Hudson, New York

An Upstate Hip Rivertown

If you put the word "disco" before any word, it increases its desirability exponentially. Think about it: disco fries, disco duck, or the disco train to Hudson. Almost a decade ago, my daughter was a freshman in college and read an article in The New York Times about the disco train to Hudson. "Mommy, there is this really cool town that is so us. It has vintage shops, an amazing record store, and loads of tea and coffeehouses," she implored.

The article was about young gay hipsters from Manhattan who took the Amtrak train to Hudson on the weekends. Now I don't care what anyone says about hipsters, but wherever the hipsters go, the funky, bohemian, cosmic colors of possibilities go. And when you add gay to the mix, you know that city is going to be full of creative possibilities. So off we went to Hudson. My daughter and I drove the scenic route and had a great day. From that moment on, we were hooked on Hudson (which is phonetically a perfect word). Eventually, that young girl grew up and moved to Hudson.

A bistro table and chairs with flowers in Hudson New York

a brick wall that says in pursuit of magic

By the time I started dating Rosie, Hudson was one of my favorite places. Whenever downstate would get me down, I would always say, "I am moving to Hudson." Rosie had already been there herself — once on an outing with her BFF in 2013, and a little later that same year with an annual reunion of college friends. She, too, had noticed that the gays had come to town, and things were happening in Hudson. So sit back, relax, and take the disco train to Hudson with us as we praise its perfectly scrumptious ways.

The first thing that must be said about Hudson is that it is queer friendly. The revitalization of the city, especially the downtown, owes a great deal of gratitude to queer folx who recognized its charming potential and bought up storefronts, thereby transforming the downtown. The heart of Hudson is Warren Street, and it was here that the revitalization occurred. In fact, Hudson has one of the longest main streets in New York State, and most of the original architecture from the turn of the century. It is architecturally gorgeous. Queer folx saw that and revitalized. When you walk on Warren Street, you will see Pride flags galore, and you will know that Warren Street is the pedestrian's equivalent of the discotheque. It must be noted that discos were the heart and soul of gay liberation. Remember that before marriage equality and gay rights, queer life was largely lived in gay clubs and discos were extensions of those gay clubs. Read between the lines and you will see that a disco train is always full of the rainbow flag of our people.

a vintage black 1950s car on the street in Hudson New York

So what is the city like, and in particular, Warren Street? I think my first recommendation is to walk the length of the street. We always like to park at a municipal lot near the top of the hill, walk down to the beautiful Hudson River, then turn around and walk back on the other side. Just that walk, past cute and thoughtfully designed stores, is enough to lift your spirits and make you believe that beauty really does exist in this world. And the river! Oh, that Hudson River is a mighty fine river, and if you are ever overwhelmed by life, sit by its banks and let it nourish you. Once you have walked the length and breadth of Warren Street, then ask yourself what you are in the mood for. What would you like to indulge your senses in?

exterior photo of Olana historic site in Hudson New York

Olana, located just beyond Hudson’s downtown, is a New York State Historic Site that once belonged to the Frederic Church, a painter in the Hudson River School. (Photo credit: Jessica Napp, copyright 2024.)

Here are my suggestions. (By the way, there are some pretty awesome stores off Warren Street, too, so be sure to walk around.) My first suggestion is to stop at a thrift store for the hospital called Second Show. It is not open every day, so be sure to check its schedule. It has some pretty amazing finds. I recently purchased a paisley blouse that has gotten rave reviews, particularly noted because I am not known for the best fashion sense. And all proceeds go to support the hospital. All good karma!

My next recommendation would be John Doe Records and Books. If there is an obscure record you are seeking, it is almost guaranteed to be there. The shop also has vintage magazines, toys, and books. My daughter bought a record cube from the 60s that is just dazzlingly beautiful. There is also Spotty Dog Books & Ale, where you can get some of the newest best reads while sipping on a beverage.

There are also clothing stores, a tattoo parlor (where I got one of my favorite tattoos), and numerous great tea and coffee shops. One of my favorites is REV Coffee, where the tea is off-the-charts good. But there is also Moto, Hudson Roastery, and Verdigris Tea. All worth a delicious visit. And if you are hungry, one of my favorite places with an extensive vegan menu is Little Rico — so good — and our favorite Japanese restaurant, Wasabi. The food and the decor transport me back to my time in Japan.

There is even a center where you can adopt a cat, donate money for the care and rescue of cats, or just admire the beauty of our feline friends. The cat adoption center sometimes opens a thrift store to help the cats. That thrift store is in a green barn, and I still regret not buying a necklace from them.

Lastly, I must write about one of Rosie's favorite must-stop shops in Hudson. The minute you enter, you are transported back in time to the original movie of Roald Dahl's classic, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." It is Vasilow's Confectionary Inc. From the moment I met Rosie, I knew she liked coffee and chocolate. I love Rosie very much, but like any married couple, we can have minor moments of not seeing eye to eye. I confess, and I am not proud of it, that when I am feeling slightly unheard, I am prone to making statements about the superiority of tea drinkers to coffee drinkers! (Rosie adds here that (1) that is a sweeping generalization, and (2) she switched to decaf in 2021 and is no longer one of the caffeinated masses.) Of course, it is totally ridiculous because I loved my mother so much and my mother drank coffee all day and all night! But it is all tea for me.

Yet I digress… back to the chocolate. Here is the secret if you really want to get on Rosie's good side: Rosie loves caramel and chocolate, particularly turtles, but any configuration of these two ingredients will do. And nuts will sweeten the deal. Vasilow's has chocolate and caramel in many configurations, with nuts of all sorts. But even better, the minute you walk in the store, you experience an olfactory chocolate bath.

Oh, I could go on and on and still not mention all of the stores that I love in Hudson and near Hudson, like the Vintage Warehouse, where I got Pumpkini — an adorable Cabbage Patch Doll dressed in her Pumpkin finery. But dear reader, time is running out. Just because it is time for me to leave the disco train to Hudson does not mean it is your time to leave. Feel free to linger and daydream away. And when your daydream is done, get thee to Hudson in real life, one of the best Dyke Drives there is.

Bon voyage or should I say, Bon Shake Your Booty on the Disco Train to Hudson voyage.

Liz