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Weekender:Stone Ridge

Weekender:Stone Ridge published on 5 Comments on Weekender:Stone Ridge

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Stone Ridge is an Ulster County hamlet located less than 2 hours from NYC. It’s a place where stone houses line the main street and people say hello.

Pros

Easy access to Minnewaska State Park, Sullivan County and Kingston. Stone Ridge sits right on Route 209.

Climb The Gunks, Skydive the Ranch, pick your own apples or hike the rail trail nearby.

Amenities. Stone Ridge is home to an extraordinary supermarket(Emmanuel’s), specialty pet supplies, a well stocked wine shop, a local hardware store, a gym and a post office.

Restaurants. Although I prefer the High Falls “restaurant row”, you can grab a great meal in Stone Ridge too. Check out The French Corner. The French trained chef combines ingredients from his homeland with local Hudson Valley produce.

Enjoy your stay! Stay at the pricey-but-worth-every-penny Inn at Stone Ridge, an 18th century stone mansion or one of the more affordable historic B&B’s in the area.

Cons

NYC bus service only goes to nearby Rosendale or Kingston.

Although the town is walkable, it doesn’t feel very walker friendly. There are sidewalks in most, not all of town and Stone Ridge is very spread out. Some of the shopping is in a strip mall. A very nice strip mall, but a strip mall nonetheless.

The hamlet is more upscale than neighboring towns. Home prices reflect that.

Could use more restaurants! It’s only a few miles to other towns though.

Marbletown
Ulster Tourism

Weekender:Country Condos?

Weekender:Country Condos? published on

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2BR in Tivoli: $200k

I never understood why someone would want to live in the country and not have land around them. I’d pass homes close to the road, townhouses and condos and say “WTF”? Well, I’m much older and wiser now and I kind of get it.

Weekend homes are a hassle. The cleaning each time you come and go, the heat and water during the winter. Plowing snow. Garbage removal. Maintenance. It’s a part time job and you don’t really get to relax and enjoy the house if you’re just going for a weekend. At least that was our scenario.

So how about those country condos? Some of them offer amenities that would be too pricey for a single homeowner. Pools, tennis, lakes. No guilt that the home is sitting empty if you don’t use it too often. And let someone else worry about the maintenance!

Are condos the way to go or are the fees too high for a part time place? Plus it’s nowhere near as romantic as a cabin the in the woods.

The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

The Borscht Belt: Then & Now published on 9 Comments on The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

My family did the Catskills well into the 80’s. During the 70’s, they left me at a bungalow colony with my grandmother summer weekdays while all my Goyishe friends were at camp. We had family reunions at the big hotels until that whole generation moved down to Florida.The first year of my marriage (1988), the in-laws were invited to one of these reunions. They’re probably still haunted by the memory of it. Proper Dubliners integrating with a bunch of loud mouth New York Jews for the entire weekend. It wasn’t pretty. My immediate family alone is enough to scare anyone off, but the cousins make us look GOOD!

20 years later, we’re still married and you know what? At least my family realizes they’re nuts. I’d rather wear it on my sleeve than sweep it under a rug.

Anyway, The Borscht Belt….yeah, I’m getting to that! I was all set to do a post on the abandoned hotels, but now it looks as if some of them are reopening.Continue reading The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

Weekend Planning Resources

Weekend Planning Resources published on

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Yeah, I like to travel BIG just as much as anyone. But sometimes an overseas vacation is more stressful than it’s worth. That’s why I’m a huge fan of local travel. Just go. Get out of the city for a few days. No better way to relax. Instead of my usual “Weekender” post, I’ll let you do your own research. Here are some planning resources for ya….

GORP covers the great outdoors. The site lists activities on Long Island, in NJ and Upstate. For those of you who can’t get away, there are resources for biking, kayaking and horseback riding right in the city.

EscapeMaker isn’t greatly informative, but it does cover lots of ground. A nice place to start before narrowing down where it is you want to go.

I Love NY. Who doesn’t?

Discover Long Island here.

And New Jersey here.

Retreats for the highly stressed.

Or follow the culture.

Parent Zone has a nice guide for child friendly weekend trips.

And Blue Sky Dogs is a travel agent. For dogs.

Cyberrentals and VRBO are THE two vacation rental sites. Filter by price, kids, pets, area, etc.

Have fun!

Upstate Under $100k

Upstate Under $100k published on 2 Comments on Upstate Under $100k

Who says you can’t afford a second home? Or a first one outside of the city for that matter? Maybe it’s because I want to see you kids realize the dream of home ownership. Or maybe it’s because I want you to suffer old home renovations along with me. Either way, here are some examples of the American Dream for under $100k. Um, TLC needed.

