Larchmont by Jacqueline Silberbush

Submit your local photo by email or to www.flickr.com/groups/looppool, and we’ll post one at the end of every weekday.

Commute by Jacqueline Silberbush

Submit your local photo by email or to www.flickr.com/groups/looppool, and we’ll post one at the end of every weekday.

During spring break week, we are bringing back some popular posts:

The Metropolitan Museum calls Alexander Jackson Davis, “the greatest architect of the mid-nineteenth century.”

The designer of Federal Hall (the Old Customs House) in New York and Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, designed some remarkable Gothic Revival houses in New Rochelle in the mid 1800′s.

Some of their photos can be seen if you scroll down here.

Wildcliff, or the Cyrus Lawton House, sits high atop a hill, overlooking the Long Island Sound at 44 Wildcliff Road in New Rochelle.

The 20-room house was built in about 1852; Tudor architectural feature were said to have been added later.

When Clara Prince, whose family acquired the house in 1913, donated Wildcliff to the City of New Rochelle in 1940, her intention was for it to be a destination for children to learn about science and nature. It was a Youth Museum for a time (1964-1981, when the New York Times did a story about its economic ruin),  then abandoned.

Wildcliff was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. But it has continued to fall into ruin.

Enter Marie Inzinna of New Rochelle and Kerrilee Hunter of Bronxville, both educators. Says Kerrilee, “Marie and I both started as teachers; within a few years of working together people were telling us, ‘You should start a school!’  We knew we couldn’t be just anywhere, because children bring such amazing energy to a space and they deserve to have a space that fits their curiosity and need to discover.  One day Marie thought of Wildcliff–a place she went as a child when it was the Wildcliff  Youth Museum–and the pieces began to fall into place.”

Now, Jen’s Community at Wildcliff  has a board of directors, has hosted a few events to raise awareness, (including last Fall’s Harvest Festival) and will soon launch a capital campaign needed to refurbish the building and grounds and create a nursery school, gallery, office space and spaces for adult education. They will lease the building from the City of New Rochelle.

Clara Prince’s dream may soon come true.

photos: KFriend on flickr, Kerrilee Hunter, Wikimedia Commons

first published March 8, 2012

 A special Spring Break treat…

I just had an almost perfect New Orleans style bowl of Red Beans and Rice. The brown sauce had just the right amount of Cajun seasoning.

It was served from a truck.

One of the things, I always say, that makes a town world class, is the ability to access gourmet grub on wheels. Look at these sites devoted just to street food in New York, Portand, Ore., and Washington, DC.

Mamaroneck jumps into the fray with Johnson Truck.

The big green comfort cookery parks at Harbor Island Park most days (though Mrs. Johnson is about to deliver a baby, so there may be a slight hiatus) and has a license to be here until Fall. It’s near the playground at the moment, but will move beach side come summer.

Swing around to the window and you’re greeted by Chef Johnson and Lil’ Johnson Jr. sporting chef hats and spouting expressions like “come y’all and feel our fine funky flavors!”

There’s blackened shrimp, chili, etouffee, grits, and hot dogs for the kids. “Johnson Jambalaya,” “Momma’s Creole Lobsta Roll” and plenty of meals for “Vegematarians.”

The video below was submitted to the Food Network Eat St. contest last year, where chef came in first in the US, but lost the contest to a Canadian contestant. Must watch!

Chef wanes philosophic. “I’ve always said, Canadians are people too.”

Police Wash by Jaqueline Silberbush

Submit your local photo by email or to www.flickr.com/groups/looppool, and we’ll post one at the end of every weekday.

Vincent Greco 4th grade, Vincent Bottone 1st grade and Lily Flynn 8th grade.

Sts. John and Paul School in Larchmont wanted us to share this with you; students there have  just completed an 8 foot tall sunflower bouquet to celebrate Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday.

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Highbrook Bridge, Pelham

The dream of creating a Highbrook Highline in Pelham is closer to reality with the designation of the Highbrook Bridge as eligible for the National Registry of Historic Places.

The Highbrook Highline, much like the High Line in New York City, proposes a linear High Line plan for the entire 1.9 acre site, reclaiming an historic rail bed of the New York, Westchester and Boston railroad as green space.

