What better way to spend a summer evening than with pizza, beer and live music? Peekskill Brewery Pizza & Beer has got you covered with their Live at the Valley evenings. This event takes place today, June 3rd, and the last Friday of the month throughout the summer.
From 7 PM – 10 PM, come enjoy an evening of live music, craft beer, food trucks, vendors, family games, kids activities and more. I highly recommend grabbing a slice (or two) and a beer from PB Pizza & Beer.
Tonight, Pizzazzles will have glitter tattoos and face painting for $5. Chomp Mobile Pet Boutique will be there so you can stock up on all your pet supplies. Unraveled in Twine will be there selling their homemade self-care products including jewelry and bath and body products. Lydette Alexis will also be there selling her, “minimalist, uplifting unisex apparel + accessories.”
The summer music lineup includes:
June 3rd (rescheduled from May 27th): Grateful Duo – Fans of the Grateful Dead will want to see this duo from the Gratefully Yours Band perform.
June 24th: Smooch – This is a Westchester based soul/funk band.
July 29th: Plane Station – This is a brother and sister duo, with Nick playing acoustic guitar and Brianna playing the piano.
August 26th: Run For Cover – Based in Beacon, this is a 90’s and 00’s cover band.
Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week! It was nice having a long three day weekend last week. A lot of the weekend was spent doing house stuff including power washing the deck and taking care of an unexpected HVAC issue. I also did a bit of shopping in preparation of my brother-in-law’s wedding next weekend. But, we did manage to fit in some fun. Here are five from this week:
1. Dia Beacon – Sunday we went to Dia Beacon. This is a contemporary museum in Beacon, one of my favorite Hudson Valley towns. Even though we’ve been here several times, we took a museum tour for the first time and it was so enlightening!
2. Eating – I treated myself to The Angry Lobster Roll from Wild Fusion. It has tempura shrimp and spicy crabmeat rolled in a soy paper wrapped topped with steamed lobster and an eel and sweet chili sauce. Very tasty!
I also enjoyed the stir fried eggplant from P.F. Chang’s. However, the Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts that I also ordered were a bit disappointing.
3. Reading – This week I finished Part Of Your World by Abby Jimenez and it was SO good! I’ve read all her books and I highly recommend them if you like contemporary romance.
5. Watching – Of course we started watching the new season of Stranger Things! Anyone else? I also finally finished watching Candy on Hulu this week.
6. Two Way Brewing Company – after the museum we visited a new-to-us brewery, Two Way Brewing, in Beacon. My husband had a beer flight and we ordered some food. We plan on visiting more breweries this summer!
7. Buff City Soap – A Buff City Soap just opened in Mohegan Lake. I visited and picked up two soaps as well as a mystery box. I love the items I received in the box and they all smell sooo good!
Memorial Day weekend kicked off the unofficial start to summer and we’ve curated a list of fun things to do this season. We love living in the Hudson Valley. There’s so much to see, eat and do and summer is the perfect time to take advantage of it all. What are you looking forward to doing? Is there anything else we should add to our summer fun list? *As always, please check directly with any businesses listed for the most up-to-date information.
VISIT AN AMUSEMENT PARK OR WATER PARK:
The Hudson Valley is home to a variety of amusement and water parks. For younger kids, a trip to the recently opened LEGOLAND New York is a must. Playland is a Westchester County classic and so close to home. For those looking for a water park, make a visit to SplashDown Beach or the Kartrite.
GET ON THE WATER:
Most of the Hudson Valley is on or near to the Hudson River. There’s no better season than summer to get out on the water and enjoy the beauty of the river.
Boat cruise: Is there a better way to watch the sunset, learn about history, or just see some spectacular scenery than on a boat?
Hudson River Expeditions has locations in Beacon, Cold Spring and Peekskill and offer rentals and instruction. Beginning Memorial Day weekend through the beginning of October you can kayak, paddleboard or SUP.
Fishing: Fishing is a relaxing activity that many people enjoy. There are lots of places to fish throughout the Hudson Valley. Just make sure you have the proper license. Important to note, according to the NYS Dept. of Health, women under 50 and children under 15 should not eat any fish caught in the Hudson River.
Paddle Boats: When was the last time you took a leisurely paddle around a lake?
