VISITVortex Hudson Valley Winter 2021-22

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CELEBRATING IN THE HUDSON VALLEY| | HAPPY ________________ | VISIT CATSKILL ________________ ________________ | SPRING 2018 2021 AN OUTDOOR WINTERSPRING | HOLIDAY GIFT CHALLENGE & HEALTHY | MEET |LOCAL OWNERS | WINTER/HOLIDAY

‘Tis the Season of Giving

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and get a FREE2 GIFT to keep for yourself or share with a loved one. Making the switch is just a click away at UlsterSavings.com.

s Celeb rating 170 Year Locations in Dutchess, Ulster and Orange Counties 866.440.0391 / ulstersavings.com EQUAL HOUSING LENDER / MEMBER FDIC

Value of free gift may be reportable as interest on 1099-MISC form.

We reserve the right to substitute a gift of similar value. Free gift provided at the time of account opening.

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WILLIAMS Lumber & Home Centers

We have everything you need!

Lumber Hardware • Paint • Electrical • Windows & Door Building Materials • Plumbing • Heating • Power Tools • Hand Tools Lawn & Garden • Kitchen & Bath • Housewares • & More!

845.876.WOOD

www.williamslumber.com RHINEBECK • HUDSON • HOPEWELL JUNCTION • TANNERSVILLE • RED HOOK • PLEASANT VALLEY • HIGH FALLS

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Apparel Accessories Skin Care Gifts Curiosities hamiltonandadams.com | @hamiltonandadams | #staycurious 32 John Street, Kingston, NY 12401 | 845-383-1039 4

ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s Outdoors

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Meet The Owners

w i n t er won de r l an d hom e g o od s of m ar g ar e t v i l l e

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Enjoy Locally

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Meet The Owner

getting out arkville bread & breakfast

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Meet The Owners

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Meet The Owners

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Local Food

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Meet The Owners

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a slice of italy peters market l o c al hol i day m eals bi st r o- t o- g o

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Meet The Owners

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Shop Locally

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Meet The Owner

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Home

i m mune sc hei n holiday gift challenge t he Ne st Eg g cozy up your nest

Health

happ y & healt hy

VISITvortex.com | PO Box 82, High Falls, New York | 845-687-3470 | visitvortex@gmail.com instagram: @visitvortex | facebook.com/visithudsonvalley

visitvortex.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

visit vortex

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winter starts here

57 City View Terrace, Kingston New York

845.338.5119

Online at PotterBrothers.com

t a s y a Holid the Plaza Find all the gifts you need

Clothes • Cards • Gifts • Home décor • Crafts Dining • Fitness • Beauty • Fine Wines • Flowers ...and more

KingstonPlaza.com For store directory & special offers 8

Plaza Road Kingston, NY 12401

Winter at 151 Plaza Road, Kingston, NY www.herzogs.com • (845) 338-6300

SNOWBLOWERS

TABLE SAWS

KITCHEN & BATH

PELLET GRILLS

HOLIDAY GIFTS

FA M I LY OW N ED & O P ER ATED • 1 12 Y E A R S I N TH E CO M M U N IT Y 9

ESCAPE TO THE HUDSON VALLEY’S MOST ICONIC RESORT A timeless getaway to nature is our specialty. Snuggle up beside a wood-burning fireplace, ice skate in our grand open-air pavilion, and enjoy cuisine from award-winning chefs—all included in your overnight rate.

Rejuvenate with a nature-inspired treatment at The Spa at Mohonk Mountain House.

JOIN US ON OUR MOUNTAINTOP & FEEL YOUR STRESSES MELT AWAY.

Book a day spa visit or an unforgettable getaway on our best rates of the year.

877.475.6365 | mohonk.com | New Paltz, NY

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Est. 1869

v i s i t vo rt e x

ABOUT US

who we are be drawn in

our mission

is to help stimulate the local economy by promoting and introducing the faces behind independently owned businesses and organizations.

VISITvortex is a celebration of each season and a portal to the great people and places of the Hudson Valley. Sharing the very best of local.

Jesse Marcus Melissa Hewitt Jane Anderson Izy Bass-Brown, Melissa Orozco Jesse Marcus, Alisha Dingee Don Ford Melissa Orozco Rachel Collet Anne Pyburn Craig

if you’d like to advertise in this quarterly magazine or on the website, please call us at 845-687-3470. ©2021 visitvortex VISITvortex.com | PO Box 82, High Falls, New York | 845-687-3470 | visitvortex@gmail.com instagram: @visitvortex | facebook.com/visithudsonvalley | visitvortex.com

visitvortex.com

publisher creative Director editor designers sales cover production photography writer

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Earn More. Stress Less.

Full-Service Airbnb Property Management

Airbnb Setup & Management. Residential Services. Investment Consulting.

CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION managethishome.com | 929-418-9519 | @managethishome

COME ENJOY OUR BOUTIQUE HOTEL RIGHT IN THE HEART OF ROSENDALE

Great Pop-Up Meals • Craft Cocktails Beers on Tap • Real Safe Hospitality

Booking Safe Special Events, Weddings, Corporate and Family Gatherings 435 Main Street, Rosendale 845-658-7800 the1850house.com 12

845-303-4752 call/text

krumville.com

The Country Inn

a cozy boutique inn and restaurant

Escape the city and experience a winter Shangri-la just two hours from New York City.

Create Your Own Getaway HIKING • SNOWSHOEING SKIING (20 MINS FROM HUNTER SKI RESORT) MEDITATION • SOUND BATHS A Private Sanctuary for your Escape to Paradise in the Mountains.

PRIVATE YOGA • BONFIRE • SAUNAS

DINING ROOM NOW OPEN Friday, Saturday and Sunday (or take-out)

WWW.MENLA.US | 845.688.6897

The Property consists of 3 double occupancy rooms all with their own bath.

Our rooms are vacant for at least 72 hours between occupancy.

Call or text Diane and Pete at 845-303-4752 for reservations.

1380 County Road 2, Olivebridge, NY | 845-657-8956 | krumville.com

DEWA SPA TREATMENTS

SPONSORED BY TIBET HOUSE US, THE DALAI LAMA’S TIBETAN CULTURAL CENTER IN AMERICA

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607 County Rt 6 High Falls, NY

crestedhenfarms.com 845.687.2050

MAKING YOUR EVENT EXTRAORDINARY

Featured on the new Discovery+ series (RE)motel

INSPIRED LODGING. NOW ON TV. 80 Route 214, Phoenicia

845-688-7871 • thegrahamandco.com

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38 trails terrain for all abilities Family-Owned & Operated ROXBURY, NY * (607) 326-3500 WWW.PLATTEKILL.COM FOR TICKETS, RENTALS AND LESSON RESERVATIONS 15

Mountains of Fun in

our winter wonderland by anne pyburn craig

Our mountains, trails, and hills are cool yearround, of course, but especially when Mother Nature (or a state-of-the-art snowmaking setup) makes it possible to slide down the slopes at breathtaking speed, which is extremely inadvisable in spring, summer, or fall.

No longer is this primarily reserved for those with the skill and nerve to indulge in it with high-tech

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boards buckled to their feet and pointy poles, though we doff our cozy knit caps to them: earlaps, pompoms, and all. Today’s regional Winter Wonderland has plenty to offer for those who prefer to seat themselves on a sled or tube for the trip.

And if gliding on ice skates is your thing, we’ve plenty for you as well—same if your fun of choice is a cross-country ski or snowshoe expedition.

OUTDOORS Whatever option you pick, you’ll be doing your body and spirit a favor out among the wide-open skies, glorious views, and bracing breezes. Bundle up and get out there for the slide of a lifetime.

Destinations are loosely grouped by primary activity, but many offer more than one flavor of winter fun. Check with the management for information about COVID precautions or advance reservations.

There’s also the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club that operates ice sailing on the Hudson. They can’t really schedule events in advance, since river conditions need to be just right; but when they are up and running, they might give you a free ride if you show up and ask. Their unofficial website can be found at hriyc.org.

visitvortex.com

BONUS: Looking for something a little bit different?

Alpine Endeavors will help you get organized and go ice climbing in the Catskills or Adirondacks.

Call 877-486-5769 to learn more, or email info@alpineendeavors.com.

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c r o s s - c o u n t ry s k i i n g / s n o w s h o e i n g

d u tc h e s s c o u n t y

c o lu m b i a c o u n t y

putnam county

James Baird State Park offers seven miles of wooded trails to ski and snowshoe in Pleasant Valley.

Clermont State Historic Site in Germantown has five miles of marked trails for cross-country skiers and snowshoeing enthusiasts with gorgeous Hudson River views.

Fahnestock Winter Park in Carmel offers over 11 miles of groomed trails, plus hills for sledding and tubing.

14 Maintenance Lane, Pleasant Valley 845-452-1489; parks.ny.gov/parks/101

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One Clermont Avenue, Germantown 518-537-4240; parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/16

1570 Route 301, Carmel 845-225-7207 parks.ny.gov/parks/fahnestockwinterpark

s u l l i va n c o u n t y

Walnut Mountain Park, maintained by the Town of Liberty, offers over 13 miles of trails in the heart of the Sullivan County Catskills.

The Mongaup Pond trailhead, located at a campground 10 miles east of Livingston Manor, provides access to 50 miles of multi-use trails.

73 Walnut Mountain Road, Liberty, 845-292-7690 playinlibertyny.com

231 Mongaup Pond Road, Livingston Manor dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24484.html

ulster county

Mohonk Preserve grooms a selection of their carriage roads for serene Shawangunk skiing, and you’re welcome to ski and snowshoe on the rest of the 70 miles backcountry-style. You’ll want to park at the West Trapps, Coxing, Spring Farm or Testimonial Gateway trailheads.

New Paltz 845-255-0919 mohonkpreserve.org

Minnewaska State Park Preserve welcomes cross-country skiers and snowshoers as well.

5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson 845-255-0752 The Shawangunk Nordic Ski Association offers maps, conditions, free clinics, and a racing program for all ages when conditions permit.

Shawangunk Mountains skithegunks.com 19

o u t d o o r i c e s k at i n g Mohonk Mountain House

d u tc h e s s c o u n t y

ulster county

orange county

Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls features a 76-by-80-foot ice-skating rink with glorious river views; its 301 acres also offer gentle sledding hills.

Mohonk Mountain House Ice Pavilion is a 9,375-square-foot outdoor ice-skating rink graced by a 39-foot-tall stone fireplace perfect for warming up with a cup of hot chocolate. Thirty miles of trails with stellar Catskills views are available for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Bear Mountain Ice Rink, located at the Bear Mountain State Park in Tomkins Cove, is a beautiful outdoor rink with gorgeous views, skate rentals, and skating lessons.

85 Sheafe Rd, Wappingers Falls 845-298-4607; dutchessny.gov

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1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz 855-883-3798; mohonk.com

3006 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain 845-786-2701, x266 bearmountainicerink.org

sledding and tubing

Plattekill Mountain

d u tc h e s s c o u n t y

Staatsburg State Historic Site in Staatsburg is the former estate of Ogden and Ruth Livingston Mills, and you’re welcome to use your plastic sled or snow tube on their expansive lawn for free. (No metal runners, please!) The surrounding and neighboring Mills and Norrie state parks are laced with trails great for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill in Rhinebeck has a half-mile sledding hill. The climb may be long, but so’s the ride—and at the summit, panoramic views take in the Catskills to the west and the Berkshires to the east on a clear day. The park also offers plenty of trails for cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

75 Mills Mansion Drive, Road #1, Staatsburg, 845-889-8851 parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/staatsburgh

3137 NY-9G, Rhinebeck, 845-876-4213; winnakee.org/burger-hill 21

d ow n h i l l s k i i n g / s n ow b oa r d i n g

c o lu m b i a c o u n t y

orange county

s u l l i va n c o u n t y

Catamount Ski Area in Hillsdale allows you to ski across state lines, offering 42 trails and terrain parks, lessons, and the nation’s longest zip line, open year-round.

