Cityguide
Beacon, fishkill & Wappingers falls The Hudson Valley
Votes
years of big gay fun
Gay
from alabama to wappingers in the office with
mayor matt alexander ! 1
SPRING 2013 | vol. 2
BGHV Magazine Winter 2012 |!
2 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
hey gurl, hey!
7
new & now
10 5 years of big gay fun 16 cityguide 23 local color 27 out & about 29 voting gay 33 Pride Preview parting shot
!
Photo by Stephan Hengst
Pictured left the richly detailed original site of “Hyde Park On Hudson’s” Wilderstein cottage in Rhinebeck.
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 3
On the Cover The office of Matt Alexander, the openly gay mayor of the Village of Wappingers Falls
Patrick Decker Co-Editor-in-Chief & Designer patrick@biggayhudsonvalley.com Stephan Hengst Co-Editor-in-Chief & Photographer stephan@biggayhudsonvalley.com
Contributors Nora Olsen General Inquiries info@biggayhudsonvalley.com Stay A ‘Mo in the Know Join our mailing list today.
Maureen Sheehan Advertising Manager advertising@biggayhudsonvalley.com
/biggayhudsonvalley @BGHV
BARDSUMMERSCAPE “Bard SummerScape and Bard Music Festival always unearth piles of buried treasures.” — The New Yorker
july 5 – august 18,
2013
Bard SummerScape 2013 presents seven inspired weeks of opera, music, theater, dance, film, and cabaret. The hub of these offerings is the 24th
annual Bard Music Festival, this year examining the life, work, and cultural milieu of the 20th-century Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. SummerScape takes place in the extraordinary Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and other venues on Bard College’s stunning Mid-Hudson Valley campus.
Opera
ORESTEIA
July 26 – August 4
Music by Sergey Taneyev American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Botstein Directed by Thaddeus Strassberger Russian composer Sergey Taneyev’s extraordinary but rarely staged opera conveys the searing drama of Aeschylus’ powerful trilogy about the cursed House of Atreus, from Agamemnon’s fateful return from Troy to the trial of his son Orestes.
Dance/Theater
A RITE
July 6–7
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and SITI Company Choreographer Bill T. Jones and theater director Anne Bogart ’74 join forces to create a new work celebrating the centennial of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Two of America’s leading dance and theater companies unite to explore the impact of one of the 20th century’s most explosive artistic moments.
Theater
July 11–21
World Premiere Adaptation
THE MASTER AND MARGARITA
845-758-7900 fishercenter.bard.edu
Directed by János Szász Adapted by János Szász and Gideon Lester after the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov Hungarian film and stage director János Szász applies his opulent theatrical vision to this adaptation of Bulgakov’s novel—at once a pungent political satire, a magical fantasy, and an unforgettable love story. Suitable for audiences 15 and older (contains nudity)
Bard Music Festival Twenty-fourth Season
STRAVINSKY AND HIS WORLD
Two weekends of concerts, panels, and other events bring the musical world of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky vividly to life. Weekend One August 9–11 Becoming Stravinsky: From St. Petersburg to Paris will trace Stravinsky’s path from his early Russian years to his first great successes in Paris writing for Sergei Diaghilev’s legendary Ballets Russes, most notably the scandalous premiere of The Rite of Spring. Weekend Two August 16–18 Stravinsky Reinvented: From Paris to Los Angeles will explore Stravinsky’s creative output during the interwar years and the music he composed in the United States, where he settled in 1939.
Film Festival
July 12 – August 3
STRAVINSKY’S LEGACY AND RUSSIAN ÉMIGRÉ CINEMA The SummerScape 2013 film festival will be in two parts: a retrospective of Russian exile filmmaking in France and a series of more contemporary films by such directors as Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol.
Spiegeltent
July 5 – August 18
CABARET, MUSIC, FINE DINING, AND MORE Bard’s Belgian “Mirror Tent” returns to SummerScape.
Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
4 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 Photo: © Peter Aaron ’68/Esto
HEY GURL, HEY!