Go on a Bike Ride: There are several bike paths throughout the Hudson Valley that offer flat, scenic bike rides.
Bronx River Parkway Bicycle Sundays – On select Sundays in June, July, September and October, the Bronx River Parkway is closed so bicyclists, in-line skaters, joggers and walkers can safely enjoy the roadway.
Dutchess Rail Trail – This 13.4 mile trail runs from the Walkway Over the Hudson (Poughkeepsie) to Hopewell Junction.
North County Trailway – This trailway runs from the South County Trailway at Old Saw Mill River Road (Elmsford) to the Putnam Trailway at NY 118/Tomahawk St. (Baldwin Place) and spans 20.7 miles.
Take a Hike: There are hundreds of hiking trails in the Hudson Valley so go check out a new-to-you trail. If you are a frequent hiker, we recommend purchasing the NY State Empire Pass, which allows free parking in most state parks. For inspiration, read our 5 Hudson Valley Loop Hikes post.
Go Fruit Picking – Strawberries, blueberries, peaches and more. There’s no shortage of farms to pick your own fruit. Check out our pick-your-own fruit guide for more info.
Go Mini-Golfing: The Hudson Valley has several outdoor mini golf courses. This is a great idea for a birthday party, family outing or date night. Check out our mini golf guide for more info on the different places to mini golf in Westchester!
Go for a Swim: There are numerous beaches, lakes and pools that are open to the public.
GET CULTURED The Hudson Valley has no shortage of museums. Visit one on a rainy day or to escape the heat. Here are a few that we have visited and recommend:
DIA Beacon – This contemporary art museum opened in 2003 in Beacon. It features art from the 1960’s to the present. Check out our post.
The Museum at Bethel Woods – Through its exhibits, personal profiles and videos the Museum at Bethel Woods showcases the experience of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Festival. Check out our post.
Magazzino Italian Art– This facility in Cold Spring contains both a museum and research center focused on postwar and contemporary Italian art in the United States. Check out our post.
We love to spend our summer eating and drinking around the Hudson Valley. There are so many restaurants, bars and coffee shops to visit. However, we believe the below options offer some of the best summer experiences.
Breweries: I haven’t counted them all, but I’m guessing there are probably over 100 breweries in the Hudson Valley. You can make a summer goal of visiting a new one every week….but you will won’t get to them all! Many of the breweries offer outdoor seating and often have live music on the weekends.
Wineries: There are many wineries throughout the Hudson Valley that offer wine tastings, outdoor seating with scenic views and live music on weekends.
Farmers Markets: Every weekend (and even some weekdays) there are several local farmers markets that you can visit. Stock up on locally-grown fruits and vegetables, buy some freshly-baked bread, pick up some baked goods and prepared foods. Support local! Check out our Farmers Market guide for more details.
Food Trucks: Food trucks have exploded in popularity. There are trucks for almost any type of cuisine you may be craving. Make sure to check some out this summer! Use our food truck guide to help you decide which ones to try!
Ice Cream: A fun family summer goal is try to hit as many Hudson Valley ice cream spots as possible. There are lots of delicious options spanning the different counties!
OTHER FUN:
Baseball Game – The Hudson Valley is home to two minor league baseball teams, the Hudson Valley Renegades and the NY Boulders. This is an affordable and fun family outing, close to home.
Rail Explorers – Enjoy a unique experience in the Catskills pedaling an explorer alongside the Esopus Creek. Check out our post.
Happy Friday! Is anyone else looking forward to the long weekend? Memorial Day Weekend is the “unofficial” kick-of to the summer. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t looking great for today and tomorrow. So, we didn’t travel to Rhode Island like we normally do. Here are five from this week:
1. Yard cleanup – most of last weekend was spent doing yard work. Yes, it was 90+ degrees last weekend, but when you have a rare, free weekend, you gotta do what you gotta do. It was a lot but I felt so accomplished!
2. Eating – After running errands Saturday night in Danbury, CT we went out to dinner at Edo II. It’s a sushi and Korean restaurant. I had shrimp gobdol (bibimbap hot in a stone bowl).
3. Reading – I finished The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner. It wasn’t my favorite book of hers. Just too many unbelievable situations.
4. Cooking – This week one of our favorite dinners was Ridiculous Baked Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce. I’m saving this for rotation in the fall/winter. It’s a bit of a heavier dish, but it was good!
