3 Day Catskill Weekend Itinerary and Catskills Cuisine Recap

In case you didn’t know, I’m on a mission to attend every food festival and food event I possibly can. When I had heard about the Catskills Cuisine I had to reach out and see how I can get involved.

This led me to an incredible, and much needed and relaxing weekend in the Catskills.

With great food, adventures, hotel, making new friends, and shopping/dinning, here’s how I spent a quick weekend away in the Catskills Mountains.


Friday - Travel Day

Drove to the Catskills. I’m based in Orange County, NY and the drive took me about an hour and a half. Coming from NYC this could take about 2-1/2 hours depending on traffic.


Always such a peaceful drive overlooking the mountain views and winding roads.


Checked-In to our Hotel: Callicoon Hills

I wrote all about Callicoon Hills in this blog post, but this hotel and resort is so much fun. Loved all the amenities and how central it is to everything in the Catskills area.

Go check out that blog post for a full breakdown of the hotel.


Dinner & Drinks: Catskills Provisions Distillery

Went into downtown Callicoon area to grab drinks and dinner at Catskills Provisions Distillery.

They have a FREE tasting room where you can try their spirits. Fun fact, did you know their Pollinator Spirits are artisanal crafted with honey from their bees.

For dinner ordered their Rita Mae cocktail, made with their pollinator vodka, house made citrus mix, and agave, and for dinner had their double cheeseburger.


EntertainmenT/Movie Night: Callicoon Theaters

Headed to see a 7:30pm showing of the movie, The Fall Guy. It actually was pretty good and would be a really great date night movie.

My absolute favorite part was the theater and it’s rich history.

The Callicoon Theater was built in 1948 and is the oldest continually operated cinema in Sullivan County. With 350 seats, the historic art deco movie theater recalls a bygone era of the Western Catskills, while they have upgraded digital projection equipment and dolby surround system providing you with a modern cinematic experience.

They have a mix of new releases, cinema classics, film festivals, and live music events.

Currently, Matinees are $9, Adults are $11, and Children are $8.

The artifacts from the theater over the years give it that hint of a cinema museum on your visit. It was a really cool experience.


Things to Note in “Downtown” Callicoon… Cell Service

I did want to note that I had NO cell signal in this downtown Callicoon area. While trying to head back to the hotel, I had so much trouble trying to pull up Google Maps to find my way back in the evening. This happened to me twice during the trip in this downtown area.

A dorky as it is, I’d suggest printing a Google Map of directions to get back to your hotel from downtown Callicoon.


Saturday

Morning Routine & Things: Callicoon Hills

  • Woke up and did a workout in their fitness center

  • Free hot coffee in lobby

  • Showered/Dressed

  • Brunch at their on-site restaurant, Conover Club


Headed to Event: Catskills Cuisine/Bethel WOods Center for the Arts

This was a culinary event between Sullivan Catskills and sponsored by Labelle Farms and presented by Resort World Catskills and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

This 2nd Annual culinary event was packed with A-list Food Network Celebrity Chefs. Including Anne Burrell, Melba Wilson, Scott Conant, Michael Symon, Andrew Zimmern, Marcus Samuelsson, and Geoffrey Zakarian.

It included everything from cooking demos, vendors and shopping, food samplings, book signings, alpacas, and live music.


Dinner Back at Hotel/Conover Club

Was pretty tired after a long day at the festival so headed back to the hotel’s bar and restaurant, the Conover Club. Ordered a drink and for dinner their Pesto Chicken with house made fettuccine and nut-free pesto. Highly recommend, that meal was amazing and their drinks are strong.

Then capped the night off with the hotel’s nightly s’mores offerings. It was such a night little dessert treat to end the night.


SUNDAY

Morning Routine & Things: Callicoon Hills

  • Woke up and did a workout in their fitness center

  • Free hot coffee in lobby

  • Hotel tour of the property

  • Showered/Dressed

  • Headed back to Bethel Woods and Day 2 of the Catskills Cuisine


Headed to Event: Catskills Cuisine - Day 2 - Mother’s Day Brunch

As part of Catskills Cuisine Weekend was a Mother’s Day Brunch at Bethel Woods, hosted by Food Network’s Anne Burrell and Melba Wilson.

Tickets had included a brunch beverage of either a Mimosa, Bellini, or Bloody Mary and brunch buffet filled with so many choices from scones, donuts, pastries, to lobster mac and cheese, brussel sprouts, eggs benedict, chicken and waffles, a carving station, deviled eggs, dessert, and so much more.

What was great was that Melba and Anne really walked around greeted and talked to everyone in the room, it felt so personal which I loved.

I came solo, as my own Mother’s Day treat, and was great to chat and meet other creators in the area as well over a great meal.


