people at home, which in turn can mean a kitchen with double islands, Wares columnist Cami Weinstein says – one for prep and one for meals.

new focus on private home offices. Double islands are becoming increasingly popular, one designated for prep and the other for dining.

Since we are spending so much time at home, interior design trends are also changing. We are seeing more color, wallpaper and interest in artwork to create more individualized homes — a welcome trend to be sure. We want our homes to reflect our individual interests and to be tailored to our specific comforts. Finding unique, custom pieces to add to your décor has taken on a new importance, because we are spending so much time in our homes. Designers have always had fearless clients that are searching for unusual works, but after years of everything looking generic, we are seeing a larger number of homeowners seeking creativity and color to add to their everyday lives.

Artwork can take your home to a new plateau. There are so many art forms that can be incorporated into your home. Paintings, prints, photography (both black and white and color), sculpture and custom furniture can all bring style and uniqueness into your home. I often work with artists, art dealers, lighting designers and furniture designers to bring rooms to life for my clients. The extra time it takes to find or commission these pieces is worth it.

My one rule of thumb is to buy what you love. Many of these pieces will be an investment and over time will become your most beloved possessions. They can move to different homes with you where they will take on new life in a different setting. If you are feeling intimidated about purchasing artworks, many galleries can help you, or you can consult with an art dealer on your purchases. I do recommend that you include different forms of artwork in your home and not just one form. You can unify the forms by color or style, but different media allow your eye to travel and enjoy the collections you have curated.

Very often we have created rooms over a client’s favorite painting. Pulling colors out of the painting can lay the groundwork for a beautiful room. Or contrasting colors can also bring a different energy to a room. If you have collected several smaller pieces, for greater effect hang them together, creating a gallery wall. The frames can either all match or not depending on your room style.

A new and interesting area of design is wallpaper made specifically for you by artists who can bring you more affordable versions of their paintings or murals. The colors can be created to align with your particular color scheme. These unique art forms are a way to create a personalized room. If you are feeling so inclined, you can have your own photo of a recent trip blown up and made into wallpaper for a mural in your home. In this pandemic, it might be a wonderful way to remember and document that trip you took to Africa or Europe pre-Covid. These photographic murals look great in a family room or game room and can conjure up memoires of a fantastic trip that you savored with family or friends.

2021’s design trends are about making your home about you. The look of your homes will be as individual as fashion.

There are so many directions to go in and none are wrong. Enjoy the freedom to create your home to be as unique as you are.

For more, call 203-661-4700 or visit camidesigns.com.

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A more personal road to recovery.

MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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T R A O T N I E R U T A N G N I N R U T

BY GEORG

E T TE G O U

VEIA

Floral designer Minoo Hersini believes in following where the eye leads and at Au Ciel Flowers & More in Irvington — situated in the Beaux Arts-style former Cosmopolitan Building, high above the Hudson — the eye leads, well, everywhere. As you enter the 3,000-square-foot, terra cotta-colored space, which is girded by a series of Romanesque arches, a round rack of kimono-style baby wear greets you on the right. Farther along, a $600 pink princess plant — socalled for its wide, pink-tinged leaves — holds pride of place on a table filled with succulents.

As you circle around the room, the eye falls hungrily on ceramic bowls as delicate as eggshells, leafy necklaces from Portugal and subtly printed yoga mats, bolsters and wellness beads from Yogamere, a company created by Irvington designer Amy Ormond.

“It’s highly curated,” says Niliou Safinya, Au Ciel’s development director and Hersini’s niece.

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Leafy earrings and scroll bracelets at Au Ciel Flowers & More in Irvington.

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THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR One of the most fascinating objects in the boutique is not for sale: A green door in the floor leads through a tunnel to the Irvington Metro-North station. It’s how Cosmopolitan magazine would get printed copies to the outside world, Hersini says. The domed, colonnaded building was designed by Stanford White for Irvington automobile pioneer John Brisbane Walker, who acquired the magazine in 1889. In 1905, he sold it to William Randolph Hearst, who moved the publication back to Manhattan. The Cosmopolitan Building, as it was known, still stands, however, flanked by a brick addition that obscures its stucco east façade. Also called the Trent Building, for the family who purchased it, the structure is home to a number of artistically inclined businesses, including Au Ciel, which has been at that location for 27 years. (The business began in Scarsdale and remained there for 15 years, overlapping the Irvington site for about eight.)

While “Au Ciel is known for flowers,” as Hersini says, the lifestyle boutique, which opened in November, was its “Covid pivot,” Safinya adds.

Along with everyone and everything else, the women and their high-end floral design business have had to adapt to the pandemic.

“It’s changed a lot,” Hersini says, referring to event planning, which is closely allied to their work. “It’s one of those industries in which people don’t talk a lot about how much it has changed….There are fewer parties.”

As we visit at a long table, which appears to be converted from a door, in the office area of the fluid space, the excited eye again begins to wander from a narrow bookcase filled with design books for inspiration to a circular tiered rack teeming with teacups. They were to be used in the Au Ciel display for the 2020 Lyndhurst Flower & Antiques Show, which never took place. The women invite us to take a teacup or two. We select two pale pink, floral-decorated beauties. Later, the women will present us with a bouquet that gracefully illustrates why Hersini has what she calls a “huge following.” The tribute consists of a variety of roses and other flowers in sherbet hues. (Hersini might work with many species of one flower, like the rose, or many shades of one color.)

There are no fillers — unless you consider the filigree loveliness of hydrangeas

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Examples of Au Ciel Flowers & More’s unusual, organic arrangements.

The “More” refers to its new lifestyle boutique.

Courtesy Au Ciel Flowers & More.

to be filler — no foam base. Rather, Au Ciel builds the bases for its arrangements from plant materials. (Some of the centerpieces have even been made entirely of vegetables.) The results are as beautifully, naturally constructed as birds’ nests.

TIPS FOR FLOWER ARRANGING We can’t all be floral artists like Minoo Hersini. But we can create arrangements that last longer, she says, giving us added pleasure: 1. Cut the stems on an angle under running water so the stalks will absorb the moisture.

2. In placing flowers in a vase of water, “follow your eye and see where the flower needs to be.” If you have a variety of flowers, you might want to place them individually rather than grouping like blooms together.

3. Make sure to change the water every other day or so, recutting the stems under running water. Instead of five days, you’ll have a bouquet that lasts 10 to 12.

For more, see her tutorials here: • Floral Centerpiece Tutorial • All-Green Centerpiece Tutorial • Centerpieces Made Entirely of Veggies from your Local Store!

• Floral Statement Piece Tutorial

PERSIAN DAYS For Hersini, flower arranging has a calming, nourishing effect — see sidebar -- one that enables her to be a true plant parent. “I like to see my flowers happy in our place,” she says. It has been this way ever since she was a child growing up in Tehran. There she would gather muscari, the genus name for the conical, purple-blue grape hyacinth that grew by the stream that ran along her house, and bring the flowers into her room. Hersini’s family is Persian, its members' followers of Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra), whose ancient teachings on monotheism, messianism, the ultimate triumph of good over evil, judgment in the afterlife and free will have influenced other faiths. She remembers celebrating the New Year’s festival of Nowruz -- which occurs on the vernal equinox, this year March 20 — “the very moment when the season changes to spring. We leave the doors open, the lights on and the family gathers ’round the table — first the elderly, then the young — for 13 days.”

Persian gardens — based on the idea of paradise, itself a Persian word — are justly famous, their walled, geometric, symmetrical designs, characterized by rilles and pools, having influenced sites ranging

from the Alhambra in Grenada, Spain, to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. (A superb example locally is the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy in Yonkers, home to a Mehregan harvest festival in the fall of recent years.)

It’s not surprising then that Hersini would gravitate to floral design. She left Iran right before the Cultural Revolution (1980-83), which purged the country of Western and non-Islamic influences. An interior designer by trade, she was asked by the wife of an African chief living in Greenwich to design a flower shop for her. Hersini ended up designing flower arrangements as well. Going into business for herself would prove a solace when her mother died in Iran some 38 years ago.

That was the beginning. The future, says Safinya — the go-getting yang to her aunt’s tender, soft-spoken yin — lies in tutorials and other outreach, like Au Ciel’s collaboration with the resourcED flower box program at Blue Hills at Stone Barns in neighboring Pocantico Hills. The business continues to bloom with Valentine’s Day orders having blossomed well ahead of time.

But Hersini looks beyond that: “I wish for flower design to become an art.”

In her hands and with her eye, it already has.

Au Ciel Flowers & More is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays at 50 S. Buckout St., Suite G105, in Irvington. For more, call 914-591-1136 or visit au-ciel.com.

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WHAT'S TRENDING

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

VERELLEN COMES TO ELEISH VAN BREEMS Eleish van Breems Home wagmag.com/ artful-living/in Westport has become the first free-standing retailer in Connecticut to carry Verellen, the Belgian-designed and American-conceived furniture line.

“Tom and Sabine Verellen’s special aesthetic and style instantly appealed to our Scandinavian design sensibilities,” EVB co-founder Edie van Breems said in a statement. “Verellen’s strict attention to detail and modern yet timeless designs have always spoken to us and exude a livable elegance that resonates with our mission at Eleish van Breems Studio.”

The new, 2,500-square-foot showroom, located in a historic building across from the Westport Metro-North station, contains more than 26 pieces of Verellen furniture, including sofas and chairs upholstered in beautiful Belgian linens, along with handcrafted walnut coffee and dining tables and chairs. The sleek, sustainable contemporary designs are balanced by the blend of lighting, rugs, Gustavian antiques and midcentury Scandinavian furniture that Eleish van Breems is known for.

“From floor models, stock items, madeto-order upholstery and case goods to custom projects, our confidence in their team is huge, and we look forward to walking hand in hand in the coming year,” Verellen said.

For more, visit evbantiques.com and verellen.biz.

Beautiful Belgian linens and handcrafted walnut furnishings grace Eleish van Breems new Verellen showroom in Westport. Courtesy Eleish van Breems.

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Working from home is not so bad from this view.

Courtesy I Need My Space.

SPACING OUT (IN THE BEST POSSIBLE SENSE) In a Marie Kondo world, Debbie Harwin is on point. Since 1997, she and her team at I Need My Space has been helping clients simplify their lives. They understand that a client’s decision to “get organized” is a personal one and may have taken years to make. Recognizing that clients entrust I Need My Space with the most intimate details of their lives, the team uses a firm, yet gentle, hands-on approach to guide clients through the organizing process. Its mission is to empower clients to liberate themselves from the burdens of clutter and the frustrations of being disorganized.

For more, call 914-833-2626 or visit ineedmyspace.com.

A VACUUM FOR THOSE ON THE GO In “Apollo 13,” Kathleen Quinlan’s Marilyn Lovell tells her astronaut-husband Jim (Tom Hanks) “When you were on the far side (of the moon) on (Apollo) 8, I didn't sleep at all. I just vacuumed over and over again.” For many of us, vacuuming is a soothing experience.

Whether you find it comforting or not, though, it’s become an even more necessary task in the age of Covid-19. But sometimes, you need a more portable model – particularly for the office or the car.

Enter the new Raycop GO, a cordless portable vacuum using the same UVC technology that hospitals do to eradicate 99.99% of viruses, bacteria and dust mites from fabrics and floors. It collects and traps fine dust, keeping those allergens out of the air in everything from rooms to recreational vehicles. And its entire filtration system, including the HEPA filter, is washable "Raycop GO is the perfect vacuum for those eager to sanitize everything, including cell phones, hotel beds, pet areas, cars, toys and shared workspaces," says Michael Lee, M.D., founder of Raycop North America. "Raycop has been creating and marketing allergen vacuums since 2005, and all Raycop products incorporate our signature safe UVC sanitization feature. Now more than ever, it's vital to keep our travel and livings spaces healthy and safe."

The vacuum retails for $149. For more, visit raycop.com.

