Ridge Hill, Yonkers

Speaking of why some towns get shopping and others do not, (and thanks for your comments on the Armonk supermarket story,) with Whole Foods’ announced move into Port Chester, and Ridge Hill opening in Yonkers, Talk of the Sound recently asked what

Best Buy
Whole Foods
Fairway
Target
Barnes and Noble
and Kohl’s

had in common?

They are “some of the retailers who recently took a pass on New Rochelle. The old adage in real estate is location, location, location. Well, for the purposes of future development in New Rochelle, it should be parking, parking, parking.”

How do you think New Rochelle can begin to attract the kinds of businesses it wants, if there are any left?

Walk in and you’re transported back 50 years to the old Italian neighborhood, with the same family in the kitchen cooking the same great Italian classics and pizza they were making when the place opened in 1950. This is a must-go if you’re looking for something that’s not typical Westchester.

One review reads, “Ordering off the menu is for newbies only—most regulars know what Solano’s does best: the hot and sweet sausage pie (no slices here), Gorgonzola salad, porterhouse steak, and bargain bottles of red wine. ”

Say no more!

This home at 164 Central Pkwy, Mt Vernon, is listed for $749,999 in theLoop Real Estate Marketplace.

Did everyone catch the Wall Street Journal piece about Mount Vernon? Bronxville for a bargain? Some of Westchester’s most beautiful homes are there, making it increasingly more attractive to downsizers and first time home buyers.

One commenter writes,

“Read the story carefully. If you have school-age children, you definitely do NOT want to send them to any of the Mt Vernon public schools. Other than that, Mt Vernon is a nice place to live. If you have a secured house, a good alarm system, and a really, I mean really, big dog.”

A response:

“North Side Mt. Vernon has pretty good public schools at the elementary level. The elementaries are relatively high achieving and economically and demographically diverse. South Side Mt. Vernon is a different story.

15 Elmsmere Rd, Mt Vernon

This 4 BR 3.5 BA in the Fleetwood “estate” section of Mount Vernon seems like a very good value.  the listing calls it a “Classic Country Colonial, Circa 1920′s.”

It has a greenhouse and an au pair suite. Check out all of the MLS listings in theLoop Real Estate Marketplace.

Cold turkey commute. Don’t even think about lighting up while waiting for your Metro-North train. Doing so could get you kicked off the platform, up to $50 in fines or a trip to jail.

The MTA‘s new ban on outdoor smoking starts today, following a months-long grace period the agency gave smokers to get used to the idea. The ban, which had a soft launch in November, prohibits smoking on Metro-North and Long Island Railroad outdoor platforms, as well as ticketing and boarding areas.

The ban does not apply to Metro-North stations in Connecticut.

Violators have gotten away with just warnings since November. But after several months of  leafleting, signs, announcements and electronic alerts, the MTA now expects passengers to play by the rules.

You may recall our conflicted feelings about the new M-8 rail cars on the Metro-North Red Line.

Your chances of riding a cleaner, more comfortable | more sterile, computer-voice   train between Connecticut and Grand Central just increased. Metro-North and the State of Connecticut added more new cars to the New Haven Line.

As of Monday, 78 new cars are operating on the line — enough to cover about 24% of regular weekday rides.  The new M-8 railcars will cover an even higher percent of weekend travelers.

It will be years, though, before the entire existing fleet is replaced.  There are a total of 380 new cars on order. More sticky floors to enjoy for years to come.

One customer calls Westchester Fabrics “the holy grail of fabrics.”  The Mount Vernon store has been a sewers’ destination for decades.

The store is packed with a gazillion different fabrics, homey customer service and a few colorful characters who have worked there for nearly as long as it’s been around. Westchester Fabrics’ staff know their stuff: tell them what you want to make and they will gladly steer you in the right direction.

It’s that kind of old school cool that keeps customers coming back for more.

