tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80530299043954138232024-03-05T10:27:44.074-08:00Walking in Westfield NJA commuter town with a vacation feelSusan Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383152636076146869noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053029904395413823.post-13050334189610709022009-12-02T14:22:00.000-08:002009-12-02T14:41:30.188-08:00Coming Home from the City<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvM53C30u-XLyJT5rqeneX8HSLhMUrBbnRS816eTrvOFtX0J-0JICrbr0cezgHqrztqzZ73Baw2vmyyHEDersJBEUFBmGBNqWL6UEifMrI-2LLVS44M4MugX9KEdxPfhqCjWuvNHO72ua/s1600-h/westfield-train+station+320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvM53C30u-XLyJT5rqeneX8HSLhMUrBbnRS816eTrvOFtX0J-0JICrbr0cezgHqrztqzZ73Baw2vmyyHEDersJBEUFBmGBNqWL6UEifMrI-2LLVS44M4MugX9KEdxPfhqCjWuvNHO72ua/s320/westfield-train+station+320.jpg" alt="Westfield NJ Train Station" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410769283923713922" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here's the Westfield NJ train station</span>. The building has a lot of old character, and when you walk downstairs in order to get to the NYC-bound track, you can read about the history of Westfield on ceramic plaques that feature historic photos and information.<br /><br />An interesting feature of this NJ Transit station is fully enclosed bike lockers, which are located at the platform level on the westbound side.<br /><br />The Westfield train station is conveniently located at the edge of the dining and shopping district downtown, with commuter parking on both the North Avenue and South Avenue sides.<br /><br />When you get off the train from your long day in the City, you walk right into the fun center of Westfield. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5f8D6rj1-0vyDH-83fRVweMtxx8Nh-mxwEFRm8Aetf1mecPFwV1_sFCU6lMSJI2Dyf0g_nmcg9CLI_gRI93BSAIMmDBeDBcqUTCCCOwtAj3P1R01K547nBXFbUHR4e-BXW_cAsjHxdA1/s1600-h/westfield-train+station+1+640.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5f8D6rj1-0vyDH-83fRVweMtxx8Nh-mxwEFRm8Aetf1mecPFwV1_sFCU6lMSJI2Dyf0g_nmcg9CLI_gRI93BSAIMmDBeDBcqUTCCCOwtAj3P1R01K547nBXFbUHR4e-BXW_cAsjHxdA1/s320/westfield-train+station+1+640.jpg" alt="Westfield NJ train station" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410769839300012322" border="0" /></a>With the station behind you, this is the view down Elm Street, which is lined with restaurants on the left side. Ferraro's Restaurant takes up the first block on the right side. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BhRdf90nV-ebnO9OxvxtHe2TVPK9XQVXR41GmThqLGk3mKlfIzylggYF0KbBP1foRbhtrGMCFjx-oZQmojYnBnfFUuMBq9-woViGkgNbSvdBTrHjQmV06_w4nGvuyUPBjL5IJNpYhnJz/s1600-h/westfield-view+down+Elm+from+train+station+390.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BhRdf90nV-ebnO9OxvxtHe2TVPK9XQVXR41GmThqLGk3mKlfIzylggYF0KbBP1foRbhtrGMCFjx-oZQmojYnBnfFUuMBq9-woViGkgNbSvdBTrHjQmV06_w4nGvuyUPBjL5IJNpYhnJz/s320/westfield-view+down+Elm+from+train+station+390.jpg" alt="View down Elm Street from Westfield NJ train station" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410770382569449026" border="0" /></a>Susan Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383152636076146869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053029904395413823.post-7518494809433259372009-11-02T09:14:00.000-08:002009-12-02T14:42:44.343-08:00Lenape