Mount Peter in Warwick offers summit views, 14 trails, and free lessons in skiing and boarding. The oldest ski operation in NY, they welcome tubers too, with a speedy 600-foot run equipped with carpet lift and a much milder hill for the little tykes.

Holiday Mountain Ski and Fun Park in Monticello offers “kinderski” for the little ones and a ski club with instruction for all skill levels, along with boarding and tubing.

Hillsdale, NY, S. Egremont, MA 413-528-1262; catamountski.com

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51 Old Mt. Peter Road, Warwick 845-986-4940; mtpeter.com

99 Holiday Mountain Road, Monticello 845-796-3161; holidaymtn.com

d e l awa r e c o u n t y

Plattekill Mountain is a friendly, family-owned Catskills ski resort with 38 trails and terrain for all skill levels. They’ve been described in Powder magazine as “The Alta of the Catskills.” There’s lift service available to tubers here, too.

469 Plattekill Road, Roxbury, 607-326-3500 plattekill.com

ulster county

Belleayre Mountain, New York State’s publicly owned ski area in Highmount, offers skiing and snowboarding on 50 trails and five glades plus a terrain park, a progression park, and an X-Course.

There are lessons for all ages and skill levels and an adaptive program, and miles of trails available for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. They’ve also got on-mountain dining and day care.

181 Galli Curci Road, Highmount 845-254-5600; belleayre.com Plattekill Mountain

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Your weekend home is for relaxing, let us do the rest.

Property Management Home Renovation and Airbnb Management 3656 Main Street, Stone Ridge 4887 State Route 52, Jeffersonville

845.288.2650 alan@catskill-concierge.com www.catskill-concierge.com 24

ATTRACTING ARTISTS, DREAMERS, MUSICIANS, SEEKERS AND BOOTLEGGERS SINCE 1787

The Inn aT KeTTleboro 914-213-2487

321 State Route 208, New Paltz

www.kettleboro.com

In perfect harmony with its environment and storied past, situated beside a waterfall and rushing brook, just steps from town center. Woodstock Way – the Catskill’s newest contemporary hotel.

Drop By, Tune In, Turn Off.

10 Waterfall Way, Woodstock • 845-684-5911 • woodstockway.com

LUXURY RESORT IN THE CATSKILLS

6302 Main St, Tannersville • 518-589-5060 • melourresort.com 25

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MEET THE OWNERS

Creating Community

h o m e g o o d s o f m a rg a r e t v i l l e p h o to s b y r a c h e l c o l l e t

visitvortex.com

by anne pyburn craig

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“When COVID hit, all plans went out the window.

At first, the response was ‘How do we get people food?’

It was sort of in crisis mode. People responded in a major way, and it just sort of grew.”

- Jessica Olenych, co-owner, Home Goods of Margaretville

Margaretville natives Jessica and Jake Olenych both grew up making people comfortable in the Catskills. Jess had her first real job at the Cheese Barrel, a specialty foods shop on Main Street. Jake and his parents own Mountain Flame Inc., providing eco-conscious fireplaces and woodstoves.

So when Home Goods of Margaretville—a home- and kitchen-products shop—came up for sale in 2014, the couple thought it might be a good fit. “I grew up in the kitchen,” says Jess. “I always loved feeding people.”

For a while, Jess had considered an entirely different life. “I studied political science and got my degree from Elmira College,” she says. “I traveled the world. I moved to Washington, D.C., and interned in a congressman’s office. But even though politics hadn’t gone completely nuts yet—this was in 2002—I hated it! It wasn’t for me.”

Running Home Goods felt better. The initial, most visible change they made was moving the business across Main Street to the People’s National Bank of Margaretville. Over the years

It is, as a customer says in a rave review, “THE place to shop for home supplies in the area.”

they tweaked the inventory as they gained experience running a retail operation.

In 2019, to celebrate five years in business, Jess and Jake did a bold remodel, reclaiming the old bank’s 12’ ceilings and running shelves the length of the building’s long brick interior wall. And now, in 2021, Jess finds herself in charge of not just a nifty kitchenware and decor store, but a vital community center that a Yelp reviewer recently called “the jewel of Margaretville.”

In a bit of serendipity, in December 2020, the Cheese Barrel closed its doors after 30 years. Located directly across from Home Goods, Jess and Jake had always shied away from offering a lot of food products out of respect for owner Sue Ihlo.

“We didn’t have any immediate plans to change anything in the shop, but when COVID hit, all plans went out the window,” says Jess. “At first, the response was ‘How do we get people food?’

Home Goods of Margaretville—a home- and kitchen-products shop—came up for sale in 2014, and Jessica and Jake Olenych thought it might be a good fit. “I grew up in the kitchen,” says Jess. “I always loved feeding people.”

It was sort of in crisis mode. People responded in a major way, and it just sort of grew.”

With the Cheese Barrel having closed, Jess and Jake stepped in to fill the void and to become an essential business. They greatly expanded their shop’s food offerings, while still maintaining their kitchen and home goods inventory.

“We started bringing in local produce and expanded to carry all sorts of gourmet goods, especially things that are hard to find in a rural area. Now we have three refrigerators, a large cheese cooler, and a pastry cooler, and we source ingredients from the 30

world over. Our customers have been the driving force behind most of the expansion, and it’s been so much fun to learn and source what they request.”

The store’s website lists available produce, herbs, and offerings from the cooler, freezer, and bakery, so that customers can make a shopping list and email it ahead of time.

Delivery days are listed, so that one can be sure of arriving when the eggs, produce, or specialty bread are freshest. The website also has direct links to the nonprofit Catskills Food Hub and the 607 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), a multi-farm collaborative.

Jess hasn’t neglected the housewares. The store carries kitchen delights and necessities from names like All Clad, Viking, Cuisinart, Swiss Diamond, and OXO as well as cookbooks, candles, stationery, antiques, and home décor. You’ll find fine cutlery, canning supplies, and baking pans. It is, as a customer says in a rave review, “THE place to shop for home supplies in the area.”

The store’s Facebook page glows with warmth, whether sharing Grandma Peg’s Zwetschgenkuchen (plum cake) recipe or announcing daily prepared specials. “Did you know that we have two registers and two checkout stations? One for the lover of all things sweet and one for the lover of all things salty!” says one post. To the news of a standup freezer, a customer responds, “Now

“Our customers have been the driving force behind most of the expansion, and it’s been so much fun to learn and source what they request.”

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the store’s even cooler.” Pandemic safety is affectionately framed: “Can’t wait to see your smiling masked faces!”

It’s clearly a love story for this homegirl and her Home Goods, which she keeps as affordable as possible. “I grew up a whole mile from here,” she says. “I went to the elementary school down the block. I’d never want anyone to feel priced out or not included.”

And lately she’s helped a lot of newbies set up camp. “I’m overwhelmed and enormously grateful,” says Jess. “People come into Mountain Flame just about every week saying, ‘I just bought a house!’ Should any be seeking home goods, we suspect we know just where they’re directed. I’m amazed at how much my life has changed in the past year-and-a-half...it’s beyond incredible.”

home goods o f m a rg a r e t v i l l e

784 Main Street, Margaretville 845 586-4177 | hgom.net

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gs

se chase card this card

margaretville aretville catskill.net ill.net om.net : hgom.net

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ENJOY AN OUTDOOR WINTER!

10% 10% Savings 10% Savings Savings On your On your entire On your entire purchase entire purchase purchase whenwhen youwhen present you present youthis present card this card this card Compliments Compliments Compliments of: of: of:

$1O OFF your next purchase of $30 or more!

RULES:This coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. One offer per household, per day. May not be combined with any other offers or discounts, or applied to the purchase of gift cards. Not valid on previous purchases. Some other exceptions may apply. Expires Dec 24, 2021

Winter Sports Gear.

Footwear. Hats, scarves.

Mens & Womens Outdoor, Casual and Work Clothing. Indoor Archery Range!

784 main 784 main street 784 main street . margaretville street . margaretville . margaretville em: homegoods@catskill.net em: homegoods@catskill.net em: homegoods@catskill.net p: 845 p:586.4177 845 p: 586.4177 845 586.4177 w: hgom.net w: hgom.net w: hgom.net

Now offering Custom Embroidery and Screen Printing.

1000 Hurley Mountain Road, Kingston, NY 12401 845-340-0552 Check out our website: www.atkenco.com 33

Join us December 11th – 12th for a special TRY-ON EVENT featuring free gifts with purchase, raffles to win a FREE PAIR OF BLUNDSTONES, and more!

Not just boots, Blundstones.

10 Mill Hill Rd.

27 N. Chestnut St.

3 E. Market St.

WOODSTOCK

NEW PALTZ

RHINEBECK

845 679 2373

845 256 0788

845 876 7474

Where Shoe Dreams Come True! | www.pegasusshoes.com | 34

@pegasusfootwear

Be sure to visit CRC just on the Arkville “cut-off” road.

Enjoy commanding views of Pakatakan Mountain from our outdoor running/walking trail; come in for some laps in our six-lane, 25-yard pool; experience our state-of-the-art gym, and check out some of our group yoga sculpt, Tai Chi, and water aerobics classes. We offer two cycling events each year, as well as lifeguard training.

Affordable rates with a clean and friendly atmosphere.

Find your fit at the CRC!

huguenotstreet.org | (845) 255-1889 | New Paltz, NY

651 County Highway 38, Arkville • 845-586-6250 catskillrecreationcenter.org

Winter is Wonderful at Mohonk Preserve!

Fly Fishing Supplies & Outerwear Guide Trips & Snowshoe Rentals Curated Homegoods & Gifts Echo-Friendly & Sustainably Minded

Explore the many ways you can enjoy the Preserve during the winter months.

Whether you prefer a brisk hike, crosscountry skiing, or snowshoeing, the Preserve is the place for you. Our Visitor Center is open free of charge daily 9am5pm, with memberships, gift memberships, and day passes available for purchase.

Memberships are also available online.

Photo: Ted Sendler

mohonkpreserve.org 845-255-0919

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Beat the Blues by

getting out by anne pyburn craig

It may seem as though things quiet down around here in winter, making this an ideal time to get out and do the exploring you don’t get around to doing in gardening season. You could spend a lifetime exploring the winter sports options, true, but don’t stop there—not when there are so many cool possibilities all around us. Our local businesses are practiced and flexible and will prioritize your safety. Call

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ahead for any needed details and/or reservations. But do get out and about. It’ll recharge your batteries and stave off the dreaded February Funk, a Groundhog Day-related sensation in every sense of the phrase. Staying vital and active is a proven antidote, even if you’re not into winter sports—and doing something indoorsy and fun makes a relaxing change of pace if you do hit the slopes every week.

ENJOY LOCALLY ta k e a s tayc at i o n

But that doesn’t mean you have to remain in that lane at all times!

As locals, we’re never more than a few minutes’ drive from a nifty alternative. Our region is bless-

ed with many decades of practice at welcoming visitors, which keeps the bar high as new and creative ideas arise.

Our innkeepers expertly create wonderful worlds-within-worlds designed to showcase the best of the Hudson Valley experience, whether you’re looking for majestic snow-swept vistas, blissful peace, or rock-n-roll nights within walking distance.

Why not take a couple of days and let them pamper you?

As locals, we’re never more than a few minutes’ drive from the best of the Hudson Valley experience.

