If you’ve bitten into a juicy grapefruit or grabbed a cara cara orange from the produce section, you know we’re in the throes of citrus season.
There’s nothing better than grabbing your favorite fruit, heading up to a tiny cabin, and making a delicious concoction of your own to pair with some disconnected time away.
We tapped Getaway friend and mixologist Maggie Mae Dale to use citrus as her inspiration – blood oranges, specifically – to craft some campfire cocktails for us. Enjoy these by the campfire, in your tiny cabin, or even when you return back home.
Negroni
A simple riff to spice up your negroni. Add fresh blood orange juice. Blood orange juice will add a gorgeous ruby color, and lovely sweet acidity to your negroni.
1 oz London Dry gin 1 oz Campari 1 oz sweet vermouth .5 oz fresh blood orange juice
Stir gin, Campari sweet vermouth, and orange juice in mixing glass with ice for 15-20 seconds. Strain over fresh ice or large rock (optional). Garnish with fresh blood orange, or orange twist.
Resting Spritz Face
My ideal spritz, bitter, full of citrus and refreshing! I love to describe Contratto Aperitif as a sexy
sophisticated cousin to our girl (Aperol). Blood orange and lemon add a beautiful acidity, and passionfruit
liqueur adds a touch of sweetness to round out the bitter aperitifs.
1.5 oz Contratto Aperitif .5 oz campari .25 oz Giffard passionfruit liqueur 1 oz blood orange juice .5 oz lemon juice 2 oz dry Prosecco 1 oz soda
Stir Contratto aperitif, Campari, fresh juice, and Giffard passionfruit liqueur over ice in wine glass. Add Prosecco and splash of soda. Garnish with fresh slice of blood orange or orange slice.
This year we hosted illustrator, Domonique Brown, at Getaway Big Bear outside of LA as part of our Artist Fellowship program. We were able to chat with Domonique about her creative practice and to hear more about her escape to nature.
Fill us in on your background—personally and in your creative practice.
I am a designer and illusrator, based in Los Angeles, who runs DomoINK. The lifestyle brand offers art, home decor, apparel, and gift options in celebration of diversity. Since 2020, DomoINK has partnered with Target, Walmart, Homegoods, and Urban Outfitters, to name a few offering limited edition collections from hair accessories to stationery to bring more reflective products to store shelves.
As an illustrator, I have collaborated with industry giants like Disney, Dr. Martens, Samung, Procter & Gamble, the Los Angeles Rams, and more. And, I am currently a CNBC contributor, sharing insights with fellow creatives on how to monetize their passions.
Through my artwork, my mission is to speak to the importance of Black Art and push for it to be more visible in campaigns and retail.
How does your connection to nature influence you personally, and how does it influence your art?
I have always considered myself a “city girl.” Growing up, I never experienced camping, or nature walks. However, as I grew up, I made a conscious decision to step out of the city and explore more of the world. Traveling to various places, such as Costa Rica to immerse myself in the jungles and Vancouver for nature hikes, has significantly influenced my artistry.
Recently, I started illustrating landscapes and portraits of people with an outdoor backdrop. My artwork I created at Getaway Big Bear during both stays reflects it with portraits of women enjoying the snow.
How was your Getaway? Did your free time in your cabin influence your process or inspire any new ideas?
My “getaway” was amazing! During the week, I enjoyed disconnecting from the daily stress of everyday life. I stowed my phone in the cabin’s lockbox and savored uninterrupted moments to relax and immerse myself in the beauty of Big Bear. My fiancé and I enjoyed sightseeing at Big Bear Lake and the Big Bear Alpine Zoo. And, we got to slide down the snowy slopes while snowboarding and snow tubing. On the last day, I got to capture a piece of our adventures with a new drawing.
Anything else you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear your feedback!
Getaway Big Bear never fails to provide a fun adventure whenever my fiancé and I visit. We love looking through the large window of our cabin, taking in the stunning mountain views. Moreover, with Big Bear just a short drive from Running Springs, there is so many activities to enjoy. Our days were filled with excitement, from tubing in the morning to cozy campfires at night.
