A Kaleidoscope Adventure

By Sandra Scott

The billboard said, “The World’s Largest Kaleidoscope!” That got my attention on our drive along the New York State Thruway between New York City and Albany.  It was a “gotta’ do,” so John turned off at the Kingston exit and took Route 28 to check it out.  The kaleidoscope is part of the Emerson Resort and an excellent metaphor for the resort, for like a kaleidoscope it is “complex, colorful, with shifting patterns and scenes.”

A 60-foot silo that was part of the original farmstead took a colorful and imaginative shift when it became a giant kaleidoscope with a patriotic theme. Certified as the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope in 1997 by the Guinness Book of World Records, it is a tapered three-mirrored kaleidoscope with each mirror measuring 5 by 15 by 37 feet! It is the anchor of the resort’s Country Store which is housed in the original barn and is now a kaleidoscope of upscale shops featuring Howard Miller Clocks, Simon Pearce glassware, Mario Batali cookware, mouth-watering culinary delights, a cafe, and much more.

The newest part of the resort incorporates the 1860s farmhouse connecting it to the store, spa, restaurant, and Inn with the tag line, “There’s a Silk Road running through the Hudson Valley…” Silk Road?  Another shifting pattern. The Emerson offers a choice of accommodations. The Lodge presents a comfy, upscale Adirondack style while the Inn features an Asian ambiance including 17^th century intricately, hand-carved wooden doorframes from Rajasthan, India.

The Rajasthan influence is also found in the Phoenix Restaurant, with its tasseled canopies over the dining area. The name is a reminder that the Emerson Inn came about after a fire that destroyed part of the resort in 2005.

Djan (pronounced John) Paunovic, the Restaurant Manager, suggested we try their Signature Cosmopolitan Cocktail. John thought it was a great idea.  But it was the Lychee Peachy that got my attention. I love lychees and the Asian fruit is seldom found on menus, so the Lychee Peachy was my choice. The Signature Cosmopolitan was a smooth mix of Ketel One Infused Lychee Vodka, triple sec, and cranberry juice, with a lemon accent. 

Djan blended Ketel One Infused Lychee Vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, and added a cherry to make my Lychee Peachy. After one sip of each, I asked, “Lychee-infused Vodka? I don’t think I have heard of that before.”

Djan explained, “That’s what makes our cocktails so special.  We infuse the vodka ourselves.”  Nice touch and, oh, so smooth!

The next day we continued our kaleidoscope adventure, with a stop at the Zen Mountain Monastery, just across the creek from the Emerson, and a stroll through the streets of Woodstock.  We stopped to talk to Shawne Ruffing the manager at the Emerson Restaurant in Woodstock.  The restaurant features stained glass light fixtures, which provide a kaleidoscope of colors along with the artwork on display, all created by local artists.  I said, “It is amazing how the Woodstock concert became such a landmark in American culture and put Woodstock on the map.  The Main Street is lined with “fun” shops and there are plenty of tourists.”

Shawne chuckled. “Woodstock the music event was not held in Woodstock!  It was held in Bethel about an hour away.  They planned to hold it here but ran into problems and had to move it. Luckily they kept the name and we are the beneficiaries!”

Shaking our heads over that one fact, we drove back to the Emerson where John ordered the Emerson’s Signature Cosmopolitan, and I had another Lychee Peachy. At the Emerson Hindu statues are across the creek from a Buddhist monastery, guests can choose Asian or Adirondack decor, and it is only a few miles from Woodstock.  I needed another Lychee Peachy to assimilate this kaleidoscope destination!

www.emersonresort.com

Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Copley News Service and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.
Photos by J. J. Scott.

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