James Miranda

Reporter

jgam95@live.com

James Miranda's Contributions

Westchester Secret: Who Knew New Rochelle Had An Infamous Island? Westchester Secret: Who Knew New Rochelle Had An Infamous Island?
Westchester Secret: Who Knew New Rochelle Had An Infamous Island? Davids Island, which resides off New Rochelle’s shore, has a history that dates back to two of America’s greatest conflicts: The Civil War and World War I. The 78-acre island, off-limits to the public, was home to one of the biggest WWI recruiting depots east of Mississippi River and dates back to before the Great War. It was purchased by Thomas Pell, the man who purchased the Pelham area, in 1654 from the Siwanoy Native American tribe. He used it primarily for farming and pasture until the Huguenots settled on it. Later, it was sold to Ink Manufacturer Thaddeus Davids who bought it in orde…
Westchester Secret: Pablo Picasso Was Here Westchester Secret: Pablo Picasso Was Here
Westchester Secret: Pablo Picasso Was Here Who knew that an art collection rivaling the Metropolitan Museum of Art can be found in the basement of a Westchester home? We're talking Picasso and Modern Artists Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, and Louise Nevelson. And it's all inside the lower level of Kykuit, also known as the John D. Rockefeller Estate, a 3,400-acre site in Sleepy Hollow. The residence was constructed for Rockefeller and his family in 1913 and is very much an ode to an artist’s heart with Italian-styled gardens and Beaux-Arts architecture.  The National Historic Landmark housed four generations of Rockefellers includ…
Who Says Westchester's No Fun? Check Out These Karaoke/Trivia Bars Who Says Westchester's No Fun? Check Out These Karaoke/Trivia Bars
Who Says Westchester's No Fun? Check Out These Karaoke/Trivia Bars In the mood for a little friendly competition? Maybe even some fun prizes? Westchester comes alive mid-week at a host of area bars, which turn ordinary Tuesdays and Wednesdays into lively trivia and/or karaoke nights. Your biggest decision? Where to go. Here, we've whittled down some of the best spots for putting on your thinking caps, testing your wits and wetting your whistle. O’Connor’s Public House, Mount Kisco: Interested in winning free rounds of beer for your friends? Check out the action on trivia night Wednesdays starting at 8:30 p.m. Or, try your hand at Karaoke, which takes plac…
A Look At Sing Sing’s Original Cellblock A Look At Sing Sing’s Original Cellblock
A Look At Sing Sing’s Original Cellblock Sing Sing Prison, located in Ossining, is one of America’s most infamous prisons and most known for its lengthy and dark history. It has incarcerated famous inmates such as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, coined the phrase “up the river,” and was home to Old Sparky — the electric chair — which was used for 614 executions between 1891 to 1963. However, inside of Sing Sing’s mile-high walls lies a Westchester throwback that is both dark and a part of American history: the original cellblock. It was 1825 when Auburn State Prison faced overcrowding and sent over 100 inmates to construct a brand new…
Weight Loss Success: How An Irvington Teen Lost 100 Pounds Weight Loss Success: How An Irvington Teen Lost 100 Pounds
Weight Loss Success: How An Irvington Teen Lost 100 Pounds He was 10-years-old when, one day, his father “just didn’t wake up." Soon after, Yonkers native John Pike sunk into a deep depression. His father, also named John Pike, was an active Yonkers resident that taught in public and parochial schools, was a lector at St. Anthony’s Church, and was a much-loved stay-at-home dad. The junior Pike moved to Irvington in 2008 following his father's death, but it only deepened his depression. He had to adjust to a new school where friends were few. To deal with his new reality, he slept all day and turned to food.  At 16, he weighed 260 pounds. Pik…
Westchester Singer Puts Life Experiences To Music Westchester Singer Puts Life Experiences To Music
Westchester Singer Puts Life Experiences To Music She's only 23 but in a way, she's lived a lot of lives. Now, Bianca Muñiz is taking those experiences and putting them to music: The Sleepy Hollow resident -- and two-time cancer survivor -- has her first full-length album, "For You" set to debut in summer, 2018.  It's dedicated to her longtime friend, Miles Applebaum, who she met at Lagond Music School in Elmsford when they were 15-years-old, and who passed away in 2014. She credits Applebaum, in fact, for turning her onto different kinds of music, many of which can be heard in her recent works. Her style is described as “Avant…
Westchester Store Is Still 'Tweeding' 57 Years & Counting Westchester Store Is Still 'Tweeding' 57 Years & Counting
Westchester Store Is Still 'Tweeding' 57 Years & Counting If you've never been to Hickory & Tweed before, you might think you've stepped into someone's home.  Shoppers to this Armonk ski and bike store will find a lone patch of grass outside of the front porch complete with a small picnic table and swing. Inside, there's an assortment of pictures hanging on the walls and countertops. Sounds cozy, right? That's precisely the point -- and one of the secrets to its 57-year-old success. Some history: Jimmy and Roberta Ross founded the store in 1961. It was once the home of a friend, but Jimmy curated it into an exclusive ski shop with equipment f…
Westchester Mom & Pops: Their 'Secret Sauce' For Surviving, Thriving Westchester Mom & Pops: Their 'Secret Sauce' For Surviving, Thriving
Westchester Mom & Pops: Their 'Secret Sauce' For Surviving, Thriving There may be yelling. But it's that honesty, along with loyalty, trust, and a "say anything" mentality that keeps the lines of communication open -- and the wheels to a family business turning, and ultimately, succeeding. At least that's the consensus of four Westchester family businesses. The husbands, wives, siblings and kids behind Sugar Hi in Armonk, Wallach Jewelry Design in Larchmont, The Modern Paint Group based in New Rochelle, and Frank’s Pizzeria in Croton Falls admit working with family is both exhilarating and challenging and often requires a unique set of hurdles.  F…
Got 15 Minutes? Tarrytown Trainer Has A Workout For You Got 15 Minutes? Tarrytown Trainer Has A Workout For You
Got 15 Minutes? Tarrytown Trainer Has A Workout For You Wishing you could exercise, but don't have the time?  You only need 10 to 15 minutes to make small changes, says Sam Langer, owner of GYMGUYZ Westchester a personal training business with multiple locations throughout the county. Langer’s easy to follow routine means even the busiest of folks can squeeze in a little "me" time. “The beauty of this workout is you can do it anywhere,” said Langer, a Tarrytown resident. “Some clients use it for hotels and some busy clients use it at home when they're feeling really rushed.” As with any kind of physical activity, Langer advises consu…
What's Selling: Westchester Experts Dish On The Real Estate Market What's Selling: Westchester Experts Dish On The Real Estate Market
What's Selling: Westchester Experts Dish On The Real Estate Market Large houses aren't selling the way they used to. According to multiple Westchester realtors, homes that are 3,000 square feet and above $1 million, once the darlings of the Westchester real estate world, are now no longer as attractive.  Bigger used to be better, said Alison Bernstein founder/president of Suburban Jungle, a suburbs strategy relocation firm, but a cultural shift began when millennials entered the market approximately 10 years ago. “People used to plan to own their homes for 30 to 40 years," she said. "Now, they're thinking three to four years and thinking differe…
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