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- [00:05]
Leslie Heaney
Hey everybody, it's Leslie and you're listening to the interview with Leslie Heaney. Very excited to be sharing my second episode in my summer series, this one focusing on the Hudson Valley and kind of Brookshire northwestern Connecticut area with the charming, witty and talented Lighty Hoik. Lighty is the author of the hit cookbook Cooking in Real Life. She's also a food writer for the New York Times and she has an incredible Instagram called lightylikes where she shares her recipes and favorite spots in the Hudson Valley along with her new amazing substack called lightyletter where she's longer form videos and sort of brings you into her world of cooking and all of her favorite spots in the Hudson Valley area. Lighty and I recovered a lot of ground. We talked about how she got her start working for Ina Garten. We talked about Jeffrey in his husband who I'm fascinated by, am dying to have dinner with them both and hoping that Lighty invites me. We talk about her philosophy on cooking, recipe writing. We share some cautionary foraging tales. As a former Hudson Valley resident myself, I learned so much from my conversation with Lighty, like about swimming holes and certain restaurants and Hudson river cruises that you can go on. Not to mention all of her favorite places to stay, places to antique farmers markets, grocery stores. We really covered a lot of ground and Lydie is just absolutely a delightful person. So it was a really fun conversation. I know you're going to enjoy it. And in addition to listening to it, to learn all about this great part of the world, you should also follow Lighty because she's really terrific. So if you're thinking about a visit the Hudson Valley, Litchfield county or the Berkshires this summer, this episode is for you. I'm so excited about this week's sponsor, the 10 Mile Distillery. 10 Mile is an American single malt distillery based in the Hudson Valley about 90 miles north of New York and it is the maker of the award winning Little Rest Whiskey made through a slow distillation process with all New York State grains by master distiller Shane Fraser from Scotland. And when I say award winning, I mean it's earned a 95 out at the whiskey competition in San Francisco and a 96 at the New York International Spirits Competition. This is delicious. If you do not believe me about how delicious this is, the good news for you is that if you're in the New York area, you can go visit this incredible and beautiful distillery yourself. It's set among the most beautiful apple orchard with beautiful views of the mountains behind, stop by for a leisurely tour or tasting or even enjoy an expertly crafted cocktail. They also have gin and vodka available. They also have this incredibly delicious Thai restaurant that is in residence there from Thursday through Sunday. To learn more about the distillery, you can Visit them at 10mile distillery.com theinterview. All orders will receive 10% off if you put in promo code the interview at checkout.
- [03:11]
Lighty Hoik
So.
- [03:12]
Leslie Heaney
So go to www.tenmiledistillery.com theinterview to get that discount, that 10% off. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. Lydie, it's so nice to see you. I'm very excited to talk to you about the Hudson Valley, which is a place that is very near and dear to my heart, being a former Millbrook resident. And I know a very special place for you, too. And I can't wait to hear all of your favorite places.
- [03:43]
Lighty Hoik
I'm excited to chat. Thank you for having me.
- [03:46]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, my gosh. Thanks for being on. But before we get to that, before we get to your inside scoop of the entire area, I want to talk about you a little bit. I love everything about your recipes. I love your cookbook, Cooking in Real Life. I'm a huge fan your Instagram. But tell us, is that sort of your philosophy about, you know, cooking in real life, having these recipes that are kind of accessible for people?
- [04:11]
Lighty Hoik
I mean, my philosophy first, I'm not a trained chef. I'm not someone who's worked in restaurant kitchens for years. So I'm really coming at recipe writing and food writing from the position of a home cook. And I really want to create recipes for people who have all different skill levels in the kitchen to feel comfortable making. I know that even for the people who love to cook and I love to cook. It's not the only thing I'm doing in a day. We all have days, busy lives. And what I want to do is give people recipes that allow them to still have a really delicious meal without feeling like it's this huge ordeal and it's taking all day. And I think there's a sweet spot that I look for between, you know, having a simple, short ingredient list, but also finding ways for dishes to feel really different or new or unexpected. So I like to say my motto is never boring. That's always what I'm searching for. Oh, I like that. Yeah. Generally my motto. But with recipes, too, it's like, you know, we've all had a plain chicken breast and some steamed rice and broccoli, but how can you make tweaks to take something simple and familiar and make it feel exciting.
- [05:17]
Leslie Heaney
So how did you kind of fall in love with cooking and being in the kitchen? You said you were not professionally trained.
- [05:23]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, you know, I grew up around food. My uncles had a number of restaurants in Pittsburgh, which is where I'm from, and I like to bake, but it was never something that I really thought of as a career path. And I kind of fell into this job as I was graduating college. I ended up getting a job working for Ina Garten, who my hero many listeners may be familiar with. And that was really it. And it wasn't even when I started to work for her. It was from the angle of social media. And so it was less a food job than it was a media job. But through the six, almost seven years that I worked for her, I really started to love recipe writing, creating dishes, and I started to think about, maybe this is something that I want to do on my own someday.
- [06:12]
Leslie Heaney
You know, I never even thought about that art and skill set of recipe writing itself. That is a very. It's a really important part of the whole piece of. Right. Totally being able to write something that's translatable. And so did you develop that skill kind of watching how she did it, or were you writing recipes for her as she was developing the actual.
- [06:35]
Lighty Hoik
Ina writes and creates and tests all of her own recipes. That's really important to her, and I learned from working alongside of her. I would test her recipes, so she would write a recipe, it would be completely finished, and then she would hand it to me or her other assistant, and we would make it through as though we were just a person reading the recipe. And that was really a test of, is it clear? Can we get through it? Do we come out with the product that she intended us to? Does it look right? Do we have any questions along the way? And kind of making a recipe with that in mind, you're just checking all these little check boxes, and when you are done, you've got this kind of, as she would say, foolproof recipe that you can hand to any home cook, and they'll be able to follow and feel confident making.
