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The
Nyack Villager
®
November
2014
An independent monthly news magazine celebrating life and the arts in the Hudson River Villages
Graphic by Shel Haber © 2014 The Nyack Villager, Nyack NY
Autumn Leaves With Cat
Graphic by Shel Haber
WHITE PLAINS NY
5432
permit no.
The Nyack Villager is the only publication mailed to every residential address in all eight river villages—Upper Nyack, Nyack, Central Nyack,
South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont & Palisades NY, as well as many businesses and professionals in Rockland
and by subscription everywhere.
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2 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
REPORTER
at large
In this issue
Departments
The Gov. Malcolm Wilson Bridge
3 REPORTER AT LARGE
• The Gov. Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge
• Giant crane visits Nyack
• Carrying the Nobel Prize
• Civic groups urge end of single-use plastic bags
• Billboard on the Hudson
• Riverkeeper asks for support
• Some good news
Carrying the Nobel Prize
See page 4
According to oﬃcial New York State information, about 140,000 vehicles now cross
the 3.1-mile Tappan Zee Bridge every day.
8 NOVEMBER PLEASURES Art & entertainment this month
10 LETTERS to The Nyack Villager
15 COMMUNITY NOTES What else is happening in November
22 CALENDAR Highlights in November
What you need to know
about diabetic retinopathy
See page 18
23 OP-CALENDAR PAGE useful local phone numbers
12 RIC’S PICKS Ric Pantale on recent film releases
12 HISTORY OF FILM Ric looks at It’s a Wonderful Life
15 THEY GOT WHAT?! Donna Cox on current trends in real estate
Changes at Apple
See page 17
16 VALLEY COTTAGE ANIMAL HOSP Choosing your dog
17 THE MAC SHACK Vicky Schwaid on changes at Apple
18 THE DOCTOR IS IN Dr. Jeffrey Josef on diabetic retinopathy
Features
19 MYTHICAL BEASTIES The origin of the Shmoo et. al.
Mythical Beasties
See page 19
20 NEW DOGS IN TOWN
20 A CUP OF TEA
21 THE RESIDENT FOODIE On bread and gadgets
21 WORD HOUND Of gizmos and thingamajigs
On our November cover
Autumn Leaves With Cat
by Shel Haber, © 2014 The Nyack Villager, Nyack, NY
When it opened in 1955, its daily average
was 18,000 vehicles.
Back in 1950 the Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey planned to build a
bridge across the Hudson near the NY-NJ
border at Dobbs Ferry NY.
This proposal was strongly opposed by
the then-New York State Gov. Thomas
Dewey. He wanted to construct a bridge
to connect the New York State Thruway
across Westchester to the New England
Thruway.
Columns
14 REMEMBER THE DAYS? Jim Leiner on Camp Merit
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan
Zee Bridge is its oﬃcial name—but most
people just call it the bridge or the Tappan
Zee or the TZ.
Choosing your dog
See page 16
The Nyack Villager
November, 2014 Vol. 21 No. 3
Mailed on or near the first of each month to every residential address in eight river villages—Upper Nyack,
Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont and Palisades NY.
On the Internet at www.nyackvillager.com
E-mail news releases to us at [email protected] Deadline for our next issue, Dec. 2014 is Nov. 15.
Please include a contact name and telephone number
The Port Authority assured its bondholders that it would not allow any other group
to construct a river crossing within its jurisdiction. This jurisdiction ended just
one mile south of Nyack.
An editorial in the New York Times for
May10, 1950 said the site at Dobbs Ferry
would be appropriate because the Hudson
narrows considerably from its three-mile
width at the Tappan Zee; the Times editorial writer urged Governor Dewey to work
with Alfred Driscoll, the governor of New
Jersey, to put together a compromise that
would oﬀer Thruway travelers a reduced
bridge toll at the southerly crossing.
On May 12, 1950, with no compromise
reached, Governor Dewey got his version
of the bridge; it was announced that the
Port Authority had dropped its plans to
construct its own bridge.
The New York State Thruway would build
the bridge where Governor Dewey wanted
it—just outside the Port Authority's jurisdiction at Nyack, across the wide Tappan
Zee—the most expensive place it could be
built.
Now we the tax payers are rebuilding the
“the bridge”
More Reporter at Large stories appear on page 4
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 3
Carrying the Nobel Prize :)
REPORTER at large
Giant crane visits Nyack
As you might expect, winning the Nobel
Prize will change your life but, as one recent Nobel Laureate discovered, even carrying it around can be an adventure.
Astrophysicist Brian Schmidt won the 2011
Nobel Physics Prize for co-discovering dark
energy—the mysterious element of the universe that is causing the expansion of spacetime to speed up.
“It’s not like you get advanced warning,”
said Dr. Schmidt in a recent interview, “ they
just sort of call you up, in my case, in the
middle of cooking dinner. ‘Hello? By the
way, you’ve won the Nobel Prize.’”
The enormous super crane I Lift NY, ﬂoats
majestically next to the Tappan Zee Bridge.
It can lift up to 1,900 tons and is 328 feet
tall, higher than a 30-story building.
Despite its great size, the barge carrying the
crane rides high in the water, reducing the
need to dredge underneath it to keep it from
dragging on the river bottom.
Because of the great lifting capability of the
ﬂoating crane, Tappan Zee Constructors
(TZC) are able to pre-fabricate huge sections of the new twin-span bridge oﬀ-site,
saving both time and money, while increasing project quality and work-site safety.
Originally named the Left Coast Lifter, the
super-crane’s ﬁrst job was to replace part of
the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the
largest public infrastructure project in California’s history.
Purchased by TZC and recently nicknamed
I Lift NY, the massive crane’s next job is to
join in the construction of the new Tappan
Zee Bridge. Tappan Zee Contractors, in
part, won the bid to design and build the
new twin-span bridge because the crane is
expected to save time and money.
On Dec. 21 2013 the gigantic crane left
Oakland Harbor in California for New
York, pulled by two powerful, sea-going tug
boats. It traveled South, down California’s
coast, then along Mexico and Central
America. By January 15, it turned East
and went through the Panama Canal. Then
it sailed North along the Atlantic coast to
New York harbor—a journey of about 6000
miles. Its ﬁrst stop was the Port Authority
facility in Jersey City, where it underwent
modiﬁcations, complete inspection and reﬁnishing. A new computer system was installed.
Before the sun rose on October 6 as it departed its berth in Jersey City, the ﬁnal leg
of I Lift NY’s trip began. The two tugboats
guided the super crane past the Statue of
Liberty and One World Trade Center along
the Manhattan skyline, under the George
Washington Bridge, past the Palisades, up
the Hudson to Nyack.
Just before noon I Lift NY arrived South of
the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. A large
crowd of spectators was on hand to welcome
it, including Governor Andrew Cuomo and
Congresswoman Nita Lowey.
Governor Cuomo, aboard a boat on the
Hudson River said “I've never had a deep
emotional connection to a crane before.
But I want you to know that I truly am in
love with this crane. Any crane that saves
the state of New York over a billion dollars,
I love.”
Civic groups urge an end to single-use plastic bags
In a creative collaboration among Maria Luisa Whittingham, Keep Rockland Beautiful,
Bill Batson Arts and NyackNewsAndViews, Nyack’s Halloween Parade urged the public to
say NO to single-use disposable plastic bags. Those attending the parade were asked to
feed plastic bags to the costumed Bag Beauty and Bag Beast, who collected them for recycling. “It is scary that we continue to rely on single-use plastic bags,” said Maria Luisa. “If
people knew that every square mile of ocean has 46,000 pieces of ﬂoating plastic, killing
whales, birds, seals and turtles, we might start bringing reusable bags when we shop.”
4 The Nyack Villager June, 2013
The Nobel Prize medal is roughly the size of
an Olympic medal, weighs a half pound
and is made of gold. “When I won mine,”
says Dr. Schmidt, “my grandma, who lives
in Fargo, North Dakota, wanted to see it.
I was coming for a visit so I decided I’d
bring my Nobel Prize. You would think that
carrying it around would be pretty uneventful—but then I tried to leave Fargo with it.
When it went through the X-ray machine,
I could see the airport people were puzzled.
It was in my laptop bag. It’s made of gold,
so it absorbs all the X-rays—it’s completely
black. They had never seen anything completely black.
“They said, ‘Sir, there’s something in your bag.’
I said, ‘Yes, I think it’s in this box.’
They said, ‘What’s in the box?’
I said, ‘a large gold medal,’ as one does.
So they opened it up and they said, ‘What’s
it made out of?’
I said, ‘gold.’
And they said, ‘Uhhhh. Who gave this to
you?’
‘The King of Sweden.’
‘Why did he give this to you?’
‘Because I helped discover that the expansion rate of the universe was accelerating.’
—at which point, they were beginning to
lose their sense of humor. I explained to
them it was a Nobel Prize, and their main
question was, ‘Why were you in Fargo?’”
ACOR cancels 2014 Zombie Walk
Dear Rockland Residents—
We are sorry to announce the Zombie
Walk for The Arts Council of Rockland
has been cancelled for this year.
We aim to get enough Zombies together
for next year for a real scare! Until then—
stay tuned! More to come from The Arts
Council of Rockland.
Reporter at Large continues on page 6
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 5
Some good news:
Lowey announces grant
Congresswoman Nita Lowey, the Ranking
Member on the House Appropriations
Committee, announced a nearly $10 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to
help train long-term unemployed workers in
middle-to-high skill occupations in the
Lower Hudson Valley health industry,
speciﬁcally in Westchester and Rockland.
Billboard on the highway
Photo: Saluk Creative
More good news:
new national park
Jack Dunnigan, of Pickwick Books and
ACADA, told The Nyack Villager that
“funding for the sign and other advertising
projects goes through The Nyack Marketing
Association, a collaboration of civic, business and non-proﬁt groups, comprised of
ACADA, The Nyack Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Nyacks, The Nyack
Library, Nyack Hospital, and The Village of
Nyack.”
This week, President Barack Obama and
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that the San Gabriel Mountains
will be protected as a national monument.
If you would like to support the project ﬁnancially or by telling your friends, family
and neighbors about Nyack, phone Jack
Dunnigan at 845.358.9126.
The Wilderness Society has spearheaded efforts to protect the area for more than 10
years, from leading local partnerships to
outreach on Capitol Hill.
Riverkeeper asks for support
shipments on the Hudson itself.
Now this wild gem of Southern California
will be protected for current and future
generations.
