All Entries Tagged With: "New York"
NINE Easy Steps to the Biggest Plant Sale in NY
At the George Landis Arboretum landisarboretum.org The George Landis Arboretum is one of the most beautiful arboretums in the world! It is comprised of over 500 acres of rolling meadows, and packed with some of the rarest species on the planet. And the best part: It’s half an hour from Albany, NY. Every Spring the [...]
Calico. One GREAT Restaurant in the Hudson Valley
Calico 6384 Mills St (Rt. 9) Rhinebeck, NY 12572 (845)876-2749 http://www.calico-rhinebeck.com/ I first went to Calicos several years ago, while staying at a wonderful Bed & Breakfast called the East hideaway Suites (ehideawaysuites.com). Calico provided the perfect ending to the perfect weekend. East Hideaway, by the way, is a wonderful [...]
America’s Oldest Winery
Brotherhood Winery www.brotherhoodwinery.net WASHINGTONVILLE, N.Y. – Tucked into a quiet corner of rolling farmland lies what may be the Hudson Valley’s best-kept secret: Brotherhood winery, the nation’s oldest continually operating winery. Brotherhood is a verdant campus of vineyards, a bottling facility, gift store, and tasting room. The winery, which celebrated its 170th anniversary two years ago, is open year-round for [...]
April at the Landis Arboretum
Come Meet Us! We will have a table at the EMS in Mohawk Commons April 13 and 14. Here is a list of our events for April: At the Landis Arboretum (Esperance, NY) www.landisarboretum.org We love the Landis Arboretum, and think it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. 500 acres of rolling forest [...]
Shaver Hill Farms
Shaver Hill Farms http://www.shaverhillfarm.com Springs brings with it Maple Syrup Week here in New York. This year, the festivities run from March 17th to March 25th, or thereabouts. Didyouweekend makes an annual trip to Shaver Hill Farm in Harpersfield, NY (directions at bottom) We love Schoharie County and the surrounding areas. I have fond memories growing [...]
ArtWorld-The Magic of Art and Kids
ArtWorld-The Magic of Art and Kids http://richgabriel.com/ by Richard DiMaggio You may have seen his popular “Saratoga Evening Post” series, but never knew the artist. You may have seen him in his artist tent at the Saratoga race track, but couldn’t recall his name. His name is Rich Gabriel, and he has been a [...]
2012 Lake George Winter Fest Photos……
A winter festival without the winter. 50 degree temperatures. A lake not frozen over. Melting ice sculptures. But a staff of volunteers doing their best to make it the best (whoever made that chilli, it was wonderful). Alas–enter the Polar Bears. Now, even though the lake is not frozen over, it is icy. I leaned over and [...]
The Halfmoon
http://www.halfmoon.mus.ny.us For those of you in the Capital Region, the word Half Moon is no stranger. It’s a town just outside Clifton Park, New York. But it is also the name of the ship Henry Hudson used to explore the wonderful river that now bears his name. Every Spring, the Half Moon museum makes its [...]
Salmon River Fall Run
Salmon River Fall Run Pulaski, NY Whether you fish or not, Pulaski, New York is one of the most incredible places I have ever been to. It is a small hamlet about an hour north of Syracuse, sitting on the Salmon River. The Salmon River itself is a tributary to Lake Ontario. The key aspect [...]
Hyde Collection Art Museum
http://www.hydecollection.org/ Art Museum & Historic House 161 Warren Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801 p. 518.792.1761 fx.518.792.9197 The Hyde Collection is an art museum with an extraordinary collection of more than 3,000 objects. The institution is a product of the golden age of the private art collector (ca. 1890-1940) and an example of a rare genre [...]
Afternoon Delight-Rock Climbing
I have been involved in indoor rock climbing for a number of years, but finally decided that “Hey, I live by the Adirondacks! Why am I not climbing outside?!” This weekend I went with a “climbing guru” friend and had my first outdoor climbing experience. Of course, some may find the drive a bit daunting [...]
