You knew it would happen sooner or later. You were just hoping for later. No, not the minivan (you're still holding out on that one); your child's monthly request for a dog. She's been begging (no pun intended) for several years. And now that she's reached double digits, she can actual participate in its care and feeding, eliminating your "when you're older" excuse. It's not as if you're totally against adding a four-legged member to the family, you just aren't too thrilled about the whole puppy-training process.  

Make it as painless as possible by calling pet whisperer Sarah Hodgson. The Katonah-based author of nine dog training books, including Puppies for Dummies, 2nd Edition;  Miss Sarah's Etiquette Guide for Dogs and their People and PuppyPerfect, Hodgson has been a passionate trainer for over 20 years, teaching the dogs of such celebrities as Chevy Chase, Glenn Close, Billy Collins, Katie Couric, Richard Gere and Carrie Lowell, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, Chazz Palmientieri, and George Soros. In that time, she has worked with nearly every breed of dog (and owner; see celebrity list). For the self-described "dog-life coach", the most important element in the dog-owner relationship is understanding. Says Hodgson, "Puppies have the same basic needs as babies. Just as you would learn what an infant wants when he cries, owners need to be able to recognize what the puppy is trying to tell you. Nipping, for example, is a puppy's way to express anxiety or confusion."

Hodgson provides both private and group classes including Puppy Kindergarten, Grade School and High School. Upon graduation, you will feel confident that you have given your pet the best education money can buy.

And he won't even beg you for a car.

Simply Sarah: When Dogs Talk, Sarah Listens
www.simplysarah.com

Posted by plumberry at 11:39 AM | Permalink

Let us now praise snowy mornings. Put aside that after hour or so you'll be racking your brain for ways to entertain the toddler who refuses to even touch snow; rooting through the garage to find the sleds for your would-be bobsled team and searching the spare room to find clothing for snowmen; or explaining to a sullen teen that having her license for a week does not qualify her to drive across town on unplowed roads. For now, you are not driving to the train, or the store, or the pre-school drop-off line. For now, you are wrapped in your softest robe and fuzziest slippers. The world can wait, at least until the plow comes through.
 
To thoroughly enjoy such a morning (which Tuesday promises to be), of course, requires some preparation. We'll leave to your mother the injunctions to hit the store and ensure you have enough milk, batteries and toilet paper (although she has a point, particularly about that last item...).The truly prepared, of course, have a pantryful of ready-to-make delights to call upon: pancake and waffle mix for the morning; cookie or brownie mix (heck, both) for when the "elevenses" hit; soup to warm the soul and body for lunch; seasonings for chili or cassoulet so there's a pot of bubbling goodness waiting for supper. And of course, you'll need plenty of hot cocoa and coffee to thaw both the younger set and yourself (and your neighbor, who has trudged over to see if you have any...yes, toilet paper).
 
Where to stock up:
Katonah: NoKa Joe's. In addition to stocking up on some of their free trade and organic coffee (do you really want to face a day with the kids without some Joe?), pick up a quart or two of their delicious soup to have on hand for lunch. Made by the city fave Hale and Hearty, there's a different selection daily. (Upstairs, at companion store NoKa, you might just find an amusement of two for the kids and yourself -- be sure to chekc it out.)
 
Chappaqua: Marmalade. Grab a box or two of Barefoot Contessa mixes (bonus: insta-activity for the kids!) -  and a "Your All-In-One Winter Basics Pantry" set from Basics Fuirst, which includes chili seasoning, cassoulet seasoning and cocoa mix, along with EVOO, aged balsamic vinegar and organic Dijon mustard.  (Cooking with the kids your definition of stress? You might also grab a Thymes Indigenous Poured Candle to relax by.)
 

Posted by plumberry at 02:08 PM | Permalink

Last week's Inauguration speech has left you thinking about the common good and this "new era of responsibility." High falutin' ideas, to be sure, especially when it feels as if you have all the responsibilities you can handle: Bills to be paid; children to feed, dress and pack off to school; a job to hang onto; a front walk to be shoveled. Where, exactly, is there room in your life to tie imagination to common purpose?
 