Why not let our innkeepers pamper you?

visitvortex.com

Living day-to-day here, it can be easy to forget the paradise that surrounds us, even when your commute resembles a series of postcards. After all, the mundanities of life still need to be juggled; it’s neither easy nor wise to get fully absorbed in the view while negotiating traffic lanes.

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The best immune booster may be that lovely feeling of being pampered to perfection whilst defeating cabin fever. g e t a s pa t r e at m e n t

We’re blessed with excellent spas around here. Wellness, serenity, healing, and the beauty of the surroundings just seem to go together well. Many fine resorts offer spas that are open to day guests, where topnotch professionals will work their magic on you in beautiful surroundings.

Massages of many flavors, masques that will leave you feeling fresh as the breeze, luxe body wraps—whatever you need to feel rejuvenated, you’ll find it at Hudson Valley and Catskills spas.

Tailored and targeted aromatherapy?

Flotation tank or sauna time? Sports massage? Vegan pedicure? Menus are long and packed with exotic treats, drawing on ancient wisdom and state-of-the-art science. Many offerings can be customized and combined in packages to leave you feeling brand new.

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g o a n t i qu i n g

A good antique shop surprises

that sparkling pendant? The

and delights and reflects the particular fascinations of its curator, whether it’s a booth or a vast expanse. From kitchen tools to curiosities, from fabric arts to furniture, looking at antiques is a time machine, a unique and savory flavor of retail therapy that works whether you buy or browse.

stuff of long-ago lives holds the patina of the human story with silent eloquence.

Who proudly spread that intri-

Antiquing is perfect for whiling away a chilly winter afternoon, and here in the Hudson Valley we have four centuries of dramatic history paired with generations of expertise, a recipe that makes for some of the finest an-

cate lace across a dresser top or stirred an evening fire with that poker? Whose hands tossed the salad that was served in that shimmering bowl? What kind of conversations were had around that oaken table? What occasion inspired someone to wear

tiquing to be had anywhere—especially since our antique dealers source from everywhere. So plan out a custom antique tour for yourselves and hit the road— there’s something gorgeous, useful, or crazy out there, and it’s calling your name.

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p u r s u e a n a rt c r aw l

Love form and light and color and imagination? You’re just minutes from galleries, museums, and artists’ studios of all sorts. Wandering among their beauty can put sunshine in the grayest afternoon.

There is a long list of reasons for the indisputable fact that art’s in the very air we breathe here. The Hudson River School of romantic landscape painting, after all, lit the spark of the world’s love affair with our scenery.

Traditions like Woodstock’s Byrdcliffe and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar, both well over a century old, are vital community fixtures. Encyclopedic museums Dia: Beacon and the Dorsky Museum at SUNY New Paltz take a day to visit.

But don’t overlook the smaller independent galleries, either: Whether your tastes are classical or abstract, photography or folk art, you’ll find gallery owners curating some of today’s finest creatives in all media.

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i m b i b e at l o c a l b r e w e r i e s / d i s t i l l e r i e s / w i n e r i e s

Journey to the place where your favorite beverages are born. Taste the freshest ideas in everything from ale to chardonnay, from craft cocktails to handcrafted shots. Our brewers, distillers, and winemakers welcome you into the lairs where they work their magic to experience adult beverages as an art in themselves.

It’s here, after all, where the infant United States brewed some of its first intoxicatingly good beverages; grain and hops from the “Breadbasket of the Revolution” went into more than just bread, and the monks of the Brotherhood Winery began their fermenting a few years later.

/cideries

And it’s here where visionaries came together to create farm distillery legislation that made much of the current craft beverage revolution possible.

So browse through the options—there are many— schedule a tour, follow up with some tasting time, and savor the history and good fellowship in every delicious drop.

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Sit down to a delicious meal prepared by experts, whether you’re going for pub grub or haute cuisine.

go out and feast

There’s nothing more heartening and relaxing than sitting down to a delicious meal prepared by experts, whether you’re going for pub grub or haute cuisine.

Around here we’re blessed with both ends of that spectrum and a glorious smorgasbord of cuisines.

Our restaurateurs have long since made COVID-19 safety a priority: You’ll find spic-n-span surroundings and service. Precautions taken will no doubt be best practices for whatever situation we face in the moment; check an establishment’s website or give them a call to find out. Many have established tents and other clever 42

work-arounds for cozy outdoor dining all year round.

Seasonal menus are big around here; in winter, that means hearty soups and stews and roasted root veggies, good healthy fare that satisfies on the tongue and in the tummy too. Those brothbased soups and squash medleys are superb immune boosters, too.

The best immune booster may be that lovely feeling of being pampered to perfection whilst defeating cabin fever. You can host some friends for a meal, get caught up on life...and depart knowing someone else will do the dishes. Now that’s a winter win.

Regional American Cuisine 94 North Front Street, Kingston, NY 12401 845-338-2626 HoffmanHouseTavern.com

lunch 10 Plattekill Ave, New Paltz, NY

• •

dinner 845 419 5007

•

runanewpaltz.com

VisitVortex_RUNA_4.25x2.75.indd 1

11/4/19 12:22 PM

• Rustic American style cuisine

• Overnight accommodations

• Locally sourced ingredients

• Cozy private rooms

• Inside & Outside Dining

•Take-Out Available

Check our website for the most current menu and dining hours

locally sourced and made by hand Grainne 299 wall Street, kingston 845-338-1388 web: grainnekingston.com fb: grainneny ig: grainne_kingston

5819 MAIN STREET, TANNERSVILLE • 518-589-5445 • JESSIESHARVESTHOUSE.COM

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FALAFEL, SABICH, SALADS & MORE

OPEN DAILY FOR LUNCH • OUTDOOR SEATING • TAKE OUT • GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS

Holiday Party Catering In House & Out

54 East Market St. Rhinebeck 845-876-2324 abasfalafel.com

743 Route 28, Kingston

Open 7 days for Lunch & Dinner

845-338-2424

hickoryrestaurant.com

BREAKFAST BRUNCH LUNCH DINNER

17 TINKER ST WOODSTOCK NY 845.679.5763 44

New Orleans Style Menu With Locally Sourced Ingredients • Sunset Views • Craft Cocktails, Beer and Wine • Open 7 Days a Week

Outdoor seating with the best view in town! theparishrestaurant . com

845.255.4205

water street market, new paltz

COFFEE BAR BREAKFAST & LUNCH LOCAL PROVISIONS SERVING WINE & BEER ORDER ONLINE

farmhouse cuisine · killer cocktails · nightly bonfire 11 Jane Street, Saugerties • 845-247-7189 OLSENANDCOMPANY.COM

8373 State Route 28, Big Indian, NY (845) 254-6500 www.peekamooserestaurant.com 45

Live Live Live Music!

Music!

Live Music!

Music!

Full Full Full Service Service Full Service Service Bar BarBarBar

Patio Patio Patio dining Patio dining dining in dining inseason! in season! season! in season!

OPEN

Thursday-Sunday 12pm - 9pm 4 Bruceville Road, High Falls NY 12440 845-687-3464 www.ollies.pizza

Tuesday: BURGERS & BEER NIGHT

Weekend Weekend Weekend Weekend Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast WING NIGHT 8 8differant differant 8 differant 8 differant kinds kinds kinds ofkinds of of Wednesday: of Egg's Egg's Egg's Benedict!

Egg's Benedict!

Benedict!

Benedict!4th Thursday: TRIVIA NIGHT

Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wing Wing Wing &Wing && & Pasta Pasta Pasta Night!

Pasta Night!

Night!

Night!

Friday: PASTA NIGHT Sunday Breakfast with10 kinds of Eggs Benedict!

Outdoor Dining & Events. Live Music! Private Events. Full Service Bar. GREAT FOOD. GREAT MUSIC. GOOD TIMES. Open Year Round At The Stone Dock Golf Course.

Open Open Open Open year year year Round year Round Round Round atatThe at The at The Stone The Stone Stone Stone Dock Dock Dock Dock Golf Golf Golf Course Golf Course Course Course 1212Stone 12 Stone 12 Stone Stone Dock Dock Dock Dock Rd. Rd. Rd. Rd. 845-687-2699 845-687-2699 845-687-2699 845-687-2699 High High High High Falls Falls Falls NY Falls NY NY NY www.highfallscafe.com www.highfallscafe.com www.highfallscafe.com www.highfallscafe.com

MEET THE OWNER

All Aboard the Chew Chew Train

the arkville bread

b r e a k fa s t

p h o to s b y r a c h e l c o l l e t

visitvortex.com

by anne pyburn craig

&

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Arkville Bread & Breakfast has a treat for you. It’s one of those places that locals adore, and visitors wish their own towns had: fun, unpretentious, and delectable.

Planning a visit to the Western Catskills near Arkville? Bring your appetite, because Arkville Bread & Breakfast has a treat for you. It’s one of those places that locals adore, and visitors wish their own towns had: fun, unpretentious, and delectable.

“Best veggie omelette I have ever had...fresh spinach, mushrooms and even purple cauliflower!” writes a satisfied customer on TripAdvisor. “Best home fries around,” writes another.

Still another reviewer is clearly a regular: “French roast coffee, egg sandwiches on ciabatta bread makes this a great choice for 48

breakfast. But lunch is where it's at for me. Best tuna melt sandwich and the Cuban or chipotle black bean wrap is awesome. Jack's (the owner) personality shines with his quick wit, subtle slightly sarcastic humor and singing.”

So who is the witty and melodious chap who’s made what the cognoscenti call “the Caboose” or just “Jack’s” into a breakfast and lunch destination—where lovers of veggie omelets can feast alongside those who prefer their eggs with brisket and grilled shrimp?

Jack Zamor came up from Long Island on what was to be the first leg of a trip to Colorado

and Utah. “A friend said he had a place up here I could use, and I ended up staying longer than expected,” he says. “I started doing all the things I swore I was never going to do, like having my own business.”

“It wasn’t going to cut it with just breakfast; it’s not like Long Island with millions of people where the side roads are busier than the main highway here. I’ve pretty much been doing lunch since.”

That was in 2007. Jack’s stewardship began two years later, operating the caboose (Arkville Bread & Breakfast is literally built around a vintage caboose, next to a railroad track) as a breakfast-only establishment. He soon expanded the restaurant’s offerings to include lunch. “It wasn't going to cut it with just breakfast; it’s not like Long Island with millions of people where the side roads are busier than the main highway here. I’ve pretty much been doing lunch since. And yearly numbers are still climbing; 10 of the 12 years saw increased business, which makes me think I'm doing something right.”

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That “something” has brought a lot of joy to a lot of people—and the former Long Islander has found plenty to enjoy in his adopted neighborhood, like “the infinite shades of green in spring and summer, the number of people per square mile, and nature!”

No wonder, then, that he’s found common ground with the guests who come to feast on fresh-baked 50

breads and breakfasts that range from basic egg sandwiches and huge omelettes to French toast and pancakes. Lunch choices include Reubens, Cubans, Philly cheese steaks, and more.

Jack learned his art by doing, starting with a job at a major grocery store in high school and moving on to work in “a few delis on the Island, in different

“I genuinely like people, individually, and people pick up on that. It’s basically friendly; I mean, no one can smile 100 percent of every day, but even then, the food’s always fresh.”

“Best veggie omelette I have ever had...fresh spinach, mushrooms and even purple cauliflower!” writes a satisfied customer on TripAdvisor.

“Best home fries around,” writes another.

areas that ran the whole financial gamut of clientele and locations.” Arriving upstate, he started casually helping a friend make some sandwiches and ended up in an ownership role despite himself. “Julia Child said, ‘You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients’ at a fair and reasonable price in a timely manner,” he says.

Charm never hurts, especially when you’re pleasing a crowd that includes “locals, second home owners in summer and ski season, wedding attendees, tourists, definitely families with young kids. We’re very kid- and dog-friendly. It kind of helps when you still think like a kid. It's a very relaxed atmosphere; casual dining at its most casual.”

