FREE
FREE
july/august 2011
Wedding your
SHIFT+CONTROL
Movin’s
skip & heather
Sensation a singing
The Women
at the zoo
maria desantis
of CNYcentral
syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
w w w. s y r ac u s e wo m a n m ag . c o m
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HEART ATTACK? EVERY SECOND COUNTS. CALL 9-1-1. WHEN YOUR HEART IS ON THE LINE, GETTING HELP FAST CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Chest pain isn’t the only sign of a heart attack. Shortness of breath; back, arm or jaw discomfort; severe nausea; or heavy sweating also may indicate a problem. As the first Accredited Chest Pain Center in Syracuse, St. Joseph’s knows just how important it is to diagnose and treat these symptoms quickly and accurately. Seeking medical help right away can help protect you from serious heart damage and create a more positive outcome from a potentially dangerous situation. So, don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1. Your heart—and your life—may depend on it.
SYRACUSE’S FIRST ACCREDITED CHEST PAIN CENTER
A Higher Level of Care
St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center • 301 Prospect Ave. • Syracuse, NY • www.sjhsyr.org St. Joseph’s Resource Line (Physician & Program Information): 315-703-2138 St. Joseph’s is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis. Franciscan Companies is a member of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Network.
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contents july/august ETC
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platter cHatter: Sparky Town
9
W.B.O.C. Leading Women
10
fasHion forward: your wedding at the zoo
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Fabulous finds: Treasures for Outdoors
16
Local Business Matters: Wander the World
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Queen of ArTS: Sculpting Her Second Nature
20
New Look, New You
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Cover Story: The Women of CNYCentral
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music view: Sensationally Sound
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healthy woman: beat ovarian cancer
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world of women sports
40
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in her own words: The Keys to Understanding
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syracuse women inspire
47
the opposite sex: On The Air with skip & heather
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heart healthy
53
mind, body & spirit: The Traveler’s Soul
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feature: setting sail
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travel tips
59
The Main Event
60
Women Entrepreneurs: charlotte’s desserts
63
in & out of town
64
Say What?
66
for a Good cause: march of dimes
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feature: four-legged friends
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syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
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OUR TEAM... Publishers
Kelly Breuer Barbara McSpadden
Editor-in-Chief
Barbara McSpadden
Editor
Farah F. Jadran
Creative DIRECTOR Kelly Breuer
graphic design
Letter from the editor “I do think that being the second [female Supreme Court Justice] is wonderful, because it is a sign that being a woman in a place of importance is no longer extraordinary.” – Ruth Bader Ginsberg What’s wrong with being late to the party? Like Ruth Bader Ginsberg has said, there isn’t anything wrong with being the “second” of anything — especially when you’re shining in your own unique way. I thought a lot about this while putting together this edition of Syracuse Woman Magazine for two reasons: Hearing Jackie Robinson talk about how her momentous entrance into TV media (33 years ago) has paved the way for several more minority news anchor hopefuls behind her. Jackie said that because she has already broken the color barrier, those to follow would not have to go through it. She was honored to do so and continues to be a role model to both boys and girls of younger generations. And second, I sat down for my first Women Business Opportunities Connections (WBOC) board of directors meeting during the month of June and we discussed the importance of empowering a fellow member who may be in the same career field as us. The more and more I become a part of the WBOC, I see the clear benefits of networking with strong, confident women. We can only become stronger people — in all aspects of life — if we take the time to learn from one another and accept that there are things we are magnificent at and other things that we must work at every day. In this edition we feature ideas and stories focusing on the arts, entertainment, travel and leisure. Since we’re in the middle of our fleeting summer days, we need to make the most of every single one of them, even if it’s a rainy one! We encourage you to get out and take a tour of one of the many nearby picturesque lakes, visit the state park beaches or work in the garden. You can find many helpful hints in this edition’s Fabulous Finds section and by flipping through SWM, cover-to-cover. And because it is indeed time for summer break, be sure to spend time with your family and friends. I believe that most of us go through periods of time when we take for granted the people we love in our life and those we wish we could spend more time with. The same goes for new opportunities, relationships and business connections. Unfortunately, many people think a parade that has passed them by will eventually make a U-turn and give them a second chance. While it’s OK to create your own unrivaled presence when being “second” — sitting on one’s hands tarrying for a second chance in life can make for a long, lonely wait. Elude that void and go for what you want the first time around. I wish you all an eventful summer and don’t hesitate to take your July/August edition to the park or the beach — it makes for a fantastic read, but also a great accessory!
Farah F. Jadran On Our Cover...
The women of CNYCentral, Megan Coleman, Lisa Spitz, Jackie Robinson and Laura Hand, were photographed by Cindy Bell of Focus Studio, Inc., in Syracuse.
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Emma Tang
Photography Cindy Bell Caitlyn Bom Kelly Kane Rick Policastro Tami Zimmerman
Contributing Writers Dr. Mazen Berhara Sarah Jane Clifford Caitlin Donnelly Susan Dutch Susan Y. Dyer Antoinette Follett Lauren Glass Amanda Gormley Farah F. Jadran Ellen Leahy Susan Prinzing Carmen E. Zafar
advertising manager Colleen Farley
advertising sales Renee Moonan
Advertise with us...
Unlike any other publication in the Syracuse area, our feature articles address major topics that interest local women. Each issue includes articles on health, fashion, fitness, finance, home matters, dining, lifestyle and personal perspectives as well as a spotlight on local Syracuse women. Ads are due on the 15th of the month prior to publication. The print magazines will be distributed locally in over 200 locations and will be in your inbox electronically by the beginning of every month. The publication is available free of charge.
Contact our home office
315.434-8889 x315 2501 James St., Suite 100 Syracuse, NY 13206 info@syracusewomanmag.com Download our media kit at
www.syracusewomanmag.com Syracuse Woman Magazine is printed locally in Upstate NY. The magazine is published 10 times a year by InnovateHER Media Group, llc and Eagle Publications 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206. Copyright © 2011 SyracuseWoman Magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or republished without the consent of the publishers. Syracuse Woman Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts, photos or artwork. All such submissions become the property of Syracuse Woman Magazine and will not be returned.
Etc... july/august movies...
7/8
For Nick, Kurt and Dale, the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston) into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, after a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con (Jamie Foxx), the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers…permanently. The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again
7/15
7/29
When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours – in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down. Since birth, Conan’s life has been marked by violence. And after watching his fellow tribesmen and his father brutally and cruelly killed, Conan vows to avenge his peoples’ slaughter, even if it means sacrificing his own life in the process.
8/19
ALLIANCE BANK GOLF CLASSIC, PRESENTED BY WEGMANS
RIDE FOR THE RESCUE
Take it to the links, the links at Drumlins Country Club, from Friday July 29 through Sunday July 31 for the 16th consecutive year that Syracuse will host an LPGA Futures Tour tournament. Alliance Bank, N.A., is the title sponsor of the tournament for the sixth consecutive year. This year’s tournament features a $100,000 purse. The LPGA Futures Tour is the “Road to the LPGA,” with alumnae earning 359 tournament victories and 39 major championships. This season is the 13th year in the 31-year history of the LPGA Futures Tour that top players have been able to earn automatic exemptions onto the LPGA Tour. The 2011 season marks the fourth year that 10 LPGA memberships will be awarded. Tournament week will also feature a ProJunior Challenge, a nine-hole high school pro-am, which matches competing foursomes representing women’s golf teams from area high schools with a professional golfer from the LPGA Futures Tour. Up and coming LPGA Futures Tour professional, Amelia Lewis, will be happily returning to the region for this event. “Since I was 10 years old I’ve been addicted to the game of golf. There is no other sport that tests you as a person, like the game of golf does,” Lewis said “I love being a professional golfer and am so excited to come back to Syracuse after a runnerup finish last year at the Alliance Bank Golf Classic presented by Wegmans. I love the area, the course and the fans and can’t wait to play in the tournament again!” Advance sale tickets are available at the customer service desk at all nine Syracuse area Wegmans locations. Tickets will be available starting June 27 through the Sunday of tournament week. For more information, visit www.alliancebankgolfclassic.com.
Homeless and hurting people are depending on us more than ever to survive. Will you ride your bicycle for the Rescue Mission? Ride for the Rescue will be held Saturday July 16 at Syracuse Inner Harbor, where five rides to suit any age or ability will begin and end. Ride alone or form a team at your company, school, church or civic group. Teammates don’t have to ride the same route. Choose from a family fun ride, 10 miles, 20 miles, 40 miles or 62 miles. There will be food, music and fun for the entire family. In addition to the registration fee, riders are asked to raise at least $100. That’s as easy as going online at ridefortherescue.org, creating a page with our message and photos or yours and e-mailing your friends and family. Every $100 you raise above the $100 minimum qualifies you for a prize drawing. Raise $1,000, and you’ll be known as a Grand Cyclist with special opportunities. If you don’t own a bike, can’t ride or won’t be around July 16, you can still help as a virtual rider. Learn more and register at ridefortherescue. org or contact Gina Stokes at (315) 701-3891. Ride a bike, change a life! syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
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“...The best-kept secret in wedding reception locations...” Mary Caitlin Wight
Gourmet gatherings for humans that benefit the animals
of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Reserve your wedding reception* by September 1 and receive a FREE couple’s membership to the zoo as our gift (*100 guest minimum)
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315.435.8511 x113
july/august 2011 :: syracuseWomanMag.com
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www.cateringatthezoo.org
Sparky Town
syracuse’s newest jewel...
BY ELLEN LEAHY I PHOTOS BY KELLY KANE Sparky Town is a
newer jewel in Syracuse’s independent restaurant vault. Opening three years ago in the worst of times, Sparky’s has weathered a harsh economic climate to become a bit of an institution on Burnet Avenue, offering up a little bit of something for everyone including cooking, culture and camaraderie.
To know Linda “Sparky” Mortimer, Sparky Town’s namesake, is to truly love her. She is the hands-on chef/owner of Sparky Town, having trained professionally at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. A visit to Sparky Town will often include Sparky popping her head out of her kitchen window for a quick chat. She loves going to work because of the people, she said, which include the many regular customers, the guests that are new to her place each day and her strong crew. Business partner and artist Lauren Bristol curates Sparky Town’s inhouse revolving gallery while also managing the service aspects of the operation. Newer to Sparky’s are a couple of young guns. Stepping in as barista, Jay, who knows how to really doll up a beverage, and a young man helping out in the kitchen, Jesse Shockney. Sparky is still jazzed about the creative process in using food as her materials, whether making old favorites such as her hummus, antioxidant salad and quiche or tackling a new recipe, such as a vegetarian moussaka, which was Shockney’s mother’s. “I absolutely love the creative process and the challenge,” she said. She stays up on consumer trends offering gluten-free or low-fat dishes, as well as plenty of vegetarian offerings, buying as local as possible. In essence, she “keeps it fresh.” Sparky listens to her clientele and tries to prepare food accordingly. She knows that people want to cut some fat out of their diets, so instead of deep frying home fries, she bakes chopped potatoes, then crisps them on the grill.
