Mother- Daughter Team Spreads Good Cheer on Painted Rocks in Secor Farms
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Jewelry designer Lauren Kessler and her daughter Carly, a rising sophomore at the University of Richmond, found an outlet for their creativity during the quarantine. Since her daughter was home from college and everyone was stuck at home, the two spent quality time hand painting rocks and leaving them throughout Secor Farms for their neighbors to enjoy.
Lauren and Carly enjoy spreading smiles throughout the community. Everyday they spread a few more rocks while they walk their two dogs Ernie and Oscar. Neighbors have been leaving the rocks in place and enjoying them daily during their walks.
Lauren and Carly KesslerSee Lauren’s jewelry designs at: www.instagram.com/laurenkfinejewelry
27 Restaurants to Feed the 'Dale
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A large dining tent has been opened on Spencer Place in Scarsdale.Westchester County is continuing to reopen and along with the rest of the Mid-Hudson region has entered Phase Three. This means that restaurants can now serve both indoors and out and restaurant bars can serve, provided that they have no more than 50% of their maximum allowable occupancy.
Also now permitted to open are nail salons, spas, massage and tattoo parlors and other personal care businesses. Again customers must wear masks, be six feet apart and facilities are limited to 50% occupancy.
Scarsdale has responded to these new dining guidelines by opening a large dining tent in the Village. The upper portion of Spencer Place is closed, and a dining tent with tables has been set up to allow residents to enjoy drinks and meals outside in the Village.
The Scarsdale Business Alliance announced that 27 restaurants will participate in the “Dine the Dale” initiative. A few restaurants will be serving inside the tent, others will deliver to the tent and the balance ask customers to come in and pick up food and bring it to the tent to enjoy. Below please find the complete list of food providers and the type of service they offer.
The Shade Store is now open on Spencer Place.
According to Trustee Jane Veron, “There is a steady stream of patrons who use the space, and we are thrilled that residents are carefully cleaning up with sanitizing wipes. The Scarsdale Business Alliance has been raising funds from property owners, real estate agencies and other sponsors to begin to cover the cost. Scarsdale Flower Shop has provided décor, and Scarsdale Security is managing the cameras. Given the tremendous popularity of this concept, we plan to add more tables adjacent to De Cicco's on East Parkway. We are also working with the other Scarsdale retail hubs to help them roll out similar, smaller scale initiatives. Right now, we're having active conversations with Garth Road, Scarsdale Avenue and the Golden Horseshoe.”
Governor's 11th Hour Call to Allow Day Camps to Open is Too Late for Many
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An 11th hour call from Governor Andrew Cuomo which will allow day camps to open on June 29 appears to have come too late for many camps to pivot and open for the summer. Cuomo’s executive order was not accompanied by any requirements from the County or State Departments Of Health so camp owners were left wondering what would be required if they did decide to open for the summer. With only three weeks to plan and hire staff, it simply left too little time to allow them to welcome campers this year.
We surveyed some local camp owners and received mixed messages. Here is what we learned.
Anticipating that many kids would need options for this summer, Backyard Sports adapted early and is offering programs for kids in their own backyards. According to Danny Bernstein, “Backyard Sports is teaming up with Next Level Camps this summer to bring summer camp to you. As camps and village programs close their doors due to the current health crisis, we are determined to provide the fun and interactive activities that mean so much to your kids… and to do it safely from your own home. With our Next Level 2 U “Backyard Bound” and “Backyard Sports Academy” options, families can choose from various sports, summer camp activities and enrichment options to create a flexible two-hour program that is fun, engaging and age appropriate for your child. We will send an experienced coach with equipment to your home to work with a small, predetermined group of 4-8 children chosen by you (the parents). Morning and afternoon scheduling options are available, ages 5-12 years old. For families looking for a more intensive sports experience, the Backyard Sports Academy option is for you. For a more traditional summer camp experience with a combination of sports, camp games and various enrichment options including art, dance, cooking, yoga, drama and more, the Backyard Bound option is right for you. For more information and to register, please visit www.nextlevel2u.com or call Danny at Backyard Sports for program details: 914-304-4052.”
Matt Davanzo of Squire Camps is hoping to be open. He said, “We are not sure what we are doing yet. We have a plan in place to run for 6 weeks, and are planning on opening, but awaiting some more information from the county until we say definitely yes.”
Camp Ramaquois also hopes to open, but not until July 20, given the proper information by the NYS and Rockland Departments of Health.
