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Winter Doldrums

03 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by erinjsimpson in Travel

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adventures, California, Desert, Palm Springs, travel, vacation

After some unseasonably warm days here in the city, today’s colder temps really dragged me down. I’m reminiscing about our quick trip to Palm Springs at the end of January that combined a little bit of work (for me) followed by a few days of fun for both of us. I’m ready to go back any day now. After a few days in the California desert, I can easily see what draws people out west. It has a mystical and otherworldly vibe that I totally dig.

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This vacation hit that magical sweet spot of just enough relaxation combined with the right amount of activities. And while it wasn’t quite hot enough for me to jump in our Airbnb’s pool, I did manage to polish off a good portion of that 500-page tome I was reading before we headed to Joshua Tree National Park for some hiking.

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After leaving Joshua Tree, we made a pit stop at the Noah Purifoy exhibit to soak in some desert culture. It’s a truly funky place!

I was really hoping for a beer and burger at the famous Pappy & Harriet’s in nearby Pioneer Town but we picked the one day of the week they were closed. So we heaved a collective sigh and ate a burger from In-N-Out instead, sans beer.

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I’ll be dreaming of these blue skies for the next few weeks as the east coast begins its final creep towards spring.

 

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Upstate Escape

04 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by erinjsimpson in Upstate New York

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adventures, Historical preservation, Hudson River, travel, Upstate New York

A few weeks ago, Charlie and I escaped to one of our favorite spots in upstate New York. If you follow the Hudson River north (bonus points if you take Amtrak!) you’ll eventually run into the sleepy, quaint town of Saugerties, just south of Albany. There’s a beautiful old lighthouse right on the river that’s been turned into the most tranquil, hospitable bed & breakfast. If you’re planning to be in the area, I highly recommend it. Reservations book up fast, but you can also visit the lighthouse during the daytime to learn about the history and take in the spectacular views of the river.

The lighthouse was first built in 1869 and, after falling into disrepair during the second half of the last century, local residents undertook a major restoration in the 1980’s to preserve the historic landmark. To reach the lighthouse, you have to hike a short trail along the marshy coastline. We learned the hard way that it’s best to arrive before high tide hits. The last part of the trail becomes submerged in about 6 inches of water once the tide rolls back in. Luckily for us, the inn keepers met us with knee-high galoshes to trudge through the water. I’m sure they were silently shaking their heads at our Brooklyn naivety.

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We visited on a blustery, overcast weekend and, while I normally wouldn’t be thrilled by the typical upstate NY dreariness, it gave the river a mysterious, ethereal quality that I’ll always remember.

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Here are views of the front of the house, with inviting yellow doors, and a view of the back, below, where you can see the old lighthouse. The innkeepers actually live in the house year-round and I’ve spent way too much time pondering their amazing good fortune. While I can imagine that living here presents plenty of challenges (planning your grocery store runs around the tidal schedule, being exposed to all kinds of unfavorable weather) I also think about how incredible it must be to care for such a unique piece of history. Next time, I plan on taking better pictures of the interior which has been beautifully decorated with simple, antique furnishings to honor the building’s history. Each room has a coal-burning stove as a secondary heat source and the kitchen is outfitted with antique appliances.

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The view from our bedroom window was surreal. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you see is the water and you feel like you’re suspended in the middle of the Hudson. For city dwellers like us, it’s the most relaxing way to start the day. Now that I’m back in Brooklyn, I’m trying to imagine that there’s a river right outside my bedroom instead of the incessantly noisy Atlantic Avenue.

An Evening on the Hudson

29 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by erinjsimpson in Brooklyn

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adventures, Hudson, New York City, sailing, waterfronts

Living in Brooklyn, it is easy to forget how close we actually live to the water. The fresh and the salty kind. I go about my daily routine through the city and rarely brush up against a coastline. But last summer, Charlie and I kept reminding each other that we should treat ourselves to a sail on the Hudson River. So, a few weeks ago, we took an evening cruise on the Adirondack Schooner and watched the sun slowly set over the city. With all of the unbearable heat we’ve been enduring, it was nice to escape the confines of the concrete jungle and feel the wind ruffle our hair. And it helps to have a crew on board to pour the wine with a liberal hand.

There she is, ready for a night on the Hudson.

I think it’s always good to get an outside perspective on your city every now and again. When I’m walking along the sidewalks, weaving in and out of buildings and pedestrians and taxicabs, I tend to forget what this place actually looks like.

Our crew, raising the sails and preparing to refill our vino.

 

For the record, Charlie and I were never very good at taking pictures. After a long day pounding the pavement, we’d come home and collapse on the couch, lamenting how we’d forgotten the camera yet again. But this little blog has inspired us to try and document all of our adventures, from the ordinary to the extravagant. Now, I don’t claim to wield a camera with expert hands, but at least we’ll have evidence of all our times together. I was starting to get worried we’d look back one day and say to each other: “Remember that one time..? Grab the photo album. Oh…wait a minute.”

Phew. Let’s hope we nipped that bad habit in the bud.

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