Wishful Weekend- The Catskills

Friday it was fall in Houston, then Saturday it was back up to 90 degrees!  Luckily I had already planned a Wishful Weekend getaway to the Catskills where the daytime high will be in the mid-60’s and at night the temperature should drop about 20 degrees.  I have always thought that cold weather clothes were cuter, so this gives me the opportunity to dust off colorful scarves and mock-neck sweaters.  Fall colors should be peaking in the area right about now and I am really looking forward to taking it all in.  This is truly a weekend trip as I can only get away for Saturday and Sunday, but I’ve arranged to meet up with some cool designers and goldsmiths.

I got into Albany really late last night, or maybe it was technically this morning.  I had to grab the last flight out on Friday and my connection in Philadelphia was delayed so I’m dragging a bit.  I’m heading to Hudson, NY and I decide that instead of doing a ton of driving this trip I’m taking the train!  The Amtrak Adirondack line goes from Manhattan all the way up to Montreal.  The service from Albany to Hudson only takes a bit over 20 minutes.  This morning I’m going to meet designer Joane Cornell who has agreed to drive over from Chatham, NY to meet me for breakfast.  We’re planning to go to The Maker Hotel, which just opened in August this year, after about 5 years of planning.  They serve the most amazing pastries from Bartlett House located in Ghent, NY, which was also started by the hotel owners.  There is so much attention to detail throughout the space.  Each room is unique, each piece selected so that it feels like you’re staying over at a dear friend’s house, and these are the treasures they’ve collected over the years. 

Joane Cornell has over 40 years of experience as a jewelry designer. About 5 years ago she stopped outsourcing her production and took a seat at the bench herself!  I guess that’s really not surprising given that, prior to becoming a jewelry designer, she worked for a company that’s a leading producer of tools for jewelry making and metalsmithing.  She likes to refer to her designs as “unabashedly imperfect”, but from where I’m sitting all I can see are juicy cabochon gemstones in unconventional settings.  With little regard for my waistline, she has brought me a couple of Pieconic NY hand pies from Main St. Goodness, a sweet café and bakery in downtown Chatham, NY where she lives.  I ask her about working in the diamond district in New York City and how her design vision has changed since moving away from the hustle and bustle to a quieter life, first in The Berkshires and later in Chatham.  After giving me some recommendations for her favorite antique shops in the area, we part ways so she can head back to work.

I am really happy to have some leisure time to walk around Hudson.  It’s really quiet here, much quieter than my home in Houston and the combination of crisp fall air and warm sunshine on my face is making me sleepy!  I pop in and out of galleries along Warren St, and the friendly proprietors and unique finds lift my fatigue.  I soon find myself at Geoffrey Goode Jewelry, my next planned stop for the day.  I immediately love the orange brick exterior and I plan to ask him if it was his idea, or if the color was a in any way a selling factor when he decided to work in this space.  I had the exposed brick in our house painted orange when we moved in, so I hope he finds it inspirational and not garish.  Goode’s work was new to me when I was planning my trip to the area but I am so excited to see it in person.  His aesthetic is quite varied, from opulent bespoke pieces crafted to highlight the beauty of the gemstone, to casually elegant yet modern bands inspired by vintage revolvers.  He spent several years as an apprentice to renowned jeweler Klaus Wisskirchen, and their work included creating and restoring jewelry for Cartier, Christie’s, Sotheby’s and other notable firms.  This is a busy time of year for many jewelers as they work on getting orders completed in time for Christmas, so I don’t take up too much of Geoffrey’s time, instead browsing the cases and his original drawings of completed works. 

