Tour Scarsdale's Premier Garden on May 18
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(Update May 12) This tour has been cancelled. On Sunday May 18th from 10 am to 12 pm, garden lovers will have the chance to tour one of Scarsdale's premier gardens and meet the landscaper who envisioned it. Garden Dialogues is offering a tour of Southlawn, a magnificent nine-acre property in Scarsdale, composed of numerous elements that collectively create an enchanting journey through a lush, beautiful and functional garden. The estate's design incorporates a driveway, motor court, great lawn, swimming pool and summer garden, stone stairs, cryptomeria circle, woodland areas, ravine, stumpery, white garden, paddock, meadow and turn out pasture, orangery and tennis court, and rill and pond.
Landscape architect Jorge Sanchez of SMI Landscape Architecture and the property owner will discuss their collaboration and the give and take that resulted in the site's creation.
Attendance is limited (usually no more than 30 people), the environment is relaxed, the event is informative and the cost is $45. Click here to register. Here's a link to the registration page. Registrants will be sent the address and other details a few days before the event.
The tour has been arranged by Garden Dialogues, a three-year-old program organized by The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a Washington, DC-based non-profit foundation, that is part of a broader network of programs designed to provide people with the tools to see, understand and value landscape architecture and its practitioners, much as people have learned to do with buildings and their designers. Here's a link to the foundation's website.
The Big Galut(e) and More at Shaarei Tikvah
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The Big Galut(e), a klezmer band whose repertoire also includes Jewish classical and folk music by Jewish composers from Italy, Spain, and Turkey will present two concerts at Shaarei Tikvah, the Scarsdale Conservative Congregation, on Sunday, May 18th.
The main concert at 2:00 pm will feature the Big Galut(e) band, who in addition to the usual klezmer instruments, will perform on some unique instruments such as the dumbek, the baroque guitar and the theorbo (a lute over six feet long). And the group will be joined by Cantor Cohen of Shaarei Tikvah for several special numbers.
At 11:30 the band will offer a free concert for children eight years old and younger called "The Li'l Galut(e)". Young families are encouraged to bring their children to hear some traditional music and see the instruments up close in a concert specifically geared towards young
children.
Between the two concerts, there will be a barbeque lunch to celebrate the holiday of L'ag B'Omer.
For information about concert and/or lunch tickets please call Shaarei Tikvah at 914-472-2013, ext. 300 or email [email protected]. Shaarei Tikvah is at 46 Fox Meadow Road in Scarsdale, NY.
Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration:
On May 1st at 7:00 pm Shaarei Tikvah, the Scarsdale Conservative Congregation will be hosting the 23rd Annual Communal Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration.... "Never Again .... Again: Rededicating our commitment to Human Rights and Diversity".
Houses of worship from Scarsdale, Bronxville and Eastchester will be participating.
Students from Eastchester High School will be speaking about their trip to concentration camps in Poland. Music and songs will be performed by students from Bronxville High School.
All are welcome, there is no admission fee.
Service Awards:
On May 14th two members of Shaarei Tikvah, the Scarsdale Conservative Congregation, will be among those presented with the Distinguished Service Awards from the Westchester Jewish Council.
Michal Kellner, a high school senior,has done great community servicework on behalf of USY, including being instrumental in planning and executing the teen fundraising dance for pediatric cancer research. She was president of the Shaarei Tikvah USY chapter and is now on the regional board serving all of Westchester and Rockland Counties. She also volunteers in the synagogue Hebrew School. She encourages other teens to get involved.
Wendy Hollander has been a volunteer in many organizations all her life. At the Jewish Council of Yonkers she created and is a mentor in the SMART program and gives workshops for the mentors. She serves on the JCY Holocaust committee which services students in the Yonkers area, and is a member of the JCY scholarship committee. She is a Vice President of Elana Hadassah and is a volunteer at Westchester Hospice & Palliative Care.
You Know You're a Scarsdalian If...
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Columnist Deborah Skolnik is out of town this week, but even down south she's got Scarsdale on the brain. Skolnik says, "Sitting here poolside, trying to enjoy the hibiscus flowers and instead wondering whether my daffodils are blooming at home, made me realize that you can take the girl out of Scarsdale, but can't take Scarsdale out of the girl. Which made me think you might enjoy this item...
YOU KNOW YOU'RE A SCARSDALIAN IF...
* You understand that the best stuff in life is free, but spend hundreds of dollars at Great Stuff every season.
* You spend summer days burning off 500 calories in the town pool in an attempt to lose weight, then consuming a 600-calorie Tornado Wrap at the snack bar.
* When someone in your office shouts out, "What does 'WRT' stand for?" You shout back, "Westchester Reform Temple!" before realizing the correct answer is probably "With Regards To."
* The phrase 'million-dollar home' brings to mind a 50-year-old, 3-bedroom ranch with avocado-green appliances, rather 
than Downton Abbey.
* Actually, though, you heard that that ranch house just got assessed for $1.7 million.
* You pity helicopter parents. They can't afford a hovercraft?
* You care, you really do, about Democratic and Republican platforms, but you care just a little more about platform tennis.
* When you hear someone mention The Homestead Act, you think of angry people sulking in luxury apartments rather than hearty 19th-century settlers plowing 40 rocky acres in Idaho.
* You've visited Salzburg and sampled Italian Village delights in a single day, without spending a dime on airfare.
* You know that being on the right track means working hard, being honest, keeping your goals in sight. Oh yeah, and running super fast up and over a covered bridge when Metro North gives you 30 seconds' warning that the city-bound train is coming in on the White-Plains-bound side.
