Hasbrouk House - Upstate New York

There are few things more wonderful than New York City's proximity to the charm and quiet-nature of the small towns along the Hudson River.  A short drive north of the city, Travis and I checked into the Hasbrouck House, nestled in the town of Stone Ridge, New York.  Upon arriving at the hotel, we knew it was going to be hard to leave.  We found ourselves sitting by the fire on a daily basis, sipping cocktails at the bar, and enjoying multiple meals from the hotel's restaurant, Butterfield.  In short, we were able to relax - something we rarely take the time to do in the city.  

The Cloisters

The Cloisters has been on my radar for a while now.  So with a few hours to kill yesterday, I made my way north of Manhattan, like past 190th Street north, to finally see the museum for myself.  The Cloisters is situated on a hill that overlooks the Hudson River.  It is made up of a combination of art and architecture from medieval Europe.  And it was such a pleasant surprise.  While the museum is dedicated to showing it's collection of architecture and art from cloisters around the world, I was especially taken by the greenery throughout.  All three of the gardens are inspired by poetry, garden documents, and other elements from medieval times and they compliment the space so well.  

Fall in Upstate New York

Upstate New York in the Fall is easily one of my favorite things.  I think that's largely associated with the fact that when I first moved to New York, I knew very little about life outside of Manhattan.  So driving through the mountains of New York and coming across views and hikes like these is always such a pleasant surprise. 

THRILLS: Hike Kaaterskill Falls

Weekend Getaway: The Hamptons

Those weathered gray shaker shingle houses, the fresh seafood, and miles of shell covered beaches will never cease to put a smile on my face.  Last month, friends and I packed up and headed out to Westhampton for a weekend of relaxation and celebration for the warmer days ahead.  We chose Westhampton in part because of it's proximity to the city and because of the description "has the largest pool from Southhampton to Westhampton."  True or not, it didn't matter.  We were happy as clams. 

Lincoln Center

When I lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Lincoln Center was something that I regularly walked through or visited.  But after moving 50 blocks south, I stopped going and wrote it off as simply being too far out of the way.  With an uptown meeting on my calendar this week, I used it as an excuse to pay this place a visit again and quickly remembered why I love it so much.  In my opinion, it possesses a serenity so unique to New York City.  Between the dancing fountain and illumination lawn, people watching from the Urban Grove, enjoying a slew of incredible performances, or simply going to dinner and a movie at the Film Society, Lincoln Center is something that I have promised myself to stop overlooking because of proximity.