This is my final post in this series but just because Small Business Saturday ends today, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bookmark these posts and visit them during the holiday season and beyond.  Most of these suggestions have been on the Westchester View before.  I had a rather busy black Friday – people were shopping for homes as well as for the holidays. Recologie: Located at the corner of Palmer and Larchmont Ave.,  this is a store that lends it self to reviews….I couldn’t put down my camera when I wrote a review last September. Everywhere you turn around there is something very unique. I was in the store yesterday and they are having specials for Small Business Saturday.  I love going in there because there is always something new and totally unique in there.  Here are some new things ... 11/26/2011

  There is a Monkey Loose in Larchmont!!!! Weeee-lll not exactly... but it got your attention - right? Watercolor Cafe, a relaxed and charming small restaurant but with atmosphere, and featuring all kinds of musicians to attract the weary soul, as you imbibe and enjoy various delicious edibles - such as the crispy duck or grilled black angus steak... BUT this Saturday, November 12th, Peter Tork, formerly of the legendary 1960's Monkees Musical Group, will be performing at Watercolor Cafe at 7:30 p.m. There is a cover fee of $35.00, and reservations required.. Step back in time, and enjoy! Also, if you are in town, and love the area... pop by at 6 Douglas Lane on Sunday, November 13th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for the public open house... Private dock, Normandy Cove, Larchmont Manor, close ... 11/11/2011

As featured in the Sunday New York Times "On the Market Section" on October 30th, 6 Douglas Lane, located in prestigious Larchmont Manor, with its private dock, and soooo close to the village, fine dining, the trains and the beach too...There will be  a public open house this Sunday from 1-4 p.m. 4-5 bedrooms, 2573 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths on the first floor, and 2-3 bedrooms on the second floor, this expanded ranch with its sunny, open floorplan was renovated by local Larchmont architect, Manuel Delgado and reflects his love of light and space. Being offered at $1,650,000..... what are you waiting for! Map of Larchmont NY 10538 View Larger Map 11/10/2011

The Stonecrest Cooperative:  21 North Chatsworth Ave – Larchmont NY: This is so aggressively priced that it is officially ridiculous…BRING YOUR OFFERS. The Stonecrest of Larchmont  is an elegant pre-war Tudor cooperative with a rich history in an historic village.   Located on North Chatsworth Ave.,  the location is nothing short of ideal.  Few Westchester coops could compete with this location. Just steps from Metro-North and center of the village. Unit #3C  -  A Large 1BR/1BA Coop: For more photos from this Larchmont neighborhood and the Stonecrest – click here For more photos of the interior of unit #3C – click here. For a video slide show of this listing - click here. With 900 sq.ft. of space this is a very large space for  1 BR unit.  The living area is generously sized  The entry... 10/24/2011

  Recently, I’ve had several inquiries from would be home sellers about whether now is the time to consider downsizing their home. Scaling back is never easy and should not be undertaken lightly as it means a significant change in your lifestyle, but from a financial standpoint, I would have to say that the answer would be a very strong “YES!” if you are a Larchmont homeowner.   In the midst of a national housing crisis many would-be sellers are sitting on the fence asking whether now is a good time to scale back into something smaller.  This is particularly true of empty nesters or soon-to-be empty nesters.  With real estate – as with all large ticket items  – it is best to buy low and sell high.       Of course the devil is in the details.  If someone is looking to scale-up or scale-b... 10/13/2011

    Introducing to the market a charming expanded ranch in prestigious Larchmont Manor with water access, year round water views and its very own private dock! But, I asked myself, in wanting to show the home at its best (high tide as it is located in Normandy Cove), I thought it would be a good idea to have on display the high tide schedule, and to post same as an attachment to the listing with a notation in the agent remarks. After all, when you are first showing a home, don’t you wish to show it at its very best? Selling a home today is all about marketing, and showing that home at its best and optimum time. Yes, it is a good idea to also show the home when the tide is low...but it is all about first impressions.  6 Douglas Lane was totally renovated by local Larchmont architect, Ma... 09/29/2011

When I first poked my head into the Voracious Reader, it made me wish I was a child again.  Being a book maven, this is a place I would have called my home away from home!   Today when I look at thoughtfully laid out store like this with all its nooks and crannies  – I can only smile and say there IS a viable anti-big-box book store model out there!  The store even brought to mind “The Shop Around the Corner” that Meg Ryan ran in You’ve Got Mail. They have first books for toddlers, books for new readers, and plenty of selection through the teen years.  I noticed of a Star Wars corner – a nook with Winnie the Pooh and of course the Harry Potter series. As if that wasn’t enough – the Voracious Reader has expanded to include a tea house (A Proper Cup) that serves a variety of teas, lemonad... 09/21/2011

