Fall Sojourns: Hudson River to Montreal

Fall Sojourns: Hudson River to Montreal

October 2019

          The travels described in this narrative arose from the confluence of several storylines, a case study in the sometimes complex and serendipitous paths by which trip ideas are born and evolve. Marjorie’s sister Mary & hubbie Jeff have generously included us in some stays using their Marriott vacation membership: Boston in 2016 & Branson in 2017. So we were pleased to be invited to spend a weekend in Montreal when Jeff is participating in an international biochemistry conference. That, in turn, brought to mind a trip with friends Steve & Jill that included a Chinese lantern festival in the Montreal Botanical Garden, an annual event we can repeat with Mary & Jeff. Yet another storyline emerged this past Labor Day weekend when we met our Queens family for a campground brunch, leading to an overnight in Cold Spring and, separately, to a tour of Bannerman Castle. Come along to trace this convoluted pathway.

Meeting Arlo

First, the Labor Day storyline. Our son Matt, daughter-in-law Anthea, and grandsons William & Miles had an overnight campground at Clarence Fahnestock State Park, just off Taconic State Parkway south of Poughkeepsie. Plus a bonus: we could meet their just-acquired rescue dog Arlo (a lab, retriever, hound, or some such mix)! We drove down with the necessary supplies (put together by Marjorie) to cook up brunch on their campfire. It was a rainy morning, so I found several good restaurants listed in nearby Cold Spring as backup. We managed to cook & eat “in the wild” despite unsettled conditions, and enjoyed time with the family and Arlo, who remained adorable and friendly despite being moved around so much and the wet camping! 

A lovely campsite area.

After leaving we took a detour to check out Cold Spring and were so intrigued  ̶  Hudson River waterfront, interesting shops & restaurants along Main St, pretty buildings & neighborhoods, a garden to tour nearby  ̶  that we decided to arrange an overnight during Mary’s visit.

Art and Arsenals

The Cold Spring planning uncovered tours to nearby Bannerman Castle, a sight from the train to and from NYC that has especially intrigued Marjorie. So we signed up, which, in turn, became part of a busy October weekend. Albany Symphony musician-guest-friends Funda & Billy are staying here for their concert Saturday the 19^th, highlighted by one of our favorites, “Pictures at an Exhibition,” that always brings good memories of Matt performing. But first we’re off on Friday for an event with imaginative artist/performer Douglass Truth. See how convoluted things can become?

 A nice drive thru some Fall colors to Lauren Clark Fine Art in Great Barrington MA. An early arrival leaves time to stop into a large colorful “Big Y” to get some bakery for tomorrow. 

We attended Douglass’ very creative “An Intimate Evening with Death, Herself” a couple years ago. Tonight’s “True Dreams” combines another “performance piece” with a show of his colorful paintings. A small group gathers for his storytelling while he strums a guitar. I cannot begin to adequately describe the meandering philosophical yarn, which begins with a frog & scorpion river-crossing and winds up in a grocery frozen seafood section conversing with a halibut. Make of it what you will, I suppose  ̶  it makes for a quite intriguing evening.

 

Saturday dawns clear & crisp, 35° headed to 60°, a gorgeous Fall day! Happily, windy rainy weather a few days ago hasn’t blown away all the Fall color. A quick trip to the landfill and grocery for bottles/cans return to clear out the garage. Then south to Poughkeepsie to pick up friend Marlene, a pleasant companion on recent trips to the Smokies and Bucks County, who joins us again as our belated treat for her birthday. 

We continue south, more nice colors and thru picturesque Wappingers Falls, to the harbor in Beacon, across from the Metro North train station. Pretty waterfront views, highlighted by the sloop “Clearwater,” made famous by Pete Seeger; the crew is busy loading fundraising pumpkins. 

Waterfowl include ducks, geese overhead going south, herons. Positively idyllic! 

I stroll thru nearby Long Dock Park and come upon a colorful garden show at Scenic Hudson River Center; a quick return to the dock to alert my companion gardener ladies to come over. 

After a short wait our boat “Estuary Steward” arrives and we board with a friendly group of about 30. A “Riverkeeper” boat stops by; his friendly dog comes aboard to greet (or inspect?) us briefly. Then a 30-minute boat ride further south on the river. We’re told Newburgh, on the other shore, is the site of Edison’s 1^st electric power plant and the 1^st “silver screen.”