The physical setup helps, with guests able to choose from a dining room, deck, porch, or grassy meadow experience. In season, there are blueberries and strawberries out front that kids 51

He’s found common ground with the guests who come to feast on fresh-baked breads and breakfasts that range from basic egg sandwiches and huge omelettes to French toast and pancakes. Lunch choices include Reubens, Cubans, Philly cheese steaks, and more.

(or the young-at-heart) can pick for their own French toast or pancakes.

Jack’s hired another grill cook to handle eggs during the week on busy weekend mornings while he makes the French toast, pancakes, and waffles; but like many an owner, he finds himself wearing multiple hats as “manager, bookkeeper, slave...I was known for my entertaining and singing, but no more energy for that.” (We hope that as New Grill Guy becomes proficient, Jack will once again be feeling the song inside him and letting it out.)

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Regardless, guests get a real Catskills welcome. “I genuinely like people, individually, and people pick up on that,” he says. “It’s basically friendly; I mean, no one can smile 100 percent of every day, but even then, the food’s always fresh.”

Having rescued an Arkville landmark where many had tried and failed despite great views and the neighboring railroad depot (the Delaware and Ulster Railroad offers round-trip scenic train rides and train robbery reenactments on weekends), Jack is looking ahead to his own eventual next chapter.

“I’d like to get my old Land Rover restored—I’m about halfway there—and drive that around the country taking photos and experiencing this planet of ours 10 months a year,” he says.

“Meaning that at some point in the not-toodistant future I’ll be turning this place over to another, who can hopefully maintain a similar standing in the neighborhood.”

Clearly, when that day comes, there will be big boots to fill. Have you always dreamt of a super-cool Catskills-casual eatery of your own? Now might be the time to begin negotiations over a plate of French toast or a sweetand-sour jambalaya wrap. For now, you can still get them done Jack’s way...and as folks in this corner of Delaware County will tell you, Jack’s way is very good indeed.

arkville bread

&

b r e a k fa s t

43285 State Route 28, Arkville 845-586-1122 Find them on Facebook at facebook.com/arkvillecaboose

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now serving ‘til midnight, every night of the week.

restaurant | bistro | bar

local, organic, authentic dining, anytime of day.

FARM TO TABLE Catering For All Occasions Open 8:30 - 4:30pm Closed Mon & Tues

indoor dining • patio seating •

bar seating • online ordering

845-255-4949 2356 RT 44/55, Gardiner www.miogardiner.com

route 9, rhinebeck village 845-876-3330 terrapinrestaurant.com

Serving New Paltz for 48 years

Historic Rondout

Waterfront Dining

• Outdoor Dining on Front and Back Patios • Spacious Indoor Dining or Take-Out Ordering • We go above and beyond Covid regulations.

• Hundreds of Craft Beers, Full Bar and Wine List • Billiard Hall with Ping Pong and Games

Authentic Barbecue & Comfort Food with a Modern Twist

OleSavannah.com | 845-331-4283 100 Rondout L anding, Kingston, New York 54

5 STAR HEAD CHEF Chris Braun brings in a new era at Bacchus that includes an evolving menu of seafood, steak, and comfort foods with many vegan/gluten-free options.

Online ordering available. Live music on weekends.

4 South Chestnut Street, New Paltz 845-255-8636 • bacchusnewpaltz.com

O PE

NOW OPE

N

LY DAI

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COFFEE BAR • MARKET • LOCAL PROVISIONS 317 MAIN STREET, KERHONKSON, NY 12446 845-626-1458

millandmainstreet

www.millandmainstreet.com

Photography: The Ramsdens

845-217-5588 josiescoffeeshoppe.com 174 Partition Street, Saugerties, NY 12477 55

A SLICE OF ITALY ITALIAN CUISINE Pizza, Pasta, Salads, Hot and Cold Subs, Full Bar and More CATERING AVAILABLE

845-336-7115

1316 Ulster Ave. Kingston www.asliceofitaly7115.com

FLAVOR IS OUR EXPERTISE! Join us for dine in service at the NEW Seasoned Evolution Center 11 Lohmaier Ln, Lake Katrine • 845-616-1689 • 845-802-3317 SEASONEDDELICIOUSFOODS.COM

Founded in 2000. Independently owned coffee roaster.

Sustainable, single-origin coffees, roasted in-house weekly.

WHOLESALE • RETAIL • ESPRESSO BAR

478 Broadway Midtown Kingston 845-331-4598 • monkeyjoe.com 56

INSPIRATION • EDUCATION • RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT Creating lasting solutions to poverty hunger and social injustice through education, ownership and self sufficiency

SEASONEDGIVES.COM

MEET THE OWNERS

Pizza Bliss at

a s l i c e o f i ta ly ,

As if we needed any more evidence that pizza is essential, how about this: the Food Surveys Research Group says that 13% of Americans eat it on any given day. That statistic needs no explanation for most.

Once the idea of pizza gets lodged in your head, trickling to your taste buds, nothing else will do. Locals and visitors alike have been finding pizza bliss—along with a wide selection of other Italian-inflected classics—at A Slice of Italy for six years.

p h o to s b y r a c h e l c o l l e t

“My husband arrived as the bubbling pizza was being removed from the ovens! The crust of the pizza was crunchy and delicious—just perfect! We had a half-cheese, half-veggie, and then a meatball, mushroom and onion pizza. Both were amazing!” writes a Yelp reviewer, going on to praise plentiful salads and delicious, saucy wings. Another reviewer sums it up: “This is pizza you drive 300 miles to eat.”

visitvortex.com

by anne pyburn craig

k i n g s to n

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To do pizza that well, you need to love what you’re doing, and customer after satisfied customer notes that Angelo and Marine DiPaola put that love into every move they make.

To do pizza that well, you need to love what you’re doing, and customer after satisfied customer notes that Angelo and Marine DiPaola put that love into every move they make.

Angelo was just 12 when he arrived in New York with his family from Amarosi, Italy. They settled in Glasco, just outside of Saugerties. At a local party right after high school, he met a lovely young woman from nearby Lake Katrine.

When Angelo was 24, he purchased his first business, an arcade called Funway Amusement.

“Funway Amusement was located in the Kings Mall, so we had places to eat,” he recalls. “But then we moved to a new location and were always trying to figure out what to eat. That's when the idea of opening a restaurant came about, to fill the need for us and our customers.

We felt it would make a great marriage.”

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With help from a local restaurant supplier, the couple opened Four Seasons Pizza in 1980. “We knew nothing about the business,” says Angelo. “To create the product we have today, it came down to trial and error. Being an independent entrepreneur is really interesting. You don’t have the support from

a big corporation, so you learn on your own. But the best part is not having someone tell you how they want something done. You get to be creative.”

With son Angelo now in on the fun, the DiPaolas are hoping they’ll soon be able to open a drivethrough pizza business and simplify things. “We

Locals and visitors alike have been finding pizza bliss—along with a wide selection of other Italian-inflected classics—at A Slice of Italy for six years.

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“We are not perfect, but we try to do our best. We are very conscientious of our business and customers. We have always felt that you should treat your customers and your employees as your best friends.”

- Angelo DiPaola, owner, A Slice of Italy

actually have our drive-thru pizza ready to open,” says the senior Angelo. “We started this before COVID-19, but then to order equipment and find employees has been a challenge. We are hoping the fall will bring changes to this. We are ready to go.”

The right attitude means a lot, and the DiPaolas had that going for them from the start.

“As the owner, as most owners do, you do whatever is necessary to accomplish your goal of operating a business and making your customers happy,” says Angelo. “We are not perfect,

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but we try to do our best. We are very conscientious of our business and customers. We have always felt that you should treat your customers and your employees as your best friends.”

At A Slice of Italy, patrons can bask in that warmth knowing that the meal they’re about to receive will be something special.

“People tell us our pizza is just like New York City pizza,” says Angelo, citing one of the ultimate Hudson Valley (or anywhere else) pizza place goals. “And that our sauce tastes so good.”

That sauce is made fresh daily,

as are the restaurant’s soups. Meatballs are housemade, as are the marinara and cocktail sauces, and sausage is local, made across the river in Hudson. Veal is fresh; chicken is filleted, tenderized, and breaded in-house. There are plenty of gluten-free and vegan selections on the menu, which offers pizza by the slice along with hot or cold subs, sandwiches, wraps, and grilled goodies.

Angelo and Marine got into the business world in the first place to provide fun, and life’s been a series of adventures ever since. Time off means boating on the Hudson or Lake George, long cozy brunches with family (there are six grandchildren now), cruising in the convertible, gardening, and making homemade wine and grappa, “a tradition I’ve passed along to my children from their grandfather,” Angelo says. But time running A Slice of Italy is cherished, too. “We really love what we do,” says Angelo. “The best part is, our friends come to see us all the time. It’s the interaction with customers that really makes every day special.”

a s l i c e o f i ta ly

1316 Ulster Ave, Kingston 845-336-7115 asliceofitaly7115.com

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Woodfired Pizza & Entrees

Upscale Steak & Seafood

Authentic Mexican Cuisine

845-688-5370 brios.net

845-688-9800 thephoeniciansteakhouse.com

845-688-5259 alamocantina.com

• New York Style Pizzas • Made to order Italian Heros • Authentic Italian Dishes

SPECIALS: 6 Kinds of Tacos • Tequilas • Margaritas

786 Main Street, Poughkeepsie 845-471-4110

YOUR LOCAL

EAT. DRINK.CHILL.

9 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie • 845-243-2222 • hurricanewings.com

ONE-STOP-SHOP SINCE 1952

OPEN DAILY 6am-9pm • 845-657-2338 • tettasmarket.com 63

PETER’S MARKET

under new ownership 845-210-4661 petersmarket.business.site 7700 State Route 209, Napanoch, NY 12458

ROCK HILL TRADING POST

845-796-3060 tradingpostmarket.com 214 Rock Hill Dr, Rock Hill, NY 12775 OPEN HOURS: 7:30AM - 8:00PM

MEET THE OWNERS

A Well-Loved Store Revives into a New Favorite

peters market, The right-sized independent supermarket is often hard to come by: small enough to be a quick stop for bread and milk, large enough to do an honest-to-goodness supply run; homespun enough to stay affordable, yet sophisticated enough to offer natural, vegan, and imported choices. If you’re lucky enough to have one nearby, then you know how Napanoch-area folks feel about Peters Market: Such a

p h o to s b y r a c h e l c o l l e t

store is a true treasure, and folks in southwestern Ulster County have cherished it since 1972. After the founders bowed out, the store fell on hard times for a bit. But when Catskills native Butch Resnick bought the property in early 2020, hope appeared on the horizon. Resnick, who runs other mid-size markets in Sullivan County, consulted with founder Dick Peters on returning the place to its proper glory.

visitvortex.com

by anne pyburn craig

ellenville

65

“We’re going to renovate the store, a complete refurbishment,” Resnick told Chris Rowley of the Shawangunk Journal at the time. “It will look really great and inviting. We’re going to bring back Peters’ famous deli department, and we will have a selection of great grab-and-go foods. Then, there will be a return of gourmet and organic specialties that they did so well.”

“We do great deli and customer service; we really cater to the needs of the community. If someone is looking for a particular brand or product, we make every effort to make it available to them.”

Resnick talked about reestablishing the services of the Keyfood Co-op and re-hiring the local staff.

And in another brilliant stroke, he partnered up with a grocery store whiz named Kiko Taveras.

When Taveras, a downstater who was raised in Queens and living on Long Island, took the reins and reopened the place on July 1, 2020, locals and in-the-know visitors who shopped there hoped that Peters Market would indeed return to its historically high standards. They have not been disappointed.