Unless you’ve made a habit of volunteering, it can be a challenge to come up with the motivation to get started. Here’s something to motivate you: volunteering isn’t just good for the communities or organizations you serve; it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Doing good deeds for others can reduce stress and anxiety, alleviate loneliness and depression, and improve your mood. Researchers have found that charitable acts stimulate our brain’s reward center, leading to the “warm glow” we feel when we know we’ve helped someone out. And regular volunteer work with an organization can create an opportunity to forge meaningful relationships and build an enduring support network. As a hands-on learning environment, volunteering is also a great way to acquire new skills, to gain experience in new fields and try out possible careers.
Here’s how to get started volunteering, plus a few ways to find organizations to serve and support.
Determine What You’d Like to Do
Do you want to help out your local community? Learn a new skill? Share a skill you already have? Travel and experience a different culture? Test out a possible career path? Work with a specific population? The best way to volunteer is to find something that matches your personality and interests, according to HelpGuide.
Look for Opportunities
Organizations that regularly provide volunteer opportunities include museums, libraries, theaters, youth organizations, historic sites and state parks, animal shelters, senior centers, food banks, and places of worship.
Find the Right Fit
Volunteer opportunities are practically limitless. You might love an organization’s mission but not quite click with the staff. Or you might adore the team but struggle to make the hours fit with your schedule. As you sort through options, it’s important to learn what a given organization’s needs are and whether they align with your interests and availability.
There’s nothing quite like nestling in at one of our tiny cabins, looking out that big glass window, and diving into your next favorite read.
We tapped our friends at Books Are Magic, a Brooklyn institution and frequent pitstop of many members of our New York team, to give their recommendations for what to read on your unplugged Getaway.
Best yet, we’re giving away this full reading list, along with a 2 night Getaway, to one lucky winner. More details on the contest below.
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell Addressing the tyranny of competing forces vying for our time, our attention, and our “productivity,” Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing is part memoir, part activist manual, part field guide for, you guessed it, how to truly turn off (our phones), tune in (to our environments), and drop out (of the capitalist narrative). When work and social schedules and the digital overlords peddling in the guise of entertainment and human connection begin to rule our “off the clock” brains, it is an act of radical preservation to resist these impulses. Odell’s book is hopeful and genuinely instructful, written with a clarity and compassion that are rare to find together.
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips Set in one of the most remote parts of the planet, Disappearing Earth takes place in the year following the disappearance of two young girls in a far eastern Russian province, weaving together the stories of women from the surrounding community. A finalist for the National Book Award, it’s a gorgeous novel that begs to be read alone, tucked away by a crackling fire somewhere.
Nature Poem by Tommy Pico If any of these books need a little explanation, it’s probably this collection of poems by Tommy Pico. Don’t be fooled by the title, it’s clear from the outset these poems are not your average nature poems. In some ways this is actually a great book to include for any adventure into the natural world for its conversations around the idea of “nature poems,” and challenging the stereotypical notions of American Indian people. Pico is an ingeniously funny poet, using pop culture and inventive language to explore queerness and identity that will enrapture and inspire.
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay Keeping in the tradition of contemplative poetry, Ross Gay’s Book of Delights is a spirited cultivation of observations that celebrate the minute, sometimes invisible moments of joy in daily life. These bite size essays are lyrical, wide-ranging, and create an intimacy that poets are so good at creating. Like a gardener tending their plot, this book helps us remember that sometimes the most important and life-giving moments are also the ones that are right beneath our feet.
How to Get Away by Jon Staff and Pete Davis Written by Getaway’s Founders, this book considers our troubled relationship with technology, organization, and work. When and why have we become so dependent on our cell phones? How do green spaces – and the lack of them – affect our minds, bodies, and relationships? Why is it so hard for us to set aside our work and take a real vacation? How to Get Away blends cultural history with contemporary research to present a compelling case for restoring balance between technology and disconnection, city and nature, and work and leisure.