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$64,900 in Newburgh

2 Family in need of total rehab. Although this is a shady block, it’s located right off of Broadway. If Newburgh ever does take off, this will be a nice location. There are better Newburgh options out there, but $64,900 for a house located within an hour’s drive of NYC? I couldn’t resist!

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$ 84,900 in Ellenville

3 BR single family with tenant. Crappy renovation. Within walking distance to town. Ellenville is a beautiful area, but the village has a ways to go.

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$ 85k in Poughkeepise

Now we’re getting somewhere! A home in need of some good lovin’. Looks like it hasn’t been updated in years. Yum, come to mama, baby. 2 Family with freeze damage due to burst pipes. This is in a decent part of town. Poughkeepsie is actually a commuter location as it’s on the Metro North line. It’s over 90 minutes from NYC though.

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$ 94,900 in Liberty

4BR, 2230 sq ft on 2.5 acres. Separate cottage on site. Needs work. This is a foreclosure and only cash offers will do. I haven’t been to Liberty in years, but I hear that Sullivan County is becoming quite popular with 2nd home buyers with little money.

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$105k in Coxsackie

Ok, so it’s $5000 over budget. But I had to include it because it’s really the best deal of them all. Coxsackie is a lovely weekend area and this home is located right near the Hudson River. It’s ready to move into and isn’t lacking in charm. At the end of the day, who really wants to work on a second home anyway? Other than fools like me and my husband.

Local Glass Tile

Local Glass Tile published on

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FYI: There’s a glass tile manufacturer right here in Beacon. The Architectural Glass tiles are constructed of new material but the company does their best to reduce waste during processing.

The 4″x4″ Lume Series is a machine made tile that comes in 20 vibrant colors. These 3/8″ thick tiles are comparable to today’s ceramic tiles except they are much more beautiful. And more expensive. If a whole wall is not an option, they would work nicely as accent pieces.

The Studio Series is hand made. Each 4″x4″ tile is 5/8 thick and comes in a variety of colors. There is a rope accent piece that is to die for. I’ve seen them in person. Trust me, the website doesn’t do them justice. Obviously pricier than the Lume Series.

Architectural Glass also offers custom tiles. These are the same folks behind some of the work at Hudson Beach Glass, one of the most inviting galleries on Main Street, Beacon.

2006 Interview

Is Muddy Cup The New Starbucks?

Is Muddy Cup The New Starbucks? published on 9 Comments on Is Muddy Cup The New Starbucks?

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A sure sign of a gentrified neighborhood is a Starbucks on the corner (every corner). But they are about to overthrown in New York State. You’ve heard it here first. Muddy Cup is breeding faster than Starbucks.

I see from the stats (Certainly not from comments. You’re a bunch of friggen mutes!) that most of our readers are in NYC. If you haven’t ventured north (or to Staten Island) you may never have heard of Muddy Cup.

The first Muddy Cup opened it’s doors in Staten Island in 2001. Partners Jim Svetz and Brian Woodward simply intended to open a neighborhood coffeehouse. Or so they say. They opened the second store in Hudson, NY. The first time I heard of them was when they popped up in Beacon, a couple of blocks from my house. Now, every time I visit an upstate town, there they are! There are 9 Muddy Cups in the towns of New Paltz, Kingston, Albany, Poughkeepsie, Catskill and Schenectady.

Unlike Starbucks, The Muddy Cup chooses areas that are merely on the verge of gentrification. As you can see from the list above, it’s mainly college or “artsy” towns.

The Beaconites I know aren’t crazy about the cafe. They say they don’t like the coffee or decor. Personally, I love the eclectic decor and I think the coffee is fine. Between you and I, I think it’s cool to badmouth Muddy Cup just as you wouldn’t want to admit that you go to Starbucks. Most of the customers at Muddy Cup, Beacon seem to be tourists.

Some of the Muddy Cup cafes are large enough to have live music and performances. Kudos to them for breathing some life into downtrodden parts of town. The Kingston branch is located on Broadway, in the seedy Midtown section.

I’ll take a small mom and pop business over a franchise any day of the week. But why should we start hating when a company becomes successful enough to expand? I’ll partake in the above mediocre coffee when there’s nothing better around, as I do with Starbucks. There’s no use in boycotting when they’ve already put the smaller coffee houses out of business. (That’s a joke. Or is it?)

Chronogram Article

What $300k Buys You In & Out of NYC

What $300k Buys You In & Out of NYC published on

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$289k: Upper West Side Studio

Let’s start with Manhattan. Broadway at 107th Street…awesome! Doesn’t give the square footage of this coop, but I’m assuming it’s the size of a closet. Not a walk in closet. But hey, if you just need a place to crash, this is it! I’m lovin’ this chick’s website. Adina! Is she a broker or a teen idol?