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“They make delicious sandwiches and paninis,” wrote a Facebook reviewer last October. “Their cookies and cream mousse is yummy if you have a sweet tooth….and don't get me started on the kale, spinach, and goat cheese quinoa salad: it's the freaking best. 10 out of 10 in my book.”

For Taveras, running a great grocery store is both a beloved family legacy and a personal dream. “I’ve been in the supermarket business my whole life,” he says. “My dad owned supermarkets and I helped manage, even as a child. At a very young age I knew I wanted to have my own business and continue the tradition.”

“I’ve been in the supermarket business my whole life. My dad owned supermarkets and I helped manage, even as a child. At a very young age I knew I wanted to have my own business and continue the tradition.”

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If you’re lucky enough to have an independent supermarket nearby, then you know how Napanocharea folks feel about Peters Market: Such a store is a true treasure, and folks in southwestern Ulster County have cherished it since 1972.

Taveras credits that lifelong hands-on experience with instilling in him the expertise that can take a store from “meh” to marvelous, important knowledge in the era of big-box competition when “meh” really won’t cut it. “We had supermarkets in different cities, so we were always learning about different products and what sells, how to capture the interest of the community,” he says. “Collaborating with different vendors and executives from the supermarket associations to learn about new opportunities is key.”

All that aggregated know-how has gone into making Peters Market what it is and was meant to be: a place where you can find salads with goat cheese and quinoa or a delicious ham-and-Swiss sub, depending on your tastes or mood. Taveras keeps the bar high for service and cleanliness, and he’s loving the community’s response. “The customers visiting Peters Market are great!” he says.

“Given the longstanding name of the business, it’s a neighborhood store with a definite identity all its own, family-oriented and friendly.”

“It’s been two years now and I love everything about this area,” he says. “The community is great.

I love the tranquility. And I love having my family over to venture out and enjoy the trails.”

Upholding that identity and listening to his customers is Taveras’s passion. “We have to understand the community’s purchases, brands, and trends, and how to offer promotions they’ll respond to,” he says.

“We do great deli and customer service; we really cater to the needs of the community. If someone is looking for a particular brand or product, we make every effort to make it available to them. So many customers have shared about traveling to different areas for certain items. I always encourage them to let me or any employee of the store know what they want. We truly want to provide the best service.”

And he strives to do just that, offering new circular specials every week, keeping a good selection of organic, gluten-free, local, and healthy eats, as well as discounts for seniors and first responders, using his lifelong experience in the trade to keep the Rondout Valley fed. “I really enjoy negotiating with the vendors for product deals,” he says. “It’s important for me to pass those savings and deals to my customers.”

Opening mid-COVID was a challenge, but Taveras and his team took it in stride, stepping up the existing sanitation and making safety a priority. “We began to offer masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers, really making sure our customers felt safe shopping in the store. We increased the offerings of home deliveries and shopping convenience,” he says. “The most challenging piece was dealing with the supply shortages. I felt so bad when we were out of items such as paper goods and cleaning supplies; people were in desperate mode to purchase these items that were in huge demand.”

Right now, in a reverse of the typical weekender routine, he’s in the Catskills five days a week and back on Long Island for two. But he’s loving his new community. “It’s been two years now and I love everything about this area,” he says. “The community is great. I love the tranquility. And I love having my family over to venture out and enjoy the trails.”

peters market

7700 State Route 209, Napanoch 845-210-4661 petersmarket.business.site

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• Local & International Cheeses • Organic Coffee • Fresh Soups • Smoked Fish & Caviar • Fine Olive Oils & Balsamic Vinegars • All Natural & Nitrate Free Salamis & Sausages • Chocolate • Gifts AND MORE!

ME

RE D

ITH ’S C

OU NT RY B

AK ER Y, L LC

ALL-NATURAL • LOCAL • NO PRESERVATIVES

· BREAD · PIES · COOKIES

940 Rt. 28, Kingston • 845-853-8207

Traditional Bakery and Dedicated Gluten-free Bakery

· MUFFINS · QUICHE · JAM & more!

Meredithsbread.com | (845) 331-4318 | 415 Route 28, Kingston, NY 12401

ACCORD’S HOMETOWN RESTAURANT & TAVERN

restaurants • catering • mobile food truck

japanese noodle bowls, southeast asian street-food, and other asian specialties.

Open 12-9 pm Tuesday-Saturday

y u m y u m n o o d l e b a r .c o m

Indoor Dining, Catering, Take Out & Delivery

Reservations Suggested Order takeout online at

StoneHouseTavern.net

Or Call In Orders to 845-626-1500 Like us on Facebook & follow us on Instagram @stonehouseaccord

4802 Route 209, Accord

• curbside & delivery service woodstock • 4 rock city rd • 845-679-7992 • 7 days a week kingston • 275 fair st • 845-338-1400 • online ordering red hook • 7496 south broadway • 845-835-6383 71

GOOD BEER LI VE MUSIC GR EAT TIME Farmer owned and operated, Gardiner Brewing Company is focused on using local ingredients to make delicious, seasonal beers.

BEER • WINE • HARD CIDER • SP IR ITS BAR SNACKS • OUTDOOR SEATING • EVENT SPACE

Jar'd Wine Pub

Water Street Market, New Paltz 845-255-8466 Covered, dog friendly porch. Sunset views. Open daily. jardwinepub.com

craft beer & cocktails. eclectic wine. tapas.

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Ope n S at u rday & Sunday, 3-7pm i n t h e b ar n 699 Rt. 208, Gardiner

gardinerbre wingcompany.com

COLD WEATHER, WARM HEARTS

845.331.1921 esterwineshop.com

57 North Front St. Uptown Kingston

5 7 N O R T H OF F R OCRAFT N T S T R EDISTILLERIES E T , K I N G S T O N AND , N Y ORGANIC WINES. A THOUGHTFUL SELECTION

Open 7 days a week!

Hudson Valley Winery, Distillery & Brewery Tours

your car

our driver Save BIG

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www.BestHudsonValleyWineTours.com A division of Aroma Thyme Bistro

tours - your car our driverhudson valley tours

(845) 272-2070 Reputable & Fully Insured

FOLLOW US

Since 1960

The Hudson Valley’s Premiere Source for Wine & Spirits WINE AND SPIRIT TASTINGS Fri 4-7pm & Sat 1-4pm EVERY DAY DISCOUNTS for Seniors (62+) and Veterans!

CASE DISCOUNTS On All Wine Enroll in our CUSTOMER REWARDS PROGRAM! 845-336-5155 Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm Sun 12-6pm 15 Boices Lane on the corner of Rte. 9W, Kingston, NY 73

Liqueur • Absinthe • Whiskey • Gin Award winning craft wines & spirits Open year-round

Whiskey as Bold as New York.

Book Your Table!

2020 Best of Hudson Valley® winner for Best Distillery Cocktail Bar, Tastings, Shop, Food Vendors, Outdoor Seating 14 Grist Mill Lane, Gardiner, NY | Hudsonwhiskey.com | (845) 419-2964

Use code VORTEX to save 10% off our online store.

Please Drink Responsibly. New York, NY. Hudson Whiskey, 46% alc/vol ©2021 Distributed by William Grant & Sons, Inc.

Local • Sustainable • Innovative See our website for offerings

Stoutridge Vineyard & Distillery Marlboro, NY

www.stoutridge.com

STONE RIDGE WINE AND SPIRITS

Ask The Experts

Over 1000 Wines • Boutique Tequilas • Single Malt Scotches Small Batch Bourbons • Monthly Tastings • Wine Dinners Stone Ridge Towne Centre, 2853 Main Street Route 209, Stone Ridge 845-687-7125 StoneRidgeWineAndSpirits.com

LOCAL FOOD

Winter Locavore

by anne pyburn craig

visitvortex.com

a l l l o c a l h o l i d ay m e a l s

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‘T

is the season for festive food, which can mean anything you love. But

ment and the nutritious punch that’ll keep you all healthier and happier all winter

there’s one factor that reliably adds elegance to soup and sandwiches at lunchtime, or to a seven-course feast: Local sourcing.

long.

No matter the dish, sourcing locally brings the flavors that will have everyone sighing with content-

And when you buy local food, you’re supporting the wonderful people who make the Hudson Valley foodshed a reality. So, dear readers, we challenge you: Make this the year you craft an all-local holiday feast.

CHALLENGE: We’d love to see your results.

Tag #visitvortex on Instagram with your local market or local holiday meal image to be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift certificate to a local market and keep it going.

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b e a w i n t e r l o c avo r e w i t h t h e s e t i p s :

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Quite a few farm stands and farmers’ markets stay open into late fall, and indoor winter farmers’ markets have become a thing.

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Pasture-raised meat and poultry are available year-round. If you’re planning your party for a milestone holiday, it’s a good idea to order in advance.

•

Local bakeries will be cooking up mind-blowingly wondrous confections. Here again, ordering in advance is recommended.

•

Local independent markets are great sources for locally grown products and locally made jams, jellies, cheeses, and salsas. Supporting these good folks keeps your money flowing locally, even if you’re buying exotic imported items from them.

•

Local beverages, of course, are as available (and delicious) at this time of year as at any other. Your local wine merchant will have plenty of suggestions about which bottle pairs best with the food you plan to serve. Craft beer and hard cider are crowd pleasers.

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Love to cook, but find the idea of making a big feast a bit daunting? Why not have a pre-party party? Invite a like-minded (or at least cooperative!) handful of friends to come over the day before or morning-of and whip stuff up together or to show up a couple of hours early, like the grandmas and aunties of days of yore. (Grandpas and uncles very much included in the present-day pre-party, of course.)

•

A locavore potluck feast is another wonderful way to lighten the load. Share the Challenge and include a few sourcing suggestions on the invitation.

•

Hudson Valley caterers can provide you with a made-to-order spread with a focus on local goodness—and (of course) they’re our neighbors, too.

Check the websites of favorite local restaurants or ones that sound intriguing; many offer ca-

tering these days. Options vary: You can pick up the food yourself or have it delivered, served, and cleaned up; you can order from a full-service caterer or from someone who’ll just handle drinks and desserts; or you can use a caterer to focus on mouth-watering appetizers and entrée, and leave the trimmings to you.

•

Here too, especially for a larger party, advance planning is key—especially during peak holiday season. Ask about tasting sessions, the extent of services provided, and what tableware is included to avoid last-minute surprises. When do they need a firm headcount? How early will they arrive? In catering, as in most everything in life, clear communication equals satisfaction.

•

Local crafters, florists, and holiday bazaars offer a wealth of decor ideas and supplies.

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MEET THE OWNERS

A Family Legacy

b i s t ro t o g o ,

k i n g s to n

by anne pyburn craig

Richard Erickson’s food fascination began at his Iowa grandmother’s farmhouse table, feasting on freshplucked roast chicken and freshpicked sweet corn. In college, he learned that he who fixes a good meal for friends usually avoids dish duty. After college, he knocked around Europe, the Near and Middle East, and Asia for six years, doing odd jobs, always noticing the way good food melted language barriers and differences.

Returning to the US, he landed in New Mexico and helped hippies make sprouts, then mastered French-style scrambled eggs under the eye of a chef who tossed his efforts unceremoniously into the trash for two solid weeks. Arriving in New York in 1978, he was waiting tables in the theatre district when he met a young illustrator named Mary Anne.

Mary Anne had grown up in Seattle and the Midwest, hearing tales of her late grandmother Lovey’s epic meals. Lovey regularly gathered

visitvortex.com

The story of Blue Mountain Bistro to Go begins with grandmothers.

