Woodstock - "The Colony of the Arts"

Woodstock is rich in history, cultural heritage and world-class arts. When Mutti and sis read my last blog, they insisted I take them back for a Sunday sojourn. Twist my arm, of course I'll take you!

We trotted around town under an overcast sky making shop stops at Topka, Pondicherry, the Byrdcliffe Gallery, Timbuktu, Sweetheart Gallery, Candlestock, and the Tibetan Emporium. Mukluks from Minnesota, aboriginal didgeridoos, Bulgarian hand-painted pottery, Tibetan wall rugs, hemp backpacks, beautiful wall calenders from India, Woodstock has more than it's share of unique gifts - gifts for next Christmas so my thinking went as I bagged some red-tag whimsy. Inside Candlestock is a tower of growing candlewax. It started dripping color in 1969 and at 11 feet and then some, it continues to grows a few inches every year.

The town is always crowded so we waited until after the lunch rush to eat. Sis and I shared 2 plates of zucchini flat cakes at "Joshua's". The homey restaurant has an equally quaint tapas cafe/coffee bar on the second floor. While on assignment with CBS news I stopped here years ago and have been hooked every since.

Lastly, I have to mention one other shopping gem I found thanks to Nola on Friday. It's 20 minutes outside of Woodstock and a little confusing to get to so pay attention. It's called the "Crafts People", 4 vast wooden buildings with the largest collection of fine crafts in the Hudson Valley. 500 artists and craftspeople, some of the finest in the U.S. sell their unique creations for half as much as usual. The owner will offer you wine or mulled cider the minute you drop by for a visit. Be careful not to knock anything over perusing the jewelry aisles, stuff is swinging and swaying from the ceiling like cobwebs.