Category Archives: Hudson Valley

We’ve reached the off season!

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Happy Halloween!

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Halloween marks the beginning of our off season.  What does that mean for you?  Better availability, no 2 night minimum, and lower room rates.  If you’re looking for an inexpensive getaway, why not spend a weekend at the Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast and enjoy some of the great activities here in the Hudson Valley.

Meet some of the local farmers and artisans at the Amenia Farmers Market. It’s here every other Saturday and is a quick walk down the road, but with all the great food, produce, baked goods, and hand crafted gifts, you may want to bring the car.

Many of the historic sites decorate for the holiday and give tours in December.  Visit Dutchess Tourism for a complete list of these homes.  One of the mansions, Locust Grove, does a Twilight Holiday Tour by candlelight and ends with a 4-course dinner featuring recreated recipes from the home’s archives.  Just want the tour?  It’s every Saturday in December and the week after Christmas.  Want the dinner too?  It’s December 3 beginning at 5:30. (Locust Grove Calendar of Events)

Maybe you want to check out ‘A Dinner to Die For’ murder-mystery at Charlotte’s which is about 7 miles from us.  Reserve your table for November 12th at 6:30 to enjoy Murder Cafe’s production of this comedy which has received rave reviews.

Are you a food enthusiast?  Want to explore a new cuisine?  Or bake?  The Culinary Institue offers a variety of classes.  I attended the Chocolate and Confections class.  It was awesome and delicious! Here’s a list of their offerings, Day Classes.

This is just a small handful of the things here.  Be sure that whatever you do, you’ll be returning to Hilltop House for a relaxing evening with fresh baked cookies and rich, homemade hot chocolate.  Then, after a comfortable, cozy night’s sleep, be prepared to wake up to a delicious country breakfast that’s sure to please.

From the Farm to our Table

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Hilltop House Bed and Breakfast proudly supports our local farmers.  Some of the local sources for our country breakfasts include:

McEnroe Organic Farm just a few miles away in Millerton, NY, is where we get the coffee and sausage.  Among meats and fresh produce, you’ll also find local honey, fresh jams, pies and other baked goods, soup, and a deli.  Stop by for lunch and enjoy the view.  There’s room in our fridge for anything you pick up.  Did you know, Frommer’s named Millerton one of the coolest small towns in the USA?!

Harney & Sons, also located in Millerton, is where we get much of our tea.

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Adams Fairacre Farms is where we go to buy the freshest produce and the fresh cut flowers around the house.  I absolutely love shopping there.  Not only will you find specialty foods from different regions of the world and all kinds of cheeses (including an espresso crusted cheese that is to die for) but they also have a gourmet chocolate shop featuring chocolate from around the world as well as some local candy makers.  Does a diet need anything besides fruit and chocolate?  Not mine!

The eggs come from one of my neighbors a few houses down.  If you’ve never had farm fresh eggs, you’re missing out.  What a difference!

Ronnybrook Farm Dairy produces the milk and cream we use.  It comes in glass bottles!  They also make yogurt, ice cream, butter, and cheeses.

I love my town and my neighbors.  I’m thrilled to drive around and see cows in the pastures freely grazing where they belong.  I’m happy to support good farming practices.  I encourage you to visit these sites and learn about your food.  The food is pure and it doesn’t get any better.

Autumn is Here!

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It’s fall and gorgeous here in the Hudson Valley.  The leaves are turning but falling fast.  To celebrate the season, we’ve decorated the porch with mums, pumpkins, and gourds from Daisi Hill Farm just a few miles away in Millerton.

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Then we made a quick stop at BJs to stock up on Candy for Halloween.  I hope we have enough!

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Are you ready?  Can’t wait to see everyone’s costumes!

Sleepy Hollow

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The story says the man died many years ago during the American revolutionary war. His head was shot off. Every night he rises from his burial place, jumps on his horse and rides through the valley looking for his lost head.

by Washington Irving

 

Headless Horseman resized 600     The village had a small school. And one teacher, named Ichabod Crane. Ichabod Crane was a good name for him, because he looked like a tall bird, a crane. He was tall and thin like a crane. His shoulders were small, joined two long arms. His head was small, too, and flat on top. He had big ears, large glassy green eyes and a long nose.

