Skip to content

Page Header

Pet Vacation Homes

Pet Vacation Homes published on

4553877539_08f9c0c9b9.jpg

Pet Vacation Homes contacted me to advertise at a good time…just when I was thinking about my own summer weekends. Now that I’m a city dweller again, I’ll be desperate to get away in 3, 2, 1…..

It’s not the easiest thing in the world for us to find a hotel or vacation rental that will allow our kids, 2 large, loud pit mixes. It’s a bit of a chore. So websites such as these are a godsend.

1267630040propertyimage-w.gif

Confession: I’ve never been to Cape Cod. I can deal with this beach cottage though.

1262295876propertyimage-w.gif

Never been to Acadia National Park in Maine either, but this house looks cute.

Now, I sooo want to go away!

Thinking of Living in Beacon?

Thinking of Living in Beacon? published on 4 Comments on Thinking of Living in Beacon?

3570592333_df065f999e.jpg

It’s been a long time since I wrote one of these location posts, simply because I ran out of places to review. My original Beacon post was in 2007, so it’s time to update since I’m working on a web page for my house.

Obvious disclosure here: I have to remain positive about Beacon since I want to sell my house! But I’ll be truthful. I promise.

In fact, let’s start with the negatives. Why are we leaving after six years? I’m not sure this has anything to do with Beacon itself as much as the fact that we’re just crotchety old city folk and small town living really isn’t for us. Most people we’ve met in Beacon love it there! They are really happy, whereas we never felt 100% at home.

The following factors could be positives depending on what you want out of life, but we just found it depressing. It’s too quiet. You can walk down Main Street and not run into another person for a couple of blocks. On the other hand, you can encounter the same 5 people wherever you go. See what I mean? If it’s a quiet lifestyle you want, then Beacon is your place!

Wanna hear crickets and see stars at night? Go for it! I need the horns, sirens and rumbling subway to sleep at night.

Obviously, there are people and places I’ll miss. My dinner preparation has always consisted of going through menus and making a phone call. No such beast in Beacon. Ok, maybe 1 or 2 restaurants deliver. Beacon Natural has been my own personal chef. The deli counter has a great variety of daily specials made from local, organic produce. The chef is a Millenium alumni and the food is not that pricey. The menu is emailed to me daily and I even get a phone call if they think they’ll run out of my favorite dishes. Owner Kitty has been my health consultant for years since I’m scared of doctors and her husband LT has even helped us work on our house.

I’ll also miss the local wine shop, Artisan Wine. Ok, so food and drink mean more to me than anything else. Is there a problem with that? Tim and Mae are city transplants who moved upstate to open said shop. It’s really laid back and lacks the snobbery of some of the city places. There are tastings every Friday and Saturday for bottles less than $15.

Beacon is an awesome location for people who are attracted to the great outdoors. It’s right on The Hudson. There are riverside trails and kayak and sailing docks. Even a river pool. The town is also home to some fabulous mountains. Being sandwiched between the mountain and the river…can’t find a flaw with that! Mountain Tops offers some great hiking and kayaking trips.

And now I’m bored of writing. It’s time for some lists!

PROS

1. The River. The Mountain. See above.

2. Small town living.  Again, not for some people (like me). But most people find this charming and quaint. Yes, the town is charming and quaint. As charming and quaint as any small town can get. Plus, it’s got the hipness factor going for it.

3. Beacon is still moving forward. In the past 6 months, since we’ve made the decision to leave, a few new interesting places have popped up on Main Street. There’s a raw cafe and The School of Jellyfish, which…well, I really don’t know what it is, but they have good hot chocolate and vegan food.

4. Metro North. Makes Beacon commutable and leave-able when you need to get away.

5. DIA. Without DIA, none of you would know where Beacon is. Admit it. That’s all I get. Me: “I live in Beacon.” Everyone else: “Oh, I know where that is! I’ve been to DIA.”

6. The Art Scene. If you’re into “the scene”, it’s a pretty cool place to get your name out there and hang with like-minded artists.

7. Good for farmy, foodie types. There are plenty of farm shares and farmer’s markets around for those who like to cook. Although Beacon is known as a haven for artists, the nutritionists and greenie people are abundant.

CONS

1. Restaurants. As in, lack of. As in, the few that there are ain’t much to write home about.

2. Main Street shop owners are screwy! I wish they would take their businesses seriously and open up decent hours, 7 days per week. The hardware store closes at 3pm on Saturday and isn’t open on Sunday. Paint store: closed on Sunday. Hello, Home Depot and big box stores! Thankfully, they are less than 10 minutes away.

3. Sidewalks. It’s the weirdest thing. On some side streets, the sidewalk just ends. It reminds me that people don’t walk much here. Forget bike lanes.

