Let me warn you, this blog post is a bit longer than my usual posts ~ we had such an amazing time I just couldn’t help myself when writing…

We couldn’t believe our eyes when we pulled up to the Grouse House/Penthouse, our weekend retreat!  The Penthouse Suite provides complete privacy (with private entrance by spiral staircase).  Here you can escape to one of 3 very private decks; the main/lowest deck is where you will find the outdoor hot tub and shower with small sitting area and porch swing.  Up a small flight of wooden stairs to the middle/2nd level you have BBQ and the most entertaining squirrels you’ve ever seen!  Then make your way up the final spiral stairway to the 3rd level where you have yet another private deck and entrance to the suite.  The suite itself has a great king bed, Cathedral ceiling with ceiling fan, in-suite Jacuzzi tub and kitchenette!  The kitchenette and self-serve breakfast is stocked with juice, muffins, fruit and coffee!  

  The private upper most deck has the most amazing views of the mountains and provides the tranquil setting to relax and enjoy all the beauty that surrounds you.  In addition, Gilbert (the homeowner) has created a very unique “gym” area for the birds and squirrel to romp and play!  Watch as the squirrels play in this amazing setting.  Between the majestic views and entertainment of bird / squirrel watching you can easily loose track of time. 

A Bird's Paradise at The Grouse House

  Gilbert is “wonderful,” he offers EVERYTHING you could need and then some!  We completely enjoyed spending time chatting with him and hear about Ursa.  Oh, didn’t I mention Ursa, she is the local bear that frequents the property on a pretty regular basis.  She didn’t stop by (that we know of) while we were there but Gilbert has video of her attempting to climb the trees where the many bird feeders and the squirrel’s gym is located.  Watch as Gilbert calmly tells her to get down and leave the feeders alone and be on her way.  

  The Grouse House is located only minutes from Woodstock and Saugerties.  Both offer quaint shopping and eating, local artisanship and a variety of attractions along the way. 

 Typical for us, it was somewhat a rainy/overcast afternoon on Friday so we decided on spending the afternoon strolling around (shhh, yes that meant shopping a bit) Woodstock. 

 Okay, don’t laugh, first stop, yup, lunch!  At Gilbert’s suggestion we headed out for lunch at   Café Mezzaluna on Route 212in Saugerties.  This great little cafe totally gave you that warm welcome feeling!  Sherri was as friendly and down to earth as can be, made us feel like she was truly glad we stopped in.  Serving your basic / classic sandwiches, drinks and homemade ice cream, Cafe Mezzaluna should be on everyone’s “to do” list along Route 212!  We’ll be back, for more homemade mango ice cream – it was delicious! Visit our Weekend in the Catskills (Woodstock & Saugerties) July 2010 flickr album.

With our appetites feed we were now ready to venture into Saugerties.  Yes it was still rainy/overcast but we decided we should check out the village anyway.  To our surprise, we stumbled on The Horses Are Coming To Saugerties!  For you faithful WonderfulWonders followers, you will remember last year my honey and I accidentally stumbled upon Cat-N-Around Catskill and Best in Show Hudson Dogsso for us to accidentally stumble on the Horses Are Coming to Saugerties was extra special!  We loved it!  The horses will be on display until September so if you can get up to Saugerties we say giddy-up! 

We continued to walk through the village of Saugerties stopping by a few antique and/or thrift/gift shops.

 Due to the rain, we left Saugerties and headed for Woodstock!  Guess we were thinking it wouldn’t be raining 10 minutes down the road LOL.  It’s been several years since I’ve been to Woodstock and I was just as excited to be there now as I was the first time I visited some 20 years ago.  The shops are the same, the people are the same, heck, even some of the clothing is the same! 

 Known as the Colony of the Arts, Woodstock stands for and represents the idealism of a peaceful mind set and way of life.  Woodstock, NY located in Ulster County, most famous for lending its name to the Woodstock Festival, actually held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm 43 miles away in Bethel, New York in Sullivan County.  It’s a great day of walking around shops and galleries, enjoying good conversation along the way! 

We stopped in a few shops including the Bread Alone Bakery’s  Woodstock Café on Mill Hill Roadeagerly anticipating some of the tempting treats described on their website. Hmmm, granted, it was late afternoon/early evening but they really didn’t have a large selection, leaving us slight disappointed.  I’m sure their treats are tasty, perhaps we’ll get to try again another time. Then we just popped in and out of a few shops. . .okay, this time there was no major shopping spree on my part, I was good (saving up for our St. Thomas vacation end of August).