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Top-notch takeout was an underserved niche they felt they could fill, and in 2007, the couple reopened as Bistro To Go on Route 28, serving their trademark “Feel Good Food” to locals and visitors of all descriptions.

not just her seven kids but anyone nearby and hungry around the Depression-era family table.

Mary Anne’s mother, the oldest of the seven, was a consummate hostess who thrived on a house full of company.

Mary Anne graduated Art Center College of Design in LA, then headed to New York; she and Richard married a year after they met, and she built a career as a graphic designer and painter while he found his path from random restaurant roustabout to top-flight chef, eventually teaching at the French Culinary Academy.

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Knowing that the produce he loved at the Union Square Greenmarket had been grown in the Hudson Valley got Richard thinking. Naturally, the couple caught the upstate exploration bug, finding themselves a fixer-upper barn just outside Woodstock in 1985 and going full-time by 1990. Their first restaurant, the Blue Mountain Bistro, opened at the Woodstock Golf Club in 1993.

Richard’s cooking and Mary Anne’s hospitality and design sense proved the ingredients of a smash hit, and in 1996 they bought a building on the corner

of Route 212 and Glasco Turnpike, where the restaurant remained until 2005.

Top-notch takeout was an underserved niche they felt they could fill, and in 2007, the couple reopened as Bistro to Go on Route 28, serving their trademark “Feel Good Food” to locals and visitors of all descriptions.

“We serve busy working professionals, Hudson Valley residents, discerning New York City second-homeowners, and visitors on Route 28, people

of all races and economic status,” says Mary Anne.

“We stay closely connected to our community and give back through on-going donations to local food banks, soup kitchens, and fundraisers.”

Their loyal customer base has followed their moves with gusto. “We were known for consistently excellent food and friendly service in our restaurant,” says Mary Anne. “This was all we needed to know to start another business offering delicious food and friendly service.”

That’s exactly what Blue Mountain Bistro to Go provides: fresh, seasonal, and healthy takeout and catering at a decent price. “This is not your typical catering, this is delicious fresh flavorful food!!” raves Amanda in a Google review. “We were so afraid that reheating everything would dry it out, but all could not have been more juicy and perfect (even the steak!). Everyone raved about everything! The green beans and mushrooms were so good I ate them for breakfast the next day. No joke.”

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“We stay closely connected to our community and give back through ongoing donations to local food banks, soup kitchens, and fundraisers.”

- Mary Anne Erickson, co-owner, Bistro to Go

“We love helping make people’s lives easier and seeing the smiles of appreciation on their faces when they enjoy our food,” says Mary Anne. “In the catering we do, helping create magical celebrations for some of life’s most memorable events is really wonderful.”

The everyday lunch menu offers sandwiches, wraps, and paninis made with house-roasted turkey and beef and served with hand-crafted condiments along with salads; then there are daily specials like salmon Dijonnaise, Bistro Steak, and Moroccan chicken salad, and the Plats Du Jour— dinner specials that change each day. There’s also a custom bakery

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for all sorts of sweets, with lots of gluten-free yet flavorful options.

On the website you’ll find a long list of local farmers and purveyors, trusted teammates, but the transparency doesn’t stop there; you can grab a copy of the Feel Good Food Cookbook and have access to 163 recipes that the couple hopes will inspire you to “head straight to a farm stand, invite friends over, and start cooking.”

Food this good simply doesn’t come from unhappy hands, and the Ericksons strive to make sure the atmosphere in the back of the house is savory as well. “We treat each other with respect and kindness and encourage our

staff to work together as a team and stress kindness and joy,” says Mary Anne. “We create that joy by sharing our knowledge and passion, and modeling a willingness to face challenges with a positive attitude.”

That team spirit came through during the pandemic’s challenges. “Our team was absolutely stellar,” says Mary Anne. “Everyone was very conscientious about cleaning and masking, and excited to get vaccinated once we could. It was a very scary time, and we all pulled together to adapt and keep things running.

We did slightly alter our hours of operation to function with fewer employees, as a number of peo-

ple decided they didn’t want to continue working.”

Innovations like curbside pickup and delivery turned out to make lots of sense; the pandemic’s only casualty was indoor dining.

“We had a small cafe and closed it when the shutdown happened, and haven’t reopened it as we currently allow only six people in our store at one time. We do have picnic tables outside.”

You can eat your takeout there, while admiring Mary Anne’s retro neon sign, or take a splendid meal on your hike or back to home base after a busy day. And while the flavors melt in your mouth, send a fond thought of thanks to farms—and to grandmothers.

b l u e m o u n ta i n b i s t ro - to - g o

948 NY-28, Kingston, NY 12401 845-340-9800 bluemountainbistro.com

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YOU’RE GOING TO NEED WATER. Let Binnewater Ice Co. provide all of your ice and water needs.

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Tips for Staying

h a p p y & h e a lt h y by anne pyburn craig

Happiness and health are interwoven like a fine tapestry. In the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on both—even folks who’ve not gotten ill themselves have felt isolated, been restricted from favorite activities, and dealt with the stress of worrying about friends and family. As we discover the many ways in which mind and body interact, one truth becomes ever more obvious: “mens sana in corpore sano.” That catchy old Latin saying—about a healthy mind in a healthy body—is a central truth of human existence, and it works both ways. The microbiome is a communicative (collective) beastie; things happen in your “gut brain” that impact your mood and cognition, and the reverse is equally true: Your state of mind is key to a healthy digestive and immune system.

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HEALTH Winter is prime time for soups and stews bubbling with slowly tenderizing root veggies and savory herbs.

You can use a slow cooker, or simmer on the stove for a bit more direct control. Then there’s baking. All

right, it became a pandemic punchline of sorts, but there’s nothing like the smell of fresh bread or cookies wafting from the kitchen to lift your spirits and set your microbiome humming with happy anticipation.

plant something

Yes, even now. Windowsill or countertop container gardening can produce herbs, veggies, and microgreens, while adding life and a lovely shade of green to your surroundings. How about a mush-

room kit, air-purifying houseplants, or an improvised interior green wall? Grow lights may be called for, but it’s hard to have too much light around you this time of year— you’ll get downright fond of them.

visitvortex.com

cook something

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learn something

write

s i n g a n d da n c e

Winter is prime study time. Delve into a favorite period of history. Pick up another language or a musical instrument. Choose any subject in the whole wide wonderful world that you’d like to know more about and seek out an online course; there are lots of free ones out there, and local community colleges often have inexpensive courses in all sorts of things. Master a new computer skill set to kick your resume up a notch.

Start a journal. Write a letter to someone who’s hurt you and burn it in the sink. Write a letter to a younger or older friend or family member you haven’t seen in a while (this one actually should be mailed) telling them what’s new with you. Sending and getting actual handwritten missives is so retro it’s new again.

Try your hand at haiku or free verse.

Whether you prefer to put some vinyl reverently on the turntable or pair your phone with a wireless speaker, turn up your favorites and belt ‘em out—nobody’s listening. Get that area rug out of the way and bop your best moves all over the living room—nobody’s watching. Besides being a superb joy generator, a few good jams a week make for excellent exercise if you work it. Your lungs, muscles, and mind will all be grateful.

make something

Or many somethings. Experts at Harvard have determined that creative activity can have positive effects on depression, anxiety, and physical illness such as cancer; even if you’re not battling these, working with your hands to create something is a satisfying mind/body booster that can stave off illness. If you can manage it, it’s great to work with others around—there’s a reason sewing circles and bees were so popular in Great-Grandma’s day.

Check out the offerings of Circle Creative Collective and the Woodstock School of Art for support, inspiration, and instruction. YouTube also offers free tutorials on more activities than you’ll be able to complete in a lifetime.

g at h e r

The best mood and body combo of all is each other’s company and conversation.

Just about every suggestion here can also form the basis of a group activity for two or more. In person is best, of course—make sure everybody’s on the same page and/or can accommodate one another’s preferred level of safety precautions, and consider issues of ventilation and sanitation. Even getting together virtually is, as we have all discovered, much better than not getting together at all. Once you’ve got that part

figured out, bring on the revelry. Come together and make things, study, sing, dance, eat. Pick a novel or poetry book together for reading and discussion or have a movie marathon. Whatever you do, don’t isolate any more than you prefer. We all need one another; there are plenty of folks out there who’d be happy to see you. Be the one to reach out and start some good trouble.

You’ll likely make somebody’s day—and there’s really nothing better for the mind, body, and spirit than that.

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e x e rc i s e

Physical fitness and getting fresh air are essential to maintaining health because our highly sensitive immune systems are made more resilient through regular exercise, which boosts your mood as well. Whether 96

it is a daily walk, a weekend on the slopes, or an ice-skating outing with loved ones, a daily dose of exercise is absolutely essential in promoting wellness during the winter and throughout the year.

replenish

Mental clarity is another important component to warding off illness, both physical and emotional. Put aside time to be by yourself, where you can clear your head and find some peace. Bundle up and sit out-

side by a warm fire, listening to the stillness of the snow-covered trees, or go for a serene walk in the woods with a thermos of hot tea. Take up meditation or yoga, and find the form that feels just right for you.

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• 90+ Loose Leaf Teas • Handcrafted Ginger Elixirs with Free Tastings

• 100+ Chocolates from Around the World • Unique Gift Ideas And Baskets

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MEET THE OWNERS

Healthy Ways to ‘Schein’

immuneschein’s ginger elixirs p h o to s b y r a c h e l c o l l e t

visitvortex.com

by anne pyburn craig

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Lemon, ginger, and honey: The very

If you just love yummy stuff, you don’t want to miss a stop at ImmuneSchein Tea Haus.

words are soothing, and those who understand some core principles of healthcare can back up that instinctive reaction with solid facts. All three ingredients are well known for boosting immunity, reducing inflammation, and a host of related benefits. If it sounds like something the village healer would

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recommend, that’s because it’s exactly that: three whole-food ingredients that combine in a way that will, as ImmuneSchein co-founder Corinna Geib says, “make your taste buds dance.”

the wonders you’ll discover among

Even if you just love yummy stuff, you don’t want to miss a stop at Immune Schein Tea Haus. The classic lemon-ginger-honey triad is just one of

ic, elderberry, lavender, lime mint,

an encyclopedic variety of elixirs, fine teas, chocolates, and much more. The high-quality, small-batch, handcrafted ginger blasts are available in turmerrosemary ginger, black currant, and many more; vegan formulas are also available.

The high-quality, small-batch, handcrafted ginger blasts are available in turmeric, elderberry, lavender, lime mint, rosemary ginger, black currant, and many more; vegan formulas are also available.

ImmuneSchein’s flavors will even enhance your adult beverage game. “What a great find! I use these elixirs with my home cocktails and daily smoothies,” says a reviewer on Google. “It surely makes these drinks tastier and flavorful.”

Growing up in Germany, Corinna absorbed more than she realized from her grandfather. “He was always brewing up some magic potion on his wood stove, feeding the birds, caring for his hundreds of cacti, or cooking one of his homemade meals, using spices and herbs that were rather exotic.

As a kid I was not in awe—it was just what he did.

But he planted seeds deep in my awareness. I love making and creating things, being in the garden, enjoying nature, and indulging my curiosity about different cultures and ingredients.”

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“Anyone that had the slightest cough around me, I would give this tincture to them. Since then, lemon, ginger, and honey have always been part of my life and for everyone around me as well, whether they liked it or not!”

- ImmuneSchein founder Corinna Geib

At 18, Corinna read a recipe book entitled “Healthy and Fit with Ginger,” and decided to try making one of the book’s simple tinctures.

“Anyone that had the slightest cough around me, I would give this tincture to them. Since then, lemon, ginger, and honey have always been part of my life and for everyone around me as well, whether they liked it or not!”

