THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle December 9 & 16, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 37 | www.cityreviewnr.com
SUNY Purchase seeks $125K for substance abuse By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer
Have a TASTE On Nov. 7, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester sponsored a food and wine tasting event at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Harrison. The event featured more than 25 of the area’s top restaurants and beverage providers. For more, see page 6. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
Westchester County officials rally to ‘ban the barge’ By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Amidst allegations that the U.S. Coast Guard circumvented proper procedure in order to fasttrack approval of 43 additional commercial barge anchorages along the Hudson River, Westchester County officials and environmental watchdogs are calling for the agency to withdrawal its proposal. According to a statement by Pace University’s Environmental Policy Clinic, the proposal— which would speckle anchorages across the lower Hudson River shorelines, from Kingston
to Yonkers—skirted procedure in order to avoid scrutiny of its environmental impact. “This is one of the most egregious violations of public transparency and public trust I have seen in four decades working on Hudson River issues,” said John Cronin, a fellow at the Dyson College Institute for Sustainability and the Environment at Pace. The clinic’s chief concerns, according to Cronin, are the Coast Guard’s failure to complete any environmental surveys and failure to coordinate with mariners, environmental groups and residents of impacted areas, as per the Coast Guard’s own in-
teragency requirements. “Any projects like this, whether it’s a pipeline, or anchorages, or a power plant, or a proposed development,” Cronin said, “the first thing you’re supposed to look at is the worst possible negative impact. All of this information is completely absent.” Among the Westchester ports that would be affected by the proposal are Montrose Point in Cortlandt Manor, as well as a port in Yonkers that would see the addition of 16 new anchorages alone. While the U.S. Coast Guard has offered its plan to add additional anchorages—the largest
of which would be the Yonkers port, which would span more than 700 acres—as a means of increasing safety and thru traffic on the waterway, both county officials and environmental advocacy groups have cast doubt on the Coast Guard’s motives. “The point that’s being made is that this is needed for safety,” said Leah Rae, a spokeswoman for the environmental advocacy group, Riverkeeper. “We don’t feel they’ve made any rationale for that claim.” In a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard sent by the Maritime BARGE continued on page 7
SUNY Purchase has applied for state funding to establish a program aimed at preventing underage drinking and substance abuse on campus, college officials said. According to Betsy Aldredge, a spokeswoman for the college, the Purchase-located school is seeking state funding administered through the New York state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to implement a potential abuse prevention program, as part of a recent plan announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, on Nov. 28. “In any way we can, we want to support students dealing with substance issues and, as a whole, support them academically and socially,” she said. As part of Cuomo’s $2.5 million initiative to fund SUNY and CUNY schools statewide, the state will award 20 colleges with $125,000 annually for five years to develop campus efforts to prevent drug and alcohol addiction. Further, the state is seeking to specifically grant the award to colleges aiming to curb prescription drug misuse and underage drinking. Cuomo’s initiative comes in wake of the tragic death of a 21-year-old Manhattanville College student. On Oct. 9, Robby Schartner was struck and killed by Emma Fox, of Rye, who was driving under the influence in the White Plains area.
“Time after time, we have seen the reckless behavior, and bad decisions with often life-altering consequences that come with underage drinking,” Cuomo said. “This funding will build on our progress to prevent senseless tragedies and equip students with vital knowledge to curb underage and binge drinking, and provide critical services to those at risk for addiction.” Aldredge told the Review that SUNY Purchase currently institutes an addiction help program through its wellness center, Wellness@Purchase. The program offers individual and group counseling for students seeking addiction recovery and help with stress management. The college also requires all first-year and transfer students to complete the interactive online AlcoholEdu and Haven programs, which assist schools in complying with the federal Department of Education General Administrative Regulations, a set of codes that establish administrative requirements for federal grants awarded to educational institutions. According to research conducted by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is still the primary abused drug on college campuses across the country. The institution’s research estimates that more than 80 percent of college students drink alcohol nationwide. A recent study released by ABUSE continued on page 3
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2 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
Thornton-Donovan holds first-ever pep rally The Thornton-Donovan School cheerleading squad led the school’s first-ever pep rally on Friday, Oct. 14, under the supervision of cheerleader advisor, Ms. Angela M. Tudisco. Grades nine through 12 gathered on the basketball court to bond and socialize. The athletic director, Mr. Schlitten, spoke about the start of the athletics program at Thornton-Donovan. Currently,
the school’s sports program consists of male and female basketball, cheerleading, male rugby, and volleyball. The cheerleading squad captain Naya Brown-Yohay and cocaptain Jordan Campbell were integral parts of the rally being such a success. Even though the school colors are blue and gold, the squad wore pink and white shoelaces for Breast Cancer
Awareness Month; half of the purchase price went to cancer research. The pep rally was extremely interactive between the cheer squad and the crowd. The squad started the pep rally with an energizer to get the crowd going. Not only did the students get involved, but the teachers did as well. Students participated in the mummy wrapping game where the students wrapped the teachers in paper towel. There were more games galore. One game was a trick contest where teachers and students had to mimic the movements of a cheerleader with whom they were paired. Also, the cheerleaders taught their cheers to some in the audience. Another fun activity was the tug-of-war. It was grade against grade on the field as they tugged to see which grade was the strongest. The junior class ultimately prevailed. There was also a potato sack race and a hula hoop competition. Each sports team was introduced while the ThorntonDonovan lion mascot, Jordan
Drew, kept the energy going. The entire high school took part in a conga line, followed by line dancing activities to songs like “Cupid Shuffle” and “Juju
on That Beat.” To conclude, the cheerleading squad released blue and gold balloons to commemorate this event.
Thornton-Donovan School’s first pep rally was nothing short of a success and brought an immense amount of spirit and unity to the school. (Submitted)
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 3
State pushes new transparency law
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a law that will substantially reduce the amount of time that a government agency has to appeal a judge’s ruling to disclose information via a Freedom of Information Law request. The law will apply beginning in March 2017. Photo courtesy Albany.edu
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer A new law will make it more difficult for government agencies to hide information from the public. The law, which was proposed by state Assemblyman David Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat, in April, will limit the amount of time which a government agency has to appeal a judge’s ruling on a Freedom of Information Law request, FOIL, to a higher court. Before the law was passed, an agency had up to nine months to appeal a judge’s ruling that records should be released, potentially delaying the appeals process in order to delay the release of information for as long as possible. The new law, which passed unanimously in both legislative houses, cuts that deadline to 60 days to file appeal paperwork; it was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, on Nov. 28. “New Yorkers have the right to access information from state and local governments,” Buchwald said. “With this new measure, we have empowered all New Yorkers in the name of government accountability and responsiveness.” In a released statement, RobABUSE from page 1
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that on an average day throughout the past year, 1.2 million of the 9 million full-time
ert Freeman, executive director of the New York Committee on Open Government, said, “This measure will solve a problem involving the reality that access delayed is often access denied.” Freeman could not be reached for additional comment as of press time. This was not Buchwald’s first attempt to create a law that would expedite the FOIL process. He pushed for a similar bill in 2013 which passed through the state Assembly but did not even make it onto the state Senate floor; and he sponsored another similar bill last year which passed unanimously in both houses before being vetoed by the governor. In December 2015, Cuomo struck down two laws related to the FOIL appeals process—including Buchwald’s law—and instead instituted an executive order directing state agencies to file appeals to judicial rulings on FOIL requests within 60 days. However, that order applied only to state agencies—not municipalities or local departments— and did not outline legal penalties for violating the order. State legislators, however, remain exempt from FOIL laws. The other law which Cuomo vetoed, proposed by Assembly-
woman Amy Paulin, a Scarsdale Democrat, would have mandated that government agencies reimburse attorneys’ fees to those who won FOIL-related lawsuits against the agency, an amendment to the current law which allows a judge to decide whether the agency is responsible for the filer’s legal fees. Buchwald told the Review that he hopes the newest amendment to the state FOIL law will make it easier for lawmakers to push for transparency-related laws in the future. “One of my hopes is that by enacting this law it frees up opportunity for myself and others to continue working for improvements for the Freedom of Information Law,” he said. Buchwald said he has worked toward increasing government transparency since he first took office in 2013. “It takes a lot of persistence,” he said. “But that’s OK, because a lot of reporters and citizens have also shown a lot of persistence when trying to obtain public records.” According to the legislation, the law will take effect in early March 2017. Paulin could not be reached for comment as of press time.
college students in the country drank alcohol, and 703,759 used marijuana. Further, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that one in four people ages 18 to 20 report using prescription drugs for
non-medical purposes. As of press time, the anticipated date for the announcement of the selected grant recipients is Feb. 22, 2017.
CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
4 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
What’s going on... New Rochelle Public Library
Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Huguenot Children’s Library hours: Mondays and Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays: Closed.
English for Advanced ESL Students The New Rochelle Public Library has reopened the Memorial Highway entrance, but the Lawton Street entrance is scheduled to be closed for construction and is expected to be completed by fall 2016. While construction is underway, the only wheelchair-accessible entrance will be the reopened Memorial Highway doors, which have a ramp leading down from street level. There will be additional wheelchair-designated parking spaces on Memorial Highway. The only book drop at the main library will also be located by this doorway. Patrons may also return books by using the book drop at the Hugh Doyle Center, located at 94 Davis Ave., or in front of the Huguenot Children’s Library, located on North Avenue in front of New Rochelle High School. Visit nrpl.org for information on these and other events and programs.
Library hours Main library hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and
On Mondays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the main library. Improve your English reading, writing, grammar and speaking skills in a casual and fun conversation learning circle with trained volunteers. Classes do not meet during school vacation days. Please call 813-3706 or email the Community Relations Office at communityrelations@nrpl.org to set up an appointment with one of the instructors.
Lunchtime Yoga Express On Mondays from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the main library’s first floor Meeting Room. Yoga instructor Nora LeMorin leads the gentle yet invigorating sessions, helping participants return to work with renewed energy and focus. Traditional and adapted poses will be practiced either standing or seated in chairs to balance, stretch and strengthen the body while calming the mind. Participants do not need to change out of work clothes, and mats will not be needed for these sessions of breathing
and meditation techniques as well as the guided relaxation. The drop-in sessions do not require advanced registration. This program is made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Homework Help On Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. until 10 minutes before closing at the main library’s Children and Teen rooms. College students and volunteers are on hand to offer homework help to assist elementary school students and middle school students up to eighth grade in organizing homework needs, locating appropriate resources, and strengthening reading skills. The free service is offered from September through May, except during school vacation weeks. The Steps to Success program is offered in conjunction with the Youth Bureau of the city of New Rochelle, Monroe College, and Westchester Library System.
Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library Book Sales The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library will be holding a mini book sale on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the main library lobby. The book sales include popular novels, mysteries and nonfiction in hardcover and paperback, to children’s books, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds from these sales allow the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library to provide funding for quality children and adult programming, and will help the library by contributing to various projects and improving service to the community. The Friends welcome prospective volunteers.
Job Search Coaching Those who are searching for a job but don’t know where to start are welcome to drop in to see the job coach on Tuesdays anytime from 4:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. in the Handleman Business Opportunity Center on the second floor. The job coach will help people achieve their goals, one step at a time. Those dropping in to see the job coach should arrive with a pen, calendar, notebook and both a hard and digital copy of their resume, with a copy sent to the coach at btopjobreadinesscoach@gmail. com. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
ESL winter session registration On Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 17 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the main library’s Meeting Room on the first floor. Sponsored by Westchester Community College. Registration for the college’s winter session will be held.
Health Care Navigation Health care navigators will be able to meet with clients by appointment only on Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the second floor Conference Room. Sessions will provide clients with information and assistance with the New York State Department of Health. These sessions are free and open to the public, and an appointment is necessary to be seen. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 813-5192.
‘Songs of the Season’ concert The joyful music of Christmas, Hanukkah,
and other winter celebrations will be performed by the Sing Your Heart Out chorus in the Ossie Davis Theater at the main library on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. The concert, “Songs of the Season,” is a culminating event for the group of singers, ages 55 and older, who have been rehearsing under the direction of music aficionado Robert Puleo for the past few months. The program includes a lively assortment of popular and traditional selections and a festive singalong medley. The free concert is made possible by the Lillian Robbins-Rick Englander Memorial Fund and is appropriate for all ages. A reception will follow the concert.
Brown Bag Book Discussion On Wednesday, Dec. 21 from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the main library second floor Conference Room. Bring your lunch and join in the librarian-led discussion of “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. Copies of the book are available at the library.
BID events BID Family Holiday Concert On Sunday, Dec. 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at New Rochelle Public Library’s Ossie Davis Theater, located at 1 Library Plaza in New Rochelle. BID’s annual Family Holiday Concert will be performed by Ursaville, a family of musicians playing a wide array of very cool instruments and styles. Ursaville’s sound begins at the center of folk but tends to freely travel, visiting rock, pop, jazz, Latin, and more. Audience members of all ages will enjoy the festive blend of traditional, familiar tunes, as well as original compositions, all celebrating the holiday season. The band is made up of Sarah on vocals, ukulele and percussion; Maria on vocals, melodica and percussion; Daniel on vocals and drums; and Michael on vocals, guitalele, mandocello, guitars, mandolin, steel tank drum, bass, and more.
New Rochelle school district news Black history exhibit submissions The City School District of New Rochelle and the Westchester and National Alliances of Black Educators will host their annual Black History Spoken Word and Art Exhibit on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017. The event will celebrate the life and contributions of STEM pioneer Benjamin Banneker. The exhibition will be held in the Auditorium Rotunda at New Rochelle High School. Participants are encouraged to share their visual artwork, poetry, dance, and other performance arts. Performance proposals must be submitted by Sunday, Jan. 15, and all visual artwork must be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 7. Submissions should be sent to Shelli Owens at sowens@nredlearn.org. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 5
Letters to the Editor
Killian on her run for state Senate
Bee-Line passengers left out in the cold
To the Editor, It was an enormous privilege running for state Senate in New York’s 37th District this year. Thank you to the many readers whom I had the opportunity to meet along the trail. Your willingness to share concerns, ideas, and even disagreements, was invaluable. I did not prevail on Election Day—it was a tough year to run as a Republican in Westchester. I am enormously proud of my team’s campaign for a more responsive government in Albany. I congratulate Sen. George Latimer on another successful re-election effort. It is my hope that issues raised by my campaign—fair funding for Westchester schools; enacting term limits; repealing arcane rules that make is so expensive to do business in New York state and unfunded mandates that drive property taxes higher; targeted digital drug education; and changing state rules that hurt our developmentally disabled community—served in some small way to elevate the discourse in and about state government. Belief that it did makes every door knock, phone call, and chilly 6 a.m. train platform visit well worth it. Thank you again. Best wishes for a wonderful 2017.
To the Editor, New Rochelle police closed North Avenue to accommodate the city’s annual Thanksgiving Parade on Saturday, Nov. 19. The closure completely disrupted Bee-Line bus service in the city. I called the county for detour information the day before the parade. The police gave them street closure information. But Liberty Lines, the bus operator, didn’t give the county detour information, so it was a guess if bus service was detoured or suspended. Fortunately, I was able to find alternate transportation. Were other bus passengers able to find alternate transportation? For all its problems, the MTA updates its website for street closures due to parades and street fairs. But the county can’t find the time to update the Bee-Line website with important detour information. Why is the detour information a secret? Michael Ditkoff, New Rochelle
Julie Killian, Rye City councilwoman
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Tasting
6 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016 THE
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A chef from Hive Living Room + Bar at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel hosts a cooking demonstration for attendees with his son acting as sous chef.
