11/7 - Ferry Beer

Olympus XA, Ilford HP5+

Except for college, I have lived my entire life in Staten Island.  It's actually been a while since I've had to hear about the Fresh Kills landfill.  For a while, it was the only thing anyone had ever knew about Staten Island.

Well, that and the Staten Island Ferry.  That's still there, and all you really need to know about it is that there is beer.

Staten Island was never really my home of choice.  I was just born there and kind of got stuck there.  It takes 30 minutes to get to the ferry, 30 minutes to ride it, and then I have to get where I'm going from the very southern tip of Manhattan.  Things have been getting better, though.  The Ferry terminal is now heated and much cleaner, and the express bus has been a lot more dependable.

The one thing has always made the ride home much better, though: Ferry Beer.

There aren't many distractions on the ferry.  Everyone gets a seat, the ride is quiet and smooth, and everyone gets their comfort bubble for 30 minutes.  You get to read, get your laptop or phone out, listen to music, or just take the time to think.  All of the above are made much better by beer.  The selection has expanded from Bud and Corona to include more interesting choices, like Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas, but I stick to my go-to, a 24oz Coors.

I love nice beers and thinking about nice beers, but the bar is where I go when I want to think about beer.  When I'm on the Ferry, I usually have other things I need to think about.  The American pilsners aren't exactly works of art, but because of that they don't demand much of your attention and just do their job.  It's nice to have one along as a quiet travel companion on the way home to leave your mind free to digest the happenings of the day.