Tasty Rhinebeck

UPDATE ON FRIDAY APRIL 24

Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation has announced the winners of the "People's Choice Awards" from Taste of Rhinebeck:

Best Beverage
Old Mill Wine & Spirits - for their selection of fine South American Wines

Best Appetizer
Le Petit Bistro - for their Fish Tacos

Best Main Course
Rhinebeck Bagels - Southern Fried Chicken BLT Slider with Sea Salted Beer Fries

Best Dessert
Rhinebeck Health Foods - Me-Oh-My cookies

Best Overall- Rhinebeck Bagels

The event raised just over $10,000 with a crowd of 300. For more information about the Foundation events and ways to give, visit www.health-quest.org/ndh

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Following up on my previous writeup about last night's Taste of Rhinebeck fund-raising event for Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation ... it looks like it was quite the success!

Check out photos of people having fun at Taste in this Poughkeepsie Journal slideshow. Deborah Breen, executive director of the Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation, said in the newspaper's article that the foundation hoped to raise about $10,000 from the event, which will go to several projects at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck.

Thank you for the yellow deer!

Drive south on Route 9G, just before its intersection with Slate Quarry Road in Rhinebeck, and look up on a small hill on the left side of the road to see a forsythia bush that has been carved to resemble a deer with antlers. This time of year it turns into a bushy yellow deer due to the seasonal blooms. In summer, it’s a green deer and in winter, a brown deer. I’ve noticed it for several years now.

There’s something about this whimsical creature that appeals to me. I like topiaries that push the boundaries beyond sedate ball shapes and spiral trees. In 2003, I was invited to a press tour of the Montreal International Mosaiculture in Canada, an international topiary competition featuring acres of stunning two-dimensional and three-dimensional works by horticulture artists from around the world. You can see some photos at this Web site. The visit greatly expanded my concept of “topiary”.

I don’t know anything about the person who created or maintains the deer topiary in Rhinebeck but whoever you are – thank you. Your creation always brightens my day.

Beacon Barks

Got dogs? Like dogs? Then you might want to head to Beacon on Saturday for the annual Beacon Barks. Support the Dutchess SPCA.

Michael Woyton has more details and video on his blog.

Grass-fed beef cooking demo

Learn about the merits and benefits of grass-fed beef during Chef Jeff Loshinsky's cooking demo on Tuesday, April 28, from 6-8 p.m. at Vince Mulford Gallery in Hudson.

Georgia Ranney of Kinderhook Farm, a Columbia County producer of grass-fed Angus beef, will visit the class. The demo will show two methods of preparing beef sirloin -- a Korean-style marinade for stove top or outdoor grilling and a slow braised recipe called Braciolone (a specialty of the city of Trapani on the western coast of Sicily). A simple Risotto Primavera, the perfect accompaniment to the Braciolone, will also be prepared.

Mary Hack, from East Chatham Wines and Spirits, will talk about the featured wine pairing, Malbec.

The gallery is at 417-419 Warren Street in Hudson; enter via Cherry Alley.  RSVP by calling 646-752-5977. Cost for class is $35 per person, and $28 for Columbia County Bounty members.

Hudson River photo contest winners

What beautiful images in the March edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal's Hudson River photo contest!

The two winning photos are stunning. Robert Rightmyer of Poughkeepsie won first-place for his "highly colorful, well-framed image" of the Rondout area in Kingston. Dan Seifort of Poughkeepsie won honorable mention for his "moody, highly technical" black and white image of the Mid-Hudson Bridge taken in the fog. You can see both photos (and others entered in the contest) at the HudsonHappenings.com site.

Gnome for a home

I want a garden gnome. I'm usually not one for cutesy garden decor. Maybe it's the subtle influence of one of my favorite movies, Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, or that I admired them in the community garden plots when I lived in Germany in the 1970s. (A gnome statue has a minor, though important, role in the Amélie film, and I sometimes saw gnomes decorating those gardens in Germany. Indeed, garden gnomes are a German tradition.)

I've denied my gnome urge for years, but this spring, as I expand my gardens, I've decided a gnome would finally fit in the plan. I would rather buy it locally than over the Internet, if possible. Any suggestions re: local gnome vendors?

Going once ... Pasta Primo Vino tickets

Advance ticket sales for the Shawangunk Wine Trail's Pasta Primo Vino end today at 6 p.m.

The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, (April 18 & 19) and tickets cost $20 per person in advance (until 6 p.m.) and $25 at the door if available.

