the upper east side magazine issue 49

THE WESTON MAGAZINE GROUP

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features 58 Come to the edge

92 third eye

70 the millenial moment

104 FiCtion: the adults

82 how to love wine

116 a Kid liKe JaKe

Free and fearless with a young JFK, Jr.

by Christina Haag

Fast future: how the millennial generation is shaping our world.

by David D. Burstein

The mystical attraction of Bordeaux.

by Eric Asimov

The artistic value of anonymity.

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Being an adult, it seemed, was horrible.

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The private school application for a four-year-old boy who plays the princess.

by Daniel Pearle

Contents. issue 49

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departments 22 train oF thought

A tradition built on 6,000 years of pain, bloodshed and lox-based buffet spreads.

by Peter Hyman

33 the loCal sCene

Locavore eats, students onstage and towns remembered.

128 rural Palates Restaurant debuts and revivals.

140 i’ll taKe manhattan Film festivals, views and good visits.

152 da mo da merrier Rollin’ with Da Mo.

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166 liKe a rolling stone

Beaches, Slopes, and Cities.

by Debbie Silver, Herschel Meadow and Paula Koffsky

178 aCts oF Kindness

A literacy project for Afghan women; Working in an orphanage in Peru.

by Elizabeth Titus and Averill Meadow

184 storm PreP Generator to the Rescue!

188 aPPraised and aPProved

Designer visions, spanky kids shoes and the latest spa procedures.

197 indePendent sChool

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Awkward Immersion on the Costa Del Sol.

by Allie Silver Plus, your guide to summer study programs for all ages and interests, and private school options.

272 Community room The driving lesson from Hell.

by Caroline Lazar

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TRAIN OF THOUGHT

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UPPEREASTSIDE THE

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Foreskin

by Peter Hyman

I FOUND MY SON’S FORESKIN

at tax time in 2009.

It had been sitting at the bottom of my inbox for months, folded in a square of gauze that was tucked inside a letter-sized envelope then sealed in a Ziploc bag, all buried under a pile of invoices and bills I’d been avoiding. This, I recalled upon finding it, is where I had placed it shortly after the mohel handed me the package on the morning of his bris.

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“What’s this?” I’d asked him as we settled up the bill, still frazzled by the circumcision I’d witnessed.

It was the first time I’d ever actively watched the ancient procedure. At every other bris I’d ever attended I’d made a concerted effort to turn away, instinctively reaching down to protect myself as I did so, as all men do in such situations. But this

Uncertain, I decided to lean on the mohel for more details. He did his best to sound authoritative, but there was an uncertainty in his voice. He made vague references to the Exodus, hypothesizing that as Moses and the Israelites frantically wandered the desert they had no time to bury their foreskins (or, apparently, to

“And I bet you thought I was the only one who got a tip!” One of the drawbacks of working with a mohel is a tendency toward puns, but it’s a job that requires outsourcing, so we put up with the bad jokes. time was different. I watched because I figured that was what a father was supposed to do.

This, it turned out, had been a bad decision.

“Nathaniel’s foreskin,” he answered, as naturally as if he were repeating the score of a baseball game. He handed me the package, which I had no choice but to accept. “And I bet you thought I was the only one who got a tip!” One of the drawbacks of working with a mohel is a tendency toward puns, but it’s a job that requires outsourcing, so we put up with the bad jokes.

He went on to explain that I was obligated, as the boy’s father, to bury the foreskin beneath a tree.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because you must return it to the earth.”

Like many of the traditions of Judaism this was just plausible enough not to sound completely insane. It was also so broad as to be impossible to refute. Almost everything deserved to be returned to the earth, didn’t it?

“I guess that makes some sense,” I said. “But why a tree?”

“So that when he finds a nice Jewish girl he wants to marry he can go to this tree and remove a few branches, for use in their wedding chuppah.”

My wife, Jennifer, and I weren’t familiar with this tradition, nor had any of our Jewish contemporaries undertaken the task. Nobody, in fact, had ever heard of it. My parents, in particular, found it baffling and wrote it off as the same brand of Brooklyn Bohemian wackiness that leads people to join food co-ops and wear sandals in the winter.

24

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bake leavened bread). So they just tossed them aside, whereupon they were covered with dust.

The tradition we were to follow, the mohel said, pays homage to their struggle. Don’t they all, more or less?

He didn’t offer a Biblical explanation for the tree part, so perhaps this was a modern addition, designed to appeal to a constituency that is increasingly concerned about the environment, or at least interested in rituals that have the appearance of communion with the natural world.

The mohel’s uncertainty notwithstanding, it sounded like a fine custom, rich in circle-of-life symbolism and agrarian mythology, assuming one could get past handling bloody medical waste removed from a screaming 8-day-old’s penis. Jennifer and I decided to do it.

But despite our best intentions we were swept up into the sleep-deprived business of raising a newborn and promptly forgot about the package. Then tax season rolled around, and I was forced to confront my in-box. That’s when I rediscovered Nathaniel’s 2008 deduction.

I stared at the bag, resolving to act on the mohel’s decree. My wife and I wanted our son to know that he was tied to a tradition built on 6,000 years of pain, bloodshed and lox-based buffet spreads on the Upper East Side.

But this decision gave rise to a dilemma: Where did apartment-dwelling Jews bury the foreskin of their sons?

Like most residents of New York City, we don’t have a yard. The few houseplants that have managed to survive in our domicile were too small to host such an intimate co-inhabitant,

and we weren’t crazy about having his foreskin in our living space anyway. Naturally, I took this deficiency to mean that the entire civilized world was an option.

I drew up a fantasy list of potential burial sites with great trees: A graceful banyan on Harbour Island, where Jennifer and I were engaged; a sturdy cedar near the Mohonk Mountain House, locus of the boy’s conception; a towering pine along the shores of Lake Michigan, where I spent boyhood summers. There were also, I was nearly certain, trees to be found in Israel, Mexico and Aspen, three places I lived during my vagabonding post-collegiate days. My wife had a list of equally exotic locales.

But each place, while historically significant to us, required an investment of time and money. And, as Jennifer pointed out, Nathaniel is a Brooklyn boy. These places didn’t mean much to him. We’d be serving our own posterity, not his reality. After some deliberation we decided on Prospect Park.

Built in 1867 by Frederick Law Olmstead and Carter Vaux (the duo who designed Central Park, a decade earlier) the park covers 585 acres and still has some of the elegant neoclassical touches that marked its original design. Among its many unique features are Brooklyn’s only lake and a private Quaker cemetery where actor Montgomery Clift is buried. It is also home to more than 30,000 trees.

Finding one, we figured, couldn’t be that difficult.

As a first step I went to Home Depot to buy a digging implement, wandering the vast aisles until I found the gardening section. Though the Midwesterner in me was drawn to the titanium spading forks and motorized Toro tillers, I settled on a utility shovel small enough to fit discreetly into a messenger bag. While there is no specific prohibition against digging in a New York City park, Section 1-04 of the Rules & Regulations of the Department of Parks & Recreation forbids “possessing any tools commonly used for gardening.” But was I forsaking leverage for portability, simply to keep the Man off my back?

“How deep a hole can I make with this,” I asked one of the associates.

“How deep do you need it to be?”

“I’m not sure.” The mohel had given me no specific direction on this point. How deep a hole was required for burying a foreskin? Had God himself made a proclamation? Maybe the ancient Talmudic scholars had weighed in on the subject. If so, the mandate was likely

measured in cubits and of no use to me.

“Well, what is it you’re trying to dig up?”

“Actually, I’m burying something.”

“Oh, like seeds or flower bulbs?”

“Something like that,” I said.

A week later, well after sunset, my dog, Sophie, and I crept furtively through Prospect Park. Sophie is a Lab, and is always up for an adventure. And while her arboreal palate isn’t especially discerning, I thought her natural digging tendencies might come in handy. It was a dark and cool May night, and the park was nearly empty: a few stray joggers; some stalwarts finishing a moonlit Sunday soccer game; nobody, it seemed, who would arrest me for the crimes I was about to perpetrate.

As we walked I thought about why I was doing this. On the face of it, burying an 11-monthold foreskin was a ridiculous act. Did I expect my son to care that I had done this? I wasn’t sure. Had my father done something like this I know I would have appreciated it. But maybe that’s only because he didn’t do it.

Maybe the kids who grow up with these sorts of traditions rebel while those of us whose parents never made the effort grow up desperate for it, clutching at hollow symbolism to make up for the loss of real acts. At another level I suppose that, new to the turmoil of being a

There were giant mature oaks and lindens whose branches seemed unreachable even with a ladder. There were tiny sycamore saplings surrounded by protective fencing. But there seemed to be nothing in between.

It hadn’t taken long for my perfectionism to ruin this otherwise pacific stroll through the woods. I knew it was silly, but as much as I wanted to get started none of the trees would do. I couldn’t quite articulate what I was looking for but I knew that I’d know it when I saw it. I started inventing excuses. Was the Nethermead too exposed to host trees suitable for foreskin burial?

I wandered up to some trails that encircled the meadow, thinking that perhaps I’d find something there. But the area seemed too public and well trod upon to be suitable for such a private need.

I let Sophie off her leash and continued to survey the area. The dog had more luck than I did: She spotted a brown squirrel and chased him until they were both out of sight. When I caught up to her she was standing at the base of a maple tree, staring upward, her thick brown tail waving frantically. She wasn’t going to get what she was after, but she had accidentally found a suitable candidate, full and vibrant, with branches that hung nearly to the ground,

This tree would do, I decided. I glanced around again to make sure I wasn’t being watched. In addition to breaking the local ordinance against gardening tools I was about to bury medical waste on public land, which had to be a violation of any number of federal environmental laws. parent, this felt like a minor fatherly task that I could complete. It provided a temporary sense of control over a lifelong endeavor that I knew would be beyond my power.

Ten minutes later Sophie and I arrived at the “Nethermead,” a large rolling meadow near the center of the park that is popular among ultimate Frisbee players and, occasionally, topless sunbathers. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I searched for the right tree, trying to picture each candidate in 30-odd years, when Nathaniel might return to remove a few limbs.

forming a protective canopy over the ground beneath it.

This tree would do, I decided. I glanced around again to make sure I wasn’t being watched. In addition to breaking the local ordinance against gardening tools I was about to bury medical waste on public land, which had to be a violation of any number of federal environmental laws.

When I was certain I was alone I pulled out the shovel and began digging into a patch of soil a foot from the trunk. The curved blade hit the

dry soil with a crisp thwack and it felt invigorating to be involved in a minor act of physical labor on a cool night. Five minutes later I had a footdeep hole. I used the tip of the shovel to taper it, creating a trench. Was this deep enough to keep marauding animals and curious rangers out?

I had no idea, but I hoped so.

I removed the packet from the plastic bag and peeled back the gauze to examine the 11-month-old foreskin for the first time. It was about the size of a guitar pick, with the appearance of well-done bacon, dried out and crispy. I moved my nose toward it. There was no odor. To an outside observer it would have appeared as though I were performing some kind of culinary technique on a tiddlywink.

I re-wrapped the gauze and tied it up into a neat ball and then knelt to place it into the hole. Uncertain as to protocol I muttered a short blessing—a combination of the Shema and a bit of Dylan’s “Shelter From the Storm”— invented on the spot. Then I buried the sacred object, carefully replacing the dirt I’d removed.

When the hole was full I patted the area down with the flat end of the shovel, then stomped it with my feet to make sure it was packed. I stood for a moment, gazing at the tree. I felt an odd mix of pride and paranoia over the secret mission.

As we walked away I grew worried that I wouldn’t be able to find the tree, despite urging my sporting dog to sniff and remember. I hastily drew a crude map, noting landmarks, penciling in walkways. The best descriptor I could come up with for the tree was “big and bushy.”

When Nathaniel comes of age I will pass this document on to him, at which point remembering the locale will become his responsibility. Perhaps he’ll want to take prospective marriage candidates to this spot.

One day, I imagine, he’ll return to borrow a few branches for his chuppah. I only hope that I’m home to receive the frantic phone call asking that I bail him out of jail for the crime of “abuse to trees” (banned by Section 1-04 of the Rules & Regulations, and rightly so). We’ll blame the mohel, plead for religious tolerance, and then agree to keep the arrest a secret from his mother.

*

Peter Hyman is the author of The Reluctant Metrosexual: Dispatches From An Almost Life. His work has appeared in a dozen anthologies, including Best American Essays 2010. He has written for The New York Times, New York magazine, GQ and NPR, among others.

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Green Room

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creative genius, they enjoy that talent even more when it arrives with a tale of underdogs overcoming David-vs.-Goliath-sized odds to succeed.

Lana Turner casts an extra glow because of her discovery at a Hollywood soda fountain; John Wayne seems all the stronger for the summer spent loading props that led to his first screen test. Joining that pantheon of small-town kids made good are a pair of Broadway’s most compelling— and youngest—new talents, the music-and-lyrics team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who hit New York City last year with a one-two-punch of well-received shows. Their unlikely rise to the brink of stardom, at the age of twenty-seven, confirms that—even in this era of celebrity worship and pre-packaged hype—genuine talent will out.

The duo met on the first day of college at the University of Michigan.

At the time, they both hoped to become musical theater performers. A sophomore year production of Cy Coleman and David Zippel’s City of Angels convinced them that their paths to dramatic glory lay elsewhere.

“I was cast as an Asian backup dancer,” explains Paul, whose tawny hair, regal forehead and wholesome, heartland smile make this directorial choice befuddling. “But I’m not Asian and I’m not a dancer.”

Paul readily concedes that during the dance classes required as part of their acting program, he attempted to hide in the back of the studio.

“I was ‘Man with Camera’,” interjects Pasek. “It’s by far the smallest part. And it only got worse during rehearsals, when the director gave us a pep-talk one day that began, ‘Everyone in my production matters. Even Man with Camera….’” Needless to say, this did not increase Pasek’s faith in the importance of his role.

Out of that experience developed the urge to generate their own work.

“That’s when we realized we’d been at school for two years and we had nothing to show for it,” recalls Pasek. “We went back to our rooms and started writing our own songs.” The result was Edges, a four-performer song cycle that examines the challenges of two men and two women who, like the college sophomores who imagined them, stand on the cusp of adulthood. To the collaborators’ delight—and utter surprise—the cycle has since been performed at more than two hundred venues on six continents.

How did a show written over the course of four weeks in a college dormitory become a hit at universities across the globe? “We were in the right place at the right time,” says the self-effacing Paul. To a degree, the facts bear this out. That same year, 2005, saw the advent of the file-sharing website, YouTube, which allowed talented college students to record songs on a nominal budget and export anywhere with an Internet connection. The pair also harnessed the power of Friendster, a briefly-lived social network that preceded Facebook, to share their music with their acquaintances, who then shared the music with their own acquaintances, in an exponential chain of tribute. One of the distinctive features of the cycle was the ease with which it could be replicated: four actors, one set, low production costs. Soon, acting programs as far away as Korea and Denmark clamored for the rights to stage Edges on their own. (“There’s nothing like watching songs you’ve written in your room performed on stage in Denmark,” emphasizes Paul, grinning. “In Danish!”) The reality, of course, is that

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FROM FROM “EDGES” “EDGES” TO TO THE THE EDGE EDGE OF OF STARDOMSTARDOMTHE THE MAGICAL, MAGICAL, MUSICAL MUSICAL RISE RISE OF

PASEK PASEKAND PAUL

By Jacob M. Appel

Benj and justin photo By Kerry Long

dereK dereKKLena, KLena,Lindsay LindsayMendez Mendez and andjaMes jaMesMoye Moyein indogfight dogfight photo photoBy Byjoan joanMarcus Marcus

countless college students penned songs and posted them on the Internet during the early YouTube era, and few others—if any—rode their dorm-room triumphs to Broadway. Instead, the key to the pair’s success, beyond their striking talent, may have been their ability to capture the authentic emotional experiences of

who already know ones music.

After five years of legwork, last year the pair suddenly found themselves in the enviable position of having two major New York shows premiere in the same season. “Dogfight, ” a musical based on the 1991 Nancy Savoca movie, finds surprising tenderness in the story of Vietnam-era

a scene froM a christMas story, the MusicaL photo By caroL rosegg

their fellow Gen Y-ers. “We wanted to be part of a show that spoke about the people we knew with intelligence and depth, and we saw that nobody had written it yet,” explains Pasek. “So we decided that we’d write one.” That proved the first of their numerous joint successes.

The popularity of Edges soon lured the duo to New York City, where an internship on the hit musical Avenue Q, and the mentoring of its creator, Jeff Marx, opened doors. They garnered a handful of prestigious honors for up-and-coming theater writers, including a Dramatist Guild Fellowship and a coveted Jonathan Larson Award.

Yet for the most part, as the expression goes, they continued to make their own rain. One key to this effort was drawing upon their extensive network of fellow theater professionals from the University of Michigan, a veritable army of fans who helped make an early concert at Joe’s Pub, the Public Theatre’s celebrated nightclub, a must-see event. Soon the collaborators found themselves engaged on projects as varied as writing music for Disney’s Johnny and the Sprites and adapting Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach for Goodspeed Musicals. Although they seem somewhat sheepish about offering advice to those who would follow in their footsteps— after all, A Chorus Line had already surpassed its 4000th performance by the year they were born—both stress the importance of galvanizing support among those classmates and colleagues

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Marines who compete to recruit the ugliest date for their final state-side party. Ben Brantley in The New York Times praised the work as “intimate” and “carefully tended.” The show ran at the prestigious Second Stage and featured the haunting voice of Lindsay Mendez.

Four months later, the Times’ Charles Isherwood touted the “likable, perky score” that made their first Broadway musical, an adaptation of the 1983 movie A Christmas Story, one of the surprising treats of the Manhattan winter. Starring a pair of comedic veterans, John Bolton and Erin Dilly, the feel-good holiday extravaganza proved one of those rare shows whose humor offered charms for both children and their parents.

It even features the sort of double entendres and risqué moments (such as a lamp shaped like a woman’s leg) that might land awkwardly when tossed out by clumsier hands; somehow, Pasek and Paul manage to stay atop that very narrow tightrope between wholesome and outré.

One of the perks of their meteoric rise, says Paul, is that prominent figures in the entertainment industry “take you seriously.” (I experienced this first-hand: Shortly after my meeting with the pair, they ran into Dramatist Guild President Stephen Schwartz, the composer behind Godspell and Wicked, who beckoned them into an upscale restaurant.) None of this newfound glory, however, has led them to forget their roots. For Paul, this means Westport, Connecticut, where he gradu-

ated from Staples High School in 2003. “I had the best teachers in music and theater arts,” reflects Paul. “I couldn’t have asked for a better education.” He remains deeply connected to the community, where his brother, Tyler Paul, co-founded the Northeast Children’s Theatre Company in 2010. Paul’s parents still live in the area. He attributes much of his success to the early grounding he received in the arts and from a family supportive of his creative ambitions. Much, but not all: He also credits his “inspirational” wife Asher for his success—and his obvious sincerity is disarming. After a lengthy discussion of Paul’s “wonderful” childhood and hometown, Pasek adds, “I’m from suburban Philadelphia.”

So what’s next on tap for the musical duo?

They have signed on to compose music for the NBC series “Smash,” a highly-rated drama about the making of a Broadway musical. The show, which has featured music from talents as diverse as Christina Aguilera and Joe Iconis, has carved out a king-making niche in the world of musical theatre. In other words, if you are on “Smash,” you have arrived. The pair is also laboring on a mysterious new musical, Project X, whose details are divulged only on a need-to-know basis. Yet it is a testament to the collaborators’ humility that they seem as excited about an April show at a Wilton, Connecticut church as on a national network. (Paul’s father is a minister, but that cannot fully explain their enthusiasm.) “We’re really looking forward to it,” says Paul. “It would be great if you could mention it.”

So dynamic is the energy between Justin Paul and Benj Pasek that I did not think to ask—until near the close of our time together—about their creative process. Do they sit at a piano like Betty Comden and Adolph Green?

Or take turns writing music and lyrics?

“I write mostly music,” says Paul, a skilled pianist.

“I write mostly lyrics,” rejoins Pasek.

The two finish each other’s sentences with an ease and grace that betokens their rare artistic synergy. They have never created serious work separately. I inquired of the pair about who they were before they started collaborating. “Before we met,” replies Paul, flashing a broad all-American grin, “We were nobody.” Together, it seems, they are the hottest ticket in town.

*

Jacob M. Appel is the author of the novel, The Man Who Wouldn’t Stand Up, and the forthcoming story collection, Scouting for the Reaper.

He practices psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

speaker’s corner

GIRL BE

Heard

W

e tend to think that acts of sexual or physical violence do not happen in our own backyard when, in fact, they do. Rye native Jessica Greer Morris, executive director of the youth organization Girl Be Heard, points out, “…It might be date rape on the Upper East Side, incest in Greenwich, Connecticut or forced child marriage in Ethiopia… but the statistic is the same: 6 out of 10 girls have or will experience

“a can’t miss production” -- EBONY Magazine

“fearless political theatre” -- Huffington Post

“an awe-inspiring show.”

-- Nigel Barker

“a powerful performance that will break and then open your heart” -- Gloria Steinem

D E K C I F F A TR Countless children are sold into the 38 billion dollar sex industry each year.

Learn their names. Hear their stories.

STAGING THE REVOLUTION

trafficKed (written and perforMed By girL Be heard youth) won 11 awards this suMMer and is now touring the country to raise awareness aBout sex trafficKing.

physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Being a girl in our society is risky business because her value and status is so low.”

Girl Be Heard—formerly the Project Girl Performance Collective—

by Carly Silver

was founded to educate young women and promote awareness of important issues affecting females worldwide. In 2008, the now-artistic director of GBH, Ashley Marinaccio, worked with twelve teenage girls at New York City’s Estrogenius Festival to direct Girl Power: Survival of the Fittest. While the show was supposed to be a one-time event, the girls were so enthusiastic about having a safe space for self-expression they urged Marinaccio to continue the endeavor.

At that same festival, Morris, former director of community relations for the New York City Department of Health and HIV/AIDS consultant for the International Center for AIDS Care and Prevention, produced a show about the plight of girls in Niger with Marinaccio as her co-producer. The collaboration, combined with their mutual passions for theater and human rights, gave birth to Project Girl. For Morris, it has been a dream come true. “I get to put my love for human rights and my art together and work with an amazing artistic director who is an activist.” For Morris’ efforts, Newsweek recognized her as one of its 150 Fearless Women “who shake up the world” in 2012.

Girl Be Heard has grown to include over 100 current company members. When girls audition, the only requirement is that they speak about a matter important to them. “Most auditions demand, ‘We want you to be this weight, have this color hair and do somebody else’s work,’” Morris notes. “And we say, ‘Come exactly as you are. Write and perform something about something you care about.”

Company members eventually organize, write, and perform shows about WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM

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identification, your power.” She added, “But everybody has your identification, a different time when they’re ready to tell their story.” trafficking.

Last year, Girl Be Heard took on the issue of sex trafficking.

Morris devised an education program to teach company members about the issue and brought in experts from the UN, leading advocates and survivors as part of the education curriculum. trafficking was going “Not one of the girls knew previously that trafficking on in their neighborhoods. Suddenly they began to look around and realize, ‘Oh, my God, that guy’s a pimp and that teenage girl trafficked.” As a result, their award-winning with him is being trafficked.”

Trafficked was written from a very personal perspective.” show Trafficked Other topics the group has addressed include teen pregnancy, forced child marriage, body image, and gun violence.

Girl Be Heard brings their girl-empowerment curriculum into schools throughout the Tri-State area. “There is a huge need in both public and private schools for girls to be heard and develop their own voices.” For struggling schools in underserved communities (such as West Harlem in New York City), Girl Be Heard serves as an anti-truancy program. Students can only participate in the program if they attend classes. Morris shares a story about Erica, a “brilliant rapper” in Harlem who fighting but returned and is now a was kicked out of school for fighting prolific member of Girl Be Heard Harlem. prolific The organization has gone on tour across the country. In 2010, the company enacted Project Girl Congo at the White House; along with the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up campaign, its members performed at the 2011 TEDxWomen conference. In April 2013, when Morris delivers a keynote address at Stanford University, she hopes to bring several of her GBH performers with her.

Her philosophy is simple. “We listen to girls and help them realize

jessica Morris

IF a GIrL CaN CHaNGe Her OWN LIFe, SHe CaN CHaNGe tHe LIVeS OF GIrLS eVerYWHere. these very issues. “A girl doesn’t come in and just do a global show. We believe that she has to be empowered first, to develop her own voice and her own story,” Morris reveals. At Girl Be Heard’s weekly workshops, members share their experiences and learn about problems many girls face.

Some girls decide to share their stories onstage. “Every girl makes her own decision about what’s healing for her, but what we find is that, when one girl tells her story, another girl opens up her notebook and says, ‘I experienced that, too,’” Morris notices. “And it becomes this very empowering space, where, instead of being ashamed and feeling different and feeling like you’re damaged goods, you realize that that’s

MISSION

GIRL BE HEARD uses theater as a vehicle to empower young women to become brave, confident, socially conscious leaders while exploring their own challenging circumstances.

WHO WE ARE

GIRL BE HEARD is a not-for-profit theater collective and educational program.

Our curriculum develops and strengthens girls’ voices.

WHAT WE DO

GIRL BE HEARD provides a safe environment to girls to write, direct, and perform theater productions under the guidance of professional directors, playwrights, actors, activists, and intellectuals.

HOW WE DO IT

GIRL BE HEARD workshops develop and strengthen girls’ voices. Our school and community-based programs engage company members -- young women age 12-21-- through a series of writing prompts, readings, theatre exercises and discussions.

Sign up for updates on our website or follow us at:

Topics we’ve addressed include: - Identity (race, class, sexual orientation, ability) - Body Image, Suicide, Teen Pregnancy, Substance Abuse - Gun Violence, Sex Trafficking, Forced Child Marriage - Violence Against Women and Girls - Civil and Human Rights

Girl Be Heard

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PHILOSOPHY @GirlBeHeard

If a girl can change her own life, she can change the lives of girls everywhere.

80 East 11th Street Suite 301A New York, NY 10011 girlbeheard.org

they’re not crazy… that if they are struggling with low self-esteem or hating their bodies, our feminist-based curriculum teaches girls that they are valuable, even when society and the media tell them they are fat.” Empowerment begins with facing the truth about social injustice. And once we do that, “we have the easiest job in the world.

We bring girls together, sit in a room, and listen to them talk.” www.girlbeheard.org

*

Carly Silver is an editorial assistant at Harlequin. A native of Weston, Connecticut, she graduated summa cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University, in 2012.

nyc remembered

The Sutton Place Colony

By Elizabeth Spaulding

houses on the northeast corner of Sutton Place and East 57th Street overlooking the East River still stand; Anne Morgan’s (No. 3) is the residence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and No. 1 Sutton Place North next door, built for Anne Vanderbilt, is owned by a Heinz heiress.

The Two Annes Anne Tracy Morgan (1873-1952) was the daughter of J. Pierpont Morgan, and Anne Harriman Vanderbilt (1859-1940) was the daughter of Edward Harriman and wife of William K. Vanderbilt. The two women traveled in the same social circles and were life-long friends. Their mutual friend Elisabeth Marbury, along with Elsie de Wolfe, was the first to move to what was then called Avenue A; in 1920 she remodeled a 19th century row house at No. 13. Marbury persuaded the two Annes to buy houses next to hers, away from the stuffiness of Fifth Avenue. (Their Sutton Place block is still known for its famous residents, such as architect I. M. Pei at No. 11.)

An Exodus of Society from Fifth Avenue The purchase of No. 1 Sutton Place by Anne Vanderbilt in 1921 made headlines in The New York Times (January 9, 1921): “MRS. VANDERBILT TO LIVE IN AVENUE A, QUITTING 5TH AV., BUYS HOME IN SUTTON PLACE, AT FOOT OF EAST 57TH STREET, JOINS THE NEW COLONY.” Her husband had just died, and she sold their ornate gray mansion on Fifth Avenue at 52nd Street to a bank for $3 million. She paid $50,000 for the Sutton Place house and rebuilt it as a gracious but unpretentious four-story, 13-room Georgian home.

anne tracy Morgan

iT’S 1963,

and a new British CFO has arrived in New York City to run a Madison Avenue advertising agency. He needs a flat, flat, and one is quickly found for him on oh-so-exclusive Sutton Place (season 3, episode 2 of the TV series “Mad Men.”) But Sutton Place was not always “the place” to live; it was a rundown neighborhood in the shadow of the Queensboro Bridge known as Avenue A until the early 1920s, when a group of society women moved in and made it fashionable.

Anne Tracy Morgan and Anne Harriman Vanderbilt were at the center of what was known as “The Sutton Place Colony.” Their adjacent townwoMen’s organization in drive for city’s needy. Left to right: standing--Miss ruth f. KeeLer; harvey d. giBson; aLfred e. sMith, and wiLLiaM hodson. seated---Miss fLorence nash, Miss oLLie randaLL, Mrs. wiLLiaM K. vanderBiLt, sr. and Miss anne Morgan, sister of j.p. Morgan.

ACME NEwspiCturEs, iNC. 11/21/32

no. 1 sutton pLace

no. 3 sutton pLace

The New York Times (December 8, 1921) later reported that plans had been filed for two houses at 3 and 5 Sutton Place purchased

by Anne Morgan: “The plans call for the rebuilding of the two structures into a four-story dwelling in American Colonial style with a roof garden… at a cost of about $100,000.”

The Sutton Place Colony attracted media attention, and the four women were dubbed “The Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse.”

They became the object of gossip in high society, with rumors of “Sapphic orgies” held in Anne Morgan’s home at No. 3 and an underground passage linking all the houses.

“Boston marriage” provided a solution.

To this day no one knows for sure about the two “Annes,” who were reputed to have had a late-life romance; and while Marbury and de Wolfe were open about living together, there is no consensus on the nature of their relationship. Indeed, Elsie de Wolfe at age 60 chose to marry, for a title, the British diplomat Sir Charles Mendl, who cheerfully told friends that for all he knew, “the old girl is still a virgin.” The marriage was for social purposes, and the two “Bachelors” continued as before.

The Bachelors Elisabeth Marbury (1856-1933) was one of the first great literary and theatrical agents, bringing to the stage works by Oscar Wilde

“Something More Than a Rich Fool” Anne Morgan met Elisabeth Marbury in 1901, when she was unmarried and living in her father’s Madison Avenue mansion. Marbury, 20 years older, found Morgan “young for her age,” because her controlling father didn’t allow her

no. 13 sutton pLace

The Heiress Corps When the First World War broke out, Anne Morgan was in France and witnessed the death and destruction. Horrified, she returned to the U.S. to raise money and then bought an estate near the French front where she carried on relief work from 1917 to 1921. Her friend Anne Vanderbilt was the driving force behind financing and shipping Ford Model-T ambulances to France, and both Elisabeth Marbury and Elsie de Wolfe joined the Red Cross women ambulance drivers, condescendingly referred to as “The Heiress Corps” by The New York Times.

For their war efforts Anne Morgan became the first American woman appointed commander of the French Legion of Honor, Anne Vanderbilt was made a Chevalier, and Elsie de Wolfe earned the Croix de Guerre.

Anne Morgan was the last of “The Four

BUT SUTTON PLACE wAS NOT ALwAyS “THE PLACE” TO LIvE; IT wAS A RUNDOwN NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE SHADOw OF THE QUEENSBORO BRIDGE KNOwN AS AvENUE A UNTIL THE EARLy 1920S and George Bernard Shaw and producing musicals with the Shubert brothers. Elsie de Wolfe (1858-1950) virtually invented the field of interior decorating, taking on a role filled by men. Known as “The Chintz Lady,” she replaced dark, dreary Victorian furnishings with flowered cottons, Louis XVI furniture, and leopard upholstery.

The two women lived together for 40 years, in what can only be called an unconventional relationship. Gossips called the two women “The Bachelors.” Women who chose not to marry and have children, preferring to pursue careers, faced the economic difficulty of living alone, and the

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to grow up. “Her mind was ready for the spark plugs to be adjusted,” Marbury wrote in her memoir. It was an ideal project for Marbury, and she took full credit for awakening Morgan’s social conscience. As a child, Morgan had famously responded to the question of what she wanted to be when she grew up with, “Something more than a rich fool.” Because of Marbury, she realized this goal. She used her family’s wealth and connections to bring attention to the women’s suffrage movement and the plight of immigrant workers, helped advance women’s rights, changed labor laws, and did relief work in France during the First and Second World Wars.

Horsewomen of the Apocalypse” to die, and at the time of her death in 1952 she still owned No. 3 and No. 5 Sutton Place. Twenty years later her home was donated to the United Nations by its new owner, the great-grandson of the founder of Corning Glass, a fitting tribute to an independent-thinking woman who devoted her life to social justice and world affairs.

*

Elizabeth Spaulding lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, but she has admired Sutton Place from afar. Her articles have appeared in Ms. Magazine, MORE Magazine, Narrative, Skidmore Scope, and The Humanist.

curator’s corner

ViDEo art

by Jarret Liotta

THe eVoLuTioN

of artistic mediums has sometimes been linked to advances in technology. When the first photograph—known as “View from the Window at Le Gras”—was developed nearly 200 years ago, it wasn’t long after that artists began experimenting with ways to use this new discovery toward creative ends Video, a grandchild of photography, has blossomed in the same way. Originally a mere practical means for recording moving events, it’s evolved into its own form for artistic discovery, ideas, and exhibition. And toward that end, like so many creative examples in different medium, the magic of owning original, one-of-a-kind works of art is possible in the video medium. An art collector—particularly one with a sense of adventure—can invest in a creation that has not been—and stiLL froM “eye of the tiger” By phoenix Lindsey-haLL possibly can’t be—duplicated.

Case in point—Wolfgang Staehle—a German pioneer in the medium, whose work has been enjoyed for decades. Staehle creates time capsule videos that capture gorgeous vistas of celebrated locations—a gorgeous view of the Hudson Valley, for example—and records a 24-hour time lapse in about 8,000 separate frames. The result—to be viewed on a large, highquality plasma screen, aided by the Mac mini that comes with an original piece—is a living landscape akin to having a window with just that view, accurately synced to the right time of day by special software that’s part of the purchase price.

At the other end of the spectrum—at least as non-narrative pieces are concerned—is a piece by celebrated Chinese artist Song Dong that features five large adjoining video screens lystiLL froM “eastpoint” - on the hudson river vaLLey - (series of shots) By woLfgang ing on the floor. Each features a different close-up “moving” staehLe. the totaL “eastpoint” series of 8,000 image, including a table top, a pot of boiling broth, and a very photos over 24 hours is in the MetropoLitan clean white porcelain toilet bowl. After a short bit of time, a MuseuM of art’s coLLection. simple action occurs in each screen—the broth begins to show signs of coagulation, milk is slowly spilled upon the table, and—in the would fight that description to the bone.” She vehemently explains the role of a gallery is to “follow the art,” rather than the money in terms of characteristic humor of so much video art—someone pees in the toilet.

“Video art is just another form of expression for an artist,” says Pau- merely hawking what sells. Sawon says video art demands more attenlina Bebecka, director of Postmasters—a Chelsea gallery with a reputa- tion from a viewer, and consequently requires a different attitude. “With tion for having been on the cutting edge of the art world for close to 30 the video, if you see five seconds and the video is five minutes, you don’t years. “It’s a moving image, basically, shown on a TV, projected on walls, know what happened there… Not that many people want to invest that objects…” Whether the work has a linear or circular narrative, or no nar- much time.” Of course, she said not every video is even worth the time; rative at all, she says, depends on the artist, “what the artist is trying to as in any medium, “some is great and some is terrible.”

For the collector, it poses some different questions that might not arise say, and what the artist is trying to explore… It’s been around for a long time. Warhol did it… Almost since the beginning of still photography with paintings or traditional sculpture, such as the means by which you might display something, as well as places and times. “Video art collecpeople have been playing around with all that stuff.”

Postmasters reps Staehle and several other video artists, among its tors are more adventurous,” says Bebecka, and tend to be more open to larger stable. Long-time owner Magdalena Sawon, however, does not what an artist is trying to convey. like being characterized as a gallery that specializes in video art. “There For Marlene Meyerson of Manhattan, and Santa Fe, a love of film are people who would describe us as a new media gallery,” she says. “I and photography prompted her to start collecting video art 12 years WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM

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jennifer & Kevin Mccoy, Between the resorts, 2012 handMade paLM trees, paper, BaLsa wood, pLastic ModeL eLeMents, Laser-cut c-print on aLuMinuM Lcd screen, eLectronics, power suppLy, video pLayer, Masonite paneL, 11 x 16 x 20 inches iMage courtesy of postMasters gaLLery, new yorK city

ago. “I have videos that last a minute or three was the next logical step in the evolution of art, minutes or five or ten, and I play those on a she says, with computer creations constituting television screen,” she says. “And then I have the next generation. “It’s a real powerful medisome sight-specific ones that have screens um because people tend to take video or TV as that are designed just for them, and those can either be one screen or two screens, depending on the piece, and then I have some that are projected on a wall and the projector’s built in the wall. They’re everything from animation to Claymation, to actual film of human beings, so it’s kind of a spectrum of things.”

“It’s a commitment to collect,” she says, “because the technology changes very rapidly and it’s kind of hard to keep up with.”

Meyerson’s first piece was by archistiLL froM Binary systeMs 1 By BradLey rothenBerg tectural artists Liz Diller and Ricardo Scofidio, which she purchased at the annual truth a lot,” she says. While rooted in photogArmory Show. Originally projected on a build- raphy, it allows the extension of movement—a ing outside, it features a close-up on a woman’s fourth dimension, if you will. “The thing that mouth, and her beautiful, full red lips making video gets to do is it’s a witness. You’re really a series of provocative and funny comments, all there. That’s its real power.” of which begin with the phrase “Hey you!”

Lindsey-Hall took a video camera to the While just about everything Meyerson pur- Great Wall of China, where she performed an chases is either one-of-a-kind or a limited edi- interpretive dance to the song “Eye of the Tition, she confesses, “I don’t really know the ger” wearing a tiger suit she’d purchased from value of these things, and I’ve never tried to sell China and had shipped back to the U.S. “I one.” Meyerson likes to play them when she then took it back to China with me to perform entertains, but sometimes just turns them on this work,” she says. The result is engaging, to enjoy. “It would be hard to have a favorite.” rather humorous, certainly entertaining, and Artist Phoenix Lindsey-Hall of Brooklyn just really cool! works in several mediums, but says most artists “Video is really great for things like that,” these days at least try something in video. It she says. Because the technology has improved

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so much in recent years, and equipment costs have continued to decrease, accessibility for an artist has become easy. “With the availability of cameras, there’s an ease to it, but also a very low cost. Little kids make movies on their parents’ iphones, so it seems inevitable that art would go there.”

Bradley Rothenberg is a Manhattanbased designer and artist who’s originally from Weston, CT. “Video art is a medium that allows one to specifically bring time into the picture,” he says. “Rather than have a static image, the medium allows for change—something that can respond, interact, move… They can experience change and movement—something one cannot experience in a single painting.”

“I think any medium can be worthwhile when it becomes about a user-participant, and how a user-participant interacts with the work,” he says. Consequently, collecting video art offers more of a chance for involvement between the art and the viewer, enabling “curating an experience in their space rather than placing an object in that space. It can take a person out of his everyday comfort zone and into (the) world created, theorized, produced by the artist.”

Bruno Levy is a Paris-born artist who’s been making video art since 1999. “I think what makes video interesting to me is that it combines audio and the visual with an element of time,” he says. “I am interested in exploring the relationship between image and sound. I believe that like any other art, these combined elements create a language which can communicate with the subconscious. Video art can also allow for rhythm, which is a crucial element in my work. I believe that a certain rhythm followed with an offset of that audio visual pattern can play tricks with our perception.”

“We do show a lot of video precisely because my gallery is very keen on the work that is representative of our time—not of our moment—but our time… A new language,” Sawon says.

“This is an enormous repository of creativity.”

*

Jarret Liotta is a veteran freelance writer, filmmaker and novelist with a wealth of professional credits. He maintains an unpopular blog called The Blah-ugh! and enjoys hearing from critics at jarretliotta@gmail.com.

the

arts the 35th annuaL MuseuM MiLe festivaL

THE 35TH ANNUAL MUSEUM MILE FESTIVAL

dispatch of troops to the European theater. Also includes the struggles over civil rights and segregation and the Times Square celebration of V-J Day. This exhibition draws upon extensive collections at New-York Historical and on important loans from the US Navy, the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of WWII-Boston, the Mariners’ Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Dream Continues: Photographs of Martin Luther King Murals by Vergara Until May 5, 2013 Since the ‘70s, Camilo Vergara has traveled across the US photographing hand-painted murals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as they appeared on the walls of establishments such as car repair shops, barbershops, and fast food restaurants.

These folk art portraits express how inner-city residents saw the slain civil rights leader—at times a statesman, a hero, a visionary, or a martyr.

This exhibition offers the opportunity to study the manner in which Martin Luther King, Jr. has reached into the hearts of artists from New York to Los Angeles, Chicago to Detroit, and how the artists’ images have depicted the soul of the great civil rights leader in a manner that reaches out to communities nationwide.

170 Central Park West, New York, NY (212) 873-3400 nyhistory.org.

exhibit she mines the museum’s collection of 26,000 pieces in order to create a four-gallery installation. Bloom’s work, which includes installation, photography, graphic design and film, explores such themes as absence and presence, gazing and giving, breaking and repair, and how things can stand in for people and ideas. This installation is the first in a series that will invite contemporary artists to engage with the permanent collection.

1109 5th Ave at 92nd St. 212-423-320 thejewishmuseum.org.

MET MUSEUM Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity Through May 27, 2013 This exhibition highlights the significance of fashion in the works of the Impressionists and

Tuesday, June 11, 2013 from 6 pm to 9 pm The annual Museum Mile Festival takes place rain or shine on Tuesday, June 11 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Over 1.5 million people have taken part in this annual celebration since its inception.

Festival attendees can walk the Mile between 82nd Street and 105th Street while visiting nine of New York City’s finest cultural institutions, open free to the public throughout the evening. Fifth Avenue is closed to traffic and becomes a strollers’ haven.

Special exhibitions and works from permanent collections are on view inside the museums’ galleries and live music from jazz to Broadway tunes to Berthe Morisot (french, 1841–1895) thE sistErs, 1869, oiL on canvas. string quartets is featured in front of several of the nationaL gaLLery of art, washington, d.c. museums. Additional street entertainers perform THE JEWISH MUSEUM gift of Mrs. charLes s. carstairs along Fifth Avenue all evening.