One lucky winner will receive all of the books listed above as well as some Books Are Magic goodies. Here’s how to enter:
(1) This contest is sponsored by Getaway House, 147 Prince Street, Brooklyn NY 11201. (2) The retail value of the prize is $500. (3) No purchase is necessary. (4) Purchase does not enhance odds of winning. (5) Entrants submit their entry by following Getaway and Books are Magic on Instagram, and commenting on the Books Are Magic-related Getaway post by tagging a friend. (6) Winner will receive a free 2 night stay at one of our Outposts as well as the books noted in the reading list. (7) This contest is affiliated solely with Books Are Magic. (8) Winners are subject to the reservation terms on our website. (9) No transportation will be provided. (10) This contest is open to all persons age 18 and over within the continental United States.
We created our Artist Fellowship Program to help creative people find the space and inspiration they need to bring their ideas to life. Earlier this year, we hosted photographer, Wisteria Warren, at Getaway Mount Adams outside of Portland. Here’s what she had to say about her creative process, her relationship to nature, and her Getaway:
On Photography I’ve been a photographer for over 10 years, currently I serve as a wedding photographer. My husband and I live in Austin, TX and both have a love for travel and adventure. As a photographer, light is everything. And believe it or not, light is different on the West coast. I felt inspired to play with shadows during the golden light (as you can see in some of my photos).
On Nature and Recharging Nature is where I feel most at peace. It’s where I can escape the hustle, and be intentional and recharge. My husband and I even got married in Yosemite so that we could draw away from the hustle to be intimately united. You can’t help but be present when you’re in nature, and you can’t pour out what you don’t have. Making sure I recharge means that I can pour the best parts of me into my art.
On Disconnecting Our Getaway was exactly what I needed to feel rested, inspired, and recharged. Getting time in nature away from my phone where there isn’t even cell service forced me to be present.
Disconnecting and recharging can mean different things for different people. For chef and blogger Jacob Trinh for instance, it means concocting new recipes. As part of our Artist Fellowship Program, Jacob escaped to Getaway Boston, where he had the space to think about his culinary creations.
Jacob was kind enough to share his recipe for the Cambodian street wings he made right at his own campfire at Getaway Boston. Jacob says these wings take him back to his childhood when he would wander around a Cambodian open air market in Philadelphia.
Pro-tip: Jacob recommends that these wings are cooked over charcoal. However, if that’s not possible, a gas grill or a grill grate on top of a two-burner will suffice.
Cambodian Street Wings (4 servings)
What you’ll need:
2 lbs chicken wings
Wooden skewers
Marinade:
2 tbsp garlic (minced)
2 tbsp lemongrass (minced)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp oil
Glaze (optional):
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp annatto seeds (grounded)
What to do:
Remember to preheat the grill either during or after marinating. For a gas or charcoal grill, heat to medium-high heat, with one side at high heat above 400 degrees, and the other side can be left warm. For a grill grate over two burners, heat the grate to medium-high heat. If the wings are larger, you can preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put all marinade ingredients into a bowl and mix until it’s a loose paste.
Soak chicken wings in marinade for at least 1 hour. The longer the chicken sits, the more flavor it will soak up.
Soak wooden skewers in hot water for 30 minutes so they do not char or fall off.
Place skewers into wings.
Place wings onto grill and cook 3-5 minutes on each side.
Either place the wings on warm side of grill or pop into oven if chicken isn’t fully cooked yet.
Make it pretty- throw on some scallions or add a side of pickled carrots and daikon.
Enjoy!
To follow along with more of Jacob’s cooking, follow his blog or Instagram.
City living isn’t always easy on our furry friends. In the stress of our day-to-day, it’s fairly common that we find ourselves craving more time to spend outside, away from our computers or inside our offices. Our pups may be feeling that same hankering.