- [07:20]
Leslie Heaney
I get a lot of slack in my house from my family, like, well, mom, you don't really cook. I'm like, I can cook any Ina Garten recipe, and I know it's gonna be delicious. And I can cook any recipe from your cookbook, and I know it's gonna be delicious because of exactly what you're talking about, of kind of that foolproof nature of it. But it also is, now that I think about it and we're talking about it, it's in the writing.
- [07:45]
Lighty Hoik
Think there's a fine line between. You want to keep it short. You don't want someone to open the recipe and see it's three pages to make a sound, because they'll never make it. But you also want to feel like they have every detail. And Ina used to say, you know, she would want the. The person making the recipe to feel like she's there with them to answer questions. So putting in little details, you know, in your own voice, and not having it too scientific a style of writing, I think is really helpful and encouraging, too.
- [08:13]
Leslie Heaney
So besides foolproof.
- [08:14]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah.
- [08:15]
Leslie Heaney
What other. Was there any kind of, like, really important lesson or something that you took away from that experience with her that you applied to? I mean, you know how you're doing your work now?
- [08:27]
Lighty Hoik
So many. I think the biggest. The biggest takeaway is really to kind of find what you want to do and figure out a way to make it happen and make it your job. Turning something you love to do into your job is not easy, but it's so fulfilling. I love what I do. Every day I'm doing something different. And that's another thing Ina would always say. She'd say, you know, in this, like, industry, her two days were never the same. Sometimes she'd be working on a TV show, sometimes she'd be working on a book on a recipe. She'd be traveling for events. And for better and for worse, what I do is very freelance at the moment. And it's like it is. It's always exciting. There's always a new project. So there's always a nice feeling of momentum and of different things happening. Sometimes it drives me crazy, but I love getting. Getting to do what I love to do for a living. And also I sometimes feel like I'm providing a service for people, which is really nice, and giving them something that they can use at home. It's not just me getting to. To do what I love, but it's me helping people in their kitchens, which is pretty cool.
- [09:30]
Leslie Heaney
I also think the way that you approach, you know, your social media and, you know, the videos that you do, and it's clear that you love what you do and that comes through, which really is so. It's so attractive for people because you want to. We all want to be a part of what you're doing and your experience, whether you're antiquing or you're cooking, it's just sort of you're creating, you're doing it with such joy that it brings joy to the people that are watching what you're doing.
- [09:59]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah. You know, I feel with social media particularly, there's such a pressure to have an enormous output of videos and things for people to watch and recipes. And I try to remember, I would say this is another lesson that I learned from Ina, you know, quality over quantity. And I stick to the things that really inspire me. I don't just try to pump things out to keep the machine read. I really listen to, like, my inner voice telling me, well, this seems fun. Let me do a video about this. And I think if it seems fun and interesting to me, it's gonna resonate and be fun and interesting for my aud. And so that's sort of why, especially in the last year, I've poked around more with doing, like, antiquing or taking you along on little adventures, because I think we all want really good recipes. But it's those additional moments and pieces of life that really resonate with people.
- [10:45]
Leslie Heaney
I'd say I personally relate to the social media struggle because I would rather streak a highway than do a self video. But I have people saying you have to put your, you know, have yourself be part of the conversation outside of the work that you're doing so people actually get to know you as a person. And it's not always a comfortable space.
- [11:07]
Lighty Hoik
To be, but there's nothing more forced than being like, here I am and this is how. Here's my personality, and I'm not trying at all. It's a. It's an uncomfortable thing. I have found the more I do it, I just force myself. It's like anything else. It becomes more comfortable. But I'm. I'm right there with you, like filming myself. No, thanks.
- [11:23]
Leslie Heaney
But you're presenting things that are authentic, that are speaking to you. And so it's really. Which was what I'm trying. I mean, I need you to give me tutorials. I don't know what I'm doing, but I think that, you know, your audience is recognizing that. That this is just. You're just sharing something that you find really interesting in the way that you're presenting and what you're presenting. They are finding it really interesting too.
- [11:43]
Lighty Hoik
I hope so.
- [11:44]
Leslie Heaney
Okay, so you. We talked about Ina a little bit. I do want to sort of explore Jeffrey, but I don't want to take us too far off piste. I'm fascinated by Jeffrey. I want to have dinner with Jeffrey and Ina. I. Their Love and the whole thing. But you. So you decided to move to the Hudson Valley from Brooklyn a few years ago. What prompted that decision?
- [12:04]
Lighty Hoik
You know, my husband and I had been living in Brooklyn for a year and a half. I'd sort of bounced around. I lived in the Hamptons for a long time in East Hampton while I was ina. So I was there for most of my 20s and then I was in Maine for a little while. So I didn't live in New York City for a very long time at all. I love New York. I have a lot of friends there. I love to visit for what I do and what I wanted to do. I just wanted a nice kitchen. That's all I wanted. And I wanted some trees. And it just felt, you know, for, for the business that I was building, it didn't feel like a great fit. And so I convinced my husband that we could just try living upstate. And he was working remotely.
- [12:40]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, yeah.
- [12:41]
Lighty Hoik
I think it's just, you know, you never know if you don't try. And that's always been kind of something that I live by. And we had, we didn't have kids at that point, so I thought now's kind of the time and worst case we can always move back. And that was three years ago and we're still very happy. So, you know, I don't know what will happen in the long term. We now have a six month old daughter and a long road ahead with school and we're figuring it all out. But I think it's. I love it here. It's a really fun place to live and I feel grateful every morning that I wake up and I look outside my window and I see trees and cows. So I think it was a good test that we did.
