FALL 09
A SEASONAL GUIDE TO THE MID-HUDSON VALLEY
SHADES OF AUTUMN Leaf Peeping in the Mid-Hudson Valley
CHEWING UP THE SCENERY Outdoor dining across the region
WALKWAY OVER THE HUDSON World’s longest pedestrian bridge opens in October
COMMUNITY
BUS I NES S
EDUCATION
NEW PALTZ
REGIONAL
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
TOURISM
NEW PALTZ REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.newpaltzchamber.org
BURGERS & FRIES
LOCALLY GROWN, FRESH INGREDIENTS
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Activities include hiking, horseback riding, carriage rides, boating, golf, tennis, and so much more! For more information, please call 866.666.3148 www.mohonk.com 1000 Mountain Rest Road New Paltz, New York 12561 SOJOURN FALL 2009 1
Michael Gold / The Corporate Image
Letter from
Joyce Minard
T
he Hudson Valley region is charming in all four seasons, but many would argue that autumn is its most beautiful. Whether you’re driving, riding, walking, hiking, or biking, our vibrant fall colors are everywhere, surrounding you in dazzling reds and golds. The always wonder-inspiring scenic beauty of the Hudson River, the Catskill Mountains, the Hudson Highlands, and the Shawangunk Ridge becomes almost impossibly picturesque as the region transitions from verdant summer to snow-blanketed winter— a daily miracle and a leaf peeper’s wildest dream come true. Fall is also a time to celebrate the harvest. The Valley’s lively autumn festivals put our region’s bounty and rich agricultural history on vivid display, making our farms, orchards, vineyards, and wineries must-see destinations this time of year. From pick-your-own apples and pumpkins to fresh pies and cider, evening bonfires, and wine tastings, fall in the Valley has something for everyone. Our crisp autumn weather is ideal for hiking and other outdoor recreation, antiquing, bird watching, river cruises, historical tours, or anything else that strikes your fancy. This is just some of the good stuff Hudson Valley residents enjoy every day throughout the autumn. Sojourn can help you find the good stuff too. In this issue we give you an inside look into our wide array of fall festivals like
the 19th Annual Taste of New Paltz, offer a full calendar of exciting fall events, direct you to family-friendly lodging around the region, and much more. The Chamber is proud to serve as a resource for visitors to our region, providing literature, tips, and advice year-round in our Visitor Center and through our popular website, www.newpaltzchamber.org. We hope you stop by to see us at 257 Main Street in New Paltz, or drop us a line through the Contact Us section of our website.
Best,
Joyce M. Minard
Front Cover View from the Rail Trail Bridge over the Wallkill River in New Paltz. Photo by Teresa Horgan www.teresahorgan.com
Sojourn is published quarterly by the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce. Information in this publication was carefully compiled to ensure maximum accuracy. However, the New Paltz Regional Chamber cannot guarantee the correctness of all information provided herein. Readers noting inaccurate information should contact the Chamber with corrections and updates. © 2009 New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce is strictly prohibited. The New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce is located at 257 Main Street, New Paltz, NY, 12561. 845-255-0243. Fax: 845-255-5189.
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WWW.NEWPALTZCHAMBER.ORG THE NEW PALTZ REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FALL 2009
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Shades of Autumn Whether you’re hiking, biking, Segwaying, or driving—we’ll tell you where the views are.
The Key of America 10 HTheistory: Hudson Valley played a vital role in the defense of America during the Revoutionary War.
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Fall Festivals
Autumn is the prefect time to experience the art and culture of the region.
hop: Very Crafty 14 SVisit craftspeople right in their studios!
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Quad: Walkway Over the Hudson The transformation of the PoughkeepsieHighland Railroad Bridge is complete on October 3.
ine: Outdoor Eating 20 DEnjoy the season dining al fresco! Events 24 HA alloween guide to the spooky stuff this fall. tay: Family Friendly Lodging 26 SThere are not only great things to do with the kids in the region, but also great places to stay.
aste of New Paltz Preview 31 TThe 19th annual celebration of local cuisine at the Ulster County Fairgrounds on September 13.
vent Listings 32 EHappenings you don’t want to miss! nformation 39 IResources you might need during your visit. egional Map 40 RWho says you can’t get there from here?
