Winter Wandering in Port Chester

It’d been two months since I’d last gotten out of the city and I was desperate for a change. Working a 9-5 job in the heart of skyscraper city means there are some days where I get less than five minutes of sunlight. But the bitter cold that kept us chilled no matter how much we over-cranked our heat clutched the entire Northeast, making a day trip daunting.

Can’t really relax when your shoulders are knotted from shrugging against the wind.

But my desperation to get out overcame my distaste for the cold, so as soon as we had a “warm” day in the teens, I bundled myself up and headed for Grand Central.

When I went to Tarrytown last fall, I had intentionally kept it a low-tech day. With my trip to Port Chester, that was accidental. My phone was running low on battery — but no problem. I had brought my portable charger with me.

Which I had forgotten to charge.

Not a big deal, I told myself. I love the wandering approach of discovering a new place! And my first discovery was a good one. I ducked into the Salvation Army and found their extensive library of cheap paperbacks. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil for a buck? Yes please. I’ll save in library fines.

My next find was just as good. I meandered over the river, pausing to take pictures of the cracked sheets of ice, and crossed the state line into Connecticut. Everything was immediately twice as cute in Connecticut, but Greenwich wasn’t as bustling as Port Chester. Still, I found myself a hip lunch spot, a burger and shake joint that provided greasy, buttery, tasty goodness and a full stomach for further wayfaring.

But the problem with a wandering approach is that sometimes you’re walking towards a busy intersection, hoping it’s downtown, and it turns out to be a car dealership and a drugstore. Or you’re headed for that clock tower only to come to the parking lot of a self-storage space. Or the afternoon snow that was promised arrives early, and instead of big fat furry flakes it’s tiny ice shards blowing into your face on a slicing wind.

Stay positive, I told myself as my legs began to go numb. At least you’re getting fresh air.

And on the other hand, when you wander you get to see a slice of town unique to you. I found continual temptation from the many South American bakeries sprinkled through Port Chester. And my completely random route took me to one of the skinniest houses I’ve ever seen. And I had the opportunity to be the first footprints in freshly fallen snow, something that almost never happens in well-trod New York.

Still, it was cold and now wet. I used my last bit of cell phone battery to find a bakery and retreated from the elements. As I sat in the relative warmth of Kneaded Bread, refueling with hot tea and a donut, watching the snow come down in big shakes off the awnings, my motivation for wandering dissipated. While I was enjoying my afternoon in Port Chester, I spent much of the time thinking about how much more enjoyable it would be in the summer. When you could explore Connecticut post-burger to burn off some of those extra calories. When you could grab a pillow-like focaccia from Tarry Market and wander down to the river for a picnic. When you could feed the ducks extra bits of your donut as you pause between coffee breaks.

Yes, Port Chester would be an awesome city escape during the summer, but I wasn’t ready to give up and head back to the even colder concrete streets. Before my phone battery went red, I saw a park next to the river. I trudged through the snow, which had fortunately shifted from icy to fluffy. When I got there, I saw a soccer field and an neglected all-purpose gazebo.

I bet it gets a lot of use in the summer.

So here’s to another warm day to look forward to. Port Chester, I hope to see you again real soon.

Port Chester is an easy escape from New York. It takes one hour to get there from Grand Central Terminal and an off-peak round trip ticket costs $18. There are dozens of cute restaurants, a shopping center on the river, a movie theatre and a concert hall. I’m keeping my eye on the lineups at The Capitol Theatre, hoping to make a fun overnight trip out of it.