Hello, it’s me again!
As I’m sure many of you have been experiencing, these past few months have been uncertain, quiet, and quite frankly terrifying.
It’s taken me most of this year to finally get back to writing like this. Partially due to the fact, that we’re living in a time where traveling isn’t safe, but mostly because I didn’t know how to address our current circumstances and the world in which we’re living.
It’s hard to wake up, It’s hard to go outside, and it’s hard to face the fact that there isn’t an end in sight anytime soon.
Today, I finally took some time to just start writing and see where it took me. I thought if there’s something that others may be interested in, it’s a sense of normalcy in this far from normal life we’re living.
So, I’m here to share with you an experience I had intentions of sharing a few months ago. Read along for my experience in Hudson, NY from back in February. This was the last trip experienced before our mindset shifted to this apocalyptic pandemic thinking.
The trip began as any good weekend getaway would, with music blasting and reading the menu of the first restaurant Rory and I were planning to eat at.
It was Valentine’s Day weekend so we made reservations at WM Farmer & Sons. Our arrival time was a bit earlier than expected so after dropping our stuff off in an Air BnB, we stopped for a drink at The Spotty Dog Books & Ale. This place was the very first (and probably one of the only) bars I’ve visited in a bookshop. We were able to jam to the live music, all while perusing their selection of books with a brew in hand. I highly recommend experiencing for yourself.
We saved our appetite for the main course that was well worth the wait at the very end of Main Street. The menu changes seasonally and unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the menu at the time. But, according to my post, we had fried Fazio Farm burrata, black sesame linguini with surf clam, and chicken thigh nuggets with Alabama white sauce. *chefs kiss*
One of my favorite parts of vacationing, contrary to most, is getting an early start to the day. By 8 A.M. we were up and getting our first cup of coffee at Moto Coffee Machine, a dual motorcycle and coffee shop. This place made me wish I badass enough to have my own bike. Despite the below-freezing temperatures, Rory and I were dedicated to getting in a hike at High Falls Conservation Area. Although neither of us could feel our fingers and toes by the end of it, we were able to see some pretty amazing views.
After we were able to get the feeling back in our limbs, we stopped by Rivertown Lodge, a cozy hotel right on Main Street for brunch. I devoured a baby dutch pancake and then helped myself to some of Rory’s crispy potato cake with a fried egg on top.
With full bellies we made our way down the longest Main Street strip we’ve encountered, yet we didn’t mind as we enjoyed perusing every shop we passed along the way. There were plenty of antique stores, cute gift shops, and galleries encountered.
After a nap, we made our way to the Antique Warehouse which is a MUST whether you’re an antique connoisseur or not this place is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I have never seen so many antiques in one place. We could have spent the whole day there, but unfortunately, it was closing time so we settled for a drink at Hudson Brewing Co. where they had live music.
We closed out the weekend with a short trip north to Ghent for a final farewell breakfast at Bartlett House. This place had been on my bucket list since I started this blog, and it lived up to all of my expectations. There were lines out of the door for a table here and trust me their baked goods and ambiance made it worth the wait. I recommend their twice-baked croissant.
I’ve gotta say as I was writing this piece I couldn’t help but smile about all of the memories made that weekend. I know eventually, we’ll all get back to a time where we can be more carefree and the smile of a stranger can finally be seen again. But until then, here’s to reminiscing.