Westchester Fabrics, 103 S. 4th Ave., Mount Vernon 914.668.3555  (no website)

Photos by Jacqueline Silberbush

Larchmont IHOP

Apparently, things can get a little crazy at the IHOP in Larchmont after hours.

Police say that last Thursday, January 19 about 10:30 pm, two workers with the fire prevention contractor, Tristate Fire Prevention in Mount Vernon, got into a bit of an argument after the restaurant closed.  A fight broke out and the defendant reportedly threatened his coworker with a knife.  Police arrested and charged him with 2nd Degree Menacing.

They’re not saying if it was butter or steak.

A manager at Tristate tells us the men are no longer on the same crew. “They’ve been separated,” she said.

photo: Jacqueline Silberbush

Last week, Graham School in Mount Vernon almost ran out of paper, says one parent.

There’s also peeling paint and an idle computer lab.

“I own a home and I’m paying my taxes and I think things should be better,”she says.

Waveline Bennett-Conroy, Mount Vernon Schools interim superintendent, says the school district is addressing the issues. “I am not going to say that we are not affected by funding, but we make sure there are no dangerous situations for our kids,” Bennett-Conroy says.

She acknowledges the problems, but says money’s not always the problem.  She says the paper  supply ran low because the Graham principal reallocated funds to buy workbooks for low-income children, and the District delivered 15 cases of paper to Graham on Wednesday.

Repair of an elevator serving a disabled child has been delayed because the school is waiting for a part from overseas. Meantime, a stair lift for the student has been installed. The computer lab is sitting idle, she says  because the use of technology has been integrated into classrooms.
And repair to building damage, some of which was caused by recent snow and rain, will start soon.

“We will not compromise our kids’ safety at all,” Bennett-Conroy says.

The parent, however, says she “is frustrated because I see a lot of things going on that trouble me.”

“I’m contemplating putting my son into a private school, which I can’t afford,” she says.

One of Josel's recent local clients

Leslie Josel of Larchmont has seen it all in her job bringing order out of a peculiar kind of chaos –people who just can’t throw anything away. And that’s what she named her business, Order Out of Chaos.

On Saturday, Leslie is featured on “Stuffed: Food Hoarders,” an episode of the Cooking Channel where she helps out a Mount Vernon family so overwhelmed with the demands of an autistic child that their kitchen, and their lives, are out of control. (click here. You have to see those photos.)

She tackles the family’s kitchen and dining room, “which included hundreds of canned goods, many with old expiration dates, cookware and kitchen paraphernalia piled high to the ceiling leaving those areas virtually unusable.”

And I thought my house was a mess.

January 29th at 8:00 pm : DIRECTV, DISH Network,Verizon FiOs

photo- Leslie Josel

U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, who represents most of Westchester and parts of Rockland Counties in Congress, made fast friends with a group of New Rochelle High School seniors during a classroom visit Monday, inviting them to meet again online Tuesday night during President Obama’s State of the Union address.

“I don’t want to talk at you,” Congresswoman Lowey, a Democrat who represents New York’s 18th District, said.  ”I want to have a conversation.”

Lowey’s visit to teacher Darren Gurney’s AP macroeconomics class was a precursor to the virtual Facebook and Twitter chat with students she has planned for before and after the President’s speech. Students can participate by going to Lowey’s Facebook page  or using the hashtag #LoweyChat on Twitter.

She also will meet with New Rochelle High AP government students in Washington later this week.

Lowey reiterated several times her commitment to staying non-partisan during the classroom discussion, which touched on her priorities: creating jobs, investing in education and tax relief.

She did, however, come right out and say how important she thinks it is for young people to get involved in their government as soon as they are old enough.

“It’s sad to me that in this great country of ours such a small percentage of people vote,” she said.

“Whatever you do with your life, I hope you will take some time for public service because it is very rewarding.”

