Hudson Afternoon

Nice doors

I apologize for being so late to the game on Hudson, please forgive me.  I haven't been there in years, only through lack of opportunity, certainly not disinterest.  The lure of a free lunch (and they say there is no such thing) finally got me there this weekend.  The plan was to meet at the (last of the season) Farmer's Market and then walk down Warren Street to Swoon Kitchen Bar.  Naturally, I wasn't familiar with parking and the location of the market, so I wandered around a bit as I headed on foot in the "wrong" direction.  Not a problem at all as I was happy to walk alone for 20 minutes - it seemed quite an inexpensive indulgence.  

Cauliflower

420 Warren Street - Really

Hudson is really cool and fully deserves to be put in the rotation as a rendezvous spot for a meeting with the girls.  We'll always love Woodstock and New Paltz and Rhinebeck, but adding something new to the mix is always a bonus, right?  Ok - maybe not always, but...  Warren Street is filled with antique stores, independent cafes and restaurants and specialty shops.  I can't begin to claim to have explored every spot, but, what I experienced was impressive and definitely worth the drive.  And the drive?  It is the perfect road trip, which I define as one which is able to be done as a loop - I'm not into going back and forth using the same route.  Amateur psychologists - analyze away!

I stopped into a thrift store on Warren St and a vintage store, on Columbia Street and immediately became infatuated with articles of clothing with keyhole cutouts and bias cuts, but, alas nothing worked quite well enough for me.  I'll be back.

Next up was lunch at Swoon.  My friend apparently dines there frequently.  That fact, along with his neon orange baseball cap, made us immediately recognizable to the female server who greeted us.  She subsequently  took care of us at the comfortable bar seats and handled my friend quite deftly - no small feat. 

We arrived fairly early for lunch and had the spacious bar to ourselves.  Note to the tall: my freakishly tall friend (FTF) couldn't express his satisfaction enough with the generous amount of allotted leg room at the bar.  The menu was succinct - a mix of creative takes on classic breakfast items, as well as some more substantial plates.  I went with the smoked salmon cake with fennel salad and remoulade.  The portion was satisfying in a way that made you both wish for one more bite, yet chew leisurely so as not to finish too soon.  FTF had a lamb dish which was delicious - beautifully medium rare and tender, paired nicely with roasted vegetables.

Smoked Salmon cake

More pictures below of my plate as well as the space.

Amazing ceiling

Bread service - unsalted butter, natch

Nice, right?

crazy mocha-chocolate-crack cookies