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Three Bronxville High School students – Lilly Martin, Viktoria Schmuck and Vance Wood – had their artwork on display at the prestigious OSilas Gallery at Concordia College as part of the gallery’s StArt Regional High School Art Ex-hibit.

The annual exhibit showcased the work of 88 talented high school students from 31 public and private schools across Westchester, Fair-field, Rockland and Orange counties and the Bronx. During the opening reception on Jan. 11, judges critiqued the students’ work, which ranged from paintings to ceramics to photogra-phy. Wood, a junior, was among six students to receive an Award of Excellence for her self-por-trait drawing.

“Vance’s self-portrait is striking because of its bold contrast and variety of texture,” art teacher Courtney Alan said. “It catches your eye immediately as you walk into OSilas Gallery. Vance has incredible mark-making skills. She is able to get very detailed with a few strokes of the

pencil. She also renders a wide range of values throughout the piece. You never get stuck in one area of her drawing because she guides your eye around with the play of dark to light.”

For her drawing, Wood said she chose to represent herself in her bedroom surrounded by a few of her favorite things – her dog, her guitar and kettle corn. Meanwhile, Schmuck presented an acrylic painting of several piec-

es of fruit, and Martin showcased her work related to lionfish by applying sim-ilar techniques with different media. She used etching techniques to draw the li-onfish on a scratchboard and sgraffito to draw the lionfish on a vase.

OSilas Gallery is located on the cam-pus of Concordia College in Bronxville,

Bronxville High School student Vance Wood’s self-portrait

Local High School Juniors Display Artwork at OSilas Gallery

continued on page 7

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From the Mayor’s Officeshorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 3

BY MAYOR MARY MARVIN

In a recent column, I highlighted some of the 500 plus laws passed in the last session of the New York State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Cuomo.

I though it further use-ful to research what was passed in other states in 2017 as they often share a common-ality of purpose or act as a forecast as to what may affect New Yorkers going forward.

Nationally, the themes centered very specific soci-etal issues; opioid addiction both stricter laws and med-ical assistance, human traf-ficking, the legalization of marijuana, epi-pen usage in public facilities and gun con-trol. Literally dozens of state enacted legislation pertain-ing to all of the above subjects. In addition the minimum wage was raised in 14 states,

and soda taxes are clearly gaining traction.

Staying close to home, New Jersey and Connecticut covered most of the above topics but the New Jersey Leg-islature focused on reducing the tax burden as it competes with New York for one of the most expensive places to live. To that end, sales tax was lowered to 6.875 from 7%; the amount of retirement income excluded from state income taxes will increase fivefold and the estate tax exemption now rises to $2million.

Connecticut added two potentially ground breaking pieces of legislation that I be-lieve will be copied in other states going forward: Employ-ers are now not allowed to ask a job applicant if they have prior arrests or convictions on an initial job application; Most insurance policies will be required to cover 3D and more advanced mammogram procedures.

Our neighbors in Ver-mont are trying to come to terms with their particular-ly acute opioid epidemic by passing some very strict drug laws. As example, anyone

convicted of selling fentanyl can now receive a prison term of 20 years and a million dol-lar fine.

A Vermont law that I think should be nationwide is the requirement that anyone seeking public office or a high level government staff posi-tion must disclose all busi-ness ownerships and sources of income above $5,000. In addition, officeholders may not become lobbyists immedi-ately upon leaving office.

In a portend of things to come, the Utah Legislature added a 4.7% sales tax on all Amazon purchases since they are losing $200million plus every year in this revenue stream. In the same vein, Cali-fornia now grants lower level felons the right to vote and no one under the age of 18 can be charged with prostitution.

I would be remiss if I did not mention other new Cali-fornia initiatives as their leg-islature was the most prolife passing almost 900 new laws.

• Victims cannot ever consent to sex while uncon-scious or incapacitated by drugs, alcohol or medication.

• All single user toilets must be gender neutral

• Terminally ill patients

can choose to end their lives using experimental drugs not receiving full FDA ap-proval. Health plans may cov-er their costs and physicians who recommend them are ex-empt from any disciplinary actions.

• Parents must be noti-fied by any sports league if their child’s head was hit and all coaches and sports admin-istrators must receive con-cussion training and abide by new protocols when assess-ing head injuries

• The term Redskins cannot be used by any pub-lic school sports team or as a mascot.

• Gun magazines of more than ten bullets are now strictly banned

Illinois, in the first of its kind, enacted a law requiring

cosmetologists to undergo training to recognize physical signs of sexual and domestic violence.

Finally, every year, the states do not disappoint and enact law which are esoteric, fun, a little zany or just plain head scratchers.

• In California, barber-shops and hair salons may serve free beer and wine to customers up until 10 pm ( I couldn’t find a prohibition on start time!?)

• North Carolina did not overturn the ban on restrict-ing bingo games to five hours

• Golf carts may now be driven in Ohio on all roads with a speed limit up to 35 mph. This law would permit them on every street in Bronxville!

• In Utah, marriage is against the law between cous-

ins only if you are younger than 65 years old.

• Oregon has banned the use of sky lanterns, but not fireworks, due to the poten-tial for fire.

• In one of the last states in the Union, Pennsylvania now allows one to buy a six pack of beer, but not a case, in a grocery store instead of the State Run Package Store.

In an effort to be more green?? California now al-lows burials only 3.5 feet deep vs the traditional five feet requirement.

And I end with my favor-ite, from California – In an effort to reduce the amount of gas from cows, Senate Bill #1383 approved a system of tubes and attached back packs to filter and capture the gas – a dreadful visual indeed!!

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Westchester Jewish Lifewww.westchesterjewishlife.com

4 • February 2018 • The Bronxville Bulletin thebronxvillebulletin.com

Bronxville School Board of Education Sets Bond Vote for March 13

The Bronxville School Board of Education unani-mously adopted a resolution at its Jan. 18 meeting to pres-ent a $24.8 million bond pro-posal to the greater communi-ty for a vote on March 13, 2018. The proposed bond project is tax-neutral, meaning the district will not need to raise additional tax revenue to sup-port the referendum project. This is due to expiring debt from an earlier bond, which will retire in 2020, when the debt for this bond will start.

The referendum, if ap-proved, would address the district’s facility needs in three key areas – site im-provement and repairs, infra-structure improvements and program-related enhance-ments – to prepare the next generation of learners and provide them with expanded opportunities. With the ap-proach of the building’s 100-year anniversary, the district has extensively reviewed the facilities to ensure the build-ing meets the programmatic needs of all students.

Site improvements

include the replacement of the Chambers Field and Track, which was original-ly installed in 2006; the re-placement of the elementary school playground, which has reached the end of its useful life; and the installation of three additional pumps to complete the flood mitigation project.

The majority of the work involves infrastructure improvements, which has a direct impact on district pro-grams. Included among the many infrastructure projects are: restoration of the school front façade to improve Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, various roof-ing replacements and repairs, masonry work, electrical panel upgrades, air condi-tioning in parts of the build-ing, improved ventilation, and flooring and ceiling tile replacement.

“As we continue to build and expand upon the Bronx-ville Promise and prepare our students for their future, sev-eral necessary improvements have been identified that will

enhance the overall teach-ing-learning experience,” Su-perintendent of Schools Dr. Roy Montesano said.

Additional infrastruc-ture projects that directly support and enhance the learning environment in-clude an expanded health office, a new counseling cen-ter, a cafeteria expansion that would increase capacity by 180 students, and an ex-panded third-floor learning space. The project would also include the renovation of the high school entry area and the renovation of an old boil-er room into an engineering design space that would allow students to collaborate.

The proposed capital project is the result of the extensive research and plan-ning by the district’s Com-munity Advisory Committee and input from community members, parents, students, staff, the Bronxville School Foundation and the PTA. The Board strategically planned for the referendum to address the district’s critical facility needs by timing the new bond

with the expiration of debt from previous projects. This will provide the Bronxville School with an opportunity to complete a great deal of necessary work without the need to raise taxes. The total cost of the bond will be offset by the use of $1 million from the Capital Reserve Fund and $2 million of available funds, thereby reducing the total

cost to $21.8 million.“The Bronxville School

represents one of the top as-sets in our community, and this bond provides a rare and significant opportuni-ty to make an important in-vestment in our school, with minimal impact on taxes,” Dr. Montesano said.

A voter-approved bor-rowing in March would allow

Debbie and Jeff Meiliken Join McClellan Sotheby’s International Realty

Debbie Meiliken, one of the top multi-million dollar brokers in Westchester, has real estate in her blood, having grown up in a prominent Toronto based real estate family. She has 25 years of real estate ex-perience in all facets of the industry including list-ing, selling, investing, consulting, staging and media commentating. Most recently she was working at the Larchmont office of Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s Internation-al Realty.

Jeff Meiliken, a Westchester native, graduated from Cornell and has lived in Belgium, Italy and Peru where he ran marketing programs for numerous in-ternational consumer brands. He was the artistic di-rector and general manager of a large New York art fabrication and photography studio and later man-aged a trading desk for financial derivatives. After many years of helping Debbie in various aspects of her profession, Jeff decided to get his own real estate license and officially join her team.

Consummate pros at renovating and flipping homes for themselves and their clients, Jeff and Deb-bie bring true and practical knowledge of all aspects of the buying, selling and renovating process. Their combined background in real estate, marketing and interior design, ensures that their listings not only outshine their competition but speak directly to buyers, creating an emotional bond long before they pull into the driveway. The Meiliken team is known from Pelham to Bedford as the

go-to specialists in homes that other brokers failed to sell. They have a unique 4-step approach for marketing and the unequaled global reach of the Sotheby’s brand.

