Category Archives: Travel

Hudson Valley Bootlegger Gone Straight

Posted on May 31, 2013 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews October 17, 1932 was a bad day for Dutch Schultz, the legendary mobster, bootlegger and racketeer. After several attempts, Federal agents finally raided and shut down an elaborate bootlegging operation, bankrolled by Schultz, on a Pine Plains, … Continue reading →

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Locavore Passion at Murray’s in Tivoli

Posted on September 17, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews Eating real food that nourishes the body is important to us.  And when we learned that there was a newly installed chef—Amy Lawton—at Murray’s in Tivoli, Dutchess County, we were thrilled. We’ve often found that women in … Continue reading →

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Star of a Stellar Vintage: 2011 Willi Schaefer Riesling

Posted on July 24, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews The dog days of summer have arrived with a thud, and August is still to come. In this hot, sticky weather, you want a wine that’s light (especially on the alcohol), lively on the palate and long on the fruit. A savvy … Continue reading →

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Two Boots Bard: Dude Food, Suds and Tunes

Posted on July 19, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews Meat. Cheese. Crust. Beer. Righteous pizza attracts most guys—and a lot of girls.  Add live music to the mix, and it’s dude heaven. Two Boots, a Cajun-Italian eatery founded downtown (the East Village) in 1987, has delivered … Continue reading →

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Wine Country Comer: Paso Robles

Posted on December 30, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews Reminiscing about 2011’s favorite epicurean discoveries, Christopher and I championed our respective “Best …” lists.  One thing we could easily agree upon: how much we enjoyed discovering Paso Robles wine country… 

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Turkey on a Road Trip

Posted on November 26, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews There’s something romantic about a road trip.  It sparks my spirit of adventure.  So, this year, not only did we drive 8-1/2 hours to Pittsburgh to spend Thanksgiving with family…we also volunteered to cook the entire Thanksgiving … Continue reading →

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A Hot Posse of Paso Whites

Posted on November 4, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Paso Robles, located halfway between San Francisco and LA along California’s Central Coast, is a happening place…right now!

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Pinot Pleasure…in Germany

Posted on October 13, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Quick: name a German wine. Bet it’s a Riesling. And not for nothing: Germany is by far the world’s biggest producer of the noble grape, as well as the international benchmark for Riesling styles and excellence — from delicate, shimmering off-dry Kabinetts, to … Continue reading →

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Happy Trails!

Posted on August 25, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews My husband Christopher and I love to hike. That’s why we were excited to explore The Hyde Park Trail in Dutchess County, New York. A 16-mile trail system, encompassing local parks and a nature preserve, wends through … Continue reading →

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Gingerbread in July

Posted on July 5, 2011 by upstatedowntown

A fresh twist on southern-style gingerbread Continue reading →

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