CUSTOM WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Main Street Magazine spent several hours with Jane Buck, the voluble English artist of Hudson Valley Letterpress, in her ground floor studio in the heart of Hillsdale, NY.
Matthew Larkin of Black Barn Farms and the Chairman of the Berkshire Botanical Gardens: Historic landscape designer & topiary creator
Christine recently caught up with the multi-talented Matthew Larkin of Richmond, Massachusetts. She learned all about Matthew’s Black Barn Farms, his topiary work, as well as his role as the chairman of the Berkshire Botanical Garden.
Do school rankings impact real estate values? What to know in northeast Dutchess County
When buying real estate, in addition to other considerations, like view, condition, privacy, style, acreage, or a bedroom on the first floor, school district rankings can be a factor in the buying decision, as are property taxes. Both can be important to buyers. But just how important?
Give me shelter: What’s new with garages?
Garages are a relatively new addition to real estate, a new word in the English language with the advent of cars in 1902. By the mid 1920s, Ford was selling over two million Model T’s every year in the United States, and real estate agents at the time reported that the first question asked by home buyers was about the garage.
Community Banker: George Whalen III, president and chairman of the board of Bank of Millbrook
On a gray Wednesday morning, George Whalen III invited me into the conference room of the Bank of Millbrook’s newest branch in Millerton, NY. Whalen may look like a banker, with a starched oxford shirt and tie, but his easy manor is spontaneous and genuine. Those who know him well describe him as “a […]
By the numbers: Three-county real estate market in the first half of 2025
The residential real estate market in the first six months of the year for the three counties where Main Street Magazine is circulated, Dutchess and Columbia in New York and Litchfield in Connecticut, posted mixed results in a year to year 2025 to 2024 comparison. Twelve-month median prices at the end of June 2025 […]
Mix Masters: Liz Macaire and Simon Kristoph of Macaire + Kristoph, West Cornwall and Kent, CT
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Liz Macaire and Simon Kristoph to discuss their business, Macaire + Kristoph, based in West Cornwall and Kent, CT.
Could you describe your business?
Liz: Our business is multi-dimensional, and we manage quite a few moving parts: two retail stores, interior design, staging, estate sales, and an art […]
Independent Cabi Stylist Jennifer Ryan
Christine recently caught up with Lakeville, CT, resident Jennifer Ryan to discuss with her all aspects of her independent stylist business as well as to learn all about cabi.
What is cabi?
Cabi is a women’s fashion brand that offers high-quality women’s clothing that is on trend but not trendy; flattering, wearable, and washable; and gives […]
Porches are popular: Real estate on the front porch
Above: Grassland Dessert Café in Lakeville, CT, renovated the former enclosed porch of a vacant Chinese restaurant to provide extra outdoor seating for enjoying an ice cream cone. Photo by Christine Bates.
Maybe it started during COVID, when it seemed safer to see friends outside and have groceries delivered, or maybe it was the increasing square-foot […]
The Sultans of Soot: Robert Keller, Master Sweep
Above: Rob Keller (right) has been the Sultan of Soot for the last 30 years. Tucker Shearer (left) is a sultan in training. Photo by Christine Bates.
When should homeowners call you about cleaning their chimney?
It’s based on how much wood you burn in your stove or fireplace. It’s like changing your oil based on mileage. […]