June 2011
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you’ll have incredible views of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River. For a pretty picnic spot, visit the campus of Bard College. The college’s arboretum maintains many gardens throughout the campus, which is set quietly on the Hudson River. One of the most serene spots is Blithewood Garden, a formal Italian garden on the west axis of Bard’s Levy Institute. With its symmetrical plantings, terraces, gazebo and small pool – all with Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views – Blithwood is an elegant way to experience the area. You can get a closer look at the river by following the walking trail, beginning at the foot of the grassy hill just beyond the garden. Before you go, pack a picnic lunch with provisions from Migliorelli Farm. Located north of Rhinebeck in Tivoli, the Migliorelli Farm sells fresh produce at two farm stand locations and at the Rhinebeck Sunday farmer’s market in the center of town. Farm stands, at the junction of Route 199 and River Road in Rhinebeck, and at Route 9 in Red Hook across from Rhinebeck Savings Bank, are open daily 9am-6pm. The business is family-run, and got its start in the Bronx, when a member of the Migliorelli Farm brought broccoli raab seeds back from Italy in the 1930s.
If you’d rather pick up prepared sandwiches, Taste Budd’s Café is a good backup plan on the way to Blithewood. Inside the purple-framed cottage, choose from treats created by chef-owner Daniel Budd, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and attendee of The Valrhona Chocolate School in the Rhone Valley. |
