Cold Spring, NY: My Little Slice of Heaven Just North of the City
Sometimes all it takes is a train ride or a cruise over the Bear Mountain Bridge to feel like you’ve entered an entirely different universe. And for me, that universe is called Cold Spring, New York equal parts chic, charming, and quietly powerful. It’s where I go to breathe, to reset, to eat like a queen, and let’s be honest… to shop.
Let’s start with the Cold Spring General Store, which is less “general” and more “specifically perfect.” Forget candles (okay, they’re cute, but not why I’m here). Head upstairs that’s where the magic happens. I buy an outfit almost every week. The clothing? Elevated, stylish, and ridiculously well-made. These are pieces that whisper, “I travel well, brunch better, and turn heads without trying.”
And if that wasn’t enough hello, coffee table books! Beautiful, smart, design-forward titles I didn’t know I needed until they ended up in my bag. It’s curated living at its best. If Anthropologie and a Hudson Valley stylist opened a boutique in a restored 19th-century space, this would be it.
Dinner at Cathryn’s? A Weekly Ritual
Now let’s talk about the true love story: Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill. This place isn’t just a restaurant, it’s our place. TK and I go once a week like clockwork because when you know, you know. And the food? Let me spell it out for you:
Cappasante con Pancetta e Fava
Large pan-seared scallops with pancetta & fava bean sauté this is our mutual must-have starter.
Rigatoni alla Buttera
Rigatoni with ground sausage & peas in a light tomato brandied cream sauce. TK’s go-to and he doesn’t share, so order your own.
Penne con Gamberetti e Verdure
Penne with shrimp, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, garlic & EVOO. Light but flavorful, and always on my plate.
Bistecca all’Espresso
Grilled organic hanger steak with an espresso Frangelico demi-glaze. It’s as rich and bold as it sounds and yes, I absolutely get this.
Bistecca alla Griglia
A grilled 16oz. ribeye. TK goes all in. Every. Single. Time.
It’s cozy, candlelit, and never pretentious. Whether we’re celebrating something or just surviving a long week Cathryn’s delivers like a warm Italian hug.
Let’s Not Forget My Weekly Reset
Self-care is essential. And for me, that comes in the form of a good massage from someone who really knows me. That someone is Simone Goldenberg. She’s not just a massage therapist she’s been part of my healing journey since cancer. Simone understands my body, my history, and what I need to simply feel human again. She’s one of the few practitioners I trust wholeheartedly. My sessions with her are less about pampering and more about preservation. And she’s phenomenal.
And the View? It’s Personal.
What makes Cold Spring even more special to me is that I get to wake up to it. From my bedroom window, I can see Cold Spring and Garrison stretching across the Hudson River. It’s breathtaking especially in winter, when the sky is quiet and the landscape still. Some early mornings, I’ll wake up just as the world is still sleeping, and I can hear the soft sound of the Metro-North doors opening across the river. It’s like the town whispers good morning before the rest of the world even knows the sun is up.
Cold Spring isn’t trying to be trendy, it just is. It’s the type of town where you leave with a bag of thoughtful things, a full heart, and a stomach that’s very, very happy. Whether you’re popping in for the day or spending a long weekend pretending you might move here (guilty), it’s the kind of place that calls you back again and again.
So take the train. Take the bridge. Take the day. Just go. Cold Spring is waiting and she always looks good.