Barkeater Chocolates of North Creek
The Adirondacks = Fine Chocolate The Adirondacks are synonymous with pristine rivers, dense patches of forest, high peaks and of course – artisan European-style chocolate. Seriously. Sure – you knew that maple syrup flows out of thousands of trees and that venison dishes adorn the menus of the finest Adirondack restaurants…but chocolate? Barkeater Chocolates [...]
Driving from Albany, NY to Myrtle Beach
If you have a better route, tell us! Fifteen years ago, I rented a Dodge Neon and drove to Myrtle Beach on New Year’s Eve. Some buddies of mine from law school all grabbed our significant others and headed down for a little lazy river action. The room off- season was about thirty bucks and [...]
Herkimer Diamond Mine
Herkimer Diamond Mine http://www.herkimerdiamond.com/ Diamonds. Yes, real diamonds! Well, Herkimer diamonds anyway. They’re just as fun as hunting for the real ones, a whole lot cheaper, and the kids will love it. The Herkimer Diamond Mine, located in Herkimer, New York, is a great place to spend the day with or without kids. Bring goggles [...]
Saratoga Race Track!
Saratoga, as they say, is “The August Place to Be”. And it is August, and the crowds have arrived. Literally, people from all over the world come to watch some of the finest horses in the world. But Saratoga isn’t just about horse racing. Sure, fortunes are made and lost here. Saratoga is more of [...]
Schenectady’s Central Park
Schenectady’s Central Park is home to one of the area’s prettiest rose gardens (see also Yaddo in Saratoga). Located in the heart of Schenectady, the rose garden is splendid. Yes, there’s a pond, tennis and tons of things for kids, as well. But today, just some scenes of the roses.
Gothics Mountain
Extremely strenuous. See related articles under Hiking. Gothics is the 10th highest peak in the Adirondack 46. Since Courtney and I were last minute dropouts of a planned Santanoni group hike, we decided to make Gothics our destination. This is an extremely long hike, and do not attempt as a first high peak. There are [...]
Niagara Falls! (Part 1)
There are perhaps few more exciting places to visit than Niagara Falls. It’s big. It’s wonderous. And the sheer immensity and power is one of those things that just brings the world together. Indeed, you will see and hear people from all over the world, staring wide-eyed and giddy at the 200,000 cubic feet of [...]
Buck Mountain
Buck Mountain is a great little hike over looking Lake George. I am going to use the phrase “little hike”, but it is 3.2 miles one way, and is quite steep towards the top. The first mile of the trail is a rolling dirt road that climbs without incident. About a mile in, you hit [...]
South Brace Mountain/Rattlesnakes in NY
We got a bit of a late start for our Brace Mountain hike. We were at the trail head at about noon and there was a threat of afternoon thunderstorms. I was running a little blind on this hike as my wife had picked it out, so I wasn’t sure what to expect other than [...]
The Great Race
Greatrace.com June 11-17 Chattanooga, TN to Bennington, Vermont (with a stop in Saratoga!) The Great Race lives on in 2011, after a seriously long and bumpy road. The race is a group of America’s favorite vintage cars, from Chattanooga, Tenn to Bennington, Vermont. The troupe of 60 of America’s finest stopped at the Sartatoga Auto [...]
Giant Mountain Revisted
It’s big. It’s bad. It will leave you screaming for mercy! The first time I hiked Giant Mountain, I swore I would never do it again (see related article under Hiking). It is deemed VERY STRENUOUS by even experienced hikers, and at 4,627 feet comes in at number 12 of the Adirondack 46 So, with [...]
Antique Motorcycles, Trucks, Tractors and More Show!
The Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY was host to its annual Antique Motorcycle show. It included several performances, as well (see related articles on Wall of Death) and also featured the lovely Krysten Knievel who sang a GREAT rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. The bikes and some tractors featured are below! The items [...]
The BEST Motorcycle Show EVER
Californiahellriders.com A MUST SEE Show They call it “Riding the Wall of Death” and no one does it better than The California Hell Riders (Californiahellriders.com). didyouweekend had a chance to meet up with them at the Dutchess Fair Grounds Antique National Motorcycle Meet. The show was free with the price of admission. We enjoyed the [...]
