Mon 30 Jun 2008
Best Damn Commuter Town Period: Pleasantville Lives Up to Name
Posted by TJ under Best Commuter Town, Captain Lawrence, Ossining, Pleasantville
Pleasantville, that lively village located smack in the middle of Westchester County, hard by the Saw Mill and home of crossword puzzle master Will Shortz and book critic Janet Maslin, has claimed the first-ever Best Commuter Town in the Tri-State Area title, as voted on by you, the readers.
Writes P’viller Peter:
P’ville is eminently walkable and human scale, being a classic pre-automobile village, as yet unsullied with sprawling development. A very livable little burg. Seems to me that everyone has either lived here since their grandpa built the house in 1912, or moved here from U.W.Side, Park Slope or Queens either 10 or 5 or 2 years ago.
Adds Ryan:
We moved 6 months ago from Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn where we lived for 8 years and haven’t regretted it one bit. I walk 8 minutes on the sidewalk to the train and so far haven’t minded the commute time. Given the dreaded F train and transfers my commute is the same time within 5 mins or so depending on the day AND we always get a seat.
Indeed, Pleasantville has substantial mojo. There is the Pleasantville Music Festival, the Captain Lawrence Brewery (the “Sun Block” wheat beer is delicious), the cozy Iron Horse Grill in the old train station, the park where everyone leaves their old toy trucks on the sand box for others to play with, and of course the Jacob Burns arthouse theater–which Pleasantvillers are happy to talk about, even if we secretly doubt that many of them actually see movies there.
It’s all about a 50-minute train ride away–not short by any means, but at least there’s a “there” there when you get home.
Honorable mentions go to Ossining (for the food), Mamaroneck (for the walkability, beach and easy commute), and Hartsdale (for Juan, “the friendly newspaper vendor”); and lest we forget Jersey, also named were Madison (for being “a pocket of culture”), and Ho-ho-kus (for the funny name).
Congrats to Pleasantville, and all who reside therein.
June 30th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
You could give props to Ho-Ho-Kus (note the correct spelling please) for more than the funny name. I lived in HHK for close to 20 years and now that I’ve been away for almost 15, I’m still trying to find that awesome small town but close to it all feeling.