The event includes a self-guided tour of the Hudson Valley wineries that make up the Shawangunk Wine Trail as they pair their wines -- including new releases -- with delicious pasta dishes.

Unison Arts benefit dinner

Support the Unison Arts Center in New Paltz (one of my fave entertainment venues) with a three-course dinner and wine pairing fundraiser at 36 Main in New Paltz, from 6-9:30 p.m. Thursday May 14. You'll need to call Unison at 845-255-1559 to RSVP by Friday, May 8. $60/person ($41 tax deductible donation). The event is sponsored by Kathy Coombs at 36 Main Restaurant and Tom Edwards & Nick Ciallelo at Fox and Hound Wine & Spirits.

Eat local - Speed Networking

Attention, food producers and restaurateurs:

Dutchess County Bounty will host its first ever Speed Networking for farmers and chefs at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 4. I think this is a great idea -- Slow Food Hudson Valley (disclosure: I formerly served on the board of directors of this non-profit group) used to hold a networking dinner with the same purpose: connecting local farmers and food producers with product to sell to local chefs, caterers and food buyers who are interested in serving locally raised foods. It all promotes the "buy local" philosophy and keeps business in the community.

Dutchess County Bounty is a relatively new group that is supported by Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corp., Dutchess County Tourism, Dutchess Economic Development Corp., Northern Dutchess Alliance, Assemblyman Marc Molinaro and "the generous support of a Dutchess resident." It is modeled after Columbia County Bounty in (yes) Columbia County.

Note: this is not an event for "regular" folks who just want to enjoy a good meal of local products. I am including it in this blog because I think it's a fine idea and I'd like to encourage everyone to patronize Dutchess (and Columbia) County Bounty food producers and chefs all year long.

Here is more from the event's organizers:

Like speed dating, Speed Networking gives farmers/chefs the opportunity to meet face to face to make a quick connection -- to follow-up in more detail later.

They will have 5 minutes per person to exchange information on what they grow or what they want to buy and how to reach one another. Then, they move on to the next person for another 5 minutes, and so on, till they've worked their way around the room and met all the farmers or buyers.

Participants should bring a stack of business cards and farmers should bring copies of their product list to hand out.

Food producers who use local product are also welcomed, as are farmers and chefs from neighboring counties.

The event opens up a lot of local, business-to-business potential markets. When Columbia County Bounty ran a Speed Networking this winter, there were 80 farmers and chefs/buyers in the room. It was very productive.

Patricia & Michel Jean have graciously offered to host the event at their Stissing House Restaurant, 7801 S. Main Street (Rtes. 199 & 82), Pine Plains, 518/398-8800.

The Networking will finish no later than noon. Anyone with questions can call Dutchess Bounty Coordinator Vicki Simons at 518/392-9696 or e-mail vsimons@fairpoint.net. Advance registration is preferred.

There is no charge to participate.

Poetry: It's Natural!

Award-winning poets Will Nixon of Woodstock and Matthew J. Spireng of Lomontville present Poetry: It's Natural! -- workshops and readings that explore the connection between the natural world and the art of poetry on Saturday, April 18 at the Tivoli Free Library. Matt is a wonderful poet and a longtime friend (and I've blogged about him before).

Here is the schedule for the day:

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Spireng will kick off the day with a workshop, “Nurturing Nature,” that looks at the making of poems of nature, where they come from, what goes into them, where they go, and how to cultivate and nourish them so they do not die on the vine.

1-2 p.m. Nixon will lead a “Search and Create Workshop” in which participants will choose an object from nature about which to compose a poem.

3:30 p.m. Spireng and Nixon will read from their work.

New York Riesling Experience

Spicy fruity Riesling is one of my favorite grapes (perhaps because my education in wine appreciation began when I lived in Germany during my 20s. Riesling has been cultivated in Germany for hundreds of years and the country's white wines are phenomenal). It's also a grape that does well in New York.

Now we can celebrate this grape with a local festival! Applewood Winery will host the first New York Riesling Experience from 11 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 2 & 3 at the winery, located on 82 Four Corners Road in Warwick (Orange County). The event will feature Riesling tastings, Riesling food and wine pairings, chef demonstrations, winemaker discussions, free recipes, and live entertainment. Admission is $12 if tickets are purchased before April 30 or $15 at the door. Admission also includes admission to the Applewood tasting room with more than a dozen different Applewood wines to taste. To purchase tickets, call 845-988-9292.