Ichabod did not make much money as a teacher. And although he was tall and thin, he ate like a fat man.

Ichabod Crane

Ichabod [atop his horse about]  the hills that surround Tarry Town …  had never felt so lonely in his life … he came close to the tree where a man had been killed years ago by rebels.

He thought he saw something white move in the tree. But no, it was only the moonlight shining and moving on the tree … There, in the dark woods on the side of the river where the bushes grow low, stood an ugly thing. Big and black. It did not move, but seemed ready to jump like a giant monster.

His shaking voice broke the silent valley … ”Who are you?” The thing did not answer … Side by side they moved, slowly at first. And not a word was said.

Ichabod felt his heart sink. Up a hill they moved above the shadow of the trees. For a moment the moon shown down and to Ichabod’s horror he saw it was a horse. And it had a rider. But the rider’s head was not on his body. It was in front of the rider, resting on the horse.

Ichabod kicked and hit his old horse with all his power. Away they rushed through bushes and trees across the valley of Sleepy Hollow. Up ahead was the old church bridge where the headless horseman stops and returns to his burial place.

… The horse jumped on to the bridge and raced over it like the sound of thunder. Ichabod looked back to see if the headless man had stopped. He saw the man pick up his head and throw it with a powerful force. The head hit Ichabod in the face and knocked him off his horse to the dirt below.

They found Ichabod’s horse the next day peacefully eating grass. They could not find Ichabod.

They walked all across the valley. They saw the foot marks of Ichabod’s horse as it had raced through the valley. They even found Ichabod’s old hat in the dust near the bridge. But they did not find Ichabod. The only other thing they found was lying near Ichabod’s hat.

It was the broken pieces of a round orange pumpkin.

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The town people talked about Ichabod for many weeks. They remembered the frightening stories of the valley. And finally they came to believe that the headless horseman had carried Ichabod away.

 

Get ready for the Fall Foliage here in the Hudson Valley.

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Autumn in New York.  Foliage, farms, wineries, horseback riding, antiques, art and romance all in the Hudson Valley.

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Take a cooking class at the Culinary Institute of America.  Go horseback riding at the Western Riding Stables.  Fill up a basket of apples at a nearby farm. Bring a good book and just relax out on the veranda.

Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast is right off the Harlem Valley Rail Trail.  Mountain bikes are avaialbe at the inn, bike trails are just down the hill!

Here are a few events listed from Hudson Valley Magazine scheduled for Fall 2011 http://hvmag.com .

Sunday, September 11

Hudson Valley Food & Wine Festival 

Hundreds of wines from New York and around the world — as well as food samples from some of the Valley’s best restaurants — await festivalgoers during this weekend-long event at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds
(www.hudsonvalleywinefest.com)

Friday, September 16

Lend Me a Tenor 

When a famous tenor agrees to sing at a gala fund-raiser, then fails to show up, the show must go on. Dressed as the tenor, a disguised assistant fools everyone, including the tenor’s wife. Chaos and hilarity ensue at this musical in Rhinebeck (www.centerforperformingarts.org).

Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery
Noted marine biologist, illustrator, and onetime Kingston resident Anton Otto Fischer — who illustrated dozens of covers for the Saturday Evening Post — has his stunning seascapes on view
(www.fohk.org)

Sunday, September 18

Taste of New Paltz 
With tons of food from new and established local chefs and entertainment for adults and children, the 20th edition of this event should please the whole family
(www.newpaltzchamber.org)

Saturday, September 24

International Wine Showcase
Oenophiles and philanthropists alike enjoy wine tastings, live blues music, a silent auction, and a four-course dinner while supporting therapy programs for people with disabilities at this fund-raiser
(www.greystoneprograms.org)

Hudson Valley Garlic Festival 
A Valley favorite, this tribute to the pungent bulb attracts more than 40,000 people. The two-day festival features five stages of local entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, and thousands of garlic-infused dishes
(www.hudsonvalleygarlic.com)

