The Relevancy Read

Hot takes, early calls and astute observations, carefully curated.

A Sampling

Upstate Itinerary

November 29, 2023

Stay: Piaule, Inness, and The Maker Hotel

Billed as a “landscape hotel,” Piaule Catskill provides the ultimate nature reprieve with private floating cabins, a spa featuring a mineral plunge, and wellness experiences like forest bathing. Sprawling golf resort Inness warrants a visit for the scenery alone, but caught our attention with a country club business model tactic—a community membership program offers preferred tee times, coworking lounges, educational programs, and family activities. For an in-town stay, head to The Maker Hotel, steeped in history, replete with vintage furniture, and boasting a well-curated, original hotel shop. Imagine that!

Eat: Stissing House

Stissing House is one of the oldest taverns in America, but it's got its finger on the pulse of consumer cravings in every way, from the contemporary-classics menu to the old-world ambiance to a charming event-space offering. Embodying an incoming design direction we’re calling Modern Colonial, this place will be all over Instagram and an it-destination for intimate New York weddings and celebrations, mark our words!

Drink: Wylde

Go to Wylde for coffee, cocktails, and Upstate comfort. Set in a hybrid retail/café space, Wylde invites patrons to stay a while and discover independent brands from the Hudson Valley. The attached garage acts as a modern community center featuring workshops and events encompassing wellness, the arts, and food and beverage. This updated take on communal space and shopping hits a sweet spot of current consumer interests.

Provision: First Bloom and Stella's Fine Market

Cookbook author Alison Roman opened First Bloom in September, a contemporary corner store in Bloomville with grocery items and prepared food, filling a culinary gap in the rural area. Stella’s Fine Market is a foodie’s paradise and hero gifting destination. Founded by a former packaging designer, the store is packed with trendy and bespoke brands all worthy of display, plus kitchenware, books and magazine, and custom gift boxes. Both spots serve up merchandising magic.

Shop: Nikki Chasin, Little King, and Westerlind

Nikki Chasin brings an elevated sense of style and a touch of whimsy to the Upstate shopping scene with a new fashion boutique in Hudson. Further south in Beacon, Little King offers a lesson in the art of gifting with a sharp assortment and an easy online gift registry for any occasion. The ultimate archetype of Upstate-chic, Westerlind just opened a store in Kingston.

See: Dia Beacon Museum

With a sister location in Manhattan, Dia Beacon is a gem of contemporary art and sculpture nestled on the Hudson River. The expansive building is well-suited for large-scale instillations and features a lovely book shop and café. Go now for Rita McBride’s current exhibition, Momentum, which explores the intersection between architecture and day-to-day life in the public sphere, which will be activated by performances by artists, writers, musicians, and dancers throughout.