Here is more info from the event's press release:

Winemaker/owner Jonathan Hull states that “Riesling is the grape of the 21st century. It is also a grape underdog. It ... is the ultimate food wine. The grape has great flexibility, as it can be made, dry, semi dry, sweet, late harvest and ice wine. This grape grows very well in New York State and I want to bring awareness of the grape and the wonderful wines it produces to the wine consumer.”

About Riesling ... Riesling vines are tough. They thrive in cold climates, on steep hillsides, and in marginal soil. The green-skinned grapes ripen later than many other varieties, and sometimes are left hanging on the vine to produce sweet late harvest wines or even ice wines when the grapes actually freeze on the vines. The aromas in the wine that the Riesling grape produces tend to be pear, apple, jasmine, lime, honey and some spice. The flavors range from bright, fresh citrus to ripe tropical fruit. The New York Riesling Experience customer will have the option to taste the many different variety of wines the Riesling grape produces, as well as a variety of Riesling wines produced throughout the world.

Applewood Winery is in the heart of the historic Hudson Valley! Come discover the oldest working farm in Orange County and one of the oldest west of the Hudson River. The Hull family and their friends began planting apple and peach trees in former pastures in 1949. In 1994 the winery was created and vineyards planted.

Thrift is good

The Northern Dutchess Hospital Auxiliary's "Royal Tea Party and Thrifty Fashion Show" raised over $2,500 recently to help fund renovations in the hospital's Medical/Surgical Unit.

More than 75 women enjoyed the sold-out April 1 event at The Rhinecliff Hotel. The show featured clothing and accessories from the NDH Auxiliary Thrift Shop, worn by volunteer models who strolled the aisles as guests enjoyed elegant afternoon tea, assorted finger sandwiches and gourmet desserts. Many of the outfits -- including outerwear, career wear, and formal wear -- were purchased quickly and several other items were sold from the event's sales area.

Here are some photos of the event sent by the hospital. From left:

1. Friends of NDH/Models at the event were met with attendees eager to purchase their outfits. 2. Volunteer Barbara Haack and Marion Kahn peruse the sales table for fashionable finds. 3. Ethel Arnell, president of the Rhinebeck unit of the NDH Auxiliary and organizer of the event, stands with one of the formal pieces made available during the fashion show. 4. Ava Riley, Administrative Assistant at NDH, models an evening look.

Taste of Rhinebeck

Ready for a delicious evening? You can nosh on great food while walking through one of my favorite communities. The fifth annual "Taste of Rhinebeck" will take place on Tuesday, April 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation. Wristbands are available for $75. Please contact the NDH Foundation Office, at 845-871-3505.

Here is a description of the event from the press release:

The concept is very different from other food festivals in that participants travel on foot around the Village of Rhinebeck, stopping to sample gourmet delights from restaurants and spirit shops along the route. "The great thing with this event is that you get to go inside the restaurants and shops and experience the ambiance and individual charm of each. It allows folks to sample not only the food and spirits, but also, the atmosphere," says Deborah Breen, Executive Director of the Foundation. "There are not many villages that have such a vast array of incredible restaurants within a few blocks of each other. And, to have all of them working together for a common cause that night really highlights their community spirit!"

The "People's Choice Awards" will also return this year, giving attendees the opportunity to vote on their favorites in each category - last year's winners included: Petit Bistro, taking top honors for Best Overall, Best Appetizer, Best Main Course and Best Dessert, along with Old Mill Wine & Spirit Shop, taking the Best Beverage Award.

This year, event participants include: Arielle, Aroi Thai Restaurant, The Beekman Arms, Bread Alone, Calico Restaurant, Gigi Trattoria, Le Petit Bistro, Leonardo's Italian Market, Old Mill Wine and Spirits, Pete's Famous Restaurant, Rhinebeck Bagels and Café, Rhinebeck Deli hosted by Gazen Gallery, Rhinebeck Health Foods, Rhinebeck Wine and Liquor, Sabroso, Samuel's of Rhinebeck, The Rhinecliff hosted by Rhinebeck Department Store and Village Pizza of Rhinebeck.

HVC columnist is Beard nominee!

Wow! We have two Hudson Valley nominees for the James Beard Foundation Book Award/beverage -- and one is by Hudson Valley Connoisseur magazine's wines writer, Michael Arthur Weiss! Congratulations to Michael, who writes an entertaining and educational column about world wine in every issue of HVC!

