City of Hudson NY – Why Visit?

Why Visit the City of Hudson, NY?

The City of Hudson, NY is a small city on the Hudson River about 100 miles North of New York City. It is a destination for antique lovers, the seat of Columbia County, a hotbed of the arts, one of the primary “second home” areas in the Hudson Valley for New Yorker’s who need a weekend retreat, and just a fun, friendly place. It’s an easy trip up from the city or any other spot in the Hudson Valley, close enough to the Berkshires, and totally worth the drive if you’re coming from farther away.

Why Visit the City of Hudson, NY? Answer #1

Antiques:

7 city blocks on Warren Street are populated by over 80 antique shops! Where else in the United States is there a permanent collection of dealers this large? Sure you can go to an antiques fair where booths are set up to the best of the dealers ability, they’ve only brought a portion of their inventory and it’s maybe getting soggy because you’re outside and it’s DRIZZLING! But in Hudson you’re treated to a wide array of periods and styles, American and foreign antiques and they are all merchandized to the nines. So not only do you get to see some really beautiful things (and probably find that special thing you’ve been searching for) but you get to see them merchandized beautifully. A whole new world of interior design inspiration awaits! There’s so much to see you could easily spend 3 days combing these shops without getting tired or bored. Here are just a few of the photos I took on a recent visit.  My preference tends to run towards both Mid-Century modern, folk art, and stuffed dead things so you’re not seeing it all because frankly, my friend Bob and I ran out of time in the 6 hours we’d budgeted for our trip to see everything. But the next trip I’ll focus on Early American and European stuff – I’ll bring my Dad, he digs that stuff.

Hudson Supermarket, Warren Street, Hudson NY

Insane Chandelier at 3FortySeven in Hudson, NY

Historical Materialism, Hudson, NY – I only didn’t buy these chairs because I was in the midst of moving!

12 Modern Antiquities, Hudson, NY – fabulous dead things in this shop, including a really giant moose head that was too large to hang so they had it in the middle of the floor.

Here are some more photos of Antiquing in Hudson.

Why Visit the City of Hudson? Answer #2

Good Food! There are quite a few restaurants in Hudson, NY and they’re good. Since there are a couple on each block (which is normal by NYC standards, but seriously dense by Hudson Valley standards) the competition is fierce and if you stink – you close. I haven’t been to all of them but I have been to Mexican Radio (which has an NYC location) which serves authentic mexican food (no gloppy cheese and bland fajitas here). The decor is gothic christian and orange which was a pretty bold choice and interesting to look at while you wait for your really good carnitas.

Mexican Radio, Hudson, NY

A couple of years ago my husband and I had the best meal of my entire life at DA | BA. I don’t know quite how to describe their food (they don’t do a good job of it on their website, so ignore the website and just GO THERE). We had incredible, inventive, taste packed food that night like I’d never had before. If they’d been open for lunch I would have gone again on my last visit. Alas, they only do dinner. Like them on facebook and they post what they’re making that day w/locally sourced ingredients, it’s an exquisite form of personal torture.

DA | BA Restaurant, Hudson, NY

This past visit we had lunch at American Glory BBQ. I’m no BBQ aficianado (I grew up in Maine – we eat Lobster) but it tasted great, and the best part about this restaurant is that the entire front wall opens up for alfresco dining in the nice weather. We were treated to a wandering street band while we ate. It was completely unexpected and fun, it’s pretty rare that in a tourist town locals take the initiative to create an entertaining experience for visitors just for the heck of it. Bob and I felt like we were in some twisted modern version of “Guys and Dolls” – BUT there was BBQ!

Street Musicians in Hudson as seen through the open front wall of American Glory BBQ

Why Visit the City of Hudson? Answer #3

Architecture! Long story short because Hudson was in a pretty sad slump in the second half of the 1900′s urban renewal SKIPPED Hudson. Last century’s loss has been this century’s gain. Over the past 10 years Hudson has experienced a speedy renaissance. While nearly all of the building along Warren Street (the antique district) and the surrounding streets needed renovation and updating 10 years ago, but they also had all their original details. Each building is more beautiful than the next. You walk down the streets and see gorgeous examples of every type of Victorian city architecture and inside are beautiful moldings and mantels, original flooring and plenty of space.

