WAG October 2019

MEGHAN SPIRO A photographer’s journey to healing

artistic ascinations LET’S DANCE Port Chester’s Ballet des Amériques

J.M.W. TURNER WATERCOLORS Monumental exhibition in Mystic

FROM KATONAH TO L.A. Reality (TV) is Ben Mandelker’s real life

NAVJOT ARORA’S SAMBAL The flavors of Southeast Asia

MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Celebrating 15 years JUDGED A

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WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE OCTOBER 2019 | WAGMAG.COM

IN NEW YORK STATE 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

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CONTENTS O C TO B ER 201 9

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The ‘A’ word

Creative spark

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20

Artful living

Time of renewal

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24

Celebrating the sea

On their toes

28

56

Women on the verge

Hey! Stuff ‘crappens’

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60

The sound of movies

Timely matters

36

In tune with history

40

Fashion’s bad boy

72

66

A coffee roaster extraordinaire

COVER STORY

76

Meghan Spiro – Art as healing

Simply nuts

THIS PAGE:

Christopher Brellochs. See story on page 36.

Photograph by Evangeline Gala.

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V A L U E Y O U R C O L L E C T I O N . Experts in 30 specialty collecting areas; offering auction and appraisal services. Consignments invited.

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E VERY OBJ ECT HAS A STORY

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FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS

HOME & DESIGN 68 Splendor at water’s edge in Old Greenwich 80 Living with art 82 The art of ceramics 84 Treasuring life 88 Off the grid 90 Resort living in Rye

FASHION 78 Keeping face

TRAVEL

52

92 Londoner’s diary: Reborn Holborn 96 Vive Air France 98 Terrific Tennessee

FOOD & SPIRITS 100 Chocolate obsession 104 Southeast Asia on the Hudson 108 Sips from Austria

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HEALTH & FITNESS 110 Put on a wedding face 114 Parenting your way through college admissions 116 Being in the moment

PET CARE 118 Gentlemanly Gunner 120 Their ‘Peaceable Kingdom’

WHAT'S TRENDING

14 WAG spotlights the new and noteworthy

WHERE & WHEN 124 Upcoming events

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WATCH

134 We’re out and about

WIT

144 Would you pose nude for an artist?

MEGHAN SPIRO A photographer’s journey to healing

artistic ascinations LET’S DANCE Port Chester’s Ballet des Amériques

J.M.W. TURNER WATERCOLORS Monumental exhibition in Mystic

FROM KATONAH TO L.A. Reality (TV) is Ben Mandelker’s real life

NAVJOT ARORA’S SAMBAL The flavors of Southeast Asia

MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Celebrating 15 years JUDGED A

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WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE OCTOBER 2019 | WAGMAG.COM

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COVER: Meghan Spiro.

Photograph by Bob Rozycki.

See story on page 72.

IN NEW YORK STATE 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

WAGMAG.COM

OCTOBER 2019

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No Fu w Bo nP o ar kin tie g s

get ready to

Party Whether you’re looking for a whimsical venue for your next BIG party or a smart place to bring the family, Stepping Stones Museum for Children is the BEST choice – day and night!

Dee DelBello

Dan Viteri

PUBLISHER dee@westfairinc.com

GROUP ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/CREATIVE dviteri@westfairinc.com

EDITORIAL Bob Rozycki MANAGING EDITOR bobr@westfairinc.com

Georgette Gouveia EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ggouveia@westfairinc.com Mary Shustack SENIOR WRITER/EDITOR

ART Fatime Muriqi ART DIRECTOR fmuriqi@westfairinc.com

Kelsie Mania ART DIRECTOR kmania@westfairinc.com

Sebastián Flores ART DIRECTOR sflores@westfairinc.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Partying with Families Since 2000

Anthony Carboni, Sebastián Flores, John Rizzo, Bob Rozycki

steppingstonesmuseum.org/party 203 899 0606, ext. 208

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jena A. Butterfield, Olivia D'Amelio, Gina Gouveia, Phil Hall, Debbi K. Kickham, Doug Paulding, Jennifer Pitman, Giovanni Roselli, Bob Rozycki, Gregg Shapiro, Barbara Barton Sloane, Jeremy Wayne, Cami Weinstein, Katie Banser-Whittle

PRINT/DIGITAL SALES Gina Fusco SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS gfusco@westfairinc.com

Anne Jordan Duffy ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/SALES anne@westfairinc.com

Lisa Cash, Barbara Hanlon, Marcia Pflug ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

MARKETING/EVENTS Olivia D'Amelio EVENTS COORDINATOR odamelio@westfairinc.com

Marcia Pflug PROMOTIONS/SPONSORS DIRECTOR mpflug@wfpromote.com

CIRCULATION Brianne Smith CIRCULATION SALES bsmith@westfairinc.com

Sylvia Sikoutris CIRCULATION MANAGER sylvia@westfairinc.com Robin Costello ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER rcostello@westfairinc.com

WHAT IS WAG?

Billy Losapio ADVISER

Irene Corsaro ADVISER

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

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All news, comments, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations in WAG are those of the authors and do not constitute opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations of the publication, its publisher and its editorial staff. No portion of WAG may be reproduced without permission.WAG is distributed at select locations, mailed directly and is available at $24 a year for home or office delivery. To subscribe, call 914-694-3600, ext. 3020. All advertising inquiries should be directed to 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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OCTOBER 2019

5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION REBORN

A journey through 5,000 years

SHEN YUN presents an epic production that expands the theatrical experience across time and space. We invite you on an inspiring journey into one of humanity's greatest treasures—five millennia of Chinese civilization.

Featuring one of the world’s oldest art forms— classical Chinese dance—along with patented interactive backdrops and all-original orchestral compositions, Shen Yun brings to life ancient China’s enchanting beauty and profound wisdom.

“It is breathtaking! I am walking away deeply inspired and profoundly moved!”

—Rita Cosby, Emmy Award-winning journalist

“The energy, the precision, the beauty...

I’m just overwhelmed. It’s so beautiful!”

—John Anthony, retired judge

“

I’ve reviewed about 4,000 shows.

None can compare to what I saw tonight.”

—Richard Connema, theater critic

MAR 4–15 LINCOLN CENTER ShenYun.com/NY 2020 David H. Koch Theater 888.907.4697

DEC 20–22, 2019 SUNY Purchase DEC 25–27, 2019 Stamford, CT APR 23–29 Newark, NJ

WAGGERS

T H E TA L E N T B E H I N D O U R PA G E S

JENA A. BUTTERFIELD

ROBIN COSTELLO

OLIVIA D'AMELIO

GINA GOUVEIA

PHIL HALL

DEBBI K. KICKHAM

DOUG PAULDING

JENNIFER PITMAN

JOHN RIZZO

GIOVANNI ROSELLI

GREGG SHAPIRO

GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

COVER STORY: MARY SHUSTACK, PAGE 72

NEW WAGGER FATIME MURIQI joined Westfair Communications Inc. this past August as social media and digital marketing director. In 2016, Fatime graduated from the University of Rhode Island, where she received her B.A. in communication studies and a B.A. in art. After doing digital marketing for the Stamford Jewish Community Center for the past few years, Fatime discovered a passion for social media. She also loves all things beauty and fashion-related and enjoys makeup artistry as a hobby.

OOPS In our story on Andrew Cain, regional executive chef for dining services at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow and Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco (September WAG, Page 120), we misstated a number of facts. Cain never worked at Per Se in Manhattan but rather at The French Laundry in Yountville, California. Northwell has hospitals only in Westchester County, Manhattan, Staten Island and Long island.

Northwell purchases the most antibiotic and hormone free chicken from Purdue on the East Coast. Our apologies to the chef.

BARBARA BARTON SLOANE

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OCTOBER 2019

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EDITOR’S LETTER

BY GEORGET TE GOUVEIA

OUR ANNUAL ARTS ISSUE SAYS IT WITH MUSIC AS MANY OF OUR STORIES CONSIDER THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES AND HISTORY. That’s literally the case with “Caramoor at the Burns: Movies Musicians Love” — a collaboration between two of our cultural powerhouses, the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville and the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, in which Caramoor musicians selected movies based on their soundtracks for a Burns film series. Lost-to-time pieces are the underpinning of “Music of the Gilded Age in the Hudson Valley,” a sabbatical project by Dutchess Community College associate professor Christopher Brellochs (Mary’s story); “Six,” the upcoming Broadway musical about the half-dozen wives of Henry VIII; and Ballet des Amériques, a Port Chester-based troupe that mixes the sights and sounds of the Old World and the New. There’s plenty of art in our “Artistic Fascinations” issue — “Sparkling Amazons: Abstract Expressionist Women of the 9th St. Show” at the Katonah Museum of Art (see our opening essay); “J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors From Tate” at the Mystic Seaport Museum (Phil’s story); and profiles of Cybele Maylone (Phil again) and Robert Wolterstorff, executive directors of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield and Bruce Museum in Greenwich respectively.

Barbara visits the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts as part of her Tennessee tour. Mary talks with fiber and metal artist Karen Madden, who shares the Rock and A Soft Place Studio in Poughquag with husband Bob, a stone sculptor we profiled exactly one year ago.

But we’re sure you’ll agree that there are few more unusual artists than cover subject Meghan Spiro, a Hudson Valley food stylist/photographer by day who has transformed her harrowing firsthand experience with domestic violence into arresting photo-based works of art that dare you to look away.

As usual, we expand the transformative power of art to embrace other disciplines. There’s the art of food (Jeremy’s profiles of Kelly Dantas of Chocoylatte in Cos Cob, Navjot Arora of Sambal Thai & Malay restaurant in Irvington and Port Chester coffee roaster Jason Richter; Olivia’s conversation with Krystina Murawski, founder of Noomi gourmet peanut butter in Mamaroneck.) The art of home design (Mary’s take on Nordic-flavored studio Eleish van Breems, which now has a retail shop in its hometown of Westport). The art of fashion (a gorgeous new Thames & Hudson book on controversial couturier John Galliano that by its very omission begs the question: Can we separate artistic work from an artist’s personal flaws?) The art of breeding puppies (Robin’s Pet Portrait of John and Denise Jacobus of Ideuma Creek Farm in Unadilla, New York, who raise Australian Labradoodles.)

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Good old Renoir. Like Peter-Paul Rubens, he always makes you feel good about your figure. Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “The Large Bathers” (1884-87), oil on canvas. Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The art of conversation (Gregg’s Q and A with comedy writer and Katonah native Ben Mandelker, who turned talking with fellow funny man and friend Ronnie Karam about cable reality shows into the trending podcast and performance tour “Watch What Crappens.”) (Only in America, folks, only in America.)

Each month we have a conversation with you in our WAG Wit question of the month. This one, from Bob — Would you pose nude for an artist? — was a particular challenge for some of you shy guys, who demurred. It’s a question that I myself don’t mind answering. I would’ve been happy to pose au naturel but only for the Impressionists in the 19th century as I think they alone would’ve been able to capture my, ahem, Renoir-like essence.

A 2018 Folio Women in Media Award Winner, Georgette Gouveia is the author of the “The Penalty for Holding” (reissued Sept. 25 by JMS Books), a 2018 Lambda Literary Award finalist, 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 at thegamesmenplay.com. On Oct. 30, JMS Books publishes her psychological thriller “Burying the Dead.” Her revised and expanded “Daimon: A Novel of Alexander the Great” will also be published by JMS in November.

MORE THAN TRAUMA CARE. TRIATHLETE CARE.

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WHAT'S TRENDING

WA G S P O T L I G H T S T H E N E W A N D N O T E W O R T H Y

RAVISHING RODINS

The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM) presents the sensuous “Rodin: Truth, Form, Life/Selections From the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collections” — the first major Fairfield County exhibit on one of history’s greatest sculptors — through Dec. 21 in the museum’s Walsh Gallery, Quick Center for the Arts. For more, visit fairfield.edu/museum.

Auguste Rodin’s “Narcisse” (modeled about 1882, enlarged and retitled 1890, 8/8 bronze cast by the Godard Foundry). Musée Rodin. Lent by the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.

COMING INTO ‘PORT’ Just in time for the holiday season, the Fladgate Partnership, a holding company for Port wines and tourism, is releasing the 2017 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port ($119.99), Fonseca Vintage Port ($119.99) and Croft Vintage Port ($99.99). Pair these with hard cheeses for a sweet-savory appetizer or to complement berries and chocolate desserts. For more, visit fladgatepartnership.com.

Photograph courtesy Fladgate Partnership.

ART FOR THE HOME Did the capsule collection of artist Hunt Slonem’s summer goods whet your appetite? If so, the wait’s over as the Fall 2019 Collection of home goods and accessories featuring Slonem’s Neo-Expressionist paintings of nature-inspired subjects launches this month at Bergdorf Goodman. Expect more of the New York-based (with ties to the Hudson Valley) artist’s trademark bunny, finch and butterfly motifs to enliven bedding, home accessories and tableware. For more, visit hopup.shop.

Courtesy The Hunt Slonem Collection.

EXPRESS YOURSELF “Ernst Ludwig Kirchner,” a major overview of the leading artist of German Expressionism, opens Oct. 3 at Neue Galerie New York. On view through Jan. 13, the exhibition will offer the chance to savor his revolutionary style, to be followed, perhaps, by a decadent pastry in the museum’s evocative Café Sabarsky. For more, visit neuegalerie.org.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s“The Russian Dancer Mela” (1911), oil on canvas. Private Collection. Courtesy Neue Galerie New York.

– Georgette Gouveia and Mary Shustack

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THE ‘A’ WORD

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

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SUCH IS THE POWER OF A CERTAIN TECH/RETAIL BEHEMOTH THAT WHEN YOU GOOGLE “AMAZON,” THE SEATTLE-BASED MULTINATIONAL POPS UP.

Aerial view of the Amazon Rainforest — near Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas – the inspiration for “A River Runs Through It” at the Greenwich Arts Council. Photograph by Neil Palmer (CIAT).

But founding CEO and President Jeff Bezos named his company after the Amazon River, thinking the world’s largest river a fitting omen in 1994 for what would become the world’s biggest bookstore. The river in turn was named by 16th-century conquistador Francisco de Orellana, whose expedition was attacked by the Tapuyas tribe of bare-breasted women warriors (perhaps merely long-haired men in grass skirts) that conjured for him the Amazons of ancient Greek myth.

Now “Amazon” — as in the river that snakes through South America and the idea of bold women — is having a moment in our area, spotlighting a word and a concept, powerful females.

Through Oct. 3, the Greenwich Arts Council presents “A River Runs Through It: A Tribute to the Colors and Vitality of the Amazon River,” a show of paintings and sculptures by local artists celebrating the 2.6 millionsquare-mile area that is home to 30 million people and hundreds of thousands of species of flora and fauna, including 7,000 species of butterflies and 5,600 species of freshwater fish. The exhibit, mounted in part to commemorate Amazon Day (Sept. 5), the founding of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, arrived at a poignantly telling moment, with world leaders playing the blame game as the Amazon rainforest, which supplies 20 percent of Earth’s oxygen, was burning.

“The Greenwich Arts Council wanted to draw attention to the area and highlight awareness of its environmental challenges in a show whose art has been inspired by the region,” says Sarah Balcombe, the council’s assistant curator.

Three days after this exhibition closes, the Katonah Museum of Art opens an exhibit that plumbs a seminal movement and group of women artists who helped make New York the capital of the art world in the

postwar era. “Sparkling Amazons: Abstract Expressionist Women of the 9th St. Show” (Oct. 6-Jan. 26) features the works of Elaine de Kooning; Perle Fine; Helen Frankenthaler, who lived in Darien; Grace Hartigan; Guitou Knoop; Lee Krasner, subject of a recent London retrospective; Joan Mitchell; Anne Ryan; Sonia Sekula; Day Schnabel; and Jean Steubing — the 11 women who exhibited their vibrantly colored and shaped paintings as part of the landmark 1951 exhibit of more than 60 artists.

“It was one of the most important avant-garde shows,” says Michael Gitlitz, the Katonah Museum’s executive director, “the equal in effect of the first Impressionist show (1874) and the 1913 Armory Show,” which woke America up to Modernism. He adds that the museum sees a link between this exhibit and its own “sparkling amazons” — the women who have helped guide the museum from its foundation as the Katonah Gallery on the top floor of the Katonah Village Library in 1954, including gallery creator Inge Brouard Brown, former Katonah Museum board President Betty Himmel and former KMA education director Yvonne Pollack.

But why call the show “Sparkling Amazons”? Michele Wije, the KMA’s associate curator, says it refers to an observation by critic Thomas Hess, an editor of Art News in the 1950s. Writing of Elaine de Kooning’s portraits in 1975, Hess observed that she “was one of the sparkling ‘Amazons,’ who emerged in the flowering of American painting after World War II and into the 1950s, along with Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell … Grace Hartigan and many others.”

“We ourselves have grappled with the question of whether his meaning might’ve been paternalistic and chauvinistic,” Gitlitz adds. “We concluded that it was meant to represent the spirit of these bold women.”

Indeed, such is the loaded nature of the

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Lee Krasner’s “The Seasons” (1957), oil and house paint on canvas, Whitney Museum of American Art, is part of the Katonah Museum of Art’s new “Sparkling Amazons” exhibit, which considers the female Abstract Expressionists who participated in the landmark 1951 “9th St. Show.” © The Pollock-Krasner Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

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term “Amazon,” which has at times been synonymous with the word “virago,” meaning a woman of masculine strength and/or heroism, a female warrior, but also one of domineering, violent temper. (In the early-20th century, the most militant suffragists were referred to in the media as “Amazons.”)

The early Greeks — who transformed them into a mythic matriarchal tribe after the Scythian and Sarmatian horsewomen who fought and hunted alongside their men — couldn’t resist romanticizing and eroticizing him. The mythic Amazons only engaged with men in warfare or procreation, giving the men any male children they bore, keeping only the female. They cauterized their right breasts to make their right arms strong and free for battle. (The word “Amazon” comes from the Greek meaning “without a breast.”) But in artwork, the right breast or both were simply bared, while in stories they tangled with the Greeks’ greatest heroes — becoming a fatal attraction for Achilles, (Queen Penthesilea), seeking a child with Alexander the Great (Queen Thalestris), helping Hercules with his ninth labor and even (heaven forbid) marrying the two-timing Theseus, (Queen Hippolyta).

The idea, though, of a society of women

who could tame men — and yet might still themselves be tamed — added an erotic charge to the Nazis’ “Night of the Amazons,” propagandistic events of the late 1930s featuring topless female performers, and American B-movies of the 1940s and ’50s, including “Tarzan and the Amazons.”

But the advent of the cult classic “Xena: Warrior Princess” (1995-2001) and the LGBTQ+ movement, along with such scholarly works as Adrienne Mayor’s “The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World” (Princeton University Press, 2015), reclaimed the idea of the Amazons as strong, skilled, independent women.

This was central to the 2017 movie “Wonder Woman,” a critical and financial success that made Israeli actress Gal Gadot a breakout star even as its women-only screenings proved a controversial marketing ploy.

Now thanks to the KMA exhibit, celebrating a group whose members saw themselves as artists rather than women artists, the Amazons — who gave their name to a river and, indirectly, a corporate giant — sparkle anew.

“Sparkling Amazons” is accompanied by a catalog made possible by The Pollock-Krasner Foundation. For more, visit katonahmuseum.org.

38TH ANNUAL

OUTDOOR ARTS FESTIVAL

Bruce Peeso Monson, MA Oil Hiroshi Nakayama Worthington, MA Ceramic sculpture Audrey Klotz Weston, CT Oil

October 5 – 6, 2019 10 am to 5 pm

Original contemporary fine art, children’s art activities, and delicious food Admission $10 (includes Museum entry) Museum members and children under 5 free I–95, Exit 3, or Metro North RR, Greenwich Station 203 869 0376 | www.brucemuseum.org

BRUCE MUSEUM 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, Connecticut OCTOBER 2019

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TIME OF RENEWAL

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROZYCKI 20

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WHEN ROBERT WOLTERSTORFF WAS 11, HIS FATHER — THE EMINENT PHILOSOPHER AND THEOLOGIAN NICHOLAS WOLTERSTORFF — TOOK THE FAMILY ON A CAR TRIP OF EUROPE, INCLUDING ITS GREAT ART MUSEUMS. YOUNG ROBERT HATED THE MUSEUMS.

Robert Wolterstorff with a model of what the Bruce Museum will look like following renovations.

Indeed, for a time it looked as if the natural world would claim him. He earned a degree in biology from Calvin College, his father’s alma mater in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he grew up. But the younger Wolterstorff was always a big-picture kind of guy, not one likely to succumb to the minutiae of lab work. And in his first year of college, he began to develop an interest in art history that led him to a master’s degree from Williams College, where he specialized in 19th- and 20th-century European and American art, and a master’s of fine arts and doctorate from Princeton University, where he did his dissertation on Robert Adam, the 18th-century Scottish neoclassical architect.

But before you say that science’s loss was art’s gain, think again. Wolterstorff — who succeeded Peter C. Sutton as the Susan E. Lynch executive director and CEO of Greenwich’s Bruce Museum in June — is overseeing a $60 million campaign that will double the size of a museum that has been as much about science and natural history in its 107-year history as it has been about the visual arts.

The campaign for the 70,000-square-foot new Bruce includes $45 million for the design, by Yale School of Architecture graduate Steve Dumez of the New Orleans firm EskewDumezRipple, and construction; along with $15 million to support the museum’s endowment. The museum, which was extensively revamped in 1992, is open during the renovation and expansion, with two renovated galleries scheduled to bow Feb. 1 and construction of the new wing slated to begin in the summer of next year. The new Bruce debuts in the summer of 2022.

“The (museum) is in a unique and interesting situation, in that (Bruce Park) and the building are owned by the town, which requires that we raise the money for construction before we move on to building. We are 80 percent there,” Wolterstorff says, adding that he and the staff have raised one-third of the endowment support.

Looking natty and nautical in navy and white on a late summer’s day, Wolterstorff evokes an approachable college professor as he discusses the Bruce in his office. Make that an approachable architectural history prof. The former director of the Bennington Museum in Vermont, Wolterstorff is also the former director of the Victoria Mansion in Portland, Maine, and the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion in Philadelphia. His passion for museums — not just the objects but the buildings that house them — is clear as he considers a model of the new Bruce and the way it will serve the community as much as the collections.

The plan calls in part for the current building to become the home of permanent and changing science galleries, along with two or three classrooms.

Not only will the museum be able to display its significant collection of Connecticut fossils and create exhibits on such subjects as penguins, but it will double the number of students it can serve, from 26,000 to 50,000. (On Sept.

8, the museum announced it had received a $5 million gift from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation to fund the Education Wing.) The new addition

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A rendering of the museum’s new exterior. Courtesy Bruce Museum.

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— a cast stone and glass affair that will bring in the outside, including a sculpture garden and a courtyard — will house not only the permanent and changing art galleries but a café, lecture hall, lobby and museum store off the main entrance on Museum Drive.

“We can host the community in a way we’ve never been able to do before,” Wolterstorff says.

A grand staircase that rises with a landscape — reimagined by New Haven landscape architect Reed Hilderbrand — sweeps you past the mezzanine’s large conference room, storage and workshop areas, up to the art galleries, which flow into the science galleries.

In the past, Wolterstorff says, “we have had no permanent collections galleries.” He hopes that adding them now, to showcase works that local collectors have generously donated to the museum, will provide the impetus for other collectors to donate, as Greenwich is as

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rich in art collectors, he adds, as New York City.

“I would like this to be a museum about local artists,” he continues, noting that Alexander Calder, Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell and Maurice Sendak are among those who’ve had Connecticut connections. It’s a comment that echoes the trend toward Modern and contemporary artists among collectors and viewers.

And just as Wolterstorff often married art and history at the Bennington Museum, so he would like to explore the relationship of art and science in a deeper way, particularly the science of creativity, at the Bruce.

With his passion for art, architecture and science, Wolterstorff would seem to be the right man for the job of guiding the museum through its next chapter. He offers a modest smile before saying, “I certainly hope so.”

For more, visit brucemuseum.org.

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ON THEIR TOES

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

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CAROLE ALEXIS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CHOREOGRAPHER OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY’S BALLET DES AMÉRIQUES, WAS NOT SURPRISED BY “GOOD MORNING AMERICA” CO-ANCHOR LARA SPENCER MOCKING PRINCE GEORGE FOR TAKING BALLET LESSONS.

Ballet des Amériques performing “Of Flowers and Tears” (“De fleurs et de Pleurs”), which it will present on a mixed bill at the Emelin Theatre Oct. 24. Photograph

by Francis Augustine.

Everyone jumped on Spencer, who immediately apologized. But she was only giving flippant voice to what others think, Alexis says.

“I see this prejudice every day,” she says.

“But do we know enough about (dance)? The lack of knowledge leads to prejudice, and that goes with everything in our society.”

It’s particularly ironic as dance grew out of prehistoric religious rituals led by men. In the Baroque period, France’s Louis XIV consolidated his power at Versailles in part through elaborately costumed balletic spectacles with himself as Apollo, god of the sun, music and truth. (Hence Louis’ nickname, “the Sun King.”) It was another Louis, the legendary New York Yankees first baseman Henry Louis “Lou” Gehrig — a regular attendee of the opera and ballet — who said that dancers make the best athletes. Among elite athletes today, Novak Djokovic, famed for his flexibility, studies ballet, while Serena Williams has married the warrior woman to the tutu.

Still, many in American society see the arts, particularly dance, as feminine, and the feminine as worth less than the masculine. To Alexis, “it’s not just an attack on the boys; it’s an attack on the girls.”

She is trying to change that image with the Port Chester-based company’s “Ballet Is Not Pink” performances and presentations at schools, libraries and community centers.

(She would also like to do some artist residencies at schools but knows that funding for arts education has diminished in this country over the last 50 years.) Nevertheless, Alexis is doing what she can to promote the unity and universality of all the arts in productions like “Nutcracker Dream,” whose two sold-out performances at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck last year will quadruple this December. But before we have visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads, the company will offer an evening of her choreography — including the ballet “Narcissistically,” an apt title for our selfie age — at the Emelin Oct. 24.

Alexis’ belief in the global power of art stems from her days on the island of Martinique in the French West Indies, the child of a French mother and a Martinican father.

“When you’re a child, you imagine what’s in your head (to be real),” she says. At SERMAC, (Service Municipal d’Action Culturelle), the free, government-sponsored performing arts center founded by the poet Aimé Césaire in a beautiful floral park amid colonial buildings in Fort-de-France Bay, Alexis imagined herself as a Japanese girl dancing. “(Dance) represented the idea of all the people of the world,” she said. It introduced her to the universality of dance as well as its relationship to the visual arts (costume and set design), music and theater. It also reinforced the Martinican idea, born of its slave history, “that you can repair the individual through the arts.”

From Martinique, where Alexis was commissioned to create her first major work at age 13 for the Festival Fort-de-France, she made the leap to Dakar, Senegal to study at the Mudra Afrique School founded by UNESCO, Léopold Sédar Senghor and Maurice Béjart (1927-2007).

