The View, From the Top Edited by Llyn Clague Just Like Home (?), Valerie and Tom Wolzien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Virtuous DEI, Henry Greenberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chris and Pam Show Us How to Keep Busy, Muriel Fox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Kaya, Christopher Hallowell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 A Memorial Gazebo, Hubert B. Herring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Gazebo, Emil Bahary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Woodstock In the Himalayas, Alice Clague. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Grandpa’s Dream, Sheila Benedis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Observations on a Movie Set, Donald Butt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 His Yob, Llyn Clague . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 COVERS Front cover: Sugar Maple near garden boxes Inside front: Bench in Rockwood park Inside back: Brushes in the art room Back cover: Palisades with snow All cover photos by Joe Bruno Inside photos by Tom and Val Wolzien, Harry Bloomfeld, and Emma Fitzgerald.
KENDAL VIEW STAFF Editors Llyn Clague and Pat Taylor Managing Editor Hubert B. Herring Editorial Staff Laura Burkhardt, Doris Eder, Muriel Fox, Edith Litt, Norman Sissman, Valerie Wolzien Photography Editors Harry Bloomfeld, Joe Bruno, Caroline Persell Advertising Emil Bahary, Dianne Morris, Peter Roggemann, Ad Directors Carolyn Klinger, Coordinator 1
Just Like Home (?) Valerie and Tom Wolzien Probably like you, it is just about impossible not to do two things when we travel—find things that we’ve never seen before (the main reason to go), and find things that are (sort of) like home. Here are a few of both from a trip through Singapore to central Australia and bottom to top of New Zealand this winter (their time). Group Seating: “of course you wouldn’t mind” sitting with people you don’t know...says the dining car host on a train across the Australian outback. Despite the starched white tablecloth, you sometimes realize midway through the meal, “yes, I do mind.” Energetic young people: Kids from about everywhere worked about everywhere in Australia and New Zealand waiting tables, running hotel desks, in vineyards and orchards, and in senior housing. And what motivation. They come in on work/vacation visas and if they find a sponsor after working hard for a few months, they can stay for a few years on a work visa...and then even longer. What motivation...and solution to staffing shortages. Teeth: The Mary River at the “top end” of Australia’s Northern Territories is said to have more crocodiles per mile than any place else on earth. And these smiling crocs have replaceable teeth...automatically regrowing each one more than 50 times in a lifetime. Tom, who is awaiting four implants, was jealous. Construction: No matter where we go, we can’t seem to escape a “Project Refresh.” Right outside our hotel window, Singapore is knocking down an old seaside arena to refresh it with a new one. Luxury Later Living. Marketing slogan for milliondollar units in Arrowtown, NZ. No tipping. Multiple vacation spots had notipping policies, resulting in an equality of service (see “energetic young people”), but there was an appreciation fund that guests could contribute to when they checked out.
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Birds: Millions, literally, in the Australian lowlands. Free Speech: A guide in Singapore explained to us that there was no need for free speech because “you don’t need it when everything’s perfect.” Saving Rainforests: Daintree National Park is in Northeastern Australia, where the rainforest drops right down to the Coral Sea. Mostly untouched. Spielberg and Hanks shot “The Pacific” HBO series here. Synthetic Rainforests: When you chop down your rainforests you build synthetic ones like the jungle under glass called Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. It is jammed with east Asian tourists whose rainforests are going...or already gone. And just to add to the realism, a few dinosaurs have been trucked in from Jurassic Park. Silver Wrap: In a remote New Zealand fisherman’s pub they wrap stainless silverware in a two-piece “tight-black” halfway wrap, rather than Kendal’s “full white wrap.” Spoons always optional. Kiwis at Night: After a short-airstrip landing in a squall, night came and the same airstrip became a feeding ground for Southern brown kiwis. A third of the global population is in this place, called Stewart Island, NZ. Red lights protect their eyes, and our night vision, as we searched—and found them under the Milky Way and Southern Cross. Next land south, Antarctica. Bistro: Finally, there were Bistros every where; a speak-for-itself name that every body knows and nobody ever thinks of changing. In New Zealand, Bistros were often accompanied by wines from a vineyard just outside the door.