Her career path led her into the medical field, where she honed her gifts for research and marketing. On her first trip to the US, she met Jason, a charmer who’d grown 104

up in Oklahoma, and her threemonth work trip became a yearlong adventure after which she and Jason relocated to Germany.

In 2009, the couple pared their belongings down to two suitcases apiece and headed for the US, exploring in a used car, looking for a place that felt like home.

Work brought them to Asheville, North Carolina, where Corinna took an herbal remedy workshop that covered extraction methods, reawakening her love of tinkering with tinctures and simple, healthy ingredients.

“We don’t hesitate to curate our store with a large variety of goods from all over the world.”

“As usual, I shared the products with friends and colleagues, and Jason was immediately excited after seeing the response,” Corinna remembers.

“He was adamant that I should quit my job—we’re talking about a good position in international sales—and just start my own company.”

After finding themselves at home in the Hudson Valley, the couple decided to give that idea a shot and realized Corinna had found her bliss. “In the beginning, my goal was to have fun creating and sharing these elixirs, selling them at local markets, and bringing in enough money to cover my costs and a little profit as my income,” she says.

It turned out that ginger, honey, and lemon are a combination most every culture agrees on. “It triggers so many memories in many people of mom or grandma making something similar,” says Corinna.

“When it comes to different cultures, there is a con105

You can shop ImmuneSchein online, and ImmuneSchein’s product line is now in about 100 stores around the US, but in the Tea Haus you’ll find more than 1,000 different products: artisanal foods, local items, soaps, candles, teaware, and more, curated from around the corner and around the world.

nection in each one’s history, and it is fun to hear the joy in people’s responses when they sample the elixir for the first time.”

In most cases, that first taste is the reawakening of a beautiful relationship. And Corinna and her team have stayed true to the simple, natural principles Corinna absorbed in the Black Forest while expanding the selection at ImmuneSchein Tea Haus. “We don’t hesitate to curate our store with a large variety of goods from all over the world,” says Corinna.

“We offer over 95 different choc106

olates from 14 different countries, nearly 50 different fish conserves.

Expect the unexpected!”

Also expect a warm welcome and a wealth of gentle mind expansion. “The time that we spend with each customer, engaging, enjoying, and helping them organically creates a great, stressfree experience, making them leave happy and with a natural desire to want to return. We believe that this, combined with our unique selection and consistency of high-quality products, makes customers eager to return.”

Of course, everything is still 100% real food.

“Our goals have adjusted a bit over the years of growth,” says Corinna, “but we still have fun making and sharing the elixir, and our most important goal is to always stay true to ourselves and our values. We’ll never compromise quality or integrity.”

You can shop ImmuneSchein online, and ImmuneSchein’s product line is now in about 100 stores around the US, but in the Tea Haus you’ll find more than 1,000 different products: artisanal foods, local items, soaps, candles, teaware, and more, curated from around the corner and around the world. So do stop by for an in-person tasting and a cuppa. You’ll find yourself in a pretty, light-filled space, and leave equipped with new resources for your personal wellness— the kind of stop that can warm up the chilliest winter afternoon.

i m m u n e s c h e i n t e a h au s

1776 NY-212, Saugerties 845-684-5136 immune-schein.com

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A local destination in New Paltz for Handcrafts, Jewelry, and Clothing for over 40 years.

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gifts • jewelry • fashion accessories • clothing • swell stuff 845-338-8100 • www.boptotottom.com 334 Wall Street • Uptown Kingston at the corner of Wall & North Front Streets

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Fresh & Local

h o l i day g i f t c h a l l e n g e by anne pyburn craig

The Hudson Valley’s a cornucopia of wonders when you’re looking for special ways to please the ones you love. Bespoke chocolates. Funky vintage clothes. Sumptuous finery. Heirloom artwork and furnishings.

Whatever your loved ones love, we promise you they’ll love what

partakers, and merchants alike.

People who do business locally are quite literally helping save the world and keep it vibrant, and we are forever grateful for every bit of that. Browse through our pages and you’ll see some of the mouthwatering possibilities.

Go out and meet the folks if you

you can find for them around here. And the reason it’s so good here is you. All of you, makers,

can, order from them online if you can’t, and aspire to make this an all-Hudson Valley holiday.

P.S. We’ll help! Tag #visitvortex on Instagram with an image of shopping at one of the listed businesses that support us to be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift certificate to a local retailer.

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SHOP LOCALLY

clothing and footwear

Bop to Tottom Catskill Outfitters Hamilton & Adams Handmade & More Himalayan Arts Kenco Maglyn’s Dream Moose Crossing The Nest Egg Pegasus Shoes Potter Brothers Rustic Mountain Salix Intimates Tender Land Home Tibet Tree of Life Tibetan Arts Top Shelf Too Uptown Attic

visitvortex.com

From silks and woolens to airy cottons and tough-as-steel workwear, the Hudson Valley’s makers and curators bring together inspirations, aspirations, and concepts from the whole wide world for your pleasure and comfort. Try:

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Hudson Valley Goldsmith

j e w e l ry

Whether you’re looking for classically classy or whimsically wild, whether you want to surprise a special soul with a custom creation, or you just have that one friend who’s a hoop earring fanatic, you’ll find what you need among our purveyors of the precious.

Facets of Earth Hudson Valley Goldsmith Hummingbird Jewelers Maglyn’s Dream Schneider’s Jewelers Top Shelf Too

b e au t y / w e l l n e s s

Nothing says “I love you. Love yourself too!” better than satiny, fragrant lotions and potions, a custom aromatherapy blend, or a day at the spa.

Birch Body Care Nourish Natural Soap Rising Lotus Wellness Rx Whole Sky Yoga Zephyr Float 112

Facets Of Earth Nourish Natural Soap

Hummingbird Jewelers

the gift of yum

A selection of delicious goodies from any of our myriad local markets is always a perfect present. If you’re unsure what to get, a gift certificate is always a perfect fit.

Adams Fairacre Farms Apple Bin Farm Market Bistro To Go Cheese Louise EJ Bonbons and Confections Hudson Valley Chocolates High Falls Food Co-op Hudson Valley Cheesecakes Kelder’s Farm Meredith’s Bread Mill & Main Monkey Joe Roasting Company Mother Earth’s Storehouse Olsen & Co Peter’s Market & Trading Post Seasoned Delicious Foods Saunderskill Farms Sunflower Market Tetta’s Market Wallkill View Farm 113

home goods and furnishings

Hand-carved woodworking, ceramic kitchenware as practical as it is inspiring, whisper-soft fabric art pieces for your wall or your bed…we do love our comfy-cozy in these parts, and you’ll find some to suit any style or budget.

Bare Furniture Herzogs Home Goods of Margaretville Moose Crossing The Culinary Warehouse Tender Land Home Victoria Gardens Williams Lumber & Home Centers

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h o m e i m p rov e m e n t

Give them a gift that keeps on giving every time they wake up in the morning or walk back in the door: a key tool, supply of materials, state-of-the-art appliance, or gift certificate that will help craft possible dreams.

Aqua Jet Pools Spa & Patio Furniture A&M Hardware Augustine Landscaping Cabinet Designers Different Strokes Painting Fireside Warmth Four Seasons/HV Sunrooms Herzogs Houst Hardware Ingrained Woodworking Rice Plumbing & Heating SAP Exteriors The Mad Hatter Chimney Sweep Williams Lumber & Home Centers 115

s tay s

Ah, the refreshment of new surroundings!

The fun thing here is, your giftee can be somewhere uniquely wonderful without having the hassle of long-distance travel. Pamper your loves with a Hudson Valley staycation.

1850 House Inn Best Western Plus Country Inn Boutique B&B Emerson Resort & Spa Hotel Dylan Hotel Woodstock Way The Inn at Kettleboro Jessie’s Harvest House Melour Resort Menla Mohonk Mountain House The Brigham Group The Graham & Co. 116

experience

Gift certificate for an exotic experience? Mohonk Preserve passes? Museum membership? Hang-gliding lessons? Theatre tickets? It’s all right here.

Local Spas Catskill Outfitters Catskill Recreation Center Historic Huguenot Street Mohonk Preserve Plattekill Mountain The Art Effect Your Car Driver

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wine and spirits

You know, we’ve always had some mighty fine wine. These days we’ve got an exquisite selection of craft brews and distilled spirits too, whether you’d like something locally made or some expert guidance in picking the perfect imported quaff. Joy to the world, y’all.

Bluebird Wine & Spirits Ester Wine & Spirits Gardiner Brewing Company Hudson Whiskey NY Miron Wine & Spirits Stone Ridge Orchard Stone Ridge Wine & Spirits Stoutridge Vineyard

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r e s tau r a n t s

A warm, nourishing meal is a wonderful balm on a cold winter’s evening. Stoke the fires with a gift certificate to any one (hey, why not two or more?) of these eateries.

A Slice of Italy

Monkey Joe Roasting Co.

Aba’s Falafel Alamo Cantina Arkville Bread & Breakfast Asia Restaurant Bacchus Restaurant Bistro To Go Brio’s Pizzeria Cafe Mio Diego’s Taqueria Gardiner Brewing Company Grainne Hickory BBQ & Smokehouse High Falls Cafe Hoffman House Hurricane Grill & Wings Jar’d Wine Bar Jessie’s Harvest House Josie’s Coffee Shoppe Main Course Mill & Main

Mother Earth’s Cafe Ole Savannah Southern Table Ollie’s Pizza Olsen & Company Oriole 9 The Parish Restaurant Peekamoose Restaurant RUNA Seasoned Delicious Foods Stone Ridge Orchard Farm Bar & Wood Fired PIzza Stone House Tavern Terrapin Restaurant Tetta’s Market & Pizzeria The 1850 House Inn & Tavern The Country Inn The Phoenician Steakhouse Tony’s Pizza Pit Woodnotes Grille Yum Yum Noodle Bar 119

s p e c i a lt y g i f t s

Got a real original on your gifting list—that person who can’t be typecast? You don’t quite know what to get them, but you’ll know it when you see it? Here are some places you’ll see it.

Barner Books Binnewater Spring Water Bop to Tottom CHBO Drums Dreaming Goddess Handmade & More Himalayan Arts Hops Petunia ImmuneSchein Tea Haus Kingston Consignments Maglyn’s Dream The Nest Egg Pink Water Gallery Ritualist Rustic Mountain Salix Intimates Stone Window Gallery Tibet Tree of Life Tibetan Arts Vincitore’s Piano Center Wellness Rx 120

RESTAURANT & KITCHEN SUPPLY

Shop Where T he Chefs Shop!

A MEMBER-OWNED COOPERATIVE THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Open Seven Days A Week • Organic and Locally Grown Produce • Delicious Prepared Foods • Supplements Bulk Foods Department • Vegan and Gluten-Free Options • Natural Personal Care Products

1398 NEW YORK 213, HIGH FALLS 845-687-7262 HIGHFALLSFOODCOOP.COM

HOME KITCHEN ESSENTIALS & GREAT GIFTS

Love Bake Give Cook Ea t Repeat Open To The Public Monday through Saturday 11am - 6pm 17 Grand Street, Kingston, New York 12401 845-339-2858 Cook@TheCulinaryWarehouseNY.com

66 NORTH FRONT STREET

(corner of crown) 845 - 481-5759

kingstonconsignments.com 121

Handmade & Natural • Bath & Body Products • Soap Making Classes • Events

263 Main Street Beacon • nourishnaturalsoap.com @nourishnaturalsoapco

part witch shop, part plant shop, all magic.