SOJOURN FALL 2009 3
Connect. Communicate. Collaborate. Photo by Teresa Horgan
19th Annual Taste of New Paltz Sunday, September 13, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Ulster County Fairgrounds, 249 Libertyville Rd., New Paltz Come and enjoy one of the finest outdoor food festivals in the Hudson Valley, featuring a variety of exceptional culinary delights. The adventurous gourmet may find such delicacies as mini lamb chops, curried lentils, and sushi; the more traditional diner will be glad to hear there’s still pizza, hot dogs, beer, and cheesecake. Local wineries will serve their own regional specialties. While food is the primary focus of the event, the Taste also offers a variety of fun activities for the whole family, including Kids’ Expo (Radio Disney performers, dunking booth, face painting, free balloons and giveaways), Artistic Taste (paintings, drawings, and photography by local artists), Craft Expo (handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, and other handmade items), Business Expo (area businesses and services, plus “The Great Giveaway” raffles), The Country Store (packaged edibles for sampling and for purchase), and Wellness and Recreation Expo (health, fitness, and recreation information and demonstrations). Live music will be performed throughout the day. All gate proceeds benefit the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce, its members, and community programs.
24th Annual Golf Outing Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m. Hudson Valley Resort and Spa, 400 Granite Road, Kerhonkson Eighteen holes of golf will be followed by a gourmet barbeque, featuring a sensational silent auction and awards presentation. All proceeds of the Golf Outing benefit the Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New Paltz Educational Scholarship Fund and New Paltz Youth Center. Each year, the Foundation awards two educational scholarships to qualified applicants who have had a positive impact in their community, school, or workplace. 2009 scholarship winners Ian McCrum and Mike Neilson will both continue undergraduate studies this fall thanks in part to the Foundation’s financial awards. For more information about these or other Chamber events, including visitor center hours of operation, call 845-255-0243 or e-mail info@newpaltzchamber.org. 4
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BOARD OFFICERS Chair Ernie VanDeMark Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. 1st Vice Chair Chris Drouin Beyond Wealth Management 2nd Vice Chair Craig Shankles PDQ Printing and Graphics Treasurer Mindi Haynes Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP, CPAs Financial Advisor Jerry Luke Fox Hill B&B Legal Counsel Paul O’Neill Attorney at Law Past Chair Bob Glemming
A SHORT DRIVE. A MILLION MILES AWAY.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Frank Curcio Clear Channel Radio of the Hudson Valley Helen Gutfreund, LMT Bodymind Massage Therapy Constance Harkin Ulster Savings Richard Heyl de Ortiz Historic Huguenot Street Kay Hoiby Free Fall Express, dba Blue Sky Ranch Dr. David Ness Performance Sports & Wellness Kathleen Packard Kathode Ray Media, Inc. Diane Reeder Queens Galley Shelley Turk Rocking Horse Ranch Sue Van De Bogart, PT St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Helise Winters SUNY New Paltz (CREEO)
Emeritus Members Sue VanVoorhis M&T Bank Robert Leduc Mohonk Mountain House Rick Lewis Riverside Bank Margaret McDowell Bermac Home Aides, Inc. Off. Scott Shaffrick New Paltz Police Department
Chamber Staff President Joyce Minard Director of Marketing and Communications Christine Crawfis Membership Director Cathy Hyland Communications and Programs Administrator
Janet Nurre Assistant Director of Finance & Membership Lucy Paradies
Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa
WEDDINGS, CONFERENCES ECO SPA, CATERING & MORE 845 . 795 . 1310 BUTTERMILKFALLSINN.COM
SOJOURN FALL 2009 5
color Photo by Teresa Horgan
SHADES OF
AUTUMN Leaf Peeping in the Mid-Hudson Valley By Kelley Granger
F
all is one of the most glorious times of year in the Mid-Hudson, when the Shawangunk and Catskill Mountains are set ablaze with the dazzling, dramatic hues of changing leaves. For the myriad shades of red and orange you might encounter, there are just as many ways to go about enjoying them. Here, Sojourn has compiled some of the region’s most exciting outdoor pursuits that translate into outstanding ways to enjoy the season’s color.
