Best of the Coffee Houses

One of my first posts was a round-up of local coffee houses back in June, 2007. It seems like high time to revisit the topic. Some of the same ones are on the list, but there are a few notable additions, too.

Bean Runner Cafe Located in the Peekskill Art's District, this place has a number of tasty lunch items as well as good brew. There's a big playroom for the kids to go wild. And there's excellent live jazz every Friday and Saturday night. Bean Runner Cafe

Wobble Cafe Serving breakfast and lunch, this Ossining hot spot's menu features items such as crepes, paninis, and green eggs. In addition to coffee, there's a range of tasty beverages from milk shakes to egg cremes. Wobble Cafe

Noka Joe's Located on Katonah's main drag, this funky coffee house has a 50's feel and serves up a variety of brews, along with a selection of baked goods and breakfast fare. Noka Joe's

Peekskill Coffee House Serving as the hub and and heart of the Arts District, this coffee house exudes funky cool (above).  There's a large variety of coffee and pastries, as well as live music Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00, and Sunday afternoons at 1:00. Peekskill Coffee House

The Black Cow The coffee list at this Croton landmark is something to behold. Exuding a warm and comfy vibe, the coffee house is like a second home to many. Black Cow 

Perks Coffee & Tea Bar Small but cool, this Katonah coffee house is a good place to take a break on Katonah Avenue. 

Yorktown Heights Starbucks The little slate-roofed brick building has such a comfy feel—and such an awesome garden—that you'll actually forget it's a you-know-what. Yorktown Heights Starbuck

An Uptick in the High-End Market

"There were 22 sales over $3 million between January and the end of November in northern Westchester, versus 9 for the corresponding 11 months of 2009, according to Daniel H. Ginnel, the president of Ginnel Real Estate in Bedford Hills. High-end sales have picked up throughout Westchester, but nowhere is it being felt as intensely as in those northern towns, villages and hamlets, where there is a backlog of estates for sale."

–The New York Times, "A Moment for Mansions," reporting on the winter surge in activity for high-end properties in Northern Westchester.

Weekend Picks

My picks for activities and things to do this weekend in Northern Westchester

Rashomon Akira Kurosawa's 1950 classic, on the big screen. Friday, 7:30 pm. Tarrytown Music Hall

Nanci Griffith The Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith performs, celebrating the release of her new album "the Loving Kind." Opening the show will be husband and wife duo The Kennedys. Friday, 8:00 pm. Paramount Center for the Arts

Breakfast With the Birds Enjoy breakfast while watching the birds at the birdfeeders, then take a hike to see seasonal sparrows, woodpeckers, juncos, and other woodland birds. Saturday, 9:00 am. Westmoreland Sanctuary

A Day in the Life of a Printmaker Join Gary Lichtenstein as he sets up his printmaking studio to demonstrate the collaborative process of silkscreen printing in conjunction with his current exhibition, Gary Lichtenstein: 35 Years of Screenprinting. Saturday, 12:00 to 5:00 pm. Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

Holiday Sale Peruse works by the region's best clay artists and potters. Saturday, 11:30 am to 6:00 pm.
Peekskill Clay Studios

Pre-Count Birding Help prepare for the Christmas Bird Count by finding the places the birds have settled in for the winter. Saturday, 8:00 am.Teatown Lake Reservation 

Holiday Craft Fair Local artisans sell their handmade bowls, jewelry, toys, clothing, ornaments, books, embroidery, basketry, weaving, and more. There will be a bake sale, craft activities for children, music, and plenty of time to shop. Saturday, 12:00 to 5:00 pm. Hilltop Hanover Farm

Raptor Round-Up Take a stroll around the Wildlife Loop to learn about Teatown’s raptors, and meet some of them close–up. Saturday, 1:00 pm. Teatown Lake Reservation

Watts Up?  Kids in grades 3 to 6 can discover static electricity, its properties, and its role in natural phenomena. Saturday, 2:00 pm. John C. Hart Memorial Library

November Sales and Deals

It was another slow month. Fewer homes in the area went to contract, including just two previously featured Hot Properties. And not a single Hot Property actually sold in November.