Sparky said Chris Fowler’s local business association, Syracuse First, which focuses on keeping as many dollars in the community as possible, has really made a difference in her success over the past three years. She appreciates those who support her small business and in turn seriously tries to support local farmers and other suppliers. “Social Networking really works, too,” Sparky said. Sparky Town has a very active Facebook page, which is a great place to check out its music schedule and there also is a weekly “what’s going on” email blast that keeps followers informed of Sparky happenings. Sparky Town is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Besides catching lunch or supper, Sparky’s kitchen is a great place when one is in need of a late afternoon bite, as it remains open between meal periods when many other restaurants are closed. A great late afternoon dish is a fresh goat cheese plate served with kalamata olives, roasted garlic and flatbread for $6.50, per Sparky’s suggestion. On Saturdays, the kitchen is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday breakfasts are so popular that she highly recommends making reservations, as the restaurant seats only 49. Local roaster, Coffee Mania, is now brewing a special Sparky Town Blend. Next on the horizon, Sparky has applied for a beer and wine license. Sparky Town is located at 324 Burnet Ave., at the corner of Catherine Street on the site of the former New Central Café, near Syracuse’s Hawley Green Neighborhood. Find Sparky and her entire menu on the Web at www.sparkytown.net or call 422-8401 or “like it” on Facebook. Can’t get to Sparky’s? She also caters! syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
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::w.b.o.c.’s leading women BY FARAH F. JADRAn I PHOTO BY CINDY BELL
She’s a fifth-year financial advisor at AXA Advisors, wife and mother of two, an advisory board member of the Hillsman Foundation and the 2011 Syracuse Dancing with the Stars Champion. And most recently she was named president of the local nonprofit organization, Women Business Opportunities Connections. Angela Renna became a member of the WBOC five years ago. She signed up on the spot, she said, since she met so many fantastic women. The WBOC was celebrating its 15th anniversary when she joined. “That was part of the reason I was so excited,” Renna said. Soon, the organization will celebrate its 20th anniversary. The WBOC’s mission is to support and advance the success of women entrepreneurs, a mission that will continue to be the primary focus for the organization. Renna says it’s very likely that the founders didn’t envision how big the WBOC would get. It started with eight members and it has grown to 100-plus. However, Renna said part of her mission as president is to increase the membership. “I want to get that membership number up. I want women to understand the importance of the organization. It’s meant to strengthen relationships.” Renna has experienced the power the organization has to create, strengthen and maintain these bonds. Less than a month ago, Renna decided to further connect with a fellow WBOC member and created a direct business referral. Joanne L. DelBalso, accountant and owner of No Fuss Accounting Services, has teamed up with Renna since creating a stronger business relationship through the WBOC. They now run their businesses out of neighboring office spaces in the same Cicero location. Renna, still an AXA advisor, is offering her financial planning services there. “[We] never would have made that connection if it wasn’t for the WBOC. Her clients needed my services - my clients needed her services.” Renna also holds an office at the Compass Federal Credit Union in Oswego since AXA recently signed a corporate agreement for her to be the CU’s exclusive advisor. This is the first time AXA will do work with a bank and credit union in this fashion. Last October, Renna was asked to join the advisory board for the Hillsman Foundation, which was created to benefit under-served youth in the Greater Syracuse area; to broaden their self-awareness, build self-esteem, encourage academic success and enhance their experiences outside of their current circumstances, by mentoring and through the arts. “[Joining the board] seemed like a natural thing to do.” Increasing the chances of graduation retention in the city of Syracuse and heightening people’s general knowledge of financial planning has been a major priority in Renna’s volunteer pursuits. In June, Renna helped organize a field trip to several businesses for middle-school students learning about a variety of careers. “If you get them at the middle school level, they find guidance and direction,” she said. “They find more motivation for graduation and we can encourage them to continue.” For more than a year now, she also has been teaching Dave Ramsey’s Peace University financial literacy program to adults during night classes offered at Believer’s Chapel in Cicero. As Renna begins her term along with the new 2011-12 WBOC Board of Directors, she will be working to continue the organization’s mission and also advance her own career by creating long-term client relationships so people have a better understanding of their personal finances. “I want people to have a better handle on their finances so that future generations are better prepared.” The WBOC is a local non-profit organization that has been providing support to women and access to innovative events and workshops for 19 years. Whether running our own business, working for an employer or launching a new endeavor, women are connected through their entrepreneurial mindset. For information on how to become a member, visit www.wboconnection.org.
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president…
YOU can call her
A Summer of Fun,
A Lifetime of Memories Two parks, four places to stay, and endless ways to save. All accommodation options are affordable and fun ways for families to create treasured memories at one amazing location. Hotel and camping packages available include admission to Darien Lake Theme Park and SplashTown Water Park.
Make reservations now at StayDarienLake.com or by calling 585.599.2211. For more information on Darien Lake Theme Park and SplashTown Water Park, visit GoDarienLake.com.
Darien Lake Resort is located between Buffalo and Rochester, NY at exit 48A off the I-90 NYS Thruway, within an hour of Niagara Falls.
::fashion forward
Shall we
By Carmen E. Zafar I photos by caitlyn bom
Sharing your first dance as husband and wife is always a special moment, and you may imagine there isn’t anything that could make it more memorable. Think again. An adventure filled with wild, exotic animals is closer than you think. A wedding or reception at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo offers many unique features that you won’t get at any other venue. Yes, yes, there are lions, tigers and bears but there’s much more. You and that special someone will be walking amongst Asian elephants in your formal attire. No worries, the groom and his entourage won’t be the only ones in tuxes when you meander by the penguin exhibit for a romantic photo-op. The bride walks elegantly in a grand high-neck silky taffeta A-line gown accented with a beautifully beaded and embroidered neckline featuring Swarovski crystals. Her gown beams with highlighted with asymmetrical pleating and a side insert of English Netting lavished in a fabulous pattern of embroidery and crystals. The back of the bodice is covered in delicate fabric covered buttons and the gown is finished off with a cathedral length train that is entirely adorned in crystal beaded embroidered embellishments. Her tulle veil with delicate crystals and silver beading (by Ansonia Bridal Veils) lies softly on her elbows. Donned in Armory Square threads, her groom is putting his best foot forward in Hugo Boss. Clean lines and a smooth look capture the moment to be shared alongside zoo companions. On Claire Spengler: Bridal gown provided by Rebecca’s Bridal (North Syracuse, N.Y.); bracelet and earrings by Lia Sophia, Karen Cross; bridal ring set and groom’s ring by Welch & Co. Jewelers (North Syracuse, N.Y.).On Kyle Martin: Suit, cufflinks and shoes provided by Mr. Shop (Armory Square).
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dance?
::fashion forward
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::fashion forward
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Follow me to our
july/august 2011 :: syracuseWomanMag.com
flamingo fairytale... ::fashion forward
You’ve already captured his heart now it’s time to sweep him off his feet on the day you two will cherish forever. Brightening the special day with some exotic birds will make for fabulous photo-ops. Your groom will flirt his way to an extra kiss as you pose near the flamingo habitat. You’re sure to share some wedding-day laughs as you spend some time with a “Simon,” the (hybrid) harlequin macaw, which will do his best to steal the show.
Share a quiet moment alone around the bend from Rosamond’s courtyard. A petite elephant sculpture is shaded by zoo greenery — you’re sure to steal another kiss away. The bride gazes into her groom’s eyes as a lion looks on from a distance. She walks gracefully beside him in a gorgeous silky satin fit and flare trumpet style strapless gown is adorned in a bust line of soft pleated accents with magnificent Swarovski crystal beaded embroidery at the midriff. Her gown features an asymmetrical pattern of pleating throughout that follows to a slight bouffant front skirt and a very simple yet elegant chapel train surely a crowd-stopper. Her groom delicately pushes back her soft tulle veil, edged in delicate satin cord, so to hold her cheek in his hand. Sharing one more moment, they begin to walk hand-inhand as the bride’s adornments shine in the sun. The couple trades glances from across the courtyard as they meander the crowd of guests. Their flamingo fairytale will have nothing, but a picturesque ending. On Allison Angona: Bridal gown provided by Rebecca’s Bridal (North Syracuse, N.Y.); bracelet, necklace and earrings by Lia Sophia; bridal ring set and groom’s ring by Welch & Co. Jewelers (North Syracuse, N.Y.). On Victor Beaumont: Suit, cufflinks and shoes provided by Mr. Shop (Armory Square).
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treasures for outdoors
SHIFT+CONTROL ::fabulous finds
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RHUBARB KITCHEN & GARDEN 59 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY (315) 685-5803
Looking for a fabulous and functional picnic bag? Find a summer solution at Rhubarb Kitchen & Garden by checking out an array of picnic bag/basket designs. If you’re planning a picnic-for-two in Central New York, this tan Picnic at Ascot bag is your best bet. Sturdy craftsmanship and stylish stripe accents will make simple, but unique statement at the park.
july/august 2011 :: syracuseWomanMag.com
SHIFT+CONTROL ::fabulous finds
SKANEATELES 300’…SHOES & ESSENTIALS 2 W. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY (315) 685-1133
It’s time to hit the beaches and what better way to sport some style by the water than to sport some sails. Each bag is unique with different sail designs as they feature recycled sails and hand-spliced rope handles. The “Sea Bag” ($165) is durable, fashion smart and Earthfriendly. The Sea Bag is machine washable (hang dry), which is handy for the days you get gritty in the sand. When you step out with your new Sea Bag, remember this: “Sailed around the world, recycled in Maine.”
syracuse yacht sales
6901 E. Genesee St., DeWitt, NY (315) 446-0460
Ready to hit the local waterways? Get your ride at Syracuse Yacht Sales, which carries a wide variety of canoes and kayaks. The Old Town Cayuga Lake 146 ($985) is a 14.5-foot recreational touring kayak and it’s perfect for any area lakes and makes great for a camping trip in the Adirondacks. It includes two drty storage compartments and maintains increased performance with efficient paddling. It’s a wide model but it has great stability. Before you head to the lakes, stop by Syracuse Yacht Sales, and enjoy the summer!
WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED
314 Towne Dr., Fayetteville, NY (315) 637-0710
Whether you have a mini grill or something that puts an indoor range to shame, the Fire Wire fits the bill, and the grill! The Fire Wire ($14.99) that includes two stainless steel flexible skewers, can be found at Wild Birds Unlimited, which also carries some organic barbecue sauce to accompany your new grilling tool. The Fire Wire is capable of fitting twice as many vegetables and meat. Plus, cleanup is easy since it’s dishwasher safe. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee. A Fire Wire Skewer Marinating Kit ($4.99) is also available at the store. Fire it up and happy grilling, Central New York!
TWIN OAKS NURSERY & FLORIST 4107 New Court Ave., Syracuse, NY (315) 437-9678
For more than 40 years, Twin Oaks Nursery & Florist has been serving the Syracuse community and surrounding areas. One of their most popular items on the lot is the hanging floral baskets ($25). Owners Joseph and Grace Chiarenza have been growing an array of annual flowers in the onsite greenhouse since the nursery first opened. The Proven Winner species baskets are bright, beautiful and bear high quality floral. While you’re there, browse the rest of the store and nursery and pick up vegetable plants, a bird feeder, ornate pots or pet supplies.
syracuseWomanMag.com 2011 syracuseWomanMag.com :: :: july/august july/august 2011
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Wander
::local business matters
The Natural Beauty of
the world with ease BY CARMEN E. ZAFAR I PHOTO BY CAITLYN BOM
Do you prefer lying on the white sandy beaches of Fiji while someone waits on you hand-and-foot? Does a cuisine-focused trip to Spain, Italy and France tickle your travel interest? What about spending 14 days straight visiting every major Civil War site is that your path?
No matter which one you choose, Sally Fedrizzi, owner and founder of Vagabond Tour and Travel, can help you devise the a plan for your next vacation. The Baldwinsville-based business, run from Fedrizzi’s home, will turn 9 years old this September. Fedrizzi entered the travel business after helping at her sister’s travel business, The Travel Store, located in Fayetteville. However, she’s always had a passion for the travel scene, since she was a child. “[My] parents always traveled. It’s always been an interest of mine,” she said. “It fell together by chance.” Her part-time involvement with her sister’s business evolved into another business of its own. “I love planning trips and I love working with people,” Fedrizzi said. “I enjoy helping them decide what the best kind of trip is going to be for them.”
Like the aforementioned questions about your travel interests, Fedrizzi starts out by asking new clients what interests them in all aspects of their lives. It’s about helping them find a vision, she says. “If you called me up and asked me what the hottest destination was right now, I’ll say, ‘I don’t know, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself first and then I’ll tell you what’s the hottest destination for you.’” A major part about Vagabond Tour and Travel’s services is the personalized itinerary planning, which Fedrizzi says is priceless and crucial to making a trip unique to each client. That’s why she takes the time to listen to each client. “Not everyone’s ideal vacation is the same.” Because of this simple understanding, Fedrizzi says using her services over an online commercial travel planner will benefit a client because she has the ability to customize trips and add special activities that other services may not offer. Fedrizzi says a general Web trip service won’t know if you truly want to immerse into the art or culture of a destination, or the cuisine or if visiting all major landmarks are your fancy. “It’s very satisfying to tailor a trip for [clients] and they come back and are thrilled with the things in the itinerary.” In addition to the business, Fedrizzi facilitates a travel club for women, vagabondGALS. The club was born in November 2007 out of coincidence, once again. While running ads for travel tours offered by Vagabond Tour and Travel, she began getting calls from women saying they were interested in the idea, but they each had different travel preferences. Instead of advertising a wider variety of tours, Fedrizzi created the club so that women could meet regularly over coffee and dessert to discuss travel interests and dream vacations. The club now maintains numerous members along with a new feature called “The Bucket List,” which will encourage women to check off those dream trips with the company of their fellow vagabondGALS. The next club meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 14 at the Ramada Inn on Buckley Road in Liverpool. Attendees should rsvp through the website, www.vagabondgals.com.