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Virtuous DEI Henry Greenberg Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) emerged as a societal rallying cry after the police murder of George Floyd in 2020 and swept the nation like a wildfire, generating an “antiwoke” movement that landed with gravitational force on the country’s educational infrastructure. While few schools or departments were able to withstand the pressure to add administrators to oversee new policy, each addition gave rise to an equal and opposite reaction. I had migrated from clinical medicine to the epidemiology department in the school of public health about 6 years earlier. I found a department, both students and faculty, that was multicultural, multihued, multinational, multilingual, and had been so for decades. By 2020 I was an active member of the admissions committee which oversaw a perpetuation of this diversity. Nonetheless, the department added DEI committees and staff. To what end? Silly, I thought. What the department needed was a few more dollars, hours, and staff directed toward a broader understanding of the global pattern of disease so as to redirect public health energy in more targeted directions. DEI became a toxic term and was a major factor in the current assault on higher education that has led to the ongoing destruction of the innovative academic infrastructure, the lifeblood of national, and global, economies. This tumult shook loose recollections of my first year of high school when the one indelible and important lesson I learned was attributable to DEI. The event was unrelated to academics and certainly not part of the curriculum. It was, however, visceral, personal, crammed with learning, and a critical part of education. I began the year as a new, nearly 13-year-old freshman at Oakwood Friends boarding school in Poughkeepsie, NY. During the first few days I became friendly with Camille, a gregarious, engaging Black sprite from Yazoo City, MI, a placename that never disappears. Camille was one of several Black students in our class that, as I learned subsequently, the school recruited from the South, a group that comprised between 5 and 10 percent of the student body. DEI, a then-unknown term, was an integral component of Quaker values; it was the right thing to do. We talked about our backgrounds and no doubt our nervousness about our new adventure. My story, while unique for me, had no special characteristics. Hers did. Nothing in my past reading, schooling, or experience prepared me for what she described about Yazoo City. Her father was a physician and leader in her community. Segregation was severe, enforced, and violent. There were nights he could not come home because the Klan was looking for him. Fear was part of family life. It was beyond my capacity to comprehend. I was mute and no doubt wide-eyed. Camille was, at least by comparison, rather matter of fact. A world I knew not of was laid out with clarity. 4
Our year progressed. Each of us expanded our circle of friends. While we had many conversations, we never returned to Yazoo City. I would not have felt comfortable bringing it up, and there were too many new, engaging experiences to meaningfully distract us. In the late spring of that year, on a glorious day of perfect weather, a brief, yet unforgettable rekindling of the autumnal conversations came forth. I had walked up the few steps to a landing that opened into a large study hall to the right. I had a free period and was wandering in. Suddenly Camille came bounding out, kissed me on the check, nearly yelling, “They passed it!” and was off like a shot to spread the news. Again, I was dumbfounded by what she had told me. While it may have been the first time a girl had kissed me, that was not dumbfounding. She was as happy—joyous—as anyone I had ever seen. Something very important had taken place and I had no clue. The study hall was quiet, possibly a head turned on her utterance, but there was no communal reaction to anything. Whatever happened was unique to her and lost to me. The date was May 17, 1954, the day the Supreme Court issued its ruling on Brown vs Board of Ed. Separate but equal was not equal, categorically and nine to nothing. I understood then, perhaps not able to clearly express it, that I would never appreciate the ruling the way she did. Camille and I stayed friends for four years. Her vibrancy, talents, and enthusiasm put her in the center of the class activities. We had endless conversations but never returned to the events of our freshman year. Their importance did not penetrate until years later, during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Camille attended Oberlin college and then lived in Chicago. I never saw her after graduation. I regret not telling her how important the lessons were that I carried away from those two entwined encounters. At the Quaker meeting that was part of our 50th anniversary I told this story, but also learned that she had died sometime before that. DEI is today a fraught topic, shunned by wide swaths of the public who have been led to believe that any recognition of racial disparities is “woke,” a sin of excess support for minorities that violates American norms. In keeping with the American habit of excess, it has been overblown on both sides. Academic departments that are overstuffed with admirable wokeness, like mine, and comfortable with all variations of gender suddenly decided they need a vice president for DEI. Maybe there might be a stray microaggression? The exuberant DEI movement overshot its mark, breaking the restraints of centrist toleration, giving rise to a virulent opposition that only serves ill will. I am thankful for my introduction to this always fermenting issue at a vulnerable age. The exposure was profoundly important. It is the only thing I remember learning during my freshman year in high school, a year of significant learning.