Contracts signed on single-family homes

October: 62
November: 56 

Hot Properties That Went to Contract

Location: Yorktown Heights
Featured: April 20, 2010
Asking Price When Featured: $650,000
Last Asking Price: $650,000 

Location: Bedford
Featured:  August 19, 2009
Asking Price When Featured: $650,000
Last Asking Price: $425,000

A Scoop of Soup

What's an ice cream shop to do all winter? Serve up soup, of course! Since October Croton's Blue Pig has been pleasing customers with delicious home-made soups.  There are two flavors daily, including such favorites as potato leek, mushroom barley, root vegetable, and Thai butternut squash. 

 

Maps in Art

In the exhibition Mapping: Memory and Motion in Contemporary Art artists explore the meaning of maps in our digital age. Works include Vernon Fisher's "Water Music" (above), as well as other paintings, works on paper, sculptures, videos, a sound installation, and a live web terminal. Through January 9, 2011. Katonah Museum of Art

Weekend Picks

My picks for what to do this weekend in Northern Westchester

Jonny Hirsch Band Singer/saxophone player Jonny Hirsch fuses elements of rock, funk, jazz, and skat singing. Friday, 7:30 pm. Bean Runner Cafe

Free Arts Weekend Visit museums and enjoy a plethora of arts events—free of charge! All Weekend! Arts Westchester

The Power of Words Children can participate in a flag-making art workshop and experience the power of mixing words and images. Saturday, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Neuberger Museum of Art

Ready, Set, Sleep Not everyone heads south for the winter. Some animals burrow down into the leaf litter, some even freeze until spring. Discover local wildlife’s ingenious strategies for surviving the winter season. Saturday, 11:00 am. Teatown Lake Reservation

Howliday Fest! Celebrate the holiday season with the wolves! Visit the wolves as well as the critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves on exhibit. Saturday, 11:00 am. Wolf Conservation Center

Holiday Stories Children can listen to A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas and other seasonal stories as we sip hot chocolate around the fireplace in the great hall. Saturday, 4:00 pm. The Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden

Mary Poppins Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, and a spoonful of sugar. Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 pm. Jacob Burns Film Center

Bedford’s 1787 Court House Tour the county’s oldest government building and visit the museum upstairs to learn more about Bedford’s history as well as sneak a peek in the original jail cell. Saturday, 12:00 to 4:00 pm. Bedford Historical Society

Holiday Celebration Enjoy the Ferris wheel, tree and menorah lighting at the Gazebo, and live entertainment at restaurants and coffee houses. Saturday, 12:00 to 8:00 pm. Downtown Peekskill

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The original 1966 animated telling of Dr. Seuss' beloved book features the voice of Boris Karloff. Saturday, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm. Paramount Center for the Arts

Hike the Teatown-Kitchawan Trail A Teatown educator will lead this hike, starting at Kitchawan Preserve. Follow along the reservoir and over Bald Mountain, with great views of the reservoir system. Sunday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Teatown Lake Reservation

Musical Emigres in LA  A celebration of artistic luminaries who took refuge in Los Angeles from European turmoil and war in the 30s and 40s. Sunday, 3:00 pm. Copland House at Merestead

Art and Narrative through Puppetry Children can create their own puppets from 1:00 to 3:00. Then puppeteer and storyteller Vít Horejs, Director of The Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, will offer a performance of traditional Czech fairy tales. Sunday, 4:00 pm. Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art

