Best of ..... Westchester? (New York, New Rochelle, White Plains: house, theater, school)

[richrf]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are taking our second look and see trip into Westchester, focusing in on White Plains but also other local scenes. This is a serious look into whether we can create a life in retirement in Westchester, so I am asking everyone to give me their Best of .... Westchester, so we can check them out. Here are some of the Best of that we might be looking for, but feel free to contribute whatever you want:

Best Thai restaurant ...
Best Indian restaurant ...
Best Salsa, Swing, Ballroom dance school ...
Best place to dance Salsa or Swing ...
Best indoor tennis ...
Best outdoor tennis ...
Best place to play Bridge ....
Best cozy coffee house ....
Best river walk ....
Best New York Style pizza ....
Best place to get Sabretts ....
Best Jewish deli ....
Best weekend getaway .....
Best place to meet 50+ couples .....
Best yoga ......
Best bookstore ....
Best table tennis (already filled in with Westchester Table Tennis in Pleasantville of course!!)
Best driving range ...
Best street for a four mile walk .....
Best place for a quiet evening with music ....
Best concert hall ....
Best art movie house ...
Best multiplex ....
Best playhouse ...
Best haircut for under $20 .....
Best car wash .....


Just keep it going if you can! Thanks!

[bc2007]

If your wife likes to play golf or is interested in learning how to play, have her join the EWGA - Westchester. The organization puts together leagues, golf outings, social events, etc. The organization welcomes women of all ages but there are plenty of retirees joining in on the fun. Definitely a club that promotes the sense of community you are looking for and can easily translate to meeting 50+ couples. As for driving ranges in / near White Plains, there are Westchester Golf Range off of Dobbs Ferry Road and Fairview Golf Center in Elmsford.

My favorite Indian Restaurants are Rani Mahal in Mamaroneck and Rangoli in New Rochelle. Best weekend get away - Newport, RI. Bronx River Pathway is a great trail for walking.

Looking forward to seeing some of the other answers - you can definitely make a nice life for yourself in Westchester - there is plenty to do and explore. Good luck!

[richrf]

Great answers! Exactly what I was looking for. We will have plenty of time on this trip to explore all of the possibilities so this is a great start. Thanks again!

[steven r.]

In my opinion I would say your retirement savings go farther down south then in New York. I'm from New York but now call Virginia my home, I'm not retired, not old enough, but as much as I miss New York sometimes, I can get a nice home in the south for less money, it's laid back, and offers a certain quality of life that's more relaxed, it's not rat race. I live by the mountains mind you, not the Northern Virginia, DC area, which can be just as expensive as New York.

[Justabitoff]

Obviously, almost all of the Best is actually found in NYC, but here are a few that I can suggest:

Best Salsa, Swing, Ballroom dance school ... We went to the Fred Astaire Dance School in Greenwich for a sample class once, but they have locations all over. I liked our teacher, but I wouldn't say it's the Best, because I only went once. But it seemed nice.
Best outdoor tennis ... There are country clubs all over that have tennis courts. Not sure you can afford something like that, but maybe!
Best cozy coffee house .... There's a coffeehouse in Tarrytown that's supposed to be nice!
Best river walk .... Aqueduct, or Croton Point Park. We went kayaking there! Really fun! We had a great day.
Best place to get Sabretts .... I have no idea what those are!
Best weekend getaway ..... WAY too many to list! Oh my gosh, Boston, Philly, New Paltz, CT, Hamptons, Poconos. There is so much to choose from. Depends on what you like to do (city vs. outdoors)
Best bookstore .... There are some good independent ones in Pleasantville, Tarrytown, Larchmont...
Best street for a four mile walk ..... I don't think there are any streets that long in Westchester!
Best place for a quiet evening with music .... I haven't been, but the Watercolor Cafe in Larchmont looked nice. We went to the wine bar and lounge (Vintage 1891) next door, so I've seen it, but never been.
Best multiplex .... I prefer the AMC in Port Chester, but that's because it's close. There is one in White Plains that is likely to be easier to get to.
Best haircut for under $20 ..... Wow, those places still exist? Maybe for you but not for your wife!

