Road Trip to Hudson, NY

We had a lovely drive from NYC to Hudson, NY. I was hoping the fall colors would be out in all their glory and I was not disappointed. I took a ton of photos through the car window along the way but, in the end, the best ones were those we took when we stopped and wandered around.

A few from the car

Scenic outlook along the Hudson River

We started looking for a place to stop for lunch and pulled off the road in Poughkeepsie.  I'm sure it's a lovely town but we did not see a restaurant that appealed to us (or should I say "to me" since I am the picky one?)

We kept going.

 Maybe we should have gone into The Derby!

I liked this attempt to make the boarded up windows more appealing.  I think maybe Poughkeepsie has seen better days.

 Next stop, Rhinebeck, and I thought The Terrapin looked just right!

It had a pretty extensive menu and for some reason, I was really craving the soul food plate.  Now, I have had some great soul food in my time and I am not sure why I thought a little place in Rhinebeck NY would necessarily be able to match it, but I couldn't resist.  I never eat like this any more--fried chicken, mashed potatoes AND mac & cheese, plus greens!  It was actually pretty darned good, the mac & cheese especially.   Chicken could have used a little more seasoning but I was happy with my choice!

We arrived in Hudson right around 3 PM, check in time at our lovely B&B, the Croff House.  Mom had the only room on the first floor, luckily, because the staircase to the second floor was steep and winding.  One of the owners, Duncan, met us at the door and showed us around, gave us lots of info, and provided us with some dinner suggestions.  He and his partner Russ were very friendly and welcoming. They live in a beautiful Victorian home right next door and popped in several times to check on guests and take care of business.

We've always enjoyed our B&B stays--it's nice to have a common area to sit and read or chat, especially when you have more than one room.  Lots better than having to cram into one bedroom and sit on the beds to talk.  And, of course, the breakfast is usually quite a bonus!

When my friend Susan and I were in NYC many years ago, we ate at a place called Mexican Radio and LOVED it. I remember the atmosphere being super cool and the food delicious. We talked about that place for a long time after.  To my surprise, Mexican Radio has expanded to Hudson so I pretty much insisted that we eat dinner there the first night.  While the restaurant was just as cool, the food was not as fabulous as I remembered.   Funny how it's so hard to duplicate one's experience, or maybe our memories just get embellished over time.  Either way, it was a disappointment and I am sure Mom and Rich wondered why I raved about it so much!

They even advertise that their flan is "the best in the world" and it has been given an award by Latina Magazine.  It was good, but it was not outstanding. At the risk of seeming completely biased, I will say that Rich  makes much better flan, so perhaps I should have the magazine folks come and taste his!  :)

We were tired after dinner so hung out in the living room of the B&B for awhile and then said our "good-nights" with anticipation of the nice breakfast we'd  have in the morning and the sights we'd see in the Hudson Valley over the next couple of days.

Lots of beautiful foliage photos coming up next!