For many of us who live in cities, our dogs have a pretty set schedule. Walks in the morning, time inside, walks in the afternoon, time inside, walks in the evening, sleep time. One of the best ways to break up that routine and let your dog enjoy a different pace with more outdoor time, is by taking that pup with you on your next great adventure.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Take your dog on a hike
There are tons of hikes near our cabins and not too far from the cities you call home. Many of these hikes are dog friendly, so you may run into other dog friends on the trail. There’s a win-win for you both: you can enjoy some incredible views and your pup can get some needed exercise. Not only that, but it’s proven that walking with your pet helps draw you closer together, and strengthens your bond. Best yet – they’ll be all tuckered out and ready for bed by the time you get home.
Know the best way to get you there
Public transportation has limits on our canine friends. We may have all seen some very adorable photos of people trying to fit their dogs in backpacks. Check the regulations around traveling with your pet, whether it’s looking at Amtrak or your local transit system. It’s important to also be mindful of where your dog is most comfortable. If they experience a lot of anxiety on the subway, you may want to consider a car rental. If a car rental isn’t for them, maybe a train might make it easier. If they tend to be a touch nervous in transit, try feeding them turkey – the tryptophan that makes us all sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner has the same effect on pups. Consider it their natural anxiety reducer.
Spend some quality time with them in nature
Take your dog on a getaway to Postcard Cabins. All of our cabins are dog friendly and ready for you and your pup. Walk around and explore nearby trails, and cozy back in with them. We’ll provide bowls, a lead, and some treats, and you bring the canine you love.
Here’s a handy guide for getting to our New York location, Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills, and local spots to pick up any supplies you may need. While there’s a lot to do in the area, we suggest taking a break from planning in excess and simply enjoying the time away from your daily routine and hustle.
Parking + Public Transportation
Parking at Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills is easy; simply drive up and park directly next to your tiny cabin. If you don’t have wheels, don’t worry. Our cabins can be accessed by a variety of ways on public transportation:
From Penn Station, you can take Amtrak to the Hudson, NY stop, then grab a cab (we recommend Pronto Taxi, 518-822-9500, cash only) for about a 20-25 min ride to your cabin
From the NYC Greyhound station, you can take it to the Catskill Park & Ride, then take a taxi from there.
From Grand Central, you can take MetroNorth to Poughkeepsie, and you could Uber over from there. It’s an hour ride and will probably be pricey (about $150), so it’s a better option if you split it with friends.
Walks in the Woods
Want to remove the walls between you and nature? Take a trip down one of these nearby hiking trails just a short drive away.
The stunning view from the top of this hike makes you forget about the strenuous slog to get there. You’ll also find an old fire tower and ruins of a former hotel at the summit, and at the start or end of your hike, you can visit a Buddhist temple.
North-South Lake Distance: 4.1 miles, about 3 hours Difficulty: Moderate Dogs allowed on-leash
Follow Mary’s Glen Trail to enjoy the views from Artist’s Rock, Sunset Rock, Newman’s Ledge, and North Point, then reward yourself with a dip in the lake. Or simply skip the hike and enjoy the water!
Sustenance & SnackSustenance & Snacks
If you’re in need of extra supplies, you can find several stores nearby to fulfill your needs and fill your belly.
Last Chance Cheese, 6009 Main St, Tannersville, New York, 12485 You’ll find so much more than just cheese here! Sit down for a meal at the tavern, search for treasure among the antiques, peruse the gourmet offerings in the shop, and choose from a huge selection of beer and, of course, cheese.
Hannaford, 223 Main St, Cairo, NY 12413 Hannaford is a full supermarket so you can stock up here.
Tousey Winery,1774 New York, U.S. 9, Germantown, NY 12526 To taste some of the local flavors of Catskill, NY head to Tousey Winery prepared to find a new favorite wine.
Notes on Nature
The Catskills are made up of 98 peaks, and they were shaped by waterways and sediment deposits, meaning that geologically they are considered a dissected plateau, not mountains.
Bobcats do live in the region, and many people believe that is what inspired the name Catskills, though that hasn’t been proven to be true.
Golden eagles, bald eagles, and a variety of hawks are common in the area, so you might spot them soaring overhead.
