Weekender Archives - Page 7 of 9

Weekender:Berkshire Rentals

February 8, 2008 RH 8 Comments

This post is my way of getting you to help me plan a weekend getaway to the Berkshires this summer. Now the in-laws (Remember them? Visiting in June?) want to take a trip and meet up with the Boston friends. So we’re talking about renting a house for about 10 people. Kids and dogs included. Oy.

I’ve been to the Berkshires maybe twice in my life. Charming area. I don’t know a thing about the individual towns so I just started by researching houses.

Here’s what I came up with. Most are “pets considered” and price isn’t much of an issue since we’re splitting it with a gazillion people.

Does anyone know the Berkshires? Your input would be much appreciated! Thank you!

Click on photos for more info.

Ok, this church is already all booked up, but I just had to post it anyway. Look at it! The idea of living in a church or schoolhouse is appealing enough, but what a magnificent renovation they’ve done! I’m completely jealous.

Hancock. 2200 square foot converted barn. Fieldstone fireplace, Vermont casting woodstove, vaulted ceilings, wide plank floors, furnished with antiques and collectibles. Screened porch. Heated in-ground pool. Yeah, the perfect place for young children and untrained dogs! Near Jiminy Peak and Williamstown.

Sandisfield. Another stone fireplace and Vermont Castings stove in this house. It has a deck and screened porch which leads out to 2.5 wooded acres. Plus, it has a tennis and basketball court. Unfortunately, I haven’t been on a tennis court since the time I sprained my ankle playing in high school. Dangerous sport, that.

Stockbridge. Post and beam with cathedral ceilings on 2 acres. Stream runs under deck. Adjacent to 200 acres watershed conservation area.

Dalton. This cottage is situated on the edge of a thousand acre farm. Direct access to hiking and mountain biking trails, the farm offers educational programming, vegetables and horseback riding lessons.

New Marlborough. Updated historical school house and an original part of the Sisson Farmstead. Filled with antiques. Wrap around screened-in porch. Sits on one acre right next to a babbling river.

Great Barrington. Secluded hilltop Adirondack-style carriage house. 1 mile from downtown Great Barrington, 1/2 mile to Appalachian Trail. Walking trail through woods on property. Wrap-around deck. Screened-in porch. Air-conditioning. DSL hi-speed wireless, Satellite TV/DVD. Large stone fireplace. Antique furnishings and fixtures throughout. This is the only one that says “Pets Welcome” and not “Pets Considered”, so this may be the place!

Berkshires.com
Berkshires.org
Chamber of Commerce
Berkshire Web

Victorian Mansion Now a B&B

February 7, 2008 RH 2 Comments

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.

Howard Hall’s Shop Green Fundraiser

February 6, 2008 RH

I received an email from my buddies at Howard Hall Farm stating that they have joined forces with Let’s Go Green for a fund raising extravaganza. Let’s Go Green will donate 25% of every online purchase to the restoration project. Just don’t forget to specify Howard Hall at check out!

Howard Hall Farm is a 1780’s stone structure in Athens, NY which acts as a vehicle for educating people in historic preservation and green restoration techniques.

Let’s Go Green sells everything from cleaners to lightbulbs to water conservation products. All at pretty good prices!

Past Post on Howard Hall Farm

Liquidation Sale + Flooring = A Productive Weekend

February 4, 2008 RH 6 Comments

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??!!

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:Vernon, NJ

January 31, 2008 RH

If the great outdoors is your thing, you might want to check out Vernon, NJ. Apart from skiing, hiking, kayaking and swimming, the town itself doesn’t offer much. Actually, I think the town center is the local A&P.

Now, this doesn’t suit me personally because I want the best of both worlds. I’d like to be able to go for a strenuous hike up a mountain and then dine in a great restaurant that evening. Oh, there are definitely ways to spoil yourself in Vernon, but where’s the village?

Vernon is 1 hour from NYC and is considered part of the metro area. It’s not really accessible by public transit. The bus goes to neighboring Warwick, NY and from there you would have to make your way over the NJ border. Taking the train sounds even more complicated. That will land you farther away in Orange County, NY.

Let’s get to some positives of Vernon Township.

42% of total 70.5 square mile area is federal or state preserved property, dedicated to the preservation of open space, natural resources, and wildlife habitat. The Appalachian Trail winds through Waywayanda State Park. The Wallkill River Wildlife Refuge offers up birdwatching, hiking and kayaking. There are a couple of stables in the area for horseback riding. Private lakes dot the area of Highland Lakes, so if you’re lucky enough to rent or own one of these homes, water access is right in your backyard.

Mountain Creek is a ski lodge in the winter and water park during the summer months. Hidden Valley’s snow sports is located on Breakneck Road. Wonder which came first…the name or the lodge? Speaking of breaking necks, see the area while in freefall with Skydive Sussex.

If pampering yourself is more your thang, there’s holistic Wildflower Spa or Crystal Springs Golf Resort. But if you’re reading this blog, the quaint Apple Valley Inn is probably more your speed.

There are farm stands, wineries and apple picking in the surrounding area. If you need the restaurants, antiques shops and galleries, Warwick, NY really isn’t far. Warwick is great!

The reason I choose to write about Vernon over Warwick this week? The house prices! Nearly $100k less.

Vernon Chamber of Commerce

Vernon Listings

January 31, 2008 RH

$179k: 2BR, Needs TLC

$189.9k: 2BR Painted Log

$237.9k: 3BR Chalet

Weekender: Bucks County, PA

January 25, 2008 RH

Photo: Doug Picadio

Forgive me. I’m lumping one big county together here in a pretty vague post because 1) I’m not really up on the geography of Bucks County, 2) I haven’t visited in a few years and 3) Pennsylvania is doesn’t count as the tri-state area so you’re lucky you’re getting this at all.