says. “While walking on the trails and carriage roads, guests will see a dazzling array of autumnal hues.” The property also boasts two Heptacodium, which Smiley says are rare specimens with white bark and white flowers that blossom in early September. If the grounds of the property aren’t enough to satiate your appetite for color, follow the path to Sky Top Tower. There, a vantage point allows panoramic vistas of foliage for miles below and views of six states from the top of the tower, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. If you’ve booked a room overnight, complimentary hikes, guided nature walks, and boating are not your only options. For an additional fee, guests can horseback ride part of the 2,200 acres of Mohonk property, or take Smiley’s recommendation for the most exhilarating foliage-viewing experience—rock climbing with an authorized guide from Alpine Endeavors. This particular area of the region is also a stunning place to take scenic drives, especially during this season. “We recommend the Shawangunk Scenic Byway as the best fall foliage
The forest becomes a patchwork of brilliant colors in shades of reds, oranges, and yellows.
BY LAND At Mohonk Mountain House, you don’t have to be a guest to enjoy much of what the renowned resort has to offer. By purchasing a day pass, visitors will have access to a bevy of hiking trails as well as the greenhouse, gardens, and picnic lodge (open weekends during the fall). The grounds of Mohonk are home to a variety of tree species, including the tupelo, or “black gum,” which begins turning to an electric red in late August, says Nina Smiley, the director of marketing, followed by the gold and pale yellow of quaking aspen and cottonwood trees, and the vibrant orange of sugar maples. “The forest becomes a patchwork of brilliant colors in shades of reds, oranges, and yellows,” she 6
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New Paltz Special. Different. Singular. Why? It all goes back to 1678 . Over 300 years ago, a small band of Huguenots founded a new community — New Paltz. Their independence came out of their Above: A group of kayakers embarks on a fall foliage tour with Adventure Junction, departing the Boat Dock at Bear Mountain and heading up Popolopen gorge.
conviction. That spirit remains strong in New Paltz today. See their colonial stone houses in
road ride of the Hudson Valley,” says Myriam Bouchard, a travel specialist with Hudson Valley Traveler. “It travels through many different valleys and over the ridge on Route 44/55, from which you get amazing views. On one side of the ridge, you see the Hudson Valley floor with views on a clear day of the Berkshires and the Highland Mountains. On the other side, you can see the Catskill Mountains in all their majestic fall glory.” She says that driving from the valley up the ridge and down the other side is a fine way to be exposed to different types of forests, and as a result, you get to witness an array of astounding fall colors. Hudson Valley Traveler specializes in helping visitors plan do-it-yourself driving vacations, day trips, overnights, and more. You can also enjoy the Shawangunks through a variety of guided tours put together by Adventure Junction, which specializes in crafting trips that are designed around a visitor’s specific interests. Gunter Spilhaus, the proprietor, highly recommends trying biking here during the autumn. “Ever since I spent six months cycling though Europe, I have loved to get out and explore on my bike,” he says. “Whether it is on the road or my mountain bike, it’s one of the few ways to cover some distance and really connect with the area you are in. You get to smell the freshly cut grass, talk to the cows you pass, and stop in the shade of an old oak and absorb the fall colors as the leaves drop around you.”
