Movie Star Alert! Sendhil Ramamurthy in "Brahmin Bulls" at Pelham Picture House
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Local resident Sendhil Ramamurthy of Heroes fame will air his film Brahmin Bulls and lead a Q & A after the show on Thursday, January 22 at 7:30 pm. Starring Sendhil Ramamurthy and Roshan Seth, Brahmin Bulls follows the complicated, interesting lives of a father (Seth) and grown son (Ramamurthy) as they attempt to rebuild their damaged relationship and mend their own personal lives.
Eva Nagorski, a writer and producer who suggested the film showing to Pelham Picture House said, "I think it's important to support independent movies given how hard it is to make them and, in particular, distribute them. But that's far from the only reason I'm supporting Brahmin Bulls. It's a great film, Sendhil puts on a terrific performance, and it's a creative accomplishment overall for a first-time director." She added, "Pelham Picture House is a venue that not only supports independent films, but draws audiences from all over the area who appreciate them."
Sendhil was gracious enough to meet me one morning in Scarsdale to be interviewed for Scarsdale10583.com. Only after he had left did several people at the café come up to me and ask how I got to hang out with "The 'Heroes' guy."
What made you want to play the character of Sid in Brahim Bulls?
The role of Sid was written for me. The director, Mahesh Pailoor, and I worked together on the first role I ever booked out of drama school, a short film. He was still a film student. I auditioned for him, got the role, and we shot this ten-minute, visually stunning black and white short film. We got along well. Fifteen years later, all of the people who were a part of this short film got together for Brahmin Bulls. I was shooting Heroes at the time in Los Angeles and Mahesh called to tell me that he was at the American Film Institute now and wanted to do a film. He wrote the script, we raised funds for two years, and then we shot it for 21 days in Los Angeles. I'm an avid tennis player and I love that we used tennis in the movie because it served as the perfect metaphor. Playing Sid was a welcomed challenge. My character is in his thirties but acts like a teenager- he's completely rudderless. I'm the opposite of that in real life; I'm goal-oriented and I know exactly what I want. I enjoyed the quiet parts of the movie where all the acting had to be done through the eyes or with sighs and small movements. It's different from television where you have 42 minutes to tell the story because the remaining 18 are filled with commercials; there's no time for silence in television. In television you have deadlines because episodes are already ordered and paid for and there's timing involved as far as when shows need to air; but in Brahmin Bulls, having time to really work on a scene was really appealing to me and appeals to audiences.
How was it different for you to star in a movie as well as produce it?
I enjoyed being involved in producing this film, although after production is when I became more involved- getting screenings arranged and doing festival submissions. While shooting the film, I focused on my character and my acting. I'd love to continue producing from the ground up, like deciding how the money is spent, who's hired, etc. You don't really get that in television, even if you're the star of the show. You say your lines and you try not to bump into furniture. The chance to do something different really attracted me to this film and film in general. There was a learning curve. We made mistakes but we learned from them and next time we'll just make fewer mistakes. Or at least not the same mistakes.
How does Brahmin Bulls build an audience?
Marketing funds are limited, so we've done theatrical releases in several major cities in the U.S. and then it will go to video on demand. Word of mouth has been the best promotional tool. The New York Times gave Brahmin Bulls a favorable review and screenings like this one at Pelham Picture House really help get the word out as well. The film is a true grassroots effort, a total labor of love. None of us will likely make any money off of it. The movie is about people connecting (or not connecting); it's about relationships. This theme seems to have really appealed to audiences around the nation.
What's the most challenging part of being an actor?
The rejection. You can be rejected on a daily basis if not more. The uncertainty is the hardest thing to deal with. It doesn't always matter how good of an actor you are, there are always other factors out of your control. I just have the mindset that I enter every audition or taping knowing that I'm prepared and giving it my best shot and I try to let go of the rest. I do tend to micromanage the audition or scene I shot after it's done when I can't do anything about it and I think I will always do that. This is common even among the most esteemed actors.
Some people think that if you have a big role on a TV series for a while you can just walk into your next job. It doesn't often work that way. You have to reinvent yourself after every gig. You may get offers to do the same genre again, but if I wanted to do the same thing every day I would have chosen a different career.
To what or whom do you attribute your success?
I don't think I'm the greatest actor and I won't ever say that, but I can say that I'm one of the hardest working actors and that has helped with my success. I've been very lucky. I shoot for nine or ten months of the year and I haven't shot anything in New York in almost five years. It can be hard since New York is where my home and family are. Having an anchor- my wife and my kids- helps with my success a lot. The longest I can ever be away from my family is two weeks. I need a sense of normalcy, and that's what my family is for me.
