WEEKEND GETAWAY TO BEACON, NY

I'm always amazed at how many ways there are to get out of the city for a day or two, and how accessible and refreshing these options are.

Because when you leave New York City, you really feel like you left . It's a true departure to be away. To walk slowly and not care that other people are walking slowly. To wake up in a room that fills with light. To suddenly have more hours in a day.

(This theory of mine is scientifically sound. The city creates a time warp, which is somehow fueled by the subway system, and everywhere outside of here there are more second in each minute, more minutes in an hour, and so on. There just are.)

So my dear Kristin and I decided to hop the Metro North out of our Harlem and head up to Beacon. It's only about an hour away from the city, and it's just lovely.

We stayed in a beautiful Victorian house, the Botsford Briar B&B, with kind and informative hosts who were able to check our itineraries and offer their suggestions. I'm nuts about this ridiculous color combination. The inside is also full of incredible details and original fixtures.

Everything was walkable, and we took advantage of the beautiful weather to stroll down Main Street, browse its lovely shops, eat in its delicious restaurants, and meet strangers. We were happy to discover such a diverse community there, including a lot of young artists and entrepreneurs who are doing really cool things.

Beacon has a terrific art scene, including the amazing Dia: Beacon, where I had to check my camera (and totally snuck some iPhone shots). The museum is in the former Nabisco box printing factory, and hosts some terrific pieces by Sol LeWitt, Andy Warhol, and Richard Serra.

The town is on the Hudson, too, so in addition to a bunch of cool things to do, there is also an element of natural beauty, which is a very welcome addition to a NYC weekend getaway. We hiked (read: walked casually) along the river, explored the waterfall, and enjoyed the view of the mountains.

This also happens to be the perfect time of year to head upstate. The Hudson River Valley is sunny and crisp, and I might just find myself heading up that way again very soon.