FOR ALL OF YOU AUTO-RELATED FANS OUT THERE: VROOM, VROOM, VROOM!
CAR OF THE WEEK
Two Days Exploring Dublin City Centre
For those who may not know, Lindsey and I took a nine-day trip to Ireland and London at the beginning of April. We flew Aer Lingus from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT, directly to Dublin Airport in Ireland.
The flight was super smooth, the staff was friendly and accommodating, and overall, we had a really […]
Operation Mei Mei: A family seeks justice for the abuse their daughter endured at a military daycare center
Content warning: The contents of this article deal with child abuse and may be difficult to read.
When Kate Kuykendall, a Pine Plains, NY native, picked her youngest daughter, Bella, up from her first day at the Ford Island Child Development Center near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, she assumed Bella was having a mild case of […]
Stag’s Crest Retreat in Canaan
DEAL OF THE WEEK
CAR-RELATED INPUT & ADVICE IS ALWAYS GOOD…
Two Days Exploring Dublin City Centre
For those who may not know, Lindsey and I took a nine-day trip to Ireland and London at the beginning of April. We flew Aer Lingus from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT, directly to Dublin Airport in Ireland.
The flight was super smooth, the staff was friendly and accommodating, and overall, […]
Operation Mei Mei: A family seeks justice for the abuse their daughter endured at a military daycare center
Content warning: The contents of this article deal with child abuse and may be difficult to read.
When Kate Kuykendall, a Pine Plains, NY native, picked her youngest daughter, Bella, up from her first day at the Ford Island Child Development Center near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, she assumed Bella was having […]
Stag’s Crest Retreat in Canaan
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Rose
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Rombauer Chard
From Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher: A day trip through the beautiful Irish countryside
For those who may not know, Lindsey and I took a nine-day trip to Ireland and the UK at the beginning of April. We spent six days in Ireland and three days in London, and our schedule was jam-packed with things to do the entire time that we were there.
[…]
Mohonk Mountain House’s Spring Tulip Festival returns at the end of April
The Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, is hosting its annual Spring Tulip Festival from April 28 through May 9. Experience a kaleidoscope of color as Mohonk Mountain House’s garden springs to life with over 30,000 vibrant red, yellow, pink, and purple tulips.
Tulip passes are $35 per adult, $30 per child, and […]
Family home nestled in the Northwest Corner
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Jon Pardi embraces rock and roll on new album Honkytonk Hollywood: Album Review
It’s been more than a decade since award-winning country music artist Jon Pardi crashed onto the Nashville country scene. Despite his California roots, Pardi is known for his honky tonk sound and has often been praised for bringing authenticity back to the country music genre with his work.
With fourteen RIAA-certified singles, featuring six […]
Uno
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Gruner Veltliner from Weis Vineyards
Railroad Street Youth Project presents free screening of Recovery City at the Triplex Cinema on April 9
The Railroad Street Youth Project, in partnership with its subset program South Berkshire Community Health Coalition, as well as South County Rural Recovery Center and The Triplex Cinema, is hosting a special free screening of Recovery City on Wednesday, April 9 at 5pm.
Recovery City is a critically-acclaimed […]
Zeus
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Can lemon water & celery juice flush your liver?
It’s like we’re a giant Brita filter — everything we put inside us gets processed by the liver to ensure purity. The liver filters the blood to remove toxins that eventually leave our bodies through urine and feces.
You know how you wash your Brita filter every so often? Well, I got to thinking, maybe […]
Promesses Cotes du Rhone
Renew. Remodel. Refresh.
Although we are already a few months into a new year, the “new year-new you” ideology still resonates with many people who yearn to shake things up a bit. Whether it’s redecorating, refreshening home accents and switching up color palettes, or remodeling, many home dwellers are seeking a fresh start – a blank page waiting to be […]
Energy efficient construction: Better for the Earth and better for your wallet
Above photo is the Orchard Modern project by CB Design / Build
Energy-efficient construction is a term that’s being used with more frequency in the construction world. With drastic changes in weather due to climate change, more builders and contractors are considering ways to make homes more resilient to extreme weather, while mitigating the effects on the environment […]
Nuclear Power
Nooooo! A thousand times, no. Not here!
Yes, of course, the knee-jerk response to any mention of nuclear power is to scream with the fury of seven tornadoes during an early Sunday-morning earthquake. Everyone has a position, certainly, but how about we set politics to the side and start with a clean slate here, shall we? Assuming we […]
Plastics: The future or a failure?
“I just want to say one word to you. Plastics.”
Remember that classic line from the 1967 movie “The Graduate”?
Had Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) followed that advice, today he might be a wealthy, retired CEO.
But he’d also have been part of what is a world-wide problem for waste and climate change. Plastic is everywhere, and it’s […]
Come fly away with me
By Ian Strever & Daniel Moran
Daniel Moran is a student at Housatonic Valley Region High School who has been learning about drones and sharing his expertise with peers and adults throughout the Region 1 School District in Connecticut.
Imagine yourself standing among the most perfect 100-acre field of soybeans, planted autonomously by a GPS tractor, with rows like […]
What’s all the buzz about? The role of honey bees in our ecosystem, colony losses, and the challenges of keeping hives
Pollination is vital to our ecosystem. Bees and other pollinators work hard, ensuring food security and nutrition and maintaining biodiversity for plants, humans, and the pollinators themselves.
Just how dependent is our food system on pollinators?
Pollinators are essential to the production of many fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of […]
The Danica Center for Physical Therapy & Movement Education offers holistic, empowering forms of healing and movement in Sharon, CT
Above photo by Lindsey Clark.
A physical therapist for nearly four decades, Dr. Bente Dahl-Busby has always had a passion for health, wellness, and movement. As a gymnast, horseback rider, gymnastics teacher, and dancer throughout her upbringing and adolescence in Denmark, she desired a career that would combine academics with these interests, empowering her to help […]
Anderson Center for Autism: Optimizing quality of life and making spaces more inclusive for individuals with Autism
According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.
According to Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to […]
Roger Miner & today’s Supreme Court: The Columbia County native’s principled stances still echo across America’s judicial landscape
By Jim Calvin
In November 1987, as President Ronald Reagan prepared to try again to fill a Supreme Court vacancy after two misfires, Second Circuit US Court of Appeals Justice Roger Miner stood among three final candidates for the nomination.
It was the penultimate step in the remarkable legal career of Hudson, New York’s favorite son, a journey […]
Aesthetics and Ecology Align at Innisfree
It’s rare to find the peace one gets from walking through a garden on a perfect day. …
Lester Collins, famed landscape architect of the 20th Century responsible for Innisfree Garden in Millbrook, NY, probably understood the sense of tranquility and calm that can only be gained from God’s green Earth and a beautiful bloom.
Raised a […]
Environmental economist, eco-consultant, and sustainability strategist Pamela Peeters’ remarkable path to becoming a true Eco Hero
Photo above: Pamela speaks at the “Dubai Innovation Center” during COP28 on her educational projects. Photograph taken by Martin Nweeia.
“My mother told me I was always pointing at the sun and trees. I always found great joy being in nature. When I was 12, that joy grew so large that I created my first environmental […]
Environmental Home Review
Water, air, and soil – The invisible threats
Understanding indoor and outdoor air, water, and soil characteristics has never been more critical. Environmental dangers, often invisible, can affect your health and the value of your real estate and, except for radon and smoke detectors, are not part of typical home inspections. How often have you wondered, or […]
Frosted Cauliflower AKA “The Brain”
JUNE RECIPE
Field of Stones: Stephen Fitch of Fitch Landscaping in Falls Village, CT
Several years ago, our mason took us to an open field on Dugway Road between Lime Rock and Amesville piled with reclaimed curbs, New York City sidewalks, and cobblestones to pick out a hearth for our fireplace. There was no sign on the property, and since that time I had wondered about this business of selling […]
Leora Armstrong: An Engagement with Place
By Emma Defries
Emma Defries is based in London and works at the Lisson Gallery; she is also opening a UK residency in collaboration with the Public Statue and Sculpture Association. We had a lovely natter about her work over a cuppa.
Could you share the earliest influences that shaped your creativity?
I grew up on the West Coast […]
Play Ball
It was in the middle of yet another winter storm. The “New England Cocktail” was in full view – snow, sleet, and freezing rain well stirred with a gusting wind of 40 mph pushing against the windows. The age-old quandary of “shovel now or shovel later” was temporarily displaced by another cup of coffee and a stint […]
Glitter
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton: A literary life that analyzed societal expectations & featured a home in Lenox, MA
Above photo courtesy of Literary Hub.
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we are highlighting a handful of important women who made strides in the social, political, and economic climates of our region.
Edith Wharton was born on January 24, 1862, as Edith Newbold Jones. According to The Mount, the estate […]
Choosing meditation over afternoon coffee
Did you know that Americans are consuming coffee on a daily basis nearly 40% more than they did 20 years ago? Might it be the notorious Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino, Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew, Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso, or just a plain old black coffee, the National Coffee Association reports a daily consumption […]
Cozy Bungalow in Hudson
DEAL OF THE WEEK
All-around artistic visionary Mary Randolph Carter showcases the beauty of the objects we love—and of homes in the local area—in her latest book
Photo above: © Live with the Things you Love: And You’ll Live Happily Ever After, by Mary Randolph Carter, Rizzoli, 2025; all images © Carter Berg.
On March 27 at 6:30pm, best-selling author, photographer, and long-time Ralph Lauren creative director Mary Randolph Carter will appear and present at an event celebrating the release of her […]
Rex
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Wolffer Summer in a Bottle
The story of Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist and women’s rights activist from Ulster County
Above photo from Biography.com
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we are highlighting a handful of important women who made strides in the social, political, and economic climates of our region.
Sojourner Truth was an African American evangelist, abolitionist, women’s right activist, and author in the nineteenth century. Born into slavery, […]
Charley Crockett maintains his outlaw sound on Lonesome Drifter: Album Review
Charley Crockett doesn’t take breaks. Until this album, his discography – consisting of 14 albums, including a live one – were all released independently via his own record label, Son of Davy.
So in January, when Crockett announced that his 15th record Lonesome Drifter was to be released under major […]
Elegant Estate in the Litchfield Hills
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc
I don’t know about you, but these days I’m in the mood for something bracing. My nerves are shot. Time to indulge in a bottle from a land where peace prevails, and according to friends who just returned from there, it’s really true. That land is New Zealand, and their Sauvignon Blancs are world-class and world-renowned for […]
Bob Gluck’s The Musical World of Paul Winter is a portrait of a musician, artist, and environmentalist
Author and musician Bob Gluck recently released his fourth book, The Musical World of Paul Winter. Focusing on Paul Winter, a saxophonist, composer, and pioneer of world music and Earth music—which interweaves the voices of the wild with instrumental voices from classical, jazz, and world music—the book paints a portrait of […]
The vibrant life and poetic legacy of Pulitzer Prize Winner Edna St. Vincent Millay
Above photo courtesy of Library of America.
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we are highlighting a handful of important women who made strides in the social, political, and economic climates of our region.
Born on February 22, 1892, Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in Rockland, Maine. Holly Peppe, the literary […]
Lady Gaga finds her confidence and footing (on the dance floor) on MAYHEM: Album Review
When I heard that Lady Gaga was to release her seventh studio album, MAYHEM, on March 7, I was intrigued. I loved Gaga when I was a young girl and a teenager – at the height of her The Fame, The Fame Monster, and Born This Way […]
Scotty
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Edge-of-Town Elegance With Pool
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Ace
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Bruno Lafon Solis Rose
It’s time to “spring ahead” on Sunday. While that means losing an hour of sleep, it also means gaining more light in the evening. I’ll take it. A bottle that inspires spring for me is the Bruno Lafon Solis Rose. Crafted in the heart of rose country, Provence in southern France, this wine is a beautiful light […]
Jane Bolin, the first Black woman to serve as a judge in the United States
Above photo from Ignite National
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we are highlighting a handful of important women who made strides in the social, political, and economic climates of our region.
Jane Bolin was born on April 11, 1908 in Poughkeepsie, NY, to Gaius Bolin and Matilda Emery. Gaius was a lawyer and […]
The Stissing Theatre Guild presents “Something Rotten” March 7-9
The Stissing Theatre Guild is presenting Something Rotten! at Stissing Mountain Jr/Sr High School on Friday, March 7, Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9.
The Stissing Theatre Guild is a volunteer-led theater organization that is part of the Pine Plains Central School District and has been producing shows since […]
Matt Bartolomeo’s feature film Dream to screen at the Moviehouse on March 12
Dream, a horror film shot at the Millerton Inn and in Pine Plains, NY, will screen at the Moviehouse on Wednesday, March 12.
Directed by Pine Plains native Matt Bartolomeo, Dream is inspired by the horror and thriller movies of the 1970s and 1980s. The majority of the […]
Charming Colonial in the Heart of North Canaan
DEAL OF THE WEEK
The Loeb and lunch: A stay-cation with profound benefits
Photo above: Two of four pieces from the Springside collection by British artist Henry C. Gritten. Springside was Matthew Vassar’s estate.
Paris. Rome. London. Barcelona. Even New York, Boston, Philadelphia, or Washington, DC. All are great escapes for lovers of culture, and all should be visited. Often. But when time is tight and you don’t want to mess […]
Modern farming: Talking environmental changes, adapting to challenges, and connection to the land with four farms in the region
Above photo courtesy of Maitri Farm
It’s no secret that farming is becoming harder and harder. It’s never been an easy job, but between climate change, the unprecedented environmental changes that come along with it, and constant changes in funding and grant availability, farming seems to be increasingly difficult in recent years.
According to the US Department of […]
Float Mind @mend
Because I am both the first-born son of a preacher and a writer, it was no surprise that I found myself afloat in a body-temperature pool of water on a Sunday morning in January when I might have been in church. That pool, about the size of Thoreau’s Walden Pond cabin, is nested beneath the rough-hewn beams […]
The Miracle on Barn Hill: Retired elementary school teacher Donna Fazzino discusses self-publishing her first children’s book
Photo above: Donna with Lindsey when she was in third grade, 2010-2011.
Since she was young, Donna Fazzino always had a knack for reading and writing. Drawing upon her passion for the language arts, she pursued a career as a teacher in Connecticut’s Region #1 School District, teaching elementary grade levels and talented and gifted programs at Sharon […]
Psychological Spring
It was not too terribly long ago that the doldrums of winter, stretching through January and February, could be mitigated with one visit to the mailbox. Long nights and days of howling winds seemed to be on the menu day after day with the dejected weather forecasters droning on about “mostly cloudy and cold with a chance […]
Celebrating 90 years in business: An interview with Kristin Ruge Hutchins, President and CEO of Ruge’s Automotive Group
Ruge’s Automotive Group is celebrating its 90th year in business in 2025 – a remarkable accomplishment. I caught up with Kristin Ruge Hutchins, the president and CEO of Ruge’s, to learn more about the business’ backstory, how the brand has grown and changed over the past 90 years, and what exciting things they have coming up […]
The magic of Camphill Village: Getting to know the vibrant, dynamic community in Copake, NY, and all that it has to offer
Photo above: David Wallace harvests herbs in Camphill’s healing plant garden, where the garden crew tends to biodynamic flowers and herbs during growing season, and transforms them into teas and culinary herb mixes, as well as natural remedies. All photos courtesy of Camphill Village.
As the oldest and largest Camphill community in the United States, Camphill Village Copake […]
Banana Sour Cream Coffee Cake
JUNE RECIPE
Still brewing: Michael Harney, VP and tea taster at Harney & Sons
It was exactly 12 years ago in February of 2013 that I interviewed John Harney for the first issue of Main Street Magazine. While still working, he died a year later at age 83. His reserved parking spot remains vacant in front of the Harney & Sons tea factory on Route 22 outside of Millerton, New York. […]
Jeff Joyce: Embracing the Everyday
Jeff Joyce brings place into his art practice, pulling from his experience of walking through the landscape as the genesis for his drawings and paintings.
When did you decide to become a painter?
I grew up in North Carolina and knew at an early age that I wanted to be an artist, without a clue what that meant; […]
Life Lessons
An’ here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice
– Bob Dylan
One might suspect that after decade upon decade spent meandering this fair Earth of ours, even a besotted toadstool might’ve acquired a nugget or two of what passes as wisdom, but then, […]
Bailey
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Alicia Johnson on uncovering trauma and healing through movement in her new self-help book Buried Treasure
Later this month, Alicia Johnson is launching her book Buried Treasure: A Field Guide to the Life-Changing Magic of Revealing Yourself. The book – which is part memoir, part scientific research, and part strategic action – provides a guide for working through trauma.
“I know firsthand how trauma can dampen […]
Acuma Red Blend
Here comes March! If it comes in like a lion, it needs to go out like a lamb. So I’m celebrating the lion part with a bottle from Spain that has a great image of a lion on the label: Acuma Red Blend. This lion is roaring with intensity and reminds me of how I sometimes feel […]
Pearl
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Three-Bedroom Nestled in Greenport
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Yuri
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
“The Art of Joy Brown” art exhibition and documentary on display at Hotchkiss’ Tremaine Art Gallery
As part of The Hotchkiss School’s celebration of 50 years of co-education, the Tremaine Art Gallery presents “The Art of Joy Brown,” on view from February 15 through April 6.
An internationally known sculptor, Joy Brown is known for her “larger-than-life” human figures which grace public spaces from Beijing all the way to New […]
Hetta
Baby, it’s cold outside! How about a nice winter warming wine? It’s Hetta. Crafted to be like a Norwegian glogg, Hetta is a delicious blend of port-style wine from the Finger Lakes and brandy from the Napa Valley infused with cinnamon, cardamom, raisins, orange peel and a special Hetta magic. It’s made right here in Rhinebeck, too. […]
Pastries by Hanna brings specialty sweetness to the Northwest Corner and beyond
Ever since Hanna Rybolt was little, she’s loved baking. After studying at Johnson and Wales University through their pastry school and attaining about 10 years of experience in the bakery and restaurant industries, she explains that she wanted to find a way to have her own baking business. She explains, “It’s been my dream to […]
Union Street Brewing Co.: A Hudson hotspot for local beer-lovers and the greater community
Launched in July 2023, Union Street Brewing Co. was started by co-owners and husband and wife team Paul and Emma O’Donnell. Located in an old, renovated warehouse in the heart of historic Hudson, the fully functioning brewery includes an on-site tap room where patrons can try the brewery’s 12 beers on draft.
“It took […]
Toll House in Cornwall, CT
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Dracula
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Corte Fiore Appassimento
Valentine’s Day begs for a “Lady and the Tramp” romantic moment of staring into a lover’s eyes while connecting over a plate of pasta. Take it a step further and put a beautiful bottle of wine on the table. To enjoy with pasta, barbecue, steak, charcuterie, and – yes – chocolate (of course), my Wine of the […]
The Firefly Environmental Arts Project brings together professional and student artists and environmentalists at their launch exhibit at the Millbrook School
The Firefly Environmental Arts Project launch will take place on Friday, February 21 at 7pm at the Millbrook School in Millbrook, NY.
The Firefly Environmental Arts Project, developed by Carl Raab and Deb Schlee, is a collaborative arts and sustainability initiative engaging students and professionals within the CT/NY/MA tri-state corner to build community through […]
Come fly with me to Singapore (no passport required)
Most people’s familiarity with Singapore stems from the 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians, but there’s so much more to know about this intriguing island in Southeast Asia, which is considered both a country and a city. For a relatively small size—about 31 miles from east to west by 17 from north to south—it packs a lot […]
Shyloh
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Firefly Farm in New Milford, CT
DEAL OF THE WEEK
The authentic Italian shopping experience at Casa di Mia
For Mia DiFrancesco, taking over a beloved Poughkeepsie boutique in the summer of 2024 was a bit serendipitous. Mia was aware of the shop (formerly Scruples – owned by Gail Cassle), and she worked for Gail’s husband at his hair salon part-time as a teenager, so when he reached out to her to ask her […]
Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc
It’s Super Bowl Sunday this weekend, and I am a life-long fan of the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES! In trying to decide what could be an appropriate “wine of the week” for this very special occasion, I tried to find a wine that’s widely available out of the Philadelphia area. Couldn’t run with that one. There are some lovely […]
Making movement and dance accessible at Berkshire Pulse
Photo above by Avida Love Photography
“Having an outlet to express yourself in a way that is creative and meaningful to you, and to connect with other people is important,” said Veronica Bone, the community and in-school program manager for Berkshire Pulse. “Everyone should have access to that if it’s something they’re interested in.” This concept […]
“Can a cookie change the world?” At Baker Island Foods, it just might
Photo above by Vata Creative
For Anna Hall, the first inkling that she had an interest in food as a career came to her while she was working as a magazine writer. She was interviewing a chef and found that she could “talk to him all day about food.”
The real turning point happened 15 […]
Charming home with artist studio and pond views
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Protecting our nights: Envoys of beauty
It’s eighteen degrees out at 9:12pm on December 23, and I’m at a trailhead, fumbling with the buttons of my headlamp. Ten minutes ago, I was in Falls Village, watching the Housatonic boy’s basketball home opener against Thomaston. We lost by fifteen.
We had a respectable first half, though, much like the Steelers did two nights ago, when […]
A hopeful romantic’s guide: Confronting tricky Valentine’s Day feelings & navigating a holiday dedicated to love
When the month of February rolls around, the focus on romantic love can become overwhelming. I have spent all but one Valentine’s Day single, and whether I was surrounded by friends for a Galentine’s movie night, sick in bed while my flatmates made their way out to a London club, or spending an ordinary evening at home […]
Civility, senility, and the art of the turn signal
It was, in fact, a close call … for which we are very grateful. The on-coming car did not bother to indicate that a left turn was in its immediate future and also didn’t seem to mind that we were motoring straight ahead in the opposite direction. Age may have taken its toll on some functions, but […]
Cafe Holli brings coffee, crêpes, and connection to the Berkshires
One day, as Holli Stanton was driving home from work at the Bistro Box in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, she noticed that a golden yellow building, previously Flying Church Coffee House at 200 Main Street, was available for rent. Holli had been working at another coffee shop for years, and she decided to begin thinking seriously about renting […]
The sweetest of sweet
Cover photo: Lauren and Natasha and the store Catskill Chocolate Co.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Charles M. Schultz wrote that. He was the creator of one of the greatest comic strips ever, Peanuts. A wise man. And how prophetic a phrase for the month of February, which is all […]
Animals in Love
For those attracted here by the prurient possibilities suggested by this headline, settle down. Unless something goes completely off the rails, we will not be discussing, reviewing, or analyzing some raucous Thursday night orgy organized and participated in by the neighborhood cauldron of bats, romp of otters, or prickle of porcupines, although I suppose if it’s an […]
At The Crossroads in Goshen, CT
Cover photo by Roger Castonguay of Dot Media courtesy of Lenore Mallett and Elvia Gignoux of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. This dramatic timber house at 17 Hageman Shean Road on 139 acres sold for $2,200,000 after only 10 days on the market.
The Old Town Hall (now the home of the Goshen Players), a congregational church, a […]
Heart Health
It’s February, the month of affairs of the heart. Bet you’re thinking Valentine’s Day and romance, aren’t you?
How the heart got to be the symbol of those is unsure, especially when you consider that the shape of the actual heart is nothing like the version that’s come to mean love. This connection has been traced back […]
Jessica DeCarlo’s Rosemary Rose Finery: Adornment and alchemy in Salisbury, CT
Cover photo by Christine Bates. Antique and vintage jewelry from all over the world grace the front window case at Rosemary Rose.
Jessica DeCarlo in her store. She is holding a bell jar of ethically sourced butterflies from Flutter by Katie. Photo by Christine Bates.
After interviewing Jessica DeCarlo I […]
National Girls & Women in Sports Day: Three female athletes on their achievements in athletics and why women’s sports are so important
National Girls & Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a special day to recognize women’s sports. Co-founded and powered by the Women’s Sports Foundation, the day originally served as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player, Flo Hyman, for her athletic achievements and dedication to promoting equality for women’s sports.
Since then, the day has […]
Three Bean & Beef Chili
JUNE RECIPE
Rowena Gill: Dumpster Queen
When you walk into Rowena Gill’s Millbrook atelier, you are most likely to find her in the garden, at her table, intricately cutting fabrics, sewing silk thread, or attaching 50 small buttons to a boned corset. As she greets you, she tilts her head, sizing you up for an idea of fabric and style.
Gill found […]
Making Valentine’s Day even sweeter: In Flight, Inc.’s Sweetheart Silent Auction offers lovely gifts & transformative community support
This Valentine’s Day, get your loved ones something truly sweet! Nonprofit organization In Flight, Inc., based in Red Hook, NY, is launching their Sweetheart Silent Auction and Give A Carnation initiative next week, and you won’t want to miss these events!
All about In Flight, Inc.
In 1993, what initially began as a Medicaid service […]
The connection between cortisol and chronic stress: Learning about cortisol’s role in the body and why everyone’s talking about it
If you’re anything like me, your social media feeds have been inundated with videos about fitness, stress, and what to do to promote your physical and mental health. And if you’re anything like me, your mind has been filled with important-sounding concepts and a laundry list of tasks to complete if you want to live […]
Nala
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Keeping mindfulness in mind: The importance of tapping into your awareness and being present
The idea of mindfulness has become incredibly mainstream in recent years, meaning that more and more people have had access to this vital concept. But with more discussion about what it means to practice mindfulness and “be mindful,” it’s important to clarify the intention behind mindfulness and highlight how it can benefit your day-to-day life.*
[…]
Charming Home in Cornwall
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Tyson
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
The pros and cons of distance running vs. sprinting: Which is right for you?
If you’re at all like me, then at the start of each new year, you get the grandiose idea that you’re going to take up running. Now up to this point – for me – this resolution has never lasted. I consider myself to be a pretty active person; I work out between four to […]
Stissing Center kicks off 2025 with Fire & Ice
On Saturday, January 18, the Stissing Center in Pine Plains, NY, kicked off their 2025 season with an evening of Fire & Ice, which they dubbed a “cool party for a hot new season.” The show, in effect, was an evening’s glimpse into what one can expect from Stissing Center in 2025 – and what a year […]
Stella Rosa Watermelon
Get ‘Curious’ at Kingston’s new magazine shop
When Alanna Medlock was thinking about business ideas that would also create a community-based, hybrid arts space, one of the things that kept coming to her mind was that the mid-Hudson Valley didn’t have a dedicated magazine shop.
Alanna was always interested in magazines, but when she got a subscription to Interview […]
It’s all about what you eat: Making nutrition understandable, enjoyable, & achievable with nutritionist Michelle Sisk
When nutritionist and dietitian Michelle Sisk RD-N, CD-N, LD-N began her career, it wasn’t directly related to food at all. After attaining a BA in English from Williams College, she taught English for a few years at a boarding school while coaching cross country running and leading a fitness class.
Soon, though, her personal […]
Juju’s brings good energy to Great Barrington
The term “juju” is typically referred to regarding luck. At Juju’s in Great Barrington, juju is all about spreading kindness and good vibes.
“With Great Barrington changing and newer families coming in, we wanted to provide a fun location that was simple and easy,” said Juju’s general manager, Lisa Ake. “We wanted to bring […]
Evo
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Seghesio Cortina Zinfandel
An afternoon in Bridgewater, CT: Get your hands on the notorious Bridgewater Chocolate and enjoy farm fresh produce
Famous faces, luxury chocolate, homemade baked goods, farm fresh honey, and local fresh produce? If you’re a Hallmark town-lover, head to Bridgewater, CT, for the day, where the small community welcomes you with open arms. If you catch this beauty on a snowy day, you’ll drive through a winter wonderland— naked trees glossed with icicles, life-size […]
Cosmic
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Prebiotics, probiotics, supplements, oh my! Understanding the distinctions & how to boost your gut health
Although I take a handful of supplements and a probiotic each night, it recently dawned on me that while I know these are good for me to take, I don’t really know what they do, or why I should be taking them. In general, I know that probiotics are meant to […]
Colonial Duplex in Chatham
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Ash
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Day Trippin’: Our Guide to Spending the Day in the Greater Canaan, CT Area
Photo above courtesy of the Town of Canaan, CT website.
From North Canaan to Falls Village, CT, the greater Canaan region is full of vibrant businesses and delightful attractions for everyone to enjoy. Close-knit and community-oriented, Canaan is home to a wide array of delicious cafes and restaurants, exciting shops, and outdoor activities for the adventurous […]
Stress vs. burnout: How to know when it’s a serious problem
We all experience stress. Whether it’s personal, career-related, or due to other external factors, stress is something that seems like it’s inescapable.
Feeling stressed out isn’t an anomaly, but recently, I’ve been hearing more and more people in real life and on the internet saying that they’re “burnt out.”
So, what’s the difference […]
Modern Home in Roxbury
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Betty White
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
What is Dry January, why do people do it, and is it actually worth it?
Over the past ten years or so, “Dry January” has become a household term. Often attempted as a New Year’s resolution, Dry January is a challenge (of sorts) for people who are steadily consuming alcohol a bit too often (i.e. exceeding the recommended guidelines of alcohol consumption). It originated as a public health initiative in […]
Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut
Carpe Diem in 2025
Typically, we humans like to kick off the New Year with a myriad of resolutions aimed at improving our lives, or at least challenging ourselves to be better versions of who we were the previous year. It’s in our nature, after all, to want to be the best versions of ourselves.
It’s actually one of mankind’s […]
All about naturopathic fertility + reproductive care with Dr. Rachel Low of Commune Natural Health
Dr. Rachel Low is a naturopathic doctor and owner of Commune Natural Health in Salisbury, CT. What is naturopathy, you ask? Naturopathic medicine is a modality within the field of medicine that takes an evidence-based approach to holistic health and healing. “My practice is grounded firmly in the naturopathic principles of addressing the root cause of disease […]
Discover a deeper connection: The husband-wife team at Constellation in Catskill offers more than meets the eye
On the list of “firsts” that we can never forget – like a first kiss, a first car, or a first day of school – is another one that’s indelible: a first tarot card reading. It can be truly life-altering. How is it that cards with symbols and pictures on them can be translated to reveal things […]
Roasting it right: Ethically sourcing coffee + forging meaningful relationships at the origin with Ilse Coffee
Rebecca Grossman and Lucas Smith started Ilse Coffee in 2019 with the goal of showcasing the world’s best coffees and a “desire to open people’s eyes to what coffee can be.” The company is named after Lucas’ grandmother, Ilse, as a way of honoring the strong women who have shaped the lives of both Lucas and […]
Our Town: North Canaan, CT
What has changed in the ten years since Main Street first wrote about the Town of North Canaan? It’s still the “proud, blue collar town” we found in 2014 but updated and energized.
Renovation on the landmarked Union Depot destroyed by arson in 2001 has finally been completed, and now it’s home to a brewery and […]
Building connections and emphasizing individualized service at Mahar Real Estate
Daniel “Dan” Mahar launched Mahar Real Estate in August 2024 out of a desire to “shake things up.”
“I saw and still see gaps in the way clients were being treated and how agents worked together,” explained Mahar. “I wanted to build something better – a brokerage focused on relationships, innovation, and results.”
Dan hasn’t always worked […]
Sustainable development efforts versus a push for conservation: Unpacking differing visions for land by Summit Lake in Philmont, NY
Photo above courtesy of This Old Hudson Team at Houlihan Lawrence. Click here for more info.
For three years now, 22 acres of former farmland in Philmont, NY, have been considered for a conservation development project. Dubbed “The Woods” by Clover Reach, a multi-person LLC whose partners all live within 15 minutes of the project site, […]
No Comply Foods
For me, it’s speed limits on desolate roads. For my daughter, it’s responding to text messages. For teenagers, it’s anything and everything.
“There’s something that everyone doesn’t comply with,” said Julie Browning, co-owner with husband Steve of No Comply Foods, as I interviewed her beneath a skateboard that constituted wall art in their decidedly non-compliant restaurant. I couldn’t […]
Hello in there…among other New Year resolutions
Ah, the New Year. New beginnings. New resolutions. New ads on television replacing the mind-numbing political rants which had blessedly been replaced by fake snow, jingle bells, and well-dressed couples with darling “central casting” children celebrating the arrival of their new bow-festooned Christmas automobiles.
Now we’re down to a devastating cycle of ads for pills, potions, and injectables […]
Northside Renaissance: How Scenic Hudson’s sustainable and community-centric initiatives plan to reinvigorate a Poughkeepsie, NY, neighborhood
Photo above is an aerial view of Malcolm X Park taken on July 9, 2023, the day of a ribbon-cutting ceremony and family-friendly event celebrating recent park improvements. (Photo: Jeff Mertz / Courtesy ScenicHudson.org)
Scenic Hudson, an organization that has safeguarded the region’s landscapes, promoted sustainable development, and protected the Hudson Valley from environmental threats since […]
Substrate with memory — Joseph Clarke
Joseph Clarke’s studio is in an old firehouse in Kent, CT. His immaculate light-filled studio is where he disrupts surface and structure, bringing to life significant abstract works that shift in the light, each angle providing the viewer with an alternate image. Clarke shares this building with an art restoration business and art storage; an ample hallway […]
Italian Sausage Heroes
JUNE RECIPE
Slumgullion
Photo above courtesy of istockphoto.com contributor Nadya Ustyuzhantseva.
“I said who put all those things in your head”
“She Said She Said” – The Beatles
“Cosmic activity in the career loathsome activities area of your chart will bring challenges and opportunities in equal measure today. You may be overwhelmed with choices,” speculated my horoscope this morning. Couldn’t have said it […]
Milled in Pine Plains: Jaime Hammel, President of the Hudson Company
How did a Wharton MBA and digital media executive end up owning a reclaimed wood mill in Pine Plains?
During the downturn of 2008, when I saw friends losing their jobs on Wall Street and I was looking for something new, I noticed the emergence of a “maker movement.” I was inspired by businesses that were making […]
A Saturday afternoon in Kent, CT – the place that has something for everyone!
Shopping, snacking, browsing, and reading at the House of Books, Terston, 45 On Main, and Cozzy’s on Main.
Calling book lovers, boutique enthusiasts, snack scouters, gift getters, stocking stuffers, and pizza praisers of all ages! Spending your Saturday afternoon in Kent means finding something for everyone.
House of Books
I’m a book lover, but why […]
Milo
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
The Prisoner Red Blend
This week is a whirlwind and calls for a wine that will smooth over the rough edges. Something that will also make you reflect and go deep. I therefore recommend The Prisoner Red Blend. It’s a big, juicy, wowza wine from Napa Valley. A blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and a grape called Charbono, […]
Make way – make wayyyy … for Moana 2!
On November 27th, the much anticipated Moana 2 was released and our little group of kids and adults were among the masses who very eagerly ran to our nearest movie theater opening weekend armed with popcorn and slushees.
For those not in the know, Moana 2 is the sequel to Moana, which debuted in 2016 and […]
A Christmas Miracle
Ho ho hello furriends,
The pawlidays are upon us and Santa Paws is coming next week! Imagine to your surprise (and mine) I don’t have anything in particular on my list this year. I’m sure the big guy knows by now I’d never turn down pawty-‘mix and catnip. Paws crossed Santa Paws brings you something good, […]
Peaches, Abis, & Ash
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Classic Cape in Falls Village
DEAL OF THE WEEK
“Visions” by Ani Jenkins Opens at the Kearcher-Monsell Gallery at Housatonic Valley Regional High School
“Visions,” a solo exhibit featuring whimsical wood carvings by local artist Ani Jenkins, will open in The Kearcher-Monsell Gallery at Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Friday, December 13.
This is the gallery’s first show that will feature exclusively three-dimensional pieces.
About the artist
Intrigued by the patterns, colors, and inclusion found naturally in […]
Penguin
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Kent, CT, takes farm-to-table dining to an entirely new level At Kingsley Tavern
Okay, so, where candle-lit low lighting meets modern farm-style dining is Kingsley Tavern in Kent, CT. Imagine a restaurant perfect for a romantic first date without being too serious and a family-style grad dinner all at the same time. Super versatile in style, this restaurant falls on Main Street in Kent: a strip lined with cute restaurants, […]
The Colonial Theatre promotes vibrant small businesses, creative collaboration, and a sense of togetherness in the Northwest Corner
When Lenore Mallett and her husband bought The Colonial Theatre in North Canaan, CT, with the Fiorillo family, they all saw it as an incredible business opportunity. Not only this, but both Salisbury, CT, families were eager to discover what was happening in this town and how The Colonial could […]
Tousey Winery’s Queen of Clermont
With Christmas and Hanukkah less than two weeks away, it’s time for a wrapping party, complete with wine. As a gift to yourself and to a local business to make the wrapping more meaningful and enjoyable, get a bottle (or two, or three) of Tousey Winery’s Queen of Clermont. Tousey is located in Germantown and their wines […]
Author Interview: Nadia Han
Contemporary romance author and artist Nadia Han discusses the importance of curating a creative approach and following both your heart and your mind when building a fictional world.
How would you define your specific writing genre and niche? What first got you interested in this writing style and how did you decide to pursue this niche in your […]
Greek Revival Colonial in Falls Village
DEAL OF THE WEEK
We’re off to see the Wizard: ‘Wicked: Part One’ movie review
On Friday, November 29, I went with my mom, sisters, and niece to see Wicked in theaters. I was super excited to see the movie, as I saw Wicked on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre back in 2021, right after Broadway reopened during the pandemic. We had […]
The perfect study day: Wilson’s by High Watch welcomes Kent, CT, locals & out-of-towners
Along the strip of Main Street in Kent, CT, is the perfect place to relax, put your feet up, and get ready to dive into your studies or favorite book. Wilson’s by High Watch is a bakery and cafe that attracts readers, studiers, pastry eaters, caffeine drinkers, and everything in between. The community tables, two-seater couch, and […]
Black Barn Market returns to Millerton for second year in a row on December 7+8
SkyRise Farm will be hosting its second annual Black Barn Winter Market on Saturday, December 7, and Sunday, December 8, from 10am to 4pm in Millerton, NY.
A celebration of “craft, community, and care,” the Black Barn Winter Market is “a festive weekend created with the hope of fostering a sense of wonder, discovery, […]
German Spiced Wine
With bellies full of turkey and the trimmings, it’s time to get out and shop. There are lots of holiday markets in the area, as there are around the world at this time. In Germany at the outdoor markets, people fill mugs with warm, spiced wine called Glühwein. The word literally translates to “glow-wine,” as that is […]
An especially celebratory solstice
December can feel so dominated by the “big” holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa that the Winter Solstice, which occurs on the 21st or 22nd, depending on the year, is often overlooked. In its profoundly beautiful way, though, it’s a day worth celebrating. The folks at Olana State Historic Site in Hudson, NY, have an especially celebratory […]
Celebrate December Every Day of the Month
It’s December! Let’s celebrate!
December can seem to be all about Christmas, although many celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa this month. Plus, of course, there’s New Year’s Eve.
But, did you know that in December you can celebrate every day? There’s World AIDS Day, National Ding-A-Ling Day, National Underdog Day, and Forefathers’ Day. The first Monday of the month is […]
Slowing Down for a Hometown Holiday
Whitney got a bit nostalgic this holiday season and is sharing fond memories and thoughts of Millerton, NY, a place she called home for over 20 years. For those not in the know, Whitney served as the editor of The Millerton News for the majority of that time, and as a result, became intimately connected to this […]
Full Circle
The oncoming car was cruising along in its own lane, likely doing something close to the speed limit and generally abiding by accepted rules of the road.
What caught our attention was not the way it was being driven, but what was hanging on its grille – a holiday wreath, complete with a red bow that […]
Walnut Cream Roll
JUNE RECIPE
Holidays During the Great Depression
However hard times may be pressing down on the hearts and purses of the citizens of Rhinebeck,” observed the December 26, 1931, Rhinebeck Gazette, “there is no evidence of it in the spread of holiday cheer about town.”
Like a fair number of us, we had family that were born and grew up in the teeth of the […]
Mad Rose Gallery
In an interview in 2015, Neal Rosenthal told Main Street his story of building a successful importing and wine distribution business. Now he and Kerry Madigan, long-time business and personal partners, have started a new business in the heart of Millerton, NY. I interviewed Neal and Kerry and Michael Flower, gallery director, on a sunny afternoon […]
The McKenzie Shoppe in Sharon emphasizes handmade artistry and unique vendors
When Kaleigh Kelley opened The McKenzie Shoppe in Sharon, CT, she wanted to do something different. Given that there are quite a few home goods shops in the region, she wanted to make sure that she was providing something unique to the community.
“I wanted to create a shop that had unique vendors with an emphasis on […]
Angels of Light provides hope and support for children and families in the Hudson Valley
Angels of Light, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Millbrook, NY, assists children and families with a life-threatening illness living or receiving treatment in the Hudson Valley, or whose life has been suddenly altered by an accident or loss of life.
Easing the burden for children and families
Angels of Light was first created over 20 years ago […]
Classical Style: Greek Revival Architecture
Post-election 2024 may be an appropriate moment to reflect on the Greek Revival architectural style, which dominated residential building from around 1820 to just before the Civil War. Based on Greek temples, the style continues today, not only in our public institutions from post offices to banks and churches, but also reimagined in elegant new homes and […]
A Walk on the Wild Side – Tony Henneberg
I first met Tony Henneberg in 1993 when he was an artist in residence at Mashomack in Pine Plains, NY. His sometimes-life-sized watercolors stand alone as majestically as the subject he has chosen. I caught up with Henneberg in his Pine Plains studio to discuss his current season’s mycology work; given this unusually arid fall, I was […]
Main Street’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024
Welcome to December! With the holidays right around the corner, we’ve been busy gift shopping for all of our loved ones, and we know you’ve likely been doing the same!
We’ve done research on the best affordable gifts, reached out to some local businesses to share their recommendations, and we’ve even given you some of our favorites as […]
New festivities on the horizon: The Noble Horizons Auxiliary discusses their ongoing accomplishments and this year’s holiday market
This holiday season, the Noble Horizons Auxiliary will present their first two-day holiday market from 10am to 4pm on Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7. This departure from their popular, quarter-of-a-century tradition, the Festival of Trees, will bring about a new variety of delightful holiday activities and offerings while incorporating well-loved elements from past years.
The formation […]
Friends of East Gate works to preserve Hillsdale, NY, toll house & share a rich perspective of the local community’s history
Founded in 2016, the Friends of East Gate was launched with the goal of stabilizing, preserving, and restoring the historic East Gate Toll House, which is located alongside the modern-day State Route 23 in Hillsdale, NY. This organization consists of community members, local civic leaders, and historic preservationists who want to see this building saved while also […]
Collaborative Cats: Saving the feline population one kitten at a time
Since she was a child, Beverly Ditto always knew that she wanted to start an animal rescue. It was one of several interests she had and one of the goals she intended to accomplish, so nearly 20 years ago, she made it so. Beverly founded Collaborative Cats, a foster-based feline organization located in Ancramdale, NY, […]
Family haven in Ghent
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Zeke
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Harvest Homestead in Pine Plains
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Pumpkin
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
2024 Beaujolais Nouveau
Veteran Profile: Troi Cookingham
Pine Plains, NY, native Troi Cookingham enlisted in the Army in September of 2020. “My uncle served in the Army and passed away in 2015. I knew it was something that I had to do. When I enlisted, I had this surreal, ‘What did I just do?’ type of feeling. However, I felt such pride […]
Picture Purrfect
Mom likes to keep updated pictures of us kids in the house and usually uses school pictures as the purrfect opportunity to do so.
Ellie recently had picture day at school and (unfortunately) her track record requires her to have to purrticipate in picture retake day. I’m happy to report that this year on the furrist […]
Le Jardin opens dynamic flower studio and shop in Amenia
Originally from France, Romane Recalde moved to Amenia, NY, with her husband in 2020. Romane grew up in the remote French countryside, near Bordeaux, but she never considered herself to be particularly outdoors-y. When she and her husband moved to Amenia, however, she found herself increasingly interested in gardening.
Fast-forward four years later, and […]
Frank Marquette of Murder Cafe pulls back the curtain on life behind production in new autobiography
A murder mystery dinner theater production doesn’t seem like something you’d just fall into, but that’s exactly what happened to Frank Marquette.
Raised in Kingston, NY, Frank previously worked as a graphic designer, as an advertising executive, and in print newspaper publishing. He started performing on stage in high school and has been acting […]
Vibrant & beautifully curated Paper Trail in Rhinebeck, NY, has all your gift shopping needs this holiday season
As December approaches, the pressure to find the perfect holiday presents for family and friends becomes all the more imminent. However, I’ve recently stumbled upon one special gem in Rhinebeck, NY, that’s sure to have you covered.
Paper Trail was opened all the way back in 2005 by Serine Hastings and Maureen Missner, both […]
Edwardian charmer in Hudson
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Amy
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
The Ancram Center presents Real People Real Stories, an audience favorite featuring local storytellers
On Sunday, November 17th at 3pm, the Ancram Center for the Arts will put on another installment of Real People Real Stories (RPRS), a long-time audience favorite that showcases the true stories of local residents.
Having “been a signature part of every Ancram Center season since 2016,” this […]
Carlo Rossi Paisano
Veteran Profile: Charles K. Seymour II
When Claverack, NY, resident Charles K. Seymour II was a senior in high school, his class rank had dropped significantly from his junior year. Although he was accepted into the College of Basic Studies at Boston University, he was, as he puts it, “definitely not an academician,” and dropped out of school, “much to the […]
Holiday Parade, Market + Event Roundup
With the holidays rapidly approaching, there are so many events and parades coming up all across the region. While this is by no means a complete guide, we’ve rounded up as many light shows, markets, parades, and other holiday events that we could find in the surrounding areas.
New York
Hudson Pop-Up Holiday Market at the Cannonball […]
Where to Get Your Christmas Tree
I know it seems like it’s too early to be talking about where to get a Christmas tree – it’s only November, after all! – but with more and more folks decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving comes around, the Christmas tree farms have been selling out and closing for the season earlier each year. Below, […]
Stissing Theatre Guild presents Noises Off on December 6, 7, and 8
The Stissing Theatre Guild (STG) will present its fall play, Noises Off, a farce by English playwright Michael Frayn, on December 6, 7, and 8 at Stissing Mountain High School.
About the show
Noises Off is a farce that depicts the rehearsal, performance, and subsequent decline of the fictional […]
Nunu
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Coffee table book, Cold Spring, NY, puts the charming Hudson Valley town on display
Cold Spring, NY, a coffee table book providing an intimate glimpse into the picturesque Hudson Valley town, will be released on November 22.
The book, by Alissa and Will Malnati, features over 50 black-and-white photographs that offer a captivating look at the village of Cold Spring, located just 60 miles north of […]
Fortified Wines
Veteran Profile: Dan Hoysradt
Pine Plains, NY, native Dan Hoysradt enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2009. He served in the state of New York for four years, and since 2013, has served in the state of Connecticut.
“At the time that I enlisted, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Dan said. College wasn’t […]
Cozy dining and comfort food at the Amenia Steak House
If you’re ever traveling east on Route 44 towards Amenia, NY, then chances are you’ve passed the Amenia Steak House. Located at the corner of Route 44 and Route 83, about one mile before the scenic overlook, the Amenia Steak House offers American cuisine in a cozy, atmospheric setting.
This is one of my […]
New Construction with big sky views in Salisbury
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Imagine a world…
Imagine a world full of peace. A world full of joy and acceptance. A world where, despite differences, people would work together for the greater good and discuss the beliefs and thoughts that they have different opinions on. A world that celebrates happiness, progress, differences, health and wellness, and is safe for all.
Imagine such a world…
My mind […]
Romeo & Sweetheart
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot
Election Stress Disorder
As of this moment, we have a week until voters head to the polls to elect the next president of these United States, with Election Day set for Tuesday, Nov. 5. Once every four years our political process opens up so registered voters, 18 and older, are given the privilege — and the responsibility — to do […]
Hammertown explains why it’s important to have a long-term plan and work on a path to growth
Hammertown is a lifestyle store and interior design service. With three locations – Pine Plains, Rhinebeck, NY, and Great Barrington, MA, – Hammertown has become a destination for customers from all over the northeast. They offer everything one might need to decorate a home, from furniture, rugs, and lighting to tabletop, decor, antiques, and gifts. […]
Four Silos Land Management advises looking for needs and trends and carrying as little debt as possible
Ancram, NY-based Four Silos Management LLC., was founded in 2020 by Mason Berlinghoff, and has since served Northern Dutchess, Columbia County, and surrounding areas. They focus on creating a refined product using their specialized equipment. They pride themselves on being efficient and ecologically oriented land stewards.
Their approach centers around forestry and excavation that starts with design. […]
Elyse Harney Real Estate emphasizes cultivating a tradition of trust and hard work
One can hardly travel anywhere today within our tri-corner area without seeing a property listed for sale by Elyse Harney Real Estate. Elyse Harney founded her real estate firm in 1987. “My husband, John, and I had been the innkeepers at the White Hart in Salisbury, CT, for over 23 years and were blasting off into […]
Berlinghoff Contracting Inc. says creating a great team and growing with your clients is pivotal
Berlinghoff Contracting Inc. was founded over 20 years ago by Tim and Viviann Berlinghoff. It is located in the heart of Pine Plains, NY, and provides all aspects of electrical service for both commercial and residential properties, Kohler generator sales, and service for all generator makes and models.
“Tim had worked in the electrician field for […]
Associated Lightning Rod’s key to success: Focus, work hard, and take care of your employees
Associated Lightning Rod Company based in Millerton, NY, provides lightning protection for both residential and commercial structures. Owner Rob Cooper reports the company has over 60 years and three generations of experience: “My father started the business in the 1950s, and I came on board in 1987,” Rob said. “In 2002 I took over and bought […]
Dear Main Street Magazine Readers
Dear Main Street Magazine readers,
First off, thank you so much for reading this issue that has turned into our largest issue to date at 84 pages. It was last spring that Viviann Berlinghoff called me up and asked if I’d ever consider featuring young entrepreneurs because she’s very passionate about the topic. After some brainstorming and then […]
The Future Workforce of America
Just like the real estate market and inflation, the job market has had its fair share of ups and downs in recent years. Recent college graduates and those with a few years of work experience under their belts have been met with quite a few challenges. For many, the pandemic interrupted their college experiences and […]
Pecan Sandies
JUNE RECIPE
In Business: Commercial Real Estate Roundup
The real estate market in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, and Litchfield hills has been on a wild ride. The pandemic fueled a lot of movement in the commercial and residential markets, and more recently, there’s been an uptick in demand for commercial real estate and mixed-use properties that can accommodate businesses and residents.
Although many businesses […]
The Curiosity of Collage – Vincent Inconiglios
Stepping into Vincent Inconiglios’s light-filled stone barn studio on Music Mountain in Falls Village, CT, reveals multimedia collages, gathered objects, and paintings. His curiosity and passion are infectious. He constantly considers his work and maneuvers pieces of recycled paper, as though he is forming thoughts on paper. Collage is the seed of his practice.
“Born […]
Rethinking the restaurant: After Hours founder Kevin Kelly brings creative dining experiences and community collaborations to Berkshire County
“I’m not a chef. I’m just a guy who loves to cook. And that, for me, is a huge reason why I wanted to do this,” says Kevin Kelly, founder and owner/operator of After Hours. “I really wanted to take on my own venture. I wanted to be able to have fun and cook and learn along […]
Colter Rule’s Autogalerie is a haven for car aficionados and collectors
24-year-old Colter Rule started his auto consignment business, Autogalerie, by accident. After stepping back from his previous startup, he realized that he wanted to do something with cars, but without a degree, he discovered quickly that he was a “difficult hire for an employer to justify.”
“I figured I would work at one of the online auction […]
A therapeutic hobby turned small business: Exploring the world of hand-beaded embroidery products with Beaded by Molly
22-year-old Molly Menniges, who hails from Falls Village, CT, launched Beaded by Molly this past June. Offering a unique selection of hand-beaded embroidery clothing and accessories, Molly explains what it’s been like turning her creative pursuits into a brand.
How did you come up with your business’s name and branding?
I always say if I hadn’t gone into interior […]
Offering everything Beneath the Moon: Mindy Holthe’s celestial, handmade jewelry creations
While Mindy Holthe had always considered herself a crafty, creative individual, it wasn’t until the pandemic struck in 2020 that simply dabbling in handmade jewelry-making and accessories transformed into a career opportunity.
The Rhinebeck, NY-based 25-year-old has been making earrings for herself to match her vibrant outfits and makeup since before the pandemic, with friends and colleagues often […]
Modernizing the barbershop experience with Bones Barber Co.
We caught up with 28-year-old Jordan Bonetsky of Bones Barber Collective in Hudson, NY, to learn about why he started his business, his experience in barbering, and what makes Bones Barber Co. special.
What is your business?
I own a barber shop called Bones Barber Collective. We officially opened in December of 2020, which I’m sure as you […]
Real estate agent Brierley Lloyd Hannan talks the power of motivation, creative branding, & the keys to a career in this important industry
Falls Village, CT, native Brierley Lloyd Hannan loves working with people, which inspired her to begin a career as a real estate agent. Shortly after becoming licensed in February 2024, she joined William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty.
The 23-year-old notes that as a graduate of Endicott College with a BS in exercise science, she was initially reluctant to […]
Blending mental wellness and herbalism with Brooke’s Botanicals
“I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was a child. I grew up wanting to make my career out of things that I enjoy doing,” said 33-year-old Brooke Bridges, a mental health speaker and owner of Brooke’s Botanicals.
Brooke started dabbling in herbalism in 2016, but immersed herself more fully when she was pregnant with her first child […]
A local couple who’s going viral: Callie and DeeDee on their success as social media influencers & how they stay motivated as creators
When Callie and DeeDee Davis first created their TikTok account in February of this year, they didn’t have hopes of going viral. They relied on trial and error and didn’t necessarily set out to make comedy content or even couples content. Callie initially posted tons of videos, both alone and with DeeDee, but was more focused on […]
Gillian Osnato’s Candy-O’s is the resident retro candy haven in Millerton, NY
During the pandemic, 35-year-old Gillian Osnato recognized that more and more people were being drawn to Millerton, NY. Its growing popularity has made the town a true destination. “I thought that every vacation spot needed a charming candy and ice cream store,” Gillian describes. “So, I decided to go for it!”
While working with her father at his […]
Anna Kallajian’s CrochetbyAK shines the spotlight on fiber arts
23-year-old Connecticut-based artist Anna Kallajian started crocheting back in 2020 during the pandemic. What initially began as a hobby to remain creative quickly snowballed into a business.
“Right off the bat, I knew I didn’t want to exclusively sell crocheted and knitted items. Oftentimes, they’re expensive because they are such a labor of love,” Anna said. “Accessibility […]
Four Silos LLC owner Mason Berlinghoff on navigating a constantly evolving industry & a business partnership close to home
21-year-old Mason Berlinghoff launched Four Silos Land Management LLC in 2020. The Amenia, NY, native talks about the intricacies of owning and operating the business, which has a primary focus on land management work including excavation, forestry, and gardening.
How did you decide to start this business? How did you come up with the business’ name and branding?
I […]
Carrying on a legacy: Michael Fournier of Fournier’s Lawn Care
Michael Fournier has been taking care of lawns since he was eight years old. The 30-year-old started working with his grandfather, Leonard “Lenny” Fournier, as a kid, and following his graduation from high school, he started his own lawn care business in 2012, appropriately named Fournier’s Lawn Care.
“I’ve done this my whole life,” he said. “My […]
Independent musician Glori Wilder talks songwriting inspiration, booking gigs, and her new album
22-year-old Glori Wilder has music in her blood. She wrote her first song when she was seven, and at age 19, she was officially signed to a record label. Now an independent artist, Glori is reshaping her identity and gearing up to release her first project since leaving her label.
“Glori is obviously a stage name,” she […]
New to the Industry: Salon owner and hair stylist Kayleigh Greene talks about designing her space & the courage of entrepreneurship
22-year-old East Canaan, CT, native Kayleigh Greene shares what it’s been like owning Industry Salon Studio, located in Canton, CT. The salon, which specializes in custom color and IBE extensions, opened a little over a year ago in April 2023.
How did you come up with your business’ name and branding?
I had a hard time coming up with […]
Totally Metal: Kody Goddard of KG Fabrication talks prioritizing client relationships and evolving as a business owner
28-year-old Kody Goddard discusses his metal fabrication and welding business, KG Fabrication, located in Ashley Falls, MA.
When did you start KG Fabrication and how did you come up with the name and branding?
I formed a DBA for KG Fabrication in 2016 when I was two years out of high school. I spent countless days and nights […]
Keegan Donovan’s Millbrook Beef + Dairy
22-year-old Keegan Donovan and her husband Brian are first generation farmers. Keegan had worked on farms while she was in high school, but she attended college for nursing and was working as a nurse when the pandemic hit. Brian, who had been milking cows commercially and shipping milk to distributors, suddenly found himself having to cut back […]
Farm to face: Harri Magaldi’s My Neighbor’s Tallow
30-year-old Harri Magaldi started My Neighbor’s Tallow in May of 2024. When her daughter presented symptoms of eczema, Harri wanted to find a way to treat it without using steroid creams. Instead, in the fall of 2023, she began experimenting in the kitchen to create an all-natural balm to help soothe her daughter’s skin. She works closely […]
Fred Kristjansson of Nailed It Building talks modern construction, large-scale projects, and building it right the first time
A passion for construction design, building, and renovations inspired 36-year-old Fred Kristjansson to found Nailed It Building & Construction in 2011.
Fred obtained his associate’s degree in business from Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, NY, and while in college, he began working for other construction companies and getting as much work experience under his toolbelt as possible, […]
All natural, gourmet dog treats at Percy’s Cookie Jar
33-year-old Elizabeth Vincent discusses making natural, gourmet dog treats, getting a small business off of the ground, and the dog that inspired it all.
Can you please introduce us to your business and the inspiration for it? Also, tell us about the name and branding?
I own Percy’s Cookie Jar, a gourmet, all-natural, homemade dog treat business. […]
Many irons in the fire: How Pig Iron Films’ Ted Perotti provides vibrant storytelling and filmmaking expertise
Ted Perotti launched Pig Iron Films in North Canaan, CT, in the summer of 2020. As a freelance filmmaker and independent contractor, Ted seeks to do more than simply record videos by going above and beyond to illustrate a strong narrative for his clientele. “Anyone can create videos or reels for social media,” says Ted. “I tell […]
Sustainable, accessible second-hand shopping at Shoppe Girl
Are you looking for clothes that are affordable, yet trendy? Sustainable, but cool? Quality, but good for the environment? If so, consignment boutique Shoppe Girl, on East Market Street in Red Hook, NY, might be for you.
Starting a business in the midst of a global pandemic might not seem like a very economical (no pun intended) […]
Crafting natural skincare with Simplye Suds
Gabrielle Garcia, 29, talks about creating natural and sustainable skincare, crafting the perfect product, and being a lifelong learner.
What is your business, and what led you to it? How did you come up with its name and branding?
