For many on the East coast Friday was a snow day. White Plains NY was no exception. Let’s put it this way – people were not exactly calling me for showings on Friday. It took several hours for me to dig out – my walkways were covered with the white stuff. I actually spent about an hour cutting back branches that were hanging so low, they were in danger of pulling down a couple of small trees.
When I finally finished, I found that my Siberain Huskies (Jade, Tundra, & Buddy) were eager to play in the yard with me. I grabbed the camera and decided to create a video from some of the photos. Siberian Huskies and snow go together like ham and eggs. They were having a ball and I think it shows.
Enjoy the video, I put it together rather quickly, but I still think its fun
Scarsdale coops are very popular for commuters and long-time residents alike. When people think of coops in Scarsdale, they are often thinking of the famous Garth Road. Unfortunately, there are no longer any dog-friendly cooperative complexes on Garth. However, nearby on Central Ave, there is such a complex.
Scarsdale Country Estates:
Scarsdale Country Estates is located on Campus Place and Sentry Pl. off of Central Ave. Although they have a Scarsdale, P.O. address, it is important to clarify that they are actually located in the town of Greenburgh in the famous Edgemont school district. These are lovely old world garden style units with fine moldings, hard wood floors and fireplaces. Read the rest of this entry »
January was a quiet month for snow. Westchester NY weather was cold, but after months when I thought it would never stop raining – we had a reprieve on the amount precipitation. The result was a calm January. A lot of residents had their fingers crossed for February – but it was not to be. And although we all grumbled about digging out, my pups were as pleased as punch to have some quality time with the white stuff. I was out with them this afternoon watching the cavort and play like they had never seen snow before and it was a lot of fun to see. I took a few pictures with the idea of making a new video, but this time, they didn’t come out the way I anticipated. So I’m settling for a remix of the video I prepared in December of them playing in the first snow of the season. The picture above, however was from today’s snow…
Zachys Wine & Liquor is a famous Scarsdale Landmark:
Located on 16 E. Parkway in the heart of Scarsdale Village Zachys Wine & Liquor is a landmark unto itself. They are in their 65th year and anyone who knows anything about wine, knows Zachys. Wine affectionados come from all over to shop there. They host exclusive and wine tastings. For example, the most recent was on Saturday with a big Italian wine tasting.
In truth, I was more than a little intimidated. I was certain that someone who knows something (but not a lot) about wine would be in well over their head walking into such such a famous place. Not so at all. They were actually very patient and helpful. As I was wondering through the maze of bottles I had started to feel a bit lost and a staff member rescued me and helped to find exactly what I was looking for. They weren’t the least taken aback that as a hard-working real estate professional – I wasn’t in the market for a $200 bottle of wine. In the end, they found a nice Zinfandel that suited my taste and my budget.
If you want to explore further, the best option is to take the time to go there. They also have an excellent web site which I found informative and fun – http://www.zachys.com/
The Residences at Jefferson Place in Downtown White Plains NY.
Jefferson place is a new and very desirable complex located in downtown White Plains. The complex spans an entire square block between Livingston Ave and Rutherford Ave in White Plains NY. The side facing Mamaroneck Ave is an eight-story urban mid-rise with a sophisticated brick façade. The Greenridge Ave side of the complex is built in low rise “town house” style which is in keeping with the suburban neighborhood of the Highlands which it borders. Jefferson Place is just steps away from all the shopping and dining that downtown White Plains has to offer.
Just across the street on the Mamaroneck Ave. side there is plenty of fine dining, take out and retail – all within easy walking distance of the complex. The heart of the downtown with all it has to offer is just a stroll down the street. Walk to almost everything: Shopping entertainment, fine dining and so much more. Walk score is 92 out of 100 – making it a “walkers paradise.”
Ok, so one of the advantages of having a pet-friendly real estate practice is that my dogs can sometimes accompany me on my outings. They add something to the mix by actually calming my buyers during times of stress. Many like to pet them and play with them in between showings.
But Tundra has taken to wanting to be in the driver’s seat. I’ve told her that she needs to be at least 16 for a learners permit, but she just doesn’t want to listen. So when I get back to the car – it really looks like she’s driving the vehicle.
It reminds me of one of my favorite SNL skits from the late 80s. “Toonces the Driving Cat.” For those who are too young to remember – enjoy the clip. For those of us who were watching SNL in the late 80s and early 90s – this should bring back memories.
Last year around March a young couple called me up seeking a buyer’s agent. They were about to get married and they wanted to buy either a coop or condominium. We were at the height of the credit crisis but they were in great shape to make that first purchase and so we went on our way.
There was one distinct caveat…they wanted to a dog – and they wanted a German Shepherd. Now this is a challenge. But let’s face it – I’m a sucker for anyone with a dog. After all, I have three goodly sized canines myself in the form of 2 Siberian Huskies and a Husky/Cattle Dog mix.