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For more information about Vagabond Tour and Travel’s services and vacation tips, visit www.vagabondtourandtravel.com or call (315) 857-3234.
Welch & Company Jewelers
513 S. Main Street (Rt. 11) North Syracuse, NY • 452-0744 www.welchjewelers.com
Sculpting: ::Queen of arts
her second nature by Susan L. Dutch | photo by cindy bell Carolyn Palmer remembers being baffled by all the fuss. As far as she knew, she was just a typical 4-year-old, having fun in the sand with her four brothers and three sisters. Yet, beach strollers were stopped in their tracks as a passerby admired her work, took photos and offered words of encouragement. “I thought everyone was trying to be kind because I was just this little thing playing in the sand,” Carolyn said. But the adulation that began on the Florida beaches would quickly become the norm. From the endless accolades by teachers and peers about her incredible talent, to the many prestigious art awards she won throughout her elementary and high school years. Carolyn’s gift astounded many, but no one more than her parents. “Artistic ability doesn’t run in my family so my parents weren’t sure where all this came from,” Carolyn said gesturing to her array of impressive sculptures and paintings that adorn her Mission Landing condominium. A high honors student with a strong aptitude in the science, Carolyn’s parents, although supportive of her talent, insisted she pursue a more traditional academic path. She obliged by attending Wells College in Aurora but soon discovered that her intense passion for art could not to be suppressed. “I was interested in the human body as a three-dimensional art form, not so much scientifically,” Carolyn said. “I wanted to follow my art.” Carolyn transferred to and graduated cum laude from Nazareth College in Rochester, and soon after traveled extensively to museums and ruins throughout Italy, France, Spain and Greece. It was then that she believes her “real” training began. “The classical and renaissance sculptures really inspired me. It amazes me how sculptors as early as the 4th Century B.C. created such lifelike figures out of clay, marble or bronze. I can sense their passion for bringing those materials to life and that same spirit inspires my work today,” she said. Her evolving talent ultimately led to public commissions to sculpt several prominent historic figures in bronze, including the Wright Brothers for a Sanford, Orlando Airport; a life-size Thomas Jefferson for the Jefferson Center in Syracuse; and a bust of Dr. Zef Oroshi for a prominent Albanian venue in Ardsley, N.Y. Her most recent commission is to commemorate the lives of Gov. Robert P. Casey and Vice President Joseph Biden for Scranton, Pa. Carolyn also sits on various committees and boards, including the Museum of Young Art (MOYA) and the Vera House Foundation. In 2005, she chaired the Syracuse Stage’s Beaux Arts Ball, naming it after Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, “Starry Night.” It was one of the most profitable fundraisers in the Stage’s 26-year history. Away from her creative world, Carolyn also enjoys her position in marketing and sales for a family owned company, L.P. Transportation, Inc., which hauls liquefied petroleum up the Northeast. “I enjoy the diversity, but creating art is truly my passion even though I never feel completely satisfied or finished with any one piece.” A selfproclaimed perfectionist, Carolyn believes Leonardo da Vinci had it right when he said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” With a smile she says, “Art, like life, is a magnificent work in progress.” To see more of Carolyn’s work, visit www.palmersculptures.com.
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210 Walton Street Syracuse,NY 13202 471.4601 Mon-Wed 10-6 Thu 10-8 Fri/Sat 10-9 Sun 12-5 syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011 23 www.eurekacrafts.wordpress.com
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::new look, new you
Jami bruno Papillon Boutique PHOTOS BY CINDY BELL
Jami’s ready for a night out on the town at the Belhurst Castle in this striking gold and black animal print top matched with black, form fitting jeans and some incredibly sexy high heels! Jami’s hair compliments her outfit with playful, sexy curls put into a fun updo. The style is easy, yet polished, with poppin red extensions to add a little sass and dimension. A natural finish makeup was air brushed, then set off by bold dramatic eye color anddramatic red lips for a long-lasting look that feels like you have nothing on. Inset: This Dobbs of Boston Designer necklace features stunning strands of sterling silver mesh with sterling silver beads lay softly on the neck paired with matching earrings. All clothing provided by Papillon Boutique. Jami was given a more relaxed look for this outfit, while still giving that hint of sexy with her red extensions pieced in throughout her long dark brown locks. Makeover styles and makeup provided by Brandon & Melissa at Isabella Salon and Spa at the Belhurst. Isabella Salon offers full service hair care and styling, nail care, makeup, as well as a full array of spa services. In the tradition of Belhurst, Isabella Spa and Salon is built completely on service. Each technician has spent countless hours perfecting their skill to give you the best experience possible. www.belhurst.com/ salon-services.html Clothing provided by Papillon Boutique 572 PreEmption Rd. in Geneva. Papillon has an exquisite array of clothing, jewelry and gifts including J Brand and NYDJ (Tummy Tuck) jeans plus a unique selection of tops and accessories that you won’t find anywhere else. Let us help you find who you are! www.papillonboutiqueinc.com
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new look new you
Cristen Constantine Finger Lakes Health
Cristen is comfortable in this cold shoulder, pastel flower and lace print top and her flattering NYD Jeans. Her jewelry is a Kameleon Interchangeable Sterling Silver Lotus Flower Pendant with Caribbean Wave Swarovski crystal jewelpop center paired with matching Scroll Drop earrings. Her bracelet is a Kameleon sterling silver Tiffany-style heart bracelet with blue sparkle Swarovski crystal jewelpop center. We cut eight inches from Cristen’s hair to create a soft look with framing layers that will be easy for her to leave down, or pull up quickly for her job as a nursing assistant. Natural blonde highlights emphasize her beautiful hazel eyes and give the appearance of fullness. Her makeup is flawlessly airbrushed, with a very natural look, emphasizing her beautiful eyes and darker lips to highlight her fantastic smile. Inset: Chris is comfortable and looks great in this black and free flowing white top from Papillon Boutique. Overlooking Seneca Lake, Geneva On The Lake was built in 1914 as a private home. Modeled after Villa Lancellotti in Frascati, Italy, its interior includes Italian marble fireplaces, wall tapestries, ionic columns and wood-coffered ceilings. Geneva On The Lake is perfect for a long weekend or midweek escape. Rest, relax and surrender yourself to gracious service, superb food, the finest Finger Lakes wines and breathtaking surroundings. Jewelry provided by Welch & Co. 513 N. Main St., N. Syracuse, NY. Since 1997, Dan Welch has brought his 29 years of experience in the jewelry business to North Syracuse meaning when you come to Welch & Co. you are dealing with experts eager to provide friendly, personal service whatever your needs may be. www.welchjewelers.com
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::new look,
carly delucia Century 21 Real Estate
Carly’s easy flowing silk dress is perfect for any summer event. Bright reds, yellows and blues trimmed in basic black, make this Ed Hardy replica easy to dress up or down depending on the occasion. The 2.10 carat white gold diamond princess necklace, simply sparkles on her neckline. The classic bangle bracelet is 14k gold, 2.33 cts total weight of vintage, European diamonds provided by Welch & Co. Jewelers. New highlights give Carly that fresh-from-thebeach look with rich low lights in complimentary tones to create balance. Four inches were trimmed from her naturally curly hair in free hand, playful layers that lend themselves to a fun, curly look or a sophisticated straight style. A matte finish makeup was airbrushed for a young and flirty look with simple dark eyes and more natural lips. Inset: This basic black, form fitting, off-theshoulder top looks great dressed down with jeans or dressed up with a skirt or pants. The Jan Rich Designs necklace with matching earrings features a flower centerpiece accented with genuine faceted smokey quartz, amethyst bead and peacock pearls.
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lynn mattice
Wayne Finger Lakes Boces
Lynn is ready for anything in this fun summer top featuring bright colors accented with black animal stripes and silver sequin embellishments. Her look is paired with some great black jeans and hot pumps and she’s ready for a party! Her Jan Rich Designs sterling silver, drop style necklace with matching earrings feature genuine turquoise, abalone shell, green fluorite and sterling pear shaped beads. More than Six inches was trimmed from Lynn’s hair to create a modified bob, perfect for the mom on the go! The beautiful medium-brown coloring was balanced to one tone with great reflective qualities. Her makeup is airbrushed for full coverage. A clean, you’ll-never-know-it’s-there, look that brings out her beautiful eyes. Add a little color on her lips, and she is ready for her evening out. Inset: Lynn is dressed for a girls night out in this form-fitting black and white animal print top with black lace accents and ruffles on top. With a bold color for her lips, and dark color to accentuate her eyes, the outfit is complete!
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::for a good cause
mothers & babies Caring for the
of CNY
By Antoinette Follett
The March of Dimes is a leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health with a mission to improve the health of all babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes Central New York Division provides programs of education, advocacy and community services to Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Tioga and Tompkins counties to improve maternal and infant health for stronger, healthier babies. The March of Dimes currently has nearly $850,000 in active mission investments in Central New York, including national research grants at Syracuse and Cornell Universities that have a direct impact on the lives of local families. In addition, through programs such as the David R. Smith Student Convocation, the March of Dimes offers local high school students the opportunity to meet with medical experts in the hope of encouraging them to pursue studies in related fields. Executive Director Johanna Kmetz says the amount of resources provided is invaluable to the CNY community. “There is no better feeling than the one you get when you join a great organization like the March of Dimes in helping babies here in CNY and across America to be born healthy.” The Central New York Division also plans numerous local fundraising events that include five March for Babies walks (Syracuse area March for Babies will be held Oct. 23), Signature Chefs Auction (this event was held on March 28), and Bikers for Babies (coming up on Aug. 6). These events ensure that they can continue funding the research and programs needed so that one day, every family will know the joy of a healthy baby. Currently, the March of Dimes is focusing on one of the most urgent infant health problems in the United States today which affects more than half a million babies each year —premature birth. It not only affects the health of 1 in 8 babies, but also has an annual societal economic cost (medical, education and lost productivity) in the U.S. in excess of $26 billion. The premature birth rate in Onondaga County is even higher with 1 in 7 babies being born too soon. Committed to reducing this toll by funding research, the March of Dimes is also working with hospitals and health care providers throughout the state on quality improvement programs to help eliminate elective deliveries prior to full-term at 39 weeks. All of these efforts continue to position the March of Dimes at the forefront of initiatives that will ultimately mean more babies will be born healthy here and across New York State.
March of Dimes is the champion for all -- those born healthy, as well as those who need help to survive and thrive. Kmetz says the organization is fortunate to be part of a community where so many people come together to be part of such a great cause. “Helping our babies should be a top priority, and we should be very excited about what we have accomplished here in CNY.”
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Founded in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt, the March of Dimes has a track record of success that began with the research that led to the cure of polio. Today, the March of Dimes provides many useful services such as fighting for health insurance for all pregnant women and children, pushing for newborn screening that could save lives and prevent disability and providing comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care. To learn more about the CNY Chapter of the March of Dimes, visit www.marchofdimes.com. july/august 2011 :: syracuseWomanMag.com
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::cover story
CN Y C
The Women of
by FARAH F. JADRAN | pho
You wake up with them, you chec they’re the last women you see befo of CNYCentral. The team includ Lisa Spitz and Laura Hand and if y basis, you probably feel like you kn
“Between, Jackie, Laura, Megan an said CNYCentral President and C different places and they all have separates us in this market.”
