Back from the mountain

My spa-challenged daughter and I just returned from a successful trip up to Mohonk Mountain. This is the third year of this outing, which began when a friend suggested the wives get away, while the husbands were off skiing on their own adventure. Unfortunately not everyone from the original group could come this year, but we changed things up a bit and had a great time.

True to my upbringing (or trapped by it) I had decided this year to look for a more affordable alternative to the Mohonk spa package, which is all inclusive, but pricey. My plan was to stay six miles away in Gardiner at the considerably smaller Minnewaska Lodge-an A frame building with about 20 rooms as opposed to the 300 room Mohonk Mountain House castle. The castle is a beautiful building and setting, which should be experienced at least once, but the lodge was a cozy alternative. Off season with only two rooms occupied on Sunday and a few more on Monday, Minnewaska offered friendly staff and a healthy breakfast buffet. We ate breakfast enfolded in comfy,cushioned mission-style furniture in the great room, gazing out at the mountain. The other advantage of my plan was we had a chance to explore some of the interesting restaurants of the New Paltz-Gardiner area. 

My friend and former college roommate, being even more spa challenged than we are, joined us just for lunch on Monday at the Main Street Bistro- a popular college vibe place with pine booths and a diner sized menu. Portions were big and the food was good, although couldn't compare to our favorite lunch place The Main Course, which was closed on Mondays. (Missing you, lobster club!) While we ate and talked, my friend's husband trotted off to the used book/used vinyl record store. Awesome-someone actually will buy that collection of 60's records cluttering up my basement? I may need a return trip to New Paltz very soon.

Years ago I had eaten lunch once at the Rock and Rye Tavern (named The Locust Inn at the time) next to the New Paltz municipal golf course. The building is red clapboard and stone farmhouse/country tavern with slate floors, fireplaces and rooms whose floors sloped slightly left or right. Trip Advisor/Yelp recommendations were good, so we checked it out for dinner. Located just beyond the Huguenot Houses from the 1700's, the place has an aura of authenticity and promises good food. Well sort of. On the first exterior door, a typed sign announced that the chef had left abruptly and the new one would not start for another week, so the menu was limited and they were coping as best they could. Not exactly an enticing invitation, but we were hungry and reluctant to plunge back into the foggy night. We asked our waitress first if the chef had disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Was there a ghost of the tavern lurking in the low lit rooms that we should worry about? We were assured that it was simply the matter of a better opportunity and then proceeded to order and eat one of the best meals we'd had in a while. Wherever the R&R chef had escaped to, he must have left behind detailed recipes to follow.

The weather was crazy-lots of fog. Initially we couldn't see the mountain behind our lodge.  Morning dawned bright and sunny, but soon turned cloudy. Drifts of fog descended so quickly that it looked like a forest fire was sending up clouds of smoke. In 2011, we had enough snow on the trails to go snowshoeing. The next year, it was crisp and cold, but the trails were snow free and hikeable. This year with temperatures in the 50's on Sunday and Monday, the trails were officially closed-too muddy and slick. Who knows what augurs for 2014--trees sprouting leaves in a prolonged, global warmed January thaw? 

For the missing outdoor exercise we substituted a "shop crawl" through the town, visiting interesting little gift shops, tie dyed emporiums, and stores filled with unique clothing, jewelry and treasures. My favorite tee shirt: "914 Westchester: Manhattan with trees." (Deluded thinking, but gave us a laugh) We noted there was no "516-Long Island: not Manhattan, no trees" or  "201: Jersey: Not Manhattan, but lovely trees (in the burbs)."

As for the spa, my daughter and I finally decided we've got the routine down correctly. The hot rocks massage is the way to go for us. Nice warm, smooth rocks applied with slight pressure after your skin is oiled up---you feel young again! Our more adventurous friend opted for the body scrub, which she described as invigorating but mild. And, yes, this is the same procedure said daughter had last year, but described it slightly differently: "painful, raw and never to be repeated."


One disadvantage of my vacation itinerary was that there was some driving involved--through the fog, past open fields, dark woods--a dead deer on the side of the road, a wandering opossum meandering across the blacktop. My friend took one wrong turn and ended up on a long journey down a lonely dead end road and then a circuitous ride back. Looking a bit frazzled when she met us at the Tuthill House at the Mill that was our next dinner location, we contemplated starting the meal with shots all around but then settled on a St. Germain gin and tonic and some soothing, smooth white wine.

On the five minute ride back to the lodge, like Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons, we had to say it: Worst relaxing spa vacation ever! We comforted ourselves by stocking up on the home made chocolate chip cookies in the lobby for any late night munchie attacks. Our too short getaway ended the next morning after breakfast and relaxing in the lounge. Temps had dropped, so sitting on the outside Adirondack chairs was out of the question. Maybe next year?