A few weeks ago I traveled up to Tarrytown for work-related reasons on the Hudson line, a train I’ve wanted an excuse to ride ever since we moved into the city, and while it wasn’t a picture-perfect day it was a thoroughly enjoyable journey. Whenever I’ve caught glimpses of the train from I-287 I always thought that it would be such a picturesque ride to take, particularly on a sunny summer day when boats would be out on the river or a perfect fall afternoon.
While neither situation were the case that Friday, it was still one of those pretty, late-winter/early-spring afternoons that begged the taking of a few pictures out my slightly smudgy train window, especially when the towns in question conjured up memories from some of my favorite television shows; in particular, the fact that many of the Sterling Cooperites (both current and former) on Mad Men seem to reside along this line.
I don’t know why this area intrigues me so; I’ve traveled to and through Westchester plenty of times since 2003, though most of those times have been spent in a car navigating the sometimes-treacherous patches of the New York thruway. I suppose the appeal lies in the unknown–I’ve now ridden the Harlem and Hudson lines up to the White Plains/Tarrytown area and still feel like I’ve seen so little of what the area holds, especially of the culinary variety. Anthony Bourdain recently visited the Hudson Valley for a new episode of No Reservations, and the restaurants in the area that Gordon Ramsay seems able to save on Kitchen Nightmares always look pretty good post-renovation. Perhaps it’s part and parcel with growing up near the Main Line, but I love a nice afternoon wandering around a traditional suburban town, though only as a visitor of course.
I’d like to explore more of Westchester County in the coming spring and summer months–maybe exploring some amazing restaurants, farmers markets or even some actual, you know, farms. I’m planning on doing my own research for a day trip, but dear readers, if you have any must-visit places, please tell me in the comments below.
Incidentally, something that amused me as I was figuring out the train schedule and my travel plans was the proliferation of very English-inspired station names in this area. Originally I was going to use the Ardsley-on-Hudson station to do my commuting as suggested by Google Maps, but Tarrytown offered more arrivals and departures. In my researching the station, however, I learned that it has a bit of history: it was a key location from the film Unfaithful, and even though I only spent a few moments there in the train, I was instantly reminded of the moodiness that one scene portrayed.
The Manhattan [food] Project 
Look at those old streetlights! They are so cool! BIG Mad Men fan here 🙂