HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Family Weekend Getaway to Saratoga Springs recap: Chowderfest, mineral bath & incredible crepes!

 

A clam shooter. I had 3 of these!

Chowder samples from Prestwick Chase

 

Lining up for chowder

More chowder lovers

 

Lining up outside Circus Cafe

 

It snowed on Saturday, which didn't stop chowder lovers!

We decided on the spur of the moment to get away to Saratoga Springs this weekend. I love Woodstock, but we all needed a change of scenery. When I found out that the annual Chowderfest was on Saturday, I get even more excited. I have never been to a chowderfest, but I had visions of the family eating vats of chowder in our hotel room. I thought it would the kind of set up where vendors would all be in one location, and I would be able to buy as much chowder as I wished.

When I got there I soon realized that it wasn't going to be that easy. There was one vendor near the Visitors Center, the information hub of the Chowderfest, but all the participating restaurants were serving  soup to chowder lovers at their own restaurants. Hence the lines all down Broadway, Saratoga Springs main drag. It is well organized, but not very kid friendly.

l knew my kids would not want to wait online for chowder since they don't like seafood or long lines so I just took 30 minutes to myself to have 3 servings of the vendor at the tourist site, and walked a bit down Broadway to take photos for HVGoodStuff.com, and take in the festive atmosphere. The town was crowded with people happily waiting the lines for tasty chowder. Now that I know the set-up, I will have a strategy next time. (Read: babysitter!)  Later that day we enjoyed Take-Out crepes at Ravenous, which I highly reccommend. (Blog post coming soon).

Anyway, we still had a great time in Saratoga Springs. We enjoyed our stay at the Hilton Garden Inn. The hotel has a small pool and a jacuzzi. The pool was kind of cold, but of course, the kids don't care.  My husband and I each took turns soaking in a mineral baths at Roosevelt Spas & Bath like we always do when we visit Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Springs is an easy 90 minute drive from Woodstock. There is also a cool Children's Museum in Saratoga Springs. We didn't go there this time around, but it is worth a stop.  On the way home we didn't even require a bathroom stop. Amazing! What is your favorite thing to do when visiting Saratoga Springs?

The pool at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saratoga Springs, NY 

Dining area at the Hilton Garden Inn

 

The Gideon Putman resort: Fancier hotel for couples, singles, or honeymooners

 

 

10 Valentine's Day & Night Ideas for Hudson Valley Valentines!

Are you spending Valentine's Day in the Hudson Valley? Here are 10 ideas for you.

1) Want to escape for a romantic weekend in the Hudson Valley? Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa is having a special Valentine's Day Getaway Special. My husband and I enjoyed a delicious dinner at Henry's at the Farm last September.

2 ) Two Boots Pizza in Red Hook (near Bard College) will be hosting a dinner & movie night for couples. Woody Allen's Annie Hall will be the romance feature for the night. There will be food and drink specials too.

3) Treat your valentine to a massage or facial at River Rock Health Spa in Woodstock. Energy Works in Stone Ridge offers massage, facials, and reiki. Who doesn't like to get pampered?  

4) Mercato's in Red Hook. A few of my readers have recommended this restaurant though I haven't dined here. (Hudson Valley Good Stuff would love to be invited!)

5) Rent a pair of snowshoes from Overlook Mountain Bikes in Woodstock and go snow-shoeing at Kenneth L. Wilson Park like I did a few weeks ago.

6) Enjoy a brunch at Duo Bistro in uptown Kingston. I find their cuisine intoxicating!

7) Give your valentine a gift certificate to a local boutique, for example DIG Shop in Saugerties, and Winter Sun & Summer Moon in Rhinebeck.

8) Chocolate is for lovers! Stop by Krause's chocolates in Saugerties or Oliver Kita's luxurious chocolate boutique in Rhinebeck.

9) Reservoir Inn in West Hurley is a best kept secret among the locals. Make a reservation for Valentine's Day.

10) The new Phoenicia Diner is cozy and romantic and open from 7am-5pm Thursday through Monday.

If you want to share the love, please tell them Hudson Valley Good Stuff sent you!

 

Birch Body Care in Kingston: Power naps, chair massage & deep pressure massage in a cozy ambiance!

Birch Body Care in Kingston opened 2 months ago, and Ani Kaiser invited Hudson Valley Good Stuff to take a tour and experience a Power Pap. My husband and I had a pre-Duo Bistro dinner power nap last Friday around 6pm. It was a fun novel relaxing experience. You don't need a reservation for a power nap or a chair massage. Ani Kaiser, the owner and a massage therapist set us up in the couples room. She placed scented eye pillows on our faces, and wrapped a warm blanket over us. There was soft spa music playing in the background. It was a 10 minute vacation! She knocked on the door after 10 minutes. 

Tom took a couple photos of me "napping" but I won't post them up here as when he showed them to Chef Niels Nielsen later, the chef said that I looked like a baked potato. Well, I was a happy relaxed baked potato at that!  Kaiser is still tweaking the service menu, but she says so far the most popular service is the $20 chair massage. "People come and say I got a knot in my back and $20. Help!" says Kaiser. With relatively new The Yoga House down the street, Ani said somebody had remarked that they should rename Crown Street "Wellness Way"---Why not?  Birch Body Care, 73 Crown Street, Kingston, NY. (845) 331-7139