Scarsdale Supports White Plains Hospital
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Susan Fox (Larchmont), Wendy and Scott Kleinman (Scarsdale)Thanks to the Friends of White Plains Hospital and supporters, nearly 700 guests attended the hospital’s 2023 annual gala on October 14 at Westchester Country Club. Actor, singer, and White Plains Hospital committee member Christopher Jackson (Hamilton, And Just Like That) emceed the event, making the night a magical success.
William Null (Sleepy Hollow), Katherine Winterroll (Scarsdale), Christopher Jackson (Tarrytown), Susan Fox (Larchmont), Mayor Thomas Roach (White Plains), Geralyn Della Cava (Scarsdale), Jonathan Spitalny (White Plains)
Wendy Berk (Scarsdale) , Jan Quartner (Tuckahoe) and Mary Brennan (Scarsdale)
Andrew and Carrie Bank (Scarsdale), Jan Quartner (Tuckahoe), Ann and David Yaspan (Scarsdale)
In attendance was committee member William Null of Sleepy Hollow, event co-chair, Katherine Winterroll of Scarsdale, emcee and committee member Christopher Jackson of Tarrytown, White Plains Hospital President and CEO, Susan Fox of Larchmont, Mayor Thomas Roach of White Plains, committee members; Geralyn Della Cava of Scarsdale and Jonathan Spitalny of White Plains. Wendy and Scott Kleinman, Albert and Carol Lowenthal, all of Scarsdale, Dr. Michael Palumbo, MD of Pound Ridge. Committee members: Margaret and Laurence R. Smith, Andrew and Carrie Bank and Wendy Berk, all of Scarsdale. Jan Quartner of Tuckahoe, Mary Brennan of Scarsdale, and Ann and David Yaspan of Scarsdale.
Photo credit: Hechler Photographers and John Vecchiolla Photography
Alan and Suzanne Waxenberg (Scarsdale)
Margaret and Laurence R. Smith (Scarsdale)
Local Pro Hosting Tennis Retreat in Cancun... You're Invited
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Local tennis pros and a fitness instructor are offering a spring tennis retreat at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre in Cancun. They invite you and your friends and family to join them for five days of strength and sunshine on and off the courts from April 5-9, 2024.
The retreat is designed to help you take your tennis to the next level through sport-specific mobility and strength training, and expert drills and games.
Daily tennis clinics will be coached by Fox Meadow Tennis Club’s Pavle Jefferson and Geoff LoConte from Beachpoint in Mamaroneck. Mornings will focus on drills, technique and form, while afternoon court time will be structured games and match play to put what you learned into practice. At the end of the retreat, they’ll hold a tournament for all levels!
Each morning, Michele and Lucero (Mi&Lu) will host a functional movement workout to get you ready for your day of tennis. You'll build up core strength and activate the muscles needed to be a more efficient and powerful athlete on the court. And after tennis, the duo will offer a class to rebalance your body, wind down and relax. This class will focus on the MELT Method and stretching. All classes are for any level of fitness.
When you're not on the courts or in the studio, you have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the resort's five-star amenities. From indulging in the spa to dipping in the pools or the sea, to enjoying various land and water activities on site, you will have many options to make the retreat your own during down time.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who will be my coaches during the retreat?
Pavle Jefferson, a Scarsdale local (who graduated from Scarsdale High School), will be the lead tennis instructor. Pavle is Fox Meadow Tennis Club's Director of Racquet Sports. Pavle played for Columbia University, and prior to Fox Meadow Tennis Club, coached collegiate tennis at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. He has also coached players at the professional level (including Israeli star Shahar Peer in 2006 - she was ranked 15 in the world). Pavle is an innovative teacher and has many creative programming ideas for players of all ages.
Geoff LaConte will be joining Pavle as a tennis instructor during the retreat. Geoff is the Director of Pickleball and Platform Tennis at Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck. After playing college tennis at UMASS-Amherst, Geoff went on to receive his Masters Degree in Education from NYU and taught for several years before returning to tennis. Geoff continues to play competitively in all three racquet sports.