Monument Mountain
by Kurt reader submitted We weren’t sure what to expect when we decided to hike Monument Mountain. We were looking for a place that would offer both a fairly easy hike as well as a more challenging one. The trail head which is on the right side of route 7 coming from Stockbridge, offered just [...]
Sawteeth
Background Some of you reading this are going to be newbies to the Adirondack hiking scene, so I do need to take a minute and explain: There’s 46 “high peaks” in the Adirondacks. Actually, a few more, but some of them for various reasons are not called “high peaks.” Sawteeth is ranked 35th. That does [...]
Bash Bish Falls
Bash Bish Falls Reader Submitted by Kurt This is a good hike for families and people of all ages. We saw young children as well as a woman who looked to be in her 60′s. The path is wide the grade is usually gradual and a round trip hike is only about 1 1\2 miles. [...]
The Landis Arboretum
The Landis Arboretum http://www.landisarboretum.org/ Esperance, NY The Landis Arboretum is one of the most beautiful gardens and arboretums in New York. Spring is here, and the arboretum is in full bloom. But don’t let this place fool you: It is open year round, and has events for everyone year round. Everyone will enjoy the 548 [...]
Albany Tulip Festival, 2011
Albany’s Washington Park came alive this weekend with its Tulip Festival. Weather was touch-n-go with rain, but thousands showed up to catch the hundreds of thousands of tulips. didyouweekend was there. Here are some photos.
Kaaterskill Falls from the Top
Just some shots from the top. See related articles from the Bottom for additional information. Not many people see the view from the top because the directions are confusing. I stood a little too close to the edge to get you these shots. Please stand further back and always hike with good footing.
Kaaterskill Falls (Bottom)
Katerskill Falls (Catskills) is the tallest cascading waterfalls in New York. Off the Catskill exit of the thruway, go to intersection and make a left for several miles till you hit a hairpin turn and you will see the sign. The hike in is only half a mile or so. It is a very rocky [...]
Go Where I’ve Been
Go Where I’ve Been Rt 67 Amsterdam, NY http://www.gwibch.com/ “Awesome Polish Food Cooked From the Heart” While traveling just outside Amsterdam, NY, on Route 67 (east), I passed a small house on the right, with a red sign that read GWIB. A further inspection (ok, I spun the car around and found the immediate need [...]
Our Herkimer Getaway
My wife and I recently celebrated our 24th Anniversary and we couldn’t have picked a nicer weekend. You never know what the weather is going to be like in early April but it was just beautiful. We began our weekend by going to Little Falls NY. We spent the better part of 3 hours hiking [...]
Plotter Kill Preserve
How do we decribe Plotter Kill? A gigantic gorge with three incredible waterfalls? A touch of serenity just outside Schenectady, where you can walk but a few hundred yards and find yourself all alone, where ice bergs passed millions of years ago? Or perhaps we can call it “under estimated”, because its allure is so [...]
Rockefeller Center by Day
We have a related post, Rockefeller by night. Here is the wonderful Christmas Tree by Day. New York got blanketed by snow today. The tree found itself in the midst of a blizzard, the first of the year:) Viewer submitted. Thanks for your contributions.
Rockefeller Center by Night
Richard DiMaggio The tree this year is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Tall, proud, and brilliant. Rockefeller Center does seem to be the center of the holidays, the center of Winter. The rink. Teucher, Les Maisson hot chocolate. Radio City. And yes, the crowds. On the weekend, you cannot move. On the [...]
Moreau State Park
Moreau Lake State Park Moreau, NY Exit 17N of NYS Northway, Route 87 (about 20 minutes North of Saratoga) Camping spots available. Cabin for rent. “Top 100” Places in America to Camp Richard DiMaggio The world has discovered Moreau. Upstate New Yorkers have been going here for decades, keeping this little treasure all to themselves. [...]