As it were ... So to speak: museummilefestival.org.

A Museum Collection in Dialogue their contemporaries. Some 75 major figure with Barbara Bloom paintings, seen in concert with period costumes, Through August 4, 2013 accessories, fashion plates, photographs, and The multi-faceted artist Barbara Bloom has popular prints, trace the relationship between built her career questioning appearances and fashion and art during the pivotal years, from commenting on how we value objects. In this the mid-1860s to the mid-1880s, when Paris emerged as the style capital of the world.

Plain or Fancy? Restraint and Exuberance in the Decorative Arts Through August 18, 2013 Modernism was not the first movement to cast irving Boyer, prospect parK, ca. 1942–1944. oiL on a shadow on ornament and adornment, though acadeMy Board. the new-yorK historicaL society, gift of seLwyn L. Boyer, froM the Boyer faMiLy it was the most effective one. This exhibition coLLection, 2002. contrasts austere works of art with ornate ones, encouraging viewers to examine their own NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY responses and to consider them in the light WWII & NYC of different stylistic imperatives of the past.

Until May 27, 2013 Drawn from the Museum’s European sculpture When World War II broke out, New York was and decorative art collection, and emphasizing a cosmopolitan, heavily immigrant city, whose recent acquisitions, the exhibition represents all people had real stakes in the war and strongly exhiBition detaiL: BarBara BLooM media in the department’s holdings. held opinions. painting: artist unKnown, rEbECCA The Metropolitan Museum of Art The exhibition ranges from the mobilization sEixAs hArt, c. 1840, oiL on canvas, the jewish MuseuM, ny, gift of 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. of workers to the frenzy of shipbuilding, from the fLorence hart.

212-535-7710; metmuseum.org. home front arts and entertainment industry to the

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school road THE DALTON SCHOOL PRESENTS

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Directed by Allen Kennedy Photos by Deborah Copaken Kogan

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antiques

A Stitch in time: ANTIQUE NEEDLEwORK EMBROIDERIES

By Samantha Rothenberg

antique saMpLer By Maria Morton; pLyMouth, Ma dated 1820/ siLK and paint on Linen; 17 x 12 ½ inches unfraMed. photo courtesy of stephen & caroL huBer, oLd sayBrooK, ct.

scholars alike have been turning their attention to objects of a different, more modest sort, which scholarship once overlooked.

One fascinating example of this trend is the renewed interest in embroidered needlework samplers. Best understood as belonging to the Folk Art or Craft traditions, these charmingly quaint embroideries have been reclaimed as collectible artifacts in their own right, capable of adding a touch of early charm to the walls of any home.

Most common during the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, marking samplers constituted a chief component of a young girl’s education, functioning as a lesson plan and report card all rolled into one. A young girl would often sew what she had learned at school, which could range from simple lessons— such as the alphabet, numbers, or her name and the date— to more elaborate decorative motifs and quotations or scriptural verses. Typically, her academic performance would be judged based on her ability to complete an example.

These objects belong to an age in which a young girl’s social role was determined more by her skills with a needle than her grasp of the “three R’s.”

More than exhibiting a young girl’s working knowledge of the “ABC’s,” samplers ultimately demonstrated her promise as a future homemaker. The ability to successfully complete one was considered a prerequisite to becoming a good wife and a useful female member of society. Even so, this shouldn’t suggest that finishing an example wasn’t a painstakingly difficult task; these intricate cloths often required months, and even years of work.

The composition of sampler embroideries varies according to their region of

iN our AGe

of mass-production, when the same identical objects from Ikea or Crate & Barrel surround us at every turn, it’s easy to understand the allure of displaying a unique antique item at home. Older objects, which have endured as the relics of a vanished time and place, allow us to experience a special continuity between past and present.

By this, you probably imagine that I’m referring to exquisitely refined examples of the decorative arts, executed centuries ago by some renowned master craftsman: perhaps a colonial silver tea set, an intricately woven silk tapestry, or a rare Queen Anne chair made of the finest mahogany and upholstered in its original embroidered fabric.

Of course, pedigreed objects such as these have always been highly coveted, and for good reason: they represent the finest level of artisanship for their respective times. In recent decades, however, collectors and

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antique saMpLer By pheBe ann house chester county, pa dated 1826; inscriBed: to Be good is to Be happy/ pheBe ann house’s worK/ 1826. photo courtesy of stephen & caroL huBer, oLd sayBrooK, ct.

Massachusetts; siLK, paint and inK on siLK, circa 1811. ezra BeaMan founded what is now the worcester, BoLton and BoyLston areas of Massachusetts. he was chosen seLectMan, treasurer and state representative to the generaL court. this MeMoriaL stitchery is in untouched condition and in its originaL fraMe with its MaKer’s LaBeL “day and western of worcester, Mass.” 17 5/8 x 18 5/8”. fraMed; 14 x½ 15”. sight size. said to have Been found in a private coLLection in the hudson vaLLey. photo courtesy of franK & BarBara poLLacK, aMerican antiques and art, highLand parK, iLLinois.

$1,000, an amateur collector could purchase a very basic needlework sampler or 19th-century “darning sampler.” This refers to a piece of cloth upon which a young girl would practice clothing repair stitches. Textiles were incredibly expensive in those days, and learning the proper stitches to mend holes and tears was a valuable asset.

However, if you’re after a more substantive investment, Connecticut-based exhibitor Carol Huber, a top authority on samplers who deals exclusively in antique embroideries, points out that the quality of the design is key. “What makes a sampler a good investment is the overall graphic appeal,” she advises. Indeed, the prices of needle works generally vary based on the intricacy of the design. Although the market is inundated with “little marking samplers” featuring simple ABC’s or numbers, Huber says that the pieces completed by older and more skilled women, which often showcase an entire country scene or a portrait of several people, tend to receive the highest valuations.

Other important factors to consider are the work’s place of origin, and finally, its condition. “As far as investment is concerned,” Huber mentions, “the American pieces are more desirable than English or Continental,” adding that examples created prior to 1840 are most desirable, and that “samplers with holes, water

THESE OBJECTS BELONG TO AN AGE IN wHICH A yOUNG GIRL’S SOCIAL ROLE wAS DETERMINED MORE By HER SKILLS wITH A NEEDLE THAN HER GRASP OF THE “THREE R’S.” origin. Examples from the German-settled region of Pennsylvania, for instance, often contain heart, flower and bird motifs, which would typically be placed alongside the alphabet, the girl’s name, and the name of her hometown. The year of her birth, or the year of the sampler’s completion, would also be featured. In several examples housed at the Metropolitan Museum’s Antonio Ratti Textile Center, these dates have been visibly cut out. According to textile historian Amelia Peck, women would often remove the date from pieces they completed as girls, ensuring that no one— particularly potential suitors— would discover their age.

Older girls—usually in their early to midteens—who were lucky enough to continue their education, often completed more advanced scenes, including more graphically complex decorative pictorial samplers or a single-composition needlework picture. Also common were memorial scenes completed by a young woman to honor a loved one who had passed. Embroidered

on silk, these stunning images often contain a mourning figure—usually a gowned female placed alongside a tomb, or casket with an overarching weeping willow tree placed in the scene.

Over the past several years, the sampler market has seen its greatest boom yet. Just last January, for instance, Sotheby’s auctioned 198 lots from the needlework historian Betty Ring, who was a prominent collector and wrote extensively on the subject. Antique dealer David Schorsch paid upwards of one million dollars for an exceptionally rare and beautiful example from the sale. The piece was completed by Mary Antrim in 1807 and features a complex, bold and colorful composition of grazing livestock, a whitegowned female on horseback and a three-story brick building.

Despite the unprecedented growth of the antique needlework embroidery market, these pieces remain surprisingly accessible to collectors at all levels of the spectrum. For approximately

stains and fading are not good investments.”

With their historical richness and colorfully delicate composition, needlework embroideries provide a visually stunning ornament for your home, whether you’re a seasoned collector or an amateur interested in making your first purchase. More importantly, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of a bygone age. Admiring an example up close, you can’t help but wonder about the life of the young woman who made it, humbled by the knowledge that this single piece of cloth might be her only surviving legacy.

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Originally from Jericho, Long Island, Samantha Rothenberg currently resides in Brooklyn. She received her M.A. in American Fine and Decorative Art from Sotheby’s Institute and works as the Events Manager and Vetting Coordinator for the Winter Antiques Show, New York’s pre-eminent antiques and fine art event.

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GALLERy The Children’s Aid soCieTy’s 3rd AnnuAl spring CoCkTAil evenT Wed, May 8, 7:00 - 10:00 pm

rial program that includes commissioned artist projects, a lecture and talks series, and a sculpture park. All art is available for sale.

Tickets and information: www.friezenewyork. com. Randall’s Island Park, NY.

MAnhATTAn CoCkTAil ClAssiC

associates counciL of the chiLdren’s aid society 2012 event

The Associates Council of The Children’s Aid Society invites you to attend their third annual Spring Cocktail Event, a splendid affair to be held on May 8, 2013 from 7:00 - 10:00 pm at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. This year’s event will help raise funds for the Go!Healthy Program of The Children’s Aid Society. The Go!Healthy Initiative is comprised of diverse interventions aimed at preventing and slowing the rates of childhood obesity in the communities they serve. Go!Healthy follows children from birth through adolescence and beyond, educating them about wellness and the joys of healthful cooking and eating.

The David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, 61 West 62nd St., New York, NY. www.childrensaidsociety.org.

May 17 - 21 Part festival, part fête, part conference, part cocktail party — the Manhattan Cocktail Classic is an annual celebration of the myriad points of intersection between cocktails and culture. With nearly 100 events spread across five days and three boroughs, the Classic offers a vast array of unique experiences to enthusiasts and professionals alike, expanding the very definition of what constitutes a “cocktail event.” The fourth annual Classic will

take place on May 17 - 21, 2013. Cocktail fans should mark their calendars.

For information and tickets, please visit www. manhattancocktailclassic.com. Follow the Classic on Twitter at @cocktailclassic or “like” them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ManhattanCocktailClassic.

MoMA’S ANNuAL PARTY IN THE GARDEN Tue, May 21, 7:00 pm - Midnight Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

FRIEzE NEW YoRK May 10-13 The second edition of Frieze New York, a dynamic, contemporary art fair, will be held on

The Party in the Garden is MoMA’s long-running, annual spring gala. The event benefits The Annual Fund of The Museum of Modern Art and the maintenance of The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, along with the Museum’s general operating fund, helping to make possible the Museum’s educational programs and the care, study, and exhibition of its collection. The event’s honoree and the entertainment for the After Party will be announced shortly. Tables range from $25,000 to $100,000. Individual tickets are $150 for the After-Party.

11 W 53rd St., New York, NY (212) 708-9400; www.moma.org.

MoMa’s annuaL party in the garden photo By scott rudd

egg roLLs & egg creaMs festivaL photo By Kate MiLford

egg rolls & egg CreAMs FesTivAl June 9 This festival celebrates the dynamic intersection of lower Manhattan neighborhoods, where Chinatown meets the Jewish Lower East Side! The day-long event features a cultural mix-and-match of activities, including synagogue tours, Chinese opera and acrobatics, klezmer musical performances, Chinese and Yiddish lessons and, of course, kosher egg rolls and egg cream drinks for all.

For more information, visit eldridgestreet.org. Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St., New York, NY.

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high school, we run in packs. it was no different in new york city in the mid-

1970s at elite private schools such as Collegiate, Brearley, Dalton, Trinity, and Spence. We roamed the streets of Park and Fifth and ventured deep into the crevices of Central Park. We piled into Checker cabs, six or seven of us, or took the subway to Astor Place to wander the gridless Greenwich Village streets, untouched by designer outposts. SoHo was deserted; Little Italy was Italian; thrift shops were thrift, not “vintage.” We passed the Bottom Line and Free Being Records on the way to Caffè Dante or Washington Square Park. The subway, green and tattooed with the tags of graffiti masters, rattled and rolled. We stood at the front of the first car, window down, the rush of speed on bright faces.

Stone chess tables at Carl Schurz Park, the Burger Joint on Broadway, coffee shops near our schools, wisteria arbors behind the Bandshell, Alice in Wonderland, the winged angel of Bethesda Fountain, the boat pond, Belvedere Castle, and the long even steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art—these we made ours.

“Later at Alice.”

“Catch you at the Met.” It was all about meeting. That’s when the magic happened.

It’s the weekend, and in that narrow Upper East Side hub, we’re looking for apartments devoid of parents.

Some are done up like Versailles, with gold accents, mirrored hallways, paintings glowing under their very own lamps, and Nat Shermans, like pastel candies, artfully fanned in small china cups. Others are more restrained— pale sofas, family pictures framed in silver, and everywhere the smell of soap. On the West Side, ornate gothic caverns rise, the stone dark with soot. And the buildings have names: the Kenilworth, the Beresford, the El Dorado. The real estate boom of the late eighties hasn’t happened yet, and the West Side lacks the spit and polish of the East Side. It’s dirtier, more dangerous, exotic. Often we head farther east or north, to smaller apartments without doormen—or with doormen whose uniforms fit more loosely—apartments of friends whose parents are not titans of industry or scions of inherited wealth, but schoolteachers, designers, artists, editors, or scientists.

From the Book, COME TO THE EDGE by Christina Haag. Copyright © 2011

by Christina Haag. Reprinted by arrangement with Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

We do our homework and we hang out. We smoke Marlboro Lights and we smoke pot. We lie about where we are going. We have crushes on boys we do not know but talk about incessantly. We are juvenile and we are jaded. We are insecure and we are worldly. With our friends as mirrors, we slip on identities like wispy summer dresses and just as easily toss them aside. Like teenagers everywhere, we are trying to find out who we are. Only we are doing it in a city that in 1975 has been almost felled by a fiscal crisis, where police and social services have been cut drastically, and homicide and muggings are rampant. Despite this, it is a city that knows itself to be the center of the world, the matrix where art and commerce thrive and power and excellence are de rigueur. This city. Ours. We can feel its promise; it’s there beneath our feet. A shallow beat in dark asphalt.

In 1974, I left the Convent of the Sacred Heart and its gray wool uniforms for Brearley. Although Sacred Heart went through twelfth grade, I wanted a change. Many girls in my class left that year. Some ventured as far as Spence across the street or Nightingale-Bamford around the corner. Some left the city entirely for boarding school. But I wanted to stay in New York, and my heart was set on the girls’ school in a ten-story building by the East River. One of the most competitive schools in the city, Brearley at that time resembled a prison and bristled with excitement. Caroline Kennedy had transferred there as well, but by the time I arrived, she had already left for boarding school. I didn’t know it then, but my world was edging closer to John’s.

“The Brearley,” as it is known, may have lacked the poetry of the Otto Kahn mansion, but it had a major plus: no uniforms. The younger girls ran around in navy jumpers, with bloomers for gym, but there was no dress code in high school. The feel was more bluestocking than deb, and although there were pockets of Brooks Brothers and smatterings of Fiorucci and Cacharel, the standard fare was tattered jeans. It was something I looked forward to.

The summer before ninth grade, a letter in the school’s signature shrunken envelope arrived. Inside, I was both welcomed to New Girl Orientation and asked to choose an elective. Music, dance, drama, and art were stacked one under the other. Next to each, a miniature red box.

Mark one, the letter instructed. I was stunned. To my mind, they were inextricable from one another, part of one whole—what I loved best and far from optional. I stared at the word “elective” for a long time. Then I picked up my pencil and, with something akin to pain, checked drama.

Whereas Sacred Heart classmates were cruel behind your back, Brearley girls were more direct. They said what they meant. Opinion and curiosity thrived, and our class took it to the extreme. In an empty locker on the fifth floor, we kept a stash of racy books, calling it our pornographic library and even issuing library cards. Being Brearley, the smut was classic—along the lines of Fanny Hill, The Story of O, and Anaïs Nin’s A Spy in the House of Love—and we devoured each behind folders during chorus, until a zealous math teacher ratted us out.

Drama was taught by Beryl Durham. Small, muscular, and Welsh, she had silver hair that ran the length of her back and a face in constant rapture. She told us tales of Julian Beck and the Living Theatre, and of her friends “Larry” Olivier and Vivien Leigh. When goaded, she divulged that sex was just like strawberry ice cream—an improvement, at least, over the Sacred Heart nurse’s “like scratching an itch.” We worked on Elmer Rice’s Street Scene that year and a bad play by Giraudoux in which the tall girls played men and I was the heroine. For most, drama class was time to goof off, gossip, get Beryl to tell her stories and then

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We are juvenile and we are jaded. We are insecure and we are worldly. With our friends as mirrors, we slip on identities like wispy summer dresses and just as easily toss them aside. make fun of her— anything but the embarrassing prospect of pretending to be someone else. But I was a fourteen-year-old who could not wait to lose herself in make-believe. In me, Beryl saw one of her own. Before classes ended for the term, she took me aside behind the heavy curtain in the auditorium. She was retiring at the end of the year. “You won’t get what you need here,” she said, her voice raspy and certain, her witch eyes wavering from blue to white. I nodded gravely, but before I turned to go, she pressed a small piece of paper into my hand. On it were the words HB Studio and an address on Bank Street.

My best friend in ninth grade was more experienced than I was. She took me under her wing, told me whose parents were famous and why, which girls were Legacy, and what the Social Register was. Most important, she made sure I never walked up Eighty-fourth Street to the two-block no-man’s-land ruled by neighborhood toughs. Chapin and Brearley had addresses on East End Avenue’s thin strip of privilege, but the half block west into old Yorkville was iffy. The toughs were just kids, really—kids who sat on stoops, who had knives, and whose favorite pastime was scaring nubile private school girls. “Why can’t the police stop them?” I asked her.

We were huddled at the corner of Eighty-fifth Street. I was blocking the wind that tore down East End from the river so that she could light her cigarette. She shrugged. “It’s their turf. Besides, the fathers are all cops.”

My friend went everywhere on her bike, dodging traffic in a faded jean jacket, her stick-straight pale hair flying behind. She lived in a town house off Madison Avenue, and her parents were divorced. We’d sit on her bed after school and talk about boys. I’d never been kissed, and she promised to tell me the secret of kissing, but only if I was her slave for the year. She knew John. He went to Collegiate, the boys’ school across the park and brother school to ours. He’d been to a party at her house the year before and had left a black leather ski glove, which she kept hostage on her dresser. Part of learning the secret meant listening to her go on about how cute he was and how she would become Mrs. JFK, Jr. Sometimes when she passed notes to me during Spanish class, she signed

them that way as a joke.

At the end of ninth grade, the secret was revealed.

“Imitate what the boy does.”

“That’s it?” I said, my eyes widening.

“That’s it,” she said, tilting her chin and blowing a flawless smoke ring in my face.

By the next fall, I had been kissed, and that November one of the cool guys from Collegiate asked me out, although we never called it that.

He and his friends were known as “the Boys” and they had nicknames that rang like handles: Sito, Wilstone, Johnson, Doc, Duke, Mayor, Hollywood, Clurm, Ace. He came with three of them to pick me up.

All had long hair and puffy down jackets, and he whirled a red Frisbee

near an Oriental screen. Some smoked. The boys stayed close to the open window, stepping on the drapes and making noise, and we watched as they lobbed water balloons and paper towels stuffed with Noxzema fifteen stories down to splat on the sidewalk below. They howled when they nicked someone. “Score!” they’d shout.

One boy was especially keen. He darted back and forth, cracking himself up. Skinny, his hair in his face, he seemed younger than the rest. And he was really into throwing those Noxzema bombs. “Nice one, Kennedy!” they’d yell. And if he seemed younger, it was because his birthday was at the end of November and he was still fourteen. But I wasn’t looking at him that night.

I was watching the one I had come with.

A group of us hung out that winter and spring. There were rumors that John liked a girl at Spence, but when he was with us, he was alone—a follower, under the tutelage of the older boys. We went to parties en masse, to sweet sixteens at Doubles, and to Trader Vic’s on someone’s father’s charge.

We tumbled out of the Plaza with gardenias from the Scorpion Bowls tucked in our hair and continued on to Malkan’s, the East Side kiddie bar before Dorrian’s caught on. We trolled Central Park at all hours, slipping through the Ramble, a wooded section where muggings and beatings were frequent. In 1978, the year we graduated, members of the 84th Street Gang also ventured there and, armed with baseball bats and a couch leg, savagely attacked six men they believed to be gay. This time their fathers could not protect them, and they were arrested and jailed.

We felt safe those nights in the park, the Secret Service trailing behind us at a respectable distance. John’s mother insisted that they be invisible, and they almost were. But we always knew they were there. They had our backs. Or, rather, John’s.

And we’d wander off trails on moonless nights, clogs and sneakers stomping dead leaves, the glow of a joint drifting backward like a firefly in the darkness.

Invincible, fifteen and jazzed by the spark of danger.

Years later, after his plane went down, I thought of the sense of safety I’d always felt with him. Where had it come from? It was instinctual, I knew that.

Like the clarity of faith the nuns possessed and tried to drum into me. Was it something in him, I wondered, his fearlessness rubbing off, the strength of his life force so strong that I believed nothing would happen to me if I was with him? Or was it the memory of those nights when we were young, sticks snapping underfoot, watching our breath go white, and knowing that unseen men with badges and guns kept us safe in the center of harm.

Skinny, his hair in his face, he seemed younger than the rest.

And he was really into throwing those Noxzema bombs.

“Nice one, Kennedy!” they’d yell. upside down on his finger, mesmerizing my seven-year-old brother, who showed an excitement I tried to hide. “We’re going to Kennedy’s,” the whirler told my parents. “His mother’s home.” I kissed my father and promised to be home by eleven. I had never been to Kennedy’s before.

We walked up Park to 1040 Fifth Avenue, and when Lenox Hill dipped and flattened, they spread out—one across the street, another behind me, the one they called Sito short-stopping the divider—and they tossed the Frisbee across the wide avenue as we went. The boy I liked took my hand. It was cold that night, and soon the holiday trees would go up on the center islands that stretched north from the Pan Am Building all the way to Ninety-sixth Street. The sidewalk sparkled, the streetlamps catching bits of silver mica buried in the cement.

The elevator at 1040 opened onto a private foyer. There was a huge gilt mirror and the smell of paperwhites. The front door was unlocked, the rooms dark, and Kennedy’s mother wasn’t home. I followed them to the dining room, where girls from other schools—Spence and Nightingale and one in baggy corduroy from Lenox—lounged by a table

*

Christina Haag is an actress and a New York Times bestselling author.

Her memoir, Come to the Edge: A Love Story chronicles her childhood friendship and 5-year love affair with John F. Kennedy Jr. A USA Today and People magazine pick in paperback. Her book was excerpted in Vanity Fair and is the winner of the Ella Dickey Literacy Award. Christina lives in New York City and Los Angeles, and is working on a novel.

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most institutions in our society, the milestones that used to define the passage from adolescence to adulthood are undergoing enormous change. Buy a car. Graduate from college in four years.

Move away from home. Get a first “real job” and stick with it long enough to climb the ladder. Get married. Buy a house. Have children. Move to the suburbs. Buy an SUV. But for my generation, the Millennials — people born between the mid-1980s and the mid 1990s — this isn’t the path through life.

When my grandmother grew up in the 1920s and ‘30s, she was part of the Greatest Generation and part of the early groups of women who went to work in corporate environments. Although she had a few different jobs, she worked for AT&T for almost all of her working life.

My grandmother was always focused on the best job she could get from an economic viewpoint. She enjoyed her work and she was good at it, but she never chose her job because it was her passion or because of its potential social impact, that was just the reality of her world.

Fast forward to the 1990s, when I grew up. It was an era that saw the birth of the web and many new technologies, an increased willingness to take risks and try new things, and a growing sense of the possibilities of life and of personal empowerment. The traditional definition of adulthood —graduate, get a job, marry, buy a home — was already crumbling amidst the changes of the turn of the millennium. The change accelerated even more profoundly after the 9/11 attacks. For Millennials, engagement with our world became essential and the goal of making our world a better place became a logical conclusion. The desire to live meaningful lives and do meaningful work only deepened as future crises unfolded and as we witnessed the power of technology to allow us to start businesses and organizations and share messages with unprecedented ease. We are mindful of the dangers and the risks in the world — we have events like Columbine and 9/11 seared into our memories —yet we remain confident and optimistic about the future. We mastered the web and

social media and grew up with these technological tools in our hands.

We developed much more inclusive views about gender, race, and life in general. We played a major role in getting Barack Obama elected in 2008 — the first year many of us could vote.

My generation has emerged from our formative years as “pragmatic idealists.” We deeply want to make big changes in our world. Yet we understand that, in order to do so, we need a plan and we need to work step by step to make change happen. We believe in taking small steps as well as big ones. We can be idealistic consumers by buying from companies who have a commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, thus putting pressure on companies to do good works in order to gain our patronage.

We are concerned with big problems like the crisis in education or global climate change, but we are doers, ready to bite off a small piece of the problem with a practical solution, like starting an after school education program in a specific community, and we are willing to work with anyone who can help, even if that may mean Wal-Mart or other big corporations to reduce their carbon footprint.

When we were confronted with the economic crisis and recession in 2008, we had a pragmatic response. With few job opportunities even for the top graduates, many of us took advantage of the new ease of starting a business to create our own economic future, for ourselves and our peers. We became entreprenurial out of necessity. Throughout the last five years of economic and employment crises, unemployed Millennials have been consistently practical about how to use their time out of the workforce to gain experience and skills through volunteer work or internships. The many Millennials who have ended up back in their parents’ houses are not slackers, but realists who are saving money while looking for good quality, meaningful opportunities.

The Millennial commitment to having a positive social impact is so strong that some friends of mine have turned down good jobs in WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM

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finance and consulting (even in a bleak job market) in order to join initiatives like Teach for America, whose application numbers have soared in recent years. Many Millennials have joined non-profits or new kinds of businesses that emphasize social entrepreneurship. (A good example is TOMS, a for-profit shoe company that donates a pair of shoes to people in the developing world for each pair of shoes you buy.

The company has grown tremendously in recent years and is staffed primarily by Millennials). Some 85% of Millennials told pollsters in a recent study that they would rather take a job that paid less but had a high social impact than a higher paying job with no impact.

The combination of a search for meaningful work, the economic crisis, and the rise of entrepreneurship has led to the emergence of a new kind of career seen throughout the Millennial Generation: the consultant-writer-speaker-blogger whose personal brand is of more value than the particular company they are working for at any given moment. Millennials see whatever their current job may be as transitional, and rightly so. A study by Heidrick and Struggles found that Millennials are expected to have had 14 jobs by the time they turn 38. While such transitional careers may seem unstable or uncertain

The Desire To live Meaningful lives anD Do Meaningful work only DeepeneD as fuTure crises unfolDeD anD as we wiTnesseD The power of Technology To allow us To sTarT Businesses anD organizaTions anD share Messages wiTh unpreceDenTeD ease. to those in older generations, for Millennials who live in a fast future world, where everything changes fast and change is the main constant, it’s nothing but normal.

A few months ago I was speaking at a small college in Virginia and I asked the students in the audience if marriage was an important life goal they were focused on. Less than a quarter of the crowd raised their hands. When I asked them if finding someone they loved who they could share life with was important, almost all raised their hands.

When I asked them if owning a home was a major life goal, not a single hand went up. Then, I asked them if they thought that being part of a meaningful community was important. Again, almost all of them raised their hands in agreement. These attitudes can be seen among Millennials all over America. In 2012, Americans under 30 experienced our lowest rate of homeownership on record. Similarly, the marriage rate among Americans under 30 is the lowest it has ever been. Our current generational experiences are shaped partially by our values and partially by economic realities. This generation does not view the American Dream as being synonymous with buying a home and getting married. Instead we see love and community, the things that

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the American Dream is really supposed to be about, as truly important.

As compared to prior generations, Millennials are much more likely to have multiple simultaneous jobs rather than a single job. Most importantly, they are far more likely to want a “meaningful” job than prior generations, and far less likely to define their lives around their jobs. I am not talking about every single young person, or even the majority, But there is an important and exciting trend within my generation of people, who are marching to the beat of a new and different drummer when it comes to thinking about our lives, our careers, and our futures.

But not everyone sees it this way. A series of charges have been leveled against this generation since we began entering the workforce: that we see ourselves as “entitled,” that we ask too many questions, and that we want regular performance reviews of our work because we need constant reinforcement. I am not here to defend every aspect of the Millennials or every behavior pattern. But I would urge people in older generations to look at the other side of the coin as well: the so-called entitlement that employers may perceive is the result of the promises that our parents and Boomers throughout society made to Millennials during prosperous economic times, that we could and would do great things and that we could change the world. Millennials’ requests for performance reviews may be misunderstood as confidence boosters, when, in fact, Millennials want to know if their work is meaningful or not to the company. And what’s so wrong with the idea that Millennial employees ask more questions and offer suggestions to help make their company better? Employers who are frustrated that Millennials don’t readily embrace traditional hierarchy and are asking for more collaborative processes should note that it is the new thinking that has allowed companies like Google and Facebook to overtake the positions of storied American companies in less than a decade and to become prime drivers of our daily lives.

For parents, this is an important moment of understanding. Your child may never get a job that you would have recognized as a career just a decade or two ago. But keep in mind that what this generation wants to do (and what we are doing) is not unlike the kind of work our parents did when they were in their 20s, trying to bring about meaningful social change in the 1960s. We inherited that legacy from them as well.

Millennials have the great gift of being able to understand the fast future world we are all living in. We’re trying to use the assets we have to leave our world better than we found it. I’m optimistic because I’ve seen this generation up close and spent time with its leaders, changemakers, and entrepreneurs and with ordinary Millennials who have all shown me the extraordinary potential they possess and the results they’ve delivered. You should be optimistic too.

*

David D. Burstein lives in New York City and grew up in Weston. His debut book Fast Future: How the Millennial Generation is Shaping Our World, from which this article is adapted, has just been published by Beacon Press. He is also the founder and executive director of the youth voter engagement organization Generation18 and director of the documentary films, 18 in’08 and Up to Us. A frequent contributor to Fast Company, Burstein has appeared as a commentator on youth and politics for a range of publications and media outlets, including CNN, ABC, NPR, The New York Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. For more, visit www.davidburstein.com.

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M A

How to Love wine by byEric EricAsimov Asimov

From Fromthe thebook bookHOW HOWTO TOLOVE LOVEWINE: WINE:AAMemoir Memoirand andManifesto Manifestoby byEric EricAsimov, Asimov,Copyright Copyright © ©2012 2012 bybyEric EricAsimov.

Asimov.Reprinted Reprintedby bypermission permissionofofWilliam WilliamMorrow, Morrow,an anImprint ImprintofofHarperCollins HarperCollinsPublishers.

Publishers.

i

1985 my parents celebrated their thirtieth wedding anniversary, and I wanted all of us to share a memorable bottle.

What could be more memorable than a thirty-year-old wine from the same vintage as their marriage, 1955? Alas, I knew very little about older wines. I’d never tasted an old wine. Beyond the fact that I liked to drink wine, I knew very little about how it aged, or how it evolved. I understood that certain wines, like Barolo and Port, had the ability to age for many years, but the wines that immediately came to mind as age-worthy were, of course, Bordeaux.

More than any other wine for a beginner like me, Bordeaux held a mystical attraction. The experts always called Bordeaux the world’s greatest wine region, and who was I to doubt the experts? I was not at all sure how to go about acquiring a thirty-year- old bottle of wine, but I knew it had to be Bordeaux. I had a friend who worked in the restaurant industry, and I asked him how I could get my hands on a bottle. He called me a few days later and told me to contact a particular merchant who would sell me a bottle of 1955 Château La Mission Haut-Brion for $185.

What? Almost $200 for a bottle of wine? At least I had heard of La Mission. I knew it was one of the great names of Bordeaux and of Graves. I learned that while 1955 was not one of the best vintages, neither was it one of the worst. But, my God, almost $200? Well, if this was going to be a great occasion I had better take a deep breath, swallow hard, and go through with it.

I have to laugh a little now, more than twenty-five years later, at my anxiety over spending $200 for the ’55 La Mission. A wine like that today might cost $3,500 or $4,000! At the time, though, I had no idea that the ’55 La Mission qualified as legendary. I just hoped it would be good.

In fact, my ignorance about the wine—about any great wine—saved me from considerable worry. Was the wine corked? I had yet to encounter a corked wine, as far as I can recall. How had it been stored? It never occurred to me to ask such a question. Could it, might it, was there a chance it was a fraudulent bottle? Ha! Such notions did not yet exist.

All I knew was that I had to handle it gingerly and that I had to open it carefully and perhaps even decant it, because old Bordeaux were notorious for being full of sediment. A mouthful of sediment was like drinking coffee grounds—to be avoided if possible. I had presented the bottle to Dad and Mom on their anniversary, November 26, 1985, and not long afterward headed out to their house in Roslyn Heights for dinner and wine. Mom had prepared lamb chops, a classic accompaniment to fine Bordeaux, and with great excitement and some nervousness we prepared to decant the bottle.

I had read up on the age-old ritual of pouring the wine over a lighted candle in order to be able to see the first signs of sediment entering the neck of the bottle. A candle seemed overly precious so I used a flashlight, and slowly, standing over the kitchen sink so as not to spill a drop in Mom’s spotless kitchen, I poured the wine into a glass pitcher etched with roses. With the bottle now empty except for a tantalizing bit at the bottom full of sediment, we took turns burying our faces in the pitcher to breathe it all in.

You didn’t need to be a wine scholar to know that this was something unusually fine and wonderful. As I inhaled the aromas of the wine, I felt the sentimental history of my family wash over me, of the hopes and dreams of Mom and Dad over their thirty years of marriage, of the lives n

they had built for themselves and of the lives that their children, now adults, were trying to build. I was now twenty-eight years old, the same age my father was when I was born. Where would I be in thirty years? I wondered. Where would we all be?

Yes, I was moved by the emotional and symbolic value of this wine. But most of all, I remember how great the wine smelled. While it was hard for me to be entirely clinical in assessing it, simply because of the emotional context of opening this bottle, I couldn’t help noting that the complexity and beauty of the aromas were unlike anything I had tried before.

How do you serve a bottle of great wine? Today, with so much information to confuse matters, I can imagine being paralyzed with anxiety. Do I have the right glasses? Can one drink Bordeaux from a Burgundy glass? Or vice versa? What about the decanter? Must you cover it? Is the wine at the proper temperature? Whether you’re spending $10, $20, $200, or $1,000 for a bottle, everybody wants to get their money’s worth. Particularly with expensive bottles, expectations are heightened sometimes to ridiculous levels. We all think we need to be specialists, skilled in arcane arts, to reach the threshold necessary to enjoy a glass of wine.

The truth is that wine can be one of the simplest pleasures available to anybody: pour beverage into glass, drink, enjoy. That’s 90 percent of it right there! Anybody can do that, right? Good glasses absolutely enhance the enjoyment of a fine wine, but precise matches of glassware to bottle border on the absurd.

Back in 1985 I didn’t think about the glasses we used. Mom had two kinds of wineglasses—ordinary-looking goblets and heavier, fancier ones she had inherited from her mother, with a glass beading that embellished the bowls. I never liked those glasses. They felt heavy and shallow. So we poured the thirty-year-old La Mission into the sorts of glasses you might find on the table at any neighborhood bistro. If I had such a wonderful bottle of wine today, I might make it the centerpiece of a dinner, building up to it with another bottle or two. Back then, I had no real sense of scale, and my parents might have considered two bottles of wine at dinner to be decadent and unhealthy. So we just plunged right in with dinner, sitting at the round white kitchen table where I had eaten so many meals growing up, gorging on the lamb chops and potatoes, and sipping this extraordinary wine that seemed to epitomize both grace and intensity.

But even amid the celebratory joy of the meal, I remember being mesmerized by the wine. I was riveted by my glass, as if it were a Cézanne still life in which you discover the apple that appeared to be red on first glance was actually myriad different shades and contours that collectively added up to red but were in fact much more. Not all wines reward close observation as much as the ’55 La Mission. Of course, it was balanced and elegant, light-bodied yet intense, complex and thought-provoking. It went well with the food. Indeed, in the context of our meal, it was perfect, encompassing family history, the ceremony of the anniversary, and the joy of sharing something so wonderful with loved ones. It was everything a great bottle of wine can possibly be.

*

Eric Asimov is the chief wine critic of The New York Times, where his weekly column appears in the Dining section. He is married to Deborah Hofmann, has two sons, Jack and Peter, and lives in Manhattan. Twitter: @EricAsimov WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM

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Le Barn

www.LeBarnStamford.com

Best Source for French Country Antiques, Mid Century & Art Deco

We’re Open 7 Days a Week, but please call ahead so that someone will be there to meet & greet you 457 Webbs Hill Road, Stamford, CT 06903 203-253-7286 www.LeBarnAntiques.com

Translucence, Lia Cook Siamese Twist, Debra Sachs

browngrotta

arts

wilton, CT 203-834-0623 browngrotta.com arttextstyle.com art@browngrotta.com

SANTO BRUNO

Spinner (fragment) -1990 - acrylic / wood front and verso. An interactive installation of multiple 11 inch interchangeable discs with infinite compositional permutations.

Santo Bruno has worked in two and three dimensional media as well as installations.

His art is primarily abstract and is known for its deceptive simplicity and inventiveness.

His interest has been to strike a balance between order and intuition while focusing on emotional, spiritual and intellectual ideas. Bruno has exhibited internationally and has been active in Philadelphia, Rome Italy, Atlanta, New York City and Connecticut.

His work is in museum and important public and private collections.

To view a selection of his work visit santobruno.net

Symphony in G, Oil On Canvas, 36" x Sweet 60" Peas, Oil On Canvas, 36" x 60"

julie leFF FLORALS . AbStRActS . PORtRAitS

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405 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 • 203.869.3664 15 E 71st Street, Suite 2a, New York, NY 10021 • 212.570.4696 34 Main Street, Nantucket, MA 02554 • 508.325.4405 Email: art@cavaliergalleries.com www.cavaliergalleries.com

Joel Carson Jones THE ART OF TROMPE L’OEIL March 29 - April 7 Greenwich, CT Out of the Blue, oil on panel 8 X 10 in.

Steve McCurry

Alex Guofeng Cao

A 30 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE April 12 - May 6 Greenwich, CT

MASTERS REDEFINED March 1-25 Greenwich, CT

Afghan Girl, photograph 40 X 30 in.

I Care, After Lichtenstein chromogenic print 108 X 72 in.

Edward Minoff RECENT WORKS May 10-30 Greenwich, CT Rupture, oil on linen 24 X 36 in.

Steve McCurry SELECTED WORKS March 1-31 New York, NY Kashmir Flower Seller, photograph 24 X 20 in.

Urban Landscapes CONTEMPORARY CITYSCAPE PAINTINGS April 1-30 New York, NY Jan Pawlowski, Broadway, oil on canvas 24 X 30 in.

Jim Rennert RECENT SCULPTURES May 1-31 New York, NY Perspective, bronze 80 X 30 X 30 in.

third eye my iNitial iNsPiRatiON

developed from the basic challenge of imitation. I am continuously searching for interesting portions of reality, and the creative process allows me to selectively observe this reality from my perspective. In my works I attempt to combine vitality and permanence, not only trying to accurately paint the object, but to give the viewer a sense of the object’s inner substance.

A variety of subjects are of interest to me. In the portrait series I took snapshots of random pedestrians in the street.

I found interest in their anonymity, and the feelings they provoke have an artistic value. I selected the figures to be painted, attempting to achieve a delicate balance between stereotype and uniqueness, such that one can look familiar and yet remain an enigma. The portraits are enlarged in comparison with the subjects’ actual size. Therefore on one hand they can overwhelm, yet their fragility might provoke empathy and identification.

Landscapes also arouse me, and I search them for signs of activity and the silent evidence of its occurrence. I made an effort to unify the contradictions of stillness and movement, and of desolation and vigor.

Recently I have been painting various low profile objects such as blurred notebook pages or burnt disposable dishes. In my opinion these choices emphasis the strength of the painting medium, as such works obligate the viewer to reexamine features that he would otherwise neglect. Similar to the landscapes, the motionless objects are characterized by features of their history. The blurring and the distortions might also symbolize aspects of human nature such as forgetfulness and change.

I admire hyper-realistic painters such as Luciano Ventrone, Chuck Close and Israel Hersgberg. However, I am careful not to be over-inspired, so that my ideas will not be limited to a closed circle within the hyper-realistic field. I often observe and study different contemporary sculptures and structures, as well as paintings, in order to be inspired in unexpected directions.

I want the visual experiences of my art to communicate both emotionally and intellectually. A painting should rediscover what we already know, and reunite this knowledge with forgotten aspects of its meaning.

Observed Reality

by Natan Pernick

*

Natan Pernick is an Israeli artist living and working in Jerusalem whose art has been exhibited in the US, Israel and Europe. From 2002 to 2004 he provided assistance at the studio of Mark Kostabi, New York. His 2013 exhibitions include “2013 Collectors Choice,” Sylvia White Gallery, Ventura, California. natanpernick@gmail.com.

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girl with freckles, oil on canvas, 32x23”

afternoon in the dunes of ashdod, oil on canvas, 43x26”

grass composition, oil on canvas, 31x21”

top to bottom: notebook, oil on canvas, 76x26” two disposable plates, oil on canvas, 47x31” notebook, oil on canvas, 35x27” opposite: woman with jacket, oil on canvas, 32x23”

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Stephen C. Gidley Inc. Forty-Five years ago, FairField County home remodeler, Stephen Gidley, beGan with a paSSion to aChieve exCellenCe, to SurpaSS the reSt, to build better, more enerGy eFFiCient and CoSt eFFeCtive projeCtS. Exceeding his customers’ expectations has been his core commitment, which is why, forty-five years later, Stephen C. Gidley, Inc,’s business is stronger than ever. QR Magazine has ranked his company in the Top 500 Remodelers Nationwide for over 30 consecutive years and last year ranked Gidley in the Top 200 Exterior contractors nationwide.

As president of Stephen C. Gidley Inc., Stephen has successfully completed over 18,000 home improvement projects, from Greenwich to Fairfield, from full green construction homes to minor repairs. The company offers residential “design and remodel” services by a top-quality staff of trade professionals who can expertly complete all types of home improvements. Projects range from smaller repairs under $1,000 to very large remodeling and new home construction projects over $2 million. The company offers free consultations and cost estimates on all projects and no job is considered complete until the customer is satisfied. His commitment to his customers was recognized in 2000 with the National Council of Better Business Bureau’s Marketplace Ethics Award.

