Two More Scarsdale Retailers Close Their Doors
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The count of empty storefronts in Scarsdale Village continues to rise. We just noticed that Mayfair Court, which rented a double storefront on Harwood Court has closed their doors. A note on the window thanks customers for “24 wonderful years in Scarsdale Village.” The store specialized in designer clothing for women and personal service.
On Scarsdale Avenue, the pottery painting studio is also gone. However, it appears that they elected to move to Central Avenue. Paint Your Own Pot can now be found in the Midway Shopping Center at 999 Central Park Avenue. For more information, go to paintyourownpot.com
It is sad to see so many dark storefronts in the village and on Central Avenue. Undoubtedly the uncertain economy and increasing competition from the internet have made it very difficult for local retailers to stay in business.
Hopefully, we’ll be reporting new openings, rather than more closings soon.
Frolicking Lambs and Shaggy Sheep
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Sheep ready to lose their winter coats will be shorn by hand in the style of the 18th century at Philipsburg Manor’s Sheep-to-Shawl festival, taking place Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. As they explore this 18th-century working farm, visitors will also see nine newborn baby lambs born this spring on site, frolicking about the grounds. Other farm animals on site include a dairy cow, Maebell, and a heifer, Marigold. The site’s five-year-old working oxen, Josh and Jake, will also be part of the day’s events.
“This is our kick-off event for the spring season,” said Thom Thacker, site director of Philipsburg Manor. “It’s an excellent introduction to the educational, entertaining programs we offer here all year.” Tours and programs at this living history museum and working farm reflect the daily lives of the 23 enslaved individuals known to have lived and labored there. Philipsburg Manor is the country’s only fully staffed living history museum to focus on the history of northern slavery.
While strolling through the site at Sheep-to-Shawl, an Historic Hudson Valley museum which includes a working water-powered gristmill and a new world Dutch barn, visitors can watch as Gene Sheninger showcases his Scottish border collies and their instinctive and impressive ability to herd sheep and corral ducks.
Philipsburg Manor’s farmers will be shearing the sheep in the barnyard by hand while costumed interpreters continuously demonstrate wool dyeing, spinning, and weaving, and lead special hands-on activities for children. Picnic food is available.
Visitors can see the entire process of making woolen cloth and participate in many stages of the process once the sheep are sheared: picking and carding the wool, spinning and dyeing the yarn, and weaving it into cloth. Interpreters, wearing costume of the 18th century, also demonstrate the labor-intensive process of making linen from the flax plant.
Storyteller Jonathan Kruk will be on hand to share his tales.
Sheep-to-Shawl is held rain or shine. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for children ages 5-17. Members of Historic Hudson Valley and children under 5 attend for free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.hudsonvalley.org. Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. For information, call 914-631-3992 or visit www.hudsonvalley.org.
Charge Away
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Let’s face it, in today’s "need to stay connected world" there’s a whole lotta charging going on. I know I am forever running around looking for my chargers and wondering where I left my Blackberry and iTouch last.
I am not the most organized of souls all the time so I set out to find and neat and tidy way to keep all my charges in one place.
Enter The Crate and Barrel Charging Station.
Nothing denotes our busy busy happy lives more than our handhelds; or is our tousled hair and mismatched socks when we shoot off the couch after taking a ‘power nap’ realizing we’re late for our turn at carpool pick up? Well, for under $40, your family can look as sleek as an FBI agent, or James Bond himself… or rather your cellphones and iEverythings can, at least.
So get your Crate and Barrel Charging Station and never hunt for your e-devices again.
This idea comes to you from the website BusyBusyHappy.com - an enlightened look at thriving in the burbs. Check them out for more fun family ideas.
The Skin Care Wizard of Scarsdale
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For years I have heard tell of an esthetician, named Julianne Steiner in Scarsdale who has an incredibly devoted following. I decided it was time to see for myself what all the hub bub was about. Here are the top ten reasons why both the “hub” and the “bub” are totally warranted.
1. She couldn’t be more conveniently located: Her small sanctuary is right in the heart of the Five Corners, tucked up on the second floor of the Wilgrin Building at 6 Palmer Ave., across from Balducci’s.