Teatown Adds 59 Acres and a Lake

Last week the Teatown Lake Reservation finalized the long-planned purchase of the Croft Estate, adding 59 adjacent acres to the reservation's 834 acres. The property, which Tetaown purchased for $3 Million, includes 9 acre Vernay Lake and over 1.5 miles of existing trails. The estate was originally created in the early 1900s by Arthur Vernay, an antiques dealer, and was purchased in 1922 by Gerard Swope, the president of General Electric. His heirs gave most of the estate, including the stable complex, to create the Teatown Lake Reservation, which was founded in 1963. The 72 acres on the east of Spring Valley Road that included the Swope residence and a farmhouse were sold to Phil E. Gilbert, Jr., who lived there until his death in 2008. Mr. Gilbert’s heirs had wanted to ensure the conservation of the property as part of Teatown. (An independent property, which includes the residences, is being sold separately.) The acquisition of the Croft estate connects Teatown with the County-owned Shadow Lake Preserve, a 50-acre tract on the north side of Route 134 which is already managed by Teatown. Teatown said that it would be working with the County and with the Town of Yorktown to ensure that the Croft property is integrated with both the town's and the county's existing trail systems, as well as with the rest of the reservation.

Martinis and Tapas

"Karma Lounge is one of the prettiest adult watering holes around... Inside, polished dark and light woods, brick niches and dramatic draped fabrics provide a Zen-like backdrop... But the kitchen’s tapas alone were worth a visit, and those that our table sampled were inspired."
—The New York Times review of Karma Lounge and Martini Bar & Grille in Ossining.

Custom Creations

Looking for something unique? Peekskill's Studio No.9 creates original works of art, handcrafted furniture, and functional objects. The 5,000 square foot studio boasts a wood shop, a metal shop, an art studio, and a gallery. 

Weekend Picks

I only had time to rustle up a few picks, but they're pretty good

The Trapps Tapping into the roots of Americana, folk, and rock and roll, The Trapps wraps it all into a tightly-knit package that is entirely their own. Friday, 8:00 pm. Bean Runner Cafe

Fall Scavenger Hunt Enjoy a wonderful walk as you go in search of nature's hidden treasures. Saturday, 1:00 pm. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Locavore Holidays Discover easy, locally grown foods you can choose for the holidays. Saturday, 10:00 am. Croton Point Park Nature Center

The Three Stooges: Shorts Program Moe, Larry, and Curly come back to the big screen in all their eye-poking, shin-kicking, head-knocking slapstick glory. Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 pm. Jacob Burns Film Center

Holiday Origami Workshop Kids can join artist Yoshimi Arai and create a delightful Peace Crane and festive Origami holiday ornaments. Saturday, 1:00 to 3:00 pm.  The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden

In Search of Wild Turkeys Take a hike to find turkeys in the wild. Sunday, 1:00 pm. Westmoreland Sanctuary

Jasper String Quartet Continuing their tradition of presenting probing programs, the Jasper String Quartet returns to the Music Room with Schubert’s Quartettsatz, Beethoven’s final Razumovsky quartet, and Aaron Jay Kernis’s second quartet. Sunday, 4:00 pm. Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

Book Reading Readings from The Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay, a novel the late author Beverly Jensen. Sunday, 4:30 pm. Hudson Valley Writers' Center

Barn in the U.S.A

Year Built: 1700
Square Feet: 2,100
Bedrooms: 4
Property: 4.4 acres
Location: Bedford Corners, in between Mt. Kisco and Bedford—and next to 684.
Best features: This restored 1700's barn has as much country charm as a, well, a restored 1700's barn. Beams, wide plank floors, stone chimneys, this place has got it all. Whats more, the outdoors is lovely, too, with nice patios, a pool, and gorgeous woods.
Downside: The picture-perfect setting is darn close to major highway 684, which probably reduces some of the bucolic charm.
Taxes: $16,979
Asking Price: $719,000
Agency: Ginel Real Estate
Maps: Google Map, bing Map

Bee Movie (and Discussion)

