HaverstrawLife.com

On Friday evening, I met a Haverstraw-bound New York Waterway Ferry at ten minutes to 9:00pm. The sun had just brilliantly set over the Palisades Escarpment on the far side of the Hudson. The River surface was like shimmering pitted chrome, a striking hue of white, silver and teal. The newly reconstructed Ossining Ferry Landing is impressive; the pier had been recently reconfigured with new and wider ramps and floating platforms to accommodate the increasing popularity of the ferry route. The ramp lowered to the ferry boat’s bow revealing a smiling gaggle of travelers aboard. . .

Five women in their 70’s, as I might guess, were returning from a fun evening in the Village. I approached them and asked how their trip was, and all they wanted to discuss was Union Restaurant. Essentially, these women took a dinner cruise to Haverstraw after googling “River + Ferry + Haverstraw + Restaurant.” Conveniently, google bestowed upon them HaverstrawLife. The women walked to Union Restaurant from the Haverstraw Ferry Landing and back. They were then returning back to the City via MetroNorth into Grand Central.

As I settled into my seat on the starboard side of the boat, and as other passengers came aboard, I couldn’t help but think of these women. Five elderly, but incredibly spry women thought nothing of making a trip from the City to Haverstraw so they might enjoy a fine dinner — and a unique journey — together. They likely made their way along Maple Avenue or West Street to New Main, where Union Restaurant is. If these (seemingly wealthy, considering how they were dressed) women can do this, then why is it so hard to get Stony Pointers and other Rocklanders (shall I say: suburbanites) to frequent downtown Haverstraw?

I think, perhaps, they are afraid to see the world. . . out from behind their car windshields.