It’s hard to envision bucolic Bedford, N.Y. as a war zone, but it was one during the Revolutionary War. British forces traveled up Guard Hill Road and then burned all but one of the houses in the village 235 years ago today. How often I drive on Guard Hill and think only fleetingly about its…
Category: New York State
Finding the American Revolution in Sleepy Hollow
On a visit to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the Bashful Adventurer finds markers about the American Revolution.
Watch with a Tourist’s Eyes
How many times do I visit Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y. before noticing a plaque about George Washington’s meetup with Comte de Rochambeau, a French general sent to help with the Revolutionary War? I volunteer at the hospital for years; I visit friends and relatives there over a period of decades, but it…
Where We Should All Be on July 4th
In between barbeques and fireworks on Independence Day, travelers might take a few minutes to visit a cemetery containing Revolutionary War dead and give a bit of thanks. Imagine taking on a super power in a place where there were no gunpowder manufacturers—and winning. For those with the courage to serve, thank you. —Lori Tripoli…
Old Dutch Church, Where Were You during the Revolution?
The Bashful Adventurer is curious about the role of the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. during the American Revolution.
Iceland in Katonah
The Brawny Sherpa and I are fortunate to be introduced to Iceland at a new exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art in Katonah, N.Y. Over watermelon and vodka cocktails, we become acquainted with Icelandic art—dark, bright, volcanic, a little crazy. That’s what a nation that features nine months of winter a year will do…
Citronella/Katonah
On view at the Katonah Museum of Art is John Ruppert’s Yellow Orb/Homage to Van Gogh (2014). Some of us see less Van Gogh and more of a giant citronella candle. No matter your interpretation, it’s worth visiting! —Lori Tripoli
The Takeaway from Boscobel
During my nonblogging hours, I spend a fair amount of time thinking about what educators intend to teach students and whether and to what extent students are actually learning what their instructors intend. I can’t help but wonder whether I’ve ever mastered any of the learning outcomes established by an historic institution. I suspect I’m…
Dia: Beacon —Where Industry, Metal, Glass Converge
I expect coldness at Dia: Beacon, all angles, no softness. There will be no pastel ballerinas guarded on the walls in this former factory space in Beacon, N.Y. Entering, I wonder what Dia stands for. Is it an acronym? Does it mean “downtown industrial art” or something? No, I learn, this art space was named…
Sunday Bloodies
My little habit of appreciating a Bloody Mary sometime during any given Sunday probably started years ago at the Colgate Inn in Hamilton, N.Y., back when drinking at age 18 was still legal and Sundays weren’t ruined by multitasking or by knocking back a few at brunch. Named for Queen Mary I of England who…