- Hoboken, NJ for a view of the NYC skyline and the Empire State Building lit up in Thanksgiving colors. After watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, R and I walked downtown to catch a ferry over to Hoboken, a cute little city directly across the Hudson. It has an open waterfront area with public and green spaces, tall residential buildings, and the beautifully renovated Lakawanna train station which also has the NJ Path to WTC.
Two blocks away from Hoboken's waterfront is Washington Street, a cute residential/downtown area with brownstones and shops, including an authentic German bakery. The proprietors are a German/Armenian couple from Cologne who live right above their bakery and have clearly have found their calling. Breads, pretzels, pastries—they do it all with love. Though I'm not a fan of dense German bread (being a fan of lighter French bread), I love bread that is baked with care and love.
If you're in Hoboken, stop by for a chat with the friendly owners and order the puff pastry with raspberry and quark, a light and creamy cheese that reminds me of French fromage frais. The owner/baker says everything (except for the beverages) are imported from Germany. I'm not an expert on German pastries but I thoroughly enjoyed biting into the flaky exterior that yielded into a creamy raspberry center. Perfectly tart and creamy and not too sweet. This place is a true gem which I plan on revisiting soon.
- The upper Bronx where there's a long stretch of paved cycling paths. R says there's about 60 miles up there and we may return next spring for some long rides.
- Cold Spring, NY for a hike and a bit of fresh air. For the past few months I've been starving for a bit of nature, wide open space, and quiet. Cold Spring was definitely the answer....the train ride there via Metro-North Railroad was an easy 70 minutes from Grand Central Station. We sat on the left side and had nice views of the Hudson and the mountains surrounding it. It reminded me a little bit of the countryside in France, but the Hudson highlands are much smaller than the mountain ranges in Rhone-Alpes.
The hike was listed as strenuous because of a steep 10 minute climb at the beginning. The rest of the hike was nice with long views of the Hudson and the small towns dotting both sides of it.
Being in Cold Spring made me more nostalgic and homesick for France and our simple life there. Tomorrow will mark 6 months since my move back to the States. Not a day passes by that I don't think of the amazing year R and I spent together and everything I learned on our adventures. When I daydream, I often think fondly of our house, the mountains, and the people (and animals) I came to know and love in la campagne. I count the days until our visit in February when I can see them again!
