Outfit Details

Gap Blue Shirt, Gap Jeans, J.Crew Factory Gingham Flats (old, similar here and here), Straw Bag (from France, similar here and here), Ray Ban Sunglasses

Gap Overalls, Banana Republic Pink Top (old, similar here), Jack Rogers Sandals

Zara Two Piece Eyelet Set (old, similar here), J.Crew Straw Hat

Old Navy White Ruffle Top, Gap Jeans, H&M Sneakers (old, love these), UNIQLO Gray Men’s Shirt

Upstate New York is an undiscovered place for me.  For the past six years I’ve live in New York City, I’ve never made the drive. Woodstock  is only about 2 hours north of New York City with quiet roads, Woodstock is a vibrant community known for it’s music, arts, and culture. However, the town’s charm is what had me sold. Our friends parent’s home sits on acres of land filled with green grass, large oak trees, and wildlife galore. They’ve even seen bears roam in their backyard!

We drove up early Friday morning, grabbing bagels and iced coffees for the road trip.  The boys had a scheduled tee time to play golf while the girls decided to head into town to stock up on fresh vegetables, bread & cheese, and chicken to grill for dinner that evening. Sunburst is a local grocery store that was just the right spot for all our essentials. When we got back home, our other friends started to arrive and settle in for the weekend.  The drinks began to flow, the provisions were marinating in the fridge, and the backyard pool was open for business.

With another tee time bright and early on Saturday morning, the boys headed out and the girls drove into town again, this time with shopping and coffee on the brain.  We stopped by Bread Alone for iced coffees and lemon current scones. This coffee shop has been in Woodstock for over 20 years and now has four other locations throughout New York. Just steps away from the Saturday flea market, our next stop was spent looking at the many treasures offered by various vendors, including paintings, flowers, records, and clothing.

After a quick browse, we walked over to the adorable shops on Mills Hill Road, the main street in Woodstock.  We walked through clothing, gift, and toy stores, finding candles and souvenirs to bring back home to Brooklyn. Working up an appetite, it was time to decide on a spot for lunch. Sunburst also hosts a restaurant with an outdoor patio perfect for a sunny day. Unfortunately, no tables were available so we ordered our breaded chicken sandwiches to go (we all ordered the same!) and brought them back home to eat by the pool.  The sunny skies and warm air were the icing on the cake and a refreshing change to the rainy days we’ve been encountering over the past few weeks.

Saturday night was spent sipping red wine, playing games and talking around the living room table.  The grill was going tonight too, this time with steak, asparagus, and garlic bread.  Our friend created his own chimichurri sauce which was so delicious! Once dinner was ready we gathered around the dining room table for one last family meal and talked for hours.

We headed out early Sunday morning due to the overcast skies and chilly temperatures.  If it were sunny and warm, I could have pictured us laying by the pool all day.

My favorite accessory for the weekend was my straw bag.  I used it to hold my wallet and necessities for errands, gathering provisions from the food market, and providing a spot for my pool supplies (i.e. towels, sandals etc). I will definitely be using it throughout the summer for weekend trips and beach days. One of my straw bags is actually from our honeymoon in France and I am so happy I brought it back.  It was not easy to pack such a large item but definitely worth it! The straw bag with the lavender handle was a gift for our wedding.