Rhinebeck Adventures

After a morning of antique-ing, we spent the afternoon in Rhinebeck. Rhinebeck is an adorable little town about 30 minutes from our cabin. It was also the site of Chelsea Clinton's wedding a few years back. Rhinebeck is a popular weekend destination for "city folk", wanting to escape the craziness of New York City for a bit. 

We have been in Rhinebeck a couple times, but mostly to eat, not explore. It was nice being able to take our time, stroll the streets, bop into stores, and enjoy what Rhinebeck has to offer.

First stop, an antique store...of course! Apparently, my mother likes this store, so we spent some time here. By "we" of course, I mean dad and I stayed for a couple of minutes, and then left mom to shop on her own. 
Whilst mom was shopping, dad and I went to the chocolate store next door. My parents have been telling me about this establishment for months, and as an avid chocolate fanatic, I was eager to try it! Apparently the owner and chocolatier, Oliver Kita, is a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate. 
Some goodies
Delicious confections
And the chocolates...nom nom nom
The master at work on a gorgeous chocolate cake 

Selecting what chocolate to buy was a difficult decision...it always is. Kita's offering included solid Buddha's, peaches/cream chocolate, sea salt caramel, and much much more! If it were up to me, I would've purchased the lot. In addition to chocolate, this chocolatier had some really funny cards.
I may adopt this as my new mantra

Bag of chocolates in hand, dad and I left the chocolatier. It was difficult, but I forced myself away from this heaven on earth. For the next hour or so, dad and I walked the streets of Rhinebeck. I like this town. It's really quaint and it has lots of interesting stores and delicious restaurants. I can't wait to come back and do some more exploring. 
Apparently, it's the oldest inn in America
This pug cracks me up
For lunch, we decided to try a new restaurant called "Terrapan." This restaurant serves nouveau American cuisine, but what makes it a gem, to us at least, is the fact that all the ingredients are local! Local produce, meat, cheese, etc... What could be better than that? My family and I are avid fans of supporting our local farmers, so this was right up our alley. 
It looks like Terrapan was built in an old church or something...
The menu lists all of the contributing farms

I have to say, I rather enjoyed my lunch. So did my parents. The food was simple, flavorful, and delicious!
I ordered a grilled apple spiced pork chop with sauteed spinach and sweet potato gratin
Mom ordered whole wheat pancakes with roasted vegetables
Dad ordered a falafel salad with some grilled chicken

After lunch, we did a bit more exploring in Rhinebeck. Lots of delightful stores to visit! We walked past this Italian restaurant, Gigi. It's our favorite restaurant in Rhinebeck. It's everything you would want in a delicious Italian restaurant. Simple and delicious food, using local ingredients. Seriously, if you are ever in Rhinebeck, eat here. You won't regret it! 
Whilst walking along, we came across this store that sells a variety of knick-knacks...for lack of a better description. Bags, jewelry, books, cards, stationary...There were a lot of things. Here are some things I found in the store:
Whatever happened to "Goodnight Moon?" Is this a sign of the times?
Because this isn't at all pretentious...
This is basically Bryn Mawr summarized on a postcard

All in all, we enjoyed our time in Rhinebeck. The town is cute and it has a lot of offer. I can't wait to go back!

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