their orginal village setting. Visit our museum shop. Hike our marshland nature walk. Make a day of it with shopping and dining in our funky, charming downtown, which is just steps away. Haunted Huguenot Street October 29th through 31st
DuBois Fort Visitor Center 81 Huguenot Street Downtown New Paltz 845.255.1889 or 1660 A National Historic Landmark District
www.huguenotstreet.org SOJOURN FALL 2009 7
Spilhaus suggests Adventure Junction’s “Biking in the Gunk’s Lake Awosting and the Cliffs” tour, which takes cyclists through highlights of Minnewaska State Park and Mohonk Preserve. Adventure Junction also offers a number of other regional activities and will be adding family adventures and seasonal offerings to its website soon. “We will be loading our seasonal Fall Adventure Routes just before the leaves change,” says Spilhaus. “Our Adventure Routes have everything you will need to find the best spots, great adventure ideas, and all the details you need to explore the Hudson Valley during leaf season. Or simply select one of our tour options and have it all done for you from your booking to the bubbly at the end of the day.” If pedaling your way around sounds a bit too old-fashioned, try one of the new tours that Segway of the Hudson Valley is offering for the fall season—a guided tour of Historic Huguenot Street on a Segway PT. “It’s going to be a tour that combines 17th-century houses with 21st-century technology,” says Jason White, the vice president of Segway of the Hudson Valley. The tour includes a brief training session to get familiarized and comfortable riding the Segway, then a guide will lead the group down “the oldest street in America,” with pauses to go inside and explore the homes of the Huguenot refugees that lived there beginning in 1678. “We have such a rich history no matter what part of the Hudson Valley you’re in, there’s always something that’s happened,” says White. “Unfortunately, it’s all spread apart—so a Segway lets you cover ground quickly and take in the rich history that we do have here.” In addition to the Historic Huguenot Street tour and a Hudson 8
River and Historic Poughkeepsie tour, Segway of the Hudson Valley has plans to add more options in the fall season, including a tour of the village of New Paltz. If your plans have you up in the Catskills this season, stop by Hunter Mountain and soar 1,600 vertical feet (and 3,200 feet above sea level) to take in the views of the foliage. The Hunter Mountain Skyride glides along 5,500 feet and offers not only Catskill scenery but also that of Vermont’s Green Mountains and Massachusetts’ Berkshires. Once you reach the top of the Skyride, you can hike two miles to Hunter Mountain’s fire tower, the tallest in the state and one of the rare few listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
BY WATER The Hudson River lends a unique and extraordinary perspective when it comes to taking in the best of the fall season. Marshall Seddon of The River Connection in Hyde Park speaks to the advantages of an autumn kayaking experience—not only are you moving at a slower pace and able to absorb more of the scenery, but the colorful leaves generally last longer along the banks of the river, he says. The River Connection runs its kayak tours through mid-October, then plays it by ear depending on the weather. One highlight of the tour Seddon runs takes paddlers from an open area on the river with broad, colorful views of the foliage to a small creek where kayakers are on the water under a canopy of kaleidoscopic autumn hues, he says. Seddon also ponts out that sometimes the benefit of a September or October kayak adventure is not just in the leaves but also in a lack of them,
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Opposite: View from Hunter Mountain’s SkyRide during a beautiful fall day with the towns of Hunter and Tannersville visible in the distance.
when you can more clearly see the historic monuments, ruins, and abandoned barges along the river banks that are cloaked in greenery during the warmer kayaking months. If you’d prefer to relax on the water rather than worry about paddling yourself, Hudson River Adventures offers some tantalizing tour options for the season. “The Hudson River offers beautiful views of the mountains, including Storm King and Breakneck,“ says Valerie Kirschhoffer of Hudson River Adventures. “Our tours offer a unique way to enjoy the fall foliage by placing you on the water, enclosed by the mountains and the trees, with close-up views of historical sites including Bannerman’s Castle, Constitution Island, and West Point.� Cruises in autumn include a “Mad Hatter’s Tea,� a fun spin-off of Alice in Wonderland that includes special teas, scones, and tea cakes, says Kirschhoffer, and guests are encouraged to wear playful attire suited to the occasion. Another option is the Apple Cider Cruise, where guests enjoy sightseeing onboard with a cup of warm apple cider. On Hudson River Adventures’ boat the Pollepel, visitors can sign up for a boat ride to Bannerman’s Island, the site of a Scottish style castle turned armory where passengers may then
partake in a walking tour with a guide provided by the Bannerman Castle Trust. This tour is another great way to enjoy local history and to take advantage of the fall foliage in a way that perhaps people haven’t thought of before.
