September 2021 - NY Foodie Family

October Events in Westchester County

Posted on September 27, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Here is your calendar of October Events in Westchester County. I’ve included events taking place in the surrounding area that look to be worth checking out! Hope you enjoy a month filled with fall fun!

Comedy:

Levity Live (Palisade Center – West Nyack) Enjoy a comedy show at Levity Live in October. Upcoming shows include Chris Kattan (October 1-3), Aries Spears (October 8-10), Brad Williams (October 15-17), Arnez J (October 22-24) and Liza Treyger (October 28-30).

Jay Mohr (Paramount Hudson Valley – Peekskill) October 2: 8 PM, see Jay Mohr live at the Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill. Tickets: $27.50-$42.50

Anthony Rodia (Paramount Hudson Valley – Peekskill) October 15: 8 PM, see Italian-American comedian Anthony Rodia live at the Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill. Tickets: $25-$35

Date Night/Girls Night Out:

VR After Dark Dance Party (Yorktown Heights) October 9 and October 23: Imagine VR Studios 8 PM – close, dance to hip hop, EDM, Latin, Reggae and more. Tickets: $25 includes 1 hour of VR, $10 without VR

Rocky Horror Picture Show with Apoca-Lips Shadow Cast (Paramount Hudson Valley – Peekskill) October 30: Come experience the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Rated R – children under 17 not permitted without parent. Tickets: $10

Eat & Drink:

Taste of Westchester Cooking Demo Classes (restaurants throughout Westchester County) enjoy cooking demos from local chefs and then sample their creations. October classes include: October 2: Chutney Masala Indian Bistro (Irvington), October 5: Southern Table Kitchen & Bar (Pleasantville), October 6: GoSu Meats & Noodles (Irvington), October 12: Sonora (Port Chester), October 13: El Barrio (Scarsdale), October 18: Meraki Taverna (Armonk), October 19: Wood. Fire. Wood (Yorktown Heights), October 26: AJ’s (New Rochelle), October 28: The Horse & Hound Inn (South Salem)

More Than a Meal (Bethel) October 3, 15, 16, 17: Enjoy this unique dining experience at Bethel Woods in the Market Sheds. 5 PM, Chef Jasper Alivia serves a family-style, prix-fixe meal at your private, reserved table. Specialty cocktails and conversation with Neal Hitch, Senior Curator at the Museum of Bethel Woods. Tickets: $55/person

The Big Sip (Bethel) October 9 & 10: Enjoy a day of sampling wines and craft beverages, an eclectic food court, and live music. 1 PM – 5 PM, 21+ Tickets: Saturday: $45/general admission, $25/designated driver, Sunday: $40/general admission, $20/designated driver. VIP tickets that include early admission, multi-course dining experience and admission to the Museum at Bethel Woods Saturday: $85, Sunday: $80 *ticket prices increase by $5 the day of the event

Peekskill Brewery’s 13th Anniversary Block Party (Peekskill) October 16: Enjoy live music, food trucks, beer tents, games and more to help celebrate Peekskill Brewery’s 13th Anniversary.

Night Market at Decadent Ales (Mamaroneck) October 30: Beginning at 3 PM enjoy food and drinks from several different vendors.

Fairs & Festivals:

Croton-on-Hudson Fall Festival (Croton-on-Hudson) October 2: 12-6 PM first ever fall festival at Vassallo Park. Music performances, food trucks, children’s activities

Yorktown Festival & Street Fair (Yorktown) October 10: 11 AM – 5 PM, enjoy a day filled with food, music, activities for the kids and more. Taking place at Jack DeVito Veteran’s Memorial Field.

New Rochelle ArtsFest (New Rochelle & Pelham) October 15-17: Enjoy gallery shows, live music, films, dance performances and more. Highlights will include artists’ open studios and activities at dozens of public and private venues.

Greenburgh Nature Center Fall Festival (Scarsdale) October 23 & 24: 10 AM – 3 PM Dress in your Halloween costumes and enjoy games, vendors, live music, a pumpkin and scarecrow walk and more. Admission: $5/members, $8/nonmembers. Pre-registration required.

Oktoberfests:

Oktoberfest at the Jefferson Valley Mall (Yorktown Heights) October 1: 6 PM – 11 PM, celebrate the grand opening of the new beer garden outside Peekskill Brewery Pizza & Beer. Enjoy craft beer, pretzels, bratwurst, food trucks, games and more.

