Posts Tagged ‘Oktoberfest’

Road and Water Trips for Leaf Peepers: New England, Upstate New York and the Big Apple Have Some of the Most Striking Colors This Fall

While this year’s climate vagaries of heavy rains mixed with droughts, fires and hurricanes have significantly changed weather patterns, the fall still offers a bounty of colors with deeply saturated hues that mix with bright greens.

The Beautiful Berkshires

Heading north along the winding Taconic Parkway will take you to some of the most vibrant fall foliage in New York and Massachusetts. As you head east along route 23 through Hillsdale, S. Egremont and Great Barrington, past numerous antique shops and farm settings, you’ll see the colors gradually intensify as you enter the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. The hills here become a carpet of colors, perfectly framing the historic towns along route 7 including West Stockbridge, Stockbridge, Lenox, Lee and Becket.

Courtesy Bershires.org

Consider an overnight at the historic Red Lion Inn where the backyard is filled with bright red leaves, brilliantly set against the white hotel buildings. The outdoor porch has heated lamps for dining so you can comfortably absorb the fresh air and the rich colors.

Courtesy Red Lion Inn

Add a cultural foray with visits to the Norman Rockwell Museum, The Mount and Naumkeag to drift back into the lazy days of the Gilded Age.

Catskills Scenic Byways

If you’re a fan of Dirty Dancing and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, you’ll recognize the Catskills Mountains of Upstate New York. The Catskills have more than their fair share of scenic byways so you can plan a full day of driving, stopping and photo-indulging against a colorful, winding backdrop.

Upper Delaware Scenic Byway © Eric Rowe

The acclaimed Upper Delaware Scenic Byway is a 70-mile stretch of Route 97 offering impossibly beautiful riverside vistas, rolling hills and rock-cut landscapes.

Courtesy sceniccatskills.com

The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway invites you to explore frozen-in-time towns like Bethel (think Woodstock Music Festival), Woodstock and New Paltz. Encircling the Shawangunk Mountains, The Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway is your go-to if you’re a rock climber.

Courtesy Audrey’s Farmhouse B and B

After a day of hiking, climbing or simply exploring, settle in at Audrey’s Farmhouse B and B, dating from 1740, at the foot of the ‘Gunks.

Courtesy Emerson Resort & Spa

If you prefer fly-fishing, check-in at the luxurious Emerson Resort & Spa. The staff will arrange an excursion or perhaps a massage to soothe away any driving-related kinks. Plan for a cocktail and dinner at the Woodnotes Grille by the Esopus creek.

Pawling

Two hours from New York City, Pawling is horse country with miles of open spaces, winding drives and magnificent colors. It’s relatively unknown to leaf peepers so you may find yourself with roads to yourself. Follow Route 22 to Pawling, where you’ll see the quaint train station and downtown area. Nearby Barton Orchards is the place for a selection of crisp apples, cider doughnuts and frosty cider from their onsite Tap Room. Before you leave, pick up some pumpkins, gourds and dried corn to decorate for Halloween and Thanksgiving. You can refresh at McKinney & Doyle for a substantive meal or stop at their Corner Bakery for a sweet treat.

Courtesy Barton Orchards

Hot air ballooning will give you a spectacular overview of the valley and the mountains. If you prefer a water-based vista, head to Candlewood Lake just 20 minutes away, rent a pontoon, or simply sit by the shore and marvel at the gorgeous trees. For some top-notch entertainment, check out the music schedule at Daryl’s House.

Courtesy Daryl’s House

This fall, Sonny Landreth from New Orleans, Jay and the Americans, James Montgomery Band and others are set to wow audiences eager for live music. And the venue is as intimate as they come. At the end of the day, tuck into a room at the Station Inn Pawling, an intimate B and B downtown.

The Hudson Valley

The stunning Hudson Valley is especially appealing during the fall. The area lies on either side of the 300-mile-long Hudson River, with Interstate 87 east of the river and Highway 9 to the west. You’ll pass through many small towns, with gorgeous foliage surrounding you and many dining choices and antique shops.