Come join the celebration that begins on Friday the 16th and continues for the entire weekend! First  – A little history of Mamaroneck NY: The town of Mamaroneck was purchased by an Englishman – John Richbell in the year of 1661.  The New York Legislature created the town of Mamaroneck in March 1788.   The town was divided into three portions in the 1890′s  to deal with the increasing need for municipal services that a single town could not provide.  There was the village of Larchmont, an unincorporated area,  and the village of Mamaroneck.  Part of the village of Mamaroneck was in the town of Rye.  These subdivisions exist to this day. Second – The Celebration: Friday - The Fun begins with a Softball game at Harbor Island between the two fire departments serving the community at 7 PM. ... 09/14/2011

Recently I posted two blogs regarding single family Larchmont homes.   One post was focussed on the Larchmont P.O.   and the other on homes in the village of Larchmont.    Sales in both of these markets have been very bullish and positive.  But like so so much that is happening today – this market is full of contradictions.  The cooperative market remains firmly in buyers market territory. Just a quick note:  These figures are derived from the WPMLS and  consist of cooperatives in the Larchmont P.O. as well as the village of Larchmont. Larchmont NY – Cooperatives – Median Sales Prices: The chart below represents median sales prices from 2006 to the current year.  I used 1 BR cooperatives only because some years larger units dominated and other years smaller units were in heavy demand. ... 09/13/2011

The Time:  Wed Sept. 14 from 5:00-7:30 PM The Place:  21 North Chatsworth Ave. #3C – Larchmont NY For more information:   Phone – 914-374-5529  Email – Ruthmarie.Hicks@gmail.com Come and see this wonderful  unit at Lou Gehrig’s former stomping ground in the Stonecrest of Larchmont.   I will be offering wine and cheese (and soft drinks for those who do not wish to indulge) while you tour this amazing large 1 BR unit. The unit sports a quiet street view – at tree level, a newly renovated bath with separate shower, hardwood floors, high cove ceilings,  great views, ample closet space in a doorman building.   Why Rent when buying makes so much sense? According to the WPMLS  – the median price of a similarly sized 1 BR unit in the immediate area was $1625/month It was over $2000 in a coop or... 09/12/2011

  The village of Larchmont is tucked away in the town of Mamaroneck.    The town of Mamaroneck – is one of the most sought after locations in Westchester.  Located along the Long Island Sound, the town boasts wonderful water views with numerous parks dotting the shoreline.  Just 35 minutes from Manhattan by express train (Click here for information on the New Haven Line) – the location simply couldn’t be be better!  Even in this difficult market Larchmont homes are very desirable and as a result it has bounced back from the crash of 2008 in a very impressive way.  Home buyers are often thinking that they can simply name their price in this economy, but that is not the case for single family homes in the village of Larchmont.  This is actually in sellers market territory with high volume... 09/11/2011

There are times when you see a store front and you know that you just have to stop by because its just too cool for words!   Ok – so I’m dating myself by invoking coolness, but I can’t help it.   Everything in Recologie  is made of recycled material. Often when we think of recycled purchases we have a sense that we are doing something for the “greater good” that involves some form of sacrifice  – generally in the form of style.  Not so here.  Everything in this store is top-of-the-line, unique, and cheesy is definitely not allowed.   I spent some time photographing the merchandise and I admit I went a bit overboard on the bags.  They sell far more than that in the store -but the bags were so amazing I couldn’t stop.   Be sure to stop by some day, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy  the... 09/09/2011

  Sometimes in this challenging market it is difficult for buyers to see just how unique the Westchester NY market is.  Here is an update from the Larchmont PO.  The Larchmont PO is located just outside the Village of Larchmont.  It is part of the unincorporated portion of the town of Mamaroneck.  Most people lump the area together with the village proper – but the area is mostly served by Murray Ave. Elementary School – so the difference is not trivial.   But like the village itself the area is very desirable, extremely walkable and of course you have that easy commute to Manhattan on the New Haven Line. This is a market that has done well – in spite of all the problems the national housing market has had – so here is the recent history of that market for single family homes…   Larchmo... 09/05/2011