What are your plans now?
I'm in the middle of shooting a film called Momentary Lapse of Reason. I'm reading a bunch of manuscripts because pilot season is starting. I'd love to do more comedy. I did a stint on The Office and I filmed a romantic comedy, but I always seem to be the straight guy while everyone else around me is scripted to be funny. I'd love to be a series regular on a comedy show.
See Sendhil's only local showing of Brahmin Bulls this Thursday, January 22nd at 7:30 PM at Pelham Picture House. You'll even be lucky enough to hear a Huffington Post-moderated Q&A afterwards. Purchase tickets ahead of time here andclick here to watch a preview. Brahmin Bulls runs for 96 minutes, is rated PG, and also stars Academy Award winner Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, and Academy Award nominated actor Michael Lerner.
Peter Strauss to Receive the Scarsdale Bowl
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This announcement was sent to Scarsdale10583 from the Scarsdale Bowl Committee: Peter Strauss, an extraordinary citizen with over 40 years of dedicated volunteerism to Scarsdale, will be the 2015 recipient of the Scarsdale Bowl, the community's highest award. The Scarsdale Bowl was initiated in 1943 to recognize an individual's outstanding contributions to the civic life of this community," said Jon Mark, the Chairman of the Scarsdale Bowl Committee. Strauss, a former Scarsdale Mayor, has served on over 25 different civic organizations and committees in Scarsdale and beyond. "Peter's civic service in a wide variety of capacities is a role model for volunteerism in the Village. His selfless contribution of time and energy to community affairs epitomizes the principles symbolized by the Bowl. We are delighted to recognize him as this year's honoree", said Mark.
Strauss will be honored at the Scarsdale Bowl dinner on Wednesday evening, April 22 at The Fountainhead in New Rochelle. Mark encourages all members of the community to attend and notes that the event is uplifting evening to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism in our Village. Scarsdale residents may receive a written invitation by emailing scarbowl@gmail.com.
The Bowl Committee, a diverse group of 15 community volunteers, selects the recipient after reviewing many worthy candidates who are nominated by the community.
Last Sunday evening, the Committee voted to honor Strauss. Delegates from the Bowl Committee including Chairman Jon Mark, Scarsdale Foundation President Evelyn Stock, Foundation Liaison Jane Veron, Foundation Secretary/Treasurer Robert Jeremiah and Committee Members Nan Berke, Kay Eisenman and Michelle Lichtenberg went to Peter's Greenacres home to break the good news. No one was home when the group arrived, so Lichtenberg called a mutual friend to innocently inquire as to Peter's whereabouts. As the phone conversation ended, the group began to disperse but then Peter's car drove down Brite Avenue and turned into his driveway. "It was dark and we couldn't imagine who you were", Laura Strauss, Peter's wife, told the group. Upon hearing the news Strauss said, "I am almost speechless, and I am never almost speechless. This is quite an honor".
Strauss has a long distinguished record of service to Scarsdale and the outside community. Currently Strauss is Treasurer of Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps, serves on the Board of Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling, and is a volunteer at White Plains Hospital.
Peter was Mayor from 2005 to 2007 and a Village Trustee from 2001 to 2005. Among his many achievements as mayor, Strauss is proud of his role in the development of Christie Place, installing larger and more legible Scarsdale street signs and working towards a new headquarters for the Ambulance Corp. He loved being Police Commissioner while Deputy Mayor, getting to know the policemen personally and occasionally riding with them while on duty. Upon Peter's retirement as mayor the late Irving Sloan described Strauss as "the gold standard of local government" and former mayor Ed Morgan praised Peter's "openness of process and strong emphasis on civil dialogue".
Strauss is a long-time champion of land use issues. He worked on many seminal development issues in Scarsdale including Christie Place, the Community Center and SVAC. He was co-chair of the Advisory Committee on Downtown Development. He also served on the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Scarsdale Forum's Zoning and Planning Committee.
A consensus builder and someone deeply connected to the betterment of all, Strauss has served as Chairman of the Village's Advisory Council on Human Relations. He was involved with establishing the home for the developmentally disabled on Foxhall Road.
A firm believer in Scarsdale's non-partisan system, Strauss has served as a member of the Procedure Committee. He also served as Chairman of the School Board Nominating Committee and as co-chairman of the Citizens' for Scarsdale Non-Partisan Government.
