From NYT: Upstate for the Design-Minded

  |  July 28, 2015
maverick concert

Maverick Concert Hall, Woodstock.

Designer and Ulster County resident Ryan Roche recently spoke to the New York Times’ T Magazine about what made her decide to abandon Brooklyn in 2008 for an antique stone house in Hurley (you know the kind we mean. We love those 17th century stone houses). Explained Roche in the July 22 piece: “With little ones and living in Brooklyn, my day-to-day just wasn’t very peaceful. I grew up in Idaho in a really small town, with horses and wide open space and lots of fresh air, and I wanted to get back to my country-girl roots.” Well, this is certainly the place to do it. Her travel guide includes some stand-bys such as a meal at Cucina in Woodstock and shopping at Phoenicia Flea, which most recently popped up in West Kill and will return August 15-16 at Westwind Orchard, a pick-your-own orchard (that makes a mean pizza, apparently) that Roche also suggests visiting. However, she dropped in a few unexpected suggestions like Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble and Outback Antiques in Kingston, a very fun store, indeed. Of course, you can’t say “upstate” and “Catskills” or “Hudson Valley” in the same sentence without being reminded that most consider us in downstate NY, which is geographically correct. But why quibble over semantics? Can’t we all finally agree that it’s great up here and that everyone should pay a visit? Not all at once, though. Maybe spread it out a little.

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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