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Family members from family-owned Walter’s Hot Dog Stand in Mamaroneck serve hot dogs from their Palmer Avenue restaurant, a registered historical landmark.
Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, a local microbrewery based in Elmsford, taste-tested some of its most famous craft beers.
and adults in Westchester and Fairfield counties. All proceeds from the event will be put towards efforts to aide children and adults suffer-
ing from cerebral palsy who require need services in order to better enjoy activities regardless of the level of their abilities. -Reporting by Andrew Dapolite
A fondue fountain coats fruits and sweets with chocolate.
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Cerebral Palsy of Westchester sponsored a food and wine tasting event on Nov. 7, featuring more than 25 of the area’s finest restaurants and beverage establishments. The event took place at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Harrison, where attendees purchased tickets to benefit the nonprofit organization. In addition to tastings from throughout the county and Connecticut, Marty’s Jazz Trio provided a relaxing musical accompaniment, as chefs from Hive Living Room + Bar as well as Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant and Inn performed cooking demonstrations. Cerebral Palsy of Westchester’s mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. The organization provides essential services, vocational training, recreation, rehabilitation and advocacy to thousands of children
From left, CPW board President Richard Osterer; Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont; Linda Kuck, executive director; Kiyoko Brown, board secretary; and Venita Osterer, board member.
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Fairfield Cheese Company, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, provides all sorts of artisanal cheeses. Photos/Andrew Dapolite
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 7 BARGE from page 1
With the close of a public comment period for a U.S. Coast Guard proposal, that would see the addition of 43 anchorages located on the Hudson River from Kingston to Yonkers, both Westchester County officials and environmentalists are rallying to “ban the barge.” Photo courtesy flickr.com/photos/hudsonriverkeeper
Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey in January, which urges the Coast Guard to move forward with the construction of additional anchorages, one particular passage has given Riverkeeper pause. “For several years the [U.S.] has developed as a major energy-producing nation and the great port of Albany as a leading export port for Jones Act trade of American Bakken Crude Oil and Ethanol,” the letter reads. “Trade will increase on the Hudson River significantly over the next few years… and federally designated anchorages are key to supporting trade.” According to Rae, it’s not just the letter that has drawn the attention of her organization, but also what Riverkeeper has characterized as the “reindustrialization” of the Hudson Valley. Among the factors contributing to this perceived shift, Rae said, are plans to expand the capacity of a shipping port in Albany, and potentially ship oil extracted from Canadian tar sands—a bitumen-rich sediment abundant in Alberta—on barges down the Hudson River to refineries in New Jersey. “The bigger picture is using the Hudson [River] as a corridor,” she said. Likewise, the county govern-
ment has shared similar concerns over the proposal that has managed to unite both Westchester lawmakers and the Republican administration of County Executive Rob Astorino in rallying against it. Astorino, after the plan’s initial introduction in June, criticized the project, calling it a “giant parking lot” for barges containing oil that, under the parameters of the proposal, could sit for months on end in county waterways. “In the language of the proposal, ‘long-term’ is defined as 30 or more days. That’s not stopping by, that’s moving in,” Astorino said. “It’s classic federal-government-vagueness: Today’s ‘30 or more’ could be tomorrow’s ‘in perpetuity.’” Likewise, county Legislator Catherine Borgia, a Peekskill Democrat, whose district would be directly affected by the proposal, has spoken out against the new anchorages. “Placing what amounts to floating parking lots for oil-filled vessels is both economically and environmentally unsound,” she said. “These anchorage grounds would be placing our community at risk by allowing millions of gallons of oil to park in our backyard.” Online comments for the pro-
posal located on the federal register website, which have been pouring in since August, have swelled to more than 8,200, as of press time, and have taken an overwhelmingly negative spin; according to Rae, unprecedentedly so. “We’ve seen that level of outcry for things like fracking,” Rae said. “The number of comments isn’t unprecedented, it’s the unanimity of people that live along the river; the bipartisan nature of people against this plan.” With the public comment period closed as of Dec. 6, the U.S. Coast Guard will now pore over feedback and may or may not schedule a round of hearings based on the response. According to Cronin, though a hearing is warranted in both his opinion and his peers’, the Coast Guard is not required to do so by law. Furthermore, since navigational issues in the U.S. are handled strictly from a federal level, there is little recourse for state or county government to block execution of the project from a legislative standpoint. “I suspect that if they don’t have a hearing, there will be litigation,” Cronin said. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
8 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 9
‘Newtown’ film shines light on Westchester By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer A screening of the 2016 documentary “Newtown” was held in Harrison on Nov. 21; although purely coincidental, the timing seemed apropos as the issue of gun control has recently surfaced in the Westchester community. The film, which documents the shooting of 20 children, ages 6 and 7, and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and the emotional trauma that ensued, was featured in the Sundance Film Festival and the
South by Southwest Film Festival. The film was directed and co-produced by Kim Snyder and released in January 2016, three years after the shooting in December 2012. To date, Sandy Hook stands as the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history. “It’s a film about grief, and about trauma and coping as a community,” said Marie Cuomo Cole, one of the film’s producers, adding that besides the issue of gun control, community resilience was one of the biggest themes which she hoped to address in producing
the documentary. Whether because of the degree of emotional suffering the film depicts or its timeliness to issues currently in Harrison, the screening drew tears from its audience. “I feel like Newtown could have been Harrison; it could have been Rye,” Cuomo Cole said. “It could have been any-and-every-town, U.S.A. I think that’s what really struck so many people about the tragedy.” According to Galina Chernykh, the Harrison Public Library’s executive director, the screening was set up several months ago; but the timing of
A scene from the “Newtown” documentary featuring one of the wrenching funerals following the Sandy Hook tragedy.
The “Newtown” film, released on Jan. 24, 2016, documents the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and the emotional fallout of the parents, teachers and rescue workers that resulted. Photos courtesy newtownfilm.com
the event seems appropriate, as an ongoing debate over L&L Sports, a gun store that opened on Harrison’s Halstead Avenue in early November, continues to draw significant amounts of attention. An online petition on Change.org protesting the location of the store, which is less than 1,000 feet from an elementary school, has nearly 3,500 signatures, as of press time. “I think the response has been, at the onset, prudent,” Cuomo Cole said about the local issue in Harrison. “It’s important to check out the sellers. There are many bona fide, acceptable sellers and there are those that are not, so I think that the caution is well-supported.” The controversy over the store’s opening has even led neighboring communities to mobilize. In the city of Rye, a gun committee has been formed in the wake of the Harrison saga, which aims to promote gun safety measures and may look to establish zoning tactics to put stricter regulation on where a gun store can be located. And in the village of Rye Brook, a draft legislation is being proposed that would also look to regulate where gun shops could be located.
The success of local laws could eventually have ramifications for Westchester as a whole. If any of those potential laws garner enough support on the local level, Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, said she may consider proposing one on the county level. “It should be on notice that this is something that we should certainly look into, and doing something on a county level would be fantastic; but I don’t think the county executive [Rob Astorino] would support it,” she told the Review. Parker referred to legislation proposed in June to reinstate a ban on gun shows at the Westchester County Center which was enacted in 2000 under then-County Executive Andrew Spano, a Democrat. Astorino, a Republican who took over as county executive in 2010 after defeating Spano, repealed the ban that year. The contentious fight over gun control is evident in “Newtown”; Cuomo Cole is no stranger to school shootings, having previously produced a documentary on the mass shootings at Virginia Tech. In 2010, she was a producer of the film “Living
for 32,” a documentary about the push for gun control legislation after the 2007 shooting of 32 students at Virginia Tech. A similar surge in gun control laws also occurred after Newtown. Just a month after that tragedy, Cuomo Cole’s brother, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, signed the Safe Act into law in New York state. That law widened the definition of assault rifles, put stricter limits on magazine capacities, and put tighter restrictions on the background check system in the state. The Safe Act also included an amendment to the Mental Hygiene Law, requiring mental health professionals to report patients who they considered could be hazardous to themselves or others if they possessed a gun. Adam Lanza, the 20-year-old Sandy Hook shooter who also took his own life during the event, had been diagnosed with several behavioral and cognitive disorders, including Asperger’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sensory-integration disorder, according to his father, Peter Lanza. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
10 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
Citizens march against fear, hate By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Assistant Editor
The back of JCA’s T-shirt draws attention to police brutality as he performs a song that features audio from the 911 call made by Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. the morning he was killed by White Plains police five years ago.