Lucero Barry is one of the talented trainers for the retreat. She teaches both classical Pilates and the MELT Method of self-care. She received a B.F.A. in dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music. Her methods are influenced by her experiences teaching dance and being a dedicated practitioner in meditation and mindfulness.
Michele Oppliger is our other trainer. She was a professional modern dancer in NYC for over two decades. After her dancing career ended, she took her love and experience of movement and became a certified Pilates and MELT teacher. Her students are getting stronger, more resilient and are functioning better in their daily lives with her combination of Pilates, MELT and strength training.
Where will we stay?
The Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa is a luxurious beachfront property located on Costa Mujeres beach, an esteemed spot on the Mexican Caribbean, just a short drive from the vibrant town of Cancún. The best part? The acclaimed Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre is on site at the resort, and that's where our classes and recreational play will take place daily!
The resort has three fabulous pools, including swim-up bars where you can relax and indulge. There are eight international restaurants and stocked bars, complimentary Wi-Fi in all facilities, and a 5-star spa and wellness center. Plus, you have the opportunity to take part in any resort-led activities or shows if you'd like.
What separates this trip from other trips?
Apart from the world-class location, high-end accommodations, and stellar staff, this retreat offers competitive tennis instruction as well as specific training to prepare the body for sustained performance and injury-prevention. General tennis camps are fun and help improve your game, but exclusively focusing on court skills without building a solid body foundation will only lead to injury in the long term. Pavle and Geoff will prepare and organize dynamic drills and point play in a thoughtful progression over the course of the retreat. Michele and Lucero will help strengthen your core, shoulders, and lower body to maximize your output on the court without overusing or injuring the main body groups. In addition, Michele and Lucero will offer online training sessions for 10 weeks leading up to the retreat at no additional cost to help prepare players before they arrive (this is an incredible value!).
What can you expect on a daily basis?
You will have the opportunity to play, learn, and improve your game on and off the court while enjoying the beautiful colors of the ocean, having a margarita (or your favorite drink) with new and old friends, and exploring local attractions. Each day offers a mix of tennis instruction, fitness training, and social activities while providing time for our participants to relax at their own pace during off-times. The arrival and departure dates will include some fun activities to introduce the players and coaches (arrival date) and round out the trip (departure date), while the middle three days will include 3.5 hours of tennis and 1.5 hours of training and time for players to enjoy the beautiful environment.
How many spots are available?
The retreat is designed for a maximum of 16 players (4 students/teacher ratio).
Does my level of play matter?
Yes and no. We take all levels of play but will be mindful to group players based on level of play.
Is there a deadline to register?
While there is no deadline to register, we expect spots will sell out by Thanksgiving, if not sooner, so register now!
Pricing and Registration
$2700 double occupancy (price per person)
$3450 single occupancy
What's Included
5 days / 4 nights accommodations at an all-inclusive beachfront resort
All meals and beverages included (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
Daily tennis lessons on the red clay Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre courts
Afternoon games and optional match play
End-of-retreat tennis tournament
Daily strength and mobility class tailored to tennis players
MELT and restorative stretch classes
All meals, snacks and drinks included (bottle service and other exceptions may apply)
10 weeks of conditioning classes via Zoom with Lucero and Michèle leading up to the retreat
Free time to enjoy resort amenities or sign up for additional activities or spa treatments
Additional court time available free with day-of reservation or $25 for advanced reservation (speak with front desk to reserve)
Notes:
Travel insurance highly recommended.
Flights to Cancun, Mexico (CUN) and airport transfers not included.
Final payment due no later than January 5, 2024.