10 years ago I had a hunch that Hudson would become what it is today. I missed out on getting in on the ground floor of Hudson, NY Real Estate (see my full post on that). But c’est la vie…here’s the Real Estate you can buy in Hudson, NY right now which includes some incredible townhouses right on Warren Street.

Why Visit the City of Hudson? Answer #4

The Arts! Hudson has many art galleries featuring local and national artists, Hudson Opera House is now a multi-arts center, Time and Space Limited has Arts shows, music, movies, youth programs, etc, June – Sept Stageworks offers professional theatre that includes plays that are out of the regular “country canon”. Many places claim to be a home for the arts and to have a vibrant arts community, Hudson actually does.

Why Visit the City of Hudson? Answer #4

Spirit! Hudson has a great spirit. Walk down the street and you’ll feel energy.  Go into an antique shop that sells extremely high end antiques and be greeted by a dog and a friendly guy who’s chatting it up w/a local friend (no stuffy sales people in pencil skirts and pearls – I guess that would be a saleswoman – a salesman in a pencil skirt and pearls you might find, and we can hardly call that stuffy). Another shop owner might cheerfully convince you to go to someone else’s shop to find something or to go try a brownie at the newest bakery (there are 3 bakeries – you won’t want for cookies in Hudson – that’s a good thing too). The community is tight knit in a good way. Check out the Hudson “Pride” weekend.  What started as a gay pride parade has turned into a full weekend of events that is not just for the LGBT crowd but is about everyone celebrating their own pride and support for others. PLUS it’s a real big party!

Hudson’s great! Go for a visit, stay for a while, contact us if you want to look at Real Estate in Hudson. We’d love the excuse to spend a few hours showing you some of the unbelievable homes there.

City of Hudson NY – Real Estate Opportunity Missed

I’ve been visiting the City of Hudson for over ten years now. It is my great Real Estate opportunity Missed! My husband and I first went to Hudson about 10 years ago after reading some article about it being the secret spot of interior designers from the city. At that point they were keeping it a pretty good secret! There were antique shops (some with extremely high end European antiques, some junk shops with stuff pilled to the ceiling threatening to fall on unlucky customers’ heads), about 2 blocks worth, and then block upon block of once beautiful, then seriously sad and decrepit buildings. There was one restaurant close by the shops, a sad little diner in need of a decent cook and a good scrubbing (the diner has since become “Grazin” http://hungryinhudsonny.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/grazin-diner-is-open-line-up/ YUM!). That was the scene, it was a great place to get some antiques, but not a great place to do much of anything else.  BUT there was something in the air.

Fabulous Second Empire architecture in the City of Hudson, NY.

Those blocks after blocks of decrepit buildings had the nicest architectural details of any I’d seen in the Hudson Valley – especially if you’re a fan of victorian townhouses – which I am.  There were some NY transplant couples talking real estate in the sad little diner, and there were signs that a few buildings were about to be renovated.  Prices were low, low, low. Some of the townhouses on Warren Street were available for less than $80,000! They needed full and careful renovations to preserve their architectural details but come on! Less than $80,000? Long story short, my husband wasn’t biting. Too many empty storefronts, too much urban decay, too much work!

So, I have to add a Hudson townhouse to my coulda, shoulda, woulda list – the list entry? “City of Hudson NY – Real Estate Opportunity MISSED!”. Fast forward 10 years and Warren Street is hopping! Nearly every building has been renovated (the ones that haven’t been yet seem to be under renovation), there are about 5 times as many antique stores and galleries (the junky ones have basically disappeared and have been replaced w/an incredible variety of specialty stores from Eastern antiques, to Early American, to Mid-Century Modern) there are a dozen or so great restaurants to choose from, there’s a thriving arts scene. In short Hudson has become a HOTSPOT.  My best friend Bob joined me in my yearly pilgrimage a couple of weeks ago.  We had a fantastic lunch at American Glory BBQ Restaurant.

