offManhattan

Even the most devoted pet owners admit that one of the prices of puppy love is a less spur-of–the-moment lifestyle. Booking kennels and finding dog-sitters can put a damper on last minute getaway plans.

Fortunately, we have found seven weekend destinations that welcome you and your pooch so you can still indulge in that spontaneous trip out of town. Metro North, New Jersey Transit, and LIRR accept small domestic pets on board, but they don’t specify a weight or size limit. Your dog needs to be in a carrier for the journey, so this is an excuse to use that chic, over-priced doggie-bag that you hoped would come in handy.

1. Audrey’s Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, Wallkill, NY

Human Instincts: This five-room, 1740’s inn feels like your very own country home. Nestled in the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains, this meticulously-restored bed and breakfast is a great place to cozy up around the fireplace. On-premise owners take care of all of your whims, and room rates include a five-course breakfast. Relax in the outdoor Jacuzzi year-round, and dip in the pool in warmer months. You are welcome to use the spacious communal kitchen to prepare meals and snacks. Just a short stroll from Audrey’s is the Bruynswick Inn, where Brittany-born chef Jean Boulidor will delight you with a memorable dinner. For reservations, call 845.895.1147.

Pooch Package: Charming owners Don and Audrey estimate that 85% of guests bring their dogs, so every package is pet-friendly. There are bound to be other dogs to meet and greet, so make sure that your pet is well socialized. The inn has an off-leash policy, so dogs are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of the farmhouse and its five acres of woods and lawns. Food and water bowls are provided and bedtime treats are the rule. A two night minimum stay is required.

How to get there: Take Metro North Hudson line to Poughkeepsie, where you will transfer to the Ulster-Poughkeepsie Link bus to New Paltz. Call Don and he will pick you up at the bus station in New Paltz: 845.895.3440.

What: Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris exhibition

Where: The Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA

When: Wednesday, February 26 through Sunday, April 25

Why: Picasso. Paris. Artsy expats: all combine to create a sweeping museum show. The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s exhibition begins in 1904 with a restless young Pablo Picasso, who at age 23 decided to move to Paris, during its bohemian and cultural heyday. There, he met up with fellow artists like Georges Braque and Juan Gris, and together they formed a lively, avant-garde society known as the School of Paris. They bantered about in smoke-filled cafes with other creative sorts, drinking absinthe and debating life, art, politics, and everything in between.

• The cozy creative nook of Philly’s Piazza at Schmidts in the Northern Liberties neighborhood now looks to be heading in the direction of a strip mall. [philly.com]
• NYC Performing Arts Spaces is looking for composers in Queens. [NYCSpaces]
• All ambitious creative types should head to the Work It Brooklyn networking event on Wednesday. [BrooklynBased]
• Love to shuck? The Chesapeake Oyster and Beer Festival takes place this weekend in Baltimore. [Thrillist]
• The experiential opera-theater-concert music organization Opera Cabal will perform at Galapagos Art Space on Monday. [Galapagos]

What: The 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show

Where: The Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Streets,
Philadelphia, PA.

When: Sunday, February 28th through Sunday, March 7

Why: Because we could all use some vibrant color in our lives right about now. Bleak winter is out. Jungle fever is in. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s yearly spectacle is considered to be one of the world’s premier gardening events. If you are starting to doubt that spring really is just around the corner, the stunning floral creations on display should set you straight.

“Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present” opens today and will expose the “soul and creativity” of artists like Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Elvis Presley, U2, and Led Zeppelin through photos taken behind the scenes, at live concerts, and in the studio. [BrooklynMusuem]

Philadelphia launches a cultural and heritage centric website to draw more African-Americans to the city of brotherly love. [Jaunted]

The British, Irish, American fusion kitchen opens this Saturday at a contemporary English pub in Park Slope. [TimeOutNY]

A solidly fun alternative to dragging your cape from party to club to bar on Halloween is to head to Brooklyn Bowl for, well, bowling and live entertainment, including a Michael Jackson tribute and Sex Pistol songs. [NYT]

“Punk ballerina” Karole Armitage and her Armitage Gone! Dance company return to BAM in early November with the US premiere of Itutu. [BAM]

Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month and get “In it to end it” by registering for the Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3-Day walk on October 16-18. [The3Day.org]

If an afternoon devoted to the forbidden fruit is not enough, consider attending “Cider Days” festival in New Salem, Mass on November 7 and 8, where one can find cider donuts, apple cider, cider soup, caramel apples, and of course, live alpacas. [Jaunted]

The Michelin Guide put a Bib Gourmand on Buttermilk Channel. [AMNY]

Jersey City might not be a dining destination, but what it does have now is a Korean BBQ truck, which will be parked outside the Grove Street PATH Station to bait you with kalbi short-rib tacos and sesame-chicken. [NYMag]

Only in Williamsburg would a glue factory be turned into a tapas lounge serving oxtail and artisanal cocktails: enter Bar Celona. [DailyCandy]

My friend Koryn and I were in a borough of Bucks County and the owner of the make-your-own-scent shop Bath Junkie (15 E Bride St., 215.862.2100) had just announced to us, “There’s a lady with a monkey.” We shared a confused glance, but later decided that though we were really in New Hope, Pennsylvania to do some premature leaf peeping, it wouldn’t hurt to do a little simian searching on the side. Like most teensy towns, New Hope (population 2,300) is characterized by friendly locals with a handful of amusingly nutty ones (monkey lady included) thrown in for good measure.

This past summer, the city of brotherly love made a big effort to broaden its healthy association with cheese steaks, sports, and the founding fathers. In the Northern Liberties neighborhood, where the old Schmidt’s Brewery once stood, one will now find a European piazza and a potpourri of new boutiques and restaurants—and that’s really just the start of it.

In the middle of all the sturm und drang—a slow-to-grow economy, Sacha Baron Cohen successfully making everyone uncomfortable, again, the deaths of Neda, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Senator Ted Kennedy, and those endless rainy days—we still managed to savor every last drop of summer. The writers at offManhattan are sharing some of their fun discoveries made these past few months, while they look forward to that fresh coat of fall to arrive in all its comfort food and colorful-landscaped glory.

Suzanne Russo

Discovered This Summer: Early Bird granola. At $9 a bag, it’s a bit of a commitment, but worth every penny. I discovered it one night when Nekisia Davis, the mastermind behind this granola like you’ve never tasted it before, was my server at Franny’s Pizza. Luckily, it’s sold at the newly opened Brooklyn Larder just a block away. I raced over to buy a bag at the “cheese & provisions” shop and have been hooked since. It’s the perfect mix of salty and sweet (try the cherry pistachio version) and great when mixed in yogurt. Also available at the Brooklyn Flea…

In Store for Fall: I can’t wait for a little leaf peeping, antiquing, and just plain small town charm in New Hope, PA. I’m also very much looking forward to all things pumpkin!