A Multicultural Breakfast in Fox Meadow
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Fox Meadow residents from the world over celebrated multiculturalism at a delicious international breakfast on Friday September 30. Parents with children in the Fox Meadow school brought a sumptuous array of dishes to share including dumplings, sushi, noodles, green tea custard and many exotic specialties that made interesting breakfast fare.
Principal Duncan Wilson greeted the group and shared a story – and everyone enjoyed greeting newcomers and catching up with old friends.
Your Skin: Questions and Answers from an Expert
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Goldwasser is one of Scarsdale's most sought after specialists. With an impressive resume, she's a recognized expert in her field who is both respected and well liked by her patients. Now at the Scarsdale Medical Group she's the go-to person for any questions or issues with skin – and because it seems like everyone has concerns, we decided to ask her some questions. Here is what she shared.
Are skin cancers more common now or are doctors just better at diagnosing them?
I believe there is a true increase in the incidence of skin cancer, AND that more are coming to light, due to greater public awareness and due to more prevalent screening.
What are the signs that a skin patch could require treatment?
Non-melanoma skin cancers, like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, can look rather innocent: a pink pimple, a crusty spot, or a scaly flat pink patch that persists for over 1 month should be evaluated. Melanoma skin cancers tend to be irregular in shape and multicolored.
New spots that do not resemble other spots on the body are suspicious, and a lesion that changes over time, in size, shape, or color, is suspicious. Lesions that itch or hurt or bleed should be evaluated. Any persistent spot on the nose after the age of forty should be reported.
What are the most common types of skin cancers?
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, followed by squamous cell carcinoma, followed by melanoma.
How do doctors usually treat basel and squamous cell carcinomas?
These can be treated in a number of ways: burning and scraping them away, cutting them out, radiation therapy, and even topical creams can be used--it depends on the location, size, and other characteristics of the lesion and the patient.
If left untreated, will squamous and basal cell lesions spread or metastasize?
These two types of skin cancer rarely metastasize.
How can parents prevent kids from getting sun damage early on?
Follow the ABC's: Make sure your children AVOID midday sun, wear BLOCK, and COVER up with physical cover-ups and shade structures.
What can adults who already have damaged skin do to protect themselves?
Don't add insult to injury! Follow the ABC's and do quarterly self-examinations, and seek attention if you find a suspicious lesion. See your dermatologist regularly for a full body skin exam. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and drink brewed teas, which are rich in antioxidants. Don't smoke--smoking increase your risk of squamous cell skin cancers.
Which sun blocks do you recommend and why?
I generally recommend water-resistant sunblocks with at least an SPF of 30. I prefer products that contain zinc oxide and or titanium dioxide as the active ingredients--these are PHYSICAL sunblocks (as opposed to chemical sunscreens). They work by reflecting light as soon as they are applied, and will continue to work until they are washed off by water or sweat, or rubbed off. Several manufacturers produce sunblocks that meet these criteria: Blue Lizard, Neutrogena PURESCREEN, Elta MD, and MD Solar Sciences are some examples.
Some vitamin D exposure is necessary for good health – how can people balance this need with the risk of skin cancer?
Each person has to make health decisions on an individual basis. If you have a personal or family history of skin cancer, and/or if you are very fair-skinned, taking sun to increase your vitamin D level may not be the best way to go for you. If you are not high risk for skin cancer and you have a low Vitamin D level, you might benefit from cautious sun exposure.
Dr. Goldwasser can be found at the Scarsdale Medical Group, 259 Heathcote Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583, Phone: 914-723-8100.
Scarsdale Friends Design and Launch New Product
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale residents and friends Jane Och and Sharon Prince recently launched a new product called Guac-Lock that keeps guacamole fresh – without browning – so you can make it now and eat it later. We spoke to them about designing and developing their new product and asked what our readers and aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from the process:
How did you get the idea for Guac-Lock and what does it do?
One day we were discussing how much waste there is when making guacamole because it is so difficult to store and thought – "there has to be a solution". So we put our heads together to design a storage and serving container that removes all of the air from the container to prevent oxidation and browning of the guacamole.
How did you go about designing it?
We worked with an industrial designer and engineering team to design a product that was both functional and aesthetically beautiful. It took many months and iterations to come up with the final design.
Where did you turn to get it manufactured? Did you have to create a mold?
We worked with a reputable agent in Hong Kong to identify a manufacturer in China to make the molds and manufacture the product.
Where are they being made? And how many have you ordered?
The product is being manufactured in China. We have an ongoing production schedule to stay ahead of demand for the products.
How is the product being distributed?
We partnered/licensed the Guac-Lock to Casabella, a company prominent in the housewares business. We are working with them to distribute the products.
Did you need to purchase warehouse space and find a fulfillment center?
We did not need this once we decided to license to Casabella.
How are you handling the back office administration?
We handle the back office administration as a team with the cooperation if Casabella. As a partnership, we bring many different skill sets to the company.
Did you need a lot of start-up capital?
The company needed some start up capital for product development and services but it was not prohibitive.
How are you promoting it?
We are promoting the product through traditional sales medium, online advertising, email marketing campaigns and media placements.
