I’m looking for some peace
but it’s so hard to find
with Calamity Janes and the Steamboat Casanovas
and Darling Clementines
if she’s your only one
then she is also mine
just pin your heartbeat up against my heartbeat
and you’ll see how well we rhyme
—from “Bright Smile” by Josh Ritter
*
Josh Ritter’s concert in Tarrytown was a blast! And there continue to be lines of sympathy from his tunes to the Sailor Twain experience, steamboats, Hudson River moments, and more. If he’s performing near you anytime, I recommend seeing him live. He hops and jumps, and his boyish grin exudes pure joy most of the time. And you could see it on people’s faces walking out from the Tarrytown Music Hall! It’s rare that someone can be so good at both tender ballads and higher voltage rock.
Tarrytown, New York, is a gem among Hudson river towns. The building that is now the Music Hall, on Main Street, was around in Twain’s day. We’ll be revisiting Tarrytown a few times before our story is told, I assure you.
In the meantime, if you give yourself a Sailor Twain tour up the Hudson, a short train ride from Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal and you can treat yourself to a day in Tarrytown. A number of fine restaurants, antiques, great walks and more await you. And here’s a little Secret of the Hudson: MINT.
MINT is one of my favorite shops in New York. You’ll find the best cheeses and all kinds of unusual imports, from olives to nougat to pistachio spread—all in an overflowing display that’s like a magic cave. MINT’s owner is Hassan, who’ll likely give you all kinds of things to sample, from a rare Stilton to a new Belgian chocolate.
And here’s the secret: MINT is open late, and if you happen to be there at just the right time on just the right day, maybe during a rainstorm, you’ll s strike up a conversation with strangers, who will become lifelong friends. Try it sometime, you’ll see what I mean. I don’t know if it’s the store, the spot it’s in, or Hassan’s own magical hospitality that does it. But it’s one of those enchanted spots along the Hudson.
*
Tarrytown. Last stop before hitting the Tappan-Zee, place where Betty Draper (Mad Men) goes antiquing and spy Major Andre was caught and hanged… and the whole Sleepy Hollow thing. But from whence does the name come from? Many explanations but only one (or two perhaps) is correct.
Bahhh, I’m so jealous you got to see him! I’m sure he would be wonderful live.
(Out of curiosity, what do you know of the Decemberists? I feel like a bunch of their songs fit Sailor Twain quite well; they’ve done a bunch of shanty-esque numbers)
Also: ooooh, MINT looks like a foodie’s dream. Must find a way to get to Tarrytown…
DANG.
You have CULTURE.
I am JEALOUS.
Weee ! Bought me some tickets to a Josh Ritter show ! My October is now fully booked, and complete.
I totally second Warren’s comment. Your knowleage of Americana is rather impressive.
Now, enough puttering on the internet, I better get back to work. Science awaits !
People who send messages in bottles are often less concerned with the receiver than the contents of the message, although I have a feeling that the focus of this message is in its method of delivery: that of the Hudson.
Just testing out my new avatar … Wow, still putting around on the web, I really need to get back to the lab.
Test two.
Sam: what kind of science?
And is your avatar a homemade victorian portrait?
Two things:
My alarm (if you can call it that) in the morning is Josh Ritter’s “Lark.” An amazing way to wake up.
and
I have a total crush on Lafayette.
Aubs: I’m right there with you! Lafayette makes the idea of being a riverboat chambermaid seem almost appealing, doesn’t he?
Yay for Lafeyette !
Also, Mark, my avatar is actualy a portrait of the lovely Isabel Jay. She was an english opera singer, a soprano and an actress. I always thought she was an exceptionaly beautiful woman, and I wasn’t the only one. She was so imensely popular in her day (early 1900) that she posed for over 400 postcard pictures.
The second avatar I tried there is my favorite Manet painting. Because I do so love my artisticaly inclined French. (It surely must be the nose … all the better to sniff the absinthe)
Please forgive me for the gramatical quality of this post. It is late, and when I’m tired … j’en perd mon anglais.
Courtney: THE DECEMBERISTS, for sure! Ok, you convince me we need to start the Sailor Twain playlist!
Salty Aire: Aye! Tarrytown, to tarry a while somewhere between Manhattan and Lake Tear of the Cloud, between destinations, between two worlds—my explanation of choice.
And thanks, Sam, Anne, Aubs! May Lafayette reward and test your feelings for him!
Isabel Jay shore is awful pirdy.
Mr. Irving said it was named by the wives whose husbands tarried by the taverns on market days. But it has more to do with the soil which was especially good for growing wheat. This led to the village being known as Wheat Town, or Terve Town. As with all things Dutch, mispronounced as Tarrytown.
Hmm. Page 98 hit my RSS reader, complete with some malicious JavaScript, which resized my RSS reader and started showing a fake “system scan” image. The page doesn’t actually seem to be on site yet, and my browser settings should block whatever-it-is anyway, but whoever’s in charge of these things should probably vet the page and the ad provider.
(No harm done on my system, and I’m on a Mac anyway — most of the malware spread this way targets Windows machine — but I don’t want anyone else to get hit.)
Mark!
I wanted to share with you this great video from the Josh Ritter concert in Tarrytown over the weekend. Well, guess since you were there it is more like sharing with the fans of your comic. It looks like it was an amazing time! Especially the song (Lantern); One of my favorites…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TETVSRuRrDI
Tarrytown, now another name on my vast list of destinations that I have to hit! Luckily, It’ll be easier soon, as I am going to be finding myself residing in NYC in less than 3 weeks. So I can see these places for myself, in person!
Lantern, one of my favorites too!
I salute the fan who thought up that idea!!