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Welcome to Weekend Wanderer, a blog celebrating the well-lived weekend.

Cozy Weekend Upstate

Cozy Weekend Upstate

At the end of January, a group of friends and I rented a house in Catskill, NY for a weekend escape from the city. Our friend Sarah always uses her January birthday as a reason to gather all of our friends and to do something really fun just as the winter doldrums are starting to set in. So, when she suggested we plan a trip upstate for a weekend of drinking cocktails by a fire, we were all ready to celebrate.

We arrived late on Friday evening and, after a couple rounds of stiff Manhattans and a Chinese New Year feast of scallion pancakes, dumplings, and Asian slaw, we threw some logs on the fire and settled in for four hours of intense games of Catch Phrase and what appeared to be competitive wine consumption.  Neither this trip nor this post were sponsored by Catch Phrase but they probably should have been. 

 
 

On Saturday, after a fortifying bagel breakfast, we crossed the river to Hudson for burgers and beers at Grazin’—a fully organic diner with a nearby farm where they grow and raise almost all of the food served at the restaurant. We spent the afternoon popping in and out of antique shops, checking out the new Rivertown Lodge, and talking about what to make for dinner.

After another late night of booze and board games (and a delicious risotto, if anyone was wondering) the peak of Sunday’s activity was a long, snowy walk in the woods before heading back to Brooklyn.

 
 
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The Catskills and Hudson River Valley are rife with super cool places to stay, eat, and see. If you’re planning a group getaway and want to rent a house, there are lots of amazing properties on Airbnb and Homeaway. Or, check out Milk Barn in Hankins, NY. I follow them on instagram and the house looks like a dream. 

If you’re traveling solo or with a significant other, more and more awesome, beautifully designed boutique hotels are popping up in the area. Here are some of my favorites:

 
 
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Spring Break Style

Spring Break Style

Natural Habitat

Natural Habitat