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As builders go, Stephen C. Gidley Inc. is ahead of the curve and is constantly implementing better ways to build with less impact on our planet. The company is a licensed lead abatement contractor and is NAHB Green Certified. Stephen Gidley’s jobs are designed to universal sustainable standards and have garnered national recognition in green competition.

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Stephen C. Gidley Inc. & Associated Building Contractors 693 Post Road Darien CT 06820 p. 203.655.7018 f. 203.655.3445

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fiction

The Adults by

It cost ten thousand dollars to take your life in Connecticut, which didn’t surprise me considering Connecticut was the most expensive state to do anything in. Mrs. Trenton announced the total to everybody at the coat rack. She sounded like a bad advertisement. “Ten thousand dollars,” she said. “What a waste . . . you could rent a flat on the Seine with that kind of money… go to Budapest for a month…”

The rest of the adults were stabbing cheese cubes with toothpicks. It seemed wrong to eat and talk about death, like something my mother would have advised against, similar to eating and running or eating and going to the bathroom or eating and being mean, but there she was by the cheese platter, offering cheddar to a curlyhaired man. It was obvious the man wanted to f--k her. Even more obvious that she didn’t mind.

The whole performance made me sick, gave me the same feeling I got when Janice brought in tiny tuna sandwiches after she gave a forty-fiveminute presentation on the Holocaust last year, complete with photos of corpses and a short slide show of the mass graves at Terezin and then held up a platter and said, “Who wants sandwiches?”

Mr. Resnick’s value suddenly seemed measurable by everybody’s grief, which didn’t seem to be much at all. The adults hardly looked changed, their hair still the same color it was two days ago, as they picked the stems off the strawberries before they ate them. They sat down in red leather recliners, crossed their legs, but most of them never took off their fall coats, perhaps not fully convinced by the warmth of the house or the idea of a suicide in the neighborhood, this neighborhood, where it was officially recorded that in September of ’94 there were more tulips than people. I caught my mother bragging about this to our cousin Rex at the town pool once, to which he said, “The parties you must have…”

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My father shook hands with some whitehaired ladies who flittered around the cocktail tables like overdressed children, nodding their heads, and my father nodded back as if to say, Yes, it’s hard—very hard. Very hard to never see a man you never saw. They were like kids at the playground, trying to decide whom to play with, and was the conversation worth the fuss? Adults were constantly auditioning, but for what? For the next conversation, for the next conversation, for the next conversation?

They touched each other on their sides as they passed, or sometimes pressed a hand to the small of a back to signal they were still in love, still alive, chock full of organs. Everybody wore black, except for the bright blue scarf wrapped so high around Mrs. Bulwark’s neck, she looked like a character from Dr. Seuss if a character from Dr. Seuss ever went to a funeral.

I was walking away from one of Mark’s third or fourth cousins, who was trailing behind and informing me how strange Mr. Resnick’s suicide was considering summer suicides generally preferred to go naked. “It’s October,” I said back. I ran my hands against the smooth maroon walls, seeking out a crack, searching for Mark, listening to everybody.

The girl hung at the curly-haired man’s knees in a plaid jumper and exclaimed, “This is sooo boring, Dad.” “Go talk to someone,” the curly-haired man said.

“Talking is boring,” the girl said. “All you people do is talk.”

“If you’re looking for more than that in life, Melissa, you’re going to be disappointed. That’s what we do. We stand around and we talk.”

“Hell,” my mother interjected, with a drunk finger pointing in the air, “we might go to a movie sometime, but you know what we do

after it? We sit around and talk about it.”

“Exactly,” the curly-haired man said.

They both sipped on their drinks.

“It’s the permanence that makes the dead beautiful,” the curly-haired man said at some point, as though my mother had asked, which I knew she didn’t since the only possible question that would have preceded such an answer was, What do you think makes the dead so beautiful?

“I wrote my dissertation on it,” the man said, continuing. I had always hated curly-haired men.

Sometimes, they looked too much like children who didn’t brush their hair in the morning.

“Well, it’s certainly up for debate,” my mother said, playing with his daughter’s long ponytail, and I could tell even from across the room that was the hair, the daughter, she had always wanted: golden, tame, quiet at her hips.

My hair was darkening from a dirty blond to an ashy brown like my father’s, and my mother was so disappointed. Last year, she announced that the “sun had left it,” and my father picked up a chunk as he walked by, rubbed his bald spot, and said, “Why is my hair growing out of your head?”

My father stood in the hallway with Alfred and a few other tall men I didn’t know. Tall men always seemed to have such purpose, with their heads next to the cabinets and hands in their pockets, so tidy and neat and civilized these men were, even their hands had storage units when they weren’t needed in the conversation.

Nothing these men did could be carelessly executed; removing a fallen olive from the floor was an event they seemed to have written into their calendar weeks ago. Their laughter was impossibly loud and soft at the same time, the kind of laughter that could kill you if you weren’t a part of it. Every boom and hush made my heart quake and seemed to kill Mr. Resnick even more, buried him farther into the ground. When they

were done laughing, they nodded their heads, passed judgment on the high Gothic ceilings.

These were the living men, leaning against walls, sipping on whiskey, being accurate.

I looked around for Mark. I hadn’t seen Mark since the burial. I had stood directly opposite him at the graveyard, next to my mother and Mrs. Trenton, who whispered to us, “She got a flat headstone so he wouldn’t seem so dead when everybody went to visit.”

My mother was dipping raw broccoli in blue cheese dip. She was still talking to the curly-haired man. She was leaning against the bookshelf. She was wearing a sweetheart neckline, and she was flirting. If she had known she had blue cheese on her lip, or that the curly-haired man had a hole in his back pocket, or that my father was walking toward Mrs. Resnick at that very moment, that my father could look at Mrs. Resnick across a room and think about her legs spread on a bed for him, that he could close his eyes and feel her breasts still on his hands like a film of soap, the way they had consumed each other, deeply and consistently, with their hands and mouths—if my mother had realized any of that at all, she would have cried right then and there. But she was laughing, talking about property tax.

“Don’t,” my father said to Mrs. Resnick, who was about to pour herself a glass of wine.

He took the merlot and set it down, and the moment took on an eerie, holy air, like a battlefield torn apart by bombs, and the only movement for miles was the smoke rising to the clouds, revealing everyone on the ground dead.

“Oh, seriously, Victor,” Mrs. Resnick said, and walked away with the bottle as a brown chunk of hair fell loose from her updo.

Richard stood next to me, watching me watch them. He looked evil and sad in a suit, like a shrunken mobster.

“What?” I asked, shrugging my shoulders.

“You know what,” he said.

I panicked, so I said, “Listen, my psychology teacher told me that sometimes people kill themselves just because they’re overwhelmed by the largeness of everything, like this guy who was promoted at his law firm five years ago. So he slit his throat.”

“That’s dumb,” he said.

It was, sort of. I didn’t understand it either.

Mrs. Resnick came back in the living room, her hair loose around her face now, drinking the red wine. My father watched her from afar.

“She must be trying to kill the baby,” Richard said.

“What the hell are you talking about, Richard?”

Richard and I became worse people around

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each other.

“She’s pregnant. You didn’t know?”

I glared at him. “Just because she’s fatter doesn’t mean she’s pregnant,” I said.

“It’s your dad’s baby,” he said.

“I don’t even know what you are talking about,” I shouted at him.

“My mom told me.”

I had to get out. Mark had to be somewhere.

I slipped on my clogs and headed to the front door, which was blocked by Mrs. Trenton and Mrs. Bulwark, holding tiny plates of food.

I stood tall and forced them to reckon with me.

“So she’s pregnant?” I asked, my arms crossed.

Mrs. Trenton blushed, looked away, then muttered, “Oh, sweetheart.”

Mrs. Bulwark picked up a jalapeño popper from her snack plate. “I love Mexican, don’t you?” she asked.

I didn’t know what stating one’s preference was supposed to mean in such a context. In such a house, in such a foyer, in such a space

I wanted to smoke until I was so old, I would already be dead.

“Did he leave a note?” I finally asked.

“No,” Mark said.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m not sure what to say.”

“Say anything,” he said. “I don’t really care.”

“Okay,” I said. I paused. If I did not look left at Mark, the curb we sat on could have been any curb, in any neighborhood, anywhere. We could have been any two people. So I began.

“Once in the third grade, I wrote a story about a bee detective in search of stolen money from a restaurant,” I said. “The story ended with the bee going home to find the money under his bed.

He forgot he stole it. My teacher kept asking me, ‘How did the bee forget that he stole the money?

I just can’t believe a bee would do that!’”

Mark laughed. For a moment, I believed I had fixed everything. Mark seemed interested.

He didn’t look at me but handed me another cigarette. I rolled it between my palms.

“The worst part was,” I said, continuing, “it

It seemed wrong to eat and talk about death, like something my mother would have advised against, similar to eating and running or eating and going to the bathroom or eating and being mean… between people, everything I knew was losing its defining feature.

I ran out the door and slammed it hard behind me. I must have spent half my life slamming doors. I spent the other half looking for Mark. And there he was, on the front stoop, hunched over with a cigarette and a bag of iced animal crackers at his feet.

An hour later, all of the elephant crackers were decapitated and I was finishing my cigarette faster than Mark was his. It was the inevitability of winter that made me nervous, and suddenly, smoking felt like something you should always, always do to keep warm. I inhaled and inhaled and then inhaled again until all the trees became one, until I felt certain that the largeness of everything was mostly unfixable. I exhaled, soiling the sky with my breathy clouds of selfpity. Being an adult, it seemed, was horrible.

But being a child was awful too, and moving from one state to the other only meant you were moving closer to death, with so much and so little to talk about all at the same time, and how was that even possible?

wasn’t even my story. It was the plot to some stupid movie we watched in Spanish class. The whole thing happened in Spanish.”

But when he didn’t respond, it was clear I hadn’t fixed anything. His father was dead. Buried.

Bloodless. And Mark had not looked at me once during our conversation. This only felt like my fault. I was becoming too irrelevant to inspire awe, like Jesus Christ resurrecting in front of a bunch of Eskimos, less relevant every time my mother and father walked past me in the kitchen, my father with boxes in his arms, my mother with the phone, and me in the doorway looking down at myself, thinking, Are those even my feet?

I thought about reaching out to put my arm on his back, the way I had reached out to touch Mr. Basketball. But I couldn’t. I spent the first half of my conscious life never being touched by anybody, except for pediatricians with toxic eyes who put stethoscopes under my shirts and against my chest, explaining that my heart beat too slowly for someone my age. “She has more in common with the dead than the living,” one of them joked, to which my mother said,

“We’ve always known this about her.”

I put the cigarette in my mouth so Mark would come close to my face and feel my breath when he lit it up for me. I needed him to feel that I was still alive. But he didn’t even glance over. He didn’t even light my cigarette.

My mother suddenly interrupted. “What are you doing out here? Are you smoking?”

“I’m just being outside,” I said coolly. She still had the blue cheese on her lip, which had dried into a crust, but the heat from the house had melted some of her eye shadow and made her appear to be crying purple blood.

The cigarette hung from my lips.

Mark stood up, paused like he was deciding something important. Then, he walked into his house. There, on his stoop, watching him walk away from me for a second time, I just couldn’t take it. I was going to vomit. I opened my mouth wide and let the cigarette fall onto the stairs. It rolled down two steps, until it hit a tiny puddle left over from last night’s rain.

of us compelled to scream how okay everything would be.

I thought about hugging my mother, but for some reason, the intimacy seemed rude, like a forced confession.

“You have blue cheese on your lip,” I finally said to her as she opened our front door. “You’ve had it on your lip through the entire party.”

She didn’t respond. She didn’t even say, “Emily, that wasn’t a party.” She didn’t even wipe it off.

When we got inside the house, I said it again just to make sure she heard me. I was her daughter after all, and I couldn’t let my mother walk around with blue cheese on her lip for the rest of her life.

“Mom!” I screamed. “You have blue cheese on your lip!”

“I know, Emily,” my mother said. “I heard you.”

My mother covered her face with her hands.

Body language, Ms. Nailer told us, was a way of getting your point across without having to say anything. It was the easiest way to fight,

My mother took his miniature ivory elephants and threw them against the wall. She smashed vases and ripped plants from the soil, tore curtains from the rods. She was destroying our house. And when my father walked in the door to see her dumping his Cocoa Puffs on the ground, he did the most surprising thing.

My mother smiled a little, considered this a small victory. She had gotten me to stop smoking. She won. My life as a smoker was over.

Every moment felt like a new kind of death.

“It’s time to leave,” she said.

“Why?” I asked. “Where’s Dad?” “He’s staying. Come on, Emily.”

“He’s staying?”

We didn’t speak on the way home. It was too difficult to know what to say. I hopped over cracks in the dirt like a five-year-old, using my youth as a form of communication with my mother, hoping it would remind her of another time when I was sure we were happier, when my father loved her and she loved my father, when everybody who was dead or pregnant was supposed to be, when I braided my pigtails without complaint and counted worms in the woods without ever getting bored, when my mother and I held hands and weren’t embarrassed about how much we loved each other, neither

without being accused of looking for a fight.

Sometimes, I thought my mother exclusively communicated in body language. I remember walking through my front door after school with bloody knees from the playground, and my mother would just have gotten home. She wouldn’t be surprised that I was bleeding. I was a child. That was what children did. They fell down and then bled. That was the only thing you could expect from a child. And yet, my mother’s face would tighten, even though it was her job as the adult to wipe the blood off and tell me it would be okay, better than okay, but her lips would purse and her breath would shorten and she would be angry. That was what upset her the most. That was what upset me the most. How could she be mad at me for bleeding? How could you be mad at a tiny thing who only had questions? Why do I bleed and fish don’t, Mom? Is that supposed to make me feel better about eating them?

“You had it on your lip throughout the whole party!” I shouted. I couldn’t stop. “By the bookshelf, by the bar, even when you were talking to that ugly man.”

“I know I know I know I know!” she shouted, louder with each recitation.

My mother took my father’s antique Norwegian pewter bowl in her hands. She held it in the air like a trophy and threw it on the ground. So she had known about the affair. She kicked the broken pieces across the floor.

And the pregnancy.

She grabbed his dictionaries from the shelf and chucked them through the window, because who cared about a window? Who cared about my father’s paintings, I thought, as my mother dumped his real Matisse print in the sink and ran water on it. Who cared whose baby it was, who cared if it lived, who cared about the blue cheese?

What did it even matter if it was on your face?

That was the saddest part about it.

My mother took his miniature ivory elephants and threw them against the wall. She smashed vases and ripped plants from the soil, tore curtains from the rods. She was destroying our house. And when my father walked in the door to see her dumping his Cocoa Puffs on the ground, he did the most surprising thing. He paused. He went to speak. He walked over to the Matisse print in the sink and said nothing. He dropped the mail and walked toward her. The cereal crunched under his feet. My mother didn’t yell, she didn’t move away. I wanted to scream, Don’t touch her! but my voice was lodged in my throat like a gumball. He wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head against his shoulder, and for the first time in my life, I watched my mother cry. She sobbed hard into the pocket of his suit jacket, while my father repeated, “I’m so sorry.” They held each other for what seemed like hours until my mother silently broke from the embrace.

I sat at the kitchen counter and drew my name backward with the juice of a stray tomato slice cut for the reception. Y-L-I-M-E. Nobody wiped my name for four days.

*

From THE ADULTS: A Novel by Alison Espach. Copyright © 2011 by Alison Espach.

Reprinted with permission from Scribner, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Alison Espach is a graduate of the Washington University in St. Louis MFA program.

Her writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, Five Chapters, Glamour and other magazines. She grew up in Connecticut and now teaches creative writing in New York.

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A Kid LiKe JAKe by

Daniel Pearle

LCT3, Lincoln Center Theater’s programming initiative dedicated to producing the work of new artists and building new audiences, presents Daniel Pearle’s A Kid Like Jake, to be directed by Evan Cabnet. Previews begin June 2, 2013, opening on Monday, June 17th and running through Sunday, July 14th at the Claire Tow Theater located on the roof of the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam). For tickets and information: www.LCT3.org.

Playwright Daniel Pearle’s A Kid Like Jake has been named the recipient of the 2013 Laurents/ Hatcher Award, according to The New York Times.

A

lex and greg want only the best

for their precocious four-year-old, Jake. When they apply to New York’s elite private schools, part of what makes Jake special — his passion for Cinderella and dress-up — starts to cause concern. The story of a husband and wife trying to do right by their son, A Kid Like Jake explores the unexpected challenges of marriage and parenting in the high-octane, competitive world of Manhattan privilege.

Characters Alex, thirties Judy, forties Time Fall/Winter, 2011 Scene 2: JUDY’s office. ALEX enters.

ALEX Judy! I’m so / sorry.

JUDY There you are. / I was starting to think you’d stood me up…

ALEX (Cont’d) The 4 5 6 was all backed up.

No! I tried to call but I was underground.

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JUDY Well listen I’ve got another meeting at 1— ALEX I know, / I know.

JUDY I was hoping we’d have more time.

(ALEX hugs her over the desk.)

ALEX It’s good to see you. I’m sorry.

JUDY (Sighs) Here, sit…

ALEX How are you?

JUDY Oh, I’m just about done, that’s how I am. Is that door—?

ALEX I closed it.

JUDY Thanks. I had a new parent, the class below Jake’s, the father came in about an hour ago, no appointment, no phone call, nothing. Wanted to know why his son isn’t learning more “prereading” skills. More math…

ALEX Oh you’re kidding.

JUDY I swear to God. He waltzes in with his power

suit, Rolex, sits down like he owns the place and tells me, “They’re just playing all day! I’m paying thirty grand for a playroom.” And it’s like: Hello?! Your son is three years old. Playing is how he learns, you pig-head.

ALEX (Shakes her head) Whad you say?

JUDY I said, Well sir, you may not value imagination or creativity but actually both are foundational for all types of higher learning. You see a kid pick up a block and use it like a cell phone?

That’s abstract thinking right there. That’s the basis for abstract language.

ALEX I don’t know how you do it.

JUDY Well believe it or not, his son’s actually adorable, go figure. And normally it wouldn’t have gotten under my skin but this whole week’s been like that. We’ve got prospective parent night on Monday. It’s just insanely tight this year…

ALEX I’m sure.

JUDY I did a panel last week over at Hunter, there were three of us talking about the moral imagination of children under five. It wasn’t even about education per say, but of course, immediately after I had a swarm of these parents asking – how many openings, how many slots. And, you know, I could deflect or be vague but instead I tell them the truth and suddenly, boom, I’m the enemy. “That’s it? That’s all you have?”

ALEX Take it as a compliment. When I first heard you speak, I came running up just like all / the others—

JUDY Yes, but you didn’t bully me. You at least had the common sense to take me to lunch, even if you were just kissing my ass.

ALEX I wasn’t! You’d said something about how preschool should be a place where children are encouraged to become their truest selves, you remember? I thought – agh! – if only…

JUDY (Touched) And now you’re leaving me… You believe it’s been two years?

ALEX Stop. It’s hard for us too.

JUDY Speaking of which, did you bring the updated list?

ALEX Yes! I have it…

JUDY How is Jake?

ALEX Oh, he’s good. He loves Bethany.

JUDY I knew he would. Did you know she’s an artist herself?

ALEX I didn’t.

JUDY (Putting on her glasses) She does some kinda mixed media installations… She was telling me about a gallery in Flatbush she filled with sand or rice or something. It sounded very hip and wacky.

Anyway, I’m rambling…. (Looks at the list.)

ALEX I mean it’s all places we’ve talked about. / I think.

JUDY (Scanning) Dalton… Trinity… Trevor Day – good – St. Ann’s… / Ethical Culture…

ALEX I’ve filled out most of the basic forms. We’re at twelve right now. But I can add a few more if— JUDY Browning?

ALEX (Remembers) Oh, that’s right, we didn’t talk about Browning. My brother’s kids were there.

I must have mentioned that, at some point.

Maybe not. Anyway, he said he could make a call, if we want. And it’s a great school, right?

JUDY Well sure. It’s just – all boys.

(Short beat.)

ALEX I mean we’d obviously prefer coed. I just figured with the connection…

JUDY

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…Uh huh. And is City and Country…?

ALEX Oh. Yes, it’s— The list goes on, just flip it.

(JUDY does.)

JUDY Okay. Good.

(JUDY looks up.)

Should we talk about the essay?

ALEX You read it?

JUDY Of course I read it!

ALEX You’re the best.

JUDY (Looking) I have it printed / somewhere…

ALEX Like I said in the email, I’m happy to scrap all of it if / you think…

JUDY No, no, don’t be silly.

ALEX …And you said it’s best to keep it personalityoriented, so I didn’t include any, you know, brainy stuff.

JUDY (Finds it) Ah. Here we go...

ALEX Like I didn’t mention that he’s started reading a little – Not that I’ve been pushing him— JUDY Yeah, thing is, you put that down there and then they might ask him to do it in his interview and, you know, he’s four, he might not feel like it that day, so really you’re just setting him up for failure.

ALEX (Laughs) Right.

But you think it’s…?

(JUDY looks up.)

JUDY Oh no, it’s good! It’s very good.

ALEX (Relieved) Okay.

JUDY (Laughs) God, your face!

ALEX Well I don’t know!

JUDY No, it’s great. The only thing I wondered— ALEX Yes, you must have suggestions, edits— JUDY More of a thought really.

ALEX Please.

JUDY Well. You talk about his imagination.

ALEX Uh huh.

JUDY Which is great, because that’s really the best indicator at this age if you ask me.

ALEX Right.

JUDY And it occurred to me that you might actually use that as a lead-in to talk a little about his gender-variant play.

(Beat.)

ALEX Oh. JUDY Not that you’d call it that. But with anecdotes.

(Pause.)

ALEX You mean like – JUDY I was in his classroom on Tuesday and he and Emily and Michelle were sort of creating their own fairy tale I guess, this enchanted forest – they’d made trees out of chairs and pillows, and Jake was a princess who didn’t know she was a princess and Emily was the witch who was keeping her locked up and Michelle – well I can’t remember what Michelle was, someone’s helper or something – but it was really Jake who was the ringleader.

(Short pause.)

ALEX …And you think talking about that would…?

(Short pause.)

JUDY Well. Two things. One: you know, these places are going to read this and then they’re going to meet Jake. And I think it’s always a good sign when parents seem to really know their kid.

Which of course you do.

But as it is now, there’s sort of a big part of his personality that you don’t really mention.

(Short beat.)

I remember the first time I met him you brought one of his drawings to show me.

Rapunzel? Her hair rolling down the length of this giant tower… He must have been two?

ALEX Well I do mention his artwork.

JUDY Right. And maybe you could go into more detail.

ALEX I guess I just thought… Every parent thinks their child is Picasso.

JUDY Well, right, but – And see here’s the second thing.

You have to realize these schools are looking for diverse classes. I don’t care whether or not they call themselves “progressive” these places are all progressive. I mean what was progressive twenty years ago is now just run of the mill in New York.

And let’s be honest, Jake is very special. He’s – unusual. And believe me this is the part of my job I hate the most, this kind of strategizing, it’s sickening, I know, but I think you might be able to capitalize on it. Because they’re looking for kids—and families—that stand out.

(The phone on JUDY’s desk rings.)

Shoot, sorry, one second.

ALEX No, please.

JUDY (Picks up the phone) This is Judy McIntosh.

Oh, hi. Yes. Yes. (SHE makes a stabbing gesture at the phone with her pen.)

You know, we’re actually gonna be talking about all of that on Monday and I will be so happy to speak with you then.

Yes. No, no, that’s all right. Uh huh. I’m looking forward to it as well.

Yes, I— No, no, I understand. Right. Bye bye.

(She hangs up.)

Ugh, these parents… Sometimes I just wanna bomb them all.

Sorry. Where were we?

ALEX You were saying… I might talk more about Jake’s— That he likes girl stuff…

JUDY (Laughs, surprised) Well, it’s not “girl stuff,” Alex. I mean the binary thinking, you know, “girl stuff, boy stuff ”— ALEX No, I know, I just mean— JUDY Cause all we’re talking about is gender-variant play. Which is not uncommon. It’s just not – ALEX Common.

JUDY Right. Which is great! Because he’s always been so supported. By you and Greg.

ALEX Well, it’s just – what he likes…

JUDY Sure. But obviously you’ve talked about it.

ALEX Oh well of course we have.

JUDY

I mean a school like Saint Ann’s. They might really flip.

ALEX Right.

I just – he’s only four… I don’t wanna assume he’s gonna be one thing or the other.

JUDY Oh, no, no, no, of course! Sweetheart, I would never— We’re talking about Jake now, regardless of who or what he grows up to be someday— ALEX I meant like a painter.

(Short beat.)

I just know Saint Ann’s is all about… artsy kids.

And not that he’s not artistic. Of course he is. It’s just— you know my mom put me in ballet when I was five years old and it was always assumed growing up that I was “the dancer in the family.”

Which felt like a euphemism. I mean my brother was always considered the one with brains. And it’s hard to shake, you know, that feeling that brains are not your “thing.” It wasn’t until I was seventeen, when I gave up dancing, that I realized there was more I could do with myself. With my life.

I just want Jake to have options.

JUDY Of course.

ALEX And serious academics.

JUDY Yes. And all these places have that, believe me.

All I’m trying to say is: you and Greg have always been wonderfully supportive of your son in every possible way and that’s wonderful and schools will love that about you. Remember they’re not just looking at the kid. It’s the whole family. Which is why, you know, the fact that a lot of these places are K thru12, is also good.

Because they’ll know, in twelve years, this kid’s gonna have a double legacy at Columbia and they’ll never admit it but that’s good for them.

ALEX Right.

JUDY It’s just – you look at the numbers, Dalton had, what, five hundred applicants last year, for 34 spots? So with any kid you want to really hone in on what makes him or her – unique. That’s all.

(ALEX smiles vaguely.)

What.

ALEX Nothing… I’ll – work on the essay.

JUDY I mean if you want. It’s also the kind of thing that would be great to talk about. In your

parent interviews.

ALEX Uh huh.

JUDY But the short answers look very solid.

ALEX Okay. Good.

JUDY And if you wanna send me anything else, feel free. I mean things are crazy right now so it might take me a few days to get / back to you— ALEX Sure, sure. I understand.

JUDY But I will read it.

(ALEX looks distracted.)

We’ll get through this! I promise.

ALEX (Laughs, stands) I thought applying to law school was bad…

JUDY (Laughs) Right?

ALEX But it’s great to catch up. I’m sorry this was so rushed.

(She hugs JUDY.) JUDY Well. Please do give Greg my best.

ALEX Of course. And I’ll be in touch. Soon.

JUDY You’d better.

(ALEX heads to the door but doesn’t quite make it. JUDY picks up the phone and starts to dial.

She notices ALEX is still there. Short beat.) …You okay, sweetheart?

(ALEX turns.)

ALEX Oh. Yes. (ALEX smiles.)

Thank you.

(JUDY smiles.)

JUDY Sure.

*

Daniel Pearle’s plays include Bel Canto (semfinalist, O’Neill Playwrights Conference, 2012), Tearin’ Up My Heart and Plunder (2008 Loeb Drama Center’s Phyllis Anderson Prize). His short play The Truth About Christmas was a winner of the 2011 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and is published and licensed by Samuel French. Weston Magazine Group featured Mr. Pearle’s award winning play, The Truth About Christmas in April, 2012.

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376 Post Road E., Westport, CT, 203-557-4848

Rural Palates : reviews Redding Roadhouse Redding, CT The Redding Roadhouse undergoes a revival under the new ownership of two related and passionately food dedicated couples: Chef

Redding Roadhouse

Wirt and Karen Cook and Ted and Colleen Stonbely. Their charming country tavern at the crossroads of several bucolic CT towns is a great venue in which to enjoy wholesome country fare, locally sourced and beautifully executed.

For residents in the area, that means without even a long drive. Step into the taproom for drinks, soft music, casual food and company in a wood paneled, fire lit room abounding in historic images and old flintlocks.

Both the main dining room and upstairs “Mark Twain” function room also have large working stone fireplaces and have been lightly spruced up and tastefully restored. Here, a comprehensive menu composed of robust flavors and satisfying selections are served. So many ingredients, from soup stocks to salad dressings, relishes to roasts, are housemade, that you can’t go wrong. Seasonal offerings, as close to farm to table as possible, are the order of the day. To start, seafood lovers should try the Roadhouse clam chowder or Cajun shrimp and grits. For carnivores, meatloaf and Yukon

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gold mashed potatoes; as well as roasted half chicken with wild mushrooms and farro, are comfort foods with a welcome update. Close with bread pudding with bourbon crème Anglaise, or a warm pecan tartlet with salted cara-

mel sauce. The wine cellar is being restocked, and many local beers are offered. Families are welcome, and the children’s menu includes sensible offerings such as peanut butter and jelly or grilled cheddar on multigrain bread.

Patio dining will be available in the summer.

Open daily for lunch and dinner and weekend brunch. 406 Redding Road, Redding, CT. 203/938-3388; www.reddingroadhouse.com.

QuattRo Pazzi Stamford, CT Fairfield, CT Take a formula of superlative regional Italian or Mediterranean cuisine, careful oversight of house and staff, an informal interior in an upscale downtown setting, and multiply it, and you’ve got the Quattro Restaurant group of CT. Quattro Pazzi restaurants in Stamford and Fairfield are two of chef/owner Biagio (“Gino”) Riccio’s popular offerings, Osianna, reviewed below, is another. Thankfully, while the name may imply “crazy,” (Pazzi) the concept and execution are not at all. Quattro Pazzi serves up excellent housemade pastas such as orecchiette topped with tiny meatballs, or pappardelle with porcini mushrooms in a gorgonzola cream. Salads such as avocado and white endive with tomatoes, onions and shaved par-

QuattRo Pazzi

miggiano, tossed in a lime vinaigrette, are light and lovely. Small plates range from classic flash fried calamari to vegetarian, gluten-free pasta e fagioli soup. All poultry, beef, and fish are local, organic, all natural or wild. Private dining and banquet rooms are available. Open for lunch and dinner daily.

1599 Post Road, Fairfield; 203/259-7417.

269 Bedford Street, Stamford; 203/324-7000. www.quattropazzi.com.

complements the flavorful fare.

Osianna’s Mediterranean–inspired décor, from azure-canopied patio and flower-lined entryway to rustic ceramic serving pieces, sets a warm and inviting tone. The wait staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and can help decipher the day’s specials. Reasonably priced prix fixe menus with a wide variety of selections are offered at lunch and dinner.

70 Reef Road, Fairfield, CT. 203/254-2070; www.osianna.com.

BaR sugo Norwalk, CT Prosciutto wrapped truffle fries; halibut cheeks over arugula; suckling pig with creamy polenta and wild mushrooms; quail with mortadella BaR sugo

south end New Canaan, CT With a hearty “welcome to our table,” Chef Nick Martschenko, a CIA graduate, and general manager Keith Siskind invite you to try their new, flourishing farm to table tavern at the station in New Canaan. As the menu explains, “South End is home to people who are passionate about the integrity of what they prepare, serve and eat.” Born Hungry? Try their artisanal meats and farmstead cheeses to start, or house specials like barbequed octopus from the It’s not every day list. Making a regular appearance from the sea are excellent crab fritters with celery root slaw and chipotle aioli; crispy duck confit with a mildly sweet sherry

osianna

osianna Fairfield, CT. Gino Riccio’s Mediterranean-inspired taverna, Osianna, is another winner. Sharing is the way to go here, with excellent small plates from land and sea, as well as entrees that are willingly divided. Grilled Portuguese octopus over rocket salad with red onion; and mussels Basque style with chorizo, caper berries, and white beans in a garlic sauce are two perennial seafood favorites.

For a taste of the region’s classics, try the wonderful “Mediterranean spreads” for two: a sampling of Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic) Ktipitihot peppers, feta cheese, Melitzanosalata (eggplant caviar, hot peppers) Dolmathes grape leaves, grilled pita, and Moroccan olives. Whole fish, pastas, and carefully crafted meat dishes follow on the selections of mains. The wine list, including many lesser-known but delightful offerings,

the owner of the Contina Pizzerias in Fairfield County. At Bar Sugo, contemporary cuisine meets peasant fare, with a great wine list to accompany it all. The paper menu, which is updated regularly, features a butcher’s schema of a pig, designating the various and desirable cuts in Italian: want to know where to lift the lardo, porchetta or prosciutto? Learn while you dine.

All meats are sourced from Westport’s own artisanal Craft Butchery; cheeses are handpicked from the Fairfield Cheese Shop. Brick oven pizza, housemade pastas and a special meatball menu — try a medley! — round out the offerings. Get past the edgy location and unassuming decor and you’re in for a surprising meal, served by a warm, young and knowledgeable staff. Patio seating expected in season.

102 Wall Street, Norwalk. 203/956-7134; www.barsugo.com.

south end

and fig mostarda; braised short ribs over farro and gremolata; foie gras with granola, pickled gooseberries and pomegranate. This new, inconspicuous eatery anchoring one end of Wall Street in Norwalk raises the bar for local dining with its bold “cicchetti” — small plates — of strong imagination and excellent execution.

Chef-owner Pasquale Pascarella, a graduate of the New York French Culinary Institute who has worked at Mario Batali’s Esca and Scott Conant’s L’Impero in New York, is also

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sauce over warm potato salad; and ruffage such as raw kale salad with green chilies, fresh herbs and a grilled Meyer lemon vinaigrette. Move on to a classic steak frites with housemade ketchup and hand cut fries; or a tender grilled chicken paillard served with greens, apple vinaigrette, dates and spicy pecans. As much care is given to specialty beverages, or elixirs as they are known here, such as This Side of the Pond: Tito’s American vodka with muddled cucumber, orange and ginger; or the Gentleman’s Agreement: bourbon, ginger liqueur, sugar in the raw and bitters. Finish with a South End sundae of pistachio and vanilla ice cream, fudge, luxardo cherries, toasted almonds and biscotti, or apple cobbler with toasted walnuts and cranberry goat cheese ice cream.

The food, service and décor at South End are a delight all around; make this your new go to place for a great meal without pretension or faults.

Open daily for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Live acoustic music Wednesday nights. 36 Pine Street, New Canaan, CT 203/966-5200; www.southendnewcanaan.com.

Cotto Wine BaR and PizzeRia

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Cotto Wine BaR and PizzeRia Stamford, CT Native Romans and recent Westonites Silvy and Claudio Ridolfi have opened Cotto, their warm and welcoming homage to La Doce Vita, ‘60s Roman culture, food, and spirit.

With oversized images of Silvy’s screen-icon mother — the beautiful actress Simona Simoneoti — adorning the rough brick walls, a long marble bar, and subdued jazz and lighting, the scene is set for lingering socializing as well as dining on hearty Italian fare. Besides individual-sized pizzas out of the woodburning oven with traditional toppings like housemade mozzarella, prosciutto and mushrooms, more exotic varieties with truffle oil, hardboiled egg or broccoli rabe are available.

Over 200 wines from distinctive vineyards in Italy and around the world, both bottles and by the glass, form the wine list. The menu offers antipasti such as “Norwegian” bruschetta (smoked salmon on crisp bread); cheese and dried meat platters; a selection of panini; and

sliders over polenta. A variety of pastas, salads, fresh meat and fish entrees round out the offerings. For dessert, tiramisu with shaved dark chocolate and raspberries or seasonal fruit cobblers are an excellent choice.

Silvy and Claudio can usually be found lounging by the bar or dining themselves at late hours, so be sure to stop by, say ciao and pass the time a while.

Open 7 days, lunch and dinner. 51 Bank Street, Stamford, CT. 203/914-1400; www.cottowinebar.com.

MoRello BistRo Greenwich, CT Celebrating its fourth year on Greenwich Ave, Morello Bistro welcomes a new executive chef and features an updated Italian menu. The bistro’s handsome, historic landmark interior remains the same, with a soaring vaulted ceiling, downstairs and upstairs loft dining areas, and intimate brick and wood paneled bar.

Tables are nicely spaced at a conversation-en-

The restaurant has a good wine list, with many selections available by the glass. The upstairs dining area is ideal for private functions.

Serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. 253 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich CT. 203/661-3443; www.morellobistro.com.

BistRo Rollin Pelham, N.Y. Bistro Rollin, a contemporary American bistro with a French accent, opened its doors three years ago in the southern Westchester town of Pelham. Barbara and Arthur Bratone are the owners but at the helm is Chef Manny Lozano, a Westchester native who worked in such celebrated Manhattan restaurants as March, Aureole and L’Absinthe. In this warm, wood-paneled and welcoming restaurant in the heart of the village, Chef Lozano has introduced locals to the flavor and flair of bistro cooking. But he pairs that cuisine with a commitment to organic, locally-grown produce, wild or sustainably farmed seafood, and meat free of antibiotics and hormones.

Favorites include the bistro classic, Certified Angus New York Strip Steak with hand cut French fries; Jumbo Diver Scallops with whipped potatoes; the Bistro Rollin Burger, topped with onion confit, pancetta and gruyere; New Orleans Style crab cakes; and onion soup gratin.

In Bistro Rollin’s new R-Bar, diners congregate for wines by the glass and smaller plates of American artisanal cheeses, a slider platter, and a Canadian hard shell mini-lobster roll. When the weather gets warmer, Bistro Rollin opens its sidewalk café and the menu lightens up with the bounty from nearby Lieb’s Organic Farm.

Bistro Rollin, 142 Fifth Avenue in Pelham, NY. 914/633-0780; www.bistrorollin.com.

MoRello BistRo

couraging distance, and service is professional and attentive. But new Executive Chef Forrest Pasternack, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former Executive Chef at Terra in Greenwich, has turned the focus to housemade pastas, fresh sauces and both classic and updated Italian specialties. To start, try an antipasti platter for the table of cured meats, local and imported cheeses, and housepickled vegetables. Oysters on the half shell come stuffed with creamed leeks, pancetta and breadcrumbs, while house smoked salmon carpaccio with baby arugula and shaved fennel is on the lighter side. The risotto of the day varies, and may include Chanterelle mushrooms and white truffle salt or butternut squash, but Morello’s signature garganelli Bolognese, with a tomato, three-meat ragu topped with a dollop of ricotta, is always on the menu. Scallopini Milanese, roasted chicken under a brick, and sautéed branzino are excellent main courses.

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see, stay, eat Harbor featuring Paul antHony Stewart and bobby Steggert

a Celebration oF neW york artists 2013 tribeCa Film FestiVal artists aWards proGram The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) announces the participants of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival Artists Awards Program. Twelve contemporary artists, including Stephen Hannock, David Kratz, Curtis Kulig, Gillian Laub, Robert Longo, Angelina Nasso, Rik Parker, Jose Parla, Joyce Pensato, Clifford Ross, William Wegman and Dustin Yellin will donate their artwork to be presented to the filmmakers whose films are selected by the TFF jury as winners in their respective categories.

The artwork will be exhibited free and open to the public April 3rd – 24th, between the hours of 11am- 7pm, at the New York Academy of Art, 111 Franklin Street, Manhattan. New Yorkers and festival-goers alike will be able to view the works before they are presented at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards Ceremony on the evening of April 25.

Westport Country playhouse’s World premiere “harbor” to premiere in neW york “Harbor,” which had its world premiere at the Westport Country Playhouse last summer, will have its New York premiere at Primary Stages, running from July through September 2013. www.primarystages.org. Written by two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin, (“The Wedding Singer”) the play will be directed by Mark Lamos, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director, who also helmed the Playhouse production.

“Harbor” centers on Ted and Kevin, who have been together for ten years in their picture perfect Sag Harbor home. When Kevin’s ne’er-do-well sister Donna, whom he hasn’t seen in years, and her 15-year-old daughter arrive out of the blue, the pair’s life changes and tensions quickly bubble to the surface. The bonds between kith and kin are tested in this alternately biting, touching and hilarious new comedy about the constantly shifting nature of the meaning of family. “Harbor” was named “The Best New Play of 2012” by BroadwayWorld.com.

In its over 80-year history, Westport Country Playhouse has nearly 40 world premiere productions that have moved to New York stages, most recently “Our Town” and “Thurgood,” and in the past, “Come Back, Little Sheba” and “Butterflies Are Free." www.westportplayhouse.org.

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“These awards are a unique Tribeca tradition,” says Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, TFF. “The Festival has always been about artists supporting one another, no matter what their medium is. We are thrilled to be able to honor our prize-winning filmmakers with some of the finest art work that is being created.”

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transmedia proGram debuts at tFF 2013 one un neW york The Festival presents a new transmedia program with an award launching at the 2013 Festival that celebrates new trends in digital media and recognize transmedia creators who employ an innovative, interactive, web-based or multi-platform approach to story creation. Ingrid Kopp, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Tribeca Film Institute, the year-round not-for-profit affiliate of Tribeca Enterprises, joins the Tribeca Film Festival programming team to collaborate on the initiative.

You don’t have to be an ambassador to luxuriate in a duplex with a panoramic view of the city.

ONE UN New York, formerly the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, has unveiled its new West Tower with 129 stunning guest rooms and 25 suites.

Starting at 367 square feet, deluxe accommodations feature floor-to-ceiling windows and stylish, warm interiors. Hi-tech amenities include sophisticated touch-screen environment controls, iPod docking stations, NESPRESSO® machines, and

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The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.

The 12th annual Tribeca Film Festival will be held April 17 – 28, 2013.

For tickets and information: www.tribecafilm.com/festival

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complimentary high-speed WiFi. Adding to the exclusive experience, West Tower guests have access to the Skyline Club on the 30th floor. It’s like having cocktails at the top of a skyscraper! What could be more fun than overlooking the city, enjoying complimentary continental breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres? And there’s more: One UN has the only indoor hotel tennis court in the city and a swimming pool on the 27th floor.

ONEMarke UN New York’s East 44th Street address Malai between First and Second Avenues offers an opportunity to explore the United Nations area. It’s delightfully quiet for a midtown hotel, you can walk to Grand Central and it’s just a crosstown cab to the theatre district. It’s easy in and out of the city or to the airport; the hotel is right by the FDR to head out of town or to the airport. The historic New York steakhouses Palm 1 and Palm 2

are just a block away and kids will love exploring the Unicef shop across the street.

For more information, visit: www.millenniumhotels.com/oneunnewyork.