Some orientation: Scottish-born Francis Bannerman bought Pollepel Island in 1901. Beginning with scrap materials from NYC harbors at age 10 when his father was away in the Union army, Bannerman became a military surplus & munitions dealer (sometimes called the "Father of the Army-Navy Store"). He designed & built a Scottish castle as an arsenal for his supplies of weapons, gunpowder, and other equipment, along with a house for him and his wife, who added paths & terraces with flowers & shrubs. Buildings were ravaged by fire in 1969, and the island was mostly off-limits until Bannerman Castle Trust began regular tours (after cleaning out poison ivy & snakes, Marlene says). It’s not exactly handicapped-accessible: a climb of 72 steps up from the dock and some rather uneven terrain, but we all manage without mishap.

Guide Wes and helper Mary give a wonderful tour, full of too many fascinating tidbits to capture here. Wes in particular has many stories of the family, including some still living. They also share photos of what the buildings looked like originally and of Bannerman’s design plans. 

 

There’s much more than can be seen from passing trains, including the partially restored house which is much more than expected (not refurnished, it contains some exhibits and a small gift shop). The colorful castle is made from Hudson River valley bricks (a big local industry back in the day). 

Beautiful river views from the island, including the “summit” where we conclude our tour and trundle back down to the dock. On the way back we're passed by colorful sternwheeler "River Rose." The day could not have been any more perfect!

Back at Marlene’s, we help her clear out some leftovers from a recent large family gathering for her birthday: yummy paella and BBQ pork. She relates the interesting story of working with a local chef at “The Tasting Room” (an unassuming place outside Rhinebeck I pass on my Red Cross hospital blood delivery run) to create a special gourmet Spanish-menu dinner for 13! Sounds like the perfect BD present for her. We head back home, passing many deer along the Thruway (and 2 quite recent road kills!). I’m having discomfort from a case of shingles, so skip the concert to serve as Marjorie’s uber driver to & from the ASO concert.

Houses and Gardens

Mary flies in about noon Tuesday from Kansas City (no, not on a broom, tho she’s greeted by Marjorie’s coven of witches ˗ aka “The Girls” ˗ amid an eruption of Halloween in the house). Now let’s pick up the storyline in Cold Spring. A visit to Airbnb.com found a listing for “Classic Early 20^th Century Chic Cold Spring House.” A good location a block off Main St, reasonable price, and nicely fits Mary’s interests in furniture & decorative arts for that period. Hosted by John & Charlotte (who provides an informative guide about local dining, shops, and attractions), plus 2 “very friendly” dogs. The village of about 2,000 is located in the Hudson Highlands, sits at the deepest point of the Hudson River, directly across from West Point, and was named for a spring where ships would take on drinking water. It offers commuter service to NYC or weekend getaways for NYC residents; Metro-North RR is about an hour & 10 minutes (50 miles) Grand Central to Cold Spring station. The Cold Spring Historic District, on the National Register of Historic Places, has many well-preserved 19th-century buildings constructed for workers at the West Point Foundry (itself a Registered Historic Place), which made everything from stoves and cannons to locomotives.

Up early on Wednesday for the 2-hour drive south. A rainy night, but clearing for a pretty drive of Fall colors and layered fog. 

 First stop: Stonecrop Gardens, opposite Fahnestock SP, built by Garden Conservancy founder Frank Cabot & wife Anne on 60 hilltop acres of fields and woods.

 Marjorie & Mary enjoy the unusual and interesting collection of plants (more than 600 numbered along pathways), just us and friendly gardeners on another gorgeous Fall day. 

  Some highlights include a cliff rock garden and woodland & water gardens.  A conservatory seems to float on a pond. Heading out we stop by stables and learn this is home to 14 therapy horses. A wonderful start to our stay in Cold Spring!  

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Into town, pretty storefronts and decorations along Main St. A filling lunch at Hudson Hil’s Café. 