Woodstock Museum// Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Bethel Woods is the home to the famous 3-day Woodstock 1969 Music Festival. My aunt attended Woodstock and had to quickly see the museum and take some photos for her.

The museum is full of artifacts from planning documents, concert photos, lineup/flyers, historical timelines, to many music clips from the festival. It even has a theater where every 20 minutes you can see and hear footage of the festival as if you were actually there. And of course, they have a gift shop at the end.


Exploring Around Towns & Heading Back Home

Before heading back home I had to stop at a few nearby shops. Here’s a few I visited.

Stop 1: The Callicoon Pantry - Callicoon, NY - A low-waste grocery and refillery. They offer minimal packaging and affordable pricing.


Stop 2: Sullivan Sundries - Jeffersonville, NY - A specialty grocery store and indoor market hall with vendors including Bloom Coffee, R52 Homes (a vintage/modern home variety store.), Slug Wines, a Cheesemonger, International snacks, and so much more.


Stop 3: La Salumina - Hurelyville, NY - A classic Italian salumeria, meaning they produce all their salumi (charcuterie) in their onsite USDA facility.

They have a selection of antipasti, locally sourced and imported cheeses, and offer Italian speciality food products.

On the weekends they make panini and sourdough (Fri & Sat). And on Sundays have fresh focaccia. I got some and it was sooo good. They support small farms working sustainability and striving to farm in a regenerative manner. It’s a really cool shop, taste of Tuscany in the Sullivan Catskills, and the owners are so nice.

Overall, the past three days were so much fun. Callicoon Hills hotel was so relaxing and yet so fun and accommodating, I even got the chance to see the Northern Lights one night. Catskills Cuisine was perfect for this foodie. Exploring new food, dining, and shopping in the area always feeds my adventurous explorer side.

If you’re heading to the Catskills let me know some of the stops and places you check out. I’d love to know for my next visit!

Insiders Guide to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

In 2023 this will be my 7th year in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a Float Escort. Sharing some of the most frequently asked questions I get every year.

For more details about the Macy’s Parade itself including lineup, parade route, and more specific questions, head over to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade website.

Floats Through the Years:

2015 - Ghirardelli

2016 - Ocean Spray Cranberry

2017: Santa’s Sleigh

2018: Nickelodeon - Shimmer & Shine

2019: Hallmark Channel - Heartwarming Holiday Countdown

2020: COVID

2021: Preggers with Baby Boy

2022: Lego - The Brick Changer


Most Common Questions I Get Asked:

1.) How’d you get into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

There’s two ways of going about this.

1.) You have to be an employee of Macy’s or Bloomingdales.

2.) You have to be sponsored by someone who works at Macy’s or Bloomingdales. I was actually sponsored by a Macy’s employee from a woman that attended one of our Women Who Brunch events years ago. She sponsored me for a few years and then I continued to ask my float captains to sponsor me.

You can read more about Macy’s Parade Policies & Statement here:

Since it began in 1924, participants have been Macy's colleagues, their families & friends or others who have a relationship with the Parade’s elements and/or partners. This participation policy still exists today. With the exception of invited performing talent (i.e., marching bands, celebrities, singers, etc.), aspiring participants must fall under one of these categories & be approved via application granted by the Macy's Parade Office.


2.) Where’s the best place to watch the parade in NYC?

Hotel-wise - You’re going to definitely be spending a pretty penny to watch the parade from the comfort of your hotel room on the parade route. Upwards of over a $1,000+ per night. I have no specific hotel recommendations except explore the parade route and look for hotels that way.

To watch the parade, I highly recommend watching it around Central Park West. The start of the parade kicks off at the Museum of Natural History and the crowd is significantly less crowded at the start of the parade. When you get to around 59th & 6th Ave, it only gets crazy from there. Get a good spot in the park is my recommendation.


3.) How early do you have to be there?

Depends on the float assignment, earlier like 5:30am if I’m in the beginning of the parade, a tad later if I’m in the second half of the parade lineup.

Everyone meets and gets ready at The New Yorker on 8th and 34th Street. It’s really fun to see everyone at the beginning and end of the parade there.


Other Cool Facts:

⚜️ There’s 3x “Main” Positions in the parade. Balloon Handler, Float Escort, and Clowns.

I’ve always wanted to do a balloon, BUT Float Escort is the easiest position. Clowns have to go to a clown school and balloon handlers have to practice walking and deflating the balloons a few weekends out leading up to the parade. Floats you just show up and get dressed! :)

⚜️ Each year you get a commemorative pin and a particapation pin. I’ve been collecting mine on my Macy’s bear that I bought at my first parade.

