Let’s talk about some history. Before it was known as Untermeyer Gardens, it was a part of an estate called “Greystone”. Back then, it was owned by presidential candidate Samuel Tilden. (Side note, that election was one of the instances where a candidate won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote.)
Sleepy Hollow. Many people have heard of the “Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, a story about the headless horseman popularized by Washington Irving. Irving was a resident of the village of Sleepy Hollow and used the village as the setting for the tale of the headless specter. Because of the story and it’s historical roots, Sleepy Hollow is considered one of the most haunted places in America.
This week’s #onethingoneweek is dedicated to friends. Whether you are out hiking, climbing, running – taking in the scenery around – or exploring your city, having friends along for the ride makes it that much better. Our goal was to visit our friends down in Georgia and to save some money on airfare, we embarked on our road trip.
NYC, it’s a big place. You’ve got tons of people from all over the world, all spread out among different neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are rich in a certain group, every street infused with their spice, their culture. Some neighborhoods look a bit rundown, yet oh so full of life. Others are busy, full of expensive name brand stores, yet devoid of life. Sometimes, two different worlds are just a short walk across.
My original plan for this week was to do some urban exploration. However, my plan ended in failure, sort of. I wanted to go to the old grain terminal in Redhook, Brooklyn. The building was built in 1922, decommissioned in ’65, and has been vacant since. After some research, I was really excited to explore this old terminal. Through research, I also found the best way to enter undetected. I say “undetected”, because it would technically be trespassing. However, after my exploration buddy heard you can get fined, he chickened out (you know who you are!)
This week, I took part in a ghost tour around Greenwich Village. The company offering the tour was Boroughs Of The Dead, a “tour company devoted to strange, dark, and macabre tours of New York City.” Our tour guide, Andrea Janes, is the founder and owner of Boroughs Of The Dead. Her knowledge of New York City history and her animated, creative storytelling made the whole experience one to remember.
Breakneck Ridge lies in Cold Spring, just slightly upstate from NYC. From my home in the middle of Queens, its a brief(ish) hour and a half car ride north. If you don’t have a ride, there is also a Metro-North stop just across the trailhead. Be aware though, it runs only on weekends.