Where You Can Get Real Beer

Earlier this year, The New York Times ran a fab story about the ever-growing number of beer gardens of NYC. It made me pine for my old stomping grounds of Astoria, Queens, where I used to live, and where I often frequented the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. Ahhh, drinking a large, lovely glass of pilsner at a picnic table under the stars, surrounded by mammoth sycamore trees and other fun-loving New Yorkers … (Sniff.)

Lots of fun, foreign beer on tap
at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden.

So when one of my old friends suggested we get together for a ladies’ weekend at her place just outside of the city and take a trip out to the beer garden, I and another one of my beer garden-loving comrades took to the road.

Cripple Creek Cabin

The "green" cabin (built more recently).
Up the road is the "blue" cabin.

Looking for some time away, where you can unplug and decompress for a few days? Check out Cripple Creek Cabins in Middleburgh, N.Y.

My husband and I - along with one of our dogs - spent a long weekend here without Internet access, cell phone service, or television. (OK, we may have brought along a Redbox movie to watch on our laptop ... So sue us.) Instead, we enjoyed some time hiking, cooking fabulous meals, and sipping wine or our morning coffee while hanging out on the wrap-around porch with our books (me), cigars (him), and treats (the dog).