Westchester Special Section
Pursue your passion one dream at a time.
Ah, February. The cold! The snow! The inevitable cabin fever and kids indoors driving you crazy! Lucky for us Westchesterites there’s 1) Always someplace to go that feels like vacation, 2) Someplace to shop that’s not only affordable but makes us happy and, 3) There are places we can go without the kids to reignite that lovin’ feeling—or at least indulge in an awesome dessert. Answers on the next few pages....
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Inside this special section...
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Where to Go, What to Do The ultimate mom in the know, Gretchen Menzies, shares her favorite Westchester events for families.
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All I Want for Valentines’ Day is... Attention husbands! Last minute shopping for Valentine’s Day?
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Day-tripping Reinvigorate your life with these local outings.
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Sweet Reservations Check out these Westchester date night options. Fun Fun February! How to survive the dog days of winter without barking at your children and howling at your husband.
Let’s Party for Health How Stacey Rittenberg’s struggle with Celiac Disease inspired her to keep everyone educated and healthy.
Planning a Birthday Party? Check out these Westchester Hot Spots for Kids Ages two to seven.
A Role of a Lifetime Felicia Needleman is pursuing her passion one musical at a time. projectyou
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Westchester bookIT!
By Gretchen Menzies
Where to Go, What to Do
The ultimate mom in the know, Gretchen Menzies, shares her favorite Westchester events for families. sweets, delight in an enchanting tale from Acting Out with Ms. Karen, and bring home your own teddy bear surprise! Space is limited to 30 adults and 30 children. Members: $45/per 1 adult & 1 child; $25 for each additional family member. Non-Members: $55/per 1 adult & 1 child; $25 for each additional family member. Stamford Museum and Nature Center, 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT 06903; 203-322-1646 www. StamfordMuseum.org
February 12 Cooking for Kids
Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30 am. Are you a new parent who could use all the help you can get? For parent(s) & babies 11 months or less. Join Adrian Kalikow, M.Ed. in an eight-week program. Share the joys & challenges of a new infant. Begins February 8 (No class on February 22). No fee, space is limited. Bedford Free Library, 32 Village Green, Bedford, NY 10506; 914-234-3570 www.BedfordFreeLibrary.org
February 8,15 Tuesdays for Tots
February 14-17: Grades K-3; February 18: Grades 4-6. Explore the winter season and have fun learning how plants and animals survive New England’s winter conditions. Sign up for single or multiple days. For registration forms and details, visit the Audubon Greenwich website: Greenwich.Audubon.org/Programs_NatureCamps.html
Tuesdays, February 8, 15, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, April 5, 1:00-2:00 pm. Ages 3 to 5 with an adult. Younger siblings not permitted. Young children and adult caregivers explore art together in these imaginative workshops. Children will “draw” with paint, ink, tape, and pencil; build sculptures that draw lines in space; and create their own drawing books. Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay Street, Katonah, NY 10536; 914232-9555 www.KatonahMuseum.org
February 12 Teddy Bear Tea Party
Saturday, February 12, 2:00 pm. Dress up your Teddy Bears in their party best and
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February 14-17 Winter Vacation Nature Camp
February 19-27 An American in Paris Film
bring them to a special tea for Valentine`s Day! Enjoy a variety of tea time treats and
February 19-27, 12:00 pm. This satisfying old-fashioned entertainment brought home six Oscars. With tons of charm and a classic George Gershwin score—including Kelly’s bring-down-the-house “I’ve Got Rhythm” accompanied by a crowd of
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Tuesdays in February Bedford Babies
Saturdays, February 12 and March 12, 1:00-3:00 pm. $30 per session, or $80 for all three sessions. Join us for a fun, hands-on cooking class for kids ages 9-12. We`ll use seasonal ingredients to make delicious and healthy dishes that are easy to make at home. February 12: School Lunch; March 12: Afterschool snacks. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, NY 10591; 914366-6200 www.StoneBarnsCenter. org
February 21-25 Camp SOSI – Schools Out, Ships In.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 12th Avenue & West 46th Street, New York, NY, IntrepidMuseum.org. Camp SOSI is a full day, drop-off, School Holiday Camp Program. The Intrepid Museum’s unique venue offers creative activities for students ages 5 -13 during week-long school vacations. Campers will Explore, Discover and Learn about science and history in fun and interactive ways! 2010/2011 Dates Include: December 27 – 31, February 21 – 25, March 21 – 25, March 28 – April 1, April 18 – 26. Camp For more information please E-mail camp@intrepidmuseum.org, call 646.381.5166 or visit IntrepidMuseum.org.
