A Staycation….in Kinderhook??

A friend mentioned I should go on a staycation in Kinderhook.

I immediately scoffed at the idea!

I don’t need a staycation; I have too many things to do. I need a work-cation! I need a week to focus on my secondary list of To Do items – the home projects that never get done. In a 200-year-old house, there’s always something to do. If you live in these old houses, you soon have a sisyphean list of repairs, renovations, and projects. Some projects linger for years, and others return – like repainting that room, the one you did twenty years ago that needs to be redone. Has it been that long?

Like me, maybe you were inspired one day and bought a can of paint or stain at Lowe’s. The can sits there, unopened, as a constant reminder that life in Columbia County is an overwhelming house-renovation journey, one we can only hope to complete before entering the afterlife – an afterlife in which we may be forced to haunt the same unfinished house, like purgatory.

Plus, a staycation in Kinderhook? What could I possibly do in Kinderhook for two days?

I have about fifty bucks left on my CRAZY DEAL card from Ocean State Job Lot from a dehumidifier I bought for the basement. I brought that card with me. In case I got bored in Kinderhook, I could make a quick trip to Ocean State and cash in on some crazy cash.

Municipal Rivalry?

Hudsonians like to think we are the center of Columbia County. Hudson is the Columbia County seat of government filled with many (non-taxable) county buildings and parking lots. The town of Kinderhook is a larger municipality with 8,330 people, eclipsing the City of Hudson’s 5,894 dezidens.

Why does this matter? The Columbia County Board of Supervisors votes on a weighted basis, by population. Hudson is often reminded of our limited sphere of power and influence at the county level.

The rivalry between Columbia County municipalities could be compared to siblings who sometimes cannot stand each other, but are forced to coexist. The Hudson versus Kinderhook rivalry is a friendly squirmish compared to others, such as the Hudson versus Greenport feud. Hudson and Greenport fight like two teenage brothers separated by a bitter divorce in 1837. They each have their own similarly combative Instagram meme accounts, the Hudson Wail and the Greenport Wail. The Hudson versus Greenport match is a full-on World Wrestling Federation-style takedown. Greenport enters the ring with a fistful of cement dust and throws it in Hudson’s face. Meanwhile, Hudson finds an antique mid-century modern L&B Furniture chair to smash. (Don’t worry, there are many more chairs…)

Leaving the Hustle and Bustle of Hudson Behind

I packed-up the car, and within fifteen minutes, left the hustle and bustle of mid-week Hudson for the Village of Kinderhook.

When I unpacked my luggage in the Van Buren room, named in honor of one of Old Dutch Inn‘s prior operating names, I was amazed at how quickly the stress and everyday worries of life in Hudson vanished. The calm and tranquil atmosphere of Old Dutch Inn had a lush resort feel. Everything was new, fresh, and clean.

The room was impeccably renovated. It was wide and spacious with large windows looking out onto Kinderhook’s Village Square. The second floor outside deck was the perfect space to read, write, or delicately spy on passersby, like an old Italian woman leaning outside her window in Rome.

Old Dutch Inn has a game room, a bar, and a mini-library (both online and in real life) with books on local history. Old Dutch Inn is in the center of town, making it easy and quick to grab a bagel, have a cup of coffee, or sit down for a quiet lunch.

Owner Jennifer Ose-MacDonald met her husband, Jake Samascott, at the New York City Farmers Market. Originally from upstate, Jennifer moved back with Jake in 2011. She wanted her and her family to be part of the community. They raised their children around Jake’s family farm and spent Saturdays at the Farmers’ Market. Old Dutch Inn sat nearby, vacant.

Jennifer wanted to have a business in the community and considered Old Dutch Inn. The couple bought the building with the intention of honoring Old Dutch Inn‘s past while restoring it for its next life.

Old Dutch Inn was originally built in the 1800s, and was under many owners and names throughout the years, however its last and most common name was Old Dutch Inn.

Old Dutch Inn provides all of their guests with gift cards to Morningbird, and through partnerships, they’ve arranged discounts at Isola, Village Yoga and Hudsontricity. What a great way to start your stay!

Is it haunted?

Before they opened, Jennifer and Jake spent a week at the inn, to see if they heard any supernatural spirits. They thought they heard something unusual, but it turned out to be overzealous lovers.

Old Dutch Inn is the perfect location for a two or three day vacation. It is central to Hudson, the Berkshires, Chatham, and amenities such as a good cup of coffee or a yoga studio, are a stone’s throw away. All of that, and no ghosts.

Everyone Gets Along Just Swell

During my first evening in town, I visited Saisonnier and hoped for a clue or sighting of the famed anonymous Instagram meme account, the Kinderhookers. Saisonnier‘s low ceilings give it a New England pub feel – even an original, old-English pub feel. There’s also a familiar sense that everyone knows each other – for better or worse.

Friendliness is part of Kinderhook’s charm. Since I am not part of any Kinderhook Facebook Community Group, in my mind, everyone in Kinderhook gets along just swell. Locals and newcomers roast marshmallows, join hands and sing songs in front of the Aviary. Kinderhook has none of the social, cultural, or economic issues we have in Hudson. If they do, I do not want to know. I’m sure no one fights over local issues, like the dirt roads of Hillsdale.

The next day passed unexpectedly slowly. Without a To Do list of errands and meetings, my staycation gave me time. I took a morning yoga class with a friend at Village Yoga, and still had over an hour before lunch. We walked the Empire State Trail to Samascotts Garden Market for tamales with rice and beans – a good deal and the ice cream at Samascott’s is one of the best around. My favorite flavors are “Sweet Corn” and the “Dwight Schrute” (beet-flavored ice cream) – both made with locally-grown ingredients. How bad can ice cream be if it’s made with vegetables?

Each hour gave me time to walk around and explore. I stopped into the bookstore, Kinderhook Books, next door to Old Dutch Inn. I had no idea they had a backyard garden for author readings, wine, and book-signings. There was plenty to do and see, including the nearby Columbia County Historical Society’s Museum and Library, a sip of wine at Isola, and a gift purchase of Japanese candy from OK Pantry for a friend.

Martin Van Buren

No trip to Kinderhook would be complete without a visit to our mutton-chop president, Martin Van Buren. Born of Dutch parents, his second language was English. You can take a photo with Martin Van Buren’s bronze statue in the Kinderhook Village Square or walk along the Martin Van Buren Nature Trails and visit his nearby home, Lindenwald.

The following google commercial is required viewing prior to any trip to Kinderhook:

Dress Like a President Day

I had so much to do during my staycation in Kinderhook, that I forgot to use my CRAZY DEAL card from Ocean State. Oh well, I’ll have to go back.