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1. I like the quiet. I lived in L.A. for most of my life and, like any city with overcrowding, it's loud – insane traffic, police helicopters at night, and leaf blowers at 7 a.m. in your neighbor’s yard, which is 10 feet from your bedroom window. I love how I can go outside and close my eyes and meditate and it's so peaceful. In its own right, this area is as beautiful as anywhere else in the world I've been to.
2. As a little boy, I fantasized about moving to New York to write music. Since I've been here, I've been lucky enough to hook up with some great players, who inspired me to write and record about 40 songs in just a few years. My work takes me all over the world, playing Beach Boys music. But when I’m home and working on my own material, I really appreciate the fact that I can call upon New York City session guys, who are versed in all the varied styles that I morph into my solo material.
3. Nothing beats the location. To be able to drive along something as serene as the Titicus Reservoir, especially in the fall, or to get to Purdys Station and then in an hour you are in Grand Central Station, in the heart of Manhattan – that’s really a luxury.
4. Again, being from Los Angeles, I never really had seasons and I do enjoy the transitions from one season to the next. I don't like the extremes of freezing winter and the humid summers, but the novelty of how enchanting the blooms of spring and the colors of fall can be has not worn off, even after 13 years.
5. Another favorite thing about this area is the Italian food. Three of my four grandparents were from Italy so, as a little boy in Pennsylvania, I had all that authentic cooking that you just can't get in L.A. I forgot how good real Italian food can be until I moved here. My favorite pizza is at the First & Last Cafe in Danbury, but even the worst pizza in N.Y. is better than the best pizza in L.A. I also like to be able to go into the city to have a meal in Little Italy.
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