every day just got better
That first trip to the beach after a long winter is always a shock – for me and my kids. Water. Sand. Sun. Love! We went to Rye Beach this week with a few friends and spent about two hours feeling like we were on vacation.
The kids ran free and we even got up from our comfy sandy seats and raced them. We found shells and shiny rocks. The kids filled up their buckets with wet sand and waded deep enough to get pretty wet. And the best part about Rye Beach right now? It’s free!
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At The Bow Bar you can order your bows with a monogram, custom charm, extra tails or straight up. Bows are interchangeable with their head bands and you can get yours in any color of the rainbow. Where else can you get a bow in light orchid with a hot pink monogram? Or a light pink bow with a pink chevron charm and your child’s name in green? You can get any bow you can dream up at The Bow Bar.
Order from the menu: The Socialite is 4.5″ wide with a monogram and is the perfect bow for every day. Choose from a wide selection of colors and monogramming styles. ($16 each.) The Mini Socialite is 3″ wide for $8. The Charmer has a customized charm like a monogram, cupcake, ballet slippers, polka dots, child’s age and more. Available in three sizes with charms for $12 – $16 and $6 – $10 without the charm.
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I consider myself pretty low-maintence when it comes to my hair. I typically reserve a professional blowout for special occasions, and sometimes even try to time a haircut to a special event or night out so the blowout is included. That may all change when PlushBLOW opens down the street from me later this month…
(Disclosure: This is not my hair.)
With current locations in Rye (53 Purchase Street) and Greenwich (18 Lewis Street), PlushBLOW’s newest location in Scarsdale is scheduled to open in late November at 12 Harwood Court.
PlushBLOW is exclusively a Blowdry Bar, meaning they don’t do any haircuts and their services are simple. Every BLOWdry includes a hair cleanse and costs $40, except on “Treat Yourself Tuesdays” when you can get one for $30. Extras like hot iron curls, updo’s and hair treatments cost extra. [...]
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Get your fall on this weekend with these family events in and around the best county in the world!
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The crisp yet still warm days of late September are the perfect time of year to take advantage of Westchester’s outdoor festivities. Our calendar is bursting at the seams with fun things to do. Here are a few highlights for September 21-23:
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Bubble & Tweet, located in Rye and Bedford, is one of those stores that once you’ve stepped inside, there’s no going back. Back to the big chain stores, that is. I decided last winter that I should buy my daughters less clothes, but better clothes. I came to this realization as I was putting away a multitude of sparkle t-shirts and faded dresses. I lingered longer on a few of their favorite dresses that looked great after many washings — those were the better quality dresses. I vowed to buy less cr*p! [...]
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Fashion’s Night Out was created four years ago by Vogue (the concept was Anna Wintour’s baby) along with the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the City of New York, to celebrate fashion, boost the industry’s economy during the recession, and put the fun back in shopping. The initiative has since exploded globally, and several stores in our back yards are participating tomorrow night, Thursday, September 6, with in-store special events, deals, entertainment and more. Grab a girlfriend, your wallet, and go shopping — no need to go to the city!
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Last spring, Go Figure Studio opened up in the Five Corners Shopping Center in Scarsdale. I dropped by recently to try out a class, and it was not only a great workout, but a fun experience in a calm and not-at-all intimidating environment.
The “Figure Method” was designed 10 years ago by founder, Cindy Sites, to incorporate pilates, yoga and classical ballet into a unique barre class that focuses heavily on posture, flexibility and developing overall strength. My instructor was Linda, an incredibly-ripped veteran of Go Figure Studios, and there were three other women in the class on a sleepy weekday morning. We talked about our ballet barre class history (I’ve tried them all including Physique 57, The Bar Method, BodyFit, and CoreFusion), and got started with a warm-up and light weight exercises for arms, shoulders and back. [...]
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There will be dozens of firework displays all over the county this week, but here are a few that might be extra spectacular. Happy Birthday, America!
The annual Kensico Dam Music Fest will take place this Tuesday, July 3, featuring the Bensen-Scott Big Band. Pre-show festivities will commence at 6pm, so come early to set up your blanket, picnic and enjoy the entertainment. The band will perform at 8pm followed by fireworks at approximately 9:15pm. Admission & parking free. The Kensico Dam Plaza is located at the north end of the Bronx River Pkway in Valhalla.
The Ossining Fireworks Show will take place on July 3, kicking off with an outdoor concert featuring band “Over the Top” at 7:30pm. The sky will illuminate with lights at 9:15pm followed by music by Phil Ismaels band at 10pm. Food vendors will be on hand including Carvel Ice Cream, Lonnies Fish and Chips, Wobble Cafe, and Tommies Food Trucks by the Ossining Boat and Canoe Club. This year, seating will be plentiful at the Harbor Square property – first come, first serve, as is parking at no charge. [...]
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On a hot day (and we’re preparing for a heat wave this weekend), there is nothing better than cooling off in a swimming pool. Many Westchester towns have a village pool, open to town residents only, but there are also four pools run by Westchester Parks and Recreation that all residents can enjoy.
And these aren’t just pools — they’re aquatic playgrounds.
Rye Playland Pool (above)
At Rye Playland you can enjoy the outdoor pool, play in the sand, walk along the boardwalk and pier (with or without an ice cream cone) and, if that’s not enough for you, check out the rides! The pool itself is on the beach, and while you can’t really see the Long Island Sound from the pool, you may feel a breeze off the water now and then. There aren’t loungers — so don’t expect to lay out. It’s more about cooling down in the shallow end and swimming laps in the roped off swim lanes. Be wary of crowds. This pool can get ultra packed on weekends.
Pool is open June 22 to August 19, Wednesday through Sundays, from 11am – 6:30pm. Pool is closed Monday and Tuesdays. From August 22 to September 3, the pool opens at 12pm and closes at 6:30 on Wednesday and Thursday, but from Friday to Sunday and Labor Day the pool is open from 11am to 6:30pm.
Cost: $6 for adults; children under 5 are free. For the 12 and under set, it costs $4 per child. Parking fees are $5 weekdays, $7 weekends and $10 holidays. (If you buy a Westchester Parks Pass, the admission prices are reduced.)
1 Playland Parkway, Rye; 914-813-7010
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Charlie’s Shoe Repair in Rye is one of those “secret” shops in Westchester. The hole-in-the-wall storefront looks like a throw-back to the villages of yester year, but the service and craftsmanship is top-notch, making it an insider favorite among locals.
I was made privvy to Charlie’s Shoe Repair by my friend, Brooke, who was born and bred in Westchester, and currently lives in Rye. She described Charlie as a gentle soul who is a one-man act and takes great pride in his work. [...]
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There are so many cool things to do this Father’s Day weekend in Westchester. Whether it’s listening to live music at the Clearwater Festival or jazz music at the New York Botanical Garden, picking your own veggies at Hanover Farm or meeting Olivia the Pig at The Bronx Zoo, we promise you won’t be bored. After the jump, our best of Father’s Day weekend event picks!
(Photo courtesy of Hilltop Hanover Farm.) [...]
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We traded life in the city for a white picket fence in Westchester, NY. But we're not willing to sacrifice style -- or fun. We write about a 100 little ways to make living here even better. Thanks for stopping by!