RESOURCES in this article Adventure Junction 845-256-8073; www.adventure-junction.com Alpine Endeavors 877-GUNKS-NY; www.alpineendeavors.com Historic Huguenot Street 845-255-1660; www.huguenotstreet.org Hudson River Adventures 845-220-2120; www.prideofthehudson.com Hudson Valley Traveler 845-750-6252; www.Hudson-Valley-Traveler.com Hunter Mountain Skyride 800-HUNTERMTN; www.huntermtn.com Mohonk Mountain House 845-255-1000; www.mohonk.com Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center 845-255-0919; www.mohonkpreserve.org Segway of the Hudson Valley 845-485-7349; www.segwayofthehudsonvalley.com The River Connection 845-229-0595; www.the-river-connection.com For complete information on fall activities, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org.
Hurd’s Family Farm A great family-friendly destination
Our 2009 season is featuring regional Hudson Valley folk music groups throughout the season at Taste of New Paltz and Hudson Valley Ramble
Hike • Corn maze
!
(845)-883-7825 | info@hurdsfamilyfarm.com www.hurdsfamilyfarm.com
Frost Valley YMCA Enjoy the Catskill Mountain High Peaks Frost Valley Y M C A
Family Weekends Group Retreats Teambuilding
(845) 985-2291 info@frostvalley.org
FrostValley.org 2000 Frost Valley Road Claryville, NY 12725
SOJOURN FALL 2009 9
HISTORY
The Key of America Hudson Valley Revolutionary War Sites By Anne Pyburn Craig
T
he Hudson Valley’s role in the Revolutionary War was so vital that had its defenses failed completely, we’d be calculating budgets in pounds sterling. From Saratoga to Manhattan, the valley bustled with intrigue and danger—Ground Zero in a kind of warfare that’s now relegated to faraway places, in which tired troops took refuge in root cellars, cousins commanded opposing forces, and battles ended with brutal hand-to-hand combat. “General George Washington understood that the Hudson River was the nexus of population, industry, agriculture, commerce, communications, and logistics,” says Col. James Johnson, executive director of the Hudson River Valley Institute and the official military historian of the Hudson Valley. “He recognized that the Hudson was at once an avenue and a barrier, particularly in the Highlands. It was an invasion route to and from Canada at the one end and New York on the other. Command of the Hudson influenced the economy and affected the movement of manpower and supplies. In his “Sentiments on a Peace Establishment” in 1783, Washington argued that the defense of the fortifications at West Point on the Hudson River—his major pivot point throughout the war—had been the “key of America.”
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Within that key are hundreds of individual stories, many of which can be explored and pondered at their original locations thanks to the devoted efforts of preservationists, offering a window into the days when the valley’s soil ran red with blood and every able-bodied male between 16 and 60 was required to bear arms. Stony Point, about an hour south of New Paltz, is a wonderful place to begin exploring this history. It was the scene of a midnight raid pulled off by “Mad” Anthony Wayne and members of the elite American Light Infantry that put a serious dent in British ambitions. Stony Point Battlefield offers a varied menu of interpretive exhibits and reenactments, as well as the oldest lighthouse on the Hudson. Less than 10 miles north is West Point, where the West Point Museum offers a comprehensive look at the evolution of the American military. As the site of the United States Military Academy, West Point doesn’t allow folks to wander about unsupervised, but guided tours are offered through its visitors center (anyone over 16 needs a valid photo ID) . Continuing northward, the New Windsor Cantonment was a temporary home to 7,000 troops and 500 “camp followers,” aka women
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and kids. They stayed in log huts, muskets at the ready, until April of 1783, when Washington issued the ceasefire orders that officially ended the conflict. The cantonment offers reconstructed buildings, a visitors’ center, a full schedule of reenactments during the summer season—and the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, which unites the stories of those wounded in modern times with the first handful of honorees recognized by Washington himself with small pieces of purple cloth. Washington lived for 18 months in Newburgh, where he engaged in various political and administrative issues that would shape the infant republic. The home, now known as Washington’s Headquarters and State Historic Site, has been restored with period furnishings. Guided tours are offered of the house and museum grounds. The Van Wyck Homestead in Fishkill was requisitioned by the Continental Army and used as an officers’ quarters. In adjoining fields, barracks were built by General Horatio Gates under orders of George Washington to accommodate an encampment of over 2,000 soldiers. The Gomez Mill House, in the town of Marlboro, was the scene of many a militia meeting during that colorful era, and was home to Revolutionary War hero Wolfert Acker. Kingston, “a nursery for almost every villain in the country” according to the British general who set it ablaze in 1777, is a gold mine of Revolutionary sites, with houses from the period dotting the city’s Uptown district. Unless stated otherwise, the sites listed above are operated as national parks, and are open free of charge from April through October.