Then back out to a surprise for Mary (actually, Marjorie kept the whole Cold Spring visit a surprise): a tour of Manitoga, the home of American industrial designer Russel Wright (no relation to Frank Lloyd W). A National Historic Landmark, it is one of the few “American Modern” homes with original landscape open to the public  ̶  and Mary is a big fan of his work. Marjorie is pleased that Mary is indeed surprised . . .  and a bit verklempt. Wright sought to blend architecture and landscape, to fuse natural and man-made materials in unexpected ways, creating an experimental demonstration of contact with nature. 

No regular tours during our stay, but Marjorie arranged a private tour that includes areas not part of public tours. I drop off M & M amid beautiful Fall colors for their “Private Immersive Tour” at 2:00. I’ll pick up this storyline below.

Back into town, I find my way around RR tracks to the riverfront park, with band shell, Parrott gun (manufactured in the West Point Foundry for use in the Civil War), Hudson River Inn, and the dramatic rock face of Storm King Mt. across the river. Too full from lunch to take advantage of Moo Moo Creamery.

To nearby Foundry Dock Park and the Chapel Restoration, a Greek Revival style church built for Irish Catholic workers at the West Point Foundry that looks out over the river. More beautiful river views. 

I continue my personal “Highlights of Cold Spring” tour with brief looks into Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church 

and Episcopal St. Mary-in-the-Highlands, sometimes called The Cathedral of the Hudson Valley for its graceful grey granite spire rising 128’ above the village. A nice ecumenical touch: the Parish Hall is used for the Philipstown Reform Synagogue.

Time now to check in at our BnB. I’m greeted by friendly hosts John & Charlotte (who’s a Brit), plus dogs Ollie (excited & friendly) and Penny (a shy rescue dog who peers at me from another room).

After relaxing a bit in the comfy accommodations (a spacious double plus single with shared bath), I stroll around the neighborhood: 

Halloween decorations, a large Methodist church, library, God’s Acre Cemetery dating from the 1750s.

Marjorie calls  ̶  they’re ready to be picked up after almost 3 hours! A wonderful tour with Sarah. Way more than expected, 

especially the grounds (with some challenging terrain for walking, climbing about, traversing ponds & streams). Built on the rock ledge of an abandoned quarry, distinctive features of the house (”Dragon Rock”) include large expanses of glass for views of a 30-foot waterfall, Quarry Pool, and surrounding 75-acre woodlands. 

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They regale me with stories. Russel did everything: furniture, glassware, pottery, silverware . . . 10 years of planning, 7,000 sketches!

Marjorie and I return the following summer, connecting with the same guide,

Some wine & cheese at our BnB, then out for dinner at Doug’s Pretty Good Pub: “Voted Best Burger in Town by Some Guy Who Likes Burgers.”  A friendly place, good hearty food. After-dinner strolling along Main St. by decorative lighted store windows. “Kismet: A Boutique with Class and a Dash of Sass.” Marjorie calls attention to a t-shirt with a message: “He Called Me A Bitch. I Called Him An Ambulance.” Settling in back “home,” Ollie wanders in a couple of times to check on us.

Thursday dawns bright & brisk. I go down to the river to catch the first light on the mountains across the way  ̶  so beautiful! A man feeds bread to a lineup of seagulls along the dock, and a few large carp below. It appears he does this regularly before going to work. 

Pretty buildings and decorations. 
After we’re all up, out for breakfast. Undeterred by skeletons seated out front (service can’t be that slow!), into recommended Cold Spring Coffee House for coffee & tasty bakery. 

Out to Boscobel; can’t get on a tour until noon, but we explore the grounds: pretty gardens & trees (including intriguing cloudberry dogwood fruit), spectacular river views over Constitution Marsh toward West Point. As is if on cue, a train comes along the river. Wow! 

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Busts of Hudson River School artists (Frederic Church, Thomas Cole, et al.) set among trees full of Fall color. Shakespearean plays are staged on the grounds in summer. 

Back into town. Many shops not open yet, but more storefront photo ops. Lots of quaint: “Barber & Brew” shop, a sign says “Hippies Use Side Door.” 

