Kathy Zucker

Startup CEO, mom of three. Fencer. Dove model. @ShortyAwards winner, Real Time Academy judge. @Columbia grad. I find joy every.single.day. Email [email protected]

[kathyzucker]

Summer Nationals marks the end of the fencing season. As the new year begins, I take stock of my family's supplies. I look for sales to buy larger uniforms, extra body cords and weapons. Every manufacturer cuts fencing gear differently, so I maintain lists of preferred styles for each family member. Foil body cords in particular are in constant demand, so I made sure to stock up before the removal of the de minimis exemption last August.

I used to give away large numbers of body cords and extra gear. I am experimenting with new vendors to resupply our family fencing stores – the timing and quantities are erratic. As I source small stashes, I share the surplus on a case by case basis.

[kathyzucker]

For the last three months, Maestro Mark Masters and I have been conducting extensive research into cross training for youth fencers. It turns out that laser pistol training improves point control. The laser run is an official world championship event involving sprinting and shooting. It builds speed, stamina, breathing skills, and focus.

Eleanor and her friends frequently train together. Our families have hired coaches to teach classes in various sports.  Each kid has different areas of strength. In between professional lessons, the more advanced kids demonstrate skills that the other participants need to improve.

[kathyzucker]

Every night, my entire family sits in front of the television while icing. We use a combination of ice bags and blue packs to ice knees, ankles, and elbows. The kids who travel with me know I carry tweezers, band aids, antibiotic ointment, and children's ibuprofen. Youth injuries have been the biggest challenge to my career as a coach. How to identify them, manage them, and when to seek professional help are things I constantly assess with the athletes I frequently train.

I sent a kid home early from our last practice. She had enormous circles under her eyes and told me she was so tired. She came up to me after that to discuss bouting, I took one look at her, tilted my head toward the lockers, and said, "Go."

[kathyzucker]

When I book accommodations, I look for amenities. We need swimming pool access, high-speed internet, and space to work. I also search for delis, grocery stores, and restaurants. And then I map access to fencing venues within expanding concentric circles. Suitable options usually appear in clusters. I send reports on my findings to my family and then book the dates we need.

We usually have room to spare. It's always a safe bet to acquire extra essential items. I first started booking hotels for groups when I was in college. In the decades since graduation, the internet has given me an increasing universe of options.

[kathyzucker]

I am making a tournament plan for next year. This season, Emily and my husband are traveling together to regional and national competitions. Next year, Eleanor and I will join them. I have been working with Josh and physical therapists to see how he can participate in our family vocation of fencing.

For decades, I have worked to develop a network of specialists to help my family fence. From transportation to food, we have the capacity to care for small and medium sized groups. I observe my kids and their friends to determine what they need to move up to the next level. And then I incorporate appropriate resources into future experiences.

[kathyzucker]

I bought Eleanor a bouquet to dissect for biology class. Using a tiny scissors and tweezers, she removed the stamens, pistil, petals, and sepals. After taping them to a paper towel, she wrote about the role that each part plays in creating the next generation of plants. I gave my daughter a vase and a crystal flower bowl to arrange the rest of the bouquet around her work area.

Most of my precious possessions originate from New York City in the 1980s. I have spent decades collecting housewares and accessories from that era. I tend to buy in clusters since groupings of specific items often become available at the same time. As my kids grow up, I give them high-quality gifts in perfect condition from my childhood.

[kathyzucker]

I try to recreate restaurant meals at home. Josh sprays canola oil on french fries for an extra crispy exterior. I have experimented with dried, frozen, fresh, and homemade noodles. When I achieve success, I take pictures and email recipes to myself and all three children. And then I continue to experiment and refine quantities.

Leftover ingredients never go to waste. Tapioca starch thickens fruit pie fillings. I mix rice flour with wheat flour to achieve crispy bread crusts. Emily is a much better cook than I am, so she often teaches me recipes she learned in college.

[kathyzucker]

Sour cream combined with baking soda creates fluffy cake. I start with the same sour cream and butter batter and then customize separate pans of chocolate and vanilla cakes. The vanilla cake is topped with slices of whatever fruit I have on hand while cocoa results in rich chocolate flavor. Sugar sprinkled over fruit adds sweetness comparable to buttercream frosting.

I cut sheet cakes into squares and stack them in containers. A tub of buttercream frosting is ready at all times in my freezer to adorn impromptu baking sessions. As I use up staple ingredients, I look for sales to replenish my supplies.

[kathyzucker]

Eleanor and I often have cake for breakfast. Chocolate with buttercream frosting plus a handful of dried fruit provides enough energy to sustain me until a late lunch or early dinner. I try to bake cake and cookies to stock our refrigerator and freezers, but we also buy cake on the road.

New Jersey is renowned for its diners. Sliced cakes are displayed like jewels in glass cases near the entrance. Eleanor and I peruse options and usually order a piece to bring home.