Oktoberfest 2021 at Putnam Golf Course (Mahopac) October 1: 6:30 PM, featuring The Amish Outlaws. Enjoy a traditional German menu of bangers, knockwurst, kielbasa and more. Cash bar and beer tent onsite. Tickets: $29/person in advance, $35/person at event, free/children 7 and under, children 8-12, half price

Oktoberfest in the Park (South Salem) October 16: 2 PM in Lewisboro Town Park

Halloween:

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze (Croton-on-Hudson) September 17-November 21: The Historic Hudson Valley’s famous fall event is back. 18th century Van Cortlandt Manor is decorated with 7,000 hand carved jack o’lanterns. Entry is by pre-purchased timed tickets only. No tickets are sold at the event. Tickets: $40/adult, seniors (65+) and students (18-25 w/ID), $32/children (ages 3-17)

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Brick-or-Treat (Yonkers) October 1 – November 7: Get into the Halloween spirt with fun activities including brick-or-treating around the attraction, a MINILAND scavenger hunt, character meet and greets, monster training and more. Tickets: $19.99/one day, $23.99/admission plus collectible

Irving’s Legend (Irvington) October 1 – 31: Friday-Sunday only, 6:30 PM, 8:00 PM, 9:30 PM. Advance tickets required. Performed under the stars at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, enjoy seeing the classical tale performed by master storyteller Jonathan Kruk. Tickets: $40/adult, $34/children (3-17)

HallowGlow Nights at Boundless Adventures (Purchase) October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (Saturday evenings in October): Wear your Halloween costume while you climb. Creepy music will be playing and there will be candy for trick-or-treaters. 6 PM – 11 PM, $50/person for a 2 hour session

The Dark House (Garrison) Oct. 7 – 31: This is an immersive sensory experience. “As the story goes, you and a team of your “friends” aim to disprove emphatically that there is no such thing as ghosts by spending the night in a long rumoured haunted house. The story is told to you through your audio headset as you navigate the space by following the “umbillicals.” You will hear, taste, smell and touch the world around you as your “guides” activate tactile elements at key inflection points in the audio to make it all come to horrifying life.” Ages 14+ The Philipstown Depot Theatre. Tickets: $30-$35/ticket, advanced tickets only.

Halloween Craft Time (Ossining) October 9: Create some Halloween themed craft critters. 11 AM – 12:30 PM, $3/members, $8 non-members. Limited to 12 participants.

Peace Love and Pumpkins (Bethel) October 15-31: This is a walk-through experience on the historic Bethel Woods grounds. See hand-carved jack-o-lanterns, glowing pumpkin art and more. 6:30 – 10 PM, Tickets: $20/adults, $10/youth (3-17)

Cross County Shopping Center Trunk or Treat (Yonkers) October 23: Available in 1-hour time slots (10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm).Free, but tickets must be reserved in advance, available on a first come, first serve basis.

Spooky Sweets and Succulents (Yorktown Heights) October 23: Auntie Liana’s Kitchen and Vintage & Vine are hosting a Witchy Tea Party. Plant a succulent, enjoy a tea party. Costumes are encouraged. 4 sessions starting at 12 PM. $20/child.

Enchanted Forest at Teatown (Ossining) October 23, 24, 30, 31: Enjoy a guided adventure walk, “featuring a cast of whimsical characters and familiar forest friends.” Tickets include a 30-minute guided walk, parking, a treat for children and a visit with the Teatown animal ambassadors. For families. Costumes encouraged, but optional. Tickets: Members: $13/child, $8/adult, Non-members: $16/child, $10/adult

Ghost Tours of the Music Hall (Tarrytown) October 24, 27 & 28: Enjoy a special “balcony to backstage” guided ghost tour to learn more about the secrets of the Tarrytown Music Hall theater, it’s intriguing history and the ghostly guests. Flashlights will be provided for all attendees compliments of sponsor Key Bank. Tickets: $25 – Please arrive 15 before scheduled tour time – No late entry will be permitted.

Halloween Party at the Greekish Nyack (Nyack) October 28: Party with the Greekish Nyack. Festivities include a costume party, food and drink specials and a DJ. Party starts at 8 PM.

Jefferson Valley Mall Trunk or Treat (Yorktown Heights) October 29: Get the kids in their costumes and enjoy a candy crawl from 5-7 PM in the Macy’s parking lot.

