Harvest-on-Hudson: Great Food, Great Views, Cheap Wine (on Sundays)

Let's face it: Valentine's Day dining is generally terrible. Restaurants are overcrowded. The food options are limited to a pre-fixe menu. Servers and kitchen staff are in over their heads. The quality is subpar. Is there anything less romantic than a crappy dining experience? Well, yes, but the point is that Valentine's Day dining surely isn't a way to sweep your lovah off their feet. This is precisely why I was surprised when I dined at Harvest-on-Hudson in Hastings-on-Hudson the day before Valentine's Day.

Yelp classifies Harvest-on-Hudson as an Italian restaurant, but the seasonal menu has more of a Mediterranean feel with choices ranging from stuffed dates (Spanish) to pasta (Italian) to roasted rabbit (Greek). They do have LOTS of Italian wines, but also offer a variety of choices from California, France, and Spain. Wine Spectator seems satisfied, as Harvest-on-Hudson won the magazine's Award of Excellence in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Another perk if you're a wino: the restaurants "Uncorked Sundays," when all bottles < $100 are 50% off.

Harvest-on-Hudson

The restaurant itself is a huge room with big, vaulted, wood-beamed ceilings that would lend itself well to a large event, like a wedding, but when seated by the windows, the feeling is cozy and warm. There is also outdoor seating available when the weather warms up, allowing you to dine on the Hudson near the chef's vegetable garden.

My date and I were really pleased with the food. We started with a standard charcuterie plate, which also came with a few basic cheeses (think pecorino, provolone, parmesean), but they do have a number of local Hudson Valley cheeses on the menu, which I'll definitely indulge in next time. 

I am a big fan of Cabernet Franc, but I find that they can be really hit or miss in that the earthy qualities that make it so fantastic can veer toward tasting like dirt. There aren't a whole lot of restaurants that offer the varietal from more than one winery, but I get so excited to see Cabernet Francs that I inevitably order a bottle almost immediately. So, I was thrilled when I got to try the 2006 Larkin Cabernet Franc and LOVED it. With the standard wine markup, it's not a great deal at $99, but go on a Sunday and all of a sudden it's a bargain.

As an entree, I tried the seasonal lamb stew, which was prepared in a big bowl full of big, tender pieces of lamb, potatoes, onions, and a goat cheese garnish. Sadly, now that a few months have passed, I can't remember what my date had, and I can't even remember what we had for dessert, but the overwhelming sentiment at the end of the meal was, "When can we come back?" I think you'll say the same.

The Only Man Who Can Tame My Curls

If you don't have curly hair, this post is probably irrelevant for you, but if you have been "blessed" with unruly locks, I'm about to change your life. Two words: Robert and Devachan. I started seeing Robert at the Devachan in SoHo about 3 or 4 years ago, and I immediately stopped attempting to straighten my hair. Prior to seeing Robert, I had never been with a stylist who knew what to do with my hair. Seriously, I'd walk out after my cut with soaking wet hair because they had no idea about which product they should use or how to properly dry it. After seeing Robert, though, I actually liked my natural hair for the first time in my life AND I was finally able to walk out of the salon with confidence. Fortunately for me, the SoHo Devachan stylists regularly work out of the Devachan location in White Plains, so Robert is just a quick drive away. 

www.devachansalon.com

Aside from the amazing stylists, they make GREAT hair products. I've probably tried every product on the market over the past 10+ years,  ranging from Bed Head TIGI Curls Rock to Garnier Fructis's curly line and I love DevaCurl AnGEL. You can buy it in the salons but I usually buy it on Amazon (lower prices and free shipping....it's a no brainer). It has a stronger hold than DevaCare Arc Angel, which I also use when it's not humid outside, and the key is to apply A LOT of product and allow your hair to be crunchy until your hair is 100% dry, but once you scrunch it, your curls will be nice and soft.

Westchester curly ladies: save your tresses and visit Devachan in White Plains (but don't take all of my man's appointments, please.)

Best Little Nail Salon in Yonkers

As most women (and some brave men) realize, good nail salons can be hard to come by. There tend to be three types:

1) The high-end salon that charges $30+ for a subpar manicure. They probably coax you in with marble floors, brand new pedicure chairs, and BYOB mimosas. These are all generally bad signs.

2) The shabby salon that flies through clients charging < $15 for a so-so manicure with mediocre service. Great for a last-minute appointment before a date or interview, but your cuticles will pay dearly later.

3) The chupacabra salon: a place that charges < $35 for an immaculate mani/pedi in a beautiful salon with friendly, quick service.

Post-manicure Fudgie the Whale, anyone?

Not to be anti-climatic, but #3 just doesn't exist (that's why it's the chupacabra salon, stupid). However, I have found a place that falls somewhere between at Fancy Nail Salon in Yonkers, close to the border of Mt. Vernon on Yonkers Avenue and conveniently located next to a Carvel. It is not, in fact, very fancy, but I've always been happy with their service and I never feel guilty after paying the bill, with mani/pedis running at about $27, including tax. Fancy Nail has a good selection of Essie colors and also offers gel manicures for $35 (my new favorite). I've most frequently had Adriana, John, and Ginny as technicians and their attention to detail is fantastic, not to mention the amazing foot and hand massages they give. I've actually fallen asleep it's so relaxing. 

