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🍸 Real Housewives of Westchester? Andy Cohen Weighs In

🍸 Real Housewives of Westchester? Andy Cohen Weighs In

Plus MUJI opens its first Westchester store, the Cross County tree lighting kicks off the holiday season, and a Pound Ridge Colonial on 2.55 acres

November 13, 2026

Happy Friday, Westchester!

We got some rainy weather across the county to end the week and it’s not expected to stop until later tonight. We fared better than our northern and southern neighbors, though, with snow falling up in the Hudson Valley while Queens got hail and a tornado warning! Even the Hudson River joined in on Mother Nature’s performance with a humpback whale breaching near Manhattan.

We got some excitement closer to home, too… Run & Hide Brewing Company opened the doors to its new Port Chester location just around the corner from The Capitol Theatre and we can’t wait to check it out. Their IPA “Your Mom’s Best Friend” is a favorite of ours and that, along with pizzas we’ve seen being served, will be calling our names very soon. Keep an eye out here for more details on the new spot.

Elsewhere, there’s been a really quick pivot from Halloween season to Christmas season. You can just barely make out the last witch flying off into the distance behind the trees that are up awaiting lighting ceremonies, as commercials go full force, and holiday buzz builds… while we, admittedly, still have a few leaf-covered skeletons that need to be put back in our closets!

We took the Veterans Day school break to get a jumpstart on that Christmas spirit with a visit to Bryant Park’s Winter Village and FAO Schwarz… both being seasonal musts with the kids and neither being one we’d want to do on a colder, much more crowded weekend closer to Christmas. Our romp through FAO Schwarz showing you what’s new for the season will be on our Instagram page later this week, so make sure you’re following us over there!

You can also get your own holiday jumpstart with this weekend’s event calendar… Diwali events at the Hudson River Museum and Hammond Museum, the opening weekend for the Holiday Train Show and Cross County Center’s tree lighting ceremony should have spirits high!

Enjoy the weekend and see you out there!

📍 Around Our County

The Real Housewives of… Westchester?

Earlier this week, we found ourselves at The Ark at Shames JCC in Tarrytown for an evening with Andy Cohen. Not our usual night out, admittedly. We’re not Real Housewives devotees, although we are HUGE Traitors fans. We had, however, recently partnered with The Ark, but hadn’t yet experienced the venue ourselves, and the timing worked out perfectly.

And what an eye-opening evening it turned out to be…

First, the fans. And we mean FANS… all caps, all the time.

The room was packed with people who absolutely adored Andy and the shows he’s helped bring into their lives. Some spoke about how those shows had got them through maternity leave, difficult times or simply provided a much-needed escape. There was something genuinely lovely (and slightly scary) about being surrounded by people so enthusiastically united by something that brings them joy.

Andy discussed his new behind-the-scenes coffee table book, Andy’s Bravo Scrapbook, interviewed by his Chief of Staff and assistant Daryn Carp, before opening the floor to questions. And then it really kicked off! Cast feuds, high-maintenance Housewives, fashion favorites, dream dinner guests, on top of baby photos to sign, and a request to touch a pregnant belly.

Then things took a bit of a turn.

As one lovely older woman finished her question, a question she appeared to be the messenger for from her family and grandchildren, another audience member stepped up to the mic and began loudly insisting, “She’s done! Move on!” as Andy tried to address the previous lady. Then this newcomer demanded Andy’s thoughts on Bethenny Frankel’s latest post.

The atmosphere shifted instantly. Andy was visibly unimpressed, the audience pushed back, and for a moment we wondered whether we’d stumbled into an actual Housewives anniversary moment. You really couldn’t script it.

Andy professionally handling the drama…

Which made the next question particularly entertaining: Could there ever be a Real Housewives of Westchester?

Andy laughed, referring to the ‘pushy’ woman from before and then said with eyes wide and a big smile, ‘There’s a lot of energy. I mean the New York Housewives are kind of mellow compared to y’all!’ These women (and a spackling of men) were certainly hardcore! He’d have to think about it.

