A Look Inside the Parks

A number of local not-for-profits and county parks have recently launched blogs, offering readers a behind the scenes look at their organizations and some valuable expert advice.

Teatown Thoughts The Executive Director of the Teatown Lake Reservation, Fred Koontz, writes on topics such as the new federal tax incentives for energy efficiency and the pros and cons of Yorktown's proposed tree preservation law. The blog is well written and Mr. Koontz clearly knows his stuff.


Farming the WC The farmers at the Hanover Hilltop Farm and Environmental Center give the inside scoop on farming, from the importance of worms to maintaining the greenhouse. The blog gives insight on both big-picture issues and the minutia of making things grow.


Caramoor Center The staff and musicians of the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts all lend a hand in writing posts for the blog. Together, the posts give a fascinating behind the scenes peek at what it takes to make an organization like Caramoor run.


Westmoreland Sanctuary's Nature Notes Posts for this new blog have been written by the Director and the naturalist. My favorite so far was on the joys of watching chickadees. These two nature lovers let you inside their world and help you understand why they're so enamored.

Eat Out For Less

What could be more in keeping with the new frugality than Hudson Valley Restaurant Week? From yesterday through April 3 (two weeks, actually) you can get a three course lunch for just $20.09 and a three course dinner for $28.09 at participating restaurants in Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, and Dutchess Counties. Check out the website for details and for a list of restaurants. Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

Weekend Picks

The best activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:

Shelter for Survival Kids will construct a shelter in the woods, while learning the importance of team building skills, as well as other survival techniques. Saturday, 1:00. Croton Point Park Nature Center

Sugaring-Off Party Celebrate the end of another sugaring season. Learn how sap becomes syrup, taste foods made with our own maple syrup, and tap your feet to fiddle music! Saturday, 1:00. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Spring Equinox Woodlands Hike Welcome spring and hike the farm's 3.5 miles of woodland trails along with Farm staff. Saturday, 2:00 to 4:00. Hilltop Hanover Farm

Saints and Tzadiks Grammy-winners Susan McKeown and Lorin Sklamberg join forces to present a vocal exploration of the Yiddish and Irish traditions. Saturday, 8:00. Golden Apple Coffeehouse

Three Phantoms in Concert This benefit for the Jenna's Dream Scholarship Program features The Three Phantoms. Saturday, 8:00. Yorktown Stage

Comedy Night A fundraiser for the Croton Harmon High School Parent Student Association featuring comedians Johnny Lampert, Andy Pitz, and Paul Virzi. Saturday, 8:30. Comedy Night

Pancake Breakfast The sugaring season has ended and now its time for a party. Join the farm staff in enjoying pancakes and real maple syrup. Sunday, 11:00 to 3:00. Muscoot Farm

Poetry Reading Two poets read from their works: Liz Ahl, whose poems have been published in a number of journals; and Cornelius Eady, the author of seven volumes of poetry, most recently Hardheaded Weather. Sunday, 4:00. Hudson Valley Writers Center

Music Without Borders: Indina Menzel The star of Rent and Wicked Idina Menzel sings tunes from her new album "I Stand." Sunday, 7:00. Tarrytown Music Hall

Please Call Home This documentary chronicles the exploits of the Allman Brothers Band (above) from 1970 to 1973. Sunday, 7:30. Paramount Center for the Arts

Gracious Victorian

Built in 1895, this is one of the remaining grand dames of 'downtown' Yorktown Heights. The just-listed 2,800 square foot house has 4 bedrooms and is overflowing with original details and Victorian charm. The house has been nicely updated, and boasts a new kitchen (somehow cherry cabinets and granite counters seem less bothersome to me in a Victorian). There's a nice screened porch and a deck and the third of an acre lot has a barn. The house is just steps from shopping, parks, and the North County Trailway. On the con side, that is vinyl siding you see on the exterior. $850,000
Coldwell Banker, Google Map, Live Search Map

