Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Reuse and Reflect


The site-specific sculpture by Korean artist Kwang-Young Chun is generating lots of buzz. Weighing in at 650 pounds, the work was called "alluringly beautiful, crafty and even a little dazzling" in the review in last Sunday's New York Times. The sculpture is made from mulberry paper from old Korean books and medicine wrappers. Created for the Aldrich's main gallery, the work can be viewed from every angle. Through May, 2009. The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
SOURCE: The New York Times: The Perfect Shape for an Unusual Space
Image: The New York Times

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

A Good Mansard is Hard to Find


This gem has great character and plenty of potential. Built in 1920, the exterior appears to have been somewhat compromised—in my opinion—by a brick extension, but the Mansard roof and dormer more than make up for it. Inside, the 2,100 square foot home has 3 bedrooms and original details to spare. Located close to everything in Ossining, the 0.20 of an acre lot features a nice yard and a garage. With work, this could be quite nifty. What do you think? $359,999
Eastern Oaks Realty, Google Map, Live Search Map

Monday, December 29, 2008

Local Blogs

It's taken about 18 months, but I have finally gotten around to creating a blog roll of interesting local sites. The list is still pretty short, but it will grow as I come across worthy additions. (All suggestions are welcome.) You can find the links in the sidebar, but most of them fall into two categories:

Green Living: Katonah Green, GreenYorktown, Farming the WC, and Westchester Green offer a wealth of environmentally sound solutions for everyday life—from turning old sweaters into mittens to the best glass for windows.

Local News: Peekskill News, KatonahBlog, and Crotonblog all provide the inside scoop on local happenings. (The founders of Crotonblog have recently started a social-networking site, Crotonspace, which appears to be taking off.)

Monday, December 22, 2008

We Apologize for This Interruption

Sometimes everyone needs to chill out and take a moment to reboot. The blog will be back next week with new posts and interesting stuff. Feel free to post any suggestions and ideas for making the blog even better next year. Enjoy the holidays.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Weekend Events

Activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:

Gingerbread Farm Animals Decorate delicious farm animal gingerbread cookies from Blue Hill at Stone Barns to give as gifts or enjoy yourself! Saturday, 1:00. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Spin/Knit-in Join seasoned spinners and knitters in an informal atmosphere where you can meet new friends and share ideas, tips, and spinning stories. Saturday, 11:00 to 2:00. Hilltop Hanover Farm

Solstice Stories Come sit with us by the fire on Solstice Eve to hear winter tales. All ages welcome. Saturday, 3:00 to 4:30. Teatown Lake Reservation

Annual Christmas Bird Count Hike the trails to count wintering birds. The information gathered is compiled and sent to National Audubon which uses it to monitor species and trends in populations. Join birders from all over at dinner. Saturday, 5:30 pm. Teatown Lake Reservation

Slumdog Millionaire The Golden Globe nominee for Best Motion Picture, Slumdog Millionaire is the story of an illiterate 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who enters India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Saturday and Sunday, multiple showings. Jacob Burns Film Center

Andrea and the Armenian Rug Riders Enjoy the classic rock of Andrea and the Armenian Rug Riders. Saturday, 9:30. 12 Grapes Music and Wine Bar

Historic Twelfth Night Experience a late 18th-century celebration of "Twelfth Night." The entire manor is candlelit and filled with the sound of live music. Satuday, 4:00 to 8:00. Van Cortlandt Manor

Gazebo Hanukkah Menorah Lighting All are invited to light the first candle celebrating Hanukkah at the Gazebo in Peekskill. Meet at the Treat Station for toy trains and sweets before walking to the Gazebo. Sunday, 3:15.

Clark Wolfe Cheese expert Clark Wolf discusses his newest book, American Cheeses: The Best Regional, Artisan, and Farmhouse Cheeses, Who Makes Them, and Where to Find Them. Sunday, 2:00. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Front Porch Classic


Built in 1894, this home is brimming with charm. The 3,700 square foot house has 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a killer porch. The house is set on a beautiful 1.84 acre property and includes a nice barn. Located in the bucolic Kitchawan section of Yorktown (with an Ossining address and Yorktown schools), the home is steps from the Kitchawan Preserve hiking trails and quite close to access to the North County Trailway. A big pro is that the $17,000 tax bill seems relatively reasonable for the size of the home and property. (Google Map places the home on the wrong of the two Old Kitchawan Roads, which is why I'm not linking to it). $925,000
Houlihan Lawrence, Live Search Map

