I happen to love “The Best of Westchester” edition of Westchester Magazine. I’m not just saying that because I work here, but because it’s a really handy, dandy guide to the county. I always find myself referring to it and exploring various suggestions. It’s been great for little ol’ me who is still relatively new to the area.
So I decided before the baby came I needed to check out something in this year’s issue called Life: The Place to Be in Ardsley. And you know what? This place really deserves to be on the list! It’s one neat spot for kids of all ages.
Basically, Life is a massive building filled with all sorts of cool things. First off, there’s the neatest arcade I’ve ever seen next to a mini-bowling alley that’s downright adorable and there’s a very tall rock wall, to boot. It also has a huge lounging area and a big, ol’ party room which would be cool if you decided to rent the space out for a private party. And, oh yeah, a cafe sits right in the middle. It serves typical kid-friendly fare, but also some healthy stuff like edamame and yummy panini. I was thrilled because I’m pretty sick of eating crappy, unhealthy “kid” food and serving it to Maisie when we’re out and about. It goes against all the hours of home cooking I’ve put in.
When I was there, a day camp of 8th graders was visiting. Oh my gosh, those kids were having fun. They were like ants crawling everywhere, exploring everything. After lunch, they turned the party space into a big dance party. It was pretty cute watching them all try to negotiate the whole boy-asks-girl-to-dance thing. Remember standing there hoping some boy would ask you? Or just dancing with all your girlfriends? And squealing when a boy even talked to you? Man, there is nothing like that excitement. (Thank God I’m past that!)
There were basically two areas that captivated Maisie. The first is a giant play room filled with toys for tiny babies and toddlers. Maisie found a doll and dragged the poor thing by her hair all over the place, putting her in the baby walker, a toy car, and the playhouse. Then she spent some time in the kitchen and checked out every single toy in the space.
Right next to that was this giant climbing maze made for kids under six. There are tubes and tunnels and slides and nets—a real physical challenge for little ones. Atypical for her, Maisie didn’t venture in too far. Thank God because me and my 9-months-plus pregnant belly couldn’t really go in after her. Other kids were bolder and investigated every nook and cranny, giggling the whole time. I got a kick out of watching all the moms climbing after their toddlers.
Another great thing? The place is SUPER air-conditioned—something to keep in mind if we have more of this nasty hot weather.
If you ask me, it’s a great way to spend 10 bucks and a couple of hours.