Crude oil shipments along the Hudson are
putting everything we've fought for at risk.
We need your support so that Riverkeeper
can build on our successful grass-roots campaign to ﬁght an oil shipment industry that
has grown unchecked in New York, endangering communities and the environment
every day.
• With plans for an Albany terminal to ship
heavy "tar sands" crude – nearly impossible
to clean up in a spill—we ﬁled suit to ensure a full environmental review.
An eye-popping billboard promoting Nyack
is located on the West Side Highway at
134th Street in New York City. Its big
headline says “Presenting our 334 Fall Season” and, in a big blue box, “Nyack Art &
Soul on the Hudson” followed by an invitation to contact Visitnyack.org. The sign
features a photo of spectacular fall foliage
by Dr. Arnold Roufa.
Peter Saluk of Saluk Creative, who was instrumental in getting the sign made and
placed, said, “the goal is to drive awareness
of the village and reach the commuters who
drive from Westchester, Connecticut and
New Jersey, as well as those who live on the
Upper West Side, to come visit everything
that the village has to oﬀer.
“The billboard is expected to generate 2.2
million impressions and lead people to the
Nyack website at www.visitnyack.org
A series of derailments and explosions
across the U.S. and Canada reveal unacceptable risks, most tragically in Lac-Megantic,
Quebec, where 47 people lost their lives.
Riverkeeper is ﬁghting to protect public
health and the environment:
• We blew the whistle on the sudden inﬂux
of 100-car oil trains, "rolling pipelines" that
move crude oil from the Bakken ﬁelds in
the Midwest through Albany and along the
Hudson River banks.
• We sounded the alarm over the specter of
oil spill from increasingly massive crude oil
6 The Nyack Villager June, 2013
The San Gabriel Mountains are in one of
the busiest forests in the nation, serving as
the wild “backyard” for Los Angeles. In addition to serving as a recreation destination
for millions, the range provides one-third of
Los Angeles County’s drinking water and
Mr Saluk said, “there are plans for advertis- more than 70 percent of its open space. The
San Gabriels also provide essential habitat
ing during the holiday season, a targeted
digital video plan, out of home, and contin- for wildlife, including rare and endangered
ued social and SEM support, as well as local species like California condors, Nelson's
bighorn sheep and mountain lions.
radio including Pandora.”
The startling fact is that no preparation is
suﬃcient to undo the damage from a spill.
The only way we'll prevent disaster is to
combine our legal expertise with the power
that comes from having the people on our
side. That's you.
Orange & Rockland is dredging
In Nyack where Gedney Street meets the
Hudson River, O&R is dredging and trucking oﬀ toxic coal tar residue to a safe disposal facility. The waste is from a plant
closed 50 years ago, where the former owner
made gas for cooking and lighting from coal.
Now, for air safety reasons, the work is taking place is a structure equipped with an
air-handling and carbon-ﬁlter treatment
Please help us stand up to corporations that system. Before the sediments are trucked
put proﬁts above your safety. Support
oﬀ site, they are drained and treated with
Riverkeeper as we ﬁght for the protections
kiln dust to dry them out for safe transport.
that our river and local communities deserve. In their statement, O&R estimates that ap—Sincerely, Paul Gallay
proximately 19,500 tons of soil and sediPresident and Hudson Riverkeeper
ment will be trucked away and about 6,850
cubic yards of soil has been solidiﬁed to enBecome a member of Riverkeeper by contacttomb the remaining coal tar residue.
ing Dan Shapley at [email protected]
The work is due to be completed by the end
or 914-478-4501 x226. Have a look at their
of December, 2014. ✫
website by searching Hudson Riverkeeper
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 7
A
rt
en
t
Nov
res
ber Pleasu
em
& En te r t a i n
m
on guitar. Tickets are available at BrownPaperTickets.com
and at the door. There will be a silent auction for all ages
and refreshments for sale including freshly-popped popcorn,
local pickles, cider, apples and donuts from Conklin Farms.
Friday, November 14, from 7 to 9:30 pm.
Admission: $10
The Return of the Eagles to Rockland
County—a Photographic Journey
Subscribe now for savings—purchase a season pass for all
three Milk & Cookies shows at $35 and save $10. Save on
handling charges too.
The second program in 2014’s ArmChair Walking Tour Series
will be presented by Ray Wright, a noted wildlife photographer and former Nyack realtor.
Clown Asylum—Haunted House
Fundraiser for Hi Tor Animal Shelter
From his extensive collection of wildlife photographs, Ray
Wright will show many of his photographs, especially those
of eagles which, in recent years, have returned to Rockland
County. He will discuss the many photographic techniques he
employs to create the great images you will see.
The program will be presented first at the Nyack Library, 59
S. Broadway, at 7pm, on Wednesday evening, November 19
and will be repeated the following afternoon, Thursday, November 20 at 2pm at Valley Cottage Library on Route 303.
Young Cowgirls at the Blue Rock Family Barn Dance
• Grace Episcopal Church Choir
Historical Society seeks vintage toys in concert
The Historical Society of the Nyacks is planning a Children's
Old Toy Exhibition that will open December 6th at our museum
in the DePew House. We are looking for dolls, doll houses,
stuffed animals, puppets, children's books and games, toy
soldiers, model cars, trucks, planes, trains and other interesting items enjoyed by children prior to 1955.
What toy did you love so much that you still own it—to this
day? We are interested in all toys, not just priceless dolls or
vintage miniature trains, but the ratty, much-adored playthings of your youth.
If you have items you can lend for our exhibit please contact
Leontine Temsky at [email protected] or Florence
Katzenstein at (845) 353-0131. No phone calls after 8 pm,
please.
directors of Walk to the Beat who bring to Nyack Center
spirited dances drawn from many cultures, inspiring children
and families to dance and drum. After the show, the room
becomes an interactive space with demonstrations, lessons
and opportunities for kids to try out what they've just seen.
Sat, Nov 29 at 2pm. Recommended ages 1-10 years old.
Tickets: $15 (children under 18 months admitted free).
Grace Episcopal Church,130 1st Ave, Nyack, NY.
The Grace Episcopal Church Choir sings the
music of Copland, Barber, Thompson and
other American composers in a celebration
of the places we call Home—a place
where the heart resides.
November 16 at 4pm. Tickets $20; senior
adults $15; Children under 12 admitted
free. Info: www.gracemusic.info
GraceMusic 845.358.1297,
[email protected]
October 31 & November 1 from 6 to 10pm at the
MacGuffie Mansion, 591 South Mountain Road, New City.
Admission $8 for adults, $5 for kids and students with ID
For two nights the haunted mansion of the late Dr. Martha
MacGuffie will be occupied by zombies and clowns as Hi Tor
Animal Shelter prepares to host its second annual haunted
house fundraiser. Info: Hi Tor Animal Shelter 914.548.9098
or [email protected]
Carnegie Concert Jazz Series
at the Nyack Library, 59 S. Broadway, Nyack
ROCKLAND JAZZ & BLUES SOCIETY present
RHYTHM AND BLUES ARTIST SaRON CRENSHAW AND HIS
QUARTET. One of the great masters of blues, singing and
performing in the Carnegie-Farian Room. Admission $2515. Friday November 14-7:30pm. Info: www.rcjbs.org
Nyack Library Carnegie Room
Nyack Library, Carnegie Room. 59 South Broadway, Nyack
The three acclaimed Furuya Sisters—all Juilliard graduates,
perform together in a piano trio.
Furuya Sisters Concert Series, Friday, Nov 21 at 7:30pm.
Info: 914.200.3622 or FuruyaSisters.com/concerts.htm
[email protected] $40 at the door or $35 in adFeaturing 3 Songs on Poems by W.B.Yeats, The Iris Suite,
Pavan & Fantasia and more. With performances by Marigene vance at http://www.carnegieconcerts. org/event/the-furuya-sisters-concert-series/
Kettler, Melissa Alexander, Jacquelyn Drechsler, Chris Cardona & Matthew Baier.
Nyack College School of Music
November 23 at 4pm. Tickets $15. Info 845.548.4516 or
45 South Blvd. Nyack, NY 10960. 845.675.4687.
[email protected]
• Recital of original compositions
Grace Episcopal Church,130 1st Ave, Nyack, NY
All events free.
4th Annual Blue Rock Barn Dance
Congers Lake Memorial Park Auditorium, 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers,
NY 10920
Come one, come all! It’s the fourth annual old-fashioned
Family Barn Dance with contra dancing and live fiddle
music. Children of all ages are welcome, and no previous
dance experience is necessary. Renowned dance caller, Eric
Hollman, will lead the way as guests step to live, traditional
fiddle tunes from Ireland, New England and beyond. This
year’s musical lineup includes husband and wife duo The
Poor Cousins; Naomi Morse on fiddle and Emmet McGowan
8 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
• Arts Rock: Guitar Magic
Celebrating Paul Simon
• ART SERIES: ANTHONY NEWMAN
Harpsichord & organ. Wed, November 5 at 12:30pm.
Nyack Library, Carnegie-Farian Room. 59 South Broadway, Nyack
• NYACK SCHOLARS SYMPOSIUM
“Medieval Music and Healing Music of Today; Wed, Nov 5 at
12:30pm and Thurs, Nov 6 from 1:30 to 2:30pm &
Well-known contemporary guitarists pay tribute to the masters of the instrument. The series is hosted and curated by
Jeff Doctorow. Friday, November 7 at 8pm.
Tickets: advance $20, student $15, at the door $25. Saturday, November 29 at 2pm.
• Milk and Cookies Playhouse
Walk To the Beat, Jr.
Nyack Center, 58 Depew Avenue, Nyack
Calling all children and families to an exciting interactive
percussive music and dance performance by Nyack's own
Anna de la Paz (flamenco) and Heather Cornell (tap)—two
• STUDENT COMPOSITION CONCERT
Nyack students perform. Tues, Nov 11 at 7pm.
• FALL CHAMBERFEST CONCERT
Pardington Hall. Thurs, Nov 13 at 7pm.
• FALL STRING ORCHESTRA CONCERT
Students, faculty, and community instrumentalists perform
Wed, Nov 19 at 8pm.
• FACULTY RECITAL
Dr. Tammy Lum, piano, performs in memory of Ralph Ellenberger, late Professor Emeritus. Thurs, Nov 20 at 7pm.
November Pleasures continue at right
Nyack Center’s 3rd
Annual Craft Fair
Sat, November 22 from 10 to 4
Join over 40 artisans for original
arts & crafts, music, food and fun.