One United Nations Plaza, New York, NY. 212/758-1234.

malai marke Malai Marke is a wonderful new Indian restaurant on the East Village’s Indian Row. The restaurant offers a modern with a tint of Indian décor: beautiful exposed brick walls hung with copper pots in intriguing shapes and sizes; two bar-lined, see-through kitchens; jelly jars and white serving pieces served on glossy, varnished wood tables. Two long dining rooms are available, to seat many but keep the tables intimate and noise level low. The kitchens are separated by thin glass panes so you can watch while chefs reach for the spices, stretch the breads, and cook up your food. Sizzling sauces waft fragrant aromas that foreshadow dishes to please the

discerning palate. Steaming kebabs, special breads, fresh fish and lamb patties are among the appetizers and small plates. Main courses, hailing from regions such as Goa, the Punjab and Chennai, include spicy chicken saag, hearty goat curry on the bone, savory vegetarian smoked eggplant, and other wellcrafted delicacies. For dessert the restaurant offers sweet gulab balls, delicate rasmalai and housemade ice creams. This new entry to the Indian dining scene is a great addition to the options in the area.

318 East 6th Street, New York, NY. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

212/777-7729; www.malaimarke.com.

*

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da mo da merrier

Three-City Junket

by Simone

Our Plan Location is everything when it comes to visiting a new city. Staying in the heart of a city puts you right into the action. Make a list of places you want to visit, then plot them on a central map. While wandering, find your current location at any time and easily see what’s nearby.

Our PrOgress We used both trains and planes for intercity travel.

Started with a busy week exploring Paris by foot with the help of our now infamous map… and some memorable nights with a little help from some colorful Parisian friends we made along the way. A last all-nighter was followed by a threehour nap on a train ride from Paris Nord Station to Amsterdam, Holland. A few days to unwind strolling the canals, more vintage shopping than I can justify, and eating very well. Followed up with a quick and easy Easyjet flight to London, for a few days to conduct some business, ending with a final three-day reunion with friends and the mayhem and high spirits that comprise London.

Playlist pay attention until you’ve planned your route!

Devendra Banhart (From one wanderer to another) The Grimes (Raise your spirits and enhance the view en route) Purity Ring (Transportation feels like a fairytale) Marie Madeleine (This deep rich voice is magic) Thrift Shop by Macklemore (On repeat for inspiration in Le Marais)

PARIS Le Meurice and Le Dali restaurant Le Meurice was founded as one of the first grand hotels in Paris, upon the highest fundamentals of hospitality. It was in this spirit of quality and service that it became known as the hotel of artists, who flocked to this palatial hotel following a slew of

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Hotel Verneuil Saint Germain

royal guests in the 1800s. It was amongst these Royals and guests of great import that artists found patrons for their art. The décor is an ode to Salvatore Dali, who spent a month at a time in his namesake suite each year for 30 years. A recent refurbishment was the vision of French designer Philippe Starck, who included an exquisite, hand painted revisioning of the domed ceiling by his talented daughter, and a frosted mirror in the lobby for guests to leave their mark on daily. All rooms are in a rich classical French style and consistently updated to meet guests’ technological needs. In addition, suites on the 7th floor feature breathtaking views of Paris; their altitude provides sight advantage over the shorter surrounding buildings, and 360 degree views from a wrap around patio which is perfect for hosting a private Parisian event (or proposal!).

Le Dali is the salon dining option, sporting an eclectic range of chairs constructed from Dali’s impressive sketches. Along with a history and culture of welcoming guests of all nationalities, Le Dali features a menu of tastes to suit any palate. Desserts further the spirit of the arts, and are poised in a glass case near the hotel’s pastry center for your viewing and choosing pleasure. Have a gaze but don’t come too close; the pastry center behind glass is part of the kitchen of the hotel’s 3 Michelin-starred formal dining option, where reservations must be requested as early as possible.

228 Rue de Rivoli, Paris, France www.lemeurice.com.

Hotel Verneuil Saint Germain This trendy boutique hotel is in the heart of Saint Germain, one block from the river Seine. All major monuments are within 20 minutes by foot, and it’s a quick 5-minute walk to the metro. Enjoy the handsome parlor with stoked fireplace and literary options.

Balconies facing the street provide a glimpse into the private quarters of trendy Parisians, and beautiful residential buildings with wellendowed entry gates. World-renowned antique and home design shops in the French modern style, as well as an embellished, classical style line these quiet streets. One can only imagine what treasures grace the halls of the apartments above.

8 Rue de Verneuil, Paris, France www.hotel-verneuil-saint-germain.com.

Intercontinental Paris Le Grand Le Grand is a beautiful and authentic French hotel, situated in the center of Paris next to the opera house. Opened in 1862 and regularly updated, the hotel offers boutique style suites, full business services, health and fitness center, spa, and on-site dining. Rooms are decorated in bold colors and operatic themes, bringing the drama of Paris into your dreams.

888/IC HOTELS (424-6835) www.intercontinental.com 2 Rue Scribe, Paris, France.

intercontinental PariS le Grand

le relaiS Plaza

ing freshness. Tender ox heels are stuffed with French gold (foie gras). The NYC duck fat fry craze doesn’t come close to a simple side of thick golden brown pommes frites here, where the flavor and texture of the potatoes themselves are their glory. A rum soaked cake (baba au rum) plated with a shot of rum is my kind of dessert.

Skip the digestif and head upstairs to Mezzanine Bar for a dance and cocktails. By midnight Mezzanine fills with a rambunctious crowd.

Well-heeled French girls, businessmen, foreigners, and lovers enjoy fresh cocktails and plenty of champagne to the energetic and eclectic sounds. Stop by the DJ booth for a hello; this wonderful Frenchman spun in NYC for over 10 years.

62 Rue Mazarine, Paris, France; www.alcazar.fr/en.

La Roseraie Grenelle Don’t pass by this little gem of a fruit shop in St. Germain. le meurice - le dali by Guillaume de laubier If we were Michelin, we’d advise a detour. And don’t fret darkness. I suggest tucking your napkin into the exorbitant fruit prices... you’ve never paid your shirt (no one will see) to avoid spills (of so much for raspberries, but nor have you ever which we had none!) Ideal for groups, as the tasted raspberries so red, plump, and sweet. The jokes you make here are like none other. (“Playing a trick…you’re not the only one.”)

Also visit locations in London, Barcelona, or the recently opened New York City. www.danslenoir.com.

Dans le Noir 51 Rue Quincampoix, Paris, France.

If you’re looking for a completely unique senparis.danslenoir.com. sory experience, dine at the original location of Dans le Noir. Abandon your sense of sight, Le Marais and let the dark consume you. A feeling at first Traditionally known as the Jewish quarter, tounsettling, transforms into a state of total relax- day, the 3rd/4th arrondissements are a bustling gay ation, as you encounter a sense of total privacy and Jewish area. Among myriad gay bars, you’ll amongst strangers. No one can see you, and be fortunate to find streets lined with thrift voices are not lowered, but hushed by the thick shops (that’s French “vintage”), and small boutiques with worldly selections.

Le Relais Plaza For a little glamour, step into Le Relais Plaza restaurant, the stylish bistro in the Plaza Athenée hotel in the center of Paris, overseen by famed chef Alain Ducasse. Let the restaurant’s beautiful aura bathe you in Parisian chic. The service is terrific, allowing you to feel comfortable and relaxed. Caviar? Foie Gras? Enjoy some of the finest delicacies known to mankind in this special place.

21 Avenue Montaign www.plaza-athenee-paris.com/le-relais-plaza.

Alcazar For a good time call… Alcazar.

Tucked away on a side street in St. Germain, main players here include an unbelievable space decked out in fantastic art installations, and an emphasis on seafood and plenty of foie gras. The la roSeraie Grenelle sexy sommelier enhances the complex flavors PHoto by Sean karimian of the wines. The menu presents delicate but very flavorful dishes that play with texture, and generous fresh garnishes and accoutrements. I fruits and vegetables may just have been hand loved the spicy and aromatic Thai soup with a picked by little Parisian fairies. crisp radish and cilantro salad that leaves a last72 Rue de Grenelle.

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Hotel De L’europe This is one of the grand old hotels of Amsterdam, in the classical style, and is situated as such.

Spanning the corner of the most famous canal in Amsterdam, the Hotel De L’Europe is a palatial sight for passersby, and a rich, elegant escape for guests above the Amstel Canal. The beds are a subject of pride at the hotel, as many guests before me have said that they had never slept so well. Views from guestroom windows are picturesque, bathrooms are floor to ceiling marble, lighting tracks deck the sky-high ceilings, and carved stone balconies extend over the canal.

Enjoy an extensive breakfast, or casual dinner, at Hoofdstad Brasserie. All breads are house baked and served with creamy Dutch butter. The dairy here may just be better than the French or Swiss. The gentlemanly steak tartare prepared tableside really shines. Book in advance

Sofitel leGend tHe Grand amSterdam

AMSteRDAM

Hotel de l’euroPe

In Amsterdam, I had to overhear conversations in order to learn how to communicate with the concierge. Young woman: “We’re looking for a restaurant to eat sushi off naked women, tasteful women.” Discreet Concierge: “Yes ma’am, we can help you with that.” OK, be mindful to include adjectives like tasteful and classy when choosing attractions…

Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam A quick walk from the central train station through narrow side streets lined in pubs, ethnic eateries, and “coffee shops,” and a quick bend along quiet canals, brings you to your destination — quite a surprise when you pull into this hidden courtyard oasis just by city center. The hotel has a wonderful presence and is a key historical and cultural location. It has recently been renovated with chic modern lines, bold colors, textured surfaces, an extensive photography collection, and recurring butterfly motif with a twist. The hotel features luxe apartment style relevant Nordic fanfare. Refined enough for a suites with private entrances by the canal, boutique business meeting, elegant and sensual for a loved rooms, a full spa and gym. one, spontaneous and fun with a friend. Savor the chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings.

Bridges Restaurant Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197, 1012 EX AmsterAt Bridges in the Sofitel, the decor has a smooth, dam, Netherlands; www.sofitel.com. modern Scandinavian feel, while cushion acbridGeS reStaurant coutrements and opaque curtains also make this dining room sexy. Touches of originality and flair on every plate, and between each course, hint at their pursuit of recognition and greater culinary excellence. The food is light, flavorful, and flawless. Dishes are executed neatly and purposefully, manipulating texture and flavor combinations of the fish-starring fare. This is French cuisine with

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for a meal at Bord’Eau, which recently received its first Michelin star.

Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-14, 1012 CP Amsterdam, Netherlands. Member, Leading Hotels of the World, www.lhw.com.

Diabolo This is the shop! Diabolo, which one assumes means devil in Dutch, is a must visit. This sexy boutique is where you’ll find one-of-akind artistic creations by the lovely store owner, a wide selection of naughty lingerie, some space cadet fashions, and latex, latex, latex.

O.Z. Voorburgwal 242, 1012 EZ Amsterdam; www.diabolo-shop.nl.

LoNDoN

the May Fair The May Fair Hotel is a great place to stay for business or leisure travel. This prime location in Mayfair is just steps from fashion behemoth Bond Street and also next door to a casino.

Have a stroll through the park and visit the palace, or walk around the corner to the tube for easy access to the entire city. Quince restaurant

holes in the wall, cult favorite Honest Burger, or the Dabbous: While I never made it here myself, I hand rolled to order dumplings at Mama Lan. have it from several reliable sources that if you can get a reservation, Dabbous is the place to eat. TastCamden: Wander the legendary Camden ing menus are available at lunch and dinner for a market by day, and then hit the cobbled side very fair 28 and 59 pounds sterling. Fair price + nostreets of Camden town at night for trendy culi- table young talent = good luck getting a reservation! nary fare and a lively bar scene. The tube closes 39 Whitfield Street; www.dabbous.co.uk/. at night in London, but the buses are running and full of others in high spirits!

MeANWHILe BACK IN NYC…

What I’ve learned in Europe and how to apply it to the summer music festivals I’m most looking forward to!

tHe may fair

Handmade Top Hats: Visit Gothic Renaissance just below Union Square. 110 4th Ave. Micro Vests: Beacon’s Closet in Williamsburg may be a hit or miss.

Vintage Costume Pieces: If you don’t have a chance to make it by the theater vintage stalls at the markets in Amsterdam, I’d go here. Run by an aged couple of Burning Man regulars, Reminiscence in NYC is stuffed with quirky bits and oddball pieces that have lived an exciting life of their own. 50 West 23rd Street; www.reminiscence.com.

Sasquatch: Start the season early with a 4-day weekend May 24-27 high above Columserves up fusion Mediterranean at lunch and dinner, and a full afternoon tea service.

Stratton St. Mayfair, London W1J 8LT www.themayfairhotel.co.uk.

Radisson Blu edwardian Grafton Hotel Business could not be easier or more accommodating at the Radisson Blu collection’s Edwardian Grafton Hotel, conveniently situated walking distance from 2 major tube stations. The Gentleman’s tea in the main lounge is served on large tables with plenty of workspace, and little interruption from servers. Meetings run smoothly with no rush for table turnover, plenty of power outlets, and some serious nibbles. This unconventional tea service includes mini lamb burgers with a mint yogurt dip and fish and chips, in addition to scones with jam and clotted cream. The Radisson Blu group has several well-situated locations throughout London.

130 Tottenham Court Rd London W1T 5AY. www.radissonblu-edwardian.com.

Brixton Village Market: For the food lover. Take the tube to the end of the Victoria line to Brixton.

Round the corner and explore dozens of gourmet

radiSSon blu edwardian Grafton Hotel

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zarella, red onion, olives, caper dressing and a touch of valeriana lettuce. Another star of the meal was the Polpo Alla Griglia, simply dressed potatoes with grilled octopus, thoroughly seared on the outside yet moist on the inside, the ends of the tentacles crisp, not charred, and the most flavorful surprise last bite. Raised communal tables face the windows, accommodating both larger groups, and New Yorkers who enjoy eavesdropping on stylish Italians.

69 west 55th (between 5th and 6th) Governors Ball: It’s a short ferry ride to Randall’s Island to catch the massive 3-day line up www.pizzarteny.com.

June 7-9, 2013. Pre-Sale tickets sold out the actual minute they went on sale. Friends in NYC La Mar Cebicheria hitting “buy” at 12:00 pm on the dot were vic- Manhattan tims of the abysmal internet speeds here. Those downtown with Fios, or abroad in, say, London, la mar cebicHeria scored big! More tickets will be added for sale. governorsballmusicfestival.com. bia River Gorge in Quincy, WA with a line up brimming with some of my personal favorites: MAcklemore, The XX, The Grimes, Tame Impala, Devendra Banhart, Baths, and The Presets. Also, lots more where those came from.

Fields for camping, and definitely different kind of vibes than the NYC festival scene, so leave your littering and “bitch face” in NYC! www.sasquatchfestival.com.

PizzArte Manhattan The menu here uses prize elements of fresh and always flavorful ingredients in classic Italian combinations.

Transferring the art of Neapolitan pizza making to NYC, Pizzarte uses the same ingredients they would use in Napoli. They import the same flour, cheese, and tomatoes, and upkeep a 900-degree oven for almost instant Neapolitan style pizza. The only thing missing may be

nada sampler to get the full effect. Entrées are loaded with fresh seafood and meats are bursting with flavor.

11 Madison Avenue @ 25th Street www.lamarcebicheria.com/new-york.

Belli osteria Brooklyn As it turns out, a large portion of Argentines are of European descent, and so the partners at Belli Osteria present a refreshing Argentinian take on Italian food with dishes with a distinct lightness. The epic housemade bread is a unique cross between a soft pretzel and a savory brioche with a heartier crust, and is served with a Spanish style tomato purée.

The shaved Brussels sprout salad with Pecoribelli oSteria

La Mar Cebicheria offers a great group setting with a well lit, lively atmosphere. La Mar is Peruvian cuisine by a restaurant with several locations across Peru. Start with a fresh cocktail

Pizzarte

the magical city water flowing into pizzerias throughout Napoli.

We couldn’t get enough of the Mediterranea; a salad of Italian tuna in olive oil, dense moz-

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made with Pisco: a grape brandy traditional in Peru. The menu features classic Peruvian favorites and fusions; with all these new tastes, I suggest trying the Cebiche sampler and the Empa-

no Romano, Marcona almonds, and whole fruit citrus dressing was spectacular and a great inspiration for dishes to play with at home. (Shaving raw vegetables and using citrus peels is SO healthy and delicious). Their buffalo mozzarella is also superb.

The kitchen is fit with an oven built like a super computer, which provides a controlled environment for the ultimate in slow cooking processes. Braised short ribs and cakes that might as well be floating. Try the Torta di Olio: the fluffy, ultra moist olive oil cake with a surprisingly not too sweet creme anglaise icing was fantastic. Rich, creamy panna cotta laced with a hint of butterscotch, so rich, but actually so smooth after a big meal. It’s luscious, and lacks the usual firmer, gelatinous consistency of your common panna cotta, which I do not care for.

860 Fulton Street, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. www.bellibrooklyn.com.

*

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FOR RENT

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7 Bedrooms | 7.5 Baths | 6.7 Acres SunHe Sherwood-Dudley Features: Heated gunite pool, tennis, pool house, 3 car garage (917) 881-8063 July-LD $250,000; Aug-LD $150,000 www.SunHeRealEstate.com

7 Bedrooms | 8 Baths | 1.8 Acres SunHe Sherwood-Dudley Features: Heated gunite pool, 2 car garage, koi pond (917) 881-8063 Exceptional $6.2M | MD-LD $250,000 www.SunHeRealEstate.com

FOR SALE & RENT

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3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | 1.17 Acres SunHe Sherwood-Dudley Features: Pool, room for expansion, separate studio, garage (917) 881-8063 Exclusive $875,000 | MD-LD $35,000 www.12DeepViewCourt.com

Sag Harbor

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4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | 1.8 Acres SunHe Sherwood-Dudley Features: Heated gunite pool, room for tennis and expansion (917) 881-8063 Exclusive $1,050,000 | MD-LD $45,000 www.1840NoyacPath.com

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With nearly 20 years in real estate and having raised four children, SunHe provides a wealth of insight and experience that helps her customers and clients get the most out of their Hamptons real estate investments.

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“ Sa un de rs , A H i ghe r Fo rm o f Re a l t y,” i s regi s t ered in th e U.S . Pa tent a nd Tr a dem a r k Offic e. E qua l Housing Oppor tu nity.

erties All The Properties All Th n Agent. ou Wa YouY Want In An Agent.

A CRONIN SUSANNA CRONIN

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Coldwell Banker Realtor Since 1999

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st a few Trust, market of insight, Tr the patience ust, and qualities fiscalmarket savvy are just a few of insight, the qualities r considerable Susanna brings toSusanna every deal. Why expertise not profit from brings her considerable to expertiseever success. and make your next move a stress-free success. and ma

NTS TOP 4%TOP WORLDWIDE OF COLDWELL 4% BANKER OF AGENTS WORLDWIDE COLD

ckiGail Lilley Zawacki Gail L

2012

Gail LilGaeilLyil eyZZawacki awacki #1 Agent, Coldwell Banker Riverside ~ 2012 #2 Agent in the State of Connecticut, Coldwell Banker ~ 2012

#1 #2 Agen

Coldwel Banker Residential Brokerage

#1 Agent, Coldwell Banker Riverside ~ 2012 #2 Agent in the State of Connecticut, Coldwell Banker ~ 2012

umber of sales.

Being the #1 Agent isn’t just about the number of sales.

It is about: - Knowing the community.

- Being a pricing expert.

Voice: 203.856.9949 Email: Gail@SouthernCT.com Web: www.SouthernCT.com - Being a skilled negotiator.

ing tools.

- Understanding and utilizing various marketing tools.

- Working as a tireless advocate for each client.

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Being the #1 Agent isn’t just about the number of sales.

It is about:

Ultimately, my client is #1.

eat year!

Thank you to my wonderful clients Thank for making 2012 ayou great year! to my

Knowing the2012*: community.

Here’s a sampling Here’ of transactions s -a from sampling of trans - Being a pricing expert.

11 West Branch Road $3,475,000 $3,475,000 25 Fairview Farm Road 25 $1,999,000 Fairview Farm Road 211 Greens Farms Road $1,498,000 $1,498,000 7 Compo Parkway 7 $2,090,000 Compo Parkway

- Being a skilled negotiator.

19 Westview Lane $1,265,000 $1,265,000 5 Curiousity Lane 5 $1,694,000 Curiousity Lane 25 Old Hyde Road 25 $1,498,000 Old Hyde 61 River Road Road $749,000 $749,000

- Understanding and utilizing various marketing tools. $650,000

51 Valley Forge Road 51 $1,199,000 Valley Road LOT CForge Martin Road $595,000 $595,000 LOT DLane Martin Road $650,000 15 Merry Lane 15 $939,000Merry

- Working as a tireless advocate for each client.

32 Tobacco Road 32 $789,000Tobacco 63 Mountain Road Road $129,000 $129,000 22 Ledgewood Drive

22 $749,000Ledgewood Drive * Indicates list prices

Ultimately, my client is #1.

Gail Lilley Zawacki

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Voice: 203.856.9949 Email: Gail@SouthernCT.com Web: www.SouthernCT.com

ext WelcomeWelcome to Southern Connecticut home! and making your dream home your next home! t Whether it is a man cave, the closet cave,

Gail Lil ey Zawacki

the back 40 or the postage-stamp lot, helping you to realize your real estate dreams is my goal!

Coldwel Banker Residential Brokerage

Voice: 203.856.9949 Email: Gail@SouthernCT.com Web: www.SouthernCT.com

Gail Lilley Zawacki

Top 1% Nationwide and #2 in the State of Connecticut, Coldwell Banker ~ 2012

Achieving awards is not all about sales and units.

It is about my passion for maximizing your real estate investment, Locating the best real estate value and Getting you to closing!

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List price - $949,000 ~ multiple offers in 5 days

List price - $925,000 ~ multiple offers in 5 days

Gail Lilley Zawacki

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Voice: 203.856.9949 Email: Gail@SouthernCT.com Web: www.SouthernCT.com

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The Luxury Division of Coldwell Banker

Enviable Location Panoramic views of Long Island Sound from every room in this elegant waterfront estate sited on 1.4 acres on idyllic Greacen Point in Mamaroneck.

Custom designed by architect Ralph E. Dinneen AIA, its exquisite traditional and European style combine to offer 10,000 sf of spectacular waterfront living. The private setting provides multiple levels of outdoor terraces & patios, beautiful views of both open sound & Larchmont Harbor, private dock w/6.5 ft draft, spectacular indoor pool & sauna & a dream come true lifestyle.

Offered for the first time at $10,900,000 For details visit: www.1308GreacenPointRoad.com

Scenically Supreme Elegant Milton Point Colonial with idyllic water views, beautifully sited on scenic acre with tidal pond! Circular drive, gracious LR with water views & French drs to stone terrace. Formal Dining Rm, Appealing Family Rm with views of sound flows into modern eat-in kitchen with granite counters and doors to terrace! Circular staircase plus back staircase to second floor offering marvelous master suite with open water views, sitting area with walls of windows and four additional bedrooms plus two baths! Finished playroom...Ample storage! Easy, scenic walk to school, Long Island Sound and private clubs! An exquisite gem!

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Timeless Grace Rye P.O. Premiere Country Estate nestled into 2.4 exquisitely landscaped acres with heated Gunite pool, all weather tennis court, pond & fabulous loft!

Old World elegance, masterfully updated to today’s high standards! High ceilings, six fireplaces, distinctive architectural moldings & over 7,000 sf of classic space. Superbly Located between Westchester and Apawamis Country Club…convenient to station and the quaint village of Rye! Offered at $3,850,000 For details visit: www.280HighalndRoad.com

Michele Flood In the Top 1% Nationwide

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Michele.Flood@CBMoves.com ©2013 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Situated on almost 8 acres of meticulously manicured grounds, this elegant, architect-designed contemporary has been built to exacting standards. Tastefully sited atop a knoll in Woodbridge, with views of Long Island Sound in the distance, this state-of-the-art home was built in 2004 for the current owners.

Nearly ten thousand square feet, it is designed with an open floor plan for gracious comfortable living and entertaining. This estate’s location allows for easy commuting to almost anywhere, from New Haven to Fairfield counties, as well as to Hartford or NYC. Amentities include: four bedrooms, six bathrooms, home theater, spa, pool, exercise room, heated garage, and wine cellar. Helicopter landing is permitted on the multi-acre field.

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like a rolling stone grace bay suite balcony

thermae bath spa

ON THE BEACH:

Curtain Bluff

By DeBBie Silver

T

ell me about Curtain Bluff.” Maurice is our private escort to the renowned Antigua resort located on the southern tip of the island. Along the way he points out the highlights of Antigua, its 365 beaches, historic sugar mills and pineapple fields.

“How long have you been at Curtain Bluff?”

With a sly smile he confides, “I must let you know that I am a newcomer. I have been there for only 50 years. I am very much a part of the Curtain Bluff family and there is only one Curtain Bluff anywhere in the world.” “ But what’s it like? What makes it so special?”

And with a twinkle in his eye, Maurice exclaims, “I’ll give you one night and you will tell me about it tomorrow. I’ll ask you, “How are you coping with the tough life? And I want you to tell me. Let me give you a hint… you’ll be spoiled!”

Oh, how right you are, Maurice! Curtain Bluff is an all-inclusive resort, and once you’ve experienced the Curtain Bluff lifestyle you won’t want to go anywhere else. It’s a place for young families who come back year after year, honeymooners, a relaxation getaway for all ages

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and the most ideal destination for multi-generational travel. I have never experienced a more endearing staff anywhere in the world. Traveling with senior family members poses so many challenges and every staff member was on hand to help. It’s like having a support system with a smile and my family was profoundly moved by the extraordinary hospitality.

Curtain Bluff reminds me of the intimacy of a small luxury cruise. Owner, Chelle Hulford and managing director, Rob Sherman are wonderful hosts. Guests are invited to a weekly cocktail party at Chelle’s private home at the top of the bluff. Ask fellow guests how long they’ve been coming to curtain bluff spa and jacuzzi

Curtain Bluff: 7 years, 15 years, 21 years. Curtain Bluff becomes home and the staff becomes family.

Antigua is an easy non-stop flight from JFK. Once you arrive at Curtain Bluff you can put away your wallet – you won’t need it. Don’t bother with a watch – time doesn’t matter. There are no room keys, locks on the door, and no worries.

This is casual living, nothing pretentious here.

The fully-inclusive rates includes gourmet meals, afternoon tea (lots of British guests) top-shelf bar drinks, tennis, squash, sailing, water-skiing, scuba diving (for certified divers), snorkeling, sea kayaking, deep sea fishing, bocce, shuffleboard, basketball and croquet.

The waterfront fitness room is impressive and (additional to the room rate.)

The Spa at Curtain Bluff is located on the Zumba, Body Sculpting, Yoga, Pilates and aquatic classes are offered several times a week bluff with panoramic views of the Caribbean free of charge. With the exception of Cuban Sea and the island of Montserrat. Each treatcigars, vintage wines, private lessons and spa ment room looks out at the sea and the relaxtreatments, everything is included in the room ation deck is a magnificent setting for a postrate, by far the best value in the Caribbean. treatment glass of champagne.

Curtain Buff was founded by the late Sir Four championship tennis courts attract tenHoward Hulford, who selected the private location for the resort in 1957 – a peninsula surrounded by a reef which protects the property’s two beautiful sandy beaches: the tranquil waters of the bay beach and a dramatic surf beach. Seventy-two guest rooms and suites are designed in a fresh contemporary Caribbean décor. On the beach or the bluff, every room offers magnificent views and a private balcony or patio. The beachside suites are like having your own private beach.

The Grace Bay and Morris Bay Suites, both 2,000 square feet, are the resort’s most luxurious accommodations. The suites have a bedroom and separate living room that looks out onto a large terrace with a private Jacuzzi and sweeping views of the turquoise Caribbean waters.

WiFi is free and available in all rooms and suites and laptops are available for guests to use in their rooms. There’s a TV and computer room since Curtain Bluff has a notelevision in the room policy. I was grace bay junior suite a bit uneasy imagining a week of television withdrawal so I packed Downton Abbey season 1 and 2 and Season 1 nis enthusiasts from all over the world. Curtain of Homeland. We never watched a single epi- Bluff hosts tennis- oriented events throughout sode. No one missed the TV. Plush bedding, a the year, including three multi-day camps — good book, and the sound of the surf made for the Tennis Challenge, Fantasy Tennis Camp, and Antigua Tennis Week — aimed at all leva week of the most restful sleep.

Children of all ages are welcome at Curtain els, from enthusiastic beginner to seasoned pro.

Bluff. There are a variety of activities children Run by celebrities of the game, these camps are can participate in, such as sailing, windsurfing, the perfect blend of on-court action, (clinics, kayaking, tennis, croquet and putting. tournaments, etc.) social gatherings, and free There’s a freeform freshwater swimming time to enjoy the resort’s world-class facilities pool with two 75-foot lap lanes and the and the attractions of Antigua. beach bay provides shade and shallow water Alsace-born Christophe Blatz has been overfor swimming. A shaded play area with infant seeing the kitchen at Curtain Bluff as Executive swings, slides, jungle gym and a tree house Chef for the past ten seasons. His background is right by the beach. The resort also offers fuses French continental with Caribbean flavors “marine life” and “art in nature” sessions for and ingredients. Working alongside chef Chrischildren during busy seasons. Babysitters can tophe Blatz is pastry chef, Mark Andrew Smith be booked for daytime and evening assistance and Executive Sous Chef, Burdette Martin.

There are two restaurants: the open-walled Tamarind Tree serving breakfasts and candle-lit dinners, and the Beach Café & Bar, where barefoot-casual lunches are enjoyed one step from the sand and a few feet from the water’s edge.

Cooking Class with the Chef is offered once a week and it’s a delightful introduction to the local fruits, fish and roots of Caribbean cuisine. The menu we prepared was a chilled papaya soup, freshly caught grouper topped with cassava shavings, fungi with fish, and caramelized pineapple and bananas over coconut ice cream. Lunch was served with a bottle of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and the great pleasure of the company of Chef Blatz and Sous-Chef Martin.

One of the most lasting impressions of Curtain Bluff is the way the founders have given back to the community and shaped the future of so many. Howard and Chelle Hulford started the Old Road Fund in 1974, naming it after the village that sits just outside the resort’s gates. Initially its purpose was to supply basic necessities to the community’s neediest families, but it quickly out-grew these modest goals thanks to support from the resort and its guests. Because of the Old Road Fund, over 150 children have been able to experience tennis camp in the United States, and over 45 have received a full university education. Every weekend 40 local students come to Curtain Bluff for tennis lessons, thanks to the Old Road Fund tennis program. The head of Curtain Bluff ’s tennis program began as one of the local kids who learned to play through the Old Road Fund program.

It is no wonder that the Curtain Bluff staff devote their lives to the resort; Curtain Bluff embraces guests and staff alike. There are beautiful resorts all over the world, but there is only one Curtain Bluff. For reservations and information call 1-888-289-9898 or visit Curtain Bluff online at www.curtainbluff. com. Follow Curtain Bluff on Facebook at www.facebook.com/curtainbluffresort and on Twitter@Curtain_Bluff.

Maurice Francis is available for executive Tours and hotel transfers: 268/464-1234; wadadlipearl@gmail.com.

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slOpEsidE:

Omni Mount Washington Resort BrETTON wOOds, NH

By HerScHel MeaDow photo courtesy of omni mount Washington resort

T

he Omni Mount Washington Resort is a grand, old luxury hotel with loads of amenities, activities and charm. It has recently undergone a deft and welcome renovation. With its beautiful architecture and decor, and thanks to its relatively recent opening for winter seasons, it is a great place to spend time on winter sports or just relaxing.

Bretton Woods, the ski mountain owned by the resort, is only a few minutes away by provided shuttles. The mountain contains many big ski slopes perfect for beginners because of the

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fairly level runs. The mountain also has quite a lot of glades and black diamonds for expert skiers. There are trails for everybody. Get a bite at the restaurant at the top of the main lift. Latitude 44, a nice family style sit down, serves delicious burgers and sandwiches. Or you can just stop in if you’re cold, and warm your toes and hands while sipping a hot drink. You can also go to the main lodge and have lunch while your children check out the rock-climbing wall.

If you’re not a big skier, you can try zip lining on the adventurous canopy tour, which is open

year round. Going from tree to tree and repelling from up to sixty-five feet is mind-blowing.

Gliding over trails you can see skiers underneath you staring at you in awe. The canopy tour is a memory and a time you’ll never want to forget. The guides are top notch with knowledge about zipping and the area.

After daytime activities, the hotel has an indoor pool for relaxing and leisure. Also there is an outdoor pool for people who like bright stars and cold nights. Feeling the cold? Hop in the indoor Jacuzzi. Trying to get buff? No problem. The hotel contains a modern workout room conveniently next to the pool. Do you want to relax, kick back, and have a beer?

Go on in to the Cave, the bar with live music and pool tables.

Have kids? Drop ‘em off at the arcade right down the hall.

For meals, the hotel presents a selection of restaurants. Bretton Arms offers casual dining, good service, a nice meal and a family atmosphere. For something elegant, head to the main dining room dressed in your finery for an excellent meal and view of the surrounding woods.

There are many winter activities besides skiing, such as dogsledding run by a pack of warm, cute huskies. Or, if you are feeling the need for speed, hop on a snowmobile to tackle the resort’s miles of tracks. In warmer seasons, the hotel offers hiking, biking and golf.

Omni Mount Washington Resort 310 Mt.Washington Hotel Rd., Bretton Woods, NH 877/873-0626 www.omnihotels.com/mountwashington

ABrOAd:

Weekend in London

one aldWych

One Aldwych You must have a drink with the Boatman. Andre Wallace’s bronze sculpture “Boatman with Oars” is by far the most unusual guest at One Aldwych’s chic lobby bar. With oars that seem to reach the ceiling, the Boatman is just one of a 400 piece contemporary art collection at One Aldwych.

Hats off to the sensational new installation of the Spring/ Summer 2013 Hat Collection of renowned milliner, Noel Stewart. London’s Fashion Week is held at the former palace, Somerset House, just across the way and in honor of the week of couture The Boatman is sporting a meter wide floral boater of purple violets, green moss, and rose-colored hydrangeas. The Chelsea Flower Show, May 21-25th, is the inspiration for the Lobby Bar’s new Floral Afternoon Tea through May 31st. Fabulous Floral Martinis: ‘Lavender & Chamomile’ and ‘Rose & Earl Grey’ are the toast of the Lobby Bar this spring.

Built in 1907 for The Morning Post Newspaper, One Aldwych opened in 1998 as a contemporary luxury hotel. Its Covent Garden location is ideal, central to the business center in The City and the West End directly opposite Waterloo Bridge.

Theatres are walking distance from One Aldwych and Axis at One Aldwych is an excellent choice for a pre-theater dinner. Indigo, overlooking the Lobby Bar, is a relaxed and informal setting offering a creative Modern European menu for breakfast, lunch, pre and post theatre dinner and weekend brunch.

One Aldwych’s new Lounge At One is a fully serviced private lounge for hotel guests only. Celebrated designer Paul Smith has collaborated with leading art and design publisher Rizzoli with a curated book collection exclusively for Lounge at One. Another highlight is the chlorine-free swimming pool with underwater music and aquatic images projected on the screen and ceiling. The gym is state-of-the-art and the hotel’s spa treatments are wonderful. There’s even a projection room at One Aldwych — what could be more inviting than Martini Movie Night at One Aldwych’s own cinema: popcorn, martini, film, and dinner to follow at Axis... Save me a seat!

One Aldwych, London; www.onealdwych.com.

Sundance London

Speaking of movies, if you missed the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in January, Sundance London runs April 25-28. Now in its second year, Sundance London presents four exciting days of live music, the UK premieres of American independent films fresh from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, plus panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As and exclusive events. www.sundance-london.com/tickets-2013.

The Ampersand Hotel

There’s a vibrant new café scene surrounding the South Kensington tube stop and the Ampersand Hotel, Kensington’s new boutique hotel, is just steps away. With 111 rooms and suites, this fun the ampersand hotel

and very friendly hotel will introduce you to the area so you’ll feel like a local.

The Ampersand Hotel shares the neighborhood with the Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Royal Albert Hall. Throughout the hotel you’ll discover references to the museums with elements from the botanical and ornithological worlds, as well as music and astronomy.

Love the eclectic and colorful design of the Drawing Room — a sophisticated/funky tearoom serving patisserie presentations throughout the day. By early evening, Kensington locals gather at the Drawing Room for cocktails.

Apero is an underground café located on the lower level of the Ampersand. It’s a neighborhood favorite with a very cool vibe serving small plates of Mediterranean fare. The space is intimate, softly lit, with white metro tiles and exposed brick walls. Apero serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch and a bar menu. Arrange for a bed and breakfast package when you book a stay at the hotel, the continental breakfast is most memorable: bircher muesli with fresh blueberries served in mini-mason jars, filter coffee, banana bread, stellar fresh squeezed juice and the most charming staff.

10 Harrington Road, London. Member, Small Luxury Hotels of the World: 800/608-0273. www.ampersandhotel.com.

Le Tour London

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Heathrow Express. 15 minutes to Paddington Station from the airport. However, unless your hotel is at Paddington Station, you’ll be dragging your luggage and carry-ons through Heathrow, onto the train, through Paddington Station and out to the street to hail a costly cab. Instead, book Le Tour London chauffeur service for your airport transfer. Your driver awaits you in arrivals holding an Ipad with your name, and whisks away your luggage while inviting you to sit back and relax for a cushy ride in a Mercedes sedan. Harper’s Bazaar and OK magazine pass the time and it’s an effortless way to begin and end your trip to London.

Le Tour Worldwide: info@le-tour.co.uk www.le-tour.co.uk.

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in the City WashingtOn DC

By Paula KoffSKy Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square

soft blues. Woven café tables and potted palm trees evoke an open-air tropical ambiance. If the décor hasn’t enticed you, the food most definitely will. The restaurant offers a mouthwatering assortment of traditional and innovative Latin dishes. Menu favorites include Nuevos entrées, like El Pollo del Solar, a lime-garlic marinated chicken breast with caramelized shallots and steamed kale served with black bean croqueta and mango gravy; a delicious Classico entrée is the Ropa Vieja, Cuban shredded beef brisket, stewed with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and red wine served with plantains and white rice.

At 11 pm on Friday and Saturday nights, Cuba Libre turns up the heat with a Latin floorshow, a Cuban master percussionist and Salsa dancing. The creative force behind this brilliantly conceived restaurant is the renowned chef and restaurateur, Guillermo Pernot. Pernot has earned many awards, including the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region and the Best Single Subject Cookbook for Ceviche: Seafood, Salads and Cocktails with a Latino Twist. The restaurant’s name, “a free Cuba” signifies a hope for the future of the beloved island nation.

801 9th St. NW, Ste A (Corner of 9th & H Streets), Washington, DC 202/408-1600; www.cubalibrerestaurant.com.

There are boundless reasons to visit our nation’s capital; whether for a family excursion, a cultural fix, or a business trip, DC is an exciting city.

Staying at the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square will not disappoint even the most discerning guest. The landmark façade sets a sophisticated tone for this luxury hotel, and true to the French Sofitel brand, the interior is just as impressive; the elegant lobby is bursting with fresh bouquets and gorgeous Deco design, the mood conjures up Paris in the 1920s. Conveniently located in Lafayette Square, guests can walk from ici urban bistro here to the White House, the National Mall, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Theatre, the ness or for pleasure, at the end of the day, every Convention Center and much more. traveler adores the luxurious SoBed feathertop One of the distinguishing qualities that sets bedding and splendid French toiletries.

Sofitel apart is personalized service and attention For world-class French bistro cuisine, dine at the hotel’s chic restaurant, iCi Urban Bistro.

Specializing in French, Mediterranean, Amerisofitel Washington dc lafayette square can, and Asian Cuisines, Executive Chef Franck Loquet has worked at Michelin-starred hotels and restaurants, and has taught at Ecole de Cuisine Alain Ducasse in France. Chef Loquet procures his ingredients from the White House Farmers’ Market, FRESHFARM, cuba libre photo by andreW lightman which supports local Chesapeake Bay producers. His signature dishes include Seared Scallops with a lemon and pepper Gremolata (a mixture of lemon, garlic, parsley and olive oil) and braised beef cheek Provençale served with olive and parmesan polenta.

806 15th Street NW, Washington, DC. to detail. Business travelers who frequent the 202/730-8800; www.sofitel.com.

DC hotel can arrive with their toothbrush and little more. The hotel encourages repeat guests Cuba Libre Restaurant to leave their clothes, toiletries, and documents and Rum Bar in a personal garment bag for storage. Upon ar- Step into DC’s lively Cuba Libre Restaurival, your items, along with your choice of power rant and Rum Bar and you are transportcords, will be placed in your room. For families, ed to an open-air plaza in Havana, Cuba The Magnifique Family package includes a spe- in the 1950s. The movie-set recreation cial The Little Prince diary. In the spirit of Antoine of an Old Havana street features richly de Saint Exupery’s Le Petit Prince, young guests, decorated facades with arched doorways, Princes and Princesses, can record their own travel wrought iron balconies, and stained glass. adventures just like the little prince. This package The open plaza boasts 20-foot soaring also includes a 50% discount on a second room ceilings; the space is attractive and allurand free breakfast for children. Whether for busi- ing, with warm hues of brown, ochre, and

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BaLtiMORe

st. LOuis

What makes a leader in the world of sustainable luxury travel? Is it the eco-friendly building material, farm-to-table fare, or a convenient specialty shop of delectable organic foods on premises? The Inn at the Black Olive, located in Baltimore’s exciting Fell’s Point waterfront

St. Louis, MO The Moonrise is a comfortable, trendy hotel in the University City neighborhood of St. Louis. It’s got great amenities, a cool aura and a knowledgeable staff to cater to your every need. The hotel is quite retro and contains a lot of space artwork that gives it pizazz. The idea of decorating the hotel in such a way comes from owner Joe Edwards’ love of the Apollo moon landing and space travel. Check out the restaurant, the Eclipse, which is connected to the hotel. With its creative menu, and my personal favorite— the bacon wrapped dates with their salty sweet combo— the restaurant offers friendly service, nouvelle fare, and a chic decor.

The hotel is set in a vintage area of a city known for its terrific beer breweries and location on the famous Mississippi River.

Nearby are the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, and the Science Museum. It is only a five-minute walk to the main campus of Washington University in St. Louis, a perfect boutique hotel for visiting parents or prospective students.

