Goodbye, Westchester.

I’m out of here.

And I’ve struggled with how to share this news with my readers. I guess also because truthfully, I’ve been struggling with the news myself.

Westchester Life is moving… to Raleigh.

As some of you know, I’ve grappled with the “should we stay or should we go” conundrum for years. New York has a way of sinking its gritty teeth into you, and making you its bitch. But we got a get out of jail free card: a job offer for my hubby in Raleigh, North Carolina.

When the offer came, it was that moment in the game of chicken where you are forced to actually make a move because the other party is charging at you, full force. Sure, we had talked about leaving New York. I’ve shared with you my love/hate feelings before. But never was it a real, tangible option… at least not one with a real, tangible job offer attached to it. This time was different.

So we flew down, we did some recon, we ate some food, we talked to some people. We drove through neighborhoods, we checked out some pre-schools. And the verdict? A unanimous “It’s just easier in Raleigh.”

So I’m leaving, on a jet plane… I don’t know when I’ll be back again.

And I’m ok with it. I’m viewing this entire move as “an adventure.” The adventure of our lives. Moving somewhere else, experiencing something outside of this bubble we live in in New York is both scary and exciting. We won’t know anyone there. We won’t know our way around. We won’t have our go-to “spots.” We’ll have to start over, and make new friends, and find our favorite local places. But that’s kind of fun, no? The discovery of it all? The newness?

I write this as I come down off a high from a very inspiring coffee date this AM with Sheri Silver, bloggess and adventurer and free spirit and awesome mom. She asked me if I was going to continue WestchesterLife. I told her I didn’t know, that I hoped to… but I didn’t know how to transition this thing that was so location-centric to.. .well, a new location. She told me that my blog was more than that. She reminded me that I write about my experiences as a mom, as a self-employed writer, and as myself, and that people (apparently) like to share those experiences with me — the location is secondary. So if you’re glad to hear that I’ll be continuing this blog from Raleigh, you have Sheri to thank for showing me the way.

So, when does this madness happen? Next week. That’s right. I’ve let denial shape this long enough. It’s going down in Chinatown in ONE WEEK. One week! I’ll keep writing from here, before I transition this sucker over to RaleighLife. Eek, ya’ll!

So, what to make of packing it up and moving down south? Well let’s see… here are the things I’m actually looking forward to:

• Milder weather. Longer falls and springs and a shorter, milder winter. Bring on the boots and sundresses, donate all 45 of my winter coats. Sweet.
• Lower cost of living. It’s going to be an eye-opening exercise realizing how much money we’ve been pissing away living here in New York. It may require therapy to get over , actually, given how much less it costs to live in other parts of the country. From gas prices to childcare to home costs, it’s just cheaper outside of this crazy Big Apple bubble.
• Living somewhere that celebrates FAMILY. Raleigh is famous for being a very family-friendly place to live. That means an abundance of parks, trails, activities, festivals, fun weekend jaunts, outdoor movies, markets and more.
•  Less “have-tos.” Living here in the 914, in my 1904 fixer upper, has come with its challenges and obligations. We are constantly working on our house, my husband  can easily spend an entire weekend in the garage, and we’re always running around like chickens with our heads cut off. It’s always just been chalked up to, well… that’s life. But there’s something semi-refreshing about going somewhere no one really knows us. No plans! And renting a brand new, pristine house? No laboring over bathrooms and B.S.! AHH, the freedom!
• Taking it down a notch. Just a hair. A sliver, really. Because I am truly a worker bee, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but I’m hoping some of the slow Southern nature will rub off on me a little. I want to relish in reading a book. Or linger a bit longer over a cup of coffee. And maybe do both without my iPhone dangerously close by.

Well there you have it. You’ll be hearing more about my adventures, trials and tribulations in the coming weeks, as we begin our sherpa trek down south.

Stay tuned!

Random Thoughts.

1) Is bathing suit shopping EVER fun? No. I need to understand why bathing suit bottoms always nip in and pinch my skin and make me look muffin-top-y, but regular underwear does not. I think I will start wearing my underwear to the beach.

