All the doo dah day
STEPHEN WENDELL, Mountain Shore Properties
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
STEPHEN WENDELL • founder/ceo • Mountain Shore Properties
Neighborhood you live in: Fort Greene
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
I pack my car and head upstate to Camptown in Leeds, NY, our 50-room hotel that we opened in March 2023. This year at Camptown, we’re finishing our event space, and Bar Piscina opened recently for the summer 2024 season, so right now we’re all hands on deck. As an owner, I wear many hats, but it's both a relaxing and fulfilling way to spend the weekend.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
If I'm Upstate, I'll dine at Casa Susanna at Camptown one night (pro tip: the margaritas are 10/10), and during the day I recommend going to Rose Hill Farm for a farmstead cider — and get one of everything from the unique pop-up food trucks. If you have a sweet tooth, go to Fortunes and order honeycomb halva ice cream in a cone — trust me. (If you're ambitious, take it to Bard and enjoy your treat overlooking the Hudson.) If I'm in the city, I visit my favorites, including any restaurant by Andrew Tarlow, The Four Horsemen, Cervo’s, and Falansai.
How about a little leisure or culture?
The ultimate New York experience is going to Madison Square Garden and being a part of the city energy when both the Knicks and the Rangers in the playoffs. With that regrettably behind us for this year, I also love strolling through Central Park or Prospect Park. Summer in New York is as good as it gets. Everything is green, street performers and musicians are playing, and everyone seems to be in good spirits when the weather is warm. I also love perusing the Carroll Gardens farmers market on Sunday mornings — it is delightful.
Any weekend getaways?
I love the Ash-designed Ulysses Hotel in Baltimore. The rooms are one-of-a-kind, and their new event space, Swann House, is a feast for the eyes. Their cocktail bar, Bloom's, and the speakeasy, The Coral Wig, in historic Mount Vernon, are both fantastic.
What was your last great vacation?
I went with friends to Paris for three days, which gave us enough time to eat and drink our way through the city. Highlights included many artisanal bakeries, where we taste-tested all of the pastries, croissants, and Parisian coffee. We also visited countless museums to take in the art and checked out some of my new favorite spots, including the wine and ice cream bar (what a combination) Folderol and the wine bar Early June, ideal for the oenophile. It was heaven.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Fellow Barber is great. They have multiple locations, and it is such a well-run business that going there is always a pleasure. Additionally, if you're wondering where to find the best coffee ever, it's at Dayglow in Bushwick. Order a hot coffee and buy a bag of beans from their dozen-plus roaster selection.