Challenge Camp is sticking with their plans to host a virtual summer camp. They said, “We will not be holding in person camp. We will be virtual only with Challenge Camp @Home. As an academic oriented camp, a sizable portion of our staff is older and we had concerns for their safety and the safety of our camp community. While the Governor has announced that camps can open, they still have not released the rules and regulations. Based on the CDC's guidelines that we have seen, the restrictions will be highly limiting as to what campers will be able to do.” However they “are absolutely still taking signups - http://www.challengecamps.com - and offering parents the flexibility to sign up for 2,3,4 or 5 classes each session so they can customize their campers schedule in a way that works best for the family's summer schedule.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester will also be strictly online this summer, as well as the Steffi Nossen School of Dance who reports, “We have decided, after long deliberation, that we will remain virtual for the summer and see how things feel. We hope we will be back in the studio for fall, but make that decision later over the summer.”
However, the Governor’s delay left some without options:
Deputy Village Manager Rob Cole said the following about Scarsdale’s popular day camp run by the Recreation Department. “Like many Westchester communities, the Governor’s call authorizing came too late. Summer Camp programs involve a great deal of preparatory work, including coordination with Westchester County Department of Health, hiring, contracting, etc. Therefore, there is no current plan to offer summer camps. However, the mini-camps are still be planned, as related in our press release that announced the Summer Camp cancellation.”
Outdoor Dining Space to Open on Spencer Place in Scarsdale
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Trustee Justin Arest enjoyed lunch with his daughter outside on June 15.(This information was forwarded to us by the Scarsdale Business Alliance)
Scarsdale diners, hunkered down at home for the last few months, now have something to celebrate. Scarsdale Business Alliance (SBA) is thrilled to announce the opening of its Dine the ‘Dale outdoor dining space, which will be located in Scarsdale Village on Spencer Place between Harwood Court and East Parkway.
Are you ready to see friends and neighbors again, while dining on some of your favorite Scarsdale restaurants’ best dishes? Take a break from cooking, and come dine in Scarsdale Village,either under the 3,000 square foot tent located on Spencer Place or in the adjacent uncovered area. Scarsdale restaurants are so excited to welcome their customers back to the Village. Scarsdale diners can take a seat at one of the safely spaced picnic tables to enjoy table service from some establishments, delivery from others, or take-out from any of the Scarsdale Village restaurants. This is in addition to the outdoor dining areas already offered by some of Scarsdale’s favorite restaurants.
Enthusiasm for the large outdoor food space is growing, as both restaurant owners and residents await its’ opening this week. Of course, to ensure everyone's safety, diners will have to follow social distancing and safety guidelines, including wearing a mask when not seated.
Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to eat out while supporting our Village center restaurants. As Scarsdale slowly reopens, this is just another step towards bringing our residents together while still staying safely apart.
The SBA is extremely grateful to Scarsdale Improvement Corp., the lead sponsor of this initiative, as well as Spencer East Realty. Additional sponsors include Partyline Rentals LTD and Scarsdale Security.
Not only can you dine outside in Scarsdale Village, you can also safely shop outside while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Following a public hearing, the Scarsdale Board of Trustees voted unanimously to amend village code to allow Village retailers to display and sell their wares outside their storefronts. “The village has spent considerable time listening to our needs and has been inclusive, welcoming and accommodating. We are thrilled to have entered Phase 2 of reopening and are excited to bring vibrancy back to our village center,” said Marcy Berman-Goldstein, co-president of the Scarsdale Business Alliance.
The top half of Spencer Place has been closed to traffic and a large dining tent is up.
“It is beyond inspiring to see the collaboration between the Scarsdale Business Alliance, property owners, and Village staff. In record time, they have reimagined our Village Center. Our community will be the beneficiaries of their creativity, innovation and energy. These initiatives will infuse vitality into our retail hubs and set us on a path of forward momentum. I am filled with optimism and am grateful for the resiliency and determination of our business community,” said Deputy Mayor Jane Veron.
SBA board members have worked tirelessly in coordination with Village officials on all phases of Scarsdale’s reopening. The SBA has regularly informed merchants of the applicable and ever-changing rules, assisted with allowing street level merchants to use sidewalk space, and helped reimagine innovative outdoor space usage on Scarsdale streets. The Village is also exploring avenues for health and wellness businesses to serve their local Scarsdale customers. In addition, the SBA continues to work with Scarsdale businesses outside of the Village Center to re-open and address current issues. All these endeavors, including this outdoor food hall initiative, put Scarsdale on a path to be the dynamic and vibrant town we all miss.