Entry is free. Beautiful jewelry,
textiles, leather crafts, art, fashion. Great shopping for the
holidays. At Nyack Center, 58 Depew Avenue, Nyack NY
At Palisades Community Center
675 Oak Tree Road in Palisades
• FALL FLEA MARKET
Great finds at great prices at this multi-family community
flea market. For more info or to rent a display table, e-mail
[email protected]
November 8 & 9 from 9am to 3pm each day.
• 7TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY CRAFT BAZAAR
Crafts by Hudson Valley artisans
Sunday, November 23 from 10am to 4pm; e-mail
Orangetown Historical Museum and
Archives
Salyer House, 213 Blue Hill Road, Pearl River, NY
A DUTCH FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Join us for an afternoon with Sinterklass and reflection on
Orangetown’s Dutch heritage at our historic home which will
be decorated in its Christmas finery. In cooperation with the
the Tappan Reformed Church. Info: call 845.398.1302 or
visit [email protected]
ple/actors who built an empire bearing his name do. Please
December 6 museum opens at 1pm, program begins at 2 pm. register. Wednesday November 12 at 7pm.
Free, donations accepted.
• INDIVIDUAL CAREER COUNSELING SESSIONS
with Eileen Grimm. You will be guided through a step-byAt Nyack Library
step approach to your job search, re-entry into the workforce
59 South Broadway, Nyack; info/registration call: 845.358.3370
or re-building your resume.
or e-mail [email protected] All listed events are free.
• WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR? CHILDREN'S PROGRAM
For children ages 5-9. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on
what means the most to us. Make your list and decorate a
frame to put it in to preserve it for years to come. Space limited, please register. In the Children's Story Hour Room
Tuesday, November 25 at 4:30pm.
• HISTORY MYSTERIES
What happened to the lost colony of Roanoke? Listen carefully to the facts and use your imagination to write the endings to these historical riddles. Space is limited, please
register. Thursday, November, 20 at 4:30pm.
• FOOD FOR THOUGHT SERIES OIL AND WATER:
PRIVATIZATION AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
David Greene presents a thought provoking discussion about
the role of private corporations and their philanthropic foundations in the public school system. Please register. In the
Community Meeting Room Tuesday, November 18 at 7pm.
• BOOK TALK: “INSIDE THE WHIMSY WORKS”
My Life with Walt Disney Productions, presented by Grey
Johnson, the son of Jimmy Johnson, author of this book.
Walt Disney needs no intro, but many of the interesting peo-
You MUST register at extension 214. Nov, 11 and 18 (both
Tuesdays) 6:30pm by appt.
Bill Batson ...
Bill Batson, everybody’s favorite Nyack Sketch artist, is
about to publish a compilation of 53 sketches and short essays. You can pre-order a signed copy of the limited first
edition by stopping at Bill's booth at the Nyack Farmers Market or by visiting his page at billbatsonarts.com
The Launch Party for Bill's book is Thursday, Dec. 4 at the
Hudson House, 134 Main Street, from 6 to 8pm.
Farm-To-Table Harvest Dinner
at Hudson House, 134 Main St. Nyack, NY
Featuring produce from Cropsey Community Farm and locally
sourced ingredients prepared by Chef Jeffrey Kaufman. An
evening celebrating local foods and learning about our exciting plans for 2015. Event supports the Rockland Farm Alliance, a 501C-3 non-profit group.
$200 per person, $350 per couple, $1500 table of 8.
Thurs, Nov 6; cocktails at 6:30, dinner at 7:30.
November Pleasures continue on page 11
The Nyack Villager month, 2006 9
An open community forum.
Letters
to the editor
Opinions expressed are those of
each letter writer; The Nyack Villager
need not agree.
Noise from Nyack Hospital
To The Nyack Villager—
The residents of Front Street in Nyack are
trying to get Nyack Hospital to do something about the noise emitting by the air
handling units on the North side of their
roof. Over the past couple of months several residents have contacted them, including Mayor White; to date they seem not to
have done anything about it.
If you have a child in grades one through
eight, you might wonder how good a speller
your child is. Here is a way to ﬁnd out;
contact North East Spelling association for
an application or information for your child
to compete at nesb2015 @ g-mail or send a
self-addressed long stamped envelope to
P.O. Box 32, Auburn NY 13021. Be sure to
include the child's name and grade. There
is a small entrance fee to help defray costs of
the service.
Sincerely,
—Michael Ricci, Ex. Dir.
Saving village trees
To The Nyack Villager—
I sent the enclosed petition signed by 31
residents to Jen White earlier this month.
I am now mailing a hard copy to the Hospital hoping it might encourage them to take
action.
Would you be able to include something
about it in the in the Villager? Please feel
free to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
—Laurie Donald
Front Street Resident, Nyack
Toward better spelling
To The Nyack Villager—
Many people believe that children no
longer need to learn how to spell because
every computer has a spell-check and they
may not fully understand the limitations of
a computer’s spell-check.
Even some educators believe that to teach
spelling is a waste of time. Let's see what a
spell-check can do for someone who is a
poor speller.
Our village has an Architectural Review
Board. If someone wants to change the
outside appearance of their home they must
take their plan to the Board. The Board
looks it over and decides, essentially, if the
new appearance of the house would upset
people’s sensibilities. I assume their discussions boil down to one question: would the
alterations make the town less beautiful?
Okay, I get that. In fact, I even like it.
So, if a committee like this exists, then why
is there no committee to ask the same sort
of questions and make the same kind of decisions about Nyack’s trees?
Our trees have a much greater impact on
our aesthetic sensibilities than someone’s
front porch. They give a more immediate
Usually a computer will display a wavy line and positive gut reaction. You look down a
under a word which is incorrectly spelled.
street lined with majestic, stately trees and
To try to help you ﬁx it, the computer gives you say, “Wow, what a gorgeous town!”
you choices; usually only one is correct—
When I see someone’s porch overhang sudbut which one? There are many homophones denly extended 5 feet over their driveway,
(words which sound alike, but are spelled
my throat doesn’t clench up. I don’t stand
diﬀerently. These are common ones: there, there with tears welling up while saying,
their, and they're.) They sound alike, but
“Why? Why?” But that’s exactly what hapare spelled diﬀerently and have diﬀerent
pens when I come upon an empty spot
meanings. Even some journalists misspell
where just two days prior a giant tree once
some words. Take the word linchpin: it is
stood.
frequently misspelled because many people
I was recently out of town for a ﬁve-week
are familiar with the family name—lynch.
period and came back to ﬁnd a crime scene
We all need to spell words correctly because where the wholesale slaughter of trees took
bad spelling can be embarrassing, and often place—the 300 block of North Broadway.
reﬂects poorly on the writer.
On the sidewalk crack was the telltale or10 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
ange painted stripe (which to me shouts,
“We took the easy way out! We cut down
the trees!”) I spoke with some irate Upper
Nyack residents who informed me that the
Upper Nyack Trustees decided to remove
the trees without any community input
other than the threat of a law suit by an injured neighbor.
This has to stop. No one wants people tripping and hurting themselves, but there has
to be a better method of dealing with a tripping public than by hauling out the tree
cutting equipment every time someone
cries, “Lawsuit!”
We need a Tree Review Board that will examine each complaint about a broken sidewalk. And I strongly suggest that, from this
day forward, we use our brains and imagination to adopt a solution other than cutting down the tree. A tree takes years and
years to grow back. A sidewalk can be ﬁxed
in two days.
A possible solution: Where a tree has lifted
and broken a sidewalk, the sidewalk could
be removed and then a new one re-shaped
to gradually arc over the tree roots. Walkers, bikers, and baby strollers could gently
glide over it. Okay, it’s diﬀerent, but I’d
much rather look at a hilly sidewalk than a
ﬂat one with no trees, or with the oﬀending
crack still there because the tree was removed
and the sidewalk never ﬁxed. Even if the
arc sidewalk is not a great solution, the
point is that with some eﬀort, a workable
plan is possible; I’m sure of it.
Nyackers love their beautiful homes and
they love their beautiful trees. They deserve
equal consideration.
—Tom Dudzick, Nyack
[Editor’s note—
Longtime Villager readers with good memories
may remember Tom Dudzick’s cartoon, which
we printed some years ago and reprint here—
because the problem remains as vexing as ever.
Doesn’t Nyack have a Tree Commission? We
could swear we heard of one formed some years
ago, headed up by knowledgeable arborists.
We think it’s time to revive it.]
The Nyack Villager
welcomes letters on all
subjects. E-mail your
letter to us at
[email protected]
November Pleasures start on page 8
At Hopper House
82 N. Broadway, Nyack. 845.358.0774.
• WENDELL MINOR: ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
"EDWARD HOPPER PAINTS HIS WORLD"
November 7 thru January 4, 2015. Illustrations by Wendell
Minor created for the new picture book biography “Edward
Hopper Paints His World,” written by Robert Burleigh.
• EDWARD HOPPER IN NYACK memorabilia, early work,
and Christmas cards by Edward Hopper, created while he
was living in the Nyack home; memorabilia, includes model
boats, paint boxes, an easel and Christmas cards Hopper illustrated and sent to family and friends. Ongoing.
FIRST FRIDAY EVENTS—
• BOOK TALK AND SIGNING with illustrator Wendell Minor
Friday, November 7, from 7 to 8pm. Artist Wendell Minor
discusses the process of creating "Edward Hopper Paints His
World," a picture book biography that introduces Hopper to
the next generation.
• ACRYLIC LECTURE DEMO presented by Patti Mollica, local
author and artist. Friday, December 5 from 6:30 to 8pm.
A fun, fast-paced, informative lecture on acrylics and their
application possibilities. Participants who register in advance will receive free product samples and a packet of literature, including color charts and creative ideas for using
artist’s acrylics. To register, contact Patti Mollica at
[email protected].
• FIRST FRIDAY ARTIST OF THE MONTH RECEPTIONS
at Edward Hopper House: November Artist Member of the
Month: Michael Stimola; Reception November 7 from 6-8pm.
December Artist Member of the Month: Rae Court; reception
Dec 5 from 5 to 6:30pm.
• DOCENTS NEEDED
Hopper House seeks volunteer docents to work at least five
hours per month giving tours and gallery talks. For more
info visit www.edwardhopperhouse.org/docent-program
• CONTINUING EXHIBITIONS
Small Matters of Great Importance: En Route: Annual Juried
Small Works Show.
Continues through January 4, 2015.