4. Art scene. Ok, did you get from my “pros” that I’m not exactly thrilled with the art scene? As much as I love the artists that the galleries show, they need to mix it up a bit. Seeing the work of the same 5 artists at every show is a bit like masturbation.

5. Mellow energy. Again, many might see this as a positive. Do your yoga, have a stress free day. These days for me, I only feel alive when I’m arguing with cabbies.

LINKS

City of Beacon website

Wanna know what the citizens think?

Rent or own in Beacon? Use this Beacon realtor!

Hallway, Bedroom, Guest Room, Bathroom

Hallway, Bedroom, Guest Room, Bathroom published on 3 Comments on Hallway, Bedroom, Guest Room, Bathroom

4554507140_65693b9dee.jpg

Got to add a few more rooms to the “finished” list over the weekend. We still have plenty of work to do, but as far as we’re concerned, the house will be ready to go on the market by next weekend! Hopefully, we’ll have something that resembles a kitchen by then.

4554507950_6e3da588b9.jpg

4554506534_007269e2f3.jpg

4554520616_9eccc6d703.jpg

Stay Awake Till Brooklyn

Stay Awake Till Brooklyn published on

Today is the day my pets officially become Brooklynites again. Five cats are returning to their home boro. One cat is from upstate. The dogs hail from The Bronx and Queens. And I’m going to be home sooner than I had thought!Our tenant whose apartment we’re taking over has just informed us that he’ll be gone by May 1st! That means we won’t have to squeeze into our tiny garden apartment for a couple of months. It also means we gotta HURRY!

The rest of this week, we’ll be in Bed Stuy getting ready to move in. Pets today. Cable guy and new pet sitter on Friday. Eh, dentist on Thursday.

May not be blogging unless I get to an internet cafe. Sooo, see ya when I see ya!

New Contractor Bid Site Outta Bed Stuy

New Contractor Bid Site Outta Bed Stuy published on 4 Comments on New Contractor Bid Site Outta Bed Stuy

sweet10.jpg

Swee10 is a new “online marketplace where homeowners design, share and post their home remodeling projects and contractors bid on them.”

Much like this blogger, the founder, Jean was inspired after the renovation of her Bed Stuy home. And much like this blogger, she is still not finished with said home.

Swee10 has got it going on though! The company has a team of architects and designers (including Jean) overseeing the now-in-beta website.

Members can browse projects and post their own and receive bids from interested contractors. There is a section to view bids and best of all…complaints! Keeps these guys honest, know what I mean?

Anyway, check it out. Even if you don’t have a project going on, worth the visit to check out that adorable logo!

They Said It Couldn’t Be Done

They Said It Couldn’t Be Done published on 4 Comments on They Said It Couldn’t Be Done

4532799227_315cf36238.jpg

Four months ago we embarked on a major renovation to get our Beacon house on the market by Spring. April 30th is the target date. We went over room by room, taking up some floors and taking down some walls. Nobody thought we would be ready in time, including (especially) the broker.

“That’s a tall order!” “April?! Good luck!” “That’s impossible.”

Ha! They don’t know who they’re dealing with. We are rocking this house and kicking it’s gorgeous ass into shape! So much so, that we have to get out of here quick because it’s so museum-like that’s it’s no longer habitable by slobs like us.

4533422560_02c4cbd250.jpg

Behold the three downstairs rooms that are totally finished. Yeah, I know you’ve seen them, but I changed stuff around and took new pictures. All but one of the upstairs rooms will be finished today. It’s just a matter of me cleaning them up enough to take pictures.

4532802419_ef1a3c96e7.jpg

Yes, we moved the dining area to the room just off the kitchen. Makes more sense than the way we had it.

Go ahead, tell us how great we are. Pat us on the back.

Oh, and PS: Dimas the contractor? Ever since he and his assistant John read my blog post about how slow as shit he is….they picked up the pace!!

The Porch is Coming Along!

The Porch is Coming Along! published on 3 Comments on The Porch is Coming Along!

2233370312_1a3987080b.jpg

We’re seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with this porch rebuild. Look!

Above is the porch prior to demo. We were going to put balusters instead of shingles, but we’re sticking with the original design.

3438174105_47de4211dc.jpg

It was taken down to the foundation. We had plywood flooring for 2 years.

4518688483_e32ff2dc46.jpg

Look! Rotted columns repaired! It was being held up by 2×6’s for the longest time.

4519318596_ba2f442c2e.jpg

Look! Interior framing done and columns back up!

4518683799_dc44baf61d.jpg

Look! Gorgeous floor and wainscoting!