The second nominee with local ties is Michael Harney of Millerton's Harney & Sons Fine Tea.

What a prestigious honor for both men! The winners will be named on May 4 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.

Here are the nominees for beverage book:

The Harney and Sons Guide to Tea
by Michael Harney with Emily Kaiser
(The Penguin Press)

The Wines of Burgundy
by Clive Coates
(University of California Press)

WineWise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Enjoying Wine
by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, and Michael A. Weiss, The Culinary Institute of America
(John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)

Also, nominated under the International category, is Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, & Singapore by Robert Danhi, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and former faculty member there.

Star chef in Hyde Park

Chef Ferrán Adrià came to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park yesterday, for a rare cooking demo for the culinary college's students. I'd seen the famed Spanish chef at Slow Food's international conference, Terre Madre, in Turin, Italy a few years ago. There, in a hall filled with chefs, food producers and foodies from all over the world, he really did get the "rock star" reception. (I wrote about a local connection to that event in a past blog post.) His CIA appearance created similar excitement.

At the CIA yesterday, he was accompanied by another famed Spanish chef, José Andrés (Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo, Zaytinya, Minibar by Jose Andres, Oyamel restaurants.) You can read more about the visit in the Poughkeepsie Journal article.

Many connections here: Andrés trained at Adrià's world-renowned restaurant El Bulli in Spain. Andrés also appeared on an episode of Iron Chef America where CIA President Tim Ryan served as a judge, and Andrés chaired "Spain and the World Table," the prestigious Worlds of Flavor international food conference held in 2006 at the Culinary's Greystone campus in California's Napa Valley. I wrote about that way back when, in this blog post. Yup, it's about gerbil meatballs too. ;-)

Art inspired by food

This sounds yummy!

The exhibit, Art Inspired by Food, a juried regional art show focused on art work inspired by the theme of food, opens Friday (March 13) at the Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery, Vanderlyn Hall, on SUNY Ulster's Stone Ridge campus. The exhibit was judged by Mary Anne Erickson, collagist, painter and co-owner of Woodstock’s Blue Mountain Bistro and Bistro on the Go.

It runs through March 17. Gallery hours are Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and by appointment. The gallery is closed on college holidays.

Honor for HVC magazine's wines columnist

Michael Weiss, Hudson Valley Connoisseur magazine wines columnist, has received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award from the Italian Trade Commission. He shares the honor with fellow Culinary Institute of America Wine Studies Professor Steven Kolpan and Karen MacNeil, chair of the CIA's Professional Wine Studies Program at its California campus. (Weiss, at left in photo, and Kolpan, at right, teach at the CIA's Hyde Park campus.)

Congrats to all, who were honored at the Italian Trade Commission’s Vino 2009 conference "in recognition of noteworthy support of the Wines of Italy in America” and for their “commitment to advancing the understanding, appreciation and sales of Italian wines in the United States."

Hudson River stations inspire artist

For a modern take on the Hudson River as artistic inspiration, there is "A Journey Along the Hudson River Line” -- Frédéric Lére's oil paintings of the 31 train stations along the MTA and Amtrak Hudson River lines. The exhibit will be on display at RiverWinds Gallery at 172 Main Street in Beacon from March 14 though April 6. The artist’s reception will be held during Beacon’s Second Saturday, March 14, from 5-8 p.m.


Here is more about it from the gallery:

Frédéric’s oil paintings are an artistic catalog of the 31 train stations along the MTA and Amtrak Hudson River lines. Each stop on the MTA and Amtrak Hudson River lines is painted, keeping train station and river in sight if possible. Each one is framed in wood, pasted with a collage of train schedules revealing the name of each station in white highlights.

At the beginning of the 19th Century, the first school of American landscape painters explored the dramatic wilderness of the Hudson River. In their footsteps, New York City-based artist Frédéric Lère boarded the train in the summer of 2007 and 2008 to rediscover the Hudson Valley with easel, canvas and oil paint.

Always keeping train stations and river in sight, he found wilderness very close to the city, in places such as Breakneck Ridge or Manitou, as students and science teachers were foraging ponds next to his easel to find rare species of mud minnows. In many stations he also faced the discouraging development of suburbia with its sprawling acres of parking lots. But many treasures could also be found: a church in Cold Spring filled with live music and passionate people, a boat launch in Beacon, or a farmer’s market. In every station, Frédéric met humanity, curiosity and sometimes camaraderie of fellow painters.

