Happy Monday

January 14th

Events can change, because things happen and I’m not perfect…

And we’re back…

Hope you are all are stocked with firewood because we have a COLD week ahead 🥶 

Catskill Crew just hit 900 subscribers so thanks again for sharing and supporting the newsletter. Keep reaching out with events, suggestions, and whatever else you got. You rock!

Lets get right into it.

-Michael

This week’s Newsletter is Sponsored by…

The Shandaken Inn

Are you feeling lucky? Well, there is no better time than now to go grab some dinner at The Clubhouse at Shandaken Inn! They recently launched "Take a Chance", where you can win a full complimentary dinner on the house. 

Here's how it works: 

1) Make a reservation for Thursday or Sunday, between 4-9pm. Make sure it's for a tableside dinner.

2) Then, they select a winner at random. So, eat, drink, and eat some more! Then make sure you get dessert. At the end of the dinner, when the bill arrives, you'll find out if you were the lucky winner that night who gets to feast for free.

3) You still better tip the staff 😉

There is more details and fine print down at the bottom of the newsletter. 

Book Your Reservation and Take a Chance

Isolation Proof 🍸️ 

I’m a gin drinker, wait, I’m a gin lover, and nothing is better than sipping a spirit and knowing it’s made right down the road. Isolation Proof is my go to, and you’ll always find a bottle of it on my bar, so I wanted to share their story and latest release for you all.

Isolation Proof was born in 2020 in a wooden barn in the tiny Catskills town of Bovina (home to one of my favorite restaurants, Brushland Eating House). Founder and owner, Jake Sherry, set out to make handmade spirits, using sustainable and local ingredients, got going with gin and never looked back.

As a farm distillery, their purpose is to craft not just spirits, but experiences, capturing the essence of each growing season through limited-edition releases that showcase the unique botanicals flourishing in our local landscape.

Their latest Featured Seasonal Release is their Winter Gin 2023 

Isolation Proof Winter Gin has landed, and it’s particularly special this year due to the fact that the indigenous apples they use to infuse the gin were in short supply this growing season as a result of a late May frost in the region. To make this year’s batch, they started by distilling 7-core botanicals: Juniper Berries, Coriander Seeds, Cassia Bark, Angelica Root, Licorice Root, Orange Peel, and Cubeb Berries. Post distillation, involved hand-picking and macerating indigenous Catskill Mountain apples and diced dried pears. They concentrated on sourcing small, tart “cider” apples with an abundance of flavor, and they love the fact that the apple cultivars picked vary year to year, creating a “vintage” for each batch of Winter Gin. As a final step, they added loose leaf Assam Tea, which imbues the gin with smoky, chocolatey notes, and colors it dark amber.

This Winter Gin is a malty, full-bodied gin with hints of cocoa and spice, and is perfect for incorporating in Old Fashioned or Manhattan rifs, Martinez variations, mulled ciders and hot toddies, to name a few. Think of Winter Gin as an exquisitely modernized Old-Tom gin that is a reflection of the place and time where we made it.

Now go out and grab a bottle so you can mix up some drinks. Here is one to get you started:

Improved Stone Fence Cocktail 😍 

What you’ll need:

• 2 oz Isolation Proof Winter Gin

• 4 oz fresh apple cider

• ½ oz Pot Still Rum (Hamilton or Plantation)

Method:

Build in order indicated in Highball glass over ice; top with rum, and garnish with a slice of apple.

Check them out on instagram!

Weekly Breakdown 😲 

Monday 15th

• West Kill Supply, Kingston - Mondays at WKS is Industry Nite with $5 pours from 3pm to 10pm 🍺 

• Tinker Street Tavern, Woodstock - Celtic Night starts at 7:30pm

• Rough Cut Brewing, Kerhonkson - Trivia Night starts at 7pm

• Angry Orchard, Walden - Live music with Matt Pidel and the Feels, from 4-7pm

• Camp Kingston, Kingston - Bar is open from 4-10pm with happy hour running 4-6pm, Eagles Vs. Buccaneers game will be playing at 8pm 🏈 

• Union Street Brewing, Hudson - Trivia starts at 6:30pm

Tuesday 16th

• Darlings, Tillson - Darlings Staff & Customer Party with DJ Flower, dancing, free pizza, and discounted bar, starts at 7pm and goes LATE 🤩 

• Graveside Variety, Woodstock - The Robin and the Sparrow: Robin the Hammer and John Sparrow of Violent Femmes with Aaron Kosinski get tix

• Tubbys, Kingston - Chess Club 6pm ♟️ 

• Salt Box, Kingston - Queer Kingston Presents: Queer Open Mic Night 6:30-7pm signups and singing from 7-10pm

