The Stone House
Picture by Sam Scoggins, owner of The Stone House.
So. We took off this morning from Hurley NY, where we had a beautiful stay at The Hurley Stone House. It had been a dark and rainy day, a return to February by all appearances, so when we finally arrived it was a gift to be greeted by Mila, a tabby cat who was as friendly as his masters and quickly stole our hearts. (Not that such a thing is difficult.)
We’ve been anxious for our visit ever since I stumbled upon the Stone House website a month or so ago and immediately fell in love with the architecture, decor, and general vibe of the place. We quickly decided we needed to stay there for a few nights this Summer while we’re recording in next-door Kingston NY… And we’ve included a stay at The Stone House as one of the “prizes” in the Ellery Stimulus campaign. (You can come to the studio for the afternoon, meet our producer, listen in, etc… And then head back for a restful night and an amazing breakfast. See ellerystimulus.com for details!)
We were disappointed that the weather wasn’t better; The house sits on a hill overlooking the Esopus Creek, and it’s right around the corner from an amazing walking/bike path. But the inside was fabulous to explore, and we were treated to a fantastic tour by Sam, one of our hosts. The place is vibrating with its history… Until a few decades ago, it was kept within the same family that built it in the early 1700’s. The folks who owned the home before Sam & Nadia (our hosts) were gardeners for the last descendant of the original builders, and they inherited it from her. (Isn’t that awesome?)
Sam & Nadia, who opened The Stone House Bed & Breakfast in Fall 08, purchased it from them and have been restoring and finishing portions of the house, with a deep respect for its history (which you can sense when you talk with them; it’s lovely) and with fabulous style. The Goldens (that’s us) love simple decor, clean lines, deep rich woods, natural light… And this home had all of that and more than we could take in.
Such a beautiful room...
We were fed an amazing breakfast this morning, and a couple danish pastries are wrapped up in our van awaiting a moment when we finally feel like we can eat again.
The drive today was dreary again, although we were accompanied by (big surprise) Peter Sagal & Carl Kasell… And Ira Glass. We have an evening to visit with family in NJ before heading to Philadelphia tomorrow.
Tags: 2009, Ellery, Hurley Stone House, NY, Tour