I own a natural and organic soap and body care business called Simplye Suds. I started the business in […]
The Bar on West & Main
30-year-old Alexandra Occhicone and 31-year-old Arianna Milanese always wanted to open their own restaurant and bar, but the opportunity didn’t arise until the middle of 2022 when they found the perfect location for rent off of West Road in Pleasant Valley, NY. What followed was a seven-month process that included renovating and custom building the space, obtaining […]
Filmmaker Eli Hill’s Stone House Films curates a nature-inspired, movement-based perspective of video production
Earlier this year, 24-year-old Eli Hill began Stone House Films, a video production company specializing in branded documentary, dance, and music. The Sharon, CT, native began working in freelance video and photography in the midst of studying at the University of Vermont, where he earned a BS in food systems and community development.
Indeed, while his current work […]
Spreading the love with Tea Jams: William and Heidi Schneider blend delectable tea mixtures, organic fruit jams, and a passion for their product
“We set out to marry the sophisticated elegance of fine tea with the comforting tradition of homemade jam,” explains Tea Jams owners William and Heidi Schneider.
Launched by now 37-year-old West Cornwall, CT, native William in 2021, Tea Jams began with the goal of creating organic, low-sugar fruit jams infused with captivating tea blends. Made in small batches […]
Kori Rimany’s the english teacher candle co.
28-year-old Kori Rimany’s business started with a tomato-scented candle. One of her close friends gifted her a tomato-vine candle, and when Kori attempted to purchase another, she discovered that the business had closed. When she fell short in finding an adequate replacement, she decided to try her hand at making one herself.
Her first candle, the Skiff […]
Learning with the land at Thistle Pass Farm
33-year-old Ellie Brown owns and operates Thistle Pass Farm in Millerton, NY, a farm that grows vegetables, flowers, and herbs.
When did you start Thistle Pass Farm?
I started Thistle Pass Farm in January of 2023. The opportunity came up to lease the piece of land that I’m on, so that was […]
Discovering things to do and places to go in the Mid-Hudson Valley with Top Secret Folder
33-year-old Lucy SST started Top Secret Folder, a guide to local attractions, in early 2022. She had been working for a farm in Pine Plains, NY, where she encountered many visitors asking for restaurant and shop recommendations in the area. Upon discovering that no resource provided a comprehensive list of things to do in the immediate area, […]
Former NBA player Tyler Lydon provides basketball training in the Hudson Valley
28-year-old Tyler Lydon talks about his time in the NBA and how he’s brought his expertise home to work with students of all ages.
Can you tell us a bit about your business?
I own a basketball training business called Tyler Lydon Basketball Training, which I started in May of this year after my previous business partners and […]
Venturing out: Annie Johnson’s training business fosters thriving relationships between dogs and their owners
In August 2020, dog trainer Annie Johnson began Venture Out Dog Training, based in Norfolk, CT. Originally from the Poconos in Pennsylvania, the 32-year-old discusses her Board and Train program, wherein Annie takes clients’ dogs into her home for a two-week training session and then shows owners how to maintain what their dogs have learned.
How did you […]
36 Acres in Ancram, NY
DEAL OF THE WEEK
“Hillsdale in the 1930s – A Swinging Town!” depicts life in Hillsdale, NY, in the 1930s
“Hillsdale in the 1930s – A Swinging Town!,” a 22-minute documentary of footage filmed in Hillsdale, NY, between 1936 and 1938, will premiere on Saturday, November 2, at the Hillsdale Town Hall.
The historical value of the film
The original film footage was shot by an unknown filmmaker, and was in the possession of Palmer […]
Jeeves
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Finger Lakes Wines
Scenic Hudson’s Northside Hub project will reinvigorate Poughkeepsie neighborhood, bringing sustainability and support to the greater community
Scenic Hudson’s transformation of the 58 Parker Avenue property in Poughkeepsie, NY—“one of the most significant and transformational projects in its 60-year history”—aims to reimagine the former Standard Gage Factory site. The organization hopes to complete this monumental renovation by summer 2025.
Not only […]
Stressing Meowt!
Hi furriends! Sorry if it looks like I’m flipping the bird, but I am starting to feel seasonal stress sneaking up on me and I think talking it out might help?
Furrist and foremost—I know I go through this evfurry year, but I still don’t have a Halloween costume picked out. The time crunch is really stressing meowt, […]
An Evening with Sturgill Simpson at Forest Hills Stadium
In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2021, country music artist Sturgill Simpson stated that he was done making albums under his own name, following the release of his 2021 album The Ballad of Dood and Juanita.
“I always said there would be five, and I wondered if […]
Jace
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Colonial in Norfolk, CT
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Willow
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Tomasello Raspberry Wine
Clock Tower Grill celebrates food and farming in Brewster
At Clock Tower Grill, in Brewster, NY, owners Rich and Cassie Parente serve New American cuisine and source ingredients from 35 local farmers and artisans within a 70-mile radius, including their own farm, Clock Tower Farm.
When Rich and Cassie Parente opened Clock Tower Grill in March of 2013, their idea was to create a restaurant […]
Peanut
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Landmark Red from Whitecliff Winery
Silo Gallery presents “Thread and Canvas” on November 16
Silo Gallery in Middleburgh, NY, presents “Thread and Canvas,” in collaboration with artist Clare Watt, on November 16. Silo Gallery is housed in a 19th-century barn nestled in Upstate New York, a “region where quilting has been a long-standing tradition and cultural staple.”
“Thread and Canvas” is Silo Gallery’s fifth exhibition and was curated […]
Mabel & Theodore
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Silo Ridge Community Foundation brings elite show jumping to Amenia, NY
On October 4, 5, and 6, the Silo Ridge Community Foundation is hosting the Silo Ridge Masters, an elite show jumping competition featuring world ranked athletes and national classes for top junior and amateur riders, at Keane Stud in Amenia, NY, near Silo Ridge Field Club.
In addition to the competitive festivities, there are […]
Abilities First launches Abilibee app to empower individuals with developmental disabilities
Abilities First – a Hudson Valley nonprofit provider of educational, vocational, residential, and community-based services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families – launched a free, innovative app named Abilibee on September 26.
With funding from the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the app will transform the ways in […]
Hopkins Vineyard Duet
Sustainable, local skincare brands My Neighbor’s Tallow and Mask Skincare collaborate on new product
Sarah Mirsini, founder of MASK Skincare, and Harri Magaldi, founder of My Neighbor’s Tallow, have collaborated on a new skincare product – a Sea Buckthorn & Geranium Facial Tallow Balm.
MASK Skincare – based in the Catskills – was founded in 2019 by Sarah Mirsini, a certified herbalist and holistic wellness educator. As a […]
Alan Cumming performs his cabaret show “UNCUT” at the Stissing Center
Alan Cumming brought his brand-new solo cabaret show “UNCUT,” with Henry Koperski at the piano, to the Stissing Center for Arts & Culture in Pine Plains, NY, this past Saturday.
Actor and author, Alan began his career in his native Scotland, but gained prominence for his role as The Master of Ceremonies in the […]
A conversation with New York Times best-selling author and history-inspired creator Daniel M. Lavery on the intricacies of his upcoming novel release, Women’s Hotel
With his upcoming novel, Women’s Hotel, releasing on October 15th, Daniel M. Lavery shares his approach to the writing process, what inspired his interest in women’s hotels, and the details of his work’s pertinent themes. Read on to learn more about an exciting event, in which Lavery will be in conversation with Alexis Coe, on the day […]
Reaching Higher Love: Exploring the writing journey, practicing self-acceptance, & finding true love
When writer, Interfaith Minister, and entrepreneur Anne (pronounced “Annie”) Kiehl Friedman began writing her memoir, Higher Love: a psychedelic travel memoir of heartbreak and healing, she embarked on a journey to rediscover her voice.
Friedman describes herself as having always been a journaler, using the medium to understand herself and move forward in light of her thoughts and […]
Connecting Columbia County: A stalled Harlem Valley Rail Trail bridge & its impact on Hillsdale, NY
Recently, community attention has revisited a long-awaited, but undeveloped, project to construct a connecting bridge for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. With this bridge completed, the rail trail would connect Hillsdale to the approximately 24-mile section of already-built trail and the 1.5 mile section that runs from the Hillsdale Hamlet south towards Copake Falls. The expected benefits […]
A Lot to Learn: Artificial Intelligence and Education
What, essentially, is intelligence? The longer we spend on this earth, the more nuanced our definitions become as they incorporate qualities such as intellect, emotion, and insightfulness, some of which can be cultivated while others seem innate, native. For as long as students have attended school, formal education has attempted to inculcate the markers of intelligence in […]
Golf Course Design
Here we are, trusty weapon in hand, standing in the tee box of the 12th hole at Quaking Catalpas Country Club, gazing off in some vague direction of where we imagine our destination might be lurking around the corner behind trees so tall they’ve likely been around since the Martin Van Buren administration, a patch of tall […]
Skating, Theater, and Art Mix with Mixed Media Artist David Tankersley
What do an ice-skating competitor and instructor, roller skating coach, theater performer and choreographer, floral arranger, singer with a country album, and mixed-media artist have in common? They’re all together in one talented man, David “Tank” Tankersley.
Tankersley is originally from New Orleans. After a move to Tennessee, he started ice skating at age 13 and “never stopped.” […]
Tarot, Astrology & Self-Discovery at Tarot in Thyme in Kent, CT
Regina Olson is an intuitive tarot and astrology reader who owns Tarot in Thyme in Kent, CT. Tarot cards serve as tools of fortune-telling and self-discovery and are said to offer valuable information about our present, past, and future. Tarot has been around for hundreds of years and was previously tied into various religions, but Regina […]
Hudson Hall: A Place Designed to Bring the Arts Alive for All
For anyone interested in exploring art and design in the Hudson Valley, Hudson Hall on Warren Street in Hudson, NY, is a must. Extra-special for October is the Hudson Jazz Festival, happening October 4 through 6, both in and around the Hall, with a special Community Day kick-off on September 28.
About the space
Hudson Hall is a […]
T’is the Season
The buses are coming! The buses are coming!
Welcome to October in eastern New York, western Connecticut and Massachusetts, and Vermont. Welcome to the cavalcade of Vanhool, MCI and Prevost motor coaches rolling up and down Route 7 and Route 22, crossing the Mass Pike, winding up to Maine, crossing through New Hampshire and back, all in honor […]
Shoemaker: Millbrook-Based Paper Artist Linda Filley
Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, and Chanel. For every fabulous shoe out there, there’s an enthusiast eager to slip her foot inside to determine if that magic slipper suits her style.
Renowned aficionados range from the real world’s Imelda Marcos – the Philippines’ former First Lady who amassed a collection of more than 3,000 pairs of shoes […]
Antique Houses and Their Passionate Owners
There is a community, a bond, a passion that some describe as an addiction, among the buyers and preservers of antique houses. They are not flippers or investors but regard themselves as guardians of architectural and community history, who share techniques and stories of their homes and structures built before indoor plumbing and electricity arrived.
What qualifies as […]
Plum & Apple Crisp
JUNE RECIPE
Grey House Publishing
When you go through the traffic light in Amenia, NY, you may notice a church lacking any religious hint with a very small sign by the entrance that spells out “Grey House Publishing.” This month’s Main Street interview with Leslie Mackenzie, co-founder and owner with her late husband Richard “Dick” Gottlieb, explains what this mysterious enterprise […]
Art is the Seed of Everything: A Conversation with Artists, Designers, and Architects Pilar Proffitt and Rob Bristow
What initially brought you to this area?
PP: The connection is a good friend whose family has a house in Norfolk, CT; Lucy and I went to college together. Her father, Pete Anderson, an architect, connected Rob and me. I went on a sailing trip with Pete and his family and was somewhat seasick, so he and […]
Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground restore and repair degraded monuments and gravestones in North East
Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground is a nonprofit organization based in Millerton and North East, NY whose volunteers are dedicated to the restoration and repair of the degraded monuments and gravestones at Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground.
About Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground
Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground is located on Merwin Road and is one of […]
300 Acre Wilderness Minutes from Great Barrington
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Under the Sun at Furnace Art on Paper Archive
As we embrace the fall, the trees colorfully dress themselves in their final attire before the winter, when their leaves gracefully return to the earth. This season of change, closing one chapter and opening another, is reflected in the current exhibition at Furnace Art on Paper Archive in Falls Village, CT.
This group of artists have chosen paper […]
Doc Holiday
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial
Charmed by Clairo: Understanding her evolution as an artist and the essence of her live performance at NYC’s Webster Hall
Clairo has well and truly enchanted audiences since she fully broke onto the bedroom pop scene in 2017. In early tracks, like “Pretty Girl,” her light, clear voice shines over the synth-y, low quality-sounding instrumentals characteristic of the genre.
As Ruby Crowhurst explains in an article on music and pop culture blog […]
Danish, Cinnamon Roll, & Brownie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
70 Acre Property in Sharon
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Lucy
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Franz Nicolay’s “Band People: Life and Work in Popular Music” paints a portrait of the musical middle class
On Thursday, September 26 at 6:30pm, author and musician Franz Nicolay will be in conversation with fellow journalist and author Joe Hagan at Morton Memorial Library in Rhinecliff, NY, to discuss the release of his new book, Band People: Life and Work in Popular Music.
The book provides a portrait of the […]
Whitecliff Winery Vidal Blanc
We wine lovers can be glad that all things pumpkin spiced haven’t found their way into our beverage of choice – yet! Apple, on the other hand, is a common flavor note in wine that is thoroughly delightful. A grape that grows well in the Hudson Valley and that has lovely notes of golden apple is Vidal […]
A Close Call
Mom loves her job and has received many compliments fur her advertising assistance. You might be surpurrised to know, but she sometimes jokes that she missed her calling in life as a doctor. She often knows how to treat certain illnesses without even seeing an actual doctor…the only thing she’s lacking is the white coat, […]
Dove Creek Lodge in Elizaville
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Pongo & Rex
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
“Hudson Valley Abstractions” on Display at Mad Rose Gallery
Mad Rose Gallery’s new exhibition, “Hudson Valley Abstractions,” opened on August 30 and will run through October 6. The exhibit features paintings and ceramic works from three local artists: Ginny Howsam-Friedman, Basia Goldsmith, and Josh Nathanson.
Ginny Howsam-Friedman
A painter, Ginny received a BFA with honors from Pratt Institute and has studied at a variety […]
Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling
Sunshine and blue skies! Let’s linger in summer with a chilled white wine. A semi-dry Riesling is wonderful this time of year. It goes with everything from grilled chicken to apple pie with a slice of melted cheddar on top. New York State is known around the world for producing exceptional Rieslings out of the Finger Lakes. […]
TB Ward’s Professional Human Opens at Upstream Gallery
English artist TB Ward’s fourth solo show, Professional Human, opens at Upstream Gallery at Hastings-on-Hudson on October 3.
About the show
The show utilizes classic portrait format to explore the 21st century idea of a personal brand. A press release about the show states, “It asks whether our value and relevance […]
37 Acres Along the Konkapot River
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Mid Century Perfection in Pine Plains
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Domino
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Hermann J. Wiemer Field Wine
I’m hanging on to summer as long as I can, and white wines help me stay in a summer frame of mind. The other night I opened a bottle of Hermann J. Wiemer Field, a white wine blend from this iconic Finger Lakes winery on the shores of Seneca Lake. Wiemer was a pioneer in the Finger […]
Album Review: The Lowdown Drifters blend old and new country on In Time
The Lowdown Drifters, a Texas-based band blending country, rock, and Americana, are releasing their third album, In Time, on October 25.
“The epitome of a rock band with a fiddle problem,” is how the Lowdown Drifters describe themselves on their website. The band consists of Big John Cannon on vocals […]
Twisted Sisters Coffee House: A coffee-lover’s atmospheric oasis in Hillsdale, NY
One early evening this summer, as I was picking up a pulled pork sandwich and burger to-go from Roe Jan Brewing Company in Hillsdale, NY, I noticed that the adjacent dark blue building – with its yellow accented windows, grape-colored door, and assortment of potted flowers and pastel garden gnomes out front – was open for business. […]
Summer People
It is, as we are confident you’re aware, September. For those still in the swirl of the academic calendar, it’s a new year. Although some locales have opted to begin classes in late August, the end of summer and the beginning of school have long been associated with Labor Day. Decades after graduation, there is still a […]
Take a Smaller View: The Long Trail
Sometime around last Christmas, it became apparent that I would have a window of time this summer to dispense with as I saw fit. Things playing out as they usually do during the holidays, I began to plan for the best use of that time that I could imagine: a hermitage far from mankind or any […]
Forbidden Fruit: C. Cassis Ferments Blackcurrant Aperitif in Rhinebeck
Blackcurrants might not be on the list of fruits you consume regularly, but did you know that they’re the most nutritious berry? Did you also know that blackcurrants were outlawed in the United States until 2003? They were deemed to be a potential threat to white pine, and as such, any kind of production with blackcurrants […]
Woman of Interest: About Tracy O’Neill’s latest memoir release and her experiences as an author and academic
On Thursday, September 12 at 6pm, author Tracy O’Neill will be in conversation with Jonathan Lee at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY, to discuss the release of her new book, Woman of Interest. After reading this compelling memoir, I had the honor of speaking with O’Neill herself to learn more about her life, writing process, and the […]
The Klocke Estate: Magnificent & Magical
I had the pleasure of meeting John Frishkopf and Brett Mattingly, partners in life and business, in 2016 in their early days of exploring the Hudson Valley for a suitable location to start a bona fide brandy distillery. John visited the Hudson-Chatham Winery in Ghent, NY, where we had lots of Baco Noir grapes in the ground […]
Fall Into a Great Read at Rough Draft Bar & Books
As we transition into autumn, most of us return to some type of routine. For many, the fall season marks an official slowdown. The frenetic pace of squeezing so many activities such as swimming, hiking, and kayaking into long summer days, quickly comes to a halt. School returns, the number of invites to weekend barbecues […]
Door number one, or…?
In 1925, the world was all shiny and new again. The “War to End All Wars” had receded from the forefront of minds, and life could hardly be better for many, as the Roaring Twenties were in full swing. The Jazz Age, baby!
But now we’re looking 2025 in the eye and the burning question of the day […]
Taconic Distillery Celebrates Ten Years in the Hudson Valley
If you find yourself traveling on Bulls Head Road in Stanfordville, NY, you’ll likely find pass a sign for Taconic Distillery. A bit off the beaten path, the distillery, which is located on Bowen Road, is a community hub that is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
Owners Paul and Carol Ann Coughlin previously resided in […]
All about medical aesthetics at Tyte Medispa in Millbrook
Tyte Medispa founder, Lily Al-Nemri, is considered one of the pioneers of aesthetic medicine in the Hudson Valley. She opened her first medical spa location in Hopewell Junction in 2004, and since then, has rebranded, expanded service offerings, and moved her businesses to Millbrook, NY. This October, Lily will be celebrating 20 years of bringing medical aesthetics […]
There’s Something About Rhinebeck: Real Estate in the Village of Rhinebeck, NY
Some real estate agents have remarked, “If clients can’t afford Rhinebeck, they buy in Millerton,” due to the similar character and structure of these two Dutchess County villages, the latter being smaller in scale, size, and population. Over the last ten years, all walkable villages and hamlets with an active center have become more sought after, […]
When children become caretakers: Role reversal
A funny thing happens to children as they age – many find themselves becoming caretakers to their aging parents. While it can be a natural progression to take on these added responsibilities and many do so out of love, respect, and compassion, the role reversal can be stressful, confusing, and sometimes frustrating.
For children living in oblivion unaware […]
Homemade Granola
JUNE RECIPE
Frances Grace and Her Sweet Flower Farm
Frances Grace came in from the fields and sat down to talk over her kitchen table at Sweet Flower Farm in Copake one weekday afternoon. Her four-year-old son, Percy, played nearby with a spider he had made out of an egg carton and purple pipe cleaners. Her husband offered us some cookies from Camphill. Frances and […]
Dancing in a Mythical World – Sara Nesbitt
Through her multidisciplinary practice, Sara Nesbitt investigates historical places and narratives, touching on the current and the past. Her substantial drawing works depict animals and figures metaphorically dancing and chasing each other through the landscape; these scenes are all influenced by places Nesbitt has lived in in her travels. Ubiquitous architectural sites depict ‘the pulse of […]
21 Acre Parcel in Northeast
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Conundrum Wines
Is it summer? Is it fall? Is it time to get out the sweaters and put away the white pants and shorts? What a conundrum. Hey, there’s a wine for that. A really good one. Actually, two of them, both really good. If you’re feeling the this-way or that-way of this time of year, pour yourself a […]
Chloe
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Album Review: Post Malone makes his country debut with F-1 Trillion
Post Malone’s country debut encapsulates the sound of Nashville and mainstream country, with a little honky tonk flair and a healthy dose of help from other popular country artists.
Country music is all the rage right now, and for good reason. It seems that country has finally been able to burst through the doors that previously […]
Creed Brings the Summer of ’99 to Saratoga
It’s concert time again. Can you guess where I went? Saratoga Performing Arts Center, of course. Can you guess who I saw? Creed!
My parents and I headed towards SPAC on Saturday afternoon for the Summer of ‘99 tour, featuring Creed as the headliner and 3 Doors Down and Finger […]
Nyla
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Townscape of Millerton and North East – Celebrating 25 Years
Townscape, a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that focuses on community beautification and revitalization in Millerton, NY, is celebrating its 25th year! Townscape was originally founded by Catherine Fenn – along with Renee Vollen and Jan Gilmor – as a volunteer committee in 1998, and was adopted by the Village of Millerton as a nonprofit entity in […]
Housatonic Valley Association receives grant to expand Connections Program
The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), a conservation organization dedicated to the tri-state Housatonic watershed, has recently received a grant of nearly $100,000 from the Long Island Sound Study Community Impact Fund and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The grant was awarded through Restore America’s Estuaries, a non-profit conservation organization that is dedicated to […]
Eight Acres in Pine Plains
DEAL OF THE WEEK
This year’s Chad Malarchuk Scholarship Tournament
This Thursday, August 29th, starting at 9am, the Hillsdale Fire Company and Copake Country Club will be hosting the Chad Malarchuk Scholarship Tournament 2024. The tournament’s chicken BBQ, offering half chicken meals with all the fixings, will be held the same day, with takeout starting at 3pm.
Each year since 2018, the Chad Malarchuk Scholarship has awarded $1,000 […]
Stuart
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Mirabeau’s Forever Summer Rose
I know several people who are headed off to vacation next week, another reminder that summer is coming to an end. Summer is my favorite season, so to keep those vibes going, I’m turning to a bottle of Mirabeau’s Forever Summer Rose. This wine is a winner in so many ways – first, that it keeps the […]
Additional fundraising efforts for Kemmerer Farm
On Thursday, July 18, Kemmerer Farm, a 100-acre hay farm located in Stanfordville, NY, suffered a massive fire that devastated the farm, took out three barns, and destroyed all of their trucks and tractors, other farming equipment, and their office.
Kemmerer Farm has been in existence for over 100 years, and generations of Kemmerer’s […]
Understanding today’s car sales industry with Lann Rubin II of North East Ford
The market for buying a car has changed significantly in recent years. Between the effects of the pandemic and other major shifts, the industry’s sales are not what they used to be. Lann Rubin II, founder and owner of North East Ford in Millerton, NY, shares about the current state of the car market and […]
Scoobie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Four Winds Farm in Cornwall
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Harmony
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
My Golden Birthday
Surpurrise! I just couldn’t wait until next week’s normally scheduled post to celebrate with you all. What are we celebrating you ask? It’s my golden birthday today! That’s right, I’m turning fifteen on the fifteenth! That’s a grand total of three pity-paws and one toe bean if you’re counting along with me.
I’ve been too busy […]
Freakshow Zinfandel
Are you as sad as I am that the Olympic games in Paris are over? I was as over-the-top about them as Jimmy Fallon was as he co-hosted the closing ceremonies. Well, it’s on to Los Angeles in 2028. So let’s embrace that with the same enthusiasm that Tom Cruise brought to it, ziplining into the Stade […]
Panacea builds a menu around seasonality in Amenia
Panacea (pronounced pan-uh-see-uh) is the newest restaurant in Amenia, NY. The name has Greek roots and means “the cure all” or the “remedy.” Panacea owners Jake Somers and Khendum Namgyal (who are also engaged!) purchased the building, which previously served as Serevan, a Mediterranean restaurant, from chef Serge Madikians.
They were operating on a […]
Trotwood Restaurant at the Glen Falls House
Last week, Lindsey and I decided to travel across the river to visit the Glen Falls House in Round Top, NY. It had been a minute since I had been over to Greene County, and I can honestly say that I forgot just how beautiful the Catskill Mountains are. I had heard about the Glen […]
Creating the high ground: Gardening around record rainfalls
By FireDean Schilling
There is a saying among horticultural pros: “Plant it high, it won’t die. Plant it low, it won’t grow.” Never before has this been more true. Violent rains are the new normal – remember July and August? Once upon a time, these were the two months that Mother Nature would […]
“Soft Animals” on display at Bes in Millerton
“Soft Animals,” a curated show of ceramic, textile, video, and painted pieces, is now on display at Bes in Millerton, NY. Curated by owner and ceramicist Erica Recto, the show features the artwork of seven different local artists, including Recto, all of whom are mothers.
About the show
The show is titled “Soft Animals,” after […]
Country Retreat on 10 Acres
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Lana
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Contra Naturam at ICEHOUSE Project Space
I was invited to a unique preview of this upcoming show, Contra Naturam, at ICEHOUSE Project Space. For the uninitiated, this is an intimate space where artist KK Kozik invites artists to install, perform, and collaborate with the original ICEHOUSE on her property in Sharon, CT.
This is not just a work of art, but a collaborative […]
Joshua Frankel’s One and the same body at Standard Space
Joshua Frankel’s Exposed to everything and attracting everyone
Joshua Frankel is a visual artist, animator, and director who grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, NY. He lives at the Wassaic Project with his wife and artist, Eve Biddle. His current show, One and the same body, at Standard […]
Marigold Bridal reimagines the wedding gown search in the Hudson Valley
In August 2023, Shveta Boisson launched Marigold Bridal, located in Stanfordville, NY. With a collective 20 years in the fashion and bridal industries, Shveta had acute awareness of the bridal shopping experience, as well as the wedding gown’s typically short life cycle. While there is a vast market for second-hand wedding gowns online, Shveta acknowledges […]
Muscadet de Sevres
Oh no, the Olympics are over on Sunday! Waste no time in reaching for more French wine! How about a crisp, refreshing, and lastingly lovely white wine? It’s a Muscadet de Sevres et Maine sur Lie. That’s a very long name for a wine, and it’s worth getting to know. The Muscadet is not what we associate […]
Romance Community Interviews: Author Alexandra Hale
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. For this month’s issue, we took a look at the entire romance bookish community and what makes it so special […]
Romance Community Interviews: Bookfluencers Lisa Gray & Merrit Townsend
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Spacious Contemporary in the Center of Litchfield
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Romance Community Interviews: Reader Lakshmi Praveen
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Author Nicole Abrams
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. For this month’s issue, we took a look at the entire romance bookish community and what makes it so special […]
North East Ford Car & Motorcycle Show on August 4
Mark your calendars and start your engines! On Sunday, August 4th from 12pm-4pm, North East Ford in Millerton, NY, will be holding their second annual Car & Motorcycle Show. You won’t want to miss out on the fun!
Owner of North East Ford, Lann Rubin II, describes the atmosphere of the event as more […]
Rain
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Romance Community Interviews: Reader Cait
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Photographer Michelle Lancaster
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Reader Evelyn
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Bookfluencer Mindy Menotti
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Author Lyra Parish
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. For this month’s issue, we took a look at the entire romance bookish community and what makes it so special […]
Romance Community Interviews: Reader Sherrece Tanner
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Photographer Wander Aguiar
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Bookfluencer Brittany McKeel
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Autumn Sexton & Wordsmith Publicity
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing […]
Romance Community Interviews: Author Carolina Jax
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. For this month’s issue, we took a look at the entire romance bookish community and what makes it so special […]
Internationally Best-Selling Romance Novelist TL Swan’s Career is a Lesson in Perseverance and Authenticity
TL Swan’s career as an independently published romance author began when she found a diary, sitting at the bottom of a moving box that she didn’t recognize, with a pen wedged in between the pages.
Fourteen years ago, Swan purchased a business with her husband and the two endured great financial hardship as a result. Having […]
A Return to Reading Romance: Exploring the Genre’s Avid Popularity and What Makes Romance So Special
Last August, in honor of Romance Awareness Month and Read-A-Romance Month, I wrote an article for Main Street highlighting the insights and accomplishments of independently published romance novelists AK Landow, Brooke O’Brien, Jade Dollston, and Maggie Rawdon. According to market research company Circana (formerly IRI Worldwide and The NPD Group), US print romance sales increased to […]
Say Whut?
Let’s get this out of the way before anyone gets the misguided idea this is some sort of scholarly piece: I am most decidedly not a grammarian, or much of any other kind of marian. If anything, I’m a whatinhellisgoingonherearian who may possess at least a passing familiarity with this readin’ ‘n’ writin’ thing, and as such […]
Herbalism Education with Foliage Botanics
Hannah Schiller is a clinical, community herbalist and ecologist and owner of Foliage Botanics in Pine Plains, NY. Hannah believes that herbal knowledge and land connection is a birthright and that everyone deserves access to affordable, empowering, and supportive healthcare.
What is herbalism, you ask? Hannah describes it as follows: “Herbalism is essentially the practice […]
August Reverie
After spending many decades in the tri-state area (we refuse to divulge the number for fear it might incriminate us), we have come to relish the celebrations of August. With summer in full swing and vacation days invested in golf and swimming and boating and bicycling and simply soaking up the sun, it is time to add […]
Cooper’s Daughter Crafts Smooth Spirits in Claverack
Take a drive down the single-lane gravel path off of State Route 23 in Claverack, NY, and you’ll find yourself greeted with warm restored barns, a cocktail garden with an abundance of seating, and – of course – spirits aplenty.
Cooper’s Daughter Spirits, located at Olde York Farm, is a woman-owned and family-operated distillery, cooperage, and […]
The White Hart Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary
The White Hart in Salisbury, CT, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Originally built as a farmhouse in 1806, the White Hart underwent a large-scale renovation in 2010 and officially reopened its doors in 2014.
The White Hart boasts 16 guest rooms, three dining rooms, a taproom with a full-service bar, two outdoor dining patios, […]
On a Mission: The Covet Collective in Rhinebeck, NY
Fashionistas who are looking to stock up on fall faves should certainly shop at The Covet Collective – a Rhinebeck-based boutique that opened in April 2024. Yvette Rogers and Kerry Lee Zeff are the girl power and creative energy behind this new retail destination, which offers sustainable, ethical goods.
For this duo, dreams really do come […]
I Thrifted It! An Investigation Into the World of Secondhand Clothes Shopping
Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with a bit of a germ problem. Particularly when the pandemic hit, and I barely did anything outside the house, my concern whenever I did branch out was underscored by the threat of getting sick. My approach to fending off the virus, besides masks, looked like: Purell application before and after […]
Sharon, CT Real Estate Market
What’s happened in the last five years
Exactly five years ago, Main Street Magazine looked at the Town of Sharon and its real estate market. Today, we wondered if anything had changed in this New England town. Was traditional Sharon the same place post-COVID? Had Sharon maintained its character and quiet demeanor? Did anything change in the real […]
Chicken Burgers with Garlic Scape Pesto
JUNE RECIPE
Jason Jobson of The Dutchess Trading Company on Millerton’s New General Store
There’s a new store in Millerton in the renovated building on Main Street that had been Terni’s for over a hundred years. We talked with Jason Jobson, one of the partners in the endeavor, along with Richard Lambertson and Christophe Pourny, one hot July morning before the store opened for the day.
How did you come up with […]
The Accidental Ceramicist – Josh Nathanson
It is a hot summer morning, and I am heading to interview Josh Nathanson, a ceramicist from Cape Town in South Africa who now lives near Stanfordville, NY. Josh and his husband Brett ran Gallery and Goods in Pine Plains, NY, for several years as an outlet for local artists, including themselves, to show their work. […]
Côtes du Rhône
With the beautiful backdrop of Paris for the exciting Olympic games, I have to go with a French wine this week. I love seeing teams from around the world, and so I’m also going with a blend. Wines from the Côtes du Rhône are wines that shine thanks to the different grapes that go into them. One […]
Kent Sidewalk Sale Days bring exciting festivities and tons of savings to the Northwest Corner
This year, you can stop by the Kent Sidewalk Sale Days from Thursday August 1st through Sunday August 4th to enjoy a plethora of offerings and activities. While hours of the shops vary, the time frame is generally from 10am to 5pm each day, and the event takes place rain or shine! I spoke with […]
Shaker Mill Books: Unique literary finds and book art displays in West Stockbridge, MA
Eric Wilska, owner of Shaker Mill Books, has been in the book business since he was 24 years old. Previously founding and owning the Bookloft in Great Barrington, MA, for 42 years, and launching a mostly internet-driven offshoot called Found at the Bookloft in West Stockbridge, MA—in addition to a used bookstore called Running Fence […]
Mid-Century Gem in Millerton
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Sammy Hagar Rocks Saratoga
A few months ago, I had been searching for what to buy my dad for his birthday. I’m sure you’ve all encountered this problem with at least one person in your life. They’re hard to buy for; what do you get for the person who has everything? There are only so many wallets, fishing lures, […]
Inaugural Scenic Sips Fest showcases the significance of Columbia County & its many offerings
Columbia County is home to a truly thriving variety of businesses, including a notable array of artisanal beverage producers. In an effort to spotlight the area’s breweries, cideries, wineries, and distilleries, this year’s first Scenic Sips Fest will be held on August 3rd from 4-8pm. Organized at Roeliff Jansen Park’s Hilltop Barn in Hillsdale, NY, […]
Creamsicle
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Furnace – Art on Paper presents Kim Schmidt Fine Art
We all love a pop-up, and this show is well worth browsing both the wall and flat files. Art dealer Kim Schmidt has taken over Furnace – Art on Paper, curating a salon-style show of works on paper with a large bandwidth. Schmidt is more often showing at art fairs, so seeing these works in […]
Ongoing fundraiser to support the Kemmerer Farm after devastating fire
On Thursday, July 18, Kemmerer Farm suffered a massive fire that devastated their farm. The fire took out two barns, all of their trucks and tractors, other equipment, and their office.
Kemmerer Farm is a 100-acre hay farm located in Stanfordville, NY. The farm is a family affair; John Kemmerer Sr. and Clara are […]
Bubbly Veuve Clicquot
To celebrate the start of the Olympic games in Paris, I think only Champagne will do. Settle in for the Opening Ceremonies with a bottle of The Best (in my opinion): Veuve Clicquot. Perfected centuries ago by la grande dame herself, Madame Clicquot, this iconic bubbly with its signature orange label is as bright and elegant as […]
THE PROM Opens at Sharon Playhouse, Starring Kate Baldwin
THE PROM opens at the Sharon Playhouse on Friday, July 26 and runs through Sunday, August 11. The show stars Broadway veteran and two-time Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin. We sat down with Kate ahead of the show to get the details on the show and why you should get tickets!
[…]
Noah Kahan’s poignant, inspiring Madison Square Garden debut
When I first listened to Noah Kahan’s “Homesick” in late 2022, I was struck by how I felt so seen by an artist who, at that point, had just released a triumph of a third album, Stick Season. I hadn’t heard any of his other songs at the time and had […]
Stylish Country Home in Ancram
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Foo Fighters Perform an Ever-Short Show at Citi Field
When I left Millerton on Wednesday around 3 o’clock to head towards Citi Field in Queens, the weather prognosis for the evening did not look good.
Despite the soggy weather, I was in incredibly good spirits. Why, might you ask? Because I was heading to see my favorite band live for the first time. […]
The Bear Butter shop officially opens in Great Barrington
The idea for Bear Butter all started with creator Jon Vella’s acai bowl and smoothie shop, The Spot, in Pittsfield, MA. He opened the juice and smoothie bar, located on Tyler Street, in 2018, and while trying to grow The Spot’s brand, Jon found himself eating a lot of protein balls from a coffee shop […]
Zorro
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Swim Lessons
Hi furriends. Hope you’re staying cool! Furrom what I hear it’s been supurr hot out there. TGFBAIK! (That stands fur, “thank goodness fur being an indoor kitty!”) Mom has kept the house at a comfurrtable 73 degrees around the clock with the help of the A/C’s and keeping the shades drawn. She’s also been brushing me […]
Roxy
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Album Review: Zach Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene is a portrait of small-town America
Zach Bryan released his fifth studio album, The Great American Bar Scene, on July 4. Feels pretty patriotic to me.
Bryan spent almost a decade in the United States Navy, where he spent his nights writing music until he earned an honorable discharge in November of 2021 to pursue a […]
Extra Special Teas employs adults with special needs in Great Barrington
When Cherri Sanes’ son Jache turned 21, she was trying to decide what the next steps were going to be for him. Jache has autism and in the state of Massachusetts, once a student turns 22 years old, public school is no longer an option.
Cherri was concerned that Jache would have no place […]
Wonderful Quiet Cabin Compound
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Ratatouille
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Cookie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Popsicle Spritz with Mionetto Prosecco
Mid-July and we’re in the dog days of summer. Yikes! Hopefully you can find yourself poolside on these sweltering days, and here’s the perfect poolside refresher: a popsicle spritz! Spritzes are quite popular these days, and it’s no wonder why. They’re basically sparkling wine added to a liquor of your choice, such as Aperol or St. Germaine […]
Your guide to picnicking in the region
Did you know that July is National Picnic Month in the United States? We at Main Street love a good picnic and put together some of our recommendations for creating the perfect picnic below.
Best picnic locations
Before we can even enjoy our picnic, we have to find a place to […]
Luxurious Country Compound
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Tyler Childers Performs a Dynamic Show at SPAC
Last Wednesday, we once again ventured to Saratoga Performing Arts Center for what was one of my most highly anticipated concerts of the summer: Tyler Childers.
I know, I know, another country concert. I’m sure by now you’ve gathered that I’m a pretty big country music fan, and yes, my […]
All about organic at Deep Roots Farm in Copake
Deep Roots Farm is a family run farm in Copake, NY. Run by farmers Scott and Stormie O’Rourke and their two daughters, Scarlet and Fiona, they grow organic food with regenerative and sustainable practices at the forefront.
Scott got his first interest in […]
The Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon
Sharon Butler’s Buildingdrawing show at Furnace – Art on Paper Archive
Sharon Butler’s solo show, Buildingdrawing, at Furnace – Art on Paper Archive, located at 106 Main Street in Falls Village, CT, is a unique experience. Her double-sided drawings, a rare sight, welcome you as you enter. They hang at a 90-degree angle from the wall, offering an intimate view of both sides. This arrangement allows the […]
Lagrangeville’s Hangars Cafe offers a unique, delicious brunch experience
This past Saturday, my boyfriend and I were contemplating breakfast spots, and decided upon Hangars Cafe, which overlooks Sky Acres Airport in Lagrangeville, NY. It is safe to say that we will be returning soon, as our experience was wonderful, complete with a tasty meal […]
High Spirit Community Farm provides residential farm living for adults with intellectual disabilities
High Spirit Community Farm is a therapeutic residential and farm-based work program for adults with intellectual disabilities in Great Barrington, MA.
The organization was founded back in 2014 when parents of young adults with intellectual disabilities were struggling to find placement for their children after they aged out of other residential programs in the […]
Big Gay Hudson Valley: Fostering Queer Community in the Region Since 2008
In honor of Pride Month this June, we will be highlighting local Pride organizations that support and empower the region’s LGBTQ+ community. The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began with The Stonewall Rebellion on June 27th, 1969, in protest of the NYPD’s raids on gay bars. According to the Trevor Project, […]
SPARC Park in Stanfordville Has Official Grand Opening
SPARC Park in Stanfordville, NY, held their formal grand opening on Wednesday, June 26.
The town of Stanfordville just completed an all-volunteer rebuild of the iconic playground at the recreation center. The original SPARC Park was built over 30 years ago as a community-led and built project, and a group of community members organized […]
Family Farm: Migliorelli Farm Has Been Feeding the Hudson Valley’s Residents for Nearly a Century
The Hudson Valley is renowned for its abundance of food, restaurants, and chefs from the crops that are cultivated and grown on its land to the many chefs and food-, beverage-, and hospitality-industry employees who graduate from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park to the farm-to-table restaurants and the foodies who enjoy indulging in dishes […]
The Struggle to Sustain a Salubrious Scullery with Zero Food Waste
For readers who may remember my article from last July’s issue that like this one centered around food and drink, this is a follow-up to the challenges I face as a foodie trying to buy fresh, local, and primarily organic ingredients I can whip into Michelin-star-worthy meals that miraculously remain healthy. I’ve been trying to cook […]
Tees and Trees: Disc Golf for Newbies
My journey with disc golf began last month, but the sport has been on my mind for years. I have the UDisc course locator app on my phone and a starter set of discs, but they were just collecting dust – until a chance encounter at the Salisbury-Sharon Transfer Station. There, I reconnected with Earl Dakers, my […]
Take a Tasting Tour of Places Near and Far
Who doesn’t like wine? Or maybe rather than being an oenophile (a connoisseur of wines), you are a zythophile (someone who loves beer and all things beer-related), or a cocktail connoisseur (a keen appreciator of spirits).
Napa Valley has nothing on the Hudson Valley and its environs; you can barely twirl a corkscrew without it pointing to […]
Community (and Beer) is Brewing at Lasting Joy Brewery
The Hudson Valley is a great place to be if you’re a beer lover. The region is brimming with breweries, and in Tivoli, Lasting Joy Brewery just celebrated its second anniversary in June.
Lasting Joy owners Alex and Emily Wenner opened the brewery on 31 acres off of Lasher Road in Tivoli, NY. The brewery boasts a […]
Dinner on Speed Dial
Managing a move from the Litchfield Hills to the outlying suburbs of Boston is no mean feat. In our case, it involved the standard “tag sales,” farewell dinners with friends, all of which ended up with the de rigueur “We’ll see you soon,” and multiple visits to the town transfer station to make deposits on the “gift […]
Ugly Donut Co. Brings Specialty Crafted Donuts to Stanfordville
Glynis Carpenter stumbled upon the idea to start Ugly Donut Co by accident.
While she doesn’t necessarily have a sweet tooth, per se, if she’s going to pick up a sweet treat, it’s going to be a donut. Her 11-year-old son, who inherited his love of donuts from Glynis, recently asked her for ‘special’ donuts for his […]
American Dream: Christopher Dorsey Brought His Talent to Kips Tavern in Rhinecliff
The riverside town of Rhinecliff is home to Kips Tavern – an American eatery with sweeping water views and all the charm that one would expect from a century old building located across from the Rhinecliff train station.
The quiet town boasts all the wonderful sights and sounds of country living. From the vistas that include quaint hillside […]
Salute Mobile Bar + Cocktails Brings Curated Drinks to the Hudson Valley
Madison Kiggins grew up in the hospitality business. Her parents, Jason and Madeline, own two restaurants: Madison’s Pizza Cafe & Catering in Pleasant Valley – which is actually named after Madison – and Jason Patrick’s on 44 in Poughkeepsie.
So when she graduated from Marist College with her bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2023, it seemed […]
Estuo and Kae Iwamoto of Hana Sushi: Japanese Fare Created from the Heart
Estuo and Kae thirty years ago
What I was most excited about when I first moved to Rhinebeck, NY, last August was getting to try the variety of restaurant options in the towns along the 9G corridor. Prior to moving to Rhinebeck I lived in a rural spot in […]
Talk of the Towne: Feeding the Millerton Community for 18 Years
If you’re familiar with Millerton, NY, then chances are, you’re also familiar with the Talk of the Towne deli, located off Route 44 near the NY/CT border.
Sisters Mary Hosier and Sandy Sherman the owners of Talk of the Towne, are no strangers to food service. They previously ran the Village Diner in Millerton for 13 years […]
Dassai Blue is Sake Gold
It was a beautiful day for a scenic drive from Troy to Hyde Park, through Rensselaer and Columbia Counties into Dutchess County. I was traveling with a special friend, sun roof open, soaking up the sunshine and gasping at how green everything was for mid-May. All was right with the world on that sunny Sunday.
It […]
Pick Your Own Real Estate: Orchards & Agrotourism
The Hudson Valley is orchard land. Ulster County on the west side of the Hudson River is the second largest apple producer in New York and the second biggest apple-growing state in the United States, which is the second biggest producer of apples after China. The Hudson Valley, according to Elizabeth Ryan, owner of Breezy Hill Orchard, […]
A Red Fox’s Guide to Eating In and Around Poughkeepsie, NY
This past May, I graduated from Marist College with a BA in English writing. Despite an unconventional start to my undergraduate career because of the pandemic’s restrictions and fears, it was an extremely rewarding four years. I was able to form an incredibly supportive community and pursue fulfilling academic opportunities that I would not have imagined as […]
Summer Pasta Salad a la Connor
JUNE RECIPE
Chef to Mushroom Entrepreneur: Devon Gilroy, Founder of Tivoli Mushroom
We sat down with Devon Gilroy, the founder of Tivoli Mushroom in Hillsdale, NY, to learn about the mushroom business and how he made the switch from being a chef to a mushroom entrepreneur.
How did you go from being the acclaimed chef at The Corner at Hotel Tivoli to growing mushrooms?
Maybe it started when I worked at […]
A Moment in Time
Linda Stillman grew up in the Hudson Valley in Orange County, NY. She and her husband discovered their home in Hillsdale in 1980. “It was a rundown, beautiful farmhouse, inexpensive because no one wanted a big, old farmhouse in that era as fuel was prohibitive. We were young and naive and didn’t know how hard it was […]
Riunite Lambrusco
The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon is Hosting its 26th Annual Sharon Book Signing
With this year’s highly anticipated summer book signing event in Sharon, CT, on the horizon, I spoke with Hotchkiss Library of Sharon executive director Gretchen Hachmeister to learn more about the organization’s upcoming programs and events, culminating in the long-awaited author festivities in early August.
The significance of a local, community library
Founded in 1893 […]
Full Circles: The Evolution of Post Malone’s Music
Some people were surprised to hear that Post Malone is making a foray into country music, but once you learn a bit about his background, you’ll realize that it was a fated genre switch all along. (And that’s also besides the fact that everyone seems to be making the switch to country music right now.)
[…]
Modern Lakeville Farmhouse
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Are Naps Good For You?
We’re all guilty of an occasional afternoon nap. You lay down on the couch, maybe only intending to close your eyes for a few minutes, and then boom, you wake up an hour or two later with no idea what time it is, how you slept so long, or what you were supposed to be […]
OutHudson Celebrates Array of Pride Festivities in Hudson, NY
In honor of Pride Month this June, we will be highlighting local Pride organizations that support and empower the region’s LGBTQ+ community. The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began with The Stonewall Rebellion on June 27th, 1969, in protest of the NYPD’s raids on gay bars. According to the Trevor Project, […]
Echoes of the Past Resonate in Copake’s Bicentennial Exhibition at the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society
This July and August, Copake continues to celebrate its 200th birthday. In many cases, this year’s celebratory events mirror those that took place in Copake’s past. This will be one of the themes explored in the 2024 Summer Exhibition at the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society. The exhibition, Mementos, Maps & Milestones: Copake at 200, opens […]
Frozen Sangria with Barefoot Pinot Noir
Sparrow’s Nest Builds New Location in Beekman
Sparrow’s Nest is a 501(c)3 charity that was founded by Krista Jones in 2012 with the simple idea of cooking for the families of local moms diagnosed with cancer. Since then, Sparrow’s Nest has assisted more than 600 families in the Hudson Valley, feeding more than 3,500 individuals.
Sparrow’s Nest delivers two home cooked […]
Dearest Gentle Reader
Dearest gentle reader. Oh my goodness, purrdon me! I’ve been binge watching too much Bridgerton with Mom recently…evfurry episode starts out that way. What I meant to say is, how’ve you all been? Let’s bring each other up to speed.
My flabbers are gasted, AKA I’m flabbergasted that June is already more than halfway ovfurr. We, […]
Chappell Roan is My Favorite Midwest Princess
When my friend first came to me with the plan, it genuinely felt too good to be true. We’d fly into South Carolina the day of Chappell Roan’s show, get ready at the hotel, go to her concert that night, and fly home the following afternoon. This felt all the more surreal considering that Chappell […]
Historical Property in Norfolk
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Day Trippin’: Our Guide to Spending the Day in Millbrook, NY
Millbrook is one of the loveliest small towns in the Hudson Valley – with no shortage of things to do. The Village of Millbrook has a strong sense of community and has been a getaway destination for city residents and tourists alike. Millbrook boasts lots of friendly, family-run farms, gardens, shops, and restaurants, making for […]
Velcro
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Four Virtues Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel
Good Eats at Gaby’s in Rhinebeck
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a very big fan of Mexican cuisine. I’m an even bigger fan of margaritas, and there’s one place that (in my humble opinion) does it the best: Gaby’s in Rhinebeck, NY.
I think that every girl in her early twenties should have a restaurant that she […]
House of Books: A Curated Community Fixture in Kent, CT
“We take the books seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
House of Books general manager Benjamin Rybeck illustrates the bookstore’s approach as striking just the right balance between curated and welcoming. And although the store has changed hands over the years since its founding in the 1970s, the longevity of House of […]
Marcus King Rocks College Street Music Hall in New Haven
South Carolina native Marcus King rocked the house at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT, on Tuesday, June 4.
The 28-year-old performer is both a solo musician and the lead singer, guitarist, and founder of The Marcus King Band. He studied jazz theory and jazz performance at the Fine Arts Center in […]
29 Acres Lakeside in Pine Plains
DEAL OF THE WEEK
To Berkshire Pride, Every Day is Pride
In honor of Pride Month this June, we will be highlighting local Pride organizations that support and empower the region’s LGBTQ+ community. The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began with The Stonewall Rebellion on June 27th, 1969, in protest of the NYPD’s raids on gay bars. According to the Trevor Project, “Thousands took to the streets in […]
Ancram Center for the Arts Looks Forward to Upcoming Summer Programming and Expansion
This spring, the Ancram Center for the Arts released its plans for the 2024 season, illustrating an exciting range of performances, concerts, workshops, and more. To help provide ample space for this organization’s variety of programs and events, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) recently awarded a […]
Robin
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Dutchess County Pride Center Kicks Off June With This Saturday’s Pride Parade and Festival
In honor of Pride Month this June, we will be highlighting local Pride organizations that support and empower the region’s LGBTQ+ community. The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began with The Stonewall Rebellion on June 27th, 1969, in protest of the NYPD’s raids on gay bars. According to the Trevor Project, “Thousands took to the streets in […]
This Friday’s Porch Concert at The Music Cellar
In 2015, when The Music Cellar moved to their new location at 14 Main Street in Millerton, NY, they put on their first Porch Concert. Now, despite being a touring musician, Music Cellar owner and instructor Jonny Grusauskas has aimed to organize one Porch Concert each year to spotlight their music students’ talents while bringing the town […]
Strawberry Rossini
Rhinebeck and Red Hook Join Forces in BeckHook Pride’s Upcoming Celebrations
In honor of Pride Month this June, we will be highlighting local Pride organizations that support and empower the region’s LGBTQ+ community. The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began with The Stonewall Rebellion on June 27th, 1969, in protest of the NYPD’s raids on gay bars. According to the Trevor Project, “Thousands took to the streets in […]
Charley Crockett Brings the Honky-Tonk to Albany
Charley Crockett played a sold-out show at Empire Live, which has a capacity of about 1,000 people, in Downtown Albany on Monday, June 3.
Charley’s deep vocals and honky-tonk musical style is reminiscent of 1970s and 1980s country music, which has been steadily growing in popularity in recent years.
He and his band […]
Ivy-Covered Victorian in Pine Plains
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Dancing Greens Farm Hosts Farm-to-Table Shindigs in the Berkshires
Jamie Nadler and Madison Warren were in Italy together pursuing their master of arts in food studies: policies for sustainable production and consumption when they realized that they shared a common dream.
Creating a farm.
But it wouldn’t be just a farm. No, Jamie and Madison wanted to create an agriturismo, which is an Italian concept that involves […]
The Gardener’s Sweet Spot
June, June, June! The month every gardener spends the rest of the year dreaming about. The longest days of the year. Generally reasonable weather with frosts behind us and droughts/flash floods still to come. And, after months of planning, sowing, potting up, and planting out, the garden is a go. We have finally hit the sweet spot. […]
Share a Cab
For the moment, let’s consider it “accidental intersection.” Coincidence seems too grand a designation, so it could only have been a simple twist of fate that the first song emanating from the car stereo speakers after we had emerged from a screening of Alex Garland’s Civil War was Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi. The irony was not […]
Help Dover Dive Into Summer – Support the New Rec Center Referendum
Splash into summer and enjoy the ample activities throughout the area available for individuals and families alike, as well as the many events ideal for friends hoping to connect. Whether one wants to head to New York’s Hudson Valley, Connecticut’s Northwest Corner, or Massachusetts’s Berkshire Foothills it matters not, for there’s no shortage of choices during this […]
Behind the Billboard: The Salisbury Garden Center
I’m pretty okay with words. But for some reason, when it comes to plant names, my mental dictionary has a gaping hole. The best gardener lingo I can muster is “forsythia,” and I only remember that because I face a wall of it every time I look out my front window. There is a small, bushy plant […]
Abode Home Goods Celebrates One Year
Abode Home Goods, located on Main Street in Millerton, NY, is celebrating its first anniversary in June.
Susan Maloney opened Abode Home Goods after a lengthy career in design. She previously worked as a fashion editor, set designer, stylist, and entrepreneur and has renovated multiple homes. Throughout her career, one thing has remained constant: her love of […]
Mt. Washington Church Fair Celebrates 91 Years
The town of Mount Washington is nestled in the Berkshires along the Massachusetts/New York border and boasts a population of only 144 people, per the annual town report. But at the start of the summer, the population more than doubles as part-time residents come to bask in the comfort of the mountains for the summer season.
The […]
Copake Celebrates Its 200th Birthday With a Bang
The Town of Copake is celebrating its bicentennial with a jam-packed schedule of events throughout the remainder of the summer. In February 2023, Copake formed an all-volunteer committee that has been working hard to create a line-up of events to celebrate Copake’s 200th birthday.
The planning process
The bicentennial committee, led by Kellie Nardin, wanted to play to […]
The 2024 Season at Chatham’s PS21
Stir in a moral dilemma, add oranges and watermelons, and sprinkle in a pinch of Shakespeare in a freshly imagined way, and off we go into the 2024 season at Chatham’s PS21, the handsome theater – or make that two theaters: a state-of-the-art black box and an open air pavilion – tucked away amidst the apple trees […]
Arts in Western Mass
Thinking about where I might go and what I might trot out to see in the realm of live performances given my druthers this summer, it was time to poke around and make a few decisions. In the event anyone’s asking, after a bit of whittlin’ here and some slicing and dicing there, I hereby present my […]
Flying Free at Mt. Brace
The yearning to be as free as a bird and to soar on wings in the sky has been with humankind since the dawn of time. One of the best-known legends about that lure – and the danger inherent in its pursuit – is that of the ancient Greek father and son, Daedalus and Icarus.
Daedalus, a […]
Flying Cloud Turns 40
This year, Flying Cloud Institute, based in Great Barrington, MA, turns 40. For decades, Flying Cloud has been inspiring young people and educators through dynamic science and art experiences that ignite creativity. Main Street Magazine sat down with executive director Maria Rundle to find out more about the organization’s history and programs.
What is Flying Cloud, and […]
The Dream That Became a Meme: Jaws at 50
51 years ago very few Americans knew much about sharks, much less about great white sharks.
All that changed in early 1974.
A first novel from a 33-year-old writer jump-started awareness of sharks to the point that many people refused to go swimming, or, in some cases, even take a bath.
The creation
The author of the novel, Peter Benchley (my […]
55 Years Old and Mac-Haydn Theatre is Stronger Than Ever
“It was start a theater or drive to Alaska,” Linda MacNish said of the decision she and Lynne Haydn faced before opening The Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, NY.
Mac-Haydn is the flagship of live theater in Columbia County. In 1969, seeing a professional musical meant either going to New York City or attending a rare tour stop in […]
Milan, NY – Real Estate in an In-Between Town
Some towns are drive throughs or fly overs. You don’t know exactly where they are, where they begin, or where they end. There’s no center, no bank, no traffic light, no school – sometimes there’s not even a post office.
Milan, NY, is one of those in-between towns on the way to the Taconic Parkway or Millerton. […]
Angel Lime Pistachio Chiffon Pie
JUNE RECIPE
Talking Wilderness Therapy with Ed Thorney
Ed Thorney has an affinity for the woods; as he says: “I’ve always wanted to be outside.”
Ed is a certified Gestalt therapist, wilderness guide, experiential educator, and life-long advocate for people and nature. He has worked in the outdoor education field since 1982 in various capacities and founded Wilderness Therapy & Mentoring to blend his passion […]
In the Beginning Was Clay
My directions to Eve Kaplan’s Taghkanic studio were to turn at the pink mailbox. Originally red, it has now faded to a fabulous electric pink. Eve Kaplan hails from an artistic background. Her Norwegian mother was a ceramicist whose first husband was a painter. Her brother was also a painter. Her father, Richard Kaplan, was a […]
Goose
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Meet the 2024 Top Nurse of the Year, Rich Tamburrino
Mr. Pine Plains baseball – also known as Rich Tamburrino – sat down with me last week to discuss all things Pine Plains, baseball, and what it’s like to be voted 2024 Top Nurse of the Year.
Scrubbin’ up
Rich went to college for pre-med at SUNY Cobleskill and later transferred to Cornell University. Initially […]
Summer Water Rose
K9 Fit for Life Brings Dog Training Back to Ledgewood Kennel
Melissa Brady has always had a passion for training dogs. She’s always worked with animals, particularly horses and dogs. When she was in the tenth grade, she designed a dog training resort and spa for a class assignment. Little did she know, that would essentially become her business plan as an adult.
“I always […]
Gohan
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition Addresses Substance Abuse in Local Communities
According to Hannah Calhoun, the executive director of the Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition, the organization’s main goal is to support communities affected by substance use disorder.
CGAC was first established over a decade ago in response to the opioid crisis. The creation of the coalition was initiated by Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, NY, and […]
Hozier Plays Sold Out Show in Saratoga
In the summer, one of my favorite things to do is buy lawn tickets to a concert at an outdoor venue. Being located in Dutchess County, one of my favorite venues to go to is Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).
On Sunday, May 19, we headed north to go see SPAC’s first big show […]
Foxtrot Farm & Flowers Emphasizes Sustainable Blooms
Since childhood, Kate Farrar has been surrounded by flowers.
“I grew up growing flowers with my family and working in the gardens, and now I’ve returned to growing flowers again,” she said.
Kate has been farming in the Hudson Valley for over ten years. She worked on a variety of farms in the […]
Housatonic Valley Regional High School Debuts “Blue & Gold” Art Show
Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s annual art show, “Blue & Gold,” is on display now through the remainder of the school year.
The art show is in its 17th year and was previously hosted at The White Hart in Salisbury, CT, for many years. This year, the show is on display in the Kearcher-Monsell […]
Bear Creek Farm Farmers Market Debuts in Bangall
Bear Creek Farm debuted their farmers market on Saturday, May 18 in Bangall, NY.
