HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Best of Hudson Valley Good Stuff: Memorable events, meals & moments of 2011

Cupcakes galore at the Cupcake Festival at Gardiner

Post-Irene tree climbing 

The Midtwon Margarita at Boitson's in Kingston

The Lake at Belleayre Mountain, Pine Hill

REO Speedwagon at the Dutchess County Fair

Our new family member at Animal Kind in Hudson, NY

 

American Red Cross in Kingston--CPR class

Brasserie 292

Bell's Christmas Tree Farm


Another year of blogging about Hudson Valley Good Stuff. Put it in the books! My blog turns 3 today. As I look back on 2011, here is list of my top memorable events, meals, and moments that I blogged about. 

January:  About two hours after our romantic anniversary dinner at Violette's in Woodstock, my daughter fell very ill and we had an emergency at the house. This prompted me to sign up for a Red Cross CPR training class in Kingston. Thankfully my daughter got better the following week, and the year got better. 

 In February, I signed up for a Partner Yoga workshop at Shakti Yoga on Valentine's Day weekend in Woodstock, and the poses Linda taught us that day, have stuck, at the end of a stressful day, in addition to bringing out the potato chips, we practice partner yoga.

In March there was Hudson Valley's Restaurant Week.  I discovered The Village Tea Room in New Paltz. I wrote a review for LoHud's Small Bites Blog here.

April: The Woodstock Writers Festival is only in its 2nd year, and already very successful. I only made it to one lecture, but hopefully in 2012 I will make it to at least 2 lectures and workshop, who knows. Check out the Woodstock Writers website to see what Martha Frankel and her staff are planning this year.

May: On Mother's Day, I went to the Cupcake Festival in Gardiner and had a very sweet time. I will definitely be back there this year if the festival takes place again. It is a foodie's dream!

June: I wish I could have spent more time at Pine Hill Lake at Belleayre this Summer. It is truly a slice of Hudson Valley paradise.

July: While we really got a cat to take care of the mice situation we have totally fallen in love with her. We adopted a senior cat at Animal Kind in Hudson. The staff are very helpful and the adoption was a breeze.  If you need to surrender your cat for whatever reason, give them a call. 

August--I will never forget the angst in the air at the Dutchess County Fair the night we saw REO Speedwagon in concert, the day before T.S. Irene arrived. Being a weather junkie, I was excited about a potential hurricane. After the first intense 20 minutes though, our power went out and that is when the fun abruptly stopped. Later when I saw the down-trees and wires, flooding, my excitement turned to panic, then to gratitude. We only lost our power for 5 days, and we stayed one night at the Hampton Inn, and the rest of the time with family in Long Island. Hudson Valley Weather's Facebook Fan Page and The Watershed Post proved to be  very valuable resources for victims of Irene.

September--Celebrating my husband's birthday at Boitson's in Uptown Kingston. I tried devils on horseback for the first time and had the best margarita of the year!

October--My favorite week in Woodstock continues to be the Woodstock Film Festival week where thousands of filmmakers come to town to screen their indie movies. The concerts are not to be missed. In 2009, I became a ukelele fan and now  Melvern Taylor is on my iPod. Last year, I saw Simi Stone in concert at the Colony Cafe and I bought her new CD from her at the concert in November.  

I cannot forget walking into Rock Star Rodeo in Saugerties and hearing a guy sing "Happy Birthday" on my actual birthday, only to find out it was the store owner Billy Yosh's birthday too!

On November 11th, 2001, I saw the amazing Simi Stone again in concert at Vivo Art Gallery in Woodstock. Later that month, Brasserie 292 in Poughkeepsie invited us for lunch. It was delicious!

December--While I had fun with the family at Sinterklaas in Rhinebeck, I have to say that my favorite adventure was chopping down the Christmas Tree at Bell's Christmas Tree Farm.

 In December, we put our Hudson Valley Good Stuff billboard up. A huge thank you to our current sponsors Fez Cafe in Saugerties, Taft Street Realty, IXL Health & Fitness, Fun-e Farm Bouncy House Fun center in Kingston, and River Rock Health Spa in Woodstock, and our future sponsors (you know who you are) for your support! 

What will the 2012 hold for the Hudson Valley and HVGS? I am working on HVGS wish-list. First thing on my list is snow!   Wishing you all a Happy New Year & please keep sharing this blog. 