Sunday, September 25

Woodstock Film Festival

Check out the work of local and international filmmakers during this celebration of independent cinema. Attend screenings of more than 100 films, concerts, workshops, panel discussions, and parties
(www.woodstockfilmfestival.com)

Friday, September 30

Jim Gaffigan
This actor/comedian brings his award-winning food-based comedy act — with jokes about common products like bacon and Hot Pockets — to the Bardavon
(www.bardavon.org)

The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams’s semiautobiographical drama deals with emotional hardship, the failure of family structures, and broken promises
(www.centerforperformingarts.org)

Saturday, October 1

Poughkeepsie Regatta
Relive the glory days of the Hudson as crews from five colleges (including Marist) reenact the 130-year-old Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta — previously held on the river for 40 consecutive years. The four-mile race ends at the Walkway Over the Hudson
(www.goredfoxes.com)

Kid’s Expo

This two-day event, taking place on the Walkway Over the Hudson and the Poughkeepsie Waterfront, provides hands-on fun and interactive educational activities for children and their families
(www.kids-expo.org)

Sunday, October 2

Thomas Cole Historic Site 

A self-taught artist, Robert S. Duncanson is the first landscape painter of African descent to gain international recognition. The first East Coast exhibit of his work takes place at the onetime home of Hudson River School artist Thomas Cole, who influenced Duncanson to become a landscape painter
(www.thomascole.org)

Saturday, October 8

Rhinebeck Antiques Fair 
Now in its 35th year, this indoor antiques show promises to offer “something for everyone’s pocketbook.” Dozens of vendors show off American and European furniture, artwork, porcelain, and accessories of all kinds
(www.rhinebeckantiquesfair.com)

Horseman’s Hollow
Ready to be scared out of your wits? With creatures lurking in the shadows and creepy special effects, you’ll need your bravest face when you check out this twist on a haunted house at Philipsburg Manor
(www.hudsonvalley.org)

Saturday, October 15

Hudson Valley Philharmonic
The Phil presents “Viva Vivaldi!” — a concert spotlighting compositions by the well-loved Italian composer, as well as by Mozart and Liszt — at the Bardavon
(www.bardavon.org)

Pumpkin Festival
Celebrate fall’s best-loved crop with pumpkin rolling, pumpkin painting, and a guess-the-weight-of-the-pumpkin contest at Orange County’s Hill-Hold Museum
(www.hillholdandbrickhouse.org)

Sunday, October 16

Westchester Fine Craft Show 
Formerly known as the Westchester Craft Show, this annual juried event showcases contemporary American designs from a carefully selected group of artists from throughout the country
(www.craftsamericashows.com/westchester)

Friday, October 21

The Gibson Brothers 
This bluegrass duo — whose CD Ring the Bell won two International Bluegrass Music Awards ­— returns to upstate New York to perform at the Emelin Theatre
(www.emelin.org)

Andrew Bird
This young musician sets himself apart with his intricately crafted pop songs about the laments of modern man. Catch him at the Tarrytown Music Hall
(www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Saturday, October 22

Christine Lavin 
This spontaneous songstress’s observations on everyday life, presented with empathy and humor, are sure to bring laughter to audiences at the Towne Crier Cafe
(www.townecrier.com)


Sunday, October 23

New Deal for Youth 
Mounted in conjunction with the Roosevelt Historic Site in Hyde Park, this exhibit of furniture, pewter, textiles, photographs, documents, and videos helps explain the development of Eleanor Roosevelt’s Val-Kill Industries, and the craft center she helped create in Woodstock
(www.woodstockschoolofart.org)

Friday, October 28

La Cage Aux Folles
What happens when the son of a gay couple brings his fiancée’s ultraconservative parents home to meet his family? The answer: mistaken identity, chaos, and lots of laughs all around at Proctors
(www.proctors.org)

Saturday, October 29

Audra McDonald 
This Tony and Grammy Award-winning chanteuse comes to Purchase to showcase her multifaceted talents as she sings songs from her new solo album
(www.artscenter.org)