So we all know how much we love our waterfront dinning right, so we had heard a great deal about The Bear Café, Streamside & Fireside Dinning    on Tinker Street (Route 212) so we just had to have dinner here.   Because we had a late lunch, neither of was terribly hungry so we both had the three-cheese ravioli with garlic – it was good, but, too much garlic for our taste. 

After a full day of enjoying the drive to the Catskills, strolling stepping back in time while strolling through the streets of Woodstock, it was time to head back to the suite for a relaxing evening in the hot tub!  While enjoying each other’s company as we discussed our day, we were graced with the presence of a local visitor! Amazing to have this deer just walk past you on her way to the other side of the yard! 

Up early Saturday morning to enjoy our coffee and muffin on the deck while soaking up the fog lifting over the mountains! This was so beautiful and peaceful.  Along with this beauty of the mountains came along more local visitors – these wild turkeys casually went from one end of the yard to the other as we watched from our penthouse deck.   

 I was completely mesmerized as I sat sipping my coffee, watching the birds fly from feeder to feeder, the squirrel’s playing, the turkeys strolling along and the sun burning off the early mountain fog. This is the good life! Check out one of Gilbert’s videos of his “squirrel circus.”

Ironically, the bird that was flying around the most was the American Goldfinch—interesting little fact: the American Goldfinch is the state bird of New Jersey (my honey’s home state), as well as Iowa & Washington.

Saturday morning and it’s very hot and humid even in the mountains.  So, we decide to go swimming in The Deep Swimming hold in Woodstock.  Located on Route 212 about 1.5 miles before the center of Woodstock   This secluded setting, is just minutes outside of Woodstock . It’s easy to miss though.  Look for Gallo’s plant nursery on Route 212 and the entrance to Big Deep is on the other side. This Google map has approximate location.  Park where you can and walk down the dirt path to the swimming area and be sure to carry out any trash you bring in!

The Deep Swimming Hole-Woodstock NY

After a nice swim we headed over to Opus 40 on Fite Roadin Saugerties.   This truly is a fascinating pieces of sculpture ever created by a single man.

The work is an immense composition of finely fitted stone, rising in ramps and swirling terraces around pools and trees and fountains out of the rock bed of an abandoned bluestone quarry. It spreads out over more than six acres.

It is the product of more than thirty-seven years of a man’s life. His name was Harvey Fite. He worked alone, using his hands and traditional quarryman’s tools, to build his masterpiece: Opus 40.Mr. Fite purchased the abandoned quarry in 1937 and began working on his masterpiece the following year in 1938.  He worked tirelessly for the next 37 years, passing away just 3 years prior to it’s original goal of 40 years. 

Then the grand finale of our weekend was the Celtic Woman concert at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Saturday night!  

Bethel Woods Center for The Arts

Home of the original Woodstock back in 1969-3 days of music in the Hudson Valley.  We first visited the museum which was like a flash back to the 60’s right before your eyes!  It was great; and while I was born just a little too late to actually be able to go or even completely understand what was happening at the time, I know now that it was an event of its decade and one our nation will never forget. 

We sat and ate our picnic lunch/dinner as we waited for the shuttle to take us to the pavilion.  The Celtic Woman were outstanding!  They are truly gifted and talented ladies.   As the concert was coming to its end the skies lit up with lighting while thunder rolled over head and the rains came down!  We were completely soaked.  It was like 1969 without the mud.

So can you tell we had a “wonderful” weekend in the Catskills.  Despite the rain on Friday afternoon/evening, and again Saturday night and yet again Sunday afternoon, we can’t wait to go back. 

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!  Don’t forget, we would love to hear from you about your if you’ve visited any of the places we’ve visited, leave us a comment below!

Sugar Loaf, NY Artisans Village

What a spectacular day it was this past Saturday as my honey and I started out on one of our famous “day-trips”!  We headed to Sugar Loaf Artisans Village located in the picturesque Warwick Valley, Orange County, New York. Directions to Sugar Loaf.  Many people refer to Sugar Load village as a “mini Woodstock.”    

Oh my gosh, here I go again but, without a doubt Sugar Loaf is now on the list of my “Top Picks” places to visit!  Handmade treasures, meeting great local artisans and the beauty of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley Sugar Loaf should be on your to-do list.  