The controversial Béjart was one of the best-known choreographers of the last century, whose highly theatrical, often eroticized ballets for his Ballet du XXe Siècle (Ballet of the 20th Century) both fascinated and repelled.

In perhaps his best-known work, “Boléro,” set to Maurice Ravel’s score of the same name, a woman dances on a tabletop for a group of men, who join her and the dance in the work’s climax. A 1983 performance at Manhattan’s City Center Theater, however, featured Béjart muse Jorge Donn on the tabletop in a homoerotic interpretation that left women in the audience cheering and their male companions speechless.

“Béjart was a very strong personality,” says Alexis, whose company will perform her version of “Boléro” at the Emelin Oct. 24, “extremely generous in a way and absolutely sincere, which I love in people. He was very

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Isodale Alexis of Ballet des Amériques.

Photograph by Alwin Courcy.

well-educated and had an extraordinary eye.”

From Béjart, Alexis learned that performing is never separated from training. And that’s why when she decided to come to New York — after dancing with various troupes in Paris — she knew it would be to found a conservatory and a company in the European tradition that would nonetheless draw on her Afro-Caribbean training.

Today the eight-year-old Ballet des Amériques has 30 students and 12 dancers. Alexis will come full circle with the company in February when she takes it on tour to her native Martinique. But whether on the Caribbean Sea or the Long Island Sound, she wants dancers and their audiences to experience the breadth of the art form.

“When you are a dancer, you have to

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be open to whatever dance is great,” she says of an art that has embraced everything from ballet to modern to tap, jazz, Latin, ballroom, Broadway and hip-hop.

And you have to be open to all kinds of people.

“In Béjart’s audiences, you’d find everyone there,” she remembers. “That’s the way dance should be.”

Ballet des Amériques performs an “Evening of Dance in Westchester” at the Emelin Theatre Oct. 24 and “Nutcracker Dream” there Dec. 15, 21, 22 and 28. After its Martinique tour (Feb. 3 through 8), the company returns to the United States for an “Evening of Dance in Port Chester” Feb. 29 and an “Evening of Dance in Westchester” at the Emelin March 19. The company closes out its Emelin season June 13 and 14. For more, visit bdaconservatory.com.

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WOMEN ON THE VERGE

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA 28

WAGMAG.COM

OCTOBER 2019

DIVORCED. BEHEADED. DIED. DIVORCED. BEHEADED. SURVIVED … TO LAND ON BROADWAY. In life, the six wives of Henry VIII may have been controlled by their narcissistic hubby.

In death, however, they’ve transcended him.

Think about it: Movies (“The Other Boleyn Girl,”) miniseries (“The Spanish Princess”), novels (notably by Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir), documentaries and biographies (including David Starkey’s juicy “The Six Wives of Henry VIII”): These women are a veritable cottage industry.

Now they’re also a Broadway-bound musical. Slated to begin previews fittingly on Feb. 13, Valentine’s Day eve, “Six” is a case of Tudor drama meets “America’s Got Talent” as each of the ladies vies to make hers the most tragic wife’s tale and thus become leader of the band.

The show — a smash in London’s West End and Chicago that just concluded a run at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts — was created by a pair of then-Cambridge University undergraduates (Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss) in 2017.

They not only wanted to pay homage to the wives but to female singers they admired like Adele, Arianna Grande, Beyoncé and Rihanna. Or as Moss put it, “We wanted to write loads of meaty, funny parts for women.”

They’re backed by an all-female band called Ladies in Waiting.

What is it about the wives? Why have they thrived to become “live in consort,” as the musical proclaims, when other consorts have withered like two-week-old roses? Well, there’s the sheer symmetry of their fates, encapsulated by the old rhyme, and with it an archetypal quality to each of the women:

Catherine paid dearly for her resoluteness with public humiliation and separation from Mary. But she never lost her religion — or her love for her husband.

1. Divorced — Catherine of Aragon (14851536; queen 1509-33) — the ultimate first wife. The daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain (and teenage widow of Henry’s older brother, Arthur), Catherine was a smart, capable consort (and regent when she had to be) who refused to compromise her Roman Catholic faith and the legitimacy of her only surviving child with Henry, Mary, by agreeing to a divorce so Henry could marry Anne Boleyn and father a male heir.

4. Divorced — Anne of Cleves (1515-57, queen, Jan. 6-July 9, 1540) — the real survivor. Henry is said to have been disappointed that her appearance in no way measured up to Hans Holbein the Younger’s sumptuous circa 1539 portrait of her and so, never consummated the quickie marriage. But whatever Anne lacked in looks, she made up for in brains and temperament. Sensing the way the winds of le divorce were blowing, Anne affably positioned herself as “beloved sister” to the king. In return,

2. Beheaded — Anne Boleyn (1501-36, queen 1533-36) — the witch. Possessed of a fiery wit that was tempered by the French court, the beguiling Anne was a Rules Girl who never understood, historian Starkey told us, that what’s enticing in a demanding, play-hard-toget mistress soon becomes tiresome in a wife.

This doomed her, along with her inability to produce a viable male heir — even though we know today that men, not women, determine the sex of the child. She was falsely accused of adultery and sent to the chopping block, where her magnificent courage could almost make you forget what a wicked stepmother she was to Mary. Ironically, Anne’s surviving child with Henry, Elizabeth, would become arguably England’s greatest ruler to date.

3. Died — Jane Seymour (1508-37, queen 1536-37) — the good girl. Jane is often viewed as a mouse, coming after the dazzling and exhausting Anne. You imagine Henry wanted a break from the drama. And Jane supplied it, adopting a she-stoops-to-conquer approach to her volatile spouse that brought the delegitimized Mary and Elizabeth back into the fold.

She gave Henry the longed-for, albeit shortlived male successor, Edward VI, and was rewarded by being the only one of the wives to be granted a queen’s funeral. She is also the wife Henry chose to be buried beside, a dubious honor at best.

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she got money, palaces, dresses, a position of prominence and an opportunity to bond with her stepchildren, of whom she was genuinely fond. She was the last of the wives to die.

5. Beheaded — Catherine Howard (152342, queen, 1540-41) — the tragic trophy bride.

Historian Starkey described her to us as “a chorus girl.” And there was something of the party girl about Catherine, Anne Boleyn’s first cousin, who grew up in the louche household of her father’s stepmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, where girls were not above admitting men to their bedchambers at night in exchange for foodstuffs and other gifts. But the lively, musical Catherine was both too young — and too simple-minded — for informed consent and was repeatedly abused in this atmosphere. Ultimately, her “past” caught up with her and she was executed for betraying the king with her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, but not before she poignantly practiced laying her head on the block so she would not falter on the way to an early grave.

tentment to Henry’s endgame — continuing her friendship with his daughter Mary and supervising the education of Elizabeth and Edward, all while authoring two religious books.

Her story would seem to give the wives’ rhyme a certain asymmetry, but Catherine would not long outlive Henry. Her fourth marriage — to Jane Seymour’s brother Thomas — would prove her undoing as it sparked an overly familiar relationship between Thomas and Elizabeth and ended in Catherine dying from complications of childbirth. Just like her would be sister-in-law Jane, she, too, died, completing the circle.

As their stories demonstrate, these women were more than arm candy. To endure, they had to rely on all of their skills, sometimes seeming to be less than they were.

Which makes their collective story ripe for a “Hamilton” treatment in the #MeToo era. As the women sing: “We’re one of a kind No category Too many years Lost in his story We’re free to take Our crowning glory”

As their stories demonstrate, these women were more than arm candy. To endure, they had to rely on all of their skills, sometimes seeming to be less than they were.

6. Survived — Catherine Parr (1512-48, queen of England and Ireland, 1543-47) — the caretaker. Cultivated, bookish and twice widowed, Catherine brought peace and con-

You go, girls.

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THE SOUND OF MOVIES

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

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HEARD ANY GOOD MOVIES LATELY?

“Alexander Nevsky” is among the films being shown at the Jacob Burns Film Center as part of “Caramoor at the Burns: Movies Musicians Love.” Courtesy Janus Films.

“We tend to think that film is essentially visual, but often music is the beating heart, the invisible place where the emotional life of a film happens,” Brian Ackerman, programming director at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, has said. “And movies are now at the very center of the musical world, the place where some of the most interesting and innovative music is finding a home.”

So it’s fitting that the Burns should team with the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah for the new series “Caramoor at the Burns: Movies Musicians Love.”

“We’ve been talking with Caramoor a long time about something we could do together,” Ackerman says. “Everybody loves movies. Everybody loves music. It seems to me a natural pairing to combine our worlds.”

“Instead of one of us picking out films that we like, we went to artists of prominence (associated with Caramoor) to pick out films that spoke to them,” says Kathy Schuman, vice president, artistic programming and executive producer at Caramoor.

“I was surprised at the range they came up with,” Ackerman adds.

It’s not surprising, however, that the series began in September with a film about a musician. “Black Orpheus” (1959) transports the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the teeming favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

“There is no story more rooted in the power of music than that of Orpheus and his lost love, Eurydice, for it is the power of Orpheus’ lyre — not his heroism — that brings Eurydice back from the dead,” John Largess, violist of the Miró Quartet, says of his selection, which has haunted him since he first saw it as a teenage music student in the 1980s. “Music’s power to go beyond death is only highlighted more by Orpheus’ human weakness, which in a fateful forbidden glance loses Eurydice tragically the second time.”

That unrequited longing is captured by Luiz Bonfá and Antônio Carlos Jobim’s samba-heavy score, whose main theme became the hit song “A Day in the Life of a Fool,” recorded by such singers as Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte and Vikki Carr.

October’s deliciously daffy entry also updates Greek mythology, Homer’s “The Odyssey,” to the New World in another tale of musicians, this time mixed up with con artists in Depression-era Mississippi. “‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’” (2000) was a pivotal movie for so many in the folk/bluegrass music world,” says Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz, who selected the film. “For me, personally, it happened to be released almost a few days shy of when I received my first mandolin for Christmas (as a 9-year-old).”

Pianist Daniil Trifonov is Russian to his core, Schuman says. So it’s no surprise that he would select for November’s entry the stirring “Alexander Nevsky” (1938), about a medieval Russian prince fending off an invasion. Created on the eve

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of World War II, the film was a true collaboration between director Sergei Eisenstein and composer Sergei Prokofiev. “‘Alexander Nevsky’ is one of the staples in early film ventures that placed video and music synchronization at its core,” Trifonov says. “And not just any music but a score by Prokofiev that he would later publish as an independent cantata of the same name. While it is extremely rare for a film’s music to find a place in standard repertoire, this is such a case, and one can instantly hear the vivid and picture-painting nature of the music originating at its roots with the film.”

(A 10-minute film of the Grammy Award winner performing the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor will precede the screening.)

Tony Award-winning Broadway conductor Ted Sperling, no stranger to this area with the Westchester Philharmonic’s “Winter Pops” concert, weighs in with December’s zany “The Triplets of Belleville” (2003), an animated comedy about an elderly woman, her grandson, his dog, a female trio, some mobsters and the Tour de France.

“I remember vividly seeing ‘The Triplets of Belleville’ in the movie theater, soon after it was released in the U.S.,” Sperling says. “I was struck with how little dialogue there was and how much of the story was told through music, and what fun music it is. The title characters were performers in French vaudeville, so there’s a jazzy, Gallic tinge to all the music, which I find irresistible.”

Other films in the pipeline for next year include the Oscar-winning “Amadeus” (1984), based on Peter Shaffer’s play about composer Antonio Salieri’s rivalry with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; “From Mao to Mozart,” documenting violin virtuoso Isaac Stern’s 1979 tour of China; “Koyaanisqatsi” (1983), a documentary about man’s disharmonious relationship with nature, featuring a Philip Glass score; and “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964), a Michel Legrand-scored musical drama, in which all the dialogue is sung, about missed opportunities and second chances.

It’s a chance, too, for filmgoers to reencounter these films through their music, Ackerman says, and join a growing trend. Thanks to Spotify and YouTube, he adds, “People listen to scores in a way they didn’t when we were growing up.”

Selections from “Caramoor at the Burns: Movies Musicians Love” are presented at 2 and 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. For more, visit burnsfilmcenter.org/film.

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Selections for “Caramoor at the Burns: Movies Musicians Love” include from top “Black Orpheus,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “The Triplets of Belleville.” Courtesy Janus Films, Buena Vista Pictures and Sony Pictures Classics respectively.

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IN TUNE WITH HISTORY

BY MARY SHUSTACK 36

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IMAGINE THE SCENE – A ROOM FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE LISTENED TO LECTURE AFTER LECTURE AT THE FOURTH ANNUAL “MANSIONS OF THE GILDED AGE” SYMPOSIUM.

Christopher Brellochs and his saxophone at Olana State Historic Site in Hudson.

Photograph by Wade Nobile.

It was nearing the end of an informative — if quite long — Sunday at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown this past April.

With thoughts already turning to the drive home and the week ahead, there might have been, shall we say, the temptation to skip the last offering, “Music of the Gilded Age.” That would have been a mistake.

For Christopher Brellochs, a Hudson Valley musician and academic, would take that final time slot and cap the seminar in style by sharing the adventures of his sabbatical exploring “Music of the Gilded Age in the Hudson Valley.”

As Brellochs told us, he had moved to the region some 12 years ago to join the staff of SUNY Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, where he is an associate professor and the Academy of Music chair. He began exploring the historic homes and sites of his new region.

“I fell in love with the beauty of these houses and the beauty of these landscapes,” he said.

But, he would tour countless parlors and music rooms without a sound to be heard, making it “very easy for it to slip into ‘sterile museum’” mode.

This classical and jazz saxophonist wanted to know what would have filled the air back in the day, what music would have been played for guests after dinner or to fill a leisurely afternoon.

That intense curiosity sparked a sabbatical for the 2018-19 academic year that was keeping Brellochs not only delving into the rare-book collections at Princeton University and the New York Public Library but also boxes and folders of original handwritten music and letters sourced throughout the region to learn the history of the time and the people of the Gilded Age — and then taking the compositions he uncovered and creating programs to perform the music within these historic properties.

His fervor was palpable — “I’m calling myself ‘the Indiana Jones of musical research,’” he said, to resounding laughter — and his enthusiasm contagious.

Brellochs emphasized that while people can certainly hear period music in a concert hall, “It’s a very different experience to hear it in these historic houses … I’m here to rectify this.”

And that he did, joined by pianist Cynthia

Peterson, in musical interludes that brought his points to life — and provided a most memorable finale to the symposium held within the Lyndhurst Carriage House.

A TIME TO REFLECT Fast forward a few months, when WAG is catching up with Brellochs in his DCC office on a late afternoon early in the new school year.

As he shares with a laugh, “My sabbatical is officially over — but they can’t stop me.”

With piano notes giving way to emotive singing in the background — his office is, of course, within the Academy of Music — Brellochs reflects on the year he spent, what he discovered and why it’s a project he’s not about to abandon.

At the start, the task seemed overwhelming, if exciting.

That period in history, he says, is rich in music with both late-19th century European and American composers.

“What’s not so popular is the research into this time period,” he adds. “You don’t have a lot of scholarly research on the Gilded Age, 1860 to 1910, American music.”

He says there is often a focus on the downside of the Gilded Age, the “income inequality, robber barons, labor practices.”

His work, he says, helps put the focus on the contributions of the Gilded Age, a time of possibility.

“I think we can separate. We can get rid of the guilt. We as a culture are looking for that hope.”

To tackle such a broad subject, Brellochs made a plan.

“I did set out parameters … in order not to be overwhelmed,” he says. These included identifying a location or family to study “and any composers I found with any connection with that family.”

But it went beyond that.

“For a musician, you spend a lot of time figuring out what pieces you want to put on a program,” Brellochs says. Then, he says there is the gathering of fellow musicians, rehearsals and more. “After you’ve done all that work, you want to take that program to as many places as you can. I didn’t do that … I made my job one step harder.”

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He would tailor performances to each site, sharing the results of his findings.

Three composers who particularly captivated Brellochs with their music are British-born New Yorker Caryl Florio (1843-1920) and Ulysses J. Alsdorf (1872-1952) and William Fullerton Jr. (1854-1888), both of whom had ties to Newburgh in Orange County.

Throughout the project, the Gilded Age music he discovered — which he describes as one that “embraced composers from Europe, was influenced by American styles like marches and later on ragtime and preceded the birth of jazz” — kept Brellochs going.

“I’d like to get that stuff published,” he says.

“I’d like to bring it back.”

Not all of it, though.

He says part of his job is to “use my experience in music and education” and “look at these pieces and say ‘This one really stood the test of time.’”

EARLY DAYS Brellochs, who did his undergraduate work at Ithaca College and earned a doctorate at Rutgers University, was a full-time performer in New York City, playing in jazz clubs such as Birdland and at Carnegie Hall.

He says he was making enough for “food and rent” but not health insurance, so when a back injury hit, he began to consider other options “Teaching just fell in my lap,” he says of a move that would find him teaching in the public schools in suburban New Jersey. “I ended up really enjoying teaching.”

It was the start of a new path. He would continue to perform, locally and internationally, but devoted his full-time attention to academics, which brought him to the Hudson Valley.

“It absolutely keeps me on my toes to be in the classroom,” says Brellochs, no doubt a popular figure who has been known to reference Dvorak or Tchaikovsky one moment, Beyoncé at another.

THE EFFECT Brellochs has presented work, performances and lectures at historic destinations throughout the region, including The Crawford House in Newburgh, Boscobel House and Gardens in Garrison, Montgomery Place in Red Hook and Olana State Historic Site in Hudson, where he interspersed a landscape walking tour with music. Many of his performances — plus site tours and interviews — have been documented in a video series that he is developing with a filmmaker in hopes of reaching an even-wider audience.

“The goal is to take it to the local PBS (stations),” for consideration, he says. “That’s my dream. That would be fantastic.”

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Christopher Brellochs in performance in Beacon.

Photograph © Ross Corsair.

And he continues to explore another dream — becoming somehow involved with Julian Fellowes’ “The Gilded Age,” the anticipated next step from the writer behind “Downton Abbey.”

All is tied to Brellochs’ evocative way of bringing something “more” to historic surroundings.

Howard Zar, the executive director of Lyndhurst, a National Trust for Historic Preservation site, says he was captivated by Brelloch’s idea to “reintroduce the lost parlor music of the Gilded Age to the mansions of the Hudson Valley” and brought him to Lyndhurst to perform during the 2018 holiday season.

“I think it gave our members the true feeling of what it was like to listen to period chamber music in the setting that it was originally intended for. It’s a very unique experience to be able to be close to a performer and hear their music in the perfect acoustics of a parlor rather than a concert hall. Even for those who aren’t music lovers, per se, this was a unique experience.”

It’s one Brellochs is committed to continuing, noting he’s in talks to work with a few local sites and has an ever-growing wish list that includes Kykuit in Pocantico Hills and Glenview Mansion at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers. Beyond, he’d love to explore the musical history of the Gilded Age in New York City, Long Island’s Gold Coast and Newport, Rhode Island.

“I think the time is right for a renewed interest in the Gilded Age,” he says. “There are lessons that can be learned.”

Brellochs seems to have found a singular way to connect the Gilded Age to today.

“Music is unique in the art forms,” he says. “It reaches right into your soul and can make you feel something.”

Now fully immersed in the school year, Brellochs admits he has less time to focus on the ongoing Gilded Age project — but is far from discouraged.

“You get a sabbatical every seven years — and I’ve already marked it on my calendar.”

For more, visit christopherbrellochs.com.

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“Planet Botticelli,” John Galliano’s Haute Couture Collection, Autumn/Winter 2006-07, featuring Anne Catherine Lacroix and Jessica Stam. From Robert Fairer’s new book “John Galliano for Dior.” © Robert Fairer.

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FASHION’S

BAD BOY

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

FASHION DESIGNER JOHN GALLIANO BEGS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING QUESTIONS FOR LOVERS OF THE ARTS TODAY: CAN YOU SEPARATE THE ARTISTRY FROM AN ARTIST WHO HAS SCANDALIZED THROUGH RACIST OR SEXIST BEHAVIOR? In 2011, just before the debut of his autumn-winter collection at Paris Fashion Week, Galliano was arrested in a bar for an anti-Semitic outburst. (In France, it is illegal to make anti-Semitic remarks.) He was subsequently dropped from Dior, where he had been head designer since 1996.

That incident, resulting trial — in which he was found guilty and received a suspended fine of 6,000 euros, or roughly $6,578 in today’s money — as well as subsequent civil lawsuits are nowhere to be found in “John Galliano for Dior” (Thames & Hudson, Nov. 5, 431 pages, $150). With more than 400 color illustrations by photographer Robert Fairer; a foreword by Hamish Bowles, a preface by André Leon Talley, an introduction by Oriole Cullen, an essay by Ivan Shaw, collection texts by Iain R Webb and creative direction

by Daniel Baer, the sumptuous tome is for the hardcore fashionista and Galliano fan.

Those looking for insight, however, into the character of a man whose edginess has been both his blessing and his curse will have to look elsewhere. It’s like reading a book on the Titanic that omits the iceberg.

For that matter, those looking for insight into his creativity might have to look elsewhere as well. There are lots of stylish words here by experts, but what raises Galliano’s creations to the plane of art eludes them.

They fail to encapsulate a style that built on the romantic, feminine aesthetic conjured

by Christian Dior in the postwar era — the so-called “New Look” — by plumbing the outrageous, decadent and erotic in richly textured, luxuriously patterned and brilliantly colored clothes that reflected a profound love and knowledge of the arts. Think of the sleeveless chartreuse satin Chinoiserie gown — with its deep slits up the sides and floral embroidered embellishments — that Galliano designed for Nicole Kidman for the 1997 Oscars. Galliano had just shown his first collection for Dior, and people still didn’t know what to make of him — or the dress and its fluorescent tennis-ball green hue.

Galliano has always found inspiration in the Far East, as his 2006-07 spring-summer “Madame Butterfly” collection, featured in the book, attests. It included a strapless white, floral print gown with a fitted bodice and bell-shaped skirt wrapped kimono-style in yards of red and green-print fabric that married the Giacomo Puccini opera to the Belle Époque’s late 19th/early 20th century hourglass silhouette. It was a gown worn memorably by Dior spokesmodel-actress Eva Green (“Casino Royale,” “Penny Dreadful”), a French Jew who defended Galliano after his anti-Semitic rant, saying she didn’t think he was racist, just probably drunk. (At

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his trial, his lawyer cited work-related stress and multiple addictions.)

But then, Galliano has always seemed to be his own worst enemy. He was born Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano-Guillén on the British isle of Gibraltar to a plumber, Juan Galliano, and his wife, Anita, a Spanish flamenco teacher who always dressed their only son to the nines. When Galliano was 6, his father moved the family to England in search of work. It couldn’t have been easy for a shy little boy — the child of a strict Roman Catholic family — in 1960s England, and indeed Galliano was bullied in grammar school for his artistic leanings.

Those would pay off at Central Saint Martins, an art college from which he graduated in 1984 with a first-class honors degree in fashion design.

The school has produced a Who’s Who of art and fashion luminaries, including Bowles, Vogue European editor-at-large, who in the book’s foreword remembers Galliano as a young man burning the candle at both ends — working as a dresser at the National Theatre and partying at night, attending class and studying by day. His graduation collection — which channeled the dandified

“There are no normal ways to talk about Galliano. His work provokes an emotional experience that exalts the senses.”

— ­André Leon Talley

“Super Fly Girls,” John Galliano’s Ready-to-Wear Collection, Autumn/Winter 2000-01. From Robert Fairer’s new book “John Galliano for Dior.” © Robert Fairer.

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Incroyables of post-Revolutionary France as a response to the starch of Thatcherism — was such a sensation that it was gobbled up by Browns, which Bowles describes as “London’s most influential fashion store at the time,” and by customers like Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross.

And that should’ve been the beginning of an unbroken trajectory to the top of the Paris fashion world. But qualities are defined by context, which drives perception, not by any inherent goodness or badness. The otherworldliness that fuels an artist is often of little help to the businessman. Galliano’s lack of business savvy and love of the nightlife ultimately found him bankrupt in London. However, a change of fortunes awaited him on the other side of the English Channel.

In Paris, he eventually made his way back, thanks to the patronage of Portuguese socialite São Schlumberger and New York venture capitalist John Bult, engineered by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and André Leon Talley, the White Plains resident who was then Vanity Fair’s European correspondent before becoming Vogue’s American editor-at-large. “That autumn/winter presentation (in March 1994) is now considered by leading experts and fashion historians to have been the show that redefined modern fashion,” Talley writes in the book’s preface.

It was Wintour who would come to the rescue again when after a golden period at LVMH-owned houses Givenchy and Dior, Galliano was tarnished by his racist rant. She brokered an invite from Oscar de la Renta for Galliano to help prepare de la Renta’s fall 2013 ready-to-wear collection for New York Fashion Week. Offstage, a now-chastened Galliano’s efforts at atonement earned the praise of the Anti-Defamation League, and many observers thought he might succeed de la Renta, a Kent, Connecticut, resident who died in 2014.

Instead just weeks before de la Renta’s passing, he joined Maison Martin Margiela (again apparently with Wintour’s blessing as she subsequently wore a Martin Margiela gown to the British Fashion Awards).

Since then the vegetarian has renounced the use of fur in his collections and has designed Martin Margiela’s first fragrance, Mutiny, a tuberose leather whose femininity is said to transcend gender.

“There are no normal ways to talk about Galliano,” Talley writes in the book’s preface. “His work provokes an emotional experience that exalts the senses. Yes, I can imagine you could imagine tasting the looks.... Every sensory perception is built up to sustained moments of sheer wonder….He is able to align such diverse elements of inspiration, coupled with high technique, that it borders on ‘art’ in high fashion.”

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CREATIVE SPARK

BY MARY SHUSTACK PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB ROZYCKI

Karen Madden at work in her Poughquag metal studio.

Karen Madden at work in her 44 WAGMAG.COM OCTOBER Poughquag metal studio, here and on page2019 46.

HAD YOU ASKED KAREN MADDEN OVER THE YEARS WHAT KIND OF ARTIST SHE WAS, THE ANSWER LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN IMMEDIATE AND DEFINITIVE – A FIBER ARTIST. More recently, though, that answer has expanded as the Hudson Valley artist has begun to explore a new medium.

While Madden had been integrating nonfiber materials — think metal, stone or beads — into her fiber work for a long while, she’s now made a decisive turn to explore metal work as a separate avenue.

As she shares with WAG on a late summer afternoon visit, working in metal — which finds her going from an expert in one medium to a novice in another — is providing Madden with a new creative spark.

“I just love to learn new things,” she says. “I’ve got to see how something is done, then figure it out myself… But that’s true with any medium of art still.

You won’t find anybody who can do everything all at once, from the beginning.”

THE BIRTH OF METAL She traces the start of her new adventure to a gift from her husband, Bob Madden, a stone sculptor. It was two years ago that he gave her a birthday present of a welding class for artists.