5. Watching – My husband and I have been watching an episode of Ozark here and there when we have time to watch TV together. I’ve been watching Candy on my own. I can’t believe how Jessica Biel is almost unrecognizable!
6. Letterboxd– Not new, but I don’t think that I’ve shared this site before. I keep track of the movies I watch on Letterboxd. It’s like goodreads, but for movies!
7. Guilty Eats – I’ve been writing a lot about beverages for Guilty Eats. Here are a few of my recent posts.
8. Spring Band Concert – this week my daughter had her high school band concert. Although they are a small school, their band is so good! The band teacher did a tribute to all the graduating seniors and they really are like a small family.
Hello Friday! So happy to see you! It’s been another long, busy week. I’ve been really looking forward to the weekend! Here are five from this week:
1. Family birthday celebration – Last Sunday we celebrated my daughter’s 16th birthday with the family. It was only a month after her actual birthday! It was nice to have everyone together and we loved getting to see our 6 month old niece again! We made a ham (for the meat eaters) and had a bunch of sides including mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, caprese and zucchini pie.
2. Reading – I recently finished listening to The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen on book on CD. This was a good suspense book that helped make my work commute enjoyable.
3. Cooking – This week one of our favorite dinners was Millionaire Gnocchi with Herbed Whipped Ricotta. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time for the sauce to cook for 35-40 minutes. It ended up being more like 5!
4. Watching – Saturday night we had a family television/movie night. We watched the first episode of The Pentaverate (which we didn’t like) and Senior Year (not as bad as we had expected, didn’t love/hate it). Both are on Netflix.
5. Ipsy Bag – I subscribe to Ipsy and opt to get a bag every other month. I really like this month’s floral bag! I likely won’t use the eyeshadow primer, since I rarely wear eyeshadow or the lip pencil. My daughter wanted the lip pencil so it’s at least not going to waste. But I will use the concealer, face wash and eye cream. So, overall happy with this month’s bag.
6. Bookly – I keep track of my reading on both goodreads and most recently, Storygraph. However, I’ve just heard of a new reading app called Bookly. It’s a book organizer but also tracks your reading speed and has lots of personalized stats. As an avid reader, I’m tempted. But I’m already using the other two and don’t want to get sucked into another book tracking site/app.
7. Basil Plant – I bought a basil plant at our local grocery store since it ended up being a lot cheaper to buy the large plant versus a small amount of basil. Now, I have to work on keeping it alive! I am notorious for killing basil plants….and almost all other plants.
ICYMI this week on the blog:
Wednesday I wrote about the new Chipotle opening in New Rochelle.
Any Chipotle Mexican Grill fans out there? Their burritos, bowls and salads are perfect for a quick and tasty meal. Residents of New Rochelle, get ready, because a new Chipotle restaurant is opening tomorrow at the North Ridge Shopping Center at 77 Quaker Ridge Road.
To celebrate the grand opening, the first 50 guests in line will receive free Chipotle Goods merchandise. For those unfamiliar, Chipotle Goods is the restaurant’s line of clothing, accessories and bags. All profits from these product sales are donated to charitable causes that focus on making food and clothing more sustainable.
If you aren’t a Chipotle Rewards member yet, sign up now! You’ll receive free chips and guac after your first purchase. And who doesn’t love free guac?!
This Chipotle restaurant will be open daily from 10:45 AM to 10 PM, giving you plenty of time to get your fill of burritos and rice bowls. And for those looking for employment, the restaurant is hiring. Check out this link to learn more about the perks of working at Chipotle and how to apply.
This is New Rochelle’s first Chipotle restaurant, so I’m sure it will be extra busy the first couple of weeks! Especially if the city’s residents love Chipotle as much as I do!
Happy Friday! I hope you all had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend as much as I am! This week was a quiet one in comparison to last week and I’ll take it! Last Friday, we took my daughter and her friends out for hibachi for a belated 16th birthday celebration. This weekend we are having her family birthday celebration and then we are finally done celebrating her turning 16! Here are five from this week:
1. Catskill Animal Sanctuary – For Mother’s Day we went to the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties. This is a farm where more than 200 rescued animals are able to live out their lives. Guests can book a tour and get to meet some of the animals up close.