Time to vroom with RaycopGO vacuum.

Courtesy RaycopGO North America.

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Serapi Carpet, northwestern Iran (circa 1890), 10 feet by 9 feet, four inches. Sold at Skinner Inc. for $37,500.

MAGIC CARPET RIDE

W

BY KATIE BANSER-WHITTLE

here to start when decorating or redecorating a room? Savvy designers often recommend jumping in feet first or, if you prefer, working from the bottom up. In other words, take your design cues from a favorite rug.

A rug is a visually prominent design element. Its color, pattern and texture set the palette, tone and feel of the space it enhances. A new rug or a rug that’s new to your home, can be a transformative magic carpet.

Whether it’s a treasured heirloom or a spectacular contemporary creation, there’s a huge selection of floor coverings today from around the world to inspire

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and integrate any décor, from strictly traditional to wildly eclectic. It makes design sense and financial sense, too, to start with rugs, since a fine rug is often the costliest single item in a room.

Moreover, intriguing, unique, antique, vintage rugs are more affordable than ever. And combining different styles and periods creates an ambience that’s entirely personal.

Versatility is a prime guiding principle in home design today. Among the many adjustments that we’ve learned to make during this largely stay-at-home year has been the importance of making spaces serve multiple needs.

“Sheltering in place” has changed the way we use and think about the place we call home. A living room is a family social hub and also a study space, an office, a dining area — sometimes all of these at once.

Bedrooms aren’t just for sleeping; they’re for working and working out, too. And many homes are also now multigenerational to a greater extent than ever.

Rugs come to the rescue. Instead of one large carpet or wall-to-wall floor covering, several smaller rugs can define dedicated spaces within a bigger room. Lively, playful, serene, business-like — area rugs set the tone.

The wide variety of Oriental rugs (handwoven textiles from the Middle East, with a large subset made in Iran and known as Persian carpets) are particularly adaptable to this use. They range from the traditional intricate patterns of urban workshops to exuberant tribal designs and are renowned for their rich colors and durability.

The world of rugs spreads far beyond the well-known and well-loved Oriental rugs. Swedish rugs from the 1940s and ’50s are great for a modern interior or a provocative contrast in a traditional one. Chinese rugs offer a wide range of shapes, sizes and patterns, including brilliantly colorful Art Deco examples from the 1920s and ’30s.

Antique and vintage rugs are a perfect fit for today’s homes and today’s values.

Older rugs are distinctive, one of a kind.

They’re mostly made of natural materials — wool, cotton, silk. If properly cared for, they give decades of service and hold their value.

Rug expert Lawrence Kearney, with long experience in rugs and textiles both in auction and retail settings, offers some insider advice: • Auctions are an excellent source for estate rugs, reasonably priced older pieces that are fresh to market.

• Deal with trustworthy sellers. Watch out for painted areas on old rugs. It’s been known to happen — magic markers used to fill in worn spots that can’t be repaired.

• Use high-quality pads underneath all rugs, to protect them from wear and keep them from slipping.

Today’s home design marketplace offers more choices than ever before. That’s especially true when it comes to rugs. Carefully chosen floor coverings can enliven and refresh living spaces more than just about any other design element. There is only one rule that really matters: Buy what you love.

For more, contact Katie at kwhittle@ skinnerinc.com or 212-787-1114.

FASHION & BEAUTY P. 56 ‘Spring’ing into fashion

P. 58 Of Saks and (the male) SEX

P. 60 En Garde (Robe)!

P. 64 Fizzy and fine

O

‘SPRING’ING INTO FASHION

ne of the good things to come out of the pandemic is that it has made us rethink how we live, including how we dress.

Just because we’re working from or hunkering down at home doesn’t mean we can’t be stylish. But we don’t have to be button-down and power-suited either.

Welcome to the new casual chic, as seen in Neiman Marcus’ annual trends report, whose looks are available at Neiman Marcus Westchester: 1. Say “goodbye” to the stuffed shirt — Shirts this spring are easy and breezy. For her, think innovative silhouettes, layered ruffles and dramatic details to engage the eye. For him, prints make the fashionisto.

2. Denim is divine — Where would America be without its denizens of denim? But there’s denim and then there’s

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Slides here left to right

by Christian Louboutin and Versace are hot, hot, hot. Courtesy Neiman Marcus.

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

denim. For her, it’s everything from cutoffs to straight-cut jeans. For him, it’s all about being a little bit retro and a lot relaxed in worn-in washes.

3. Beyond the sea — While we may not all get to the beach any time soon, we can evoke its palette in our wardrobe. She will gleam in optic white; he, in blues from azure to navy that can be mixed and matched.

4. Sneakers peak — It’s all about comfortable footwear, isn’t it? But form can follow function fabulously. (Apologies, architect Louis Sullivan.) Check out what the designers have to offer and have fun building your look from the foot up.

5. Slide into spring — For him and her but particularly for the guys, those shoes you can slide into — including the hot, hot, hot pool slide — are musts. After all, you

need to be quick when you’re chasing kids, contractors, dogs and Zoom meetings around the house.

OTHER TRENDS FOR HER INCLUDE: 6. Romantic florals that bring new meaning to a garden of color; 7. Layers of delicate necklaces and/ or stacks of bracelets that tell a story and let you tap into your inner Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; 8. Artisanal details that take us back to nature; 9. Shoes and accessories that add pops of color; 10. Sleek dresses, lightweight sweaters and elevated loungewear styles that make us “knit wits” in the best possible sense.

For more, visit neimanmarcus.com.

WWW.MURIQICOSMETICS.COM

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OF SAKS AND (THE MALE) SEX

M

ove over, ladies. It’s time to share The Saks Shops at Greenwich with the guys.

Recently, the luxe retailer unveiled the first standalone Barneys at Saks, featuring men’s shoes and accessories. Formerly Saks Fifth Avenue The Collective, containing women’s contemporary fashions, the revamped 14,000-square-foot space now spotlights men’s shoes and accessories on the first floor with women’s contemporary

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BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

clothing on the second in a bright, edgy design that nods to Greenwich with drawings of sailing and polo.

“We’re excited to have this for a client we haven’t been able to serve before,” Bo Kim, Saks Greenwich’s stylish general manager, says of Saks’ licensing agreement with Barneys, which began closing its stores in 2019. “The buyers have done an amazing job of curating the selection….Barneys is

a brand with a rich heritage. Through our licensing agreement, we have the ability to carry it forward.”

There’s men’s footwear by Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, New Balance, OffWhite, Prada, Saint Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino and Veja, with sneakers and pool slides being the big trends. (In the current work-at-home era, pool slides are

Photographs

by ChiChi Ubiña.

the new slippers, Kim says.) Men’s accessories, including caps and belts, are represented by Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Off-White, Salvatore Ferragamo and Valentino.

There’s men’s jewelry, including bracelets and watches from Miansai, Movado and Tom Ford, along with sunglasses by Barton Pierre, Bottega Venetta, Cartier, Gucci, Moncler, Oliver Peoples, Prada, Rayban,

Saint Laurent and Tom Ford.

Rimowa weighs in with luggage that transcends gender, helping visitors to transition to the second floor where they’ll find women’s ready-to-wear from 3.1 Phillip Lim, Acler, AG Jeans, A.L.C., Alice + Olivia, ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo, Aviator Nation, Cinq à Sept, Derek Lam and Design History.

There are also pieces by Eleven Six, Frame, Ganni, Generation Love, IRO, Isabel Marant Étoile, Jonathan Simkhai, L'AGENCE, LoveShackFancy, Monrow, Mother, Moussy Vintage, Naadam, Nanushka, Poupette St Barth, Proenza Schouler White Label, Rag & Bone, Rails, Sea, See

by Chloé, Staud and Theory. Among the

pieces that catch our eye during our visit are a black, vegan faux wrap midi skirt by Nanushka and a Farm Rio puffer jacket that conjures all the color and panoply of the rainforest.

You can shop virtually and enjoy sameday delivery or by appointment and savor styling in a private dressing suite.

Or why not mask up and drop by the new Barneys at Saks? Then you can relish women’s jewelry next door at The Vault, more women’s designers and beauty at the main store across Greenwich Avenue and 10022-SHOE over on Elm Street.

For more, visit saks.com/c/barneys-atsaks.

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EN GARDE (ROBE)!

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

When Douglas Greenberg travels to Europe, he sees the name of his company everywhere. In Europe, “garde robe” means “coat check.” But Garde Robe Online LLC, which he owns with Chappaqua’s Adam Gilvar, is a museum-quality storage and protection service for textiles, clothing and accessories celebrating its 20th anniversary in New York City. (There’s also a 10-year-old facility in Los Angeles.)

A Garde Robe wardrobe manager prepares a garment to be photographed professionally in the studio. Coutesy Garde Robe.

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S

ay you’re a New Yorker with limited closet space who needs to store his off-season wardrobe. Garde Robe can help with that.

Or perhaps you’re Tory Burch, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang and Jason Wu, and you want to store your archival collection for future reference. Garde Robe can help with that. Or maybe you need to send clothes to one of your multiple homes, as many have done during the pandemic, a hotel or a ship.

Garde Robe can help with that, too.

Or perhaps you’re a beleaguered bride, whose wedding was postponed from last year. Though Garde Robe’s membership allows you to store unlimited pieces, up to 50 per rack, with 10 shoeboxes and one breathable accessories box per rack, Greenberg says he began doing one-offs for those brides, who include two of the company’s 20 employees.

The process is relatively straightforward.

You sign up online and speak with Greenberg, who serves as Garde Robe’s vice president of sales and marketing and is based in La Costa, California. Garde Robe will pick up your items, assess whether they need dry cleaning — the company prefers you do that but will use its own museum-grade cleaners, if you wish — then photograph and catalog the pieces by designer, season, size and color for your Cyber Closet. (Your actual “closet” is in an air-purified, insect-free 20,000-square-foot facility in Long Island City or a similar 5,000-square-foot one in Los Angeles, where much of the business deals with performers and costumes.)

When it’s time for delivery, you’ll once again get same-day, white-glove, complimentary valet service. (For pieces going out of town, Garde Robe uses a courier service, although that wasn’t good enough for the furs of one client, a Saudi Arabian princess. Thus a Garde Robe employee got the trip of a lifetime, Greenberg says, an all-expenses-paid weekend in Paris.)

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From left: Garde Robe co-owners Adam Gilvar and Douglas Greenberg.

In addition, Garde Robe offers consultation for closet paring and organization.

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” the saying goes. And so it is, he adds, with Garde Robe, which is approved by AIG, Chubb, PURE and Vault for ultra-high-end collections. The business was founded by Kimberly Maha Akhtar, who was Dan Rather’s chief of staff and spokeswoman by day and a flamenco dancer by night. She had a considerable wardrobe that required some storage. But one winter when she needed to retrieve some summer items from the dry cleaners quickly for a Caribbean trip, she found them in a dank, unclean pile. And she thought, Greenberg says: “There’s got to be a better way.”

That way was Garde Robe, which she established but is no longer involved with. Of Akhtar, Greenberg says, “she was a pioneer, the first to use the internet as a window.”

What she created was not only a window but a shield.

“If Vera Wang can trust us with her clothes,” Greenberg says, “you can trust us.”

For more, call 888-428-3311 or visit garderobeonline.com.

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PROTECTING YOUR WARDROBE Not all of us can take advantage of Garde Robe’s services, but all of us can benefit from its tips for museum-like storage: 1. Make sure your closet is relatively low in light and humidity with a steady temperature and air flow. For this reason, stay away from storing clothes and accessories in attics and basements, which can be too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Watch for closets near outside walls (too much humidity) or windows (too much light).

2. Store clean clothes in one section, used in another. Remove dry cleaning bags immediately from dry-cleaned clothes as the bags aren’t breathable. Use breathable garment bags and box storage.