2) Speaking of the beach, did you know it now costs $12 a person to get onto it at Long Beach, NY for the DAY? Seriously. What a racket.

3) I’m feeling ‘meh’ about Westchester again. Quick, someone name 3 awesome things about living here.

4) Dieting is a cop-out. It means you couldn’t hack it as a foodie. I refuse to lose.

5) Twitter is starting to feel like a boring old advert. I used to feel so inspired! Now everyone I know has 14 Twitter accounts, and they just repost all their content on each, so I see the same things over and over again in my stream.

6) My favorite thing in the world today is the deliberate way my 22 month old says the word “gahbage.” I spent all morning looking for things to give him to throw in the trash, just so he could say it again. Yes, it’s Saturday, and yes, that’s how I spent my morning. Don’t judge.

7) So zombies? They’re real. And apparently, they’re starting in Miami. Sweet, I’m really glad my worst nightmare is coming true.

8) I asked hubby to get me a pastrami on rye sandwich for lunch. He did just that. I ate the sandwich. And then I was annoyed, because I felt really full afterward. So in my head, I blamed him. That’s normal, right?

9) My summer vacation is three weeks away. I’m already packed. Again… normal, right?

10) Bruce Willis? Bill Murray? Wes Anderson? Francis McDormand? Ed Norton? Tilda Swinton? Amazeballs.

Celebs: The New Suburban Validation.

Serena Van der Woodsen... the "country" Gossip Girl

So Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are going to be my new neighbors up here in Northern Westchester. At least that’s what I read in People or US Weekly or CelebrityWTFWhoCaresNews last week.

Which begs the question… Why do I care? Why is that some valid piece of information I feel proud to share with anyone who’s not from here? When I was a city girl, celebs were a bore. They were everywhere! I couldn’t go out to dinner, or grab my morning coffee, or make my annual mecca to the gym without running into someone (yawn) famous. One got out of the cab, I got into the cab. One crossed the street one way, I crossed the other. One stood behind me in line for the loo at Stanton Social, texting furiously to their equa-famous friends, I stood texting myself to remember to pick up T.P. and deodorant. Nothing to see here, people.

But now… now! Oh, how celebrities have taken on a different meaning. Let’s take one of my favorite little spots here in town: Little Kabab Station. I love me some Little Kabob. It’s just… such. A good. Spot. It doesn’t need any fluff. But Martha Stewart wrote about it on her blog, and somehow, that’s the first thing I tell people who haven’t tried it yet. As if it needs Martha to validate it. It doesn’t! I swear!

What happened to my cool-as-a-cucumber jadedness over celeb-hype? I’ll tell you what: the “Suburbs” happened. And now I’m forced to use any and all methods I can find to validate living here. Because it’s the suburbs. Not the city. And apparently that makes me no longer cool enough to just “be cool” with the occasional celeb-spottings. Now, I actually use them as lure. As bait! I’m ashamed… so, so ashamed.

In the end, does it validate living here? Do the celebs who occasionally trek up here to their “country” manses somehow make the “country” cooler? No. Hell to the no. I don’t really care about Catherine Zeta. Or Blake Lively. Or Chevy Chase. I care about my friends. And my neighbors. And my little, humble, grassroots attempt at trying to authentically make this a better place to live — so we no longer need to use celeb-sightings as validation of how great it is here.

Big ups, suburbs.

Westchester Secrets

Everyone’s got secrets. Some of them are more scandalous than others. Mine involve the little “gems” I’ve discovered that I can’t believe the whole world doesn’t already know about. Because I’m feeling especially giving and community-oriented at the moment, I’m going to share some of my secret jaunts with you. Namaste.

Goldfish Oyster Bar (Ossining) – Monday through Wednesday, Goldfish has a $16 3-course pre-fixe menu. I know that looks like it could be a typo, but it’s not. I’ve never been a fan of “discounted” fish, or seafood deals. It usually ends with something “fishy,” if you know what I mean. But Goldfish somehow manages to serve a pretty awesome 3-course meal for the same price as a single cocktail at some other nearby spots.