Judging by that room, there’d be no shortage of applicants!

As for The Ark, we loved discovering it. The team was lovely, the space was great, and despite a packed house, it felt comfortable and welcoming. There’s convenient parking there and at the neighboring hotel, which also has a restaurant and bar if you fancy making a night of it.

We’ll certainly be back to explore more of its programming.

But now we’re curious: Would you watch The Real Housewives of Westchester? And who, or which town, would you cast?

In today’s edition:

Featured events… the Holiday Train Show opens for the season, MUJI opens its first Westchester store, and the Cross County tree lighting kicks off the holiday season
Family fun… Diwali at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers and The Hip Hop Nutcracker at SUNY Purchase
Grown ups & date nights… the Small Town Murder live podcast hits Tarrytown and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band plays Peekskill
Worth a drive with Ardsley Car Wash… Judy Collins brings her farewell tour to Poughkeepsie
Where the heart is… a 1970 Pound Ridge Colonial just outside Scotts Corners under $1.2m

Plus, a message from QueenBHive, giving you, your business, or brand the visibility and support it needs, and QueenBPoker, hosting your epic game night

Now let’s get to it!

💓 The Pulse

Loving Westchester’s Featured Events!

🚂 Holiday Train Show & Market Opening Weekend
Weekends through Dec. 6 | Nature Center at Greenburgh, Scarsdale | 10a-4p | $8+, under 2 free
Opening weekend for the annual 12-by-18-foot model train display winding through countryside scenes inside the Manor House. This weekend also features an outdoor holiday market selling sustainable local goods, and every ticket includes entry to the live animal museum.
Kick off the holiday season with a 12-by-18-foot indoor train display, a sustainable goods market, and the live animal museum →

🛍️ MUJI Westchester Grand Opening
Sat.-Sun., Nov. 14-15 | The Westchester, White Plains | Sat. 11a-9p, Sun. 11a-6p | Free (RSVP)
The Japanese lifestyle brand opens its first White Plains store with a two-day celebration: a Saturday ribbon cutting and taiko drum performance, free gift bags, giveaways, exclusive opening offers, and treats from local partners including Don Carvajal Cafe, Ice Cream Social, Mandy Bean, and Badass Bagel.
RSVP for a shot at one of five $100 gift cards, then catch Saturday’s taiko drums and ribbon cutting →

🎄 Cross County Tree Lighting Celebration
Sun., Nov. 15 | Cross County Center, Yonkers | 4p-5:30p | Free admission
Kick off the holiday season with the lighting of a massive 40-foot Christmas tree. The event features appearances by Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Grinch, holiday train rides, food trucks, and a DJ.
Watch a 40-foot Christmas tree light up, meet the Grinch, and take a holiday train ride →

Got 99 ideas, but can’t execute 1?

Hit me.

Hey, everybody. This is Bec.

I’ve spent 20 years helping businesses, brands and community organizations grow through better strategy, communications and partnerships. If you’re a local business owner with 100 ideas but never enough time to move them forward, that’s exactly why I created QueenBHive. Think of me as the person in your corner. Helping you decide what matters most, connecting the right dots, creating momentum, and making sure the good ideas actually happen. Whether that’s your visibility, social content, a launch, a partnership or simply having someone strategic to think alongside.

Send me a message and let me be your WingWoman.

📆 What’s Happening?

Family Fun!

📚 Humble Bumble Book Grand Opening
Fri., Nov. 13 | The Humble Bumble Book, New Rochelle | 2p | Free
The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce hosts a ribbon cutting for The Humble Bumble Book, a new bookstore from owner Otilia Tanner offering curated literature that reflects and supports marginalized communities.