One good place to begin is the Bedford Environmental Summit. This full-day event, being held on January 31, 2009 at Fox Lane High School, will offer attendees workshops, lectures, networking opportunities and an expo. But the summit's goal is broader than just awareness-raising: "We are focused on action, on meeting the deeply felt need in this community to find lasting solutions about the environment on a local level," says Summit co-chair Ellen Conrad. With over 40 community organizations and local high schools involved, the event will cover issues like oil consumption, school food, a climate action plan for Bedford, locally supported agriculture, school and community gardens, oceans in peril, biodiversity, water conservation and recycling.
 
The organizers expect to provide attendees with a better understanding of global and local environmental issues; information about local green resources; and specific action steps for what they can do within their community. Even if you call another town home, this is a great event to meet others involved in sustainability activities, and to gather ideas to bring to your specific community.
 
Just imagine the possibilities.

 

Bedford Environmental Summit
January 31, 8am - 4:30pm
Fox Lane High School
Bedford, NY
Tickets: $25 in advance; $35 day of event; students $10
www.sustainablebedford.org

Posted by plumberry at 01:45 PM | Permalink

On Tuesday, President no-longer-elect Obama stood before two million freezing screaming fans and asked them to roll up their sleeves and do their part to make America great again. Despite the awesome sensation of optimism in the air, the economy isn't budging just yet, making you think it might be time to dip a toe -- or perhaps a whole foot -- back into the workforce. Easier said than done, right? First you have to get the job. Then you have to hire someone to watch your kids, clean your house, drive the carpool, get the groceries -- pretty much replace yourself. Oh, and feel perfectly comfortable leaving your house to a relative stranger. Where is that Mary Poppins when you need her?

You could go the want-ad route, spending countless hours playing HR manager, praying you strike gold. You could also look to the skies for a well-dressed English woman with an umbrella. Or you could call LifeWorx.

This well-respected Westchester/Connecticut-based company works really hard to make your life easier. Services include child and elder care, cooking, housekeeping, organization and pet care. "When a mom is going back to work, I know the anxiety she is feeling about the new job and about leaving her family. I hear it all the time," says Bal Agrawal, president of the company. "Peace of mind is the key." The company keeps moms calm by making all candidates undergo an intensive screening process. "We only accept about one in twenty people who apply to work with us," boasts Agrawal. The result is happy clients. In fact, they only had to switch one placement last year and only because the caretaker talked too much.

At least she didn't sing supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

LifeWorx  
www.lifeworx.net

914-458-9933
400 King Street
Chappaqua, NY

203-966-3400
125 Elm Street
New Canaan, CT

Posted by plumberry at 12:33 PM | Permalink

The three "R's" of the green movement - as anyone who has lent half an ear to any sustainability messaging and/or listened (repeatedly) to the Curious George soundtrack on a multi-state family car trip well knows - are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The first two are becoming more commonplace as Americans rush to reign in their free-spending (and landfilling) habits; the third remains a mystifying endeavor to many.
 
Sure, you've mastered the newspaper in one pile and glass in another thing, but beyond that, questions loom:  Where can I get rid of my old PC now that I've gone Mac? How do I recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs? What am I supposed to do with the cooking oil from that FryDaddy? What am I supposed to do with plastic shopping bags (yes, you own reusable bags but you always forget them in the trunk of your car).
 
To the rescue: Earth 911.com, a website focused on recycling tips and initiatives which features (hallelujah!) a localized search for recycling destinations for a multitude of objects. Just enter what it is you want to recycle (for instance: mattresses, electronics, motor oil) and you zip code and - poof! -  you get a list of where to bring the stuff that isn't part of curbside recycling. For instance, you'll find out that Home Depot accepts CF light bulbs - which must be disposed of properly as they contain mercury - and that St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Thrift Shop in Armonk accepts computer donations (as well as cell phones; both should be in working order).
 
After all, the iPhone 3G is here!

Posted by plumberry at 03:02 PM | Permalink

For forty-something years, various casts of The Fantasticks have sung, "Try to remember the kind of September/when life was slow, and oh, so mellow. .  ." Oh, you're trying. Really trying, and you are just drawing a blank. One likes to pretend that life will settle down now that the kids are back in school -- but reality check:  September is when the maelstrom of activities, school open houses, and, of course, increased job-performance expectations blow in after the last two sloth-laden weeks of August.
 
