Have you ever felt the urge to explore?  You know, just get in the car and drive?  When I woke up Sunday morning, my wanderlust kicked in.

To be honest, dear readers, I have spent many months now re-evaluating my life, my priorities and my desires.  There are several changes I am considering, and moving is one of them.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the Hudson Valley and would never consider leaving.  However, other parts of the valley feel more appealing for me at this juncture in my life.

My friend Colleen mentioned something about Cold Spring the other night at dinner.  Well, the strip of towns along the Hudson (Garrison, Phillipstown, Cold Spring, Wappangers Falls, Beacon, and Fishkill) all have potential for my possible relocation.

When I first bought my house (now many years ago), the secluded location, private road and land were most appealing.  After living here for quite some time, there are attributes to my house that have begun to drive me crazy.  For one thing – I have a tiny kitchen. To say I have outgrown my kitchen would be an understatement. It is so tiny, that I have kitchen equipment spilling over into every room in the house – and yes, I use it all! 

I would also welcome the addition of a garage.  It is such a simple, basic request.  Living here in the winter, I grow tired of chiseling ice from my vehicle at 6:00am on workdays, or waiting 45 minutes for my car to warm up.  I am weary of seeking new ways to remove tree sap from the hood of my vehiclein the spring, because the magnificent old evergreens that tower above my driveway ooze all over my car.  Oh, then there is the bird poop, the wear and tear on my shocks from driving on a gravel road, etc.   While beautiful, the area is not condusive to keeping a nice car.

Having more than one bathroom is another important asset for me.  I want a master bedroom suite that includes a bathroom and a large walk-in closet, so I can contain my personal things to my personal space, thus allowing the common areas of the house to truly be shared.  I know...  for someone that lives alone it seems a frivolous and silly request, but I have enough frequent houseguests that the common space becomes an issue.

Last and not least, there is the access to Manhattan.  While I live relatively close to a train at the moment, it is not the most convenient train line available.  By moving to the other side of the river, I will have access to Metro North, which means I can come and go from Manhattan at my leisure without having to drive or worry about missing the last train home (they run every 10 - 20 min).  More specifically, when my friends say “let’s go for a drink,” after dinner, I can say yes! 

So, how do I maintain my quiet, rural, country life and increase my access to the New York City…  Michele and I went for a drive through Putnam Country to find out.

I fell in love with the village of Cold Spring.  Directly situated on the Hudson River, Cold Spring has an old charm. It feels erie and colonial, like the type of town that inspired  Washington Irving to write his famous “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (even though it is significantly further North of Sleepy Hollow).

Cold Spring is both old and trendy at the same time.  There were all these neat antique shops, hand made crafts stores, many restaurants, mountain and river views, and the Metro North.  What won my heart, however, was the Alsatian Brasserie Le Bouchon, with the authentic Alsatian French Chef, Pascal Graff.   We walked into a small traditional bistro with scarlet walls, red velvet seats and red roses everywhere.  They still posted their Valentines menu on the large mirror above the fireplace. 

I had a very difficult time making decisions.  They offered so many things that I love.  They offered multiple pates, rillets, French sausage, quiche and several different preparations of duck and rabbit.  What’s a French food lover to do?

Well, I began with a glass of their house Pouilly Fume, which delighted my senses with airs of flowers and chalk.  Its light balance of fruit and acidity perfectly prepared my palette for the upcoming French food.

While contemplating the menu, all I could think was how much fun it would be to live nearby and have a chance to explore everything on the menu!

I finally decided upon the rabbit ravioli appetizer and the duck confit main course.  Michele ordered the French onion soup and a bacon and maple syrup quiche—which was simply and sinfully to die for!!!!  My duck leg arrived whole, but melted into my mouth with each forkful.  Its perfect balance of salt and savory complemented my wine, bringing out its fruit and flowers.

(C'est confit de cunard)

With our diets derailed, we could not leave without sampling the desserts.  We asked our server what she preferred.  She recommended the Apple tart (of course, an Alsace specialty) and the chocolate mousse, which turned out to be a rich dark chocolate mousse served with a mint leaf.  Its deep intensity made it ideal for sharing.  Comparatively Michele and I took turns devouring the awesome, amazing apple tart.  The first thing I noticed was that chef made his own puff pastry —- Oh My Goodness – the puff pastry!  He used a lot of apples and a little bit of sugar.  The tart made the entire trip worthwhile!


(Apple tart with pumpkin ice cream)



 
(Chocolate Mousse)