If there’s one thing clear about our readers from this list of the most-read articles Westchester Magazine published in 2016 it’s this: you want to explore everything Westchester has to offer. Among our most read articles are guides to the best new eateries, things every Westchesterite must try, and reasons to love our county and the people who live here. Here, starting at number 10, are the articles our readers clicked on the most this year.
21 Things You Must Do In Westchester In 2016
Accomplish at least half the things on this list, and you can officially call yourself a Westchesterite.
Here, we list the 21 most creative, exciting, or downright delicious things you should try while living in the county.
Know Your Westchester Beaches
No need to trek to Long Island when there’s plenty of surf and sand in our own county.
Those eager to lounge out by the ocean or splash around in the water needn’t drive an hour or more back and forth to Jones Beach. Unbeknownst to many is that Westchester County has several beaches open and available to the public. So pack up the car and travel the relatively short distance to one of the county’s several surfside havens.
Ossining School District Won’t Stop Believin’ It’s Gonna Be the Best Year Ever
Before opening its doors for 2016-’17, USFD uploaded this very, very silly video about how excited they are
Ossining Union Free School District’s students might be dreading the fall semester, but their educators and staffs are champing at the bit for their return. Seriously. Don’t believe us? Well, that would be ironic, given how USFD teachers and administrators filmed the below, inspirational video invoking a certain Journey jukebox classic that specifically implores its listeners to continue having faith. In what, we don’t know, but the streetlight people do.
Suffern ‘America’s Got Talent’ Winner Grace VanderWaal Hits the Studio
The chops that landed her first place are being put to the test for Simon Cowell and Columbia Records.
The sound that landed 12-year-old ukulele-wielding phenom Grace VanderWaal the winning title on season 11 of America’s Got Talent (plus a key to Rockland County and perhaps all our hearts) is being put to good use, as she’s officially in the studio recording her debut album.
7 Epic Craft Beer Bars And Breweries A Short Walk From Metro-North Stations
If you’re planning to have more than a few brews or possibly a craft beer crawl, taking the Metro-North, plus a short walk, isn’t a bad idea at these seven spots.
Butch Harmon’s 5 Truths About Learning To Play Better Golf
The country’s top golf instructor returns to Westchester with a message for Met PGA pros and players.
Butch Harmon wants you and your golf pro to nail down your fundamentals and work on your short game. That was the message he delivered at the Met PGA Educational Forum to a rapt audience of 300 club professionals at the Westchester Broadway Theatre this week.
Bagels On Hudson Opens Hot Dippity Donuts
DIYD or Do-It-Yourself-Donuts in Croton.
With more than 24 types of donuts and 20 different icing and topping combos to choose from to make your own flavor profile, it is almost too deliciously overwhelming to make a choice at the new Hot Dippity Donuts counter inside Bagels on Hudson in Croton-On-Hudson. Maple bacon sounds intriguing, but how can you pass up a French toast flavored donut? And then, of course, there are the infinite numbers of combinations you can use to create your own unique Hot Dippity treat.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns Named Best Restaurant in America
Any publicity is good publicity, but Eater’s praise goes up and beyond.
If seeing a close friend receive an accolade invokes feelings of pride and joy, then finding out that a Westchester restaurant was given the honor of “Best Restaurant in America” should invoke something exponentially more powerful.
Best of Westchester 2016
371 reasons our county is a fantastic place to live.
This year, our editors selected 147 “bests,” ranging from a stellar Port Chester seafood spot and an indoor skydiving facility in Yonkers to a SoHo-esque Chappaqua clothing boutique. The other 224 picks came from our readers (hey, it’s your county, too!). More than 12,000 of you cast votes in our online ballot between December 2015 and February 2016, determining the winners in all major categories but one: Food & Drink, where some 16,400 votes were cast during five elimination rounds. Clearly, you all have strong opinions about what to eat and drink in Westchester!
Gourmet Milkshakes Hit White Plains
There’s something special (and non-alcoholic) in the blenders at Lazy Boy Saloon, and you can help christen it.
Known for a drink selection that rivals any saloon in Westchester, Lazy Boy is whipping up something different this summer. In a effort to standout from the many other restaurants and pubs on Mamaroneck Avenue, Lazy Boy manager Colum Flattery decided to add gourmet milkshakes to the menu. With hundreds of likes already on Instagram, the new confections hit its menu this week.