Courtesy travelhudsonvalley.com

Make a point of stopping in cute-as-a-button Hudson with lots of gallery hopping and antiquing possibilities like The Antiques Warehouse with more than 3000 items on offer. Rest up for the night at the exquisite Maker with its glass-enclosed restaurant or the more Bohemian Rivertown Lodge set in a former 1920’s movie theater.

Courtesy The Maker

Visit the 230-year old Tuthilltown Distillery (a.k.a. Hudson Whiskey) for a tasting before visiting Art Omi to admire the contemporary sculptures and architecture at the outdoor park.

Courtesy Art Omi

If you love art, plan a second day to tour Frederic Church’s eclectic villa Olana and the gorgeous grounds that inspired many of the painter’s scenes of the Hudson Valley.

Cooperstown

Affectionately nicknamed “America’s Most Perfect Village,” Cooperstown sits on beautiful Otsego Lake framed by trees transformed into a mosaic of colors. Baseball lovers will enjoy a reserved time slot at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and everyone can wander charming Main Street where ice cream shops and baseball souvenirs abound.

Courtesy The Farmers’ Museum

Celebrate autumn with a stroll around the lake before heading to the Fenimore Art Museum, a repository of American folk art. The Farmers’ Museum is a favorite for families with its demonstrations and exhibits of rural life in the 19th century. Be sure to refresh with a donut or moon pie from Schneider’s Bakery, satisfying hungry visitors since 1887.

Courtesy Otesaga Hotel

For a stately dinner and stay, the Otesaga Hotel is the grande dame of the town, overlooking the lake with an elegance that befits its Historic Hotels of America affiliation. If you’re traveling with kids and your visit overlaps a weekend, ask the concierge to arrange a babysitter so you can visit Cooperstown’s Brewery Ommegang for a brew or hard cider made from local apples.

Cruises for All Seasons

Don’t feel like driving? Classic Harbor Line’s Fall Foliage Cruises & Sails on elegant 1920s-style yachts will take you from the Big Apple up the Hudson River.

Courtesy Classic Harbor Cruises

You’ll be surrounded by beautiful scenery on both the New York and New Jersey sides as you sail aside the Palisades Parkway. The cruise refreshes with Champagne, beer, wine or soft drinks. Choose a brunch or luncheon cruise to add even more foliage-filled celebration with a chef-designed meal.

Courtesy The Circle Line

A second cruise along the Hudson River travels to Bear Mountain State Park on The Circle Line. The 560-mile cruise has an Oktoberfest theme with German food specials, Oktoberfest beers and even a German polka band to get you moving. The cruise leaves from Pier 83 in Midtown and is available through October 31.

© Meryl Pearlstein

As the tree colors moves south, a cruise around New York Harbor and the city’s East and Hudson rivers will show off the foliage as well as the dramatic skyline. Bateaux New York Premier Dinner cruises leave early evening in time for viewing of the changing leaves and segueing into an elegant dinner cruise with music, fine dining and a luxurious sailing.

© Meryl Pearlstein

Leave your jeans and shorts at home – this is an evening that encourages dressing up on the European-inspired yachts.

Queens bakery offers 1934 pricing this weekend

Queens bakery offers 1934 pricing this weekendHere’s a tasty tidbit to lure you to Queens this weekend.  To mark its 80th anniversary, Rudy’s Bakery and Café on Seneca Avenue, the oldest German bakery in Ridgewood, is offering baked goods at 1934 prices. The celebration on Saturday, October 25th, from 12 Noon to 5pm, coincides with Ridgewood’s “Seneca Avenue Oktoberfest Stroll”.

For 80 cents apiece, you can try miniature Jelly Donuts, Linzer Tarts, Black Forest Cake, Cheese and Cherry Strudel, and Danish.  There will also be complimentary hourly tastings, a German Band, and for the kids, Pumpkin Decorating and a Pop-Up Library.

Ridgewood (Queens) has been called the “New Williamsburg” and is the largest historical district in New York.  Firmly traditional, Rudy’s Bakery and Café also incorporates the touch of former café at MOMA pasty chef Cristina Nastasi. Those seeking gluten-free and vegan treats will not be disappointed.