Springtime has sprung! As the 'lowers and trees come to life, we feel a bit like they’re playing catch-‐up. The Hudson Valley has been very busy this year, so expect to see the pages of this second Spring issue of Big Gay Hudson Valley magazine jam packed with lots of things to love. This year Big Gay Hudson Valley turns 'ive years old! Flip over to page 10 to read up on a bit of our big gay history. We hope you have as much fun reading it as we did reliving it! In honor of our cover model, Mayor Matt Alexander of Wap-‐ pingers Falls, we’re devoting two great features to the vil-‐ lage he calls home. Our local color pro'ile of openly gay Mayor Alexander (page 23) is a fascinating and heartfelt look at how a drive to make a difference in a small town brought him from his hometown in Alabama up to the Hud-‐ son Valley. Once you’ve fallen in love with Wappingers Falls through Matt’s eyes, take some notes from our CityGuide for Beacon, Fishkill & Wappingers Falls (page 16) and get out to do a bit of exploring on your own. If you were following along with election season last fall, you may have noticed that the Hudson Valley voted decidedly in favor of gay rights with the of'icials we put into elected of-‐ 'ice. Meet them and hear how important the Hudson Val-‐ ley’s LGBT population is to them on page 29. Have a great spring and drop us a line!
!
P.S. - Please help us to make sure everyone stays a ‘Mo in the Know by sharing this publica- tion on Facebook and Twitter! P.P.S. - We really want to know what you all think of this new issue! Send us your thoughts to info@biggayhudsonvalley.com or visit us on Facebook.
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 5
Think your business can’t benefit from banking at a credit union?
Think again. Spend less and earn more managing your business banking at HVFCU.
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6 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
NEW & NOW
(hudsonchocolates.com)
2
Tell mom you love her with a Mother’s Day brunch on Sun May 12th Brasserie 292!
try out
Get 1 your sugar fix in style at the all-new Hudson Chocolates in Poughkeepsie
!
Brasserie292.com
Poughkeepsie
McKinney & Doyle !
McKinneyandDoyle.com
Pawling
The Crimson Sparrow!thecrimsonsparrow.com Hudson
Spring Honor leaders in the Hudson Valley that have done outstanding work for LGBT youth at GLSEN HV’s 2013 Leadership Awards on April 25th.
3
(glsen.org/hudsonvalley) !
is the perfect time to...
Love a flea market find? So do the guys at local vintage modern emporium Modern Jelly.
4
(etsy.com/shop/modernjelly)
5
Take the kids out to see the “kids”
as the baby goats come out to play at Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie (sproutcreekfarm.org). We also recommend loading up on their cheese while you’re there. It’s world-‐class delicious.
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 7
6
TheCulinaryInstituteofAmerica on Instagram
7
Form a team for the 21st annual Hudson Valley AIDS Walk (arcs.org/AIDSWalk.php)
on Sat May 18th
(bardavon.org)
8 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
(ciachef.edu)
9
Storm King Arts Center
Bardavon.org
8
See legendary lover of the gays - Kathy Griffin - at Kingston’s UPAC Theater on April 21st.
Enjoy world-class cuisine from the chefs of tomorrow at the CIA’s allnew (and very swanky) “Bocuse Restaurant”
Storm King Arts Center (stormking.org) is back open for the season!
make your garden grow with an artist’s pack of heirloom seeds from the gay-owned
ten
Go all “Mary Mary quite contrary” Hudson Valley Seed Library
eleven
(seedlibrary.org)
Liza Minelli is headlining the Bardavon Opera House (bardavon.org) Annual Gala on May 17th in Poughkeepsie. Need we say more?
Enjoy two locally-sourced treats from Hudson Valley purveyors available now from Williams-Sonoma
Breezy Hill Orchard’s (Staatsburg) cider talks a walk on the wild side with their “Hudson Valley Hard Cider Making Kit”
!
twelve
Dutch’s Spirits (Pine Plains) is bring their signature bitters recipe right into your bar with their “Bitters Making Kit”
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 9
years of big gay fun. by the Big Gay Hudson Valley team
Take a walk with us down memory lane as we kick off our fifth year of mapping gay life across the Hudson Valley. 10 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
2009
Woo-Hoo! It’s Alive! Early in 2008, there were a lot of great happenings for the region’s GLBT community that all seemed to happen at the same time. There was no central information resource, so no one knew what anyone else was doing. As gay-focused magazines folded throughout the Valley, we started a blog to document what our friends and community were doing online. We called it like we saw it with a name as big & bold as our backyard: Big Gay Hudson Valley. It started simple and slow, but quickly exploded. Keep reading, you’ll see...