2. Eating – Since we were in Saugerties, we HAD to go to Slices on Saugerties to get our favorite slice: the Caprese Grandma slice.
Then we HAD to go to Alleyway Ice Cream, my favorite ice cream place, where we shared Ube Heath Bar Crunch, Honeycomb Chocolate Swirl and Thai Tea Cookies & Cream (my FAVE!).
3. Reading – This week I finished Book Lovers by Emily Henry. I recommend this book so much! I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author and she’s quickly becoming a favorite.
4. Cooking – This week one of our favorite dinners was Baked Crispy Shrimp with Dynamite Sauce. I also made tofu for my husband and daughter since they don’t eat seafood.
Laura Linney and Jason Bateman in ‘Ozark’ season 1 episode 1 (Photo by Jackson Davis/Netflix)
5. Watching – My husband and I have started watching Ozark on Netflix. I had started this show ages ago but didn’t get into it. We’ve now watched six episodes and I’m hooked! It’s funny how you sometimes have to give shows another try. The rare time I have to watch TV on my own I’ve been watching the new season of Sweet Magnolias.
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Today I’m sharing my April reads. It was a pretty good reading month with seven books read, most of which were pretty good reads! Sadly, last month I missed linking up to Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup because we were on a Caribbean cruise celebrating my daughter’s 16th birthday. I guess that’s a pretty good reason to not be able to link up! But here’s my March reads, if you are interested in checking them out.
3 stars
Bet On Itby Jodie Slaughter – (Contemporary Romance, July 2022) c/o Netgalley – Aja moves to the small South Carolina town of Greenbelt. Walker is back in the town he grew up in, only to take care of his grandmother. The two meet and end up making a bingo-based sex pact. Yes, as in the game that the two play weekly and sometimes biweekly. The main character is a plus-sized woman. While I feel like the author wanted to showcase this aspect, it sometimes felt overdone. Aja suffers from anxiety which I thought was explored well. Warning, the sex scenes are pretty steamy.
The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo – (Contemporary Romance, May 2017) The book opens with Lucy having to make a huge decision. The story is the background leading up to this decision. Lucy and Gabe meet on 9/11, whose events shape their lives and the meaning they want them to have. The two eventually start dating but their career choices lead them on different life paths. However, the two remain connected, which ends up effecting Lucy’s life. I listened to this as a book on CD during my work commute. I didn’t like Lucy or Gabe and thought they were both selfish in their own ways. When the two main characters are unlikeable, it’s not a winning book for me.
The Therapistby B. A. Paris – (Suspense/Thriller, July 2021) Alice and Leo move into a gated community. Then Alice learns a secret about the house they are living in which changes everything. I listened to this on CD during my commute to work. I’ve had mixed reviews of the other B.A. Paris books I’ve read. Some I’ve enjoyed, some, like this one, were just okay.
Yolk by March H.K. Choi – (YA, March 2021) Jayne and June are sisters who both live in NYC but have been estranged for years. The two end up rekindling their relationship when June is diagnosed with cancer. I thought this book portrayed the realness and complexity of family relationships as well as the struggle Jayne has with her eating disorder.
4 stars
Home Made by Liz Hauck – (Memoir/Nonfiction, June 2021) After her father passes away, Liz Hauck decides to implement the weekly cooking program at the residential home where he worked. This was a project that the two had discussed and planned but were never able to get started before he died. Each week she shows up to the home to cook with the teen boys. Sometimes, she cooks and they just eat, but other times, they participate. Most of the time Liz used her own money to purchase the ingredients for the cooking program. Hearing some of the boys’ stories are heartbreaking. She really made connections with some of them over the three years that the program ran. I read this book for my local foodie book club. If it hadn’t been chosen, I would have never heard of it. I really enjoyed it, but it does make you think about our social welfare systems.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – (Science Fiction, May 2021) Ryland Grace is on a suicide mission to save planet Earth…no big deal! The book alternates between past and present as we discover how he got to where he is. This was Goodreads 2021 science fiction winner and I can see why. For someone who doesn’t really enjoy sci-fi, Weir writes stories that suck me in! I do gloss over the technical/science-y talk, but this storyline was so intriguing. The movie, starring Ryan Gosling is currently in production and I can’t wait to see it!
