Need help deciding between Ardsley & Pleasantville/Armonk!!

[burbgirl]

I grew up in Armonk and although I would say that a lot of the urban dictionary view of Armonk is not fair, there are pieces of information that are true. The school district is heavily Jewish and if you're not Jewish, you will not fit in with the cliques at school. I would not wish this upbringing on my children. I would have preferred to live in Ardsley, it is closer to Manahattan and less phony.

Cali to Pville is definitely a huge change. I don't know why anyone would come here from CA. Life there is different and better. Here life is all about work. People commute 1.5 hours to a job that starts before 9am and ends after 7pm. It's an awful lifestyle in my opinion.

Traveling to Armonk school from Pville isn't a big deal. The big deal is not being Jewish. If you're Jewish, you will have a much easier time fitting in.

I think you made a good choice with more of a downtown Pleasantville home/Pville Schools. It is much more laid-back and less Jappy. Goodluck with everything.

[cali_to_nj]

Thanks, burbgirl. Have you lived in Los Angeles? Apart from living near the beach and the nice temperate climate that brings, it's really not all that idyllic. I would rather spend 50 minutes commuting on a train than 40 minutes silently (and sometimes not silently) cursing in my car driving to and from work. My work hours will actually improve because now since the majority of my work is supporting our NY offices anyway, I'm frequently attached to the computer or on conference calls by 7:00 am. Hubby will being able to somewhat set his own schedule there as well.

The other huge reason for us is schools - we are in the LA Unified school district with 2 kids so the cost of private school will be greater than NY property tax. The private schools are hugely competitive with long waiting lists, and the parochial schools are a mixed bag (we are Catholic) with some performing well and others lacking. I like the idea of the kids going to school with neighborhood friends, instead of shuttling them all over LA and beyond because people will drive up to 2 hours each way to get their kid into a decent private school. Even though CA as a whole has a reputation for being laid-back, the westside of Los Angeles where we live certainly has its share of cliques and social pressures with areas like Brentwood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, etc. (I have to smile when I read posts here about kids feeling pressure to wear Abercrombie or Juicy, when here it's more like Prada and Gucci). CA also has a huge budget crisis, taxes and fees going up with services being slashed and no resolution in sight, and a lot of political turmoil.

I grew up in a small town in the South Bay about 30 miles outside of LA proper and I loved it. If I could give my kids the same lifestyle I would stay, but I can't. The same small town has become increasingly overrun with a gang element from neighboring towns and we are forced to stay closer to West LA anyway for our jobs. I feel confident about our choice of Pleasantville but the good news is we will be renting for the time being, so if we end up miserable we will be able to do something about it.

[burbgirl]

Yes, I lived in LA for 5 years and recently moved back to NY. I regret the decision to move back. I hope it turns into a positive but right now I haven't seen anything good come of it. Best of luck to you. Pleasantville is ok, Armonk is an evil place

[Diamonds1]

Hi there- I was curious to know how the poster is enjoying the new rental in Pleasantville? BTW: My husband and I reside in North Castle (Bedford PO) and Byram Hills schools ... we both went through the school system. We plan on putting our kids in the schools likely, and are practicing Protestants. My family is here also, who take advantage of the local Catholic Schools and do quite well there in Bedford. Good luck!!

[cali_to_nj]

Hi - we are have been here for a few weeks now and are loving it so far. Everyone, from our neighbors to the local merchants to the elementary school office staff and teachers, has been super nice and welcoming. My kids are having a ball experiencing everything they did not have in Los Angeles - quiet safe street to ride bikes, school friends living on the same block, chasing fireflies and exploring all the green space around the house, playing in the multiple parks, playgrounds and awesome pool.

For everyone wondering why anyone would make the move here from CA, it has been well worth it so far (of course, get back to me in Feb and I may be singing a different tune ). The quality of life here, sense of community, priority on family and children, far outweighs the mild weather of Los Angeles. Granted, I have not started my commute to midtown yet (taking a few weeks off) and that will no doubt bring me back to earth from this idyllic small town lifestyle. But I am also looking forward to the pace, energy and culture that the city has to offer. I think living in Pleasantville will give us the best of both worlds.

I also want to give kudos to all the Westchester County locals who regularly post on these boards and take their time to give words of wisdom and information. I have to say as an avid reader and researcher now experiencing life here firsthand, everything has been very accurate, especially the similarity and proximity of the towns. Although each town has certain nuances, all of the lovely green streets blend into one another and you can easily pass through several before realizing the difference. I am thrilled with the location of Pleasantville as it allows us to seamlessly take advantage of Chappaqua, Thornwood, Armonk and Briarcliff Manor within a 5 minute drive in any direction. Even White Plains is an easy 15 minute drive - less time than it took me to get to my local mall in Los Angeles.

All in all we are thrilled. Happy to answer any other specific questions as a new resident.

[havoc315]

Glad to hear you are enjoying it so much.