You can’t help but fall in love with this quaint village filled with outstanding selection of handmade art, crafts and gifts. There are so many “wonderful” unique shops each offering a broad range of artistic items from oil and acrylic paintings, water color, stained glass, black & white and color photography, pottery, antiques, jewelry and woodworks, candles, soap, sculpture and much much more!  

I truly believe this village is one of the most unique shopping villages in the Hudson Valley.  This “wonderful” village has the distinguished reputation as a crafts community for over 250 years, Today, Sugar Loaf remains true to its heritage as the year round home of over fifty independent business men and women. Many of these artisans live and work in the original barns and buildings which date back to the 1700’s.  There you still find a rich history of artists, writers and creative people that have left a great legacy to build on.  

You’ll find everything in Sugar Loaf within easy strolling distance; there are specialty and gift shops, pottery, art and photography studios. Spend the day browsing though the “wonderful” collection of shops, bring a camera or sketch pad and create your own impressions, Sugar Loaf’s beautiful surroundings will release your creative energies! When your stomach starts to stir, stop at one of the fine restaurants for a rejuvenating meal, quick snack or a refreshing drink.  

As hard as we tried, we couldn’t visit all the great shops and galleries in one day. Darn, guess we’ll have to plan another trip LOL! We couldn’t visit them all because we were thrilled to spend time meeting & chatting with the owners/artisans of the shops we were able to visit!  So here are a few of my favorites:  

 The White Weathered Barn– what can I say but fantastic! I was thrilled to meet Rena (another Westchester County girl!) and wish here luck in her new and expanded space at Sugar Loaf.  And yes, I couldn’t resist purchasing one of the most beautiful bracelets I’ve seen!  It was like it was made for me as the colors were an absolute perfect match for what I was wearing, so, I just couldn’t resist!  Go ahead and follow The White Weathered Barn’s blog  or visit their website

The White Weathered Barn from from Romer’s Alley

  

Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs, love it!  At Rena’s suggestion (knowing how much I too love gardening and such) we next visited Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs and met our new friend Alicia.  This special shop offers a variety of specialty teas, organic bulk herbs and spices, heartfelt gifts, aromatherapy and herb plants and flowers in season. So if you are interest is in making your own or rather the convenience of ready-made, Alicia has it all. Okay okay, I know you’re wondering, so, did she purchase anything……and the answer….but of course!  I purchased this beautiful old style urn filled with dried flowers!  Keep up with Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs via their blog!

     

   

Next stop,  Rosner’s Traditional Soap Makers, I’ve been anxiously waiting to visit this shop to get their Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) soap dishes! Again, thanks to links on my friend Rena’s site is where I first learned about these soapstone soap dishesand couldn’t wait to get one for myself!  While I didn’t purchase any soap on this trip (I’ll save that for our next visit), I clearly understand why Rosner Soap was voted Best Soap in The Hudson Valley 2006, by Hudson Valley Magazine. Can’t wait to go back!  

charm outside of Rosner's

Onward to  Kelly Jane Accessories, adorable accessories and more! Unique handmade handbags & coordinating accessories fill this shop!  Everyone loves to have a bag or accessory that is a conversation piece and that is what you will find in this great shop!  Kelly does all her own sewing and each piece is created to be a fashioned to be a statement of originality!  I know, I know, yes, I purchased a great little blue bead stretch bracelet! I just can’t help myself when I’m surrounded by so many “wonderful,” people and things! Go ahead, visit the website of Kelly Jane Accessories shop and see for your self.  

Kelly Jane Accessories from Romer’s Alley

Up next was Bostree, okay so I wanted one of everything!  This shop/gallery has a large varied selection of unique functional and decorative American craft created by numerous local and national craftspeople as well as by its owners, Theresa and Ray Boswell. I fell in love with the many unique mirrors! And so, true to form, I purchased one and added one to my “wish list” for our next visit!  If you like these mirrors they can be customized to a particular color if you wish.  The picture here titled “wish list” I’m having done in a green – so go ahead and visit the website of Bostree shop, you’ll be glad you did as you’re sure to find something that catches your eye.  

Mirror I purchased from Bostree"Wish List" Mirror from BostreeHaving this done in green instead of blue shown

Then on to The Exposures Gallery, here you will see the most amazing photos of the Hudson Valley and many other exciting places Nick has photographed along his travels.  He recently released a beautiful coffee table book entitled “The Great Valley” containing over 140 color photographs spanning 25 years in the region.  As we looked through the book we were in awe of the beauty of Nick’s photos of our great Hudson Valley.  This book is wonderful and now on my Christmas Wish List! Without a doubt The Exposures Gallery is a place to visit – visit their website.  