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$ 300k: Ft Hamilton: 920 Sq ft, 2 BR coop

Looks like a nice renovation. They fixed up, but left some retro details. Advice to agent: Remove the litter box from the photo before taking picture. Maintenance of $668 includes gas, heat, water and tax.

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$ 300k: Jersey City: 4 Family in need of TLC

The bad news is: This house hasn’t been touched for years. The good news is: This house hasn’t been touched for years. From the one interior shot it looks like there may be some detail left. Do I wear rose colored glasses or what?

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$299900: Mt Vernon 3 Family

I’m drooling over this one! 3 Family, 2600 sq ft home built in 1928. Needs total rehab. Fire damage. It looks so sad and forgotten, but I see the inner beauty. Come to mamma, I’ll save you!

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$297900: Beacon 2 Family

Hmm, not bad. Two 2 BR units with a little backyard. No interior shots. It’s on the “mountain side” of town as opposed to the “river side” which means nice views, pleasant area…..far walk to train.

Stan The Junk Man

Stan The Junk Man published on 1 Comment on Stan The Junk Man

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Zaborski Emporium in Kingston is the megastore of salvage. 25,000 square feet of old house parts. You could get lost in that place! No seriously, I get lost in there.

Although Stan has been in the salvage business since 1976, the building on Hoffman Street was completely empty when he purchased it 10 years ago. He managed to fill it up quite nicely in that time. He used to know every piece of inventory, but jokes that he can’t remember now because of his drinking. Yeah, you’d have to be friggen Rain Man to know every artifact in that place!

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Stan’s father, Stan, a Brooklyn native, owned a bakery until the early 60’s when supermarkets started to sell baked goods. His business began to suffer. To add insult to injury, the bakery was next door to an auction house. At the end of the day, Stan Sr. would be walking out with $48 compared to the auctioneer’s $15k.

The salvage business actually started with toys. Little Stanley Jr. (That’s present day Stan. Are you still with me?) would bring home toy trains and small objects that they would display for sale at the bakery. Eventually, the toys sold better than the pastries and so a new family business was born.

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These days Stan has to be more selective with what he takes in, because apparently, that 25,000 square feet of space is not enough. They get their pieces from other dealers, house clean-outs and people phoning in. Customers include renovators from NYC, CT and MA. They do a decent business with the movie industry. They will only sell outright, no prop rentals. Zaborski furnishings and fixtures have been featured in films such as “American Gangster”, “The Manchurian Candidate”, “Charlotte’s Web” and “Revolutionary Road”.

When I asked if he has seen more business since the whole green building movement took off, he informed me that building salvage was the original green. I agree.

Business had slowed down for Stan during the holiday season this year. But they’re having a good February even with the tanking economy and housing market.

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Zaborski Emporium is a family run business. If you’ve ever been, that’s wife Sandy sitting behind the desk in the warm office. And sons Steve and Devlin, who work there, will take over the business when Stan has had enough.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering….that’s brother Gary at the Stan’z on Ulster Avenue.

If you’re planning a visit, call first and dress warm!

Weekender: Saugerties, NY

Weekender: Saugerties, NY published on 1 Comment on Weekender: Saugerties, NY

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Used to be you went to Saugerties for the antiques. Now it looks like there’s much more happening in that little town east of Woodstock.

I visited Saugerties for the first time in a few years when I met up with Jean for lunch at Miss Lucy’s Kitchen. I had been boycotting Saugerties prior to that. Let’s just say: F*ed up stone countertop from Nelsen’s Supply, small claims court and small town justice. 5 years later, maybe I can even the score now that I have a blogging voice. Don’t use Nelsens! Ah, that feels good.

Anyway, Saugerties. The Hudson River village is just off the NYS Thruway about 2.5 hours north of NYC. I couldn’t find a bus service directly into town so I’m thinking you would have to make your way over from Kingston or Woodstock if you were using public transit.

Saugerties has a great choice of restaurants for both veg and non veg. New World Home Cooking, outside of town, is one of the better restaurants in the entire Hudson Valley. Eclectic fare, casual setting.

You can spend a full day, maybe two exploring the shops in town. The Saugerties Antiques Center is a multi dealer shop with decent prices.

It’s no secret that this area of the Catskills offers great hiking trails and kayaking. FYI, there’s white water in them Saugerties waters as well! And for more tame outdoor adventures, check out Seamon Park, Esopus Creek swimming, the local farmer’s market and pick your own.

While in Saugerties, DO NOT MISS Opus 40. Six acres of natural stone sculpture created by one man. The other major Saugerties landmark is the lighthouse which is also serves as a B&B. Give me one reason anyone would choose to stay somewhere other than the lighthouse? Ok, maybe if it was booked. Seriously, there are some lovely B&B’s in town, but….a lighthouse! Too cool to pass up!