Sunday, October 30

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze 
If one carved pumpkin isn’t enough for your Halloween celebration, how about more than 4,000 of them? This event at Van Cortlandt Manor has dinosaurs, ghosts, spider webs, fish, flowers, and more — all made from jack-o’-lanterns
(www.hudsonvalley.org)

Saturday, November 5

CCS Bard
Conceived as a complementary show to the Blinky Palermo exhibit (see Sept. 9 listing),  “If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home by Now” examines the “life” of an art object as influenced by the context in which it is viewed
(www.bard.edu/ccs)

Sunday, November 6

Chappaqua Antiques and Design Show 
More than 50 East Coast antiques dealers offer their treasures — while a certified antiques appraiser and two interior design consultants give advice about incorporating antiques into the home
(www.newcastlehistoricalsociety.org)

Friday, November 11

Woodstock Chamber Orchestra

The orchestra presents the second concert in its Music Director Search series at Olin Hall at Bard College with pieces by Mozart, Grieg, and others
(www.wco-online.com)

Saturday, November 12

Moscow Ballet
Pirouette into the holiday season with the “Great Russian Nutcracker” at the Palace Theatre. This holiday classic features 40 Russian dancers interpreting Tchaikovsky’s famous score in front of hand-painted sets with 3-D effects
(www.palacealbany.com)

Tom Rush
Credited by Rolling Stone with “ushering in the era of the singer/songwriter,” this American folk music sensation comes to the Emelin Theatre to play songs that have shaped the genre for more than 40 years
(www.emelin.org)

Sunday, November 13 

Bill Maher 

Nominated for 21 Emmys, this TV host is known for pushing the boundaries of political commentary. Catch his unflinchingly honest ­— but always humorous — take on politics and society at UPAC
(www.upac.org)

Saturday, November 19

Don McLean 

A former Hudson Valley Troubadour (and a member of the first crew of the Sloop Clearwater), McLean returns to his home turf to perform his signature song, “American Pie,” along with other classic hits from his 40-plus-year career
(www.tarrytownmusichall.org)


 

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Take a short train ride from Grand Central to Wine Country

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Plan your wine weekend early this fall, celebrate the bounty of the scenic Hudson Valley.

The Millbrook and Clinton Wineries are just down the road.  Spend the day shopping in nearby Millerton, home to internationally aclaimed Harney & Sons Fine Teas, great antique shops and excellent dinning.  Just across the street from the charming tea store is Gilmore Glassworks, exquisite fine art glass scultpure and original stemware.

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Every Saturday many nearby town host Farmer’s Markets, or if you like pick your own.  McEnroe Organic Farm provides first-hand know-how about organic farming and composting. Tour the expansive 700 acre working farm, then sample McEnroe’s gourmet delicacies at the full-service market!

You’ve got to enjoy our locally made artisanal cheeses from The Amazing Real Live Food Company (based in nearby Pine Plains - www.amazingreallive.com) from the Victualers at the McEnroe Market. The Chaseholm Farm Creamery is a small cheesemaking operation and the home of the Amazing Real Live Food Co. Chaseholm is a family run dairy farm that manages a 50-head milking herd of registered Holsteins. It is from the beautiful milk of these cows that produces probiotic cheeses and fine, artisanal cheeses (Fresh Herbed Farmer’s Cheese, Queso Blancos, Chaseholm Camembert, Moonlight Chaource, and Stella Vallis Tomme.

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The Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle will stay with you all day, transporting you to the various locations and bringing you back to the Wassaic Station for the return trip home.

Reservations for the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle are required in advance by calling 800-445-3131. Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance and confirmed before you purchase a train ticket. Shuttle seats are limited, so you must have a reservation.

Once you’ve made your reservation, purchase your rail and shuttle ticket any Metro-North station with a ticket office, at all full-service ticket machines (except Beacon Station). Tickets and shuttle reservations are non-refundable.

Some activities, such as wine tasting, require an additional fee. For more information about these itinerary stops and other agricultural and culinary destinations throughout Dutchess County, please visitwww.farmfresh.dutchesstourism.com.