Peter has also focused considerable volunteer effort beyond Scarsdale's borders. He served as Vice Chair, National Director and NY Regional Chair of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, was a Director of the Greater NY Council of the Boy Scouts of America, was Westchester Chapter President of the American Jewish Committee, and was a member of the Ellis Island Museum Rededication Committee. He received the Hiram Hunn Award from the Harvard Admissions Office in 2007 for outstanding longtime service in recruiting and interviewing students from New York City. He has also served as his Class Secretary to Harvard Business School for over fifty years.
Peter immigrated to the United States from Germany at age 3 and grew up in Hartford CT, and Lancaster PA. He received his BA and MBA from Harvard. After four years in the ROTC program he served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Artillery. He is the retired President of Geska Management Co., Inc.
Peter's greatest joy is his family. He and his wife Laura have been married 52 years and have two daughters. His older daughter Carolyn lives in Hollywood , California and is Executive Producer of the television show Game of Thrones. Diana lives in Brunswick, Maine and is a location consultant for companies seeking Maine locations and backgrounds for their advertising. The Strauss' have three grandchildren, ages 11, 6 and 4.
Please join the Bowl Committee on April 22nd at The Fountainhead to honor Scarsdale's spirit of volunteerism and Peter Strauss.
School Board Nominating Committee Announces Slate of Candidates
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The SBNC Administrative Committee announces the slate of 2015 candidates for the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC).
The candidates in each of the five elementary school districts are:
1. Edgewood – Moira Ann Crouch, Daniel Moretti
2. Fox Meadow – Elizabeth (Liz) Guggenheimer, Pam Rubin, Beverley Sved
3. Greenacres – Elyse Mall Klayman, Terri Simon
4. Heathcote – Qing (Claire) He, Jacqueline Irwin, Sarah Persily, Jodie Roure, Laura Toniolo
5. Quaker Ridge – Jonathan Birenbaum, Lauren Rimland
The SBNC election will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. Residents may vote in person in the Auditorium lobby at the Scarsdale Middle School on that date from 7:00 to 10:00 AM and from 2:00 to 9:00 PM, or by mail-in ballot received by 4 pm on Election Day. In the event of a snow day, the election will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2015.
The Administrative Committee is seeking the election of 2 candidates in each district, with the exception of Heathcote, where it is seeking the election of 3 candidates to include the replacement of an SBNC member who has recently resigned.
All election information is available at www.scarsdalesbnc.com. Brochures containing biographical information on each candidate and instructions for completing and returning mail-in ballots will be mailed to Scarsdale residents and are also available on the website. Contributions to support the cost of printing and mailing the election brochure are appreciated; to donate, visit www.scarsdalesbnc.com/please.donate.
Life in Senegal: Excerpts from the Blog of Peace Corps Worker Abby Augarten
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Scarsdale resident and Cornell graduate Abby Augarten is now working in Senegal for the Peace Corps. She is publishing a blog about her experiences there and kindly gave us permission to excerpt portions of it for you. Here are just a few paragraphs from her more extensive posts. Read more here:
About Abby:
I graduated from Cornell University in 2013 with a BS in International Agriculture and Rural Development. Looking to apply my agricultural studies outside of the classroom, I moved to the East End of Long Island after college to work in organic vegetable production and dairy farming on two farms. I am now a Sustainable Agriculture Extension Agent with the Peace Corps in Senegal, serving from September 2014 to November 2016
Training: (from September, 2014)
Our group is sixty volunteers in agroforestry, urban agriculture, and sustainable agriculture (that's me!). Everyone has tons of stories to tell and laughs to share, which has made for a fantastic first week; it's a little bit like summer camp. It has been a week full of health and safety trainings, administrative overviews, vaccinations, interviews, cultural lessons, agricultural technical trainings and so much more.
Tomorrow we leave for our Community Based Training (CBT) and I will be in the town of Mbour. During the next couple months we will be dividing our time at our CBT homestay and the Thies training center. I will be at my CBT site with four other volunteers learning Mandinka and our Language and Cultural Facilitator, having language classes during the day and practicing Mandinka and experiencing the culture from my host family! I am prepared to have the language skills of a newborn and embarrass myself to no end, but to laugh it off with my new family.