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Chris and Pam Show Us How to Keep Busy Muriel Fox Chris and Pam Mitchell have an answer for people who ask, “When we move into Kendal, can we still maintain our ties to the community?” Their answer is, “You betcha!” Although they’ve become more and more involved in KoH activities since arriving here in 2021, Chris and Pam still remain active in other parts of Westchester County – especially the town of Irvington, where they lived for 50 years. They are still loyal parishioners of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Irvington. Chris sang in the church choir for decades, and Pam worked with its refugee resettlement program. Pam continues to work in the church’s clothing sale twice a year. Many Kendal residents donate used clothing to the sale, and some residents shop there. Pam has also been involved in the vast social services network of Abbott House, which has aided hundreds of migrant refugee children who crossed America’s borders alone and are ultimately placed with their families in this country. Their average age is 13 or 14 years. Some were carried here as babies. Some were born to pregnant refugees who gave birth on the trip to the United States. Although the earliest children came mainly from Latin America, many are now arriving from Africa. Pam is one of several KoH residents who volunteer in the Ossining Children’s Center, providing day care and after-school services for local youngsters. And she assists the Community Food Pantry, which serves Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. (The Pantry is one of the local charities that receive money from our Residents Council Annual Appeal, to which we donate every February.) Chris will be honored by the Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce in the spring of 2026 for his services to the Irvington Library Board. (In case you’ve wondered, the Rivertowns consist of Irvington, Ardsley, Hastings on Hudson, and Dobbs Ferry.) Chris served on the Irvington Library Board for 30 years, and now volunteers in the KoH Library. In Irvington he chaired a committee to restore the Tiffany Reading Room, located in Village Hall. It includes mosaics and fixtures designed by the late Louis Comfort Tiffany. Chris was born in Greenwich Village and attended the city’s public schools. He received B.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard and taught Politics in a long career at New York University. He directed NYU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies for eleven years. NYU twice gave him its “Golden Dozen” award as an outstanding instructor. Pam was born in southern California and graduated from Scripps College. She earned a Master’s Degree from the Harvard School of Education and taught elementary school for 30 years, lastly in the Rye City public schools. She taught young people English, science, 6
mathematics, and art. Her favorite grade was the sixth. “The kids gave me a chance to laugh out loud at least once a day.” Chris and Pam met in graduate school at Harvard; she was a student cleaner in his apartment. After marriage, they spent their first year in La Paz, Bolivia, 12,500 feet above sea level, where Chris was doing field research. Then a year in Bogota, Colombia, and six months in Spain. Four times, Chris served as an official observer of elections in the Dominican Republic. His work, supported by the National Democratic Institute, helped prevent voter fraud. “Democrats and Republicans worked together to reach compromises in our actions.” Now let’s look at what Chris and Pam have been doing here at Kendal on Hudson. Both are on the staff of Spotlight and members of the Spanish Language Dinner Group. She conducts tours for new residents through the Welcoming Committee and taught a course with the Kendal Art group, showing residents how to make boxes. As we might expect, she’s a CoPilot and also a part-time member of the Tuesday Morning Club. Chris has taught in our Great Decisions Course every year since 2023. He was elected to the KoH Residents Council, serving as secretary for one year and chairing its Consultation Committee and its Nominating Committee for officers. Chris and Pam have three children. One is a psychiatrist, one a teacher, one manages an L.L. Bean store. They also enjoy nine grandchildren. The multitude of services performed by Chris and Pam is impressive. But they haven’t prevented the Mitchells from energizing a sense of humor. In last year’s New Year’s Eve celebration, they donned futuristic space helmets to portray Martians reporting on this planet’s human beings: “They’re made of meat!” We look forward to the skit they’re now preparing for a future New Year’s Eve show.
Kaya Christopher Hallowell Kaya looked up at me as I descended the stairs to the reception area. Her eyes showed curiosity, her enormous face a welcome. I was smitten. I am not alone. Kaya is everyone’s favorite dog at Kendal. A certified therapy dog, she comes to Kendal at least once a week with Stephen Migliaccio, her owner and trainer and, at times, playmate. Most people at Kendal, by the way, know Steve, and he seems to know almost everyone. As one of Kendal’s cooks, he can be found behind the serving line doling out prize omelettes or succulent hamburgers, or fish fillets. That’s his day job. But his 7
love is to introduce Kaya to residents and let her do her job, which is to cuddle up to residents and let them ooh and aah over her. Remarkably, she knows just how to respond to those, like me, who are initially leery, but soon smitten. She snuggles up to them unabashedly, gently leaning her 100 or so pounds into them, awaiting their responsive stroking and oohing and aahing. It as times like this that one can see something quite precious going on between Steve and Kaya—sort of silent talking to each other with their eyes. As she leans in, she looks at Stephen for approval. He does something with his eyes that she understands as “OK go ahead.” She leans in further and, if you can believe it, seems to smile. When Steve takes Kaya to Adirondack, squeals of delight ensue from residents along with “How’s my girl?” and “I’ve missed you so much.” Some residents unfamiliar with Kaya view these interactions with trepidation. Then they melt and ask when Kaya is coming back.
A Memorial Gazebo Hubert B. Herring The three Bahary brothers had fond memories of a gazebo their family owned in their native Iran, which Emil describes in the following article. The gazebo will be built of a gray composite material, designed to last 100 years. It is prefab, so the only construction is the onsite assembly. The color of the pavers and gazebo color was chosen by the Baharys. Numerous designs were shared with them, and they ultimately chose the design they liked the most. The brothers, and one sister, who lives in Florida, came to the U.S. in 1950, and attended Horace Mann. Emil later worked for AT&T on various research projects, living part-time in Manhattan and part-time in Princeton. Kamel worked in real estate, and Bill worked for Duracell. In Iran, their father, who worked in the export/import business, kept sheep and goats and chickens; the garden was a side project. Bob Michael, Kendal’s facilities director, said the Morano Group of Mamaroneck was chosen from the three bidders on the project, which is expected to be completed by mid-October. It will be a welcome addition to the Kendal landscape.
