Around the end of November, I went into NY City to have a pre-Christmas lunch with a friend and former colleague. I started my journey at my local train station: Scarborough. The station is right on the Hudson River and there’s a path leading from the car park to the station that allows access to the riverbank. I was a little early, so I walked around taking pictures of anything I found interesting along this path. Next stop Grand Central Terminal where I took a few pictures before taking the short walk along Park Avenue to our chosen restaurant: The Park Avenue Tavern. After the meal I made my way back to Grand Central, taking pictures of Christmas lights along the way.

“Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads that served the city. Initially 250 acres (1.0 km2), it was expanded to 600 acres (2.4 km2) in 1905 but reduced to 461 acres (1.87 km2) in 1912, when a portion was sold to the neighboring Gate of Heaven Cemetery. The cemetery has a special section for members of the Actors’ Fund of America and the National Vaudeville Association, some of whom died in abject poverty. The cemetery contains four Commonwealth war graves, of three Canadian Army soldiers of World War I and a repatriated American Royal Air Force airman of World War II. As of December 2021, eight Major League Baseball players are buried here, including Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Lou Gehrig. Many entertainment figures of the early twentieth century, including Russian-born Sergei Rachmaninoff, were buried here.” (Adapted from Wikipedia, which also provides a long list of the well-known people buried there).

New Hamburg is a small hamlet (and census-designated place) along the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is located in the southern corner of the Town of Poughkeepsie. The hamlet of New Hamburg is one of the few communities on the Hudson River located primarily between the railroad tracks and the river. It began at the turn of the 19th century as a port and producer of lime.

Cross the millpond bridge to Philipsburg Manor, a mill and trading complex where an enslaved community lived and labored for generations. Learn about the enslaved individuals who worked on the property in the year 1750, and whose family relationships and personal histories are revealed in primary documents. Step into the gristmill and learn about the life of Caesar, the enslaved miller, whose unmatched expertise contributed to the wealth of the Philipse family but benefited him not at all. Visit the dairy in the cellar of the Manor House, where a commercial butter production was operated by Dina, Massey and Sue, three of the women enslaved by the Philipses at the site. Discover the many ways the enslaved community at Philipsburg Manor maintained family networks, shared their cultural heritage, and expressed their fundamental humanity in opposition to the inhumane system that bound them.

Now that its getting warmer and staying light later, I’m determined to get more exercise (famous last words??). So recently I got a ride over to the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. From there I would try to walk home