Marianne Lepore, a long time Tarrytown resident, has joined our William Raveis Legends Realty Office in Tarrytown. She has been patiently waiting on the side lines for NY State to process her license and after many weeks has finally received it. We are excited to finally be able to formally welcome her and, as always, wish her much success!   10/15/2012

TarryHollow: Walking Through Time An historical walking tour that explores the many layers of our wonderful community. The Historical Society presents the walking tour of all walking tours—especiall​y if you’re interested in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow! This two-hour tour will introduce you to the unique history of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow and to some of the most intriguing people who have ever lived here. The guides will lead you through the many sections of the two historic Hudson River villages and regale you with tales both spectral and earthly. Starting from Patriots Park, you will journey past historic sites and buildings while the guides share stories of the individuals who made these places their home. The tales include historical accounts of real people and events—as well as... 10/13/2012

Legend Celebration at Washington Irving's Sunnyside These daytime events are an excellent choice for families with young children. Filled with colorful characters who will delight revelers of all ages, this daytime festival is a perfect prelude to an evening at Blaze, Horseman’s Hollow, or Irving’s ‘Legend.’ Listen to ghost stories, hear live musicians, and be awed by a bevy of magicians, puppeteers, and a spooky mime scarecrow! Take part in old-fashioned games and hands-on activities like make-your-own scarecrow. Enjoy tasty treats and tour the house where Irving lived until his death in 1859. Visitors are encouraged to come in costume!   When: Mon, October 8, 10am – 4pm Where: Sunnyside, 3 West Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown NY 10591 (map)   2012 dates: Oct. 6-8, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28. 10 am... 10/07/2012

Tarrytown Farmers' Market Find fresh Hudson Valley produce, meat, bread, cut flowers, dairy products, wine, and more at this market. There is also occasionally live music or demonstrations of traditional crafts during the market. Route 9 (Broadway) next to the Warner Library.   When: Sat, October 13, 8:30am – 1:00pm Where: Patriots Park, Tarrytown, NY 10591 (map)   2012 dates: Saturdays, May 26 through November 17, 2012 Time: 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, rain or shine For information: www.communityma​rkets.biz     10/03/2012

$5 Movie: Night Of The Living Dead - Tarrytown Music Hall $5 Movie: Night of the Living Dead -1968 Starring - Duane Jones & Judith O'Dea In this classic yet still creepy horror film, the story follows 7 strangers holed up in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse that battle constant attacks from local "living dead" monsters, known as zombies, back to life by mysterious radiation. WARNING - This is a graphic horror film with some gory special effects.   When: Wed, October 17, 7pm – 8pm Where: Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main Street, Tarrytown, NY 10591 (map)   For info and tickets: http://tickets.​tarrytownmusich​all.org or 877-840-0457. 10/03/2012

Tarrytown NY boasts quite a number of significant architectural treasures... one of them is Lyndhurst, a massive Gothic Revival Mansion built and finished in 1938 by Jackson Davis for railroad magnate Jay Gould. This architectural masterpiece offers sweeping views of the majestic Hudson River, and dazzles with it's vast landscaped vistas, it's opulent interior and broad collections of furniture and art objects. All of it is open to the public mid April through October - Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 4:15pm and November through April on weekends 10am to 3:30pm. Learn more about Lyndhurst and the numerous events offered throughout the year at http://lyndhurst.org   10/02/2012

Stunning Edgemont Townhome For Sale 307 Martling Ave, Tarrytown, NY 10591 View Map $5,000 CREDIT TOWARDS CLOSING COST - Beautiful sunny 3 bedroom duplex with open floor plan & gleaming hardwood floors. State of the art kitchen boasts granite counters, Stainless Steel appliances & lots of solid wood cabinetry. Den / 4th bedroom on 1st floor with 1/2 bath. Over sized living room with stone fireplace, dining area, wall of glass leads to large deck with tree top views. Upper level master suite with new luxurious bath, walk-in closet and laundry room. 2 more spacious bedrooms, new hall bath & hallway complete this level. Clubhouse, putting green, indoor / outdoor pools, tennis & close to village & train. Taxes grieved successfully & will be reduced. Details Asking Price: $479,000 MLS: 32049... 09/28/2012

