last weekend was my first exploration of the catskills. we want to buy a getaway spot and this was our initial trip to get the lay of the land. first impressions: stunning scenery (often reminiscent of california), kind people, tremendous food (more on that later) and good vibes all around. we stayed at a wonderful b&b called breathe inn. from the impecable design to the delicious breakfast to the owner’s adorable kids, it was welcoming and inspirational.

when we first arrived in phoenicia, we ate at sweet sue’s. i had the “carrot cake” pancakes and made the mistake of ordering 2 cakes (1 was plenty). while waiting for my meal, i flipped through edible hudson valley and noticed a feature on the owner of peekamoose, a restaurant in big indian. i didn’t think much of it until a shopkeeper on main street recommended it – and later the owner of breathe inn just assumed we would eat there. nevertheless, i have already claimed peekamoose my favorite restaurant. we dined in the tap room, soaking in the cozy atmosphere, with the rain gently falling outside. we were unable to enjoy the best feature, however: the rain prohibited us from roasting marshmallows on the pit in front. you can bet i will be back to do that.

the teepee at breathe inn:
breathe inn teepee

breathe inn decor:
breathe inn couch

pancake menu at sweet sue’s:
pancake menu

the perfect house (with a red door):
stone house

the bar at peekamoose:
peekamoosebar