Tour Valhalla with Reporter Lisa Lee Freeman

Lisa Lee Freeman For those who don’t know mythology, Valhalla was the palatial hall of fallen warriors—Nordic nirvana. It’s a grandiose name for a quiet little hamlet in Westchester. And yet Valhalla, New York, is idyllic in many ways, Lisa Lee Freeman, a nationally renowned consumer reporter tells Jody L. Rohlena in  Elliman Magazine . Freeman lives in Valhalla with her husband, aerospace engineer Bill Fox, and their beloved yellow-naped Amazon parrot, Chili. They chose the bucolic town with its rolling hills and green parks for its convenient location, opting for a home in a woodsy neighborhood. You get to enjoy a sense of seclusion, and yet “it’s a quick drive to downtown White Plains for shopping and dining, and a quick drive or train ride to Manhattan,” says Freeman. Valhalla is not only picturesque; it’s also a shopper’s paradise—with its proximity to great locally owned shops, just about any chain store you might need, and the sprawling Westchester mall—says Freeman. And she should know: She’s the founder and former editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine for Consumer Reports . DINNER DATE Courtesy of Ruby’s Oyster Bar “Friday is date night for us. We like Red Hat on the River , which has a great rooftop bar with views of the Hudson, and Ruby’s Oyster Bar & Bistro , a romantic bistro with amazing oysters and the best bouillabaisse I’ve ever had.” TOP SHOPS Credit: Chris Ramirez for SIMON “For bargain hunting, nothing beats Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Woodbury. Visit in the fall, when the leaves are changing. It’s a gorgeous drive across the Bear Mountain Bridge. For the best prices, go at the end of the season when retailers mark down inventory to make room for new stock.” OUTDOOR LIFE Credit: Bill Kennedy “You can jog to the park at Kensico Dam Plaza from our house. We hike up to the dam for great views, then make our way to the Bronx River Pathway, a long tree-lined trail with a duck pond.” BLISS BASE Named “Best of Westchester” by Westchester Magazine , “ Oasis Day Spa is the best spa around. Enjoy an outdoor treatment on the rooftop deck.” Do you want Valhalla to be your neighborhood? Explore our Valhalla homes for sale in the area .