If you are wary with what Dorothy Parker said…”Boys don’t make passes at Girls that wear glasses….” I have found the solution - “Katonah Eye Care” and Dr. Stephen Gordon on Katonah Avenue in Katonah, New York. It is right across from the train station steps and in the same area of shops near Willy Nick’s Restaurant, Noka and Shoetique.

I was liberated at 16 with contacts and over the years the thrill had dissipated. I discovered Dr. Gordon in the heart of Katonah for my daughter’s eye exam. While I was waiting I noticed his fabulous collection of eyeglasses. I almost threw her out of the chair so that I could get an exam and a pair of his Francis Klein of Paris eyeglasses. I then later bought another pair that I just had to have plus a huge pair of tortoise sunglasses - beyond Jackie O! I get stopped everywhere I go because of my glasses. They really are jewelry for the face without the complications of contacts. Of course he also has the latest in contacts that my children wear with extreme ease and comfort - but this was just my personal choice at this time.

Dr Gordon gives a State of the Art digital eye exam. It is not intrusive at all, extremely thorough and there are no lengthy waits in between the steps. He has a very elegant showroom with custom fixtures throughout. His lines include: Lafont, JC Berlin, SALT, Tom Ford for Gucci, Lindburg, Tag Heuer, and of course Francis Klein of Paris.

If you want a lovely time, make an appointment and before or after enjoy the local shops and restaurants of Katonah!

Katonah Eye Care
Dr. Steven A. Gordon
51 Katonah Avenue
Katonah, New York 10536
914-232-5770
www.katonaheyecare.com

Posted by:Karen Benvin Ransom

If you are house hunting in South Salem on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 then you must stop by to see these two houses from 1 - 4 PM. They are the best value in the area in terms of price, condition, and location. So if you’d like to see two houses and only make one trip then come to 41 and 34 Cross Pond. Take Rte 124 to Cross Pond or Rte 35 to Ridgefield Ave to Cross Pond #34 and look for the signs. Hope to see you Sunday!

Posted by:Sonja Lovas

As a licensed Real Estate agent, I am always intrigued by seemingly unrelated questions clients have from time to time. For example, I rented a house to a family last August (2008) and in October I received a phone call asking if I knew what to do about the excessive worms in the driveway and garage. I couldn’t imagine the scope of the situation so I went over to see for myself, and she was right, there were hundreds! She said there were just as many the day before but she just swept them away only to have them come back!

Having never had this issue before, I started searching on the internet for information about worms and why they would be crawling out of the rock wall onto the driveway. I never did figure out why but did learn a lot about worms, and they are a good thing to have in your yard and they make compost piles very rich.

While browsing through the Gardens Alive Catalog I noticed they sell worms, and worm compost bins. The company also had some very interesting facts about worms as well. For example, healthy soil can have as many a 1.5 millions worms per acre. This was not consoling for my client because their house is on 2 acres! While the family does love gardening, sweeping worms to put on a compost pile was not appealing activity. The worms continued to crawl out of the rock wall and into the driveway and in the garage until winter put an end to it. Surprisingly, they did not reappear in the spring as we both thought they might.

I continued to learn interesting things about worms you may want to know. In order to determine how many worms you have in your yard, dig a hole 8 - 10 inches deep by one foot wide. Count the worms you find in the dirt and then score your soil. If you find more than 10 worms, you have robust soil. 6 - 10 would be moderately healthy soil and 5 or less you’ll need to improve your soil and add some crawlers. (Worms) I think I’ll try my hand worm composting and build a bin for the worms, feed them kitchen waste and shredded paper so I can enrich the garden soil. Even people who live in New York City can recycle their kitchen waste and turn it into soil indoors, but I’ll keep mine outside on the deck.

Since I’m so interested in worms, my friend Lesa invited me to her house for some good compost and I was thrilled to see so many huge worms! (Lesa has two horses and lots of compost piles with worms) She scooped up a 5 gallon bucket of “good dirt” for me to put on an area of lawn area that is in need of repair and there were worms in every scoop! Just for fun, I decided to see how rich her soil was and wow, did I hit pay “dirt”! There were 41 big fat worms in that bucket of compost that is now enriching my lawn. The worms will have to work much harder living in my yard in order to stay fat and juicy and will probably think they were put on a diet!

