Socially distanced snapshots from my stay at the Shandaken Inn in upstate New York. The smell of summer rain is comforting here. The Shandaken Inn is one of those places where it is necessary to leave room for leisure. It was definitely a challenge to not look at the clock during my stay, but I did it. It’s crazy how restricted life can feel because of how much that time’s passing takes ahold of us. I’m working really hard to take the weight of time off my shoulders more often these days. It’s an amazing feeling when you actually accomplish that. One of the highlights of our stay was the amazing breakfast to start off each morning with. So hearty, which is great for a day full of hikes and swimming. The inn is super close to a few really great hikes that we never got to do yet, so that was nice. And speaking of swimming, I fully took advantage of the inn’s pool. Backyard pools were a part of my west coast suburban upbringing; something that was lost as soon as I moved to the east coast. Now, I’ll take every rare chance for a nostalgic dip. The inn is quite small (only 15 rooms), which means no overcrowding, and is perfect when you want some moments to yourself. It was extremely peaceful here and that is what I loved the most. No city construction. No subways running over metal tracks. No hecticness or pressure. Just the buzzing of insects, chirping of birds and those distinct nature sounds that you oftentimes forget what they sound like after too much time in a big city. We ended our days simply, usually to the sound of rainfall and with a delicious meal. A glass of wine to pour back up in our rook to sip while we watched the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. And then we would heavily fall asleep. 

Thank you Shandaken Inn for providing us with a little getaway from New York City. It was splendid and much needed.