The Mohonk Mountain House  located in New Paltz New York  is an amazing 19th Century mountain hotel

located in New Paltz New York  set within the pristine natural environment atop the Shawnagunk Mountains.  Set on the edge of  Lake Mohonk, this is truly a wonderful place to enjoy a day of hiking while experiencing  a beautiful Victorian era hotel and its many amenities. It is listed as a National historic landmark and is an amazing structure with a 30,000 square foot award winning spa listed as the number one resort spa in the United States by Conde Nast Traveler. There is fine dining,tennis, golf, lake swimming,and boating for overnight guests as well as a fitness center, carriage rides , kids programs, covered ice skating rink (in season) and an indoor heated pool.There are beautiful formal gardens which are in bloom well into autumn.

I visited this resort for a day visit and had a great time hiking and walking the grounds and visiting the inn. There are numerous hiking trails throughout the property of various levels of difficulty.  The trails on the hotel property also connect with the trail network in the Mohonk Preserve and to Lake Minnewaska State Park. The Smiley family which founded Mohonk and still  operates the hotel to this day embraces the the natural surroundings of Mohonk and are stewards of its beauty. Each of its carefully planned trails brings the hiker to a new vista or interesting natural feature. On one of our hikes we left the hotel and walked along the side of beautiful Lake Mohonk, skirting along its shore to the south end.

We circled back along the base of the cliffs and then up along the cliff top back to the house.  An easy walk of an hour or less.  Along the way, your view of the lake and the mountain keeps changing and provides plenty of photo opportunities.  If your feet are tired you can rest at one of the many Summer houses along the paths.   A second hike and more strenuous is the ascent from the lake to the top of Sky Top and the Alfred Smiley Memorial tower.

The stone tower is open and you can climb its many steps for an amazing 360 degree view.  Bring a pair of binoculars.  One of the most challenging trails is the rocky scramble through the Labyrinth which will challenge you with its steep vertical climb. There are many trails through the property and beyond which is one reason to keep coming back to this special place and explore its wonders.

There are 259 guest rooms many with balconies and fireplaces. All overnight guests receive three meals a day in the inn included with their hotel rate as well as afternoon tea and cookies.This resort has to be seen to truly experience and capture the beauty all around . The woodwork and staircases alone will impress you and shopping is available in the quaint and well stocked hotel gift shop.  Mohonk Mountain House is also a great place for a family reunion, romantic weekend getaway or to spend time with the little ones.  The hotel also hosts wellness events and meditation retreats and it is easy to see one meditating in such a serene environment.

I will be making a reservation for the fall as this is a great time to visit and see the leaves change and beautiful scenery. Check out the resort website for special events and happenings in the area. New Paltz is a great town and Mohonk Mountain House is a unique and beautiful place not to be missed.

Mohonk Mountain House

1000 Mountain Rest Road New Paltz, New York

Reservations:(855) 590-9829

website: http://www.mohonk.com

Food and wine lovers in Westchester County have reason to celebrate as the annual Westchester Magazine Food and Wine Festival returns  in June for its 5th annual celebration.   This celebration is considered to be one of the premier food and wine events in the Northeast.  The event is spread over several days with unique events. Some of the highlights are:

Thursday June 4 –Burger and Beer Blast–at the Kensico Dam Plaza park in Valhalla.  Attendees will sample burgers from 30 different local restaurants, with beer, wine and spirits served.  You can vote for your favorite burger in the competition. Live music will make the evening a festival for all.   Time 6pm to 10pm .  Cost : $65

Friday June 5-An evening with Westchester’s Tastemakers- a new event this year, it takes place at 42 Restaurant in the Ritz-Carleton in White Plains.  Ten of  the County’s top Chef’s will prepare two of their own dishes each  for an exclusive gathering.  Each dish will be paired with top wines from around the globe.  Great food from the best chefs, paired with amazing wine, while you dine 42 floors above the streets of White Plains  with views of Long Island Sound, Westchester and Manhattan.

Time: 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm  Cost: $125

Saturday June 6- Grand Tasting Village – at Kensico Dam Plaza, 1 Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla NY.  NEW ! This incredible event which  grows in popularity each year has moved to a new location.  Now located outdoors under white tents concentrating on Farm to Table cuisine.  Considered to be the “Worlds Fair” of the Wine and Food Festival.  There will be 44 local restaurants serving tastings of their specialty dishes, which are made from locally sourced ingredients.  For wine lovers you can sample 100 different wines from the many wine growing regions of the world.  There will be celebrity chefs demos, local craft beers, and new this year, a mini Farmers Market. An event not to be missed.