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Celebrating the River


A group exhibit of pastels, watercolors, and oil paintings, "The Majestic Hudson" celebrates the 400th anniversary of Hendrick Hudson's voyage up the river. Fifty well known area artists will be participating—including Andrew Lattimore, Anne Johann (whose The Majestic Hudson and Storm King Mountain is shown above), and Larry D’Amico. A portion of the proceeds from all sales will be donated to the Paramount. Through February 21, 2009. Paramount Center for the Arts

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Cool Contempo


Built in 1965, this contemporary home retains much of it's original character. Even the updated kitchen still has a 60's feel. The 2,300 square foot house has 4 bedrooms, 3 renovated bathrooms, and a family room. Perhaps the home's best features are the large deck and lovely property, which is just shy of an acre. The house is located on Tavano Road in Ossining and is listed with Select Properties in Mt Kisco, which apparently does not have a website. The agency can be reached at (914) 666-9400. $579,000
Westchester Putnam Multiple Listing Service, Google Map, Live Search Map

Monday, December 15, 2008

Eye Candy


Brown Street, Peekskill, with the Paramount Center for the Arts on the right.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Weekend Events

Activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:

Milk There's only one place in Westchester to catch Gus Van Sant's acclaimed new movie (right), starring Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, and James Franco. Multiple showings. Jacob Burns Film Center

Breakfast with the Birds Early risers can search for and observe a number of species who have taken up residence in our forests for the winter. Saturday, 8:00. Westmoreland Sanctuary

Crafts Fair Come see crafts made by local artists and artisans at the historic farmhouse building. The fair is sponsored by Something Good in the World. Saturday, 12:00 to 5:00. Hilltop Hanover Farm

Ornithology for Kids Learn how to identify and categorize bird specimens. Saturday, 1:00. Croton Point Park Nature Center

Christmas on the Farm Spend the evening sipping mulled cider, munching holiday goodies, and listening to carolers. Then enjoy a tour of the farm by lantern. Saturday and Sunday, 5:00 to 7:00. Muscoot Farm

Croton Artisans Holiday Boutique Check out handcrafted goods by local artisans. Saturday, 10:00 to 4:30. Our Savior Lutheran Church

Feeding Time What’s on the menu today? Tasty crickets? Juicy worms? Turtle salad? Join in as we feed Teatown’s menagerie. Saturday, 1:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

Naturalist`s Choice Hike One of the museum`s naturalists will select and lead a 2 to 3 mile hike. Saturday, 1:00. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Rent The Random Farm Kids Theater presents a "school edition" of the popular musical. Rent. The inspiring story about friends and artists struggling in Greenwich Village still contains mature themes, but the profanity has been removed. Saturday, 8:00; Sunday, 1:00 and 6:00. Yorktown Stage

Brandenburg Celebration The Aulos Ensemble returns to Caramoor with a program featuring three of the Brandenburg concerti. Saturday, 8:00. Caramoor Center for Music and Arts

Author's Reading
2008 National Book Award Winner Judy Blundell is the author of many best-selling novels. She'll read from and sign copies of her latest novel for young adults, What I Saw and How I Lied. Sunday, 3:30. Katonah Museum of Art

Tribes Hill Winter Solstice Concert
The seventh annual Tribes Hill concert features songs in native languages which spotlight the diversity of celebration and highlight our commonality. This year’s concert includes performances by Kathleen Pemble, Joe Iadanza, James Durst, and many more. Sunday, 3:00. Tarrytown Music Hall

A Christmas Carol Enjoy a dramatic reading of the Dickens classic. Sunday, 2:00. Yorktown Library

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Good Lines, Great Views


Here's something you don't see every day: An interesting 1968 modern, in a great setting, and with amazing views. (I kind of like this one, if you can't tell.) The 3,000 square foot house has 4 bedrooms (and 4 baths), and a wide open living/dining room with a wall of windows overlooking the pool and the Hudson River. The two acre property is far back from the road, and the house has a long driveway through the woods. The house is located in the Mt. Airy section of Croton, in a lovely area graced by many modern homes from the 50's and 60's. While the asking price strikes me as very reasonable, the taxes are harder to justify—$30,287 a year. $990,000
Houlihan Lawrence, Google Map, Live Search Map

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Empty Spaces

The current exhibit of Bruce Habowski's works is titled "Quiet Interiors." Indeed, the paintings—including Crocs in Sunlight, above—are moving in their melancholy. At Eyebuzz Fine Art, through January 16.
Image: Eyebuzz Fine Art

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Stately Suburbanite


This lovely slate-roofed colonial in Ossining offers a taste of classic burbanity. Built in 1929, the 3,000 square foot house has 4 bedrooms, a renovated kitchen, and a conservatory. The sunroom is my personal fave. Overall, the house appears to be spic-and-span. Set on a 0.42 of an acre lot on a pleasant road, the house is within walking distance of Main Street and the train. $899,000
Houlihan-Lawrence, Google Map, Live Search Map