I decided to stay at the Mohonk Mountain Home in New Paltz, which is a historical resort located on 40,000 acres of protected forest overlooking the Catskill Mountains.  I’m feeling a bit nervous on the ride over because once I leave the main highway, I’m following a road that seems to be turning in on itself and the area is heavily wooded.  I don’t trust my GPS with all of these trees and mountains around so I’m relying on printed directions and hoping I get there before dark.  I did have to check in at the gate house for the property so I do know that I started out in the right direction.  When I emerge from the trees my jaw literally drops.  While I will say, the hotel itself looks like it’s haunted, the freeform painting of color on the trees against the perfectly manicured lawns and gardens on the property present an idyllic vision of fall.  Although I am a bit tired, I spend some time walking around the grounds a bit before heading inside just to appreciate the view.  I think of tourmalines, spessartine and rhodolite garnets that reflect the transitioning colors of the leaves.  This is the sort of natural beauty where a photograph isn’t enough.  There’s something about the hue and saturation that the naked eye can process but a camera lens cannot; you’re left explaining to people later that you couldn’t find the right angle for the exposure.

I am very lucky to be able to get a room here for the night as this hotel is extremely popular at this time of year.  I will say that while the décor, which is intended to preserve the look of the property at the turn of the 20^th century, is not to my taste.  It is fitting with the theme and I do like their options for add-ons to enhance your stay.  I choose the milk and cookies, which is delivered with a teddy bear, and settle down to get some rest.  Luckily, I sleep listening to books on tape, so if there is anything going bump in the night, I won’t hear it anyway.

I slept surprisingly well last night which is good because I have a bit of driving to do today.  I am excited to go and meet Pedro Boregaard over in Narrowsburgh, NY.  Pedro moved his studio from New York City to this small town on the Delaware River over 10 years ago. Since then, the town has attracted more and more artists and makers looking to gain inspiration from both their surroundings and a community that has proved very welcoming to creatives.  Pedro initially trained at Hemmerle in Germany, and, well, he had me at Hemmerle because that is my favorite design house!  I knew I had to drive over and meet him while I was in the area. I stop at 2 Queens Coffee on the way and I’m so happy to find this little gem!  It’s run by the nicest people and they sell their own brand or products and have a subscription service, one for coffee and one for tea and honey, that they ship to your house! 

I chat with Pedro about how he has refined his technique over the years, honing his craft and staying connected to his works by continuing to produce them by hand.  His eye for detail is impeccable and the way that he is able to incorporate function into his design; the location of the clasp, the turn of the pin just enough to make it more wearable, speak to his years of experience.  I could stay all day, chatting with the other tourists and sharing stories with the locals, but I have one more stop to make before my train back to New York.  I take a walk over to the banks of the Delaware River just to take in the view.  I love the green span of the Narrowsburg bridge and, with the fall colors as a backdrop, I could look at this view forever.

My last stop is all the way back in New Paltz on the way back to the train station.  To pass the time on this trip, I’ve been listening to a book on tape but, I find myself loosing track of the story sometimes as my mind wanders, admiring the fall scenery.  I’m on my way to Hudson Valley Goldsmiths, which last year was voted the Best Custom and Socially Responsible Jeweler by Hudson Valley Magazine.  This is great recognition for David and Sara, the husband and wife team who started this business back in 2010 by attending juried craft fairs, before founding their brick and mortar store in 2013.  The team specializes in custom design, and they also exhibit work from about 20 other artists.  They tell me about the Woodstock New Paltz Craft Fair that takes place every Memorial and Labor Day weekend and I add it to my list of reasons to come back to the northeast next summer. I love the work that these guys are doing to support other artists and their community and I hope to see David and Sara continue to grow Hudson Valley Goldsmiths into a family business that will last for future generations.

This weekend was quick, but it was really special.  Although I grew up in Michigan, I haven’t been there in some time, and consequently it’s been a really long while since I experienced such lush fall foliage.  I picked up fallen leaves here and there and the transition of color, from green in the center to purple and then red on the edges makes me glad that tie-dye shirts are making a comeback because according to Mother Nature they were never out of style.  I have enjoyed the jewelry that I was able to see on this trip just as much as the flora and fauna.  As I return my rental car and board the train to New York City, I look forward to all of the scenery I will get the chance to take in along the Adirondack line.  I can definitely recommend a trip to The Catskills to see what inspires these jewelry artists all year long.  

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