It’s hard to believe as I write this that I’ll be dividing this post into two—or even possibly, three parts.  Two days, one night in New York and there’s so much to tell you.

I’ll begin with a backtrack to a few weeks ago, right after my birthday.  Bonaparte decided to book an overnight in New York City.  We were both vaccinated twice and after our Cincinnati visit to be with Oona, Sam and Baby Owen, it felt good to get away again.

I mean, come on now–is this little nugget the cutest and happiest little guy ever?  He was so worth pandemic travel and I can’t wait until my next visit!

And as the lockdown was continuing to come to a close, my husband decided that an overnight in The City was a remedy for working hard and needing a little getaway for the two of us. It was decided that we would drop Chippy off at doggie daycare early in the morning and head up to Nyack, just north of Manhattan (to me it’s Upstate), to visit Bonaparte’s grandfather’s grave, hang out for a bit then head down to Manhattan.  We also had tickets to visit the Intrepid museum on Sunday.  It re-opened just days before our visit. Roman was going to meet us and the weekend proved to be a busy and fun one.

Saturday morning, we were blessed with great weather.  Trust me, after the chilly Spring and rainy weekends, it was an absolute pleasure to see the sun shining and feeling its warmth through the windows as I got ready.

You all know by now that when I travel, I don’t like to lug a ton of makeup around with me. And now at my proaging years, less is more.  After applying my makeup, I packed my cosmetics in a little travel bag, packed my necessities and hair and got dressed.

Believe me when I tell you that less is more these days–especially when I’m traveling!  All of these cosmetics was used.  The mini-kit by Trestique, the Subtl Beauty stacks, The Boom sticks and the Smart Shade face makeup by Almay. They did the job!

Since we would be walking around, and my piggy bits have expanded, I opted to wear a stretchy pair of J. Crew Pixie Pants that, by now, have to be a decade old. The greatness of these pants is they’ve been with me through thick and thin. Presently the pants are my thick buddy.  I also went with a striped shirt and a navy blazer.  Going out to dinner in The City always calls for a bit more polish and if the evening was going to be cool, I could wear it over my dress.  Now. I’m definitely not a sneaker person but I love my old reliable Converse low-tops. I wore them (and even wore peds) because they were the best choice for walking around. Since I didn’t want to carry a huge tote or a good designer bag, a restored-by-me vintage Coach Willis bag was chosen.  The long shoulder strap is perfect to wear cross-body and held the essentials I needed to bring.

The blazer was as heavy as it got. I packed a very light black jersey dress and pointy-toed flats for our dinner date and a black shirt for the next day. I’m wearing my Reeves wig by Estetica. I cut it.  But the vintage Willis bag was a pragmatic choice.  Worn as a crossbody it worked well!

Packed and ready to go, we bid adieu to house and roofers.  While we were away the roof was replaced. It was a great day for home repairs and for us to be out of the way.  Hitting the road and listening to music, we were off and running!

No way could I ever do this. But I must say the roofers did a stellar job!

I get excited when that first Cityscape is spotted.  It’s something I just never tire of.  And so, I snapped a pic!

The view of the skyline from the Jersey Turnpike is one I never tire of.  It just makes me happy!

As we approached the GW Bridge, we took the last exit and opted for the scenic views of the Palisades Parkway.  If you’ve never been on this road, I have to tell you, it’s one of the prettiest parkways in the Northeast.  The Hudson River is just beautiful and as you drive north, those last views of the City are magnificent and make way for the more bucolic views as you approach the lower parts of Upstate NY.

Although we didn’t stop here, might I suggest if you are ever on the Palisades Parkway to stop and admire the many majestic views! 

When we exited the Palisades, we drove through Tallman Park.  I’m filled with fond memories whenever I pass through Tallman.  When we lived in NYC, before moving to the suburbs, my friends, Jeannie, Diana and I would load the kids into the minivan and make a day of it at the pool. It was a great way to spend a hot summer day!   Most of the traffic in the park and elsewhere on the roads was made of cyclists riding for pleasure, sport and exercise.  For a moment there was a tinge of envy rushing through my body because I wanted to be with them.