How can you protect your concept - did you apply for a patent?
We have applied and have patents pending for the product.
Did you consider selling the concept to a larger company?
Yes – as noted above. We were introduced to Casabella at our first showing at the International Housewares Show and immediately connected with them. After months of discussions we decided to license to Casabella and take advantage of their expertise, particularly in the areas of sales and distribution.
How did your professional backgrounds help you to pursue this idea?
Our professional backgrounds gave us the business knowledge of the steps to take and processes to consider when starting the company. Most interesting is that neither of us had any background in design, manufacturing or the housewares business. We have learned an incredible amount along the way and have loved increasing our knowledgebase in this area.
Where do you see this going in the future? Can Guac-Lock be used to store other perishables?
We are excited to launch other product lines as extensions of the Guac-Lock and we are currently in development of these lines.
What advice would you give to readers who have an idea that they would like to develop?
Go for it! The best thing we did was to run with an idea. Don't let anything get in your way and just because it is not out there doesn't mean it can't be done!
Where can readers purchase their own Guac-Lock and how much does it cost?
The Guac-Lock is just $19.99 can be purchase on Guac-lock.com, at Bed Bath and Beyond, on Amazon.com, Jet.com or Crateandbarrel.com.
President Obama Quotes Six Year-Old Scarsdale Boy in U.N. Speech
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Does anyone know Alex? In his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday September 20th, President Obama quoted a six year-old boy named Alex from Scarsdale. In remarks about the crisis in Aleppo, Syria, Obama read from a letter he received from Alex who invited Omran Dagneesh, an injured Syrian boy to come live with him and his family and to be his brother.
We doubt that Alex knew his words would be read at the Leader's Summit on Refugees at the United Nations when he wrote them – but he does us all proud.
Watch the video here – and read the transcript of Obama's speech here. And if you know Alex, please ask him to get in touch with us at scarsdalecomments@gmail.com or at 914-980-4803. We would love to speak to him:
Here is what the President said:
We can learn from a young boy named Alex, who lives not far from here in Scarsdale, New York. Last month, like all of us, Alex saw that heartbreaking image -- five-year-old Omran Daqneesh in Aleppo, Syria, sitting in that ambulance, silent and in shock, trying to wipe the blood from his hands.
And here in New York, Alex, who is just six years old, sat down and wrote me a letter. And he said, he wanted Omran to come live with him and his family. "Since he won't bring toys," Alex wrote, "I will share my bike and I will teach him how to ride it. I will teach him addition and subtraction. My little sister will be collecting butterflies and fireflies for him...We can all play together. We will give him a family and he will be our brother."
Those are the words of a six-year-old boy. He teaches us a lot.
The humanity that a young child can display, who hasn't learned to be cynical, or suspicious, or fearful of other people because of where they're from, or how they look, or how they pray, and who just understands the notion of treating somebody that is like him with compassion, with kindness -- we can all learn from Alex. Imagine the suffering we could ease, and the lives we could save, and what our world would look like if, seeing a child who's hurting anywhere in the world, we say, "We will give him a family and he will be our brother."
Note from the Editor: On September 22nd we received this note from Roy Gordon offering a free bicycle to Omran: He says, "Hello My name is Roy Gordon. I was hopping you could help me. I live in Ohio and after reading the story about the 6 year-old boy that wrote President Obama the letter I broke down in tears. What got me is generosity this little boy had and how this child can teach all of us a valuable lesson about sharing. So i wanted to share a gift of brand new bike. I do assembly and repair work for a company. I often come across brand new bikes that get returned to the company that were never used. I happen to have one that I safety checked and I would like to give it to this boy who wrote the letter so he could give it to the boy from Syria if and when he comes. You can contact me via this email address If you can help me out I would greatly appreciate it."
(Please contact scarsdalecomments@gmail.com and we will put you in touch with Roy)
At Work on Labor Day
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- Written by Preeti Singh
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While most of us shopped and got ready for barbeques or a relaxed weekend, some Scarsdalians were busy this Labor Day.
Donna Albanese
Profession: Driver and Dispatcher
Place of work: Central Taxicab Service, Scarsdale Station
My colleague cooks well and has got a turkey and potatoes. I don't cook so I have brought melons and cake, and we will set up a buffet table. We are all working voluntarily here today.
Miguel Brown
Profession: Gas Station Attendant
Place of work: Heathcote Gulf Station
I hope to be able to get out early for some fun. Maybe half day today!
Lino Fuentes
Profession: Cook
Place of work: Metro Deli, Five Corners
No need for a holiday on Labor Day. We are very busy today. People need breakfast.
Coach Paul Brooks and his Soccer team
Profession: Head coach, soccer
Place of work: Scarsdale High School
We kick off the season with an away game today. It is a special day to bond with the boys and to set into motion the short and long term goals we have for the SHS Varsity Team. We will celebrate later.
Deborah Skolnik
Profession: Working Mom
What Labor Day holiday? I hit the Westchester mall and Greenwich for back to school shopping. I've been trying to do tons of holiday laundry. I still have to help my older daughter clean and organize her room, to help her start the new school year focused.