So these are just a few of the many shops that await you in Sugar Loaf.  There are a variety of restaurants too!  If you haven’t already visited then you must consider planning a day trip to Sugar Loaf, you’ll be happy you did!  Feel free to leave a comment on your visits to Sugar Loaf!  

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!  

Michael J. Fox (a resident of the HV also) supports this very important effort.

Currently their main business is producing premium quality dairy products – whole, skim, low-fat and chocolate milk along with half and half, heavy cream, and sour cream.  They believe in supporting sustainable agriculture and are currently preserving 5,000 acres of open land.  Their mission to secure living wages for our farmers and their families.

By ensuring a fair price for their farmers’ goods, HVF is keeping those farmers in business, which means preventing the loss of their land to development. Consider this – in the 1970s, there were 275 dairies in Dutchess County, the highest number of dairy farms in New York State — and now there only 26.   They formed a dairy cooperative in 2004 to provide a sustainable future in agriculture for participating cooperative members by stabilizing market prices.

The HVF milk is sold in the Mid-Hudson Valley, Long Island, and New York City and Connecticut. 

All HVF dairy farmers live within 20 miles of the processing plant at Boice Brothers Dairy in Kingston, N.Y. (conventional milk usually travels hundreds of miles before it reaches the processing plant.)

By keeping farming economically feasible, the farmers in turn spend their income on local goods and services. Studies show that farmers put most of their income back into the local economy, i.e., by buying feed, farm machinery, veterinary services, hiring plumbers, electricians, and using all the services in their community.

The economic multiplier factor ranges from 1 1/2 to 4 times. This means the $32 million estimated farm product sales per year from Dutchess County farms puts any where from $50 to $120 million back into the local economy.

Hudson Valley Fresh Milk Locations

Consider trying the HVF Milk For Yourself at the Following Milk Tastings:

For more information about this amazing organization and their efforts please visit the Hudson Valley Fresh website (http://www.hudsonvalleyfresh.com)  

Courtesy: hudsonvalleyfresh.com

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

On one hand, we were amazed and how crowded (because of the “recession”) and on the other hand we expected many people enjoying quiet time reading under a tree or walking through the gardens as we were. 

We were visiting at the beginning of the BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season which is April 3 – May 2. We are planning a trip to DC next weekend to visit during the National Cherry Blossom Festival so we choose to pass on walking through the early blooms of these cherry trees.  Instead, we headed to the left side of the gardens and leisurely strolled along.  First walking along the brick path passing Shakespeare Garden, which wasn’t yet in bloom but still beautiful and peaceful. 

Fragrance Garden

Then it was on to the wonderful Fragrance Garden.  The BBG proudly recognizes this as “the first garden in the country designed for the sight-impaired.”  The fragrances will capture your senses and take your mind wondering to a tranquil place that we can, for a movement, forget all the worries of our lives.  

Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

Continuing along we wandered into the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.  The garden was the first Japanese garden to be created in an American public garden. According to BBG, “it is considered to be the masterpiece of its creator, Japanese landscape designer Takeo Shiota (1881-1943). Simplicity and “harmonious asymmetry” are important principles in Japanese gardens, making them more beautiful than most to me. 

Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

Judith D. Zuk Magnolia Plaza

When I say spectacular, I mean spectacular!  I was surprised to learn there are some 17 varieties of magnolia’s.  Magnolia Plaza is both breath taking and fragrant.  An elegant formal garden of magnificent trees spread in front of the beaux arts Administration Building. The sweet scent and showy blossoms of magnolias are among the early signs of spring at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In March, the star magnolias (Magnolia stellata) bloom, covering the trees.

Judith D. Zuk Magnolia Plaza

Then on to Daffodil Hill which filled the hillside with bright yellows sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, including ours! 

Daffodils on Daffodil Hill

Just down the steps past the magnolia’s we approached Lily Pool Terrace.  

Jenkins Fountain at Lily Pool Terrace

 The centerpiece of Lily Pool Terrace is the Jenkins Fountain, directly in front of the Palm House. Two large pools are situated to its north and south, bordered on the west by the mixed perennial border, and on the east by the annual border.  Two large pools are planted with nearly 100 varieties of hardy and tropical water-lilies and sacred lotus—a stunning attraction in July, August, and September. 