3. Not all dresses and gowns are created equally. Garde Robe’s Douglas Greenberg says a heavy, beaded dress is too weighty for a hanger. Wrap it in muslin or acid-free tissue and place it in a breathable box.

4. Speaking of hangers, the Joan Crawford of “Mommie Dearest” was right: “No wire hangers, ever.” These can distort the shape of clothing, particularly knitwear.

5. Watch out for leather and denim items that could transfer their dye if they come into contact with other clothes. Keep leather items out after cleaning for a few days to ensure they’re dry.

6. Use dust covers for handbags and boxes for shoes.

7. Don’t crowd closets and air those that contain your overflow by opening the doors and turning on a fan occasionally, particularly if you are on vacation.

8. Cedar and lavender will repel insects but the strips need to be replaced from time-to-time and won’t help if you don’t clean your clothes.

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• Highest prices paid.

• Written Appraisals for Estates Visit us at: Mt. Kisco Gold & Silver Inc 139 E. Main Street Mt. Kisco, NY 10549

Hours: Walk-in or by Appointment Tuesday - Saturday 10am-6pm (Closed Sunday/Monday)

www.bermanbuyscollectables.com • 914-244-9500 MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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FIZZY MINT SPRITZ 1.5 ounce your favorite spirit (gin, vodka or Champagne.

For a mocktail, use club soda.) ¾ ounce grapefruit juice ¾ ounce spiced cranberry juice ¾ ounce lemon juice ¾ ounce elderflower juice 3 spritz mint essence (or use fresh mint garnish) Add all the ingredients except the mint essence and the liquor (or club soda) to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for five to 10 seconds. Strain the mixture into a tall glass with fresh ice.

Top with club soda/liquor and spritz with mint essence.

Garnish with a spice-dusted cranberry skewer.

For more, visit muddlingmemories.com.

Valmont's new Fizzy Mint fragance inspired the cocktail recipe, above, which the beauty line introduced at a recent Zoom meeting. Courtesy Valmont.

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his month, Swiss-based Valmont launches several new products in its ever-expanding universe of fragrant, luxurious treatments, designed to brighten and lighten you as we head into spring.

The new DetO2x Pack — fabulous in its fun fizziness — contains six packets of an oxygenating bubble mask, made with nasturtium flower extract and liposomes from Swiss apple cells and Swiss garden cress sprouts for a more even, radiant complexion. (Simply apply the mask all over the face, wait for the bubbles to disappear in about 10 minutes and rinse. Use it as a pick-me-up or once a week with another Valmont mask.) $170.

Speaking of masks, Valmont has re-

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FIZZY AND FINE

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

leased its Moisturizing With A Mask, which bowed in 2016, in a new, limited edition 100ml container. Rosa moschata and shea butter are among the ingredients in this anti-aging product, designed to decrease wrinkles and sagging. $250.

Among the products we were most excited to see during the Zoom launch was the Hydra3 Eye Serum, which targets one of our bête noires — dark circles. Polymatrix DNA, youth liposome and an anti-dark circle peptide give eyes a livelier appearance. Dab on the product around the eye or apply some on the eye roller that is a gift with purchase to cool the eye and reduce puffiness. $136, with $10 of every purchase going to the One Drop Foundation from

March 22 (World Water Day) through the end of May to provide the underserved with safe drinking water.

The Zoom launch also introduced the press and influencers to the latest fragrance in Valmont’s Palazzo Nobile collection, Fizzy Mint, a light unisex eau de toilette made of bergamot, fresh mint and verbena that is true to its name. $180.

In honor of Fizzy Mint, we were treated to a refreshing detox session with Dana Childs of Dana Childs Intuitive, in which we breathed in and out to a count of four, before we “retoxed,” so to speak, with a cocktail lesson (see sidebar) from Cody Goldstein, founder of Muddling Memories.

For more, visit lamaisonvalmont.com.

FOOD & SPIRITS P. 66 A feather in the cap of Tarrytown dining

P. 70 ‘Divine’ combo – wine and chocolate

P. 72 Secrets to sauce-y success

P. 74 Spice is nice

A FEATHER IN THE CAP OF TARRYTOWN DINING

BY JEREMY WAYNE

There’s snow piled up on each side of a long, winding road, which leads me not to your door but to that of Goosefeather. It’s a road so steep we almost feel we’re climbing an Alp. But once at the peak, altitude brings its own reward, a glorious view of the Hudson River and the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. There’s also the tantalizing smell of garlic as we approach the restaurant’s front steps.

Goosefeather, where “Top Chef,” “Chopped” and “Iron Chef America” contestant chef Dale Talde wears the kitchen whites, is situated in the mid-19th century King Mansion, part of the sprawling Tarrytown House Estate. It’s a swish locale, that’s for sure, and we feel distinctly underdressed ascending the stairs to the mansion’s front door. I’m half-expecting to be met by a wigged and powdered footman but mercifully no. It’s a genial young lady in skinny jeans and a short jacket who takes the booking name, points the

A dining room at Goosefeather features a ceiling that evokes Alexander Calder and Piet Mondrian. Photograph by All Good NYC.

ubiquitous thermometer gun at our temples and says sweetly, “Please follow me.”

In a small, perfectly proportioned room lit almost entirely by candles — and which, with its handsome, carved fireplace and antique prints, not even the most disdainful Jane Austen show-off would be ashamed to be seen in — my guest and I catch up for a moment on our Covid-restricted lives. Meanwhile Vlad, our utterly charming Ukrainian server, goes hurrying off in search of a bottle of Crémant d’Alsace and then we get down

to the matter in hand, namely Chef Dale’s “modern Cantonese” menu. Happily, it is short, which is a sign of seriousness of purpose, I tend to think. By the way, there is no physical menu, of course. What we are faced with, as is the new way, is a little square cryptogram we knowingly point our phones at. I can’t help musing on what dear old Jane would have made of all this business of iPhones and QR codes, simply to get a bite to eat.

The menu’s opening gambit is salads and vegetables, hardly typical Chinese start-

ers, though underscoring the “modern” in Chef Dale’s approach. The Brussels sprouts we chose, tart with Lady apples but tempered with an apple cider vinaigrette (and I suspect, a pinch of sugar) made a good if unusual opener. From the short dim sum section, we loved the Crispy Shrimp Bao, fat, tender shrimp with just the right amount of bite, prinked with pickled daikon and a tangy aioli, the whole assembly barely contained by the steamed-bread bao intended to hold it. Dry-aged beef pot stickers, another dim sum offering, were

less successful, the filling a little too dense and too dry for what should essentially be the lightest of dumplings. A soy or chili dipping sauce would perhaps have made it less hard work.

What might have been the star of the show, half a cantonese roast duck, turned out to be more of a supporting act. While some of the duck skin was appreciably crisp, the fat beneath it had not been sufficiently rendered, resulting in a rather laborious chew. And although I’ve no objection to wrapping my duck in lettuce

leaves, I missed the more traditional accompaniment of pancakes. I did wonder if it was perhaps a Lenten substitute.

The real showstopper turned out to be the quiet one in the corner — and isn’t that often the way? This was the unassuming-sounding hunan lamb chewy noodles, a fabulously rich and satisfying dish, with a crunch from pistachios and a touch of welcome heat from red chilis.

From the large plates section, my guest thoroughly enjoyed the black pepper beef. Charred onion and almost medic-

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The bar at Goosefeather. Photograph by All Good NYC.

inal holy basil gave it additional depth, but I found the dish to be over salted. Of course, I appreciate that seasoning is, to a large extent, a subjective question. But take it from me, a salt lover — a guy who practically puts salt on his cornflakes — this dish was salty. I found refuge, though, in crab rice (which Vlad mentioned was something of a signature dish) a comfort-combo of rice and flaked crab, with a barely perceptible touch of heat from a jalapeno aioli and an extra-textural dimension from the almost crunchy tobiko (flying fish roe) topping.

Wine and water were topped up assiduously by Vlad and his colleagues and the Crémant d’Alsace proved such a good pairing with the mild-spiced food, we

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made an executive decision to stay with it, extravagantly going into a second bottle. While Crémant may be Champagne’s younger cousin, it is by no means its poor relation.

Neither one a demonstrably Chinese dessert, a chocolate cremeux tart, served with cherry ice cream, delivered on depth and silkiness and won plaudits from my guest, while I was smitten with a green tea tiramisù. It was served in a glass and was light as air, with its passionfruit mascarpone and citrus fruit. In the interest of full disclosure, I will mention that desserts were kindly offered on the house

by Chef Dale, who had earlier stopped by the table to say a very warm hello. Indeed, all manner of staff stopped by the table

to say warm hellos, as I saw them doing at several other tables, too, at various points. And guests we observed seemed happy merely to be out on the town, or on the Hudson, at least for an evening in a spacious interior, a break from corona virus stress and worry.

It’s often remarked that natural and gracious service contributes just as much to the overall enjoyment of a restaurant as the food. Indeed, it can even tip the scale. And that was exactly our experience at Goosefeather, with its four beautiful dining rooms and its very stylish, marble-topped long bar and very genuine hospitality written into its modern Cantonese DNA. Do go and experience it, too.

For more, visit goosefeatherny.com.

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‘DIVINE’ COMBO – WINE AND CHOCOLATE

BY DOUG PAULDING

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A bottle of 2012 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico surrounded by a selection of chocolates from the Divine Chocolate company.

ell, a funny thing happened recently. Divine Chocolate from Washington, D.C., reached out and asked if I would like to try a sampling of its boutique chocolate products just as a lovely bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella wine — which pairs beautifully with chocolate — unexpectedly fell into my hands Actually, as a wine and spirits writer, the goodies fall into my hands quite regularly.

Wine and spirits producers and PR folks send me bottles to taste and review. Sometimes, especially in these Covid times when travel and wine dinners and seminars are off the table, I will walk through a large retail wine operation where I might buy a bot-

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tle or two just for inspiration or ideas for a story. Sometimes a friend wants an opinion of a wine he has held for a while. This particular wine came from a friend who didn’t really like or drink wine but had some exceptional older bottles and was preparing to move. “Take what you want. Twenty bucks a bottle.” Hmm. One of the bottles I grabbed was this 2012 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico.

Amarone has been made in Italy for centuries and is mimicked in other wine-producing countries. But its home is in the Veneto region, overlooking Lake Garda, adjacent to the “Romeo and Juliet” city of Verona and just west of the magic of Venice. Essentially three grapes are grown — Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella. All of

the grapes are allowed to ripen fully on the vine, depending on the weather expected.

At harvest, the grape clusters are brought into large barns with ample circulation where the appassimento process begins.

The bunches are laid on bamboo bunks for weeks to dessicate and concentrate, leaving a raisin-y, flavorful grape to ferment. Water weight loss through this procedure is somewhere between 30 to 40%, resulting in a potent, shriveled grape that is then crafted into wine.

As a result of the dessication and the fermentation and then finally the multiyear oak aging, this wine is super flavor concentrated, balanced, quite dry (not sweet) and fairly high in alcohol, hovering around 15% ABV (alcohol by volume). (At first taste there is a pronounced fresh sweetness, but it is more of a dashing fruitiness.) Deep garnet red in color with dense flavors of potent dark cherry, ripe plum, fully ripe cranberries and blackberry, it possesses head-filling ethers that make it hard to stop inhaling. And every taste is “Wow.” In 1990, the Amarone region received its DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status, Italy’s highest and most rigid scoring classification, given only to the best regions with the most exacting production methods. On the neck of the bottle you will find the DOCG label with a unique number and a QR code where you can discover everything you could possibly need to know about the wine. On the bottle reads, “Amarone, a unique modern wine with an ancient heart”.

The Masi name and winery were acquired in 1772 and today Sandro Boscaini is the sixth-generation president from the family. They have holdings in other wine regions of Italy and in Argentina. The Masi company is moving toward sustainable and eco-friendly production, is a vegan producer and does not use any animal by-products or allergy-causing products in its wine production.