Calendar makers have known this for years, which is why you see a seasonal proffering of datebooks and such now instead of in, oh, say, December.  But your life is about more than just marking time; it's about using it as wisely as possible. Which is why you (along with Real Simple and others) love your Big Book of Everything -- aka, the Family Facts Family Life Organizer & Planner, created by one of Northern Westchester's premiere mompreneurs, Pam Socolow of Mount Kisco.
 
This fall, expanding the already wildly popular and award-winning Family Facts line of products, Socolow (who is appearing September 6th at the White Plains City Center Barnes & Noble at 2 & 4 pm) has introduced several new components that address all the things a modern family needs to stay on top of: 

• The Pregnancy Planner, modeled on the On-the-Go purse-size organizer, and featuring checklists, healthcare trackers, and notes specifically tailored to the pregnant mom, along with stickers that allow you to customize the daily 2009 calendar for your pregnancy;
• the wall-sized Family Activity Calendar, with color-coded lines for each family member, fold-out, wipe-off notes and contacts flaps, and a huge collection of stickers to mark such regularly recurring events as days off from school, early dismissals, doctor appointments, and sports games, not to mention birthday parties; and
• the Peace of Mind Organizer, a healthcare tracking and estate-planning system that will help you manage the older generation's needs.

 
While all the Family Facts products trigger a deep-seated urge to get organized (and easy ways to do it), the Peace of Mind Organizer is perhaps  the most golden of all of them. Printed in large-size type (easy on senior eyes), the organizer stores Medicare and health insurance information; tracks medications, test results, and medical issues; and even features customized, fill-in sheets to bring along to doctor appointments, so the patient (or accompanying caretaker) doesn't forget what they've been meaning to ask. With everything in one simple, clear and well-organized place, it suddenly becomes easy for siblings and caretakers to all stay in the loop - and manage - the myriad needs often presented by an elderly parent. And thanks to the signature Family Facts heavy-duty three-ring binder, pages can be rearranged to meet a family's specific circumstances. In addition, the system features a well-thought out estate planning section, which is not only meant to have everything at the ready should the inevitable arise, but to prompt discussion and planning within the family before it's too late to have a meaningful exchange.
 
Get your (family) facts straight now, and maybe you will, for once, be able to remember that fabled kind of September.
 
Family Facts
http://www.family-facts.com
 
Meet Pam Socolow in person
September 6th
2pm and 4pm
Barnes & Noble
White Plains City Center

Posted by plumberry at 11:32 AM | Permalink

Remember that love-at-first-sight feeling? That heady rush that hits you, makes you draw in your breathe upon seeing the object of your desire; the heart-pounding, toe-tingling feeling that THIS is the one?

Which is why you think that Love Plates are so very aptly named. Admire them for their perfect plainness, essentialness of shape, gratifying heft, exuberance of color; whatever trait gets you, these chic German glass wares (made by Walther-Glas, a 140-year-old glass production house) will have you swearing your undying fealty the moment you gaze on them.

With hues ranging from candy bright to earthy greens and browns, and available in solid or polka dots, you can count on these sleek-yet-friendly pieces to look equally in place on a Parsons table or reclaimed-plank farmhouse one, and to work for everyday dining and all but the most formal entertaining moments (How's that wedding china treating you?). There's dining and serving dishes in a variety of sizes; especially delightful are the "wings" and "dips" - free-form shapes that can be used individually or combined to make a variety of designs - pinwheels, fish, ying-yang circles, even a "woven" effect - giving a whole new meaning to playing with your food.

And of course, you appreciate the fact that they'll reward your attention by staying to true you - as opposed to other former crushes you could name.

Love Plates, $8 (small wing dish) to  $60 (11" serving bowl)
Available at Seasonz Gift Boutique
25 South Moger Avenue
Mount Kisco
666-7100

Posted by plumberry at 01:24 PM | Permalink

It’s hard to believe July is here, meaning your summer social schedule is already in full swing. Okay, maybe you aren’t non-stop bbq-hopping, but in the event that you are invited to a backyard clambake or heading out to a friend’s weekend house in the Hamptons, you don’t want to show up empty-handed. But you don’t want to hand over lobster-shaped salad tongs either.

