Cave Dwellin'

Speaking of quarries--check out the spooky man-made Widow Jane caves of Rosendale, NY. This historic river-bend town in the lower Hudson River Valley, in the center of iron-rich hills, is riddled with the ruins of old mines and foundries, and locks from The Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. Home to a spectacular foot-accessible 150-foot abandoned 19th-century iron railroad trestle, Rosendale is also the former home of famed Rosendale cement, "the cement that built America." The natural cement limestone, mined in great quantities from chambers like one pictured (accessed from Route 213), was famously used in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the NY State Thruway. For five-star dining, go to chef John Novi's gastronomic wonder at the 1797 Depuy Canal House, in nearby High Falls (think twice about the downstairs Chefs on Fire, though--the service can be absent-minded).

Magical Quarry

Shockingly poor bloggery, we must confess, but sometimes feeding them babes soaks up the time. Anyhow, managed to sneak in a quickie Catskills getaway this past weekend. Based at the Pine Hill Arms, a cozy historic inn in the tiny town of Pine Hill, NY, we ventured on the unique Magical Quarry hike at nearby Sugarloaf Mountain. We love hikes--we love big payoffs on hikes even more, and this is one of the best. To reach the trailhead, take County Road 16 off Route 23A in Tannersville, NY, then follow Elka Park Road as it turns to dirt and then park just beyond Roaring Kill bridge. Follow the trail and then go left at the first trail junction. A couple of moderately easy miles up delivers you to the spiritual collection of chairs, thrones, tables and structures built by persons unknown from the remnants of an old bluestone quarry. The views are outstanding, and for an afternoon, anybody can be can king, queen--or in this case, prince of the Catskills. For cooling off, Pine Hill Lake at the foot of Belleayre Mountain off Route 28 is just a leap away.

Strawberry Fields Forever!

After relaxing at the Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery from our last posting, take Little York Road north for a driving expedition full of surprises. Winding through the foothills of Mt. Eve and Mt. Adam, look for the scale model of a church marking a peaceful Lutheran graveyard, and just beyond on the left, a roadside cemetery with stones from the 1800s.

Turn left at Mt. Eve Road and prepare to be transported into a veritable Eden--is it California? Spain? Italy? Welcome to the agricultural paradise known as the Black Dirt Region. A far-reaching flat plain rolling up into gentle hills, this was a glacial lake from 12,000 years ago. Then the waters receded, leaving up to 12 feet of jet-black organic decay. Reclaimed by Irish, Polish, German and Italian immigrants, these "drowned lands" now support a major onion crop, along with carrots, lettuce, corn, and as we happily discovered, pick-your-own strawberries.

Weekend Winos

Our cups ranneth over this weekend as we followed Summer Saturday country roads to visit two of our favorite wineries on the Shawangunk Wine Trail. If you're geared for a "Sideways"-style wine experience, save the airfare and gas up for an easy drive an hour or so north of NYC to Applewood Orchards and Winery just outside of Warwick, NY (do not miss a tasting with the lovely Christine)
and the Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery just outside of Florida, NY (if it's not busy, Keith is good company). The cider and wine at Applewood win hands down, and the food at Warwick is excellent; both feature live music, and are perfect for lazy day-long escapes. Wine-adventurers will also appreciate the unbridled ambition on display at Demarest Hill Winery where no form of fermentation is off limits. Have a grape time!

How to "Ruin" a Good Day

The New York Tri-State area is a treasure trove of ruined castles, hotels, mansions and other structures, and we love hunting them down. Look for our favorites over the next few days, starting with the Overlook Mountain House just outside of Woodstock, NY.
(thanks, Rob Yasinac!).
This was once the king of mountaintop hotels in the Catskills, the highest in fact, at 2,920 feet. Nearby is the 60 foot Overlook Mountain Fire Tower , one of the last five surviving towers in the region and offering supreme panoramic views of the area. It's a real adventure on a windy day, and watch out for up to 6 foot timber rattlesnakes on the ground. Click here for directions to the Mountain House and the Fire Tower.

Plum Times with the Vanderbilts and Clintons

From our base at the historic Plumbush Inn in Cold Spring, NY--and with a well-deserved hand to the staff and kitchen at Cathryn's Tuscan Grill , also in Cold Spring, we took Routes 9D and 9 upriver to the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park. A short distance from FDR's home, this 54-room "cottage," completed in 1898, was one of 42 in the Vanderbilt family, used by Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt for spring and fall getaways (check out Louise's Marie Antoinette-inspired room). Louise, unable to unload the property in 1940, took FDR's advice and turned it over as a historic site. Well done Louise! To finish the weekend off, we chased winding country lanes to Clinton Vineyards in Clinton Corners, NY, member of the Dutchess (NY) County wine trail, favorite of Hillary Clinton and producer of fine Estate-bottled whites, dessert wines and champagnes since 1977.

Gilded Age Ghosts on the Hudson

OK, so we've missed blogging for a few days. No excuses, just rubbing shoulders with some Gilded Age ghosts up the Hudson River. First stop, the ruins of Bannerman Castle on Pollepel Island, centered in the Hudson between Storm King and Breakneck Mountains and the villages of Cold Spring and Beacon. Bannerman, born in Scotland, was a Brooklyn businessman who, needing storage for the arms and munitions he gathered from the Civil and Spanish-American Wars and elsewhere--and with no formal architectural training--built himself a nifty island arsenal in the late 1800s. Take a guided tour from Hudson River Adventures -- there's history lessons galore, and please support the Bannerman Castle Trust's ongoing mission to restore the arsenal and Bannerman's home on the island.