“I can’t believe we’re in Beacon.” That was the first sentiment my companion uttered on a cold Saturday night in January as we settled into the primo seats right by the fireplace at 2EM, the sleek new bar at the Roundhouse at Beacon Falls. If you don’t know, the Roundhouse is a boutique hotel, event space, restaurant, and lounge built on the site of an old factory perched on a picturesque waterfall in the Fishkill Creek. While I have had lunch at the restaurant, as well as drinks and snacks (yes, the fries with lemon zest) on the patio in the warmer months, my friend had never been to this hip new establishment.
While we browsed the cocktail menu, she asked, “What is Illegal Mezcal Joven?” about the drink entitled Smoke (the other ingredients: lime juice, chipotle syrup, and cilantro). I admitted that I had no idea, and the conversation soon turned to smoked ice, also on the menu. Though we were both vaguely aware that smoked drinks had been popping up in sophisticated bars from coast to coast for several years, neither of us had ever thought about how exactly it is that ice becomes smoked. We giggled at the possibilities.
At one point, I got up and looked out one of the floor-length windows. As I watched large chunks of ice shift and crash down the falls directly beneath me, I marveled at the fact that this stunning new eatery had finally opened in my hometown. But it’s hardly the only new place of note in the region. In our cover story, we take you inside eight of the Valley’s best new restaurants. From a French bistro in Rockland County to a “blended” (as opposed to fusion) Korean in Albany, these amazing eateries continue to up the ante on fine dining in the Hudson Valley.
Also in this issue, we pull back the curtain and take you on a tour of two great theaters that are reinvigorating and reinventing themselves. The Ritz in Newburgh and the Beacon, right across the river, are in the process of being returned to their former glory. The story starts here.
In addition, we introduce you to cake pops — the latest sweet treats that are giving cupcakes a run for their money; turn you on to some lesser-known traditional Irish food; and let you know all about the opening of Legoland in Yonkers. While I was under the impression that most of the Lego blocks in existence now resided under my couch, this new amusement center apparently houses the biggest box of Legos in the world.
Happy reading.
Olivia J. Abel
Editor In Chief