Hopper House presents its 21st annual small works exhibition. This year’s theme, En Route, celebrates the new bridge
being built across Edward Hopper’s beloved Hudson and recognizes his frequent use of travel themes in his paintings.
Nursery School of the Nyacks
Info 845.348.3282 [email protected]
Join Mario the Magician for an uplifting, inventive, and
highly interactive magical performance to benefit the nonprofit Nursery School of the Nyacks.
Saturday, November 15 at 11am in Memorial Hall at Grace
Church, 130 First Avenue, Nyack.
Tickets: $30 for family of 4 / $35 for more than 4;
buy online at http://NSNMarioShow.brownpapertickets.com
November Pleasures continue on page 17
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 11
Ric’s Picks
by Ric Pantale
November releases on
DVD and On Demand
November is, of course, the beginning
of the Holiday season. We will all
watch our favorite Holiday films both in our collections
and on TV. Some of us will fall asleep, others will put
on a movie or watch a show, simply because it's comforting. It's nice to have a movie playing in the background while we decorate, cook, or entertain.
OUR RATING SYSTEM—
★
1 STAR Forget about it: go for a walk.
★★
2 STARS Fair
★★★ 3 STARS Good
★★★★ 4 STARS Excellent
November 4 (PG) fantasy
MALEFICENT ★★★★
Disney studios tells the back-story of the villain from
the 1959 Classic “Sleeping Beauty.” Maleficent wasn't
always nasty and bad—she had more than one good
reason to turn out the way she did— ruthless betrayal
turns her heart to stone. Revenge makes her put a
curse on little Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). But after a
while Maleficent begins to have second thoughts.
Anjelina Jolie Stars as Maleficent.
November 4 (R) drama
A MOST WANTED MAN ★★★★
It's bittersweet to see Philip Semour Hoffman in any
film. This is one of his last—and it's a good one.
Hoffman plays a covert agent for a German spy unit in
Germany in 2012.
November 11 (R) musical
JERSEY BOYS ★★★★
Clint Eastwood never ceases to amaze. He
had a great career as an actor and another
as a director. As a director, he does good
stuff—simple as that.
Jersey Boys is his movie version of the
Broadway hit. The Jersey Boys are, of
course, the lads who make up the classic group, “The
Four Seasons.” Coming from the wrong side of the
tracks in New Jersey, they form a group that puts out
hit after hit in the 60s. Now, because of the hit musical, they are being discovered and loved by a new generation. Great acting and good music.
November 18 (R) action
SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR ★★★★
Frank Miller (writer) and Robert Rodriguez (director)
combine talents again to condense two of Miller's stories into a brutal, stylized version of his graphic novels.
Not for everybody and certainly not for young minds
but whether you are a fan or not, you have to marvel
at the creativity of these two men. Bruce Willis and
Mickey Rourke are back, but sadly, not Clive Owen.
November 18 (PG-13) drama
INTO THE STORM ★★★
If you liked “Twister,” you’re going to love this movie.
All in the course of just one day, a cluster of tornadoes
rock the town of Silverton. Of course, many people
take shelter (as well they should) but some run happily into the storms, trying to get that great, wonderful
shot. This exciting film follows these idiots—sorry, I
had to include that—but because they do, you get a
pretty good film with great special effects.
November 18 (PG) drama
IF I STAY ★★★
A mysterious man shows up one day in a German IsBased on the best selling novel, this is the kind of film
lamic Community, half tortured and almost dead. He
Douglas Sirk would have made in the 50s 60s—a
tells of an enormous fortune belonging to his deceased
story about a young woman who dreams of attending
father.
Juilliard but also dreams of being on a different path
Along the way, he enlists the aid of a female lawyer to to be with the love of her life. Unfortunately one day
help him. Is the stranger, a thief, victim or a terrorist? everything changes and she's thrown into a life-orThat's what Hoffman has to find out. See it because it’s death situation. In this state she must decide her own
about love, rivalry and politics—and we all like that
future. Sound like a ‘woman's movie?’ It's not. I liked
it —and I root for the Chicago Bears.
Have a great Thanksgiving everyone. It's the one holiday we Americans can all enjoy together.
Ric Pantale writer and director, is an independent ﬁlm maker.
✫
History of Movies
by Ric Pantale
PART 1: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Soon, it will be time for us to see “It's a Wonderful Life”
again. Dust off your DVD copy or wait for it on Television. If
you’re a real fan, you can actually visit the town of Bedford
Falls. It's only about 200 miles North in the Finger Lakes
Region of our great state—only it's called Seneca Falls.
I came across this town about 20 years ago on my way back
from Elmira NY (mentioned in the film). I stopped for coffee and when I got out of my car, I thought the place was
strangely familiar. Fascinated, I walked up the tree lined
street with an island running down its center—when I saw
it. I sat down on a bench and stared at the steel truss bridge
with the little house next to it—and I knew I had accidentally stumbled upon Bedford Falls. It was all there, the
bank, the snowy walkways and the bridge. I soon found out,
however, it wasn't my discovery; others have thought the
same thing, in fact the town was made famous by the film.
Later on, I did some investigating and found that the town,
Seneca Falls, plays it up big during the holidays. They hold
readings, enactments, and all kinds of “It's A Wonderful Life”
activities.
How did this film become such a popular Christmas classic?
In my columns for this month and next, we'll go over this in
detail. But first a little background.
“It's A Wonderful Life” didn’t start off as a Christmas picture
—in fact it was released in 1947 after Christmas. The stars,
James Stewart and Donna Reed, were not the first choices to
play the Baileys. Meant to be a post-war movie to re-enforce American values, it was based on unpublished short
story written in 1939—a story that didn’t win any prizes.
If you examine the film, you have to notice it’s a dark story,
dealing with possible suicide, accidental poisoning, death
and terrible greed, not to mention a town filled with unpleasant people. When it was released, most critics dismissed it as unimportant and downright uncomfortable.
After all, in his fury, George is mean to his wife and children.
When we see what life would have been without George, it
gets worse. Mr. Gower, (the pharmacist) is in prison, Martini, the friendly bar owner, doesn't own the pleasant bar;
the new owner turns it into a seedy dive. Even lovable Uncle
Billy is institutionalized. George's Mother is a bitter, lonely
woman, his brother, whom he saved from drowning in his
real life, drowns and all the servicemen he saved died. His
beautiful wife, Mary, never marries and lives out her days in
sadness and loneliness. Dark, you betcha. Even though
George never gets to leave Bedford Falls, he understands
that his life has mattered. Thanks to Clarence, his Guardian
Angel, George gets the chance to redeem himself.
Here where it struck home with a lot of viewers: audiences
began to see it as a heart-warming story of redemption and
starting over; it became an unexpected classic
Soon after its release, the film was a modest critical success,
though it never recouped its two million dollar budget—a
lot for 1946. This big budget picture bombed, was quickly
12 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
forgotten and everyone went on with their careers.
But that's not the beginning. As we mentioned, the short
story was never published so its author decided to use it as a
big Christmas card. Somehow, it got noticed by Frank Capra.
The brilliant and famous director liked it. He had just returned from World War 2 and wanted this to be his first film
back in Hollywood.
Capra wanted Henry Fonda to play George, but Fonda was
busy. He then offered the part to Gary Cooper, who turned it
down. He next called Cary Grant, but Grant wanted to do
only light comedy—so then he offered it to James Stewart,
who was himself just coming back from war. Stewart liked it
and accepted the part. The Mary role was first offered to
Ginger Rogers, who hated it, then to Jean Arthur, who was
unavailable due to a Broadway commitment. Finally Capra
decided on a little-known B-list Actress named Donna Reed
when he saw her picture on a movie poster.
In my next column we will deal with the aspects of the production and go over little-known facts and trivia.
But now let's continue and make the connection to Seneca
Falls. In 1945 Frank Capra was traveling in upstate New
York to see his Italian relatives when he stopped in Seneca
Falls to get a haircut. He and the barber liked each other
and talked about their homeland, Italy. After the haircut,
the barber offered to show him the town. Copra was impressed with it's beauty and all-American hominess. They
walked to the bridge and, it was written years later, Capra
stared for a long time at the water beneath the bridge, almost in a trance. Soon Capra was back in Hollywood, working on the screenplay for the film. Who knows what he was
thinking and what he took away from his visit with the barber and the town of Seneca Falls....
SENECA FALLS AND BEDFORD FALLS—
POINTS OF CONVERGENCE
1. GEOGRAPHY—Seneca Falls is located in upstate New
York, near Rochester, Buffalo, and Elmira; are all mentioned
in the movie as close by.
2. Frank Capra visited Seneca Falls in 1945.
3. Seneca Falls has a truss bridge and a Bridge Street.
The bridge has a plaque commemorating a past hero who
died saving a jumper.
4. Both towns Bedford Falls and Seneca Falls are mill
towns that have a canal.
5. Both towns have a significant population of Italian
and Irish heritage
6. Seneca Falls has Main Street that bears striking similarity to Bedford Falls, and at one time even had a movie
theater and a tree lined median.
7. Some characters in Seneca Falls strongly resembled
Bedford Falls people who lived in 1945. The real druggist
was named Guion; in the movie it is Gower—named after
Gower Street in Hollywood.
8. During the War, there was a rich banker-businessman who was very powerful in town. He controlled men's
lives by deciding who would go off to war and who would
work in one of his factories. (Mr Potter?)
9. George and Mary's Victorian style mansion in the film
strongly resemble the houses still standing in Seneca Falls
today.
Ric Pantale continues his examination of “It's a Wonderful
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 13
Remember the days?
plant, and a theater capable of seating
2,500 soldiers.
time residents wrote of vivid memories of
the troops marching past their homes day
by James F. Leiner
Eventually, a recorded 1,088,081 and night. During the summer the soldiers were seen dropping dead of ﬂu while
troops passed through Camp
Camp Merritt
marching in those very streets, and trains
Merritt, the most through any
passing by with coﬃns on them. On the
For adventurous folks who
camp in the country’s history.
evening of Sept. 27, 1918, a large contintravel down Route 303, only 13
The number of soldiers leaving
gent of soldiers left Camp Merritt for
miles south of Nyack there is a
camp for overseas duty went
sixty-six foot tall obelisk that
from 8,190 in November 1917 Alpine Landing. From there they were to
be transported by ferry to Hoboken for
was erected 90 years ago at
to more than 50,000 in March
embarkation. Shortly after the march
Madison Avenue and Knicker1918.
started, men started falling by the roadside
bocker Road in memory of
World War I began in 1914 among European after suddenly being struck with fevers and
what was hoped to be The War to End All
powers; America didn’t enter it until August symptoms of inﬂuenza. A Bergen Evening
Wars.