A Day at Lily Pool Terrace

Then we stopped and enjoyed a great lunch at the Terrace Café.  The café offers delightful outdoor dinning with a “wonderful” menu of gourmet lunches & beverages from spring to early fall.  How special lunch was when we sat with another couple that is also planning on visiting the DC area next weekend for the final weekend of the National Cherry Blossom Festival; maybe we’ll see them in DC!

 Now for all you shopaholics, no trip (be it a “day-trip” or week long vacation) is complete without some shopping, but of course!  The BBGarden now has two shops, both located on Lily Pool Terrace.

The Gift Shop carries some unique stationery, personal accessories, and items for your home. Many items are exclusive to the Garden, including signature products featuring the Garden’s distinctive logo. Several products that utilize the artwork of Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Florilegeum Society are also available.  If you can’t get to the garden, consider visiting the online Garden Gift shop. 

The Garden Shop carries everything for the garden, books, and gifts for children. New York Magazinewrites that “the (garden) shop has an amazing selection of plants … and features one of the most extensive selections of bulbs and seeds in the city.” The shop, located in Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s spectacular Steinhardt Conservatory complex, carries just about everything a gardener could want, from plants to tools to garden supplies, as well as an extensive collection of gardening books.

We had a great afternoon at the BBG and if you love flowers, gardening, strolling along pathways or simply enjoy nature and the outdoors, we encourage you to consider making a visit too. 

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!

Beautiful!Persian Fritillary-Lily Family

Alpine Squill-Hyacinth Family

Cathryn's Tuscan Grill - Cold Spring NY

Okay, so you all know that I have lived here in  the Hudson Valley my entire life and completely love living along the banks of the Hudson River and being swept away by the beauty the changes of seasons provides.  As I’ve gotten older I’ve now come to also appreciate the abundant supply of various ways to learn and grow through a variety of events & activities focusing on a wide range of cultural and nature experiences

Now in its 4th year (my `1^st – what took me so long to participate in this I don’t know LOL), Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is the largest, most successful dining event in the Hudson Valley. More than 140 restaurants in Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster, and Columbia Counties are participating. And over 150,000 people are expected to dine out between March 15^th through 28^th

During the 14-day celebration, participating restaurants serve three-course prix-fixe lunches for $20 and/or three-course dinners for $28 (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). Many chefs feature products from surrounding farms and artisanal producers and offer wines, spirits and beverages produced in the Hudson Valley to complement your meal. So now the question was, hmmm, with so many great choices, where do we eat?  Lunch or dinner?

After browsing the list of participating restaurants, we decided on Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill located at 91 Main Street in Cold Spring.  I adore walking along the streets of this quaint village during early spring (before too many tourists start visiting).  I can only image these streets filled with people years ago (before so much commercialism) walking along meeting friends along the way while shopping and dining. 

Cathryn’s was a hidden treasure that we hadn’t experienced on any of our visits to Cold Spring.  This cozy restaurant is located on the corner of a charming courtyard, decorated with dried flowers, bottles of wine fill tall bookcases and beautiful bold murals and great swathes of sheer fabric hang down from the ceiling.  It provided a soft, inviting and slightly romantic atmosphere. 

You know how much my honey and I love to share our deserts, well we decided to share our entrée as well so we could enjoy a variety!  I started with the celery root, beet, apple and walnut salad that was fabulous!  I wouldn’t have thought of such a delightful combination for a salad but I’m glad I did and may now try to duplicate myself at home.  My honey had the bean soup which was also very good.  Then on to our shared entrées; we decided on the Pork Tenderloin with Remsburger Maple Glaze served with roasted potatoes with Brussels Sprouts and Carrots was done to perfection!  The tenderloin was the tenderest loin I’ve had and the glaze was delicious!  The second entrée was the Pan Seared Lemon Sole with Basil Hazelnut Crust!

Due to our busy schedules our dinner at Cathryn’s will most likely be our only opportunity to support and participate in Hudson Valley Restaurant week this year and we are thrilled with our experience!  Did you visit any Hudson Valley Restaurants during this year’s event, if so share with us and our readers your experience.

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!

 Heading north on 9W traveling through Highland Falls, Ft. Montgomery and finding our way into Ulster County we saw a sign for (and had a vague plan on visiting) the Benmarl Winery in Marlboro, NY.  The NYTimes travel section recently wrote about this very same winery! Talk about timing….