Monday, December 8, 2008

Festival of Lights


Sunday's New York Times featured the latest holiday extravaganza to hit the area, the Winter WonderLights at Sunnyside. Developed by the same team that created the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor, the newest spectacle uses 68,965 points of light along a half-mile path, reports the Times. Winter WonderLights takes about 45 minutes to enjoy and is loosely based on the classic tale of Rip Van Winkle. I've got my tickets already. The event is held on selected days through January 3. Historic Hudson Valley Winter WonderLights
SOURCE: The New York Times: Woodlands Turn Wonderland at Sunnyside
Image: The New York Times

Recent Sales

Five previously-featured Hot Properties had closings in November.

Location: Ossining
Featured: September 30, 2008
Asking Price When Featured: $539,000
Sold for: $530,000


Location: Mt. Kisco
Featured: September 23, 2008
Asking Price When Featured: $629,000
Sold for: $602,400


Location: Ossining
Featured: May 8, 2008
Asking Price When Featured: $729,000
Sold for: $540,000


Location: Mt Kisco
Featured: March 25, 2008
Asking Price When Featured: $2,195,000
Sold for: $1,800,000


Location: Katonah
Featured: November 21, 2007
Asking Price When Featured: $1,350,000
Sold for: $1,075,000

Friday, December 5, 2008

Weekend Events

Activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:


Scat! Find out who left the pile in the forest and get the scoop on poop. Saturday, 11:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

Jamison Odone Illustrator Jamison Odone demonstrates how he creates the illustrations for his children’s books and then gives a reading from one of his books. Saturday, 2:00. Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

Celebrate Winter Warm up with hot cider and gingerbread cookies and browse a local fair featuring area vendors. Enjoy holiday music performed by the Pocantico Singers at 1:00 PM in the Courtyard. Saturday, 11:00 to 3:00. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Recycling Old Sweaters Learn how to “Felt” old wool sweaters and turn them into new mittens, hats, pillows or other items to wear or give as gifts. Saturday, 10:00. Hilltop Hanover Farm

Natural Decorations Kids can create holiday decorations with an assortment of natural materials. Saturday, 1:00. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

The Nutcracker Enjoy the New York Theatre Ballet's production of this enchanting holiday ballet. Saturday, 1:00. Paramount Center for the Arts

Comedy Show Come for dinner and see 3 stand-up comics! John Iavarone, D.F. Sweedler, and Bill McCarty will get you laughing. Saturday, 8:00 to 9:30. 12 Grapes Music and Wine Bar

Hot Tuna The music of Hot Tuna's Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady sounds better than ever. Saturday, 8:00. Ridgefield Playhouse

Free Arts Day For just one day, you can visit museums without charge and enjoy events for the whole family in every corner of Westchester (above). At the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art you can enjoy a music performance by the Westchester Symphonic Winds quartet and a gallery talk with Artist-in-Residence Karen Sargsyan. Catch a free showing of the film The Linquists at the Paramount Center for the Arts. Then head over to Van Cortlandt Manor to listen to colonial ballads performed using instruments of the period. Check out the website for more listings. Sunday. Westchester Arts Council

French Masters Winter Concert The Taghkanic Chorale performs works by Charpentier, Debussy, and Faure. Sunday, 4:00. Trinity Episcopal Church

Holiday Kids’ Theater Children will enjoy this puppet theater and the chance to taste imaginary food, meet enchanting creatures, fly, and even dance. Sunday, 1:00. Yorktown Museum

Klezmer! Celebrate the season with the joyous music of the Westchester Klezmer Program. Sunday, 7:00. Croton Free Library

Making Movie Magic

On Saturday the Jacob Burns Film Center celebrates the opening of it's new Media Arts Lab, which is located a block from the theater in Pleasantville. The eco-friendly building was designed by KG&D Architects in Mount Kisco and features editing suites, a soundstage, recording and animation studios, and a screening room. The facility will offer filmmaking and cinema studies classes for kids, teens, adults, and families. Visitors are invited to tour the building, meet faculty, and participate in hands-on activities. The open house will be held from 2:00 to 5:00. Jacob Burns Fim Center

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Rad Ranch


Located in the Mt. Airy section of Croton, this 1961 ranch retains a number of fabulous mid-century details. The 1,300 square foot, 3 bedroom home boasts clerestory windows, gently sloping ceilings, and lots of windows. The "updated" kitchen isn't in keeping with the home's high style, but it is certainly functional. With 0.6 acres, there is a nice deck and plenty of green space. $447,500
River Towns GMAC, Google Map, Live Search Map