Nyack, New York - Creativity Around Every Corner

By Marisa Robertson-Textor, Greg Melville, and Nicholas DeRenzo

Like many Hudson River Valley towns, Nyack has no shortage of antiques shops. The ones within the sprawling Franklin Antique Center alone contain everything from the historic (turquoise-handled art deco cutlery) to the high-end (Limoges) to pure kitsch (142 Main St., 845/353-0071).

But what sets Nyack, 25 miles north of New York City, apart is that here the treasure hunting extends well beyond what's for sale. Artful touches appear all over. Case in point: Manhattan transplant Diego Astudillo's floral arrangements at Winter Wednesday Flowers are arrayed like minimalist sculptures in a light-filled gallery space (152 Main St., winterwednesdayflowers.com).

Across the way, Marseille native Didier Dumas brings similar attention to the tarts at his eponymous patisserie (163 Main St., ) tarts from $4). And at last call, nighthawks seek out the martinis at The Hudson House, a restored 73-year-old jailhouse whose cells now house a wine cave (134 Main St., hudsonhousenyack.com, martinis $11). The trend is fully realized at RiverView B&B, an 1835 Dutch Colonial across town adorned with a mix of antiques and modern-art prints (riverviewbnb.com, from $150).

Nyack's favorite son, Edward Hopper, would be proud.