Bronxville native, Maura Fitzgerald moved from Manhattan back to Bronxville. As a mother of 3 and a professional organizer, she took some time off her busy schedule to talk to Suburbs 101 about her move back to Bronxville, NY and why she loves it there. Here is Maura Fitzgerald’s Life in Bronxville, NY.
Describe your journey to Bronxville
My parents moved from NYC to Bronxville when I was first born. My husband also grew up in Bronxville and attended the Bronxville Schools with me. I LOVED living in Manhattan after college but once married (although before kids!) we decided to move back, opting for the yard and the grill over the concrete jungle. Well, to be honest, my husband led that charge. I left SoHo kicking and screaming.
You are from Bronxville. Any advice for newcomers on the best way to meet people?
Having grown up in Bronxville we had a pretty substantial built-in network of friends and family right from the start. However, once we had our children that network grew and we have met so many new, fun friends via the schools and community.
Did you know it costs $15,407.51 per month for a family of four to live in Bronxville, NY? We used our Bronxville Cost of Living Calculator to compute this!
Can you describe your social life?
Not so secret confession: My husband and I are “workin’ for the weekend” We love activity and
How would you describe Bronxville residents?
One of the reasons I love Bronxville so much is because of the people. Generally speaking, people are active and completely family focused. It’s all about the kids and giving them the best education and experience we can. An example of that can be seen in how many BHS alumni have returned to raise their families here. There are a ton of us!
How old are your kids? What do you like to do with them in the area?
My kids are 8 (Piper), 7 (Trixie) and Fitz (3). Some of our favorite family activities are:
- Hiking at the Rockefeller Estate
- Skiing at Mt. Peter
- Anything at Stone Barns
- Seasonal events such as The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze via the Historical Hudson Valley Society
- Kid concerts on Saturday afternoons at Garcias/The Capitol Theater
- Family Trivia Night at Cantina Lobos in Pelham
- Friday Night Family Dinners at all the amazing restaurants in Dobbs Ferry
- Hanging at the Playground and Bronxville School Fields
- Riding bikes with our neighbors and friends
What are your favorite restaurants in Bronxville or in the area?
For the
On the weekends, after skiing at Mt. Peter, we apres with the kids at Beer Noggin, our local Taphouse. The owners, Doug and Brendan, have created a super
What are your go-to places in Bronxville or in the area?
We adore Bronxville and hanging out at the Playground or going to Topps Bakery after church. But we also love to explore Westchester. There are so many Parks, Estates etc. that make for great walks and hikes.
And since Bronxville is only 1 sq
During winter months we love the weekend afternoon kid concerts at Garcia’s/The Capitol Theater in Port Chester. They offer fun activities for the kids so it’s a great way for the kids to run around but not have mom and dad stuck in a jumpy place all afternoon.
What are some things you don’t like about Bronxville?
I literally can’t think of anything right now….
Are you a member of a country club/beach club/yacht club?
We joined
What has your experience been with schools in the area?
It took me a couple of attempts to land on a Nursery School that we love. We began with my oldest daughter at Eliza Frost which is a really cute little school.
Then we moved directly next door to the Reformed Church Nursery School. The admissions process isn’t the easiest in your first year but RCNS is a wonderful play-based school that we are completely in love with. The Director, Margaret Murtagh and the Parent Board members are so hard working. The staff is extremely impressive in their dedication and love of our little ones. They continue to blow my mind each week with their organization and dedication to school children and families.
My older two girls are now loving Bronxville Elementary. Despite massive renovations to the school at large, the Kindergarten hallway is exactly the same as when I was there at that age. I love that. Both my husband and I had great experiences at BHS so we are in it to win it with the Public School system. 😉
Do you or your spouse take the train to the city? What has your experience been with the commute?
I commuted to NYC for 15 years and my husband still does. The Metro-North express train is only 28 minutes to Grand Central Terminal. Barely enough time to read The Post cover to cover ;).
My Grandfather used to visit from Washington DC and say. “All of this only 20 minutes outside of Manhattan?”. And he was right – it’s so great having close proximity to the culture and fun of NYC but the safety and sense of community a small suburban town has to offer.
The added benefit is that Bronxville is only 1 square mile so really anyone can walk to the train station. We always have. Lots of people who live closer to the edges of town are able to get annual passes to park their car. The spots are first
Any tips/advice you wished someone had told you when you were looking to move to the suburbs?
My only tip is in regard to schools. I wish I had started at Reformed Church Nursery School. As a working, commuting mom when we first had kids, Eliza Frost was lovely but RCNS offers many more social activities for parents and children so we would have met several of our now closest friends a lot sooner.
You are a professional organizer. Tell me more about Fitz Just Right- love the name by the way!
Thank you! Fitz Just Right is an organization business creating organized style and functional design for homes and businesses. I truly believe that your closed door spaces should make you as happy as your living spaces – and they should be just as pretty. In the age of Amazon and bulk-buying, style and function don’t have to be sacrificed. With FJR, those things come together to save you time and provide you with a sense of calm.
It’s amazing how many people don’t know what they own. Once organized you not only know exactly what you have but also where to find it. Stress is minimized substantially. Organization also provides individuals and families with a true sense of capability in the sense that each member of the family will be able to easily participate in keeping all items in your home accessible and easy to stow.
FJR will literally organize anything in your home. We do everything from junk drawers and pantries to closets, garages
About Maura Fitzgerald
Maura Fitzgerald was born in NYC and raised in Bronxville, NY. She holds a BA from Georgetown University and worked in Print and Digital Advertising Sales for 20 years at Forbes and Time Inc. Now Maura is a Luxury Organizational Design Specialist servicing Westchester County from September through June and Annapolis, MD in the summer months.
Maura and her husband love working for the weekends where they have non-stop action and fun with their 3 children….and everything isn’t always organized.
Follow Maura Fitzgerald
Follow Maura on Instagram @fitzjustrightny.com
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