Way back yonder when we were living in Park Slope and started looking for a country place, our first stop was Bucks County. We had a friend who moved from Hoboken to an old farmhouse on 7 acres and we loved visiting. This was pre-internet (we are so F*in old!!) and I remember driving around with a big MLS book looking at homes. There was nothing for under $300k and our range was more like $100k so we gave up the dream.Continue reading Weekender: Bucks County, PA

Second Home Guilt?

January 22, 2008 RH 3 Comments

I saw this survey on Re-Nest and didn’t participate because there wasn’t an option for what my response would’ve been. I’m all about second homes. I’d have third and fourth homes if I could afford it.

Re-Nest on second homes: “They take more stuff to build; more energy to heat and to cool; and you have to get to the second home somehow, too — and that usually means time in a carbon-spewing car.”Continue reading Second Home Guilt?

Weekender: New Paltz, NY

January 17, 2008 RH 6 Comments

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

Weekender: Wurtsboro, NY

January 10, 2008 RH

Little known fact: Ms. Reclaimed Home from straight outta Brooklyn spent a few years of her childhood in Wurtsboro, NY. My parents did the country/city thing for awhile. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Early 70’s Wurtsboro had all of the small town ingredients that scares the bejesus out of me today…hunter’s driving around with rifles and dead deer attached to their hoods, pregnant teens, drunk drivers and nutty conservatives. My mother’s BFF (no longer on this plane), an antiques dealer and psychic, moved up from Brooklyn first. By the time we arrived she had managed to befriend the one black family and one gay couple in town, so my informative years weren’t too parochial.Continue reading Weekender: Wurtsboro, NY

Weekender: Windham, NY

January 3, 2008 RH 3 Comments

Like many of the other upper Catskill towns, Windham is strikingly beautiful. It’s all about the mountains. What sets Windham apart from Phoenicia or Athens is that it’s SERIOUSLY all about the mountains. Dude.

This is ski country. And Windham Mountain is not just for serious skiers. Awkward klutzes like myself can enjoy ice skating, snow tubing or snow boarding. Not that I’m not on my ass half the time doing those things, it’s just not as torturous as skiing. Anyway, in 2006, new owners, Windham Mountain Partners, invested over $5 million for new chair lifts, trails, the ice skating center and a restaurant.Continue reading Weekender: Windham, NY

Windham Listings

January 3, 2008 RH

$169k: 2 Family Farmhouse in need of TLC

$199k: 1920 Sears 3 BR

$280k: Rustic Log Cabin

The NYC Native Tourist Guide

December 27, 2007 RH 3 Comments

Since I’m in holiday mode and you probably are too, I figured I’d give you some ideas on where to send your out of town guests this year. Or just go yourself. It’s not mandatory to take a tourist.

* Not necessarily in order of preference.

1. The Met: My favorite museum in the world. Probably because I worked there for 3 years. They’re open on Mondays for holidays including New Year’s Eve. On Friday and Saturday evenings they are open until 9pm and have cocktails and music in the Great Hall. The Met has “suggested” admission. Not that you shouldn’t support the arts, but if you’re broke, you can pay a penny and get in. Cost covers same day admission to The Cloisters, which I highly recommend seeing also.Continue reading The NYC Native Tourist Guide

Kate Pierson’s Inn: Rocket Through the Wilderness

December 13, 2007 RH 6 Comments

First of all, who doesn’t love The B-52’s and their sense of style? Kate Pierson (the redhead) is the proprietor of the Lazy Meadow Motel located in Mt Tremper, NY. Let’s just say if a motel could be a rock star, Lazy Meadow would be Kate Pierson.

The 1950’s cabins are situated on 9 acres fronted by the Esopus Creek. Decor is mid century modern/retro/50’s kitsch. Each suite has a different theme. There are two vintage airstream trailers which look even cooler than the cabins. Kate had design help from her friends William Stewart Design and tile artists Phillip Maberry and Scott Walker, original owners of, yes, The Love Shack.

Here’s my “pet” peeve: An animal rights activist, Kate has set aside (only) one room that is pet friendly. For an additional $25 per night, you can bring little Stinky, who must be under 25 pounds. As the mommy of 2 large dogs, I call that sizest!

You’re what? Tin roof….rust!

Weekender: Tivoli, NY

November 29, 2007 RH 5 Comments

I love Tivoli! Much like High Falls, this is a tiny town bursting at the seams with great restaurants and a tremendous cultural scene. How did Tivoli, in northern Dutchess, become so hip?

Well, it’s a college town. Home to Bard College located in the hamlet of Annandale on Hudson, Tivoli caters to both young hipsters and weekenders alike.

Main Street is about 2 blocks long. Within those 2 blocks, there is the friggen awesome vegetarian Luna 61 (closed for winter), 4 star Santa Fe and Osaka Sushi to name a few restaurants.

The Tivoli Artist’s Coop and Kaatsbaan Dance Center rival any NYC establishments. Ok, well, maybe not, like, Lincoln Center, but you get the drift.

Tivoli is close to Rhinebeck, Red Hook and less about 16 miles from Hudson. There are plenty of historic sites, antique shops and hikes in the surrounding area.

Downers:

Amtrak to Rhinecliff will get you close enough, but you need a car or taxi to get to Tivoli.

Because the town is so small, not many homes are for sale and those that are, aren’t as inexpensive as Kingston or Athens.

Tivoli.org
Hearty Roots Farm

reclaimedhome.com

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