Jackie Robinson
Homegrown is an understatemen Syracuse. She graduated from Ci undergraduate studies at Syracuse Public Communications. Jackie att Syracuse Coalition for the Free Fl for television news to reflect its com led Jackie toward a career in wh “There were no minorities on TV,” was male-dominated when I starte
Jackie landed an internship with WS time, where she worked as the news sports in the ‘Cuse, Steve Kroft was r CNY its local weather on Channel 5 shape. “[They] Enjoyed their work… the community. [They discussed] wh By the end of the summer — I deci
During the days leading to her Ma a reporting job at Channel 3. In 19 news after a female colleague had le memorable moments happened in Jackie was the first black woman t Thirty-three years after — Jackie for all generations that follow her boy named Ricardo (a fifth-grade know that I can do anything that I achieve this makes it worthwhile.’”
Jackie’s counterparts, who rave personable approach, have become is my TV husband,” she said. Flat anchor Mulcahy agreed that Jackie
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Central
::cover story
otos by cindy bell
ck in with them mid-day and sometimes ore you go to sleep. They are the women des Jackie Robinson, Megan Coleman, you’ve been watching them on a regular now them pretty well.
nd Lisa, we have a wealth of experience,” CEO Chris Geiger. “They all come from different contributions and that’s what
nt. Jackie was born and raised in North icero High School and completed her e University’s S.I. Newhouse School of ttended SU on a full scholarship after the low of Information deemed it necessary mmunity. This educational opportunity hich she would soon move mountains. ,” Jackie said. “There were no women. It ed.”
SYR, which was both radio and TV at the sroom secretary. Bob Costas was reporting reading the news and Al Roker was giving 5 all the while Jackie’s dreams were taking …telling these stories and how it affected hy it’s important and why you should care. ided I want to be just like them.”
ay graduation in 1978, Jackie was offered 985, Jackie began anchoring the weekend eft the station. However, one of her most n 1990 when she broke the color barrier. to anchor the weeknight evening news. e says she is proud to have paved a path r footsteps. “I have a letter from a little e student), ‘Your face on TV makes me I set my mind to. Knowing that you can ”
about her community-oriented and e a second family to her. “Matt [Mulcahy] ttered by her denotation, WSTM news e is his “on-air wife” after delivering
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the news alongside each other for more than 10 years. “She has an ability to connect with viewers,” Mulcahy said. “That’s pretty unique -- not everyone has that. You don’t go to school to learn that.” Wayne Mahar, chief meteorologist for WSTM, says her ties to the community make her shine. “She’s living the dream,” Mahar said. “[She] went to her hometown college, got a job... Working with longevity. [She’s] breaking barriers and she’s a main anchor. What an inspiration for the hundreds of women graduating from Newhouse.” Megan Coleman She eats dinner around 3 o’clock in the afternoon on the weekdays and is in bed by 7 p.m., same as her 1-year-old daughter, Olivia. Although she and her husband, Richard, have to work hard to find time for each other, Megan says her family’s challenges are just like anyone else’s. Megan, originally from Prarie Village, Kan., says she’s grateful to continue anchoring the morning news for almost seven years, even after starting a family. “As many moms, I was struggling on how I would return to work… how I would try to find that balance,” Megan said. While continuing her routine, she has also incorporated some time for working at home. “It’s really helped me stay motivated. I’m able to continue to work doing what I love to do, but also not compromise my ability to be a mom, which is a priority of mine.” Finding that balance has been key for Megan, since the WSTM anchors are now acting as producers, writing stories for the website and posting to social media outlets. Like her fellow female colleagues at WSTM, Megan is also a product of the Newhouse School’s broadcast journalism program. Recognizing her hard work during their three years together on the morning newscast is WSTM Meteorologist Peter Hall, who says
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Megan, is “the full package.” She has a thorough approach and makes the effort to gather extra information for breaking news, Hall said. “She cares about people and the news. We’re lucky to have her.” Lisa Spitz Growing up in the Albany area was only the start of Lisa’s love of politics. She always knew she wanted to report the news and when she applied for graduate school, Newhouse was her only bid. After finishing her degree in broadcast journalism, Lisa worked in both the Utica and Hudson Valley markets before settling in Syracuse to report and anchor for CNYCentral eight years ago. “You do feel like you’re part of a community here,” Lisa said. “It’s nice to meet people, hear people say they appreciate what we do. You’re literally on the frontlines of watching history unfold and you’re a part of it -- you’re covering it.” Although she enjoys everyday reporting, Lisa’s favorite day is Election Day. Her second favorite day is Primary Day. “Local politics really touches people and maybe more than they realize. [Several elections] come down to a few votes and every vote matters. It’s been exciting to see it over the years.” Election Day has become such a holiday in the newsroom that her colleagues expect the arrival of Lisa’s patrioticthemed cupcakes. Mike Brookins, CNYCentral meteorologist and Lisa’s counterpart for almost six years, says her focus and determination are impeccable. “I see how much she knows and how good she is at her job,” Brookins said. Her ability to “quarterback” the weekend news has built Brookins’ confidence in Lisa’s abilities as an effective producer. “She does a good job with balance. It’s a flawless and smooth broadcast. Lisa brings enthusiasm and a love of politics. It really does show.”
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Laura Hand She walked through the doors for her first day on the job Nov. 6, 1972, the day before President Richard Nixon defeated Democrat George McGovern. She was the first woman to work in the WSTM newsroom while many places still weren’t hiring women. She also made a fashion statement on her first day -- wearing a pantsuit, which was against the dress code for women. “No one ever said anything to me,” Laura said. However, the dress code was changed immediately, without discussion. Laura was born in Virginia, but she and her mother moved around frequently while her father was serving in the military. Although Laura had aspirations of attending a higher education institution such as Princeton University, women were not yet allowed admission. Since SU was one of few schools offering dual majors, she set her sights on CNY and graduated early in the winter of 1971 with a degree in political science and television-radio journalism. After almost 39 years on the job, the CNY community has become second nature to Laura. While opportunities to move into a different market have arrived, the timing was never right. “Every time I wanted to move, something good happened here,” she said while her eyes surveyed the CNYCentral newsroom. “I was anchoring in a couple of years and then I got married.” Because Laura reports the Weekend’s Best Bets, she is always aware of what the region has to offer. The nonstop activities and family fun have become some of Laura’s favorite things about CNY. Because Laura has been with the station the longest, the changes are most evident to her. “The product has evolved more than anything. When I started we were using news film… The timing and getting stuff done and punching in computer codes was very different. It was a different way
of delivering information.” While talking about the many advances in television media, she emphasized the importance of working as a team. Working alongside Laura for three years is WSTM Meteorologist Matt Stevens, who raves about her experience, knowledge and professionalism. “She brings a wealth of information to the table -- she’s got that going on,” Stevens said. Her ability to get pressing tasks completed during threeminute commercial breaks has impressed Stevens from the start. “She’s flying through our rundown, doing the show set-up, making changes telling me what we’re doing next… She could be flustered right before [we return] but she composes herself.” Laura loves her job and she says it’s been everything she has hoped for thus far. “It’s not just reporting the news -- t’s sharing.” CNYCentral CEO and President Geiger said the diversity of their strengths and knowledge is what makes the women of CNYCentral a strong force in news reporting. Each one of them has a different dynamic, he said. “Jackie is a veteran news anchor-reporter. Laura Hand is also a veteran news anchor-reporter and brings a real community feel to what she does and is very active in the community. Lisa Spitz has been a tenacious reporter for a number of years and is also anchoring now and has a specialty in political coverage and a vast knowledge. Megan is just the perfect morning anchor, upbeat, happy, but at the same time [she’s] serious. [Megan] is giving you all the info you need to know to get through your day and be prepared for the day.” Thinking about all the teams he has reporting at CNYCentral, Geiger says that with experience and tenure comes the chemistry that people see and can tell is genuine. “I think we’re fortunate to have such an experienced team of men and women. People trust us and know they can trust us.”
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Sunin Euroan Elegance e Hea he Fnger Laes
If you are looking for an unforgettable experience for your vacation, then look no further than Geneva On The Lake. We are located on Seneca Lake in the midst of the scenic Finger Lakes Wine Country. This historic landmark, on 10 beautiful acres, is open year-round. The resort has received the coveted AAA Four-Diamond Award for 28 years and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
FOR RESERVATIONS: 1-800-3-GENEVA or 315-789-7190 1001 Lochland Rd., Route 14, Geneva, New York 14456 www.genevaonthelake.com | info@genevaonthelake.com
family tradition ::music view
A Sensationally Sound by Lauren Glass | photo by kelly kane
The harder you work, the luckier you get! This has served as the DeSantis family motto since Thomas DeSantis came to Syracuse in 1919 and opened the famous regional DeSantis music schools and stores. His son, Mario, started his legendary dance orchestra, the DeSantis Orchestra, in 1947, saturating his daughter, Maria DeSantis, with musical inspiration from a young age. Under her grandfather and father’s guidance, Maria DeSantis started playing piano at age 4 and began singing at 8 with various local musical theatre groups. “Growing up in theatre, I was with all of these great jazz musicians. My father surrounded himself with wonderful people.” She started performing with her father’s orchestra in 1979, adding her vocal flair to the band’s already talented ensemble. “My singing went in the direction of theatre with jazz flavor, rolled into the contemporary music of my time in the 60s, 70s and 80s.”
Following her father’s advice, Maria chose to study psychology over earning a degree in music. She practiced on her own and relied on her family to lend her their expertise while vowing never to give up on her passion for music. “I’m interested in the whole psychology of the audience, how they take to you and how the musicians deal with themselves in terms of being out there and performing. Not everyone is blessed with a perfect physique and all of the skills, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it! American Idol is not the reality of the music business.” DeSantis took on multiple roles within the band, including marketing manager, booking agent, bandleader and finally business owner in 1992, when she officially bought the orchestra from her father. “I had a strong concept of what the band should be. The way we play music and the way we present music is definitely for events where people are highly interested in music. We create an experience.” The band’s unique model enables flexibility, offering itself as an entire ensemble or as smaller duos or trios, depending on the event. “We typically play 12 pieces, sometimes 13. We really tailor make our performances to the wishes of the client. There’s the big orchestra and then much smaller bands.” DeSantis prides the orchestra on being a New York City style show band that plays music from 1930 to the present. “We’re a funk band, we’re a rhythm and blues band, we’re a classic rock band, we’re kind of a little of everything and it’s more interesting that way.” DeSantis praises her father’s accomplishments and credits him as her inspiration. “The people you surround yourself with emotionally and spiritually, and your family really make you who you are. There are a lot of musicians that get caught up in details and egocentric issues when the artistry really comes from within.” She remains humbled by her success and her future endeavors to continue the band’s legacy. “There is nothing like standing on a stage in front of a 12-piece orchestra that supports you like that. It really makes a difference when you are doing the thing for your living that you’re most passionate about.” syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011 syracuseWomanMag.com :: february 2011
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::healthy women BY CARMEN E. ZAFAR I PHOTO BY RICK POLICASTRO
Cancer is not prejudice. It doesn’t care if you’re male or female, or if you’re young or old. You can also feel like you’re in the best shape of your life and appear healthy on the outside when your physician breaks the news to you. With non-threatening symptoms and unknown causes, ovarian cancer tiptoed into Andrea Como’s life less than five years ago. Since Andrea had endured years of reproductive complications, the “supposed symptoms” she experienced were overlooked. During the summer of 2006, Andrea not only turned 40, but she also turned toward a healthier lifestyle that included eating healthy and running. During this lifestyle change she was keeping a journal. Andrea made note of all her training experiences and was sure to include how she felt during her running workouts. More and more through the beginning of the following year, Andrea noticed constant spotting between periods, frequent urination and a pain on the left side of her abdomen. Although she saw her gynecologist in January 2007, she wasn’t advised to look further into it. However, the symptoms whispered again in February while she was vacationing in Florida with her sisters. She called her doctor and made another appointment following her return. Andrea was still unaware of what was ahead. “In a couple weeks it seemed everything was fine,” she said. “Little did I know everything was about to change.” During a routine run on the track with her kids in Clifton Park, Andrea started experiencing an unbearable pain in abdomen, again. She cut the workout off and rushed home with her two children to only rush to the emergency room with her husband, Dave, of 16 years. A CAT scan revealed cysts pressed up against one of her ovaries. She was given enough medication to subdue the pain temporarily so she could be moved to St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany for her surgery. “[On the way to St. Peter’s] I told my husband we should sign a release so they could remove anything in case they found cancer.” Although Dave was pushing to stay optimistic, the release was signed prior to surgery. Andrea had Stage 2 cancer in two places, which is unheard of. “It’s rare for [ovarian cancer] to be detected that early.” Her gynecologist-oncologist later told her that if she didn’t have pain from the cysts, her cancer would have went undetected and would have been more likely to progress quickly to Stage 4. “Ovarian cancer whispers, so listen. They’re tiny little whispers that add up to a loud yell.” Andrea underwent a full hysterectomy because of this diagnosis. “If you met any of my family or friends, they would all joke that I wear rose-colored glasses,” she said. “No matter the situation, I always see the good of it. Everyone was around me crying and I said, ‘Stop!’ I am going to find my purpose.” She had a feeling everything was going to be OK. Andrea has indeed found her purpose. She now speaks at Russell Sage College (her alma mater) medical students on a regular basis along with a few fellow survivors. In April, she spoke at the Breakfast at Tiffany Fashion Show to support Hope for Heather at the Crowne Plaza in Syracuse. She also advocates for ovarian cancer awareness and research fundraising. Since January of this year alone, she has raised more than $6,000 for research. “I feel like bad things happen every day and I wanted to be a voice and truly make a difference. If it ends up that I educate one person and save one person then I guess that was my purpose.” Andrea resides in Clifton Park with her husband and two adopted children, Nathaniel, 15, and Nicolette, 14. She is a member of the advisory board for Caring Together, an organization that provides support, education and advocacy for women with ovarian cancer as well as support research efforts aimed at finding an early detection test and cure. Andrea works closely with Frieda Weeks, the founder 38 july/august 2011 :: syracuseWomanMag.com of Hope for Heather.