“Hamming” it Up “Canned Ham” was the first live show we brought to town. Starring Catskill resident, Tom Judson, the show documented his life on Broadway, as the adult film star Gus Mattox, and the point where those two worlds came together.
Where It All Began... Created to bring our mission to life, our first ever Pride Preview Party gathered community groups from across the Valley - along with over 400 attendees!! - to a BYO picnic where learned how they could show their pride throughout the season. !
Our First Hudson Valley AIDS Walk It may have been their 17th, but it was BGHV’s first (of many) large-scale public event.
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 11
2010 An Apple A Day Our first-ever “big gay wellness day” at a gayowned health practice in Newburgh showcased local solutions for the specific health needs of the GLBT community.
Takin’ it to the Streets
It Was Simply Spooktacular! We joined forces with ARCS (now “Hudson Valley Community Services”) for a haunting Halloween party like no other to raise funds for their support of HIV-related services throughout the Hudson Valley.
Our first-ever pride float (shaped as the majestic Mid-Hudson Bridge and carrying vintage postcardinspired city signs) graced pride parades in both the City of Hudson & Hudson Valley Pride in New Paltz.
Is That All There Is? Don’t let the white dress fool you - mad mistress of Hudson, Trixie Starr, painted the town red for her hilarious holiday show with co-host Tom Judson. The packed event raised (Pride Preview Party got a funds for PFLAG Hudson facelift with an official logo) Valley. 12 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
2011 ...for the PRO in the Know Demand was high for an event for professionals, thus our monthly PROS networking mixers were born.
The Race to the Gay Altar
The Road to Equality We joined a Hudson Valley contingency at the Empire State Pride Agenda’s “Equality & Justice Day” to lobby lawmakers in Albany to support the pending Marriage Equality bill.
When New York’s Marriage Equality law passed this year, we celebrated with a “Gay & Lesbian Wedding Showcase”, complete with vendors, live music, and a toast with the man who addressed the state Senate the night of the vote, Senator and Mrs. Steven Saland.
Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag We relaunched the site this year, complete with a snappy new tagline. The new design allowed local business owners and event producers to upload listings of their endeavors to help spread word of their happenings to the community. !
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 13
2012
The PROS Meant Business The Stockings Were Hung... We rounded out the year with a well-adorned bit of holiday girl & boylesk. The CunneenHackett Arts Center in Downtown Poughkeepsie hosted “HUNG with Care” - a show that delivered more than a few packages of holiday merriment to the sold-out theater.
Who knew? The PROS became a hit! With an event on the second Tuesday of every month this year, professionals from across the region came together (en masse, no less) to network, connect, and collaborate. They must really mean business.
(we started up this little diddy)
Bursting with Pride! With more than 800 in attendance at last year’s Pride Preview Party, we decided to grow one big event into an entire weekend of activities! Not only did it give our local community more to enjoy, it also brought many tourists up from NYC to hang with our big gay community. 14 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
coming in 2013
Celebrate Carnifall! It’s only fitting that two of our favorite things should find their way together. This fall we’ll be celebrating the best of the season with the magic, mystery, and wonder of a classic carnival (with a big gay twist, of course).
PROS On the Move Look for the PROS to expand throughout the region with mixers hosted in Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Cold Spring, Beacon, and more!
Growing the Gay Marketplace Our local business community is ripe with organizations that welcome and support the GLBT community. Our one-day “Gay & Lesbian Tourism Conference” will help these groups to speak to the culture of our community and learn how to make their voice & their offerings more inclusive.
Our Baby is Growing Up! They just grow up so fast, don’t they? This Memorial Day our biggest event of the year Pride Preview Weekend - turns five years old! Mark your calendar now because this three day extravaganza is a birthday party you absolutely won’t want to miss! !
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 15
CITYGUIDE
Beacon, fishkill & wappingers falls by Nora Olsen The charm of an old world village [clockwise from left] Wappingers Falls is quilted with preserved heritage details; a positive
affirmation in a Beacon window; Graceland Tatoo’s beautiful lady (Wappingers Falls)
It's rare that you hear of art revitalizing a city, but that is truly what has happened to the small city of Beacon. A former factory town, Beacon is now
16 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
A Night On The Town Sporty outdoors types may come to the area to hike or rent a kayak and paddle on the Hudson, while artsy folks may come to visit Dia:Beacon. But when night falls, everyone has to eat. Those who enjoy spicy food will love Tanjore (Indian) or Café
Photos by Stephan Hengst
best known as an art destination. Beacon is home to world-‐class art museum Dia:Beacon as well as many small galleries, but remains true to its work-‐ ing class heritage. Lifelong residents and recent transplants to the area have worked together to create a dynamic downtown with a busy calendar of special events. With its racial & cultural diver-‐ sity, easy access to nature, historic sites, and a population bursting with creativity, Beacon is an exciting place to visit and to live.
