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I am living in Italy now and somehow I have accumulated a wife and three little kids 1,3 and 5 (all boys). I don't want them to grow up thinking that all they need to do is say Ciao Bella. I am considering a move to Westchester or up the CT shoreline.
Is there a teen drinking/drug problem in Harrison?
I work from home as a stock trader so commuting to Midtown is not an issue.
I would like a small town with a village like Starr's Hallow in Gilmore Girls.
I see that Rye next to Harrison has a snooty issue. What does it take to be snooty? Perhaps I can be snooty too.
Hi Italy! I grew up in Harrison,vacationed in Italy, owned a home in Rye, and at the age of 41(4 yrs ago), finally moved away. I also have accumulated a husband and small children along the way. Harrison, and the towns it encompasses (Purchase, West Harrison) used to be excellent for those with an Italian heritage. Growing up, there were a lot of Italian families in town, even with parents/grandparents speaking Italian, there were a lot of pizza places, delis (to get fresh bread daily) and even italian specialty shops. Rye (which is right next door) had more of a "preppy" "waspy" reputation, and I would say that there was a MUCH smaller Italian population, and perhaps it was not as comfortable to be of Italian descent there. Please read on though, because although I am sure some of these cultural tendencies still exist, what I describe above is 20 - 50 years ago! Much of the Italian influence on the neighborhoods of Harrison has been erased (it is still more evident in West Harrison - called "Silver Lake"), and Rye has loosened up a bit - truth be told, the main language spoken in both towns is MONEY!!!!! Also truth be told I suspect you have it if you are living in Italy(which is very expensive) and you are in the trading field. Either town would embrace you if you have the dough(and I don't mean the pizza kind), and I think you would do well there and like it. I never saw the Gilmore Girls, but I have an idea, and I would encourage you not to look for a fantasy anywhere near Manhattan, because all towns around here are changing rapidly due to the economy/ growth/ demographics. Even those of us who already live here are left to wonder/dream/look for the best place to raise our children with a good fit for lifestyle. Next time you are in Manhattan, come on down and stay at the Courtyard Marriott in Rye, rent a car and drive around Rye/Harrison during business hours. You will get a feeling about it. If you need maps, let me know. Good luck!
I currently live in Harrison and have seen the Gilmore Girls, and don't think Harrison is like that show at all. I think somewhere in CT, like Fairfield or Ridgefield would be closer to that idea. But even up there, there is a lot of traffic. People aren't just strolling around like in GGs. But in Harrison, you do get people who start to know you at restaurants and it's a decent atmosphere. THe downtown section is fine, and they are trying to make it look nicer, but it also is sort of old looking, I think. But yes, it's all very expensive in Southern Westchester (unless you go to Port Chester or Mt. Vernon, but those are definitely not Gilmore Girls towns!), and with that, you'll get some snooty people. But you'll get that anywhere around here. But I've found that people are people, no matter where you go, money or not, so you'll get some of that, but you'll also get great people, who happen to be rich.
If you are looking for the type of quintessential small town, I would not consider Harrison or Rye to fall into the category of the small town lifestyle that you seek with old fashioned houses and the like. You would be better served by going to Connecticut for the small New England town feel. I would definitely suggest going well beyond Greenwich to Wilton, Westport, Easton, Weston, Redding, New Canaan, or even Ridgefield. Easton and Weston are significantly smaller than neighboring areas, and are close to Westport, and a reasobable distance from New York City.
In Westchester, however, you can get the same small town feel in the Bedford-Katonah area with the small town centers and a good supply of older homes in the center of town and on larger estates nearby. In particular, the Bedford Village and Katonah areas offer great small downtown areas that are akin to what you have described from the television program. Bedford Hills is not as picturesque as Katonah or Bedford Village, though this area contains many stores and services that are not contained within the more "frozen in time" parts of the Town of Bedford.
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