Hudson Valley restaurants we have enjoyed
Having just finished at the Motor Vehicle Bureau as they had misspelled my name on my new NY Drivers License (and they told me it was probably my fault) and I was really really hungry. And there before me my salvation, Beacon Bread, Bakery and Bistro. Continue reading Beacon Bread Beckons
And discovering all the great ones in the Hudson Valley has been fun.Dogwood in Beacon is destined to be a favorite.
So what makes a good bar? Great atmosphere? good booze, decent food? Yea that’s all true. But I think the most important thing is this, a bar can have none of those qualities I just mentioned and still be great, as long as it has Great People.
Dogwood excels at everything you want in a great bar, but what we loved the most were all the great people here. Continue reading We Do Love Bars, Like Dogwood in Beacon
a classic old world American Bar and Restaurantwith great drinks food and entertainment. Set in what must have once been a hotel decades ago. We especially love their happy hour. The friendly staff are oh so welcoming here, you feel right at home with all the locals, regular customers, here on any given night. Continue reading Locals, Tourists, and We Like Whistling Willies, Cold Spring
Biking and Lunch, Ashokan Reservoir and Sunfrost FarmsIn Ulster County near Woodstock is the great Ashonka Reservoir which has a great walking or biking path. There are a lot of great biking routes in this region, you can find maps and information here. We like to bike along water and so we picked this route. After a vigorous ride we drove over to a favorite lunch spot, Sunfrost Farms. And then into Woodstock for a casual stroll. More Continue reading We’ve also Been West of the River
A very good red wine and comfort food is in orderImagine Giuseppe Chionetti with his family sitting by the hearth tasting wine of one his early harvests, his son Andrea taking a small sip too. It was April 1914, the rainy season in Dogliani, the wine was still young but showed great promise. Giuseppe glanced a warm smile to his wife as she served their dinner. Farming was a struggle, but life was good, World War I had not yet come to Italy.
Over a century later, on another rainy night, we are tasting Giuseppe’s legacy in a 2008 vintage of his great wine. A tradition carried on by his son, Andrea, and grandson Quinto. And I smile to Diana and she back to me, what a wonderful wine.
Chionetti Dolcetto di Dogliani Briccolero 2008
Continue reading On a Cold Rainy Night
Well our search for really great Asian continues, we enjoyed Ramenesque and loved talking with the owner, chef, former women’s fashion designer, Nikki Lee. Her recipes engage with subtle flavors. Not as exciting as our favorite ramen place, Ani Ramen, in our former town Montclair, but very enjoyable.
Continue reading Noodles Anyone? Ramenesque in Peekskill
Sukhothai in Beacon was good, not quite Spectacular!I love the Yelp or Trip Advisor reviewers who use superlative words, and you shake your head and say, wow, they have never even experienced “Spectacular.”
Now Sukhothai certainly does deserve many of the good reviews they have, but we live with a diners curse. We’ve had “Spectacular” a lot of it. Places like Sailor Thai in Sydney, Australia, really authentic Thai in Queens NY and San Francisco. We just are not happy with good or very good we want spectacular.
Fortunately, there are many people and places that are doing exceptional, spectacular, food here in the Hudson Valley, just not Asian it seems We will keep trying. Reviews on Palace Dumpling and Ramenesque are coming.
Continue reading In Search of Great Asian, Sukhothai in Beacon
we just discovered these locally roasted beans and love them, well sourced, well roasted, local, sustainable.
Continue reading Coffee You Can’t Live Without
When we began our search for a new home last summer Peekskill was on our list. Which of course brought us back to Peakskill Brewery. We had visited their original smaller location a couple of years ago, were not all that impressed at the time. But the new place, Wow! We decided we would love to have a bar like this in our backyard.
The beer, cocktails, food, staff, ambiance is all fabulous here.
Continue reading Peakskill Brewery is a Fav!
