By Holly Rosen Fink, GoGirlfriend Contributor

That “Hello” moment

My children are only 19 months apart. My son wasn’t planned, and when he was born, I was often frazzled. With two kids frequently crying, I didn’t know which way to turn. My whole life was up in the air, and breastfeeding made it even more demanding (but wonderful). When he was 6-8 weeks old, I remember looking into my son’s dark brown eyes, which resemble my own, and he smiled and had me. I was hooked. It was our real “Hello” moment.

Fast forward to today, and my son and I remain close but as the second child, he sometimes gets the shaft. I have traveled more often with my daughter over the years for no reason other than the fact that I enjoy female bonding trips. But now that he is 14, I have started to travel with him more frequently, giving us the chance to get to know each other better. I really welcome more and more of the kinds of experiences he and I both enjoy.

When I was invited to spend a night in the Catskills at The Forsyth B&B, a relatively new B&B, and was told I could bring a companion, my son was my first choice. For two days, we would explore upstate New York. We knew little about our destination, Kingston, and we would go with the flow.

Kingston, here we come

Kingston is just 91 miles north of NYC, in the heart of Ulster County. If you haven’t heard of this town before, pay attention now. It’s truly a place you want to check out. If you are interested in towns that are “on the verge,” Kingston is truly one of them. It’s a city with history (it was a Dutch settlement in the 1600s then New York’s first capital in 1777 then a canal transport hub in the 1800s) ) and style, and Brooklynites are settling there in droves - artists, writers, people who work in the gig economy. The city, divided into three neighborhoods (Uptown/Stockade, Midtown, and Downtown/Rondout), is filled with art, bars, restaurants, murals around town, galleries, coffee shops, retail, and a waterfront. It’s a town that is definitely on the upswing.

The Forsyth B&B, Kingston, New York

The Forsyth is located in the downtown area, just blocks from the Rondout waterfront and near the John T. Loughran Bridge, where you can find walkable eateries, boutiques, and boat rides. After entering the inn that is just three years old (or new!) through the front porch, we were warmly greeted by Tamara Ehlin, the innkeeper, and shown to our room. Tamara had been in touch prior to our arrival to confirm the time of our arrival and gave us terrific recommendations on what to do and where to eat during our stay. Before we went upstairs, we passed through the living room, dining room where we would have breakfast the next day, and an area with board games and books. In the backyard, there is more communal space and the B&B also owns a beautifully renovated barn/loft for parties and gatherings.

I was pleasantly surprised by the modern decor inside the Forsyth. It’s full of unique furnishings and art throughout the B&B. It’s very clear that Tamara and her husband decorated the property with a lot of love. There are four ensuite rooms, each with its own style, and a share of knick-knacks that they must have picked along the way, like treasure chests, globes, and travel guides. The guest rooms are named after well-known explorers, much in the vein of the theme of the B&B, which is billed as “the perfect home base for the modern explorer.” 

Our room was inspired by early 19th century global traveler James Holman, who despite being blind, visited every inhabited continent of the world. The room has a big bed on a wooden platform, lovely skylights, a daybed for my son, and a big, old bathtub with organic bath products. The other rooms have equally inspiring stories behind them: (Eric) Erden was the first person to solo circumnavigate the world using only his own power; Amelia (Earhart) was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic; and Isabella (Bird) was an intrepid 19th century world traveler, prolific writer, photographer and naturalist. I found a book about James Holman in our room, just one of the many personal touches by the owners. We were both very comfortable and really loved relaxing in our room, after a long walk and dinner in Kingston. We watched (my son’s chosen) YouTube videos using the free wifi until we fell asleep.

Breakfast at the Forsyth 

Breakfast at the Forsyth is quite a treat for any traveler. The owners really take pride in the menu and put a lot of detail and time into each course, which changes from season to season. It’s served either on a long farm-style table in the dining room, in the study, or on the porch or patio. The owner had confirmed what time we wanted to have breakfast the night before. She had fresh orange juice and coffee waiting for us. We dined with an adorable married couple from Riverdale and talked about our kids and their visit to Kingston. Our three-course menu started with a fresh watermelon salad and cinnamon donuts and we moved onto homemade scrambled eggs and french toast. It was the perfect start to our day.

Recommendations while in Kingston

Tamara guided us in all the right directions to help us explore Kingston. On our first night at the Forsyth, we had dinner at Savona’s Trattoria, an Italian restaurant near the waterfront, which was fabulous. Get their yummy homemade dish called Nonna’s From Scratch Baked Manicotti. Tamara also recommended a sightseeing cruise called Hudson River Cruises, which takes you down the shoreline over the course of two hours, passing by beautiful estates, lighthouses, and orchards. It was a great use of our time. We also loved our visit to Rough Draft Bar & Books, a bookstore and cafe with delicious coffee. We were both impressed by the innovation and trendiness of the town of Kingston and have vowed to return soon. 

It was a trip that brought us closer together, and there is nothing I wanted more. After all, who said you can’t have another “Hello” moment when your baby becomes a teenager? We had it in Kingston.

Check out their property online at The Forsyth B&B, their reviews on TripAdvisor, their Facebook and Twitter feeds and find the Forsyth B&B’s rooms here. We always recommend you book early to reserve your next getaway opportunity.

Great boutique Inns are a treat when you find them – like the Forsyth B&B! Have you had a chance to stay or found another gem you’d like to share with us? Drop a comment below and connect with GoGirlfriends on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: Holly received complimentary lodging and breakfast at The Forsyth to facilitate this review and others, but as usual, her opinions are her own.

About Holly Rosen Fink

Holly Rosen Fink is a Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Branding and Social Media expert and writer based in Larchmont, New York. She is a current contributor to Trekaroo, OffMetro, Family Vacation Critic, and Women and Hollywood.