Time 12 pm to 5 pm   Cost: $75

The event helps support two not for profit organizations, The Food Bank For Westchester and The Friends of Westchester County Parks

For more information and tickets westchestermagazine.com/winefood

Coopers Mill  is a special and unexpected restaurant located inside the Tarrytown Marriott focusing on  a farm to table menu. The large and lovely space is not at all what I expected inside a hotel.The restaurant has been open for two years and contains reclaimed barn wood which creates a natural and soothing ambiance. They even have sliding barn doors. The large bar area is lively and features many craft beers from local breweries as well as the regions best vodka and bourbons. There are also many specialty cocktails which are made from local ingredients. The room has a rustic feel with a modern edge attached.

The name Cooper’s Mill is derived from a flour mill that was opened in 1886 in Tarrytown. In fact the name Tarrytown is taken from the Dutch word for the area’s rich soil that was used for growing wheat.

The food is locally and regionally grown and sourced ingredients and upon tasting you can tell by the amazing freshness and distinct flavors.

I would suggest the delicious grilled octopus for starters which was tender , juicy and meaty. I was told it had been marinated for three days in garlic olive oil. I also loved the roasted baby beets

with sugar snap peas and coach farm goat cheese. If you think you don’t like beets this dish will change your mind as it is very fresh and tasty. The faro salad with hazelnuts, arugula and cherry tomatoes was perfect as well. Faro is a nutty tasting grain often used in Italian cooking.Other great appetizers include cod fish croquettes and fried calamari.

One item not to be missed are the home made flat breads which are baked in the wood burning oven. I ordered the roasted vegetable with ricotta in a balsamic reduction. This is absolutely amazing! Fresh squash and eggplant bursting with flavor. For the main course I would suggest the diver scallops,sea bass and  the domestic loin of lamb. Everything was served beautifully with nice attention to detail.

For a fine ending to a lovely meal I chose the olive oil cake with poppy seeds.

This dessert was light and fluffy with a home baked taste

I would highly recommend this farm to table restaurant.

Coopers Mill

670  White Plains Road (In the Tarrytown Marriot Hotel)

Tarrytown, New York

Phone: 914.333.1216

http://coopersmillrestaurant.com/

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Irene Young Wallace

 

 

This coming weekend Friday, May 1 and Saturday May 2,  downtown  Ridgefield Ct. will be hosting their First Annual Spring Stroll.  If you have ever attended their yearly Holiday Stroll in December, you know that  Ridgefield offers a good time with events going on both days, plus shopping and dining.  Shake off the long winter and join the spring fun in nearby Ridgefield.

The Spring Stroll will feature events such as music, magicians, stilt walkers, a fashion show, balloon artists and festival performers, sidewalk chalk artists, petting zoo and of course sales at some of the many merchants in town.

Hours:   Friday  May  1  5pm-9pm    Saturday  10 am to 7pm

See you there !

for more information: http://www.destinationridgefield.com/may-1st-and-2nd-downtown-ridgefields-spring-stroll/

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Don’t miss an evening of fun with your gal pals on May 6th at The Westchester Manor  in Hastings from 5-9 pm.

This event is a great reason to get all dressed up and go out with some friends. There are goodie bags given at the door and if you bring a gently used handbag you will be entered into a raffle for some fun prizes. The handbags will be given to women in need through a charity called “Dress for Success” where women with little means entering the workforce will look good at a job and interview.

The evening will feature vendors of many types such as hair salons and jewelry, there will be a DJ and dancing, food and drinks samples, and a cash bar.

See below for information to this event, ticket prices and details please see the link below

See you there !

www.fungirlsnightout.com/#!westchester/c14vd

Piccola Trattoria in Dobbs Ferry is a charming and quaint Italian restaurant  with a homey comfortable feel . The tin ceiling and subdued lighting are just some of the soft and romantic touches to this hidden gem of a restaurant. The small intimate dining room makes one feel that they are in an New York City Italian restaurant from an earlier era.  Luckily for the diner the food is fresh and the chefs interpretations of classic Italian dishes are both classic and contemporary

I dined on a Sunday evening with my husband and another couple. The waiter was polite and anxious to recommend specialties as we have never been here before. Service was excellent  and we felt that every staff member was eager to take care of us and make sure that dining at Piccola is a memorable experience
I started with eggplant rollatini with marinara sauce. Other appetizers shared were fried calamari with lemon slices,   salad with anchovies, and baked artichokes. All were very tasty and fresh.  I especially loved the eggplant which had a wonderful  marinara sauce that melted in your mouth.

For an entree I chose the boulliobese di pesce which consisted of linguini pasta served with seafood in a stew topped with a flaky pastry crust. This was really delicious and a nice twist of a zuppa de pesce. My husband  ordered homemade lasagna with a  creamy bechamel sauce. The fresh homemade pasta really made this dish stand out.  The other entrees included mixed seafood in a marinara sauce and homemade gnocchi with sausage and broccoli rabe. I was told by my fellow guests that everything was delicious!