“Much to Bob’s chagrin, I came back saying, ‘I love this,’” she says with a laugh.

And that’s what finds her now settling into her new studio dedicated to metalwork, an expanded element of the home-based Rock and A Soft Place Studio in Dutchess County’s Poughquag, which Madden formed with her husband in 2007.

If the last name or studio sounds familiar, then you may be thinking of our profile of Bob — Karen’s husband of more than 30 years and partner in Rock and A Soft Place — in which we traced his creation of a commission at a local sculpture park with an October 2018 feature.

The Maddens met when both worked for IBM in East Fishkill. Today, they have turned their focus onto their arts, leaving behind successful careers in the disciplines of science and engineering with both having worked on leading-edge technology and holding U.S. patents for their work.

That background plays right into Karen’s new work in metal, she says.

“It’s got its share of challenges. I’ve got to say I’m looking at people’s metal art online and say, ‘How do I take a piece of metal that comes to me like this, like all that stock there, and bend it?’ I’m strong but

I’m not that strong,” she says, pointing at raw materials in her new studio space.

Madden shares she will search tools online and relies on her background, loving “the idea of trying to figure it out, to solve a problem.”

She’s not the type to sit back but rather dives right in.

“Now I’m here. I’m set up,” she says of the studio’s recent completion. “I’ve begun to create a couple of fun pieces.”

These include her Sun Series and she is already considering commissions, a sign of early support of her new direction.

“I think it’s easier because more people can understand metal, metal art,” she says. “Fiber… people don’t really understand it as art.”

THE TIES THAT BIND But Madden says she sees some common elements.

“This doesn’t feel far from fiber art,” she says of how she works with color in her metal work, from powder coating to integrating agate slices into her sun-inspired pieces.

“It adds another element, so it might be mixed media, mixed media art. But I still call it metal art.”

She says that she continues to explore her art with her husband, each taking a great interest in each other’s work.

“It’s fun to bounce ideas off (each other). That’s what we enjoy a lot,” she says. “It’s a great thing to get input from someone else.”

Madden says she is exploring a whole new world of tools and materials, such as alloys and pure metals.

“I’m working right now with steel,” she says, noting its accessibility makes it a popular choice.

Copper is also familiar as Madden says, “I used to frame a lot of my fiber work in copper tubing.”

Madden sees a thread that runs through all her art; as she says, “That’s my tagline — welding is like knitting with fire.”

Fiber art — which has allowed her to exhibit nationally in both galleries and museums — remains close to her heart.

“I’m not going to give up fiber art. I am not. I love it.”

It is part of her history, as she shares she grew up

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on a farm in New Woodstock in central New York and her family includes seamstresses and upholsterers. She had her own “little sewing machine” as a youngster, was knitting at age 7 — and had a passing familiarity with welding.

ART, ALWAYS Madden has been focusing on her artwork since retiring some 15 years ago.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be able to do this.”

Though maintaining her fiber studio, Madden says these days find her concentrating more on the metalwork, trying to get into the new studio for an hour or two every day.

“I will just come out here, put my work clothes on, play a little bit, practice my welding,” she says. “Unlike with fiber, (metal) is not as forgiving.”

And Madden’s not the only one who sees a future in her new work. Her husband bought her a big lift that anchors one corner of the studio.

“He thinks I’m going to be lifting really big pieces… maybe some day. Now, I’m still learning.”

Karen Madden will be participating in the 2019 ArtEast Open Studio Tour, set for Oct. 19-20 and 26-27. For more, visit arteastdutchess.com. For more on Madden and her work, visit rockandasoftplace.com.

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ARTFUL LIVING

BY MARY SHUSTACK

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THERE’S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR WORKING WITH EXPERTS. They know their fields inside and out, have a wealth of diverse experiences and a broad perspective and, perhaps most important, approach any project with an assured hand.

Make that two assured hands when it comes to Eleish van Breems, a business partnership focused on creating elegant interiors with a Scandinavian influence.

Those hands belong to childhood friends and longtime business partners Rhonda Eleish and Edie van Breems, who today oversee an ever-expanding empire headquartered in the Saugatuck neighborhood of Westport.

It includes their well-established design studio and a newer — and warmly welcoming — retail location around the corner. The latter space is a sophisticated-and-thoughtful reflection of both the approach and aesthetic the owners have honed over two-plus decades in business together, something further explored through the three interior design books they have written (with a few more in the works).

A recent morning visit to Eleish van Breems Home, which opened in December, is part tour, part fact-finding mission — and all about delving into a world of artful living, as Eleish and van Breems share their story in a way that’s as informative as it is downto-earth.

“Edie and I grew up together locally,” says Eleish.

“We met in the fifth grade.”

Each would go on to professional careers — van Breems as a food stylist and commercial photographer, with Eleish working in visual merchandising — before joining forces in the world of antiques and interior design.

Eleish van Breems, we learn, got its start in Litchfield County’s Woodbury as a fine antiques gallery that opened in 1997. Set within a charmed locale — a historic 1760 house and garden — the gallery was a virtual showcase of Scandinavian life, a nod to the shared heritage of the two women whose families were both from Saugatuck.

Its specialties were Gustavian formal and Swedish country finds combined with contemporary Scandinavian accessories, a unique mix that’s become the owners’ trademark.

Early sourcing sent Eleish and van Breems right to Sweden, where family connections, and soon growing professional ones, allowed the business to take off quickly.

“We had entrée into all these great dealers, his-

torians, restorers and then we started marking our own friends,” Eleish says.

Soon, the business would expand to working on interiors and then a line of historically based Swedish furniture, both elements that continue today.

And, adds van Breems, “We started working with some small manufacturers in Sweden — and we still do this today,” with an emphasis on family-owned/operated companies that follow sustainable practices.

Within time, the antiques gallery would close, the pair selling goods online and also out of van Breem’s barn in Fairfield.

“We’re big sharers and storytellers, so for us not to have a space, it was hard,” van Breems says.

Westport seemed the next logical step, and the pair opened Eleish van Breems Design some three years ago, a cozy storefront across from the train station where they continue to meet with clients.

Expansion was in the plans, with the owners jumping at the chance to secure a onetime warehouse/ former granary that offered some 2,000 square feet

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Edie van Breems, left, and Rhonda Eleish of Eleish van Breems.

Photograph by ChiChi Ubiña.

Eleish van Breems Home in Westport, previous page, is a destination for elegant furniture, home goods and gifts with a Scandinavian accent. Photographs

by Neil Landino of Landino Photo.

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“Here are things that we love, that we’ve curated.”

— Rhonda Eleish

of space — just around the corner.

“We love interesting properties that have a soul to them, a history, a patina,” Eleish says.

A gut renovation and custom build led to Eleish van Breems Home, which van Breems adds, is about “more than just furniture.”

A glance around proves that in no uncertain terms, the eye taking it all in, from an array of antiques (most notably a selection of classic Swedish Mora clocks) to wall art, tabletop goods to linens, pottery to lighting, copper kitchenware to mirrors, pillows to candles, rugs (including those made with recycled plastics) to jewelry, books, tea and more.

WAG is even treated to a sneak peek of a signature line of leather goods, with Eleish van Breems working with a longtime private collaborator who’s also Sweden’s royal purveyor of leather (and the maker of the cases that hold The Nobel Prize).

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“We’re constantly looking and developing,” says Eleish of travels near and far that build such relationships.

It all shows, too, in the way the shop is arranged, vignettes that constantly change but share a cohesive sensibility.

And there’s always room for fun, as evidenced by the work of Stockholm-based artist Charlotte Nicolin, who specializes in quirky animal portraits.

Here, in the dining-themed area of the shop, the personality-driven depictions of rabbits and pigs, cows and more are sported on everything from best-selling trays to plates.

A nearby children’s room includes re-imagined carriage cushions with playful animal themes, as well.

Throughout, there is a vibrancy.

“We love color,” van Breems says. “I think so many people think Scandinavian is no color, but it’s not.”

What it also is about is the mixing of old and new, again shown here by design.

“That’s how they live in Scandinavia. You keep the old things,” van Breems says, showcasing, for example, a heirloom dining table with contemporary tabletop goods.

Here, too, you can certainly find investment pieces but also distinctive gifts and well-crafted accents, such as $60 wooden candlesticks.

As Eleish says, it’s all about a “clean, elegant, lessis-more” appeal where good design is key, something they think their interior-design clients and casual shoppers equally appreciate.

“Here are things that we love, that we’ve curated,” Eleish says, noting twice-yearly trips to Sweden will keep that flow going.

“We have a ton of stuff coming in for Christmas and holiday.”

Eleish van Breems Home is at 99 Franklin St. and Eleish van Breems Design is at 22 Railroad Place, both in Westport. For more, visit evbantiques.com.

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CELEBRATING THE SEA

BY PHIL HALL

“J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors From Tate” is one of the most highly anticipated exhibits of the fall, comprising 90 works by the British artist — including paintings that have never been shown on this side of the Atlantic.

But this exhibition, opening Oct. 5, will not be staged at one of New York City’s storied museums or within a Smithsonian gallery. Instead, the sole North American venue for the exhibition might come as a surprise to many culture vultures — Connecticut’s Mystic Seaport Museum.

And how did this unlikely location manage to one-up every other North American museum and secure the priceless Turners from London’s Tate?

Says Nicholas Bell, senior vice president for curatorial affairs at the Mystic Seaport Museum: “Very simple, in a way — I went there and asked them for it.”

Actually, there is a bit more to the story than that.

Rewind back to 2016 when the museum opened the Thompson Exhibition Building, a 14,000-squarefoot building featuring a 5,000-square-foot exhibition hall. Bell says the structure “was built around the idea that the museum can run world-class presentations year round,” adding that the project’s architect envisioned a space that “needs to be good enough for Turner.”

Of course, Turner (1775-1851) is celebrated for creating some of the most visually dramatic maritime paintings of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. For Bell, Mystic Seaport’s mission of celebrating the full scope of the maritime experience seemed like the ideal location for displaying the artist’s celebrated works.

“In 2016, I had an opportunity to be in London,” Bell says. “I approached the Tate and explained who we are. They were very interested and agreed to take a chance on us.”

“J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors From Tate” is a distinctive presentation because it offers rare insight into the evolution of Turner’s creative process.

“He began doing watercolors as a boy, hanging watercolors in his father’s barbershop, and never abandoned the medium in the course of his life,” Bell says.

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J.M.W. Turner’s “Whalers (Boiling Blubber) Entangled in Flaw Ice, Endeavouring to Extricate Themselves,” watercolor. Images © Tate, London 2018. Reprinted with permission of the Mystic Seaport Museum.

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J.M.W. Turner’s “The Artist and His Admirers,” watercolor.

While Turner earned his fame and fortune via oil paintings, he used the watercolor format to flesh out creative ideas. He almost always traveled with a loose-bound sketchbook and a case of pencils and watercolor paints, pausing during his journeys to capture the imagery before him while also experimenting with light and color in a boldly arresting manner that many consider to be the forerunner of abstract art.

During his lifetime, he was considered by many to be Britain’s most gifted artist, although he did have one significant critic: Queen Victoria hated his work and even questioned his sanity. The monarch’s dislike for him was so intense that she refused to bestow a knighthood on Turner, despite giving the honor to lesser artists. Overlooking the royal snub, Turner wrote a will that passed his finished paintings to the nation after his death. The watercolors were not originally part of what became known as the Turner Bequest, but a peculiar twist of

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fate brought them into public view.

“The only reason we have access to the watercolors is because of a ridiculous court case in the 1850s,” says Bell, referring to an effort by “very greedy relatives” suing to retain control of the artist’s output. “The British government paid them off and acquired the entire contents of Turner’s output. The Turner Bequest is an absurdly voluminous record of one artist’s world.”

Indeed, the Turner Bequest consists of 300 oil paintings, 280 sketchbooks and more than 30,000 works on paper. For the new exhibition, the 90 watercolors on display are divided into six thematic sections covering the artist’s consideration of maritime subjects, as well as his take on landscapes and domestic interiors.

“Turner retrospectives tend to focus on oil paintings,” Bell says. “This is a rare opportunity to see works not normally loaned. Some of these works have never been seen in this country.”

“J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors from Tate”

opened last year in Rome and traveled earlier this year to the Latin American capitals Buenos Aires and Santiago. In conjunction with its arrival in Mystic, the museum published “Conversations with Turner: The Watercolors,” a new book authored by Bell that includes interviews with 16 historians, scholars and artists. In order to create a greater sense of reader comfort, Bell framed the interviews as moderated conversations that can be followed in a Q&A format.

“There is an accessibility in these moderated conversations that you don’t often get with more scholarly conversations,” Bell says.

“And it helps us understand why his work is so popular 170 years after his death. Against the odds, his works continue to look very fresh.”

“J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors from Tate” will be on display Oct. 5 through Feb. 23, 2020. The Mystic Seaport Museum is at 75 Greenmanville Ave. For more, call (860) 572-0711 or visit mysticseaport.org.

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HEY! STUFF ‘CRAPPENS’

BY GREGG SHAPIRO

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KATONAH NATIVE BEN MANDELKER — SON OF CAROLYN MANDELKER, PRESIDENT OF HARRISON EDWARDS, A PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM BASED IN ARMONK — IS A FUNNY GUY. The Dartmouth College alum moved to Los Angeles a few years ago to be a comedy writer. He’s not the first and he won’t be the last.

His is a familiar story of starts and stops, highs and lows. Fortunately for Mandelker, he met fellow funny man Ronnie Karam, and their shared affection for “The Real Housewives” and all things Bravo led them to create the popular podcast “Watch What Crappens.” The podcast, whose title is a nod to Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” has been well-received, not only by the large listener base but by Cohen and his castmates alike. Indeed, “Watch What Crappens” is so successful that Mandelker and Karam have been doing a series of sold-out live shows.

Mandelker, who also does the animated “Real Housewares of Kitchen Island” series, took some time out of his busy production schedule to answer a few questions: Ben, please say something about the genesis of the “Watch What Crappens” podcast.

“Ronnie Karam and I knew each other from the world of blogging from the mid-aughts.

We had forged a friendship from that. Around 2010 or 2011, I was hired to be the host of a web series called ‘Housewives Hoedown’ where every week I would be on video talking about ‘The Real Housewives.’ My role as host was to find guests to be on the show. I knew Ronnie and he’s super-funny. I invited him and my friend Matt Whitfield, who was a writer for Yahoo! at the time. The three of us had great chemistry. When the web series was canceled after nine months, we decided that we wanted to keep talking about ‘Real Housewives’ and expand it to included Bravo as a whole.

We started ‘Watch What Crappens’ seven and a half years ago.”

Ben Mandelker greets a fan at a live version of “Watch What Crappens.”

Photograph by Lindsay Rosenberg.

A recent “Watch What Crappens” episode made mention of technical difficulties.

Are you and Ronnie the ones doing the production work or do you have a team?

“We do it all ourselves. We record over Skype. Even though we live about a mile away from each other. You can never underestimate how hard it is to drive places and find parking in Los Angeles. We could theoretically meet up. We record five episodes a week, plus a bonus for Patreon, so it’s easier to record over Skype.

“One of the things that’s been really fun for us as a podcast is that’s it’s always been on us.

We’ve always done it ourselves. Every now and then we’d get an opportunity to record in

a nice studio setting. For years we’ve been this outsider podcast, just two guys talking trash about reality stars. It never sounded as sharp and crisp as a super-professionally made podcast, but I think it made it sound accessible.

You can hear trucks driving by and sirens passing our apartments. At the end of the day, we’re still dudes putting together a recording for the fun of it.”

At the beginning of each episode, you thank your Patreon supporters. How has crowd funding changed the creativity landscape?

“Crowdfunding in general, but specifically Patreon, was a total game-changer for us. I could even say it changed my life. I had moved out to Los Angeles to be a comedy writer. I had some success. I had a feature that was going to go with director McG. I had a pitch a few years ago that Zach Braff was attached to, with the producers of ‘La La Land’ and ‘New Girl.’ Across the board, they would fall apart for some reason. What I realized is that the entertainment industry in L.A. is a crapshoot.

The podcast was something that allowed us to take ownership of our future and our careers, not have everything in the hands of fickle decisions. The reason this matters in terms of Patreon is that this is what I was going through at the time. My career was in the hands of other people. I was driving Uber to support myself while I was going on these pitches. When Patreon came around and people stared donating, a dollar, two dollars, five dollars here and there, after a few months Ronnie and I were actually able to live off of that. I didn’t have to be an Uber driver. He didn’t have to be a waiter. It allowed us to focus 100% on the podcast.

That, in turn, empowered us to forge our own ways with our careers and not rely on other people to decide whether or not to give us an opportunity. It allowed us to create our own opportunities.”

That’s quite an endorsement. Have you heard from Andy Cohen or any cast members of the Bravo shows?

“A few months ago Andy Cohen actually Tweeted out something. He said that we were hilarious. We get a lot of support from Bravo celebrities, such as Lisa Rinna (‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’), LeeAnne Locken (‘The Real Housewives of Dallas’), and a lot of people from ‘Vanderpump Rules,’ ‘Below Deck,’ ‘Summer House.’ Patricia Altschul, who is the grand dame of ‘Southern Charm’ and

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Kathryn Dennis who is the breakout star from that show. A lot of them listen, support, come to our live shows, which is exciting. It’s awesome when we do a live show and one of the Bravo-lebrities shows up. They get the joke; they understand. At the end of the day, Ronnie and I are just two friends watching these shows and broadcasting the same thing everyone says to their friends when they watch the shows. We just happen to be broadcasting it to 2.5 million people.”

I’m glad you mentioned the live shows.

How did the concept of doing live versions of “Watch What Crappens” come about?

“We had always wanted to incorporate a live component, going back to our first year.

Truthfully, Ronnie and I are performers at heart. My background is a little more in writing. His is in theater and improv. Together, we are two people who live to make people laugh.

If I make Ronnie laugh on the podcast, that’s all I’m trying to do (laughs). If I can make him

laugh, then the audience will be laughing. We have a desire to entertain. We love to get up in front of people and do our shows.

“Going back to our first year, we did a show at the (now defunct) Improv Olympic (in Los Angeles). Ten people showed up, but we had so much fun. Every once in a while we’d have a chance to do a show at The Improv and we’d have 60 people. Then we got the opportunity to do our show at the Gotham Comedy (Club) in New York and we sold out in six hours. It’s a room that hold 250 or 300. We did the show and it was exciting. A few days later, a big venue in L.A. reached out to us. We thought, “This might be happening.” Now we’re with APA, which is a huge honor, because they’re major in terms of comedy booking. It’s crazy to think we did a show where only 10 people showed up and now we sold out the 9:30 Club in D.C. and Just For Laughs in Montreal and SXSW. It’s been so crazy, especially in the context that we’re just two guys talking about ‘The Real Housewives’ and ‘Vanderpump Rules.’”

I watched the first seven episodes of your animated series “The Real Housewares of Kitchen Island.” Are there more in the works?

“Yes. Believe it or not, I’m going to sit down and work on the next scripts today. I’ve taken some time off and (am) chilling out. I’m not going to lie. I was planning on getting one or two more up. I’ve actually outlined the next nine episodes. There’s going to be quite a scandalous arc that’s going to happen. I’m glad that you watched it. I love doing it.

“As I mentioned, I came out here to be a writer and, since the podcast has become a big thing, I’ve focused a lot of attention on that. But I still want to keep writing as part of my life. The reason I do ‘The Real Housewares’ is it’s a way for me to write quick, easy fun stuff on the side. It’s also my way of writing something, doing the voices. I taught myself animation so I could make it myself. It’s something that’s 100% my own.”

Do you think Forky from “Toy Story 4” might make a guest appearance?

“You never know. I would love to have some crossovers. I’m sure Disney would absolutely allow that to happen. License their characters to appear on ‘The Real Housewares of Kitchen Island.’”

“Watch What Crappens” co-hosts Ben Mandelker, left, and Ronnie Karam flank “Below Deck” star Kate Chastain.

Photograph by Alys Kenny.

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Finally, Ben, would you please share some of your fondest memories of being a Katonah native?

“There are so many! I loved growing up where I did in Katonah. I didn’t live anywhere else. I’m a total Katonah native. My fondest memories are from high school, driving around with my friends — going to the Bedford Diner on a Friday or Saturday night, any night, really. We were teenagers without much to do, finding our own entertainment.

“My friend and I once drove down this long and winding and dark road near Mount Kisco late at night. We managed to scare ourselves entirely because as we were driving down it, we said, ‘Wouldn’t this be the perfect road to be an ax murderer road?’ The more we drove down the road, the more scared we got. As the night went on, it became inevitable that we’d get attacked. We named it Scary Road.

This one memory represents everything from high school. The boredom of having to make a night out of driving down a road. I love it there.

It’s beautiful and there were great people to grow up around. I love going back.”

“Watch What Crappens” comes to the Gramercy Theatre, 127 E. 23 St. in Manhattan, for two Nov. 23 performances, 7 or 10 p.m. For more, visit watchwhatcrappens. com.

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TIMELY MATTERS

BY PHIL HALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB ROZYCKI

IN SEPTEMBER 2018, CYBELE MAYLONE PICKED UP THE REINS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALDRICH CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM IN RIDGEFIELD. Cybele Maylone

Maylone previously served for five years as executive director at UrbanGlass, an artist glass studio in Brooklyn and, while she was familiar with the Aldrich in a personal sense, her work at UrbanGlass increased her awareness of the Aldrich’s value as a New England art venue.

“A number of UrbanGlass artists made work for exhibition here at the museum,” she recalls. “I was becoming more involved and attentive to what was happening here in a professional way.”

Prior to UrbanGlass, Maylone was deputy director of apexart, a contemporary art space, and associate development director for individual giving at

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the New Museum of contemporary art, both in Manhattan. Her work within the contemporary art exhibition space provided her with the right background for leading the Aldrich, which was founded in 1964 with the private collection of fashion designer Larry Aldrich. The museum sold off Aldrich’s collection in 1981 to finance its endowment and pursue the celebration of current artists.

“Larry had the foresight to understand that to be and remain truly contemporary, maintaining a collection was at odds with that mission,” Maylone says. “Nearly 20 years into the museum, that collection had already dated itself.”

For Maylone and her curatorial team, finding the right work to present is both an exciting and a puzzling challenge.

“It is a difficult question for all of us to understand who are the artists whose work really rises to the level that it deserves to be presented here, and what is the right moment in their career,” she says. “For us, a big part is that the artists haven’t yet had this opportunity. They are at a pivotal moment in their career where showing their work to a broader audience in a museum setting and accompanying publications could be transformative to them. …There is something essential or inspiring to be revealed in the presentation of their work.”

But hitching The Aldrich’s wagon to the stars of the art scene can be complex. Maylone acknowledges that the current art scene is a wide and diverse environment with no dominant stylistic trends dictating its direction.

“One of the reasons that contemporary art remains so vital and inspiring is that it has very

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few boundaries to it in the way artists create and present work,” she says. “I think it is important for The Aldrich to be a place that responds to artmaking and to artists, and when those things change, we have an obligation to follow them.”

Adding to Maylone’s consideration of artistic expression is the diversity of genres and media that today’s artists employ. For example, a recent Harmony Hammond exhibit offered painted sculptures created with such materials as rope, burlap, bone, metal roofing and blood, while a current show of work by Canadian-born Sara Cwynar offers a mix of photography, video installations and a space decorated with wallpaper consisting of classic Modern art imagery.

The Aldrich also commissions new work by artists, but that endeavor can also induce a bit of agita.

“Often that means we don’t necessarily know what we are going to be showing until later than we would like,” laments Maylone. “In a perfect world, you would like to have every image that is going to be an exhibition years in advance.

That helps in planning a wide variety of things, like fundraising and talking to the press. We want to give the artist freedom, but it can be a nail-biter not knowing where everything is going to go.”

More nail-biting can occur with shows that contain a sharp sociopolitical message tinged with controversy. Earlier this year, The Aldrich presented a show of works by 34 presently and formerly incarcerated artists, while a new exhibit opening Oct. 6 called “Weather Report” links the environmental climate with the political one. Maylone acknowledges that such shows may not please everyone, but she insists

they are vital in offering a testament to the ongoing discussions that shape society.

“We work with living artists,” she says. “Living artists are engaged with contemporary social issues. I feel it would disingenuous for us as an institution to not be engaged with the issues that the artists are engaged with.”

For 2020, Malone lined up a major artistic coup: From May 17 to Oct. 11, “Frank Stella’s Stars, A Survey” will highlight a unique subsection of the Abstract Expressionist icon’s output.

Maylone notes the Stella show is part of The Aldrich’s tradition of examining underrecognized bodies of an individual’s work.

“Stella is an artist that The Aldrich has had a very, very long relationship with,” she says. “Stella’s last name means star and he’s been making work that incorporates stars in a wide variety of ways. The stars change from two-dimensional representations to three-dimensional sculptures that are built around the stars. This gives us a chance to draw a line around this particular practice both inside and outside of the museum. Some of the work will be installed in the galleries and some will be in our sculpture gardens.”

While hosting a five-month Stella retrospective is a considerable accomplishment, Maylone is still aiming for her concept of a dream exhibition, which she defines as a show that “would be risky and rewarding for the artist involved and deeply engaging for the audience that is coming to see it. A dream exhibition would be one that knocked it out of the park on both fronts. But that’s dreams are for — something to aspire to.”

For more, visit aldrichart.org.

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A COFFEE ROASTER EXTRAORDINAIRE

BY JEREMY WAYNE

Jason Richter knows good coffee. He is also far too nice to knock the bad. Working out of a family-owned building in Port Chester, the soft-spoken Richter could pass for a chemist or a lab technician, with his light beard and intense gaze. Although I don’t spy any tats, he could also hold his own with any Brooklyn barista.

He brings up the “S” word — the elephant in the room, if you will — almost immediately, so I don’t have to. “You see,” he says, adopting the patient manner of a schoolteacher, “it’s all about the roast. Starbucks roasts relatively dark, whereas we roast relatively light.” Richter says that people think a dark roast equals strong coffee or a fuller flavor, whereas the darker you roast, the smokier and “roastier” you get — but not necessarily the richer.

Does he actually go to Starbucks? “It’s not my preference,” he replies diplomatically, “but it’s all about personal choice.” He certainly doesn’t disparage it. “I actually have shares in Starbucks, “ he smiles.

For Richter, the secret of a good roast is to roast as lightly as possible while extracting maximum flavour. “When people hear ‘light roast,’ they assume the coffee has no flavor,” but coffee, he explains, is an agricultural product that changes as it ages.

The parallels between growing the cherries, harvesting the pits, or beans, and then roasting them, and the production of wine, are manifold. Yet the process to produce a single cup of coffee, as opposed to a bottle of wine, has even more variables and is even more complex. “Ultimately, there’s a step which can ruin coffee, or elevate it to the highest level,” Richter says. That step is the brew. Whereas wine is poured straight from the bottle and served cold or at room temperature, coffee must be brewed and served hot, the quality of the brew dependant, say, on your own aptitude or the talent of the barista, right at the

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end of the long production process.

