My Road to Recovery description starts in Poughkeepise, NY, which is located is in the Hudson River Valley, New York  (1.5 hours outside of NYC). Now in mid-fall, the colors are popping with greens turning to vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds.   Not unlike the thousands of other tourists in the Hudson River Valley, I too left each day to walk amongst the colors and became a “leaf peeper” (nickname for those that come to view the fall foliage and photograph).

For those considering a trip to the Hudson River Valley, here are my two favorite routes in Poughkeepsie and its neighboring town, Hyde Park for leaf peeping.

Hudson Valley recommendation #1: Walkway Over the Hudson State Park

Officially opened on October 3, 2009, the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park provides pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bikers (and even Ms Traveling Pants) access to the Hudson River’s landscape (see picture from the East side overlooking the Hudson River and fall colors).

The walkway is built upon a railroad bridge that was erected in the late 19th century. Struck by a fire in 1974,  the bridge was abandoned and sat for decades as an oprhaned relic. Now reworked, the bridge stands 212 feet above the river’s surface and is 1.28 miles long, making it the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world.

On Columbus Day weekend, just one week after its grand opening, probably a thousand of locals, tourists, and I walked this bridge.  It was THE place to be with the gamant of visitors, including bikers, rollerbladers, dogs, owners, children, strollers, and more. Truly, the only way that I could describe the phenomenon was that people were coming out the of the woodwork to walk for the first time across the bridge and take in the colors. Despite all of the crowd’s energy and the beauty, I was pooped and made it to the river’s edge only.  So, I must return to walk the entire bridge when I am further along on my Road to Recovery.

Hudson Valley recommendation #2: Vanderbilt Mansion

The Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is located in Hyde Park. Established in 1940, the grounds have been set aside as an arboretum for public enjoyment.  The park offers tours of the mansion and 211 acres of land with stunning Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views (see Mansion to the left and view of the Hudson at start of post).

Having taken the tour earlier in 2009 (roughly $8), I learned that this mansion was only a summer cottage for the Vanderbilts.   From May to September, the Vanderbilts would host social gatherings of New York City’s elite at the cottage.  So in essence, the Vanderbilts started the tradition that continues even today of New York City’s elite escaping the City to spend their summers in the Hudson River Valley.

Over the last weeks, I came numerous times to walk and take in the beautiful views. From the park’s road, you can see the Hudson River (both to the North and South) and the Catskill Mountains (to the North and West).  Having enjoyed its balance of majestic views and peaceful environment,  I have no doubt why the Vanderbilts chose such a place to entertain. Who could not be in awe of the vast grounds,  rose gardens, Hudson River, Catskill Mountains, or the worldly masterpieces inside?

So I will leave you with my two picks and share with you that I have relocated my Road to Recovery to be closer to family in Massachusetts.  I will continue to feature fall colors (now n New England) as well as daily insights.

As always remember that, “Every occasion in life can be categorized as either a good time or a good story.”

Thank you for letting me share my good times and good stories with you.

Ms Traveling Pants

On my last visit to the Hudson River Valley, I thoroughly enjoyed hiking in the “Gunks.” As a reward for the hikes, I toured the Hudson River Wineries.  Organized in both Ulster and Dutchess counties, the two wine trails are easy to navigate even for those engrossed by the natural beauty of the mountains, apple orchards, and small farms.  Once you are on either trail, just follow the grape cluster signs on the side of the road.

My first stop was Clinton Vineyards (pictured above), where I did their simple tasting of 6 wines for $8. I started with a light Seyval Blanc, then onto Champagne and their heavier and sweeter wines.  Clinton Vineyards is probably most noteworthy for its Cassis, which is an elegant black currant dessert wine.  To be quite honest, I am not a fan of sweet wines.  Instead of imbibing the Cassis, I would recommend using it for drizzling over desserts such as a shortcake or ice cream.

From Clinton, I drove to Millbrook Vineyards and Winery.  Upon arriving, you drive up through the vineyard and arrive at a converted barn now wine cellar, tasting room, and winery.  Called, “the Hudson Valley’s flagship winery,” by the New York Times, Millbrook certainly was a professional operation and very enjoyable.  The tasting was led by one of Millbrook’s staff, mine happened to be completing her education at the Culinary Institute of America.  She instructed our intimate group of 5-6 others through a list of 6 wines for $7.50 (includes glass). We began with a Tocai, a very crisp, tropical fruit white wine with origins from Italy (Yummy).  Then we progressed to two chardonnays, which I did’t particularly care for as I am a member of the ABC club (Anything But Chardonnay). After the tasting, we were given a tour of the barrel room, bottling room, and the vineyard to view the plants and trellises (see below).