Wednesday 17th

• Print House, Fleischmanns - Paint & Sip for $40 that includes a drink and all materials, starts at 6:30pm, email to secure your spot [email protected] 

• Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Magic City Hippies Winter Tour at 8pm tickets

• Hutton Brickyards, Kingston - Wednesdays at the Hutton Hangout, this week is DJ JamsBond from 6-9pm

• Camp Kingston, Kingston - Beer Release, Way in the Woods, a smoked baltic porter that is a collaboration between Wayward and Arrowood, starts at 5pm 🍺 

• Upward Brewing, Livingston Manor - Wing it Up Wednesday with trivia at 6:30pm 🍗 

• Colony, Woodstock - Marji Zintz & Bruce Milner at 8pm

• Arnold House, Livingston Manor - Half Off Wednesdays from 5pm to 9pm

Thursday 18th

• Glen Falls House, Round Top - This is a big one folks! The Wild Honey Pie is throwing down again with a Pizza Party with Caroline Rose. It all starts with an Apres Ski Pre-Party at Hunter Mountain with DJs, then dinner from 7-9pm at Glen Falls House, followed by a solo performance by Caroline Rose, and if you crash the night at Glen Falls House there is an exclusive afterparty learn more & get a ticket 😁 

• Zadas, Margaretville - Movie Night with drink specials, film starts rolling at 6pm

• Eat Catskill, Catskill - Lunch series with Eat Church pop-up from 11am-3pm

• UPAC, Kingston - Ilana Glazer Live, starts at 8pm grab a ticket

• Tinker Street Tavern, Woodstock - Karaoke Night with Major Mayhem, starts at 8pm

• Tubbys, Kingston - Callie Macenzie + AME, 7pm

• Pearl Moon, Woodstock - Open Mic Night kicks off at 6pm

• Van Smokey, Livingston Manor - Live music with Westphalia at 6:30pm 🐐 

• Colony, Woodstock - The Lustre Kings, Elvis Presley Birthday Party at 8pm

Friday 19th

• Starlite Motel, Kerhonkson - Cocktails! Come ‘n get your cocktails! Fridays at the Starlite with Catskills Cocktail Club from 5-10pm 🤗 

• Hudson Wine Merchants, Hudson - New York State produced dry and sweet vermouth from Method spirits, event runs from 5-7pm 👍️ 

• Foxfire Mountain House, Mt. Tremper - Wintering Inn, a 2 night experience that includes interactive foraging, a floral workshop, and a seasonal winter feast learn more & book now 🌺 

• Stonehill’s, Accord - Eat Church Fireside South East Asian pop-up from 5-8pm

• Graveside Variety, Woodstock - An evening with Celtic guitar master Tony McManus get tix

• Tubbys, Kingston - Philip Goth and Greg Farley, starts at 7pm

• Zadas, Margaretville - Laugh for Lady Lumps, a breast cancer comedy show fundraiser, with comedian Kate McKenzie, 7-9pm

• Van Smokey, Livingston Manor - Karaoke from 8pm to midnight

• Darlings, Tillson - International Vinyl Supper Club

• Colony, Woodstock - Spin Cycle Lava with Andalusion + Geezer at 8pm

• Arnold House, Livingston Manor - Live music in the tavern from 6-8pm with BJ Hendrickson 🎸 

Saturday 20th

• Shandaken Inn, Shandaken - The Winter Market is back from 12-3pm more info

• The Golden Notebook, Woodstock - The first event of the year and it’s a good one, Marie-Helene Bertino is launching her new novel Beautyland in conversation with Halimah Marcus (executive director of Electric Literature) -- and Marie's mom. This event will be held at Graveside Variety down the road at 2pm 📖 

• Ommegang, Cooperstown - Beer & Bourbon Dinner with Otesaga Resort and New Riff Distilling from 6-10pm all the details

• Park Theatre, Hudson - Daphne Eckman takes the stage with special guests, Ezra Glatt and Paul Moody, doors at 7pm tix

• Tinker Street Tavern, Woodstock - Raindog Music from 3-6pm

• Slopes, Hunter - The Hamptons Winter Reunion

• Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Neighbor “With a diverse catalog of hundreds of songs, the musical juggernaut Neighbor has become one of the most exciting and unpredictable live bands on the music scene today.” Starts at 8pm” get yer tickets

• Andes Hotel, Andes - Winter Warmer with cowboy cocktails and live music from Thomas Callahan at 8:30pm 🤠 

• Western Inn, Callicoon - Live music with Peter Calo from 6-9pm

• Hutton Brickyards, Kingston - The Audacity Dance Party, 9pm till late

• Graveside Variety, Woodstock - Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island get tix

