Take Me Away - Glass Cabins In The Woods

above photo was by my husband when we arrived

It may sound corny to some but we enjoy following the traditional themes for anniversary gifts for marriage. So when we celebrated our "wood" anniversary this past June marking five years of marriage, I was stuck on what to gift my sweet guy who spoils me in every way possible. I truly love giving a gift of an experience and stumbled upon this glass cabin in the woods. I thought this would be the perfect getaway for him to unwind from work and our everyday life in the urban environment we live in. I immediately booked the trip to be enjoyed during the fall and soak up all the autumnal splendor we could. Our little airbnb in upstate, NY {Hillsdale, NY to be exact} did not disappoint. It seemed we hit the best week of the year weather wise as well as for the change of colors on the trees that surrounded us. I however will not lie... the complete darkness and silence of night had this city girl shaking in her boots. I however wouldn't trade anything in the world for the beauty we were surrounded by during the day. Long mornings lounging fireside soaking up the slight chill in the air and the falling leaves all around us...it was heaven!

The home was beautifully decorated with vintage pieces everywhere. The open concept living with all the walls being glass really allowed you to feel like you were living outside in the woods. Everywhere you turned was a stunning view. 

wouldn't an infinity pool on that little open land be perfection for summertime

a great big dining table for entertaining friends or family dinners

{a kayak suspended from the ceiling for water activities}

when your breakfast matches your view

the home was filled with rustic decor that gave it such a warm lived in feeling

how cute is this gallery wall, I especially love the shadow box filled with collars of beloved pets from  their past, such a sweet keepsake for our furry friends

an adorable barn house that was for sale down the street

we explored some of the farm fields near our house, can you spot us?

Since the house was about twenty five minutes from Hudson, NY we dined there every night. While it's known for it's excellent antiquing and home decor shops {we loved Hudson Home, Lili and Loo, Regan & Smith, 3 Forty Seven & Hudson Supermarket}. There also is a major food scene happening there that is worth visiting. We loved every single meal we had. 

Grazin Diner, our favorite meal of the trip was one of the best burgers we have ever had and it has a really awesome sustainable farming ethics as well as sources everything locally. 

Swoon Kitchen Bar was our last meal and it didn't disappoint. We indulged in homemade pappardelle with local beef bolognese, fried artichokes and a crispy kale salad. We left very happy to say the least!

Hudson Food Studio was our first meal in this historic little town and the asian fusion food was incredible. We loved the ramen and the curry. 

casual Mexican food at Mexican Radio for one night, we loved the chili and the spicy shredded chicken tacos

WM Farmer & Sons was by far the coolest restaurant we dined at. The ambience was fun and the food was stellar. Try the country ham board with homemade biscuits & pickles. It's divine. 

image above is via Decorista, I forgot to photograph one when we were there 

we hiked to Bash Bish Falls to see Massachusetts biggest waterfall 

we visited Olana House at sunset to score some incredible Hudson River views 

see the full listing & more photos of the home here, please feel free to email me at heidi@dooleynotedstyle.com for any other questions - thanks for reading!

Au Fudge

When my nieces were younger and still playing with dolls my husband and I would love to shop at The American Girl store just outside the city here in MA. Seems normal right? Go into doll store, buy doll, go home. Oh no, well this doll store also has a restaurant and I am not going to lie, more then once we have ponied up to the old fashioned counter next to parents with their kids and fancy dolls in tow to order a milkshake treat post shopping. We were definitely the only people there without children which probably made us look like major weirdos but in all honestly they just make a damn good milkshake and it was one stop shopping for us. I remember looking around the crowded restaurant filled with children having birthday parties or just a special day out with their parents and I recall them all being so well behaved. I remember my parents also taking us out to nice places as kids and removing us the second we weren't at our best. Sure was that annoying for the parent that had to take us outside? Yes, but after it happened a few times, we all eventually learned how to behave in a restaurant. It had me wondering why there aren't more family friendly restaurants outside the big box chains. Enter Au Fudge, Jessica Biel's new stylish eatery in Los Angeles that was created with the family unit in mind. Not only is the menu designed with healthy organic bites, it's decorated beautifully so you don't feel like your in a dark dungeon of restaurant that feels depressing. They offer creative spaces for your children to be entertained while you dine as well as a calendar of fun child friendly events. Short on time to dine in, order a cake or stop in the marketplace for treats to go. While we aren't parents yet {hopefully one day}, I love this concept and would love to see something similar in Boston! Read more about the restaurant in this short interview.

all photos via LA Eater

Amangiri - Anniversary Trip

Amangiri photo via Wendell Burnette Architects 

Our trip out to the desert was one I will always remember. Not only were we celebrating five years of marriage but it was such a unique landscape and new experience for both of us. I love adventuring to places neither of us have been before. It's always fun to share the excitement of somewhere new together. When it came to researching where we wanted to head as we hadn't traveled all winter {which was kinda nice} the criteria was simple, somewhere warm, somewhere new and somewhere we could just relax. Amangiri fit the bill for all of those things and had been on our wanderlust wish list for some time. We mapped out all the logistics of getting there {it's literally in the middle of no where} and quickly made our plans! So without further adieu, I thought I would share our trip in photos with little captions of what you can expect if you too wanted to take this trip for yourself.

