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My mother and brother are heading down to Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow here for a visit today, so I’m looking forward to showing them around the area.

Highlights of the grand tour will include:

Mint Premium Foods: I really need to take a photo of this place, as any description I (or the NY Times writer who wrote this review) can do justice to the overstuffed, beautifully chaotic environment found inside this corner store. I found this photo on flickr, though.

Patriot’s Park: Not only is it a beautiful park, but it gets its name from being the place where the British spy John Andre was captured while attempting to return to New York City with plans for West Point given to him by Benedict Arnold. Writer Washington Irving modeled the “headless horseman” from his famous story on Andre, who was executed somewhere within the area that is now Patriot’s Park. It’s said that his ghost still haunts the park… but I just like to go there for the Farmers Market.

Anna Shea Chocolates: Because it’s Mother’s Day, and because Jessica is working there until 4 PM.

By far the best part of the day, however, will be our dinner reservation at Reality Bites in Nyack, NY. I fell in love with this restaurant while I was living in Nyack, and I now take every opportunity to turn people on to its great combination of good food, good wine and great movies. Last time Jessica and I had dinner there, we drank a bottle of Pinot Grigio and watched Annie Hall. Good times.