Yes, without a sign or warning a very large tree limb tackled me and left me unconscious to be taken to the nearest trauma center (limb shown to the left).  Never in an accident previously and in basic good health, this took both myself and family for a very treacherous ride. The tree hit my head straight on and caused a skull fracture, internal bleeding, as well as a broken neck vertebra.  My husband was in the ER with me for the first day where they told him I was in very serious condition followed by four Cat Scans.

My poor husband had the duty of calling my parents one in Boston, one in Fort Lauderdale, and then various colleagues of mine also scattered throughout the continent.  All were in shock and many in route to the hospital. I don’t remember anything from exiting the house before the tree accident until the second or third day in the hospital where I was in an immobile neck brace with beeping monitors and nurses visiting numerous times per hour to check on my pain, vitals, and the like.

Not a good patient, I was itching to move and progress to the next stages.  Having never been in such a situation, everything was strange and rather limiting.  But, Thursday (5 days after being admitted) was the big day in which the neurosurgeon took me to operate on my vertebra and successfully fused the broken vertebra with metal .  Since that day, I have been in recovery.  The first day was without any movement, but it was a miracle that my first steps were just two days after surgery.

Although it will be a long road to getting Ms Injured Pants back to Ms Traveling Pants shape, I am so lucky to have survived such a freakish accident.  It really put my priorities and values into perspective.  I have always believed that you should learn each day and above all have FUN, but sometimes with the daily grind and pressures, those things loose out.  So, as I make my way to full recovery through walking everyday, sporting a neck brace looking like a NFL superstar, and progressing to more challenging foods, I want to make myself a promise to remember the quote that started this blog,

“Every occasion in life can be categorized as either a good time or a good story.”

The tree falling and tackling me into a multi-month recovery certainly was not a good time, but I believe it is a good story that will be the basis of many good times in the future. It will limit my travels over the next three months, but I am certain that my daily adventures and insights will be material enough to draw upon.

To my family, friends, co-workers, and followers, I appreciate all of your support, calls, jokes, videos, flowers, cookies, and more.  I cannot repay you in any other way than getting back to my happy, vivacious self that explores new places, foods, wines, and cultures with my friends, family, and unknown people that will soon become part of the gang.

Keep you posted on my walking adventures to recovery. And to all, be cautious of trees. If you own a property or rent a property, please take this month to take care of limbs, branches, and general health of your trees so that no one else falls prey to a tree tackling.

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.

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!