- [13:18]
Leslie Heaney
Oh my gosh, for sure. And as you said, that was exactly the same guide that I had when I made that leap. You know, it's not like New York is not always going to be there or the Hamptons aren't always going to be there. If you want to move back to East Hampton or Maine or wherever you. But trying a new place and seeing if it's a good fit. And so far it sounds like it's been a great fit. And again, I've been living vicariously through your Instagram. But was it something about the Hudson Valley? Maybe you looked other places too, or something about the area that sort of spoke to you that.
- [13:47]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, you know, one thing I loved about it, having spent much of my 20s living in the Hamptons, which some people would refer to as like the country in relation to New York City. I liked that it was a distinct place that was close enough to New York that it had elements of culture. It had great restaurants, lots to do, but it still, you know, was beautiful. And the beach, the Hamptons is its own beast. And ultimately I didn't feel that that was going to be a great fit for me long term either. But the Hudson Valley in some ways is similar. There's a lot of great influence culturally from New York, but you're in this bucolic, beautiful countryside, you can get around. There's also, you know, where. Where I am in the Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley is a. Is a big region and it gets lumped in with like upper Westchester and the Catskills. And I know it's confusing, I think to people. Some people think it's just the city, the town of Hudson. So I'll like draw a little map sometimes to explain it. But where I am is near where Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York all meet. And so it's this really interesting spot where I can be in the Berkshires in 30 minutes. I can be in Litchfield County, Connecticut in 30 minutes. I can be at the Hudson river in 30 minutes. And having kind of the confluence of all these different places, each having their own distinct character, I think is what makes the Hudson Valley and the surrounding areas so special, is you have all these different pockets and it's kind of like endless places to explore.
- [15:11]
Leslie Heaney
You hit on something that I absolutely agree on. And it was so evident to me when we moved, you know, we were in Millbrook. You cross the line into Connecticut, you're in Sharon. And it's a totally different.
- [15:21]
Lighty Hoik
Totally different.
- [15:23]
Leslie Heaney
And has its own like really interesting kind of culture and community. And then as you said, you keep going, you go to the Berkshires. That is its own has. They're not. Even though they're so close geographically, they are so distinct. And so it is really fun as someone who lived there and you are living there now to kind of explore and for people visiting, which is what we're talking about, you know, also here today is like these special spots in that area. But what's so fun about it is just the. All of the different optionality of things you can do and how they each are so distinct.
- [15:54]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, I've thought about and I will do it at some point. I keep threatening to do a travel guide to the Hudson Valley, but I'm like, I need to create my. Because it's not just the Hudson Valley. I can't separate it in My mind, because it's so fluid, all these different areas and they're all so there's just so much to discover in each one that I think if you just limit yourself to New York, you're missing half of it. Yeah.
- [16:16]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, totally. But if you were to. One of the challenges I feel of the area sometimes is places to stay. And so I'm not. I don't want to totally put you on the spot and. Trick question, get this question. But based on your experience, are there places that you like if friends are coming to visit and there's no room at the inn, what are kind of your favorite, by the way? That is usually I have friends whose kids are at Berkshire or Millbrook School and they're like, what? I'm like, just stay with me, you know, now.
- [16:44]
Lighty Hoik
Oh, totally there. I was going to say there's always room in the inner. I mean, it depends. And again, it is such a big area. But I think I really like the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, Connecticut is really sweet. Trout Beck, which is a hotel in Amenia, New York, is great. And they've got a pool and tennis and it's kind of more of like a country estate feeling. And they just opened a new hotel in Litchfield called Belden House, which I've been wanting to check out.
- [17:09]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, I didn't know that.
- [17:11]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, it's right in Litchfield. So I'm gonna get over there and see. See that? And then there are. I mean, there are a couple hotels in Hudson. I will just say this. There is a shortage of hotels in this area and.
- [17:20]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, no, I know.
- [17:21]
Lighty Hoik
Time for more hotels to open. And then up in the Berkshires there, there are a lot of little inns. There are a lot of, you know, there's higher end places like Canyon Ranch and Mirval, but there's also a lot of sweet inns, including. I have to give my friend, my dear friend a shout out. Her lifelong dream was to open an inn or to buy an inn. And she bought one in Lenox called the Apple Tree Inn. And it's right across the street from Tanglewood. And it's got so much character and charm. And I think in this region, generally what you're looking for or what you're going to find as far as hotels are smaller places, there aren't big hotels. They're going to be places with character and charm. And that's not everyone's cup of tea. But I think that is really kind of the spirit of the Hudson Valley and northwest Connecticut. I also feel not to Go on and on. I feel like an Airbnb. There are so many nice house rentals. And then you kind of can have the full experience of having a house, cooking, going to the farmer's markets, driving around, when people will ask, oh, do I need a car to visit the Hudson Valley? And the answer is yes, because, first of all, yeah, you'll be sitting in your hotel. But so much of what's. What's great about it is going on drives, exploring, finding little places. And I think if you've got a house that you're staying in, you kind of get the full experience that way.
- [18:37]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, for sure. And I, you know, you're mentioning the car piece is there. If you were to map out kind of like, let's say you have a weekend and you want to hit this special little area that we're talking about where you're kind of tucked between Dutchess County, New York. Right. That part of the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Would you start in Millbrook? Would you go to Sharon? Would you kind of like. What would be your. Kind of like your.