Edible Stimulus Packages

Proclaiming itself Westchester's "first and only cupcake bakery," Flour & Sun Bakery opens this Saturday in Pleasantville. The bakery's growing menu boasts 25 cupcake varieties, including Chocolate Mint, Vanilla Cookies & Cream, Red Velvet, Orange Poppy Seed, and French Toast. Each morning the bakery's website lists the daily offerings of four classic cupcakes and three to five specials. You can view a gallery of cupcakes on flickr, and can even befriend the bakery on Facebook. The grand opening is from 10:00 to 5:00 on Saturday and the first 100 arrivals get a free cupcake. Come and get 'em. Flour & Sun Bakery

Camp Woods Cottage

Back in the early 1800's, Methodists held annual camp prayer meetings in Ossining, creating a village of tents each summer. Over the years, houses were erected on many of the tent sites and the setting of those spiritual gatherings slowly grew into the historic Camp Woods neighborhood. One such house is this sweet 1935 cottage. The wee 850 square foot home has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and looks to be in need of a healing hand. At $2,387, the taxes are pretty low, and there's definite potential to be resurrected in this abode. $225,000
Prudential Rand Realty, Google Map, Live Search Map

The Jewish Experience, on Film

This year's annual Jewish Film Festival at Jacob Burns is the biggest yet, with 29 programs by and about Jews around the globe. The featured films include Lost Islands (right), a smash in Israel about the coming-of-age of two brothers; Holy Land Hardball, about the first professional baseball league in Israel; and As Seen Through These Eyes, which looks at the art produced by Holocaust camp prisoners. In addition to the movies, the festival includes a number of fascinating panel discussions with the makers and subjects of various films. The festival runs through April 2. Jacob Burns Film Center
Image: Jacob Burns Film Center

Sounds of Spring

"...in both the caliber of its musicians and the acoustics of its venue, the ensemble series lives up to its motto: 'The performance standards of Lincoln Center in the heart of Bedford.'" The New York Times

The Sunday Times sang these words of praise for the Bedford Chamber Concerts series. The eighth season continues this Wednesday with the "Say Goodbye to Winter" concert, which will feature works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, and others. The concert is at 8:00 at St. Mathew's Church in Bedford.

Weekend Picks

The best activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:

Nature Nuts for Toddlers Wee ones will learn about shapes, colors and sizes while making nature crafts and taking a short hike. Saturday, 1:00. Croton Point Park Nature Center

Wormania Squiggly, slimy, slithery worms! Just what do they do all day long? Discover the secret underground life of worms and make a worm bin to take home stocked with red worms for home composting. Saturday, 11:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

River Songs and Stories The ever-amusing artists of Storytime Stage bring river songs and stories to life in this fast-paced program. Saturday, 11:00. Croton Free Library

Volunteer Work Day Help the farmers prepare for spring planting by clearing rocks from the fields, gardens and woodlands. Volunteers are welcome for any length of time. Saturday, 11:00 to 4:00. Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture

Cheever Book Discussion Author Blake Bailey will discuss his new book, Cheever...A Life! Saturday, 1:00. Ossisining Library

Jack Hanna: It’s a Zoo in Here! Jack Hanna (above) and his animal friends are back to share stories from their many travels around the world. Saturday, 3:00. Tarrytown Music Hall

Maple tree Magic Learn how sugar maple trees create delicious syrup, and discover the ins and outs of maple sugaring. Saturday, 1:00. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Songs of the Irish Poets The first performance of the Vocal Rising Stars recital program celebrates the lyricism of the Emerald Isle's greatest writers. Works by Thomas Moore, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, and Paul Muldoon are set to music by Beethoven, Britten, Balfe, Barber, and others. Saturday, 8:00. Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

The Hudson River Project In honor of the river's quadricentennial, this multi media performance will include video projections and spoken word interludes. Musicians include Mark O'Connor, Don Byron, and Daniel Bernard Roumain. The evening also features David Gonzalez reciting his three-part poem, "Oh Hudson." Saturday, 8:00. Paramount Center for the Arts