Listen Beat
to the whispers, ovarian cancer
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Women’s ::world of women sports
Adventure Travel is Growing in Popularity
by sarah jane clifford BY sarah jane clifford According to Lois Friedman of About.com, women are constantly challenging themselves in sports. Now, she adds, they are also challenging themselves more and more with what has become known as adventure travel. Here is what she considers to be ten top adventure trips for women. 1. Floating Above the World in a Hot Air Balloon Peering down from the passenger basket of a hot air balloon gives you a bird’seye view of the scenery. Floating over an African field as lions roam below is a popular way to celebrate an anniversary. Closer to home you can float in the sky during in one of the annual balloon festivals in like the New York State Festival of Balloons in Dansville on Labor Day weekend. www.nysfob.com 2. Traversing Between Trees on a Zip Line Heart racing, you let go and zip from one tree to the other reaching nearly 35 miles an hour during the traverse. Considered by some the hottest new adventure sport, on a zip line tour you wear a climbing harness hooked to a steel cable, so you can traverse from tree to tree using pulleys. You can enjoy this adventure right in our own back yard in Bolton Landing, just outside of Lake George. www.adirondackextreme.com 3. Hiking to Machu Picchu and in Colca Canyon, Peru Hiking on tiny ledges weaving up and down 13,000-foot-high mountains, as you follow the ancient Inca trails in Peru, is a special way to enter Machu Picchu. Hiking in Colca Canyon, believed to be the deepest canyon in the world, is a wonderful experience because you also get to see the giant condors fly. 4. Vietnam is a Feast for the Eyes and Senses In Vietnam, vacationers bounce back and forth between noisy cities where more than 500 motor scooters and bikes surround every car, and a bucolic countryside where water buffalo pull farmers on a foot plow through watery rice fields. 5. Experiencing a Volunteer Vacation VolunTourism – combining traditional travel with volunteer work - takes travelers out of their normal environment or travel style, and enhances a vacation. www.voluntourism.org 6. Heli-Climbing and Heli-Skiing in the Rockies Does hitching a ride on a helicopter to a remote mountainside in the Canadian Rockies and climbing to the peak interest you? Easy scrambles on Trident Peak to steep climbs on Mount Sir Sandford (and rappels back down) are in the mix of mountaineering experiences offered by Canadian Mountain Holidays. www.canadianmountainholidays.com 7. Scuba Diving Off the Shore on Australia Great Barrier Reef and in the Caribbean Scuba tank-laden humans are far outnumbered by the parade of sea life cruising in the multi-hued coral canyons off Lady Elliot Island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The Caribbean offers some great diving adventures as well. 8. Visiting Yellowstone National Park in the Winter You can snowmobile or cross country ski past steamy clouds drifting from blue-tinted hot springs, or go snowshoeing on paths in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. www.yellowstonenationalpark.com Closer to home, you can enjoy snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and more at Letchworth State Park. www.letchworthpark.com 9. Bring the Family to Meet Seals and Bears Introduce your children to the wilder side of life on Vancouver Island, Canada. Take them kayaking in the Pacific ocean off the desolate beaches of Tofino, seal watching from motorized Zodiaks and looking for black bears scrounging for crabs and clams. 10. Mush Your Own Dog Sled Team Whether you’re tucked under a robe behind a guide or steering your own team of huskies, riding in a dog sled on trails through a forest can be great source of fun and adventure.
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C aitlyn
bom
photography (315) 399-0722 www.caitlynbom.com
four-legged friends
::feature - animal rescue
Helping our beloved
by Lauren Glass
Dog lovers coo as they stop to greet Nina, the 80-pound rescue pup, with an “adopt me” bandana tied around her neck. Her friendly demeanor violates all pit bull stereotypes, but Nina’s tragic history unfortunately remains reality for many of the city’s innocent animals. Nina and her blind brother Deebo’s original owner was forced to surrender his beloved dogs to a local shelter when he could no longer afford to properly care for them. Animal advocate, Stefanie Higgins Heath, thought she had found a safe home for both Nina and Deebo, who had grown to depend on Nina’s eyesight for his own guidance. Three months later, a suspicious phone call led Stefanie to Nina injured and covered in open wounds. Stefanie had been tricked; the man adopted Nina to fight her. “That’s the thing about pit bull fighting, from doctors and lawyers to the Crips and Bloods and everybody in between. It’s just really terrible. ” Stefanie works full time, simultaneously dedicating herself to advocating for breeds that she feels the media unfairly stigmatizes. “You are killing these animals. You don’t have your facts straight. We can stop this by changing the perception. If I didn’t know it worked, I wouldn’t keep doing it.” She collaborates with various animal shelters in the area and helped pilot the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse, a group dedicated to improving the lives of animals in Central New York. “It’s so easy to give up, because it’s so hard. It’s so physically draining, mentally draining, even financially draining at times, but these animals really are our responsibility. It’s humans that have domesticated them. They need us.” Like Stefanie, Jamie Pomilio-Mulcahy shares a passion for helping animals in the CNY area. She and her husband, Channel 3 news anchor, Matthew Mulcahy, started the Shamrock Animal Fund in March 2010. The fund aims to prevent pet owners (like Nina and Deebo’s initial caretaker) from having to surrender their beloved pets due to financial worries. “This is real life. People lose their jobs, people get cancer, people can’t pay their mortgages anymore and that doesn’t make them bad people. Their pet gives them joy. To have to sacrifice that just seems to unfair.” The not-for-profit fund helps to pay for a portion of veterinary care for animals that have owners with financial limitations. The fund pays the vet directly and expects the owner to also assume financial responsibility toward the bill. “We ask that the treating veterinarian offer some sort of discount or financial accommodation.” The fund has served animals across nine CNY counties, also helped organize the CNY Welfare Animal Coalition, a collaborative group that brings together animal welfare agencies throughout the region. Both Stefanie and Jamie refer to high kill rates in shelters as a strong catalyst, citing a New York law that only requires local shelters to hold stray animals for five days before allowing them to be euthanized. However, they also stress the difference the community can make through volunteer opportunities and donation. “The status of animal welfare in our community is very behind the times,” Jamie said. “Who wouldn’t want to help these animals?”
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Follow Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse on Facebook. For more information about the Shamrock Animal Fund or to donate to the cause, visit www.shamrockanimalfund.com, or follow the Shamrock Animal Fund on Facebook.
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::in her own words
The KEYS to Understanding by Amanda Gormley I photo by kelly kane
I won’t lie. I rolled my eyes in protest when the emcee at a seminar discussing tools for managing change in the workplace asked our group to point our index fingers, put our arms above our heads, and make clock-wise circles in the air. “Now,” he said, “continue making circles while you slowly lower your arm, until you are looking down at your index finger.” “Something is different. What changed?” While I was thinking about how ridiculous we all looked, someone in the group was actually contemplating the exercise. A voice spoke up, “It’s counter-clockwise!” “Yes! But Why? What happened?” “You changed your perspective.” Perspective: As a Muslim-American woman who wears a headscarf, I think a lot about perspective. When every day I’m asked questions like, “where are you from? No really, where were you born?” “Aren’t you hot in that?” and “Are you allowed to read the Bible?” I am conscious that the way that I handle myself, the way I choose to respond, and even my body language are means to shifting perspective about Islam. But in the end, it’s the decision of the individual to change her own way of seeing things. Shifting your perspective is not simple, especially concerning an issue as emotionally charged as our nation’s view of Islam. While I stumbled along my own path, I didn’t realize how difficult it was for others to understand my decision until one day I received this e-mail from a very close friend: You probably know that I have struggled with the idea of you covering your head. I have tried to be respectful and have been working on accepting it, because I love you, but honestly, it has been hard. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I approached it as an exercise in the Golden Ruletrying my best to treat you as I know you would treat me if we were in each other’s shoes. My breakthrough to truly accepting it on an emotional level came when I was reading, “Hand Wash Cold, Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life.” At one point the Buddhist author talks about how she becomes very devoted to her practice and shaves her head. It hit me right there! If I became a Buddhist priest and shaved my head, how is that any different from you deciding to cover yours? That simple analogy was my key to accepting it. This friend tried to change her perspective, but could only truly embrace my choice when she found a way to do it that was meaningful to her. Every day I am amazed by the number of people in my community who are willing to look for their own keys to accepting my decision to become a Muslim. I’ve come to realize that the questions about my faith are actually people’s efforts to find their own keys to understanding. Our society’s limited tools for opening deep and meaningful dialogue often leave us fumbling in the realm of small talk and awkward questions. But I’m struck by how often people are willing to ask, and thankful for all the touching stories, inspirational exchanges of ideas, and shared values that have been discovered in the conversations that follow. After converting to Islam, Amanda Gormley began writing about her experience as a Muslim with the belief that an open window inside the Islamic world is essential to the understanding and acceptance of the Muslim community. She studies communication and Islam at Empire State University, and spends her free time exploring beautiful Central New York and riding her horse, Katillac. She blogs about her experience as an American-Muslim at myflagfliesabove.wordpress.com.