Boot Camp | Culinary Institute of America

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Plan your culinary getaway here in the valley.

The Boot Camp experience is a fabulous way to get away from it all and do something you really love—cook! The Culinary Institute of America’s Culinary Boot Camp programs are cited as a “Top Ten Destinations” — Food Network Magazine‘s September 2010 issue.

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CIA Cooking Classes—A memerable experience
At Boot Camp you’ll learn to cook and bake like a professional with the guidance of our famed chef-instructors. You’ll prepare and enjoy fabulous dishes and, on some culinary Boot Camp vacations, dine in one or more of the CIA’s award-winning restaurants. And when you’re done, you may just surprise yourself with how much you’ve grown as a home chef.

Check out our video clips for virtual lessons from our chef-instructors:

• Cutting an Onion
• Preparing Beurre Blanc
• Roasting Chicken
• Braising Osso Buco

The Culinary is located in Hyde Park, NY on the east bank of the Hudson River.  The campus is easily reached by plane, train, or car.

Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499

1-800-888-7850

GPS Coordinates:

Decimal: 41.746, -73.933
GPS: N 41 44.759, W 73 55.976
Deg., Min., Sec.: N41 44 46, W73 55 59

Love is spending a summer day picking blueberries.

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Greig Farm is now open for Blueberries.

 

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Greig Farm, Red Hook NY
8 am to 7 pm, 7 days a week

The Greig Farm has been open to the public for pick your own fruits and vegetables for more than 60 years. We have always planted varieties that feature the best flavor. Nothing compares to the flavor in the field with the heat of the harvest sun on the fruit.

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Local, farm fresh, sustainable foods here in the Hudson Valley. 

 


Farm fresh, grilled corn on the cob. .

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Think local, fresh, sustainable!  Delicious.

Farm fresh, grilled corn on the cob. All proceeds benefit the Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market. Starts at 11am, All Day Sunday, July 31st.

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Music:

Connor Kennedy – ‘Y’all better watch out for Connor…He’s gonna be knocking around the block in a few years.’- Alexis P. Suter

 

 

 

Relax at Hilltop House Bed and Breakfast

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 The “home-away-from-home” atmosphere at Hilltop House Bed and Breakfast makes for a relaxing weekend escape. Nestled in the foothills of the Berkshires amidst beautiful horse farms, Hilltop House in Amenia is a peaceful and quiet hideaway where you can get in touch with nature’s beauty.

The inn was featured in the fall of 2010 in one of New York magazine’s Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan article on Poughkeepsie, http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/poughkeepsie/

Horse & Hunt Country

Amenia is located in the scenic Hudson Valley, rich in historic tradition as well. The inn is only a short distance from the Harlem Valley Rail Ride, which begins in Millerton. Millerton was named one of the Top Ten “coolest small towns” in America by Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine. The Rail Trail includes 15 miles of hiking and biking trails that weave through Dutchess and Columbia counties. Hilltop House has a variety of mountain bikes available for guests to take advantage of this biking trail or to bike around the town.

Hilltop House offers access to some of the Hudson Valley’s most amazing cultural attractions. Within a short distance are Clermont and Staatsburgh State Historic Sites, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home and Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Sites in Hyde Park, and Locust Grove Estate in Poughkeepsie. Art exhibits are featured at Dia: Beacon, and performing arts fill the stage at the Fisher Performing Arts Center at Bard College, designed by Frank Gehry, and the Center for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck. Tour and taste delicious wine at several area vineyards. Cascade Mountain Winery is on a scenic hilltop right in Amenia as well!

There are five guest rooms available at Hilltop House, each quaintly decorated with antique furniture and quilts, providing all the necessary comforts for a serene and charming getaway. The living room, complete with a fire place, is a great place to unwind and enjoy the gourmet cooking by the chef and innkeeper Sandra Johnson.

For more information on the inn and to make a reservation you can visit www.hilltophousebb.com, e-mail info@hilltophousebb.com, or call 917-586-4694.