Hoorah Hudson!

Another weekend upstate! I'm in hog heaven. Last weekend we took mama and Happy up to Hyde Park and this weekend my friends David and Juan invited me to their charming abode in the country.

I met David and Juan in the Turks & Caicos on a vvvvvild press trip last June.
We have been trying to get together since then but with David covering the elections and my nutty schedule it hasn't happened until now.

I have heard about Hudson for years- the Fire Island of the mountains. Well, that sounds like a turn off to me but there is a large gay community here.
Antiques + Old houses = Gays!
Hudson was a prosperous whaling Mecca in the 18-19th centuries so the homes and churches are quite grand. When whaling fell by the wayside so did the town until a hand full of gay men came up and started restoring the homes and opening antique shops.

I took the train up yesterday afternoon and the ride up was beautiful gazing out on the Hudson all the way up. Juan is an architect and restored their home to its original splendor. When they bought it was converted into four apartments with dropped ceilings. After I settled in we leashed up Raimond their pug and headed out to a national park and took a hike as we watched the sun set.

Our friend Isabelle arrived around 7:45 and we had a cocktail at the house and then headed into town for dinner at the Red Dot on Warren Street. Afterwards we stumbled over to a wine bar and finally to home where we had our own private dance party resulting in Juan and I creating this mis en scene you see here.

This morning we drove over to Olana, the home of Frederick Edwin Church, one of the masters of the Hudson River School. Amazing! Moorish! We took a hike around the property and then toured the home, which is just as Frederick, and his family left it. His views were spectacular and many of the paintings were hung next to the windows where Frederick was inspired.

On a sad note the boys told me how their friends were near the property on 9/11 and saw one of the planes flying down the Hudson River headed to the city. They said it was flying so low to the ground they knew something was wrong. Then they could see the smoke all the way up here.

This afternoon we had a lovely Spanish lunch at home thanks to Isabelle and Juan and then took a very exciting trip to Wal-Mart!

Now we are all working on a dinner party. I just finished my pumpkin pie! Made from scratch of course.
Stay tuned to hear how the dinner party turns out.

I'm ready for my country house up here. I have included a picture of the one I would like to buy. It’s purple naturally. Mother you were wondering what I want for Christmas?