Not to be outdone by the Hamlet of Katonah, the sister hamlet of Bedford Village in the town of Bedford, New York will enjoy their Indian Summer Days with a Historic Village Treasure Hunt sponsored by the Bedford Historical Society.

Planned for Saturday, September 11 with a rain date for Sunday the 12th, it will be from 11am-3pm.

It will help children re-sharpen their skills in the early days of the fall semester! There will be Treasure Hunt bags, maps and tricorner hats! The family walking tour along the Village Green will include historic buildings and landmarks with treasures to collect along the way.

To give it true revolutionary flair, there will be a re-enactment of musket drills on the Green and colonial games. Did you know that the current library was the school house? Well, you will be able to ring the bell atop the building the way they used to call the children to school!

The fire department will have an antique truck on display and will host a cookout. Pony rides and children’s music by “Music Together” will further enhance the day. For more information call 914-234-9751 or go to their website www.bedfordhistoricalsociety.com

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Short and Simple - a quick walk around Katonah on a Saturday has its special delights. I first stopped into the Katonah Village Library to see the endeavors of Bedford’s Hopp Garden Club and pick out a new Summer book having finished the Katonah Museum of Art Selection. I was astounded at the creativity and the work that was put into the installation - for only two days of exhibition time!

Then around the corner I found a sign attached to the venerable sign of Kelloggs & Lawrence Hardware Store which was quite techy for a hardware store that also features an old fashioned barrel of peanuts for your enjoyment!! “Visitor ‘i’ Information Center - The Katonah Chamber of Commerce” was the sign. I popped in and found proprietress Diana Tyler at the counter and she was pleased to show me a rack which holds the various brochures about Katonah and our local institutions such as The Katonah Museum, Caramoor and a historic village walking tour. The Katonah Chamber of Commerce has deemed it a central location for visitors and residents alike for info regarding new exhibits, locations and events.

So pop into Katonah, enjoy the sites, the Victorians that were moved into the green space created over one hundred years ago and have some fun, enjoy the unique shops and some great food at our many eating spots. The village is right at the train station so a ride from the City or other points is very easy! 

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

The award winning Hopp Garden Club of Bedford will have their show “It’s Written in The Stars” at The Katonah Village Library on Friday, July 23 from 2-4 pm and Saturday, July 24 from noon until 5.

With a zodiac theme, the members have undoubtedly planned very original pieces representing the signs of the zodiac with the use of both fresh and dried flowers.

There will be classes offered and other activities.

It is open to the public and admission is free!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Save the dates and plan to visit the charming historic town of Katonah NY, Saturday/Sunday, July 31 and August 1 for their Sidewalk Sale Days. It’s a great time to stroll through the town, meet the merchants and find great back-to-school bargains as well as great food. The town starts to buzz around 10:00 am and continues until 5 pm. While you’re here be sure to stop by Houlihan Lawrence and pick up the new map created by the Katonah Chamber with a list of all the merchants and points of interest in the surrounding area.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

Have a child or teenager that is tired of waiting for the next big movie to open or the latest game to come out? Reintroduce them to the Library! Besides the joy of walking out with an armload of books, programs include:

• Summer Pre-School Story Times: Splish Splash Book Bash, Baby Lap Time, Mother Goose, Toddler Time, Stories and crafts
• Water, Water Everywhere - A Photo Contest for ages 11-18 in age appropriate groups
• Poetry Writing Workshop for ages 7-10
• Book, Snack & Chat - 10-12 years
• Watercolor Painting for Teens
• Iced Tea & A Book - a Teen Time Program

You also may have a chance to still join a Chess Class!

If you want to learn more ways that we “keep our cool” in the Town of Bedford feel free to contact me. There are some homes on the Market within walking distance to the Library and the Parks and pool! Enjoy your Summer!

The Katonah Library - 914-232-3508 www.katonahlibrary.org

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

When you hear the first strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” your heart quickens and there is an instant lump in your throat. For several of the local high schools such as John Jay, Fox Lane and North Salem High Schools, the venue is Caramoor. When I saw the John Jay purple and white robes beginning to descend the stairs, I welled up.

I have “graduated” both of my children now and once again I am full of thought. I hope that these graduates realize that although they are leaving for colleges across the country, they may feel that they are headed for a better place, that their home base has had so very much to offer them. As I wrote to my daughter in her graduation card - “do not forget all of the wonderful things in your life that brought you to this moment.”

