My partner in special ed combat and ultra-rare fellow INFJ is a Staten Islander. So today she was my expert guide, uncovering the best of all the things on the island I like–abandoned stuff, scenic beauty, and vegan options.  First, we split a quick lunch at Dosa Garden in Tompkinsville.  

I was so excited to explore the abandoned and decrepit Seaview Hospital in Willowbrook. The hospital was opened in 1913 to for those afflicted with Tuberculosis, which was treated back then with fresh air, rest, and nutrition.  The hospital also conducted the first trials of the drugs that would ultimately cure TB in 1957.   Though a large portion of the hospital campus has been renovated and is in use, there are plenty of decaying structures easily accessible from a busy road.  The buildings that remain seemed structurally sound…  and we walked all the way up to the roofs!  Here are plenty of shots of the happy colors in the dying buildings…

Next we headed to the Blazing Star Cemetery (a.k.a. the Sleight Family Graveyard) in Rossville.  The small slab of old graves sits just off a busy road. The graveyard was established in 1740.  Now there is a gym across the street.

From the graveyard, you can walk down a path to see the Staten Island Boat Graveyard on Arthur Kill, a marine scrapyard that is a neat site to see.  So often boat graveyards have to be kayaked to. I appreciated easily hitting two types of old cemeteries.  That’s my jam.

Since the sun was now ablaze, it was time to stop looking at dead things. We headed to Mount Loretto, a pretty combination of forest, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal shoreline on Staten Island’s south shore. Walking about the trails and beaches, it felt like we were no longer in New York City.. . or even New York!

Looking at New Jersey, skimming stones.  Just kidding, I don’t know how to skim stones. 

Our Doc Martens stopping for a rest. 

I want to be someone who knows how to skim stones… and identify mushroom species. Nature girl goals I’ll get to someday.

Next was dinner at Bario’s in the mall area, Heartland Village. It seemed random that this place had a menu of vegan options and exciting that they were not Daiya!  They use Violife, which is a better packaged vegan cheese.

The vegan mozzarella sticks.  That’s a lot of cheese!

She got the Penne with Cashew Vodka Sauce.  Very yummy!

I got a personal pizza with mushrooms. Yummy as well! I’m very impressed. But admittedly, my expectations were kind of low. :-L

A long day of exploration left us at Craft House for some locally brewed Kills Boro. Surprisingly, we had even more stops on the list, so this is part 1, Staten Island.  But now, my bed in Bay Ridge.

😴