Notes from the Cornell Class of 1991 - 2002 July/August

Class Notes, 2002 July/August

July/August 2002

As summer months tend to find many classmates with travel plans, you may want to comb through these Class Notes. Who knows? You might find yourself in the proximity of a classmate or two and be inspired to drop by for a visit!

Speaking of traveling, many fellow alumni have recently completed their honeymoon travels. Jeffrey Araten wed Wendy Mirsky at the Essex House in Manhattan. Both bride and groom are associates at the Manhattan law firm Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman. Last October Raymond Brown married Dr. Sachina Lyons '93 in Summit, NJ. Ray is an architect at Polshek Partnership in New York City, and Sachina is a veterinarian at Fanwood Animal Hospital in Plainfield, NJ. Classmate Maurice Campbell was honored to serve as Ray's best man. Also attending the festivities were Will Appling '92, BS ILR '95, Kwesi Arno '92, Lauren Davidson '95, Orville Dyce, Basil Smikle '93, Paul Greaves, MPA '94, Andrew Martin, Simone Peart '93, and Kahlil Reid. Lastly, Karen Finkston became the bride of Giora Payes in mid-December after a fateful evening three years prior when their alter egos "Zorro" and "Ginger Spice" met at a Halloween party. Though the relationship was an undeniable hit, Karen's stint as a Spice Girl was short-lived. Instead, she pursues a career as a public relations specialist for the New York Life Insurance Company.

After discussing nuptials, it seems only natural to report on those classmates who will embark on future travels with a bit more luggage in tow, as many of them have new additions to their families. Andrea Belusko Hertzendorf and husband Michael welcomed Cassidy Rose on December 16, bringing the family count to four, including their first daughter Caitlin. A few months later, Laura Fricke Main and husband Doug announced the birth of their second son, Morgan Kessler, on February 26. The Main family is living in Connecticut, and Laura continues her work as a second grade teacher in Westport. The very next day saw the birth of Morgan Paige Joseph, the first daughter of Matthew Joseph and wife Michelle. Matthew also recently became partner at his law firm, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP in NYC, where he has worked since he graduated from U. of Pennsylvania Law School in 1994. He is a corporate finance attorney, specializing in structured finance transactions. The end of February scored a new arrival as class officer Jeff Weintraub, MD '95, and wife Robyn (Lipsky) welcomed baby girl Lauryn Beth on February 28. Jeff and Robyn now have a family of four--their first child Bryan turned 3 last month.

Finally, as you opt for summer travel vacations, perhaps you'll visit classmates whose career moves have propelled them to different locales throughout the US. Christof Bove, BA '95, is currently working at USA Network and was recently promoted to vice president of development and long form programming. Christof is responsible for supervising the development and production of the network's "Mystery Movie" franchise and has worked on such projects as the USA Original Movies Jane Doe with Teri Hatcher and Rob Lowe, Louis L'Amour's The Diamond of Jeru, and the recent A Case of Evil starring Vincent D'Onofrio and Richard E. Grant. He joined USA Network as an assistant and was promoted to creative executive in 1999. Earlier in his career, he produced and directed several documentary films in the US, Germany, and France, and served as the videographer on the 20th Century Fox film Volcano.

Any classmates traveling through Park City, UT, during the 2002 Winter Olympics may have had the pleasure of eating at the Windy Ridge Cafe, the newest addition to Hotelie Bill White's upscale Park City eateries that include Grappa, Chimayo, and Wahso. Bill describes himself as a ("fry cook-turned-chef-turned-owner" and prides himself on satisfying the hungry ski crowd and loyal locals alike as they dine on scrumptious baked ziti Bolognese, spinach and mushroom lasagne, eggplant parmesan, and "the best hamburger anyone has ever seen."

After all of that delicious Italian fare, those who have room for dessert should not miss Alan Rosen's legendary cheesecake. Alan is co-owner of Junior's, a 50-year-old family business that Alan has expanded from a quaint Brooklyn eatery to the addition of two outlets in Grand Central Station, where commuters line the aisles in order to bring a mouth-watering cheesecake home on the train. Alan, who joined the business ten years ago, has instituted changes that have helped double annual sales to $20 million. He is, incidentally, the father of twins, and is planning to open a third Junior's in the city, in addition to expanding his mail-order cheesecake business.

Finally, since many of us will travel back to Cornell for reunion, homecoming games, and the like, consider resting your head on the pillow of the Aurora Inn, which will soon be renovated with the help of architect Andrew Rappaport. Andrew, who has a strong background in high-end architectural millwork and building design, recently joined HOLT Architects as a designer and is currently involved in the renovation design of the Aurora Inn in Aurora, NY. *Corinne Kuchling, 1740 NE 86th St., #209, Seattle, WA 98115; e-mail, ckuchlin@starbucks.com; Nina Rosen Peek, 171 E. 89th St., Apt. 6F, NYC 10128; e-mail, nsr5@cornell.edu; and Dave Smith, 210 W. Summerchase Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28311; e-mail, DocDS30@yahoo.com.