Wappingers Falls, like Beacon, is also a former in-‐ dustrial center, with many attractively renovated factory buildings, a vibrant main street, and several beauty spots. Nearby Fishkill is one of the fastest growing towns in the county and boasts many at-‐ tractions of its own, including the best Indian res-‐ taurant outside of India. Perhaps the area's most unique treasure is Bannerman's Island, which 'loats in the middle of the Hudson River.
Maya (Mexican) in Fishkill, or Sukhothai (Thai) in Beacon. For some 'ine Italian food, bring your date to Brothers Trattoria or the slightly more upscale Café Amarcord, both in Beacon. Have a glass of wine at gay-‐owned Chill Wine Bar in Beacon, which regularly offers live jazz music. Then fall into your Victorian bed at Swann Inn or Chrystie House Bed & Breakfast. A Day Trip on the Cheap Take a walk in Beacon in Dennings Point State Park, Madam Brett Park, or hike up Mount Beacon. Or enjoy the grounds of Kagyu Thub-‐ ten Choling Buddhist temple in Wappingers Falls. Bike across the Newburgh Bridge, and get a breath-‐taking view of the Hudson. After all that exertion, grab a burger at Poppy's in Beacon. Or stuff yourself at the vast buffet at Tanjore in Fishkill, and then sweat out the spices next door at the sauna and steam room at Gold's Gym, for a $10 day pass. Any summer weekday evening you can sail up the Hudson in style, for free, on the sloop Woody Guthrie. On the second Saturday of every month, all the contemporary art galleries on Beacon's Main Street have openings. While you're there, check out wine tastings at Artisan Wine and glass blowing demonstrations at Hudson Beach Glass. Well Worth The Trip Riverfest is a concert on Beacon's waterfront in June, then in July hundreds of people swim across the Hudson from Newburgh to Beacon (River Swim.) Well-‐known artists create their art live in the street and then install it on the exterior of a former electric blanket factory, in an event called Electric Windows. In Septem-‐ ber, artists in Beacon open their studios to the public for one weekend (Beacon Open Stu-‐ dios.) Then the town goes wild for Halloween with a Zombie Parade, screening of Rocky Hor-‐ ror, and Hocus Pocus parade for costumed children. A Dog Parade and Strawberry Festi-‐ val round out the year nicely. Where industry and culture commingle [right] The aban-‐
doned factory buildings that hug Beacon Falls at the east end of town have become public canvases for the city’s many resident artists. !
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 17
for your consideration
shop
Alps Sweet Shop [Fishkill] This chocolate factory and shop has been here since 1922 and is a local treasure. They hand-make dozens of different chocolates. 269 Main Street; Beacon; with a second shop at 1054 Main Street in Fishkill
Artisan Wine Shop [Beacon] Comprehensive wine store owned by two CIA graduates, with wine tastings every Friday and Saturday. Beacon Barkery [Beacon] A pet supply store that serves gourmet, handmade doggie biscuits. Beacon D'Lites [Beacon] Locally made soy candles that smell scrumptious. If you buy a large glass jar candle, when it is all burned up you can bring it back and they will refill it for a pittance—talk about green! Clay, Wood & Cotton [Beacon] This charmingly curated boutique for hobbyists features gifts, trinkets, tchotchkes, and more yarn than you can shake a needle at. Hudson Beach Glass [Beacon] Everything you can imagine made of glass, by local and national artisans. Glass blowing demonstrations and classes. Lady Gray Bridal Shop [Beacon] The marvelous mother-daughter team that runs this shop is welcoming, knowledgeable, and supremely competent. They are happy to help lesbian brides choose their dresses. Mountaintops [Beacon] This outdoor gear store has a great selection, friendly owners, and offers kayaking and snowshoeing tours and rentals. Moxie's [Beacon] The most upscale of the hairdressers in Beacon. Stylish local lesbians rave about the hairdresser named Dia. Nesting Dolls [Wappingers Falls] You can't miss this bright pink barnlike structure that sells, yes, nesting dolls, gifts, and Russian memorabilia. A unique experience. Vogel Pharmacy [Beacon] Why stop at a ‘big box store’ when you can go to a charming mom & pop pharmacy that has been around for forty years?