“At Bear Creek Farm Farmers Market, we envision more than just a market – we’re cultivating a vibrant hub where community, sustainability, and quality converge,” Bear Creek Farm wrote on their website. “Our mission is to connect Stanfordville […]
Celebrating World Bee Day
World Bee Day takes place on May 20 and celebrates the importance of bees and other pollinators in our environment and ecosystems. World Bee Day was officially declared by the UN in 2018 thanks to the efforts of the Slovenian government and the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations.
The […]
Period Home in Sharon
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Gatherwild Ranch Offers Luxury Stays Immersed in Nature
Laura Sink was inspired to create a place where people could stay that would invoke feelings of creativity, calm, and inspiration. After living in New York City for five years, she and her husband Paul Jacobsen, who had grown up in Brooklyn, were naturally drawn upstate to the beautiful Hudson Valley. It was in Germantown, […]
Evie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Stissing Mountain Mock Trial Program Fosters Interpersonal Communication Skills
The mock trial program at Stissing Mountain High School in Pine Plains, NY has been in existence since 2004, when John Schoonmaker started teaching in the district.
Schoonmaker, who teaches AP European History, Government, and Economics, and Ryan Orton, who teaches seventh grade history, serve as the co-advisors for mock trial. Also involved in […]
Blue Zones: Co-housing Creates Community for Seniors
It’s so important to stay connected. As people age, it often becomes more difficult for them to stay connected. Loneliness and social isolation in older adults are public health risks currently affecting a large population of people in America.
Psychology Today defines loneliness as a state of distress or discomfort that results when one perceives a gap between […]
Main Street Moxie’s Own Mary O’ Neill on “Intro to Podcasting” at the Scoville Library
Mary O’Neill, one of our moxie podcast experts, is hosting an “Intro to Podcasting” workshop at the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury, CT, on Sunday, May 19 from 2-4pm.
In the workshop, participants will learn about the basics of starting a podcast from Mary, the co-creator and co-host of Main Street Moxie […]
Acrobat Oregon Pinot Noir
Going to War
Whelp furriends, it’s time to batten down the hatches, slick back your fur, and put on your helmets because we are going to war…against the spongy moth caterpillars. I had no idea they were going to be this bad this year. Consequently, I wasn’t nearly as purrpared as I should have been, so I grabbed the […]
Compound on Spring Lake
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Fibromyalgia: An Invisible Medical Syndrome
Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic and widespread body pain. It affects about 2% of the population, or about 4 million adults in the US, according to the CDC. The National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) however states that it affects anywhere between five to eight million Americans. It is one of many medical syndromes that I consider “invisible” […]
Bolt
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Pink Champagne for Mother’s Day
It’s Time to Celebrate Mom
She’s the one who encouraged you to aim high and always do your best. She never failed to show up to support you at every play, recital, and sporting event you starred in. In the wake of every break-up, she was always there to listen. There are countless reasons why we will remember to honor our moms […]
Rhinebeck Hosts Blessing of the Animals on May 18
On Saturday, May 18, the Third Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rhinebeck, NY will be hosting their annual Blessing of the Animals event.
For 109 years, Americans have been celebrating “Be Kind to Animals Week,” which is the oldest commemorative week in United States history. It was started by American Humane, an organization that was […]
Bomber Boosters Host Golf Tournament Fundraiser
The Pine Plains Bomber Boosters, a group of parents of student athletes at Stissing Mountain High School, are hosting their first annual Bomber Booster Golf Classic on Wednesday, June 19 at the Red Hook Golf Club.
The Boosters are a group that have been around for over thirty years and who work to produce […]
Why We Could All Benefit from a Little Therapy
The month of May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, which has been observed since 1949 and provides the opportunity to raise awareness, combat stigma, and promote mental health resources.
The way we view mental health, and therapy in particular, has changed dramatically in recent years and a lot of that has to do with […]
Country Style, Natural Living In Falls Village
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Smurf
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Brilla Rose Prosecco
Spring Offers Hope – Even for Those with the Black Thumb of Death
Ahh, spring.
Every time I utter the word my body instinctively takes a profoundly deep breath. You know the kind I mean, the type of breath doctors instruct you to take while sitting on their exam table waiting for your annual physical.
“Now inhale deeply,” my doc will say while placing an ice-cold stethoscope on my chest […]
Your Future Home
Well, huh. Nothing like the Law of Unintended Consequences to gouge a hole in the boat. The initial plan here was to proffer a rash of innovations that would coalesce into what any reasonably lucid individual would consider a Dream Home, when, honestly, this should really be billed as the quest for the Home of the Future. […]
Bringing the Outside In
For the two years I have been writing this column (how time flies), the focus has always been on sustainable seasonal flowers: how to grow them, where to source them, and why they are so important in our quest to reduce our great environmental clod-hopping footprint. Today is no different; although this month we are going to […]
The Museum Effect
‘Tis the season. Winter is now a fading memory. With warmer temperatures, windows and doors open, and the brackishness of closed houses drifting away, it’s time to offer up our trinkets and treasures to the annual tradition of yard sales.
Based on the geographic origin of our childhoods, our designation for this rite of spring can be quite […]
Southern Charm
Once you enter House SFW in Rhinebeck, NY, you’ll be enveloped by bold pink and yellow floral-patterned walls topped by a deep green ceiling. Upon first glance, you’ll notice that the vivid colors, busy patterns, and eye-catching displays at this home furnishings shop are markedly different from other Hudson Valley destinations. Sunshine floods in the oversize windows […]
Trade Secrets Event Benefits Project SAGE & Domestic Violence Awareness
The 24th Annual Trade Secrets event in support of Project SAGE will take place on May 18 and 19 at Lime Rock Park in Falls Village, CT.
Project SAGE is a nonprofit organization based out of Lakeville, CT, that serves northwest Connecticut and neighboring towns in New York and Massachusetts.
History
Trade Secrets started in 2000 when renowned interior […]
Plant and Sip to Soothe the Soul
It was a Tuesday night in March, before daylight saving time, so it was dark at 6 pm as I headed for the Plant & Sip event in downtown Troy, NY. And it was cold the way it can be in March. But when I stepped into the room where the event was being held, there was […]
Le Jardin Flower Farm Emphasizes Effortless Floral Design
Originally from France, Romane Recalde moved to the United States to pursue a career in modeling. After the pandemic, she and her husband moved upstate and planted their roots – pun intended – in Amenia, NY.
“We moved here because this area reminds me so much of home,” Romane said. “I grew up in the remote French […]
Brews & Blooms at Slow Fox Farm Brewery
In 2016, Matt and Miranda Mobley began their search for land in the Hudson Valley region, looking for a place where they could grow food and create a gathering place for the local community.
Matt, who grew up in Florida, was raised working on his family’s cattle ranch and in a number of restaurants they owned in the […]
Columbia County Recovery Kitchen Tackles Food Insecurity in Columbia County
Carole Clark worked in the restaurant industry for over 30 years – 19 of which were in Hudson, NY – so feeding people was something that she was more than familiar with. While she wasn’t working in the restaurant business at the start of the pandemic, she had been the chef proprietor of Charleston Restaurant in Hudson […]
Curb Appeal
A gradual movement away from fertilized, mown green lawn with a band of spirea hiding foundations towards an intentional, sophisticated approach to residential landscaping is happening all around us. At the same time that sellers are “upgrading” bathrooms and kitchens to increase the value of their home and enjoy the improvements themselves, they are paying more attention […]
Blueberry Lemon Muffins
MAY RECIPE
Mystery Business – Dutchess Millwork
Inspired by the popularity of our series on “mystery houses,” Main Street decided to extend the category to mystery businesses whose products, customers, and purposes elude our attention. Dutchess Millwork, in existence for almost 50 years, is our first mystery business and, as with so many mystery houses, change is coming.
What’s in that building on Route […]
An Encounter with Chance
Marthe Keller and I had lengthy conversations in both her studios, firstly in her downtown artist loft in New York City and secondly in Falls Village, CT. Her studio loft building originally manufactured sail canvas for shipping; huge bolts ran the depth of the building. Later it provided a space for artists to purchase their canvas. Marthe […]
Heather Dell’Amore’s “No Hope for Oz” is a Powerful and Realistic Depiction of Motherhood
Heather Dell’Amore debuted her one-woman show, “No Hope for Oz,” at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Sunday, April 28.
The show, which is centered around Heather’s life thus far, addresses the ways in which motherhood mirrors childhood and how the way we grow up impacts the ways in which we treat our […]
Historical Property in Norfolk
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Housatonic Youth Service Bureau Hosts Second Annual Gratitude Gala
The Housatonic Youth Service Bureau (HYSB) is hosting its second annual Gratitude Gala on Saturday, April 27 from 5-10pm, celebrating and honoring Lisa Carter, the outgoing Superintendent of Schools for Region One.
The Gratitude Gala is a fundraising dinner and auction to benefit HYSB and its programs. This year’s gala will take place at […]
Sherman
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
La Vielle Ferme Rose
Belvedere Home in Kinderhook
DEAL OF THE WEEK
What is 4/20 and Where Can I Celebrate?
Saturday is a big day for marijuana lovers. 4/20 (April 20th) is the day where marijuana fans rejoice in clouds of smoke, or with gummies, or cookies, or however else you like to partake in your weed.
Since Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize marijuana in 2012, there are now 24 […]
Dazey
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Heather Dell’Amore Debuts No Hope for Oz at Stissing Center
Heather Dell’Amore’s No Hope for Oz debuts at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains, NY, on Sunday, April 28 at 4pm.
The show addresses the ways in which motherhood mirrors childhood and how the way we grew up impacts the ways in which we treat our own children later on […]
Frey Wines
Emotional Support Animal
This last month has not been easy fur Mom in purrticular. Her paternal grandfather passed away recently, and although Mom is purretty good when it comes to hiding her emotions, I’ve seen her breakdown more than I’d like to admit lately. Although this is completely understandable, I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. So I shed […]
Go Green! Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Footprint
With the climate crisis in full swing, our individual actions can often seem inconsequential on the larger picture, but the truth is that a lot of little actions do add up and make a positive difference for the environment.
With the April issue being environmentally themed, we thought it would be helpful to talk […]
Cape Cod Home in Copake
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Rural Center Refillery Sparks Conversation About Sustainability and Wellness
Since opening the Rural Center Refillery in Pine Plains, NY, in early 2023, owners Nicole and Corey Clanahan have focused on having conversations with community members and refining their products to match what people want to see on the shelves.
“We’ve really worked hard to cultivate the products that people want to see and […]
Apollo
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
The Prisoner Red Blend
Fulton & Forbes Opens With Local Wines and Spirits in Ancram
Fulton & Forbes, a wine and spirits store, opened last month in Ancram, NY. The name is a callback to owner Rachel Merriam’s grandfather, who opened his first business at the crossroads of Fulton Avenue and Forbes Street in New Haven, CT. Now, more than seventy years later, it’s the name she has chosen for […]
Antiques Appraisal Day at Locust Grove Estate
Over the centuries, many families have called the Hudson Valley home. From the Vanderbilts to the Roosevelts to the recent wave of people who fled the city during the pandemic, many people have packed up the contents of their homes and relocated here while others have moved away.
In a frenzy to establish a new residence, […]
Billy Joel’s 100th Residency Show at Madison Square Garden
Over six months ago, following our trek out to see Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, I decided to purchase tickets for my parents and I to go see Billy Joel’s 100th consecutive residency show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. With his residency coming to an end […]
Charming Turnkey Village Home With Modern Updates
DEAL OF THE WEEK
This is 40 … plus-something … again!
I’ve made it another rotation around the sun. No, no, this is not a solar eclipse thing. This is an age thing. You see, on this exact day last year it was my birthday. And to commemorate that milestone (aka that crisis) I wrote an op-ed similar to this, talking about a midlife crisis. (To read that […]
Why is Monday’s Solar Eclipse Such a Big Deal?
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. This is particularly exciting because the last time we had a total solar eclipse was in August of 2017, whereas the one before that occurred in 1979. The next total solar eclipse won’t occur until August of 2044.
This eclipse […]
Jam
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Cozy Cape in Sheffield
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Paley’s Farm Market Starts Their 42nd Year in Business
Paley’s Farm Market in Sharon, CT is going into their 42nd year in business this season. They offer a variety of fresh produce in the market, hundreds of hanging baskets, planters, window boxes, and more in the greenhouse, and a vast selection of perennials, shrubs, and trees in the nursery, Paley’s has everything you need […]
Chateau Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose
SAY WHAAAT?
We here at the Main Street headquarters had a good chuckle with this one. We hope you will too. Jesse and yours truly (this magazine’s editor) had an entertaining conversation about conspiracy theories some time ago that then resulted in Jesse taking pen to paper, err, fingers to keyboard rather. There are so many theories out there. […]
Important Lessons for the Growing Season
I love the April environment edition of Main Street Magazine. For it means I get to shout my mantra as the headline and not have to bury it subtly in the text! Readers, flowers are meant to symbolize love, sympathy, joy, and celebration, not be the poster child for massive carbon footprints, with a sideline in social […]
If Wishes Were Horses
If it had happened once, it likely would have simply been an anomaly – an odd moment in the universe when reasoning got temporarily suspended. It was, however, the third time in less than two weeks that a similar moment had presented itself.
“That’ll be six dollars.”
The total of two “senior citizen” admissions to the local […]
Organic Gardening 101
As spring arrives, many of us are anticipating warm weather gatherings in our outdoor spaces. Eager to plant colorful flowers and shrubs and tend to our lawns, we head to our local nurseries or farm stands and rehire our landscapers, some of who employ traditional practices like using fertilizer and planting species that aren’t native to our […]
Eco-Anxiety: The Environmental Issues We Face, the Human Anxiety About It All, and the Ways We Can Make a Difference
In the most romantic day of the year, February 14, The New York Times published a love letter to me. It moved me, pulled at my heartstrings, and set flight to butterflies in my stomach.
The title of it was, “A Collapse of the Amazon Could Be Coming Faster Than We Thought.”
Awe, Times. You shouldn’t have.
On […]
Food Waste
Ever paid any attention to how much and how food goes to waste in your household over the course of a week? No matter whether it’s a family of one or of 13, it’s going to happen. The question is, to what extent? And what are the impacts on your household finances and the global environment?
Let’s take […]
Housatonic Valley Association Installs Rain Gardens in Dover
The Housatonic Valley Association recently installed two rain gardens on the McDonald’s property in Dover Plains, NY. The purpose of the rain gardens is to protect streams from pollution coming from Route 22 and filter the stormwater that is collected from the McDonald’s roof and parking lot.
“This is incredibly progressive landscaping on the cutting edge of […]
Berkshire Environmental Action Team Connects Community and Nature in the Berkshires
Berkshire Environmental Action Team is a non-profit environmental justice organization based in Pittsfield, MA. BEAT began back in 2002 when founding executive director Jane Winn joined with a group of concerned citizens to protest the poorly sited building of a soccer field at Berkshire Community College. “The environmental faculty at Berkshire Community College said ‘this is great, […]
Thrift 2 Fight Champions Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice
Thrift 2 Fight founders Jillian Reed (she/her) and Masha Zabara (they/them) were at very different points in their lives when they first started organizing pop-up thrift sales in 2020.
Jillian was still a student at Bard College, where she was in the dual-degree program studying flute in the conservatory and human rights in the college. Masha had just […]
Musk’s Satellite Offers Hope for Environment
In an age where AI is rapidly overtaking man’s ability to solve the world’s problems, Elon Musk – the brains behind Tesla, PayPal, X (formerly Twitter), and so many other successful endeavors – is working feverishly to help solve one of mankind’s greatest dilemmas through another of his masterminds, SpaceX. The challenge he’s hoping to help NASA […]
Homegrown National Park: Go Small and Go Homegrown
Homegrown National Park® is determined to save biodiversity one privately owned land at a time. Seventy-eight percent – that’s 1.3 billion acres – of all land in the lower 48 states of the US is privately owned. That’s a lot of land we have direct control over, and Homegrown National Park empowers all of us to make […]
The Greenest Town in Connecticut
The hilly, rocky rural Town of Cornwall and its five Cornwallian hamlets – Cornwall Bridge, Cornwall, West Cornwall, East Cornwall and Cornwall Hollow – are described as quirky, different, bohemian, artistic, intellectual, remote, private, and outdoorsy. East of Kent and Sharon in Litchfield County, Cornwall is lightly populated with only 1,379* residents spread out over 46 […]
Jalapeno and Cheddar Cheese Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich
APRIL RECIPE
Ridgway Farm: The Business of a Family Farm
Being a farmer is hard work. It requires long hours and deep dedication. But the rewards of cultivating the earth and feeding people can’t be quantified. We were able to catch up with Gordon Ridgway of Ridgway Farms in West Cornwall, CT, to learn about his journey to becoming a farmer, how he contributes and gives back […]
The Many Planets of Lothar Osterberg
Stepping into the red barn where Lothar Osterberg and his wife, Elizabeth Brown, live feels otherworldly; one has the sense of a journey’s beginning. After migrating from Brooklyn, they rebuilt their home and studios into this hand-hewn building – a shared collaboration of space, life, and creativity. Elizabeth is an extraordinary musician, composer, and teacher, while Lothar […]
Pelvic Health at Danica Center for Physical Therapy and Movement Education
You may have heard the term “pelvic health” floating around more frequently, but what exactly is pelvic health? How do you know if you need pelvic floor physical therapy and what does it entail? I sat down with Dr. Bente Dahl-Busby, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of the Danica Center in Sharon, CT, […]
Brick Colonial in New Milford
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Blitzen
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Stonewood Farm Addresses Food Insecurity in the Hudson Valley
Stonewood Farm, located off of Bangall Road in Millbrook, NY, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that champions environmental stewardship, social justice, and community well-being in the Hudson Valley.
Prepping for the upcoming season 
With the weather warming earlier and the growing season rapidly approaching, Stonewood is […]
Gulp / Hablo Orange Wine
Come Dine and Experience Willa, the Newest Eatery in Millerton, NY
Chef Daniel Meissner. Photo by Colin Bazzano.
When the town of Millerton, NY, and its environs learned that 52 Main bartenders Alanna Broesler and Jim Buhs were buying the business and opening a new restaurant in its place, it was as if the entire community breathed a huge […]
My Paw Hurts
At furrst, I thought my right furront paw hurt furrom either catnapping on it fur too long or jumping off the bed wrong, but it turns out it was furrom signing so many autographs of Main Street Magazine. Not to worry, limping fur a couple days was totally worth it after receiving so many compliments and […]
Secluded Contemporary Barn Home
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Velcro
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Maitri Farm Champions Sustainable Farming and Community Connections
Maitri Farm, set back a ways off of Amenia Union Road, may seem quiet and modest at first glance, but the farm is anything but.
Maitri, which is named after the first of the four sublime states taught by Buddha, previously served as a dairy farm for many years. When the current land owner […]
19 Crimes Revolutionary Red
Moreish Opens with British Classics in Beacon
Moreish, the newest addition to the Hudson Valley Food Hall, located at 288 Main Street in Beacon, NY, officially opened on Saturday, March 7.
The term moreish in regards to food is defined as “having a very pleasant taste and making you want to eat more.”
Moreish is the brainchild of English chef […]
48 Sheffield Business Park
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Bear Creek Farm Nurtures Beauty from the Ground Up
“Up to this point, I had a black thumb,” laughed Debra Kaye, owner of Bear Creek Farm in Stanfordville, NY.
Bear Creek Farm first began when Debra was getting married in 2013 and needed someplace to get flowers from for the wedding. She asked a friend who owned a flower shop in Southampton, but […]
Ace
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Vina Santa Rita Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon
The Stissing Theatre Guild Presents “Matilda” March 8-10
The Stissing Theatre Guild is presenting “Matilda” at Stissing Mountain Jr/Sr High School on Friday, March 8, Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10.
The Stissing Theatre Guild (STG) is a volunteer-led school theater organization that is part of the Pine Plains Central School District and has been producing shows since 1989.
This […]
A MOMENT FROZEN IN TIME
All our lives we have been inundated with moving images: television, film, social media. We are so inured to the constancy of the motion, color, and sound, that when an image holds still, it causes a momentary catch – the need to register what we are seeing.
It was a moment like that that captured the attention of […]
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Many people are drawn to the Hudson Valley for its booming food culture and variety of farm-to-table restaurants. The region is also home to The Culinary Institute of America, which honed the talents of David Burke, Todd English, Michael Mina, and the late Anthony Bourdain, among other luminaries.
Agriculture has a long history in the region and remains […]
SARAH CHASE TALKS REGENERATIVE FARMING AND THE UPCOMING SEASON AT CHASEHOLM FARM
It’s a balmy Friday in the beginning of February. The sun is shining, the air is unseasonably warm, and Sarah Chase is about to milk the small dairy herd at Chaseholm Farm in Pine Plains, NY.
Each cow has a sign above its individual stall with its name on it. Names like “Tuesday” and “Burrata” decorate the signs. […]
BIG FLOWERS AND BIG HEARTS AT TINY HEARTS FARM
Ask any flower farmer what is the most common misconception they hear about their business and nine times out of ten it will be “your fields must look so beautiful when they are all in full bloom.”
The thought of a field of billowing flowers? Well, that’s enough to make a flower farmer cry. Flowers blown fully […]
BETTER ANGELS. BROKEN WINGS
Childhood memories of black and white television. The Lone Ranger. “Hopalong” Cassidy. Wyatt Earp. Gene Autry. Gabby Hayes. Bass Reeves.
Who?
Bass Reeves. He was not on the list of western heroes who filled the screen with 30-minute installments of fantasies about the taming of the frontier. His moment came many decades later when, after a lengthy development process, […]
HOW TO MAKE BOARDING YOUR PUP NOT SO RUFF
While we at Main Street Magazine haven’t exactly been hounded by folks seeking stories on how to go about boarding their pets for the first time, we do know there are many animal lovers living in the Harlem Valley, Northwest Corner, and Berkshire Foothills with active lifestyles who will, at some point, very likely need to do […]
PUERTO RICAN STRAYS GET A NEW LEASE ON LIFE
When Melissa Smith and her son Jake were on vacation in Puerto Rico in 2019, the last thing they expected was to bring home three stray dogs.
“We knew the stray animal situation was bad in Puerto Rico, but I don’t think we realized just how bad,” she said. “We got lost one of the days we […]
Animal Smarts
My name is Lily and I am a dog. Yes, it’s my real name, but I do my best to keep up with whatever Grampy calls me, be that Willie, Shorty, Beans, or Stinkweed (I unequivocally do not stink, unlike the other doggy here, who smells like a dead goat half the time). Sometimes, he calls me […]
HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARMSCAPE ECOLOGY PROGRAM – THE SPACE BETWEEN
Columbia County’s landscape is represented by farming and nature. We tend to look at those twin features of the area as distinct, separated by fences, stone walls, and field borders. Where the corn stops is the end of the farm, and where the trees start is the beginning of the woods. Yet, the animals, insects, trees, […]
SUMMER RENTALS 2024 – WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU RENT A HOUSE THIS SUMMER
Summer rentals are beginning to show up on realtors’ websites and Zillow. They stand out from the yearly rentals by their attractive furnishings and monthly price, which is usually upwards of 100% more than an annual rental. No one wants to sleep on the floor for the summer. Seasonal immigrants have already started signing leases and will […]
MY DAD’S FRENCH ONION SOUP
JAN. RECIPE
JEWELRY HISTORIAN
Erica Weiner’s website clearly states “the weirder the better” when describing its antique jewelry from the twelfth through the twentieth century. Weird? Maybe. Beautiful? Most certainly! We were able to catch up with Erica to learn about her company’s origin story and the development of its jewelry designs and business.
How did you and your partner Lindsay […]
Transatlantic Cow-incidence?
A recent visit to the Dutchess County Historical Society has haunted me. In a good way. I was so impressed with the amount of information there about anything and everything Dutchess County, a reservoir of resources dating back over 100 years, that I haven’t stopped thinking about it. While I was there to write about the DCHS […]
A TOUCHSTONE OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP AND CONVERSATION: TRAVERSE
Horizontal and vertical become
interchangeable allowing the
circle square to be continuous and
unending
Once initiated, the life traveler
journeys in an everland of awareness
Of past, present and future
Traverse p 124 Laurence Carr
I first saw the book Traverse at an exhibition at Furnace Art on Paper Archive, Falls Village, CT. The project unravels an embedded trust between two […]
Cold Spring Celebrates Heart Month With Second Annual Cub Cafe
Cold Spring Early Learning Center in Stanfordville, NY, hosted its second annual Cub Cafe on Thursday, February 29.
The Cub Cafe is an idea born from Renee Shea, the building’s secretary and building principal, Kristen Fischetti, and from there they worked closely with Food Service Director Larry Anthony and Cold Spring Nurse Jenn Heath […]
Harvest Homestead Farm in Pine Plains
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Marcy
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Juggernaut Cabernet Sauvignon
The Update … The Covfurr
Purrdon me fur being a week late on my monthly post. February has not been nice to my family. If Ellie hasn’t been sick, then Mom has been. And if Mom hasn’t been sick, then Ellie has. Fevers, coughing, chills, pink eye, ear infections, the flu…what symptom or condition haven’t we had? But as I write […]
Druthers Brewing Co.
On Saturday afternoon, with nowhere in particular to go and nothing to do, my best friend and I decided to take a ride up to Albany to visit Druthers Brewing Co. My friend and I are particularly susceptible to targeted marketing, and we had both been getting ads on our respective Instagram feeds for Druthers, […]
Bristol House in the Heart of Copake
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Gia
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Will Hutnick’s “Satellite” Exhibition Opens at Geary Contemporary
Unknown Pleasures in a Blood Red Summer, 2024. Acrylic, colored pencil, ink, marker and wax pastel on canvas. 40 in x 30 in.
Artist and curator Will Hutnick’s exhibition, “Satellite,” opens at Geary Contemporary in Millerton, NY on Saturday, February 24.
The exhibition features a selection […]
Stella Rosa Pineapple Chili Wine
Bruce Knickerbocker Raises Money for Cancer Care in Lake Placid Ironman
Bruce Knickerbocker, a Pine Plains, NY, resident, will be competing in the Lake Placid Ironman race in July. He’s currently raising money to support cancer care on a local level throughout his training leading up to the race.
Bruce, who works in the nursing supervision department at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, […]
Oblong Books Recommends These Books for Black History Month
The month of February marks Black History Month, also known as African American History Month. According to the World Economic Forum, “this month-long observance in the US and Canada is a chance to celebrate Black achievement and provide a fresh reminder to take stock of where systemic racism persists and give visibility to the people […]
Beautiful Converted Barn in Ideal Location
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Wilma
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Australian Shiraz
Oblong Books Recommends These Romance Reads
February is the month of love. With Valentine’s Day just a day away, we reached out to the folks over at Oblong Books to give us their best romance novel recommendations so that we can all celebrate the holiday the best way possible – by reading!
Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend (The Mischief & […]
Demeter Home Hosts “Meet the Artists” Event
Demeter Home in Pine Plains, NY, hosted their first “Meet the Artists” event on Saturday, February 10. Alex Athanasiadis, owner of Demeter, hosted the event as a way to connect artists with the folks who purchase their work. “For us, it’s all about community building,” he said. “We always carry so much art from local […]
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness
February 7th through 14th is Congenital Heart Awareness Week, which recognizes children and adults living with congenital heart defects, celebrates their journeys, and increases public awareness of these heart conditions.
“I gave birth to her, and then she turned blue,” Stacey Burlingame of Stanfordville, NY, said of her first daughter, Olivia. Olivia was born […]
Bailey
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
From Spartan to CrossFit: Emeric Harney’s Fitness Journey
Emeric Harney, originally from Salisbury, CT, is currently living in both Salisbury and Raleigh, NC. He has worked for his family’s business Harney & Sons Fine Teas in varying capacities and currently serves as the Marketing Director. In addition to his work at Harney, he’s also a […]
Diatom Chardonnay
New Music Releases
We may only be just over a month into 2024, but we’ve already been blessed with some seriously good music. If the remainder of the year keeps the same energy, 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for music.
Albums
Green Day released their 14th […]
Goose Gate Farm in Washington, Connecticut
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Tortellini
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Ted Howley’s Weight Loss Journey
Pre-diabetic. Fatty Liver. High cholesterol. Three knee surgeries. Depressed.
This was Ted Howley’s life prior to January 17, 2022. “Two years ago, I was staring death in the eyes,” he said.
Ted had struggled with his weight for years, often yo-yo dieting and cycling through different forms of exercise. “I would go hard […]
Skouras Saint George
BUSTED – THE GREAT SNOW MYTH
It’s time to confront the great myth about Christmas.
No, not that one.
The one about it being white. Perhaps the most persistent and potentially misleading lie we tell about Christmas is that it is accompanied by snow. Despite the increasing rarity of an actual White Christmas like the ones Bing Crosby “used to know” in the 1940s, […]
THE KEY TO THE 2024 SEASON IS – GARDEN PLANNING
Congratulations – we made it through January! Now we’ve just got February and March to get through and we’re home free and back out in the garden. I’m guessing most people have not yet given a huge amount of thought to the garden so far this year. As I’m writing this, mine is deep under a foot […]
LIFE IMITATES ART IMITATES LIFE
With the shorter days and early darkness of winter, the screening of Napoleon began as an afternoon matinee and ended as night fell. It is a long film, spanning years of turmoil and combat in the early years of the 19th century.
The “Reign of Terror” had finally come to an end and the new “rock […]
TREASURES ACROSS TIME AT THE DCHS
Historians understand better than the rest of us that there is nothing in the present that hasn’t been in the past. For the Dutchess County Historical Society, that goes back to the inquisitive nature of Helen Wilkinson Reynolds (1875-1943).
Born and raised in Poughkeepsie, NY, from a young age she developed a deep love of the history […]
WITH LOVE
Love is in the air! This month it’s all about passion, the color red, paper heart cut-outs, and cupids drawing their arrows. In the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on February 14, partners search for the ideal gifts to express their devotion and convey their love. In the busyness of the season, many […]
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? (OR, HOW WERE YOU MISLED TODAY?)
On May 29, 1780, subsequent to the fall of Charleston, SC, to the British less than three weeks earlier, Abraham Buford’s Patriot forces suffered an overwhelming defeat at the hand of British commander Banastre Tarleton’s men at Waxhaws, SC. When they attempted to surrender, a number of Buford’s troops were attacked and killed by Tarleton’s men. While […]
MOVING, DEATH, AND DIVORCE – TWO DOWN, ONE TO GO (NOT THAT I’M RUSHING)
This is an op ed piece. In it Whitney discusses the topic of stressful triggers, primarily divorce and moving. She then shares her personal life experiences in dealing with these two stressors. This article is purely based on her experiences and opinions. Although it addresses heavy topics, she tries to bring levity to these stressors now […]
“DATING APPS ARE WACKY” AN ANALYSIS OF MODERN DATING
For the protection of those still dating, all names in this article have been changed.
There’s no denying that dating has changed. With everything moving online, it’s become increasingly difficult to meet potential partners in person. Sure, perhaps you can still meet people in bars, through mutual friends, and at other kinds of events, but dating in […]
2023 RESIDENTIAL SALES IN NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT TOWNS
After the real estate boom years of 2020 to 2022, some buyers expected that 2023 home prices would decline. That did not happen everywhere in the Northwest corner of Connecticut. The high, low, and median prices of recent sales vary enormously from town to town. Here we examine the 2023 residential real estate market in six Northwest […]
WARM DEEP DISH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE SUNDAE BOWLS FOR TWO
JAN. RECIPE
A SERENDIPITOUS BEGINNING
{pretty to think so} – a fine farm-to-table restaurant in Rhinebeck, NY, may seem like a new venture, but there’s a lot of history behind the eatery, which opened in May 2023.
The restaurant’s inception was an act of “pure serendipity.” Like a good book, the {pretty to think so} story began unfolding years ago when a chef, […]
FROM THE PLACE OF MANY CROWS
A line, or mark, etched onto a copper plate allows for the reproduction of images by transferring the embedded ink onto handmade paper through a printing press. This skill takes years to hone, bringing to life these hatchings, acid bite marks, and thoughts rendered by another for collaboration.
Master printmaker Gregory Burnet is a native Australian from the […]
Pine Plains Food Service Director Stirs Up Soup at First Community Connections Event
Larry presented to a cafeteria full of community members and school employees
Larry Anthony, the food director for the Pine Plains Central School District, Red Hook Central School District, and Rhinebeck Central School District, led the much anticipated “Souper Bowl” at Stissing Mountain High School on Tuesday. […]
The Importance of Good Sleep
Anyone who knows me knows that there’s nothing I love more than a good night’s sleep. I’m talking at least seven hours – at the minimum. At the ripe old age of 22, you can usually find me tucked in bed no later than 11 p.m. (unless it’s a Friday or a Saturday) and I […]
Building Lot in North Canaan
DEAL OF THE WEEK
How Nature Benefits Our Overall Wellness
Have you ever wondered why you feel so much better when you’re outside?
With many of us living our lives behind screens – whether it be phones, computers, or tablets – we are rarely able to get outside.
Too much time spent indoors and behind screens can impact not only our eyesight, but […]
Science Says Swearing Can Be Good for Your Health
F#ck. Sh!t. Son of a…
You get the point.
If you’re a frequent swearer, we have some good news for you: it just might be good for your health.
Is swearing a sign of intelligence?
A 2015 study found that the use of swear words is “positively correlated with other measures of verbal […]
Robin
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Stissing Center Hosts a Night of Fire & Ice
On Saturday January 20, 2024, Stissing Center in Pine Plains, NY, hosted a beautiful evening entitled “Fire & Ice”. It was dubbed “a signature cocktail event celebrating our new branding, and the exclusive unveiling of our 2024 season!” – and unveil they did.
Event program and champagne
Upon arrival […]
Student Feature: Ellie Wolgemuth
Elinor (Ellie) Wolgemuth doesn’t know how to not be busy. Ellie, who is a junior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) in Falls Village, CT, is actively involved in a variety of extracurriculars that keep her busy year-round. 
“I have participated in cross country […]
Barefoot Wines
Main Street’s Workout Mix
With January being health and wellness themed over here at Main Street Magazine, we decided it was only appropriate for us to put together a workout playlist for you to listen to while you bike, hike, walk, or lift. This playlist has all of our favorite genres, including some early-2000s pop, 90s hip-hop, and even some good […]
The Bank of Greene County Celebrates 135 Years
The Bank of Greene County celebrated its 135th anniversary on January 22, 2024.
On Monday, bank officials and employees made a special trip down to Times Square in New York City to ring the bell to close the Nasdaq stock exchange in celebration of their 135th year. The celebration also marks the bank’s 25th […]
Farm Feature: Daisey Hill Farm
Daisey Hill Farm, a local family-run farm, is currently running a fundraiser to offset the loss in profits due to weather and inflation in the past few years.
Daisey Hill Farm, located in Millerton, NY, is run by James and Jessica Cookingham. James started working on the farm when he was 17 years old […]
Well Maintained Office Building In The Heart Of Millerton
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Lucky
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Fonseca Tawny Port
Happy New Year
While purreparing to write this post, I realized I haven’t spoken to you all since last year! How are you all doing? Hopefully your year is off to a good start. Mine is purretty good thus far (but even if it wasn’t, no one would understand me because they aren’t fluent in meowing.) Anywho, it does […]
What is Ozempic and Why is Everyone On It?
If you spend any time on the Internet or watching TV, the names Ozempic and Wegovy will likely sound familiar to you. The injectable drugs, which are used to treat diabetes and weight loss respectively, have gained viral attention across the Internet as a “quick fix” for weight loss.
The drugs have become so […]
Healthyish in a Hurry Serves Up Easy Recipes
We all have to eat, but after coming home from a long day at work, sometimes the idea of having to cook a full meal from scratch seems completely unbearable. Enter: Healthyish in a Hurry, a blog that serves up easy, seasonal, healthyish recipes for people who are short on time.
The […]
“It’s not for the weak-minded:” Anna Wright Shares Her First Bodybuilding Competition Experience
Brain fog. Exhaustion. Insatiable hunger.
These might sound like symptoms of COVID or the flu, but they’re actually symptoms that Anna Wright suffered while preparing for her first bodybuilding competition.
Anna is currently a college student and was a gymnast all throughout her teenage years. She got weightlifting as soon as she graduated […]
Chloe
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Storybook Cafe Opens With Books, Breakfast, and Brews in Pine Plains
Mackenzie and Jess at the grand opening of Storybook Cafe
Mackenzie Killmer has wanted to open a coffee shop and bookstore for as long as she can remember. “That dream was supposed to come to fruition ten or so years down the road, but things just seemed […]
Hometown Heroes: Jacqueline Rice
Jacqueline Rice is Chief of Service of the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance based in Salisbury, CT. She first took the EMT class in college in 1978, and after that, she joined the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service.
“My neighbors, Michael and David Brenner were on the ambulance squad already and they encouraged me to join,” she […]
Orange Wine
The Benefits of Stretching
We’ve all heard that stretching is good for us and should be done on a daily basis, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we heed that good advice.
In the interest of the new year and of our January issue being health and wellness themed, the three of us here in the office have […]
Three Bedroom in Cornwall
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Body Be Well Pilates Makes Pilates Accessible
Make no mistake, while Pilates may seem like an easy workout due to its popularity, it is anything but. It has a lot in common with yoga – they’re both low-impact workout options, and both feature precise poses and utilize breath control – but it’s a challenging workout that has countless benefits. From strengthening your […]
Daisy Belle
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Domaine du Clos de Sixte Lirac
Pari Forood Discusses the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation
Pari Forood has been the executive director of the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation since its inception in 2004.
Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundations funds support services for people affected by breast cancer in the Hudson Valley, as well as providing education and outreach services.
About Pari
Pari received her Bachelor of […]
TRANSFORMATIONS
January is the month for starting fresh. Like people, houses can have new beginnings, with a creative vision of their potential. For this issue, we interviewed designer Carol Neiley, co-owner of Maison Collab, who transformed a vacant caretaker’s cottage at Great Elm in Sharon, into an elegant and functional Federal-style sanctuary.
Were you looking for a house to […]
CREAMY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA
JAN. RECIPE
THE THREE O’S
For this month’s health issue, Main Street has its eyes on vision care and those “O” professionals who provide a wide range of eye-care services. In our region there is a choice between medical doctors, independent optometrists, corporate-owned retailers staffed by optometrists, and independent and retail chain opticians.
Which kind of O do you need?
Ophthalmologists are […]
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION!
Ted Perotti of Pig Iron Films has his feet firmly planted in the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, both in his connection to the area as well as through his work with local organizations, businesses, and individuals. It is from that home base that he captures moments in time and creates beautiful films, commercials, and more that have […]
Gardening For Your Health
Ahh January – here you are again. My favorite month – not! Horrible weather, not enough daylight, no outside gardening, and all those infernal good intentions. Not that there is anything wrong with facing the new year with optimism, fortitude, and enthusiasm; it’s just that feeling come mid-February when we have maybe not kept on track, that […]
ZEN IN THE ART OF SPLITTING WOOD
It is 5pm on a Monday, and I am trying to decide if it is too dark to split another piece of wood. I’ve been at it for half an hour, quartering log after log from the pile I amassed over the summer when I felled the first of a dozen dead ash trees in the back […]
COME ON, GET HAPPY!
By now, we’ve all celebrated or commemorated the arrival of 2024. Many of us have already taken the time to assess our goals and explore those areas that we need to improve upon. That way, we can make some adjustments for the year ahead. That includes getting happy!
Collectively, we’ve all been through a lot. Today’s media […]
SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER: WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO COPE
The end of daylight-saving time officially means shorter days with more darkness and less sunlight. For many of us, that means we’re getting up in the morning in the dark and coming home in the dark, which can take an undeniable toll on mental health and make us feel tired and generally uninspired.
For some, a change […]
Three Massage Therapists Talk Business in the Region
Massage therapy is an integrative medicine that has been around since the beginning of time and was one of the earliest methods of relieving pain. Now, a massage is a luxury that few of us splurge on, but one that many of us could benefit from. We spoke to three massage therapists in the region about their […]
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF WINE – YAY OR NAY?
Happy New Year! Was yours celebrated with a glass of champagne at midnight? With a decadent dinner over which the hopes and dreams for 2023 were summarized and those for 2024 were discussed and agreed to with a toast, preferably with a glass of a bold red wine? For me, these traditions have marked my adult life. […]
THE FUTURE OF AI HEALTHCARE IS HERE
Welcome to 2024 – where the possibilities of our high-tech future have melded with the realities of patients’ medical present. In fact, according to binariks.com, “global artificial intelligence in the healthcare market was valued at $16.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of […]
Happy Health
“Modern medicine falls short of your complaint.” – Kajagoogoo, “Too Shy”
Baaaahahaha. Tee-hee-hee. Giggle-giggle-cackle-snicker-chortle-chuckle-snort. Guffaw!
Feel better now? Of course you do. I know, I know, it may not be the best idea to laugh out loud while standing on your favorite local street corner, but hey, in the interest of enjoying a healthy existence, it might not hurt.
I […]
Sherman
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Veuve Cliquot and Moet Chandon
New Year, BIG Changes!
Hi furriends! How was your Christmas? Santa Paws really outdid himself this year. I got a new catnip kicker, pawty-mix treats, a Fancy Feast Broth, and a new brush! I guess Mom isn’t kitten when she tells me I’m a good man. Speaking of Santa Paws though, after all these years, I was finally able to […]
Dazey
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Hometown Heroes: Dawn Klingner
Dawn Klingner has been a member of the Amenia Fire Department since 2006. She first started as the fire district’s secretary, and after some encouragement from the fire chief, she decided to join as a volunteer member. “I started by taking the fire police class and loved it,” she says. “After that, I signed up […]
Far Niente Chardonnay and Paulo Scavino Barolos
My Gift to Mom
Instead of going to the store or ordering something online, I thought I would get a little creative this year, get my paws a little dirty, and make something furrom the heart. Purrsonally, I think I’m giving Mom the gift under the tree – sorry Santa Paws! Now that it’s finally dry, I wanted to share […]
Single Family Rental in Salisbury
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Warren Prindle’s “Through the Artist’s Eye” Retrospective Opens at HVRHS
Painter and art educator Warren Prindle’s exhibit “Through the Artist’s Eye” opened on Friday, December 8th at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village, CT.
The exhibit is a retrospective of Prindle’s work that goes back “at least” 20 years and is being displayed at the Kearcher-Monsell Gallery.
The retrospective features work […]
Gruet Champagne
Alyssa
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Bring on Santa Paws
Well folks, good news: Santa Paws will have a beautiful Christmas tree to see on Christmas Eve! Mom strung a new set of lights and the plan is to get a new tree next year. Phew, that was a close one.
The next order of business is making sure the family’s gifts are all purrchased […]
Three Bed Home in Millbrook
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Evie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Hometown Heroes: Jeff Galm
Jeff Galm is the chief of the Milan Fire Department, which he initially joined when he was 16 years old. “I had some older friends who were members of the department and my dad had been a volunteer firefighter, so I was raised with the concept of helping others.”
Being a part of the […]
Poinsettia Cocktail
Oh, Christmas Tree!
Sorry if I seem a little distracted this week, furriends. I’m currently furreaking out because Santa Paws will be here before you know it and our poor Christmas tree seems to be on the fritz. This is less than ideal timing. You know the part of the Grinch where he stole Cindy Lou Who’s Christmas […]
Main Street’s Holiday Gift Guide
We here at Main Street have been busy gift shopping for all of our loved ones and we know that you’ve likely been doing the same. We’ve done extensive research about what the gift giving trends are this year, reached out to some local businesses to share their recommendations with us, and even given you some of […]
Prepared Food Stores Round-Up
We all live a life on-the-go nowadays, with little time to slow down even for our meals. This is especially true if you’re someone who is constantly on the road for work. For those of us who are constantly in motion, we’ve rounded up a list of the best places for grab-and-go and prepared foods […]
Converted Antique Barn House in Cornwall
DEAL OF THE WEEK
In Flight Hosts Annual Holiday Formal For People With Disabilities
In Flight, Inc. is an organization located in Red Hook, NY, whose mission is to empower people with developmental disabilities to “achieve their life goals and aspirations in order to lead richer, fuller lives within their communities.” In Flight was also the recipient of the Think Dutchess Alliance for Business Non-Profit of the Year Award […]
Berkshire Food Co-Op Holiday Prep Tips
- Choose a turkey that’s about 1lb for each guest when weighed raw
- If frozen, defrost by […]
FLOCK TO DO THESE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS WITH FRIENDS
One of the most beautiful and heart-warming realities about the holiday season is that it carries with it a magic and mysticism that seems to surpass any church wall, temple vestibule, or mosque ground. No matter what religion one practices – if one practices a religion at all – this time of year allows people […]
2023: THE YEAR IN MUSIC
Every year, we’re gifted with a variety of new music. New singles, new albums, re-releases, reunion tours … you name it, we got it this year. Aside from a bunch of new stuff to listen to, we also lost plenty of talented individuals who changed the music industry in ways that are hard to articulate. Here are […]
THE GIFT OF GARDENING
Here we are again! Christmas time and apparently open season for my kids to try their luck at asking for anything and everything that’s nabbed their attention for even a nano-second over the last 12 months. Gone are the days of hoping that they will like their surprise – if it’s not on an itemized highlighted […]
BALANCE
Ah, it’s December! It’s time to roll out the traditional holiday favorites: Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, Polar Express, It’s a Wonderful Life, and that all-time classic, Fiddler on the Roof.
Fiddler on the Roof?
True, the musical based on Tevye and His Daughters by Sholem Aleichem, is not a Christmas story. Far from it. Set during […]
COPING WITH GRIEF DURING THE HOLIDAYS
For many, the holidays are the happiest time of the year. Chock full of gift shopping, preparing meal after meal, and spending lots of time with family, the holidays can occasionally feel a bit stressful but are generally thought of as the most joyful time of year. For some, though, the holidays bring dread, anxiety, and […]
A LETTER FROM SANTA…
Ho Ho Ho! Greetings from the North Pole!
We’re heading into the busy season up here at the North Pole. I’ve been making my list and checking it twice, and you’d better believe that I’ve found out who’s been naughty and who’s been nice! My workshop has been buzzing with the elves working hard at making toys, […]
ALONG CAME ST. NICHOLAS
In 1823, a dismayed Clement Clarke Moore would learn that his poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, nowadays popularly known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, had been published in the Troy (NY) Sentinel, albeit lacking attribution.
The poem has since been published in the neighborhood of 2,500 times and illustrated by such luminaries as Jessie Wilcox […]
WINTER SOLSTICE: A LONG-CELEBRATED ANNUAL MILESTONE
Most of us in the Northeast know the winter solstice as the shortest day of the year. This is because the Earth’s poles reach their maximum tilt away from the sun, which results in the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. In the northern hemisphere, it takes place in December, and […]
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Set against Hudson Valley’s dark, twinkling nighttime sky is The Wonderland of Lights – Rhinebeck – A Memorable Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Come celebrate the season and witness the kaleidoscope of colorful lights at this holiday festival, which kicks off November 22 and runs through December 30.
This unforgettable journey will whisk […]
GONE SLEDDIN’ – SOME OF THE BEST SLEDDING SPOTS IN OUR AREA
We all have love-hate relationships with aspects of the seasons, and so it goes with me and winter. My hesitation is brief when asked if I like winter. “No!” I exclaim. “It’s cold, it’s dark, and it seems to last forever.” And snow? If I see a flake in the forecast I shiver with worry about driving […]
JOLABOKAFLOD – An Icelandic Holiday Tradition Gone Global
For those who don’t know this about me, I hail from the small and isolated North Atlantic island of Iceland. Yes, yes, that country that’s been in the news since November due to the thousands of earthquakes and impending volcano (at the time of this writing there hasn’t been an eruption … yet). But Iceland is known […]
A HOLIDAY JOURNEY
All aboard! It’s that time of year when the Catskill Mountain Railroad Polar Express takes a series of fun and festive journeys to the North Pole from right here in the Hudson Valley. Passengers of all ages are welcome to hop on board for this annual adventure. The holiday event, which will run from November 17 through December 29, departs from Westbrook Lane […]
The Gift of Land
“We are so lucky to live here in Dutchess County – with its incredible tapestry of open meadows, wooded hillsides, streams meandering through hidden valleys, orchards, and cornfields. It is a tapestry rich in natural resources and stunning scenic vistas. The work the DLC does helps to provide us all with clean water, local farm produce, […]
December 2023 Recipe – ALMOND CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST
DEC. RECIPE
TREEFORT TOYS & GIFTS
When Emily Van Steenbergen’s husband Tyler opened a chiropractic office on Main Street in Millerton, NY, he only needed half the allotted space for his practice. Emily decided they should do something with the extra space that aligned with the needs of his clients. So she created a wellness store and brought in natural body products, supplements, […]
A Holiday Pop-up Shop in North Canaan – JACLYN RYAN OF HITHER LANE
Main Street discovered Hither Lane at a party in Lakeville, CT, not on Instagram or while searching for cocktail glasses on the Internet. This is the story of an international fashion professional who worked for luxury brands like Saint Laurent, only to leave New York City behind to start her own business in the country.
What is […]
Handcrafting at Its Finest: Ingrained ‘N Wood – Melissa Fournier
Growing up in Stockport, NY, as the second child of four girls, Melissa Fournier spent most of her time outdoors with her sisters riding bikes, swimming, and exploring the woods around their home. Her favorite memories are the summers she spent with her aunts, uncles, and cousins vacationing in an RV and traveling from campground to […]
Mary Rotella Offers Inclusive Dance, Voice, and Acting Classes in Red Hook
Mary Rotella is the owner of Dance and Theater Arts, an adult performing arts studio located in Red Hook, NY. She started in the fall of 2020 with a group of tap dancers and a few private classes. As more people shared their interest, the classes began growing steadily until Mary had to split the […]
Blitzen
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Barefoot Pinot Noir
Waiting Fur Santa Paws
Normally the Saturday after Thanksgiving evfurry year is our designated date fur decking the halls, but this year Mom and Dad hosted Turkey Day, so we got to decorate early fur all to see. Which, by the way, I hope you all had a wonderful Turkey Day. I fur one am still digesting and coming […]
Contemporary Barn In Shekomeko With Amazing Views
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Ashley’s Complete Christmas Playlist
While many of you may be aware, for those of you who aren’t, Ashley, our director of advertising, is something of a Christmas connoisseur. She puts the Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving and starts playing the Christmas stations in the office sometime around mid-November when she thinks we won’t notice. Now that we’re officially in the swing […]
Journey of Holistic Medicine: Fundraiser for Local Mom Battling Lymphoma
“In the beginning, it took me a while to come to terms with it. I got diagnosed, and I remember laying in bed and thinking about how I didn’t want to do chemotherapy,” said Erica George of Pine Plains, NY.
The start of the journey
Erica first noticed a lump on her neck while she […]
Veteran Profile: Meghan Bornes
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. This installment features Meghan Bornes, a recent graduate of Norwich University who is about to start her service in Washington.
Meghan Bornes is a recent graduate of Norwich University in Vermont […]
Thankful
Happy Turkey Day Eve furriends! Tomorrow is my most favfurrite day of the entire year. Thanksgiving. But before we can sit down to enjoy a nice feast, Mom is making sure evfurrything in the house is purrfect – down to evfurry last detail that no one will even notice. Hey Ma! Did you wash the […]
Guide to Local Holiday Events & Parades
With the holidays rapidly approaching, there are a variety of events and parades coming up all across the region. While this is by no means a complete guide, we’ve rounded up as many fairs, parades, and events that we could find for the surrounding area.
New York
Winter Walk in Hudson
Saturday, December 2 from 5-8 p.m. […]
Veteran Profile: Les Funk
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. This installment features Les Funk, an Army veteran.
Les Funk served in the U.S. Army for three years in active duty, and then in the National Guard for an additional three […]
34 Acres in Millerton, NY
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Veteran Profile: Brian Coons
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. This installment features Brian Coons, an Army veteran.
Brian Coons retired as a Master Sergeant from the U. S. Army in 2017 after 28 years of service. A Pine Plains native, […]
The Stissing Theatre Guild Presents Fall Performance of “Fools”
The Stissing Theatre Guild (STG) is presenting their fall play, “Fools” by Neil Simon, on December 1, 2, and 3 at Stissing Mountain High School.
This is the fourth year that STG has presented a fall play in addition to the annual spring musical, and this is the first year that the performance will be held […]
Lucas
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Beau Nouveau
Veteran Profile: Stephen Valyou
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. This installment features Stephen Valyou, an Army veteran.
When U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Stephen Valyou was shot in the chest, his first thought upon waking up from a two day coma […]
The Best Purrthday Purresent
In case you don’t recall, allow me to refurresh your memory. Mom always had at least one cat in the household since the day she came home furrom the hospital, so when Mom moved away furrom home (which was a whopping fifteen minutes away), she literally cried like a baby because she missed her cats […]
Marist Professor Babette Fasolino Represents Eastern Shawnee Tribe in the Native American Journalists Association
The New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts region has an abundant Indigenous history. This November, we’re celebrating Native American History Month with a series of features centered around Native American tribes and their people.
“My purpose for joining this group is two-fold,” Babette Fasolino said of joining the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA). “One, I’ve always been […]
Taconic Hills Decathlete Neil Howard III Reflects on His Athletic Career So Far
Taconic Hills’ Neil Howard III has been playing sports for as long as he can remember.
“I was always an active kid. Whether it was just jumping on the trampoline or running away from my older sisters, I was always moving. I had to be doing something,” he said. “As soon as I got […]
Veteran Profile: Charlie Wilson
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. This installment is Charlie Wilson, a Coast Guard veteran. I also feel that it’s pertinent to mention that this profile is particularly close to my heart, since Charlie is my grandfather.
[…]
37 Acres in North Canaan, CT
DEAL OF THE WEEK
CT Parent Connection Seeks to Educate Parents About Youth Addiction
When Dorrie Carolan realized that her son was suffering from addiction in 1993, she knew she had to do whatever she could to help him.
“Around the same time that my son was in the beginning of his addiction, I had a lot of people who were talking about their kids experimenting with drugs, […]
Veteran Profile: Andy Anderson
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. This installment features Andy Anderson, a Marine veteran.
In 2003, at 17 years old, Andy Anderson gave up three sports scholarships that would provide him with a full ride to college […]
Ace
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Tackitt Family Vineyards 2021 Gewurtztraminer
Lickin’ My Chops
How’s everyone’s Novempurr going so far? With the pawliday’s coming up, the fam-bam has been supurr busy ironing out details of who’s hosting what holiday. As you know, Mom and Dad aren’t exactly social butterflies, so they usually get off the hook with hosting, but that’s all about to change. It’s been six years since […]
Veteran Profile: Marie Stewart
In honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, we are profiling veterans from around the area all month long to honor their service. Our first installment is Marie Stewart, an Air Force veteran.
“I enlisted because my dad and my grandfather served, so I knew since I was a little kid that I wanted […]
Private Country Home in Lakeville, CT
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Hillsdale Unveils A New Mural
On Saturday, October 28th at 2 p.m. the Hillsdale Economic Development Committee celebrated the completion of a mural project located in the heart of the hamlet on the east wall of the Hillsdale Supermarket at 2628 NY- RT 23.
The hand-painted mural was created as a town beautification project that also helps residents and visitors find […]
A Brief Overview of Native American History in the Region
The New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts region has an abundant Indigenous history. This November, we’re celebrating Native American History Month with a series of features centered around Native American tribes and their people.
According to the U.S. Department Bureau of Indian Affairs, Native American Heritage Month is a time to, “c […]
2021 Bogle Family Vineyard’s Old Vine Zinfandel
We’re snuggling into red wine season and I, for one, am quite happy about this. While I’m not a fan of colder, darker days, there’s something liberating about coming home from work in the early evening and changing into pajamas knowing no one but your family will see you until the next day. Pajamas on? Dinner started? […]
Frenchie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
No Tricks, All Treats!
Happy (day after) Halloween, furriends. I know you were hoping to hear all about my night out and seeing pictures of me rocking the unicorn costume Mom had helped me pick out, but there was a last minute change of plans. Cha-boy got suppurr lucky this year. I didn’t have to get dressed up or step […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Kyle Gillis
Our final installment of Photographer Appreciation Month features Kyle Gillis. Read on to learn more about his photography!
Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?
Kyle Gillis. I originally started with a point and shoot camera, and then I moved onto a Canon 70D […]
Pots of Gold
I’ve been thinking a lot about pots recently. As I write this, the first frost warnings are being whispered on all my fellow gardeners’ Instagram accounts. My bulbs, ordered way back in June when caution is always blown to the wind as the lessons of just having harvested 8,000 tulips are blatantly ignored, have started to trickle […]
Reclaiming Pine Plains – Dale Mitchell of Apex Modular Solutions
I encountered Dale Mitchell after investigating the “mystery” house he owns on Route 83 just past Stewart’s in Pine Plains. (See the article on mystery buildings in last month’s issue of Maine Street Magazine.) Mitchell, a tall older gentleman wearing a flat cap and plaid shirt, agreed to meet me in his tiny office, surrounded by […]
Who Cares?
There are powerful rhythms in art, music, and literature that certainly don’t subscribe to a strict 4/4 time. Images will reappear years after we first see them. Passages from books that were favorites a decade ago will suddenly manifest themselves in an article, a quote on the late news, or a weather-worn bumper sticker on the car […]
Wreaths Across America – One Family’s Ambition to Honor Local Veterans
“This is my ‘why,’” Carol Hart says as she shares a photo of her son, Master Sergeant David Cookingham Jr., who served in the military from 1991 to 2011 and passed away in 2015.
After her son’s passing, Carol learned of Wreaths Across America, a national program based out of Maine that works to honor fallen veterans […]
Where Beauty and Family Come “Full Circle”
’Tis the season to decorate, and if you love wreaths (and don’t we all?), then you’ll love the Hudson Valley Wreath Company and its super-talented and dynamic creator, Evelyne Kopp.
Evelyne launched the Hudson Valley Wreath Company in 2021, and in its first year the company was named a Hudson Valley “Best of” in the category of […]
November 2023 Recipe – Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
OCT. RECIPE
LOOKING BACK AT THE MOXIE IN 2023
For those who aren’t aware, this magazine has a … well, could we call it a sister media source? Main Street Moxie is the name of our podcast, which launched in January of 2022. We are about to wrap up our second season and what a year it has been! I wanted to take a moment and […]
Affordable Housing? Buy Multi-Unit Properties
Buying a multi-unit property can be like sharing an entrée at a restaurant, buying a two-for-one special at the grocery store, or eating leftovers. You can pay about the same price, and often less, for a multi-dwelling property as you might for a single-family residence with the benefit of added income to help pay the mortgage or […]
Okay Boomer
An open letter to Gen X, millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and anyone else offended by the existence of baby boomers from a real life baby boomer.
It’s become abundantly obvious that we above the age of 59 are the direct cause of anyone and everyone’s problems. What I need right now is for millennials and Gen Zers […]
Finding Symbiosis Between Opposing Forces
“Working between printmaking, ceramic, wood, and textile, Janis Stemmermann employs craft processes in the creation of environments that interrogate links between media – and the fundamental, primal forces that unite them.” –Julia Silverman
I first became familiar with artist, printmaker, and designer Janis Stemmermann’s work when I saw her exhibition, Cut to Length, at Furnace – Art on […]
Dr. Irma Waldo Reflects on Practicing Medicine for Over 70 Years
At 98 years old, Dr. Irma Waldo has certainly lived a lot of life. Moreover, as a practicing physician serving the rural Columbia County, NY, community for over 70 years, she’s seen a lot of patients.
