If you don’t know about Farm Share, you should.

Every week an over-stuffed box of organic vegetables and/or fruit and/or eggs arrives at your door from the Norwich Meadows Farm in Upstate New York, and you  help Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to thrive.

Farm Share, run by the Brussel family of Larchmont, is available in Southern Westchester, Chappaqua, Mt. Kisco, Bedford, Manhattan, and Stamford and Greenwich, CT. and it’s time to sign up! Shares run 22 weeks from June to November.

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Xanadu will be presented by Mamaroneck High School seniors on Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 22 and 2:00 p.m.  in the high school’s McLain auditorium.  Great fun for the entire family with Greek gods and roller skating.

Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $8 for students (including high school); free for senior citizens.   email SeniorMusical@mamkschools.org with your ticket request.

submitted by Maria A Vias at Mamaroneck High School:

Red Bridge 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.

220 Hommocks Rd. Larchmont

One-of-a-kind spectacular 4 acre Waterfront Estate with priceless panoramic views of Long Island Sound & Larchmont Harbor. Secluded 4 acre peninsula with nearly 1/4 miles of waterfront property.

Elegant gazebo leads to deepwater dock, exquisite swimming pool/poolhouse. Grass tennis court, gym & carriage house with 4+garages. A charming arbor and sweeping picturesque lawns and terraces fan out in all directions. A rare opportunity for the discerning buyer. Sq.Ft includes Carriage House.

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

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.

Harrison Train Station

This is getting old.

Mamaroneck Mayor Norm Rosenblum is warning residents of his Village about the  11:55 pm, April 9  robbery in Harrison, another in a series of robberies this year of commuters walking home from a train station in the shore towns.

This is the second robbery near the Harrison Train Station in the last two months.

These two robberies are similar to the robberies that occurred in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, Pelham and New Rochelle. It appears the suspect is targeting commuters along the New Haven train line.

In all of the robberies the suspect is a black male wearing a mask and dark clothing. He approaches the victims from behind, displays a handgun and demands the victim’s personal possessions, including cell phones, wallets and electronic devices.

Rosenblum says, “It is always advisable that you are aware of your surroundings while walking home from the train station.Use electronic devices while walking home only if absolutely necessary. Always walk in well lit areas and preferably with another person.

If you see any suspicious person(s) or incidents call the Village of Mamaroneck Police directly at: (914) 777-7783.

Jim Thomson, president of the University Club of Larchmont  from 2007–2009, passed away on Monday, April 9, 2012, after a long and courageous fight with leukemia. He was 52 years old.

A member of the Larchmont community for the past 20 years, he is survived by three wonderful kids—Diana, 22; David, 19; and Catherine, 14—as well as his good friend and former wife, Jamie Mooney. He also leaves behind his father, John Thomson of Bogota, Colombia, and his brother, Robert Thomson of Durham, Connecticut.

Jim was a class of 1979 graduate of Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, Connecticut, and a 1983 graduate of Trinity College in Hartford. Besides his work with the University Club, he also volunteered at the Nature Conservancy, the New York Botanical Gardens as well as working the grounds of the Community Unitarian Church of White Plains.

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Vintage 1891 Wine Director Alicia Wilbur pours a Spanish Garnacha/Cabernet

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

Sponsor Story--You’re at a table in a nice restaurant with someone you want to impress…or at least not embarrass.

Then the waiter hands you the wine list.

Your eyes scan the prices, not the wines, because it’s the only thing on list you really understand. Pinot Noir? Burgundy? Viognier? Wouldn’t it be nice if the process of choosing, drinking and talking about wine wasn’t daunting, but fun?

“It can be intimidating,” says Alicia Wilbur, Wine Director at Larchmont’s Vintage 1891, and one of the least intimidating people you’re likely to meet. “It’s such an expansive subject. And in the dance and mystique surrounding wine, it can be easy to forget it’s simply an agricultural product.”

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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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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

Bea is a five year old chinchilla living in Larchmont, who came to stay during a previous owner’s vacation, and never left. Her owner, Abby Troy, says a chinchilla is “half bunny half squirrel.”

She lives in a big cage, a three level split, in the living room and has two pet girls, Abby and Dillon.

photos by Molly Loie Dionne and Abby Kathryn Troy

For Easter:

My recommendation for this upcoming Easter holiday is a beautiful Cotes-du-Rhone: Domaine Les Garrigues 2010.