That said, the interior of the salon is...interesting. The main floor area is carpeted, the walls are a bright yellow, and the furniture includes a mix of fairly new and very old pieces. It's not the most attractive salon, but it's always clean and hey, it gets the job done.


BTW: Has anyone tried out any of the new Essie colors? Pink-a-boo looks kind of cute but I'm not into the sparkles, and all of the other ones look a little 90s/Revlon/Barbie.

source: essie.com

A Few of My Favorite Things

Over the past two years, I've established a handful of go-to places in southern Westchester. These are in no particular order, and are just places/things I'd love to indulge in everyday:

'Sup?

1) The Bronx River Pathway - Positioned along the Bronx River and the Bronx River Parkway, this mostly-paved trail extends from Bronxville all the way up to the Kensico Dam in Valhalla through forests and beautiful stone arch bridges. Though the landscape still looks a little post-apocolyptic after last year's crazy rain and snow storms, you can often see Egrets, Wood Ducks, and other birds that I haven't Googled yet. The pathway is perfect for long-distance runs, as the folks over at the Starbucks near the Hartsdale Metro-North Station have always been kind enough to refill my water bottles, and the Kensico Dam park has water fountains, bathrooms, and lots of green grass to stretch on.

2) Khangri (Yonkers) - After living in the City for a number of years, you get accustomed to have relatively good sushi at anytime. Just over a year ago, this wasn't an option in Yonkers, but Khangri came along and rocked my world. Located on Warburton Street, right near where the Saw Mill River is being daylighted, the restaurant is nicely decorated and spacious with an extremely friendly waitstaff. The sushi has always tasted fresh, but they also serve great cooked items, including the lightly breaded and fried rock shrimp appetizer, the mushroom soup, the Chilean sea bass, and the Hibachi chicken and rib eye.

Stew's vs. Showbiz Pizza

3) Stew Leonard's Wine Shop (Yonkers) - Okay, let's be real: Stew Leonard's is a total mob scene full of wandering parents, dazed children, and weird animatronics that I haven't seen since my 5th birthday party at Showbiz Pizza. Though you still have to deal with the mayhem in the parking lot, the Stew Leonard's Wine Shop is surprisingly great. They have a huge selection of wines, though I'd like to see more from California and New York wineries, but the biggest plus of this place is that their prices are competitive. Next time you're stocking up for a party (or a crazy night by yourself), Stew's is a good option.

4) Harper's Bar & Restaurant (Dobbs Ferry) - I visited Harper's on a whim just a few weeks ago, knowing very little about the place except that they use a lot of fresh and seasonal produce from local farmers. What I didn't know is that they have THE MOST AMAZING BURGER EVER. I don't know what they've done to their meat to make it so magical, or if it's just been a long time since I've had a quality burger, but it was just plain amazing: not too greasy, didn't fall apart, and just tasted like awesomeness on a brioche bun. They also have a decent wine selection and a creative cocktail menu, not to mention are really great atmosphere with a rustic interior and relaxed ambiance. I can't wait to try more items on the menu, but I will mostly be back for the burger.

Source: Flickr

5) Cold Spring, NY - Cold Spring is actually in Putnam County, but makes for a wonderful day trip with Mom or a girlfriend. Cold Spring is a small village right on the eastern shore of Hudson and is easily accessible via Metro-North, just 1 hour from Grand Central and 30 minutes from Croton Harmon. The town is full of adorable antique shops and local restaurants in well-preserved 19th century buildings. Just strolling around the streets makes you forget how close you are to Manhattan, and on those hot, humid summer days, the breeze off the river (plus an ice cream cone) makes it much more bearable.

Life as a YUSP

In 2010, I forged my way north to Westchester County thinking, "I'll be just 30 minutes from Grand Central, so how different could it be?" Two years later, I own a car, have a puppy, commute to Long Island, but still (attempt to) maintain a social life in the City. I am officially a YUSP: Young Urban/Suburban Professional. There are probably tons of YUSPs in Westchester County, but I definitely feel out of place.

First off, I live in Yonkers, which has to be one of the lowest income areas in the county, and as a result, it doesn't fit the mold of "Westchester" the way that wealthier towns like Scarsdale or Larchmont do. The value of the condo I live in - which is very nice with river views - is at most, 15-25% of the value of the "typical" Westchester home, which probably has a property tax that amounts to more than I made in pre-tax income as a grad student in 2011.

Second, I don't have kids. It is next to impossible to have a conversation with a Westchester mom without the conversation revolving around their children, which means that I have no input to give...ever. I could ramble on and on about my pup, Rocky, but then I just sound like I'm pining for kids (for the record, raising a puppy is serious mental birth control).

Rocky aka Destructo

Third, I'm very interested in social issues, and there's not usually much to say when someone's biggest problem is deciding whether to send their kid to Yale or Princeton.

All jokes aside, I know I'm not the only YUSP in Westchester who craves the NYC amenities of their very recent youth, so I hope to share my local finds with other YUSPS and Westchester moms alike.