The Meilikens currently live in the Green-haven section of Rye with their two teenage chil-dren. They have been very involved in multiple community activities including youth baseball, basketball and soccer leagues and they have been ardent advocates for special needs children.

“We are looking forward to working at Mc-Clellan Sotheby’s International Realty, Pelham’s #1 real estate firm. We expect to greatly expand our business with our new affiliation,” comment-ed Debbie.

“Debbie and Jeff are passionate about the value of the Sotheby’s brand and we are thrilled that they have chosen to stay with the brand and affiliate with our office in Pelham,” comment-ed Sona Davidian, President of the firm. “They are a very successful team and we are sure they will flourish in their new office.” Debbie can be reached at 914.500.9198 and Jeff can be reached at 914.450.5960.

Debbie Meiliken

Jeff Meiliken

the district to absorb the re-payment of the new debt into its budget without causing ad-ditional property tax growth. Residents are encouraged to visit the district’s website for detailed information on the proposal at www.bronx-villeschool.org.

The vote is scheduled for March 13, 2018 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the school’s Blue Gym.

shorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 5

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Concordia College Nursing Students Rank in Top 5 State-wide

The Nursing Program at Concordia College New York has once again distinguished itself with a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate that places it among the top five baccalaureate nursing programs in New York state. Concordia’s nursing students achieved a 2017 pass rate of over 96%, well above National (87%) and New York State (85%) averages.

The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is the examination required for all nursing graduates who seek Nursing licensure. The exam is rigorous, administered in a comput-erized adaptive testing format that can take up to six hours to complete. The results are pass/fail and the test is individualized, based on examinees’ specific responses. To succeed, students must have intensive preparation in all areas of nursing study.

What puts Concordia College’s nursing program at the top of the state? Karen Bourgeois, Interim Dean and Associate Professor of Concordia’s Division of Nursing, credits the College’s hands-on approach. “Here, every student is known and faculty is invested in every student. In its 11 years the program has grown in both enrollment and reputation. Concordia nursing grads are sought-after, and many are offered jobs during the intensive hospital internships the program re-quires.“

“These scores are definitely exciting, but the test is just one part of what we do here.” said Dean Bourgeois. “What’s most satisfying is knowing that each and every student who graduates from our nursing program is ready to go out and be a really good nurse.” In 2016, Concordia’s first-time pass rate was 95%, also among the best in the state.

Westchester Luxury Home Sales Hit 10-Year High

Sales of luxury homes selling for $2 million and higher in Westchester County hit a 10-year high in 2017 with 357 high-end homes sold, a 4.7 percent increase from 2016, according to the Houlihan Lawrence Luxury Market Report.

Sale prices for luxury homes rose slightly from 2016, with the median sale price at $2.60 million, up from $2.56 million. Total sales for 2017 topped the $1 billion mark, a 6.2 percent increase from the previous year’s volume. Two markets – Scarsdale and Rye City – accounted for approximately 43 percent of the total luxury sales in Westchester in 2017.

Westchester’s top ten performing markets for luxury home sales selling for $2 million and higher were, in order of total sales: Scarsdale (79), Rye City (74), Mamaroneck (45), Bronxville (33), Harrison (26), Bedford (23), Byram Hills (16), Irvington (12), Katonah-Lewisboro (9) and Chappaqua (8). The single highest selling price in 2017 was $7,575,000 in Mamaroneck. Six of the top ten sales were waterfront properties.

Sales were strong in the $3 million to $4.9 million range with 93 homes sold, a 16 percent increase from 2016. The $5 million plus category was essentially unchanged from 2016 with 17 total sales.

Meanwhile, sales of luxury homes selling for $1 million and higher in Putnam and Dutchess counties rose 9.8 percent in 2017. The median sale price was $1.5 million, unchanged from 2016. Total luxury sales vol-ume in the two counties was $82.9 million, an increase of 3.3 percent from 2016. The top performing market in the Putnam-Dutchess area was Garrison with 10 sales of $1 million and higher.

Pollena Forsman, the number one agent for single-family homes in Westchester every year since 2014, weighed in on luxury buyer trends. “This year buyers gravitated towards sleek, modern design with open floor plans. The desire for masterfully renovated, or new, continues to dominate the mindset. The land equation was notable in 2017 too, with luxury purchasers seeking enough property for soccer/lacrosse and maybe even a pool someday….yet all trends must be tied with a bow on value,” she said.

Commenting on the impact of recently enacted tax legislation, Anthony Cutugno, Associate Real Es-tate Broker of Houlihan Lawrence, said, “Major tax legislation passed in late December benefits corpora-tions and is forecasted to help fuel the bull market yet another year. For homeowners, tax reform reduces the amount of property tax that can be deducted, increasing the after-tax cost of homeownership. Buyers’ purchasing power is reduced as well, and the impact is greatest in the luxury market -- higher home values equate to a larger reduction in purchasing power. We anticipate that declining purchasing power will exert pricing pressure on luxury inventory to offset the new math of tax reform.”

Stepinac High School Crusaders Win League Championship

Stepinac High School's Crusaders varsity football team, which recently won the New York State Catholic League championship (its second state title of the past three years) was honored on Monday, December 18, 2017 by Robert Astorino, Westchester County Executive, shown with tri-umphant team in front of the county office executive building at 148 Marine Avenue, White Plains. At right is Rev. Thomas Collins (Class of '79), Stepinac President and at far left is Mike O' Donnell, head coach.

Then Tom Roach, Mayor of the City of White Plains, joined in congratulating the team on De-cember 21 and in celebrating Stepinac Crusader Day in White Plains.

The mission of Archbishop Stepinac High School is to offer young men of the Archdiocese of New York a highly competitive academic and extracurricular program that will prepare them for college and leadership roles. The faculty and staff accomplish these objectives by pursuing excellence and creating a supportive, disciplined atmosphere with a strong sense of camaraderie and Christian values that is unique to the Stepinac experience. For more information, visit www.Stepinac.org

6 • February 2018 • The Bronxville Bulletin thebronxvillebulletin.com

Calendar of Events

Upcoming Events at Sarah Lawrence College “Barbara Barker Lecture,” In recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Barbara Barker, one of the first high-pro-file women sportswriters, will be speaking at Sarah Lawrence College. February 7 at 5:00 p.m. Free. Sarah Lawrence College Titsworth Marjorie Left Miller ’53 Lecture Hall, 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Film Screening — I’m Not Racist, am I?” This documentary asks questions about how the next generation is going to confront racism. Twelve teenagers from New York City were brought to-gether for one school year to talk about race and privilege in a series of workshops and in conversations with friends and fam-ily members. In documenting their experience, the filmmakers hope to inspire others to recognize and interrupt racism in their own lives. Thursday, February 8 at 5:00 p.m. Free. Heimbold Vi-sual Arts Center, Sarah Lawrence College, 917 Kimball Avenue, Bronxville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Linda Gregerson Reading,” Thursday, February 15 at 6:00 p.m. Free. Slonim House Living Room, Sarah Lawrence College, 911 Kimball Avenue, Bronxville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sar-ahlawrence.edu

“Ben Lerner Craft Talk,” Ben Lerner is presenting a craft talk. Tuesday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. Free. Slonim House Living Room, Sarah Lawrence College, 911 Kimball Avenue, Bronxville, NY, 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Environmental Studies Lecture Series: Chloe Wang,” Chloe Wang will be giving an environmental studies lecture at Sar-ah Lawrence College. Thursday, February 22 at 5:00 p.m. Free. Titsworth Marjorie Leff Miller ’53 Lecture Hall, Sarah Lawrence College, 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Margo Jefferson Craft Talk,” Margo Jefferson is presenting a craft talk. February 22nd at 6:00 p.m. Free. Slonim House Living Room, Sarah Lawrence College, 911 Kimball Avenue, Bronxville, NY, 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Science Seminar Series — Sean Barrett, Dock to Dish” Sean Bar-rett, of Dock to Dish, is presenting a science seminar. Tuesday, February 27 at 12:30 p.m. Free. Sarah Lawrence College Science Center 103. 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Visual Arts Lecture Series — Martha Rosler,” Martha Rosler, multimedia artist and writer, will give a lecture about her work in conjunction with the Inaugural Year theme of Democracy and Education. Tuesday, March 6 at 5:15 p.m. Free. Heimbold Visual Arts Center Donnelley Film Theatre, Sarah Lawrence College, 917 Kimball Avenue, Bronxville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

“Suzanne Buffam Craft Talk,” Suzanne Buffam is presenting a craft talk. Tuesday, March 27 at 2:00 p.m. Free. Slonim House Liv-ing Room, Sarah Lawrence College, 911 Kimball Avenue, Bronx-ville, NY 10708. (914) 395-2412. www.sarahlawrence.edu

The Riverfront Art Gallery, Yonkers Public Library, 1 Larkin Center is currently running the exhibition, “The Way Back,” curated by Haifa Bint-Kadi and featuring artists Shanequa Benitez, Jerome Jones, Lisa Miller, Madge Scott, and Patricia Stuart through February 21.

On February 11 at 3pm, the West-chester Philharmonic will perform a Friends & Family Concert at the Performing Arts Center, Concert Hall, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase College with conductor Ted Sper-ling. Visit westchesterphil.org or call 251-6200 for tickets.

The Clay Art Center, 40 Beech Street, Port Chester will present, “Me, Myself & I,” an ongoing exhibit through March 4 featuring vessel based work that explores issues surrounding identity and how we see ourselves. Call 937-2047 for details.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City will open the exhibit, “William Eggleston: Lost Alamos,” comprising of 75 dye-transfer prints from color negatives made between 1965 and 1974, beginning February 14. Visit metmuseum.org for more information.