It is a really good value , simple but elegant French dry red, a classic Cotes-du-Rhone blend of mostly Grenache, Syrah with a touch of Mourvedre.

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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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1 Huguenot Dr., Larchmont

Today theLoop welcomes Julia B. Fee and Houlihan Lawrence to theLoop Real Estate listings!

Today’s listing of this special house, with 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms describes “flights of imagination in the turret’s 1st floor parlor or utter serenity before the gas fireplace in the 30′x 20′ living room.” And the best part?  A 5 minute walk to the train.  $1,575,000.

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

What happened here? We’ve heard a few things, about April’s Closet unconfirmed, and April’s email is bouncing. The high-end Larchmont consignment store on Myrtle Blvd. shut down suddenly earlier this year.

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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Website of local citizen group opposing school bus cuts

Parents in the Mamaroneck School District opposed to cuts in school bus services have launched an informative Web site here. It encourages people to attend tomorrow night’s School Board meeting (MHS Tiered Classroom, 7:30 pm.)

Meanwhile, school officials have decided not to shift private-school students onto public transportation next year, but they do plan to fully outsource the district’s own bus routes.

A Passover perfect wine for under $20 : The Binyamina Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.

From the famous Binyamina winery in upper Galilee in northern Israel where the terroir is unique: a climate similar to Provence or Tuscany and a soil reminiscent of Bordeaux. After 18 months in French oak,  the result is a 100% Cab, medium-to-full body, big , fruity and surprisingly well-balanced wine.
With hints of raspberries, cassis and herbs on the nose,  it presents soft tannins and an unctuous, almost creamy characteristic on the palate.The finish is long and smooth.
In addition,  you can drink  the 2009 vintage right now, or keep it in your cellar for many years.  It will pair beautifully with chicken, meat or a ragout sauce-type of dish.

Available at Wine and Spirits Discount Warehouse in New Rochelle and where fine Kosher wines are sold.

–André Cohen is a winemaster in Larchmont.

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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Pelham police say another man was robbed at gunpoint while walking home from the Pelham train station Wednesday night.

This is the third person robbed while walking home from the Pelham train station this year, the other two occurred in January. And it’s one of several in a string of robberies of commuters walking home from train stations from Pelham to Harrison.

A possible suspect nabbed in February turned out not to be related to these crimes, say cops.

Pelham Patch reports the robbery took place at about 10:55 p.m. when the victim heard footsteps behind him in the area of Elderwood Avenue and East Second Street. The victim turned and saw a man holding a gun.

The robber forced the victim to lay on the ground and took a portfolio bag containing a wallet, cell phones and an iPad before fleeing the scene. The robber is described as a black male about 5-foot, 10 inches tall and about 180 pounds.

The robber wore a dark jacket with a dark hood covering his face. The victim was not injured.

New York Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information that will lead police to the individuals responsible.  Anyone with information regarding any of these robberies is asked to contact NYS Crime Stoppers at its hotline number 1-866-313-TIPS

That’s some combo: A box of Prilosec ($27.79) and a Crest white strip ($52.99) were stolen from CVS on March. 27. Town of Mamaroneck, Larceny.

What are they gonna do with that?… At Pizza Gourmet on East Boston Post Road an iron outdoor patio railing, valued at 42,000, was taken from the rear of the location between March.10 and March. 22. Village of Mamaroneck, Larceny.

photo courtesy: larchmonthistory

It’s the second time in two days a car has driven through the plate glass window of a Larchmont store. At about 1 pm today, a man thinking that he was accelerating forward out of a parking space at the deli next door, accidentally hit reverse, went diagonally across the sidewalk on Chatsworth Avenue, and into the window of Pink on Palmer.

Employees of the make-up and accessories store were all in the back; no one was injured.

This is the second time in two days a car has smashed through the window of a Larchmont store on Palmer Avenue.

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Radow speaking recently about fracking in Mamaroneck

Local League of Women Voters President and Attorney Elisabeth Radow has emerged as an expert on a particular aspect of the debate over fracking.

As a real estate lawyer, Elisabeth has studied and written extensively on the impact of gas leases by by drilling companies in New York State.