Benmarl Winery

Vineyard at entrance of Benmarl in late winter

Entrance to Benmarl Winery

Entering the Tasting Room @ Benmarl Winery

What we didn’t know was that the Benmarl Winery at Slate Hill Vineyards.  Benmarl Vineyards is located at 156 Highland Avenue, Marlboro, NY 12542 in Ulster County and holds the claim to America’s oldest vineyard!  While I’m not the best when it comes to describing wines, I will say that the atmosphere was warm and relaxing and everyone seemed to enjoy the tasting!  Though I did taste the Merlot and Cabernet, I most enjoyed their Sangria a sweet wine.  To learn more details about Benmarl, you may enjoy reading The Story of Benmarl Vineyards blog by stagingrockland.com  

 The views from Benmarl are absolutely beautiful! I can imagine during the spring and/or summer months with the bounty of colors surrounding the mountain sides it’s even more spectacular.  On this weekend we caught a glimpse of a White-breasted Nuthatch dinning from a birdfeeder just outside the entrance way. 

Nuthatch Bird eating from feeder @ Benmarl Winery

After our visit at Benmarl we had no specific plans or thoughts of where to go next so we simply continued driving along Route 9W then turning onto Route 299 and driving for a bit e found ourselves in the quaint eclectic village of New Paltz. 

New Paltz NY

New Paltz is located about 80 miles north of New York City and 70 miles south of Albany.  The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz. New Paltz is also home to the State University of New York New Paltz, founded in 1828.

Typical of most towns/villages, everything happens along “Main Street”!  From antique dealers, art galleries many eateries and more, Main Street is the place to be on a warm spring day! 

Alook down Main Street-New Paltz NY

Eclectic-ism at its best in New Paltz

We enjoyed a “wonderful” stroll around Water Street Market – antiques and shops located at 10 Main Street.  One of my “Top Picks” places to visit! 

Water Street Market-Antiques and shops

Harvest Cafe @ Water Street Market

Enjoy a feast for the palate and eyes at this Hudson Valley favorite featuring fresh-from-the-farm cuisine, a global wine selection, and a second-story deck with spectacular views of the ridge and river. It’s truly a lunch or dinnertime experience to savor.   “Awesome views of the Shawnagunks.”
-New York Magazine

Mudd Puddle @ Water Street Market

We first stopped off at The Mudd Puddle and sampled their flavored coffee; I simply loved the Irish Cream Latté while my honey enjoyed the strawberry – all we can say is hmm hmm good!

The on to Paws of Distinction – Adorable pet boutique featuring dog and cat clothing, accessories, and toys as well as its own ‘petisserie’ serving all-natural home-baked pet treats. Four-legged friends are welcome to join their human parents as they shop!

Maglyn's Dream at Water Street Market

Next I feel in love with Maglyn’s Dream!  Oh my gosh, from the minute I walked in I was in heaven and wanted one of almost everything!  This unique store features fashions, art, and décor created by 80 local and regional artists. From handmade jewelry to decorative lighting to woven shawls, there’s a gift here for everyone with an eye for the original.  I found the absolutely, better than “wonderful.” wall art that I would love to have.  I told Maggie and Lynn (the owners) that I’m hoping to come back in about a month and get that great piece!!

As my honey says, we had an “action packed fun filled day” and yes, we were now starving and couldn’t wait to try out one of the many eateries along Main Street.  There are so many places to choose from but we finally decided on The Moon Light Cafe located at 53 Main Street.      Serving  a Mediterranean/American dishes we shared a delighful shrimp dish served with a variety of veggies mediterain style. 

Moon Light Cafe - New Paltz NY

Shrimp & Veggies served mediterranean style

There are so many great shops here to visit I highly recommend stopping by here the next time you are in the area, or make it a trip there are so many places to say and things to do in the area including these Water Street Market events:

WATER STREET CINEMA

MONDAYS
JUNE 14TH THROUGH AUGUST 30TH
FILMS BEGIN AT DUSK

They show thought provoking and enlightening films for free on Monday nights throughout the summer. Some of our big hits this season were Cinema Paradiso, The Laya Project and The Visitor. Always expect free popcorn on movie nights 

JUNE THROUGH AUGUST WATER STREET MARKET SUMMER SERIES

Heading into the third season of Water Street Market’s summer series one of their goals at Water Street Market is to hold events which support sustainability, while providing thought provoking ideas and creating a cohesive community. They strive to support locally owned businesses and the environment, while fostering community and acting as a catalyst to local charities. Their courtyard setting has often been compared to an Italian piazza, a place where locals come to co-mingle, eat, celebrate and collaborate. Throughout the summer they make this happen each week at their free weekly events

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!