The documentary Queen of the Sun explores the mysterious collapse of the honeybee population and what it may mean for the environment as a whole. After the film, the director Taggart Siegel, producer Jon Betz, and beekeeper Kerry Grefig discuss the movie. Wednesday, 7:30 pm. Jacob Burns Film Center

Ogling in Ossining

The November issue of Elle Decor sports a feature article on the Ossining home of Doug Turshen and Rochelle Udell.  Located in the Sparta Historic District, part of the house dates to 1789 and part was added in 1921. The owners, both art directors, purchased the place four years ago and then embarked on a six-month renovation—which left the exterior untouched. Inside, they removed woodwork and moldings to pare down the spaces. Their biggest change was in the dining room, which they paneled with quarter-sawn oak. Check out the article for more photos and details. 
Images: Elle Decor

Examining Eastern European Art

What's happening in the art world in Eastern and Central Europe? In conjunction with "After The Fall," an exhibition of emerging contemporary art from East and Central Europe, the US Editor of Flashart, Nicola Trezzi, and Czech painter Daniel Pitin will discuss the current state of art in the former Soviet bloc. Tuesday, 7:00 pm. Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art

From Barenaked Ladies to Bach

Start the week with the Barenaked Ladies performing classics such as "If I had $1,000,000" and "Be My Yoko Ono," as well as new tunes from their 11th album, All In Good Time, which was released in March (Monday, 7:30 pm. Tarrytown Music Hall). Then catch the Bedford Chamber Ensemble playing music for the viola by Bach, Mozart, and Hummel. (Wednesday, 8:00 pm. St. Matthew's Episcopal Church).

Circle in the Square

 

Year Built: 1968
Square Feet: 2,000
Bedrooms: 3 
Property: 0.22 of an acre
Location: Croton, on the hill between the Croton River and Sunset Park.
Best features: A contemporary house in a walkable village setting with a country feel, this abode offers an unusual mix. The open floor plan boasts big, bright spaces and there are some great architectural details (love the stairs). Outside, there's a large deck with winter peeks of the Croton River and the hills beyond, and the back patio is beautifully tucked into the hillside.
Downside: The property is almost all hill, with little or no level green space. Some of the home's design features, like the big bubble window, may seem a tad dated. And the taxes seem pretty high for a mid-size house on a small lot.
Taxes: $16,840
Asking Price: $529,000
Agency: Houlihan Lawrence
Maps: Google Map, bing Map

Save Hilltop Hanover Farm!

We just got this plea from Hilltop Hanover Farm. Please let the County know that the farm is an invaluable resource that must be saved. Help save the farm!

Dear friends,
Today Westchester County released the 2011 budget and slashed the Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center's to just $200,000, resulting in the elimination of half the permanent workforce (two of the four), the entirety of the seasonal staff, and 100 percent of our operating budget. As supporters of Hilltop Hanover Farm, tell the County that this is unacceptable. The Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm, Inc. has been working with the County on this year's budget to find creative solutions and to ensure the Farm's long-term sustainability over a period of five years. Yet, the County has actually crippled our efforts in this clear move to close the gates of the Farm forever. But you can help keep the gates open in three ways:

1. Email County Executive Astorino here or call him at 914.995.2900. Tell him that Hilltop Hanover Farm is an important to you as a County resident, and provides vital services to Westchester County residents and beyond. Tell him to reinstate funding for Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center.

2. Email and call your Legislator (find them here). Tell him or her that Hilltop Hanover Farm is an important to you as a County resident, and provides vital services to Westchester County residents and beyond. Tell him or her to reinstate funding for Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center.

3. Share this email with friends and ask them to join with us in calling for a reinstatement of Hilltop Hanover Farm's funding. Please call and email your elected officials in Westchester County today and tell them to reinstate Hilltop Hanover Farm's funding, which represents just 0.00022% of the County's overall $1.786 billion dollar budget. If you would like to join the Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm to help save this county treasure, you can email us here. 

We need your help!