1917. The rapidly building U.S. Army
Record story reported how the camp was
The monument sits in the middle of a traf- needed an embarkation site close to Hobo“quarantined” in October 1918.
ﬁc circle at what once was the center of
ken, where troops would be shipped to
Throughout Camp Merritt’s existence, 558
Camp Merrit in Cresskill, New Jersey. As
France. Cresskill was chosen, in part, beenlisted men, 15 oﬃcers, four nurses, and
European countries mark the 100th ancause the location aﬀorded the speedier
one civilian died there. The Spanish Flu
niversary of the start of the ﬁrst cataand less-expensive construction for sewer
hit just when the U.S. was transporting
strophic modern war, this monument is
and water systems.
250,000 men per month to the war. The
one of the last symbols for the American
huge camp monument was dedicated by
army recruits at the beginning of the 20th Site clearing began in August 1917 and it
was ready for troops by November, coverGen. John J. Black Jack Pershing on Mecentury.
ing 770 acres. During construction, resimorial Day 1924. Pershing commanded
America’s entry into the fray was marked
dents were paid $25 to leave their homes,
U.S. ground forces in the war and was the
with George M. Cohan’s, Over There, and
as railroads had to be built directly through only soldier promoted during his lifetime
for the American doughboys who fought
them. The government completed the legal to General of the Armies, the highest rank
in 1917-18, this obelisk was an everyday
work of taking over homes and property in ever held in the U.S. Army.
reminder of their sacriﬁce.
a period of 20 days. For those unwilling to
leave their homes, deals were struck to move The Nyack area has its own monument to
Camp Merritt was a temporary military
their dwellings on roller logs, but building honor the soldiers who served in the Great
base equipped to house and train 50,000
War. The DePew family deeded a portion
men at a time with the ﬁrst troops arriving the camp and relocating residents were
of their property to the Tappan Zee Solminor
events
compared
with
the
casualties
in November 1917. Costing about $11diers and Sailors Memorial Association in
across the Atlantic.
million, this embarkation camp swamped
July, 1920. As landscaping started, the
the little borough of Cresskill—population In what was then the deadliest conﬂict in
Nyack Garden Club planted 10 Memorial
600 at the time—as well as Dumont, Hahuman history, more than 116,000 U.S.
trees along Piermont and DePew Avenues
worth, Demarest and Tenaﬂy. A total of
soldiers died before the guns fell silent on
as a tribute to the ten fallen men of the
1,302 buildings were built, including 611
November 11, 1918. Not all of those
area. Henry Emery designed the memorial
two-story barracks, 165 mess halls, 44
deaths were in combat: In Europe, half of
stairs down to the lower level and bronze
quarters for oﬃcers, 27 administration
those Americans fell to the Spanish ﬂu that plaques were installed to honor the 423
buildings, 29 warehouses, 15 post oﬃces, 4 began in August 1918 in Europe and spread
men who served during the war.
ﬁre stations 93 hospital buildings and 94
to the U.S. The inﬂuenza pandemic in
auxiliary buildings including 7 tailor
total killed 675,000 Americans among the The Nyack Villager thanks Jim Leiner for helping us all ‘ Remember the Days.’ ✫
shops, a 24 hour barber shop, refrigerator
20-40 million people worldwide. Long14 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
by Donna Cox
They got what?!
Buying a home is
quite possibly the
largest investment you will ever make and knowing as much as possible
about a property before you buy it is imperative. That’s where a professional home inspection comes in. A home inspection should be an objective, visual examination of a home and an evaluation of the home's
mechanical systems, plumbing and electrical systems, interior elements,
roof, attic, foundation, basement, visible structure and more. By observing
and asking questions, you can learn a great deal about the home, how its
systems work and tips on routine maintenance. A home inspector can identify possible issues as well
as recommend preventive measures which can avoid costly future repairs. Keep in mind that no
house is perfect. If the inspector ﬁnds issues that need to be addressed, it doesn't necessarily mean
you shouldn't buy the house, only that you know in advance what the issues are and can evaluate
your options. You will have a much clearer understanding of the property you are about to purchase
and will be able to make a conﬁdent decision. I wish you all a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving.
With that, here are the homes that sold in October.
• THE HOMES LISTED BELOW WERE SOLD BY A VARIETY OF BROKERS PROUDLY SERVING THE RIVER VILLAGES.
STYLE
Contemporary
Colonial
Townhouse
Co-op
Condo
Co-op
Co-op
Colonial
Cottage
Victorian
Colonial
Condo
Colonial
Summary
LOCATION
U. Nyack
Nyack
Nyack
Nyack
Nyack
Nyack
S. Nyack
S. Nyack
U. Grandview
Piermont
Piermont
Piermont
Palisades
ADDRESS
348 N. Midland Ave
100 Front St
7 Forest Ridge Rd
103 Gedney #1L
50 N. Broadway #17
103 Gedney #4B
4 Salisbury Pt #2D
118 Clinton Ave
459 S. Broadway
20 Rockland Rd
246 Hudson Terrace
5-4 Lawrence Park
4 Woods Rd
BEDROOMS BATHS
4
2.1
3
2.1
3
2.1
2
2
2
2.1
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
1.1
4
3.1
3
1.1
2
1
4
4
LIST PRICE
$ 599,000
599,000
449,000
365,000
389,000
280,000
329,000
335,000
410,000
1,895,000
549,000
229,000
1,149,000
SALE PRICE
$575,000
625,000
435,000
365,000
365,000
270,000
329,000
308,500
397,500
1,850,000
545,000
220,000
1,156,000
Source: GHVMLS YTD Comparison Report
September 2014 YTD vs. September 2013 YTD - Single Family Homes
New Inventory (the number of homes coming on the market) decreased 8.1% (205 YTD 2014 vs. 223
YTD 2013). There was a 23.1% decrease in the number of sales (70 YTD 2014 vs. 91 YTD 2013). The average sales price for homes that have sold decreased 8.1% to $646,921. Overall, the average sales price for
homes that have sold in Rockland County (inclusive of the river villages) was $432,905, up 0.8% over the
same period last year.
September 2014 YTD vs. September 2013 YTD - Condos/Co-ops
New inventory (the number of condos coming on the market) increased 2.6% (79 YTD 2014 vs. 77 YTD
2013). There was a 6.1% decrease in the number of sales (31 YTD 2014 vs. 33 YTD 2013). The average
sales price of condos that have sold decreased 5.0% to $359,903. Overall, the average sales price for condos
that have sold in Rockland County (inclusive of the river villages) was $221,147, down 3.9% over the same
period last year. ✫
Community notes
Tell The Villager and we’ll tell the community.
E-mail brief news release to: [email protected]
COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER
Living Christ Church 151 South Broadway South Nyack, NY
On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, there will be two seating times: noon to 2:30pm and 3 to 5:30pm. Come by
yourself or with friends and family. Enjoy a delicious meal
as an experience of Giving Thanks in community At no cost.
If you live in Nyack and need a ride to Living Christ Church,
Please call: 845.548.9465 or e-mail [email protected]
AT BIRCHWOOD CENTER
Info: 845.358.6409 online at www.birchwoodcenter.com
e-mail [email protected]
• FROM ASANA TO MEDITATION
Wednesday, November 12 from 6 to 8pm.
This workshop begins with gentle, calming postures and
pranayama to prepare the body for sitting, transitions into
meditation and ends with warming down and deep relaxation. Taught by Julie Lifton. Fee: $30.
• THE ART OF MEHENDI
Sunday, November 9 from 2:30 to 5pm.
Join Henna artist Michelle Dawson to learn about the ancient
art of Mehendi. You will receive a henna tattoo painted by
Michelle, and will have the opportunity to paint one another
as well. Fee: $50.
SOLES 4SOULS
Charity drive sponsored by p.ross, 89 Main St, Nyack. More info:
845.348.1767.
November 1 through 9: donate your gently worn shoes and
clothing and receive a 15% discount on any one new item.
HARLEM WIZARDS AT NYACK COLLEGE
Nyack College, (201)538-6369, [email protected]
The Harlem Wizards combine amazing basketball talent with
hilarious comedy. UNES Staff, Parents and Community
Members will play against the Wizards.
November 9 at 1pm. Price of admission: $15 in advance,
@ www.harlemwizards.com or $20 at the door.
Community Notes conclude on page 18
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 15
From Valley Cottage Animal Hospital
Choosing the best dog
for your home
by Jacqueline Nicholson, DVM
With the holidays being the most
popular time to bring a new dog
into the home—many people can
become overwhelmed with choosing the right breed for you and
your loved ones. Many parents look forward
to surprising their kids with a new puppy.
They want to see their kids’ excitement—and
they want to watch their children and puppy
grow up together. A dog can be the perfect
addition to a household—provided a number
of factors are taken into consideration. Here
are some guidelines to help you make the best
decision:
1) Size. The size and strength of a dog go
hand in hand. Larger dogs are stronger than
smaller dogs. A dog’s strength is about triple
that of a human. In other words, a 50lb dog
has about the same strength as a 150lb man.
This is an important factor when determining
who is going to be the primary caretaker of
your new dog. However, size should NOT be
confused with temperament. There are many
small breed dogs that don’t have suitable temperaments for small children. There are also
many giant breed dogs that are extremely
docile and sweet with small children. The
point is—
if you choose a large breed dog, you should
expect to put in more training time—not
only for your dog, but also for your own doghandling skills. No matter what size dog you
choose, you should be able to handle your
dog in public without being pulled around on
the leash.
2) Hair coat. Always consider the grooming
requirements of whatever dog you choose.
Longhaired dogs are prone to tangling and require regular grooming and brushing. Failing
to do so will result in matted fur—and if left
unattended, can result in skin infections, discomfort, and temperament problems. Every
dog should have some time everyday for some
brushing at home. Some dogs will require
professional grooming every 4-8 weeks. Puppies that will be requiring professional
grooming should start going to the groomer
when they are young so they are better able to
adapt to the experience.
3) Activity level. You should know before
adopting a new dog if you want a highly active dog or a couch potato. Some people are
irritated by active dogs. Other people want a
dog that will run miles with them everyday.
Large dogs that like to play inside the house
may bump into things. However, many of
16 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
these same dogs are more active
when they are young—and then settle with age. If there will be days
when nobody has time to exercise
your new dog, you may want a dog
with a low activity level.