Greenacres resident Deborah Skolnik is the mother of two and cops to doing at least 50% of the stuff listed here.
Passover: Scarsdale Style
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With Passover beginning on April 14th now's the time to plan your holiday celebrations. Everything you need from the food, the desserts, wine, fresh flowers and even serving pieces are available right here in Scarsdale. Take a look at what local merchants are offering and order early to ensure that you'll have what you need when you need it.
We asked some of Scarsdale's chefs and retailers what they were planning and here is what they shared:
Standing Room Only (SRO) on Weaver Street has an extensive Passover menu, offering some lighter options for the health conscious. Jack Tacconi explained that this year SRO has added some tasty options that are kosher for Passover but not laden with chicken fat. So in addition to stapes like chicken soup with matza balls, haroset and gefilte fish, you can serve vegetable chopped "liver with lentils – or go for the real stuff; and substitute a light carrot soufflé for Tzimmes, which is also available. Other innovative selections include a cauliflower leek kugel in an almond parsley crust and quinoa pilaf with vegetables and herbs. Of course the traditional fare is all there including brisket, roast chicken, and potato kugel, The extensive dessert menu includes a variety of macaroons, chocolate matza crunch, Passover brownies and much more. Click here to see the entire menu and call (914) 472-3007 to place your order.
Patisserie Salzburg on Christie Place in Scarsdale has a delectable Passover menu that's making me hungry as I review it. For appetizers there's white fish salad with roasted beet coleslaw, a Mediterranean pistachio and dried fruit haroseth and salmon cakes with orange fennel vinaigrette as well as matza ball soup and gefilte fish. Entrees include brisket with orange and date gremolata, veal shoulder with porcini mushrooms, garlic and rosemary, roast duck with mixed berry glaze and more. For sides choose from carrot and zucchini quinoa, roasted fennel with carrots and shallots or red wine mushroom ragout. Why cook? There are too many Passover desserts to list, but the flourless chocolate cake (7" for $32.50 or 10" for $49.50), Baked Almond Pear Tart (7" for $26.50 or 10" for $47.50) caught my eye as well as the assortment of macaroons and meringues. Stop by Patisserie Salzburg at 1 Christie Place to review the entire menu or click here to see entrees and desserts. To order, call 914-472-8300 or fax to 914-472-8303 at least 48 hours in advance.
Current Home on Palmer Avenue is offering free delivery of beautiful tableware to enhance your 
Passover Seder. Find silver serving utensils, ($37), a matza plate ($79), a contemporary seder plate by Nambe ($225), a Kiddush cup ($70) and more. Complimentary delivery to your door is available while supplies last or stop by Current Home at 8 Palmer Avenue in Scarsdale and select what you need.
Call to order at 914-723-2462.
Your table would not be complete without flowers and the Scarsdale Village Flower Shop can provide stunning custom made bouquets and centerpieces to highlight the holiday meal. Spring has sprung an your centerpiece can include fresh cherry blossoms, hyacinths, poppies, roses, hydrangea, gerbera daisies, lilies, ronoculous, freesia and even phalaenopsis orchids. Prices start from $50 and up and delivery is available. Scarsdale Flower Shop, 7 Harwood Court, Scarsdale, 723-0852.
What to drink? Zachys is offering 15% off over 60 kosher wines through April 22. Zachys prides itself on its wine selection across the board and their high quality kosher wine section is no exception. To celebrate, from April 4th to the 22nd, Zachys is taking 15% off all Kosher wine and spirits selections with sale prices starting at $8.49 for a fantastic Chardonnay from Alfasi, $11.89 for Bartenura Moscato, and $22.09 for Tishbi Pinot Noir. And as an added bonus, Zachys is dedicating its Enomatic machine to some of their favorite kosher wines, giving you the chance to try before you buy.
Here are their top 8 kosher for Passover wine selections:
- Alfasi Chardonnay 2011 Kosher {#377936}
- Yarden Mount Hermon White 2012 Kosher {#379323}
- Bartenura Moscato Kosher 2012 {#377538}
- Tishbi Pinot Noir Estate 2009 Kosher {#377398}
- Teperberg Silver Merlot 2009 Kosher {#363919}
- Carmel Appellation Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Kosher (90WE) {#364269},
- Agur Kessem 2011 Kosher {#371524}
- Barkan Superieur Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Kosher {#384129}
Photographer Ruth Raskin's Work on Display at the Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery
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Photographer Ruth Raskin will exhibit photographs from a two-week western road trip at the Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery in Larchmont from April 1 to 26. The show, titled "Road Trip: New Mexico" is part of a two-person photography show that also features a study of Hungarian Gypsies by Rita Baunok of South Salem. The gallery will hold a reception on Saturday, April 5, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
"This show is the culmination of a two-week road trip I took last year," said Scarsdale resident Raskin. "I shot 13 rolls of black and white film over the 1,500 miles my husband and I covered." Her trip started in Albuquerque and ended in Santa Fe. White Sands, Roswell, Santa Rosa and Taos were some of her many stops. Raskin does all of her own printing in her home darkroom.
In addition to the Mamaroneck Artists Guild, Raskin is a member of Soho Photo Gallery in New York City, Westchester-based The Ground Glass, The Greenwich Art Society and The New Rochelle Art Association. Among her awards was a "First Place in Photography" at the 2011 Armonk Outdoor Art Show. She studied at the International Center of Photography and the Center for the Arts at WCC.
The Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery is located at 126 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. See more of Raskin's work at: www.ruthraskin.com