“No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” said a group of citizens as they practiced a right that is protected by the U.S. Constitution. At noon on Black Friday, Nov. 25, a few hundred people of all ages, races and religious denominations gathered at the fountain on Main Street in downtown White Plains, just feet from the Trump Tower at City Center. The diverse group convened, organized by the WESPAC Foundation, an organization working for peace and justice, to march and rally with a goal
Westchester County residents assemble by the fountain on Main Street in White Plains to rally against the possible ramifications of a Donald Trump presidency.
of making Westchester County a “sanctuary” for immigrants, Muslims, and other marginalized groups that could be negatively affected by the imminent Donald Trump presidency. Other organizations that participated were the Lower Hudson Valley Chapter of the NYCLU— which has threatened to take the president-elect to court if he
The rally gathers around the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. in front of the county courthouse. On the statue’s base is a timeless message from King: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa
creates a registry for Muslims, something Trump mentioned during his campaign; the White Plains-Greenburgh Chapter of the NAACP; Westchester Coalition Against Islamophobia, WCAI; and the Westchester Martin Luther King Jr. Institute for Nonviolence. After a collective march from Main Street to the Westchester County Courthouse, chanting and eventually gathering in front of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr., some members of the aforementioned groups let their voices be heard. “We’ll continue to stand in opposition to any attempt to register and reduce anyone to noncitizen, non-human status,” said Lena Anderson, president of the local NAACP chapter, as Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” played in the background. “Dr. King will say, ‘Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.’” Many have begun to compare Trump’s presidency to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany, where the oppression of Jews and other people was legal and ignored for too long by the rest of the world. The undoing of all the decades of fighting for civil rights and the rights of women and LGBTQ people is of real concern to many, especially with the president-elect making some questionable appointments to his cabinet, which includes Steven Bannon, former executive chair of the so-called “alt-right,” conservative Breitbart News, who has made comments on the “genetic superiority” of white people over other races. Many news organizations, including The New York Times and the Associated Press, say
“alt-right” is a deceptive term; it is a blend of racism, white nationalism, white supremacy, and populism, which rejects the American democratic ideal that all people are equal. “The people united will never be defeated” was another chant reiterated by speakers and those gathered. City of White Plains Mayor Tom Roach and Greenburgh Town Supervior Paul Feiner, both Democrats, were the elected officials present at the rally. “We are proud, in White Plains, of our diversity,” Roach said. “We need to stand up for the rights that some of us have taken for granted, and make sure that we keep them.” Feiner added to cheers and applause, “None of us should be afraid to speak out, no matter how much our new president tries to intimidate us.” There were two performances, a spoken word piece and a rap song, that focused on police brutality against black men. The song, “Abuse of Power,” performed by artist JCA, features the recording of the 911 call from Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. the morning he was killed by White Plains police in his home five years ago. The rally closed with a prayer from the Rev. Doris Dalton, the executive director of the Westchester Martin Luther King Jr. Institute for Nonviolence and member of the First Baptist Church of White Plains. “Your civic duties have to be part of your daily life,” she said, reminding people that all marches and rallies will be for naught if citizens do not act against bigotry and hate. CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 11
What’s headed for your plate RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
OK, I did it. I actually gave my head a pitying shake when a friend told me she’d just discovered a fantastic restaurant in Jackson Heights that sells the giant Indian crepes called dosas. “It’s so great!” she said. “It’s called–” “Dosa Delight,” I interrupted, as condescending as if she’d just discovered a great fast food restaurant called McDonald’s. But food pride goeth before a food fall. Just a day later, I found myself speaking with Katie Sutton, vice president of culinary innovation at the food trendwatching company (yes, there are such things) Food and Drink Resources. I’d read some of their predictions—egg pizza from Georgia (the country), Japanese cuisine by way of Peru, and even fried Brussels sprouts—in an industry newsletter called Restaurant Hospitality. Could these eats truly be coming our way? Turns out they’re already here… and I’m one of the last to know. But possibly, so are you. For instance, Sutton said, both coasts are currently obsessed by poke, and it’s not a virtual reality game on your phone. It’s a Hawaiian dish consisting of cubes of raw fish marinated in sauce and served in a bowl, sometimes with rice. There are already several poke (poh-kay) shops in the city, some so popular that long lines form at lunchtime. Having once been absolutely positive that sushi was going to prove a flash in the pan (or, more accurately, a flash in the non-pan, since it’s
raw), I feel reluctant to predict a quick demise for this new fad. But really, how many Hawaiian creations have made it to the big time and stayed there? Besides Obama, I mean. For now, though, poke is so ubiquitous that New York eateries are already cross-pollinating it with other popular foods, leading to items like the poke burrito. Meantime, the “phorrito” is another rising star. That’s a burrito filled with Vietnamese pho, a soup of braised meat, herbs and noodles. All of which leads me to my Food Theory No. 1: Wrap a burrito around anything that’s already delicious and it will be a hit. Theory No. 2 is: The gloppier the better, which is why we’re talking about eating a wrap filled with soup. But you can also see this trend with egg sandwiches. Sutton pointed to a West Coast restaurant called Eggslut, famous for the runniest eggs around. Another big trend she’s seeing is fruit soups. “It’s like taking a smoothie and dumping it into a bowl and putting chunks of fruit into it,” she said. So here’s my Food Theory No. 3: Anything chunked and put into a bowl is going to be a hit. One particular ingredient finding its way into these soups is dragon fruit, which I’ve seen at Asian fruit stands for years but have always been too unnerved to try. They’re pink and green and look straight out of Dr. Seuss. But to catch up with the trends, I finally got two in Flushing, sliced them open and: Total shock! One was white inside with poppy seed-like seeds, but the other was ruby red, same seeds. So gorgeous! And so incredibly bland!