We reported about a section being worked on this month where there is consensus.

The website of the Friends of the NYW&B Highbrook Highline  says, “The Highbrook Avenue Bridge was designed for The New York, Westchester & Boston Railway in 1910 to attract development in the Village of Pelham and Westchester County. Given the current density of population, it can be said that the effort was successful. Today the “Highbrook” stands as a living memorial to the inventions, investments, design, competition and physical challenges of a century ago.”

images courtesy Friends of the NYW&B Highbrook Highline

Check theLoop Events Listings

Collect eggs at Stone Barns

What’s at Jacob Burns

What’s at the Emelin

What’s at the Picture House

What’s at Paramount Center for the Arts

What’s at Tarrytown Music Hall  (Joan Osborne April 7)

Some ideas from Found in Yonkers:

• Benjamin Manry and the Crimson Journal by Owen Palmiotti Signing B&N Central Plaza Apr 7
• Easter Bunny Photos @TheWestchester through April 7
• City of Yonkers FREE Easter Egg Hunt April 7

You’re in the library, the book store or even staring at your own bookshelf, trying to find the right story for your child in a sea of options. They’re all cute with fancy covers. Or the classics from your own childhood that you hardly remember.

How do you choose? What will resonate with them?

This ain’t kids stuff.

What if you had a friend you could trust to show you what to pick?

“People were always asking me to recommend great books for their kids,” says Melissa Young of Larchmont, mother of three and a former literacy teacher.

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33 Films in this year’s Jewish Film Festival at Jacob Burns. Beginning April 11:

• My Lovely Sister   Apr. 11, 13, 15
• Free Men   Apr. 12, 14, 15, May. 12
• Remembrance   Apr. 12, 14, 19
• God’s Fiddler: Jascha Heifetz   Apr. 12, 16

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Hilary Zelson, (Mamaroneck High School ’07) is exhibiting “Dripping in Glitter” at New Rochelle City Councilman Ivar Hayden’s Backstreet Gallery and Framing  though April 30, 2012.

On display are Zelson’s colorful contemporary watercolors, and glitter paintings. Zelson says she developed an entirely new media utilizing glitter on paper instead of paint to create the sparking and eye-catching paintings.

The gallery is open to the public from 12:00 to 6:00 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as well as from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday.

Dripping in Glitter: Hilary Zelson
April 1, 2012 – April 30, 2012
Ivar Hayden’s Backstreet Gallery and Framing, 43 Lawton Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801

Reception: April 28, 4:00-6:00 PM.

Local boy Benjamin Wachtel, now a film student at NYU, is shooting a film, The Kids are Up to Something in Mamaroneck and wants you! as an extra.

Here is the synopsis: “In a town where book clubs and country clubs become cesspools for gossip, keeping a low profile is impossible. Although it appears to be the picture of wholesome family living, Manor Park has become a police state enforced by an intimidating tyrant, who uses her position to squash individual opinion. With Marlene running the rumor mill, no one is safe in Manor Park. “

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Robert Perucci, owner, 3rd Rail Studios

It’d be understood if you thought you’d stumbled upon a body shop. In fact, one of the artists’ studios here is leased to a body shop; but these are no grease monkeys, they’re sculptors working in metal. Highly charged doesn’t begin to describe the atmosphere.

3rd Rail Studio in New Rochelle is tucked into the industrial area near Flowers Park. Word of mouth among those who cast in bronze and other metals is so strong, 3rd Rail maintains a steady clientele of artists needing their castings assembled, preserved or repaired.

Josh Randle, a metal worker from Homer, Alaska stopped by

“We help them to make the things they cant,” says 3rd Rail’s Robert Perucci, 35, “we’ve got the tools.” Perucci, who opened 3rd Rail first as an art gallery with his wife Christine Milo, also teaches metal sculpture and bronze casting at the Silvermine School of Art in New Canaan.

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A sampling of weekend events from theLoop Events calendar.  Click links for more info.

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Plates in Larchmont was transformed into fashionista central as about fifty women (and a few men) showed up to check out clothes, jewelry, accessories and wine.