4) Children. If you have children,
there is a good chance that other
children will be coming to your home.
An overly protective dog could be dangerous
in these situations. Children tend to run
around, scream, and make sudden movements
like grab a dog at their face or pretend to ride
them like a horse. It takes time to teach your
children how to be gentle with your pets—
but in the meantime, you’re going to need a
breed that is tolerant of these behaviors.
Careful research on how a breed tends to interact with children is important. A good
breeder will tell you if their dogs are a breed
that is not comfortable with children.
5) Trainability. There’s a relationship between a breed’s trainability and the work the
breed was originally intended to do. A highly
trainable dog may not be the right choice for
your household. These dogs are bred to be
busy and work hard. They like attention and
they want to be given direction. If you’re not
looking to invest yourself in a signiﬁcant
amount of dog handling—this may not be
the right dog for you. Size, activity level, protective attitude, and level of aggression all affect how much training your dog will need.
Proper training takes time, work, and the
right handler. One area of trainability that
seems to be the most misunderstood is housetraining. If housetraining is important to
you, then you may want to consider avoiding
the tiny breed, male dogs—especially if you
intend to leave them intact. Larger dogs tend
to be easier to housetrain.
6) Finding a Good Breeder. If you feel
strongly about obtaining or purchasing a
purebred dog, ﬁnd a responsible breeder who
will be available for the life of the dog. Any
breeder who accepts responsibility of your
dog for life is going to be motivated to produce puppies with a good temperament.
That dog will have the best chance of staying
in its new home long term. It’s always a good
idea to meet the breeder in person—and consider allowing the breeder to observe your
children with dogs. When researching any
breed, it’s also important to ﬁnd out what genetic illnesses are common in that breed.
Make sure the breeder you’re working with
takes all possible steps to screen for genetic
diseases. A good place to start is with a
breeder who is registered with the American
Kennel Club.
7) Choosing Between a Pure Breed vs. a
Mixed Breed. Most mixed breed, adult dogs
in shelters are overlooked because everyone
wants a puppy. The most common behavior
problem these dogs will have is separation
anxiety—because they only want to stay with
you, and they’re afraid that you won’t keep
them. With a little time and patience, you
can help your dog overcome this anxiety—as
long as you don’t have to leave your pet alone
for extended periods of time. Mixed breed
dogs can make wonderful companion dogs.
8) Adopting a Puppy vs. an Adult Dog.
Everyone loves a cute, little puppy—but a
puppy may not be the best idea for your family. It’s not diﬃcult to ﬁnd an adult dog who
is already housetrained and spayed/neutered.
A dog that’s already housetrained makes life a
lot easier on a family. They also tend to be
past the need to chew.
9) Timing. Children reach the mental development of empathy at 5-7 years of age. At
this age, they have an increased ability to treat
dogs appropriately. Younger children can still
have positive contact with dogs in the meantime by involving them with therapy dogs—
and docile, trained dogs that live with your
friends and extended family. Sometimes it’s
better to wait until children begin school before adopting a new dog.
The popular notion that a dog’s behavior will
be determined by how the dog has been
raised is inaccurate. Breed has a huge impact
on a dog’s behavior. Talk to your friends who
have dogs and to breeders, trainers, groomers,
veterinarians and others about what training
they consider important.
Researching breeds can be fun! If you’re looking for a dog to join your family, avoid getting a dog for a speciﬁc holiday. Take the
time to research the right breed, the right
breeder, and the right dog. And ﬁnally—if
your thought is to have your new dog live in
the yard, you may want to rethink getting a
dog. Dogs are pack animals, designed to live
in a social unit with others. Humans can fulﬁll this need. Dogs that live with only other
dogs—and lack human contact—can develop
some behavioral issues. If you want a dog in
the family, make sure the dog will be IN the
family.
Dr. Nicholson was born in New York City and brought up in
northern New Jersey. She graduated from the Kansas State
University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007.
Over the last nine years, Dr. Nicholson gained extensive experience in emergency and specialist hospitals—including The Animal Medical Center in New York City. She is expert in a wide
range of specialty fields including Emergency Medicine, Surgery,
Internal Medicine, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology and
Neurology. This experience has been invaluable to both our
team and our clients. Dr. Nicholson’s special interests include
feline behavior, oncology, and canine and feline soft tissue surgery.
The App of the Month
by Vicki Schwaid
Houston, we have a
problem—maybe, kinda,
who knows ....
I feel like I’m doing the community a service by keeping
Nyack Villager readers informed
of Apple changes: back in June, Apple ofﬁcially announced that they are discontinuing Aperture and iPhoto. So, is this a
good thing?
As an end user of both these applications,
this may be a good thing. Perhaps it’s time
to move on. Apple has proven to the consumer that the company has no fear of
change. iPhoto has been redesigned numerous times since it was created to edit
and organize pictures back in the beginning, when OSX was ﬁrst released, version 10.1, in March 2001. Adobe had not
released Photoshop for the new operating
system named OS X. Adobe was quite behind schedule. And this was potentially
slowing sales down to new Macs. There
was no mainstream tool to manipulate and
manage photos. So Apple created a very
simple tool to import, edit/manipulate and
organize photos, named iPhoto.
Over the years every day photography has
exploded. In fact, according to statics in
2014, of the 1.8 billion cameras used by
consumers 95% were cameras are on mobile devices, the other 5% traditional
stand-alone cameras. According to Yahoo!,
880 billion digital images will be taken
this year! Facebook alone received roughly
350 million new pictures daily in 2013!
Wow!
So, what’s the point of this information
you ask? Well, our photo libraries are getting very large. Actually unwieldy. We are
collectively taking an enormous
number of pictures. And we
want to edit them too, including
cropping, lightening, darkening,
burning, dodging, special color
eﬀects and so on. And once we
have edited the picture we share
them via Facebook, SMS, email,Instagram
and other social media.
So, I’m hoping for a better solution to
iPhoto, Aperture, or Adobe Lightroom for
that matter. I would say the average photo
library is now approximately 25,00040,000 pictures. That’s a lot of data to
manage. We want to tag them, organize
them, make books, share them, etc. Then,
we want to have instant access to them at
any given time. Bottom line is we need a
better digital asset management (DAM)
system. And now Apple has announced
that very soon, we can edit our photos on
any device and keep an unlimited amount
of pictures in the “Cloud”. With the support of non-destructive editing capabilities. I am hoping that mission control
(Apple) will bring us a great new modern
photo app (DAM), in a journey started
13 years ago that will bring us to the future.
And as always, don’t forget to backup!
Vicki Schwaid is the owner of “The Mac
Shack” in Nyack. The Mac Shack does on-site
service and support for Mac Computers and
devices. Vicki has been in the computing industry for 25+ years with a ﬂuid understanding of networking, programming, video and
graphic production.
November Pleasures start on page 8
Piermont Historical
Society
At St. John’s Church
895 Piermont Avenue, Piermont; info: 634-0324.
Piermont Train Station, 50 Ash Street. Info call
845.300.4005 or e-mail [email protected]
• ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE—Sat, November 8,
from 10am to 3pm at Connelly Hall. Handcrafted items for
HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE BENEFITS PIERMONT HISTORICAL
sale, a White Elephant table, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Piermont and Railroad Station: T-Shirts, Photobooks, Cards, tables, raffles, dessert tables and much more. Santa Claus
Woodcuts and other wonderful gifts for the holidays. Featur- will arrive at noon. Everyone can enjoy delicious homemade
ing the works of Bill Batson, Betsy Franco Feeney, John Rossi food from Anna's Kitchen (aka Anna Hickey).
and Sally Savage.
November Pleasures conclude on page 20
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 17
The Doctor is IN
by Dr. Jeﬀrey Josef,
Ophthalmology, Nyack Hospital
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetes, if not successfully controlled,
can cause an eye disease called
retinopathy that damages the blood
vessels in the retina.
National Diabetes Month is a good time for
the 26 million Americans living with diabetes, and the 79 million who have prediabetes, to learn about diabetic retinopathy,
and how to avoid it or treat it.
People with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
are at risk for retinopathy. Between 40 and
45% of Americans diagnosed with diabetes
have some form of diabetic retinopathy.
• HOW RETINOPATHY DEVELOPS
The retina is the light-sensitive tissue in the
back of the eye, which is necessary for good
vision. A person with diabetic retinopathy
generally experiences damage to the retina
in both eyes.
As retinopathy ﬁrst develops, small areas of
balloon-like swelling in the retina’s tiny
blood vessels appear. Some blood vessels
that feed the retina are blocked, depriving it
of crucial blood supply. As the condition
advances, new blood vessels grow in response
to the need for nourishment. These new
blood vessels are fragile. If they leak blood,
the result can be severe vision loss or even
blindness.
• PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT
If you have diabetes, the best way to prevent the damage caused by retinopathy is to
control your blood sugar levels. Take your
prescribed medication, follow the diet your
doctor has recommended, exercise regularly,
18 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
and avoid smoking and
drinking alcohol.
To make sure you are not
developing diabetic
retinopathy, or to catch it
early if you are so you
can begin treatment, you
need a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least
once a year. Don’t wait
until you have symptoms, such as blurred vision or specks of
blood “ﬂoating” in your vision.
Treatment depends on how advanced the
eye damage is. Early stages may be simply
monitored without treatment. If your eye
doctor detects growth of new blood vessels
in the eye, called proliferative retinopathy,
you may be advised to have a type of laser
surgery called scatter laser treatment to help
shrink the abnormal blood vessels. Over the
course of several treatments, the doctor
places many tiny laser burns in the retina,
which causes the vessels to shrink. The
treatment is most eﬀective when it is done
before the new blood vessels have begun to
bleed. The surgery may still be eﬀective
even if bleeding has begun, depending on
how advanced the retinopathy has become.
If you have suﬀered vision loss from diabetic
retinopathy, your doctor may prescribe a
special low-vision device to help you make
the most of your remaining vision.
To keep your eyes healthy, don’t miss your
diabetes-related appointments, and see your
eye doctor. Finding and treating the eye disease early, before it causes vision loss or
blindness, is the best way to control eye disease in people with diabetes.
Dr. Jeﬀrey Josef of Pomona, is a Board Certiﬁed Ophthalmologist on the staﬀ of Nyack
Hospital. ✫
Community notes start on page 15
AT NEW CITY LIBRARY
220 North Main Street, New City. 845-634-4997 ext. 139
online at www.newcitylibrary.org
• EARLY ROCKLAND COUNTY PHYSICIANS
Wed, November 5 at 7pm. Discussion of our county’s colorful medical pioneers.