Here I am with Sophia. Sophia is my oldest sister and she lives in Dakar, so I only spent time with her when she visited for Tabaski. Despite her less than thrilled facial expressions, she was one of the cheeriest people I met during community based training. She loves singing and dancing to Rhiana, talking about boyfriends and bra sizes, and most importantly– dressing me up for Tabaski. She did my makeup (no I'm not that tan, and yes I am wearing green eyeliner, blackened eyebrows, and lip gloss). She also did my hair- no one knew that you aren't supposed to brush out a Jew fro and make a Snookie bump. And the dress I am wearing was a gift from my youngest sister Oumy, who's a tailor.
Mother and daughter! Though it took a solid month for me to win her over, by the end of CBT I felt I could really talk to my host mom. She put up with my nonexistent Mandinka and I'm happy to have made her proud by the end of CBT. She seemed to always know when to give me a radi (frozen juices that are the equivalent of Senegalese ice cream), which she makes and sells for a living. And she did whatever she could to make sure I was always well-fed, bathed, and most importantly, happy.
Weather:
For those who have been concerned about the weather- yes, it is very hot and humid (though we are spoiled by an air-conditioned classroom). We've had a lot of rain (and power outages) and we are hoping for more. While typically the rainy season would be nearing an end around now, this year has been one of the most unpredictable years for Senegalese climate in the past few decades. With a very late start to the rainy season, everyone is hoping that the rainy season continues so that the crops can reach maturity in time to harvest, or problems with food insecurity would be exacerbated.
Language:
Mandinka is a minority language spoken by approximately 2-3% of Senegal's population. It is primarily spoken in central and southern Senegal, in the regions north and south of the Gambia (it is also greatly spoken in the Gambia). I won't know my permanent site for a couple months but I am so excited! Yesterday we had our first language class and I have a lot to learn! So far I've learned the word for cow (niiso), so I should be ready for any conversation!
Initial Weeks:
(October) If you ask anyone who has spent any time in Senegal, they will tell you just how important greetings are. How are you, How's the family, How is work, How is your health, How is the heat? So as I spent the hour bus ride to Mbour for my CBT stay, reviewing the greetings I wrote down the day before, I felt ready. However, what I hadn't realized was that an exchange of greetings, while very important, only takes up about thirty seconds.
By the time I finished exchanging greetings with mbama ("my mother"- a word I learned from her repeating it and simultaneously shaking her breast) and then with my new sisters, only a few minutes had passed. I was given a new Senegalese name, which I butchered and then forgot, just as I had done with all of my family members' names as well—a few more minutes had gone by. And the realization of how little I actually know settled in. All of my Mandinka skills were already on the table which left me with nine more hours in the day and nothing to say.
My mornings are filled with chores, a delicious bean sandwich and café touba (pretty much the chai equivalent for coffee), and then language class. The afternoon potentially involves a cold beverage on the days we need a little pick-me-up, lunch with my family, and a couple hours of lounging with my family under the mango tree and drinking attaya (tea). At 4 pm—ish—when the sun and heat are less brutal, we go to the garden where we get to practice our technical skills. So far we've built a compost pile and a few double dug beds, with a nursery and moringa intensive bed next on the list. As we would gather materials all over town, pushing our quite noisy wheelbarrow, neighborhood kids would come running from all directions. It was a game—who could push the wheelbarrow the fastest, gather the most materials, or get the most attention from the toubabs. But they were the best helpers, as we would search for cornhusks within garbage piles and strip leaves from huge heaps of stalks. And it gave us a purpose and place in the community, which I am so grateful to have. Though there really is nothing weirder than hearing "Toubab, I love you," as you are carrying a shovel full of fresh manure that you are collecting from the middle of the street.
Site Assignment:
(October 31) Last week was the moment we have all been counting down towards- site reveal! We walked out to the basketball court where the map of Senegal is painted, put on blindfolds and endured the building suspense. We each were spun around and led to our spot on the map, handed an envelope, tried to refrain from giggling or trying to figure out who was around us by blindly reaching out and touching those surrounding, and finally told to open our eyes.
I will be spending my two years in Koungheul Soce! Koungheul Soce is located in the eastern part of the Kaffrine region, in the peanut basin (pros peanuts are delicious, cons growing peanuts is rough on the soil). Koungheul Soce is 2 km from the nearest road town, but has the feel of a remote, quiet village- best of both worlds!
This week I had the opportunity of visiting Koungheul Soce and the volunteer I will be replacing- Sam, or Binta as she goes by in Senegal. Instantly I could feel just how much the volunteer loved the community and how much the community loved her. I met my family, future work partners and counterparts, and even my dog! I stayed in what will be my hut and my home for the next two years, and felt comforted by the family surrounding it. I was finally surrounded by Mandinka speakers, and to see what I was working towards was just the motivation I needed. I met work partners, saw a school garden, orchard, and seed bank project, and I am incredibly inspired and excited to build upon the existing projects and to develop new ideas with my counterparts.