2. The person who came in before you has been a loyal client since she opened 6 years ago: Those who discover Julianne’s results-oriented treatments, extensive knowledge, and her polished, without a hint of pretention, demeanor are hooked. I know I am.
3. Personalized service to the nth degree: Some people like shopping in department stores, personally I love going to boutiques. Not only do I get one-on-one attention, but also over time I’ve built relationships to the point that I find out in advance about new merchandise and sales. Julianne is just like that. Small, private and personalized.
4. I won’t see anyone I know in the waiting room: When I left my facial, my hair was crazy and I was in a post-facial-bliss haze. I really wouldn’t have wanted to run into anyone. Thank goodness there’s no group waiting room here. Every treatment is by appointment only, so there is none of that “factory feel” that you sometimes have a bigger spas.
5. She knows her stuff: Throughout the facial she asked me questions about my skin-care routine, without being judgmental, and filled me in on what she was using, without being pushy. I never felt pressured to buy any Jurlique products, which is the skin care line she uses.
6. She does it all: I received a combination microdermabration/facial, but she also does laser hair removal, IPL (Intense Pulse Light) skin rejuvenation, which is great to combat sun damage, brown spots and rosacea, as well as waxing treatments from head to toe (and yes, she does Brazillian). In fact, a lot of her hair removal and facial clients are men—although I doubt any have subjected themselves to a Brazilian.
7. Her prices are reasonable: An hour long facial will only run you $90, and she has packages for treatments that you’ll need to repeat, like IPL and laser hair removal.
8. Prom Season and Mother’s Day are right around the corner: The facials are fab-u-lous. I can’t think of a better gift to your daughter before the big event, or for yourself for that special Sunday in May. Start hinting now. And if your husband won’t take the hint, book it yourself.
9. It’s a necessity disguised as an indulgence: I never knew unclogging my pores could feel so pampering. One look in the mirror afterwards and I honestly felt like my skin looked years younger. The microdermabrasion removed all the layers of dead skin that had made my face look dull and dry; I walked out glowing. The head, neck and foot massage was a pretty sweet bonus.
10. She’s schedule friendly: We’re all super busy, so she’s super flexible. You can book appointments that work for your life, even if that means a weeknight after your spouse gets home, or first thing in the morning after drop-off. She’s even been known to come in on her day off for some long-time clients.
On a side note, she also happens to have a background in the makeup industry, and studied at F.I.T. Bring that drawerful of makeup (you know you have one, we all do) and Julianne will help you purge the items that just don’t work for you, and keep the ones that do. She’ll even accompany you to the makeup department and help you make the right choices, with no commission at stake.
With summer right around the corner, be sure to check out the 20% discount on her website, which is good through the end of April. At the risk of making her so busy that I won’t be able to book my next treatment, I’m going to share her info.
Julianne Steiner Skin Care Services
6 Palmer Ave., Suite 8
Scarsdale, NY
914-874-4453
http://www.jsskincare.com
Betsy Cadel is an Edgemont resident, freelance writer, and facial enthusiast.
What Does It Cost To Feed Your Family?
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The Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection has just released the results of their December, 2009 market basket study. The market basket study assesses the price of 45 staples at a variety of area supermarkets to compare the cost of these items from store to store. Items include staples such as milk, flour, pasta, peanut butter, juice, eggs and cereal.
Not suprising, Scarsdale comes out on top of the price list again, as we did in May, 2009. The Gristedes comes in as the most expensive store of the ten surveyed but the good news is that the C-Town in Eastchester is among the least pricey places to shop. The DeCicco’s in Ardsley also looks like a good deal so if the pricing is the same as the Scarsdale DeCicco’s store, there’s another good option. The survey does not include specialty stores such as Balducci’s or Whole Foods – but it would be good to know how they weigh in to the mix.
Here is the tally – and check it yourself at http://www.westchestergov.com/consumer.htm
A&J Met Foods – New Rochelle $126.23
A and P - Thornwood $133.75
C-Town – Eastchester $126.28
D’Agostino – Rye Brook $156.38
DeCiccio’s- Ardsley $134.14
Gristedes – Scarsdale $164.78
Key Food – Pleasantville $141.91
Pathmark – Mount Vernon $131.96
Stop ‘n Shop – Cross County S/C $123.71
Shop Rite – Cortlandt Manor $113.20