Understanding Soil Get ready for the spring gardening season and learn about your soil's texture and how to do a soil pH test. Bring along a sample of your garden soil to test. Sunday, 2:00. Lasdon Park Arboretum & Veterans Memorial

Kids Nature Walk Come search for the first signs of spring along the trail, listen for bird songs, and keep and eye out for the animals of the forest. Sunday, 2:00. Westmoreland Sanctuary

Sugaring Sundays Stoke up the fire, it’s sugaring time at Teatown! From tapping to collecting, boiling to bottling, Teatown’s naturalists will be in the sugarhouse sharing facts and folklore about this sweet time of year. 1:00 to 3:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

Cute in Katonah

This listing makes an interesting comparison to last week's property in Croton, which was a similar vintage and size. Built in 1910, the sweet house is well-located in Katonah village, a quick walk to everything in town. The 1,400 square foot, 3 bedroom home has been renovated and sports a high-end kitchen, updated bathrooms, and central air. The small lot has a nice yard with a patio. At $10,634, the tax bill is on the reasonable side. The house last sold in March 2006 for $619,000. I'll bet the current owners did the renovations, which would account for the increase in asking price. $724,000
Coldwell Banker, Google Map, Live Search Map

Splurge-Worthy

Like everyone else, I'm watching what I spend lately. Indeed, according to the New York Times, thrift is the new excess. Bucking the trend, last week I decided to celebrate surviving the latest round of lay-offs at my office by splurging on something special. While this may be tempting the fates, the constant penny-pinching is simply sapping my soul. After all, I'm an American and buying cool stuff makes me happy. So, over the weekend I took a peek at some of my favorite non-necessity shops, including Lot 84 in Mt. Kisco. The small store is packed with interesting items for the home. They are currently featuring the designs of Marsia Holzer, whose lamps and sculptures (above) are quite stunning. Lot 84 is one of those great gems of a store that makes the area special–and which I certainly hope survives the current economic storm. In the end, although I found many things I was eager to own, practicality prevailed and I crossed the street to the GAP and bought shirts for the job I'm lucky to still have. But if I'm still employed in May... Lot 84

River Road

Set on a slight bluff over the Hudson River—and the train tracks—this stately 1928 colonial takes it's special spot seriously. While the house is a bit too "Mad Men" for my taste, it is hard not to be taken with it's gracious rooms and drop-dead views. Located in Ossining (with a Briarcliff Manor address and Ossining schools), the 4,300 square foot manse has 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. The kitchen looks a little tired to me, as does the carpeting—but the long patio floating over the river is hard to resist. The 0.72 of an acre property is within walking distance of the Scarborough train station. The taxes are $26,470. $2,350,000
Houlihan Lawrence, Google Map, Live Search Map

Picks for the Week

Some noteworthy cultural offerings this week in northern Westchester:

The Artist in the Mirror: Reflections of Change In a series of three one-hour presentations, Marcy B. Freedman surveys the art of self-portraiture from the 15th century to the present. The first session, "From Humble Craftsperson to Respected Master," looks at the change in how artists where viewed from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Tuesday, 7:30. Katonah Museum of Art

Crude Independence Through revealing interviews and breathtaking imagery of the northern plains, this documentary is a rumination on the future of small-town America. After the film there will be a interview with filmmaker Noah Hutton by New York Times critic Janet Maslin. Tuesday, 7:15. Jacob Burns Film Center

Reading the Forested Landscape Ecologist and author Tom Wessels discusses how he uses evidence such as the shapes of trees, scars on their trunks, the pattern of decay in stumps, the construction of stone walls, and the lay of the land to unravel complex stories etched into our forested landscape. Wednesday, 7:30. Bedford Audubon Society

Karl Rove, I Love You In this wry mockumentary, character actor Dan Butler decides to create and star in a one-man show as infamous Bush right-hand man Karl Rove but finds himself helplessly falling for the man he had sworn to destroy. After the film, Dan Butler will be interviewed by Jonathan Demme. Wednesday, 7:15. Jacob Burns Film Center

Poetry Reading Two poets read from their work. Kate Light is the author of three volumes of poetry. Matthew Schwartz is a poet, teacher, and editor. He published his first book of poetry in 2008. Friday, 7:30. Hudson Valley Writer's Center

Eye Candy

Main Street, Ossining. Photo by JMS2.