So, how was the Divine Chocolates and Masi Amarone pairing? The chocolates came in a rich milk chocolate and in a 70% cocoa dark chocolate but the website has other options. Both were so mouth filling and pure with layering flavors in the mouth.

And then the Amarone did something very mouth- fillingly similar, yet very different. It would be up the consumer which chocolate was preferable. Both were symbiotically wonderful and either one works wonderfully. Go to divinechocolate.com to find a variety of chocolates in a vast variety of shapes. I love my job.

Write me at doug@dougpaulding.com.

CELEBRATING LIFE, LOVE, & THE POWER OF FLOWERS SINCE 1925 4th Generation, Locally Grown & Locally Owned

www.BlossomFlower.com 914.237.2511 MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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SECRETS TO SAUCE-Y SUCCESS

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

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f anyone knows how to make lemonade out of lemons, so to speak, it’s Marie Rama.

Big Italian family in Yorktown who ran Briccetti’s Bedford Market in Bedford Hills from 1929 to the 1980s? Check. Stint at The Window Shop in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, making French and Viennese pastries after graduating from Allegheny College? Check. A career as a food stylist and recipe designer for a PR firm whose clients included Sunkist?

Check. Authorship of three “Cooking for Dummies” books, plus “Grilling for Dummies” and “Bacon Nation”? Check, check, check and check.

So when husband Mark Reiter developed a heart condition that required invasive surgery four years ago and decided to drop 18 pounds and go vegan, Rama found herself in need of a reset.

“I’m a cookbook author. I’ve been in food all my life,” says the Yonkers resident.

“I thought we were eating healthy, but he was not eating well.”

Though Reiter was going vegan, Rama was doing the cooking. She came up with an Organic Meatless Bolognese, containing caramelized cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, onions, garlic and three kinds of tomatoes, plus walnuts for that meaty texture.

“I thought, if I could get it into a jar,” she says. Easier said than done. Rama’s quest led her to the Cornell Food Venture Center, part of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), to learn

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how to jar food safely and give it a stable shelf life. It was the beginning of a journey that would teach her about production, labeling and distribution.

“It’s very challenging,” she says of her venture into jarring her sauce. “There’s nothing artificial, no preservatives other than citric acid. It doesn’t have any sugar or water.”

Still, Rama persisted, establishing a company, Hudson Green, two and a half years ago with son William Reiter, a former finance attorney and a Bronxville resident.

Besides her dairy- and gluten-free Organic Meatless Bolognese, Rama created a Velvet Vodka sauce in the kitchen of her Park Hill home that is dairy-free but not gluten-free, as the vodka has some grain. (It’s made with unsweetened coconut milk and a blend of seasonings, making it appropriate for curries as well as pasta.) Her sauces are now in 100 markets in the Northeast and Virginia — including Wegmans in Harrison, Bronxville Natural, Green Organic Market in Hartsdale and Bedford Gourmet — and will also be available in DeCicco & Sons and Whole Foods.

Rama’s business model is intelligible: Start small with two sauces and see how they do. But she knows there are so many other combinations of spices, nuts and vegetables to explore. Chickpeas and turmeric, anyone?

“Sauce,” she says, “can be a delicious symphony of great nutrients.”

For more, visit hudson-green.com.

HUDSON GREEN’S EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER BRUSCHETTA INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 pounds eggplant (about 1 large), ends trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces 1 medium red or orange pepper, seeded and sliced into bite-size pieces 5 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste 1 medium shallot chopped (a heaping 1/3 cup) 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon oregano Pinch red pepper flakes 1 heaping cup Hudson Green Organic Meatless Bolognese 2 to 3 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar Fresh, chopped basil or parsley for garnishing 1 large baguette, cut into ½-inch thick slices, tops brushed with olive oil, and toasted or lightly toasted pita slices

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add the eggplant and peppers to a large, rimmed baking or roasting pan. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss well to combine.

3. Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, tossing 3 times.

4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shallots and cook about 3 to 4 minutes over low heat until translucent. Add the garlic, the oregano, the red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring about 30 seconds more or until fragrant. (Don’t let the shallots or garlic burn.)

5. Add the roasted eggplant and peppers, the Hudson Green Organic Meatless Bolognese, 2 tablespoons water and the red wine vinegar. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture is warmed through. If the mixture looks a little dry, add another tablespoon of water to moisten.

6. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon onto toasted baguette slices, brushed with oil, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or basil. Or place in a serving bowl, sprinkle parsley or basil and serve with toasted pita.

Makes about 2 and 1/2 cups or 10 to 12 appetizer servings.

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WHAT’S COOKING?

FOOD & SPIRITS

PISTACHIO BOMBS INGREDIENTS

SPICE IS NICE

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Photograph by Aditya Menon.

BY RAJNI MENON

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pices bring a ton of flavor to my cooking, and I try to use them at all times. One of the spices that is widely used in desserts in Kerala is cardamom. So here’s one of my favorite dessert snacks using this aromatic ingredient — my Pistachio Bombs. It’s a nutrient-packed treat made with medjool dates as well as blueberries, cashews and other ingredients.

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• • • • • • •

2 cups whole pistachios, powdered 10 medjool dates, pitted 2 tablespoons blueberries ¼ cup cashews, roasted and chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla-bean paste 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom A pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS • In a food processor, place 1 and ¾ cups of the pistachios and blitz until chunky.

Reserve ¼ cup for later.

• Add cashews and blitz until chunky.

Then add ground cardamom, a pinch of salt, fresh blueberries, vanilla paste and dates and blitz again.

• Form small balls and coat with the remainder of the pistachios. Enjoy with a cup of tea.

For more, visit creativerajni.com.

TRAVEL

P. 74 Grand hotels, still

P. 80 From Russia with love

P. 84 The friendly pandemic skies

P. 82 A world of design at Casa de Campo P. 86 Art with a growl

GRAND HOTELS, STILL

BY JEREMY WAYNE

When will we be traveling again? I don’t mean a hermetically sealed sortie along I-95 in the SUV just for a change of scene or a nervous visit to an elderly relative upstate, swaddled and swathed in protective clothing, inscrutable behind state-sanctioned masks. No, I mean real travel — with all the bells and whistles, abandoned and extravagant, wide-brimmed straw hats flopping, yards of designer linen billowing, Louis Vuitton cases at the ready — to far-flung summer capitals, old castles, Asian temples, ruined forts, chic country retreats, rugged shorelines and microdot islands, preferably accessible only by private felucca or dhow, or perhaps a sleek and gleaming Riva yacht.

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View from Four Seasons San Francisco at Embarcadero. Courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Because while we’ve been hunkered down, the hotel world has not stood still.

Yes, it’s been a terrible time for many in the industry, no question, and our hearts go out to those who have suffered loss of any kind.

But because nothing ever stands still in hospitality — not even in a pandemic — new hotels have been opening apace, golden oldies have reinvented themselves, and yet still others are due to launch later this year. Here are a few that have caught my eye: USA The Langham, Boston will reopen in the spring after a lavish renovation intended to

restore this heritage hotel to its rightful role as a new American classic in Boston. With design from London-based Richmond International, public spaces will feature shades of green and gold (think Harrods, think class), with guest rooms in chirpy New Englandinspired blues and grays. And there’ll be several design nods, too, to the building’s banking history, as this was the former Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Gold is also a theme at another Financial District hotel, the new, extremely swish Four Seasons San Francisco at Embarcadero.

Granted, it’s a bit of a mouthful to say (the name distinguishes it from San Francisco’s

Lounge at North Lodge, Coworth Park. Courtesy Dorchester Collection.

Guest room at The Langham, Boston. Courtesy Langham Hotels.

original Four Seasons, on Market Street), but don’t hold that against it. Occupying the top 11 floors of the 48-story 345 California Center, this new beauty offers panoramic views of the West’s handsomest city from every room, spa-bathrooms the size of tennis courts and exceptionally extravagant design touches, such as gold thread woven through the hotel’s exquisite wall hangings, referencing the city’s gold rush history.

And Four Seasons has another new jewel in its none-too-shabby collection, the fabulous new Four Seasons New Orleans. Opening midyear, this will perhaps surprisingly

be a first property for the prestigious group in the city of jazz, pizzazz and Sazerac. That the food here — in this food-mad city — from the celebrated Louisiana chefs Alon Shaya and Donald Link, will be superb is perhaps a given. But less obvious, and giving this striking newbie a real edge, will be the fifthfloor rooftop swimming pool and Harley Pasternak-designed fitness center — open 24 hours to work off those delicious but figure-sabotaging beignets.

Over in Las Vegas, meanwhile, where “small” and “intimate” are not necessarily hotel adjectives that spring to mind, the new Crockfords, an offshoot of London’s famed (and it must be said, super-posh) Mayfair gaming club of the same name, will launch this summer in what is, so it is being whispered, owning company Hilton’s biggest ever hotel deal. A veritable oasis on the Strip, with its 236 guest rooms and villas nestling in lush, tropical

gardens, Crockfords is betting that impeccable taste can win out over the brash and the kitsch. Only high rollers need apply.

THE BAHAMAS “It’s better in the Bahamas,” ran the famous old advertising campaign for these dreamy islands, and nowhere can be much better than the tony Abaco Club, the private sporting club and residential community that sits on 500 of its own acres on Great Abaco Island and boats its own private 2.5 mile-long beach. Not bad for starters. But enhancements over the last year have increased the assets even more, with a renovation of the day dock, extensive expansion of the fitness center, a revamp of the all-day waterfront restaurant and the introduction of a food truck specializing in fun, fast Bahamian fare. Plus, lest you forget or don’t know, the Abaco Club is home to the No. 1 golf course in The Bahamas.

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It's better in The Bahamas — the Abaco food truck and beach.

Courtesy Southworth Development.

EUROPE They’ve been busy across the Pond, too, sprucing up for normalcy’s return. Not that there’s anything normal about Borgo Santandrea, a divine new small hotel in Amalfi. Just 45 rooms, magnificently situated 200 feet above sea level, bathed in that unmistakeable, soft Amalfitana light, Santandrea seduces you with spiffy furniture and gorgeous handmade tiles, Murano glass and natural linens. And the absolute icing on an already delicious cake is its own small, private beach. (I use the word "divine" advisedly, by the way, because this place feels very close to what I hope heaven may be like.)

Some 40 miles to the north, beyond Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, Naples is my tip for Italy’s most exciting city, post-pandemic. And when that time comes, there will be nowhere more exciting to stay than Atelier Inès, a boutique art hotel opening this spring, inspired by the art philosophy of international artist and sculptor Annibale Oste. Located in the city’s cool Vergini district, right in the center of the old town, Inès will feature six bespoke suites, a showroom, a jewelry boutique and a common living area, dedicated to art and gastronomic experiences. If my hunch is right, this joint is going to be pretty popular, so plug it into

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your contacts and book early.

Now, you may have your sights set on France this summer, in which case give a thought to the utterly enchanting blue and white St. Tropez gem, the Cheval Blanc. Officially opened in 2019, this gorgeous little residence — the only hotel situated directly on St. Trop’s sought-after Bouillabaisse Beach — had barely enjoyed its first season before Covid struck. But now it’s gearing up for the 2021 summer season, and if you fancy a few days and nights of espadrille-chic and sublime (three Michelin-starred) cooking on a terrace facing the sparkling Med, then this is the place for you.

On the other hand, you may not be a beach person at all. Give a thought then to newly opened North Lodge, a standalone, restored Georgian cottage adjoining Dorchester Collection’s ritzy Coworth Park, a wonderful mansion hotel full of contemporary twists a stone’s throw from the famous Ascot Racecourse. For those who may still be Covid-concerned, this three-bedroom property offers exclusive-use accommodation and comes with its own rose garden, al-fresco dining area, state-of-the-art kitchen and access to Coworth’s 240 acres of Berkshire parkland, award-winning spa and equestrian center.