Irma was born in Bronxville, NY, and grew up in Mount Vernon, NY. She went on to attend medical school at […]
Katie Baldwin Designs Brings Elegance and Flair to the Northwest Corner
“Interior design is the second chapter of my life,” says Katie Baldwin, owner of Katie Baldwin Designs. After studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she worked in the fashion sector for 17 years at places like the Gap and Ann Taylor. “When I left, I was burnt out. I was excited to move home to Lakeville, […]
Rocktober Feature: Rhinebeck School of Music Teaches Students of All Ages and Abilities
This is the fourth feature in our Rocktober series, dropping every Saturday in October. This week, we chatted with Erin and Karl at the Rhinebeck School of Music about their workshops, classes, and concerts.
After working together at a music store in Rhinebeck for many years, Karl Allweier and Erin Hobson aimed to create […]
Sofie
Sofie
Meet Sofie, a delightful 9-year-old, 68-pound doggie eagerly awaiting her dream home. Sofie found herself at the shelter when her previous owner could no longer provide the care she deserved. Despite her challenging circumstances, her heart remains open to new beginnings and unconditional love. Having lived with children before, Sofie adores the company of people […]
Hometown Heroes: Dani Seipp
Dani Seipp is the captain of the Milan Fire Department. As captain, she is the highest ranking female in the history of the Milan FD. “I fell in love with the work of fire service when my fiance and I started dating in high school. They had a summer where they were just really busy, […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Tony Stromberg
Our next installment of Photographer Appreciation Month features Tony Stromberg. Read on to learn more about his photography!
What type of photography do you most often do or prefer?
For 20 years, I was an advertising photographer based in San Francisco, CA. Somewhere around 2002, I closed my commercial studio and started photographing horses, and […]
GIVING THANKS IN A VOLATILE 2023
Editor’s note: This article is a slight departure from the standard Main Street articles you might be used to. We normally don’t talk too much about politics or religion on these pages. However, in conversing with Whitney about an article for this month, thinking about all that is going on in the world, and then also thinking […]
If You’re a Unicorn, I’m a Unicorn
Whelp, we’re officially less than a week away furrom Halloween and I still have no clue what I’m going to be. I suppose I’ve spent too much time working on my beauty sleep and not enough time focusing on important things like my costume. If I remember correctly, my costume idea from last year was a […]
Killer Red from Tousey Winery
It’s looking like a beautiful Halloween weekend, and what’s more appropriate for that than the Killer Red from Tousey Winery? Enjoy it and their other great wines handcrafted with love and care at their place in Germantown this weekend. In fact, if it’s not sold out, try to get tickets to their annual “Hallowine” party on Saturday […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Aly Morrissey
Our next installment of Photographer Appreciation Month features Aly Morrissey. Read on to learn more about her photography!
Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?
My name is Aly Morrissey. I’ve always used Canon cameras and am currently shooting on a Canon R6.
What type […]
Pine Plains Softball Team Fundraising for Spring Training
The Pine Plains Varsity Softball Team is currently fundraising for spring training. The team will be sending 18 players to Myrtle Beach, SC, for spring training at the Cal Ripken Experience in March of 2024. While there, the team will not only be training, but also competing.
Spring training at the Cal Ripken Experience […]
The Best Apple Cider Donuts in the Hudson Valley
I’m not sure what it is about autumn (other than it’s my favorite season), but as soon as there is a slight chill in the air, I immediately crave a visit to a local orchard in search of an apple cider donut.
This year, I decided to put my hobby to work, and as […]
Rocktober Feature: PPCSD Music Programs
This is the third feature in our Rocktober series, dropping every Saturday in October. This week, we chatted with the music teachers at the Pine Plains Central School District about their current curriculum, bouncing back from the pandemic, the importance of music education, and inspiring confidence and creativity in their students.
Building the foundation
Amanda […]
Four Virtues Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel
More rain this weekend? And it’s dark around 6:30? Seems like perfect conditions for a hearty beef stew, with lots of potatoes and carrots. Dee-lish! A wine to go with it? Snuggle up to Four Virtues Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel. The back label explains what’s behind the name: “A renowned wine writer said the best wines must exhibit […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Gígja Einarsdóttir
Our next installment of Photographer Appreciation Month features Gígja Einarsdóttir. Read on to learn more about her photography!
Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?
My name is Gígja Einarsdóttir. I primarily use a Canon 1DX Mark II, EOS 5D Mark III, and I’m considering the purchase of a Canon R5 or […]
Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Project SAGE
Project SAGE (formerly known as Women’s Support Services) is a non-profit domestic violence prevention agency located in Lakeville, CT, and serving northwest Connecticut and neighboring towns in New York and Massachusetts.
“That’s one of the reasons we changed our name. We are inclusive and serve all people,” said Dr. Betsey Mauro, executive […]
Cheesin’ Fur The Check-Up
Momma isn’t raising a fool. Despite her efforts of buying me a new cat carrier and opening a new bag of treats to try to lure me into the carrier, I knew something was up her sleeve. I made a run fur it and did my best to hide, but Mom found me. After a quick […]
Tortellini
Tortellini
Tortellini is a gorgeous and cuddly 10-year-old dilute tortoiseshell who was found as a stray. She now blesses DCSPCA’s shelter with her sweet nature and elegant demeanor, a true lap cat. Tortellini’s tender purrs and affectionate nudges speak volumes about her loving heart.
Tortellini has hyperthyroidism, a common condition that can be easily managed with daily […]
Boo Thru Returns to Stissing Mountain High School
The Pine Plains PTA is hosting their annual Boo Thru at Stissing Mountain Jr./Sr. High School on Saturday, October 28 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Boo Thru is a free outdoor walk-through event that features interactive, decorated displays that kids can visit to collect Halloween candy and other goodies.
In addition to […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Ashlea Tamburrino
In honor of Photographer Appreciation Month in October, we’re highlighting some of our local photographers. For this installment, we’re featuring Ashlea Tamburrino. Read on to learn about her photography!
Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?
Ashlea Tamburrino. I use a Canon Mark IV.
[…]
Classic Historic Colonial With Pond And Pool in Lakeville, CT
This beautiful 1830 Lakeville home sits on 17+ gorgeous acres and includes a heated gunite Pool, a spring-fed Pond, mature landscaping, and a Barn with stone walls on 3 sides. There are 4 Bedrooms, 2 with Balconies, 3.5 Baths, 2 Studies, an absolutely lovely formal Living Room and Dining Room, and a 3-season Porch overlooking the […]
Rocktober Feature: lespecial
This is the second feature in our Rocktober series, dropping every Saturday in October. This week, we chatted with Jonny Grusauskas of the band lespecial.
lespecial is a three-piece progressive rock band made up of Jonny Grusauskas, Luke Bemand, and Rory Dolan. They’re based out of Millerton, NY, and Connecticut, and their new album […]
Hometown Heroes: Cary Farrar
Cary Farrar is a resident of Millerton, NY, where he currently serves as Fire Captain of the Millerton Fire Co. In addition to this, he works as a professional firefighter in Stamford, CT, and owns his own lawn care business, Farrar Lawn Care. Outside of his work, Cary is also a veteran and is involved […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Olivia (Libby) Valentine
In honor of Photographer Appreciation Month in October, we’re highlighting some of our local photographers. For this installment, we’re featuring our own Libby Valentine. Read on to learn about her photography!
Your name and the type of camera you use / prefer?
Olivia Valentine and I shoot with a Nikon d7500. Someday I’d like to […]
Penne
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Furrtography Appurreciation Month
PSA: not sure if you’re aware, but Octopurr is Furrtography Appurreciation Month. I thought this would be an appurropriate topic to talk about this week, especially fur all you aspiring iPhone furrtography purrofessionals. There is one furrtographfurr in purrticular I would purrsonally like to highlight: my Mom.
Mom definitely appurreciates a good photograph when […]
Carpineto Dogajolo Tuscan Blend
Who doesn’t love a landscape of autumn leaves in shades of deep red, yellow, and brown? It’s an awe-inspiring site and, like seeing a rainbow, never loses its magic and magnificence. When I first saw the label for this choice of my wine of the week, I had that same feeling of excitement. A beautiful arrangement of […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Brian Wilcox
In honor of Photographer Appreciation Month in October, we’re highlighting some of our local photographers. For this installment, we’re featuring Brian Wilcox. Read on to learn about his photography!
Your name and type of camera you use/prefer?
Brian Wilcox and the camera brand I use and prefer is DSLR Canon R3 & DJI Mavic 3 Drone
What […]
61 Beech Plain Road, Sandisfield, Massachusetts 01255
This Custom built home on 27.491 acres is on the market for the first time in 33 years! Built with love and exquisite details by the owners, this home has been used primarily as a vacation home. Tremendous views from both deck levels provides a relaxing atmosphere. The property borders the Clam River allowing you to […]
The Corner Counter Serves Up Goodies For Any Time of Day
The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY, only opened in April of this year, but they already have a loyal following from those who are looking for cheese, a quick grab-and-go lunch, or a craft beer, cider or natural wine.
Only the beginning
Lauren Cunningham-Housman began working on a plan for opening a shop years ago.
“I was in […]
Rocktober Feature: Half Pint
Half Pint is the musical group made up of Pine Plains, NY, locals Joe Cort, Kaylie Jackson, and Gary Gent. They recently performed during Pine Plains Community Day on September 9 and are currently working on new music. Read on to learn about how each member of Half Pint got into music, who their biggest inspirations are, […]
Ruffino Pinot Grigio and Mondavi Merlot
Sometimes you just need something simple and straightforward that needs no second-guessing. For me that’s a dependable Pinot Grigio and a classic Merlot. My picks? Ruffino for the Pinot Grigio and Mondavi for the Merlot. These producers have been at it for years and know what they’re doing. You just can’t go wrong with their wines. A […]
“The Lifespan of a Fact” Dazzles at the Sharon Playhouse
“The Lifespan of a Fact” is essentially an 85-minute argument between the three characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat and questioning where the truth actually lies.
The play centers around an essay written by John D’Agata about the suicide of a young man named Levi Presley. He submits it to a national magazine, […]
Kindness Doesn’t Cost a Thing
Kindness is a super power, according to kindness.org. And I couldn’t agree more. But further, the sentiment rings true: kindness, in fact, doesn’t cost a thing. So why don’t more of us – our society even – practice it and show more kindness to those around us? I pose that […]
Pine Plains Ag Fair Returns on October 6th & 7th
The Pine Plains FFA Ag Fair returns to Stissing Mountain Jr./Sr. High School on Friday, October 6th and Saturday, October 7th.
As someone who graduated from Pine Plains, I can say that without a doubt, Ag Day is the best when you’re still a student. The day begins with waking up early to get decked out in your […]
Photographer Appreciation Month: Lazlo Gyorsok
In honor of Photographer Appreciation Month in October, we’re highlighting some of our local photographers. Our second installment is none other than Lazlo Gyorsok – read on to learn about his photography!
Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?
My name is Lazlo Gyorsok. I use mainly Fuji digital cameras but have a couple of other […]
Summer In Octopurr
When I think of Octopurr I usually think of watching leaves changes colors and fall to the ground, tempurratures giving the air a chill, snuggling up with a good blankie, and blankly staring at Mom’s pumpkin decor. But here we are; Octopurr 4, 2023 and temps have been unseasonably warm this week. In fact, we’re expected to […]
Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Grace Smith House
“Domestic violence is considered to be a pattern of behavior that is calculated in order to establish and maintain power and control in an intimate relationship.” This is how Branka Bryan, executive director for Grace Smith House in Poughkeepsie, NY, defined domestic violence.
Grace Smith House is a private, nonprofit organization that provides residential and non-residential services to […]
Nina
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Photographer Appreciation Month: Sarah Blodgett
In honor of Photographer Appreciation Month in October, we’re highlighting some of our local photographers. For our first installment, we’re featuring Sarah Blodgett. Read on to learn about her photography!
Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?
Sarah Blodgett, Canon 5D Mark IV
What type of photography do you most often do or prefer (subject matter)?
I’m very […]
Hammertown Barn Celebrates Its 38th Anniversary
“It was a passion for me,” says Joan Osofsky, owner of Hammertown Barn, about opening the first store in Pine Plains, NY back in 1985.
“I say 38, and I don’t feel as old as it is,” she laughs.
Just getting started
Joan’s daughter and Hammertown’s design director, Dana Simpson, shares that her mom started Hammertown out of her love […]
Karen Trunko’s Botanical Exhibit on Display at Noble Horizons
“I have a calendar that my mom made for me many years ago, and there’s a photo of me at two years old with a plastic camera, running around the house taking photos,” Karen laughs. “I guess I’ve always loved taking pictures.”
Indeed, Karen has spent her entire life observing the world through a lens. In college, she […]
Step Into the Hive: How to Help the Declining Bee Population
A few weeks ago, Gino Robustelli invited Lindsey and I to come visit his bee hives outside of the Harney tea factory. Lindsey, who has since gone back to college, is one of our summer writers and served as our cinematographer for our trip to visit the bees. The purpose of our visit was to see the […]
Art Museum Round-Up
Because our October issue is celebrating art and design, we are recommending a few art and history museums in the tri-state area. The NY/MA/CT area has a rich history of art and culture and that is evident in the sheer number of museums and historical estates we have in this area. This by no means is an […]
Planting More Than A Seed
Autumn might not seem like the busiest time in a gardener’s calendar. Surely with the fading of blooms and dropping of leaves, this must be a quiet time compared to spring and summer. Actually, few things could be further from the truth. Fall is on a par with my busiest spring weeks. You’d be hard pressed […]
Branchwater Farms Discuss the Art of Distilling
When Kevin Pike and Robin Touchet moved to the Hudson Valley in 2012, they were in search of the land that would later become Branchwater Farms. “The goal was to find a place that we could preserve and make economically viable for future generations,” Kevin says.
From cheese to spirits
In 2014, they closed on an 80-acre plot […]
Sounds of Age
Somehow, “spring cleaning” got passed over this year. Perhaps it was the end of a strange New England winter and the slide into a rainy summer season that let the annual rite of purging slide by, unfulfilled. So, we decided to institute another annual tradition – fall cleaning.
Closets are always a great place to start. […]
Graceland Tattoo
Graceland Tattoo, located off of Route 9 in Wappingers Falls, NY, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. “It’s pretty wild. It’s quite an accomplishment, and I think in some ways it ages me,” laughs Adam Lauricella, proprietor.
Adam has had years of experience in the profession. His interest in tattooing started all the way back in […]
Hilarie Burton Morgan talks Magic and Mischief in Grimoire Girl
Actress and author Hilarie Burton Morgan is releasing her second book, Grimoire Girl, on October 3, 2023.
A grimoire is typically known as a spell book or a textbook of magic. Hilarie describes it as, “a book of life-saving knowledge.” Her spin on the book is a collection of memoir essays, stories from childhood, magical practices, and […]
M+A=Design+Community
For Margaret Ahearn of M+A NYC, good design creates products with intention and community that enhance beauty, function, and utility in our homes.
Designing life changes
This philosophy has evolved from decades of experience as a designer. Educated at Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, Ahearn started her career as a clothing […]
D.W. Miller & PAleoArt
One thing’s for certain, a dinosaur or ancient fish envisioned and drawn yesterday by a paleoartist may look like one thing today, yet it may look a little different the day after that. It’s tricky business fraught with the possibility of change.
Early in life, paleoartist David Miller, now living and working at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, […]
Mystery Buildings 2023
Our readers responded so enthusiastically to the first Mystery Buildings article in 2019 and to More Mystery Houses in 2022 that Main Street plans to return every October to check up on the status of previous mysteries and identify new ones, including commercial buildings. We appreciate the help of real-estate agents, town officials, local residents with long […]
October 2023 Recipe – Sweet and Sour Meatballs
OCT. RECIPE
A Passage to India – John Robshaw, Textile Designer
The elephant on John Robshaw Textiles’ sign in front of the moody, gray house in Falls Village, CT, subtly suggests what awaits the visitor to the shop. Inside are the Indian-inspired block-print textiles that have created John Robshaw’s international design reputation – pillows, duvets, blankets, and sheets of cavorting elephants, tropical blossoms, trees, and south Asian patterns […]
I’m Drawing as Fast as I Can
Where do you get your ideas?
If you look at the world with a satirical perspective, you realize ideas are all around us. When I first came to New York City in the mid 1970s, the latest fashion for women was large, puffy, purple down coats. It inspired me to draw a parade of women in those […]
Ravines Winery Riesling
I read a cute line the other day that has stuck with me for this week’s selection: A crisp white for a fall night. It sounds so inviting, and it’s perfectly suited to harvest season in New York State, where Riesling proliferates. So, Riesling it is, and with pleasure. Get your hands on a bottle (or several) […]
Ten Mile Table and Vitsky Bakery Supply Artisanal Pantry Finds and Baked Goods
Ten Mile Table Supply is home to a variety of unique pantry finds, independent food publications, and the undeniable star of the show, the bakery counter that houses Vitsky Bakery.
“It’s been amazing to watch the business grow through word-of-mouth in the community,” owner Erika DaSilva says. “Ariel from Vitsky [Bakery] is amazing, and we’ve been looking for […]
Hometown Heroes: Mike Cooper
Mike Cooper is a lifelong resident of Pine Plains, NY, where he works as a teacher, coach, and recreation director. He currently serves as the Second Lieutenant in the Pine Plains Fire Co., but he has been an interior firefighter (which means he goes inside the structures while they are on fire) since joining the hose company […]
51 Craryville Rd, Copake, NY 12521
THREE OAKS Step onto this 18-acre property situated on a quiet country road, and you’ll find yourself in a peaceful, park-like setting with undulating lawns, lovely gardens, magnificent trees, a pristine pond, and a quiet stream. Enter the house, and a mural depicts the surroundings in the style of turn-of-the century itinerant painters. Follow the flow […]
Two Icons, One Night: Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks at Gillette Stadium
When my parents and I set out for Foxborough, MA, on Saturday afternoon, the weather prognosis was not good. Rain from Tropical Storm Ophelia was circling New England and the temperatures were clocking in at about 52 degrees.
But I couldn’t bring myself to care because we were going to see Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks perform on […]
Binge Watching
I don’t really have much say about what’s on TV as it’s basically just background noise during my catnaps. However, Mom’s been hogging the TV more than usual lately, or should I say binge watching as she calls it, “scripted reality love TV”. In no purrticular order her go to’s are Married At Furrst Sight, Love […]
3rd Annual Hudson Valley Rodeo Brings Cowboys and Cowgirls to Amenia
The 3rd Annual Hudson Valley Rodeo returned to Keane Stud in Amenia, NY on Saturday, September 16. The event, which is a fundraiser for the Amenia-Wassaic Community Organization (AWCO) and its programs and is powered by the Silo Ridge Community Foundation (SRCF), was sold out with approximately 5,000 people in attendance between the rodeo and the concert, […]
Housatonic Grad Sydney Segalla Talks College Sports and Sponsors
Sydney Segalla has been playing soccer for as long as she can remember.
“Both of my parents played sports, so I think it was in their cards to have their kids play sports as well. For me, soccer was what I looked forward to as a kid. I couldn’t wait for the weekend to play in my little […]
A delicious new dining option. New eats at Fern in Lakeville, CT
For close to a year, those passing by the old fire station in Lakeville, CT, have wondered what the construction would result in. We had heard that it was definitely going to be a restaurant, but then the question was whether it would be an Italian restaurant, or maybe a pizza joint – but then we also […]
Chase
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Rose Hill Discordia
Fall is upon us and it’s time to celebrate the harvest. I wrote an article on Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook for Main Street several months ago and fell in love with the place. It’s time to return, both to the beautiful farm and to its unique and fruit-forward libations. I’m going to get a bottle […]
Hometown Heroes: Brian Walsh
Brian Walsh has been the Chief of the Pine Plains Fire Company for the past eight years. Additionally, he has also held an Officer’s Position for the past 13 years. When asked why he decided to join the volunteer fire department, he shared that his grandmother was one of the founding members of the Ladies Auxiliary. “It […]
Fuzzy Flops
As I sit on the back of the couch aimlessly staring out at the backyard door at the eyesore of a mess Dad has made in purrepurration fur the pool, I’m also watching summer slip away. The leaves are slowly starting to change color and fall and the chill in the air is starting to settle […]
“Middle Barn” home on 2.74 acres in Cornwall, CT
DEAL OF THE WEEK
A Final Decision Has Finally Been Made on Sharon Hospital
On August 28, 2023, Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy (OHS) announced its Final Decision to reject Nuvance Health’s application to terminate the labor and delivery services at Sharon Hospital in Sharon, CT.
The community, politicians, physicians at Sharon Hospital, and Save Sharon Hospital—a nonprofit community organization committed to supporting and maintaining the full range of services at Sharon […]
Plungerhead Old Vine Zinfandel
I Miss Mom, Too!
Since I’ve been so laser focused on Mom’s recovfurry, I furrgot to tell you Ellie started Kindergarten last week. That’s right, my kid sister is officially a big kid! School started off great, but Ellie has slowly expurressed missing Mom more so than usual and has even come off the bus crying fur Mom.
Mom and Dad […]
Fifth Annual Wine Dinner and Auction to Benefit Housatonic Valley Regional High School International Travel Club
The annual Wine Dinner and Auction at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, CT will be held on Friday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m. The event is held by fundraising organization Northwest Corner: Students Without Borders in support of the Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) International Travel Club.
HVRHS is a public high school located in Falls […]
How I Spent 48 Hours in Boston
My best friend and I were lamenting the end of the summer a few weeks ago when it occurred to us that we hadn’t taken a single trip together at all this summer. As that realization sank in, we immediately took to the Internet to search up interesting places that […]
Come to the Skywalk Arts Festival
Come to the Skywalk Arts Festival
The Hudson River Skywalk is one of the most picturesque areas in the Northeast. So picturesque it gave birth to the art movement, the Hudson River School, begun by Thomas Cole and Frederic Church whose homes are located at either end of the Hudson River Skywalk.
Our 7th annual Skywalk Arts Festival, on […]
Ruffino Prosecco
Football season is back! That’s cause for celebration in my book, and Prosecco is the perfect pairing for a day of finger foods. One that’s a winner every time, whether you drink it straight or make a Sunday cocktail with it like a mimosa or a bellini, is Ruffino. From the winery that’s been making fine wines […]
Recovfurry
Here we are; six days post op and as purromised, an update on how things are going with Mom. Furrst and foremost, surgery went very well. Just as the ultrasound had shown, Mom had hundreds of little stones in her gallbladder, which was causing her constant discomfurrt. Doc also caught a glimpse of Mom’s heart through […]
Recent Pine Plains Grad Reflects on Time as First Student Board Representative
According to the National School Boards Association (NSBA), 31 states mostly in the Northeast and the Midwest reported having student board members as a local option.
This past year, the Pine Plains Central School District in Pine Plains, NY had its first ever student representative of the Board of Education (BOE): John Bopp.
As a student member of the […]
Sherman
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
The Importance of Library Card Sign-up Month and How to Celebrate
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and libraries in the region are doing their part to celebrate, both during this month and year-round. And it’s significant, now more than ever, to recognize just how many resources a library card can give members access to, free of cost! As Rhiannon Leo-Jameson, director of NorthEast Millerton Library, says, “It […]
Contemporary Elegance With Mountain Views: Renovated Home On Expansive Lot In Lakeville
Thoughtfully planned high-end design is the hallmark of this newly renovated country home located in one of Salisbury’s most desirable neighborhoods off Wells Hill Road. The open floor plan is centered around spectacular mountain views ranging from Mount Riga to Mount Everett and beyond. Professional landscaping and mature specimen trees throughout the double lot totaling 2.35 […]
A Year of Shaker-style Flowers at Stissing House – Garden to Table Flowers
The Stissing House Inn at the crossroads in the center of Pine Plains has been a focal point for both sustenance and celebration since 1782, operating almost continuously as an inn, tavern or restaurant since its inception. In March 2022 came a new keeper of the Inn to give a new lease of life to this historic […]
Mr. Pine Plains
Talking All Things Pine Plains With Dominick Calabro
From the Best Bench in TownIf Norman Rockwell were still with us today and he were in search of inspiration for his next great piece of Americana art, he might want to consider sitting on a bench with Dominick Calabro outside of Factory Lane Auto Repair in Pine Plains. From […]
Portable Privacy
“It’s been quite a summer.” It’s an innocent enough line delivered by a total stranger, offered to pass a few moments while waiting for the barista to fulfil a request for a very large iced coffee. And, with brief reflection, the statement was quite true. Heat, humidity, raging thunderstorms, flooding … just the weather would justify the […]
Pine Plains – A Snapshot in Time
For many, the name “Pine Plains” evokes a dot on the map while driving along the Taconic State Parkway, but to relegate the Hudson Valley town to a bypassing point on a map is to commit a history lover’s faux pas.
For those who have benignly wandered into that particular offense, and I’m forced to include myself, there’s […]
The Stissing Center is Alive and Well and Waiting for You
I don’t know that I’ve spoken with anyone more enthusiastic about a place than Brett Bernardini is about The Stissing Center in Pine Plains. He is the executive director of the Center, and his passion for what’s happening and what’s possible there are palpable. It turns out he’s far […]
The Pines – A Victorian Mansion Frozen in Time
When I take a left turn onto Maple Street, I am admittedly unsuspecting. I’ve seen dazzling pictures of the glorious mansion where Jorge and Eileen Yajure operate The Pines, and I’m confident these photos capture the beauty of the place quite accurately. But the residences and businesses I pass […]
Extracurricular Programs at PPCSD Cover a Wide Range of Interests
The Pine Plains Central School District offers an expansive list of extracurricular activities in both of the elementary schools, as well as in the junior/senior high school. Dr. Brian Timm, the superintendent for the Pine Plains Central School District told me that the school community recently defined their mission […]
Remembering 9/11 – The Stissing Mountain Fire Tower Flag
For four years now, the Stissing Mountain Fire Tower in Pine Plains, NY, has unfurled a brilliantly striking American flag on September 11 in honor of the tragedy that occurred 22 years ago. In anticipation of its fifth commemoration, I spoke with Matt Zick and Joe Schmidt, who explain […]
Catching Up With the Pine Plains Real Estate Market
In 2018, the last time Main Street looked at real estate in the Town of Pine Plains on the northern border of Dutchess County, we predicted that real estate activity and prices were poised to move upward. COVID, low interest rates, and a national housing shortage fueled the town’s real estate market from total sales of […]
Demeter Home Celebrates its Two Year Anniversary
Demeter Home opened towards the tail-end of the pandemic in September of 2021 in a relatively small space. “When I opened, it was slow because I had to get my name out there. Starting off on the small side of the building, it was hard to get people to notice that there was a new business in […]
A New Leaf in an Old Town
Books! Yes, hooray for books! I love libraries, and I love bookstores. If you ask my preference for an amusement park or a bookstore, it’s no contest: bookstore hands down. So it was with a great sense of excitement and anticipation that I entered A New Leaf Used Books on East Church Street just off of Main […]
Pine Plain’s Distinguished Pharmacist Nasir Mahmood
Before Stissing House was a refined restaurant, before the Pine Plains Platter and the Stissing Center, Nasir Mahmood arrived in Pine Plains in 1989 to take over an existing pharmacy. He heard about the Pine Plains Pharmacy while working at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, and within two weeks had moved with his young family to […]
September 2023 Recipe – MOLASSES SUGAR COOKIES
SEPT. RECIPE
Tony Henneberg
“I don’t necessarily consider myself an artist, I like to represent things on paper or canvas.” –Tony Henneberg
A downy woodpecker, a red-tailed hawk, a winter warbler, chanterelles, king boletes, black trumpets, and even the occasional bovine, Pine Plains painter Tony Henneberg pays attention to nature, in particular birds and mushrooms, wherever he goes. Ethology (the study of […]
Marques de Caceres Verdejo
Labor Day weekend already,and the weather is looking good! Let’s not say goodbye to summer yet. In fact, with peaches tasting so delicious right now, it’s the perfect time to kick back with a white sangria. Here’s what you’ll need: 1 bottle of dry white wine, preferably from Spain. The Marques de Caceres Verdejo is perfect (buy […]
Evie
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Spilling The Tea
Before you assume – no, I don’t have any juicy gossip fur you. But while I’m sipping on my pretend princess tea, I thought I’d fill you in on Mom’s health. Going back to 2018, only a few days after Ellie was born, Mom had a gallbladder attack. She was scheduled to have surgery soon after, but […]
Vital Ocean Current Projected to Collapse in the Near Future
In case you weren’t worried about the climate yet today, here’s a reason for you to be.
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – AMOC for short – is projected to collapse in the near future, meaning any time between 2025 and 2095.
Why is this important? The AMOC is a very important ocean current – that is part of […]
230 Greenwoods Road West, Norfolk, CT 06058
This spacious, well maintained home is located on 14.5 acres above Route 44 in Norfolk. Private setting with shared driveway. Freshly painted with new lighting fixtures. Large Living Room with propane fireplace, hardwood floors and built-ins. New stainless steel appliances and flooring in Kitchen. Large primary bedroom with slider leads to a covered porch with private […]
Bailey
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Willow Roots Launches New Flea Market Event in Pine Plains
On August 12th, Willow Roots saw the first day of its flea market, which the organization is running every second and fourth Saturday of the month (excepting Sunday, September 10th) until the end of October. On these days, you will find a variety of local vendors and their products at 8 North Main Street, across from the […]
Clean Slate Riesling & Pinot Project Pinot Noir
Oh no – it’s the end of August already!! It’s a time of change and juggling and trying to soak up the last of the summer. What wines work for this? Easy ones. Ones that you can pull from the fridge or the wine rack without having to think twice about them. Suggestions: For a white wine, […]
House Purrojects
If I had thumbs, I’d be sitting here twiddling them. This past week there has been a lot of commotion going on at the house. This has really put a monkey wrench in my cat-napping schedule, but to continue living my best indoor kitty life I’m willing to forgo a nap or two.
Although it’s been […]
Dr. Konstantin Frank, Semi-Dry Riesling
In wondering what wine to feature for this weekend, I went to a website that lists what’s being celebrated nationally on any particular day. Who comes up with these things? Did you know August 19 is Chef’s Appreciation Day? National Sandcastle and Sculpture Day? Coco Chanel Day? And so many more! My wine selection will celebrate the […]
Lucas
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Purrthday Week
Whatta week. Mom, Dad, and Ellie, made the trek to Iceland fur Ellie’s purrthday only to purractilly turn around and come home due to Mom not feeling her oats. (Not to worry, she’ll be fine. It’s just her gallbladder.) Anyway, Ellie rang in her fifth purrthday with a total of five purrthday parties of course.
Mad Rose Gallery Brings Interactive Gallery Space to Millerton
Robert and Kerry also mention the vital role that the Millerton Business Alliance plays in making Millerton a lively and dynamic community.
Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blanc
It’s not easy to impress a fellow bubbly lover with an economically priced bottle, but I did. What’s always most important in a memorable bottle is taste, and this sparkling wine has it, from the first sip to the last. My bubbly snob friend agreed. I gloated. And I have to share.
The wine is French (mais oui!), […]
Kandy
SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK
Pianist Simone Dinnerstein to Perform Alongside Balourdet String Quartet at Music Mountain
On Sunday, August 20th at 3pm, Music Mountain in Falls Village, CT, will present a special concert event that you won’t want to miss. Pianist Simone Dinnerstein and the Balourdet String Quartet will perform J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto in D Minor BWV 1052, in addition to works by Felix Mendelssohn, Karim Al-Zand, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Jean-Philippe […]
Farms & Flooding: How Rock Steady Farm Has Been Navigating the Changing Climate
This is part two of a series of interviews with local farms about how the recent weather conditions have been affecting them and their crops.
Last week, we took a look at how Full Circus Farm in Pine Plains, NY was navigating the recent flooding they experienced due to the excessive rain. This week, we took a […]
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie
I’ll start this recommendation by saying I cried on four separate occasions during this movie…but please don’t let this scare you away! This film was incredibly heartfelt, incredibly well-executed, and incredibly enjoyable to watch. As a part of my Barbie/Oppenheimer double feature, I showed up to the theater decked out in hot pink and had a wonderful […]
Rob’s Records & Audio
If you share my experience of owning a record player, then you likely also share an insatiable need to collect new vinyl at any chance you get. When I was living in London for a few months this spring, I would come across an album I’d been wanting for ages, and excitedly set it aside while I […]
Gaby’s
There are few things in this world that make me happier than a bowl of guacamole and a basket of tortilla chips, and there’s one place that does it the best – Gaby’s on Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck. Making guacamole is a precarious process – you need to ensure that you have the right ratio of lime […]
International Cat Day
Happy (belated) international cat day furriends! I hope all my fellow feline furriends felt all the love as much as I did yesterday. But to be fair, evfurry day feels like internation cat day at my house. My family goes above and beyond making me truly feel like the only cat in their lives…actually I am the only cat in their lives.
Lindsey in London
About a month and a half ago now, I returned from a four-and-a-half-month study abroad experience in London. While I certainly cherished my time in the city while I was there, I’ve been reflecting more and more on my past experiences and, quite honestly, trying to figure out all the ways I can go back again. In […]
Cat Days Of Summer…Or?
Purrdon me fur the stink eye, but I have a good reason fur it. I have a bit of a bone to pick with my K-9 furriends (pun intended). I’m sure you’ve heard about the “dog days of summer”. But what does that even mean? According to Google the 'dog days' are considered to be the hottest and most unbearable days of the season, which are furrom July 3rd to August 11th each year. That’s all fine and dandy, but what about the cat days summer…or any season fur that matter?
Annie
Annie
Annie, an adorable 8-year-old feline, brings joy and playfulness into the lives of her loving humans. This spirited cat is known for her endless enthusiasm for playtime, with her favorite activity being the exhilarating pursuit of cat wands.
But Annie isn’t all about constant movement and excitement. She also has a softer side. During quieter moments, […]
Lainey Wilson Performs First Arena Show to Sold-Out Crowd at Mohegan Sun
For her first headlining arena show, Lainey Wilson brought the house down at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
It may be important to note that Mohegan Sun isn’t a huge arena – it only has 10,000 seats – but it’s definitely important to note that the show was completely sold out and almost every single seat was […]
Estate Gruner Veltliner from Millbrook Winery!
What a delightful surprise to learn that Millbrook Winery in Dutchess County has an estate Gruner Veltliner! This grape is grown most widely in Austria and is prized for making a wine that is crisp and bright with notes of white pepper, lime, and lemon that yield a delicious zing on the finish. Gruner is a great […]
Farms & Flooding: How Full Circus Farm Has Been Navigating the Changing Climate
This is part one of a series of interviews with local farms about how the recent weather conditions have been affecting them and their crops.
Farmers rely on good weather to be able to grow the food that feeds all of us. Extreme weather in any form makes it more difficult for farmers to keep crops alive.
Last […]
Supporting All Students: Gaschel-Clark and Holmes Start their New Positions in Region One
This July, my mom, Rebecca Gaschel-Clark, and her new colleague, Ashley Holmes, began their new administrative roles as Director of Pupil Services and Supervisor of Special Education, respectively, in Region One (CT). I spoke with them to learn more about how they first got into the field of special education, what these careers mean to them and […]
Making Scents
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. While Charles Dickens may well have been talking about two cities, my tale of hope and despair is about two scents – or rather one distinct lack of scent. However, the shared moral of both our stories is that things are not always what they […]
Relax and Rejuvenate
It’s always a good idea to schedule time to pamper yourself, unwind, and indulge in some serenity. Haven Spa in Rhinebeck, NY, is the ideal destination for the art of self-care.
Annika Barriteau, PA-C is the visionary behind the recently revamped spa, which has been serving the Rhinebeck community for 21 years. She now serves as owner of Haven Spa […]
About to Bloom – The High Road
The “high road” is one of those brilliant rhetorical turns of phrase that simultaneously depicts a useful metaphor and manipulates an audience. Politicians love to tag legislation with similar flourishes that practically guarantee passage of something like the No Child Left Behind Act, because who could possibly vote to leave a child behind?
Similarly, no one ever wants […]
THE POWER AND IMPACT OF TikTok on Pop Culture and the Economy
Social media platforms are a dime a dozen in today’s world. New ones rise and fall but there is one certain app that continues to grow and grow in popularity: TikTok. Since its release in 2018 the social media platform has grown to a usership of over one billion […]
Read-A-Romance Month – A Deep Dive into the Genre and its Authors
You may not know this, but among the many observances and holidays in the month of August, there are two celebrations perfect for all the romance lovers out there. When I discovered that August is dubbed not only Romance Awareness Month, but also Read-A-Romance Month, I immediately thought about […]
Get outside! BEST PLACES TO SPEND TIME OUTDOORS WITH YOUR FAMILY
With school out and vacations abounding, summer is arguably the best season to spend time outdoors. With August also being National Family Fun Month, it’s only appropriate that we round up some of the best places to spend time outdoors with your family to end summer the right way. […]
Alive with Energy Edvard Munch – Trembling Earth at the Clark
The Clark is on a roll. Last summer, it gave us a spectacular Rodin exhibition, and this summer’s stunning visual feast is Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth. In a word–go!
The collection will reward you with richly hued multi-dimensional explorations of Munch’s relationship with the natural world that go far […]
The Sideward Glance, the Nervous Two-step
Near the end of the interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Dani Izzie put her life as a quadriplegic in clear, direct perspective: “I don’t want to go to the grocery store and have somebody randomly come up to me and say, ‘You’re so inspiring.’ Why? Because I’m at the grocery store? I want to be seen as […]
August 2023 Recipe – TAKE 5 S’MORES BARS
AUGUST RECIPE
Split Lives – DOUG AND VICTORIA LARSON
Victoria (Torrie) and Doug Larson arrived in Stanford, NY, seeking more space 15 years ago and created an extra rural life for their family and businesses. I first met Doug Larson, an architect, when he assisted the North East Community Center in obtaining a $500,000 grant to expand its program space in Millerton, NY. Since then, these […]
Gardens of the Anthropocene
“I have to work from life. If I work from a photograph or make it up it’s not the same.” The life that artist Marilla Palmer is referring to is nature, and very often, the gardens she cultivates. Palmer comes from a long lineage of garden enthusiasts and nature lovers, in particular her father, who instilled in […]
Guido’s Fresh Marketplace: Shopping Done Locally and Sustainably
With Plastic Free July coming to a close, now is the perfect time to take a look at another local business doing their part in reducing plastic waste production and taking a comprehensive approach to environmental action. This month, we’ve covered the Rural Center Refillery in Pine Plains, NY, and the Berkshire Food Co-op in Great Barrington, […]
Romance Author Interviews: Maggie Rawdon
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of four romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. Here, you can read the full interview with Maggie Rawdon. For her website and social media, see below!
How did […]
Romance Author Interviews: Jade Dollston
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of four romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. Here, you can read the full interview with Jade Dollston. For her website and social media, see below!
How did […]
Romance Author Interviews: Brooke O’Brien
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of four romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. Here, you can read the full interview with Brooke O’Brien. For her website and social media, see below!
How did […]
Romance Author Interviews: AK Landow
In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing the insights of four romance authors who have been navigating the world of the genre and writing all about love in their latest novels. Here, you can read the full interview with AK Landow. For her website and social media, see below!
How did […]
The Bar on West & Main Brings Good Vibes to Pleasant Valley
Alexandra Occhicone and Arianna Milanese always talked about opening a restaurant together, but neither of them thought they’d actually go through with it.
Until they did.
“I saw this place was for rent and I sent the video to Alex as a joke,” Ari says. “But then my fiancé pushed us to do it, so we met with the […]
Wine of the Week(end) with fruit!
Have you been to a farmer’s market recently? The fruits and vegetables are abundant and so delicious! Blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, watermelon, and almost any other fruits are beautiful and healthy additions to a glass of wine. Here’s one way I like to do it. Cut fresh strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Using wooden skewers, make fruit kabobs […]
One Word: Reba
I hope you’re not sick of me talking about music. I can’t help myself. Music runs strong through my veins thanks to Mom. So last week was the 50th CMA Country Music Fest and while Mom simultaneously pampurred her nails and be-bopped, I too enjoyed the lineup of country stars. While evfurry one put on a […]
Practicing Sustainability in Every Respect at the Berkshire Food Co-op
In another installment of our Plastic Free July features, we’re putting the spotlight on the sustainability work being done at the Berkshire Food Co-op in Great Barrington, MA. Their approach to both environmental awareness and the business model itself is deeply embedded in the needs and well-being of the community as a whole.
Their strategies aim not only […]
DiamAndes Perlita Rosado
E-gads is it really Thursday afternoon?? I was so far ahead last week that I forgot about this week. Well, here goes.
With sunshine predicted for the full weekend, there’s no excuse not to get outside and soak up the sun – and then cool down in the evening with a great glass of wine. It really is […]
My Swiftie Side
Switfting, purrdon me, switching gears furrom Mom’s Shania Twain high, this week I’m getting in touch with my inner swiftie. What is a swiftie you ask? A swiftie is a true Taylor Swift fan. I know I might not strike you as someone who’s into Taylor Swift music, but she loves cats and oftentimes includes cat […]
Upstate Art Weekend at the Wassaic Project
The Wassaic Project is hosting a day chock-full of events for Upstate Art Weekend on Saturday, July 22 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Wassaic Project, which was founded by three artists in 2008, is a non-profit organization that uses art and arts education to foster social change. “We love this community, we love art, and we […]
The Millbrook Inn Offers Luxury Lodging and Dining Near the Heart of Millbrook
The Millbrook Inn blends two worlds together. The Inn is a luxury boutique hotel set on a picturesque country road, surrounded by farmland and grazing horses. The Inn was once a dormitory for the Greer School, but was reborn as The Millbrook Inn in 2010.
The Inn has also recently added its bar and restaurant, The Vintage, and […]
Rural Center Refillery Brings Eco-Friendly Options and Sustainability to the Pine Plains Community
“A small step forward.”
That’s how Corey and Nicole Clanahan, owners of the Rural Center Refillery in Pine Plains, NY, describe their business’ mission.
“One thing we’ve come to learn about the store, ourselves, and community members is that everyone can do so much,” Corey says. “It’s a big impact on a smaller scale.”
The idea for Rural Center Refillery, […]
The Big Concert
Mom has been looking forward to seeing Shania Twain in concert fur the third time since Novempurr. While I wasn’t purrsonally there to witness the queen of country-pop put on an unfurrgetable purrformance, Mom used her purrfessional photoshop skills to indicate otherwise.
Like a kid on Christmas, this is all Mom can talk about these days. […]
Twisted Love
What a weird summer so far! The perfect wine for Summer 2023 is Sabba Vineyard’s CabFranc, Twisted Love. I mean, the weather has been totally twisted – one day roasting the next pouring. Twisted Love wine, however, goes with whatever direction you’re flowing, and does it with panache and a full palate. Sabba Vineyard is in Old […]
Plastic Free Alternatives For the Household
The start of this month officially kicked off Plastic Free July. What initially started as a charity organization based in Australia has expanded into a global challenge to forego single-use plastics for the entire month of July, and ideally, forever.
The background of Plastic Free July
According to their website, Plastic Free July “provides resources and ideas to […]
Trinity Church’s 150 Year Anniversary
On July 9th, Trinity Episcopal Church at 484 Lime Rock Road in Lakeville, CT, will begin celebrating their 150 years as a parish. Events will continue for the rest of the year and into 2024, but will commence this Sunday with the rededication of the church’s cornerstone and the blessing of Trinity’s new Mary Chapel. In light […]
Kono
I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Poolside is the place to be this time of year, and a crisp, cold white is the perfect accompaniment. There are so many fabulous Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand on the shelves of any wine store, and they’re popular because they have a lovely “pop” to them. A […]
The Stissing Center Presents “Our Town” – A Pine Plains Bicentennial Celebration Event
The Stissing Center is presenting a staged reading of the classic American play “Our Town” on Sunday, July 9. The event is a part of the larger Pine Plains bicentennial celebration that is taking place through various events all year long.
“Our Town” is a three-act play created and written by playwright Thornton Wilder in 1938. The play […]
Millerton’s Summer Stroll
Coming up on Saturday July 8th from 2pm-5pm, the village of Millerton, NY, will truly come to life—and you won’t want to miss it. The Millerton Business Alliance (MBA) will be sponsoring an exciting event this year highlighting a plethora of local businesses and providing tons of great entertainment: Millerton’s Summer Stroll!
Dana at the MBA describes the […]
Teach Your Parents Well
Remembering Tina
When Tina “the Queen of Rock ’n Roll” Turner died recently, the digital music universe reverberated in tribute by presenting her feisty renditions of Proud Mary, What’s Love Got to Do With It?, and You Better Be Good to Me. Ranging from her early, turbulent days with Ike Turner to her supercharged career revival complete with […]
Edimentals
I hate starting an article as a killjoy – especially when it comes to anything floral – but for this food and drink edition of Main Street Magazine before I get on to the waxing lyrical bit of how to incorporate flowers into your dining beyond those gracing the table top, a few words of warning.
Probably best […]
Bliss Brings Fresh Juice & Smoothies to Red Hook and the Hudson Valley
When Annie Sullivan and her partner Michael Kelly took over their local juice bar during the global pandemic in 2020, their main goal was to provide an outlet for overall wellness to the Red Hook community.
“Overall wellness from within by feeding your body good things seemed like a noble endeavor, and that’s really been our guiding […]
Celebrating 30 Years – The Millerton Antiques Center
It seems that 2023 is a big year for many businesses in our area, and they have a lot to celebrate! In this very issue we are featuring not one but two local businesses who are celebrating big birthdays this summer. The Millerton Antiques Center on Main Street in […]
Jammin’ Out with Silda Wall Spitzer of Silda’s Jam
This is not your grandma’s jam! This is the jam of former First Lady of New York State, Silda Wall Spitzer, whose love of jam-making morphed into sharing her delicious jam with the Hudson Valley and beyond when she created Silda’s Jam. We were able to catch up with […]
The Many Lives of Rose Hill Farm
It was one of those days when everything sparkles. A sunny day without a cloud in the sky, temps in the upper 70s, and no humidity. A day to fall in love and be in love, and the perfect place to do it: Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook […]
Celebrating 40 years – LIA’S MOUNTAIN VIEW IN PINE PLAINS, NY
When Giuseppe and Antonina Mirto opened Lia’s Mountain View in Pine Plains, NY, they could have only hoped that it would become the community hub that it is today.
Giuseppe and Antonina – better known by friends and customers as Joe and Nina – opened Lia’s Mountain View in […]
Snake Pond – THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN THE TOWN OF COPAKE, NY
Founded in 1824, the Town of Copake, the Mohican word for snake pond, is busy planning its bicentennial celebrations for next year. Located on the eastern edge of Columbia County, Copake is an all-season sporting playground, which still retains its agricultural feel. The Harlem Valley Rail Trail winds through Taconic State Park. There’s skiing and zip lining […]
July 2023 Recipe – Marinated Grilled Chicken
Here’s something for your July barbecue. Our family has a delicious sounding name for it: green chicken. The origin of the name is somewhat muddy, but my oldest daughter, Claire, desperately wanted it for a birthday dinner one year. We hadn’t had it for a while and the only way she knew to describe it was by […]
The Little Store – and its Proprietors Kelsie Reed and Abby Jennings
The diversity of small businesses and risk-taking entrepreneurs make our corner’s region thrive. In Main Street’s last two issues, we interviewed a balloonist banker and a money manager with a garage full of Porsches. This month for our food issue, we talked to Kelsie Reed and Abby Jennings, two young sisters who always dreamed of having their […]
The Hills Are Alive – Labspace Celebrates Our Local Artists
Although not an artist myself, I have always admired and loved being around artists because of the way they continue to celebrate the imagination and maintain a sense of wonder that many of us leave behind in our childhoods. And they do it despite the fact that pursuing a career as an artist can be an incredibly […]
My New Furriend
The fam-bam is away on their annual beach vacation this week. But please, don’t feel sorry fur me – I wasn’t really home alone. Grandma came to check on me daily, fed me, administered my medicine, cleaned my litter box, and gave me endless amounts of pawty-mix. Oh, and my new furriend, Pepé Le Pew also […]
The Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon
Here comes July!! To help celebrate our nation’s birthday on the 4th, I have to go with this Cabernet Sauvignon from California: The Federalist. The winery claims the wines are “made like America: bold.” This Cab is indeed bold, with big black cherry and cassis notes and firm yet supple tannins. I love the label, too. Benjamin […]
Introducing Dr. Ellie
Whoop Whoop! School’s out fur summer. But if you recall, back in Septempurr, chapter fourteen started with Mom crying like a baby because her human child was starting purre-k. Fast forward to this past Furriday, and now Ellie has graduated. Mom and Dad are so purroud of how much Ellie has grown and learned ovfurr the […]
Pride Business Spotlight: Kent Hunter and Jonathan Bee of Hunter Bee
If you’re from the area, you’ve most definitely heard of Hunter Bee in Millerton, NY. Couple Kent Hunter and Jonathan Bee, owners and—of course—the antique store’s namesakes, opened up the shop 15 years ago.
Before starting their business, and having spent time in the Berkshires, Kent and Jonathan quickly learned of a town called Millerton. While they initially […]
Pride Business Spotlight: Alex Athanasiadis of Demeter Home
When Alex Athanasiadis first had the idea of opening Demeter Home, he knew he had to find just the right location for his shop. After spending weekend after weekend making trips to various Hudson Valley towns, villages, and hamlets, he found himself in Pine Plains and knew that this was the location he had been searching for.
Alex […]
North East Ford Will be Holding Their First Car & Motorcycle Show
Mark your calendars and start your engines! On Sunday, June 25th from 12pm-4pm, North East Ford at 182 Route 44 in Millerton, NY, will be holding their first Car & Motorcycle Show. You won’t want to miss out on the fun!
Owner of North East Ford, Lann Rubin II, describes that the atmosphere of […]
Happy (Belated) Father’s Day
Happy (Belated) Father’s Day
I play a good Momma’s boy when I need to. Purrimary when I want something – like extra pawty-mix, or to be brushed. But in all reality, I’m one hundred purrcent a Daddy’s boy. I know Mom is the one who wanted to adopt me, but Dad and I have this undeniable […]
Cranberry Bog
This Saturday is June 24. Fast forward six months and it’ll be December 24. Yikes! Only six months to Christmas Eve! Whether that thought fills you with excitement or dread, there’s a wine for that. It’s from Montezuma Winery in the Finger Lakes, and it’s one of their most popular offerings. It’s called Cranberry Bog, and it’s […]
Coming or Going?
Mom doesn’t furget much at all. That is until recently she furrgot what day her doctor’s appointment was on. She showed up an entire day early. I guess that’s better than missing it all together? The point I’m trying to purrove is that our schedules are so busy right meow, we don’t know if we are […]
1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel
It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, and in thinking about a wine worthy of the celebration, an obvious choice occurred to me: 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel. First, there’s the name. 1000 Stories. Think about all the stories you have about your dad, or stories you want to share with the dads in your life, or stories […]
PSA
Psspsspss, may I have your attention please! In case you haven’t noticed already, due to wildfurrs in Canada, the outside air quality here in our Tristate area has reached dangerous levels. With that said, it’s recommended you and your pets limit your time outside, so now is the purrfect time to hunker down and purractice being […]
How to Condition Your Flowers
Over the last year of this column, I have talked a lot about growing flowers to cut and enjoy inside your home. Growing or sourcing local seasonal flowers has become the drum I like to beat (to death my husband would say!) be it for the environmental benefits and/or the emotional joy of creating your own beauty […]
Author Jodé Millman Has More to Say About True Crimes in the Hudson Valley
If you live in the Hudson Valley and enjoy reading true crime novels, then you are undoubtedly familiar with attorney and author Jodé Millman’s Queen City Crimes series that takes place in our very own city of Poughkeepsie. What you may not know is that Millman was personally connected to two of the crimes.
The first book […]
Overnight Adventures
It’s a celebratory year for Gatherwild Ranch – a glamping destination that initially opened in New York’s Germantown area in 2017. After operating for six years, the luxe habitat faced challenges regarding zoning legislation, which prompted the business to cease operation.
Luckily, the close-knit community surrounding Gatherwild Ranch pitched in […]
Just say No
We are all too familiar with that uncomfortable feeling of rushing in to respond with a “yes” when we want to say “no” to a request. Most of us can easily recall the guilt we experience after declining an invitation to a birthday party, wedding, holiday gathering, or meet-up […]
Finally, Dallas
This article is a little bit … different(?) from what you might be used to, but we love history around here, so I thought this would definitely be interesting or at least a bit of a head-scratcher making you go, “Hmm?” Jesse proposed this article based on his curiosity […]
Making Scents
This summer Hudson and lots of other towns in the Hudson Valley will be brimming with locals and visitors who are eager to explore, engage with others, and indulge in new experiences. Whether you’re a local resident entertaining weekend guests or a visitor from afar, be sure to visit […]
Ten Years of Real Estate in Sharon & Northwest Litchfield County
Exactly ten years ago Main Street Magazine looked at the real estate market in the “consistently quiet” town of Sharon, CT. Not very much has changed except for real estate prices, super-charged by COVID. The construction fence around Hotchkiss Library on the Sharon Green has been removed and the multi-year renovation is almost complete, with hopes to […]
June 2023 Recipe – Key Lime Pie Creamsicle
Summertime is officially upon us! Our recipe idea for this month was born while shopping in one of our favorite grocery stores. I love collaborating with Caroline on these recipes. It’s not just the making of them; it’s the behind-the-scenes shopping and preparing for each recipe we create.
We were together one evening at Adams in Kingston, […]
Up, Up And Away
June is the month of adventure for Main Street Magazine, and of Father’s Day. Darrel Long spoke to Main Street early on a Saturday morning about his passion for hot-air ballooning and Spirit Ballooning, the business that brings his family together.
Why do you only fly at sunrise?
For ballooning, winds are safest below five knots per hour. A […]
Balance Amidst Uncertainty
“Throughout my life, the best things have happened because I took a risk, not a foolhardy risk, but one that was necessary or calculated. So although we might want a direct path, a clear destination, we must be careful not to be overly cautious.” – Steven Careau
The word that the artist Steven Careau most often uses to […]
Bird Bath Wine
“UNFOLDING OLANA” A DAY OF MODERN DANCE IN OLANA’S LANDSCAPE
HUDSON, NY – Join The Olana Partnership and Site-Specific Dances for “UNFOLDING OLANA: A Day of Dance” at Olana State Historic Site on Saturday, June 17th. This unique event will immerse visitors in a captivating celebration of movement and artistry, set against the stunning backdrop of Olana’s 250 acres of artist-designed landscape.
“UNFOLDING OLANA” is led by acclaimed […]
Geary Contemporary presents “Who’s To Say I Am Awake; Are You?” opening June 10
Who’s To Say I Am Awake; Are You? asks the question about the state of consciousness today. What is currently rising to visibility from our unconscious minds?
For Carl Jung, consciousness is like a small island in the ocean of the unconscious, while the unconscious is part of the primordial condition of […]
Test Driving
Mom traded in her beloved Volkswagen GTI just shy of four years ago fur a mom-car. The Kia has served its purrpose but has definiatlly sported the typical “mom-mobile” look. Needless to say, Mom is ready fur a mom-car glow-up. The purroblem is Mom is supurr picky about what she wants. (Who’s wearing the picky pants […]
Fibromyalgia Awareness Month
Fibromyalgia is a condition that is very personal to me, since I have been living with it for over 15 years. And the month of May – even though we are the very end of it at the time of this writing – is Fibromyalgia Awareness Month.
Despite being late to the party with this article, it is […]
Hudson Berkshire Wine & Food Festival
Happy Memorial Day weekend! How to celebrate with wine? There just happens to be a wonderful festival in Chatham (the heart of Columbia County) where you can try wines from the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes (and other craft beverages, too!). Support local! Try new wines! Learn about where the grapes are grown and the wine is […]
Picky Pants
Hey furriends, I’m down here – in the pile of clothes. Mom was in the middle of sorting laundry and thought I’d try to model my new pants fur you, but it appears they won’t be ready to wear again until supurr time. I’m refurring to my picky pants. Purrsonally I think Mom can return them, […]
Happy (Belated) Mother’s Day
I hope all you Mom’s out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day. We celebrate Mom evfurryday here at the homestead. Afterall, she is the glue to our family. She makes sure the house is always spic and span (but mostly because she has an OCD purroblem), appointments are scheduled and met (except fur her own – […]
Stella Rosa Wines
I’m looking forward to the running of the Preakness Stakes in Maryland this Saturday. Let’s see if Mage can win this one! I’m not a fan of mint julep, but that won’t keep me from having something fun in my glass. I’ve discovered Stella Rosa wines, and I like them because they are light (just 5% alcohol […]
Ancram Opera House Announces 2023 Summer Season!
Co-Directors Jeff Mousseau and Paul Ricciardi are proud to announce the 2023 spring/summer season at the Ancram Opera House in Ancram, NY.
“Through bold, inventive theater productions and vibrant community storytelling, we create opportunities for our rural region to connect through the performing arts,” Ricciardi said. “For our 2023 season, we are taking inspiration from our community’s bountiful […]
Who Let The Dogs Out?
Sorry fur the semi-action shot this week. I was trying to catch the dogs. And when I ask who let the dogs out, I don’t mean the animal kind. Although that would be a valid question, I’m in fact refurring to human toe beans. You see, with the climbing tempurratures recently Mom is all about wearing […]
Mother’s Day Rosé
What better to celebrate a beautiful May Mother’s Day than with a beautiful and delicious rosé? There are so many to choose from these days, not just from France, but from all over the United States and Italy and Argentina, too. Here are a couple I love. The first is a classic French rose from […]
The Belgo Tag Sale
Lakeville Community Group Organizes its latest Neighborhood Initiative – the Belgo Tag Sale.
On June 3rd, +12 families will hold simultaneous tag sales at multiple houses on Belgo Road.
Lakeville, CT – May __, 2023. The Duchy of Belgo, a community group of neighbors living on and near Belgo Road in Lakeville, CT, today announced a multi-family, community tag […]
Kendall Jackson
This Saturday, May 6, is the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. Wow! Turns out Kendall Jackson is the “preferred wine of the Derby.” Just as the Triple Crown is about being the best in your field, so Kendall Jackson wines are consistently winners. The Chardonnay has been America’s top-selling Chard for about 30 years. The company […]
Alliums
If I say the words onion, garlic, and shallot, your mind might not automatically spring to images of beautiful perennial flower borders or even stunning floral arrangements. You are more likely to be picturing vegetable gardens or your kitchen counter. Allium is the Latin word for garlic, and these stalwarts of most people’s culinary repertoire are all […]
Relief Chiropractic and Wellness Center
Have you ever experienced vertigo? A few months ago whenever I would exercise, stand up too quickly, or even roll over in bed it felt like the world was spinning. After losing my balance a few times and feeling nauseous, I went to my doctor who gave me a prescription medication for motion sickness.