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Gazebo Emil Bahary The idea of the gazebo has its roots in the suburbs of Tehran, Iran, the country where our family immigrated from. Our gazebo was situated in a large several-acre walled “garden” in the suburbs, a few miles from our home in Tehran. The garden was bordered by Alborz university of Iran, and during the war by a camp for British soldiers on one side and one for Indian soldiers on another side. As children in our early teens we would sit on top of the west wall and watch the English and Indian soldiers standing in line with their metal dishes and flatware waiting for their food. The garden was an extension of our home. The garden was managed and cultivated by some villagers from outside Tehran who lived there constantly, The gardeners cultivated flowers and fruit trees – cherries, apples, pears, pomegranates, persimmons. The garden also served as the stable for my father’s horses, a couple of dairy cows, a hen house with dozens of egglaying chickens, some goats and, occasionally, captured deer courtesy of friends. The friends and some fellow “hunters” would drive to the hunting grounds in far-off villages, bordering open deserts where wild deer roamed. The chief hunter owned a brand-new Chrysler New Yorker (1947) convertible. With the top down the hunters would chase deer at night with headlights on and capture them. Some sport! but as children we enjoyed having baby deer as gifts. Unfortunately, they did not last long for our gardener and his brood, short of food, would declare that a deer, “about to die,” was made “halal,” a Muslim term to salvage an animal by killing it before it died by natural causes. Eating an animal after it died by natural causes would be “haram.” That is the story we heard after the demise of deer and goats. The garden served as a friendly gathering place for family events as well as school parties. Our school, the Community School of Teheran, Iran was a missionary, co-ed school with about 130 students. It was run by Presbyterian missionaries. This being the war period, there were about 15 different nationalities represented, many of them children of diplomats from many countries. At any rate, this being a co-ed school, we had many parties in our garden, many sponsored and organized by Kamel. He loved parties where he invited many classmates and schoolmates. The center of the party was in the gazebo. It was shaped and rounded like half of an orange with a diameter of about 25 feet; all covered densely by sweet smelling wisteria. The dances were held there; music was supplied by gramophones. The only danger for the girls was having their legs grabbed through the walls of the gazebo by Muslim urchins, squatting outside the gazebo, who were not used to seeing boys and girls in embrace as in the dance posture. The idea of donating a gazebo at Kendal started when Kendal, through Jean Eccleston, 9
offered options in 2023 for funding projects for those so inclined. One such project was repairing the structure then existing on the platform along the Hudson. Kamel decided he wanted to honor Susan Blackwood, his life partner, who died at Kendal in 2023. But instead of repairing the existing structure, he chose to donate the gazebo for which he had fond memories, as described above, in memory of Susan. Unfortunately, before the project got started Kamel passed away on August 14, 2024. Thus, as a family we decided to have the gazebo built in memory of both Kamel and Susan.
Woodstock in the Himalayas Alice Clague As a small child – age 6 to 11 – I lived in India for five years, four of them attending a multi-denominational Christian missionary school in the mountains. The experience had an indelible influence on my life, though my memories are somewhat scattered and fragmentary. As a class, however, we have maintained contact to this day, and most weeks we conduct a Zoom meeting for an hour or hour and a half to share our current lives and earlier experiences. It started on a ship to India in 1948. Along the way we stopped in Marseilles and visited Avignon. One day, standing on a hillside overlooking the valley below, we saw a group of children dancing and even now I can hear the song they sang: Sur le Pont d’Avignon, l’on y dance l’on y dance Sur le Pont d’Avignon, l’on y dance toute en ronde. We then visited the ruins in Pompei from Vesuvius and also saw the ruins of World War II. To me as a six-year-old, they were all “ruins.” I only learned the difference much later in life. In Delhi After going through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, and the Indian Ocean, we landed in Bombay and boarded a train to Delhi, where my father would begin a 5-year tour of duty in the US Embassy. He thought my mother and I would be more comfortable if we were in a separate compartment while he stayed next door. But there was no connection between the two rooms. During the night we could see bodies on the platforms wrapped in white. My mother thought they were dead because partition between India and Pakistan had taken place recently. Only after we arrived in Delhi did she learn that they were sleeping on the platforms – to stay warm. In Delhi we stayed in a temporary house before moving to 44 Ratandon Rd in New Delhi. During that first year I picked up many bugs. The worst was when I ran a fever for days. The 10
