General Information
Please plan on arriving at the wedding site by 5:00. There will be parking on site, though it will be a bit limited, so carpooling is encouraged. For those coming from Hudson, we will run a shuttle before and after the wedding (see the Directions/Transportation page for more details).
This is an outdoor country wedding, so we encourage you to prepare accordingly (i.e., bring the Off! and leave the Louboutins at home). Because we'll be on grass the entire time (except for the dance floor!), heels are not recommended, though if you want to walk like a drunken sailor before your first cocktail, we won't stop you. There should be plentiful shade for the ceremony, but if you are sun-averse we recommend bringing a hat just in case.
Friday evening
If you are in the area Friday evening, please come by the Black Swan at 66 Broadway in Tivoli (that's the main street). We will be there from 6:30 on.
This is a very casual event--the Black Swan is a bit rough around the edges, but has a nice backyard, great for relaxing and having a drink on a summer evening. Plus the drinks are cheap (cheaper than New York, anyway). We will have food on hand, though if you choose to have dinner at one of the area restaurants instead feel free to stop by before or after. Also, at 9pm inside the bar the Jack Grace Band will be playing their special brand of whiskey-soaked country-rockabilly.
For those of you staying in Hudson who prefer not to drive or won't have a car, there are several taxi services listed on the Directions/Transportation page that will take you to Tivoli (for around $30). Also, we have started a thread on the Discussion page to set up carpooling/taxi sharing from Hudson.
Below is a nonexhaustive list of places to eat and things to do. Because the area is popular with New York weekenders you can undoubtedly find more recommendations in the Times, New York Magazine, etc.
Where to Eat/Tivoli
Madalin's Table: Upscale dining at one of the area's better restaurants, with a lovely bar. Get there early to get a table on the porch.
Luna 61: Tasty organic vegetarian food in a cozy (i.e. small) venue.
Osaka: Tiny, but voted the best sushi in the Hudson Valley. According to a Yelp reviewer, "for a village of 1000 people this is goddam good sushi."
Santa Fe: Lively and popular restaurant specializing in Tex-Mex. Visitors from Texas, California, or Sunset Park, please calibrate your expectations properly.
Tivoli Bread and Baking: Delicious (but hard to find) bakery. It closes in the early afternoon on weekends, so don't oversleep!
Note: The restaurants in Tivoli will likely be crowded due to a music festival at Bard College taking place the same weekend. If you plan on eating dinner Friday evening in Tivoli, we recommend planning for sometime between 7:30 and 9:30, as many patrons will be attending the performance happening at the college that evening.
Where to Eat/Hudson
Mexican Radio: This Tex-Mex place has been open in NYC for years. Known for their large variety of margaritas, it's a good place to share small plates and have a drink
Le Gamin Country Café: Another restaurant that has expanded to upstate from the city. This is a small New York chain of cafes known for "authentic casual French ambiance, popular neighborhood feel, good fresh food and signature crêpes." Visitors from France and Montreal, please calibrate your expectations properly.
Baba Louie's Wood Fired Pizza: Good pizza, made fresh. Plus, as with all of the restaurants above, it is affordable.
Swoon Kitchenbar: According to its website, "Ruth Reichl enjoys Swoon bacon." If you're a foodie, you'll laugh or appreciate this claim. Better yet, "the food is startlingly fresh and beautifully presented, and despite it's sophistication, tastes close to the earth" (NY Times). This translates to: If you would like to make a reservation, and spend a little more of your money and free time lunching, this is probably your best bet.
Hudson Park Restaurant: A baseball themed dining experience (which I've added to the list for my future husband). Supposedly, the dining area at this restaurant makes you feel like you’re in the clubhouse. The food is "stadium-themed" as well (not farm to table), and includes items named for your favorite New York teams. For Kevin, you can try the Yankee Classic hot dog (with melted American cheese), or for Kev's dad Ralph, try the New York Metropolitan ’dog (with onion sauce, sauerkraut, and deli mustard). No web site. Phone: 518-851-2228
Bank Square Coffeehouse: Best place for coffee in the area. If you are a coffee snob, this is your best bet.
Strongtree Organic Coffee Roaster: Decent coffee. Best if you need a boost before entering wedding territory, as conveniently located near the train depot.
Muddy Cup Coffee: Another coffee option. I (Leigh) love coffee.
Where to Eat/Rhinebeck and Red Hook
This Rhinebeck Dining Guide offers a great listing of the most loved restaurants, coffee shops and farmers markets in Red Hook and Rhinebeck. Plus we got really tired of doing all this research so you'll just have to trust them.
Things to Do in the Area
The Fisher Performing Arts Center at Bard College: A premier venue for the performing arts. The Bard Music Festival, featuring the music of Jean Sibelius, will be taking place that weekend. It is a very popular event, and tickets may be hard to come by, so book now if you are interested.
Upstate Films: Great independent movie house in Rhinebeck.
Strolling in Rhinebeck: With boutiques, antique shops, cafes in abundance, Rhinebeck is a great place for a lazy, bourgeois wander on a summer day.
Slumming in Hudson: The up-and-coming town in the area, Hudson has a number of galleries and antique shops along its main drag, Warren Street. Brooklynites will feel right at home.
The area also has a number of historic mansions that are open to visitors.
Olana: The late 19th-century "Persian-style" home of Frederic Church, a painter of the Hudson River School, located just south of Hudson on Route 9G.
Clermont: The 18th-century mansion of the Livingston family, located just north of the wedding site, includes 500 acres of beautiful grounds with gorgeous views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains.
Montgomery Place: The early 19th-century home of another branch of the Livingston family, located just west of Red Hook. Nearby Poet's Walk Park, "a superb example of Romantic landscape design," has two miles of meandering trails for a short, easy hike.
Roosevelt: Home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt ion Hyde Park, south of Rhinebeck, now a national historic site. The FDR presidential library and museum is also located here.
Vanderbilt: The estate of the 19th-century railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, also located along the Hudson in Hyde Park.
