When the dude and I made our New Year's Day list, we included quarterly weekend trips. We've been sneaking them in just under the wire. (I refered to, but did not share, our first quarter trip to D.C. in March.) This weekend we went to Hyde Park. The dude is a bit of a history geek, and he is slowly learning the intricacies of American history by dragging me to Presidential homes and libraries. (We're up to nine after this weekend.) On Saturday, we visited FDR...
Later, the dude heeded Eleanor Roosevelt: You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.And walked across the Walkway over the Hudson. (He's afraid of heights.)
We'd read that Poughkeepsie--where we traversed the bridge--had quite a hip dining scene, so we went to Rhinebeck for dinner. We had a fabulous meal and strolled around the town a bit after dinner. I think I could get the dude to go back for the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival should the right amount of sheepherding trials be present...
On Sunday, we drove out to Kinderhook to see the home Martin van Buren, our eighth president, retired to. It was a beautiful drive. In fact, Google maps kept taking us on very strange but beautiful paths.
On the way home today we drove down to Pocantico Hills to see the Chagall and Matisse windows at the Union Church (where the Rockefellers worship). This was Matisse's last ever completed project. He died two days after delivering the design.
It was a wonderful relaxing weekend. We had great weather too. I'm looking forward to our next quarter!
Wow Nikki. Sounds like a fantastic trip.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Wonderful to have all that so close at hand. I think you should go on jaunts more than once a quarter no that you've got it figured out!
ReplyDeleteOh that sounds like a fabulous trip! Why wait another quater for the next trip!
ReplyDeleteGo. To. Rhinebeck. (And, yes, there are plenty of sheepdog trails. And pumpkin chunkin, which could be interesting from an American sociology perspective for the Englishman.)
ReplyDeleteCulinary Institute of America is in Hyde Park ... and the students serve real cordon bleu meals if you are there at the right time. These are the future super chefs of America ... so next time you visit try to drop by their dining rooms.
ReplyDeleteFor a moment I thought you'd come all the way to London to visit Hyde Park!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great place and lovely to see photos of you both too.
You were so close to West Point - it's on the Hudson too. They do tours and well worth it. For those of us who care about the Rev. War, it is a neat place to go and for those of who have served or had a loved one serve in the Armed forces, it has a lot of meaning.
ReplyDeleteJHM
Have you and the Dude been to the FDR memorial in DC? It's one of our favorites.
ReplyDeleteThat was this past weekend? You had perfect weather! Great trip indeed! Love FDR's place and that whole area. Glad you got out and about and are keeping up with the quarterly trips.
ReplyDeleteI visited the Vanderbilt mansion when I was in the Girl Scouts, and for years afterwards, I aspired to live there. I am fancy like that. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood for The Dude for taking on his fear of heights.
Well, You were in my backyard but I've never done the Walkway either as I'm another one who doesn't do heights. But apparently you also missed the cross stitch shop in Hyde Park, I think it might be the only one between NYC and Canada.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the Hudson Valley, come again. Joan in NY