Nikki Levinson, mother of three and founder of Nanny Solutions moved from New York City to Armonk, NY. She took time off her busy schedule to talk to Suburbs 101 and to give us a peek into her life in Armonk as well as her move to Armonk, NY.
Describe your move to Armonk, NY?
I was very hesitant about moving to the suburbs as I am a city girl. We looked at a few towns in Westchester. My husband grew up in Rye. We ended up falling in love with Armonk and decided to move to Armonk. It did help that my best friend from college lived in Armonk.
What do you love about living in Armonk?
Armonk is a very warm community with an amazing school system, great people and a very family-oriented town. I live on the Armonk side of town which is 2 minutes from the schools and town. It is very convenient especially when you have to drive kids all over the place. I met people right away from baby classes.
Can you describe your social life?
My social life consists of dinners with friends, parties, charity functions, mahjong, and dinners in New York City. It’s so nice to live so close to New York City. I can still go to NYC to watch Broadway shows and concerts. I love traveling and meeting people from around the world and different cultures.
Where do you go to stay fit?
I am obsessed with Soul Cycle but Ripped Fitness in Rye Brook is where I see results. I also love Hot Yoga and my Peloton bike when I am in a time crunch.
What are your go-to places and go-to service providers?
- Tru-Grace when shopping for clothes
- HipChik for great home gifts and cool blazers and jackets
- Sugar Hi for amazing desserts candy baskets and the banana pudding is insane
- Beascakes Bakery for chocolate chip cookies and challah bread
- Park Avenue Medical Spa for eyebrows facials
- J-Crystal for nails
- Frederman Electric– Tom is so talented
- Alampi Pool and Spa -Paul is the best
- Morano Landscape -They are fabulous
- AGH Home Improvements
How old are your Kids?
I have twin boys that are 15 years old and a 10 year old daughter. They are active in sports and dance. Fortunately, there are are so many options with sports and dance programs in the area. My daughter loves Westchester Dance Academy.
What has your experience been with Armonk schools?
Armonk schools are amazing, that is one of the main reasons why we moved to Armonk. The after school sports programs are also great. We decided to move one of my twins, diagnosed with dyslexia, to the Winward School and it was life-changing.
Are you a member of a country club? If so, which one?
We have been members of Fairview Country Club and Tamarack Country Club. There are several wonderful country clubs in the area. They are great if you love golf like my husband does!
Things I don’t like about living in Armonk
Some things I don’t like about Armonk are the pickup lines at the Wampus school as I tend to rush around a lot. I also don’t like it when I go to Beascakes Bakery and they are out of challah bread; its the best ever!
Any advice you can give to someone looking to move to Armonk?
Armonk is very spread out, so when moving to Armonk you need to have a realtor who really shows you the lay of the land. To me, it was very important to be close to town and highways. The Bedford side of Armonk is gorgeous and you may get a bit more land, so there are trade-offs.
Do you or your husband commute to New York City from Armonk?
Fortunately, we don’t commute daily to New York City from Armonk. I do go into the city twice a week but when I do, I drive into the city. It’s relaxing for me and I can take calls on the way. Armonk doesn’t have its own train station, so when we do go into the city by train, we use either the North White Plains station or the Mount Kisco Station.
Tell me more about Nanny Solutions
After the birth of my oldest children, twin boys, I knew I needed full-time help. I finally found help after many frustrating hours spent interviewing. I quickly recognized a hole in the marketplace for accessible, high-quality help. That’s when I decided to start Nanny Solutions.
Aside from childcare help, Nanny Solutions also places live in/live out housekeepers, chefs, house managers, drivers- we are a full home staffing agency. We also give CPR classes and professional cleaning classes to nannies. All our candidates are screened and background checks are run on everyone that is being hired. Our placement fee is taken once we find the right fit for the family. We take 4 weeks of the nanny’s salary and we give 45 days to make sure the family likes that nanny. Within those 45 days if things are not going as expected, we start the interview process over again until we find the client the best fit. No extra fee is taken for replacement. We do not have a lot of turn-over as we work very hard with the client and the candidate to make sure everyone is happy before we proceed to the hiring process.
How Much does It Cost to Hire a Nanny in Westchester?
The average hourly rate for live-out nannies range from $20-25 per hour. The nanny hourly rate is determined by the amount of experience they have, if they drive and the nanny’s job description. Some nannies make $35-50 an hour depending on the languages they speak and if they have childhood education experience. Live-in nannies range from $750-1100 per week.
Have you read any good books lately? Any recommendations?
I love to read but have not been able to read lately with work and kids in every direction. The last book read was The Clockmaker’s Daughter and I really enjoyed it.
About Nikki Levinson
Nikki Levinson is the founder of Nanny Solutions, a full home staffing agency. She started Nanny Solutions after the birth of her oldest children, twin boys. After many frustrating hours spent interviewing help, she quickly recognized a hole in the marketplace for accessible, high-quality help. Nikki lives in Armonk, NY with her husband and three children. Website: Nanny Solutions
You May Also Be Interested In:
My Housekeeper Got Covid-19. We Did Not. My Safety Tips
Best Fire Pit Tables for Your Outdoor Patio or Deck
Chef Peter Kelly’s Favorite Restaurants in Westchester
Dr. Whitney Bowe’s Beauty Secrets and her Life in Chappaqua, NY
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Westchester?
Need a New York Suburbs Real Estate Agent?
Suburbs 101 has a free service to connect you with local real estate agents. Check it out!
About Suburbs 101
Suburbs 101 is an online lifestyle guide for the New York Suburbs of Westchester County, Long Island, Fairfield County and Northern New Jersey. Get the inside scoop on what it’s really like to live in the New York suburbs through our interviews with local suburbanites and features on Food, Fashion, Home, Travel, and Local Events. Be sure to Follow Us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook and subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter.
Suburbs 101 participates in affiliate programs including Amazon Associates Program and may earn from qualifying purchases.