• Zadas, Margaretville - Live jazz with Hiroko Kanna, starts at 7:30pm

• Tubbys, Kingston - Dance for Change, a dance party benefiting the Pious Projects Emergency Relief Fund for Gaza, starts at 8pm

• Colony, Woodstock - The Mountain Jam Band - a tribute to The Allman Brothers at 8pm

• Angry Orchard, Walden - Round 1 of Après-Ski Bash at the Cider House! Come dressed in your most festive attire and enjoy the sounds of DJ Kopec, hang out with the folks from @fireballwhisky, reserve your VIP fire pit complete with hard hot cider and s’mores, specialty cider options, and more. No tickets required to attend 🍎

• Pearl Moon, Woodstock - Come by for some funk with the The 209s, they take the stage at 9:30pm

Sunday 21st

• West Kill Supply, Kingston - Eat Church pop-up with Thai and Vietnamese classics from 1-7pm

• Mill and Main, Kerhonkson - Go try the new brunch menu thats filled with arepas, pancakes, toasts, and burgers from 11am-3pm 🍳 

• Angry Orchard, Walden - Round 2 of Après-Ski Bash at the Cider House! Music by Dan Flynn, no tickets required to attend

• Zadas, Margaretville - NFL Playoffs on the projector with beer and tacos, see you there at 3pm

• Colony, Woodstock - Todd Adelman & The Woodsmen, album release party at 8pm

• Pearl Moon, Woodstock - Bluegrass Brunch with Conor Wenk at 11am

World’s Oldest Forest 🦕

Like most kids, at one point I was determined to be a paleontologist - and then an astronaut, and a storm chaser, and a deep sea archaeologist, you get the point (but now I’m a news boy for y’all 😀). Nonetheless, I still get excited when I come across stuff like this…

“World's oldest forest discovered in New York”

Situated at the bottom of abandoned quarry in Cairo, scientists from the University of Binghamton and the University of Cardiff have unearthed the world's oldest forest, dating back nearly 400 MILLION YEARS, and rewriting Earth's history.

After five years of mapping and research, the ancient site and its secrets from the Devonian period have secured its status as the oldest forest ever discovered. Protected to preserve ongoing research, the site challenges assumptions with fossilized roots, dating back 20-25 million years earlier than previously thought.

The title belt is ours, for now… 🌳🏆

Read More

Adopt a Pup 🐕️ 

“Thanos is a 3 year old male Pit Mix. Thanos loves to be the center of attention in any situation! If he could get all the pets and attention from everyone around him, he's at his best, and puts his whole heart into earning it! He loves to hang out with his family and friends, showcasing and sharing his toys, going for long walks, and just being the best buddy in the whole wide world. If he were a person, he'd be the type who'd pack snacks and fidget spinners for everyone, in case anyone ever got hungry or bored. What a sweetheart! Thanos would do best in a home with children over the age of 10, and with a dog-friendly cat; he is very selective of his dog friends, and might not do well with another dog in the house.” - More Thanos pics and info

Jobs 🫰 

If you’re hiring, give me a shout at [email protected] 

Take a Chance Fine Print:

ELIGIBILITY⁠

a) Only diners with reservations during Thursday or Sunday dinner service from 4-9pm are eligible to participate. Diners without reservations and/or day-of⁠ reservations are not eligible for promotional giveaways.⁠

b) Only tableside diners with food are eligible. While there are no food minimum/maximum requirements; takeout, room service, and retail customers are not eligible.⁠

c) Bar dinners are not eligible.⁠

d) All dinner party sizes are eligible.⁠

e) Employees and affiliated members of Shandaken Inn and Resorts are not eligible.⁠

⁠REDEMPTION⁠

a) Promotion is only available on food exclusively, not beverages.⁠

b) Tax and service is not included. As a courtesy to the restaurant team, winners of the promotional giveaway are encouraged to tip their waitstaff appropriately.⁠

c) This promotional giveaway must be redeemed at the time of announcement.⁠

d) This promotional giveaway cannot be held, transferred, or exchanged for a later date.⁠

e) This promotional giveaway cannot be transferred, exchanged, or shared with another dinner party; only the dinner party recipient presented is eligible for redemption.⁠

f) This promotional giveaway will provide said participating dinner party with a full complimentary food experience at the time their receipt is presented.⁠

g) Only food items ordered or listed on the receipt at the time of announcement are eligible for redemption. Items ordered after the announcement are not eligible for redemption.⁠

h) Shandaken Inn and Resorts LLC reserves the right to amend or withdraw this promotion at any time without notice.⁠

We want your feedback, news, events, suggestions, ideas, and cocktail recipes - Reach out on IG @catskillcrew or email us over at [email protected] 

If someone forwarded this to you, take the leap and join the crew!