doctor said if it didn’t go down by the tenth day, it would be typhoid, but fortunately it broke. During those 6 months in Delhi, I learned to ride my bike in Lodhi Tombs and made friends with children. In March some of them went up to Woodstock, a school in Mussoorie 200 miles north of Delhi in the foothills of the Himalayas. As the temperature rose in April and it became too hot to go out to play, I asked my mother if I couldn’t go up to that school, too. Much later, as an adult, I was amazed that she agreed, as I was just turning 7 in May. I thought it was particularly brave of her, since I was an only child. So she and I traveled to Mussoorie in late May and stayed in a hotel. The next morning we started off to the school with Mother walking and me being carried in a Dandy (a cloth sling carried by two men). Upon arrival in the bazaar the men put me down and I worried that my mother would not catch up to me. She did, however, and we arrived at the school at the beginning of a 10-day holiday. Everyone had left, so I was alone in boarding for at least a week by myself. I was very sad during that period, but eventually they all came back. As I got to know them, it was like having a lot of siblings. Another new student, Li Chu, and I took our placement tests together and started Woodstock in “first standard” (i.e., first grade, English-style). Over the next several years – and, indeed, into later life until she passed away – she became one of my best friends. My first class included Gil and Phil, who also became lifelong friends, and I have vivid memories of them trying really hard to stick my pigtails into the ink pots on their desks behind me. The boys and older girls lived down the “Cud” (“hillside”) and came up to the Quad for meals and classes. The little girls lived next to the Quad and so we didn’t have far to go for meals. Some of the food they served us was delicious, but some I had a hard time with – particularly eggs and milk. One day they fed us curry for dinner. It had not been well cooked and was not something I liked. (Not to put too fine a point on it, I hated it.) The times that I really enjoyed dinners were when the cooks were not making an effort to mimic Indian dishes. As for breakfast, we had eggs, oatmeal, and hot milk. The eggs were fried hard unless you were the last one to be served. I hated eggs that were still runny. Also, my mother sent me cocoa to add to my milk. If they ran out of cocoa and tried to feed me hot white milk, I was unwilling to drink it. Trying to do that was unfortunate for them as well as me. Fitting In At first my time at Woodstock was uncomfortable. However, when everyone came back from the 10-day holiday and we started going to class, everything changed. One class I remember was music. I did not carry a tune very well and my friends teased me about it. The music teacher dealt with this by moving me away from my friends, which made me very upset. We had some wonderful musicians in the class. One was Robert John who went on to teach music as an adult. Later our class raised money for a new music room. When we went back to visit in 2004, at one moment I was walking around the campus with 11
Vance George, who taught music at the school and was much loved by our class (he went on from Woodstock to lead the San Francisco orchestra), and I told him about my humiliation. His empathy was such that he said, “what a terrible thing to do to you.” All those years later it still brought tears to my eyes. One day when we were in the upper dorm on a Saturday when nothing much was happening, Bibbett – another of my best friends – and I went into the bathroom. We took portable basins that we generally used to wash our faces when we first got up and started throwing water at one another. When the matron discovered that we had created a flood in the wash room we were in lots of trouble. Many years later, Bibbett and her two older sisters visited us in New Hampshire. When I described the episode, they howled in laughter, since Bibbett had told them the same story and they had not believed her. Since Bibbett had always been the one to start trouble, they could not believe that I had initiated the mayhem. Tom Alter My mother regularly came up to Mussoorie. She would stay for a month or two and take me out of boarding. Monkeys (Langurs) were regular visitors and would sometimes jump on the roof which made a huge racket and would challenge those of us trying to sleep. Marty Alter, a girl my age, had two younger brothers. I remember one in particular, Tom, when he was 2 or 3 as a darling blond boy sitting on a rock in the front yard. His parents were trying to cut his hair and he was screaming to the hills. As an adult he became an Indian citizen and a prominent movie actor in Bollywood. He played a doctor in “Gandhi” and had roles in many other films. The Tiger My last year at Woodstock was, for me, “the year of the tiger.” A tiger was on something of a rampage, killing animals and terrorizing people in a neighboring village. Ray Smith, an older boy who had a brother Dick in my class, asked his father to go try to kill it, which he succeeded in doing. Later that day the whole school got to pass by the dead tiger. It was thrilling to see this regal animal lying by the path. Unfortunately, he was a bit smaller than the 9-foot minimum that was allowable to shoot. Later they tried to make Ray stand trial for the killing, but in the end the trial did not take place. In the mid-90s I deepened my contacts with my class and began going to annual reunions, most of which were held in various places around the US. It was very rewarding to reconnect with Gil, Phil, Robert John, and Li Chu, and meet many others who attended Woodstock after I left but are “classmates.” I attended a reunion last June and continue weekly on Zoom.