February 21-25 Mid-winter Vacation Club
February 21-25, 9:30 am-12:30 pm. For ages 4 and up. More nature fun for the kids on their days off! $225 for members, $267 for non-members. Sheldrake Environmental Center, 685 Weaver Street, Larchmont, NY 10538; 914-834-1443 www.Sheldrake Center.org ■
Westchester
French schoolchildren—it’s a complete delight. 1951. 113 m. NR. US, English/ French/German. Warner Bros. In celebration of our 10th anniversary, all children`s tickets for this series will be $1 all year long. Our thanks to Club Fit for making this special offer possible. Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Rd., Pleasantville, NY 10570; 914-747-5555 www. BurnsFilmCenter.org
Gretchen Menzies: ©istock.com/ RBFried
EssentialMom.com
Mother of two, Gretchen Menzies is a social worker and parenting enthusiast. She established EssentialMom.com as an answer to her never-ending question: “How can I get everything done when there are only so many hours in a day?” This one-stop-shop has the answers for all things parenting: resources for classes, groups, schools, birthday party resources, local events, summer camp information and more.
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Westchester good EATS By Beth Feldman
Sweet Reservations Check out these Westchester date night options.
Your local resource for TOTAL healthy living in the privacy of your own home!
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e’re less than a week away from Valentine’s Day and if you haven’t made a reservation at a top notch restaurant, have no fear. You can celebrate your love for one another any night of the week at one of these amazing restaurants...
Alvin and Friends
Living Healthy on the Go, Inc., offers you all the tools you need to achieve overall health. We believe in promoting well-being from the inside out. Our services include: l Nutrition Consulting: Prepared Meal Planning, Pantry Evaluation and Revamping, Food Journals l The Living Healthy Menu: Gourmet Prepared Meals, Personal Chef Services, Private Cooking Lessons l Personal Training: Yoga, Weight Training, Cardiovascular Workouts, Group Fitness l Pole Dancing: Encouraging women to boost their self-image while working out l Parties: Girls’ Night Out, Cooking Lessons, Healthy Girl Parties Take a look at our services, which are tailored to meet your goals and fit your schedule! To set up your FREE consultation, email Tina today!
Tina Oppedisano
Nutrition and Wellness Consultant Tina@LivingHealthyOnTheGo.com 914.450.8478
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Alvin is a former model turned restauranteur.
Cafe of Love
Arrosto
X2O Xavier’s on the Hudson
Harvest on the Hudson
This is one of Jeanne’s absolutely favorite restaurants. Obviously, you can tell from the name of this bistro that Love is definitely on the menu this Valentine’s Day. Check out their regular dinner menu and start salivating! 38 E. Main St., Mount Kisco, 914-242-1002 CafeOfLoveNY.com Romance is definitely on tap at this Yonkers eatery that features floor to ceiling windows and views of the Hudson River, George Washington and Tappan Zee Bridges, as well as sunsets over the Palisades. Delectable dishes incorporate classic French technique with Italian and Spanish influences, and Asian embellishments which create a wholly original cuisine unique to the Hudson Valley. 71 Water Grant St., Yonkers, 914-965-1111 Xaviars.com/Yonkers/Index.html
Another amazing selection by our foodie aficionado and managing editor. Jeanne introduced us to this one of a kind Italian restaurant that offers everything from wood oven pizza, to fresh house made pastas and incredible desserts. 25 South Regent St., Port Chester, 914-939-2727 ArrostoRestaurant.com This Hastings restaurant has been a personal favorite for years. During the winter, you can snuggle near the fireplace while nibbling on flatbread pizzas, cheeses and wine. The dinner menu is overflowing with incredible offerings from fresh pastas, seafood, steaks and delectable desserts. Plus the bar area is spacious - even if you have to wait for your table, you won’t mind as you savor some wine and enjoy each other’s company. 1 River St., Hastings, 914-478-2800 Harvest2000.com ■
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www.LivingHealthyOnTheGo.com
I can’t say enough great things about this New Rochelle, family owned dining treasure. From the delicious food - Caribbean with a southern flair, attentive wait service and friendly owner, Alvin and Friends is truly an experience to be savored over and over again! 49 Lawton St., New Rochelle, 914-654-6548
winter FUN
By Shari Simpson
Fun Fun February!
How to survive the dog days of winter without barking at your children and howling at your husband. Make winter furn with an indoor tent.
