By Eli Zev
Photography by Justin Negard
Meet Xander Bajaj, a four-year-old Katonah resident who attends Katonah Playcare Early Learning Center. He loves to play with his friends and build things with his mom. And we’re a bit jealous of his birthday breakfast.
Do you have a best friend?
Three.
Three best friends? Wow!
What are their names?
Luke, Xander and Jackson.
Another Xander?
There are two Xanders in my class.
And his last name starts with “B,” too!
What do you play with your friends?
Superheroes!
Which one are you?
We play made-up superheroes.
What’s your favorite song?
Yellow Submarine.
Do you know who wrote that?
The bugs.
Close enough. We will go with that.
When were you born?
October 2026.
So you haven’t been born yet?
(Shrugs.)
What year were you really born?
Um…2021.
What’s your favorite food?
Potatoes, tofu, peanut butter and jelly, and fruit.
How many potatoes could you eat in one minute?
1,000.
Do you want to try?
No!
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Strongness and webs.
Like Spider-Man’s webs?
Yes.
What would you do with that superpower?
Web bad guys and smash them.
If the whole year could be just one month, which month would you pick?
October month.
Why October?
It’s my birthday.
If you could change something about your house, what would you change?
The TV.
How would you change it?
It would only show a bunny show.
What bunny show?
No! A funny show!
What countries have you been to?
Thailand and Tennessee.
Tell me about Thailand. What was your favorite thing?
The food. They have the best mango!
How many mangoes do you think you could eat in one minute?
1,000 mangoes. No, more. 2,000. No, 3,000.
What’s your favorite meal?
Birthday breakfast.
What’s a birthday breakfast?
I get vanilla ice cream with Cheerios with cold fruit. And a candle.
What is your favorite thing to do with your mom?
Putting stuff together. I like to build.
What’s the best thing you’ve built together?
A bank. A money bank.
Is there any money in your bank?
No.
Why not?
You have to break the bank to get the money out, and I don’t want to break it.
If you had $20, what would you buy?
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples! And yummy mangoes.
What would you buy if you had $500?
Strawberries and raspberries only.
This article was published in the March/April 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Eli Zev
Justin is an award-winning designer and photographer. He was the owner and creative director at Future Boy Design, producing work for clients such as National Parks Service, Vintage Cinemas, The Tarrytown Music Hall, and others. His work has appeared in Bloomberg TV, South by Southwest (SXSW), Edible Magazine, Westchester Magazine, Refinery 29, the Art Directors Club, AIGA and more.
Justin is a two-time winner of the International Design Awards, American Photography and Latin America Fotografia. Vice News has called Justin Negard as “one of the best artists working today.”
He is the author of two books, On Design, which discusses principles and the business of design, and Bogotà which is a photographic journey through the Colombian capital.
Additionally, Justin has served as Creative Director at CityMouse Inc., an NYC-based design firm which provides accessible design for people with disabilities, and has been awarded by the City of New York, MIT Media Lab and South By Southwest.
He lives in Katonah with his wonderfully patient wife, son and daughter.