Retail Therapy [from top to bottom] A pack of tea towels available at Bea-‐
con’s ‘Clay, Wood & Cotton’; The Beacon Barkery’s wall ‘o collars; Handmade ‘Woofie Pies’ are just one of the many handmade canine treats available at the Beacon Barkery. 18 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
for your consideration
eat
Bank Square [Beacon] Excellent coffee, delicious treats, comfortable seating, wireless internet, and friendly baristas. They have hosted several social events for the LGBT community. Chill Wine Bar [Beacon] This gay-owned wine bar is a comfy place to relax with a drink. Chill often has live music or special events. Café Amarcord [Beacon] The most upscale restaurant in Beacon, Amarcord serves fine Italian food and has a nice, quiet bar. Café Maya [Wappingers Falls] This popular and authentic Mexican restaurant serves good food and sometimes has a Mariachi singer serenading the diners. Homespun Foods [Beacon] This café serves lovely food, has a delightful courtyard in the back, and is especially notable for its weekend brunch. Laby's Pizza [Beacon] Their non-pizza dishes are also recommended. Affectionately known as "Labia's" by local lesbians. Max's on Main [Beacon] A nice bar that serves great food, and regularly has live music. They love to have lesbians come in on Ladies Night (Wednesdays). Monterosa Lodge [Fishkill] A genuine hidden treasure! This Italian restaurant has been tucked away on the top of a mountain since 1958. All the food is served family-style; they have pig roasts; and there is an outdoor seating area. Poppy's [Beacon] This burger joint serves local, organic, grass-fed beef burgers; veggie burgers; and fries. Some of the best fast food in the Hudson Valley. The Roundhouse at Beacon Falls [Beacon] Home to a variety of great spaces including the restaurant Swift, and it’s super-hipster cocktail lounge, most seats in the dining room and the bar overlook the Beacon Falls. Tomato Café [Fishkill] Pizza, sandwiches, pasta, Sunday brunch, outdoor dining.
Come Hungry! [from top to bottom] Poppy’s colorful and conscientious
windows; Chill Wine Bar; Tomato Cafe’s namesake inspired outdoor seating artwork; Cafe Amacord’s vintage modern wall art. !
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 19
for your consideration
stay Swann Inn [Beacon] A charming blue Victorian home with a view at the foot of Mount Beacon.
Chrystie House Bed & Breakfast [Beacon] A charming 19th Century house the stuff that “rustic country getaways” are made of.
Mount Beacon Bed and Breakfast [Beacon] A nice B & B, with fireplaces in some rooms. Long walk to the train station.
Botsford Briar [Beacon] You will be amazed by this magnificent purple Victorian. A short walk from the train station for those traveling without a car!
A place to call home [from top to bottom] Swann Inn’s charming
gingerbread facade; the ‘French Country Room’ at the Mount Beacon Bed and Breakfast; Chrystie House Bed & Breakfast’s bright, airy foyer. 20 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
All photos courtesy of respective websites
“
t Visit BigGayHudsonValley.com and click on the CityGuide link to read the complete list of “must-see” spots.
for your consideration
play Bannerman's Island Arsenal [Beacon] Absolutely one of the coolest things you can do is take a boat tour to Bannerman's Island and explore this crumbling castle in the middle of the Hudson, built long ago by a mad millionaire to store his weaponry. Kayak tours to the castle are available though Mountaintops The Beacon [Beacon] A beautiful old theater, dark since the 1960's, is now under restoration. Concerts and screenings are held to raise money for the renovation. County Players [Wappingers Falls] A wonderful community theater company; they put on great shows and a subscription is very affordable. Dia:Beacon [Beacon] occupying a former Nabisco box printing facility built in 1929, the Dia Art Foundation opened Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries to house its renowned permanent collection of major works of art from the 1960s to the present. A must see when visiting Beacon! The Howland Center [Beacon] In a striking historic building, the Howland Center promotes the lively arts by hosting many performances and events of all kinds. Hudson Valley Auctioneers [Beacon] Attend a live antiques auction! Kagyu Thubten Choling [Wappingers Falls] A golden-domed Buddhist temple, cunningly tucked away so that it's visible from the river but not the road. Roam the peaceful grounds. Mount Beacon [Beacon] Even the out-of-shape can manage to hike up the mile up Mount Beacon. At the summit, you'll feel it was worth it as you take in the scenery and the remnants of the old incline railway currently being restored. River Pool [Beacon] An innovative floating pool in the Hudson River provides a place to swim during the hot summer months.