The Inn at the Black Olive

the phillips collection

The Phillips Collection The Phillips Collection is one of the world’s the inn at the black olive most distinguished collections of impressionist neighborhood, offers guests all of these inspirand modern American and European art. ing features and luxury to boot.

Upcoming exhibits: The Inn’s owners, the Spilliadis family, show Laib Wax Room their commitment to sustainability from the The wax room commissioned in summer 2012 bottom up, with geothermal heating, aerated from acclaimed German artist Wolfgang Laib (b. concrete flooring, rooftop solar panels, and no 1950) opened March 2, 2013. Lined with fragrant VOCs. Their unique boutique hotel has earned beeswax and illuminated by a single bare light bulb, LEED certification, an industry gold standard. the chamber, accommodating one to two people, In addition to a commitment to being green will be the first permanent installation at the Phil- hoteliers, the Spilliadis offer up wholesome, organic specialties. Great cooking is part of lips since the Rothko Room in 1960. the family tradition, going back to their great grandparents’ legendary seaside inn in Istanbul. angeLs, Demons, anD savages: The Inn’s cozy lobby spills into the Agora MarPoLLock, ossoRio, Dubuffet The Phillips Collection pulls back the cur- ket and Café, where guests can be seen stocking tain on American abstract expressionism to up on the hotel’s signature olive bread, munchreveal a little-known but captivating story that ing on delectable sandwiches and healthy salads. focuses on the relationship between three of the The hotel’s fifth floor rooftop restaurant, The movement’s seminal players: American painter Olive Room, offers delicious Greek specialties Jackson Pollock (1912–1956); American artist with sweeping views of the Baltimore Harbor.

The all-suite boutique hotel offers oversized and patron Alfonso Ossorio (1916–1990); and accommodations, with a living room and a French painter Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985). kitchenette, and some with a combination Through May 12, 2013. washer-dryer. Staying true to the Spilliadis famgeoRges bRaque anD the ily vision, beds are locally made with organic, cubist stiLL Life, 1928–1945 all natural materials; the walls display inspirThis exhibit features 42 sumptuous canvases ing artwork by local artists. Reasonable nightly created by the artist during the tumultuous room fees include a bottle of complimentary years leading up to and through World War II. Greek wine, sparkling water and homemade June 8 -September 1, 2013. breakfast with organic local eggs any style.

1600 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC. 803 S. Caroline Street, Baltimore, MD. 443/681-6316; www.theblackolive.com.

202/387-2151; www.phillipscollection.org.

Moonrise Hotel

moonrise restaurant and lounge

To explore the area, take a right out of the hotel’s entrance; you are on “One of the 10 Great Streets in America,” (American Planning Association) called the Delmar Loop. Known for it’s trolley route into the heart of downtown St. Louis in the 1800s, and lined with historic brick buildings, the Loop has been revitalized by visionary Joe Edwards. In his twenties, he took a risk and bought Blueberry Hill, a local club where Chuck Berry played before he was famous. Now the booming nightclub has Chuck Berry play once a month, as well as many other headliners. Others followed Edwards’ lead, and have opened restaurants, boutiques and cafés all along the road.

6177 Delmar in the Loop, St. Louis, MO. 314/721-1111; www.moonrisehotel.com.

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Seacrest Retirement Center

Retirement living with a grand view.

588 Ocean Ave., West Haven, CT. Located right on Long Island Sound!

Take Exit 41 off I-95 or visit us online at www.seacrestweb.com Call for complimentary luncheon and tour:

203-931-2510 SEACREST

Retirement Center

West Haven

acts of kindness until i met a 21-year-old wom-

The Lives of oThers

By Elizabeth Titus

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an from Kabul, I had nearly given up on finding my cause.

Why did I feel that I needed a cause? Hadn’t I toiled away for years in the corporate world in New York City and then raised a daughter on my own after my husband Gregory died in 2007? Why not just enjoy life?

My daughter Lili left for college, and I was feeling somewhat bereft.

Gregory and I adopted Lili then called Wei-Zin Fei – in China when she was a year old. People told us we had saved her, which we found odd; we felt she had saved us.

With Lili gone, I no longer had daily responsibilities. Soon after her departure I attended a dinner party in Weston, Connecticut, where I live part-time (the other part in Manhattan). And there I met Tabasum. And found my cause.

Tabasum Wolayat had just graduated from Middlebury College and was on her way to St. Hilda’s College at Oxford University to continue her studies, and then to Kabul to help other women.

Of course, I had to tell Tabasum about my Lili.

“Look,” I announced, pointing at my friends’ photo-covered refrigerator, “there’s Lili’s photo!”

“This is your daughter?” Tabasum asked, not quite understanding.

“Yes,” I responded, adding, “my late husband and I went to China and adopted her,” as a way of explaining her appearance.

Lili is darkly beautiful, with glowing brown eyes and smooth skin. She could be a sister to Tabasum, and in a sense, she is: both were born into cultures that denigrate and even torture and kill women.

“How old was Lili when you adopted her?”

Tabasum wanted to know.

“Almost a year,” I answered. “She was found outside a police station when she was just a few days old. It was December and freezing cold.

She was taken to the Hefei Children’s Welfare Institute, where she lived until we adopted her.”

“But who left her there?” Tabasum seemed incredulous.

“We’ll never know,” I said, “because it’s a crime in China to abandon a baby, even a girl.” I wondered if Tabasum knew about the one-child policy.

“And where is Lili tonight?”

“In college in Ithaca.”

And then I asked Tabasum, “How did you choose Middlebury?” steering the conversation away from Lili.

I interrogated her, as my daughter says I always do, but Tabasum handled it graciously.

“I’m just interested in the lives of others,” I always tell Lili.

Tabasum made it to college in the U.S. against all odds; she spoke little English, had no money, and had never been outside of Afghanistan. How could this be? How did she manage to get herself out of Kabul and into an academically rigorous American college, and then to Oxford? She did it on her own, via the internet. The other dinner guests and I were speechless as we listened to her story. Speechless and perhaps guilty, over all that we had and took for granted.

I decided then and there that since Tabasum would soon be off to England, safely away from my incessant questions, I’d have to find more Afghan women.

My search led me to the Afghan Women’s Writing Project (AWWP), http://awwproject. org founded in 2009 by American journalist and novelist Masha Hamilton to support the voices of women with the belief that to tell one’s story is a human right.

“Because in telling their own stories, we’ve seen these women gather strength, courage, and self-confidence. They become empowered to make change within their homes, their communities, and eventually their country.

They also gain computer literacy and skills of language and critical thinking, which increases their job-related skills… They have become lawyers, journalists, parliament members.”

I applied to be a mentor and was told that there was a wait list and it would not be until 2013, if at all, given the level of interest. So I put that idea aside and went to Istanbul, where I hadn’t been in a decade. Some friends and I rented an apartment in the Galata Tower neighborhood, and it just happened to be EID, an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. People were out and about in the warm October weather, and I marveled at the creative ways young Muslim

women wore their headscarves, making them part of an overall look. I was also surprised by the women in the burqa. Turkey has moved away from the secularism of its founder, Ataturk, toward an Islamic state.

Never without my battery of Apple gadgets – iPhone, iPad, and MacBookAir – I was surprised to get an email while in Istanbul from AWWP asking if I could be a mentor for the month of November, just days away. Someone had dropped out.

“Of course,” I typed. “I’m all set to go!”

And I was. My mentorship began with Nasima’s story.

“Dear Respect my moderator, Please kindly find the attached,” Nasima e-mailed me. Her English was weak, but I’d been instructed not to focus on that. The point was to provide encouragement, praise, and admiration, along with gentle suggestions for making the story stronger.

As I began the latest installment of Nasima’s story, I was confused. The first line read, “My sin was that I had fled from oppression!” I assumed this meant that she left an abusive husband and went into hiding.

I knew from her previous two installments that she was born in 1985 in a refugee camp in Iran. She spent three years in the camp until the family was expelled in 1989 and returned to their own country. In the second installment, she married and suffered two miscarriages due to her husband’s beatings. She learned he had another wife, left him, and two months later had a baby boy. She put all her hopes and dreams into her son. He is her life, as Lili is mine.

How surreal it is, I thought, to be communicating via secure email with a young woman in a country I knew little about beyond the headlines. Her story was so wrenchingly painful that I could only read small sections at a time.

What could I possibly write to her? I asked myself. How could I even presume to understand her life? I had to be careful not to offend her, or she’d stop writing. So I wrote words of praise and suggested a title for her story: “What is My Crime?” I didn’t make this up; I took it from a line in her story. She wondered why it is a crime to stand up against the oppression of women, why the violence committed against girls and women is often never prosecuted.

“They wanted to put me in prison,” she wrote. “My sin was that I wanted life, life without sorrow, pain, suffering and sorrow. It was my sin that I lift my voice and I wanted the women’s rights.”

I longed to meet Nasima, hold her and comfort her. But of course I never will. I looked

forward to her response to my suggestions and hoped she would continue to write, to “talk to the world,” as one writer described it.

Next came Seema. I provided concrete suggestions to strengthen her poem, and she emailed me. “Wooohooo!!! Thank you so much dear Liz. I am very happy, it is perfect! I love it. I really appreciate your concerns and your nice comments.

I am glad having you:).” Oh, how I loved reading “Wooohooo,” an expression my Lili often uses.

Seema’s poem is titled, “Do Not Forget,” and it describes how she is treated by men.

Silent my whole life From birth to death A toy for men to enjoy And then throw away But do not forget!

A woman gave you birth Suffered to give you life Cried for you at night When you were in pain I am the one Who wants to see light I am the one Who gave you life Then why?

Why do you oppress me And prevent me from living?

Seema and Norwan and the other women I mentored – Aisha, Basbibi, Humaira, Nasima, Rahela, Seeta, and Yalda – gave me far more than I gave them.

They gave me my cause.

How could the world abandon the women in Afghanistan? What could I do to help their cause? I wondered.

I planned to continue mentoring women through the Afghan Women’s Writing Project, but at the start of December, my first stint over, I once again felt at a loss. Norwan wrote to me, and I realized why.

“Our writing project became like my family and it is like every month I have a new lovely member to our family and that is my mentors. I feel like I know every one of my teachers although we have never met, never seen each other. It is an amazing relationship and the time, four weeks just fly so quickly that finally the time come that we say bye. I hope we could have you in the future too. Please take care of our lovely mentor Liz!” Once these brave women showed me the way, I was ready to move forward and find other Afghan women to help. My search did not

take me far – Fresh Meadows, Queens.

Women for Afghan Women, www.womenforafghanwomen.org was founded just before 9/11 as a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to securing and protecting the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls in Afghanistan and New York. The group advocates for women’s rights and challenges the norms that underpin gender-based violence.

The center is in a modest, rented house on 73rd Avenue in Fresh Meadows, Queens. It is clean, comfortable, and welcoming. On my first visit I observed an English language class taught by a volunteer. There were ten women seated at school desks in the basement. They were old, young, and in between. Some wore all black, while others were in bright colors. Most wore headscarves, but a few of the younger women were dressed in conservative, but stylish, clothing.

“I – Am – Your – Teacher,” the slender young woman in jeans and lace-up boots at the chalkboard said, pointing at the words. She was strikingly beautiful, with clear skin, luminous pale blue eyes, and a natural, open manner.

“You –Are – Students,” she said, and they laughed at this notion, somehow finding it funny. They pointed at the teacher, and said, “You – Are – Teacher.” She agreed, and repeated, “I – Am – Your – Teacher.”

And then they said, “We – Are – Students!” and clapped.

These women were delighted to be students.

They were having a good time, taking notes and cheering each other on with each small triumph.

How can they be so happy? I wondered. I’d done my research and knew the kinds of lives these women lead in Queens, often in abusive marriages, isolated, afraid, alone. Yet here they seemed no different from other women’s groups, anywhere in the world. These women surrendered to the joy of simply being together in a safe place.

The brave Afghan women have given me the gift of being needed and trusted. I feel more part of the world beyond the comforts of my American life. AWWP asked me to mentor again, and I am thrilled. And so with my Lili back at college, I have other young women who need me. I have found my cause. Wooohooo!

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Elizabeth Titus lives in a 1930s former socialist colony on a river in Connecticut as well as in Manhattan. She has published articles with the Weston Magazine Group, Westport News (Hearst), Ms. Magazine, Skidmore Scope, MORE Magazine, Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood, Narrative, Talking Writing, and IthacaLit. WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM

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acts of kindness Although conditions Are dismAl, the orphAns still find joy in mAny things, such As the newborn puppies of mongrel dogs thAt scurry Around the orphAnAge.

A MeAningfuL QuesT Averill meAdow,

from Fairfield County, CT, spent three months working in an orphanage in Cuzco, Peru as a volunteer with the international, nonprofit organization, United Planet. In the following photo essay he captures simple moments that relay what life is like as an orphan living in an impoverished orphanage with little hope of being adopted out.

United Planet offers volunteer quests from one week to twelve months in over 40 countries around the world. Unitedplanet.org.

800/292-2316.

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Volunteers And orphAns plAy soccer on A glAss-littered concrete surfAce. the orphAns loVe soccer!

with little money for gAs, firewood thAt is collected in neArby woods is used to cook.

two orphAns roughhouse on their bunk-bed. their fellow orphAns And their stuffed AnimAls serVe As the pArents they don’t hAVe.

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A Volunteer buys lArge quAntities of food for the orphAnAge. A typicAl menu for the dAy: breAd for breAkfAst, rice for lunch, soup for dinner.

A good-humored, mAchetewielding Volunteer leAds orphAns on A mission up A neArby mountAin to retrieVe firewood for cooking purposes.

A group of orphAns Are tAken to mcdonAlds (which mAinly serVes fried chicken) for the first time in their liVes. while feeling As if they were going to explode AfterwArds, they sAid it wAs totAlly worth it.

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A jubilAnt orphAn plAys soccer in his one pAir of shoes, crocs. in the bAckground, the dilApidAted plAyground of the orphAnAge is seen.

the orphAnAge stAnds on A hill AboVe the city of cuzco. the one entrAnce is AlwAys locked to mAke sure no orphAns cAn escApe.

Volunteers And orphAns push A truck thAt hAs just dropped off “new” mAttresses (used, but not As bedbug-ridden As the preVious ones) to get it stArted.

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storm prep

Northern Exposure the northeast has seen its share of storms over the past few years. Residents and businesses have repeatedly dealt with prolonged power outages. For many, that’s made it a priority to prepare for the next storm or power outage by purchasing a new generator.

A lot of places sell generators, but few offer a selection that can match Northern Tool + Equipment. Northern carries all the big brand names like Honda, Generac and Kohler — all told, Northern carries over 20 brands with over 200 models available. These guys know generators. This isn’t surprising, since Northern also builds its own generators. The NorthStar and Powerhorse brands are exclusive to Northern. Powerhorse generators are very popular in hurricane-prone states (and everywhere else) because they are dependable and don’t break the bank, making them a reliable and affordable generator that will deliver in an emergency.

NorthStar generators can go toe-to-toe with all the top brands. These portable generators are built to last, using Honda engines and other premium components to provide superior performance that answers the bell every time. All NorthStar products are assembled at Northern’s manufacturing plant in Minnesota and Northern backs them up with a warranty that is tops in the industry.

As you might expect, Northern’s selection of generators goes well beyond just portable models. Standby units for your home or business are available in whatever size you may need. Northern also carries inverter generators, RV generators and they even have PTO generators for anyone who has a tractor.

When it comes to storm preparation or cleanup, Northern carries a lot more than just generators. Water pumps, chain saws, gas cans, flashlights and tarps are among the thousands of products it carries, in stores, catalogs or online.

At Northern, it’s all about selection; over 30,000 products from hundreds of name-brand manufacturers are available to get the job done.

For over 30 years, Northern Tool + Equipment has been an industry leader in providing power and equipment to consumers and businesses across the country. Professionals and do-it-yourselfers alike rely on Northern’s impressive lineup of products ranging from air compressors and pressure washers to automotive and lawn and garden equipment. With welding, logging, heating, power tools and outdoor power equipment; Northern has just about everything you need for your home or business projects. All of these products are available online (www.northerntool.com) along with detailed product descriptions, demonstration videos and thousands of customer reviews. Northern also mails millions of catalogs each year throughout the United States. Have a question about a product or want to place an order? A knowledgeable Northern representative is just a phone call away (1-800-214-8921) to help. Northern also has about 80 retail stores located throughout the Midwest and South.

Whether you are ready to invest in that new generator or just need to stock your garage for that next project, chances are Northern Tool + Equipment has exactly what you need.

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appraised & approved

Le Barn antiques: everything OLd is new again! kathy sachs

Kathy Sachs, owner of Le Barn Antiques and Art & Interior, Inc. in North Stamford, CT: I began my first career in the early ‘70s as an art dealer. I’ve always loved the idea of creating an ideal environment for a fine piece of art. As a result, my second career as an interior designer took flight. As I searched for perfect pieces for my interior design clients, I would stumble upon so many other incredible treasures that I simply couldn’t resist. Because of this I began collecting antique furnishings, which led to my third career as an antiques dealer. Shortly thereafter, Le Barn was born.

Treasures from around the world; France, Italy, Asia, and everywhere in between reside here. We’ve become a resource for designers as well as individuals who might need help furnishing their home. Le Barn is unique because it’s situated on our one-hundred-year-old family estate located in North Stamford, Connecticut. Unlike any other shopping experience, patrons have the opportunity to immerse in and enjoy the pastoral beauty of the property while browsing our incomparable collection of antiques from around the world.

I’m always available to give advice or answer any questions visitors might have regarding a particular piece. My hope is that my twenty-years of professional experience as an art dealer and interior designer align perfectly to provide elegant and tasteful recommendations and suggestions for creating ambience and glamour in any home. I travel the world extensively seeking out the most unique and interesting antiques for your home so you don’t have to!

We’re also very warm and social and we love staying in touch with our clients. Our online presence allows us to do that. We use our blog http://lebarnantiques.com/ to reach out and stay connected.

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We write about specific pieces that have just arrived and we give a detailed description of the item as well as some interesting historic facts about the period of time and place it comes from. We also offer tips about restoration and proper care of antiques. Our newest addition to the website is Rooms We Love. http://lebarnantiques.com/ rooms-we-love/. Because we’re always researching to stay current with design trends in decorating and the antiques market, we often come across images of breathtakingly beautiful rooms, which we decided to share with our clients. We started to realize that we owned many pieces that could create a similar design feel. Now, our clients know that they can come to us with these pictures, or pictures of their own, and use our decorators as a resource to find comparable pieces from our inventory. This is a great method for creating gorgeous rooms for your particular lifestyle.

Our clients invite us into their homes to help create beautiful environments. In order to do that well, we invest a lot of time getting to know their personalities and preferences. From that, lasting friendships develop. We love staying in touch by writing about day-to-day family life, gardening, and what’s happening on the property because our clients have become our extended family.

Visit Le Barn at lebarn.com, or call 203-253-7286 to schedule an appointment!

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designer’s eye “I love a good design challenge!” exclaimed expert interior designer Lara Michelle upon hearing her client’s requirements and wishes for her recent family room renovation. After all, Lara’s 20 years of experience specializing in large scale home renovations made her the perfect candidate for the task.

The husband and two teenage boys desired a super comfortable room in which they could watch multiple sporting events at the same time. Naturally, that involved large screen TVs and a killer sound system.

The wife wanted lots of seating for entertaining and her priority was for the space to look beautiful. One thing everyone agreed on was that the fabrics and materials needed to be strong, durable, and easy to clean. Adding to the challenge was the shape of the room. Long, narrow, with 19-foot-high ceilings, plus a wall of windows, it made placing the furniture and media a bit tougher to figure out. Not to worry though, Lara is on the job.

The first thing she did was to figure

out placement of the TVs and sound system. These needed to be in the center of the long wall as much as possible in order for them to be seen and heard well from all the seating.

Since the fireplace could not be moved, Lara positioned them as close to the fireplace wall as possible. The system required multiple speakers, placed strategically around the room, so she designed the wall unit with cut outs and camouflaging colors so they wouldn’t be noticeable. “I wanted everything to be modern and seamless, but also warm and inviting at the same time.”

Next, Lara ripped out the old fireplace and installed a new, larger one, raising it off the floor to accommodate logs.

The husband loves to make fires all year long, so now he didn’t have to stoop down so low and go back and forth to the yard to get his wood. She applied a layer of white, rough edged marble from floor to ceiling around it, which sparkles in the light. “It’s just gorgeous, and I love its light contrast to the neighboring darkness of the wall unit.”

She then refinished the floors and added large matching beams on the ceiling to “bring it down and cozy it up.” Lara had the 16-foot sofa custom made with extra plush, but oh so durable, black cut velvet on the cushions. A stain-resistant, faux leather was upholstered to the arms and backs of the large sectional.

Lara brought in loads of color in the custom rug by Kravet, and commissioned artwork by Thomas Bigatel to hang over the fireplace, as well as black and white art by Lalani Nan through Kenise Barnes Fine Art. Lara and her clients are thrilled with the end result. Proof is hearing her client remark: “our Superbowl parties have been taken to another level, and oh yeah, it’s just beautiful!”

Lara Michelle Beautiful Interiors Inc. (914) 939-5777 Info@Laramichelle.com; www.Laramichelle.com.

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Photos by chuan Ding

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Petite ChOu ChOu A children’s shoe store has finally come to Wilton Center! Following in the “footsteps” of their women’s store, Chou Chou, (now celebrating its 12th year) Kathy and Katie Sanford have opened Petite Chou Chou, an exciting new boutique children’s shoe store located just a few steps from its mother flagship in Wilton center.

The idea of bringing the ingenuity, style and fashion of Chou Chou to the younger set had been brewing for many years in the mind of Kathy Sanford. “We have such a loyal following of customers in Wilton, and they would often speak of the lack of a good children’s shoe store in town, ” Kathy says.

Katie adds that most parents have been left to shop online – which, in her opinion, is “great for convenience, but doesn’t provide the personal touch we pride ourselves on at Chou Chou.” And the team behind Petite Chou Chou wants to fit the feet of your whole family – “It’s a little bit like the TV show “Cheers” – you shop where everybody knows your name,” Katie says. Their goal is an emphasis on great fitting, fashionable shoes in a fun setting that’s an enjoyable experience for all.

Petite Chou Chou will carry shoes for all occasions, catering to children from birth to tween. For boys, the selection ranges from Keen water shoes to Sperry kathy anD katie sanforD Top Siders to Cole Haan dress shoes, with plenty of sneakers like Saucony and Tsukihoshi. Katie also notes that Petite Chou Chou will carry certain styles – like boat shoes and dress loafers – in men’s sizes, “to save our customers an extra trip to the mall.” And for girls, Petite Chou Chou will showcase everything from Italian brands like Geox, Primigi and Naturino to Lelli Kelly, Stride Rite, and Skechers. Having raised four girls of her own, Kathy has plenty of experience with the shopping mentality of mothers and their daughters. “Many of the older girls want to dress like their moms and big sisters, but their parents want them to wear shoes that are age appropriate,” Kathy laughs. “Petite Chou Chou offers just the solution: fun wedges from Kors and Stuart Weitzman, pint-sized Jack Rogers and Havaianas, and jeweled Steve Madden sandals so they can keep up with current trends!”

The new boutique will also be stocked with fun accessories – from charm bracelets to sparkly hair bows to sunglasses and even beach tunics that match the ones sold across the street at Chou Chou. And, with

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most accessories priced under twenty dollars, “It’s a great place to shop for affordable birthday presents,” Kathy says.

Another important aspect of this new business is the emphasis on fit – Petite Chou Chou employs experienced salespeople who will find the perfect shoe, whether your child has a narrow or wide foot, or needs a camp or communion shoe.

If Chou Chou is “a tempting experience,” Petite Chou Chou is “a happy experience.” You know things are different from your average children’s shoe store when you first walk into the new space, designed by Wiltonite Jane Melani of Jane Schapiro Interiors. Jane has created an incredibly cheerful environment that speaks to children and their parents alike.

“I wanted to create a special and visually pleasing interior for everyone who sets foot inside Petite Chou Chou – reminiscent of a beach getaway that would deliver the happy carefree feeling of being on vacation all year round.” Customers love the cheery blue and white walls with palm trees, flat screen TV playing children’s shows and movies, bright green movable seating, toys, bean bag chairs and smiling faces of professional staff.

Petite Chou Chou hopes to attract customers not only from Wilton, but from all over Fairfield County and even neighboring New York towns. “Wilton is growing, and we want to fuel that growth – there are tons of kids here, and their feet are always growing – we want to grow with them.” Kathy Sanford explains. “At the end of the day, we want to feel that our customers’ needs have not only been met, but exceeded.” Katie adds, “We offer a loyalty program and will send out a newsletter a few times a year, highlighting new and exciting product. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter (@petitechouchou1) as we enjoy interacting with our customers that way.”

Petite Chou Chou offers a flexible return policy and free shipping, and is open seven days a week to accommodate working parents.

It is obvious that Kathy and Katie love their customers, adults and children alike. We are sure their customers will love the fun, happy experience shopping at their new store, Petite Chou Chou.

5 River Road, Wilton CT. www.shopchouchou.com.

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-6, Sunday 12-5.

-by Arian Modansky

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First in westChester and COnneCtiCut tO Bring new teChnique tO hair transPLantatiOn At the comfortable Park Avenue Medical Spa, with locations in Manhattan, Armonk, and Rye, Dr. Anca Tchelebi has introduced a new technique for hair transplant that is not available anywhere else in Westchester or Connecticut. Called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), it makes the harvesting of hair follicles faster and easier than previous transplant procedures.

Using the NeoGraft System, Tchelebi and her technicians are able to harvest between 2,500 and 3,000 follicles in a sitting, usually from the back of the patient’s head, and prepare them quickly for transplanting into a patient’s scalp. The procedure leads to lush hair growth where previously there was none.

“This procedure is right for anybody who’s bothered by hair loss,” says Dr. Tchelebi, a medical doctor. “I have had patients in their 30s or elderly women with thinning hair or radiation patients who’ve lost hair from their treatments coming to me for this procedure,” she says.

“It’s well tolerated and there are no side effects.

“FUE is an extremely effective surgical procedure that allows for the precise, artistic placement of new hair follicles to recreate a full and natural-looking hairline, while reducing recovery time and eliminating the unsightly linear scar associated with traditional hair transplants,” Dr. Tchelebi says. In the traditional hair transplant, a small strip of skin is removed from the back of the head and then the scalp is sutured together.

Patients have large scars, which usually form a semi circle at the back of the head and limit forever after how patients can wear their hair.

The NeoGraft, the brand name of the machine Dr. Tchelebi uses, exerts pneumatic pressure to extract the hair follicles without damaging them. The follicles are sucked into a 1-millimeter tube intact, with just a smooth core of tissue protecting them. Then they are separated

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by hand and inserted into the hairless area, one at a time. Dr. Tchelebi says the machine is small enough to carry to any of her three locations. It lessens complications and allows patients to return to their lives more quickly because the recovery is easier. There is no need for missing days of work or for wearing a hat after the procedure. The procedure can also be used on eyebrows.

Park Avenue Medical Spa also offers a variety of skin treatments, including fillers, Botox, and acne treatments. Dr. Tchelebi says she starts patients on hyaluronic acids like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm Ultra and Ultra Plus. “These fillers are well tolerated, very versatile, and among the few that can be used successfully for lip augmentation,” she says.

“They are ideal for superficial defects, are safe and offer instant gratification.

Complications are limited to temporary bruising or swelling.” Patients can also receive such semi-permanent facial fillers as Radiesse, a calcium hydroxylapatite, or Sculptra, a poly-L-lactic acid. As well, Dr. Tchelebi offers Arte-Fill, considered a permanent filler. Experienced technicians who understand the importance of your satisfaction, take all of these procedures seriously and offer care and skill in their application.

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Park Avenue Medical Spa: 495 Main Street, Armonk, NY. Tel: 914-730-3333.

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A PERFECT PERFORMANCE”

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SIMPLE PLEASURES Hibiki 12-Year-Old Whisky Hibiki is a wonderfully amber, blended Japanese whiskey. Aged in plum liqueur casks, with a nose of pineapple, plum, raspberry, honey and custard, this whiskey opens up into a huge flavor. Enjoy straight or “Mizuari” style (cut with water). $55

Wines of Portugal Reasonably priced, fine wines from Portugal are making their way into our local markets. Try Periquita from the southwestern coast: Moscato or Reserva (Best Value, Wine Spectator, December 2007); Herdade da Comporta White (medium bodied varieties: Arinto and Antão Vaz) or Red (a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Franca). For dessert: Moscatel de Setúbal. Expand your palate and your Portuguese.

Available at Stew Leonards, Westchester Wine Warehouse and elsewhere; $15 per bottle and up.

Premium Popped Corns GH Cretors offers yummy, ready to eat, gourmet popcorns in sweet and savory versions.

Mixed in small batches in copper kettles,

flavors include Chicago Mix (caramel and cheddar), Just the Cheese, Just the Caramel, Caramel Nut Crunch and Kettle Corn (cane sugar and sea salt). All natural ingredients including locally-grown corn, real cheddar and real butter.

Available at Fairway in CT & NY, health food stores areawide, as well as online at amazon.com and ghcretors.com. $3.99 per 6.5oz bag.

Oliver Kita Chocolates Out of a chocolate studio in Rhinebeck, NY come delicate, artisanal, lusciously beautiful truffles and treats. Chocolatier/chef Oliver

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Kita, a graduate of the C.I.A in Hyde Park, uses organic heavy cream, sweet butter, bits of fruit and roasted nuts to create bonbons of his own design according to traditional French and Swiss methods. Handsomely packaged, these are ideal as a gift or a self-indulgent pleasure.

Vegan chocolates, hot cocoa and other chocolate concoctions also available.

Visit his shop at 18 West Market St., Rhinebeck, NY, or order at: 845/876-2665 www.oliverkita.com. $36 for 16-piece box.

Protrek series made by Casio Once again Casio has outdone themselves.

Recently for sale is a brand new adventurer’s watch in the Protrek series (PRG550B-5).

With it’s triple sensor — altitude, barometer with temperature, and compass readings — this watch is the ultimate back country utensil. Analog dials, a solar panel and its black color are an added bonus for this already cool watch. $350; Available at REI and Tourneau stores.

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Oakland COllegiate SChOOl

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Gain real college experience while living on campus and participating in classes that highlight experiential learning.

Summer College | Apply online:

For High School Students

July 6-26, 2013

www.hartwick.edu/summercollege Choose one of five exciting, thought-provoking, three-credit courses: ART 250: Introduction to Animation & Video BIOL 150: Topics in Biology: Research in Biology MUSI 150: Topics in Music: The Dynamics of Music ENGL 213: Introduction to Creative Writing Submit your online Summer College Application today!

Deposit deadline for Summer College is May 15, 2013.

Hartwick College is a private liberal arts and sciences college of 1,500 students, located in Oneonta, NY, in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick’s expansive curriculum emphasizes a uniquely experiential approach to the liberal arts.

Summer Encounters at Brandeis University Arts and Academic Programs for High School Students

Mock Trial Boot Camp 3D Game Design Genesis BIMA Our summer programs offer immersive learning for talented high school students from around the world. Dig deeper into your passions and develop lifelong friendships—while getting a glimpse of college life at renowned Brandeis University.

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Mock Trial Boot Camp: Learn legal techniques and take your skills to the next level.

3D Game Design: Create your own 3D worlds using the Blender Game Design Platform.

Genesis: Immerse yourself in a pluralistic Jewish community to study technology and

society, law, journalism, social entrepreneurship, or world religions.

BIMA: Immerse yourself in a pluralistic Jewish community to study choral music, instrumental music, dance, visual art, writing, or theater.

Which one is right for you? http://brandeis.edu/highschool 781-736-8416

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If you’re a standout, you’ll fit right in.

Don’t just communicate ideas—experience them.

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This is the very essence of the University of Chicago Summer Session. Where students are engaged at every level— intellectually, socially, personally, and professionally. Where you can benefit from the value of taking university courses in an accelerated, intensive format. Join us this summer for an extraordinary learning experience at the academic home to 85 Nobel laureates.

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Parents, Help Your College Students Launch Their Careers Summer Institute for General Management June 23 – July 20, 2013 www.gsb.stanford.edu/sigm

Offered by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Summer Institute for General Management is a four-week residential program for high-potential college students and recent graduates who major in non-business fields.

Taught by world-renowned Stanford MBA faculty, participants learn business and management fundamentals, enhance their resumewriting and job-interviewing skills, and engage with guest speakers from leading companies. And they’ll build a network of talented peers from around the world, while getting a taste of what Stanford and Silicon Valley have to offer.

Offers MiddCORE at Sierra Nevada College A Summer Leadership and Innovation Program

Prepare to Lead Join us June 17– July 12, 2013 I Lake Tahoe, NV

Middlebury’s MiddCORE is a mentor-driven, experiential learning program that builds skills, creates opportunities and expands networks for tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.

We invite over twenty-five dynamic, leading professionals to develop challenges that force students to operate outside their comfort zones and deal with ambiguity. Mentors act as guides to help students build capacities and collaborate to create innovative solutions with partner organizations.

MiddCORE gave me the skills and the network to engage the world.

Through formal and informal interactions with successful social entrepreneurs, political leaders, CEOs, CFOs, artists, inventors, venture capitalists, psychologists, entertainers, media specialists, authors, etc., participants benefit from the collective wisdom and experience of mentors.

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Leadership Collaboration Strategic Thinking Persuasive Communication Financial Literacy Negotiation Crisis Management Media Interaction Idea Creation Design Thinking Aesthetics & Visual Communication Networking Empathy Ethical Decision Making Failing Forward Self-Reflection

Columbia S u m m e r 2013 apply and register now.

Courses and certificate programs are available in over 50 subject areas.

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Political Science Prelaw Premed Psychology Religion Russian Practicum Slavic Languages and Literature Sociology Spanish And Portuguese Statistics Visual Arts Women’s and Gender Studies

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Summer @ Sarah Lawrence College for High School Students

Enhance your academic experience and explore your passions on our beautiful Bronxville campus — just 30 minutes from Midtown Manhattan. Here you’ll experience Sarah Lawrence’s unique educational model — the seminar and conference system.

Students meet regularly one-on-one with our faculty, ranked #1 in the country by The Princeton Review, and get to work on projects tailored to their own interests.

Our small classes give you an exceptional opportunity to learn in a supportive, noncompetitive environment.

College Courses for Credit • 20th and 21st Century Art Around the World • Rapid Game Lab • Introduction to Animation

Pre-College intensives • Writer’s Village: A Creative Writing Intensive • Filmmaking • White Mountain Summer Dance Festival • Summer in the City • Exploring Musical Theatre

Residential and commuter options available.

To learn more call (914) 395-2205

www.sarahlawrence.edu/highschool

2013 Summer Pre-College Program

Two-week and three-week non-credit courses and six-week credit courses available.

Students live on campus in air-conditioned dorms Preferred application deadline is May 15 Courses run May 20 - August 10, 2013

Pre-College Program in the Liberal & Studio Arts New York State Summer Young Writers Institute Summer Jazz Institute Dance Workshop with Susan Marshall & Company Summer Session Credit Courses Summer Studio Art Program Saratoga Shakespeare Company Intensive Production & Training Program SITI Summer Theater Workshop

www.skidmore.edu/summer Saratoga Springs, NY

Creative Thought Matters

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE

Awkward Immersion on the Costa del Sol

by Allie Silver

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE A light knock on the door. “estoy despiertA,” i mumbled As i tugged the covers over my heAd. Another knock. “estoy despiertA!” the knocking stopped. it wAs time to begin the lAst dAy of my summerfuel summer progrAm in nerjA. i hAd mistAkenly believed thAt living with A fAmily in spAin for A month would simply be A test of my mAny yeArs of spAnish. so, i prepAred like Any other test. i wAtched telemundo every night for three weeks, bought three spAnish dictionAries, two tour guidebooks on AndAlusiA, And reAd them furiously on the plAne. i thought i wAs reAdy. I stepped off the air-conditioned coach bus into the warm, exotic, Mediterranean air. From the second I spotted my host mother, she was bubbling over, speaking incredibly fast Spanish with an incomprehensible Andalusian accent. I suddenly realized she had stopped talking and was waiting for me to respond. I was trapped. Wide-eyed and open mouthed, the only thing that came out was a quiet “Si...gracias;” I had no idea what she had even asked me.

A man picked us up in a car, and sped off to the apartment. My host mother, Isabel, started speaking even faster to the driver. I stared silently out the window, wishing I could pull out my pocket Spanish dictionary that was packed at the bottom of my suitcase. She turned around from the passenger seat and muttered something slowly. I appreciated the effort, but the only word I could make out was “perro,” meaning “dog.”

Maybe they had a dog? I mumbled “Si” and forced a smile in an attempt to cover up my panic.

The first day of class, I arrived at the institute for Spanish instruction with twenty-five other American students. I listened attentively and prepared to say something of substance to my family. A friend and I had been assigned an oral presentation about Spanish fashion.

Thinking my family would be the perfect source for props, I formulated my sentence: “Necesito moda típica de España para mi clase.” I repeated it in my head over and over again on my way home. As soon as I entered the house, before I could lose my nerve, I quietly muttered my prized sentence. Isabel overflowed with a whirlwind of Spanish. Suddenly, she ran into the bedroom, my miniature Spanish grandmother waddling after her. They returned with a frilly neon green and orange flamenco dress and a pageant ribbon and Isabel forced the frills over my head.

What had I done?

18-year-old Jose Alberto and his friends were trying to get into the kitchen. My aunt struggled to push the door closed as I hid behind the refrigerator door. Tiny, wrinkled grandmother Abuelita started flamenco dancing around the kitchen, beckoning for me to dance with her, shaking her hips and snapping her fingers. My embarrassment silenced me for two days.

Over the next few days I would listen very attentively to all of the conversations, and understanding became easier. However, I still felt the burn in my stomach when I was with my host family, as if I had walked into class and forgotten I had a final exam. I studied my dictionary before I went to bed, but every day felt the same.

The following Sunday it was my Spanish aunt’s birthday, and in traditional Spanish fashion we went to the grandparents’ house and sat on the roof and ate tapas. The summer air was thick with the smell of chorizo and incomprehensible Spanish voices conversing; a traffic jam in another language. I remained silent and perplexed, attempting to remove the head from my shrimp. “Allie, que dices?”

Isabel had stopped talking and was eagerly anticipating a response.

Completely unaware of the question, I mumbled my usual “Si… gracias.” Isabel chuckled. “She’s very shy,” she said in Spanish to the others. That I understood.

Me, Shy? I had created a frustrating fiasco because I was terrified of making mistakes. I realized that a month could pass and my family would never know what I was really like. It was the push I needed to break my silence. I stood up, took a deep breath and burst forth with “Pasame las gambas!”

Silence.

They seemed a little surprised that I was so emotional about the shrimp. But the relief was so wonderful that once I started to talk I could not stop. By the end of the night the family knew all about America, my school, and my family. From then on, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to place the words in the correct order as quickly and accurately as possible. Even when I made a mistake, I was glad to be corrected in order to better my Spanish. That night they taught me when to use “ese” instead of “este,” how to make grilled sardines, and that communication just isn’t that hard, no matter what language it’s in.

The last Sunday we went to their farm just outside of town. The old whitewashed terrace looked over the fields and hills, which gave way to the blue of the ocean that blended upwards into the sky. Underneath the shade of a canopy humbly constructed of several floral sheets, we laughed and relived the past month. I spoke enthusiastically and comfortably as my father cooked the traditional sardines on spits.

My mother commented on how little I spoke in the beginning compared to my ease now. I smiled.

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Allie Silver currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina where she has managed a record label for the past two years and relishes the challenge of working in Spanish every day!

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BROWN UNIVERSITY Pre-College Programs

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Rhode Island school of desIgn Summer 2013 Residential Programs HigH scHool students • RISD Pre-College:

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Experience RISD’s premier art and design education, unique studios and award-winning faculty, as well as historic Providence’s vibrant summer arts and culture scene.

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Summer SeSSion at VillanoVa uniVerSity

Earn credits toward your degree or add a minor with summer college-level courses.

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Visit parttime.villanova.edu/summer for session dates and courses.

registration begins on march 13.

Questions? Call 610-519-4300.

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ExplorE ARCHITECTURE

Drama

Jumpstart your FuTuRE Carnegie Mellon University Summer Pre-College Programs June 29 – August 9, 2013 Advanced Placement/Early Admission Fine Arts: Architecture / Art & Design / Drama / Music National High School Game Academy

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www.cmu.edu/enrollment/pre-college Office of Admission Pre-College Programs 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412.268.2082

Experience the Stanford tradition of teaching and learning

you How will

transform this summer?

Develop connections with business leaders of Silicon Valley

Explore the richness and beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area Live and learn with peers from all over the world

Stanford Summer

summer.stanford.edu June 22–August 18, 2013 summersession@stanford.edu 650.723.3109

UVM Summer University

REGISTER

NOW!

smart is... earning credits

this summer

in Vermont

Sara Psychology ‘13

UVM Summer University offers over 500 general requirement courses with credits that can transfer back to your institution—on campus or online. Earn some much-needed credit and enjoy the amazing Burlington downtown, the eclectic music scene and nearby beaches on beautiful Lake Champlain. Register today at uvm.edu/summer/visiting

CATCH UP. GET AHEAD. ONLINE. ON CAMPUS.

uvm.edu/summer/visiting

DISCOVER

June 17 – July 12, 2013

engage compose report edit IMAGINE explore empower write illuminate PRODUCE

COMMUNICATE

the world of communication

2-4 Week Workshops

Come join other high school students THIS SUMMER for a fun, professional, hands-on experience offered by American University in WASHINGTON, D.C.

Visit audiscover.org to learn more!

TAKE THE NEXT STEP!

Summer art classes held at Cranbrook Academy of Art are open to young artists ages 14-18. Study and live at one of the top-rated graduate schools in the country! To find out more about us and sign up, visit us online. Registration is open now!

www.CranbrookSummerArt.org

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER PROGRAMS Summer@Walker’s Simsbury, CT. The Ethel Walker School campus, nestled in the rolling hills of Connecticut’s Farmington Valley, bustles with activity in the summer months. Grounded in the School’s mission, Summer@Walker’s is a residential and day program with sessions running from July 8-August 2 comprised of academics, arts, riding, and sports for girl’s ages 8-16 (must be 11 years of age to board). Each summer, we welcome girls from around the country and the world.