A summer fashion show by ETCETERA, and more raised money to benefit the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Food Pantry.

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We’ve always really liked Loop contributor June Marie Sobrito’s images of the old Brandreth Pill Factory in Ossining, a 35,000-square-foot building on Water Street that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

But given the story below, about the renovation of the Mamaroneck Train Station, this is particularly sad.

Ossining village officials are talking about tearing down the building and putting up luxury apartments. The site has reportedly been a hangout for underage drinking and graffiti artists.

So tear it down? What do you think?

The historic Mamaroneck Train Station is now open for business as a restaurant, after a ribbon cutting Wednesday.

John Verni and Chris Verni, brothers and partners in Verco Properties LLC,  acquired the building from the MTA and converted the long-neglected station into space for a restaurant on the ground level and professional offices on a new second level.

The Club Car  restaurant and lounge was the vision of Brian MacMenamin, formerly of MacMenamin’s Grill, the Larchmont Oyster House, and the Post Road Ale House.

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See the story of Pelhamdale.

Photo: Jacqueline Silberbush

Yvonne Jean Rabie, herself Lebanese and Brazilian, has brought the world to a little corner of New Rochelle in her 4-year-old store, Ethnika.

But I always thought of Ethnika as a cool local secret, only to find out it has quite a following among decorators, dealers and on eBay.

“Everything here is special,” she says, unloading the latest shipment, from Asia: China, Mongolia, Tibet and Thailand.

“People know we sell unusual stuff.”

And one of the most popular items- “We sell a lot of Buddhas. I buy them here in the States, at auctions, stores, while traveling because they’re old. The one sold in Asia are new.”

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718 Fairway Ave, Mamaroneck

Orienta, the lovely waterside neighborhood in Mamaroneck, is sprinkled with unique homes, such as the present-day Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, that were designed by Sanford White.

This 7 bedroom 5 bathroom Orienta Shingled Colonial is only built in the style of Stanford White. However, the listing describes a like minded structure: a “magnificent .82 acre of majestic and lushly landscaped grounds, wrought iron electric gates, incredible wrap around stone-columned porches and porte-cochere. Spacious and generously sized rooms throughout; architectural details, multiple fireplaces, central a/c. Snow removal & gardener included

Unique rental opportunity in prestigious waterfront community just 35 minutes to NYC.

See this home and all the MLS listings at theLoop Real Estate Marketplace.

Sundance Cinema in San Francisco

Robert Redford’s  Sundance Cinemas has signed a lease to build and operate an 8-screen cinema at the new “luxury retail center” called Rivertowns Square, to be developed on the Saw Mill River Parkway in  Dobbs Ferry.

According to the PR Newswire, it will be Sundance Cinemas first theatre on the East Coast.

Robert Redford, Sundance Group President is quoted as saying  “I’m so pleased that Sundance Cinemas will be building our first theatre in the Northeast in such a vibrant corridor in the state of New York. Westchester County has a long and rich tradition of supporting the arts, which makes me particularly enthusiastic about our future in this terrific community.”

Sundance Cinemas Westchester is slated to open in the Spring of 2014.

The press release adds, “Rivertowns Square is a $150 million luxury mixed-use development that will feature some of the most exciting restaurants, boutiques and entertainment in the region along with luxury residential units. Rivertowns Square’s mix of tenants will include a range of restaurants – some with rooftop dining – quality boutiques and a gourmet market. Rivertowns Square provides exceptional regional access from the Saw Mill River Parkway, and will provide abundant free customer parking.”

Fourth graders from Murray Avenue School in Larchmont have their work displayed at Kenise Barnes Fine Art.

At an opening reception Sunday, art lovers were invited to view some fascinating alternate personalities. Ever need a new best friend?  the children created “new people” from parts of the faces of their classmates.

The exhibit will be showing again Monday night from 5-7 pm.

Kenise Barnes Fine Art 1955 Palmer Avenue, Larchmont

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At last count we’re told there are only 6 seats left for the annual “Beauty and The Feast” benefit – Thursday March 29.

Larchmont’s Fashion Tent returns with summer beauty & runway trends and a form preserving lunch!

