Awesome! The holidays in Ulster County are about creating lasting memories. Fabulous lodgings; shopping amid the decorations of a country store or meandering in and out of galleries filled with gorgeous artifacts. It’s all here… indulge yourself in our hospitality— enjoy a fine, exquisitely prepared meal with family or friends. However you decide to spend your day, Ulster County, in the heart of the Valley, is filled with a cherished heritage of beauty. Join us for the holidays and see for yourself how our world comes alive with the twinkle of dusk or the crispness of sunrise.
Don’t forget to sign up for our online newsletter and receive regular updates on all the fun available in Ulster County.
ulstercountyalive.com Call us at 1-800-340-3567
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Once, Twice, Three Times a
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The Holidays
Columbia County Shopping, festivals, craft shows, tours, music and theater – Columbia County is a wonderland of Holiday events and destinations. In our charming towns and villages – from Hudson, Chatham and Kinderhook to Valatie and Philmont – you’ll find unique Christmas shopping venues to please every taste. Take a WinterWalk in Hudson or Valatie, and house tours at Clermont and Olana. Chatham’s Winterfest, Candlelight Night in Kinderhook, and shows at the Ghent Playhouse will make Columbia County your home for the Holidays.
® I LOVE NEW YORK logo is a registered trademark/service mark of the NYS Dept. of Economic Development, used with permission.
Are Here In
Get into the Holiday spirit – visit our website for a calendar of Holiday events.
Columbia County Tourism | www.columbiacountytourism.org | 800.724.1846 12/09 ChronograM 3
Chronogram arts.culture.spirit.
contents 12/09
news and politics 19 while you were sleeping Japanese-style suicide prevention, juvenile offenders serving life without parole, record marijuana seizures in California, and more.
22 banning the burqa: the new face of western imperialism Lorna Tychostup interviews Lina Abirafeh, author of Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan, about the effect of outside actors on the fate of women in the developing world and how Western NGOs often alienate who they’re trying to help.
holiday gift guide 58 inspired ideas for the season .
A guide to what local businesses have in store for the holidays.
winter sports 62 winter adventureland .
Crispin Kott reports on the slopes and trails to hit this season.
18 beinhart’s body politic: getting out of afghanistan Larry Beinhart knows how the US can extricate itself its current entanglement.
regional notebook 13 local luminary: philippe vergne .
Robyn Perry chats with the director of the Dia Art Foundation.
community pages 26 chester & washingtonville: small-town suburbia .
Brian K. Mahoney profiles two charming towns on Route 94 in Orange County.
64 Woodstock: an arts colony endures .
Sharon Nichols profiles the village that did not host a music festival in 1969.
87
Potato Processing Plant, Mount Vernon, Washington, Christopher Churchill FORECAST
4 ChronograM 12/09
whole living guide 76 a mentoring culture Lorrie Klosterman examines local rites of passage for boys becoming men.
80 Flowers Fall: a dispatch from planet princess Field notes from a Buddhist mom’s experimental life. By Bethany Saltman.
business services 54 tastings A directory of what’s cooking and where to get it. 70 business directory A compendium of advertiser services. 81 whole living directory For the positive lifestyle.
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12/09 ChronograM 5
Chronogram arts.culture.spirit.
contents 12/09
arts & culture
50 food & drink
34 MUSEUM AND Gallery GUIDe 40 music
Peter Barrett tastes the fruits of the region’s emerging micro-distilleries.
104 parting shot Motorcyclist, a photograph by Martin Munkacsi.
Peter Aaron talks with residents of Columbia and Green Counties, who are in the process of launching a community-based FM station, WGXC. Nightlife Highlights by Peter Aaron, plus CDs by Kidz Town Rock Kidz Town Rock. Reviewed by Jason Broome. Mike and Ruthy Waltz of the Chickadee. Reviewed by Mike Wolf. Sean Rowe Magic. Reviewed by Sharon Nichols.
44 BOOKS Nina Shengold profiles writer and part-time Phoenicia resident John Bowers, whose short story collection Love in Tennessee was just published by Red Hen
46 BOOK reviews Marx Dorrity reviews The Awakener by Helen Weaver. Anne Pyburn Craig reviews My River Chronicles by Jessica DuLong. Plus this month’s Short Takes, a round-up of books suitable as gifts.
48 Poetry
88 daily calendar Comprehensive listings of local events. (Daily updates of calendar listings are posted at Chronogram.com.) PREVIEWS 87 The photographs of Christopher Churchill at Fovea Exhibitions in Beacon. 89 Concrete Temple Theater’s Hudson to China at the Hudson Opera House. 91 It must be the holidays—Winter Walk on Warren Street in Hudson is back. 93 Peter Yarrow reads and plays at Oblong Books and Music in Rhinebeck. 95 Galerie BMG shows Hibernus, photographs by David Ellingsen. 97 The prints of Albrecht Dürer at Vassar’s Lehman Loeb Art Center.
planet waves 98 The Shadow of Time Eric Francis Coppolino throws a clock out a window. Plus horoscopes.
jennifer may
Poems by Guy R. Beining, Steve Clark, Paul R. Clemente, George Drew, E Gironda Jr, Sari Grandstaff, Kate Larson, Piper Levine, Patricia Lowden, Joe Manning, Brendan Todt, Molly Van Meter, and Christopher Wheeling.
the forecast
44
6 ChronograM 12/09
John Bowers outside his writing cabin in Phoenicia. BOOKS
Chrono thank you ad rev
9/11/09
12:06 PM
Page 1
“ The community’s support has made Columbia Memorial one of the most successful institutions around – even in this bad economy. We thank you.� “ Columbia Memorial Hospital wants to thank you. Through these
difficult economic times, other hospitals have implemented layoffs, hiring and salary freezes, and diminished benefits. But not Columbia Memorial. Why have we been so successful in the face of economic adversity? Because of you – the people of our region who choose Columbia Memorial Hospital for their healthcare. Hospital admissions and emergency department visits have grown while our primary care offices are providing care to patients in record numbers. That is why we are able to continue to invest in our community, improve our facilities, increase our technology, and most importantly, maintain the very best staff. We thank you for being there for us and we pledge to continue to be there for you – Columbia Memorial, your community’s hospital.� Jane Ehrlich Chief Executive Officer
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on the cover
Narcissistic Shell #3
sydney cash | oil on paper | 35” x 23”| 2008-09 With Narcissistic Shell #3, Sydney Cash joins the small group of artists whose work has appeared on the cover of Chronogram multiple times. (Cash’s light sculpture, Target, appeared on the July 2005 cover.) The “Narcissistic Shell” series of paintings is quite a departure from Cash’s usual sculptural work, but he maintains that he is, at all time working as a sculptor rather than a painter. “I think of my work as sculptor’s paintings.” Cash says. “I make paintings, I don’t paint them.” The new series was inspired by a 10-day retreat Cash took this summer as part of his ongoing work with the Ridhwan School, a personal development approach based on the teachings of A.L. Almaas. The narcissistic shell is a reference to the false self we create to interface with the world, which Almaas’s approach is an attempt to transcend with increased self-awareness. Cash’s paintings from this series are his documentation of his visceral experience of the shell. While working, Cash sometimes encountered emotional turbulence. “Often there was pain and shame and sometimes, surprising creative fluidity,” says Cash. “But through it all, I notice more permission and less of my usual critical judgement.” To achieve the flowing style of the paintings, Cash used a plastic bag with the corner cut off—like a pastry chef would use to ice a cake—to flow the paint. “One of things that interested in this style of painting is the quality of engagement with controlling the paint,” says Cash. “I enjoy the challenge of not being fully in control of the outcome, the immediacy of working with the form, the possibility for inventiveness and exploration.” Cash likens it to Japanese brush painting. After the white paint, applied to the black paper, is dry, Cash then adds black paint to the lines of white to create the braid-like elements. Then, says Cash, “there’s time to contemplatively weave and animate the form after the intuitive flowing of the paint is finished. Cash namechecks two paradoxical influences in this regard: M.C. Escher and Jackson Pollack. “New Paintings on Paper,” will be exhibited at Van Brunt Gallery in Beacon from December 7 through December 28. An opening reception, part of Beacon’s Second Saturday art events, will be held at Van Brunt on December 12 from 6-9pm (www.vanbruntgallery.com). Cash’s paintings will also be shown as part of a group show at the Bridge Gallery in Manhattan in January (www.bridgegalleryny.com). Cash lives and works in the Ulster County town of Marlboro (www.sydneycash.com). —Brian K. Mahoney 8 ChronograM 12/09
EDITORIAL Editorial Director Brian K. Mahoney bmahoney@chronogram.com creative Director David Perry dperry@chronogram.com senior Editor Lorna Tychostup tycho56@aol.com Books editor Nina Shengold books@chronogram.com health & wellness editor Lorrie Klosterman wholeliving@chronogram.com Poetry Editor Phillip Levine poetry@chronogram.com music Editor Peter Aaron music@chronogram.com proofreaders Lee Anne Albritton, Candy Martin contributors Adam Pass, Peter Barrett, Larry Beinhart, Guy R. Beining, Jason Broome, Steve Clark, Paul R. Clemente, George Drew, Eric Francis Coppolino, Anne Pyburn Craig, Jeff Crane, Marx Dorrity, E. Gironda Jr., Sari Grandstafff, Olive Grannis, Annie Internicola, Crispin Kott, Kate Larson, Piper Levine, Patricia Lowden, Jennifer May, Joe Manning, Sharon Nichols, Robyn Perry, Fionn Reilly, Bethany Saltman, Sparrow, Erica Scrodin, Brendan Todt, Molly Van Meter, Christopher Wheeling, Mike Wolf
PUBLISHING FOUNDERS Jason Stern & Amara Projansky publisher Jason Stern jstern@chronogram.com chairman David Dell Chronogram is a project of Luminary Publishing advertising sales advertising director Shirley Stone sstone@chronogram.com business development director Maryellen Case mcase@chronogram.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Eva Tenuto etenuto@chronogram.com sales associate Mario Torchio mtorchio@chronogram.com sales associate Erika DeWitt edewitt@chronogram.com ADMINISTRATIVE director of operations Amara Projansky aprojansky@chronogram.com; (845) 334-8600x105 business MANAGER Ruth Samuels rsamuels@chronogram.com; (845) 334-8600x107 PRODUCTION Production director Lesley Stone lstone@chronogram.com; (845) 334-8600x108 PRoduction designers Mary Maguire, Adie Russell Office 314 Wall Street, Kingston, NY 12401 (845) 334-8600; fax (845) 334-8610
MISSION
Chronogram is a regional magazine dedicated to stimulating and supporting the creative and cultural life of the Hudson Valley. All contents Š Luminary Publishing 2009
SUBMISSIONS calendar To submit calendar listings, e-mail: events@chronogram.com Fax: (845) 334-8610. Mail: 314 Wall Street, Kingston, NY 12401 Deadline: December 15
poetry See guidelines on page 48. fiction/nonfiction Submissions can be sent to bmahoney@chronogram.com. 10 ChronograM 12/09
ATTEND RHINEBECK WOMEN’S CIRCLES EVENTS 2010 JANUARY 12 | MARCH 2 | MAY 4 JUNE 1 | SEPTEMBER 14 | NOVEMBER 9 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR
12/09 ChronograM 11
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Dia’s name is synonymous with Dia:Beacon to those of us in the Hudson Valley. The 240,000-square-foot converted Nabisco box factory, which opened in 2003, and houses the foundation’s permanent collection of contemporary art, including works by Andy Warhol, Richard Serra, Dan Flavin, and Agnes Martin, is a powerhouse of a museum. The Dia Art Foundation, which curator Philippe Vergne took over as director of in the fall of 2008, also oversees a vast portfolio of other projects, including site-specific installations like Walter De Maria’s The Lightning Field in the New Mexico desert, and the Foundation’s planned Manhattan exhibition space in Chelsea, where they hope to break ground in 2012. Before joining Dia, Vergne directed the Marseilles Art Museum, ran the François Pinault Collection in Paris, one of the top private contemporary art collections in the world. Most recently, Vergne was deputy director of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, where he curated Kara Walker’s first full survey, “My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love,” a show of cut-paper silhouettes that sent shock waves through the art world when it moved to the Whitney. Vergne co-curated the 2006 Whitney Biennial, a show the New York Times praised for “radical qualities art used to have when it could still call itself radical and wasn’t like a barnacle clinging to the cruise ship of pop culture.” If meeting a knight in person seems daunting—Vergne is a chevalier in France for his contribution to the arts—Vergne is a gentle one, in a black polo shirt with a petite French crocodile over the heart, and black Yves Saint Laurent windshield glasses. He is a tea drinker, with a juicy laugh and fearless dedication to pursuing an idea to its core. Dia: Beacon is located at 3 Beekman Street in Beacon. (845) 440-0100; www.diaart.org. —Robyn Perry
Visiting Dia:Beacon, it seemed that the secret history of art is an investigation, or an invention, of a new way of seeing. We are the advocate for art or artists that question the canon, and then they become part of the canon. I like to make things happen for artists. I see myself as a conduit between the artist, the work of art, and the audience. It just happens that the art I think needs a conduit is not necessarily easy art. That’s where the conduit needs to be as conductive as possible. I like art that makes me look at the world differently. I like [art] when it’s experimental, more about the edge. We help people walking the edge. What’s the difference between what Dia’s doing, and what a museum does? Dia is an idea, rather than a museum. An ideal. Dia:Beacon displays Dia’s collection, but also performances, as we’ve done with Merce Cunningham for two years. The history of Dia is centered on commissions: They brought a new language, a new syntax to the aesthetic conversation, by inventing a relationship with artists and going all the way with them. What’s on display in Beacon, the Flavins, Sandbacks, Joseph Beuys—all this work is a collection of artists who were the most rigorous artists of their time. Dia committed to them and allowed them to do incredible projects. So it’s a museum, it’s a collection, but before that was a commission. The word “dia” means through, so there’s that conduit again. Is educating the public part of Dia’s mission? The way American museums and institutions think about art is in direct relationship to education, and that unfolded during the WPA. The European point of view is, you have an aesthetic experience, which is disturbing, pleasurable, unpleasant—then you educate yourself. For years now, Dia has been advocating the idea that the experience of art is unmediated. When you enter the gallery in Beacon, you’re not surrounded by explanation. The power of the installations in Beacon, the scale, defies the notion of interpretation; the phenomenological experience is so intense that you have to take it in. You don’t see people going to the opera to get educated.
How does Dia:Beacon become relevant to the community of artists working in and around Beacon? What’s very difficult for an artist is a feeling of isolation. In a place like Beacon, you could actually have quality of life, quality of work, one hour from the city, where you can meet people, generate dialogs, and go back to the studio. I’m discovering it, because I didn’t know this part of the US before, but the region is absolutely gorgeous. Bard’s here, too, so there’s a good ecology. Remember Black Mountain College, this group of artists around Joseph Albers, around an institution [that] brought together Merce Cunningham, Rauschenberg, John Cage—I would love to see Beacon develop like that. It would be great for the city, great for the artists, great for us. If it can happen in Marfa , there’s no reason it can't happen in Beacon. [Editor's Note: Artist Donald Judd traveled to Marfa in the early 1970s and attracted other artists to the town over the next 30 years, inadvertently founding an arts colony and transforming the sleepy Texas town into a world-class destination for the arts.] How is the art world changing? It’s not a world any more; it’s worlds. Unfortunately, it’s a world that is not immune from any other world right now. Artists are suffering; critics and art dealers are suffering. Dealers are really important in the chain of what needs to happen for an artist to blossom, and for us to be exposed to the work, so what’s happening in the world right now will have an effect on art. It’s a time when we need to stick together as much as we can, to have solidarity. At the moment, [when] artists are suffering, institutions like Dia [must] realize that the role of the artist in society is incredibly important. What is the role of the artist in society? Enlightenment, somehow. It’s about civilization. If we’re not, as a culture, able to give space, means, and time to projects we don’t understand, then we are regressing. What [Dia] does is about the level of civilization. [Art] is about ideas, about knowledge structure, and even when we think we are vulnerable economically, we have to make the effort to maintain these standards; if not, we are barbarians.
12/09 ChronograM 13
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On November 7, Surprenant Art & Design hosted an opening reception for its premiere show, featuring works by Don Johnson, Denise Orzo, and Joe Concra, which will be on display through December 20. The new gallery is located at 324 Wall Street in Kingston.
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SCHOOL OF FINE & PERFORMING ARTS
SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM OF ART www.newpaltz.edu/museum 845.257.3844
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Open Thanksgiving weekend
ARTS EVENTS
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS AND MASTER OF FINE ARTS THESIS EXHIBITION December 4 – 8 and December 11 – 15 Special exhibition hours: Friday – Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Opening receptions: December 4, 5-7:00 p.m. December 11, 5-7:00 p.m.
GALLERY TOUR: THE HUDSON RIVER TO NIAGARA FALLS: 19TH-CENTURY AMERICAN LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS FROM THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY December 6 and 13, 2:00 p.m. Free CONTINUING EXHIBITIONS: The Hudson River to Niagara Falls: 19th-century American Landscape Paintings from the New-York Historical Society, thru Dec. 13. Panorama of The Hudson River—Greg Miller, thru March 2010
MUSIC
www.newpaltz.edu/music
845.257.2700 All tickets are available at the door one half hour prior to performance. SYMPHONIC BAND Tuesday, December 1 McKenna Theatre, 8:00 p.m. $6 general admission, $5 SUNY New Paltz faculty/ staff, $3 students/seniors
The Art of the Song – Recital December 3 Nadia & Max Shepard Recital Hall, 7:00 p.m. Free Highlights from the art-song and opera repertoire. COLLEGIUM MUSICUM Sunday, December 6 Nadia & Max Shepard Recital Hall, 3:00 p.m. $6 general admission, $5 SUNY New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students/seniors An afternoon of Renaissance songs and dances from England, France and Germany including lute songs of John Dowland, chansons from northern France and instrumental dances from the collection Danserye. CHORAL ENSEMBLES II: GREAT OPERA CHORUSES Tuesday, December 8 McKenna Theatre, 8:00 p.m. $6 general admission, $5 SUNY New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students/seniors College Community Chorale presents opera chorus by Mozart, Verdi, Tchaikovsky and others. Concert Choir and Chamber Singers perform music by Purcell, Handel, Hadyn and Mendelssohn. COLLEGE-YOUTH SYMPHONY Sunday, December 13 McKenna Theatre, 7:00 p.m. $6 general admission, $5 SUNY New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students/seniors Symphony #1, Lord of the Rings, by Johan de Meiji and St. Paul Suite, by Gustave Holst.
THEATRE
www.newpaltz.edu/theatre 845.257.3860
MUSIC THEATRE SINGING ENSEMBLE Friday, December 4 McKenna Theatre, 7:00 p.m. Free
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Malcolm Arnold’s Prelude, Sicilano and Rondo, Lincolnshire Posy, of Percy Grainger, and Czech composer Vaclav Nihlybel’s Estampire, an exciting setting of Renaissance dances.
www.newpaltz.edu/artsnews
16 ChronograM 12/09
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Esteemed Reader Esteemed Reader of Our Magazine: “Aloha!”* she called from where she sat near the black lava rocks. A cluster of ripe fruit hung like full breasts from a papaya tree overhead. As we approached, the ample Hawaiian woman beamed an open, white-toothed smile. As I returned her hug, I enjoyed her rich, smoky smell, like the volcano I had visited earlier. We had been driving around the island searching for her, asking Hawaiians and Haoles (white folks) if they knew where she was.When we mentioned her name, Aka, their faces would light up. “Oh, Aka, I saw her last month at Kealakekua,” or “yes, she came to me in a dream,” they’d say. One man produced a soft, black ostrich feather, and petitioned us to make an offering of it when we found her. Sitting together, my companion and Aka exchanged news. “My mother died last month. She passed on the role of caretaker for this temple, Hikiau Heiau, 11 days before she died. That’s why I’m here.” She told us she had been traveling, teaching Huna, the Hawaiian spiritual tradition, in Japan, Russia, and mainland US. “What have you seen about this place, Hawai’i?” she asked me. “I see that the elements are pronounced and amplified,” I said. “The rain is soft and wet, hot water springs up from the ground, and powerful waves continuously pound the shores; the fiery lava is just beneath the surface and streams down from the mountaintops; the earth is so fertile that succulent wild food grows everywhere; and the air is fresh and clear, bright from its cleansing by the sea, and in the rarefied atmosphere of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.” “You forgot the fifth element,” she said. “The fifth element is called Aka. It is the ether, the substance of space that knits everything together. It’s the medium of the life-force that fills and penetrates all. In people it’s the force that unties the knots of repressed and unresolved emotions. It is the stuff of peace. Aka is my name.” She paused, and smiled at me, again. “You have lines between your eyebrows,” she said. I realized I had stopped hearing her sound, and was instead processing my own thoughts. Aka suddenly erupted into a song of love in a full voice that filled and overflowed the sounding chamber of her abundant girth. The sound was mellifluous, a flow of honey. I was transfixed. When she stopped singing there was silence. “So sweet,” I said. “I am molulo,” she said. “It means perfectly ripe—fat and juicy—like a papaya.” I knew she wasn’t talking about her body, but her being. “The most important practice is enjoyment.” She was answering a question that hadn’t yet occurred to me to ask. “When you go in the water, feel its wetness, luxuriate. Drink in the sensations. When you eat this mango, just eat, and let it fill you with its perfect ripeness. If you can bring that kind of appreciation to whatever you do, real love can begin to flow though you into the world.” “Is that what you teach your students?” I asked. “I don’t teach and I don’t heal, though I am called a teacher and healer. I am simply available, and knowledge and healing come through me as they are needed. Both are the result of the love that unties knots of frustration and anger. For this is what’s needed for learning and healing—clear channels that allow a flow. Every one of us is that channel, and we need to expand our capacity to be conduits for life and love.” Now you may wonder what is the relevance for Chronogram readers? I got a dose of medicine and I brought it home (unlike the papaya, mangos, and passion fruits which didn’t make it through customs). It is the medicine of a direct experience of the elements, and a deep, sensual appreciation that beckons in every moment. And it is the medicine of meeting a Kahuna, a woman who embodies the power of place, and the power of a love so potent that thinking of her brings me tears. “I am doing this work for the planet,” she told me. “And I am doing it in every moment both visibly and invisibly. I am always doing it, and I am never not doing the work to bring love and healing to the world.” Beyond commitment, she was describing a marriage to what matters. For better or for worse she continues loving, and because she is anchored as a bridge between worlds, she receives the power to fulfill her mission. Being with her, my habit of mediated, interpreted experiences felt empty. Real life is lived directly, passionately, and intentionally. It is not Hawai’i I endeavor to bring to the Hudson Valley, it is the fertile impulse of robust feminine power realized. So strong, and yet so sensitive and supple. So forceful, and yet radiating an intense force of love. Only love. —Jason Stern * Aloha literally translates “the joyful sharing of life energy in the present moment.” 12/09 ChronograM 17
dion ogust
Commentary
Larry Beinhart’s Body Politic
Getting Out of Afghanistan
Should we get out of Afghanistan? Yes. Imperialism, in general, is a tough business. Even with good intentions—reform, rebuild, bring democracy, modernize, civilize, liberate, pick up the white man’s burden. There is a classic sequence. A rebel group commits violent acts. The occupying power reacts with force.This alienates the population. If it doesn’t, the rebels push until they get the reaction they need. The rebellion grows. Since the Second World War imperialism has become increasingly difficult. It is especially difficult if the occupier is ethnically, religiously, and culturally different than the locals. It doesn’t matter if the foreign power is there by “invitation,” as the Russians were in Afghanistan and the US was in Vietnam. But an occupation is tough. It can only succeed in a state that is contiguous, as Chechnya is to Russia and Tibet is to China. Success demands utter ruthlessness, secret police, assassinations, the murder of civilians, leveling neighborhoods and sometimes entire cities. Open societies like ours find that hard to tolerate. Afghanistan, in particular, is a tough place to run an occupation. Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire in six months. But it took him three years to conquer Afghanistan. He only settled things by taking an Afghan bride, then moving on. In the 19th century, at the height of their imperial power, Great Britain fought two wars against the Afghans. The first time, the Afghans destroyed an entire British army. The second time, the English attained a limited victory. They put a puppet on the throne who gave them control of Afghanistan’s foreign policy—to keep the Russians out—but otherwise withdrew from the country. In 1978, an indigenous Marxist group took power in Afghanistan. Their goal was to modernize: liberate women, change marriage customs, abolish usury, and cancel farmers’ debts.These things upset many of the Afghan people and an insurgency began. Early in 1979, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan asked the Soviet Union for help. The Russians were obligated by a treaty, and, with some reluctance, sent advisors. The situation deteriorated, and at the end of the year, Soviet troops entered the country. The Russians were tough.The Russians were ruthless.They carpetbombed, bull dozed, and deployed land mines. Over 1,000,000 Afghans died, 1,200,000 were disabled, 3,000,000 were maimed or wounded, and 5,000,000 fled the country. In spite of all that, the Soviet Union, withdrew, defeated, 10 years later. Over 600,000 of Soviet troops had served, 80,000 to 104,000 at any give time. They had over 14,000 dead, 496,685 were wounded or seriously ill, including 115,308 cases of infectious hepatitis. Withdrawal was followed by a civil war, which the Taliban won. Why don’t we get out of Afghanistan? The terrorists! Estimated number of Al Qaeda members now operating if Afghanistan, according to the US national security advisor: 100. Number of US troops who would be stationed there if General Stanley McChrystal’s leaked request were granted: 120,000 (Harper’s Index, November, 2009). So that doesn’t quite make sense. If Afghanistan goes (where?), then Pakistan goes! And Pakistan has nukes! And that’s really important! When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan and Mullah Omar hosted Osama bin Laden, Pakistan was actually more stable. 18 ChronograM 12/09
Christopher Hitchens says we need a presence in Iraq and Afghanistan to contain Iran! Hah! Take that! The answer to which is, Huh? Wah? Would Iran go to war against Iraq? With the memories of the last Iran-Iraq War fresh? Against Afghanistan? And get into a quagmire like we’re in? Maybe they are that stupid. Better them than us. The war in Afghanistan has cost $228 billion dollars (www.costofwar.com), so far. We seem to take one and a half steps back for every step forward. So why are we there? The real answer is, we’re embarrassed. The sole superpower in the world defeated by semiliterate, religious wackos from medieval times? We proved that we could succeed where the Russkies failed! Thus demonstrating our superior superiority! Except we haven’t, quite, yet, and if we withdraw, we’re failures like them and if Obama pulls out then the Republicans will label the Democrats weak war-losers for another 50 years! It’s the same reason the Russians stayed and the same reason we stayed in Vietnam. The fear of admitting a mistake and the fear of the domestic political consequences of that admission. How can we get out of Afghanistan? Get Osama bin Laden. Nobody seems to remember, but this whole thing started with a small gang, led, we’ve been told, by Osama bin Laden, who hijacked planes and flew them into the World Trade Center and who hoped to commit more such heinous acts. We asked the Afghans for bin Laden. The Taliban was willing to turn him over to another country for trial, but not to the United States. So we invaded. Even before we commenced hostilities, the goals had shifted.To launch a global war on terrorism and, specifically, to invade Iraq. Let’s go back to basics. Osama bin Laden conspired to commit mass murder. He deserves to get got. That’s a legitimate target and a legitimate mission. It’s hard to believe that for $20 billion or $40 billion or $228 billion, with all the resources of the US Armed forces and the intelligence services of all the Western countries, we can’t get him. If that’s what we want to do. In any case, it is an achievable objective. Making Afghanistan a stable, democratic, Western friendly country, instead of a narco-state, or an oppressive theocracy, or a divisive collection of squabbling tribes, is probably not an achievable objective. President Obama should call in his generals and intelligence chiefs and say, “Get this guy.” If they can’t, then he should fire them like President Lincoln used to do, until he finds the General Ulysses S. Grant who can get the job done. If they can’t do it, then, yes, the entire US military and intelligence establishment is a failure. If they can do it, it’s a success. It makes the essential statement that has not been made all these years, that America cannot be attacked with impunity. Then we can say that’s why we came, it’s done, and withdraw. Without embarrassment.
Robert Galbraith / Reuters
Authorities in California are reporting a sizable increase in the number of marijuana plants seized this year in the state’s annual eradication effort. In 2009, 4.4 million plants have been seized. This is nearly double the 2.9 million plants seized last year, and 10 times the amount seized in 2003. A spokesperson for the State Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement attributed the increase to both better eradication strategies and larger marijuana gardens. Source: Associated Press On November 8, the Supreme Court heard appeals for two juvenile offenders serving life-in-prison terms in Florida. Neither involved homicide. Joe Sullivan burglarized and raped a 72-year-old woman when he was 13. Terrance Graham committed armed burglary at 16. Both were repeat offenders. Lawyers for the youthful offenders argued that life in prison for juveniles not convicted of homicide violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. There are 109 juvenile offenders serving life without parole for nonhomicide crimes. All are in the US, 77 are in Florida. Nineteen states, led by Louisiana, have filed a brief supporting life sentences without parole in nonhomicide cases citing that teenagers have a clear appreciation of right and wrong. The court is divided on the matter, as expressed by comments by Justice Stephen Breyer during the oral arguments. “As a general matter, human beings are uncertain about how much moral responsibility to assign to individuals in a particular category,” said Breyer. “Is it appropriate to sentence someone to life in prison without parole at the age of 10? No. Eleven? No. Seventeen? Yeah, maybe. We are in an area of ambiguity, what justifies taking a person’s whole life away.” Sources: NPR, New York Times The East Japan Railway Company has responded to an increase in the number of people jumping to their deaths in front of trains in Tokyo by installing special blue lights above station platforms. The blue LED lights are believed to have a calming effect on agitated people. Last year, nearly 2,000 people committed suicide by jumping in front of a train, accounting for 6 percent of suicides in Japan. The suicide rate has climbed this year due to the recession, and could surpass the record of 34,427 deaths in 2003. Source: Associated Press As battle raged over how abortion would play into any health care bill that would make it out of Congress, the Republican National Committee made a change to its own insurance plan. After Politico.com reported that the RNC’s insurance plan, which it had carried since 1991, offers elective abortion, RNC chairman Michael Steele said that directed that the policy be discontinued. There is no indication that any RNC employee used the abortion coverage. Source: Politico.com
More than 40 percent of President Obama’s top-level fundraisers have secured posts in his administration, from key executive branch jobs to diplomatic postings; as well, 20 of the 47 fundraisers that Obama’s campaign identified as collecting more than $500,000 have been named to government positions. While it’s common practice for incoming presidents to reward fundraisers with ambassadorships and other jobs, the American Foreign Service Association, the diplomats’ union, found that more than half of the ambassadors named by Obama so far are political appointees, not career diplomats, a rate higher than for any president in more than four decades. Traditionally, about 30 percent of top diplomatic jobs go to political appointees, and roughly 70 percent to veteran State Department employees. Ambassadors earn $153,200 to $162,900 annually. Source: USA Today On the evening of November 9, marine reservist Jasen Bruce was approached in the parking lot of his Tampa, Florida, condominium by a bearded man in sandals and a robe. Bruce claimed the man yelled “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is great,” the same words some witnesses said the Fort Hood shooting suspect uttered before opening fire. “That’s what they tell you right before they blow you up,” Bruce told police. The robed man, whom Bruce chased for three blocks and beat with a tire iron, was a Greek Orthodox priest named Father Alexios Marakis, who speaks little English and was lost, police said. Marakis supposedly asked Bruce for directions. Marakis, who required stitches for his wounds, told police he did not want to press charges, citing the biblical call for forgiveness. Source: St. Petersburg Times In early September, 34-year-old computer programmer Isaac Eiland-Hall launched www.GlennBeckrapedandmurderedayounggirlin1990.com. The website purported to “examine the vicious rumor” about the conservative talk show host alluded to in the site’s title. (The defamation is an homage to a Friar’s Club Roast where Gilbert Gottfried repeatedly denounced nonexistent rumors that Bob Saget “raped and killed a girl in 1990.”) The site had 120,000 hits in the first 24 hours since its launch. Shortly thereafter, lawyers for Beck filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization, insisting it was a trademark violation. This was widely reported on, causing traffic to spike at the site. In late October, WIPO denied Beck’s complaint, thus offering a victory to Eiland-Hall, who handed the site over to Beck a week after the decision. While Beck took the site down, the original contents can still be seen at www.gb1990.com. Source: Daily Beast The most common swap in the government’s $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program involved Ford F150 pickup owners who traded in their trucks for new F150s, which had marginally better fuel economy—1 to 3 mpg. Owners of thousands more large old Chevrolet and Dodge pickups bought new Silverado and Ram trucks, also with only barely improved mileage. The Ford F150 and Chevy Silverado were in the top 10 most-popular vehicles purchased with the government rebates, as were the more fuel-effiecient Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, and Ford Focus. The average fuel economy was 15.8 mpg for the old vehicles and 24.9 for the new ones. Source: Associated Press According to a recently release Nielsen report, the amount of television usage by children reached an eight-year high, with kids ages 2 to 5 watching the screen for more than 32 hours a week on average, and those ages 6 to 11 watching more than 28 hours. The analysis, based on the fourth quarter of 2008, measured children’s consumption of live and recorded TV, as well as VCR and game console usage. “They’re using all the technology available in their households,” said Patricia McDonough, Nielsen’s senior vice president of insights, analysis and policy. “They’re using the DVD, they’re on the Internet. They’re not giving up any media—they’re just picking up more.” The increase in consumption is in part the result of more programming targeted at kids, she said, including video on demand, which is particularly popular among young children, who like to watch their favorite shows over and over again. Source: Los Angeles Times 12/09 12/09 ChronograM ChronograM 19 19
WGXC NEW YEAR’S MASQUERADE BALL HELP BRING COMMUNITY RADIO TO THE HUDSON VALLEY AND RING IN THE NEW YEAR! PERFORMERS
Trixie (MC) Hudson City Ramblers Bella’s Bartok Lady Moon Young Paris Evan Randall Mother Fletcher M.A.S.S. Saber Coup DJ Jackie Thomas Ryder Cooley & Natalie Agee TWO STAGES OF MUSIC, PERFORMANCE ART, DRUMMERS, BELLYDANCERS, AND MUCH MUCH MORE
New Year’s Eve 6 p.m.-4 a.m.
AT BASILICA INDUSTRIA 110 S. FRONT ST., HUDSON (ONE BLOCK SOUTH OF AMTRAK STATION) 518-622-2598 FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EVENT, CHILD CARE, ETC.
www.wgxc.org $25 ADVANCE/$30 AT DOOR INCLUDES MIDNIGHT CHAMPAGNE TOAST Food from Philmont’s Main Street Public House Drinks from Jason’s Upstairs Bar Coffee from Strongtree Organic Coffee Roasters
COME OUT TO HELP GET WGXC ON 90.7-FM!
20 ChronograM 12/09
P hoto: ruth samuels
Brian K. Mahoney Editor’s Note A Tree Grows in Kingston
T
here’s no definitive story on why the trees were cut down outside our office in Uptown Kingston. Depending on whom you ask, it’s either due to a disease that was afflicting the trees, the branches overhanging Wall Street were a safety hazard, or the brick planters were being cracked apart from the inside out by the growth of the root balls. Some are certainly true—the planters are clearly crumbling—and some perhaps just rumors.This much is incontrovertible: One week in early November a crew of arborists with a bucket truck, a chipper, and a slew of chainsaws cut down six mature trees, leaving a handful of stumps and a street that had much of its scenic charm carted away as sawdust. A few days later, a stenciled Lorax-esque graffito appeared on the surface of the stumps: “i am kingston.” And then came the plywood tree. Just a two-by-four with two dozen crudely made plywood branches glued to it, planted in a hand-cut notch in the stump, and stabilized by three thin wires that appeared one morning. No paint, no varnish, no leaves, and no lights. And yet. And yet, a grace note on a street full of stumps. In music, a grace note is a kind of ornamental addition to the main note, playing off the main but stealing part of the time allotted for its own purposes, the accent often startling. On Wall Street, while we wait for new trees, or fewer trees, or no trees—whatever clangorous tune the city chooses to play, this grace note lingers, longer than expected.
Chronogram Sponsors:
As part of our ongoing commitment to nourish and support the creative, cultural, and economic life of the Hudson Valley, Chronogram helps promote organizations and events in our pages each month. Here's some of what we’re sponsoring in December.
Frozendale The artists of Rosendale team up for a sale of one-of-a-kind gifts and artwork on December 5 & 6 from 11am-6pm at 26 Riverview Drive in New Paltz. (845) 658-9504 Hudson Valley Brawl Ball The outrageous ladies of Hudson Valley Brawl—Kiki Yourbutt, Jackie O'Nasty, and all the rest—invite you to dance the night away at Keegan Ales in Kingston on December 18. www.brawlnewyork.wordpress.com
WGXC New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball A benefit for the emerging community radio station for Columbia and Greene Counties on December 31 at Basilica Industria in Hudson. Performers include Lady Moon, Dark Dark Dark, and Mother Fletcher. www.wgxc.org Hudson Valley Green Drinks Holiday Party The traveling networking event for the eco-committed touches down at Mariner's Harbor Restaurant in Kingston on December 9. (845) 454-6410; www.hvgreendrinks.org
12/09 ChronograM 21
NEWS & POLITICS World, Nation, & Region
Banning the Burqa
The New Face of Western Imperialism An Interview with Lina Abirafeh by Lorna Tychostup
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he burqa is an image that burns in Western minds. Afghan women made anonymous by swaths of sky blue material covering them from head to foot—a face screen their only access to the world outside. The garment forced upon women by a ferocious and raging religious fundamentalism formulated by men—Taliban fanatics driving around in Toyota pickup trucks, stopping to whip these faceless blue ghosts on the street or hauling them off to be dug into holes in soccer fields to be readied for public stonings. These images brought the world’s eye to Afghanistan. They were part of the post-9/11 war cry that saw Laura Bush bring women’s rights activists from groups like the Feminist Majority and Equality Now! and Afghan women exiles to the White House in November, 2001, just weeks after the bombing had begun in Afghanistan. The rhetoric centered on liberation. With the Taliban routed, the burqa would be tossed aside, and women would emerge and breathe freedom. Freedom not experienced since forced modernization mandates put forth by successive Afghan rulers and later during the Soviet occupation gave them limited rights. Eight years later, the US is contemplating whether to surge the Afghan war effort in order to rid the growing Taliban and al Qaeda presence, or begin a slow drawdown of forces. This time there is no talk of freedom for Afghan women, who, due to the complete and total lack of security in their country, have opted to re-don the burqa—a Western name given to the garment Afghans call a chaddari—for safety reasons. There is no talk of the conservative backlash against women or how they suffered in the wake of each of their forced “emancipations.” As gender and development expert Lina Abirafeh says in her book, Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan:The Politics and Effects of Intervention (MacFarland, 2009), “Reforms have repeatedly flooded Afghanistan faster than the country can absorb them, should it choose to do so.” Abirafeh lived in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2006, working on gender issues and researching the effects of gender-focused international aid in conflict and postconflict contexts, focusing on gender-based violence. According to Abirafeh, in the 1920s Afghanistan was a secular country working to extend women’s rights, yet by the 1990s it was captive to religious fanaticism, tribal patriarchy, and underdevelopment. She cites the combination of colonialism, economic dependence, and rapid social change as “a recipe for Muslim fundamentalism to flourish—a phenomenon exacerbated by international pressure exerted at the intersection of Islam, the state, and gender politics.” The result leaves the place of women as the only controllable social factor left once economic and political arenas become dependent on external interventions. Senior editor Lorna Tychostup interviewed Abirafeh (currently working in Papua New Guinea), via e-mail and discussed international aid to Afghanistan, how it affects the relationships between men and women today in Afghanistan, and the day-to-day realities for Afghan women. Lorna Tychostup: What is it like to be a woman in Afghanistan today? Lina Abirafeh: Afghan women continue to be among the worst off in the world. And yet they are largely forgotten. For all the hype that was generated in 2001 and 2002, our attention spans prove short once again. Many who gasped at 22 news & politics ChronograM 12/09
the horrors Afghan women faced now show little interest, believing the issue to be resolved.Today, social indicators are depressing—and have hardly improved since 2001. Security is the greatest failing of the international community. As a result, Afghan women are faced with new challenges, the most serious of which is increased violence—particularly domestic and sexual violence. The threat or fear of violence is enough to keep women from public spaces. Afghan women’s illiteracy is one of the highest in the world.There might be more schools for girls—but the buildings are being burned and families fear sending their daughters. Poverty, discrimination, and gender inequality keep girls and women from education. Afghan women’s life expectancy is still very low, coupled with a maternal mortality ratio that is one of the highest in the world. Population rates are high—and the economic and social infrastructure continues to weaken. Women are still a minority in public life—despite their place in the Parliament and other political bodies. Livelihoods are deteriorating due to continued conflict, deteriorating security, increased corruption, and ongoing displacement. Women are forced into more dangerous fields in order to support their families—such as opium production and sex work fueled both by Afghans and internationals. In short, things are not going well. If I were an Afghan woman, I would be disillusioned and angered by aid. What has it done for them? One Afghan woman told me, “A woman in Afghanistan is a very popular object today.” Her use of the word “object” was deliberate. She said she was upset because the international community made her the center of unwanted attention, and the focus of myriad projects and plans, none of which she had a role in creating. At the same time, she felt that her own ability to determine and direct the changes was denied to her—leaving her reduced to an object that needed “fixing.” Is there an Afghan version of feminism? Yes. There are always movements to advocate for women’s rights—defined differently in every culture and context. Women have always exercised their ability to better their circumstances—and to provide for themselves and their families. Afghan feminisms are not alien importations. Feminism—just like all other social movements—evolves in response to injustice and inequality. Throughout Afghan history, women have been key players in challenging circumstances and using their own methods to achieve gains—gains that they seek, on their own terms. Unfortunately, the term “feminism” comes loaded with the impression that it is Western. And even in the West the term has been hijacked by a certain image that does not do justice to its core purpose— and to the diverse ways women find to express feminisms. There are still people—women and men alike—who regurgitate old “bra burning” rhetoric as a rationale for dismissing feminism. Bras or not—feminism is not a fad or fashion. And it is very much alive today—in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Afghan feminists wouldn’t define themselves that way, largely because their movement seeks to distance itself from a Western model—even though the underlying principles are the same. Afghan feminists—just like feminists from many other developing countries—struggle against imperialism alongside patriarchy. Afghan history tells us of incredible Afghan women who fought alongside men to liberate Afghanistan.
lina abirafeh
A woman outside an NGO office in Paghman, Afganistan, waiting in a long line to register for aid.