“To get a good cup of coffee, so many things have had to have gone right,” he observes thoughtfully. “People think nothing about paying $18 a pour, or more, for good wine,” he adds, “but imagine asking that for a cup of coffee.”

He has a point, a strong point, and it forms the foundation of his business. A fourth-generation coffee roaster — his great-grandfather was the first to go into the business, with his dad establishing Empire Coffee Roaster in Port Chester in 1984 — Richter started his speciality division, Path Coffee Roasters, back in 2013, on Empire’s first floor, to focus on single origin coffees and blends. They are “unique, but still approachable,” he explains. In other words, nothing preposterous, but we do need to move beyond regular “Main Street” coffee outlets — Starbucks, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts — in order to let our palates grow, which in turn will allow us to enjoy the niche experience.

Richter invites me to savor some Guatemalan coffee he is testing this morning. It smells sweet and a bit crisp, with definite earth notes.

(Is this by chance a kind of “noble rot” and is this the burgundy of coffee?) “People add milk and sugar because they’ve never tasted good coffee,” he asserts. “They miss the flavors which are enhanced, nuanced.” I inwardly congratulate myself as I always take my coffee black and sugarless. “I mean,” asks Richter, “do people add milk to wine?”

Richter proceeds to give me a cupping lesson — the coffee literally brewed right in the handle-less cup, a controlled, experimental way of tasting. We are going to be trying Ethiopian beans he’s roasted the previous day in his industry grade Ikawa roaster (at $4,000, a little out of range for most domestic coffee aficionados). He weighs the

Jason Richter in the Path Coffee Roasters lab. Photograph by Franck Bohbot.

coffee and also the water, which is heated to an optimal 200 degrees, and pours it over the coffee, allowing it to brew until after about four minutes a crust has formed. After a few minutes more, he skims the crust and the coffee is then ready to taste. “Let’s slurp,” he says, swilling his coffee and taking sharp little intakes of breath, before spitting it out into a spittoon (in this case a paper cup.) Coffee sommelier would not be an inappropriate term.

Just like wine, even the age of the coffee makes a difference to the taste, Richter goes on to explain, the flavor developing after the

coffee has been roasted, and peaking after a week or so. “When you roast coffee, it gives off carbon dioxide,” he tells me. “When you brew it on day one, it is still dense with gas.

But by the seventh or eighth day, the water can penetrate much more easily. You get a better cup of coffee.”

While right now Path Coffee is just a lab and “cupping” room, where Richter trains his staff or tastes coffee with his restaurant and wholesale coffee partners, he has plans. He already hosts students and aspiring baristas and offers tastings to small groups — industry professionals or even a bunch of friends, for

instance. But soon Path will be doing weekend pop-ups, with lots of reasonably priced coffee and light bites, like chocolate and granola, prepared by his wife, or possibly served from a food truck parked in the lot outside. (“It’s our own parking lot,” he says with a grin, “so we can do it.”).

With some bar seating, and the regular weekend bike riders passing right by the door, it will, he says, be fun for all and family friendly. “Something to look forward to,” as he modestly puts it, and I can’t help thinking he is right.

For more, visit pathcoffees.com.

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HOME & DESIGN

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5 BEDROOMS 5 FULL BATHROOMS 1 HALF BATH 1 OFFICE, MUDROOM, SUNROOM, LAUNDRY ROOM

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HOME & DESIGN

The love of the sea — and a house by the sea — knows no season, as demonstrated by this exhilarating Old Greenwich home, featuring a boathouse, a dock and 100 feet of shoreline affording magnificent sunset views of Greenwich Cove and the Long Island Sound.

You can savor those views from virtually any of the 21 rooms in this 4,644-square-foot home, with its abundant windows, veranda terraces and a balcony overlooking level play lawns and perennial gardens — all at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. Dreamy vistas of soaring seabirds and sailboats plying open waters are framed by a dynamic, updated interior characterized by Lutron lighting, wide-plank hardwood floors, archways, bead-board paneling and three lovely fireplaces.

The formal living or music room and the spacious dining area with a fireplace showcase wonderful built-ins. The sunroom offers doors leading to two decks. Beautiful, flowing spaces harmonize together with a family room offering surround sound and an eat-in gourmet kitchen updated with a granite center island, glass backsplash, a Wolf chef’s stove and stainless steel appliances. A built-in computer/ homework desk and a first-floor office (or sixth bedroom suite) enhance the clever design. A convenient mudroom gives easy access to a two-car garage and outdoor shower in the side yard.

Special antique lighting accentuates a landing connecting four high ceiling bedrooms on the second floor. The spacious master suite includes the expected amenities — a walk-in closet and a bathroom with two sinks, Bain Ultra tub, dual-head shower and radiant heated floor — while the bedroom itself features a gas fireplace, a private study and a balcony onto panoramic water views. A bedroom with a built-in desk and eyebrow window creates a private suite with its own bathroom. Two more large bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom. A laundry room rounds out the private family spaces upstairs.

A spacious family room with a fireplace and a full bathroom — there are five and a half bathrooms in all — enhances a finished garden lower level complete with a serving kitchen and guest/in-law or nanny’s bedroom along with a door to a stone veranda. At water’s edge, the “Turtle Cabin” boathouse/art studio features another terrace and more guest space.

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Marni Sugerman award winning interior design 914.829.5100 www.marni.decoratingden.com “ She is good listener, very creative, very caring, extremely reliable and a lot of fun to work with…Her suggestions to update our fireplace with unusual tiles seemed bold at first but the end result is truly astonishing. Our place would not look as beautiful as it is without Marni’s help and we highly recommend her.” ~ Emilia L., Somers, NY

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ART AS HEALING

BY MARY SHUSTACK PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROZYCKI

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Meghan Spiro

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“The story you withhold, becomes a centerfold.

Waves of women, rippling revolution.”

— Meghan Spiro ART CAN RESONATE IN MANY WAYS, NOT ONLY FOR THE VIEWER BUT THE ARTIST AS WELL. And when that artist is Meghan Spiro — a Beacon-based commercial photographer, art director and designer whose personal work taps into her photographic skills to explore subjects close to her heart — that resonance goes deep.

Earlier this year, Spiro relied on her photography to examine concepts that included the harvest and nourishment, conservation and waste in the “Bella Monnezza, beautiful garbage” exhibition at the gallery at Hudson Beach Glass, also in Beacon. Her unique approach was front and center in the layered works that depicted Spiro’s turning compost, from food items to dried flowers, into still-life studies that went beyond the outward, surprisingly beautiful, aesthetic.

And that thoughtful approach will be intensely evident this month when Spiro exhibits a most personal collection of work exploring domestic violence at Beacon’s bau Gallery.

Spiro has written about her project by way of introducing this “autobiographical art show and book.”

To advance the collection of 23 self-portraits (photo-based mixed media works using digital compositing, painting, photo

Meghan Spiro’s work includes, from left, “My Realized Offering,” “Broken Rib,” “The Unkept, the Unmet, the Dreams Memorized and Not Mine,” and “Mastery of Presence.” Courtesy Meghan Spiro.

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transfers on marble, gilding, collage and resin), complemented by her poetry, she writes: “One in four women have been a victim of severe physical violence with (an) intimate partner in their lifetime, and I am one of them. For years, I spent my life in silence about the abuse, as it happened and in my attempts to recover. I found myself ill-equipped to handle my PTSD, my addictions and my self-loathing. It wasn’t until I signed up to write this story and manifest these self-portraits that I actually began my deeper healing, transmuting my suffering into wisdom and my loathing into love. These poems and artwork are my truth that I bare to all who have suffered in silence over their abuse. It’s time to face our shadows in full honesty and rise above our pain in full embrace of our totality so that we may finally live without fear and full of love.”

It is a show that will no doubt confront and perhaps disturb — but also enlighten and, as Spiro hopes, inspire and promote healing. Putting it together has been quite a process.

“It’s hard, where do you start the show, where do you end it — where do you start the story, where do you end it?” she says.

That it exists, though, is a testament to the power of art, says Russ Ritell. The Hudson Valley painter, featured in WAG’s Janu-

ary issue, is a member of bau Gallery and curated Spiro’s show, “Without Fear and Full of Love.”

Ritell shares his thoughts as the show’s Oct. 12 opening approaches.

“Meghan Spiro has a courageous story to tell,” Ritell says. “It is a story that is powerful in its vulnerability and its resonance across the community and around the world. In my opinion the basis of her narrative is the root cause of many of humanity’s worst moments — the story of domestic violence.”

WAG sits down with Spiro on a recent afternoon, when she shares her story, surrounded by pieces destined for the exhibition and a table filled with elements that show up in her work, from feathers to forms on which she will create headpieces.

A LIFE IN ART Art has been in her life since her earliest days, her ideas for a career crystallizing when she began to study photography at age 13.

“I was lucky enough, I went to a college prep school in Atlanta, and they had a darkroom,” she says. As she began to learn more and more, she says she began to realize photography could provide a path to being “an artist who makes money.”

Spiro would go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in photography and motion picture

sciences from the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. She would make her way to New York, working as a television producer and coordinator for the Food Network and Fine Living Network, eventually transitioning into photography, design and web development. She worked for a year as a videographer with the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, a holistic-studies retreat center which, she notes, started her on a “deeper spiritual journey” that continues today.

These days, Spiro specializes in commercial photography and branding campaigns expanding her reach by collaborations with small businesses and food publications in the city and the Hudson Valley, as well as ongoing work with luxury brands.

She’s also a food stylist and photographer, tapping into another passion.

“I love cooking,” she says, adding with a laugh. “I always loved food.”

THEMATIC WORK In her personal work, though, she explores many themes.

“I’ve always been into storytelling,” she says.

This show will also witness her powerful voice through a collection of work.

“My Realized Offering” sees Spiro in a goddess-like pose, an aura surrounding her, while “Freefall Until You Fly” is a quietly moving piece that features a peaceful-looking Spiro that upon closer inspection includes a figure falling into the scene. Others, from “Broken Rib” to “Vicious Circle” are perhaps more jarring.

“Some of the images are shocking,”

Spiro says, but it reflects the nature of domestic abuse.

“It’s something that no one wants to talk about. It’s their dirty little secret,” she says, getting momentarily emotional when mentioning the domestic abuse suffered by the character Nicole Kidman portrays in the television series “Big Little Lies.”

It was, Spiro says, both traditional therapy plus spiritual explorations, including shamanic healing, that have helped her get to where she is.

That Spiro today stands with such a catalog of work has certainly impressed Ritell.

“It has taken Spiro nearly three years to manifest these works of art, and I have personally witnessed her progress,” he says.

A fellow artist, he knows how much goes into any work of art, let alone pieces as complex as Spiro’s, and thinks the exhibition will have an effect.

“Heavy in its message but beautiful in expression, this artwork will be a way for viewers to experience empathy for victims and aggressors,” he adds.

And it’s just the right time.

“Considering that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and knowing that Meghan needed a venue for this powerful and necessary work, I thought that the timing was symbiotic and invited her to install her work at bau so that ‘Without Fear and Full of Love’ might impact the community and gain traction to expose this important problem to a larger populace.”

As she looks toward the gallery show, Spiro says she is apprehensive of the reactions her work will elicit.

“I think I’ve had a lot of anxieties as I made each of these prints. It’s been intense, now that I am showing the world my biggest failures in life but (also) the lessons I’ve learned.”

Spiro says she has been encouraged, though, by words from fellow artists to friends with whom she’s formed a sisterhood.

“I’ve had people smile and hug me and say, ‘Keep doing it. Keep doing it.’”

And she will, calling the show “an act of self-love.”

She is, though, realistic. Though she has found a way to forgive her abuser, she knows the journey continues.

“To think that this show or this book is a resolution to my healing… it’s ridiculous to think that. It’s going to be an ongoing process, throughout my whole life.”

And it’s a life, full of so many twists and turns, trauma and recovery, that she could see on film one day.

“I have a treatment filed with The Writers Guild, but I won’t put it out there as a film unless I direct it. I have a particular vision.”

As creating her art has helped her heal, Spiro says she hopes “Without Fear and Full of Love” will help many others deal with a topic too rarely addressed openly.

“I feel like I have experienced all this because I have the tools to shed light on it.”

“Without Fear and Full of Love” will run Oct. 12 through Nov. 3 at bau Gallery, 506 Main St., Beacon. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 12. For more, visit baugallery.org. For more on Spiro’s work, visit meghanspiro.com and philasophia.com.

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SIMPLY NUTS

BY OLIVIA D’AMELIO

Few comfort foods are more enticing than PB, with or without the J. So when my editor discovered Noomi, an organic peanut butter brand out of Mamaroneck, at the Hartsdale Farmers Market — where she also met the charming founding owner Krystina Murawski — we just had to try it. We found Krystina’s creation to be creamy and delicious. I’m eating it, even as I type this interview: Krystina, how did this all start?

“It all started with a text message from my college best friend, Chelsea, in January 2018. She randomly told me she wanted to open up her own food truck. I said, ‘I’ve been wanting to jar and sell my own peanut butter.’ We decided to encourage and hold each other accountable, which was really motivating. A few weeks later, I texted her to see how it was going, and let her know that I was about 45 batches deep, and the rest is history. I came home every night and overworked my food processor for three months straight. I bought peanuts from every grocery store to try and jar the taste of what peanut butter embodied to me — that perfect, natural balance of sweet and salty. By April, I had found my recipe and formed Noomi LLC. I used to joke in the beginning and say, ‘What do I need to do — make 100 batches?’ And funny enough, it was my 100th batch that was ‘the one.’ Then in July, I sold my first jar.”

Why the name “Noomi”?

“When I was first looking for a name, I had a list that was literally just anything I could think of. It’s a lot harder than you think. I don’t quite remember how, but ‘Noomi’ was on my list somewhere in the middle. And the more I thought about it, I began to see and visualize it as ‘new me.’ It was empowering and inspiring and the name made perfect sense. I wanted Noomi to be much more than just peanut butter. That’s why I position it as a lifestyle brand with a broader vision about self-discovery and pursuing your greatest passions in life. I want Noomi to tell people that doing what you love is absolutely possible.”

How is Noomi different from other organic peanut butters?

“I hand process all of the jars in a commercial kitchen.

So it’s made with a lot of love. Noomi’s signature blend is made with organic peanuts, organic Deglet Noor dates, grapeseed oil, peanut oil and Atlantic sea salt.

The biggest differentiators are that it does not contain any added, artificial or refined sugar, just natural sugars (fructose) from the dates, no palm oil and no hydrogenated vegetable oils. Using dates as a sweetener really makes the taste stand out, because it’s not something people expect. The grapeseed oil adds to the

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unique taste and texture of Noomi while balancing out its overall nutritional content. We create healthy, high quality, clean label products with minimal ingredients that are better for our customers and the environment — and that’s something we’re really proud to stand behind.”

How did you get your product on the shelf?

“Pursuing my passion for Noomi is something that I was incredibly excited about, so I was determined to make it happen. I was completely surprised by how helpful and supportive everyone was from the start, too. Friends, family, people I met along the way. Everyone encouraged me to keep going. I launched Noomi at the John Jay Homestead Farm Market in Katonah in July 2018. My executive chef mentor, Leslie Lampert, recommended it to me. As a vendor, I would talk to everyone I could and network constantly.

Building these relationships propelled Noomi into early retail partnerships, one of which was Taste NY in Woodbury Commons (Central Valley).”

What is Noomi’s role in the Specialty Food Association (SFA)?

“The SFA’s mission is to connect its members and expand the consumption of specialty food. The association promotes the industry and is actively committed to helping

Noomi peanut butter. Courtesy Krystina Murawski/Noomi.

the producers behind it thrive and grow. To become a member, you have to be in business for at least one year.

I was just under a year at the time I applied, but I knew Noomi was the perfect fit. I filled out the application and wrote a compelling waiver letter explaining why my product was a ‘specialty food’ and I got accepted. To date, one of my biggest accomplishments is when Noomi won the SFA’s 2019 ‘New Product’ sofi Award in the nut butter, seed butter category. It was validation that we had a truly special product and created a lot of industry buzz.”

it’s like until you start. But if you love something as much as I love PB, you’d be surprised how hard you’ll work to keep your dream alive. There are days where it can be tough, discouraging or exhausting, but that’s the reality of any business, or job. Just follow your dreams and don’t give up.”

Do you absolutely love it?

“Oh, I really do. Some people don’t understand how I have the energy to do it with my full-time job (at iptiQ

by Swiss Re in Armonk), or why I’ll spend 20 hours of my weekend in the commercial kitchen hand making hundreds of jars. Sometimes I find myself questioning it, too, like, ‘What am I doing? This is crazy.’ And yes, I agree, it’s totally nuts — but I remind myself, I wouldn’t do it, if I didn’t love it. I love connecting with my customers and seeing their reaction after experiencing the taste of Noomi. It’s one of the most exciting parts of what I do. I thrive on being able to share my story, in hopes that it will inspire others to follow their dreams, too.”

Any future plans for Noomi?

“Creating brand recognition has always been really important to me from the start. I want people to know and love the brand and, for future products, be able to say, ‘Oh, this is made with Noomi. I love Noomi peanut butter.’ I’m all about organic growth, no pun intended, to keep the business manageable with my full-time job. I do have some really cool ideas for new products that I’m exploring, and I’m energized by all of the different ways I can possibly expand the product line. I also have some potential retail opportunities this year that could take Noomi to the next level.

“For now, it’s just me, you know. I’m a one-woman show.

But pursuing Noomi full time is the ultimate dream. It’s not about if I’m ready to take the jump, it’s just a matter of when — and I’m confident I’ll know when the time is right for me.”

Any advice for people looking for their “new me,” too?

“One thing I learned is that you really don’t know what

Noomi organic peanut butter is available in 8 ounces for $9.99 and 16 ounces for $15.99. For more, visit noomibrand.com.

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WEAR

KEEPING FACE FASHION

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

Sisley Paris, the luxe French beauty line with American headquarters in White Plains, keeps upping its game with new skin, hair and makeup products.

We begin where Sisley began, with the skin on your face. The Radiance Foaming Cream is just that — a particularly airy, creamy product, made with peony, grapefruit and ginkgo biloba extracts, along with vitamin B5, betaine, glucerine and coco-glucoside to exfoliate and moisturize while removing your makeup.

Complement this with the Velvet Sleeping Mask, designed to be used once or twice a week. Its ingredients — which include saffron flower, orange flower, Japanese lilyturf and Padina pavonica extracts; macadamia and cottonseed oils; kokum and shea butters; glycerin, vitamin B5 and thyme honey, a key new Sisley component — are blended to hydrate and nourish your skin overnight.

Hair doesn’t begin and end with each strand. The scalp also requires attention. Sisley’s Hair Rituel line has added a Pre-Shampoo Purifying Mask that uses white clay,

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Java tea celery seed and artichoke leaf extracts, Moringa peptides and cotton proteins to clean and condition the scalp. Apply it to the scalp on dry hair once or twice a week, massaging it in, then rinsing before shampooing.

Just as scalp care is an essential part of hair care so your nails are an important aspect of hand care. The new Restorative Hand Cream is especially designed for dry cuticles and nails, using a biosaccharide solution, a plantbased sugar, chestnut extract, sweet almond oil, vitamins B5 and B6 and a cocktail of minerals (including zinc, copper and magnesium) to make hands supple and nails healthy. (The hand cream even uses a new cryoprotectant active ingredient based on scientific research in Antarctica.)

Last but certainly not least is the Phyto-Ombre Eyeshadow in 20 luminous colors made of mother-ofpearl, ultra pure pigments, camellia seed, rosehip and green tea and white lily extracts to create or accent a dazzling eye without a cakey look.

For more, visit Sisley-Paris.com.

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HOME & DESIGN

WARES

LIVING WITH ART STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH

BY CAMI WEINSTEIN

For many of us, designing and decorating our homes take time and patience. For others, who are collectors, travelers and homebodies, there is a strong urge to keep feathering the nest and a strong edit is often necessary. Most of us are somewhere in between. Adding art to your home is either a natural extension of collecting or brings a blank look of incomprehension when suggested. Many clients don’t understand the value of incorporating art into their lives.

But as an interior designer, I find art to be an important element in the home. Usually, clients have certain pieces of art that they would like to feature in their homes and we often design rooms around those pieces of art — especially if they are large since they can create a commanding presence. When designing rooms around large pieces of art, I often pull some of the colors that are in the artwork out and use them in the room.

I definitely suggest clients buy artwork that they love and then we find that perfect spot for it.

The author’s collection of Murano glass paperweights enlivens her home.

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Artwork comes in many forms and it’s fun to include many different types of pieces in your home. A few types of artwork to consider are paintings, photography, sculpture, wall hangings and pottery. In my own home, I have collected art for many years, often moving it around and hanging it in different areas. This freshens up your room and gives a different perspective to your spaces.

Artwork can be expensive and, if you are going to consider purchasing for investment, I would consult with a reputable art dealer or gallery. There are, however, many levels of reasonably priced art that can also be explored. Arts organizations offer the chance to purchase art from unknown or newer artists, whose works will give you many years of pleasure. When you are a budding collector of art, consider taking trips to various museums and art shows to acquaint yourself with different types and styles to figure out which pieces “speak” with you on an emotional level.

Another way to put artwork in your home is to take some beautiful wallpaper panels and frame them. They can have an instant effect on your room without significant cost.

However, some antique or vintage wallpaper can get quite expensive. Taking some of your photographs and having them enlarged and put on Plexiglas gives them an immediate edge. These pieces automatically make your room look more contemporary.

Framing children’s artwork can elevate your family room’s style. Taking a series of your children’s paintings and grouping them together in the same style frame can create a wall of color. Children’s artwork is usually so free-spirited and unrestrained that it becomes sophisticated when used in a collection.

Some collectors become very specific with they’re collecting, considering a time period or one or two artists whom they love.

Many collections also become statements in themselves. For example, I collect Venetian glass paperweights from the island of Murano, Italy. When I group five to six together, they create a visual statement and a conversation inevitably ensues.

Art, in its many forms, brings life to living. While many people are afraid to make a statement by purchasing art, they shouldn’t be. Add art to your life and, if some of the art is found on your travels, you will find yourself looking at that piece of art and remembering where you purchased it and the wonderful time you had on that trip. Sometimes a painting can trigger a memory and then it is added to a collection.

Abstract art can also trigger emotions and memories. There are certain abstract artists whose sense of color and shape can really inform a room, make a statement and elevate your mood.

Photography can also do the same and, for a lot of people, the ability to understand it makes it more approachable if the objects in the shots are easily identifiable.

So make artwork a part of your life It can certainly make your surroundings a lot more interesting.

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HOME & DESIGN

WHAT’S COLLECTIBLE?

THE ART OF CERAMICS

BY JENNIFER PITMAN

There is growing interest in collecting 20th- and 21stcentury ceramics, and many contemporary art galleries count a ceramic artist in their stables. So it seems time to look back at the movement’s origins. The term “art pottery” in the United States was first applied in the 1870s to Chelsea Keramic Art Works.

That Massachusetts-based firm, and its later iterations as Chelsea Pottery and Dedham Pottery, offered a roller coaster ride of artistic and commercial triumph and failure. Running through it all was the obsessive drive of one man, Hugh C. Robertson.

The Roberston clan, including father James and his four sons, were trained potters who immigrated to the United States in the 1850s. By the 1870s, they had settled in Chelsea where their pottery works came to represent a diverse selection of utilitarian and decorative ceramics. At first, the firm drew heavily on ancient Greek, Japanese and English reform styles and they employed a number of talented sculptors and decorators.

Of the four sons, it was Hugh (1845-1908) who had an unyielding desire to experiment with clays and glazes. As a result, he propelled the firm to both its greatest glories and its most dire circumstances.

Robertson initially focused on Asian ceramic forms and glazes. In Boston, he had access to a number of Asian ceramic collections that served as inspiration. He would also have encountered the extensive Chinese and Japanese ceramic displays at the Philadelphia Centennial exhibition in 1876, where he demonstrated pottery throwing.

Robertson first experimented with and mastered the shiny and matte glazes of Chinese monochrome wares, concentrating on the blue, green and yellow hues popularized by the Aesthetic Movement.

Robertson then focused on Chinese sang-de boeuf or oxblood glaze, seeking to recreate the color of fresh arterial blood. He was not was not alone in his quest to master the notoriously difficult and costly technique, but in 1885 he was the first in the United States to do so. The technique required precise control of glaze, body, and kiln temperature. With pride, Robertson referred to his creations as Dragon’s Blood, Sang de Chelsea and Robertson’s Blood. Between

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Honeycomb pattern vases, based on Japanese metalwork technique, Chelsea Keramic Art Works, sold for $250. Photograph courtesy Rago Auctions.

1885 and 1887, Robertson created some 300 oxblood works of varied hues with surfaces ranging from smooth to orange peel.

Other successes during this highly experimental period included a Chinese peach bloom glaze that transitioned from red to apple green tones and a crackled white glaze that featured a fine network of cracks.

Robertson’s relentless experimentation was costly, and he failed to find buyers for his works, which he had priced aggressively.

Facing financial ruin, the Chelsea Keramic Art Works was forced to close in 1889.

In 1891, with new financial backers, Robertson reopened the Chelsea Pottery, renamed Dedham pottery in 1896, apparently on the condition that Robertson was forbidden to experiment with sang-de-boeuf glazes. The new firm achieved financial success, employing Robertson’s crackled white glaze on tablewares with decorative borders. The blue-bordered “Dedham rabbit,” so commonly associated with the pottery, was reworked to encompass more than 50 different animal and floral borders, ensuring the firm’s survival.

With the commercial success of Dedham blue and white crackleware, Robertson continued to experiment with crackled, colored and textured glazes, including the forbidden sang-de-bouef. He rubbed his crackled white pieces with carbon black to accentuate the crazed network and then embellished them with splashes of color or cobalt decoration. He layered his

colored glazes one upon the other to create startling color combinations and painterly effects. His textured glazes with bubbled surfaces, dubbed “lava like,” resembled a volcanic or lunar landscape. By allowing the glazes to mingle and drip, Robertson’s resulting creations were accidental and abstract in nature.

Robertson’s glazed works were too radical for most of his contemporary critics and collectors. Financial success eluded him with these pieces, but he did attain a measure of critical recognition with awards at the 1900 Paris and 1904 Louisiana Purchase exhibitions. When Roberson died of workrelated lead poisoning in 1908, Dedham’s art pottery came to an end. The firm continued to produce the Dedham tableware until it was shuttered during World War II. In 1943, the firm’s collection of 19th- and 20thcentury works was liquidated at Gimbels department store in Manhattan.

David Rago, an expert on American pottery, notes that Robertson’s work was finally acknowledged and became highly collectible in the 1970s and ’80s. An impressive collection of Robertson’s work is found at The Metropolitan Museum. (It was recently gifted by the collector Robert A. Ellison.)

