A Few Clouds 70°

Vira Mamchur Schwartz

Writer

vschwartz@dailyvoice.com

Vira Mamchur Schwartz is the quintessential jack-of-all-trades... and master of a few of them. Vira’s editorial career started in technology publishing, writing and editing at the Ziff-Davis publication Computer Shopper. Later she served as Managing Editor at CD-ROM World and then Internet World, before moving to freelance writing.

Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, L.A. Times, Folio, Portable Computing, Internet Shopper and other websites and magazines that no longer exist. She ghost-wrote and designed an award-winning diet and fitness book for a popular fitness personality and, currently, loves to tell stories about people and animals. 

Vira Mamchur Schwartz's Contributions

Lifestyle
TV Stars In The Making? Fairfield County's Connecticut Junk Removal Is Hopeful TV Stars In The Making? Fairfield County's Connecticut Junk Removal Is Hopeful
TV Stars In The Making? Fairfield County's Connecticut Junk Removal Is Hopeful Storage companies. Pawn brokers. Hoarders. Housewives. Connecticut Junk Removal? “Storage Wars,” which has been an A&E Network stalwart since 2010 may be in for some tough competition if Glen Jennings, owner of Connecticut Junk Removal, LLC has his way. The family-owned Fairfield-based junk removal company is looking to capitalize on the reality TV craze. Hoping for an A&E deal of his own, Jennings has set up a YouTube channel where the company will live-stream their cleanups and hopefully have some special finds in preparation for their television pitch. The channel goes live on De…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Lifestyle
When Nuts Are Life-Threatening: Family Food Allergies Push Wilton Mom to Action When Nuts Are Life-Threatening: Family Food Allergies Push Wilton Mom to Action
When Nuts Are Life-Threatening: Family Food Allergies Push Wilton Mom to Action About 10 years ago, Jenny Wooten Andjelkovic and her family experienced a scare that changed their lives forever. Scare, perhaps, isn’t strong enough a word. Wilton mom Andjelkovic had just had her third child, another daughter after a girl, then 5, and a son, 3 at the time. She knew her eldest, Bella, had a tree nut and peanut allergy: Eating anything with a tree nut or peanut would result in hives that they had always treated successfully with Benadryl. This time, however, it was different. Someone had sent a cookie bouquet to the family, and some of the cookies were incorrectly labeled…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Obituaries
Scott Socquet, 53, Turned Love of Flying Into Successful Stratford Business Scott Socquet, 53, Turned Love of Flying Into Successful Stratford Business
Scott Socquet, 53, Turned Love of Flying Into Successful Stratford Business Scott Socquet, 53, of Milford, beloved husband of Jessica Socquet, died on Oct. 23. The son of Cliff (Arleen) Socquet and Linda (Jesse) Jameson, he was born on April 18, 1966 in Putnam, CT—in the car en route to Day Kimble Hospital. He lived in Connecticut through his childhood and teenage years.  Much of his charismatic, honest and caring character was established in these small New England communities with his family and friends,  acquiring many of life’s lessons from close family members like his grandfather, parents and siblings as well as uncles, aunts, and cousins. His care…

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by Daily Voice
Lifestyle
Norwalk’s Ghost Storm Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghosts Norwalk’s Ghost Storm Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghosts
Norwalk’s Ghost Storm Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghosts It all started at the abandoned and purportedly haunted village in Litchfield County, Dudleytown. Go ahead and google it. Founded in the 1740s and abandoned in the 1800s, ghost activity is rumored there. But don’t expect to experience it for yourself as Dudleytown lies on private land closed to the public and trespassers are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Luckily for Nick Grossman (aka Nick Storm) and Peter Cerow, they knew one of the property owners. “We’ve always been fascinated by the paranormal,” said Nick Storm. “We’re both spirit-intuitive and our trip to Dudleytown was …