Tent, I prop open my eyelids and come up with a topic for our “chat,” ranging from “what was the stinkiest part of your day and what was the un-stinkiest.” Da Tent is certainly something you could do all year round, but for some reason, it works best in the dead of winter. ● Our next February survival technique will knock your wooly socks off. It’s called “Winter Picnic.” Once a week, me and the spawn pack up a picnic snack of hot items in thermoses, soup, hot chocolate, coffee, etc., and venture out to the park. Bring a plastic ground cover of some sort and a blanket, lay them out and voila! Winter Picnic. Sip your hotties, lay on your back and look at the sky, tally up snowflakes, let your noses run. My kids love Winter Picnic, especially when we wave at other people who are walking by looking at us like we’re nuts. Good times. ● Our last February sanity-saver is a family trip. No, not to the Caribbean. We drive an hour away to a bed-and-breakfast on a farm and stay overnight. Cheap, diverting, delicious, and a chance for the kids to see a real fire in a real fireplace, one
that doesn’t burst into flame by pressing an “on” button. And cows in a barn, which, incidentally, smell a lot better in winter than in summer. And a real sledding hill, one that doesn’t end on a highway. And because the bedrooms tend to be small in a B-and-B, the whole family gets to sleep in the same bed. The cuddling! The fun! The pillow fights! The small feet in your face! February definitely moves a lot quicker when you spend the first two weeks anticipating the trip you’re about to take, and the last two talking about how much fun it was. ■
Shari Simpson
Westchester
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don’t know about you, but February has always been my least favorite month. January has the perkiness of New Year’s resolutions that have yet to crumble and ground into the carpet like my toy-nemesis, Moon Sand. March holds the promise of spring, even though it’s frigid and wintry and has no business promising anything to anybody. But February? I’m thinking we can just go ahead and make it a leap-month. In the last few years, I’ve made an effort to salvage February for the sake of my children, who are only just beginning to realize that winter’s not a whole lot of fun once Santa’s headed back to the ‘Pole for some cookie detox. Also, I hate waste, so I’m determined to take that wasted month and make it a family-bonding time. I’ve instituted a few small dead-of-winter traditions and activities that liven up February just enough to get us through to spring with our collective sanity intact. ● Every Monday night in winter, our family does a little something called “Black-Out Night.” As soon as it starts to get dark, all technology goes OFF and we light candles and do some indoor camping. We cuddle and eat dinner by candlelight and talk, make shadow puppets and play old-fashioned games that have real moving pieces and we’ve even been known to toast a marshmallow or two on the stove if we’re feeling particularly Girl Scout-ish. ● Another indoor distraction we’ve instituted is The Prayer Tent. Or The Meditation Tent, the Talk Tent, the Hiding Tent, or simply “Da Tent.” We build a nook out of sheets, blankets and pillows and light the inside with a simple string of twinkly white lights. After school, we retire into our hide-out for snacks, prayer, meditation, examining each other’s boo-boos, and some “chat of the day.” Although I’m always tempted to take Da Nap in Da
DustyEarthMother.com Shari Simpson is the editor of NJ Mommy Poppins and blogs at “Earth Mother just means I’m dusty,” where she expounds on mom-fabulosity, kissing pugs on the mouth. and bearing children in the nick of time before menopause set in. projectyou
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Westchester wishLIST
By Beth Feldman
All I Want for Valentines’ Day is...
Attention husbands! Last minute shopping for Valentine’s Day? Here’s a BIG hint!