Through our unique program, we help develop each girl’s passion for learning and interest in the world around her, giving her skills and knowledge that will set her apart from the crowd.

We offer a customizable prosummer@Walker’s gram allowing each family to create a schedule best suited to their daughter’s needs and interests. Choose between a morning activity and an afternoon activity. For an intensive summer of study, families can register for academics only or, for a light-hearted, fun summer, register only for the arts and sports. Families can opt to blend the two together, as well.

Our popular Summer Riding Experience is part of Summer@ Walker’s, open to riders of all ability levels. Riders will learn the art and etiquette of being a true equestrian. The camp is an extension of the School’s renowned equestrian program and offers a newly renovated, state-of-the-art barn, tack room, and riding ring.

Walker’s faculty, coaches, and equestrian trainers participate in Summer@Walker’s, giving girls the opportunity to experience a slice of The Ethel Walker School. Our dedicated and caring faculty help girls achieve their potential both inside and outside the classroom, on and off the fields, in and out of the riding ring, and beyond the arts.

Our residential curriculum is based on our academic year leadership curriculum, which helps young women find their voice inside their community. Rich residential life includes healthy meals, evening activities, and time to unwind together as a community, allowing girls to bond and build friendships that last a lifetime. Professional tutoring geared towards improving study skills and test taking is also available in the evenings.

For girls registering for more than one week of residential programs, Summer@ Walker’s includes weekend excursions chaperoned by our faculty. Trips are planned to New York City, Boston, and Newport, Rhode Island where girls will stay in city centers, visit museums, embark on historical tours, and tour prestigious universities.

To learn more, please visit us at ethelwalker.org/summer or contact our Director of Summer Programs at summer@ethelwalker.org.

Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School Exeter, NH Every summer, Phillips Exeter Academy welcomes to campus more than 780 students for five weeks of academic study, athletics, and exploration that carry participants far beyond the classrooms and the playing fields.

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Typically, students come from more than 40 states, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and several dozen foreign nations. Together they embody a rich diversity of language, culture, religion, and race. They come to Exeter with that particular mix of intellectual curiosity and adventurous spirit that holds the promise of glimpsing new horizons and making new discoveries.

The UPPER SCHOOL offers a challenging academic experience for students who have completed grades 9, 10, 11, or 12. As an UPPER SCHOOL student, you will be part of a richly international community in which students design their own programs of study by selecting courses from the more than 100 offered by the Academy. In shaping your own academic program, you have an opportunity to expand your intellectual horizons. Perhaps, you’ll want to strengthen your background in mathematics or science? Or, you’ll want to try your hand at the potter’s wheel or learn the fundamentals of architecture; maybe you’ll try a new language: Arabic or Chinese. Or maybe you’ll want to step onto the stage or help design lighting or sets for dramatic productions. Your course selections should include a Harkness class, a course rooted in seminar discussions in which students engage one another in thoughtful, deliberative discourse. As you select your three classes, we encourage you to venture into worlds rich in their personal appeal, worlds that may allow you to glimpse new horizons.

ACCESS EXETER offers students who have completed grades 7 or 8 access to a wide range of resources available at Phillips Exeter Academy.

As participants you will share in a partnership of cooperative learning and sharpen your skills of observation and expression. The ACCESS EXETER curriculum consists of six academic clusters. Each cluster consists of three courses organized around a central theme. Each cluster will include an off-campus trip related to the topic of study midway through the session. You’ll choose to participate in one of six clusters: Project Exeter: A Greener Earth; The Land and the Sea; Problem-Solving: An Odyssey of the Mind; A Global Community; The Creative Arts: Let Your Spirit Soar; Exeter C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation.

The Summer School grants students great freedom in defining their own programs of study. They will work with highly experienced, dedicated teachers and have full access to the Academy campus, including Phelps Science Center, the Fisher Theater, PhilliPs exeter academy summer school the Forrestal-Bowld Music Center, Love Gymnasium (a complex of swimming pools, fitness centers, and basketball and squash courts) and The Class of 1945 Library (the largest secondary school library in the world).

If you are a serious student, intellectually curious, creative, eager to embrace new challenges and opportunities, then Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School may be a program for you.

Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School: 20 Main Street, Exeter, NH. Phone: 603/777-3488; Fax: 603/777-4385. Website: www.exeter.edu/summer; Email: summer@exeter.edu.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Kimball Union Academy Meriden, N.H. As a traditional boarding school in a spectacular country setting, Kimball Union Academy has been preparing and inspiring students to achieve excellence since 1813. KUA integrates a strong college preparatory curriculum with an innovative 21st century academic program and cutting-edge technology. Small classes taught by a first-class faculty lay the groundwork for students in grades 9-12 and post- graduate to become lifelong learners who are intellectually curious and creative in their approach.

During the summer, we welcome students from all over the world to our beautiful 1300-acre campus, just twenty minutes from Dartmouth College in the picturesque village of Meriden, NH. While our mission to prepare students for the challenges of tomorrow’s world remains steadfast, our approach during the summer is decidedly more light-hearted, understanding that summer is a time when learning must mix with fun. Our state-of-the-art facilities include classrooms outfitted with kimball union academy the latest technology, a beautiful theatre, arts studios, a welcoming Campus Center and Dining Commons, as well as comfortable residence halls. Our beautiful campus offers a myriad of opportunity for outdoor fun, including tennis courts, turf fields, and hiking and biking trails. Our location in one of Northern New England’s most popular vacation destinations, makes it easy to provide participants with plenty of afternoon and weekend adventures.

Kimball Union partners with Dartmouth College’s Rassias Institute to help students of all ability levels learn to speak French, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish, or dramatically improve their fluency through the renowned Accelerated Learning Program (ALPs). Based on the premise that students learn best when they are active, highly-trained teachers lead them in activities, drills, songs, and stories designed to build language skills and cultural fluency – all while having fun! From learning to bake with professional chefs, re-enacting the storming of the Bastille, or a foreign movie night – this is no ordinary language immersion program.

When students look forward to the activities of the next day and the variety of friends they have met, the language learning is non-stop and the door to international friendships is wide open. Students ages 11-17 may choose from one of two sessions with a travel option linking the two.

We also offer our popular Girls’ Leadership Camp on campus each summer. This unique and transformational pre-high school summer program inspires girls entering 6th to 9th grades to reach their full potential by promoting assertive self-expression, teaching important life skills, and allowing for practice of leadership in a variety of settings. With a strong emphasis on setting goals to achieve as members of the community, school, and home, this camp will provide the tools necessary to empower young women to have a successful and rewarding year!

Kimball Union is just four and a half hours from New York City and two hours from Hartford, CT by car. Nearby bus, train, and plane terminals also link the area directly.

For more information on all of Kimball Union’s summer programs, visit www.kua.org/summer.

The Summer Art Institute at Cranbrook Bloomfield Hills, MI. Cranbrook, which combines some of the country’s greatest artistic and architectural treasures on a campus of remarkable beauty, is the ideal place for your summer studies. Now in our tenth year, the Summer Art Institute simulates the college experience by utilizing the rich resources available at Cranbrook Academy of Art — one of the most innovative graduate schools in the United States for fine art, design and architecture. A broad selection of courses taught by Academy artists and alumni offers the perfect opportunity to explore the studio arts.

We specialize in providing individual attention and innovative instruction, accommodating students of all levels from beginning to very advanced.

All 22 courses we offer take place in the Academy’s art studios, featuring demonstrations and instruction by practicing artists and designers. Classes include fashion design, food art, photography (darkroom, digital and alternative), comics, portfolio design, architecture, figure drawing, and much more.

What is great about Cranbrook?

Location: We are located at the heart of the landmark Cranbrook Educational Community on the beautiful campus of Cranbrook Academy of Art, which is fifteen miles north of Detroit, Michigan. The grounds are resplendent with inspiring art and architecture created by some of the world’s most famous artists and architects of the modern era including a campus designed by Eliel Saarinen.

Instructors: Graduate students and alumni of Cranbrook Academy of Art lead all classes. Academy-trained artists have attended one of the country’s most respected MFA graduate programs in fine art, architecture and design.

Individual attention: We deliberately keep the program smaller than others so this can be a personalized program. The average staff-to-student ratio is 1:7. Instructors have time in each day to connect one-on-one with each young artist.

Exhibition: Each session culminates in an exhibition of student work in Cranbrook Academy of Art’s Forum Gallery. Family members and the general public are invited to a reception to celebrate the accomplishments of each student.

Diverse friendships: Students from all over the world and across the United States attend the Summer Art Institute. In 2012, students from 13 countries and 14 states attended.

Students in the residential program enjoy an extended studio art experience as well as evening events and programs. Benefits include: Extended studio time. Residents have the option to return to the studios each evening for extra time to work on class or independent projects.

Activities. Students can take advantage of the many programs and facilities on campus, including hikes through the natural wonders of the 330-acre campus, use of the swimming pool, tennis courts, sports fields and a gym, movie nights, and evening programming at the Cranbrook Institute of Science’s planetarium. We also take field trips each day of the weekend, which typically include visits to a waterpark, the Detroit Institute of Art, the Detroit Zoo, and cultural events.

Boarding is offered in Session 1 (June 24 to July 12) Session 2 (July 15 to August 2), and Session 3 (August 5 - 23).

To get more information and to register, visit www.CranbrookSummerArt.org.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Cheshire Academy Cheshire, CT. For more than 200 years, Cheshire Academy has been dedicated to an individualized approach to education and character development that places the student always at the center of the learning process. All aspects of campus life are designed to reflect the school values known as the Eight Pillars of Bowden: respect, responsibility, caring, citizenship, civility, maturity, fairness, and trustworthiness. The coeducational curriculum features boarding and day options for domestic and international students from grade eight through a postgraduate year. The average class size is 12 and the student/teacher ratio is seven to one. In addition to a wide range of AP and Honors classes, Cheshire Academy offers the International Baccalaureate® Diploma Programme. The Roxbury Academic Support Program helps students gain experience and build confidence in study, organizational, and time management skills that will serve them well in college and beyond. A strong academic program is complemented by offerings in athletics, visual and performing arts, and community service. Community Weekcheshire academy ends help students create lifelong friendships, learn about the world beyond the classroom, and prepare to take their places as global learners. The college counseling office begins working with students early in their high school years, so that their search process focuses on the colleges and universities that are best suited to what they hope to achieve in life.

One of Cheshire Academy’s signature programs is ACCESS CHESHIRE, a summer exploration and enrichment program of accelerated study in the arts and sciences for intellectually curious and motivated students grades 7 to 11. Students enroll in one of six themed clusters: Cheshire CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Future Earth: A Green Planet; Festival of China; Into Thin Air: Testing the Limits; Media and the Arts, and, for language learners, ESL: A Language-Immersion Program for Non-Native Speakers of English. Featured courses in the clusters include forensic science, physics, introductory Mandarin, ropes course, physiology and anatomy, sustainable food, architecture, electronic music, ceramics, songwriting, filmmaking, digital photography, and adventure literature. Wednesday afternoon field trips highlight local sites and resources related to cluster themes. Sports include fencing, soccer, swimming, basketball, cross-country, yoga, dance and tennis. Boarding and day students enjoy a wide variety of weekend events and activities including a weekend trip to Boston to visit the New England Aquarium, Faneuil Hall, Harvard, MIT, a theatrical performance, and a dinner cruise on The Spirit of Boston. 2013 session is July 6 to August 4.

The cost is $5295 for boarding and $3995 for day. The four-week program offers students the chance to explore interests, try something new, create and dream, and develop confidence with students from around the world.

As one student wrote, “It was the best four weeks of my life!”

For more information on admission to Cheshire Academy, please contact the Admission Office at 203-439-7250 or admissions@cheshireacademy. org. For specific information on ACCESS CHESHIRE, please contact Diane Cook at 203-439-7400 or diane.cook@cheshireacademy.org. You can also visit www.cheshireacademy.org or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Cheshire Academy: 10 Main Street, Cheshire, Connecticut. Head of School: Dr. Jerry Larson. Admission: 203-439-7250; ACCESS CHESHIRE: 203-439-7400. www.cheshireacademy.org.

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Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Consider spending six weeks – from June 29 – August 9, 2013 – this summer at Carnegie Mellon University.

Carnegie Mellon is a birthplace of innovation that brings groundbreaking ideas to market. With award-winning faculty members renowned for working closely with students to solve major scientific, technological and societal challenges, this global university’s emphasis is on creating things – from art to robots.

Attend one of Carnegie Mellon’s six distinct summer Pre-College programs that provide rising juniors and seniors the opportunity to explore and prepare for study at the college level.

In the Advanced Placement Early Admission (APEA) Program, college credits can be earned in the courses of your choice – chemistry, psychology, modern languages, engineering, robotics and more. The credits may be applied toward a Carnegie Mellon degree or transferred to another institution.

The Pre-College Architecture Program goes beyond just building designs. It’s an opportunity for students to look at the effect of architecture in its environment and includes a classroom and studio component and field trips in the Pittsburgh area.

The Pre-College Art & Design Program introduces students to the undergraduate curriculum of the Schools of Art and Design. With a variety of courses to choose from, a group dynamic is encouraged in all studios so students can learn in an environment of spirited discussion, shared ideas and positive criticism.

The Pre-College Drama Program is more than just performing on stage with three professional training program options: music theatre, design/technical production and acting. The program focuses on the exploration of a conservatory training program with an emphasis on creativity, craft and discipline.

The Pre-College Music Program offers a unique taste of the life as a Carnegie Mellon student musician. Each student follows an individualized schedule designed to meet specific needs and interests, including private study with outstanding studio teachers, introduction to state-ofthe-art music technology and numerous performance opportunities.

The National High School Game Academy (NHSGA) explores the video game industry and the skills needed to be successful. Through hands-on experience, the NHSGA allows students to merge art and technology to learn interactive, digital game development.

Carnegie Mellon’s summer Pre-College Program will expose you to all aspects of real college life – in and out of the classroom.

There are activities throughout the summer that take place on-campus and in the city of Pittsburgh. From baseball games to Broadway shows, there’s never a dull moment.

And learning to live like a real college student is part of the experience.

Whether you choose to commute or stay in a residence hall, you may find your new best friend in someone from across the globe or master the skill of doing your own laundry – or both.

No matter what your academic focus is, if you choose Carnegie Mellon’s summer Pre-College Program you will receive a dynamic educational experience, grow as an individual, and be better prepared for what’s still to come. www.cmu.edu/enrollment/pre-college www.facebook.com/CarnegieMellonPreCollege.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE American University: Discover the World of Communication: Innovation. Excellence. Impact.

American University offers high school students an extraordinary opportunity to explore the field of communication in a dynamic university setting through participation in two-, three-, or four-week workshops in the School of Communication’s Discover the World of Communication summer program. Students entering grades 9 through 12 have the opportunity to build a portfolio of photographs, shoot a film, write a news story like a pro, speak with confidence, or lobby for the environment. American University School of american university Communication faculty and experts in the communication field teach each of our 32 professional, hands-on workshops.

Topics include Directing for the Camera, Backpack Journalism, International Communication, Video Game Design, and many more.

Program participants use our nation’s capital as their laboratory for innovation, excellence and impact. By experiencing major media outlets, including NPR, NBC, ABC and Fox, first hand students also encounter a wealth of cultural as well as communication opportunities outside of class time at the National Zoo, Newseum, National Cathedral, Smithsonian Museums, a baseball game at Nationals Park, and a WNBA game at the Verizon Center.

In 2012, more than 500 students from 40 states and 16 countries participated in the program—some as commuters, and some as campus residents. Students who choose to stay on campus at American University will live in Hughes Hall in double-occupancy rooms, with a resident and teaching assistant on site. Each air conditioned room contains two twin-size beds (linens included), two desks and chairs, and two secure closets. Students living on campus must register for both a morning and afternoon workshop, while commuters may choose morning, afternoon, or both.

Summer 2013 workshops run from June 17-July 12. All participants receive a copy of the work they produce, a certificate, and an evaluation at the culmination of the program. Course fees include supplies and materials, except where noted. Program fees cover housing, dining, and after-hours and weekend activities. All fees are payable at time of registration, unless prior arrangements have been made with the program director. Fees are processed through Student Accounts and are subject to any penalties levied by that office.

For more information on our courses, programming, faculty and DWC in the Wild: Yellowstone/Grand Teton, and to download a reservation form, visit american.edu/soc/discover/. Questions? Contact Sarah Menke-Fish, program director, at 202-885-2098 or audiscover@gmail.com.

University of Chicago Summer Session Chicago, IL. The University of Chicago prides itself on priming thinkers to tackle big problems with originality and verve. No wonder, then, that more than 85 Nobel Prize winners have been associated with the university, along with scores of other movers and shakers who are continuing to shape contemporary life and thought in science, economics, politics, culture, and other arenas. During the summer, selected high school students from around the world become a part of this tradition through the Summer Programs for High School Students.

You can take undergraduate courses alongside current UChicago students, or delve into a topic in-depth and hands-on in one of our programs created especially for high-achieving high school students. No matter the program, every offering is taught at the undergraduate level and in an intensive format which covers the usual 10-week quarter’s worth of material in 3-6 weeks. In the undergraduate courses, you can study a number of subjects, such as economics, biology, human rights, art history, philosophy, and many classical and modern languages. In the high school student only programs, traditional coursework combines with unique hands-on experiences. For instance, in Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS), students spend up to seven hours a day at the bench learning the latest laboratory techniques used in molecular, cellular, and microbiology. Stones and Bones’ fossil hunters go behind the scenes at Chicago’s Field Museum to study geology and evolutionary biology, travel to Wyoming to experience life in the field, and then return to Chicago to learn how to conserve and analyze their finds. Traveling Academy students journey to Greece to explore its classical plays together with the temples, marketplaces, and theaters that gave them meaning. Last but not least, Insight students can choose from 11 different opportunities in experiential learning: American Law and Litigation; Ancient Egyptian Language, Culture, and History; Biotechnology for the 21st Century; Creative Writing; Collegiate Writing: Art and Meaning; Contagion: Infectious Agents university of chicago and Emerging Diseases; Developmental summer session Psychology; Field Studies in Urban Society; Getting to Green: The Business Case for Sustainability; The Physics of Stars; and The Science Behind the Headlines: Extreme Weather, Climate Change, and Natural Hazards.

Living on campus provides you with easy access to University facilities as well as opportunities to enjoy the company of your fellow students and the city as a whole. Students are housed in the South Campus Residence Hall, a modern, air-conditioned facility with its own dedicated dining hall, wireless access throughout the building, music practice rooms, and other fine amenities. Chicago comes alive in the summer with numerous outdoor festivals and celebrations.

You can enjoy the lakefront beaches and bike or jogging paths by day and the concert scene by night, as well as a host of other performances, museums, and cultural opportunities. Our residential staff are UChicago graduate and undergraduate students who know the city and the university well, and are on hand 24/7 to help you get the most out of your experience, both through planned activities and sound advice.

For information contact: Stephanie Friedman, 773/702-5012; Email: summerhs@uchicago.edu; www.summer.uchicago.edu.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Summer Discovery & Discovery Internships

Summer Discovery & Discovery Internships Programs provide well-supervised Pre-College Enrichment and High School Summer Internship programs in collaboration with world-class universities in the USA and abroad. For students completing grades 9 through 12, and ranging from 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 weeks (depending on program/location). Tuition: $3,500 - $11,000.

Phone: 516/621-3939.

Summer Discovery Pre-College Enrichment Programs – Summer Discovery offers 10 distinct credit and/or enrichment programs that successfully introduce high school students to the college experience @ - UCLA - UC Santa Barbara - University of Michigan - Georgetown University - Emerson College, Boston - University of Pennsylvania - Cambridge University & London, England - Barcelona & Madrid, Spain - Florence, Italy - Shanghai & Beijing, China Summer Discovery also means business: Intensive 3 - 4 week Business Institutes at Boston, Michigan, UCLA and London. www.summerdiscovery.com.

College Discovery Boston is a unique 2-week campus-based college admissions program including SAT Prep by The Princeton Review, focused college/university visits, essay writing workshops, and preparing a personal admissions portfolio. For students completing grades 10 and 11. Tuition: $3,999. www.summerdiscovery.com/emerson-boston/college-discovery.

Discovery Internships helps motivated high school students stand out through customized internships located in four of the greatest cities in the world in over 25 industries: - New York City @ NYU - Boston @ Emerson College - Los Angeles @ UCLA - London @ Nido Spitalfields As an intern you will spend 4 weeks living in a residence hall with other students from around the world while exploring a career interest; gain a competitive advantage in the college admissions process; learn about a career path and refine career interests. Plus, summer discovery receive college credit from NYU and spend the summer living in an amazing city. Tuition: $3,800 - $8,000. www.discoveryinternships.com Jr. Discovery Middle School Enrichment Programs – “Camp on campus, where learning is fun” is a 3-week enrichment program for students completing 6th, 7th, and 8th grades at UCLA in suburban Los Angeles or Georgetown University in Washington DC. These programs feature the “Skills for Mind and Body” curriculum where students choose from over 30 interactive workshops in the performing arts, fine arts, humanities, writing, study skills, recreation, sports and more. Tuition: $2,800 - $5,600. www.jrdiscovery.com.

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Pre-College Program at Skidmore College: Summer 2013 Saratoga Springs, NY Try College On Before Taking College On How can you anticipate what you haven’t yet experienced? Skidmore’s prestigious Pre-College Program in the Liberal and Studio Arts has been preparing talented high school students for college success for more than forty years. High-achieving sophomores, juniors, and seniors from across the country and around the world travel to our Saratoga Springs campus each summer to take part in Skidmore’s five-week Pre-College Program.

Students engage in college-level study in the liberal and studio arts amid a beautiful upstate New York campus setting.

Prepare for College Success In Skidmore’s Pre-College Program, high school students earn college credit while studying alongside college students. They work with Skidmore’s nationally recognized faculty and visiting artists and enjoy access to the College’s state-ofthe-art facilities and resources.

Do your interests range from math to studio art, psychology to English, economics to religion? Skidmore’s unique curriculum allows students to take either two liberal arts courses, Pre-college Program at skidmore college two studio art courses, or one of each. Choose a class in an area where your strengths lie, or delve into an unexplored subject to challenge your perceptions and discover new fields of knowledge.

Live and Learn at Skidmore At Skidmore, high school students can imagine their futures while living together, cultivating new friendships, and discovering the right balance between work and fun. A carefully selected and trained residential staff lives with Pre-College students in their own private residence hall.

The residential life program, designed to support and complement academic and artistic endeavors, ensures that students’ social lives are every bit as exhilarating as their intellectual lives.

Skidmore College is a highly selective, independent liberal arts college known for outstanding academics, a rich co-curricular life, and its historic resort town setting. On Skidmore’s lively summer campus Pre-College students not only learn together with high school peers and college students, but have the chance to meet visiting students and participants from other programs as well. They are invited to take active part in the special workshops, visiting artist lectures, and gallery talks sponsored by Skidmore’s Summer Studio Art Program and the nightly readings by renowned writers of the New York State Summer Writers Institute. Skidmore’s summer campus hosts many other concerts, lectures, events, and weekend activities, and just off campus is downtown Saratoga Springs’ dynamic cultural and arts scene.

Find out for yourself why Skidmore Pre-College alumni describe the program as challenging, fun, enlightening, life-changing, mind-altering, motivational, experimental, adventurous, to name just a few. Come spend July with us and discover your future.

Skidmore Pre-College Program, Saratoga Springs, NY www.skidmore.edu/pre-college.

Creative Thought Matters. avon old farms school

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Pre-College Summer Enrichment Programs at WPI Worcester, MA.

Emory Pre-College Program Atlanta, GA.

What are you doing this summer? How about spending a few weeks on a classic New England campus with its beautiful architecture, picturesque landscape, and ivy-covered walls? WPI is the kind of place where you can’t help but feel inspired. Explore new subjects and get hands-on experience in science, engineering, and technology using our cutting-edge equipment and labs. Connect with other students who are just like you, and have fun.

At WPI, we believe in the power of our students to make an impact Our undergraduates do much more than study science and technology in the classroom and lab. They delve into the arts and humanities and complete projects destined to make a difference in the world. As one of the nation’s first technological universities, founded in 1865, our curriculum, like our students, continues to be both innovative and practical. Small classes, flexibility, and one-on-one interaction with professors at the top of their fields make learning at WPI an experience unlike any other.

Our goal is to give you a taste of the WPI experience and leave you wanting more Frontiers, WPI’s flagship summer program, offers rising juniors and seniors a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Imagine spending the summer splicing DNA or designing a robot. Or creating your own multimedia web pages, investigating interplanetary travel, or exploring flight.

Choose from a wide range of areas of study: Aerospace engineering Biology and biotechnology Biomedical engineering Chemistry/biochemistry Computer science Mathematics Mechanical engineering Physics Robotics WPi Women’s Leadership Civil and environmental engineering Environmental and sustainability studies Interactive media and game development Dive into the arts as well Rounding out the academic experience are Humanities and Arts workshops in areas such as writing, art, music, speech, history, digital painting, cinematic storytelling, international studies, law, psychology, and theatre.

A full schedule of activities, including evening workshops, field trips, movies, live performances, and just-for-fun evening activities will ensure that your stay at WPI is more than just an academic experience. This two-week residential program for juniors and seniors gives you an excellent opportunity to meet the current WPI students who serve as program leaders and interact with other participants from across the nation and around the globe.

To learn more about the program or to apply, visit www.wpi.edu/+frontiers.

WPI Summer Programs also offers a wide variety of day and overnight experiences that focus on engineering, leadership for young women, game design, entrepreneurship, sports, and more. Middle school as well as high school students will find enjoyment—and learning—in these creative, enriching, and challenging topics.

Learn more at go.wpi.edu/summer.

100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA.

The Emory Pre-College Program, a summer academic program for high school students, is now accepting applications. The program gives college-bound rising juniors and rising seniors an exciting glimpse of academic and residential life at Emory. High school students may explore topics with professors who are the leading experts in their fields,

emory Pre-college Program

enroll in classes with college students, and earn transferable college credit. Two-week non-credit courses, and six-week credit courses are available. Emory Pre-College students live together in a dorm on campus or within commuting distance with their families and participate in a variety of programs, activities, and excursions designed to prepare them for college life.

Students will enjoy the beautiful, tree-lined Emory campus and its outstanding facilities, meet new people and make lifelong friends. Students come from all across the U.S. and the world. Ranked #20 by U.S. News and World Report and #15 by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for best values among private universities, Emory University offers a small liberal arts college environment within a major research university.

Classes for 2013 include Neuroscience of Technology, Experimental Economics, Writing the Personal Essay, Evolutionary Biology, Psychology of Creativity, Infectious Diseases, Law and Litigation and many others. The courtesy scholarship may apply to the six-week program.

Limited financial aid is also available.

Here’s What Students are Saying About the Emory Pre-College Program: “It is an ideal trial of what being in college is really like.”

“I really enjoyed taking a Pre-College Course at Emory. It was a very valuable experience for me. I was able to experience what a college class was truly like, and also got a feel for campus life. Emory really has a beautiful campus.”

“On a scale of 1 to 10, my Pre-College experience was an 11!”

“The best two weeks of my life.”

“An amazing experience. I’m a much better writer than I was before and now I know what a college class is like, and how much you’re on your own in college.”

For more information and an application, visit www.precollege.emory. edu. Have a question? Email precollege@emory.edu or call 404-727-3351.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE University of Dallas –Summer Programs in Rome

It makes sense that the University of Dallas would offer Latin in Rome for advanced high school Latin students at Due Santi, its campus amidst the hill towns just south of Rome, complete with a vineyard, olive grove, pool, and soccer field. But a course on Shakespeare? “Absolutely,” responds Dr. Gregory Roper, associate professor of English and director of Shakespeare in Italy, UD’s other summer Rome program. “The Bard was fascinated by Italy, setting one-third of his plays there, as during his lifetime its great cities were the centers of European cultural and intellectual life. Young Englishmen traveled to Italy to complete their educations. Indeed, a ‘Gulielmus Stratfordus’—that William from Stratford?—stayed at the English College in Rome in the 1580s, during the period of Shakespeare’s youth, ‘the lost years,’ when we have no record of him in England. Thus, since 1994, we’ve been bringing students to Italy, to study Shakespeare’s plays in the cities that inspired him, just as Dr. David Sweet of UD’s Classics department has been bringing students to Rome university of dallas –summer Programs in rome to study Latin authors.”

Rising high school juniors and seniors and recent graduates attending Shakespeare in Italy (July 10-27) or Latin in Rome (July 10-31) earn three hours of college credit. Shakespeare students study three Italian plays: Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice, and The Taming of the Shrew, and— save for a four-day trip to Venice and Padua—tour Rome most every morning. Says Roper, “These cities become another classroom, another place for students to delight in beauty and pursue wisdom, just as they do back on campus reading Shakespeare.” He and Dr. Andrew Moran, the assistant director, will be joined by doctoral students who assist them in leading small group discussions and writing tutorials. According to Moran, “the program helps students preparing for college emerge as sharper readers and more polished writers. Our bucolic campus is ideal for relaxing and making friends with peers from all over the country but also enables us to pursue ambitious academic goals.”

Likewise, their study of Cicero, Vergil, Pliny, and Horace helps Latin in Rome students see the city with keener eyes and mature as Latinists. A four-day trip to the Bay of Naples then brings Latin students to important (and beautiful) sites for their authors.

Sweet, Roper, and Moran have all lived in Rome and know the city well. “Having fallen in love with Italy,” Moran explains, “it’s a joy to return in the summers, and a greater joy to share our love of the country, and of Shakespeare, with our students.”

Clare Daly (SII 2006) happily remembers the connection between study and life in Italy: “I knew I would come away from Shakespeare in Italy with special knowledge of Rome and Venice, having approached the cities from the unique angle of Shakespeare’s plays set there. I really loved the Venice trip, from the free time to walk around Padua where our hotel was, to the gorgeous view of Venice from the top of the San Giorgio bell tower, to reading Shylock’s big speech in the Jewish ghetto where he would have lived.”

Contact information: udallas.edu/travel udsummer@udallas.edu; 972-721-5181.

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Hartwick College’s Summer College for High School Students Oneonta, NY High school students can make great strides toward college and their future in just three weeks this summer. Hartwick College’s Summer College for High School Students is designed to give talented teens (ages 16 to 18) the opportunity to study with college professors, earn college credit, and enjoy an on-campus experience in the beautiful foothills of the Catskill Mountains. It will be an enriching, resume-building, and potentially life-changing summer experience.

Is your college-bound child considering a career in science or medicine? Summer study with Hartwick College Biology Professor AJ Russo will give her or him insight into groundbreaking research. Students in Russo’s Biology Research course will help design and conduct experiments using biomarkers to help better understand neurobehavioral disorders such as autism and ADHD. Dr. Russo is a noted expert in the field and editor of the journal Autism Insights.

Was your high schooler born to the stage? Then get him or her into Hartwick’s Performance Workshop course with Professor Malissa KanoWhite. A professional director, playwright and theatre educator, KanoWhite has worked across the country in theatre for young audiences.

Her Summer College students will perform their way through personal discovery, imagination, self-expression, and creative growth.

If your teenager loves to write, this is his or her chance to delve into the art and hone the craft. In the Hartwick Summer College course Introduction to Creative Writing with English Professor Brent Delanoy, your student will have opportunities to develop a portfolio of work that he or she will be proud to show prospective colleges. Delanoy is the winner of the 2008 A. E. Coppard Prize for his novella, Benediction.

Do you have a music lover in the family – as an instrumentalist, singer, or listener? If so, he or she will love Hartwick’s Dynamics of Music class with Dr. Jason Curley. Professor Curley is a professional musician (French horn) and conductor renowned for his dynamic approach to teaching and learning. The Director hartWick college’s summer college of Instrumental Music for high school students at Hartwick College, last year Curley served as Interim Director of the College Choir.

If art and technology fascinate your teen, she or he may be ready for Hartwick’s Summer College digital media course, Introduction to Animation & Video, with Professor Joseph Von Stengel. Students will explore the creative use of “time” through animation and video and learn to create and animate their own videos using Quicktime Pro, iMovie, and Final Cut Express. Von Stengel is the head of the Digital Art & Design area of Hartwick College’s Art and Art History Department.

Plan ahead and arrange to join your teenager at the end of their first college experience – at Student Showcase they will share what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown in just a few weeks at Hartwick College.

For further information, contact: Rachel Stevenson, Director of Summer College, Manager of Special Events 607.431.4022 summercollege@hartwick.edu; www.hartwick.edu/summercollege.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Live and Learn Art at SMFA’s Pre-College Summer Studio Boston, MA Natural talent or a spark of interest is often what gives a young person his or her start as an artist. Fueling that passion for the fine arts with a wide breadth of artistic, cultural and social opportunities allows an artist to grow and excel as a creative individual. The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (SMFA) has a mission and reputation for providing interdisciplinary, self-directed and evolving education in the fine arts, and its Pre-College Summer Studio offers a sample of this education to rising high school juniors and seniors.

Through a rigorous four-week program focused on making, sharing and living art, SMFA grants high school students the opportunity to immerse themselves in an artists’ community.

Students are exposed to studio art in numerous disciplines through intensive classes culminating in the installation of a final exhibition. Emphases on conceptual thinking, problem solving and critique help students develop solid foundations for their education and beyond; one-on-one guidance smfa in portfolio building, careers in the arts and the college application process round out the program.

“Summer Studio is a unique and very comprehensive experience. Students have some flexibility to build their own path of study, choosing a focus within the curriculum that encompasses a variety of techniques and concepts in 2D, 3D/4D and digital studio,” explains Program Coordinator Katherine Mitchell. “In this diverse environment, young artists can explore the world around them, igniting their creative passion and guiding them toward independence as people and artists.”

Home to more than 60 colleges and universities amid a thriving arts and culture scene, Boston is the perfect place to learn and be inspired.

Summer Studio participants experience a taste of college life on SMFA’s campus, located a short walk from Fenway Park and a subway ride away from historic Boston Common. Additionally, SMFA is one of only three art schools in the U.S. affiliated with a major museum—the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA). Students benefit from unprecedented access to the MFA’s permanent collections along with presentations by Museum professionals and behind-the-scenes tours of special collections.

Whether or not students are looking to apply to art school, they will leave with a strong portfolio of work reviewed by our Admissions representatives. Students who successfully complete the program may receive up to four college credits and a potential scholarship for SMFA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program.

“The Pre-College program allowed me to find a community of artists and support that I didn’t think existed, as well as to have time to myself while I considered how I wanted to continue with art,” says Ximena Izquierdo, who attended Summer Studio in 2009 and is now a third-year BFA student at SMFA. “Last summer I worked as a Resident Assistant for the program and it was truly wonderful to meet so many excited minds and be inspired by their ideas and experiences.”

For more information, please visit www.smfa.edu/pc2013 or call 617/369-3643.

University of Vermont Summer Academy Burlington, VT. Kick Start College Success for your High School Student!

Put your high school student on the path to success at the University of Vermont (UVM) this summer! Set on a hilltop overlooking the shores of Lake Champlain, at the foot of the Green Mountains, UVM offers high school students a beautiful setting to experience college up-close while earning college credits. The new Summer Academy, which runs July 15-August 9, 2013, expands the possibilities for high school students eager to live and learn in a university setting, all before earning their high school diploma.

“It’s the ideal way for students to get a head start on college,” says Beth Wiser, director of admissions at UVM. “Successful students can earn three college credits, which they may use toward their degree upon their admission and enrollment at UVM, or transfer to almost any college or university.”

High school students have a unique opportunity to engage with UVM faculty and benefit from UVM’s state-of-the-art resources. Summer Academy offers five courses: business and economics, engineering and design, human health and medicine, environment and natural resources, and leadership and activism. Students in engineering and health courses will have access to the Fabrication Lab at UVM and the Clinical Simulation Lab at the College of Medicine.

“I loved meeting students from other states and learning more about UVM. I was interested in science, so I took an Anatomy course and it was great to be able to meet and hang out with other people interested in the same things as me,” said Erin Rudiak, Pre-College Program participant, Summer 2012.

Summer Academy is made university of vermont summer academy up of two weeks of on-campus learning (July 15-26) and two weeks of online learning (July 29-August 9). Students are required to participate in the residential program. While on campus, students may take advantage of series of workshops designed to help them learn about college choices, better understand the admissions process, and prepare for success.

Students who have completed their sophomore or junior year are eligible for the Summer Academy. Out-of-state students, who successfully complete Summer Academy courses with a B- or better and go on to enroll at UVM as a degree student, are eligible to receive a $1,000 annual scholarship in addition to any other financial aid that they receive.

Coursework will challenge students to study locally, while thinking globally. And there’s the added benefit of living in Burlington, Vermont in the summer, a town highlighted on Unigo’s college review site and published in the Huffington Post as one of The Best Places To Go To College, having, “one of the most breath-taking backdrops of any college.”

UVM’s stellar academics and ideal location make it the perfect place to kick start your child’s college success. The application is open now with a priority deadline of April 1, 2013.

For more information, please visit: www.uvm.edu/summer/precollege.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Give Your College Student an Academic Summer Experience!

Keep your college student on the path to graduating on time at the University of Vermont (UVM) this summer! Set on a hill overlooking the shores of Lake Champlain, at the foot of the Green Mountains, UVM offers visiting college students a beautiful setting to gain credit toward their degree. Summer University, which runs May to university of vermont mid-August, expands the possibilities for college students looking to catch up or get ahead.

“It’s the ideal way for students to make an academic use of one of the best seasons in Vermont,” says Cynthia Belliveau, dean of Summer University at UVM. “Successful students can earn college credits, which they may transfer to their home institution to make progress on their degree. The quality of UVM courses should prove transferable to any institution.”

Visiting college students have a unique opportunity to engage with UVM faculty and benefit from UVM’s state-of-the-art resources. Summer University offers over 500 courses on campus, online, traveling abroad and around the state. Science courses may include access to the Clinical Simulation Lab at the College of Medicine, while engineering courses make use of the Fabrication Lab in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. Many courses take advantage of Burlington, Lake Champlain or the campus as part of their classroom, allowing students to enjoy learning in UVM’s exceptional surroundings.

“I loved getting one of my hardest lab science classes out of the way during summer,” said Evan Morehouse, Summer University student, Summer 2012. “I knew tackling it without the burden of an entire semester’s worth of credits was the way to go for me to get the best grade.”

Summer University is not just one semester. Courses begin in May and each month thereafter. Courses can be 4-12 weeks in duration, offering a wide variety of choices for students looking to balance family vacations, jobs and downtime during the summer. With over 200 courses online, students can gain UVM credits from wherever they and their laptops are this summer.

Students taking at least three credits on campus for Summer University are eligible for the five nights of free housing in campus residence halls.

There’s the added benefit of living in Burlington in the summer, a town reviewed by Unigo’s college review site and published in the Huffington Post as one of The Best Places To Go To College having, “one of the most breath-taking backdrops of any college.” UVM’s stellar academics and ideal location make it the perfect place to help your child make progress in their degree. The registration period is open now.

For more information, please visit: www.uvm.edu/summer/visiting.

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Pre-College Programs at Brown University: Summer 2013 Providence, RI A True Residential College Experience Summer@Brown attracts serious college-bound students from around the world. As a student, you’ll live in a Brown University residence hall, eat at a Brown dining hall, and join your fellow students on The College Green—just as you would if you were a Brown undergraduate. You will be surrounded by peers from diverse backgrounds and cultures—all sharing a passion for high-level academics and a desire to succeed at a selective institution like Brown University. A student who completes a Summer@Brown course is better prepared, more confident, and better positioned to succeed during one of the biggest transitions of his or her life: the move to college.

Photo by karl dominey

Brown University: 250 Years of Academic Excellence Brown is known in the Ivy League for an innovative open curriculum that challenges students to be actively engaged in their own intellectual development. Summer@Brown is an opportunity to explore this stimulating learning environment. Academics are at the program’s core, with more than 250 courses in one- to seven-week sessions. Dive deeper into a subject you love or a new area of learning you may never have considered. You will face exciting challenges and accomplish more than you can imagine.

Come to Summer@Brown to prepare for college success and experience life in the Ivy League.

Brown University Continuing Education, Providence, Rhode Island. www.brown.edu/summer.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Rhode Island School of Design Pre-College + Summer Studies Providence, RI RISD Founded in 1877, Rhode Island School of Design (or “RIZ-dee” for the acronym RISD) is recognized as the leading college of art and design in the US and one of the premier art and design schools worldwide.

The college is located in Providence, Rhode Island, which offers its own vibrant art scene and is risd conveniently located between two other major cultural centers: Boston and New York.

Students at RISD access the institution’s remarkable resources including the one-of-akind Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab, RISD Museum featuring more than 86,000 works of fine and decorative art ranging from ancient times to the present and the RISD Fleet Library, recently named by Travel + Leisure as one of America’s most beautiful libraries and included in BestMastersPrograms.org’s list of “The 50 Most Amazing University Libraries in the World.”

While the RISD campus offers a host of exceptional facilities, the most valuable advantage to students is access to the outstanding faculty and student body. RISD’s faculty are recognized as professional experts, as well as being exceptional educators. This background allows them to transmit their direct experience from the studio and/or industry to the classroom.

Pre-College Each summer, 400+ high school students from around the world come to RISD to immerse themselves in a comprehensive introduction to the college art school experience. Definitely not a summer arts camp, the sixweek residential Pre-College program is focused, serious and challenging.

Students experience the core elements of a RISD education – critical thinking and artmaking – in foundation drawing and design courses, critical studies in art, and a focused concentration in one of 20 diverse majors.

Throughout the program, students are expected to maintain a high level of initiative and responsibility regarding their work and behavior.

Students who come to RISD’s Pre-College program have varied backgrounds and choose the program for many reasons: to find out if the arts is the right choice for them, to further pursue their art or to build their portfolio for college applications. Most come for a combination of reasons. Whatever the catalyst, students attending RISD’s Pre-College program all have one thing in common – they are passionate about art and design and are seeking an incomparable arts education and summer experience. www.risd.edu/precollege.

Summer Studies RISD’s Summer Studies Program in the visual and liberal arts encompasses a wide spectrum of interests designed to meet the needs of beginning, intermediate and advanced students. Students from nearly 100 colleges and universities, as well as working professionals interested in new and refreshing creative experiences are drawn to RISD’s vibrant artistic community.