7 Fun things to do in the Hudson Valley 4th of July Weekend 2011

If you are lucky enough to be in the Hudson Valley this weekend, here are a few ideas of fun things to do. I can't believe 4th of July Weekend is here and the weather forecast looks flawless, so far!

Woodstock Animal Sanctuary's July Jamboree (July 2nd & 3rd) : I went to this last year and had a really great time. Don't forget to eat an organic grilled corn on the cob! There will be live theater for the family, yummy vegan food, and an awesome Woodstock vibe. 

Saugerties, 4th of July Parade on Monday, July 4th. Parade starts at 11:00 am, but I'd get there about 20 minutes early if you want to get a good parking spot. I went to the parade last year and seemed to go and on for a very long time. Get comfortable! Don't forget to stop by Lucky Chocolates to try out their new juices, or patriotic chocolates.

Fireworks at Cantine Field at dusk!  I haven't done this yet, but could be extra romantic for baseball lovers.

There will be an all day BBQ party at The Rhinecliff, the gorgeous hotel right near the Amtrak train station.

 The Roxbury Sidewalk Fair on July 2nd should be a blast. There is also a beautiful wooden playground right behind the church in Roxbury.  I never leave Roxbury without a huge jar of buckwheat honey. 

Check out a Hudson Valley Renegade Game. Didn't one of last year's team members make it to the majors? I can't remember who. Games on July 1, 2, and 3rd will be at home, also known as Duchess Stadium.

 Prefer to just be lazy and lounge on the beach? Check out Pine Hill Lake at Belleayre Mountain. At only $8 for a car load, it is bargain. 

If you want to celebrate the 4th of July with a Hudson Valley fireworks display, visit the Rhinebeck's Community Open Forum blog for a list of towns hosting fireworks display.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy weekend in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Have another great idea for 4th of July weekend in the Hudson Valley? Please post it in the comments.

Celebrating Father's Day in the Hudson Valley: Where to take Dad

 Here are a few fun ideas if you are celebrating Father's Day in the Hudson Valley this weekend. 

Skytop Steakhouse & Brewing Company, 237 Forest Hill Drive, Kingston, NY (845) 340-4277 Brunch Buffet- I went here 3 years ago. They always have a great spread with smoked salmon and an omelet station. You can also order off the menu. It's always a good place for beer lovers!

Hickory BBQ Smokehouse--743 Route 28, Kingston, NY (845) 338-2424. If your Dad is more of BBQ ribs kind of guy, take him to Hickory BBQ. Everything is pretty damn good here, even the salads! http://www.hickoryrestaurant.com/index.html

Big Healthy Breakfast--Sweet Sue's Phoenicia, 49 Main Street, Phoenicia, NY (845) 688-7852--It's one of the best breakfast places around.  The only thing you will not like about this place is the line outside to get in on weekends! Over-sized organic pancakes are their specialty.  They have a zillion different pancakes. Try their pancake sundae!

Dad would also like other Restaurants that I Love that I've mentioned in the blog as well.

Starting at 11 am on Sunday, June 19th the Rhinebeck Farmers Market will be offering Dads free strawberry shortcake. Where will you go to celebrate Father's Day?

 

Belleayre Beach at Pine Hill Lake: A Slice of Heaven in the Hudson Valley

 

Last weekend, I went to one of my favorite summer spots, Belleayre Beach at Pine Hill.  It's a great place to take the kids swimming. The water is calm and shallow. (The shallow area is well cordoned off with a rope).  There is a diving dock further out where you can dive from, if you are adventurous. (I'm not!)  There is a small kiosk that sells drinks, ice creams, and chips. You can also rent a pedal boat, kayak, or row boat. Parking is only $8 for the day. The entry fee is $2 for walk-in folks.  There is also a play ground on the grounds, and as the setting is so scenic, it's the perfect photo-op setting! For more info, visit http://www.belleayre.com/summer/lake.htm. Anybody out there have other favorite Hudson Valley beaches?

Ayla's Pizza--Arkville, NY--Kid friendly Italian restaurant

 The kids were really hungry after the beach so we decided to stop somewhere before heading out for dinner. I was also worried that the Colonial Inn buffet wouldn't have any kid food. (I was wrong. The buffet did have spaghetti, meatballs, and fried chicken).  Anyway, a pizza stop turned out to be a great call.  I didn't realize that Ayla's had a dinning room as well, until I asked to use the restroom. We sat at the small eating area by the counter.  The slices were very tasty, and I had to restrain myself from ruining my appetite for the big buffet dinner in Pine Hill.  There is also a small play area with toys for kids--which is always a plus for families! Ayla's Pizza, Route 28, Arkville, NY. (845) 586-3333.