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don’t know about you, but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, I always have thoughts of shiny baubles dancing through my head. Sure, I’ve been lucky enough to have received my share of diamonds over the years, but still, I feel like my ears are in desperate need of a pick me up. Then again, if jewels don’t make the wish list this year, I could always go for a snazzy handbag. So where can you send your partner for the best gifts in town? Here’s my personal road map:
Dazzle Her with Diamonds
Wallach’s Jewelers - Friendly and attentive service, this family owned jewelry store always offers gorgeous one of a kind items - like the diamond tennis bracelet I picked out for our 10th anniversary! In a word...dazzling. An added bonus - Wallachs buys gold so if you’ve got a few old pieces of jewelry you’re willing to part with, they will take it off your hands and you can buy something new! 1953 Palmer Ave., Larchmont, 914-833-0665 www.WallachJewelers.com
Earrings, and Bracelets and Rings, Oh My
Jewels by Joanne If you don’t want to spend an entire paycheck on a pricey piece of jewelry, Joanne offers something in every price range - which means you can even pick up a trendy gift for your daughter too. The good news: If you shop regularly at Joanne’s, they’ll send you great coupons in the mail! Good to know, since I’ve had my eyes on a pair of diamond and topaz earrings for years! 301 Heathcote, Scarsdale, 914-713-1313 www.JBJOnline.com
Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag
I can’t help it but I have an addiction to handbags and these days, Michael Kors is my personal fave. The Westchester Mall carries this gorgeous, feels like butter knapsack and at $378, I say, forget the diamonds, I could wear this baby every day of the week! The Westchester Mall, 125 Westchester Ave., White Plains, 914-422-0000
Pampered Package for Two
A couples massage at the Ritz Carlton Day Spa in White Plains. Sure you can’t wear this purchase once it’s over, but you and your partner will definitely feel like a million bucks. Nothing like a little pampering to put you in the mood. 3 Renaissance Square, White Plains, 914-946-5500 www.RitzCarlton.com/en/Properties/Westchester/Spa/Default.htm I don’t know about you, but chocolate melts my heart every night of the week. Have your hubby head on over to Chocolations to pick up a box of award-winning truffles or my personal fave - chocolate covered strawberries! 607 E. Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck, 914-777-3600 www.Chocolations.com ■ 6
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Sweet Dreams
beWELL
By Stacey Rittenberg
Let’s Party for Health How Stacey Rittenberg’s struggle with Celiac Disease inspired her to keep everyone educated and healthy. to confirm a diagnosis. A biopsy concluded that in fact it was Celiac Disease. I was relieved and concerned all at the same time. I had lots of questions. What is Celiac Disease? What is gluten and why am I allergic to it? Will I ever be able to eat M&M’s again? Luckily for me, the doctor was very familiar with Celiac Disease and was able answer all of my questions. In 2010, I launched A Healthier You, L.L.P. a wellness and consulting firm. One of our goals is to educate the public on health related topics (without boring them to death). Saturday, we are hosting a Gluten Free Wellness Party in West Harrison, NY. Those who attend will learn about Celiac Disease and nutrition while mingling and eating delicious gluten free foods and desserts. You can even sample some gluten free beer! We will also have celiac friendly vendors, door prizes, and gift bags. Everyone that attends will get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Living. A percentage of our proceeds will be donated to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. What else could a celiac ask for ... except an increased tolerance to gluten! Hope to see you there! For more information or to register for this event call (914) 458-2249 or log on to www.ahy4life.com. ■
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he year was 2002. I had just gotten married, spent two weeks in Hawaii and moved into a new home with my fabulous husband. But there was something not quite right. For the past year and a half, I had these nagging pains in my gut, headaches, fatigue and worst of all, seemingly spontaneous episodes of diarrhea, cha cha cha. I chalked it up to stress. Planning a wedding, moving and becoming Mrs. Steven Rittenberg was enough to do that, right? Once I settled into married life, I thought my body would relax. Much to my dismay, things went from bad to worse. I could tell you where to find every bathroom on my commute from Scarsdale to West Haverstraw. I loathed driving over the Tappan Zee Bridge every day. I remember having to leave several restaurants doubled over in pain after only eating a few breadsticks. I attempted to celebrate a friend’s birthday at a local bar. After only one beer, I spent the remainder of the celebration in the ladies room. My husband tried to convince me there was something going on, but I chalked it up to some bad bar food. A year later, things were not improving. Using the ultimate leverage any man could hold over his loving wife of limited child-bearing years, I was told that we were not going to even think about starting a family until I got myself checked out by a doctor. Three days later, I was sitting in the GI’s office sporting a lovely paper gown. The doctor thought that it could possibly be Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease or Celiac Disease. Say what? She recommended I have an endoscopy and colonoscopy
S tacey R ittenberg
Stacey Rittenberg is a native New Yorker. Stacey is married and has two beautiful children. She formed A Healthier You, L.L.P., where she hopes to empower individuals who desire to take control of their health and well being.
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Westchester momTO KNOW
By Holly Rosen
A Role of a Lifetime
Felicia Needleman is pursuing her passion one musical at a time.
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estchester resident Felicia Needleman has been working in theater for a long time, writing and producing plays. Recently, she added the title Literary Manager of the White Plains Performing Arts Center to her resume, which includes the story of Raoul Wallenberg, based on the World War II hero who saved thousands of Jews. I sat down with this wife, mother and accomplished playwright to talk about her passion for theater, as well as her inspirations. Project You: When did you know you wanted to get into theater? Felicia: I always knew. I grew up dancing and performing, and later moved from Larchmont to New York City to pursue my passion. My friend, Laurence (Holtzman), who later became my partner, and I went to see a musical together many years ago and it was dreadful. We jokingly said to each other, “We can do better than that!” I read about the Lehman Engel Musical A scene from “Wallenberg,” performed at the WPPAC.