Boo & Brew (Yorktown Heights) October 29: Enjoy food trucks, live music, a haunted hay ride, arts & crafts, face painting, bouncy houses and more. Taking place in front of PB Pizza & Beer at the Jefferson Valley Mall. 5PM – 10 PM

Broadway Fright Night (White Plains) October 30: The White Plains Performing Arts Center will showcase a celebration of songs from Broadway and off-Broadway musicals with supernatural, horror and sci-fi themes. 8 PM, Tickets $35-$55

Halloween Party at Hudson Grille (White Plains) October 30: Put your costume on and enjoy a night of dancing at the Hudson Grille. Prizes for best costume and giveaways all night. Party starts at 9 PM. $15/ticket includes 1 drink (select beer, wine or well cocktail)

Kids:

Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (Chappaqua) October 2: 10 AM – 4 PM. Meet authors and illustrators of some of your favorite children’s books. Enjoy live storytimes, author talks, food trucks, a family fun zone and more. Free.

Movie Night at Lasdon Park (Katonah) October 2: Watch “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.” Gates open at 6 PM, movie starts at 7 PM. Arrive early and stroll the gardens. Food available for purchase from Walter’s Famous Hot Dogs. Tickets: $5-$10

Imagination Movers (Paramount Hudson Valley – Peekskill) October 9: 11 AM. The New Orleans-based alternative rock band for preschoolers is coming to the Paramount.

Teen Night at VR Studios (Jefferson Valley Mall – Yorktown) October 15: 6-8 PM, $30/ticket includes unlimited access to all standard and premium VR experiences, voucher for ticket and pizza. Ages 9 -15.

Westchester County Parks Screening Under the Stars: (Valhalla) October 15: Watch the movie Goosebumps at the Kensico Dam. $25/car, movie starts after dark

Westchester County Parks Screening Under the Stars: (Croton-on-Hudson) October 22: Watch the movie Hocus Pocus at Croton Point Park. $25/car, movie starts after dark

Muscoot Movies: (Katonah) October 30: Enjoy a family movie night at Muscoot Farm. The Mummy will be showing at 6 PM. Bring a blanket or chairs. $20/family, pre-registration is required.

Live Music & Performances:

Tunes & Brews (Yorktown Heights) – October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: PB Pizza & Beer and the Jefferson Valley Mall bring live music, craft beer and food trucks every Friday night from 7-10 PM.

ArtsBash Benefit Concert with Ravi Coltrane (White Plains) October 7: This is ArtsWestchester outdoor fundraiser, previously postponed. Enjoy an evening of jazz music under the stars with Ravi Coltrane. Enjoy cocktails, live music and hors d’oeuvres, 6 PM – 9 PM. Tickets: $100/individual, $85/ArtsWestchester members

Masquerade (White Plains) October 8-24: This show features stories and songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s remarkable life and celebrated work. Performed at the White Plains Performing Arts Center. Performances are at 2 PM and 8 PM on select dates (please check calendar). Tickets $39-$61.

One, Two, Heart You! Music Festival (Peekskill) October 9: Enjoy live music from 10 different bands from 12 PM – 10 PM. Taking place on Esther Street in Peekskill.

Concerts at Bethel Woods (Bethel) A little further to travel but some great musicians worth checking out play here. In October you can see: The Outlaws (October 3), New Power Generation (NPG):Featuring the Music of Prince (October 15), Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes (October 16), Marty Stuart (October 17).

Capitol Theatre (Port Chester) October’s lineup includes: Blues Traveler (October 7), Phil Lesh & Friends (October 9-11, October 18-20, October 29-31), Elvis Costello & the Imposters (October 25 -26), The Greatest Hits of Foreigner (October 27) *Check the site for the full lineup.

Emelin Theatre (Mamaroneck) October’s lineup includes Bria Skonberg (October 2), Lisa Loeb (October 14), Leo Kottke (October 17) and more *Check the site for the full lineup

Paramount Hudson Valley (Peekskill) Music is back at the Paramount. October’s lineup includes: Stella Blue’s Band (October 1), Motherland featuring Eva Sita (October 9), Destination Motown featuring the Sensational Soul Cruisers (October 16), Almost Queen (October 22), No Quarter: a Tribute to the Led Zeppelin Legacy (October 23), Orleans (October 29)

Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown) October’s lineup includes: Toad the Wet Sprocket (October 1), The High Kings (October 2), The Monkees Farewell Tour (October 20) *Check the site for the full lineup

Shopping:

Westchester County Parks Spraing Ridge Ultimate Garage Sale (Yonkers) October 2: 9 AM – 3 PM, Sprain Brook Park

Westchester Craft Crawl: Fall Tour (Croton and Ossining) October 2-3: Visit four different tour stops to shop from 48 professional craft artists,10 AM – 5 PM. Pick up your passport, visit all four stops and have them stamped and be eligible to win one of 25 prizes.