The holdings of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston include the “Twin Stars of Chelsea” — Robertson’s prized oxblood vases.

Today a great example of Robertson’s sang-de-boeuf, volcanic, or iridescent glaze can bring $10,000 at auction, while many fine pieces top out under $5,000.

Robertson lags behind his contemporary, George Ohr, the “mad potter of Biloxi,” (February WAG), whose work continues to grow in value. According to Rago, the essential difference between the two is that while Robertson is seen as a potter, Ohr is known as an artist who just happened to select pottery as his medium.

For further reading, see Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen’s “American Art Pottery: The Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection” (2018).

Jennifer Pitman writes about the decorative arts, jewelry and fine art she encounters as Rago Auctions’ senior account manager for Westchester and Connecticut. For more, contact jenny@ ragoarts.com or (917) 745 2730.

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HOME & DESIGN

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

TREASURING LIFE

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB ROZYCKI

There’s a moment in “Downton Abbey” in which the Earl of Grantham explains to his reluctant heir, Matthew Crawley, that he sees himself not as the owner of the estate but its steward.

That’s true of a lot of collectors, says Katie BanserWhittle, regional director of Skinner Auctioneers & Appraisers and WAG’s What’s New columnist.

“A lot of collectors take on the feeling not of ownership but of guardianship,” she says. “I love that they’re passing that feeling along to someone else when they auction off some of their treasures.”

We’re talking in Skinner’s new Westchester County

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office — in the heart of White Plains’ Financial District, 50 Main St. — which opened in May. It’s a space that is at once corporate and comfortable with an impressive kitchen and lounge as well as offices and conference rooms, all in sleek earth tones with an occasional pop of red. And that’s by design as if to say this is a professional space, but not an intimidating one.

That can be the case with some other auction houses, says Katie, who worked for Christie’s in Manhattan in its now defunct musical instruments department and in its private and iconic collections department as well. “But though we offer high-end auctions,” she adds, pointing

Katie Banser-Whittle studies a piece of jewelry.

Katie Banser-Whittle examines “Dove” by Cleo Hartwig (American, 1907-1988).

to a John Singer Sargent watercolor that recently sold for $183,000, “we also consider things in all price points that people don’t have an outlet for.”

As we talk, the eye wanders to reproductions of items that Skinner has sold, including one of Andy Warhol’s Elizabeth Taylor icons. But there’s also a violin, a lamp and a trunk. Such items are either waiting for a specialist to appraise them or on their way to Skinner’s Boston and Marlborough, Massachusetts’ auction sites, via the company’s own transport. (As WAG noted in its March announcement of Skinner’s Westchester move, the company — founded in the 1960s in Bolton, Massachusetts,

by Robert “Bob” Skinner, an engineer turned antiques connoisseur and dealer — also maintains a presence in Manhattan and Coral Gables, Florida.)

The new regional office gives Skinner the flexibility to respond to a shift in the auction world.

“The markets changed so much,” Katie says. “People used to be happy to inherit anything. …Now they’re not taking every piece of silver from Aunt Betty.”

Instead, millennials in particular are living streamlined lives in which they may buy a piece and then build on it slowly.

So what’s Aunt Betty to do? Well, she can contact a place like Skinner to have her items appraised either in-office or at home. Who will buy her treasures in a world that’s seen a sea change to streamlining in collecting and interior design?

“There are people who are collecting unique items.

They’re hoping to get that offbeat item they’ve been looking for, for a long time.”

It may be a piece of jewelry, always a hot category, or a rare bottle of bourbon or whiskey — spirits are trending right now, Katie says — or a piece of Americana, a Skinner staple.

“People don’t think of themselves as collectors,” she adds. But one thing she has learned from watching her 5-year-old arrange the rocks he finds is that they are. They just might not know it.

For more, call 212-787-1114 or visit skinnerinc.com.

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SENIOR

FOCUS

______________________________________________________________________________

Contact: Tom Kranz Email: tkranz@cslal.com Phone: 908-889-4200

TALKING TO A LOVED ONE ABOUT ASSISTED LIVING (454 words) There's no playbook on how to broach the often emotional subject of moving a loved one into an assisted living community. But those who have done it successfully seem to agree on a few things that helped their family member transition into their new life. It all begins with communication, early and often.

TALKING TO A LOVED ONE ABOUT ASSISTED LIVING

IT'S A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT--The earlier conversations about future living arrangements start, the better.

It will seem like a more natural transition if there have been ongoing discussions about what happens if the stairs become much, or on if declining healththe requires little helpsubject gettingofdressed everyday things.

A There’s too no playbook how to broach often aemotional movingora doing loved other one into an assisted living logical approach can work wonders, assuming your loved one isn't suffering from dementia.

And if dementia is a community. But those who have done it successfully seem to agree on a few things that helped their family member factor, extra patience and advice from a doctor or other professional may be called for. transition into their new life. It all begins with communication, early and often.

WHAT DOES HE/SHE opinion keeps dad engaged in thestart, process.

The IT’S A PROCESS, NOTWANT?--Always AN EVENT — Theasking earliertheir conversations aboutmom futureorliving arrangements the betminute you start dictating the rules, you'll start losing them.

Resentment breeds when well-meaning family members ter. It will seem like a more natural transition if there have been ongoing discussions about what happens if the stairs make too many decisions for a parent without their input. become too much, or if declining health requires a little help getting dressed or doing other everyday things. A logical approach can work wonders, assuming your loved one isn’t suffering from dementia. And if dementia is a factor, extra

VISIT SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES WITH YOUR LOVED ONE--Treat it like an outing, not a make-orpatience and advice from a doctor or other professional may be called for. break decision day. Soliciting the opinion of the person who would actually live there is the most important part of the exercise.

Asking questions of the—tour guide and encouraging your loved one to do the same keeps the dialogue WHAT DOES HE/SHE WANT? Always asking their opinion keeps mom or dad engaged in the process. The going.

Again, communication is the difference. minute you start dictating the rules, you’ll start losing them. Resentment breeds when well-meaning family members make too many decisions for a parent without their input.

FRANK TALK ABOUT MONEY--Everyone's financial situation is different and not every senior living solution works for everybody. Selling the home that they've known most of their lives is an emotional, even frightening VISIT SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES WITH YOUR LOVED ONE — Treat it like an outing, not a make-orprospect. It is often the only option for affording assisted living. Any discussion of money requires the same break decision day. Soliciting the opinion of the person who would actually live there is the most important part of empathy and patience as a discussion of health concerns. Instead of consulting a doctor, it might be a good idea to the exercise. Asking questions of the tour guide and encouraging your loved one to do the same keeps the dialogue consult a financial expert. going. Again, communication is the difference.

BE PREPARED FOR PUSH-BACK--Many adult children hear a parent say, "I will never leave this house" and FRANK TALK ABOUT MONEY — Everyone’s financial situation is different and not every senior living solution try to shut down the entire conversation. This is not the time to get angry or begin an argument. It is the time to take works for everybody. Selling the home that they’ve known most of their lives is an emotional, even frightening prosa deep breath, put yourself in mom or dad's shoes and regroup. Don't give up, but try again at a later time. Return to pect. It is often the only option for affording assisted living. Any discussion of money requires the same empathy your concerns about their health and safety, perhaps suggest a respite or trial stay for two weeks or more (most and patience as a discussion of health concerns. Instead of consulting a doctor, it might be a good idea to consult a assisted living communities offer this). financial expert.

With empathy, compassion and patience, we can help many of our older loved ones navigate their way to a happy BE life PREPARED FOR PUSH-BACK — Many adult children hear a parent say, “I will never leave this house” and new among new friends. try to shut down the entire conversation. This is not the time to get angry or begin an argument. It is the time to take a deep breath, put yourself in mom or dad’s shoes and regroup. Don’t give up, but try again at a later time. Return to your concerns about their health and safety, perhaps suggest a respite or trial stay for two weeks or more (most assisted living communities offer this).

With empathy, compassion and patience, we can help many of our older loved ones navigate their way to a happy new life among new friends.

For more, please contact Tom Kranz tkranz@cslal.com 908-889-4200

© 2019 Chelsea Senior Living

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HOME & DESIGN

WHAT’S NEW AGAIN

OFF THE GRID

BY KATIE BANSER-WHITTLE

Can you name a renowned woman artist primarily associated with Taos, New Mexico?

Well, yes, there’s Georgia O’Keeffe. But there is also Agnes Martin.

The Canadian-born painter (1912-2004) had a life and career that were full of fascinating contradictions. She began painting traditional narrative themes, but made her name with art that has most often been classified as Minimalist. (She thought of herself as an Abstract Expressionist.) She lived off the grid in Taos, New Mexico — what was then a remote, unfashionable outpost — but became influential in the art world and a wealthy woman late in life. She was intensely private, even reclusive, yet she was active in the Taos art scene and gave generously (and secretly) to several local causes, especially those that benefited disadvantaged youth and victims of violence.

Perhaps most telling, however, was that Martin created a serene body of work that reflected a Zen philosophy despite — or maybe because of — the difficult circumstances she contended with in her long life. She was a lesbian at a time when homosexual acts were considered immoral and even criminal.

She was schizophrenic and underwent electroshock treatments.

Until her paintings received attention and acceptance late in her life, she experienced rejection and poverty.

Yet she produced a distinctive body of work that radiates spirituality. The facts of her life might indicate a preoccupation with suffering, anxiety and isolation, but that is far from the truth apparent in her paintings and prints. She often gave them such joyful titles as “Happy Holiday,” “Faraway Love,” “I Love the Whole World” and “Gratitude.”

Earlier in her career, Martin had experimented with selfportraits, watercolor landscapes, and biomorphic forms. She soon developed the geometric abstract style that became her signature and later destroyed as much of her early work as she could acquire.

After participating in the vibrant mid-century New York art scene for 10 years, Martin saw her home and studio in lower Manhattan slated for demolition in 1967. She felt compelled to return to Taos, where she had lived and taught in the 1950s after graduating from Teachers College, Columbia University. Building her own small adobe dwellings, she abandoned painting for several years to write and meditate in isolation.

By the late 1950s Martin settled on the restrained, highly disciplined themes, format and color palette that she refined for the rest of her long career.

The grid, later somewhat modified into related linear patterns such as stripes and bands, became the defining characteristic of her distinctive work. Martin’s geometries are not exercises in mechanical perfection, however. Close observation reveals tiny irregularities and relaxations, clear evidence of the artist’s hand.

Her paintings were also recognizable by their unusual format — squares measuring 6 feet each side. (When she could no longer manage such large canvases she downsized a

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Agnes Martin’s “Blue Flower,” 1962, oil, glue, nails, and canvas collage on canvas stretched over panel. Sold at Skinner, Inc. for $1,539,000.

little — to 5 feet.) Her works on paper, although much smaller in scale, were also square.

Equally characteristic was her restricted, subtle palette, often applied in light washes of pastel shades. Martin also used multiple media to create a mysterious shifting play of light and form, incorporating graphite pencil, gesso, small nails and gold leaf into her work.

Today her work is gaining even wider recognition, as the market for Modern and contemporary art is ever eclipsing works from before World War II. A Martin retrospective in 2015 at London’s Tate Modern helped to introduce her to a new generation of art lovers, and a catalogue raisonné is underway.

What those art lovers are discovering is that her spare, restrained style served a vision of beauty, mystery and an optimistic response to life. Her grids do not exclude or confine. In her own words, “When I cover the square surfaces with rectangles, it lightens the weight of the square, destroys its power.”

Martin once said in an interview, “I paint with my back to the world.” That thought-provoking comment, both playful and profound, is intimately connected to the Zen philosophy that was Martin’s lifelong interest. It also reveals a final contradiction. Despite her acclaim, Martin did not create her art in order to gain public approval.

And her work isn’t concerned with accurately representing what the eye sees. Instead, Martin’s works are visual meditations on what is felt and known. Her subtle depictions of a state of quiet introspection invite the viewer into a silence that is not emptiness but full of possibilities.

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

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HOME & DESIGN

WHAT’S NEW

Photographs by Daniel Milstein.

RESORT LIVING IN RYE

BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

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“In design, as in life, the difference between good and great is the attention to detail.”

These are the words emblazoned on the opening page of the website for Shope Reno Wharton – a South Norwalk-based architectural firm that may be the McKim, Mead & White of its time.

Like that Gilded Age firm, which helped fashion the 20th century’s dawn in the Beaux Arts style, Shope Reno Wharton – perennial winners of Architectural Digest’s AD100 Award – creates homes, and some commercial and hospitality projects, with an eye to order and aesthetics.

“We design buildings that are inspired, accomplished

and beautifully built,” the firm’s website further says.

Among these buildings is this exquisite waterfront shingle-style Colonial on Forest Avenue in Rye, accented by breathtaking, panoramic views of the Long Island Sound from every vantage point.

Elevated, protected and intimately positioned, this 7,490-square-foot, five-bedroom home is light-filled and graced by soaring ceilings, hardwood floors, five fireplaces and walls of windows that let the spectacular outside in. From the grand 2-story foyer to the formal living and dining rooms, the open-plan kitchen and the rich, walnut-paneled wet bar, the house is a masterwork of craftsmanship.

These spaces are complemented by a glorious sunroom, a lavish master suite, a third-floor teen room and a home gym.

But it’s the amenities that ultimately distinguish this residence – the serenity of a family meal waterside, entertaining on the terrace at sunset, the enjoyment of water sports on your own private shoreline.

This is resort living 35 minutes from Manhattan.

For more, visit williampitt.com.

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WANDERS

LONDONER’S DIARY: REBORN HOLBORN

BY JEREMY WAYNE

TRAVEL

“What are we going to do about Holborn?”

That might have been a question Londoners asked themselves even five or six years ago, but you can bet your penultimate pound nobody’s asking it now.

Talk about the wrong side of the tracks.

The London district of Holborn was a few too many blocks west of the West End for anyone to pay much attention to it. Covent Garden and Theatreland smiled benignly on the other side of Kingsway, to try and make Holborn feel better about itself, but ultimately could do nothing to raise its stock. Another neighbor, the Bloomsbury district, did its level best to help but had down-at-heel issues of its own, while smug Fitzrovia, less than half a mile away — with its 18th-century houses and handsome town squares — could barely hide its disdain.

Holborn was the “midtown” of London — essential but uninteresting, necessary but gray with grimy, welltrodden streets and tired people.

And then, suddenly, everything changed. In 2013, Rosewood, the rather talented hotel people who just happen to run The Carlyle in New York, bought a magnificent building, smack in the heart of the hood. With its 306 sumptuously appointed rooms and suites, a chic bar called Scarfe’s (it had Bemelmans to live up to, after all), luxury Sense spa and hopping restaurant, Holborn had never seen anything like it — well , not in living memory.

Still, there were naysayers. “Nine-day wonder,” said some, “flash in the pan,” said others. “Rosewood shmozewood” nobody actually said, because Londoners don’t express themselves quite like that, but it certainly chimed with what many were thinking. Holborn was never going to catch on.

Six years on, though, and the naysayers have fallen silent. Rosewood is probably one of the top half-dozen hotels in the capital and Holborn is positively lit.

What happened next? A year after Rosewood launched, the oh-so-hip Hoxton opened its second hotel, at the western edge of High Holborn, the hood’s central thoroughfare. The Hoxton — the fast-expanding group that now has an outpost in Williamsburg, Brooklyn — has brought life to a once drab, utilitarian part of London. Its

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Suite at L’oscar Hotel, above. Courtesy L’oscar Hotel, London; and, left, lobby at The Hoxton, Holborn. Courtesy Ennismore.

lobby hums day and night with fabulous folk and there are cocktails around the clock. With reasonably priced rooms and a branch of the cool London eatery, Chicken Shop (from the people behind Soho House) in the basement, the Hoxton has it all, as cleverly conceived as it is stylishly executed. And it’s stylish all right — with designs by students from London’s famed art school, Central Saint Martins, along with scenes from Charles Dickens novels etched on the wallpaper.

Who the Dickens? Well, quite. The connection is that the novelist lived in Holborn for three years, from 1837.

Today, his former dwelling, at 48 Doughty St., where he wrote “Oliver Twist” and two other novels, is the home of the Charles Dickens Museum, where the writer’s desk is one of the star exhibits.

Scratch a little at the surface and Holborn, of course, is literary through and through. Doughty Street is also home to the offices of The Spectator, Britain’s crisp, cultural weekly magazine, as well as the highbrow London Review of Books, while publishers in neighboring Bloomsbury are two a penny.

A tribute to Oscar Wilde, the eye-popping new L’oscar Hotel opened its doors in June 2018. Located in a former Baptist church dating from 1903, the 39-room L’oscar, designed by Jacques Garcia of Hôtel Costes in Paris and La Mamounia in Marrakech fame, owes everything to extravagant, occasionally louche excess, and very little to restraint. Fabrics are rich and decadent — velvets, silks and damasks abound — and the lighting, low and sepia, almost seems to invite bad behavior (not that you ever would.) No detail has been overlooked, from the embroidered peacock motifs, to the statues of nymphs, to the tasseled purple pouffes — all of which could have made L’oscar a shrine to high camp, were it not so darn comfortable that you never want to leave the bedroom.

And service is so oiled that staff seem to know what you want before you have thought of it yourself.

A hundred yards along Southampton Row, with massive Russell Square to your left, you come to the new Kimpton Fitzroy London hotel, open just a year, which is the flagship hotel in Europe for the rapidly expanding InterContinental Hotel Group’s Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants brand. A vast, late-Victorian pile, the hotel was, until recently, the Hotel Russell, a faceless tourist hotel that no self-respecting Londoner had ever had any curiosity about, let alone reason to step inside.

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Stamford Health’s Breast Center provides threedimensional mammography, which means better detection and fewer callbacks. Our day, evening and weekend appointments, walk-in availability, and commitment to provide same-day results whenever possible means we’re here for you when you need us.

We all know someone whose life has been touched by breast cancer, and that’s why initiatives in October like Stamford Health’s Paint The Town Pink are so important — not to mention the care that the Breast Center and Bennett Cancer Center offer right in our own backyard. To view the calendar of Paint the Town Pink events, visit support. stamfordhospitalfoundation.org/pttpcalendar.

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Stairs at Kimpton Fitzroy. Courtesy Kimpton Fitzroy London.

Now, though, with its thé-au-lait (tea with milk) terracotta façade restored, it seems everyone is descending on the Kimpton, to admire its 19th-century mosaics, gawp at its carved stairways and caryatids, drink tea in its luxurious palm court, wander in its sunken winter garden, dine in its four restaurants, ogle its original Victorian stained glass and — if you’re a genuine tourist — to sleep in one of its 334 luxuriously appointed guestrooms. What many visitors to the hotel don’t know is that the original hotel was designed by one Charles Fitzroy Doll, who also designed the first-class dining room on the Titanic. “Lucky George,” a bronze dragon which can be found on the hotel’s second-floor staircase, is one of an identical pair, Its twin, as you may have guessed, went down with the ship.

For all its newfound trendiness, Holborn is unlikely to forget its past. History, and the preservation of history, rests too heavily on it. The Parthenon Marbles, Rosetta Stone and iconic mummies lurk diagonally across Russell Square, in the British Museum. And just steps from L’oscar and Rosewood, behind Holborn tube station, the Sir John Soane Museum — the exquisite former home of one of London’s most distinguished architects — has been left untouched (at Soane’s request) since his death 180 years ago.

Something old, something new: Holborn, it seems, has it all. Next time your travels take you to London, come see for yourself.

For more, visit rosewoodhotels.com, locar.com, ihg.com, britishmuseumorg, dickensmuseum.com and soane.org.

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TRAVEL

WANDERS

VIVE AIR FRANCE

BY DEBBI K. KICKHAM

In the sky and on land, all I can say, with the words of the song, is “C’est Si Bon.” That’s because Air France has recently introduced all kinds of initiatives to make sure that travelers have an experience that is “magnifique.” Here are just a few of the latest and greatest: NEW LA PRAIRIE BEAUTY TREATMENT CENTER AT JFK Who wouldn’t love a complimentary facial before flying? Let’s face it — it’s best for women not to wear any makeup during a flight — and simply slather on the moisturizer (as if you are a supermodel). This past February, Air France inaugurated its new beauty treatment center in its Terminal 1 Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, in exclusive partnership with luxury beauty and skincare specialist La Prairie. The new space is equipped with two private beauty booths with massage tables. Travelers can enjoy three types of facial treatments — Rejuvenation, Illumination and Indulgence — in sessions that go as long as 30 minutes. It is accessible only to La Premiere and business-class customers and Blue Platinum and Gold members.

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DINING IN STYLE At JFK, business-class customers can also enjoy night service offered in a brand new setting. The Night Service anticipates business customers’ need to enjoy a good night’s sleep on night fights between New York and Paris.

Thus, they can enjoy — at no extra charge — the same gourmet French meal in the airport lounge as the one served onboard, with their meal served at a table. The delicious dinner features a starter, hot dish, cheese, dessert and a wine-and-Champagne list. Since the launch of the night service, close to half of travelers opt to dine in the lounge. The dining area is on the mezzanine of the lounge, offering new furniture and faux leather couches, inspired by a Parisian brasserie, complete with blue and gray tones. This lounge will also offer art exhibitions all year round.

Starting last month, business-class customers can also enjoy three new signature dishes created by Daniel Rose, an American Michelin-star chef with a love for French cuisine.

He is the chef and partner of Le Coucou in New York, and the chef and owner of two restaurants in Paris. The three dishes feature poultry gratin with onions; a warm poultry plate with foie gras; and cod with turnip and beurre blanc.

Nearly half of Air France air travelers flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens to Paris opt for the night service of dinner in the lounge so they can sleep throughout their night flight.

THE LAST STRAW It is the end of the road for plastic cutlery, cups, stirrers and more. Since June, Air France has decided to eliminate 1,300 tons of single-use plastic, and has plans to eliminate 201 million single-use plastic items by the end of 2019. Plastic cups will be replaced with those made of paper. Plastic cutlery items will be replaced with those made from bio-based materials and packaging.

And wooden stirrers will be used instead of plastic stirring sticks. Since 2015, Air France has eliminated plastic drinking straws on board.

YOUR FRENCH COCOON OF COMFORT I flew in business class, and it was one of the highlights of my entire trip abroad. In business class, the seat’s soft foam is designed to offer impeccable quality of sleep.

The bed’s enveloping and padded headboard conveys an impression of being in a warm, contemporary room, a signature feature of Air France seats. On the aisle side, the leather armrest lowers completely, offering additional space to find an ideal sleeping position. The soft duvet and XXL-sized feather down pillow have also been designed with the passenger’s optimum sleeping comfort in mind.

In their seat, passengers enjoy their own bubble of privacy.

This cocoon adapts to the shape of each individual, from seating position to a true bed. Let me tell you: It was truly a posh pampering to be in that business class seat.

This new Air France business seat was developed around the concept of three — and it’s the Triple Crown of comfort: Full Flat — the seat converts to a horizontal bed, 180 degrees, for crossing time zones without fatigue; Full Access — direct access to the aisle, regardless of the seat’s location in the cabin; and Full Privacy — a protected area through the seat’s enveloping curves, providing a true bubble of privacy in the sky. In the cabin, each row has only four seats, significantly increasing the space available for travelers. Work, play, eat or sleep, the seat adapts itself to each individual for the duration of the trip. As for storage space, nothing is left to chance. Spaces are provided for easy passenger access to shoes, bags or purses. Books, magazines or tablets slip into a pocket, accessible even when the seat is reclined.

Smartphones, tablets and computers never run out of power, as an individual international format electrical outlet and USB port are available for recharging throughout the flight.

Movies, games, music, TV shows and many other programs make the trip a true time for pleasure. The 1,000 hours of programming ultimately available on demand makes for a fully enriched entertainment system. Passengers also have a wide array of recent movies from around the world available, now in other languages. Each month, Air France also updates nearly 100 hours of programming. Lights, camera, action.

Or inaction — if you just wish to fall asleep. Bonsoir.

For more, visit airfrance.com and for more on Debbi, visit gorgeousglobetrotter.com and debbikickham.com.

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TERRIFIC TENNESSEE

BY BARBARA BARTON SLOANE

TRAVEL

Delta Queen, the renowned 1926 steamboat, bills itself as “Chattanooga’s Most Memorable Overnight Stay.” It is. I can attest to that from an up close and very personal experience. This beloved boat, a fixture of America’s rivers, was the last traditional vessel carrying overnight guests on inland waterways. It is an historic landmark, a member of the National Maritime Hall of Fame and, today, a hotel on Chattanooga’s vibrant riverfront.

After a long, tiring flight and an equally long dinner, I finally stepped aboard the Delta Queen and was shown to my room — small, neat and cozy, with a bed that beckoned me to hop in. Finding this more appealing than joining my fellow travelers for an after-dinner cocktail, I happily surrendered to the pull of the pillow and began drifting off. Suddenly, abruptly, I was jolted by a face that appeared before me — that of a woman — gentle, soft-featured, benign and — just there. I immediately knew, sensed, that this was not your run-of-the-mill image that one sometimes sees before dozing off. No, this was the face of a lady from long ago — real, true, and insistent on being acknowledged. I was left feeling slightly unsettled and wondering, “What the heck was that?”

The next morning, a guide gave us a tour of the boat, beginning her talk by saying that the Delta Queen has a resident ghost named Capt. Mary B. Green. Bingo. I immediately knew who my nocturnal visitor had been. I asked if there was a photograph of her and when shown — you guessed it — the lady herself. I told the guide about Mary’s visit and she showed no surprise. “Happens all the time,” she replied. Mary was the first woman ever to be licensed to captain a boat, and I further learned that she lived in the room just opposite my own. The Discovery channel’s “Ghost Lab” has done a fascinating story on her and I must confess I felt quite special that Capt. Mary had chosen to visit me.

At one time, Chattanooga had the lamentable distinction of being the dirtiest city in America. Then came, a turning point. In 1992 the Bluff View Art District was born, thanks to founders Charles and Mary Portera and a group of forward-thinking citizens. Today this area is home to a collection of cultural delights sprinkled atop a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River. There’s an art gallery, specialty kitchens, gardens, fine restaurants, a coffeehouse, a banquet/conference center and a bed and breakfast — making Chattanooga now a contender for one of America’s favorite cities.

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INTO THE WOODS Celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America’s most visited park. It straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina and is one of America’s 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — a showcase for some of the most inspiring natural and cultural treasures that the Southern Appalachians have to offer. What a delightful photo op it was to wander in the morning light through the forest canopy’s lush mountain wilderness. Water is a constant companion on this journey — cascades, rapids and falls adorn the trails with the sound of rushing water never far away. The air is cold, pristine, perfect, and, when you’re in the park, you inevitably feel energized.

That mountain over yonder? I’ll just climb on up and take some pictures. Planning a four-hour hike? Count me in! You feel, well, really healthy.