ASIA Another Langham beckons, this time in Jakarta. Indonesia’s capital city is often seen as no more than a gateway to Bali, but it’s a thoroughly fascinating city in its own right — with its size, go-go vibe and Anglo-Dutch pedigree similar to New York — so do schedule a couple of days here if you’re Bali-bound. Design is key at this sumptuous new property, which will open in April, with acres of white paneling, glorious mirror and metalwork and a 59th floor private Langham Club lounge, with stunning views over the city. Add to this no fewer than five exceptional restaurants — including T’ang Court (a sibling of the three Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant at The Langham, Hong Kong,) and wild horses should not be able to drag you away. I once crossed a continent for lunch — no kidding — so why wouldn’t you cross an ocean for five amazing eateries, and all under one rather glamorous roof, no less?

For more, visit langhamhotels.com, fourseasons.com, lxrhotels3.hilton.com, southworthdevelopment.com, theabacoclub.com, borgosantandrea.it, dorchestercollection.com and atelierinesgallery. com/

See Africa as only an insider can Bring your camera and learn how to capture some amazing moments.

10-DAY KENYA SAFARI, NOVEMBER 2021 africaphototours.com MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

BY BARBARA BARTON SLOANE

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“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there someday.”

--A.A. Milne, author of “Winnie the Pooh”

y sentiments exactly. As a veteran of many cruises, I am confident of one thing: A great cruise is found in the details. Prior to Viking, river cruising was little known to travelers. It conjured up images of a steamboat on the Mississippi or helping to paddle a canal barge through England or France. Now, all that’s changed. Welcome to

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the world of Viking River Cruises.

I recently took the “Waterways of the Czars” excursion from St. Petersburg, Russia to Moscow on Viking, the largest fleet of river vessels in the world. As a leader in the industry, it is singularly focused on providing guests with up-close experiences on the river with a dedication to green ships with fuel-efficient engines. Its visits to cultural and historic landmarks, its onboard

Colorful onion domes signal St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow.

Courtesy Sloane Travel Photography.

demonstrations, lectures and language lessons and its expert local guides in each destination further place Viking in a class by itself.

Russia has a long and fascinating history with a diverse population of 143 million, spectacular natural beauty, great art and architecture and a superb culinary tradition.

It’s the world’s largest country, with broad plains, tundra, vast coniferous forests and

soaring mountains. Our cruise bookended by two storied cities — wandered through a kaleidoscope of small villages and towns to weave a tapestry at once intriguing and alluring.

CITY OF ‘WHITE NIGHTS’ Ah, St. Petersburg. Known as Peter the Great’s “Window to the West” and the city of “white nights” — so-called for their near — constant daylight in spring and summer — St. Petersburg has wide, gracious boulevards made for strolling, while its 200 miles of waterways (albeit manmade) inspire comparisons with Venice or Amsterdam. Designed on a grand scale “it is as though one walked through a city built for giants,” mused “Alice in Wonderland” author Lewis Carroll in his 1867 diary. Of course, the first stop on everyone’s sightseeing list — The State Hermitage Museum, known as the Hermitage. Catherine the Great’s passion for art and beauty transformed her Winter Palace into one of the world’s most splendid museums. Among the more than 1,000 rooms are 3 million exhibits and displays, a staggering collection ranging from ancient Egyptian to the early 20th century.

In the Italian galleries, I was particularly taken with a small work, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Madonna and Child.” Profound and noble, it depicts the Madonna tenderly gazing down at her son while in the background, a landscape of distant mountains and blue skies adds a tranquil tone. Moving into the 19th and 20th century galleries, I was drawn to Pablo Picasso’s “Three Women,” one of the artist’s most important Cubist works. He turned the traditional subject of the Three Graces into a refined study done in red and brown earth tones.

Possibly my favorite object in the Hermitage was its golden Peacock Clock, which has enchanted admirers for more than two centuries. The timepiece includes figures made of gold — a peacock, a cockerel and an owl — fitted with mechanisms that set them in motion. I was captivated by its slow, precise movements as the peacock seemed to come alive. Oh, to have a year to spend in the Hermitage and maybe — just maybe — see the rest of its mind-blowing collection.

Tell me, who among us would visit St. Petersburg without attending a ballet?

The Mariinsky Ballet, having produced acclaimed dancers since its inception in the 18th century, was just the ticket. We saw a performance of the 19th-century Romantic ballet “Giselle” and, the next day, traveled to Peterhof, the summer palace of the czars, 20 miles from the city’s center where we

set eyes on a different kind of dance — dancing fountains and gold-plated sculptures.

Finally, we said adieu to “The Venice of the North,” hoping to return someday and experience the many other treasures this scintillating city has to offer.

MOSCOW ON MY MIND “If I had to think where I could live if not Moscow, London would be my first choice and second would be New York,” the oligarch Roman Abramovich tells us.

Of course! Expensive cities, all, but then for Abramovich — 10th richest man in Russia, 13th richest in the world — no problem. His sentiments, however, are spot-on because Moscow is a worldclass city in every respect.

I mean, just think: Red Square; the Bolshoi Theatre; The Cathedral of the Annunciation gleams gold and white on the southwest side of Cathedral Square at Moscow’s Kremlin. the insanely quirky St. Basil’s Cathedral, with its glorious onion domes; dream ing country. Today, the Kremlin remains like parks to wander through; romantic as alluring as ever, a mixture of lavishness night lights that play on the Volga; and the and austere secrecy. Two-thirds of the citaKremlin. How’s that for an exciting lineup? del territory is closed to visitors but the reOne of the highlights of my visit (no, realmaining third contains enough treasures ly) was a spin on the Moscow Metro. It is to occupy several days of sightseeing. justly renowned for its elegant, stunningly One of the oldest museums in Moscow lit stations, not to mention sculpture, huge and part of the Kremlin is the Armory, a chandeliers and gilded details. MTA, I’ll staggering treasury replete with ancient never see you in quite the same light again.

Russian regalia, ceremonial czars’ dress, Another over-the-top stop for me, inchurch hierarchs' vestments, gold and siltrepid shopper that I am, was the gloriverware by Russian, European and Eastous GUM department store. Its ornate ern masters, arms and armories and royal Neo-Russian façade takes up nearly the encarriages. Objects such as rings, bracelets tire eastern side of Red Square and looks and pendants by Old Russian masters far more like a palace than a department spoke to my love of antique jewelry. Turnstore. A consumer mecca for visitors to ing a corner, I found precious textiles, Moscow, the top floor was, during the time ornamental embroidery, suits of armor of the Soviet Union, a secret clothing store and secular garments from the 16th to the for only the highest echelon of the party. early 20th century. Viewing some of Peter Today, the exclusive boutiques are accesthe Great’s sumptuous caftans set my head sible to anyone with a platinum card. That spinning. I collapsed on a nearby bench to said, the building itself is fabulous and, on settle myself and ponder the glorious richthe higher floors, there are still some interes that I’d just experienced. It was at that esting relics of days gone by that make it moment that it dawned on me: I’m in the well worth exploring.

Armory Museum … in the Kremlin … in From medieval citadel to modern powRussia … and this is the end of a most woner center, Moscow’s Kremlin has played derful week cruising Russia’s rivers and a dominant role in Russia for more than having encounters only possible on a slow, 800 years. Majestic and picturesque, it’s unhurried Viking meander to Moscow. I the chief architectural wonder of the city, wouldn’t have it any other way. with mighty walls, soaring towers and an Read the complete story in wagmag.com. eclectic mix of architecture that reflects For more, visit vikingrivercruises.com. all the paradoxical shifts of this fascinat-

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A WORLD OF DESIGN AT CASA DE CAMPO

BY DEBBI KICKHAM

I

t’s one thing to visit an artistic center when you’re in the middle of a big city.

It’s quite another to go to an exclusive luxury resort in the Dominican Republic and discover a totally unique artistic destination — and one with its own design school.

I’m talking about Chavón, The School of Design, which is affiliated with Parsons School of Design/The New School in Manhattan. This prestigious institution is located inside Casa de Campo, a 7,000-acre resort that is famous for its polo, golf and beach. My husband, Bill, and I were just there, taking in the sunshine, the spa and all of the restaurants.

Right now, during this time of Covid, Casa de Campo and its luxury villas are an especially great escape as privacy is the new luxury.

But I digress. Within Casa de Campo’s sprawling acres, there is a fascinating little town called Altos de Chavón. It’s a replica of a 16th-century Mediterranean village that was conceived by Dominican architect Jose Antonio Caro and Italian set designer Roberto Coppa, who closely supervised the construction, seeing to it that each stone was metic-

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ulously placed. It was Coppa’s design, but it was really the vision of Charles Bluhdorn, who was chairman of the now defunct Gulf and Western Industries Inc. (Gulf + Western) when the project began in 1976. Bluhdorn’s idea was to create a village along the lines of charming St. Paul de Vence, in the South of France. (I’ve been to St. Paul de Vence, and it’s a stunner.)

It is in Altos de Chavón that you'll find Chavón, The School of Design. Bluhdorn’s daughter, Dominique, initiated the Altos de Chavón art project, and the school became a Latin-American affiliate of Parsons School of Design in 1983. Here’s students can come and learn all about fashion (including a choice of fashion design or fashion marketing and communications), fine arts, film, interior design and visual communications. Graduates

of Chavón’s two-year college-level program have the option to continue their studies in New York for two more years, earning a bachelors of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree from Parsons School of Design. Some classes are taught in Spanish, while others have an English translator. Chavón has graduated more than 2,000 students, whose placement in the national and international job market for designers has literally changed the face of art and design in the Dominican Republic.

"He was obsessed with the Dominican Republic and conceived Casa de Campo with (fashion designer) Oscar de la Renta,” Dominique said in a phone interview. She explained how Altos de Chavón was built to be an artistic community “where artists could live and work and showcase their talent.” She, in turn, created the Altos de Chavón Cultural

Students of Chavón, The Design School, study on the campus of Altos de Chavón, a replica of a 16th-century Mediterranean village at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic.

Center Foundation.

“Our most important role is the school, to provide the highest quality of art and design education. It is one of the best film and design schools in the world.”

Indeed, the school has an artist-in-residence program that has attracted scores of bold-faced names. “We offer a rich assortment of designers to lecture and teach at the school,” she added.

Altos de Chavón is also home to a 5,000seat amphitheater and Museum of Archaeology, with a stunning collection of art and artifacts from the island’s first inhabitants, the indigenous Tainos. The museum hosts

visitors from the island and abroad and offers instruction in pre-columbian culture.

If you’re reading this article and love the arts, you may be interested in the school’s International Summer Program. “It’s the perfect creative hub,” Dominique told me, describing Altos as “ideal for corporate training in painting, landscape design, fashion design, fine arts, film and screenplay writing.” The courses typically go for two weeks. She added that the school offers continuing education and executive education to all kinds of businesses, as it sees training in art and design disciplines as a complement to broad-based creative thinking.

In Altos de Chavón, you will also be able to observe local artisans in the village’s three crafts workshops. The largest studio is dedicated to wheel-thrown and hand-built

ceramic pieces that are both decorative and utilitarian. In the weaving studio, handloomed textiles are fabricated, and in the silkscreen workshop, artists can have prints made of their original works. Rounding out the experience, visitors can shop for locally made products, enjoy delectable dining (the Italian restaurant is outstanding) and attend festive entertainments. The town has more than 10 boutiques including Everett Designs, where you can find gorgeous, handcrafted jewelry set in amber, larimar and other precious and semiprecious stones. The designs will wow you.

Just one visit to Altos and you’re sure to fall under the spell of its irresistible charms.

For more, visit chavon.edu.do and for more about Debbi, follow her on Instagram at @Debbikickham.

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THE FRIENDLY PANDEMIC SKIES

BY MELISSA HULL

W

e can never state enough how Covid-19 has turned our lives upside down.

So far, some 2.5 million people have succumbed to the coronavirus worldwide.