Yecch. They tasted like giant kiwis, minus all the flavor. And the fact that they cost about $5 each just makes me wonder how popular this fruit can ever be. But I’m the gal who bet against sushi, so let’s move on. Another counter-intuitive trend is dark food on dark plates. After what feels like a century of ever lighter cuisine, Sutton says the trend has gone 180. Charring, once known as “overdone,” “burnt” or “ruined” in my family, is now one of the two hippest methods for preparing vegetables. (The other is deep frying.) She says she has started charring her salad greens on the grill, which I could understand if they got kind of pleasantly caramelized. But I tried charred broccoli recently, and simply cannot understand why my own, equally unhip method of broccoli prep—steaming till it is bendably soft and slightly gray—lost out. Douse really soft broccoli in melted butter and I say yum. Of course, I say that when you douse almost anything in melted butter. (I’m convinced that why lobster made it big: The shameless butter-dipping it made chic.) And speaking of dipping, the last food trend we’ve got time for today is deconstructed ramen called tsukemen. The noodles are separate from the broth. You dip them in and slurp them down. Slurping, glopping, chunking and wrapping are clearly the order of the day, so here’s Food Theory No. 4: Any obscure cuisine that we haven’t discovered yet will burst onto the scene in 2018. And in 2019, it will be wrapped in a burrito. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
‘Sister Act’ comes to White Plains White Plains Performing Arts Center is proud to present “Sister Act,” playing through the holiday season from Friday, Dec. 16 to Sunday, Jan. 8. “Sister Act” is the feel-good musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film that had audiences jumping to their feet. Featuring original music by Tony and eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken (“Newsies,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Little Shop of Horrors”), this uplifting musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent. Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood. Filled with powerful gospel music, outrageous dancing and a truly moving story, “Sister Act” will leave you breathless. Experience this sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship; “Sister Act” is reason to rejoice. The cast features the talents of
Shaunice Alexander; Susan Cohen DeStefano; Joanna Connolly; David Thomas Cronin; Najee Gabay-Knight; Kerri George; Deanna Giulietti; Tamar Greene; Andrew Hendrick; Gerard Lanzerotti; Katelyn Lauria; Steven Liberto; Andrea McCullough; Mary Mondlock; Dick Nagle; Triona O’Callaghan; Daniella Painton; Isaac Saunders; Corinne Scott; Rebecca Skowron; Shawn William Smith; Christina Tompkins; Cartreze Tucker; and Arianna Valdes; with Paulette Oliva as Mother Superior, and Lindsay Roberts as Deloris Van Cartier. The creative team features direction by Frank Portanova; music direction by Stephen Ferri; choreography and musical staging by Lexie Fennell Frare; scenic design by Gabriel Firestone; lighting design by Ross Gra-
ham; wardrobe supervision by Emily Grace Mays; and sound design by Scott Tunkel. “Sister Act” will play the White Plains Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16, Dec. 17, Dec. 23, Dec. 27, Dec. 28, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Jan. 6, Jan. 7.; and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 18, Dec. 22, Dec. 28, Jan. 7 and Jan. 8. White Plains Performing Arts Center is located on the third level of City Center off Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street in downtown White Plains, minutes from the White Plains Metro-North station. Tickets start at $22. For tickets, visit the theatre box office Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; purchase the tickets online at wppac.com; or call 328-1600. For group sales, email boxoffice@wppac. com. (Submitted)
What a face! Meet Watson—an adorable mixed breed pup, about 12 weeks old. He is beyond sweet and just loves everyone he meets; human and furry alike, including cats. This special little boy will make a wonderful addition to any family that will shower him with lots of love. Watson is up-to-date with vaccinations, in excellent health and microchipped. The adoption donation is $300. To meet him, please contact Pet Rescue at 835-3332 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
12 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
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SPORTS
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 13
Missing the ePoint LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
At the risk of sounding like an old, out-of-touch curmudgeon, I have to admit; I do not understand the world of eSports. In late October, as all four major American professional sports were in full swing, Madison Square Garden played host to a competition of a different sort, something called the League of Legends World Championship semifinals. The event pitted four of the best professional video gaming teams from around the globe against each other as they battled for the chance to compete for something called the “Summoner’s Cup”—presumably by hurling digital fireballs at one another— in front of a full house at MSG, a historic venue that once hosted phenomenal bouts of actual athletic competition, including the first fight between Muhammad
Ali and Joe Frazier. Now, I don’t begrudge anyone their particular areas of fandom—lord knows that I have my fair share of interests that stray from the beaten path—but seeing the throngs of excited cosplayers streaming into the world’s most famous arena to watch eAthletes eCompete on the Jumbotron, I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, popular culture is starting to pass me by. I may not consider myself a “gamer,” but I’ve played my fair share of video games through the years. Nintendo—and all of its subsequent successors—played a big part in my childhood, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ll still fire up the Xbox once in a while for a quick game of FIFA against my buddies. But spending my hard-earned money to watch teams of strangers manage squads of digital sprites in virtual combat? For me, that’s just a bridge too far. I enjoy watching sports, be-
cause I can appreciate the inherent drama in seeing the human body overcome its very real limitations; until I see Eli Manning cast a real-life Chaos Bolt at the Philadelphia Eagles, please forgive me if I don’t find the feats of these professional gamers impressive. But, I appear to be on the wrong side of this one. Over the last decade or so, eSports—the name given to professional, competitive video gaming—has become a big business. Arenas all over the world—especially in Asia—sell out for events; well-known companies toss money at the world’s top gamers in an attempt to woo free agents; and the best teams in the world are often embroiled in controversies about illegal tactics, espionage and tampering. Heck, some colleges here in the United States have even begun establishing scholarships for promising eHighSchoolers. My nephew, who is 10, spends less time playing video
TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A
LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow @cityreviewnr for Mike’s live, in-game action updates
Fans pile in to the Key Arena in Seattle to watch professional video gamers square off in a Dota 2 tournament. Sports Editor Mike Smith may not understand competitive gaming, but that doesn’t mean that the sport isn’t growing. Photo courtesy Wikipedia
games and more time watching the YouTube videos of Internet celebrities who make millions of dollars by posting their Grand Theft Auto play-throughs online.
Imagine that; people making money by playing a child’s game. It’s a pretty preposterous proposition. You can keep your eSports,
thank you every much. I think the Knicks are playing tonight.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
14 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
SPORTS
Huguenots halt Huskers GIRLS BASKETBALL
non-league
NEW ROCHELLE 48 YORKTOWN 27 NEW ROCHELLE HS
12/5/16
Game Notes: • La’Sandra Turner led the Huguenots with 12 points • New Rochelle made just one 3-point shot on the afternoon • The Huguenots are currently 3-0 By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor It may have taken a while for the Huguenots to get going against Yorktown on Dec. 5, but once the shots started falling, it was easy to see why people expect big things from the ballclub this year. With tenacious defense and balanced effort on the offensive end, New Rochelle pulled away from the visiting Huskers and secured a decisive 48-27 win to improve to 3-0 on the young season. With a number of stiff tests on the horizon, Huguenot coach Robert Bynum is hopeful that his team’s fast start will lead to big things this winter. New Rochelle seemed somewhat disjointed early on against Yorktown, scoring just two points in the first four minutes of the game, but the Huguenots
Nia Bailey goes up for a layup against Yorktown on Dec. 5. Bailey had 10 points in the Huguenots’ win.
continued to feed the ball inside and rack up chances at the line, eventually building a 2818 lead by halftime. La’Sandra Turner led with a game-high 12 points, while Amina Wiley, Stephanie Ryder and Nia Bailey each had 10 in the win. Although the Huguenots were only able to drain one shot from beyond the arc, their play in the paint proved to be the difference-maker, as they picked up 11 points from the
charity stripe. “Teams seem to be packing it in against us because we’re not shooting the 3, but once we get our 3-point shooting back, we’ll see what happens,” Bynum said. “As long as we stay aggressive, we should be OK.” Through three games this season, the Huguenots have repeatedly found ways to win. In the championship round of Carmel’s Holiday Tournament on Dec. 3, New Rochelle
La’Sandra Turner dishes to an open teammate on Dec. 5. Turner led all scorers with 12 points.
Amina Wiley goes up for a shot in the paint. Photos/Mike Smith
erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to top Harrison 55-53, thanks in part to a 21-point outburst from Turner. The win over the Huskies showed that New Rochelle is not lacking for mental toughness, said the head coach. “That win, it was just determination,” Bynum said. “I told them that [Harrison] was outworking us, and they didn’t like the insult I guess, so they went in and started working harder.” The Huguenots will be back in action on Dec. 13, when they travel to Ossining to take on the reigning state champs. As the pre-eminent powerhouse in Class AA, the Indians should be a good measuring stick for New Rochelle, who will begin league play two days later against Scarsdale. “I’m just hoping we introduce ourselves; right now, nobody should be afraid of us,” Bynum said. “But once we start league play and picking up some wins, maybe people will start taking notice.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
Katherine Schoenherr comes down with a rebound against Yorktown.