Hey Bryant Park! We got tent y’all, uh huh. Come to Plates for OUR Fashion Week(day) with clothes and cocktails, and plenty of suburban swagger. Bring your BFF for a glass and light lunch, a peek at Summer Fashions by ETCETERA, jewelry, accessories and more. There’s giveaways and a mondo Swag Bag in it for you featuring delightful samples and offers. All this, while helping The Larchmont/Mamaroneck Food Pantry — bring a canned good or cereal to help even more. It all starts at 11:00 and you won’t want to miss a New York minute. $75 all in.

Reservations: styleadvantage@gmail.com.
Click here for a printable invite.

Independent bookstores rock.  The area is fortunate to have some great ones. The Voracious Reader in Larchmont celebrates five years this week.

Herewith, a little pop quiz, written by VR’s Francine Lucidon.

1.The Voracious Reader first opened its doors to the public in
(a)  June 1997
(b)  April 1897
(c)  March 2007
(d)  November 2007

2.The Voracious Reader now carries books for
(a) babies through teens
(b) non- fiction readers
(c) adults
(d) all of the above

3.In 2011 The Voracious Reader added a
(a) Tea Shop
(b) Shoe Store
(c) Swimming Pool
(d) Pet Shop

4.Which of the following animals has visited our store?
(a) shelter cats
(b) bunnies
(c) horse
(d) dog
(e) all of the above

5.Approximately how many events has The Voracious Reader hosted
since opening?
(a) over 4 million
(b) 1 per month for a total of 60
(c) 1 per week for a total of 260
(d) over 1,000

6.What award did The Voracious Reader win in 2011 from Westchester Magazine?
(a) The Richard Scarry Best Bookstore Ever Award
(b) Best Bookstore of the Planet Award
(c) Best of the Millenium for Kids
(d) Best of the Decade for Kids

7.What is NOT part of the mission and core values of The Voracious Reader?
(a) Help families slow down and embrace the joy of shared stories
(b) Connect with community over books
(c) Become a huge multibillion dollar online behemoth selling books below cost in order to  collect your data, destroying Main Streets everywhere
(d) Create and sustain book culture
(e) Have fun! Love books! Enjoy community!

Answers: 1.(c), 2.(d), 3.(a), 4.(e), 5.(d), 6.(d), 7.(c)

From theLoop Events Calendar, these are some of the events readers added. To add events to our free calendar, click here. You will need to register on the site, if you have not already done so.

Spring Showcase @ Larchmont Public Library

The Murray Avenue School Art Department, with Art teacher Aaron Stone, teamed up with the Kenise Barnes Fine Art and will display the work of “inspired young artists” in the fourth grade.

So You Want To Be An Artist :
Opening reception: March 25th 4pm-6pm
and
March 26th 5pm-7pm
Kenise Barnes Fine Art 1955 Palmer Avenue, Larchmont

Spoken Interludes literary salon kicks off its 2012 season on Tuesday, March 27^th at 6 pm with a great line-up of three critically-acclaimed best-selling authors.

We wrote about Spoken Interludes back in January.

• Kathryn Harrison will read from her new novel, Enchantments.
• Lucette Lagnado will read from her new memoir, The Arrogant Years: One Girl’s Search for Her Lost Youth, from Cairo to Brooklyn, and
• Ben Marcus will read from his new novel, The Flame Alphabet.

Praise for Enchantments:

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Irvington

A plethora of listings from our friends at RivertownsGuide.com

Thursday, March 22 from 6pm – 9pm
Best Practices: The Do’s & Don’ts of Social Media [link] | Westchester Burger Company Rye Brook
275 South Ridge Street, Rye Brook
Presented by Westchester Business Connection. Appetizers included, cash bar. Networkin, A Great Social Media Education(Nothing Technical!!!) for “All levels of expertise.”. The event highlights feature: A presentation from Keith S. Chan from The Froogle Institute for Social Media. www.keithschan.com/about/ and www.FroogleInstitute.com

