CECI N'EST PAS UNE CHURCH

Well...it WAS a church...but NOW it's a house. Right around the corner from us...and it's for sale!

You should definitely watch the virtual tour.

I want it! Or at least I want someone I know to get it and do something awesome with it! I mean...those windows, those floors, that hand carved front door! Huge spaces, high ceilings, perfectly weathered walls! It's basically an Anthropologie shoot waiting to happen. And there's nothing overtly churchy about it. No cross on the steeple...no religious stained glass. It's just a perfect airy loft space with character and age. Love it.

It's listed at $299,000! And apparently it not only has a big beautiful old performance space...but also a recording studio?!

Full listing details here. I'm gonna go die now.

THE QUARRY

I know...I know. ANOTHER swimming hole post?!

I can't help it! The last 6 summers I spent living in Brooklyn I barely ever saw water...and did very little frolicking outdoors...so when I find all of these amazing natural wonders up here I get REALLY excited and HAVE to share them with you.

These pictures are of an old quarry turned swimming hole. It is fed by a natural spring and the water is clear and beautiful. And it's right in Kingston...super close to our house. I have a feeling Justin and I will be seeing a LOT of this place this summer.

ANOTHER CHARMING FARMHOUSE

Did my post about Kaaterskill Creek make you want to move up here? Well, if so...you're in luck. Look at the lovely country farmhouse that just came on the market. Circa 1890, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, on 2.4 acres with seasonal Hudson River views. It has 2 fireplaces, original wood floors, ornate plaster ceilings, a big old porch, and a saltwater pool (what?!!). It's in Saugerties which is an adorable town with lots of vintage and antique stores, some cute eateries, two amazing chocolate shops, the BEST used book store, and a tiny movie theater. And it's also where Justin and I got our bikes.

This could all be yours for $279,000 or LESS. Get on it kids!

Kaaterskill Creek

New favorite swimming spot! Kaaterskill Creek.

It's pretty much perfect. There are a lot of different deep pools and waterfalls all up and down the creek...so no one spot gets too crowded...even on a hot Sunday afternoon.

And it's easy to access. No crazy hikes or trespassing.

We followed directions we found on swimmingholes.org...which tells you where to park, where to find an easy path down to the creek and provides the approximate latitude and longitude of the spot.

That's a 35 foot cliff jump above the waterfall.

And if you look closer...

...you can see a kid jumping. Justin managed to take the picture at the exact moment he leapt off!

FIELD TRIP: PHOENICIA

Phoenicia is one of my favorite summertime spots upstate. It's a quirky little town with lots of personality and plenty to do. We just spent the afternoon there with a couple of our friends from Brooklyn...and let me tell you...there is no better way to spend a super hot day than floating down the Espous Creek on an inner tube.

So, if any of you are thinking of venturing up here this summer I highly recommend a stop in this gem of a town.  Here are some things you won't want to miss:

As previously mentioned: TUBING! I know it sounds kinda lame...but seriously...it is SO fun. Just trust me.  There are a few different places to rent tubes...but we've always gone to Town Tinker Tube Rental. It's right at the top of Main Street and is charmingly no frills. For instance, if you don't have water shoes...or don't want to buy them...they have a shack full of old canvas sneakers that you can rent for a couple dollars. And the photo of the old white bus at the top of this post? That's the tube taxi. You pile in there and a crazy old hippie drives you a few miles up the road to the launch point. From there you are on your own. The voyage will be relaxing at times and downright frightening at others...so be prepared. And when you see this bridge...

...stay to the left...and start praying...because I would say there is a 25% chance you're gonna wipe out. But even wiping out is kinda fun. 

SWEET SUE'S:  Jumbo sized super fluffy pancakes in a zillion different flavors?  Yes please!  This is definitely where you want to eat.  It's pretty much legendary.  Note:  A normal stack comes with three pancakes.  You will NOT finish three of these pancakes.  No matter how hungry you are.  Order two and thank me later. 

HOMER AND LANGLEY'S  MYSTERY SPOT:  One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE vintage stores.  This place is jam packed with all kinds of gems.  Clothes, records, books, housewares, collectibles, oddities(?)....pretty much anything and everything you've ever wanted.  It's all curated by proprietress Laura Levine who clearly has an eye for the amazing...and the...umm...unusual.  But no description of mine is going to do this place justice.  You have to go see it for yourself.  And while you're there give my regards to Petey the Piranha.

Other Phoenician delights worth mentioning:

The Nest Egg general store for old timey candy, trail maps galore, some hysterical dreamcatchers, a GREAT selection of moccasins and a big display of hippie gemstone pendants for $2.99 each. Mix and match till your hearts content.  Here are the ones I got...

And Justin picked up some new summer shoes...

The Phoenicia Library has a permanent book sale going on outside...even when they're not open!  50 cents for paperbacks and 1 dollar for hardcovers.  You just drop the money in a slot and go...honor system style!  

And before you head out of town you should definitely check out the time capsule that is the Phoenicia Pharmacy.  Stuff clearly isn't flying off the shelves here.  I would say about half of their merchandise has been there since the 70s or 80s.  And it is awesome.    

Below:  Some of their more modern stock.  And by modern I mean at least it's from the LATE 80s.

And if you need a place to stay while you're in town... 

KATE'S LAZY MEADOW is where it's at.  It's a few minutes away in Mt. Tremper.  Kate Pierson from the B-52s bought it years ago and restored it to its original mid century kitschy glory...vintage tchotchkes and all.  There are suites, private cabins, and airstream trailers available. LOVE. IT. ALL.

photo credits (from top to bottom):  bus and town tinker sign by nina westervelt;  bridge by AllisonLOL - found here;  sweet sue's and the mystery spot by me;  petey the piranha by laura levine - found here;  pendants, moccasins, and phoenicia pharmacy pics by me;  kate's sign found here;  airstream found here.  and as always: if i used one of your photos and you would like me to take it down or credit you differently please let me know.  i would be more than happy to change it. xx darbie

LAZY DAYS AND VINTAGE LANTERNS

Summer is in full swing.  We've had a lot of visitors over the past few weeks...mostly refugees from the super-heated streets of NYC.  We've been doing our best to treat them...and ourselves...to a proper upstate summer.  Think:  tubing the Espous, swimming in "The Deep", hiking through Plattekill Clove, kayaking on the Hudson.  And, of course, no upstate summer would be complete without  a backyard barbecue...so we finally threw down the $69.70 for a Weber grill and have been eating lots of delicious dinners on the patio ever since.  

This has inspired me to start sprucing up our back porch.  One of the first things I did was string up some of my vintage paper lanterns with a cord of cafe lights.  It instantly made it a hundred times more lovely out there.  And they look good in the daytime and the nighttime! Win win.

FIREWORKS FESTIVAL

On the Sunday before the 4th of July the city of Kingston hosts a fireworks festival down by the water,  just a couple of blocks from our house.  We watched it with our neighbors in their backyard.  What a view!  Fireworks look especially dreamy when they are behind a silhouette of trees.