Heinchon's Old Farmhouse: An Upstate NY Ice-Cream Institution

Heinchon's Old Farm House

For nearly eight years, I scooped ice-cream at Heinchon's Old Farm House on Rt. 22 in Pawling, on a stretch of highway connecting Manhattanites to their weekend homes in Connecticut and Massachusetts. It was hard work. Don't laugh. Over the years I nearly sprained my wrist several times digging into the hard, homemade ice-cream. I even had to wear a wrist bandage on more than one occasion for extra support. I also endured teasing from my brothers: "Carey: cone or cup?" "It's so much more than that," I would screech back. 

What's harder than scooping the ice-cream is making it. It is both costly and time-consuming to recreate traditional family recipes, but Heinchon's keeps doing it. 

Falafel on Broadway: Life-changing hummus and hot sauce

I was first introduced to Falafel on Broadway by a colleague, whose boyfriend stumbled upon this Middle Eastern fare jewel by accident. Located in Harlem, near the 1 train station at 125th street on the West side, it opened several months ago. Occupying a slightly cramped space, it has a high takeout counter that would dwarf anyone but the tall Turkish men who stand behind it preparing kebabs. There are four small dining tables in the back corner and nothing more. What it lacks in decor, it makes up for in the food, providing cheap and delicious treats. Highlights include their life-changing hummus and hot sauce.

Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa: An upstate NY Secret Kept from Locals

Buttermilk Falls Inn, Milton, NY

Tucked away in the midst of a residential area caught between two sleepy Ulster County cities; a 1.5 hour trip from New York City and just a 30 minute drive from Dutchess County, NY;  lies Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa. Until recently, the 16-room inn and luxury spa has been kept a secret from locals. A former trading post and private family homestead, the property was purchased in 2001 and converted into an Inn and Spa. Traditionally, the Inn and Spa has advertised in NYC publications and lured Manhattanites into the country for stays. The current owner, also the proprietor of NYC's Great Jones Spa, opened a farm-to-table restaurant on the property a few months ago and is looking to pull in more locals.

Barcelona, Spain: FULL DISCLOSURE

view from Barceloneta (Barcelona) beach apartment 

This photo features my good friend Anna and I relaxing on a couch after an afternoon BBQ at a friend of a friend's Barceloneta Beach apartment. It is, I believe, the perfect photographic representation of Barcelona: a spectacular seaside city filled with great people, great food and fantastic views.

After bouncing back and forth between the US and Spain for 10 years and working as an English teacher and later as a staff writer and editor at a cultural magazine in Barcelona, I've compiled a comprehensive list of places to shop and eat at, as well as visit in the city I consider my other home.

Mountain Side Gear Rental: Camping Equipment Rentals Delivered to YOU

Mountain Side Gear Rental

I'm in the midst of planning a West Coast adventure trip. The fun will start at a close friend's wedding outside San Francisco and continue with a road/plane trip with another friend coming in from Barcelona, Spain, to explore the vineyards in Sonoma and cities like Las Vegas. The highlight: a camping adventure inside the Grand Canyon. One of the greatest obstacles though, until now, was figuring out how we would pull of our camping outing. We couldn't possibly smuggle all the necessary gear on the different planes we are taking to California from NYC and Barcelona respectively. And with airlines now charging for checked luggage, we needed a smart solution. I searched online for camping rental shops near the Grand Canyon and was about to give up, when I stumbled upon a forum, where a woman mentioned Mountain Side Gear Rental. 

What do they do? Rent camping and backpacking equipment, everything from tents to cooking sets. 

Goosepimp: Boston Funkliciousness April 16th at Vassar College's The Mug

Goosepimp  

Goosepimp Orchestra, an 8-member music group from Boston is not involved in waterbird prostitution (as the name might imply), but works to make music that combines different styles, resulting in the creation of a Goosepimp, or "superbeing." GPO will bring their unique brand of funk, Latin and psychedelic-liciousness to the stage at The Mug (or Matthew's Mug) at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY this weekend. I caught up with GPO founding fathers Michael Cantor and Bob Greel, who note Charles Mingus, Pantera, Sly and the Family Stone and the Buena Vista Social Club as musical favorites and influences, a couple days before the show. 

David Sedaris: He had me at "Haven't we met before?"

How Sedaris signed a copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day for a friend.

"Haven't we met before?"


"No, this is my first time," I giggled. 


And that is how my meeting with David Sedaris began at his book signing post-reading at Proctors in Schenectady, NY (he is currently touring the US and then will be in the UK from May on). I had braved the 2 + hour drive up from Pawling, NY, a drive that was pretty spectacular (rolling NY hills, a random white Buddha head sculpture on one of them in near a place called Austerlitz) and boring.