Dogs are tough sale to condo and cooperative boards:
But here are the facts: Its tough enough to find a condo or cooperative that will accept dogs – but a German Shepherd is much tougher. Even if the complex accepts larger dogs many are restrictive with respect to breeds. The German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Akita, Pit Bull, and from time to time my beloved Siberian Huskies are often on the chopping block specifically by condo and coop boards. Why? These dogs are supposedly known to have attitude problems such as a tendency to attack/bite, over-protectiveness and the like.
To me, as an animal person who understands dogs quite well – (I’ve lived with 8 dogs over the course of my life) I think that boards would do better to concentrate their efforts on the individual dog and its owner rather than the breed itself. After all, dogs, like their human counterparts have individual personalities. My two pure huskies are like night and day personality wise. The owner also plays their part. Aneglectful owner who doesn’t care about those living around them can turn the sweetest and most agreeable dog into a nightmare for his neighbors.
Buying a condo in White Plains NY can be very expensive. Cooperatives offer a viable alternative and financially stable complexes are great investments. But for those who own dogs, relatively few are pet-friendly. Here is one of the premier cooperative complexes of White Plains – and the best part is that its pet-friendly.
The Surrey Strathmore is a complex of six mid-rise buildings which surround a courtyard. This is perhaps one of the more upscale cooperatives in White Plains. Built in 1939, the complex boasts some of the graces of a by-gone era. The ceilings are 9 ft high, and graceful archways separate living room, dining room and kitchen areas. Each unit has at least one of the Surrey Starthmore’s signature curio nooks. The floor plan is excellent.
Located at the Southern end of White Plains, the Surrey Strathmore is located on Bryant Ave which almost acts as the “dividing line” between the Southern residential area from the Northern downtown. So, the Surrey Strathmore sits on the edge of the residential neighborhood, the Highlands where quiet walks on tree-lined streets are just a block away. Perfect for a walk with the dog. On the other side is the beginning of the downtown area within walking distance of the famous and upscale Westchester Mall, Whole Foods, Cheesecake Factory, Morton’s Steak House along with some favorite local restaurants including Iannelli’s. A bus taking commuters to the White Plains Train Station stops right at the corner of Bryant Ave and Old Mamaroneck Rd. – which is the Southwest corner of the complex.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve written several blogs about local businesses. One of my favorite haunts has been Coffee Labs of Tarrytown NY. Coffee Labs was established in 2002 and for seven years has roasted and served wonderful coffee drinks and freshly roasted coffee to brew at home. Coffee Labs was named for the owner’s chocolate Labrador Retrievers. During tht time, Mike and Alicia have established Coffee Labs as a eco-friendly and pet-friendly coffee shop. Since they don’t prepare food on-site, they had an arrangement with the health department that allowed patrons to bring their dogs into the shop. The dogs had to be properly leashed and be well-behaved. I even wrote a blog about how Jade and I often spent mornings at Coffee Labs while I completed correspondence and some work realted activities – including market reports and blog articles.
But it only takes one complaint to ruin something that has worked well for years. Apparently one person complained to the health department and that has put the entire pet-friendly nature of the coffee shop “on hold.” The coffee shop is applying for a variance so that the patrons can bring their pets back. But positive public opinion on this matter can only be helpful. So I ask all pet-owners everywhere to feel free to comment on this blog and add your support by joining the discussion on Facebook. As one dog-owner and patron said to me last evening – “If you don’t like the fact that dogs area allowed – go somewhere else! There are plenty of coffee shops in Westchester if you don’t like dogs.”
We had our first snow yesterday. As usual we were told to expect the storm of the century, so I did what everyone else in Westchester was doing…got groceries, hoarded salt, made sure I had a good shovel and hunkered down. Seriously, the way we treat snow storms around here one would think that no one had ever heard of snow plows and other modern marvels that actually make it possible for you to be back in the real world within 24 hours. Nevertheless, the storm and subsequent dig-out gave me some quiet time with my canine family. I have two Siberain Huskies and a husky mix who for obvious reasons LOVE the snow. The colder the better and the heavier the snow fall, the happier they are. So after spending quality time with my shovel and salt, I spent some time outside with Buddy, Jade & Tundra. They had a great time tearing up the yard. To get good pictures however they had to stand still…I got a few shots of them running, but most of that passed by my camera in a blur!
For many on the East coast Friday was a snow day. White Plains NY was no exception. Let’s put it this way – people were not exactly calling me for showings on Friday. It took several hours for me to dig out – my walkways were covered with the white stuff. I actually spent about an hour cutting back branches that were hanging so low, they were in danger of pulling down a couple of small trees.