Rudy's Chocolate Cake PopsRudy’s began in 1934, during the Great Depression when Ridgewood was home to mostly German immigrants who worked in the breweries and knitting factories nearby. Most had come following World War I and were generally from Gottscheer, a region of Slovenia populated by Germans who had migrated after the war. The German residents were followed in the mid-20th century by Irish, Italian, Romanian and Yugoslavian immigrants. Today the area remains multicultural with populations from Puerto Rico, Poland, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador.  905 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385, (718) 821-5890

September Street Fairs, Parades and Concerts in NYC

Fall weather means the return of street fairs, outdoor music, and parades to the city.  Here, in one place, we compile a listing of some of the most interesting ones happening throughout the city this month.  Plan your travels accordingly as street closures mean slow going in places.

92 Street Y Lexington Avenue Festival – food, music, activities and family entertainment, along one mile of Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side.  Try rock climbing courtesy of Brooklyn Boulders (86th Street), food offerings from around the world, dance and entertainment at the main stage (85th Street), activities for the younger ones at the 92Y KidCentral area (84th Street), and much more.

Sunday, September 15, 12pm-5pm
Lexington Avenue from 96th to 79th Street, Manhattan

www.92y.org/streetfest

87th Annual Feast of San GennaroItalian specialties, parades, music in Little Italy, Manhattan

Through Sunday September 22, 2013, into the late hours

Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston St
www.sangennaro.org

A spate of localized neighborhood fairs pop up over the next two weeks.  All basically offer American and international merchandise and food, art, crafts, antiques, merchandise, crowds and entertainment. Bring cash and a spirit of fun as you meander through the streets and enjoy the roasted corn, fried dough, sock stands, street art, and more.

  • Broadway Autumn Fair, Manhattan
    Saturday, September 21, 10am-6pm
    on Broadway from Waverly Place – 14th St.
  • Jerome Avenue Festival, Bronx
    Saturday, September 21, 12Noon -6pm
    on Jerome Avenue from Moshulu Parkway to Gun Hill Road
  • Bleecker Street Festival, Manhattan
    Saturday, September 21, until 6pm
    on Bleecker Street from 8th to 7th Avenues
  • Broadway Astoria Festival, Queens
    Sunday, September 22, until 6pm
    on Broadway from Steinway Street to Crescent Street
  • Grand Central Fall Fest, Manhattan
    Friday, September 27, until 6pm
    on 41st Street from Lexington Ave. – 3rd Ave.
  • Sixth Avenue Fair, Manhattan
    Saturday, September 28, until 6pm
    on 6th Avenue from 42nd St.- 56th St.
  • Forest Hills Austin Street Festival, Queens
    Sunday, September 29, until 6pm
    on Austin Street from 69th to 72nd Road

Two slightly different events in Staten Island will appeal to art and music lovers:

Staten Island Museum’s 63rd Annual Fence Show – a neighborhood art exhibition and sale.

Saturday, September 21, 11am – 5pm
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (Front Lawn)

The St. Luke’s Subway Series presents a free outdoor music concert by the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble.

Saturday, September 28, 2pm
Snug Harbor, Richmond County Savings Foundations’ Tuscan Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island

Also not to be missed is the colorful oompah-ness of the Steuben Day Parade in Manhattan, with its music, dance, costumes and floats celebrating more than three centuries of German–American friendship.  Tickets available for $15 for Grand Stand seats, www.SteubenGrandStand.eventbrite.com.

German-American Steuben Parade of New York

Saturday, September 21 – 12 Noon
Fifth Avenue, 68th Street to 86th Street
Grand Stand at 79th Street

As part of the celebration, kick off Oktoberfest in Central Park at 1:30pm at Rumsey Playfield, entrance at 72nd Street. Enjoy brews and entertainment featuring “Die Schlauberger,” “Spitze!” and other bands.  Tickets: $20 at www.SteubenOktoberfest.eventbrite.com.