- [19:04]
Lighty Hoik
I sort of feel like Salisbury is a sweet spot. Or Millerton.
- [19:08]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, yeah, Yeah.
- [19:09]
Lighty Hoik
I think from Millerton or Salisbury, you can kind of get up to the Berkshires. You can get up to Hillsdale, which is a beautiful part of Columbia county, which is north. You can get to Millbrook. Millerton is a. Is a very cute little town that's got some great antique stores and restaurants. So I would probably stay there. And then you're sort of in a central location to be able to jet around, to move around. Yeah.
- [19:30]
Leslie Heaney
Okay, so farmer's markets, you mentioned it. Maybe you do the Airbnb. You want to. You want to live like Letty for the weekend. You're going to go grabbing the cooking. Real life cookbook.
- [19:38]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah.
- [19:38]
Leslie Heaney
You're going to get really sick of.
- [19:39]
Lighty Hoik
Cooking if you want to live like me.
- [19:41]
Leslie Heaney
Exactly. And you're ready to have, like, a delicious meal. What are your favorite farmers markets or secret spots?
- [19:48]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, my favorite farmers market is the Copaic Hillsdale Farmers Market, which is near Copic and Hillsdale in New York. Great farmers market, tons of vendors. That's on Saturdays. Also love the Rhinebeck Farmers Market, which is a little bit further. That's on Sundays. So it's nice to have, you know, different days. And I love. In Hudson, there's a. There's a farm store called MX Morningstar that is incredible. They just have, like, the most perfect produce. They've got meat, they've got dairy, they've got Fresh flowers. They do Christmas trees at Christmas. It's just if you're kind of in that direction, I'll make up reasons to go in that direction. Just to go there.
- [20:27]
Leslie Heaney
That is awesome.
- [20:29]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah.
- [20:29]
Leslie Heaney
And then if you want to go to a su. Like a supermarket, you need to do that. Like, there's. There is Guido's right in the Berkshire.
- [20:34]
Lighty Hoik
Guidos. I mean, let me. Don't get me started on Guidos. Guidos is my place on the planet. I did a long video that I did where I was grocery shopping at Guido's and the butcher was giving me tips. I'll have to send it to you. Guido's is to me, it's like a Nancy Meyers grocery store, and that's in Barrington, and they have one in Pittsfield. Another place. I will create reasons that I need to go in that direction. And then there are smaller. You know, there are lots of smaller markets for what I do. I'm constantly grocery shopping. And so I kind of have, like, in my mind which one I go to for which thing. And I end up doing a lot of driving around to grocery stores, which would drive most people crazy and drives my husband crazy, but kind of have it in my head, you know, like, which place has the best meat, where to get the produce and so on.
- [21:20]
Leslie Heaney
I have a very close friend who lives. I have to introduce you guys to, because he's just loves to cook. And he will go looking for ramps and looking for morels. And the morel thing is like a secret, you know, foraging for his. For what he's cooking. Have you done any of that or do you.
- [21:37]
Lighty Hoik
I have. Near us found ramps and morels. Someone told me that they just yesterday told me that they found oyster mushrooms growing on trees, which I have not. I've never picked a mushroom off of a tree before, but that's probably what.
- [21:49]
Leslie Heaney
You probably want to use a guide. But that. Because that could.
- [21:51]
Lighty Hoik
Right.
- [21:52]
Leslie Heaney
Didn't that happen in Babar? I mean, I think you don't.
- [21:55]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, yeah. I think you got to be. I don't feel so confident. Amerel is very specific looking. And so that one, I feel a little more. Okay. I have a friend told me a story that he was, you know, foraging with. With friends, and they found all these ramps, and they took them home and grilled them and ate them, and they all got sick, and it turns out they were daffodils.
- [22:13]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, exactly.
- [22:14]
Lighty Hoik
So you're just not.
- [22:15]
Leslie Heaney
You're not for the novice. So anyone listening might want to get a field guide before you Start your foraging, your foraging career there. And then what about restaurants?
- [22:26]
Lighty Hoik
There's so many good restaurants. You know, I've got to start with Stissing House which is in Pine Plains, New York. It's a great old tavern. Claire DeBoer, who's the chef, is just so talented. The food is kind of, you know, upscale like tavern, country food and it's just, just, it's our favorite, especially in the winter. They have like five fireplaces so it's very cozy for most of the year here. It's pretty cold. One newer spot that we have been loving, especially when the weather's nice, is the Pink House which is in West Cornwall, Connecticut. And it's great. It's a beautiful drive from where we live to Cornwall. So we'll take a nice drive and you can sit outside there. And it's right on a river that I can't remember the name of. But it's a really, it's a really beautiful spot. And a new place opened near us in Amenia called Isabella that I haven't been to but I'm really excited to try and everyone's been raving about. So you kind of.
- [23:17]
Leslie Heaney
It's right in the town. Is that right in the heart?
- [23:19]
Lighty Hoik
It's right in town. It's right in the heart, yeah. I mean there are so many. We also love in the summer we love to go to 10 Mile Distillery and we'll like get drinks and sit outside or have lunch or dinner. They've got a really beautiful outdoor patio that sort of looks out into this orchard. I think in the summer the key is just finding ways to be outside as much.
- [23:37]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, but that is right. You know, I don't know if you know this LIDI, but 10 mile is one of my, my sponsors. So I love, I always love talking.
- [23:44]
Lighty Hoik
No, okay, we'll cut that out. It's going to sound too fake. No, it's not.
- [23:48]
Leslie Heaney
I mean I love this. This is like legitimate. All I've been talking, explaining to all. Well, there we go.
- [23:53]
Lighty Hoik
All right.