Recycling Posts: Funky Finds

Recycling Posts: Funky Finds published on

 amber-onyx-2.jpg

Now that we’re getting down to the wire on the renovation, I’ve been too tired, busy and stressed to blog effectively. I may have to throw in some cheater posts (like this one). Reclaimed Post, if you will.

Not Your Average Stencils.

Coolest Furniture Ever.

Barbi’s Dream House.

Upcycled Furniture.

Lighting Countertops.

Leaving the City. Got What it Takes?

Leaving the City. Got What it Takes? published on 8 Comments on Leaving the City. Got What it Takes?

2007_03_crowded.jpg

Our moving sale was great! Thanks to everyone who showed up and helped us rid ourselves of worldly possessions. Most of the folks I conversed with were curious as to where we were moving. About 90% were surprised when I told them we’re heading back to Brooklyn. I was informed that we’re heading in the opposite direction of everyone else.

It seems there’s a mass migration to the Hudson Valley again and Beacon is hot at the moment. Good for us, since we want to sell our house. I say, bring it on!

We chose to move back to Brooklyn after six years away for many reasons. The main one is that Hubby has been working in Greenpoint for the past year + and stays in Brooklyn most nights while I live upstate. Just doesn’t make sense.

But just in case you’re thinking of leaving the city for greener pastures, I’ve compiled a list of questions to ask yourself before making the big move. These factors bothered me, but everyone is different.

1. Food delivery! My husband jokes “What does my wife make for dinner? A phone call.” I don’t cook, I don’t cook, I don’t cook. My mother isn’t much of a cook. I come from a “Let’s order in” family. I think there’s ONE place in Beacon that delivers.

2.  Restaurants. Again with the food. I’m a Jew. We like to eat. The restaurants around here are meh. IMO, there are finer dining establishments further north in weekender territory, but they are too far from Beacon.

3. Sidewalks and bike lanes. Ok, so maybe it’s not such a big deal, but some streets lack sidewalks. I’m sorry, I don’t like walking in the road or on someone’s grass. Although I don’t cycle, there are no bike lanes. Not really a reason not to move up here, but it just bothers me.

4. Everyone all up in your business. Small town life. How quaint. You see the same people. Everyone knows one another. For me, it was charming for 5 minutes. There’s something to be said about anonymous city life and that is “I miss it”.

5. Shop hours. Oh, this is a killer coming from “The City That Never Sleeps”. The Main Street store owners seem to come to work whenever they feel like it. I gave up on many of the mom and pop shops because they were never open when I needed something. Special thanks to Beacon Natural and Artisan Wine who open 7 days per week, normal hours.

6. Strip malls. It’s an inevitable part of suburban life. Face it. If the Main Street shops ain’t helping ya, that’s what’s left. Which brings me to….

7. It’s a car culture. OMG, I used to make fun of people who drive a few blocks. Now I’m one of them! Something you would never do in the city because of traffic and parking. Something I do here because the Main Street shops are so unreliable that I may end up driving to the strip mall.

All of the above being said, there are many pluses to living in the Hudson Valley. How about clean air and fabulous mountain views? Being near the Hudson so you can kayak or sail (We said we would, but hardly ever got around to it). No crowds. Better quality of life. Larger living space and back yard.

It’s really about everyone’s own choice. I grew up with the rat race. As much as I wanted a quieter lifestyle, I feel like a fish out of water here. Do I regret leaving the city? No, it was a lovely vacation. But now it’s time to go home.

Purge.

Purge. published on

tagcrop.jpg

Hey, didjya hear we’re having a moving sale this Saturday? Ok, so here’s the latest:

Address: North Avenue in Beacon. This is Rt. 9-D South. Busy road. No street parking. You’ll have to park around the corner on a side street and walk (heaven forbid!) back to the house. It’s within walking distance to Metro North and we will consider delivering large (ticket) items to the 4 boros. Sorry, Staten Island doesn’t count. Hopefully we’ll remember to put signs up, but you’ll see the house by the 2×6’s holding it up. Big peeling gray Victorian, stone wall, turret. That’s us. The one in the logo.

Time: April 10. 10am-5pm. If you’re gonna try to be cheeky and come early, we will put you to work. Stuff needs to be hauled and priced. We’re soooo not prepared for the sale. Go on, make my day. Come early. Oh, it’s rain or shine. We’ll set up in the house if weather is nasty.

RSVP: There’s a Facebook page that looks pathetic because nobody is actually RSVPing. I feel kind of sad and lame.

What we have:

Small tschotskes are mainly around $3 to $5 apiece. I’ll have some stuff on hand that I sell for more money at markets, but that will be discounted. Like you can have a $15 piece for $10.