Choose something your host will really be glad to receive from Lot84. Looking like a page out of Metropolitan Home, this sleek, slightly off-the-beaten path gallery in Mt. Kisco, carries vintage and modern fine art and home furnishings. “I think more people are moving towards a contemporary look, with cleaner lines, when it comes to decorating their homes,” says owner Rossana Fiore, a former film-set designer. The store, which opened a year ago, is stocked with Brazilian agate cheese boards, unusual coral and decorative shells, Shagreen frames and boxes, Dayna Decker candles, vintage serving pieces, artisan wood serving bowls, horn bar sets, Murano glass, hand-crafted coconut and sterling silver bowls from South America and throw blankets from Missoni Home. Fiore is also designing her own line of Lucite tabletop items and furniture. “I love the idea of offering unique, interesting items - things that aren’t found in a catalog or a chain store.”

Which means, of course, no lobster-shaped salad tongs.

Lot84
84 Lexington Avenue
Mt. Kisco, NY
914-244-8535

Posted by plumberry2 at 09:59 PM | Permalink

You know you shouldn't complain about not having a thing to wear when you are standing in the middle of a closet full of clothes, but you just don't! Well, maybe you have something to wear, but your garments are so squished together on the rod (hanging on wire hangers no less) that you don't have the energy to wrestle them out. You could wear that black blazer tucked way back there - they're in style again, right? Oh wait; this one is double-breasted with shoulder pads. Well, maybe you could still wear it. Stop! Step away from the blazer and dial Closets by Elizabeth.

The owner, Elizabeth Jeffer, leverages her 15 years in the fashion/beauty biz to pare down clients' wardrobes from bloated hodgepodges to well-edited collections. "I have always loved to organize. I find it very cathartic. I suppose it gives me a false sense of control," Jeffer says wryly. But seriously, "I find that when my space is less cluttered, so is my mind. I enjoy helping others feel calmer too."

First, you and Elizabeth will, side by side, examine the contents of your closet. "I am not there to make anyone feel bad. But I will give my honest opinion about what does and does not flatter their body type," says the fashion pro. "I always ask my clients, 'Do you feel good in what you are wearing?' If the answer is no, it doesn't belong in their closet." She'll even personal shop with you if you need items to fill out your wardrobe.

Once you have whittled everything down, Elizabeth will determine how to best store your stuff. You can hot foot it to the Container Store or Target with Elizabeth's list in hand, or have her do the job for you.

Among Elizabeth's other tasks is to help you get through the emotional baggage that comes with letting go of your garments. An old pair of jeans that no longer fit because they are too big (wishful thinking!), your first work suit, a mini skirt (no amount of wishful thinking is going to work here): these items might carry memories that make them difficult to part with. "I'm not going to be a steamroller, forcing you to give something up that has sentimental value," explains Elizabeth. "Your prom dress, an outfit from your honeymoon, they have a place in your home, but maybe the attic instead of your closet."

Oh, she knows what you are thinking. You could never call a closet organizer because then you would have to clean out your closet first. You are probably one of those people who cleans the house when the housekeeper is coming, right? There is no need to be embarrassed. Elizabeth has seen it all. "Periodically, we all have messy closets, says Elizabeth. "I would never judge anyone for what theirs looked like and I am always entirely discrete."

In other words, she would never air your dirty laundry.

Closets by Elizabeth
Free consultation
646-554-6621

Posted by plumberry at 01:29 AM | Permalink

What a good mom you are! You volunteer at the kids' school, always pack sensible snacks and carry hand sanitizer wherever you go. Plus, you're the mom who always has her Canon at the ready. Never have you had a "I wish I brought my camera!" moment. But for all of your photo-journaling, you are seldom seen in front of the camera, less the occasional attempt at the self-timer or the angry shove of the camera into your spouse's hand. (Oh, how the cobbler's children have no shoes!) So in years to come when your children are flipping through the albums wondering where the heck you were when they were growing up, you can storm out in a huff past your now-very-sorry spouse, or you can call family photographer Julie Scott.