Feel like a kid again [from top to bottom] The crumbling facade of
Bannerman’s Castle; County Players Theatre’s ever-‐rotating marquee; Dia:Beacon’s convenient waterfront location; Beacon’s active & walkable waterfront district is lined with things to do. !
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 21
Closer than you think, Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-class arts, culture, food, beverage, entertainment, historical, and LGBT attractions give a sense of community pride to any traveler. Plan your next getaway to LGBT Toronto at TravelGayCanada.com
Toronto is hosting WorldPride in 2014! Visit PrideToronto.com to start planning your visit now! 22 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
LOCAL COLOR
Matt Alexander
Mayor, Village of Wappingers Falls The Basics: Four-Term Mayor of Wappingers Falls Age: 46! ! Marital Status: Partnered Originally from Alabama, Alexander hails from Mobile, where he was raised on the Gulf Coast. Schooled throughout the Southeast U.S., he came to NY with his family when his father took a position at the Military Academy at West Point.
What inspired you to run for Mayor of Wappingers Falls?
I had moved all over as a kid around the Southeast (about a dozen times before I was 18). So when I graduated from college, I was not in the mood to move again. However, after living in Cornwall for 12 years, I ended up falling in love with the older homes and historical atmosphere of the Village of Wappingers Falls. I have had the great opportunity to see the revitalization of a great number of homes in our very large historic district. My partner and I opened an antique store – Stone Bridge Antiques on East Main Street in 2002. After organizing ourselves to open there, I found myself looking for a way to use my skills from my former career on Wall Street and private industry. I had been a CPA downtown and then become a Chief Financial Officer of a start-up company in the recycling industry, afterwards. Working in an antique store on a Village main street was interesting and fun, but left my wheels spinning while I waited for customers to come in all day. I found myself getting to know the day to day issues of the community. I was put on the Planning Board in 2002, Elected to the Village Board in 2006 and then became the mayor in 2007. Since then, I have enjoyed this job more than any other, I have ever had. It really is gratifying to plan for change, make change and see the results come to fruition. And Wappingers Falls is a great challenge. I hope to help all the people here who have already been engaged in the great effort to make change through revitalization come to our Village. It is a very special place in the Hudson Valley. In being mayor, I have had the great privilege of working with a fine community. Its been demanding and rewarding and I love working on the issues that main street America faces every day. !
“
t Fun fact: Wappingers Falls VIllage Hall - which houses Matt’s office - is a former post office erected as part of FDR’s WPA project
Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013 | 23
Were you ever concerned about running for Mayor as an openly gay man? It was interesting especially coming from a very conservative background. Running for public office, knocking on doors, talking to people you don’t know and selling yourself as a person who has their best interests at heart was a risk for me. And as a gay man, I had to deal with a certain amount of old fears surrounding getting out there and soliciting approval from people. That said, campaigning in the Hudson Valley was a cake walk compared to being down South in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. I found this community to be quite unconcerned with the fact that I was gay. So after seeing the lay of the land and realizing that my orientation was a big nonissue, I allowed myself to fully dream this idea of being mayor. The job was in my DNA – I have many politicians in my family on both sides. However, I don’t think I ever considered it as a possibility because of the really harsh environment from which I came. When the opportunity arose here, I jumped at it. I think it is a testament to the Village and their acceptance. When I was running for Mayor, Jason West was marrying same sex couples in New Paltz. A very small minority in my community asked if I was running so I could perform same-sex weddings. Marriage equality seemed to be an issue that this community was not ready to face 24 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
while it had some of its more basic needs un-met. Here in the Village in 2006 and 2007, we needed drinking water and there were (and are) some very serious challenges that all residents here faced. I responded to people that I wanted to work on our common issues of great concern first. If anything, I felt that people here needed to realize that local issues were just as important to me as they were to them. I took the responsibility of representation seriously. I think that was one of the most important messages my service addressed. LGBT people could just be your next door neighbor who were just as concerned about infrastructure, quality of life and the environment - and even the property tax bill that accompanied them. People saw that and I think changed in their ability to relate to a gay man in a political position.