  A few days ago  I wrote about the return of retail to Larchmont NY.  I mentioned the newly opened HomeMade Pizza Co. as one of the new comers to the Palmer Ave. in Larchmont.   I hadn’t actually had the time to sample the pizza – but what I heard was all good! Well, Hurricane Irene came and went – and during the prep I turned to a couple of friends of mine for help.  The day before the storm hit my friend Ed, helped me prepare the house, doing some of things I lacked the skills and brawn for.  After tussling with a hornets nest – literally – I was in definite need of some aide. Soooo this week I decided to thank them by bringing a great bottle of wine and a wonderful pizza right to their door.  I went to HomeMade Pizza Co -  and they created a fresh beautiful pizza for me to bring to ... 09/02/2011

  The Larchmont real estate market has been going great guns for Q2 2011.  Larchmont homes have a special place in the public mind.  Whether it be in the Larchmont Village proper or the Larchmont P.O.,  when families think about putting down roots for a long stay – this is one of the first Westchester NY locations  on their list.  And who can blame them?  An easy commute to Manhattan, walkable neighborhoods steps from shopping and fine dining combined with proximity to the Long Island Sound – what could be better?   Larchmont SF Homes – Sales Prices: Sales in Larchmont were brisk in Q2 with people putting in competing bids.  The median sales price was a hair higher than the same period during 2010 – up $2000 to $997,000.   This is not a statistically significant number – however, it rea... 08/25/2011

Are you looking for flooring for your Westchester home in Larchmont NY 10538? We know there are many choices..and sometimes the process can feel overwhelming.  Whether you're looking for hardwood floors, tile, carpet, laminate flooring, or if you just want to refinish your hardwood floors, Floor Coverings International can help make the process fun and simple. We are a shop at home service. Our tagline is "We bring the store your door."  This is important because first, you can see the colors in your lighting and color coordinate with paint color, cabinets and furniture.  Second, it allows us to provide a true estimate for you.  And, third, of course it is more convenient this way. We provide guidance - Which is the best type of flooring for your environment and your budget?  We'll help... 08/19/2011

These are photos that I took at Manor Park in the summer of 2009 – It was a beautiful summer day – hot but dry and I had my pal Jade with me.  I’m checking out a new video program as my program of choice – Animoto has such poor customer service that I have been forced to move on. I loved the way they put stills together into a terrific slide show that was really over-the-top.  It was easy to use and fun to work with.  But it didn’t play nicely with Word Press on the internet explorer  browser – which 80% of my clients appear to use.   Their customer service refused to address this issue  and then wanted a nice stiff fee to upgrade service to professional.  That would be fair enough if they would FIX what is wrong.   Why would I do that if 80% of my readers have a hard time viewing the v... 08/10/2011

  When Westchester NY home buyers start thinking about high end cooperatives in a walkable neighborhood with easy access to Metro-North – they think almost reflexively of Garth Road in Scarsdale P.O.    And with good reason.  The train is a mere 5- 10 minute walk as is the village of Scarsdale.  You have tree-lined streets, lots of parking (admittedly mostly street parking) and numerous complexes, many of which  pre-war charmers with high ceilings and high ceilings and wonderful layouts. But just a little to the east you have virtually the same thing in Larchmont NY -  though this area remains a bit under most buyers radar.    Nevertheless there are a cluster of wonderful cooperatives  and condos located on North Chatsworth Ave., Washington Square and New Jefferson.  The complexes along... 08/04/2011

One of the nice things about living in Westchester NY is that every town and village  has its own events and unique character that all Westchester residents can enjoy.  Larchmont NY Homes are very popular because of all that the village has to offer.     This summer Larchmont’s Memorial Park is hosting concerts at 7 PM every Monday from July 11 – August 1.    Granted the first concert has already passed us by – but there are three more: July 18 – A Night of R&B with Reunion July 25,  Caribbean Rock & Roll with Twist of Fate August 1 – Woodstock Here We Come with Back To The Garden 1969   It is this type of community event which makes Larchmont a wonderful place to live.   Memorial Park is just half a block from the wonderful Westchester cooperatives and  condos on North Chatsworth Aven... 07/14/2011

Where can you go to read a newspaper, walk your dog, or merely sit in the shade and enjoy the 5000 feet of the Long Island Sound Shoreline? The Larchmont Manor Park of course! Established in 1892, the Larchmont Manor Park Society maintains and protects some 13 acres of picturesque coastline, rich foliage, trails, and simply put, it is a wonderful park to visit! 280 local Larchmont Manor residents own the private park, but it is open to the public. There are, of course, some rules to be adhered to. No biking, radio playing, picnicking, no unleashed dogs, etc.     The park dates to the 17th century (1614) when camp fires, made by the Siwanoy Indians, were seen from a Dutch ship, and less than 100 years later, the area had been purchased by both Dutch and British settlers. Avenues and roa... 06/28/2011