She gets a shout-out for her work, and an explanation of it–it’s complex–in the HuffPost Green.

Two Larchmont teens were arrested after the beating of a third young man on St. Patrick’s Day in a New York City Theatre District bar, according to the New York Post.

Gerard McMullin, 17, and Bertram Spielvogel, 18, were charged with assault.

“The teens, who hail from Larchmont in Westchester County, got into a staredown with Ben Gold, 23, … Spielvogel grabbed a glass bottle and smashed Gold over the head,” according to the report.

McMullin joined the fray, pummeling Gold, according to the court records. Gold, of Haverstraw, was rushed to NYU Hospital, where he received stitches to close a head gash.

A Midtown North cop hauled the two teens into the station house,where, it turned out, the Commanding Officer is McMullin’s cousin.

McMullin was charged with misdemeanor assault, and Spielvogel felony assault.

Editor:

I drove over to Starbucks this morning in Larchmont, only to notice a real estate office (condos I believe) had moved in next to Ann Taylor.
Do you know what it is?
Thanks for the insight.

Carlos Munoz

Dear Carlos:

We did a little on this back in December. This, the former Liz Feld political campaign office and before that, the original Active Sports,  is now a leasing office for the Byron Place Associates apartment development, to go up near the New York Sports Club on Madison Avenue in Larchmont.

soon:  two people want to know what the construction is in the ball field at City Park on Fifth Avenue in New Rochelle.

from Larchmont Pet Rescue:

Rufus is an adorable pure breed Pekingese, about 5 years old and around 27 lbs. He is a little shy at first but warms up quickly. Rufus is very sweet and friendly with all – good with people (including kids), other dogs and cats too. He is a very easy dog and housebroken.

Rufus likes to go on his daily walks and one of his favorites is exploring in the yard.  He loves belly rubs and cuddling on the couch with his foster mom.  Rufus is neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm tested and micro-chipped.

The adoption donation for Rufus is $250.  To learn more, please contact Larchmont Pet Rescue at 914-834-6955 or on the web at www.NY-PetRescue.org.

Missy Palmisciano of County Harvest

Anne Avenius, St. Augustine's

The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) Spring Fling Benefit will honor “Sound Shore Superwomen,” says  member Sonya Cronin, Saturday March 31 at 7:30 at The Winged Foot Golf Club.

“We will pay tribute to five local women (non-JLWOS members) making significant contributions to the Sound Shore Community:

Anne Avenius of St. Augustine’s Church (Larchmont, NY)

Deborah Blatt of The Sharing Shelf of Family Services of Westchester

Melinda Lehman of Larchmont-Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force

Marissa Massa of Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Port Chester, NY)

Missy Palmisciano of County Harvest.

This special evening also hosts a silent auction accompanied by food, cocktails, and live music.

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Larchmont Village police say a woman driving to take a class at the LTrain spinning studio at 5:50 this morning crashed through the window of a vacant bridal store in the same shopping center at 2005 Palmer Avenue.

We are told that this may be part of a trend of faulty accelerators in some Lexus cars. She was unhurt.

photos: Diana Marszalek

Here’s a sad (not) shaggy dog story. Napoleon is a Boston Terrier in Larchmont that was misdiagnosed by a Veterinarian and had to have an eye removed. His owner, Michelle, is having a fundraiser at Selah Salon and Lounge in White Plains March 30 at 9:30 pm.

Read more about Napoleon’s story here.

Extra proceeds, from silent auction, raffle items, and items up for purchase, after paying for his surgery, will be donated to the Boston Terrier rescue group.

rsvp: napoleonsstory@yahoo.com

Have a pet you love, that needs a home or just know a great one? Submit a photo to our flickr pool or by email, and we’ll feature it in “Pet Project”

photo of Napoleon: michelle panzica

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)

Joe Carvin

Strap yourself in, folks, and try to follow this.

Joe Carvin announces today he’s running for Nita Lowey’s seat in Congress.

This is the Rye Town Supervisor that originally announced he would run for Senate against Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand.

Then on March 16, the day of the Republican convention in Rochester, he announced that he was bowing out of the race for U.S. Senator.

Wednesday, Mar. 21, Republican candidate Mark Rosen dropped out of the race and endorsed his friend Carvin.