American Glory BBQ, City of Hudson, NY

We shopped nearly every store and we wandered Warren Street, me bemoaning my “City of Hudson NY – Real Estate Opportunity Missed!” Bob bemoaning how annoying I am. But how can I not bemoan when all this could have been mine for a song?!

Orange Building Warren Street City of Hudson NY

This looks like the setting for “The Little Princess”!

Warren Street, City of Hudson, NY

Street Performers in the City of Hudson, NY

See all my pictures of the City of Hudson here.

I know you’re thinking, “This place is so cool, there must be no available Real Estate in the City of Hudson now! It’s all been bought by people who don’t have a “City of Hudson NY – Real Estate Opportunity Missed!” Not so. There are some wonderful townhouses available, some right on Warren Street.  Are they under $80,000? NO WAY! Are they affordable and totally worth the money to live in this thriving, still growing, welcoming community of artists, business people, weekenders and regular Joes.  You bet. Here’s what’s on the City of Hudson Real Estate market right now. I missed my City of Hudson NY Real Estate opportunity, you don’t want to miss yours.

Where is Kingston NY?

Where is Kingston NY exactly?

See A Map and Get Directions to Kingston, NY.

Why do you need to visit immediately?

So another weekend comes and goes and you still didn’t get out of the house. You’ve thought about taking a drive, you’ve dreamt of a different lifestyle. One slightly more relaxed with a little human interaction that doesn’t involve being nudged toward the third rail on a crowded subway platform or the obligatory half-smile from the person who hands you your Starbucks every single day of your life and who’s name you don’t know.

You're Feeling Crazed, You Need An Escape From the City That's NOT an Escape to a Bear Infested Forest - You need to know WHERE is Kingston, NY?

You imagine a place where culture and countryside actually coexist and friendly neighbor is not an oxymoron. A place where you can be productive, even make a living or find a new career path.  Kingston has urban flair with just the right amount of farmstandishness. A little whacky, but oh so normal.

If you don’t religiously read the New York Times Travel section, you might not know the answer to the question “Where is Kingston NY”? You might have driven straight past it or even through it, still white knuckled from your zipcar ride over bridges that you’ve only see in pictures, probably on your way to some better known town like Woodstock NY.

OK, so what are the basic differences you ask?

Woodstock; Peace, love, rainbows, hemp, bygone music festivals, hippies, sprouts, cold pressed juice, oh so adorable shops dripping in tie-dye, street people, dog people, the reinvented people, and an unusual number of BMWs.

Where Is Kingston, NY? Not in Woodstock!

Look, I drive one too I’m not a hater but let’s talk

Kingston; Peace, fond waves, rainbows, cool shops, weird shops, pawn shops, really amazing stone buildings, beautiful Victorian houses, a business district where you can meet bygone politicians, a shopping district where you can chat with a few has-been stress cases and noticeably fewer BMWs.  What else can you see in Kingston?

Legendary musicians hanging around, the Black Crowes at UPAC, you name it. Who knew?

The food is pretty good. There are a number of passable restaurants and one or two really good ones. But if your meal is a bit provincial, Kingston NY certainly isn’t. And who cares when you are sitting on a bench feeding the ducks on the Strand in the Rondout district or staring at the blue mountains, which are literally, blue!

Dutch Reformed Church, Lucy's Tacos and The Maritime Museum. Where is Kingston? It's Where It's At!

View our photos of Uptown Kingston

So, Where is Kingston NY? On the Hudson River, at the base of the Catskill Mountains. It’s up the thruway, north, a good conversation or a few tunes on the radio and you’re here. The Trailways bus from the Port Authority will drop you off right in the middle of town in less than two hours, much less if the driver has had enough caffeine. Kingston NY Real Estate is cheap, (careful, I bought an old house too). Post your questions and I will always give you the straight answers. Everything is relative but I think Kingston New York is pretty great. Read our other post about a Walking Tour of Uptown Kingston, NY. Once you get here you just might say, “I know where Kingston, NY is! The place where I want to hang out every weekend (or even every weekday) for the rest of my life.” If that happens see what Kingston, NY Real Estate has to offer then give us a call.
P.S. Where is Woodstock NY? West, like 15 minutes!