Known for her clean and natural aesthetic, Julie's photographs compliment the walls of many homes in town. Just in time for Mother's Day, Julie is offering six 30-minute shoots on May 10th at her outdoor studio. That's plenty of time to capture approximately 150 pictures of your kids - both with and without you in view. Fifty of the best shots will be posted on Julie's website for your review. The usual $150 weekend surcharge is being waived for Plumberry Jam subscribers, so the whole package, including one 8x10 print, only costs $375.

Posted by plumberry at 01:27 PM | Permalink

It’s taken you almost two weeks, but you have finally gotten yourself organized enough to get organized. Having dutifully purged your house of 107 holiday greeting cards (ones with photos of your most beloved cataloged into your “scrapbook someday” file), put the holiday geegaws away, returned three duplicate Webkinz and taken those pants you will never again fit into, even on your latest diet, to the thrift shop, you are ready to face the most daunting challenge yet: Organizing your kids.

Before you get caught in a lament for the days when it was easy – like back when you could control what went into the Kate Spade diaper bag, before they developed wills of their own and accumulating habits that rival Imelda and her shoes – take a deep breath and listen to what some local professionals have to say on the subject.

Preschoolers and their arts-and-crafts: It is entirely possible that crayons and markers are capable of multiplying on their own, somehow replicating themselves out of the drawing paper that always seems to vanish. Or maybe you simply need to corral the little buggers (the crayons and markers, that is). “Assign one area to be the arts & crafts area – be that a dedicated closet in your kitchen or a shelf in the family or play room,” advises professional organizer Diane Bushwick, owner of All in Order, a Chappaqua-based organizing service. “Then organize like materials together. For instance, group glues, tapes and adhesives in one bin; scissors, hole punches, and rulers in another; markers, pens and crayons in a third, and so on. While clear containers work best, old shoe boxes and baby wipe containers with attached lids also make good choices. Most importantly, label everything.”

Bushwick recently put her own advice to the test, leading the local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers, along with other volunteers, in  organizing Muscoot Farm’s Arts and Crafts area. (The photos show the area before and after their work.)

Preteens/Teens and their rooms: Yes, supposedly the schools are emphasizing organization and executive function, but that only seems to go as far as the homework planners they’ve got the kids toting about. The bedroom still looks like a bomb exploded in it, no matter how many times you issue the order for it to be picked up. “Begin with NO CLOTHES ON THE FLOOR as a house rule,” advises Pam Socolow, president of Family Facts and creator of the award-winning Family Life Organizer & Planner. “Then assess where everything goes. Is there enough room for their stuff? Where can you put more storage – on the wall? Over the desk? Under the bed? Don’t forget about closet doors – you can hang shoe holders there to store cell phones, iPods, retainers, small stuffed animals, hair accessories.” And if the room is still overflowing – well, you do know what that means, right? “Maybe it’s time to clear out some of the juvenile toys and books – put the keepsakes away in clear, well-labeled storage bins, and hand everything else down to a younger cousin or neighbor, or donate to charity.”

All kids and their schedules: Given that your executive functions have precluded you from ever figuring out how to have multiple people’s schedules in your Blackberry, (which is admittedly hard to use with all those post-its you have covering it with today’s activity schedule), and PDAs offer precious little space for permission slips, pick-up notes and the rest of the daily detritus, get your on-the-go life organized with Family Facts On the Go. Developed by Socolow (a local mom herself) as a purse-sized alternative to the Family Life Organizer & Planner, it’s excellent for not only organizing yourself, but for keeping things going smoothly when your nanny or au pair is the one running the kids to-and-fro. Coming soon in a new spring-toned edition, Family Facts On the Go can be pre-ordered at Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com) for arrival in late February.

Diane Bushwick of All in Order (www.AllinOrderNY.com) will be giving presentations at Borders in Mt. Kisco twice this month as part of their "New Year, New You" Program. She will be available to answer questions regarding home and office organizing on Thursday, January 17 at 11am, and on Saturday, January 19 at 2pm.

Family Facts books and supplies are available at Barnes & Noble Stores, and at the Family Facts Website (www.family-facts.com), where you can also sign up for Pam Socolow’s Family Facts email, which is full of great organizing tips. She will be appearing at Barnes & Nobles in Nanuet, NY on Saturday, January 12 at 2pm.