Rosen dropped out of the race because a magistrate judge redrew the district lines, and Larchmont,  where he lives, and much of the Sound Shore, was drawn out of the district in which he intended to run. Harrison and Rye Town remain in the District, as doe Rye Brook, where Carvin lives.

The new Congressional districting  reduces New York’s congressional districts from 29 to 27, combines the southern portion of Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel’s 17th District (Mt. Vernon and Yonkers) and the southern portion of Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey’s 18th District (the Sound Shore area) to form the state’s new 16th District.

photo: Town of Rye

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

theLoop received a Letter to the Editor from a reader claiming the Mamaroneck Junior Soccer League (MJSL) engaged in “disrespectful and abusive behavior” against a team from Fox Lane recently.

We asked MJSL for a response, which you can see below it.

To the Editor:

On Saturday night Mamaroneck FC 93 played Fox Lane FC Best Friends in soccer at The Armonk Indoor Soccer League winning the game 5-1 and also a place in the Hall of Shame along with their coach and some of the parents.

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New 18th Congressional District. Sound Shore area was in the 17th

Congressional redistricting has claimed its first victim.

Mark Rosen, a Larchmont Republican who had announced his intention to seek the Congressional seat now held by Democrat Rep. Nita Lowey, dropped out Wednesday.

“Given the redistricting that was just announced, I regret that I can no longer run the effective race we envisioned with Congresswoman Nita Lowey. My kids go to Murray Avenue School. This is our home. And, we are not moving. The redistricting has me living outside of Ms. Lowey’s district, and I regret that I must leave the race.”

He lives in Larchmont, which like other areas of Westchester County,  moves into Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel’s district.

Lowey is getting all of Rockland County, which Engel had mostly represented, as well as the Bronx.

Rosen will endorse Joe Carvin, Rye Town Supervisor,  who dropped out of a run for U.S. Senate against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand last week.

On the State Senate side, Democrat George Latimer, current State Legislator, announced a run, which he told us will also be harder–to Democrats– due to redistricting:

“More Republicans in communities like Bronxville, Eastchester and Yonkers and Democrats in New Rochelle and White Plains were artfully carved out,” he told theLoop.

“This will be a much tougher seat to win than under Suzi (Oppenheimer)”

map courtesy Mark Rosen for Congress

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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Got sports gear?  Need sports gear?

Tonight and tomorrow night, come donate your unused, too-small, unneeded sports equipment to REPLAY, a local fundraiser to benefit CAP (Community Action Program) and the Hispanic Resource Center in Mamaroneck. .

Hockey/lacrosse equipment, ice skates, cleats, tennis racquets, golf clubs, baseball gloves/bats, bikes, scooters, skateboards, ski outerwear and equipment, etc. can be dropped off  at St. Augustine’s Church during the times below.

Then, come purchase great used sporting equipment at fantastic prices: cleats $4, ice skates $6, lacrosse and hockey pads $2 and tennis racquets at $4… Saturday March 24th at St. Augustine’s from 9am to 1pm.

If you require assistance with transporting equipment please email replaylarchmont@gmail.com.

Drop off:

Wednesday, March 21st, 6 to 8pm
Thursday, March 22nd, 6 to 8pm
Friday, March 23rd, 1 to 3pm and 6 to 8pm

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Voters in 15 villages in Westchester go to the polls today to elect local offices.

Contested elections in (alphabetically) Buchanan, Irvington, Pleasantville, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.

Elections are uncontested in Briarcliff Manor, Bronxville, Elmsford, Hastings-on-Hudson, Larchmont, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Rye Brook and Tuckahoe.

Find out who’s running: Visit LoHud.com’s Village Elections 2012 guide.

Ian Melamed, left and Michael Hyams

Bragging rights from a proud mom:

Cathy Melamed writes,

Shameless science stage mom here…My son, Ian, and his friend, Michael Hyams,  students at Hommocks, won medals at the Hudson Valley Regional Finals of the Science Olympiad last week!  They are in 6th grade, and they placed 5th in their category “Reach for the Stars.”

Just passing it along in case it sounds interesting to you.  (It’s a big deal to us, but I totally get that it might not be to everyone else, really!)  Thanks for all that you do.

Thanks, Cathy. Congrats to Ian and Michael!