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Grandpa’s Dream Sheila Benedis Grandpa had a dream. His three children would become college graduates and improve their status in life. Grandma, an uneducated woman, was instrumental in carrying out the dream. Grandpa had a good job, but grandma wanted him to have his own business. First step was to buy a building on the main street, Broadway, of Hicksville Long Island. On the street level would be the business, a dry goods store. Upstairs would be the family living quarters. When my mother, the oldest, was sixteen, she started commuting on the train to NYC to study at NYU. Long Island had no colleges at that time. It was all potato farms. The dry goods business was supporting the family, but a tragedy occurred. Grandpa became sick, was hospitalized and died very young. Grandma was left at the age of 38 to carry out his dream. She worked night and day, constantly went upstairs and downstairs between the apartment and the business. My mother graduated from NYU with a mathematics degree Phi Beta Kappa cum laude. She found a job teaching school nearby and four years later married a lawyer from Norwich CT. So she had to move away from her close family. She also had to give up teaching. It was not socially acceptable for a married woman to work. Grandma continued to run the dry goods business. She never stopped working. She still had two boys to send to college, to attain successful professional occupations. They also commuted on the train to NYC to study at NYU. The older boy became a dentist. The younger one studied law. At last they opened their offices in the front rooms of the apartment. Grandma moved to the back, so proud of what she had accomplished. When the boys married and had families, they bought houses in Hicksville. After a short time, they decided to move to Rockville Center, a more prosperous community for their families. Grandma still got to see her sons every day since they commuted to their offices in Hicksville. In fact she often made lunch for them. My mother and I visited grandma every school vacation. Grandma kept the family together. She saw the value of education, worked hard and glowed in her children’s successful lives. All her hard work paid off. Everyone treated her like royalty. Grandpa’s dream was accomplished.
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Observations on a Movie Set Donald Butt In March 1996, Irvington was invaded by a Columbia Pictures movie crew to film The Devil’s Own, a story about the Irish Republican Army. Stars in this film were Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt, and the director was Alan J. Pakula, a big-name director in the movie world. Why Irvington? A scene in the movie takes place in a Roman Catholic church. The Episcopal Church of St. Barnabas was chosen for this scene. Though it is not a Catholic church and only modest in size, somewhere, somehow, someone decided to use this church. St. Barnabas was agreeable. Now, the scene called for some organ music, and, as the organist and music director of the church for many years, I became part of the location package. A few weeks before the filming began, the set director and his crew arrived at the church to “convert it” to a Catholic one. Furniture was uprooted. The lectern and the pulpit exchanged places. Stations of the Cross and special lighting were installed. A different cross on the altar of the church was put in place. When I arrived at the church for the first day of filming, I saw that, indeed, this was an invasion. The church parking lot was filled with SUVs, buses, machinery, and trucks, and it all spilled out onto Broadway. Traffic was a mess. I found the person to whom I was supposed to report, and I was told to stick around and I would be called when needed. Electricians, make-up, wardrobe, prop people were busy, and there were 125 extras sitting in the church’s social hall waiting to be called as the congregation for the big church scene. I met Father Leonard, a Catholic priest, who had been hired to be a consultant for this scene. We were not film professionals, so we hung out together. Shortly, the first crisis occurred. The actor playing the Catholic bishop was dressed in the full regalia of a bishop, including a white zucchetto on his head. (A zucchetto is a Catholic version of a Jewish yarmulke, a beanie.) Father Leonard spoke up. “No,” he said, “only the Pope in Rome wears a white zucchetto. It must be purple.” (Who knew?) So, someone had to come up with a purple zucchetto. Assistants got busy. A phone call to the office of the Catholic diocese in Rye got no answer. Someone thought that the Columbia Pictures wardrobe department in New York City would have one, and a messenger service could bring it immediately to Irvington. That solution sounded extravagant to me; but then I thought, “This is a Hollywood movie. There is nothing too extravagant.” Finally, one of the people in wardrobe found that they could dye the cap purple. That problem was solved, and filming could move forward. 14
In the meantime, on the set, I was playing and engineers were recording some organ music that could be incorporated into the scene later. Then a part of the scene was filmed several times with a few actors onstage and with my music playing for the scene. There were many “takes” of this scene. Now I have to say that I was not prepared for one of these takes. In fact, I was not even sitting at the organ bench when the scene began – without me or my music. When it was finished, Mr. Pakula remarked, “The music was very subtle.” “Ha, ha, Mr. Pakula,” I thought. I was mortified. However, I was not fired. There was a lunch, a buffet for all – including the 125 extras. There was a huge array of food – soups, salads, two or three main course items, both hot and cold, and the most elaborate desserts. If you were an executive, there was another buffet, even more elaborate. (I got to go there.) I found out that there are companies that specialize in catering movie locations. I had the feeling that these catering companies are well paid, but the food and the presentation had better be top quality. This company did not disappoint. We were well fed. Filming continued. By now, Father Leonard and I were buddies. For some reason, staff seemed to think that we were important, and when other people were expelled from the set, we were allowed to hang out. During these times, we could hear and watch the