The following events are happening at the Westchester Italian Cultural Center, One Generoso Pope Place, Tuckahoe: February 10 at 10:30am – Garibaldi: The Life of a Hero; February 10 at 2pm – Kids in the Kitchen: Chiacchiere per Carnevale; February 13 at 10:30am – Genalogy Research Info Session 1; February 13 at 2pm -- Adult Cooking Class: Cannoli Siciliani; February 15 at 7pm – Ol’ Blue Eyes: Frank Sinatra’s Musical Journey; February 16 at 7:30pm – Book Presentation & Signing: Marco: The Rise of the Singing Superstar; February 22 at 7pm – Discover Italy: Puglia. Visit wiccny.org for complete details.

Christ Church Bronxville, 17 Sagamore Road will hold the following: Mid-night Run: Friday, February 9th; Project Linus Event: join Jody Maier in Taylor Hall for the annual Project Linus Event on Sunday, February 11 at 11:45-12:45. We will be making blankets for children in local hospitals, residential treatment centers and special summer camps. If you can knot or braid, this Event is for you! If you chose a project at the September Out-reach Fair and have not yet started or completed it, bring it to Taylor Hall and we will do it together. This event is suitable for children beginning in 4th grade. If you have a community service project that you need to do, at-tend the event and Jody will take a photo of your blanket and sign your let-ter. Call 337-3544 or visit ccbny.org for complete details.

Through March 17, the OSilas Gallery, White Plains Road, Bronxville is showing a rare exhibit entitled, “The Pinajian Discovery: An Artist’s Life Revealed,” featuring 36 abstract expression-ist landscapes by Pinajian. Visit osilasgallery.org or call 337-9300 for more information.

Email your events to: shorelineproduction@gmail.com

shorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 7

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in the Donald A. Krenz Academic Center on the second level of Scheele Memorial Library. StArt 2018 is sponsored by the Heart of Neiman Marcus, which supports organizations that bring enriching arts experiences to youth.

In addition, 11 Bronxville High School students – Mimi Buendia, Claire Kraemer, Maggie Miller, Viena Pentikainen, Sally Reynolds, Lucy Rizzo, Kiki Shinsato, Oskar Thewlis, Martha Thomas, Xavier Zhang and Zach Zucker – will have their work displayed at the Katonah Museum of Art during the Young Artist Exhibition 2018 through Feb. 11.

Bronxville High School student Lilly Martin’s work

Bronxville High School student Viktoria Schmuck’s artwork

Local High School Juniors Display Artwork at OSilas Gallerycontinued from page 1

The windows of Vincents Fine Jewelry, 227 Fifth Avenue, recently became a glass canvas for local Pelham artist and designer, Katy Gar-ry, to prepare the store for Valentine’s Day.

www.katygarry.com www.vincents-ny.com

Local Artist Paints Beautiful Window Display for Vincents Fine Jewelry

New Owner Takes Over at The Dance Gallery in Tuckahoe

The Dance Gallery, the Tuckahoe-based dance studio that specializes in teaching a variety of dance styles to all ages, has changed owners.

Shannon DiNota, a dance instructor and for-mer professional dancer, acquired the studio Janu-ary 1, 2018 from original owner and founder Steph-anie Urbina.

Mrs. DiNota, 46, a local resident, has taught and choreographed at The Dance Gallery from its inception in 2012. Since then, the studio has grown to serve 150 children in classes in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, contemporary and theater dance. Its instructors are all current and former profes-sional dancers with extensive teaching experience.

“I am thrilled to continue to build a dance community in the Tuckahoe, Bronxville and East-chester area, as well as nearby northeast Yonkers. Dance has provided me with so much throughout my life, and there is no greater joy than giving that back to dancers of all ages,” said Mrs. DiNota, whose two daughters Simone and Vivian are students at the studio. Mrs. DiNota, who serves as the Dance Gallery’s artistic director, will continue to teach and choreograph for the studio’s dance company troupes.

Mrs. DiNota said that the studio plans to add more weekly classes, such as Irish dance, and to continue to grow its junior and senior company troupes for dancers who want more performing opportunities. This winter the Dance Gallery will feature a master class by New York City chore-ographer Amy Marshall, who will also be setting a dance piece on the company troupes, as well as workshops by guest Broadway performers and a former New York Knicks City dancer.

Mrs. DiNota’s business partner is Lori Mortensen, an Eastchester resident with a background in dance, musical theater and communications.

“The story of why I believe in The Dance Gallery is the story of my own family,” said Mrs. Mortensen, whose daughters Lucy, Sarah, Meg are also students. “We moved to New York five years ago. I am a dancer and my daughters enjoy dance. So after trying two different dance stu-dios, we ended up at The Dance Gallery because we love the amazing teachers and atmosphere there. And now I’ve been fortunate enough to teach and manage a studio I believe in.”

The studio is located in the Main Street Depot, the restored former railroad substation located across the street from the Tuckahoe train station. In addition to its daily schedule of dance classes, the Dance Gallery offers musical theater classes and adult dance classes.

Shannon DiNota

8 • February 2018 • The Bronxville Bulletin thebronxvillebulletin.com

Music at Asbury Presents Singer Julia Breanetta Simpson in Black History Month ProgramMUSIC AT ASBURY CONCERT SERIESJULIA BREANETTA SIMPSON, “How Sweet the Sound”SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2018 AT 3 P.M.Snow Date: March 4, 2018 at 3

Asbury-Crestwood Unit-ed Methodist Church is hon-ored to present singer / actress Julia Breanetta Simpson in “How Sweet the Sound,” a con-cert program exploring the evolution of American music from slavery to the jazz age as part of its professional concert series, Music at Asbury.

New Rochelle resident Julia Breanetta Simpson has appeared around the country at regional, dinner and stock theatres in such productions as Ain’t Misbehavin’, Dream-girls, For Colored Girls, One Mo’ Time, Tintypes, and When the Nightingale Sings. She has also appeared in off-Broadway theatres and other venues in New York including New World Stag-es, the Triad, and the Metro-politan Room. Julia earned her BFA degree in Musical Theatre at Syracuse Univer-sity and is a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA and M.A.C. Ms. Simpson performs

throughout the Tri-State area in her one-woman shows “Harlem On My Mind,” “How Sweet the Sound,” “Julia and the Duke,” and her new show, “Classy and Sassy: A Caba-ret Tribute to Lena Horne.” Julia Simpson is the founder and CEO of Breanetta Pro-ductions, whose mission is to honor and celebrate con-tributions made to society and world culture by African Americans through plays,

musicals, and con-certs that inspire, ed-ucate and entertain. Her recordings can be found on cdbaby.com.

”Julia Breanetta Simpson . . . led the audience in song, history and dialogue through a glorious evening. Her velvety notes sailed and float-ed.”

Music at As-bury was launched in November of 2014. As a program of As-b u r y - C r e s t w o o d United Methodist Church, Music at Asbury is designed to serve as a social service to the com-

munity, offering free perfor-mances by some of New York City and the Hudson Valley’s finest musical artists.

Concerts are held in the sanctuary at Asbury Unit-ed Methodist Church, 167 Scarsdale Rd, Tuckahoe, NY; ample parking is available. Admission is free of charge but reservations are strong-ly recommended; please visit www.MusicAtAsbury.com or call 914-779-3722 to reserve a general admission seat.

Julia Breanetta Simpson

Mayor Noam Bramson, the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, Leg-islator Jim Maisano, Assemblywom-an Amy Paulin were among the dig-nitaries joining La Rosa owners Matt DiGesu and Frank Pinello for their ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of their pizzeria at 12 Russell Avenue, New Rochelle.

With over twenty years of com-bined experience working in pizze-rias, Matt DiGesu (Hoboken Pizza, Pizzeria Luigi, Best Pizza) and CIA trained chef Frank Pinello (Roberta’s, Best Pizza, Viceland’s Pizza Show) have opened up a 3,100 square foot bar and restaurant.

Drawn to the location by the vin-tage soda fountain bar and 100 year old Petersen oven – La Rosa offers diners an inclusive, no-frills atmosphere. The restaurant pro-vides a menu of classic Neapolitan meets New York style pizzas, seasonal salads, side dishes and

classic Italian desserts – all of which are made in house with fresh ingredients. For drinks, the bar offers a modest selection of beer and wine.

For more information, call (914) 633-0800. Try them out for pizza night or just for a slice at lunchtime! The hours of operation are from 11am-11pm Tues-Saturday, 12pm-9pm on Sun-day.

La Rosa's Grand Opening

Delicious White Pizza

Two Seniors from Stepinac High School and School of the Holy Child Team Up to Support Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Blood Cancer Research

Brian Dervin, a senior at Stepinac High School, White Plains and Hannah Cleary, a se-nior at School of the Holy Child, Rye have been ac-cepted to participate in a Leukemia and Lympho-ma Society (LLS) fundraising campaign known as Students of the Year (SOY).

SOY is a philanthropic leadership develop-ment program for exemplary high school stu-dents which utilizes professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing and project man-agement. The campaign kicked off on January 18 and the winner will be announced and granted a $2,500 college scholarship.

In their Team Hannah and Brian profile posted on the SOY website, the two students said, “We are raising critical dollars in honor of a young patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer. Each dollar is a vote. The candidate team who raises the most money at the end of the seven weeks is named Student of the Year. Our mission is to not only raise the most money but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia, which is the most common form of cancer in children and teens.”

They added, “All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research but will help provide critical information and support for pa-tients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.”