Posted by plumberry at 09:46 PM | Permalink

The holiday clock is ticking. After surfing high and low on the internet for the perfect gift for your friend, child's teacher, mother, etc., you still haven't found the right thing. You could always go with the old stand-bys of a book or mug, but you press on in search of something more personal - something that is just for her. You could kick yourself that you didn't order a set of personalized stationary earlier in the game! Here's the next best thing:

Gift certificate for one Three Designing Women custom design stamp, $40
Gift certificate for Three Designing Women custom design stamp plus 2 boxes (10 cards/envelopes) of stampable notecards, $60

The gift certificate comes in the box that the stamp would come in so you'll still have something to wrap.

To order:
Online: http://smallfrypress.net/store/CERTstamp.htm
Pick up: Small Fry Press in Pleasantville by appointment: 914-747-6668

Or you can get really personal with Design-her Gals stationary and note cards. Choose from among hundreds of hairstyles, outfits and accessories to create the quintessential customized stationary and note cards - ones that look just like her (and at 20% off until December 31st ). The best part of all: 5% of every sale goes to the non-profit Gal to Gal Foundation for Stage IV breast cancer patients. You can join their campaign for granting wishes this holiday season by visiting galtogalwalk.org.

To order:
Online: http://www.designhergals.com/index_main.php?G2G=33
Use Coupon Code: SMALLFRY to get 20% off merchandise

Posted by plumberry at 02:20 PM | Permalink

You swore to yourself that you wouldn't do it this year, but there you were, elbow-deep inside a jumbo-sized bag of Halloween candy -- two weeks before the doorbell started ringing. And, tonight, as you inspect (read: keep for yourself) which goodies your ghosts and goblins have collected, you will promise yourself yet again that you will take at least a couple of days for your insulin level to stabilize before you dive in again.

If you are going to wreck your diet and teeth, you might as well make it worth your while with a visit to Anna Shea Chocolates. Chocolate-maker Anna Shea uses her art school background to handcraft exquisite confections, truffles, bars and barks that look almost too good to eat - almost.  Select from delectable flavors like milk chocolate ganache with lavender, honey and cointreau, blood orange caramel and dark chocolate with ginger and clove. Keep your child's hands and mouth busy as you browse with a chocolate heart-shaped lollipop dusted with gold. If you are able to save some for others, the pale pink and chocolate brown packaging make for chic "little something" hostess or holiday gifts.

If only life really were a box of chocolates.

Anna Shea Chocolates

4 S. Washington

Tarrytown

914-631-3333

29 Katonah Avenue
Katonah
914-301-5624

 

Posted by plumberry at 01:09 PM | Permalink

Admit it; your canine is only slightly less spoiled than some people's children. Or perhaps you are the proud "aunt" to a new pup (or at least that's what you tell your still-single-in-the-city BFF, who insists on being called the dog's "mommy," which fits, since even you admit she can sometimes be a bit of a . . . well, let's just move on.)

 

The place to sniff out is The Canine Bar in Bedford Hills. When you first enter, you might mistake it for a prepster-emporium-cum-coffee-bar, what with its white-woodwork shelves, toile-imprinted items and pink-and-green tinged accessories. And that impression is mostly right, except the preps are the pooches. (Humans can get a cup of joe, too.) From cleverly decorated collar and leash sets to dog beds, organic dog treats and food, you will find that every dog is most definitely having his (or her) day.

 

The Canine Bar

9 Depot Plaza
Bedford Hills

914-242-3865

Posted by plumberry at 01:47 PM | Permalink

It’s FINALLY arrived. That long-awaited, much dreamed-about event. Yes, it’s a party invitation addressed to you. And not for a baby shower, wedding, bar mitzvah or fundraiser – a real, live social event that’s purely focused on fun. Your fun. And of course, you’ll both dress for the event…now, shall it be Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI? Bacchus and his nymph? Elphaba and The Scarecrow?

While you’re noodling over your costume for that “no children please” Halloween fete (and calling every sitter on the list), remember to allot some brain cells to contemplating the appropriate hostess gift. Of course, it’s been so long since you’ve been to a party that doesn’t come with its own gift registry listing (or silent auction), you may be feeling a little haunted about what to get.