Notable Moments from Koungheul Soce:
Peanuts:
The women here are amazing- endlessly working and putting the needs of the family and community above their own. They wake up, go to the well, water the garden, get the kids ready for school and send them off, and then finally have breakfast for themselves at nine. At ten they are off to the fields, working in the heat until 1:30. Then they come home for lunch, and crack and shell peanuts under the tree for a couple hours before going to work in the field or the garden. All the while caring for all of the children. One day my mom instructed me to rest- I told her how she needs to go rest! I said that she's so strong and that she works so much and does such amazing things- all of which she shrugged off and denied. I meanwhile, just have a sore butt from sitting, studying and talking. I have, however, successfully accomplished the two-hand cracking of peanuts (simultaneously opening peanuts in both my left and right hands).
Speaking of peanuts. I am nearing the end of my jar of my American peanut butter. Apparently I am eating a solely peanut based diet.
Dance time!
There's easily twenty young kids in my compound and do they love to sing and dance! They ask for songs in English and what started as the ittsy bittsy spider and mama shark, quickly evolved to the hokey pokey, the Macarena, and the chicken dance. The pretty much love any opportunity to shake their butts. A round of the Macarena has now become a common pre dinner ritual, though sometimes we switch it up. They reciprocate by teaching me some Mandinka dance moves of my very own. I'm just so glad I can't see what I look like- but they get a kick out of it!...so I probably look like a fool. If anyone has English song and dance suggestions, I am ready to diversify and all ears!
Read more about Abby's experiences in Senegal here:
Holiday Photo Opps
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Ambassador Girl Scouts from Troop 2672, Maia Deforge, Annabelle Stanley, Elena Ludwig, Megan Reynolds and Sarah Jathas (not pictured Dorianna Marambio) with some of the Christmas gifts they donated for a family of 9 for the adopt-a-family program supporting the Don Bosco Center in Port Chester.
The 9th annual WJCS Have-a-Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive run by WJCS Board Member Linda Plattus, second left above, collected almost 250 gifts and 50 gift cards totaling almost $6,000 worth of donations, enough to brighten the holiday season for 600 children across Westchester County, many of whom benefit from WJCS programs for children.
Special guests of the luncheon were a parent and child from the WJCS Infant-Toddler Learning Center in Yonkers. Yesenia Calixto, center above, shared her personal story and explained how her son, Brandon, has grown and matured, particularly in social skills, under the guidance of the program. The Infant-Toddler program recognizes the impact of early experiences on later learning abilities, and Calixto said her family is very grateful for its services. The Infant Toddler Learning Center is just one recipient of gifts collected at the annual Holiday Gift Drive, which was attended by Vicki Forbes, left, program director of WJCS Building Better Beginnings, which oversees the learning center, and Susan Lewen, director of development at WJCS.
Together with Plattus, who hosted the party in her home, several local companies donated food and other necessities, including Buon Amici, Cherry Lawn Farm Market, Cooked & Co., House of Flowers, Lange's Of Scarsdale and Standing Room Only. Support WJCS by sending gift cards, gifts or donations to: WJCS, Attn: Tamar Moskowitz, 845 N Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603
The Arthur Manor Neighborhood Association celebrated the holidays on Sunday, December 7 at Davis Park with a sing along, hot cocoa, the lighting of the holiday tree and a visit from Santa.
It is concert season at Scarsdale Middle School. December 3rd was the first of six winter concerts, featuring the Eighth Grade Band, the Butler/Fountain/Choice Eighth Grade Chorus, and the Seventh and Eighth Grade Jazz Band. Below is a picture of Mr. Nicholas Lieto conducting the Eighth Grade Band.
The Eighth Grade Band performed "Into the Clouds," "Earth and Sky," "Atlas" from Th Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and "The Avengers" conducted by Nicholas Lieto, Band Director.
The Eighth Grade Chorus performed "What a Wonderful World," two of the three songs from "Tres Canciones de Los Elementos: Eschuchar al Viento and Fuego under direction of Chorus Director Daniel Boniello and accompanied by Rumiko Isaksen.
The Jazz Band performed "All the Things Your Are," "Cool Joe, Mean Joe, Killer Joe," and "Blue Bossa" conducted by Band Director Nicholas Lieto.