To help Team Hannah and Brian achieve their goal, visit http://events.lls.org/ctwhv/CTWH-VSOY2018/hannahbrian, to make an online donation.

And for more information about LLS, visit www.lls.org.

Brian Dervin and Hannah Cleary

Underpinnings: Deconstructing Art

From Tuesday, February 13 to Saturday, March 3, 2018, Mama-roneck Artists Guild will present “Underpinnings-Deconstructing Art,” a group exhibit that focuses on the process of artmaking.

This exhibition will showcase both the technique and creative pro-cesses involved in making a finished piece of work. Any work of art that gives clues about how it was made, like pencil lines left on a painting, or sections that reveal layers or ma-terials beneath the more “finished” territories, will be appropriate for this theme. Completed works that come with short descriptions of the inspiration for its creation and/or how it was made, are also welcome. The idea is to reveal the infinite number of ways that artists approach their work, and to show and/or explain those processes to the viewer.

An opening Reception will be held on Saturday, February 17th, from 3 to 5pm. Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at 126 Larchmont Avenue, Larchmont. Admission to the Gallery is free. Call 914-834-1117 for more information.

shorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 9

Leading Appraisers of Fine Jewelry & Estates

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Photograph: Dominick Lagravinese (center) in LaGravinese Family workshop, February 1922

Mature, Caring Leadership Promised at Latimer’s Inauguration

BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN

A standing room only, wildly cheering crowd of ap-proximately 640 people between the Westchester Community College Hankin Academics Art Theater and overflow room wit-nessed the public swearing in of Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Sunday, Jan-uary 7th.

Appearing on the dais with Latimer were Westchester County District Attorney An-thony Scarpino; Congressman Eliot Engel; New York State (NYS) Attorney General Eric Schneiderman; Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins; Congresswom-an Nita Lowey who emceed the event; NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo who administered the Oath of Office to Latimer and County Clerk Timothy Idoni.

Perhaps in line with La-

timer’s January 2 Executive Order banning guns shows in Westchester County Center, the group, “Moms Demand Ac-tion for Gun Sense in America,” Westchester Chapter, resplen-dent in crimson jerseys was seen

in the audience.“George Latimer is a

grown-up, when America is crying out for grown-up leader-ship,” Schneiderman averred. “George is the embodiment of the pragmatic progressive. He

Governor Andrew Cuomo, Westchester County Executive George Latimer and his wife Robin Latimer

has said that evidence outweighs ideology and has worked to make County government more transparent, setting up the West-chester County Human Rights Commission and TV broadcasts of Board of Legislators meetings.”

“Bob Dylan once said, ‘The times, they are a-changin,’” Engel observed. “This country is in a cri-sis...We cannot allow the Trump administration to destroy what we have built in 200 years and allow this President to get to the core of our democracy and try to destroy it.”

“I appreciate your support and will not have a blank check to do whatever I wish but rather a promissory note…” Latimer stated. “In a small plane I once flew over Westchester County…Jurisdictions and towns were in-visible from the air.

“Perhaps this is how God sees us…We are on this patch of land together; the strong, weak, skinny or fat, wise or foolish…We want to treat people with the respect that they deserve.

“We have serious issues ahead of us…if you follow the ten-

or of my speech we can deal with these issues and have respect and cooperation across all ideologies without looking to shut anybody out of having a voice... We have a tough agenda ahead and I look forward to working on it,” Latim-er concluded.

The Democrats tapped Yonkers Assemblywoman Shel-ley Mayer to run to succeed Latimer as State Senator for the 37th District. Governor Cuomo has to announce when a special election will be held for Latimer’s former New York Senate seat.

Dennis Berberich, Jr. & John DeCicco, Sr. Honored at Catholic Institute of the Food Industry Gala to Help Calvary Hospital and Others

On February 10th The Catholic Institute of the Food Industry (CIFI) will hold its Installation Gala and Dinner-Dance Fundraiser at The Marina Del Rey. The event will include the induction of its new President, long time Pelham resident Dennis Ber-berich, Jr. In addition, the Installing Officer will be John DeCicco, Sr. of DeCicco & Sons, headquartered in Pelham.

The Catholic Institute of the Food Industry (CIFI) was formed in 1946 to unite employees of the food industry at all levels with the common interest to help those in need. For the past 25 years, it has been a steadfast and generous supporter of Calvary Hos-pital - the world leader in providing end of life palli-ative care to adult patients - and its many programs of its unique hospice care. CIFI has also facilitated countless referrals for members of the community, thus increasing access to Calvary Care for those most in need. In 2004, it was instrumental in the establish-ment of Calvary’s unique Family Care Center, pro-viding ongoing support that has helped thousands of family members find comfort and respite. The C.I.F.I also supports and assists other worthwhile institu-tions and charitable causes throughout the year.

Dennis Berberich, Jr. - being installed as the new CIFI President - follows in the footsteps of his late dad, Dennis Sr., who was past President of the C.I.F.I., tirelessly working to raise money for the or-

ganization and its beneficiaries. Dennis Jr. who is a beverage industry executive with over three decades of experience in the business (including E&J Gallo Winery, Diageo Guinness USA and Terlato Wines International) owns his own consulting company - DMB Consulting. He volunteers for a wide range of civic and charitable causes, including working closely with Calvary Hospital, being Co-Chair of Calvary’s Annual Golf and Tennis Outing in his father’s memory; he is an active member of the Larchmont chapter of the Knights of Columbus; and participates in Pelham Civic Association initiatives such as the Needy Cases Program for individual and families in need.

Dennis Berberich, Jr. Photo credit: Dominica Comfort Photographs

continued on page 10

10 • February 2018 • The Bronxville Bulletin thebronxvillebulletin.com

Second-Graders Think ‘Outside the Box’

Bronxville Elementary School second-graders in Lori Feingold’s and Meg Fischer’s classes recently broke away from traditional learning to solve puzzles in their classrooms. Using the puz-zle-like systems, called Breakout EDU, the students worked together to open a box, which was se-cured with different types of locks.

Breakout EDU, an immersive-learning games platform, is a unique collection of resettable locks, boxes and items that can be used to play a variety of meaningful and educational games. Top-ics include math, science, history, language arts and more. Throughout the activity, the students used their creativity, critical thinking and communication skills to successfully work together to-ward a common goal.

“This innovative activity challenged the students to think ‘out of the box’ to break into the box,” Lori Feingold said. “They worked together to solve multiple puzzles and used additional clues to unlock five different locks. The students all took on a role during the activity and they were suc-cessful. They were beyond excited about the experience.”

The students had 40 minutes to find various clues and codes around their classrooms, includ-ing numbers, letters and arrow directions, to open the locks on their Breakout EDU box.

“This activity was great because it got the students to think critically and challenged them to put together things in their surroundings that they wouldn’t normally use,” Fischer said. “It was something new that made them problem-solve. It was interesting to see the different personalities arise.”

Childhood Anecdotes Shared During Moth Story Slam

Bronxville High School 10th-grade students in Victor Maxwell’s Honors English class – who have been learning about the art and craft of storytelling – recently participated in a Moth Story Slam-style event during class. Having previously written stories about their childhoods, the stu-dents had the opportunity to perform their stories before an audience of peers.

Keeping up with the style of a Moth Story Slam – which are open-mic storytelling competi-tions held around the world that allow people to share short stories before a live audience – some of the students’ stories included a summer camp disaster, a first kiss, a death-defying bike ride, a jellyfish attack and finding a new friend in a neighbor.

“A great story brings us into the world of the teller and allows us to understand them without needing to explain themselves,” Maxwell added. “It also takes us on a journey where we are con-stantly anticipating what will happen and yet still manage to be surprised.”

Throughout the story writing and storytelling experience, the students learned about the art of structuring stories, how to create suspense and humor and add details that make stories come alive. They also learned how to give a presentation in a natural and engaging way, including how to use their voices and bodies to deepen their communication.

“There is no better way to learn the power that a well-constructed story holds than to create and share one,” Maxwell said. “Stories are one big way that human beings connect to one another. The students enjoyed the experience and got to know each other in a deeper way through these stories. It was really touching and a lot of fun.”

Bronxville High School 10th-grader Alexandria Paradise shares a childhood story with her peers during a Moth Story Slam-style event in Victor Maxwell’s Honors English class.

John DeCicco, Sr. - being honored as the Installing Officer - heads up his family-owned DeCicco & Sons - one of New York State’s leading supermarket chains - with seven stores through-out the Hudson Valley Region including Ardsley, Armonk, Brewster, Harrison, Larchmont, Mill-wood-Chappaqua, Pelham, and soon, North Salem. His company’s mantra “Quality First” extends be-yond the stores, as John and his family also have a legacy of giving back to the communities. For de-cades they have assisted individuals and families in need, and strongly support multiple charitable causes, including Calvary Hospital, Good Samar-itan Hospital, Pelham Civics, Pelham Rotary, and many others.

Both the Berberich and the DeCicco families have known each other for years … with a long his-tory of helping communities, and making a strong impact on the lives of countless individuals and families in need.

For further information about the C.I.F.I. Gala, please contact Renee Delmotte-Petit: rdel-motte@bozzutos.com

John DeCicco, Sr. Photo credit: Dominica Comfort Photographs

Dennis Berberich, Jr. & John DeCicco, Sr. Honored at Catholic Institute of the Food Industry Gala continued from page 9

www.shorelinepub.com

shorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 11

Local Artists Receive “Arts Alive” Grant

More film festivals, arts workshops, multicultural programs, free concerts and other cultural activities will be made available throughout Westchester County in the coming year. With $63,000 in funds from New York State Council on the Arts, Arts-Westchester, today award-ed 35 grants for communi-ty-based arts projects to take place this year. These “Arts Alive” grants support artistic expression and community involvement through the arts – from dance and theater to writing and outdoor festivals – by helping to fund propos-als from local artists and or-ganizations.