From Goodreads, “In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child. CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she also knows what happened to the missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth, and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die in order to protect a lifetime of lies…”
I found this book in the cruise library, when I discovered that I had failed to download all the digital books I had borrowed from the library, and was looking for something to read. I have not picked up a Chamberlain book that I haven’t enjoyed and this one was no exception.
Happy Friday! This week was so busy with errands and activities. My daughter is having her Sweet 16 birthday dinner with friends tonight and trying to get her cake was an ordeal! My son had another track meet yesterday. My daughter has been doing study sessions for her AP Euro exam, which she’s taking today. Plus over the next several days it’s my mom’s birthday, my brother’s birthday and my niece’s birthday. I’ve been running around picking up presents for everyone. I’m exhausted! The weather isn’t supposed to be great this weekend so not sure we’ll be able to enjoy Mother’s Day outside like I was hoping. Here are five from this week:
1. Theatre– Friday night my husband and I saw Million Dollar Quartet at the Westchester Theatre at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Although the Westchester Broadway Theatre closed, it’s wonderful that theatre is still accessible Westchester County.
Sunday afternoon we saw our high school’s production of In The Heights. I may be biased, but they always put on an amazing show! For such a small school district, I am amazed at the number of talented students we have!
2. Reading – I read Sadie on a Plate by Amanda Elliott. It’s a romance set on a reality cooking show (definitely gives off Top Chef vibes). As a fan of cooking and cooking shows this was right up my alley!
3. Cooking – This week one of our favorite dinners was Greek Baked Orzo. It was fairly easy to put together and tasty.
4. Watching – We watched a couple episodes of Bullsh*t on Netflix. I could NEVER be on this show since I’m such a horrible liar! It’s hosted by Howie Mandel and was something to watch that I didn’t have to pay a whole lot of attention to.
5. Drinking – Cavit moscato. I’m not a huge wine drinker, but if I am going to drink wine I like it bubbly and sweet. Moscato is my favorite type. Palm Wine International sent me a couple of bottles for a post I did for Guilty Eats.
6. Cinco de Mayo – Yesterday my son had a track meet. We ended up going to El Coyote after the meet with three other families. It was a fun evening out. It was just sooo busy that our food took a long time to arrive. These shrimp tacos were very good though!
NY Foodie Family was invited to a media viewing of the show. As always, all opinions are our own.
Fans of local theatre were devastated when the Westchester Broadway Theatre closed in October 2020, after more than 45 years in business. This was THE place for Broadway-caliber productions, without the hassle of traveling into the city. Fortunately, the revived (and newly-named) The Westchester Theatre has found a home at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. The 425 seat theatre was founded in 2017 and hosts a variety of cultural events and shows, including theatre productions.
This spring, the Westchester Theatre is performing Million Dollar Quartet. The Tony-nominated musical debuted last Thursday evening at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center and runs on select dates through May 22nd.
From the MIllion Dollar Quartet website: “Around Christmas time in 1956, Carl Perkins was in a post-“Blue Suede Shoes” funk. He booked a recording session on Dec. 4th with producer Sam Phillips. Along with Jerry Lee Lewis, Perkins and his band recorded a number of songs including one of Perkins’ best-known records, “Matchbox.” Details from the rest of that day are still questioned, but this is what is known: Perkins and Lewis were later joined by Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, and the foursome held an impromptu jam session. A newspaper wrote, “This quartet could sell a million.” Shortly after they were known as “The Million Dollar Quartet.”
The show plays like a concert/ jam session with the actors actually playing the instruments and singing. You’ll hear hits like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hound Dog,” “I Walk the Line,” and “Great Balls of Fire.” At one point, the performers literally have the audience up on their feet dancing along to the tunes.
Recently, I attended the opening of Million Dollar Quartet and can say that this is a must-see show for fans of early rock and roll. While the audience on the night of my visit leaned toward the 60+ age group, the show will be entertaining for anyone who are fans of Perkins, Cash, Lewis and Presley. Million Dollar Quartet is playing for a limited time, so be sure to get your tickets soon!
The Details: Million Dollar Quartet Westchester Theatre at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center 480 North Bedford Road Chappaqua, NY website
Dates: Select dates through May 22
Tickets: $49 – $89/ticket
Parking: Plentiful free parking in lot
*Masks are required at the performances
*There is no intermission. The show runs straight through the approximately 105 minutes.