- [23:54]
Leslie Heaney
Award winning whiskey. But besides the fact that the whiskey is so delicious, they also have a, a restaurant that you that comes in and does Thai food right now. But they'll do other pop ups and things like that. But they are a great spot for the summer. And also maybe even the lantern in waste.
- [24:10]
Lighty Hoik
How did I forget the lantern? We go to the Lantern probably once a week. That's a great wood fired pizza place with a beautiful kind of outdoor courtyard. And if you have kids, that is the place. I really never Noticed it until now. We have our baby. Not that she can do much at this point, but it's just the place to be if you're a kid in the Hudson Valley. And the pizza is delicious. The people who run it are the sweetest, nicest people. So, yeah, we're there. We're there at least once a week.
- [24:37]
Leslie Heaney
It's in this really cool hamlet. And actually, you know, I want to talk to you too about sort of like favorite things to do in places, but there's an artist colony there. In the summer they do a residency program and people. Artists will come and they'll stay and they'll. They do different shows. Some say they do art classes. But they've literally kind of taken over this little hamlet that was this historic town and filled it with artists and this great pizza place and bar.
- [25:04]
Lighty Hoik
And there's a bakery now too, called Vitzki Bakery that's down the street. And it's Ariel who runs it, makes absolutely delicious bread, pastries, cookies. So you gotta check that out.
- [25:17]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, my God. For sure. And then. Okay, so we kind of hit some of those spots for food. And Hudson also has some great.
- [25:24]
Lighty Hoik
Hudson. Yeah, Hudson, I mean, should be its own episode. There's so much in Hudson. Talbot and Arting is an incredible prepared food store. Great cheese selection. The restaurants in Hudson are always changing and they're. There's always a really good new restaurant. A couple that have opened this year that we have liked are Manor Rock Farm Restaurant and the Cassia. What else? There's so many. And that's. The farmer's market's great too. I mean, it really just depends. Back to our. Our sort of geography conversation. It depends sort of where your nucleus is right when you're staying here. Because you'll find more than I could possibly list right now in each area. There's. There's like its own little hub and world. So I think no matter where you end up staying, if you visit the Hudson Valley, you're going to find a ton to do. You just almost need to pick a spot and focus.
- [26:13]
Leslie Heaney
Yes. And then like kind of work out from there. You're right.
- [26:16]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah. And maybe come back if you feel like you miss. You missed a part of it. Because there really is there. There are so many different pockets and each one has its own character. And that is, I think, just what makes it such a special place.
- [26:29]
Leslie Heaney
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- [28:15]
Lighty Hoik
Yes.
- [28:16]
Leslie Heaney
A Feast in Floret. Yes. And that is owned by good friends of ours, the Milling Smiths are co owned by them and so we've been there, you know, times with them and the food there is great. And, and Lavinia also has she grows her own fresh flowers so she sells them out of the restaurants that they have these beautiful bouquets of, you know, fresh flowers you can buy even if you're going. I love that restaurant. I know, it's really, it's a really sweet kind of like very special thing. They've got this great flower cart in there, great brunch and lunch. Okay, so I've seen you, I've stalked you antiquing in the area on Instagram like trying to like look in the caption of where is Lydia going? But like favorite places like flea markets or, or antique spots like okay, a.
- [29:03]
Lighty Hoik
Few favorites and hopefully I won't regret sharing my secret spots.
- [29:06]
Leslie Heaney
Oh yeah, sorry. That is something. It's like, no, it's okay. I think Morales, you don't want to share because they'll be.
- [29:11]
Lighty Hoik
That's all right. I think they're such great, great places and run by such great people that I'd love to share. My, my all time favorite, my top favorite is Montage Antiques in Millerton. And that's right on the main drag. And then next to that's Millerton, New York. Next to Montaj, there's a whole strip of about four antique places. And on the end is a big antique mall that kind of has, I would say, a greater range of stuff. But the couple, Dana and Fritz who own Montage, they go to France, they go to Italy, they go to Belgium, they go to Hungary. They are constantly traveling and bringing back antiques and I just love their taste. It's a lot of very Hudson Valley, northwest Connecticut kind of rustic pieces, farmhouse kind of vibes. So I love Montage. Millbrook has some great. Has two great antique spots. I also. What I like about the antique antiquing in the Hudson Valley is depending on where you are, there's kind of a different style. Like I think the Millbrook antique places carry more equestrian kind of things with horses. And you know, we got this great big horse painting in a gold frame that we found there. And then Hudson is a huge antiquing destination for serious interior designers. And it tends to be a little bit higher end, but there are. You can just walk up and down Warren street, which is the main drag in Hudson, and just peek your head in and you'll find such a range. I would say there's a lot of like mid century modern antiques in Hudson, which is not as much my style, but there's really something for everyone. It sounds corny, but there's even like a massive Hudson antique warehouse, which I joke, is like the mall for us because you can just like go and walk around on a rainy day and be inside and entertained. And that's definitely worth checking out. That place is huge.
- [30:56]
Leslie Heaney
What is the auction house there? It's not stair. Stair. It is stair. Okay.
- [31:01]
Lighty Hoik
There are a couple, a couple of favorites just to list in Hudson. Finch is great Red chair on Warren Battersby house. There are so many. I'll let you know if more pop into my head. But that's why I also want to do a guide because I want to have all these places in one. All these stores and locations in one place to reference.
- [31:18]
Leslie Heaney
I know, listen, I would. Because, you know, the thing is too. And we've sort of hit on it a little Bit in this conversation is that there is a lot of, like, there are new restaurants that are opening. There are new antique places that are. There are just. There's, you know, in the past couple years for. In Millbrook, for example, Creel and Gow opened up for there next to Angerie. You can see my three. My French three.