Hudson Valley Farm + Flea (Monroe, NY) October 9: 10 AM – 4 PM, Shop makers of farm fresh foods, vintage collectors, home & garden, mixologists, jewelry, art, bath & body & much more. Music and food. Entry fee $5.00, children 12 and under free

October Moon Faire (White Plains) October 17: Hosted by The Healing Collective NY and Wild Rabbit Apothecary. 12 PM – 4 PM, Shop local makers of hand made and eco-friendly products, psychic readings, energy healers and more. There will be a collection for SNARR Northeast. Bring a bag of dog food or roll of paper towels and receive a free cup or cold brew or spiced cider. Free admission.

Music Hall Vinyl Record Sale (Tarrytown) October 30 & 31: 10 AM – 4 PM, Tarrytown Music Hall is holding their Vinyl Record sale with all proceeds benefiting the Tarrytown Music Hall.

Other Fun:

Jewish Film Festival 2021 (Pleasantville) September 30 – October 14: The Jacob Burns Film Center is featuring 24 different films from Israel, the US and other countries around the world. Live virtual Q&A sessions will be held for several of the films. Check out the schedule for films and times. Tickets per film: $11 members, $16 non-members

Taco Trot 5K (Yorktown Heights) October 10: 9:45 AM, Run or walk the 5K and then enjoy complimentary tacos. rain or shine $35/participant

Westchester Park Bicycle Sundays: (Bronx River Parkway) October 17, 24 and 31: 10 AM – 2 PM, Bronx River Parkway

The Sound For All Foundation Sound Bath (Peekskill) October 21: Participate in a sound bath at Lile & Rose Collective Wellness Center in Peekskill. 7 PM, $20/person. Limited space so reserve your spot hello@lileboutiquespa.com. There will be tea, snacks and a 10% discount on retail items in the boutique.

Bedford Playhouse Splendor In The Grass: Hollywood Green (Bedford) October 23: Attend the 23rd Annual Bedford Playhouse Gala. 6:30 PM cocktails, 7:30 PM dinner and dancing. Attire is Old Hollywood Glamour, black tie optional. Tickets: $250-$1,000

Five on Friday {Welcome Fall!}

Posted on September 24, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

*This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the blog!*

Happy Friday! I am so excited that fall is officially here! It’s my favorite season an I love everything about it – pumpkin spice, cozy sweaters, fall foliage, the cooler weather. It’s been a rude awakening adjusting to the kids’ crazy schedules these past couple of weeks. By Friday, I’m dragging! But we are surviving! Here are five from this week:

1. Supper Club – Saturday night we had a supper club gathering, the first one since before the pandemic. We went with a salad and sandwich theme (one of each per couple) and ate outdoors. It was a delicious evening! I made this Peach Mango Caprese Salad and my husband made a vegetarian Muffuletta. I bought the peaches and tomatoes for the salad from the Peekskill Farmers Market. The peaches were perfectly ripe and this salad was such a great end of summer treat. We ate so much food and we were so stuffed!

2. NYC – Sunday my husband and I went into NYC for the first time in almost two years. We went to see Curtain Up! Broadway is Back – a celebration of the reopening of Broadway. We got to see numbers from many of the shows that are reopening or will start previews. The top of my to-see list includes Wicked, Dear Evan Hanson and Six. Do you have a favorite Broadway musical?

3. Reading – This week I finished The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon. It was a fun contemporary romance about two co-workers who host a dating show.

4. Cooking – Cooking is not too exciting as I try to find quick and easy dinners. With two kids in two different sports, weeknights are busy! Just in time for fall we enjoyed these pumpkin pancakes. I didn’t add the ginger or allspice, since I’m not a fan of those spices. Breakfast for dinner is always a hit with the kids and these were a perfect way to celebrate fall. I also made Tofu and Brown Rice Lettuce Wraps and Sheet Pan Cauliflower Fajitas.