Theatre Workshop in Backstage Magazine. By that time, we were working together on a full-length musical called I Married a Witch. But we got in, and it was a wonderful experience, taught by Maury Yeston who wrote Nine and Titanic. Then we submitted our show to the ASCAP workshop and won. Unbeknownst to us, the moderator had submitted some of the lyrics to one of our songs for the Sammy Cahn Award. We won for best lyricists. All of this catapulted us both into thinking we could do it as a career. Tell us what you’ve been working on, and the inspirations behind your work. We just finished our run of Wallenberg at WPPAC. Now, we’re working on Jerusalem Syndrome, a very tongue and cheek story about the actual syndrome with the same name. Apparently 20-30 people a year go to Israel for the first time. They’re not religious but when they get there, they freak out and try to reenact stories from the Bible. We read this and thought it was hilarious and are hoping to move that project forward. As the Literary Manager of WPPAC, I’m constantly reading scripts and listening to music that comes in. Right now we’re producing a play called The Passion of the Hausfrau [German for housewife]. How do you choose your projects? Stories inspire me. I can’t write if I’m not inspired. There are stories that interest me ranging from the story of Wallenberg. Something like Jerusalem Syndrome makes me laugh. When something’s true, it’s so much more compelling.
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Felicia Neddleman with her family.
How have you balanced family life? I work when the kids are in school. When I’m in the middle of production of a show, I’m not around much. How has your husband supported you? He’s been amazing,. When I was hired to do a show in Denver, he brought the kids out for two weeks. What are the challenges in the arts world? The money is the biggest challenge. Stories without name value or a big star attached are harder to get done. The other challenge is being disciplined to write all the time. Sometimes we’ve gone slower because we weren’t willing to give up the time with our families. Instead of going on a writer’s retreat, we stayed home to go to a baseball game. The challenge is to maximize the amount of time you have to work and then see the fruits of your labor at the end of the day. For more information about the WPPAC, visit their website at: www.WPPAC.com. ■
partyFAVOR
By Danielle Feigenbaum
Planning a Birthday Party?
Check out these Westchester Hot Spots for Kids Ages two to seven.
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lanning a birthday party can be overwhelming, which is why my best advice is to plan a party that suits your child’s interests. Most important: remember to enjoy yourself, take videos and photos. Here are just a few of my favorite local places sure to put the “wow” in your celebrations:
Dance Cavise Inc We just cel✽ ebrated my daughter’s 7th birthday party at Dance Cavise and
it was a huge success! The staff was wonderful and the facilities are top notch. My daughter and fifteen of her friends danced, played games, and practiced for a show they performed for their parents. They even printed out programs with all the girl’s names on them so they could autograph them for each other. I highly recommend Dance Cavise, it was fantastic! 273 Halstead Ave., Mamaroneck www.DanceCavise.com/birthdayparties
greets everyone as they come in. Parties are 90 minutes long and they customize the theme to fit the birthday boy or girl’s interest… from pirates to princess, sports to deep sea adventures and more. They supply invitation postcards, gold medals for kids, handle the setup, planning and clean-up, and supply paper products if you bring food/cake. 969B Central Park Ave., Scarsdale www.GreatPlay.com/birthday/index. html
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Kidville I used to love going to ✽ Kidville when I lived in NYC, so I was so excited when it opened right here
in Westchester! Not only do they offer great classes and have an adorable boutique, their birthday parties rock. There are many themes to choose from for all ages including Wiggle Giggle For Ones, A Dino-Mite Party, Treasure Hunt Party, Superhero Birthday Bash, Glamour Girl Party and so much more. 777 White Plains Rd., Scarsdale www.Kidville.com/scarsdale/explore/parties-and-events My Gym My Gym recently opened ✽ in Larchmont and my son has already attended a party there for his three
year old friend. If you prefer the kids have more “free play” time than My Gym is a great option. The staff also orders and serves the food. The kids also loved
playing in the ball pit. Yes I know, ball pits can invoke the germ police, but it looked very clean and the kids had a blast! 1030 W. Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck www.My-Gym.com/parties.aspx Paint your Own Pottery This ✽ wonderful paint your own pottery store moved not too long ago to
