Scarsdale Boys Compete on Ski Race Team
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Even though the winter was short on snow, it was a busy one for William and Charles Lemerond. Both boys competed on the U10 Mohawk Mountain Alpine Race Team in Connecticut. William, a third grader at Heathcote, joined the team last year. Charles, a first grader at Heathcote, joined the team this year.
Practice began in early December even before snow was on the ground, with the two participating in dry-land training to prepare for the upcoming season. Once snowmaking started, the boys had practice every Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 am until 3:00 pm. Race days were even longer - the boys needed to be at the race hill by 6:30 in the morning to register, gear up and inspect the course.
William and Charles started skiing in earnest when they were three and have never looked back. William enjoys the challenge of mastering steep, narrow terrain and Charles loves going fast and making giant slalom turns. Both boys have developed strong friendships with their teammates.
William had a very successful season, 
placing on the podium in two of five United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) races and winning the year-end USSA Skills Quest competition for which he was awarded a signed photograph of his favorite skier, Ted Ligety. Charles ended the year with his first top ten finish and has high hopes to follow in his big brother's footsteps in the coming years.
Leading Ladies: Lots of Laughs at SHS
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- Written by Perri Thaler
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This past Friday and Saturday night, the Scarsdale High School Drama Club put on its third and final play for the year, "Leading Ladies," which is written by Ken Ludwig and premiered at The Alley Theatre in 2004.
This gut-busting comedy follows two down-on-their-luck English Shakespearean actors, Jack, played by Egzon Muja, and Leo, played by Dillon Orlando. To try to earn a little money, they perform "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit in Pennsylvania. When they hear that an old lady, played by Catherine Zhao, in York, P.A. is about to die and leave part of her fortune to her two long lost English nephews, Max and Steve, the actors resolve to pass themselves off as her beloved relatives and get the cash. The trouble is, while on their way to York, they hear from a friend of the woman's family, Audrey, played by Mary Cecil, that the relatives aren't nephews, but nieces!
To their surprise, "Max" is short for "Maxine," and "Steve" for "Stephanie." After a lot of pleading, Leo convinces Jack that they should still pretend to be the old woman's relatives by dressing as the women. Romantic entanglements abound, especially when Leo falls head-over-petticoat in love with the old lady's vivacious niece, Meg, played by Isabella Bailey, despite her engagement to Reverend Wooly, played by Marco Pompa. Leo's and Jack's desperate attempts to keep themselves under cover (and in high heels) had the audience non-stop laughing.
These actors and actresses, along with the other members of the cast, Michael Hoffman, Eliot Huh, Alexa Trujillo, and Eliza Auchincloss, and the Tech Director, Steve Bogardus, and crew, Josh Cohen, Alex Hart, 
Karina Schepis, Nina Zacharia, Ilana Tamir, Jack Baldinger, Patrick Dwyer, and Maddie Hart, worked hard for months, with many time constraints. With the help of the club's advisor, Sarah Robbins, as director and Robby Chappell and Daniella Ashman as assistant directors, they performed what Ashman called, "One of the hardest, but funniest, Drama Club productions of which I've ever been a part."
Sadly, it is too late to see this amazing show, but be on the lookout for details about next year's musical to premiere in late November! (Photos by Jon Thaler -- see more here.)
Scarsdale Non-Profit Offers Speed Consulting Workshop for Small Businesses
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Last month, The Acceleration Project (TAP), a Scarsdale based not for profit organization, partnered with the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce to offer a speed-consulting workshop for small businesses in need of strategic and tactical advice.
The idea was the brainchild of TAP CEO Jane Veron, TAP Client/Partner Development Director Nikki Hahn, and Dwayne Brown, President of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce. "We were proud to work together with business leaders from Mount Vernon," said Hahn.
Following a roundtable format, nine TAP consultants met with a dozen small business owners at Fleetwood Diner in Mount Vernon to discuss issues local businesses face. Attendees received advice on how to refine their elevator pitch and improve their core messaging. TAP consultants coached attendees to focus on their unique value proposition to differentiate themselves from competitors. Businesses left with concrete strategies for implementation. Said TAP Consultant Giselle Weissman, "I believe the two businesses we consulted came away with some tangible, actionable steps to improve their messaging."
TAP prides itself on offering innovative ways to provide well-structured, accessible, results-oriented programs to help boost local economic development. The model appears to be working well, with programs ranging from the successful "Shop the Dale" campaign to TAP's cornerstone Strategic Advisory Program. "We are thrilled by our momentum, with a record number of clients and consultants applying to participate. We are also attracting an incredible internal team to support the organization as it expands in reach and scope, " Veron said.
TAP is committed to helping small businesses grow and flourish by
linking the talents of highly skilled professionals with the advisory needs of local small businesses. TAP empowers professionals to make a meaningful impact in their community while advancing their skills. If you are interested in working with TAP as a client or as a consultant, applications are available on TAP's website. TAP is supported by donations from individuals, foundations and businesses. Contact CEO Jane Veron at jane@theaccelerationproject.org or COO Tracy Jaffe at tracyj@theaccelerationproject.org for more information.
Upscale Bookstore to Open in Scarsdale
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Attention book-lovers. It appears the market for the printed word is not dead after all. Just when you were getting used to reading on your digital device, Barnes and Noble has announced plans to open a new prototype bookstore at the site of the former Borders Store in the Lord and Taylor Shopping Center. According to Publisher's Weekly, the store will be "upscale" and include a "five star restaurant."
The concept for the new bookstore makes sense in an area filled with avid readers who often belong to multiple book clubs. Residents are still mourning the loss of Reading, Writing and Wrapping in Scarsdale Village and the closing of Borders Bookstores in Scarsdale and White Plains.
Planned for a 2016 opening, no doubt the store will be well received by locals.
A Blast from the Past: Vintage Photos of the Golden Horseshoe
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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A piece of our area's history was knocked down this week when the building housing SuperSol and the Cheers Wine and Spirits store was demolished to make way for a new tenant to be announced soon. The original building was constructed by Benjamin Miller, a New Rochelle attorney in 1956. According to the property manager, before there was a 
shopping center, the site was home to a privately owned racetrack in the early 1900's, and that's the origin of the name, The Golden Horseshoe. In 1950 Miller planned to build the stores in a horseshoe configuration, and the name was thought to be a sign of good luck.
Check out these photos from the 1950's of the construction
of the first building at the Golden Horseshoe, which looks to be mid-century modern. It underwent a makeover in 1998 when it was given a Tudor façade.
The shopping center will break ground for a new building in April of this year and tenants hope to open in the late fall. Across the parking lot, next to the Bank of America teller station, a 4,000 square foot building is going up. It will house Chopped restaurant and another tenant as well. According to the property manager, both new buildings will have a Tudor facade to match the existing site. 