Given that the hosts, if they’re throwing open their doors to their fiends – sorry, friends -- probably are well stocked on a frightening array of seasonal platters, bowls and such,  a charming Halloween figurine, more whimsical than wicked, might be just the ticket. Available in multiple styles, they are cheerfully reminiscent of all the little trick-or-treaters you’ve left safely at home.

Let’s just hope they’re not scaring your babysitter out of her wits.

Halloween figures, $24 and up

Marmalade
29 King Street
Chappaqua, NY
914-238-2564

Posted by plumberry at 01:48 PM | Permalink

You have, joyously, scored an invite for the first -- and perhaps even the second -- night of Rosh Hashanah, thus alleviating the need to make a mess out of your newly remodeled kitchen. (Really, it looks too nice to actually cook in). Show your appreciation to your hostess with an appropriately themed gift: A glass honey pot, honey dipper and platter set by NYC artist Jill Fagin. Available at The Aesthetic Sense in Mount Kisco, the pieces are handcrafted in Fagin's Greenwich Village studio and decorated with aluminum and colored glass baubles. 

Pair the set with Tom's Killer Bee Honey, which hails from around the corner -- Bedford Corners to be exact. (Not only will you sweeten your hosts' new year, you'll be helping their pollen allergies -- eating local honey has been shown to reduce allergy symptoms the following season!) Pick up a jar (or two) at Mount Kisco Seafood and your New Year will be off to an appropriately sweet start. 

Jill Fagin Honey Pot
Available at The Aesthetic Sense
198 Main Street
Mount Kisco
914-244-4429
www.TheAestheticSense.com

Tom's Killer Bee Honey
Available at Mount Kisco Seafood
477 Lexington Ave
Mount Kisco
914-241-3113

 

Posted by plumberry at 12:15 PM | Permalink

The good thing about having friends with summer houses is that you don't have to have your own. Being a professional moocher, however, does have its obligations, first and foremost being the rule to never arrive empty-handed.

Despite your husband's insistence that bringing a bottle of wine sufficiently recompenses your gracious hosts for three days of putting up with you, him and the kids, you know better.

Before the weekend, visit Marmalade (or hit their website) for one of their exclusive summer-themed gift collections. Choose from either the Original Summer Bag or the Hamptons Beach Bag, both of which include local author Suzanne Brown's book Summer: A User's Guide, and avariety of such hostess delights as cheese boards, candles and tea towels. The Original Summer bag also packs "Table Talk" -- a game perfect for playing with your hosts, especially if you run out of talking points. The Hamptons version alternatively packs pantry goodies from Stonewall Kitchen. (Presumably, Hamptons visitors will be too busy discussing Gin Lane house envy to require other conversation aids.)

With the worry of what to get your hosts out of the way, you'll be able to enjoy a stress-ride in summer weekend traffic - as long as you don't dwell on what an hour of idling is costing you in gas.   

Original Summer Bag, $130
Hamptons Beach Bag, $120

Marmalade
29 King Street
Chappaqua, NY
914-238-2564
www.mymarmalade.com

Summer: A User's Guide
By Suzanne Brown
www.thebookofsummer.com

Posted by plumberry at 03:39 PM | Permalink

Among the things you never imagined you would give much thought to, but do: Whether Paris should have been sent back to jail. Why those darn Gibbitz are so hard to get into Crocs. And where to get mulch.

 

Now, you could pay your gardener hundreds (sometimes thousands) to bring you what is basically ground up tree bits. Or, if you're a "Town of New Castle" resident, you can go to the New Castle Town Recycling Center on Hunts Lane, and get it for free. The truly frugal can load up the back of their SUVs; the rest of you can pay a nominal $35 fee for delivery. The truckload you receive for that amount should take care of an average property. Compost is also available for the same amount; a truckload of topsoil carries a $90 fee, plus the delivery charge.

 

And with that one off your mind, you can turn your thoughts back to things that really matter. Like whether Jennifer Aniston is really going to adopt.

 

Town of New Castle Recycling Center

120 Hunts Lane

Chappaqua, NY 10514

http://www.newcastle-ny.org/recycling.html

Posted by plumberry at 04:17 AM | Permalink