Exploring Sports With Your Children:

By Randy Clark

Everyone knows that children benefit physically from sports, but one of the
over-looked benefits of playing sports is the life lessons. Team-based and
individual sports can help kids develop a sense of confidence and improve their
self-esteem. And you can help. We set the tone for their experiences. Consider the
following when exploring sports with your children.


Be a role model and coach:

Parents and coaches can make or break a kid’s love of sports. Kids observe how we
demonstrate sportsmanship. Showing respect for the other team and officials,
focusing on how well the team played rather than wins or losses, and shaking hands
with the other team after the game are ways we can all help create a positive
environment. While it is a big responsibility, it is the ultimate opportunity to
bond with our kids.  But remember, these are kids.  The negative, yelling and
screaming coaching style will not prove effective with these young people.

Ask them which activities they’d like to try:

When you’re trying to find sports and activities for your kids, think about their
personalities and what they enjoy doing. Some may enjoy team sports like soccer,
while others prefer individual sports, like swimming.  Not every child will want to
play little league baseball or hockey, but with a bit of investigating and a lot of
patience, you can explore several options your kids may enjoy.

Enroll with a friend:

Then, they can look forward to participating together, and mom and dad can benefit
from ride-sharing, too.

Set some ground rules:

When you try a new sport, explain that it will be for the whole season. Ask them to
try their best and remind them at the end of the season, they don’t have to commit
to doing it again. Often, kids will really grow and even reluctant young athletes
can gain confidence as the season progresses.

Celebrate the successes:

As a life-long coach, my goal is simple, I always try to celebrate the successes, no
matter how little.  At a young age, it’s less about winning the game and more about
trying our best and being good sports out on the field. And, to help make sure all
kids feel a part of the team we always had a team cheer – win or lose – to
celebrate.

Explore other ways to be active together:

If organized sports aren’t for your child, remember family physical activities are
also a great opportunity. Going for walks together, taking a hike or a bike ride,
just going and spending time together is important.  It can be a great family
bonding opportunity.  The key is helping to create a sense of enjoyment and making
sure that being active is not something they feel like they “have” to do, but
instead want to do.

Warren Buffett: The Giving Pledge:

By LUCAS JACKSON

Throughout history, many of the richest of the rich have felt a responsibility to help the less fortunate.

Billionaire investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett has taken the call to action a step further by asking billionaires to follow his lead.

By signing The Giving Pledge, created by Buffett, billionaires make a public promise to dedicate most of their wealth to philanthropy.

To date, there have been more than 125 pledgers from around the world, many of them high-profile philanthropists and self-made titans.

Here is are some of the signers:

Pledger: Bill Gates, co-founder, Microsoft

Estimated net worth: Around $81 billion

Pledged to give away: “We have committed the vast majority of our assets to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” wrote the Gateses in their pledge letter.

Charities: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports ending extreme poverty and poor health in developing countries, and is working to help America’s education system.

Pledger: Larry Ellison, co-founder, Oracle

Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room:

Robert Gladstone, Isaac Lazerson, Robert Trump, Michelle-Marie Heinemann, Marie-Claire Gladstone.

This past weekend I dined at Montes in Amenia, New York. It was completely fabulous as the menu offers a wonderful selection “from the farm” “from the sea” and “Montes specials.” I ordered the local trout stuffed with mushrooms, risotto and Montes signature tomato sauce…it was perfect and paired beautifully with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from the nicely curated wine list.

The Monte Family has and continues to signify a tradition of gracious hospitality for over a century, beginning in 1906 with the founding of Monte’s Venetian Room in Brooklyn, NY.

Monte’s Venetian Room was founded by Angelo and Philomena Montemarano, two Italian immigrants who met, fell in love, and continued to strive together both personally and professionally their whole lives through. During the Great Depression, Angelo, Philomena and their seven sons were forced to move into an apartment above Monte’s Venetian Room when they lost most of their real estate holdings. When Prohibition was made Constitutional, Monte’s Venetian Room became a ‘Speakeasy’ with a password required for entry. World War II broke out and brought six of the seven brothers into the military, with one staying behind to run the business. All of the brothers made it home safely after the war only to be handed aprons after 3 days of “vacation” and were put to work.  

Through this, the Monte family stuck together and moved forward to purchase and manage the iconic Gurney’s Inn in Montauk, NY, while unofficially adopting the Sly and the Family Stone song, ‘We are Family’ as a personification of their own. That on-premise, responsible family management was just a continuation of the values and gracious hospitality that were handed down from the family founders, Angelo and Philomena.

From the days of sawdust on the floors in Brooklyn, to the wide, white sandy beaches of Montauk, the Monte Family has lived and worked through every important local, national, and international event including the Great Depression, Prohibition, two World Wars, the Hippy Generation/British Invasion, the man on the moon and so many more. In every case, important events dictated special circumstances that had to be dealt with and adjusted to in order to survive. Through these times, the Monte family was able to provide flexibility to manage these changes, yet they continued to embrace a stable sense of hospitality that helped many individuals cope with the stressors that the ever changing times would bring.

