Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson's Move to Scarsdale, N

Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson’s Move to Scarsdale, NY

Lifestyle blogger, Jamie Robinson opens up to share her move to Scarsdale, NY story.  Jamie moved from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to Scarsdale, NY in Westchester County.  She also shares with us her experience of what it’s like to live in Scarsdale, NY.

This is Part 1 of our interview with Jamie.  Check out Part 2 where she shares her experience renovating her Scarsdale fixer-upper. Here is Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson’s Move to Scarsdale, NY.

Did you know it costs more than $14,000 a month for a family of four to live in Scarsdale NY? Check out our Scarsdale Cost of Living Calculator

Tell me about your move to Scarsdale, NY?

We were newlyweds when we finally made the move to the suburbs.  My husband works in New York City and I was in my 3rd year of law school at Brooklyn Law when we moved to Scarsdale.

We were living in a one bedroom apartment in Manhattan’s Upper East Side with our dog and we were starting to run out of space! We were also dying for some outdoor space for ourselves and more importantly for our dog. We had started to look for two bedroom units in Manhattan but we weren’t finding anything that we really loved.

At the time, we were also planning our wedding in Westchester County so we started to look into houses in Westchester and eventually, we were presented with a deal on a fixer-upper in Scarsdale that we couldn’t pass up.

I also LOVE to cook and entertain but had difficulty entertaining with a kitchen the size of a closet in our NYC apartment.  It sounds crazy, but I think my desire to have a real kitchen was also a big reason for our decision to move out of New York City. 

It was not easy leaving our Upper East Side neighborhood.  We loved that we lived only 2 blocks from Central Park.  But the space trade-off we got by moving to the suburbs was totally worth it in the end.

We ended up moving to Scarsdale, NY which is in Westchester County.  Actually, it is a Scarsdale PO home since our home is located in the North End of New Rochelle (the Scarsdale PO versus non-Scarsdale PO address was all very confusing to me at first).  We live on the Scarsdale/New Rochelle border and I’d say we spend more time in Scarsdale versus New Rochelle.

Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson's Move to Scarsdale, NY
Jamie Robinson in her Scarsdale NY home

Why did you choose to move to Scarsdale, NY? What other towns were you looking at?

When we began house hunting in the New York suburbs, we weren’t really all that serious about it, but we knew we wanted to be somewhere with good schools. Having been a teacher before law school, schools were really important to me. 

We looked at houses in Westchester County. We looked at New Rochelle, Scarsdale, Larchmont, Mamaroneck and even up into Connecticut, but ultimately decided to move to Scarsdale for the commute, schools, and the house we found.

We also loved Connecticut but decided against it since we didn’t want to do the commute from Connecticut to NYC at this stage in our lives. Staying close to New York City was really important to us.

When you moved to Scarsdale did you know anyone? How did you make friends?

My husband is from Westchester so he has family close by which is nice. He has some friends in Westchester, but I didn’t know anyone when we moved to Scarsdale! 

I’m originally from Pennsylvania so I don’t have any family in New York and most of my friends are still in New York City.  We haven’t been in Scarsdale all that long and with law school it was hard to make new friends…actually making friends was one of my biggest fears with leaving New York City because I felt like I wouldn’t have much in common with anyone in the suburbs.

I wouldn’t say I’ve made a ton of friends yet, but we do have a few couples from the Scarsdale area that we hang out with and I’ve also found that most people are really friendly and I’ve met some people at yoga, the hair salon, etc.

With law school and my schedule, it was hard to keep a consistent social life or even one where I regularly attended classes, etc., but my goal for this year is to make more friends! Blogging has also helped with connecting with others in Westchester and I’m really looking forward to meeting and collaborating with fellow bloggers around the area in the future!

Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson's Move to Scarsdale, NY
Jamie Robinson

How would you describe residents of Scarsdale, NY?

There is a good mix of young families and older couples in Scarsdale. Everyone in Scarsdale is pretty friendly. Also, a lot of people who live in Scarsdale work and commute to New York City.

Check out The Truth About Living in Scarsdale, NY 

Can you describe your social life in Scarsdale, NY?

I’m a total foodie so my social life usually involves eating dinner or having drinks somewhere. Usually, my husband and I will meet up with another couple and head out to dinner somewhere in Westchester.

When we aren’t meeting up with others, we usually are spending 2-3 days a week just out and about at different Westchester restaurants or happy hours. I love exploring new restaurants or places I haven’t been to so I’m always trying to make dinner plans.

We also see our families a lot on the weekends.  Once I have the baby I hope to become more social and connect with other moms in Scarsdale and hopefully get a more exciting social life!

What are some things you don’t like about living in Scarsdale?