19 N. Front Street, New Paltz ritualistshop.com / 845-545-6960 @ritualist_shop

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Voted Best Jewelry Store Year After Year • Fine custom jewelry • • Expert repairs done on premises • 71 A Main Street, New Paltz • 845-255-5872 2nd Location Opening This Holiday Season • 226 Main St. Beacon HudsonValleyGoldsmith.com 123

STONE RIDGE INSURANCE AGENCY serving all of your insurance needs

• Auto Insurance • Homeowners Insurance • Business Insurance & More

3669 MAIN ST. STONE RIDGE 845-687-2828 STONERIDGEINSURANCE.NET 124

Ski All Day...Play At Night!

• A few short blocks from the Historic Stockade and trendy Uptown Kingston • Heated, saltwater indoor pool and recreation center • Complimentary Wi-Fi and hot American breakfast • State-of-the-art fitness center • First Capitol Bistro & Bar, serving dinner and room service NYS Thruway Exit 19 – direct easy access to all Catskill Ski areas via Route 28 or I-87 in less than an hour Visit bwpkingston.com for special Winter ‘Ski & Stay’ packages!

Kingston Hotel & The Venue Uptown 503 Washington Avenue, Kingston 845-338-0400 1 (800) 780-7234 bwpkingston.com

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Get Your Fun and Funky Fix at

the nest egg, by anne pyburn craig

Over the past decade, Phoenicia has gracefully accepted national kudos as one of the coolest little towns anywhere and kept right on truckin’, welcoming newcomers and

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phoenicia

p h o to s b y r a c h e l c o l l e t

visitors while remaining its funky, soulful self. To understand, you really should go explore the place; its location makes it the ideal appetizer or dessert for a Catskills hike.

Robin’s dad first opened his business on Phoenicia’s main drag as a grocery store, Kirk’s Marketplace, in 1968. In 1974, the store moved across the street to its current location; since then, it has evolved into its current form as a source of gifts, goodies, and treats along with Phoenicia-branded souvenirs.

MEET THE OWNER

But here’s a peek behind the curtain: Much of Phoenicia’s legendary cool is thanks to people like Robin Kirk, the proprietor behind The Nest Egg.

You’ll still find some food: luscious NY-made goodies like maple syrup and candy from Russell Farms and flavored peanut butters from Peanut Principle. Center stage in the edible department belongs to fudge—more than two dozen varieties handmade by Robin herself at The Nest Egg’s sister store, the Phoenicia Ice Cream Station. (We told you this was a cool town.)

visitvortex.com

The Nest Egg has evolved into its current form as a source of gifts, goodies, and treats along with Phoenicia-branded souvenirs.

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“We try to carry a little bit of everything, so we have something for everyone. And the feel is of an old country store, but I love being able to try new things without having to clear it with anyone.”

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Fudge at The Nest Egg comes in

“We try to carry a little bit of

classic flavors and seasonal forms (Pumpkin Pie Walnut for autumn, snowman-topped cups for winter, heart-shaped for Valentine’s Day), and if you buy a pound, you get a half-pound for free. Many consider it worth a trip to The Nest Egg just for the fudge.

everything, so we have something for everyone,” says Robin.

“And the feel is of an old country store, but I love being able to try new things without having to clear it with anyone.”

But there’s so much more to be found that will make your Catskills experience delicious.

Camping gear, personal care items, Minnetonka moccasins, socks for all seasons, trail guides, and maps. Books, toys, and

Her choices are crowd pleasers.

Reviewers on Yelp rave about the experience of discovering the place on a trip and feeling welcomed like insiders. “Ask for Robin, she’s the owner and most likely working or stocking some of the coolest and absolutely perfect gifts or takeaways for

games. Fragrant candles and oils.

Catskills-themed clothes and souvenirs of all sorts.

your trip up here,” writes Kristopher from Red Bank, New Jersey.

“Yeah, they have it. This is one of

Center stage in the edible department belongs to fudge— more than two dozen varieties handmade by Robin herself at the Nest Egg’s sister store, the Phoenicia Ice Cream Station.

(We told you this was a cool town.)

the most comprehensive ‘country stores’ I have ever seen,” writes Noah from New York, N.Y. The affection’s mutual. “I love talking with customers and hearing their different stories of what brings them to the area,” says Robin. “We get a mix of visitors and locals; staying community-minded is the key.”

Robin largely credits her dad with helping her grow into the role she now holds. But like a lot of Catskills-raised kids, she did journey forth from the hills for a time. “I studied hotel and restaurant management at Johnson &

Wales University, and a lot of it translates—things like customer service and cost control,” she says. “And a lot’s still trial and error, listening to customers and meeting their needs.”

During COVID, The Nest Egg pivoted to keep meeting those needs. “We were closed for inside sales for 11 weeks. Once we were able to, we did curbside service—my husband made a Dutch door for the front door, so we could open half of it to pass merchandise out and accept payment,” Robin says. “When masks became mandatory, we posted on Facebook that we had ban129

danas and they were gone in about an hour. We were lucky—our staff was and is very conscientious about everyone’s safety.”

If in-person shopping is something you still can’t do, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy The Nest Egg. “If customers still aren’t comfortable coming in during regular hours, we’ll set up a private time for them to shop,” says Robin. “It doesn’t happen too frequently anymore, but it was popular right after we reopened in June of 2020.”

It’s that level of consideration and service that customers offer a solid five stars when they’re talking about one of the coolest stores in this Coolest Town. So take Kristopher’s advice and come introduce yourself to Robin. You know you want to try that fudge.

the nest egg

84 Main Street, Phoenicia 845-688-5851 nesteggshop.com

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We are located in the heart of The Catskill Mountains. We carry Minnetonka Moccasins, chimes, puzzles, local books & maps, gemstones, homemade fudge, jewelry, candy, t-shirts, games, crafts and so much more. We are packed to the rafters with fun, practical, and hard-to-find merchandise. Come visit us for a unique shopping experience.

nesteggshop.com 131

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new construction | additions | remodeling custom architectural woodworking We’re committed to creating the spaces our clients envision through thoughtful planning and fine craftsmanship.

quality without question

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Fireside Warmth Inc. A full service hearth shop.

OFFERING THE HIGHEST QUALITY: WOOD, GAS, COAL & PELLET STOVES INSERTS AND FIREPLACES INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

At home with a Jøtul connoisseur

Visit our complete showroom with display models as well as accessories for all your hearth needs.

Our expert staff, unmatched selection and reasonable prices have helped Fireside Warmth Inc. earn our reputation for convenience, quality and value.

845-331-5656 901 State Route 28, Kingston, NY www.firesidewarmthonline.com

COUNTRY LIVING AT ITS FINEST Jøtul F 3 is the ultimate classic wood stove. Small enough for any home, but still powerful enough to heat most houses. Visit our shop to see the whole Jøtul range of beautiful stoves and fireplaces.

See www.jotul.com for more information.

Dealer Logo

America’s Oldest Family Owned Yamaha Piano Dealer Celebrating 75 years of service to the Hudson Valley music community

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OPEN Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-1pm Appointments Recommended

WHERE WILL HOME TAKE YOU?

WOODSTOCK 845.679.0006

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KINGSTON 845.340.1920

NEW PALTZ 845.255.9400

STONE RIDGE 845.687.0232

GARDINER 845.399.5768

748 Main Street, Poughkeepsie • 845-452-4990 • vincitorepiano.com

HOME

Give Your Home a Hug

w ay s t o c o z y u p y o u r n e s t by anne pyburn craig

double win—not only have you got a cozier nest, but you’ve whiled away some winter hours! You can’t go wrong there. Here are a few ideas for wintertime projects that combine this double bonus and add more benefits besides. Gray day? No plans?

We’ve got you covered, never fear.

visitvortex.com

There’s no better feeling on a chilly winter day than coming home to a cozy nest. And with the cold winds making the outdoors a little less enticing (at least as a place to sit still!), this is also the perfect time to create, or increase, that coziness factor. Whiling away the hours with indoor projects is a

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d e c lu t t e r

You know that drawer? Yeah, that one. You may sigh every time you open it; you may have to shuffle the contents around to squeeze it shut again.

That drawer is just exhausting.

So pull it right on out, put it on the floor or table, set a trash bag beside you, and get on it. The fun part is, as you dig in you’ll probably find stuff you’d forgotten you owned, some of it even useful—alongside miscellany that can either be dispensed with entirely or re-homed in the proper department.

The same principle can be applied to closets and kitchen cupboards, only here you may want to make a donation pile. You never use that old skillet now that you’ve upgraded? Someone might love to have it. The same goes for clothing that the kids have outgrown and things you’ll never wear again.

Bonus: You’re helping others while lightening your own load.

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lighten up

These short and often cloudy days can get on one’s nerves; the human mind and body are healthier when there’s enough light in our lives. So take a good look at how you’re lighting up your life.

The past few years have seen an explosion of energy-smart LED options ranging from pretty colors and special effects to full-spectrum “daylight” options. Maybe you’ll just swap out a few bulbs, maybe you could use an artfully placed table or floor lamp.

And don’t forget actual daylight. Do you love your window treatments, or are they getting a bit faded?

Swapping out or even just washing dingy ones can change the look of your entire room. Consider thermal sheers that save energy while letting the light in, or sumptuous velvet-look drapes that can be flung wide or snugged tight as the occasion requires.

Bonus: You’re taking super care of your mood and vision, whilst improving your views of the winterwonderland, postcard-pretty outdoor scenes outside.

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v e n t i l at e

With the house closed up more of the time, even the best-kept home can get a little stale in winter. And as we’ve all heard over the past couple of years, adequate ventilation is key to good health.

Consider an air purifier; a little research should tell you whether you’d be best off with a HEPA filtered, charcoal filtered, ionizing or electrostatic model.

Think about fragrance. Potpourri, incense, scented candles, and essential oils can all add an enticing whiff to your nice clean air without the chemicals found in major commercial brands, and your neighborhood healing or witchery shop should be able to advise you on which scents will offer the most benefit.

Bonus: Deep, mindful breathing becomes far more pleasurable, so you’re more likely to actually do it.

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bed down

Cast a critical eye on your sleeping arrangements.

Are your pillows all beat up and lumpy? Is your blanket too heavy or too light, making it hard to get comfy? Are your sheets looking tired, or would a satiny or flannel texture make your skin happier?

Make your bed an oasis of comfort.

Experts say to restrict your bedroom activities to sleeping and snuggling, but some of us say reading in bed is one of life’s great joys. If you’re among some of us, make sure you’ve got the proper light to read by—one you can reach and turn off without having to get out from under the covers!—and a pillow arrangement that will let you read at a comfortable angle.

Bonus: A great night’s sleep is yet another key to optimal physical and mental wellness.

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plots and plans

Once spring starts, you’ll find that gardening and remodeling both swing into full-tilt boogie rapidly.

This is the time to plan out your garden and order the seeds you want to avoid the springtime rush.

If you’ve got a home improvement project in mind, winter’s a great time to get the preliminaries in place. Mull over design ideas. Reserve yourself a contractor. Pre-order materials that you know you’ll use. Once the weather breaks, wait times for everything from workers to lumber, flooring, and carpet may grow faster than early daffodils.

Bonus: You’ll probably get better deals on everything you need during winter than you will once demand ramps up in springtime.

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Art Courses for Ages 5 –19

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MVM Brochure Mech 12.16.07

MVM Brochure Mech 12.16.07

12/17/07

12/17/07

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© Mulography / Levon Helm Studios

Creativity is alive and well in the Hudson Valley’s home for arts, music and culture. Walk in the footsteps of Bob Dylan and The Band at Woodstock, catch electrifying live music at any of our venues, hike the trails of the Byrdcliffe Art Colony, and explore quirky shops and cafes on Tinker Street in the heart of Woodstock. With the majestic Catskill Mountains as your backdrop, get inspired by the place where counterculture is the culture.

&

SEEK FOR YOURSELF FEEL THE VIBES ulstercountyalive.com