INSIDE
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 15
Lifestyles of Westchester County/DECEMBER 2016 VOL. 5 NO.9
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
Holiday
GIFT GUIDE 2 Decorate for the year, not just the holidays 2 Shop for the holidays at Lester’s 2 Take care of yourself at Addison Street Spa 2 Fine gifts from Talner’s storefront
16 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
GIFT IDEAS
for last-minute shoppers
Avoid theft during the season of giving
Early bird shoppers may purchase and even wrap gifts before December, but eleventh-hour shoppers may need some help come the holiday season. For those last-minute folks, there still are plenty of ways to ensure your shopping list is checked off. The following gifts are quick to purchase and can still make for thoughtful presents. Liquor or wine basket: Prepackaged spirits often come with decorative glasses and other accoutrements for entertaining. What’s more, they’re convenient to purchase if you’re on a time crunch. Fueling station gift card: Drivers will appreciate a gift card to their favorite fueling station. Such cards suit anyone who has a car and frequently travels or commutes. Food basket: A visit to the supermarket or a convenience center can yield many tasty finds that can be packaged together into a gift basket. Pair foods with a gift card to that retailer. Streaming service: Offer to treat a loved one to a month or two of their favorite streaming television or movie service. If they already have streaming subscriptions, offer to cover the cost of the subscription for a few months. Premade gifts: Don’t overlook your local pharmacy as a place to find convenient gifts. Look for unique items in the seasonal aisle, where you might be able to find stocking-stuffer toiletries or cosmetic gifts that suit several people on your shopping list.
The holiday season is a special time of year to give thanks and spend time with loved ones. While the holidays are an inherently happy time, that joyful mood can be marred by the crooks who like to take advantage of people’s generosity, as well as their propensity to pay less attention to their surroundings as they do during less hectic times of year. Instances of certain crimes, particularly theft and identity theft, increase around the holiday season. Allstate Insurance advises that breakins in residential areas may increase during the holiday season as well. That’s because thieves know that many homes are empty or cars are full of high-priced presents. To put the focus back on good cheer, delicious food, celebrations and gifting, individuals can heed the following tips to protect themselves and their property this holiday season. Park in well-lit areas while shopping. Aim for a spot under a street lamp or as close to the front door of the store as possible. Routinely put packages in the car so they do not become too cumbersome and bog you down. Some thieves prey on people who cannot defend themselves because their hands are full of packages. Place gifts in the trunk of the car. Make sure they are covered up and out of sight if you do not have a trunk. Take your packages straight home after each shopping trip. Do not carry excess cash or credit cards you don’t plan to use. Leave the full wallet at
home so it does not fall into the wrong hands or end up being stolen. Keep important credit card numbers in a safe place at home. Exercise caution around strangers. While you want to be friendly this time of year, this is a time when thieves may use various tactics to distract or disarm potential targets. Always leave lights on at home and do not forget to lock doors and windows when leaving the house. Empty houses are prime targets for burglars. Always give the impression that someone is home. Don’t advertise purchases. Keep mum about that big-screen TV or gaming system you purchased. Do not leave packages or boxes lying around outside your home. Instead, discard them only on the morning of garbage pickup. Keep an inventory of purchases and belongings. This will prove handy if you are a victim of theft and have to file an insurance claim. Use encrypted shopping sites. Many online retailers employ encrypted websites so customers can securely make purchases. Patronize only these retailers when shopping online. Be aware of credit card skimmers. Thieves may put skimming devices on ATM machines and credit card machines to steal card information. If a machine does not look right, do not use it. Avoid being victimized by crooks this holiday season by prioritizing safety at home and when shopping for gifts.
December 9 & 16, 2016 • THE CITY REVIEW • 17
Select educational gifts for children When shopping for holiday gifts for children, shoppers can easily be overwhelmed by the many toys, electronics, apparel and other items available for kids. Those who may not be up-to-date on the latest trends may even find shopping for kids a bit like solving a difficult puzzle. While some shoppers may want to get kids the flashiest toy, others may prefer gifts that are both fun and mentally stimulating. Developmental toys and educational games for kids make for popular gifts. Toy and game manufacturers continue to develop products that integrate logic, reasoning, language stimulation, and motor skill development. Shoppers looking for fun, educational toys and games for the kids on their shopping lists have a host of items to choose from. Building blocks: Blocks that enable children to design and construct are popular among youngsters of various ages. Blocks come in many different forms, from early education wooden blocks that fill nursery floors to the more intricate, interlocking building sets that are coveted by older children. STEM toys: Some of the latest trends in children’s toys veer away from regular video games and apps and cater to the rising interest in STEM. STEM is an acronym for science, technology and math. Early introduction to STEM-related skills can pay dividends later in life, considering students who have an emphasis on STEM knowledge are highly coveted among employers. STEM toys
may include robot-building kits, toys that help young learners test the boundaries of physics, apps that help kids learn computer programing, and even scientific experiment kits that illustrate cause and effect. Sensory toys: Young children can benefit from toys that stimulate the senses. Items to consider include water toys, sands (including the newer kinetic varieties), playdoughs, musical instruments, and bubbles. Even food-related toys, such as those that encourage baking or cooking, will appeal to various senses and can help kids learn valuable skills. Imaginative play toys: Imaginative play is an effective way to stimulate creative thinking and may help children become better learners. The Creativity Institute, specializing in toys for creative play, says playing is important to children and the way they practice growing up. According to an article by Dr. Scott Kaufman that appeared in Psychology Today, “Systematic research has increasingly demonstrated a series of clear benefits of children’s engagement in pretend games from the ages of about two and one half through ages six or seven.” Dress-up toys, puppets, dolls, action figures, and toys that mimic real-life activities are all examples of products that promote imaginative play. Educational toys can be included on holiday gifting lists. Not only will they encourage children to play and have fun, but they’ll serve as building blocks to a lifetime of learning as well.
18 • THE CITY REVIEW • December 9 & 16, 2016
Decorate for the year, not just the holidays We all know the hustle and bustle that goes along with the holidays. We shop, plan our menus, and adorn our homes with festive décor, all in anticipation of opening our homes and sharing our traditions with loved ones. But take a step back and ask yourself, why do we wait until for the holidays to arrive to make our homes a reflection of our best, brightest dreams? Our homes should be where we are truly most comfortable and surrounded by
our favorite things every day of the year. Our homes should be a furnished to mirror our taste and lifestyle. This is easier said than done for many people. One way to bring your yearround style to life is engaging with an interior decorator. If you’re like most of the clients Decorating Den works with, you want a beautifully custom designed look, but truly don’t know how to make that vision a reality. You might not be
sure of how to put it all together. You may have sentimental items that you do not want to remove. You might fear that if you call a professional decorator, your home will end up featuring that decorator’s taste—not yours. And last, but certainly not least, you might not be even sure you can afford the services of a professional decorator. Fortunately, a new Decorating Den Interiors has opened in your area to bring design and style to everyone. From design concept to completion, designers can help save you valuable time and money by guiding your decisionmaking process through a myriad of functional and decorative ideas. When they come to your home, you’ll be shown samples of custom window treatments, bedding ensembles, floor covering, wall covering, accessories, lighting, upholstered furniture and case-goods. Clients enjoy the collaborative design process used by designers from Decorating Den as we work together to fulfill your vision. This process gives homes a unique look, different from what we always see in the big retailers or
neighborhood stores. Designing around how you live in your home can help you make it not just comfortable, but a place you will be proud to show to friends and family not just during the holidays, but 365 days a year. Decorating Den Interiors serves the Westchester County area, including Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Harrison, Bronxville and New Rochelle. For more information, contact owner and interior decorator Marni Sugerman at 829-5100, or visit marni.decoratingden.com. (Submitted)
technology and online marketing workshops for communities in Westchester in order to help our local businesses thrive. We are also available to provide private consultations for companies looking to succeed online. This holiday season, give the gift of a 2
hour in-person, one-on-one online marketing & brand strategy session at our office in White Plains for $150 (usually $450) available now through Dec 31st. For more information, contact Jaime Urteaga, the owner of Digital Chair, Inc., at jaime@digitalchair.com.