5. Watching – This week my husband and I binged the first season of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. I now know why this show won so many awards. It is SO good….and I’m not a big football (soccer) fan! I want to savor the second season, which I know we will watch a lot of this weekend. It’s been renewed for a third season, so there is something to look forward to.

6. Eating – Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Did you know you get a free doughnut at Krispy Kreme when you show your vaccination card?! If you have never had a fresh, hot Krispy Kreme doughnut, you must!

I had a free birthday pastry reward from Panera Bread so I got this Chocolate Croissant this week. I had never had one from the before and it was very good!

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Five on Friday {Happy Birthday to Me}

Posted on September 17, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday and happy birthday to me! Thursday was my birthday and I had the day off of work for Yom Kippur! I’ve never made a huge deal about my birthday, and especially so as an adult. However, this year, my husband and I went away for a one night getaway to the Roxbury Motel. We had not been away for a night by ourselves since my birthday two years ago! It’s good that we got in some quiet relaxation time, because this weekend is going to be a busy one! Here are five from this week:

1. The Roxbury Motel – We first visited the Roxbury Motel two years ago for our anniversary. Each room in the motel has a different theme. Last time we stayed in Maryann’s Coconut Cream Pie room. This time, we stayed in the Flintstone room. I felt like we were in the Flinstones! Rooms book up here so far in advance and this was a pretty last minute trip so I’m glad we got a theme room at all. The amount of detail that the owners, Greg and Joe, put into each room is unbelievable. Pictures don’t do it justice and I will hopefully have some Instagram reels coming soon.

2. Spa Time – Due to COVID The Roxbury isn’t offering spa services, like massages, which we got on our anniversary trip. They have two small spas, one at the Roxbury and one at their newest property, the Roxbury at Stratton Falls, a couple of miles up the street. For $20/person per stay, you can have access to both of the spas. During COVID, they make you reserve the spa rooms, which you get all to yourself! Sadly, we only stayed for one night, but we made the most of our spa passes. We enjoyed hot tubs, saunas, the steam room and the heated pool. We also had this beautiful relaxation room to ourselves where I got to get in some reading time.

3. Reading – This week I finished The Guncle by Steven Rowley. It was a great read and was more serious than the cover lets on.

4. Cooking – Some of this week’s dinners included Spaghetti with Crispy Zucchini and Vegan Swedish Meatballs over egg noodles, using Impossible Ground Burger crumbles.

5. Watching – My husband and I started watching Only Murders in the Building. It’s a dark mystery-comedy series on Hulu that we’ve been enjoying. I don’t like how Hulu presents their original series by releasing 3 episodes in the beginning and then only releasing one new episode a week. You can’t binge watch!!

6. Dog Walking – Sunday our family walked dogs with A Good Dog Rescue. They are always looking for volunteers to come out and join the Pack Walk on Sundays at 10 AM. Volunteers walk a dog on a 1 ½ – 2 hour walk (with a big rest stop!). All the dogs that are walked are adoptable. Since we are not getting a dog, no matter how much my kids ask, this is a great alternative. We all had a great time. This is me with Jasper, who was active, but such a mush.

7. Hike – The Roxbury at Stratton Falls has its own little hiking path for hotel guests only that leads to Stratton Falls. I LOVE waterfalls and this was a good one!

8. Eating – My husband and I shared a Goat Cheese Salad and this White Shrimp Pizza from Chappie’s. This restaurant is within walking distance to the Roxbury, so we opted to dine here and the food is pretty good.

We stopped at Maeve’e Coffee Shop on our way home for a quick bite to eat. We weren’t super hungry so we shared this fried platter that had fried green beans, fried avocado, french fries and fried cheese curds served with a sriracha dipping sauce. It was really good!

9. Drinking – When I saw that Maeve’s Coffee Shop had chai milkshakes I had to get one!

Since my husband let them know our stay was to celebrate my birthday, the Roxbury left us a split of champagne in the room fridge. We ended up using it in the morning to make mimosas to enjoy with our breakfast!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared my August Reads.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

August Reads {2021}

Posted on September 14, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

It’s sad that summer is unofficially over. While I had high hopes of getting a lot of reading done this summer, it just didn’t happen. Last month I only read 4 books! Here are my August reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly book linkup:

3 stars:

The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis (Contemporary Fiction, July 2015) Three sisters make their annual summer trip to the family house on Cape Cod. This year brings many challenges as they each have a lot going on in their lives. I picked this book off the “Take a Book, Leave a Book” shelf at work and decided to read it since it had “summer” right in the title. Overall, it was an okay summer read.