- [31:40]
Lighty Hoik
Really very good. Yes.
- [31:41]
Leslie Heaney
Sewed up there. Just rolled off my tongue. Oui, oui. And they're. Exactly. And they're attached. And that's. You know, those are beautiful. Those are two beautiful stores. Oh, my gosh.
- [31:51]
Lighty Hoik
Stores.
- [31:51]
Leslie Heaney
And you get that kind of juxtaposition that going to the Millbrook antiques malls as chu you mentioned down in the village of Millbrook. And those are all. You have to really, like, dig and get in there. But, you know, as we mentioned, it's cold a lot of the year, so that's a good. That is your mall. That's a good. Literally.
- [32:07]
Lighty Hoik
Right, right.
- [32:08]
Leslie Heaney
To go and kind of walk around and stay warm. So your daughter's six months old. I'm sure you're probably doing, like, maybe. I don't know if it's stroller walking or like, you know, putting. Doing the papoose backpack thing, but are you. Are there any kind of hikes or drive. You mentioned that one drive. Going to that restaurant in Cornwall.
- [32:28]
Lighty Hoik
Like. Oh, I mean, driving. Driving anywhere here. I think that's one of, like, the true joys of living here is that the drives are just endlessly beautiful and you find yourself on these roads that you, you know, just following Google Maps and it's like the most beautiful road you've ever seen. I love to drive through Ancrum and Ancamdale, which are kind of north of Millerton. I love the drive from Salisbury, Connecticut, up to Great Barrington. There's a really beautiful road that takes you directly north. Hikes. I wish I could say that I hiked more. I think my husband would love for me to want to go hiking more because he really likes it. But there. Racebrook Falls hike is beautiful. There's one called Alander Mountain that is kind of on the Massachusetts, New York border that's really beautiful. And in Sharon, Connecticut, there are so many public trails that are really maintained and beautiful. And the Sharon Audubon Society is really pretty. I'm more of like a nature walk than a hike. Hike.
- [33:22]
Leslie Heaney
I'm with you. I can't do the. The. Yeah, the elevation.
- [33:25]
Lighty Hoik
I love the feeling of having hiked, you know, but it's the getting there to the top that is just. It doesn't ever feel like that fun to me.
- [33:34]
Leslie Heaney
Well, there is also the rail trail.
- [33:37]
Lighty Hoik
Yes. The rail trail is how many miles, 50 miles long or something. It's the old railroad track that's been converted into running biking trail that goes north, south from Wasaic where the pizza place, the lantern is, all the way north to Chatham, New York.
- [33:53]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, I didn't realize it went.
- [33:54]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, I think. I think it's like being connected to Chatham. Like it keeps growing and they're adding pieces. But we love to go for a bike ride on the rail trail. That's also my speed. It's like a nice, casual, enjoyable bike ride with a picnic at the end. It's flat. Yeah, exactly. Yes.
- [34:07]
Leslie Heaney
I was going to say. Well, for people that are listening, that might be in New York, you can take the train up, get off either at 10 mile, which is where the 10 mile distillery is again, plug for my sponsor there. As I realize this is like shoots.
- [34:22]
Lighty Hoik
I can't believe it.
- [34:23]
Leslie Heaney
I can't believe I mentioned 10 Mile Distillery. You know, but the. But you can get off also in Wasaic at the Wasaic stop. And if you brought a bike from New York, for example, you could literally ride your bike, do a day trip. You could do the. And go all the way up to Millerton. I think it's. I don't know, I wouldn't quote me. You'd have to look at it. But it's absolutely doable. 15 miles maybe for a nice bike ride and then, you know, doing it lighty and Leslie style. Having like a nice lunch at the end of that Miller tank.
- [34:55]
Lighty Hoik
When you go in, you ride your bike, take the train, get off, ride your bike, take to Millerton. I don't know how long that takes a normal cyclist. Maybe like half an hour. An hour? Yeah. I don't know.
- [35:04]
Leslie Heaney
I mean I can. I can barely run to a choir exit. Lighty.
- [35:07]
Lighty Hoik
So depends if I'm riding an E bike, then I'll be there in no time. Go to Millerton, go antiquing.
- [35:12]
Leslie Heaney
Yep.
- [35:13]
Lighty Hoik
Have lunch. The diner in Millerton is very sweet. There's a great spot in Millerton called Willa. Oh, and restaurant, I just wanted to mention because we go there a lot and it didn't come up. But in Milbrook, if you're doing the. The Milbrook and I realize Millerton, Millbrook, it all sounds the same. Is Canoe Hill in Millbrook is a great spot. Have you been? Yes, yes.
- [35:31]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, my gosh. And they have Burger Mondays. Which Burgers are delicious. The food is delicious. There.
- [35:36]
Lighty Hoik
Small, cozy, like atmosphere. I just love it.
- [35:39]
Leslie Heaney
And the diner there is.
- [35:41]
Lighty Hoik
The diners love the diner.
- [35:43]
Leslie Heaney
20S is so super charming. But yeah, Millbrook's got a couple of great. Les Baux is a really good French restaurant, if you hadn't been. And Barbaro, it's really, really delicious food. Like delicious, delicious food. All right, so we talked about the antiquing part of summer kind of those activities. But what about, are there any like summer events? And we talked about the Wasaic project where the artists come in the summer. Any other events? Concerts?