Today, the Montes have reinvented themselves in the Hudson Valley of New York with the advent of Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room in Amenia. This more recent development in the long historical legacy of the Monte Family came about in 2014 when Ann Marie Pallan, one of the third generation siblings, found a location in Amenia, NY that so closely resembled the original Monte’s building in Brooklyn. Ann Marie was so taken aback that she immediately called her brothers and sisters to come up to the Hudson Valley to see for themselves. Shortly thereafter, the seeds were sown for the birth of a new entity to be called Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room. Subsequetly, a partnership was formed between the Monte family and Dafna Mizrahi, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and now General Manager and Executive Chef, to continue the tradition of hospitality for future generations to come.

From our family to yours, it is assured that you will always feel at home with us. To many more generations and years of hospitality to come- enjoy!

Monte’s is a great place to have fresh delicious food, relaxed conversation and even live music on Friday nights!!!!

Contact:

(845) 789-1818

MontesKitchen@gmail.com

Address:

3330 NY-343,

Amenia, NY 12501

Cirque du Soleil – Montreal

A visit to Cirque du Soleil is a must, concierge at The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal, arranged front row tickets for my family within a hour, and the performance was mesmerizing.

Luzia is the Cirque’s 38th original production….it is completely fabulous and inspired by Mexican Culture. It is written by Daniele Finzi Pasca and Julie Hamelin Finzi and directed by Finzi Pasca.

Happy Mother’s Day:

There Are Angels God Puts on This Earth.

Cacao 70 ~ Montreal, Canada:

514-933-1688.

village-mtl@cacao70.ca

Address:

1310, Ste-Catherine Street East,
Montreal, QC H2L 2H5

Montreal Botanical Garden:

The Montréal Botanical Garden, one of the city’s jewels, is recognized as one of the world’s greatest botanical gardens. It offers a colourful program of events, exhibitions and activities all year long.

With its collection of 22,000 plant species and cultivars, 10 exhibition greenhouses, Frédéric Back Tree Pavilion, and more than 20 thematic gardens spread out over 75 hectares, it’s also a perfect place to enjoy fresh air and natural beauty.

Located just minutes from downtown Montréal, right near the Biodôme and Olympic Park, the Montréal Botanical Garden is a veritable living museum of plants from the four corners of the globe.

Associated with the Montréal Botanical Garden, the Insectarium welcomes you to discover the world of insects.

The Ritz-Carlton Montreal:

On a recent trip to Canada my family and I stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Montreal.

When it opened its doors in 1912, the Ritz-Carlton Montreal set a new standard for luxury. Today, more than 100 years later, the Grande Dame of Sherbrooke Street blends its historic splendor with contemporary design, offering an unparalleled boutique hotel experience in the heart of downtown. The only Quebec hotel to hold the prestigious AAA Five Diamond, the Ritz-Carlton Montreal offers guests:

• Boutique hotel accommodations blending historic elements with modern features
• Fine dining at Maison Boulud, featuring modern interpretations of classic French cuisine in an upscale setting
• Elegant meeting and event spaces that offer flexible seating arrangements and state-of-the-art technology
• A rooftop and terrace featuring an indoor saltwater pool and stunning views overlooking the city
• Afternoon Tea, which originated at this downtown Montreal hotel

The personal attention to every detail was extraordinary and the gracious manner in which the staff accommodated us …..sublime. Our suite was perfectly prepared and attended to promptly.

Breakfast by the saltwater pool is a must and a quick visit to the sauna is both healing and reflective as the hot stones restore ones inner spirit.

Afternoon tea in the Palm Court is deliciously elegant and lends itself to an era of refinement and leisure, a time to converse with friends and family in a no rush environment with attentive waiters that will custom make a desired request.

Main contact:

+1 (514) 842-4212

Address:

1228 Sherbrooke St. West
Montréal, H3G 1H6 Canada

L’Etoile:

The menu at L’Etoile was created by renowned French Chef, Jean Paul Bondoux. Originally from Burgundy, Bondoux has settled in South America for over 30 years, where he has the established La Bourgogne restaurants in Punta del Este – Uruguay, and in Buenos Aires – Argentina, as well as NoSo at the hotel W Santiago in Chile. Bondoux arrives in Brazil at the roof top of the Sheraton Rio Hotel, featuring a traditional French cuisine focused on the simplicity and high quality of the local produce to replicate some of his traditional long standing recipes as well as new seasonal dishes with Brazilian influence.

Main contact:

L’Etoile

Phone: 55 21 2529 – 1299
Email: letoile.rio@sheraton.com

Address:
Located: At the 26th Floor of Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel and Resort
Address: AV Niemeyer 121, Leblon – Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

More than any other food, chocolate delights and enchants….chocolate tantalizes and it comforts. No one knows this better than Maribel Lieberman, the founder of Marie Belle Chocolates. From her first chocolate shop in Soho, N.Y., Maribel’s passion for discovering and sharing new flavors has seen her continually reinvent how we enjoy chocolate.

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