Can I Tell You about ... Hudson Valley
Rafe Totengco
STAY
The Glenmere Mansion A luxurious Tuscan-style boutique hotel located in the town of Chester. Built in 1911, the mansion overlooks the idyllic Glenmere Lake and was real estate mogul Robert Goelet's country home outside of New York City. He commissioned architects Carrere and Hastings, who also designed The New York Public Library. The new proprietors, Alan Stenberg and Daniel DeSimone, have restored it back to its former glory with state-of-the art technology. Interior Designer Scott Snyder decorated the rooms with Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Motherwell contemporary art, custom-designed Italian linens and Carrara marble baths with heated floors.
EAT
Dining at Local 111 in Philmont was unforgettable. This farm-to-table restaurant used to be an auto service station and boasts tall glass garage doors that open during the summer months. It's a chic and contemporary dining space with a relaxed atmosphere. All the ingredients come direct from local farmers, including the award winning Old Chatham Sheepherding Company's delectable goat cheese. Needless to say, the food was incredible and alone worth the trip!
DO
For years I've heard friends rave about the inspiring Dia Art Foundation in the town of Beacon, so I decided it was a must. Once a Nabisco box printing factory, it was transformed to an exhibition space in 2003. The museum is the ideal location for showcasing Minimalist, Conceptual and Post-Minimalist art, sculpture and installations. Richard Serra's steel sculptures and Louise Bourgeois' Spider, located in the museum's attic, completely transfixed me.
MUST SEE
The Rockefeller Estate, also known as Kykuit, is situated at the highest point in Pocantico Hills with a breathtaking view of the Hudson River. This 40-room home filled with paintings, sculpture and history, is one of America's most famous private residences. The extensive art collection includes works from Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, David Smith and Pablo Picasso. The former basement turned art gallery houses a rare Picasso tapestry of "Guernica" in tonal shades of brown.
WHAT I LOVED MOST
A trip to the Hudson would not be complete without indulging in a little antiquing! Conveniently, all the stores line Warren Street in the center of town, which makes for a lovely leisurely stroll and one stop shopping! Some of my favorites were Neven & Neven Moderne, Historical Materialism and Hudson Home.