• EATING HEALTHY WITH RAW FOOD RECIPES
Fri, November 7 at 2pm. Learn new and tasty ways to prepare fresh, plant-based meals.
• READING FOOD LABELS
Fri, November 14 at 11am. Learn to decode the written information on store food labels.
• MEDICARE INFORMATION SESSION
Wed, November 19 at 11am. A review of changes coming
in 2015 to Medicare.
MEALS ON WHEELS
• SHARE A PIECE OF THE PIE with Meals on Wheels
Programs and Services of Rockland
Meals on Wheels Programs & Services of Rockland will once
again hold the annual “Share a Piece of the Pie” event just
in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Delicious pies are
ready to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner and your donation will benefit homebound seniors. All funds raised will
benefit the programs and services provided by Meals on
Wheels of Rockland. There are six varieties of pies from
which to choose: Apple, with and without sugar, Chocolate
Cream, traditional Pumpkin, Sweet Potato and Southern
Pecan. All pies are $13 each and measure ten inches wide.
They are also all kosher, except the Chocolate Cream. This
year we have “David’s Cheesecake” available, pre-sliced for
20 and ready to serve at your holiday table. Cheesecake is
$25. Orders can be taken until November 10. Please call the
Meals on Wheels office to place your order at 845-6246325. Thank you for your support. ✫
E-MAIL YOUR COMMUNITY NOTES TO
[email protected]
Deadline for December events: November 15.
mythical
beasties
Not every mythological beast
comes from the Middle Ages.
Some notable ones are firmly rooted in the 20th Century.
Case in point: Gremlins.
Forget all about the 1984 movie
and the Hollywood invention about
Furbies that turn into evil creatures
with fangs and a bad attitude
when they’re fed after midnight—
the real gremlins came into being
in the 1940s.
Though efforts have been made to link ‘gremlin’ to Middle
Irish ‘gruaimín’—a kind of bad-tempered goblin, the gremlin is, in fact, an American—the creation of US fighter pilots
in World War 2—trying, as one would comment, “to make
some sense of a world gone mad.”
only way to happiness is to bring happiness to others. It lays
eggs and gives milk (all pre-packaged) and if it thinks you’re
hungry, it dies out of sheer will to please you. The Shmoo
loves to be eaten and tastes like any food desired. When
fried, shmoo tastes like chicken, broiled it tastes like steak,
roasted like pork, and baked like catfish. Shmoo hide, cut
thin, makes fine leather. Even shmoo whiskers make excellent toothpicks.
In its day, Al Capp’s Shmoo spawned a media sensation.
Overnight its name and picture turned up on everything from
Shmoo ear muffs to Shmoo drinking glasses. The Shmoo
even replaced Mickey Mouse as the face of the children's
savings bond for the U.S. Treasury in 1949.
While researching Shmoo on the Internet for this article, we
turned up this item: “ A creature from the myths of the
American lumberjacks. This was a docile creature in the
shape of a ham or sausage. It would multiply quickly and
The authentic World War 2 gremlins were responsible for un- walked around with an amiable smile on its face. When it
met a hungry human, it would die of pleasure and its meat
explained mechanical failures mostly around aircraft and
would be edible immediately. If its meat was grilled, it
mainly in B-29 engines. Tongue-in-cheek articles about
them appeared throughout the war years. The word survives would taste of steak but if boiled it would taste of chicken.
and is used to describe almost any inexplicable mechanical Its skin would make fine leather and its eyes could be used
failure. Gremlins can always be blamed when all else fails. as studs.”—mythicalcreatureslist.com
The Shmoo
Generations of Americans assumed that
Al Capp, who created the comic strip
L’il Abner, also created the Shmoo.
Capp introduced the lovable creatures to
his readers in 1948.
An amiable, ham-shaped creature, the Shmoo believes the
Eugene the Jeep
In the 1930s, E.C. Segar’s daily
comic strip “Popeye” was already
enormously popular with people of all
ages. It featured a variety of beasts
—most of them scary—put there to
threaten Olive Oyl and challenge Popeye. At some point, Segar took the
opposite direction and created a friendly animal with a
pleasant personality. On March 3, 1936, Olive Oyl’s Uncle
Ben drops by with Eugene the Jeep—a small yellow animal
about the size of a dog who walks on his hind legs, eats orchids, can foretell the future and has the power to disappear
and reappear in a different location. He says only one word:
“jeep”—predating the US Army vehicle by a decade.
So where did the army get the name Jeep? One theory is
that “jeep” was derived from Ford’s G.P. classification, often
mistakenly thought to mean General Purpose. Actually, G
stood for Government and P was the designation for all 80inch-wheelbase recon cars. The Army Jeep may have been
given its name based on the comic strip’s Eugene the Jeep,
who had a magical ability to go just about anywhere.
Kilroy
Another phenomenon of World War 2, this simple graffiti
captured the imagination of GIs everywhere. The scribbled
cartoon face and words showed up worldwide. Kilroy became the US super-GI who always got there first—wherever
GI's went. It became a challenge to place the graffiti in the
most unlikely places. An outhouse was built for the exclusive
use of Truman, Stalin, and Churchill at the Potsdam conference. The first person to use it was Stalin. He emerged and
asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?"
Kilroy sightings were common through the 1950s and continue today all over the world. ✫
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 19
November Pleasures start on page 8
Art Students League at
Vytlacil
241 Kings Highway, Orangeburg NY. Info:
845.359.1263
• OPEN STUDIOS at VYT Meet international artists-in-residence from Peru, the UK, (and even NYACK this month!) on
November 22, 2-4pm.
• SCULPTURE: FORGED STEEL, REPOUSSÉ
with James Garvey, Saturdays, 10am-1pm, Fee: $137
Sculptor James Garvey offers rigorous engagement with the
basic elements of ancient sculpture: fire, hammer, and anvil.
Rivertown Film Society
For film info call 845.353.2568 or visit website at
w ww.rivertownfilm.org
Showing Sat, November 8 at 8pm at Nyack Center.
New Dogs in Town
★ Rivertown Film Pecha Kucha
On November 27, The National Dog
Show hosted by the Kennel Club of
Philadelphia, will introduce two breeds
new to the American show ring; they are:
• Coton de Tulear (Non Sporting Group)
Rivertown Film gives guests a peek into the mystery of inspiration at its first “Pecha Kucha” benefit. “Pecha Kucha” is a
Japanese term for the sound of conversation, originally conceived as a setting where creative people in all walks of life
could meet, show their work, and exchange ideas. In River- pronounced KO-tone duh TOO-lay-ARE.
town’s version, fifteen artists from various disciplines—photographer, filmmaker, singer, dancer, drummer, painter,
writer and more—reveal in rapid fire what inspires them via
10 slides, at 20 seconds per slide.
This unique evening begins at 8 pm at the Nyack Center
(Broadway and Depew). Tickets are $40, and include complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine available for a
small contribution as well as the opportunity to mingle with
the artists post-presentation.
Showing Wed, November 5 at 8pm at Nyack Center.
Showing Wed, November 19 at 8pm at Nyack Center.
★ The New Black
★ Alive Inside
Directed by Yoruba Richen USA, 2013 documentary unrated.
A profile of an African-American community grappling with
gay rights and gay marriage in the context of civil rights.
From the pews to the streets, it introduces activists, families,
and clergy on both sides of the campaign to legalize gay
marriage in Maryland, examines homophobia in the church
and the Christian right’s strategy of exploiting it, and charts
the evolution of this historic fight and divisive issue within
the black community.
Community Partners: VCS, Nyack & Spring Valley NAACP.
A post-screening discussion will include Willie Trotman, President of Spring Valley NAACP, and Vanessa Green, VCS
Racial Justice Organizer; moderated by Phyllis Frank, Associate Executive Director, VCS. Check website for additional
panelists and information.
A cup of tea
by Shel Haber
Wondering around
the Internet, I was
stopped in my
tracks by this headline— “Your Starbucks Chai Latte
has more sugar than a Snickers Bar.”
The article went on to say, “A Grande
(16-ounce) Classic Chai Tea Latte contains more sugar than a Snickers candy
bar plus three glazed donuts from
Dunkin Donuts. Plus half a cup of Ben
& Jerry's Phish Food Ice cream. (Chocolate ice cream with gooey marshmallow
swirls, caramel swirls & fudge ﬁsh.) That
adds up to 240 calories—42 grams of
sugar in one cup of Classic Chai Tea Latte.
Also at Starbucks, promoted as being
20 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
Developed in Madagascar, the Coton’s “cottony texture” white coat, rectangular silhouDirected by Michael Rossato-Bennett
ette and convex topline deﬁne the breed.
USA, 2014, 78 minutes, documentary
Intelligent, quirky and clown-like, Cotons
Dan Cohen has devoted himself to equipping nursing homes quickly became a favorite of the island’s
with music, in the fervent belief in its rejuvenating power.
aristocracy, who proclaimed them, The
His message is that music can serve to confirm our essential, Royal Dog of Madagascar. With long ﬂowirrepressible, and shared humanity, and his goal is to bring ing coats in the show ring, family pets are
the visceral joy back to the lives of Alzheimer’s patients by
often kept in “easy care” short clips. Sturdy
unlocking their memories with music from their past. The re- and athletic, Cotons excel in agility and
sult can be an astonishingly reawakened sense of self.
obedience training and make for ideal comRenowned neurologist Oliver Sacks helps explain the connec- panions, readily adaptable to all lifestyles.
tion between music and the mind.
Community Partner: Jeffrey Friedberg MT-BC, LCAT, & the
Music For Life Center
• Wirehaired Vizsla (Sporting Group)
pronounced VEEZH-lah
There will be a post-film discussion with music therapist, Jeffrey Friedberg MT-BC, LCAT, Barbara Bedway, who appears
in the film, and others to be announced. ✫
healthy, is Oprah Chai Latte—but it,
too, is loaded with sugar and calories:
200 calories, 31 grams of sugar in
one cup.
Compare this with the real thing:
Chai Brewed Tea with zero calories
and zero sugar.
Chai tea is a traditional Indian tea
that has been used for ages to strengthen
the immune system and help cure many
ailments.
This tea is made from strong black or
green tea mixed with herbs and spices.
It has powerful antioxidants, can help digestion and has very little caﬀeine.