Economies everywhere are also reeling, with countless businesses shutting down and people losing their of livelihoods.

Of the various industries, the aviation sector is proving to be one of the hardest-hit by the pandemic, with losses amounting to $370 billion and counting. From the biggest airlines to the smallest private jet charter operators, everyone in the aviation industry has felt the crushing effect of a pandemic no one expected.

Nevertheless, many airlines across the globe are now slowly resuming operations, with many countries and states lifting travel bans.

If you’re flying in the age of Covid, what can you expect?

MASKS ARE A MUST Health officials have long recommended that people wear masks to help slow down the spread of the coronavirus, with double masking proving a new and even more effective trend. Now masking is a requirement among U.S. travelers, under an executive order issued by President Joe Biden.

Relevant agencies are now mandated to enforce the wearing of masks in or on airports, commercial aircraft and all forms of public transportation.

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Courtesy Pexels.com.

NEGATIVE COVID TESTS FOR INCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS The same executive order also requires that travelers age 2 and older must produce proof of a recent negative Covid test to gain entry to the United States.

The requirement exempts U.S. citizens and those who have had shots of a Covid vaccine.

You have to obtain the required Covid test on your own, as airlines won’t be testing you upon your arrival. And you also need to have that test done no more than three days before your departure date.

UPDATED SCREENING PROCEDURES The policies of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the time of Covid are geared toward keeping contact between its workers and travelers to a minimum.

As part of its “Stay Healthy. Stay Secure.” campaign, all officers must wear face shields, protective eyewear and gloves, especially when close contact is necessary. They will also continue performing pat-downs and will

have to change gloves after each pat-down.

TSA officers also won’t be handling boarding passes anymore. You will have to place your paper or electronic pass on the code reader for inspection. Visit the TSA website (tsa.gov) for more information about its Covid-related protocols.

CLEANER AIRCRAFTS Commercial airlines and private jet companies alike are bound to follow guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding disinfecting their aircrafts.

When flying these days, you can expect to board airplanes that have been more thoroughly and frequently sanitized than ever before.

Aircraft-cleaning methods being used may include chemical disinfectants, ultraviolet wands and electrostatic spraying.

BLOCKED MIDDLE SEATS? In an effort to implement social distancing

during flights, airlines have taken to blocking all middle seats as soon as Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, effectively limiting their onboard capacity.

However, most U.S. airlines have stopped blocking seats. Of the major airlines, only Delta has committed to keeping the middle seats vacant and will continue doing so through March 2021.

PREPACKAGED SNACKS AND DRINKS In the early months of the pandemic, airlines that continued flights suspended in-flight food and beverage services to minimize the risk of coronavirus infection.

Today, many airlines are beginning to offer complimentary snacks and drinks again but served in prepackaged and factory-sealed containers.

If you’re hoping to buy refreshments while on board, you should know that most airlines will not be offering snacks or food for purchase.

Some airlines also offer passengers the chance to preorder meals, especially for those who are on long-haul flights.

MORE STRINGENT PROTOCOLS FOR PRIVATE AIRCRAFT Whatever Covid-19 protocols are in place, you can expect private jet operators to comply with them and more.

Some measures being implemented by private jet companies include: • On top of frequent deep cleaning and disinfecting, treating aircraft interiors with an antimicrobial barrier against bacteria, germs and viruses; • Covid-19 testing for jet crews before every flight; • Only pilots handling baggage to minimize surface infection risk; • Taking temperatures of passengers with a noncontact thermometer before boarding.

• Orders for crew members to stay in their hotel rooms when on the road.

CONSTANTLY CHANGING AIR TRAVEL POLICIES Experts know more about Covid-19 today than they did when it was declared a pandemic in early 2020.

Still, there’s so much to learn about the coronavirus and any new information could affect any air travel policies in place.

If you’re a frequent flyer in the age of Covid-19, always keep yourself apprised of pandemic-related policy changes.

Without a doubt, Covid-19 has changed the way we fly. Whether the changes are temporary or are here to stay, only time will tell.

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ART WITH A

GROWL

BY BOB R OZYCKI

As soon as I saw the photos of the new McLaren Artura, I knew I wanted one.

It looked like some of the video game cars I would race years back. Those were vicarious times.

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The McLaren Artura. Courtesy McLaren Automotive.

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W

When my wife told me mortgaging the house to get the Artura was out of the question, those vicarious times returned like a cast-iron pan hitting my psyche.

To the manor born?

Not in this life.

There, but out of reach.

(I wonder if crowdfunding $250,000 for a personal car is ethical?)

However, for those of you who have $250K on hand, go get one and stop by my house and perhaps allow me to touch it. Or maybe even drive it down the Taconic or the Merritt or maybe open it up on 684 and hit 205 on the speedometer.

OK, so what’s all the envy about?

The Artura is a high-performance hybrid supercar.

Wait a minute. Hybrid?

Yes, but like no other hybrid.

McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt describes the car as “the pure distillation of our collective expertise and experience. It’s the next generation McLaren.”

The powertrain is composed of an allnew, twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine with an electric motor.

So you get your choice of a full vroooooom from the V6 or the dead silence of the electric.

McLaren says the use of carbon fiber and composites make it the lightest in its class.

And probably the fastest. According to the

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specs, zero to 60 in 3.0 seconds. Not fast enough? Zero to 124 mph in 8.3 seconds.

Enough about speed, how about comfort?

The cockpit of this luscious automobile comes in leather-wrapped Clubsport seats with each one pivoting “through an elliptical arc when adjusted, combining under-thigh support, seat height and backrest in one movement.”

The infotainment system has two high-definition screens that contain new software and hardware “to deliver a smartphone level of responsiveness.”

This car is smart enough to know when you’re heading toward it via a Bluetooth key and powers up the systems before you open the door.

And for color choice? There are 35 choices from the cool looking Flux Green to mel-

low Volcano Yellow.

McLaren’s design director, Rob Melville, sums up the Artura this way: “Our mission was to create a piece of pure technical sculpture, where technology doesn’t distract but enhances the visual experience.

We were guided throughout by three key phrases — purity, technical sculpture and functional jewelry.

“The purity is not only purity of line, but also in the integration of components.

Technical sculpture references the need to be stunning to look at, but is there for a reason, like the forms you see in nature; while functional jewelry is best explained by the fact that we don’t decorate, we do what is needed and make it beautiful.”

Maybe if I told my wife we needed another piece of art to add to our home?

For more, visit mclaren.com.

WELLNESS

P. 90 Common wellness questions answered

P. 92 Overcoming vaccine fears among people of color

tion of antibodies, which can help combat certain antigens. Additionally, the endorphins that are released during exercise can help relieve pain and stress and boost happiness. Lastly, it lowers your risk of infection since you are essentially building a stronger body armor for viruses and bacteria to have to fight through.”

What should I eat after a workout?

COMMON WELLNESS QUESTIONS ANSWERED

BY GIOVANNI ROSELLI

M

Giovanni Roselli. Courtesy Roselli Health & Fitness.

“Knowledge is having the right answer.

Intelligence is asking the right question.”

— Unknown

ost recently I have noticed a common theme of questions that I’m often asked about. With this being said I thought it might be helpful to address them in this issue. Enjoy.

What’s your best advice to maintain energy throughout the day?

“I hate to harp on what you've all probably heard before, but there's a reason why we hear it all the time and that's the importance of sleep. A good night's sleep will allow your body not to heavily rely on energy drinks, caffeine or other types of stimulants to get you through the day.

Getting enough rest allows the brain and body essentially to take out all the trash from the day at night so you can feel clear and focused the next day.

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If you say, ‘Well I don't need a lot of sleep,’ or ‘I just can’t sleep,’ then I'll be happy to provide you with the plethora of research to support the fact that this affects stress levels, cognitive functioning, focus and concentration, as well as mood. I often tell clients that the best preworkout supplement is a good night's sleep. If possible, I would also recommend a morning movement session. This could be a ‘workout’ or simply some stretching and light exercise. What this does to our physiology in the morning will help us stay focused and energetic throughout the day. The secret is that there are no secrets to maintaining energy throughout the day.”

Does exercise help your immune system?

“It absolutely does and it is fair to say that this is more important now than ever.

Exercise can lead to an increased produc-

“This is one of those ‘it depends’ questions. Years ago, we were told that there was a ‘window’ where we needed to refuel immediately after a workout or our body would go into a catabolic state. However, more and more research has been coming out that this has been slightly overhyped, and as long as you consume enough nutrition and calories throughout the course of the day, you will be just fine. So in regards to these two points, it depends on what type of workout you just had. Was it strength training, cardio, high intensity interval training, yoga, etc.?

“Ideally, you want to ensure you have adequate protein, so that is most often paramount. Now if the workout was highly metabolic in nature, then you may want to ingest carbohydrates to aid in recovery.

(No, they aren't the enemy.) Another layer that plays into this would be the goal of the individual. Are you looking to lose weight, build muscle, maintain, improve cardiac output, etc.? Every single one of these goals would require a different recipe for nutrition (pun intended). For building muscle, you would need to ingest a bit more; for losing weight, you won't have to eat as much. In the end, depending on 1) what workout you do and 2) your fitness goals, this should determine the quantity and type of nutrients consumed. No matter the case, protein is always the common denominator.

“Finally, the debate on protein powder versus food post nutrition should be left up to you. If it's convenient to down a shake and be on your way, then go for it. If you have the time to have a nice meal, then sit down and enjoy. Yes, a shake will technically enter the bloodstream quicker and food will take longer to digest. However as long as it's quality, then choose whatever is best for you in that situation.”

Reach Giovanni at gio@giovanniroselli.com.

EXPERT Care.

For Every Part of Your Life.

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With over 50 doctors serving 20 locations, including 7 Urgent Care | Walk-In centers, two orthopaedic-only Surgical Centers and 12 state-of-the-art Sports Therapy | Rehab locations, we make it convenient for you to get the orthopaedic care you need, close to where you live.

There’s simply no other Connecticut practice that offers the convenience, personalized care and comprehensive experience that you’ll find with Connecticut Orthopaedics. From your first visit, to diagnosing your injury, to treatment and rehabilitation, we offer end-to-end orthopaedic services designed to accommodate your every need.

Moving Forward Together

203.407.3500 ct-ortho.com

OVERCOMING VACCINE FEARS AMONG PEOPLE OF COLOR

BY DAREN WU, M.D.

T

o many, it’s like scoring a ticket to a sold-out concert or a championship game. They scan websites early in the morning, put themselves on multiple waiting lists and reach out to connections in hopes of gaining the virtually unattainable — a Covid-19 vaccine. It’s the hottest ticket in town.

And yet, for others, there is a hesitancy to get vaccinated. This includes those with an historical mistrust of the health care system, particularly communities of color; individuals concerned about insufficient data on long-term vaccine side effects; and people convinced by misinformation.

In terms of those living in communities of color, we see this mistrust reflected in various polls. According to one recently conducted by the Kaiser Foundation, 35 percent of Black Americans said they definitely or probably would not get the shot. A report from UnidosUS, the NAACP and Covid Collaborative found that only 34 percent of Latinos trust the safety of the vaccine and only 40 percent believe it will be effective.

This is all the more remarkable as communities of color have been hit hardest by the pandemic. They have been more likely to catch the virus, more likely to be hospitalized, more likely to die.

We’ve seen this first-hand at Open Door

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Family Medical Center, where I have served as chief medical officer, for nearly a year now.

Our job continues to be to do whatever we can to protect and care for our patients, now it’s also our responsibility to shift the perception and educate our at-risk community members that the vaccines are safe and critical for building the herd immunity needed to end the pandemic.

To reach herd immunity, it has been estimated as much as 80 percent of Americans need to be vaccinated so the virus can’t find enough new hosts.

As with so many things, history plays a key role in the lack of trust. For example, there was the Tuskegee experiment, in which Black men with syphilis were invited to gain free medical care but were not treated so medical professionals could study them.