Furniture: This is the sale where we get rid of crap. The second sale will be once the house is in contract and we really need to move. That will be the better stuff. The good news is the crap is priced to sell! These are items I picked up and wanted to restore, but never got around to it. Chairs for $10 to $15. Dressers $50. Bed frames starting at $30.

Old hand tools

Complete Darkroom and some other photo stuff

Books

Clothes I’ll never fit into again but I hang onto

Bits and pieces for the crafty upcycler

Architectural salvage including a slate mantel, newel post, sink vanities, 50’s wood kitchen cabinets, antique cast iron wood burning stove, doors, molding, concrete sinks and tiles, antique double cast iron sink

Just…tons more. Tons. Hope to see you Saturday!

4487016421_1844da53bd.jpg

Antique Potty with porcelain knob and wheels. Come on, who doesn’t need one of these? Huh, huh? Yours for $40.

4487665472_edf06ef136.jpg

3 lovely Get Real Surfaces concrete sinks @ $ 65 apiece. Don’t need a sink? They make nice bird baths!

4499937970_ae3367ae2a.jpg

Completely scratched, but totally sturdy Pier 1 picnic table and benches. We paid $850 just so our dogs could tear into it. Make an offer (that’s around $225).

2 Cool Hudson Valley Homes for Sale

2 Cool Hudson Valley Homes for Sale published on 1 Comment on 2 Cool Hudson Valley Homes for Sale

4495307596_49813348aa.jpg

I shot two impressive homes on Monday. What are the chances of that? A Spanish villa inspired (realtor says English) stone house in Beacon and a sweet Victorian in Poughkeepsie.

4495310472_77f3e9a8fe.jpg

4495315346_d7d847389e.jpg

4495314508_fb02ecb81a.jpg

The “Under the Beacon Sun” house needs some work, but it looks soooooo worth it! My jaw dropped when I walked in. But then I was like “No. More. Renovations!” It’s listed at $299k.

4495333950_7d422af910.jpg

The Poughkeepsie house is on a lovely block within walking distance to Main Street. The people living here have good taste, which doesn’t hurt. Don’t know the price yet, but last I heard, Poughkeepsie was less expensive than Beacon.

4494703393_e512df6e64.jpg

4494720017_502b6c9096.jpg

4495356576_fc151de690.jpg

Chair Portraits

Chair Portraits published on

4487017633_60def1cd43.jpg

Over the weekend I started pulling furniture out of my garage to get ready for the yard sale. I set up a little makeshift outdoor “studio” to shoot the merch.

It’s kind of cool how the chairs almost seem lifelike as they sit waiting for some tlc. All of them are old and raggedy and have seen better days. The chippy paint and cracks are like human wrinkles that tell the story of life’s experiences.

Yeah, I know it’s a load of crap. I’m just too tired to write anything else.

So….The Beacon 2 BK Moving Sale is this Saturday, April 10th. 10-5pm. Sure, come early, but that means we’re putting you to work hauling things. Don’t think you’re gonna come early to shop, bee-atches!

Address: 1189 North Avenue. That’s Rt. 9-D, south side. Park around the corner as there is no street parking and this is a driveway sale. The house is walking distance from Metro North and we may just be open to delivery.

4487668432_56989470d9.jpg

4487017285_99509bec4e.jpg

4487669606_e25eddf896.jpg

4487670042_5ac96686d0.jpg

101 Unfinished Projects

101 Unfinished Projects published on

photo.jpg

We can’t finish a single project. Every room in our house is 90% done, but we get bored before finishing. Wanna see what I mean? Loads of before and during shots. No afters. 🙁

2186520836_15d4a2ddcd.jpg

Fugly made-in-China chandelier. Hubby wanted to throw it in the trash. I said…..

4490947436_89b0b549de.jpg

“Paint it pink!” Inspired by the Jonathan Adler. It’s still sitting there with the tape though.

4463598320_6275a359ee.jpg

Exterior needs a ton of work. We’re doing the best we can with money and time constraints. Instead of stripping it down to bare wood, we’re scraping and patching. And when I say “we” I mean the contractor in this case.

4463598620_c4433462f1.jpg

Now that the wood is protected, it’s time to get back to building the porch. Doug Fir tongue and groove is nearly finished. It should be in by the end of the day. FYI, that’s plywood in the photo, case you didn’t know.

4463596558_2bfa7de5f2.jpg

The wall in our driveway needs repointing. Grooves have been cleaned and it now awaits the cement. It’s in such bad condition that some stones came loose and fell on my husband. I LMAOROFL just as any good wife would do.

So, that’s where it’s at. Maybe I’ll get an after shot of something by the end of the week, but probably not. It’s mission: “Get rid of clutter” this week. Hence the tag sale.

Primary Sidebar