“These ‘Arts Alive’ grants are truly keeping the arts alive and vital in West-chester County,” said Janet

Langsam, CEO of ArtsWest-chester. “We especially thank Westchester’s representa-tives in the State Senate and Assembly for continuing to support the arts through the New York State Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Grants Program and we are thrilled to see the vibrant cul-tural programs and arts activ-ities that will come to fruition in the coming year thanks to this funding.”

Arts Alive grants are awarded in three categories: Arts Alive Project Grants provide Westchester-based organizations and artists with financial and techni-cal support for projects at a grassroots level; Arts Alive Artist Grants support works that relate to the communi-ty in a significant way; and

Arts Alive Education Grants provide support for part-nerships between individual artists or cultural organiza-tions and Westchester pub-lic schools (grades K-12). The following are the local 2018 Arts Alive Grant awardees: Asbury-Crestwood United Methodist Church (Tucka-hoe/Crestwood), Little Rad-ical Theatrics (Bronxville), Operation PROM (New Ro-chelle), and YoFi Fest (Yon-kers).

Local Arts Alive Educa-tion Grantees include: Dene Ross (Tuckahoe) for River-side High School, Yonkers.

Arts Alive grantees are chosen through a competitive process that includes a panel of community members and arts professionals. For more info, visit artsw.org/artsalive.

Pelham Art Center Welcomes Two New Board Members

Pelham Art Center is pleased to announce that two new members joined the Pelham Art Center Board of Directors in January 2018. The two members were elected mid-semester. The PAC Board welcomed Sona Da-vidian, Dana Diersen Buehrer, Katy Garry, Helena Grubesic and Chris Tahbaz as notable new

members in September 2017, as well as Barbara Bratone, who re-turned to the Board after a year of travels.

Jennifer Hawks Bland served as the 2017 Studio Café Event Chair. She is a member of the State Government Affairs

and Policy group at Merck and is a primary representative of the company where legislative issues are concerned. Bland has held government affairs posi-tions at notable pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmith-Kline and the Consumer Health-care Products Association (CHPA). Before entering the field of law, she worked for six years for U.S Senator Thad Cochran in both of his Washington, D.C and Oxford, Mississippi offices. Ms. Bland has extensive volunteer-ing which includes the Junior League of Washington, D.C and as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Northside Methodist Pre-School Gift Show, the annual fundraiser for the school, and parent volun-teer positions at Pace Academy. Having moved from Atlanta, Jen-nifer now resides in Pelham with her husband and two sons.

Patricia Sprague Goettel is renowned in Pittsburgh, PA for pioneering the city’s fashion community. Over a span of twen-ty years (1996-2016) Ms. Goettel introduced and specialized in wearable art by a host of local, na-tional and international design-ers. She is the owner of Patricia

Boutique in Pittsburgh and was inducted into Pittsburgh’s Fash-ion Icon Hall of Fame in 2014 for her inspiring contributions to the fashion industry. Embracing her as a fashion and profession-al icon of the City of Pittsburgh, May 13, 2014 was declared Pa-tricial Goettel Day. Besides her dedicated efforts to the promo-tion of the fashion industry in Pittsburgh, she was also a board member of Open Stage Theatre, Carebreak, and Fashion Group International. Goettel recently relocated to Mount Vernon.

“Pelham Art Center is hon-ored to welcome such highly accomplished leaders of diverse backgrounds and skill sets,” said Jill Orlando, Chair.

Visit pelhamartcenter.org

Jennifer Hawk Bland

Patricia Sprague Goettel

Latimer Sets Collegial Tone, Emphasizes Need to Work Across the Aisle

BY LINNET TSE

Addressing a packed au-dience at the Larchmont-Ma-maroneck Local Summit’s January 16 breakfast program, new Westchester County Exec-utive George Latimer spoke of “setting a different tone with a different set of philosophies.”

His early actions ful-filled campaign promises and were symbolic of the collegial tone he wants to achieve. In his first day in office, he is-sued an executive order that will keep his and his prede-cessor’s names off county signs, sending the message that County assets belong to the people of Westchester, and not to the County Execu-tive. A second executive or-der, a “good neighbor” policy, will guarantee that local mu-nicipalities are consulted on significant projects involving county land. His third execu-tive order banned gun shows from county-owned property.

Latimer’s six issue-based transition committees – health, social services, crimi-nal justice, economic develop-ment, operations services, and administrative services – also demonstrates his commit-

ment to listen and work col-laboratively. Committees have solicited input from County residents, giving them the op-portunity to help shape public policy and identify the new administration’s priorities. He anticipates that the commit-tees’ recommendations will be released by the end of the month.

Contrasting his philoso-phy with that of his predeces-sor, Latimer said he strongly believes that “government has a valid role to play in our everyday lives.” Latimer ac-knowledged the County’s high property taxes, but challenged the audience to consider the value of services we receive: “What is the value of public schools in society? What is the value of local services?”

Latimer anticipates that the tax changes that eliminate the deductibility of state and local taxes will put tremen-dous pressure on county and local governments and school districts and will require a serious dialogue about the level of the services provided by these entities. After seven years of flat tax levies under his predecessor, Latimer also questions the financial health

of the County. He has asked NYS Controller Thomas Di-Napoli to send a team to con-duct a review of the policies and practices employed in Westchester County finances.

Latimer firmly holds the belief that problems can be solved by working togeth-er, across the aisle, and looks forward to a collaborative relationship with the County Legislature.

In response to questions from the audience, Latimer noted that he will be making some staffing changes over the

next few months in the Coun-ty boards and commissions, including the Human Rights Commission.

Latimer reported that the Board of Legislators will be revisiting plans for the privatization of Westchester County Airport, which he be-lieves merits a public policy discussion. Latimer openly questions whether the county should be giving up the deci-sion-making authority for the airport in exchange for finan-cial compensation.

Latimer also noted that the Board of Legislators will be revisiting the immigration protection law they enacted last year. Latimer anticipates that they will come up with a plan that “passes muster with the advocacy community as well as with the law enforce-ment community.”

Asked about County support of the Army Corp of

Engineers’ flood mitigation plan for Mamaroneck, Latim-er expressed his view that the County should commit to its piece of the cost in the budget; county commitment is nec-essary for the state to budget their share.

Latimer pledged 110% ef-fort on behalf of the residents of Westchester County, citing a sense of urgency to use the opportunity he’s been given and to use it well.

This breakfast forum was hosted by the Larchmont/Ma-maroneck Local Summit, an informal community council that seeks to make life better for all in the tri-municipal area. Its monthly meetings are held at the Nautilus Diner in Mama-roneck at 7:45 a.m., on the third Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb-ruary 13, when the latest plans for Hampshire Country Club will be presented.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer

www.thebronxvillebulletin.com

12 • February 2018 • The Bronxville Bulletin thebronxvillebulletin.com

and Eastern masters, arms and armories, and royal carriages. Objects such as rings, bracelets, and pendants by Old Russian masters spoke to my love of an-tique jewelry. Turning a corner, I found a virtual treasure-trove of precious textiles, ornamental embroidery, suits of armor and secular garments from the 16th to the early 20th century. View-ing some of Peter the Great’s sumptuous caftans set my head spinning. I collapsed on a near-by bench to settle myself and ponder the glorious riches that I’d just experienced. It was at that moment that it dawned on me: I’m in the Armory Museum …in the Kremlin…in Russia… and this is the end of a most won-derful week cruising Russia’s rivers and having encounters only possible on a slow, unhur-ried Viking meander to Moscow.

If You Go:Viking River Cruiseswww.vikingrivercruises.com

Barbara Barton Sloane is a Pelham-based Travel Editor/Col-umnist who writes for a number of both national and internation-al publications. She delights in sharing her global travel experi-ences with our readers.

Girl in Transit: Slow Boat to Moscow – A Viking River Cruise Down the Neva River to the VolgaBY BARBARA BARTON

SLOANE

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

--A.A. Milne (1882-1956)

My sentiment exactly! As a veteran of many cruises, I am confident of one thing: a great cruise is found in the details. Prior to Viking, river cruis-ing was little known to travel-ers. It conjured up images of a steamboat on the Mississippi or helping to paddle a canal barge through England or France. Now, all that’s changed – wel-come to the world of Viking Riv-er Cruises!

I recently cruised the “Wa-terways of the Czars” excursion from St. Petersburg, Russia to Moscow on this, the largest fleet of river vessels in the world. As a leader in the industry, it is sin-gularly focused on providing guests with up-close experienc-es on the river with a dedication to “Green” ships with fuel-effi-cient engines. Its visits to cul-tural and historic landmarks, its onboard demonstrations and lectures and language lessons, and its expert local guides in each destination further place Viking in a field by itself.

Russia has a long and fascinating history with a di-verse population of 143 million, spectacular natural beauty, great art and architecture, and a superb culinary tradition. It’s the world’s largest country with broad plains, tundras, vast coniferous forests and soar-ing mountains. Our leisurely cruise wandered through a ka-leidoscope of small villages and towns to weave a tapestry at once intriguing and alluring.

St. Petersburg! Known as Peter the Great’s “Window to the West,” this city’s wide and gracious boulevards are made for strolling, and its 200 miles of waterways (albeit man-made) inspire comparisons with Ven-ice or Amsterdam. Designed on a grand scale “it is as though one walked through a city built for giants,” mused Lewis Car-roll in his 1867 diary. Of course the first stop on everyone’s sightseeing list: the Hermitage. Catherine the Great’s passion for art and beauty transformed the Winter Palace into one of the world’s most splendid mu-seums. Among the more than 1,000 rooms are 3,000,000 exhib-its and displays, a staggering col-lection from ancient Egyptian to early 20th century art.