I did some […]
Float Away – Yes You Can
Remember the jingle, “Calgon, take me away!”? It became a motto for stressed-out women. Stepping into a tub of bubbles was any and every woman’s way to escape her problems: the job, the kids, the housecleaning, the husband. Tranquility was just a bathtub away. For many of us, a soak in the tub is still a great […]
The Flâneur and the Saunterer
A first, stumbling step beside the coffee table. A wobbly turn of the pedals. An unexpected lurch when you step on the gas: the great milestones in life – and in human history – involve transportation, but none more so than the initial steps taken by our African […]
The Museum Road Trip – Taking in the Sights, From New York to Florida
There’s no arguing that New York City has some of the best museums in the United States. One may maintain that the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the cream of the crop. It has two iconic locations, with the main museum stationed at 1000 Fifth Avenue and The Met […]
The Taconic State Parkway
The Taconic State Parkway never quite got to where it was going.
While some drivers love it and others hate it, at 105.3 miles in length, it is the longest parkway in New York State, we’ll give it that. If there’s anyone here who’s not driven the road, I’m […]
Driving into Summer
Summer is the ideal time for drive-in movies. After recapping the history of the drive-in movie, Main Street shares news on a local spot in Amenia that offers films, food, and so much more. There are lots of other movie nights in the Hudson Valley region, so grab your […]
Love, loss, and a 1954 Hudson
We are a nation divided. Deep chasms have opened in our society, stretch-ing the boundaries of decorum and decency. It is not helpful that major corporations, those behemoths with countless resources, have taken sides in this debate, leaving individuals struggling to find and cement alli-ances in the face of seemingly relent-less advertising and incentives.
Politics? They have little […]
New York State Property Taxes – What to Know About Assessments
It’s happening again. Revaluation is increasing assessment values based on top of the market sales. What’s worse is that people don’t know how much their taxes will be until county and school budgets are finalized months from now. This month’s real estate feature will try to explain the complex assessment process in New York. Each state has […]
May 2023 Recipe – LENTIL SALAD
This may not be the sweet treat you are accustomed to getting from us, but this lentil salad has a sugary element to satisfy that sweet tooth. In addition to being delicious, lentils provide fiber, plant protein, polyphenols (a type of antioxidant), and folate; are low in sodium and saturated fats; and are high in potassium. This […]
Investing for the future
James Demmert had to run after our early morning conversation to appear on the Yahoo Finance channel, where he’s a frequent talking head on stock markets. In our brief 45-minute interview, he explained that attending Berkshire School had turned his life around and made him return to set up a New England office of his successful California […]
THE ARTIST, KATHLEEN KUCKA IN HER FALLS VILLAGE STUDIO
The first time I met the artist, curator and gallery owner Kathleen Kucka was at a dinner at The White Hart in Salisbury, CT. I overheard her describing her artistic process, which involved using hot objects to burn canvas. I was immediately intrigued yet couldn’t quite understand how it worked – wouldn’t it just look like a […]
Purretty Packed Schedule
Furrst off, how are you all? We haven’t spoken since last month – paw slapper! Boy they aren’t kitten when they say April showers bring May flowers. We have dandelions galore here at the homestead and the grass is ready fur its second mowing. There’s just something about the way furreshly cut grass satisfies the sniffer.
[…]
The Familiar Unknown Opens May 6 at Bernay Fine Art
On May 6, Bernay Fine Art will open The Familiar Unknown, a new show curated by Sue Muskat and Phil Knoll. The show will feature work by twenty-two artists from the Hudson Valley, the Berkshires, and the New York Metropolitan area. The artists in the show are: Max Miller, Faile, Amanda Marie Mason, Susan Bee, Jenny Kemp, Matt LaFleur, […]
Brilla Prosecco
It seems April showers have brought April flowers, and we’re in full spring bloom. There’s a crisp sparkle to the morning, and it puts me in a bubbly kind of mood. A sparkly sparkler that’s as good as it looks is Brilla! Prosecco. It’s easy to find, very affordable, and complements all kinds of foods. Prosecco is […]
Laundry-The Nevfurr Ending Story
Poor Mom. Her weekends always go something like this: vacuum, grocery shopping, and tackling an avfurrage of five loads of laundry. It’s ameowzing the purroduction that goes specifically into laundry. Sort into multiple piles, switch the loads as they finish, hang some clothes, fold the rest, and put them away.
I guess I can’t feel too bad […]
Soaring Souls Philanthropy Photo Exhibit at The Hotchkiss School
Currently on view at The Hotchkiss School is Soaring Souls – Honor our Heroes, a charitable photography exhibition by Quisha Lee ’24 and the Hotchkiss Special Olympics Club. Installed on the walls of the […]
SPRING HILL ARTS GATHERING (SHAG!) RETURNS TO WASHINGTON, CT
An Opening Night Celebration will take place on Thursday, June 22 headlined by ORVILLE PECK with support from IDA MAE Followed by a weekend-long gathering including the banner event SHAG WITH PRIDE presented with Pride in the Hills on Friday, June 23, and a free TOWN PARTY on Sunday, June 25.
NEW YORK, […]
Check-Up
Let’s just cut right to the chase this week. Even though I’m feeling absolutely fine, paranoid Mom insisted on keeping my check-up appointment fur my hypothyroidism this past Furrsday. Ellie was off furrom school last week so she helped Mom bring me to the dreaded four-letter word place (the vets). Usually I get to ride shot-gun […]
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay
If you’re like many and waited til this week to complete and submit your taxes, you need a good wine to celebrate! Order in some Chinese food, get in your comfiest clothes, and pop a bottle of Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay. It’s a lovely pale golden color in the glass, and opens up with an almost tropical nose and […]
Twisted Love Cabernet Franc and Coldsnap Blueberry
And just like that, it feels like summer. Yippee! Get thee to a winery this weekend. Sabba Vineyard in Old Chatham is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, offering tastings and outdoor seating at its lovely location. Try their Twisted Love Cabernet Franc, a medium-bodied, smooth dry red with notes of black currant and ripe red berries. Home […]
Hoppy (Belated) Easter
Hey peeps – hope you had a hoppy belated Easter. I’ve failed miserably fur a couple years in a row trying to catch a glimpse of Santy-Paws so I was trying to surpurrise you all with details on the Easter Bunny. I even went as far as putting on this ridiculous costume to blend in. Smart […]
“Blessing of the Animals” in honor of Be Kind to Animals Week, May 6 at the Lutheran Church in Rhinebeck
For 108 years Americans have been celebrating “Be Kind to Animals Week”, the oldest commemorative week in US history. Traditionally, the first week in May is designated to honor the human-animal bond and we mark this week across our Nation […]
Weaving Exhibition and Residency at The Hotchkiss School’s Tremaine Art Gallery
The Language of Looms — Weaving Human Tapestry presents works by Brooklyn-based artist Cynthia Alberto at the Tremaine Art Gallery at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., from April 15 through June 7, 2023 […]
This Is 40 – Is this what a midlife crisis is?
Before you begin reading, please note that this is an opinion piece – and everything here was written in jest and poking fun at mostly myself at a realization of how age affects me. There is no judgment here even though some comments may seem flip and judg-y. All this article is is fun. Fun and having […]
Going Organic
Organic practices are better for us, and they’re also a safer alternative for the environment. Here’s some information for a crash course on the organic industry.
Within the last few decades, we have been hearing more and more about organic farming. Compared with conventional agriculture, organic farming uses fewer pesticides, reduces soil erosion, decreases nitrate leaching into groundwater […]
Forests of the Northeast and Climate Change
For at least 15,000 years, we residents of planet Earth have been living in a relatively stable and warm world. Before that, five ice ages came and went. “Glaciologically speaking,” the BBC’s online Science page tells us, we are experiencing an “interglacial” age, defined as such because the Arctic, Antarctica, and Greenland still exist – more or […]
Love, laughter, and the Lasso effect
There can be something mildly satisfying about standing in the check-out line at your go-to grocery store, waiting for Jill, or whoever your favorite checker might be. We can recognize that “self check” might save time and certainly save the grocery management salaries, but waiting (im)patiently in line allows […]
Balance Needed as Development Encroaches on the Environment
There’s a truism in life: Once a piece of land is developed, built upon, altered, exploited – feel free to insert whatever verb you think describes the scenario best – it’s gone forever. It can never be reclaimed, returned to the wild. No matter how a person feels about […]
Meadowscapes – Shifting Our Vision of Lawn & Land Care
We have a lot of lawns in our predominantly rural tri-state region. Keeping those plots and rolling acres verdant and orderly has a high cost – not just to our wallets but to the health and diversity of our land and ourselves. However, the lawn-based paradigm of beauty we’ve […]
US Farm Bill Update & Scenic Hudson
Congress is getting ready to shape the 2023 Farm Bill. Here’s a snapshot of some of the agriculture industry’s hot topics.
The 2023 Farm Bill supports family farms through conserving natural resources and promoting the agricultural economy. Approximately every five years, America’s farm-related businesses are affected by this federal […]
Tear Downs, Demolition Real Estate
Recently it seems like houses, modest and grand, have been disappearing. Here one day and gone the next, including one of Main Street’s mystery houses. For our environmental issue, this article explores why demolition is occurring, how long it takes, and how much it costs.
It’s not worth saving
Why do owners make the decision to tear down […]
April 2023 Recipe – Mixed Berry Breakfast Enchiladas
We. Love. Breakfast. We could eat breakfast for every meal. Ranging from sweet to savory, the options are endless. We tend to prefer the sweeter option, especially on the weekends. During the week we try to eat healthier and save our sweet tooth for Saturday or Sunday – or both if we are able to get extra […]
Staged Ryte
As the real estate market gets ready for an uncertain spring season, savvy sellers and their real estate brokers are once again considering staging to present a property for maximum advantage and to outshine the competition. I spent a morning with Dawn Trachtenberg in her packed Ashley Falls, MA, warehouse learning about this creative business, which requires […]
SUSAN BEE BECKONS US INTO THE UNKNOWN
On May 4 Bernay Fine Art will open The Familiar Unknown, curated by Sue Muskat Knoll and Phil Knoll and featuring 25 artists from the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, and New York City.
Behind every endeavor, whether it is selling art or curating shows, Sue Muskat Knoll and Phil Knoll’s process always begins with the intention to […]
Spurring Vibes
Hey furriends, how are we all doing? Aside furrom Sunday’s temperatures, which were brutally cold and supurr windy, spurring is in the air! You know how I know? On Caturday – pardon me – on Saturday, Mom went to town on cleaning. The music was crankin’ (any guesses who she was rocking out to?), the windows […]
Lamb-n-Ham Wine
Easter is upon us, and with it the seasonal foods that celebrate the occasion. Eggs play a big part in Easter meals from start to finish – you have to do something with those colored eggs! – and typically the main course is ham or lamb. The wine-pairing juices really start to flow when thinking of these […]
Art Exhibition: “Florescence” by Alexis England
Troutbeck is pleased to present “Florescence””, a solo show by Alexis England curated by John-Paul Phillipe.
“This new series is an affair with color and a departure from my restrained ‘mono palette’ – it’s loud, slightly psychotic and unapologetically pretty.” – Alexis […]
Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc
The saying goes that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Did you know that in New Zealand the ratio of sheep to people is about seven to one? Raise a toast to the lamb with a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Known for its distinctive grapefruit note on the palate, a […]
An Independent, Dependent
Mom came home furrom filing this year’s taxes and was a little upset – and rightfully so! Quite frankly, I’m upset fur her. Want to know why? Mom and Dad can’t claim me on their taxes. What the fluff is that all about?
Fur 13 years Mom as always refurred to me as her furrst born […]
Millbrook Chardonnay
It’s back to the States and the many, many, many wonderful wines made here. I’m settling back in with a local favorite, a ringing-in-spring Chardonnay from Millbrook Winery. Millbrook has been named the Best Hudson Valley Winery for some 20 years. The Chardonnay is made from estate-grown fruit and undergoes partial barrel fermentation and complete malolactic fermentation. […]
Daylight Savings Dinner
You’re purrobably wondering why I’m wearing my sister’s scarf. The story goes like this: I’m far furrom a night owl like Mom. I’m one of those early birds. As soon as the sun starts to shine is when I wake up and start meowing fur the whole house to hear. In the words of my Great […]
Chateau Guillon Graves
Chere amateurs de vin: When you read this post, think of me in Paris, which is where I’ll be. Magnifique! You, too, can transport yourself to France by simply enjoying a glass of French wine. Classique. My suggestion? A Bordeaux, bien sur. There are many affordable and delicious Bordeauxs available in your favorite wine store, so see […]
Snow Day
Evfurryone else is talking about the weather and how much snow we got, so I might as well chime in. Evfurryone seems to be up in arms about all the snow old man winter brought us. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s still winter furriends. I’d say we have a good […]
Wild Irish Rose
Wine on St. Patrick’s Day? Buck the beer and whisky and go grape! Which doesn’t mean you can’t drink wine with a nod to the Irish. My choice? Believe it or not, it’s Wild Irish Rose. This is a fortified wine at 17% alcohol by volume (think Port or Sherry), but it has a lovely and lively […]
Congratulations On 60 Years!
It’s been 60 years (that’s ten human years) and a lot has happened both purrsonally and purrofessionally. Dad has built several houses furrom the ground up (that’s a lot of nails, Nailed It!), we moved into our furrever home, I became a big brother, had some dental work done (thank you again turkey God’s fur the […]
What is Daylight Saving Time?
When is it?
This year, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 12, 2023, and ends on Sunday, November 5, 2023.
What is it?
Our planet turns on its axis at an approximately 23.4 degree angle as it rotates around the sun. Both the northern and southern hemispheres lean towards the sun […]
Sparkling Queen
It’s International Women’s Day and Month, so it’s only fitting that the focus be on women-made wines. Fortunately, that’s not hard to do these days. I found an excellent article from fingerlakeswinecountry.com about many of the women in the Finger Lakes who are making wonderful wines (The Women of Finger Lakes Wine Country). Here in the […]
The Name Game
For this special tenth anniversary issue, Main Street Magazine uncovered the interesting history behind some of our local towns and how they were granted their names – and this is just a tiny sampling!
As we go about our daily lives – going to work, shopping, attending cultural events, and gathering with friends – we often find ourselves […]
Whitney Joseph – Thank you for your years of dedication and service to the community
For all avid Millerton News readers the name Whitney Joseph is a very familiar one. For those not familiar with who Whitney is, she was the editor of the local paper for well nearly 20 years. In her time reporting the news, she had a major impact on the small community of Millerton and beyond. She not […]
March Flowers Bring April –
Flower friends it is March! We are almost there. Lighter evenings, warmer temps, maybe just maybe we will get an early spring? Either way it is definitely time to start thinking seriously about the growing season ahead and make some decisions about what we want to have flowering in our gardens this year.
If I have said […]
Say Aloha to Aloha Tacos
Part of what Main Street Magazine has been delivering every month for the past ten – yes, ten! – years, is fresh and interesting local content. If the magazine were a buffet, it would be all kinds of deliciousness. So here’s another addition to the fresh, exciting, local offerings […]
Through the Years
As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we invite you to glance back at the last decade. While we’re looking at where we’ve been, let’s also take time to look ahead with optimism for what’s to come.
A decade is a long time. Think about all of the events that […]
First Person Singular
Many tear-sodden, crumpled papers ago, I wrestled with the geometry of diagramming sentences (yes, I went to Catholic school). A two-word sentence was simple enough, all horizontal and vertical, but when things went all 45 degrees, and sentences became complex and compound, my diagrams resembled a thicket more than […]
Main Street Magazine 10 Years in the Making
As you may have noticed, we’re in party mode over here! That’s right, Main Street Magazine has officially turned ten years old! Wow, what a journey it has been. And it’s really hard to believe that it’s been ten years, 120 issues, and countless stories that we’ve written and […]
Real Estate 10 Years Later
Ten years ago, when Main Street planned its first issue, we realized that readers wanted news about real estate activity, which was still suffering from the Great Recession of 2008. Initially our editorial focus was very specific, and monthly articles tracked the characteristics, performance, and trends in specific towns and villages in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. […]
March 2023 Recipe – Coconut Cream Bars
I was at work when I received a text from Caroline saying, “Mom, I just made coconut pudding. We should make coconut cream bars.” I immediately responded, “Heck yeah! Let’s see what we can come up with.” So we went to work.
Caroline had already made a perfect pudding with two cans of coconut milk that were […]
Three Businesses 10-Years Later
I am grateful to the three entrepreneurs, Joan Osofsky, Michael Fallon, and John Harney, who so generously talked to a writer they did not know for a magazine that was just beginning ten years ago. They started their careers as a schoolteacher, a car dealership service manager, and an innkeeper and then created destination home stores, a […]
John Harney Keeps It Simple
The first thing John Harney said to me when I arrived at Provisions for our interview was, “I want you to know that I’m an amateur and there are much better photographers than me.” He then insisted on paying for my coffee, and after warmly greeting the numerous patrons […]
Calling all animal lovers and artists!
Dear artists,
Red Horse Rescue in Amenia, NY is presenting an art show “The Webster Diaries” with submissions featuring Webster, our white donkey, as the subject. Webster is nearly 50 years old and rules Windrock Farm located on Bangall Amenia Road in Millbrook, New York. Webby is often considered the angel of the farm, always offering comfort and […]
Artist Visit at the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village, CT
In April, the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village, Connecticut will welcome back artist and author Pieter Lefferts, who inaugurated the library’s ArtWall exhibit space in 2011. Lefferts’ new exhibition features pastel paintings inspired by his recent book, “What the Kek Kek Saw,” an animist fable of braided plot twists that grew out of Lefferts’ many […]
Feline Nostalgic
Birdie was gifted to me when I was a kitten by Mom and Dad. This beautiful red bird, with a bright yellow beak and feet, fluffy green feathers that repurresented its hair and tail, and a pop of white and blue on the wings, quickly became my most favfurrite toy of all time! Although Birdie is not […]
Juggernaut Hillside Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Welcome, March! Will it come in like a lion and go out like a lamb? We’ll soon find out. A wine to pair with that theme is the Juggernaut Hillside Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery, in Clarksburg, CA, claims to be harnessing the power of nature with fruit grown in challenging conditions, yielding exceptional flavor. The […]
Predator Old Vine Zinfandel
An Unexpected Makeovfurr
The subject line this week purrobably purrked your interest, so I’ll cut right to the chase.
Ellie had another cousin sleepovfurr this past weekend. Unlike the last sleepovfurr with three cousins, Ellie just invited Wizabella (as she’s dubbed her) this time. I much purrfurr it this way; it was so much quieter and speaking on Mom’s behalf, […]
Meltdown – It’s not too late
The Olana Partnership, in collaboration with Basilica Hudson, Hudson Hall, Partners for Climate Action, and Upstate Films, is proud to present a special screening of the 2021 film Meltdown at 4:00pm on Saturday, March 4 at Hudson Hall. The screening will be followed by a special Q&A with trailblazing […]
The Relentless Patience of Priscilla Cranberry
Filmed entirely in Pine Plains, this new short comedy film tells the story of Priscilla Cranberry, who attempts to navigate the challenging romantic landscape of being a single woman in the […]
I Love My Entire Family
This past weekend Mom and Dad decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day early with a couples massage, a dinner date, and shopping. When they arrived home I was starving! They were late feeding me dinner. Once my belly was full I realized something was diffurrent in the house.
Spurr of the moment, Ellie had her very furrst sleepovfurr […]
Ventoux Vidal-Fleury
I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine’s Day with a wine that suited the occasion. My post-Valentine’s question is always, Why not make more days this special? A meal that you take time to enjoy accompanied by a nice wine and a candle or two is all you need. A wine of choice for me for this […]
A Doggie Bag
Wouldn’t you agree it’s nice to be fresh water-bowled and dined? This seldomly happens to me; purrobably once evfurry two years. That is until last week; I got treated twice.
Seldomly Mom evfurr treats herself to anything, but last week while delivfurring the February issue of Main Street Magazine, which also happens to be the animal […]
Rhinebeck Department Store is now Rhinebeck Mercantile
Rhinebeck Mercantile, formerly Rhinebeck Department Store, is now open in Rhinebeck.
The original Hudson Valley Department Store was founded in 1946 and became the Rhinebeck Department Store in 1992, owned and run by Barbara and Dick Schreiber. The store stocks popular brands such as Pendleton, Habitat, Tribal, April Cornell, among many other country classics. They are known for […]
Introducing the New Leadership at The Sharon Playhouse!
The Sharon Playhouse, the arts and entertainment showcase in the Northwest Corner is pleased to announce its new leadership. Newly appointed Artistic Director Carl Andress, Managing Director Rodney Christensen, and Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education Michael Kevin Baldwin, will continue its tradition of pairing extraordinary talent from […]
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us! Wine isn’t usually a beverage associated with football, and I like and appreciate a good beer on game day to wash down salty snacks. But wine does go well with football party foods – including chips, dips, chili, pizza, subs, cocktail franks and all the usual crowd favorites (munchies that are […]
A Naturalist, Naturally
Naturalist. It is a word synonymous with the great observers of nature like Charles Darwin, E.O. Wilson, Maria Sibylla Marien, and Henry David Thoreau. A title reserved for the history books when the natural world was uncharted and misunderstood. It is time to throw out that silly notion.
A new generation of naturalists
Technology has always been thought of […]
Life After You
The film Life After You, will be showing at The Moviehouse in Millerton NY Saturday, February 11th at 2pm and at 5pm.
Directed by Sarah T. Schwab of Cardinal Flix Inc., (CFI) this original independent feature is centered around a suburban family’s struggle with the death of their 19 year-old […]
Meltdown – It’s not too late
The Olana Partnership, in collaboration with Basilica Hudson, Hudson Hall, Partners for Climate Action, and Upstate Films, is proud to present a special screening of the 2021 film Meltdown at 4:00pm on Saturday, March 4 at Hudson Hall. The screening will be followed by a special Q&A with trailblazing […]
Mondavi Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon
It’s February, and here comes Valentine’s Day, a stand-out occasion for wine. Why not make celebrating the loves in your life about more than one overdone day (the 14th)? How about leading up to it in lots of little ways? Breakfast in bed just because. Leaving love notes around the house. Making dinner when […]
Sharon Land Trust
Right about this time, 17,000 years ago, the Main Street distribution area was covered by hundreds of feet of ice. From the Housatonic to the Hudson, South Taconics to Catskills, the Laurentide Ice Sheet shaped our area at literal glacial speed, scouring bedrock and depositing minerals in places that would determine the character of this land for […]
The Kent Flower Market
Regular readers will know I am a bit of a stuck record regarding the importance of finding local seasonal flowers. Firstly, flowers are no different from fruits and vegetables. They ALWAYS grow, look, smell, last – and even taste – better in season. However, even more importantly, out-of-season, flown-from-afar […]
Hop in to the Year of the Rabbit
January 22 was the official start of the Chinese New Year, which extends to February 9, 2024. Each year is celebrated with a different animal, and each animal cycles through only every 12 years. This year – 2023 – is the Year of the Rabbit. The Rabbit is assuming […]
Farming Legislation
Oftentimes it has crossed my mind how much new legislative effort is being undertaken to help make life better, as in profitable, for farmers. While many folks tend to equate farming with the wide open spaces of the Midwest, those of us who live in the Hudson Valley and […]
AnimalKind
Based on information published by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), 6.3 million companion animals, mostly dogs and cats, enter US shelters every year. Even more sobering, “Each year, approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized (390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats).” These unsettling numbers, gathered […]
February 2023 Recipe – Coffee Crumb Cake
Happy February! This month is all about the LOVE! For Valentine’s Day we are making something that neither one of us can say is our favorite. This dessert is specifically for our main squeezes. Both Caroline and my (Olivia’s) significant others love coffee cake. Now, Caroline has been making coffee cake for her beau’s birthday and Valentine’s […]
Not Your Average Farmers Market
When it comes to local businesses, they come in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Most are for-profits, while there are numerous not-for-profits and non-profits too that strive to contribute and help our communities. We were thrilled to be able to catch up with Laura Griffin of the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market and learn more about the impact […]
For Jason Middlebrook, Nature Always Prevails
I first learned about the artist Jason Middlebrook while assisting Deborah Goodman Davis, an art advisor based in Lakeville, CT, and New York City, with a show she curated for James Barron Art in Kent, CT. The show, currently on view until March 11 is titled Mosaics, and it brings together a body of work by “artists […]
What’s Cookin’?
Mom’s least favfurrite room in the house just happens to be one of my favforrite rooms: the kitchen. Why you ask? Well I love the kitchen because my food is there – duh – and as the saying goes, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I know exactly where the turkey is […]
The Language of Flowers
Sue Adams, Vice President of Adams Greenhouses is hosting a lecture and flower reading on February 11 at the Locust Grove Estate.
It’s almost Valentine’s Day and it’s an ideal time to have some fun with flowers. While some people enjoy getting readings via tea leaves or tarot cards, Sue Adams, Vice […]
Mid-day Music and Meditation at Salisbury UCC
The Congregational Church of Salisbury, UCC will present its monthly Mid-day Music
and Meditation on Friday, February 3 from 12:00 to 12:30 pm at 30 Main Street, Salisbury.
“Music has many wonderful benefits for stress management and overall health. It can help you calm your physiology without […]
Stories of the Amistad with Storyteller Valerie Tutson
The David M. Hunt Library will host storyteller Valerie Tutson’s “The Story of the Amistad” on Tuesday, February 21st at 2 pm in honor of Black History Month. Tutson is a multiple award-winning storyteller who has been performing in schools, churches, libraries, festivals, and conferences since 1991. She draws her stories from around the world with an emphasis on […]
Man! I Feel Like A Shania Twain Fan!
We all know Mother loves music (almost) as much as she loves me. As the story goes, Mom’s music obsession started back in the 90’s (yikes Mom, that means you’re old)! Cassette tapes (what are those?!) turned into CD’s, digital downloads, and hours of singing her heart out to so many talented artists, but nobody beats […]
Porto Kopke Fine Tawny Port
Winter is upon us this week, and that calls for a fireside sipper, something to warm you to the bones after shoveling. My pick is a port, and my port pick is this one: Porto Kopke Fine Tawny Port. Tawny ports are aged longer than Ruby ports, and this one shows it, with lots […]
Valentine’s Violets
Support Locust Grove by shopping its African Violet fundraiser sale, which is being held through February 3
Embrace local history and send a gesture of love to that special someone while supporting Locust Grove—a National Historic Landmark estate located in Poughkeepsie.
The 200-acre park-like estate, which overlooks the Hudson River, includes homes, a carriage house, ice […]
The Stump Jump
Hey, the holidays happened, and we spent on the big, special bottles of wine for our special occasions. For me they were definitely worth it. But here we are in January, and I’m trying to go with more affordable choices. This is one at the top of my list. It’s an Australian Rhone-Valley style […]
More Bugs
Happy Wednesday furriends. I’m going to keep it short and sweet this week. It wasn’t that long ago my whole family had the rona. Thank goodness were in good health fur the pawlidays. But now, my poor kid sister isn’t feeling so well. Mom has been working furrom home; doing her best to keep up with […]
Millerton Antiques Center’s 7th Annual Red Tag Sale
Now entering its seventh year, the Millerton Antique Center and its hive of skilled antique vendors will once again host the annual Red Tag Sale that begins Saturday, January 14 and runs throughout the month of January until February 20. The annual sale will house deals for shoppers and antiquarians alike. “It is a once-a-year opportunity for […]
Prophecy Wines
Here goes!What better way to start a new year than with a wine that makes you wonder about what’s ahead? If you want to think deep thoughts about life – and wine – then here’s one (or some) to turn to this week: Prophecy. There are many varietals, including favorites like Cabernet Sauvignon, […]
Whatta Day
Yesterday started off just like any normal day – Dad left for work, Mom brought Ellie to school but then she returned. I thought that was supurr sweet of Mom to take the day off to spend with me. She spent the morning pampurring me; petting me, scratching under my chinny-chin, gave me a sponge bath, […]
Living in the Real World
Artist John Morra arrived in the Hudson Valley about two decades ago with two pugs in tow. He soon took up residence and set up a studio in an old church in Stuyvesant where he currently lives with his wife Isabelle Bosquet-Morra – a floral designer who initially hails from France.
Knowledge and experience are sources of inspiration […]
Foreign Concepts
The holidays are behind us. We spent our time gathering with loved ones, sharing meals, exchanging gifts, baking and gifting cookies, and indulging in all the feel-good festivities that make the season bright. As we approach the rest of the winter season, we can continue to create ambiance and […]
The Iceman Cowereth
In most publications, this is the part of the article that usually includes a disclaimer meant to either dissuade the reader from engaging in the about-to-be-described activities or at least distancing the writer or publication from any kind of liability for the reader’s suggestibility and – let’s call a […]
Bread and Beyond
Is there anything more intoxicating than the smell of bread baking in the oven? Is there anything more magical than a first slice from a fresh-baked loaf, warm and welcoming and begging for butter? For anyone who’s experienced the rewards of baking bread, the answers are clear – resounding […]
A Perfect Echo
If you are a regular Main Street Magazine reader, you will likely already know something about Carrie Chen. Perhaps you have worn one of her beautiful Casana Designs cashmere scarves or sipped tea at her former tea house in Hillsdale, NY. Perhaps you have stayed at her exquisite Bed […]
Starting 2023 Off Happy and Healthy
To many, a new year marks a fresh start and a new opportunity to set and achieve goals – some call it resolutions others call it a commitment to oneself. Regardless of what you call it, I’m all for it! I’d just like to advocate that any other day of the year works just fine too, not […]
Aging and Attitude
After celebrating the New Year (and for most of us, when we celebrate another birthday), we become even more conscious of time and how quickly it’s slipping away. In my opinion, there’s no point in lamenting about aging. There’s nothing we can do to stop time from ticking on. Rather than focusing on all the perceived negatives […]
January 2023 Recipe – Buffalo Chicken Chowder
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2023! That said, we are changing things up for January. Instead of a sweet treat, we are switching gears and spicing things up a bit! The chilly weather is just right for this chowder, which packs the perfect amount of heat depending on your tolerance level! Chowder is a hearty soup […]
Beauty, Community and Fun
The backbone of our communities is that of small businesses: the often more visible brick-and-mortar as well as the service sector and specialty businesses, and everything in between. These businesses are run- and staffed by hardworking people who are devoted to their respective communities and the people who live and work in them. This month we are […]
Ryan Frank Likes His Space
I first met the visual artist Ryan Frank last summer during a show titled Baggage at the Icehouse Project Space in Sharon, CT. The concept of the show stemmed from the great shift of people from their lives in New York City to the Hudson Valley and elsewhere. Baggage featured works by 18 artists who had all […]
Join us at James Barron Art for the opening of Mosaics
Please join Deborah Goodman Davis at James Barron Art to celebrate the opening of Mosaics a group exhibition she curated.
Saturday, January 21st
1:00 – 3:00 pm
215 South Kent Rd, South Kent, CT
RSVP: maria@jamesbarronart.com
Website: http://jamesbarronart.com
*Please do not put James Barron Art in your GPS or it will direct you to their former location. If […]
Furrst week of 2023
Hey furriends! How are you? We haven’t spoken since last year. Paw slapper – that joke nevfurr gets old! It’s been a busy week here at the homestead.
With the pawlidays officially ovfurr and the helping paws of Dad, Ellie, and myself, Mom de-Christmas’d until Novempurr (25th to be exact). Spoiler alerted! She scored a […]
Adiós 2022
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news furriends, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open to get a glimpse of Santa Paws. I purromise one of these years I will make it happen!
Boy, Mom wasn’t kitten all year telling me I’m such a good man. Santa Paws exceeded my expectations. I got the catnip […]
Pawliday Hustle And Bustle
Furrst, I want to start off by thanking each and evfurry one of you who DM’d (direct meow’d) Mom and commented last week on my recent diagnosis. Please know Mom and I feel comfurrted by your outpouring support. And I’ve been a really good man (so far) taking my medicine. But not to worry, I’ll be […]
Nationwide Search Yields New Executive Director For The Stissing Center
After a six-month nationwide search, Brett Bernadini has been tapped to lead The Stissing Center as its new Executive Director, taking over for the retiring Brian Keeler. Leading a staff of five, Brett will begin his new role on December 15.
“We are excited to welcome Brett to lead the […]
The Diagnosis
Well furriends; as I’m purretty sure you can tell by the quite obvious disgusted look on my face furrom inside the carrier, I’m an unhappy camper. Or as Mom pointed out in her ridiculous cat-mom voice (at the vets’ office of all places!), “a grumpy pants.”
Fur the last ten months, Mom’s been obsessing ovfurr my […]
What The Elf
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas and as I sit here Underneath The Tree on this Silent Night I can’t help but dream of a White Christmas. Before long Little Saint Nick will be taking a Sleigh Ride to see all of the good little boys, girls, and furbabies. There’s just something about the magic […]
New Year’s Traditions Around the World
For more than a century, people around the globe descend upon Manhattan’s Times Square to watch the ball drop. Some history: that inaugural New Year’s Eve bash, held in 1904, commemorated the official opening of the headquarters of The New York Times.
At midnight, there was a fireworks display to […]
Oh The Places You’ll Go
In the city of Xian, China, a bird flits along a ten-inch wooden perch inside a mahogany-colored cage. I don’t know what kind of bird it is, but the cage itself catches my attention. Cylindrical and peaked at the top and bottom, it is shaped like the buoys on […]
A Wine Vacation
You can try all the wines in the world from the comfort of your home. You can research their stories and find lots of history and mystery and beautiful photos online – which is wonderful and certainly an enhancement of the experience. But there’s nothing like going to the […]
Holiday Festivities
Winter is such a wonderful time of year. The Hudson Valley and Berkshire region are quintessential places to celebrate all the sparkle of the season. Beyond the serenity of the nature that abounds in the region and the possibility of snowfall sprinkling our country roads and mountain tops, there […]
The Elephants Tusk
With the holiday season in full force, everyone is busy with the hustle and bustle as well as finding just the right gift(s) for our friends and loved ones. For those looking to shop and support local when finding that unique gift for that special someone, or maybe you’re looking for a piece of furniture or household […]
December 2022 Recipe – White Chocolate and Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
We LOVE cheesecake, especially during the holidays. This raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake is a show-stopper and will definitely add a little pizazz to your holiday table. People will think you slaved away making this… and they will be right!
We had mentioned back in October that we were going to take it easy on you because we […]
The Allure of Log Houses
December is a time of gatherings and celebrations and often conjures up visions of log cabins in the snow with roaring fires in a massive, stone fireplace, and flannel pajamas. Log homes’ distinctive construction material can create a rustic Lincoln cabin or a grand Adirondack camp. For this holiday issue we researched the history of log homes, […]
Art Exploration: Mary Belliveau
Artist Mary Belliveau has spent the last few decades globe-trotting to destinations around the world. She arrived behind her easel for a professional career as an artist later in life, after raising her children and enjoying a career in healthcare. “I’ve always been curious. My father was a traveler,” said artist Mary Belliveau.
Her work will be on […]
The Purrfect Ornament
Holy buttered biscuits, Batman! I ate WAY too much on Thanksgiving and spent most of the day Furriday sleeping off my turkey coma…I guess that’s not much different than any other day? Anywho, on Caturday, in typical Mom fashion, she jumped right into the pawliday spirit – and I’m not disappointed! I must admit, the Caturday […]
Supurr Thankful
Happy Thanksgiving Eve evfurry one! Thanksgiving more or less has the same meaning fur all, but fur me it isn’t just about the mouth-watering turkey purrectly plated on the floor in furront of me; it’s about all that I’m thankful fur today and evfurryday. Let’s jump in.
Furrst and foremost, I’m furrevfurr grateful fur my family […]
Roni-Bologna Business
So sorry fur ghosting you guys last week. Our household had been lucky enough to dodge this Roni-bologna business fur two and a half years, but it finally caught us a couple days after Halloween. Needless to say, it was the week furrom H, E, double hockey sticks. The doctor ordered lots of fluids, rest, and […]
Art on View
Art is so inspiring. Beyond the visual appeal, art reveals a glimpse into the various perspectives of others. While some focus on politics and current events, others draw inspiration from history, music, and beyond. There are certainly lots of galleries and museums nearby that are showing diverse work of […]
Building Community Through Design
Design is a powerful tool that transforms our daily lives. Everything from the colors we select in our homes to the subtleties of lighting, evokes a mood and creates ambiance.
After devoting many years of marketing, business development, and public relations expertise to Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PwC, and Accenture, businesswoman […]
Designing Your Life
Feel stuck? Paralyzed and unable to take a step? Is your life out of sync with who you are, or who you want to be? Do you think you have to figure it out alone? It doesn’t have to be that way.
Enter the Designing Your Life (DYL) methodology, a […]
Where Art and Heart Take Shape
There’s one thing you can’t overlook when you meet the works of Tim Jones and Silda Wall Spitzer: they’re heavy. Heavy because the works are typically large and are made with varying sizes and types of metals which are then combined and secured with other pieces of metal.
You have […]
Alden “Trevor” McWilliams
Alden “Trevor” McWilliams grew up as a faculty child on the Millbrook School campus in Millbrook, NY. His artistic expression was influenced by his grandfather, a professional illustrator, as well as his father who taught photography, drawing, and printmaking. Trevor’s love for the visual arts was solidified on trips to New York City’s museums, viewing atmospheric Hudson […]
Frances Palmer
Reading Frances Palmer’s brilliant Life in the Studio, published in 2020, was for me three parts exhilaration, one part exhaustion. The good kind. It may look like a modestly sized, more-of-same coffee table book, but it emphatically is not. It is a treatise creativity and inspiration as the subtitle announces, a manual on technique, a workplace journal, […]
More Mystery Houses
Exactly three years ago Main Street published its first article on mystery houses just in time for Halloween. Our readers responded enthusiastically to the story, so three years later we are revisiting some of our original mystery houses and adding new ones to watch. We ask readers to walk around their neighborhood and look out the car […]
November 2022 Recipe – Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
We are about to jazz up your Thanksgiving dessert table with this Pumpkin Chiffon Pie recipe! Pumpkin Chiffon Pie is just like traditional pumpkin pie… but different. It’s lighter and airier, with a texture like a cloud. A chiffon dessert gets this airiness from beaten egg whites which are stabilized with gelatin. The graham cracker crust is […]
Teamwork
Since the magazine’s inception almost ten years ago, we have (almost without fail) featured a local business each month to give a glimpse into the ins and outs of that business. These entrepreneurs have been kind enough to share their words of wisdom, business inspirations and drive, as well as their challenges and what they’ve learned along […]
Natural, by Design
A few years ago, a cryptic acronym began to appear in my social media feeds: “FKT.” Too lazy to look it up, I assumed it was expletive-based shorthand for the exasperated athletes who used it in association with stupidly long undertakings like ultramarathons and “Everesting,” where a cyclist attempts to climb the height of Mt. Everest in […]
Halloween Recap
Hope you all had a pawsome Halloween! Show me pictures – I want to see what all my furriends dressed up as. I saw some really great costumes! Moana, Maui, and Hei Hei just to name a few. Actually, truth be told, that’s what my family dressed up as. Ellie really wanted me to be part […]
I’m A Good Man
Hi furriends! How was your week? Well, not to brag or anything but Ellie received an excellent furrst purrogress report at school. Purroud big brother moment, fur sure! I’m also happy to report I’ve been a good man! You know how I know this fur sure; because Ellie tells me at least thirty times a day. (I’d […]
Joke’s On Me
Otis or Otis Joe is how I introduce myself. Howfurr at home Mom has many nicknames fur me. Otie, Otie Joe, Oat Man, Mister Man, Good Man, and her purrsonal favfurrite – Handsome Pants. I don’t mind having these names at home, but I would appurreciate these names not being repeated to family and furriends.
Here I am […]
Sharon Hospital Update
Christina McCulloch MBA, BSN, RN, President of Sharon Hospital presents Nuvance Health’s side of the debate about the future of its Labor & Delivery unit
In September, 2021, Nuvance Health announced plans to shut the Labor & Delivery unit at Sharon Hospital. In January, 2022, Nuvance submitted its application to the state of Connecticut. The next step in the regulatory […]
Furrever Missed
Life isn’t fair sometimes – like why can I only have a certain amount of turkey pur day before Mom and Dad cut me off – Ellie is willing to give me more! Why do some animals not have a furrever home? All animals deserve to be pampurred the way Mom tends to my evfurry need. And […]
Legends of the Fall
Renowned for his short stories, Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, American author Washington Irving is regarded as the Father of the American Ghost Story. Born in Manhattan in 1783, Irving was also a historian, essayist, and biographer.
Both of the ghostly tales mentioned above appear in […]
Local Legacy
Since the October issue celebrates the area’s rich history, it proved to be an opportune time to honor the achievements of William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. Renowned as W.E.B. Du Bois, he was a scholar, sociologist, historian, activist, and journalist.
The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA, features a permanent exhibition […]
Millbrook’s Museum in the Streets
Anyone who visits Millbrook, NY, will likely notice a series of panels mounted on posts that bring them to a comfortable reading level. Once noticed, they do seem to mushroom. In fact, there are 29 in all, three of which are most accessible by car; otherwise the panels, recounting […]
Rhinebeck Roots
With the news of the advanced Titanic 8K footage, which shows the most detail ever captured of the sunken ship and Titanic: The Exhibition debuting in Manhattan next month (at 526 6th Ave., New York, NY), there’s been a new wave of interest in this intriguing yet tragic story.
Of […]
Collecting Local History
When you really consider the everyday things around you, they start to seem like tiny miracles. – Amy Shearn
Next June 12 marks the 40th anniversary of the dedication of the “old Copake Falls Church” as home to the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society (RJHS) and Museum. The building itself, rescued from neglect and adaptively repurposed, turned 130 years old […]
Fall Festivities
Although many of us struggle to transition from summer to autumn, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the season. As we leave the long leisurely days of summer behind us, we learn to embrace the more structured routines that come along with fall. Many people enjoy their autumn traditions, which may include visiting corn mazes with the kids, […]
October 2022 Recipe – Puff Pastry Apple Tarts
Fall! It’s hard to believe that it’s October already! We are going to take it super easy on you this month. You’ll need to save your baking energy for the next few months as we approach the holiday season. We must admit that our first recipe attempt for this month was somewhat of a flop. It used […]
Water, Water, Everywhere?
This summer’s regional drought with four to five inches of rain less than usual, polluted city drinking water in Jackson, MS, and water restrictions in California emphasize the importance of water to our lives. What are the questions homeowners, and real estate buyers and sellers should have about the source and quality of the H2O coming out […]
An Artist’s Legacy
In honor of our “history” themed issue that you are currently reading, we opted to give a nod to an artist who not only resided in our area and worked here, but who has since passed – a first for us in this artist profile feature. CB had his selection of talented artists to choose from with […]
Octoburr!
Holy cold, Batman! Did someone flick a switch or did Fall just all of a sudden get the memo? Regardless, it’s been purrety chilly here in the house and to help save on oil and electric costs my purrents aren’t in any hurry to warm things up fur any length of time. The mini-splits push out heat […]
Farm Party With a Purpose
The Centennial Farms Foundation is having a party. It deserves to for all the hard work it does. It’s a party with a purpose, of course, and everyone of any age is invited. It’s the 2nd Annual Centennial Hay Day Charity Music Event at Kemmerer Farm in Stanfordville, NY. It’s on Saturday, October 8, from noon to […]
Drinking Water
On average, cats sleep twelve to sixteen hours per day; which is solely a fun fact fur you all and has absolutely nothing to do with this week’s topic. I hope you’re thirsty furriends, because we are about to talk about my favurrite beverage – water. I’ve heard you humans talking about how not all water tastes […]
Help Save Sharon Hospital – Join the community and its fight to save Sharon Hospital by attending these upcoming events
n September, 2021, Nuvance Health announced plans to shut the Labor and Delivery unit at Sharon Hospital. A 78-bed general hospital in Connecticut’s Litchfield County, Sharon Hospital services a community of thousands of people, and the nearest hospital is at least 45 minutes away. Nuvance Health’s explanation: Reduced patient demand and staffing challenges, which were further exacerbated by […]
It’s the Pawliday Season
Oh Em Gee! You guys – Summer is ovfurr – fur real this time. Furrsday officially marks the furrst day of Fall, which also marks the beginning of…hold your reindeer!…the pawliday season!
Furrst, I have to get my tail in gear as to what I’d like to be fur Halloween. As you know Ellie is supurr into purrincesses […]
The Move and More
Purrdon me while I catch my breath – it’s been a supurr busy week! Aside furrom Ellie completing her furrst week of purr-k (which went paw-mazing!) Mom said the Main Street Magazine headquarters is officially all moved into their new space. They moved furrom 52 Main Street in Millerton down the street to 135 Route 44. Just […]
Intercept Wine
A New Chapter
Life is like a book full of chapters. Some good, some bad, and some that will leave you wanting more; which is what chapter thirteen left off. Not wanting summer of 2022 to come to an end.
Grab a blanket and a box of issues because chapter fourteen started off with Mom crying like baby, which she had […]
Nature on Repeat
“You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.” – Dr. Seuss
When I first moved back to New York after almost 20 years in Oregon, I felt like the outdoor scene was never good enough. The rock climbers weren’t badass enough, the buzz of cars from below grated […]
Sports Enthusiasts Are Finding Themselves in a Pickle
The US Pickleball Association, reported the sport grew in 2020 to 4.2 million players in the US, a growth rate of 21.3% from 2019 per the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s 2021 Topline Participation Report. The average age for core players 47.5 and casual players 33.6, with 60% of core players 55 or older.
Pickleball was reportedly created […]
The World Championship of the Berkshires
“To finish is to win.” – Josh Billings
“If you’re not first, you’re last,” – Ricky Bobby
This year’s season at Tanglewood will end with a flourish: back-to-back nights with Van Morrison and Ringo Starr is about as impressive a finale to their concert season as anyone could conjure, short of the ghost of John Lennon sitting in on lead […]
How to Survive-And Enjoy!-The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival
It’s September, and that means festival season! One of the biggest (and best) in New York state is in our backyard. It’s the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival, held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds on September 10 and 11, 2022. This year is the 21st anniversary of the festival. If you’ve been before, you know what […]
Pine Plains Community Day Returns
When you think of the quintessential small American town, what comes to mind? Pine Plains, NY, comes to the mind of many. Perhaps it is the fact that it’s a one-stop-light town; it has a committed fire department in the heart of the town as well as a beautiful library; it’s got numerous amazing restaurants; everyone knows […]
Mapping Their Future
Life is about following our dreams, creating happy memories, achieving personal goals, and simply enjoying the many moments we’re gifted. It’s also about pursuing interests and activities that make us feel truly alive. Many people enjoy the act of exploration. Driven by a sense of curiosity, they’re on a […]
Banned Books
Book censorship, especially in recent years, has become an increasingly prevalent topic in both national media and local regions where book challenges have arisen. According to Unite Against Book Bans, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative dedicated to standing up against book censorship, “there were more censorship attempts in […]
A Truly Xxxtraordinary Cause
When Colton was less than a year old, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. I spoke with Michelle Hutchinson, Colton’s mom, all about her son’s story, how Colton’s XXXtraordinarY Cause came to be, the incredible outcomes they’ve seen, and what lies ahead for their organization.
Colton’s story
When speaking […]
The Roar of the Engines, The Delight of the Crowd
For reasons, obvious to some and confounding to others, many of us are unabashed collectors. Well designed, beautifully executed objects hypnotize us into swirls of fantasy and, at times, an obsessive need to have these items for ourselves. Pens. Watches. Bells. Glass sculptures. And, perhaps the most consuming … […]
September 2022 Recipe – Florentines
We feel as though we are letting down all you chocolate lovers out there! If you haven’t noticed, we are not big chocolate fans in our house. No one liked chocolate chips added to pancakes or banana bread, and if we made chocolate chip cookies, we would always add fewer chips than called for. Jane and Caroline […]
Agriculture, Industry, Arts, Community
What is it about the hamlet of Wassaic, NY, that has attracted industry and idealists for over 200 years? Wassaic’s Main Street is nestled in a valley between the Metro North Train line and the confluence of the Wassaic Creek and the Amenia Stream bordered to the east and west by mountains. It’s believed that the name […]
License to Play
Walking into the Re Institute in Millerton, NY, during exhibition hours you’re likely to find artist and founder/director, Henry Klimowicz mingling with visitors and enthusiastically explaining the current exhibition. The gallery, located in Klimowicz’s studio in a former dairy barn sits just north of the village of Millerton, and it exists in many ways as an outgrowth […]
Passports of Salisbury Set to Close its Doors
After over 20 years in the community, Passports of Salisbury, CT, will be closing in early September. Passports was founded by the late Elaine LaRoche in the late 1990s as she was living overseas in Asia and had a passion for sourcing unique items during her travels. In a 2019 article in Main Street Magazine, Elaine noted […]
Champe
Summer Recap
What the fluff happened to summer and why does it have to end so soon?! We sure did make so many wonderful memories – lets recap.
Mom and Dad took Ellie to Iceland fur the furrst time. She still talks about the geysers and how she wants to go back. Something tells me next summer they’ll go back. […]
Measure for Measure
It’s not out of the question that were Shakespeare a contemporary playwright, the title of Measure for Measure (on stage at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA through September 18) might have been “What Goes Around Comes Around.” It does … with truly engaging results.
The production marks a return of the work to the Lenox stage that […]
40 Under 40 in Columbia County
“Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself,” said George Bernard Shaw—the renowned Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political activist.
The world has many visionaries such as Mark Zuckerberg—the founder of Facebook, who created success at an early age. There’s also music master Justin Bieber who gained notoriety when he was still a teen, and […]
Slumber Pawty
Cat had my tongue all week as I was sworn to secrecy. Mom and Dad have a big surprise fur Ellie this Furriday; her very furrst sleepover with her three cousins! Dad and I will be outnumbered fur the night but I’m more worried about how Mom is going to handle the commotion of four little girls […]
The 2nd Annual Hudson Valley Rodeo
The 2nd annual Hudson Valley Rodeo is coming to Amenia, NY, on Saturday, September 17! Held at Keane Stud, this is an event full of activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Doors will be opening at 12pm, and there is plenty of fun to look forward to before the rodeo begins. You can see rodeo clowns, barrel […]
Beyond Van Gogh
Beyond Van Gogh – The Immersive Experience being presented at Hartford’s Connecticut Convention Center through October 2 is an encounter with fine art unique in its content and scope. Audiences have never experienced art in this way before – the “immersive” designation is quite accurate. Over 300 of Van Gogh’s paintings appear in the 360 degree projections […]
60 Years and Counting
Thank you all fur the purrthday wishes. I had a wonderful day catnapping, eating turkey, catnapping, snacking on pawty-mix, and catnapping. Mom and Dad can’t believe their furrst born is now a teenager, and Ellie was kind enough to sing happy purrthday to me. Aside furrom Mom smothering me in kisses, it was a purrfect day!
On a […]
The Phantom of the Open
Can we find time for a gentle, heart-warming story in this summer of discontent? Can we find a few hours to step inside the cool, dark confines of a local theatre and dive into the almost unbelievable story of golfer Maurice Flitcroft who was, in truth “The Phantom of the Open?” Indeed we can … and should.
Central […]
Dracula
Dracula will be haunting the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA through August 27 th as Berkshire Theatre Company presents an intriguing new interpretation of the classic adaptation of Bram Stoker’s iconic novel.
In all candor, the play has been done and redone, adapted and filmed so many times that the mere announcement of yet another production might have […]
Just Peachy
Purrthday Wishes
There are so many August purrthdays in the family, but today I am meowing furrom the rooftops…correction, furrom Dad’s nightstand, a very happy fourth purrthday to my kid sister, Ellie!
This past weekend Mom and Dad threw a little purrthday pawty fur Ellie. Purrincess themed of course. And what purricess pawty would be complete without cupcakes topped with […]
Bed Hog
Mom has been, and purrobably always will be, a night owl, making her the last one to crawl into bed. When she finally comes to bed, she expects to have at least half of the king size bed, which is almost nevfurr the case.
Us guys have our own bedtime routine. Furrst and foremost, find the TV remote […]
Guys and Dolls
Live theatre is back at the venerable Sharon Playhouse (Sharon, CT) where their full-blown production of Guys and Dolls is in place through August 14th. Director/Choreographer Justin Boccitto, who is also serving as “Interim Artistic Director,” made the creative decision to have all of the dancing be tap, and the result is quite amazing. This production marks […]
Decay, the Good Way
There is something poetic, almost lyrical about compost, I’ve decided. True, most of the compost-conscious world focuses on prosaic matters like the ratio of nitrogen to carbon, feedstocks, and NYS DEC 360 permits. It elevates creatures that I’m guessing are voracious, called detritivores, and their taste for rotting food to levels that imply they are essential. And […]
Taking the Waste out of Food Waste
It is a dilemma that everyone has most likely experienced. You lean back from the table as your food baby protrudes in front of you. Your plate still features the remaining forkfuls of food. Despite your best efforts you can’t bring yourself to finish the meal in an attempt to avoid the same fate as Mr. Creosote […]
Time to Go Tubing
Picture this: Blue skies, warm sun, a tree-lined river gurgling and beckoning. It’s the ultimate outdoorsy lazy landscape, and all you need to enjoy it is a large tube.
The folks at Farmington River Tubing (FRT) in New Hartford, CT, understand the lure and appeal of a river float. They’ve […]
“You Kids Are Always on Your Phones”
Social media plays a prominent part in most, if not all, of our lives. It might have been a Facebook post that brought you to this article online, or maybe an Instagram story reminded you to pick up a copy of Main Street. Even if social media did not […]
Bodies in Motion – The Clark’s Rodin in the United States
Inertia is a body’s tendency to stay in motion. That principle is captured in the sculptures and sketches of Auguste Rodin, on view now at the Clark Art Museum. The exhibition, entitled Rodin in the United States: Confronting the Modern, has two sides: the scholarly aspect, which meticulously documents […]
Save Sharon Hospital from Closing its Services
In September, 2021 Nuvance Health announced plans to shutter the Labor and Delivery Unit at Sharon Hospital – a 78-bed general hospital in Connecticut’s Litchfield County. At the time, Nuvance announced that it would also make cuts to the Surgical Department and Intensive Care Unit. The reason: reduced patient […]
Finding Joy through Flow and Play
The last few years have certainly proved challenging for many. With COVID-19 circulating, and lockdowns and travel restrictions in place, many of us have felt “stagnant.” The term “languishing” describes the way many of us felt. The opposite of thriving, languishing leaves us feeling apathetic.
We can jumpstart our lives again. Each one of us holds the power […]
Maestros and Mountains at 93
With the New England summer halfway through its creative arc, Music Mountain, the Falls Village, CT, treasure that has been celebrating live performances for 93 years continues to charm … and to evolve. “We’ve brought some of the finest chamber music groups and legendary jazz musicians together for another great season,” offers artistic director Oskar Espina-Ruiz. “With […]
August 2022 Recipe – Blueberry Crumb Cake
What a perfect cake to have for breakfast or snacking. Perfect for a summer picnic and parties. Caroline and I made this after picking blueberries from a local farm in Red Hook, NY. I have been doing a lot of fruit picking this summer. Last month I picked some of the best cherries I’ve ever eaten. If […]
Collecting Forgotten History
Alexandra Peters gave me a private tour of her sampler collection on display at the Sharon Historical Society through October just after this enthralling exhibition opened in June. It was a very personal introduction to the art and meaning of needlework samplers which reveal the lives of American girls and their families from 1700 to 1850. The […]
In Focus
“The Earth took me in, held me and taught me the wonder of my senses: to see beyond clouds to fantastic beings, to hear the weather in the wind, to smell the stories of trees, animals, streams, and to feel the soft mosses, waxy leaves, and sun-warmed stones below the skin – to feel them with my […]
Open Studios in the Hudson Valley
Summer in the country brings endless opportunities for weekend entertainment across the towns and villages of our rural area. Whether you like music or art, farmer’s markets or yard sales, the Hudson Valley and Litchfield Hills offer something for everyone on nearly every summer weekend. We’ve had food festivals, book signings, and car shows already this summer […]
Wine of the Week(end)
If you’re heading to an outdoor event this weekend – and who isn’t? – the perfect take-along wine that pairs well with everything is a Portuguese Vinho Verde. The literal translation is “green wine,” but it’s named after the region in Northern Portugal where the grapes it’s made from are grown. Vinho Verde is renowned for its […]
Heat Wave vs. The Beach
Holy heat wave Batman! Mom, Dad, and Ellie went to the beach fur their annual long weekend getaway. I’m not the weatherman, but I do know fur a fact they didn’t need to drive all the way to the beach to sweat their fur off. Despite Mom leaving the air conditioning on fur me, the heat index […]
Hymn
Let’s start with the basic, unemotional information. Hymn, a new play by British playwright Lolita Chakrabarti is running at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre on the campus of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA through August 28th. The “two hander” is directed by Regge Life and stars Kevin Craig West and “ranney.”
Now, for the emotional reaction.
Breath taking!
A […]
More Music on the Mountain
Forgive us. We can’t pass up the chance to declare that concerts staged on two upcoming Wednesdays at 5:00 PM in Gordon Hall at Music Mountain in Falls Village (July 27th and August 3rd) are ”going for Baroque.” It is the summer, after all – shorts, watermelon and bad plays on words are all in season.
The Northwest […]
Hey Sweet Cheeks
Sorry in advance to speak on such an awkward topic this week, but I could really use your thoughts on a purrticular subject. I’ve obviously been using the litter box fur my entire life, but out of nowhere Mom appurroached me asking if I’d be willing to ditch the box and use the toilet like appurrently so […]
A Walk in the Woods
A ticket to experience “A Walk in the Woods” on stage at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA through September 4th is the invitation to witness a master class in acting cloaked in 2 hours of dramatic brilliance. Lee Blessing’s carefully crafted story of two arms negotiators – Andrey Botvinnick, a Russian played with unbridled enthusiasm and […]
Where the Crawdads Sing
There is a bit of irony in viewing the new film Where the Crawdads Sing in an air-conditioned New England theater. The atmosphere throughout the adaptation of the Delia Owens best-selling novel evokes a pervasive sense of being in the North Carolina marshlands. If nothing else, the entire film is quite successful in transporting us to a […]
The Birth of Main Street Moxie-So You Wanna Start A Podcast?
