Hudson Valley in the Summer with a Lake
Introduction
Hi! I'm Danny - thanks for checking out our listing. My husband, Michael, and I live in a town called Millerton, in the Hudson Valley - about 2 hours north of New York City. We've been in our house for eight years now - starting as weekenders, but now we are full time. We finished a renovation in 2023 and are excited to share it with you. I'm a musician - I play the piano and conduct, working mostly in musical theater on and off-Broadway. Michael is a recovering consultant who now works at a small health care technology start-up. We love to spend as much time outdoors as we can - hiking, skiing, spending time on the lake that's just down the hill, or just sitting in the backyard. We travel quite a bit and love for our two great dogs to be able to stay at home if they can.
Show more...Home & location
We renovated our house in 2023 and are so happy with the result. We took down a few walls, replaced all the windows, got a whole new kitchen, a big new back door, and a really cool new office building/shed with a sleeping loft. Our home has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a great back deck with a charcoal grill, a smoker, and a griddle. We've got a grand piano and a wood burning stove. We live on two acres in a quiet neighborhood at the top of a hill. Most of our neighbors are weekenders who come up from the city, so it's always really quiet. Just down the hill from our house, we have access to a really beautiful private lake. We are about 3 miles from the village of Millerton. It's an amazing place - a movie theater, a great independent bookstore, an awesome diner, great shops. We're close to lots of hiking (and I'm happy to give recommendations) - on the Appalachian Trail and others. Our area is a great launching point to explore the Hudson Valley (great towns like Rhinebeck, Hudson, Kingston) and up into the Berkshires of Massachusetts (Great Barrington and beyond). You will need your own car if you come to do a sit here.
Show more...Responsibilities
Charlie and Al go out three times a day (more if you'd like) and eat once in the morning and once in the evening. Charlie has taken prozac for many years now and it has made a huge difference for her. It's just one pill in the morning and she loves to take it! We always leash them when we walk at night, but if you're comfortable during the day with them off-leash, that's fine with us. We have a few house plants that need to be watered maybe once a week, but nothing major! We do have perennial garden beds that you are welcome to enjoy and work in if you like, but that's not required.
Show more...Meet the pets
Charlie
12 years
Al (Althea)
12 years
Sitter Reviews (5)
Homeowner Reviews (2)
None
Daniel and Michael have the most charming, beautifully decorated home with a cook's dream kitchen! I never wanted to leave! Besides being a comfortable, welcoming home, their pets, Charlie and Al are so very special. Well trained, great on walks, super bed mates and just fun to be with! The town is great to explore as are the nearby towns. Definitely a five star sit, may be ten stars! Thank for trusting me with Charlie and Al!
Show more...None
House-sitting Al and Charlie for Danny was an absolute delight. Danny was very clear and communicative, and the house and property are stunning. Cannot recommend highly enough! Thanks again for having me :)
Show more...None
We had a wonderful stay at Danny's house with Charlie and Al. They are both super sweet dogs - Al will love you right off the bat, she was climbing up on my lap within a few minutes of our arrival. Charlie took a few days to warm up to us as she is a little more shy, but eventually she became much more comfortable with us. It was great to see her come out of her shell. The house itself is located in a quiet wooded neighborhood, we enjoyed walking on the roads and down to the lake with the dogs. Danny's house is absolutely beautiful, we felt like we were living in a magazine spread. The small downtown of Millerton is under 10 min away by car - we loved some of the restaurants, cinema, candy store, and bookshop. We recommend this sit and especially these cute pups!
Show more...None
We had a lovely few days staying with Charlie & Althea in Millerton. They are such sweet and happy dogs and we fell in love with them. We enjoyed nice walks, lounging on the deck and relaxing in the evening. Althea loves to sit on your lap and Charlie likes to be close by. We enjoyed playing with Althea by throwing her squeaky toy and she would bring it back and Charlie's tapdancing (as we called it, Broadway here is your new star) when she gets excited. They are the best of friends and it is so sweet. We enjoyed staying at their lovely home. The home is so nice and very well taken care of. Great work space for Andrew in the garden and for me in the home. We enjoyed the local tea and coffee and visited Hudson amongst other towns during our stay. Danny was so friendly and easy to communicate with before and during our stay. It was nice we met him when we arrived for our sit. We hope to come back and spend some time with the girls and can highly recommend this sit.
Show more...None
We had such a wonderful time looking after Al and Charlie! They are the sweetest pups we've ever met and I miss them dearly. They are well-behaved and seem to be down for anything, whether it's going on hikes or cuddling on the couch for a nap. Danny was very friendly and communicative from the beginning. He made us feel welcomed in his home and I was glad to have met him in person before he left. His guide book was thorough and contained all the information we needed to look after the house and pups. It also included many great recommendations for food and activities. The house itself is gorgeous and comfortable. It is located in a lovely peaceful area close to cute towns and trails. The back patio area has a nice yard and faces the woods - it is a great place to sit while sipping coffee, reading a book (Danny and Michael have so many wonderful books) or observing the birds. There was also access to a beautiful private lake which we visited nearly everyday with the girls. We highly recommend this sit and would not hesitate to return!
Show more...
Daniel
Natasja and Andrew took amazing care of our two dogs and our home. They sent lots of updates and left our home in spotless condition. It's obvious that our two pups really took to them. I would have them back without any reservations. Thank you, Natasja and Andrew!
Show more...
Daniel
Sarah and Ben took excellent care of our two dogs and our house while we were away. She was always quick to communicate with us when we needed anything and sent great pictures when we asked. Our neighbors even told us how lovely they were to meet. I hope we can have them back someday!
Show more...
Daniel