4 stars:

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (YA/Poetry, May 2020) Told in verse, this YA novel tells the story of two sisters that don’t know about each other until their father dies. I think this may be one of the first books that I’ve read that is set (partially) in the Dominican Republic. This is my first book by the author, but won’t be my last.

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing (Mystery/Thriller, July 2021) A teacher at a prestigious private school wins the Teacher of the Year Award. When a parent ends up dead, it looks like murder. But who did it? The book, told from multiple POVs had me guessing and engrossed to find out what was going on. This is my first book by Downing, though a couple are on my to read list. I just learned that this book is becoming an HBO Max series.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (Historical Fiction, March 2020) At 17 years old, a young woman runs away from her abusive marriage and eventually makes her way to Jaipur where she becomes a well known and respected henna artist. She doesn’t know that she has a 13 year-old sister, until said sister arrives on her doorstep. She then struggles to raise her sister and keep her business prosperous. I enjoyed learning more about the significance of henna in the Indian culture. The sequel to this book was recently published, which I will have to read.

Five on Friday {September 10, 2021}

Posted on September 10, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! We enjoyed a nice five days off from work and school. Unfortunately, my daughter had a field hockey game Saturday and practice Tuesday and Wednesday, which prevented us from going away on any kind of trip. We were supposed to go upstate for a one night stay to visit Herkimer and some state parks. But the weather forecast was predicting rain and everything we wanted to do was outdoors. So we canceled our hotel reservation at the last minute. We still managed to have some great days off though! Here are five from this week:

1. Bike Ride – Saturday we rented bikes from Leisure Ride rental in Poughkeepsie. We enjoyed a family bike ride on the Dutchess Rail Trail. The last time I was on a bike I was probably a teenager myself. But surprisingly, just like they say, it comes back to you! It was a fun experience and something we had never done before as a family.

2. Reading – I finished two books this week! It took forever, but I finally finished We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. I also took One Last Stop back from my daughter and finished it over the weekend. Of the two, I recommend One Last Stop. It’s a lighter, romance read.

3. Cooking – this week some of our favorite dinners included Cheesy Zucchini Quesadillas

and this Vegan Taco Pasta.

4. Watching – Friday night we had a family movie night and watched Luca. Overall we thought it was just an okay movie but I did like the ending. Honestly, I just enjoyed having all four of us watching a movie together with no one on their phones! It’s really the little things!

5. Eating – we enjoyed macarons from Amanda’s Macaron Shoppe up in Poughkeepsie. They have such interesting macaron flavors. We tried Lavender Honey, Cherry Limeade, Peach, Rainbow Cookie, Salted Caramel and Spicy Pickle. Yes, that green macaron is spicy pickle flavored and it was actually very good!

We also shared this Glazed & Confused milkshake from Spoons Ice Cream.

We got Vietnamese takeout from Saigon Pho in Wappingers Falls. My son had a banh mi and my daughter, husband and I shared vegetarian pho, fried rice and this vermicelli. It was too much food, but it was so good!

6. Listening – I binge listened to the new episodes of The Dropout. This podcast covers the Elizabeth Holmes Theranos story. I find it so fascinating that she was able to convince people that she had a viable product. I had listened to the first six episodes when they first came out almost a year and a half ago. The newer episodes are now covering the trial.

7. Hike – my husband and I went on a Labor Day hike. We wanted to visit Constitution Marsh but the parking lot was closed so there was no way for us to access it. We ended up visiting Hudson Highlands State Park and hiked Little Stony Point. We got some spectacular Hudson River views for very minimal effort!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted about the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge

Posted on September 7, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Do you know how much food your family throws out every week? The produce that went bad, the leftovers that never got eaten, the expired yogurt? According to Foodprint.org, households are responsible for the largest portion of food waste. Janet Irizarry of Hudson Valley EATS is working to help combat household food waste with the first ever Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge.

A Little Bit More About Janet

Janet has always worked in the restaurant and food industry. This past year she launched “Cooking For a Cause”, where local Hudson Valley chefs gave virtual cooking demonstrations of some of their signature dishes. This was a fundraiser with profits from ticket sales going to nonprofits helping feed families in need. She started her blog Hudson Valley EATS in 2016 to highlight local restaurant chefs and food entrepreneurs. Recently, she has shifted the focus of the website to become more of an interactive food community, where readers can contribute articles, recipes and more.

