Where do all the New Yorkers go for NYE?
Even the most diehard New Yorker needs an escape every now and then, especially during one of the craziest weekends in NYC- New Year’s Eve!
From Thanksgiving through January 1, New York becomes a jam-packed, overwhelming obstacle course. So it was time to get away from the hustle and bustle and ring in the new year with friends outside of the city.
Just a quick two-hour train ride away, Hudson, NY is the perfect getaway. It’s so adorable that every three seconds we would turn to each other and say, “omigod, that’s so CUTE!” Seriously, everything is adorable, even in the frigid nine-degree weather.
Hudson is exploding as a young hip getaway for young New Yorkers, and we felt right at home with the hoards of other hipsters who escaped the city for the weekend. The streets were lined with antique shops and pride flags, so I immediately felt right at home.
Our Airbnb hostess, Debbie, gave us a great tour on our way from the train to the house and told us how the town is booming with interior designers who came from the city to scope out the great antiques and have opened their own stores. Luckily she warned us that everything was crazy expensive so I didn’t get my hopes up on finding any antique gems. While most of the furniture and antique shops were wayyyy out of my budget, they were great for browsing for design inspiration, and I’ll definitely be back when I make my first million and am ready to decorate my weekend house in Hudson.
The food scene in Hudson was also popping, and we had some great food at Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, who describe themselves as “Tropical comfort food.” Our favorites were definitely the hot tamales, and salchi-papas which were a delicious mix of fried potatoes, salsa, pickles and hotdogs. I’ve never had anything like it, and was definitely worth the trip.
In addition to the great food, Lil' Deb's had the most entertaining and unique wine list I have ever had the pleasure of perusing. Their goal was to make wine more approachable and less pretentious, so you’ll find descriptions such as, “pinched nerve, pregnant, light show, lizard tongue, cool mom.” Any guesses what wine that could me, my master sommeliers? It’s a pinot noir rosé from Oregon, of course. Sign me up! If the descriptions still throw you off, we got some amazing help from “the wine guy” who brought us a flight of wine to test and help us pick the perfect bottle. Plus some great conversation.
At the end of the day, escaping the hustle and bustle of New York City on New Year’s Eve was just what the doctor ordered, and doing it with friends was the perfect way to ring in 2018.
Because there were too many amazing things to cover, here are some of my top Hudson finds.
Hudson Hit List
The Cascades - Amazing deli/restaurant/espresso bar. My favorite food from the entire trip- Bear Mountain signature sandwich (Black Forest ham, brie, honey-mustard dressing and mixed greens served on Ciabatta bread and grilled)
Lil’ Deb’s Oasis - Tropical comfort food. Hot Tamales, Yucca Frita, Salchi-Papas (WITH the local hotdog, don't skip) Amazing help with the wine and most creative wine descriptions ever.
Spotted Dog Books & Ale - Adorable bar/book store perfect for browsing and enjoying a mid-day beer.
MOTO Coffee/Machine - The straight dudes loved this one. Motorcycle store/coffee shop with lots of hip straight dudes.
Olde Hudson - Gourmet food shop with specialty foods and artisanal cheese. A bit pricey, but our chefs Alex and Alex put together a killer cheese plate.
Verdigris Tea & Coffee Bar - In addition to an amazing selection of teas, the most decadent hot chocolate you have ever experienced!
Rivertown Lodge - While we stayed at an amazing Airbnb, this hotel looked straight out of a West Elm ad.
Grazin’ Diner - Adorable, picturesque diner, and the first completely Animal Welfare Approved restaurant in the world! Great selection of burgers at this far to table joint.
Have you been to Hudson? What did I miss that I should check out next time?