By Farah F. Jadran
Excitement is building for the 2011 Bella Casa Celebrity Fashion Show, scheduled for Tuesday May 3 at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool. Fashion show coordinator and long-time Central New York Ronald McDonald House volunteer Michele Castrilli of Liverpool, said she is determined to once again pack the house and hopefully surpass the success of the past two years. The first two shows helped raise more than $70,000 combined. The children and families that benefit from the Ronald McDonald House are near and dear to Michele’s heart. The House has 16 bedrooms; each with phones, voice mail and cable TV and the kitchen is always fully stocked with homemade meals and desserts. Since opening its doors more than 27 years ago, the House has had thousands of families call this Syracuse location “home,” if only for a brief time, while loved ones are treated in nearby hospitals. Ronald McDonald House Executive Director Beth Trunfio says the fashion show has become an incredible event and an amazing fundraiser for the organization. “We couldn’t be happier with the way the community supports the House and makes an extra effort to be involved.” Beth says the House has been fortunate to have such amazing volunteers helping in big events like this one, but also everyday things like cooking, making guests feel comfortable or grocery shopping, which are all very important to the non-profit’s success. It’s fundraisers like Bella Casa that make possible the current construction of the new Ronald McDonald House location in Syracuse. When Michele was planning the first-ever Bella Casa Celebrity Fashion Show, she thought about the “ideal” fundraising event she would like to attend. Since she has always had a passion for fashion (something inspired by her mother), a fashion show was beyond her wildest dreams. “What’s more fun than shopping, mingling with friends and then sitting down for a great fashion show?” Before the main event hits the runway, attendees are encouraged to enjoy a cocktail and shop casually through a long list of local vendors. The show also raises funds through the sale of raffle tickets. Numerous local businesses donate items for the gift baskets that can be valued up to $500 or more. “I’m always touched by the generosity people have when I ask them to get involved.” The House’s fashion show committee assists in most of the planning and preparation along with Brian Hayes, the House’s events coordinator. Michele says many of her friends and family members also step up to help each year. A few local celebrities featured in the show include Nicholas Pirro, Thom Filicia, Eileen Oliva, Barbara Karper , Dr. Michael Ratner and Margaret Martin. Celebrities will be modeling fashions by local stores and boutiques: Elsbeth Rose, Eva’s Boutique, Giovanni’s Men’s Fashion and Formal Wear, Melissa James Dress Salon, Mr. Shop, Oleander at Armory, Showoff’s Boutique and Spybaby Boutique. Tickets are $60 each and groups can buy a table (10 guests) for $600. Guests should arrive at 6p.m. to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar, and have the opportunity to buy raffle tickets and shop local vendors. The show will begin at 8 p.m. where coffee and dessert will be served. Visit www.cnyronaldmcdonaldhouse.com for more information if you :: july/august 2011 45 are interested insyracuseWomanMag.com attending, donating gift basket prizes or volunteering.
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syracuse women
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Maureen Buckland Syracuse Police Officer
by Farah F. Jadran I photo by caitlyn bom
Most 10-year-old girls are looking forward to the next birthday party they will attend or better yet, their own birthday bash. Most little kids aren’t thinking about what they want to be when they grow up, at least in a serious manner. Maureen Buckland isn’t like most people. She’s one of a select group that has dedicated their lives to serving and protecting other people. She recently retired from the Syracuse Police Department as an officer after 25 years of service and dedication. “It had always been a passion for me since I was probably about 10 years old. I started talking about wanting to be a police officer,” Buckland said. The Syracuse native’s natural intrigue grew not because she had any family members in the force but because a neighbor was a New York State Trooper.
Like any loving family, there were bound to be relatives having anxiety over her choice of such a high-risk profession. It was Buckland’s mother who worried the most. “You know mothers have the prerogative to do that. She always wanted to try and discourage me from going into police work,” she said. “My mother would say, ‘I would worry about you every day.’” But Buckland always reminded her mother that she would worry no matter what profession she chose. Her father loved hearing her stories from the road and about her fellow officers. Buckland entered the department at age 25 as a dispatcher, a post she held for nearly five years before taking it to the next level and entering the academy to become a police officer. Out of the 20 years that she worked the streets, she spent seven working the mounted patrol, which no longer exists. The SPD’s mounted patrol disbanded for a second time in 1995. If it never reassembles, Buckland will remain the sole female member of the patrol. She enjoyed every minute of this assignment because of the variety of calls and coverage her and the patrol would take, and because it allowed her to work with horses. A few of her patrol horses became members of her family on her farm north of the city. Sonny lived to be 29, while Azucar passed away at age 27. Both of her beloved former patrol companions are peacefully buried at the farm. Her eyes lit up as she described both horses’ qualities and how their human-like nature made them unforgettable members of the SPD. Buckland has become an undeniable asset to the force, according to First Deputy Chief David Barrette. “She throws her whole heart and soul into the job. She’s gained credibility on how she does her job.” Barrette said it’s tough to lose Buckland. “She’s one of the most respected officers in the department.” Buckland’s official last day was May 30, her dad’s birthday. She said this was something she could share with him. After 25 years, she walks away with this: “The biggest thing that I’ve always tried to do (and I hope I did this) was lead by example. Relating to people, talking to people. Treat people way you want to be treated.” syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
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“You have to be honest with people. You have to treat people well.“ Sarah Wiles
Director of Marketing for Mid-Lakes Navigation by Lauren Glass I photo by caitlyn bom Sarah Wiles’ love for boats began in 1968 when her father, Peter Wiles, founded Mid-Lakes Navigation. He acquired the family’s first boat, a small, 20-passenger antique that delivered mail around Skaneateles Lake. The then 14-year-old Wiles and her four siblings helped their parents with the family business. “I think my dad’s idea was not only to provide a living for us, but also to teach us a sense of responsibility and the characteristics that go with running a successful business. You have to be honest with people, you have to treat people well and you have work hard because it takes hard work.” Currently, Mid-Lakes Navigation has two boats that do daily cruises on Skaneateles Lake, another boat that does daily cruises and two to three day cruises out of Syracuse and a fleet of 10 boats available for charter by the week or partial week. “We’ve grown into quite a big small business.” Wiles heads the marketing department of Mid-Lakes Navigation, surrounded by all four of her siblings who continue to work with the business. “Working here and doing the marketing and PR was a natural fit for me. It’s very fun.” Wiles values the overwhelming positive response that MidLakes Navigation has seen from the community in its 40 years of existence. “In the spring when the Judge Ben Wiles, our bigger boat, comes into town for the season, people say ‘that’s the beginning of summer in Skaneateles. This is what we’ve been waiting for.’ And they are sad when the boat leaves in the fall.” Her gratitude toward customers and employees echoes her gentle and kindhearted nature. She also has taken a leadership role in many community organizations, serving on the board of directors of the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce and the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, where she was able to expand her marketing expertise to a larger regional area. She also served on the Executive Committee of the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce Convention Visitors Bureau and founded Canal New York Marketing and Business Alliance to help promote the canal system that runs through the state’s tourism regions. Wiles credits her father as her first inspiration, instilling in her his creative niche and imagination. “He never stopped coming up with ideas. He was always very involved with the people.” Her mother also provided significant encouragement. “She ran the kitchen operation and took care of us when we were younger and was supportive. None of us could have done this without her support. She also had ideas and continued the work ethic education. We’re very lucky.”
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With degrees in both biology and French, Wiles’ eclectic hobbies include traveling, bird watching, and gardening. Wiles’ passions advance her zest for learning and adventure. “You’re never too old to change direction. I’ve done a number of different things and I came back here because my heart is here but I loved learning the new things along the way. Nothing that you try is an experience wasted.”
“How can you change your life? By changing the way you look at life.”
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Yvonne Conte
Motivational Speaker, Humor Advantage, Inc by Carmen E. Zafar I photo by kelly kane “How am I gonna make people laugh at the Rochester Club at noon?” Comedian and motivational speaker Yvonne Conte asked herself this exact question more than 17 years ago when she stumbled upon what she now understands to be her true calling, public speaking. “I never aspired to be a speaker,” she said. “I never thought about being a speaker.” Conte, now a Syracuse resident for many years, said her attitude changed when a miscommunication led to a speaking engagement in front of 150 area fund-raising executives representing several colleges and businesses. She had less than two weeks to prepare for this impromptu presentation so she went to the local library and checked out every piece of material pertaining to humor, laughter and joy and how each aspect related to one another. Conte felt out of her comfort zone as she was primarily interested in doing standup comedy. She still laughs today because the “Rochester Club is not a place where you would do standup comedy.” Nevertheless, she created a 20-minute presentation with a humble flipchart. “There were 150 people dressed in business suits, and [they were] real stiff,” she said. “I’m thinking, this is going to be a disaster.” She added much of her comedy routine since it contains several family stories that turned into handy anecdotes for her presentation on laughter and joy and how it affects our minds and everyday life. “[At the end] they were on their feet and everyone wanted my business card! I said I forgot them, but of course, I didn’t have any.” The next day, her career as a speaker began. After her success at the luncheon, Conte was highly recommended and booked for a speaking engagement that included five performances, airfare, hotel and all other accommodations. At this time, she was going to school full time at Monroe Community College and doing standup gigs at night. She arranged her appearances to be in December during her break from classes. After all arrangements and (generous) salary for the speaking engagements were settled, Conte knew this was no fluke. “I thought this is no accident, this is what God wanted me to do. I seem to be good at it.” Another memorable speaking engagement out of the gate was when she spoke in front of numerous professors at Keuka College. “Here I am, barely a high school graduate, never had any education just started school myself and I’m standing in front of these people who have a long line of letters after their names and great education and they give me a standing ovation.” This appreciation from a large pool of professors taught her that all people need to hear about humor and understand how to relieve stress and enjoy their lives more. Moments like this have brought Conte to even deeper understanding about her own life and how she views the people around her. “How can you change your life? By changing the way you look at life,” she said. “I realized this was a very important subject, not just funny, and the business grew.” Conte has written six books about using humor as an advantage in everyone’s lives and has had every inch of her business grow because of her client referrals. “This is the kind of business where nobody is going to hire you to speak unless they hear you speak or someone they really trust has heard you speak.”
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::the opposite sex
on the air with Skip & Heather
by farah f. jadran I photo by cindy bell You wake up with them. You drive with them. You probably even work with them. MOViN’ 100.3 listeners have welcomed the morning show duo of Skip Clark and Heather Daley into their lives for nearly three years. During this time, they’ve become a couple for all practical purposes. Trying to hold back his laughter, Skip said, “I love her, but I hate her.” Their morning show gives recognition to their tongue in cheek banter. “We are a ‘couple’ to be honest with you,” Heather said. “We fight, we talk about things…we push each other’s buttons just for the heck of it.” Setting the record straight, between the two of them, Skip said it’s only Heather that pushes buttons. Even though 26 years separates the duo, the dynamic between the pair transcends differences such as age. “We compliment each other well,” Skip said. “We can have conversations on and off the air and really talk about stuff from a different point of view…we both know where we’re coming from.” Since Skip has been in radio for more than 35 years, Heather said he brings a “traditional and old school” approach while she is the “new, spunky type of thing.” Heather said these different approaches make them a unique pair on the radio. “Right, she’s the ugly one, I’m the good looking guy.” Clearing her throat, Heather said, “Opposite day. Did you know that?” She laughed. Brushing off Skip’s jab, Heather said he is a mentor to her. “He knows his stuff,” she said. Because they spend so much time together, they can talk about almost anything. Even relationships and dating in today’s world. Coincidentally, both of them met that special someone at a bar. Skip, who has been married to his wife, Nancy, for more than 15 years, said he’d never forget
how he met her. “It was at Hafner’s,” he said. “I can still see her sitting on a barstool sitting with one of her friends.” Heather, met her fiancé, Sean, at Lebowski’s Sports Bar and Grill. Sean was a “regular” at the Cicero watering hole because he was a friend of Heather’s sister, a bartender at Lebowski’s. “Me, being the loud mouth,” she said. “I walked right over to him and said, ‘How do you know my sister?’ And that sparked up the conversation.” Priding her assertive personality, Heather asked him for his number. “I called him that night and from that point on we were seeing each other.” What’s the quote-unquote perfect date? Skip and Heather agreed that it should have a focus on you and your significant other. “Just simple,” Skip said. “Look at each other and tell them you love them. Leave all that outside stuff, outside for one night.” While Skip said he would return to Hafner’s for that “perfect date” with Nancy, Heather said she would prefer to order in from Commisso’s Pizzeria and watch the game with Sean. “So, it’s the same date,” she said. “Just a different concept.”
At the end of the day, Skip and Heather said they have become like family, because of their show. “We care very much about each other because of what we do and how we work together,” Skip said. They “really duke it out” on some days, Heather says, but it’s a part of their everyday on-air conversation and also their ongoing friendship. “A minute later, we’re laughing…oh my gosh this is a relationship!” Skip waited a moment, but assured her that they were on “a break.” On that note, let’s go to commercial.