Some of these things are seasonal and may be closed for the winter. In fact, I might give the weekender posts a break until Spring. Any objections? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Discover Saugerties
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Lighthouse Keeper’s Logbook

Victorian Mansion Now a B&B

Victorian Mansion Now a B&B published on 2 Comments on Victorian Mansion Now a B&B

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The first time we looked at our turreted Queen Anne Victorian in Beacon we asked “Where are they moving TO?”. I mean, this was our dream home. What could be better than this?

And then we saw it. The sellers moved to a mansion across the river in Newburgh. After visiting them we returned to our dream house, which seemed so….so….rinky dink.

When Karen and Jose first purchased the 1860 Andrew Jackson Downing home it was in bad disrepair. The previous owners had been drug addicts and trashed the place looking for hidden treasure in the walls. They had ripped out mantles, light fixtures and other detail to sell. There was water damage from a leaky roof which had been ignored for years. You get the picture.

The home is still a work in progress, but Karen’s goal is to get it going as a B&B. She started taking in guests and is now working on finishing the “Pickerel Rush” website, which has been under construction along with the house. I was asked to go over and photograph the home for the site last week.

This is a big house for just two people (and 4 dogs and tenants and B&B guests). Karen and Jose both drive gas guzzlers. I don’t even think they recycle. But here’s what makes this a green renovation even if it was not their intention: They are in the salvage business. People PAY THEM to haul materials away, which they use in the restoration of Pickerel Rush.

I’ll be focusing on some of the details Karen has restored in the upcoming weeks.

But for now: Enjoy the house porn.

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Liquidation Sale + Flooring = A Productive Weekend

Liquidation Sale + Flooring = A Productive Weekend published on 6 Comments on Liquidation Sale + Flooring = A Productive Weekend

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This weekend I did some antiquing in Saugerties while the hubby worked on the Bed Stuy place. I hit The Treasure Shop’s retirement sale that was listed in the Friday Sales post. With 7 weeks to go, Tom’s prices weren’t rock bottom just yet, but there were some bargains to be had.

I met Jean aka I Love Upstate for lunch before our big shopfest. She was telling me how her mother is living in her house and redecorates with Walmart crap and how her fiance is one of those people who always lands on his feet (I HATE those people!). I read Jean’s blog regularly and she seems like a bit of a shopaholic, but I got to see it first hand. She purchased a framed horse ribbon display and some grain bags. What are you gonna do with those grain bags, Jean??!!

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I filled my car with a bunch of stuff that I’ll transform and rehab. The twin bed frame will become a bench. The old metal gym locker can be used as a linen closet. And the singer sewing machine base will be used as a sink stand once I find the perfect piece for the top. I did ok. I’ll go back in a few weeks with a bigger truck when Tom is feeling more inspired to part with his items.

Meanwhile, back in Brooklyn, Husband picked up this floor I found on the Brownstoner forum. I had my heart set on wide plank antique flooring, but I was having trouble finding it at the price we wanted to pay. At the end of the day, this is a blessing. It’s 4″ wide, thick, solid oak leftover from a renovation. Already stained and polyurethaned. And it’s not one of those cheesy prefinished floors. The Boerum Hill couple had it sealed themselves outside of their home. So once we lay this sucker…it’s done! $400 for 200 square feet plus the $115 parking ticket my brilliant husband picked up.

All in all, not a bad weekend.

Weekender: New Paltz, NY

Weekender: New Paltz, NY published on 6 Comments on Weekender: New Paltz, NY

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Photo of Mohonk Mountain House: C Purrin

New Paltz is pretty perfect. Seriously, you can’t get much better than this. Located within 90 minutes of NYC and accessible by public transit, the town is completely walker friendly.

And this is no podunk town. It’s a full service village. There are plenty of restaurants, including the eclectic Main Street Bistro (complete with a punk era Beastie Boys/Murphy’s Law poster on the wall), The Guilded Otter brewery and the local/organic/slow food Village Tea Room. There’s also a Lemon Grass Grill, Italian, Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants.

When you tire of eating and shopping, there’s always The Gunks. If you’re not fond of rock climbing, there are plenty of hikes. Or it’s cool to just sit on your ass and look at the mountains. For a great adventure, check out The Ranch in nearby Gardiner. Deniro jumped there. And so did I.

New Paltz is a college town, so there’s no lack of hip factor or nightlife. In my day, SUNY New Paltz was known as the “party school”. I don’t know if that still holds true. It’s quite a veggie friendly, yoga momma, liberal town. In 2004, New Paltz was the site of New York’s first same sex marriages.

Oh please, if New Paltz was commutable I would so live there.

Chamber of Commerce
Unofficial Site

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