[kathyzucker]

I added cocoa powder to the chocolate chip cookie recipe I have been baking continuously since age eight. I used Ghirardelli cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate wafers to create a texture similar to brownies. This recipe results in fewer cookies than the traditional blondie recipe, but every bite oozes molten chocolate even after cooling.

I have visited Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco numerous times. As the oldest continuously operating chocolatier in the United States, the products are uniformly excellent. Hot fudge sundaes, coffee, and artisanal chocolate are specialties that are always a highlight of visits to California.

[kathyzucker]

Ice cream is an excellent recovery food after workouts. The dairy carbohydrates help repair and build muscle while the cold and sugar lower core temperature and restore energy levels. I maintain numerous flavors of premium ice cream in our home freezers and constantly update maps of ice cream stores near training locations. My kids consume classic cones and smoothies containing fruit plus additional protein.

People often stop my family to ask where we got ice cream. Colorful glistening swirls rise above textured waffle cones to create an exclamation point of delicious joy. Since ice cream melts so quickly, passersby know this affordable treat is available nearby.

[kathyzucker]

Twelve years ago, I started learning how to string necklaces and bracelets. Silk thread is the standard choice for stringing pearls since the natural thread protects the luminous nacre. I also used professional-grade forty-nine strand twisted sterling wire for jewelry comprised of vintage and new beads. When the wire manufacturer switched to stainless steel, I began using twenty-six gauge dead soft sterling silver wire.

Keshi pearls have no nucleus. Their pure nacre causes them to glow in sunlight in a variety of natural hues. 100% of the keshi pearls that I acquire are vintage since my preferred cornflake shape is no longer in standard production.  I match topaz and quartz briolettes to each batch of pearls to design gemstone garland necklaces. Once the kids are fully grown, I will create bracelets and earrings from the leftover gemstones carefully stored in a safe.

[kathyzucker]

White topaz is untreated. This is topaz in its natural state. The blue topaz that abounds in vintage jewelry is usually irradiated white topaz. Rated an eight on the Mohs hardness scale, topaz is an excellent choice for handmade jewelry. Because it is abundant worldwide, you can easily find clear flawless topaz at very reasonable prices.

My favorite topaz shape is a top-drilled briolette. Faceted three-dimensional teardrops are designed to be worn in necklaces and earrings. The briolette cut is used primarily in semi-precious gemstones because it results in much more waste than traditional cuts used in ring settings. Twenty-six gauge sterling silver wire fits most drill holes and can be wrapped into fanciful designs using crimping pliers.

[kathyzucker]

Quartz is a seven on the Mohs hardness scale, which makes it suitable for everyday jewelry. As one of the most common minerals on Earth, it is available in many shapes, colors, and clarity levels. I started buying rock crystal about ten years ago because the quality is extremely high. Now I am trying to find pink quartz briolettes, which has been a challenging task. I perform tests on new gemstones, and most pink quartz fails immediately.

Whenever possible, I try to buy vintage gemstones. If they have survived decades of use in excellent condition, then the structure and internal composition are reliable. I only have one chance to make jewelry using the precious metal at my disposal before it breaks. That is why all gemstone beads have to pass rigorous testing before I will incorporate them into a design.

[kathyzucker]

Emily came to foil fencing practice at Eleanor's club. We watched top NCAA men's foil fencers train with each other and fence the kids. Foil infighting is completely different from épée. I have never understood why foil fencers don't just run past each other to end the action. After watching this practice, I finally figured out that the person passing is at a major disadvantage.

Having another good fencer share experiences is invaluable. They spot the same anomalies and talk through them with me. You really have to watch high-level fencing in person to dissect the strategy behind each touch. The kids are finally reaching the age and ability level where they can fully contribute to the essentially permanent fencing conversation in our home.

[kathyzucker]

I observed Emily's fencing practice at the club near her college. I spent the day in meetings, then drove her there, where I introduced myself to the coaches and leadership team. This is the first time I have visited this club location, which is near multiple colleges in Philadelphia. I have attended training sessions at clubs all over the world, so I evaluated the space, her private lesson, and bouting.

My husband first brought Emily to this club when she was considering attending college nearby. Choosing a college with easy access to a strong fencing club was high on my kid's priority list. Her father and I transformed our fencing games by training at nearby clubs throughout college, so I built fencing into our higher education budget.

[kathyzucker]

I spent the last week traveling for a combination of work and personal endeavors. I keep a bag packed with athletic and business casual attire because my schedule is unpredictable. An assortment of handmade gold and silver jewelry accessorizes outfits for any occasion. I take apart vintage jewelry to reuse the components in new designs. Since I have been collecting fine jewelry for over forty years, I have a large selection of options to work with.

When I buy jewelry, I look for elements that can be repurposed in new settings. Chains can be cut into smaller lengths, with individual links remade into open rings to attach clasps. Nothing is ever wasted. I deposit scrap metal into a small bin that has become the place where I look for inspiration.