To complete our meal I finished with tartuffo which was a nice presentation of ice cream with a hard chocolate covering  cut in pieces with cherries inside. The last dessert was an apple cinnamon bread pudding. Cappuccino completed my tasty meal. It is no wonder that the owner/ chef  is Sergio Pennacchio has been nominated as one of the best chefs in Westchester County by Westchester Magazine.

   

Don’t miss this fine dining experience in southern Westchester. I will be back for sure.

Picola Trattoria

41 Cedar Street Dobbs Ferry , New York 10522

Phone: 914-647-8427

www.piccolany.com

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West Side Story the award winning  Broadway play has returned for a run at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford.   The musical which premiered on Broadway in 1957 and enjoyed several revivals features the legendary talents of Leonard Bernstein (music), Jerome Robbins (choreography), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and book by Arthur Laurents.  West Side Story would be made into a movie in 1961 and would earn 10 Academy Awards.

The story is inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet where two star crossed lovers meet and fall in love in the backdrop of ethnic street gang conflicts of 1950s New York City.  The teen age street gangs represented by the Sharks (Puerto Rican) and the Jets (caucasian) clash in a neighborhood turf war and set the backdrop for the love story of Tony (Jets) and Maria (Sharks).  West Side Story was considered ground breaking for its realistic and contemporary story and setting as well as its choreography.  The musical would feature the most dancing in any Broadway production at the time.  The score contains the memorable classics,”America” , “Maria”, “Tonight”, ” I feel Pretty” and “Gee, Officer Krupke”

West Side Story returns to Westchester having last been staged here in 1998.  It was directed by Barry McNabb who returns to direct and choreograph this performance.  The current show stars Carly Evans as Maria, and Zach Trimmer as Tony ( who appeared this winter at the theater in South Pacific).  The performances of both lead actors was fantastic and Carly Evans portrayal of Maria was memorable as were her soaring vocal performance.

The rest of the talented cast provides non stop entertainment throughout the two acts. All the actors are members of Actors Equity and are professionals with credentials ranging from roles on Broadway, London, Regional theatre and National Tours.  Dinner is part of your evening at the theatre and is served before the performance.  The theatre is intimate and wraps around three sides of the stage so every seat provides a great view.

West Side Story will run at the Westchester Broadway Theatre through July 5th 2015.  Don’t miss it!.

Westchester Broadway Theatre

1 Broadway Plaza  Elmsford, NY

914-592-2222    www.broadwaytheatre.com

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Beacon New York, right on the Hudson River in  Dutchess County is a great day destination.  Main Street in Beacon has been transformed into a mecca for artists, galleries, and one of a kind shopping.  Naturally you might want to stop to recharge with some great coffee. While in Beacon, a great place to stop in is the Bank Square Coffee House  for  a latte or specialty coffee.

This funky eclectic spot is a fun and interesting place to relax, sit on a couch, read the paper or talk with friends.

This popular shop has so many fun beverages to try it’s hard to pick just one. All  are beautifully made with special touches.

My white mocha caramel latte was simply delicious and served with a cream swirled heard inside the cup. My daughters’ hot chocolate was just as tasty with Ghiradelli chocolate and cream.

While visiting this cool town don’t miss a trip to Bank Square Coffee House. Located right on historic Main Street.

129 Main St.  Beacon, NY 12508

845.440.7165

http://banksquarecoffeehouse.com/

While visiting New Paltz, NY , I wanted to dine at a Mexican sit down establishment and learned there is a new place only a few months old named Los Agaves. This is a family owned and run business who takes great pride with all the wonderful Mexican food they offer.

The rooms are divided up by bar area with tables and a separate  room for dining. Festive lights, sombreros and murals fill the walls with a fun quirky feel.The waiters are very attentive and  friendly while offering a lot of good suggestions.

We started with chicken quesadillas and a mixed appetizer sampler called botana ocateca which included guacamole, chicken burrito pieces, beef chimichanga bites, tostatoes and other nice choices.This was so tasty we finished it all.There were also tortilla chips and fresh salsa on the table.

For the main entree I ordered shrimp with chipotle cream sauce. Another in my party picked chicken and beef fajitas and a chicken with red mole sauce and cheese was also chosen.

The last interesting item ordered was a combination plate of ground beef taco, shredded beef burrito, and a chicken chimichanga. All main dishes come with refried beans and Mexican rice.We all felt the food tasted truly authentic and fresh with very generous portions at reasonable prices.

For dessert we shared the thre leches (three milk) cake and the chimichanga dulce with sweet cream and banana inside. We really enjoyed them both.The tres leches cake was so good I ordered a piece to take home.!

While visiting or staying near New Paltz don’t miss this wonderful new restaurant with great service, delicious food and a fun atmosphere. I plan on coming back and trying new picks.

Los Agaves

11 Old Rt 299

New Paltz, New York

(845)-255-0220    website :  http://www.losagavesnewpaltz.com/#!

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