Driving everywhere! I actually like that we have a car, but I do miss walking.  In New York City, we always walked, took the subway, or an Uber. Unfortunately, Uber in Westchester isn’t as reliable or fast as it is in New York City. 

I also don’t like that people in the suburbs are much more “curious” about their neighbors – maybe it comes from living in New York City where everyone pretty much minds their own business and isn’t too bothered by what others are doing.  But it seems like in the suburbs, everyone is very concerned with what others are doing and they aren’t afraid to tell you if they do or don’t approve! I find it pretty funny most of the time, but it’s definitely something I’m still getting used to.

Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson's Move to Scarsdale, NY
Jamie Robinson

What are your favorite restaurants in Scarsdale, NY?

I love eating out in the Scarsdale area. My favorite restaurants in Westchester are Burrata Wood Fired Pizza in Eastchester, Modern Restaurant & Lounge in New Rochelle, Rio Bravo in Larchmont and Organic Pharmer in Scarsdale.

For ice cream, I like Longford’s Ice Cream in Larchmont. For happy hour I like Molly Spillanes in Mamaroneck, they have an awesome patio and “Yappy Hour” on Thursdays. I also like Boiano Bakery in Mamamaroneck.

Where are your go-to places in Westchester?

I have many go-to places in Westchester! We love taking the dog for walks in Manor Park in Larchmont. It’s so pretty and right on Long Island Sound. I love going to Yappy Hour at Molly Spillanes, I can bring the dog with me for Happy Hour on Thursday nights!

Nordstrom at the Westchester Mall is another go-to place for me. It’s one place the city doesn’t have! Another go-to place for me in Westchester is Barnes & Noble.

And for dinner and a little change of pace, we love going to Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, CT. Although Greenwich is not in Westchester County, it is very convenient since it’s right at the New York border.

Check out our Guide to Dog Parks in Westchester County

Are you a member of a country club in Westchester?

We don’t currently belong to any country club in Westchester, but we plan to join one next year! We are primarily looking into the New Rochelle beach clubs.

Check out our Insider’s Guide to Country Clubs in Westchester and our Insider’s Guide to Beach Clubs in Westchester

Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson's Move to Scarsdale, NY
Jamie Robinson with her dog

Do you or your spouse commute to New York City from Scarsdale? What has your experience been with the commute?

My husband commutes to New York City from Scarsdale every day and the Metro-North train is about 35-40 minutes into Grand Central. 

Until recently, I was commuting from Scarsdale to Brooklyn Heights for law school 3-4 times per week. The commute from Scarsdale to Brooklyn was not fun!

Metro North trains that aren’t the express trains sometimes take 45-50 minutes from Scarsdale station to Grand Central Terminal. From Grand Central, I had another 30-40 minute subway ride to Brooklyn. I spent about 3 hours commuting (on a good day). 

We tried to get a parking space at the Scarsdale Metro-North station before moving from New York City but we were placed on a waitlist…I don’t really think we ever heard back about it either. However, it worked out because I usually just drop my husband off at the Scarsdale Metro-North train station in the morning.

When I need to commute into New York City, I take an Uber to the Scarsdale Metro-North train station (which runs me about $8 one way from my house).

Or, if I’m feeling ambitious or I’m not in a time crunch, I will take the BeeLine bus to the Scarsdale Metro-North train station. It’s actually really easy and a much cheaper option to and from the Scarsdale train station (your metro card gets a free transfer too once in New York City).

Any tips/advice you wished someone had told you when you moved to the Suburbs from New York City?

When you move to the suburbs, don’t be afraid to initiate conversation, especially if it seems like you would have something in common with that person.

It’s easy to go places in the suburbs and see other people already in groups, etc., especially at classes and social events and assume that they are content and don’t want to be bothered to make new friends. But every time I’ve introduced myself in this kind of setting, it always ended in great conversation and I’m meeting someone new.

This is a really great way to meet new friends in the suburbs and to just get involved in what is going on in the community. The more involved you are in your community, the more comfortable you start to feel.

About Jamie Robinson

Mom-to-Be Jamie Robinson's Move to Scarsdale, NY
Jamie Robinson

Jamie Robinson is the lifestyle blogger behind A Hint of Gold Blog, a dog mom, and a mom-to-be living in Westchester, NY.  Originally from Pennsylvania, Jamie moved to New York City and then to the suburbs while finishing her Juris Doctor degree. When she is not blogging, she enjoys exploring life in Westchester with her husband and her French bulldog.  She is a foodie and is always on the hunt for the best food around. Instagram: @ahintofgoldblog Website: www.ahintofgoldblog.com

Check out our Interviews with Westchester County residents:

Jamie Robinson- DIY Home Renovation in Scarsdale, NY

Adrienne Harper’s Move to Bronxville, NY

Stylish Westchester’s Move to Rye, NY

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