 

 

Ulster County Real Estate – Affordable Properties under $250,000

Are there affordable Ulster County Real Estate properties for under $250,000?

You bet! There are so many different types of properties on the Ulster County Real Estate market right now priced under $250,000. Want a farmhouse? Need views? Space to roam? A historic feel? Proximity to Uptown Kingston or the Ashokan Reservoir? Here is just a small sampling of available Ulster County Real Estate, don’t see exactly what you’re looking for? Contact us!

Stone Farmhouse under $200,000 - history is yours for a song!

Historic Farmhouse in Saugerties.  Saugerties Village is just moments away – see our photos of the Village, you’ll want to become a part of the wonderful town of Saugerties TODAY.

Neighborhood Cape in Ulster

Renovated Rosendale Cottage

This one has some great modern touches.  We love the board and batten siding and the way it is echoed by the deck.

Uptown Kingston Victorian - Walk to the wonderful stockade district.

This wonderful victorian has a lot of wonderful original features and is in move in condition – see it now while the wonderful tree in the front still has its flowers. Walk to everything Uptown Kingston has to offer – not familiar with the area? Check out our post about a walking tour of Uptown Kingston, NY. Here’s another Uptown option;

Uptown Kingston Colonial

Olive Escape

Be near to the Reservior and off on your own in this charming, unique cottage. The deer and bunnies will be your neighbors and you can peacefully sit near your woodstove and dream or create.

 Need something even more affordable? There are Ulster County Real Estate properties available for under $100,000 – read our post on those. Want more information on these or any other Ulster County Real Estate properties?  Call today! We’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you have about the towns and villages we work in.

Ulster County Real Estate – Affordable Properties for Under $100,000

What’s so GREAT about Ulster County Real Estate?

One of the things Coldwell Banker Village Green agents know about Ulster County Real Estate is that there are options in every price range!  While there are plenty of luxury properties on the market in Ulster County, there are also plenty of properties that are affordable for either first time home owners or a second home “weekend buyer” who’s looking for an escape from city. We know you’re thinking “Sure, sure, this is where they begin telling me about some great fixer-uppers for around $400,000, that’s really affordable for me!” WRONG – we’re talking properties for under $100,000! If you’re putting down 20%, we’re talking about a monthly mortgage payment of around $500, you could spend that much on a bag and some shoes!

So, now we’re talking right? What can you get for around $100,000?  PLENTY!  After a quick search on the MLS, here are a few great pieces of Ulster County Real Estate for under $100,000 - click on the pictures for full listing details.

Cute Cottage in Saugerties $75,000

Kingston Cape, $79,900

61 Van Buren Street Kingston, NY. $95,000.

Neat and Tidy Saugerties Cottage with VIEWS! $97,000 - THAT'S Ulster County Real Estate

3 Bedroom Condo in the Wonderful Town of New Paltz - Squeeking into our Ulster County Real Estate under $100,000 category at $99,000.

Escape to this Ranch in Rosendale for $99,000.

This one is in BEAUTIFUL Woodland Valley in Phoenicia. Be surrounded by the Catskills, in a funky little ranch, on nearly @ ACRES for only $99,000.

This ranch is in Kerhonkson, a great place for hiking, fishing, hunting, etc. It's in very good condition too. How much? $99,900

That is just a small sampling of affordable Ulster County Real Estate.  Are any of these properties for you?  Contact Us.