Buy for your business this holiday season
As another New York winter creeps in with its cold and westwardly breeze, it’s easy for the streets of Westchester to misplace their hustle and bustle of foot traffic and community energy. Worse yet, the allure of local stores and restaurants fall victim to the stay-at-home giants of couch-side shopping, Amazon and Seamless. The holiday season peaks as the biggest retail-spending season of the year, with more and more business being done online now more than ever. What most local companies don’t realize is that they don’t have to go to the mattresses to leverage some technology to their advantage and “get in the game” so to speak. It’s nearly 2017 and technology is becoming cheaper and more available than ever. Websites, for better or worse, can be made by anyone with some technological savvy and a few hours at their disposal. Social media accounts can be
used to communicate offers and drive brand reach locally, yet their untapped power is often overlooked and underestimated. By mixing some business and technology know-how, one can change the competitive field around them and leverage certain tools to drive a far-reaching and conversion-centered marketing campaign that helps attract people to you or your business. For the sake of brevity, I’ll focus on Google, the low-hanging fruit for local businesses. If you look up a local business (food, legal, home, fun), statistically, you’re most likely to look them up on Google’s search engine. Google has a free business listing that takes under an hour of time to set up. All you have to do is fill out a form, verify your business information (they send you a postcard with a code and call you), and then you’re done. From there you can start benefiting from the positive reviews your clients leave you and how they affect the choice of the eager consumer searching for a local service in their town. You can upload pictures that show your products, staff and the service providers. This simple tool and can distinguish you from your competition when it comes time for a consumer to decide where to spend their money. Keep in mind, your competitor may be Amazon, or another global internet giant, so a loss of a client could be a loss for the local community. At Digital Chair, we’re putting together some
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How to find great gifts for the family handyman For those people who don’t know a box cutter from a box saw, shopping for men and women who like to get their hands dirty around the house can be a difficult task. Home improvement projects are complex undertakings that often involve the use of complex tools, and novices may be lost in the proverbial woods as they look for gifts for their loved ones who can’t wait to swing hammers around the house. Though there’s always an element of risk when shopping for gifts for loved ones, the following hints might help shoppers with no knowledge of home improvement projects find gifts that will please their favorite handyman. Take inventory of his or her existing tools. When shopping for the DIY enthusiast in your family, try to take inventory of his or her tool chest before beginning your search. Make note of any tools that look new, checking those off your shopping list, and any that look like they need replacing. Use your phone to photograph any unfamiliar tools that you might want to replace so you know what to look for when visiting the hardware store. Think of what your relative likes to do most. The family handyman may have a particular area of home improvement expertise or something he or she is especially passionate about. Does your loved one prefer to work in the garden? Is he into woodworking and making decorative items for
the house? Think of what he or she likes to do most and then look for something that will make that hobby more enjoyable. While multipurpose tools might make for welcome gifts, something more specific to his or her particular passion may make an even better gift. Think outside the (tool)box. While new tools might make a handyman’s day, they are not the only items that make great DIY gifts. Consider enrolling your loved one in an advanced class so he or she can learn more about a favorite hobby. Or gift a magazine subscription so he or she can stay abreast of the latest DIY trends and topics. Such gifts are great options for shoppers hesitant to purchase potentially costly tools that may or may not be hits with their relatives. Speak with a professional. If you can’t access your loved one’s workshop or simply don’t know what he or she might want, ask a local contractor for gift recommendations. For example, a carpenter might know just what will elicit a smile from woodworking enthusiasts, while landscapers might be able to suggest items for gardening or lawn care enthusiasts. Advancements are always being made in the home improvement industry, and those people who make their living in that industry might be great resources as you try to find the go-to gift for your loved one. Finding a gift for the family handyman might be difficult for shoppers with no DIY experience
of their own. But a little forethought and perhaps some professional assistance can be just what
shoppers need to find gifts their loved ones will cherish for years to come.
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Shop for the holidays at Lester’s
The holidays are better at Lester’s, where you’ll find the biggest selection of uniquely chic gifts from wow-factor brands that do cool best. Beyond the most wanted clothing and footwear, some of the season’s bestselling musthave items include S’well Bottles, fur slides and other cold weather accessories, stylish tech toys, statement jewelry, fun pillows, whimsical snow tubes, patched up clothing, cozy blanket sacks, sports team logo and player gifts and more. Every gift, perfectly wrapped and ready for giving. Don’t miss a great selection of grab bag and teachers’ gifts, too—perfectly priced at $30 and under. Set your sights on sun, sand and Lester’s for the best collection of cruise essentials for your winter getaway. Bold beachwear, breezy coverups, night out styles, gorgeous sandals, and chic totes for women, men, kids and baby.
How to organize office gift exchanges
Happy shopping, happy holidays and happy travels! Lester’s is located at 18 Rye Ridge Plaza in Rye Brook. For more information, visit lesters.com. (Submitted)
Close-knit groups of employees commonly exchange gifts with one another come the holiday season. Friendly coworkers enjoy bringing smiles to the faces of their friends and fellow employees, and these informal gift exchanges can benefit company morale and establish a familial atmosphere at the office. In spite of the good-natured reasons to exchange gifts with coworkers, some people are nervous about the prospect of gifting fellow employees. Questions regarding what makes for an appropriate gift or how much to spend may arise, turning office gift exchanges into potentially puzzling situations. Those ready to participate in office gifting can follow certain etiquette guidelines to take the anxiety out of office gifting. Determine if there is an office policy governing gift exchanges. Some businesses may have a specific policy in place that establishes guidelines on what makes acceptable, appropriate gifts for coworkers. The larger the company, the more specific the policy is likely to be. Consider the overall office climate. Is yours a relaxed working environment, or is it ultraformal? Allow the corporate culture to play a part in your gifting decisions. A gift that may be appropriate for a smaller, casual company may not be fitting for a large, rules-heavy corporation. Always let common sense prevail. Establish a spending limit. Spending limits let
everyone know just how much to spend. Resist the urge to go above and beyond. While you may just want to be generous, others may view an expensive gift as a way to show off or an attempt to flatter a coworker oreven a boss. Think of life outside the office. When shopping, start thinking about what your coworkers like to do when they are not at work. For example, golf enthusiasts may enjoy a box of balls or a gift certificate to play at an area course. Stick to generic gifts if you are unsure of what your coworkers do when they are not working. Personalized holiday mementos, gadgets for entertaining, items that can be used around the office or foodrelated gift baskets make great holiday gifts. Remember to take into account others’ religions and traditions when shopping. Avoid gifts that are overly personal. Steer clear of giving fragrances or cosmetic products because you do not know what the other person will like. Scented products also may send the wrong message, indicating you think someone needs to cover up with an aroma. Clothing is another gift to avoid, as certain items may be seen as suggestive and you may not be in tune with the recipient’s personal style. Consider personal or handmade gifts as well. Engraved picture frames, hand-picked gift baskets filled with homemade treats or gift certificates to favorite coffee shops or lunch spots in the vicinity of the office make ideal office gifts.