a new facility and they throw a great birthday party! Whether it’s at their studio or your home, they will help your guests create a one-of-a-kind keepsake straight from the heart. There are different party packages to choose from, including the Story Time Party where the children will read a story and then paint a ceramic character from that story. Or the Mirror Mirror Party where the kids paint hand mirrors. All of their party packages include invitations, balloons, use of paint, brushes, design accessories, staff assistance, instructions, set-up, and clean-up. For more information please go to www.PaintYouOwn Pot.com/packages.html
Groove If you have a budding ✽ musician in your midst, then Groove in Larchmont is the perfect
place to feed their creative spirit. Kids get the chance to dance and sing in a spacious studio while being entertained by popular Groove musicians. 157a Larchmont Ave. through February 13. Moving to108 Chatsworth Ave. February 14. Larchmont www.FindGroove.com/parties_ groove.asp. In our next issue.. .great options for parties at home! ■
Danielle Feigenbaum
Westchester
Great Play With huge screens situ✽ ated all over the room, your child will be the star of the party as their photo
Danielle, former Television Marketing and Promotion Executive who spent many years at CBS and ABC Networks, is Role Mommy’s editor of our deals and giveaways sections. Danielle lives in Westchester with her High School sweetheart/husband, Andrew and their two kids. projectyou
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Westchester stayCATION
By Holly Rosen
Day-tripping
Reinvigorate your life with these local outings.
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You’ll find animals galore at Stone Barns Center near Tarrytown.
cafes and B&Bs. You can either drive in or take the train into this small town right on the Hudson River and hike on wonderful trails located right near the village’s main street. My husband and I spent a night there alone and stayed at the Pig Hill Inn, a B&B with a tea room located at 73 Main Street. After a refreshing walk through the woods and a bit of shopping, we enjoyed a lovely meal the Riverview Restaurant at 45 Fair Street. We always return with a sense of renewal. Piermont - another town located on the Hudson River right next to Nyack in Rockland County, Piermont is a short 30 minutes from home. My husband used to escape there from the daily grind of living in New York City and it has remained a favorite of ours anytime of the year. Piermont is another charming, picturesque village with quaint shops and places to eat, and close proximity to dynamic views of the Hudson River. We have friends who just bought a house there and can’t wait to have an excuse to visit often.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are other places to visit in Northern Westchester, including the scenic towns of Katonah and Bedford, Storm King Sculpture Park in Mountainville, the River Towns like Irvington and Croton on the Hudson, Rhinebeck and Hudson, which are further up the Hudson River and closer towns like Greenwich and Norwalk, Connecticut. The beauty of living right outside New York City is that we can always return to the lure of Manhattan, but when life gets too hectic, we can always find a scenic escape that’s close to home. ■
Holly Rosen
TheCultureMom.com Holly’s career spans the worlds of television and publishing, including positions at MTV, Lifetime Television and John Wiley & Sons. She is now founder of Maxo Social Media and is the editor of www. theculturemom.com. She has two children and lives in Larchmont.
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veryone needs to unwind every once and a while, and we moms are no exception. After a week of taking care of the children, household errands, working and running back and forth, I often feel in need of relaxation outside of my everyday life. Lucky for me, it’s relatively easy to do so since my husband is ready to jump in the car at any small request. He often craves the fresh air and greenery. I, on the other hand, am a city girl at heart, and often crave city life. However, living in Westchester, it’s fairly easy to drive to a more peaceful place that everyone will enjoy. Here are a few of our favorite places to visit for a muchneeded jump-start: Stone Barns Center located near 630 Bedford Road in Tarrytown, is a bucolic farm with trails and barns that practices sustainable agriculture. It’s perfect for long walks and there are plenty of animals to see (pigs and chickens, to name a few) and herbs and vegetable gardens to explore. Your kids can play in the wooded area or the courtyard just outside the café. The food in the low-key café is delish, with items made fresh from the home-grown ingredients located on the premises. They also sell homemade muffins, scones, cookies, soup, foccacia bread, quiche and cheeses. I always regret that my kids won’t indulge in some of the exotic veggies or beets grown fresh on their fields, but I’ve never let it ruin our day. www.stonebarnscenter.org Cold Spring - located in the Hudson Valley, has long been one of my favorite getaways. It dates back to my single days, when I was living in the city. It used to be my haven to escape the daily grind. I remember introducing it to my husband when we started dating. It’s truly a Victorian postcard come to life, with its main street lined with antique stores, boutiques