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Dear Friends,
Oh, how I wish I could freeze time. Each month I send you a newsletter full of things to do with your free time. Having things to do is wonderful of course; but I'm having a moment where having nothing to do with my free time - just being where I am - feels like the ticket to happiness. The temperate weather we've had the past few weeks has reawakened my love of home. Every morning I wake up and feel so fortunate to live where I do and inspired by my surroundings. As much as I can, I've been living in my yard, living in my house, and appreciating the places I go everyday. I'd like to stay right here for a while with everything green, everything quiet, everything perfect. So, while I'm still going to share events with you this month, I'm wondering if you too would just like to settle down a little in a nice, quiet house by a stream and be still?
Yes? Well then, read on for some ways and places to unplug and appreciate Upstate living (including some great properties - of course) and if you or a friend who might not receive this email are ready to make a move, I'd love the opportunity to discuss how we can work together.
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I have a recommendation for you: Country Life: Homes of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley is a gorgeous, delightfully tactile book about living in the homes of this region that I absolutely love. While only published at the beginning of this month, it has taken up permanent residence next to my sofa. Co-written by photographer William Abranowicz and his son Zander Abranowicz, it is a love letter to the region that speaks to my soul. It opens with four photographic spreads of the sort of simple landscapes I'm surrounded by every day, and honestly sometimes breeze by. Seeing these simple places through Abranowicz's lens made me put down my coffee, pick up the book, and find a more quiet, comfortable place to read it -I needed a place where I could give his work my full attention. Someone had found a way to reflect my feelings about the area, feelings that I share with so many of my clients, as well as my feelings about my own work back to me. After the stunning opening, it continues on to feature the stories and homes of twenty homeowners across the region in a way that defies the conventions of a standard shelter/design book. This one is special. The Abranowiczes, because of their own connection to the region, get "it". It's filled with art, nature and soul. And the writing!!... |  | |
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"History is a catalyst in many projects I photograph...Everyone in this book moved Upstate to find something or to return to something that was missing for them - something on a long list of qualities that only a life in the country could satisfy. For some it was smaller communities. For others, solitude. For many, especially the artists, it was space, light, and affordability. Throughout history of art, artists like Cole and Church have searched for a place to create that has fewer barriers, that enriches the spirit, and that endlessly inspires."
Get yourself a copy.
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Continuing on my theme of quiet personal time, I thought I would share something for the introverts out there who want to participate in the outdoor spirit that's about to take over the lower half on NY State, but don't want to participate. Introverts: here are three quiet ways to entertain yourself in the coming month that are event-adjacent and allow you to avoid the crowds - to be by yourself or with only one or two other people while you enjoy the season in a way that suits you. Some of these are things I do myself, some are things clients do – perhaps one will speak to you. | |
Night Hike - I’ve seen one or two leaves on the ground that are not as green as the others; this means we’re headed into the season where some of the hiking trails in the Hudson Valley and Catskills will get crowded. There’s a very easy way to avoid hiking with strangers – hike at night. Hiking at night gives you an entirely different perspective on the woods, tends to be less buggy, is sleepy-time for bears and, if there’s a full moon, may not even require special equipment. Plus, when you hike at night you’re forced to take your hike just a bit slower than you would during the daytime. Plus, there are stars. Plus, you feel like you’re on an adventure that’s all the more epic and magical for being at night, while at the same time feeling cozy and protected by the woods. I’ll never understand how that paradox works, but it does. | |
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Not every park is open for night hiking (so obey the rules), and a wise hiker will stick to trails they know well when first hiking at night. Here’s a guide to night hiking from REI and another from GoreTex, both with some genuinely helpful tips. There’s a full moon this week, on the 30th, and another on September 29th, plan to go then for an extra special trek. | |
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Don't Just Walk By The Stream - Read a Book! Stick Your Feet In!
Streams might be the most cleansing, restorative thing in nature. Brain research has shown that listening to nature sounds, like flowing water, can alter our brain’s behavior, move us out of a fight or flight state, and direct our brains away from ruminating thoughts. Here’s the first way I like to take advantage of the restorative power of a stream: I take a back-pack style beach chair and a book to a hiking trail where there’s a stream that’s not too far in (I'm not hiking too far with a lawn chair), I find a spot on the stream that’s above or below the trail where I won't be disturbed as people hike by, I open up my chair, and I read my book. If, while reading, I become distracted, it’s by some small animal or the stream itself, not by the dust bunnies in my living room or by my phone! The little bit of effort is worth the relaxing payoff. Off the top of my head, here are a few trails with year-round streams that are close to the beginning of the trail and have good spots for a chair:
Blue Mountain Reservation: Peekskill
Split Rock: New Paltz
Arden Point: Beacon
Ashley Falls: Tannersville
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Here's the second way I enjoy the stream: while you’re sitting at the stream, soak your feet. So simple. So wonderful. Whether you’ve hiked or not, resting your feet on some rocks beneath the water is one of the fastest ways to practice grounding or earthing and improve your health and wellbeing. | |
Camp Solo
Camping with a crew is fun, but unless they camp exactly the way you would camp, it’s not always as relaxing as it might be. While you might not want to camp alone all the time, it's a great way to unplug and spend some quality time with you….