How does Afghan feminism differ from its Western counterpart? The principles are the same, but the issues are different. Most Afghan women prefer to view their rights within the context of Islam. The perspectives are different—and the views are different. Of course, the opportunities are also different. As I mentioned, Afghan women are facing some pretty insurmountable struggles—many of which Western feminists do not experience. I do not think many American women can relate to the restrictions, fears, and constraints that Afghan women experience. We need to recognize that—despite our own issues—our position is one of privilege. It is impossible to separate feminist movements from the context in which they exist. After all, they are born out of the issues that arise within that specific context. You write that tribal practices overshadow Islam. Yet throughout Gender and International Aid, Islam seems to be at the center. In practice, tribal practices do overshadow what is written in Islam. Codes such as the Pashtunwali (the unwritten legal code of the Pashtun population) trump Islamic practices.Women’s honor is its cornerstone. As a result, women’s movements are very limited. These limitations are manifested in purdah, the separation of male and female spaces. It is not accurate to connect these conservative practices and women’s oppression to Islam. Afghans prefer to live within the parameters that Islam, in its pure form, provides—especially regarding gender roles and relations. Afghanistan is a Muslim country—this can’t be ignored.We need to engage with the religion as a core part of the context in which we are working. When listening to the voices of Afghan women and men, their desire
to view their rights within an Islamic context comes across very clearly. Of the aid Afghanistan receives from the US, how much goes toward women’s issues? Funding for women’s issues isn’t clearly reported, and there are discrepancies in how much actually goes to “women’s issues.” There are complaints— justly—of misallocated funding, commitments not disbursed, and money not reaching Afghanistan. It is difficult to trace funds—but funding received was in no way compatible with the level of rhetoric. Particularly for women’s issues. I’m concerned that what we think is aid to women is actually supporting our “war on terror.” It has been made very clear that the military objective in Afghanistan is taking precedence over other so-called “softer issues.” Hilary Clinton recently made it clear that funding to Afghanistan is going towards combating al Qaeda and protecting the US. It is no longer about gender equality and democracy. Even in the early days, money wasn’t going toward improving the lives of Afghan people—and most Afghans are rightly angry as a result. They say, “Promises haven’t been implemented. They trick both men and women into believing that the world will come save them and change everything.” What is “Gender Apartheid”? “Gender Apartheid” was coined by the Feminist Majority Foundation to advocate for and attract interest in Afghan women’s human rights—and the abuses they faced under the Taliban. Waged by American feminists, this high-profile campaign used the image of the burqa, or chaddari, as its galvanizing point to 12/09 ChronograM news & politics 23
generate world interest. The oppressed downtrodden creature beneath a blue sheet. Gasp! How can we allow this to happen?!? Many Afghan feminists felt that such campaigns—while well intended—were waged without them.The burqa became the symbol of abuse—and therefore removal of the garment would indicate “liberation” and an end to abuse. The chaddari was and is not the barometer by which to measure social change. In fact, its presence or absence does little to indicate liberation. We’d be better off judging liberation by what Afghan women say—and how they feel about their rights and roles. And their voices are quite clear—things are getting worse for them.Yet such campaigns were deemed successful by the West with the so-called liberation of Afghanistan in 2001. Unfortunately this liberation has yet to materialize.
women. Instead we should say “women” when we mean women, and reserve “gender” for more robust usage, which means including men and looking at politics as the distribution of power—meaning resources and influence, and an understanding of who gets what, when, how—and why. Aid is always political. Social change is political. Gender is political—especially in Afghanistan. So we owe it to Afghans to take on the term in its full form. As one Afghan man I interviewed said, “It’s important to know and to find out for ourselves what gender means in Afghanistan.” He explained that Afghans weren’t given the space to determine what kind of changes they sought—and how to go about them. In effect, Afghans felt that we were imposing our own views of what gender roles and relations should be like on Afghanistan.
What is the relationship between Gender Apartheid and what you call “Chaddari Politics”? The chaddari is not a new object of Western obsession. It became a symbol of Taliban abuses, but it should be viewed in its sociopolitical and historical context. It was not a Taliban invention—and in fact was used at times as a symbol of resistance and not just a one-dimensional vehicle of oppression. The bottom line is that any act of veiling is not a denial of women’s ability to act on their own behalf, no matter how perverse our curiosities and fetishes on veiling might be. I think of Edward Said’s Orientalism in this case—because the Western world still has not managed to contain its curiosity for what lies beneath a veil. I use the term “Chaddari Politics” because the chaddari has political implications. The “Gender Apartheid” campaign used it as a political tool. Afghans use the term burqa when they are discussing the garment with us—but amongst themselves they use the Dari/Persian term chaddari. Despite this, American feminists made burqa the prevalent term. In 2002, when I moved to Afghanistan, I wrote reports to the organizations, donors, sponsors, etc. to help them understand the situation. Stating my impressions in my first report I wrote: “My sense is that Afghan women long for choice—the choice to wear a veil, or a burqa, or nothing at all. The issue extends well beyond the actual fabric of the burqa. It is more important to address the psychological burqa, and its progeny—the fear burqa and the poverty burqa. Social evolution is a slow process, and our task in this is to offer women the tools with which they can achieve self-sufficiency, a choice, and a voice.” Today, it is worthwhile questioning the extent to which we’ve done that—and what all these changes that are taking place actually mean to Afghans.
Yet, at the same time, the use of the word gender segregates Afghan men from Afghan women and causes problems in their relations. Afghan men feel their needs are being ignored. We don’t often engage men in gender interventions. We usually see them as perpetrators (and women as victims) or as obstacles to women’s development. If we engage them at all, it is to advance women’s interests. Rarely do we take note of men who are supporters, advocates, champions—I met many such men in Afghanistan.Yet we hardly ever engage men in their own right. It is possible to empower women without undermining men. Many Afghan men say women are given priority and men are forgotten. They claim aid organizations do not follow through with their promises to men. Men’s honor is insulted given that their traditional role is as breadwinner—yet they are not given the opportunity to work. This is at the core of what it means to be a man, and not just in Afghanistan. We saw increases in violence against women post-Katrina. There is a strong link between the breadwinner aspect of male identity and violence against women. Men in Afghanistan and elsewhere express this largely through increased violence against women—specifically domestic violence. It is important to understand that this is not an “Afghan thing” or a “Muslim thing.” It’s a global problem. Afghan women express concern too, saying such things as: “I don’t know what opportunities men have. Many are without opportunities.” “Men need to have opportunities like women so they can work and feel proud.” “Men are suffering more than women.” “Men are becoming more aggressive and angry to women because organizations do not give them any attention.”
Yet the chaddari/burqa imagery helps to bring in donor money to NGOs that supply aid. NGO media campaigns depict the Taliban as the “problem” and NGOs as the “solution.” Men, in general, are viewed as “bad” and women as “good.” Any image of veiling tends to generate attention as it takes place in a post9/11 context where the Western world is filled with a fear and fascination with political Islam, particularly the role of women in Islam. And of course the veil—or any form of covering—is the public manifestation of this fear and fascination. As a result, it becomes easy to imagine how a veiled woman might be in need of aid. Despite our curiosities, we don’t often see that a strong, intelligent, and capable Afghan woman could be beneath the blue! The aid community likes to boil things down to black and white in order to simplify our work—or perhaps to justify the need for it. Interventions are either successes or failures. We miss out on the nuances. You talk about how the word “gender” is the new buzzword of the international community, and how Afghans have no translation or definition for it. Yet Afghans have learned to use it as a marketing tool because they know it will get them aid money. Gender is about the attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female in a given society at a given time. It isn’t just another word for women. It has economic, social, cultural, and political implications. It is socially constructed and changes over time—and based on specific events. In Dari or Pashto, they still don’t have a definition for gender that everyone agrees upon or understands. We in the West still use gender as another word for women or sex—which is wrong on both counts. Gender is more complex. When we use the term gender to mean women, we are conveniently cutting the political implications out—leaving us with a buzzword, a new way to say 24 news & politics ChronograM 12/09
You write: “It is assumed that the corruption and degradation of Afghan women is a fundamental part of the Western imperialism agenda.” How does the underbelly antics of the international aid community add to this assumption? Development work is more than a full-time job—it is a lifestyle choice. How we behave “after hours” cannot be separated from the work we are doing during the day. And we also need to exercise a healthy dose of humility—yet I see precisely the opposite. Firstly, we are guests in the country, so we need to abide by their rules. Recreating lives similar to those we lived “back home” is not a wise strategy, as it doesn’t reflect respect for the communities in which we work. We create an economy around our presence, which drives certain industries—black market alcohol, prostitution, pornography, etc.—how does this look to Afghans? A poor Afghan woman knows that prostitution is a more lucrative industry than potatoes. Afghans assume that we interfere in Afghanistan and end up corrupting Afghan women. In terms of “underbelly antics” (I do love this term!), it’s the usual parties and alcohol—sometimes excessive. More dangerous than these activities is the obsessive drive for them—as if it is something to which we are entitled, by virtue of the “sacrifices” we make to do this work. There is an underlying arrogance here – a “detail” most Afghans do not overlook. In my days in Afghanistan, the biggest concern was the “no Afghan” door policy in Kabul restaurants that serve alcohol or the myriad brothels masquerading as restaurants—catering to foreigners. Afghans, view this as a form of “cultural imperialism”—an attack against their sense of Afghan identity, their Afghaniyat. Combine “cultural imperialism” with the Afghan view that few positive changes have taken place in their lives—surely a volatile combination. I’m sure most Afghans would argue that they would be better off without that sort of “aid.” And when we behave in these ways after hours, it becomes difficult for Afghan women to align themselves with us.They don’t like it—and Afghan men won’t permit it.We end up undermining our own efforts.
lina abirafeh
Day laborers on the street in Kabul, hoping for work.
Our experiences in places such as Afghanistan should not be about adventure, ethnic trinkets, and heroic near-misses that we love to boast about at the end of the day. The danger in such places is they attract “emergency junkies” who thrive on such thrills—but who add little value for Afghans. For those who aren’t really committed to bettering the lives of Afghans, Disneyworld might be a better alternative. This isn’t about being a saint or a martyr—but it’s about Afghans first. Does aid intervention do more harm than good? Badly planned aid interventions surely do more harm than good. In principle, we are out to achieve “good.” We owe it to Afghans to make good on that—especially after years of neglect, a history of abandonment, and an array of clumsy approaches that do little more than build resistance and leave Afghans—particularly Afghan women—worse off than they were before. One of the biggest concerns I heard was the idea that aid interventions imported their own ideas of what was wrong with Afghan women—and how to fix it. That kind of approach is patronizing. It was doomed from the start. As one Afghan woman who runs an NGO told me, “In Afghan history, we have imported policies from other places. This is why it doesn’t work. If we want democracy, we have to go step by step, starting from the beginning, and not running. If we run, we will fall down. We should walk slowly and look around us in order to be successful. Again today, just like before, Afghans are running, running after democracy, running after gender. And when we fall down no one will be able to rescue us. Not even the international community.” How is honor linked to Afghan sovereignty? Honor for Afghans is about freedom from outside interference. A historically divisive Afghanistan has been united many times by the need to drive out occupiers—physical or ideological. There is historical precedent for this. The problem emerges when Afghans make a parallel between the previous occupiers and the current “regime”—international organizations. Today it is both a military and an ideological occupation. Is it any wonder that forces like the Taliban are gaining power—and appeal? Aid has been a means by which outsiders have gained influence in Afghanistan—and Afghans see history dangerously repeating itself. We need to understand the link between Afghanistan’s legacy of occupation and Afghan honor—and how these forces combine to create a strong resistance to outside interference today. An Afghan man told me “the world thought they could bring freedom to
Afghan women, but freedom is only won from the inside.” Indeed, that is the point. Freedom—our fight for it, and our perception of it—comes from within. And Afghans have fought time and again for freedom on their terms— today is no different. So if we’re not helping them to achieve the freedom they seek—we should just get out. You talk about how some Afghan men complain that aid organizations “interfere with family issues.” Rana Husseini, who broke tradition and began to cover honor killings in Jordan, said men in her country complained that shelters for battered women interfered with “family issues.” It took years for the Jordanian government to agree upon what to call shelters for abused women and those threatened with violence. Women who had been attacked or threatened with death by family members, afraid that male relatives would kill them to satisfy their perception of honor, were put into prison for their own protection. Some women spent 10 to 15 years in prison being kept “safe” from male family members who would kill them. I understand the cultural differences and the need to go slow with change. But how can one reconcile abusive tactics or behaviors with such claims of interference? A very tricky area. I think the only way we can reconcile any of these contradictions is to refrain from passing judgment and to take our cue from Afghan women and men. We can provide them with the tools and resources to make the changes that they see fit—that work for them. The perceptions of Afghan men that aid organizations “interfere with family issues” refer to the pervasive image that Afghan women are oppressed—and therefore Afghan men are the oppressors. This is a simplistic juxtaposition that doesn’t reflect Afghan realities. Afghans who I spoke with shared the belief that changes were imposed on them—and they were not given a voice to determine the direction—and pace—of the changes. One Afghan woman put it best. She said, “If the men and women together decide on the changes, they will be good. If someone else from the outside makes the changes, no one will be happy with it.” Men felt that international organizations deliberately “took their rights” by neglecting them and focusing on women. So, in addition to the perception that changes were imposed on them by the West, men also felt that aid organizations were stripping them of their dignity and denying them a place in the family. So much for doing “gender” work. 12/09 ChronograM news & politics 25
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small- town suburbia
cheSter + washingtonville By Brian K. Mahoney Photographs by Adam Pass
the moodna viaduct, spanning moodna creek in salisbury mills. the viaduct is the highest and longest railroad trestlt east of the mississippi river.
T
he perception of suburbia has changed a lot since the 1950s, when carbased communities outside the city limits were seen as the domestic ideal. Cleaner streets, less crime, better schools, the convenience of shopping malls and supermarkets, a wide lawn and a backyard barbecue—if your family could afford it, you moved to the suburbs. If not, it was a dream deferred, an aspiration for the following generation. You watched “The Brady Bunch” as an instruction manual. Suburbia’s reputation has taken a beating in recent years. More often than not, the word is used as a blanket pejorative for entire communities perceived as dull and conformist. Current depictions of the burbs on television portray tortured executives and their unfulfilled wives, like Don and Betty Draper of “Mad Men,” a far cry from the honeyed contentment of Rob and Laura Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” pesky ottomans notwithstanding. And then there’s sprawl, the car culture’s masterpiece of nowhereism, three lanes of traffic and strip malls on each side of the divided highway as far as you can drive. You could be in New York or you could be in Orlando. Best Buy. McDonald’s. Barnes and Noble. Wal-Mart. Small town charm Orange County is one of the fastest growing suburbs in New York, with a population spike of 10 percent in the last decade.What was once a rural, farming area—the Black Dirt region’s fertility is legendary—has become mainly residential. The two villages of Chester and Washingtonville, in central Orange County however, will cause you to rethink your assumptions about suburbia. The village of Chester, population 3,500, just north of Route 17 on its way from Monroe to Goshen, has a Main Street perched on a bluff overlooking acres of fields below. The street is lined with three- and four-story buildings built over a hundred years ago, ending at the historic Chester Depot, a train
station that now houses the Chester Historical Society. Behind the station lies the Orange County Heritage Trail, a paved, a multi-use rail trail stretching 11 miles from Goshen to Monroe on the former Erie Railroad line. The trail winds through the county’s signature rolling hills, past bird sanctuaries and farmers’ fields, used by bikers, walkers, and rollerbladers. The completed trail will eventually extend 25 miles from Harriman to Middletown. Across the plaza from the station is Outdoors, a clothing and footwear retailer housed in a massive barn with exposed beams. It’s been a cornerstone of commerce in Chester since 1978. Owner Barry Adelman, like most of the residents and business owners in the region, attributes the success of is business, and the village’s charm, to its old school attention to personal interaction. “In this day and age, you gotta give people a good reason to come, you have to do something special” says Adelman. “Customers really appreciate a small store that can give them the personal service they won’t get elsewhere. I advise my customers.” Up the street, Jeff Johnson, who runs Awake Fitness, a core to extremity fitness studio with partner Piper Bowman, echoes the lure of Chester’s small town feel. “The town clerk walks by every morning and waves,” says Johnson, whose studio is open to the street with a bank of windows, through which passers-by can watch Johnson coach his clients. A good place to raise kids “My favorite thing about Chester is that it’s close knit, and family oriented,” says Stacy Padilla, who runs Pixie Dust, a shop across the streets from Johnson which carries a wide variety of jewelry and New Age and alternative healing items. Padilla cites the annual Kiwanis Halloween parade and the police department’s Easter Egg hunt, as well as the family friendly fare at Clayton Delaney’s dining saloon, a village institution. 12/09 ChronograM chester/washingtonville 27
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left: the wappinger creek in downtown wappingers falls; the first reformed church is the gateway to downtown fishkill.
the world trade center memorial in washingtonville. five firefighters from the village died on september 11, 2001.
Fran Fumo, moved up to nearby Washingtonville from the Bronx 17 years ago. She runs the Kokopelli Cookie Company in Chester, and oversees all the baking herself, testifying that all her cookies are made from scratch. Fumo, too, loves the small town feel of the area. “You can garden in the backyard,” says Fumo. “It’s a nice place to raise your children. It’s growing, but it’s still peaceful.” Mayor Phil Valastro grew up in Chester and worked the black dirt in his youth, and remembers driving into town in the back of his grandfather’s `55 Chevy for an ice cream cone (for him) and a pack of Camels for grandpa. “I’ve seen Chester go form a quaint farming village to what it is today,” says Valastro. “We have the hustle and bustle of modern-day suburbia: our industrial park, our Lowes, our ShopRite. Most of the people that have come here have come from the city, but they’re trying to get away from that. They want to still be close, but not too close.” Valastro works full-time as a field technician for Verizon in addition to his mayoral duties. When asked how the closing of Bodle’s Opera House, which operated as a restaurant and performance venue for 25 years until September, will affect the village’s economic prospects, Valastro laments that the shuttering of Bodle’s is keenly felt downtown. Valastro is quick to point out that new businesses have opened up recently on Main Street, including the Angles and Cuts hair salon and A Music Place, a center for musical instruction, and that many empty storefronts are in the process of being refurbished. The strength of Chester, Valastro believes, lies not in its buildings but in its people. “Whenever the chips are down in this community—when something terrible has happened—the community rallies around to help and gets involved,” says Valastro, citing several instances, including a native son killed in Iraq, whose family was provided with every type of support possible, financial and otherwise. “Yes, we are a bedroom community, but when things are really down, that’s when you see the best of Chester come through. When adversity
strikes, we’ll be there for you. Whether you’re family or not, we treat everyone as family.” Famous Alumni Driving northeast on Route 94 from Chester to Washingtonville, the twolane road meanders through rural countryside, eventually crossing Moodna Creek just before entering the village. Moodna is a corruption of the Dutch Moordenaars—Murderers’ Creek. It’s said that the creek, which parallels Route 94 for a couple miles around Washingtonville, gets its name from the massacre of an early family of settlers, the Staceys, along its banks by Native Americans in the early 18th century. (In nearby Salisbury Mills, the creek is traversed by the Moodna Viaduct, a railroad trestle almost a mile long and 193 feet high at its highest point, the highest and longest railroad trestle east of the Mississippi River. The Viaduct appeared as a backdrop in the 2007 thriller Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney. The film was directed by Tony Gilroy, who attended Washingtonville High School. Other notable former students in the school district include Scott Pioli, general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, screenwriter James Mangold, Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman, and Mel Gibson, who attended six grade here before moving to Australia.) The high school is one of the first large structures you’ll pass coming in to Washingtonville, and if you happen to do so as the school is letting out, you’re likely to get caught in what passes for a traffic jam in the village. Michael Rossi, the principal at the high school, is a 20-year resident of Washingtonville, where he and his wife have raised their three children. “You have a suburban community, still with some farmland, though not as much as there used to be. But Washingtonville has kept its sense of small town community. When something bad happens, it’s great to see people rally round and help out. I don’t see my myself moving outside this community, it’s the best.” In the center of the village is the Moffat Library, named for railroad mag12/09 ChronograM chester/washingtonville 29
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the 1915 erie railroad station in chester. the paved track on the right is the orange heritage trail, strecthing 11 miles from goshen to monroe.
nate Samuel Moffat, who donated the money to build the library in 1887, on the site of his former home. Added to the Register of National Historic Places in 1994, the library boasts a formidable clock tower and stained glass Tiffany windows. Assistant director Carol McCrossen, an impressive repository of knowledge about the area, enjoys Washingtonville’s access to nature. “I like the country feel of it, the proximity to the natural world,” says McCrossen. Laurel Stauffer-Daly, who owns Curves of Blooming Grove of Salisbury Mills, also enjoys the area’s outdoor attractions, like nearby Schunemunk Mountain, the tallest point in the county (1,664 feet), where she leads walking groups. Stauffer-Daly’s clientele at Curves, a women’s gym focused on 30-minute circuit workouts, run the gamut in age from 9 to 90, with the majority being moms and retirees. Stauffer-Daly says she never wanted to own a woman-focused business, as she “didn’t want to deal with the catfights,” but it’s been smooth sailing with Curves. “There’s never an argument or verbal altercation in my gym,” says Stauffer-Daly. “All the women know each other because their kids are in the same school or the same church. It really feels like small-town America.” It’s exactly this small-town vibe that has led Stauffer-Daly to try and convince Dr. Mehmet Oz to bring his Highway to Health Bus to Washingtonville and feature the town on his television show. Kitty-corner to the Moffat Library at the center of town is Gami’s Family Kitchen, a Latin-American hybrid restaurant run by Gami Penaherrera, who serves the dishes of her native Dominican Republic and other Latin fare alongside typical “American” food like chicken wings, wraps, and burgers. Drive a couple miles down Route 94 and you’ll find another ethnic eatery of altogether different color, namely shamrock green—Loughran’s Irish Pub, which is known for its welcoming, cozy atmosphere and oversized portions of prime rib, what Bill Guilfoyle of the Times Herald-Record referred to as “obscenely enormous…large enough to satisfy a grizzly bear.”
Still further along Route 94 is the Bethlehem Art Gallery, run by Robert, William, and Paul Gould, the sons of painter John F. Gould, who established the gallery in 1957 after moving his family from Queens a few years earlier. One of the most prominent illustrator’s of his day, Gould painted hundreds of covers for magazines like the Saturday Evening Post and Popular Science, and counted blue-chip companies like General Electric among his illustration clients. His sons were often used as models for his compositions, and they carry on the family tradition of art and continue to promote their father’s work and offer custom framing services. Paul Gould, a noted landscape painter, also runs the Hudson Valley Gallery in nearby Cornwall. America’s oldest winery No story that touched on Washingtonville would be complete without mention of Brotherhood Winery, the oldest continually operating winery in the US, and the village’s main tourist attraction. Its first commercial vintage was produced in 1839 by founder John Jaques, a French Huguenot emigrant who was also instrumental in changing the village’s name from Little York to the more patriotic Washingtonville in the early 19th century. Brotherhood, the village’s main tourist attraction, features tours of its cavernous underground cellars and wine sampling in its massive vaulted ceiling tasting room. (Interesting historical note: The winery remained in operation during Prohibition by producing sacramental wine for the Catholic Church.) For more than a century the winery was known for its sweet wines, some seasoned with fresh herbs and spices based on 19th-century formulas; known as “holiday wine,” it’s been a best seller for many years. Currently owned by Cesar Baeza, a master winemaker from Chile, the winery has started to create wines from vitis vinifera grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling in recent years. 12/09 ChronograM chester/washingtonville 31
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Kathy’s Creations Efdpsbujwf!bsu nvsbmt qbjoufe!gfbuifst Wjtju!nz!xfc!tjuf!gps! qjduvsft!boe!dpoubdu! jogpsnbujpo/ gsff!ftujnbuft )956*5:7.8876 xxx/lbuiztdsfbujpo/xffcmz/dpn 32 chester/washingtonville ChronograM 12/09
brotherhood winery is washingtonville’s premiere tourist attraction.
The pleasures of suburbia For Jeanne Tompkins, who grew up in a small town, and spent many years living in northern New Jersey, Washingtonville is the perfect size. “It isn’t too small, it isn’t too big. We don’t have traffic, and the other problems that they have in Jersey,” says Tompkins, an elder law attorney with a practice in the village who also teaches Spanish part-time at the high school. Tompkins and her husband moved to the area 11 years ago, looking for a place to raise their kids; they have three. “There’s a lot of stuff to do here, we have nice trees and a big yard, it’s affordable, we’re close enough to the city that we can go there all the time, and it’s not so small that everyone knows what you’re doing and is in your business,” says Tompkins. “It’s a suburb without the negatives of the suburbs.” RESOURCES A Music Place (845) 613-0064 Adam Pass Photography www.adampass.com Angles and Cuts (845) 469-4445 Bethlehem Art Gallery www.bethlehemartgallery.com Town of Blooming Grove www.townofbloominggroveny.com Brotherhood Winery www.brotherhoodwinery.net Curves of Blooming Grove (845) 487-8332 Kokopelli Cookie Company www.kokocookies.com Loughran’s Irish Pub www.loughransirishpub.com Orange County www.co.orange.ny.us Outdoors www.outdoors4u.cc Pixie Dust (845) 469-3940 Village of Chester www.villageofchesterny.com Village of Washingtonville www.villageofwashingtonville.org Washingtonville High School washingtonville.ny.schoolwebpages.com
chronogram
arts & culture
DECemBER 2009
courtesy frances lehman loeb art center; gift of mrs. felix m. warburg and her children Albrecht D端rer, Melencolia I, Engraving, 1514
12/09 ChronograM 33
museums & galleries
galleries & museums
Anna Jacob, Gabby No. 1, photograph, 2009 From the BAU exhibit “On Glass.” Through December 6.
ALDRICH CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM 258 MAIN STREET, RIDGEFIELD, CONNECTICUT (203) 438-4519. “Bike Rides: The Exhibition.” Through January 3.
ANN STREET GALLERY 140 ANN STREET, NEWBURGH 562-6940 ext. 119. “Bound.” Artist book exhibition. Through December 19.
ASK ARTS CENTER 97 BROADWAY, KINGSTON 338-0331. “Little Gems.” Holiday exhibit of small works. December 5-31. Opening Saturday, December 5, 5pm-8pm
ATHENS CULTURAL CENTER 24 SECOND STREET, ATHENS (518) 945-2136. “Small Works Holiday Gift Show.” Through December 20.
BARRETT CLAY WORKS 485 MAIN STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE 471-0407. “The Barrett Clay Works Holiday Sale.” Through December 12.
BAU 161 MAIN STREET, BEACON 440-7584. “On Glass.” Works by Anna Jacob. Through December 6.
THE BEACON INSTITUTE FOR RIVERS & ESTUARIES 199 MAIN STREET, BEACON 838-1600. “Reflections on the River.” Mixed media art and drawings Linda Cross. Through March 7.
BETSY JACARUSO STUDIO 54 ELIZABETH STREET, RED HOOK 758-9244. “Harvest to Holiday.” Botanicals and landscapes. Through January 30.
CABANE STUDIOS FINE ART GALLERY AND PHOTOGRAPHY 38 MAIN STREET, PHOENICIA 688-5490. “Group Show: Works Large and Small.” Through January 3.
34 museums & galleries ChronograM 12/09
Mill Street Loft
FRE
E
Poughkeepsie & Red Hook
Holiday Arts Camps Poughkeepsie & Red Hook Dec. 28,29, & 30
Art Classes & Workshops Register on-line or call 845.471.7477 millstreetloft.org
Dancing on
the Air DEC/9 8pm
FEATURING: PLUS MUSIC INDUSTRY PANEL
DEC/10 7PM
FLAME
DEC/11 8pm
A FOOD FOR THOUGHT FILM
DAVID MALLETT DEC/12 8pm
CHRIS RUSH DEC/13 8pm
WITH LIVE SERMON FROM REVEREND BILLY
DEC/17 7pm
THE DAVID THE WIYOS ALL-STARS
MALACHOWSKI
JAN/9 8pm
JAN/16 8pm
JAN/22 8pm
The official ticket sponsor of the linda is tech valley communications. media sponsorship for crumbs nite out AT THE LINDA by exit 97.7 wext. food for thought copresented by the honest weight food coop. FILM PROGRAMMING SUPPORTED WITH PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS,A STATE AGENCY.
museums & galleries
BOUND
Dennis Fox Salon
Artist Book Exhibition November - December 19
Hair ∙ Nails 6400 Montgomery Street, 2nd floor above the Rhinebeck Dept. Store
845.876.1777
tues - Sat
Ann Street Gallery 104 Ann Street Newburgh, NY 12550 (845) 562-6940 x 119 www.annstreetgallery.org
Gallery Hours Thursday thru Saturday 11 am-5 pm Or by appointment”
CAROL BURTON, LOOM, PAPER
12/09 ChronograM museums & galleries 35
Keith Buesing
CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY 622 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (518) 828-1915. “Traditional/Postmodern.” Paintings by Jane Bloodgood-Abrams and mixed media by Ragellah Rourke, Tony Thompson and Russell DeYoung. Through January 1. “Winter Exhibition.” Featuring Jane BloodgoodAbrams, Russell DeYoung, Tony Thompson, Ragellah Rourke. Through January 3.
PLANT A TREE
CARRIE HADDAD PHOTOGRAPHS
Topiary
318 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (518) 828-7655. “Photographs by Valerie Shaff.” December 3January 10. Opening Thursday, December 3, 6pm-9pm
Landscape Design Rock Art
OUTLINES 845.255.6634
THE DRAWING ROOM
museums & galleries
3743 MAIN STREET, STONE RIDGE 687-4466. “Kindred Spirits.” Drawings by Jillian Jagger. Through December 12.
DUCK POND GALLERY 128 CANAL STREET, PORT EWEN 338-5580. “Christmas Spectacular.” Assorted local artists and artisans: small gifts. December 5-24. “Holiday Boutique.” December 5-28. Both shows opening Saturday, December 5, 5pm-8pm.
ELLENVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 40 CENTER STREET, ELLENVILLE 647-1497. “Second Annual Mixed Media Members Exhibit.” Works by Wurtsboro Art Alliance members. December 29-February 4.
FLAT IRON GALLERY 105 SOUTH DIVISION STREET, PEEKSKILL (914) 734-1894. “Eclectic Illusions.” Mixed media paintings and mirrored wall hangings and bowls by Doris Renza. December 3-January 10. Opening Sunday, December 6, 2pm-5pm.
FOVEA EXHIBITIONS 143 MAIN ST, BEACON 765-2199. “Faith.” Photographs by Christopher Churchill. Through January 10.
THE FRANCES LEHMAN LOEB ART CENTER
EVERY GIFT
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VASSAR COLLEGE, POUGHKEEPSIE 437-5632. “Albrecht Durer: Impressions of the Renaissance.” Through December 24.
FRIENDS OF HISTORIC KINGSTON MUSEUM WALL STREET, KINGSTON 339-0720. “Peter Sinclair: Drawing on the Past.” Exhibit of line drawings featuring local vernacular architecture. Through December 12. Opening Saturday, December 5, 7pm.
G.A.S. 196 MAIN STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE 486-4592. “Walkway Over the Hudson Emblem Show.” Through December 31.
GADALETO’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 12 Garden Street, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 845.876.7774 Email: allure7774@aol.com Among 21 registered forest communities, 2005-2008
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36 museums & galleries ChronograM 12/09
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5348 MAIN STREET, WINDHAM (518) 734-3104. “Holiday in the Mountains.” Pottery, quilts, toys, clothing, jewelry, ornaments and more. Through January 10.
HUDSON OPERA HOUSE
114 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (518) 697-0266. “Collage & Constructions.” Photographs by Nadine Boughton, Emily Corbat, Carol Krauss. Through January 3.
LIGHTING • JEWELRY • ART • GIFTS • SWELL STUFF
GCCA MOUNTAINTOP GALLERY
59 TINKER STREET, WOODSTOCK 679-9957. “Nutopia.” Nutopia Forum photos curated by Platon. Through December 20. “Ode to Munkacsi.” Photos by legendary photographer Martin Munkacsi. Through December 20.
DAVIS ORTON GALLERY
In The Heart of Uptown Kingston
398 MAIN STREET, CATSKILL (518) 943-3400. “Salon Show 2009.” Annual exhibition of small art works by GCCA member artists. Through January 9.
HISTORIC HUGUENOT STREET
BARD COLLEGE, ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON 758-7598. “And Other Essays.” Rachel Harrison collaborative works with others. Through December 20.
299 WALL STREET • KINGSTON, NEW YORK 12401 • 845-338-8100
GCCA CATSKILL GALLERY
CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AT WOODSTOCK
CENTER FOR CURATORIAL STUDIES
Gifts with a Twist
“Poetics of Pattern.” Paintings, prints, and installations by Paula Roland. December 5-January 23. Opening Saturday, December 5, 5pm-7pm.
246 MAIN STREET, NEW PALTZ 255-1717. “Rug Burn.” Works by Kyle Lyle Gredder. Through December 31.
THE GALLERY AT R & F 84 TEN BROECK AVE, KINGSTON 331-3112.
DU BOIS HOUSE, NEW PALTZ 255-1660. “Before Hudson: 8,000 Years of Native American History and Culture.” Through December 31. 327 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (518) 822-1438. “D. Jack Solomon: Paintings 2004-2009.” Through December 19.
HUDSON VALLEY CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART 1701 MAIN STREET, PEEKSKILL (914) 788-0100. “Double Dutch.” Featuring Alon Levin. Through July 26.
IRIS GALLERY 47 RAILROAD ST, GREAT BARRINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS (413) 644-9663. “The Paintings of Lewis Scheffey.” Through January 1.
JOHN DAVIS GALLERY 362 1/2 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (518) 828-5907. “New Work by Colin Cochran.” Through December 6.
JOYCE GOLDSTEIN GALLERY 16 MAIN STREET, CHATHAM (518) 392-2250. “What is Beauty: A Desire to Decorate.” 4 emerging artists’ paintings, wall reliefs, florals, plastics, lashes, hair and silicone. Through January 2.
KAATERSKILL FINE ARTS HUNTER VILLAGE SQUARE, HUNTER (518) 263-2060. “Wanderlust.” Recent works by Dina Bursztyn. December 3-January 30. Opening Thursday, December 3, 7pm-9pm.
KENT CABOOSE GALLERY 11 RAILROAD STrEET, KENT, CONNECTICUT (860) 248-8800. “Grace.” Calling upon the spirits of benevolence & protection by John Butler. Through December 20.
KINGSTON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART 105 ABEEL STREET, KINGSTON www.kmoca.org. “100 Halos.” December group show. December 5-31. Opening Saturday, December 5, 5pm-7pm.
LIFEBRIDGE SANCTURARY 333 MOUNTAIN ROAD, ROSENDALE 338-6418. “Cosmic Daughters: The Art of Sadee Brathwaite.” Through January 5.
MILDRED I. WASHINGTON ART GALLERY DUTCHESS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, POUGHKEEPSIE 431-8610. “Works by Graphic Artist Woody Pirtle.” Through December 11.
MONTGOMERY ROW SECOND LEVEL 6423 MONTGOMERY STREET, RHINEBECK 876-6670. “Capturing The Love: Dance Partners: Animals and Their People.” Photography exhibit by Alice Spears. Through December 30.
MUROFF-KOTLER GALLERY SUNY ULSTER, STONE RIDGE 687-5113. “Fighting, Dancing and Standing Still.” Paintings and other works by Heather Hutchinson and Mark Thomas. Through December 18.
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Southwest Boeing 737-700, Jeffrey Milstein Special show and sale at his studio in Kingston, 331 Wall Street. Saturday, December 5, from 5-7pm.
SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM OF ART
336 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (518) 828-5090. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ieva Mediodia: Synaptic Katharsis.â&#x20AC;? Recentpaintings. Through December 12.
SUNY NEW PALTZ, NEW PALTZ 257-3858. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts Exhibition.â&#x20AC;? December 4-8. Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts Exhibition.â&#x20AC;? December 11-15. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hudson River to Niagara Falls: 19th Century American Landscape Paintings from the New York Historical Society.â&#x20AC;? Through December 13. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Panorama of the Hudson River: Greg Miller.â&#x20AC;? Through December 13.
NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM 9 GLENDALE ROAD, STOCKBRIDGE, MA (413) 298-4100 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Photo Finish: Behind the Camera.â&#x20AC;? An exhibition of freeze-framed poses that inspired Rockwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art. Through May 31.
NORTHERN SPY CAFE ROUTE 213, HIGH FALLS 687-7298. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Human Nature.â&#x20AC;? Photographs by Kelly Merchant. Through December 31.
OPEN SPACE GALLERY 510 MAIN STREET, BEACON 765-0731. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rockn355 Mon573r5.â&#x20AC;? New works by Davis Carson. Through December 12.
PEARL ARTS GALLERY 3572 MAIN STREET, STONE RIDGE 6870888 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kindred Spirits.â&#x20AC;? Drawings by Jillian Jagger. Through December 12.
PAVILION THEATRE AT LYCIAN CENTRE 1351 KINGS HIGHWAY, SUGAR LOAF 469-2287. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Foto Flow.â&#x20AC;? Juried exhibition of member photographs. Through December 23.
PONDICHERRY 12 TINKER STREET, WOODSTOCK 6792926. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paintings by Tiziano Fucile.â&#x20AC;? Through December 20.
POSIE KVIAT GALLERY 437 WARREN STREET, HUDSON (917) 456-7496. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Haute-Kraft.â&#x20AC;? Anique Taylor, Sally Rothschild, Denyse Schmidt, Lora Shelley, Amy Saidens, Zoya Geacintov, Olek, Laura Hughes, Margie Darrow, Dave Channon, Beth Carey, and Olivia Lawrence. December 5-January 6. Opening Saturday, December 5, 5pm-8pm.
RED EFT GALLERY 159 SULLIVAN ST, WURTSBORO 888-2519. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Group Holiday Show 2009.â&#x20AC;? Photography, painting, sculpture, blacksmithing, furniture, ceramics, jewelry. Through December 31.
ROOS ARTS 449 MAIN STREET, ROSENDALE . â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pack Art 2010.â&#x20AC;? Pollinator Dreams: Hudson Valley Seed Library . Through December 12.
TWISTED SOUL 442 MAIN STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE 7055381. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Twisted Soul Show.â&#x20AC;? Exhibition of varied works by Art Institute Alumni: Leigh Bromer, Alexandra Jaffer, Chelsea Lewyta, and Michael Petruzzo. Through December 17.
UNFRAMED ARTIST GALLERY 173 HUGUENOT STREET, NEW PALTZ 255-5482. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gaia: Earthmother.â&#x20AC;? Through January 3.
S9L6)AfS P,A#E ,I6E MU3)C '!LLE2Y /0EN TUE3 3!T S5N BY A00O)N4ME.T
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LLC
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UNISON GALLERY WATER STREET MARKET, NEW PALTZ 255-1559. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deborah Goldman: Ceramics.â&#x20AC;? December 4-27. Opening Friday, December 4, 5pm-7pm.
21 Winston Drive Rhinebeck, NY 12572 845-876-3200 info@dcstudiosllc.com
www.dcstudiosllc.com
VASSAR COLLEGEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JAMES W. PALMER GALLERY 124 RAYMOND AVENUE, POUGHKEEPSIE 437-5370. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Celebration of the Hudson River Quadricentennial.â&#x20AC;? Through December 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The River.â&#x20AC;? Selected works by Linda Cross. Through December 17.
WINDHAM FINE ARTS GALLERY 5380 MAIN STREET, WINDHAM (518) 7346850. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sublim(e)inal Abstraction.â&#x20AC;? Through December 6.
WOODSTOCK ARTISTS ASSOCIATION AND MUSEUM 28 TINKER STREET, WOODSTOCK 6792940. â&#x20AC;&#x153;11 Pick 2.â&#x20AC;? Featuring prominent WAAM artists. Through January 3.
WOODSTOCK SCHOOL OF ART 2470 ROUTE 212, WOODSTOCK 679-2388. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Student Exhibition.â&#x20AC;? Through December 12.
12/09 ChronograM museums & galleries 37
museums & galleries
NICOLE FIACCO GALLERY
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community pages: beacon
466 Main Street 845.440.6958 www.thebeaconbagel.com
riverside on the ferry dock in the train station parking lot great food, live music and a spectacular riverfront setting
FOR MORE INFO, LOG ONTO THEBEACONFARMERSMARKET.COM OR CALL 838-4338 OR 597-5028
60’s/70’s Themed Private Arcade for Individuals, Groups and Events! Vintage Arcade and Pinball Machines • Huge Music and Classic TV Library “Fun to Fine” Catering • Rare Handhelds & Consoles Unique and Memorable • Low Hourly Rates • Token Free Unlimited Play
412 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 (tel) 845.440.8494 • (fax) 845.622.3518 email: info@retroarcademuseum.com
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INVENTIVE AMERICAN COMFORT FOOD 1930s ANTIQUE BAR ∙ LIVE MUSIC/WEEKENDS 478 main street - beacon, new york 12508 - 845.838.1737
38 beacon ChronograM 12/09
PH: 845-838-6297
246 MAIN ST.
WWW.MAXSONMAIN.COM
BEACON, NEW YORK
12508
begin with the tree come explore in our studio/workshop...