Kingston New York: Uptown Stockade District Walking Tour

Even though one of our offices is right on Fair Street in the heart of Uptown Kingston, New York, and I do spend some time in that office, and I have on occassion gone to a couple of the restaurants in Uptown Kingston, I had never taken the time to actually walk around. What a wasted opportunity! I love going to living history museums like Old Sturbridge Village and Strawbery Banke Museum. I can’t beleive that the whole time I’ve been working at Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty one of our offices was basically sitting in the middle of one of these museums.  Of course no one is walking around in colonial clothing and making their own pickles in Uptown Kingston New York (although I’m considering instituting some sort of historic schmata/pickle festival!).  But the buildings are so beautiful! Almost every architectural style is represented and most of them haven’t been destroyed by unfortunate renovations and updates. When you look at the doors you can almost imagine a pickle maker, or a gracious lady (ala Downton Abbey) coming out to go make pickles or, you know, do nothing – in the way that gracious ladies did. Here are just a few of the examples of beautiful American architecture in Uptown Kingston New York. (Thanks to Tom Paradis for his great blog on Architectural Styles)

My Favorite Building in Uptown Kingston New York

A Greek Revival building on Pearl Street in Uptown Kingston New York.

Stone Colonial in Kingston New York

Here’s a map that shows the area that I covered on my walking tour on this grey March day (I had to photoshop some of the skies in these photos – just couldn’t help myself)

Historically, Kingston New York’s greatest claim to fame is being the first capital of New York. The senate building is still a museum and landmark and there are still about a dozen pre-revolutionary stone houses standing in the Uptown area, including the intersection of Crown and John Street which has an original stone house standing on each corner – and is the only such intersection left in the United States. The Senate House Museum was closed that day, but I’ll definitely make a family trip of it shortly (and give you a follow up of course).

Senate House Museum Kingston New York

The Senate House, Kingston

Pre-Revolutionary Stone Houses in Kingston, New York.

A covered walkway (technically it’s called a canopy) shelters shoppers  on  North Front Street and Wall Street where the bulk of the restaurants, shops and galleries are in Uptown Kingston.  The unique overhang has been under renovation over the last couple of years and is looking lovely, with metal roofs, skylites, and columns that change with each building for an organic feeling – it’s unique!

Refurbished Canopy Kingston

Uptown is also known for the historic Dutch Reformed Church which is over 350 years old! Surrounding the church is a beautiful courtyard with a cemetary filled with antique gravestones. Grab a coffee and muffin at Hudson Coffee Traders on Wall Street and peruse the gravestones (kids love to do grave rubbings w/paper and crayons – just a hint from the Mommy of a pre-schooler). In the summer a hot dog vendor sits outside the fence of the church and while Kingston, New York is a small city you can grab a dog and feel like you’re suddenly in Philadelphia or Greenwich Village.

Dutch Reformed Church Cemetary Gravestone

Dutch Reformed Church Kingston Steeple

Dutch Reformed Church Kingston

Governor George Clinton Monument Kingston

If you’re into slightly more modern architecture check out the landmark Stuyvesant Hotel on Fair Street, it was recently renovated and is an imposing anchor for Uptown.

Stuyvesant Hotel Kingston New York

I saved the best for last.  I love this building (you’re going to have to take your own Kingston New York Uptown Stockade District Walking Tour to find it!) because for some reason it reminds me of the Doctor’s Office in the BBC series “Doc Martin” – it’s like a little bit of Cornwall, England plunked itself down in New York!

Doc Martin House

So right about now you’re thinking “Wow! Uptown Kingston is COOL! Let’s move there!” right? Here are a few properties that are available in Uptown Kingston at the moment. Contact a Village Green agent to see one of them and/or see what else is available in Uptown.

186 Fair Street, Kingston, New York

     

25 Mountain View Avenue, Kingston, New York

207 Wall Street Kingston, New York

193 Pearl Street, Kingston, NY

Woodstock Shops: Day 2

Self-professed anti-shopper hits the Woodstock Shops….again.

A couple of days have gone by since my last foray out into the wild, wild world of Woodstock retail. I headed out of the office and down Tinker Street. There are several really nice clothing boutiques in Woodstock, but I was honestly not in the mood for clothes today.  So I headed for something I’m always in the mood for – BOOKS.  It’s always been a fantasy of mine to own a small bookstore. Independent bookstores are few and far between in this age of amazon.com and Barnes & Noble stores full of books on cupcakes. Woodstock is lucky enough to have a great independent bookstore to save us from having to peruse shelf upon shelf of books on cupcakes, The Golden Notebook. The Golden Notebook has been around since 1978. They host weekly author events and thoughtfully select their inventory. This is a bookstore where you can still get a recommendation on a book by someone who’s read one lately!