Back out to Boscobel for another excellent, fascinating tour with Kathy. Built between 1804 and 1808, Boscobel was the “dream house” of wealthy Loyalists. After falling into disrepair, preservationists saved the house from demolition in the 1950s, storing it in pieces until it could be reassembled at the current site. A beautiful interior, highlighting decorative arts from the Federal period: rare examples by America’s most celebrated cabinetmaker, Duncan Phyfe; polished mahogany, gilt bronze, and cut glass; pastoral landscapes on paintings, prints, ceramics, even furniture. Lovely “Cross-Pollination” exhibits of works on paper inspired by plant life are interspersed. 

Tasty cider & cookies in the basement kitchen. A bit of historical trivia: bathing was by seniority, starting with the master of the house on down to infants; hence “don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.” 

We meet Marlene for another good lunch at Hudson Hil’s; same waiter, who again has to steady a tipsy table. An uneventful drive back to Albany.

Heading North 

Friday AM: We’ve already received a good Airbnb review from John, he says Ollie was particularly “enamored” of us; we return the favor with a very positive review of our stay. Now, finally!, we come to the Montreal storyline which began this saga. Cloudy 50° as we head north, Monty Python’s “Lumberjack Song” on the radio (♫I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK♫). Another pretty Fall drive up the Northway; just when it seems the leaves may be gone another High Peaks vista opens up. Lunch outside Ausable at Pleasant Corner Restaurant/Big Daddy’s BBQ. Past Plattsburgh/Dannemora, reminding us of recently-viewed “Escape at Dannemora,” dramatizing a prison break. 

No delay at the border using our new “Enhanced” driver’s licenses, tho we have to explain Mary from KC in the back seat: “How are you related?” Into the land of Tim Horton’s, where the US $ is worth 25% more. An easy trip, very light traffic all the way. GPS brings us to the front door of centrally located Le Méridien Versailles on rue Sherbooke Ouest. 

Up to our king-sized rooms overlooking a nice neighborhood below Mount Royal. Jeff had been “secluded” 90 miles from here for his conference, but he’s here now to play with us. 

A nice PM for a stroll, including some of one walking tour I found. Montreal has much “public art” (sculptures, murals, etc.) along sidewalks and streets, beautiful buildings both old & modern. 

Past the large complex of Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum), colorful totem pole and Chihuly glass sculpture out front. 

To Dorchester Square with pretty trees and statues. Nearby Basilique-Cathédral Marie-Reine-du-Monde (Mary Queen of the World) is a smaller version of Rome’s St. Peter’s, with beautiful interior. 

From there to Place Ville-Marie, a complex of offices and shops designed by I M Pei that leads us into the underground mall of shops. Back up, we spend some time in colorful La Maison Simons department store. We notice a very long line outside SQDC  ̶  a purveyor of cannabis products  ̶  folks getting ready for the weekend. Marjorie comments on the lack of horn-honking compared with NYC. Wine & chocolate at the hotel, followed by an excellent Chinese dinner at nearby RestaurantPM.

Lumiére

         Saturday dawns bright & brisk, 40° headed to the 50s. Following a tip for breakfast, we hike along past beautiful Fall-colored trees to Marché Atwater, a large colorful indoor & outdoor market. Coffee and croissants at busy Premiére Moisson Boulangerie. 

After exploring the market a bit, we get day passes at a nearby Metro station and take the orange line to Place d’Armes in Vieux-Montreal. A lovely area to stroll, statues and beautiful architecture, past Basilique Notre-Dame, along Place Jacques-Cartier with its many shops and eateries. 

Into Noel Eternel, where Christmas has exploded! By now it’s time for more nourishment. A lovely young lady with French accent entices me with a menu at Le Deli du Vieux-Port; I gather the group to “Enter at Own Risk” amid ghosts & witches for tasty onion soup and sinful apple pie. 

Marjorie and I head to Chinatown for a quick look. We rendezvous at Notre Dame and decide to skip the long entrance line  ̶  we’ve all been there, done that. Metro orange to green in a station with colorful artwork along the tracks. A short walk to the Botanical Garden, the tower for Olympic Stadium looming nearby.

          It’s another spectacular weather day! The Jardin Botanique has thematic gardens & greenhouses spread over almost 200 acres. The lanterns are the main event now, but we first enjoy the brightly decorated Halloween-themed “Little Monsters Courtyard” for kids, beautiful bonsai trees (as much as 140 years old!), and other lovely flowers & plants. Then off to see the lanterns.