Posted by: Sonja Lovas

While working with buyer clients in January of 2007, my family got an adorable Golden Retriever puppy and named him Chewbacca. Chewy was only 8 weeks at the time and my clients were quite anxious to meet our new little guy because one of the benefits of becoming a first time home owner would be to eventually get a dog of their own. As we looked at homes, they continued to follow Chewy’s progress and growth and he often accompanied us on our house hunting adventures. They were really looking forward to having a puppy of their own by the time we found the perfect home!

Now, if you have never had a dog, thinking about getting a puppy can be quite daunting. They decided to volunteer as an early home “socializer” for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind organization so they could see what having a puppy would really be like before they made a total commitment to a dog of their own. They went to visit the Guiding Eyes for the Blind facilities, filled out an application form and went through their screening process. Guiding Eyes for the Blind have a class for prospective “socializer’s” which they attended before they were given their first two puppies to work with.

A puppy socializer will keep two puppies anywhere from 3 - 4 days. The puppies go to your home with food, a pen for feeding, a crate for sleeping, a few toys, and an instruction manual. During the puppies’ stay, they are introduced to different sounds, like a doorbell, dishwasher, telephone, alarm beeps, and TV, which are all normal household sounds for us, but to a puppy, it’s all new. They are also introduced to different textures, like walking on a deck, grass, driveway, carpet, linoleum, gravel and tile. They learn to maneuver stairs, walk over obstacles and follow their socializer. It is fun to have the adorable puppies but it’s also a lot of work. Feeding takes place at designated times, and there are routines that the puppies must follow before and after eating, and it really takes time and commitment to meet the guidelines for the care of these valuable potential guide dogs.

A big part of socializing a puppy is to have visitors, and I am a regular on their call list. I can’t resist hugging and kissing the adorable puppies! Although I have two dogs of my own, I never tire of playing with the sweet bundles of joy.

My clients have enjoyed having 4 sets of puppies and found it very satisfying knowing they have helped Guiding Eyes for the Blind. They have also learned a lot about dogs, their personalities, and training which they feel will help them when they select a breed and puppy of their own. So, if you have the urge to volunteer, and love puppies, the Guiding Eyes for the Blind is an excellent organization and great place to start.

Posted by:Sonja Lovas

Bedford Town Parks will begin their Summer Sunset Series of concerts and it’s FREE! July 1st kicks off the first of the six concerts at the Bedford Hills Memorial park and it starts at 7:00 PM. This concert features The New Yorker’s Jazz. Each week there is a different concert or entertainment and they rotate between the three area parks: Bedford Hills Memorial Park, Bedford Village Memorial Park, and Katonah Memorial Park. It is a great opportunity to spend a warm summer evening, the park and the price is right, it’s free! So print the flyer and mark your calendars for Wednesday evenings, 7- 8:30 PM. Be sure to pack a picnic dinner basket and head out to the park for a delightful evening where you will be entertained. I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to meet new people and reconnect with neighbors and friends.

Posted by:Sonja Lovas

If you’re wondering how those heirloom tomato seedlings are doing, see for yourself. By the time I repotted all the seedlings that grew I had over 100 plants. So you may wonder what one does with 100 tomato plants? I took a couple trays into the office, I called my clients and gave them as many as they wanted and then I called my neighbors and friends. After all that, I still ended up with too many tomato plants, as in over 40, that needed to be in the ground or pots.

The main objective in growing tomatoes this year was to find a way to protect them from the deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and groundhogs. So, I decided raised beds were the way to go. I went to Rings End Lumber and bought 12’x 12” x 2” boards and they were nice enough to cut them for me. I also bought 12’ x 2” x 2” and had them cut as well. With a box of deck screws and the boards I arrived home with a project for my husband. He loves tomatoes as much as I, so he cheerfully put them together for me. It was my job to make the soil (that’s another story) and plant the tomatoes. I found what I think is the best solution to protect from them from the varmints. It was in the Garden Solution catalog, it’s a pop up net! It fits perfectly over my 3’ x 3’ raised beds and so far not a nibble from anything.