Healthy — mmmmmm — mustn’t forget to stop at the Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler, that purveyor of liquid pleasure. Tasting your way through the woods is not such a bad idea. In these mountains, Tennessee’s moonshine tradition runs strong. Irish-Scots ancestors brought their knowledge and skills of whisky — and whiskey — making with them as they came to Appalachia. Conditions in the area were good for growing corn, but it didn’t take long to realize a lot more money could be made from a gallon of corn liquor. Once the law began cracking down on the industry, the nature of these people and the rugged mountain terrain made way for the heyday of bootlegging.

OUT OF THE WOODS Besides forests, there’s much in this part of Tennessee to experience, to learn, to discover. My visit was four full days and yet, upon leaving, I wished I had more time. There’s the amazing little town of Sevierville, about 25 miles from Knoxville with a population of just 15,000. It calls itself “Your Hometown in the Smokies” and its offerings are many —

A log cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Courtesy Sloane Travel Photography.

amusement parks, mountain adventures, unbelievable shopping with more than 120 high-end outlets, galleries, antiques, boutiques, flea markets and dining that ranges from down-home to international cuisine and authentic mountain cooking.

The village of Gatlinburg has mountain peaks rising higher than 6,000 feet and an aerial view of the Smokies aboard the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway, a 120passenger, 15-minute, 2.1-mile tram ride up to the summit of Mount Harrison. I took a nighttime stroll through the downtown area. Gatlinburg’s Winter Magic program brightened up the night with millions of spectacular lights and Christmas displays. This fun, festive program will commence once more mid-November.

And then there’s the little burg of Pigeon Forge. It may be small but its major attraction is grand. That would be Dollywood, known the world over and larger than life, exactly like the person it’s named for — Dolly Parton. This park was given the International Applause Award for being one of the world’s best theme parks with attractions, crafts, music, shows, special events and rides — lots of rides, at last count more than 100, with the latest, the Wild Eagle, being a thrilling roller coaster that takes you soaring over the Smoky Mountains.

MOUNTAIN ARTS & CRAFTS Taking a break from all the hijinks and frivolity of those irrepressible Smoky Mountain towns, I visited the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Founded in Gatlinburg in 1912 by Pi Beta Phi, the first fraternity for women in the country, Arrowmont was designed

to discover, preserve and promote knowledge and appreciation of traditional and contemporary crafts of the Appalachian region. As Bill May, the executive director, says: “We don’t try to tell the story of how art was…but rather what it is today.” This beautiful campus, nestled on a 14-acre hillside, mere footsteps from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, feels like a world of its own.

Walking through classrooms offering education in ceramics, fiber, metals, jewelry, painting, drawing, woodworking and photography and admiring the students’ art exhibits was exhilarating. The place pulses with creativity, yet equally important, Arrowmont offers students a time apart from the everyday. Experiences here revolve around conversations, shared meals, evening lectures and quiet reading in the wood-paneled library. The entire place puts you in mind of a simple, peaceful Frank Lloyd Wright design — inspiring in itself. The hours we spent here were seductive enough for me to make plans to return soon, take a class and submerge myself in the imaginative and inspired ambience that is Arrowmont.

Leaving Tennessee, I was overwhelmed by warmth and affection for a state that, prior to this visit, I knew nothing of. I thought of the words of a Tennessee poem

by Adm. William Porter Lawrence: “Strong folks of pioneer descent…simple, honest and reverent.” Not wanting to seem irreverent, may I offer a few words from that philosopher, Dolly herself, who once said, “The way I see it, if you want a rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

Although in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, it seems to be always fair weather.

For more, visit tnvacation.com.

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OCTOBER 2019

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CHOCOLATE OBSESSION

BY JEREMY WAYNE

FOOD & SPIRITS

“Dreams don’t work unless you do,” says a small signed displayed on the glass vitrine in Kelly Dantas’ new desserts and coffee shop in Cos Cob. As both a dreamer and a tirelessly hard worker, Dantas should know. Since arriving in the United States a decade ago from her native Brazil, her creative talent, inherent business acumen and all-round determination to succeed have resulted in 19 awards in business marketing.

That’s not all. Her entrepreneurship has earned her a US EB1 Green Card, also known as the “Einstein visa”, one of the most exclusive and difficult to obtain Green Cards, awarded by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) only to people of “extraordinary ability” in their field. To quote the somewhat highfalutin language used to explain the requirements, the petitioner must show that the individual has “risen to the very top of the endeavor with national or international acclaim.”

Recipients of “Einstein visas,” who number only a fraction of 1% of all successful Green Card applicants, tend to be business giants, internationally recognized performing artists, Olympic athletes — or Melania Trump.

But this isn’t a story about winning over Immigration Services, or prizes, or models-turnedfirst ladies. This is a story about chocolate and fresh-baked desserts, about cookies and coffee served myriad ways, the whole show curated with enthusiasm and élan by Greenwich resident Dantas, whose interest in chocolate you might think borders on the obsessional. In her new shop, Chocoylatte Gourmet, which occupies a sunny corner lot, she offers an array of handmade freshly baked desserts, cookies, pastries and assorted fine chocolates made with the finest ingredients available. Every item is prepared from scratch each day and handcrafted onsite.

Dantas spent years traveling the world — Central and South America, Europe and Asia — taste-testing and sampling chocolate from 180 different suppliers, before finally settling on what she believes is the “purest and finest chocolate anywhere.”

Along the way, she was also introduced to native spices to create fusions of different flavor combinations, all of which has resulted in her exclusive recipes. But when I inquire as to what constitutes the “purest and finest chocolate,” I’m rebuffed. Dantas isn’t at liberty to confirm where the chocolate is from, although I am able to discover she works with nine different suppliers.

Chocolate, indeed, is my own obsession. (Put it this way: I never met a chocolate yet, fancy or plain, I didn’t like.) I’m the living incarnation of the old expression “a minute on the

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Chocoylatte owner Kelly Dantas.

Courtesy Gustavo Tessaro Photography.

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lips, a lifetime on the hips.” So when I meet Dantas, with her glossy auburn hair that seems to tumble effortlessly on to her shoulders and with a winning smile that could launch a thousand candy bars, I cannot help but feel a slight pang of jealousy at how remarkably slender she is for a chocolatier.

Some people have all the luck.

“Chocoylatte Gourmet has been a labor of love for many years and I’m excited to finally share my sweet creations with the rest of the community,” she adds. “Since work began on the shop, I have been overwhelmed by the support of so many people. I can’t wait for guests to experience our welcoming atmosphere and our delicious desserts.”

The shop, which opened back in July with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei and State Representative Fred Camillo, was designed by Dantas to capture the feel of a French parlor, with its small café-style tables, plush bench seating and witty “chandeliers” made of teacups. An orange colour scheme runs throughout, making the shop bright and cheery.

Apart from teas, coffees, exotic fruit smoothies and an irresistible hot chocolate (which is going to win plaudits in the colder months,) Chocoylatte serves freshly made sandwiches, croissants, quiches, brownies, cookies and an array of indulgent cakes. Plus, chocolate of course — always lots of chocolate.

Dantas also designed the beautiful decorative jewel-inspired cake packages and gift boxes for takeout. The distinctive boxes are all part of the experience. So attractive are they that frankly you would be happy taking a couple home even if they contained nothing at all. As she puts it: “Per Steve Jobs words,

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‘Packaging can be theater. It can create a story.’ We are here to create our story.”

Chocoylatte Gourmet’s story also includes green initiatives and incorporating sustainability practices throught the use of paper straws, gift bags and gift boxes. Dantas says she will continue to work and identify other green and recycling solutions to reduce harmful effects on the environment, so while you may never be entirely free of dessert guilt, at least you can sugarsplurge with a clear conscious.

Then again, nicely attuned to dietary sensitivities, customers can enjoy recipes containing less sugar — though as Dantas herself says, “the body needs a bit of sugar.” Added to which, Chocoylatte uses no trans fats, preservatives, chemicals, artificial sweeteners or artificial flavors, only non-GMO, high-quality ingredients baked with thoughtfulness and care.

Plus, chocolate, of course, is nowadays believed to be good for you, at least in moderation. A 2017 study by researchers Valentina Socci and Michele Ferrara from the University of L’Aquila, Italy — just one of many similar studies — found that flavanol-rich cocoa consumption has been linked to improving memory, short-term cognitive function and counteracting cognitive decline.

All of which leads me to ask, could it be that Dantas’ business success, resulting in her “Einstein visa,” is attributable at least in part to her love of chocolate?

I don’t have the answer to that, but, encouraged by her example, it does mean I won’t be giving up chocolate any time soon. I also see multiple trips to Chocoylatte in the stars.

Chocoylatte Gourmet is at 121 E. Putnam Ave. in Cos Cob. For more, call 203-900-1622 or visit chocoylatte.com.

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WONDERFUL DINING

SOUTHEAST ASIA ON THE HUDSON

BY JEREMY WAYNE

FOOD & SPIRITS

If location is everything, then the deck of Navjot Arora’s Thai and Malaysian restaurant, Sambal, beside the Hudson River in Irvington, has it all. It also comes as a cheery surprise — since it is a truth universally acknowledged in the restaurant industry that great views and great food don’t usually go together — to find that the food at Sambal is both authentic and sophisticated.

But there it is, the river — magnificent on account of its sheer size alone — and here we are, Sambal’s owner Navjot Arora and I, shooting the breeze at a relatively quiet, early-in-the-week dinner service on a balmy evening in late summer.

The restaurant has a history. Originally a lumber processing plant dating from the mid-19th century, the space was, immediately prior to Arora’s arrival, home to a rather dubious sushi joint called Flirt, where the ‘2 hot to handle’ and ‘fluke me salad’ were two of the tamer menu items.

Like the restaurant, Arora has history, too. Born in India, he was all set to become a doctor, but an interim stint at hotel school in Delhi convinced him that the kitchen was where his path lay. Joining the prestigious Taj group against his father’s wishes, he enjoyed a thoroughly well-rounded kitchen education, working in Taj hotels across the subcontinent before finding his way to the United States. When Arora took over the Irvington site in 2008 and opened his Indian restaurant, Chutney Masala, he was taking a giant leap of faith.

One of the challenges had always been persuading, or convincing, customers to try wholly unfamiliar dishes.

“I believe in doing food I like, being true to its origins, its soul,” Arora says. While Indian curries and biryanis were mainstream enough when the original Chutney Masala opened, Arora did a series of tastings at senior centers in the area, to try to introduce older residents to the joys of Indian cooking, and ran stands at local markets to give people the opportunity of trying the cooking without a full-on commitment to a lunch or dinner they might not entirely enjoy. He also wanted parents to try the food for themselves and to convince them there were alternatives to pizza and pasta — for both them and their kids.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, he still had difficulty convincing guests to try some of the more unusual, you

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Navjot Arora

Decoration at Sambal restaurant. Photographs courtesy Sambal restaurant.

might even say outlandish, dishes, such as sweetbreads (pancreas). A decade on at Chutney Masala — now relocated to another site in Irvington, at 76 Main St. — he has slowly begun to reintroduce more exotic dishes as diners have become more experienced and confident.

These issues repeated themselves to some extent when he opened Sambal three years ago, on the Chutney Masala site, although, as Arora points out, nearly all of the spices and flavors found in Thai and Malay cooking — curry, coconut, cilantro and chili, with the exception of lemon grass — are common to Southeast Asian and Indian cooking. Then again, dishes like pad thai, with its instantly accessible, lip-smacking flavors, and Malay mamak mango chicken — sweet and sour chicken wings with green onions, mango and pepper — are probably an easier sell than goat brains.

Cauliflower Manchurian, one of Sambal’s most popular starters, features crisp cauliflower in a tangy sweet and sour sauce. It’s a dish with real heft, almost meaty in texture, the crisp and moreish florets made vibrant with the piquant sauce. Arora tells me it is one of the restaurant’s best sellers. Another popular dish is pork momos, dumplings made in-house, filled with spicy minced pork and steamed so that the cushiony dough casing becomes almost malleable. The dishes lead into salads like crispy duck and Thai beef, the duck punctuated with tiny cubes of pineapple (a throwback to a more innocent gastronomic era — not every salad has to grow up after all), and the beef salad hitting all the right flavor notes.

Customers are discerning, Arora tells me, and there’s no way you can fool them with a “faux” cuisine, Indian, Thai or otherwise. And besides, why would he? The secret of his success, it strikes me, is that he does not dumb down the dishes. Just because customers may be unfamiliar with the cuisine, doesn’t mean Arora will

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compromise the cuisine’s integrity. Everything has to be done right, the simple dishes as well as the more complex. Soups like Tom Yum, the classic spicy Thai broth, are done exactly by the book, the Thai book that is — lemongrass broth with lime leaves, oyster mushrooms and chili, made heady with galangal. Another dish done right, without cutting corners, is green papaya salad, perfectly ripe fruit anointed with lime juice, with its texturally exciting topping of palm sugar and peanuts.

“If you can deliver good service, good food and value for money,” claims Arora, “the customers will come.”

With sweet and obliging service, terrific food and fair prices, he is following his own recipe for success. It also helps that the restaurant looks as charming as it does — rich, scarlet banquettes beneath Moroccan lamps and paper lanterns, gentle acoustics and sympathetic lighting.

But back to the food: In the main dishes, curries are the constant in Thai cooking. They are also the mainstay of Sambal’s menu. The restaurant does a red, green and Penang curry, each one made creamy and luxurious with coconut cream and spiked with chili for varying degrees of heat — the fiery red curry being the hottest of the three. If you go the Malaysian route, rendang is a relatively dry curry, as subtle as it is rewarding. It is often made from beef, but at Sambal they are preparing it with chicken, the thighs slow-simmered in a spicy lemongrass, galangal and lime reduction. It’s a prince of curries.

When Arora leaves to attend to some kitchen business, I gaze out at the mighty Hudson. Night has almost fallen now, and I play a little game with myself.

Deck at Sambal restaurant.

I imagine that I am on the banks of the Ganges at its widest point, under an inky black West Bengal night, or lazing on a glamorous hotel terrace, beside Bangkok’s great waterway, the Chao Phraya River. Then the rumble and gentle screech of the Metro-North train as it pulls into Irvington station wakes me from my reverie. The exotic rivers have gone but the dependable Hudson — and the thoroughly unswerving Sambal — thank goodness are still there.

Sambal is at 4 W. Main St. in Irvington. For reservations, call 914-478-2700 or visit sambalny.com.

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WINE & DINE

SIPS FROM AUSTRIA STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH

BY DOUG PAULDING

FOOD & SPIRITS

How nice it must be to establish a vineyard in a farmland-type setting in wine country where lush acreage allows vineyard rows to be perfectly straight and the trellising stakes line up on the 45 degree bias from two directions. And how simple it must be to engage a large grape picker for a quick harvest when conditions are optimal. Perhaps winemaker Heinz Frischengruber from Austria’s Domäne Wachau dreams of this simplicity, but it is not his reality. I recently met with Frischengruber over a wonderful dinner at Charlie Palmer’s midtown restaurant, Aureole, and had an evening to dive into Austria’s Danube River region and what it brings to the world of wine.

Domäne Wachau (pronounced “va cow”) is a cooperative winery on the banks of the Danube, Europe’s second-largest river. The 250 grape growers that contribute to Domäne Wachau work impossibly steep terrain, most of it terraced by rustic walls, each tier supporting only one or two vines rows. No power equipment can access the stony steeps, so every vineyard detail is performed the old-fashioned way. From the air, the vineyards are not precise and orderly. Rather the vines follow the contours of the rocky crags, abutments and centuriesold manmade terraces, where all the producers are sustainably certified to work with nature for an unmanipulated, pure expression of what flavors the stone and terroir will emit.

Many of the vines grow in just 15 centimeters (just under six inches) of topsoil on granite, schist, gneiss (pronounced “nice) — the stuff Manhattan

Oenologist Heinz Frischengruber of Austria's Domäne Wachau visited Aureole, Charlie Palmer’s Manhattan restaurant, recently.

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Island is made of — and marble. This bedrock base, along with all the terracing retaining walls, leaches a minerality, a clean unmistakable stoniness to the grapes that will make wines of elegance and purity. This rocky region is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for its natural beauty as well as its cultural and historical contributions to humanity.

Frischengruber grew up amid his father’s winery, learning the business at an early age. He went on to oenological school in Austria and took jobs in different wineries in different regions of the world, honing his skill set. Then Domäne Wachau was looking for some winemaking talent and they found each other.

He oversees the mostly small vineyards of 250 independent growers, spending an abundance of time between the rows of grapes to monitor the development to maximize flavor. The vineyards now have an ample green cover between the rows to encourage beneficial insects and plants to allow for a healthy ecosystem with biodiversity. Frischengruber decides when to harvest and begin the winery magic.

Grüner Veltliner is one third of all the Austrian wine production and Domäne Wachau’s are wonderful. It makes an entry level 2018 Gruner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen. Look for green apple, pear and white pepper with a light spicy elegance.

At $18 retail, you can’t go wrong. The next GV we tasted was a single vineyard Federspiel Ried Liebenberg ($25) from 2018, showing elegance with citrus, lemon zest, tart apple and white peach. Our third GV was from what Frischengruber called “The best single vineyard in all of Austria.” Smaragd is the top category for Wachau wines so look for that on the front label.

This 2016 GV Smaragd Achleiten was a hit. At $46, it was fresh and lively, emitting citrus, white peach, herbs and white pepper notes. No oak is used in these wines. The production method is mostly in stainless steel tanks but they are experimenting with amphorae and concrete egg-shaped fermenters, which allow for more natural movement within the tank.

Frischengruber told me, “Grüner Veltliner was always the drinking wine. But Riesling was the contemplative wine.” We tasted three beautiful Rieslings spanning the decades, and it was wonderful. Our first, the fresh 2018 Domäne Wachau Riesling Federspiel Terrassen is the entry level wine but offered flavors of peach, pear and apricot. The 2018 Federspiel Ried Bruck ($25) showed wet stone and pronounced clean citrus with green apple. Next, from that “best single vineyard in Austria” we were in for a treat. We tasted a Smaragd Achleiten from 1996 ($95), which showed how beautifully Rieslings mature. All of these wines can be opened at vineyard release and they are lovely, but time in the cellar will improve the Grüners noticeably and the Rieslings radically. This wine showed that classic salty, citrus Riesling-ness, with stone fruit, citrus blends of lemon and tart orange carried by river stone flavors. Every swirl and taste of this wine emitted additional flavors to identify and enjoy. Look for these wines and switch up the routine. Gneiss vineyards make gneiss wines. So nice.

Write me at doug@dougpaulding.com.

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WELL

PUT ON A WEDDING FACE

BY JACQUELINE ANDREWS-EVANS If you think June is the most popular month for weddings, think again. October is numero uno. But whether you’re planning to be an October bride or groom or still holding out for the tradition of June, you’ll want your skin to look its best.

Let’s “face” it: If you or your spouse-to-be is acne prone, anxiety about a wedding breakout can interfere with leadup fun. Stress is not good for our skin. Neither are some of the other pre-Big Day events. Everything from anticipatory parties with friends to trying to achieve that “perfect” look can contribute to problem skin.

Acne is named after the skin bacteria p. acnes, which announces itself as a pimple when it clogs our pores.

Optimally, skin cells will regenerate without any clogs. But if we have excess skin oil, called sebum, dead skin cells can get trapped. Add in the acne bacteria, and now we’re hosting a pimple party.

Hormones, genetics, stress and lifestyle are all factors in acne. Weddings are exciting, but making plans and celebrating along the way can involve stress, late nights, food and drink splurges and new hair and makeup products. All can disrupt our system’s equilibrium and trigger breakouts.

To keep acne away on your special day, I suggest the following:

HEALTH & FITNESS

Clear skin can be one of a bride’s best accessories.

Getting it requires preparation.

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1. Make skin care a VIP guest from the start: To keep acne stress to a minimum, you want your skin-care program working for you from engagement day. Pimples take time to develop, and they take time to clear. In an emergency, for severe acne, a steroid shot can treat a single cyst or nodule.

But that’s limited, as injections shouldn’t be used on multiple spots. So it’s important to use effective products regularly. For less severe acne, those might be over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide plus a de-clogging agent like salicylic acid. For severe acne, that probably means treatment at the dermatologist’s.

In either case, it’s important to follow a maintenance plan.

2. Don’t cater to a pimple: Increasingly, research points to sugar’s role in inflammation — a major player in acne.

And sugar — from ingredients that quickly break down to glucose during digestion — comes in many forms, not just desserts, including white rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and cocktails. As the couple enjoys pre-wedding festivities, it will help their skin if they indulge in moderation when it comes to high-glycemic foods.

3. Stay faithful to your regimen: Once your skin plan is working, you’ll want to stick with it. It can be tempting to try new products or techniques, maybe first-time sunless tanners or facials. If you’re interested in trying something new, consider a trial run well in advance of your day, to ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises.

4. Make sure makeup and hair are skin BFFs: Styling products need to be skin friendly. They should not introduce oil or any ingredient that may clog pores or irritate skin. If the couple is using stylists, they’ll want to make sure that their products are compatible with sensitive skin. For those managing acne, selecting a makeup artist who is skilled at addressing problem skin and scheduling a trial session is a great way to feel confident about looking great.

5. Still got acne jitters? Schedule a skin prenup: Having an established relationship with your skin-care specialist means that you can plan ahead. Those who have gotten maintenance treatments — lasers or peels or extractions — can schedule an appointment that is timed to optimize clear skin for their wedding week. The key is sticking with the expert they trust and the approach that has worked. Those who contend with severe acne can alert their dermatologist’s office in advance so that an “emergency” appointment — for a corticosteroid shot, for example — can be scheduled in a timely way, if needed.

The focus should be the wedding, and a reliable skincare plan can prevent worries about a skin eruption from interfering with the celebration.

Jacqueline Andrews-Evans, is a certified physician assistant through the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants. She specializes in dermatology with Advanced Dermatology PC and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery (New York & New Jersey). For more, visit advanceddermatologypc.com.

INSIGHTS FROM OUR HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION FOR YOUNG WOMEN

M

any people tend to think about breast cancer as a disease that only strikes middle-aged and elderly women. While statistics show that the majority of tumors are found in women over 50, younger women are not immune to the risk, says Dr. Caren Greenstein, Director of Breast Imaging at White Plains Hospital.

“Today, we are seeing some younger patients, including some in their twenties, with breast cancer.”

EARLIER DETECTION FOR YOUNGER WOMEN No one knows the exact cause of breast cancer, or why one woman develops the disease and another doesn’t. What doctors do know is that breast tumors are always caused by damage to a cell’s DNA. Most women will never be able to pinpoint the exact cause because breast cancer isn’t just one disease, explains Dr. Greenstein. There are many different types and the cause or set of causes is likely the result of multiple factors.

Guidelines for when to start regular screening vary; medical organizations often have different recommendations. According to Dr. Greenstein, this can be confusing and may deter some individuals from starting screening at a time when they have the best chance of early detection and possible cure.

“The truth is, there is no such thing as any woman being low risk for breast cancer,” she notes. “The numbers tell us that one in eight women in this country will develop it.” Dr. Greenstein says at White Plains Hospital, the recommendation for healthy women without high-risk factors is to start getting yearly mammograms beginning at age 40.

However, doctors suggest that certain groups of women in specific high-risk categories start even sooner – as early as age 30.

That includes those with a family history of breast cancer, especially if a first or second-degree relative developed breast cancer at a young age. Breast cancer in certain ethnicities such as African American, Asian PRESENTED BY WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL

and Hispanic women, is typically diagnosed over a decade earlier than for Caucasian women (which is in their 60s).

For those women who may be considered high-risk, new legislation was passed this summer in New York State that requires large insurance companies to cover mammograms in women aged 35 to 39 upon the recommendation of a physician, making early detection and treatment more likely.

Prior to this law, large insurance companies were only required to cover annual mammograms for women over 40.

The legislation is called “Shannon’s Law” and it is named after Shannon Saturno of Babylon, Long Island. Shannon was a young teacher who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2013 while 26 weeks pregnant with her daughter. An avid runner, Shannon remained active throughout her treatment, working at her school and even starring in a music video to promote early screening. She passed away just three years after being diagnosed, at age 31.

NEW TECHNOLOGY, BETTER DETECTION While women today have a choice of either a 2D or 3D mammogram, 3D is quickly becoming the recommended screening tool at most major medical centers, including White Plains Hospital. This enhanced form of imaging provides more detail than a traditional 2D digital mammogram - especially important for women with dense breast tissue, which is typically associated with a higher risk of cancer, says Dr. Greenstein. Initial studies indicate that 3D mammography is able to detect breast cancer at a rate 20-40 percent higher than 2D, and while that figure may be on the high side, Dr. Greenstein says, there’s no question that this new technology is better than 2D when it comes to detection.

STAYING AWARE About two-thirds of women in this country are getting regular screenings, according to Dr. Greenstein, which is always the best way to detect cancer early. However, it’s still important for women to pay attention to changes in their breasts, with or without a family history. Signs may include a lump, changes in and around the nipple, a retracted or sucked in area of the breast, a dimpling or puckering of the skin on and around the breast, and even focal pain. “About 70 percent of all breast cancer deaths occur in the small portion of the population who are not getting regularly screened,” Dr. Greenstein says.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which serves as a good reminder for women to get screened. White Plains Hospital has four easily accessible Women’s Imaging Centers, each offering the latest advanced technology, including 3D mammography. Extended hours are also available at all four sites. To find out more or to schedule an appointment, call (914) 681-2929.

“About 70 percent of all breast cancer deaths occur in the small portion of the population who are not getting regularly screened.”

– Dr. Caren Greenstein, Director of Breast Imaging White Plains Hospital

WELL

PARENTING YOUR WAY THROUGH COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

BY DANA DORFMAN

When it comes to the college essay, psychotherapist Dana Dorfman says parents can serve as proofreaders and maybe even editors but certainly not as writers.

HEALTH & FITNESS

If we’ve learned anything from the Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, it’s that parents’ attempts to ensure their children’s success can have precisely the opposite effect. Who can doubt that the real losers in this sordid affair are the teens whose parents went to great lengths to hand them an unearned place in a prestigious university?

These children of privilege are heading for trouble as they confront adulthood feeling that their actual attributes and achievements aren’t good enough and that they are incapable of finding their own way.

The illegal acts of these wealthy families are extreme but not different in intent from the practices of “lawnmower” or “snowplow” parents — those who seek to clear every impediment to a child’s success. They are depriving their children of the opportunity to develop confidence in their own abilities and achieve their goals.

At every stage of a child’s development, frustration and failure are inevitable. There

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are bicycles that can’t be ridden, equations that can’t be solved, prizes that can’t be won. Learning to deal constructively with frustration and failure helps children learn to overcome obstacles and tolerate disappointment. Denied the freedom to stumble, a child will not develop a sense of mastery and self-sufficiency and will be overwhelmed when expected to make decisions about college or anything else.

Yes, the college application process is more challenging than tying shoelaces. It is stressful for all concerned and parents must help their youngsters avoid being consumed by anxiety. But they must resist the urge to take over. How do you find the right balance between being supportive and running the show? You wouldn’t dictate which school(s) your son should apply to. But when he’s undecided after being accepted at several, how can you help? And while you wouldn’t write the college essay for your daughter, is it OK to proofread it? What’s a parent to do?