Train stations along the Hudson lines played a pivotal role in the development of townships in the valley; they were the pride of the community and built to last, just like banks or churches. A few did not survive the modernization trend of the Seventies. Today, they are rediscovered, protected, and restored, -- although not always as train stations, -- as is the Hudson Valley itself.

Frédéric Lére, after Beaux-Arts studies as well as studies in stone carving and comics in France, arrived in New York in 1984 to specialize in mural painting. He met painter Mark Beard and worked with him on theater sets and decorative painting jobs in New York, as well as in Europe. His friendship with Mark continues today. They are working on murals in New York, Los Angeles, London and Tokyo. In Miami, he met another work partner, Pierre Marcel. Together, they have realized murals in Florida, Russia, France, even cruise-ships.

Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Mondays, noon to 6 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Second Saturdays. Direction at the Web site or by calling 845-838-2880.

Winter dining bargains

These days, especially, everyone likes a bargain. Twenty restaurants in the Warwick Valley are participating in WinterDining, a promotion that offers special menus at 25 percent off regular prices, now through March 8 (daily except on Saturdays).

The program is organized by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and its newly formed Warwick Restaurant Coalition, and includes restaurants in Warwick, Florida, Westtown, Greenwood Lake, Bellvale, Chester, Goshen, Middletown, Sugarloaf and nearby Vernon, NJ.

Here are more details from their news release:

In addition to eating well at reduced cost, diners are encouraged to shop locally and stay over in a cozy bed and breakfast. Shopping is a great draw to the Warwick area and many retailers will be offering special bargains. Six local bed and breakfast establishments are working with the restaurants by featuring mid-week WinterDining rates. Local realtors are supporting the community-wide effort by sponsoring open houses on March 1.

The Warwick Valley is a destination known for its Victorian charm, sense of community, sophisticated culture and distinctly rural character.

For more information about WinterDining in the Warwick Valley call 845-986-2720 or go to www.warwickcc.org. Located in southern Orange County, the Warwick area is close to ski areas and just 55 miles from New York City and 40 miles from White Plains.

CNN to film at Terrapin on Friday

One of CNN's Travel+Leisure segments will be filmed during lunch time tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 27) at Terrapin Red Bistro in Rhinebeck. Chef-owner Josh Kroner will talk about "how he came to make Hudson Valley's premier burgers" and will be pairing them with some local craft brews. The bistro will be open during the filming, (serving those fab burgers -- 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and seating is on a first-come, first served basis. Terrapin Restaurant and Terrapin Red Bistro are at 6426 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck.

Poughkeepsie chef earns spot on Food Network show

Megan Kulpa-Fells, the executive chef and co-owner of The Artist’s Palate wine bar-bistro on Main Street in the City of Poughkeepsie, has been selected to compete on a new show on the Food Network.

You can read about it here.

Checking out the Hudson Valley Seed Library

All it takes is a mid-February snowfall (and a hailstorm, yesterday afternoon) to make my thoughts turn to my summer garden. Or actually, the work I need to do to make sure I have a summer veggie garden once again. (And if ever there is a year when it might be a good idea to have a modern "Victory Garden" - this could be it. Or as Michael Pollan said ...)

That's one reason why a recent e-mail from Ken Greene and the Hudson Valley Seed Library was so timely and welcome. It's a great cause, and I'm going to let Ken tell you the details:

Pack Art
Heirloom Garden Images Past and Present
Two Gallery Shows
Gardiner Library: March 2nd- 30th
Opening Reception and Talk: March 8th, 2-4pm
Catskill Mountain Foundation: April 11th- May 17th
Opening Reception and Talk: April 11th, 4-6pm

The Hudson Valley Seed Library (HVSL) is excited to have its first gallery show of original heirloom artwork created for its seed packs. Curated by HVSL co-founder Ken Greene, this colorful collection of artwork celebrates the diversity of New York's heirloom vegetables, flowers, and herbs. The show features fourteen works of art by eleven New York artists.

Art Packs
The artists featured in the show were commissioned by HVSL to create cover art for the company's seed packaging. Mediums include painting, drawing, collage, paper cutting, ceramics, photography, printmaking, and digital imaging. Two additional pieces accompany each original artwork. One is a framed Art Pack, the shape and layout of which were created by Gardiner-based package design company Treeo Design. The other is a vintage image of the variety taken from HVSL's collection of antique New York seed catalogs. Limited edition prints of the artwork will be for sale.