What do you do when your magazine editor approaches you to start a podcast? One option is to run screaming from her office. The second option is to put her off for months with vague responses and avoidance until that’s no longer an option. Then you break down and say yes. I chose the latter path and […]
Woodchucks
Hi furriends! How has your week been? I’ve been supurr busy practicing my woodchuck hunting skills. We’ve had woodchucks at our house befurr, but we seem to have an entire village living under our deck recently. Purrhaps that’s a little dramatic – we only have three. But that’s three more than Dad purrfurrs to have living under […]
Much Ado About Nothing
There is a bit of everything in the current offering of “Much Ado About Nothing” at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, playing through August 14 th in The New Spruce Theatre. In sumptuous blending, there is treachery and trickery, jealousy and jeopardy, love and loss and above all a wonderful blanket of comedy. The Bard knew […]
Matua
It seems there are more New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs on the shelves in wine stores than there are sheep in that country – and that’s saying something!! How to choose from among the burgeoning selection? Here’s one that’s tasty, affordable, and widely available: Matua. I was skeptical about this one when I chose it at a seafood […]
Happy Anniversary
July 6th is a very special date in our household (in case you couldn’t already tell by Mom’s license plate). Can you believe Mom and Dad became official sixteen years ago today? To put it into purrspective, that’s literally half of Mom’s lifetime – making them true high school sweethearts. And nine years ago today, they tied the […]
Once
“Once,” on stage at Berkshire Theatre Group’s Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield runs through July 16th. If your summer plans have an open evening, this is the place to spend it … wrapped in the music, the magic of this incredible production. The closing ballad of this 8 TONY Award winning play celebrates the tsunami of emotion that […]
July 2022 Recipe – Strawberry Shortcake
We are both celebrating our birthdays this month, hence the Happy Birthday banner. We are sharing with you one of our all-time favorite desserts, strawberry shortcake! Strawberry shortcake screams summer. Strawberries are ready to pick and are just so sweet and juicy. If picked fresh, they taste like strawberries should! Pair them with this wonderful pound cake […]
5 Benefits of Getting Your Property Surveyed
Bill Eggers currently works and lives in the Hudson Valley and has seen the spike in property sales. With this increase I hopes to provide valuable insight to homeowners on the benefits of getting their property surveyed.
His expertise stems from his experience as a licensed professional surveyor with over 40 years of experience. Bill currently works at Medenbach & […]
Clambake Fundraiser
It’s time to celebrate the life and legacy of Jane Lloyd – a self-employed gardener and landscaper who passed away from breast cancer in 2005. When Lloyd’s illness made it difficult for her to earn a living, friends and family responded by graciously providing her with financial assistance, which […]
Caffeine Capitol
In The Warden, novelist Anthony Trollope asks “What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?”
For centuries, coffee has been a daily ritual for people worldwide. Minutes after waking up, many people across the world eagerly anticipate their first sips of […]
All That Java
When coffee beans are picked from the stems of plants and removed from their protective coverings, they are green, tasting something like grass if they have any taste at all, and fibrous. The two species that dominate the coffee market, Arabica (coffea arabica) and Robusta (coffea canephora) did not rise to the top in their field (of […]
Yes Way Rose
Memorial Day weekend was a glorious kick-off to summer this year, with bright blue skies and limitless sunshine and temps in the 80s. And here it is July already, with summer in full swing. When you’re in a soaking-up-the-sun mood, there’s nothing better than a glass of Rosé. It’s […]
In Good Spirits
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to hop a flight to some exotic overseas locale to revel in the stimulation of new perspectives, flavors, and people. Many of us are craving novel experiences and, luckily the Hudson Valley has so many enticing destinations that are in proximity. […]
Scottish Spirits
Several years ago, Main Street featured John Dyson and Millbrook Vineyards and Winery which Dyson and his wife started in 1979. Now he has created a new business with his daughter and son-in law – Tenmile Distillery in Wassaic, NY, and once again converted dairy acreage into a destination. It was time to talk again with this […]
The Importance Of Being Frank
Young Benjamin had been sitting, patiently, with his family at one of the community tables on the patio at “frank,” the captivating new restaurant in West Cornwall, CT. While the others had mastered a salad and an elegant asparagus with lemon ricotta appetizer, he was left to anticipate the Margherita pizza that appeared as entrées were fetched […]
Keeping It Local
After spending over a decade in various culinary roles in the Hudson Valley and beyond, Mark Fredette unveiled Iron & Grass – a family-owned “chophouse” in Hudson, NY. The local farm-to-table restaurant and bar opened its doors in August 2021.
“We call it a ‘chophouse’ because ‘steakhouses’ focus on beef,” says Fredette, chef and owner of Iron & Grass. […]
Reflections Of An Aspiring Vegan
Our lifestyle and eating choices are as varied and different as we are as individuals. Some of us couldn’t fathom giving up meat or sugar, while others couldn’t imagine having carbs be a part of their life. That combined with all of the diets that have come and gone, we’ve all gone through phases of lifestyle and […]
A Tournament of Lies in Wassaic
The Wassaic Project’s Summer Exhibition currently on view at Maxon Mills brings together a dynamic group of international artists in all media – painting, sculpture, mixed media, video, charcoal, collage, neon, textile, and more. What’s striking about the show is the range of disciplines on display and the innovative use of materials, from traditional oil paint and […]
Mexican Corn, Pasta And Kale Salad
Summer is the height of growing season for us here regionally, and in honor of that we asked Chelsea Streifeneder of Body Be Well Pilates and Nutrition to share with us a healthy, delicious, and (somewhat) local recipe that is perfect for those summer barbecues. Enjoy!
It has been so busy lately and I feel like there is […]
When The Family’s Away…
Mom, Dad, and Ellie just took a trip to Iceland; purrimarly to visit family. Surpurrise surpurrise, they left me home alone fur an entire week with the exception of a daily visit furrom Nana around suppurr time.
I’m usually on my very best behavior when I’m home alone. I try to be mindful of the amount of fur I leave […]
B.R.O.K.E.N. code B.I.R.D. switching
It’s not your typical summer fare. “B.R.O.K.E.N. code B.I.R.D. switching” currently on the Larry Vaber Stage at Berkshire Theatre Group’s Unicorn Stage in Stockbridge has intriguing music, engrossing visuals, superb acting and a grip on the audience that lasts well past a thunderous curtain call into the Berkshire evening. It is not, however, light, breezy, escapist or […]
Wine of the Week(end)
Summer is upon us and it’s the perfect season for sangria. There are many premade sangrias that can simply be chilled and served over ice. Super easy and convenient. You can then add whatever you want to make it extra fun – fresh fruit, additional fruit juice, a splash of brandy or triple sec, even seltzer or […]
Becoming A Purrfessional
This might come as surpurrise to some of you; but I feel like it’s time to finally come clean and tell the truth now that we’re 146 posts in. I’m not really a writer, nor do claim to be or think this would be the purrfect purrofession fur me. In between catnaps recently, I’ve been giving it […]
Looking at Analog Mastered on Main Street
In a world where we can access any part of the planet from a computer in our pocket, what does it mean to be “of a place”? For winemakers, this is “terroir,” the ultimate expression of not just a region, but even a particular plot of land and the micro and macro influences on the grapes that […]
Father’s Day
Father’s Day is Sunday, and that calls for something special.
If you’ll be gathered around the grill and are looking for a wine that will pair perfectly with beef and that will have Dad saying, “Hey, wow, who brought this wine?” then here’s my recommendation:
Robert Mondavi’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet […]
The Man. The Myth. The Cat Dad Legend
So what if this isn’t the most flattering picture of Dad and I? It just so happens to be one of my favfurrites. Clearly we go way back. The only thing that’s noticeably diffurrent is the amount of white hairs we both have thirteen years later. Regardless of how we look and how old we are now, […]
Explore Anywhere!
It’s time to get outside and support the Housatonic River Watershed with Explore-a-thon
The Housatonic Valley Association’s (HVA) Explore-a-thon event invites outdoors enthusiasts, families, friends, community members, and anyone who loves nature to participate in its inaugural Explore-a-thon—a month-long, virtual fundraising event that kicked off June 1 and lasts the entire month.
Explore-a-thon encourages people to explore any part of the […]
Bad Timing
Hopefully I’m not interrupting you right meow, but to err on the side of caution, I’ll make this post short and sweet.
You know when you’re out to eat and you’ve just taken a bite of your delicious meal when all of a sudden the waiter comes over to ask how everything is.
Talk about bad timing, right?
All you can […]
Sun Bummin’
Memorial Day seems to be the unofficial kick-off to summer and when the fashion police lift the unwritten laws on being able to wear white again. Such a weird rule if you ask me. I wear white all year round and no one evfurr says anything about my attire. But as my Mom has always taught me, […]
Top Gun: Maverick
TOP GUN: MAVERICK!. Tom Cruise! Adrenaline pumping fighter jet sequences! Screaming motorcycles! Jennifer Connelly! Val Kilmer!. That’s apparently all need one recite to fill movie theaters for the first time in years.
“Top Gun: Maverick” is here. It’s out. And the cash registers across America’s challenged web of cinematic shrines are ringing. The nicest part of that affirmation […]
Keeping the Faith
Within the last few years, many of us have experienced challenging times. With the arrival of the pandemic, we’ve all faced varying amounts of uncertainty, fear, and the effects of isolation. Many of us were overburdened as we juggled our jobs and the demands of family life during a time of remote work and home schooling. As […]
Peonies
As an English native who ended up gardening in the New England entirely by mistake, my gripping about the length of the gardening season here knows no bounds. I will bore anyone with ears about it. However, the one silver lining to enduring our interminable winters here to then be slapped with an utterly miserable cold and […]
Southern New England by Contrast
This is a beautiful part of the country, it really is. At least once a week, a certain slant of light or the fleeting glimpse of a fox reminds me how lucky we are to live amidst such natural wonders.
But March?
This year, that fifth month of winter nudged me toward a madness that inspired the writers of […]
Curated by the Community
As of 2021, according to statistics from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, little more than 240,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War ll are alive today. Last year marked the 80th anniversary of what President Franklin D. Roosevelt would famously call “a date which will live in infamy.” The Japanese attack on […]
Coloring Our Past
Last school year, our Searching for Slavery class was encouraged to explore ways to authentically share our work with the community. The idea of a public event appealed to us.
Fast forward to this year, nine community schools – public and independent, middle, and high school – gathered on April 28 and 29 at Troutbeck in Amenia, NY, […]
Balancing Change and Tradition
There’s a whirlpool of change currently swirling around the communities of the Hudson Valley and the neighboring townships of Berkshire and Litchfield counties. The events of the past two years have taken what was only recently a noticeable but measured trot from tradition to change in our area and has accelerated at a confusing pace thanks to […]
Getting into the Swing of Golf
Sometimes the Universe aligns in a particular way and propels you in a new direction. So it has been with me and golf. Friends applying positive peer pressure, a membership special at Canaan Country Club in Canaan, CT, and the discovery of a brand-new unboxed set of golf clubs. They had lain dormant in our garage attic […]
Second Saturday
In the hills of Connecticut’s Litchfield County is Kent Barns – a sprawling complex of antique barns that are home to a variety of stylish art galleries, shops, and top-notch eateries. Visitors flock there for Second Saturday – a family-friendly community event, which kicked off May 14 and runs […]
Making All the Difference
Whenever I see the title for this publication, Main Street Magazine, I think not just of the small businesses on “Main Street,” but of the sidewalks that connect the businesses and are a wonderful place to see familiar faces, be recognized by friends, and meet new acquaintances.
There are many […]
The Renaissance
To be at the intersection of Railroad and Main Streets in Great Barrington, MA, today is, for people who know the history of the town, like being at the graduation of one’s child from a Master’s Degree program. Thirty years ago, today’s scene was a dream and a plan.
Today, […]
Rising Up
As things heat up for summer and life continues to feel like it did pre-pandemic, we’ll all be yearning to go out and have some fun. While we’re reveling in our newfound freedom and embracing the summer season, we’ll want to crank up the music and dance. Whether you’re […]
Something is Going On
What has been happening over the last four years in our area’s real estate markets? This article analyzes sales in the Town of Ancram, NY, since Main Street’s last coverage four years ago to get a market snapshot in just one Columbia County town. (This feature is data intensive. For background on the community you can read […]
June 2022 Recipe – Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge
Fudge you’re thinkin’? Yes! Fudge for June. When I (Olivia) was down south last year for my stepfather Claude’s funeral, I was looking through his things and came across a fudge recipe. It was written on a yellow, tattered piece of paper with chocolate smudges on it. I have a vague memory of my stepdad making the […]
A Blooming Business
The foundation of our local communities are its residents and businesses. We here at Main Street love nothing more than spreading their stories and the mantra of local as well as supporting local. With that in mind, we were excited to have a chance to learn more about Amanda Zick and Margaret (Greta) Anderson of A+M Flower […]
The Big Country Sky
Last winter the Dell Eads Reading Room at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village, CT, got some unexpected visitors. Renowned kinetic sculptor, Tim Prentice and his longtime artistic collaborator, Dave Colbert were looking up at the ceiling of the octagonal shaped room, considering the light. Prentice and Colbert were being shown a potential location for […]
Memorial Day Festivities
There’s no better way to taste a whole lotta local in one place than to attend the Hudson Berkshire Wine & Food Festival on Memorial Day weekend, May 28 and 29. Held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham, NY, the festival attracts craft beverage makers from not just the Hudson Valley, but from all over the […]
Misheard Lyrics
As I’ve mentioned purreviously – Mom’s furrst love was music. Regardless if there is actually music playing or not, she’s a singing machine. Not to sound bias, but Mom’s singing voice is American Idol worthy. In fact, I’m purretty sure I inherited my beautiful singing voice (aka purring) furrom her. Mom and I have a few singers […]
Wine for a Hot Weekend
What? Temperatures in the 90s on Saturday, May 21?! This kind of day calls for a refreshingly cold, dry glass of wine.
The perfect choice is a crisp Chenin Blanc, and a delicious choice is the MAN Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Chenin Blanc is a very versatile grape that can be fashioned into everything from a crisp […]
Sour Then Sweet
Evfurryone is entitled to their feelings, right? At least thats what Nana has always said. To put it into purrospective fur you humans, I tend to be like those Sour Patch candies at times. Furrst I’m sour, then I’m sweet. But allow me explain the reasoning behind my most recent cattitude.
Did you guys see the video Mom […]
Purre-k
Fur rather obvious reasons, I nevfurr went to public school; I was home-schooled. That’s not to say I didn’t receive the propurr education. Although the only thing I didn’t learn in my academic career was becoming a big brother – good thing that came naturally to me. It’s mind boggling that four years ago I was preparing […]
Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Event May 14th, 2022
My name is Luis Abramson founder of (CHJI) Cultivating Healing & Justice Initiative Support Services Inc. I would like to extend an invitation to the entire Hudson Valley community to join us in Otisville, for a dynamic community awareness event highlighted with the Mount Sinai, Robert F. Smith Prostate Cancer Screening Mobile Unit. This is the only […]
TRADE SECRETS™ GARDEN EVENT COMES TO LIME ROCK PARK
Dubbed the “Northeast’s Garden Event of the Year,” Trade Secrets™ Returns This Year to a New Venue
Lakeville, CT — It’s that time of year again to plan your annual trek to the Litchfield Hills of CT for Trade Secrets™ on Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15, 2022. Considered the Northeast’s “garden event of the year,” […]
Purrivacy Please!
Why is it that humans request, purractically demand, purrivacy when using the facilities? Even Ellie, at the age of three, now requires the door be closed when using the little girls room. (Fun fact Ellie; all purrincesses sit on a throne!)
Purrhaps I was wrong in assuming bathroom breaks were purrime time to catch up on daily conversations. […]
Hillsdale “Meme” Account Takes Off: Lampooning and Laughing Together
Mark Twain once said that humor is the good natured side of a truth. In a time where both seem to have been cast aside in favor of whatever fancies our political discontent, obscure revolutionaries remain. In the small Hamlet of Hillsdale, New York, the typical small town disputes mixed with political lines in the sand have […]
Driven to Lead
How do you measure fortitude? It is a unique human attribute in that we all possess some measure of it, yet many of us rarely utilize this internal strength to its fullest potential. Even more poignant is the distinct imbalance between those who must retain fortitude in order to simply move forward in their lives. Hollywood films […]
Moving Heaven
Moving is stressful. Upheaval, resurfacing of possessions that trigger memories, deciding what to keep, toss, and donate, guesstimating where the furniture will fit, and finding a mover all contribute to the angst. Even local moves in the same town stir up conflicting emotions and create drama. A recent local move brought all these issues and feelings to […]
The Heart of Cycling Returns
The notion of combining tradition with passion is baked into the spirit of the Hudson Valley. The open air, along with the history of our area have made it one of the most attractive destinations in the state. When folks come, they cannot help but linger, and when they linger for long enough, they have a habit […]
All Aboard
Kingston, NY, is renowned for many things. Most noteworthy, it served as New York’s first capital in 1777. After the Battles of Saratoga, the riverside city was burned by the British on October 16, 1777. In the 19th century, Kingston became an important transport hub after the discovery of […]
Walk This Way
Tracing history back to the earliest civilizations, people always found ways of traveling from one point to another. Whether it was by walking, traveling by horseback, or via a car, boat, train, or plane, people have always been on the move.
In the same way that former lighthouses have been […]
True Believer
One can hear the energy and the excitement when Torsten Gross talks about his newest adventure. The Just Hands Racing Foundation is the latest in a string of challenging endeavors that has marked the very full life of Torsten. He is a true believer, 100% committed to this intriguing […]
Getting into the Flow
When interscholastic sports first appeared, it was in the form of school organizations that reached out to neighboring schools in the manner of colleges and universities. Track and field, baseball, and football clubs eventually became teams, which in turn spawned leagues, divisions, state championships, and cottage industries of coaches […]
The Down and Dirty
Many thanks to all of those who have shared their experience with dirt roads for this article including real estate agents, people who live on dirt roads, highway superintendents, town supervisors, first selectmen, and scientists. As usual, what I thought might be a clear conclusion about the impact of a dirt roads on real estate values, turned […]
May 2022 Recipe – Apple Pie Enchiladas
We first made this recipe years ago when there was some sort of celebration in a Spanish class. My kids were always bringing something into school for some function or another and it was always brought upon me at the last minute to whip something up for them to share. We always had apples on hand as […]
A Building Not Set in Stone
The past few years have proved to be a time like no other for everyone around the globe – and businesses were effected in every which way, too. There were many businesses that struggled due to Covid, while others flourished. This can be said on a global scale and certainly at a local scale, as we all […]
Surrounded by Imagination
There’s a certain inexplicability that comes with properly capturing a moment, scene or feeling. Perhaps that’s why the elusive action is so closely associated with the great artist. To funnel the world as it exists through the imagination, molded there into something that others connect with on a level even they cannot articulate.
That, perhaps, is what the […]
Historic Village Space Hosts Ukranian Fundraising Efforts
As the war in Ukraine grows longer and more terrible with each passing day, efforts to support the war-torn country here in the states have become more passionate than ever. In the Village of Millerton, NY, residents and businesses have become familiar with the fervent humanitarian efforts of Polish-born André Wlodar and his wife Kim Schmidt-Wlodar. Since […]
A New Breed of Shark
Baby sharks, Mommy sharks, Daddy sharks – that’s the extent of my knowledge on sharks (thanks to Ellie). So when Mom announced with excitement her Shark had arrived, I had no idea what to expect, but it is in my cat DNA to be curious.
I sat and watched as Mom carefully opened a box to a new […]
Easter Review
Top of the afternoon to ya! (Sorry, my Mom’s ridiculous fake British accent is contagious!) I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. I tried staying awake to catch a glimpse of the rabbit, but as the saying goes, he was ‘quick like a bunny!’ Better luck next year I guess.
The Easter Bunny outdid himself again this […]
Dream Land
Mom, Dad, and Ellie had their furrst weekend getaway of the year this past weekend and left me to my own devices. I had no one to talk to, no one to play with, and no one to give the stink eye to when swooping in for a kiss. With so much time on my paws and […]
Giving Life to your Backyard
When I began my journey into wildlife photography about ten years ago, I was assuming I was entering into a field in which I’d have a new way to create beautiful photographs. Although this turned out to be true, I quickly realized there was so much more. With each subject I captured, I returned home with my […]
The Twenty-Furrst Century
You guys purrobably won’t believe me when I tell you we just got Internet at our house after living there fur four, almost five years. No, I’m not kitten. And no we don’t live under a rock. Purrhaps I should refurrase that. We’ve had very little internet service at our house; basically dial-up speed. We seem to […]
A Vegan Journey
“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on animals involved. For whatever reason, we are now asking the question: “Why should animals have rights?” Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA
Veganism is a philosophy of living that seeks to exclude the exploitation of […]
Ways You Can Help Mother Earth
When we think of the challenges that the Earth faces – and let’s be honest, most of them are man-made – it seems at times to be an uphill battle to turn it all around. But we quickly saw at the start of Covid how cities that once had been smog-filled had clean air within a few […]
Climate Smart Communities
In an age of heightened climate consciousness, where political leaders and corporate enterprises have begun to feel the pressure of concerned citizens and scientists regarding the health of the planet, grassroot volunteerism has sprung up across communities everywhere. Residents in cities and towns across the country are coming together to identify and respond to the impacts of […]
Going Home Again
There’s a groundswell taking place within our snug corner on the edge of the New England corridor that, despite feeling overwhelmingly personal for our area, holds a mirror up to an entire nation feeling the anxiety of living affordably. Months into the unexpected era of pandemic lockdowns, families who had been working in the upscale neighborhoods of […]
Green Ideas for Gift Giving
As we embrace spring, we revel in the freedom that emerges with the arrival of warmer weather. With the darkest days of the pandemic hopefully behind us, we’re all anticipating more gatherings, parties, and celebrations. Of course, many of these occasions call for gift-giving – bestowing someone with that […]
Speaking for the Trees
We have a long, and at times, turbulent history with the trees and forests that inhabit our vast landscape. Even before Europeans sailed across the Atlantic in a vain attempt to tame the “pristine wilderness” of the New World, humans were utilizing American forests to help support their way […]
Let’s get started in the Garden
Hello, gardening enthusiasts! Welcome to April, the month to start getting serious about what you hope to grow this season. Whether your plot is several acres, some select beds, or even select containers on a patio, you can start dreaming and scheming now. And what better way than with […]
Going Carbon Neutral
Carbon neutrality sounds like an impossible goal, doesn’t it? The answer turns out to depend a great deal on where you live. It isn’t that hard if you happen to live in upstate New York. That’s because one of upstate New York’s best kept secrets is that it has […]
Wetlands
I thought some guidelines existed to estimate the dollar value of wetland properties when I began to research the impact of swampy land on real estate values for this April’s environmental issue. After talking to assessors, buyers of wetlands, owners of wetlands, environmental regulators, appraisers, land trusts, and realtors in Columbia, Dutchess, and Litchfield counties, I discovered […]
April 2022 Recipe – Sugar Cookie Cups
Soft, sugar cookie base, creamy vanilla custard middle, and chocolate ganache topping! Who could resist these little bite sized delightful treats? These cookies seem like they require a lot of steps, but they really don’t. The cookies themselves come together in just minutes with minimal ingredients. The custard just takes patience, and the ganache is super simple […]
A Lifestyle Fusion
The concept of what “home” means to people might be the most broadly defined word in modern language. Mostly because the idea of a home is so intrinsically tied to other core human values – family, personality, even morality. For interior designer Abigail Horace, owner of Casa Marcelo, throw in a bit of chaos and uncertainty in […]
Simply Extraordinary
Stephen Green-Armytage offers a most profound perspective on life, his career and the advice he would give to young would-be photographers. “You don’t always know what there is to learn until you learn it.”
That may be a spin on the traditional, “I don’t know what I don’t know…” but the hunger to learn, to experience and to […]
Reynolds Asset Management nears Completion of Stissing Farm Townhomes
The New Jersey-based real estate investment firm Reynolds Asset Management (Reynolds) announced that it is nearing completion of the first 10 of its 38 planned residences on the Stissing Farms Townhomes property. With a total of 48 townhomes planned for the community, Reynolds’ move to bring the units to market will mark the first time that new […]
Many Pants
I’ve nevfurr quite understood how humans could wear “many hats” when in fact I’ve nevfurr seen anyone wear more than one at a time, or, none at all. Take Mom fur example. It’s a supurr rare occasion she actually wears a hat. It really only happens when temps reach sub zero or she’s going fur a convertible […]
Berkshire Food Co-op Announces New Manager
The Berkshire Food Co-op has announced Jessica Bosworth as their new general manager. Jessica brings over 20 years of grocery, leadership and management skills to the table and has already rolled up her sleeves ready to lead. Previously serving as the center store manager, she’s overseen steady growth in her departments and is ready to bring that […]
Molinaro and Pulver Propose Cut and Cap of County Sales Tax on Gasoline and Diesel Fuel
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver announced today they are proposing a resolution to the County Legislature to temporarily amend the County’s sales tax calculation on retail sales of motor fuel and diesel motor fuel, capping the amount of sales tax the County collects and offering residents much-needed relief as fuel costs […]
Great Barrington’s Perfect Steakhouse Experience: Number Ten
It’s impossible to gauge what makes for a perfect experience of any kind. Such a thing is, in all likelihood, unattainable. However, when a restaurant commits itself to presenting diners with an atmosphere that compliments its menu so seamlessly, it may be as close to perfect as one can get. Thus, Great Barrington’s Number Ten, a steakhouse […]
The Garrison and Processional Arts Workshop Partner with Local Organizations to Announce, Highland Lights
Together with Processional Arts Workshop, The Garrison will host the first-ever Highland Lights, a celebration of art and nature. Highland Lights invites neighbors to create collaborative works during free public workshops and culminates in a spectacular outdoor procession of lights and lanterns through The Garrison paths.
Founded in 1998, Processional Arts Workshop (PAW) is a nonprofit arts ensemble […]
Spurring Cleaning: Plot Twist
Mom has a real OCD purroblem; no, I’m not talking about the obvious obsessive cat disorder. Our house literally looks like no one lives here because Mom is such a neat furreak. She enforces a strict household rule that when you’re done with something, put to back where it belongs, or else it runs the risk of […]
The Stissing Center Presents THE VILLAGE CIDIOT Sunday, March 27th
THE VILLAGE CIDIOT, a comedic solo show about a city dweller trying to adapt to rural living, presented by The Stissing Center and Oblong Books on will take center stage Sunday, March 27, at 3PM as part of the Local Produce Reader’s Series.
THE VILLAGE CIDIOT is touted as the ultimate fish-out-of-water story. After losing her job and […]
Bachelor Nation
Mom has been watching The Bachelor since the shows inception 20 years ago (sorry fur aging you, ma). She’s purrobably the one who started Bachelor Nation she’s such a fan of the show. By default, purrimarily because I’m the only one who’s willing to watch each season as hopeless romantics take their journey to find love, I’ve […]
Town Partners with Renegades, Little League to Benefit Food Pantry
The Town of Fishkill has announced a partnership with the Hudson Valley Renegades and Fishkill Little League to benefit the Fishkill Food Pantry, the largest food pantry serving southern Dutchess County.
The partnership, called Fishkill Serves, was announced Monday at Dutchess Stadium, the result of a coalition kickstarted by Councilman Brian Wrye, the town’s official liaison to the […]
A Tuscan Weekend
Wouldn’t it be nice to be in Tuscany, Italy, this weekend?
A quick way to get there is with a Tuscan “stay-cation.” Cue up movies like Under the Tuscan Sun, A Room with a View, House of Gucci (or so many others); check out all the YouTube videos about Tuscany and its sites and culture, including wine; prepare […]
Wine and Music
March can feel endlessly gray, so it helps to load it with bright spots when and where you can.
Wine counts! So does live music.
Put them together and you have a soul-lifting, sunshiny day no matter the weather. Milea Estate Vineyard in Staatsburg offers delicious wines across the board, from a lovely Chardonnay to a juicy Cab Franc […]
Dr. Otis
We’ve all heard the saying “sharing is caring”. Well, Dad took this quite literally when he came home a couple weeks ago with the common cold, which he promptly gave to Ellie. Poor kid was down and out fur a few days, but then bounced back after sharing the cold with Mom.
Mom sure knows how to make […]
Local Volunteer Rallies Support for Ukraine
For Millerton, NY resident Andrzej Wlodarczyk, time is of the essence. Over the course of one week, the Polish immigrant has gone from enjoying the prospect of Spring in the Hudson Valley, to finding himself in the center of an urgent humanitarian effort. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week, many in the West […]
Mulled Wine
Watching the snow fall if you’re safe and warm inside is a special kind of magic. Getting out to shovel or clear it is a special kind of punishment. Coming back inside from snow removal is cause for reward, and here’s just the ticket: mulled wine.
Besides the great taste and the delightful warmth of this special drink […]
My Balding Belly
You’re purrobably wondering why I’m spread eagle. Quite frankly, so am I. I can purromise you I’m not going into purrnography, I’d much rather model my handsome pants!
Ya see, Mom noticed my fur disappearing furrom my belly a couple weeks ago and became instantly paranoid about my balding belly. In true Mom fashion, she has to document […]
Cyrano
Cyrano, I Love You
Those were the words that Peter Dinklage, title character in this brilliant interpretation of Edmond Rostand’s 19th Century play was longing to hear. It took over two hours of sword fighting, soul searching songs, engaging choreography, consuming visual settings and a tour de force by a cast of beautifully matched actors re-framing the long […]
The Simple Joys
The reviews are in. The critics have spoken. And, the crowds have responded by making their way to Le Gamin, the pleasant French restaurant in Sharon, CT. Robert Arbor … owner and chef at Le Gamin Studio Agraire could not be more pleased. “The customers have been most kind,” […]
The Peregrine
I hope this finds you in a quiet place: the armchair by the window, a glass of cabernet at your elbow. Or under a baffle of comforters, with the bed stand lamp the only light on in the house. I’d even take a bathroom, so long as it isn’t […]
Future Farmers of America
In the January issue of Main Street Magazine Dutchess County Legislator, Gregg Pulver, indicated that the FFA organization (Future Farmers of America) played a crucial role in his development as a leader. We hear of the “farm-to-table” movement, the desire for fresh/local food and the need for local farms […]
Organic Farming in Hudson
Hudson, NY, also renowned as “Upstate’s Favorite Downtown” is a riverside town that is home to 7,000 diverse residents. Its urban center boasts over 300 independently-owned shops, bars, bakeries, and restaurants. Its burgeoning new economy is rooted in food, the arts, and culture.
In 2014, Letterbox Farm, a collectively-owned and operated […]
Real Estate Has Gone to the Dogs
The real estate market isn’t the only home-related business that is currently exploding. With the pet industry nearing 50 billion dollars, homeowners are always looking for a way to make their pets more comfortable. For their part, dog owners are willing to go the extra mile to protect man’s best friend from the backyard’s outdoor elements. As […]
March 2022 Recipe – Deep dish chocolate peanut butter cookies
Deep dish chocolate peanut butter cookies – for two!
We know Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but here we are with a dessert for two! How many nights are you snuggled into the couch, having finished dinner and dishes but you’re left wishing you had something sweet? You don’t feel like making an entire batch of cookies […]
Bird Man – Thomas JV Cullen IV of TC Management and Falcon Excursions, Goshen, NY
You and your father are nationally known as falconry experts. How do you describe your unusual business?
Simply put, our business is birds of prey. Our activities center around breeding falcons, owls, hawks, and eagles primarily for zoos and educators; wild bird control using birds of prey; and, through Falconry Excursions, introducing people to these wild birds – […]
Meet Patricia Powers, Artist
True confession: When I first saw Patricia Powers’s paintings – giant canvases celebrating the beauty and majesty of the horse – my heart skipped a beat. Not just because the work was so powerful and immediate; not just because I, too, have a passion for horses that goes way back; not just because I was enjoying getting […]
Inner Vision
“To the artist, from Santa.” KK Kozik has fond memories of a childhood punctuated by that Christmas morning when none other than venerable Saint Nick validated the sensitivity she had to form, color, and things beautiful. She had been recognized as an artist. The package contained supplies that have informed her remarkable career.
Born to parents who were […]
Local Leaders Seek Changes to Bail Reform Legislation, Discovery Rules to Protect County Residents.
Citing an increase in crime over the past year and the need to protect Dutchess County residents, County Executive Marc Molinaro and Acting Sheriff Kirk Imperati were joined Wednesday by New York State Senator Sue Serino, County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver, County Legislator Mike Polasek and law enforcement officials at the Dutchess County Law Enforcement Center in […]
My Furrst Picnic
I have a purretty strict diet. Mainly due to my considerly small palette that only consists of turkey, wet food, dry food, pawty-mix, and occasionally a pinch of catnip. Ellie enjoys whipping up some interesting entrées from her kitchen set on a regular basis. So when she invited me to join her for a picnic I figured […]
Prostate Cancer Support Group Launches in Hudson Valley
The Premier Cares Foundation has announced the launch of a Hudson Valley prostate cancer support group. The first meeting of this group will be held on Monday, March 14, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. at Premier Urology at Eastdale Village in Poughkeepsie, NY. These groups are planned to occur several times throughout the year and will always be […]
Staff Shortages Create Unease for Public Schools
The month of January has meant something different for society over the past two years. Traditionally, the New Year celebration includes genial notions of health, happiness and career ambitions for many. Recently, geniality has been replaced by a greater sense of desperate hope. Thus far, 2022 has been no different as widespread anxieties continue to rise over […]
Revisiting Slavery in Columbia County
It’s February, Black History Month, and we’ve revisited and updated our 2021 post about slavery in the Hudson Valley. New sources helped us to better understand not just how widespread and tenacious the institution of slavery was in the Hudson Valley, but also to appreciate the magnitude of the struggle for freedom fought by those held in […]
Pleasant Valley Man Rescued from Apartment Fire
Early Wednseday morning the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist the Pleasant Valley Fire Department at the scene of a reported structure fire with an occupant trapped at the Country Commons Apartments located at 216 West Road in the Town of Pleasant Valley. The first arriving sheriff’s deputies reported smoke showing from the apartment and the […]
She Loves Me
I always love updating you all, but I’m going to keep this week’s post short and sweet.
Nevfurr have I evfurr understood the point of Valentine’s Day. Shouldn’t you show your love all 365 days of the year? Mom has mastered this concept. She’s constantly telling everyone how much she loves us a million times […]
Millbrook Community Partnership Receives $554,000 County Grant to Help Convert Bennett Campus into Community Park
Park Expected to Open in Late 2022
The Millbrook Community Partnership (MCP) is pleased to announce that it has has received a $554,000 grant from Dutchess County’s Partnership for Manageable Growth (PMG) towards converting the deteriorated Bennett College campus into a community park.
Demolition of the old campus, located at the southern gateway to the Village of Millbrook, was […]
It’s Complicated … And So Is Love
Death on the Nile
The film may not be “perfect” in the aggrandized Hollywood critical sense, but it is an engaging, entertaining, challenging, beautifully presented film. And that, we would opine, is why we go to the movies in the first place. We want to be entertained. We want to be diverted. We want to think of something […]
Local Youths Deliver Special Valentine’s Treats to Seniors
For most, Valentine’s Day represents the romantic expression of young love. The annual tradition usually brings with it the delivery of cards, chocolates or flowers between young couples who feel the need to express their unrequited love for their partner. For two young Millerton, NY, residents, Jai Ferguson and Nicholas Coburn, love means a bit […]
I’ve Got…Mail
Retrieving the mail is a team effort in our household, but Mom is always the one sifting through determining what needs to be addressed (pun intended) and what is deemed as junk mail. Most mail is fur Mom and Dad, occasionally fur Ellie. I almost always nevfurr receive mail; that is, until yesterday.
Mom excitedly […]
Love and Frustration … thy Name is OSCAR
It seems that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences love to fool moviegoers every year. The nominations for this year’s OSCARs provided the Academy with several opportunities to confuse … and they did not disappoint.
For most filmgoers, the real battle is for Best Picture … with the list of contenders seven strong, as opposed to […]
Molinaro Calls on Governor for Investigation ahead of Mask Mandate Annoucement
On Wednesday Governor Kathy Hochul is expected to announce the expiration of New York’s mask mandate for businesses across the state. On Tuesday, the Governor said she had become comfortable with the latest data that showed “bed capacity at hospitals had improved and the statewide positivity rate was at about 4 percent, down from a peak of […]
Author, Television Host, to Discuss New Book
Lisa Steele, author of the Fresh Eggs Daily blog and television host, will discuss her new book, The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook, in conversation with Bruce Weinstein on Zoom on Thursday, March 3 at 7 pm
The Hotchkiss Library, in collaboration with the Essex Public Library and the Darien Public Library, will host the “Queen of the Coop” […]
Memories
I’ve let the cat out of the bag before; Mom snaps 1,473 photos of Ellie and I in the hopes of that one purrfect photo for social media. You’re purrobably wondering what happens to the remaining 1,472 images? They stay on her phone, clogging up her storage. Believe me, I’m just as shocked as you are […]
Lessons in Achieving Longevity
As we age, we yearn to remain healthy and retain our quality of life. Many believe that age is just a number, and that people are only as old as they feel.
Age doesn’t hinder some from pursuing an education, exploring an interest, or even engaging in an extreme sport. In celebration of his 90th birthday, the late President […]
Blue Moon
The night required a couple layers of wool but no headlamp. As I stepped down from my truck at the Undermountain Trailhead in Salisbury, CT, a row of pines stood before me like a curtain, awash in moonlight, blue and bare like a Hopper painting, though no work of […]
Are You a Sexy Senior?
It’s February and that means Valentine’s Day. In case you hadn’t noticed, the grocery store shelves cleared out Christmas and started stocking Valentine’s candy on January 1. Geez. Even if you want to, there’s no escaping Valentine’s Day.
What do we really want?
As adults, what do we really want on […]
Volunteering – Why Doing Good Is Good for You
Volunteerism is the engine that makes many of our communities run. Look around your town, and you’ll see what I mean. From houses of worship, fire and ambulance services, food pantries and soup kitchens, libraries, environment and conservation efforts, and social service agencies, lives are enhanced and needs are […]
A Full Life
For those of us who have grown up tucked within the congenial fabric of rural life, that which breeds the kind of familiarity whose beauty is only rivaled by the backdrop of our beloved local landscape, there are those figures who feel as though they can simply never leave […]
The Houses of Tudor
Tudor Revival-style houses capture the imagination. They are dramatic whether it’s a Snow White cottage, or Jay Gatsby’s mansion. These picturesque buildings with a distinctive architectural style stand out amongst the colonial, federal, Victorian, split levels, and farmhouses that crowd our region’s villages and roads. “Tudor” commands our attention and for this Main Street issue we look […]
February 2022 Recipe – Oreo Truffles
Valentine’s Day is this month, and we suggest you take notes. Food is, in fact, the way to one’s heart. Say “no thanks” to materialism and consumerism this holiday and whip up a batch of these for your sweetheart! Or just for you; treat yo-self. Oreo Truffles are quick to make, and no baking is required. All […]
Mountainside Cafe
It’s a modest place, tucked away on Route 7 South in Falls Village, CT. Clean white building, ample parking with overflow across the road, a simple sign and a warm welcome. Mountainside Café is one of those unique places where the community inside the building welcomes and builds the community outside the building. During the seemingly endless […]
A Writer Writes and Gives Back
“Thank you, Mrs. Smith.”
Sally Cook is quick to give credit to the second grade teacher at Crystal Springs Elementary School in Roanoke, VA, who offered the decisive bit of inspiration that set her on the career trajectory of being a widely published and eagerly applauded author.
“It was Mrs. Smith who not only encouraged me to read … […]
The Hillsdale Family That Put A Man On The Moon
Sometimes a topic for a blog post comes to us through sheer luck. This happened recently, when we received an inquiry from Lance Fromm, an Andover, MA antiques dealer.
“Hello … I have come across a walking-stick with a silver engraved cap on top that reads ‘J. B. Collin Hillsdale NY.’ A Google search for that […]
Loved Ones
Fur rather obvious reasons, I don’t get out much, but that doesn’t stop me furrom keeping in touch with my family across the miles (as my great-grammy would say). Thank goodness fur modern day technology replacing car rides.
Fur those of you who don’t know, my great-grandpurrents live in Vermont, purractically a toy mousy’s throw away […]
Simple and Affordable
I went looking for a simple, affordable wine that would give me a good vibe and also (hopefully) some good flavor.
I went with farmhouse (lower case intentional). For less than $12, this California red has a lovely label with a block-print design of a farmhouse stamped against a brown-paper background the the words, “trust in nature, trust […]
Concerned Citizens Rally Against Tree Removal at Housatonic Meadows
As Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) pushes forward with plans to cut down centuries-old trees at Housatonic Meadows State Park in Sharon, CT, concerned citizens and public officials are raising questions about the decision-making process that has already allowed for some 200 to be felled.
On Tuesday, January 13, State Sen. Craig Miner (R-Litchfield) and […]
Molinaro Announces 490 Acres Land Protected through Partnership for Manageable Growth
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today announced Dutchess County’s Partnership for Manageable Growth (PMG) Program will provide more than $2.2 million to permanently protect four farms, preserving working agricultural land, and assist a community organization in converting the deteriorated former Bennett College property into a new community park.
County Executive Molinaro said, […]
Being…Simply the Best
Being the Ricardos
Luci and Desi. They were giants. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem. They are legends. Aaron Sorkin. He’s an undisputed genius. Add together, mix well and roll out onto the screen as Being the Ricardos and the recipe holds up from start to two hour and five minute finish.
It’s highly unlikely that many of us saw […]
A Wine for the Winter Blues
It’s cold, it’s January, and everyone’s in a funk.
Here’s a wine to go with the mood – and uplift it, for sure. It’s a Chilean red blend called The Seeker.
It’s made up of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 25% Syrah, so it’s almost a Bordeaux blend (Cab/Merlot), which is hearty yet smooth, but with a nice […]
Purrince Otis Joe
As I’ve purrobably hinted at before, Ellie and I have become purretty close. She’s the kid sister I nevfurr knew I needed—there, I said it!
This the blossoming purrother and sister relationship means sharing toasted butter bagels fur breakfast. So why do I get in trouble fur having a little taste? This morning Mom went through the trouble […]
A Big Slice of “Licorice Pizza”
Paul Thomas Anderson, writer and director (read “auteur”) of “Licorice Pizza” has a fondness of Los Angeles that infuses every scene of his latest film. It’s 1973 in the San Fernando Valley – that vast string of bedroom communities north of the Hollywood Hills and Mulholland Drive. During the 2 hours and 13 minutes of this “coming […]
Millerton Antiques Center’s 6th Annual Red Tag Sale
Now entering its sixth year, the Millerton Antique Center and its hive of skilled antique vendors will once again host the annual Red Tag Sale beginning Saturday, January 15 and running throughout the month of January into February. The annual sale will house deals for shoppers and antiquarians alike. “It is a once-a-year opportunity for dealers […]
Drive-Thru Food Pantry Keeps Hope Alive for Area Residents
The past two years and the massive changes they have brought with them have forced many to reconsider how they view and interact with the communities around them. Coworkers, employees and even local members of government have adapted to unforseen challenges. Despite the volitility, community-based initiatives remain steadfast in their desire to help neighbors in need. In […]
To France in a Bottle
Some wines are worth exploring if they call to you for some reason. Like the Domaine Chanson 2018 Vire-Clesse from France.
When I spotted this wine at Exit 9 Wine & Liquor Warehouse, I was immediately intrigued. I discovered Vire-Clesse is a part of the Macon region of Burgundy, home to world-class Chardonnay. I also discovered this wine […]
Roe Jan Brewing Receives State Historic Preservation Award
The Roe Jan Brewing Co., one of Hillsdale’s newer businesses, located in one of the older commercial buildings in the town, has been awarded a 2021 New York State Preservation Award by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Roe Jan Brewing is one of nine projects in the state recognized for their efforts […]
Pampurred
It seems as though you humans insist upon leaving the house in order to pampurr yourselves. For instance; getting your haircut, having your nails done, or a massage at the spa. If you ask me, that just sounds like too much trouble to me to have to leave the comfurrts of home.
Not to rub it in, but […]
Local Ballet Notables to lead Q&A following Balanchine Documentary at The Moviehouse
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO LATE APRIL
The new date is tentatively set for Sunday, April 24, pending confirmation. A new release will be forthcoming as soon as the date is confirmed.
The film In Balachine’s Classroom directed by Connie Hochman will screen on Sunday, January 16 at 1:00 PM at the The Moviehouse, on 48 Main Street, […]
I’m Feline 22’
Purrhaps it’s because I’m my mother’s child, but to quote Taylor Swift, “I don’t know about you, but I’m feline 22’!”
Nothing too exciting happened while ringing in the New Year. Ellie and Dad slept right through it all. Purr usual, Mom and I snuggled and watched the ball drop together. Nothing feels more official than listening to […]
Time to Celebrate
It’s time to release 2021 and bring in 2022. Stay positive and be happy with the most celebrated of celebration wines, Champagne!!
An exceptional bottle is Pol Roger Brut. This family-owned company has been making luxury champagne since 1849.
At their site they have underground cellars where the wine is aged, and the low temperature of the deeper cellars […]
Christmas 2021
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Santa Paws sure was supurr generous this year! It must have been the extra treats I left out for Rudolph and the gang. Despite Mom’s Christmas camouflage décor, another year has gone by of me sleeping right through Santa Paws coming. He sure is sneaky!
I received everything on my […]
Immersed In Nature
Within the last few decades, technology has certainly kept the pace buzzing. While access to a wealth of information on our phones certainly has its advantages, we’re also continually distracted and interrupted by the constant flow of emails, texts, and phone calls. During our leisure time, we often scroll […]
Reading the Cards
It’s Sunday, and I’m on a walk and casting about for something to do. A manicure? Nah. Hmmm… what’s this? A drop-in tarot reading? Why not?
I’d been seeing posts about tarot on Instagram and in articles here or there. This year, Dior launched its spring/summer collection with an opulent […]
Make January a Jump-Start
The holidays are over. The lights will soon be coming down. The dreariness of January, February, March, and – yes – even April looms like a black hole of bah humbug. And yet, this seemingly dreary time of year in our beloved Northeast can be a great gift. A […]
Homegrown Leadership
In a letter to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson once wrote “Agriculture … is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to wealth, good morals and happiness….” and, as he sat overlooking his famous gardens from his home in Monticello, VA, wrote to a friend saying, […]
Area Caregivers Tackle New Era of Challenge
Exploring the healthcare crisis in 2021 can be compared to taking a treacherous voyage toward the center of the Earth. There are layers upon layers of complex challenges that, despite their sturdy exterior, must be dug through and the closer one gets to the core, the hotter it gets […]
7 Ways to Achieve Your Resolution
So many of us have in the past, or perhaps not-so-distant past, made New Years resolutions. Many of us have probably failed them too (supposedly only about 12% succeed). I hope more of you have succeeded at them than failed though. But there’s also a reason that gym memberships surge in January, and then slowly dwindle off… […]
Building In The Wrong Place
Real estate buyers frequently tell me that the house that fits their every need is “just too close to the road, too noisy, not private.” In Main Street’s May 2017 issue, I asked other realtors about the “road” discount on a home’s price. Experienced brokers estimated a discount between 5% to 30% with double the time on […]
January 2022 Recipe – Boiled Raisin Cake
Happy New Year! This month we’re bringing you the recipe for Boiled Raisin Cake, but don’t let the name stop you from making this yummy cake! This is a recipe that goes waaaay back to my paternal grandmother, Little Gram (1894-1993). She stood about 4’11”, hence the name. She would make this cake for the grandkids quite […]
Creation Through Inspiration
Over the past 20 years, the Village of Millerton, New York’s commercial Main Street has transformed itself into the Hudson Valley’s epicenter of antique shopping. Despite the populous nature of design-inspired shops in town, Millerton native Charlotte Sheridan, owner of Merwin Farm and Home, has managed to carve out her own unique identity within the community. After […]
This Really is a Love Song
“One of my first memories was being in my father’s studio – music playing – him working on a large canvas.” Bruce Smith has fond memories of his childhood, underscored by the experience of being the son of widely celebrated abstract painter Hassell Smith who, himself, was quoted as saying “I am concerned I’m bringing the painting […]
Hillsdale Postcards
We recently discovered that Hillsdale shopkeeper Matthew White has assembled one of the most complete collections of late 19th and early 20th century Hillsdale postcards. It gave us the idea for this blog post. And, as often happens, researching the topic led us to explore the history of a humble item that turns out to be richer […]
Dutchess County Distributing COVID-19 Test Kits to Every Municipality
Free KN95 Masks Also Available for Residents, Organizations and Businesses
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced today the County is distributing free at-home COVID-19 tests and KN95 masks to every town, city and village throughout Dutchess County. New York State has recently allocated a limited number of at-home COVID tests and masks to Dutchess County as […]
Meowy Christmas To All
Phew, I can’t believe Santa Paws arrives Furriday night. I can hardly contain my excitement! The family and I are basically ready. Just a few last minute gifts trickling in furrom the mailman. This means I’ll have to once again lend a paw to Mom wrapping the last few purresents. It’s alright though – I get to […]
Celebrate the Holidays Locally
Don’t burden Santa’s sleigh with bottles from halfway across the world. Load up on LOCAL!
There are so many excellent wineries in the Hudson Valley, including many in Dutchess and Columbia Counties, that it’s easy, fun, and good kharma to drink and share their wines.
How can you resist the gift of Romance from Clinton Vineyards?
Stock up now!
Cheers.
[…]
Tis the Season
Tis the season of Rudolph, and what a great little reindeer he is. Sweet and innocent. Cute. Who doesn’t like Rudolph?
But today I want to talk about Donner. Donner is Rudolph’s dad – and his coach, and the lead reindeer of Santa’s sleigh. He’s focused and formidable. Well, I found a wine that’s deserving of Donner. […]
My Christmas List
Ellie has just about every single Disney princess toy on her Christmas list, but a princess Anna dress furrom Frozen and a watch are at the very top. I know this because I overhead her on the phone with the big guy himself!
Mom really wants a new pair of slippers, Ellie of course promptly reminded her to […]
Construction Commences at Historic Dutchess County School
Construction is set to begin at the site of the former Arthur S. May Elementary School at Raymond Avenue in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The mixed-use redevelopment project, to be called The Arlington, will include residences, commercial and retail spaces – and the preservation of an important piece of the site’s history: the main portion of the historic […]
West Side Story
Spielberg+ Bernstein+ Kushner+ Sondheim= AMAZING
The wait for West Side Story is finally over as the pandemic release of Steven Spielberg’s rendering of the class has finally hit the theaters, just in time for the holidays. And, it is …AMAZING
From the opening credits through to the final heart-rending high angle shot of the impromptu funereal parade, there is […]
A Touch of Holiday Nostalgia
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Berkshire Theatre Group, Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA
Without question, this is the time of year that is flavored with nostalgia. The daily fusillades of pandemic numbers, employment crises, political caterwauling do little to “make the season bright.” To borrow a holiday standard, “We need a little Christmas … right this very minute.”
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, […]
Cat purroofing your Christmas Tree
Not to brag or anything, but evfurr since I was a kitten, I’ve never attempted more than just nibble the Christmas tree when after it’s been initially being set up, (you know, just to make sure its not some sort of treat in disguise). And I swear on my favfurrite turkey snack, I’ve never laid a paw […]
The Power of the Dog
Streaming on Netflix
The Power of the Dog is a masterful, engaging, intricate film that serves as a bully pulpit for both director Jane Campion and actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Campion has long been considered one of the elite writer/ directors ever since The Piano debuted in 1993 and the awards community went on hyper-drive.
As for Cumberbatch, he has […]
How Green Was My River: A Portrait of Hillsdale’s Green River Hamlet
The hamlet of Green River in the northeast corner of Hillsdale has intrigued and puzzled the Hillsdale Historians for some time. Franklin Ellis’s History of Columbia County (1878) identifies it as “…a hamlet in the valley of the Green river … formerly known as Green River Hollow.” But immediately to the north, in the town of Austerlitz, […]
A New Theme
I hope you all had a wonderful turkey day. I fur one felt like a turkey myself by the end of the day and am just now officially coming out of my turkey coma.
Any who, on a more exciting note, the tree is up, which means Santa Paws is comin’ to town! The Saturday after Thanksgiving Mom […]
Ways to Have a Stress-Free Holiday
The holidays can be an extremely stressful time for a lot of people. To exacerbate the stress, pile on the pandemic and all that it entails. The very thought of the two can set any of us off in a panic. But there are ways that we can regain and maintain control, and calm our anxiety – […]
Red Hook Responds
By its very nature, volunteerism requires a sense of commitment often hard to come by. With families, careers, and the financial stress of “keeping up,” it can be hard to find time to volunteer. As the holidays approach, non-profit organizations look forward to the time of year when volunteerism […]
Pine Plains Brings Heroes Home
It is the season of giving. When we think collectively about this time of year, it can be hard not to conjure up visions of the holidays that have been baked into our modern DNA through tradition and commercialization. That is not to say those two elements are necessarily […]
The Triumph of Tradition
We are, at the core, a nostalgic lot. Through pandemics, wars and recessions, we have remained a culture that revels in traditions and ceremonies. We find some sort of resolution in repeating the symbolic dances of the end of the year.
Pumpkins carved at Halloween perched on the porch as […]
Community Counts On Blessings
It is once again the time of year when, in addition to the general merriment that comes with the holiday season, people across the nation collectively take stock of what they have and what they feel grateful to have attained. While we amass friends and family and take in […]
The Brief Craze For Octagon Houses
Nineteenth century America was a jumble of architectural styles from stately Federal homes and Greek Revival temples to Gothic cottages, Italianate villas, and rambling Victorian Queen Anne houses. The briefest and most curious style was the American fascination for eight-sided octagon structures found in public buildings, barns, and houses. Like geodesic domes in the twentieth century, the […]
December 2021 Recipe – Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies
PISTACHIO THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Okay, folks, we really feel like we are giving you a special holiday gift by sharing this recipe! It was introduced to us about 14 years ago when my (Olivia’s) kids were younger, and we went to my friend’s house for a holiday cookie swap party. All of us moms (six or so in total) […]
Flowers For Every Season
At Christmas time as a teenager, I worked at our local florist carefully wrapping poinsettia flowers against the cold. The shop and attached greenhouse were a warm, tropical retreat from snowbanks and frigid temperatures in upstate New York. Those holiday memories led me to interview Terence S. Miller, the owner of Roaring Oaks Florist, for our December […]
Living at the Edge
“My father was a blacksmith and a carpenter. I learned at his side.”
Chelsea Miller is looking at an elegant carving knife of her own creation, remembering how she moved from New York actor to celebrated creator of highly sought after knives all within the sphere of family influences and support. As she so succinctly sets the stage, […]
Delicious, Deadly Dysfunction- House of Gucci Review
Very early in the unfolding saga of the catastrophic decline of the Gucci family, it becomes obvious that Producer/Director Ridley Scott wants us to understand that the avalanche was internally created, simply waiting for the right earthquake to make the mountain tumble. Lady Gaga (Patrizia Reggiani) is the earthquake, and much to the delight of her multitudes […]
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Awarded Empire State Development Grant
Following Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement that more than $81 million has been awarded to priority projects across New York State through the Regional Economic Development Initiative, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF) has announced that it is one of the 97 projects that will receive reimbursable funds from Empire State Development (ESD). The ESD grant, worth $2 […]
Turkey Time Wine
If you live anywhere near Le Caviste in Stanfordville, NY, go there for Thanksgiving wine suggestions.
If Antoine proposes the Irnacy – a red wine – don’t question his judgment.
He shared with me that it’s one of the favorite wines he has in the store, and when I tasted it, I understood why. It’s an outstanding Burgundian red […]
Happy Thanksgiving Eve
Happy Thanksgiving Eve furriends! As we prepare to gather around the table, I would like to express evfurrything I am grateful fur this year.
Furrst and furmost – I’m SO grateful for my teef, or shall I say the ones I have remaining. Despite all the trips to the vets, and having dental surgery, I am able to […]
Local Historical Society Announces New Outdoor Exhibition
The Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) has announced a new permanent outdoor exhibit, the Early Heritage of Columbia County Outdoor Narrative Panel Exhibit, featuring eight narrative panels set along the treeline of its rural properties along Route 9-H including the c.1850 Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the 1737 Luykas Van Alen House located in the Town of Kinderhook, […]
Millerton’s Parade of Lights to Make its Return
For residents of many small towns across the Hudson Valley, one of the most disheartening effects of the previous year’s shutdowns has been the absence of traditional and seasonal festivals and events. As the calendar begins its march towards 2022, and with many of us wishing 2020’s turmoil toward our collective rear view mirror, local volunteers and […]
Go with Beau
Yes, the 2021 vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!!
The release of the young wine from Burgundy on the third Thursday of November has been an occasion for anticipation and celebration in France and now around the world since the 1950s. The Nouveau is the first release of wine made from this year’s harvest of Gamay grapes in […]
Pine Plains Gears up for Community Christmas
Saturday, November 27, will mark the 36th annual Town Decorating and Parade of Lights for the Town of Pine Plains. As part of the town’s annual celebration, and in preparation for the beloved holiday event, a team of organizers, volunteers, and youths from the local chapter of the National Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA), […]
Water
Mom’s purrthday was this past Caturday and besides receiving a dust-buster (which she is very excited about!), she really wanted Dad to fix the well pump. Kind of an odd birthday wish, but to each their own I guess.
Ya see, the purrressure in the house has not been keeping up as it should. So, Mom’s wish is […]
Big Girl Bed
As we all know, my little sister isn’t getting any smaller, in fact it’s quite the opposite. Ellie is growing like a weed! She’s outgrowing some of her toys, clothes, and most recently, her bed. Dad was planning on keeping her in the crib until she turns 25 but Mom quickly vetoed that a few months back […]
Tragic Fire and Community Support
The Millerton, NY, community suffered a terrible loss this past weekend when, early Saturday morning, a horrific fire destroyed a home and devastated a family living on South Elm Avenue here in our little village. While the effects of this tragedy are dark and sorrowful, the light of community support has shone through.
At […]
My Prima Primitivo
Truth be told, Italian wines confuse me the way French wines confuse most. Barolo, Barbararesco, Montepulciano, Ripasso – lots of Os that always left me feeling like “Oh No, I don’t get it!”
It was with some trepidation, then, that I opened a bottle of Primitivo, not really knowing what to expect. It was one of those “aha” […]
Getting Cozy
Hi furriends, and happy Novempurr to you all! I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween. I got lots of treats and luckily didn’t have to work fur them all. Thanks fur helping a brother out, Ellie!
Mom and Dad finally caved and decided to turn the heat on. Hallelujah! Now my toe beans aren’t furreezing evfurry […]
Community Leader Reflects on Impact of Hudson Valley Rodeo
It’s a difficult tributary to navigate, that of community development. Attempting to balance the idea of providing economic enhancements for local programs with an event that will offer equal parts aid as well as fun is not for the faint of heart. Luckily, for towns like Amenia, NY, ambitious organizations like The Amenia-Wassaic Community Organization […]
Robbie Cooper
Perhaps no time period encapsulates the nation’s attitude towards government more than the past four years. On the heels of one contentious Presidential election, the country descended into vitriolic divisiveness, platforms like social media flaunted their ugly angles while friends and neighbors swore each other off. After four years of political tensions burning off a greasy top […]
Help Wanted
What is left to be said about the past year that has not already been learned, experienced, and shared? In the intervening months that sluggishly married 2020 with its successor, many facets of society experienced seed changes. From personal health to social interactions, the kind of daily life that […]
Of Magic Memories and Gifts
There is a theme that seems to run through the constant reinvention of The Stissing Center in Pine Plains, NY.
“Gift.”
Kodak used the tag line “The gift that keeps on giving” for years in its promotion of cameras and film. The Stissing Center could rightly request secondary use.