On July 4, my newly graduated daughter Allison and I attended the “Pops, Patriots and Fireworks” concert at Caramoor. It featured The Orchestra of St. Luke’s with Michael Barrett as Conductor. We enjoyed the traditional Star Spangled Banner, for which we all stood and sang along and a piece from Danbury, CT native, composer Charles Ives.

A new addition was Rob Schwimmer on the Theremin. The Theremin is a very Caramoor instrument. It was the first electronic instrument which was invented by Leonid Theremin. Lucie Rosen, wife of Walter Rosen, owners of Caramoor and founders of the Music Festival, met him and Lucie was mesmerized by the Theremin. She learned to play it with such proficiency that she performed worldwide with symphony orchestras. There are two on display in the Music Room of the home and is a part of the docent tours. It deals with sound waves and it also produced what was known as ether music.

Rob Schwimmer played the Scene d’Amour from the Hitchcock film “Vertigo.” I had known before that Hitchcock enjoyed the voice, the eeriness of the theremin and I include that mention in my tours. (it was also included in “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys!) When the string section started up you knew the moment of the film in which the obsessed Scottie Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) is enthralled by the duplicitous Madeleine (Kim Novak). It was perfection due to the use of the theremin. The theremin then added the female voice to the two Gershwin classics : “The Man I Love” and “Summertime.”

The fireworks were over the top wonderful but my true happiness came when upon our return home, Allison went through my classic movie collection and found “Vertigo” to enjoy with her friends. She had seen it before but now the theremin was “new” to her.

That is how life is here on Museum Mile. On the same day at the John Jay Homestead they had fife and drum groups and the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Alan Weinreb, the curator and director added that the resolution to become the 13th state to endorse the Declaration was written by John Jay and the document was then signed in White Plains since New York City, the then Capitol of the state was under siege by 10,000 British soldiers. Spectators were then invited to sign a copy to perhaps sense the importance, the feeling of signing it.

The Katonah Museum now has me deep into the book of their first exhibit-related Book Club. The Exhibit is “Cuba Avant - Garde, Contemporary Cuban Art from The Farber Collection” and the book is “Telex from Cuba” by Rachel Kushner. I actually did not go to a Second Saturday Cocktail Party since I had just been to another Open to the Public lecture there. So much a girl can do!

To live your life, grow up or to raise a family in this environment, along with the happenings in town, the Schools and the wonderful Libraries is to live a very enhanced life.

If you would like to further explore your options to live in this area, please contact me: 

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Last Thursday evening at the KMA there was the lecture “Utopia/Dystopia: The Politics of Art in Cuba” by Dr. Damien Fernandez, Provost of SUNY Purchase. Dr. Fernandez who is Cuba-born was also the Director of The Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

Dr. Fernandez gave his talk appropriately against the backdrop of Tonel’s “Self Portrait of a Ship (Four Pyramids)” - a sinking ship bearing both the likeness of Tonel and Mother Cuba. The four pyramids on the bottom of the sea upon which the ship rests allude to the ancient lost Atlantis and perhaps the hope that it will also be discovered once again.

Cuba was discovered by Cristobal Colon/Christopher Columbus in 1492. Therefore it has the same “start time” as the U.S. The people of Cuba always had the firm belief that they were always the greatest island in the Caribbean. They were “simply the best.” They were the biggest island with the biggest dreams. Even the talk was big. Think of Castro and his speeches. Their National Identity was the search for a Cuban Utopia. The lofty goals were to achieve The New Man & The New Woman living in Heaven on Earth. It is always a case of Utopian Dreams not fulfilled, therefore the Dystopia.

Cuba had a very lively artistic community involved with art, music and poetry. Their Conservatory was held in high regard worldwide. Cuba hit the wall economically with both their sugar and tobacco trade. There was little room for growth and expansion. This dissatisfaction was strong also among the many university educated young people. This dissatisfaction and the corruption of the Battista Regime led to the Revolution in 1959. The artistic community backed the Revolution at the time.

What they did not see coming in 1961 was Fidel Castro’s turn to Marxist/Leninist Ideals.

Then the U.S. blockade came….which is still in place today. State Control was enforced then on every aspect of Cuban life. Once the Soviet Union fell in the early 90s and they lost their subsidies it became known as “the Special Period” - a time of great scarcity and decay. Artists were known to use scavenged cardboard for their canvases. The Farbers found pieces of art not matted and framed and on display but rolled up and in someone’s attic. Their culture became duplicitous. There was a dual morality. There was one thing they could express in public and another they would share in only the privacy of their homes. It was the politics of location. Artists were by then out of the political game. The State did not approve of any depiction of sex, homosexuality, religiosity or Afro Cubanism. This was against their goal of everyone being Cuban, the same. The hero was dead.