And, there was the sterilization of women in Puerto Rico, where as much as one-third of the female population was sterilized by the government with the goal of reducing poverty and unemployment.

In hopes of alleviating this gap, President Joe Biden has made vaccine access for communities of color a key feature of his $1.9 trillion plan to confront the pandemic. The plan calls for creating more vaccination sites, such as mobile clinics, to get vaccines to hard-toreach, marginalized communities. The issue is to convince these communities to comply.

Open Door and other federally qualified

health centers were founded in low-income communities where few physicians practiced. There is a long history of collaborating with community partners to address health needs, including lack of trust of the healthcare system.

Our job is to make the community we serve in the lower Hudson Valley feel secure, knowing that producers of these vaccines have strictly adhered to the necessary research, protocols and testing. We need to validate legitimate concerns about the safety of these new vaccines, while at the same time highlighting their efficacy and the role they will play in mitigating the spread of Covid-19.

Decades of work — first years ago on the corresponding HIV spike protein and more recently on its counterparts from other viruses, including SARS, MERS and seasonal coronaviruses — showed how best to design and produce the SARS-CoV-2 (that is, Covid-19) version. Sophisticated methods to image the spike proteins via recent advances in electron microscopy allowed researchers and vaccine makers to study what they were making and gain assurances they were on the right track rapidly.

Overcoming vaccine hesitancy is critical at a time when a record number of Americans are being hospitalized and dying daily (an average of more than 4,000). At this rate, it is estimated that as many as 600,000 Americans will die of Covid-19 by the summer. Westchester County has been hit hard, reporting one of the highest rates of coronavirus infections in New York state.

At Open Door, we’ve seen the surge in infections among our own patients. The positivity rate surged to a high of 29% in the final weeks of December, and even now in early February we are still hovering at around a 20% positivity rate. Open Door is currently providing more than 1,000 tests per week.

We constantly remind our patients that the vaccines presently on the market have gone through all phases of clinical trials and have been found to be about 95 percent effective. This is far more than the annual flu vaccine. During these trials, they were given to tens of thousands of volunteers to make sure they were safe. Since receiving the FDA’s EUA (emergency use authorization), they have already been given to more than 30 million Americans, with excellent safety reported to date. In addition, since the vaccines have been administered, there have been relatively few if any negative reactions.

The message is simple and direct: These vaccines are super safe, super effective and the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.

For more, visit opendoormedical.org.

WAG THE TAIL

P. 94 Supervet

P. 96 Should you bring your dog to work?

P. 98 Juan in a million

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SUPERVET

BY JEREMY WAYNE

With the Covid-triggered spike in pet ownership nationwide and the hugely popular “All Creatures Great and Small” having just aired on PBS, veterinarians may be the new superheroes. At least that’s how pet parents think of Thomas Monaco, D.V.M., a board-certified small-animal surgeon who specializes in orthopedic, oncologic and cardiothoracic procedures and pain management at Katonah Bedford Veterinary Center in Bedford Hills.

“Thank you so much, Dr. Monaco. You are a gift,” reads a random but hardly unique entry on his Facebook page. “The world needs more compassionate people like you.”

Recently, Monaco — whose family includes wife Francesca, and their two children, Leo, 7, and Ariana, 4, — took time from his busy schedule FaceTime with me about his work, his more unusual patients, his passion for triathlons and going to school in an island paradise:

Dr. Monaco, how did it all start? What was your first, how shall I put it, “animal awakening”?

“I was born in Manhattan but we moved to Rockland County when I was 3. There’s a videotape my parents have of me in second grade and they’re saying, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And I’m like, ‘I want to be a veterinarian.’ I mean, most people are born with a fondness for animals, but it’s always been something that’s really interested me.”

You had pets growing up?

“I had a bunch of pets growing up — rabbits, lizards, fish, cats. Never had a dog, though, which is funny.”

I guess it is. But at what point did it become concrete?

When did you seriously start thinking of working with animals professionally, that this might become your career?

“It wasn’t until college. I went to an all-boys high school in New Jersey and then to Georgetown (University), where I played football. I was a premed major and I was going to go into the human side of things. My dad’s

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Thomas Monaco, D.V.M. with patient. Courtesy Thomas Monaco.

a family physician, my brother’s a pediatric cardiologist, my uncle’s a vet and another cousin’s a plastic surgeon….”

from cancers and tumors.”

So, medicine was always on the cards.

“Well, we tend to follow human medicine. People are doing heart valve replacements in dogs now and we’re also able to do regenerative joint medicine, like stem cell, and something called platelet rich plasma, all of which we adapted from human medicine. We also do thoracoscopy (minimally invasive chest surgery) and interventional radiology. So yes, it’s amazing how far we’ve come in being able to treat things which only recently would have likely resulted in euthanasia.”

“Yeah, well, precisely. We had so many medical people in the family that I just naturally went down that path.

And then, my junior year of college, I took this comparative anatomy class, which compared animals to people.

And my professor at Georgetown was actually a veterinarian and I started to think that I wanted to transition to the veterinary medicine route.”

An easy thing to do?

“My professor walked me through it. It’s a pretty tough admission process and I didn’t have any veterinary experience, but I took a year and worked with some hospitals and with my uncle on Long Island, who does a lot of exotics and birds, so I got some really good experience. And then got into the veterinary school at St. George’s University in Grenada, which is where my dad actually went to medical school in the 1980s. Mind you, a lot changed on the island between the ’80s and the time I went there.”

Ah yes, the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983.

“And the (Grenada invasion-inspired) movie ‘Heartbreak Ridge.’ But, oh my God, going to school in the Caribbean was amazing — living on a paradise island for three years.”

Frankly, I’m surprised you got any work done.

(Laughs) “Well you’re there to do your thing — the medicine aspect of it — so you have to get on with it.”

Still, I bet you’re missing all that Caribbean sunshine right now.

“I went back for the first time seven years after I graduated. I spoke at their White Coat ceremony. You know, I became a scuba instructor when I was down there. I logged around 500 dives in three years. So, yes, I do miss that aspect of it.”

I’m going to come on to leisure activities in just a moment, but I want to ask about how you eventually landed at the Katonah-Bedford Veterinary Center.

“So, after our son was born, when I was working in Princeton, I found a job at Katonah and (my wife and I) moved back up there. But things are always changing with the specialty side and new hospitals and opportunities are always coming up. So next I went to Paramus for three years, but there were managerial changes and (pauses) … and then I came back to Katonah.”

And you’re happy to be back in Westchester?

“Very much so. And it’s great to have joined with all the techs I have here. They’re amazing.”

What are you particularly known for at the center?

“I’d say surgery and oncology, plus we also have a good core of emergency doctors. We deal with orthopedics, cranial cruciate ligament tears (knee injuries) that dogs get, fracture repairs. But surgical oncology is probably the majority of the caseload and that’s generally what I enjoy most. Trying to cure these dogs

How have things advanced in the last five or 10 years?

That’s tremendous. Now, I know there’s no such thing as a typical vet’s day, but at the risk of sounding banal, what is your typical day like?

“Well, we see appointments in the morning and then we always have surgery in the afternoon, Monday to Thursday, up to five surgeries a day. It can be pretty fastpaced out there.”

And do you see exotic pets?

“I personally don’t, but I have a friend who’s a vet to local zoos and I’ve done quite a few zoo animal surgeries with him, which has been amazing.”

Tell me more.

“One of the coolest collaborative efforts I was involved with was at a zoo in Westchester, which had a baby orangutan with an inguinal [protruding] hernia. You know, a primate is kind of like a baby, so I hooked up with my brother at Columbia and he hooked me up with a pediatric surgeon, and we did the surgery together. And then, two years ago I got the chance to do a fracture repair on a female lion, at a zoo in New Jersey, which was also a huge collaborative effort. There’s not a lot of fracture repairs in lions. It was awesome.”

You must certainly have trusted the anesthesiologist.

“Right, it wouldn’t be like having a little cat wake up on you. Actually, they darted her first and then five of us got her on to a stretcher and brought her down to the hospital in a van. We had to volunteer as to who wanted to go in the back with her.”

Now, apart from cutting-edge surgeries and riding around in vans with lions, I know you are also a triathlete.

“It started in Grenada. One of my classmates had done an Ironman and he’s like, ‘You should do some triathlons with me.’ I did my first triathlon on the island of Nevis, which snowballed into doing the New York City Triathlon, along with some others. And then my brother and I thought, ‘Let’s do an Ironman’ And one of the most wellknowned ones is probably Lake Placid, a pretty challenging course. And I liked it so much, I did another one the following year, in Mont Tremblant in Quebec.”

They say a busy vet has time for everything. And then?

“And then my son was born, so I did a few shorter ones and then kind of put it on hold. Now it’s just tennis with dads from town.”

For more, visit vcahospitals.com/katonah-bedford.

MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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A WRITER TRYING TO OUTPACE HER PAST A DELIVERY MAN ON THE FRONTLINES AND THE GLASS DOOR THAT DIVIDES YET CONNECTS THEM

AVAILAB JMS BOO LE AUG. 12KS

FROM WAG’S EDITOR COMES A BRIEF TALE OF LOVE AND LOSS IN THE TIME OF CORONA THEGAMESMENPLAY.COM 96

WAGMAG.COM MARCH 2021

SHOULD YOU BRING YOUR DOG TO WORK?

BY CRISTINA LOSAPIO

H

aving an office dog is one thing, but having everyone bring a dog to the office is quite another.

So the question is, how do we take dogs of different energies and mix them together in a way that lets them feel comfortable and relaxed in an office setting? The short answer is practice. Teaching a dog how to be in the office is the same as teaching our dogs how to be at home, around our family, around friends and so on.

Understanding the energy of the dogs is important. Friendships are created through compatible energies. That’s how

dogs embrace one another. It’s like a recipe: All the ingredients play off of one another to make the end result taste good.

Ideally, adaptable, well-socialized, chill dogs are the best to bring to the office. By this I mean dogs that have the ability to settle down, which is a question of being rather than doing. If your dog is nervous, has to follow you around, marks inside, guards you (or food or toys), barks obsessively, is fearful of new people, moves forward toward people who back up or has a bite history, the office might be an overwhelming place for him or her.

While behavior modifications may be helpful before bringing a dog to the of-

fice, it’s important to first check yourself.

If you — yes, you — feel nervous or unsure about bringing your dog into the office, give some thought to where that is coming from. It’s all about energy, so dig deep and ask yourself, am I bringing my dog into the office for me? Will my dog actually find it enjoyable?

Finally, once you’re ready to blend dogs and create lasting friendships in the office, plan ahead. Schedule a walk with your co-workers and their dogs. Meeting up prior to going to the office is an important ritual for our dogs and ourselves. It moves energy, creating a flow so you're not putting pressure on your dogs face-to-face.

It will also give you a good idea of which dogs have energy that’s compatible, so on the day you introduce your dogs to the office, you can match the equation. Think of it this way: First you exercise the body (taking a walk), then you work the mind (mixing in the office). If you can, take your dog on a really good hike or walk mixed with exploring and smelling around, maybe running and walking again, ending calmly. It would be nice to do this at the office with your co-workers 45 minutes to an hour before work starts as well.

At home, practice asking your dog to settle so that he can do it in an environment he doesn’t know. On a nonwork day, go on your morning walk to fulfill your dog's body, then come back inside to your home office area and invite your dog to his bed. Ideally, having your dog just hang out on a bed or a clearly defined space will show him what you want.

Practice having one of your family members walk in as your distraction, as if he or she is your “co-worker.” Walk around your home office, having a leash on your dog to show him where you would like him to be if he gets up. Kindly guide him back to where you would like him and, if he is relaxed, reward him with a small treat, letting him smell it and then eat it, right in the position he’s in. Try verbal feedback too, such as a low level “thank you” or “good” or “yes.” Dogs learn by association, so always reward a calm state of mind. You’ll know you achieve this when your dog’s breathing is slower and his or her face, eyes and tail are all relaxed. Practicing this mock office setting will get you ready for the office and will help build your confidence for interactions that may come up.