Park<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R5KBq6duyGldmFXEwXSOa0W7ZdRZuGQml4nkb_YZxPuSLqzWAwX0U8dwN2UrfZf9pemHDa4edF5TkrmUKdStNNwLg_eMgMkWszZb2Pc8_A3B2Z1VxNdaruq0Bk7ikJpkl9EOB58PV7vq/s1600-h/westfield-lenape+6+600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R5KBq6duyGldmFXEwXSOa0W7ZdRZuGQml4nkb_YZxPuSLqzWAwX0U8dwN2UrfZf9pemHDa4edF5TkrmUKdStNNwLg_eMgMkWszZb2Pc8_A3B2Z1VxNdaruq0Bk7ikJpkl9EOB58PV7vq/s320/westfield-lenape+6+600.jpg" alt="Lenape Park in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399558027653052082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lenape Park, which extends from Cranford through Westfield NJ to Mountainside, is a raised linear walking path flanked on either side by forest and wetlands.<br /><br /></span>It reminds me of the Old Croton Aqueduct in the <a href="http://www.design-site.net/rivertowns">Rivertowns of lower Westchester County</a>, which is also raised and linear.<br /><br />In addition to the walking trail, Lenape Park features bird sanctuaries and a lake with a fountain.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RMvLfsKFLEGaK_lBMBT76GbxKFppITECzmnyNjDF-UexIIxWVbhvLn1dyx747YHt1jxjyS7uGBcWk3wPHYXsbvYxFIcDHC-hczt40tsisTEV1CvuNywbR91JOY7wk0FFRjPtCFDKjdGC/s1600-h/westfield-lenape+1+320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RMvLfsKFLEGaK_lBMBT76GbxKFppITECzmnyNjDF-UexIIxWVbhvLn1dyx747YHt1jxjyS7uGBcWk3wPHYXsbvYxFIcDHC-hczt40tsisTEV1CvuNywbR91JOY7wk0FFRjPtCFDKjdGC/s320/westfield-lenape+1+320.jpg" alt="Lenape Park in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399558989206892162" border="0" /></a><br />It's very peaceful, a good place to fish or simply enjoy some time in natural surroundings.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1pjRfQ1LJoJK0Gjkn2Y5F5ESQtbe-X_azZvRzowAS8OQjboNT9LcqZWswoY3EJGh219d3yAcJSgMHKwdsK6t8wsojWj8ge9Ei3nYQZ6DkgAuOL6YfW0899CBOdiOs-nqGONPa2Q1-MDe/s1600-h/westfield-lenape+3+600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1pjRfQ1LJoJK0Gjkn2Y5F5ESQtbe-X_azZvRzowAS8OQjboNT9LcqZWswoY3EJGh219d3yAcJSgMHKwdsK6t8wsojWj8ge9Ei3nYQZ6DkgAuOL6YfW0899CBOdiOs-nqGONPa2Q1-MDe/s400/westfield-lenape+3+600.jpg" alt="Lenape Park in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399559888396594146" border="0" /></a>Susan Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383152636076146869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053029904395413823.post-9426741230957388042009-09-16T09:15:00.000-07:002009-12-02T14:44:49.653-08:00They Won't Forget<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUA6c6U_0B7VQCiWYkh7xpWT_WDXANTNTXgE5hzISfGpYYx3Oc5k8VJ9LMTw-x-ZUKAo2IxVu15Vl3n6W__i3ZaJgSDPEIacBtcu7AeiDURPA1URlMqH_3vB5eDRSZWB4A_Z2G8n41MkCI/s1600-h/westfield-monument+911+1+adj.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUA6c6U_0B7VQCiWYkh7xpWT_WDXANTNTXgE5hzISfGpYYx3Oc5k8VJ9LMTw-x-ZUKAo2IxVu15Vl3n6W__i3ZaJgSDPEIacBtcu7AeiDURPA1URlMqH_3vB5eDRSZWB4A_Z2G8n41MkCI/s320/westfield-monument+911+1+adj.jpg" alt="9/11 Memorial in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382103598042485346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Numerous towns in the metropolitan NY area have contemplation gardens</span> to memorialize those who never came home on 9/11. Westfield's is located near the underpass at Broad Street and North Avenue, with a soft green luminous obelisk surrounded by a stone for each person lost. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I walked from there up the path to the train station platform, and there I came upon a smaller monument that was no less touching for its modest size and location.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwdqJoOPfXb2gbq5UP_mpbvyLz8Qv1u3C-PgPHQOwcIOUtaxtvpXNuygaoJ0YZGsYHGibK_izXMwt_3F2Er7ocgSwITYKEDU-JkgwvXsxS-cDhkc_q0JoANr0YMJ2Eq5NBqn_ypPzTNMV/s1600-h/westfield-path+for+dads+1+adj.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwdqJoOPfXb2gbq5UP_mpbvyLz8Qv1u3C-PgPHQOwcIOUtaxtvpXNuygaoJ0YZGsYHGibK_izXMwt_3F2Er7ocgSwITYKEDU-JkgwvXsxS-cDhkc_q0JoANr0YMJ2Eq5NBqn_ypPzTNMV/s320/westfield-path+for+dads+1+adj.jpg" alt="9/11 Memorial for Dads in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382102748948402050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Sweet and utterly heartbreaking, it reads:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">September 21, 2002, "A Walk for Dads"</span>,<br />A gift from the schoolchildren of Westfield in memory of those lost September 11, 2001, Dedicated November 15, 2003.Susan Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383152636076146869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053029904395413823.post-83723084235750637012009-07-25T07:30:00.000-07:002009-08-08T15:39:24.150-07:00A Sunny Day in Mindowaskin Park in Westfield NJ<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmalKXcasf-uAu3tSsWO5LTzixuNZZzO1FpQO04RzTLRtpORo6VTaEr0cAomsAQ4VaeRNYPkcz__1625Hv3M4e5-TaZJlBNLT0ZUqYUYdB9gVArAmkLu0fX2ppm-tCXTLWASs5e70pzJR/s1600-h/westfield-mindo+park+4+640.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmalKXcasf-uAu3tSsWO5LTzixuNZZzO1FpQO04RzTLRtpORo6VTaEr0cAomsAQ4VaeRNYPkcz__1625Hv3M4e5-TaZJlBNLT0ZUqYUYdB9gVArAmkLu0fX2ppm-tCXTLWASs5e70pzJR/s320/westfield-mindo+park+4+640.jpg" alt="Mindowaskin Park in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363723443189917586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">There were lots of shutterbugs out on this sunny Saturday at Mindowaskin Park in Westfield NJ.</span> Everything was so lush and colorful. Fountain spritzing, geese waddling, gentle breeze wafting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavzfhLKvwyTa2uzXdajqpI7RFFWasWgsrKGxO9SgZTaAlCnc0m9hO-Rc_JxP9I7GomDW0KklwWE9XNPkYucSdW1EpylAd2ZSTlx_Bm_m3Z1apAiA-fIm0OZRGV3hyphenhyphenTzaAqm0m109eFAuw/s1600-h/westfield-mindo+park+3+640.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavzfhLKvwyTa2uzXdajqpI7RFFWasWgsrKGxO9SgZTaAlCnc0m9hO-Rc_JxP9I7GomDW0KklwWE9XNPkYucSdW1EpylAd2ZSTlx_Bm_m3Z1apAiA-fIm0OZRGV3hyphenhyphenTzaAqm0m109eFAuw/s320/westfield-mindo+park+3+640.jpg" alt="Mindowaskin Park in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363723922005838658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6QVtiuNpFitC6CJ0dxlmSw9Wl0xiZFhdsyA8kcbdQKZGvkj8jwy-_60RgiAnj-OtK0cLq6KNq2O5cY0QhRg588CHhcXlOVATeSpCYIcmk7iYCpBWM16grustBCXlC5RyvNoZdqlu4NMN/s1600-h/westfield-mindo+park+2+640.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6QVtiuNpFitC6CJ0dxlmSw9Wl0xiZFhdsyA8kcbdQKZGvkj8jwy-_60RgiAnj-OtK0cLq6KNq2O5cY0QhRg588CHhcXlOVATeSpCYIcmk7iYCpBWM16grustBCXlC5RyvNoZdqlu4NMN/s320/westfield-mindo+park+2+640.jpg" alt="Mindowaskin Park in Westfield NJ" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363727360731032498" border="0" /></a>Susan Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383152636076146869noreply@blogger.com0