We received more than 80 entries to our What It Means to Be a Westchesterite contest. And, it was tough to choose. Westchester, we are a proud people. But after much deliberation and discussion, our winner: Katherine Baken of Larchmont. Here is what she had to say:
First Place: Our Winner
Simply put, it is family. Westchester is a part of my family. It is the backdrop of my life and I’m oftentimes overwhelmed with its beauty. My husband once said, “You know how TV shows have a city as the third party?” (Example, Friends or Sex and the City.) “Well, that’s how I feel about Westchester.”
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve lived in many places—Rockaway Beach, Long Island, Manhattan—and none of these places have ever truly made me feel at home. Westchester is my home and part of my family. —Katherine Baken, Larchmont
Second Place
Being a Westchesterite means having it all. Having the best schools for your kids, the most outdoor space, the best new restaurants, and the nicest people. Long Islanders are forever warped from a life spent in traffic, tarnished from the harmful UV rays of tanning them from inside the mall. Brooklynites can be spotted a mile away. They wear their misery like they wear their clothes: dated, mismatched, and confused. People of Manhattan, well, they’re all attitude and little substance. They talk about being the center of the universe, but their reality if the self-centered universe constantly complaining about cabs, lazy dog walkers, tourists, and rats that get more living space than they do. No one else needs to be counted. Westchesterites know who they are and they don’t need to brag. Their reserved smile helps contain the fact that inside they are happy to be where they are, living how they want to live, like no one else. —Evan Baken, Larchmont
Third Place
Winding paths beckon
we explore
country roads
close to big city
but just far away enough
It’s a knowing that we love to share
Yet want to keep secret
The perfect location
The getaway house
That we live in all the time
And all the time
We find ourselves
Content
Unhurried
In idyllic snowstorms
Or immersed in summer’s warm pulse
—Gina Bruce, Mount Kisco
