This content originally appeared on our newsletter, Weekend Inspiration newsletter, mailed on 8/23/24. Want to get news like this, straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Escape Club, where upgraded paid membership also gets you exclusive discounts on Upstate getaways you won’t find anywhere else.
Hey all, happy Friday!
This weekend’s weather looks absolutely gorgeous Upstate – very happy about that. It’s also a weekend before a holiday, which means for us Upstaters that our restaurants, bars, swimming holes and hiking trails will be gloriously uncrowded. (Next weekend, we’ll just stay home and let you all enjoy…)
Many of you will be heading Upstate in the next few weeks. For those who haven’t made plans yet, it’s not too late to make use of an August discount/promo – or wait it out for our September 1 discount/promo newsletter, which looks to be a very good one. As usual, we have some new spots to share, and discounts for all.
Here’s a few things to get you excited about the season to come!
Have a great weekend,
-Erin & the EB team
An Abandoned Cider Mill Gets a New Life. Before & After: North Branch Cider Mill in North Branch, NY
The new owners of North Branch Cider Mill, Tom Roberts and Anna Åberg, have years worth of renovation under their belt, but this was their biggest, most ambitious project yet. Photo: Catskill Image
“It wasn’t for sale, but it wasn’t in use. So we pestered the owner for 18 months until he sold it to us.” This is how the story of North Branch Cider Mill begins — at least, its newest chapter.
In today’s Before & After: An Abandoned Cider Mill in North Branch, NY, we’re chatting with a husband and wife team @homestedt – serial renovators and home builders – who in 2022 took on their biggest project yet: an abandoned cider mill. In this special design feature, we’ve got a Q&A with owners Tom Roberts and Anna Åberg, plus a load of photos from before and after to get you inspired.
“Before” photo from the North Branch Cider Mill, taken in November 2022, the time of purchase. Photo: Catskill Image
Now open 5 days a week, the impossibly charming @northbranchcidermill is a destination shop – selling everything from penny candies from around the world, to local provisions from New York State (pies, coffee, cider and snacks) to kitchenware, ceramics, candles and soaps. Stop by for a snack, cider, shopping, and to meet the resident goats!
Open Wednesday through Friday from 11-5, or Saturday and Sunday from 10-5, at 38 N Branch Callicoon Center Road, North Branch, NY.
New in Travel: Mirrör Haüs I & II in Windham, NY
Outside Mirrör Haüs I, in Windham, NY. Photo: Escape Brooklyn.
Last week, we spent a few nights at The Haüs Windham’s Mirrör Haüs I & II — two freshly launched vacation rentals in Windham, NY.
In each Mirrör Haüs, three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows provide an immersive nature experience, while its optimized minimalist interior provides a comfortable, cozy spot to take it all in. In the petite 225 square foot layout, expect all the perks of a regular vacation home — hot tub, electric, heat/AC, Smart TV, radiant heated floors, and Parachute bedding — packed into the cozy space marrying the inside and outside.
These twin tiny houses are part of the 22-acre @hauswindham campus, an ongoing project with multiple lodging options including a chalet, duplexes and more.
A post shared by @escape_brooklyn
We’ve gotten a ton of questions about this spot! Some advice: when making your packing list, plan on bringing breakfast to enjoy at the house (there’s a fridge, but no hotplates or microwave) and venturing out for other meals. Check the Instagram post above to bookmark all our local recommendations for where to eat and drink, plus what to do in the area.
Real Estate: Contemporary Mountaintop Chalet in Ridgefield, CT
60 miles north of New York City, Hampton Heights is a reimagined 70’s chalet that blends modern living with late mid-century architecture. We especially love all the fireplaces – we’re talking kitchen, living room and bedroom fireplaces – in this modern four bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home on 2+ acres.
Enjoy panoramic views of the nearby Turtle Pond and Lake Mamanasco, as well as the surrounding forests and mountains. View the full listing here.
Weekend Itinerary + Upcoming Getaway Giveaway: Kerhonkson, NY
Take in these mountain views on one of our favorite new trails. Photo: Escape Brooklyn
ICYMI, we sent out our latest edition of The Itinerary Newsletter yesterday. In it, we’re outlining a perfect weekend in Kerhonkson, NY. (Sound familiar? You might recognize it from this NYT article calling it “Kerhampton.”)
Tucked in the foothills of the Catskills in the Hudson Valley, this tiny town which 10 years ago didn’t have much more than a greasy spoon diner (don’t worry, it’s still there) is now home to some really beautiful shops and attractions including Inness, Accord Market, Ravenwood, Skate Time, and Mill & Main. Our pick for lodging is the lovely Dawson Farmhouse, a secluded Catskill Mountain retreat, tucked away on a wooded 13-acre property. This charming vacation rental has room for six, with spacious gathering areas inside and outside including an indoor fireplace and an outdoor bonfire area.
Plan a weekend start to finish using our itinerary, and watch out for our upcoming giveaway in Kerhonkson, launching next week.