Scores of accomplished, award-winning artists, designers and educa-

tors – including members of RISD’s degree program faculty – teach in the summer programs. Courses include introductions to fine art fundamentals such as drawing and painting, as well as specialized areas of study such as architecture, industrial design and children’s book illustration. Students interested in a concentrated area of focus may choose to attend the Summer Institute for Graphic Design Studies (SIGDS) or the Textiles Summer Institute. SIGDS and the Textiles Summer Institute offer students otherwiseunavailable access to RISD’s Graphic Design and Textile Design facilities, renowned faculty and distinguished, critical approach to design.

Whether augmenting current college curriculum, considering graduate studies or broadening professional skills, RISD Summer Studies offers students from around the world a unique, intense and exceptional learning experience. www.risd.edu/summer.

Stanford University SUMMER SESSIONS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES Stanford, CA Stanford Summer Session admits talented, intellectually curious students to our program (Stanford’s fourth academic quarter in the summer), and we encourage them to think differently about learning, their communities, and the world. Undergraduate and graduate students from around the world are invited to enroll in courses and earn college credit at one of the most competitive universities in the United States. Students in our program build their own schedules from more than 175 courses offered in 35 departments within the schools of Humanities and Sciences, Earth Sciences, and Engineering. Courses offered feature accessible instructors, small class size, and a diverse student body.

Visiting Undergraduate and Graduate Students can: • Fulfill General Education Requirements (GERs) • Find a new passion in more than 175 classes • Experience the Stanford tradition of teaching and learning • Explore specific academic interests with Stanford Summer Intensive Studies • Experience the richness of the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley • Immerse themselves in a culture of innovation and intellectual creativity • Attend as residential or commuting students Apply online today: summer.stanford.edu Stanford Summer Session program dates: Saturday June 22 - Sunday, August 18, 2013.

Contact Information: Stanford Summer Session, Stanford University, Email: summersession@stanford. edu. Website: summer.stanford.edu.Tel: 1 650/723-3109. Fax: 1 650/725-6080

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Villanova University Summer Sessions Villanova, PA

far away from home during summer break. Villanova Summer Sessions 2013 offers more than 40 undergraduate online courses, which allow students to take advantage of Villanova’s strong academic programs without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Senior Communication student Lauren Docktor praises distance learning for its innovative ability to build connections.

“Distance learning gives me a greater opportunity to meet people in my field,” said Docktor.

During the 2013 academic year, Villanova will hold three summer sessions, with Session I running from May 29 to June 26, Session II running from June 28 to July 29, and the evening session running from May 29 to July 29. Room and board are available in our residence halls for students wishing to reside on campus.

Students from other colleges and universities who attend the Summer Sessions only may enroll in undergraduate classes without applying formally to Villanova. Anyone interested in enrolling in graduate classes must submit an application form, a letter from their graduate dean, and a current transcript for admission to Graduate Studies.

For more information on Villanova University Summer Sessions, go to parttime.villanova.edu/summer, or call at 610.519.4300.

Middlebury Launches New Summer Leadership and Innovation Program at Sierra Nevada College

villanova university summer sessions

Summer Sessions at Villanova University offers current, high-achieving college students from across the country a unique opportunity to supplement or accelerate their education, at what is dubbed by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 Regional University in the North.

These courses are open to undergraduates and recent high school graduates, as well as graduate students in need of undergraduate prerequisites. An a la carte menu of course offerings, both on-campus and online, includes courses in Engineering, Sciences, the Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Business.

Located in the Main Line, and less than 12 miles from Philadelphia, Villanova University has been hosting students from other colleges and universities since 1918. The summer program at Villanova is designed to fulfill academic needs in a productive yet pleasant environment.

With two four-week day sessions, an eight-week evening session, online courses and weekend workshops, students are sure to find a course that fits their needs.

Junior Accountancy student Alvin Varghese explains that, for him, Summer Sessions are, “an opportunity to fulfill the credit requirements for the Certified Public Accountant exam.”

“The CPA exam requires additional credits outside of the 120 required to earn my degree,” said Alvin, “and besides, what better way to spend my summer than in the Main Line area, networking with visiting students from across the country.”

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Beginning in summer 2013, Middlebury College will launch a new four-week leadership and innovation program at Sierra Nevada College (SNC), located near the shores of Lake Tahoe in Incline Village, NV. MiddCORE—a leadership and innovation program is open to students and recent graduates from any college or university and will take place June 17th to July 12th. The program features mentors ranging from CEOs, politicians and entrepreneurs to artists and actors, who will provide students with intensive, hands-on challenges and workshops that build skills in leadership, collaboration, strategic thinking, persuasive communication, crisis management, and financial literacy. It will enroll up to 60 students this summer.

The strong focus on experiential learning and mentors is a trademark of other MiddCORE programs and classes at Middlebury College, where MiddCORE began five years ago as a January term course for Middlebury students. In January 2013, the college offered this course at both Middlebury and the Monterey Institute for International Studies, a graduate school of Middlebury College in Monterey, CA. MiddCORE also sponsors a summer internship program and a workshop series in Middlebury.

“The key to the MiddCORE experience is our mentors. Carefully chosen mentors develop hands-on daily, weekly or month-long challenges that inspire students to think creatively, operate outside their comfort zone, and deal with ambiguity,” said Jessica Holmes, director of MiddCORE and an associate professor of economics at Middlebury.

MiddCORE courses “attract curious, ambitious students with diverse interests,” Holmes said. She also added that students leave these programs with “a network of supportive peers and mentors and a newfound confidence in their abilities.”

“Whether students want to work in the arts, business, academics or another field, they need to acquire a certain set of skills, learn when to take risks, be resourceful, and communicate persuasively,” said Middle-

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE bury College President Ron Liebowitz. “Without these skills, even the best of ideas are less likely to see their successful implementation.”

Sierra Nevada College is a private liberal arts college located on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Incline Village, NV. Its small size and picturesque location provide the perfect setting for learning and collaborating in small groups – an integral part of the MiddCORE experience. The location will also give students access to white water rafting, sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking, rock climbing, backpacking, mountain bik-

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ing, hiking and wildlife observation.

“SNC is delighted to work with Middlebury,” said Sierra Nevada College President Lynn Gillette. “The principles of MiddCORE Immersion are absolutely compatible with our core commitment to active learning and student engagement. I believe fiercely that this is where education needs to go and MiddCORE is at the frontier.”

Admissions are rolling, but Holmes strongly advises students to apply early because of limited space.

More information about MiddCORE Immersion, including admissions information and cost, is available at http://middcore.middlebury.edu/. 802.443.5214; www.MiddCORE.com. facebook: MiddCORE l twitter: @MiddCORE

Summer Institute for General Management Stanford Graduate School of Business Program Dates: June 23 – July 20 Application Deadline: April 15 Tuition: $10,000 USD Includes accommodations, meals, and course materials.

The current job market is extremely competitive, and companies are hiring young professionals who can make an immediate impact in the workplace. The Stanford Graduate School of Business offers college students and recent graduates a unique opportunity to get the business knowledge they need to launch their careers.

Now celebrating its tenth year, the Summer Institute for General Management (SIGM) is a four-week residential program for exceptional juniors, seniors, and recent college graduates who major in non-business fields.

Taught by world-renowned Stanford MBA faculty, program participants: • Develop a strong foundation in business and management fundamentals • Enhance resumé-writing and job-interviewing skills • Engage with guest speakers from leading companies • Build a diverse network of talented peers from around the world.

Upon completion of the program, participants are awarded a certificate endorsed by the Dean of the Graduate School of Business and the program’s faculty director. Participants wishing to receive academic credit may petition their undergraduate institutions after completing the program.

Academics The SIGM core curriculum covers nine functional areas of business, including: finance, accounting, statistics, economics, operations, strategy, human resources, and marketing. Additional course modules supplement the core: negotiation, ethics, organizational behavior, and leadership. These courses are foundational and assume no previous coursework in business-related subjects.

Professional Development Participants attend workshops on resumé writing, clarifying career goals, job search strategies, interviewing techniques and public speaking.

These workshops equip participants with the skills and information they need to get the jobs and internships they want.

Guest Speakers SIGM also offers participants the opportunity to engage with professionals from prominent Bay Area companies through the guest speaker series. We draw from the diversity of the region to explore different industries including investment banking, consulting, nonprofit, retail, advertising, entrepreneurship, sports and technology.

Campus Life Days typically begin with class sessions until the early afternoon. Later in the day, participants engage in professional development workshops and enjoy presentations from leading companies. During the evenings from Sunday to Thursday, participants work in groups to complete daily assignments and prepare for their final projects.

Participants reside in Stanford University student housing and have access to the resources available on campus. On the weekends, participants can take advantage of social activities organized by program staff, including a San Francisco Giants baseball game and a day trip to the beach. In addition, there is a lot on offer on the Stanford campus, from theater to sports to lectures.

Who Should Apply SIGM is designed for juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (within two years of receiving their undergraduate degree) who major in nonbusiness fields (e.g., engineering, liberal arts, and sciences). Economics majors are welcome to apply.

Program Profile Total Participants 110 Average Age 23 Female 40% International Participants 55% Countries Represented 25+ Undergraduate Institutions Represented 90+ Rising Seniors and Recent Graduates 70% Graduate Students 10% Young Professionals (<2 years of experience) 20% For more information or to apply, please visit: www.gsb.stanford.edu/sigm.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Global Works: Travel with Purpose International Service Trips for Students and Groups For over twenty-three years, Global Works has been an industry leader in community service-based adventure travel programs for students and groups. Our educational, “student first” approach benefits our participants by building independence, self confidence, and leadership skills. Much more than a vacation, Global Works programs are the bridge for meaningful cultural exchange with people around the world. We travel to over twenty countries and take students to visit three to five different communities on each trip, providglobal Works ing a cross-section of cultures and environments—from rural villages to capital cities. Community service projects are an integral part of every Global Works trip and students can earn up to 70 community service hours. We offer three types of experiences- cultural exchange, language immersion, and focus programs- including trips specializing in Pre-Business and Pre-Med. In all of our locations and for all of our programs, we partner with communities and organizations to select and implement grassroots service projects that make a lasting impact. Our philosophy is to work WITH a village, not for a village.

In this ever-evolving, interdependent world, international education and experience are becoming more essential. Global Works has a welldeserved reputation as one of the most professional and well organized student travel operations. With so many returning staff (about 70% each year), our staff leadership is one of our greatest strengths. We want students to enjoy the summer, while also gaining the skills necessary to succeed in their future educational pursuits and develop a greater sense of ‘self ’ as global citizens. Global Works excels at providing students with a well-supervised and seamlessly planned environment to explore new cultures and get out of their comfort zones through adventure activities. Our students discover how other communities live, interrelate, and achieve happiness—often without the luxuries we take for granted.

If you are a student who is looking for fun and adventure and you want to be a spark for social change in the world, let Global Works be your guide. We hope you will join us, along with the many thousands of students and parents who have recognized the value and significance of a Global Works travel experience. We appreciate the investment you are making and promise an unwavering and unmatched commitment to high-quality, safety-conscious, moving travel programs.

To learn more, contact us at 303-545-2202, info@globalworkstravel. com, www.globalworkstravel.com, and www.facebook.com/globalworks

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Summerfuel

Summerfuel is the leader in authentic summer enrichment programs for high school students. Summerfuel offers personalized adventures for students seeking a summer experience like no other. Summerfuel’s extensive range of programs encourages independence and friendship, striking the perfect balance between learning, exploration, and fun. Summerfuel is proud of its reputation for providing a high level of attention and care, for being pioneers in our field, and for finding exciting new ways to make each student’s summer unforgettable.

Students who join Summerfuel’s challenging pre-college programs, or authentic language and cultural immersion programs, develop essential skills that put them ahead of the game. All of Summerfuel’s programs are designed to broaden academic and personal horizons, and create opportunities for a truly diverse student population. Summerfuel has been offering the best, most comprehensive student adventures since 1984, and still knows what students want from their summers today.

Language & Cultural Immersion– Spain, France and Italy For thirty years, Summerfuel has offered high school students a unique way of visiting Europe. Rather than a whirlwind visit to tourist destinations, we give students the chance to settle into one country and study its culture, language, people and traditions as an summerfuel insider – not a tourist. Experience Europe in your own way, in a residential or homestay setting, and by the end of the summer you will form binds with host countries, people, families, teachers and places that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Pre-College– Harvard, UC-Berkeley, UMass-Amherst and Oxford (UK) Picture yourself on a college campus, living like an undergraduate as you enjoy a preview of university life. You’ll be inspired by active, engaging curricula designed to help you think critically, explore new subjects and discover your passions. Classes are balanced by a full schedule of afternoon activities, evening events and excursions intended to offer fun, interesting ways to connect with new friends and make the most of your time on campus.

Social Entrepreneurship– Yale and Stanford Summerfuel’s Social Entrepreneurship programs aim to develop the skills that students need to build effective and efficient social ventures and introduce young entrepreneurs to business concepts that they can utilize immediately in their communities and continue to develop as they grow in experience and education. Hosted on two premier campuses, SE programs empower social entrepreneurs to find creative solutions to key social issues in the communities and around the globe.

College Admissions Prep– Columbia, Tufts and UC-Berkeley Our College Admissions Prep programs prepare students for the competitive and demanding college admissions process through one-on-one college counseling, instructive college admissions workshops, intensive SAT preparation with the Princeton Review, and excellent essay writing instruction. In two short weeks, students gain the tools and experiences to enter the college admissions process with greater confidence and focus. www.summerfuel.com.

Contact Us: info@summerfuel.com, 1.800.753.2250, 1.212.796.8344 Summerfuel, 375 West Broadway, Suite 200, New York, NY 10012

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Columbia University New York, N.Y. Columbia’s Summer Sessions offer the opportunity to take classes and begin a certificate program from across the University. Taught by world-class faculty, courses are available in over 50 subject areas, including Arts, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Human Rights, International Affairs, Mathematics, Prelaw, Quantitative Studies and Statistics.

Summer is a terrific time to learn something new, advance careers, and meet like-minded people in the setting of one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Each summer, Columbia attracts students already enrolled in degree programs, individuals looking to improve their knowledge in Columbia university

anticipation of applying for higher education programs, as well as professionals who want to move toward the next step in their career.

Summer students have access to the state-of-the-art student center, gym and recreational facilities, as well as one of the most renowned library collections in the nation. The varying academic needs and backgrounds of students who attend the Summer Sessions make the community one of the most diverse and dynamic on campus.

Expert advisers help students customize a summer plan of action, whether they have their goals lined up and need a few more courses to fulfill them, or they’re starting a new career and want to deepen their knowledge in a field. Taking advantage of the resources of one of the world’s most esteemed universities can help any student reach his or her next step.

Columbia University’s Summer D session runs May 28–July 5, and Q session runs July 8–August 16. Application deadlines begin in May. To apply, see a complete summer calendar, and learn more about summer options at Columbia, visit ce.columbia.edu/summer

Wellspring

Time to Stop Dabbing Your Big Toe in Weight Loss & Immerse Yourself for Success, Instead -Daniel Kirschenbaum, Ph.D., ABPP Northwestern University & Wellspring, a Member of CRC Health Group Endless suggestions encourage us to try a new recipe or spice or drink or five seconds with a hula hoop as a way to lose weight and keep it off.

Tens of millions try these things only to share one immutable result: failure. If you want a direction that science shows us can really help, keep reading.

You can take Spanish classes forever and never really learn the language. Or, you could spend a month in Mexico City and become a Spanish speaker. Immersing yourself in the culture and language can do that. Weight loss works the same way.

Immersion helps weight controllers by placing them in a nearly ideal environment. When done the right way, immersion programs have incredibly supportive staff modeling the best ways to eat, move, and commit to lifelong success. Interesting, tasty, and appealing food gets prepared for the weight controller and appealing activities are part of everyday life. Meetings with well-trained counselors use cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), a scientifically based approach, to improve selfregulatory skills like goal setting, planning, decision making, problemsolving and focusing.

Just as important as the elements included in high quality immersion programs for weight loss – are the factors that immersion programs deliberately exclude. We live in what behavioral scientists now call, an “obesogenic culture.” That is, our culture promotes obesity. Food has become far too high in calories and fat and remains quite cheap, available at every street corner to anyone with a few dollars in his or her pocket. Unlike our ancestors from 100,000 years ago, who had bodies identical to ours, we barely have to move in order to survive very comfortably.

We’ve become sedentary creatures, but we still have the bodies of very active hunter-gatherers. Immersion programs give weight controllers a break from the obesogenic culture, and replace it with nearly ideal weight controlling conditions. That helps ensure success. And, success breeds more success, especially when accompanied by CBT – an approach to help develop the skills and understanding necessary for major lifestyle changes.

Wellspring Immersion programs include residential facilities like spas or camps – and the ones that focus on weight loss and lifestyle change can really make a difference. Wellspring is the leading provider of such programs in the United States: www.wellspringweightloss.com.

Wellspring’s programs include a nearly 40-year-old beautiful immersion program for adults in Durham North Carolina, Wellspring at Structure House (www.structurehouse.com), the first boarding school for overweight teens and young adults in Reedley, California (www.wellspringacademy.com), 9 summer camps for teens through adults (www.wellspringcamps.com), and a small group self-help program that continues the same remarkably effective approach in a non-immersion fashion in communities all over the country (www.wellspringjourney.com).

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Who starts college after the 10th or 11th grade?

We do.

We offer a rigorous program in the liberal arts and sciences to younger students.

Most start here after 10th or 11th grade, and earn their BA by age 20. Early college and accelerated learning give our graduates a head start on lifelong achievement.

LEARN MORE:

simons-rock.edu/whyearlycollege excel@simons-rock.edu 800.235.7186

Summer Programs

Arete: A College Preparatory Program Authors of essential texts of Western civilization − Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Shakespeare, Faulkner, O’Connor − will be your teachers over the course of two weeks as you live on our Irving campus. Students view films, visit celebrated art museums and attend Shakespeare in the Park. You will develop and hone reading and writing skills essential for the college classroom while making long and lasting friendships that inevitably develop in a learning community.

Foundations of Liberty in Rome Proposed for 2014, this two and a half week college preparatory course investigates the cultural and political contrasts among three different “Romes”: ancient pagan Rome, medieval Christian Rome and modern secular democratic Rome. In addition to using the city’s art and architecture as a daily classroom, you will read, discuss and write on the works and deeds of pivotal Roman figures like Cicero, St. Augustine and Mussolini. The trip includes an overnight excursion to Venice, whose 1000-year republic was a focus of Machiavelli’s Discourses.

Latin in Rome Latin in Rome seeks intermediate and advanced students of Latin who desire to refine and deepen their understanding of the language and the Romans who spoke it. Throughout the program, you will study passages from Cicero, Pliny, Virgil and Horace to enhance visits to sites in Rome and Naples. The program includes lectures by university faculty who have lived and taught in Rome, daily language tutorials and group discussions of texts, as well as visits to historical sites and museums. This threeweek program is not simply a summer tour, but a college-level Latin course.

Shakespeare in Italy This 18-day program focuses on Shakespeare and the place that inspired him the most, Italy. You will study three of Shakespeare’s Italian plays (Julius Caesar, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice).

Additionally, you will tour Rome most mornings with faculty guides and take a four-day trip to Venice and Padua. Unlike most study programs, your classroom is Rome, as well as the other cities and sites you visit. The program helps students prepare for college through small group discussions and writing tutorials; students emerge sharper readers and more polished writers.

Study Abroad 2013 Program Dates Shakespeare in Italy: July 10-27 Latin in Rome: July 10-31

Irving 2013 Program Dates Arete: A College Preparatory Program: July 14-27

Online Application udallas.edu/summerprograms/apply

Request More Information udallas.edu/summerprograms/moreinfo

About the University of Dallas The University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, of truth and of virtue as the proper and primary ends of education.

The university seeks to educate its students so they may develop the intellectual and moral virtues, prepare themselves for life and work in a problematic and changing world and become leaders able to act responsibly for their own good and for the good of their family, community, country and church.

The university has offered its Rome Program as a part of its undergraduate curriculum for more than 40 years. Over 7,000 undergraduates have spent an academic semester in Rome at the heart of our Western heritage. Programs in Rome are housed on our 12-acre campus, approximately 12 miles southeast of Rome.

For 20 years we have offered mature high school students summer and study abroad opportunities modeled after our signature Rome Program. Each program provides college credit while students study with university professors on our campuses both in Irving, Texas, and Rome, Italy.

Contact Information UD Summer Programs udallas.edu/travel 972.721.5181 udsummer@udallas.edu

Earn four collEgE crEdits

the school of the Museum of Fine arts, Bostonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pre-college summer studio is a competitive, four-week arts program for entering juniors and seniors in high school, right in the heart of the city.

Program Dates: June 30, 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 27, 2013 Application + Scholarship Deadline: March 27, 2013

Why would a student help another scale a 10-foot wall?

Why would a 17-year-old walk differently than his friends back home? Hold his head higher?

Consider himself a leader?

The answer is pride.

A private day and boarding academy for grades 7-12 and postgraduate, VFMA’s mission is preparing students for competitive four-year colleges. 99% of our cadets are accepted to their first- or second-choice schools. And more than 63% matriculate at the nation’s leading universities.

The primary reason for that is our Five Cornerstones —academic excellence, character development, personal motivation, physical development, and leadership. Our students thrive and grow thanks to an average class size of just 13, with a student-teacher ratio of 10:1.

Valley Forge Military Academy is not for everyone. It is not easy. In fact, it’s demanding. But students who are ready to push themselves to new heights, who are ready to learn, to follow, and ultimately to lead, will not only flourish here. They will proudly flourish in whatever paths they choose in life.

1001 EAGLE ROAD, WAYNE, PA 866-923-VFMA | ACADEMY.VFMAC.EDU

ORKSTRAVEL.COM LEARN MORE AT WWW.GLOBALW OR CALL US AT 1-800-784-6362

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FOR STUDENTS & GROUPS MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE CULTURAL EXCHANGE LANGUAGE IMMERSION AWESOME ADVENTURE

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Just another face in the classroom?

Be seen.

Oldfields School Each Girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Success Oldfields School is a private, all girls, 8-12 boarding and day school. Located on a 130-acre campus in Maryland horse country, the School is also in close proximity to city life in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. At Oldfields, a traditional college-preparatory curriculum is enhanced by small class sizes and a supportive faculty. The faculty-to-student ratio is five

to one, allowing each student individual attention.

For over 150 years, Oldfields has been focused on each girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. The School is committed to maximizing the potential of each girl, not only in the classroom, but also in all areas of school life. In a nurturing, family-like atmosphere, students are recognized as individuals and are valued as members of the community.

1500 Glencoe Road | Sparks Glencoe, MD 21152 | 410-472-4800

Summer Pre - College Enrichment & Internships

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UCLA UC Santa Barbara University of Michigan Georgetown University University of Pennsylvania New York University (NYU) Emerson College, Boston Shanghai & Beijing Cambridge University & London London Business Institute Barcelona & Madrid Florence 12 great campuses in 5 countries â&#x20AC;˘ 2 to 6 week programs â&#x20AC;˘ all-inclusive tuition from $3,600 to $10,400 includes: academics, room & board, college visits, community service, trips & excursions, sports & more college credit & enrichment courses princeton review SAT prep scan this

internships DiscoveryWorks community service language immersion

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Summer at WPI WPI summer programs are focused on fun experiences that expand the mind and body. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s building a robot, researching and learning with a group of new friends, or practicing the finer points of a favorite sportâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;WPI is the place for summer.

From Frontiers and Launch to Camp Reach, Advanced Robotics, and more, WPI offers overnight and day camps and enrichment programs for elementary, middle, and high school students. To learn more or to apply, visit go.wpi.edu/summer.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR TOTS TO ELEMENTARY-AGED CHILDREN SummerSault New York, NY

SummerSault, marking its 46th year, will run for six weeks and includes children three years of age to entering second grade. SummerSault is well known in New York City and has benefitted many children through the years.

Town School faculty serve as administrators for our program and our experienced and enthusiastic staff, many from The Town School, lead campers through a wide variety of activities including swimming, sports, crafts, and music.

Among SummerSault’s most popular activities is Whimsical Wednesday.

This special day of fun includes Hat Day and Pajama Day, among other special events, and ends with a musical performance by a well-known singing group, Beth & Scott.

We look forward to welcoming back our returning children as well as meeting new SummerSault friends. All children are welcome! Traditionally, three-fourths of our attendees are not from The Town School. We offer a safe, relaxed, and creative program to ensure a wonderful summer for your child.

If you have any questions, or would like a tour of our facilities, please contact Claudie Tanenbaum at the SummerSault office at (212) 288-0740 or ctanenbaum@townschool.org. 540 East 76th Street, New York, New York.

The French-American School of New York Larchmont, NY Campus

Summer Immersion French Program 2013 for Grades Nursery to 5.

June 24– July 26, 2013 Our Camp: The French-American School of New York offers a unique day camp experience for children ages 3 through 11. Depending upon their level, children will have an introduction to the French language and have an opportunity to speak French throughout the day, as well as participate in exciting and fun activities. Our international staff consists of experienced teachers who are dedicated to making this a safe and entertaining summer for your camper. Many of the counselors teach at FASNY or in our after-school program.

Daily Schedule: Full day: 9am-4:00pm, Monday-Friday. Lunch provided by “La Bonne Cuisine.” Half day available: 9:00 – 12:00 pm.

Activities: The children will be able to choose from many activities

summersault

The tennis program, offered to our older children and taught on the premises, is a twice weekly semi-private class. The class focuses on hand/ eye coordination, racquet control and good sportsmanship. Music for all ages is taught in the classroom, and offers singing and movement as part of its curriculum. Gym Time is offered in our gym twice weekly and is taught by a physical education teacher from The Town School; our focus is skill oriented with emphasis on having fun! Arts and Crafts are part of our daily activity schedule, and we are fortunate in having a specialized program in the Art room as well, taught by an artist.

SummerSault has always been particularly proud of its individualized one-on-one swim program, which this year continued its expanded pool time to ensure maximum swim time for the campers. All of our teachers are certified lifeguards or certified water safety instructors. Although optional, many campers are enrolled and improve their skills substantially.

This year, in addition to our wonderful Reading Tutorial Program, we offer a Math Tutorial for children entering Kindergarten and above. These tutorials are taught by teachers from the Town School. By providing the children with three private half-hour sessions per week in either reading or math, the program provides an outstanding opportunity for children to practice and improve their skills and make significant gains over the summer months.

the french-american school of neW york

suitable to their age: sports (soccer, tennis, intro to Golf, fencing…), music and dance, cooking, arts and crafts, French theater, science. Weekly field trips, great special events and guests will also give them more opportunities to increase vocabulary and conversation skills.

Registration Information: You have the flexibility of signing up for any or all of the five weeks. Contact: Agnès Tounkara 914/2500415; afterschool@fasny.org for more information or visit our website www.fasny.org/After-School Programs.

Location: Larchmont Campus, 111 Larchmont Avenue, Larchmont NY. WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE MILITARY ACADEMIES New York Military Academy Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY

New York Military Academy is located just 60 miles north of New York City. Established in 1889, the long-standing tradition prepares students for the challenges of their future. We are dedicated to developing young leaders who are “Set Apart for Excellence” by being inspired, engaged and ready for success and fulfillment in college and in life.

• college preparatory • co-educational • non-denominational • grades 7-12

neW york military academy

pursue the appropriate College Board AP test in the spring.

The academy offers varsity, junior varsity, and modified athletic teams that compete in sports, such as soccer, football, fencing, basketball, swimming, softball, wrestling, baseball, paintball, tennis, golf, and lacrosse, just to name a few. Weekend outings, parades, field trips, rifle team, band, drill team, and horsemanship programs are a few of the additional activities that round out cadet life at the academy.

The NYMA student body is represented by thirteen states and thirteen countries. In addition to our standard rigorous curriculum, New York Military Academy has been preparing international students to enter the college or university of their choice by providing English as a Second Language and TOEFL instruction.

We invite you to browse the website and schedule a visit to New York Military Academy. www.nyma.org or 888-ASK-NYMA Director of Admissions, New York Military Academy 78 Academy Avenue, Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York (845)534-3710 ext. 4272; asouthwell@nyma.org.

Riverside Military Academy Gainesville, GA. Founded in 1907, Riverside Military Academy (RMA) offers a traditional, American-style education where personal values, honor, and love of country still matter. Riverside is not owned or operated by any particular religious denomination, but supports the spiritual and educational goals of all families. Riverside’s 2012-13 Corps of Cadets consists of over 460 cadets from 22 countries.

RMA is first and foremost a college preparatory school. We offer high quality academics in a structured environment designed to meet the needs of boys in grades 7-12. The military setting adds structure, responsibility, Our educational success, enhanced by military tradition and a strong athletic program, allows for 100% of graduating seniors to enter the college or university of their choice. The structured day and boarding environment includes daily tutorials, nightly-mentored study hall, a robust ESL program and a 12:1 student/teacher ratio in the classroom.

Cadets enjoy opportunities to not only learn accountability but to practice peer leadership and to accept important responsibility. One of the things that set NYMA apart from other college prep schools is our “real-life leadership lab”. Putting our cadets in positions of increased accountability and responsibility in the Cadet Corps, while at the same time requiring them to maintain a high level of academic and athletic participation, requires them to constantly improve their organization, planning, time management and multi-tasking skills. We believe development in these critical areas gives our graduates a distinct advantage over others as they transition into some of the more prestigious colleges and universities in America.

To ensure that every cadet is exposed to college relevant material and rigor throughout his high school career, NYMA takes a different approach than most schools to the honors and advanced placement curricula across the board.

Each academic discipline in the high school models class content and skill development against the relevant Advanced Placement curriculum demanded by the College Board. Students who show interest or promise in any of these core disciplines in the humanities or technologies are supported and encouraged to

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riverside military academy

accountability and yes, consequences when necessary. All contribute to a well-rounded young man. This environment works for those who have historically underachieved, who simply have not been able to manage their time, and who tend to procrastinate in every endeavor. The rigorous days at RMA are filled with academics, military activities, social activities, and

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE athletics. Thus, there is little time for non-productive activities.

Over 70% of our faculty hold advanced degrees and encourage our cadets to develop the daily habits essential for success at home and in the workplace. These habits include organizational skills, time management, and the ability to manage stress through preparation and exercise.

Cadets of Riverside Military Academy benefit from a small class size and a 15:1 student teacher ratio. Our entire educational program centers around the way young men learn best.

Because Riverside believes that there is a strong connection between physical and mental development, extra-curricular activities, field trips, and outdoor activities play an important role in the daily lives of our cadets. The RMA program takes full advantage of its 206-acre campus, athletic facilities, and proximity to Lake Lanier which is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Riverside’s college center assists cadets in preparing for and placing their college applications each year. The graduating class of 2012 consisted of 84 cadets who were admitted to over 90 universities including the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy –West Point, and received over $2,000,000 in scholarships.

Upon graduation, a Riverside cadet has experienced the challenges of the military model of education and is completely prepared for the rigors of college. He is poised, polite, and confident in any social environment.

Riverside cadets stand tall, offer a firm handshake, respect authority, and display a level of confidence that parents may not have observed previously.

Riverside Military Academy holds dual accreditation in SACS and SAIS. Located in Gainesville, Georgia, just one hour north of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Riverside is easily accessible to cadets and their families from around the world. In addition, RMA offers shuttle service to and from the airport for our cadets.

Riverside Military Academy’s comprehensive program of rigorous academics, athletics and leadership development sets the stage for a lifetime of success.

We invite you to learn more about Riverside Military Academy by visiting our website at www.riversidemilitary.com or calling our admissions office at 800/462-2338.

accepted to their first or second choice schools. This year’s graduating class will enroll at top universities across the country and internationally, including Princeton University, NYU, Columbia University, Villanova University, the US Naval Academy, the US Military Academy at West Point, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (UK).

Although we are a military school, the result is not necessarily to pursue a career in the military, though nearly 10% of our graduates will choose this path. The VFMA “military model” is, at its core, a structured and disciplined way of carrying out the education and development of young students. Our students learn to manage their academics, leadership responsibilities, personal motivation, physical development, and learn character traits through the understanding that life is a constant balancing act, and the military model helps them to prioritize appropriately. It helps teach our students to manage their time, think critically, balance their responsibilities, and develop life skills that will propel them ahead of their peers.

A challenging curriculum, dedicated faculty members, small classes, individual attention, and faculty supervised evening study hall provides cadets with an environment conducive to attaining academic success.

The acquisition of knowledge, the development of skills, and the shaping of attitudes are emphasized to enable the cadets to excel academically and to inspire them to pursue education throughout life. The average class size is 13, and the student-teacher ratio is 10:1.

Also unique to the VFMA educational experience, our academically qualified high school juniors and seniors are granted the opportunity to enroll in college level classes, taken at Valley Forge Military valley forge military academy

Valley Forge Military Academy Township of Radnor, PA Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) is a private, all-male boarding school offering grades 7-12 and postgraduate. Established in 1928, VFMA has a long tradition of fostering personal growth through a comprehensive system built on five cornerstones: academic excellence, character development, personal motivation, physical development, and leadership.

Valley Forge graduates benefit from a kind of education that is unlike other schools. Small classes allow dedicated instructors to really understand their students. Instructors care not just about their own limited academic subjects, but about developing the whole person. Cadets start off as good followers, and they become great leaders. The entire institution is dedicated to producing citizens who will become, in the words of our mission, “a credit to themselves, their families, their alma mater, their country, and their God.” The diverse student body represents more than 35 states and 24 countries. VFMA has an excellent transfer record, with 99% of cadets

College, on campus. Each year, a few of our Academy cadets enroll in the College full time because of the special Senior ROTC Early Commissioning Program, where in just two years, they will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army, faster than their peers in other four year programs. Our College is one of only five schools in the country to offer this accelerated program, and is the only school in the Northeast.

Learn more about Valley Forge Military Academy at vfmac.edu or contact us at 866-923-VFMA (8362).

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE DAY SCHOOLS Ridgefield Academy Ridgefield, CT

Ridgefield Academy, an independent day school located in Ridgefield, CT, empowers every child to realize his or her unique potential by bringing together academic excellence, innovative programming and a diverse, supportive community.

Small Classes Make the Difference Teachers and administrators believe the key to future success is empowering each and every student. The program, which educates children from preschool (two-year-olds) to eighth grade, provides students with daily opportunities to build confidence, use their creativity, work collaboratively and learn how to problem solve. Through small classes and individualized teaching instruction, children develop the skills to be critical thinkers, public speakers and self-advocates.

A Comprehensive and Innovative Curriculum RA’s curriculum combines the traditional core subject areas of language arts, ridgefield academy mathematics, science, history, world language and social studies with a rich program of music, art, and drama designed to inspire students and spark their creativity. Thanks to talented teachers and small class sizes, Ridgefield Academy can take teaching out of the textbooks and bring lessons to life with memorable experiences. When children learn by doing, they care more, remember more and are empowered to achieve more.

Public Speaking An important part of becoming a confident learner is learning the tools to effectively communicate your ideas. Seven years ago Ridgefield Academy implemented a public speaking program. The school recognized that if children are taught the tools for effective communication and given ample opportunity to practice, they could effectively learn written and verbal communication at a young age. RA students learn the strategies for successful written and oral communication and through practice, develop into confident writers and public speakers.

Service Learning and Character Development The RA school community is a caring community built on a foundation of shared values. In all areas of school life, students model and reinforce the principles of respect, responsibility, fairness, and service to others. Service learning is incorporated into the curriculum to engage children in meaningful activities that reinforce the importance of service to others.

Innovative Media Arts Curriculum RA’s 5,800 square foot state-of-the-art media arts center and sound room allows students to use the latest technology to develop their writing skills, learn the current methods of research and explore the digital arts through classes such as animation, digital storytelling, film and sound editing.

New Preschool Wing In September the Academy opened a renovated preschool wing designed specifically for students aged 2 – 5 years of age. The facility will

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feature areas for cooking, technology and a small amphitheater for performances. The Academy’s preschool program offers children purposeful learning experiences to support social, emotional, cognitive and physiological development through science, art, math, foreign language, prereading exercises and movement activities.

The Right Secondary Placement Ridgefield Academy dedicates itself to helping each student find the right secondary school for the next step of his or her educational journey.

As students enter grade 6, the Head of School and the Head of Upper School lead each student through a sequence of steps designed to help prepare, plan, investigate and consider a wide range of high school options.

Throughout the process, students and families are guided and supported.

The RA Difference Many families have discovered what a difference the Ridgefield Academy experience can make for their child.

For more information about Ridgefield Academy, visit www.ridgefieldacademy.org, call Julie Crane at (203) 894-1800 x112.

Lauralton Hall Milford, CT Students who attend Lauralton Hall, Connecticut’s first independent Catholic college-prep school for young women, discover academic excellence and much more. They find a community where the support of administration, faculty, staff and fellow students prepare them for a life of leadership and success on whatever paths they choose.

“When we speak about ‘Empowering Women for Life’ at Lauralton Hall, we are talking about a complete experience,” says Antoinette Iadarola, PhD, President of Lauralton Hall. “Our goal is to help our students develop academically, emotionally and morally so they have the confidence and skills to succeed in college and beyond. Lauralton’s record is strong, with so many of our graduates moving on to leadership in a wide range of fields.”

Lauralton Hall is one of a select group of Catholic girls’ schools that has remained true to its original unique mission: to foster a community atmosphere enriched by the Mercy lauralton hall tradition and to educate young women to pursue knowledge, recognize truth and respond to the needs of others. “The core values of a Mercy education, which are the foundation of the Lauralton Hall experience, are also the very qualities that help students become empowered young women,” says Dr. Iadarola. “These values are compassion and service, educational excellence, concern for women and women’s issues, global vision and responsibility, spiritual growth and development and collaboration.”

Lauralton Hall’s rigorous curriculum fully prepares students for college study, with demanding honors and advanced placement classes offered in all academic disciplines, state-of-the-art science labs and ever-evolving classroom technology. In addition, highly motivated students can take courses for both high school and college credit through the UConn Early Education Experience (ECE). Lauralton Hall takes a personal and unique approach to college

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE planning with its Center for College Counseling and Guidance.

The school is set on a beautiful 30-acre campus, in historic downtown Milford, within walking distance of the train station. Students from over 35 communities arrive by train, car or bus. Lauralton currently enrolls 465 students in grades 9 through 12 representing diverse socioeconomic, religious and ethnic backgrounds.

Lauralton Hall, a member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) and the South West Conference (SWC), offers students a choice of 15 varsity sports supported by playing fields, an athletic center and a fully-equipped fitness center.

Lauralton Hall encourages each student to become involved in at least one extracurricular activity. With more than 30 clubs and organizations, there is something to fit the interest of every student. In addition, Lauralton Hall encourages students to participate in community service, an integral part of a Mercy education.

A member of the National Association of Independent Schools and National Coalition of Girls Schools, Lauralton Hall is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Connecticut Department of Education.

200 High St, Milford, CT. Kathleen Shine, Director of Enrollment Management. 203/878-3333; admissions@lauraltonhall.org; www.lauraltonhall.org.

Dwight-Englewood School Englewood, NJ “As a community of learners, dWight-engleWood school Dwight-Englewood School strives to foster in each student a passion for life-long learning. We seek excellence, honor integrity, and embrace diversity in order to meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better.”

Dwight-Englewood (D-E) is a coeducational, independent school of approximately 900 students, serving a seamless education experience for students in preschool (age 3) through Grade 12. Comprised of three divisions – the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools – each with their own distinctive personality, D-E is the most ethnically-diverse school in Bergen County, with students who represent more than 80 communities in New Jersey and New York.

The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools.

D-E is located on a beautiful 40+ acre campus, just minutes from George Washington Bridge. As the area’s longest-established independent PreK through Grade 12 co-educational day school, our students take advantage of an unparalleled rich academic experience that is both traditional and innovative. We provide a rigorous college preparatory program rooted in the classical liberal arts while at the same time preparing students with 21st century skills they will need for their futures.

At Dwight-Englewood we all come to grow. We seek growth in respect, honesty, judgment, commitment, courage and community and expect each of us to work towards living these, our shared values. We believe that the opportunity to grow is a precious gift, one that brings out our best selves. Dwight-

Englewood gives the highest quality preparation for college and university work while fostering independent thinking; the ability to solve problems; and the skills, tolerance, and integrity it takes to thrive in our multifaceted world.

Students thrive here in a variety of ways, including the arts, athletics, leadership and service. In the tradition of the nation’s finest independent schools, we offer small classes and stimulating coursework that encourages students to take risks and to learn to pursue their passions. Beyond the words of our Mission Statement, which charge us to “meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better,” our Profile of a D-E Graduate speaks to how “our graduates will explore ideas critically, communicate effectively, and lead active intellectual lives.” In turn, our Profile of a D-E Teacher speaks to how our faculty and staff together “engage in the full life of our school, educating, supporting, and knowing our students beyond their academic experience.”

We pride ourselves in having a friendly admissions team, eager to introduce you to our dynamic ‘community of learners’. Contact D-E Admissions today to arrange a visit to campus or to discuss your future at Dwight-Englewood.

Dwight-Englewood does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in its admissions or employment, or in the administration of any of its programs.

315 E. Palisade Avenue, Englewood, NJ. 201/569-9500, ext. 3500; www.d-e.org.

York Preparatory School New York City, NY York Preparatory School is a co-educational, independent, college preparatory day school offering a traditional curriculum for grades 6-12. In the belief that every student can succeed, we provide a supportive atmosphere that reflects and is enhanced by the diversity and richness of New York City.

York Prep recognizes the student as the focus of the educational process. We guide our students to reach their optimum potential intellectually, physically, and socially. Each student is challenged to think critically and creatively in a structured environment where excellence is rewarded and individual effort is encouraged. We strive to develop responsible citizens by reinforcing respect for self and for others in the community.

York Prep students are grouped into subject-specific tracks, thus enabling them to recognize their academic potential. We believe subject-specific tracking encourages students to take academic risks and to reach beyond their comfort level. For students seeking even more challenge, we have an honors program of accelerated classes in all subjects and offer Advanced Placement testing. In addition, the Headmaster may permit seniors and advanced york PreParatory school eleventh graders the opportunity to take courses at Columbia University, New York University, or Hunter College. With nearly fifty clubs and activities and twenty-seven sports teams, York offers something for every student.