In the Italian galleries I was particularly taken with a small work, daVinci’s “Madonna and Child.” Profound and noble,

it depicts the Madonna tenderly gazing down at her son while in the background, a landscape of distant mountains and blue skies add a tranquil tone. Mov-ing into the 19th-20th century galleries, I was drawn to Picas-so’s “Three Women,” one of the artist’s most important cubist works. He turned the traditional subject of the Three Graces into a refined study done in red and brown earth tones. Possibly my very favorite object in the Her-mitage was its Golden Peacock. For more than two centuries, the Hermitage has housed a unique exhibit that never fails to evoke enchanted admiration from vis-itors - the famous Peacock Clock. It consists of figures made of gold, a peacock, a cockerel and an owl, that form part of this elaborate timepiece-automaton fitted with mechanisms that set them in motion. I was captivated by its slow, precise movements as the peacock seemed to come alive. Oh to have a year to spend in the Hermitage and maybe – just maybe - see the rest of its mind-blowing collection.

Tell me, who among us would visit St. Petersburg with-out attending a ballet? The Ma-riinsky Ballet, having produced world-famous dancers since its inception in the 18th centu-ry, was just the ticket! We saw a performance of Giselle and the next day, traveled to Peter-hof, the summer palace of the czars, 20 miles from the city’s center where we set eyes on its world-famous dancing foun-tains and gold-plated sculptures. Finally, we said adieu to “The Venice of the North,” hoping to someday return and experience the other many treasures this scintillating city has to offer.

At embarkation, the river welcomed us with crisp, clear weather as we began our cruise following the Volga-Baltic Wa-terway, a 700-mile complex system of natural lakes, rivers, artificial reservoirs and canals that link the Volga with the Bal-tic Sea. The landscape contin-ually changed, from meadows, soaring mountains and deep fir forests to small settlements and dachas (villas) that dotted the banks. We had the chance to visit quaint Golden Ring towns northeast of the capital - Ports of Call like Mandrogy, a town that had burned down in the 1940’s and in 1996 was rebuilt into a popular Disney-like tourist village with farmsteads, horse-drawn hayrides, stables and horses. Tramping around the grounds in the cold and damp, a deep chill set in so we hopped on a horse and buggy ride directly to their Vodka Museum (offer-ing samples!) – a chance to warm

up in more ways than one!On to Kizhi Island in the

center of Lake Onega with churches and settlements that date to the 15th century. It’s made up of dozens of histori-cal wooden buildings that have been moved here for preserva-tion. The entire island forms a national open air museum with more than 80 historical struc-tures; in 1990, it was included on UNESCO’s list of World Her-itage sites. We wandered into an 1880 farmhouse that contained everything a family of that day would need: a living room/bed-room, a cattle shed, and a hay loft. The entire family lived together in one large room and in winter they were frequently joined by their farm animals - the extra warmth very welcome!

The city of Yaroslavl stretches for 18 miles on both banks of the Volga and is re-nowned for its numerous 17th century churches. The highlight of this Port of Call was visiting

the Church of Elijah the Prophet containing walls covered with frescoes, constituting a veritable museum of Old Russian paintings. Here also is the Governor’s Mansion which houses the Yaro-slavl art museum. Spread across many palatial rooms is an impressive collection of 18th-20th century Russian paint-ings.

In Uglich, we had the fun opportunity to visit a typical home. The gracious lady of the house served us a repast of bread, pickles, cold cuts and vodka. Her tiny bungalow was neat and

pretty, the walls papered with photographs of family mem-bers.

“If I had to think where I could live if not Moscow, Lon-don would be my first choice and second would be New York,” the oligarch Roman Abramov-ich tells us. Of course! Expen-sive cities, all, but then for Mr. Abramovich, 5th richest man in Russia, 50th richest in the world, hет проблем -no prob-lem! His sentiments, however, are spot-on because Moscow is a world-class city in every respect. I mean, just think: Red Square, the Bolshoi Theatre, the insane-ly quirky St. Basil’s Cathedral, dream-like parks to wander through, romantic night lights that play on the Volga, and – the Kremlin! How’s that for an excit-ing lineup? One of the highlights of my visit (no, really!) was a spin on the Moscow Metro. World-fa-mous, it has elegant, stunningly lit stations, not to mention sculp-

ture, huge chandeliers and gild-ed details. MTA, I’ll never see you in quite the same light again!

Another over-the-top stop for me, intrepid shopper that I am, was the glorious GUM department store. Its ornate Neo-Russian façade takes up nearly the entire eastern side of Red Square and looks far more like a palace than a department store. A consumer mecca for visitors to Moscow, the top floor was, during the time of the Sovi-et Union, a secret clothing store for only the highest echelon of the party. Today, the exclusive boutiques are accessible to any-one with a platinum card. That said, the building itself is fabu-lous and on the higher floors, there are still some interesting relics of days gone by that make it well worth exploring.

From medieval citadel to modern power center, Moscow’s Kremlin has played a dominant role in Russia for over 800 years. Majestic and picturesque, it’s the chief architectural wonder of the city with mighty walls, soaring towers and an eclectic mix of architecture that reflects all the paradoxical shifts of this fascinating country. Today, the Kremlin remains as alluring as ever, a mixture of lavishness and austere secrecy. Two-thirds of the citadel territory is closed to visitors but the remaining third contains enough treasures to oc-cupy several days of sightseeing. One of the oldest museums in Moscow and part of the Krem-lin is the Armory, a staggering treasure-house replete with ancient Russian regalia, cere-monial tsars’ dress, church hi-erarchs' vestments, gold and sil-verware by Russian, European

St. Basil's Cathedral, Courtesy Michael Sloane Travel Images.tif

Easily Access Your Social Security Benefit Statement for 2017BY THE NEW ROCHELLE

SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE Social Security puts

you in control of your fi-nances and future. We have made requesting or replacing your annual Ben-efit Statement even easier. The Benefit Statement is also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S. Now you have the ability to download it anytime and anywhere you want using our online services. There’s no need to visit a field office.

An SSA-1099 is a tax form Social Security mails each year in January to peo-ple who receive Social Secu-rity benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from Social Secu-rity in the previous year so

you know how much Social Security income to report to IRS on your tax return.

If you currently live in the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, sim-ply go online and request an instant, printable replace-ment form with a my Social Security account at www.

s o c i a l s e -curity.gov/myaccount.

A re-pl a c e m e n t S S A - 1 0 9 9 or SSA-1042S is a v a i l a b l e for the pre-vious tax year after February 1.

If you already have a personal my Social Security account, you can access your online account to view and print your SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can save the document on your comput-er or laptop and email it. If you don’t have a my Social Security account, creating a

secure account is very easy to do and usually takes less than 15 minutes.

If you’re a noncitizen who lives outside of the United States and you re-ceived or repaid Social Se-curity benefits last year, we will send you form SSA-1042S instead. The forms SSA-1099 and SSA-1042S are not available for people who receive Supplemental Secu-rity Income (SSI).

When you have ac-cess to your benefit in-formation, you can make knowledgeable decisions about your financial fu-ture. With you in control, you can secure today and tomorrow for yourself and your loved ones. Visit w w w.socialsecurity.gov to find out more.

shorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 13

after he becomes an adult.Also, you should be aware

that UTMA accounts are taken into account if the beneficiary applies for college financial aid or loans; whereas, trust assets may not considered to be an as-set of the minor. Moreover, if the beneficiary is, or becomes, disabled, the UTMA account could preclude him from quali-fying for much-needed govern-ment benefits at some point. A properly drafted special needs trust would protect those assets for the individual and allow the beneficiary to qualify for means-tested government ben-efits. The trust could then be used to pay for things that would improve the quality of life of the individual with disabilities.

In summary, an UTMA ac-count is a simplified way to give money to a child or grandchild; however, it is not a panacea. While In most cases the benefits of an UTMA account outweigh the negatives, sometimes addi-tional thought and planning are necessary.

Bernard A. Krooks, Esq., is a founding partner of Littman Kro-oks LLP and has been honored as one of the “Best Lawyers” in Amer-ica for each of the last seven years. He is past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and past President of the New York Chapter of NAELA. Mr. Krooks has also served as chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association. 914-684-2100 www.elderlawnewyork.com.

we were taught in elementary school, in case of a nuclear at-tack, to duck under our desks and cover our heads. This we were assured, by Bert the tur-tle, would certainly protect us from Armageddon and in case of a nuclear blast we would live to tell about it. Just Google: “Duck and Cover” or go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60 to watch the riveting 1951 produc-tion of Duck and Cover.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you haven’t lost all your money by putting it into Chocolate Bit-Coin, add your funds to your biggest invest-ment, which for most of us is our home. Enjoy it for years to come as it increases in val-ue daily, and if the missiles do someday come, you can laugh at them and say at least I got to enjoy my home before it fell.

Paul Bookbinder, M.I.D., C.R., is president of DreamWork Kitchens, Inc. located in Ma-maroneck, New York. A Master of Design (Pratt Institute), and E.P.A. Certified Remodeler, he serves on the Advisory Panel of Remodeling Magazine. A mem-ber of the National Kitchen & Bath Assoc., he is also a contrib-utor to eZine and Do It Yourself magazine. He can be reached for questions at 914-777-0437 or www.dreamworkkitchens.com.