🍂 Westchester Children’s Museum Fall Fest
Sat.-Sun., Nov. 14-15 | Westchester Children’s Museum, Rye | 9:30a-5:30p | Included with membership or admission
The museum’s STEAM-powered autumn celebration returns with hands-on activities: a DIY corn maze built with engineering-design techniques, exploring leaf-litter microbiomes under magnifying glasses, applesauce-cinnamon dough sculptures, seed sorting, and indoor leaf raking with kid-sized rakes and felt leaves.

🪔 Diwali Festival
Sat., Nov. 14 | Hudson River Museum, Yonkers | 11a-5p | Included with admission
A full-day celebration of the Festival of Lights inside the museum galleries. Families can craft their own clay diyas to take home, create colorful rangoli patterns, try henna art, and enjoy live classical Indian music alongside interactive Bollywood and Kathak dance performances.

🪔 Diwali Celebration: Festival of Lights
Sat., Nov. 14 | Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem | 1p-4p | Free with museum admission
An afternoon celebrating the Festival of Lights, with diya decorating, henna, and cultural activities (1p-2p) followed by Indian classical and folk dance performances (2p-4p). Vegetarian Indian snacks for sale from Masala Kraft. All ages.

🎄 The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Sat., Nov. 14 | The Performing Arts Center, SUNY Purchase | 7p | $56+
A family holiday mash-up directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, remixing Tchaikovsky’s score with hip hop dance, performed by a dozen dancers, a DJ, and a violinist. Hip hop founding father MC Kurtis Blow opens with a short set. All ages.

🎭 Annie
Select dates Nov. 14-29 | Yorktown Stage, Yorktown Heights | Check for daily showtimes | $30+
Yorktown Stage presents the Tony-winning musical about little orphan Annie in 1930s New York, with classics like “Tomorrow.”

🏀 Westchester Knicks Home Opener vs. Greensboro Swarm
Sat., Nov. 14 | Westchester County Center, White Plains | 3p | $20.95+
The Westchester Knicks open their 2026-27 NBA G League season against the Greensboro Swarm.

🍽️ Hudson Valley Restaurant Week
Now-Sun., Nov. 16 | Participating restaurants across the Hudson Valley | Prix-fixe menus
Two weeks of prix-fixe dining across the region, running Nov. 2-16. Restaurants offer set menus at brunch ($24.95-$29.95), lunch ($24.95-$39.95), and dinner ($29.95-$44.95).

⚡ Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience
Check for date / time availability | FDR State Park, Yorktown Heights | $37.90+ (Children under 3 enter free)
Making its Westchester return after four years, a 60-90 minute illuminated woodland trail with creatures and scenes from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, interactive wand spell-casting, and a Patronus-summoning experience.

Grown Ups & Date Nights

🎬 Wild Horse Nine
Opens Fri., Nov. 13 | Bedford Playhouse, Bedford | Multiple showtimes | $16
Catch the opening weekend of director Martin McDonagh’s (In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin) new dark-comedy thriller starring Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, and Steve Buscemi set in 1973 Chile.

🔪 Small Town Murder Live Podcast
Fri., Nov. 13 | Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown | 8p | $57.50+
Comedians James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman bring their hit true-crime comedy podcast to the theater stage. Expect deep research into a bizarre small-town tragedy delivered with the hosts' signature, unfiltered comedic spin.

🎺 The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Fri., Nov. 13 | Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, Peekskill | 8p | $44+
Celebrate more than 45 years of this Grammy-winning New Orleans ensemble bringing the spirit of Bourbon Street to Peekskill.

🏺 Hudson River Potters Holiday Show & Sale
Sat.-Sun., Nov. 14-15 | Bethany Arts Community, Ossining | Sat. 10a-5p, Sun. 10a-4p | Free
A holiday show and sale featuring the work of 12 potters and ceramicists.

🎼 Taconic Opera: Beethoven's Symphony No. 9
Sat., Nov. 14 | Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown | 1p | $49+
Taconic Opera presents a matinee performance of Beethoven’s final symphony featuring full orchestra, chorus, and soloists. The program also showcases concert violinist Sasha Yakub performing Prokofiev's first violin concerto.

