Pay no mind to the unwelcome reality of frozen precipitation on this depressingly gray April day.

Rather, let's focus on booking you a trip to Saugerties—where this weekend's set to be in the 40s and sunny—and, more importantly, the legendary Dutch Ale House has reopened and is ready to ply you with house-smoked meats and cucumber gin-tonics.

So, here's the game plan. You head on, right through here. Scroll around. Ponder which home away from home suits you best, be it the Barn-Castle in Saugerties or the Garden Chalet in Woodstock. Then you book it, invite a particular somebody in your life game for delicious food and a relaxing couple nights away, and explain to them some, all, or none of the following about your dinner plans...

This spot has been around for 85 years—the couple that now calls it their own made the transition from loyal Dutch fans to owners with a vision to infuse new life to the spot: bringing a former Colicchio & Sons chef on board and turning it from a traditional Dutch tavern into a slightly modern...traditional Dutch tavern. Note how the new oak floors complement the original mahogany bar, how the pendant lights were sourced to match throughout, how the original bricks that used to be hidden under drywall now shine through as a reference to the town's history as a brick industry hub.

Now, they've got 16 beers on tap from mostly local breweries, and cocktails that'll change season to season but right now involve a lot of basil-bourbon iced teas and mezcal-chipotle-tamarind drinks. Nice.

And the food—you might start with fried cauliflower with shaved sheep's cheese, sunflower and pesto, before sharing a Dutch sausage plate with house-smoked kielbasa and bratwurst sausage. For the mains, there's a killer smoked chili burger or a braised pork shank with maple smoke and roasted carrots. File under: comfort food done right. 

For further convincing, have a look around...

The Dutch Ale House, now open, 253 Main St, Saugerties, 845-247-2337, see the menu and the slideshow