Woodstock and Kingston Trip – Part 2

After we came back to Woodstock, we did a little shopping and stopped by a cute bakery called Overlook Bakery. Their cookies were amazing—we picked salty chocolate chunk, just perfect for an afternoon snack!

For dinner, we went to Savona's for Italian food. Online, the earliest reservation we found was for 7 p.m., but when we walked in, they kindly seated us at 6. Last time we visited Kingston, I had seafood for dinner, and this time was the same—I had mussels, and they were absolutely delicious.

After dinner, we headed to the concert venue Tubby’s. It looks pretty local and low-key from the outside, but actually, a lot of great bands have played here. (I wonder how they discovered this spot? Maybe it’s famous in the independent music scene.) The venue itself is cozy—the bar is front and the stage is right next room. It's small and the stage is super close to the audience, which made it feel really intimate.

That night, Robber Robber and Corridor played. I found a spot along the wall where I could sit, enjoy a beer, and soak in the music.

The next morning, we had one special craving: donuts from Half Moon Rondout Café Coffee and Donuts. Their donuts are made to order—I honestly don’t know any other place like it. Freshly fried, not greasy at all, and the coffee was excellent too. It feels like a place deeply loved by locals.

This photo is from Feb visit

Of course, when you’re in Kingston, you can’t miss the historical district. As you might know, Kingston was the first capital of New York State. There are so many beautiful old buildings, some of which have been renovated into modern shops and cafés. One of our favorite stops is Rough Draft Bar & Books, a cozy spot to grab a drink and browse books.

Not far from the historic area is the Forsyth Nature Center. The main reason I wanted to visit? They have two alpacas! (Of course, there are more animals too—peacocks, goats, pigs, turtles, and more.) It’s a small but charming zoo, and since it’s spring, the peacocks were actively flirting, showing off their feathers.

For a quick lunch, we grabbed stuffed bagels at Moonrise Bagels. Their bagels are packed with fillings and so good! I feel like the stuffed bagel trend hasn’t fully arrived in NYC yet—maybe it’s the next big thing?

After lunch, we headed to Hyde Park to visit the Dassai Blue Sake Brewery. Dassai is a well-known Japanese sake brand, and this is their U.S. location near the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). They were hosting a small Cherry Blossom Festival. It wasn’t a huge event, but seeing their beautiful new facility was a great experience, and I got to enjoy a nice sake tasting.

Whenever there’s a sake event in NYC, it's always packed—people here really love sake. It makes me proud to see how much Japanese culture is welcomed and appreciated in the U.S.

This short trip was refreshing and packed with good food, music, and new discoveries. I’m sure some new ideas will come to me after this inspiring little getaway.