Photo courtesy of Paul Costiglio

Served up in a homespun shrine to the Bronx Bombers, the pizza at Johnny’s in Mt. Vernon is about as good as it gets in these parts.  Proof? Even ardent Mets fans will suck it up to wolf it down under the watchful eyes of Yankees idols from The Babe himself to Derek Jeter.

In the hands of the same family since its Opening Day – July 4, 1942 – Johnny’s Pizzeria is best known for its super-thin pizza, hand-delivered to your table by servers who run the gamut from sweetheart to classically surly.

Come prepared: Although a bit off the beaten path, Johnny’s is packed on Friday and Saturday nights (it’s closed Sundays and Mondays). They won’t sell you a slice, so be ready to buy at least an entire pie – which includes a stop at the ATM. This place only takes cash.

Johnny’s Pizzeria is located at 30 W. Lincoln Ave. in Mt. Vernon. (914) 668-1957

Shopping carts are rolling away. Cars are shaking. Hold onto your hats — and just about everything else.  The strong winds that blew into Westchester this morning, prompting a National Weather Service Wind Advisory, are expected to stick around at least through midnight.

The gusts could reach up to 50 miles per hour, according to the Weather Service, meaning travel could be hazardous.

Flight delays at area airports were already growing long by early afternoon.  Flights at La Guardia, for example, were running an hour and 40 minutes behind schedule at 1 p.m. The speed limit on area bridges, including the Tappan Zee, had reportedly been reduced.

Although the winds are expected to die down overnight, forecasters are calling for a weekend that feels like winter. The Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 37 on Saturday and just 29 on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to bounce back a bit on Monday, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, to a high of 39.

Torado is a big cuddly, young adult male pit bull, probably around 2 years old.  He walks nicely on a leash, loves to play ball and keeps his kennel clean.  He gets along with kids and most dogs but cannot be around cats.

Available for adoption at
Mt. Vernon Animal Shelter
600 Garden Ave – Mt Vernon, NY 10550
(914) 665-2444

In honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. the Volunteer Center of United Way has organized a day of service projects at the organizations below on January 14. Interested? sign up here! Or call 914-948-4452 for more information.

Volunteers can choose from 29 service projects at Academic Pathways (New Rochelle), Charles Brieant Community Center (Ossining), Children’s Creative Response to Conflict (Nyack), Family Services of Westchester (Yonkers), Ferncliff Manor(Yonkers),  FSW Sharing Shelf (Port Chester), Green Chimneys (Carmel), Groundwork Hudson Valley (Hastings), Institute of Applied Human Dynamics (Tarrytown), Mount Vernon YMCA, My Sister’s Place (Yonkers), Nepperhan Community Center (Yonkers), New Rochelle Public Library, Richmond Community Services (Yonkers), Rockland Country Day School (Valley Cottage) , Somers Manor, Therapeutic Equestrian Center (Cold Spring), Wartburg Adult Center (Mount Vernon), White Plains Youth Bureau, White Plains YMCA, White Plains Public Library, WJCS Kid’s Kloset (White Plains), and Yonkers Public Library – Will Branch.

photo: flickr

Tony Vanacore (courtesy Talk of the Sound)

After 50 years, he’s decided he will now lock his front door.

The 92 year old New Rochelle man who apparently foiled a home invasion last week at 3 Cadillac Drive in the North End, is still making headlines.

“You keep your left hand out and counterpunch,” Tony Vanacore told CBS2.

“God gave me the strength to go down those stairs and punch this guy”,  Vanacore told Talk of the Sound, when he found his caregiver struggling with the perp. The invader then ran for it.

Fortunately the invader’s gun was a toy.

There is a possibility that the shocked criminal may have been involved in recent home invasions in Pelham Manor and Mount Vernon. In those instances the victims were considered easy prey.

Until this time.

[mappress mapid="76"]

The Mount Vernon Animal Shelter is underfunded, and relies heavily on volunteers and donations. As we do with the New Rochelle shelter, theLoop will feature one of its adoptable pets each week.