What was originally the “Magic of Lanterns” focused on Chinese lanterns in the Chinese Garden was expanded in 2012 as “Gardens of Light” (Jardins de lumiére), with additional lighting in the Japanese & First Nations Gardens. Now in its 27^th year, with some 900 lanterns, this has become so popular that tickets give evening entry to the lanterns pathway at specific times to avoid overcrowding (and it’s “sold out” for tonight). The lanterns, designed here and crafted in China, this year tell the story of mythical giant fish He Luo Yu. Cranes thruout symbolize the longevity of the friendship between sister cities Montreal and Shanghai. Thru trees with hanging lanterns to ponds where they float. We’ve arrived early enough to see the lanterns in sunlight, plus the bonus of Fall colors. Wow, it’s spectacular!

After a trip through the gardens we relax with coffee & pastries in the garden restaurant, building stamina for our 5:30 ticketed entry back onto the lanterns pathway. But first we enjoy a children’s area with many decorated pumpkins and a giant head made from squash & other veggies. 

Then a swing thru lush greenhouses. 

And we come upon “The Great Pumpkin Ball,” with many more colorful pumpkins and a large gathering being entertained by Esmeralda, The Friendly Witch.

Onto the lanterns pathway as the sun is setting. It’s so beautiful, words fail! The darker it gets, the more brilliant the colors. 

The First Nations and Japanese Gardens are quite different, and beautifully distinctive in their own ways. The First Nations offers a multimedia experience: a drumming heartbeat, chanting, colorful glass globes, and bird sounds around the Sacred Tree, a giant poplar symbolizing the Circle of Life. The Japanese Garden has a more subdued lighted meditative path leading to a beautiful pavilion. 

At the end we double back to see the lanterns now fully lighted in the darkness, brilliant reflections in the ponds. Another perfectly wonderful day! (Well, the Insectarium was closed, and no Canadian delicacy poutine for us, but nobody seems to mind.) Jeff’s Fitbit has registered 22,000 steps today! Metro back to the hotel to rest those tootsies.

Mummies to Modern

        It appears we’ve used up our weather karma: Sunday brings rain and chilly wind. But no complaints  ̶  it’s a good museum day. After a big hotel breakfast, a few blocks walk to Musée des Beaux-Arts, Canada’s oldest museum. A popular spot on such a cold damp day. I pick up the tab for our admission, then it’s refunded because Mary & Jeff have a reciprocal membership  ̶  but it’s my thought that counts, eh? 

A large complex of 3 buildings housing 5 exhibit pavilions, very diverse collections: Egyptian mummies, native and Canadian art, medieval & baroque works, glasswork & contemporary furniture, modern abstractions. 

 

          After wine & snacks at the hotel while waiting for on-line bidding to finalize on Mary’s "Little Lulu" doll (for a church fundraiser), we're all craving Italian and we head out for a place suggested by the front desk. But I’m again enticed by a lovely French-accented waitress into one along rue Crescent  that’s closer: Tuscolo. A very friendly place, open only 1 month, the chef comes out to greet us. Excellent salads and pizza, finished off by tiramisu with 4 spoons. A perfect ending to the day.

Back Home

          Sadly, it’s time to end this delightful stay, with many thanks to Mary and Jeff. Monday is overcast and damp. We drive back to Marché Atwater for breakfast at the Boulangerie. Jeff flies home from here to KC; we can save him the hassle and expense of a shuttle. The drive to the airport proves challenging, with major construction detours. Our confused GPS is convinced we’re “Going the wrong way on the road!,” but we’re OK following the detour signs. 

Then we head south, a 20-minute line to cross the border. Things brighten up, it’s still a pretty Fall drive. A stop for lunch at rustic Shirley’s Diner outside Schroon Lake.

Mary stays with us until flying home Wednesday evening. She and Marjorie get in some shopping, create some Christmas ornaments with alcohol ink, 

and help Marjorie get things organized for her participation in the Fall Artisan Sale at the Barn at the Bridge in Burnt Hills this weekend. 

Gorgeous Fall scenery. Beautiful gardens. Fascinating tours of houses and a castle. Interesting towns and cities. Good times with family and friends. What could be better?