- [36:11]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, I mean first, not really an event, not a concert, but just an activity that I love in the summer here is finding a place to swim because you're not near the ocean but it's hot. And there are great state parks and swimming holes and you know, you want to take your bike, have a picnic, go swimming. Red Pond State park is one that's in Millerton in Lakeville there's a spot called the Grove where you can park and have a picnic and swim. And up in Stockbridge in Massachusetts, there's the Stockbridge bowl, which is I think my favorite. It's a little bit far for us, but when we're up that direction, it's absolutely beautiful. And you feel like you're just having like an old fashioned summer when you're there. Everyone just pulls up and parks and just jumps off the rocks. So that's always fun and just kind of, you really feel like you're living in the country when you do that.
- [37:00]
Leslie Heaney
You know, I've never done that. I'm going to have to. I mean, obviously I'm. This is why we're, we're having this conversation. I want all the inside, you know, scoop and tips from you, but I haven't done that. That sounds so fun.
- [37:11]
Lighty Hoik
There's also. I'm not going to pronounce this right and I still, I'm just deeply confused about how to pronounce it. But it's either Taganak or Taconic. Tagan State Park. Taconic State park, which is closer to Hudson. Incredible swimming there too.
- [37:25]
Leslie Heaney
I have never done that. I am so ability to add this to my list.
- [37:28]
Lighty Hoik
It's fun. I mean it's, it just feels like such a simple joy. And you can also make it more complicated joy by packing like an elaborate picnic and a bottle of wine. But that's, that's one of my favorite things to do in the summer. And then on the kind of more event side, we love going to Tanglewood, which is Also in Lenox in Massachusetts, it's the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but they also do music concerts. James Taylor has a concert there every July 4th. Last summer we saw Brandi Carlisle. This summer we're gonna go see Bonnie Raitt. And you can bring. It's a very low key, laid back place. And you can bring a little table, chairs. It's kind of like a big lawn. And you can sit outside and bring your own food and wine and just sit in the summer, on a summer evening and enjoy music. And it's just the best.
- [38:18]
Leslie Heaney
A lot of people in Milbrook have done that and do that, and I have not done it yet. And I didn't realize just the types of concerts that they have or who they actually get to play.
- [38:29]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, you have to look. I mean, it's not. They'll probably have maybe five, maybe seven kind of popular music concerts. You can also go in there and listen to, you know, the symphony, which is amazing. But it is fun. It's just a fun venue to see someone you love. And they'll. I think they also. I was looking at the schedule. We're actually going this weekend to see John Mulaney, the comedian who's coming here.
- [38:51]
Leslie Heaney
One of my favorite, but totally.
- [38:53]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, yeah, he's doing a show.
- [38:56]
Leslie Heaney
Sorry, is it just this weekend or is he like.
- [38:58]
Lighty Hoik
I think it's just this weekend.
- [39:00]
Leslie Heaney
I'm so bummed out. We are coming up on Tuesday, July 1, to Millbrook. Our daughter, who's 19, like, like, we love John Mulaney, but she, like, loves John Mulaney. Oh, that is so great.
- [39:12]
Lighty Hoik
It's fun. Double check it in case I'm wrong. But yeah, they get big acts and it's kind of. It's just a really fun venue.
- [39:20]
Leslie Heaney
The other thing, if you haven't done it yet, which is fun, you know, we're talking about kind of like tailgating or having a picnic is to go watch a polo match over at Mushomick.
- [39:31]
Lighty Hoik
I have done that one time. A friend invited me. It was my first polo match. And it was so fun.
- [39:36]
Leslie Heaney
It's so fun. And it's right in Pine Plains, right next to Stissinghouse that you talked about earlier. You literally could go in the afternoon, see a polo match, and then go have an early dinner, you know, right there. And Pine Plains is also a charming little town. Oh, my gosh. And they have a. There's a theater too, in Pine Plains. Right.
- [39:54]
Lighty Hoik
This thing. Center.
- [39:55]
Leslie Heaney
Stitching center. Exactly. So this might be something to check out to see what they, what they might have going on this summer. So you've got so much going on between like a six month old, all the things that you're doing with your cooking and you're also doing a bunch of writing and a new video series. You've got a substack. Tell me like what's next on the horizon or what are you kind of really excited about working on right now?
- [40:20]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, I mean I, I started. So I started a substack newsletter this spring and part of the reason that I wanted to do it was just to have a place to write, you know, at a little bit more length about things and you know, have something that felt a little bit more in depth than social media. And as part of that, I've been doing this video series which has been really fun. I basically go on little adventures around the Hudson Valley and kind of this wider area that we're talking about and I'm doing one a month. So I'll go somewhere fun and take you along and then we'll do a recipe together. And the one that I just did most recently was to take it back to antiquing. I went to Brimfield, which is this massive antique market in Brimfield, Massachusetts, which is getting a little bit out of this area. I think it's like an hour and a half from where I live. But it's. If you love antiquing, it's. You've got to go check it out. It's absolutely incredible. So it's been fun to just have kind of this idea to play around with and I'll just go shoot wherever is inspiring to me. And it's part cooking, it's part travel, it's part lifestyle. And it's just been a fun project and something I haven't been able to do before at kind of that length. The videos are like 20 minutes long and. Yeah. And then I'm always just working on different recipes and I do a lot of recipes for New York Times cooking. And I just started a gig doing recipes. Recipes for America's Test Kitchen.
- [41:37]
Leslie Heaney
Oh yeah, Austin.
- [41:38]
Lighty Hoik
So I'm super excited about that. So yeah, no shortage of projects.
- [41:42]
Leslie Heaney
But so the. For the video series though. And sorry if I missed it. Cause I was pulling up your Instagram as you.
- [41:47]
Lighty Hoik
Oh, that's okay.
