Roadtripping: A Hudson Valley Overnight, Part 1

Autumn has a special charm and sadness about it.  I love the season while hating what it signifies, the end of green and the end of warmth. Despite the predictions that this fall would fall flat due to the drought that has taken most of New York and the New England states through the summer of 2016, we decided to head to the Hudson Valley for a quick overnight getaway

A Hudson Valley Farm-to-Table Experience!

A.D. had found Crew, a farm-to-table restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY and we made our way there for a 7:30 reservation.  The Hudson Valley and the Catskills have bloomed in the past decade through the locavore trend.  A trend that is near to my own heart and tastes.  My taste buds primed for flavor, and having reviewed the menu thoroughly, I ordered the Goat Cheese Wontons and the Steak Frites.  The Goat Cheese Wontons were a perfect combination of the sweetness of the wonton and the tang of the cheese and were nicely paired with an apricot and pepper dipping sauce.  They were divine.

The Steak Frites was a local cut with a balsamic reduction, a fresh salad with what were clearly heirloom tomatoes (the flavor was phenomenal) and lemon herbed fries on the side.  I savored every moment.  The only regret I have is that I didn’t save room for dessert.

Goin’ Retro @ The Palace Diner

The next morning we woke up early and went to The Palace Diner, a family owned retro style diner with all the glitz, chrome and neon of the 50’s and excellent food.  I couldn’t resist the daily special of Pumpkin Pancakes.  They were a delight and A.D. enjoyed a Parthenon omelette with imported feta, tomatoes, home fries and bacon mixed into three eggs.  I snagged a bite.  It was awesome!

Now, if you head to The Palace, you need to know one thing:  they make all of their dishes from scratch and that includes the cookies.  There is serious pride in this diner.  We left with a box of cookies at the behest of the owner, and after tasting the first one A.D. noted that when he is on his death-bed, a box of these cookies is his last request.  They are that good.  The cookies that are a golden color with different jellies are the most spectacular; a blend of a crisp outside, a gooey interior and an intense almond flavor combine to make them the standouts.

An Abandoned Surprise!

With our cookies in tow, we made our way toward our goal for the day, but were waylaid as we drove by the Bennett School for Girls, an abandoned and crumbling relic from the late 1800’s.  It was heavily fenced and clearly marked, so we parked by the road and A.D. fired up the drone for an amazing video.

I can’t wait to sketch some of the views from this find!  Be sure to take a minute and watch A.D.’s video, with a song by The Pretty Reckless, who served as the soundtrack for this trip.  In case you wondered.

 Oh, snap!  I talked way too much and had to split this in two!

Join me later this week for the conclusion of our 24 hour getaway!