I’m a little worried about all the rain we had this month, but I did see a blossom on one plant yesterday. I managed to find planting places for all 40 plants. They’re in the front driveway, on the deck, in my flower garden, and in the old garden bed. So far, the raised bed plants are really thriving, but I’ll wait for the final evaluation until harvest time to see which plant produces the most tomatoes.

After all that work, and giving plants to everyone, my worst nightmare is be to skunked and not have any tomatoes at all.

Posted by:Sonja Lovas

The main event of the year in Pound Ridge is the 4th of July Celebration! It is always held on a Saturday near the 4th of July, and this year the 4th falls on Saturday so the celebration will be more exciting!

When we moved to Pound Ridge we were invited to a back yard bar-be-queue at our new found friend’s house. The plan was to have a back yard barbeque and then go to the town park and watch the fireworks display. We had no idea how special the evening would be and we were in absolute awe at the turnout and the fireworks display!

We have attended the celebration for 8 years now and it has become the highlight of the summer. It is so much fun to walk around the park which is wall to wall people with their blankets, chairs, and food and drinks to share. Everyone mingles, there is a band playing and everyone has a great time. The group of friends we go with hang out at 2nd base of the ball field closest to the pool, so stop by and say hello. As the sun sets, the fireworks begin and everyone agrees that every year is better than the previous year. We have over 100 photos of the fireworks display, but these are my favorites I’d like to share with you.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas

As the end of school approaches it is time to make plans for summer camp. The Town of Pound Ridge offers fun filled days at their day camp from June 30 - August 8th. The camp is for kindergarten through seventh grade Monday - Thursday. There are optional supervised trips on Friday to fun places like Splash Down, bowling, the Cliffs and the Maritime Center on Friday’s.

The camp is supervised Joe Klause, who is a PE teacher at Fox Lane and health director for Bedford School District. There are assistant camp directors, group counselors and CIT’s. (Counselors in Training) The camp is a great opportunity for kids to attend a fun and relaxed camp, and when they are too old (hard to believe you can be too in 8th grader) to attend they can work unpaid at the camp as a counselor in training. The CIT programs gives the campers an idea of what it is like to work for the camp and many then continue as paid counselors through high school and college.

There are different activities planned for each day that include art, dance, backwards day, swimming, carnival day and more. Swimming is a favorite activity for the campers when they want to cool off and have fun playing in the pool. The town park has 3 pools! A kiddie pool for the toddlers, a recreation pool, and a competition pool. There is a great and well stocked snack bar with a grill if you want a hamburger, hot dog, drinks, or ice cream.

The park has a wonderful play area for the younger campers who never tire using their imagination while playing at the playground. There mini camps offered for an addition fee that provide special instruction for tennis, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, soccer, football and dance.

Campers bring their own lunch except for Wacky Wednesday when it’s Pizza Day! There is one Hot Dog Wednesday but Pizza is the food of choice.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas

You wouldn’t go into court without an attorney. Could you imagine buying a house without being represented? A survey done by the Federal Trade Commission in 1983 found that 72% of buyers believed their interests were represented by the agent when in fact their agent represented the seller, the buyer was merely the “customer.” As a result of this survey by 1988 the NY Dept. of State (and most other states) passed legislation requiring disclosure and disclosure forms so buyers clearly knew who represented them. Customers only get fair and honest treatment, nothing more under the law. Definitely the way to go is to be a “client” represented by your agent. Then the agent can use her/his knowledge and expertise to help you. Under the law an agent owes her/his “client” all fiduciary duties and more.

IF YOU ARE MY CLIENT I CAN:
1. Advise you
2. Counsel you
3. Give you my judgment
4. Tell you if I think a house is overpriced
5. Help you develop a negotiating strategy and advise in the bidding process
6. Take you to visit your favorite home at different times of day to see the sun, noise, and traffic (quality of life)
7. Call your attention to negative features (such as a bad floor plan)
8. Pay attention to structural conditions
9. Give you all 6 fiduciary duties (loyalty, obedience, disclosure, confidentiality, accountability , reasonable care and diligence)
10. Guide you
11. Tell you secrets
12. Take your secrets to the grave
13. Give you a list of service providers
14. Assist you in comparison of competing properties
15. Negotiate for you (I do not work for the seller)

I am not allowed to give advise, counsel or judgment to people who are my “customer.”