Why Have A Food Waste Challenge?

Janet is hoping to bring more awareness to the amount of food that Hudson Valley households waste. She is also looking to educate families in significantly reducing their “foodprint” by giving them strategies to reduce their food waste. Although food waste challenges are not new, this is the first food waste challenge focused specifically on the Hudson Valley.

How long Is The Challenge?

The challenge is 6 weeks, running from September 20 – October 31st.

How Do I Join the Challenge?

You can join the challenge by signing up via the website. There is a $25 registration fee per family that provides access to an online community, all of the resources for the challenge including articles, videos and worksheets, a t-shirt and a chance to win some prizes.

The only supplies you need for the challenge are small garbage bags, a small kitchen scale and the desire to reduce your food waste.

How Does The Challenge Work?

Each week there is a different topic related to food waste as well as challenges, questions and activities. Participants will be asked to complete a survey and track their food waste.

There is a social aspect to the challenge as well with an interactive community, social media hashtags and more.

At the end of the challenge prizes will be awarded to participants.

Why Should You Participate in the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge?

A recent study showed that the average American household wasted almost 32% of its food. The annual cost of this wasted food is almost $2,000. I think we can all do better at reducing the amount of food we waste. The Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge is giving families the tools they need to learn how to reduce their “foodprint.” Even a small number of people can make a big impact.

I’ve been an advocate of food waste and have posted about the Too Good To Go App as well as the television show Scraps with Joel Gamoran. While I try my best to avoid food waste, I know there is always something new to learn.

I am looking forward to hopefully joining many of you in participating in the Hudson Valley’s first food waste challenge. You can sign up here. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the organizer, Janet Irizzary, at janet@hudsonvalleyEATS.com. You can read more about the challenge in the press release and on the Hudson Valley EATS website.

Five on Friday {Back to school}

Posted on September 3, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! The kids had their first day of school (yesterday for my daughter, today for my son) so summer is officially over for us. Thank you Hurricane Ida for bringing us torrential downpours earlier this week! Fortunately, we were lucky and didn’t experience basement flooding or lose electricity, like many other families and businesses in Westchester County. My daughter has her first field hockey games of the season today and tomorrow (yes, they play or practice on Saturdays!). We have a long weekend with Labor Day and the Jewish holidays, so we have a quick one night getaway planned. I would have liked to go away for a longer trip but……field hockey. Even though school is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, my daughter still has practice. Gotta love varsity sports! Here are five from this week:

1. Waterfalls – Sunday we drove up to Albany to visit John Boyd Thacher State Park. We hiked the Indian Falls Trail and got to see some waterfalls! The last time we visited this state park was back in 2017 and this trail was closed, so I’m glad we got to hike it this visit. You don’t often get this close to a waterfall!

2. Reading – I am still slowly getting through We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. It’s not a bad book, it’s just a slow read, if that makes any sense. I hope to finish it this weekend and am looking forward to some fun, lighter reads that I just picked up from the library!

3. Cooking – This week some of our favorite dinners included Roasted Stuffed Peppers with Chickpeas, Goat Cheese and Herbs. These were a bit time consuming to make but tasty.

I also made Roasted Potato Tacos with Chimichurri. This recipe is a family fave and one that I make often.

4. Watching – my husband and I are watching Top Chef Portland (season 18) on Hulu. We haven’t had cable for years so haven’t been able to watch it. Now, that we got Hulu (thank you Olympics), we’ve been trying to watch an episode every night. We have many seasons to catch up on!

5. Eating – we stopped at Subculture in Albany, a vegan deli. We had such tasty eats including this Buffmac Crunchwrap. It was buffalo chick’n, mac & cheese, tostada shell, lettuce, tomato, onion and ranch dressing in a pressed tortilla. And it was all vegan! Check out my Instagram post to see the rest of our tasty eats!

While we were at Woodbury Commons on Saturday we had lunch at Shake Shack. I do love their ‘Shroom Burger! We tried the hot honey fries too but I wasn’t a huge fan.

6. Drinking – I know it’s not officially fall yet, but I did try a Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato. It was actually pretty good and did give me fall vibes!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted September Events in Westchester County.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!