Our first stop was Piermont.  Piermont is one of those picture-perfect villages in Rockland County. It’s a bit funky, a bit artsy, with big old houses and new condos along the river. It’s one of those places that remind me of the village we lived on Long Island—it was charming and everyone knew everyone else. Like a big family.

The walk along the marshy reserve was heavenly and delightful!

We walked along the Hudson River Reserve and took our time while doing so. The views were lovely. The view of the Tappan Zee Bridge, or Tap, as I’m prone to call it, were spectacular. I’m very sentimental about that bridge simply because when I was a child, our trips from Long Island to Upstate always involved a trip across this bridge and I thought it was just wonderful. Be still my heart.

I couldn’t get a close up because we were pretty far away but you can see the bridge.

Here’s a better view. The water was like glass. No sailboats just a motorboat scattered here and there.  

As much as I’m a City Girl, I love being by any body of water and the Hudson River rocks it!

Oh look!  We found a little beach. Believe you me, if I lived nearby, this would be my private little beach inlet!

Anyway, it was just so damn good to be outside. And out in a place of liveliness and esthetically pleasant.  For the first time in over a year, I felt like I was released from prison—the prison of COVID. Always unsure of venturing outside the house. My two safe havens were the office, simply because nobody was there, and my home.  The two times I flew to Cincinnati before my vaccination, I was nervous. It wasn’t until the second vaccination that my confidence was boosted to a very high level.

A sculpture caught our interest..

It has a nice story!

I’m sure others felt the same because everyone we passed was truly happy. It’s that look in the eyes.  It was easy to tell that passersby were just as thrilled as we were to be out in the sunshine.  Just a simple activity as walking along the river was just short of a miracle.

Driftwood that settled in nicely with the rocks makes for an impressive still life of sorts.

A lone bench that wasn’t too lonely for long!

We made a bench unlonely. Hey. What is my hubby looking at?

The walkway at the Piermont Reserve is more than charming. It’s a community.  Men and children were fishing.  Ducks were grouped together and I’m sure they were giving us humans the side-eye.

The ducks were most likely quacking to each other that they liked the lockdown better..

Remnants of a once-used pier..

Homes along the water are reflected in the mirror of the Hudson!  Check out that sky!

A number of trees along the way were decorated with bird houses!

The Piermont community welcomes these little signs and  artfully delightful fishes!

What a happy sight!

Hey! I’m a picture postcard!!

On the way back, a wedding was about to take place.  We were able to listen to the Irish music the fiddler was playing. I was wondering where the Irish Dancers were!

I had a Zillow moment. Then after looking at the price, my moment dissipated!

As we ended our walk we came across a wedding about to begin!

This guy was belting out some fine Irish tunes on the fiddle!

Back in the car we made our way to my husband’s grandfather’s gravesite. But first we passed by the home he lived in.  Nestled among bit shade trees and lots of greenery, the home really fit into the artsy esthetic of the area.

The home where Bonaparte’s grandfather lived–and so did Bonaparte for a couple of years as a child!

As we made our way to the cemetery, it was apparent that the pandemic was in the final stages.  People enjoying brunch and lunch al fresco, families out with their children, shoppers, more bicyclists—all welcoming a new life from the one that was put on hold.

People were enjoying time out and about..

Andre Girard founded the CARTE Network to work for the Resistance and against the Nazis. It was sweet to see this American flag next to his headstone.

We paid our respects to Grandpere Girard and I gave Bonaparte a moment with his grandfather. And then we headed back down to The City. But we took it slow and enjoyed the scenery.

And I especially admired the scenery of the old homes. Oh I could live here in a NY Minute!

 Couldn’t you live on the porch all summer?

Imagine having a canal as your backyard!

Stay tuned for Part Two! It’s off to Manhattan!