The words, “feng shui” mean “wind and water,” 50
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Teri Nichols
Independent Teri Nichols Senior Sales Director teri@marykay.com Mary Kay Cosmetics marykay.com/teri Ph 315 469.0898
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::heart healthy
heart disease the number one killer of women by Dr. Mazen Beshara
Do you have chest discomfort or tightness during mental stress? Are you short of breath with normal activity or after waking during the night? Are you lightheaded? Is your heart racing? All these symptoms and more could be manifestations of cardiovascular disease in women. Is it time to see your heart doctor? Since cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of women of all ages (including all the cancers combined), regardless of race or ethnicity, and by far the leading cause of death in women between 52 and 75, it is wise that women visit their doctors for heart exams before symptoms start in order to analyze their risk factors and initiate, if necessary, preventative measures. Fortunately, today physicians and, especially cardiologists, are now able to manage cardiovascular diseases more effectively. Recent advances in women’s health research such as risk factor adjustment tailored to women, advanced diagnostic imaging modalities, and women-specific cardiac care; all have led to the better treatment of heart disease within the female population worldwide. At the New York Heart Center (NYHC) where I practice and one of the region’s most advanced cardiology facilities; we analyze cardiac symptoms carefully in women with the understanding that women’s cardiac profiles or symptoms may differ from those of the male population. For example, angina in men (typically defined in both genders as exceptional chest pain which resolves with rest) may present atypically in women as shortness of breath during exertion, rest or sleep. A gender specific approach to diagnostic testing is also sometimes necessary. At the NYHC, we are the first cardiology practice in Central New York which has introduced PET nuclear stress testing and CT angiography in our main office. These new, cutting-edge imaging tools have allowed our cardiologists to significantly improve
our diagnostic capabilities in women by reducing breast and soft tissue artifacts which are sometimes generated in heart imaging procedures. These artifacts can sometimes blur images and mask disease, thus making the diagnosis of heart disease in women more problematic. However, our imaging procedures with this new equipment helps us to avoid unnecessary testing and risky procedures, thus improving diagnostic accuracy and patient satisfaction. At the NYHC we also realize the gender difference in assessing and treating risk factors. Diabetes mellitus leads to coronary artery disease twice as often in women than in men. On the other hand, risk factor control including lifestyle modification with regular exercise, diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and modest alcohol consumption of one drink or less a day has more favorable protective effects in women than in men. There are also differences between men and women in the treatment of heart disease due to lower body weight and muscle mass, leading cardiologists to carefully adjust medication types and doses for these differences. Preventive aspirin usage is a simple illustration of this point. In men, preventive aspirin is usually recommended at a young age; however the use of aspirin for at risk women not known to have vascular disease or diabetes may be delayed until after age 65. In conclusion, I ask for your help in defeating the number one killer of women by seeking prevention and early detection, evaluation, and treatment of cardiovascular disease purposely. And, remember, heart disease affects women just as much as men. Mazen Beshara, MD, is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
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::mind, body & spirit
Feeding Your by susan y. dyer
My favorite books take me on travel excursions all over the world. Like millions of other readers at large, I drank in “Eat, Pray, Love” allowing Elizabeth Gilbert’s words to hydrate my soul. Too, Frances Mayes books on Tuscany painted a landscape with such vivid colors that I felt, after reading her third book, that I had actually traveled there myself. Calvin Tompkin’s travel writing on Ethiopia captured the climate so perfectly that I felt the heat of the sun on me as I turned the pages and the dust from the roads in my eyes. Gretel Ulrich essays on the magnificent, yet fragile, landscape of Alaska will serve me well when I move there next month. I love to travel via the written page and by any means of transportation available to take me from here to there and back again. Summer is the season when most of my neighbors will also pack their bags and find their way to a destination they ritually return to each year or to a new one that will etch its geography and character on the photographic plate of their memory to be recalled for years to come. To venture out without the requirement of producing evidence of work while doing so designates the adventure as an act of leisure. I am fortunate that my family went on annual vacations together during the entirety of my childhood. When I married, my husband and I continued that tradition. We packed our bags, not once but several times a year and headed out towards our national parks. We visited the Badlands, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Devils Tower and many, many other places. Our son traveled with us and now he too has a traveler’s soul. Next year he will do his graduate studies in Barcelona, Spain.
“ I am fortunate that my family went on annual vacations together during the entirety of my childhood.” 54
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Rochesterians do not have to travel too great of a distance to find what many come from far seeking – the Finger Lakes. I am fortunate to have several friends who own homes near Hammondsport. The beauty of the sunrise over Keuka Lake in the summer is simply breathtaking. Too, the sound of children jumping from the end of the pier into the lake can only be referred to as a waterfall of laughter. Add a multitude of waving flags on the fourth of July and you have America as portrayed by the painter Norman Rockwell.
We travel near and far to participate in or explore summer art shows, festivals and sporting events simply to remind ourselves that we are citizens not only of one city but of all the towns and cities spread across this country. When we venture outside the borders of our homeland on our leisure travels abroad, we bring with us the history of those places. We return with the knowledge that we are also citizens of a global community. Leisure travel expands the geography of our individual experiences. It is an exercise in freedom.
Yet, like all exercise, not preparing can result in disappointment, frustration and even cancellation. If you’re planning a trip abroad this summer and you do not already have a passport you are not going so don’t pay for the hotel with your credit card. That is the hard truth. It takes 3 months, at least, to process a passport. Instead of Venice, Italy you may be spending your vacation in Venice, Florida. Hoping to rent a cottage at Cape Cod and but haven’t made the reservations yet because you think there will be last minute cancellations that will result in reduced room rates? You might want to think instead about learning new ways to bake cod purchased
aveler’s Soul at your local Wegmans. You probably be won’t be boarding whale sighting boats or doing any deep sea fishing this summer.
Perhaps you thought that you would pull into one of the national parks and simply find a place to park your RV. Here’s a travel hint, you won’t find space there if you haven’t reserved one yet, but you might find one in the parking lot of a nearby Wal-Mart. There is often an open space or two in the back of the lot and a Dunkin Donuts nearby. Everyone I know has at least one disaster vacation story. Who knew Joanna and John’s six year old would get car sick and spend most of the time on the road to Vermont curled up on the back seat complaining that they felt nauseous? And even though Diane and Richard are engaged, she had no idea he didn’t know how to swim when she surprised him with a snorkeling vacation off the coast of the Carolinas. This is where the word “leisure” needs to be emphasized. Leisure is a time of enjoyable relaxation and pleasure.
Arguing over who forgot to make the hotel reservations, after traveling to Niagara Falls, does not qualify as “leisure.” Instead, months before you pull out of your driveway, take advantage of that AAA card in your wallet. The agency is not just for when you need your car battery jumped. Members can get a customized TripTik designed especially for their individual or family vacation. Too, they offer discounts on many hotels and other accommodations. AAA isn’t a chic travel agency. Yet with 50 million members in the United States and Canada, they are obviously an agency that serves the needs of its clients.
::mind, body & spirit
However, there is one part of the trip planning that they can not help you with and that is saving for it. Running out of money half way through a vacation also does not qualify as “leisure.” Instead, it is possibly the worst scenario, other than sustaining an injury, which can happen while traveling. No money does not only mean that you won’t be going quading while out West, it also means that you won’t be eating or buying gas. No one wants to come home to an arms length of overdraft fees after having the time of your life in Hawaii. Some people save for several years to go white water kayaking in Colorado, while others save for one to spend a week camping at Hamlin. The best vacation plans are made in advance and budgeted for. Representatives at your local bank can help you set up a special savings account in which automatic deposits are made via your electronic paycheck. Try not to use your checking account debit card while you are away as you will use both your vacation and bill paying funds. Staying within your budget makes coming home from a long vacation an easy transition as you will still have money for milk and eggs and the RG& E bill. Often the couch is the place we spend most of our leisure hours. Comfort inside during Rochester summers requires AC and that requires the bill paid. So whether you are heading towards Maine in the RV or flying across the country to finally visit San Francisco, I hope that your gas tank is never too low, that your belly is always satisfied and that your camera battery never dies. Too, that you laugh often and find yourself in the company of both strangers and familiar faces.
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::feature
Oneida Lake
Setting Sail On
by Lauren Glass I photo by cindy bell
Sue Korzeniewski bought her first sailboat in 1982 after learning to sail and falling in love with the sport in college. Since then, she has won five North American Women’s Hobie Cat Sailing Championships and came in second in the world competition. “It’s all about goals, if you don’t set a goal, you don’t get there.”
your senses have to come alive to actually excel and go faster than the next guy. Once I get out on the water, any issues or problems go away. I love being out on the water without the noise of a motor. It’s really nice to be green and be generated by the wind. No pollution, no noise.”
Korzeniewski, a 53-year-old certified Pilates instructor and personal trainer opened 4 Season’s Pilates in Liverpool last fall. “My goal is to make other people, especially women, healthier. I train a lot of ladies in their 70s. Fitness for the ages, because it is just so important.” Fitness and sports remain a family affair for the Korzeniewskis. She and her husband are both third-degree black belts and her daughter is a first-degree.
Korzeniewski’s motivating personality and healthy life mantra continue to push her toward her fitness and sailing goals, proven by her countless awards and accomplishments. She completed a double-handed transatlantic in 1994 and strives to win a Hobie Cat World Championship in the near future, a competition in which she competes against both men and women for the title.
Korzeniewski’s husband and daughter also share her passion for sailing. “If we are together, we are a team, if we are competing against each other, it’s whoever is faster, whoever can cross that finish line first.” Korzeniewski admits her most cherished accomplishment is having won her most recent North American Women’s Hobie Cat Sailing Championship with her daughter, who not surprisingly, is a North American Youth Hobie Cat Sailing Champion. “I started crying. It was the best winning with my daughter. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.” Sailing affords Korzeniewski a sense of calm and serenity. Her passion for fitness only compounds her love of sailing. “All of 56
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She is an active member of Fleet 204, a Central New York based sailing group that practices on Oneida Lake. From late April through late September, Fleet 204 can be found on Thursday evenings, sailing out of Therre’s Marina & Boat Launch. On July 21, the group will host a “learn to sail meet and greet” at Borio’s Restaurant in Cicero. Korzeniewski values her CNY roots, taking pride in the area’s contribution to her success. “We are lake sailors and train on Oneida Lake, but actually do very well in [the] ocean. People always think I’m from Florida or California and I love saying I’m from New York [state].”
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6/10/2011, 10:39 AM
Five Tips ::travel tips
for Booking Your Next Cruise by Susan Prinzing
When it comes to vacations, today’s best value is a cruise. Let’s face it, what other product out there has price points that are the same, or less than they were 15 years ago? Today, you can still find a cruise vacation for $150 per person, per day. Plus, when you consider today’s cruise liner has state of the art veranda staterooms, world class cuisine, health and wellness spa facilities, and voyages ranging from 2 - 100+ days, it is an amazing value. When you compare that pricing to a land vacation, and you consider that for $150 per person, per day includes your stateroom, plus incredible cuisine and wonderful arts and entertainment to enjoy — it’s one of the best vacation values out there. Here are some tips to consider when purchasing your next cruise vacation: 1. Book your vacation with a travel agent. Find a travel agent in your local community that you enjoy working with and reap the benefits of their expertise, vendor relationships, and various discounts and cruise amenities. There are several myths out there such as if you book directly with the cruise line, you will get lower pricing. The other being that an online travel agency has better cruise pricing than your local travel agent. Neither is true. Cruise lines today are giving the same prices to online travel agencies as they are to local travel agencies. These prices are also the same if you call the cruise line directly. 2. Plan ahead and book your cruise vacation early. The days of waiting until the last minute for the best prices have come and gone. Now the cruise lines are back to offering early booking discounts. As the law of supply and demand suggests, as more cabins are booked the prices will increase. Plus, when you book early, you have more choices when it comes to cabin location and type of cabin or suite you are interested in. 3. Consider travelling with a group. A group is considered 8 cabins (or 16 people, based on double occupancy). Groups benefit from lower prices and often, cruise amenities such as shipboard credits. Multi-generational family groups are very popular.There are also opportunities to have your next meeting or incentive onboard a cruise. You might also consider putting together a fundraising cruise group to support your favorite 501(c) charity. Simply put, for every cabin that sails a certain dollar amount can go towards your charity. Contact your local travel agent to get started on your cruise group today! 4. Purchase travel insurance. This is an absolute must. If for nothing else, travel insurance provides peace of mind should anything unforeseen happen that could cause you to miss your trip or interrupt your long awaited vacation. 5. Make a wish list of where you want to cruise. Let your travel agent know what destination(s) are on your wish list of cruises. This allows them to alert you when prices become available or the particular cruise destination or cruise line is having a sale. Susan Prinzing is the Business Development Manager for Holland America Line & Seabourn. She can be reached at SPrinzing@HollandAmerica.com syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
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Event SHIFT+CONTROL
THE MAIN
THIRD ANNUAL BELLA casa CELEBRITY FASHION SHOW
The Third Annual Bella Regalo Celebrity Fashion Show that benefits the Ronald McDonald House of CNY was held May 3 at the Holiday Inn Express in Liverpool. The event showcased local celebrities and familiar faces on the runway. Local stores not only featured their latest threads during the show, but also during the cocktail and shopping hour prior to the main event. Liverpool resident Michele Castrilli, who created the fundraiser three years ago, planned the event with a committee of hardworking volunteers. In its first two years, the event raised more than $70,000 total and this year the magic number surpassed $55,000. Great job to all the models and everyone who attended and donated you helped a great cause!
