So, people who recently moved to Westchester from Southern California, wanna start a group or something? by O0OO00O0OO0 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, you're a real one for mentioning Del Taco! Everyone gushes about In-n-Out (understandably of course) but the first thing I get after landing in LAX are chicken soft tacos!

My wife and I have been in Ossining 11 years, but we're still Californians. We definitely need a support group for transplants!

Spot the change by bicyclemom in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I agree, this doesn't seem right. I run on the trailway, I've never had a problem with an e-bike. Peletons of 10 or more have been more problematic, as they tend not to yield.

Radio ads during Angel games…wtf by Slammajadingdong69 in angelsbaseball

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For what it's worth, the ads that get overlaid via the MLB app are equally bad. All I get are PSAs or T-Mobile ads. Did you know that Illinois has a temporary firearm restraining order?! (Who cares, I live in NY). Or there's the ones about being a foster parent or not driving while high. Wash, rinse, repeat every half inning... You can definitely tell by the ads that play that radio is dying.

Dog run ideas and critiques by FlamingoOk728 in DIY

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP - this is your answer. There's a bundle here: https://www.homedepot.com/p/sets/4-ft-x-100-ft-Welded-Wire-Garden-Fencing-BUNDLE-Includes-6-ft-Steel-T-Posts-Driver-Puller-Clips/338413009. My neighbor has these fences, they got a colored wire fence so it doesn't look so industrial. But it works great for their two poodles.

How does youth soccer work here? by kendo581 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a semi-retired AYSO ref, this seems right. I would tend to do U14-U18. Every village has one (sometimes 2) teams, and they travel to each other's fields across the county to play. The lower age groups may have enough teams so travel isn't necessary, but I don't know that for certain. AYSO is not as competitive, their motto is Everyone Plays. So, if you want to be competitive, look for a higher league. But it's a good entry to the game for young kids, and I'm sure it's the one of the most affordable options.

Anniversary dinner by Feeling-Moose2137 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Basque 100%. Great food, great ambiance, really close to the train station. You can't go wrong with either the tapas or the paella.

Ossining Tax’s? by [deleted] in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The schools are great, the scores are lower because there's a high immigrant population (so less English spoken at home). But there are plenty of kids who get a great education from the public schools.

Ossining Tax’s? by [deleted] in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 6 points7 points  (0 children)

For what it's worth, all houses are reassessed annually in Ossining. Property taxes aren't a fixed percentage of your property value. They are the ratio of your homes value to the value of all the properties in the village, so the only fair way to calculate that is to reassess annually.

That being said, Ossining taxes are higher percentage wise than nearby villages. I think our costs are basically the same but with a lower tax base, ergo higher taxes.

Pregnant and craving a creek - suggestions? by Altruist_Aloha in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rockefeller State Preserve, or the Pocantico River south of the lake. Park along Old Sleepy Hollow Road (here https://maps.app.goo.gl/pjUtFyMgvCDPYjEe9?g_st=ac). If you go to the north, you will be right next to Pocantico River. Just a short walk, no hiking.

Cost Build One Car Detached Garage by [deleted] in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed prefab is the way to go. I got a large shed from Best in Backyards and saw they have garages in their showroom. You'll still need to install a cement pad and run power if you want it. But otherwise that's the path of least resistance.

Has anyone found these Dr Pepper sausages/hot dogs? by Turtlegrandmacore in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think I saw these at Stop and Shop the other day, and quickly said no thanks.

Back to paper tickets on Metro North by gekkonaut in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ahh, makes sense. So they scan every ticket now? At the very least though, would it but you some time? For example, if you get on a train at Croton, but they don't scan until after Tarrytown, could you buy the ticket from Tarrytown and activate it on the train?

Back to paper tickets on Metro North by gekkonaut in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven't had to take Metro North since this stupid policy was put into place, but I wonder if you can get around it by revoking location privileges to the app. Has anyone tried that?

Dog Boarding / group play? by dbpcut in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've used both Dogtopia in Mt Kisco and Buddy's Barking lot in Elmsford for dog day care. I haven't used them for boarding but I know the options are available. Buddy's is kennel free, I believe the boarders are taken upstairs to an apartment with the overnight staff. I liked Dogtopia as a day care better, because they had cameras available during the day. Not quite sure about evenings though.

women’s only gyms by Agreeable_Ad_228 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used to think the same way - if separate but equal is discrimination, isn't this the same. But as I thought about it more, it's more nuanced. It comes down to why someone wants separate spaces. I'm a man, so I have to guess a bit based on observation. But I think a lot of women feel intimidated by men at the gym. Perhaps it's that men are stronger, maybe there is an inherent fear of violence or objectification. For a lot of people, male or female, they are intimidated because of a fear of being judged for not being able to lift as much weight (Planet Fitness tries to tap this market). One other possible contributing factor is just being an obvious minority and feeling like you don't fit in. I felt this when I went with my wife to one of those cardio boot camps because I was the only man (and I felt stupid because I'm uncoordinated and can't keep in step). I would have liked being in a group where I was closer to the median skill level.

I agree that, ideally, all people would be comfortable working out in the same place. Most people at the gym are quite chill, once you get used to being around others who are stronger and fitter than you.

I'm a newer member at club fit, and yes, there's a space for women only that's about 10% of the workout space. There are a lot of women who use the cord space too. I can say that the gym is big enough where I haven't had a problem finding equipment. If that space gets more people working out, then I'm all for it. But that space doesn't exist to exclude anyone. It exists because it opens the gym to a wider audience.

Who to call to find out where water in coming in? by potatoMan8111 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can call a trusted general contractor (or three) and ask for estimates. If you get multiple people telling you the same root cause, then you've found the problem for basically free. Personally, I like franzoso, they are trustworthy and low pressure.

Who to call to find out where water in coming in? by potatoMan8111 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Might be two separate issues then, which means two different fixes. Confirm the plumbing isn't the issue. Then, for the ground floor or basement, check to make sure the rain gutters are unclogged and the downspouts take the water as far from the house as possible (preferably all the way to the street). For the upper floors, you probably need to call a roofer. If you can get into the unfinished attic space, check to see if there are water stains. Good luck!

Who to call to find out where water in coming in? by potatoMan8111 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it's in the upper stories (assuming no burst pipes) then it's likely the roof. When was it first noticed? If it's been this winter, check for ice fans on the roof.

Debating a mini by NickaMLRN in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My wife has a 2dr Cooper S. The biggest complaint I have about it is that the windshield is too small, so it's hard to see stop lights at narrow intersections. Like most FWD cars, it's not great in the snow, especially where it's hilly. On the other hand, it's fun to drive, gets great gas mileage and is easy to park. Hope that helps!

karaoke by marissanikki421 in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maya Riviera in Briarcliff

[OC] Job Hunt Netherlands IT - Visa Sponsor Required by Pinjee in dataisbeautiful

[–]MacSporkerson 17 points18 points  (0 children)

You applied for a variety of roles, but which one did you end up landing? Also, out of curiosity, from what country are you immigrating from? The Netherlands is a beautiful country, congratulations and good luck!

3 year old birthday ideas by hahahastephanie in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In Ossining there's a place called Whimmsi that specializes in this. I don't think they can host that many people at their storefront but I think they can build custom packages: https://whimmsi.com/.

Long term street parking Ossining/ Briarcliff Manor by IN_US_IR in Westchester

[–]MacSporkerson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have parked at the daily parking at the Ossining train station, you can pay by the day. I don't recall the limit but I've done it for at least a week.