Kitchen & Bath Insider© - #207 Ballistic Missile Inbound Towards Your Kitchen

BY PAUL BOOKBINDER, M.I.D., C.R.

Think fast! You’ve only got 20 minutes left to decide if you should remodel your di-lapidated kitchen or bathroom before the devastation begins. But wait! It’s too late for that. You should have done it years ago so that you actually had time to enjoy the renovation before the sirens went off. Now aren’t you sorry you waited? Consider the error in Hawaii a wake-up call.

My advice is to get a jump on things before it’s too late. Stop living in squalor and live it up! Today you have more choices in colors and designs and materials, at a wider price range, than ever before. And since the government is pres-ently shut down there’s less to do anyway. Why not stroll over to your local kitchen and bath dealer to see what you can do, before someone does some-thing to you?

This month, the annual Remodeling Cost vs Value re-port has been published show-ing which home improvements have gone up or down in re-spect to the return on your in-vestment. Just Google: “Cost vs Value” or take a look at http://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2017/middle-atlantic/ for our area. The standouts this year are increases in re-turn on mid-range Bathroom and Kitchen Remodels.

More choices, better values, higher returns! What are you waiting for? Find yourself a licensed home im-provement contractor with a

stellar reputation (by looking at his stars on the internet) and you’re well on your way. Don’t worry about getting lost in the dreaded Kitchen Tri-angle, your professional will guide you through the pitfalls of poor design and point you to a creative solution to even the most perplexing floor plan conundrums. Streamlining the interior of the cabinetry to suit your every need, the trained mind of an experienced de-signer, using intelligent de-sign, can increase your storage capacity without changing the size of your room!

Take out your pencil and paper. Make a list of every-thing that you must have in your new kitchen or bathroom. Then make a second list or “wish list” of additional things that would be great if your budget is amenable. Come up with a budget that you would be comfortable with for the project and discuss all of this with your designer or con-tractor. If you’re not sure what your budget should be, the ex-perts say for a completely new kitchen it’s roughly 5% to 15% of the value of your home. This breaks down to about 5% for design costs; 40% for cabinets; 15% countertops; 15% for appli-ances; 5% flooring; 3% fixtures and 17% labor. This, of course, is only an estimate and will be affected by your choice of ma-terials, the age of your home, and if you are making any structural changes to the area.

To paraphrase myself (and who better to do so) now that the sirens have gone off it brings to mind the 50’s, when

What you need to know about the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act

BY BERNARD A. KROOKS, CERTIFIED ELDER LAW

ATTORNEY

Upon the birth of a child or grandchild, it is common for family members to want to make a gift to the newborn. However, as a practical matter, a newborn or any minor for that matter, does not have the legal authority to enter into con-tracts, open financial accounts or otherwise manage money or property. Thus, the need for UTMA accounts.

New York, like almost every other state, has adopted UTMA, which allows an adult to make a gift of property (or money) to a child without the child having to assume control of the property while he is still a minor. UTMA replaced the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act in New York in 1997. UTMA provides a simple, inexpensive means for someone to make a gift to a minor. Under UTMA, a custodial account is established for the minor into which money can be deposited as a gift. Any adult can make the gift, and any adult or bank or trust company chosen by the person making the gift can serve as custodian. The duties of the custodian are somewhat similar to those of a trustee if you had created a trust.

Under the terms of UTMA accounts, the custodian invests or spends the money in the UTMA account for the benefit of the minor until the minor reaches the age of majority. During this time period, the minor has no control over the property. If the custodian is a parent of the minor, they are precluded from using the ac-count for things they are sup-posed to provide (like housing,

food and clothing). For all UTMA accounts in New York, the age of majority is 21 unless the person making the gift stip-ulates age 18. Thus, the use of the word “minor” in the UTMA law is somewhat misleading since the age of majority in New York for most other purposes is 18. That is the age at which an individual is legally considered an adult in New York.

One of the benefits of an UTMA account is that you don’t need a lawyer to set one up. UTMA accounts are very com-mon in the financial community and easy to set up. There is no need to hire a lawyer to draft a trust, or any other legal docu-ment, to hold the gifted proper-ty for the minor using an UTMA account. However, keep in mind that when you put money in an UTMA account, it is a com-pleted gift to the named minor. You have given up all rights to the money, as completely as if you had handed cash to the mi-nor. Moreover, when the benefi-ciary of an UTMA account turns 21, the custodian must turn the account over to him. That is not an option; it is mandatory. The custodian does not get to decide that the (former) minor is unable to handle money. Of course, the beneficiary could agree to let the (former) custo-dian continue to manage the account if they are willing. For many, a trust is a better option since the trustee can continue to hold and manage the funds after the minor reaches age 21. After all, think about what you would have spent money on when you were 21 if the money were avail-able. By placing the funds in a properly drafted trust you can control the disposition of those funds both during the time peri-od that the child is a minor and

The Addict's Art of Self-SabotageBY SCOTT SWANEZY

Addiction can be seen as a form of self-sabotage. During active addiction, we rely on temporary escapes through alcohol, drugs or behaviors to deal with life's issues, commonly leading to larger problems and more serious consequences. In other words, addiction is a self-destructive process that creates chaos, isolates us and negatively impacts eveyone caught in the wake of our dis-ease.

Unfortunately, even af-

ter enjoying periods of recov-ery many addicts revert back to a psychological pattern of self-sabotage. Why would we do this? The reason is simple. Although incredibly destruc-tive, the act of self-sabotage continues to feel comfort-able to us, even in recovery. During active addiction most of us felt that the negative consequences of self-sab-otage were warranted. In other words, we deserved the unhappiness, the isola-tion, the unemployment, the homelessness and whatever else. In many instances, the

fuel that previously powered active addiction is the same fuel that jump-starts a re-lapse. Instead of coping nor-mally with life's problems, or life's pleasures, during recov-ery, self-sabotage begins to play its familiar soundtrack, "Maybe I don't deserve this happiness. I'm not worth this."

When self-sabotage be-gins to manifest in the form of negative self-talk, it's im-portant to intervene against this familiar train of thought, as it will eventually derail into self-sabotaging actions.

The art of self-sabotage is also a product of egocentric, false thinking. Although we may consider the serious, irrepa-rable damage of our actions in active addiction, these behav-iors are commonly accompa-nied with false beliefs, "This job doesn't appreciate me. My friends don't understand me. My family is against me." Self-sabotage is, in essence, a form of defiance against ra-tional, correct thinking.

Through self-sabotage, we are somehow able to cre-ate a set of real-world conse-quences that seem to support our false beliefs. In recov-ery, for example, we may be-

gin to feel like we're better, stronger and smarter than the process. We might even convince ourselves that we're "different" than the other peo-ple in recovery leading us to relapse at the hands of that egocentric thinking.

An addict's ability to im-plement self-sabotage is much more than just the simple results of destructive behav-iors during active addiction. Before losing a job, family support or close friends, our self-sabotage was first formed in destructive thinking pat-terns. Since relapse is often a manifestation of this same mindset, those of us who are

in recovery must understand the importance of working with a new canvas.

We must be willing to work with new, unfamiliar techniques and embrace a new art form from the begin-ning of the recovery process. If we truly want to succeed, we have to embrace the art form of self-awareness and leave the self-sabotage be-hind.

Scott Swanezy is an ad-diction and substance abuse counselor in Westchester County. He can be reached at 914-434-9945 and visit outofthefog.info for more infor-mation.

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ANTIQUES • ART • COLLECTIBLESMost cash paid for paintings, antiques, furniture, silver, sculpture, jewelry, books, cameras, records, instruments, coins, watches, gold, comics, sports cards, etc. Please call Aaron at 914-654-1683.

EXPERIENCED INVESTORExperienced Investor offers Dividend Program with yields of 7-10% as al-ternative to random investing. Advise amount to be invested. Fee $250. Program has worked for me for many years. Call 914-235-5618 or email josephsadow94@gmail.com

ROYAL WOOD FLOOR SERVICEWe install, sand, repair and stain wood floors. 18 years of quality and reliable service in Manhattan and beyond. Bring Life & Shine Back to Your Floor! Call 914-707-9230. Email: royalwoodfloorsvc@gmail.com

PURCHASING COLLECTIBLE CARDSLooking to buy Basketball (pre-1988), Football (pre-1987) and “Garbage Pail” cards (1985 to 1986). Mint condition only, please. If interest, call 914-738-1151 and leave a message and your phone number.

BUYING ORIGINAL ARTBuying original illustration art done for magazines, books and paperback covers, ads, pinups, comics. Also antique posters, maps, all interesting paper. 914-588-9359. mwi0729@aol.com

HIRING AUTO BODY REPAIR MANPelham Collision is hiring a full time Combination man and a Detailer. Must have experience. Located in Pelham, NY. Call to apply. (914) 738-6532,

ROOFING SPECIALISTSJoseph A. Madonia Roofing special-izing in shingles, slate, tile, flat roofs, gutters and downspouts, copper work, and repairs of all types. Call 777-3891.

SPANISH CLASSESSpanish classes for all ages-all levels, in your home by an expe-rienced native Spanish teacher. Call Leonor at 914-629-6798 or email spanish4me@gmail.com

EXQUISITE ART FOR SALEColorful. Original. Inspiring, and tax deductible. Palms for Life Fund offers original oil paintings by renowned Latin American artist for sale to benefit its charitable work for chil-dren worldwide.Different sizes and colors. A must see! Call 917-346-6177 or email info@palmsforlife.org to arrange for a private viewing in Bronxville.

Between Parent and Child: Improving Relationships

BY DAVID ROTTMAN

On the third day follow-ing the birth of his only son, Edgar was asked if he had any thoughts about his newborn. He replied, “The boy will be an engineer like his father.”

