Hudson Valley Adventure: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa

The air is getting crisper and smells like apples and pumpkin spice!  Yes - Mel's favorite season is here and we decided to have a little road trip adventure to kick off autumn in upstate NY.

We knew we needed to find a place that had some kid-friendly activities on the premises so we weren't going stir crazy with a toddler whose favorite words all summer were "outside" and "walk."  (So grateful he enjoys the outdoors, but that definitely means the confines of a hotel room could drive us all nuts within minutes of unpacking.)  DJ did some great sleuthing and found Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa - a beautiful bed & breakfast with views of the Hudson River, a spa, and a functioning farm on the property!  You can stay in the main house, but they also have cottages with living rooms and kitchens for families and/or large groups.  We were able to feel right at home in a private cottage, and spent most hours of each day just wandering around looking at the water and the animals - geese, chickens (definitely a kid-favorite), goats, llamas, donkeys, and alpacas.

Beyond the amazing outdoor experience, Buttermilk Falls Inn was a perfect place to stay because of Henry's at the Farm - the awesome restaurant on the property.  Henry's uses a lot of locally sourced ingredients, and those fresh farm-to-table flavors made every meal memorable.  Bonus - we could bring the food back to our cottage so we could eat at our leisure.  We actually forgot to take pictures of our meals (shocking!  we must have been really hungry every time we finally sat down), but suffice it to say we tried almost everything on the menu and it never disappointed.  We also LOVED the variety of cocktails they offered.  Trying a new concoction each night was a real treat!

When we weren't exploring the grounds, we took time for a couple of foodie adventures nearby.  First stop:  Hurds Family Farm, known as one of the best in the area for apple-picking and fun activities.  After walking around and hanging at the playground, we could smell fresh donuts being made.  They told us technically the batch wasn't for sale yet and was being packaged for the weekend.  But since it was such a quiet day, they let us sample two - WOO!  Seriously, there's nothing better than warm, fresh apple cider donuts washed down with cider.  Autumn bliss!

There are also a bunch of cool wineries in the area.  We were trying to find one with a restaurant so we could make it a lunch outing but a lot of them had later hours or weren't kid-friendly.  So rather than worrying about a sit-down meal, we grabbed some sandwiches and headed to Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery to enjoy their amazing view while drinking and noshing.  And how was the wine?  We wound up bringing home two bottles of the riesling along with one of their award-winning reds.

So glad we were able to spend a bit of time with nature as summer comes to a close.  Definitely looking forward to our next road trip adventure!

Jersey Exploration: The Office Beer Bar and Grill

Deep was in town for the weekend and popped over for an afternoon visit.  Originally we were planning to grill, but the weather was not cooperating so we decided to venture to a restaurant we've been meaning to try:  The Office Beer Bar and Grill.  This place is right by two of our favorite restaurants in Summit (Due 360 and Piattino), and it always seems to have a good crowd with a casual pub vibe. 

We started out with hash browns with truffle oil.  They were tasty, but pretty heavy so we wound up only eating a few for fear of losing our appetites.

Then Deep tried out one of the brunch pizza specials...

DJ tackled the chicken and waffles...

and Mel got one of the monthly specials: a salmon roll.

As you can tell from the pictures, the serving sizes here are HUGE.  We definitely did not finish any of our plates.  And the food itself falls well into the category of pub food:  tasty enough to nibble on while you chat with friends, but not necessarily something you'll be craving and running back for anytime soon.  Their beer menu is pretty extensive though, and we didn't really have a chance to sample it.  So perhaps we'll keep it in mind for football season when we're in the mood for a few good pints with a side of wings.

Spicing Things Up with Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's never fails with awesome seasonal treats.  For the summer, we loved how they spiced things up with a variety of zesty flavors.  Our favorites:   

1. Roasted Tomato & Mango Salsa (also included black beans - yum! - and packed some serious heat)
2. Mango Jicama Slaw (the Lime Mango Vinaigrette it came with was perfect; just toss it all together and you had an awesome summer salad!)
3. Chili Lime Seasoning (tasted good on EVERYTHING, particularly sprinkled on avocado)
4. Jalapeno Limeade (pretty good mixed with mezcal but very acidic, so it created a little burn in the throat; we mostly used it as a marinade)

One of our favorite meals combined a few of these seasonal items.  We marinated pork chops in the Jalapeno Limeade and seasoned them with the Chili Lime blend before baking.  Served along with a bit of butternut squash and the Mango Jicama Slaw - Trader Joe's for the win!

Liberty House: Ringing in the Big 4-0

It's official:  DJ has been making the world more awesome since 1977!  To celebrate the Big 4-0, of course we had to happy dance with food.

Mel toyed with a lot of different ideas about where to take him for a surprise lunch.  In the end, she realized that with the excellent weather prediction for the day the focus should be on outdoor ambiance rather than type of cuisine.  We need to maximize our opportunities to dine al fresco before the autumn chill hits.  (::insert your own Game of Thrones "Winter is Coming" jokes here::)

Some online searching revealed that one of the best outdoor restaurants in northern Jersey is Liberty House.  Right inside Liberty State Park, it boasts amazing views of Manhattan, the river, and the back of the Statue of Liberty.  Sounds like a winner for a milestone birthday! 

We went for a weekday lunch and had no trouble getting a seat on the balcony, which is covered by a cloth awning so you can enjoy the view without having to deal with direct sun.  Such a comfortable seating area.

  Guinness Glazed Chicken Lollipops
Celery, Green Onions, Great Hills Blue Cheese
(a nice hint of sweetness from the Guinness)

House Made Cavatelli Seafood
Wild Prawns, Manila Clams, Mussels, Sea Scallops, Baby Vegetables, Cherry Tomatoes, Ginger & Poblano Peppers
(great spice, but the pasta was a bit hard)

DJ's Zimmern/Bourdain moment enjoying the shrimp head

Maine Lobster Cake
Champagne Mango Salsa, Avocado Mousse, Basil Oil,
French Fries
(tasty, though more cake than lobster; great fries and mango salsa!) 

A lot of the Yelp reviews said the food is average but the setting is worth it, and we agree.  We enjoyed our dishes, but the main appeal of Liberty House is its location.  When we finished our meal, we just walked down the patio steps onto the grass of the park and enjoyed an afternoon in the sun.  

We are now obsessed with Liberty State Park and can't figure out why we didn't start going there sooner!  And should we return to Liberty House, we'll likely skip the expensive entrees and focus on ordering drinks and some basic appetizers to snack on while we enjoy looking at the surroundings. Glad to have found this Jersey gem!