Tonight, I will be going to my “country” house, a small, two-bedroom cottage my husband and I bought over a year ago. The house was in horrid, horrible shape when we purchased it, and the past year has been spent renovating it (and, alas, spending way more money than we originally had intended; ain’t that always the way?). And while our little rustic getaway is not yet complete—the backyard still looks like a swamp, the enclosed porch has yet to be built—it is at least habitable.
And, yes, it will be nice to “get away” (can’t wait to begin working on my new garden), but—and here’s the truth—not for too long. I usually really, really want to be in my “real” home. Oh, don’t get me wrong: I love lolling about on a white-sand Caribbean beach for a week or so and traipsing through Cambodia or Portugal for a couple of weeks, but, after awhile, I miss my home. Don’t we all? After all, our homes are where we live out our lives—and I believe that most of us, despite our reflexive griping, really, really love our lives.
Which brings me to our cover story: “The Best Places to Live.” We asked freelance writer Dave Donelson, a longtime Harrison resident, to take a close look at the county and report back to us on the towns and/or neighborhoods that best suit different needs. We may all be Westchesterites, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have different needs or wants. We have different ideas of what home should be. You may love having the great outdoors nearby while someone else may not want to travel too far in order to find some nightlife. Just as no two people are alike, no two towns—even in this lovely, lively but diverse county—are either. So, turn to page 82 and see which towns are best for what. And, while there, we offer a data chart on every town in the county, so you can compare how your town stacks up with all the other towns in a myriad of categories, from home sale prices to train commutes.
Also, I wish you all a Happy Easter and/or Passover. And, just in case you’re doing the cooking this year (as you may have year after year), on page 138 and 140 we present some really cool, innovative recipes for both holidays. Even if you and your guests love your latkes and/or lamb dish, change is sometimes a good thing. Like that Caribbean vacation—or country house. As long as you can go back…home.
PS: We are in the process of rethinking and redesigning the magazine. And since you and what you think are very, very important to us, we’d love to hear from you. What would you like to see more of in our (that is, your!) magazine? What would you like to see covered in each issue, that is, every month, that you don’t now: education, perhaps, or maybe travel or health? What subjects that the magazine regularly covers do you like most? Which do you like least? Here is your opportunity to help shape the content of the issues you will be receiving in the future.
Esther Davidowitz
Editor-in-Chief
Send your suggestions, your thoughts, your ideas to edit@westchestermagazine.com. I thank you in advance.