Booking a campsite in a quiet campground means you'll camp your way without being worried that something might go wrong and you'll be all alone. If something goes sideways and you're at a campsite (you stub your toe badly?) there will other campers nearby who will help you out. Otherwise, you’ll be free to eat what you want to eat, leave your tent flap open with wild abandon, spray yourself with the smelly bugspray you love and everyone else hates, leave your flashlight on in the tent, and eat ALL the ‘smores. Two campgrounds that have reputations for playing host to quiet, conscientious campers are:
Taconic State Park in Copake Falls
Woodland Valley Campground in Phoenicia
Bonus: there are streams near both!
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 |  | Sometimes we like to use our real estate toys for something a little different! Several Hudson Valley villages have summer art festivals where they decorate the streets with artist-embelished fiberglass animals. This is so much more charming than it sounds when I put it that way! With these street-side art shows visitors are treated to a kaleidoscope of local creativity as they go about their shopping; and these shows brighten the spirits of those of us who live here and get to enjoy them all summer as we go about work and life. The most well-known of these displays is the Cats of Catskill - they're a draw for thousands of people, many of whom make a yearly pilgrimage to see how creatively local artists have taken a form, the same form they receive every year, and made something special. The cats are coming down in the next couple of weeks so they can be auctioned off. BUT, if you don't have a plan to get to Catskill this week - no problem! Our photographer got up early (very, very early) several days in a row and used the 3D camera we use to create 3D models of homes to capture the Village of Catskill. You can walk down Main Street virtually and see the cats from every angle right now! If you fall in love with one, join us at The Cat's Meow Auction September 17th from 2-5:30. One of my CBVGR colleagues is the auctioneer!
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Woodstock is known for its art scene, its artists, and its art galleries. It's a pretty amazing place.
Those of us who have lived here for a while and gotten to know our friends and neighbors inevitably wake up one day to a home filled with the beautiful things born of the skill and imagination of artists we've come to know personally. My own collection includes a few very special gifts as well as things I've purchased at galleries. Whether you're new to the area or not, one of the best ways to enjoy a day in Woodstock is to structure your time around visiting every gallery you can (with a break here and there for a carefully curated retail shop and some lunch). Our Woodstock office sits in the middle of all the galleries and is, in fact, a gallery itself. To help, I've made you a map to the galleries of Woodstock! Click the map to read about each of the galleries.
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As the summer's warmth gives way to the crispy days of early fall, sweater weather begins in the Catskills and Hudson Valley regions and the calendar gets packed. Shake out your cashmere crewnecks (we're not ready to commit to the turtlenecks yet), and get ready for the kaleidoscopic of events that accompany the shifting colors of the leaves. From vibrant harvest festivals like the Saugerties' Garlic Festival that pay homage to the season's bounty, to art walks that give art lovers the chance to explore the towns of the region as they drive from studio to studio gaining an understanding of the lives, spaces, and art of the artists who allow us a window to their process, September in the Catskills and Hudson Valley promises a nearly endless list of experiences to choose from. | |
From classic farmhouses in need of a little rehab to a colony of cabins on a river, from a luxurious modern perch in the mountains to more waterfront than we've had listed in quite some time, this month's listings are worth your attention. Browse! | |
Our mortgage partner, Brian Scott Cohen of Guaranteed Rate Affinity has some important advice to share with anyone who'd like to buy a house right now and needs to obtain a mortgage: stop reading the internet. Sometimes reading macro-economic news postings (particularly click-bait internet stories) can make you feel like you don't have options when there are plenty of options available to you. Brian is the #1 loan originator in NY per the Scotsman Guide 2023 list - before you put yourself in a box of someone else's making watch Brian's message and then reach out to him to discuss your unique situation. Both he and I are here to help you make it happen! | |
Enjoy September, I know it's a busy month for many of us, and I'm here for you! Please feel free to reach out to me whenever you have questions about real estate or need a good local recommendation from an expert. I'd be thrilled to hear from you. | |
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Coldwell Banker and Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC share common ownership and because of this relationship the brokerage may receive a financial or other benefit. You are not required to use Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC as a condition of purchase or sale of any real estate. Equal Housing Lender. Brian Scott Cohen NMLS ID: 410025 Guaranteed Rate Affinity NMLS 1598647; For licensing information visit nmlsconsumeraccess.org. D/B/A GR Affinity, LLC in lieu of the legal name Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC.
* Applicant subject to credit and underwriting approval. Not all applicants will be approved for financing. Receipt of application does not represent an approval for financing or interest rate guarantee. Restrictions may apply. Buydown option available from participating builders and sellers on select properties. Sample rates are national averages provided for illustrative purposes only and are not advertised rates. Restrictions apply. Contact GR Affinity, LLC for more information and up to date rates. For Broker-Dealer or Agent use only — Not for public dissemination. May not be distributed, reprinted or shown to the public in oral, written or electronic form as sales material.
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