Wonderfully Unique Tarryton Condo For Sale 80 Church Street, Tarrytown, NY 10591 View Map Charming 2 bedroom, /2.5 bath duplex style condo in converted Victorian Mansion. Truly extraordinary unit with plenty of old world charm, high ceilings and period detailing throughout. Relax and enjoy your private patio and porch overlooking lush gardens with a babbling brook. Seasonal river views. All this and close to all Tarrytown has to offer. Village shops, restaurants, Metro-north train and parks. Written up in Forbes Magazine as one of the prettiest villages. Taxes shown w/o STAR deduction / savings. Details Asking Price: $519,000 MLS: 3212964 Sq. Feet: 2400 Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2.5 # of Floors: 3 HOA/Maintenance Fees: 439 Year Built: 1865 Property Amenities - Range/Oven- Full Refrigerato... 09/28/2012

  One thing I keep hearing over and over again when I read about how people get great photos is simply – ALWAYS HAVE A CAMERA AVAILABLE!  Well, I really have to agree on that one.  On Sat., Sept 8, we had a big storm moving in.  I knew it was coming, but thought I had a while. In fact, I had a quiet evening at home mapped out rather than taking to the road in what was supposed to be severe weather.  The iPad was charged up as was the phone in case of a blackout.  But I was oblivious to the tornado watches .   But I had been on the road for about 7 hours with photo shoots for other agents and my own buyer clients.  Since I don’t check things like the web or even emails and text messages when I’m working with clients, I had been detached from internet for pretty much the whole day.  So I ... 09/16/2012

ptember 5th, 2012 by Ruthmarie Hicks Topics: Historic Hudson Valley, Pet-Friendly Condos, Tarrytown, Walkable Neighborhoods in Westchester Lookout Building - Hudson Harbor Over the past couple of years, I have been tracking the progress of Hudson Harbor  which is located right on the Hudson River against a major portion of the Westchester’s Hudson River Walk.   This development is a combination of luxury townhomes as well as condominium flats. Interspersed between the town homes will sit a complete community including shops and dining – creating  complete mini-community on the Hudson River.  Included in this package is a complete fitness center, a large out door pool both for residents only as well as guest houses for residents who have visitors.     Phase II – Lookout I – is nearly sol... 09/04/2012

For the past 28 years the Lyndhurst Estate has hosted the "Fall Crafts Festival" where over 275 artists and craftspeople proudly display their work. This very much anticipated annual event features not just the skill and talent of local talent but also the nations most promising and creative artists working in all sorts of media (glass, ceramic, wood, metal and fabric) - painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers, potters and more. Along with all this the festival offers also great food and fun for everyone... and for children there will be face painting, story telling, and a puppet theater. Where:Historic Lyndhurst Estate, Tarrytown NY 10591 When:September 21st through 23rd, 2012 (Friday & Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday 19:00 AM to 6:00 PM) Web:www.lyndhurst.org 08/31/2012

Wonderfully Unique Tarryton Condo For Sale 80 Church Street, Tarrytown, NY 10591 View Map Charming 2 bedroom, /2.5 bath duplex style condo in converted Victorian Mansion. Truly extraordinary unit with plenty of old world charm, high ceilings and period detailing throughout. Relax and enjoy your private patio and porch overlooking lush gardens with a babbling brook. Seasonal river views. All this and close to all Tarrytown has to offer. Village shops, restaurants, Metro-north train and parks. Written up in Forbes Magazine as one of the prettiest villages. Taxes shown w/o STAR deduction / savings. Details Asking Price: $519,000 MLS: 3212964 Sq. Feet: 2400 Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2.5 # of Floors: 3 HOA/Maintenance Fees: 439 Year Built: 1865 Property Amenities - Range/Oven- Full Refrigerato... 08/01/2012

Anyone living on the eastern portion of the Hudson River will attest to the fact that there is nothing quite like a sunset over the water.   The light reflects off the water - even the choppy water of the Hudson - to create a spectacular display every single night.  There are some seasonal differences.  The pink hues seen in this picture are pretty characteristic of the summer months.  The people in that sail boat were lucky enough to have a front row seat.... © 2012 - Ruthmarie G. Hicks - http://fotosonthefly.biz  - All rights reserved. Sailing on the Hudson River at sunset…. 07/20/2012

