fall shit in sleepy hollow

yeah, it does feel a bit like a back lot

Fall is the season of nostalgia. Gravitating toward familiar seasonal flavors and rituals. Making even the most grumpy city person feel compelled to go look at giant squash and harvest fruit.

Even after so many years of living in a place with 4 seasons, fall always feels special, surreal in a way. So ephemeral, a time to be cherished. Hoping for mild weathered weekends that allow for day trips upstate, to small towns with picturesque tree lined streets and quaint shops that feel like a time capsule. Nostalgic in that fuzzy television way. Not my own memories but that of TV shows set in New England, most of which were probably shot on the WB lot. But still, nice to see the places that inspire the fiction.

Fall shit field trips in the Hudson Valley follow the same formula. Train ride, find a local cafe for coffee, take said coffee and walk around town. Pop into some local shops, at minimum one bookstore. Make a round in the inevitable farmers market happening that day. Grab lunch. And then do the seasonal activity: the pumpkin patch, the apple picking, cider drinking etc. And then head back to take a train into the city, plopping you back in midtown in time for dinner.

This year, the fall excursion of choice was Sleepy Hollow. Convenient, just a short train ride up to Tarrytown from the city and then a short walk over to the town. And a whole slew of city people shuffling into town to do the same thing. Cosplay in small town life for a day.

Sleepy Hollow is an easy choice for October. After all, it is a great setting for spooky season.

For a town of 10,000 people, it has disproportionate influence on the American cultural conscience. Hell, if you asked me years ago if it were a real place or fabricated by Hollywood screenwriters, I may have been tempted to say the latter.

I love how much the town leans into the theme though. Like it transforms itself into the imagination that the rest of America wants it to be. I couldn’t help but think how strange it must be to actually live or grow up here. Constantly dealing with tourists coming in to ogle. I suppose at that point you might as well just lean into the theme.

The nature, on the other hand, speaks for itself. The tranquility of the tall trees shading the paths in the famous cemetery. The warm tones of autumn leaves offering a colorful seasonal backdrop. The light warmth of mild autumn sun mixed with a brisk breeze makes for a perfect atmosphere for a nature walk. Far too easy to be a hike, but still scratches the itch and offers easy access to the seasonal scenes we crave.

And then, a leisurely walk back to Tarrytown along the Hudson on a lovely waterfront path. Lighthouse and bridge making for a photogenic vista. A peek of the city skyline in the distant horizon, a reminder that we are not too far from home.

And all too soon, as the sun hangs lower in the sky, we bid goodbye to this small town fantasy, until next time.

fall shit in sleepy hollow

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