On the Waterfront
Twenty-seven things to do, see and nibble in Hastings-on-the-Hudson, a fun, funky, and bookish little rivertown.
By: Nancy Angiello Published June 12, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Let Me Take You To The funky little rivertown in which I live, which is also home to plenty of damn-proud salt-of-the-earth types. This mix of personalities in my small rivertown (Hastings is about two square miles in size with a population of 7,715) is what makes living—and visiting—here so fun. Funky shops, unusual galleries and a popular museum are also a part of the Bohemian package. And if you’re a foodie, you already know our two famed restaurants—a top-rated French bistro and a waterfront haven—with many choices in between, including a classic ’50s diner. And Hastings is truly a book lovers’ dream-come-true—with five independent bookstores in one tiny town. More fun comes with discovering that almost all the shops and restaurants are family-owned: mom and pop, sister and sister or mother and son. And since most of them live in Hastings, it feels a little like living in Mayberry. And for all its artsy-ness and natural feel (there are 175 acres of parks, woodlands, ponds and streams), Hastings has an industrial history which has left an indelible stamp on both the architecture and entire vibe of the village. (According to one theory, Hastings-on-Hudson got its alliterative name in the early 1800s, by the English owner of the first village factory, who named it after his hometown.) An asphalt factory, for example, produced those hexagonal paving blocks found all over Manhattan’s Central Park (10 million were shipped worldwide). Anaconda Cable Company was a vast employer of residents for decades; people worked around the clock in shifts. And where did they head after work? To bars, saloons, taverns, more bars and some diners. Yes, in one dubious era, Hastings was home to some 30 bars—today those old bars house lovely little shops and quality restaurants. “We’ve reused our architecture very well,” says Village Historian David Willis McCullough. And though the village isn’t cookie-cutter-perfect, there’s a quaint-yet-not-overly-cutesy feel that will make you want to linger, take in the views and spend time getting to know my town and what it has to offer. Here, an insider’s guide to the best of the village. Click here for the original article | 