  Here’s hoping that everyone had a wonderful Independence Day.  I had a great time with my camera this year.  In the end, I ended up taking photos at two fireworks events.  The first was at the Kensico Dam in Valhalla.  This was a free event that boasted some 20,000 guests.  The place was packed, but I got there early enough to get a reasonably good spot for me and my camera…     More on that later.  The photo above was taken on July 4 2012 in Tarrytown.  The display took place in Tarrytown’s “sister village”  Sleepy Hollow.  Planting myself on the River Walk near Hudson Harbor ensured me a front row seat.  For those looking to go in 2013, be advised that you need to get there early.  I arrived 2.5 hours before the event and it was already crowded.   Below is a collage of photos from t... 07/06/2012

If you're looking for a light colored hardwood floor, consider maple  flooring for your home in Westchester NY. Maple flooring is a light blond color with low graining. It’s a light, smooth look that can open up any room and give a modern, contemporary and northern European feel.     Maple flooring is harder than oak. On the Janka hardness scale, Maple is a 1450 vs. red oak which is 1290. Maple is lighter than oak flooring and its grain is smoother. While traditionally a light blond color, the shade of maple flooring can differ depending on its age and the area where it was grown. Maple’s appearance also differs based on how the trees are cultivated. Flame maple, quilted maple and bird’s eye maple are 3 different types grain patterns that will give your room 3 different looks.     Maple... 06/26/2012

Every June Tarrytown NY has a Pet Parade as part of the festivities on its famous 3rd Friday events.    This year was no different and I will have more on the 3rd Friday generally, but in the meantime, here are a few canine portraits that I managed to obtain while balancing one of my own dogs on a leash along with a camera.   This first one is my favorite – Big Meets Small.   Large dogs are always so tolerant of little ones.  And this spunky little dog was ready to give big Bear a run for his money.  They are just getting to know each other…. The rest are portraits that I was lucky enough to get despite the awkward way in which I chose to try and take pics…. Many thanks to all my canine models.  They were very patient with me! © 2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com ... 06/15/2012

Last night I went to a speakeasy.  I had never really been to one before.   Jenifer Ross threw a real rag-time flapper party in celebration of the first anniversary of the Watercooler.  The Watercooler is a chic, hip office space for those who work independently but want an office to go to.   Its been quite a success and has caused quite a  stir in the river town area. The speakeasy was terrific.  Many came in costume and from the Mary Pickford punch (spiked with rum) to the piano music, the Marx Brothers movies and the poker game that went on throughout the night, it had all the feel of what I suppose a flapper era  speakeasy was like during the  prohibition era.  There were feather boas for the ladies and fedoras for the men.   No detail was overlooked and a great time was had by all.... 06/10/2012

Nothing expresses the serenity of the weekend like a picture of the sunset on a lovely night on the Hudson River.   This photo was taken fairly near Lighthouse Landing near the Sleepy Hollow border.  I just think this photo says long balmy  summer days and  some opportunity to dial down the tension of our everyday lives.   These days  everyone is under so much stress that I think we all desperately need to step off the treadmill from time to time and take a deep breath. © 2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com  - All rights reserved.     Fotos On the Fly – Have a peaceful weekend… 06/08/2012

  A few weeks ago I took a couple of night shots of the Tappan Zee Bridge from Tarrytown NY.  The sky was foggy that night and the river was like glass    One evening about 10 days ago, I found myself  near the same location once again just as the sun was going down.  The conditions were different, it was a nice night with some cloud cover, but the river was far more choppy.  So I set up the tripod with the idea of taking several photos  at different shutter speeds and ISO settings as the sun went down.   It was frankly an exercise, but a few of the photos came out really well, and at the risk of being redundant, I decided to post them here today… Another thing to note is that twilight photography can be a very effective way to market some homes.  A house looks very different at dusk, a... 06/06/2012

I was able to snap this shot of the Marymount “dome” early this afternoon while driving around the Tarrytown Lakes.  The dome is something of a landmark for the area and although the college campus has changed hands twice, the original campus buildings remain.   Even though I pass by the building several times a week, I’ve never been able to get  that great capture of the dome.  Not that I haven’t tried before.  But I never seemed to have the right angle on a clear day.  So here it is – at long last. © 2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://theWestchesterView.com – All rights reserved. Fotos On the Fly – Marymount College Dome 06/03/2012