Guinness is a 2 year old petite female pit mix who knows basic commands and is good on a leash. She has beautiful brindle markings, is very playful, full of affection and very sweet. Her favorite activity is playing catch (and she’s really good at it too!). Guinness is good with dogs and kids but not with cats.

Mt Vernon Animal Shelter
600 Garden Avenue
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
(914) 665-2444

Eileen C. Kelly, 91 of Rye Brook, NY passed away on December 30, 2011. Born to Joseph and Lauretta Cahill on January 31, 1920 in Mt. Vernon, NY. She married Francis A. Kelly in 1943 in Mt. Vernon. She worked in Manhattan from 1937 to 1947 before her children were born. She retired from the Mt. Vernon Bd. of Education in 1983 after more than 20 years. She and her husband were members of St. Ursula’s Church in Mt. Vernon till 1994 when they became members of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Port Chester, NY. Mrs. Kelly was predeceased by her husband of 58 years and her son Richard. She is survived by her daughter Donna Napier of Rye Brook, NY, her grandchildren Brian (Sarah) Napier of Bronxville, NY, Kevin Napier of Atlanta, GA. and Kelly (Brett) Miller of Darien, CT. She is also survived by her adored great-grandchildren Owen, Audrey and Emily Miller.

Eileen was a former long-time member of New Rochelle Shore Club. She has been a member of Coveleigh Club in Rye since 1974 to present where she enjoyed tennis and lawn bowling. Eileen was also a member of the Rye Brook Senior Citizens. She and her husband spent much of their retirement time helping the less able. The family will receive friends at the Graham Funeral Home on Monday January 2 from 2 to 5 PM and 7 to 9 PM. A mass of Christian Burial will be offered at Our Lady of Mercy Church on Tuesday at 10 AM.

Graham Funeral Home

1036 Boston Post Road

Rye, NY 10580

914-967-0129

Southside Mount Vernon in photos taken December 2011. Please click on thumbnails.

John Gitlitz and Bishop Wayne Powell of Strait Gate Church

Paula Eisenberg and Judy Silberstein

When theLoop launched in 2007, some people called us digital pioneers. But “Paula and Judy,” as they came to  be known, had already been at it in Larchmont for five years, and The Larchmont Gazette would continue for three more.

Around the same time, it was a pivotal period for local immigrants. John Gitlitz would serve as co-president and then president of the Hispanic Resource Center.

Gitlitz and Paula Eisenberg and Judy Silberstein will be the special honorees at the 25^th public Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 11^th at the Hommocks Middle School Auditorium.

Gitlitz, an associate professor at Purchase College, will receive the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Award  for carrying on the ideals of equal opportunity championed by Dr. King. A special tribute will also be given to Eisenberg and Silberstein, and the reporters and photographers at the publication before it was suspended in September, 2010.

The Celebration, entitled “Looking Back, Moving Forward,” is hosted by the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Committee on Human Rights, with the help of the Local Summit.

– Article and photos submitted by Harold Wolfson. Additional reporting by Polly Kreisman and Diana Marszalek.

You may remember that about a year ago, a total of 8 dogs were stolen from the Mount Vernon Animal shelter.  All were eventually recovered and one, Brooklyn, is still available for adoption.

According to volunteer Dina, “He’s a beautiful dog who deserves to have a great home.  The shelter also needs exposure since it’s over crowded and underfunded.  It relies heavily on donations and volunteers so it would be really great if you could catch up with the shelter and tell Brooklyn’s story as well as help the shelter get some attention so donations increase and hopefully a few other dogs who have been there almost a year can find homes for the holidays.”

Here’s Brooklyn (above) and pictures of some of the other beautiful animals available in Mt. Vernon, that have been there for too long.

photo: HRC Facebook page

Of 531 Members of Congress, including all U.S. Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Nita M. Lowey (D-NY)  ranks #20 in personal wealth, with an average net worth of  $41,210,018 , according to data prepared by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Lowey represents New York’s 18th District, which includes Lower Westchester and part of Rockland Counties.

