Flashback Friday: Hudson, New York

In honor of the past long weekend, I wanted my Flashback Friday post to feature one of my favorite local getaway destinations, the Hudson River Valley. The region stretches 150 miles along the Hudson River from Yonkers in Westchester north to Albany. There are so many wonderful places to visit along the river but this post will focus on the weekend Brian and I spent in the area around Hudson, New York which is about a 2 hour drive from the city. http://www.travelhudsonvalley.com/

View of the Hudson River from Olana

Settled by the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century and named after the explorer, the city of Hudson flourished with the whaling industry. As you walk through the streets you’ll notice whales on the street signs as a tribute to the whalers that spurred a thriving manufacturing and shipping community. Although the 1960’s marked the beginning of a decline in the city leaving behind abandoned buildings, recently Hudson is making a comeback as an arts and food destination.

Sleep:

We were so lucky to find such a wonderful bed and breakfast. Windle, the owner of the Inn at Hudson, met us at 11pm to let us into the B&B because we were running late and even walked over to Fish and Game, the restaurant we were supposed to dine at, and changed our reservation for us. The owners were welcoming and they served a delicious breakfast both mornings with gluten free modifications. Even though check out was at noon they allowed us to stay in the room until our dinner reservations at 5pm on Sunday. http://www.theinnathudson.com/index.html

Eat:

Our first night in Hudson we walked from the Inn to Warren Street, the main shopping road and center of the city, to enjoy dinner at Swoon. The restaurant had a fun vibe and we enjoyed the cheese plate from local farms. Overall, the food was tasty and it was a great choice for our first night in town. http://www.swoonkitchenbar.com/

The interior of Fish and Game

We initially chose to visit Hudson because of the Tasting Table article that stated “Fish and Game…could do for the Hudson Valley what French Laundry did for Napa Valley”. How could we resist trying Zak Pelaccio prix fixe, set menu? While overall the food was very good, it certainly seems to have a long way to go to earn that reputation. The dishes highlighted locally sourced ingredients and were very inventive, but there was a lack of cohesion and some odd choices in plating detracted from a couple courses.The decor of the restaurant is inviting and warm, while the front of house staff was very nice and helpful in changing our reservation. The service is excellent as the restaurant staggers the seating so that all diners get personal attention, however the kitchen was unable to accommodate my gluten allergy beyond omitting any wheat products. If you’re in Hudson, definitely try to get a reservation or at least a drink at the bar and decide if it lives up to Tasting Table expectations. http://fishandgamehudson.com/

http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/nyc/14589/Zak_Pelaccios_Fish_Game_in_Hudson.htm

http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2014/01/alan-richman-fish-game-hudson-new-york-review.html

Do:

FDR’s home

A trip to the Hudson Valley is not complete without a visit to President Franklin Roosevelt’s home, museum and library. This was my second time to Hyde Park and in the last few years they’ve renovated the museum. Be prepared to spend a lot of valuable time wandering through Roosevelt’s four terms in the museum and library. Your ticket also includes a free one hour ranger led tour through Roosevelt’s childhood home. If you have time, you can drive to Val-Kill, Eleanor’s cottage which is also the only National Historic Site dedicated to a first lady. http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/

We drove by the Vanderbilt Mansion but arrived too late to take a guided tour of this gigantic home. Next time, I’d love to see the inside of the home. http://www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm

Just a small Vanderbilt home

Another historic home for this trip, Olana!

Olana is about a 10 minute drive from downtown Hudson and it was the home of Frederic Church, prominent Hudson School painter. The guided tour was informative and the docent explained the very unusual historic home. We enjoyed learning about Church and the Moorish inspired home, as well as the breathtaking view of the river below the property. http://www.olana.org/

It’s been a long time since I’ve had vodka so it was a treat to drive to the town of Valatie and check out Harvest Spirits’ Distillery. They use apples to distill their vodka and we enjoyed a tasting. The guys were happy to explain the process and some of the new products they are working on for next season (including a whiskey). On the way to Valatie, we stopped at Kinderhook for a look at President Martin van Buren’s home, Lindenwald. Unfortunately, the home is only open from May-November so we could not take the tour inside the home. We enjoyed walking around the property and reading information about Van Buren’s presidency. http://www.harvestspirits.com/ and http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/van_buren_lindenwald.html

Lindenwald

The barrels at Harvest Spirits Distillery

 

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for other posts about day trips we’ve taken to the Hudson Valley such as Storm King and West Point!

 

A Day in the Forgotten Borough

Thanks to Russell and Kate, my dream to explore Staten Island was finalized realized. The day began with a beautiful, efficient and free (yes, free!) trip on the Staten Island ferry. After only 20 minutes on the ship with views of the Freedom Tower and Lady Liberty herself, we had docked at St. George’s port.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We drove directly to Snug’s Harbor, a landscaped enclave, that was originally built as a haven for retired sailors in the early 19th century. Although the retreat fell into disrepair and some buildings were demolished, the Landmarks Commission was able to step up and save many of the original buildings which makes you feel like you’ve been transported back in time. Snug’s Harbor has a children’s museum and other cultural institutions but we chose to spend our time in the Chinese Scholars Garden. It is a $5 fee but well worth it. Remember to read the plaques outside the garden which will give you clues and tell you about the secrets hidden inside. We also enjoyed the maze at Connie Gretz’s Secret Garden. http://snug-harbor.org/

While at Snug’s Harbor it’s easy to forget that you are still within New York City. Staten Island was originally established by the Dutch and was called Staaten Eylandt (literally States Island) in honor of the States General which was the Dutch Parliament. Based on its proximity, some wonder why Staten Island is not in New Jersey. A myth, perpetuated by Mayor Bloomberg, says that Captain Christopher Billopp declared that if he could circumnavigate the island in one day then it would belong to New York. However, Staten Island was settled by the Dutch and granted to the English in 1673 as a part of the Treaty of Breda which gave England claim to the land and subsequently renamed the colony New York. So it was and likely will always be part of the Empire State. The island played a significant role in the Revolutionary War as a loyalist stronghold and it was eventually consolidated as a borough of the Greater City of New York in 1898.

Here’s what we did after Snug’s Harbor:

– Pizza at DeNino’s (http://www.deninos.com/) According to the gluten full group it was delcious! What’s a trip to SI without pizza? 

– Creme Ice across the street at Ralph’s (http://www.ralphsices.com/) Cheap and definitely a first for me. I think I prefer regular ice cream but really I can’t complain because it was cold and yummy!

 

 

 

– Beer at Flagship Brewery (http://theflagshipbrewery.com/) Right next to the ferry and they had a spacious tap room. Gotta love their slogan: Unforgettable beer brewed in the forgotten borough!

– September 11th Memorial (http://www.visitstatenisland.com/just-off-the-ferry/esplanade-postcards-september-11th-memorial/) Impactful. While you stand within the memorial you look directly at the World Trade Center sights and you are surrounded by the profiles of Staten Island residents that lost their lives on September 11, 2001. 

 

 

– Staten Island Yankees Game (http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t586) Ok they’re not the best baseball players but it’s fun to watch and the view of downtown Manhattan isn’t half bad. The game will be long so be prepared to either leave early or stick it out to the very end. Fireworks on Friday and Saturday evening games in the summer.

Then we jumped back on the free (did I say free?!) ferry. I definitely would love to go back to Staten Island and check out one of these tours to learn more about the history (http://www.visitstatenisland.com/tours/). We were extremely grateful to our wonderful tour guides and I promise not to forget the borough ever again!