Lisa Perlman's Move to Rye, NY

Lisa Perlman’s Move to Rye, NY

Writer and stand-up comic, Lisa Perlman, shares her move to Rye, NY story. She moved from Manhattan to Westchester. Here is Lisa Perlman’s Move to Westchester story.

Lisa Perlman's Move to Rye, NY
Lisa Perlman

Tell me about your move to Rye, NY

We moved to Westchester County when my son was 5 years old and my daughter was 20 months old.  I watched mommy friends make the exodus but I was not originally on board.  I love living in New York City.  But my husband wanted a house. Like most men, he wanted an outdoor grill 😉 and more space.  I ultimately agreed to move because of the kids.

Why did you choose to move to Rye? What other towns were you looking at?

We looked at houses in New Jersey and Westchester.  At first, we looked up north in Armonk and Chappaqua but we felt the homes were too far from New York City.  And mind you, I’m not originally a city girl. I grew up in Woodstock, NY.   

We ultimately decided on Westchester. We fell in love with our house in Rye, NY. We love the location. It is a Rye PO home in the Rye/Harrison area and very close to White Plains. I describe it as urban suburban because it is conveniently located to everything. We are near Rye Ridge Plaza which has lots of restaurants, shops and Soul Cycle.

What are the top 3 things you like about Rye?

I like that Rye is accessible. I’m near Whole Foods and lots of restaurants. I can grocery shop with a car.  I remember when I was living in New York City, if I buy milk and detergent, I have my hands full. 

I also love the wonderful group of women that I’ve met.  They are an amazing, down-to-earth group.  A mixture of working mothers and stay-at-home moms.

Lisa Perlman's Move to Rye, NY

What do you like to do with your kids in Rye? Westchester?

I like to go to Lifetime Athletic in West Harrison with my 5 year old.  It is a great place to work out and they have a wonderful kids program for children under 7 years old. 

You never feel guilty dropping off your kids because they participate in a lot of structured activities from Spanish to Dance to Rock Climbing.  And once your child is 3 years old, you can go off property for up to 3 hours which is basically “free” baby sitting. However, my 9 year old my son is getting too old for the kids program at Lifetime Athletic.  He only likes Lifetime Athletic for the outdoor pool in the summer. 

On summer weekends we like to go to Rye Playland.  Rye Playland is a local amusement park. 

My kids also play a lot of sports so we spend a lot of time at the baseball fields and football fields.  The nice thing about the suburbs is that all the sports are affiliated with the school. This is so much easier than New York City where I have to look for sports programs in different facilities like Asphalt Green. 

We also do dinners with other families- Sunday night dinners or BBQ dinners during the summer.

Do you know it costs $16,527.36 per month for a family of four to live in Rye? Check out our Rye Cost of Living Calculator

How would you describe Rye residents?

I actually don’t have many friends from Rye. Most of my friends and the people I have met live in Purchase because my Rye PO home is districted for the Harrison School District. 

The people I have met are wonderful.  A good mix of ethnicity, religion, and interests.  Not everyone sends their kids to sleep-away camps.  Not everyone is an athlete.

What are your favorite restaurants in and around Rye?

The sashimi in Fogama (Rye) is the thickest I’ve ever had.  For groups, I like Gabriele’s in Greenwich (CT).  I also like the piano bar at Polpo (Greenwich).  Kee Oyster Bar in White Plains and Saltaire in Port Chester are favorites as well.

What are your go-to places in Westchester?

I like Lifetime Athletic. I also go to Bikram Yoga in Rye Brook. I like the Westchester Mall in White Plains.  The kids like Westchester Burger Company in Rye Brook. 

For birthday parties, we like Sportime USA in Elmsford, Kids U in Port Chester and BounceU in Elmsford.  I find the birthday party venue options in the area limited.

Can you describe your social life in the suburbs?

Believe it or not, we are actually more social in the suburbs than when we were in the city. It is rare for us to have no plans on a Saturday night.  On weekends, when we don’t have babysitters we like to order in and hang out with other families. We usually hang out with a group of 4 to 6 couples. 

My group of friends goes out of their way to celebrate each other’s birthdays.  We pick restaurants and chip in to buy gifts.  One thing that is different in the suburbs is that Holidays and New Year’s Eve are not done in restaurants.  There are a lot of house parties. 

I don’t know why I’m more social in the suburbs than in the city.  Maybe it’s because we are in the suburbs that is why we keep ourselves more socially occupied.

What has your experience been so far with schools?

My son attends Purchase Elementary School and my daughter is next door at Purchase Community House.  She is finishing her last year of preschool. 

We love the schools. The teachers are great.  Both schools are beautiful.  The Purchase Elementary School principal is wonderful.

What do you miss about New York City?

I don’t like that there are the same 3 places to go to on Girl’s Night.  We usually go to Saltaire in Port Chester, Polpo in Greenwich, or Gabriele’s in Greenwich. 

In the city, there is always something new to try.  I miss the newness of the city where there is always a new restaurant to try or a new place to go to. I like that restaurants open late in the city.  I miss being able to order in anytime. I also miss being anonymous. 

Here in the suburbs, I always run into somebody at the lot at Rye Ridge Plaza while in the city I can go around without running into anybody I know. 

I also miss being able to walk around.  I miss going out with girlfriends in the city.   I miss the sirens.  I miss looking out the window and seeing someone walking down the street.  I miss the mystery and excitement of the city.   The things that I miss are things an adult would miss. 

For kids, I think they are better off living in the suburbs.  I don’t know why anybody would move to the suburbs if they don’t have kids.  We moved to the suburbs for the children.  If you have no kids and can afford it, I think you are better off living in the city.

About Lisa Perlman

Lisa Perlman is a writer, a stand-up comic, and a mommy.  She has been performing stand-up comedy for over two decades in stand-up comedy clubs throughout the country.  Her comedy explores dating, marriage, pregnancy, motherhood, and everyday observations.  She has produced comedy shows for both private and corporate events.  She is proud to have used her humor as an auctioneer, raising money for various philanthropies in New York City, and has been a public speaker on the topic of humor’s effect on mental health.  She has most recently been producing sold out comedy shows for the suburban crowd called Jestchester.  She resides in Rye with her husband Dave and two children. Follow @lisablytheperlman Website: www.lisablytheperlman.com

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