Oriental Foot Reflexology (Mount Kisco) – I’ve never felt terribly guilty about paying $125 for a massage at a good spa. Since I spent 10+ hours each day hunched over my MacBook, I consider it a business expense (at least in my own mind, if not to the IRS). However, after my first visit to Oriental Foot Reflexology, I now can say I feel foolish spending the big bucks for an hour at the spa… when I can spend $35 here and emerge just as relaxed. Don’t let the fluorescent lights in the front fool you. While you may not get the sauna or steam room (I never use those anyway), and you don’t get to hang in a relaxation room pre-treatment, you do get one hour of an amaaazing leg and foot massage, in a comfy, fully reclining chair, beneath dim lights. They also give you a cup of hot ginger tea when you’re done. Just don’t tell everyone about this place, okay? I want to be able to still score an appointment every now and then.

Loehmann’s (White Plains) – I am a Loehmann’s Platinum Card Member. Yep, that’s right. Apparently I spend enough in this place to warrant a card that gives me a year-round discount on top of the discount on top of the discount. It’s exhausting, really, just adding up all the money I save at Loehmann’s. I spend most of my time in the Back Room where on any given day there are awesome deals on Theory, Donna Karan, Tracy Reece, Alice + Olivia and Nanette Lepore. And while the “open plan” dressing room is a bit of a fiasco (“Why is that woman trying on pants that are clearly 6 sizes too small?? They’re not gonna fit, lady!”) it’s worth the madness to know you’re scoring a pretty sweet deal.

Mount Kisco Seafood (Mount Kisco) – Sure, this place is no secret. Everyone who’s anyone in Northern Westchester gets their fish from here. What you may not know that they sell some delish seafood-based soups and bisques in their refrigerated section. And at $5 a half quart, $10 for a quart, they are a total steal.

Cornerstone Caterers (Rye) -Ok, I’m slightly biased. These guys catered my wedding. But let me just tell you, they make the meanest carrot cake in the county. It’s so good that I asked them to make me a carrot cake wedding cake. Booya.

Captain Lawrence Brewery Tasting Room (Elmsford) -The hubby and I love coming here for a few samples on a Saturday afternoon. There’s always a crowd, and it’s the perfect excuse for an afternoon nip (or three). Sampling is free, however in their new location you have to buy the sample glass (for $2) which you get to keep, and can bring back with you each time. A minor inconvenience, really, but they’re cute glasses and at $2, a total steal.

Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite county deals, steals and secrets with you… what are some of yours?

“Rumor Has It…”

I’ve been saying that a lot lately. I feel like if I qualify what I say with the precursor that “Rumor has it,” I’m letting the listener know that I too heard this piece of juicy info from somewhere and I don’t know for sure if it’s true. I’m not usually a gossip mill – and I certainly don’t spread gossip about individuals (tsk, tsk) – but this kind of “neighborhood news” is something I have a knack for. Just today, I shared with my Tweeps that “rumor has it” HomeGoods was turned down by the landlord of the former Borders space, choosing not to accept their bid, which was $10/sq ft  under asking price. I don’t know what asking price was, but sounds to me like that landlord may have just shot him/herself in the foot. A space of that size can only sustain a big-box retailer, and as we all know, no-one pays full price anymore. The concept of HomeGoods probably has the longest shelf life of any business out there right now, short of banks – and well, let’s not even get started on that.

Rumor also has it that another burger joint is coming to Mt Kisco, in the space once occupied by 353, on North Bedford Road. Let’s hope it’s better than the “current” burger place that just landed here, which isn’t that good. Rumor has it that burger place, in it’s first month of opening, forced customers to wait in line outside, only letting in 3 people at a time, so as not to “overwhelm their staff.” Sounds to me like their staff is still overwhelmed.

Rumor has it that Mt Kisco police may be replaced with county police. Not sure why, or what this even means. It’s just what I heard.

And just like that, all the news that’s fit for gossip. Anyone have any “rumors” to share?