Taking the Show on the Road: Hudson Valley, New York

When I started the True Tales From Old Houses podcast in 2018, I had my hands full getting past episode number one. Moving through the amateur start-up phase was brutal, but once the show gained a little traction, I started to dream and plan what it could become. My goal was to create an entertaining and educational podcast that helped people realize that owning an old house is rewarding, and preserving architectural history is important. However, I knew I didn’t want to sugarcoat it completely.

Owning an old home is a lifestyle that comes with a bit of heartache too. I’d had my fill of purists, who refused to consider owner ability, budgets, or what might be best for a house in context. Sitting in that sweet spot of meeting old house owners where they are while gently nudging them towards restoration and rehab over renovation is always my goal. After all, you don’t know what you don’t know, and everyone’s chapter one looks different.

I always joke that Andy encouraged me to start the podcast because he was sick of listening to me talk about old house stuff. That is definitely truth-adjacent—most of us deeply into this work love to talk about it. So, with True Tales From Old Houses well-established, I started dreaming about in-person conversations and audience interaction. We had done a few field trip episodes, and recording in front of an audience seemed like the next step. Was it a bad idea or a good idea? I didn’t know. It certainly was a risk.

So, long story short, I collaborated with Susan and Will Brinson of House of Brinson. They live in the Hudson Valley. Together, we created a live audience event that included a house tour, meet-n-greet, and two show recordings. What a day! Picture spending an entire day with people who love old houses as much as you do–no topics off-limits. It was such a success that I’m already thinking about the next one. Chicago, I’m looking at you, and we may meet in the Hudson Valley again too.

The first episode from the Hudson Valley event dropped today, November 22, and the second will be available on Monday, December 6. I added a podcast player to the sidebar here on the blog. If you read on mobile, it’s probably at the bottom of the page. The show is also available wherever you listen to podcasts and the True Tales From Old Houses website. In the meantime, I wanted to share photos from the trip.

I spent the first couple of days alone, and I’m not mad about it. I stayed in a very old and very crooked Air BnB in Hudson, NY. My luggage seriously rolled right towards the door as soon as I set it down.

The fall colors were past the peak for the most part. However, some little pockets of nature were still putting on a show.

A short drive away, I found the Saugerties lighthouse. It is currently a bed-and-breakfast, and I would love to book a stay someday.

The town of Hudson is cute and quaint and full of very high-priced antiques. For example, I found the twin of a lamp we own for sale for $1250. I paid $25 for ours at an estate sale.

The vibe was very much NYC comes to the country. It made for good people watching, and I love New York City. So I’m not throwing shade.

For the second two nights, I moved to Kingston. In contrast, Kingston felt a little grittier with its Pre-Revolutionary past. The stone buildings instantly stole my heart.

I spent a very entertaining morning with Daniel Kanter. He gave me a driving tour, and I got to see all of the Kingston City Landbank houses he has worked on over the past couple of years.

Later that afternoon, I picked up Andy and my daughter from the Rhinecliff Amtrak station. Talk about a throwback! Instead of a newspaper, the man in the ticket booth was reading a paperback book. Otherwise, the lobby felt untouched by time.

I met Andy and M. right down on the tracks, which run alongside the Hudson River.

The day before the big show was all a bit of a blur. First, I arrived at Stony Ford to meet Susan and Will Brinson in person.

Then, I spent most of the time setting up my gear and checking the mics while Susan, Will, and their friends Greg and Marlena whipped beautiful Stony Ford into tip-top shape. I wish I had taken more photos. Part of the issue was time, and the other part was simple hesitation. Susan and Will are professional photographers, and I wasn’t sure I could do the house justice from my amateur point of view. Even so, here are a few I can’t resist sharing.

Later, my friend and former co-host Devyn Caldwell arrived from Philly. After over five years of friendship, it was the first time we had ever met in person. However, both of us agreed that it felt like we’d always known each other.

Finally, the big day arrived! Producing a show is so nerve-wracking. I was terrified that the recording wouldn’t work, and the tracks would be empty. As the audience arrived, I was still running through my pre-flight checklists over and over (and over and over).

Susan led two groups of house tours while Will mixed drinks. Andy was on parking duty.

The live audience was so lovely and excited about being in the company of other old house enthusiasts, and I am happy to report that the shows went off with only a minor hitch or two. As expected, Daniel Kanter was captivating and hilarious. Susan and Will held the audience transfixed as they talked about opting out of the NYC social scene in favor of old house life in the country.

After the recordings wrapped, Susan and Will magically transformed the podcasting table into a delicious light buffet.

For the rest of the evening, we enjoyed spending time together chatting away about old houses and marveling at how nice it was to gather again after isolating for such a long time.

I wish I had been able to get more photographs of the audience enjoying the day, but unfortunately, I couldn’t do it all. My priorities were remembering to hit the record button and not making a fool of myself. Next time, maybe we’ll hire a photographer. If you attended this event and took photos you’re willing to share, I would love to see them. You are welcome to email them to me or send them via DM on Instagram.

Thank you to everyone who made the event such a huge success. To the audience: I loved every second of spending the day with you. Thank you for coming and making the day so special.

Until next time!