So if you’re over at Starbucks and don’t
want a cuppa coﬀee with all that caﬀeine
and you don’t want a cuppa high-calorie
tea, try some Chai Brewed Tea. Comes
in a teabag. ✫
Originating in Hungary, the Wirehaired
Vizsla was developed by hunters and falconers who desired a sturdy, versatile hunting
dog able to withstand harsh winters in
ﬁelds, forests and waters. The Wirehaired
Vizsla is a distinguished, versatile hunting
dog of medium size, bred for substance and
a dense wire coat. The breed’s most distinguishing features are its weather resistant
dense wire coat and its facial furnishings,
speciﬁcally its beard and eyebrows. The
Wirehaired Vizsla is intelligent, loyal, sensitive and biddable, but cannot tolerate harsh
handling. Eager to learn, lively yet gentle,
and readily trainable for gun and falcon, the
Wirehaired Vizsla is a tractable and aﬀectionate companion in the home. ✫
THE
RESIDENT
FOODIE
I recently discovered two extraordinary kitchen gadgets. (“Oh, yeah? Where’s the
surprise there?” Says somebody who knows me for the gadget nut I am.)
Just because I own two of every kitchen tool ever made doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate
a really good one. Anyhow, I got my daughters to try them out in their own kitchens.
They raved.
STRAWBERRY SLICER
The one-piece hand-held strawberry slicer
is a marvel. It cuts strawberries of all sizes
into neat, uniform slices, using the principle of the wire egg slicer—though it has
much more robust blades. It also slices
fresh, raw mushrooms, working best on
ﬁrm, smallish ones. The company says it
cuts kiwis and radishes too.
ENGLISH MUFFIN SPLITTER
To preserve the unique texture of a real
English Muﬃn (like Thomas’s) I fork,
rather than slice them open. I never liked
the job and could never seem to get a neat
50-50 split.
In strawberry season, we use a lot of fresh
strawberries. It used to be a chore to slice
them. Now our strawberry slicer makes
short work of even two big quart boxes.
You sink the long tines into your muﬃn
and press the device to pry the halves
apart neatly and crumb-lessly.
So WHY don’t you bake
bread at home?
It was harder for great-grandma: she had
no controls on her oven and her yeast was
unreliable. Not our problems today.
Few things are as satisfying as mixing,
raising, baking and sharing a loaf of real
home-made yeast bread.
This recipe is about as good as it gets.
Sunﬂower Bread
Makes one loaf of great sandwich bread;
it is superb for toasting.
1 cup of lukewarm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast (or 1 envelope
active dry yeast)
2 cups bread ﬂour
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup hulled sunﬂower seeds
The King Arthur Flour people solved the 1/2 cup rolled oats (uncooked oatmeal)
problem for me with their English Muﬃn 3 tablespoons seasame seeds
Splitter.
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
Start by placing the water in a large mixing
bowl. It should be warm—95º to 110º F.
Sprinkle the yeast over the water and give it
a few minutes to dissolve. Then add all the
remaining ingredients.
Stir the mixture until the dough starts to
leave the sides of the bowl, then transfer the
dough to a lightly-buttered surface and
knead for 8 minutes. The dough will become smooth and supple.
Stainless, $12.95 from Chef ’s Catalog
Of gizmos and
thingamajigs
by Jan Haber
gizmo (n.) 1942, Marine and
Navy usage for any old thing
you can't put a name to.
So said Life Magazine in July,
1945. Of unknown origin,
perhaps a made-up word.
WordNet says thingamajig (n.)
is something unspeciﬁed whose name is
either forgotten or not known.
"She eased the ball-shaped thingamajig
back into its socket.”
Anodyzed aluminum, $16.95 from the
King Arthur Flour of Norwich, Vermont, a
wholly employee-owned company.
Their online catalog is a treasure-trove of
bakers’ supplies and tools. ✫
Synonyms:
dingus, doohickey, hickey,
thingamabob, doodad (or
thingumajig), thingummy,
whatchamacallit, whatnot,
whatsit (also whatsis or
what-is-it)
“What you may call it,” is
sometimes shortened to
“whatchacallit.”
First rise: place the dough in a lightly buttered bowl in a warm place to rise. I use my
microwave oven for this. Of course it’s
turned oﬀ. I place a low baking pan in the
microwave and ﬁll it with hot water. Then
I set a wire rack over the baking pan and
place the bowl with the dough on top of the
rack. Then I close the microwave door. It
makes a wonderful little steam cabinet that
the dough seems to love.
Check the dough from time to time. Let it
rise until it’s puﬀy (not necessarily doubled
in bulk) anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350º
Second rise: gently deﬂate the dough and,
on the lightly buttered surface, shape it into
a log and place it in a buttered 81/2 x 41/2”
loaf pan. Let it rise again until it crowns
about 1” above the rim of the pan.
Transfer the risen loaf to the oven and bake
at 350º for 35 minutes. The top should be
The Word Hound welcomes comments and golden and the internal temperature of the
questions from readers. ✫
loaf should be 190ºF. Cool on a wire rack
before slicing. ✫
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 21
Birthstone:
TOPAZ
symbol of
fidelity
Flower:
CHRYSANTHEMUM
symbol of
optimism
November 2014
Adults are just outdated children.—Dr Seuss (Theodore Geisel) 1904—1991
SUN
MON
TUES
WED
THU
FRI
Daylight Saving Time ends November 2—set clocks back.
SAT
1
HI TOR’S
HAUNTED
HOUSE
see pg 8
2
3
4
5
BY THE
COMMUNITY
FARM
see pg 9
Set clocks
back
9
FALL FLEA
MARKET
6 full moonS 7
8
HARVEST ARTS ROCK CHRISTMAS
GUITAR MAGIC BOUTIQUE
DINNER
10
11
12
13
see pg 8
IN PIERMOINT
see pg 17
14last quarter R 15
IN PALISADES
see pg 9
Veteran’s Day
16
GRACE
CHURCH
CHOIR
17
18
NYACK
see pg 8
IN CONCERT
see pg 8
23
HOLIDAY
CRAFT
BAZAAR
IN PALISADES
see pg 9
19
20
21
ARMCHAIR ARMCHAIR
WALKING- WALKINGTOUR
TOUR
24
25
26
Great American
Smokeout
27
WHAT ARE YOU COMMUNITY
THANKFUL FOR? THANKSGIVING
DINNER
at Nyack
Library
see pg 9
see pg 15
HELP WANTED
for The Nyack Villager
Applicant must have a car and be
able, once a month, to deliver
Nyack Villagers to about
20 diﬀerent locations
in Rockland.
For questions and further details,
speak with Jan Haber,
Editor of the Villager at
845.735.7639
22 The Nyack Villager October, 2014
VALLEY COTTAGE
28
22 new moon D
MADE BY
HAND
AT NYACK
CENTER
see pg 9
29
first
quarter
R
MILK & COOKIES
PLAYHOUSE
pg 8
Thanksgiving
Day
Sun
30
The
Nyack Villager
Founded in 1994, The Nyack Villager is published monthly, mailed on or about the first of each month to every postal address in eight Hudson River
villages—Nyack, Upper Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont & Palisades (zipcodes 10960, 10964 & 10968).
Editor
Contributing Editor
Correspondent
Publishers
Community advisor
JAN HABER
SHEL HABER
BILL DEMAREST
JAN & SHEL HABER
FRANCES PRATT
Columnists JIM LEINER • DAN SHAW, LCSW
JON FELDMAN • RIC PANTALE • VICKY SCHWAID
HARRIET CORNELL • HOLLY CASTER • DONNA COX
BILL DEMEREST • SUPERVISOR ANDY STEWART
THE VETS AT VALLEY COTTAGE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
THE MEDICAL STAFF OF NYACK HOSPITAL
NYACK VILLAGER ADDRESSES PO Box 82, Nyack, NY 10960-0082 e-mail: [email protected]
• Editorial / advertising phone (845) 735-7639
on the Internet at www.nyackvillager.com The Nyack Villager is on the Internet courtesy of Devine Design.
Published monthly by Nyack Villager, LLC © 1994—2012
All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission is forbidden.
Phone Numbers
prefix unless otherwise noted: 845
AMBULANCE CORPS
non-emergency
TO REPORT A FIRE
POLICE EMERGENCY
non-emergency
POISON CONTROL
RPT CHILD ABUSE
BATTERED WOMEN
HOSP EMERGENCY
➤Nyack VIllage Hall, Nyack 9 N Broadway
OFFICE OF VILLAGE CLERK
MAYOR'S OFFICE
OFFICE OF TREASURER
BUILDING DEPT
DEPT PUBLIC WORKS
FIRE INSPECTOR
JUSTICE COURT
PARKING AUTHORITY
WATER DEPT (non emerg)
WATER PLANT EMERG
HOUSING AUTH 15 Highvw
SECTION 8E
911
358 4824
911
911
359 3700
1-800 + 336 6997
1-800 + 342 3720
634 3344
348 2345
➤South Nyack VIllage Hall 282 S B’wy, S. Nyack 358 0287
POLICE NON EMERGENCY
358 0206
➤Upper Nyack VIllage Hall N. Bdwy, U. Nyack
358 0084
➤Grand View VIllage Hall 118 River Rd
358 2919
➤Piermont VIllage Hall 478 Piermont Ave
359 1258
353 7013
358 3370
359 0136
359-4595
NYACK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
NYACK PUBLIC LIBRARY
PALISADES FREE LIBRARY
PIERMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY
NYACK POST OFFICE
NYACK CENTER
THE NYACK VILLAGER
358 0548
358 0229
358 3581
358 4249
358 3552
358 6245
358 4464
358 3851
358 0641
358 3734
358 2476
358 2591
358 2756
358 2600
735 7639
Get your free copy of The Nyack Villager
at Nyack, Piermont, New City & Valley Cottage Libraries, Best Western Inn Nyack, Koblin’s Pharmacy,
Runcible Spoon, Hogan’s in Nyack, Nyack Village Hall
& selected locations; available while they last, starting near the first of each month. Every residents of 8
river villages should receive a Villager each month in
the mail; if you’re missing yours, tell us and we’ll fix it.
Only The Nyack Villager is saturation mailed.
It’s called “saturation” because EVERYBODY living in the 8 great river
villages gets a copy of The Nyack Villager at home every month—
that’s EVERYBODY—not only those with a computer,
not only those who remember to pick up a copy at the coffee shop.
Your message deserves nothing less.
Our big December issue is now in production.
Call 845.735.7639 for our rate card and we’ll get you started.
The Nyack Villager October, 2014 23