Helen Brady
President, Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm

Fuzzy Realism

The exhibition of works by Leonardo Silaghi, the Summer 2010 Artist-in-Residence at the HVCCA, features the painter's large scale works. Through December 19, at the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art

We'll Always Have Bogart

Now is your chance to catch
nine Humphrey Bogart classics
on the big screen. The series 
at the Jacob Burns Film Center
runs through November 23 and
includes: Casablanca, Key 
Largo, The African Queen,
In a Lonely Place, Treasures
of the Sierra Madre, The Big
Sleep, To Have and Have Not, 
and The Maltese Falcon.

Weekend Picks

My picks for what to do this weekend in Northern Westchester

Steve Frieder Quintet The award-winning Steve Frieder Quintet provides an  evening of jazz standards and improvisations. Friday, 7:30 pm. Bean Runner Cafe

Hike to the Leatherman's Cave Come hear the lore of the Old Leatherman on this 2.5 mile hike with renowned storyteller Jonathan Kruk. Saturday, 2:00 pm. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Seeing Stories Kids ages 4 to 5 can listen to stories from around the world and use their imaginations to create, tell, and act out their own tales. Saturday, 10:00 am. Jacob Burns Film Center

Pack Chat Kids will learn about the mythology surrounding wolves and the important role of wolves in the natural world. Saturday, 11:00 am. Wolf Conservation Center

Movie and Discussion Enjoy a screening of Harvest, which tells the story of three generations of a family coming together to spend one last summer with its grand patriarch, followed by a discussion with Director Marc Meyers and Producer Jody Girgenti. Saturday, 8:00 pm. Paramount Center for the Performing Arts

Mozart's Requiem The Croton Chorale perfrom Mozart's Requiem. Saturday, 8:00 pm. Croton Chorale

Hawk Watching Come and catch a glimpse of the hawks. Sunday, 11:00 am. Westmoreland Sanctuary

Farm to Table: Fall Harvest Learn how to celebrate and enjoy the bountiful fall harvest. Sunday, 3:00 pm. Hilltop Hanover Farm

Our Ancestor's Muse Music from Copland House's Derek Bernel joins the world-renowned Borromeo String Quartet for two modern classics: Bermel's Soul Garden, and Osvaldo Golijov's The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind. Sunday, 3:00 pm. Merestead

Poetry Reading Poets Julie Sheehan and Steve Huff read from their works. Sunday, 4:30 pm. Hudson Valley Writers Center

October Sales and Deals

The local market continues to look pretty slow. The number of homes going to contract in the area this blog covers remained flat in October, and just one previously-featured Hot Property went to contract. Not a single one sold.

Contracts signed on single-family homes

September: 63
October: 62

Hot Properties That Went to Contract

Location: Peekskill
Featured:  July 27, 2010
Asking Price When Featured: $375,000
Last Asking Price: $350,000

The Beetle Battle

Teatown’s monthly environmental discussion group continues with Frank Lowenstein, the  director of the Nature Conservancy’s Forest Health Program, giving the lecture “Lurking in the trees: one community’s battle against the Asian long-horned beetle.” Thursday, 7:30 pm, at Teatown Lake Reservation.

More (Better) Bike Racks

The Yorktown Patch reported last week that new bike racks have been installed in a number of Yorktown locales to make it easier for residents to get around on two wheels. The bike racks were created by students at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES Tech Center at the request of the Yorktown Energy Advisory Committee. The new racks include Alexa Picone's sculptural "Chain Reaction."
Image: Yorktown Patch

Most Beautiful Homes Around?

You know what they say about beauty. Well, Westchester Home magazine published a list of "The 10 Most Beautiful Homes in Westchester," and I can't say I behold things as they do. But some of their picks sure are beauties. Of the ten, four are in the area this blog covers: in (clockwise, from top left) Bedford, Croton, Yorktown, and Katonah. These are nice indeed (love the Croton place!), but I can think of some others that I prefer. Check out the article for details.
Images: Westchester Home