How has the community accepted you as their Mayor? I feel very accepted, loved and appreciated here in this village. We can be tough on each other, but when the going gets tough in our town, we band together and work together to help each other in a way that is quite beautiful. Our Village is really a great example of why walkable sustainable communities are so important. The village successfully mixes different classes of people all together from many different backgrounds in a nonthreatening environment where people live closely next to each other and get to know each other in a very interesting way. I suppose that in all my moving around, I was still very much a small town boy from Alabama. When I go back down South to visit relatives, I see the communities and relationships that I idealized as a child. I moved around and didn’t really experience the kind of “community” that my cousins did. I had a kind of rosy view of that experience. And living here in Wappingers Falls, I have really immersed myself in it. – Interesting there is a lot of local speculation that Wappingers Falls was the setting for “It’s a Wonderful Life” and I certainly see it here in the community. I am so happy for being here and getting to have that sense of community in a world that doesn’t have that in as many places as it once had.
What's the best kept secret about Wappingers Falls that visitors should be aware of? Ahh there are so many really good juicy secrets here; we're a regular Peyton Place! Visitors should be aware of the underlying quiet unique quality of the people of this Village. I love the architectural and cultural diversity of Wappingers Falls; and we have some really incredible historic structures in our Village. Be sure to visit the Delis in the Village on Market Street, go to Quiet Man on East Main Street, stop in to the Groundhog Café, or check out a show at the County Players. Be sure to come for the annual Arts Festival in Mesier Park on May 18th. One of my favorite local experiences is a trip to Wappinger Lake; the largest watershed in Dutchess County. The lake is 88 acres and from my house on the water, I have seen eagles, hawks, falcons, muskrats, fox not to mention the boaters, fish, fishermen and ice skaters. The lake is in need of a
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great deal of protection and remediation, as it has been severely damaged by sediment laden with phosphorous which has severely compromised it as a waterbody. It currently sits on the state’s Priority Waterbody List and is in great need of attention from our upper level politicians. That being said, the view is incredible, the beauty and the wildlife the lake supports is astonishing.
What's your favorite local thing to eat/ drink? Being from the South, I love buttery sauces, fried food, red meat. Of course, I do love food of all kinds; my best meal ever was at American Bounty at the CIA in Hyde Park. I do enjoy cooking love to cook Italian with lots of olive oil, garlic and red pepper – love wine – red, white, rose like trying different wines that go well with good food – whether its cabernet with a cheeseburger (a la Double O) or good crisp Riesling with pork medallions and apple sauce.
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Do you have future political aspirations? I ran for Congress in a hotly contested 5 way race which included our present out gay congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. I had a message which said that we are missing the connection from our local political leaders on main street up to the County, State and Federal levels. From where I sit, I see many missed opportunities for upper level politicians to work on issues which need attention. The environmental issues that the Hudson Valley suffers from aren’t as sexy as an anti-fracking agenda which draws wealthy celebrity donors. My village is very representative of many other communities throughout the Hudson Valley. It suffers from a failing infrastructure which needs tens of millions of dollars of attention, superfund sites which were abandoned by unregulated businesses that left environmental messes for others to clean up, a water quality problem that is in dire need of attention. All of these issues have been with this community for decades.
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Running for a congress in 2012, as a political representative of a poorer community, was a message that the 18th district of New York was not prepared for. I wasn’t particularly prepared for how tremendously challenging it would be to get my message out to the voting population. I failed to capture the imagination of voters and sell myself as a national politician. I learned a great deal from the experience, and I am open to growing from my past experiences running for political office and finding my way to the next way of serving my community. I can tell you this that I will continue to work in the public sector because it really turns me on. Being a participating agent in positive change is a great high. I was pleased to have just met with our new congressman, who happens to be an out gay man. I can tell that he is a politician that is very concerned with partnering with local, county and State leaders to effect positive change throughout his district.
On March 27th, BGHV hosted our 'irst-‐ever Gay & Lesbian Tourism Conference in Poughkeepsie. For this all-‐day professional development retreat, nearly 100 local business owners, tourism operators, and elected of'icials put their heads to-‐ gether to brainstorm new ways to at-‐ tract gay & lesbian visitors to our region.