Dissident artists were put in the sugar cane fields, were not allowed to produce records or display their art in galleries. They became personas non gratis. They were eliminated from lists of organizations and curriculums in schools and colleges.

The country is in ruins from their former Paradise. There are several pieces in the exhibit that depict that decay plus the effects of the blockade. The blockade is felt internally as well as externally - down to the core of the Cuban people. These works would not be shown in The Cuban Museum.  Over time, Museum heads and Librarians have begun to aid artists. Many have expatriated to other countries. The Farbers, among others have had to devise ways even if through the Ministry of Culture with their requisite seal to procure these pieces of art.

The question now - where do we find redemption for this Nation? Are there new Possibilities? This show at the Katonah Museum is therefore a very brave show and something indeed very special. The exhibit will be in place until September 19, 2010. Go to www.KatonahMuseum.org for more information and the many activities linked to this exhibit - including a new exhibit-based Book Club!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Want the elegance of another era with the convenience and amenities of today? Then I have the home for you…..

This lovely Tudor, which I refer to as “The Queen of the Hill” is in the Indian Hill section of Katonah. Built in 1987, this stunning Tudor has over 4200 sq ft plus the finished playrooms and storage areas on the lower level. Great flow for a family and entertaining. Also a great downsizer for Jay Gatsby!

Sited on just about one acre, it has a very private setting. The bank of trees in the back is trimmed with beautiful stone walls. The close-to-the-ground decking is the full length of the home and enjoys full views of the very elegant pool with slate patio surround. There is also a separately fenced playground area. The outdoor elegance continues with the very spacious screened-in porch which is off the family room. The floor of this enclosed porch has been painstakingly hand painted to resemble inlaid terra cotta tiles. As one excited broker suggested - “This is where you dance!” Of course! This porch also has its own slate patio. The exterior is then graced by landscape lighting come nightfall.

The formal rooms of the home start at the elegant entrance with gently winding staircase to the gracious Master and Bath plus three family bedrooms with hall bath. The landing on the second floor is large enough to have a desk at the window with a gorgeous view of the mature plantings and green space of the neighborhood. The Center Hall is flanked by a open living room and oversized dinng room. This all flows to the back of the house with an updated large kitchen and family dining area plus the Family Room.

The inviting family room with stone fireplace has sliders to the decking and pool. The screened-in porch is to the other side.

There is a seperate front entrance which opens into a large foyer (hard to call this the Mud Room!) with laundry and door out to the pool. There is also a suite of rooms which includes the 5th legal bedroom plus full bath. This can be ideal for an au pair/inlaw suite or a professional office and waiting room/secretarial space.

There is a three-car garage plus large utility room.

It is very close to Increase Miller Elementary School, Fox Valley Park and the local Lewisboro Town Park which offers pool, tennis and wonderful day camps. The Metro North Train Station and 684 are a couple of minutes away. For any further information or if you would like to see it please contact me!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

A celebratory fundraising cocktail party was held within the newly refurbished Sundial & Fountain Gardens of The John Jay Homestead in Katonah. An integral part of Museum Mile in Katonah, Town of Bedford, the homestead was the home of John Jay. One of the foremost Founding Fathers, his contributions through his life of dedication to the newly founded country included his role as negotiator with Benjamin Franklin of The Treaty of Paris which brought the Revolutionary War to a close, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, First Chief Justice, and the second Governor of New York State.

The restoration of The Gardens was greatly in part to the efforts of The Bedford Garden Club, The Herb Society of America, The Hopp Ground Garden Club and the Rusticus Garden Club. The event was made possible by a generous gift from Houlihan Lawrence.

The Peter Pratt Inn, known for their garden-to-table philosophy of food, was responsible for the catering. It was a delightful evening in an even more delightful setting.

Become a Friend of The Homestead -

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

On one of the most classic Bedford Roads, this Perennial Paradise of eight acres was designed by Penelope Maynard, who was trained by the staff at The New York Botanical Gardens. It has been noted as one of the most outstanding gardens in the Northeast.

In order to further delight in Nature, the outdoor pool is nestled into the landscaping making it a veritable Garden of Eden. If Bedford is known for its stone walls - these are the premier example. Terraced stone steps and pathways lead you through the gardens.