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8K REMEMBRANCE RUN/WALK FOR HOPE For the first time, Hope for Bereaved, Inc., hosted a road run fundraiser June 5 in Marcellus. More than 150 runner and walkers came out on the rainy day to support HOPE, which provides support and hope to thousands of grieving children, adults and families each year by offering one-to-one counseling, 10 support groups, telephone help-line, and HOPELine newsletter free-of-charge to the bereaved. HOPE founder Therese Schoeneck said the event was a success and the remembrance walk is sure to become a special part of the organization. The event is planned to become an annual fundraiser for HOPE.
events:SHIFT+CONTROL july
6
WBOC Wine Wednesday
TIME: 4:30 to 6 p.m. WHAT: Networking WHERE: The Genesee Grande, Syracuse COST: $10 members; $20 non-members WEBSITE: www.wboconnections.org
7
Centerstate After Hours
TIME: 5:30 to 7 p.m. WHAT: Networking WHERE: Rosamond Gifford Zoo COST: $10 members; $15 non-members WEBSITE: Register at www.centerstateceo.com
9 & 10
Finger Lakes Lavendar Festival
TIME: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHAT: Treasure hunts; Craft & culinary demonstrations WHERE: Lockwood Farm, Skaneateles WEBSITE: www.fingerlakeslavendarfestival. blogspot.com
30 TASTE OF SYRACUSE
Central New Yorkers filled Clinton Square and some parts of downtown Syracuse June 4 and 5 to taste the local cuisine provided by numerous food vendors. Booths lined the streets handing out some of their best tasty treats. Some Taste-goers dropped by during their lunch breaks on Friday while others made it a family night out the same day and Saturday. Every inch of the Taste of Syracuse was filled with many local favorites and other vendors, too. If you missed this festival of food this year -- be sure to mark your calendar for the 2012 Taste of Syracuse!
Syracuse Thirst
TIME: 6 to 8 p.m. WHERE: Prime Steak House, 131 E. Water St. WHAT: Syracuse First networking; support local businesses WEBSITE: www.syracusefirst.org
august
10
Skaneateles Festival
WHEN: Aug. 10 – Sept. 3 WHERE: Skaneateles Lake WHAT: Community, string, rhythm and masterpiece performances COST: Starting at $10, up to $225 WEBSITE: www.skanfest.org
13
Ride for the ARC/ArcStock
TIME: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: Wampsville, N.Y. WHAT: 90-mile ride to benefit the Madison Cortland ARC INFO: Call Madison Cortland ARC (315) 363-3389
Do you have an event coming up? Submit your information to events@syracusewomanmag.com syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011 61
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Charlotte’s Desserts ::women entrepreneurs
carrying on a family name:
by Caitlin Donnelly | photos by caitlyn bom
For Melanie Kayser-Brown, Charlotte’s Desserts is more than just a start-up business it’s a link to her family history.
Kayser-Brown learned the art of baking desserts from her grandmother Charlotte. She spent hours in the Luxembourg kitchen when she was a child. For years, she enjoyed baking napoleons, éclairs, cookies and cakes in her free time. But when family and friends began coming to her to make treats for their special events, her idea for a dessert business was born.
After collecting permits and getting the “OK” from the Onondaga County Health Department, Kayser-Brown baked the first batch of Charlotte’s Desserts gourmet cupcakes in the kitchen of her Liverpool home in June 2010. To keep her treats healthy, Melanie makes all her products from scratch, including the use of organic eggs and whole wheat flour, which gives the cupcakes a more wholesome, flavorful taste. Each cupcake is also made with apple sauce or zucchini to reduce the amount of oil needed, resulting in a “very moist, easy to eat treat.” The cupcakes are approximately 75 calories per serving. The cupcakes are made-to-order and vary in flavor, from chocolate to vanilla to carrot cake. In the future, she said she would like to incorporate a banana flavor as well. Toppings are made from cream cheese and butter cream frostings. Charlotte’s Desserts is one of few businesses in the area to make authentic European butter cream icing, which she describes as more creamy and flavorful than typical butter creams. The current client favorite is the carrot cake cupcake with pistachio cream cheese frosting. Kayser-Brown also decorates each cupcake to suit her client’s party themes at no additional cost. Decorations have varied from icing flowers to molded chocolate designs made from real white and dark chocolates. “It forces me to be creative and think outside the box, which is a nice change from my part-time job as a bookkeeper,” she said. Charlotte’s Desserts mini-cupcakes cater to the adult palate, and are sold for $1 each. Kayser-Brown recalled the largest order she ever filled, topping 200 cupcakes for an adult birthday party. “I baked for eight hours nonstop” she said. Typical orders are made by the dozen. While Kayser-Brown expressed interest in one day opening up a storefront business with a partner, she has no plans on expanding her business to date. The most rewarding aspect of her home business is simply pleasing the customer, while the most difficult has been getting the word out about her services. Right now, she relies heavily on word of mouth from satisfied customers, and has even accumulated a few regulars. “I feel my grandmother would have been honored that I use her name, and still bake the desserts she showed me how to make when I was little.” Her words of advice for those looking to start their own business: “Believe in yourself and your product, and always be available and consistent in your work.” For more on Charlotte’s Desserts, visit www.charlottesdesserts.com. syracuseWomanMag.com :: july/august 2011
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::in & out of town
IN TOWN - LITTLE ITALY, SYRACUSE, NY A hop, skip and a jump from Franklin Square, Syracuse’s Little Italy has many gems that remedy what the doctor orders after a long, chilly winter. Located on the Northside of Salina and State streets, the Italian-influenced neighborhood is home to many cafés, restaurants and bars, clothing stores, salons, and various other stores. Italian immigrants started coming to this area after 1880. However, the name, “Little Italy,” was only established here less than 10 years ago. Since summer is finally upon us, a stroll on North Salina Street will most likely work up a sweat. Instead of a run-of-the-mill ice cream cone, why not cool off with a cup of refreshing gelato at Biscotti Café & Gelateria? The café offers 18 types of gelato, including delicious flavors like tiramisu, pistachio, kiwi, stracciattella, wild berry, amaretto and gianduia. Owners Geoffrey and Deborah Camire have been in business, providing countless traditional Italian pastries as well as other nontraditional favorites, for more than 10 years. After trying a chocolate canoli or two at the café, head over to Craft Chemistry (C2) and find that one-of-a-kind gift. C2 owner Briana Kohlbrenner set up shop in November 2009 to feature local artists’ creations and paintings, and also second-life clothing and items made out of recycled materials. If you haven’t seen a flower pin made out of a zipper or a hair pin made out of recycled fabric and left-behind beads, then you’ll want to check them out. The array of accessories, jewelry and home goods will make fine additions for you or a friend. Once you’ve satisfied your shopping appetite, quiet your grumbling cravings and walk a few blocks down North Salina and grab a seat at Francesca’s Cucina. Celebrating eight years of business, the restaurant offers delicious Italian cuisine, welcoming service and an exciting, yet intimate atmosphere. Co-managers Gary Angeloro and Kristin Linda greeted every guest as they walked in and made sure a drink of choice was brought to them immediately. Gary and his brother, George, own Francesca’s, and they’re proud to continue a longtime family tradition. Stop by and enjoy an array of wines (in the garden room, at the bar or on the patio) along with such recommendations as the Utica Greens, Cioppino, Veal Angeloro or the Chicken Vesuvio. If you haven’t ventured along the streets that Little Italy calls home, make a day of it and discover those Northside gems that will most likely become some of your Syracuse favorites.
OUT-OF-TOWN - Alexandria Bay, NY On the shores of St. Lawrence River in the heart of the Thousand Islands lies Alexandria Bay. Known to the locals as Abay, this sportsman and vacationers paradise offers great fishing, pleasure boating and many attractions to explore Whether you stay at the River’s Edge or Bonnie Castle Resorts, you’ll find lots to do here. Just a walk around the village itself reveals many quaint local shops and taverns to discover. Enjoy some terrific waterfront dining as you watch the eclectic collection of boats making their way up and down the river on any given evening Every visit to Alexandria Bay should include at least one trip on the Uncle Sam Boat tours. Uncle Sam has been providing scenic tours of the Thousand Islands for nearly 80 years. They offer many sight seeing tours, luncheon and dinner cruises and a shuttle to Boldt Castle. A popular tourist attraction in itself, Boldt Castle has a tragically romantic story behind it. A the turn of the century George C. Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, set out to build a Rhineland castle on Heart island as a display of love for his wife Louise. In 1904, tragedy struck and Louise died suddenly. George immediately halted all construction the structure saying he couldn’t imagine continuing is dream castle without his beloved wife. Boldt never returned to the island, leaving the unfinished structure a monument of his love. The structure stayed that way until 1977 when the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property and has maintained it ever since. Alexandria Bay also plays host to many events and festivals throughout the summer. By far one of the most popular events is Bill Johnson’s Pirate Days. This 10-day event celebrates some of the exploits of the famous pirate, Bill Johnston. A renegade after the Patriots War, Johnson blew up the British steamer, Sir Robert Peel, hid among the 1000 Islands, and was hunted by both U.S. and Canadian authorities. The highlight of the event is the reenactment of the pirate ships attacking Alexandria Bay from the St. Lawrence and the villagers fighting off the attack. The air is filled with the sounds and smells of cannon and musket fire. It is an event not to be missed, but bring your pirate garb, after all you have to look the part. Just over a two-hour ride from Rochester, Alexandria Bay offers a a lot to do, so enjoy it for a summer week or weekend getaway.
SHIFT+CONTROL
H-e-l-l-o Syracuse ;-)
K-Mart Plaza ~ Rt. 11 ~ Mattydale ~ 410-0188 ~ ContinentalNow.com ~ facebook.com/ContinentalNow
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::say what?
Say
WHAT?!
Hmmmm. What were they thinking?
We come across a lot of things in the course of our day that just make us stop and say ‘Huh?’ That’s what this section is for. It may be a silly road sign, maybe your pets or your kids did something funny, or yes, maybe you see someone who should have checked the mirror before leaving the house.
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Lake Ontario • Finger Lakes Region New York’s Great
Lake getaway Looking for fun for a day or a long weekend?
New York’s Great Lake Getaway is just a short drive away!
Cool off in the gentle waves of Lake Ontario at the Sodus Beach Park, enjoy the wide sandy beach, playground and spectacular views. For the nature lover in all of us, a visit to the Montezuma Audubon Center is a must. Climb the spiral staircase at the Sodus Point Lighthouse and enjoy the views from the lighthouse tower. Sample wine at one of our award winning wineries along the Lake Ontario Wine Trail. Towering 150 feet above Lake Ontario is Chimney Bluffs, a photographer's paradise. Hike the trails or walk the shoreline, either one will leave you awestruck! Our hiking & biking trails wind through picturesque lakeside communities, along the Erie Canal, quiet countryside roads and promise you captivating beauty.
For a complete list of events, please visit waynecountytourism.com. ® I LOVE NEW YORK logo is a registered trademark/service mark of the NYS Dept. of Economic Development, used with permission. 800-527-6510 www.waynecountytourism.com
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