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Photos: Kraig with a “K”
OUT & ABOUT
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VOTING GAY
This past fall, the Hudson Valley’s scales tipped in favor of gay rights as several gay-affirming officials were elected into office.
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We gave each of them a chance to introduce themselves to our community and let us know what they’re most excited about as they settle into office. Here’s what they had to say...
Sean Patrick Maloney
US Representative, New York’s 18th Congressional District
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Didi Barrett
New York State Assembly, 106th District
Mike Hein
Ulster County Executive
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Letter from the Desk of Representative Sean Patrick Maloney It is a tremendous honor to serve all the hardworking families in the Hudson Valley, and in January, I was proud to be sworn into office standing next to my son, two daughters, and partner, Randy. Over the last two months, we’ve hit the ground running both in Washington and the Hudson Valley including opening a new office in Newburgh. I’ve spent the past few weeks in the Hudson Valley visiting every county in the district and holding nearly 100 district events and meetings including a few town halls. Creating jobs and boosting the economy must be our priority and I look forward to working with folks on both sides of the aisle to ensure small businesses, manufacturers and entrepreneurs have the tools they need to grow. We can partner with communities to create high-tech manufacturing hubs, reform our tax code to encourage hiring and invest in American infrastructure. From my time working in the Clinton White House and running my own business, I know these strategic investments have a powerful impact on job growth around the country and in the Hudson Valley. Down in Washington, I’ve been focused on fixing our budget and important issues left over from last Congress like the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Hurricane Sandy relief. One of the reasons that I ran for office was to turn the page on the extremists of the Tea Party. Congress needs to focus on working together to get things done – not partisan bickering. I also hope to be a strong voice in Congress for fairness and full equality under federal law. While working in the Governor’s office in New York, I helped draft the original marriage equality bill which was signed into law in 2011. I have been a strong supporter of the immediate repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and passage of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. This month, I joined my colleagues in filing an amicus brief on the DOMA case before the U.S. Supreme Court. What’s special about our district is that it looks like America and the gay and lesbian community is a vibrant part of the Hudson Valley area. I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to represent all the folks from the Hudson Valley in Congress and as always, I welcome conversation on any issue facing you or your family.
Sean Patrick Maloney US Representa,ve, New York’s 18th Congressional District 30 | Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine Spring 2013
THE ASSEMBLY STATE OF NEW YORK ALBANY DIDI BARRETT th Assemblymember 106 District
COMMITTEES Aging Agriculture Economic Development, Job Creation and Industry Mental Health Veterans’ Affairs
Hello Friends, I’m delighted to be greeting you in Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine at this particular moment, what I truly believe is a Hudson Valley moment. This beautiful region has so much to offer -- so many natural, cultural, historic and agricultural resources. So many great educational institutions, state parks and national historic sites. So many extraordinary people -- most of whom live here because they love the region and they love the sense of community that is so much a part of the region. I believe in the power of community. By working together we can create a sustainable economy here in the Hudson Valley with jobs that stay local and businesses that tap into those very things we love about the region. If folks need evidence of the tremendous potential of a community working together we need only look at the passage of Marriage Equality in New York State which resulted in large part from the Hudson Valley LGBTQ community and friends making their voices heard to change a vote that made history. I am passionate about the Hudson Valley. I have deep roots in the region . My grandfather and great uncle first bought a farm in Ancramdale, in Columbia County, in 1937. Fifty years later my husband David and I bought our lovely old farmhouse in Dutchess County in which we raised our children Alec and Annabel, now both young adults. We have a responsibility to future generations to ensure that they too can enjoy this region for many years to come. I represent the Hudson Valley with this in mind every day, working with local organizations, businesses and individuals that share my passion for the region. In all aspects, my friends in the LGBTQ community have been critical working partners and treasured allies. Together we will make sure that this very special region remains vital, vibrant and beautiful for the next generation. How lucky we all are to live, work and love here in the Hudson Valley. Yours very truly,
Didi Barrett Member of Assembly, 106th District ALBANY OFFICE: Room 532, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 • 518-455-5177, FAX: 518-455-5418 DISTRICT OFFICE: 7578 North Broadway, Suite 4, Red Hook, New York 12571 • 845-758-9790, FAX: 845-758-9794 EMAIL: barrettd@assembly.state.ny.us
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visit BigGayHudsonValley.com for all the details! !
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