🍴 Family Feud: 3-Course Dinner Party & Live Gameshow
Sat., Nov. 14 | Red Horse by David Burke, White Plains | 6p-9p | $570/team of 6, $95/individual
A social three-course dinner-party experience built around a live Family Feud gameshow, with prizes. Play in teams of six or buy an individual seat and be placed on a team. Watch or compete.

🌚 Floydian Trip: The Pink Floyd Experience
Sat., Nov. 14 | Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, Peekskill | 8p | $44+
New England’s Pink Floyd tribute band recreates the sonic power, atmospheric sound, and psychedelic visuals of the legendary rock band's touring years.

🎤 Cyrille Aimée Live
Sat., Nov. 14 | Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck | 8p | $65+
Grammy-nominated French-Dominican vocalist Cyrille Aimée brings her blend of jazz, global rhythms, and vocal improvisation to Mamaroneck. Limited tickets remaining.

🎶 Songwright: Westchester Songwriters’ Circle
Sat., Nov. 14 | Bethany Arts Community, Ossining | 8p-9:30p | $20+
A Nashville-style songwriters’ circle with Kierstin Gray, Natalie Wilson, Alex Cano, Tim Robinson, and Siobhan O’Malley. Presented by Heart & Beat Music.

🎹 Sunday Afternoon Concert Series: Rising Star Piano, Max Hammond
Sun., Nov. 15 | Ossie Davis Theater, New Rochelle Public Library | 2p-3:15p | Free with registration
Pianist Max Hammond, a Yale and Juilliard graduate, performs as part of the library’s concert series. Presented with Young Musicians of Westchester.

🃏 Game nights are having a moment in Westchester…

…and if you've ever wanted to host a poker or casino night without the stress of figuring out the rules or rounding up chips, QueenBPoker is the answer. They come to your home, venue, or office, and handle everything you may need from teaching the table to running the night. Casual, corporate, charity. No experience needed, just people who want a good time.

Plan your game night →

🎅 The Polar Express
Select dates Nov. 13-Dec. 30 | Catskill Mountain Railroad, Westbrook Station, Kingston | Multiple departures | Off-peak $48 adult/$38 child, peak $58 adult/$48 child
A re-creation of the classic story aboard a real train to the “North Pole,” with hot chocolate and cookies served by dancing chefs, a reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s book, caroling, and a visit from Santa. Each guest takes home a silver sleigh bell. Pajamas encouraged.

🍽️ City Island Restaurant Week
Through Sun., Nov. 15 | City Island, Bronx | Specials vary by restaurant
The City Island Chamber’s second restaurant week of the year, running through Nov. 15, with specials at 15 waterfront spots spanning seafood, smokehouse BBQ, Irish pub, Italian, Greek, and Mediterranean.

🎶 Judy Collins: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Farewell Tour
Fri., Nov. 13 | Bardavon, Poughkeepsie | 7:30p | $55+
The folk legend behind Grammy-winning renditions of “Both Sides Now” and “Send in the Clowns” brings her farewell tour to Poughkeepsie, drawing on a 55-album, six-decade career.

🏡 Where the Heart Is

Incredible homes are listed in Westchester every week. Here’s one that caught our eye

11 Light Horse Lane | Pound Ridge | $1,195,000

The Key Details: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 2,850 square feet on 2.55 acres ($419 / square foot)

What We Love About It: Privacy without feeling remote: 2.55 acres at the end of a private lane, a walk from Scotts Corners, and listed under $1.2 million. This 1970 Colonial has a classic layout with hardwood floors, formal living and dining rooms, and two fireplaces. A sunny family room opens to an enclosed porch, and the kitchen has white cabinets and quartz counters. The four bedrooms include a private primary suite. To unwind, there’s a sauna and a salt-water hot tub.

Give us a shout at [email protected] or find us on Instagram @lovingwestchester. And don't forget to forward this to a friend who's always asking "what's going on this week?"

See you out there!