Weekend Picks

The best activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:

Breakfast with the Birds Join the first bird walk of the year to search for a number of species and keep an eye out for any early spring migrants. Saturday, 8:00. Westmoreland Sanctuary

The Class Based on François Bégaudeau’s autobiographical novel, the movie chronicles the life of a classroom as a microcosm of modern France. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Saturday and Sunday, multiple showings. Jacob Burns Film Center

Madeline Peyroux Self-styled "song interpreter" Madeleine Peyroux (above) doesn’t simply interpret songs, she possesses them. Saturday, 8:00. Tarrytown Music Hall

Second City Improve Comedy Laugh along as the Second City Touring Company spreads the funny. Saturday, 8:00. Paramount Center for the Arts

Eagles Out! Catch one last glimpse of wintering eagles before they leave for their northern home! Meet at the Croton Boat Ramp and be prepared to travel to other sites along the river. Sunday, 9:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

Maple Sugaring Finf out all there is to know about making maple syrup. Sunday, 11:00. Muscoot Farm

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress An irreverent and comical play about five bridesmaids who have nothing in common except their dislike of the bride! Sunday, 2:00. John C. Hart Memorial Library

Baroque Music and Dance Enjoy the music of the Rebel Ensemble for Baroque Music and the art of baroque dancers. Sunday, 4:00. Bedford Presbyterian Church,

One Act Play The Peekskill Performing Arts Collective performs “The Tram,” a one-act play. Sunday, 3:00 to 5:00. The BeanRunner Cafe

Village Cutie

If you're searching for a modestly priced home in a pleasant, walkable setting, this could be worth a look. Located in the Sunset Park area of Croton, this 1930 home is pretty sweet. The 3 bedroom abode is relatively small at 1,450 square feet, but the rooms look well-proportioned and pleasant. The kitchen could use an update, but the basement has been finished and the 0.16 of an acre lot has a good-size yard. With annual taxes of $9,101, this strikes me as the type of listing that will attract attention even in the current market. Agree? $459,900
Houlihan Lawrence, Google Map, Live Search Map

In Flight

The exhibition “Taking Off!!” showcases new paintings and prints by Kevin Kall. Through April 26 at the Flat Iron Gallery.

Brick and Shingle

Built in 1939, this 2,300 square foot, 3 bedroom abode has lots of appealing details and nifty nooks. The home boasts a renovated kitchen which appears to have managed the difficult feat of actually blending into the house nicely. Located in a lovely part of Mt. Kisco, south of the town, the 2.5 acre property is very nicely landscaped. On the con side, the land is sandwiched between two roads. On the pro side, the taxes are relatively low at $10,507. This home was on the market last summer and was recently relisted. $929,000
Vincent & Whittemore Real Estate, Google Map, Live Search Map

February Deals

Perhaps it was the sense of hope and possibility emanating from the White House—or maybe it was the smell of blood and the hunger for bargains. Whatever the reason, more would-be buyers signed on the dotted line in the towns this blog covers in February than in the past few months.

Contracts signed on single-family homes:
January: 34
February: 49

Hot Properties that went to contract:

Location: Montrose
Featured: January 22, 2009
Asking Price When Featured: $1.599,000
Final Asking Price: $1,599,000


Location: Ossining
Featured: October 28, 2008
Asking Price When Featured: $349,000
Final Asking Price: $349,000


Location: Peekskill
Featured: October 7, 2008
Asking Price When Featured: $299,000
Final Asking Price: $254,900