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Lifestyle
Run A Marathon Blind? Guiding Eyes Running Guide Dogs Make It Possible Run A Marathon Blind? Guiding Eyes Running Guide Dogs Make It Possible
Run A Marathon Blind? Guiding Eyes Running Guide Dogs Make It Possible Thomas Panek, president and CEO of Yorktown Heights-based non-profit Guiding Eyes for the Blind, has been a runner his whole life. “I ran on my cross-country team in high school; it was around that time that I began losing more and more of my vision,” recalled Panek. “I would always follow the runner in front of me, afraid to get out in front, but I kept getting hurt.” Running became harder, but Panek never stopped. In his 30s, guided by human volunteers, he completed 20 marathons—including New York and Boston. Nevertheless, he still wondered what it would be like to be more independent,…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Obituaries
Gorton High Grad, Vietnam Vet, Craftsman Carpenter, Avid Sailor: James MacArthur Masterson, 73 Gorton High Grad, Vietnam Vet, Craftsman Carpenter, Avid Sailor: James MacArthur Masterson, 73
Gorton High Grad, Vietnam Vet, Craftsman Carpenter, Avid Sailor: James MacArthur Masterson, 73 James MacArthur Masterson died on Monday, Oct. 28 after a short illness.  The son of Walter J. Masterson and Anne (MacArthur) Masterson, he was born Oct. 27, 1946. Jim had lived in many places over the years and was residing in Yonkers at the time of his death. He attended Gorton High School in Yonkers and was one of the original members of the North End Surf Club. Jim was a Vietnam Era Veteran, having served honorably on destroyers in the U. S. Navy. He first learned to sail when living in Essex, CT and remained an avid sailor for the rest of his life. After his discharge Jim atten…

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by Daily Voice
Lifestyle
Friend, "Mom," Cultural Ambassador: North Salem's Maryanne D'Amato Helps Local Au Pairs Friend, "Mom," Cultural Ambassador: North Salem's Maryanne D'Amato Helps Local Au Pairs
Friend, "Mom," Cultural Ambassador: North Salem's Maryanne D'Amato Helps Local Au Pairs It all started because Maryanne D’Amato was a friendly neighbor. After working in television, she and her husband left New York City for suburban life in North Salem. And it is there where D’Amato met and befriended her neighbor’s au pairs while out and about with her own children. “I just adored these girls,” said D’Amato. “I enjoyed seeing them; they’d walk with me and tell me about their countries.” Au pairs, not to be confused with nannies, are part cultural exchange, part child care—with heavy emphasis officially put on the cultural exchange. They are typically young women and men fro…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Lifestyle
Colonel Who? Bonchon Chicken Moves Into Fairfield County Colonel Who? Bonchon Chicken Moves Into Fairfield County
Colonel Who? Bonchon Chicken Moves Into Fairfield County Who can remember a time when chicken wings weren’t on a menu? Started as a bar appetizer in the 1960s, wings are now the star of the show. And they certainly shine bright at Bonchon’s. The Korean-based and internationally loved fried chicken purveyor has opened its first franchise in Fairfield County at 1565 Post Road. The grand opening was held on Oct. 7. Bonchon has four other locations in Connecticut: West Harford, Manchester, Storrs and New Haven.  Leo Chung, a partner and head manager of Bonchon’s in Fairfield believes the Connecticut shoreline town was the right spot for his second …

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Lifestyle
48 Years And Counting: Legendary Jam Band Max Creek Takes The Stage At Garcia’s In Port Chester 48 Years And Counting: Legendary Jam Band Max Creek Takes The Stage At Garcia’s In Port Chester
48 Years And Counting: Legendary Jam Band Max Creek Takes The Stage At Garcia’s In Port Chester If you grew up in this area in the 1980s and 1990s, you’ll have heard of Max Creek. Perhaps you even saw them at the Capitol in Port Chester, the old Globe in Norwalk or the Rocking Horse in Hartford, among countless other clubs and outdoor festivals they’ve played. Max Creek was a fixture at the Gathering of the Vibes (last held at Seaside Park in Bridgeport in 2015), instrumental to the festival’s growth and success. Founded in 1971 by a trio of students at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, a performing arts conservatory, the band initially played traditional folk music and …

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Lifestyle
Not The Childhood Toy And Companion You Remember: Possessed Dolls Hit The Norwalk Stage Not The Childhood Toy And Companion You Remember: Possessed Dolls Hit The Norwalk Stage
Not The Childhood Toy And Companion You Remember: Possessed Dolls Hit The Norwalk Stage The possessed doll has long been a horror trope. The "Chucky" film franchise is loosely based on an actual haunted doll called Robert, and Annabelle, of a recent movie of the same name, is an actual doll owned by the Warren estate, Connecticut’s famed supernatural investigators. These, however, are far from the only haunted dolls out there. Google “possessed doll” and you’ll find dolls you can buy off Amazon, Ebay and Etsy—not cheaply—and have shipped to you the next day. Or you can come to Café Madrid in Norwalk on Nov. 1 and meet Rusty. Clairvoyant Nick Grossmann (aka Nick Storm) and empa…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
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