Originally created as […]
Getting (More) Social on Main Street
I knew interesting things were afoot at the iconic building that is 2 Main Street in Millerton, NY, when I came in to speak with Svend Lindbaek about his plans there, and the first thing he did was put Dexter Gordon’s album Montmartre 1964 on the turntable. “Do you […]
Rock Solid
An abandoned bluestone quarry in Saugerties, NY, became home to Opus 40 – an extraordinary sculpture park and museum that boasts 6.5 acres of earthwork sculpture and more than 50 acres of meadows and forest. Considered by many to be “the Stonehenge of North America,” the impressive site welcomes […]
Top 5 Reasons Why Houses Don’t Sell Quickly
With all the excitement and frustration of bidding wars and houses sold days after listing what about the houses that haven’t sold – houses that have been on the market for months or even years? Most real estate experts say a house that’s not moving in this market is priced wrong, but presentation, location, condition, and market […]
November 2021 Recipe – Caramel Corn
Maybe this is a weird recipe for November? Y’all were probably thinking more along the lines of pumpkin, pecan or apple pie to be a better choice for this month. But hear us out:
It’s already November, yes, NOVEMBER! It’s that time of year when people are getting together, and gift giving ideas are starting to swirl around […]
A Wine Store You Can Sink Your Teeth Into
“A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.”
No wonder that it was a Frenchman who is credited with declaring this obvious truth. One could argue that the Italians are equally obsessed with wine and food, and that, yes, it’s a universal thing (it is!). But I’m partial to the French, so Brillat-Savarin’s quote not only […]
Amenia’s New Tent
How would you describe your personal style?
After doing interior design for twenty years that’s still the hardest question to answer. I’ve discovered that the words I would use to describe my style are not necessarily what others understand. I’m more a traditionalist than a modernist. I like rooms that are textured, warm, patterned, complex and layered and, at […]
Storytelling without Words
Amber Maida does not simply enter a room. Fully aware of her surroundings and sensitive to the energy found there, she moves like the dancer she was trained to be. As an artist, her work is fully reflective of her spiritual and physical journeys, the triumph she had over what could have been debilitating disease and an […]
Apple Season
It’s apple season, and that means apple pie.
I started thinking about all the possibilities for pairings with this most American of desserts. So many wines came to mind that I realized there’s no “right” answer when it comes down to it, and the anticipation is part of the pleasure.
Riesling, though, is a stand-out choice. It’s made in […]
Molinaro Releases 2022 Executive Budget with Largest Property Tax Cut in Dutchess County History
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today released his 2022 Executive Budget at the Dutchess Community College Aviation Center at Hudson Valley Regional Airport in Wappinger, unveiling a proposal that includes more than $20 million in annual tax relief, including the largest property tax decrease in County history. In addition to eliminating County sales tax on clothing and […]
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Hosts Gala to Honor its Past and Celebrate its Future
In celebration of a successful 2021 season and post-pandemic comeback to live theater, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF) hosted a celebratory gala on October 10 to showcase the plans for its new, permanent home at The Garrison as well as to honor and recognize extraordinary actors Kurt Rhoads and Nance Williamson for their 20 plus years of […]
Work Smarter, Not Harder
I’ve been crying up a storm lately – and fur good reason!
Mom’s been stocking up on groceries again just in case fur hits the fan, which means a stock pile of treats fur yours truly. Lucky fur me, Mom just opened a new bag of pawty-mix and I can’t get enough of them!
This got me thinking of […]
Art as Meditation
Richard Klein’s The Understory at ICEHOUSE Project Space, Sharon
Richard Klein is an artist of note who has cobbled together a life of creating, curating and writing about art and its influence. With a career that extends beyond 20 years as curator at The Aldrich Contemporary in Ridgefield, CT, he has embraced the awesome task of presenting works […]
Could You Pass This Test?
Our friend and fellow history buff Sally Laing recently gave us a copy of a news clipping from the April 17, 1889 edition of the Hillsdale Harbinger. The clipping is of an article listing half of the questions on the arithmetic exam that was given to the students, presumably eighth graders, at the Hillsdale School. We say […]
Local Community Center Receives Support for Child Services
Dutchess County Assembly Member Didi Barrett was on-hand last week at Millerton’s North East Community Center (NECC) to present the local organization with a $40,000 award from the state’s priority funding budget dedicated to understanding and assessing childcare. “I have been proud to support the NECC in a variety of ways over the years,” said Barrett. “Whenever […]
DUNE- Movie Review
“Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?”
There is something ominous about the closing line of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune. The film, delayed for release because of the pandemic and its likely influence on worldwide box office, has finally appeared in theaters and, simultaneously on HBO Max.
As Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his mother, Lady Jessica […]
Three Local Families Receive Vehicles from ‘Way to Work’ Program
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro joined the County Department of Community & Family Services (DCFS) and the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board (DCWIB) to present three local families pre-owned vehicles as part of the Way to Work program.
Started in 2001, the program is designed to help low-income Dutchess County residents get and keep a job, providing them reliable […]
My Jam
I’m not sure if any of you dear readers know this, but my Mom LOVES to sing; almost as much as she loves me. She’s constantly singing and is actually really good at it. The only critique I have is how loud she likes her music; purrhaps that’s a story fur another day.
Occasionally, Mom makes up her […]
Please Pass The Tort$ - A Comic Novel Poking Fun at Lawyers and their Frivolous Cases.
Renowned New York trial and appellate lawyer Thomas Morrison, known as the Dean of False Advertising Law, spent five decades in the courtroom where he argued and won numerous high-profile trials for major consumer brands such as Pizza Hut, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Hertz. Please Pass The Tort$ is the second installment in Morrison’s new career as […]
Turkey Day
Halloween is only a couple weeks away and I have yet to nail down a fur-sure costume, but I can’t be worrying about that right meow – I have bigger fish to fry. I can’t believe my ears but, appurrently, Mom and Dad are hosting Turkey Day…at our house!
Please feel furree to correct me if I’m a […]
The Long Goodbye- No Time to Die
The critic for The Guardian may have said it best. “… a neat and gripping thriller …” What was true in that send up of 1962’s Dr. No, the first of the James Bond film franchise, seems equally appropriate for No Time to Die, playing locally at most theaters.
This is Daniel Craig’s “goodbye” in the Bond role, […]
A Thought
It’s the end of another month. A time for reflection on a season past and the colder months to come. In this mood, I came across a passage from the critic Terry Theise’s book, Reading Between the Wines that I wanted to share for your enjoyment.
“Wine is like a shy dog. Lunge for it and it backs […]
Clayway … A Weekend of Delights
Ah, it’s October! ‘Tis the season of cider donuts, leaves displaying their autumn finery … and of ClayWay … the pottery studio tour that winds its way through western Litchfield County, CT and eastern Dutchess County, NY. Nine potters’ studios hosting 19 clay artists will welcome guests on Saturday and Sunday, October 16th and 17th as ClayWay […]
Come Fall in Love
Shirley Valentine at Berkshire Theatre Group, Stockbridge, MA
You will fall in love with Corinna May as Shirley Valentine at Berkshire Theatre Company’s current production. Running through October 24th at the company’s Unicorn Theatre location in Stockbridge, MA, the play is a “one hander” … a monologue … a solo performance that brought the opening night audience to […]
All Kinds Of Bugs
Mom was right – school is back in session, which means evfurryone is apt to get a bug of some sort. Mom took Ellie to the doctors yesterday just to be on the safe side because when someone is feeling even just a little under the weather, sneezes sideways, or coughs because a piece of catnip went […]
Molinaro, Pulver to Propose Elimination of Sales Tax on Clothing and Footwear Purchases in 2022
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver today announced their proposal to eliminate sales tax for purchases of clothing and footwear items under $110 each, in 2022, as part of their continued commitment to providing sustainable tax relief for County residents.
County Executive Molinaro will present the Legislature his resolution to enact the exemption […]
Scarecrows, Music, Food and More at 11th Pumpkin Festival in Hillsdale
The 11th annual Hillsdale Pumpkin Festival will take place at businesses throughout the Town of Hillsdale and in its Hamlet Park, at the corner of Routes 22 and 23, on Saturday October 9 from 11 AM. to 4 PM. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy live music, seasonal displays and activities, a bake sale, community tables, […]
Demolition of Former Bennett Buildings, Asbestos Abatement at Thorne Building both Underway
Two major projects to revitalize Millbrook are finally underway, as asbestos abatement and demolition have begun at the old Bennett College Campus, and asbestos abatement has begun at the Thorne Memorial School Building.
These twin developments are the most visible of many milestones the Millbrook Community Partnership (MCP) already has achieved in realizing its vision of creating a […]
Dutchess County Leaders Remember the Life of Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson
It was with profound sadness and a heavy heart that Undersheriff Kirk Imperati announced that Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson had passed away at his home in the Village of Pawling Wednesday morning. Undersheriff Imperati said, “We are all deeply saddened by the passing of Sheriff Anderson. This is a tremendous loss for all of us. Sheriff Anderson […]
The Birth of the National Park System
George Catlin hated the law. He was seventeen years old when his father sent him to study at the Litchfield Law School. The elder Catlin was born in Litchfield County but after he completed his legal studies under Judge Tapping Reeve, he moved to the fledgling community of Wilkes-Barre, PA. There, young George Catlin met trappers, hunters, […]
Race Relations in Fitch’s Home for Soldiers
In the winter of 1863, Lewis H. Starr was a 36-year old laborer from Sharon, CT. Finding it hard to support his wife and son, Starr took advantage of the cash inducements offered to men to join the Union Army. Starr traveled to Bridgeport, where he enlisted in the […]
Clermont-Reimagining the New York State Historic Site
Clermont State Historic Site, located in Germantown, NY, has belonged to the State of New York since 1962. We spoke with Susan Boudreau, historic site manager, and Jennifer Hemmerlein, executive director of Friends of Clermont, to learn about this historic location and how it has changed over time. In […]
America’s Oldest Winery
If you’ve never been to Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, in nearby Orange County, NY, put it on your itinerary for this fall. Not only are the wines well worth the visit, but the winery is steeped in history. Yes, America’s Oldest Winery is indeed right here in the Hudson […]
The Bridges of the New York State Bridge Authority
As most of us believe, we study history to determine how we arrived at where we are, and to help us determine what is working and what needs to change. The Bridge Authority has historically provided an invaluable, but mostly unrecognized contribution to the Hudson Valley and New York […]
October 2021 Recipe – Pumpkin Bread
Ahhhhhh, fall! It’s that time of year when our taste buds start shifting again. The air is getting a little cooler and crisper, we can start to see a change in color in the leaves and fall harvesting is beginning. We are so fortunate that we live in such a beautiful area of the country. Often, we […]
Halloween Phenomenon
For October’s history issue we researched the long history of October 31 celebrations and the increasing commercial importance of this holiday. Halloween is not only a night of fantasy – you can dress up as anyone or anything regardless of age, nationality, politics, or gender – it is a growing business opportunity. Internationally, Halloween is seen in […]
Chasing the Dream
“I did what any potter would do. I picked up the vase to see what mark it had.” Jane Herold is laughing while she recounts the story of her fateful appearance in the dean’s office at Sarah Lawrence College when she was an undergraduate. “I didn’t realize there was water in the vase … which then spilled […]
Instagram vs. Reality
Rainbows and butterflies sure are beautiful, but life isn’t purrfect. I often times find myself scratching behind my ears, not just because of an itch, but because I wonder why evfurryone feels the need to post only purrfect photos on their social media? Mom is no exception to this annoying, unwritten rule.
I know I’m […]
Accordion Collection Museum Relocates To Historic Canaan Union Railroad Station
Over 400 spectacularly-beautiful accordions have been moved into the recently-restored Canaan Union Railroad station in the heart of North Canaan, Connecticut by long-time collector Angelo Paul Ramunni. As creator and owner of the New England Accordion Connection & Museum Company (NEACMC), Ramunni recently relocated the exceptionally-detailed and highly-ornate hand-crafted accordions from throughout the world dating back to […]
Plans in Motion for Second Senior Housing Development in Poughkeepsie
Omni New York LLC (“Omni”), a real estate development company specializing in quality, affordable housing, together with Hudson River Housing, has announced plans for a second senior housing complex adjacent to Admiral Halsey Senior Village, located at 135 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, NY. The project, which is referred to as Admiral Halsey Senior Village II, will bring […]
Spare Parts
by the hillsdale historians
Every now and then, we set out to research something, and while we may uncover some interesting facts and anecdotes, there isn’t enough to warrant an entire blog post. So, we chuck what we have found into a folder and stash it, like a jar of old screws and bolts, on a shelf in […]
Fall is in the Air
Fall festivals are everywhere, and that means apples!
If you’re looking to pair a wine with an apple pie or crisp, consider something that will complement the sweetness and the slight tartness of the dessert. A semi-dry Riesling is a great choice.
The Finger Lakes are famous for making great wines from that grape, so go local and ask […]
Stickin’ Around
I don’t have a southern accent, but I feel obligated to say this; Happy furrst day of fall, ya’ll!
I was really hoping summer would stick around just a little bit longer. You might not know this about me, but despite being a pampurred indoor kitty, deep down I’m a big nature guy. Aside furrom watching the birdies […]
Community Rodeo Event to be Held in Amenia this October
In the first of what is slated to become an annual event in the picturesque town of Amenia, NY, the Hudson Valley Rodeo, supporting the Amenia-Wassaic Community Organization and sponsored in part by the Silo Ridge Community Foundation, will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Keane Stud. The 275 acre state-of-the-art thoroughbred breeding farm will […]
Northwest Connecticut CROP Hunger Walk Enters 38th Year
With food insecurity having increased greatly for many people in the area and around the world, and many local friends and neighbors struggling to buy food for themselves and their families, members of Salisbury’s United Congregational Church (UCC) are gearing up for Northwest Connecticut’s 38th annual, a second virtual, CROP Hunger Walk.
CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk […]
Wine for Mild Weather
Ah, mid-September mild days. They are so wonderful and so fleeting.
What to pair with this special time of year?
Splashes of summer – Sauvignon Blanc and Sangria.
For the former, go with something simple and satisfying and maybe even a bit silly. Monkey Bay from the Marlboro region in New Zealand is perfect. It’s as crisp and clean as […]
Food Fest
I’ll keep it short and sweet this week.
I’ve seen a few purrmotional pieces on the 1st annual Millerton Food Fest happening this Saturday, September 18th. Mom, Dad, and Ellie are going to eat to their hearts’ content, that’s fur sure!
I think Mom wants to take Ellie to a corn maze too. That sure does sounds like fun, […]
The Moviehouse Presents Special Screening of FAUCI with Director Meet and Great
With his signature blend of scientific acumen, candor and integrity, Dr. Anthony Fauci became America’s most unlikely cultural icon during COVID-19. On Wednesday, September 15, Millerton’s Moviehouse will offer moviegoers the opportunity to meet director of the film FAUCI John Hoffman at 6pm at the Screening Lounge Bar, a 6:30 PM introductory talk by Hoffman himself and […]
Hillsdale Concert Series to Bring Children’s Program to Hamlet Park
Grammy nominee Brady Rymer along with Claudia Mussen will play family-friendly children’s rock on Saturday Sept. 18 as Hillsdale’s Hamlet Committee continues its Jams in the Hamlet concert series.
The event begins at 4:30 p.m. in Hamlet Park with the Roe Jan Library presenting a storytelling program in the park. Food and soft drinks will be available from […]
Fall is Here
I’m caught up in the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the onset of fall, and I need a BIG red wine.
Something deep. Something dark. Something soothing. Something velvety.
There’s nothing more appropriate than The Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon from California’s Napa Valley.
From the moment it hits the glass you’re in deep, with bold notes […]
Do’s and Don’ts of Selling Vacant Land
Do you have a parcel of land that is vacant? If so, are you ready to sell it? Selling vacant land can seem like a daunting task, but thankfully, there are some things to keep in mind before doing so.
This blog post will provide tips on the do’s and don’ts of selling vacant […]
Too Cool Fur School
Furrom what I gather, school is back in session fur many kiddos. Lucky fur me, I’m too cool fur school. Plus; I doubt reading, writing, and arithmetic would be my strong suits. And as we all know, my strength is cat napping. On the other paw, if I were to go to school this year, I would […]
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty Salisbury Brokerage
I just wish to thank you and Christina Bates for your article regarding local private airstrips in the May issue of Mainstreet Magazine. The focus was on viewing these private airstrips as real estate investment opportunities and your coverage of the North Canaan airstip was excellent. I was handling the marketing of this property through William Pitt […]
Moviehouse Creates Opportunity to Meet Local Filmmaker
In a cinematic quest to find the 52 Hertz Whale, which scientists believe has spent its entire life in solitude calling out at a frequency that is different from any other whale, The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52, Directed by Joshua Zeman with Executive Producers Leonardo DiCaprio and Adrian Grenier will be specially screened tomorrow September […]
So Long Summer
Purrdon me fur giving you the stink eye, but are you kitten me right meow? I can’t not believe we are bidding farewell to summer. I don’t know about you, but I have mixed feelings about this. I’m certainly going to miss basking in the windowsill sun but, then again, my summer bod was nevfurr really summer […]
Community Park Receives Groundbreaking Award for Renovations
“I like baseball. I like parks. I love communities like this and that’s why we are here today.” were the words of Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro as he helped to stage the groundbreaking event for the revitalization of Millerton New York’s historic Eddie Collins Memorial Park. Along with an afternoon of entertainment provided by local favorites […]
A Village Delight
There is almost a Brigadoon moment when one wanders off of Route 7 into Falls Village, CT, these days. To be sure, this town will not disappear after one day, to wait 100 years to reappear as in the Lerner and Loewe musical. The resurgence of the town, however, is magical in its own way. With the […]
Summer 2021-To Europe – and Back?
Our trip to France was planned for late March 2020. My younger brother, Michael, and I needed to get over to see our mother in the Maison de Retraite that she had been transported to the previous December because her cognitive deterioration made it impossible for her to live on her […]
A Graceful Life Set in Stone
One of the most impossibly difficult aspects of the human experience is not only death itself, nor comprehending the idea that those we love will at some point no longer be with us, but how our enduring ability to love transforms death into something tragically beautiful. When the car […]
Nothing Is Impossible To Her Who Will
In 2018, when Republican Senator Kathy Marchione announced that she would not seek re-election in Senate District 43, the news immediately raised the collective temperature on a seat suddenly in play for a traditionally competitive district. But for Marchione’s eventual successor Daphne Jordan – competition is in her DNA. […]
SEL-Why is My Kid’s School Teaching About Emotions?
Consider the following exchange I had with “Joe,” the owner of an unnamed inn in the western Adirondacks:
It was roughly 9am, and I was waiting for Joe’s wife, who served as hostess, waitress, chef, and (remarkably, still) a charming bartender, to put the finishing touches on the meat lover’s […]
Tara Sullivan-First Female to Lead the New York State Bridge Authority, Retires
In the best of times it’s important to recognize those who are good leaders. In these challenging times, it’s even more important to recognize those who are selfless, smart, and committed to excellence, and encourage the best from others. Tara Sullivan was that kind of leader at the New York State Bridge Authority. Sullivan was appointed deputy […]
You Get Everything
Even though the residential real estate market everywhere is booming with record low inventory, commercial real estate prices and activity remain sluggish. We wondered how to go about selling your real estate if it’s attached to your small business. One local entrepreneur explained, “I didn’t get much for the business, but I did really well on the […]
September 2021 Recipe – Fresh Peach Cobbler
A cobbler is a deep-dish baked fruit dessert with a thick biscuit topping. Traditionally, the rich fruit stew is the base. Some like to bake a cobbler with the biscuit on the bottom too, but we feel that isn’t a true cobbler. That’s more like a deep-dish pie! It is believed that the name “cobbler” got its […]
Keeping the Land
Before it started to rain and after the last Sunday lunch was served in the dining room, Tim Bontecou, President of Tamarack Preserve Ltd., took me for a SUV drive over the gravel roads and fields of the preserve, which have been in the Bontecou family since the late 1930s.
Starting out at the clubhouse and sporting clay […]
Here Comes the Sun
“I was fascinated by the sun as a child … the way light and shadows would move on the wall as sunlight filtered through the venetian blinds.” Robert Adzema has a long and tender relationship with the way the sunlight appears to move throughout the day, how those changes cast precise shadows and the artistic spirit that […]
Sunny Days
Summer is still here, and there is nothing like a crisp, cold, white wine at the end of a sunny day to keep the warm-weather vibes alive.
I had a wine last night that hit every positive note when I paired it with steamers and soft-shelled crabs bought from a fish vendor at the farmer’s market. The wine […]
Finally, Feline Fine!
Well furriends, I’ve lived to tell about my visit to the vet…by the skin of my teef!
Mom and Dad waited as long as possible to feed me dinner Sunday night because I was required to fast prior to my procedure on Monday morning. I must admit, I really wanted my 4AM breakfast, but held it together as […]
Community Spotlight: Jacquie Rice
Local ambulance services have been integral to healthy, happy, and safe towns. The volunteers that make up the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service (SVAS) greatly contribute to this effort, and with the struggles of the pandemic, it is doubly important to recognize just how much they serve the community and help those in need. We spoke with Jacquie […]
Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service celebrates 50 Years this Weekend
Incorporated in 1971, the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service (SVAS) was founded when a group of Salisbury, CT, citizens realized that an ambulance was needed in town. We spoke with the Chief of Service, Jacquie Rice, to learn more about this organization as it celebrates its 50th year.
Prior to the SVAS, the Sharon Hospital was responsible for ambulance […]
National Pinot Noir Day
In case you missed National Pinot Noir Day on August 18, the weekend is a great time to get caught up.
Pinot is a cool-climate red wine grape that produces medium-bodied, vibrant wines with bright fruit notes on the finish. They pair well with almost everything as they’re light enough to be enjoyed with fish but big enough […]
Millerton Antiques Center
For 5 years, we promoted our annual Red Tag sale the traditional way with weekly ads in local papers for the duration of the month long event. It chugged along and did OK. Two years ago, we decided to try something different. I contacted Thorunn and her team at Main Street Magazine/Thorunn Designs where we have been […]
ThinkDIFFERENTLY Thursday Returns for 175th Dutchess County Fair
After last year’s fair cancellation, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and Dutchess County Fairgrounds President Andy Imperati are eager to invite individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to the return of ThinkDIFFERENTLY Thursday at the Dutchess County Fair on August 26th, 2021. Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families will be able to enjoy the Dutchess […]
Pre-Teen
Do I look diffurrent to you? Because I should. I’m 12 now!
I had a purretty low-key purrthday. I was even home alone while Dad and Ellie had a Daddy daughter day and Mom went out shopping fur the purrfect present for me. I’m shocked I didn’t receive something furrom Amazon. I was really hoping fur a new […]
Review-Nina Simone:Four Women
Nina Simone:Four Women
Berkshire Theatre Group
The Unicorn Theatre, Stockbridge, MA
BRILLIANT
It’s not often that one word can capture the essence of a theatrical evening. The word most often overheard as the audience left Berkshire Theatre Company’s production of Nina Simone: Four Women, on stage at the Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA until Sunday, September 5 … was “brilliant.”
Like any […]
Summer in a Bottle
Yes, there is a Summer in the Bottle, and you better enjoy it while you can – and when you can – as, sadly, summer is starting to kiss us all goodbye.
Everything about this wine is bright and beautiful, so stock up.
It’s New York State’s Wolffer Estate Summer in […]
It’s Official
It’s official. My kid sister is three!
Yesterday, Mom was running around decorating, baking cupcakes, cleaning up the house fur Ellie’s cake and ice cream pawty which was held last night fur family and furriends. Since I’m a cat, I obviously can’t have cupcakes or ice cream, so mom added furresh catnip to one of my […]
More than 160 Dutchess County Youths Attend Summer Youth Employment Program Summit
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro earlier last week welcomed 165 young people from throughout Dutchess County who attended the Department of Community & Family Services’ (DCFS) Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Youth Summit, coordinated by the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board (WIB). Dutchess Community College (DCC) hosted the event at its new DCC at Fishkill campus.
The SYEP […]
Postponed Hillsdale Flea Market Returns Saturday
With the wet weather apparently having abated, Hillsdale’s popular but twice postponed flea market will take place Saturday August 7, offering a wide array of goods ranging from household items and clothing to antiques and collectibles.
Held in Hillsdale’s Hamlet Park, located at the intersection of Rts. 22 and 23, it will open at 8 AM. for early-bird […]
Elegant ART
The Roman Garden Theatre
Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA
In a summer of hesitancy and uncertainty, of recrimination and instability, Shakespeare & Company has deftly placed a brilliant production of Yasmina Reza’s ART in the Roman Garden Theatre and invited us all to contemplate its beauty.
Whether it was serendipity or simply the expected genius of Allyn Burrows, Shakespeare & […]
The Big 100
I nearly couldn’t wait until Whisker Wednesday to share this with you.
This is my 100th post! Can you believe it?!
I bet you didn’t know a cat could talk about 100 diffurrent subjects. Did you also know it’s my burrthday month! That’s right. Along with my grandmothers, a couple aunts, a few furriends, and my kid sister.
Let the […]
Millbrook Horse Trials Return in August
The Millbrook Horse Trials (MHT), a recognized United States Eventing Association (USEA) event, is an important part of a long equestrian tradition in Dutchess County. Recognized among the region’s most prestigious annual sporting events, it attracts world-class competitors from throughout the United States and brings some 400 riders […]
Film Review- Stillwater
STILLWATER
Rated “R”
Playing at theaters locally
Stillwater is a film that offers so much that the handful of critics that have decided to be, typically, “snarky” and show off their critical credentials may have truly missed the point. Matt Damon stars in the film as Bill Baker, an Oklahoma oil rigger prone to stupid decisions and dead-end jobs. He […]
Business- Starting or Expanding?
The fabric and backbone of America are its small businesses, and lucky for us, we have an abundance of them in our area. It’s the American dream after all. But when it comes to starting and or expanding a business, the devil is in the details. It is the minutia that can become cumbersome, and may seem […]
A Walk In The Woods
Mark Twain is credited with the pronouncement that “Golf is a good walk spoiled.” Truth is that the judgement was first rendered 38 years after Twain’s death … but the presumption continues. True or not, the balance to that invective might well be that Art Omi in Ghent, NY, […]
Urgent Progress
“Home is a place not only of strong affections,” Harriet Beeche Stowe once said. “But of entire unreserved.” The famous sentiment has since encompassed the entirety of the nation’s romantic ambitions for home ownership. It is not only a place we value as a “dressing room” for the outside […]
Reaping and Sowing For Good
What was your family doing 100 years ago? That’s four or five generations back. Past your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, and on to your great-great grandparents. Think about it. How far back do your family stories go? If you’re the average person who knows something about two or […]
New Traditions
There is a lot to be said about the terms “routine” and “tradition” after the collective experience of 2020. For over a century, generations of local families have fastened themselves to the tradition of attending the Dutchess County Fair so much so that the annual event has ingrained itself […]
Flip Intent
According to national statistics an estimated 6% of homes sold in the US are flipped properties – although from all the flipping, flopping, and fixing shows on television, flipping fascination seems much higher. For this issue of Main Street Magazine, we decided to explore the flipping phenomenon in our region at this moment in time. Who […]
August 2021 Recipe – Frozen Lemon Pie
It’s summer. It’s hot. And we feel we need to keep the no bake or minimal bake theme going.
Frozen Lemon Pie is a cinch to whip up. With very few ingredients and just a couple of minutes whisking egg yolks and sugar over the double boiler, you’ll have a refreshing summer dessert in no time!
The filling vs. […]
Growing A Business
Tom Scott, the founder and owner of Falls Village Flower Farm, sat down with me in his home office on a Sunday morning, to talk about the business he has built – or perhaps planted – over the last 24 years.
How did you arrive in Falls Village in this idyllic location?
I grew up in Dover Plains and when […]
Alive With The Sound of Music
Sharon Ruchman is living proof.
There has long been the contention that nestled in the Litchfield Hills, the Berkshires and the Hudson Valley, there are literally armies of brilliant writers, artists, musicians … most of whom found their separate ways to this bucolic part of the country to find the calm and quiet that allows creativity to blossom.
And […]
Ulster Savings Bank Installs Solar Panels at Red Hook Branch
Ulster Savings Bank recently installed 43 solar panels on the roof of their Red Hook branch. This solar initiative is part of the bank’s commitment to lessening their impact on the environment by incorporating sustainable and green business practices.
The project was installed by Aries Power, Inc. from Albany, NY a company that specializes in renewable energy development […]
My New BFF
It’s no secret I love being brushed. In fact, next to catnapping, this is a favurrite activity of mine. Mom is usually in charge of making sure I really am the most handsome pants in the world. My brush time usually takes place after Ellie has gone to bed, ensuring that my grooming goes uninterrupted. It’s not […]
Millbrook Community Partnership to Hold July 29 Meeting on Plans for Bennett Park, Thorne Building
As plans for creating a park on the former Bennett College property and renovating the Thorne Building proceed apace, the Millbrook Community Partnership (MCP) is inviting the public to a meeting at the Millbrook Village Firehouse on Thursday, July 29, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The event, which will be accessible online as well as in person, promises […]
Spring Hill Arts Gathering Announces Line-Up for In-Person Festival this Summer
Seven-Day Gathering Culminates in Free Day-Long Celebration for Washington Town Residents
Spring Hill Arts Gathering, also known as the SHAG Festival, has revealed its line-up for its summer 2021 gathering. Slated for July 29 – August 1 and August 6 – 8, this celebration of community and the arts will take place at Spring Hill Vineyards. This first […]
Youth Film Challenge Launches with $3,500 in Prizes
The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has partnered with the Civic Life Project and the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative to launch the Bridging Divides, Healing Communities Youth Film Challenge. Residents of Berkshire County, MA, Columbia and northeast Dutchess counties, NY, and northwest Litchfield County, CT, ages 14 to 24 are invited to submit a 6-minute film that […]
Film Review-PIG
PIG
Playing at The Moviehouse, Millerton, NY and Triplex Cinema, Great Barrington, MA
Rated R
Fair warning. Pig is not a film for everyone. The “R” rating should be enough to steer families looking for an evening out with the kids to look elsewhere.
Which is not to say that Pig is a film that should be ignored, avoided or left […]
It’s Show Time!
Ladies, gentleman, and cat lovers alike – get your paws on some popcorn!
As purromised, I have more infurrmation on the Cat Video Festival happening at The Moviehouse in Millerton this weekend!
Apparently, it’s a phenomenon that’s taken the world and theaters across the U.S. by storm. To paraphrase furrom the latest story from Main Street Mag, “It […]
The Moviehouse to Screen Cat Video Festival 2021: Percentage of Proceeds going to Support Local Cat Shelter
The Cat Video Festival is a phenomenon that has taken the world by storm and will once again make its much anticipated return this month in theaters across the USA and around the world. Critics laud the festival as a delightful compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions […]
SUMMER OF SOUL …Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised
On screens locally and streaming on Hulu
There was a time when “I was there” referred to being one of the 400,000 at the four days of rain, mud, music and mayhem that was known as Woodstock. The event has been revered as the turning point for rock and roll … the moment the “counterculture” found its stride.
Lost […]
King Lear; Shakespeare & Company
The Season Begins … At Long Last
There is something momentous about the production of Shakespeare’s King Lear currently in The New Spruce Theatre at Shakespeare & Company. Beyond the heroic efforts of the acting company, headed by international superstar Christopher Lloyd in the title role … beyond the introduction of a new, stunning amphitheater on the company’s […]
Family of Legendary Musician Sing Support for Sheffield Park
Family members of legendary musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer Stevie Ray Vaughan have banded together to support the continuation of a local park in Sheffield MA, famous for its own chapter in the nation’s history. In February of 2015, the town’s long-standing covered bridge became an official part of US history when the Great Barrington Historical […]
Two People Rescued from the Ten Mile River
On Sunday, at approximately 4:30pm, Dutchess County 911 dispatched the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Wassaic Fire Department and Town of Amenia EMS to the Ten Mile River for a report of a male and female in the middle of the river holding onto a log.
Due to the complexity of this technical water rescue, a unified command system […]
Reliant Realty Becomes Ally with Event to Honor Veterans with $7,500 Donation
Reliant Realty, the property management team behind Admiral Halsey Senior Village in Poughkeepsie, NY, hosted a special event to help veterans locally.
Dubbed Admiral Salutes Veterans, the event honored VetZero, the veterans support initiative of Hudson River Housing. Reliant Realty Managing Director Mathew Holladay, following remarks from State Senator Sue Serino, VetZero founder Tommy Zurhellen and Hudson […]
This Week Hits Different
Oh hey furriends! Happy Whisker Wednesday to one and all!
I’m feeling a little diffurrent this week. My “licky thing” is flaring back up and as a result, Mom has purrchased new medication furrom the vets. The only purrk to come from this development is that I didn’t have to go there myself. Although appurrently […]
Dutchess Invests Over $2.2 Million in Community Infrastructure, Programs and Affordable Housing Projects
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro has announced more than $2.2 million to be awarded for 21 projects through Dutchess County’s 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment partnership programs. The funded projects will improve accessibility, address critical community needs, and expand affordable housing options throughout Dutchess County.
County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Dutchess County […]
Hillsdale Flea Market Returns this Weekend after Weather Delay
Hillsdale’s popular flea market, dubbed The Hillsdale Flea, will make its highly anticipated return this Saturday July 10, after a week-long weather delay. The locally celebrated event offers a broad array of goods ranging from household items and clothing to antiques and collectibles.
The market, in Hillsdale’s Hamlet Park, just southwest of the traffic […]
Furrth of July
Wow this week has been crazy fur me.
The Furrth of July was purretty low key at our house. Mom even furrgot to dress us all in our pawtriotic attire – thank God fur the filters that assist Mom during her photo ops!
The neighbors decided to light off fireworks (which we couldn’t even see). They […]
Seriously Delicious
After experiencing the longest day of the year, and basking in a full moon, it’s worth noting that there are so many wines with which to celebrate summer.
At the top of my list this weekend is a fantastic Vinho Verde called Santola.
Made in Portugal – the home of Vinho […]
Beloved Connecticut Movie House Set to Reopen as The Bantam Cinema & Arts Center in September 2021
Newly Established Non-Profit Seeks Community Support for Restoration and Renovation of Historic Theater Site
The Bantam Cinema & Arts Center, Inc., a non-profit theater and arts space, is slated to open in September 2021. The cinema, located in the Borough of Bantam in Litchfield, originally called The Rivoli, opened to the public in 1929, quickly becoming a […]
Columbia Land Conservancy to Host Trail Session in Overmountain’s Conservation Area
The Columbia Land Conservancy and Sustain Music and Nature partner to bring Twisted Pine to Ancram:
Local and visitors to the Hudson Valley are invited to take a hike and enjoy great music in a beautiful location. The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) and Sustain Music and Nature are excited to present a hike and concert with Americana funk […]
Millbrook Community Partnership to Create New Park at Bennett College Site, Restore Thorne Building as Community Center
Capitalizing on a once-in-a-century opportunity to re-imagine two Village of Millbrook icons, The Millbrook Community Partnership, Inc., (MCP), a 501c3 organization, has been established to create a new park on the former Bennett College property while simultaneously renovating and restoring the Thorne Building into a community center. The new partnership, which represents a collaboration between the Thorne […]
May the Spark(ler)s Fly!
It’s the 4th of July already. Summer is in full swing.
With pandemic restrictions lifted, it’s party time!
Enjoy getting together with family and friends again (minding safety protocols around or with un-vaccinated people). There’s no one wine that works for a holiday weekend, so I’m going with something different but fun: canned wine.
[…]
Prime Painting Season
Fur as long as I can remempurr, Mom has been asking Dad to paint the house. She has apparently grown tired of the dark brown weathered siding and would like to see something furresh and inviting. Dad started by fixing the furront steps last summer. They look great, but I have to side with Mom on […]
A Consummate Life
As America entered the Henry Ford age of industry, so too did the concept of the 40-hour work week and with it, the separation of “work life” and “home life.” For many Americans, the distinction between the two made the twentieth-century professional’s personal life a safe respite from the daily expectations forged behind the monolithic walls of […]
Slice Of Heaven
The summer season ushers in long days filled with sunshine and lots of leisurely activities. It’s the time of year when we yearn to escape our own kitchens and sneak in a few more hours of hiking, swimming, or town hopping. After a long day, most of us prefer to unwind at a sidewalk café with an […]
July 2021 Recipe – Fruit Pizza
Hello summer, hello FRUIT PIZZA! Fruit pizza is the perfect summertime dessert. Seriously, this dessert is delicious. Hit up your local farmers markets or stands, the grocery store, or even your backyard garden (if the critters haven’t gotten to it first). Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, watermelon, blueberries all bountiful in our area and just begging to be […]
Keeping It Simple
Gunther Fishgold and I talked over a picnic table at the Tierra Farm headquarters in Valatie, NY, for Main Street’s food issue. Tierra Farm is a profitable food manufacturer specializing in certified organic and fair-trade nuts, seeds, granola, dried fruit, spices, coffee, and tea. Starting from an organic farm stand in the Finger Lakes, the business has experienced rapid growth while striving […]
Catchy Caviar in Millerton
Does it seem unlikely that fine caviar from all over the world is shipped to Millerton, NY, to be repackaged and sold to American consumers? After seeing Pointy Snout Caviar tins in Westerlind Pantry I wanted to find out more and interviewed Alex Du Cane and Michael Kline. They started this boutique, caviar business ten years ago […]
Artistry…Naturally
If the world is your classroom, then moments of learning and education can blithely appear anywhere. For fabric artist Joy Setton, circumnavigation of the globe after her father sold his French company and took the family on a two-year cruise was the foundation for lifelong learning.
Back on land, Joy studied journalism and film at NYU and embarked […]
A Journey Through Area Farmers Markets
In an area like ours, where you can easily stumble across a local farm’s produce stand or a small business selling unique goods, farmers markets are a perfect way for the community to come together and appreciate these nearby offerings in one place. There are endless benefits to these […]
Where Farm Meets Table
Emerging from our COVID has left us hungry – for experiences and joyful connection. For more than a year, we closed in on ourselves, threw ourselves into gardening and growing food, and found solace in the outdoors, perhaps becoming more curious about the natural world. It would be good […]
Millerton’s The Moviehouse
How does one properly pay homage to a symbol? As a child, I visited Millerton, NY’s The Moviehouse and gaped at the clock tower perched on its peak like a homing beacon for those in search of an escape into the world of film. It was a treat for […]
Roasting In Pine Plains
There’s something about watching someone do something they love with their hands that’s mesmerizing. It’s like watching ballet or like watching a child put a puzzle together. You become fully engaged yourself and can’t look away.
I didn’t know roasting coffee beans was as hands-on an experience as it is […]
Must See Home in Salisbury
What Did High School Look Like Before Zoom?
by the hillsdale historians
Now that secondary education in the Roe Jan region by Zoom is becoming the exception instead of the rule, it’s worth remembering that for the first 114 years of its existence, Hillsdale had no high school at all. Until 1903, an eighth-grade education had been deemed adequate — the “Three Rs” equipped most people […]
Theatre Review-THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST :Berkshire Theatre Group
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Berkshire Theatre Group (Unicorn Theatre, Stockbridge, MA)
Through July 10, 2021
It needs to be said. The subtitle that Oscar Wilde gave to his best known play The Importance of Being Earnest which is on stage at the Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA through July 10th is “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.”
It’s about time! […]
Summer is…here?
I thought summer was here?
Monday I was all sprawled out, basking in the windowsill sun. Tuesday it rained cats and dogs (pun intended), and this morning was just plan furreezing cold!
Mom has been brushing me almost evfurry night, which feels great! But this leaves me with even less fur to keep yours truly warm. I guess I […]
Charming Colonial in New Milford, CT
Town: New Milford, CT
Price: $950,000
Rooms: 10
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 3
Style: Colonial
Acreage: 5.26 +/- acres
Age: 1850
Charming 1850 home that has been loved and cared for beautifully by the current owners for over thirty eight years. Amazing huge kitchen with wonderful dining area overlooking mature gardens and long western views. Magnificent Master Bedroom suite on main floor. Renovations and additions […]
Theatre for Good Presents “Almost, Maine” featuring Tony-nominated Broadway star
As Connecticut starts to come alive again, Almost, Maine one of the most popular plays in America comes to the charming town of Washington, CT July 17 and 18 as part of Caroline Kinsolving’s Theater for Good series which donates all it’s proceeds to charity. The playwright himself, Tony-nominated Broadway actor John Cariani, will be starring in […]
Wine Sharing
Wines are interesting in so many ways.
One of them is in being shared. One of the nicest ways to share wine is to go to a local winery with friends.
That’s exactly what we did last weekend, and I highly recommend it for any weekend.
We went to Sabba Vineyard in […]
Toe Beans
I’ve been bunking in Ellie’s room recently – on the floor of course. Mom comes tip-toeing in at ungodly hours to check on her, but also to give me goodnight kisses as well.
So there I was, purropped up against Ellie’s dresser, comfortably laying on my back. The next thing I know Mom is on the […]
Film Review-IN THE HEIGHTS
IN THE HEIGHTS
PG
At local theaters and streaming on HBO Max (one month)
If, as singer/songwriter Harry Chapin once observed, “All my life’s a circle …” then let’s begin where we end. Full circle.
DON’T MISS THIS FILM!
There, now that we’ve settled that, let’s give you a few of the thousand reasons to head out to a cinema near you […]
Ledgewood Kennel: A Haven for the Hudson Valley Dog
Ledgewood Kennel in Millerton, NY, is owned and operated by Chip Barrett and his wife Kirby. Barrett is a fourth-generation farmer in Dutchess County, and the couple has grown up on farms and taken care of animals all throughout their lives. This passion inspired the two to create an ideal place in the Hudson Valley […]
It’s Pinot Again!
Health Update
Nothing about my vet appointment on Monday was pleasant.
I was awoken furrom my afternoon cat nap and forced into that god-awful carrier, my mortal enemy. Your neighborhood feline fought tooth and nail with mother but needless to say, my efforts purroved futile. My only chance for reprisal came during the car ride where I made […]
BERKSHIRE CHILDREN’S CHORUS ANNOUNCES NEXT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
After a year bereft of singing, the 30-year-old children’s chorus will reopen in September under the direction of Ryan LaBoy.
When the Berkshire Children’s Chorus reconvenes to sing this September, it will be launching its 30th season and a new chapter of its history. The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that it has hired Ryan LaBoy […]
Nuvance Health’s Get Fit Challenge returns as Contestants Gear up.
Nuvance Health’s Get Fit Challenge returns from June 6 to July 18 while local contestants gear up to start logging fitness activities, compete for leader board status and enter prize raffles. For doing at least 30 minutes of exercise a few times per week, Get Fit participants in the Mid-Hudson Valley and Western Connecticut are entered […]
Film Review-A QUIET PLACE PART II
A QUIET PLACE PART II
PG-13
Currently in theaters and streaming in July
Movie “franchises” are intriguing. Think Godfather or Terminator or the paragon, Star Wars. Once the gauntlet is thrown and viewers have become hooked on the characters, the challenges, the risks and the inevitable triumphs, filmmakers have to contend with the ultimate crowd-killer “I liked the first one […]
Backyard Chickens: Local Towns Seek Balance in Managing Trend of Uncommon Pets
Given the rural nature of the Hudson Valley and its neighboring miles of countryside in both Berkshire and Litchfield Counties as well as the history of farming and agriculture that remains deeply embedded throughout the area, it’s hard to imagine the keeping of what would be traditionally describe as “farm animals” could be seen as […]
Film Review-Dream Horse
DREAM HORSE
PG
In local theaters and streaming on June 11th
It only seems fair that one of the first forays into in-theater film viewing in a post-pandemic summer should be a “feel good” film about real people who do everyday (read “dull”) jobs and end up getting hit with “the lucky […]
Hot and Sticky
It’s officially summer – hooray!
Sunshine and heat are returning to the area, the days are long, it’s a great time of year.
This week’s wine selection pairs perfectly with late nights on the patio or by the campfire looking up at the stars. It’s a locally made dessert wine that is pure pleasure.
[…]
An Amazon Order Fur Me?
Sorry fur the delay in weekly blog post folks. With evfurry one being home on meow Monday, my week is all jumbled.
So without any further ah-do, fur the furrst time evfurr, a Furrsday post.
Like we do evfurry night, Mom and I snuggled up on the couch while catching up on our favfurrite shows. Especially since I learned about my […]
Molinaro Announces “Dutchess Invests”
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today announced “Dutchess Invests” – providing a broad overview of the priority areas into which the County will direct the $57 million in one-time funding allocated to Dutchess County through the Federal Government’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) over the next two years.
“We have a singular opportunity to address big challenges and make […]
RiverTown Trade offers Amenia a New Retail Destination
The latest creation from mastermind Samuel Gold and his long-time creative collaborator Aimee Rabinowitz, RiverTown Trade is a new concept-boutique located in the heart of Amenia, New York. “The shop opened over Memorial Day weekend. Despite the weather being very damp and chilly, we did alright,” says Gold. “Some of the local business owners and politicians stopped […]
Hudson Hall Presents: The Marcus Strickland Quartet
What JazzWise Magazine calls “One of the most creative and adventurous saxophonists on the NYC scene,” will bring his otherworldly talents to Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House in Hudson, NY, this coming June. On the weekend of June 5, Hudson Hall will present two performances of the Marcus Strickland Quartet, led by the eponymous GRAMMY-nominated jazz […]
Didi Barrett: Championing the Hudson Valley
After almost a decade in New York State’s Assembly representing District 106, which includes parts of Dutchess and Columbia Counties, it’s easy for residents to feel as though Didi Barrett has been present for most of their lives – and in a way she has. Barrett was elected to […]
Getting Schooled at Work
I’m the Coordinator of the Career Experience Program at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) in Falls Village, CT. This initiative helps students become more career aware and expose them to opportunities to gain that awareness. In this Covid year, it’s been a challenge to create opportunities for worthwhile […]
An Off-World Incident in the Berkshires
Thom Reed
There are times when the universe thrusts a moment upon us that possesses the capability of forever altering the course of our lives. As if thrown by some cosmic legionary, fate’s javelin can pierce a quiet life, leaving difficult choices, harsh lessons and unknown paths in its […]
Blissed in the Berkshires
I recently read a book called The New Chardonnay: The Unlikely Story of How Marijuana Went Mainstream, by Heather Cabot. Essentially, the book challenges the conception by people of my age and generation, who may have experimented with marijuana and other drugs in their 20s but have been wine […]
The Call of the Wild
There is the realization in exploring the vivid, breathtaking photography of Thomas Blagden, that he is much more than a simple recorder of nature’s most profound and elegant moments. He is part of them. As Jack London declared in his landmark 1903 novel The Call of the Wild “he was sounding the deeps of his nature, and […]
Building Houses for 46 Years
Once we decided to do a real estate feature on new house construction in this June issue, it was logical to interview Rick McCue who has been building custom homes in New York and Connecticut for 46 years. We had an early morning conversation at his office on Walton Street in Lakeville, CT, before he hit the […]
It’s Not Your Imagination
It sure seems that houses are popping up all over our region. Main Street’s June monthly real estate feature looks at new house construction, and explores the reasons for this sudden burst of activity. How long will it last?
Who is building? Why?
At the same time that many Americans can’t pay their rent, a brew of economic, market, […]
June 2021 Recipe – Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Summer has arrived and with it are fresh, seasonal fruits (and vegetables) like strawberries (and rhubarb)! With that in mind, there’s no better match for our June recipe than a can’t-go-wrong-with-this-pie… pie. Strawberry rhubarb pie is a classic, and has just the right combination of tangy and sweet.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup flour
2 cups sliced […]
Summer-Enter Stage Right
How long has the year been? How deep the winter? We have plumbed the depths of streaming videos, watched endless re-runs of programs we once loved, learned how to squint at a computer screen to watch dancers, tiny and flickering … and longed to be present, to be in the moment, to be consumed with the experience […]
Getting Grounded
As the summer season heats up, we’re all yearning to spend time in the great outdoors. Our leisure time is gleefully filled with a host of fun activities – from kayaking to swimming, camping, biking, and hiking.
By now, the trees are covered in verdant green leaves and the flowers have blossomed in a rainbow of hues. It’s […]
How and Why Your Business Should Stand Out
When times get tough (or prosperous) for a business, the first thing to go (in most cases) seems to be marketing. Money gets tight, and the business pulls back all “unnecessary” spending, with any and all forms of advertising being the first on the list. The oxymoron in this scenario however is that this is often the […]
Memorial Day and Getting Outside
Getting Creative with Family Time
It’s been supurr nice out lately. That means the windows have been wide open and window-sitting season is officially in full swing!
It’s a bittersweet feeling fur me. Don’t get me wrong – with everyone outside enjoying the weather, I have a bit more time to myself while not having to catnap with one eye open […]
HOT for the summer! Look no Further for your Top 5 Summer Romance must-reads.
It’s time to get HOT for summer with these top 5 summer romance books. We’ve partnered with Oblong Books & Music to bring you our 5 favorite authors and their books that are sure to raise the mercury.
Bow-chicka-bow-wow!!
These books are sizzlers – you’ve been forewarned – so find a quiet spot, a wine glass in hand is […]
Looking for Color, Promoting the Untold Story of a Free Family in Salisbury and Sharon, Connecticut.
Students from Salisbury School’s Searching for Slavery class, in conjunction with the Upper Housatonic Heritage Area, are excited to screen the premiere of their film, Looking for Color on May 26, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. for Noble Horizons. Among several class projects, this film is one of three documentaries students have created over the course of the […]
Wine for a Balmy May
Scoop
The building that houses the Hillsdale General Store was built in 1852. The original part of the Hillsdale House dates back to 1797. And the Closson farm’s ice house that gradually evolved into today’s Passiflora was almost certainly a 19th century structure. So it would be understandable if one assumed that the building nestled between the General Store […]
Don’t Look At My Teefers!
Mom came charging through the front door yesterday furrom work, and instead of greeting me with an annoying kiss pur usual, she started prying my mouth open.
“Fridrik, his gums look a little red,” she said nervously. “I’ll call the vet.” Talk about waking up to a real life nightmare.
Next thing I know, Mom is […]
Critically Acclaimed Local Author Phoebe North Adds Strange Creatures to Celebrated Young Adult Collection
Writing from their home in the Hudson Valley, author Phoebe North, graduate of the University of Florida’s MFA program in poetry, gears up for the release of their brand-new young adult fiction novel Strange Creatures in June. North’s latest outing focuses on the characters of Annie, her older brother […]
Wine for the In-Between
We’re in that delicious in-between period, where it can feel like summer one minute and early spring the next.
It’s the perfect time for a wine that’s not too light and not too heavy.
In other words, a Pinot Noir. And not just any Pinot Noir. A Hudson Valley Pinot Noir, because the climate here yields a more delicate […]
The Best Mom Evfurr
Another Mother’s Day is in the books. I know I said it last year, but I’m supurr lucky to have the human Mom that I do. She really is the best and deserves all the kisses and snuggles in the world; too bad I don’t like either of those things.
This year fur Mother’s Day, Dad […]
Ulster Savings Bank Celebrates 170th Anniversary with 170 Random Acts of Kindness
Hudson Valley Bank Marks Milestone by Spreading Kindness All Year Long
Since 1851, Ulster Savings Bank has been serving customers throughout the Hudson Valley region – and this year marks the bank’s 170th anniversary. Ulster Savings is the oldest bank headquartered in the Hudson Valley and the eighth oldest bank in New York State.
[…]
A New Selfie Technique
Evfurry one takes selfies these days. Until now —due to my status as a cat sans thumbs— I’ve struggled in this department. That is, until I asked fur a sponge bath recently, which then led to an impromptu photo shoot. While Mom was trying to get the purrfect set up, she left her camera on and, boom! […]
Mother’s Day Virtual Run Empowers Moms Everywhere
This Saturday, May 8, locals across the area will gather virtually to run or walk in the 4th Annual Run to Believe virtual run. Since its inception four years ago, the virtual race has raised over $13,000 for Every Mother Counts, an organization founded by international supermodel Christy Turlington Burns to raise awareness and to […]
Glamping Tents Appear at Iron Mine Pond: Local Petition Garners Support
Longtime residents of the Village of Millerton and the Town of North East suddenly found themselves face-to-face with tourist-driven vacation tents erected on the trail running along the historic Iron Mine Pond area in New York State’s Taconic State Park this week. New York City based Tentrr, the company responsible for the presence of the […]
Art Takes Shape in Austerlitz
An ambitious season of exhibits is planned for the town of Austerlitz New York this summer from May 1 through September 30, 2021 at the historic church on route 22 in Austerlitz and at the Morey-Devereaux barn at Old Austerlitz Village where local and regional artists will display contemporary art and sculpture. Local artist Ryan […]
Pink Moon Wine of the Week
Was that a gorgeous moon on Monday night or what?
In fact, it was a Super Pink Moon (super moons appear larger in the sky than normal, and this one did not disappoint). It’s called a pink moon after the moss pink wildflower that blooms this time of year in the Northeast.
What better to celebrate a pink super […]
Dry Food Review
Not only does Mom make sure my wet food, turkey, and paw-ty mix (Friskies Party Mix) are stocked at all times, she also keeps a close eye on my dry food as well. Like any good mom, she’s always trying to get me to eat supurr healthy, but honestly, there aren’t many dry foods that satisfy […]
Fighting for Sensible Solutions
As May floods into the Hudson Valley and winter’s levee breaks, its cold, barren seams burst giving way to an overflow of boundless greens and fertile earth. As it is each year, residents of rural upstate New York begin to fantasize of warmer temps, the scent of a freshly […]
Advocacy in Motion
The human body, and its ability to endure, will never cease to captivate and inspire with each story of struggle and perseverance. As the dust settles upon the events of the past year, these stories seem to be more present than ever and continue to hearten the human consciousness […]
Walk the Line
French high-wire artist Philippe Petit speaks so passionately about his desire to learn, that it’s ironic to hear him discuss his experiences as a schoolboy.
“When I was a kid, I was thrown out of several schools because I was caught practicing magic under the desk or stealing my teacher’s […]
The Legendary ’69 Hemi
As a kid, I was always brought along to big, loud car shows and flashy, bustling car auctions. Meanwhile, I never really understood why anything besides the fried food was so important. Cars haven’t been a huge part of my life by any means, but attending these events while […]
The Journey of a Thousand Miles
Rebecca Bloomfield loves to help things grow.
That may seem like an off-beat way of introducing a talented photographer who is gaining local notoriety because of her work on Small Town Big Talk currently on display at the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village, CT, as well as on the library’s website. It is, however, the truth. […]
May 2021 Recipe – Gluten-free Molten Lava Cake
There are so many chocolate desserts to enjoy: chocolate cakes, chocolate cookies, chocolate pudding, chocolate mousse, chocolate pastries, chocolate donuts, the list is endless! So, given all these delicious options, how did we decide which chocolate recipe would be our May dessert of choice?
Easy, we picked one that is simple, quick, warm, and – well – very […]
Up Up and Away
For Main Street’s transportation issue our monthly real estate article explores the stories of our region’s private and public airstrips. There are many more than you might think and some are even for sale.
Passionate pilots build private airstrips
Since the early days of aviation, private airstrips have been created by those with an aviation passion whether it’s for flying […]
Sky King
When did planes first fly from this airport?
A couple of farmers started flying from their potato field here in 1909, not so long after the Wright’s first flight in 1903. The Modolo brothers created an actual airstrip in 1914. In those days it was called “anywhere” airport. Walter Koladza, a former test pilot, purchased the airport at […]
Litchfield County’s Railroads
Connecticut, long known as the Land of Steady Habits, came late to the railroad craze that swept the country in the 19th century. In fact, neighboring states had to prompt Connecticut into its first railroad ventures. When completed, however, these lines provided both a much more efficient means for the industrial and agricultural products of Litchfield County […]
Nature’s Road Trip
Spring is an exciting time for most people. After months of cold weather and cabin fever, the warmth rolls in, and the classic signs of spring begin to emerge. The bees will return, the flowers will grow, and people will be out and traveling with more frequency. However, humans will not be the only ones taking advantage […]
Dutchess County to Resume use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine following CDC and FDA Guidance
Dutchess County Commissioner of Behavioral & Community Health, Dr. Anil Vaidian has announced Dutchess County will resume vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommendation to resume use of the J&J following a thorough safety review.
“In […]
String of Late Night Thefts hit Millerton
The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office is investigating several larcenies from vehicles, three vehicle thefts, and an attempted burglary all occurring in the north eastern Dutchess County Town of Amenia as well as the Village of Millerton.
Each incident is reported to have occurred recently during the late-night and early-morning hours, […]
Harlem Valley Rail Trail Phase IV Completion Celebrated with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Millerton
On Thursday morning, Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro, joined by local officials and rail trail enthusiasts, celebrated the completion of the fourth and final phase of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail (HVRT) with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the trail head at the Village Green in Millerton. The Phase IV project, which has been open for […]
An Educator’s Journey; In her own words
-by Wendy Miller, Education Program Manager at Sharon Audobon Center
It was the middle of sugaring season when the world seemed to shut down last year. Two school field trips to the Sharon Audubon Center in Sharon CT (SAC), for a sugaring program were cancelled that day in March — as well as every […]
Let’s Take a Trip
Wouldn’t it be nice to be somewhere else?
Somewhere on the other side of the world, perhaps, where it’s summer turning into fall instead of spring turning into summer.
How about Argentina?
What a beautiful country, bookmarked by the Andes and the Atlantic. If we can’t be there in body, we can […]
I Can’t Believe My Ears!
Remember awhile back how Mom was talking about someone named Stella?
Yeah, well, I thought that was just a phase she was going through but recently I became aware of another feline in her life, apparently sporting the name Phoebe.
Who the fluff is Phoebe?! And why does Mom talk about how cute and little she […]
Copake Officials React Angrily to Developer’s Decision to Switch to New Siting Process
Developer Hecate Energy announced this week that it would transfer its application to build a 60 megawatt industrial solar power plant in Copake from “Article 10” to a new process called “94-c“. Hecate is seeking to build a utility-scale solar installation on farmland in Craryville, a hamlet of the Town of Copake.
“Hecate’s announcement that it is switching […]
Millerton Gears up for Earth Day, 2021
April 22 is International Earth Day. It all started in 1970 in the US as the first major public effort in the modern environmental movement. That first Earth Day brought focus to a growing concern about our environment inspired in part by the publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring several years earlier and the increasing volume […]
Back to Bordeaux
Last weekend called for a spring fling wine, white and wet and cold.
This weekend, however, we’re back to hibernating, and that’s ok. Let’s pop a Bordeaux and indulge.
You can’t go wrong with a red from this region in France, world-renowned for quality. It’s where the new Musee du Vin is located, too. You can visit it virtually […]
The Baby of the House
Ellie is supurr into her baby dolls lately. She holds, hugs, kisses and tells them, “don’t cry. It’s ok, I’ll help you.” When she lays them down to go night night, she even says “sweet dreams”!
It’s actually quite cute how she looks after them.
I would purresume she gets these fantastic motherly qualities furrom Mom – because let’s […]
Northern Dutchess Middle and High Schoolers Invited to Take Active Role in Local Addiction Prevention
Northern Dutchess Community Coalition Seeks Area Youth to Join Effort:
In an effort to deepen its connection with youth in Hyde Park, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Pine Plains, Millbrook, Webutuck and Amenia schools, the Northern Dutchess Community Coalition (NDCC) is inviting middle and high school students within these districts to serve on its youth leadership committee. The NDCC, a […]
Bright White Wines
Sunshine and summery temps call for crisp, bright white wines, preferably enjoyed outside while soaking up all of the above.
