Poughkeepsie

This weekend we attended my cousin's wedding in Poughkeepsie, about an hour and a half south of Albany. I was honored to be a bridesmaid in the wedding - my cousin was a beautiful bride, and I'm thrilled to welcome her new husband into our family. It was a HOT weekend - someone told me the hottest on record in Upstate NY with a heat index topping 115 - but that didn't stop us from having a blast! Now, of course, this blog is primarily about food, but here are some of the highlights:

• Thursday afternoon - we got into Poughkeepsie and I picked up my gown. My cousin picked out a-mazing black Watters and Watters dresses. There was a slight hiccup with the dress (I had asked for a modesty piece to be put in, and it wasn't) but they resolved the problem that afternoon and I went home with the dress for the wedding. 
• In between bridesmaid dress headaches, we lunched at Soul Dog -  very close to the Grandview, where we stayed. If you are in the area, definitely check it out - hubby had a GF cheesesteak sandwich and I had GF fish tacos. Their extensive menu includes GF baked goods, bread, mac and cheese, chicken fingers, etc. The owner is celiac and a damn good cook. My husband went back there for a pizza for lunch on Friday as well while I was off doing makeup-and-hair-related stuff for the wedding. They also sell bread online via their website.
• After the rehearsal, we went to Cosimo's for the rehearsal dinner. They had a gluten free menu with various pasta dishes, and my husband ordered a sausage pasta dish that was very good. 
• Between the church and the reception, the bridal party traveled in style in a huge party bus. Complete with bathroom and back room with stripper pole. 
• The actual reception was at the Grandview, and the food was absolutely amazing. Waiters took our orders for individual meals, and any of the meals could be made gluten free - my husband chose the steak which was served with veggies and mashed potatoes. The mozzarella and tomato salad served as an appetizer was naturally gluten free (and verified), and they served him sorbet for dessert instead of wedding cake.
• The Poughkeepsie Grand's breakfast was rather lacking, but we walked across the street for diner breakfast that was very good, and the restaurant was very willing to accommodate gluten free.