The week is stressful, filled with meetings, long to-do lists, and meeting work and family obligations. By the time Friday rolls around, you can’t wait for a two-day respite. To make sure your weekend feels like a real break, change your normal routine by taking a little getaway with big impact. Here are some ideas:
SWEET! Indulge your inner child by grabbing colorful, sweet treats in NYC:
- Find fun bagels in colors like rainbow and flavors like French toast at The Bagel Store in Brooklyn. Get there early to claim the best selections. 349 Bedford Ave., NY, 745 Metropolitan Ave., Queens; www.thebagelstoreonline.com
- Head over to Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer for an outrageous milkshake to indulge your sweet tooth. Choose from a selection of flavors, everything from classics to a few over-the-top varieties, such as The Cookie Shake. 529 Broome St. and 248 W. 14th St.; www.blacktapnyc.com Photograph courtesy of Black Tap Craft Burgers
CHEERS! For a more spirited experience, visit these distilleries and vineyards in the country for tours, tastings and more:
- To see and taste farm-to-bottle craft spirits, take a drive to Orange County Distillery. Take a tour of the distillery on Saturday, then drop by its Cocktail Room at Brown Barn Farms (open Thursdays through Sundays) for live music, tastings and other events, such as a cocktail-and-food pairing. Pack a picnic and make a day of it! Orange County Distillery, 19 B Maloney Ln., Goshen, NY; www.orangecountydistillery.com Photograph by Bryan Ensall
- For fine local wine produced in the beautiful Connecticut farm country, visit Paradise Hills Vineyard. The Tuscan-style tasting room is open year-round, with relaxing seating both indoors and outdoors, weather depending. Bring snacks for a light meal or spend the day with a more elaborate spread. 15 Wind Swept Hill Rd., Wallingford, CT; www.paradisehillsvineyard.com
COOK! Your signature dish is impressive, so maybe you’re ready to flex your culinary muscle with a weekend boot-camp.
- For an educational culinary experience, enroll in a two-day boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. If two days is too much, jump into the kitchen for a single-day cooking or baking class on Saturday. 1946 Campus Dr., Hyde Park, NY; www.ciachef.edu Photograph by CIA/Phil Mansfield