Saturday Night Grand Buffet--Colonial Inn--Pine Hill, NY--Loosen your belt!

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I was so looking forward to enjoying the Grand Buffet at the Colonial Inn in Pine Hill tonight. We had a guest from France staying with us for a couple nights, who had only experienced NYC. He had never seen America's country side so it felt beffiting to take him to sleepy Pine Hill for a huge Hudson Valley buffet.  The Grand Buffet opens up at 5:30 every Saturday night. We got there a little early because we were all famished from our day at Belleayre Beach.  There was a small salad bar, and the hot entrees were all delicious and cooked like your aunt's favorite pot luck dish. There was eggplant parmesan, 2 different kinds of meatballs, mashed potatoes, vegetables, corned beef, roast beef, pasta dishes, shrimp, and a couple fish dishes. The desserts were so good. I had 2 servings of the banana cream pie. (Diet starts in earnest on Monday!)  I could tell there were quite a few repeat buffet customers here.  If you have a party of 6 or more, call ahead and let them know. Otherwise, reservations aren't needed.  At $13.50 per person, you can loosen your belt without loosening your wallet.  What are other great buffets in the area? I've been to Al's Seafood in Phoenicia before for their Monday night seafood buffet. Are there others out there I should know about? I just love buffets!  Children get a discount on the buffet. For more info, visit http://www.colonialinn.com.

Day Trip: Lake George--Horse carriage rides & Miniature Golf

 

 

 On our way back from Six Flags Great Adventure in Queensbury, we stopped off in nearby Lake George to eat lunch.  There were quite a few options, including an interesting looking Indian restaurant, but we settled on Adirondack Sandwich Works for its low key family friendly vibe.  The exterior is unassuming as you can see. The sandwiches were delicious. (Well greasy, but damn good!) They also bake cinnamon buns on-site. (I was very tempted, but wanted to leave room for an ice cream tasting!)  After lunch, we went on a horse carriage ride along the lake and our tour guide mentioned Around the World Miniature Golf Range (http://www.aroundtheworldgolf.com)  was voted one of the top ten mini golf places in the country by the Travel Channel.  For our ice cream tasting, we went to The Pink Roof, which had soft-serve and hard ice cream. It was a gorgeous Summer day in Lake George and we all enjoyed walking along the promenade by the lake and seeing the steam boats.  Lake Geroge has a public beach with a life guard. We passed it on the horse carriage ride. It looked small, but looks like a quiet place to have a picnic and a dip in the water. If you are planning a trip to Lake George, the Chamber of Commerce is a good place to start. http://www.lakegeorgechamber.com.

Hudson Valley Beaches: 4th of July Fun!

[caption id="attachment_856" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="I took this photo while on assignment on 5/14/08 before beach season."][/caption] If you are looking for an alternative to the beaches of Long Island or the Jersey shore this weekend or any other Summer weekend, come check out the laid back beach scene of the Hudson Valley. We may not get all the celebs that the Hamptons get, but we've got mountains!  My favorite Hudson Valley beach is Belleayre Beach at Pine Hill Lake.  http://www.belleayre.com/summer/lake.htm. It has a very low atmosphere and small playground too. Here is a list of other beaches, courtesy of the Hudson Valley Tourism office. Peebles Island, Waterford. (518) 237-7000 ext. 220, http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=120  Constitution Island, West Point and Cold Spring. 845-446-8676, www.ConstitutionIsland.org  Bannerman Island, Newburgh and Beacon. 845-220-2120, www.prideofthehudson.com    Saugerties Lighthouse, Saugerties. 845-247-0656, www.saugertieslighthouse.com           Hudson Athens Lighthouse, Hudson and Athens.  518-828-5294, www.hudsonathenslighthouse.org   Schodack Island State Park, Schodack Landing. 518-732-0187, http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=87   Performance Art Flotilla Swimming Cities, Nyack. 845-358-4973   Playland Amusement Park, Rye Beach. 914-813-7000, www.ryeplayland.org          Greenwood Lake Beach, Greenwood Lake. 845-986-1124, www.villageofgreenwoodlake.org/beach.html   North/South Lake State Park, Haines Falls. 518-589-5058, www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24487.html  Have a safe & happy 4th of July!