The York Prep Scholars Program is a three-year sequence which addresses the needs of York’s most academically able students with a rigorous curriculum. Units on such topics as “Neuroscience,” “Italian Renaissance Art,” “Statistics,” and “Shakespeare Performance” are presented independently in mini-courses taught by members of the faculty who focus on their particular intellectual passions and specialties.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE York Prep’s Jump Start Program helps students with different learning styles and learning disabilities to function successfully in an academically-challenging mainstream setting. Study skills, test-taking skills, and organizational skills are key components of this supplemental program. The Jump Start program offers supervised group study periods before and after school every day except Friday afternoon, and two 45-minute one-on-one sessions with a designated Jump Start teacher, with whom the student works over the course of the school year. Located in a stately seven-floor historic granite building, York Prep is situated on 68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue in Manhattan. With close proximity to many of New York’s important cultural resources, students are able to enhance their learning experiences by attending museums, performances, and other events. York Prep’s location truly makes the school an intimate place to learn in the heart of New York City.

For more information visit www.yorkprep.org. Contact Elizabeth Norton, Director of Enrollment, or Cathy Minaudo, Director of Admissions, at 212-362-0400.

SATURDAY SCHOOL The German School of Connecticut Stamford and West Hartford, CT Who studies German in Fairfield County? And Why? In 2012, The Boston Globe reported that citizens from many European countries “are flocking to learn German in hopes of getting jobs in Europe’s biggest and strongest economy.” The German American Chambers of Commerce reports that “the US will remain a first class investment location for German enterprise,” and that German companies in the US are bullish for 2013, with 76% of them planning to hire.

No wonder the German School of Connecticut (GSC) – celebrating its 35th year at its Stamford and West Hartford locations – is enjoying a record enrollment for this 2012-13 school year. Founded in 1978, GSC is a Saturday school offering a two-track curriculum for non-native beginners, and native or near-fluent speakers. The latter are mostly children of expatriates, though often others attend to learn and maintain their German heritage passed down from a previous generation. Classes range from Pre-School through High School and Adult, with students learning and experiencing German language along with German, Austrian and Swiss cultures.

Many GSC students realize the advantage of studying one of Europe’s leading languages: Some plan to split their future studies between universities in the US and a German-speaking country, others study to gain a professional advantage. Certain high school students have the opportunity to take a special German language exam, which, when passed, fulfills the language requirement for direct entry at a German university. GSC introduced these “Sprachdiplom” examinations in the US in 1982, authorized by the German education authorities in Bonn. Students may also get credits for their schooling at GSC from many local high schools, and can be better prepared to take the AP German Exam to qualify their studies for college credit.

Studying German at GSC is also fun! Adults enjoy the Saturday morning classes because of the camaraderie and friendship among like-motivated students. Toddlers and elementary school children enjoy hands-on modern teaching, along with singing, playing and being with their friends. Middle

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school and high school students enjoy special projects and cultural events… and all students participate in the many traditional holiday celebrations. Jacob Ritter von Wagner of the Consulate General of New York, a guest at a recent Christmas celebration, happily commented on the festive atmosphere when he stated that the event, in particular “the outstanding engagement of the students and parents,” will be remembered well.

Indeed, GSC also embodies an international parent community… those from German-speaking countries are joined by US and other international parents. They all appreciate the services of the school, and enjoy the transnational atmosphere.

With over 40 teachers and above 350 students, the German School of Connecticut welcomes students at both sites. Classes are held from September to May. Private classes and company courses are also available.

For further information, please visit www.GermanSchoolCT.org, www.facebook.com/pages/German-School-of-Connecticut/101363053269163 or call 203/548-0438 for our Stamford location and 860/242-3399 for our West Hartford location.

DAY AND bOARDING SCHOOLS Canterbury School New Milford, CT Canterbury School is a coeducational boarding and day school enrolling 360 students in a college preparatory program for grades 9-12. In addition to its strong academic program, the school is known for the beauty of its location, a true dedication to spiritual growth, and an exciting sports program for both boys and girls.

The school is situated on a hilltop adjacent to the historic section of New Milford, Connecticut, where Roger Sherman, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, lived. The campus is about 80 miles from New York City in an area of natural beauty near the Housatonic River and the Appalachian Trail.

Canterbury was founded in 1915 by prominent lay Catholics. One of the founders, Dr. Nelson Hume, was honored by Pope Pius XI for his outstanding work in education. Today the Canterbury student body is a diverse mix of both Catholics and non-Catholics from 16 countries and 21 states.

Canterbury School New Milford, CT Canterbury’s buildings, set on 150 acres, are a rich architectural mix of traditional and modern. The Chapel of Our Lady is both the physical center and the spiritual heart of the campus. The large newly renovated and expanded Robert Markey Steele Hall has a dining room, a student center, two computer labs, a library, a Grades 9-12 • Boarding & Day • (860) 210-3934 • www.cbury.org 100-seat lecture room, and the Steers Admission Center. Next door, Nelson Hume Hall has classrooms, science labs, a 400-seat auditorium, and the Theater Department’s “green room.”

The sports facilities include ten playing fields, three baseball diamonds, eight tennis courts, a track, a new state of the art aquatic center, and the Hockey Arena. The athletic facility houses three basketball courts, five international squash courts, locker rooms, a weight and fitness room, a wrestling room, as well as space for aerobics and dance.

There are eight student dormitories, which, like the classroom build-

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE ings, have wireless Internet access.

There are eighty faculty, most of whom also coach and serve as dorm advisors, and therefore may be working with a student in several roles each day. Many live on campus, 30 with their families.

Canterbury School takes pride in the breadth and depth of its course options. Few boarding schools of Canterbury’s size offer as many AP classes (19). Canterbury is among the very few offering AP courses in World History, Drawing, and Music Theory. The school also offers four years of Latin.

All 100% of the seniors in the class of 2011 continued on to college. Students have enrolled at excellent schools such as: Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin, Colby, Colgate, Columbia, UConn, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Georgetown, Loyola, Northeastern, Notre Dame, Penn, Roger Williams, St. Lawrence, US Coast Guard Academy, US Naval Academy, Villanova and Wesleyan.

Canterbury’s sports program is extensive, the athletic facilities are substantial, and the coaches are dedicated. All students participate in athletics. Three team levels – Varsity, Junior Varsity, and recreational – are fielded in most sports to accommodate players of varying skills, ages, and size. Boys teams are organized in basketball, baseball, crew, cross-country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, squash, swimming, tennis, track, water polo, and wrestling.

Girls compete in basketball, crew, cross-country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, squash, swimming, track, tennis, and volleyball.

Students may earn academic credit for participating in the Canterbury Choir, Chorale and Octet as well as Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Band.

Other activities include student government, theater, the school newspaper, the yearbook, and the literary magazine. Interest clubs are formed for the environment and recycling, diversity issues, and school spirit. www.cbury.org; www.facebook.com/canterbury.admission.

100 Aspetuck Avenue, New Milford, CT. 860/210-3800.

Hackley School Tarrytown, NY “Enter Here to Be and Find a Friend” Hackley’s mission seeks to “challenge students to grow in character, scholarship, and accomplishment, to offer unreserved effort, and to learn from the varying perspectives and backgrounds in our community and the world.” Hackley students discover themselves through relationships with others—in the classroom, in the arts studios, through community service, and on the playing fields. Welcomed by a shared commitment to “Enter here to be and find a friend,” Hackley honors commitment and strength of character, offering students a warm, supportive community that enables both challenge and nurture, giving them the means to set high personal goals and attain them.

Founded in 1899, Hackley is a member of the Ivy Preparatory League of independent schools. The first school in the New York metropolitan area to be invited to join Round Square, an international consortium of schools with a common commitment to international understanding, diversity, environmental stewardship, adventure, leadership, and service, Hackley prepares students to think and act with care and effectiveness both at school and in their broader communities. By committing energy, time, and imagination to serving the needs of people beyond Hackley, students experience the satisfaction of helping others and gain appreciation for the complexity and concerns of the larger community.

Located on a 285-acre woodland campus in Tarrytown, NY, Hackley is a K-12 coeducational day and five-day boarding school. Visitors are drawn

to the beauty of Hackley’s historic Quad, yet over the last decade, beginning with the purchase of 172 adjacent acres from Laurence S. Rockefeller in 1999, Hackley has transformed the campus facilities that support the educational program, establishing a new Lower School, Middle School, and science building, new library, five new athletics fields, four international

hackley school

squash courts, and a competition cross-country trail system.

Through ongoing effort to increase the economic and social diversity of the student body, Hackley now draws from over 70 communities, from as far as Cold Spring to the north, Ridgefield, CT to the east, Manhattan to the south, and Franklin Lakes, NJ to the west. 15% of families receive financial aid, and 30% of students are from historically under-represented groups. Through these efforts and with the quality of its faculty and students, Hackley has achieved distinction as an educational force shaping the lives of generations.

293 Benedict Avenue, Tarrytown, NY. 914/366-2642; www.hackleyschool.org.

The Storm King School Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY Balancing Competition and Cooperation in 21st Century Education

Paul domingue

Paul Domingue, The Storm King School’s 16th head of school in 145 years, introduced himself last summer with a letter that included the following thoughts.

Geography dictates so much of every school’s culture, but in this 21st century it is critical that we prepare students to become leaders in a global marketplace and society. Our challenge is to identify the skills, values, and habits of mind that will serve them well in their ongoing education and careers of the future.

Much has been written about the “21st century skills” we should be teaching, among them: co-operation, teamwork, empathy, and group-think—some of the essential skills for success in the new global economy. This list sits in sharp contrast to the quintessentially American notions of competition, individualism, selfrealization, and personal responsibility that have been the mainstays of prepschool education. And while a sympathetic—if not empathetic—impulse to society’s betterment underpins traditional standards of leadership, contemporary standards push for a less hierarchical approach.

All of this begs several questions. Should schools dramatically shift to embrace these new imperatives? Should an individual’s success depend upon his or her group’s success? What of grades? Accountability? Personal initiative and responsibility? And are these new values the remedy for the endemic abuse of power we have witnessed here and abroad?

I endorse the notion that ethics should be at the heart of all we do.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE making. As we prepare our Storm King students to assume positions of leadership, traditional character education must remain at the center of our daily community experience.

To slavishly abandon traditional values in favor of new, market-driven substitutes seems unwise at best. Most of the uniquely American focus on the individual remains relevant. Individualism has been and will continue to be a powerful force for progress and should not be dismissed as dated and irrelevant. And it is telling that US boarding schools are in great demand by students from around the world.

To suppose that 21st century society will not reward competitiveness is to ignore the realities of population growth, the unequal distribution of resources around the planet, and the universal desire to provide for one’s children opportunities for a better life. The real question revolves around the need to embrace competition without allowing it to overwhelm our global sensibility and desire for equanimity. For that to occur, competition must be tempered.

But to force a choice—competition versus cooperation—is a red herring. Rather, I would argue for a more balanced, blended approach that draws the best from both points of view. Indeed, the Greek notion of balance remains the single greatest gift we can give students today.

So, it seems to me that the best, most forward-thinking schools will be ones that preserve the best of their traditions and balance them with emerging educational imperatives. Living balanced lives that acknowledge our competing natures and accommodate the range of human experience should be our ultimate goal.

Find the complete letter at http://www.sks.org/about/FromtheHeadsDesk.cfm. Mr. Domingue and the rest of The Storm King School community are eager to welcome you for a visit.

For more information, visit www.sks.org or call Joanna Evans at (845) 534-9860. 314 Mountain Road, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520

boarders since 1926.

Located just outside of East Aurora, NY, the picturesque campus consists of 110 acres of woodlands, encompassing over 25 buildings.

The Reid Arts Center houses The Simms Family Theater, videography, art, and music labs. The 50,000 square-foot Gow Center, complete with basketball court, tennis courts, large multipurpose room, squash courts, fitness center and student lounge, is the center of afternoon and weekend activity. The Donald Weston Dining Hall is a 10,000 squarefoot addition to the campus that was completed in 2009. This January the school opened The Alice R. Gow Science, Technology and Robotics Building. This 5,000 square-foot building houses classroom space for the Science Department with a focus on physics and applied technology.

The centerpiece of the building is a workshop for the robotics program, which boasts the new CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine.

This high-tech machining tool is a welcome addition to the robotics team at the school. Gow is one of a few schools in the country to have a CNC machine, which is used to fabricate parts for the robotics program with the assistance of CAD (Computer Assisted Design) software. This machine gives students excellent hands-on experience as they explore the world of robotics and engineering.

The Gow School has a five-week co-ed summer program in July. The Gow School Summer Program is five weeks of learning and fun for ages 8-16. The camp program includes four one-hour classes in the morning with traditional camp activities in the afternoon and evening. The Gow School Summer Program also offers instruction in the visual and performing arts and an extensive sports program. During the weekend, the students take trips to local cultural, historical, and entertainment venues.

2491 Emery Road, South Wales, NY. Please visit www.gow.org/weston or call 716/687-2001 for further information.

The Gow School South Wales, NY

Oldfields School Glencoe, MD

The Gow School is an internationally renowned boarding school located in rural South Wales, NY. Founded in 1926, Gow is the oldest college preparatory school in the country for young men with dyslexia. The students come from 26 countries and 20 states. the goW school An important goal of The Gow School is preparing students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences for college and a career. Therefore, all of the students take an Orton-based phonics program called Reconstructive Language. In addition to small classes of three to six students, the school offers a range of academic programs, including art, drama, music, and robotics. The school offers structured classes and tutorials during the day, athletics in the afternoon, and a daily supervised study hall in the evening. Students are encouraged to earn college credit in the math and science programs.

In recent years, The Gow School has realized the need to broaden its reach to students who live in the local area. Gow now has ten day students, including three girls. Although these students only stay for academics and athletics, they, too, are benefiting from the highly effective remediation and structure that The Gow School has been offering to

At Oldfields, “living large” is about having a generous heart. Courage, Humility, and Largeness of Heart are the values that define the students and the culture of Oldfields School. The School’s nurturing yet rigorous curriculum ensures that our girls walk down Graduation Hill as wellrounded, compassionate, and confident young women.

Oldfields School is a private, all girls, 8-12 boarding and day school in Sparks Glencoe. Located on a 130-acre campus in Maryland horse country, Oldfields is also in close proximity to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York City.

For over 150 years, Oldfields has been focused on each girl’s success. In a nurturing, family-like atmosphere, students are recognized as individuals and are valued as members of the community.

Academically, our girls are oldfields school encouraged to think outside the box and reach to the next level. Says Kiefer ’14 from Sparks, “Oldfields’ teachers are passionate about the subjects they teach, which makes learning enjoyable and interesting.” At Oldfields, a traditional collegepreparatory curriculum is enhanced by small class sizes and a supportive faculty. The faculty to student ratio is five to one, allowing each student

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE the individual attention necessary to flourish academically and socially.

Oldfields students experience real-life learning during the School’s twoweek May Program in the spring. Girls get to choose from a wide variety of offerings, including travel abroad, local opportunities, and hands-on learning. Some examples of this year’s May Programs are The Best of Peru, Kitchen Chemistry, The Joy of Teaching, and Outdoor Experience. Juniors and seniors are also given the option to design an individualized, independent May Program. Past programs have included working as a veterinary aide, being part of a Congressional campaign committee, and interning in surgical pathology at Johns Hopkins University.

Oldfields is a small school with big diversity. Diversity of talents, learning styles, cultures, faiths, and more encourages students to be comfortable with their peers from all over the world. Says Addie ’14 from Glyndon, “Oldfields truly does have a feeling of family. We all blend together to make a diverse, focused, and loving community.” Part of being a close-knit and loving community means celebrating students’ differences. Clubs such as the Asian Cultures Club and the Jewish Culture Club provide a vehicle for students to explore their culture and/or learn more about a culture with which they are not familiar.

Oldfields offers a number of competitive interscholastic sports and afterschool activities including field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse, dance, theatre, riding lessons, competitive team riding, and much more. Every girl participates in a sport or after-school activity which allows her to discover her passion, whether it be onstage or on the playing field. Says Barrett ’14, a resident of Sparks, “Oldfields gave me the opportunity to take dance, which I had never done before. Now I have found out that I love it!”

You’ve heard what our students love about Oldfields. What will YOU love about Oldfields? Come and visit our Admission Office to find out!

Check out www.OldfieldsSchool.org or call 410-472-4800 for more information.1500 Glencoe Road, Sparks Glencoe, MD.

bOARDING SCHOOLS Westover Middlebury, CT Education Plus Opportunities for Girls in Special Areas of Interest Westover, a selective boarding school of 200 girls, grades 9 - 12, in Middlebury, CT, has students from 16 countries and 19 states. Because the Westover community values the ideas and talents of every student, its students have endless opportunities to distinguish and challenge themselves. In addition to its rich and varied curriculum, Westover offers three specialized programs for those students with more concentrated interests. These programs provide co-curricular experiences for Westover students with the Brass City Ballet, the Manhattan School of Music, and Women in Science and Engineering (WISE).

• Brass City Ballet. As participants in this program, a joint venture between Westover and the Brass City Ballet, select students have the opportunity to study dance at one of the region’s leading dance schools.

Students audition in the fall of their entry year and take six dance classes a week in ballet, modern, and jazz.

• Manhattan School of Music. This joint program between the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division and Westover offers talented musicians and vocalists the opportunity to study music and play in

an orchestra or ensemble at one of the country’s leading music schools.

Students must complete a separate application and audition to be accepted into the program.

• WISE (Women in Science and Engineering). This advanced extracurricular program in conjunction with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) offers a variety of electives aimed at preparing students for careers in science or engineering. WISE graduates also receive special consideration for RPI’s engineering program.

A number of Westover graduates who have participated in these programs have later pursued studies in dance, music, science and engineering in college and have gone on to establish careers in these fields.

In addition, Westover offers three signature programs that further reflect the School’s commitment to giving students opportunities to gain experience and knowledge in special areas of interest: the Sonja Osborn Museum Studies Internship, the Online School for Girls, and Westover’s Summer Programs for girls entering grades 7, 8 and 9.

• The Sonja Osborn Museum Studies Internship. The Museum Studies Internship, designed for students with interests and aptitude in the study of art history, consists Westover of a ten-week program. The first eight weeks are spent at Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT, the home designed and lived in

by Theodate Pope Riddle, Westover’s architect. The final two weeks are spent working on a project that investigates the historical ties between the museum and Westover.

• The Online School for Girls (OSG). Westover was one of four all-girls schools in 2009 to establish a consortium to offer online education for girls. Girls taking part in the program are offered courses taught by faculty members from the consortium over the Internet.

Courses range from multivariable calculus and differential equations to women in art and literature. All classes focus on collaborative projects for participating students.

• Westover’s Summer Programs. The School’s residential one- or twoweek summer programs in the arts and academics are an extension of the Westover experience, allowing girls to benefit from courses taught by Westover instructors while enjoying a range of summer activities. Recent course offerings have included ceramics, creative writing, dance, drama, Model United Nations, and photography.

These six programs reflect the diverse offerings that Westover provides for all of its students. As Head of School Ann Pollina has noted, “Westover’s small, all-girls’ environment forces students out of boxes and into a bigger picture of themselves. Our girls are artists and athletes, musicians and mathematicians, poets and physicists – sometimes all at the same time.”

1237 Whittemore Rd, Middlebury, CT. 203/758-2423 www.westoverschool.org. For admissions information, or to arrange a visit, contact Westover’s Office of Admission at 203/577-4521 or e-mail admission@westoverschool.org.

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE The Oakland Collegiate School (formerly Chamberlain-Hunt Academy) Port Gibson, MS. Near the banks of the Bayou Pierre between the Natchez Trace Parkway and the Mississippi River you can find The Oakland Collegiate School for Boys.

Its name derives from its historic and philosophic connection to Oakland College (1830-1870); its 170-acre campus was once part of the Woodstock Plantation. In an area noted for its timber, “Oakland” and “Woodstock” were appropriate names. Even to this day tree farms and nearby “old growth” (or “virgin timber”) forests, as well as natural and man-made water features, provide a luxurious habitat for all sorts of wildlife: deer (which outnumber the human population), turkeys, raccoons, opossums, armadillos, snakes, alligators, turtles, bass, catfish and a few black bear. It is also the perfect location for another type of “wildlife:” teenage boys.

Most boys are not designed to sit for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in a straight plastic seat behind a Formica desk under the hum and flicker of fluorescent lights; I was not. No wonder so many intelligent, inquisitive, and energetic boys hate “school.”

Teenage boys are typically fast-growing creatures, with surging hormones. They are restless and need to move.

They are inquisitive and need the oakland collegiate school to satisfy that curiosity. Their fine-motor skills have not caught up to their gross-motor skills and they need to work with big things. They also need to prove themselves by taking on and successfully completing challenges. When these normal boyish needs are squelched or not met appropriately, no boy can thrive.

Typically, he will either withdraw into lazy boredom or he will take unwise risks, dangerous to life and limb. Sometimes he is even drugged into “appropriate” behavior by well-meaning adults.

Since Dr. Jeremiah Chamberlain began his work in 1830, Christ-centered education has been available in Claiborne County to young men from around the world—first at Oakland College, then at ChamberlainHunt Academy and now at The Oakland Collegiate School for Boys.

Over the years schools for boys have become few, and OCS provides education for boys by people who know boys, preparing them to be men.

Our name change reflects both continuity with the past and intentionality about the future: The Oakland Collegiate School for Boys. OCS provides structure to set safe boundaries for boys and Christian teachers to engage them in exploring God’s creation. Think about it: The Bayou Pierre and the heirloom vegetable garden are biology labs. Dressing game and scaling fish are anatomy lessons. Writing and speaking projects help train boys’ minds to think rationally and to communicate clearly. The gun and archery ranges are physics labs. Art projects are big and bold, and often messy. Travel and literature open other new worlds for boys to explore, and the classroom doors are portals to success. We prepare boys to be men, leaders in their families, churches, and communities.

The Oakland Collegiate School: 124 McComb Avenue, Port Gibson, MS. www.oaklandcs.org; main phone: (601) 437-4291; admissions: (601) 4378855, Fax (601) 437-3212.

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COLLEGES

bard Bard college College at simon’s Simon’S rock roCk

Bard College at Simon’s Rock Great Barrington, MA The Early College Bard College at Simon’s Rock is the nation’s only four-year residential college specifically designed for students ready to begin college early, usually after the 10th or 11th grade. Students typically enter Simon’s Rock at the age of 16, without a high school diploma, and earn the BA by age 20.

We offer a rigorous program in the liberal arts and sciences, characterized by small classes and an emphasis on analytical work, excellence in expression, and exploring connections within and across different academic disciplines.

Founded in 1966, Simon’s Rock has been part of the Bard College system since 1979. Our students are able to take classes at the main Bard campus and our BA is jointly granted by Simon’s Rock and Bard College.

Why Start College Early For some students, high school is not enough. They seek greater challenge, a stronger peer group, and the opportunity to explore sophisticated interests in depth. For these students, spending junior and senior year in AP classes or prepping for standardized tests means marking time, not moving forward.

At Simon’s Rock, they find a community of ambitious students and engaged professors ready to support and encourage their unique passions.

Our program offers 41 different concentrations across four academic divisions. A core curriculum guides students’ first two years, offering a strong foundation in major ideas and works of the Western world, as well as non-Western perspectives. The core is complemented by electives and concentrations in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, and fine and performing arts. Junior and senior years consist of advanced course work, opportunities to study or intern off-campus, and an independent thesis project. All classes are taught in seminars, offering lively discussion and debate.

Why Teens Thrive at Simon’s Rock At Simon’s Rock, each facet of our environment – teaching, advisory system, residential life – is tailored to the intellectual and emotional needs of younger students.

While students may have more freedom here than at home or boarding school, we’re a small campus with small classes: no one flies under the radar.

Adults, either faculty members or dedicated Residence Directors, live in every dorm. Students meet weekly with their faculty advisors, and rely on them for academic, social, and emotional counsel.

Life After Simon’s Rock Our graduates are well prepared for their next steps. We encourage professional internships and study abroad to help students clarify their goals.

Those who transfer from Simon’s Rock after two years enter highly selective colleges and universities as juniors. The 50% who remain for the BA have excellent records of graduate and professional school placement, and professional success. We rank 13th among all U.S. colleges and universities for the percentage of graduates who earn a PhD. Many of our graduates work for top law firms, financial institutions, or have created their own successful ventures. For the last two years, Simon’s Rock has had four graduates included in Forbes “30 Under 30” lists of high achieving young professionals.

Bard College at Simon’s Rock: 84 Alford Rd. Great Barrington, MA 012301978. 800/235-7186; Email excel@simons-rock.edu ; Website simons-rock.edu.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Sarah Lawrence Bronxville, N.Y. Sarah Lawrence is a coeducational liberal arts college, offering undergraduate as well as graduate degrees. Located just north of New York City on a 44-acre wooded campus, the College is nationally renowned for its distinctive pedagogy, incorporation of writing across the curriculum, and curricular integration of the arts. The College does not offer restrictive majors, but instead broader and more flexible “concentrations.” With this unusual curricular freedom, students are encouraged to navigate their own academic paths under the guidance of their personal faculty mentor and adviser known as a don, similarly to Oxford and Cambridge.

Princeton Review’s Best 377 Colleges ranks Sarah Lawrence #1 in the nation for best teachers and it has also been ranked #1 in teaching by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (2013). The College was Time Magazine’s Liberal Arts College of the Year in 2000. SLC’s pedagogy is characterized by intensive faculty-student contact via small seminars which constitute 90 percent of all classes, one-to-one faculty student conferences resulting in independent, often interdisciplinary student work, an emphasis on written evaluations of students in addition to letter grades, and a 10-to-1 student-faculty ratio.

Sarah lawrenCe

SLC’s student body includes 1,300 undergraduates and 340 graduate students from all 50 states and 35 foreign countries. Master’s level graduate programs include Teaching, Health Advocacy, Writing, Women’s History, Women’s History and Law, Dance Movement Therapy, Dance, Theatre, Child Development, Child Development and Social Work, and Human Genetics.

Famous for its round table seminar rooms, other noteworthy College facilities include outstanding theatres, art, performance studios, and music spaces; state-of-the-art graphic computing hardware and software; competitive athletic and fitness facilities including squash courts and a rowing tank; a 60,000-foot visual arts center; and newly renovated dining areas.

Sarah Lawrence offers nearly 100 student clubs and organizations, NCAA Division III athletics, seven College-sponsored international programs including Cuba, internships and an entrepreneurship immersion program, and an alumni population including J.J. Abrams, Rahm Emanuel, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker, Julianna Margulies, Vera Wang, noted virologist W. Ian Lipkin, MD, and notables in medicine, law, business, the arts, the non-profit sector, and entrepreneurs.

In addition to its undergraduate and graduate programs, the College offers a full menu of credit and non-credit programs including a BA program for adults, post-BA studies, the highly regarded Writing Institute, pre-college credit and non-credit programs for high school students, and programs for children.

More information can be found at www.slc.edu.

1 Mead Way, Bronxville/Yonkers, NY.

Clark University Worcester, Ma. An Unconventional University in a Mainstream World Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a dynamic small, urban, liberal arts-based research university. This combination is important and unique for students who want to excel in today’s world. Our small size gives you access to research opportunities that are normally reserved for graduate students at other schools – and our urban location provides you with a diverse city environment where you can apply your skills and develop solutions to real-world problems.

Clark’s tradition of close working relationships provides many opportunities for you to pursue knowledge through active participation.

With a 10:1 faculty-to-student ratio, you can partner with professors and postdoctoral associates on a variety of projects. We also offer you the ability to choose from 32 undergraduate majors, along with many master’s degree and Ph.D. program options.

AN EDUCATION ON THE CUTTING EDGE Clark gives you the chance to participate in something big: LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice), a new model of education that’s transforming the way students learn. LEEP combines a traditional liberal arts education with intensive world, workplace and personal experiences – ensuring that you develop the full range of skills needed to succeed in today’s complex, ever-changing world.

A FULL RIDE FOR TEN LEEP SCHOLARS In celebration of the launch of LEEP, we’re offering up to 10 students in 2013 the chance to benefit from everything Clark has to offer – at no cost for tuition, room or board – through the LEEP Scholars program. Scholars also have the opportunity to complete a master’s degree, tuition-free, through our Accelerated B.A./Master’s Degree Program.

THE ACCELERATED B.A./MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM With Clark’s excellent graduate programs and research institutes, the University is able to offer all of our students a unique cost-savings opportunity.

Work hard and you could earn an accelerated bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years from one of 14 different programs with the fifth year of tuition waived. Any student who meets the chosen program’s requirements is eligible.

A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY WITH GLOBAL INSIGHT By living and learning in Clark’s global community, you have access to a broader understanding of international perspectives. With approximately 600 international students, faculty members and scholars from more than 90 countries, you’ll discover a variety of cultures, traditions, religions and political ideologies to learn about and enjoy.

CHALLENGE CONVENTION. CHANGE OUR WORLD. Clark will inspire you to get involved in significant ways in class, on campus and abroad. More than 50 percent of Clark students actively volunteer, locally and globally, through community service and study abroad programs. With our various academic and student life opportunities, LEEP and the overall Clark experience, you’ll be well-equipped to exemplify the University’s motto: “Challenge convention. Change our world.”

Clark University: 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA. 800-462-5275 or 508-793-7431; admsissions@clarku.edu; clarku.edu/explore.

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Wellspring is the premier weight loss lifestyle program on the globe. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dr. Phil, 2012

Our 46th Year

2013 This summer marks our 46th year of providing a fun-filled summer program for children three years old through second grade. SummerSault is well known in New York City and has benefitted many children through the years. Town School faculty serves as administrators, enlisting numerous Town teachers and alums to be a part of the SummerSault staff.

The Town School

540 East 76th Street New York, NY 10021 (212) 288-0740 www.thetownschool.org email: ctanenbaum@townschool.org

SUMMER @WALKER’S

SUMMER CULTURE MEETS SUMMER FUN Each summer, girls from all over the world decide to make Walker’s their destination. That’s because our day and residential summer programs have earned a reputation for building creative, language, and core academic skills while providing fun, friends, and learning experiences that last a lifetime. Summer programs include academics, arts, athletics, and riding. Sessions run July 8 – August 2.

Register now for a summer like no other. Go to ethelwalker.org/summer.

“Last summer I discovered I’m good at volleyball, skateboarding and reading!” lAcademics

lAfternoon Activities lWeekend

Trips

The Gow School Summer Program is for boys and girls, ages 8-16, who possess the potential to excel, despite academic difficulties, or having been diagnosed with dyslexia or specific learning differences.

For more information, call: 716.652.3450 or email: summer@gow.org

GIVING HOPE, TRANSFORMING LIVES.

n

Remediation through structured, multisensory, Orton-based phonics language curriculum

n

100% college acceptance

n

Small class sizes (3-6 students)

n

School-wide laptop program

Premier college preparatory boarding school n 150 students, grades 7-12, from 25 countries and 22 states for students in grades 7-12 with dyslexia or language-based learning differences n Co-ed Summer Program, ages 8-16

Learn more about the life-changing Gow experience at www.gow.org or call 716.652.3450.

Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School

Five weeks of academic exploration and discovery at one of America’s outstanding independent schools

July 7-August 10, 2013 The UPPER SCHOOL — Comprised of students who have completed grades nine, ten, eleven, or twelve — enrolls some 500 students who come to us from more than 40 states, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and several dozen foreign nations.

ACCESS EXETER — Open to students who have completed grades seven or eight — provides a challenging academic program for approximately 250 students.

Together, these students embody a rich diversity of language, culture, religion and race.

Tel 603.777.3488 summer@exeter.edu To learn more, please visit our website: www.exeter.edu/summer

Empowered

to Explore Small classes. Inspiring teachers.

Innovative programming. See how Ridgefield Academy students are learning in meaningful ways.

SCAN THIS CODE OR VISIT WWW.RIDGEFIELDACADEMY.ORG/EXPLORE TO SEE OUR CLAYMATION VIDEO

ridgefield academy

Empowering Every Student Preschool through Grade 8

203-894-1800 | www.ridgefieldacademy.org

NEW YORK MILITARY ACADEMY

Visit our website for additional information at

www.nyma.org • 888-ASK-NYMA 78 Academy Ave, Cornwall on Hudson, NY

A summer of fun, friendship, challenge, and opportunity for kids who want to GET OUT THERE AND DO this summer! Program includes an array of thoughtfully guided outdoor activities and challenge opportunities, as well as a full schedule of adventure learning with the military flavor that NYMA summer programs are famous • white water rafting • zipline • ropes course for: • paintball • horsemanship • and nightly activities

Summer ADVENTURE PROGRAM July 7 - Aug 2

6 & 7 G G

and their parents are invited to attend

Discover Lauralton See what’s here for you! activities • food • fun Sunday, April 28 from 1–3:30 p.m.

Register at www.lauraltonhall.org by Friday, April 12

Empowering Women for Life

academy of our lady of mercy

200 High Street Milford CT 06460 tel: 203.878.3333

T h e y d i d n ’t g o f o r s t a t u s q u o !

For over 105 years Riverside Military Academy has produced young men of purpose, integrity, and character who “seek something greater” than their current educational experience. We empower our cadets to unlock their potential through a program of academic excellence, character development, social skills, and leadership training within a structured environment. The 2012 graduating class consisted of 84 cadets who received over $2,000,000 in scholarship and were accepted to over 90 universities include the U.S. Military Academy-West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy. 

Educating young men in grades 7-12



Over 460 cadets from 25 states and 22 countries



AP and honors courses



12 athletic sports with many championship titles



Aviation and driver’s education programs



Visual & performing arts programs



Over 20 student organizations



Fully accredited & year-round enrollment



4 Week summer school program (20 courses)



Located one hour north of Atlanta’s international airport Follow us:

www.riversidemilitary.com ■ 800.462.2338 2001 Riverside Drive • Gainesville, GA • 30501

Westover School, a leading preparatory school for young women, is known for its graduates – confident young women prepared both academically and personally to get the most out of their college experience.

At Westover your daughter will have opportunities to explore and discover her strengths through signature academic programs that allow for in-depth study in areas including Women in Science and Engineering, Global Exchanges, Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Online School for Girls.

Here your daughter will grow both academically and personally within a collaborative community of students in grades 9 - 12 from 16 states and 17 countries.

For more information or to arrange for a visit to the School, please call the Office of Admission at 203.577.4521 or visit westoverschool.org.

Westover School

•

Middlebury, CT

•

westoverschool.org

Canterbury School New Milford, CT

Grades 9-12 • Boarding & Day • (860) 210-3934 • www.cbury.org

THE

STORM KING SCHOOL Creating individualized programs to meet the needs of each student.

See if SKS is right for you. Sign up for our Student for a Day program. Call 845.534.9860. Scholarships available.

Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York

www.sks.org • admissions@sks.org Founded 1867 • Coed • Boarding and Day • Independent • Grades 8–12

BASED ON TRADITION. DEFINED BY INNOVATION.

Klein Campus Center

At Dwight-Englewood School we believe in educating the whole person, focusing on hands-on learning, critical thinking, ethical and moral decision making, and teamwork. Here, each student can reach new heights. Here, our students are our mission. Here, they are all Dwight-Englewood.

Contact the Admissions Office today to schedule your private tour.

Located only minutes from the George Washington Bridge.

Call us at 201.569.9500 x3500 or visit d-e.org/admissions

â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Dwight-Englewood, throughout the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools, our students gain critical skills, seek excellence, ignite their passions, and develop the habit of lifelong learning. Indeed,they are fully prepared to meet the challenges of a changing world... and make it better.â&#x20AC;?

- Dr. Rodney V. De Jarnett, Head of School

academics

service

meet hackley school

h ac k l eY

arTs

What makes Hackley School different and special? Get a pure view of Hackley right from the people who know it best—Hackley students, faculty, parents and alumni. Scan this code to hear their unique perspectives, and visit Pure Hackley to hear more.

aThleTics

www.hackleyschool.org/pure · Tarrytown, NY · 914.366.2642

FUN IN FRENCH

D

For more information and to register, go to: For more information

Day Camp for Grades N to 5

and to register, go to:

www.fasny.org

FJune UN 24IN July 26 Click on After-School Programs Day Camp for Grades N to 5 www.fasny.org Away Camp FSleepRENCH Sleep- Away Camp

The Frenc

June 24- July 26

for Grades 6 to 9

Click on After-School Programs

for Grades 6 to 9

June 21 - July 3 June

21 -

914.250.0415.

914.250.0415.

Julyafterschool@fasny.org 3 afterschool@fasny.org

Fre

The French-American School of New York

nch-American School of New York French Immersion Programs

French Immersion Programs

Deutsch mit Spaß!

German School of Connecticut

bridging cultures

Nothing connects us to a country more than its language. Speaking German can help you strengthen that connection while enhancing travel, education and buziness horizons. Established in 1978, the German School of Connecticut (GSC) – the only professional German Saturday School in the state – provides a high-quality German educational program for over 350 children and adults. At GSC, students at all levels learn German language and culture Saturdy mornings during the academic year.

• Two convenient locations: Stamford and West Hartford.

• All grades: pre K-12, and adult classes too!

“Fluency in German gave my daughter that extra edge to get into her first choice in college… and later helped her find a job as well!” - Mother of Former Student

• Dedicated, professional teachers.

• Two different proficiency levels: beginners/non-native, and near fluent/native.

“My children learned so much at GSC that when we go to Germany, they feel at home with the language and culture.”

- German Parent

• Best CT results in the National German AATG Examinations.

• Prepare for SAT Subject Test and AP German Exam.

• Deutsches Sprachdiplom A2, B1, C1, satisfying German university entrance language requirements.

“My Business Studies got me the interview, but I am convinced my fluency in German landed the job.”

- Former Student/Business Major

Attend a Free Trial Class! – Call Ahead (203) 548-0438 More details at

www.germanschoolct.org

“An Intimate PlacePlace to Learn theHeart Heart of a Great “An Intimate to Learnin in the of a Great City” City”

“An Intimate Place to Learn in the Heart of a Great City” “An Intimate Place to Learn in the Heart of a Great City”

York Preparatory School School YorkYork Preparatory School Preparatory

40 West 68thth Street – New York, NY 10023 th 68 Street – New York, NY 10023 40 West 40 West 68college Street – New York, NY 10023 coeducational preparatory school serving students from coeducational college preparatory school serving students from grades 6-12. coeducational college preparatory school serving students grades 6-12.

grades 6-12.

Outstanding Academics Outstanding Academics Superb College Guidance Outstanding Superb CollegeAcademics Guidance Championship Sports Teams Championship Sports Teams

Superb College Guidance Endless Extracurricular Activities Endless Extracurricular Activities

Championship Sports Teams An Oasis of Learning and Compassion An Oasis of Learning and Compassion

There IS something for everyone at York Prep!

There IS something for everyoneActivities at York Prep!

Endless Extracurricular

For more information, contact our Admissions Office at For more information, contact our Admissions Office at admissions@yorkprep.org or 212-362-0400.www.yorkprep.org admissions@yorkprep.org or 212-362-0400.www.yorkprep.org

An Oasis of Learning and Compassion

from

Cheshire Academy 2013-2014 & Access Cheshire

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community room

Jesus, Take the Wheel

By Caroline Lazar

My dad parked the car on the side of Bronx river parkway, juMped out, and told Me to get in the driver’s seat. i had just gotten My perMit and was in the Middle of eating a Blt. “now?! really?!” two of My siBlings go to jesuit schools in the Bronx But this was My first tiMe really seeing the area, and i Barely knew it well enough to navigate, Much less to cruise lackadaisically in a city setting. “But… But… there are Buses! and people! and fire hydrants! and other things that i can hit and that can hit Me!” My dad wasn’t having any of it.

My parents are very strategic in teaching us lessons and enjoy preparing us for worst-case scenarios. When my oldest sister first learned to drive, my dad’s favorite tactic was screaming, “DEAR GOD, THERE’S A CHILD IN THE ROAD!” when she was behind the wheel. After she would swerve, shrieking and fighting tears in her eyes, my dad would chirp, “THERE’S NO CHILD. BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN. SO GOOD RESPONSE TIME.” Needless to say, she is now always prepared for stray children. My mom always holds on to the coat hanger thingy above the passenger seat like she’s in a turbulent subway car when one of us drives her. She started this practice when my aforementioned sister lost her grip on the wheel while on the highway, the time we affectionately refer to as the “Jesus, Take the Wheel” incident.

Thankfully, everyone was fine, but, as a result, my siblings and I are subjected to creative ways of getting us to learn how to drive better. Which is why my dad leapt out of the car on the middle of the parkway and insisted I take a pop quiz in Urban Driving 101. I

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sat in the driver’s seat of the truck, a tiny girl being swallowed up by a tremendous vehicle (or as my parents like to call it, “a KILLING MACHINE so BE CAREFUL”). I started the car with shaking hands and felt my jaw lock. My knuckles wrapped so tightly around the steering wheel that I could see my bones, possible instruments of murder and/or destruction when curled around the wheel. Gasping and gulping, I steered, paler than a wedding dress. And I prayed, OH how I prayed. It was an informal prayer that mostly consisted of whispering ohmygodohmygodohmygod, but it was a sort of prayer. I remember passing church after church and thinking that if I could borrow God to keep him in my backseat for just this one ride, I’m sure no one would mind. I was yelled at by furious men in black hats at a crosswalk and was nearly sideswiped by a city bus but I quickly came to the realization that I was driving, really driving! I was a pilgrim, exploring roadways and obeying laws! I was a pioneer, charting new and previously unseen territory! I was out of gas!

After the blood returned to my head, I pulled over, spilled gas all over my tights, and was safely strapped into the passenger seat, drunk with power and slurring with excitement (“Did you see that?! I used my turn signal!!”). I was a golden girl, an iron man, a fantastic driver, only having smacked the bumper twice, scraped the curb a handful of times, and killed one squirrel.

(I didn’t know there were squirrels in the Bronx either…)

I officially got my license a few weeks ago.

There’s something about driving alone for the first time that makes you stop the car repeatedly to check if there’s someone else in the back.

Maybe it’s the fact that you’ve been in a car a million times but have never been driving one completely alone. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s that you aren’t ever completely alone after all.

*

Caroline Lazar has worked at McSweeney’s, The New York Post, The Greenwich Time, and studies at Connecticut College. She lives in Greenwich, CT.

C H A L L E N G E

C O N V E N T I O N.

C H A N G E

O U R

W O R L D.

D O YO U H AV E W H AT I T TA K E S ?

In celebration of LEEP, Clark’s pioneering model of higher education, up to ten scholars in 2013 will receive free tuition, room and board for their first four years.

Find out if you have what it takes to be a LEEP Scholar at clarku.edu/leepscholarship

A P P LY

DEADLINES

clarku.edu/apply commonapp.org

Early Action: November 1 Regular Decision: January 15

T H E C H A N G E S TA R T S H E R E .