Westchester View

April 2, was Autism awareness day.  And the GW Bridge lights were lit up in blue to raise awareness.  Disorders in the Autism spectrum are on the rise.  As a former researcher, Autism and its spectrum of disorders has always held something of a special place in my mind and heart.  Although progress is being made, like most complex disorders with a wide spectrum  of symptoms, there are probably multiple causes, some of it genetic, some of it environmental all at play.    As much as we need awareness, we need research dollars.   Research  like this can not be left to the private sector as the the road will lead down a dozen blind alleys.  As is the case with most complex disorders, there is probably no one “cause”.  Let us turn our attention to the reckless budget cutting that is going on in Washington and realize that this is making the pathway that much harder to get at the answers and possible solutions.

original post – http://fotosonthefly.biz – 2013 – All rights reserved.

Its Passover and Holy Week and even though it is spring, it feels like winter still.  We were supposed to have snow on Monday, but thankfully we were spared. In any case, Carlson’s Floral & Gift is ready with flowers, arrangements and all sorts of wonderful arrangements for your home and garden.   Just a walk-through is enough to fill your mind with wonderful ideas for your home and garden….

And if you are thinking about selling your home, curb appeal is key and a few arrangements artfully placed can make all the difference in the world.  Its an inexpensive way to spruce up ho-hum landscaping.

Happy Spring – even though winter still appears to be with us!

Carlson’s is located on Dobbs Ferry Road on Route 100B near the ramp for the Sprain Brook Parkway.

© 2013 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.

This is a topic that I have brought up in the past.  In 2010 Redfin did a study that got a lot of people riled up.  It was about the impact of professional photography on home sales.  I think it riled up agents and brokers because at the height of the housing recession, the last thing they wanted to hear was that they needed to fork up precious marketing dollars for professional photography.

Real Estate Photography Matters!

However, let’s be honest here:  the study was pretty much stating the obvious.  It was something that I had intuitively known for several years and had been preparing for.  The internet changed everything.   Eye candy was ruling the day and fine photography  had become the centerpiece of any smart agent’s marketing plan.  That agents were slow to respond is understandable.  They had been doing Poleroid shots, followed by point-and-shoot for years.  What they were underestimating was how much buyers were letting their fingers do the walking online.  With thousands of listing photos online, buyers were eliminating inventory before even leaving the home or contacting an agent.

The Argument Over Data…..

Agents argued the validity of the data.  I personally have never been a big Redfin fan, but in this case they had really tried to find a way to measure something that was very difficult to quantify. The method was somewhat indirect.  They had to quantify the use of professional photography by the use of camera type.

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Its been a while since I’ve posted a blog, because  with so many things happening in both real estate – which is starting to pick up big time – and for Fotos On The Fly.  I’ve found myself busier than usual.

First – for the basics.  The show is opening on Friday Feb 1, 5-7 PM  at The Water Cooler in Tarrytown NY.  The exact address is 21 North Broadway on Route 9.  The location is less than a block north of Main St. Here is a link to the event.  You can RSVP as attending or as a “maybe”.    All are welcome!  Please come…I’d love to meet you!

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In a Walmart dominated world,  holiday shopping has become homogenized.  The unexpected becomes the a thing of the past and the big predictable brand predominates.  But every once in a while you run across something very unique. For anyone reading  this, it is probably too late for me to making suggestions as to where to buy that last minute gift for Christmas Day.  But you may have some people that you still have to shop for after the holidays.   If you live in Westchester NY, and have a yen to find something truly unique…try Whimsies in Tarrytown on Broadway.  You can tell by their window display that they are not your same-old, same-old.  I took this picture on the 22nd.  Its a great store with a character all its own.  It also has something for just about anyone.  And while you are there, if there is  a four-footed friend on your list, try Bark and Meow. Its just a couple of stores down towards Main St. from Whimsies and it has everything a cat or dog could wish for and then some.

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Holiday lights are everywhere in Westchester this time of year – from the spectacular to the gaudy to the very simple.   So I’m putting up a very simple display today to show how simple sometimes is better than over-the-top. This is a balcony from a pre-war building in downtown White Plains NY.  So I used HDR to bring out the texture of the brick and wrought iron railings. The simple lights let the texture and pre-war character of the building shine and still provided holiday cheer.   Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season.

Original Post….

Sometimes Simple Says it Best…

© 2012 – RGHicks – http://fotosonthefly.biz – All rights reserved.

Yes, I know its not all that PC to call them Christmas lights, but most of the lights that are out are Christmas lights – so I’m just going to call them what they are!  Whatever you call them and no matter what your religion, the lights are always fun for the whole family. I remember driving around with my parents as a child looking for light displays  everywhere we went.  Some nights we actually went on “Christmas Light Expeditions”.  We would go out in search of lights.  Photographing the lights was a bit of a challenge.

The pictures never seemed to turn out the way we expected them to!  But I’m going to give it a shot and post as many photos of holiday lights as I can this year.  And I will spill on the location so people can go and see for themselves….This first photo is from downtown White Plains on North Broadway.  The Broadlawn is one of my favorite cooperative buildings.  It has wonderful old-world charm with old growth trees in its English garden courtyard.  The complex is known for its holiday decorations.  Beautiful and tasteful!  This is a photo of the entry.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

© 2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com

The photo above is a scene that will be history in a fairly short amount of time.  I took it of the “old” or “current” Tappan Zee Bridge from the River Walk right at the border of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.  For those who are interested, the Hudson Harbor complex was slightly south and to the left of the shot.

In any case, three designs for the new Tappan Zee Bridge were just released for public consumption.  They are are very different from the original bridge design and will change the landscape forever.  You can view them at this link.  Behind all the ramifications and politics there is an urgent need for a new bridge.  Where many feel the the system has fallen short is with the loss of a proposed mass transit system that would have relieved the traffic flow across the bridge and eased commuting times to NYC for those on the western side of the Hudson  River.  I tend to agree that we need to make the area more mass-transit friendly.

One of the problems with any design is the vast length that has to be traversed.  It is a 3 mile stretch across the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland counties.

Anyway, for a sneak peak at the designs – here is a link.  I happen prefer design #2.  I’m not wild about design #1 and the arial orientation makes me undecided about design #3.   But anyway – pick  your favorite or your most hated!

© 2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.

“It’s the end of the world as we know it….and I feel fine”. (R.E.M.)   

Ok I’m an R.E.M. fan – so I couldn’t resist.  However, just a couple of days ago we had the last “full moon” that we will ever see….IF you agree with the 2012 doomsday contingent.  According to the Mayan calendar, the world is coming to an end before the next full moon. I don’t know much about ancient myths, but I do know a great excuse to go out to photograph something when I see it!  So I celebrated by taking several pictures….and am offering three photos  to give you a choice:  black and white, and two different color exposures.    Good luck with the  apocalypse everyone….Hopefully we will all still be here on Dec. 22.

© 2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.

And now – for a complete change of pace…I know people think they know my style, but now I am going to make a U-turn away from the realistic to the slightly surreal.  I wanted to put together something with unconstrained out-of control color just because it goes with the season and because – well – I can.  Its also cheering after so many cold days in the dark for so many Westchester residents….So here is unbridled fall color – more than a little processed.  It reminds me of when I was a kid in and in total state of exuberance I decided to use every bright colored crayon in the box.

Fall Fire ….

© 2012 – RGHicks – http://fotosonthefly.biz  - All rights reserved.