- [41:48]
Leslie Heaney
Can they people access those longer form videos right on your Instagram?
- [41:52]
Lighty Hoik
You can get the links. Sometimes I'll post clips, but the full videos are on my substack. So you, you've got to go to my substack. But it's just you can find the links through my Instagram. It's just a better way to have a longer video.
- [42:05]
Leslie Heaney
So Lighty's Instagram is lightylikes for people who are listening and want to get the links to those videos and to follow and watch some of these great places that she's talked about with us today. Anything else we missed?
- [42:18]
Lighty Hoik
I have one more fun summer activity that I wanted to mention.
- [42:21]
Leslie Heaney
Tell me, tell me.
- [42:22]
Lighty Hoik
Okay. Because I just learned about it and went with a group of friends. There's a small company called Hudson Fairy Company and it's. I don't know what kind of boat this boat is. It's like a 20. It can fit 20 people and they do public or private charter cruises on the Hudson Valley.
- [42:40]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, stop it.
- [42:41]
Lighty Hoik
For a friend. And like a big group of us went and it was so much fun. And I realized, like, I'd never been on the, on the water on the Hudson river, despite, you know, living so close to it. And I just highly recommend it. The. The crew is so nice. You can bring food, they have wine and you can do like a sunset cruise on the Hudson river, which faces west. So you get incredible sunset.
- [43:02]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, that. It's called Hudson Ferry Company.
- [43:05]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah.
- [43:06]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, I. We also forgot. I forgot to mention the Milburgh Vineyards also.
- [43:09]
Lighty Hoik
Vineyards. Yeah.
- [43:10]
Leslie Heaney
As you make me think of it when you just said wine. They have wine. They do some like, summer concert series and have food trucks and stuff and at night and you can do tastings and stuff. But I've never done a Hudson Valley. I mean, sorry, Hudson river cruise either. Between the watering holes, which you're gonna give me, I'm gonna DM you for the. Or actually, I'm just gonna re. Listen to this episode and take notes on where I need to go. And then the river cruise. Sounds like so much fun.
- [43:39]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, it's just fun. It just feels like a novelty to be on this body of water that you're constantly kind of using as a frame of reference. And it's a. I mean, it's a huge, beautiful river. So there's a lighthouse. It's a lot of fun.
- [43:51]
Leslie Heaney
I feel like we did do a very solid overview. We may have to come back and do another follow up once you continue this video series so we can see. Yeah.
- [44:01]
Lighty Hoik
And maybe a fall version because there's so much to do in the fall. That's the second greatest season here. So we may have to do Fall Part two.
- [44:07]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, fall, you're right. And also there's skiing and cross country and all Those things. In the winter season, we can do.
- [44:15]
Lighty Hoik
A guide to, like all the fireplaces in the Hudson Valley.
- [44:17]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, I love that. By the way. Not again. To plug 10 Mile Distillery. But they do have that brand new fireplace. They do.
- [44:24]
Lighty Hoik
I went to a dinner there. I went to a dinner where they had. They were using the grill, the new, like burning grill. Incredible. Made me want one in my house. My tiny house. It's not going to.
- [44:32]
Leslie Heaney
Oh, right. You know, actually for you, you know, maybe there's. Maybe you should do some kind of a pop up collaboration.
- [44:39]
Lighty Hoik
Yeah, that would be fun. Would you come if I did it?
- [44:42]
Leslie Heaney
I said, I just want you to cook for me and maybe you'll invite Jeffrey to come too soon.
- [44:46]
Lighty Hoik
Okay. Yeah, great.
- [44:47]
Leslie Heaney
We'll see it better. Because I'm fascinated by Jeffrey and I, you know, worship Ina and you too, who are like just doing such wonderful things and, you know, it's just as I said, you sort of bring joy to everybody who's watching you cook and you explore. And I really enjoy being able to have a bird's eye view as a stalker, as an Instagram stalker and as a cookbook lover.
- [45:10]
Lighty Hoik
Like her friend now.
- [45:11]
Leslie Heaney
Exactly. Or don't you know? Exactly. I'm going to be inviting myself over for dinner. But anyway, Lighty, it was so great to see you. I really appreciate you taking the time. I can't wait to see what you do next. I know that everyone listening is going to be so excited to visit some of these places that you shared with everybody.
- [45:28]
Lighty Hoik
I hope so. Thank you so much for having me. This has been fun. I could talk about the Hudson Valley all day.
- [45:32]
Leslie Heaney
Well, we're going to come back. We're going to come back.
- [45:34]
Lighty Hoik
All right, we'll see you back here soon.
- [45:36]
Leslie Heaney
Exactly. All right, thanks so much. Have a great fourth Leslie. That brings us to the end of this episode of the interview. Big, big thank you to Alexis for joining not just once, but twice on the pod. I could spend every waking minute with Alexis. I enjoy all the time I spend with her both on and off. The pod had so much fun recording that episode and getting all of the ins and outs of Napa from her. Also, a big thank you to our sponsor, 10 Mile Distillery. Don't forget to visit their website, 10 Mile Distillery.com for their incredible spirits, whiskeys, vodka, gin. And if you use the interview promo code at checkout, you get 10% off. And another shout out. And huge thank you to our newest sponsor, Cozy earth. They're offering 40% off to interview listeners for visiting their site and purchasing their amazing cooling sheets. And also they have some terrific clothes as well, so check them out@www.cozyearth.com. and don't forget to use the interview at checkout 40% off. And if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And tune in this Friday for a second drop of the summer series. This one we're featuring the Hudson Valley. So until Friday, this is Leslie and thanks for joining the interview.