Posted By: Ann Bermingham

I like to attend the Awards ceremony at the New Rochelle High School each year, and since I find it both interesting, and reflects well on the New Rochelle school system, I wanted to share it with you. I have lived in New Rochelle for over 31 years, and if you are interested in knowing more about our great city, please do not hesitate to contact me!

This year, the top 25 students will be attending the following colleges/universities:

1. Harvard
2. Brown
3. Harvard
4. Univeristy of Pa.
5. Macaulay's Honor College at CUNY
6. Cornell
7. Columbia
8. Yale
9. Haverford College
10. University of Pa.
11. Washington University at St. Louis
12. SUNY Binghamton
13. Vanderbilt University
14. Duke
15. Yale
16. Manhattan College
17. Syracuse
18. University of Miami
19. Tufts
20. University of Michigan
21. University of Michigan
22. Iona (2 LARGE Scholarships)
23. Cornell
24. Boston College
25. American University

Have a great day. Gay

Posted By: Gay E. Rosen

Living in lower Westchester County combines two great lifestyles. On one hand there is the City…New York City about half an hour away by Metro North which will bring you right to the center of it all…Grand Central Terminal, the busiest train station in the world!

On the other hand, you are in the country. Meandering through New Rochelle, Larchmont and Mamaroneck you have the Leatherstocking Trail. Granted, although there are places where you might think that you are away from it all, you still see houses here and there along the trail. However, coming from New Rochelle, the trail ends up in the Saxon Woods Park – and here it is like you have left suburbia for good.

When I want to get further away, I have the choice between the Rockefeller State Preserve which my wife and my dogs love and the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation which is much wilder. The Rockefeller State Preserve reminds me of Acadia National Park in Maine with its carriage roads, but much closer to home. The Rockefeller Preserve has 20 miles of carriage roads and over 1,000 acres of woodlands, meadows and wetlands. The Ward Pound Ridge Reservation with more than 4,700 acres, is the county’s largest and most beautiful park. The reservation features over 35 miles of hiking trails through meadows, pine plantations, vernal pools, hardwood forests and sandy moraines. Actually, it has been designated a Biodiversity Reservation Area and an Audubon Important Bird Area.

For the ultimate hiking thrill, I believe that unfortunately you have to leave Westchester and drive up to the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, just a few miles after you go through New Paltz. Although it is 1 1/2 to 2 hours away from Larchmont, it is magnificent. Here over 20,000 acres of public park owned by the State of New York are crisscrossed by carriage and hiking trails. Our Labrador Retriever loves to hike for almost two hours and then take a cool swim in Lake Awosting and on the way back there is Lake Minnewaska, a perfect spot for another swim. Minnewaska is connected to the Mohonk Preserve, famous for its grandiose Mohonk Mountain House, a resort hotel and spa. But to their demerit, according to our Lab, they won’t allow dogs.

Now, don’t you feel like heading out to explore nature this weekend…or maybe it is just me, a kid that grew up steps from the Black Forest.

Posted By: H. Juergen Hess

This past May 31, 2009, marks the day that the home of Aaron Copland was given landmark status. Aaron Copland was one of the most celebrated musical figures in the U.S. The house is a modest house situated on a hilltop above 3 acres of terraced property. It is not a museum, but a working laboratory where musicians are nurtured through a broad range of programs and short term composer residencies.

Guests at the celebration were treated to a program which included Long Time Ago, Zion’s Walls, The Boatmen’s Dance, Simple Gifts and others. The violin was played by Curtis Macomber and Michael Borkin was at the piano. The Chorus of Hendrick Hudson High School was delightful. Andrew Spano, Sandra Galef, Linda Puglisi, were among the speakers. It was a beautiful day and a good time was had by all.

Posted By: Barbara Eisert

Now that I have written about the heart, soul, and the large amount of things to do in our small community, it is time to give you insight to the local “one of a kind” businesses that keep our hamlet exciting and unique. We have to admit that after we have made the rounds of the latest shows in our Museums, the school and sports events, the local street fairs, it is time to relax and enjoy that guilty pleasure of Shopping. Also, you will learn how we can find most of what we need right here in Katonah.