As a new mother, Jane often thought, “My baby will have all the advantages I never had. I’ll give her music and bal-let lessons, and she’ll have new dresses every season.”

Decades later, both Edgar and Jane came to therapy with a similar heart-breaking prob-lem: their child wouldn’t talk to them. Both children had moved away, stopped calling, refused to come home for hol-

idays, and didn’t acknowledge birthday gifts.

“He’s stonewalling me,” Edgar said. “His own father who did so much for him.”

“It hurts so much,” Jane said. “When I think of her, and I think of her ten times every day, I just want to cry.”

Edgar and Jane had read parenting books, and asked for advice from friends who they envied because of the friend’s closeness between parent and child. But both saw no way out of their pain.

“What were you think-ing, when you said the boy would be an engineer like his father?” I asked in a therapy session with Edgar.

“I wanted him to be more successful than I was,” Edgar said. “I wanted him to really make it. All those years, I nev-er got promoted. I didn’t want him to have to go through what I went through. Is that so bad for a father to want for his son?”

“Not necessarily,” I re-plied, “but have you consid-ered that your son experiences your desires for him as a bur-den?”

“Why would it be a bur-den?”

“Because he isn’t you. His journey isn’t about the same problems you faced. If you can let go of your understandable desires for him, perhaps he

won’t have to stay away from you.”

“But that’s not easy,” Ed-gar said.

“Who said it was easy?”For some weeks, Edgar

wrestled with the idea that his son might not want to fulfill his father’s unfulfilled ambi-tions. “All right,” he said one session, “let him be who he needs to be. I guess I’ll have to deal with what happened to me by myself. Let’s talk about that.”

And we did talk about it for many weeks.

Jane came to a therapy session and said, “I don’t ex-pect gratitude from my daugh-ter. I know I gave her all those

lessons for my own sake. But why can’t she call me once in a while?”

“How about you?” I asked. “Do you take any lessons?”

“I never thought of that,” she said.

After weeks of resisting the idea, Jane set up dance les-sons for herself. She loved the experience profoundly and said, “I feel like a changed per-son.”

“Do you think I could tell my daughter about it? I mean in a letter?” Jane asked in a ses-sion.

“Why not?” I said.In what seemed like an

almost unbelievable turn of events, Edgar’s son and Jane’s

daughter both got in contact and the relationships began a slow but very steady repair.

What happened? Both parents changed the invisible field of relationship between them and their child, by tak-ing on responsibility for their own lives. With the burden lifted, the relationship be-tween parent and child could improve.

David Rottman is a Psy-chotherapist with a practice in Westchester and New York City. For an appointment, email david.rottman@gmail.com or call 917 589 0277. Copy-right @2018 David Rottman

shorelinepub.com The Bronxville Bulletin • February 2018 • 15

Morris Gutwith

Amore! The coupling of food and wine with the sensu-al is the aphrodisiac of liter-ature and verse through the ages. Pucker up! Valentine’s Day is Wednesday, Feb. 14th. Restaurants are gearing up to serve some of their most titil-lating specialties. Here are a few delectable dishes and din-ing venues for you and your loved one, and don’t forget to reserve early…

Celebrate with Truffles at Le Sirene!

The Fratelli Bruno: Cosimo and Gerardo, have combined their considerable talents in opening Le Sirene Ristorante on Palmer Ave. in Larchmont. They are veteran restaurateurs who also own such vener-able dining rooms as San Pietro, Caravaggio and Sistina in Manhat-tan. They know how to cook with finesse the authentic Ital-ian way: “Let natural food flavors express themselves,” is their culinary philosophy. Owner Cosimo Bru-no is general manag-er and host, but also shares kitchen duties with Executive Chef Alberto Pepe. Let the warmth guide you into the pastel din-ing room. The bar/lounge is a good spot for cocktails and a snack. The Brunos know their wines. Cosimo is a Certified Sommelier. The ‘pizzaoli’ is at his wood fired pizza oven at the end of the bar ready to pre-pare over a dozen of his tasty individually styled pies. Have them prepare one with truffles on top. Le Sirene is located at 1957 Palmer Ave., Larchmont.

Phone: 914-834-8300 www.le-sireneristorante.com

Share a Pastry at Nutmeg Café!

Nutmeg Café opened on Main Street in Tuckahoe offer-ing a variety artisanal baked goods, craft foods and bever-ages for eat-in and take-out. Proprietor and creative force behind Nutmeg is Cindy Both-well. You may recognize Cindy from her years working Farm-ers Markets around the county in Bronxville, Irvington, Chap-paqua and Scarsdale, selling her signature goods under the ‘What’s For Dessert?’ brand. The Café is warm and invit-

ing. There is seating for up to 25, soft background music, ex-posed brick walls and display cases filled to the brim with the tempting daily larder. Bothwell calls her way of cooking and baking: “American home-style rustic” and insists on keeping up with the seasons. Delight-ful beverages include such exclusive artisanal makers as Joe’s Coffee out of Brooklyn. Fresh made soups and salads are available and posted daily

on the blackboard. Enjoy delec-table cheddar scallion scones; caramelized onion & gruyere crostada; and cauliflower, leek & Asiago quiche. Open dai-ly; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nutmeg Café, 64 Main Street, Tuckahoe. 914-779-1328 www.thenutmegcafe.com

Robust Italian at Trattoria Vivolo!

Chef-owner Dean Vivolo of Trattoria Vivolo serves his robust regional Italian cuisine out of a vintage diner across from Harrison’s Metro-North station. Sit at the counter, tuck into a booth, or take a table in the rear greenhouse and enjoy the surprising contemporary and traditional flavors ema-nating from his kitchen: tasty thin-crusted pizza; Crostino di Polenta, topped with wild mushrooms, gorgonzola and tomato sauce; Linguine with Clam Sauce; Lasagna Bolog-

nese al Forno; and by special request, warm fresh Zabagli-one with fresh fruit for des-sert. Good wine list. Sparkling lights evenings. Open 7 days. Trattoria Vivolo, 301 Halstead Ave., Harrison. 914-835-6199 www.trattoriavivolo.com

French Love at La Panetiere!Pull up to La Panetiere

in Rye and enter the beauti-fully appointed dining rooms, proprietor Jacques Loupi-ac’s long-running bastion of French cuisine will create an unforgettable experience. The professional staff led by Cheryl Just and Stephane, the genial maître d’ and Chef Dean Lu-piac will fill you with passion. Each course is artfully plated. The Dover Sole and Grand Marnier Souffle are wonder-ful. Fine wines, too. It’s the best way to visit Paris without leaving Westchester. La Pane-tiere is open for lunch, dinner

and Sunday brunch Monday evening thru Sunday. Private party facilities. Catering. Bar/lounge. Take out. Major credit cards. Ample parking. Reser-vations advised. La Panetiere, 530 Milton Road, Rye. 914-967-8140 www.lapanetiere.com

(Morris Gut is a restaurant marketing consultant and for-mer restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and din-ing scene in greater Westchester for 30 years. 914-235-6591 gutre-actions@optonline.net)

Pizza topped with truffles at Le Sirene in Larchmont

Display of delights at Nutmeg Café in Tuckahoe

Nona's All-Day Sunday Brunch Buffet at Dubrovnik Restaurant

Dubrovnik Restau-rant recently unveiled their new Sunday Brunch Menu. General Manager, Nada Ber-nic hosted the debut event sharing with participants that the traditional Croa-tian items on the menu are all dishes prepared by the mother of owner, Jerry Tom-ic while he was growing up. Tomic said that his family’s special olive oil that is har-vested on their olive grove in Croatia.

Chef Antonio Selendic demonstrated the wood-fire grill on their back patio and how the iron bell is used to cook certain entrees to per-fection.

Brunch: $45 (plus tax, drinks and gratuity) from noon to 2pm on Sundays. Unlimited Mimosas, addi-tional $15.

Dubrovnik Restaurant721 Main St., New Rochelle 10801914-637-3777www.dubrovnikny.com.

Photos clockwise: Grilled Filet of Branzino with Swiss Chard and Grilled Wild Salmon with Aspara-gus Risotto; Fresh fish selection; Kremisita Strudel and Grilled Octopus cooked under the iron bell with Olives and Potatoes

Source: HGMLS, 1/1/17-12/15/17, single family homes, total volume, by office, Bronxville School District.

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The Chapel School Preschool Holds Baptism Rally

The Chapel School Preschool held a Baptism Rally on Wednesday, January 10. Coming after the weekend that many congregations celebrated a church festival honoring the Baptism of our Lord, the Rally was designed to help the 3 and 4 year old students understand the teaching about baptism. The School’s Pastors, Scott Geminn and Robert Hartwell, helped lead the Rally with the help of Kate Marino, Minister to Youth and Families. In addition to a Baptism Rally Chant of “1,2,3 Yay Baptism!” the students sang several songs and heard a message from the pastors about the meaning of this special sacrament of initiation in the Christian Church. According to Hart-well, “Jesus was baptized and he also wants all people to be baptized. He thinks all people are special and invites us to come to Him.” Pastor Geminn used a baby doll, borrowed from his own daughter Emma, to demonstrate the baptism of a child. Geminn said, “Baptism is very special and reminds us how precious we are to God.” Several parents and siblings joined the students for the Baptism Rally. In addition, snapshots of the students’ own baptisms or pictures of them with their families were displayed on the screen.

Village Lutheran Church & The Chapel School is located at 172 White Plains Road in Bronx-ville, New York. For more information about The Chapel School, please call 914-337-3202 or visit the website at www.thechapelschool.org.