Knickerbocker Ice Festival 2010 @ Rockland Lake

We attended the lecture The Rise & Demise of the Hudson River Ice Industry: Urban Needs & Rural Responses presented by Speaker: Wendy Harris, Principal Archeologist, Craigsmoor Consulting.  There where two points that stood out to me; the very same factors that were responsible for the rise of the ice industry were the very same factors that were responsible for its demise.  Two of these factors were the demand and technical advances.  The demand for ice became more and more important; first enabling the growth of the industry, later, unable to keep up with the advances with electricity (ice boxes, then refrigerators), lead to the demise.  It is also amazing to me that the life cycle of such an important era of time only lasted approximately 30 years from start to finish (approximately 1835- 1865).  Read more about the Story of Knickerbocker Ice Company and Rockland Lake and visit The Friends of Rockland Lake and Hook Mountain, Inc. or one of the many local historical groups.      

 Additional resources:

Palisades Parks Conservancy
Parks and Trails New York
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
New York – New Jersey Trail Conference
Hudson River Valley Greenway
Hudson River Valley Heritage. Type “Rockland Lake” in the search box for great photo archives of Rockland Lake 

 Then it was on to see the ice sculptures.  This year, four competing Ice Sculptors (Dan Bergin, Earl Covington, John Hedbavny, and Rob Patalano) were scheduled to participate.  Unfortunately when we were there only three sculptors were sculpting and we were only able to see two of them.  By the time we walked to the third sculptor, the sun (while making for a nice day) was too warm, making it dangerous for the ice sculptor to work unless wrapped in a covered tented area….darn.  But, we did enjoy seeing two sculptors and their works of ice.

Drawing of Woolly Mammoth Ice Sculpture

Woolly Mammoth In the Making

Woolly Mammoth being attacked by Saber Tooth Tiger in the Making

Woolly Mammoth being Attacked by Saber Tooth Tiger in the Making-

As an added pleasure, we were delighted to see and meet so many local artists as they set up their easels and painted the beautiful landscapes surrounding the lake!  We enjoyed meeting Phyllis Tarlow of Phyllis Tarlow Fine Art / Portraits from Hartsdale.  We watched and listened as Phyllis shared with us her love of painting landscapes and discovering new areas around the Hudson Valley to inspire her next painting!  Thank you Phyllis for sharing your love of the Hudson Valley with so many of us through your paintings!

Phyllis Tarlow at Knickerbocker Ice Festival 2010

We also enjoyed meeting Marylyn Vanderpool local artist from Harriman, NY.  Marylyn’s love of the Hudson Valley, her energetic spirit comes alive through her watercolors as she captures the beauty that surrounds us so eloquently.

Marylyn Vanderpool at Knickerbocker Ice Festival 2010

We briefly stopped to listen to award-winning storyteller Jonathan Kruk  Dressed in costume Jonathan tells colorful tales spun from the lore of historic Hudson Valley! Jonathan’s ability to truly capture his audience is amazing—you get drawn into his story and eagerly await the ending! Together with folk balladeer Rich Bala, they travel around the many villages & communities of the Hudson River and beyond since 1990, performing the region’s tunes, tales, and traditions at schools, museums, libraries, camps and historic sites. Thank you for sharing your storytelling talent with so many of us.  You can also purchase Jonathan’s tales on CD.

Storyteller Jonathan Kruk

Whew, as if the day hadn’t been exciting and different enough, we held true to our love of dining in the Hudson Valley and decided on Henry’s on the Hudson located at 634 Main Street, Peekskill, NY.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner overlooking the Peekskill Bay on the Hudson River all the while listening Mike play his guitar.  Mike’s selection of songs was fabulous!  Mike’s relaxing music combined with the spectacular view made for great evening. 

 I enjoyed shrimp over angel hair pasta and my honey satisfied his taste buds (and stomach LOL) with chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables.  But wait, oh yes, those of you that follow my dinning in the Hudson Valley excursions know that we love dessert!  My honey’s famous line is “there is always room for dessert”!  Tonight being no exception we shared the   Chocolate Explosion which was a dark, dense chocolate decadence in an individual dessert with a rich creamy ganache oozing from the center and served with creamy vanilla ice cream…. oooohhh the most “wonderful” ending to a “wonderful” day!

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!

According to a NYTimes.com article “…last year, Bald Eagles were once plentiful in New York. But by 1976, only one pair of eaglets remained. Environmentalists blamed pesticides, particularly DDT (which was banned in 1972), for interfering with the raptors’ ability to reproduce.