Jessica Wickham Woodworker | 578 Main Street, Beacon | 917.797.9247 | www.jessicawickham.com
Custom furniture using responsibly-sourced local hardwoods. Made in Beacon. River, 1998, detail, mm on canvas, 54” x 144”
SEED to Fruit
Linda Cross Reflections on the River Paintings exploring the Hudson River November 14, 2009 – March 7, 2010
528 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508
Nicole Mora (845) 440-3206 nicole@seedtofruit.net www.seedtofruit.net
For more information
Weekdays
9–5
Saturdays
11 – 5
845.838.1600 www.bire.org
2nd Saturdays
11 – 8
Sundays
12 – 5
This exhibition has been made possible in part by the New York Foundation for the Arts.
199 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508 info@bire.org
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175 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 845-765-2410 Your one stop gift shop on the “west end”! All natural handcrafted products made in Beacon, NY. Fashion leather garments, goddess wear, books, tarot cards, gear for the motorcycle enthusiast, spiritual supplies, unique gifts and so much more!
We carry a plethora of gifts $10.00 and under! Holiday Hours Starting 11/27/09 Monday: 10am - 4pm Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 10am - 6pm Thursday: 10am - 9pm Friday: 10am - 9pm Saturday: 10am - 9pm Sunday: 12pm - 4pm
261-263 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 12/09 ChronograM beacon 39
community pages: beacon
Wedding and Event Floral Design Garden Design & Installation Fresh Cut Flowers Deliveries for all Occasions
Photo:Denise Cregier
Offer expires Jan.1, 2010
Gallery Hours
FIONN REILLY
Music
by peter aaron
Change in the Air WGXC
F
or a region known worldwide for having an incredibly rich and varied music scene—one that’s home to fans and players of styles ranging from folk to jazz, hip-hop to classical, world music to experimental, indie rock to, yes, jam bands, Americana, and classic rock—the Hudson Valley is lacking a radio station that reflects our diversity. Commercial stations, be they independents or Clear Channel or Cumulus franchises, are restricted from airing much content that could be perceived as challenging or esoteric and potentially alienate listeners.Yes, we’re also lucky to have easy access to NPR, but there, once again, programmers’ hands are largely tied, mainly because of the organization’s preponderance of nationally syndicated shows. Of course, there are also a few college stations that actually do offer a sizable sampling of otherwise underrepresented music, but their limited transmitters mean that most Hudson Valley listeners can only hear them online or in their upstairs dorm rooms. So, indeed, for far too long there’s been a glaring need for a far-reaching noncommercial station, one that offers the more adventurous music and other freeform content not readily heard elsewhere on the local dial. Well, guess what? Soon there will be. WGXC, which takes to the air next year, will broadcast to over 78,000 listeners in Greene and Columbia Counties and beyond. While holding forth at 90.7 FM with 3,300 watts of power—equal to, and in some cases greater than, that of most prominent regional broadcasters—the planned publicly funded, volunteer-run station will not only offer the widest-ranging roster of music that its programmers can spin, but will also feature local news, social and political discussion, radio theater, area sports coverage, poetry programs, farm reports, documentaries, live feeds and playbacks from community events, children’s and educational shows, features on local history, and a wealth of other content underserved by existing area broadcasters. According to its online mission statement, WGXC aims to “[re-envision] radio as an innovative platform for public participation. Our inclusive programming connects diverse voices, and distributes information across the public spectrum. The project will be much more than a radio station, including media training for youth and other members of the community, and a blog, a local calendar of events and meetings, and more.”
40 music ChronograM 12/09
A leader of the 100-plus-member grassroots team working to launch WGXC is Tom Roe, who with his wife Galen Joseph-Hunter is also a founding member of the Brooklyn-spawned transmission arts collective free103point9 and comanager of the 30-acre Wave Farm experimental music site in Acra (the group and facility were profiled in the June 2006 issue of Chronogram). “We got the idea to start the station in late 2006,” says Roe over a steaming cup at Hudson’s Strongtree Organic Coffee Roasters, which is currently offering a special WGXC blend to help fund the project. “We found out then through [activist organization] the Prometheus Radio Project that the FCC had opened a window for Columbia and Greene Counties to apply for a license for a full-power noncommercial FM station, and we jumped on it. During the application process we were competing with three other groups that had also applied, but they were all from outside the area. So the fact that we had a clear vision for the station and were also active members of the arts community definitely worked in our favor. Plus a lot of [the team] already had experience in radio and community organizing.” A member of WGXC’s council whose resume embodies both of these experiential traits is Germantown’s Kaya Weidman, who helped to develop several lowpower radio projects in communities in Mexico. “Columbia and Greene counties are similar [to the parts of Mexico where Weidman worked] in that they have towns that are very rural–like, say, Cairo—and also very urban, like Hudson,” explains Weidman, who is also a co-founder of the community-supported agriculture collective Germantown Community Farm, works locally with youth theater groups, and teaches gardening classes. “The intention of WGXC is to reflect all aspects of the community, and to be a valuable social resource. For instance, right now CSAs like the one I work with have almost no access to local media. One of the ideas behind WGXC is to work to make the food system here better by making agricultural knowledge more available to farmers, storekeepers, chefs and restaurant owners, gardeners, and consumers. Across the board, the response to having the station has been amazing, judging by the awareness building we’ve done at street events and places like [Hudson low-income housing project] Crosswinds. And the news programs we’ll have will cover the deeper, non-Albany re-
Galen Joseph-Hunter the wgxc council, ABOVE (front row): debra kamecke, kathleen packard, tom roe, hosneara kader, kaya weidman, max goldfarb; (back row) andrew turner, paul smart, hudson talbott, alan skerett, dharma dailey. OPPOSITE: kaya weidman and volunteers at basilica industria in hudson preparing for the new year’s bash.
gional stories that [NPR outlet] WAMC is less likely to pick up on.” Better food, better news. Sounds great, but what about the music? “We’ve gotten a lot of applications from people interested in doing shows, and we’re reviewing those now—there’ve been some really exciting ideas,” says Roe, who in addition to leading an internationally acclaimed career in transmission arts has written about music for the New York Post and cutting-edge music magazines The Wire and Signal to Noise. “But a big part of what we’re striving for is to make good radio; to have DJs who play interesting music and sound like real people but also know how to put together a good show and hold listeners’ attention. So one of the other things we’re doing is conducting workshops to train on-air programmers, which will be especially great for younger DJs, I think, because it will give them and their friends who are listening in something exciting and constructive to be involved in, and could turn them on to music they might not otherwise hear. And regular live remotes will be a big fixture of the station, so we might move the broadcast from, say, a parade or a town board meeting in Athens or a poetry reading at a bookstore in Hudson to a live show by a band at a club up the street.” Catskill folksinger Chrissie Budzinski, who runs two area open-mike nights and manages the music at Inquiring Minds bookstore in Saugerties, is planning to host a program devoted to local musicians. “Besides playing music by local artists, [the show] will be a great way for them to promote their gigs and CDs,” Budzinski says. “I want to have musicians on to play live and do interviews. I feel so blessed to be part of the arts scene here; the amount of talent we have is just amazing.” WGXC, which will have a main studio in Hudson with satellite studios in Catskill and Cairo, received a major boost earlier this year in the form of a $71,000 grant from the New York State Commerce Department, which covers
half the purchase cost of a transmitter, an antenna, and other equipment. Though the station has been broadcasting online and accepting donations at www.wgxc. org since May 2009 (during last month’s elections the site aired recordings of local candidate forums), its parent organization is currently working to raise the remaining cash it needs through a series of fundraising events. On the heels of a November benefit concert and poetry reading at Catskill’s BRIK Gallery, WGXC will be hosting an enormous masquerade ball with live music, DJs, and other performers, all emceed by the inimitable Trixie Starr (aka Giovanni Dimola), this New Year’s Eve at the massive Basilica Industria performance site in Hudson. “We’ve been decorating the space especially for the event, and it’s looking incredible,” says Roe. “There’ll be local art and we’re going to have a huge confetti drop, of course. But we’re also planning a lot of ‘nontraditional’ New Year’s Eve entertainment, like belly dancers and some special surprise acts. And since we’re starting early [6pm], we’re gearing the first part of the night toward people with children; there’ll be tables where kids can make their own masks and other projects. There’s also going to food and drinks, plus a silent auction.” Among those looking forward to the gala is Young Paris, a Hudson-based rapper and videographer currently readying a debut album on his own 5 Star Musique label. “From my end the station is a beautiful thing, as far as marketing and networking with my music,” says the 21-year-old MC. “It’s been beautiful to watch [the station] grow from the ground up. It’s good for the community, it says ‘We’re real, we’re local.’ And it really makes me want to be more serious as an artist. It keeps me going.” The WGXC New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball will take place on December 31 from 6pm to 4am at Basilica Industria in Hudson. Performers will include Dark Dark Dark, Mother Fletcher, DJ Jackie Thomas, Diata Diata, Lady Moon, and many others. www.wgxc.org. 12/09 ChronograM music 41
nightlife highlights Handpicked by music editor Peter Aaron for your listening pleasure.
Paul Geremia December 4. Hailing from, as he calls it, “the Providence River Delta,” Rhode Island’s is one of today’s topmost acoustic bluesmen. The six- and twelve-string virtuoso counts Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Tampa Red as key influences, and got his start on the early ’60s folk circuit. A firm fave of the Rosendale Cafe, Geremia makes another rabidly awaited return to the venue. (Wayne Montecalvo hosts a singer-songwriter showcase on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.) 8pm. $10. Rosendale. (845) 658-9048; www.rosendalecafe.com.
The Neighborhoods December 5. One of Boston’s finest early punk bands, the Neighborhoods have been slamming it out for over three decades and became instant local legends when their 1979 debut single was a regional hit. The ’Hoods are masters of hook-upon-hook power pop a la the Jam and Generation X, and this rare date at Valentine’s Music Hall will make you sweat, smile, and pogo like you never have. With the John Powhida International Airport and the Charlie Watts Riots. (The Figgs rock out on December 11.) 8pm. $15. Albany. (518) 432-6572; www.valentines.albany.com.
Rhett Miller December 11. When he’s not fronting acclaimed, road-slogging country rock outfit the Old ’97s, Rhett Miller somehow also finds the time for a fruitful career of his own. The singer-songwriter’s just-released fourth solo album, a self-titled effort on Shout! Factory Records, earned him four-star kudos from Rolling Stone, who called it his strongest solo set thus far. The Trapps open this intimate hit at the trusty Towne Crier Cafe. (Livingston Taylor plays on December 12; the Bobs return on December 19.) 9pm. $20, 25. Pawling. (845) 855-1300; www.townecrier.com.
The Jefferson Trio
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December 11. Last month we bemoaned the fact that so many area venues have jumped ship on jazz, so it’s encouraging to see that the Bean Runner Cafe has an enticing calendar of great jazz on tap. Led by drummer and vocalist Tony Jefferson (Eddie Harris, Cyrus Chestnut), the Jefferson Trio also includes ace guitarist Jon Hart and bassist Paul Beaudry, and delights on ballads and up-tempo classics. (Premik Russell Tubbs leads his quartet on December 5.) 7:30pm. $5. Peekskill. (914) 737-1701; www.beanrunnercafe.com.
David Temple December 26, 27. Classical guitarist David Temple’s annual winter concerts at the Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck are a Hudson Valley holiday tradition, offering enraptured audiences a full program of the local string-stunner’s dazzling skills in a setting that’s inviting and acoustically perfect. This year’s offering is titled “Sounds of Bells,” and debuts new compositions and arrangements to celebrate the season. 8pm on December 26; 3pm on December 27. $18, 16. Rhinebeck. (845) 276-3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org.
Back To Health Wellness Center 332 Main Street, Beacon | 845-440-0770 Massage, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy.
Acupuncture available with Caroline Ruttle by appointment.
PAUL GEREMIA performs at the rosendale cafe on december 4.
42 music ChronograM 12/09
cd reviews Kidz Town Rock Kidz Town Rock (2008, Independent)
Kidz Town Rock collaborators and husband-and-wife team Tyler and Vesa Byrnes are, fittingly, all about the kids. Both work with special-needs children and bring this focus to musical fruition in their band’s self-titled debut. The album is marketed as an “educational CD emphasizing social skills for children 3-13,” and is packaged with a list of accolades from people with titles that hold more water than the Hudson. A departure from the current craze of exalt-hip rockers making music for kids that may also appeal to parents—or at least those who don’t cause new dads to rip their receding hairlines out in “Bob the Builder” mania—Kidz Town Rock’s raison d’etre is to teach children, and hold their attention by entertaining them. The CD’s 10 songs are upbeat rock, each concentrating on a specific lesson manifested by a repetitive lyric (think “All You Need Is Love”). The music is easy on the ears, nothing off the beaten path, sort of Monkees-genre rock with a tinge of twang and a hint of half-tempo Ramones. The best song on the album, “Pig on a Farm,” embraces the silly and country with rhythmic harmonica and the sole appearance of Vesa on vocals, with Tyler joining in on a fun chorus. Kidz Town Rock is very much a live band as well, performing regionally at local festivals and children’s venues. The project is in partnership with the Children’s Annex of Kingston and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to benefit children with autism via the National Autism Association. www.kidztownrock.com. —Jason Broome
Mike and Ruthy Waltz of the Chickadee (2009, Humble Abode Music)
Inside the new CD from this well-pedigreed Hudson Valley folk duo is a photo of their new son, Will, OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE cradled under his mom’s neck like a fiddle. Warmth Exclusive Authorized Dealer and love radiate from the image, and indeed, Waltz OVER 30ofYEARS EXPERIENCE For the Price Good...Get of the Chickadee offers a batch of rustic folk originals Exclusive Authorized DealerGreat! and covers swaddled in blankets of sweet harmony NAD ForOVER the30 Price ofEXPERIENCE Good...Get Great! YEARS and softness, as if Michael Merenda and Ruth Ungar Exclusive Authorized Dealer NAD Merenda set out to craft a new book of old-fashioned stringed lullabies to usher their baby For the Price of Good...Get Great! through his first years. NAD Strangely enough, and perhaps specifically because Waltz seems to have been written under the spell of first-time parenthood, the album’s occasionally almost too nice: The songs that OVER EXCLUSIVE each dedicate to Will, “Baby” (Ruthy’s) and “Slow Train” (Mike’s), are both pretty but may 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE OVEROVER 30Exclusive YEARS EXPERIENCE 30 YEARS AUTHORIZED Authorized Dealer seem overly anodyne if you don’t have (or aren’t) a baby yourself. It’s easy to pardon a couple Dealer ForExclusive the PriceAuthorized of Good...Get Great! EXPERIENCE DEALER that harmonizes like this, though; throughout the record, their sublimely twined voices evoke OVER YEARS EXPERIENCE For the 30 Price ofNAD Good...Get Great! silken clouds stretching low across a sky. And Mike and Ruthy’s musicianship—honed over Exclusive Authorized Dealer NAD years of playing together, with family and in ensembles, most notably the Mammals—bears For the Price of Good...Get Great! HOME STEREO the mark of veteran brilliance, especially in the tunes that seem the most casually turned DESIGN & out, such as “Cooper’s,” a fiddle-led instrumental that Ruthy wrote at a sound check, and30 YEARS EXPERIENCE NAD OVER INSTALLATION a scorching version of the traditional “June Apple.” Can’t wait to hear the record Mike and Exclusive Authorized Dealer SPECIALISTS Ruthy make during Will’s terrible twos! www.mikeandruthy.com. For theWolf Price of Good...Get Great! Come see why NAD offers you inmore in Home Theater —Mike Come see why NAD offers you you more Home Come see why NAD offers more inTheater Home Come see why NAD offers you more in Theater Home Theater Quality Level Performance at aa Suprisingly Reasonable Rate NAD Quality Level Performance at Suprisingly Reasonable Quality Level Performance at a Suprisingly Reasonable Rate Rate Sean Rowe Magic
OUTLINES
(Collar City Records, 2009)
Quality Level Performance a Suprisingly Reasonable Rate Quality Level Performance at aatSurprisingly Reasonable Rate
549 Albany Ave. Kingston, NY My first impression of Troy-based Sean Rowe was that of being completely floored. This was merely 549 Albany Ave. Kingston, NY from a video on YouTube. A few days later, it was a 549 Albany Ave. Kingston, NYNY 549 Albany Ave. Kingston, Come see why NAD offers you more in Home Theater live gig. Then came the record. My mind was blown. Quality Level Performance at a Suprisingly Reasonable Rate To blather on with lame comparisons for an artist who stands masterfully on his own seems unfair, but suffice it to say that fans of growling, melancholy legends such as Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Nick 549 Albany Ave. Kingston, NY Your work deserves attention. Which means you need a great bio for Cave, Bruce Springsteen, or Johnny Cash would dig this chap. Come see why NAD more in Home your press kit or website.offers One that’syou tight. Clean. Professionally written.Theater The maturity of his work goes well beyond his years and earned him an NYFA grant. memorable. a booking Reasonable agent, Quality LevelSomething Performance atSomething a Suprisingly Rate Rowe performs solo in pain and truth, using just a six-string and a raw, riveting voice that a record-label person, a promoter, or a gallery owner won’t just use is deep and dark as a chasm. On Magic, he employs a competent cast of musical characters, to wipe up the coffee spill on their desk before throwing away. producing soulful, doleful ballads that drag as the weary worldCome does, punctuated by NAD rock- offers you more in Home You need my skills and experience. see why Theater ing blues numbers that thwack you over the head. And there’s theQuality spooky poetic of Levelmalaise Performance at a Suprisingly Reasonable Rate PETER drinking, death, the devil, Jesus, crows, old Chevys, and girls gone bad. (From “Jonathan”: 549 Albany Ave.AARON Kingston, NY Music editor, Chronogram. “I had a girlfriend back before I died / They peeled her off from my wounded side.”) Rowe Award-winning music columnist, 2005-2006, Daily Freeman. recently opened for the Doobie Brothers and Boz Scaggs and just returned from a stint in Contributor, Village Voice, Boston Herald, All Music Guide, the UK with Noah and the Whale. He plays the Main Street Public House in Philmont on All About Jazz.com, Jazz Improv and Roll magazines. Musician. 549 Albany Ave. Kingston, NY December 18. www.collarcityrecords.com. Consultations also available. Reasonable rates. —Sharon Nichols Paaron64@hotmail.com.
UPSTATE MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS:
In last month’s review of the Erin Hobson Compact’s Talk Radio, the website for Choking Chicken Records was incorrect. The correct website is www.ChokingChickenRecords.com.
I also offer general copy editing and proofreading services, including editing of academic and term papers.
12/09 ChronograM music 43
Books
TENNESSEE WALTZ John Bowers Looks Homeward by Nina Shengold photograph by Jennifer May
44 books ChronograM 12/09
A
merican literature has its own railroad map, with tracks that meander from Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio, through Willa Cather’s Nebraska to Jack London’s Alaska. Readers can add a new whistlestop: John Bowers’s Tennessee. It’s no accident that the railroad looms large in Love in Tennessee (Red Hen, 2009):The narrator’s father, like Bowers’ own, is a night telegrapher at a smallcity depot in east Tennessee; his young son carries his dinner down the tracks in an old Christmas fruitcake tin. But Love in Tennessee, overflowing with idiosyncratic town characters whose lives and loves feel authentic as denim, is billed as a novel, not a memoir. “Well, sure. I didn’t want to be sued or killed,” Bowers grins. He’s sprawled in his comfortably funky Phoenicia cabin, wearing a sweater that brings out the blue of his crinkly eyes. His folksy cadences and Smoky Mountains lilt seem tailor-made for the radio; he’d be a natural on “This American Life.” Bowers often closes his eyes as he speaks, as if the rich world of words inside his head requires his undivided attention. He calls Love in Tennessee “a fictionalized memoir. It’s written about real people, but in some cases they’ve been changed quite a bit, or made into composites, including the love of my life—of the narrator’s life,” he amends with a quick glance at his second wife, architect Leslie Armstrong. “All those figures in the book have been in my head since I was 22 or 23. They never left my mind. It was an unbidden collection.” Bowers turned 80 last year, so it’s been a long marination. That may be why the stories seem perfectly pitched, both nostalgic and fresh. There’s the overripe teacher who gives her male students flying lessons, the lustful fat man who looks like Clark Gable from the neck up, the cocky star athlete whose leg amputation changes his fortunes forever. Most of all, there’s the never-named narrator, who moves as a small boy among ladies’ rustling nylons, gets his sexual education in the backseats of buggies parked inside a barn, and finally meets his soulmate, the hometown girl he must leave behind to enter the wider world. It’s not the first time Bowers has examined this theme. His breakthrough novel The Colony (E.P. Dutton, 1971) is a roman a clef about leaving his Tennessee sweetheart for a wildly eccentric Midwestern writers colony run by Lowney Handy and her protege, James Jones of From Here to Eternity fame. For a year and a half, Bowers joined other young men in a monastic apprenticeship, living in tents and motel rooms furnished only with cots, desks, and typewriters. “Lowney Handy wouldn’t tolerate any female that came on the premises,” Bowers recalls. “She wanted to keep Jones on the reservation.” Her teaching method was unorthodox: Her “boys” were instructed to retype great novels. (“Let it seep into your brain and it’ll stay there.”) Though Bowers, who’s taught at Columbia and Wilkes University, doesn’t recommend the copying method, he’s grateful for his hands-on literary education. “I discovered Edith Wharton at the colony. I read Middlemarch, which is as topical as anything written today about a small town.” He also met Norman Mailer and Montgomery Clift, both of whom blast through The Colony. Bowers’ Pygmalion was a rakish journalist named Chandler Brossard. After a colorful series of blue-collar jobs, Bowers moved to Washington, DC. He was languishing in a bureaucratic job at the State Department—“I was not a diplomat, by far”—when he asked out a co-worker Brossard was tailing for a Look magazine piece on “the typical Washington girl.” As Bowers remembers, Brossard got “immediately drunk” and advised him, “John, you’re wasting your time in DC.You’ll be among the living dead.” If he was serious about becoming a writer, New York was the place. Brossard even offered a place to stay, at his pied-a-terre on the Lower East Side. Burning all bridges, Bowers moved to New York in 1962. Brossard had neglected to leave him a key; when Bowers finally got in, his apartment was trashed. But Brossard took him under his wing, introducing him around at Magazine Management—“the last of the pulps,” Bowers says—where a staff of ambitious young men, including Bruce Jay Friedman, Mario Puzo, and Joseph Heller ground out questionably factual but well-turned copy for lurid magazines like For Men Only and Male. “We’d write stories like ‘Rockaround Dolls of New Orleans,’ ‘Wild Women of Moscow,’ expose hotbeds of prostitution on Wall Street,” Bowers laughs, recalling the audacity of their inventions. “Puzo would write about World War II tank battles that never happened.” But, Bowers says, “At the back of my mind, I still thought of myself as a
serious artist. My idols were Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe—I was steeped in great literature. My idea of being a writer wasn’t to churn out ‘Hotsy-Totsy Girls of Tijuana.’” He started freelancing for more legitimate magazines—Playboy, NewYork, the Saturday Evening Post—and developed a knack for catching careers on the updraft.The 1971 anthology The Golden Bowers includes profiles of a pre-Broadway Joe Willie Namath, just signed by the Giants but still enrolled at the University of Alabama; rising starlet Sharon Tate; Andy Warhol during the filming of Trash; Dionne Warwick appearing on Hullaballoo. This was the era of long-form magazine pieces and bottomless expense accounts, when an eager young man with a portable Olivetti could spend a year flying cross-country with a rising young singer named Janis, whose outrageous outfits and loud mouth could still get her tossed out of restaurants mid-interview. Bowers loved Greenwich Village. “If you’re from the boondocks, it’s really an exotic land,” he exults. When NewYorker writer Lis Harris reviewed his 1973 novel No More Reunions, he invited her out. She demurred, but when he called again, one month later to the minute, she agreed to meet for coffee at the Lion’s Head, the “more civilized” of his Village hangouts (the other, the 55 Bar & Grill, was given to brawls). Both had the advantage of being right around the corner. “You could get as drunk as you liked and still make it home,” he recalls. “It was a giant dating scene, a rotating door.” He married Harris and they had two sons. Bowers started writing nonfiction, including the In the Land of Nyx (Doubleday, 1984) a study of urban night workers whose title so thoroughly confused booksellers that he once found it filed under Gardening, and two books about the Civil War. His fact-based books show a novelist’s flair. “I couldn’t have Stonewall Jackson become a parachutist,” he says. “But even those who do biographies need to make up dialogue, to re-create scenes on the battlefield they couldn’t have experienced, so there is an element that’s fictionalized.” Bowers gets up to poke the recalcitrant woodstove. Since marrying Armstrong last year, he’s become a less frequent Phoenician. “We have five houses and five kids between us,” he grins. “We rent `em out and try to juggle. This place is not San Simeon.” Maybe not, but it fits him as comfortably as an old slipper. There’s an oversize office desk in the kitchen and bookshelves in every conceivable nook. The snug living room features a spiral staircase with tennis balls over exposed corners that might bump an unwary head (Bowers, a rangy 6’ 2”, has taken a few in the temple over the years). He’s owned the cabin since 1969. After reading Alistair Cooke’s descriptions of an idyllic Woodstock, he took the bus up from the city. “In the back of my mind, I think I missed Tennessee—I wanted trees, a fire, all the things I grew up with. But I was really taken over by New York. New York was my fantasy, and it was coming true.” Bowers couldn’t afford Woodstock, but bought the first cabin he saw in Phoenicia, writing a check for $11,000 on the spot. He did not own a car. “I bought a house, then needed a car to go with it,” he says, ruefully recalling the rusty VW Bug whose floor sprayed his feet every time he drove over a puddle. “I remember just lying on the couch, thinking, ‘What the hell have I done?’” He moved into the cabin and wrote The Colony. Bowers is currently writing a novel with thrillerish genes, Live Girls Dancing. The story seed was a grisly murder in Tennessee; he got intrigued with the case when it turned out several participants had been his classmates. He seems richly amused by the irony of struggling so hard to escape Tennessee and returning again and again in his writing. Perhaps it goes back to his first published story. Bowers was 14 years old, and his mother, a literary enthusiast, had just bought him his first typewriter. “I took the advice ‘Write what you know’ to heart,” he explains. “I wanted a dog, so I made it into a story, with a conflict with the mother and father over the dog.” He mailed it off to a magazine he’d found in Writers Marketplace, went out to play basketball with a neighborhood boy, and forgot all about it. Six months later, a slender envelope came from Philadelphia. “‘Dear Mr. Bowers, we’re happy to accept your story for publication.’ They paid me five dollars. And the editor said,‘We want to compliment you for getting into the mind of a 14-yearold boy.’” Bowers’ eyes crinkle up as he laughs. “That was something.” John Bowers will read and sign at Barnes & Noble in Kingston on January 30 at 3pm. He will also appear at the Woodstock Writers Festival on February 14. 12/09 ChronograM books 45
SHORT TAKES There is no finer gift than a well-chosen book. Here are a half-dozen eloquent shortcuts to somebody’s heart, plus a few other chakras.
Walking Woodstock: Journeys into the Wild Heart of America’s Most Famous Small Town Michael Perkins & Will Nixon, illustrations by Carol Zaloom Bushwhack Press, 2009, $18.95
Two clear-eyed poets celebrate their local landscape and a friendship forged on foot in sprightly, remarkably varied essays that exalt the pedestrian in every sense. “Walking is subversive,” writes Perkins; Nixon calls it “a radical act.” Foot Stompin’ Book Party: 12/6 at 3pm, music by Bruce Ackerman, Spider Barbour, Julie Parisi Kirby & Laurie Kirby, Kleinert/James, 34 Tinker St., Woodstock.
The Hudson River Valley School: Nature & the American Vision Linda S. Ferber Rizzoli International, 2009, $50
This sumptuous presentation of Hudson River school paintings and related artworks (sketches, ceramics, engravings) from the collection of the New-York Historical Society begins in New York City, then travels upriver and into the wider world. Ferber’s text is detailed and informative, and the wide-format layout provides panoramic vistas with every page turn.
Bob Dylan Revisited:
13 Graphic Interpretation’s of Bob Dylan’s Songs W.W. Norton, 2009, $24.95
Another Bob Dylan book? Yes, but this one’s a feast for the eyes. Thirteen celebrated graphic artists, many of them European, spin visual narratives from Dylan song lyrics. From the poison-laced acid trip of “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” to the spaghetti-western “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” and the near-wordless charcoal noir of “Lay, Lady, Lay,” each segment suggests a film storyboard.
The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson, pictures by Jon J Muth Scholastic Press, 2009, $16.99
This mesmerizingly simple story of waiting for the magic that makes reindeer fly is both a classic holiday tale and a parable of patience and inspiration. Vibrant watercolors by Ulster County Caldecott honoree Muth conjure homey interiors—his mustachioed Santa heats with a woodstove and wears bunny slippers—and mystical northern nightscapes.
Hudson Valley Mediterranean: The Gigi Good Food Cookbook Laura Pensiero William Morrow, 2009, $30
The owner of Rhinebeck’s Gigi Trattoria and Red Hook’s Gigi Market offers a mouth-watering array of 120 recipes using seasonal produce, artisanal cheeses, and other local bounty. Interspersed with “snapshot” portraits of such foodie destinations as Sky Farm, Montgomery Place Orchards, and Hearty Roots Community Farm, Pensiero’s recipes escort you from farmers’ market to table.
Women’s Anatomy of Arousal: Secret Maps to Buried Pleasure Sheri Winston, CNM, RN, BSN, LMT Mango Garden Press, 2009, $19.95
Exuberant, frank, and revelatory, Winston’s “in-depth, illustrated tour of the land of female genitalia, feminine sexuality, and the intimate erotic arts” is the ideal holiday gift for anyone who has, or desires, a vagina. Give it to someone you love (including yourself) and get ready for tidings of comfort and joy.
The Awakener: A Memoir of Kerouac and the Fifties Helen Weaver
City Lights, 2009, $16.95
T
here is a beautiful Jack Kerouac anecdote that Kingston resident Helen Weaver retells in her memoir The Awakener. Walking on MacDougal Street, composer David Amram suggested that he and Kerouac cross to the sunny side, but Kerouac refused, saying, “A writer must be a shadow.” His French way of walking—“hands in pockets, head down on one side”—is itself relevant to our understanding of him; it is a style one still sees, according to Weaver, in Lowell, Massachusetts, the novelist’s hometown. Other than Rimbaud, there may be no other literary icon as inexhaustibly intriguing. Inventor of the term “Beat” (from beatific), Kerouac embodied the polarities of lowdown hipster and sacred seer. He was a wild man and legendary drunk, but those who were closest recall his sweetness, his singing voice, his respect for animals, and his movie-star looks. Helen Weaver had a romance with the revolutionary writer in the year preceding his rise to fame with On the Road. Her new book is as much about Kerouac—the meteor and its impact—as it is about her own ambling through the dales of the New York literary world. Blessed with friends and tutors such as Richard Howard, Robert Giroux, and Susan Sontag, she translated over 50 books from the French, including Antonin Artaud: Selected Writings, a finalist for the National Book Award. Brought up in straight-laced Scarsdale, Weaver initially moved to the Village to pursue a same-sex college crush. She slaved in publishing before discovering that her métier was translation, and in fact it was her workaday normalcy that killed her relationship with Kerouac. A noisy night with Lucien Carr led her to kick the ruffians out (the men were blasting her “My Fair Lady” record), a betrayal her lover was not about to forgive. Despite some misgivings about being suddenly out of the coolest of loops, she couldn’t ignore that living with him “was undermining my health and possibly even my job.” In retrospect, she reflects, “I rejected him for the same reason America rejected him. He interfered with our sleep.” Still, one detects that Weaver must have been preternaturally hip. Comic provocateur Lenny Bruce was another “awakener” with whom she had a momentary fling. “Lenny was one of us. He saw through all the bullshit that was going down, from sexual prudery…to the true obscenity of racism, poverty, religious bigotry, nationalism, and war.” Weaver collected signatures to protest his 1964 obscenity trial. It is noteworthy that Kerouac refused to sign (“I hate him. He hates everything.”)—a response Weaver attributes to Bruce’s attacks on religion. The subject of Kerouac’s Dharmic-Catholicism is given more play than in other accounts, owing to Weaver’s Aquarian proclivities. She later became a learned astrologer, and ultimately adopted Kerouac’s mantra, “Nothing is real. It’s all a dream.” But during their time together, she thought this was simply “a load of crap.” Although Weaver’s narrative is bolstered with letters, journal entries, and humorous glimpses of her psychoanalysis, the reader may yearn for more detailed reporting of the heady scenes she was part of. Weaver has not forgotten the sexism that tainted even the enlightened Beats, but she speaks from the sunny side and is grateful for their energy and vision. Like Kerouac, she was drawn to bad boys and dictionaries—it’s easy to see why they were a match. Helen Weaver will appear at the Golden Notebook in Woodstock 12/4 at 5:30. —Marx Dorrity
46 books ChronograM 12/09
Tress Olay
My River Chronicles Jessica DuLong
Simon and Schuster, 2009, $26
T
he Hudson River Valley is breathtaking in many places, and one thing sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not is a virgin. From roadways originally designed for horse and foot traffic to the oily gravel of a small cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterfront, the layers of time and experience run deep hereabouts. Our river has taken a hearty share of star turns on the stage of American history, and seen all manner of greatness and treachery. But who is she, really? Anyone seeking to understand this sophisticated, complex beauty needs to read Jessica DuLongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My River Chroniclesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and I speak as a lifelong Hudson Valley resident whose comprehension and love of her home were significantly deepened by this book. The river reached out and pulled DuLong from a Manhattan dot-com job to the engine room of fireboat John J. Harvey. Her longing to take part in something hands-on and tangible is probably present, either consciously or as a psychic toothache of sorts, in every human being whose work world is ruled by technology. Too few, perhaps, heed that yen to get their hands dirty and their backs tired, but DuLong runs with that yearning, all the way to what feels less like a radical change of career than a blossoming of her true self. Like the Hudson herself, DuLong is a woman of parts. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a thoughtful student of history, identifying and tracing a narrative less overworked than, say, military history: a peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history of trade and communal existence from Manhattan to Albany and back. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a college-educated mechanicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter who wound up in an almost overwhelmingly male universe, without ever slipping into an adversarial stance toward its male inhabitants. (The ones who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it manage to make fools of themselves, but her actual colleagues are happy to have her pick up her share of the load, which she does with spirit.) Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an astute observer of quirks, human or mechanical, and a lot of fun to go boating with; her prose is warm, direct, and drily hilarious. One of DuLongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early fireboat experiences happened to be September 11, 2001, when the retired John J. Harvey was called upon to serve the rescuers. With the ability to pump water straight out of the river, the decades-old technology proved functional when newer systems failedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an interesting analogy to the quaint notion that a healthy economy requires the making of actual, useful products. But DuLong is far from some curmudgeonly Luddite yearning for yesteryear, even if she has a healthy loathing for planned obsolescence. She speaks eloquently for the honor of making and building and producing things, seeing the rough poetry inherent in river towns where bricks and blocks of river ice fed families for generations, and the sprouting shoots of hope in an engineering camp for girls, a repurposed brickyard, and the reality that a single tugboat with barges can move as much stuff downriver as 900 trucks. Not least, in the thrilled face of a child with a hand on the tiller. Anyone whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever been around boats or historic preservation knows that a passion for either is endlessly expensive, time-consuming, and so vulnerable to the workings of Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law that only the most committed souls keep at it. This book includes a great deal of subtle wisdom about why people do, and why it really does matter. Purchasing My River Chronicles through the John J. Harvey Restoration Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, www.fireboat.org, helps to support the 1931 boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restoration.
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â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Anne Pyburn Craig 12/09 ChronograM books 47
POETRY
Edited by Phillip Levine. Deadline for our January issue is December 5. Send up to three poems or three pages (whichever comes first). Full submission guidelines: www.chronogram.com\submissions.
Thunder and lightning make a really good team.
my aim is true
—Piper Levine (5 years)
it’s just my choice of targets —p
The Simple Pleasures of Howling
for WCW
nuzzle 19.
Supposedly the quiet one around here, I still occasionally feel compelled to join in when the village sirens suddenly begin their terrible moaning and screaming. I’ll willingly take my place then alongside the many other neighborhood dogs, throwing back my head to howl away for the simple relieving pleasures of pure unrestrained grief, and to enjoy the sight of the poor dogs around me as they gradually grow silent, cocking their massive heads in wonder, watching and softly whimpering as they realize that even I have no suitable answers.
the night has turned cold
—Oliver Grannis
pipe-black in shadow
what really works on the empty steps of this day where a poem began to blossom? no, no, that is the wrong piece to begin with here, since i left the rake by the apple tree the afternoon before & returned to find its limbs more twisted then ever, & between the prongs of the rake slid a green snake tempting me to find its way back to where it mated. again, i’m wrong about the day in question. i set the clocks back one hour & watched dusk drift in cunningly, spicing my concern for refuge with the ploys of poetry.
ed note: poem is reprinted here to correct last month’s version with our incorrect placement of line breaks.
If Novels are like Marriage Poetry is the Wedding Night The poem said I must read deeply into Judges and locate the exact chapter and verse, else the line I was using for its title would be like a fishing lure without the hook. Reeling in my childhood Illustrated Bible from the distant end of the top shelf of my bookcase, I searched and searched until I found it: Judges 5:28. And lo! Now the light glistens like a fish’s belly and Yes, the grateful poem whispers, Oh yes. —George Drew
Now That it’s Dark at Five The tree branches reach wildly up into everything unattainable dark against dark and twirling birds banking on the idea of paradise reach into it nose first and let the wind pull them there —Patricia Lowden
48 poetry ChronograM 12/09
autumn leaves from autumn trees a silhouette at the hedgerow hesitates and is gone that cat again
—Guy R. Beining jeweled now before the moon. —E Gironda Jr
The Girl’s Distracted i am trying to grow up and out granting myself room to be alone and not think about jet ski accidents, floodlights, or the swim of sharks, the things that use up and squander my momentum into stark and halted moments i spend telling myself “hell, oh hell” and burying my nose into anything handy: pillows and paperbacks and certainly not your shoulder, as i have known it prior and can’t return, reasoning any which way, sensibly distracting with better facets of my waking life: mail and laundry and other people’s rooms where i can collapse, run myself into the ground, into a different carpet, while preaching and witnessing on how confounded is the business of breaking up one thing and leaving all the fractions. —Kate Larson
Nocturnal Animals Were it not For oncoming Highbeams I would not Have seen One Fuzzy Possum’s Scamper Under the grey Metal Guardrail —Christopher Wheeling
the first two weeks no phone calls allowed… sound of the wind —Sari Grandstaff
Pheasant on a Postcard from Iowa City
Lover’s Quarrel
Talked to a man today who has been married and divorced, about a woman he is seeing— she is twenty-six—and how he would like and needs to keep her. How he plans to take her to Italy as often as possible and announce to her in a flourish, I give you Florence, I give you Venice, I give you Rome. I cannot give you Rome. Instead, I offer you Iowa and this pheasant we will pretend is the wild turkey we saw together running along a county highway somewhere in the state of Virginia.
I had a lover’s quarrel with the world. —Robert Frost’s epitaph
—Brendan Todt
Gig at the Amtrak I was rudely awakened by a man who set down his suitcase next to the bench I was sleeping on. If it wasn’t for all these travelers I could get some rest. I checked to see if my horn was there and found my left hand still squeezing the handle on the case. I took out the horn and looked inside and there were still some notes left in it. Some college kid with a guitar sat down and asked me if I played and I said, “a little bit I guess.” I saw two men come in carrying briefcases and wearing gray suits and it got me to thinking that it’s a long time since I’ve been in a bank. So I put my horn back in the case and went down to the biggest bank I could find and they were playing some stupid arrangement of “Round Midnight” on the Musak and it made me mad so I got out my horn and blew a few licks and then they told me to leave so I did. I’m always leaving places. I hadn’t eaten yet so I walked back home and a train pulled in just as I got there and a crowd of people poured in so I pulled out my horn and started playing and two women came over and put some change in my horn case and I stopped playing and bought a Danish and a cup of coffee. One of the women came back and asked me to play something by the Duke so I played “Sophisticated Lady” which I thought was sort of funny and I think she caught it. Then her husband came over and pretty soon there was a small crowd and I imagined I was playing again with Miles and Trane and then I heard the change dropping into my horn case and I remembered where I was. Someone applauded and then everyone applauded and some guy walked up to me and said I sounded like Hank Mobley. I counted my change and went down to Tony’s for a cheesesteak. —Joe Manning
Like viewing the blunder in a slight mix of pigments after the paint is applied I hear recrimination enter your voice, much as you would never want it. John and Elizabeth quarreled, as did Martha and George. Some put quarrels on tombstones. But I want your flower. I want you to take my hand and walk with me, walking to where no blunders show, where the eaves after frost are radiant and solid. —Steve Clark
Mirror What I wouldn’t do for a piece of the fox who attends the night-school up the street. I walk there, just fifty short-city-blocks, New York like Moscow, is hard on my feet. If I had not looked in the mirror, I guess I would have forgotten, that I look as old as my grandfather. I’d give my left nut to be thirty again. The girl simmers near me as I brush my attire. The assignment is: compare and contrast. I think the life, a KGB agent might desire, requires reading Emily Dickinson’s past. All of us are sequestered in our own way, refugees or murderers, day after day. —Paul R. Clemente
If/Then: Mudflap Vernacular debris In scale, climate Middle of Noplace, Utah If I, a toast-munching giant Then you, a roadside butter curl Spreading Soothing As ointment on a wound —Molly Van Meter
12/09 ChronograM poetry 49
Food & Drink
Let the Spirits Move You Hudson Valley microDistilling By Peter Barrett Photographs by Jennifer May
I
t’s the holiday season, so we’re all thinking festively, right? We’ll be throwing or attending parties, and we have to think of gifts for friends and neighbors. A bottle often fits the bill perfectly, so many will be bought, given, and consumed in the coming month. For those who like the hard stuff—or have friends on their list who do—there are a number of new and exciting products made by talented distillers in the Hudson Valley. Any fan of spirits has extra reason to rejoice this winter. The modern local spirit industry began with Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee of Tuthilltown Spirits. Their pioneering efforts helped to pass the New York Farm Distillery Act in 2007, allowing farms to distill and sell alcohol on their properties. Tuthilltown quickly gained a reputation for high quality smallbatch whiskies, especially their Manhattan Rye and Baby Bourbon. They also produce two apple vodkas (twice- and thrice-distilled), some seriously moonshiney corn whiskey, and rum—the only one of their line made with nonlocal ingredients (the molasses comes from Louisiana). Tuthilltown’s efforts are not cheap—about $40 gets you one of their trademark squat 375 ml bottles—but there’s no small amount of pleasure to be had in the drinking or gifting of them. And the heavy lifting that Erenzo and company have done has made it possible for a new crop of microdistillers to begin diversifying and expanding the region’s range. The mighty Catawba Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery makes a wide variety of products; hard cider is their biggest seller, followed by wine. For the last five years or so, co50 food & drink ChronograM 12/09
owners Jason Grizzanti and Jeremy Kidde have also been producing the American Fruits line of liqueurs and brandies. The sweet ones—liqueurs and cordials—are excellent choices for sipping with a dessert or mixing in cocktails. A standout is the Apple Liqueur, a blend of lightly fermented cider mixed with their apple brandy and aged in Bourbon barrels, which has the complexity of a good Port and matches well with desserts from fruit tarts to chocolate cake. American Fruits also makes brandies, offering old-world standards like apple and pear eau de vie in addition to black currant brandy and Grappa made from a mixture of Baco Noir and Catawba grapes. Their eaux de vie are fine examples of the craft, with rich fruit aroma and a clean finish. The apple brandy is aged in American oak for two years, and a five-year-old batch is now ready; their ultimate goal is to release a blend each year with an average of five years of barrel age, including some aged in charred bourbon barrels to add more caramel notes and deeper color with an eye towards rivaling Calvados, the great apple brandy of France. The grappa is unique; the local hybrid grapes—especially the Catawba—possess the characteristically foxy aroma of native fruit that’s totally unlike the traditional Italian varieties. Other noteworthy local black currant cordials (Cassis) are made by Ray Tousey—sweetened with honey instead of sugar—in Clermont, and Clinton Vineyards in Clinton Corners. Any of these liqueurs would make a splendid holiday aperitif when mixed with a local sparkling wine. Kidde from Warwick Valley suggests adding a bit of local honey, too, then the Cassis, then topping up the glass with bubbly to make for a beautifully increasing gradient of fruit and sweetness as the glass is emptied.
caption
No apple left behind Golden Harvest Farms on Route 9 in Valatie looks like a thousand other roadside farm stands in New York. But behind the store, there’s a sign that reads “Distillery.” Inside, Derek Grout is producing 500 bottles a month of excellent vodka made entirely from apples grown right there on his family’s farm. Using a beautiful German still, he’s also making apple and pear brandies and an Apple Jack—brandy aged for a year in American oak—is out this month. All are bottled under the Harvest Spirits label. Grout’s Core brand of vodka is crystal clear, unctuously textured, and has an elegant trace of apple on the finish. It’s real sipping vodka, offering more pleasure by itself than many wellknown luxury brands, and seems suited to experimental mixing with other high-quality local tipples rather than juices or anything that would mask its qualities. The brandies are good, though Grout admits that he’s still learning the ropes; the first batch was made with fermented juice, while the next will be made by fermenting crushed whole fruit for a much richer and subtler flavor. (Warwick’s are made with crushed whole fruit.) Such a learning curve is understandable, though, given the short time that Harvest Spirits has existed. The enterprise, only a year old, is a collaboration between Grout and his business partner Tom Crowell, who approached him with the idea after hearing how many apples the farm discards every year. Grout speaks earnestly about developing a market for all of the fruit produced in the Hudson Valley, saying “We can make truly great products from the fruit we have, and it gives us complete control from tree to bottle. Some people think imported means higher quality, so our job is to change that.” He’s determined
to find ways to use all the wasted fruit in the region, whether in juice, cider (still or hard), or spirits. The Green Fairy is loose in Delaware County Another exciting local spirit well worth trying is the Absinthe made by Cheryl Lins in the Delaware County town of Walton, under the Delaware Phoenix label. She’s been selling it for less than a year, but it’s garnering raves from aficionados all over the country. Lins buys pharmaceutical grade neutral spirit that she uses as a blank canvas on which to mix flavors, then dilutes it to about 130 proof. “All you taste is the herbs,” she says. She makes two versions: Walton Waters and Meadow of Love. The latter has violet in place of lemon thyme, and offers a rounder, more feminine flavor profile. Both are characteristically anise-y, and the powdery, gently bitter flavor of wormwood asserts itself on the finish. Other herbs, many locally sourced, embellish the flavor with subtle details. Absinthe is traditionally drunk diluted with three to five parts cold water to one part absinthe (sugar is optional, but not recommended) which should be slowly dripped or poured in so that the louche—the elegant clouding as insoluble compounds react to the added water—can be enjoyed. Lins’ work is exceptional, and is best savored as intended, but this reviewer made an interesting martini using Core vodka and a few drops of Meadow of Love which suggests some other possibilities. There’s also Ernest Hemingway’s famous “Death in the Afternoon” cocktail, which he described in a celebrity cookbook in 1935: “Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.” 12/09 ChronograM food & drink 51
Masterpieces in the oven, stove-top and on your kitchen table. Le Creuset. Functional and beautiful. Cookware that has been the mainstay of French chefs since 1925. In Enameled Cast Iron, Enamel on Steel, Tri-Ply Stainless, Forged Hard-Anodized, and Stoneware. Cookware that distributes heat, browns, or caramelizes food to perfection. Bake, broil, braise, sautĂŠ, marinate, refrigerate and freeze in your Le Creuset. We offer the Hudson Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best selection of glassware, barware and bar accessories, fine cutlery, professional cookware, appliances and kitchen tools.
Some of the new products and colors that are perfect for the holiday season. See the entire Le Creuset line now in stock.
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52 food & drink ChronograM 12/09
286 MAIN ST. GT. BARRINGTON, MA RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF TOWN 413.528.8100
previous page: artisanal potables from hudson valley microdistillers; above: derek grout of harvest spirits with some of this cornelius apple jack.
Lins found her calling quite by accident; she read an article on the subject in early 2006 and “fell in love with the word; I needed to know what it was.” From there, she bought a small still and began making it as a hobby. In 2008 she got her federal distiller’s license, and in February of this year received her state permit. Currently she produces about 100 or so bottles a month, but expects to double that in the near future; among others, the trendy neo-speakeasies in New York City have responded very favorably to her work. Absinthe excites in part because it was illegal or quasi-legal for so long; as it stands now it is legal provided that the proportion of thujone—a compound found in wormwood— does not exceed a certain limit. Thujone was blamed for a myriad of mental and physical afflictions, but nearly all of these claims have now been shown to be spurious. And it is not hallucinogenic. Sorry. Also, any frat-house foolishness involving fire is to be avoided; that was a gimmick invented as a way of hiding the harsh flavor of inferior products from Eastern Europe.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Micro Miracle A year ago, this article could not have been written; half of the producers were not yet up and running. Now we’re at the beginning of a full-blown renaissance of artisanal microdistilling in the Valley. Ken McGuire of In Good Taste Wine and Spirits in New Paltz is enthusiastic: “People are really clamoring for the stuff—they love the idea of local products of this caliber.” And even nondrinkers can be happy, since many of these fruit liquors make excellent additions to pâtés, sauces, or desserts. Therein lies the key to any locavore movement: When the quality is high enough, switching to a local brand is a move motivated by pleasure—the best motivator of all. And couldn’t we all use more pleasure this time of year? RESOURCES Clinton Vineyards www.clintonvineyards.com Delaware Phoenix Distillery www.delawarephoenix.com Harvest Spirits www.harvestspirits.com Tuthilltown Spirits www.tuthilltown.com Warwick Valley Winery www.wvwinery.com
(845) 246-2411 www.esotecltd.com sales@esotecltd.com
12/09 ChronograM food & drink 53
tastings directory
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MainCourseCatering.com 175 Main Street / New Paltz t 854.255.2600 OUR SITES
Cole Hill Estate 54 tastings directory ChronograM 12/09
Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa
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tastings directory Voted best Sushi 2008 Zagat award of distinction
Enter the world of Yobo. Dine on fine Asian Cuisine & relax amidst babbling brooks or in the rain fall lounge. Eat healthy & enjoy every mouthful. Open 7 days | Gift certificates available See our party menu for parties of 8-60 Exit 7B Route 84; Exit 17 NYS Thruway Rte 300 Newburgh next to Ramada Inn Reservations accepted
The Alternative Baker
The Crafted Kup 44 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 483-7070 www.craftedkup.com
407 Main Street, Rosendale, NY (845) 658-3355 or (800) 399-3589 www.lemoncakes.com 100% all butter scratch, full-service, smallbatch, made-by-hand bakery. Best known for our scones, sticky buns, Belgian hot chocolate, all vegan soups & sandwiches (Goat Cheese Special is still winning awards). Plus varied treats: vegan; wheat, gluten, dairy or sugar-free. Wedding cakes too. Lemon Cakes shipped nationwide and for local corporate gift giving. Closed Tues/Wed but open 7 AM for the best egg sandwiches ever!
The Beacon Bagel 466 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 440-6958 www.thebeaconbagel.com
Cafés Bistro-to-Go 948 Route 28, Kingston, NY (845) 340-9800 www.bluemountainbistro.com Gourmet take-out store serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Featuring local and imported organic foods, delicious homemade desserts, sophisticated four-star food by Chefs Richard Erickson and Jonathan Sheridan. Off-premise full-service catering and event planning for parties of all sizes.
Homespun Foods 232 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 831-5096 www.homespunfoods.com
(845)564-3848
yoborestaurant.com
Catering Lagusta’s Luscious (845) 255-8VEG www.lagustasluscious.com Lagusta’s Luscious brings heartbreakingly delicious, sophisticated weekly meal deliveries of handmade vegetarian food that meat-andpotatoes people love too, to the Hudson Valley and NYC. We are passionate about creating political food— locally grown organic produce, fair wages, environmentally sustainable business practices— that tastes just as good as that served at the finest restaurants. Let us end weeknight meal boredom forever.
Order, Please! (845) 336-6065 www.orderplease.com
Terrapin Catering Staatsburg, NY (845) 889-8831 hugh@terrapincatering.com Escape from the ordinary to celebrate the extraordinary. Let us attend to every detail of your wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, corporate event or any special occasion. On-site, we can accommodate 150 guests seated, and 250 for cocktail events. Off-site services available. Terrapin’s custom menus always include local, fresh, and organic ingredients.
Delis Jack’s Meats and Deli 79 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-2244
Japanese Restaurant Voted “Best Sushi in the Hudson Valley” Chronogram & Hudson Valley Magazine Poughkeepsie Journal Rating Excellent by Zagat’s Vegetarian dishes available ∙ 2 great locations
www.osakasushi.net
18 Garden Street, Rhinebeck (845) 876-7338 (845) 876-7278
74 Broadway, Tivoli (845)757-5055 (845)757-5056
12/09 ChronograM tastings directory 55
tastings directory
Bakeries
Restaurants 36 Main Restaurant and Wine Bar 36 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-3636 www.36main.com (845) 496-3615
Baba Louieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woodfired Organic Sourdough Pizza 517 Warren Street, Hudson, NY (518) 751-2155
Barnabyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Route 32 North Chestnut and Academy Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-2433
Division Street Grill
Momiji Sushi and Japanese Cuisine
26 N Division Street, Peekskill, NY (914) 739-6380 www.divisionstreetgrill.com
9 Maple Street, Kent, CT (860) 927-3810 www.docstrattoria.com
3 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 256-1700
tastings directory
A warm and inviting dining room and pub overlooking beautiful sunsets over the Wallkill River and Shawangunk Cliffs. Mouthwatering dinners prepared by Executive Chef Larry Chu, and handcrafted beers brewed by GABF Gold Medal Winning Brewmaster Darren Currier. Chef driven and brewed locally!
Open 7 days a week
A taste of Italy in the Litchfield Hills. Thursdays @ DOCS
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offered with one bottle of pre selected wine per couple $35 per person (tax & gratuity not included) Please call to inquire for menu & wine offered Reservations Recommended
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Ginoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant Route 9, Lafayette Plaza, Wappingers Falls, NY (845) 297-8061 www.ginoswappingers.com
Gomen Kudasai â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Japanese Noodles and Home Style Cooking 215 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-8811 Come and experience Japanese Homestyle Cooking served fresh daily at Gomen Kudasai. Our menu features homemade Gyoza dumplings, hot noodle soups, and stir-fried noodles made with either Soba or Udon. All of our food is MSG free, GMO free, vegan friendly, organic when possible, and locally produced when available.
Kindred Spirits Steakhouse & Pub 334 Route 32A, Palenville, NY (518) 678-3101 www.catskillmtlodge.com catskillmountain@hvc.rr.com
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Live music and authentic curry dishes each weekend make this steakhouse, located in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first art colony, a standout. The pub boasts 13 great beers on tap. Call for specials, to make reservations, or arrange a catered affair.
Kyoto Sushi 337 Washington Avenue, Kingston, NY (845) 339-1128
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56 tastings directory ChronograM 12/09
La Puerta Azul Route 44 (East of Millbrook Taconic Exit), Salt Point, NY (845) 677-AZUL (2985) www.lapuertaazul.comwww.lapuertaazul. com menu and music schedule. BEST Mexican Cuisine 2008. BEST Margarita 2008 & 2009- Hud. Valley Mag. ***** Chronogram ***** Country & Abroad **** P.J. Live Music Friday and Saturday Nights
Loughranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Route 94 and Schoolhouse Road, Salisbury Mills, NY
Main Course 232 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-2600 www.maincourserestaurant.com
Docâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trattoria
Gilded Otter
3649 Main St Stone Ridge, NY 12484 (845) 687-2110
and attentive service. The finest sushi this side of Manhattan! Open every night for dinner and every day but Sunday for lunch. Takeout always available.
THE best place for Sushi, Teriyaki, or Tempura in the Hudson Valley. Delectable specialty rolls; filet mignon, seafood, and chicken teriyaki. Japanese beers. Imported and domestic wines. Elegant atmosphere
Momiji 3649 Main Street, Stone Ridge, NY (845) 687-2110
Osaka Restaurant 18 Garden Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-7338 or (845) 876-7278
Rubenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mexican Cafe 5 North Division Street, Peekskill, NY (845) 739-4330 www.rubensmexican.com
Sukhothai 516-518 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 790-5375
Suruchi â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fine Taste of India 5 Church Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-2772 www.suruchiindian.com "This food is heaven on an earthly plane..." Fresh & homemade Indian cuisine from finest ingredients including local & organic, in beautiful, calm atmosphere. Free-range chicken, wild shrimp, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. Fine wine/crafted beer. Regular seating or cushioned platform booths. Everyday 10% Early Bird & Student Discounts. Nightly Specials. Zagat Rated. Wednesday - Sunday dinner.
Terrapin Restaurant 6426 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-3330 www.terrapinrestaurant.com Voted â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best of the Hudson Valleyâ&#x20AC;? by Chronogram Magazine. From far-flung origins, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most diverse flavors meet and mingle here, in this room, at your table. From elements both historic and eclectic comes something surprising, fresh, and dynamic: dishes to delight both body and soul. Serving lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Wasabi Japanese Restaurant 807 Warren Street, Hudson , NY (518) 822-1128
Yobo Restaurant Route 300, Newburgh, NY (845) 564-3848 www.yoborestaurant.com
Open 7 Days 845-255-2244
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HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM STORE
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r e s t a u r a n t eighth Page Ad: 4.2 X 2.8 inches
Holiday Gift Certificates Holiday Catering
tastings directory
www.ginoswappingers.com
HIGHEST QUALITY
Sunbird SnacksÂŽ
Products Sold in the Hudson Valley for 30 Years! Searching for good distributor in the Hudson Valley. Contact Mister Snacks 1-800-333-6393 www.mistersnacks.com
TAY HOME
72 Main St., 2nd Floor Andes, NY 13731
845.676.4997
TAY HOME Ă&#x2C6; Tea Shop & Gifts Local, Artisanal Tea Blends Complimentary Tea Tastings Â&#x153; International Teaware Â&#x153; Exquisite Hostess Gifts Â&#x153; Hand-made Jewelry Â&#x153; Â&#x153;
Nini Ordoubadi Tea Blender
Shop On Line
www.taytea.com
Every day, enjoy 5% off any 6 bottles of wine, 10% off any 12 bottles of wine On Tuesdays receive 8% off any purchase, 13% off any 6 bottles of wine, 18% off any 12 bottles of wine
Store hours:
Friday 10-5 Saturday 10-6 Sunday 10-5
Open 7 days For information on our upcoming wine school, e-mail us at ingoodtaste@verizon.net
12/09 ChronograM tastings directory 57
Holiday Gift Guide 2009 A Special Advertising Section in Chronogram This holiday, let Chronogram help with the shopping, and help you keep it local. Here are some of the reasons we love buying in our communities: 1. Local shops value the customer. They survive by the quality of their service. 2. Shopping local keeps the money we spend in our communities. 3. Shopping local helps businesses stay open and retain community charcter. 4. Don’t we spend enough time on the Internet already? 5. Local businesses employ the majority of the workforce and spur job growth. 6. The diversity of the shops: each as unique as its owner! 7. Local businesses are owned by our friends and neighbors. 8. Shopping local is better for the environment. Leave the car at home!
mcmahON’S hOmE impROvEmENt
Wrap it up, your search is over– The best gifts are here from one of the MidHudson Valley’s most respected home remodeling companies with quality craftsmanship and an organized, clean execution process that consistently delights our clients. “Want the perfect gift for your loved one?” “Let me help you get it for them...” Tom McMahon $300 Off* Kitchen/Bath Remodels Media/Man Rooms Attic/Basement Conversions $200 Off ALL OTHeR SeRVICeS* *Applies only to projects of over $1,000 contracted by 12/31/09
(845) 255-2881 www.mcmahonshomeimprovement.com info@mcmahonshomeimprovement.com 1062 BRUYNSWICK RD., GARDINER NY 12525
ORDER, PLEASE!
58 gift guide ChronograM 12/09
BE CLUTTER
FREE: SORTING MADE SIMPLE
Omega Institute Chef ElisaWinter is available to prepare meals for you. Let me shop, cook, clean up and store a weeks worth of meals for you and your family, saving your precious time, and giving you healthy, natural, whole foods to nourish you through the winter. Gift certificates available.
A priceless gift for anyone on your list who wants to be clutter FREE. Colorcoded step-by-step book gently helps you sort and clear too much stuff. This 60 page supportive and encouraging guide is especially helpful to home-sellers, new moms and college students.
(845) 336-6065 www.orderplease.com
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM & IN BOOK STORES NOW www.beclutterfreebook.com
WATER STREET MARKET
WHITWORTH JEWELERS LTD
A letter fromValerieWhitworth As an independent jewelry store we are committed to a high standard of quality and style for our collections and it is our goal to provide personalized service to each of our customers.
Twenty shops and over forty antique dealers Food, coffee, art & oh... that view! Welcome to a truly unique Hudson Valley experienceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a hip and vibrant Europeaninspired community of boutiques, galleries, and restaurants surrounded by the beauty of the Shawnagunk wilderness and set on the banks of the Walkill River. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a destination at once a favorite with locals and visitors alike, all drawn by the distinctive treasures and treats found at every turn. (845) 255-1403 www.waterstreetmarket.com 10 MAIN ST., NEW PALTZ, NY
MARIGOLD HOME INTERIORS
Interior Design and Home Furnishings A NewYork State Certified Interior Designer, Maria R Mendoza, IIDA, owner of Marigold Home Interiors, has over 25 years of interior design experience in New York City. With an eye for art and design, Maria is highly influenced by her ability to interpret and achieve her clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; visions and needs. Unguided by trends, Maria creates interiors that are appropriate for their place and function. Maria has always had the love for all things beautiful and elegant, and at the same time gives importance to the health, safety and welfare of the public. Marigold Home Interiors is not just a design destination... it is an inspiration. (845) 338-0800 phone (845) 338-0811 fax maria@marigold-home.com www.marigold-home.com 747 ROUTE 28, KINGSTON, NY 12401
NONI ISLAND HERBALS Noni Island Herbals is Ancient Hawaiian Healing in a bottle. Noni offers Spa quality therapy for the skin without spa prices. Give the gift that keeps on giving. The gift of natural healing. r r r r
)FBMJOH 0JM PG /POJ /POJ 5SPQJDBM &ZF $SFBN /BUVSBM /POJ "TUSJOHFOU /BUVSBM /POJ %FPEPSBOU
(845) 810-0475 www.islandherbals.com
We are specialists in creating and impleNFOUJOH DVTUPN EFTJHOFE KFXFMSZ r -PPTF diamonds and gemstones at unbeatable prices r +FXFMSZ BQQSBJTJOH GPS BMM ZPVS OFFET CZ BO accredited AGA lab gemologist using state PG UIF BSU BOBMZTJT r %JBNPOE SF TFUUJOH and jewelry repairs (by appointment) by a master jeweler while you wait and watch. r 8BUDI SFQBJS BOE CBUUFSJFT
Let us help you hide something special under your holiday tree! 36 JOHN STREET KINGSTON, NY 12401 (845) 331-6228 www.whitworthjewelersonline.com email: whitworthj@hvcbiz.rr.com
SORELLA OF WOODSTOCK
Tucked away like a treasure box, as individual as the women who shop there... ... Sorella has something for every lifestyle. That is what three sisters envisioned when they decided to open their own â&#x20AC;&#x153;dream closetâ&#x20AC;? and call it Sorella. Imagine one of a kind jewelry, great denim, cozy cardigans, lovely layers, boots, a party dress, or a warm flattering down coat. At Sorella style is made easy. Come be inspired and assisted where shopping is fun in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Photo by: Cayenne Fusco
(845) 684-5074 www.sorellaofwoodstock.com Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right on the Woodstock Green (Look for a turquoise awning.)
NECTAR A rare blend of home furnishings, jewelry, art, and tea salon, Nectar celebrates our World Community every day with unusual items from around the world. Featuring organic teas, furniture from â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;? reclaimed materials, affordable Fair Trade gifts, local artwork. Architectural elements, statuary, and large scale custom furnishings. A Feast for the Senses. (845) 687-2870 www.nectarimports.com 1412 ROUTE 213, HIGH FALLS, NY
12/09 ChronograM gift guide 59
WOODSTOCK FARM ANIMAL SANCTUARY
Rescued Animal Sponsorships Shun hyper-consumerism and instead give an innovative gift of compassion, one that lasts all year and allows a farm animal in need to live her life in peace and comfort. With the FABULOUS gift of an ANIMAL SPONSORSHIP, the lucky (and now adoring) recipient of your ubergoodness will receive a beautiful, personalized photo card of the rescued critter you select including that animal’s rescue story and description of her personality, and a personalized note from you! Plus a full membership to the farm and special privileges to visit that animal any time of year. Visit our site for details.
(845) 679-5955 WoodstockSanctuary.org/sponsor BOX 1329, WOODSTOCK, NY 12498
ESSENTIALS DAY SPA
Need more space? Dream higher! Eco-Friendly wood Loft & Bunk Beds for youth, teen and college. Unfinished ReadyTo-Assemble Kits from $189 or Do-It-Yourself Plans $10 in twin, full & queen sizes. Need a bedroom makeover? Loft beds make a great gift and a fun family project to setup, paint and decorate together. (866) 739-2331 CollegeBedLofts.com YouthBedLofts.com
THE TEA SHOP Welcome to The Tea Shop of Woodstock, a world of tea awaits. We have teas and all that goes with tea. Gift selections for the newly enthused to the seasoned tea traveler. Come taste, explore, enjoy. Open daily 10-6:00 Closed Tuesday.
(845) 679-4100 www.woodstockteashop.com 7 MAPLE LANE, WOODSTOCK, NY
VISION OF TIBET
Holidays are here, time to Relax and Be Pampered. Treat yourself to a soothing Facial and indulge with a relaxing Massage. Or Treat yourself to a Spa Manicure, Spa Pedicure. We offer Spa Packages & Special Services with Facials and Body Treatments. Call and treat yourself; after all, you deserve to relax and be pampered.
After 21 years in NYC, Vision of Tibet is now open in the Hudson Valley! Featuring affordable, fairly traded, handcrafted items from the Himalayas, including fine & ethnic jewelry, home decor, textiles, adult & kids clothing, warm woolens, ritual items, meditation supplies, antiques, photos of Tibet, and much, much more.
(860) 927-3695 14 OLD BARN RD., KENT, CT 06757
(845) 658-3838 www.visionoftibet.com 378 MAIN ST., ROSENDALE, NY
THE HYDE PARK ANTIQUES CENTER The Hyde Park Antiques Center has been a premier destination for antiques for over 40 years. We have 75 dealers who carry a wide variety of items, including furniture, sterling silver, early american, paintings, oriental rugs, plus everything in between. We are open 7 days a week from 10:00am–5:00pm. (845) 229-8200 www.hydeparkantiques.net 4192 ALBANY POST RD., HYDE PARK, NY
KEIL EQUIPMENT COMPANY Ariens Snow Equipment: A Clear Driveway for the Holidays! Sales & Service keil@keilequipment.com Please ask about our service special. Call Us Today! Two Locations to Serve You: (845) 758-8888 7536 NORTH BROADWAY, RED HOOK, NY (518) 537-6221 2356 RT 9 HUDSON, NY
60 gift guide ChronograM 12/09
COLLEGE BED LOFTS
ATELIER RENEE FINE FRAMING Mirrors – a variety of vintage to new, simple to ornate, rustic to modern, large to small – are ready to go as unique gifts! Or choose from a beautiful selection of moldings for a custom mirror of any size: a one-of-a-kind look destined to be a lasting gift. (845) 758-1004 www.atelierreneefineframing.com The Chocolate Factory 54 ELIZABETH ST., SUITE 3 RED HOOK, NY 12571
LILI AND LOO Well known for unusual items at great prices, Lili and Loo runs from eccentric to classical, sleek to rustic, and ancient to modern. Choose merchandise to indulge in or give away. The two-story, 15-room store carries not only home furnishings and accessories, but botanicals, hats, leg wear and jewelry. (518) 822-9492 www.liliandloo.com 259 WARREN ST., HUDSON, NY
OBLONG BOOKS & MUSIC
Books = Gifts Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortenson Viking, hardcover, $26.95 The author of Three Cups of Tea offers the continuing story of this determined humanitarianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to promote peace through education. Fairie-Ality Style by David Ellwand Candlewick, hardcover, $19.99 Photographer Ellwand uses a gorgeous array of natural elements to explore the limits of imagination in home design and couture. Big Frog Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Fit In by Mo Willems Hyperion Books, hardcover, $19.99 Filled with exciting and unique pops constructed sturdily, and perfectly suited for little hands, this vibrant new pop-up book will appeal to Willems fans old and new.
RHINEBECK DEPARTMENT STORE
Welcome to Flannel Heaven Make yourself cozy Flannel Sleepwear From Lanz of Salzburg, La Cera & Woolrich for Ladies Find Tartan Shirts From Woolrich & Pendleton Plus Sleepwear From Izod, State of Maine & Life is Good Cuddly Soft Stuffed Animals From Pendleton & Gund
ONE EAST MARKET RHINEBECK, NY (845) 876-5500 Call for holiday hours www.rhinebeckstore.com www.enjoyrhinebeck.com
www.oblongbooks.com 26 MAIN ST., MILLERTON, NY (518) 789-3797 MONTGOMERY ROW, RHINEBECK, NY (845) 876-0500
3 FUNKY SHOPS
Find extraordinary gifts for everyone on your list in one easy location. Gallery Lodoe
Workers & Dreamers
r r r r r r
4UZMJTI $MPUIJOH &DMFDUJD "DDFTTPSJFT BOE +FXFMSZ &YRVJTJUF )BOENBEF 4LJODBSF $POUFNQPSBSZ "SU BOE 1IPUPHSBQIZ (JGUT BOE *OUFSJPS "DDFTTPSJFT 5SBWFM UP )JNBMBZB
&YUFOEFE 8FFLFOE )PVST JO %FDFNCFS 0QFO 4BUVSEBZT BOE 4VOEBZT VOUJM 'JOE VT PO 3PVUF .POUHPNFSZ 4U B GFX GFFU OPSUI PG UIF JOUFSTFDUJPO JO 3IJOFCFDL PQQPTJUF 'PTUFS T 3FTUBVSBOU Merriweatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: 6402 MONTGOMERY www.merriweathers.com Workers & Dreamers: 6404 MONTGOMERY Gallery Lodoe: 6406 MONTGOMERY www.gallerylodoe.com
Merriweatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
RHINEBECK, NY
THECOMMUNITYGUIDE.NET
DR. THOMAS J. FRANCESCOTT
Help Your Loved One Achieve Natural Wellness Dr. Tom has been changing peoples lives for over 10 years with personalized & integrative natural health care. GIFT OF WELLNESS Introduce your loved one to Dr. Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Initial Visit. Empower them to finally start feeling better. FLU PREVENTION KIT Dr. Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Two Immune-Boosting Formulas: IgG Immune Tonic & Vitamin D3 2000. Delivers a 1-2 punch to knock out the flu. GIFT OF RELAXATION Experience Dr.Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Therapeutic & Calming Craniosacral Treatment. Calming and rejuvenating to the spirit. STOP-SMOKING GIFT PACKAGE Three One-hour sessions using the ONDAMED, a FDA-approved pulsed biofeedback device with 95% success in recent studies. Pays for itself in 1-2 months. (845) 876-5556 www.drfrancescott.com 6384 MILL ST., RHINEBECK, NY
HALDORA
Visit TheCommunityGuide.net Online for Great Gift Ideas and So Much More! TheCommunityGuide.net, published by First Connections, is a unique and local one-stop online resource of information on many lifestyle aspects that affect the everyday lives of families and individuals living in, thinking of moving to, or spending time in Ulster County.
I personally want to thank all my customers and welcome all you new ones. Please come browse the Haldora basics, limited collections and scarfs hand sewn in Upstate New York. My specialty: fine fabrics, timeless styles that fit, and personal attention. Gift suggestion: Hanro, Vaubel jewelry and cashmere. Happy Holidays to all, Haldora.
(845) 679-0569 www.TheCommunityGuide.net info@firstcx.com
(845) 876-6250 www.haldora.com 28 EAST MARKET ST., RHINEBECK, NY
12/09 ChronograM gift guide 61
courtesy of hunter mountain
Winter Adventureland
Hitting the Slopes & Trails This Season By Crispin Kott
a Skier on the groomed racing slopes at hunter mountain.
W
inter may be taking its time arriving in the Hudson Valley this year, but when it finally rears its snow-peaked head, it will usher in a season filled with the kind of outdoor activities some locals dream about all the way through long, sticky summer nights. A valley doesn’t come without peaks, and for those who love the feeling of racing down a mountain, the area has a stellar variety of options for alpine skiing and snowboarding. Windham and Belleayre are popular both among locals and those from as far away as New York City, and so are Hunter Mountain and Catamount Ski, both of which are celebrating anniversaries in 2009. Hunter Mountain began its 50th anniversary celebration last season, and will see it draw to a close with a party on January 9. But what’s kept Hunter so busy over the past half-century isn’t its party planning as much as its attention to detail. Long a destination for downhill skiers, the recent trend toward snowboarding didn’t pass Hunter Mountain by. Nor has the popularity of snowtubing, which gives outdoor enthusiasts an opportunity to soar down a slope at terrific rates of speed with the direction primarily dictated by a combination of course and gravity. Snowtubing at Hunter Mountain has gotten so popular that they’re introducing 14 new snow guns to their park to ensure the best possible conditions. Elsewhere, Hunter will also add a further six snow guns this season. With the cold weather slower to arrive than in recent memory, those snow guns may get an awful lot of use. “We’re still expecting an amazing season, but it’s off to a slow start,” says Jessica Pezak, Hunter’s director of communications. “It’s a bit balmy.” Pezak said they’d hoped to be open by November 20, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the beginning of December is where things might finally start to take off. Even so, Pezak said the long term forecast is for plentiful snow during the winter ski season. “I did see a lot of markers pointing toward a lot of snow, mirroring the summer precipitation,” Pezak says. When that snow does eventually fall, Pezak says visitors to Hunter Mountain will have an opportunity to enjoy a new approach toward training in the 62 winter sports ChronograM 12/09
Snowsports School and Learning Center. According to Pezak, the “Progression” concept ensures that skiers and snowboarders of all levels have their skills more thoroughly assessed, allowing them to get more individualized training. “It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, we’ll help find a trainer,” Pezak says. “We’re making it easier for people to improve.” Like Hunter, Hillsdale-based Catamount is celebrating a milestone this season, with 70th anniversary celebrations and specials lasting throughout the year. While the Frost Valley YMCA offers year round programs for lovers of the great outdoors, as their name indicates, they’re rather fond of the coldest months of the year. Karen Rauter, Frost Valley Y’s director of communications, says its location, tucked in the Ulster County hamlet of Claryville in the southwestern Catskills, gives it a natural winter feel, especially for fans of cross-country skiing. “In a good snow year, we have more snow than others,” says Rauter. “The guys who’ve been working here will say it’s generally 5-6 inches more than what’s down in the valley. Cross-country skiing is what people really come to Frost Valley for because it’s private land. We have 20 miles at least of groomed and ungroomed land.” But Rauter stresses that the Frost Valley Y is about much more than just cross country skiing, with family friendly options like snowtubing and the hockey-like sport of broomball. And with inexpensive lunch options, indoor arts and crafts, and a generally warm atmosphere, Rauter says the Frost Valley Y is a good option for the whole family or for individuals looking to make the most of the area’s natural wonders. Another popular feature of the Frost Valley Y is its Maple Sugar House, a year-round natural maple syrup-making operation which tends to reach its apex the first three months of the year. Other popular outdoor winter activities like snowshoeing and ice-skating can be done everywhere from the iconic Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz to trails in the Esopus Bend Nature Preserve and the Kiwanis Ice Arena, both of which are located in Saugerties. Or, like many local residents, an outdoor adventure can be as simple as stepping out one’s own front door.
winter sports
The terrifically named Wynter Kennedy is a manager of clothing and snowboarding at Kenco in Kingston. While the shop has long been a popular supplier of outdoor equipment, snowboarding is new to Kenco, and they’re taking to it in a big way. “Snowboarding is new for us,” Kennedy says. “We’re pretty stoked about that.” Also stoked are fans of the great outdoors, who Kennedy says have been stocking up on clothing and equipment since the beginning of October or earlier. Kennedy says the interest has risen since last year’s global economic meltdown, though he adds that the rough financial times didn’t hit winter fun as hard as it did other areas. “Hiking and snowshoeing seem to be recession resistant,” he said. “It’s cheap, you don’t need tons of gear to do it. If you’re looking for something to do for the winter, buying a whole ski package is going to cost you a lot of money, whereas buying new boots to hike, or getting a sled is easier than going up to Smuggler’s Notch for the weekend.” Paul Zajkowski, manager of Potter Brothers in Kingston, has also noticed interest rising among ski lovers. “I think it’ll be as popular if not more so,” he says. “People are feeling good about what’s going on in the economy, and they’re going to go out and have a good time. But I think there’s still people out there that don’t realize you can get bargains when you ski.” Potter Brothers tries to spread that word by offering a wide range of deals on both equipment and lift ticket packages, including “flex” days where the savings can sometimes be as much as half the price of any other day. If you haven’t skied in a while, you might not even recognize it anymore. That’s because the recent explosion of shaped skis has taken over traditional models, and for both downhill and cross-country skiers, that means shorter is actually better. “The shaped skis are still advancing,” says Zajkowski. “They’re much shorter, and they virtually carve the turns for you.The straight skis are just so far out of date that they’re not even worth mentioning anymore.” Similar advances have been seen in cross country skis. “Cross county skis have gotten shorter and wider,” Zajkowski says. “If you do attempt to turn, they’re easier to turn and much more stable. Boots have gotten a lot warmer, too.” Kenco’s Kennedy says snowboards are also undergoing a design renaissance, where traditionally they were raised in the center, the trend is now toward keeping the middle down and raising either end. Worries about he economy haven’t just been felt by outdoor equipment suppliers; destinations already at the annual mercy of Mother Nature have also wondered whether they’d see a dip in participation for financial reasons. But at Hunter Mountain, Pezak says the season looks to be a strong one. “Despite the economy, all of our sales are way up,” she says. “I don’t know if it’s people who usually travel farther and are staying closer to home, or if it’s a new interest in skiing, but it’s good.” Zajkowski says he’s enthusiastic, both about sales and winter conditions. “Ask me in April, but I’m very optimistic,” he says. “I think it’s going to be a good year. And I would rather see it warmer early and stay cold once it gets cold, anyway.” Kennedy says that as long as there’s winter weather in the area, people are going to enjoy it. “Winter’s not a time where you have to hide indoors,” he says. “A lot of people, they just want to get outside and spend time with their families.” RESOURCES Belleayre Mountain www.belleayre.com Catamount www.catamountski.com Esopus Bend Nature Preserve www.esopuscreekconservancy.org Frost Valley YMCA www.frostvalley.org Hunter Mountain www.huntermtn.com Kenco www.atkenco.com Kiwanis Ice Arena www.kiwanisicearena.com Mohonk Mountain House www.mohonk.com Potter Brothers www.potterhouse.com Windham Mountain www.windhammountain.com 12/09 ChronograM winter sports 63
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Two classes starting this month. Call now for info. ! Have conďŹ dence in your choices: Learn to choose with your heart ! Want to love another? . . . Learn to love yourself 33 Mill Hill Rd. 845.679.8989 ďŹ&#x201A;owingspirit.com
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animal communication and healing for dogs Dog Door Now Open Celebrating 1st Year at 118 Tinker Street, Woodstock NY 11298 www.cindybrody.com Horseenergy@earthlink.net 845-679-3393 gift certificates available 64 woodstock ChronograM 12/09
NOW OPEN 7 DAYS
7BMVBCMF What will you find at Mirabai? Treasures of lasting value, because what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take home will change your life â&#x20AC;&#x201D; forever. Books, music and talismans that inspire, transform and heal. Since 1987, seekers of wisdom and serenity have journeyed to Mirabai in search of what eludes them elsewhere. But perhaps the real value of Mirabai lies not in what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find hereâ&#x20AC;Ś itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what will find you. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value beyond measure.
.JSBCBJ of Woodstock #PPLT t .VTJD t (JGUT t Workshops Tarot Decks t Eastern Philosophy t Integrative Healing t Feng Shui t Reiki Essential Oils t Yoga & Bodywork t Channeled Materials t Energy Medicine Esoteric Christianity t Sufism t Nutrition t Meditation Cushions t Ayurveda Healing Music t Personal Growth t Crystals t Sacred Statuary t Celtic t Incense Kundalini t Astrology t Kabbalah t Consciousness t Shamanism t Mysticism
Nourishment for Mind & Spirit ÂŽ .JMM )JMM 3PBE t 8PPETUPDL /: t XXX NJSBCBJ DPN
Put yourself at the center of pain relief.
845-679-9767 2568 Route 212 Woodstock, NY 12498 www.WoodstockPhysicalTherapy.com
Handing you back your full physical potential Sometimes, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to go for help. But if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve suffered injury from an accident, or just hurt from those growinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; old aches and pains, Woodstock Physical Therapy is where to go for pain relief. Here, our licensed physical therapists will gather around you with listening ears and healing hands. So call us at 845-679-9767. And surround yourself with our hands-on pain relief. Most insurances accepted.
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community pages: woodstock
0QFO %BZT t UP
This work helped me conceive at 43, after six miscarriages. It also changed the way I live my life and practice medicine. - Susan Gunduz, M.D. pediatrician, Northport, NY
Fertile Heart™ was founded by author, activist Julia Indichova. The Fertile Heart™ Ovum Process is an original mind/body program that evolved from personal experience and a decade and a half of counseling. The practice has helped bring thousands of babies into the world, often after years of failed medical treatments, and can be applied to any creative endeavor.
FERTILE HEART™ WORKSHOP SERIES From Infertility to Lessons In-Fertility 12/6 (Waiting list only) The Fertile Heart™ Way to Wellness and Weight-Loss 1/10/10 Birth Your Next Creation and Repair the World (A book, a business, a relationship) 1/17/10
www.FertileHeart.com
community pages: woodstock
Julia Indichova’s books and work have been featured on Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Chronogram, San Francisco Chronicle, Health Magazine, and other outlets.
info@fertileheart.com 845-679-5469
A holistic approach to patient care offering family medicine and alternative choices.
TRACIE DI MARCO, M.D. Board Certified Family Medicine Nutritional Counseling Mind/Body Medicine Wellness Centered Care
ERIC TISCHLER, L.AC.
Licensed Acupuncturist NCCAOM Certified Certified in CranialSacral Therapy Certified in Acupuncture Injection Therapy Certified Personal Trainer Certified Biofeedback Therapist
DR. BUZZY TISCHLER Certified Biofeedback Therapist Homeopathy Kinesiology Biofeedback L.I.F.E. System
www.woodstockintegrative.com 2565 Route 212, Woodstock, NY 12498 845.679.6210 Office visits are available by appointment only. Now accepting new patients.
66 woodstock ChronograM 12/09
Community Pages woodstock
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An Arts Colony Endures
Woodstock
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By Sharon Nichols Photographs by Jennifer May
irst, a little free association. When you hear the word “Woodstock,” what’s the first thought that pops into your head? Chances are, when this question is posed to the general populace, something to do with long-haired hippies is likely to arise: Birkenstocks and tie-dyes? The wafting scent of patchouli and reefer? Peace, love, and mud? Janis and Jimi? I landed in Woodstock 15 years ago to help promote a few musician friends and, admittedly, I had a few preconceived notions of my own. I found that the hippie-dippie top coat of the town, a caricature of itself, grew old—fast. Like many newcomers, I was surprised to discover that “that concert” of the late `60s actually took place in a completely different town—Bethel—which is 43 miles away in Sullivan County. But a little research uncovered a lot more than what met the eye. What I didn’t know about the scenic rural vista of Woodstock was that it became a township in 1787 following the American Revolution, as farms and settlements took shape. Industries popped up—glass factories, sawmills, and particularly the tanneries, which required a plentiful water supply and a great amount of hemlock. Bluestone was quarried from the Catskill Mountains for pavement around the time that Irish immigrants poured in. Woodstock remained a poor, quiet farming community for a century, though the area became increasingly attractive to city dwellers with its Overlook Mountain House and other resorts. But it was in the early 20th century that Woodstock made its major shift—it became a colony for the arts. In 1902, Ralph Whitehead, along with his colleagues Bolton Brown and Hervey White, brought the Arts and Crafts movement to the little town, drawn by its gorgeous scenery and proximity to New York City. Byrdcliffe Arts Colony was born as a creative flipside to industry, an experiment in utopian living, artistic vision, and intellectual climate (today, Byrdcliffe is known as the oldest continuing arts colony in America).The establishment of an art school attracted painters, sculptors, musicians, writers, weavers, potters, metalworkers, furniture makers, and other creative types who wished to find inspiration and share artistic goals. The bucolic setting encouraged the building of the hand-hewn wooden music chapel known as Maverick Concert Hall in 1916, which, with
its perfect acoustics, hosts America’s oldest continuous summer chamber music festival and attracts the most prestigious classical musicians.Throughout the years, Woodstock has been home to famous artists, including Isadora Duncan, Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Brad Pitt, and Thelonious Monk, among countless others. (And one great historian; Alf Evers, who wrote definitive histories of Woodstock and the Catskill Mountains.) Yet it was one pivotal event initiated by Michael Lang, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld that put Woodstock on the international map forever. Initially, the four men didn’t know what kind of profit-making venture they wanted to delve into, but they wanted it to be lucrative. The town’s famous namesake, the Woodstock Festival, made rock-and-roll history in August of 1969 as a half million concert goers flocked to Max Yasgur’s 600-acre farm in Bethel. Since that time, the “Three Days of Peace and Music” has seemed to overshadow the image of the town. Today,Woodstock summers are jammed with tourists who flock to its shops and galleries, restaurants and cafes, coming from all corners of the world, from all walks of life, to get a glimpse into what Woodstock is really all about. The town’s residents, business people, and politicians are often eager to paint a true portrait of the town to the curious. Exactly what do people need to know about Woodstock to truly understand it? Julia and Weston Blelock are a brother-sister business team who recently moved back to the stone house in which they were raised, launching the publishing and production company Woodstock Arts. They also host a sister website, Roots of Woodstock. According to Weston, there are three legs to the stool that supports Woodstock. “There’s wellness and spirituality, art and music, and eco-consciousness. Woodstock is very much like a disco glitter ball in that everybody can find their little facet. Woodstock is what you make of it. It attracts all people of the world who are trying to catch the vibe and spirit.” He notes that just prior to the recent 40th anniversary of the music festival, visitors were migrating between Woodstock and Bethel trying to figure things out. “Is that spirit still active today? That’s a question you’d have to send out to those tourists wherever they may be now,” says Weston. “The hippie thing is 12/09 ChronograM woodstock 67
community pages: woodstock 68 woodstock ChronograM 12/09
above (l-r): loominus handwovens; The man fondly known as Grandpa Woodstock, and his new wife, Estar Esther; the sign outside woodstock legends. PREVIOUS spread: Ricochet, the artist in residence at the White Gryphon shop displays a guitar he is refinishing outside the White Gryphon.
Chamber of Commerce has more influence most of the time. The arts here are always perilously close to going under, with constant need for finances. The music scene here importantly includes classical performances, not only rock, jazz, and other forms. Traffic tie-ups in the center of town are constants on busy and holiday weekends, and it seems the police are loath to get involved. I love living and working here, being on the town board, and I’m not unaware of negative aspects that exist here, all of which are vexing.” Marsha Fleisher, owner of Loominus Handwovens, a retail establishment on the town’s main thoroughfare, Tinker Street, that specializes in the weaving of fine clothing, expresses unabashed enthusiasm for Woodstock. “It’s a small town with country roots and city influences. Its history reflects generations of hardworking, land-based families and an arts, crafts, and theater influence that runs deep and is highly esteemed. It’s open and inviting, personal and genuine, full of extraordinary people with strong individuality and diversity. I’ve lived in Woodstock for 30 years and still meet people who intrigue me—the woods are full of us! It’s about the community of wonderful people who are truly there for each other, especially when needed.” And Michael Lang, one of the founders of that famous festival, sums up that Woodstock is a community founded on the arts. “There’s is a tradition here of creativity that informs everything. It is rich in art, music, and theater—which makes for an open-minded exchange of ideas and a real community spirit.” Though widespread reputation descended on the little village four decades ago and earned it often-misunderstood fame, it is the creativity of its inhabitants that cries from Woodstock’s lovely forested hills, beckoning the citizens of the world to visit and explore its charmed life.
RESOURCES
Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery www.kagyu.org Loominus Handwovens www.loominus.com, Maverick Concerts www.maverickconcerts.org Town of Woodstock www.woodstockny.org Woodstock Arts www.woodstockarts.com Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild www.woodstockguild.org Woodstock Chamber of Commerce www.woodstockchamber.com Woodstock Journal www.woodstockjournal.com Woodstock Travel Guide www.woodstockguide.com 12/09 ChronograM woodstock 69
community pages: woodstock
a smoke screen, and unfortunately, even the tourist office in Kingston thinks that’s what Woodstock is all about. We’ve been involved in an initiative on behalf of the arts to reach out to museums to offer tours.” “Woodstock is not all about the past,” says sister Julia. “The art and music scene is continuing, and there’s wellness, spirituality, and eco-consciousness.” She mentions the Zero-Carbon Initiative passed in Woodstock in 2007, which pledges to neutralize Woodstock’s carbon footprint by 2017, and the various spiritual paths that are celebrated in the town, including the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra monastery, the seat of Tibetan Buddhism in America. “Woodstock is not that hippie dippie.Yes, there’s that aspect, but that’s not Woodstock in my view.” Weston chimes in: “Sally Grossman [wife of Bob Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman] said it rather well. Once you come to town you see whatever you see, but the real action takes place back in the hills in those little artist or music studios where creativity is cranked out at great cost, sometimes, to the creators. The good stuff endures, but it’s the other side of Woodstock that isn’t generally seen or supported. You have to be a discerning, thinking person to recognize and appreciate the Woodstock underneath the surface.” Pat Horner and Larry Lawrence are publishers of the Woodstock Travel Guide and they also recognize the spiritual aspect of the town. “The heart of Woodstock is her arts,” says Horner, “including the art of living. The location lured us, and this is why many of us came here originally. But the art and creativity of the people inspired many of us to stay.Woodstock is a conduit for enlightenment, mostly through art, truth, and beauty.” Town councilwoman Liz Simonson describes Woodstock as a place for those “in search of utopia and a better life filled with spiritual enlightenment, music, art, progressive politics, and personal freedom. It is an idea that has been luring artists and idealists alike since 1902, and again in the 1960s, when another generation rebelled against the constraints of society. It continues today as the next generation sets down roots and struggles to keep this dream alive. It’s what makes this town incredibly unique with enduring vitality.” Town councilman Jay Wenk has a slightly different take on things, recognizing those townspeople who are engaged in nonartistic trades. “People outside of town are not aware that a sizable percentage of the population are not wildeyed, radical artistic Bohemians living on welfare,” says Wenk. “We have many people who are conservative and regressive. Woodstock’s self-inflicted motto as The Colony of the Arts is in many respects a misnomer; I believe that the
business directory Accommodations Catskill Mountain Lodge 334 Route 32A, Palenville, NY (518) 678-3101 www.catskillmtlodge.com The Catskill Mountain Lodge, celebrating forty years of hospitality, is set on the banks of the historic Kaaterskill Creek in Palenville, America’s first art colony. Accommodations include fireplace rooms, cabins, cottages, and a three-bedroom house.
Center for Photography at Woodstock 59 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-9957 www.cpw.org Info@cpw.org
Minnewaska Lodge
Founded in 1977, CPW, an artist-centered space dedicated to photography and related media, offers year-round exhibitions, weekend and multi-week workshops, lectures, access to traditional and digital photography workspaces, a monthly photographers’ salon, film/ video screenings, and much more.
3116 Route 44/55, Gardiner, NY (845) 255-1110
Country Gallery
Holiday Inn Express 2750 South Road (Route 9), Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 473-1151 www.poughkeepsiehi.com
Caldwell House
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Artists featured in the exhibit: Alice Austin, Carol Barton, Aileen Basis, Doug Beube, R.D. Burton, Mary-Ellen Campbell, Beatrice Coron, Catherine Kirkpatrick, Thornwillow Press, Amanda Sparks and Alice Vaughan.
25 Orrs Mills Road, Salisbury Mills, NY (845) 496-2954 www.caldwellhouse.com info@caldwellhouse.com
Twin Gables 73 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-9479 www.twingableswoodstockny.com
Alternative Energy Hudson Valley Clean Energy, Inc.
1955 South Road Square, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 297-1684
Flat Iron Gallery 105 South Division Street, Peekskill, NY (914) 734-1894 www.flatiron.qpg.com
Gallery Lodoe
JW ArtWorks, LLC: Gazen Gallery
(845) 876-3767 www.hvce.com
Solar Generation
Mill Street Loft
(845) 679-6997 www.solargeneration.net
45 Pershing Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 471-7477 www.millstreetloft.org info@millstreetloft.org
Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary 35 Van Wagner, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-5955 www.WoodstockSanctuary.org
Antiques Water Street Market (Antiques Center) 10 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-1403 www.waterstreetmarket.com
A multi-arts center offering a range of educational programs for children and adults of all ages and abilities in Poughkeepsie, Millbrook and Red Hook. Programs include the awardwinning Dutchess Arts Camps (building selfesteem through the arts for ages 4-14); Art Institute (pre-college portfolio development program); art classes and workshops and outreach programs for economically disadvantaged urban youth.
Windham Fine Arts 5380 Main Street, Windham, NY (518) 734-6850 www.windhamfinearts.com info@windhamfinearts.com
Art Instruction
Ann Street Gallery
BOUND: A group Artist Book exhibition runs through to Saturday, December 19, 2009.
Rhinebeck Savings Bank
Kingston, NY (845) 331-7780
2 Jefferson Plaza, Poughkeepsie, NY
Celebrating 30 years! Art Materials, studio furnishings, custom picture framing, blueprint copies, graphic design services, large format color output, custom printing, personal stationery, legal forms, cards, maps, and novelty gifts. Three locations dedicated to enhancing your creative adventure — voted “Best in the Valley” year after year. Also located in Woodstock, NY: (845) 679-2251 and Poughkeepsie, NY: (845) 452-1250
Manny’s Art Supplies 83 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-9902
R & F Handmade Paints 84 Ten Broeck Avenue, Kingston, NY (845) 331-3112 www.rfpaints.com Internationally known manufacturer of Pigment Sticks and Encaustic paint right here in the Hudson Valley. Stop in for a tour of our factory, get paints at discounted prices, sign up for an Encaustic or Pigment Stick workshop, or check out bi-monthly exhibits in the Gallery.
Artisans Crafts People 262 Spillway Road, West Hurley, NY (845) 331-3859 www.craftspeople.us Representing over 500 artisans, Crafts People boasts four buildings brimming with fine crafts; the largest selection in the Hudson Valley. All media represented, including: sterling silver and 14K gold jewelry, blown glass, pottery, turned wood, kaleidoscopes, wind chimes, leather, clothing, stained glass, etc.
DC Studios 21 Winston Drive, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-3200 www.dcstudiosllc.com
Ingrained Woodworking, Inc. (845) 246-3444 www.ingrainedwoodworking.com
Beverages Esotec (845) 246-2411 www.esotecltd.com Choose Esotec to be your wholesale beverage provider. For 24 years, we carry a complete line of natural, organic, and unusual juices, spritzers, waters, sodas, iced teas, iced coffees, and coconut water. If you are a store owner, call for details or a catalog of our full line. We’re back in Saugerties now!
Book Publishers SUNY Press www.sunypress.edu
Bookstores Golden Notebook 29 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY www.goldennotebook.com
Mirabai of Woodstock 23 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-2100 www.mirabai.com The Hudson Valley’s oldest and most comprehensive spiritual/metaphysical bookstore, providing a vast array of books, music, and gifts for inspiration, transformation and healing. Exquisite jewelry, crystals, statuary and other treasures from Bali, India, Brazil, Nepal, Tibet. Expert Tarot reading.
Oblong Books & Music 6422 Montgomery Street, (Route 9), Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-0500 www.oblongbooks.com
Jessica Wickham, Woodworker 578 Main Street, Beacon, NY (917) 797-9247 www.jessicawickham.com
Audio & Video
Broadcasting WDST 100.1 Radio Woodstock P.O. Box 367, Woodstock, NY www.wdst.com
Markertek Video Supply
Art Galleries & Centers 104 Ann Street, Newburgh, NY (845) 562-6940 X 119 www.annstreetgallery.org
Banks
Catskill Art & Office Supply
6400 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-6331 www.gallerylodoe.com
6423 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-4ART (4278) www.gazengallery.com
Animal Sanctuaries
Art Supplies
Woodstock Artist - Kathleen McGuiness Woodstock, NY (845) 679-1241 www.woodstockartist.com
70 business directory ChronograM 12/09
www.markertek.com
Auto Sales & Services Ruge’s Subaru Route 9, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-1057
Building Services & Supplies McMahon’s Home Improvement 1025 Bruynswick Road, Gardiner, NY (845) 616-5255 info@mcmahonshomeinprovement.com www.mcmahonshomeimprovement.com
Calligraphy Geneva Claire Hamilton: Calligraphy & Lettering Art Post Office Box 646, Poughquag, NY (845) 264-0850 scribeartist@yahoo.com Certificates, awards, announcements, invitation envelopes, quotations, bookplates, illuminated letters, family tree custom designs.
Cinemas Upstate Films 6415 Montgomery St. Route 9, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-2515 www.upstatefilms.org
Clothing & Accessories Dream in Plastic 177 Main Street, Beacon, NY www.dreaminplastic.com
Jacqueline 478 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 838-1737
Loominus 18 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-6500 www.loominus.com
Outdoors
Rhinebeck Department Store 1 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-5500 www.rhinebeckstore.com
Sorella Woodstock, NY (845) 684-5074 www.sorellawoodstock.com
Utility Canvas 2686 Route 44/55, Gardiner, NY www.utilitycanvas.com/about:ourStore/
White Rice 531 Warren Street, Hudson, NY (518) 697-3500
Coffee & Tea Coffee System of the Hudson Valley 1 (800) 660-3175 www.coffeesystemhv.com
Collaborative Workspace Beahive Kingston 314 Wall Street, Kingston, NY (917) 449-6356 www.beahivekingston.com scott@beahivebeacon.com
Computer Services Alan’s Affordable Computers Stone Ridge, NY (845) 687-9505 www.alanscomputers.net amarker@hvc.rr.com
(845) 331-1111 www.themacworks.com support@themacworks.com
Intensity
Consignment Shops
Relax. Laugh. Get Beautiful.
Past ‘n’ Perfect Resale & Retail Boutique 1629 Main Street (Route 44), Pleasant Valley, NY (845) 635-3115 www.pastnperfect.com A quaint consignment boutique that offers distinctive clothing, jewelry, and accessories, and a unique collection of high-quality furs and leathers. Always a generous supply of merchandise in sizes from Petite to Plus. Featuring a diverse & illuminating collection of 14 Kt. Gold, Sterling Silver and Vintage jewelry. Enjoy the pleasures of resale shopping and the benefits of living basically while living beautifully. Conveniently located in Pleasant Valley, only 9 miles east of the Mid-Hudson Bridge.
845-562-4074 shearintensityhairsalon.com 5455 Rt 9W, Newburgh, NY
Our promise is in our name.
Cooking Classes
Consulting, training, and technical support.
Natural Gourmet Cookery School
Apple-certified for software, hardware, servers, and networks.
48 West 21st Street, New York, NY (212) 645-5170, Fax (212) 989-1493 www.naturalgourmetschool.com info@naturalgourmetschool.com For more than 20 years people around the world have turned to Natural Gourmet’s avocational public classes to learn the basics of healthy cooking. They come to the Chef’s Training Program to prepare for careers in the burgeoning Natural Foods Industry.
www.themacworks.com
20 Years of Macintosh Excellence. Call (845) 331-1111.
Dentistry & Orthodontics Beacon Dental Fishkill Landing Plaza, 1020 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY (845) 838-3666
Equipment Rental Keil Equipment Company 7536 North Broadway, Red Hook, NY (845) 758-8888 www.keilequipment.com keil@keilequipment.com
Keil Equipment Company 2356 Route 9, Hudson, NY (518) 537-6221 www.keilequipment.com keil@keilequipment.com
Events Locust Grove — The Samuel Morse Historic Site (845) 454-4500 www.lgny.org
Farm Markets & Natural Food Stores Adams Fairacre Farms Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 454-4330 www.adamsfarms.com
Beacon Farmers’ Market Beacon, NY (845) 597-5028 www.thebeaconfarmersmarket.com
4170 Albany Post Rd. (Rt. 9) HYDE PARK, N.Y. 229-8881 229-2143 Don’t forget about our newest location!
Molloy’s Medical Arts Pharmacy St. Francis Medical Arts Pavilion 19 Baker Ave. Suite 207 POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. 12601 Phone: 471-PILL Fax: 473-MEDS
We Offer PDME items to rent or own POn site surgical fitting for compression garments PBraces, canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs PDaily savings on vitamins and OTC products
Open Daily Mon-Fri 8am to 9pm Saturday 8am to 8pm Sunday 8am to 6pm
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business directory
17 Main Street, Amagansett, NY (631) 267-3620 www.outdoors4u.cc
The Mac Works
Graphic Design
Hawthorne Valley Farm Store 327 Route 21C, Ghent, NY (518) 672-7500, ext. 1 www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org
Annie Internicola, Illustrator www.aydeeyai.com
Hair Salons
440 Kings Mall Court, Route 9W, Kingston, NY www.motherearthstorehouse.com Founded in 1978, Mother Earth’s is committed to providing you with the best possible customer service as well as a grand selection of high quality organic and natural products. Visit one of our convenient locations and find out for yourself! We can also be found at 804 South Road Square, Poughkeepsie, NY, (845) 296-1069, and 249 Main Street, Saugerties, NY, (845) 246-9614.
Allure
Sunflower Natural Foods Market
Located in the Historic Huguenot Street. We now have a gallery space next door. AcOUStIC SuNDaYS 4-7.
Organic, local, farm fresh produce. Supplements, homeopathy, bulk coffee, beans, rice, and granolas. Fertile eggs, non HMO dairy, teas, and all natural body & skin care! And so much more.
Financial Advisors Third Eye Associates, Ltd
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38 Spring Lake Road, Red hook, NY (845) 752-2216 www.thirdeyeassociates.com
Florists
12 Garden Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-7774 allure7774@aol.com
Androgyny 5 Mulberry Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 256-0620
Dennis Fox Salon 6400 Montgomery Street 2nd Floor, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-1777 dennisfoxsalon@yahoo.com
Jay Cutz 1 East Main Street, Washingtonville, NY (845) 496-4073
Metamorphosis Salon 29 East Main Street, Washingtonville, NY (845) 496-9785
Moxie 544 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 440-6653 www.nowthatsmoxie.com
Burgevin Florist
Shear Intensity
245 Fair Street, Kingston, NY (845) 331-0874 www.burgevinflorist.com burgevinflorist@gmail.com
5455 Route 9W, Newburgh, NY (845) 562-4074 www.shearintensityhairsalon.com
Woodstock Haircutz
Gardening & Garden Supplies
80 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-7171
Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens
Home Furnishings & Decor
389 Salisbury Turnpike, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-2953 www.NDBGonline.com sales@ndbgonline.com
Anatolia Tribal Rugs & Weavings
A retail nursery nestled in the back woods of Rhinebeck, where local growers produce an extraordinary variety of annuals, perennials, wildflowers, herbs, vegetables, and organic edibles. Servicing the horticultural needs of gardeners throughout the Hudson Valley for nearly thirty years. Open from the end of April through September.
Geothermal Heating & Cooling Total Green, LLC (845) 774-8484 TotalGreenUS.com Total Green designs & installs Geothermal and Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems throughout the Northeast. Our focus is utilization of ‘DX’ & Water Loop Geothermal Systems for residential & commercial properties. Total Green’s vast knowledge of building performance allows us to determine the best geothermal system for your application, structure & location‚ we design and implement ‘turn-key’ Geothermal Systems.
Route 213, High Falls, NY (845) 687-2870 www.nectarimports.com
Vision of Tibet
Mother Earth’s Store House
75 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-5361 www.sunflowernatural.com info@sunflowernatural.com
Landscaping
Nectar
54G Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-5311 www.anatoliarugs.com anatoliarugs@verizon.net
378 Main Street, Rosendale, NY (845) 658-3838 www.visionoftibet.com
Woodstock Organic Mattress Woodstock, NY (888) 499-9399 www.woodstockorganicmattress
Household Management & Planning Be Clutter FREE: Sorting Made Simple www.beclutterfreebook.com
Internet Services Webjogger (845) 757-4000 www.webjogger.net Webjogger is a local company with offices in Tivoli and Kingston. We have a great solution for small businesses: IT including symmetrical High Speed Internet, Offsite On-line Data Backup and Storage, Collaborative Archived Email, Web Hosting and Domain Registration, Server Collocation and Management, and IT support by phone or on site, with nice discounts for bundled services. We’re big enough to have what you need and small enough to make it work for your individual needs. Many local companies swear by us, not at us! We also do high end routing and switching and Gigabit Wireless connectivity for local hospitals and radiology labs.
Italian Specialty Products
Fresh pasta made locally. Large variety of ravioli, tortellini, pastas, and sauces at the factory outlet. We manufacture and deliver our excellent selection of pastas to fine restaurants, gourmet shops, and caterers throughout the Hudson Valley. Call for our full product list and samples. Located on Route 28W between Kingston and Woodstock.
Asia Barong
9 Collegeview Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 473-2206 www.DreamingGoddess.com
(866) 739-2331 www.youthbedlofts.com www.collegebedlofts.com
Lawyers & Mediators Wellspring (845) 534-7668 www.mediated-divorce.com
Music Burt’s Electronics 549 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY (845) 331-5011
The Erin Hobson Compact (845) 758-1977 www.chokingchickenrecords.com
Music Lessons A Music Place 34 Main Street, Chester, NY (845) 613-0064 amusicplace@hotmail.com
Miss Vickies 146 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 440-8958
The Creative Music Space 54 Elizabeth Street Suite #12, Red Hook, NY (845) 444-0607 www.creativemusicspace.com info@creativemusicspace.com The Creative Music Space is a community music school that offers a variety of classes and private instruction for adults and kids of all levels. Our goal is to help you develop skills while connecting to the community. We are located at The Chocolate Factory in Red Hook, NY.
Networking
(845) 331-9130 www.labellapasta.com
Bop to Tottom
College Bed Lofts
(845) 255-6634
La Bella Pasta
Winner: Hudson Valley Magazine “Best Carpets.” Direct importers since 1981. Newly expanded store. Natural-dyed Afghan carpets, Balouchi tribal kilims, Russian sumaks, antique Caucasian carpets, silk Persian sumaks, Turkish kilims. Hundreds to choose from, 2’x3’ to 9'x12'. Kilim pillows, $20-$55. We encourage customers to try our rugs in their homes, without obligation. MC/Visa/AmEx.
Route 7/199 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-5091 www.asiabarong.com
Coral Acres
Jewelry, Fine Art & Gifts 799 Wall Street, Kingston, NY (845) 338-8100
Dreaming Goddess
Whitworth Jewelers 36 John Street, Kingston , NY (845) 331-6228 www.whitworthjewelersonline.com whitworthj@hvcbiz.rr.com
Kitchenwares
Hudson Valley Green Drinks (845) 454-6410 www.hvgreendrinks.org
Peekskill Business Improvement District Peekskill, NY
Rhinebeck Area Chamber of Commerce 23F East Market Street, P.O. Box 42, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-5904 www.rhinebeckchamber.com info@rhinebeckchamber.com Professional business membership organization comprised of approximately 400 members. Benefits include monthly networking events, newsletter subscription, referrals, group insurance, business directory listing, website listing and link. Affordable advertising available.
Outfitters Great Blue Outfitters
Marigold Home Interiors
Warren Kitchen & Cutlery
3198 Route 22, Patterson, NY (845) 319-6172 www.GreatBlueOutfitters.com
747 Route 28, Kingston, NY (845) 338-0800 www.marigold-home.com
6934 Route 9, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-6208 www.warrenkitchentools.com
Great Blue Outfitters, located at 3198 Rt 22 in Patterson, rents the equipment you need (kayaks/canoes/tents/packs/snowshoes and
72 business directory ChronograM 12/09
more), plus provides free local transportation, to excellent paddling, hiking, camping, and cycling spots. Our retail store has camping accessories and fun “outdoorsy” gifts. “Real Adventures. Real Close.”
Potter Brother’s Ski and Snowboard Kingston, Fishkill, Poughkeepsie, Middletown, NY www.potterbrothers.com
Performing Arts Bardavon Opera House 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 473-2072 www.bardavon.org
Paramount Center for the Arts (914) 739-2333 www.paramountcenter.org 1 (877) 840-0457
WAMC — Linda 339 Central Ave, Albany, NY (518) 465-5233 ext. 4 www.thelinda.org
www.atelierreneefineframing.com renee@atelierreneefineframing.com Formerly One Art Row, this unique workshop combines a beautiful selection of moulding styles and mats with conservation quality materials, expert design advice and skilled workmanship. Renee Burgevin CPF; 20 years experience. Special services include shadow-box and oversize framing as well as fabric-wrapped and French matting. Also offering mirrors.
Printing Services
Recreation Catamount Ski Area Route 23, South Egremont, MA (518) 325-3200 www.catamountski.com info@catamountski.com
(845) 255-0919 www.mohonkpreserve.org
Dog Love, LLC
Sky Acres Airport
240 North Ohioville Road, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-8254 www.dogloveplaygroups.com
30 Airway Drive, LaGrangeville, NY (845) 677-5010 www.skyacresairport.com
Pussyfoot Lodge B&B (845) 687-0330 www.pussyfootlodge.com The Pioneer in Professional Pet Care! B&B for cats, with individual rooms-lower cost than caged boarding. Full house-pet-plant sitting service, proudly serving 3 counties in the Hudson Valley. Experienced, dependable, thorough, and reasonable house sitting for your pets. Thank you Hudson Valley for entrusting ALL your pets and homes to us since 1971. Bonded and insured.
Photography
Schools Beacon Institute For Rivers and Estuaries 199 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 838-1600 www.bire.org info@bire.org
Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 431-8000 www.sunydutchess.edu
Frog Hollow Farm Esopus, NY (845) 384-6424 www.dressageatfroghollowfarm.com
Institute for Integrative Nutrition
www.fionnreilly.com
(877) 730-5444 www.integrativenutrition.com admissions@integrativenutrition.com
Lorna Tychostup
Mountain Laurel Waldorf School
(845) 489-8038 www.lornatychostup.com
16 South Chestnut Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-0033 www.mountainlaurel.org
Fionn Reilly Photography
Michael Gold The Corporate Image Photo Studio, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-5255 www.mgphotoman.com
Photosensualis 15 Rock City Road, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-5333 www.photosensualis.com
Picture Framing Atelier Renee Fine Framing The Chocolate Factory, 54 Elizabeth Street, Suite 3, Red Hook, NY (845) 758-1004
27 North Chestnut Street, New Paltz, NY, and, 10 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY (845) 256-0788 and (845) 679-2373 www.PegasusShoes.com
The only resource you need to plan a Hudson Valley wedding. Offering a free, extensive, and online Wedding Guide. Hundreds of weddingrelated professionals. Regional Bridal Show schedule, links, wed shop, vendor promotions, specials, and more. Call or E-mail for information about adding your wedding-related business.
Mister Snacks, Inc. 500 Creekside Drive, Amherst, NY (800) 333-6393 www.mistersnacks.com steve@mistersnacks.com
SUNY New Paltz School of Fine and Performing Arts New Paltz, NY (845) 257-3872 www.newpaltz.edu/artnews
The Graduate Institute 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT (203) 874-4252 www.learn.edu Info@learn.edu Discover exciting graduate programs in emerging fields of inquiry. Recognized as one of Connecticut’s most innovative institutions of higher education, the programs feature distinguished faculty, affordable tuition, and convenient schedules. Master of Arts degrees
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We package the finest and most healthy packaged snacks on the market. Includes trail mixes, nuts, dried fruits, yogurts, chocolates, candy, and even hot and spicy mixes. Also, have gift items and bulk foods available.
Specialty Food Shops
Woodstock Weddings www.woodstockwedding.com nancybaysinger@gmail.com
Wine & Liquor Hennessy Wine and Liquor 6 Depot Street, Washingtonville, NY (845) 496-3936 www.hennessywineandliquor.com
The Shack 32 West Main Street, Washingtonville, NY (845) 742-7458
Wine & Liquor
The Tea Shop 7 Maple Lane, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-4100 www.woodstockteashop.com
In Good Taste 45 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-0110 ingoodtaste@verizon.net
Stores
Workshops
Lili and Loo 259 Warren Street, Hudson, NY (518) 822-9492 www.liliandloo.com
Dutchess Community College
HudsonValleyWeddings.com
Wallkill Valley Writers (845) 255-7090 www.wallkillvalleywriters.com khamherstwriters@aol.com
Tourism
Creative writing workshops in New Paltz led by Kate Hymes, poet and educator. Aspiring and experienced writers are welcome. WVW provides structured time, a supportive community and a safe place for you to fulfill the dream of writing your stories, real or imagined. Many writers find the community of a workshop benefits their work and keeps them motivated.
Adirondack Trailways/Pine Hill Trailways (800) 225-6815 or (845) 339-4230 ext.169 www.trailwaysny.com
Columbia Country Tourism 1 (800) 724-1846 www.bestcountryroads.com
Writing Services
Ulster County Tourism
CENTER TO PAGE: moving writers from the center to the page
10 Westbrook Lane, Kingston, NY (845) 340-3566 www.ulstertourism.info
(845) 679-9441 www.centertopage.com
Web Design icuPublish www.icupublish.com info@icupublish.com icuPublish a computer consult specializing in web-based graphic design, on-site training for both Mac and PC format. Complete site design, and development for personalized websites created with the professional, artist and/or collection in mind.
Web Design icuPublish www.icupublish.com info@icupublish.com
Our small team works with writers nationwide — memoirists, scholars, novelists, and people seeking to develop an authentic writing practice. We mentor, edit, ghostwrite, and more. Director Jeffrey Davis is author of The Journey from the Center to the Page and teaches in WCSU’s MFA program and at conferences nationwide.
Peter Aaron Paaron64@hotmail.com Your work deserves ATTENTION!! Chronogram music editor and AP award-winning journalist Peter Aaron can deliver a great, custom-composed bio for your press kit or website. General copy editing and proofreading services (academic and term papers), and consultations also available. Reasonable rates.
12/09 ChronograM business directory 73
business directory
Personal hands-on boarding and daycare tailored to your dog’s individual needs. Your dog’s happiness is our goal. Indoor 5x10 matted kennels with classical music and windows overlooking our pond. Supervised play groups in 40x40 fenced area. Homemade food and healthy treats.
Pegasus Comfort Footwear
Snacks
1830 Route 9; Suite 101, Wappingers Falls, NY (845) 298-5600 www.fastsigns.com/455
Weddings 120 Morey Hill Road, Kingston, NY (845) 336-4705 www.HudsonValleyWeddings.com; www.HudsonValleyBaby.com; www.HudsonValleyBabies.com; www.HudsonValleyChildren.com judy@hudsonvalleyweddings.com
Shoes
Fast Signs
Mohonk Preserve
Pet Services & Supplies
offered in Holistic Thinking, Oral Traditions, Experiential Health and Healing, Conscious Evolution, and Irenic (Peace) Studies.
community pages: peekskill
SEAFOOD • POULTRY • SOUPS • STEAKS • VEGETARIAN DISHES
MICHAEL FEINSTEIN & DAVID HYDE PIERCE Saturday Nov 28th at 8pm
Comedy, music and theater collide as multi-platinum recording artist Michael Feinstein teams up with Emmy and Tony Award winning David Hyde Pierce in the Premiere East Coast Performance of their collaboration in an evening of comedy and song. $35-$55
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AL JARREAU HOLIDAYS & HITS Saturday, December 5th at 8pm
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Mexican Cafe
This holiday season, Al Jarreau, the Grammy Award-winning voice of versatility, will bring to the stage songs from his first ever Christmas album, Al Jarreau - Christmas plus some of your favorites from his incredible career. $45-65
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gallery
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5 North Division Street Downtown Peekskill www.rubensmexican.com 739-4330
Fine Art & Jewelry
MOSCOW BOYS CHOIR
Saturday, December 19th at 7pm Under the direction of Mr. Leonid Baklushin and founded in 1957, this choral ensemble is among Russia's most prestigious all-boy choirs. $20-$40
Wendie B. Garber THE NUTCRACKER
Call now; visit us at the box office or online for tickets!
1008 BROWN STREET, PEEKSKILL, NY 914-739-2333 WWW.PARAMOUNTCENTER.ORG Check our website for other family offerings and full schedule for the season!
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Flat Iron Building 105 So. Division St. Peekskill, N.Y. 10566 (914) 734-1894 www.flatiron.qpg.com
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whole living guide
A Mentoring Culture Nourishing the Next Generation
Ask teenagers what marks their coming of age into adulthood and they might say their first drinking party, a pricey birthday celebration, getting a driver’s license, or having sex.
by lorrie klosterman
illustration by annie internicola
M
ainstream culture offers plenty of fun activities to mark a kid’s march to adulthood, but some parents—and youngsters as well— lament that there isn’t something of deeper meaning to usher them. Here in the Hudson Valley, as in a growing number of communities nationwide, parents are seeking a mentoring approach to enrich their kids’ lives and celebrate their maturation. Mentoring creates a network of adults outside the immediate family who help nurture a young person by taking an active role in their lives, often by teaching skills or knowledge while also modeling integrity, responsibility, and caring. Certain workshops and programs, too, are designed to include different age groups and life stages, bringing intergenerational groups of men or women together—for the benefit of the young and adolescent, yes, but also for the benefit and growth of all. In this article, we hear from some of the men in our region who are part of a mentoring community that is supporting their sons. In a future article, we’ll look at what a creative set of women is doing to nourish their coming-of-age girls.
Mentoring Kindled About 10 years ago, Charles Purvis of Accord was looking for a summer camp for his son Liam, and found one that really impressed him. Run by Jon Young and Mark Morey (themselves mentored by wilderness leader and teacher Tom Brown, founder of the Children of the Earth Foundation), Purvis was astounded by the quality of the experiences being offered during a week-long program. “From the very beginning Jon and Mark built an excitement and curiosity— with a passion that propels one to dive right in.” And dive in Charles did, signing Liam up, as well staying himself for parents’ programs held concurrently— not just that year, but for four. After attending Morey’s annual gathering, The Art of Mentoring, Purvis was ignited to develop a mentoring environment for both his sons back at home, and several times sponsored visits by JonYoung and Mark Morey to New Paltz. 76 whole living ChronograM 12/09
In 2007 Purvis joined with a group of other fathers who had similar visions for their sons, and their “Track and Sign” took wing as a school-year program specifically for a set of boys who were nearing adulthood. Cocreated by Purvis, Larry Brown, Peter Ferland, and Rolando Negoita, Track and Sign is now in its third year and continues to evolve and enrich as the older boys become men, and younger boys and their fathers in the community take an interest. “What we try to create is a mentoring ladder,” Purvis says. “So we have boys who are 9 to 13, and then some older teens who have already been mentored in nature awareness, survival skills, cultural awareness, and rites of passage. We also have young adult males, in their 20s to 30s, and then the elders. As we become grounded in each stage of our group development, we add another aspect of community.” In a manner typical of men who are part of this community, Purvis quickly credits others. “I do things within a whole matrix of support. Each of the men provides a different gift. And the adult man can learn from the 10-year-old. It goes in both directions. I have been mentored in this journey, too, for 10 years. I’m in the journey right now.” Track and Sign is primarily a learning and bonding medium with lots of action, says Purvis, because boys and men really enjoy doing things. But it’s much more. “The activities of Track and Sign are really designed to experience fun and adventure as we build our connection to the earth, to each other, to our own inner world, and to what we call spirit. We are offering a healthy container in how we speak, and in our actions, creating a safe space for the boys to journey. We create opportunities for knowledge of self—like knowing your fears, and your gift, and we create connection with the elements of life like water, fire, the seasons, weather. We also work with skills of living in nature: building shelters, getting clean water, fire skills, food preparation. We promote sensory awareness—feeling the sun on your cheek and the wind at your back, to be fully alive. This creates inspiration, hard work, experiential learning—which does naturally prepare the boys for a rites-of-passage experience held by the community, during their thirteen or fourteenth year.”
Community of Uncles One part of mentoring is creating a network of “uncles” who expand a youngsters group of male role models. “What I’m finding about fathering,” says David Brownstein, a father of three sons and part of the mentoring community, “is that doing this in a vacuum is really challenging. Once sons reach adolescence, they turn away from their fathers, and in some ways see them as one dimensional. I have three boys, and I’m intensely focused on providing opportunities for my sons to spend time with men who can teach them things I can’t, and who are good role models for what it means to be a man.” So he and other fathers empower “uncles,” as they are called—not biologically connected, but serving as caring role models. “As fathers,” says Brownstein, “we are saying to other men, ‘I want you to be uncles to my son, because I can’t do it alone.’ The mentoring culture today is a group of men who are supporting their sons as they enter adolescence, staying compassionate and present as they face the trials and tribulations of being a teen. We are also creating for them meaningful rites of passage or initiation— where we acknowledge their passage into the beginning stages of adulthood, and how each one has proven himself, how each is different. You end up with kids who can really stand up straight, and they feel supported and loved.We’re renewing what has existed throughout time but what’s been lost in the last hundred years or so. President Obama is talking about this sort of thing—you have to start in your own community and work to create community again.”
Wild Earth Brownstein expresses his mentoring passion through camps and workshops at Wild Earth Wilderness School in New Paltz, of which he is director. This nonprofit provides a diversity of experiences in nature, for people of all ages in mixed-gender or single-gender activities. “We create a safe space for them journey and interact on the earth, in the earth—we call it ‘dirt time,’” says Brownstein. “Last summer’s Wild Earth camp hosted 140 kids, ages 3 to 13, with about 40 instructors aged 16 to 70. We send these kids out into nature in groups of other similarly aged boys and girls led by really good role models,
including instructors that are just a bit older and have been through the program. The younger boys can see what the ones ahead of them can do—things like create a fire without matches or build a shelter that will keep them warm and dry, take care of themselves in the wild. Just think of a young man who can actually survive for a week or more in the wilderness. Imagine how those kids are going to do in their first job, or in a challenging situation at work.” A fundamental concept behind all this, says Brownstein, is to relearn what it means to value everyone, and exchange our gifts with each other freely, among all age groups. “When a 20-year-old comes over to pick up my boys to do something with them, because he wants to, he’s caring for my boys,” says Brownstein. “In exchange I want him to stay for dinner, as a way of taking care of him. That’s the feeling we’re going for, that healthy community piece. We want to reclaim that blueprint.” Multigenerational mentoring is Wild Earth Wilderness School’s foundation. “We try to make sure all the generations are represented,” says Brownstein. “Toddlers, adolescents, teens, new parents, older parents, elders, super-elders—when all of those are present, everyone can relax into what’s happening. Elders get to see the kids playing, and also get to tell stories and talk about things they’ve learned. A parent at 50 years old is watching from a parental standpoint, holding energy about protection.The 20-year-olds don’t think that way because they are not parents. And the young kids can relate more to the teenagers just ahead of them and see what’s coming next for them. So, as much as we can, we create those generations when we put programs together, like a model of a healthy community. Our community is the strongest when everyone is involved.”
Rites of passage Peter Ferland got involved with Track and Sign as one of the fathers supporting last year’s rites of passage weekend, for the boys who were ready to be seen and celebrated as coming into adulthood. He was intrigued by the idea of the mentoring and the ceremony for his boys, now ages 7 and 11. Like many parents today, Ferland had no such thing during his adolescence. “No one was re12/09 ChronograM whole living 77
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ally there for me,” he sums up. “That’s something that’s missing in our culture. There is even this stigma that teenagers are horrible—and to be fair, they can be—but they are trying on a lot of different attitudes and personalities, and their brain chemistry is changing drastically. They are not supported through this by the cultural attitude—there is just this blank spot.” So instead, Ferland is one of those men guiding the evolution of these young people, with deep caring. He and the other mentors meet regularly to share observations about how things seem to be going for the boys. “We don’t try to orchestrate change within them,” says Ferland, “but we pay attention, and see ways in which, for example, a boy might be habitually reluctant to try something new, or seem to have a hard time being fully present. We could then see if there was an activity that would be useful or challenging for that boy.” Ferland was one among several men who, a few weeks ago, formed a circle of support honoring boys as they came down off their 24-hour solo in the mountains, as part of their weekend-long rites of passage. Ferland is making a film about it, but was clear he didn’t want to record boys on their solos. He will record the boy’s public presentations at a community sharing about what they have learned, but he is equally intrigued by the effect on the community. “We were not just putting them through an experience,” says Ferland. “It’s also about the larger community paying attention. There were thirty men sitting in a circle for seven boys when they came off that mountain, including many men not related to them who are interested in their welfare and in the larger project. We even had a group of women who came to the site beforehand and did a 24-hour fire, who didn’t know the boys but felt moved to honor the spirit of the land in preparation for their process.”
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Boy to Man Liam Purvis, now 19, has fledged and is in California. Liam loved the summer camp his dad found for him so many years ago, and the journey since. “When I was little, we lived in the country and I didn’t have a TV or video games,” he says. “I was already running around the woods, sleeping in piles of leaves, making fire by friction, getting covered with mud.” So the summer camps in Vermont were great. “And when I turned 13, in addition to the summer camp, every autumn and spring I went to a weeklong rendezvous, camping out in the woods with instructors.” Maybe not every kid would relish all that “dirt time,” but Liam did. “As a kid you feel fortunate to have these experiences. My best friends were doing it. It was very cool to have adventures in the woods, the instructors were authentic and awesome. They are super-skilled, knowledgeable, heavy hitters giving us this download.” Back in New Paltz, he says it was the “hard, hard work of my parents, meeting people and getting me out there into a good network of people committed to my growth as a person. I’ve met some of the most amazing people—people I’m very lucky and fortunate to know.” Liam’s upbringing has set him on a passionate course to make a difference in the world, and enjoy doing so. Now thriving in the San Francisco Bay area at the Regenerative Design and Nature Awareness Program, which he says “teaches amazing skills you can use, and designed for people who are looking for something that’s life-changing.” With environmental problems looming larger than ever for his generation, Liam knows mentoring and nature experiences are a powerful preparation. “Mentoring in nature is the best way to create people totally invested in having a world that nature is still a part of.You get to know the species, and how to live off the land. It teaches a love for all things.” For people who haven’t had his opportunity growing up, Liam urges them to heed these words of John Muir: “The wilderness is essential for the human soul. The degree to which one is aware is the degree to which they are alive. Life is a visceral experience. The more immersed we are, the more alive we are.”
RESOURCES
8 Shields: www.8shields.org Institute for Natural Learning www.ifnaturallearning.com Regenerative Design & Nature Awareness Program www.regenerativedesign.org Peter Ferland www.tendingfires.org Track and Sign www.trackandsign.wordpress.com Wild Earth Wilderness School www.wildearthprograms.org
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Triton DTS Spinal Decompression
A non surgical chiropractic treatment for disc herniations, sciatica, arthritis and facet syndrome.
Power Plate®, Acceleration Training™
Improving strength and balance with exercise against vibration.
3 Cherry Hill Road New Paltz, NY 12561
www.performancesportsandwellness.com
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Flowers Fall By Bethany Saltman
Yet, though it is like this, simply, flowers fall amid our longing, and weeds spring up amid our antipathy.
— Dogen Zenji, Genjokoan
Oh My Goddess! A Dispatch from Planet Princess
W
hen Azalea announced that she was going to be a spider for Halloween, I was thrilled and relieved, as if our family were being spared the princess thing for one more year. Unfortunately, our little town’s Halloween parade took place an entire week before October 31. So when Azalea figured out that there was another opportunity for dressing up on the horizon, she made no bones about it: “I don’t want to be a spider for the real Halloween. I want to be a princess.” When I was a little girl, of course I wanted to be a princess too. Or at least treated like one. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to be an uber feminine, royal, even magical being. But princesses aren’t what they used to be, not since Andrew Mooney, chairman of Disney marketing, sniffed out the perfect way to hook little girls (and their moms) by launching a whole new brand called, simply, Disney Princess. Even Azalea who lives in a home without a TV, or Cinderella anything, and has watched Snow White once, halfway through, is vulnerable to the princess pandemic.When we go to Target to buy a pair of sneakers or sunglasses (or, alas, a princess dress the night before Halloween), and I find the plainest, least branded items I can find to offer her as choices, she sees all the princess paraphernalia in the background and, like a good little puppy, can hear the high-pitched call. Andrew Mooney is psyched, but nonchalant: “We simply gave girls what they wanted, although I don’t think any of us grasped how much they wanted this. The counsel we gave to licensees was: What type of bedding would a princess want to sleep in? What kind of alarm clock would a princess want to wake up to? What type of television would a princess like to see? It’s a rare case where you find a girl who has every aspect of her room bedecked in Princess, but if she ends up with three or four of these items, well, then you have a very healthy business.” Healthy, and how! In 2000, when Mooney was hired, annual Disney sales were around $300 million. Five years later, after he launched the Princess line, Disney was raking in $3 billion a year. That’s a tenfold increase! Clearly, something primal is being tapped into. A desire to be loved? Beautiful? Passive? Honestly, I’m not sure, but $3 billion dollars worth of whatever it is going to add up to some seriously widespread (and monotonous) gender conditioning. I know that compared to some families, we may seem kind of fruity, or a little precious. And lots of seasoned parents like to razz us for all our intentionality, for thinking we actually have a hand in Azalea’s fate. I get it, and as much as I do understand that you can’t sequester a child from “reality,” I am not ready to completely give in to Mr. Mooney’s, or any other corporate sponsor’s version of that reality. In terms of the princess thing, clearly what a lot of parents say is true: It’s a phase! They’ll grow out of it! Indeed, there aren’t a lot of grown women walking around in taffeta, toile, and tiaras. But that’s missing the point. I admit that I think Disney stuff is supertacky and I just don’t like it. But what feels worthy of a little old-fashioned resistance is the way the Princess Industrial Complex takes advantage of and gives life to little 80 whole living ChronograM 12/09
girls’ fantasies. Offering all the products, theme parks, games, and getups makes their trip to the Magic Kingdom so real that a) kids’ imaginations are bound to become less active, and b) the message that life is always fancy may be difficult to let go of as they grow up and are confronted with the ordinariness of the world. And what else am I supposed to be doing as a parent if not helping guide my kid through her environment and her own mind? It’s not a good idea to make mainstream culture some kind of forbidden fruit, but we’d be crazy if, as parents, we didn’t offer some alternatives when we can. Princesses aren’t the only game in town. In one of the most well-known Mahayana Buddhist sutras, “The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti” (the story of a famous layman who fell ill and was visited by all the Buddhist dignitaries— human and celestial alike), a goddess appears and has an exchange with one of the great bodhisattvas of all time, Reverend Sariputra. Even though the Buddha’s official word on the topic was that women could realize enlightenment, the Buddhist tradition, like any other, has its share of misogynist views and adherents. After the goddess displays her magical powers in several impressive ways, Sariputra, who believes that only men can experience true realization and is thus baffled about why she is still in her second-class female form, asks her, “Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?” The Goddess answers, “Reverend Sariputra, if a magician were to incarnate a woman by magic, would you ask her, ‘What prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?’” To which Sariputra replies, “No! Such a woman would not really exist, so what would there be to transform?” “Just so,” the Goddess answered. “All things do not really exist.” She went on to change Sariputra into a woman, which took him by surprise and helped him realize the emptiness of every single thing, including gender. Kind of the opposite of what Mooney’s princesses do. Every day, Azalea wants to be someone new—either someone from a book she read, or a movie she watched, or a made-up name from the recesses of her imagination: A-kalea-shina. Even though sometimes it feels a little dissociative, not to mention irritating when I am trying to communicate with my daughter and she refuses to respond because I forgot to call her “Lucia” or “Sofia” or “Mei,” I know that it is her imagination at work, her experiment with reality, her version of shape-shifting a fundamentally empty identity, which is very cool. And if at some point, by osmosis, she learns the names of the Disney princesses—Snow White, Mulan, Aurora, Jasmine, Belle, Tiana, Arielle, Pocohantas, Cinderella—and wants to manifest their princess form, that’s cool too. The point is that by avoiding the onslaught of Disney details, she may be freer to actualize her own version of Snow White. And who knows? Maybe Snow White isn’t so chipper all the time, cleaning up after all those thwarted little men. She may actually be a powerful goddess who, as Vimalakirti says, “can live wherever she wishes on the strength of her vow to develop living beings.”
whole living guide
WOODSTOCK
The Healthiest Way to Sleep & Live 1104 Ulster Ave., Kingston 1-888-499-9399
www.woodstockorganicmattress.com
Resorts & Spas
Hoon J. Park, MD, PC 1772 Route 9, Wappingers Falls, NY (845) 298-6060
Woodstock, NY (917) 412-5646 www.aspectsgallery.com liomag@gmail.com
New Paltz Community Acupuncture — Amy Benac, L.Ac.
The new Aspects Gallery Inn & Spa resides in the heart of the historic artists colony of Woodstock NY, nestled in the famed Catskill Mountains ski and summer resort region. Aspects Gallery provides a unique and exclusive sensual retreat with two private luxury two bedroom apartments conjoined to a 2000 sq ft cedar and glass enclosed climate controlled spa with 40 ft saline pool, 64 jet jacuzzi and therapeutic infrared sauna. Enjoy a leisurely poolside bar brunch or order an organic gourmet candlelight dinner prepared by your host French chef Lio Magat- sommelier for famed international chef Paul Bocuse. Bienvenue et bon appetit !
Acupuncture Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine — Judith A. Chaleff RN L.Ac 275 North Street, Newburgh, NY (845) 565-2809, fax (845) 565-2608 A nurturing center for experiencing one of the most relaxing paths to reach your individual physical and spiritual health care goals. We treat patients with a variety of complaints ranging from emotional and physical pain, to digestive and pulmonary disorders to reproductive issues, labor and delivery. “Balancing Qi, the way it should be.”
Classical & Chinese Herbs 303 Fair Street, Kingston, NY (845) 853-7353
High Ridge Traditional Healing Arts, Oriental Medicine, Carolyn Rabiner, L. Ac. 87 East Market Street, Suite 102, Red Hook, NY (845) 758-2424 www.highridgeacupuncture.com crabiner@highridgeacupuncture.com
21 S. Chestnut Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-2145 www.newpaltzacu.com $25-$35 sliding scale (you decide what you can afford). As a community-style practice, treatments occur in a semi-private, soothing space with several people receiving treatment at the same time. This allows for frequent, affordable sessions while providing high quality care. Pain management, relaxation, headaches, TMJ, smoking cessation, Gyn issues, anxiety, depression, trigger point release, insomnia, fatigue, recovery support, GI issues, arthritis, muscle tension, chemo relief, immune support, allergies, menopausal symptoms, general wellness, and much more.
Rhinebeck Acupuncture and Zero Balancing- Philip Brown MA L.Ac. 26 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-4654 www.rhinebeck-acupuncture.com rhinebeckacupuncture@mac.com Philip is a graduate of TAI/Sophia (the nation's first accredited acupuncture college) class of 1994 and is very soon to be certified in Zero Balancing. In addition to his private practice he is a staff acupuncturist at The Omega Institute. For over 15 years Phil has helped many people with a very wide range of concerns. Please see the testimonial page on his website. Free Consultations.
Transpersonal Acupuncture (845) 340-8625 www.transpersonalacupuncture.com
Apothecaries Dr. Tom’s Tonics 6384 Mill Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-5556 www.drfrancescott.com info@drfrancescott.com
Visit Our Showroom & Try Our Mattresses. We do our own deliveries.
Now Featuring Ekla Home Organic Furniture! www.eklahome.com
Samira Y. Khera, M.S., M.D. FELLOWSHIP-TRAINED BREAST SURGEON
Breast Care Specialist, PLLC
The Integrative Medicine Program Compassionate Care You Can Count On! Benedictine Medical Arts Bldg., 117 Mary’s Ave., Suite 105, Kingston 845.338.8680
www.breastcarespecialist.net
Deep Clay
Psychotherapy Dream Work Sand Play Michelle Rhodes LMSW ATR-BC 845-255-8039 deepclay@mac.com www.deepclay.com
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whole living directory
Aspects Gallery Inn & Spa
We are the exclusive dealers of WJ Southard — a company completely devoted to utilizing all natural and organic materials to make ultra-comfortable, chemical-free beds that help you sleep better and live better. Organic cotton, our special blend of organic and eco-friendly wool, purified, all-natural horsehair, and the world’s most natural latex are just some of the ingredients that are hand-layered into each mattress.
Counseling
Molloy Pharmacy 4170 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY (845) 229-8881 www.molloypharmacy.com 19 Baker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY www.molloypharmacy.com
Aromatherapy Joan Apter (845) 679-0512 www.apteraromatherapy.com japter@ulster.net See also Massage Therapy.
Art Therapy Deep Clay New Paltz/Gardiner and Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 417-1369 www.deepclay.com deepclay@mac.com
Astrology Planet Waves Kingston, NY (877) 453-8265 www.planetwaves.net
Body & Skin Care
whole living directory
Beacon Bath & Bubble 464 Main Street, Beacon, NY (845) 440-6782 www.beaconbathandbubble.com
Medical Aesthetics of the Hudson Valley
John M. Carroll H ,T ,S C EALER
EACHER
PIRITUAL
OUNSELOR
THE CENTER OFFERS:
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.BTTBHF BOE "DVQVODUVSF BMTP BWBJMBCMF XJUI -J[ .FOFOEF[ See John’s website for schedules of upcoming classes and events
johnmcarrollhealer.com or call 845-338-8420
82 whole living directory ChronograM 12/09
Mothering with Soul (845) 256-0833 sacredmama@aol.com
Creative Arts Therapy Multi-Dimensional Psychotherapy — Blair Glaser, MA, LCAT, RDT Woodstock, NY (845) 679-4140 www.blairglaser.com Bridge the gap between desire and potential: Multi-Dimensional Psychotherapy for individuals and couples combines traditional counseling with creativity, intuition, spiritual philosophy, and energy work to support empowered living. SpiritPlay drama therapy is a powerful and fun-filled physical and emotional workout guaranteed to inspire laughter and relaxation. NY licensed Creative Arts Therapist.
Crystals and Gifts Crystals & Well-Being Center
Noni Island Herbals
Notions-N-Potions
Lake Katrine, NY (845) 810-0475 www.islandherbals.com
175 Main Street, Beacon, NY www.notions-n-potions.com
Pixie Dust
Body-Centered Therapy Irene Humbach, LCSW, PC — Body of Wisdom Counseling & Healing Services
18 Main Street, Chester, NY (845) 469-3940
Dentistry & Orthodontics
(845) 485-5933
Dr. Marlin Schwartz
By integrating traditional and alternative therapy/ healing approaches, including Body-Centered Psychotherapy, IMAGO Couples’ Counseling, and Kabbalistic Healing, I offer tools for self healing, to assist individuals and couples to open blocks to their softer heart energy. Ten-session psycho-spiritual group for women. Offices in Poughkeepsie and New Paltz.
223 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-2902 www.schwartzqualitydental.com dr.marlinschwartz@verizon.net
(845) 255-1200 www.drness.com
julieezweig@gmail.com
IONE is a psycho-spiritual counselor, qi healer and minister. She is director of the Ministry of Maåt, Inc. Specializing in dream phenomena and women’s issues, she facilitates Creative Circles and Women’s Mysteries Retreats throughout the world. Kingston and NYC offices. Appointments sign up at: www.instantscheduling.com/sch.php?kn=128796.
116 Sullivan Street, Wurtsboro, NY (845) 888-2547 crystalshealing.googlepages.com crystalswellbeing@gmail.com
Dr. David Ness
www.zweigtherapy.com
(845) 339-5776 www.ionedreams.org www.ministryofmaat.org
166 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY (845) 339-LASER (5273) www.medicalaestheticshv.com
Chiropractic
Imago Relationship Therapy
IONE — Healing Psyche
Dr. David Ness is a Certified Active Release Techniques (ART®) Provider and Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner specializing in helping athletes and active people quickly relieve their pain and heal their injuries. In addition to providing traditional chiropractic care, Dr. Ness utilizes ART® to remove scar tissue and adhesions in order to restore mobility, flexibility, and strength faster than standard treatments will allow. If you have an injury that has not responded to treatment, call Dr. Ness for an appointment today.
Quality dentistry provided with comfort and care. Cosmetic improvements, Reconstruction, Implants, Veneers, Crowns, Root Canal,Periodontics (non-surgical and surgical), Extractions, General Dentistry.
Holistic Orthodontics — Dr. Rhoney Stanley, DDS, MPH, Cert. Acup, RD 107 Fish Creek Road, Saugerties, NY (845) 246-2729 Dr. Rhoney uses expansion and gentle forces, not extraction, not heavy pressure, and offers early treatment for children to harness growth and development and enhance the natural beauty of the face. Dr. Rhoney considers the bones, teeth, face and smile, components of the whole—the functional matrix—and improves the bite with fixed braces, removable appliances, and Invisalign©, available for teenagers and adults. Insurance accepted. Payment plans available.
Healing Centers Woodstock Integrative Health 2565 Route 212, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-6210 www.woodstockintegrative.com
Holistic Health Fertile Heart Studio (845) 678-5469 www.fertileheart.com info@fertileheart.com
John M Carroll 715 Rte 28, Kingston, NY (845) 338-8420 www.johnmcarrollhealer.com John is a spiritual counselor, healer, and teacher. He uses guided imagery, morphology, and healing energy to help facilitate life changes. He has successfully helped his clients to heal themselves from a broad spectrum of conditions, spanning terminal cancer to depression. The Center also offers hypnosis, massage, and Raindrop Technique.
Hospitals Columbia Memorial Hospital 71 Prospect Avenue, Hudson, NY (516) 828-7601
(845) 331-3131 www.hahv.org
Northern Dutchess Hospital Rhinebeck, NY www.health-quest.org
Vassar Brothers Medical Center 45 Reade Place, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 454-8500 www.health-quest.org
Hypnosis Dr. Kristen Jemiolo Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 485-7168 mysite.verizon.net/resqf9p2 Dr. Jemiolo is board certified in Family Practice and certified by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. She has 25 years experience in patient care. She offers group sessions in meditation as well as individual treatment of stress-related illness. Sessions are designed to teach self-help tools based on mindfulness based stress reduction, guided imagery, Twelve Steps, Reiki, and Qigong. Her individual practice combines traditional medical practice with an integrative approach in an effort to decrease dependency on medication.
Kary Broffman, RN, CH Hyde Park, NY (845) 876-6753 A registered nurse with a BA in psychology since 1980, Kary is certified in Ericksonian Hypnosis, Complementary Medical Hypnotism, and hypnocoaching with the National Guild. She has also studied interactive imagery for nurses. By weaving her own healing journey and education into her work, she helps to assist others in accessing their inner resources and healing potential.
New Paltz, NY (845) 389-2302 Increase self-esteem and motivation; break bad habits; manage stress, stress-related illness, and anger; alleviate pain (e.g. childbirth, headaches, chronic pain); overcome fears and despondency; relieve insomnia; improve learning, memory, public speaking, and sports performance; enhance creativity. Other issues. Change Your Outlook. Gain Control. Make Healthier Choices. Certified Hypnotist, two years training; broad base in Psychology. Also located in Kingston, NY.
Integrated Kabbalistic Healing Irene Humbach, LCSW, PC (845) 485-5933 Integrated Kabbalistic Healing sessions in person and by phone. Six-session introductory class on Integrated Kabbalistic Healing based on the work of Jason Shulman. See also Body-Centered Therapy Directory.
Life & Career Coaching Jessica Thayer, LLC (800) 291-5576 www.jessicathayer.com
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!
Shirley Stone, MBA, Certified Empowerment Life Coach Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-2194 www.findingthecourage.com Shirley@findingthecourage.com
OUTLINES
Want to convert fear into courage, stress into power, depression into joy, worry into satisfaction? Consider empowerment life coaching. Get clarity on the life you want plus the tools and techniques to make your dreams a reality. Stop being a problem solver and become a vision creator.
Massage Therapy Bodhi Holistic Spa 323 Warren Street, Hudson, NY (518) 828-2233 www.bodhistudio.com
Conscious Body Pilates & Massage Therapy
Consultations by Gail Petronio Internationally Renowned Psychic Over 20 years Experience Sessions In-Person or By Phone
845.626.4895 212.714.8125
www.psychicallyspeaking.com gail@psychicallyspeaking.com
692 Old Post Road, Esopus, NY (845) 658-8400 www.consciousbodyonline.com ellen@consciousbodyonline.com Deep, sensitive and eclectic massage therapy with over 24 years of experience working with a wide variety of body types and physical/medical/emotional issues. Techniques include: deep tissue, Swedish, Craniosacral, energy balancing, and chi nei tsang (an ancient Chinese abdominal and organ chi massage).
Joan Apter (845) 679-0512 www.apteraromatherapy.com japter@ulster.net Luxurious massage therapy with medicinal grade Essential Oils; Raindrop Technique, Emotional Release, Facials, Stones. Animal care, health consultations, spa consultant, classes and keynotes. Offering full line of Young Living Essential oils, nutritional supplements, personal care, pet care, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and non-toxic cleaning products. For information, contact Joan Apter.
Mid-Hudson Rebirthing Center (845) 255-6482
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Health Alliance
Sharon Slotnick, MS, CHT
Holistic Orthodontics in a Magical Setting Fixed Braces Functional Appliances ∙ Invisalign Children and Adults Insurance Accepted ∙ Payment Plans Rhoney Stanley LicAcup, RD, DDS, MPH 107 Fish Creek Road | Saugerties, NY 12477 2 miles from NYS87 exit 20 0.5 miles from 212 845-246-2729 | 212-912-1212 (cell) rhoney.stanley@gmail.com
Tuesday Evenings New Paltz, New York
Facilitator: Amy Frisch, CSWR some insurances accepted space is limited
(845) 706-0229
whole living directory
for more information
A group designed especially for teenage girls focusing on issues of adolescence: relationships, school, dealing with parents, coping with teen stress, and more. Group sessions include expressive art activities - it’s not all talk!
C LASSICAL A CUPUNCTURE & C HINESE H ERBS
Meditation The Center 372 Fullerton Avenue, Newburgh, NY deborah@beingknowingdoing.com
Zen Mountain Monastery 871 Plank Road, Mount Tremper, NY (845) 688-2228 www.mro.org registrar@mro.org
Midwifery Jennifer Houston, Midwife (518) 678-3154 www.midwifejennahouston.com womanway@aol.com
Osteopathy Stone Ridge Healing Arts Joseph Tieri, DO, & Ari Rosen, DO, 3457 Main Street, Stone Ridge; 138 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 687-7589 www.stoneridgehealingarts.com Drs. Tieri and Rosen are New York State Licensed Osteopathic Physicians specializing in Cranial Osteopathy. As specialists in Osteopathic manipulation, we are dedicated to the traditional philosophy and hands-on treatment of our predecessors. We treat newborns, children, and adults. By Appointment. Offices in Rhinebeck and Stone Ridge.
Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 380-0023 Licensed psychologist. Doctorate in clinical psychology, post-doctoral training focused on adolescents and young adults, post-doctoral candidate for certification in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Offering psychotherapeutic work for adults and adolescents. Additional opportunities available for intensive psychoanalytic treatment at substantial fee reduction. Located across from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie.
Psychotherapy Amy R. Frisch, CSWR New Paltz, NY (845) 706-0229
Debra Budnik, CSW-R New Paltz, NY (845) 255-4218
120 Main Street, Gardiner, NY (845) 518-1070 www.roycapellaro.com
Woodstock Physical Therapy
Dianne Weisselberg, MSW, LMSW
2568 Route 212, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-9767 www.woodstockphysicaltherapy.com
(845) 688-7205 dweisselberg@hvc.rr.com
Physical Therapy Roy Capellaro, PT
Physicians 117 Mary’s Avenue, Kingston, NY (845) 338-8680 www.breastcarespecialist.net
Individual Therapy, Grief Work and Personal Mythology. Stuck? Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Depressed? THERE IS ANOTHER WAY! Dianne Weisselberg has over 16 years experience in the field of Counseling and over 8 years of training in Depth Psychology. Sliding Scale fees.
Irene Humbach, LCSW, PC (845) 485-5933
m.s.,l.aC.
Pilates
Kingston (845) 853-7353
Conscious Body Pilates
D Y L A N A @ M I N D S P R I N G . COM
692 Old Post Road, Esopus, NY (845) 658-8400 www.consciousbodyonline.com ellen@consciousbodyonline.com
High Ridge Traditional Healing Arts Treatment of Allergies, Asthma, and Sinusitis
針灸 中藥 推拿 氣功 食療 five healing paths
Husband and Wife team Ellen and Tim Ronis McCallum are dedicated to helping you achieve and maintain a strong healthy body, a dynamic mind, and a vibrant spirit, whatever your age or level of fitness. Private and semi private apparatus sessions available.
Psychics Psychically Speaking
Carolyn Rabiner, L. Ac. Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine 87 East Market St. Suite 102 Red Hook, NY 845-758-2424 www.highridgeacupuncture.com 84 whole living directory ChronograM 10/09
Emily L. Fucheck, Psy.D.
Traditional insight-oriented psychotherapy for long- or short-term work. Aimed at identifying and changing self-defeating attitudes and behaviors, underlying anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. Sliding scale, most insurances accepted including Medicare/ Medicaid. NYS-licensed. Experience working with trauma victims, including physical and sexual abuse. Educator on mental health topics. Located in New Paltz, one mile from SUNY.
Breast Care Specialist
dylana accolla
Training and Supervising Analyst, William Alanson White Institute. Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. Poughkeepsie and Manhattan Offices. Specializing in intensive long- and short-term work with problems of anxiety, depression, relationships, career, illness, gay, straight, lesbian and transgender issues. Consultation by appointment.
(845) 626-4895 or (212) 714-8125 www.psychicallyspeaking.com gail@psychicallyspeaking.com
Psychologists Anton H. Hart, PhD 39 Collegeview Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 454-2477; (212) 595-3704 antonhartphd@alum.vassar.edu
Body of Wisdom Counseling and Healing Services. See also Body-Centered Therapy directory.
Jamie O'Neil, LCSW-R 30 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845)876-7600, 35 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY (at train station) (845)483-7600, NY www.therapists.psychologytoday.com/47545 Regain a sense of meaning, connections, and personal control in your life. Offering a variety of approaches, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy and EMDR. Treating anxiety, trauma, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, relationship issues, advanced recovery, ACOA, eating disorders. Individuals and couples; specializing in work with college students.
Janne Dooley, Brigid’s Well New Paltz, NY (347) 834-5081 www.Brigidswell.com Facebook Group: Brigid’s Well JanneDooley@gmail.com Free monthly newsletter. Brigid’s Well is a psychotherapy and coaching practice helping people grow individually and in
community. Janne specializes in healing trauma, relationship issues, recovery, codependency, inner child work, EMDR, and Brainspotting. Janne also coaches parents and people in life transitions. Groups forming: Mindful Parenting and Psychospiritual group, combining guided imagery and teachings from the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Radical Acceptanceâ&#x20AC;? by Tara Brach.
Judy Swallow, MA, LCAT, TEP 25 Harrington Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-5613
Julie Zweig, MA, Certified Rosen Method Bodywork Practitioner, Imago Relationship Therapist and NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor New Paltz, NY (845) 255-3566 www.zweigtherapy.com
K. Melissa Waterman, LCSW-R 35 Main St. Suite #333, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 464-8910 www.therapist.psychologytoday.com/52566 melissa@dragonfly88.net My goal is to encourage and guide you to find and live from your own place of joy. I have experience helping with depression, anxiety, trauma resolution, negative thinking, work, relationship problems, and spirituality issues. Certified EMDR practitioner, Sliding scale available. Groups offered.
Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa 220 North Road, Milton, NY (877) 7-INN-SPA (845) 795-1310 www.buttermilkfallsinn.com; www.buttermilkspa.com
Marlene Weber Day Spa 751 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 454-5852 www.marleneweber.com
Retreat Centers Garrison Institute Rt. 9D, Garrison, NY (845) 424-4800 www.garrisoninstitute.org Retreats supporting positive personal and social change, in a monastery overlooking the Hudson River â&#x20AC;˘ Coming in 2010: David Frenette, Gelek Rimpoche, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) Summer Retreat for Teachers, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Contemplative Outreach, Sharon Salzberg and Sylvia Boorstein, and much more.
Spiritual Flowing Spirit Healing 33 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY (845) 679-8989 www.flowingspirit.com Jwalzer@flowingspirit.com
Laura Coffey, MFA, LMSW
Family Therapist specializing in Narrative Therapy. Practice includes eclectic interventions tailored to suit individual clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. Healing conversations for the entire family, gerentological services for the elderly and support for caretakers. Grief counseling, motivational interviewing for substance abuse, couples work, LGBT issues, PTSD and childhood trauma, depression, anxiety and performance anxiety. Fee: $25 a clinical hour.
Awakenings 215 Katonah Avenue, Katonah, NY (914) 232-0382 www.awakeningskatonah.com
Tarot-on-the-Hudson â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rachel Pollack Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-5797 rachel@rachelpollack.com
Yoga
Meg F. Schneider, MA, LCSW Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-8808 www.megfschneiderlcsw.com I work with adolescents and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, eating disordered behaviors, loneliness and life transitions. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve helped teens and adults with substance abuse and trauma connected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. My approach is psychodynamic, linking the painful past with current and cognitive problems which reframes negative beliefs allowing for positive outcomes. I also practice EMDR, a technique for relieving distress by exploring critical memories.
Residential Care Mountain Valley Manor Adult Home 397 Wilbur Avenue, Kingston, NY (845) 331-1254 www.mountainvalleymanor.com
Resorts & Spas Body of Truth 85 Kyserike Road, Stone Ridge, NY (845) 687-7721 www.bodyoftruth.com
IRENE HUMBACH, LCSW, PC Offices in New Paltz & Poughkeepsie (845) 485-5933
Jai Ma Yoga Center 69 Main Street, Suite 20, New Paltz, NY (845) 256-0465 www.jmyoga.com Established in 1999, Jai Ma Yoga Center offers a wide array of Yoga classes, seven days a week. Classes are in the lineages of Anusara, Iyengar, and Sivananda, with certified and experienced instructors. Private consultations and Therapeutics available. Owners Gina Bassinette and Ami Hirschstein have been teaching locally since 1995.
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health Lenox, MA (800) 741-7353 www.kripalu.org
Judy Swallow MA, LCAT, TEP
14:$)05)&3"1*45 t $0/46-5"/5
Rubenfeld SynergyÂŽ Psychodrama Training
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25 Harrington St, New Paltz NY 12561 (845) 255-5613
Lynn Walcutt, LMSW Clairvoyant
The Living Seed 521 Main Street, New Paltz, NY (845) 255-8212 www.thelivingseed.com Open to the community for over 5 years. Inspiring movements of inner freedom and awareness. We offer Yoga classes for all levels of students, gentle/beginner to advanced. Including pre- and post-natal Yoga, family and kids yoga, as well as a variety of dance classes, massage, sauna, and organic Yoga clothing. Route 299, across from Econo Lodge.
Readings, Classes, Animal Communication By Phone & In Person by appointment
845.384.6787
12/09 ChronograM whole living directory 85
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the forecast
event listings for december 2009
Julie Shuster, Roswell, New Mexico, Christopher Churchill, silver-gelatin print, 2007
Articles of Faith “Faith” is the title of a current exhibition at Fovea Exhibitions in Beacon curated by Michael Itkoff, and it is worth recalling the breadth of meanings associated with the title of this show. Webster’s defines faith as: 1a: allegiance to duty or a person: loyalty b (1): fidelity to one’s promises (2): sincerity of intentions 2a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust 3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially: a system of religious beliefs <the Protestant faith> This exhibition of lush black and white photographs shot with an 8” x 10” field camera by Boston-based photographer Christopher Churchill documents his wanderings across the United States. There is already a kind of faith implied in the very proposition that, leaving home, camera in hand, one will find images worthy of “art”—itself a system of belief in beauty, significance, and value. In producing this work, he traveled throughout the country without any specific route, relying upon unrelated events to guide him to different destinations and encounters. Churchill says, “During these trips, randomly driving around the country, events occurred all the time that made me feel a part of something larger. As I began to release control and trust in these seemingly random occurrences amazing things would happen. I began to accept these sequences of events as a manifestation of my own faith and deeper understanding of my place in the world.” The subjects themselves include the overtly religious, such as an image from 2009, Bellevue Baptist Church, taken in Cordova, Tennessee. It depicts three illuminated crosses that seem to hover over a roadway. Shot from the median, the “no man’s
land” between two strips of road, the incandescent light of the crosses competes with that of the streetlights that frame them. Visitors at the Grand Canyon East Entrance of 2007, shot in Arizona, is an image of the contemporary sublime. It speaks of America’s historical association of the vastness of this land with religious feeling. Of course, these are tourists we see perched at the edge of the abyss, enjoying the view from a safe distance (a distance that Immanuel Kant insisted was necessary for the appreciation of the sublime—that terrifying side of nature that threatens to overwhelm us). The work recalls the pictorial conventions of 19th century landscape painting, pitting the smallness of man against the vastness of nature though a dramatic shift in scale. Churchill also explores portraiture, photographing a wide range of subjects, including a soldier in New Mexico, two Huddite girls in Gildford, Montana, a couple of voodoo priestesses in New Orleans, and an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas. There is a timelessness to these images and Churchill’s choice of subjects reflects a desire to find what might be called the “eternal” within American vernacular culture. Churchill’s take on “faith” is sophisticated. The show is about how the idea of faith makes itself felt though images, which is to say that there is enough critical distance between the artist and his subjects to allow for open interpretations on the part of the viewer. Perhaps the ‘firm belief in something for which there is no proof’ is the most appropriate definition of faith in relation to this work. What that ‘something’ is, is, thankfully, left unanswered. "Faith" will be on display through January 19 at Fovea Exhibitions in Beacon. (845) 765-2199; www.foveaexhibitions.org. —Jeff Crane 12/09 ChronograM forecast 87
TUESDAY 1 Art Saugerties Art Lab Art Drop-In Call for times. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. www.saugertiesartlab.com. Crafts and Camaraderie 6:30pm-8:30pm. Open crafting time, carry in and carry out. Athens Cultural Center, Athens. (518) 945-2136. Fiber Arts Group 6:30pm-8pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
Body / Mind / Spirit Tai Chi 5:30pm-7:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Spirit Readings with Psychic Medium Adam Bernstein 12pm-6pm. $75/$40. Mirabai Books, Woodstock. 679-2100. Tai Chi for Seniors 2pm-3pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Raja Yoga Meditation 6pm-7:30pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. High Frequency Channeling 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
Classes Abstraction, Composition, Color 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 1pm-3pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Drawing and Painting the Figure 1pm-4pm. Judith Reeve. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Events Go Club 4pm-7pm. Japanese culture club. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811. Sinterklaas Artisan Faire 6pm-9pm. Rhinebeck Town Hall, Rhinebeck. www.SinterklaasRhinebeck.com.
Kids Stellaluna 10:15am. Kids’ theater. $5. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845.
Music Student Music Recital 3pm. Quimby Theater, SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 687-5263. Open Mike Hosted by Chrissy Budzinski 7pm-9pm. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Blues and Dance Party with Big Joe Fitz 7pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Community Music Night 8pm-9:45pm. Six local singer-songwriters. Rosendale Cafe, Rosendale. 658-9048. Symphonic Band 8pm. $6. McKenna Theater, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz. 257-7869.
Spoken Word Dyslexia Informational Meeting Call for times. For parents and teachers of dyslexic students. Call for location. 514-0194.
Workshops Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
WEDNESDAY 2 Body / Mind / Spirit Shiva-Sutra/Creative Spirit Group Call for times. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143. Beginner Pilates Mat Workout 6:30pm-7:30pm. SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 339-2025. Full Moon Gathering and Drum & Dance 6:30pm-12am. $10. CoSM Art Sanctuary, Wappingers Falls. 632-8330.
Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Hand Building with Clay with Gita Nadas 10am-12pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Basic Pai nting 1pm-4pm. Karen O'Neil. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Figurative Clay Sculpture with Tricia Kline 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Basic Painting with Karen O'Neil 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Life Drawing Class with Steve Sax 6pm-9pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Adult Hebrew Class Call for time. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
Events African Drum 6pm-7pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
88 forecast ChronograM 12/09
Music Neil Alexander and Mechanisim 8pm. Electronica, experimental. The Wherehouse Restaurant, Newburgh. 561-7240. Roundabout Ramblers And Magic Hat Beer Night 8pm. Folk, traditional. Babycakes Cafe, Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. Keith Pray's Big Soul Ensemble 9pm. Tess' Lark Tavern, Albany. (518) 463-9779.
10th Annual 5x7 Show Opening 5-7pm. 200 original works of art. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 679-2079.
Body / Mind / Spirit
Mohonk Preserve Bob Babb Wednesday Walk: Wallkill Valley Rail Trail South 9:30am-1:30pm. 4-mile hike. Call for location. 255-0919.
Inner Peace: Inner Power Call for times. Learn Raja Yoga. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. Woman of the Duat Retreat Call for times. Lifebridge Sancturary, Rosendale. 338-6418. Shabbat Learning Service 7:30pm. For people to whom the service is new and as a refresher for people who attend regularly. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
Workshops
Classes
The Outdoors
Unleashing Your Comedy Power Stuff 6:30pm-8pm. With Myrna Hilton. Town of Esopus Public Library, Port Ewen. 338-5580. A Needle Felting Workshop 7pm-9pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
THURSDAY 3 Art Late Night at the Lehman Loeb 5pm-9pm. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Poughkeepsie. 437-7745. Valerie Shaff Opening 6pm-9pm. Photographs. Carrie Haddad Photographs, Hudson. (518) 828-7655. Dina Bursztyn "Wanderlust" Opening 7-9pm. Recent work. Kaaterskill Fine Arts, Hunter. (518) 263-2060.
Body / Mind / Spirit Aromatherapy 101 6pm-9pm. $42. Business Resource Center, Kingston. 339-2025. The Healing Power of Meditation 7pm-9pm. $8/class. Howland Cultural Center, Beacon. 831-4988.
Classes Rendering in Black and White with Vince Natale 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing, Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Beginning and Intermediate Guitar 3:30pm-4:30pm. 6 sessions. $100/$90. ASK Arts Center, Kingston. 338-0331. Pastel Studio with Shawn Dell Joyce 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 sessions. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Events Mahjan Club 4pm-7pm. Japanese culture club. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811.
Film Calle 54 7pm. Documentary, concert film. Middletown Thrall Library, Middletown. 341-5454.
Music Acoustic Thursdays with Kurt Henry 6pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. The Art of the Song Recital 7pm. McKenna Theater, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz. 257-2700. Joey Eppard 7pm. Keegan Ales, Kingston. 331-2739. Jazz Jam 9pm. Marvin "Bugalu" Smith and his drum band. $6. Market Market Cafe, Rosendale. 658-3164. David Kraai & The Saddle Tramps 11pm. Classic rock. Oasis Cafe, New Paltz. 255-2400.
The Outdoors Olana on the Move Backpacks 12pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. (518) 828-0135.
Spoken Word Conversations in French 11:30am-12:30pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444. Improvisation and Writing 7pm. Denny Dillon and Mary Louise Wilson in conversation. Vanderlyn Hall, SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 687-5262.
Theater Rent 8pm. Martel Theater, Poughkeepsie. 437-5902.
Workshops Choral Singing Workshop 3:30pm-4:30pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438. Holiday Cookie Class 7pm-8pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444. Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
FRIDAY 4 Art Deborah Goldman "Cermaics" Opening 5-7pm. Unison Gallery at Water Street Market, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Printmaking 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Portrait and Figure Painting 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Theater Music Theatre Singing Ensemble 7pm. SUNY New Paltz, McKenna Theater, New Paltz. 257-7869. A Christmas Carol 8pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Dragonfly Performing Arts Center, Cairo. (518) 731-3340. Community Playback Theatre 8pm. Improvisations of audience stories. $8. Boughton Place, Highland. 691-4118. Rent 8pm. Martel Theater, Poughkeepsie. 437-5902.
Workshops Green 2010 9am-4:30pm. Education and workforce development for the 21st century. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook. 677-5343. Euro Dance for Seniors 1:30pm-2:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Dance A Christmas Carol 8pm. Ulster Ballet Company. $19/$15 seniors and students. Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston. 339-6088.
Events Holiday House Tours 11am-3pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. (518) 828-0135. Community Stitchers: Cool Ties 12:30pm-3pm. Making special ties for service men and women. East Fishkill Community Library, Hopewell Junction. 226-2145. Christkindl-Markt 3pm-7pm. German-them Christmas market. Kingston Maennerchor & Damenchor. 338-3763. Holiday Open House 5pm-9pm. Music, puppet making and other kids activities, plus refreshments in the galleries. Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Woodstock. 679-2940. Celebration of Lights Parade and Fireworks 6:30pm. Main Street, Poughkeepsie. 473-2072.
Film Mary Poppins 8pm. Blimey guvnuh! The Bardavon, Poughkeepsie. 473-2072.
Music Rock the Resort Call for times. Featuring Lettuce, Melvin Seals & Jerry Garcia Band, and Tyrone Wells. $49-$129. Hudson Valley Resort, Kerhonkson. 626-8888. Bar Scott 7pm. Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Woodstock. 679-2940. Empire Brass Holiday Spectacularm 7pm. Song and dance with special guests Cantilena Chamber Choir and Stars of the Albany Berkshire Ballet. $15-$50. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. Open Mike Night 7pm. Christian. Cornerstone Cafe, Newburgh. Shane Murphy 7pm-9pm. Acoustic folk. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, Saugerties. 246-5155. Apostrophe 7:30pm. With Michael Nardone, George Seitz and Teddy Ogden. $5. BeanRunner Café, Peekskill. (914) 737-1701. Choral Concert 7:30pm. Quimby Theater, SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 687-5263. Phoenicia Phirst Phriday 7:30pm. Nick Martin, Kyle Esposito, and The Erin Hobson Compact. $3. Arts Upstairs, Phoenicia. 688-2142. The Roundabout Ramblers 8pm. Folk. Babycakes Cafe, Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. "3" & Weerd Science 9pm. Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 679-4406. Phelonious Funk 9pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Vassar College Jazz Ensemble 9pm. Skinner Hall, Poughkeepsie. 437-7294. Tom Pacheco with Jim Weider 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. The Woodcocks 9:30pm. Americana. $3. Barking Frog, Beacon. 831-1337. Big Kahuna 10pm. Dance. Cafe International, Newburgh. 567-9429.
The Outdoors Youth Group Weekend Call for times. Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville. 985-2291 ext. 205.
Spoken Word Helen Weaver 5:30pm. Author of The Awakener: A Memoir of Jack Kerouac. The Golden Notebook, Woodstock. 679-8000. Roger Roloff 7pm. Poetry reading form his new book Illuminations. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, New Paltz. 255-8300. Jim Breuer 8pm. Comedy. $37.50. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845.
SATURDAY 5 Art Sketch Class 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Natural Wreath Decorating 2pm-4pm. Columbia Land Conservancy, Chatham. (518) 392-5252 ext. 214. Wings Gallery Grand Opening 5pm. With artist reception. Wings Gallery, Rosendale. www.wingsart.org. Poetics of Pattern Opening 5-7pm. Work by Paula Roland. R&F Handmade Paints, Kingston. 331-3112. 100 Halos Group Show Opening 5-7pm. Kingston Museum of Contemporary Art, Kingston. www.kmoca.org. 10th Annual 5x7 Show Opening 5-7pm. 200 original works of art. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 679-2079. Little Gems Opening 5pm-8pm. Holiday exhibit of small works. ASK Arts Center, Kingston. 338-0331. Haute Craft Group Show Opening 5-8pm. Posie Kiviat Gallery, Hudson. (917) 456-7496. Christmas Spectacular/Holiday Boutique Opening 5-8pm. Duck Pond Gallery, Port Ewen. 338-5580. Peter Sinclair "Drawing on the Past" Opening 7pm. Exhibit of line drawings. Friends of Historic Kingston Museum, Kingston. 339-0720.
Body / Mind / Spirit Medical Intuitive Call for times. Understand how Medical Intuitives work. $20. Crystals & Well-Being Center, Wurtsboro. 888-2547. Hudson Valley Community Reiki Free Sessions 11am-1pm. Community Center, New Paltz. 616-1219. Introductory Orientation Workshop 11:30am-1:30pm. $15. The Yoga Way, Wappingers Falls. 227-3223. Therapeutic Back Strengthening Workshop 2pm-4:30pm. $35. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700. Healing with the Sound of Crystal 4pm-5pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700.
Classes Hunting the Poem/The Moderns Call for times. Part of College of Poetry. $150. Baby Grand Bookstore, Warwick. 986-6165. Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Beginning Drawing with Shawn Dell Joyce 1pm-3pm. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Dance Family African Dance 11am-12pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Ulster Ballet Company. $19/$15 seniors and students. Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston. 339-6088. Freestyle Frolic 8:30pm-1am. All-volunteer community dance. $5/$2 teens and seniors/volunteers and children free. Knights of Columbus, Kingston. 658-8319.
Events Shandaken Gift & Artist Studio Tour During business hours. Businesses and artists in Shandaken offer gifts and art for sale. Shandaken. www.ShandakenArt.com. Bells on Broadway 10am-4pm. Arts & crafts show and children's holiday festival. Ritz Theater, Newburgh. www.safe-harbors.org. Decorating the Tree: A Handmade History 10am-4pm. James Vanderpoel House, Kinderhook. (518) 758-9265. Monastery Christmas Craft Fair 10am-5pm. Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery, Millbrook. www.ourladyoftheresurrectionmonastery.webs.com.
art HUDSON TO CHINA
stefan hagen the set of concrete temple theater's "hudson to china," which will premiere this month at the hudson opera house.
No Boat to China “If there is anything I want to do before I die, it is to go to China” —Richard Nixon The big Quadricentennial year is almost over—the four hundredth anniversary of Henry Hudson sailing up the river that bears his name. It also commemorates a nonevent that was not spotlighted much this year, the simple fact that Hudson sailed upriver because he was trying to find a western route to Asia. Present-day New York was just a corridor to Hudson, albeit a dead-end. Last year, the Hudson Opera House commissioned New York City-based Concrete Temple Theater to create a show based on the life of the explorer to coincide with the Quadricentennial and the grand reopening of the refurbished opera house. (The reopening has been postponed, but the show goes on!) According to co-artisitic director Renee Philippi, the company was in a quandry as to how to approach the life of Hudson, given that so few details are known about him, and those facts that are known have already been exhaustively mined. "We were having a hard time getting excited about Henry Hudson," admits Philippi. Concrete Temple, which uses a multidisciplinary approach to theater, combining projections, puppetry, and live music with live-action theater, came up with a characteristically inventive narrative solution: Tell the story of Henry Hudson as one of
three charaters seking a way to get to China, either physically or metaphorically. In doing so, "Hudson to China" links modern concerns about China—namely, commerce—with Hudson's own obsession with finding a trade route. Philippi describes Concrete Temple's creative process as rooted in the European theatrical tradition. "We're interested in myths, in the relationship between the individual and society; our work tends to operate along bigger themes," says Philippi. The company's previous shows bear this out: "Bird Machine" examines the power of flight; "Achtung Grimm!" recreates the fairy tales in a musical theater context; and "The Whale" is a one-man take on Moby Dick. Concrete Temple's shows are crafted with all-ages audiences in mind; they're engineered to inspire wonder. "The image is often stronger than the spoken word," says Philippi. "We invest a lot of time making sure that the stories we tell are as strong imagistically as they are verbally. Our work has to be on stage. A lot of American theater is almost like television on stage." "Hudson to China" will be performed by Concrete Temple Theater at the Hudson Opera House on Friday, December 11 at 8pm, and Saturday, December 12 at 2pm and 8pm. (518) 822-1438; www.hudsonoperahouse.org. —Brian K. Mahoney 12/09 ChronograM forecast 89
Unison's 19th Annual Holiday Fine Arts & Crafts Fair 10am-5pm. $3. New Paltz Middle School. 255-2559. Cold Spring by Candlelight 12pm-6pm. Holiday festival and house tours. $30/$25 seniors/$15 children/$5 off in advance. Call for location. (845) 278-2787. Model Railroad Show 12-5pm. Kingston Model Railroad Club, Kingston. 334-8233. Christkindl-Markt 12pm-6pm. German-theme Christmas market. Kingston Maennerchor & Damenchor. 338-3763. Santa's Run 1pm-4pm. Part of Holiday on the Rondout. Trolley Museum, Kingston. 331-3399. The Merry Minstrels and Olana's Annual Holiday Bonfire 2pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. (518) 828-0135. Jeffrey Milstein Open Studio Party 5pm-7pm. Photographer hosts reception and sale. Studio 331, Kingston. www.jeffreymilstein.com. 13th Annual Winter Walk on Warren Street 5pm-8pm. Horse-drawn carriage rides, musicians, performers, Santa Claus, more. Hudson. (518) 822-1438.
Kids A Christmas Carol 10:30am. The Puppet People. Kingston Library, Kingston. 331-0507. Little Red/Life in the Hood 11am. $6-$9. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Sing Out! Reach Out! 1pm-3pm. Ages 5-13. $15/$150 series. The Institute for Music and Health, Verbank. 677-5871. Christmas Sing-Along 2pm. Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath. Barnes & Noble, Kingston. 336-0590. Gustafer Yellowgold 3pm. Musical moving storybook concert. Art Society of Kingston, Kingston. 338-0331. Children's Starlight Parade & Pageant 5:30pm. Downtown Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck. www.SinterklaasRhinebeck.com.
Music Rock the Resort Call for times. Featuring Lettuce, Melvin Seals & Jerry Garcia Band, and Tyrone Wells . $49-$129. Hudson Valley Resort, Kerhonkson. 626-8888. Patty Keough 1pm. Acoustic. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Peter Yarrow: Book Signing and Concert 2pm. Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck. 876-0500. Tuba Christmas 3pm. SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 687-5263. Soldier’s Tale: Holiday Concert 6pm. $35/$10 students. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. Reggae Jam Boogie: Benefit for Upstate Reggae 7pm. Big Takeover, DJ Fine Skill, more. Alchemy, Woodstock. 684-5068. Chrissy Budzinski 7pm-9pm. Acoustic folk. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, Saugerties. 246-5155. Barbara Dempsey & Company 7pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. The People's Open Mike 7:30pm. Peint o Gwrw Tavern, Chatham. (518) 392-2943. Open Mike 7:30pm. $5. Studio Two, Peekskill. (914) 930-7588. Premik & Friends 7:30pm. $10. BeanRunner Café, Peekskill. (914) 737-1701. Celebration of Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday 7:30pm. Fundraiser for the sloop Woody Guthrie. $20. Howland Cultural Center, Beacon. 831-4988. Vassar College Orchestra 8pm. Skinner Hall, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie. 437-7294. Scott Blum 8pm. Acoustic. Babycakes Cafe, Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. The Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band 8pm. $30. Pavilion Theatre at Lycian Center, Sugar Loaf. 469-2287. The Subdudes 8pm. Blend of blues, folk, R&B, country, Cajun, funk, gospel, and rock n' roll,. $28. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. The Woodstock Phil Ochs Fest 8pm. The Flames of Discontent, Graham and Barbara Dean, Greg Englesson aka Mr E, The Raggedy Crew. The Colony Cafe, Woodstock. 679-5342. Josh Ritter 8pm. Combination of folk, country and pop. $34/$29/$24/$20. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. (518) 273-0038. Dorraine Scofield and Thunder Ridge 9pm. Country. Hickory BBQ Smokehouse, Kingston. 338-2424. The Clancy Tradition 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. Push: The Band 9pm. PJ Kelly's, Peekskill. (914) 734-2100. Vixen Dogs Band 10pm. Rock. Pawling Tavern, Pawling. 855-9141.
The Outdoors James Baird State Park Hike 10am. 3-4 miles. Call for location. 452-9086.
90 forecast ChronograM 12/09
Mohonk Preserve Singles and Sociables Hike: Beacon Hill 10am-4pm. 8-mile hike. Meet at the West Trapps Trailhead, New Paltz. 255-0919.
Spoken Word Poetry on the Loose 4pm. Featuring Voices from Here group reading. Baby Grand Bookstore, Warwick. 986-6165.
Theater Symphony Space's Selected Shorts 3pm. Tales of Amazement: Surprising Stories from the World of Yiddish Literature with actors John Shea and Isaiah Sheffer. $25-$45. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Dragonfly Performing Arts Center, Cairo. (518) 731-3340. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 8pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Rent 8pm. Martel Theater, Poughkeepsie. 437-5902.
Workshops Getting Started with Perennials 10am-1pm. $47/$42 members. Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson. 758-7216. Decorating the Tree: A Handmade History 10am. James Vanderpoel House, Kinderhook. (518) 758-9265. Sustainability Series: Sustainable Landscaping 1:30pm-3pm. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919.
SUNDAY 6 Art New Works by Kris Jaroka and Monica Ostrow 12pm-4pm. Live jazz and refreshments. Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Newburgh. 569-4997. The Hudson River to Niagara Falls: 19th-century American Landscape Paintings from the New-York Historical Society Gallery Tour 2pm. Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, New Paltz. 257-3858. Doris Renza's "Elecrtric Illusions" Opening 2pm-5pm. Mixed media and mirrored wall hangings. Flat Iron Gallery, Peekskill. (914) 734-1894. Gillian Jagger Barn/Studio Visit 2:30pm. Part of the “Kindred Spirits” exhibit. Drawing Room Gallery, Stone Ridge. 687-0888.
Body / Mind / Spirit Subtle Vinyasa Yoga and Meditation 9:30am-11:15am. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143. Guided Meditation/Transformation 11am-12:30pm. $10. Crystals & Well-Being Center, Wurtsboro. 888-2547. Intro to Plant Spirit Medicine 1pm-4pm. Hands of Serenity, Fishkill. 424-6049. $35. Meditation & Mandalas 2pm-4pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. Hypnosis: Ancient Shamanic and Contemporary Perspectives 3pm-5pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700.
Classes Guitar Lessons with Joey Eppard Call for times. $70/$35. Woodstock, Woodstock. 679-8616. Intro to Plant Spirit Medicine 1pm-5pm. $35. Hands of Serenity, Fishkill. 896-1915.
Dance A Christmas Carol 2pm. Ulster Ballet Company. $19/$15 seniors and students. Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston. 339-6088.
Kids
Film
Spiral Up Kids Children's Concert 11am. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. An Interactive Reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” 1pm. James Vanderpoel House, Kinderhook. (518) 758-9265. The Sippy Cups 3pm. $12. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845.
3 Stooges Film Festival 7pm. Palace Theater, Albany. (518) 465-3334.
Music Rock the Resort Call for times. Featuring Lettuce, Melvin Seals & Jerry Garcia Band, and Tyrone Wells . $49-$129. Hudson Valley Resort, Kerhonkson. 626-8888. Catskill Community Orchestra 2pm. $7/$5 seniors and students. Columbia-Greene Community College, Hudson. (518) 828-4181 ext 5513. Winds in the Wilderness 2pm. Trio concert. $10/children free. Church of St. John, Copake Falls. (518) 329-1577. Conservatory Orchestra 3pm. $20/$15/$5. Fisher Center, Annandale-onHudson. 758-7900. Collegium Musicum 3pm. $6. SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz. 257-2700. Evergreen Chorus, Sweet Adelines International 3pm. $15/$12. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Poughkeepsie. 485-1844. Guitar Stars 3pm. Featuring George Krzyzewski and Joe Krzyzewski. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. Strawberry Hill Fiddlers 3pm. $12/$10 seniors. Saugerties United Methodist Church, Saugerties. 246-7802. Jesse Lege and Bayou Brew 3pm. $25. Ritz Theater, Newburgh. 562-6940 ext. 107. A Renaissance Christmas 4pm. Choral and instrumental music of the late 15th and 16th centuries. $30/$10. St. Mary in the Highlands Episcopal Church, Cold Spring. 297-9243. On Wings of Love 2009 Benefit Concert 6pm. St. John's Episcopal Church, Kingston. 331-2252. Shane Murphy 7pm. Singe/songwriter. The Celtic House, Fishkill. 896-1110. Christmas Party 7pm. Featuring Mark Raisch with the Frank Spies Trio. Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz. 255-1000. Over the Rhine, Vienna Teng & Alex Wong 7:30pm. $28. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845.
The Outdoors Mohonk Preserve Singles and Sociables Hike: Spring Farm 10am-4pm. 7-mile hike. Meet at Spring Farm Trailhead, New Paltz. 255-0919. Animal Tracking Adventure 1:30pm-4pm. Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, Saugerties. 247-0664.
Music Sammy Brown 7pm. Singer-songwriter performs every Monday night. Free. Club Helsinki, Great Barrington, MA. Celtic Session 7:30pm. Traditional Irish music. New World Home Cooking, Saugerties. 246-0900.
TUESDAY 8 Art Saugerties Art Lab Art Drop-In Call for times. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. www.saugertiesartlab.com. Crafts and Camaraderie 6:30pm-8:30pm. Open crafting time, carry in and carry out. Athens Cultural Center, Athens. (518) 945-2136.
Body / Mind / Spirit Tai Chi for Seniors 2pm-3pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Raja Yoga Meditation 6pm-7:30pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. High Frequency Channeling 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. Veggie Resource Group 7pm. Anything you ever wanted to know about going to a more plant based food plan. Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society, Rhinebeck. 876-2626.
Classes Abstraction, Composition, Color 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 1pm-3pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Drawing and Painting the Figure 1pm-4pm. Judith Reeve. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Superhero Drawing Class for Kids and Teens Ages 10 and Up 3:30pm-5pm. 4 sessions. $72/$60 members. Shirt Factory, Kingston. 338-0331.
Events Go Club 4pm-7pm. Japanese culture club. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811.
Music
Michael Perkins & Will Nixon 4pm. Book party for Walking Woodstock: Journeys into the Wild Heart of America's Most Famous Small Town. Kleinert/James Arts Center, Woodstock. 679-2079.
The True Tones 12pm. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. (518) 273-0038. Open Mike Night 7pm. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, Saugerties. 246-5155. Eddie Fingerhut 8pm. Acoustic. Rosendale Cafe, Rosendale. 658-9048. Choral Ensembles II: Great Opera Choruses 8pm. $6/$5/$3. SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz. 257-7869.
Theater
Spoken Word
A Christmas Carol 2pm. The Puppet People. $10/$5 children. Old Songs, Inc., Voorheesville. (518) 356-3197. A Christmas Carol 2pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 2pm. Dragonfly Performing Arts Center, Cairo. (518) 731-3340. A Christmas Carol 3pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080.
Dyslexia Informational Meeting Call for times. For parents and teachers of dyslexic students. Call for location. 514-0194. Tuesday Afternoon: An Adult Reading Group with Marie King 4pm-5pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
Spoken Word
Workshops Life Drawing 10am-1pm. $10. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438.
MONDAY 7
Events
Art
Shandaken Gift & Artist Studio Tour During business hours. Businesses and artists in Shandaken offer gifts and art for sale. Shandaken. www.ShandakenArt.com. Unison's 19th Annual Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Fair 10am-5pm. $3. New Paltz Middle School, New Paltz. 255-2559. Monastery Christmas Craft Fair 10am-5pm. Arts and crafts, food, more. Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery, Millbrook. www.ourladyoftheresurrectionmonastery.webs.com. Model Railroad Show 12-5pm. Kingston Model Railroad Club, Kingston. 334-8233. Holiday Whodunit: The Case of the Filched Fulton 1pm-4pm. $5/$4 seniors and children. Staatsburg Historical Site, Staatsburg. 889-8851 ext. 337. Third Annual Goods & Services Auction 3pm. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925. Holiday Open House 4pm-6pm. The Yoga Way, Wappingers Falls. 227-3223. A Service of Lessons and Carols 7pm. Vassar College Choir, Women’s Chorus, Madrigal Singers, and Cappella Festiva Chamber and Treble Choir. Vassar Chapel, Poughkeepsie. 437-5370.
Figure Drawing Sessions 7pm-9pm. SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz. 257-3830.
Body / Mind / Spirit Soul Readings with Intuitive Bente Hansen 12pm-6pm. Mirabai Books, Woodstock. 679-2100. Raja Yoga Meditation 6pm-7:30pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. Beginner Pilates Mat Workout 6:30pm-7:30pm. SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 339-2025. Reiki Circle 6:30pm-8:30pm. $10. Mirabai Books, Woodstock. 679-2100. Drumming Circle 7pm-8:30pm. $10. Crystals & Well-Being Center, Wurtsboro. 888-2547. Healing Circle 7pm-9pm. Singing, drumming, guided meditation, storytelling and forms of energy work. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
Events Pine Hill Area Community Supper and Food Giveaway 5:30pm-7pm. Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill. 254-5469.
Workshops Great Marketing Made Simple 7pm. Customer-attracting ads. $19/$44 package. Baby Grand Bookstore, Warwick. 986-6165. Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison Arts and Learning Center, New Paltz. 255-1559.
WEDNESDAY 9 Body / Mind / Spirit Beginner Pilates Mat Workout 6:30pm-7:30pm. SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 339-2025. Projective Dream Work 6:30pm-8:30pm. $10. Mirabai Books, Woodstock. 679-2100. Introduction to The Sedona Method 7pm-8:30pm. Simple but highly effective way to let go of stress and obstacles to success. Yoga on Duck Pond, Stone Ridge. 626-3191. Stop Swimming Upstream: Let The River of Life Carry You 7pm. Flowing Spirit Healing, Woodstock. 679-8989. A Course in Miracles 7:30-9:30pm. Study group with Alice Broner. Unitarian Fellowship, Poughkeepsie. 229-8391.
Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Hand Building with Clay with Gita Nadas 10am-12pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Basic Painting 1pm-4pm. Karen O'Neil. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Figurative Clay Sculpture with Tricia Kline 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
events winter walk on warren street peter blandori
Life Drawing Class with Steve Sax 6pm-9pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Studio Oil Painting: Traditional Realism in Oils 6pm-9pm. 4 sessions. $144/$130 ASK members. Shirt Factory, Kingston. 338-0331. African Drum 6pm-7pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Holiday Entertaining: Hors d'Oeuvres 7pm. $55. Beacon. (917) 803-6857. Adult Hebrew Class 10pm-10pm. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
Events Open House 5pm-6pm. Presentation of graduate programs in health and wellness, holistic thinking, consciousness, and sustainability. The Graduate Institute, Bethany, Connecticut. (203) 874-4252. Hudson Valley Green Drinks 6:30pm-9pm. Networking for people in the environmental fields and sustainably minded, annual holiday party. $15/$20 at the door. Mariner's Harbor, Kingston. 454-6410.
Music Lucky Tubb, Rented Mule, and Lara Hope and the Champtones 7pm. The Basement, Kingston. 331-1116. Community Band 7:30pm. Quimby Theater, SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 687-5263.
The Outdoors Mohonk Preserve Bob Babb Wednesday Walk: Walkway Over the Hudson 9:30am-1:30pm. Walkway Over the Hudson Entrance, Highland. 255-0919.
Spoken Word Our Fight Against Global Warming 7:30pm-8:30pm. What some of the latest climate change projections mean for the Hudson Valley. Bank Square, Beacon. 473-4440 ext. 273.
Theater A Christmas Carol 10am. $8. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Unleashing Your Comedy Power Stuff 6:30pm-8pm. With Myrna Hilton. Town of Esopus Public Library, Port Ewen. 338-5580.
THURSDAY 10 Art Late Night at the Lehman Loeb 5pm-9pm. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Poughkeepsie. 437-7745.
Body / Mind / Spirit The Healing Power of Meditation 7pm-9pm. $8/class. Howland Cultural Center, Beacon. 831-4988.
Classes Rendering in Black and White with Vince Natale 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing, Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 sessions. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Pastel Studio with Shawn Dell Joyce 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Events Mahjan Club 4pm-7pm. Japanese culture club. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811.
Music Acoustic Thursdays with Kurt Henry 6pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Jazz Ensemble 7:30pm. Quimby Theater, SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 687-5263. Jazz Jam 9pm. Marvin "Bugalu" Smith and his drum band. $6. Market Market Cafe, Rosendale. 658-3164.
Spoken Word Conversations in French 11:30am-12:30pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204. A Christmas Carol 10am. $8. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360.
Blow Santa Blow Bundle up for an evening of winter celebration, when Hudson's Warren Street overflows with music, dance, and costume to welcome the season on December 5. Businesses exhibit their best holiday window shows and invite festival-goers inside to begin their holiday shopping. Street-corner musicians will play everything from carols to jazz to African drumming. Horse-drawn carriage rides are offered up until the evening closes with fireworks at 8pm. (518) 822-1438; www.hudsonoperahouse.org. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Erica Scrodin
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Workshops Choral Singing Workshop 3:30pm-4:30pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438. Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
FRIDAY 11 Body / Mind / Spirit Relationships as Spiritual Practice Call for times. The gift of being human. Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt. Tremper. 688-2228. Special Chanukkah Family Shabbat Call for times. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
Classes Printmaking 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Portrait and Figure Painting 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Dance Euro Dance for Seniors 1:30pm-2:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Sugarplums and Nutcrackers 8pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Zydeco Dance 8pm-11pm. With River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs, lesson at 7pm. $15. White Eagle Hall, Kingston. 255-7061.
Events 40th Annual Gala: A Winters Eve Call for times. Benedictine Hospital gala. Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz. 334-3186. Holiday House Tours 11am-3pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. (518) 828-0135. Community Stitchers: Cool Ties 12:30pm-3pm. Making special ties for service men and women. East Fishkill Community Library, Hopewell Junction. 226-2145.
Film Slaughterhouse Five by George Roy Hill 7pm. $5. ASK Arts Center, Kingston. 338-0331.
Kids A Brownies Try It! Weekend Call for times. Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville. 985-2291 ext. 205.
Music Ryan Montbleau Band 9pm. Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 679-4406. Live Jazz 6:30pm-8:30pm. Featuring Kitt Potter & Mike Kull. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811. Chris Trapper and Erin Hobson 7:30pm. Acoustic. Morton Memorial Library, Rhinecliff. 876-2903. The Jefferson Trio 7:30pm. Jazz. BeanRunner Cafe, Peekskill. (914) 737-1701. Anthony Nisi 8pm. Acoustic. La Puerta Azul, Millbrook. 677-2985. Jay Collins Band 8pm. Roots. Alchemy, Woodstock. 684-5068. Linda Shell Acoustic Duo 8pm. Acoustic. Babycakes CafePoughkeepsie. 485-8411. The Jerry Douglas Band with John Oates and Maura Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell 8pm. $34.50. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. Scrooge in Concert 8pm. $25-$42. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. (518) 273-0038. Rhett Miller 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. White Knuckle Rodeo 9pm. Blue Coyote, Concrete Sneakers, Blind Ambassadors. The Basement, Kingston. 331-1116. Four Guys in Disguise 9:30pm. Rock. Hyde Park Brewing Company, Hyde Park. 229-8277. Simply Noted 10pm. Country. Pazzos Italian Grill, Montgomery. 457-4078. Vixen Dogs Band 10pm. Rock. Pickwick Pub, Poughkeepsie. www.myspace.com/pickwickpubevents.
Spoken Word Weston Blelock 7pm. Author of Roots of the 1969 Woodstock Festival: The Backstory to Woodstock. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, New Paltz. 255-8300. Zydeco Dance with River City Slim & the Zydeco Hogs 8pm-11pm. Lesson at 7pm. $15. White Eagle Hall, Kingston. 255-7061.
Theater A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Dragonfly Performing Arts Center, Cairo. (518) 731-3340.
92 forecast ChronograM 12/09
A Christmas Carol 8pm. Bird-on-a-Cliff Theatre Co. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 247-4007. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Portraying the Self Call for times. Workshop with Allyson Gray. $250. CoSM Art Sanctuary, Wappingers Falls. 632-8330.
SATURDAY 12 Art Sketch Class 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Body / Mind / Spirit Sharing Shabbat 9am-10:30am. Torah study with Rabbi Polish during children's classes. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925. SpiritPlay Open Groups 10:30am-12pm. $10/$20. Spiritplay Studio, Woodstock. 679-4140. Restorative Yoga and Crystal Bowl Meditation 2pm-4:30pm. $35. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700. Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700.
Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Beginning Drawing with Shawn Dell Joyce 1pm-3pm. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Dance Family African Dance 11am-12pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438. Holiday Dance Bash: Contradance 8pm. Jeff Petrovitch calling, music by Sleight of Hand.. Woodstock Community Center, Woodstock. 246-2121. Sugarplums and Nutcrackers 8pm. $20/$18 sneiors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080.
Events A Community Holiday Event 9am-4:45pm. Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville. 985-2291 ext. 205. Holiday Sale 10am-pm. Hurley Heritage Museum, Hurley. 338-5253. Amity Arts Pottery Holiday Sale 12pm-5pm. Work of the students of Amity Pottery Studio. Florida. 651-1170. Food and Celebration 10am-4pm. Create cookie ornaments. James Vanderpoel House, Kinderhook. (518) 758-9265. Native American Celebration 2pm-4pm. Food, ceremony, drumming, singing and dancing. Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill. 254-5469. Annual Friends of Clermont Christmas Reception 5pm-7pm. $10 non-members. Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown. (518) 537-4240. Crazy Quilt of Culture at Catskill Cabaradio 6pm-9pm. Potluck followed by show. Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill. 254-5469. Vanderilt Mansion Open House 6pm-9pm. Vanderbilt Mansion, Hyde Park. www.nps.gov/hofr. Winter Lights: Celebrations Around the World 6:30pm-12am. Food, dancing and celebration, benefiting Dutchess Outreach Lunchbox. $60. Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park. 471-6608. An Evening of Song and Comedy 8pm. Starring Joe Veillette, Jerry Mitnick and Kimberly Kay. $15/$12 ASK members. ASK Arts Center, Kingston. 338-0331. MultiCultural XmasKwaNaka Solstice Celebration 8pm. A.I.R. Studio Gallery, Kingston. 331-2662.
Kids Mohonk Preserve: Owl Pellet Workshop for Families 10am-12pm. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919. Food and Celebration 10am. Play with dough and make an ornament. $10 family/$5 kids. James Vanderpoel House, Kinderhook. (518) 758-9265. Little Red/Life in the Hood 11am. $6-$9. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Sing Out! Reach Out! 1pm-3pm. Ages 5-13. $15/$150 series. The Institute for Music and Health, Verbank. 677-5871.
Music Donna the Buffalo 9pm. Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 679-4406. Frances Kramer 2pm. Acoustic. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. A Sinatra Christmas 3pm. Featuring The Joey Thomas Big Band. $25-$35. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. Nowell Sing We Clear: A MidWinter Pageant of Carols 3pm. $20/$5 children. Old Songs, Inc., Voorheesville. (518) 356-3197.
Catskill Cabaradio 6pm-9pm. Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill. 254-5469. Hurley Mountain Highway 8pm. The Harp & Whistle Restaurant and Pub, Newburgh. 565-4277. Mountain Snow and Mistletoe 8pm. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. Woodstock Anthem: Woodstock Song Project 8pm. Kyle Esposito, Chris Zaloom, Julia Nichols, more. Alchemy, Woodstock. 684-5068 The Virginia Wolves 8pm. Acoustic. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Brian Dougherty Band 9pm. Rock. Babycakes Cafe Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. Livingston Taylor 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. Vixen Dogs Band 10pm. Rock. Kitty McGuire Sports Bar , Wappingers Falls. 297-3461. Big Kahuna 10pm. Dance. Cafe International, Newburgh. 567-9429. Snoozka's Giants 10pm. Covers. Pineapple Larry's, Newburgh. 568-7007.
The Outdoors Mohonk Preserve Singles and Sociables Hike: Old Minnewaska Trail Loop 9:30am-3:30pm. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919.
Spoken Word Reading and Book Signings with Susannah Appelbaum and Dave Horowitz 2pm. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, New Paltz. 255-8300. Seth Rogovoy, Author of Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet 3pm. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. Comedy with Freddie Rick 7:30pm. $10. BeanRunner Cafe, Peekskill. (914) 737-1701. Jim Gaffigan 8pm. Comedy. $42.75/$35.75. Palace Theater, Albany. (518) 465-3334.
Music Steve Chizmadia 12pm. Acoustic. Taste Budd's Chocolate and Coffee Cafe, Red Hook. 758-6500. Bob Lusk 1pm. Acoustic. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Bhaav Ram 2pm. Holiday music on the Hindustani slide guitar/ veena. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Mountain Snow and Mistletoe 2pm. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. Amy Sue Barston: Cello & Leva Jokubaviciute: Piano 2:30pm. Trail Mix concert series. Olive Free Library, West Shokan. 657-6864. College-Youth Symphony 7pm. $6/$5/$3. SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz. 257-7869. Musical Heritage Night 7:30pm. Celebrating the music & message of Phil Ochs. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. The Derek Trucks Band 7:30pm. $39.50/$34.50. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. Acoustic Hot Tuna 8pm. Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 679-4406.
The Outdoors Mohonk Preserve Singles and Sociables Hike: Storm King Mountain 9:30am-4:30pm. 8-mile hike. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204. A Christmas Carol 2pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 2pm. Dragonfly Performing Arts Center, Cairo. (518) 731-3340. A Christmas Carol 3pm. Bird-on-a-Cliff Theatre Co. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 247-4007.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204. The Three Wishes and A Holiday Fantasy 1pm. Spring Valley Puppet Theater. $8/$5 members. New Paltz Community Center, New Paltz. 255-1559. A Christmas Carol 5:30pm/8pm. Bird-on-a-Cliff Theatre Co. Kleinert/ James Art Center, Woodstock. 247-4007. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Dragonfly Performing Arts Center, Cairo. (518) 731-3340. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Pavilion Theatre at Lycian Centre, Sugar Loaf. 469-2287.
SUNDAY 13 Art The Hudson River to Niagara Falls: 19th-century American Landscape Paintings from the New-York Historical Society Gallery Tour 2pm. Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, New Paltz. 257-3858.
Body / Mind / Spirit Subtle Vinyasa Yoga and Meditation 9:30am-11:15am. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143. Sacred Chanting 10am-11:30am. $10. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Guided Meditation/Transformation 11am-12:30pm. $10. Crystals & Well-Being Center, Wurtsboro. 888-2547. Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700.
Classes Guitar Lessons with Joey Eppard Call for times. $70/$35. Woodstock, Woodstock. 679-8616.
Dance
MONDAY 14 Body / Mind / Spirit Beginner Pilates Mat Workout 6:30pm-7:30pm. SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge. 339-2025.
Music Celtic Session 7:30pm. Traditional Irish music. New World Home Cooking, Saugerties. 246-0900.
The Outdoors Monday Nights with the Stars 7:30pm. The Nature Institute, Ghent. (518) 672-0116.
TUESDAY 15 Art Saugerties Art Lab Art Drop-In Call for times. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. www.saugertiesartlab.com. Crafts and Camaraderie 6:30pm-8:30pm. Open crafting time, carry in and carry out. Athens Cultural Center, Athens. (518) 945-2136. Fiber Arts Group 6:30pm-8pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
Body / Mind / Spirit Raja Yoga Meditation 6pm-7:30pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. High Frequency Channeling 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
Classes Abstraction, Composition, Color 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing and Painting the Figure 1pm-4pm. Judith Reeve. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 1pm-3pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Dance
Sugarplums and Nutcrackers 3pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080.
St. Mary's Benevolent Society's Christmas Family Style Dinner Dance 6pm. Featuring Ed Rrocks and Daryl Magill. St. Mary's Hall, Kingston. 338-3972.
Events
Events
Holiday Whodunit: The Case of the Filched Fulton 1pm-4pm. $5/$4 seniors and children. Staatsburg Historical Site, Staatsburg. 889-8851 ext. 337. Amity Arts Pottery Holiday Sale 12pm-3pm. Work of the students of Amity Pottery Studio. Florida. 651-1170. Christmas Open House at FDR Estate & Val-Kill 6pm-9pm. FDR Mansion and Val-Kill, Hyde Park. www.nps.gov/hofr.
Go Club 4pm-7pm. Japanese culture club. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811.
Kids Holiday Arts for Children 1pm-3pm. Ages 5-8. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Twas the Night Before Christmas 1pm. Interactive reading for kids. James Vanderpoel House, Kinderhook. (518) 758-9265.
Music Blues and Dance Party with Big Joe Fitz 7pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Open Mike Night 7pm. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, Saugerties. 246-5155. Community Music Night 8pm-9:45pm. Six local singer-songwriters. Rosendale Cafe, Rosendale. 658-9048.
Spoken Word Dyslexia Informational Meeting Call for times. For parents and teachers of dyslexic students. Call for location. 514-0194.
BOOKS + MUSIC PETER YARROW IMAGE PROVIDED
Puff: Still Not a Drug Song Peter Yarrow is best known as one third of the “folk supergroup” Peter, Paul, and Mary, whose numerous Top 40 hits include “If I Had a Hammer,” “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and “I Dig Rock and Roll Music.” Yarrow wrote “Puff the Magic Dragon,” based on a poem by his friend Leonard Lipton. Harry Belafonte invited Peter, Paul, and Mary to the Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march, and to the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech. Yarrow went on to a solo career and a lifetime of activism, beginning with the anti-Vietnam War movement, including environmental causes and the defense of Soviet Jewry. In 2000, Yarrow founded Operation Respect, an organization that promotes cooperation and harmony in elementary schools. I spoke to Yarrow soon after he had organized the memorial service for Mary Travers, his former singing partner, at Riverside Church in Manhattan. At 71, Yarrow has not slowed down. He will appear at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, on December 5 at 2 pm, to give a free concert and sign copies of his new children’s book, Day Is Done, which is accompanied by a three-song CD sung by Yarrow and his daughter, Bethany. The book is based on a hit song Yarrow wrote in 1968, with the infectious refrain: “And if you take my hand, my son / All will be well when the day is done.” Oblong Books & Records is at 6422 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck. (845) 876-0500; www.oblongbooks.com. —Sparrow
“Day Is Done” effortlessly makes the transition from song to children’s book. How did you compose that tune? The song was originally written in `68, which was the height of the antiwar movement. In `69, I organized a march on Washington, for peace. I was the co-organizer with a friend of mine called Cora Weiss. We had a half a million people there. That was the first song I sang at the march, to open it. The event started the night before, with the “March Against Death.” There was a procession that went all night, where people put the names of the war dead in coffins, and the coffins were borne to the Pentagon. And the next day, we had the “Celebration of Life.” And I organized that part, putting together all the performers: John Denver, Pete Seeger, Mitch Miller, Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt, the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra string quartet, the cast of “Hair”—where theater became reality! Mitch Miller, the strange goateed MC of the “Sing Along With Mitch” show, performed at an antiwar demonstration? Yes, he did. I wanted to make it very broad-based. I wanted to say, “It’s not just folksingers here!” So it was a very interesting admixture. And I started the celebration with “Day Is Done,” which was a hit at the time, and it was widely thought of as a peace song. Did you plan to become a folksinger? No, I went to the High School of Music and Art [in New York City] as an art student. Then I started out as a physics major at Cornell, and ended up with a degree in experimental psychology. But in the meantime, I sensed the world’s consciousness was going to grow, and I took a class, English 355-6, that was popularly called “Romp `N Stomp.” It was there that I realized how central folk music could be to that transformation. “Romp `N Stomp” was a music course? It was ballads, folklore, taught by the renowned professor Harold Thompson. Did you have formal musical training? Well, I studied the violin for a couple of years when I was very young. Watching Peter, Paul, and Mary on YouTube, I’m impressed how precise the harmonies are, how musically sophisticated the group is.
Yes, but all our harmonies were “head arrangements.” That means we’d make them up ourselves rather than have them written for us. Were the harmonies difficult to work out? Extraordinarily so. Sometimes we would take over a week to work out an arrangement. Is it true that Bob Dylan was going to join Peter, Paul, and Mary, at one point? Absolutely untrue. I read that somewhere. Who knows? People have written that “Puff” is about drugs! They can write whatever they want—and they do! But the character Little Jackie Paper seems to refer to rolling papers, and sealing wax is supposedly a drug reference. I would call the assertion that sealing wax is related to the paraphernalia of junkies—I’d call that sloppy research. Did Peter, Paul, and Mary always have a bass player? Yes. The same bass player always? No. In the very beginning, we had Eddie DeHaas. Then [manager] Albert Grossman said we needed someone in the studio who would be like a fourth voice. So the person we used was Bill Lee, who was Spike Lee’s father. Listening to Peter, Paul, and Mary, I’ve started to feel that your harmonies become a metaphor for human cooperation. You’ve stumbled onto something that’s fundamental to my life. Other vocal groups look straight out at the audience; Peter, Paul and Mary looked at each other, and always did. We became the model of the way people could be: totally open, virtually naked before each other. And we celebrated that. You didn’t see that intensity of closeness in other groups.
12/09 ChronograM forecast 93
Theater Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
WEDNESDAY 16 Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Hand Building with Clay with Gita Nadas 10am-12pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Basic Painting 1pm-4pm. Karen O'Neil. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Figurative Clay Sculpture with Tricia Kline 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Steve's Salon with Live Models 6pm-9pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Adult Hebrew Class Call for time. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
Events African Drum 6pm-7pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Music Neil Alexander and Mechanisim 8pm. Electronica, experimental. The Wherehouse Restaurant, Newbrugh. 561-7240.
Theater A Christmas Carol 10am. $8. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops
Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
FRIDAY 18 Art A Little Space for Artists 7pm-8pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
Body / Mind / Spirit The Creative Spirit Study Group 5pm-5:30pm. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143.
Classes Printmaking 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Portrait and Figure Painting 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Dance Euro Dance for Seniors 1:30pm-2:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Swing Dance 8:30pm-11:30pm. Featuring The Saints of Swing, lesson before the dance. $15/$10. Poughkeepsie Tennis Club, Poughkeepsie. 454-2571.
Events Holiday House Tours 11am-3pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. (518) 828-0135. Community Stitchers: Cool Ties 12:30pm-3pm. Making special ties for service men and women. East Fishkill Community Library, Hopewell Junction. 226-2145. Shabbat Dinner 6pm. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925. BRAWL Ball 2009 8pm. Dance party hosted by Broads Regional Arm Wrestling League. $5. Keegan Ales, Kingston. 331-2739.
Music
Rendering in Black and White with Vince Natale 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing, Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 sessions. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Pastel Studio with Shawn Dell Joyce 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Stratospheerius 7:30pm. Jazz. BeanRunner Cafe, Peekskill. (914) 737-1701. Bill Kelly 8pm. Acoustic. Babycakes Café, Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. Happy Traum & Friends Solstice Concert 8pm. John Sebastian, Amy Helm, Teresa Williams, more. Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 679-2079. $50/$35. John Pizzarelli 8pm. Jazz. $35-$60. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. Hurley Mountain Highway 8:30pm. Rock. Pamela's on The Hudson, Newburgh. 562-4505. Christopher Robin Band 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. David Kraai with Sean Powell 9pm. Quiet Man Pub, Wappingers Falls. 298-1724. The Trapps 9pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Hurley Mountain Highway 9pm. Pop, soft rock. Pamela's on The Hudson, Newburgh. 562-4505. Four Guys in Disguise 9pm. Rock. SkyTop Steak House, Kingston. 340-4277. The Lifesize Gorgeous Cocktails 10pm. Rock. The Sunset House, Peekskill. (914) 734-4192. Vixen Dogs Band 10pm. Rock. Ruben's Mexican Cafe, Peekskill. (914) 739-4330.
Events
Theater
Mahjan Club 4pm-7pm. Japanese culture club. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811.
This Night To Remember: Magical Adventures on Christmas Eve 7pm. $15. Cocoon Theater, Rhinebeck. 876-6470. A Christmas Carol 8pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. Is It Over Yet? Stories of the Recession 8pm. An evening of political cabaret. $10. ASK Arts Center, Kingston. 338-0331. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Bird-on-a-Cliff Theatre Co. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 247-4007. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Unleashing Your Comedy Power Stuff 6:30pm-8pm. With Myrna Hilton. Town of Esopus Public Library, Port Ewen. 338-5580.
THURSDAY 17 Art Late Night at the Lehman Loeb 5pm-9pm. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Poughkeepsie. 437-7745.
Body / Mind / Spirit Sounds Healing with Didgeridoo Healer and Crystal Bowls 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. The Healing Power of Meditation 7pm-9pm. $8/class. Howland Cultural Center, Beacon. 831-4988.
Classes
Music Acoustic Thursdays with Kurt Henry 6pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Rocky 7pm. Acoustic. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Jazz Jam 9pm. Marvin "Bugalu" Smith and his drum band. $6. Market Market Cafe, Rosendale. 658-3164.
Spoken Word Conversations in French 11:30am-12:30pm. Pawling Free Library, Pawling. 855-3444.
SATURDAY 19
Theater A Christmas Carol 10am. $8. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Choral Singing Workshop 3:30pm-4:30pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438.
94 forecast ChronograM 12/09
Art The Visionary Solstice Gathering Call for times. Live art event. CosM, Wappingers Falls. 297-2323. Sketch Class 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Body / Mind / Spirit Astrology: The New Year 2010 and You Call for times. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. Winter Fire Workshop (Kriyas and Twisting) 2pm-4:30pm. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700.
Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700.
Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Beginning Drawing with Shawn Dell Joyce 1pm-3pm. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Dance Annual Holiday Contradance Party Call for times. Afternoon dance, pot luck, and evening dance. Regina Coeli School, Hyde Park. 473-7050. Freestyle Frolic 8:30pm-1am. All-volunteer community dance. $5/$2 teens and seniors/volunteers and children free. Knights of Columbus, Kingston. 658-8319. Holiday DJ Dance Party 9pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699.
Kids A Christmas Carol by The Puppet People 11am. $6-$9. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Sing Out! Reach Out! 1pm-3pm. Ages 5-13. $15/$150 series. The Institute for Music and Health, Verbank. 677-5871.
Music Doug Marcus 11:30am. Acoustic. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann 1pm. Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD. $16-$23. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. The Zucchini Brothers Holiday Show 2pm. $10. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845. Kansas City Sound 7pm-10pm. Dance party featuring Harvey Kaiser Quartet and Kitt Potter. $35/$40 students and seniors. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811. Betty MacDonald 7:30pm. Violin and vocals. Jack and Luna's, Stone Ridge. 687-9794. Bach's Christmas Oratoria 8pm. First Congregational Church, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (860) 435-4866. The Andy Polay Quartet 8pm. Jazz. BeanRunner Cafe, Peekskill. (914) 737-1701. Lindsey Webster 8pm. Pop, soft rock. Alchemy, Woodstock. 684-5068. Marji Zintz 8pm. Acoustic. Babycakes Cafe, Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. Bucky Pizzarelli and Frank Vignola 8pm. $20. Rosendale Cafe, Rosendale. 658-9048. Kiss Kiss, Aficionado, and Kadafi 9pm. Progressive rock. The Basement, Kingston. 331-1116. The Bobs 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300.
The Outdoors Mohonk Preserve Singles and Sociables Hike: Duck Pond 10am-3:30pm. 8-mile hike. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919. A Geocaching Hike 1pm. Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville. 985-2291 ext. 205.
Spoken Word Kristin Poor on Bernd and Hilla Becher 1pm. Gallery talk. Dia: Beacon, Beacon. 440-0100. Tony Fletcher 5:30pm. Author of All Hopped Up reads and signs. A Community Store, Phoenicia. www.ijamming.net.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204. Babes in Toyland 1pm. Pavilion Theatre at Lycian Centre, Sugar Loaf. 469-2287. A Christmas Carol 5:30pm/8pm. Bird-on-a-Cliff Theatre Co. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 247-4007. This Night To Remember: Magical Adventures on Christmas Eve 7pm. $15. Cocoon Theater, Rhinebeck. 876-6470. A Christmas Carol 8pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 8pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080.
Saugerties Healing Arts Salon 3:30pm-5pm. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. 246-5775. Hudson Valley Healing Arts Salon 3:30pm-5pm. Self-Healing with One Light Healing Touch Energy Healing. Spiritplay Studio, Woodstock. 679-4140. Healing with the Sound of Crystal 4pm-5pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, woodstock. 679-5650. Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700. Special Meditation for World Peace 6pm-7:30pm. Speaker and creative meditation. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000.
Classes Guitar Lessons with Joey Eppard Call for times. $70/$35. Woodstock, Woodstock. 679-8616.
Events Holiday Gathering 12pm-3pm. Reception, lunch, entertainment, inspirational message, spiritual and fun Activities. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. Holiday Whodunit: The Case of the Filched Fulton 1pm-4pm. $5/$4 seniors and children. Staatsburg Historical Site, Staatsburg. 889-8851 ext. 337. Tour the Daniel Smiley Research Center 1:30pm-4pm. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919. SpiritPlay Studio Holiday Party 5pm-7:30pm. Spiritplay Studio, Woodstock. 679-4140.
Film Miracle on 34th Street 7pm. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100.
Music Vienna Choir Boys Call for times. $35-$40. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. (518) 273-0038. Billy Manas 12pm. Acoustic. Taste Budd's Chocolate and Coffee Cafe, Red Hook. 758-6500. Mark Raisch with the Bill Gulino Trio 1pm. Jazz. Pamela's on The Hudson, Newburgh. 562-4505. Bronfman’s Prokofiev 3pm. The Bardavon, Poughkeepsie. 473-2072. Unplugged Open Acoustic Mike 4pm. $6/$5 members. Unison Arts and Learning Center, New Paltz. 255-1559. A Celtic Christmas Evening with Cherish the Ladies 7:30pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. Classical Holiday Concert 8pm. Sarah Williams, Sheila Hamilton & Jim Bacon. $18/$13 members/$2 more at the door. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Koffin Kats 9pm. With Bourbon Scum. $3. The Basement, Kingston. 331-1116.
The Outdoors Mohonk Preserve Singles and Sociables Hike: Table Rocks Photo Hike 9:45am-12pm. 5-mile hike. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919. Table Rock Photo Hike 9:45am-12pm. 5 miles. Meet at Spring Farm Trailhead, New Paltz. 594-9545.
Spoken Word Jane O'Connor 11am. Author of Splendiferous Christmas. Barnes & Noble, Kingston. 336-0590. Megalithic or Mysterious Stone Structures of the Hudson Valley 2pm-4pm. Slide show and lecture by Enrique Noguera to benefit Sage Center. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204. A Christmas Carol 2pm. Walking the Dog Theater. $15/$12. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360. A Christmas Carol 3pm. $20/$18 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. A Christmas Carol 3pm. Bird-on-a-Cliff Theatre Co. Kleinert/James Art Center, Woodstock. 247-4007. This Night To Remember: Magical Adventures on Christmas Eve 3pm. $15. Cocoon Theater, Rhinebeck. 876-6470.
MONDAY 21
Workshops Ikenobo Ikebana Flower Arrangement Lesson 10am-12pm. $25/$20. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811. Family African Dance 11am-12pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438.
SUNDAY 20 Body / Mind / Spirit Subtle Vinyasa Yoga and Meditation 9:30am-11:15am. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143. Guided Meditation/Transformation 11am-12:30pm. $10. Crystals & Well-Being Center, Wurtsboro. 888-2547.
Body / Mind / Spirit Healing Circle 7pm-9pm. Singing, drumming, guided meditation, storytelling and forms of energy work. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
Music African Drum Class and Circle 7pm. Toby Stover and/or Fode Sissoko will teach African djembe styles. $15. Old Songs, Inc., Voorheesville. (518) 356-3197. Celtic Session 7:30pm. Traditional Irish music. New World Home Cooking, Saugerties. 246-0900. David Kraai 10:30pm. Acoustic. Oasis Cafe, New Paltz. 255-2400.
art david ellingsen courtesy Galerie BMG David Ellingsen, Hibernus XXVII, C-Print, 28" x 36", 2008
Dying Breed This month at Galerie BMG in Woodstock, "Hibernus...a winter study," an exhibition of photographs by David Ellingsen. Using Polaroid 55PN film, Ellingsen shot a series of plants at the end of their life cycle. Medium and message form a strong metaphoric bond in this workâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the 55PN, a fine-grained, textured film that's open to imperfection and mutation during the development process, was discontinued by Polaroid in 2008. "Hibernus...a winter study" opens on December 4 and continues through January 11. (845) 679-0027; www.galeriebmg.com. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Brian K. Mahoney 12/09 ChronograM forecast 95
Theater
Events
Kids
Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Chinese Dinner Call for times. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
Holiday Arts Camps 9am-4pm. Painting, pottery, collage, fiber arts, maskmaking and more for ages 6-12. Mill Street Loft, Poughkeepsie. www.millstreetloft.org. CAT Youth Holiday Theater Workshop 3pm-6pm. 12/28-12/30. Area youths 8-12 rehearse own musical in 3-day workshop. Copake Park Building, Copake. (518) 697-0636.
TUESDAY 22 Art Saugerties Art Lab Art Drop-In Call for times. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. www.saugertiesartlab.com. Crafts and Camaraderie 6:30pm-8:30pm. Open crafting time, carry in and carry out. Athens Cultural Center, Athens. (518) 945-2136.
Music Acoustic Thursdays with Kurt Henry 6pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Jazz Jam 9pm. Marvin "Bugalu" Smith and his drum band. $6. Market Market Cafe, Rosendale. 658-3164.
Workshops Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Body / Mind / Spirit Raja Yoga Meditation 6pm-7:30pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000. High Frequency Channeling 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. Veggie Resource Group 7pm. Anything you ever wanted to know about going to a more plant based food plan. Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society, Rhinebeck. 876-2626.
SATURDAY 26 Art Sketch Class 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Abstraction, Composition, Color 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 1pm-3pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Drawing and Painting the Figure 1pm-4pm. Judith Reeve. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700. Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Kids Sing Out! Reach Out! 1pm-3pm. Ages 5-13. $15/$150 series. The Institute for Music and Health, Verbank. 677-5871.
Music
Open Mike Night 7pm. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, Saugerties. 246-5155.
David Temple: Sounds of Bells 8pm. $18/$16 seniors and children. Center for Performing Arts, Rhinebeck. 876-3080. Stephen Kaiser Group 8pm. Jazz. Babycakes Cafe Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. Aztec Two-Step 9pm. Folk. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. Creation 9pm. Pop/soft rock. Copperfield's, Millbrook. 677-8188.
Theater
Theater
Film The Polar Express 6pm. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100.
Music
Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops
Workshops
Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Family African Dance 11am-12pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. (518) 822-1438.
WEDNESDAY 23 Body / Mind / Spirit Sedona Method Support Group 7pm-8:30pm. Simple but highly effective way to let go of stress and obstacles to success. Yoga on Duck Pond, Stone Ridge. 626-3191. Stop Swimming Upstream: Let The River of Life Carry You 7pm. Flowing Spirit Healing, Woodstock. 679-8989.
Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Hand Building with Clay with Gita Nadas 10am-12pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Basic Painting 1pm-4pm. Karen O'Neil. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Figurative Clay Sculpture with Tricia Kline 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Steve's Salon with Live Models 6pm-9pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Adult Hebrew Class Call for time. Congregation Shir Chadash, LaGrange. 223-5925.
SUNDAY 27 Body / Mind / Spirit Subtle Vinyasa Yoga and Meditation 9:30am-11:15am. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143. Sacred Chanting 10am-11:30am. $10. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559. Guided Meditation/Transformation 11am-12:30pm. $10. Crystals & Well-Being Center, Wurtsboro. 888-2547. Community Yoga Class 5pm. $5. Bliss Yoga Center, Woodstock. 679-8700. Sound Therapy: Giving Gratitude with the Sound of Crystal 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
African Drum 6pm-7pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Unleashing Your Comedy Power Stuff 6:30pm-8pm. With Myrna Hilton. Town of Esopus Public Library, Port Ewen. 338-5580.
THURSDAY 24 Classes Rendering in Black and White with Vince Natale 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing, Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 sessions. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Pastel Studio with Shawn Dell Joyce 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
96 forecast ChronograM 12/09
Theater CAT Teen Talent Showcase 6:30pm. Teens express their talents in Columbia Arts Team showcase. Copake Park Building, Copake. (518) 697-0636. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
TUESDAY 29 Art Saugerties Art Lab Art Drop-In Call for times. Inquiring Mind/Muddy Cup, Saugerties. www.saugertiesartlab.com. Crafts and Camaraderie 6:30pm-8:30pm. Open crafting time, carry in and carry out. Athens Cultural Center, Athens. (518) 945-2136.
Body / Mind / Spirit High Frequency Channeling 6:30pm-7:30pm. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650. Raja Yoga Meditation 6pm-7:30pm. Peace Village Learning and Retreat, Haines Falls. (518) 589-5000.
Classes Abstraction, Composition, Color 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing and Painting the Figure 1pm-4pm. Judith Reeve. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 1pm-3pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Kids Mohonk Preserve: Artifacts Alive 10am-12pm. Ages 8-12. Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz. 255-0919.
Music Open Mike Night 7pm. Inquiring Mind Bookstore, Saugerties. 246-5155. Community Music Night 8pm-9:45pm. Six local singer-songwriters. Rosendale Cafe, Rosendale. 658-9048.
Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Life Drawing 7:30pm-9:30pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
WEDNESDAY 30
Guitar Lessons with Joey Eppard Call for times. $70/$35. Woodstock, Woodstock. 679-8616.
Events Holiday Whodunit: The Case of the Filched Fulton 1pm-4pm. $5/$4 seniors and children. Staatsburg Historical Site, Staatsburg. 889-8851 ext. 337.
Kids' Winter Camp Call for times. Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville. 985-2291 ext. 205.
Music Doug Marcus 12pm. Acoustic. Taste Budd's Chocolate and Coffee Cafe, Red Hook. 758-6500.
Classes Watercolor and Drawing 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Hand Building with Clay with Gita Nadas 10am-12pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Basic Painting 1pm-4pm. Karen O'Neil. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Figurative Clay Sculpture with Tricia Kline 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Steve's Salon with Live Models 6pm-9pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388.
Events
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204. Off Leash! Walking the dog Theater's Improv Ensemble 8pm. $20. Space 360, Hudson. (518) 697-3360.
MONDAY 28 Body / Mind / Spirit Message Circle 7pm-8:30pm. Receive messages from your loved ones in the after life. $20. Sage Center for the Healing Arts, Woodstock. 679-5650.
Film Miracle on 34th Street 7pm. Palace Theater, Albany. (518) 465-3334.
The Brahma Viharas and Iyengar Yoga Call for times. Menla Mountain Retreat, Phoenicia. 688-6897.
Classes Rendering in Black and White with Vince Natale 9am-12pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Drawing, Painting and Composition 1pm-4pm. Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock. 679-2388. Acrylic Painting Studio with Nancy Reed Jones 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 sessions. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787. Pastel Studio with Shawn Dell Joyce 6:30pm-8:30pm. $100/4 classes. Wallkill River School and Art Gallery, Montgomery. (845) 457-2787.
Dance Ashokan Fiddle & Dance: New Years Winter Camp Call for times. $495/$465 no lodging. Ashokan Field Campus, Olivebridge. 657-8333.
Events New Year's Eve Dinner Call for times. With live jazz. Swoon Kitchenbar, Hudson. (518) 822-8938. WGXC Masquerade Ball Benefit 6pm-4am. Hudson City Ramblers, Bella's Bartok, Saber Coup, more. Basilica Industria, Hudson. (518) 622-2598.
Music Acoustic Thursdays with Kurt Henry 6pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Stephen Kaiser Group 6pm. Jazz. Babycakes CafĂŠ, Poughkeepsie. 485-8411. Acoustic Thursdays with Kurt Henry 6pm. High Falls Cafe, High Falls. 687-2699. Bach at new Year's: The Brandenberg Concerti 6pm. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (413) 528-0100. Big Kahuna 7:30pm. Dance music. Cafe International, Newburgh. 567-9429. New Year's Eve Party & Open Mike 8:30pm. $10. Old Songs, Inc., Voorheesville. (518) 356-3197. New Yar's Eve Celebration 8:30pm. Lipbone Redding and the Lipbone Orchestra, The "The Band" Band, and the Kelly Flint Group. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300.
Spoken Word The Four Sides of 40 8pm. First night of comedy show. $35/$25 in advance. Palace Theater, Albany. (518) 465-3334.
FRIDAY 1 JANUARY
Theater
Classes
Kids
Events
Celtic Session 7:30pm. Traditional Irish music. New World Home Cooking, Saugerties. 246-0900.
Body / Mind / Spirit
Classes
Classes
Music
THURSDAY 31 Body / Mind / Spirit
Events Holiday House Tours 11am-3pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. (518) 828-0135.
SATURDAY 2 JANUARY kids 5th Annual CAT KIDS Holiday Spectacular 11am. Day of fun for the kids. Imaguration, Chatham. (518) 697-0636.
Music Keith Pray's Big Soul Ensemble 9pm. Tess' Lark Tavern, Albany. (518) 463-9779. Johnny A 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. 855-1300. XCalibur 10pm. Rock. Mahoney's Irish Pub, Poughkeepsie. 471-3027.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
SUNDAY 3 JANUARY
African Drum 6pm-7pm. Unison, New Paltz. 255-1559.
Body / Mind / Spirit
Theater
Subtle Vinyasa Yoga and Meditation 9:30am-11:15am. $10. Marbletown Multi-Arts, Stone Ridge. 687-4143.
CAT Kids Holiday Spectacular 6:30pm. Teens perform musical of their own making. Copake Park Building, Copake. (518) 697-0636. Wicked 8pm. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
Workshops Mochi Rice Pounding 3pm-5pm. Japanese traditional event. Gomen-Kudasai Noodle Shop, New Paltz. 255-8811. Unleashing Your Comedy Power Stuff 6:30pm-8pm. With Myrna Hilton. Town of Esopus Public Library, Port Ewen. 338-5580.
Music Lincoln Mayorga: Pianist 3pm. Senior and Community Center, Montgomery. 457-9867. Gregg Allman 7:30pm. Blues, rock. $34.50. The Egg, Albany. (518) 473-1845.
Theater Wicked Call for times. $30. Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady. (518) 346-6204.
ART albrecht DÜRER courtesy frances lehman loeb art center; gift of mrs. felix m. warburg and her children
LEFT: Adam and Eve, Albrecht Dürer, engraving, 1504 ABOVE: the large horse, Albrecht Dürer, engraving, 1505
Dürable Goods The foremost artist of the Renaissance in Northern Europe, Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) worked with many mediums, including watercolor and oil, but it was his prints that “transformed the craftsmanlike tradition of printmaking into an independent art form,” explains Patricia Phagan, the Philip and Lynn Straus Curator of Prints and Drawings at Vassar College. The college, which holds the world-class Felix M. Warburg print collection, is exhibiting “Albrecht Dürer: Impressions of the Renaissance” at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center through December 24. “Dürer didn’t see prints as inferior,” says Phagan. “He saw them as superb as an art and as a profession.” In his prints, Dürer’s focus on proper proportions of figures, as in Hercules at the Crossroads, showed talent that exceeded that of his predecessors and contemporaries, including his mentor Michael Wolgemut. Dürer’s achievement came to represent a change in the reputation of printmaking that rocked the art world. In Nuremberg, where he spent his youth, Dürer learned to work in a deliberate decorative style, according to Phagan. With his godfather, Anton Koberger, one of Nuremberg's most prominent print publishers, Dürer was introduced to leading intellectuals and theorists, including Willibald Pirckheimer, Desiderius Erasmus, and Philip Melanchthon. Dürer may have even submitted his early artwork to his godfather’s publication, the Nuremberg
Chronicle, an encyclopedic book of world history, including print artwork. What is most significant about Dürer’s style, Phagan notes, is how he “fused his concern for lifelike effects with his wonderful imagination.” Dürer’s work came to reflect emerging Renaissance ideals, marrying the grandeur and precision of classical antiquity to emerging humanist principles. Erwin Panofsky explains in The Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer that “Dürer was the most patient observer of realistic details and was enamored of the most objective of all techniques, line engraving in copper; yet he was a visionary, full of inward figures.” Dürer’s chosen medium encompassed the complexity of his mind in the intricacy of his work. Of the 41 works that will be featured at the Loeb, 19 prints by Dürer will be displayed, the Latin edition of the Nuremberg Chronicle, and work by his contemporaries, including Marcantonio Raimondi and Georg Pencz. “Albrecht Dürer: Impressions of the Renaissance” will be on display at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College through December 24. A lecture by exhibition curator Patricia Phagan, followed by a reception, will take place on November 19 at 5:30pm. (845) 437-5632; www.fllac.vassar.edu. —Erica Scrodin
12/09 ChronograM forecast 97
photo credit
Planet Waves by eric francis coppolino
The Shadow of Time
M
ost of us in Western civilization are living with the feeling that time is running out, or at least out of control. Weeks, months, years, and even decades seem to be growing shorter. We can measure time but we cannot measure our perception of time. We can speculate, though. Everyone has figured out that each passing year represents a smaller fraction of our total lifetime; for a three-year-old, one year is a third of his or her time on Earth so far, and it seems like Christmas will never arrive. For a 65-year-old, a year is just over 1.5 percent of the total time spent on Earth—hardly anything at all. The seasons whip by. Strangely, we attempt to measure and live by time without knowing how much time is left. Any living thing can die at any time; looking at a clock or calendar is like reading your gas gauge without an objective reference to the meaning of Full or Empty. We live like there’s a limit—a Saturn factor, of being trapped in time—but we don’t know the value of the limit. I think this puts us under a lot of pressure: in particular to move quickly, which as we know does not always “save time.” But do these factors account for the acceleration phenomenon? They may, partially; yet there are many older people for whom time is interminable. I would surmise that, in such a state of mind, they are sufficiently isolated from the flow of society to have little perception of how fast events are coming, or to feel the need to adhere to much of a schedule. That does slow things down a bit, and it offers a clue: Those who engage in time are the ones experiencing the onslaught. Most of us live as if we’re going through a vortex. The perception of time is subjective, but as nonordinary consciousness opens up, intersubjective events are becoming more commonplace: that is, perceptions that are not based on absolute truth but which many people share intuitively. The perception of time is a mental phenomenon, and we are all hooked into it to some degree; we share a common mental field of time, which makes the shared experience stronger. That mental field may include the perception or experience of the acceleration of time. But what, exactly, is creating that? There are many factors at work, and I have long suspected that our relationship to technology is closely associated with our perception of time. Humans have tried to measure time for millennia, and looked to natural sources for their information—primarily the Sun and the Moon. But it was only in 1880, at the peak of the industrial revolution, that Greenwich Mean Time became the official reference of time used throughout England (which then expanded to Europe and the Americas). It had previously been used only to synchronize railroad schedules and by mariners to calculate longitude. Prior to this, calculation of time was a local affair. In other words, even if you traveled a relatively short distance, you would have to reset your watch. There were no uniform time zones. Observing time passing along 98 planet waves ChronograM 12/09
the face of a clock or watch, which happened centuries earlier, was a critical factor in our perception of time, which we began to internalize immediately. Eventually, this form of time entirely supplanted the use of the Sun, the seasons, and lunar cycles in our consciousness of time passing; as did calendars, which are a much older invention than clocks. An artificial model was overlaid on a natural experience. We became synchronized into that phenomenon because we had to show up for school and work at a certain time, which was a new thing in human history. Prior to industrialization, people worked on their own time. However, I would propose that the adoption of mean time and the synchronization of all the clocks and watches in the world was a big step toward focusing the shared mental field of time perception. Greenwich Mean Time gave way to Universal Coordinated Time, which is measured by atomic clocks. With the proliferation of the transistor, and as a result, the advent of computers and the Internet, synthetic time has become ubiquitous. Nearly every device now has a clock, and many of them are automatically synchronized. We no longer have to look at our watches; globally synchronized time is announced constantly, and nearly everything we do on a computer is time stamped. The time is broadcast constantly, and I would propose that our minds may not be opaque to these broadcasts. In other words, our minds may be picking up the broadcast of the time just like our cell phones do. This is like standing in a total eclipse of natural time, into which is injected a constant flow of artificial time; the shadow of time. Meanwhile, the speed of every device is increasing. My first computer had a clock speed of 16 million cycles per second (16 megahertz); the computer I am typing on now runs at 2.6 thousand million cycles per second (2.6 gigahertz). Early NASA engineers would have done anything to have the processing power and storage capacity of an iPhone, which leaves the best of their computers in the shade. Computers used to not connect to the global network at all; then they did so occasionally; now they are connected all the time—and we carry them in our pockets. Gradually, they are morphing fully into our mental field. It’s like we’re living in the midst of a marketing campaign for artificial time, which is further isolating us from the natural cycles within us and around us. It’s also compressing our experiences; we seem to have more experience packed into time, but it seems to mean ever less. A letter used to take three days to arrive and an hour or more to write, and an overseas letter would arrive in one week or longer. Sending or receiving a letter would be a special occasion, and we would have time to think about it. Now global communication is instantaneous, and this is compressing our experience of one another. For those connected to technology, the number of people we communicate with in a single day is increasing exponentially. If we want to know where time is going, it would seem that we are measuring it out of existence—denaturing it with technology. The sense of time running out is related
to imposing an orderly artificial structure over a natural organic structure, like building a city over a field. The space is divided and divided until the space seems to disappear and suddenly few people can afford it. From Einstein’s work with Special Relativity, we know that space and time are one phenomenon. There is an astrological metaphor. Saturn, traditionally the ruler of time, was the outermost planet until the discovery of Uranus in 1781, just before the industrial revolution. Astrologers of the day might have predicted that there would be radical changes in our perception of time—but how could they know? Over the next century, there were additional discoveries of planets and asteroids. By 1846, five asteroids and two extra planets (Uranus and Neptune) were known. By 1880, the year Greenwich Mean Time was imposed, there were two extra planets and 216 asteroids. A century later, in 1977, Chiron was discovered shortly after the atomic clock was imposed, and there were about 2,060 minor planets. Then something strange happened: As the technological revolution became ubiquitous, the number of bodies known to be orbiting our Sun shot up to nearly a quarter of a million, creating a chaos pattern. And as this happened, the measurement of time became more pervasive, as every device had a clock. So the more chaotic the patterns in the sky became, and the more cycles we had available to observe, the more order was imposed on time by science. With the assistance of technology, we are being encouraged to think in ever shorter spans of time, shorter character counts, and less time devoted to more people, all of which are compressing our experience of time. The simplistic artificial order is more brutally imposed on the natural order the more complex it becomes. If there is some corresponding increase in the speed that our limbic systems are able to process emotions or build trust, most people have not heard about it. I believe that there is such a method, but that it exists outside of time, in a dimension of thought that is not fully acknowledged to exist, but which many people sense. Just like we have built the mental field of time, we are gradually organizing a field of perception and experience that exists outside of time. The existence of this has long been known to shamans and visionaries, but now it’s becoming the only place of refuge from the onslaught of artificial time, or the sense that time is running out. “A calendar is a mental instrument for holding the programmed patterns of thought and behavior of a given culture, people, or civilization,” Jose Arguelles writes in Time and the Technosphere. “A people can rise no higher than the program their culture imposes on them as second nature. A program of time determines the nature of consciousness.” I believe that the study of astrology provides at least a partial way out of the maze; that is, it can help us return to natural time, more closely synchronized with nature. For one thing, the cycles of astrology are natural. They exist objectively, unlike a minute or a second. Yet there are three other factors that suggest how astrology might point us out of the maze. First, there are many kinds of cycles to connect with. For short measures we can use the ascendant or the Moon. For medium measures we can use the cycles of Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn. For long-range measures we can use Pluto or Eris, and if necessary, the precession of the equinoxes. These cycles are elliptical rather than linear. In other words, instead of being organized like walking on a tightrope, they are organized in overlapping spirals. The second factor is that the planets provide a symbolic frame of reference. They have names, energies, and stories. We learn things about them as time passes, giving them inherent meaning within time. This provides contact with the energetic tone to events. There is nothing “fourish” about four o’clock; but there is something Full Moonish about every Full Moon. Part of the problem with our time-bound frame of reference is that it lacks human meaning. Last, marking the passage of time with astrology allows for the observation of synchronicity. Our linear time measurement patterns attempt to do this, when we keep seeing the same patterns on our digital clocks; but it’s difficult to say what they mean. At the least, it would seem that a higher order of time is trying to find its way into our own, which we observe through the patterns in the numbers. The planets have been here longer than we have. We are directly connected to these rhythms and cycles. Either human DNA originated within our solar system, or it evolved here over many millions of years. While it was evolving, it was subject to the constant influences of the planets and their conditioning forces. Each generation has experienced the movements of all the planets, and in our genetic memory we hold the influences of events that occurred more than one generation ago. Indeed, the genetic memory of many cycles is contained within each of us, along with the knowledge that the planets never align the same way twice. Using astrology, we can expand this to a much wider palette of experience, and notice patterns. Many cycles overlap; there is plenty to observe. Yet the leap beyond time may come in the process of observation of the subtleties, in the shift from being a passive victim of time to being a conscious navigator of a much wider dimension of experience. Eric Francis Coppolino writes daily at PlanetWaves.net.
ENINGS K A W A Celestial Treasures Books, Crystals, and more. Tarot, Shamanic Healing, and Energy Work. www.awakeningskatonah.com Monday-Saturday 10:00-6:00 Sunday 12:00-5:00 215 Katonah Avenue, Katonah, NY 10536 Tel. (914) 232-0382 Store Hours:
12/09 ChronograM planet waves 99
Planet Waves Horoscopes Eric Francis Coppolino www.planetwaves.net
Aries
(March 20-April 19)
Every person who dares to step out of their conditioning or routine and do something original goes through a crisis of whether their ideas or work will be accepted by others. The prevailing reason why people don’t express themselves involves the expectation of a negative reaction, of judgment, of some kind of consequences. Yet anyone who is interested in breaking free of this needs to take the journey inward and figure out what inner obstructions are breathing life into those fears. It’s convenient that this inner journey is some of the best fodder for the creative process, which is really about an inner journey. Most of the meaningful art and literature you find is more like a postcard from a deep inner space rather than being a “creative product” of any kind. Mars turning retrograde in the most creative and dynamic angle of your solar chart is saying that it’s time to dip into these personal fires. The key is not what you create—it is what you learn about yourself, and in the process, document or illustrate. There is something hidden you are looking for, something about which you may have no clue. Think of it as “hidden karma” or think of it as the pearl of great price. Remember, a journey is involved: a journey that will last for months, and whose destination is not clear.
Taurus
(April 19-May 20)
You are in the midst of a stroke of good fortune regarding what we here in the Western world call “profession.” The question lurking beneath this theme is, what do you profess? Who do you say you are, and what is its relationship to what you do, or want to do? It’s time to align your theories, your goals, and your actions. It would help if you aspired to more than you think you are capable of. It would help if you accepted, with total willingness, the need to inconvenience yourself in order to attain your stated objectives. When I say “help,” I mean truly assist you in getting out of your previous pattern. For you, any truly satisfying professional experience must be humanitarian in nature, though I propose you take a wide view of this concept; not “doing good,” but rather acting as if to hold the world together. There is an essential, even urgent ingredient involved in breaking out of your individualism and being willing to participate, and openly seek the cooperation of others. This involves accepting the extent to which you have felt that you don’t fit in—and then daring to do something about it. That is a step on the way to something greater—what you might call locally aware global consciousness, and acting on that basis alone.
Gemini
(May 20-June 21)
Family financial arrangements may come up during the holiday season; I suggest you be prepared for the conversation, including remembering that I told you. Listen for the guilt trip and don’t fall for it. You risk being convinced that you’re not an adult—that you have no power. You can minimize this with preventive strategies. First and most meaningful is to be absolutely on the level your significant other. Agree on what information you’re willing to reveal, and why you would reveal it. Anyone seeking information from you has something to hide, and is also looking for power. While I would not advocate being deceptive, it’s another matter entirely to have boundaries. Those boundaries might include outright avoiding anyone, anything, or anyplace where you feel you have no business, or where your presence would detract from your own sense of integrity. I suggest you avoid alcohol entirely at any group gathering, no matter how tempting it may be as a sedative or painkiller; it is the elixir of deception, and in such a compromised state, you risk of making significant errors in judgment. Stick close to the ones you truly love. One side benefit of all of this is that the sex promises to be incredible. Even if you don’t have a partner, think of someone you trust.
Cancer
(June 21-July 22)
This is a moment of extraordinary developments in your relationships; there is likely to be more than one that comes into prominence. I suggest you work with an expanded definition of “relationship,” for example, an emotionally moving encounter with anyone you care about. I suggest you remember your ethics and forget your expectations—particularly about what a relationship is, or what form it’s supposed to take. If you’ve been working to change your concepts in this area of your life, the opportunities you have now are likely to be the ones where you learn the basics, or rather, apply what you have worked so hard to learn. In endeavors of love, you want to encourage the feeling that you’re always at the beginning. Sincerity and simple directness will help you rise above any sense of overwhelm or the “power of the other” that you may feel. The passion that you’re experiencing is coming from you, though others close to you may be a source of encouragement or inspiration: Hot is hot, and the best thing you can do is submit to the beauty of that. While you’re doing this, be aware of everything that you’ve left behind: the history, the sense of identity, the crisis and turmoil; and if you feel yourself going in that direction, remind yourself that you have options, if you choose to explore them.
100 planet waves ChronograM 12/09
Planet Waves Horoscopes Eric Francis Coppolino www.planetwaves.net
Leo
(July 22-August 23)
You’re one of the most skilled at this elusive thing of being yourself, this thing that so many people struggle with, or are terrified of. That’s partly because you know the difference between your image and your substance. Your relationships the past four seasons have provided you with many opportunities to make that distinction—but you’re just getting cooking. The primary key to this is, and has always been, that you strive to use your relationships as an experience to get to know yourself. The second key is that you understand that “self” is a spiritual concept and that as a direct consequence of this, “relationship” is a spiritual concept—the most basic one there is. Both of these ideas now come out of the common sense background of your life and into full focus. This could mean a new level of understanding of what you’ve been exploring; it could mean that it’s time to return to some deeply held principles you’ve wandered from without intending to. Basically, the solution to any problem in a relationship, or any quest for realizing the potential of a relationship, or for creating a new experience, is to get to know yourself better. Use every experience as fodder for self-understanding and don’t be afraid to take that complex reflection you see in the universe as an image of yourself.
Virgo
(August 23-September 22)
You spend an inordinate amount of time and energy dealing with your fear, and you must be getting sick of it. There are many processes available to work this out, though I suggest you move away from anything that resembles an analytical approach. That is only likely to make matters worse. So, too, will eliminating the alleged “sources” of fear in your environment, or doing things to make yourself feel safer. Defensive measures will reinforce the idea that you have something to worry about. Seen through the lens of astrology, the issue looks existential in nature: You are dealing with fear based on fear of existing, and it then gets projected onto the many different facets of existence. That’s why it takes up residence in so many places, in so many ways. Considered another way, you may be caught in a fear of being yourself rooted in a deeper concern that you don’t know who you are, questioning whether your deeper self exists. Suffice it to say, you exist and your existence goes all the way in, through an opening to a wider space of identity that we all share—and this is the space you are now searching for. You’ve tried to define yourself by comparing yourself to others, though I assure you: This is how we find conflict rather than common ground.
Libra
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(September 22-October 23)
You would do well to ask the source of all the upheaval in your life. No, you weren’t expecting it, though somehow you were expecting it. You’re in a challenging process of dealing with the past—that is, with a past so deep that you don’t remember it, because most of it didn’t happen to you. It happened to your ancestors, and then you inherited it. From one perspective, your astrology illustrates a sense that you are being swallowed in history, overwhelmed by all that you cannot change. Looked at another way, there is an almost violent process of breaking open locked compartments of emotion, history, karma, and attachment to the past. This is combined with a stern wakeup call informing you that you must come to terms with who you are and what you want out of life, in short order. Part of what you are struggling with is false pressure; this process, such as it can be defined, will take longer than you think, so you can afford to go one step at a time. Yet the other part of what you’re addressing is your tendency to avoid certain matters and thus have them fester. This is likely to be one of those circumstances where things seem to get worse before they get better, but in fact, every step is a step toward healing.
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Scorpio (October 23-November 22) You will need your best Scorpio radar to navigate your professional life for the next few months, though I can boil matters down to a few basic concepts. First, pay attention to the ways you work against your own cause. This could be by focusing on goals that are no longer valid, or basing decisions on values that you outgrew years ago. Second and more significant: Distinguish your emotional trip from that of the people around you. Nobody would call you a conformist, but you’re often under pressure to “feel the way you’re supposed to feel” rather than the way you actually feel; which is to say, be scared of what everyone else is scared of. This is your challenge in group situations: This pressure leads you to feel like you’re trapped, yet if you express how you actually feel, you’ll be excommunicated. Here you have a great place to start when it comes to understanding your family’s influence on you. On one level things seemed friendly and open, but you lived with a measure of tyranny that you’re just beginning to understand. What you learn about yourself over the next few weeks will take you a long way toward freedom. You are growing toward the understanding that what was previously defined as rebellion is not rebellion at all; it is simply being yourself. And this will change your life.
12/09 ChronograM planet waves 101
Planet Waves Horoscopes Eric Francis Coppolino www.planetwaves.net
Sagittarius
(November 22-December 22)
Lately, I’ve had so much to write that I’ve adopted a strategy of exploring my local region, working in as many towns and cafes as I can. This keeps me in slightly unfamiliar territory, constantly needing to notice, adapt, find the best place to work, and meet new people. This month’s positively incredible astrology involves your ruling planet Jupiter, and it takes place in your 3rd solar house—Aquarius. This is the house of your local environment. In the current version of the world that means anywhere within one hour’s driving distance. Have you ever had that experience of noticing some really interesting detail right outside your door, even though you’ve walked past it a thousand times? That’s the effect that is being multiplied radically in your local environment. Therefore, get outside. Get to as many group events as you can. Meet your neighbors and take your time listening to them. Notice what you notice; write and take pictures—both. Yes, I am assuming you have some concept you’re developing, some invention or some idea for how to improve the world. True, this does not include everyone, but it includes you. The key is to think not only larger but differently than you thought yesterday. Constant change needs to become your new comfort zone, not (if you will notice) the mental rut the world seems so thrilled to be caught in.
Capricorn (December 22-January 20) If you’re feeling slammed to the max, too busy to eat or too restless to sleep, you’re missing out on the best of the astrology that is shaping the world—and which is based on events involving your sign. This is not a “busy time” in your life—it’s one of the major turning points. I can say this with no knowledge of your natal astrology; it plays second fiddle to such a potent force as Saturn square Pluto. If you have a struggle, it’s being clear about your values. As my old friend Arthur Joseph Kushner used to say, you’re doing “some of the right thing.” The question is: Are you reaching deep enough into your core and bringing out your deepest goals? You need to get yourself unbusy enough, and your mind loose enough, and out of crisis mode, to see the larger landscape of why you’re doing what you’re doing. The planets are offering clarity, but it’s of little worth unless you pause and are receptive. Deeply inlaid patterns are involved, and all of your astrology is focused on rewriting those patterns—getting out of automatic mode. We tend to use auto-mode as a defense against the packed quality of our lives, but actually, it’s the most efficient way to waste your life, or to evade the risks involved in living from the heart.
Aquarius (January 20-February 19) Jupiter is making big moves in your sign this month, and this means long-delayed opportunities coming to fruition. Back in April, I was talking about taking your ideas to the bank. I was also talking about how you probably filled two notebooks with ideas about your own life. Now, the cosmos is responding with clear points of contact. The first is Jupiter conjunct Chiron in your sign; followed by Jupiter conjunct Neptune in your sign. The first of these is about focusing your intentions, your abilities and your understanding, in one gesture. The keyword is alchemy. Consider this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you feel yourself balking because you’re afraid, admit that to yourself, and then see if you can get to the root of the fear. That may be the principal benefit of the aspect. Second, the meeting with Neptune will make what is difficult seem easy; that is, you may have the sense of your commitment flowing through you. This does not happen every day; you are accustomed to far more in the way of mental resistance and rigidity. You may be inclined to relax and enjoy the moment of not feeling trapped in your mental patterns, but this is not designed as a vacation; it’s designed as a moment of sufficient freedom and compassion for yourself to be able to get out of your own way.
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Pisces (February 19-March 20) “I went to a therapist once, because everything I think, it comes true. I can’t explain to you the feeling.” So says the Pisces waitress at the Greek diner where I’m writing this horoscope. Now, to turn this around from the passive role to the active one: Rather than information coming to you, consciously envision what you want. Or as a surfer once said to me, “Look where you want to be.” The idea of a conscious visioning process sounds nice, but it has two liabilities. One, you don’t necessarily know the implications of what we’re trying to manifest, and therefore it’s better to make sure that it’s directly within your deepest values. Second, it takes you out of the passive/victim role and puts into the role of co-creator of your life. This is not as appealing as it sounds. The reason most peoples’ lives are in the condition they are in is a direct result of resistance to take up any real measure of responsibility for what they create. This is in part a function of lack of awareness; if this is intentional or convenient, it’s called ignorance. As the Sun and Venus cross the powerful, energetic midheaven of your solar chart, it is essential that you take responsibility for awareness, and for making your decisions based on what you know. You have room for error—but not to pretend that your choices don’t matter.
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Parting Shot
Martin Munkacsi, Motorcyclist, gelatin-silver print, 1923, courtesy of the Howard Greenberg Gallery Born at the end of the 19th century in present-day Hungary, Martin Munkacsi (1896-1963) spent the early part of his career in Berlin shooting sports and street scenes, pioneering the art of action photography. After the Nazis’ ascendance to power in 1934, Munkacsi moved to the United States, where he proceeded to revolutionize fashion photography while working for Harper’s Bazaar, often shooting outside the studio, an innovation at the time. Munkacsi also produced one of the first articles illustrated with nude photographs in a mass-market US magazine. Noted portraitist and fashion photographer Richard Avedon said of Munkacsi, “He brought a taste for happiness and honesty and a love of women to what was, before him, a joyless, loveless, lying art. Today the world of what is called fashion is peopled with Munkácsi’s babies.” “Ode to Munkacsi,” a show of two dozen prints by the photographer, features images across the spectrum of his interests, from fashion to sports to portraiture (the exhibition includes a stunning double portrait of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera). The show represents the continuing resurgence of interest in Munkacsi’s work, long championed by his daughter Joan Munkacsi, a Woodstock resident until her death earlier this year. “Ode to Munkacsi” will be exhibited at the Center for Photography in Woodstock through December 20. (845) 679-9957; wwwcpw.org. —Brian K. Mahoney
104 ChronograM 12/09
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