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How to navigate return policies
The holiday season is rife with merriment and gift-giving. Shoppers flock to stores in an effort to find the ideal gifts for everyone on their lists. While shoppers hope the presents they select will be well-liked, many know that not every gift will be the perfect fit. It’s in shoppers’ best interests to familiarize themselves with store return policies to avoid being stuck with unwanted purchases or losing money on exchanges. Knowledge of store policies also is useful information to pass on to gift recipients, so that they will be able to realize the full benefit of their gifts should something need to be replaced. Shoppers who anticipate a loved one returning their gift would be wise to always include a gift receipt with gifts. Some stores offer only store credit to people who return gifts without receipts, while others may not allow non-receipt returns at all. In addition, some retailers only offer non-receipt refunds that are equivalent to the lowest recent sale price. Consumers can arm themselves with this information and take a proactive approach to holiday shopping. Visit the customer service desk and ask for the complete return and exchange policy. Study the policy to understand how exchanges or
refunds are handled. Think about purchases before making them, which may cut down on the number of exchanges or returns necessary. Keep all receipts in a safe place. Opt for emailed receipts whenever possible, as such receipts may be easier to catalog and less likely to go missing. Ask for gift receipts if you are uncertain if the gift recipient will like the gift or you aren’t sure on sizing or fit. Attach this receipt to a tag so it does not get lost during wrapping. Visit the return desk during off-peak hours, such as dinnertime or early in the morning, when employees will be less harried and better able to work with you on facilitating exchanges. Make purchases on store credit cards or other credit cards. Doing so may make the purchases easier to track if the receipt goes missing. Shop at retailers with notoriously good return policies. Money magazine and GOBankingRates say that Nordstrom; L.L. Bean; Bed, Bath & Beyond; JC Penney; and Costco have the most generous return policies. Returns and exchanges are a part of holiday giving. Consumers who educate themselves on stores’ return policies can make the holiday season easier for themselves and their loved ones.
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Take care of yourself at Addison Street Spa
At Addison Street Spa, “It’s about wellness.” Since 1999, that has been our motto. Our mission is to provide a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation. Addison Street Spa is a getaway conveniently located in the quaint village of Larchmont in lower Westchester. We are easy to access by personal or public transportation and welcome anyone seeking to look and feel their very best. We offer exceptional therapeutic, energetic and specialized bodywork treatments, including favorites like Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, pregnancy massage and Reiki. We offer personalized facials for all skin types and treatments to address your skin care issues. Our product line, Dermalogica, is highly recognized and provides effective skin care solutions for in-spa services and home care. For the finishing touches, waxing and other beauty enhancement services are available. Our talented staff of aesthetic and bodywork
professionals has many years of experience and a wide knowledge of therapeutic bodywork techniques and skin care treatments. Awarded “The Best Deep Tissue Massage’” in Westchester in 2015, we are well-known for the amazing hands, caring hearts and skill of our practitioners. We welcome you to come and experience our cozy space where our friendly service coordinators are excited to recommend the perfect services for your needs and ensure you have an enjoyable experience. Men, women and teens ages 13 and up are sure to find services to please. It’s the perfect time and the perfect season to share a pampering experience. To make it easy and affordable, we are happy to offer special prices on our highly acclaimed, client-recommended service packages. Gift certificates are now on sale for these service combinations: • Age Smart facial and Trilogy hot stone massage: $260
• Swedish massage and 30-minute foot massage: $140 • Swedish massage and European facial (two hours): $190 • 45-minute massage and 45-minute facial: $160 • Series of six Swedish massages or European facials: $570 Instant gift certificates can be printed from our website at addisonstreetspa.com. You can also
call us at 833-3223, or come and see us at 9 Addison St. in Larchmont. Don’t forget to pamper yourself in this demanding, high stress time of year. We look forward to serving you this holiday season and continuing to be a part of your wellness journey in the coming new year. Happy Holidays from all of us at Addison Street Spa! (Submitted)
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Last-minute holiday shopping tips
Fine gifts from Talner’s New Rochelle storefront Leonard Italiano would be amazed by the vast and prestigious selection of jewelry, crystal, china and other fine gifts that fill the Main Street store at the corner of Centre Avenue. Italiano was one of New Rochelle’s premier jewelers, first working door to door and then in an upstairs store on Mechanic Street as early as 1924. Despite his birth name, Italiano was not of Italian descent; he was one of New Rochelle’s early Jewish shopkeepers. By the time he opened a small Main Street store near Centre Avenue in 1928, he had changed his name to Leonard Talner. His brother, Joseph, joined the business and took over its management when Leonard died in 1941. Like his brother, Joseph also died in his early 50s, just seven years later. Leonard’s widow and her cousin, Arnold Heaps, ensured the continued operations and high standards of the store. Leonard’s son, Robert, joined the family business after serving in the Korean War. In 1960, he and Heaps purchased the store from the other Talner family members and began expansions. By 1962, they enlarged the store by purchasing the adjacent hat store, dress shop and Fannie Farmer Candies. Seventeen years later, when Robert Talner died, Heaps became the sole owner. Talner Fine Jewelry and Roadside China
Holiday shopping season typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and extends all the way to Christmas Eve. While that’s a considerable amount of time for shoppers to find gifts for everyone on their shopping list, many people will still find themselves putting holiday shopping off until the last minute. In certain ways, last-minute holiday shopping is easier than ever. Thanks to online retailers who can ship products overnight, men and women who delay their holiday shopping have more options at their disposal than they did before the arrival of the Internet. And unlike the days of yore when the best deals were largely exclusive to Black Friday, some shoppers find that competition between online retailers and traditional brick-and-mortar stores is so great that deals can be found regardless of when they begin shopping. But while waiting until the last minute to begin holiday shopping may not be as risky as it used to be, shoppers may still benefit by sticking to certain strategies so they can find the perfect gifts without breaking the bank. Stay within your budget. Even last-minute shoppers have holiday shopping budgets. But it can be harder for last-minute shoppers to stick to their budgets because they have less time to comparison shop and hunt for deals. As the holiday shopping season winds down, resist the temptation to go over budget. If a gift you had in mind is available but more than you can spend, look for something else. Overspending on holiday shopping in December is a recipe for debt in January, and no shopper wants to begin the new year weighed down by consumer debt.
Shop local. National chains and big box retailers are renowned for rolling out great deals during the holiday season, but such stores may have very limited or unimpressive inventory left by the time last-minute shoppers begin shopping. Local retailers are often incapable of slashing prices as significantly as their larger competitors, and that may mean they have more extensive inventories available throughout the holiday shopping season. In addition, shoppers who stick with local retailers won’t have to pay shipping costs to ensure items arrive on time. Shop during off-peak hours. Shopping during off-peak hours can help last-minute shoppers make efficient use of the limited time they have to buy gifts for their loved ones. Visit stores early in the morning or late at night, or schedule a midweek afternoon shopping trip so you aren’t spending what little time you have left waiting on lines or hunting for parking. Give something less traditional. Holiday gifts need not come from stores. Rather than spending their time shopping for gifts for loved ones who seemingly have it all, last-minute shoppers can give the gift of a donation in their loved one’s name. Last-minute shoppers who want to give something more tangible can create a homemade gift that’s both unique and heartfelt. If your DIY skills are lacking, give a loved one the gift of a night out on the town at your expense. Shoppers who wait until the end of the holiday shopping season to begin their searches for holiday gifts can still find great gifts without going broke.
draws customers from throughout Westchester and Fairfield counties who want quality merchandise and superior service. The shop carries a select line of fine jewelry, including many set with diamonds or gemstones, watches and estate jewelry. In addition, Talner is renowned for expert watch and jewelry repairs, serving generations of loyal satisfied customers, even those who have moved away from the region but still return to purchase that special engagement ring or gift. Talner holds a special place in the hearts of many. Talner also offers the largest selection of tabletops in Westchester County, with a full line of elegant china and beautifully crafted crystal from prestigious companies such as Lalique, Lenox, Baccarat, Waterford, and Herend. It is the place to shop for gifts of distinction and the perfect place for bridal registries. The shop’s distinctive gift boxes are recognized and welcome everywhere. Over the years, Talner’s gracious and accommodating service, and distinctive and top-quality jewelry has attracted the likes of Tommy Manville, Theresa Brewer, Dennis James, Peter Lind Hayes, and other celebrities who made their home in New Rochelle. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of the Talner store’s first customers are now buying engagement rings here. (Submitted)
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