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What one sees, though, in this tiny city, is no decent proportion to its size; classic European magnificence handsomely mixed with light Brooklyn Americana vibe giving birth to a delightful balance to some charming, well-preserved architectural details in a hip and agile setting.
The first place I come across is an opera house. I mean an opera house. Constructed in 1855, the Hudson Opera House offers a year-round schedule of arts and cultural programming in the former Hudson City Hall. An absolutely stunning structure which brings some outstanding visual delight to someone like me who has barely seen places like that outside of Tumblr.
Next — Talbott & Arding, a charming gourmet shop with local produce, cheese and other delicious goods (323 Warren St.)
Let’s talk about whales. In 1783, two Nantucket merchants — Seth and Thomas Jenkins — gathered up $100,000 and sailed up the Hudson river, looking for property to launch a whaling company. They have landed in Hudson, NY and to this day, the official seal of the city and street signs pay homage to the industry that bolstered the growth of Hudson.
Utterly unexpected (and even slightly shocking) is the number of well-preserved details on the streets and facades of the city — doors, buzzers, handles, house numbers. Their abundance wouldn’t let me stop photograph and I started to ponder how much of a daily inspiration those details are for the local population of artists and designers.
I could only fit so many city details in this story, so the rest was compiled into a handsome photo book. A must for designers, architects, and visual epicureans. The first run is just 50 copies so make sure you order it before it’s gone ($18 in the Arthurious Shop).
The newly opened Rivertown Lodge is a refined mix of Copenhagen and Knoxville, with quirky details, and some great art on the walls. Great bar to boot (731 Warren St).
Valley Variety is a different kind of design shop. It does boast all the attributes of a good design shop for home and gifts with an expanded offering of cooking classes and workshops.
My go to bookshop in Hudson — Hudson City Books with squeaky floors and abundance of artifacts on the walls (553 Warren St.)
As with many things in Hudson, coming across Mutiny, a small family-owned shop was a delightful surprise. Outstandingly curated men’s storyline through one-of-a-kind European and American brands never seen before in this part of the world (438 1/2 Warren St.)
If things start looking too consumerish, go to J.C. Rogerson Co., a hardware store operating in the very same place since 1832 (615 Warren St.)
Source Adage is a fragrance boutique with an amusingly narrated shopping experience to offer. A spectator is welcome to browse the shop and get inspired by the multiple storylines behind different scents (314 Warren St.)
The municipal map of Hudson has some built-in markers of taste and thoughtfulness that one can’t find that often.
Hawkins New York is another well-curated home goods and magazine store (339 Warren St.).
Get Hudson Photo Book
I did a short run of photo books focusing on the visual culture of Hudson: 48 full-color pages provide a survey of wayfinding, textures, doors, trash bins, lamp posts, and other visual cues that help uncover the essence of this place. You can get it on the Arthurious Shop for $18. The next two issues will be announced soon.