During each reception, Ken Greene will give a guided tour of the show. Greene will share the stories behind the seeds and artwork and talk about the mission of the Seed Library.

The Hudson Valley Seed Library, which got its start at the Gardiner Library, is now a small homestead-based seed company in Accord, (Ulster County, New York), run by Greene and partner Doug Muller. The HVSL catalog focuses on New York heirlooms and open-pollinated, non-GMO varieties that do well in the Northeast. Some of the seeds are available nowhere else, such as Hank's X-tra Special Baking Bean from Ghent, New York; the original stock for this variety was donated to the Seed Library by former Gardiner Library director Peg Lotvin. In addition to an online catalog of over 50 varieties, which includes the 13 Art Packs and a mix of locally grown and commercially grown seeds, HVSL offers a Seed Library membership program. Members can check out seeds to grow in their gardens and return saved seeds at the end of the season. The Seed Library's long-term goal is to offer an accessible and affordable source of 100% regionally grown seed. To purchase seeds, become a member, or learn more about the Hudson Valley Seed Library, please visit the website.

Come celebrate the diversity of heirloom seeds as seen through the eyes of artists!

The following artists contributed artwork for the 2009 Art Packs:

Michael Asbill: Hank's X-tra Special Baking Bean.
Nancy Blum: Gift Zinnia.
Ryan Cronin: Mammoth Grey Stripe Sunflower.
Jenny Lee Fowler: Nasturtium.
Ayumi Horie: Rat's Tail Radish.
Dani Leventhal: Double Yield Cucumber.
Cassie Quackenbush: Cilantro
Carrie Scanga: Black Valentine Bean.
Sarah Snow: Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Bridge to Paris Pepper, Goldie Tomato.
Michael Truckpile: Dinokale.
Cynthia Winika: Calendula.

Local art AND local plant seeds. How great is that?

Local Valentine's Day dinner!

Our Valentine's Day dinner included items picked up that day at the Winter Farmers Market at the Elmendorph Inn in Red Hook: Game hens from Northwind Farm in Tivoli (which we covered in a garlic-coriander-salt-pepper-olive oil paste and oven roasted with carrots) and baguette from Tivoli Bread & Baking. I believe the olive oil we used came from Leonardo's Italian Market in Rhinebeck and the garlic from Adams Fairacre Farms.

And dessert included DELICIOUS chocolates from Oliver Kita in Rhinebeck!

Shopping local makes sense.

Oh no Domino

Maybe you heard the virtual groan from my friends and I recently when we learned that Domino magazine was shutting down. It was a favorite among national shelter publications – clever and accessible and just plain fun – and I am going to miss reading it.

I struggled with whether I should mention its passing here, on the Good Life blog, which has to do with all the great things about living in the Hudson Valley (not national home design publications.) In the end, I decided I would, because Domino’s passing happens just at the time when we are adding even more features to HVC magazine about LOCAL home design, décor and furnishings. There are great designers, exceptional homes and some exciting marketplaces for home products in the region between New York City and Albany and we’re going to explore them in future issues of HVC.

To that end, I am sending an invitation to folks in our region who feel they have a home, a room, a product, a fave store or an idea that would be great to feature in HVC magazine and/or on this blog. Send me an e-mail at lcoons@hvcmagazine.com and tell me what you’ve got!

Valentine's Day dinner along the Hudson

Here’s a romantic idea – celebrate Valentine's Day with a dinner at one of our region’s fabulous private houses along the Hudson River and benefit the historic Gardeners Cottage restoration project at Clermont State Historic Site. (Two of the houses are shown at right.)

The cost is $75 per person and includes a “red-and-white cocktail reception” at 5:30 p.m. in the Livingston mansion at Clermont (1 Clermont Avenue Germantown), followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. at one of the following homes:

Tracie and Wint Aldrich
Janice Barringer and Rick Griner
Deborah and Peter Barrow
Joan Davidson
John Dobkin
Frank Faulkner and Philip Kesinger
Adelia and Charles Geiger
Alison Guss and Ric Lewit
Kat and Mark Lichter
Hermes Mallea and Carey Maloney
Mary Ellen Ross and Vern Bergelin
...and more

Friends of Clermont recommends making reservations early as space is limited. For more info or reservations, contact Audrey Reifler at 518-537-6622 or via email at fofc@gtel.net.