There is also a heated barn on the property. It is a house of light. This home of 4,000+ sq. ft. has views from each room that provide a breathtaking serenity. With beamed high ceilings, warm woods and walls of glass there is a very open California feel to this lovely home. The gazebo-like Master Bedroom Suite extension is a delight for all seasons with its surround of windows and doors out to the gardens. The second floor is more traditional in design with two bedrooms and bath plus an additional Master Suite.
The most surprising delight is the non chlorine indoor pool with a vaulted greenhouse glass structure which is also landscaped with vines and potted and planted greenery. It is almost a reflecting pool in nature. One would feel they are swimming at the most exclusive spa.

In the prime estate area of Bedford, it is a neighbor to The Caramoor Center of the Arts and the Rosen House where the International Music Festival is held each Summer and through the winter. It is also close to The John Jay Homestead and The Katonah Museum of Art which is known as “The Jewel in The Woods” as described by the Journal News May 6th, 2010. The area is known as Museum Mile which I had discussed in an earlier article. 
In between the hamlets of Bedford Village and Katonah, it is accessible to all plus the Metro North Train, the Saw Mill Parkway and 684. Plus great restaurants and the classic Bedford Movie Night at the Bedford Playhouse! 

If you would like more information or to arrange for a showing of this property please contact me at or 914-232-1212 x342.

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

It was a beautiful Memorial Day! On the way into Katonah that morning there were riders out enjoying the day and the 150 miles of trails of the Bedford Riding Lanes Association (BRLA) whose yellow tags you will see on trees as markers throughout our area. It was the day of the BRLA Memorial Day Country Pace at John Jay Homestead.

Then in the village, people were testing the sound system and speakers for the speeches. Memorial Circle was trimmed with red, white and blue flowers. Then at 10 there came the sound of brass and drums. The first brass marching band came from my home town of Sleepy Hollow which was a thrill. Then there were Veterans from the American Legion that all garnered our applause. The Katonah Elementary Boy and Girl Scouts –Cub & Boy Scouts and for the Girls - Bluebirds, Brownies, Juniors & Seniors. It was very emotional for me since I remember the days when my children would march and were so proud to have carried the flags and banners. I enjoyed talking to Katonah Elementary parents that were lining the streets to see their Scouts march in this great American Tradition. I reminisced on those KES years and how they were the best years of MY life!

Then our local Katonah Firemen and Bedford Police came through all in their dress regalia. Perhaps this was a warm up for their upcoming event - the Annual Fireman’s Parade on June 9th that attracts Fire Companies from the greater New York Metropolitan Area.

After very moving speeches and the gun salute at the half raised flag at Memorial Circle, the parade participants and their following continued their march back to the Firehouse which offered Ice Cream for everyone! It is probably the only time we had ice cream at 11 in the morning. Perhaps the children were also dreaming of the upcoming parade and fair that is held on the firehouse grounds. The American Legion Outpost on Rt 22 - next to the Katonah Museum of Art - invited people to come to their outdoor barbecue. One year I took them up on it and we had a very nice time. It gave more meaning and depth to the day to spend time with war and service Veterans. Katonah is just this kinda place! Happy Memorial Day, enjoy the pictures!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

The antique lover will find this circa 1782 center hall colonial, built by Daniel Silkman, simple with an enduring charm. Nestled on almost 6 picturesque acres yet conveniently located in the heart of Bedford, horse country. It is surrounded by prestigious homes, but priced right at $950,000.

Just a little history to peak your curiosity: this home was purchased in 1955 by Slim Aarons, the celebrated photographer. It is still owned by the Aarons family and they have now decided to place it on the market. And it has additional bragging rights because it was mentioned in ”Katonah, the History of a New York Village and Its People” by Frances Duncombe. This home is full of unique detail from the dining room mural with its cornered cupboards, the antique living room mantle to the Dutch doors of an era gone by. Timeless yet perfect for today’s lifestyle, spacious with 4 family bedrooms and a separate guest wing. Did I mention the pool, just in time for summer? Enjoy everyday family living or maybe, “The Unhamptons Weekend Get-a-way.”

If you would like to visit this rare antique home please call me for an appointment (914) 450-6566 or e-mail with any questions you might have.

Posted by:  Renee Stengel

Still in the glow of the fun of the Katonah Museum’s ”Commute of the Species Procession” through Katonah on Saturday, I was able to get to the Katonah Museum at 1:30 on Sunday for the Hanne Tierney performance of “How Wang-Fo Was Saved.”

