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FRIDAY
Sue, Jan and I converged at LaGuardia. Sue, who had just had the cab ride from hell, generously offered to drive us from NYC to the Catskills. Between the rental car map and our unhelpful internet directions, we became lost almost immediately. After driving around for an hour or so, we spotted a guy washing his car. A shirtless, sweaty guy dripping gold chains and Italian horns who looked like he had stepped out of a Scorsese film. He told us how to get out of the city and we were off. (Jan and Sue, I slipped him your numbers – hope you don’t mind!). We were un-lost for about an hour, then became lost again and ended up getting to KATE’S about four hours later than expected. Whoops.
We stayed in one of the cabin-suites, which was more like a small apartment. Living room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms. The kitchen was a work of art unto itself and the rest of the cabin was filled with mid-century furniture and thrift store art. You can see our room HERE. The grounds at Kate’s are more beautiful and expansive than indicated by the photos on their website. The cabins are all at the top of a slight hill; just past them is a one lane road where you find the meadow, a stand of huge pine trees, and another meadow along beautiful Esopus Creek, where there are restored Airstream trailers that can also be rented. The grounds are scattered with fun yard art and the staff could not have been more fun or attentive – one of them even fielded a phone call from Jan’s boss and ran out and bought two bottles of birthday champagne for her, then delivered them to our room. Look at this place!
I unreservedly recommend a trip up there. So lovely and relaxing. And if you need a little push, I have it on good authority that Kate and Monica will be hosting a Yoga Groove weekend at the Meadow the weekend of August 28th featuring dinner, entertainment and yes, yoga. Hey, Cranky Girl – want to go?
SATURDAY
We discovered the kick-ass farmer’s market right across from Kate’s – it’s basically a shack filled with all kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables, coolers brimming with local cheeses, really nice. And it’s open 24 hours. The owners leave around 6:00 but they have an honor box for the off-hours, so you can walk in any time and get what you need.
That morning, we drove over to Phoenicia to check out HOMER AND LANGLEY’S MYSTERY SPOT. When I was looking online for nearby local attractions, this was the one place we all decided was an immediate must-see. The Mystery Spot is owned and operated by LAURA LEVINE, who was out on the porch hanging up dresses when we arrived. I didn’t see her at first because I was struck dumb by this little fellow, who is apparently the store mascot (check out the photos on the website – she has pictures of numerous kids playing with him – they’re hilarious):
After snapping the lil’ nipper’s photo, we introduced ourselves to Laura and entered what is easily one of the best thrift stores I have ever seen. And if you know me at all, you know I am A) Old and B) An inveterate thrifter so that statement should carry some weight. The store is newly relocated to an old hotel and is filled with room after room of exceptional items as well as Laura’s amazing photos and artwork. I am particularly covetous of her BIRD PRINTS and am kicking myself for not having bought one while I was there. I may have to rectify that. I did buy HER BOOKS and and these items, among others:
Some of Laura’s iconic rock photos are hanging in the store and she gave us a little bit of the background on each of those. While we were there, a steady stream of locals came through to say hello and to congratulate her on her new location- she is clearly well-loved by her community and after spending an hour with her, I can see why. Despite suffering from the remnants of a flu bug, she was very gracious and struck all of us as someone who would be fun to hang out with -why we didn’t invite her over to the cabin for a drink, I’m not sure. Next time. Before we left, she took photos of us with our purchases – those should be up on her website some time soon. I’m not sure what else to say except get there. By any means necessary.
Downtown Phoenicia is comprised of one main street on which there are numerous little shops, restaurants and inns – very quaint and not at all touristy. On recommendations from both the Lazy Meadow staff and Laura Levine, we ate lunch at SWEET SUE’S. Incredible food was eaten by all. We also had a good laugh when a burly biker came by, blasting his music…which was suddenly interrupted by the sedate voice of his GPS system urging him to “Turn right in fifteen feet”. Er…. It was also in Phoenicia that I spotted this item, which, sadly, was not for sale. Look at that winning smile!
From Phoenicia we drove up to Woodstock. By the time we got there, we were not half a million strong and we were kind of tired and not in the mood to deal with the roving gangs of hippies, authentic and otherwise, who were packing the streets. This year is the 40th anniversary of the festival AND there was some music jam going on so the town was completely overrun. From what we did see, I was not impressed. Many, many storefronts filled with tie dyed shirts and memorabilia. I’m sure that’s what brings a ton of money into the town but…ugh. Todd Rundgren lives somewhere nearby and on the drive back we amused ourselves by playing WWTRD* and wondering if he might be in oh, the nursery, buying plants…or in the hardware store… and then suddenly, there was his recording studio on the side of the road. So we stopped and got our tourist groove on and snapped some pics. It’s part of a big complex created by ALBERT GROSSMAN and again – ugh, the crowds.
That night Sue made us a wonderful dinner and we celebrated Jan’s birthday with a homemade lemon pie from the farmer’s market. (And thanks again to Laura for recommending it!!). We drank and rocked out with this bizarre item procured by Jan – it turned every song into a tinny, AM radio-sounding classic which was really perfect.
SUNDAY
On the recommendation of Carmen at the Lazy Meadow, we took a long, scenic drive through the mountains – there are numerous small towns scattered throughout that part of the Catskills and it seems the ski resorts and antique shops are the going enterprises in most of them. On our way back into town we stopped at the WORLD’S LARGEST KALEIDOSCOPE. It was another thing I’d found in my online research and I have to say that while we were all stopping there thinking it would be a good laugh, it was actually pretty damn cool. Because we were the only customers, the operator gave us pillows and encouraged us to lay on the floor to view the show and it was very trippy and fun to watch. The show we watched was the original, created in the late 1970’s by ISAAC ABRAMS, a pioneer of psychedelic art.
That night we had a great dinner at the PEEKAMOOSE – we ate in the tap room, which is designed to look like a lodge and features, among other things, an Eames chair suspended from the ceiling in which patrons can swing. Dinner was followed by drinks and roasted marshmallows on the restaurant deck with some friendly locals. We retired to the cabin once again, where we stayed up all night carousing. Yes, carousing, America. Because that’s what middle-aged women on a wild weekend do.
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What I have left out:
The fact that we got lost every time we left the cabin. Luckily, there is one main highway that connects all the stuff we wanted to do and all of our directional mistakes were easily solved by simply turning around and going back the way we came.
Between the three of us, an entire pack of Nat Sherman Fantasias was smoked. None of us smoke regularly so by Monday morning we sounded like the Bouvier sisters.
Sue gave me a great haircut!!! (She is also an awesome jewelry designer but I want to give that topic its own entry.)
Never underestimate my ability to milk a joke for days, especially if you keep laughing at it. What’s so gahdamm funny, you guys?! Why you laugh so much?
I can’t drink hard liquor. Oh wait, we already knew this.
Sue and Jan are, hands down, the best traveling companions ever and I would go anywhere with them. (Except to the Ice Hotel – sorry, Jan!)
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This entry was written directly into the browser and I am too lazy to edit it for content or anything else, so suck it, internet. I mean, enjoy.
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