Many years ago while I was in high school, a neighbor of ours in Sleepy Hollow Manor suggested I go with her on a ride to Katonah. Growing up, my Mom would get the four children into the Buick and travel as far North as the Bedford Barn on Rt 117. That shopping safari was either for back to school for those great sweaters or to shop for Christmas. More sweaters, please! If we were well behaved, we were then treated to the new phenomenon - McDonald’s - which was right across the street with a drive thru!

Katonah was not more than a mile away! Once there we enjoyed the Katonah Gallery then housed in the Library and “Just Looking” a wonderful clothing store that I enjoyed for many years.

You would never find McDonald’s in Katonah - we will not even stomach a Starbuck’s - we have our own Perks coffee shop. What we do have is one of a kind shops and galleries. I will introduce you to these unique establishments. It is a wonderful way to spend a weekend afternoon. Stroll Katonah Avenue, get an ice cream and relax on a bench on the shady Village Green. There is the Wooden Nickel Deli in Katonah, The Village Market and Mrs. Green’s for sandwiches, snacks, sushi and paninis. There are also great restaurants within walking distance in the village. If you have to - McDonald’s is still down the road.

“The Eclectic Collector” is the best of both - a Gallery as well as a Shop. For over 14 years, Ellie and Roger have represented more than 400 artists who have created one of a kind pieces in glass, ceramic, jewelry, wearable art, Folk Art, word art, paintings, figurative art, furniture and much more. They are currently a nominee for the Niche Award. They have wonderful relationships with their artists. Collectors and gift givers are thrilled and intrigued by their discoveries of the perfect piece whether it be fit for a mood, home, occasion, or a person. The experience is deeper than a commercial shopping trip. To find a handcrafted piece and learn about the artist behind the scenes is rewarding. They supply our community with a resource for unique original works. They also sponsor wonderful “Meet the Artists” Trunk Shows.

The upcoming one is this month featuring:

Jim LeTerneau Creator of “Hanging By A Thread” & Loretta Lam Creator of Beautiful Polymer Jewelry

Preview: Thursday Evening, June 11th, 5 - 8 PM
Friday, June 12th, 10 - 6 PM
Saturday, June 13th, 10 - 6 PM
Sunday, June 14th, 12 - 5 PM with a demonstration of Polymer Clay Jewelry by Loretta Lam at 2pm

Come and meet Ellie and Roger and the beloved pugs Winnie and Okie!

Yes, I did buy a hat there by Susan Bradford of Vermont.

THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR
215 Katonah Avenue
Katonah, NY 10536
914.232.8700
ellie@theeclecticcollector.com
CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE!!
www.theeclecticcollector.com
M-Sat /10-6, Sun / 12-5

Posted by:Karen Benvin Ransom

A motivated seller really does not want a tedious long drawn out selling period, it’s emotional and exhausting. In order to have a smooth and painless marketing period and sale, it is of utmost importance for a seller to get their house looking like “others could imagine themselves in it”, that means no personal objects and a clean fresh look. I have compiled a list that may be helpful to those thinking of selling. I would be happy to help make things easier for a seller. Please give me a call if I can be of assistance.

1. Box all personal items and “tschokes” to declutter(you can take them out in your new “digs”.)
2. Give your house a fresh coat of paint in light “cheery” neutral tones, Jacqueline Segura, A House Beautiful published decorator says,” linen white is nice w/ super white trim, 1066 cut with ½ white is also a warm neutral color. She says, “stay away from gray based whites. “If painting trim, make all the trim the same for touch-up purposes, Jacqueline says, “mountain peak or super white are good trims. You can give your buyer the “touch-up can”.”
3. Test your private well water. In Westchester County, there is a new law, the seller is responsible for this, and it must be done by a certified lab and documented. Check http://www.westchestergov.com/health/ for more info.
4. Have your oil company check your oil tank.
5. Get your windows cleaned.
6. Do an overall exterior clean-up: cut grass, trim shrubs, add mulch and plant seasonal pots and flowers for maximum first impressions.
7. Be sure all plumbing heating and electrical systems are working properly.
8. Thoroughly clean and organize the whole house including closets.