The Only Cupcake Book at Golden Notebook

Next?  Well, I’m always in the mood for books and I’m always in the mood for CHEESE!!! I’m supposed to avoid dairy, but what better excuse is there for a nibble of cheese than profiling all the Woodstock shops? One of which just happens to be C’est Cheese.  C’est Cheese is a small gourmet cheese shop right on Tinker Street.  They sell regional and imported cheeses that are YUM!

This lovely and super friendly “fromager” offered me a taste of Hudson Red a soft, natural rind cheese that is made in Ghent, NY. It was delicious. I didn’t stay for lunch but they do have a sandwich menu featuring their cheeses which is reputed to be aaaweeeesoooome.

Conveniently located next door is Woodstock Wines and Liquors so you can get your gourmet on all at once.  I’m not going to even pretend to know anything about wine….sorry. But it’s a nice shop with lots of wine that is well displayed and well dusted. I’ll try to find someone who knows about wine to tell you all if they have a nice selection or not.

The time had come….clothes, but tempered a bit because a I went to Loominus Handwovens which does sell clothing but it is also art.   Loominus has handwoven scarves and clothing which is woven on-site. An artist was working on a scarf when I came into the shop which gave the store a feeling of life and energy that not many retail shops have. I’m a fairly crafty person (although I tend more towards glitter than earthy things like weaving) and I have great patience for projects, but I am in awe of weavers.  How they can have the patience to prepare the loom even before they begin weaving is beyond me! While Loominus’ goods are fairly expensive (around $200 for a scarf) they’re well worth it when you consider all the work that went into making them.

Next I headed back across Tinker Street to Chez Grandmere. You can almost always find Misty, the proprietress of Chez Grandmere behind her chocolate counter. She sells wonderful chocolate, whenever we’re having a wildly stressful day at the office one of us runs down the street for a box of chocolate to share. Chez Grandmere also specializes in French Country style furniture and home goods.

Misty of Chez Grandmere

The best stocked home goods shop in Woodstock is the Guilded Carriage. They have everything from tea to tableware and it is all displayed so artfully it’s as stimulating and going into any of the galleries. I did have a mission when I went into the Guilded Carriage.  I have a pot that I bought at Williams Sonoma just before I got married almost 10 years ago and the other day the disk on the bottom of it separated from the rest of the pot.  I use it a couple of times a day because it is perfect for almost everything and I was sadly looking for a replacement. The owner of The Guilded Carriage while helping me look for a new pot, got the skinny on my old pot and suggested that I contact William Sonoma and ask them to replace it.  That’s service! Missing out on a sale in favor of truly helping a customer. I didn’t buy the replacement pot (I’m really hoping to get the identical twin of my beloved pot!) but I was immediately converted to a future customer. The store,s beautiful – here are some shots.

 

Last but not least I headed over to Woodstock Hardware. I go in there all the time – we’re big time DIYers. This is the cleanest, most well-organized hardware shop I’ve ever been in. The square footage is tight, but they’ve got everything you need for every project packed in there and organized intuitively. The best part of the store is that they have the greatest old-fashioned customer service.  You walk in and someone immediately asks if they can help you, then, COMES OUT FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER and helps you find EVERYTHING you came in for in a friendly non-patronising way (I never can remember the names of tools I need – I know how to use them, just not what they’re called and the guys there always patiently wait for me to explain what “thingy” puts what kind of “goop” onto another “thingy” then they find me both the “goop” and the “thingy” I need). It’s a little tough to get pictures in there because everything is packed right in…and let’s face it you have to be arty when you’re taking pictures of hammers.  So, forgive the slight artiness here.

That was the end of my alloted shopping time for one day.  Next up? NEW Woodstock Shops! Stay tuned. For more information on living in Woodstock and the Catskills visit our site.

Amy Wallace