A Likely Story With Some Unlikely Twists
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Author Leigh McMullen Abramson with her novel, A Likely Story.Since author Leigh McMullen Abramson could not reveal the plot of her literary thriller, A Likely Story, at a session at the Scarsdale Library on 9-28, those of us who could not get their hands on the book beforehand had a bit of trouble following the conversation. The book – and the attractive author --both seemed intriguing – but, I wasn’t sure of its genre, or whether or not it was for me. Was it a publishing thriller along the lines of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz or family saga about some wealthy Upper East Siders? Chick lit or something more profound? When I did get my hands on the book a few weeks later from the “New” shelf at Scarsdale Library, Abramson’s detailed prose and twisting plot had me at Chapter One.
A Likely Story is a tale of a privileged young women with a prominent father, centered in the world of publishing, in which I happened to grow up as well.
At the meeting at the library the author revealed that she had been a serious ballet dancer up to the age of 15, and after college attended law school and worked as an attorney. Ultimately she decided to leave the legal world for the literary world to pursue her love of writing. Svelte, pretty and young, she didn’t appear old enough to have already had multiple careers,
Abramson explained that she did not get an offer to publish her first book – which mirrors the experience of the main character, Isabelle Manning, in this book. Undaunted, Abramson set out to write her second novel, A Likely Story, which was recently published to much critical acclaim.
Like her main character Isabelle Manning, Abramson is an only child and used that experience in creating her protagonist. But Abramson denied that much more of this book was autobiographical. In fact she says, “My parents are artistic but not like the characters in the book. They are happy I wrote a book and became a writer.”
In her words the story centers on “how ambitions are affected by family roles. … There is a loving mother daughter relationship that is the emotional center of the story… There is love and a bond there, though there is dysfunction too.”
A Likely Story is about an aspiring writer who is saddled with a father who is a famous author and an egomaniac. According to Abramson, the father, Ward Manning, is “a difficult person to like,” and is “lonely, lost and pathetic.” Without giving away too much, the story centers on how Ward manages to undermine Isabelle’s writing career and her life as well.
Along the way we meet some New York types: There’s Isabelle’s on and off again boyfriend, a Midwestern farm boy who works in the US Attorney’s office and is likely drawn from Abramsons own experience. There’s her indulgent godmother, a narcistic author and classmate from Brown, a self-serving and deceptive literary agent and Isabelle’s mother, who is good as gold.
The action moves uptown, downtown, out to Sag Harbor and to the island of Jamaica, all locales with which many local readers are familiar.
The plot features a book within a book and moves back and forth in time. The story is compelling, and you’ll have a hard time putting the book down once you get into it.
Abramson said it took her two and half years to write the book, which ends in 2018, just before COVID. Is she considering a sequel? No way. She says, “I feel like I want to leave these characters as they are. I don’t want to be quarantined with them.”
Order your copy of A Likely Story by Leigh McMullan Abramson or listen to the audiobook.
Lauren Silberberg (SHS'13) Marries Ethan Shapiro
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Lauren Emily Silberberg and Ethan Hirsch Shapiro were married in Greenwich, CT on October 14, 2023Lauren Emily Silberberg and Ethan Hirsch Shapiro’s story begins in December of 2018 when they matched on a dating app. At the time, Lauren was traveling for her job at Deloitte every week, and in an attempt to catch her attention, Ethan sent Lauren an invitation to partake in an online game of beer pong. The game was a hit and the final score was LOVE!
Always keeping things interesting and unpredictable, they both sported onesies on their first date. Ethan brushed right past the “small talk,” insisting instead that they exchange information via snail mail. Each date they wrote a letter to one another detailing their lives. Right away, Lauren couldn’t stop talking about this cute onesie boy. A few months later, Ethan asked Lauren to go steady with him (he really phrased it that way), and the rest is a crazy blur. They moved in with each other's families during Covid lockdown, lived in Colorado where they skied for a few months, and now live together in the East Village.
Ethan’s proposal was an elaborate scavenger hunt that embodied their relationship with stops around NYC and concluded on the steps of the New York City Public Library.
They were married on October 14, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenwich, Connecticut where the bride’s parents were married 30 years ago.
Bruce Shapiro, a hazzan (cantor) and the groom’s uncle, officiated the Jewish wedding ceremony.
The bride, 28, is the Head of Operations at Lemonade, Inc., a digital insurance company. She graduated from University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science with a degree in Networks and System Engineering, and she is also a 2013 graduate of Scarsdale
High School. Lauren is the daughter of Michele B. Silberberg and Stuart E. Silberberg of Scarsdale. The bride’s father is the Managing Partner at Ajax Partners, a New York real estate investment and advisory firm. The bride’s mother is an attorney and the Vice President of Sales at CB Title Group, LLC, a title insurance company based in New Jersey.
The groom, 30, is a founding member and Head of Business Development and Operations at Athena Intelligence, a start-up technology company utilizing cutting edge artificial intelligence. He is a 2016 dual-graduate of Columbia University and The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Business Management as well as Modern Jewish Studies. Ethan is the son of Miriam G. Shapiro and Ronald M. Shapiro of Cooper City, Florida. The groom’s father and mother own and operate a property management company, The Shapiro Group, which specializes in residential real estate in the South Florida market.
Unstoppable Girls Tennis Team-- 9-0 for the Season
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The undefeated girls tennis team wore pink on October 4 to highlight breast cancer awareness.We stopped by the SHS Tennis Courts on Wednesday October 4 to check in on the unstoppable Scarsdale High School Girls Varsity Tennis Team.
Katie Kendall plays first singles.While the girls awaited their opponents, the Mamaroneck tennis team, who were late due to a shortage of bus drivers, we spoke with Coach Jennifer Roane who shared some amazing news. The team has been undefeated for 4 years, that’s 68 matches! For the last two years they won the state championship at Billie Jean King Stadium in Flushing Queens and hope to be back there this year.
Roane explained that the weather cut the season short. The heat wave in September and the severe rains have caused the cancellation of non-league matches and the regular season draws to a close this week.
This year, for the first time ever, the team also has an assistant coach, math teacher Michael Kumaresan who was busy observing the matches, coaching the girls and clearly happy to be on board with this winning team.
We spoke to the players and were surprised to find that first and second singles were being played by high school sophomores and that the team included many underclassmen among the returning players who took the team to the championship last year.
Katie Kendall was on the court playing first singles and Charlene Dong, who is new to the team, played second singles. We watched Dong win point after point, and leave the court without dropping a game. Returning this year, Giana Marx plays third singles and was off the court in a flash, winning her pro-set 8-0.
Newcomer Charlene Dong plays second singles.
Playing first doubles on Wednesday were juniors Kay Cotrell and Emily Hyman, both returning players who helped score the victory in Queens last year.
Second doubles was another young team with sophomore Jalyn Ryu and freshman Isabel Lin.
In third doubles two juniors are fast partners, Sophia Wu and Carly Alin. As Lu is a lefty, the team says both can use their forehands to hit the angles from both sides of the court.
The fourth doubles team featured two returning players who are the team captains: Maya Vora and Yelena Sahakyan, and experienced pair who also played in the finals last year.
Since the match had a late start and the courts needed to be vacated by 6 pm the girls played only one 8 game pro -set with no ad scoring.
Giana Marx used the pre-match wait to do her homework.For the 69th time they won! This time sweeping Mamaroneck on all seven courts, several winning 8-0.
The team plays their last league match on Thursday October 5 at Byram Hills and then will be onto their first post season match at Harrison High School on Sunday October 8, 2023. Roane will bring three singles players and three doubles teams there on Sunday.
Emily Hyman and Kay Cotrell play first doubles.
Freshman Isable Lin and Sophomore Jalyn Ryu
Juniors Carly Alin and Sophia Wu
Team Captains Yelena Sahakyan and Maya Vora