There are many useful things for a parent to do in the application process — listen, ask questions, guide, remind, suggest, encourage, support. The most important consideration is to understand what your youngster wants and needs from you. Start by asking. Then keep asking and adjust as needed. Your child may not know everything she wants in life but she has dreams and aspirations, and having a conversation about them and about how she wants you involved in this process is a good place to start.

There are many guides available in print and online about the steps in the admissions process. As a psychotherapist with a particular interest in parenting strategies, I can best advise on some of the psychological issues in play. Here are some key thoughts: • Fit is what matters. That means the right school for your child is not the one you went to or had hoped to go to. It’s not the “hot” school among his classmates. And it’s not the one that will confer bragging rights.

As he does his homework investigating schools and as you visit campuses, he’ll begin to develop a sense of fit, of where he

feels comfortable, and he’ll find there are a number of schools that feel right.

• Keep lines of communication open. Make sure you have a plan for how you’ll work through the process and that it includes touching base regularly. That doesn’t mean bugging your teen every night at dinner about how the essay is coming or offering unsolicited advice. But she should feel comfortable coming to you at any time with questions, concerns or just to chat.

• Manage your anxiety. Of course, you’re anxious. Your teen is anxious, too, and her ability to handle anxiety is a more important predictor of her future success than her SAT score. Keep in mind that anxiety is contagious, never more easily transmitted than from parent to child. The better able you are to manage your anxiety, the better your daughter will be able to manage hers.

• Stay true to your values. Does your family value cooperation over individual achievement? Financial stability over risktaking? Challenge over conformity? Under stress, it’s easy to lose sight of the values you hold dear. Faced with an important decision about your teen’s future, talk to him about values and let them guide you.

Applying to college may be the first time your child is called on to make important decisions about his future and — ready or not — he will make those decisions.

Yes, you should help assess each school’s pros and cons before your teen makes a final decision. And by all means, offer to proofread the essay. Then take a deep breath and remember that research has shown that where your child goes to college will have little to no effect on his eventual success or happiness.

Psychotherapist Dana Dorfman treats patients with a wide variety of mental health-related issues to do with parenting, relationships, anxiety, depression, ADHD and other learning challenges. Dorfman is a cohost of a podcast 2momsonthecouch.com and is in private practice in New York City.

For more visit drdanadorfman.com.

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WELL

BEING IN THE MOMENT

BY GIOVANNI ROSELLI

HEALTH & FITNESS

I always like to start my column with a quote, but for this month I’m going to make much of the article one gigantic quote!

Over the course of the last several years, I have heard the following parable on more than one occasion. The story has been around for quite some time, and it really centers me whenever I hear it.

So, I’d like to share it with all of you. For those who have heard it, it is always worth listening to again. For those of you who have not heard this story before, I hope it helps you reflect on how we view our lives in both the present and future.

As a health coach and personal trainer, I am constantly trying to help people move better, feel better and make progress. On the other hand, sometimes we get so caught up in what we want or expect the future to be that we don’t really appreciate where we currently are. I think no matter what profession we’re in (or want to be in), we can all take away something from the story below. I also think that no matter what part of the journey you are on — whether that be with fitness, job, or relationship — it is probably good to be reminded of this story from time to time.

The fisherman and the banker An American investment banker was taking a muchneeded vacation in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. The boat had several large, fresh fish in it.

The investment banker was impressed by the quality of the fish and asked the Mexican native how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.” The banker then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman replied he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.

The banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman replied, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends and family: I have a full and busy life.”

The investment banker scoffed, “I am an Ivy League MBA, and I could help you. You could spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat!”

The fisherman asked, “And then what?”

The banker continued, “Then with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats until eventually you would have a whole fleet of fishing boats.

Instead of selling your catch to the middleman, you could

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sell it directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You could control the product, processing and distribution.”

The fisherman asked, “And then what?”

The banker added, “Of course, you would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City where you would run your growing enterprise.”

The fisherman asked, “But how long will this all take?”

To which the banker replied, “Fifteen to 20 years.”

“But what then?” asked the fisherman.

The banker laughed and said, “That’s the best part.

When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You could make millions.”

“Millions? Then what?” asked the fisherman.

To which the banker replied, “Then you would retire.

You could move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends and family.”

Final thoughts...

Sometimes simplicity and gratitude beat blind ambition.

Sometimes what gives us true happiness are the simple, basic things in life. Let’s never lose sight of that. When taking a step back, you may find that you already have everything you are looking for.

Reach Giovanni on Twitter @GiovanniRoselli and at his website, GiovanniRoselli.com

A fishing boat on the coastal Mexican state of Veracruz at Tuxpan.

Katonah Museum of Art 134 Jay Street, Katonah, NY 10536 914.232.9555 katonahmuseum.org

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HARTIGAN KNOOP SEKULA STEUBING

SPARKLING AMAZONS: ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST WOMEN OF THE SHOW

Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011), Seascape with Dunes, 1962, oil on canvas, 70 x 140 in. (177.8 x 355.6 cm), Grey Art Gallery, New York University Art Collection, Gift of the artist, 1963.2, ©2019, Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

October 6, 2019 – January 26, 2020

PET OF THE MONTH

GENTLEMANLY GUNNER PHOTOGRAPH BY FATIME MURIQI

PET CARE

“Who can turn the world on with a smile?”

Well, yes, Mary Tyler Moore (as per the theme song of her eponymous 1970s hit sitcom) but also Gunner, a mixed breed with terrific manners. He’s a dream on car rides and plays well with others.

Despite being abandoned at a highkill shelter and being thrown into a foster situation with two small dogs, this 7-year-old is one easygoing guy.

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

Founded in 1883, the SPCA is a no-kill shelter and is not affiliated with the ASPCA. The SPCA is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. To learn more, call 914941-2896 or visit spca914.org.

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fall into color.

www.BlossomFlower.com 914.304.5376 877.458.1709

PET PORTRAITS

THEIR ‘PEACEABLE KINGDOM’

BY ROBIN COSTELLO

PET CARE

According to Denise Jacobus, “Ideuma Creek Farm is a place where joy and success are measured in extraordinary ways; in the size of the pumpkins growing in the gardens, the color of the sugar maples turning brilliant hues in the fall or in the number of healthy cria (baby alpacas) born each year. One needs to look no further than the barns, the pasture and within the gardens where joy can easily be found.”

In this bucolic paradise in Unadilla, New York, on land that has been farmed for more than 150 years, Denise lives with her husband, John. Although educators by profession, the couple is well-known as being among the most successful alpaca breeders in the region. With a herd of more than 100, their alpaca breeding program has produced countless blue-ribbon champions all over the country. Ideuma Creek alpacas and their fleece are widely known for quality.

Responsible stewardship of the environment, constant expert care, nutrition and good old-fashioned TLC has produced a winning formula. John and Denise take meticulous care of their land and their animals, and it shows in the quality of what they produce.

As if a day contained more than 24 hours, Denise also finds the time to maintain several annual and perennial gardens which harvest award-winning produce. Denise reminds us “One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.” As a young girl she always wanted to experience the farm life. Once she met John, “He made all those dreams come true.”

So, what else could this dynamic duo possibly have time for you ask? Well, puppies, of course.

With retirement within reach, they have decided to turn their attention to the breeding of dogs — Australian Labradoodles. “It seemed a natural progression from breeding alpacas for fleece and personality traits.” They have already had several successful litters.

As Denise explains, “Australian Labradoodles were first bred (crossbred) in the 1980s but were not established as (their) own breed until 1997. They are a gorgeous mix of six popular breeds —

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Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Irish Water Spaniel, Curly Coat Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel and English Cocker Spaniel.”

This unique hybrid takes the best traits from each of the six breeds. From the Poodle they get intelligence, agility and a hypoallergenic coat. The Labrador Retriever part is good with children and loves the water. An Irish Water Spaniel sheds very little and likes to please its owner. A cross between a Poodle and a Retriever, the Curly Coat Retriever is used as a hunting and therapy dog — with an active and loving demeanor. The classic American Cocker Spaniel has a jovial temper and is easy to train, while the English Cocker Spaniel is affectionate

One of Denise Jacobus’ Australian Labradoodle puppies, above.

Photographs courtesy Mary Beggs of Muddy Dog Photography.

Ozzie showing off his fluff, near right, and mother-to-be Shenanigan, known as Annie, far right, is expecting her litter on Oct. 7.

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and friendly. Australian Labradoodles have pictureperfect teddy bear faces, with big round eyes, and a fluffy coat. Like a stuffed animal come to life, the breed has three sizes; a mini (18 to 28 pounds), a medium (28 to 45 pounds) and a standard (45 to 60 pounds).

“The key to successful breeding is multigenerational consistency,” says Denise. The breed has great appeal to allergy sufferers, as the Australian Labradoodle boasts a more consistent, low-dander, low-shedding coat, although it’s best-known for its personality traits — loyalty, tenderness and a willingness to please.

Denise and John specialize in producing high-quality litters. Their pups are hand-raised in their own family’s kitchen until they are ready to find forever homes.

They are surrounded with attention, affection and socialization. Right from birth, they are acclimated to the sights and sounds of a family life and thus tend to have a smooth transition when adopted. The couple keeps in close touch with all the adoptee families in

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order to ensure a happy result for everyone involved — parent and puppy, alike They are never more than a phone call away.

So, when are they expecting? One of their beautiful dogs named Shenanigan (“Annie” for short) will deliver her pups (up to eight) by Oct. 7. She was bred with a handsome chocolate-colored male from Pennsylvania.

As if on cue, the puppies will be the perfect age to be adopted at Christmastime.

John and Denise have created their very own piece of heaven on earth at Ideuma Creek Farm. Although the days are long, they are filled with great purpose and deep meaning. Everything that is produced in this peaceable kingdom is infused with a little Jacobus magic.

Their secret ingredient? L O V E. To find out about adopting one of these Australian Labradoodles puppies, contact Denise or John at icalpacas100@gmail.com or 607-643-2314

Ozzie, Anjali and Shenanigan, known as Annie, love to romp around the fields at Ideuma Creek Farm.

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WHERE & WHEN Through Nov. 18 Clay Art Center presents “The Endangered Species Project,” the fourth core exhibit in its year-long gallery focus titled “Animal Instinct,” which explores the animal kingdom. Potter Julia Galloway creates urns for near-extinct animals to bring awareness to the human effect on the natural environment. Each exhibiting plate depicts an endangered animal from the state of New York. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 40 Beech St., Port Chester; 914937-2047, clayartcenter.org.

Oct. 1 through 19 “Mlima’s Tale” by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage is a powerful, theatrical fable about a magnificent and beloved Kenyan elephant named Mlima hunted for its coveted ivory tusks.

As traffickers maneuver the illicit ivory market, the animal’s invincible spirit follows their path of desire, greed, crime and corruption. 7 p.m.Tuesdays , 2 and 8 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays, 8 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays and 3 p.m., Sundays, Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court; 203-227-4177, westportplayhouse.org.

ArtsWestchester presents “The Chair Show” (featured in September WAG), which explores the creativity, forms and art of seating. The show includes sculptural, conceptual, functional and dysfunctional forms of seating, as well as paintings and installations inspired by chairs. Noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays, 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains; 914-428-4220, artsw.org.

Oct. 3 “GoForPink” brings the local community together for a special day of shopping, dining and educational forums in Greenwich to raise awareness and critical funds for eradicating breast cancer through the mission of the Breast Cancer Alliance. The activities start at 9 a.m. with a flag raising at Greenwich Town Hall. At 10, Richards will host a complimentary educational program and breakfast: “Love, Loss and Cancer: An Intimate Conversation With Authors Lee Woodruff and Allison Gilbert.” 203-861-0014, BCAgoforpink.org.

Oct. 3 through 12 The duck-tailed, hot-rodding Burger Palace Boys and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking Pink Ladies in bobby sox and pedal pushers bring the 1950s back to life in “Grease,” the rock ‘n roll musical that opened on Broadway in 1972. 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday Curtain Call Kweskin Theatre, 1349 Newfield Ave., Stamford; 203-461-6358, curtaincallinc.com.

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LeAnn Rimes performs Oct. 25 in Norwalk.

Oct. 3 through 26

Oct. 4

Dancers of all abilities are welcome to a series of English country dances, presented by the Country Dancers of Westchester. The dances are accompanied by live music and basic instruction. 7:30 p.m. select Thursdays and Saturdays, The Church in the Highlands, 35 Bryant Ave., White Plains; 845-6422074.

KEYS (Kids Empowered by Your Support) brings one-to-one instrument lessons and group music instruction to underserved inner-city children in Bridgeport. Enjoy an evening of cocktails, dinner, auctions, performances and more at the KEYS Fall Benefit. 7 p.m., Shorehaven Golf Club, 14 Canfield Ave., East Norwalk; 203-761-0150, keysmusic.org.

Oct. 4 through 12

Oct. 5

Pleasantville Theater Company Arc Stages presents the rock musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” to kick off the fifth season for its professional company, the Next Stage. This musical tells the story of Hedwig, an East German transgender singer of the rock band The Angry Inch. The show breaks the fourth wall, as Hedwig directly tells the audience of her past tribulations and heartbreak in the form of an extended monologue paired with rock songs. Times vary, 147 Wheeler Ave., Pleasantville; 914-747-6206, arcstages.org.

The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra presents “Medley,” a concert program featuring Sarah Kirkland Snider’s “Disquiet,” Alberto Ginastera’s “Variaciones Concertantes” and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“New World”). 8 p.m., Anne S. Richardson Auditorium, Ridgefield High School, 700 North Salem Road; 203-438-3889, ridgefieldsymphony.org.

Oct. 4 through 13 “Ragtime the Musical” — Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-20th-century New York, “Ragtime” weaves together three distinctly American tales, which are united by the protagonists’ courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future. 8 p.m. Friday, 4 and 8 p.m., Saturday and 2 p.m., Sunday, The Music Theatre of Connecticut, 509 Westport Ave., Norwalk; 203-4543883, musictheatreofct.com.

Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts presents Ann Hampton Callaway — one of the leading performers of the great American Songbook, with a unique singing style blending jazz and traditional pop — In a program of songs from her newest album, “Jazz Goes to the Movies.” 8 p.m., 1073 North Benson Road; 203-254-4010, quickcenter.com.

“Gala of Lights” is a benefit for Bridgeport’s Discovery Museum, featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a raw bar and live and silent auctions to support dynamic, hands-on STEM experiences and education programs, cultivating a spirit of exploration for young people. 6 p.m., 4450 Park Ave. Bridgeport; 203-372-3521, discoverymuseum.org.

Experience Something Real 2019-2020 OCTOBER 20 Flamenco Legends: The Paco de Lucia Project 27 Westchester Philharmonic

NOVEMBER 8 Gina Chavez Live in Concert 10 Dorrance Dance 16 Chouk Bwa 23 Arch 8: Rising Tide 23 CMS of Lincoln Center DECEMBER 7 An Evening with David Sedaris 8 Westchester Philharmonic 13 A.I.M: An Untitled Love 15 Canadian Brass: Christmas Time is Here JANUARY 25 CMS of Lincoln Center 30 Limón Dance Company

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

Pictured: BAir Play © Florence Montmare

FEBRUARY 8 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra 8 Villalobos Brothers 9 Westchester Philharmonic 14 Paul Taylor Dance Company 15 The Manhattan Transfer 23 MUMMENSCHANZ: you & me 28 Air Play MARCH 1 The Very Hungry Caterpillar 6 It Gets Better 14 CMS of Lincoln Center 14 Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México 15 A Cappella Live!

20 Mariachi Los Camperos 22 Treehouse Shakers: The Boy Who Grew Flowers 27 Black Violin 28 Doug Varone and Dancers APRIL 18 RUBBERBAND: Ever So Slightly 19 Westchester Philharmonic 25 CMS of Lincoln Center MAY 2 Gravity and Other Myths: A Simple Space 5 Tania Pérez-Salas Compañía de Danza

914.251.6200 www.artscenter.org LUCILLE WERLINICH, Chair of Purchase College Foundation

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Oct. 20 Beechwood Arts & Innovation presents its Fall Arts Immersion Salon with the theme of “Secrets” explored through music, visual arts, sculpture, performance, film and culinary arts. 2 p.m., 52 Weston Road, Westport; 203-226-9462, beechwoodarts.org.

Oct. 21

The Glass House one-day study tour Oct. 18 will include the Schlumberger Research Center Administration.

Photograph by Michael Biondo.

Oct. 18

Dr. Sanjay Gupta will be honored for his dedication to humanitarian causes at this year’s Americares Airlift Benefit. Actor, director Tony Goldwyn and CNN anchor Erica Hill will co-host the inspirational evening celebrating 40 years of Americares health programs for people affected by poverty or disaster. The event culminates with Americares signature airlift, a 24-hour journey for guests to see Americares work firsthand. This year, the destination is the Dominican Republic. Gala: 5:30 to 11:00 p.m., JP Morgan Chase Hangar E1-73 Tower Road at Westchester County Airport, White Plains; 203-658-9558, americares.org/ aab2019.

Oct. 6 Pelham Art Center salutes Diwali, the festival of lights, which is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, who believe that light signifies health, wealth and peace. Guests will enjoy an ancient Indian classical dance performance, traditional hands-on art workshops and henna body art. 2 to 4 p.m., 155 Fifth Ave.; 914-738-2525, pelhamartcenter.org.

Oct. 12 Hudson Valley MOCA will host an opening reception for its new exhibition, “How We Live: Selections from the Marc and Livia Straus Family Collection, Part II.” The exhibition features 33 artists who use sculpture and video to explore the products and production of humanity across a multitude of geographies, cultures and times. 4 to 7 p.m., 1701 Main St, Peekskill; 914788-0100, hudsonvalleymoca.org.

Friends of Music Concerts Inc. presents a concert by the Emerson String Quartet. The program will include works by Mozart, Dvorak and Shostakovich. 8 p.m., Kusel Auditorium at Sleepy Hollow High School, North Broadway; 914-271-2465, friendsofmusicconcerts.org.

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Visit two important examples of mid-century architecture designed by Philip Johnson on a one-day study tour of The Glass House (1949) and the recently restored Schlumberger Research Center Administration Building (1951-52), Johnson’s first non-residential building. 1 to 5:15 p.m., The Glass House, 199 Elm St., New Canaan; 203-594-9884, theglasshouse.org.

White Plains Public Library will host a workshop in honor of Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday that coincides with Halloween, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (Oct. 31-Nov. 2), in which families remember their deceased loved ones. Children and their families will make an altar to celebrate the lives and times of their deceased family members. 4:30 p.m., 100 Martine Ave.; 914-422-1476, whiteplainslibrary.org.

Oct. 18 through Nov. 2 Hudson Stage Company presents its fall mainstage production of “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” directed

by Margarett Perry. This is Lucas Hnaths’ comedic, modern imagining of Nora Helmer’s return 15 years after her shocking decision to leave her husband and children in Ibsen’s world of 1879. Times vary, Whippoorwill Theatre, North Castle Public Library, Kent Place, Armonk; 914-271-2811, hudsonstage.com.

Oct. 19 Ladies of Laughter returns to the Emelin Theatre for another night of stand-up, featuring comedians Erin Jackson, Katie Hannigan, Kerri Louise and Ivy Eisenberg. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck; 914-698-3045, emelin.org.

National Dance Company of Siberia, a kaleidoscope of folk dance choreography, athleticism, stunning costumes and energetic music, will perform at 8 p.m., Academic Arts Theatre, Hankin Academic Arts Building at Westchester Community College 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla; 914-606-6262, sunywcc.edu/smartarts.

Breast Cancer Alliance’s 24th annual Luncheon and Fashion Show features live and silent auctions and celebrity chef Todd English as guest speaker.

The event also features the Survivor Celebration Runway Fashion Show, with women who are living with or have overcome breast cancer outfitted in a curated collection from Richards. 11 a.m., Hyatt Regency Greenwich, 1800 E. Putnam Ave., Old Greenwich: 203-861-0014, breastcanceralliance.org.

Oct. 24 The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center presents its 22nd annual benefit. This year features cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, small plates, dessert and a program that will honor Spencer Barback and Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. 6:30 p.m., Westchester Country Club, 99 Biltmore Ave., Rye; 914-696-0738, hhrecny.org.

Oct. 25 The SPCA of Westchester presents its annual “Top Hat and Cocktails” Gala fundraiser. This year, the SPCA honors animal lovers and advocates Georgina Bloomberg, Rob and Marisol Thomas, Maria Maldonado, Side Walk Angels Foundation and Katie Rockefeller. Bring your pooches for an evening of “off the leash fun.” 7 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester, 3 Renaissance Square, White Plains; 212-941-2896, SPCA914.org.

Wall Street Theater presents LeAnn Rimes, the American country music singer who topped the charts at age 13 with her rendition of “Blue,” drew attention and admiration for her vocal similarity to country legend Patsy Cline, and has sold over 37 million albums worldwide. 7 p.m., 71 Wall St. Norwalk; 203-831-5004, wallstreettheater.com.

Master illusionist David Caserta has people levitating, disappearing and reappearing right before your eyes in his Halloween spectacular “Haunted Illusions.” You will witness never-before-seen illusions that have been created just for this show. 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St.; Stamford: 203-3254466, palacestamford.org.

Presented by ArtsWestchester (artswestchester. org) and The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (culturalalliancefc.org/FCbuzz-events). (culturalalliancefc.org/FCBuzz-events).

a r b ti n g e l e C 15 Years

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNALS | SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

100 Woods Rd, Valhalla, NY 10595

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2015 Named in honor of Stephen A. Galef, the lobby undergoes a complete renovation to enhance experience of patients and their families.

2004 Through the generosity of the Fareri family and more than 20,000 friends, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital opens with 104 beds; restructuring raises the bed total in subsequent years.

2005 Companions in Courage Foundation opens its inaugural “Lion’s Den” interactive game and media room at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital receives the American College of Surgeon’s Pediatric Center Level I Certification.

2016 $1.4 million Children’s Imaging suite opens, funded by community donations through the Children’s Miracle Network.

The Pediatric Emergency Center undergoes renovation and expansion.

2017

2006 Art therapy is added to Child Life’s therapeutic programming.

2011 The 15,000‑square‑foot Ronald McDonald House of Greater Hudson Valley opens steps from hospital.

2012 The Arlene and Arnold Goldstein Family Foundation Athletics Neighborhood opens; bed complement expands to 136.

50 medical professionals collaborate to successfully separate conjoined twins.

2018 Maria’s Garden, a 20,000‑square‑foot outdoor family respite area, is dedicated with thanks to the Fareri family.

2019 The Preemie Donor Milk Bank opens thanks to corporate, foundation and individual donors.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit expansion is launched.

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital is a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network.

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Radiothon broadcast shares stories of triumph and tears FOR THE FOR THE PAST 15 NOVEMBERS, MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL HAS SHARED THE SPECIAL STORIES OF PATIENTS WHO HAVE BECOME PART OF THE MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FAMILY AT ITS ANNUAL 100.7 WHUD RADIOTHON FOR THE KIDS. During an emotional, three-day live broadcast from the hospital, families return to tell their stories and reunite with physicians and staff who changed their lives.

100.7 WHUD radio personalities Kacey Morabito Grean, Mike Bennett, Tom Furci and Andy Bale interview Hudson Valley children and their families who share uplifting and inspiring stories of triumph over significant medical challenges they faced while under the care of Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. The annual event is a fundraiser for the hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network, and has raised millions of dollars over the years to support the life-changing and life-saving care, including open-heart surgery, brain surgery, cancer treatments, trauma and burn care, organ transplants, advanced neonatal services and other advanced pediatric care.

Despite the number of years Morabito-Grean has participated, she is still deeply moved by her

interviews with families.

“I keep a picture of a young girl I met there years ago. A seemingly typical teenager with funky colors on her nails and in her hair. But she couldn’t eat like a teenager.

“She was fed via the hospital’s technology. I was struck by the young woman’s sweet serenity — and by the attention the staff at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital gave not only to her body, but to her spirit.

“Witnessing the love at the heart of Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital changes you — for good,” she said.

Perhaps that is why there is such an outpouring of support throughout the Hudson Valley for the event. Generous contributions from community partners such as All Aboard Childcare Education Center and the school children who collect change as part of the “Change Bandits” program and corporate support from businesses such as Saw Mill Auto Sales, Tompkins Mahopac Bank and ShopRite Supermarkets Inc. are major contributing factors to the success of this radiothon. ShopRite serves as the Miracle Maker Sponsor, offering a $15 gift card to donors who commit to a $15 monthly donation for 12 months.

In addition, ShopRite employees run a point-ofsale fundraising campaign in the weeks leading

up to Thanksgiving, turning over $100,000 in community donations to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital each year. Their 2019 campaign kicks off November 3 and continues through November 23.

“Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital has touched the lives of countless families throughout the Hudson Valley region, including many of our customers and store associates, and it’s a great feeling to be able to help make a difference to an organization that contributes so much to our community,” said Tom Urtz, Vice President of Operations, ShopRite Supermarkets.

This year’s Radiothon will be held on November 20-22. To learn more, call 914.493.5412.

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital looks to the future SINCE OPENING ITS DOORS 15 YEARS AGO, MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL has grown to best serve its patients and accommodate the needs of the most seriously ill and injured children in the Hudson Valley. Now we are looking to the future. As part of our long-range goals, the hospital is embarking on a $15 million legacy campaign. The first project in this campaign is a much-needed expansion of the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RNICU).

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), has the only Level IV Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RNICU) in the Hudson Valley, serving a 6,200-square-mile area. As a Level IV facility, which is New York state’s highest clinical designation, we care for the region’s

tiniest and sickest premature babies. The expansion includes eight new care rooms, additional nursing stations and family waiting areas and a handsome new Welcome Center. According to Edmund La Gamma, Chief of Newborn Medicine and Director of the RNICU, “Our daily census demands are so great. This expansion will allow us to better serve a capacity load of neonates and their families.”

Additional projects within the campaign include the establishment of endowed funds to support sub-specialties and programs, which will assist the hospital in supporting nonreimbursable services and attract world-class medical staff to continue the extraordinary level of care patients have grown to expect at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

“We’re continuing our recruitment of clinicians to bring state-of-the-art services and advanced treatment options,” said Michael H. Gewitz, MD, the William Russell McCurdy Physician-in-Chief and Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

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Where are they now?

MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL HAS TREATED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THE MOST SERIOUSLY ILL AND INJURED CHILDREN FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY AND AROUND THE WORLD SINCE ITS DOORS OPENED IN 2004. HERE ARE SOME OF THEIR STORIES AND AN UPDATE ON WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.

SAMANTHA WHITE — 2004 CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS ULTRASOUND TECHNICIAN

Samantha White was diagnosed with mitral valve insufficiency when she was 3 months old. She underwent a cardiac catheterization at age 6 after echocardiography revealed an anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA).