In our next issue, we’ll talk about how to take on the first day of work together.

For more, contact Cristina at Trail Dog Inc., 914-347-3793.

MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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PET OF THE MONTH

PET CARE

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JUAN IN A MILLION Meet Juan, a stunning 6-month-old Catahoula Leopard – dog, that is – who was rescued along with his siblings from an overcrowded shelter down South. He’d love a fun, active home with a yard as this breed is typically loyal, smart and energetic. Juan likes going on walks and would be a great hiking partner.

If you’re interested in learning more about this speckled beauty, email shelter@spca914.org.

Juan is an energetic pup searching for an active forever home.

Courtesy SPCA in Briarcliff Manor.

WAGMAG.COM MARCH 2021

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MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

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WAG

WHEN & WHERE THROUGH MARCH 13 The Silvermine Galleries welcome 38 new members into its Guild of Artists with an exhibit of their work. Members have work in museums and private collections and their practices are innovative, sometimes experimental or conceptual and always expanding the boundaries of what contemporary art can be. Congratulations to Cultural Alliance member artists in the show – Alder Crocker, Susan Fehlinger, Heide Follin, Jennifer Moné Hill, David Marchi, Fruma Markowitz and Jarvis Wilcox. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays 1037 Silvermine Road, New Canaan; 203-966-9700, silvermineart.org.

THROUGH MARCH 14 “Twenty Twenty” is an exhibit of works on paper, based on photographic imagery, that documents the 2020 election season. The seven artists created new work throughout the show, adding to, or modifying, their installations. The current installation is the third. Noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays.

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, 258 Main St., Ridgefield; 203-438-4519, thealdrich.org.

THROUGH MARCH 27 Hollis Taggart Southport presents “The Art of The Discovery: Post-War Selections,” a group exhibit featuring works by 21 postwar artists with a focus on the development of Abstract Expressionism and its continued influence throughout the second half of the 20th century.

Showcasing some familiar icons, such as Hans Hofmann, Richard Pousette-Dart, and Theodoros Stamos, the exhibit spotlights works by influential artists that defined the era, including James Brooks, Nell Blaine, Audrey Flack, Peter Halley and more. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. 330 Pequot Ave.; 212-6284000, hollistaggart.com THROUGH MARCH 30 Blue Door Art Center presents a “Black and White Photography Retrospective,” featuring the work of 93-year-old Yonkers resident Omar Kharem. 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 1 to 6 p.m.

Saturdays. 13 Riverdale Ave., Yonkers; 914375-5100, bluedoorartcenter.org

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March 5 through 14: Join Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale in-person and online for student recitals that go for Baroque. Photograph by Steven Schnur.

THROUGH APRIL 3 Pelham Art Center presents “With Every Fiber,” an exhibit of fiber works that communicate beyond the actual context of the material. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturdays, 155 Fifth Ave.; pelhamartcenter. org THROUGH MAY 9 The Hudson River Museum presents “Border Cantos | Sonic Border: Richard Misrach/Guillermo Galindo,” a collaboration between photographer Misrach and sculptor- composer Galindo that addresses the emotional and physical landscape of the border between the United States and Mexico. Noon to 5 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers; hrm.org MARCH 5 AND 6 Arc Stages presents a “Oh Manhattan!,” an original musical streamed live. The musical tells the story of two New Yorkers who find love at the dog-run and learn several semi-valuable lessons along the way.

Spring acting classes and performance workshops for all ages are also available. 8 p.m., arcstages.org MARCH 5 THROUGH 7 The Suzuki Music Schools’ fourth annual “Connecticut Guitar Festival” – three days of virtual education, entertainment

and exposition across all ages, styles and genres – opens with a concert featuring four of today’s most important female artists in jazz, rock, world music and classical guitar – Camila Meza, Sus Vasquez, Badi Assad, and Ana Vidovic. 7 p.m. Friday, various times Saturday and Sunday. 203-227-9474, connecticutguitarfestival.com MARCH 5 THROUGH 14 Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale will present an in-person and virtual “Baroque and Beyond” Music Festival.

The festival will feature Bach, Handel and Telemann works performed by the school’s students. Times vary; hbms.org MARCH 6 THROUGH 27 The Ossining Arts Council (OAC) and Westchester Collaborative Theater (WCT) team for the 2021 Virtual Living Art Event, a showcase of seven original WCT one-act plays inspired by selected OAC artworks.

The performances will be live-streamed every Saturday in March. 8 to 9:30 p.m.; ossiningartscouncil.org, wctheater.org MARCH 10 The Ridgefield Playhouse celebrates the 40th anniversary of Christopher Cross’ self-titled debut album by bringing the fabled singer and his hits “‘Arthur’s’ Theme,” “Ride Like the Wind” and “Sailing” to the stage of the playhouse.

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WHEN & WHERE Cross won five Grammy Awards in 1980, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. In a career spanning more than five decades, he has sold more than 10 million albums. Besides the Grammys, has earned an Oscar, a Golden Globe, an Emmy nomination and five Top Ten singles.

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

Grab a cocktail and join the Weston Historical Society for “Taverns, Temperance, Teetotalers and Tommy Guns: The Long History of Prohibition,” a virtual lecture with Francis Coan and Stephen McGrath. This is one of a series of lectures leading up to the society’s exhibit on the “Roaring ’20s.” Reservations required. 6:30 p.m., 203-226-1804; westonhistoricalsociety.org MARCH 11 The Wilton Library and the Wilton Historical Society, celebrating 14 years of collaboration, present a series of five virtual lectures on “Connecticut Creativity.” On March 11, Lynn Caponera and Jonathan Weinberg offer “The World of Maurice Sendak: A Virtual Tour of the Maurice Sendak House and Studio,” taking participants inside the creative process of the children’s book author/illustrator, who lived and worked in Ridgefield for 40 years.

Registration required. 5 p.m. 203-7626334, wiltonlibrary.org MARCH 13 Rock Legend Chris Frantz, The Westport Library and the Westport/Weston Chamber of Commerce present “The Lockdown Music Festival,” a virtual concert celebrating optimism, resilience and the power of music. It will support Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County, an organization that provides arts education to children/youth in Bridgeport.

7 p.m. 203-291-4800, westportlibrary.org.

MARCH 13 AND 27 Enjoy close on-the-water access to some of the waterfowl that seasonally migrate to Long Island Sound during “Winter Birding Cruises” offered by The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. These new cruises, geared specially for birders, will seek out such species as long-tailed ducks,

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March 4 to 7: Camila Meza is among the female mucisians headlining three days of events at The Suzuky Music Schools' "Connecticut Guitar Festival." Courtesy The Suzuki Music School.

mergansers, loons, scaup, buffleheads and more. These species visit the sound each winter yet can be hard to appreciate at a distance from shore. Cruises take place on R/V Spirit of the Sound, the country’s first research vessel with quiet hybridelectric propulsion. 1 to 2:30 p.m. Advance reservations required. 203-852-0700, ext.

2206, maritimeaquarium.org.

MARCH 13 THROUGH MAY 1 Heather Gaudio Fine Art spotlights “Sagerman and Clement: HighPerformance Color,” featuring Sagerman’s new paintings and Clement’s sculpture.

Whether using a palette knife or welding and cutting steel, Sagerman and Clement share a physicality in their processes, creating remarkable artworks that activate their environments with vivid colors. 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and by appointment.

66 Elm St., New Canaan; 203-801-9590, heathergaudiofineart.com MARCH 19 AND 20 Axial Theatre will debut “March Madness,” an all-virtual seasonal tribute to love and lovers on at 8 p.m. Both programs will be streamed through March 28, with tickets available for purchase. 8 p.m., 914-2867680, axialtheatre.org MARCH 24 New Canaan’s The Glass House celebrates the extraordinary work of the French filmmaker Jacques Tati and its relationship to modern architecture, design and the lens though which post-World War II Europe

emerged. The virtual discussion, “Jacques Tati – A Lens on Modern Life,” will feature Alison Castle, author of “The Definitive Jaques Tati” (Taschen) and design architect James Wall, who reinterpreted Tati’s Villa Arpel in “Mon Oncle” for a series of exhibits in New York and Miami The conversation will be moderated by Hilary Lewis, chief curator and creative director at The Glass House. Registration required. 7 p.m. 203594-9884, theglasshouse.org.

MARCH 25 In honor of Women’s History Month, the Norwalk Historical Society is hosting the virtual lecture “‘Giving Entertainment to Satan:’ Witchcraft and Witch Persecution in Early New England,” with guest presenter Leslie Lindenauer of Western CT State University. While Salem brings to mind the witch trials of 1692, in which 19 women were sentenced to hang, less well-known is that dozens, and perhaps hundreds, of people were tried for witchcraft in New England beginning four decades before the events in Salem. 5:30 p.m. 203-846-0525, norwalkhistoricalsociety.org.

MARCH 26 THROUGH 28 Irvington Theater presents "Arts Incubator Short Play Fest", a free series of new work and works-in-progress by local playwrights. irvingtontheater.com Presented by ArtsWestchester (artswestchester.org) and the Fairfield County Cultural Alliance (culturalalliancefc.org).

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FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS AWARD WINNER 2018 103 MARCH 2021 WAGMAG.COM

WE WONDER:

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC LED YOU TO REPURPOSE YOUR HOME ?

“My home, no, my bedroom, has become my work space. I gave up my studio (art making) and I teach and do all my work from there. Not perhaps what I would wish for, but Covid has had a huge impact. Almost everything is on ine these days. I had to redecorate my room with Zoom in mind. I had to upgrade my internet connection.”

JO-ANN BRODY

communications coordinator Crompond resident

“I am trying to figure out if I work where I live or if I live where I work.

I set up my home office and studio space to allow me to work as an actor, host and filmmaker. With my audio equipment, I self-record voiceovers for commercials, narration and animation. The green screen setup allows me to film myself on-camera for the hosting work I do for various shows and events, in addition to self-taping auditions, and, I use these spaces, plus moving my lights and sound recording equipment to different parts of my home for weekly speaking engagements. During this time, I have also acted in productions that require me to use my own home as a set and am currently filming a leading role in a film that requires my character to be home, so that works out. “As a filmmaker, having the home office and studio makes it easier to be efficient working on writing, post-production and screen shares with my team. During this pandemic, I was able to finish my latest feature film, ‘Wonderfully Made – LGBTQ+R(eligion),’ and work on my episodic series “One Actor Short.”

YUVAL DAVID

actor, filmmaker and advocate Washington, D.C. resident

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"My in-person presentations, which were up to 200 attendees, were all canceled at the beginning of the pandemic, I had to immediately pivot my message and wine tasting presentations for all my clients to a virtual platform. My home became the hub of my multimedia company Sandra's Wine Life. In order to accommodate my weekly Instagram live show, Corporate Virtual Wine Tastings, live television feeds, and photography for my book, I had to transform my home. I purchased professional lighting and backdrops that enabled me to transform my kitchen, dining room and living room into a full-fledged broadcast and photography studio.( Including a Mommy is Taping sign.)"

SANDRA GUIBORD

founder of Sandra's Wine Life Fairfield resident

“I've been working out in a gym consistently for as long as I can remember. So, when the pandemic forced my club to close, I had to come up with an alternative that would help preserve my sanity and prevent the dreaded Covid-19.

Fortunately, I had an underutilized room in my home that could serve as my new workout space. I rearranged the furniture, painted a wall with an energizing geometric mural, filled a corner with plants for a Zen-like vibe, bought some new weights, a workout mat and hula hoop. This room is underutilized no more. I may never go back to a gym again.”

SHARON SUMMER ROZANSKY

sales, marketing and business consultant New Rochelle resident

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