“This adaptation of an ancient Chinese legend, based on a story by Marguerite Yourcenar, celebrates the triumph of art over life, or the supremacy of art over everything. When the emperor forces the old painter Wang-Fo to finish painting one last canvas before his execution, Wang-Fo first paints a lake, then draws a rowboat, and as the waters rise and fill the throne room, he climbs into the boat and rows off.

The performers in this piece are bamboo fronds, silk panels, stiffened robes and glowing lanterns. They tell of the concubines melancholy, the wife’s loneliness, the disciple’s frustration with his lack of talent, and of Wang-Fo’s passion for art.” HanneTierney.com

What was amazing about the live performance was seeing Hanne Tierney pulling the strings woven through rings attached to wood grids both on the wall and on the ceiling. She was constantly busy manipulating robes, screens, reciting her script and taking on all of the voices. What she said in the following discussion time was that she preferred prose as a base for a tale since she could then imagine the dialog between the characters, and fill in the blanks. What I did hear during the 20 minute segment had a richness of text, and wit that I would love to find so that I could read and savor her words. There were only a few different disks to identify certain strings correlating with specific movements. The robes came to life, full of emotion, unexpected humor and deep sadness. She mastered death in its last quivering moments. She was accompanied by cellist, Jane Wang, who also used the wood of her instrument to drum and tap out additional sounds needed by the production. This form of puppetry was done sometimes because the artists could not afford to pay for live actors. Yet, as in radio performances of long ago, one can use their imagination.

I asked how many installations she has done over the years and the answer was 10 projects. There is one underway now and unlike her previous works, her new piece will have paper mache heads.

It was exciting to be privy to the performance since she is not planning to dramatize it for another two years. She has her works primarily at The Five Myles performance space in Brooklyn, New York.

Now I have to mark my calendar for the lectures for the next exhibit: “Cuba Avant-Garde: Contemporary Cuban Art from the Farber Collection”

It is the most Happening Place! How does that happen? The answer is the amazing leadership and staff of the Katonah Museum of Art. I volunteer in the office once a week and it is a very calm environment. When you think of all of the activities, educational programs that are available to adults as well as children, it is amazing. While we are enjoying one exhibit, the next exhibit is at the ready and the preparation of the slides and the detailed lectures are all underway. Just like a fine fashion house, the Katonah Museum of Art is always a few seasons ahead of the current one. With the experts under her roof they promise and never disappoint.

KatonahMuseum.org

Photo sources: parade picture - Audrey Lee

Others: “How Wang Fo Was Saved”, 2001 Photos by Margaret Fox. Katonah Museum of Art “The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater” Feb 28th - June 13th

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

This afternoon I headed over to The Katonah Museum of Art to see how the parade “The Commute of The Species” preparation was going. Newly enlisted, I was to meet my “Zebra Mussel” Captain, Charlie and run through the motions and guidelines for moving lyrically through the Metro North Train tomorrow. I was also fortunate to meet Master Puppet Designers Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles of Processional Arts Workshop. Their company is Superior Concept Monsters. They are famous as The Official Puppeteers for New York’s Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. In May they were part of a Karagoz shadow puppetry theater workshop as part of the 2010 European Off-Network Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey.

If this captures your imagination - or mine - let’s go to their event in the Italian Alps this Summer - a week-long workshop in pageant puppetry, culminating in a Midsummer Procession of their Giant Puppets. There is a promise of feasting and dancing!

The participants will begin boarding in Grand Central Station with various species joining along the Metro North stops on the Harlem Line. The Zebra Mussels are boarding in Mt. Kisco. We will disembark at the Katonah stop at 1:53 p.m. and will proceed in a parade through the town.

Please join the festivities - bring your own puppets, costumes, masks, & instruments!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Save The Date - May 22 - The Town of Katonah is inviting all to join their party, “Spring Stroll.” Fun for all with a parade, raffles and sales sponsored by the Katonah Museum.

The Katonah Museum’s, ”Commute of the Species,” will be on the Metro North 12:48 PM, train begins at Grand Central Station and travels to the Village of Katonah on May 22. Along for the ride with the regular commuters will be puppeteers interacting among the crowd with handheld puppets and head-dressed puppets. They are this year’s addition to the outdoor fun and tag sales. The artistry of Alex Kahn and Sophia Michaahelles, will bring the same excitement to Katonah as they do to the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village with their puppet magic.

You just might find yourself falling in love with this village!

Posted by: Renee Stengel