[richrf]

Originally Posted by steven r.

In my opinion I would say your retirement savings go farther down south then in New York. I'm from New York but now call Virginia my home, I'm not retired, not old enough, but as much as I miss New York sometimes, I can get a nice home in the south for less money, it's laid back, and offers a certain quality of life that's more relaxed, it's not rat race. I live by the mountains mind you, not the Northern Virginia, DC area, which can be just as expensive as New York.

Yep, I have a friend who lives in Fairfax. VA, but he advised me not to move down there for a number of reasons. It looks like you found the right spot for yourself, so congrats and good luck!

[richrf]

Great stuff! Thanks much. Seems like plenty to do in Pleasantville, Larchmont, and Tarrytown. Lots of places for weekends also. It is one of the reasons I want to plant myself down in Westchester. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by Justabitoff

Obviously, almost all of the Best is actually found in NYC, but here are a few that I can suggest:

Best Salsa, Swing, Ballroom dance school ... We went to the Fred Astaire Dance School in Greenwich for a sample class once, but they have locations all over. I liked our teacher, but I wouldn't say it's the Best, because I only went once. But it seemed nice.
Best outdoor tennis ... There are country clubs all over that have tennis courts. Not sure you can afford something like that, but maybe!
Best cozy coffee house .... There's a coffeehouse in Tarrytown that's supposed to be nice!
Best river walk .... Aqueduct, or Croton Point Park. We went kayaking there! Really fun! We had a great day.
Best place to get Sabretts .... I have no idea what those are!
Best weekend getaway ..... WAY too many to list! Oh my gosh, Boston, Philly, New Paltz, CT, Hamptons, Poconos. There is so much to choose from. Depends on what you like to do (city vs. outdoors)
Best bookstore .... There are some good independent ones in Pleasantville, Tarrytown, Larchmont...
Best street for a four mile walk ..... I don't think there are any streets that long in Westchester!
Best place for a quiet evening with music .... I haven't been, but the Watercolor Cafe in Larchmont looked nice. We went to the wine bar and lounge (Vintage 1891) next door, so I've seen it, but never been.
Best multiplex .... I prefer the AMC in Port Chester, but that's because it's close. There is one in White Plains that is likely to be easier to get to.
Best haircut for under $20 ..... Wow, those places still exist? Maybe for you but not for your wife!

[bmwguydc]

Best Thai restaurant ...Thai Angel's in Mount Kisco
Best Indian restaurant ...Mughal Palace in Valhalla, Passage to India in Mount Kisco
Best Salsa, Swing, Ballroom dance school ...Westchester Ballroom in Mount Kisco, The JCC of Mid-Westchester
Best place to dance Salsa or Swing ...
Best indoor tennis ...(excluding country clubs) Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco
Best outdoor tennis ... County Tennis Club in Scarsdale
Best place to play Bridge ....The Bridge Deck in Scarsdale (per players I know)
Best cozy coffee house ....Coffee Lab Roasters in Tarrytown, Slave to the Grind in Bronxville
Best river walk .... Various portions of the currently under completion River Walk linking Hudson Communities including: Scenic Hudson Park in Irvington, Croton-on-Hudson, Tarrytown, and the portion of the trail that traverses Lyndhurst
Best New York Style pizza .... Portofino Pizza in Goldens Bridge (per dairy eaters I know - my own pizza tastes differ)
Best place to get Sabretts ....Lubins and Links in Tarrytown
Best Jewish deli .... Liebman's in Riverdale (yes, the Bronx, but none compares in Westchester at least in my experience)
Best weekend getaway .....Many close places including: Bermuda, Vermont, Boston, Maine, DC, Cape May, NJ
Best place to meet 50+ couples .....
Best yoga ......Katonah Yoga Center, Yoga Haven in Tuckahoe and Scarsdale
Best bookstore ....Anderson's Book Shop in Larchmont
Best table tennis (already filled in with Westchester Table Tennis in Pleasantville of course!!)
Best driving range ...Westchester Golf Range
Best street for a four mile walk .....Not a street, but Croton Aqueduct Trail
Best place for a quiet evening with music ....Harvest-on-Hudson in Hastings for lounge nights
Best concert hall ....Caramoor in Katonah
Best art movie house ...Jacob Burns in Pleasantville
Best multiplex ....City Center 15 in White Plains
Best playhouse ... Irvington Town Hall Theater
Best haircut for under $20 .....Towers Barber Shop in Bronxville, Katonah Barber Shop, or Grassy Sprain Barber Shop on Tuckahoe Road
Best car wash .....Supreme Auto Spa in Mamaroneck