preparations for upcoming scenes. At one point, Mr. Pakula told an assistant that he needed a platform at the back of the church so that one of the cameras could film from that platform. A few hours later he had his platform. It was not just thrown together, but a solid piece of furniture. That platform could have held practically any weight put on it. I was so impressed by the quality of construction, since it would only be used for a few minutes, and the short time that it took to make it. But this quick work and good quality workmanship were common amongst all the trades involved, especially in the wardrobe department. All the clothing for the principals fitted them perfectly, of course, and everything, wrapped in plastic, appeared to have just come from the dry cleaners. I got to chat with some of the crew – make-up, wardrobe, carpenters, electricians. It seemed that all of them had some other creative work they were working on – writing a play or a movie, composing a song, developing some sort of nightclub act, playing an instrument, singing. Many of these people knew someone already in the business – a father/mother, brother/sister, or some other close relative or friend. To do this work, though, you had to work hard and had to produce quality results. I am sure that all were well paid, plus they had the added perk of bathing in the luster of the movie industry. These were good jobs to have. I suppose that I should mention the stars – Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt. I think it is safe to say that Mr. Ford is certainly a star, but he did not have Brad Pitt’s glamour. Mr. Ford was seen walking around the streets of the village – just a regular guy. And there was a time on the set when I was part of a conversation with him and several other people. We chatted away, and he was a delight to talk with. Ah, poor Brad! When the word got out that he was in town, there was an uproar. Suddenly many townspeople were hanging around the property. Extra police were brought in. He had 15
a trailer in the churchyard, and I heard that high schoolers broke into it to steal some remnant of him. Life cannot be much fun when you are a movie star desired by all. When I returned to my apartment after the first day of shooting, I got a phone call. It was a reporter from one of the scandal magazines inquiring about events on the set that day – “Everybody getting along? Any squabbles?” I said everything was fine, and every performance was wonderful - including mine! (How did he find me?) There were a few members of the church staff and people in the village who got a photo with Brad; alas, I was not one of them. So, how did it all come out? I’m sure that you have heard of the cutting-room floor. Miles of film are shot and much of it is discarded in the editing process. I escaped the fate of the cutting room, but not by much. Don’t let your ears blink. My music performance (never my face) in the film can be measured in single-digit seconds, not minutes. The whole scene itself is only a few minutes. It is staggering to think that it took two days and probably thousands of dollars to shoot this small segment. It was quite an experience. I was amazed to see the extraordinary detail and work it takes to make what seems like a simple scene. The camera sees everything. Every look and movement must be planned, both before and during the filming. It’s all a miracle of storytelling. I do have my regrets – I did not get a photo of myself with Harrison and/or Brad; I did not get a film credit (though, for my minute contribution to the film, that may have been a big ask); and I did not keep a copy of my pay check!
His Yob
Not my yob. Classic defense in Corporateland
Llyn Clague
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Bounce out of bed, bread and a brat for breakfast – boyo Wolfie Mozart, marvel, yenius, brat.
Ruses of the one percent yustifying their milky bib, how all the pols are bent – that, too, is not his yob.
No day gig, no office awfulness, no evils of society to oppose, nor high crimes to revile.
Every morning freed to conjure gorgeous sounds, concerto, sonata, serenade for clarinet, tuba, winds.
Out-of-control police, yustice for the mob how the courts just fleece – that’s just not his yob.
Delight, yoy, laughter, his only job – the notes heard first then, and forever after, unmediated by words.
Index of Kendal View Advertisers Allan Block Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 All County Car & Limo Service . . . . . . . . 23 Amico Senior Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Angels on Call Home Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 C.A.R.S Repair Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Coffey Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Dr. Kevin Jong, Dentist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Dwyer & Michael’s Funeral Home . . . . . . 20 Enrico Hair Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 FYO Accounting and Tax Service . . . . . . . 23 Harnik Bros. Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Home Again Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Hudson Financial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Hudson Pharmacy & Surgical . . . . . . . . . . 20 Jazz Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Mickey’s Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Phelps Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The Village Bookstore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Van Tassel Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
BETTY AMICO 914-962-5475
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Dentistry, as with other health services, is rapidly changing. Technology is constantly improving, allowing us to deliver quality care in less time and with less stress. Most importantly though, dentistry is still an art as well as a science. As a health service, the patient care is provided not only by the doctor, but by the entire office staff. Dentistry as a health service means properly placed restorations and courteously answered phones. Rapidly changing technology will not change this philosophy of service.
Kevin Jong, DMD & Peter Zegarelli, DDS
87 North Broadway • Tarrytown, NY 10591 • 914-631-1800 Website: www.drzegarelli.com • Email: info@drzegarelli.com The Zegarelli dental office has been located in Tarrytown since 1982. We have been serving KoH residents since the Kendal opening day in 2005.
