It's summer. In the summer I want raw moluscs. The end.

No, but seriously. I grew up in Maine and lobsters and clams, steamed and raw, were a part of the whole summer experience. Plus my best friend basically won't go to dinner anywhere he can't get a dozen oysters and a really good martini to start the whole thing off. So, while it's unrealistic to expect there to be a clam shack on every corner in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, I have to know where I can some raw seafood. Luckily most of the Real Estate agents at Coldwell Banker Village Green are foodies. All you need do is ask for a recommendation and you're sure to get a great one, maybe you'll get seven. Here's what I got when I asked everyone where they go for raw fare this time of year.

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Here's one for the Antique Home Lovers out there (we know you're out there!). This charming Hudson Valley farmhouse is full of history and in move-in ready condition. Have you ever driven down a country road that was obviously once a large farm and wondered which house was THE house? Which house was the hub of activity during that romantic era? Here you don't have to wonder, it was this house. This is the original farmstead home of Dubois Road in Wallkill, and it's for sale. 

Not everyone is as familiar with Wallkill as they are with Kingston, Woodstock or New Paltz. Wallkill, NY doesn't get all that much search action on google. But it's a lovely place! Sitting in the midst of the Shawangunk Mountains and convenient to New Paltz,

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When you pull up the long driveway to 176 Hutchin Hill Road in Woodstock, New York it's best to do it with your car windows open. I visited on one of those first Spring days when you could ride around with your car windows open and your nose tilted towards the windows to catch the air. Because of this I was struck first, not by the two houses, which are both lovely, but by a sudden deep feeling of calm accompanied by birdsong and the sounds of the nearby stream. Hutchin Hill Road sits high up halfway between Woodstock and Phoenicia, NY. This nearly 27 acre property is part of a natural level area with a valley below and more mountains above. I know we Catskill Mountain Real Estate agents bandy about the words "mountain views" all the time, we see a

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  Properties with Hudson Views are rare. Properties with unimpeded Hudson Views, rarer still. Properties built to capture amazing views of the Hudson and a scenic bridge, with terraces that provide the perfect viewing point? The numbers dwindle still further. Properties like that that are currently on the market, in picture perfect condition, priced way under the 1 million mark, with motivated sellers? It's possible there's only one of those out there right now. 50 Turkey Point Road, in Saugerties, NY.   If you're on the fence about river views think on this. Simple mountain views are essentially static. Of course they change slightly with the seasons, but mountains never get up and move around! With this property you have distant mountain…

 

Imagine this. It’s a Saturday night in July. You’ve just spent the day playing host to friends and family; serving barbeque while they swim in the pool, dance in your front yard, and have a party just like the ones in the film, “The Ya-Ya Sisterhood”. Now, you’re relaxing on your gracious front porch. It’s not one of those narrow New England front porches with view-blocking railings. This is a Southern-style front porch with big pillars supporting its depth, and enough room for a dining area and several seating areas. Think “veranda”, not “porch”. You’ve got a book and some iced tea and you’re looking out over your gorgeously landscaped and manicured yard as the summer breeze cools you. Is this the Catskills? Couldn’t be. But it is.

 

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  Growing up in Ulster County has a lot of advantages. One is the opportunity to explore while carrying a fishing pole. Not all of my expeditions have been successful. I guess that's why they call it fishing and not catching fish. I got a request to write a blog about my 5 favorite fishing spots... (yeah, like that's going to happen...I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.) Okay, here are 5 great fishing spots that I can recommend without having to put a gag order on you!      

5. Wilson State Park

Okay, so you may say this is a State Park and must be over fished? Well, if you are willing to go in the winter time with tip up's and jigging rods, you will be pleasantly surprised. This small lake provides…

Now that the weather is starting to heat up, Ulster County residents are starting to feel that familiar itch springtime brings; the urge to wander through the multitudes of forest preserves. If your pleasure is hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, boating, swimming, riding, or even just good old-fashioned picnicking, there’s no better time to start. The parks are not very crowded in the spring (honestly, they're never over-run, but this time of year you can pretty much bank on solitude) and you can catch everything as it sprouts.   Many hikes and recreational areas in the Hudson Valley, Catskills and Rondout Valley have public parking and free admission. But, if you've exhausted those possibilities or just want full, no-holds barred access to…

  Ahhhh, performance camps! Something near and dear to my heart. I've attended them, I've taught at them, I've wriggled my way out of teaching at them once I decided I'd spent way too much time in summer performance camp. Anyway. I feel pretty well qualified to talk about performance camp.   As a working parent I know that choosing the summer camp(s) your kids will attend is a decision that ranks right up there with choosing the right school district to live in. It's not small. You want them to be safe. You probably want them to get some fresh air. Most of all you want them to be happy. As a theatre kid I did not give the teeniest hoot about fresh air. I spent my pre-teen and teen years roughly the color of Casper The Friendly Ghost because I…

 

There’s a lot of excitement involved in moving to a new area. Every set routine you go about without giving a second thought to becomes a new adventure of discovery - whether you like it or not. Where’s the best place to go for groceries? What about local or organic produce? Which plumber in town can I call in the middle of the night if I need to? There’s an animal in my yard that looks kind of like a cat, but enough not like a cat that I’m hesitant to feed/pet it. Who deals with this and can they hurry up?

 

 

Is there a Thai place nearby? THERE BETTER BE A THAI PLACE NEARBY! Figuring out all the ins and outs of your new environment takes time. So why not relax with some music? I’ll tell you why not. You’ve moved! The radio stations

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Random Acts of Creativity

Every old day is an inspiration here in the Catskills. We're an interconnected web of artists, thinkers and doers.

Yesterday was just a regular old work day for me. I took a short break from putting together a real estate ad for a local magazine and popped over to Facebook. The six inches of Facebook feed I looked at was full of the same sort of things it's always full of. Posts from friends and acquaintances in the area about what they were up to today. It was just Friday. It was nothing short of amazing. AMAZING. I want to share with you what I saw because, if you don't live here already, a glimpse at my Facebook feed might just help you understand why this is such a special place.

 

 

Comfort: The

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