Nest by Tamara Travel Column:
"Beeing" in the Catskills--
14 Travel Finds
with a local bee-keeper as our guide
guest post written by Tracy Gavant
When I recently began working with local NY Artisanal Food & Craft Spirits company Catskill Provisions, I rediscovered the beauty and charm of the Western Catskills. Located adjacent to the Delaware River with the Catskill Mountains as a backdrop, it’s no wonder these sleepy rural towns have recently become a popular travel and lifestyle destination. Just two hours from New York City, this artistic community feels a million miles away from the urban sprawl.
I was fortunate to have the guidance of former co-worker Claire Marin from our days at Elle Decor magazine. Today, Claire has reinvented herself as a Beekeeper and CEO/Founder of Catskill Provisions where she manufactures and sells delicious products like 100% raw wildflower honey, maple syrup and Honey Rye Whiskey which are offered in some of the finest restaurants in New York. Claire led me on a tour of her 32-acre farm, and also shared an insider's view of favorite local haunts.
Take a look at these 14 unique design, food and shopping spots-- I hope you plan to visit this beautiful area this summer!
1. Shea Farms, Long Eddy, NY - This inventive farmer converted an old school bus into a mobile chicken coop, driving the chicks around her farm to eat fresh grass, producing the most delicious eggs I’ve ever tasted.
photo via Wall Street Journal
2. Old North Branch Inn, North Branch, NY- The Bar Room & Restaurant at this quaint inn features an open kitchen set within a 100+ year old bowling alley.
3. In nearby Livingston Manor, locally grown produce and artisanal foods can be found at Main Street Farm. The adjacent cafe serves dishes prepared with organic local seasonal ingredients.
4. Across the street is The Katskeller, where the wood-fired pizza, long outdoor tables, music and bocce ball create a casual, festive atmosphere.
5. Nest is a lifestyle boutique by a former Vogue Design Director and it shows. These inspiring spaces in Livingston Manor and Narrowsburg are filled with an eclectic mix of home furnishings, fashion and accessories, much from the owner’s native Brazil.
6. DeBruce Hotel- This well appointed retreat offers a stylish, chic alternative to local B&Bs, and the restaurant is a culinary delight.
7. Spruce Home Goods- The owners hand-chiseled away at the concrete cellar walls of this 1852 building to reveal its stone foundation, creating an Old European charm that perfectly showcases its collection of bedding, bath and dining items.
8. The Bllaq Gallery- Sleekly curated modern furniture and decor shop with Karkula Callicoon designer showroom in the rear.
9. The Callicoon Wine Merchant- Cozy wine and tapas bar serving up inventive & delicious dishes
10. Sunny’s POP- Actor Mark Ruffalo’s wife Sunny opened a pop up shop in artsy Narrowsburg full of boho chic design finds.
11. One Grand Books- A rotating collection of books curated by notables from Christiane Amanpour to Lena Dunham and Christopher Guest.
12. The Launderette is a former laundromat turned hip brick oven pizzeria with outdoor seating on the river.
stylish menswear shop in the back.
14. The Heron is a local Narrowsburg favorite whose fried chicken and catfish are worth every calorie.