These top 8 property preparations are important before the sale of any house. An investment of energy into the visual appearance of a house will bring the highest possible interest and subsequent price.

Posted By: Ann Bermingham

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the great voyage of Henry Hudson in 1609 up the river now named for him and celebratory events are planned along, on and over the River from Manhattan to Albany. River Day, starts this evening with the Blessing of the Fleet in Battery Park, NYC. Tomorrow the flotilla, including a replica of the Half Moon and the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, will set sail for Albany, retracing Hudson’s original voyage. All along the way the Rivertowns will be celebrating with street fairs, art shows, concerts, fireworks and more - something for everyone throughout the summer and beyond.

Explore New York’s history, join the fun and celebrate the glorious Hudson River.

Related events:

• Celebration of Discovery
• Historic Hudson River Towns
• Historic Hudson Valley
• Hudson River Museum
• Rivertowns Jazz and Blues Festival
• The Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial

Posted By: Liz Pereira

Now that my children are beyond the age of almost dutifully playing badminton every night after dinner with their Mom down in the lower field, I have had to make adjustments to my summer evening outdoor activities. Last year we bought an outdoor ping pong table. I am looking forward to enjoying that this year when I can grab one of them for a quick game on the patio.

This year I realized that I needed more exercise. I also have been reviewing my expenses. Put the two together and my latest brainstorm is to mow my own lawn! Not that I would mow anyone else’s lawn but what I mean is perhaps I can cancel the swat team of gardeners that hit the five acres. I have already cut them down to twice a month and now I was looking forward to saying “See You in September!” Or actually October - but I do not know a song for that month!

I used to do it while in high school to help my parents out - “doing chores” in 1960s speak. Also, there was a cute boy next door, so wearing one of my cute Villager “scooter skirts” as the uniform had its payoff with at least a Coke (or that new Tab) break and a fun chat. Yes, “Gidget Cuts the Grass.”

So, I bought a 20” Scotts Classic (PUSH - AS IN MANUAL) Mower. I had to assemble the handle - no big deal, I have “helped Santa” with Christmas. My plan - just like any other big project in my life - divide and conquer! Rather than thinking of it as 5 acres, I have decided to think of it as “sections” - perhaps 5 or 6. Plus none of that noise pollution with those gas guzzling lawn care machines!

The BEST part - I had the right HAT for it! Yes, I am known for my hats that I wear year round but what a coup to already have a “Planter’s Hat” from Kelloggs and Lawrence in Katonah- one stop shopping for the mower as well.

I set out this past Saturday morning with conviction. What I had forgotten was that you cannot cut wet grass. Sunday I ventured out again and it was cutting but my sections got much smaller - perhaps 20 x 30 ft. I forgot about the bumps you hit, the grass that merely bends over and requires a second go over….

I am heading out again after writing this even if it is just for the exercise and being out in the sun. The resistance part of mowing is intense - not the lack of ambition to do it but pushing the mower! Now I expect a big laugh from my gardeners when they see my new toy on the front porch.

Now rather than Gidget I feel more like Marie Antoinette playing shepherdess at Versailles. I must have a hat for that!

Posted By: Karen Benvin Ransom

Now that your flowers are blooming, what do you do with them? If you’d like to learn how to arrange them into something unique rather than plunking them into a vase with water, then attending the Pound Ridge Garden Club meeting at the Hiram Halle Memorial Library in Pound Ridge is a must.

On June 9, 2009 at 10:45 (seems like an odd start time to me) Michael George is the guest speaker for the Pound Ridge Garden club, and he will be demonstrating his floral arranging techniques. He owns two florist shops, one in Pound Ridge, the other in Manhattan and he is willing to share some of his trade secrets. Michael George has also written a book, Simply Elegant Flowers, that gives step by step instructions on his approach and unique style.

The Pound Ridge Garden Club was founded in 1941 and they have monthly educational meetings March through December. They also participate in the community with beautification and conservation. If you would like to join the club, or attend some of the meetings which are open to the public, email susetka@aol.com.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas