November 2023: Fall in the Catskills

Catskill Mountain Region

GUIDE

NOVEMBER 2023 COMPLIMENTARY issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Fall in the Catskills

WITH A SPECIAL SECTION

The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway Including the Village of Phoenicia

Shopping | Dining | Lodging | Fairs & Festivals Attractions | Services | And More!

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COVER

IN THIS ISSUE 8 CATSKILLS PAST: The Catskills Through His Eyes

by T.M. Bradshaw

11 DCCF HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR 12 SPECIAL SECTION: The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway

12 UNLOCKING THE TREASURES OF THE CATSKILLS

15 BUSINESSES ALONG THE BYWAY

Photo courtesy of KathodeRay Media, Inc.

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24 VISIT PHOENICIA 29 Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Dance Program presents THE NUTCRACKER

32 AUTUMN IN THE CATSKILLS

Jessica Murphy

52 BASICALLY BACH: Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra Returns to Tannersville

by Sarah Beling

54 A FEAST OF BOOKS

by Jen Schwartz

56 ONCE UPON A TIME

by Joan Oldknow

60 A GREENE COUNTY GARDEN IN NOVEMBER: Leaf Color Harmonies

by Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson

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61 PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO: Still Lifes of Decay Photographs by John Graham Tucker

68 THE GREAT OUTDOORS

by Jeff Senterman

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72 WINDHAM ARTS ALLIANCE: Art in Small Packages

73 WINDHAM MOUNTAIN CLUB: Plans for 2023/2024 Season & Beyond

74 A GRATEFUL HEART IN THE HEART OF THE CATSKILLS

by Greg Madden

76 CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION 25TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMING ARTS SEASON

80 DONATE TO THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

81 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Marina Ostrovska, “Memories of My Homeland in Ukraine”

88 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide VOLUME 38, NUMBER 11 November 2023 PUBLISHERS Peter Finn, Chairman, Catskill Mountain Foundation Sarah Finn, President, Catskill Mountain Foundation EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION Sarah Taft ADVERTISING SALES Barbara Cobb Hillary Morse CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Leighton G. Ashley, Sarah Beling, T.M. Bradshaw, Holly Cohen, Shane Cooper, Mary Anne & Richard Erickson, Angie Firmalino, Dahlia & Bryan Graham, Greg Madden, Joan Oldknow, Dave Pillard, Aaron Rice, Amy Rosen, Jen Schwartz, Jeff Senterman, sun ok, Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson, Martin Torres, John Graham Tucker, and Colin D. Young. Additional content by Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, KathodeRay Media, Quail Hollow Events, Windham Arts Alliance, & Windham Mountain Club.

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ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE Candy McKee Tiffany Babcock & Hillary Morse PRINTING Catskill Mountain Printing Services DISTRIBUTION Catskill Mountain Foundation EDITORIAL DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: November 6

The Catskill Mountain Region Guide is published 12 times a year by the Catskill Mountain Foundation, Inc., Main Street, PO Box 924, Hunter, NY 12442. If you have events or programs that you would like to have covered, please send them by e-mail to tafts@ catskillmtn.org. Please be sure to furnish a contact name and include your telephone number and e-mail address. To receive submission guidelines send a request to tafts@catskillmtn.org.

The liability of the publisher for any error for which it may be held legally responsible will not exceed the cost of space ordered or occupied by the error. The publisher assumes no liability for errors in key numbers. The publisher will not, in any event, be liable for loss of income or profits or any consequent damages.

The Catskill Mountain Region Guide office is located in Hunter Village Square in the Village of Hunter on Route 23A.

The magazine can be found on-line at www.catskillmtn.org by clicking on the “Magazine” button, or by going directly to issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide 8,000 copies of the Catskill Mountain Region Guide are distributed each month. It is distributed free of charge at tourist information offices, restaurants, lodgings, retailers and other businesses throughout Greene, Delaware and Ulster counties, and at the Empire State Plaza Visitor Center in Albany.

Home delivery of the Guide magazine is available, at an additional fee, to annual members of the Catskill Mountain Foundation at the $100 membership level or higher. ©2000 Catskill Mountain Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The Catskill Mountain Region Guide is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All photographic rights reside with the photographer.

THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION 7971 MAIN STREET, P.O. BOX 924 HUNTER, NY 12442 PHONE: 518 263 2000 • FAX: 518 263 2025 WWW.CATSKILLMTN.ORG

Scan to purchase tickets

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Du Bois Fenelon Hasbrouck, Autumn Landscape, 1886, oil on canvas, 24 1/4 x 16 1/4 in. (61.5 x 41.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Frederick Fairchild Sherman in memory of Eloise Lee Sherman, 1913.7.1

Catskills Past

The catskills through his eyes

By T.M. Bradshaw

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uBois Fenelon Hasbrouck was born July 1, 1860 in Pine Hill, New York. He was the fourth of eight children of Josiah L. Hasbrouck and Mary Smith Hasbrouck. His father was listed on various censuses as a farmer and as a carpenter. By the 1870s, the family was also running a boardinghouse, as it was a time of burgeoning tourism in the Catskills. When J. G. Brown, an artist with a successful career painting street urchins, stayed at the Hasbrouck establishment, Crystal Spring Cottage, he spent his time sketching and painting landscapes, a subject he preferred to his highly popular waifs. Young DuBois was fascinated. He cobbled together his own supplies—house paint, scrap lumber, and brushes fashioned from animal hairs—to try his hand at the art form. Brown was so impressed by the boy’s efforts, he gifted him with brushes, tubes of paint, and canvases.

Josiah Hasbrouck thought that his son should be paying attention to responsibilities around the farm instead of painting pictures and smashed his paint box. DuBois was not deterred by this.

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Another summer boarder, the Reverend Howard Crosby, Chancellor of the University of the City of New York (now NYU), purchased a few paintings by DuBois and encouraged him to study art and make it his career. Crosby arranged for room and board in New York City, which allowed Hasbrouck to spend three months studying perspective drawing at Cooper Union in 1878, the only formal art training he would ever have. For the next six years Hasbrouck lived part time in the city and part time in the Catskills, doing photoengraving work for a living and painting for himself. On the 1880 census, at the age of 19, he reported his occupation as “painter.”

In 1884 Hasbrouck exhibited a painting for the first time, in the National Academy Exhibition. He is listed in the Academy’s exhibition catalogs through 1889 at various addresses in Manhattan, all in the vicinity of Lexington Avenue with cross streets in the 20s. One author who has written about Hasbrouck, Clara Baur, became interested in him because her husband’s grandfather, who owned a tavern on East 23 Street, owned a number of

Hasbrouck paintings, acquired because that’s how Hasbrouck paid his bar tab.

Many newspaper accounts of exhibitions around the country noted Hasbrouck’s name as being among the group of artists who had sold work. Two such references appeared in a New York Times column called “Art Notes”—in November 1886 a mention that of six paintings that had sold for $150 each at the Louisville Exposition, two were by Hasbrouck; in 1895 the Times noted that of the 588 works presented at the St. Louis Exposition, just 65 had been sold, Hasbrouck’s among them. Hasbrouck also showed work at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The painting he showed there, “Winter Morning in the Catskills” sold to James W. Ellsworth for $1,500, the equivalent of about $50,000 today.

One of Hasbrouck’s commercial clients was the Catskill Mountain Breeze and Tourist’s Guide, a summer-only publication based in New York City. It listed visitors to the mountains, where they were staying, what activities were available. Hasbrouck provided the Breeze with sketches and short news snippets about resorts and boarding houses around Pine Hill—his family’s among them. The Ulster & Delaware Railroad was another client. Hasbrouck traveled extensively on the line, sketching along the way. From 1883 through 1899 his artwork graced the railroad’s tourist brochures, specialexcursion fliers, and annual catalogs, which were books of around 100 pages, generously illustrated with drawings and some photographs.

Yet another guest at the Hasbrouck family boardinghouse had a lifelong impact on Hasbrouck, Mrs. Ada B. Cook.

She was twelve years older than Hasbrouck, was separated from her husband, and lived with her three children in her father’s home in New Jersey. The two fell in love; she divorced her husband and 18 months later married Hasbrouck on November 29, 1889.

Ada became Hasbrouck’s anchor. He had two significant problems that threatNovember 2023 • GUIDE 9

tical titles but for their dates: “Sugar Shack in the Woods,” Apple Trees,” “Spring,” “Winter Woods.” He was primarily known as a painter of winter, but in 1913 he received a letter about a blue sky autumn painting he had made almost thirty years earlier.

Mr. Rathbun, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in charge of the National Gallery, wrote to Hasbrouck with several questions regarding a painting that had just been donated to the museum. Could Hasbrouck provide the location in the painting? Should restrictions be placed on photographic requests?

Hasbrouck replied swiftly and enthusiastically, although not with the information Rathbun was seeking:

Both images on this page: Hasbrouck’s drawings from the 1894 Ulster & Delaware Railroad’s annual Catskill Mountains. Retrieved from the Library of Congress <www.loc.gov/item/01014059/>

ened his stability—he was a heavy drinker, possibly as a form of self-medicating to deal with his mental problems. Whenever Ada was away, Hasbrouck’s delusional episodes would take hold.

He was committed to the state mental hospital in Middlebrook in April 1900 and again in November 1901, each time for a few months. Over the years, numerous newspaper items referred to Hasbrouck’s health as “much improved,” or “restored.” Each restoration, of course, must have been preceded by a period of being very unwell. His mental status was on a long-term roller coaster ride.

Hasbrouck’s U & D railroad trips had allowed him to compare and evaluate the different towns along the line. He first arrived in Stamford in 1896, and in 1898 was commissioned to paint Dr. Stephen Churchill’s new Rexmere Hotel. After a few more visits, the couple decided to settle there in 1904. Two qualities likely informed that decision—a very large summer population of monied tourists who might buy art and, some authors suggest, Ada’s belief that the “dry” status of the towns of Stamford and Harpersfield would limit her husband’s drinking. A ready market for artwork proved to be true, but as the village of Stamford and its hotels were exempt from the blue law, the location might not have had as much of an impact on Hasbrouck’s drinking as Ada had hoped.

Images of Hasbrouck’s studio on postcards sold in the village made it easy to find and Hasbrouck welcomed visitors there. It was something of a museum filled with artifacts that the painter found interesting: clay pipes, wasp nests, tomahawks, antique chairs, and Ada’s piano, because he loved to listen to her play while he painted.

Hasbrouck’s paintings show the closeup, intimate views a person might see while out for a walk in the countryside—meandering streams, collapsing sheds, finely delineated branches and leaves, footprints in the snow. His usual palette was subdued, with grays, browns, muted blues and greens, and pale frosted sunset oranges. Titles were not his strong suit; multiple paintings had iden10 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Dear Mr. Rathbun, Your letter regarding my picture Autumn Landscape has been received—and I am pleased to hear that one of my paintings has fallen into such good hands.

I have no idea what the subject is or when it was painted— for I have painted many Autumn Landscapes—I only hope that it is a good example of my work.

I have never copyrighted any of my work—and I know not of any having been copyrighted unless some black & white work that I did years ago for etching &c. I feel your restrictions are everything that could be desired, and I was told only yesterday by a lady from Washington that your gallery is the finest in the world.

America will soon lead the world in Art—for truth must prevail and it is only proper the National Museum should secure the best that our country produces.

Thanking you for your courtesy Sincerely yours Dubois Fenelon Hasbrouck

Shortly after Hasbrouck wrote to Rathbun, an item in the Gilboa Monitor noted that Hasbrouck had spent the night in the woods after experiencing some sort of episode that incapacitated him. In May 1916 he suffered what the newspapers called “a paralytic stroke.” And in September 1917 Hasbrouck died from what was likely another stroke. He is buried in Stamford Cemetery, along with Ada, who joined him there in 1926.

T. M. Bradshaw shares other thoughts on history at tmbradshawbooks.com.

Left: Mug, bowl and vase by Jessica Murphy. Right: Pendant by Georgianna Koulianos Designs

Dutchess Community College Foundation

Holiday Craft Fair

The 51st Annual Holiday Craft Show Returns, With Quail Hollow Events at the Helm

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he Dutchess Community College Foundation Holiday Craft Fair, which celebrated its semicentennial anniversary last year, offers Hudson Valley locals and visitors the opportunity to shop small (and support handmade!) Thanksgiving weekend. For the first time this fall, the foundation is partnering with Quail Hollow Events in the promotion and organization of the decades-old fair. Quail Hollow may be best known as the team behind the celebrated biannual Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair, which rounded out its fourth decade last year.

Boasting just over 100 artists, the fair has become a holiday shopping tradition for many in the region, and one that stands in stark opposition to the Black Friday culture propagated by Big Box Stores. Now entering its 51st year, the fair presents an alternative to the frenzied buying experience that Black Friday consumers experience. This is not a festival for imported or massproduced products; everything onsite is handmade, with the artist or maker in attendance. Like Quail Hollow’s other events, this one is juried, with exhibitors thoughtfully selected to ensure a balanced assortment of handmade art, crafts, and goodies that vary widely in terms of style and taste.

Visitors will find holiday favorites, like fresh, locally sourced wreaths, delicate holiday ornaments, and tasty treats, but these seasonal staples are part of a broader sea of handcrafted pieces.

The event will showcase a bevy of skilled artists and makers in over 10 media categories. Rows of carefully curated booths will display something for every taste – and for everyone on your gift list – from fine art and photography, to ceramics, jewelry,

woodwork, fiber (both wearable and decorative), specialty foods, and small-batch cosmetic products like candles and soaps. Find heirloom-quality wall art and ceramics, display-worthy cutting boards, wearable art like sweater-scarves, wraps and cold weather necessities, and fine jewelry (ranging from classic to quirky to modern).

Quail Hollow values the interaction between visitor and maker and hopes to foster this relationship within the halls of Dutchess Community College for decades to come. Says director Ola Rubinstein, “The real center and heart of these festivals is the connections that are made. The visitor experience involves much more than holiday shopping. Through engaging with the artist, visitors will learn about the artistic process and the history of the item that they are observing or purchasing.”

The DCCF Holiday Craft Fair will take place at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, in Falcon and Drumlin Halls, the weekend following Thanksgiving. The event is rain or shine, and shuttles will be available to transport shoppers between the two event halls. Details and tickets available at quailhollow.com DCCF Holiday Craft Fair Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY Saturday, November 25 and Sunday, November 26 10:00am-4:00pm Admission: Adults: $7; DCC Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni & Seniors 60+: $5; Children under 12: FREE November 2023 • GUIDE 11

The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce supports and participates in many community events throughout the year. Left: Participants in the Catskill Mountain Cycling Challenge riding along Route 30 along the Pepacton Reservoir. Right: Chamber Executive Director Carol O’Beirne at the Catskill Center’s Great Outdoor Expo, held last June.

Unlocking the Treasures of the Catskills The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce Connects Communities Along the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway

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estled amid the picturesque splendor of New York’s Catskill Mountains lies a region that seems to have been plucked straight from the pages of a storybook. The Catskills, with their lush forests, changing landscapes of farming, and pristine streams, have long been a haven for those seeking solace in nature’s embrace. But beyond their natural beauty, the Catskills also boast a vibrant community of businesses, artists, farmers’ markets, planned growth for four-season recreational destinations that make this region truly special. At the heart of it all stands the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, an organization dedicated to nurturing and celebrating the unique charm of this mountainous paradise through business relationships and community involvement.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

A BRIDGE BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT

COMMUNITY BUILDING

The Catskill Mountains have a storied history, with their roots tracing back to the early days of American settlement. As the years rolled on, the region evolved from a hub for logging and tanning into a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, artists, organic and specialty farming, second homeownership, and tourism. Today, it’s a place where time-honored traditions blend seamlessly with modern pursuits, and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce continues to be a bridge to what has made this area thrive as a connected community while continuing to foster sustainability into the future supporting the creation of the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway that continues to grow the tourism economy along Route 28.

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Preservation of the natural beauty that makes the Catskills so enchanting is paramount. The chamber recognizes the vital importance of environmental stewardship, and they work diligently to promote sustainable practices. Through partnerships with conservation organizations, they facilitate initiatives aimed at protecting the region’s ecosystems, wildlife, and waterways.

Their efforts extend to educating both residents and visitors on responsible outdoor recreation, including hiking, camping, and fishing. By encouraging eco-conscious tourism and land management, the chamber ensures that future generations can continue to revel in the pristine beauty of the Catskills.

At its core, the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce is about supporting a tight-knit community. Promoting events and fairs such as the Fleischmanns First Annual Street Fair, the Margaretville Annual Cauliflower Festival, Andes Community Day, Olive Day, the Catskills Visitor Center’s Outdoor Festival, Belleayre Mountains Fall Festival, fosters a sense of belonging among residents and visitors alike. The chamber understands that a thriving community goes beyond business and tourism—it’s about people coming together to celebrate their shared love for this remarkable region.

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ADAPTING TO THE FUTURE As the world continues to change at an unprecedented pace, the Catskills are not immune to the challenges of the modern era. Climate change, economic shifts, and evolving tourism trends all present unique challenges and opportunities. The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, however, has demonstrated its resilience and adaptability in the face of these challenges.

They have embraced technology to expand their reach, using social media and online platforms to promote businesses and events. The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce is soon to relaunch an updated website at centralcatskills.com.

Added member benefits and new digital options for promoting businesses in the Central Catskills will be shared. No new costs and included in the affordable annual membership. As always, listing on ScenicCatskills.com is free and only requires that the business or community listing is within the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway region.

A CATALYST FOR GROWTH AND CONNECTION In many ways, the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce is not just an organization; it’s a catalyst for growth and connection. It is the thread that weaves together the diverse tapestry of this region, connecting businesses, artists, nature enthusiasts, and the wider community. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when a collective vision is pursued with passion and dedication.

In conclusion, the Catskills have always held a unique allure, a place where the natural world and human creativity converge. The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, working along with many other regional organizations, government agencies, and civic groups collaborates on pivotal issues so that this region remains a vibrant, thriving, and harmonious community. As we celebrate these contributions, let us also celebrate the Catskills themselves—a treasure trove of natural wonder, rich story, and boundless potential.

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Businesses Along the Byway CATERING

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Catskill Catering

PO Box 432 Phoenicia, NY 12464 catskillcatering.com catskillcatering@hvc.rr.com 845 688 9823 Creative vegan and vegetarian catering for weddings, events, and retreats. Chef Wendy Grossman studied cooking in India and also with Master Michio Kushi for Macrobiotics at the Kushi institute. Cooking with passion is what she does … Wendy only cooks from scratch, sources local ingredients whenever possible and supports local farms.

Her kitchen can accommodate all dietary needs including gluten free, lactose intolerant, and low carb. Let Wendy plan your next special occasion, retreat or corporate event with a gourmet plant based menu.

Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce Margaretville, NY 12455 centralcatskills.com ScenicCatskills.com 845 586 3300 The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce works to advance the economic and community vitality of the many hamlets, villages and towns in our region and promote and foster events, programs and initiatives that will support its members. Collaboration and innovation will inspire community enhancement and quality of life opportunities for all who live, work and visit our communities.

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CHOCOLATIER

FISH & SEAFOOD Fruition Chocolate Works

3091 NY-28 Shokan, NY 12481 fruitionchocolateworks.com 845 657 6717 Established in 2011, Fruition Chocolate Works is a small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate workshop. At Fruition we begin by selecting ethically sourced and flavorful cocoa beans. Using traditional and modern techniques, we handcraft our award-winning line of chocolates and confections with an eye to detail. Stop by our safe to go window in Shokan for chocolate, cafe drinks including Hot Chocolate, Mochas, and Bourbon Caramel Lattes, and shop for gifts and self-indulgences alike. We’re honored to have been internationally recognized as one of the best chocolate makers in the world, but we maintain our humble roots, and hope you will appreciate the passion, technique, and quality of ingredients that go into our chocolate and confections.

Shawn’s Fresh Fish 5150 Route 28 Mount Tremper, NY 12457 On Instagram: @ShawnsFreshFish 845 702 2120 Located at the Migliorelli Farm Stand.

We started our business in 2016. We carry a large selection of fresh fish and seafood. Also, try our fresh made soups, salads and locally smoked fish. Requests welcomed.

LODGING Norsdale 6300 State Route 28 Phoenicia, NY 12464 norsdale.com 201 724 3912 Planning a reunion, retreat or perhaps you just need a reason to escape the hustle and bustle of the city? Check out @Norsdale_Phoenicia … a unique private 4-unit motel with a three-level contemporary country home with hot tub and fire pit on a private ten-acre lot at the base of a mountain. Totaling 9 bedrooms and 6 baths, the property comfortably accommodates 18 guests.

My Favorite Spots Along Route 28 Leighton G. Ashley, Branch Manager Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties, Mt. Tremper The eastern portion of the greater Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway along State Route 28 allows easy access to a series ofvillages, hamlets, and recreational areas making up the towns of Olive and Shandaken in Ulster County. Exploring these unique communities gives one a true sense of the regions vibrant culture and lifestyle. There is a wealth of recreational and leisure options available within minutes of the Route 28 artery. We are grateful and proud to live and work in this region. We serve ourScenic Byway communities though our Boiceville/Mt. Tremper office consisting of a team of dedicated Realtors who are active in their respective neighborhoods.

In the heart of the town of Olive, discover the serene beauty of the Ashokan Reservoir with time honored vistas; bike or walk along the 11.5 miles of the Ashokan Rail Trail between West Hurley and Boiceville while enjoying the wonder of nature; hike the extensive network of mountain trails concentrated in this area. Each community offers choices of wholesome farm to table Catskills Country cuisine at cherished eateries. This region of the Catskills Park is home to many artists and artisans who derive their creative and productive energy from these extraordinary surroundings. As a result, there are many galleries, shops and market stands with a wide selection of art, craft, and local specialties.

The meandering Esopus Creek, famous for fly fishing, is a constant reminder that inside the boundary of the Catskills Park is a substantial portion of the New York City Watershed system supplying drinking water to New York City. We are conscious of the fact that we live in a pristine area and therefore have a responsibility to ensure good stewardship.

When you decide which of these communities you want to call home, stop by our office on Route 28, Mt. Tremper and talk with one of our competent and professional agents. We would be delighted to guide you to your next home.

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PLUMBING AND HEATING Rice Plumbing and Heating

our Favorite Spots Along Route 28 Mary Anne and Richard Erickson, Co-Owners, Blue Mountain Bistro-to-Go As co-owners of Blue Mountain Bistro-to-Go in Kingston, we feel especially blessed to be located close to many great spots for outdoor adventures. Let’s start with The Ashokan Rail Trail, which has three different entrances, but the closest one to our store is in West Hurley, just down the street. Any time of year you will find this beautiful flat trail full of wonders. Starting from the parking lot you enter a wooded section that opens out into stunning views of the Ashokan Reservoir. Along the route there are historic signs that describe the history of the building of the railroad and the reservoir.

If you drive further west on 28 into Olivebridge you will find another parking lot which accesses the central section of the trail which is more wooded and nature focused. Go a few miles even further west to Boiceville, you will pick up the final section of the trail which again features breathtaking views of the Reservoir and the surrounding mountains.

Overlook Bikes has an outpost at the central section where you can rent bicycles to ride on the trail, or pack a picnic lunch and stop to rest anywhere along the route at one of the benches they have thoughtfully placed for repose and relaxation.

We can’t go without also mentioning the other local outdoor attraction just a few paces from our store, Onteora Lake. There’s something for everyone here: picnicking, swimming and kayaking in the warmer months, and loads of trails to explore for either easy walking, hiking or mountain biking any time of year.

Route 28 is often called “The Gateway to the Catskills” and has now been designated “Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway”. These are just a few of the wonders to enjoy along this beautiful route.

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Accord: riceplumbingandheating@gmail.com 845 626 5088 Boiceville: riceplumbingboiceville@gmail.com 845 657 7423 riceplumbingandheating.com Whether you’re dealing with a leaky faucet, a clogged drain, or a plumbing emergency, we’ve got you covered.

Our team of experienced and licensed plumbers, our commitment to quality craftsmanship, prompt service, and customer satisfaction sets us apart. Explore our website to discover our wide range of services, from plumbing repairs and installations to maintenance and inspections. We take pride in using the latest industry techniques and high-quality materials to ensure reliable and long-lasting solutions for all your plumbing needs. We offer quick response times and strive to complete every job efficiently and effectively.

MY Favorite Spots Along Route 28 Aaron Rice, Rice Plumbing I enjoy hiking all of the trails around Route 28, going to lunch at Brio’s in Phoenicia, and riding the gondola at Belleayre Mountain.

REAL ESTATE Coldwell Banker— Timberland Properties TimberlandProperties.com CatskillPremier.com Margaretville: 845 586 3321 Boiceville/Mt. Tremper: 845 657 4177 Delhi: 607 746 7400 • Stamford: 607 652 2220 Sidney: 607 604 4394 • Roscoe: 607 290 4130 Start your real estate career today! Unrivaled agent support & the best training in the region. Call or email to learn more: Debra G. Danner, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker/Branch Manager: 518 937 0924 or Debra.Danner@ Timberlandproperties.net.

REGIONAL INFORMATION Catskill Visitor’s Center 5096 State Route 28 Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 catskillsvisitorscenter.org 845 688 3369 Your gateway to Catskills, where you can learn about the vast outdoor recreational

opportunities in the area as well as discover the cultural and natural history of the Region. The center features educational exhibits along with maps, books, gear, and gifts, as well a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

RESTAURANTS Blue Mountain Bistro-to-Go 948 Route 28 Kingston, NY 12401 bluemountainbistro.com 845 340 9800 Open 7 days a week serving homecooked healthy take-out food and baked goods. Featuring local and imported organic foods, delicious homemade desserts, sophisticated four star food by Chef Richard Erickson. At Bistro-to-Go we take seriously our mission to rise to any occasion and keep doing what we do best: serving “Feel Good Food”. Blue Mountain Bistro Catering is an award-winning, chef-owned, full service catering company offering off-premises catering for parties of all sizes. Our goal is to enhance life’s celebrations with delicious seasonal food, creative culinary presentations, and gracious, attentive service. Our passion for good food, good service, and good times will bring life to your party.

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La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant & Bar 966 Main St. Fleischmanns, NY 12442 lacabanarestaurantny.com 845 254 4966 Family owned and operated, La Cabaña is rich in tradition and authenticity. Our dinners are individually prepared with the freshest ingredients available. You’ll find all of your favorites on the menu, from enchiladas, burritos, tacos, chimichangas and flautas to chile relleños, carne asada, nachos and quesadillas to traditional desserts such as flan, fried ice cream and churros. Vegetarian options are available.

our Favorite Spot Along Route 28 Dahlia & Bryan Graham, Co-Founders, Fruition Chocolate Works We are so lucky that Fruition Chocolate Works is right beside the rail trail. One of our favorite fall activities is to wander through the woods to the trail and head up onto the wooden bridge that takes us across the marshy area. It’s so peaceful back there, and the perfect place to enjoy a Spiced Caramel Apple Cider or Hot Chocolate.

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Peekamoose Restaurant & Tap Room 8373 State Route 28 Big Indian, NY 12410 peekamooserestaurant.com 845 254 6500 Devin and Marybeth Mills hail from some of New York City’s finest restaurants, including the famed Gramercy Tavern.

Seeking to move closer to the farms supplying their menu, they have beautifully restored this country farmhouse set among the Catskill Mountains. The restaurant supports

local growers by changing the menu daily, using the freshest ingredients available.

Woodnotes Grille at Emerson Resort & Spa 5340 Route 28 Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 emersonresort.com 845 688 2828, option 6 Contemporary cuisine, locally sourced and classically crafted, prepared with fresh ingredients and unforgettable flavors that hone in on the local spirit. Enjoy our Spa Bites menu with a variety of cheese and veggie boards, flatbreads, housemade soups, sandwiches, freshly prepared açai and smoothie bowls, seasonal specialty cocktails and more!

RETAIL

Kenco 1000 Hurley Mountain Rd. Kingston, NY 12401 KencoOutfitters.com 845 340 0552 Kenco is the place to go to for knowledge and gear in the sports of kayaking and boating, camping and hiking, archery, snowboarding, and fly fishing. All of our products are chosen by our excellent staff who actually spend time in the outdoors.

Always friendly, and decidedly non corporate, you are always welcome.

Stop by to check us out and see why Kenco should be your favorite store.

We outfit your life.

November 2023 • GUIDE 21

Moose Crossing 1 Reservoir Rd. Shokan, NY 12481 rustic-cabin.com 845 657 9792 Casual, rustic and country Adirondack-style furniture, home furnishings, home decor, accessories, gifts and collectibles.

Hand-crafted, Made-In-America sold wood furniture and furnishings for your home, lodge or cabin. Jewelry, blankets, pillows, rugs and clothing in Native American, Western and country motifs and styles. The best selection of nature-inspired items hand crafted from artisanal craftsmen located locally and from around the country.

The Shops at Emerson 5340 Route 28 Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 emersonresort.com Photo by Joe Damone 845 688 2828 Housed in a lovingly restored 19th century dairy barn, The Shops at Emerson is a unique shopping experience. Walk across hand-laid brick floors surrounded by original wood beams as you stroll from store to store. You’ll find a distinct selection of modern farmhouse décor and furnishings, women’s and men’s contemporary clothing, hand-crafted artisan kaleidoscopes, nostalgic toys, local food products, Catskills souvenirs and more. The Shops at Emerson is also home to the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope and the Kaleidoshow, a visual and sound experience for all ages.

SERVICE Catskill Center for Conservation & Development 43355 Route 28 Arkville, NY 12406 catskillcenter.org 845 586 2611 Since 1969, the Catskill Center has led the effort to protect the more than 700,000 acres of the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve. Their mission is to protect and foster the environmental, cultural,and economic well-being of the Catskill Region.

SPAS MENLA | Dewa Spa 375 Pantherkill Road Phoenicia, NY 12464 menla.org Menla is a hidden oasis in the heart of the Catskill mountains.

Featuring wellness and spiritual retreats as well as exclusive getaways, and the world-class Dewa Spa. Immerse yourself in the magic of pristine mountain forests. Explore hiking trails, encounter wildlife, and discover a rich tapestry of wellness experiences and activities. Dewa Spa’s unique architecture and Tibetan accents evoke peace and tranquillity. Eastern and Western treatments, such as Tibetan KuNye massage, herbal baths, Shirodhara, sounds baths,

our Favorite Spots Along Route 28 Shane Cooper, Norsdale After escaping the hustle and bustle of New York City, my wife and I found our oasis in Upstate New York. We fell in love with the Norsdale, a charming bed and breakfast in the Catskills, and knew we had to have it. We love sharing our home with guests and giving them the opportunity to explore this magical region with their loved ones.

With each visit, we discover new places to explore and fall deeper in love with Upstate New York. One of our favorite spots is Bread Alone, a bakery in Boiceville with breakfast and lunch menus that are to die for. We always try a new pastry, and we never leave without some fresh bread and a roll of their killer cinnamon twist.

We love hosting long weekends at the Norsdale with our friends. It’s so much fun to see them choose their rooms for the stay, sip wine by the fire, and gather in the kitchen to cook a delicious home-cooked meal. We always spend one night in at home, because there’s so much to do right on the property with our loved ones. The next day, we explore nearby towns like Phoenicia, Woodstock, and Kingston, each with its own unique charm and endless possibilities for exploration.

There’s nothing quite like packing the car, road tripping upstate, and enjoying a weekend with friends and family.

Upstate New York is our oasis, and we love sharing it with everyone we know.

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energy readings, and customized facials are a few of the lavish therapies found on our spa.

Photo by Jeff Senterman, Catskill Center

Emerson Spa 5340 Route 28 Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 emersonresort.com 845 688 2828 Emerson Spa provides a serene experience that combines our natural surroundings with the deep relaxation effects of stone therapy and custom design treatments to suit each guest. Call for a reservation.

November 2023 • GUIDE 23

Visit Phoenicia Located just seconds off of Route 28, Phoenicia’s quaint main strip is the perfect spot to get out and stretch your legs—and perhaps grab a bite to eat or do some shopping—during your drive along the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway.

BANK

LODGING Ulster Savings Bank

58 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 ATM available Ulstersavings.com 845 688 5965 Ulster Savings Bank is a locally focused and operated mutual savings bank with locations throughout the Hudson Valley. As a bank with no stockholders, our profits are reinvested back into the communities we serve. We are proud to be the recipient of numerous community awards reflecting our belief that helping community changes lives. We invite you to stop by our location in beautiful Phoenicia to experience the local difference with US. Bank where you matter!

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The Graham & Co. 80 Route 214 Phoenicia, NY 12464 thegrahamandco.com 845 688 7871 Viewed as a trailblazer in the Catskills hotel design revolution, the 20-room Phoenicia hotel recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and continues to provide lodging to guests looking for a true Catskills experience. The three-acre property has a vibe some have called, “a sophisticated summer camp for grown-ups.”

Inspired by the heritage of the Catskills, the Graham and Co. is a modern take on the upstate getaway. The hotel is located just two blocks off Phoenicia’s main street. Close to hiking, fishing and skiing, The Graham & Co. is the perfect place to stay in all four seasons.

Visit Phoenicia My Favorite Spots Along Route 28 Martin Torres, The Graham & Co. When guests visit Phoenicia and the Catskills, they often have an agenda and know exactly what they want to see or do. Whether it’s a summer wedding or hiking, the Catskills and the areas near Route 28 have a lot to offer. Since you won’t find TVs or cell service at the Graham & Co., we tend to suggest things that involve unplugging, enjoying nature, a good meal or simple togetherness.

Occasionally, some guests come here with little knowledge of the area. For those guests, here are some of the things we are sure to suggest … all near Route 28: The Ashokan Rail Trail Few visitors from NYC realize that the Rail Trail traces one of the main sources of drinking water for the city … the Ashokan Reservoir. The Rail Trail sits on the historical path of the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad. There are three trailheads, all along Route 28, but we usually recommend the Boiceville location.

Peekamoose Restaurant & Tap Room (Big Indian) Run by proprietors Marybeth and Devin Mills, they know how to treat people right. We recommend Peekamoose Restaurant to all our guests looking for a true farm-to-table experience. The menu changes regularly based on the season.

Fruition Chocolate Works (Shokan) Would you believe some of the best chocolate in the world is made right here in the Catskills? At last count, these Chocolatiers have won 70+ international awards for their unique and incredibly unique chocolate varieties.

The World’s Largest Kaleidoscope (Mt. Tremper) Located at the Emerson Resort and Spa, the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope is perfect for families on a rainy day. The Guinness Book of World Records gave it their stamp of approval in 1997. They offer “Kaleidoshows” regularly.

Blue Barn Marketplace (Shandaken) This off-the-beaten-path, multi-dealer marketplace offers vintage clothing, objets d’art, retro, modern, furniture and antiques. You’ll find 5,000-square feet of one-of-a-kind treasures that are fairly priced.

The Phoenician Steakhouse (Phoenicia) Yes, they have amazing steaks, but don’t let the name fool you, they have an amazing menu (and great martinis) that even a vegetarian would love.

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Visit Phoenicia My Favorite Spot Along Route 28 Dave Pillard, Tender Land Home My favorite place along Route 28 is the Rail Trail in Boiceville alongside the Ashokan Reservoir. I find the Trail to be a very peaceful zen like experience. I put my ear buds in and play music while I’m walking briskly for a few miles. It’s great exercise and it’s a great way to clear my head. I love it!

PHARMACY & NATURAL WELLNESS

REAL ESTATE Amy Rosen, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Ruth Gale Realty

Wellness RX LLC 53 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 pharmacyforthepublicgood.com 5980 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 wellnessrxllc.com 518 589 9500 Pharmacy for the Public Good is excited to announce its first nonprofit community pharmacy in Phoenicia. Stop in and meet the team and browse our wide selection of traditional and natural medicine! Follow our journey at pharmacyforthepublicgood.org. Also visit our pharmacy Wellness Rx in Tannersville, and online at wellnessrxllc.com.

38 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 Office: 845 688 5610, ext. 104 Cell: 212 960 3983 amyrosenrealtor@gmail.com ruthgalerealty.com Your hometown realtor invites you to check out the coolest small town in the Catskills with the biggest heart! This area is a magical place to spend a few days—or a lifetime! Please reach out anytime to discuss your real estate needs.

RETAIL Mélange 60 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 845 688 3171 While you enjoy Phoenicia’s location nestled in the mountains, come visit us at Mélange and feel as though you’re walking through the woods. The shop is filled with gifts such as woodwork, clothing, jewelry, tea, soaps and bath products made locally.

Let’s not forget the vintage items … and yes we still offer tailoring and dry cleaning drop off. So come on in and see us, and when you’ve found the perfect gift let us gift wrap it free of charge. Hope to see you soon, Feel at home … Feel blissful … Breathe in the country air.

Photo by Dave Pillard

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Visit Phoenicia

My Favorite Spot NEAR Route 28 Angie Firmalino, Wellness RX North South Lake campground and State Park in Haines Falls, NY, located just 30 minutes from Route 28, offers three precious months of annual respite.

Stepping into this sanctuary immerses me in a profound tranquility, an exquisite sensory symphony.

Visually, the park enchants with immaculate serenity. Pristine landscapes and orderly campsites are meticulously maintained. Lush greenery envelops the area, while towering trees sway gracefully, casting dappled shadows.

Massive boulders and rock formations create a rugged allure, with North and South Lakes inviting exploration by paddleboard or kayak. Wildlife, from playful squirrels to soaring birds and occasional deer, paints a vivid portrait of nature’s wonders. Caution is advised, as black bears, guided by their acute sense of smell, roam this territory, necessitating vigilant food storage.

Sounds at the park comprise a harmonious blend of nature and humanity.

Campfires crackle with laughter, children’s joyful play fills the air, and campers’ cheerful banter resonates throughout. Bicycles add rhythmic whirring, and the lakes’ splashing waters provide a melodic backdrop, evoking pure bliss.

Tactile sensations abound in this pristine environment. Soft, velvety moss underfoot offers a gentle caress. Crunching leaves beneath my feet provide a satisfying texture, echoing the seasons. Dipping my hand into cool lake waters envelops me in soothing refreshment, washing away stress. Soft ferns tickle my palm as I explore, deepening my connection to the earth.

Scents are both invigorating and comforting. Clean, crisp air revitalizes with each breath. Freshly cut grass evokes the allure of summer outdoors. Fragrant trees blend with earthy soil and blooming flowers, creating an olfactory symphony lingering in the breeze.

Culinary delights complement the sensory journey. Crackling fires provide warmth and inspiration, roasting marshmallows embodying camping tradition.

Perfectly seasoned grilled steak tantalizes, and flame-cooked potato packets offer hearty comfort. Creamy ice cream from a truck caps a day filled with sensory pleasures, beckoning children with its sweet song.

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Visit Phoenicia

Photo by Dave Pillard

The Nest Egg 84 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 thenesteggcountrystore.com nesteggshop.com 845 688 5851 An old-fashioned country store in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, offering relaxed shopping and mountain hospitality. You’ll find lots of specialty and artisan crafted foods here, from local maple syrup, honey, jams, jellies and preserves, to nostalgic candies and gourmet chocolate, to gourmet peanut butter, and more! Your source for mountain clothing and souvenirs, including Minnetonka Moccasins, t-shirts & sweatshirts,

local area books and hiking maps, candles, soaps, incense, jewelry, toys, puzzles, games and souvenirs. Our homemade delicious fudge is worth the trip! Owner Robin Kirk’s family has owned The Nest Egg since 1968.

Tender Land Home 64 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 tenderlandhome.com 845 688 7213 A sophisticated rustic and contemporary home goods store featuring gifts, chic pottery, fragrant soaps and candles, luscious pillows and cozy rugs.

My Favorite SpotS Along Route 28 Amy Rosen, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Ruth Gale Realty Of my many favorite places along the Route 28 corridor, the scenic Ashokan Rail Trail is very high on the list, where I often meet up with friends and neighbors or enjoy a quiet solo walk as I get exercise while enjoying the breathtaking views of the reservoir and mountains. I usually start at the Boiceville trailhead, the closest one to my home base of Phoenicia. If I want a slightly harder work out, I’ll head to the nearby Ashokan Quarry Trail, a hidden gem with many amazing wonders to discover, steeped in rich local history. Afterwards I often head to one of my favorite local eateries for coffee and pancakes, and the Phoenicia area is dripping with choice spots for this divine simple pleasure.

I love having pancakes by the glorious windows at the Phoenicia Diner, the porch of Sweet Sue’s and on the streamside deck of the Woodnotes Grill. If my walk is a twilight one, I would probably hit the bar after at either the Pines or Foxfire Mountain House for a bite, cocktail and ample local flavor and conversation. If I’m feeling slightly more intrepid, I’ll head to the beautiful Print House in funky Fleischmanns, a destination bar and eatery with over 1500 vinyl records and a fun bar scene.

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The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Dance Program presents

The

Nutcracker

The Eighth Annual Production of the Holiday Favorite Returns to Tannersville

T

his year, ring in the Holiday Season with the world’s favorite ballet! On Saturday and Sunday, December 2-3 and December 9-10, the Catskill Mountain Foundation presents the eighth annual production of their Nutcracker. CMF’s Orpheum Dance Program Director and former Metropolitan Opera ballerina Victoria Rinaldi will partner with Joffrey Ballet School New York’s Pre-Professional program to present this show, which has become a yearly favorite of residents of the Catskills and the Hudson Valley.

Part of what makes this production of The Nutcracker so special is the community involvement, and this year record numbers of local children turned out to audition for roles as party children, mice, soldiers, angels, and in the Marzipan and Mother Ginger scenes. “We have close to 70 local children who will be part of this year’s casts,” said Victoria. “After auditions were held in September, I still had parents contacting me, wanting to get their children to participate—both girls and boys!”

This production of The Nutcracker is indeed a labor of love.

For months leading up to the shows, Victoria works tirelessly to make it as exceptional as it can be, doing everything from rehearsing with both professional dancers and local children, to updating the choreography each year, to freshening the costumes. “It’s a beautiful exposure to a holiday tradition, and a great start to the holiday season,” says Victoria. “I am thrilled to be able to present this show to the community, with a record number of community participants and a wonderful collaboration with Joffrey Ballet School New York.”

About The Nutcracker With a libretto based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffman, The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It tells the story of a young girl, Clara, who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and his fierce battle against a Mouse King. Clara and the Prince travel to the Land of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy, where she is treated to a celebration of sweets from around the world. To conclude the night, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform a pas de deux that for many is the highlight of the ballet.

The Nutcracker Ballet was first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 17, 1892. Choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky, the famous Russian composer, to compose the ballet. George Balanchine popularized the ballet with his 1954 production, casting real children for the first time.

This Year’s Production This production of The Nutcracker came about originally as a thank you to the Catskill Mountain Foundation for allowing Victoria to coach in their beautiful space, The Red Barn. The Foundation wanted to give local children the gift of performing in a ballet. It has developed and grown over the years and has touched both the participants and the audience, and has created a community that loves and embraces dance as something valuable to be shared.

November 2023 • GUIDE 29

“Every year there are differences in our production,” says Victoria. “Scenes are embellished, improvements are made.

Choreography becomes more advanced as the older students in the Community Class gain more experience. And since we have such large community participation this year, we will once again multiple casts.” This year’s production features some familiar faces returning for more challenging roles, including two dancers who appeared as Clara last year: Roma Cherubini-Purcell and Lada Svechnikova. Roma and Lada will share the role of soloist in the Chinese divertissement. When they are not dancing Chinese they will join Annika Yarger, who will be performing her first major role in the Ukrainian dance. Elvis D’Ambrosia and Kensi Dempsey will share the role of Clara, and Nathan Smith, a member of the Community Class who has played Fritz in the New York City Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, will again play one of the Nutcracker Princes. The Orpheum Dance Program’s new contemporary dance teacher, Laura Coe, will be making her debut as the Mouse Queen.

The new partnership with the Joffrey Ballet School New York began earlier this summer with the Orpheum Dance Program’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Emily Zatorski, who played a fairy in Midsummer, will dance Christmas Star. Yeshe Cooley, who appeared in the Priestess Blessing, one of the Wedding Tributes, will play the Marzipan Shepherdess, and Andrea Licaj, who played Helena, will join Joffrey student Benjamin Soto Barrientos as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier in the grand pas de deux.

Another partnership that began with this summer’s Midsummer was with the acclaimed Aquila Theater Company. Connor Keef, a member of Aquila who delighted audiences with his depiction of Nick Bottom in that production, will play the role of Drosselmeyer.

Children’s Costume Matinee To help kick off the opening of The Nutcracker opening performance, there will be a children’s costume matinee on Saturday, December 2 at 2 pm. Come dressed as your favorite Nutcracker character! Prizes will be given for the best costumes, and a reception featuring cookies, chocolates and ice cream punch will be held immediately following the performance.

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Community Dance Class Many of the children in this production are year-round students in Victoria’s Community Dance Class. Formed in September of 2017 in response to the growing demand for dance classes on the mountaintop, participation in the class has expanded every year and more sessions are added each year. Everyone is welcome, no matter their ability. To date, over 80 children from the Mountaintop have received low-cost ballet lessons.

The Nutcracker is the Orpheum Dance Program’s premiere performance. In 2019 another yearly performance, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was added to the roster. This unique production makes the Shakespeare comedy accessible by mixing spoken word with dance and is another perfect opportunity to have children dance alongside professionals.

In addition to the ballet classes, the Program offers a yearly spring recital, participation in all the Program’s productions, including The Nutcracker, plus occasional master classes and open rehearsals with visiting residencies.

Dance training is excellent for almost everyone. A child with dance training will carry themselves differently. They’ll cultivate discipline that will help them in almost every other instance in life. They learn to work well with others, and to take direction and criticism with grace.

Ballet is an art form that has been handed down from teacher to student, from coach to mentor to performer for centuries. Over the years, Victoria’s students have become part of that tradition, with the older students becoming fantastic role models as they perform alongside the younger dancers in The Nutcracker. This production has helped nurture a new generation of dancers, some of whom have gone on to professional careers, but all of whom will learn valuable lessons they will carry for the rest of their lives.

For Tickets and More Information Performances are Saturday, December 2 & 9, 2023 at 2:00 & 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 3 & 10 at 2:00 pm. The Orpheum Performing Arts Center is located at 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12485. Tickets purchased ahead are $25 adults; $20 seniors; $7 students. Ticketing fees and higher at-the-door ticket prices apply. To purchase tickets, visit catskillmtn.org, call 518 263 2063, or email boxoffice@catskillmtn.org.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Dance Program presents

The

Nutcracker SIX PERFORMANCES

Saturday, December 2 @ 2:00 & 7:30 pm Sunday, December 3 @ 2:00 pm Saturday, December 9 @ 2:00 & 7:30 pm Saturday, December 10 @ 2:00 pm Join Us for a Children’s Costume Matinee Saturday, December 2 @ 2:00 pm!

Come dressed as your favorite Nutcracker character.!

Prizes for best costumes, and a reception will follow the performance.

Orpheum Performing Arts Center 6050 Main Street | Tannersville, NY 12485

Scan Me to Purchase Tickets!

Tickets: $25; $20 seniors; $7 students

(+ticketing fees. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply)

Tickets available at catskillmtn.org, 518 263 2063 or at boxoffice@catskillmtn.org Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau,November Marshall & Sterling 2023Insurance, • GUIDE 31 All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

Kaaterskill Clove. Photo by Colin D. Young/shutterstock.com

Autumn in the Catskills ART EDUCATION Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts 34 Big Hollow Road Maplecrest, NY 12454 sugarmaples.org A program of the Catskill Mountain Foundation, Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts offers short term adult workshop programming in ceramics, painting, drawing, fiber arts and weekly classes in ceramics and fiber arts during the summer season. Weekly classes in painting, drawing and ceramics continue during the fall, winter, and spring seasons. All classes are led by artists who are renowned and celebrated in their field. The summer Art Explorers program provides opportunities for local youth to explore their creativity through art exploration.

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ART GALLERY Windham Fine Arts 5380 Main Street Windham, NY 12496 windhamfinearts.com 518 734 6850 Windham Fine Arts is the premier art gallery in the Catskills. Representing local and internationally acclaimed artists, the gallery showcases a diverse collection of original paintings, photography, and ceramics.

From inspiring landscapes to expressive abstracts, Windham Fine Arts is a kaleidoscope of visual enchantment. With over 3,000 square feet of curated artwork and 22 years in the business, Windham Fine Arts stands out as a unique gem of artistic inspiration.

ATTRACTION

BOOKSTORE Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum

7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 catskillmtn.org Photo by Jeffrey Langford 518 263 2063 The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum is the home of the Steven E. Greenstein Piano Collection, a one-of-a-kind collection of historic pianos and musical artifacts. A destination unlike any other in the United States, the Piano Performance Museum offers a unique glimpse into the development of pianos in Europe and America over the past four centuries. Open on Fridays and Saturdays 11am to 3pm by appointment. Email ppm@ catskillmtn.org or call 518 263 2063 before your visit, to ensure that the museum will be open.

Briars & Brambles Books Route 296 & South Street Windham, NY 12496 briarsandbramblesbooks.com 518 750 8599 Briars and Brambles Books is your go-to Indie Bookstore in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.

Briars & Brambles Books is a dream come true for owner & part-time Windham resident, Jen Schwartz. Jen has combined her love of books with her experience as a long-time library volunteer and past library board president to create an inviting, knowledgeable and professional atmosphere.

Jen’s hand-picked team includes: a rare-book aficionado, a former teacher with her own line of children’s decor, and a college student with remarkable curiosity. The Briars & Brambles team understands that being a bookseller involves so much more than simply “selling books” and is committed to providing unparalleled personal attention.

November 2023 • GUIDE 33

CAR DEALERSHIP Thorpe’s GMC 5964 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 thorpesgmcinc.com 518 589 7142 Thorpe’s unmatched service and diverse GMC inventory have set them apart as the preferred dealer in Tannersville.

With a full-service team of sales and service professionals, visit them today to discover why they have the best reputation in the area. They offer one of the largest GMC inventories in New York, and their trained sales staff will help you every step of the way.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES Main Street Community Center 5494 NY-23 Windham, NY 12496 mainstreetcenter.org 518 734 4168 The Main Street Community Center strives to build a caring, welcoming and inclusive environment to benefit all of the communities on the Mountain Top. Centrally located in Windham, the building contains multiple rooms, including two bathrooms (one is handicap accessible), a large sitting area, a conference room, individual workspaces with computer monitors and a large screen TV, free WIFI,

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access to printers, and a studio for creative activities. The Artist’s Hideaway provides individual lockers for artists to safely store their supplies. There is plenty of on site parking. The Center has an ever increasing offering of classes, programs, and events for people of all ages.

Phoenix Web Collective 7947 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 phoenixwebcollective.com 518 628 5101 Mutual aid resource on the mountain!

Local artist shop, makers’ space, and our free mart, where you can get gently used and vintage clothing, home goods, food, toys, books, music, movies, jewelry, electronics, and more for free or pay-what-you-can.

We also host small events and workshops. All are welcome!

COWORKING SPACE Tannersville Works 6041 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 tannersvilleworks.com 518 589 4017 Escape to The Catskills for productive and inspiring work days! Our coworking space is perfect for remote workers, visitors, and entrepreneurs looking for a professional place to work while enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains. Conveniently located in the center of Tannersville with easy access to local

parks, shops, and restaurants. Every coworker gets a dedicated desk, comfortable seating, high-speed internet, and access to printers and private calling rooms. Daily, weekly, and monthly rates available.

CRAFT FAIR Dutchess Community College Foundation Holiday Craft Fair November 25-26 Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie, NY quailhollow.com The Dutchess Community College Cutting Boards by JC Saben Foundation Holiday Craft Fair offers Hudson Valley locals and visitors the opportunity to shop small (and support handmade!) Thanksgiving weekend.

Boasting just over 100 artists, the fair has become a holiday shopping tradition for many in the region. Now entering its 51st year, the fair presents an alternative to the frenzied buying experience that Black Friday consumers experience. This is not a festival for imported or mass-produced products; everything onsite is handmade, with the artist or maker in attendance. Like Quail Hollow’s other events, this one is juried, with exhibitors thoughtfully selected to ensure a balanced assortment of handmade art, crafts, and goodies that vary widely in terms of style and taste.

FARM & FARM PRODUCTS Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Natural Agriculture Farm At Sugar Maples 34 Big Hollow Road Maplecrest, NY 12454 The CMF operates a 4.5-acre farm following the Natural Agriculture method taught by the Japanese organization Shumei, the principle of which is to grow vegetables the way they would grow in Nature. This means that no agricultural chemicals of any sort are used, and no manure or other soil additives are permitted. The farm includes a beautiful Visitors Center, along with two 3,000-squarefoot greenhouses. During growing season, visitors can purchase vegetables grown at the farm at a farmstand that operates every Saturday.

Pure Catskills purecatskills.com A regional, buy local campaign developed by the Watershed Agricultural Council to improve the economic viability of the local community, sustain the working landscapes of the Catskills and preserve water quality in the NYC Watershed Region.

Pure Catskills works to promote hundreds of farm, forest and local businesses throughout Delaware, Greene, Ot-

November 2023 • GUIDE 35

sego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties. Search their website for local products, or pick up a copy of the Guide to Pure Catskills Products!

HARDWARE Houst Hardware

FLORIST The Blumen Haus Florist Prattsville Plaza: 14520 Main Street Prattsville, NY 12468 blumenhausflorist.org Find Us on Facebook 518 299 3058 Blumen Haus Florist is a locally owned and operated floral boutique dedicated to creating stunning floral arrangements and providing exceptional service to our customers. We believe in the power of flowers to brighten any occasion and bring joy to people’s lives. What sets us apart is our commitment to quality and personal attention. We hand-select the freshest, most vibrant blooms from local growers and global markets to ensure that each arrangement is of the highest quality. Our experienced florists have an eye for detail and a passion for creating unique, eye-catching designs that will exceed your expectations.

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4 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, NY 12498 housthardware.com 845 679 2115 Shop local with Houst Hardware, independent and family owned for 89 years. For all your projects, Houst Has IT. Benjamin Moore Paints, Equipment Rentals, Tools, Plumbing, Electrical, Organic and Heirloom Garden Seeds, Organic Soils and Fertilizers, Housewares, Weber grills, Seasonal products, Camping and Toys. Everything you need for work and play.

HOT TUBS Best Hot Tubs 275 CR 65 Corner of Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 besthottubs.com 518 734 9100 Best Hot Tubs Windham store serves the Hunter/Windham, NY and entire Mountain Top area, including the nearby ski resorts at Hunter, Windham and Belleayre and beyond. You will find the right hot tub for your lifestyle and all the accessories you need to make your summer and winter spa experience perfect. Come see the new Bullfrog A series,

D

AM

LANDSCAPE & GARDEN DESIGN

FOUN

D

A

ON

WIN

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Aspen Spas and Strong Spas. Best Hot Tubs repairs hot tubs and we offer weekly hot tub maintenance. All you have to do is relax!

Enhancing Windham and the Mountaintop through Education, Recreation and The Arts

Augustine Nursery 9W & Van Kleecks Lane Kingston, NY 12401 AugustineNursery.com 845 338 4936 We’ve been creating landscapes of distinction throughout the Hudson Valley since 1974. We started small in our hometown of Kingston. Today, Augustine Nursery has grown to become one of the leading residential and commercial landscape design firms and the “nursery of choice” among high-end landscape architects, independent contractors and discerning home­owners. We offer a stunning selection of larger scale, estate-grade trees, shrubs and plants. There are hundreds of varieties, ranging from the most popular to the new and emerging. We also offer a full menu of nursery services, from planning and design to installation and dress finish for greenscapes and hardscapes.

Education

Arts

• College Scholarships • Science & Nature Field Trips • Library Summer Reading • Spay & Neuter Program

• Sugar Maples Art Explorers • Windham Concert Series • Heritage Music Festival • WAJ Band and Choral

Community

Recreation

• Windham Food Pantry • Emergency Response Equipment • Animal Wellness & Spa Program • VFW Building Upgrades

• WAJ Ski Tuesday • CD Lane Park Initiative • Children’s Gardening • Windham Little League

Your Support Makes a Difference Donate to the Windham Foundation PO Box 600 • Windham, NY 12496 www.windhamfoundation.com info@windhamfoundation.com 518-734-9636 DONATE NOW

Founded in 2004, the Windham Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization supporting programs and initiatives that enrich and preserve our community.

Photo by Holly Cohen/golightlyink.com

November 2023 • GUIDE 37

The Garden of Stone 5444 State Route 23 Windham NY 12496 gardenofstone5444@gmail.com Shop our eclectic selection of cast stone pieces for your garden and home. We hand-cast animal statuary, birdbaths, angels, gnomes and more. We offer fresh-cut flowers by the stem or bouquet and can help with your special event. Shop for houseplants and unusual items–vintage and new. Browsing is encouraged!

Gardens by Trista 176 Polen Hill Road Gilboa, NY 12076 gardensbytrista.com 607 588 6762 Gardens by Trista is a full service landscape company focused on providing each client with the individualized landscape or garden of their dreams. We know each property and client holds their own unique essence which we use to transform the land and its elements into their personalized landscape. We strive to fulfill the needs of each and every customer, whether it be a complete design/build for new construction or help with an existing garden that needs

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a rejuvenation. We also have an extensive garden maintenance division to help keep your landscape and garden in pristine condition.

Story’s Nursery 4265 Route 67 Freehold, NY 12431 518 634 7754 storysnursery.com Story’s Nursery is your Holiday destination! Stroll through our greenhouses filled with florist quality poinsettias and holiday plants. Take in the aroma of freshly made balsam wreathes and kissing balls, available plain or decorated by our talented designers. Custom orders welcomed. We offer boxwood trees and arrangements to complete your holiday theme. Fresh New York grown balsam cut trees, roping and greenery are available for one stop shopping.

Our incredible ribbon selection and supplies make crafting your own decorations easy and convenient. Visit our Gift & Garden Shop for unique gifts for everyone on your list!

LIVE PERFORMANCES Simone Dinnerstein. Photo by Lisa Marie Mazzucco

Catskill Mountain Foundation 2023 Performing Arts Season Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Main St., Hunter, NY 12442 Orpheum Performing Arts Center 6050 Main St. Tannersville, NY 12485 catskillmtn.org Ticket line: 518 263 2063 2023 marks our 25th Season of bringing the arts to the mountaintop, and we’re celebrating with our largest season yet at our two stunning venues: the Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter and the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville. This November, join us for some wonderful concerts in both Hunter and Tannersville. Darcy Dunn, Julia Mendelsohn, and Mark Singer presents Once Upon a Time, a concert of your favorite songs from Broadway, Cabaret, and classical composers at the Doctorow Center for the Arts on November 11. The Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra, Robert Manno, conductor, returns to the Orpheum on November 25 for their annual Thanksgiving weekend concert. This year’s program is entitled Basically Bach, and will feature acclaimed piano soloist Simone Dinneerstein. Finally, our Virtual International Fortepiano Salon Series continues in November on Sunday, November 19 @ 2:00 pm.

The Salon will be livestreamed on both Facebook and YouTube.

November 2023 • GUIDE 39

Colony 22 Rock City Road Woodstock, NY 12498 colonywoodstock.com 845 679 7625 Located in world-famous Woodstock, Colony is a historic venue with a seasonal, outdoor beer garden, amazing indoor space, and a constant rotation of world-class live music. The beer garden serves up food, drinks, and amazing music to keep your feet tapping while you enjoy a quintessential outdoor Woodstock experience. Available for private events and weddings welcomed!

LODGING

Greenville Arms 11135 State Route 32 Greenville, NY 12083 greenvillearms.com 518 966 5219 Originally built in 1889, our historically registered Inn is situated on six acres of gardens, lawns, and woodlands.

The Queen Anne Revival-style main house, renovated Carriage House, and recently constructed Cottage building are host to 16 guest rooms open year-round to guests. Every guest room is uniquely decorated with a blend of antiques and modern amenities. A hot, cooked-to-order breakfast is included with each room.

Hampton Inn Emerson Resort & Spa 5340 Route 28 Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 emersonresort.com 845 688 2828 Emerson Resort & Spa is a hidden treasure surrounded by the splendor of the Catskill Mountains. Open spaces and oversized windows expose stunning views and bring the beauty of the outside in. Enjoy spacious accommodations in the contemporary Inn or Adirondack-style Lodge, nature-inspired spa treatments, mouth-watering meals at Woodnotes Grille or Spa Bites, The Shops at Emerson and the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope.

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1307 Ulster Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 Kingston.hamptoninn.com 845 382 2600 Additional location in New Paltz: 4 S. Putt Corners Road New Paltz, NY 12561 Newpaltz.hamptoninn.com 845 255 4200 Our hotel is near I-87, with several restaurants within walking distance. Historic Downtown Waterfront and Uptown Kingston are both just four miles away with many local shops and dining options. Spend some family time at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, seven miles away. An hour drive or less

from 3 popular ski mountains. Unwind in our indoor saltwater pool. Enjoy complimentary hot breakfast and free WiFi.

Windham Manor 1161 Co Rd 10 Windham, NY 12496 windhammanor.com 518 944 1448 Our serene 45-acre property features a beautiful twelve-bedroom Victorian mansion, a newly-constructed luxury reception barn, and breathtaking mountain views. The Main House, which can accommodate up to 24 overnight guests, offers 12 private bedrooms, an onsite gym, a full spa, a large kitchen, ADA accommodations, and sprawling communal areas. It’s the perfect space for any small reception and is also ideal for a weekend getaway with friends or family; a wellness retreat; or a corporate off-site event.

Just a few steps west of The Main House, The Barn at Windham Manor can hold up to 300 guests for dinner and dancing. With beautiful tall ceilings, tons of natural light, and no detail spared, the space offers the perfect mix of classic mountain charm and unique modern luxury.

We also offer various outdoor wedding ceremony locations throughout the property—one more beautiful than the next!

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WindhamVacation.com 5628 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 518 755 8467 Book online today at WindhamVacation.com Red Fox Townhouse with alpine hot tub or The Cutest Cabin. Located in the heart of beautiful Windham, NY. Only minutes away from all the action! Enjoy the 5 country acres with nature trail to thepond & breathtaking mountain views. Each home offers large rock firepits with complimentary firewood & marshmallow sticks. Come and enjoy this four-season getaway with friends and family!

MASSAGE & WELLNESS Illuminating Wellness/ Mountain Top Massage illuminatingwellness.care 518 718 4228 Transformative therapeutic massage practice combines elements of many of the healing arts such as Acupressure, Reflexology, Reiki, Chiropractic adjustment and many forms of Asian and Thai massage.

BioPhoton Light Therapy – Biontology is a European healing process that detoxes, neutralizes and resets the body and healing begins immediately. This practice finds the root-cause of any symptom-producing malady and quickly neutralizes it and thus assists you in raising the body’s immune system, the key to your health. (biontology.com).

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MOVIE THEATER Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Mountain Cinema 7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 catskillmtn.org 518 263 4702 Hollywood, foreign & independent films just a mile west of Hunter Mountain and a short drive from Windham. Shows run Friday through Sunday. Also available for rental.

NATURAL GROCERY Sunflower Market 75 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, NY 12498 24 Garden Street Rhinebeck, NY, 12572 sunflowernatural.com 845 679 5361 (Woodstock) • 845 876 2555 (Rhinebeck) Sunflower is dedicated to providing products you can feel good about sharing with people you love. Prioritizing working with local farms, families, and business, we know where our food comes from. Sunflower is devoted to providing clean and sustainably sourced food, 100% organic produce and a selection of carefully curated items that fit all dietary needs.

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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Catskill Mountain Foundation 7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 catskillmtn.org 518 263 2000 Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, the Catskill Mountain Foundation is the premier presenting arts organization on the mountaintop. It operates two performing arts spaces: the Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter and the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville. More than 75 performances are presented yearly, everything from classical music to dance to family performances, to pop and rock. The Doctorow is also home to the Mountain Cinema, a three-screen movie house that shows films yearround, as well as the Piano Performance Museum, a oneof-a-kind collection of historic pianos and musical artifacts.

Windham Foundation windhamfoundation.com info@windhamfoundation.com 518 734 9636 Windham is a special place for all of us.

Our mission is to preserve and enrich Windham and the people who live, work, and visit here. We are a 501c3 grants-based organization, funding programs in education, recreation, the arts, and community initiatives. Established in 2004, the Windham Foundation is run by an all-volunteer Board. Donations are tax deductible.

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PHOTOGRAPHER Francis X. Driscoll Photography: Images of the Northern Catskills Work available for purchase at: Tannersville Antiques & Artisans: 518 589 5600 Rustic Mountain Antiques: 518 589 1202 Smitty’s Nursery: 518 734 3489 francisxdriscoll.com • 518 821 1339 A frequent contributor to the Guide magazine, Francis X. Driscoll is an award-winning nature photographer whose work involves total immersion in a setting so that he might capture that rare glimpse. His primary subject is the Catskill Forest Preserve. He shares his craft with others by leading hikes, conducting workshops and giving private instruction.

PRINTING SERVICES Catskill Mountain Printing Services 7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 518 263 2001 Your one-stop shop for fast, personal service for all of your printing needs. Graphic design services are available, and we can print green!

RADIO STATIONS

WIOX 91.3FM MTC Cable Channel 20 WIOXRADIO.ORG on computers and smartphones WIOX Community Radio—where public access meets public service to build public trust. WIOX programming is wildly diverse, live and local, and non-commercial, broadcasting from the Catskill Mountains region of upstate New York in the heart of the New York City Watershed. WIOX talk and music programs range from farming to brewing to cooking, forestry to healthcare, Rock to Pop, Bach and Goth, Blues, Folk, Country, Americana, Jazz and Salsa. WIOX: produced and supported—by you!

WRIP 97.9FM wripfm.com Streaming at rip979.com RIP 97.9 is the radio voice of the Mountaintop and Valley. Broadcasting 24/7 with the equivalent of 6,000 Watts of power, we are the only radio station covering the entire region between the Hudson Valley and Oneonta. WRIP is independently owned and operated. WRIP is heard on these FM frequencies: 97.9 in Windham and Hunter, 97.5 in Durham and Greenville, 103.7 in Catskill and Hudson, 104.5 in Stamford and Delaware County, and streaming worldwide at rip979.com.

November 2023 • GUIDE 45

REAL ESTATE

Brainard Ridge Realty 237 South Street Windham, NY 12496 brainardridge.com 518 734 5333 Specializing in Windham Mountain and the surrounding area for over 35 years. Visit our web site at brainardridge.com for a variety of listings both on and off the mountain: Homes, Townhomes, Rentals and Land. Whatever your needs we are here for you. Call us today!

Gordon Hunter Mountain Realty 6528 Route 23A Hunter, NY 12442 gordonrealty.com 518 589 9000 Gordon Hunter Mountain Realty is dedicated to serving you when you’re looking for property in Upstate New York and Northern Catskill Mountains.

Our professional staff specializes in properties near Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain ski resorts, including Hunter, Tannersville, Jewett, Lexington, Prattsville, Windham, and Ashland. We know the Catskill Mountains and look forward to showing you all that is available to see, do and live in our wonderful world.

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Carol Shaw, Broker/Owner Shaw Country Realty 5359 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 518 734 3500 I have been a real estate broker in the mountain top area for nearly four decades. Representing buyers and sellers, as well as dealing with various types of properties such as homes, land, and country homes, rentals, indicates a broad expertise in the local real estate market.

With our many years in the industry, Shaw Country Realty has built a strong network, deep understanding of the market trends, and a keen ability to match buyers with suitable properties and help sellers navigate successful transactions. If you have any specific questions about real estate, the current market conditions, or any other related topics, feel free to ask!

RESORT Windham Mountain Club 19 Resort Drive Windham, NY 12496 windhammountain.com 1 800 754 9463 Windham Mountain Club is a premier multi-generational, four-season resort in the Northeast, located in the Great Northern Catskills, two and a half hours north of New York City. In 1960, Windham started as a private club before becoming a public mountain. Boasting 285 skiable acres across 54 trails and serviced by 11 lifts (four of which are high speed), the mountain offers an award-winning Ski and Ride School, lodging, on-mountain dining, a tubing park, and world-class alpine and freestyle competition teams.

Summer offerings include a range of activities, such as mountain getaways, family-friendly events and festivals, wedding and special occasion venues, and the Windham Country Club, an 18-hole golf course with private lessons and on-site dining.

ingredients and served with five star customer service. We have a full bar featuring a range of red and white wines, bottled beers, beers on tap and liquor. We also cater, and pride ourselves on being able to deliver our quality restaurant dishes right to your door. Whatever the event, no matter how many or how few, we are there for you. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, closed on Sundays.

Angela’s Pizza 1923 Ulster Avenue Lake Katrine, NY 12401 angelaspizzarestaurant.com 845 382 2211 Angela’s is more than just pizza!

Soups, salads, pastas, subs, wraps, Italian dinners, desserts & more. …

But, yeah, our pizza is dang awesome, too! Try our specialty pies or build your own! Open every day 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. Eat in or take out, and delivery is available.

Catering is also available: let us bring our delicious food to your next event! Angela’s mobile app—available on both Android and iOS devices—is designed just for you. Get instant access to online ordering, Angela’s Loyalty Program, coupons, dining & catering menus, wing flavors and much more! Download the app today!

RESTAURANTS A Slice of Italy 1316 Ulster Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 asliceofitaly7115.com 845 336 7115 For years we have been providing the Kingston area with finest Italian dishes, pizza, hot and cold subs, salads and more made with the freshest November 2023 • GUIDE 47

Bear Cantina In the Bearsville Center: 295A Tinker St. Woodstock, NY 12498 thebearcantinawoodstock.org 845 684 7223 Contemporary Mexican made fresh! All of your favorites are here: burritos, tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, chimichangas and more, with several meat, fish, chicken and vegan options, and a kids menu. Enjoy streamside dining with both indoor & outdoor seating. View our full menu and place your order on the Clover app.

Brandywine 11157 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 brandywinewindham.com 518 734 3838 For the past 35 years, this fullservice Italian restaurant has offered great food and impeccable service. Share wonderful memories with your loved ones as we fill your table with delicious Italian cuisine. Born and raised in Southern Italy, owner Louis Carac- ciolo mastered the art of Italian cookery, and passed it on to his son Joseph, who has continued that art and tradition as chef in the restaurant. We guarantee that we know the formula to capture the rich flavor of your favorite Italian dishes.

Chef Deanna 1645 County Highway 6 Bovina Center, NY 13740 chefdeanna.com Weddings and special event catering, with delivery available for larger events! Chef Deanna is on the cutting edge of the sustainable food. Surrounded by farmers and local food makers, Chef Deanna creates beautiful dishes using her Sicilian heritage and her love of everything sweet and savory.

Early Terrible 45 Mill Hill Rd. Woodstock, NY 12498 earlyterrible.com 845 684 7226 An authentic, approachable, wine bar with a full menu, in the heart of Woodstock. Please join us in our magical lounge and enjoy the property and gardens. Offering a wide variety of specialty cocktails, wines, beers, and more, alongside a selection of shared plates and off-the-grill bratwurst, burgers, cheesesteak or fish.

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Gracie’s Luncheonette 969 Main Street Leeds, NY 12451 graciestruckny.com 518 943 9363 Our diner-style burgers, fried chicken sandwich, loaded fries and donuts are our signature menu items. All of our breads, pastries and desserts are made fresh in house every day. We make all of our own condiments and even our own cheese. We buy whole beef from Josef Meiller’s farm in Pine Plains, NY and we grind our own special blend for our burgers as well as cut our own steaks. We also cure and smoke our own bacon, pastrami and other meats. All eggs, dairy, produce and other meats are all sourced as locally as possible. the potatoes for our French fries are even grown right in Catskill at Story’s Farm and hand-cut daily!

Hunter Mountain Brewery 7267 Route 23A Hunter, NY 12442 HMBCatskills.com 518 263 3300 Over 15 home brewed beers on tap including seasonal ales, IPA’s, porters, stouts, lagers and more. Available for in house and take out in our 64 oz growlers or canned four packs. Weekly specials include taco Tuesdays, sushi Thursdays, and prime rib Fridays.

Stop in for the best views and brews on the mountain top!

Jessie’s Harvest House 5819 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 jessiesharvesthouse.com 518 589 5445 Jessie’s Harvest House Restaurant and Lodge is a welcoming & cozy place to gather, featuring a delicious menu of American-style cuisine and elevated comfort foods, with locally-sourced ingredients, a friendly tavern, and rustic country lodging. Family-owned & family-run, we love to share all the freshest foods our area has to offer! Catering is available. Indoor & outdoor dining.

Pancho Villa’s Mexican Restaurant 6037 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 panchovillamex.com 518 589 5134 The Best Mexican Food this side of the Border! Pancho Villa’s is owned and operated by the Oscar and Patricia Azcue family. They have been proudly serving authentic Mexican food on Main Street in Tannersville since 1992.

Rooted in tradition, their passion is sharing great food and good company. All of the traditional Mexican favorites are served here, from enchiladas and burritos to chimichangas and flautas...plus great margaritas and daiquiris! Open every day except Tuesday.

The Sheep’s Nest 45 Main Street Hobart, NY 13788 thesheepsnest.com 607 434 6918 The Sheep’s Nest is boutique style gift shop carrying embellishments for you and your home. It is housed in an English Cottage that we built after visiting the English countryside. We carry an array of unique items to decorate your home as well as wonderful gifts. Candles, bath and body products, jewelry, scarves, beautiful gift cards, yarn (some from our own Shetland Sheep), and so much more. Woolen creations and other artwork is also featured from time to time.

SERVICE Greene County Economic Development Corporation

RETAIL Camp Catskill 6006 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 campcatskill.co 518 303 6050 Sustainable gear & gifts, including clothing, footwear, backpacks, and hiking gear. Our mission is to help you feel good about what you buy, what you wear, and the gear you use (and reuse) in the wild. Having the right gear lets you spend more time outside in nature, which in turn connects you to the importance of preserving the natural wonders of our world. We work with brands that care about their impact on the planet and its people, and we donate 1% of our revenue to environmental nonprofits here in the Catskills.

Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop 6042 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 518 589 7500 Operated by the Catskill Mountain Foundation and located next door to the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, our shop features a curated selection of home decor items and gifts from around the Region and around the world. Open Friday through Sunday and holiday Mondays from 11 am to 6 pm.

411 Main Street Catskill, NY 12414 greenecountyedc.com 518 719 3290 Your gateway to establishing your business in Greene County. Their team connects entrepreneurs, developers, and corporate leadership with resources, municipalities, and investment incentives for job-creating businesses.

WINE & LIQUOR Elevated Wine & Spirits 7261 Route 23A Hunter, NY 12442 518 263 4184 We’re always expanding our selection of traditional, organic, biodynamic, and natural wines, plus bartender-selected spirits including single village mezcals and small batch bourbons.

From Barefoot Chardonnay to Cru Beaujolais, from Fireball to Fred #5, we are a wine & spirits shop for anyone at any budget. Local spirits too.

Olivia’s Wine & Spirits 128 South Street Windham, NY 12496 oliviaswineandspirits.com 518 750 8026 Wine connoisseurs Olivia and Robert Giordano have traveled the world learning about wine, and are now bringing their vast knowledge and pasNovember 2023 • GUIDE 49

sion for wines from all over the world to Windham. Olivia’s offers a diverse selection of wines at a variety of competitive price points, as well as a variety of bourbons, whiskeys, and other liquors. Stop in Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm, or Sunday from 12 to 6 pm.

Town & Country Liquors 330 Route 12 Saugerties, NY 12477 townandcountryliquorstore.com 845 246 8931 Our selection of wines and spirits is among the best in the Hudson Valley. Our friendly helpful staff is here to assist you in finding the right beverage: we have a huge selection of wines and spirits from all over the world.

Windham Wine & Liquors 5448 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 518 734 3474 Windham Wine & Liquors is the Mountaintop’s premier destination for the best offerings of wines and spirits since 2003. Our

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ever-expanding selection is sure to please every palate and price range. Let us help with your special event or gift.

Visit us at the west end of town. Open every day of the year except Christmas Day.

Woodstock Wine & Liquor 63 Tinker St. Woodstock, NY 12498 woodstockwineandliquor.com 845 679 2669 Located in the heart of Woodstock, WW&L is a family-owned, lovingly curated boutique shop with more than 1000 different wines, spirits, sakes and ciders to choose from. Customers discover a focus on local wines and spirits, naturally and sustainably produced wines from around the world, in an inviting, non-pretentious environment. Respecting tradition while celebrating innovation.

Check out the free in-store tastings and order through woodstockwineandliquor.com for pickup or free local delivery.

November 2023 • GUIDE 51

Basically Bach

Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra, Conducted by Robert Manno, Returns to Tannersville for a Thanksgiving Weekend Concert with Acclaimed Solo Pianist Simone Dinnerstein

By Sarah Beling

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Photo by Lisa Marie Mazzucco

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here’s nothing quite like a treasured tradition to kick off the holiday season—and local audiences are no doubt already looking forward to the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s annual Thanksgiving weekend concert with the Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra. This year’s evening-long program, Basically Bach, will feature the Orchestra along with acclaimed classical piano soloist Simone Dinnerstein at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville on November 25 at 7:30 pm.

The Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra’s long-standing relationship with CMF goes back to co-founder, composer, and conductor Robert Manno’s first foray into the Catskill Region more than 40 years ago. “In 1981 my wife, violinist Magdalena Golczewski, and I found a house and property just above the town of Windham—this became a refuge from NYC and our grueling schedule at the Metropolitan Opera,” said Manno. “We knew by the beginning of the 1990s that we would make Windham our full-time residence after leaving the MET,” he added.

Manno and Golczewski began looking for a local venue to perform chamber music, and by 1997, the first Windham Chamber Music Festival held a performance at the former Centre Church Building in the center of town. “We totally overlooked the fact that the overwhelming majority of local residents had never been 52 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

to a classical music concert and had never heard the term ‘chamber music,’” Manno told Chamber Music America of their first performance in the area. “However, remaining true to our individual tastes,” he added, “we presented a challenging program: the first performance of my 1995 String Sextet (a dark piece that has been likened by more than one reviewer to Schoenberg’s Verklarte Nacht) and Schubert’s great C Major Cello Quintet.

This was definitely not an ‘easy listening’ concert, and yet not one of the 260 standing-room-only audience members left that night. That concert marked the beginning of a wonderful and exciting journey.”

Over the last 26 years, the orchestra has frequently collaborated with CMF and added performances in Hunter at the Red Barn and the Doctorow Center, as well as in Tannersville at the Orpheum. This year’s Thanksgiving weekend concert—which will feature a series of pieces by George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, and of course, Johann Sebastian Bach—will be Dinnerstein’s introduction to Hunter and Tannersville audiences, an event that Manno said has long been in the works. “In mid-2005 we first heard and met Simone Dinnerstein perform the Goldberg Variations at a house concert in Columbia County,” said Manno. “Since our 2006 Windham schedule had already been

set, we asked Simone to perform the Mozart Concerto #23 with the Festival Orchestra in 2007. When we met we didn’t know that she had already recorded the Goldberg for later release, that she would make her debut with the work at Carnegie Recital Hall in November 2005 and release the Teldec recording of it in August 2007,” he added. “In October of that year, Performance Today broadcast her Mozart Concerto from Windham and followed with subsequent re-broadcasts. Simone performed her wonderful Goldberg in Windham in 2008, appearing again in 2014 in a gorgeous Schumann Kinderszenen. Since then we’ve attended many of her performances at Bard, Maverick and Carnegie Hall.”

Windham Festival Orchestra’s Basically Bach program “came as a result of [CMF founding partner] Peter Finn’s love of Bach, a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Catskill Mountain Foundation, and a long-desired debut for Simone Dinnerstein in the Hunter/Tannersville area under CMF auspices,” added Manno. The Brooklyn-based Dinnerstein—who has been awarded such accolades as being “a unique voice in the forest of Bach interpretation” by The New York Times and “an artist of strikingly original ideas and irrefutable integrity” by the Washington Post—studied under Solomon Mikowsky, Maria Curcio and Peter Serkin and first rose to prominence after her 2007 recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. She’s gone on to record thirteen Billboard Classical chart-topping albums, play concert venues from Carnegie Hall to the Berlin Philharmonie, Sydney Opera House and the Kennedy Center, as well as collaborate with classical mainstays like Renée Fleming and André Previn.

Dinnerstein has also dedicated much of her career to expanding classical music’s reach beyond traditional venues and audiences, founding Neighborhood Classics, a concert series created to raise funds for New York City public school music education programs, and playing concerts around the country with The Piatigorsky Foundation, an organization committed to making sure that classical music is not “a luxury for an elite few, but a necessity of life for all.” Dinnerstein’s work with the Piatigorsky Foundation took her to perform the first piano recital in the Louisiana state prison system at the Avoyelles Correctional Center, and she has also performed at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

“I am really looking forward to collaborating with Bob and the musicians of the orchestra on this repertoire which is so special to me,” said Dinnerstein. “It will be my first performance of the F Major keyboard concerto, and it’s always fun to have musical dialogue with one flute, let alone with two! I think the audience will enjoy the bubbly joy of this particular work.”

“For the concertos on the program I requested the F Major Concerto #6 (Bach’s 1738 transcription of the 1721 Brandenburg Concerto #4),” added Manno of the process to put together the Bach program. “Simone chose the 1738 E Major Concerto #2 (the first two movements of which are Bach’s reworking of the

Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra Conductor Robert Manno.

Photo by Junah Chung

1726 Church Cantata #169 for alto solo, chorus and orchestra).

The Handel Entrance of the Queen of Sheba, the Vivaldi Concerto for 2 Flutes, and the Bach Orchestral Suite #3 will serve as a wonderful welcome mat for Simone’s magical rendering of the Bach keyboard masterpieces that follow.” Dinnerstein added that “The second movement of the E Major keyboard concerto has its origins in one of Bach’s cantatas, and it will be a joy to sing this music on the piano with Bob as my partner, given his experience and expertise in the world of opera.”

Manno and his fellow musicians at the Windham Festival Orchestra are similarly enthused about what Dinnesterin will bring to the table. “Years ago harpsichordist Roslyn Tureck was known as the ‘High Priestess of Bach,’” said Manno. “I think it’s appropriate to call Simone today’s ‘High Priestess of Bach.’I am so delighted this is happening!” Manno hopes that Catskills audiences will not only delight in the privilege of getting to witness a peerless performer at her finest, but also gain a new appreciation through the Windham Festival Orchestra’s modern interpretation of such venerable classics. “It is the hope that this performance of the Concertos and the Orchestral Suite #3, coming 300 years after their inception,” said Manno, “will lead to a more enhanced and deeper appreciation of the genius of Bach.”

The Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra will perform at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 25 at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Hunter, NY 12485. Tickets purchased ahead are $25 adults; $20 seniors; $7 students. Ticketing fees and higher atthe-door ticket prices apply. To purchase tickets, visit catskillmtn.org, call 518 263 2063, or email boxoffice@catskillmtn.org.

November 2023 • GUIDE 53

A FEAST OF BOOKS

By Jen Schwartz, Briars & Brambles Books, Windham

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his year, I propose a different kind of Thanksgiving Feast, A feast of books. Like a good meal, books provide nourishment, but without the calories! Here’s my suggested menu.

tions of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere.

Appetizer: A small dish of food or drink taken before a meal to stimulate one’s appetite.

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

by Michael Finkle Stéphane Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtaking number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop—until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down. This is a riveting story of art, crime, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.

Palate Cleanser: A palate cleanser is a serving of food or drink that removes food residue from the tongue allowing one to more accurately assess a new flavor.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett A meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives our parents had before they were our parents. Both hopeful and elegiac, the novel explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart.

Amuse-Bouche: French for “mouth amuser.’ Think little bites that chefs send to diners at the start of their meal Your Table is Ready by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina A front-of-the-house Kitchen Confidential from a career maître d’hotel who has manned the front of the room at a glamorous and in-demand swath of restaurants from the 1970’s to 2020.

From the elegant to the entitled, from royalty to the financially ruined, everyone who wanted to be seen—or just to gawk—at the hottest restaurants in New York City came to places Michael Cecchi-Azzolina helped run.

Main Course: The largest part of the meal (it’s Thanksgiving, Try Both!)

North Woods by Daniel Mason Traversing cycles of history, nature, and even literature, North Woods shows the myriad, magical ways in which we’re connected to our environment and to one another, across time, language and space. Written along with the seasons and divided into the twelve months of the year, it is an unforgettable novel about secrets and fates that asks the timeless question: how do we live on, even after we’re gone?

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three genera54 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Dessert: the sweet course eaten at the end of a meal (help yourself to each of these guilty pleasures).

Everybody in My Family Has Killed Someone

by Benjamin Stevenson Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some are just unfortunate. I’m Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I’d killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn’t so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most important, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold.

Heartwarming, wistful, mysterious and delightfully quirky, Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s internationally bestselling novel explores the age-old question: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie by Sarah Graves Chocolate Pie—need we say more?

Visit Briars & Brambles Books at the corner of Route 296 and South Street in Windham. Jen or another member of her staff will help you pick out the perfect books for your Thanksgiving literary feast.

Plot summaries come from Edelweiss, a subscription service booksellers use to help determine which books they’d like to carry.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation presents

Once Upon A

Time

Darcy Dunn, mezzo-soprano Julia Mendelsohn, pianist Mark Singer, baritone

A Program of Musical Favorites, Old and New Songs by Stephen Sondheim • Leonard Bernstein • George Gershwin Ned Rorem • Irving Berlin … and More!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 @ 8:00 PM Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Main Street • Hunter, NY 12442

Scan the QR code at the right or visit catskillmtn.org to purchase tickets!

Scan to purchase tickets

Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, Royce Family Foundation, Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewart’s Shops, November 2023 • GUIDE 55 Windham Foundation, A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, and by private donations.

Once Upon A Time The Funny Valentines, behind the Red Barn in Hunter. Left to right: Julia Mendelsohn, Mark Singer, Darcy Dunn

By Joan Oldknow

O

nce Upon a Time, there were two people, Mark Singer and Darcy Dunn, who coincidentally studied with the same voice teacher in Manhattan. They met and fell in love, and came, one weekend, to the Mountain Top to stay with their friend, Bill Krakauer. They fell in love again, this time with the Mountain Top. Mark and Darcy longed to be a part of building a theater there. Bill told Mark and Darcy about Peter and Sarah Finn, who had grand plans for an arts organization in Hunter, NY. Mark and Peter met, and a few months later, Mark and Darcy, with their musical director, Julia Mendelsohn, created and performed the very first concert by the Catskill Mountain Foundation, at the very first CMF performance space, the Red Barn. This was in November, 1998—one month before the Catskill Mountain Foundation was officially incorporated. The intersection of Mark and Darcy’s musical journeys with the development of Catskill Mountain Foundation is undeniable. It is only fitting that Mark and Darcy and Julia should mark their 25th anniversary with the CMF, and the CMF’s 25 anniversary year, this November 11, in a retrospective at the Doctorow Center for the Arts, one of the performance spaces envisioned by Peter Finn, oh so many years ago.

The story of Mark and Darcy began back in 1987, about 12 years before the Catskill Mountain Foundation was born. Before 56 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

they met, Darcy sang in college. Through a college friend, singer Peter Castaldi, she met her voice teacher, Ray Evans Harrell (who will play a big part in this tale). She began to study voice and theater and art with him. Ray is her teacher (and Peter her friend), to this day. Mark did not begin his formal musical training until he was in his twenties, but he comes from a very musical family. His father was a cantor in a large conservative congregation in New Jersey that had a choir during the high holidays. With his parents, he and his siblings would sing harmony around the dinner table, taking the different choir parts. His aunt was an accomplished opera singer. His uncle, another cantor.

Mark’s father took weekly voice lessons with a voice teacher in New York—Ray Evans Harrell. Cantor Singer’s lesson time followed the lesson of a highly respected therapist, also part of a musical family, who just happened to have a long family history on the Mountain Top, and a home on Bloomer Road in Tannersville, NY. That was Bill Krakauer. Right after college, Mark got his first job on Wall Street and, naturally, started voice lessons with Ray. It was there that he met a very nice fellow student named Darcy.

In 1989, Mark and Darcy performed together in Georges Bizet’s Carmen, which was directed by Ray at the Mannes School of Music. This is when they fell in love and soon moved in together. (An amusing wrinkle in the story—Mark and Darcy

went on their first date in January, 1987 soon after they first met.

Their second date wasn’t until two years later, in 1989, after Carmen! … That one stuck.) They quickly forged a connection to the Mountain Top, visiting the Krakauers’ house in Tannersville every August when Bill and his violinist wife Barbara traveled to France.

Sometimes, David Krakauer, the world-renowned clarinetist who also performed in later years with the Catskill Mountain Foundation, would be at his parents’ house too.

Meanwhile, Ray, with a number of his students and colleagues, had formed a chamber opera ensemble called the Magic Circle Opera Repertory Ensemble, MCORE for short. They were a self-managed group whose members/performers did the artistic creation, preparation, training and work, but also handled the publicity, ticketing and all of the other performance related functions. After Carmen, the young group trained together almost daily for five years, studying voice and acting; movement and theater and even, for a few years, Flamenco dance in preparation for a larger Carmen performance, which would include singers as dancers, slide projections and a commissioned chamber orchestration of the score. During 1989-1994, Magic Circle Opera produced many performances. For a couple of years, the ensemble put on weekly performances at the Citicorp Center, and each year had at least one big performance, developing the company, its repertory and the participating artists. MCORE had a residency at LaMaMa, ETC., several festivals at Merkin Hall and produced several recordings.

During all those years, Mark was working on Wall Street, and it was a busy and rewarding time … crazy busy. In May, 1994, one month before their wedding, Mark had a health scare and realized that he needed to slow down. That meant cutting back his performance schedule and eventually changing teachers and studying with Dan Ferro, who had been Ray Harrell’s teacher and was a close friend of Ray. Dan worked with many great opera singers including the likes of Kathleen Battle, and taught at Juilliard for over 40 years. Mark studied with Dan until Dan passed away, about eight years ago.

Mark and Darcy met pianist Julia Mendelsohn in Ray’s studio, around the same time they first met each other. First as a studio coach and pianist, she later became a musical coach, musical director and accompanist for many of the Magic Circle performances. Mark and Darcy can’t say enough about Julia. She is not only an extraordinary pianist, but a brilliant musical arranger and director who, through her expressive playing and skillful insight into songs, brings emotion and beauty (and often humor), to their collaborations. Julia has become a much sought-after coach for child actors on Broadway, and her students have performed in many Broadway shows.

It was Bill Krakauer who made the initial connection between Mark and Peter. In the late 1990’s, when the old Orpheum Theater closed in Tannersville, Mark told Darcy that the theater should become their opera house. Mark said something to Bill Krakauer about it. Bill said, “If you really are interested in bringing the per-

November 2023 • GUIDE 57

The Moss Ensemble. Left to right: vioinist Marshall Coid, pianist Elizabeth Rodgers, cellist Mary Wooten, and mezzo-soprano Darcy Dunn.

forming arts up here, I heard about this guy who is interested in the same thing. You should talk to him. His name is Peter Finn.” Mark called Peter, and they met at Mark and Darcy’s rental house in Jewett. Peter brought his binder and described his plans to renovate the barn in Hunter to be used as a performance space, and to buy the movie theater. Darcy remembers that Peter’s binder was full of ideas for the Foundation, and that most of those ideas have come to fruition! Mark told Peter that he was really a singer, but he worked on Wall Street and was hoping that his company would be sold. Mark was a partner in his company by then, and his plan was to leave and just sing. Mark said to Peter, “When your space is ready, if you want, we’ll do a free performance for you.” About six months later, when Peter called Mark and asked how soon they could perform, Mark and Darcy asked Julia to join them.

In 1997, Mark, Darcy and Julia had done their first show together as a trio at the Ethical Culture Center in NYC (Darcy was 7 months pregnant), calling themselves “The Funny Valentines.” According to Darcy, Mark and Julia are the real comics.

(She is the accidental one). In 1998, The Funny Valentines’ first performance at the Red Barn was on a bare bones raised platform, created for the evening, with no lighting or set, just a trademark CMF beautiful piano. They rehearsed in the Red Barn the night before, driving up after Mark’s (half ) work day on Wall Street.

Their two boxer dogs, Bo and Tilly, and 10 month old son, Akiva, wandered around the stage while they staged the show!

For several years after, The Funny Valentines performed regular reviews at the Red Barn, mixing classical, Broadway and American Songbook repertory. In 2005, Pam Weisberg reached out to Mark and Darcy. She asked if they could create and perform two shows a year, starting immediately, or at least, as soon as possible. Mark proposed, and Pam helped found, a series called the Mountain Top Celebration of Song, which featured themed musical reviews with original scripts. The Funny Valentines ended up doing six shows over the next few years. The first show was called “Headliners and Oneliners: Songs and Stories of the Catskill Mountain Resorts.” The night of the show they ended up having to set up more chairs for the overflow audience. There was another show called “Weill’d About You,” featuring Kurt Weill’s work in Europe and America. Others included a show about 58 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Speakeasies in the 20’s; a show built around the music of the sixties, and another built around stories, submitted in advance by members of their Mountaintop audience, about how people met and fell in love, called “We’re Playing Your Song.”

By then Mark’s ties to the CMF had developed in other ways.

In 2002, Peter Finn asked Mark to join the Catskill Mountain Foundation board of directors. Mark had left his Wall Street firm, and spent a year as Executive director of a chamber music festiva—a festival supported pro-bono by Peter’s PR company.

Mark became a CMF board member and worked part-time for the Foundation for the next eight years as the CFO. Eventually, Mark decided to step down. When Peter created FINN Partners, he asked Mark to work with him, first as a part-time writer and advisor, but eventually as CFO. Mark now works part-time as chief strategist for FINN Partners, which allows him time to perform and write plays and short stories. His play (with Tango music and dance) A Milonga for Gabriel Isaacs, co-written with John McCaffrey, was performed at LTV Studios in Wainscott, NY on October 21.

Mark’s singing has evolved over the years as he has moved away from opera and classical singing and gravitated towards more of a legit Broadway/Cabaret style. That music too has always loomed large in his life. His brother, Barry Singer, has written extensively about musical theater in The New York Times and many other publications, and his recently published book Ever After documents and comments on every Broadway musical produced between 1977 and 2020. As a boy, the room Barry and Mark shared was filled with the sounds of Broadway musicals.

More recently, Mark has forged a close connection to his neighbor, Bob Dawson, one of the great private party jazz pianists in NYC. About ten years ago Mark started singing with Bob and his trio at the Harvard Club, which expanded his repertoire to include hundreds of songs. They performed some of that repertoire last spring at the Doctorow Center for the Arts in a video performance for the CMF (still available on the CMF’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/catskillmountainfoundation).

Mark loves not only the music, but the freedom of expression that comes with performing this repertoire. Singing with Bob’s trio and with Julia he can explore different approaches to the songs—most prepared, but some improvised in the moment. He doesn’t have to do it the same way every time and he is working with exceptional musicians who can both follow his instincts and explore their own. The combination of great musicians, wonderful material and freedom of performance is extremely rewarding. For Mark, one of the keys to being an effective performer is change—trying different things and keeping your audience involved by varying your approach and your interpretations.

In 2022, Darcy, along with cellist Mary Wooten, violinist Marshall Coid and pianist Elizabeth Rodgers, created a chamber music ensemble named The Moss Ensemble. They performed their inaugural concert at the CMF in April of last year, and will perform again at the Doctorow Center for the Arts on August 24, 2024. In-

cluded in their first concert were songs by Windham Chamber Music’s own Robert Manno. Over the years, Darcy has been thrilled that her relationship to the CMF also led to a friendship and professional association with Bob and his wife, violinist Magdalena Golczewski, and to performances with the Windham Chamber Music Ensemble, under Bob’s baton. In these concerts and with Moss, she had the additional joy of performing the original song cycle, commissioned for her by Mark and written for her by Bob, entitled Three Songs on Love Sonnets by Pablo Neruda, first with orchestra and then with chamber orchestra ensemble. She loves performing for Catskill Mountain Foundation and on the Mountain Top. When she and Mark saw Pam Weisberg at the CMF benefit in 2021, after not having performed at CMF for a number of years, Pam said, “We hope you will come back.” Darcy replied that they will come back as often as they can!

Once Upon a Time, to be performed on Saturday November 11 at 8:00 pm at the Doctorow Center for the Arts, is a program of musical favorites by Sondheim, Bernstein, Gershwin, Rorem, Berlin and many more. It promises to be a retrospective of songs and past performances through the years that highlight the development of the Catskill Mountain Foundation, particularly in its early years. Mark is the emcee, a role that he enjoys because there’s nothing like getting a laugh (which he hopes he will). The program will revisit The Funny Valentines’ past with the CMF, but will also weave in Peter, Sarah, Pam and their extraordinary accomplishments over the past 25 years.

It will be a musical celebration of 25 years of the CMF. In Darcy’s words, “Music and performance connect us.”

IMAGES OF THE NORTHERN CATSKILLS

By Francis X. Driscoll

My work is available for purchase at: Tannersville Antiques & Artisans: 518 589 5600 Rustic Mountain Antiques: 518 589 1202 Smitty’s Nursery: 518 734 3489

For more information about my work, visit www.francisxdriscoll.com

The Doctorow Center for the Arts is located at 7971 Main Street, Hunter, NY 12442.

Tickets purchased ahead are $25 adults; $20 seniors; $7 students. Ticketing fees and higher at-the-door ticket prices apply.

To purchase tickets, visit catskillmtn.org, call 518 263 2063, or email boxoffice@ catskillmtn.org.

November 2023 • GUIDE 59

Autumn Maple Leaves

A Greene County Garden in November: Leaf Color Harmonies

By Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson

T

he changing colors of autumn leaves can look magnificent in and around the garden, whether brightening a shady area or harmonizing with a brick wall. Yellow ginkgo leaves are show-stopping in front of a purple house. Red winterberries delight the eye against the rough texture of a gray stone wall.

Gardeners often gravitate to flowering plants that look dramatic in spring or summer but fade to insignificance in autumn.

Especially in a small garden, the drab greens and earthy browns that remain can feel dreary. Could a splash of fall color add cheer to your now-flowerless garden? Would a shrub add height and an interesting texture? Could your bare stone wall or wooden fence be enhanced by a colorful fall partner?

Red makes a strong statement and works well where contrast is wanted. The brilliantly red but invasive Asian shrub Euonymus alatus, commonly called burning bush, can still be seen in many local gardens, but has a nasty habit of displacing the native shrubs in our forests as birds eat the berries and scatter the seeds.

Instead, try planting a native that offers both red fall color and year-round interest. Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is native in the southeastern U.S. and grows vigorously here, just a tad north of its home range. It sports clusters of white flowers that turn pink in late summer, while the large, lobed leaves that 60 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

give it its common name turn a deep bronze-red in autumn.

Aronia melanocarpa turns a lovely red-orange, and its clusters of edible black berries will persist decoratively until the birds (or you) gobble them up.

Yellow makes a gentler impression, especially in areas where red might be too dominating. It can also look beautiful as a companion with red and orange. Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is a New York native with sweet-scented flowers in summer and golden leaves in fall. The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a small tree that bears the largest fruit native to North America, unavailable in markets because of its fragility but prized by connoisseurs. Its shiny leaves grow up to 12 inches long, making an impressive show when they turn gold.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), a graceful shrub with arching branches, is native across the eastern U.S. Plant breeders have developed varieties with leaf colors that range from bronze to purple to golden green during the growing season. Their fall colors may be yellow-orange, flame-orange or scarlet, but are always glorious.

Many local nurseries stay open year-round, and this is a great time of year to explore them, when you can see with your own eyes the dazzling leaf colors available to perk up your fall garden.

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN REGION GUIDE PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO

“Still Lifes of Decay” Photographs by John Graham Tucker

Most of the images in this portfolio are what I call ‘still lifes of decay.’ I find each cycle of life in Mother Nature to be equally beautiful, and that certainly includes decay—the sustenance for new growth. Decay can also often have a kind of haunting beauty, which I have tried to capture in these photographs.

A lot of nature photography is dedicated to landscapes and vistas, and that domain certainly offers an abundance of possibility, especially in the abundant pristine beauty of the Catskill Mountains.

For me, however, the particular is at least as compelling as the general. The great modernist architect Mies van der Rohe once said: “God is in the details.” He may have meant that in the context of architecture, but it has a broader meaning for me and has been something of a guiding principle.

The images published here are among the first “serious” images I have taken with a digital camera. Two or three decades ago, my commitment to good photography was exclusively with old-fashioned film—slow-speed 35mm color film in particular. At that time, as many of us may remember, film photography had begun its rapid decline, overwhelmed by the surge of digital photography.

Once digital had essentially replaced film, my interest in photography waned. I was frankly intimidated by what I perceived to be the complexity of high-end digital cameras, which have scores of different settings for every imaginable type of light and environment and desired result. So much to learn and figure out!, I cautioned myself. It’ll take a long time!

Then, about a year ago, I surrendered. I bought a professional quality digital camera and lens, and the process of learning and discovery with this amazing instrument has started. I am happy to say that the most important part of the process—the creative one of finding and composing an interesting photograph—has not changed one iota.

Much of my professional career has been as a photo editor and art director for large-format books on architecture, design, and photography. I am very grateful to all the professional photographers I have worked with who allowed me to guide, critique, and edit their work for publication. They helped train my eye for light and composition, and more importantly, they helped me realize that good photography should always surprise, delight, or deepen our awareness and humanity.

—John Graham Tucker, Bovina, New York November 2023 • GUIDE 61

THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN THE CATSKILLS

By Jeff Senterman

A

s the last of the leaves fall from our trees and the colder temperatures spread throughout the mountains, November can be a great time to get outside in the Catskills, especially if you are a sportsperson and enjoy taking part in the numerous hunting seasons that are available throughout the month. For hikers or other non-sportspeople, that means a few extra precautions, so be sure to read through our section on hunting season below so you are prepared. Hunting season does not mean that you should not get out and enjoy the woods!

Do not just be prepared for hunting season, though, as November weather can be very unpredictable. It is best to plan ahead and be prepared so you can enjoy your outdoor adventures in the Catskill Mountains. Weather can change dramatically between the Hudson Valley and Catskill summits, especially in months like November. What could be a light rain at low elevations can be freezing rain or snow at higher elevations. Wetness and dampness can also quickly escalate to hypothermia as it becomes more difficult to stay warm in cold and wet temperatures. Always plan and prepare!

Hikers, Walkers and Mountain Bikers: Be Alert During Seasonal Hunting Seasons Bow season for deer hunting in the Catskill Park opens in October and runs through November 17. Regular (rifle) season for deer hunting begins on November 18 and runs through December 10. Bow season picks back up on December 11 and runs through the end of the year, with exceptions for the holidays.

There are also seasons for turkey, bear, bobcat and other small mammals. For all the details about hunting seasons, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) maintains a website at dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html with extensive seasonal information on all of the different hunting seasons, their geographic areas and additional information for both hunters and those who wish to recreate during the fall hunting season.

Hikers, walkers and anyone planning on being in the woods who is not a hunter, should always be aware of the hunting regulations in the area where they are recreating and should always wear blaze orange during hunting seasons to reduce the risk of any incidents.

Don’t forget to watch your pets too! Dogs should be wearing blaze orange when they are in the woods with you during hunting seasons and should always remain under your control (preferably leashed) to avoid incidents.

Regularly Updated Catskill Park Conditions Local recreational opportunities are always changing, and by visiting the Catskills Visitor Center’s Trail Conditions page you 68 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Photo courtesy of Belleayre Mountain

can see updates related to the Catskill Park, Catskill trails, Catskill campgrounds and camping, Catskill boating, skiing, and more.

Visit catskillsvisitorcenter.org/trail.

Catskill Park Coalition Priorities for 2024: You Can Help Support the Catskills!

The Catskill Park Coalition represents dozens of organizations who work in and care for the Catskill Park and the surrounding Catskills region. Every year the Coalition prepares priorities for the upcoming NYS budget and advocates for equitable funding of the Catskill Park and Catskills communities. Many of the members of the Coalition partner with New York State, local governments, and other stakeholders to implement critical Catskill Park programs to conserve open space, steward our existing recreational resources, protect and improve water quality, promote responsible forest stewardship, build community resilience, and create new trails and public access.

The Coalition knows that investments in the Catskill Park protect our natural resources, support important jobs for our region, and provide clean drinking water protection for millions of New Yorkers. The priorities for the Coalition in the upcoming NYS Budget affirm tourism opportunities, natural resource protections, clean water, public health protections, climate resilience, recreational access, job creation, and quality of life for residents of and visitors to the Catskill Park.

Public Safety and Catskill Park Management The NYSDEC must be adequately staffed, including new staff in the Division of Lands and Forests and annual Forest Ranger Academies, and the Catskill Park Coordinator role must be adequately funded.

Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Fund the Environmental Protection Fund at $400 million. Within the EPF, maintain existing funding lines for the Catskills including: $10 million Forest Preserve line; $250,000 line for the Catskills Visitor Center; $200,000 line for Catskill Science Collaborative; $500,000 for the “Save the Hemlocks” initiative; and $300,000 in dedicated Catskills funding for Smart Growth Grants.

Supporting Local Economies Support Catskills communities by investing in projects with direct community benefits. Improve cellular service, support construction of the U&D Rail Trail, expand affordable housing, and improve trail connectivity to downtown main streets.

What can you do to help? Contact your local elected officials (the Governor, State Senators, and State Assemblymembers especially and let them know that you support the Catskill Park and the priorities of the Catskill Park Coalition. It doesn’t matter where in New York you live, but your elected officials need to know you support the Catskills!

Also, make plans to take part in Catskill Park Day! Organized annually by the Catskill Center as co-Chair of the Catskill Park Coalition, the 2024 Catskill Park Day will be held this February, with details to follow. This day is an opportunity for supporters of the Catskills to have their voice heard in Albany and to make a difference in the support and funding that the Park receives. For more information visit catskillcenter.org/advocacy.

Visit the Catskill Park’s Visitor Center Located at 5096 Route 28 in Mount Tremper, the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center (CVC) is the official visitor center for the Catskill Park. A program of the Catskill Center, staff are available at the

#RecreateResponsibly in the Catskills Time in nature, and outdoor recreation has proven to be essential for all.

Especially during uncertain times, all of us, from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts, to families heading out to their local park for the first time, can turn to community and simple reminders about how to safely & responsibly recreate outdoors while caring for one another.

The Recreate Responsibly guidelines came together to offer a starting point for getting outside to keep yourself and others safe while working to maintain access to our beloved natural spaces.

Read on to learn the primary tips on how to responsibly recreate outdoors. Each edition of the guidelines have been developed by bringing together topline issues and experts to distill key concepts that when implemented, build a community of care in the outdoors.

Learn more at recreateresponsibly.org

Know Before you Go Check the status of the place you want to visit for closures, fire restrictions, and weather.

Plan and Prepare Reservations and permits may be required.

Make sure you have the gear you need and a back-up plan

Build an Inclusive Outdoors Be an active part of making the outdoors safe and welcoming for all identities and abilities.

Respect Others There is space for everyone and countless outdoor activities.

Be kind to all who use the outdoors and nature differently.

Leave No Trace Respect the land, water, wildlife, and Native communities.

Follow the seven Leave No Trace principles.

Learn more at LeaveNoTrace.org

Make It Better We all have a responsibility to sustain the places we love.

Volunteer, donate, and advocate for the outdoors.

November 2023 • GUIDE 69

CVC with information, maps and all the advice needed to plan a Catskill adventure. The CVC is open every day through October from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors can get their Catskill questions answered, find brochures, and make purchases at the CVC’s shop that includes hiking maps, regional books, and much more. CVC staff are available to answer questions about the Catskills via email at info@catskillcenter.org or by phone at 845 688 3369 during normal business hours.

In addition to tourism services, there are 1.5 miles of trails on the CVC’s grounds, including the 0.5 mile long accessible Interpretive Loop Trail, which are open to the public daily. The 80-foot tall Upper Esopus Fire Tower is also open daily to visitors, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding mountains and Esopus Creek valley. Picnic tables are available on site for those who wish to enjoy a picnic lunch.

Visitors can explore the ever expanding resources available online for the CVC on the web at catskillsvisitorcenter.org, the CVC’s Facebook page at facebook.com/catskillsvisitorcenter, and the CVC on Instagram at @catskills.visitor.center.

The author on Bearpen Mountain, thes westernmost of the Catskill 3500 peaks in the Catskill Mountains.

Hike the Catskills with the Hiker Trash Husbands For years, my husband and I have been trying to find ways to better communicate the love that we have for the outdoors and for hiking, to our friends and family who don’t necessarily get out as much as we do. One way we’ve found was to start a YouTube channel about our adventures. Thus was born The Hiker Trash Husbands, which you can now find on YouTube with lots of hikes in the Catskills at youtube.com/thehikertrashhusbands.

For Moe and I, The Hiker Trash Husbands is not only a way to show friends and family our hiking adventures, but an effort to provide positive LGBTQ+ representation in the hiking world.

We love to showcase our own hiking adventures, along with other queer outdoors folks. You can learn more by visiting our website at www.hikertrashhusbands.com.

If you’re in the Catskills and have cable provided by MTC, you can catch our videos on CatskillsAir, MTC Channel 1.

70 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Catskill Park Advisory Committee The Catskill Park Advisory Committee (CPAC) was established to facilitate communication within the Catskill Park. Chaired by the Catskill Center, it provides a forum for communities, user groups and stakeholders of the Catskill Park and the Catskill Watershed to discuss issues of regional importance. The purpose of the Committee is to provide assistance, advice and guidance to the NYSDEC, the NYCDEP and others in the management of the New York State Forest Preserve, the Catskill Park and the Catskill Watershed.

Meetings are held quarterly and are open to the public. If you’d like to learn more, join the mailing list or attend the next meeting, please contact the Catskill Center at 845 586 2611 or email them at cccd@catskillcenter.org with CPAC in the subject line, asking to be added to the mailing list.

Give Back to the Catskills The natural beauty, the majesty of the mountains, the protection of the Catskill Forest Preserve, the region’s natural and cultural resources, all need your help! By supporting the work of the Catskill Center, you support: stewardship of our Catskill Park and its vast natural resources; the Center’s collaborative spirit as we convene, create partnerships and facilitate discussions that benefit the region; and the Center’s work to support education, arts and culture throughout the Catskills.

While the Catskill Center may not be able to interact in person for the time being, their staff continue to explore and launch new ways for them to remain connected with their members, supporters, and those who love the Catskills. Keep a look out for increased resources, virtual workshops, programs, and more from the Catskill Center and CVC websites. Stay tuned into their social media platforms—Twitter, Instagram and Facebook—for even more opportunities to engage, learn, and advocate with them.

Most importantly, know that by being a member and supporter of the Catskill Center you are helping protect and preserve the Catskill Mountains that we all love. This glorious Park will be even better preserved than before because of our collective hard work, and we will one day leave our homes to explore, travel, and enjoy everything this region has to offer once again.

To support the work of the Catskill Center, become a member online through their website at catskillcenter.org/membership or donate by mail: Checks made out to the “Catskill Center” can be mailed to Catskill Center, PO Box 504, Arkville, NY 12406.

Jeff Senterman is the Executive Director of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in Arkville, NY, a member of the Board of Directors for the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce. Jeff graduated with a degree in Environmental Science from Lyndon State College and worked for many years as an Environmental Planner in New England before coming back to the Catskills in the nonprofit sector. To learn more about the work of the Catskill Center, visit catskillcenter.org.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation

Piano Performance Museum

Discover this extraordinary collection in performance, music education, and cultural exploration

Photo by Jeffrey Langford

Featuring the Steven E. Greenstein Collection

NOW OPEN ON FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS! The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum reopens to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, from 11am to 3pm.

The docent tour is approximately 30 minutes. Masks are required.

Visitors will be asked not to touch the pianos or other artifacts on display in the museum. CMF staff have established healthful guidelines for your visit to the museum to provide as safe an environment as possible for visitors and staff. We welcome you and look forward to showing you our extraordinary collection of historical pianos from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Main Street, Route 23A, Hunter, New York • www.catskillmtn.org Hours: Fridays & Saturdays 11am-3pm.

Please email ppm@catskillmtn.org or call 518 263 2063 to confirm hours of operation The CMF Piano Performance Museum is funded in part by the Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation

November 2023 • GUIDE 71

Windham Arts Alliance: Art in Small Packages

72 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

Susan Kukle

T

he Windham Arts Alliance is proud to present its Art in Small Packages Show at the Main Street Community Center from November 18, 2023 to January 12, 2024. This show will feature small original works in all mediums. We are proud to give an opportunity to all artists whether they are new, emerging or professional. Windham Arts Alliance is a not for profit that prides itself on initiating projects that open new opportunities to people in our communities. With the holidays in mind, designating the show as a small works show makes it possible for visitors to purchase original artwork at reasonable prices.

Two hands on workshops will enhance this show and give people the opportunity to try their hand at printmaking. As a preview event prior to the actual show, on November 4, 2023 from 12:00 to 4:00 pm, Carol Slutzky-Tenerowicz will present a hands-on workshop on how to do Orkney Method White-Line Woodcuts. Each participant will make a woodcut during the workshop and be able to print it. They also will be able to keep the woodcut and prints. One of the beauties of this type of printing is that a printing press is not needed, so it can be “kitchen table” printmaking. There will be a $10 registration fee to hold your place. All materials participants need will be supplied by Windham Arts Alliance.

Carol is a native of Hunter who returned to her hometown after college and has always been a vibrant and active member of the community. She is locally known as a landscape painter, but in recent years has returned to spending more of her time working as a printmaker, her preferred medium. Although she has worked in a wide spectrum of printmaking techniques, she now works mostly in Lithography, Linocut, Orkney Whiteline Woodcut, Moku Hanga (Japanese Woodcut), Monotype, and Solar Etched Intaglio.

On November 18, 2023 Art in Small Packages will present a day of focusing on the arts, from 12:00 noon until 6:00 pm.

From 12:00-3:00 pm, Amy Silberkleit will present a Lithography and Monoprint workshop. This workshop will include a lithography printing and intaglio demonstration followed by the participants having the opportunity to make their own monoprints. There will be a $10 registration fee to hold your place. All materials will be supplied by Windham Arts Alliance. Amy says, “Printmaking allows me to make multiples of my drawings. This gives me the opportunity to do two very different things. First, I can print an edition of nearly identical images, hand-pulled from a single drawing. Second, I can use different techniques to enhance the work, such as adding color, printing on different papers and layering. This changes the mood, focus and depth of the original image. I do stone lithography because the stone’s texture is unique as a ground for drawing. Just as important, each print run is a series of processes and decisions. The challenge of getting

everything just right is scary and satisfying.” One of the highlights of the afternoon is the opportunity to see Amy’s beautiful printing press.

From 3:00 to 4:00 pm there will be a reception with snacks and the opportunity to view the artwork and talk to the artists.

Finally, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, we are looking forward to the Catskill Mountain String Band playing and singing bluegrass, old time, country fiddle, banjo, guitar and dobro tunes. WAA is committed to including a musical event at their openings to display the musical talents in our community. The entertainment is free. Local musicians Mark Patton, Andy Bing and Bruno Bruzzese sing bluegrass and old-time country songs and perform fiddle tunes and instrumental numbers on banjo, guitar, fiddle and dobro. All of the members are multi-instrumentalists and add to the variety of the show by switching instruments to fit the style of each song. Mark, Bruno and Andy have crossed musical paths ever since the 1980s and are individually rooted in styles that complement each other’s playing and make the trio more than the sum of its parts.

Windham Arts Alliance and The Main Street Community Center are excited about this opportunity to collaborate and again provide another occasion for all to enjoy the arts, participate in workshops and listen to a wonderful musical production.

The Main Street Community Center is located at 5494 Main Street in Windham. For more information contact the Main Street Community Center at mainstreetcenter.org/art-show or call 518 734 4168. We want to thank the Main Street Community Center for generously sharing their beautiful space with WAA and the Community.

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered in Greene County by CREATE Council on the Arts.

Plans for Winter 2023/2024 Season & Beyond New culinary offerings and elevated amenities await members and guests

L

ast month, the Windham Mountain Club, formerly known as Windham Mountain, proudly introduced its new name and presented exciting plans for the upcoming 2023/2024 ski season and beyond. In July 2023, Windham Mountain Club unveiled its first master plan update, outlining a substantial investment of more than $70 million dollars in enhancements over the next several years to the mountain’s amenities and services, which will benefit both guests and members.

The Mountain will continue to be open to the public and in addition to enhanced snowmaking and upgraded lifts, the 2023/2024 ski season will introduce a reimagined culinary program, including the following new restaurants: • Foodhall – An elevated food court with fresh fare offerings and a full bar • Seasons – A Mediterranean kitchen concept located in the base lodge • Cin! Cin! – An Italian Alps-style restaurant with an approachable wine program located at mid-mountain • The Windham – A reimagined private members’ club dining experience

“Our goal is to provide the best overall skiing and riding experience in the Northeast,” says President Chip Seamans. “With uncrowded slopes for members and the public, our ski racing and development programs, and extraordinary culinary offerings, we aim to create a remarkable end-to-end experience at Windham Mountain Club.”

Season passes and ticket products are available to the public, and Windham Mountain Club will continue to limit overall capacity to ensure minimal lift lines and uncrowded slopes for all members and guests.

A reimagined and enhanced private members’ club offering will be introduced as part of Windham Mountain Club. As part of the members’ club experience, upgrades to the golf course, led by award-winning golf course architect Tom Fazio, and renovations to the clubhouse are set to begin in fall 2024. In addition to year-round programming for the entire family, new amenities for members and lodging guests will include: • A luxury spa, gym and fitness club

• An adventure hub offering retail and outdoor activities such as fly-fishing, horseback riding, shooting, and biking • A Hudson River outpost • On-site pools and racquet sports facilities • An amphitheater for summer concert series Existing homeowners in the Windham community will be able to apply for community memberships starting November 2023.

“We will continue to build on our preexisting members’ club by creating incredible year-round amenities for adults and families,” says Sandy Beall, Chairman. “Our focus is creating memorable experiences, from a day on the mountain to an afternoon on the water or fairway, to summer mornings spent in holistic fitness and total rejuvenation. Windham Mountain Club will offer memorable experiences guests look forward to year after year.”

Lifts and snowmaking have also been enhanced at Windham Mountain Club, including a full mechanical upgrade to the East Side Express (G) and more automated snowmaking to provide more snow coverage in less time. Automation has been added for this season on Upper Wolverine, Lower Warpath, and Way to Go. For more than half a century, Windham Mountain has been an integral part of the Windham community, playing a substantial role in the local economy. The enhancements to Windham will introduce hundreds of local jobs and millions of dollars into the local economy as the mountain upgrades its offerings and evolves into a four-season resort destination, encouraging guests to visit for longer periods of time and invest in the community.

Windham Mountain Club will continue its longstanding partnership with the Adaptive Sports Foundation, and aims to increase its contribution to the Windham Foundation, a 501(c) (3) grants-based organization, funding programs in education, recreation, the arts, and community initiatives. Windham Mountain Club will also continue supporting recreational activities and organizations, including the Windham Ashland Jewett Central School District’s “Ski Tuesdays” and free ski passes, as well as SHRED Foundation. Windham Mountain Club will keep the local community informed as plans are solidified.

For more information on Windham Mountain Club, visit www.windhammountainclub.com.

November 2023 • GUIDE 73

Photo by sun ok/shutterstock.com

A Grateful Heart in the Heart of the Catskills A

By Greg Madden

s we transition from the season of multi-colored beauty in the Catskills and drift into colder and darker times, a time of reflection for all settles in. With Thanksgiving on the November calendar and horizon, a pure and family based celebration, we ponder and ask just what are we grateful and thankful for, as this year rounds to a close and we have repeated our bountiful harvest?

I, for one, am beyond thankful to be here with a completely new career, group of amazing friends, clients and experiences. I am thankful for you all and the gifts and energy you share so effortlessly. I am thankful for those I work with and the exciting journey we have undertaken in these challenging last few years.

It is a journey to help thousands here on the mountaintop and throughout the Catskill Region. The work is good and so are you neighbors. I am so very, very grateful for all of you.

Those of us who are fortunate to live here full time find ourselves enjoying these different seasons nestled amidst rolling hills, majestic forests, and pristine lakes, the breathtaking landscape that has captured our hearts as well as the hearts of many over the years, including famous historical personalities like Washington Irving and Thomas Cole.

These gentlemen are just two of millions of folks to understand and express their gratitude for the profound beauty of the Catskills, gratitude for the respite it offers, and gratitude for the role it plays in preserving our planet Earth.

For generations, the Catskill Mountains have been a source of inspiration for artists and writers alike. One such luminary, Washington Irving, captured the essence of the Catskills when he wrote about the bounty in our waters, “There is certainly some74 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

thing in angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind.” His words resonate deeply with those who have cast their lines into the serene, crisp and chilly waters of the Catskill lakes, ponds and roaring kills, immersing themselves in the soothing symphony of nature. To live in the Catskills is to be surrounded by the beauty and serenity that Irving so eloquently described.

Thomas Cole, considered by many as the most significant, and also the father of, American landscape painting, was equally drawn to the Catskills. Cole, American born and influenced by great European artists and the founder of the Hudson River School art movement remarked, “Nature is the art of God.” He was mystified with the Catskill Mountains as they served as his muse, and he painted its lush forests and majestic peaks with unparalleled reverence. His paintings continue to inspire artists and visitors alike, reminding them of the profound connection between humanity and the natural world.

Whether you live here or visit us often, just experiencing the Catskills is a daily reminder of the healthful and restorative power of our natural setting. As the sun rises over the elevated horizon, casting a warm glow upon our mountains and streams below, it is impossible not to be thankful for the simple yet profound beauty that surrounds us each moment. The lush greenery, the babbling brooks, creeks and kills, and the rustling of fallen leaves all serve as constant reminders of the wonder of nature that engulfs us.

It is a place where one can truly appreciate the words of John Muir, who once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” It takes me back to a story on forest bathing we published here just recently.

The rapidly changing seasons we experience (except the long and endless winter) bring along their own unique beauty and reasons for gratitude.

In the spring, the mountains burst into a kaleidoscope of color as wildflowers bloom, and our forests come alive with the blended melodious tones of birdsongs, nature’s own soundtrack.

Next, summer brings long, sun-drenched days spent by our lakes, where the water sparkles like diamonds from the nearby Herkimer mines. The hiking and biking trails come alive as do our golf courses.

I just adore autumn as it transforms our landscape into a fiery tapestry of reds and golds, drawing visitors from near and far to witness the breathtaking spectacle, as was highlighted in last month’s Guide. You are a regular reader, right? Good … just checking!

And in winter, when the mountains are cloaked in snow, there is a profound meditative stillness that settles in like a blanketing fog over the land, inviting introspection and quiet reflection along with a legendary array of winter sports.

For us Catskills residents, there is a deep sense of gratitude shared for the community that thrives in our unaffected paradise.

Small hamlets and townships dot the countryside, each with its own unique charm and character. Locals band together to support one another while welcoming those of us who weren’t born here, and the sense of belonging for all is refreshing and palpable.

The anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” In the Catskills, this sentiment holds true as the tight-knit community works together to preserve our natural gallery of treasured and beloved mountainscapes, while sharing this paradise with others looking for respite from the hustle and bustle of off-mountain life.

The Catskills have not only been a source of inspiration and spiritual renewal for deep thinkers but a place for those seeking solace and renewal. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “In the woods, we return to reason and faith.”

Famous figures from various walks of life have found their particular brand of nirvana in the Catskills. John Burroughs, the renowned naturalist and essayist, made his home in the mountains and found endless inspiration in its landscapes. He once wrote, “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more.” His words encapsulate the transformative power of the Catskills, where the healing touch of nature is readily available to all who seek it.” His biographer Edward Renehan offered that Burroughs’ has a special identity and he was less that a scientific naturalist than that of “a literary naturalist with a duty to record his own unique perceptions of the natural world.”

The Catskills have also been a stimulus for musicians.

American folk legend and social activist Pete Seeger, who lived in Beacon, NY, sang about the beauty of our region in his songs. He understood the importance of preserving such natural treasures for future generations, as reflected in his lyrics, “This land is your land, this land is my land, from California to the New York Island.” The

Catskills, with their rich cultural heritage and amazing vistas, continue to inspire the musical crowd to this day. And then there was the Woodstock Music Festival that offered countless anthems to legions of folks that changed their world. Held in nearby Bethel, NY, the site is just a stone’s throw away from the official Catskills border. Those of that late 60’s vintage are grateful for that event that changed so many lives in our country and the world.

Our mountains serve as a refuge for countless species of rare and regular plants and animals, providing a safe haven for biodiversity. The delicate balance of our ecosystems here in the Catskills reminds us of the importance of protecting the environment on a global scale. For this we are most thankful.

The mountains act as a vital source of clean water for millions of New Yorkers, serving as the headwaters for the Hudson River.

This role in freshwater conservation is invaluable, as clean water becomes an increasingly scarce resource in our world. As Chief Seattle, a Native American leader, once wisely observed, “The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth.” The Catskills remind us of our responsibility to be stewards of the land and water that sustain us.

It is way too easy to take our home on Earth for granted, but in the grand tapestry of our planet, the Catskill Mountains are a cherished thread that weaves us together, a place of inspiration, beauty, and solace. As we stand in awe of its majesty, the words of Rachel Carson echo throughout and off the walls of the Hudson River. Carson, a pioneering environmentalist often credited with advancing the global environmental movement, remarked, “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

Each November, we annually take time for appreciation and celebrate Thanksgiving. We give thanks for the Catskills which provide such reserves of strength, power and a place to unwind, and for that, we are endlessly thankful for this bounty and all the jewels on display here.

For me, I am thankful for all of you and the journey we share together. Each Thanksgiving we give thanks for all we are grateful for, as there is plenty for all and as our regular readers know, I will once again be thankful for pumpkin pie (à la mode), turkey day leftovers and my friends who have become my family.

Happy Thanksgiving ….. I am beyond blessed and grateful for every one of you. Thank you !!

Greg Madden, is the Development Manager at Wellness Rx Pharmacy where he also practices ancient healing modalities like Tui-Na Medical Massage and BioPhoton Light Therapy. More at www.IlluminatingWellness.care.

WellnessRx, Pharmacy for the Public Good is America’s first nonprofit Community Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Tannersville, NY (WellnessRxLLC.com) and in April in Phoenicia, NY (PharmacyforthePublicGood.org), both located on Main Street.

November 2023 • GUIDE 75

OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON Our 25th Anniversary Season has been a great success so far!

We are proud to have hosted such a large season of diverse performances, attended by thousands of patrons in our theaters…and there’s more to come!

JANUARY Beatbox & The Missing Element Saturday, January 21 @ 7:30 pm Orpheum PerformingArts Center Scott Petito Band: “Best of the Beatles, 1968-1970” !

D OUT Saturday, January 28 @ 8:00 SOLpm Orpheum Performing Arts Center VIRTUAL! International Fortepiano Salon 13: “Pianos and the Salon in the 18th Century” with special guests Rebecca Cypess and Marcia Hadjimarkos Sunday, January 29 @ 2:00 pm

FEBRUARY Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine T! LD OU Sunday, February 12 @ 2:00 SOpm Orpheum Performing Arts Center V Season, presented by the Maude Adams Theater Hub and Catskill Mountain Foundation Casa Valentina by Harvey Fierstein Tuesday, February 14 @ 7:00 pm Sunday, February 19 @ 7:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler Friday, February 17 @ 8:00 pm Saturday, February 18 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Exit Laughing by Paul Elliott Saturday, February 18 @ 4:00 pm Sunday, February 19 @ 4:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Cirque Mechanics: “Zephyr: OUT! A Whirlwind of Circus” SOLD Sunday, March 19 @ 2:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Community Ballet Class Recital Orpheum Dance Program Saturday, May 20 @ 2:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

APRIL

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Comedy in the Catskills T! Saturday, May 20 @ 7:30 pm LD OU SOArts Doctorow Center for the

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Cash on Cash Saturday, April 1 @ 7:30 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts “Like Courtiers in the Presence of the Master” Piano Sonatas with Violin Accompaniment Around 1800 Antonia Nelson, violin Maria Rose, piano Sunday, April 2 @ 2:00 pm Piano Performance Museum Doctorow Center for the Arts Ibex Puppetry: Ajijaak on Turtle Island Saturday, April 8 @ 7:30 pm OUT! Orpheum Performing Arts Center SOLD Moss Quartet Saturday, April 15 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Chanticleer Saturday, April 22 @ 7:30 pm D OUT! OL Orpheum Performing Arts SCenter VIRTUAL! International Fortepiano Salon # 15: “More than Just Notes: Rhetoric and Ornamentation in Classical Piano Music” Saturday, April 29 @ 8:00 pm

BFH Productions presents From Broadway with Love Friday & Saturday, February 24 & 25 @ 7:30 pm Orpheum Center for the Performing Arts

MAY

MARCH

Kyle Marshall Dance: Alice and Ruin A Partnership Project with The Joyce Theater Foundation Saturday, May 13 @ 7:30pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Pedrito Martinez Band: Afro-Cuban Folkloric Concert Saturday, March 11 @ 8:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center 76 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

The Gottabees: “Go Home Tiny Monster” Saturday, May 6 @ 2:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Workshop on Maintaining Historical Pianos, Harpsichords and Clavichords May 25 - May 27 Piano Performance Museum, Doctorow Center for the Arts Visit academyfortepiano.org Academy of Fortepiano Performance Festival 2023 Workshop Theme: Affect, Temperament and Key Characteristics in Early Piano Music May 28 - June 5 Piano Performance Museum, Doctorow Center for the Arts Visit academyfortepiano.org The Brothers Doobie: A Doobie Brothers Concert Experience Saturday, May 27 @ 8:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Academy of Fortepiano Performance Faculty Concert: Memorializing the Masters: Works by Mozart, Hüllmandel, Beethoven, and Clara Schumann Audrey Axinn, Maria Rose, Andrew Willis, and Keiko Shichijo, fortepiano Sunday, May 28 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

JUNE Lecture-Recital with Robert Levin Saturday, June 3 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Academy of Fortepiano Performance Student Concert Sunday, June 4 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Academy of Fortepiano Performance Workshop for Fortepianists and Vocalists: “The German Lied Repertoire” led by Drew Minter June 6 - June 12 Piano Performance Museum, Doctorow Center for the Arts Visit academyfortepiano.org Voice and Piano Faculty Concert Drew Minter, Audrey Axinn, Maria Rose, and others Saturday, June 10 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Voice and Piano Student Concert Sunday, June 11 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Labyrinth Baroque Ensemble “Resistance is but Vain: Staging Charms and Perplexities of Love in Songs from Late 17th Century London Plays” Saturday, June 17 @ 8:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts “Embraceable Gershwin” Joanne Polk and Jeffrey Langford Saturday, June 24 @ 2:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

JULY OMNY Taiko Drummers Sunday, July 2 @ 2:00 pm UT! OLD O Orpheum Performing ArtsSCenter FREE CONCERT

Catskill Mountain Foundation 25th Anniversary Benefit Weekend Bernie Williams Solo Guitar Friday, July 7 @ 8:00 pm OUT! SOLD Doctorow Center for the Arts Cécile McLorin-Salvant Saturday, July 8 @ 7:30 pm LD OUT! SO Orpheum Performing Arts Center Dancers from the New York City Ballet Perform a Tribute to Jacques d’Amboise Sunday, July 9 @ 2:00 pm UT! Orpheum Performing ArtsSCenter OLD O Maude Adams Theater Hub 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Friday-Sunday, July 14-16 Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Catskill Mountain Shakespeare presents As You Like It July 15-30 Outdoors & Under the Tent at the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Red Barn, Main Street, Hunter

Common Ground On The Mountain American Roots Music: Blues, Folk and Acoustic featuring Professor Louie & The Crowmatix, Greg Dayton, Walt Michael & Company Saturday, August 19 @ 8:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Horton by the Stream presents Dividing the Estate, by Horton Foote Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16 @ 2:00 pm Saturday & Sunday, July 22 & 23 @ 2:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Visit hortonbythestream.org

SEPTEMBER Hope Boykin Dance: “States Of Hope” A Partnership Project with The Joyce Theater Foundatioon Saturday, September 16 @ 7:30pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

National Dance Institute Mountaintop Summer Residency Performance Saturday, July 22 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Olivier Tarpaga Dance “Once the dust settles, flowers bloom” A Partnership Project with The Joyce Theater Foundation Saturday, September 23 @ 7:30pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Hunter International Music Festival July 23 - August 6 Piano Performance Museum Doctorow Center for the Arts Visit huntermusicfestival.com Hunter International Music Festival Wael Farouk Piano Recital Thursday, July 27 @ 7:30pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Hunter International Music Festival American String Quartet Saturday, July 29 @ 7:30pm Doctorow Center for the Arts AUGUST Hunter International Music Festival Faculty Concert : It Takes Two, An Evening of Duos Friday, August 4 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Cabaret T! August 4-6 LD OU Outdoors & Under the Tent S atOthe Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Red Barn, Main Street, Hunter A Midsummer Night’s Dream Orpheum Dance Program In collaboration with Aquila Theatre and Joffrey Ballet School New York Friday, August 11 @ 7:30pm Saturday, August 12 @ 7:30pm Sunday, August 13 @ 2:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Roger Peltzman’s Dedication September 28-30 @ 7:30pm Doctorow Center for the Arts OCTOBER Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE A Partnership Project with The Joyce Theater Foundation Sunday, October 8 @ 2:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Homegrown: A Mountaintop Film Feast The Loss of Nameless Things Friday, October 13. Pre-Panel @ 5:30 T! OUpm, SOLD Screening @ 6:00 pm Lexington Theater Desert Hearts Saturday, October 14 @ 6:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Crip Camp Sunday, October 15 @ 4:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts No Strings Marionettes: The Hobbit Wednesday, October 18 @ 3:45 pm Thursday, October 19 @ 3:45 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Apollo’s Fire: The Road to Dublin Saturday, October 21 @ 7:30 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center VIRTUAL! International Fortepiano Salon #17: With Guest Dunya Verwey of the Geelvinck Museum, The Netherlands Saturday, October 28 @ 2:00 pm

Our equally impressive 2024 Season will be announced in December!

Visit catskillmtn.org for updates November 2023 • GUIDE 77

Visit catskillmtn.org for tickets

Unless otherwise noted, ticket prices are as follows: PURCHASED IN ADVANCE*: $25 regular; $20 senior; $7 student/child

OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

* + Processing Fees.

Higher at-the door ticket prices apply.

We are THRILLED to celebrate our 25th Anniversary of bringing Arts to the Mountaintop with our most impressive season yet!

VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE TO PURCHASE TICKETS!

OUR VENUES

DOCTOROW CENTER FOR THE ARTS 7971 MAIN STREET HUNTER, NY 12442

ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6050 MAIN STREET TANNERSVILLE, NY 12485

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Once Upon a Time Darcy Dunn, mezzo-soprano Julia Mendelsohn, pianist Mark Singer, baritone Saturday, November 11 @ 8:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Once upon a time, a musical trio called The Funny Valentines took the stage in the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Red Barn for the CMF’s first ever musical performance. This November marks the 25th anniversary of that performance, and The Valentines are back with a program of musical favorites both old and new.

The Nutcracker Orpheum Dance Program Victoria Rinaldi, Director SIX PERFORMANCES Saturday, December 2 @ 2:00 & 7:30 pm Sunday, December 3 @ 2:00 pm Saturday, December 9 @ 2:00 & 7:30 pm Sunday, December 10 @ 2:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center The CMF Nutcracker, now in its eighth year, has become a holiday favorite of residents of the surrounding Catskills and Hudson Valley. Featuring ballet stars of the future, this spectacular production has become one of the finest Nutcrackers in upstate New York.

Basically Bach Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra Robert Manno, Conductor Simone Dinnerstein, piano Saturday, November 25 @ 7:30 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center This Thanksgiving, the Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Robert Manno, returns with a holiday program featuring acclaimed piano soloist Simone Dinnerstein. The evening’s program includes: G.F. Handel: Entrance of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon; Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Two Flutes; J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite #3 in D Major BWV 1068; J.S. Bach: Keyboard Concerto #6 in F Major BWV 1057; J.S. Bach: Keyboard Concerto #2 in E Major BWV 1053

78 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

The Second Annual Holiday Spectacular!

Maude Adams Theater Hub Friday, December 15 @ 6:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Note: alternate ticket prices apply.

The Hot Sardines: “Holiday Stomp” Saturday, December 16 @ 7:30 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Note: alternate ticket prices apply.

These mischief-makers of hot jazz have been described as “potent and assured” (The New York Times) and “simply phenomenal” (The Times, London).

The MOUNTAIN CINEMA Open Friday-Sunday

Showing the best of Hollywood & Independent films DOCTOROW CENTER FOR THE ARTS 7971 Main Street Village of Hunter

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE PLEASE visit catskillmtn.org or call 518 263 4702 in advance.

Shows open on Friday & run through Sunday.

Ticket Prices: $11 / $9 seniors & children under 11 View each week’s schedule and view trailers for our films online at www.catskillmtn.org • We strongly encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance.

Please visit www.catskillmtn.org and click on the film you’d like to see to choose your showing and reserve your seat!

www.catskillmtn.org • 518 263 4702

November 2023 • GUIDE 79

PLEASE DONATE TO THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION!

Your support matters and makes everything we do possible!

EACH YEAR, THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION • Presents and hosts more than 20 performances and lectures.

• Operates the Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop, featuring a curated selection of books and gifts from around the Region and the world.

• Offers free or subsidized arts programs that are enjoyed by hundreds of local children.

• Hosts arts residencies bringing many artists to our community for extended stays.

• Publishes the monthly Guide magazine, distributed throughout the Catskill Region, at New York State Thruway rest stops and in Albany.

• Is the home of the Piano Performance Museum, a rare collection of historic playable pianos.

• Runs a dozen studio arts programs, with students from around the U.S. • Shows more than 100 films on our three screens in Hunter.

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Questions/More Information: Call 518 263 2001

CALENDAR OF EVENTS This is just a sampling of all of the events in the Catskills this November.

To request that your event be included in future calendars, please email tafts@catskillmtn.org

Please call ahead or visit the website for each event to confirm details, including any admission costs.

ONGOING

THROUGH NOVEMBER 18

Delhi Winter Farmers Market The Delhi Farmers Market has an amazing line up of dedicated farmers, bakers, makers and more. Each week they bring their best with a wide selection of goods. You will find a variety of your kitchen staples—fresh bread, farm fresh cheeses, vegetables, jams, poultry and more. To help ward off the cold, you will find crocheted apparel, distilled spirits, amaryllis bulbs, and homemade pie. If you’d like to add sparkle and shine to your winter, there are unique jewelers at the market.

Location: Delhi American Legion, 41 Page Avenue, Delhi Hours: Every Wednesday, 9am-2pm

Kingston Farmers Market Weekly farmers market hosting local food vendors, music, and workshops.

Location: Ulster County Courthouse, 285 Wall St., Kingston Time: Every Saturday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm More Info: kingstonfarmersmarket.org

Phoenicia Winter Farmers Market Phoenicia Farmers Market is a volunteer-led movement to increase access to locally-grown foods in the Town of Shandaken. We bring together local farms, artisanal makers, full-time residents, and seasonal visitors to a weekly market to shop, learn, gather, and compost.

EBT/SNAP Benefits are accepted.

Location: Pine Hill Community Center, 287 Main Street, Pine Hill Hours: Every Sunday, noon-4pm Online Meditation with Bushel Bushel is hosting online meditation sessions that include guided meditation, group interaction, and support. New sitters and seasoned sitters are welcome. Meditation sessions are free and open to all, but donations are welcome to support this program.

Location: Join via Zoom Hours: Monday-Friday, 6:30-7:00 am More Info & Zoom Link: bushelcollective.org/meditation-calendar/ Magic On Main— An Intimate Parlor Experience Join Magician Sean Doolan for a magic show in his private library located in a historic building on Main Street in Windham. Sean will weave his personal story of transitioning from a trial lawyer to a magician in interactive magical routines. In this parlor show, By reservation only, no walkins. Dates and times subject to change without notice, see website for updated calendar.

Location: 5428 NY Route 23 (Main Street), Windham Dates & Times: Check website for most up-todate schedule Tickets: $20/person More Info: MagicOnMainWindham.com

THROUGH NOVEMBER 3 Earth Altars and Dancing Deities

by Lanny Harrison The exhibition is a series of collages made over the past five years, from calendars, scientific journals, wrapping paper, maps, old design paper. According to the artist, mixing world images with cut-outs and painting allows a freedom of expression—both visually and poetically.

Location: West Kortright Centre, 49 W. Kortright Church Rd., East Meredith More Info: westkc.org

THROUGH NOVEMBER 5 A Moveable Narrative A Moveable Narrative presents work by Valerie Johnston, Amy Masters, and Anita Ragusa, underlining a new perspective on ‘still lives’.

How does a work of art change over time, not only in the art process but past a work’s finalization? How do new spatial contexts give light to elements of an artwork which previously lay unnoticed? And how does the way we change as people give us new ways of understanding art?

Location: Roxbury Arts Center, 5025 Vega Mountain Road, Roxbury More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org Shhh- Works by Jody Isaacson KIPNZ is pleased to present Shhh, works by Jody Isaacson; an exhibition of large-scale woodcut prints, ceramics, wood wall sculpture, and towering photographic prints of deer stands that evoke a world among the trees and near the water.

Location: KIPNZ, 150 Delaware St, Walton More Info: kipnz.com

THROUGH NOVEMBER 12 Atlas/Watershed An exhibition of paintings, map collages and monotypes by Chichester, NY based artist, Christie Scheele.

Location: 1053 Gallery, 1053 Main St, Fleischmanns More Info: 1053gallery.com

Karen Graves Watercolors—Landscapes, Blooms and Barns An art show featuring Delhi-based watercolor painter Karen Gutliph Graves, including a number of her new original pieces, both large and small, as well as a wide variety of prints and notecards drawn from the scores of watercolors she has painted over her career. For more than three decades, Graves has been creating realistic watercolor paintings of scenes from her native Catskill Mountains. Graves, who studied art and ceramics at Buffalo State University, has earned a reputation as one of Upstate New York’s finest watercolorists, earning accolades in local, regional and national shows.

Location: Delaware Pantry, 21780 New York 28, Delhi More Info: kingstonfarmersmarket.org

THROUGH DECEMBER 16 Woodstock School of Art Grant Arnold Exhibition This exhibition by curator Bruce Weber will be the first extensive study of Grant Arnold and the Golden Era of Woodstock Lithography, 1930-1939.

Location: Woodstock School of Art, 2470 NY212, Woodstock More Info: woodstockschoolofart.org Tim Rosman: Hollow Tim Rosman has rendered trees since childhood but ramped up production about six years ago, when he moved full time to the Catskills.

After a career as a professional set designer and architectural model builder, Rosman turned his attention to the lush, ever- changing landscape around his home in Andes, NY. Painted in a quick, impressionistic style, Rosman’s land-

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scapes are unruly, capturing the chaotic beauty of the mountain landscape while hinting at its darker forces.

Location: Liberal Arts Roxbury, 53525 Main St, Roxbury More Info: liberalartsroxbury.com

TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH THE ARTS

The Hudson Severn feat. Ian Hatton ​ The Hudson Severn have come together to play a unique set of gigs in the US this fall. If you’ve already seen Robert Plant’s Honeydrippers, Paul Rogers, Bonham, Popa Chubby, Stan Webb’s Chicken Shack, or the Gypsy Pistoleros there’s every chance you will have seen one or more of the players that make up the Hudson Severn.

Playing an eclectic mix of blues, covering songs from the masters to those performed with the various artists Hudson Severn members have played with in the past few decades, these blues craftsmen bring their enjoyment of the art of blues together in one place.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

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THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS & SUPPORTERS!

Education, Recreation, Arts, and Community Initiatives

Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

7971 Main Street, Village of Hunter 518 263 2001 • www.catskillmtn.org

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NOVEMBER 1

NOVEMBER 2 Debut Short Film Made in the Hudson Valley: Through the Brush The debut screening of the locally shot film Through the Brush (17 minutes.) The cast and crew, will answer questions and talk about the creative process of making the film. After the Q&A, the title track from the film, Through the Brush Through the Pine, will be performed live

by Serena Hope. The evening will culminate in an open drum circle inspired by the film’s climax. Please bring your instrument and join us in our celebration of the Spirit World.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org John Mulaney in Concert John Mulaney is a two-time Emmy and WGA award-winning writer, actor, and comedian.

Mulaney can be seen in his latest Netflix stand up special, BABY J. Released in April 2023, Mulaney converts his personal turmoil into comedic brilliance, which earned him 2023 Emmy nominations in Outstanding Variety Special (PreRecorded) and Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special. On tour, he has sold out massive venues around North America from Madison Square Garden multiple times to the Hollywood Bowl. His 2023 tour dates have included shows across U.S., Europe and Australia.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 7:00 pm More Info: bardavon.org

Consider the Source ​ On this tour, Instrumental Prog-Rockers Consider the Source will highlight songs from the band’s 2009 release Are You Watching Closely which is being released in record format for the first time.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

NOVEMBER 3 Satellite of Love: A Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed ​ Performers include: Rob Norris (formerly of the Velvet Underground), John Ashton (of Psychedelic Furs), Peter Aaron, Eric Mingus (son of Charles), Steve Almaas, Robert Burke Warren, Shana Falana, Matt Munisteri, and more.

Presented and backed by Stephen Clair and his Band.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com Brit Floyd Brit Floyd returns to the stage to perform a brand-new production celebrating 50 years of the ground-breaking and iconic musical masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon. The show will feature classic tracks from the album such as “Time,” “Money,” “Us and Them,” and “The Great Gig in the Sky.” The set list will also include other highlights from Pink Floyd’s magnificent catalogue of albums, including tracks from The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Division Bell, Meddle and much more.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 8:00 pm More Info: bardavon.org First Fridays Catskill Stroll Main Street, Catskill on the 1st Friday of every month. Local shops are open late, most until 8 pm, offering specials like sips & snacks, pop-ups, music, discounts, and FUN! Location: Main Street & Bridge Street, Catskill More Info: firstfridayscatskill.com Walton First Fridays Local shops in Walton stay open late with deals and events for the community to enjoy!

Location: Walton More Info: instagram.com/waltonfirstfridays

NOVEMBER 3-5 Writers In The Mountains Literary Retreat ​ A full weekend of courses for writers.

Location: 506 Main Street, Andes More Info: writersinthemountains.org

NOVEMBER 4 Operation Support the Military 2023 Raising funds for care packages for our troops and veterans.

Location: Elks Lodge, 45 North Jefferson Ave, Catskill Time: 11:00 am-3:00 pm More Info & Tickets: facebook.com/Greenecountybluestarmothers

Workshop: Orkney Method White-Line Woodcuts with Carol Slutzky-Tenerowicz A preview workshop presented as part of the Windham Arts Alliance Art in Small Packages Show. Each participant will make a woodcut during the workshop and be able to print it.

Registration is $10.

Location: Main Street Community Center, 5494 Main Street, Windham Time: 12:00-4:00 pm More Info & Registration: mainstreetcenter.org

show will run from 7:00 pm Saturday, November 4, through 5:00 pm Friday, November 10.

Location: Online at fallforart.org More Info & Auction: fallforart.org

NOVEMBER 4-JANUARY 6, 2024 Community Photo Show Work by local photographers.

Location: Headwaters Art Center, 66 Main Street, Stamford Opening Reception: November 4, 5-7 pm More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org

Climate Change Panel Discussion Part of the exhibition Atlas/Watershed at 1053 Gallery, there will be an climate change panel discussion Location: 1053 Gallery, 1053 Main St, Fleischmanns Time: 3:00 pm More Info: 1053gallery.com Lissie Midwestern artist Lissie is a multi-talented tour de force who has recently released her new Americana-tinged indie folk album Carving Canyons. Carving Canyons is about looking within while dealing with the uncertainty of the future— finding hope in personal and worldly adversity, no matter what the forecast might say.

Location: Bearsville Theater, 59 Tinker Street, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info & Tickets: bearsvilletheater.com The Helm Family Midnight Ramble featuring Morley and Chris Bruce Husband and wife writing, production and performance duo, Morley and Chris Bruce create a unique blend of Global Americana. Their debut album, Bloom, is a rich tapestry of acoustic splendor. They recently released Story Of The Sky by The Bruces & Friends, a children’s/camily album.

Location: Levon Helm Studios 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: levonhelm.com Lauren Basciani

NOVEMBER 4-10 Fall for Art This popular annual event, hosted by the Jewish Federation of Ulster County, supports regional not-for-profit organizations including the Circle of Friends for the Dying, Hudson Valley Food Bank, Jewish Family Services, Hudson Valley LGBTQ+, Oncology Support Program, People’s Place, as well as Federation camp and study scholarships and more. In our 27th year we’ll be virtual once again to serve a wider geographic audience, and feature 35 Hudson Valley artists. We hope you’ll join us! This year’s

NOVEMBER 5 Pamyua Pamyua (pronounced bum-yo-ah) is a Yup’ik Inuit word meaning ENCORE or DO IT AGAIN! Pamyua was formed in April 1995 by brothers Phillip and Stephen Blanchett. The brothers stumbled upon a musical concept to blend Inuit drum/dance melodies with R&B vocal styling and arrangements. Pamyua showcases Inuit culture through music and dance performance.

The show is a platform to share indigenous knowledge and history. Their style derives from traditional melodies reinterpreted with contemporary vocalization and instrumentation. Often described as “Inuit Soul Music,” Pamyua has discovered their own genre.

Location: Roxbury Arts Center, 5025 Vega Mountain Road, Roxbury Time: 3:00 pm More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org Davide Pannozzo Trio ​ A highly talented and dynamic group with a unique sound characterized by a blend of traditional and modern musical elements. The combination of Pannozzo’s masterful guitar playing and vocals, along with the keyboard and synth bass work of Etienne Stadwijk and the drums and vocals of Clint de Ganon, results in a rich and captivating musical experience. The innovative arrangements further enhance their overall sound, making them a must-see for fans of Blues, Funk & Jazz music.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

NOVEMBER 6, 13, 20 & 27 The World Famous Colony Open Mic Hosted by Brendan O’Shea. Sign-ups start at 7 pm and go on all evening. House guitar & piano available.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: Sign-ups start at 7:00 pm.

Show at 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

NOVEMBER 8 Follow the River Lecture Series: Researching Your Hudson Valley Roots Researching Your Hudson Valley Roots Genealogy is a fascinating hobby, but tracing your New York ancestors might not always be smooth sailing. In this lecture, professional genalogist Michelle Dowd Torosian will help you learn the ropes of exploring your Hudson Valley Family history. Michelle will share tips and techniques for navigating the unqiue records of the Empire State along with illustrative examples from the archives of the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

Location: Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Landing, Kingston Time: 7:00 pm More Info: hrmm.org Music Fan Series Presents: In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50 King Crimson, the legendary progressive rock band from the UK, led by the enigmatic genius Robert Fripp, went on tour to commemorate their 50th anniversary. They brought a film crew. This documentary explores the embattled saga of prog-rock’s King Crimson during this anniversary tour.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org Blues Night at the Colony: Lance Lopez ​ Lance Lopez started playing professionally at the age of 14 in bars and clubs in and around New Orleans, joining up with soul great Johnny Taylor when he was just 17, then becoming Lucky Peterson’s band leader at 18, and eventually joining the Buddy Miles Express. He’s lived the life every day since, and you can feel every mile of the road on this album.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

NOVEMBER 9 Havana Hop Havana Hop: a children’s tale of culture and confidence! Created by Paige Hernandez from Baltimore, MD. Young Yeila dreams of being a superstar but her lack of confidence gives her awful stage fright. With advice from her mother and mentors, Yeila begins her journey to find her roots, get confidence and be amazing!

Travel with Yeila who visits her grandmother in Cuba to add a salsa flavor to her own hip-hop style! The audience gets to dance along in this dynamic participation play where one actress creates three generations of lively women.

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Journey with Yeila as she discovers the fun of her multi-cultural heritage.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 10:00 am More Info: bardavon.org Waynard Scheller & Rainbow Full of Sound: Retracing the Grateful Dead Bands have a shelf life, but great music thrives— and this is perhaps truest of the Grateful Dead, whose repertoire is now being performed by hundreds of bands. Among the best of them is Waynard Scheller and Rainbow Full of Sound (RFoS). Thanks to talent and many hundred shows’ worth of practice, they’re standouts.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

still be drawn to the clarity and soul behind her voice. This is rare opportunity to witness the growth of one of America’s finest young folk singers. The Mammals lush 2020 album Nonet featured nine musicians and was “nothing short of sublime” according to Americana UK. Dynamic range is a hallmark of any concert by The Mammals. The quintet ensemble effortlessly spans the horizons of Americana, from soulfully harmonized indie-folk ballads to zealous fiddle and banjo-driven foot stompers.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

NOVEMBER 10 Cinderella The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine is a 55-member troupe of Ukrainian dancers who come together each year to perform in North America. But this year, things were very different. After covertly rehearsing in a war zone, they took on the difficult task of transporting the company, set and costumes out of Ukraine to bring this full-scale production of the classic fairy tale of dreams coming true. A treat the whole family will enjoy!

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 7:30 pm More Info: bardavon.org Sarah Lee Guthrie + The Mammals Sarah Lee Guthrie’s lineage is undeniable. But if you close your eyes and forget that her last name is synonymous with the river legacy of a widening current of American folk music, you’d

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2nd Saturday Trunk Sales It’s good to re-use all things- clothes, home goods, antiques, good craftswork, plants, all sorts of good finds. Cars $10, trucks $15.

Location: Parking lot next to Lumberyard, 48 Bridge Street, Catskill

NOVEMBER 10-12 Chilly Willy Winter’s Eve Tours Cold season tour with costumed guide. Reservations required. Tickets $10 Location: Bronck Museum, 90 County Rt. 42, Coxsackie Time: Tours on Friday 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.

More Info: gchistory.org

NOVEMBER 9-19 Sympathetic Magic, by Lanford Wilson This late and little-known work by one of America’s most revered and beloved playwrights ponders the cosmic in the mundane in the story of a young astrophysicist who makes a potentially world-changing discovery at the same time his long-term companion, a sculptor on the verge of a brilliant career, discovers that she is pregnant with his child.

Location: Bridge Street Theater, 44 West Bridge Street, Catskill Time: Thursday-Saturday @ 7:30 pm, Sunday @ 2:00 pm More Info: bridgest.org

NOVEMBER 11

Festival of Trees The Fortnightly Club of Catskill proudly celebrates 27 years of the Festival of Trees. Come feel the holiday spirit by seeing the beautifully decorated trees and wreaths that can be yours by silent bid. There will be plenty of food, vendors and gift ideas with live entertainment and of course Santa. Reservations suggested to ensure your spot. All proceeds of this fundraiser go to the local community and we would love your support. For more information visit Festival of Trees, Fortnightly Club of Catskill’s Facebook.

Location: Anthony’s Banquet Hall, 746 Route 23B, Leeds Time: Friday 7:00-10:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am5:00 pm; Sunday 10:00 am-4:00 pm More Info & Tickets: fortnightlyevents.com

NOVEMBER 10, 11-12 & 15 From Pedro Almodóvar: Strange Way of Life with The Human Voice & Pre Recorded Presentation with the Director Sony Pictures Classics presents Strange Way of Life, the new English language short film by Director Pedro Almodóvar, starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke. Strange Way of Life will be followed by The Human Voice starring Tilda Swinton. Released during the pandemic, this is a chance to see Pedro Almodóvar’s first English language short on the big screen.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Times: November 10 @ 4:00 & 7:00 pm; November 11 & 12 @ 7:00 pm; November 15 @ 2:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

Adirondack Backpack Weaving Learn how to weave the basic shape of the Adirondack Backpack with instructor Sue Muldoon.

Keep things hands-free while carrying your items in this lightweight backpack. We will make a medium-sized pack about 11” tall that is perfect for daily use, farmers markets and more. The backpack shape was established to fit in the curve of a canoe for stability and space-saving.

Once you learn the basic weaving skills, you can move on with your own projects, making larger or smaller backpacks. We will have all the materials prepared, including cotton straps.

Register by November 3.

Location: Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Landing, Kingston Time: 9:00 am-5:00 pm More Info: hrmm.org Prosendale Presents: An International Writers Festival This very special event will feature readings from the works of writers born in China, India, Africa, Russia, Belarus, and the Bahamas. The festival will be an exciting melange of literary flavors from around the world, tasting samples from some exemplary foreign writers.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 2:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org “Starlore Walk” with Wild Hudson Valley’s Justin Wexler Human cultures have directed their gaze towards the heavens for thousands of years.

Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley will guide us for a night of learning about the importance of the stars, the moon, and the darkness of night for Northeastern native peoples. Please dress appropriately for the weather. All are welcome for this fun family event! Check-in is at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center. The program will begin at the replica Esopus Munsee wigwam and will guide visitors up Huguenot Street, through the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary. Please keep in mind the trail is subject to the elements.

Appropriate footwear is recommended.

Location: Check-in at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center, 81 Huguenot Street, New Paltz Time: 5:00 pm More Info: huguenotstreet.org

Squirrel Nut Zippers: Jazz From The Back O’ Town The Squirrel Nut Zippers began their musical journey in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the mid 1990’s, as a musician’s escape from the cookie cutter world of modern rock radio at the time. Jimbo Mathus along with wife Katherine Whalen and drummer Chris Phillips formed the band as a casual musical foray playing for friends and family around town. It wasn’t long before the band (which had grown in size) developed a reputation for pioneering a quirky mix of jazz chords, folk music, and punk rock leanings and attracted a national audience.

Location: Levon Helm Studios 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: levonhelm.com

NOVEMBER 11-12 The Bobby Lees Iggy Pop, Blondie, Henry Rollins…just a few of the Punk icons who have shown support for Woodstock, NY based band The Bobby Lees.

Their new album Bellevue was released by Ipecac Recordings (The Melvins, Mr. Bungle, Faith No More) and was produced by multigrammy winning producer and mixer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Beyonce).

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

“Out of Darkness,” encaustic by Regina B. Quinn

Once Upon a Time Once upon a time, a musical trio called The Funny Valentines took the stage in the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Red Barn for the CMF’s first ever musical performance. That night The Valentines’ imaginative mix of Broadway standards, cabaret chestnuts and masterpieces from opera thrilled its Mountaintop audience, and in the years to come they returned to the CMF stage to packed houses and standing ovations for their imaginatively themed musical revues.

This November marks the 25th anniversary of that premiere performance, and The Valentines—Darcy Dunn, Julia Mendelsohn and Mark Singer—are back with a program of musical favorites by Sondheim, Bernstein, Gershwin, Berlin and many more. Join them as they revisit the music that accompanied the birth and growth of the CMF and stories about the people who made it all happen.

Location: Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter Time: 8:00 pm More Info: catskillmtn.org

nal songs, and made numerous tours of North America, Europe, and Japan. His songs have been recorded and performed by world renown artists such as Ricky Nelson, Judy Collins, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention, The Kingston Trio, Peter Paul and Mary, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead, Linda Thompson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Francoise Hardy, plus many others in Europe, Australia, England, and Japan.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

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Encaustics Workshop with Regina B. Quinn Encaustic paints, made from beeswax, damar resin, and pigments, are melted on a hot palette and then painted on panels or other substrates.

Join Regina B. Quinn, President of International Encaustic Artists, for a one-day session where you will learn a wide range of techniques for building translucent and opaque layers, creating smooth or deeply textured surfaces, and incorporating other media to create artworks that have a unique glow—almost as if lit from within.

Demonstrations and explorations will be appropriate for artists who are new to encaustics as well as those with some experience. You’ll have the opportunity to create several small works during the session–perhaps perfect holiday gifts for friends and family!

Location: Headwaters Art Center, 66 Main Street, Stamford Time: 10:00 am-4:30 pm More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org

Kool Keith - The Black Elvis 2 Tour Kool Keith has long been hailed as hip-hop’s greatest eccentric. Over the course of a career stretching back to the mid-’80s, he’s perfected a singular style of abstract yet deadly precise rhyming that often focuses on subjects such as science fiction, hardcore pornography, and a distrust for the music industry. His sprawling discography includes numerous collaborations and aliases, with some of the most acclaimed including Dr. Octagon and Dr. Dooom.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Sunday Silents Presents: Wings With World War I afoot, David Armstrong and Jack Powell join the military with an eye toward flying American fighter planes. They leave behind Mary Preston (Clara Bow), a local girl who’s in love with David but committed to Jack.

Dispatched to France as newly minted pilots, the men take to the skies in one of the war’s climactic air battles. Mary longs for the safe return of both men and anxiously waits for the war’s end. Subsequent war epics may have borrowed heavily from the original Best Picture winner, but they’ve all lacked Clara Bow’s luminous screen presence and William Wellman’s deft direction.

With live accompaniment by Marta Waterman.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 2:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

NOVEMBER 14 War Dogs Presented by Ron Gabriele, VRL. Suggested Donation $10.

Location: Bronck Museum, 90 County Rt. 42, Coxsackie Time: 7:00 pm.

More Info: gchistory.org Eric Andersen Eric Andersen’s voice, songs, guitar and piano playing created a career that has spanned over 45 years. He has recorded 25 albums of origi-

NOVEMBER 16 Classic Film Series Presents: To Sir, with Love (1967) Sidney Poitier is at the top of his game as a newly hired teacher at an impoverished East London school faced with incorrigible students that defy his every move. Both Judy Geeson and Lulu will melt your heart in this powerful story of courage, rebellion and impossible odds.

With an ending that is pure cinema magic, come see this 1960s classic with full theatre sound on the big screen!

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org The Feelies Of the countless bands to emerge from the New York City underground during the post-punk era, few if any were as unique and influential as the Feelies; nerdy, nervous, and noisy, even decades later their droning, skittering avant-garde pop remains a key touchstone of the American indie music scene. A Village Voice headline even dubbed them “The Best Underground Band in New York.”

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

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NOVEMBER 17 Banjo Concert 2023 Tony Trischka, Joe Newberry, Cedric Watson, Hilary Hawke and Scott Hopkins will showcase their talents for the whole community at this Banjo Weekend kick-off concert.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge Time: 6:00 pm dinner (optional); 7:30 pm concert More Info: ashokancenter.org American Nomads w/ Pamela Laws American Nomads is a roots rock band based in Brooklyn. Inspired by artists like Bruce Springsteen and The Band, they dive deep into the heart of American music with blends of Country, Rock, and Blues to cultivate their own unique contemporary style. Receiving national radio play, they reached #6 on the Billboard AC chart, as well as passed the first round of Grammy nominations for their song, “A Revelation’s Gonna Come.”

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Met HD: The Life and Times of Malcolm X Anthony Davis’s groundbreaking opera, which premiered in 1986, arrives at the Met at long last. Robert O’Hara, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2020 for his direction of Slave Play, oversees a new staging that imagines Malcolm as an everyman whose story transcends time and space. A cast of breakout artists take part in the operatic retelling of Malcolm X’s life.

Baritone Will Liverman, who triumphed in the Met premiere of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones, sings Malcolm. Soprano Leah Hawkins plays his mother, Louise; mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis is his sister Ella; bassbaritone Michael Sumuel is his brother Reginald; and tenor Victor Ryan Robertson is the Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. Kazem Abdullah conducts the newly revised score, which provides a layered, jazz-inflected setting for the esteemed writer Thulani Davis’s libretto.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 1:00 pm More Info: bardavon.org 4-H Art Show Opening Local 4-H artists will have on display artwork they have created in various mediums. Artwork on display will be available for purchase, with 90% of the purchase returning to the artists and 10% going to 4H as a fundraiser.

Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension, 6055 Rt 23, Acra Time: 3:00-5:00 pm More Info: ccecolumbiagreene.org

NOVEMBER 17-19

NOVEMBER 18 Mind, Body & Soul Youth & Parent Expo Resources, speakers, music performances, MyKingstonKids Gaming, revitalization session, basketball, rowing & cycle, pickleball, and a “Flick & Float” watching Inside Out while floating in the pool! And free food!

Location: YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County 507 Broadway, Kingston Time: 11:00 am-3:00 pm More Info: ymcaulster.org Photos with Santa at the Animal Sanctuary Visit Wayward Ranch Animal Sanctuary at our Open House event and meet our rescue small animals, dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and equines!

Location: Wayward Ranch Animal Sanctuary 30 Loosestrife Ln, Kerhonkson Time: 12:00-4:00 pm More Info: waywardranch.org

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Saturday Creature Features Presents a DOUBLE FEATURE!: Dracula’s Daughter (1936) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Come by for the fun as the Rosendale Theatre presents a “Saturday Creature Features Saturday Night Double Feature!” beginning with the first sequel in the original Dracula series—Dracula’s Daughter (1936): Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zeleska/Dracula’s Daughter seeks to rid herself of her father’s curse as she is torn between her life as a vampire and her wish to lead a normal life. In Bride of Frankenstein, the Frankenstein Monster (Boris Karloff) is back in the first sequel to the original 1931 Frankenstein—and he wants a mate! Elsa Lanchester as “The Monster’s Mate” drives the story behind this Universal Monsters classic which remains one of the crown jewels of vintage horror.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

NOVEMBER 18-19, DECEMBER 2-3 & DECEMBER 9-10 Holiday Fineries at the Wineries— Shawangunk Wine Trail Our participating member wineries will be decked out for the season and are very excited to welcome you back. This event is a great opportunity to taste a variety of wines produced in the Hudson Valley and get a jump on your holiday shopping to stock up for the season, plus you’ll receive a wine tasting glass, a tasting flight at four wineries and collect some cool holiday ornaments along the way! You choose your date, itinerary and starting winery. Check-in at your starting winery anytime after 11am, to receive your wristband, tasting glass, SWT ornament, winery ornament and your first tasting flight, then continue on a self-guided tour on your itinerary between until 5pm, for another wine tasting flight and winery ornament!

Location: Shawangunk Wine Trail Members, Hudson Valley, NY Time: 10:00 am-5:00 pm More Info: shawangunkwinetrail.com Photo: Richard A. Smith

Banjo Weekend 2023 It’s Ashokan’s first-ever Banjo Weekend, featuring all styles and levels of instruction, jamming, and fun-filled banjo inspiration with Tony Trischka, Joe Newberry, Cedric Watson, Hilary Hawke, and your host Scott Hopkins.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge More Info: ashokancenter.org

Della Mae Bluegrass Concert Della Mae is a GRAMMY-nominated all-woman string band founded by lead vocalist/guitarist Celia Woodsmith and 2-time Grand National champion fiddle player Kimber Ludiker. Rounding out the current touring lineup are guitarist Avril Smith, and bassist Vickie Vaughn.

Location: Walton Theatre, 30 Gardiner Pl, Walton Time: 7:30 pm More Info: musiconthedelaware.org

NOVEMBER 18-19 Hudson Valley Hullabaloo Hudson Valley Hullabaloo brings together a carefully curated group of designers and craftspeople and the shoppers who appreciate their unique, well-crafted work to Kingston NY! Hullabaloo is a design-focused, hip-and-happening, family-friendly event whose mission is to introduce local artists, craftspeople, and designers to a community experiencing a renaissance as a center for the arts. Our aim is to offer shoppers the opportunity to purchase unique, high-quality, locally made items in a relaxed, party-like setting. Hullabaloo’s concept brings the traditional

craft fair to the next level and supports the local economy and arts and cultural movement by attracting shoppers from all over the Hudson Valley and the Northeast.

Location: Andy Murphy Recreation Center, 467 Broadway, Kingston Time: 10:00 am-5:00 pm More Info: hvhullabaloo.com

NOVEMBER 18-JANUARY 12 Windham Arts Alliance presents Art in Small Packages Small original works in all mediums. An opening day celebration will include a Lithography and Monoprint workshop with Amy Silberkleit from 12:00-3:00 pm (registration $10); opening reception with the artists from 3:00-4:00 pm; and music featuring the Catskill Mountain String Band from 4:00-6:00 pm.

Location: Main Street Community Center, 5494 Main Street, Windham Opening Day: 12:00-6:00 pm More Info: mainstreetcenter.org

Benedict Kloeckner, cello & Danae Doerken, piano Reservations recommended as church seating is limited. E-mail: FOMAdmin@friendsmusic.org Phone: 518 918 8003. By donation.

Location: First Presbyterian Church, 96 Main St., Stamford Time: 3:00 pm More Info: friendsmusic.org

NOVEMBER 25

Mina Kim

Holiday Group Build: Toy Blocks create and build unique, handcrafted toys for your family and friends as well as learn some basic woodworking skills along the way. Join veteran woodworker Bob Boisvert for this oneday group/family style building class where you will make wooden boxes and/or colorful shapes.

You can decide to make an enclosed box or shapes you can hang on a wall or display on a shelf. Then choose from some existing templates for shapes like a lighthouse or tugboat, or bring or draw your own designs. You will create your box or shapes using a scroll saw, learning how to map out and cut the pieces, and then glue them together. Register by November 15.

Location: Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Landing, Kingston Time: 9:00 am-5:00 pm More Info: hrmm.org Holiday Parade on Main Come and join the Margaretville Department in the Village of Margaretville this Holiday Season!

Location: Main Street, Margaretville

NOVEMBER 19 Woodstock Symphony Orchestra: “New Beginnings” The first of four concerts of the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra’s 44th season under the baton of new music director Mina Kim who conducted her first concert with the orchestra in May of 2023 to great accolades as a close to the ‘New Conductor Search’ Season. The program includes works by Respighi, Vivaldi, Verdi and Dvorak.

Location: Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock Time: 3:00 pm More Info: woodstockplayhouse.org

SunDub Born out of a weekly music residency at a local watering hole, Brooklyn-based SunDub has developed into a collaborative mix of New York City musicians, consistently turning heads with an offering of classic reggae repertoire peppered with original and featured soul and blues almost weekly since 2013.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com Lukas Nelson + POTR Grammy Award-winning artist Lukas Nelson and his longtime band, POTR, will come to Kingston celebrate Nelson’s acclaimed new album, Sticks and Stones, released earlier this summer via 6ACE Records/Thirty Tigers. Sticks and Stones is currently #3 on the Americana Albums charts and rising. With the record, Nelson also continues to garner success at radio as three singles are in the top teen of the Alt Country and Americana Singles charts.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 8:00 pm More Info: bardavon.org

NOVEMBER 25-26 Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra: Basically Bach with guest Simone Dinnerstein This Thanksgiving, the Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Robert Manno, returns with a holiday program entitled Basically Bach, featuring acclaimed piano soloist Simone Dinnerstein. The evening’s program includes works by Handel, Vivaldi and Bach.

Location: Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville Time: 7:30 pm More Info: catskillmtn.org

Dutchess Community College Foundation 51st Annual Holiday Craft Fair Quail Hollow Events is partnering with the Dutchess Community College Foundation to continue the decades-long tradition of the Dutchess Community College Holiday Craft Fair. 100+ juried artists and makers of unique handcrafted goods and specialty foods.

Location: Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm More Info: quailhollow.com

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November 2023 • GUIDE 87

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November 2023 • GUIDE 3