Coffey Funeral Home Inc. Ninety-One North Broadway Tarrytown NY 10591 (914) 631-0983
www.coffeyfuneralhome.com NANCY COFFEY • MICHAEL COFFEY Long-time Supporters of Kendal View Now in our 5th Generation Continuously Owned and Operated By the Coffey Family Since 1911 Pre-Planning Available 18
P H E L P S H O S P I TA L
SENIOR HEALTH VITALITY PROGRAM Your partner in health and wellness
Please visit the Phelps website to see all of our upcoming programs and support groups: phelps.northwell.edu/events For more information on our programs, please email vitality@northwell.edu or call (914) 366-1150. For more information on our Caregivers Support Group options, please contact Gaby Naranjo, LMSW at (914) 366-3937 or email gnaranjo@northwell.edu.
Vitality at Phelps Hospital offers a variety of free programs and services to help you stay active and engaged as you age. We provide educational health-related classes, events, support programs, and expert care to enhance your well-being. 1. Keeping Memory Alive: Memory Care Offers education and activities to keep your brain stimulated and your cognition sharp. 2. The Breakfast Club Join us for monthly presentations from our physicians and clinical experts on different health and wellness topics, with time for a Q&A at the end of each session. 3. Osteoporosis Program For those concerned about their bone health including bone loss and fractures, hear from physicians, physical/ occupational therapists, and dietitians to discuss risk factors, causes, proper body mechanics, and medication options to maintain healthy bones as you age. 4. Pain Management Support Program This group is for adults of all ages suffering from acute and/or chronic pain who seek more information. It is hosted by our pain management physician Stephen Thorp, MD, and each session will have a presenter and Q&A session. 5. Caregivers Support Group Our Caregiver Support Group is a non-judgmental safe space open to all community members in a caregiving role. 6. Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Support Group Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can present many challenges and take a significant toll on a caregiver’s health. Fortunately, emotional support groups can provide the assistance and reassurance you need to manage stress and take time for your own much-needed care.
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• Offering Competitively Priced Burials, Cremations, Memorials. • 75 Car Parking Lot Adjacent to Our Building • Fully Renovated • Both Large and Small Chapels And we are Centrally Located • 5-Star Google Rated Business Reduce stress...PrePlan today Walk-Ins Welcome
We are Available 24 hours a day. You will always be handled by our family & staff. We fully support Kendal on Hudson.
Our Clients' Words Say it Best “My family and I cannot thank you enough for all the kindness and make sure your loved ones wishes
are met. Walk-ins welcome.
care you showed us during the very difficult time of my aunt’s passing. We greatly appreciate it.” Diana, niece of the late Ana Erlic
“Thank you for taking such command to ensure that our mother was treated with dignity. You are a class act!” The Lopez Family
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WESTCHESTER’S PREMIER JAZZ CLUB 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown NY
10 Minute Drive f rom Kendal on Hudson! EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR KENDAL RESIDENTS:
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Westchester’s Finest Clockmaker since 1951
Harnik Bros. J E W E L E R S
Enrico Hair Care, Inc. Enrico Hair Care, Inc. Yolanda is available for pedicure by appointment Mondays EnricoWednesday cuts and styles and Tatiana color KIm does hairconsults color/cutonand styling Wednesdays Hairstyling Fridayby Kim Wednesdays through Fridays Maria does manicure and waxingMaria does manicures Sandra does hair color/cut and styling Thursday and Fridays Hairstyling by Toni Saturday Fridays - and styling Enrico does hair color/cut Christina does pedicures, manicures and hair.
Call Callfor forappointments appointments 914-523-6382 523-6382 or or 914-922-1057 922-1057
life
I N TR AN SI T ION Wealth management, tax and legacy planning strategies for anyone who may benefit from professional guidance after retirement, loss of a spouse, divorce or employment change.
Let our team help! Call us at 914-762-4760 or visit www.hudsonfs.com. Hudson Financial Services, Inc. 1249 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 Securities and investment advisory services offered through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a broker/dealer & Registered Investment Adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity. Neither Cetera Advisor Networks LLC nor its representatives offer tax or legal advice. Please consult your attorney or tax advisor for guidance.
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Mickey Keegan, Owner mickey@mickeys-automotive.com
WE SERVICE ALL CARS FRONT END SPECIALISTS · TIRES WEEL ALIGNMENT & BALANCE EXHAUST REPAIR · HEAT/AC COOLANT · BRAKES · AND MORE!
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BETTY AMICO • In-home service 914-962-5475 • Tax Preparation & Planning • Bookkeeping • Filing & Organizing • Bill Paying
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Contact us today to learn how our award-winning services can support you or your loved one in their journey toward a better quality of life!
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