A recommendation for the weekend?
Go to a local winery and indulge in a bottle of something you might never have tried before.
At Milea Estate Vineyard in lovely Staatsburg, NY, you can try the 2019 Traminette, a dry white […]
ArtWall Encourages Big Talk from Falls Village Community
Where do you feel a sense of belonging?
What are some of your hopes for our town and our country?
What is a belief you hold that has changed over time?
What are some of your concerns about the future?
Have you ever felt misunderstood?
Perhaps most importantly, what does it take to feel like you’re a member of a […]
Hoppy (Belated) Easter
Have any of you evfurr seen the Easter Bunny?
I purrsonally haven’t and this year, I was determined to stay up and wait fur him. After waiting (somewhat impatiently) under the blankets of the couch, and with no sign of the elusive hare, I quickly came up with a new plan of action — hiding behind the doorway. […]
Furnace Opens with a Burning Desire to Bring Art on Paper to Falls Village
Beginning on May 1, the small town of Falls Village CT, who in the 18th century was central to the early production of iron on the east coast, will return to its fiery roots this time, in the artistic realm. Local artist Kathleen Kucka, whose work has been featured in numerous one-woman and group shows and is […]
Town of Hillsdale Approves Jams in the Hamlet: Free Monthly Concert Series will run May-October in Hillsdale Hamlet Park
At its March 9th meeting, the Hillsdale Town Board approved a proposed monthly concert series to be held in Hillsdale Hamlet Park and hosted by the Hillsdale Hamlet Committee on the third Saturday of the month from May to September, and on the second Saturday of October (with Pumpkin Fest). The series will feature professional musicians performing […]
For Easter…Pinot Is Perfect
There’s the succulence of a big California Cab; there’s the earthiness of a yummy Merlot; and there’s the perfect pitch of a lovely Pinot Noir.
With spring in the air and Easter tables laden with ham, lamb, young potatoes, asparagus, peas – or whatever! – Pinot is the wine you’ll want.
I love how this wine is described on […]
Passiflora Pentimento
-by the Hillsdale Historians
In November 2020 we wrote about the history of the Hillsdale Post Office in Post Office Pentimento. In painting, pentimento is defined as earlier images that have been changed or painted over and are no longer visible to the naked eye but still exist, under the surface, like ghosts.
Buildings also have these hidden elements […]
When will it be my turn?
When the TV is on at home, Mom is either catching up on her reality shows, Dad is watching UFC fights, car or nature shows, and Ellie either wants to watch Paw Patrol or purrimpresses.
Talk about purredictable!
Because I’m a cat, the laws of nature dictate that I’m obligated to sleep half the day away. What the laws […]
Rest in Trees
Many of us are making choices about how we live that are more environmentally sound and kinder to the Earth. These decisions can include the end of our lives too. There are many options for making your final journey a green one. While green practices might seem at odds […]
Be The Change You Want To See
April 22 marks the celebration of Earth Day – however, in all reality, we really should celebrate the Earth every day! Every single day we have the privilege of living here and being the beneficiaries of Mother Nature’s gifts. And with that in mind, it is not too much to ask that we do something in return. […]
Climate Change Solutions
Although climate change is a global concern that is being tackled by governments and activists worldwide, there’s much that we can all do within our own communities to make an impact.
Melissa Everett, Ph.D., co-founder of Sustainable Hudson Valley is helping to lead that mission in the Hudson Valley community. She believes in the power of tackling climate […]
A Different Kind Of Compost
Few things are as proactive while being simultaneously one of the easiest ways to help the environment as the process known as composting. Made popular in recent years by city dwellers looking to corral large amounts of refuse in big cities, the environmental trend has found its way into homes and onto farms across the country.
Composting is […]
Education In Sustainability
The concept of sustainability touches many aspects of society. From personal growth to economic development, the idea of maintaining a certain standard of principled development is viewed by most as one of the keys to existence. The same can be said of our environment and the ways in which […]
The Ground We Walk On
History is the greatest irony that pervades the human experience. It defines who we have become and is the method of transportation toward our future – yet often forgotten in the present. For those who watch history’s tidal cycles, it has become the answer to a very familiar riddle:
Die without me,
Never thank me.
[…]
Preservation, Protection & Profundity
The Siegel-Kline Kill Conservation Area is one of ten that is maintained by the Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) in Columbia County, NY. It might be one of the smallest, and it might be one of the least varied, with its simple mile-long loop that is mostly flat. It’s easy […]
Could Climate Change Be Good?
Researching the impact of climate change on real estate values in our area seemed like a great idea with a clear answer. There’s no doubt that rising temperatures and extreme weather events will increasingly impact human life on Earth, from the historic fires in California and Australia to snow in Houston. But locally, where, what, how and […]
April 2021 Recipe – Carrot Cake
Carrot cake can be hit or miss, it seems people either love it or hate it. This cake, however, might just be capable of winning over even the pickiest of eaters! Unlike some other carrot cakes we’ve tried, this cake doesn’t rely on its icing for flavor. The cake could be eaten completely naked or half naked […]
Environmental Problem Solvers
For Main Street’s environmental issue, we interviewed Daniel Rukakoski, head of Environmental Consulting for regional engineering firm Tighe & Bond. The multi-disciplinary firm is known for its expertise in engineering, design, and environmental consulting. In this interview we discover what these specialized consultants do and why environmental consulting might be a career to consider (but not if […]
An Actor’s Actor – A Cop’s Cop
There’s an intriguing phenomenon that occurs when actor Robert Clohessy walks into a room full of strangers, strolls by shoppers in the local market, stands idly pumping gas into his car or waits on the train platform, ready to board Metro North. Double takes. Whispered “I know that guy…” to those nearby. Or, the self-fulfilling pronouncement–“He’s somebody…”
Of […]
Embracing Warmer Weather
Warmer weather calls for whites. Break out a classic can’t-go-wrong wine and welcome spring.
My choice?
A buttery California Chardonnay that slides through your mouth like silk and tastes like summer.
That would be a good ol’ Kendall Jackson, the Chard that made believers out of us from way back! Vivid, crisp and bright, Kendall-Jackson always delivers a fresh and […]
Cover Kitty
Fur obvious reasons, I’m an animal lovfurr. Which means Main Street Magazine’s March animal themed issue is my undisputed favurrite and most anticipated issue each year. I’ve submitted head shots purractically evfurry year in hopes of gracing the covfurr, and each year I have been passed over.
Allow me to present a few important reasons that necessitate my […]
Maple Weekend at Dutchess County’s Bowdoin Park
The Dutchess County Parks Division will host a Sap Happy Maple Weekend with tasty, educational, and fun events for all ages, in collaboration with the Office for the Aging, Poughkeepsie Public Library, and Farmers and Chefs restaurant, this coming Friday, March 26 through Monday, March 29 at Bowdoin Park, located at 85 Sheafe Road in the Town […]
Jake’s Great Barrington Barber Shop Celebrates Five Years of Service with Community Contribution
by C.B. Wismar
When Jake Hunker hung out his shingle for Jake’s Barber Shop at 87 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, it was, in many ways, a leap of faith. The shop where he had served customers for several years had closed abruptly. Jake had to make a career decision. “I could have rented a chair at another […]
Wine O’ the Week
With St. Paddy’s on a Wednesday it’s a party into the weekend.
I figured there had to be a cocktail that masterfully mixed the drink o’ choice for the Irish – whiskey – with the vin du jour of the rest of us – a simple dry red.
Of course there is.
And with the name of the New York […]
Close to Home: Slavery in Columbia County
-by the Hillsdale Historians
Black History Month spurred us to investigate the institution of slavery in the Hudson Valley and, more specifically, Hillsdale. Like most Americans, we’ve been inclined to think of slavery as largely a Southern institution. But it was hugely important in the colonial North. From the earliest days of Dutch occupancy right up to the […]
Weekly Recap
What a week it’s been!
Just to refurresh your memory; last Furrsday I had a terrifying trip the vet. Mom couldn’t go in with me to hold my paws and I could only hear her voice through a walkie-talkie. The ladies that took care of me were nice, howevfurr I didn’t appurreciate having part of my hind-leg shaved […]
Health Exam
I was recently enjoying one of my morning catnaps the other day, when what was once a pleasant slumber transformed -as happens- into a nightmare. After finally managing to open my eyes, I soon came to the realization that I was, in fact, caught in a living nightmare.
You see, my mother was on the phone with the […]
A Pioneering Wine
With International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, it’s only fitting that this week’s wine selection is from Hudson Valley’s own Clinton Vineyards, run by a pioneering personality in what is now a booming Hudson Valley wine scene, Phyllis Feder.
Phyllis and her late husband, Ben, recognized decades ago that the Seyval Blanc grape could flourish on […]
Showing Off
So apparently there is another so called trend making the rounds on social media again. This #bellychallenge, has been going around Facebook and seems to be right up my alley. Yet, surpurrisingly, Mom hasn’t entered me.
Not sure what the hold up is. I’m purretty confident I’d win this challenge, paws down!
Okay – so it might not be […]
Moviehouse Announces New Stewardship: Plans to Re-Launch Stronger Than Ever.
On Thursday, organizers at The Moviehouse in Millerton, NY, announced that — after closing on March 15, 2020 — the acclaimed local theater will re-open under new stewardship this Spring. Former owner Carol Sadlon and her late husband Robert opened The Moviehouse in 1978 on Memorial Day weekend, having renovated a shuttered historic property in the heart […]
Putting Winter on Ice
February is nearly over, and our hopes improve for spring and its warmer temps and longer days.
But it’s not over yet. B
Before we all kick winter completely to the curb (at least in our wine glasses), let’s celebrate with something so delicious it’ll rekindle your love of the cold.
I’m talking about ice wine.
It’s made from clusters that […]
Chores
As you all have come to know, my Mom is constantly cleaning and picking up after us here at home; as one might assume, she has become quite skilled in this arena.
The house always looks spotless.
I’ve seen commercials on TV featuring this Mr. Clean character. I think he and Mom are related? Any who, a couple times […]
Hillsdale Hamlet Park Redesign Plan Approved by Town Board
A draft design for the renovation of Hillsdale’s Hamlet Park was approved by the Town Board on February 9, setting the stage for a fundraising effort that will seek government and foundation grants as well as individual donations to pay for the renovation.
The Town Board meeting, held via Zoom, featured a brief presentation by Chazen Associates, a […]
Gina’s K-9 B&B
Main Street magazine is the best magazine in Duchess and Columbia counties, actually the Tri-state area! Not only are they informative, educational and entertaining but they are also highly professional, courteous and so easy to deal with. Their advertising department is absolutely phenomenal. They work with you on so many different levels. They truly are a magazine […]
A Blossoming Business
Colorful blooms in shades of red, blue, white, and other vibrant hues are the focus of business for F.W. Battenfeld & Son – a family-run farm in Red Hook, NY. The company, which is currently helmed by Fred Battenfeld, his son Lance and daughter Morgan, traces its history back […]
Farming for the Future
My introduction to Hudson Hemp was at a pop-up market in the round barn at Churchtown Dairy outside of Hudson, NY. It was late fall of 2018. The round barn is a marvel in and of itself, an already magical space, and having local vendors in it with a […]
A Different Kind of Rescue Mission
Winter can be tough on many folks. From the moment the first frost settles in the Northeast to the early emergence of the progeny of green flora, the interim months of winter doldrums can have an isolating effect on even the most cheerful. For many, the past year seemed […]
Rock Steady Farm
When they started out, D. Rooney, co-owner with Maggie Cheney of Rock Steady Farm on Kaye Road in Millerton, NY, both hoped the Millerton farm could increase food equity in the food system and create safer spaces for LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and asexual/ally queer) and […]
Going to the Dogs
All things dogs is the subject of Main Street’s real estate column for our annual “animal” issue. Whether selling, renting or buying, man’s best friend needs to be considered.
Dogs have been sharing their lives with humans for at least 20,000 years. The relationship may have started when wolves scavenging food scraps from humans gradually began assisting humans […]
March 2021 Recipe – Best Ever Pound Cake
Pound cake is not the sexiest of treats, I’ll give you that, but it is one of the most comforting and satisfying. Moreover, it is the perfect blank canvas and takes beautifully to being zhuzhed up with a dollop of whipped cream and a handful of berries or a scoop of your favorite ice cream. This particular […]
Dog Whisperer
Lee Sohl has been looking after animals in the Litchfield Hills for thirty years. For Main Street’s annual animal issue we wanted to find out what Animal Control Officers do and learn about the rewards and challenges of the position.
How would you describe your job?
Officially I respond to citizens’ concerns regarding problems with all domestic animals. People contact […]
A Happy Hippo Dashes By
Sandra Boynton demurs. “I don’t think it’s a question of talent at all; it’s a question of interest and temperament.” This from the fountain of talent and playful temperament that has created hundreds of greeting cards, musical programs, stage productions, videos, and over 60 books that have sold well over 75 million copies.
Nestled in the Litchfield Hills […]
College During the Coronavirus: Juggling University Life and a Global Pandemic
-By Lindsey Clark
The global pandemic has left devastating impacts on the health, safety, and general well-being of society. We have all been forced to fully adapt and reevaluate our lives in the face of the coronavirus, and organizations like schools have had to adjust to ensure the protection of their communities. The virus’ impact on the college […]
Pampurred on Valentine’s Day
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
I was once again lucky enough to be pampurred furrom the top of my ears to the tip of my tail the entire weekend thanks to my one and only Valentine – Mom.
Furriday evening, after Ellie went night-night, Mom invited me onto her lap to be brushed. Being a […]
Forest Bathing, Seriously? Yes!
by Melanie McGinn, RN, MBA, CHC, Founder of Health Through Time Nurse Consulting and Coaching
Had you asked me a month ago if I would ever write a blog post on forest bathing, that would have been a definitive no. I am very open to Eastern, Western, and alternative modalities to ease stress, anxiety, and improve overall wellness, […]
To All Small Business Entrepreneurs Free Help has Arrived
By Lauren M. Trager, SCORE Volunteer
The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, particularly for business owners. Many businesses can no longer conduct business the way they used to before COVID-19 and are finding they need to reinvent themselves or sharpen their entrepreneurial skills in order to survive but lack the knowledge or wherewithal to do it.
Starting or […]
GREAT MOUNTAIN FOREST BECOMES IUCN MEMBER
Membership Gives GMF Access to International Natural Conservation Union
On February 10, 2021, Great Mountain Forest (GMF) in Falls Village, CT, was granted membership into the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global organization dedicated to assessing the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
[…]
Love is in the Glass
Hallmark holiday or not, who can resist a move to more love?
Here’s the Wine of the Week sure to delight and stimulate:
Ah, Valentine’s Day, the perfect opportunity to pull out all the stops for seduction. Those include, of course, wine and chocolate (and so much more, but that’s for your imaginations to come up with!).
The pairing possibilities […]
Furrozen Blankie
As you may recall, Ellie has really been getting into Disney purrimpresses (that’s how Ellie purrnounces princesses) lately. Elsa and Anna furrom Frozen seem to be her favfurrite. Well, recently, Mom purrchased Ellie some big-girl hooded purrimpress bath towels fur bath time. When Ellie saw them come out of the wash, she thought they were blankies.
[…]
A DIY Life: Local Business Owner Inspires Other to Find their Creative Side
For two years she has toiled as a small business owner, and for two years Charlotte Sheridan, owner of Merwin Farm and Home in Millerton, NY, has come to define her own style within the small village. “I grew up here,” she says. “To not only run my own business in Millerton, but to be doing it […]
Summer Dreams
I’m staying with wine from warmer climates this week so that at least my palate can pretend it’s summer.
I love picking wine by the label, and that’s how I discovered this week’s all-around winner. It’s Lisbonita, with an irresistible drawing of a trolley car full of winos heading toward the sea in Portugal.
I want to be there!
Joy […]
Snowed In Fur Days
Thanks to the latest Nor’easter, Mom and Ellie were home with me for two whole days this week! I definitely fell behind on my usual catnapping quota, but on the other paw, it was kind of nice having some extra company at home – which also meant extra turkey and treats!
Mom spent most of the time reorganizing […]
Filet Mignon Root Vegetable and Red Wine Soup
When it’s fluffing cold out (just like now after this latest Nor’easter) there’s nothing better than coming in after shoveling to a warm soup… or maybe to some this might be considered a stew? Call it what you will, the point is this: it is hearty and delicious!
To start off with, you can make this […]
The Season Getting You Down?
As we wind down the month of January – the month that we here at Main Street have dedicated to health and wellness – I thought it fitting to also include one of my write-ups – but this one won’t be quite so focused on me or my health but tackles a different health concern.
I don’t know […]
Brownie Cookies That Are Almost Too Yum!
My daughter and I found ourselves at home on a cold Sunday and wanted something “yum!” So my daughter asked if we could make some cookies. When do you ever say no to fresh-baked cookies? Like, seriously!
We flipped through my new cookie book that I bought myself for Christmas, and even though there are some cookies there […]
It’s Cold, Let’s Head to Chile!
I know some people like winter, and kudos to them.
Maybe they’re reveling in the snow we got mid-week and the way the sun bounced off it under blue skies today (Thursday).
Forecast for the weekend? FREEZING.
No, less than freezing. Single digits.
I’m one who decidedly does not like the cold, so […]
The Biggest Hits
In each of our region’s communities the year of 2020 showed record median prices and sales volumes; however, for our February issue, Main Street decided to just highlight the single most expensive property sold in each town in our circulation area.
Spectacular trophy properties can appear anywhere, at any time. The highest sale, $10,470,000, was the former home […]
February 2021 Recipe – Lemon Sugar Dutch Baby Pancake
A Dutch Baby Pancake is not only a sight to behold, what with its light and eggy batter that miraculously climbs the sides of the vessel it’s baked in, but it is easy-peasy (like a billion times easier than making individual pancakes on the stove top), one-bowl (okay, one blender) and incredibly delicious. And – in case […]
A Quiet Partner
Many of the stories in Main Street’s February issue relate to families and our greater shared community. The Foundation for Community Health (FCH), located in Sharon Valley, is a not-for-profit foundation that supports many rural health-related initiatives behind the scenes providing grant money and expertise to health and social service non-profits in both New York, Connecticut and […]
And the Story Continues
There is a term used freely in analyzing novels, screenplays, even 30 second commercials for use on television. “Story arc.” It’s really shorthand for the always critical questions of “How does the story start, what happens and how does it end?”
Patty Ewald has not come to the end of her story arc, but the adventures, so far, […]
A Cosmic Idea
What could possibly be more difficult to resist when we resolve ourselves for the new year than temptation? Be it a new weight-loss goal, abandoning an unhealthy habit like smoking, or simply managing a few spending tendencies – temptation will eventually make its unwelcome presence known at some point […]
The Millbrook School Was Founded
“Our motto is Non Sibi Sed Cunctis, meaning not for oneself but for all or, for all others,” said Cameron Hardy, who serves as the school chaplain and is co-director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the school. “In its early days (the school was founded in 1931 during […]
Listening Beyond Differences
The year 2020 was an extraordinary one. COVID-19 and the political and social landscape have exposed the best and worst in what humans are capable of. We simultaneously feel torn further apart and drawn closer together. We rely on virtual interpersonal connectivity in ways we might not have considered […]
One Family’s Tragedy Helps Restore Hope In A Community
As we emerge from the hazy fog of 2020, its lessons shall not soon be forgotten. Tragedies in every community across the globe have been impossibly innumerable – almost too many to bear. However, through the scourge of a lifetime’s worth of fearsome challenge has been forged a renewed […]
Homemade BBQ Sauce and Vegan Stuffed Peppers from the Berkshire Co-op
Founded in 1981, the Berkshire Food Co-op in Great Barrington, MA, has held strong to its commitment to provide the community with a place to shop, gather, eat and learn by offering good food and sustainable products. The result has produced a veritable cornucopia of community engagement with food in the Berkshires and the introduction of versatile […]
A Catnapping Furrst
Yesterday afternoon Mom and Ellie arrived home earlier than usual due to what Ellie described as, “snow everywhere”. My sister isn’t much of a snow bunny (yet), so playing outside in the freshly fallen snow wasn’t an option fur her. Instead, Mom suggested a catnap — an idea I can easily get behind. Once Ellie fell […]
The Possible Origin of Anthony Street
-by the Hillsdale Historians
One of the things we really enjoy about being the town historians is finding a particular facet of Hillsdale history and learning everything we can about it, and then sharing it with you. We select our topics in either of two ways: we see something and wonder about it, or someone asks us about […]
Be Well In 2021 With Chelsea Streifeneder Of Body Be Well Pilates – Week 4
Congratulations! You’re almost through a whole month. Now let’s keep you on track.
The trick to staying on track with any new routine is to mix things up. Changing up your daily workouts not only stops you getting bored, but it also exercises different muscle groups and keeps your body on its toes! The same applies to your […]
Wellness Teas and Infusions from Harney & Sons Fine Teas
Courtesy of Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders
Minding your body should be both simple and delicious. Using wholesome and powerful herbs and adaptogens like turmeric and hemp, our Wellness Infusions will elevate your health and make it just that much easier to start that new daily ritual. Whether you struggle with insomnia, live with anxiety, are fighting […]
Buddhi Tribe 25-Minute Power Flow
With zoom and screen overload these days (and the major emotional exhaustion!) a short, quicker paced yoga asana practice can be just what you need to warm up, get blood flowing, invite restorative energy in while boosting your energy and creativity.
Enjoy this 25-Minute Power Flow. “Power” because of its pace and the energetic vibe of it, but […]
Yes, Zoom Juice
Every visit to a wine store is a good one, let’s be honest.
A recent one for me yielded a special delight – a wine called Zoom Juice! What a great name!
The packaging is perfect, too. The label is friendly and refined. The wine dubbed on the front as a Social Cab, described on the back as, “Life […]
Feline Fine
Ovfurr the years I’ve caught many glimpses of myself in the mirror. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve always thought I was a purretty good looking fellow. Still, if I’ve evfurr had any doubts when it comes to my own self-image, my Mother has always reassured me that I am without a doubt “too handsome” […]
Millerton Antiques Center’s 5th Annual Red Tag Sale
Millerton Antiques Center – Featured Items
As part of our presentation of Millerton Antiques Center’s 2021 Red Tag Sale, Main Street will be featuring lots of items being offered by the Antique Center’s 36 dealers.
Check out new featured items each week that will be marked down this year!
Featured Items […]
Be Well In 2021 With Chelsea Streifeneder Of Body Be Well Pilates – Week 3
Keep it Going! Plus, Myth Busters for the “Pilates Curious.”
So now you should be moving twice a day and doing a short workout at least 3 times per week. You have restocked your pantry and you’ve reset your thinking about food. I bet you’re feeling so much better just from making these small changes.
The benefits and myths […]
Wine (alternative) of the Week
These first weeks of 2021 call for something stronger than wine, so I’m taking a detour this week.
It’s a chance to sing the praises of a wonderful place in Columbia County, too. This weekend I highly recommend making your way to Cooper’s Daughter Spirits at Olde York Farm for an artisan cocktail.
I’d go for The Queen’s Toddy […]
Better Posture, Better Breathing, Better Mood
Sarah Getz
This winter, more than ever before, we’re concerned about our health.
We’re all seeking ways to support ourselves – our immune function, our respiratory systems – as well as our emotional resilience. A simple yet frequently overlooked aspect of our health is the interplay between posture, breath, and mood. You know how you slump when you’re sad, […]
Free Your Neck & Shoulders
Sarah Getz
Tightness around the neck and shoulders is a common modern woe. Sometimes it’s the fault of poor posture: if we work online or spend too much time gazing down at our device, we often end up with a slouched, rounded spine and forward head position. Sometimes it’s the residue of chronic stress or anxiety (like, the […]
Ma! Where’s the Turkey?!
Like most humans during this time of year, my purrents are trying, for some reason, to resist temptation when it comes to food consumption. Apparently, for the entire month of January, the humans who work with my mother are focusing on health and wellness. Sounds harmless, right?
Wrong my furriends.
Recently, I have begun to notice a strange decline […]
Oblong’s Top Wellness Books for the New Year- Part 3
Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide
By John Cleese
The legendary comedian, actor, and writer of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda fame shares his key ideas about creativity: that it’s a learnable, improvable skill.
“Many people have written about creativity, but although they were very, very clever, they […]
Oblong’s Top Wellness Books for the New Year- Part 2
The Gift: How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World
By Lewis Hyde
A modern classic cherished by many of the greatest artists of our time, The Gift is a brilliant, life-changing defense of the value of creative labor.
Drawing on examples from folklore and literature, history and tribal customs, economics and modern […]
Into the Woods – Why Your Kids Need Nature
An attachment to the natural world is a critical component of childhood development. Spending unstructured time outdoors is therapeutic and restorative. It can boost creativity, ease anxiety and depression, build attention spans, and help develop capacities to self-soothe and be comfortable with solitude. Yet, increasingly children spend […]
Fractals Over Pixels: Nature’s Healing Patterns
Remember taking high school geometry? You thought it was terrible for your mental health and something you’d never need in the “real world” – once the final exam was over. Well, what if you found out that geometry in the form of fractals has positive health effects and that […]
Be Well In 2021 With Chelsea Streifeneder Of Body Be Well Pilates – Week 2
Now you’ve started moving, it’s time to get your eating habits on the right track – starting with your pantry!
Congratulations! You made it through Week 1 and you’re now moving twice a day and incorporating a short workout three times per week. Now let’s tackle the food thing.
Your body needs good nutrition to operate at its best. […]
Bringing the Global Community Home
The places we call home are as unique and diverse as the very world we share. For Abigail Marcelo Horace, owner and founder of Casa Marcelo, a burgeoning design firm in Falls Village, CT, unique interiors help to define human connection. Starting in 2017, Abigail has used her skill for aesthetically and structurally sound design […]
Oblong’s Top Wellness Books for the New Year- Part 1
As we stock up on resolutions and hope for 2021, local literary institution Oblong Books & Music is here to recommend a few titles that will sharpen the mind and help sustain total wellness throughout the year:
Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age
By Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
Keep your […]
Immune Boosting Tips
The cold and flu season is upon us and this year, sustaining a healthy immune system might be more important than ever before. Nourishing your body with not only healthy foods, but activities and attitudes can help keep your immune system strong. Planning your meals and learning to love what you eat can not only improve your […]
Off to a Good Start
I must say 2021 is off to a purretty good start aside furrom not feeling my oats on Saturday night — I think I rang in the New Year with a little too much wet food.
Mom has “de-Christmased” the house and cleaned furrom top to bottom. Meanwhile, Ellie has been busy playing with all of the new […]
Dutchess County Supreme Court Sides with Town of Fishkill, Dismissing Developer Lawsuit
The Honorable Judge Christi J. Acker of the The Dutchess County Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Town of Fishkill on Monday in a lawsuit filed by the Hudson View Park Company (Hudson View) against the Town in July of last year concerning the proposed Rolling Hills Development. Hudson View asserted a breach of contract claim […]
It’s a New Year
Well, it’s 2021. Cheers to that!
I hope you raised a tasty and toasty glass of bubbly on New Year’s Eve – and New Year’s Day. Now we settle into this new year.
For me, it’s a time of reflection but also a time for steeling myself for the cold weather […]
Week 1 of 2021 – Here We Go!
So how’s the “new you” project of 2021 coming along? I say that in jest of course, because I’m referring to how so many of us feel that January 1 is like a clean slate and a fresh start, and we tell ourselves, “The diet starts Monday!” And there’s nothing wrong with that.
I’m kind of […]
Be Well In 2021 With Chelsea Streifeneder Of Body Be Well Pilates – Week 1
Setting Attainable Goals is Key
Here it is! The the New Year we’ve all been waiting for. You woke up on January 2nd vowing that “THIS is the year I’m going to get fit, lose weight and fit into those jeans from high school once and for all!” You vow to cut out carbs, take 13 spin classes […]
2020 is (Finally) Ovfurr
I hope Santa Paws was good to you all!
I, of course, got evfurry thing on my list and then some — and by that I mean Ellie got this really cool purrsonalized chair. It looks expensive, but hey – if it fits, I sits. Might I add it is the purrfect height fur bird watching, all while […]
Brand New World
We have made it – we have gotten through 2020. This year was probably one of the most stressful and challenging for all of us, and perhaps especially for parents. No school, no daycare – then virtual school – and all of this while still working… from home in a lot of instances. Phewww, what a year!
On […]
Great Barrington Public Theater
“There’s such and incredible pool of talent up here… from Connecticut through Massachusetts into Vermont and throughout New York.” Jim Frangione is very expressive when talking about regional theater in the Litchfield Hills, the Berkshires, and the Hudson Valley. “We’ve got great theater here that draws incredible talent from New York and Boston. It’s the local talent […]
Cooperative Recipes
As winter begins it’s three month offensive on our collective attitudes and – potentially – our waistlines, it can be hard to resist temptation. However, just because the temperatures outside may cause many of us to yearn for comfort food does not mean we have to sacrifice a healthy diet.
Founded in 1981, the Berkshire Food Co-op in […]
How You Can Breathe Easier
At Food + Mood NYC, we create and lead customized wellness programs for our clients, which range from individuals to corporate employees. Now more than ever, wellness – from food and fitness to spirituality and social life – is critical as we navigate this unprecedented and stressful time in which home and office are one and the […]
Help Is Only A Click Away
There are few pieces of furniture as loyal as a couch. Part-time seating support, part-time napping support, they endure the clawing of cats, the gnawing of dogs, the marathon binge-watching sessions, and the rambunctious kid who trampolines all over them. Apple founder Steve Jobs famously spent a decade in search of the Goldilocks sofa, preferring to live […]
Digging Deeper Into Who You Are
Welcome 2021! There is so much about 2020 that we all want to kick to the curb forever. Turning the calendar to a new year feels like a way to make a new start; this is true of all years, but this one especially so.
A new year is also […]
Spiritual Healing
In 2006, after over two decades in the business world, I did something previously unimaginable to me. I began to study the spiritual healing practices of the Apache people. Equally if not more remarkable, in 2019, my wife and I founded a 501©3 non-profit organization, The Pinchas Foundation, to […]
Going Nuclear
Caution: This article contains a trigger warning and a spoiler alert.
Trigger warning: Your unconscious emotional triggers and emotional reactivity can harm your psychological and physical health.
Spoiler alert: The happy ending is that addressing your reactivity is within your control, and with practice and perhaps some professional help, you can […]
Come On, Get Happy!
With 2020 unfolding as it did, 2021 couldn’t arrive quickly enough. Over the past year, the pandemic has dominated our lives, lifestyles, media, social media, and conversations. All the uncertainty and fear of this novel coronavirus has certainly compromised our happiness and wellbeing.
It’s a new year, so let’s scrap […]
January 2021 Recipe – Best Ever Blondies
Blondies, for those not in the know, are essentially chocolate chip cookies in the form of a brownie. I adore a chewy chocolate chip cookie, with crispy edges and soft middles and pools of molten chocolate, as much as the next person, but I just might love these particular blondies a tiny bit more. You might think […]
The Reformer
Main Street in Millerton, NY, is home to numerous small, independent businesses, many of them owned and run by women – from Carol Sadlon at The Moviehouse to Joanne Scasso at Country Gardeners Florist. We selected Masha Loucks, who trained as a ballerina in Moscow, Russia, as the subject for Main Street’s wellness issue, and conducted a […]
How much is your house worth today?
If you’re a real estate agent a question friends often ask you – casually over drinks – is “How much is my house worth? I’ve heard the market is going crazy.” Especially today when housing prices have had a Covid-run-up after years of a buyer’s market, people want to know how much more their house is worth. […]
Deconstructed, Revitalized… Reconstructed
Perhaps Oscar Wilde was correct. “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Should one be in need a living example, please welcome Richard Griggs. An artist who finds elegance and beauty where others see pieces that should be consigned to the local transfer station, Griggs creates pieces that take on new and whimsical dimensions.
And, as […]
Local Families Receive Vehicles from Community Program
On Friday Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro joined the County Department of Community & Family Services (DCFS) and the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board (DCWIB) to present three local families with vehicles as part of the Community Solutions to Transportation (CST) Way to Work program, formerly known as Wheels to Work. Since 2001, the program has helped […]
Christmas Weekend Wines
MERRY CHRISTMAS one and all!
However and wherever your meals are coming together for this very special time, you’ll want them to include special wines.
Harker House Wine & Spirits in Clinton Corners, NY, is a serious go-to for recommendations. Hal Newell has owned the store since July of 2016, and he has a very loyal following as he […]
Dear Santy Paws
I understand this letter to you may be arriving at the last minute, but I’ve been purretty busy holding down the Christmas tree skirt here at home — among other festive activities. My catnip toys have all disappeared and although Mom cleans like a crazy lady, she has yet to retrieve them furrom under the couch. Therefore, […]
Oblong’s Picks for Perfect Holiday Reading
Thanks to store manager Carissa Unite, the staff at Oblong Books & Music in Millerton, NY, has put together the perfect list for folks looking to break from the annual stress the Holidays bring and and escape into a good book. Here are a few engaging staff recommendations for the discerning reader as well as the entire […]
Local Author Unearths the Follies of the Legal World in Bombshell new Satire
What’s left to do — but laugh? In a year filled with overbearing consternation, uncertainty and yes, tragedy, we could all benefit from literary escape as we inch closer toward a new year. Luckily for readers in the Tri-Corner, a new author has burst onto the scene with a scathingly funny satire that taps into […]
From Solstice to Santa Claus: How Christmas Became Christmas
-by the Hillsdale Historians
December 21 is the Winter Solstice, the longest day of the year and a holiday observed since the late Neolithic and Bronze Age. The Winter Solstice was immensely important in agrarian societies. In December, farmers enjoyed a period of leisure. The harvest had been gathered, the deep freeze of midwinter had not yet set […]
Local Community Center Clears Final Legal Hurdle: Work on Historic Building Moving Forward
A vote by the Village Board of Trustees in Millbrook, NY, last month removed the last major legal impediment toward the conversion of the landmark Thorne Building into a community center that will serve both the Village as well as all of central Dutchess County. The decision completes a process that began in March 2019, when the […]
Christmas is Next Week!?
Christmas is next week!!! Must buy wine!!
For this week’s selections I called a local purveyor in Sharon, CT – Rick’s Wine & Spirits on Gay Street.
There’s a new owner there now – David – who had these mouth-watering suggestions. For bubbly (because it’s always appropriate), he said he recommends the 2015 Gusbourne Brut Reserve.
Get this – it’s […]
The Pawlidays are Stressing ME-OWT!
One might think that just because I’m an indoor kitty, my pawliday stress levels are lower than your avfurrage feline — Wrong!
With Christmas day inching closer with evfurry catnap, there is still so much left on my to-do list.
Fur starters, there’s oodles of wrapping to do and quite frankly, my little paws are getting tired furrom holding […]
December is for Wine
December is such a perfect wine-drinking month.
Every day feels like a celebration of sorts, so why not?
Even though we aren’t gathering in ways of days gone by, we can still make toasts over zoom…or to our newfound friends on streaming shows. A trip to the wine store is practically a vacation these days, too, as the promise […]
The 13 Santa Paws are coming furrom Iceland
Allow me to break a bit of unique pawliday tradition down for you dear reader:
My dad is furrom Iceland, and in Iceland they have 13 Santa Paws, or Yule Lads as they are sometimes called elsewhere in the world. Since I’m half Icelandic, the 13 Icelandic Santa Paws come all the way to America to visit me […]
Don’t Scare me Like That!
Your body is constantly talking to you. It is telling you how it feels, what it is lacking, what it has too much of – and it tells you if something is wrong. The problem is (or can be) that we don’t always listen – but further, we may not know how to. Some of us don’t […]
The Gift of Wine
Here we are just past Thanksgiving with Christmas a few weeks out.
Sure, there are gifts to think about, and wine is always a good one, but at this time of year, it’s about stocking up for yourself, too, so you know that when you get home from work and it’s as dark as 10 pm at 5:30 […]
O Christmas Tree
Well folks, the Christmas tree is up and might I say it looks purrfect!
I think Santa Paws will appurrove, too.
Ellie and I only helped a little bit with the decorating, though she was excited to put the balls on the tree (aka ornaments) and to play with Mom’s elf decorations. Silly Ellie, she thought they were babies. […]
Basilica Hudson Announces Virtual Holiday Market
For the past eight years, Basilica Hudson, the city’s beloved arts center, has held an epic, large-scale community market celebrating the Hudson Valley’s creative entrepreneurial pursuits through the Basilica Farm & Flea Holiday Market. This year, with the pandemic causing many venues to pause 2020 in-person programming, Basilica Hudson will co-present, alongside creative studio LikeMindedObjects, the first […]
The Fifteen Gifts of Christmas
Berkshire Theatre Company presents Holiday Memories by Truman Capote
CB Wismar
Just when the year seemed to be ending, as T.S. Eliot observed “… not with a bang, but a whimper,” Holiday Memories appears in the courtyard of Berkshire Theatre Group’s (BTG) Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA, and the entire game changes.
For fifteen performances scattered across Fridays, […]
Home Grown Magic
No disrespect to mountain laurel as the Connecticut State shrub, but perhaps it’s time to pass the torch to the humble, medicinal, and magical witch hazel.
This wonder shrub finds a suitable home in the woodlands of the northeast part of the country. While mostly present on the eastern side of Connecticut, you can find a healthy dose […]
The Trail Less Traveled
It’s a brilliant fall morning. You wake up, look out the window at the maples ablaze in yellow and decide to go for a hike. You throw a water bottle and a granola bar in a day pack, lace up your trail runners, and dash to the nearest trailhead, only to find it crammed with cars from […]
A Gift of Place
It was a gift, created out of love, respect and the spirit of the community. After 133 years, the gift endures and continues to honor the man whose name it bears – Orville Dewey.
Dewey Memorial Hall in Sheffield, MA, is no common effort at celebrating the life of a stalwart community resident. It is not a statue […]
An American Christmas
Much like the memories of yore, the origins of many beloved customs often get lost within the fog of passing time. Each year, as the calendar turns to December, we collectively search our attics for the yuletide decor that will adorn our homes but once a year. Almost unconsciously, families around the country venture out in search […]
Not a Fore Gone Conclusion
Are you someone that would like to combine high investment returns and your favorite outdoor hobby? Have you ever considered buying a golf course? Could it possibly be a good idea or just a sand trap? Main Street Magazine’s real estate feature explores the trends in golf course real estate, the history of local golf courses, and […]
December 2020 Recipe – Meyer Lemon Upside-down Cake
Upside-down cake is one of my all-time favorites to bake due to its stunning good looks, its easy-peasy assembly, and its scrumptious caramelized fruit topping. Perhaps the most famous of the upside-down cakes is that of the pineapple variety (and truth be told, I’ve actually never taken a stab at one), but I have made them with […]
What a Deal
Main Street Magazine’s monthly business column is usually an interview with an entrepreneur or the executive director of a regional not-for-profit. December’s subject, just in time for Christmas shopping, is a conversation with the staff, volunteers, and customers of a thriving not-for-profit thrift store that has always operated as a meeting place and service to everyone in […]
A Moment of Whimsy
It’s unclear whether Eric Martin was channeling his inner Thoreau when he returned to the United States from an intense year of graduate study at the University of Limerick in Ireland. After long hours of practice on his instrument of choice, the viola, he sought to recapture some of the simplicity and innocence of summers passed in […]
The Sports Enthusiast
The easiest aspect of Christmas shopping for a sports enthusiast (whether it be a spouse, significant other, best friend, brother, sister, boss, whomever), is that there are so many toys and so much equipment on the sports market.
The smart approach is to make sure you know what your giftee […]
In the Holiday Spirit
Just a few miles from the Village of Rhinebeck, NY, is The CENTER For Performing Arts – a local theatre whose actors are eager to spread some holiday cheer through their annual presentation of Charles Dicken’s classic, A Christmas Carol.
The production, which runs from November 19 through December 20, […]
Community Traditions Continue
Brightly-colored poinsettias fill the greenhouse. Trees cover the lawn. Holiday music brings the sounds of joyful and industrious elves tying and decorating wreaths, bows, bows, and more bows, and of course the cheese, milk, and eggnog! Welcome to a shopping experience at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School Agricultural […]
The Spirit of Giving
In a year marred with tragedy, mountains of anxiety and a landslide of mass confusion, perhaps the most enduring notion of 2020 has been humankind’s uncanny ability to combat chaos with compassion. As fear and uncertainty grew at an historic rate this year and loved ones as dependent as […]
Thankful fur Turkey and more
2020 has been a year fur the history books, but as I wash up fur Turkey Day, I must say, there’s so much I’m thankful fur this year.
Despite having to spend more time with the family than evfurr befurr, I want say thank you to my purrents fur putting a roof ovfurr my head, an […]
The Perfect Thanksgiving Wine
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!!
Must. Have. Wine. My advice? Gobble up Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Riesling has been called the perfect Thanksgiving wine because it goes so well with so many different flavors, and all of our feasts
include lots of those! A nice, dry Riesling is best, but one with a bit […]
Post Office Pentimento
-by the Hillsdale Historians
A pentimento, in painting, is “the presence or emergence of earlier images, forms, or strokes that have been changed and painted over.” Even the greats, like Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Titian, revised their paintings to eliminate figures, reposition compositional elements, or change backgrounds. The original elements, the pentimenti, survive in the paintings like […]
Community Rallies to Keep the Spirit of Hudson’s Winter Walk Alive in 2020
What was once one of Columbia County’s biggest block parties, Hudson New York’s beloved Winter Walk has evolved into the area’s most festive event of the year and crucially, the busiest night for many local shops and restaurants. For the past two decades, Hudson Hall at the Hudson Opera House has produced Winter Walk and […]
Animal Lovers
You animal lovers out there will know the feeling of relief that comes when the veterinarian tells you the problem is nothing to worry about. The feeling that leads you to raise a toast in relief and gratitude.
That was me this week, and I turned to a special wine for the occasion – a 2007 Empire Reserve […]
Dutchess County sees Recent Rise in Auto Crime
A string of auto-related crime has broken out recently as The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a series of vehicle break-ins that have occurred in the Town of Pleasant Valley and the Town of LaGrange during the overnight hours as well as some recent thefts of high-end automobiles. Although most of the vehicles […]
The Battle of Bedtime
Ellie has made huge strides when it comes to her sleep patterns -knock on wood- thanks to Mom.
Honestly, over the last few weeks, she’s been a saint!
This means I get to spend more quality time with my purrents watching the boob-tube before beddy-bye.
Though, I am beginning to wonder if sleep regression is contagious. […]
Ode to an Icon: Millerton’s Moviehouse Seeks New Stewardship
While the announcement that Millerton’s Moviehouse — the village’s longstanding cinema and cultural epicenter — will be seeking new ownership in the coming months may seem like the appropriate capstone to 2020, there is a silver lining. That unique sense of hopeful optimism is represented in the spirit of owner Carol Sadlon herself. “The Moviehouse […]
Back to Bubbles
Every day, any time, bubbles make everything better.
Splash local as much as you can.
Tousey Winery in Germantown (touseywinery.com) has two amazing sparkling wines – The Loic (with aromas of apple, brioche and honeydew with a crisp, refreshing acidity) and The Sparkling Queen (an off-dry sparkler with a taste of luscious melon. […]
Mr. Purresident
To begin, I would like to start off by wishing evfurryone a happy Whisker Wednesday!
Secondly, I’d like to officially apologize fur letting the Ameowican people down by losing the 2020 Purresidental election.
I guess Ameowica just wasn’t ready fur a feline Purresident. However I can assure you both felines and crazy cat ladies alike will […]
Anything Goes
A recommendation for a wine for this week and weekend? ANYTHING!!
Yes, for this week it’s anything goes.
Best is to go to your local wine store and ask the owner or staff for a recommendation. If you don’t know the fine folks who operate your local store already, get to know them a little better.
What’s their relationship with […]
Trick-or-Treating All Year Long
Halloween was this past Caturday and much to the surrprise of everyone in the family, Ellie wasn’t into it this year.
I believe she was supposed to be a rainbow unicorn? In that case I don’t blame her; it wouldn’t have been my furrst choice either, but then again I don’t like dressing up. And besides, […]
Taking the Lead
Simply saying that music has deep roots in the Berkshires undermines the very way it has helped to shape the character of the communities nestled within. Music has flowed with the history of Western Massachusetts like the way the Housatonic keeps time with the changing seasons in the Berkshire […]
Getting It On At Chatham Brewing
A story about beer labels seems almost silly and superficial in this crazy year. Surely there must be other things to think about? And surely there are.
Lots of other things to think about.
But a story about beer labels can reinforce the best kind of story there is at this […]
Form, Function, And…
When it comes to the homes that define our lives, those that house the families who bond us eternally to the landscape as well as the spaces that we occupy every day, art can be defined by both the creation of structure as well as the recreation of character.
For […]
Breaking Boundaries
Sometimes all a person needs is someone to believe in them – someone who can restore hope while offering love, empathy, and compassion. It also helps when that person has a strategic plan and some solid resources.
This is what inspired Dutchess County resident Kelly Lyndgaard to shift career paths […]
Musical Alchemy
The era of silent films ushered in the evolutionary landslide that has led us to digital streaming, spectacular visual effects, panoramic sound and the fully immersive world that is film today. Even in the era of COVID-19 when visiting the neighborhood cinema has been replaced by streaming services and parking lot ad hoc theaters, the magic of […]
Into the Woods
Mention designer Matthew Patrick Smyth and one conjures tasteful rooms, beautiful fabrics, well-curated furniture and antiques and, most of all, comfort. A place to call home. Smyth has had his own business for over 30 years and he is still one of the most sought-after interior designers.
Finding his true calling
Smyth did not start out to be a […]
Art in the Time of Pandemic
It was inevitable. As soon as one or more of the pundits coined the phrase “life in the time of the pandemic,” we reached onto the bookshelf of memory and pulled down the copy of Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s life-changing volume Love in the Time of Cholera.
This is the moment in which we live. COVID-19 […]
November 2020 Recipe – Vanilla Yogurt Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is just about the most perfect cake there is, if you ask me. I mean, of course: yes, I adore a generously frosted birthday cake, and I am nothing if not a huge fan of snacking cakes (small, single layer cakes often baked in an 8x8x2-inch square pan). But coffee cake is special because it […]
Too Much Great Stuff?
This month’s entrepreneur feature shares the business story of William Morrison of Morrison Art Storage, which is based in Kent, CT. Morrison’s business is obviously the perfect feature for this month’s theme of “Art & Design,” but beyond that, the business of art storage is quite unique and interesting – and talk about a niche market!
I heard […]
Location. Location.
Location shooting, finding and transforming actual sites, as opposed to sound stage filming, has fascinated me since the day a location scout knocked on our door in Greenwich Village. For this article about using your real estate to generate extra income or a higher price when you plan to sell, I decided to update my personal urban […]
Setting The Stage For Holiday Decor
Having a discerning eye for design and a knack for presenting artful spaces isn’t only reserved for those who spend careers dreaming up posh interiors for homes fit for Architectural Digest. Most often, it is the anticipated family get-together or a special time of year that can inspire homemade design gurus everywhere. With the holidays just around […]
Website Design
Have you ever gone to a website and you simply can’t find what you’re looking for? Or as soon as you get to a website’s landing page you get super irritated because of the pop-ups that keep interrupting you? (Ugh, I hate those!) Or how about when you’re navigating through a website and you quickly realize that […]
A Scary Good Wine, No Gimmicks
Swipe Right If You Like Professor Herman S. Johnson
– by the Hillsdale Historians
In last month’s post about Ida Haywood Pulver, we noted that Ida attended the Hillsdale Classical Institute. We were curious because we had not heard of this school and set out to learn more. What we learned about the school turned out to be less remarkable than what we discovered about its founder and […]
A Snowy Furrcast
The furrecast for the end of this week purredicts snow. *insert the collective groan from those dreading the winter blues*
Though some might have their tails in a knot ovfurr this, I’m actually purrretty excited. The approaching flakes even have me feeling a bit nostalgic!
Firstly, the changing season can only mean the return of the snow birdies I […]
Residents to Discuss Sensibility of Proposed Solar Project
Concerned citizens who live and work in Craryville, Copake, Copake Lake, Copake Falls, Hillsdale, Taghkanic and other neighboring communities in Columbia County, New York, will gather together tomorrow evening at a virtual town hall meeting to discuss concerns regarding a 500-acre, industrial-size solar installation proposed by Hecate Energy. The proposal, – referred to as the […]
Public Meeting Set for Hillsdale Residents to Discuss Park Renovation
Residents of Hillsdale, NY, are invited to a public meeting Saturday Oct. 24 to learn about plans to re-imagine the town’s Hamlet Park and how the beloved spot could better serve the community. Hillsdale’s Hamlet Committee is currently working to restore the small, long-standing park southwest of the intersection of Routes 22 and 23 and […]
Tick-Tock. You know what I’m talking about
Catnip
As you all may know by now, my Mom is a bit of an ovfurr-the-top neat furreak. Thus, it is only on the super rare occasion that I am allowed to indulge in catnip mostly due to the the mess it makes.
Much to my surpurrise, when I meowed very politely fur some paw-ty mix last […]
Best-Selling Hudson Valley Author Poised for New Release
After thirteen novels, it may be tempting to describe best-selling author Jennifer Donnelly’s career as something akin to a literary fairy tale. However, like many aspiring creative minds whose ambitions venture into the fictional realm, Donnelly’s journey has taken her down many arduous roads. Donnelly was born in Port Chester, New York. Eventually, her family […]
Latest Phone Scam Impersonates Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Deputies
Scams once again seem to be on the rise in Dutchess County as the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office has recently warned County residents, as well as those in the surrounding areas, about the latest phone fraud.
Typically, scam phone calls exploit people in a variety of ways. Criminals have attempted to get money from people by contacting them […]
Ottie is My Name. Don’t Wear It Out.
It’s no secret that my kid sister Ellie looks up to me (well, technically it goes both ways I suppose, but that’s besides the point!).
She’s a thoughtful kid and wants to include me in evfurrything she does, and I mean evfurry thing! Here’s a brief breakdown of her commands -er- I mean suggestions for me:
“Ottie […]
A Little Summer in Mid-October
There’s nothing like a weekend forecast for summer-like weather in mid October!
I’m ditching the deep reds again and returning to a Rose. This time it’s one from Whitecliff Winery, based in Gardiner, NY, in the lower part of the Hudson Valley, but it’s a wine made from Pinot Noir grapes grown at their Olana vineyard. Yes, that’s […]
Hillsdale Celebrates 9th Annual Pumpkin Festival with a New Addition
In conjunction with Hillsdale, NY’s well-established 9th Annual Pumpkin Festival on Saturday October 10, the Town’s Hamlet Committee is pleased to announce a new component added to this year’s event: a gathering of scarecrows, featuring a competition of handcrafted scarecrows honoring “Hometown Heroes.” Business owners and anyone else who would like to participate are invited […]
Let’s Talk about Savona’s: When Taste Exceeds Expectations
As not only a writer here at Main Street Magazine, but also a proud deliverer of this esteemed publication, I find myself traveling the Hudson Valley each month leaving stacks of the latest issue here and there. Inevitably, while I’m poking in and out of the various towns and villages of Columbia and Dutchess County, […]
Dental Hygiene
My mom cares deeply about the family’s dental hygiene, which is very nice of her – making sure everyone is equipped with the purroper toothbrush, toothpaste and evfurry six months has a purrper cleaning with someone called a dentist is no small feat. Because my kid sister isn’t always keen on having her teeth brushed, Mom […]
Stress and Anxiety: How can One Manage?
Everyone is talking about mental health in some fashion right now. Covid has really made us take a hard look at every single aspect of our lives, cultures and well-being. And as a result, a spotlight has been shone on mental health and on the impact this life-altering event has had one everyone.
How […]
It’s That Time of Year
If you haven’t driven along the Taconic State Parkway in awhile, I’d recommend it within the next week or so. The colors of the leaves are breathtaking!
There’s that crisp fall nip in the air. The farm stands are loaded with apples, pumpkins and mums. In the stores, there’s everything pumpkin or apple spiced you can imagine, from […]
Popular Local Business Forges Ahead with New Owner, Expanded Menu and Counter Service
The popular juice bar in Red Hook, NY, previously known as Nourish opened its doors once again this past Tuesday under the new name Bliss with restored counter service. The East Market Street shop, which has operated as a curb-side vendor since the March COVID-19 lock down, has been redesigned for take-out service […]
Where’s the Heat?
Granted, we are just now emerging from the other side of a week-long heat wave, but cold weather is officially here to stay folks. I expect the heat to be turned on, which my purrents have neglected to do.
I suppose it’s because they aren’t home during the day so they aren’t worried about a cold […]
Unique Local Podcast Offers a Glimpse into The Past
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, CT, recently announced Hindsight is, a three-episode podcast series created in conjunction with the museum’s exhibition of Twenty Twenty, a group show of drawings in which seven artists respond to the lived experience of this historic year, on view October […]
Take Thee to the Re
How cool is an exhibition of art that is outside at night?
How fantastic to arrive at an old farm at dusk, a sliver of a moon perched in an indigo sky – a tableau wonderful enough in itself to be the experience – the magic of the night just starting to unfold?
How amazing for an artist to […]
Author Bill Clegg
When I wrote about Bill Clegg’s first novel Did You Ever Have a Family here in 2015, I’d lived in the northwest corner of Connecticut for only a few years after living much of my adult life abroad. The book had been shortlisted for a Man Booker prize that year, one of publishing’s most celebrated awards and […]
150 years – or was it yesterday?
We feel it only fair to offer this gentle warning before you invest a few moments reading what follows. This piece is a bit different than others we have written. It draws heavily on history, reflects on those historical references and, with no subtlety intended, holds a mirror to what has become almost a cliché – “the […]
Reflecting On Sullivan County’s Resort Scene
It’s the place where Jerry Lewis, Mel Brooks, and Rodney Dangerfield kicked off their comedy careers, the setting of the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and a summertime destination for the stylish Maisel clan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fame.
The name “Catskills” was derived from the Dutch “Kaaterskill,” which translates to “Wildcat Creek.” Although the Catskills spans the […]
The Old Copake Falls Church
Miracle on Miles Road
The old church, which had first opened its doors to parishioners in 1892, closed those same doors in 1955. It would subsequently stand empty and unused for the next 30 years. “In 1979 the Methodist Church in Copake Falls, NY, was an abandoned and bedraggled building, windows broken, the door often left standing open, […]
Housatonic Heritage
History runs through this region. It follows the Housatonic River as it flows through the towns of Litchfield and Berkshire counties. Set out in any direction, and you’re bound to encounter the area’s past. Because of this, in 2006, Congress designated this region as the Upper Housatonic Valley National […]
A Monumental Family Legacy
Like the legendary painters of the Hudson River School, or the long and storied line of woodworkers in the villages of the Berkshire foothills, the pantheon of craftsmen in the Northwest Corner of our Tri-state is as sublime as the landscape itself. Carved into the deep roots of local […]
Litchfield County And The Great Influenza Of 1918
Residents of Litchfield County opened their newspapers in the early fall of 1918 to find stories about a French army band playing concerts across the region to celebrate the alliance of the two nations in the Great War, and about efforts in North Canaan to construct a wall of […]
A Legacy of Liberty
An epitaph written by a man named Charles Sedgwick in 1829 for a family friend reads: “She neither wasted time, nor property. She never violated a trust, nor failed to perform a duty. In every situation of domestic trial, she was the most efficient helper, and the tenderest friend.” […]
Haunted Houses
This is the month of Halloween and thinking of scary things – even in real estate. Maybe watching Lovecraft on HBO made me wonder what real estate agents and sellers have to reveal about “unfortunate” circumstances that have occurred in a house. Is it haunted? Was there an ax murder? Did someone die from a lethal disease […]
October 2020 Recipe – Buttermilk Cream Biscuits
Although biscuits usually make their biggest splash in November, I personally enjoy them all year round – warm weather or cool weather, breakfast or dinner. I am always on board with biscuits. I think it is even fair to say that I am biscuit obsessed, as I am always trying to up my biscuit game in an […]
Prefabulous
The idea for this entrepreneur story began in 2011 with an article in the New York Times about the modern, prefabricated house next to a cow barn designed by Pilar Proffitt and Robert Bristow in Lakeville, CT (see image on next page). I bought a ticket to attend a Halloween party there just to see the inside […]
Marvelously Light-Footed
It was one of those moments beyond logic … or control. The title of Alison Larkin’s wonderful, best-selling novel is The English American. At its very mention, in the recesses of the mind, where one’s personal “Spotify” play list lies in wait, the mention of the title evoked the plaintive lyrics of Sting’s An Englishman in New […]
The Polymathic Mrs. Pulver
by the Hillsdale Historians
Over the years, there have been a number of prominent women who have had a large and lasting impact on Hillsdale and Columbia County. One of them was Ida Haywood Pulver, a well-educated (for her time) woman whose many professions — photographic hand-colorist, dressmaker-to-the-stars, Parisian milliner, fundraiser, gardener, historical society founder and overall local […]
Julien’s: Pizza (& Sushi) for the People
I had the mouth-watering pleasure of having Julien’s of Millbrook, NY, appear on my Instagram feed some months ago. Since then I’ve had it on my must-do-list to stop by and try their offerings. Their Instagram feed (and website images for that matter) looks deee-licious! But before we get into that, let me start by stating the […]
Jackson’s: The finest BBQ in the Hudson Valley?
There’s a new BBQ joint in the Hudson Valley. Claverack, NY, to be more precise. For those of us who grew up with the Eskimo Bar at the intersection of Route 23 and 9H, the day that the Eskimo Bar closed down was a sad one. It was to my great surprise that I learned just last […]
Red is in the Air – and in the Glass!
Shorter days, cool – no, cold! – nights, harvest season. It’s time for red wine.
Browsing a wine store recently, I read a description for a red blend that sounded like it would hit the spot while also letting me try something new.
It’s a Greek wine called NoTios from Gai’a Wines and is made from 85% Agiorgitiko and […]
It’s All Fun and Games
My kid sister thinks it’s so much fun to play with my toys. Which is fine; I don’t play with them too much and sharing is caring — right?
Or purrhaps one cat’s old toys is a little humans treasure. Any-who…
When she’s actually playing with her toys I like to sniff around to see if there’s something that […]
The Liabilities of College Life
College students are going back to school both local and afar … what are the inherent liabilities that you should look out for? The first issue is what happens to your children’s belongings when they are away at school in a dorm or in an apartment setting?
All parents’ homeowners’ policies will afford coverage for both liability and […]
Art Under the Stars: Artist’s Six-Story Waterfall Illuminates the Harlem Valley
Over the course of the next month, residents of the Harlem Valley, will be able to see something glowing steadily in the dark at the Wassaic Project in Amenia, NY. “It could be a shooting star. It could be a waterfall” according to a recent press release. The Wassaic Project is pleased to present All is Not […]
So Long Summer
The realization that summer has come to its ultimate end has hit home for yours truly.
As with each season in our neck of the woods, these changes bring with them their own purro’s and cons.
Here are a few from my feline perspective:
Cons (because I’m a natural pessimist) : The birdies are flocking to their winter destination, meaning […]