We started our trip by flying direct on JetBlue from Boston to Las Vegas. To break up the trip a bit we spent two nights in Las Vegas at the beautiful Mandarin Oriental hotel. Carefully selected as it has great access to the strip but doesn't have a casino so it provides more of a peaceful environment which is what we were looking for. We dined at Joël Robuchon {which was fantastic} saw David Copperfield {don't recommend that unless you are with kids} and gambled a bit. While I love a party, we were really looking to unwind so to prep for our drive to Amangiri we rented a cabana for the day and enjoyed light bites by the pool and soaking up some warm air.  The next day we took the four hour drive to the resort. The entrance signage is so small, you could miss with it a blink of an eye. This is done intentionally as they are far from showy but rather a hidden gem with the highest level of accommodations and service. A long windy road takes you to an unmarked gate where you are granted access to the Amangiri grounds. Upon pulling up to the desert oasis the hotel staff is lined up greeting you and whisking you off on a tour of the grounds with a refreshing drink and cold towel in hands. I couldn't help but automatically feel that I was somewhere special. 

Our room was a Mesa View Suite. Quite large at around 1,000 sf with views of the canyons that were absolutely breathtaking but they really showed off at sunset. We were assigned suite number 18 which was ironic considering we got married on that day. 

Each room comes with a front patio that is private from the sidewalk. My sweet husband did a bit of work out here during the trip. 

our back patio and view as it turned night, fun little s'more kits could be brought to your room nightly to enjoy dessert in the desert. 

Every room comes with some chic desert essentials. A walking stick for hikes, a bag for your things to sit poolside and a cute hat to shield you from the blistering sun. I of course had to throw in my tote bag into the mix for good measure. 

The bed was by far the most comfortable I ever slept in any hotel I have ever been & I never sleep well anywhere but home. It was magical to say the least. My photos of the bathroom & closet came out way too dark to share but imagine a beautiful large space with a soaking tub facing the mesa views. Everything was done to perfection and the service was impeccable. Our room was cleaned twice a day and restocked with everything you could ever need for your stay. I honestly think the best  part of vacation for me is having someone make the damn bed everyday. I hate that household task. 

There really aren't any words to give The Spa at Amangiri enough credit that is due. When we walked in we were treated like royalty. There is no waiting for your therapist to come get you, you are simply escorted into what they call the water pavilion where you can relax until you are ready to head into your appointment. My husband gifted me a luxurious two hour massage that was the best I have ever had while he did the same along with a "floating" experience where you are left in a tank like environment for an hour with all your sensations turned off to meditate or simply relax in a small amount of very salty water that keeps you afloat the entire time.

The grounds were beautifully kept and minimal in design as was the entire resort. It was really amazing to me that brutalist architecture could be so relaxing and stunning. The design truly melted into the natural landscape of the desert seamlessly. I mean look at the main pool below. It was literally built around a part of the mesa. 

All the meals are served in the same restaurant morning, noon and night. This may not be everyone's cup of tea but for us it was perfect. There is an extensive menu with specials for each meal that keep you from getting bored of the same cuisine over and over again. It was some of the best food I have ever had and the best part is that there are no bills at Amangiri. Food is built into the price of your room. Any extra costs are your alcohol and experiences {spa, boating etc.}. If you would like a more private dining experience you also can have the above terrace reserved for your enjoyment as well as in room dining. 

I literally ate a flatbread everyday. This was my favorite and only food I was able to photograph as most meals were devoured upon arrival to our table. It was a Mexican flatbread with cilantro, yellow tomatoes, roasted corn, cotija cheese and a salsa verde base. God I wish I could eat this right now. It was HEAVEN!

The only experience we indulged in was a hot air balloon ride at the sunrise. While waking up at the crack of dawn is certainly not my jam, this was SO worth it. My fear of heights meant I was absolutely terrified but I am always willing to push the envelope on my comfort level and thoroughly enjoyed our hour in the sky. We flew over the stunning Mesa's and saw the sun rise while in the sky. Something I will never forget.  

One afternoon we needed a break from the sun and headed to the nearest town of Page, Arizona. We stopped at the Glen Canyon Dam and took in some beautiful vistas of Lake Powell. 

 All in all the trip was just what we needed. A little alone time in the middle of no where with my best friend. The best thing about this place is they allow you to be as busy as you want to be with the several adventures they provide or as lazy as you want to be by sitting poolside everyday {we chose the latter}. l The resort staff kept saying over and over "let us spoil you" and that they did! My only critique fell on our last dinner at the resort. While enjoying a conversation about the life we have built  together and what the future held for us, one of the hotel staff came over to discuss the logistics of our departure and when they can pick up our luggage etc. I found this irritating as I wasn't ready to think about leaving while enjoying our last dinner nor did I care to be interrupted when we were deep in conversation. I felt I should be honest about these little details so you can be prepared if you visit yourself.  If you have any questions about the trip please don't hesitate to reach out, I am happy to answer any questions!

*This post was not sponsored by anyone or anything. We pay for everything we have with our hard earned money. Our review is strictly based on our experience.*