Vignettes of Poughkeepsie: Eveready Diner, Hyde Park, Sunday, January 29th, 2017 3:00 p.m.

One could argue that diners are the backbone of the northeastern United States. They’ve been around for almost 145 years and Americans never seem to get tired of them. I’m kidding of course, but when it comes to American traditions that have been passed down generation to generation, few have lasted as long as going to a diner on a Sunday morning.

College students like me however enjoy going to a diner whenever we actually feel like it, and I had that very desire on a quiet Sunday afternoon. But I didn’t go to Palace Diner, like most Poughkeepsie locals. As a resident of Poughkeepsie for almost four years, my standards have been set higher by the Eveready Diner located about six miles north just past FDR’s home.

Eveready tends to have their biggest crowds on Sundays, most notably between 10:00 and 2:00 so I planned to go about an hour after rush hour. When I got there, I ordered the usual coffee, black with sugar. People were talking about the President’s actions that very weekend, and I asked if I could join them, to which they said sure. Originally planning to only be there for about 45 minutes, I ended up spending double that time as I talked with these two gentlemen. It was a surprisingly touching moment between a Marist College student and two locals.

The colors and structure are a complete homage to any classical diners you find in cities like New York, Chicago or Philadelphia. The silver and red mix together perfectly, with a bright personality that screams community. The giant green arrow you see as you enter the parking lot is a small but cute touch. Smiles are everywhere at any time of the day as soon as you walk thorough their doors. It’s always peaceful, even when its loud. I was introduced to Eveready in 2013 and I’ve been going ever since. You simply can’t ask for a more delicious ham and cheese omelette, or a better diner for that matter.