Normandie Beach Club
Normandie Beach Club Your Place in the Sun! (518) 962-4750 (518) 962-2050 fax www.normandiebeachclub.com Where do we start with Normandie Beach Club: Do we start with thebeauty of Lake Champlain, evening bon fires, five star French dining….or do we start with sailing, row boating, jet skis, an in ground heated pooland beach shore with everything [...]
Schenectady Museum
THE SCHENECTADY MUSEUM Nott Terrace Schenectady, NY http://www.schenectadymuseum.org The Schenectady Museum, in Schenectady New York, is a wonderful little museum a few blocks from downtown. And it has one of the best planetarium shows we’ve ever seen—anywhere. Schenectady is home to so much history: General Electric, the Erie Canal, Proctor’s Theatre, Thomas Edison. We are [...]
Schenectady Forest Preserve
The Schenectady County Forest Preserve is located in the Town of Duanesburg on Lake Road. This is a well-marked and easy to walk trail, leading to a large beaver pond. You can fish, cross country ski, and see the old foundation and walls of James Duane’s house. Now, the following pictures are clips of the [...]
Prospect Mountain
Prospect Mountain, Lake George Just before you enter Lake George Village (on Route 9, heading north) is a small sign that reads, “Prospect Mountain”. It’s funny, but a lot of people have passed that sign and never went up! It’s called the 100 mile view–and for a reason! This is a beautiful peak in the [...]
Champlain Canal Tours
Champlain Canal Tours www.champlaincanaltours.com If you’re standing inthe middle of Saratoga, you’ll see a sign that says Route 29. Turn right onto Route 29 East, and you’ll go past a playground and a few buildings, and then, within minutes, you enter country. Real pretty country, with the Vermont mountains on your right. Where on earth [...]
HADLEY MOUNTAIN (FIRE TOWER)
HADLEYMOUNTAIN(FIRE TOWER) HADLEY, NY (30 minutes from Lake George) Hadley Mountain is just outside beautiful Lake Luzerne, about 30 minutes east of Lake George. What awaits you at the top is a fire tower, erected years ago when a series of wild fires ripped through the Adirondacks. As a kid, I remember seeing these towers [...]
Gore Mountain
Gore Mountain North Creek, NY www.goremountain.com Beautiful Gore! For those not into hiking, this wonderful mountain about a half hour off Exit 23 of I87 in NY offers a cheater’s view to the top: NY’s only gondola ride! Drive past Lake George, through beautiful Warrensburgh, and follow the signs to Rt. 28 into North Creek. [...]
Snow Mountain
SnowMountain Exit 30 of the New York State Northway, I87, is, in a way, a magical portal. After passing Lake George, only the serious seem to venture to Exit 30 and either drive straight through to Lake Placid, or stop and venture into some of the wilderness that awaits you. This is, after all, land [...]
Olana
Olana was the home of Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), one of America’s most important artists, a student of Thomas Cole, and a major figure in the Hudson River School of landscape painting. Built high on a hill near Hudson, New York between 1870 and 1891, then as now, Olana offers magnificent sweeping vistas of the [...]
Saratoga Battlefield
Saratoga National Battlefield Saratoga, NY http://www.nps.gov/sara/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm This article isn’t a lengthy, detailed article about the Battle of Saratoga. Heck, no—there’s lots of that out there already, treatises, in fact. And the government covers lots of it on its own web site, http://www.nps.gov/sara/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm But here are some neat photos of the turning point in the American [...]
Thacher Park
Thacher Park Just outside Altamont, New York, lies Thacher Park, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. There’s actually two aspects of the Park: The park itself, home to miles of hiking trails, snowshoeing, a swimming pool (the opening of which is always under scrutiny with State Budget Cuts), playgrounds, ball fields, and [...]
Cooper’s Cave
Cooper’s Cave Glens Falls, NY – Off Exit 18 of the Northway, I87 Open Memorial Day to Halloween from 9am to 8 pm Smack in the middle of Glens Falls is “Cooper’s Cave”, the cave described in the world famous book, “Last of the Mohicans” by James Fenimore Cooper. The river forks and admist the [...]