Following a successful open-heart surgery, Samantha continues to be monitored by cardiologist Michael Gewitz, MD, William Russell McCurdy Physician-in-Chief and Chief of Pediatric Cardiology. A 2017 graduate from Eastwick College with a degree in cardiovascular sonography, Samantha said, “There are not enough words to express my gratitude to every person I have crossed paths with during my time at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.”

In 2009, four weeks after giving birth to Luke, mom Diana collapsed in the shower and was rushed to the hospital. She was diagnosed with stage IV choriocarcinoma, a rare form of uterine cancer that can form during pregnancy. Even more devastating: Luke, as a newborn, also was diagnosed with the disease when tumors were found throughout his body. During 10 months of treatment, both Diana and Luke fought their way back to health.

Luke wears hearing aids and has no vision in one eye, but Diana and Luke are in remission. Five years ago, Luke welcomed his baby sister Madelyn.

Luke is now 10 and loves math and is a Lego robotics champion.

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SOPHIA MERCADO — 2012 MULTIPLE BRAIN SURGERIES RISING HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR

TYLER MEJORADO — 2011

LIVER TRANSPLANT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 2022

Struggling with a failing liver since age 6, Tyler Mejorado received a liver

LUKE EVANGELISTA — 2009 RARE BONE CANCER LEGO ROBOTICS CHAMPION

crossed the finish line, his doctors and nurses cheered him on, ready to help him begin a better life with a new liver. Tyler is now a sophomore at Fordham University, ready to pursue his dreams.

transplant at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at age 10. Coincidentally, his surgery was scheduled for the same day as the hospital’s 2011 Go the Distance Walk and Family Fun Day. As the surgery team prepared for his transplant, Tyler — with his doctor’s permission — fulfilled his wish to participate in the charity walk. As Tyler

When the left side of Sophia Mercado’s daughter’s face began to droop and Melissa lost mobility in her left hand, Sophia Mercado’s mother, Melissa, brought her to a local community hospital, where she was told her daughter had bleeding in her brain and needed to be transferred immediately to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation, a tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain, Sophia underwent intensive brain surgery. She went on to write a book about her medical journey. Sophia, who also has epilepsy, had her fifth brain surgery in April 2017. Determined to enjoy life to the fullest, the 12th grader spends her downtime laughing and connecting with her friends via FaceTime.

RYAN REYES — 2014

LYMPHOMA STUDYING ART AT PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN

An avid athlete, Ryan Reyes was diagnosed with nonHodgkin’s lymphoma in June 2013. He was cared for by the hematology, oncology and stem-cell transplantation team at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Ryan discovered an unexpected passion for art during his six months of chemotherapy treatment at the hospital, and working with the hospital’s board-certified art therapist, Ryan’s artistic talents blossomed. He was the winner of the 2014 White Cloud Tissue Box Design Contest, and it was the art portfolio he created in therapy that secured his admission to the High School of Art and Design in New York City.

In remission for four years, Ryan is studying at the Parsons School of Design.

EMILIE SALTZMAN — 2015

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY HER FOUNDATION HELPS CHILDREN

After being thrown from her horse during a riding lesson in 2015, 7-yearold Emilié Saltzman was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a

severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and associated hemorrhage. She was placed in a medically induced coma.

Staff from the pediatric ICU, neurosurgery and neurology departments monitored her closely. After spending a week on life support and four months in rehabilitation learning to walk, talk and eat again, Emilié is a healthy, thriving fourth grader who can walk, run, skip and sing her favorite songs. Emilié, now 11, says she wants to be a doctor so she can help others. She and her sister, Ella, are already finding ways to make a difference through “Ella’s Threads,” a nonprofit that donates clothes and care packages to children in longterm hospitalizations nationwide.

battling complications with her heart and lungs. “There were three episodes where she literally stopped breathing,” said Patsy. “But the nurses came to the rescue.” Thanks to the expertise and timely medical care of RNICU physicians and nurses, Yashwini overcame her extreme prematurity. Yashwini’s father, Raj, also a doctor, says that since she was in the womb, Yashwini has been creating her own destiny. Her name in Hindi means to be successful in life. Now at age 4, Yashwini has a vibrant personality, is full of energy and loves to laugh, run, dance and play.

Yashwini is also an ambassador for Westchester Medical Center’s 2019 Go the Distance Walk and Family Fun Day.

YASHWINI BOBDE — 2016

SHANE AND ELI WILLIAMS — 2016

Yashwini’s mother, Patsy, was only six months pregnant when she went into pre-term labor. A pediatrician herself, Patsy feared the worst. She drove to a local community hospital, where physicians transferred her to Westchester Medical Center, the flagship of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). After careful monitoring of her labor, at the Westchester Medical Center, Patsy gave birth to Yashwini, a micro-preemie who weighed a mere 1 pound, 11 ounces. Yashwini went on to receive advanced care at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RNICU), the only one of its kind in the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County in Connecticut.

She spent four months in the RNICU

In August of 2016, brothers Shane and Eli Williams were riding in a UTV, a three-seater off-road vehicle, in front of their Sullivan County home. The boys did not wear safety belts or helmets.

So, when the vehicle accidentally hit a neighbor’s mailbox and flipped over, they were ejected nearly 35 feet. Shane sustained third-degree burns, a broken nose and orbital fractures in his right eye, while Eli suffered third-degree burns over 11 percent of his body. At Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, the boys underwent numerous surgeries, procedures and skin grafts to help heal their wounds. Today, Shane and Eli are doing great. They love to play basketball and video games and enjoy spending time with their family. They were recently named 2019 National Ambassadors for the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

PREEMIE WEIGHING 1 POUND, 11 OUNCES AT BIRTH STARTING PRE-KINDERGARTEN THIS FALL

UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLE ACCIDENT CHILREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS NATIONAL AMBASSADORS

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Conjoined twins separated successfully in groundbreaking surgery THE SKILL OF A TEAM OF MORE THAN 50 DEDICATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL and the bravery of two young parents have resulted in a happy ending for the couple’s conjoined twin daughters, who can now lead independent lives.

Then 11-month-old twin girls Ballenie and Bellanie Camacho were separated during a rare and complex 21-hour procedure in January 2017. It was the first separation of conjoined twins performed at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). It is also believed to be the first time in medical history that some surgery was performed using laparoscopic techniques on pygopagus (joined at lower back) twins.

The girls’ story began in the summer of 2016 when their parents, Laurilin Celadilla and Abel Camacho, contacted physicians at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at the suggestion of a family friend and former employee of Westchester Medical Center. The twins, born February 4, 2016, lived in Moca, Dominican Republic, with their parents and an older sister. Although they were thousands of miles away and an ocean apart, the doctors and medical staff of Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital were able to evaluate the twins long distance through the hospital’s telemedicine program. In August 2016, the couple left their jobs and family in the Dominican Republic and traveled to New York with their girls.

Michael H. Gewitz, MD, FAHA, FACC, FAAP, William Russell McCurdy Physician-in-Chief, Chief of Pediatric

Cardiology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, coordinated the complex case, which involved several teams of surgeons from different specialties. Having worked at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the 1970s, during one of the first-ever cases in which conjoined twins were separated, Dr. Gewitz appreciated the complexities of assessing the feasibility of the case, as well as overseeing the logistics and assembling and coordinating the medical, surgical and support staff required.

According to Dr. Gewitz: “Each individual component of the separation was interdependent. The separation entailed complex neurosurgery, urology, abdominal and vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery and wound care. But the complexity of each component was not the issue for Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. As the region’s only acute-care children’s hospital, taking on the most critical cases is something these doctors have done from the very beginning.” Dr. Gewitz explained that the greatest challenge lay in putting all the multidisciplinary pieces together in one coordinated sequence simultaneously for the two children.’’

In addition to the surgical teams and nursing teams, in-depth involvement of pediatric anesthesiology specialists, pediatric hospitalists and nursing and support staff would also be required for the perioperative and recovery phases.

It was decided the twins would be separated in stages, with the initial operation in November, during which time surgeries would establish separate gastrointestinal tracts for the babies and prepare their skin for subsequent separation.

On January 17, 2017 — four months after they first arrived at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital — the long-awaited separation surgery began. “As parents, we were very nervous because we knew the girls were going through a long, difficult, risky procedure. But we were not overwhelmed with fear, because the hospital was always confident,” recalled Camacho.

Over the course of the 21-hour separation procedure, more than 50 medical staff, including separate teams of nursing and technical specialists for each baby, worked to separate the girls. The surgery went off without a hitch, and for the first time in their short lives, the twins were separated. “When I saw them for the first time after they were separated, I couldn’t believe it was real. I just stared at them,” Celadilla said. “We were full of joy.

It was like a dream come true,” added Camacho In June of this year, Ballenie and Bellanie and their parents made a special appearance at Westchester Medical Center’s 40th annual gala celebrating the 15th birthday of Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. The girls, now 3, have made much progress toward their family’s dream for the girls to lead independent and productive lives.

“I don’t see any obstacles at all for them to live a happy existence,’’ said their father. “For this, our gratitude to the doctors, nurses and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital will live forever.”

For more information on the pediatric general surgery department at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, call 914.372.7196 or visit MariaFareriChildrens.org/general-surgery.

Kidney transplant is gift of life for Liam EVEN BEFORE LIAM BRADY WAS BORN, HIS DOCTORS KNEW SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG. Liam, now 8, is a twin. During his mother Stephanie’s, prenatal exams, it was discovered that his bladder was abnormal. Instead of resembling a pear, as healthy bladders do when empty, it was shaped like a keyhole. “It was like a bottleneck,” said Stephanie, of Yorktown Heights. “The doctors said they really couldn’t detect his kidney function from the imaging, but that it pointed to kidney disease.”

After he was born, “Liam needed significant surgical intervention,” said Paul Zelkovic, MD, Chief of Pediatric Urology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth).

When Liam was just 4 weeks old, he returned to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, where he remained for nine days battling a blood infection. “He had chronic kidney disease, stage three,” Stephanie said.

At 18 months, his right kidney was removed to

help prevent further infections. Overworked and operating at a lower capacity, Liam’s left kidney started to fail when he was 7. A transplant was needed to save his life.

Thankfully, Liam’s cousin Elizabeth was his perfect match and volunteered to donate a kidney. He also had a top transplant surgeon at the ready — Gregory Veillette, MD, Section Chief of Kidney Transplant and Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and Westchester Medical Center.

While pediatric kidney transplants are relatively rare, Dr. Veillette had experience performing such procedures on children Liam’s age. The six-hour operation was performed in August 2018 by Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s kidney transplant and hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery experts. It was a success.

“Besides the surgical part of recovering, he felt so much better inside,” said Stephanie. “He was like, ‘I love my new kidney.’ His coloring was better and he was getting back to himself again,

which was really nice.”

Now a second-grader and a strong student, “Liam is a ‘numbers guy’ who loves math and follows sports scores and statistics,” revealed Stephanie. His interest in math is also matched by a love of sports, such as basketball and soccer. However, “when he grows up,” she said “he wants to be a professional football player.”

Westchester Medical Center’s Transplant Center is the only multi-organ transplant center in eastern New York state from New York City north to the Canadian border that offers adult heart transplants, adult and pediatric liver, kidney and pancreas transplants and liver and kidney living donor transplants. In addition to solid-organ transplantation, Westchester Medical Center also offers state-of-the-art programs in bone marrow transplant and corneal transplant.

To learn more about transplant services at Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, call 914.493.1990 or visit WestchesterMedicalCenter.com/transplant.

Bright future for lymphoma patient now in remission JOHN CAPALBO WAS HOME DURING SPRING BREAK WHEN HIS OLDEST SISTER, ROSANNA, NOTICED STRANGE RED DOTS ON HIS NECK AND UNDER HIS EYES. HE WAS GETTING OVER A BAD COLD, FINALLY FEELING BETTER IN TIME TO RETURN TO SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY IN CONNECTICUT AND FINISH HIS FRESHMAN YEAR. But John wasn’t going to get away that easily. His family’s persistent concern led to a check-up with John’s doctor. Though his blood count was low, the doctor felt the rash would go away in a week or two.

Instead, it spread up and down his back and across his ribs, becoming more inflamed. John was referred to Oya Tugal, MD, pediatric hematologist-oncologist

at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Tugal discovered John had an enlarged spleen and he was admitted immediately. He was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma and needed a bone-marrow transplant, a procedure to infuse healthy blood stem cells into his body to replace his diseased bone marrow and eliminate the remaining Lymphoma.

At that time, Mitchell Cairo, MD, had just joined the team as Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s new Chief of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation. Dr. Cairo predicted a 5 to 10 percent chance of survival for John without a successful bone- marrow transplant.

Coming from a tight-knit family, there was no shortage of volunteers willing to undergo the process to help save John’s life. The bone- marrow

donor needed to have similar genetic markers, or proteins, to reduce the chance of John’s body rejecting the donor cells. Luckily, his oldest sister, Rosanna was a perfect 10/10 match.

Dr. Cairo had a goal of making John’s life as normal as possible, turning his lymphoma into something in the past. John and his family felt they were in the right hands, as Dr. Cairo explained the details of each step of treatment. Dr. Cairo performed a reduced intensity conditioning sibling bone-marrow transplant to both cure John and prevent acute and long-term complications. The bone marrow transplant was a complete success.

Now, 8.5 years later, John remains in remission, and serves as a police officer with the White Plains Police Department. Dedicated to helping others, John volunteers his time mentoring cancer patients and raising funds for pediatric cancer research programs.

To learn more about pediatric hematology/ oncology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, call 914.493.7997 or visit MariaFareriChildrens.org/ hematology-oncology.

Dog-bite victim gets new lease on life IN 2009, FRANKIE FLORA, THEN 5 YEARS OLD, WAS ATTACKED BY A DOG AND SUFFERED 100 LACERATIONS TO HIS HEAD, FACE AND HAND. HE WAS FLOWN

BY HELICOPTER TO MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. HIS MOTHER WAS TOLD BY THE PLASTIC SURGEON ON DUTY THAT HIS WAS ONE OF THE WORST MAULINGS HE HAD EVER SEEN, WITH LARGE SECTIONS OF HIS SCALP, AS WELL AS HIS RIGHT CHEEK, MISSING. It took three surgeons nearly eight hours and more than 1,000 stitches to close Frankie’s wounds.

Having undergone more than 35 procedures to date, Frankie, now 15, loves playing video games

and participating in Children’s Miracle Network hospitals’ fundraisers.

Frankie was fortunate to have some of the world’s most experienced medical experts in his corner. Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital have Level I trauma status — the highest level awarded by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons — for both its adult and pediatric trauma centers.

“Our trauma program continues to grow academically and clinically with the expertise of adult and pediatric trauma surgeons who work with a multidisciplinary team to provide the highest-quality life-saving care to Hudson Valley

residents when they need it most,” said Rifat Latifi, MD, Director of Surgery and Chief of General Surgery for the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth).

The trauma teams at Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital include trauma- and critical-care-trained surgeons and experts in emergency medicine, neurosurgery, orthopedics, anesthesiology, radiology, nursing, rehabilitation, as well as skilled operating-room and blood-bank teams.

For more information on emergency medicine at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, call 914.493.6001 or visit MariaFareriChildrens.org/ pediatric-emergency-medicine.

One of the tiniest babies born CONNOR FLORIO IS A MIRACLE OF MODERN MEDICINE. BORN WEIGHING JUST 11 OUNCES, CONNOR IS ONE OF THE TINIEST BABIES EVER BORN AND ONE OF THE SMALLEST INFANTS TO BE BORN AT WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER. His parents, Jaimie and John Florio of Danbury, CT, attribute his survival to the care he received at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and his indominable spirit.

“He was the size of a newborn kitten. Stretched out, he was only 9 inches long, from head to toe. But he was a fighter,” said his mother Jaimie.

When Jaimie was 25 weeks pregnant, it was discovered that Connor wasn’t getting enough nutrients to thrive because of abnormalities in the placenta, which provides nourishment to the baby.

Jaimie was admitted to the hospital to be monitored.

One week later, doctors decided that an emergency C-section was needed. Connor spent five months at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

“Historically, surviving at 28 weeks’ gestation is a miracle. Now it’s down to 23 weeks,” said Edmund F. La Gamma, MD, Chief of Newborn Medicine and Director of the Regional Neonatal Center at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. He credits better pharmacology, improved nutrition and advanced technologies available to specialists.

In babies that young, nearly every organ system is underdeveloped and needs support. That’s where the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit comes in.

Westchester Medical Center has the only Level IV Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RNICU) in the Hudson Valley, serving the entire 6,200-square-mile

area. As a Level IV facility, which is New York state’s highest clinical designation, the RNICU cares for the region’s tiniest and sickest babies. Neonatal service features state-of-the-art tools designed to transfer babies from local community hospitals to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital to receive expert care. The RNICU has 24 neonatal physicians as well as 13 neonatal fellows, 17 nurse practitioners and more than 175 nurses and therapists. Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital offers family support services, parent coffee breaks, scrapbooking events, music therapy, dedicated physician meetings and joint rounds, which encourage parents to hear the physicians discuss the daily care of their infant.

For more information about the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, call 914.493.8558 or visit MariaFareriChildrens.org/neonatology-rnicu.

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JOHNNY MAC’S PRO-AM Just a few days before the glitz and glamour of the US Open, star athletes and celebrities gathered for the fifth annual Johnny Mac Tennis Project’s ProAm hosted by Patrick and John McEnroe, whose John McEnroe Tennis Academy has a franchise in Eastchester. The pro-am was held at the Sportime Club in Amagansett and, with so many tennis pros in town for the Open, it was truly a star-studded event. The day included a legends exhibition and doubles play, where participants competed in a round-robin tournament alongside former tour professionals, current and former Division I college players and top John McEnroe Tennis Academy pros. After the exciting day, participants gathered for an evening celebration, which included food, libations and tunes by actor-singer Alan Cumming.

Proceeds from the event went to benefit John McEnroe’s nonprofit Johnny Mac Tennis Project ( JMTP), which seeks to change young lives by removing the economic and social barriers to success through tennis. The organization also provides scholarships and tournament support for competitive players and has raised more than $3 million to date.

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John Storey, Andrew Nugent and Steve Hasker Jessie Lu, Jon Oringer and Talia Oringer Alan Cumming and John McEnroe Wendy Levine Mats Vilander Patrick McEnroe and Kate Storey Kim Clijsters Sarah Gargano and Bob Botjer

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A LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDS FINALIST

A quarterback's search for identity amid the brutal beauty of the NFL

REISSUED BY JMS BOOKS Order today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or JMS Books "The Penalty for Holding" is the second novel in Georgette Gouveia's book series "The Games Men Play," which is also the name of her blog exploring sports, culture and sex. thegamesmenplay.com OCTOBER 2019

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BACK TO SCHOOL BONANZA

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Recently, Lord + Taylor treated the children of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Family Services of Westchester to a Breakfast and Back-to-School Shopping morning at Lord + Taylor’s Eastchester store. After a buffet, Steve Brosnan, general manager of Lord + Taylor Eastchester, welcomed everyone, introduced his team and handed out gift cards to each Big/Little pair. The “Big” mentors helped their “Little” brothers and sisters shop for confidencebuilding clothing. After shopping, everyone, from the oldest boys to the youngest girls, left grinning from ear to ear carrying multiple bags of back-toschool clothing.

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John Larkin and Kemani Juliana and Patricia Morgan Brooke and Molly Weisblum Bob Nolan and Wilson

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WARTBURG WINDFALL Wartburg, a comprehensive senior residential and healthcare service company in Westchester, was the recent recipient of a $50,000 grant from The Field Hall Foundation. The grant will provide financial assistance toward the cost of attendance and transportation for Wartburg’s Adult Day Care program. The program provides a safe, stimulating environment for seniors, with special support for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia and a muchneeded break for the caregivers who love them.

The foundation’s aim is to provide grants that will improve the lives of older adults and their caregivers in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties.

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Nancy Keane, Gloria Montenero, David J. Gentner, John Ahearn, Maria Provenzano and Donna Haskel

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WORLD CLASS. RIGHT HERE! Starring Jackie Burns (Wicked), Richard Todd Adams (Cats), Jenny Lee Stern (Rocky), Joey Taranto (Kinky Boots)

AMY HELM | SAT, OCT 12

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TOMMY DORSEY ORCHESTRA | SAT, NOV 2

DON McLEAN | 2019 GALA | THU, NOV 7

BNL CO-FOUNDER STEVEN PAGE | SAT, NOV 9

JOE MATARESE & FRIENDS | SAT, NOV 16

BROADWAY STAR NORM LEWIS | SAT, NOV 23

WESTCHESTER’S HOME FOR MUSIC, COMEDY, DANCE, FILM, FAMILY AND MORE! FOR TICKETS AND INFO: EMELIN.ORG | 914.698.0098 153 LIBRARY LANE, MAMARONECK, OCTOBER NY 2019 WAGMAG.COM

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LOVE ALL

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At the US Open, Serena Williams was once more denied her 24th singles title, this time by Bianca Andrescu of Canada, 6-3, 7-5 in the US Open Women’s Singles Championship. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal defeated Russian Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4. Photographs by Garret Ellwood/ USTA and Darren Carrol/USTA 1.

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Bianca Andreescu Rafael Nadal

BEEZIE BREEZES TO A WIN On a warm, picture-perfect day at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, seven riders had flawless runs going into the jump-off for the $210,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup New York, otherwise known as the American Gold Cup. It would come down to the last rider. If Karl Cook, aboard the gray gelding Cailliou, could have a clean run just fast enough, he would win. But in the end Elizabeth Madden — the four-time Olympic medalist known as “Beezie” — would not be denied. Aboard the chestnut gelding Garant, she took the top prize, with Cook finishing second. Katherine A. “Katie” Dinan, who threw down a strong run aboard the bay gelding Brego R’ n B to lead off the jump-off, finished third for an American sweep. Photographs by Elaine Wessel and Barre Dukes-Phelps Media Group.

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Beezie Madden and Garant Karl Cook and Caillou Gold Cup crowd

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FUJI’S GRACIOUS GIFT In honor and remembrance of Sept. 11, Westchester Parks Foundation (WPF) hosted executives and employees of Fujifilm Holdings America Corp., Fujifilm North America Corp. and Fujifilm Recording Media U.S.A. Inc. at Kensico Dam on Sept. 4 to clean up and beautify the “Circle of Remembrance” that rings The Rising, Westchester County’s 9/11 Memorial. Marking Fujifilm’s 18th annual Volunteer Day activities, the cleanup effort is part of WPF’s Adopt-a-Park campaign. Tetsuya Iwasaki of Fuji presented the WPF with a $7,500 check on behalf of the company and its nearly 350 local employees to help in the organization’s mission to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation, use and enjoyment of the Westchester County Parks system.

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Chris Cawley, Christine LaPorta, Tetsuya Iwasaki, Ken Jenkins, Kathy O’Connor and Erin Cordiner

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REAL ESTATE RADIO

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Richard Haggerty, CEO of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors Inc., was the featured guest recently on “Good Morning New York, Real Estate with Vince Rocco” in Manhattan. Making a case for a unified listing system, the two also discussed the possibility of a multiple listing service system in New York City. The online radio show broadcasts live Tuesdays at 9 a.m. from Smash Studios in Manhattan on the VoiceAmerica Variety Channel.

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Richard Haggerty Vince Rocco, Phil Horigan, Tracie Hamersley, Sean Attebury and Jordan Shea

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IONA’S CLEAN SWEEP Recently, 20 juniors from Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle rolled up their sleeves to remove graffiti from the stone underpass of the Bronx River Reservation in partnership with Westchester Parks Foundation’s Thalle Industries Graffiti Squad.

The effort has been spearheaded as part of Iona Prep’s new House System, which encourages students to work in the spirit of brotherhood and service. Simultaneous volunteer days will take place with Neighbor-to-Neighbor in Greenwich, where students will be assisting with the nonprofit’s clothing drives and food banks.

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Another thrilling season of taut matches came to a close Sept. 8 at Greenwich Polo Club as Postage Stamp Farm prevailed over Monterosso, 12-10 in the East Coast Open final. Monterosso’s Santino Magrini was the MVP and Ikana, the best playing pony.

Photographs by Ro Fernandez/Andes Visual for Greenwich Polo Club.

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Daniel Gonzalez Erin Cordiner and Charles Vega WPF Graffiti Cleanup: Back row: Benjamin Ciliberto-Coons, Trevor Dutra, Anton Gjonaj, Matthew Moynihan, Anthony Toma, William Stone, Thomas Ryan, Dylan Piedra, Anthony Bartucca, Nicholas Doyle, Lorenc Nacaj and Daniel Gonzalez. Front row: Erik Rodriguez, Hao (Lee) Li, Constantino Castaldi, Fr. Justin Cinnante, Erin Cordiner, Liam Hoyt, Jack Fee and Charles Vega

‘STAMP’ING A GREAT SEASON

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The winning Postage Stamp Farm team-Coach Roberto Gonzalez, Annabelle Gundlach, Brandon Phillips, Lerin Zubiaurre and Tomas Garcia del Rio NacoTaverna and Annabelle Gundlach

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The Schoolhouse Theater & Arts Center

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I know what they are looking for, and it’s not sexual or possessive. I would be more hesitant with a male artist. I’d want to feel safe.”

“No. I’m all for body positivity, but I wouldn’t be comfortable.”

“I would absolutely pose nude for an artist. Any chance for my body to be recognized for more than just its flesh but as art I will take. Being naked is my most comfortable state, so if someone wanted the opportunity to draw all my flaws and give me a different perspective of my body, I’ll gladly do it.”

“No. My body is special to me.”

“Yes, because first, it would give me a chance to showcase my input on body positivity.

Second, it’s different, an experience not many have had the opportunity to do. Last, the artwork, which I would hope to get a copy of, would be a great memory to look back on in terms of stepping out of my comfort zone.”

Lilly Nin

Harriet Posner Beverly Hills, California, resident

owner, Pilates for Equestrians, North Salem resident

Megan Smith Ray

Andy Tarshis lawyer, Westport resident

Dan Tvenge

banker, Manhattan resident

“Yes. I only see this as positive. I have been body conscious my whole life, which we know is a cultural and fashion thing. I am happy to say that I like my body , even with the little cellulite on my thighs. I also enjoy going to figure drawing myself. One learns that every body is different and is art in its own form.

To me it’s also a learning process.”

“I wouldn’t want to as an older woman, even though I feel great and am fit.”

“Absolutely not. I’m too self-conscious and too old, although my self-confidence is pretty good. And as a woman I’d be afraid of women being objectified.”

“No. I wouldn’t be comfortable.

I don’t like to be the center of attention — clothed or unclothed.”

“I don’t think I would. I believe there are other, beautiful people more worthy of having their picture taken in that manner.”

artist, Tappan resident

customer service/painter, Nyack resident

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administrative assistant, White Plains resident

OCTOBER 2019

teacher, Mount Kisco resident

hairstylist, White Plains resident

paralegal, Bedford Hills resident