Today, roughly 500 bald eagles winter in New York (they migrate here when the waters begin to freeze in Canada and Nova Scotia), and 143 pairs remain in the state during the summer. Dr. Koontz said that eight pairs had stayed year-round in the lower Hudson Valley.”

With so many places to choose from, we decided to check out the places best known for spotting eagles.  On our list, Croton Point Park in Croton-On-Hudson, NY. While we did not see to many eagles, we did enjoy a great walk (of course we lucked out with Saturday being Spring like with temps nearing 50° F) along the Westchester RiverWalk which is a 51.5 mile pathway paralleling the Hudson River connecting some 14 towns/ villages/municipalities in Westchester.  More details about the Westchester RiverWalk.

On our way out of Croton Point Park we (and many many others) were shocked to see this hawk (we believe a Red Tail Hawk) just sitting in the field.  So many people were walking around him (at a safe distance but none-the-less) and he didn’t move.  I don’t think that was a good sign that he didn’t move or seem to be bothered by everyone lurking around and taking his picture.  Beautiful as he is, I’m fearful he was sick.

Then Sunday morning we went out early (leaving the house by 8:00am is early for us on a Sunday LOL!).  We headed to Fleischmann Pier in Peekskill, NY.

Here we were successful in our eagle scouting adventure! 

Eagle on the Hudson @ Fleischmann's Pier

Eagles @ Fleischmann's Pier

Then it was off to Charles Point Marina just a short distance down the road from Fleischmann Pier.  There we saw a beautiful eagle perched in the tree! I was so excited! I only wish it wasn’t such an overcast / gray day and the picture was a bit clearer, oh well, it was still a great day!

Then on to my hometown of Verplanck, NY to steamboat dock.  There we were thrilled to see the most eagles we’d seen so far.  We watched as the eagles (about 4 or 5) enjoyed a ride down the river on the ice! 

It was a wonderful weekend!

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!

Winter's sunshine

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2010

Okay so many of your already know that my fiancé (a.k.a. “my honey”) and I enjoy traveling around the Hudson Valley and we enjoy eating at the many delectable restaurants (especially those along the Hudson River providing waterfront dining) we are surrounded by.

Lucky for us the 4^th Annual Hudson Valley Restaurant Week begins March 15^th and goes through March 28^th! During these 14 days, your can enjoy three-course prix-fixe lunches for $20 and/or three-course dinners for $28 (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity).  With so many “wonderful” farms across the Hudson Valley, many of the chefs include locally grown products to compliment your meal and provide an even greater sense of all the pride and beauty the Hudson Valley has to offer.

Hudson Valley

So whether you are in Ulster or Westchester, Columbia or Dutchess or any of the 7 surrounding counties, why not try a few of the nearly 90 restaurants participating in this “wonderful” event.

We have had the pleasure of dinning at four of these restaurants and are looking forward to adding as many more as we can to our list of dinning experiences during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.  As always, we look forward to sharing our dinning experiences with you and encourage you to share your dinning experiences with us by leaving a comment below.

2010-hudson-valley-restaurant-week-participating-restaurants3

As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!:)

Winter sunset over Lake Meahagh-Verplanck, NY

It seems appropriate to take some time to reflect on the year which is about to come to an end, 2009.  For me, reflecting back over the years brings smiles to my face J and joy in my heart for I was blessed with a wonderful year!  

The year was filled with great times spent with my family and exciting and fun-filled “day-trips” with my fiancé.  From celebrating birthdays and holidays and weekends with my family to fishing excursions in and around the area, state and county fairs, trips to the Catskills, Newport, waterfront dining on the Hudson River and more!

In April 2009 I launched my “Wonderful Wonders” blog which I’m thrilled to say has been viewed nearly 1,000 since it’s launch!  So to all my readers, I say thank you for taking the time to stop by and read about my travels and adventures.  I am looking forward to another year sharing with you places we visit in the hopes that you may find them interesting and want to visit if you hadn’t already.  Warning…..although the snow can be beautiful (as seen in the picture above of a beautiful sunset over Lake Meahagh in Verplanck, NY) I am not a huge fan of the cold so I do not do as much getting out ‘n ‘bout in the winter, as such, my blogging will be a bit less frequent. 

I hope we all take a moment to look back and reflect on the year as this helps us to remember; remember the events and activities we were fortunate to have been a part of and the people that we were blessed to have in our lives over the year. 

Happy New Year to all!

As always, I encourage all of you to take the time to stop and “wonder” – wonder what it is that made you smile today!