[richrf]

Now this is one great list!!! Thanks much!!!!!!

All I need now is a place for some Salsa dancing .... and a place to live. :-) I wonder if Liebman's has good, ole fashion Jewish kiske - the Lower Eastside type? :-) At least I knwo where to get a Sabrett next time I visit. I was in Tarrytown last visit and didn't notice the Sabretts. Definitely will go next time.

Thanks again!!! Super list and I cannot wait for my next visit!

Any other Bests are more than welcome. Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by bmwguydc

Best Thai restaurant ...Thai Angel's in Mount Kisco
Best Indian restaurant ...Mughal Palace in Valhalla, Passage to India in Mount Kisco
Best Salsa, Swing, Ballroom dance school ...Westchester Ballroom in Mount Kisco, The JCC of Mid-Westchester
Best place to dance Salsa or Swing ...
Best indoor tennis ...(excluding country clubs) Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco
Best outdoor tennis ... County Tennis Club in Scarsdale
Best place to play Bridge ....The Bridge Deck in Scarsdale (per players I know)
Best cozy coffee house ....Coffee Lab Roasters in Tarrytown, Slave to the Grind in Bronxville
Best river walk .... Various portions of the currently under completion River Walk linking Hudson Communities including: Scenic Hudson Park in Irvington, Croton-on-Hudson, Tarrytown, and the portion of the trail that traverses Lyndhurst
Best New York Style pizza .... Portofino Pizza in Goldens Bridge (per dairy eaters I know - my own pizza tastes differ)
Best place to get Sabretts ....Lubins and Links in Tarrytown
Best Jewish deli .... Liebman's in Riverdale (yes, the Bronx, but none compares in Westchester at least in my experience)
Best weekend getaway .....Many close places including: Bermuda, Vermont, Boston, Maine, DC, Cape May, NJ
Best place to meet 50+ couples .....
Best yoga ......Katonah Yoga Center, Yoga Haven in Tuckahoe and Scarsdale
Best bookstore ....Anderson's Book Shop in Larchmont
Best table tennis (already filled in with Westchester Table Tennis in Pleasantville of course!!)
Best driving range ...Westchester Golf Range
Best street for a four mile walk .....Not a street, but Croton Aqueduct Trail
Best place for a quiet evening with music ....Harvest-on-Hudson in Hastings for lounge nights
Best concert hall ....Caramoor in Katonah
Best art movie house ...Jacob Burns in Pleasantville
Best multiplex ....City Center 15 in White Plains
Best playhouse ... Irvington Town Hall Theater
Best haircut for under $20 .....Towers Barber Shop in Bronxville, Katonah Barber Shop, or Grassy Sprain Barber Shop on Tuckahoe Road
Best car wash .....Supreme Auto Spa in Mamaroneck

[Maestra07]

I know they have Salsa dancing at The Rec Room in White Plains, with different levels of difficulty. I believe you have to join their meetup group for more details.