Callicoon and Beyond: Sunrise Ruffalo’s Guide to the Catskills
“I love the community that the store represents.” Those are the words of Sunrise Ruffalo, wife of actor Mark Ruffalo, and owner of Sunny’s Callicoon Pop. The store, which is situated in New York’s Catskills region, has quickly become a local source for design goods. In the words of Sunrise, it sells everything from a simple notebook to a piece of embroidery that took 50 hours to create. “I like showing people how they can live cohesively with both modern design and items that have generations of stories within them. At my store, I’ve curated a collection of one-of a-kind pieces that achieve this balance of old and new.” But for Sunrise, her life in Callicoon goes far beyond her business.
“I moved to Callicoon because of its pristine beauty, untouched natural resources, open landscape, and clear water. It has such a sense of balance between nature and the contemporary world; I wanted to instill that value in my children,” she explains. Below, Sunrise shares 11 of her favorite local gems. “For such a rural area, these restaurants, shops, and attractions are all part of what make this such a wonderful community. Our geographical connection is not the only thing that ties us together; it’s also our mutual appreciation for the outstanding beauty of the environment.”
1. The Western Hotel in Callicoon Step back in time and experience Callicoon’s hospitality with a sunset meal overlooking the Delaware River. My favorite entrée is the trout, a true local delicacy.
2. Catskill Brewery in Livingston Manor For the over-21 audience, experience great locally brewed beer here. As water protectors, we love that this brewery uses natural ingredients and focuses on not leaving a trace behind after production.
3. The Heron in Narrowsburg Delicious biscuits and buttermilk fried chicken. In other words, it’s great comfort food with a special touch. They also have amazing service. The staff greets you with such warm, welcoming smiles, and the tunes are always spot-on. Their balcony overlooks the big eddy, the deepest part of the Delaware River, which is ideal for summer.
4. 9 River Road Hotel in Callicoon This beautifully appointed bed and breakfast in town has cozy nooks and crannies in which you can read a book or watch the river flow by. Their breakfast is made from all locally sourced foods, and they provide bike rentals for guests.
5. MayerWasner in Narrowsburg A gorgeous collection of designer clothing. The owner of the store has chosen to create a business around a collection that is sustainable, locally made, and supportive to the community. She makes the most beautiful limited-edition Liberty print shirts in her avant-garde, minimalist style. She also carries amazing brands such as Ace & Jig, Raquel Allegra, and CB I Hate Perfume.
6. Lazy Fox New York in Callicoon For beautiful sleepwear that you won’t find anywhere else, this has been a wonderful new addition to our community. I’ve never been much of a lingerie girl before, but the proprietor, Susan, turned me. I got the most beautiful sets of underwear and bras. Trust me, my husband was not complaining.
7. Callicoon Theater in Callicoon This theater is an original one-room movie theater with the best popcorn I have ever had. (I’m a connoisseur of popcorn.) The theater was built in 1948, and still has Art Deco accouterments and lighting. I have rented out the entire theater at a reasonable price for private parties, and my guests always have a blast!
8. One Grand Books in Narrowsburg This bookstore has an incredible collection of 1,000 books between two separate stores, and we are lucky enough to have one of them in our community. The books are selected by celebrated creative minds who choose their top 10 reads to take to a “metaphorical desert island.” You could get lost in this little jewel of a space for hours.
9. Lander’s River trips in Callicoon Callicoon is a perfect location to take advantage of Lander’s kayaking, tubing, and canoeing down the river. The quiet water and surrounding beautiful mountain views make this the perfect place to find peace. Bald eagles have nests all along the scenic landscape, so you are sure to get a sighting.
10. H. Smith & Co in Narrowsburg H. Smith is an amazing party planner with a personal touch. She knows the area in and out and understands just how to create the perfect environment, whether it’s for a wedding, Fourth of July bash, or other summer festivity. She has such impeccable taste—I wouldn’t trust anyone else.
11. Buck Brook Alpaca Farm in Roscoe A beautiful hilltop farm full of extremely soft alpacas. It is a great place to take the kids when you have a moment. I have even fallen in love with their extremely friendly cats that roam the farm.
Above, take a look at some of the items for sale at Sunrise Ruffalo’s store.