Difference between N. Westchester and S. Westchester? (Rye, Poughkeepsie: neighborhoods, school districts)
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Besides the landscape, what differs? Is northern more white collar? Estates, Beamers, and private school type area?
No. There's all that stuff downcounty as well. If anything there are more bimmers downcounty, disproportionate driven by the likes of the guy pictured. Such guys, and their ethos, are pervasive downcounty (and again, on LI, NJ, SI).
More information on the culture can be found here: Get Off Our Island. Yet this sociopathology is essentially absent farther north. I-287 forms a largely impervious barrier. A few do manage to get onto I-684 but they don't venture off, possibly because the population density is too low to provide an audience (being seen is oxygen for these guys).
Still don't get it? It's not a blue collar <--> white collar divide. After all, "The Situation" is a knowledge worker, maybe even a performance artist, busily occupying himself in the media. It's a question of education, culture, what's important in life and the strength of people's need to conspicuously position themselves in the social strata. Get in your car and drive around.
as it regards to the people:
Northern Westchester - Lower maintenance individuals
Southern Westchester - Higher maintenance individuals
If you prefer to be freshly manicured, made up, wear high heels, and the thought of a mouse or spider gives you nightmares that's generally South, (think Meredith Viera)
If you have garden hands, like the natural look, wear Hunter Boots, and have no problem with a mouse or spider, that's generally North (think Martha Stewart)
and PS I completely agree with Kletter's generalization about traffic, which is about intense vs laid back. Of course it is a generalization, but we can't analyze every individual now, can we?
And I think white collar vs blue collar is actually more an east - west line. You will find much less blue collar in all the towns east of 684..north or south, with the absolute least being the northeast towns
I think I can shed some light on this, as I grew up in Northern Westchester, and currently live in Southern.
First and foremost, the deciding issue for most people is going to be the commute. Without exception, you will have a long commute from No. West. This is why I live in southern west., my train ride is less then 30 min. In fact, my commute is no longer then it was when I lived in the city. If you do not work in the city, then this is of no concern.
I personally hope to be able to work from White Plains, and then move north.
I personally like Northern better, but I am very biased. You get MUCH more land and privacy, with lower taxes. You also get a small town feel, where people are very friendly. I think that is very rare in the NYC metro area. The landscape is beautiful, with hills, forests and reservoirs. I also think there is a slightly different attitude towards wealth, with more of an old money mindset. People tend to be less flashy, and more low key. This is in no way to say that So. Westchester has the "new money" mentality of LI/SI/NJ (aka, the axis of evil), just that it is a little more status conscious and flashy.
Some criticisms that people have of No West is that you have to drive far for everything, which is totally true. MUCH less choice in stores and especially places to eat. Where I live now, I can choose an inexhaustible range of dining options with a 10 minute drive.
So it is a matter of convince and preference. If a short commute is important to you (like it is to me), then the North is not for you. If convenience and a large range of dining options is important, again, North is not for you. If you value open space and a freindly small town feel, you will love the North.
Some criticisms that people have of No West is that you have to drive far for everything, which is totally true. MUCH less choice in stores and especially places to eat. Where I live now, I can choose an inexhaustible range of dining options with a 10 minute drive.
I'd add an important distinction here. Up north everything is indeed FARTHER, but that doesn't always equate with LONGER drive times. Average speeds are much faster and lights can be very far apart.
I'm about a ten minute drive from both Mt Kisco or New Canaan and all the stuff that's there. New Canaan is about 5 miles, yet just 4 stop signs. In fact, the drive to New Canaan, with all it's uberpreppy over-the-topness, is a source of amusement and smiles. Mt K is 7 miles but just 4 lights away, roughly 12 minutes. The drive of 2 miles from New Rochelle to Pelham takes me at least as long and doesn't make me smile much.
Yes that is very true! There is little if no traffic in Northern Westchester. You usually know exactly how long it will take to get somewhere.
there is NO traffic in No. west true, but i really haven't had any traffic in the South. Just stay away from the 287/hutch merge at rush hour.
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