On day number two of my Hudson River Wine tasting, I headed to Ulster county very near the Mohonk and Minnewaska hiking areas. Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery, located in Gardiner, welcomes you with a winding road through the vineyard, which leads to the intimate tasting room. As there is only standing room at the bar, Whitecliff offers an outside deck to enjoy the panoramic view of the Shawangunks.  A regular tasting of 6 wines and a complimentary glass runs $7 a person.  I chose two whites, one of which is the most well known of Whitecliff called Amosting White.  Quite coincidentally, this wine is named after a waterfall in Minnewaska State Park, where I hiked earlier in the trip. In typical Ms Traveling Pants style, for the rest of the tasting I leaned towards the reds, very much enjoying the Sky Island Red, which was a blend of Cabs, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

So I raise my glass to the Hudson River Valley’s wineries.  A great way to “wine” a little and feel better (without the whining). Also, a special thank you to Level 9 Digital who assisted in creating and converting Ms Traveling Pants’ blog to its NEW LOOK! For more information about Level 9 Digital’s SEO services and web design, visit Level9Digital.

Keep you posted on my future Hudson River Valley adventures, trips to the Florida Keys, Las Vegas, and more.

On this Labor Day weekend, many are out adventuring for the last glimpse of summer.  My adventures and travel bug led me to the trails of the Shawangunks in New York.  Located in the Hudson River Valley about 1.5 hours from the City, I explored through two outstanding state parks,Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Mohonk Preserve.

At the height of its beauty, you can see from my included pictures that the Shawangunks have a lush landscape with deep greens contrasting with the exposed rock cliffs and ridges.  Both parks are a rock climber’s paradise, but they also offer carriage trails that can be walked or biked with varied difficulty levels.  I chose to “hoof” it on both of my hikes ranging from Castle Point in Minnewaska, which was around 7 miles (featured above), and the Undercliff/Overcliff Loop at Mohonk for 5 miles (featured below).

For an affordable option for a weekend of adventure, both around $8-10 for entrance to the park, the “Gunks” are worth it.  They offer a good workout as well as unforgettable scenic views.  Stay tuned on my future posts on Hudson Valley Wine tasting and other Ms Traveling Pants adventures to the Florida Keys and Las Vegas.

From thousands of miles above the earth aboard a plane in my typical aisle seat, I once again open my laptop to unravel the recent days of adventure and exploration. Although the Hudson Valley in New York is a place that is new to me, it will become a repeat place away from home for the next two years as my husband completes his education at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

I have just spent three and a half days primarily in Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park and Rhinebeck, all rather quaint Northeastern towns. Known as the New Yorkers’ getaway or the “New” Hamptons, the Hudson Valley has always been a place for the rich and famous. You can be witness to this while taking a drive along Route 9 with the FDR library and of course the Vanderbilt Mansion, which the Vanderbilts claimed to be just a cottage.

While visiting, I had the opportunity to be graced with great weather allowing for runs along the FDR bridge from Poughkeepsie to the West side of the river as well as spending an afternoon touring the Vanderbilt Mansion only to plan for my Monday morning jog through the same Vanderbilt gardens and along the Crum Elbow Creek.

With one of the most world-renowned culinary institutions as well as a local wineries, cheese makers, and organic farmers, the foodie scene is pumpin’. (See above picture at an organic farmers market in Rhinebeck) I had the opportunity to experience what I would consider the top three in the area: Gigi’s Trattoria, Twist, and Terrapin.

On Friday night, I enjoyed Twist. The restaurant is small nestled among other specialty stores in Hyde Park. The kitchen is open, which I always enjoy, but it is rather ballsy for any operation, as the staff and hygiene need to be spotless. The staff, primarily from the CIA, was definitely used to the spotlight. The food was great from perfectly steamed halibut to a spinach and yellow beet salad to filet mignon sliders. However, the icing on top of the cake was a great homemade banana ice cream with a slide of two slices of bacon hand-dipped in dark chocolate. One of my colleagues asked if I was pregnant after she heard that I had eaten it. However, it was a salty-n-sweet fantasy.

Terrapin is a converted church located in Rhinebeck with both a bistro/bar as well as formal dining. I had eaten at this establishment before, but I always return for two of my favorites. As I had spent a couple of years in Spain, I am a sucker for tapas. This place has everything from great sandwiches, full course meals, and then my favorite a tapa by piece menu (especially great if you are solo waiting for your of traveling buddies). I had the duck quesadilla with a sweet guacamole and two pieces of the mango and Brie crostinis. Delicious!

The last recommendation for a fun, taste bud wowing experience is Gigi’s Trattoria. It is an intimate restaurant with seating for around 75-80 and then a street side patio in the summer. Gigi’s menu is locally inspired Mediterranean cuisine. If you are looking for something light to snack upon, I would suggest the skizza, a thin flat bread pizza. The mama is with various meats, but the traditional margherita is my favorite with plenty of crushed red pepper. Also, for my love of tapas and another European tradition is the tabla (or literally tablet of food served on a wooden tray). I have had the vegetable platter with grilled zucchini, squash, eggplant, asparagus, cheese, nuts, and fig puree crostini. However, I have had my eye on the homemade pastas including the gnocchi.

As I will be visiting this area quite frequently, I hope to be able to find other places perhaps some off the beaten path or even venture into “The City” to experience some of the best in the world such as Le Bernardin or an encore at The Spotted Pig.

Bon Appetite!