Thursday, March 22 from 6:30 – 8pm and Thursday, March 29 from 6:30 – 8pm
Home Buyers’ Workshop: Two-Part Series | The Warner Library, Tarrytown
Thursday, March 22: Buying a Home:What You Need to Know
Thursday, March 29: Securing a Home Mortgage
Both workshops are FREE. Registration is requested. Please call Reference at 914-631-7734. The Westchester Housing Council will present tips and recommendations for first-time home buyers. Co-Sponsored by Housing Action Council and Key Bank

Friday, March 23, 10:30a.m. – 2:30 p.m
KAPLAN testing service will offer a KAPLAN PRACTICE SAT Test | Warner Library, Tarrytown
for all interested students. Call the library at 914-631-7734 for registration information, or register at 1-800-KAP-TEST. Use Event Code:SKXY2332

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New Rochelle

Larchmont

Debra Kling

Debra Kling of Larchmont turned color into a career. (You may remember where she turned your editor’s old stone heap into something a lot more fun.)

Now, Debra has been awarded the “Best of Remodeling Award” from Houzz.com, a popular web platform for residential remodeling and design.

The Architectural Color Consulting firm was chosen by the more than 1.2 million registered members of the Houzz community.

Here are some of her color consults in the towns indicated:

Bronxville

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The PAC

Focus on French Cinema 2012, the 8th annual festival of French language film, opens at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College this weekend.

12 recently released critically acclaimed French films ( all subtitled in English) will be shown.

Meet directors and actors,  attend the “talk of the town” Opening Night Gala hosted by Les Maitres Cuisiniers de France and L’Academie Culinaire de France, wine and dine on French fare in between films at the “Rue des Restaurants” and journey through the French speaking world of France, Zaire, Belgium, Quebec and beyond with an all day, ongoing, selection of court metrages.

For more information: www.focusonfrenchcinema.org

Trump Plaza, New Rochelle. Submitted to the Looppool on flickr by simplyinnocuous

Winding Road, June Marie Sobrito

Each Tuesday, we will feature photos of one of the towns that help define us. Submit your photos to our looppool on Flickr!

Some upcoming Westchester events posted by Found in Yonkers:

“The Kid with a Bike” Screening Jacob Burns Film Center March 23-29 ~Pleasantville~
SOURCE: http://www.burnsfilmcenter.org Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Rosetta, L’Enfant) are acclaimed for their intense portrayals of people at the gritty fringes of society. They reveal a more hopeful face in this new drama about a sensitive but uncontrollable 11-year-old and a woman who believes in him. Winner of a raft of festival honors, including [...]

The LOFT Open Mic Nite March 24 ~White Plains~
SOURCE: http://www.loftgaycenter.org Time: 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Cost: $10.00 includes snacks, finger foods, and beverages Each person or group will have seven minutes to do a stand-up comedy act, a song sung, played, or karaoke, a poem or story, a song or dance, just about anything. Come share yourself and your talent at the [...]

REI FREE Bike Maintenance Workshop March 27 ~Yonkers~
SOURCE: http://www.rei.com This class is an informative presentation that will teach you how to lube a chain, fix a flat tire in record time, and make other minor adjustments to your bicycle. No experience necessary! REI is located at Ridge Hill, 49 Fitzgerald Street in Yonkers. For complete class details visit http://www.rei.com.

Dance Theater of Harlem Ensemble at Paramount Center for the Arts Band March 30 ~Peekskill~
SOURCE: http://www.paramountcenter.org Tickets: $25.00 to $45.00 Dance Theater of Harlem Ensemble will host a lively program that featured a variety of short ballet performances and excerpts, giving the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the making of an artist, from the barre to the stage, and exposing them to the company’s “unique yet classic” brand of [...]

Louie Anderson Tarrytown Music Hall March 30
SOURCE: http://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org Tickets: $34.50 to $99.50 (Meet & Greet) Louie Anderson is one of the most versatile and successful comedians working in Hollywood today, loved by the television audiences who never missed his nightly hit series “Family Feud” or his appearances on late night chat shows. He is adored by standing-room-only crowds in Las Vegas [...]

Hand-to-Mouth Players Call for One Act Plays Deadline April 16
Manuscripts should be twenty-five minutes, minimal staging and sets, with casts of fiver or less. The winning five plays will be performed August 24-26 in Montrose, New York. For complete details visit http://www.htmplayers.com.