Scarsdale Village has approved the Spencer Place road closure and outdoor dining space through Labor Day Weekend (subject to a one-month trial), with the possibility of extending the initiative through October based on its success and need. This location allows for minimal disruption to traffic patterns, while maintaining the maximum number of parking spaces possible. Vehicles traveling on Spencer Place will be rerouted through Harwood Court.
The Village is providing merchant parking spots to Village center businesses in the Freightway Garage and is currently working on converting some of the commuter spots in Christie Place Garage to pay as you go meters to provide additional parking for Village patrons.
The SBA looks forward to infusing our Village with a renewed sense of community and togetherness after months of being apart.
Think Before You Link: Let’s Reconsider Our Social Media Responses to Racial Violence
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We, the digital population, need to be careful about reducing the complexity of systemic racism into a 1080 x 566 pixel rectangle. We have to do a lot better.
“Blackout Tuesday” was intended as an expression of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and an opportunity to go “silent” on social media to reflect on George Floyd’s murder. However, it appears the deluded two-dimensional virality distracted from opportunities to prompt collective human reflection and invite a broader call to action. To assuage the guilt of generational passivity, thousands “checked the box” on activism posting their black box. If we are so desperate to prove our morality to our followers, we will likely forget to consider how we can play a more meaningful, lasting role to create peace, justice, and safety in any slice of our nation we can reach.
Like so many of our nation’s wounds, the answer appears simple, but the solution is complicated. The answer: many Americans face fear, violence, and hate in a pervasive reality that other Americans do not want to see up close. The solution: is anywhere but Instagram.
Instagram can be an admirably powerful tool for organizing, educating, communicating, and growing awareness. The risk is if we fall short on execution and mindful intent. In the filter bubble of my predominantly white private institution, kind, caring souls post and repost lists and lists, lists of more lists of articles, quotes, pictures, poems, books, and Spotify playlists. While sincere, I can’t help but question the longevity and impact of that mass quantity of content: in short, please only post that list if you really have read those books. If our primary reactions to racial violence come in the shape of cowardly craving for instant gratification, we are in danger of neglecting tangible steps toward social justice. Piecemeal, distant sharing seems to exonerate the digital citizen from having to feel and experience a hidden, ugly truth that only periodically resurfaces in unspeakable tragedy.
I appreciate that hearts are in the right place and intentions are pure, but that does not certify white allies to speak over leaders of color on social platforms. I urge my digital comrades to think before you link. Let’s habitually ask ourselves, is my black box really me listening? How have I listened better as a result? The inescapable noise of largely unqualified white voices on social media may undermine the very goal of this social movement to empower voices of color. Social media is a hard place to listen and not speak, so we should consider migrating to face-to-face (or phone-to-phone) direct, intimate conversations on race. We need to look beyond the surface of Instagram to reflect on how we can each best use our voice and platform for enduring justice. In our hasty self-branding, we may have forgotten the pandemic disproportionately afflicting communities of color. Amongst a thousand actionable ideas, maybe become a contact tracer, register to vote, call your local elected officials, write your state representatives, have an uncomfortable conversation, take the implicit bias test, or think about how you can orient your studies or career towards a more equitable world. We owe communities of color a more permanent commitment in our own lives; we owe this world a more careful reflection on how we engage with it.
It is human nature that we are tempted to insert ourselves into the narrative unfolding around us, to make sense of it by tying up the questions and emotions in a neat bow, then to flash it to our followers to signal some degree of ethical enlightenment, respect, and intelligence. A signature and a donation may count toward some marginal illusion of change, but this comes at the risk of complacency. Once we click, repost, sign, like, comment, I fear we close our phones and move on. When “Blackout Tuesday” content is no longer trending, we feel like we have done our part already. We pick back up with whatever concerned us before, because many white observers’ very public shock distinguished this week from normal life. Collapsing the history of American racial violence into our regular reflexive regurgitation of Instagram electrons impedes us from integrating this pain and suffering into normal life. Instead, let’s try to find the part we can play in something so much bigger than ourselves.
Carly Glickenhaus is a 2020 Georgetown University graduate, student-athlete, and tour guide, with hopes for a generation of human reflection and conversation on race and justice that take us beyond our screens.
