Mrs. Clinton's Neighborhood

In my search, I decided to take the low-key approach. I would check out the business district, visit the nearby grocery store and, of course, drive to Old House Lane, where the Clintons now own a 100-year-old house. I'd swing by the local pet grooming shop, maybe see Socks and Buddy--you never know.

One of my first stops was Calhoun's Restaurant, a local watering hole with a beautiful bar, lots of New York sports memorabilia and good food. (It's important to scope out good sources for news and gossip, so consider my visit a professional one.) Gary Schmidt, co-owner of Calhoun's and a notable local wag, gave me the lowdown on the impact of the Clintons' arrival.

"We have a lot of people upset they're here," he said, standing behind a polished wooden bar, speaking with a mock-solemn demeanor that hid a devilish grin. "We love it."

Ever since the Clintons arrived, some of the townies have been grumbling, he explained. The complaints go something like this: First the president shows up and buys a mansion. Then the Secret Service and hordes of tourists like me arrive. Next thing, well, just talk to people like Kronenfeld.

I drove over to the Clintons' neck of the woods. The house, sporting five bedrooms, some gargantuan trees and the now-infamous high whitewashed picket fence, sits at the end of a cul-de-sac. In short, if offers a wonderful opportunity for snooping around.

Out front, you can see the scar in the roadway where utility workers tore up the pavement to install extra power lines. You can photograph the new No Parking signs intended to dissuade people from camping out. You might consider obeying them. Police have started towing parked cars.

I got out of my car to say hello to a Secret Service guy sitting in a van parked in the Clintons' driveway. He got out, waved me away and told me not to photograph workers who appeared to be installing security in the picket fence. Neither Bill nor Hillary seemed to be about. I later learned that Hillary was on the campaign trail. The president--who has visited the Old House Lane house about 10 times since early January, according to White House spokesman Jim Kennedy--was taking care of business in Washington.

I lingered at the entrance to the street, noticing the bus stop nearby. I love the idea that the Clintons will have access to public transportation in private life. It's called the Bee-Line.

No tour would be complete without a look at security, so I made a stab at finding the Secret Service headquarters. The agency has rented an $857,000 home on Overlook Drive, right behind the Clintons. I drove up and down the street a few times with no luck. Then I realized that driving up and down the street--repeatedly--behind the president's house probably wasn't a good idea.

Changing course, I decided to search for a Starbucks. I couldn't imagine the Clintons living anywhere without one. Sure enough, I found the Chappaqua branch smack in the middle of the commercial district. The shop has two huge plate-glass windows and a couple of comfy purple chairs, making it perfect for keeping watch for the president and his wife.

But be discreet. I foolishly asked a clerk about a photograph of Hillary Clinton that was snapped there not long ago and is posted near the cash register. Was the first lady and Senate candidate nice? The shop manager, who appears in the photograph beaming next to Clinton, swooped in before I got an answer.

"We are not allowed to talk about any of that," she said sternly, declining to answer whether in fact the photograph documented an actual visit from Hillary Clinton. "That's our company policy."