⚜️ Rumor has it that performing artists don’t get paid to be there. This is because it’s strictly PR for them. Typically an artist is launching a new song or Christmas album which seems to be the case from what I’ve seen on my floats.

⚜️ You can buy special Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade merchandise in Macy’s on 34th St. or online here.


Big Revel! This Year I’ll be on the: ⚜️Celebration Gator: Louisiana Office of Tourism⚜️

( 🙏 Silently praying I get some beignets and chicory coffee 🙏 )

See you on Turkey Day friends! 🦃

*And let me know if the comments if there’s a specific questions you have that I can try to help answer.

Women Owned Specialty Food Brands & Products

It’s no surprise that we here at Women Who Brunch love supporting women owned businesses and entrepreneurs. From our Brunch & Learn podcast where we interview female founders to our events where we’ve had some amazing guest speakers from Time, Buzzfeed, Google, Tinted, and more.

We’d like to use this space to highlight some great women-owned companies in the food and CPG space. Some of our favorites are below and hope to continue to grow this list. Feel free to share your favorite businesses in the comments or catch us over on Instagram sharing our favorite there as well.


Maya’s Syrups

Award-winning, locally handmade jams & fruit syrups. Three generations of women working together to create the best mixers for DIY healthy sodas and craft beverages. 

I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Maya and her family’s legacy on the Brunch & Learn Podcast. Check out Maya’s episode here.


21 Seeds Tequila 

Female-led distillery – Sarika, Kat, and Nicole ( Two sisters and one friend). They had founded 21 Seeds tequila by trying different infusions until they got each recipe just right. 

21 Seeds is an all natural, craft infused tequila made with real fruit in three flavors: Cucumber Jalapeno, Grapefruit Hibiscus, and Valencia Orange.


Dress it Up Dressing 

Dress It Up Dressing offers award-winning olive-oil based dressings with gluten-free, sugar-free, low sodium, vegan, AIP Compliant, Keto and Whole-30 friendly varieties.

Founded by Sophia Maroon in 2012. Sophia’s brother had long held that a business was waiting to be built in the salad dressing their mother made every night when they were children (and that Sophia continued to make for her children).

Their dressing lineup has six olive oil-based salad dressings available in Whole Foods. In addition to this, these dressings have notably included accolades from Good Food Foundation and Specialty Food Association, all while maintaining an unwavering commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.


Mama’s Biscuits 

Founded by Lesley Riley, AKA Mama Biscuit - This is America’s first gourmet biscuit company located in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.

Southern style, ready-to-eat biscuits can be found in the frozen bread aisles of Walmart, Target, Publix, Wegmans and Trader Joes. Popular flavors include buttermilk, cheddar jalapeño, blueberry lemon, confetti, s’mores, and pumpkin spice. 


Fat Gold

Kathryn Tomajan is Fat Gold’s fearless leader. She is an olive oil maker, taster, and educator.

On a mission to de-commodify extra virgin olive oil and elevate its place in American food culture. Fat Gold is California extra virgin olive oil, available by the tin and by subscription.

In the early days, they farmed a tiny olive grove of our own, right here in the Bay Area. As Fat Gold has grown, they have started collaborating with other growers to source some of California’s best, most interesting olives.


Dam Good English Muffins 

A Woman-Owned, family-operated wholesale bakery that has been in business since 2017 - currently making 4 varieties of preservative-free, vegan sourdough English muffins: “Original White,” “Multigrain,” “Cinnamon Swirl,” and “Whole Wheat.” 

These vegan sourdough English muffins are made from all-natural, non-GMO, soy-free ingredients with no preservatives. Located in Peekskill, New York. (We love to see a local NY + Women Owned Combo!)


The Sister Yard

Two sisters Yami and Tina Correa born in Venezuela who called Miami home for 12 years before making our big move to New York City.

They brew up naturally hydrating cold brew coffee with coconut water. Their recipe combines sustainably-sourced coffee beans with 100% pure coconut water and fair-trade toasted coconut.

They’ve also made a new home recently in Miami Smorgasburg and throughout NYC shops. 


Hayden’s Flour Mill

Co-owner + Co-founder Emma Zimmerman, along with her dad Jeff Zimmerman are the founders of Hayden’s Flour Mill - family owned and run. They’re on a mission to revive forgotten native grains from the ground up in the Arizona desert, through heritage grains and the art of stone milling.


Home Free Treats

Jill Robbins, founder of Homefree - Natural/organic, whole grain cookies that are free of common food allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and eggs. With the goal in mind, Jill, wanted it to be easy to include everyone when serving food at social occasions, especially as a mom of a child with food allergies.

Flavors include lemon burst, chocolate mint, vanilla, double chocolate chipand ginger snap.