The New York Daily News recently reported Lowey has the “highest privately funded travel tab of any New York rep.”

Times are good for the 12 term Congresswoman.

Lowey’s husband, Stephen, is a partner in a White Plains law firm.

photo: US House of Representatives

First, the bad.

As seen on Gilder Place, Larchmont, Monday:

As seen on Carpenter Place in Mamaroneck Sunday:

Now, the good: A Snow Day, at Chatsworth School in Larchmont Sunday…the idea of Principal Gail Boyle…and building a village of snow people. No cars in sight.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

For those of us who can’t wait for Spring (uh…everyone…?), we’ve compiled a garden checklist to help combat winter blues, indoors and out.

Plan ahead
Now’s a great time to assess your garden. Perhaps you want to add some plantings or move things around. Some people keep a notebook or take photos during the growing season. These are really helpful when staring out at your snowy white canvas.

• Order seed starting kits, vegetable and flower seeds from catalogs, if you like starting from scratch.
• Start growing seeds. Some helpful tips here.
• Peruse magazines for gardens that you like, See how you can incorporate some of the ideas into your own property.

Heavy snow can break the branches of evergreens. Give plants a dusting off after a heavy snowfall.

Maintenance
You may be tiring of the snow cover that’s been hanging around since Christmas, but the snow is actually a protective, frosty blanket, insulating the plants below. During winter’s home stretch, we may get days that swing between warm(ish) and arctic. That will be the time to check on your newer plantings, making sure the warming and re-freezing has not heaved them above the soil line. If you see that’s starting to happen, try to push them back in and cover root zone with extra mulch.

• Prune away storm-damaged branches, which can tear the bark off shrubs and trees.
• After a heavy snow, take a broom and brush off the shrubs and tree branches that are bent under the snow’s weight.
• Take cuttings of forsythia, pussy willows, cherries for forcing indoors. Late February, early March is the time to prune most shrubs and trees, before they start to leaf out.

Indoors
Sun-loving houseplants are probably looking a little sad right now. Shorter days=sadder plants (and people!). Make sure they are in a southern-facing window.

• Houseplants grow more slowly during winter, so increase the time between waterings. The single biggest killer of houseplants is overwatering.
• Clean the large, smooth-leaved houseplants with a damp, soft cloth. Or give them a shower. They are probably a bit dusty by now, which interferes with photosynthesis.
• Inspect for insect pests. Browning leaves are a good indication you have spider mites. Look for fine spider webbing between the leaves or between the stem and leaves. The mites are easily killed by spraying them with a homemade soap solution. Simply add a teaspoon of dish liquid detergent to a 12 or 16 ounce spray bottle filled with water. Shake, then spray. The soap smothers their soft bodies. You may have to apply two or three times, whenever you see the webbing again.
• It’s a good time to repot plants, especially if it’s been more than a few years since the last transplating.  Plants do best in terra-cotta pots because the clay is porous, which allows for water and air exchange. If your old clay pots have a white, powdery mineral deposit on the outside, you can clean them by soaking the pots overnight in a solution of 1 gallon of water, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup bleach. Or, remove as much as you can with a wire brush and then apply linseed oil. This will make the mineral deposits invisible.
• Go over your gardening contracts carefully. Many companies apply pesticides and herbicides. They are required to supply you with a materials data safety sheet for each product they apply. One note from this organic gardener: data sheets only cover the labeled, “active” ingredients. Ninety percent of most products are “inert” ingredients. The composition of inert ingredients are considered “proprietary information” and do not have to be disclosed. Many of these “inerts” are more dangerous than the labeled ingredients. Of course, you can always hire a landscape company that practices organic controls. Keeping your property in a natural balance is the best way to ensure a healthy environment.

Catherine Wachs is a Larchmont-based landscape designer. Her company, The Lazy Gardener, creates low-maintenance, high-style designs for residential and commercial properties.