Trust our family to treat your family!
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Opposite: Map showing the British plan of attack on Forts Clinton and Montgomery during the American revolution.
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RESOURCES in this article Friends of Historic Kingston Kingston 845-339-0720; www.fohk.org Gomez Mill House 11 Mill House Rd., Marlboro 845-236-3126; www.gomez.org Stony Point Battlefield Stony Point State Park, Stony Point 845-786-2521 http://nysparks.state.ny.us
Mountain Laurel Waldorf School Early Childhood through 8th grade
Van Wyck Homestead 504 Route 9, Fishkill 845-896-9560; www.fishkillridge.org/history/vanwyck.htm Washington’s Headquarters 84 Liberty Street, Newburgh 845-562-1195; http://nysparks.state.ny.us West Point Visitor’s Center Highland Falls 845-938-2638; www.westpoint.edu For information on other historical sites, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org.
Where students discover their strengths, recognize their responsibility to others and envision the full possibility of their lives.
16 S. Chestnut Street, New Paltz, NY 12561 845-255-0033 www.mountainlaurel.org
SOJOURN FALL 2009 11
FESTIVALS
Autumn’s Bounty Fall Fairs and Festivals By Peter Aaron
T
he Hudson Valley’s many outdoor summer events make it a magnet for fun-seekers during the warmer months. But by no means does the excitement end when the fall season kicks in. Every year, the colorful autumn leaves bring with them a rich itinerary of fairs and festivals that reward minds and palates with stimulating cultural offerings and tempting regional delicacies. For Sojourn’s fall edition we present this bountiful cornucopia of the best of the area’s most appealing autumnal happenings. (Don’t forget the Taste of New Paltz—preview on p. 31!)
spencertown book festival September 4-6, 12-13. Spencertown Academy’s fourth annual Festival of Books promises thousands of books for sale plus timely talk and readings by noted authors, poets, and other speakers. Among those appearing this year are Victor Navasky, former editor and publisher of The Nation, writer Mary Gaitskill, and the perfectly named best-selling author Francine Prose. Spencertown. (518) 392-3693; www.spencertownacademy.org. Woodstock Film Festival September 30-October 4. Now in its 10th year, the Woodstock Film Festival is one of the world’s premier gatherings for the presentation of innovative new films. In addition to screenings, workshops, celebrity-led panels, awards ceremonies, 12
and parties, WFF boasts concerts by music’s hottest acts. Ang Lee’s locally shot Taking Woodstock, about the 1969 music festival, is among this year’s premieres. Woodstock. 845-679-4265. www.woodstockfilmfestival.com.
Woodstock-New Paltz Arts & Crafts Fair September 5-7. This eagerly awaited Labor Day weekend bazaar at the Ulster County Fairgrounds promises more than 300 craftspeople and artists, continuous demonstrations, furniture and architectural crafts, specialty foods, healthcare products, and a wide sampling of other entertainment. And the children’s tent makes it a natural for out-and-about families. New Paltz. 845-245-3414. www.quailhollow.com. Bethel Woods Harvest Festival September 6-October 11. Held on the site of the original 1969 Woodstock music festival, this annual festival occurs on Sundays from August 30 through Columbus Day weekend, rain or shine, with a different theme each week; along with the usual farmers market, pony rides, arts and crafts, music, food, and other attractions, 2009’s roster includes the Alpaca Festival (September 6), Earth Day in Autumn (September 20), and Chili Day (October 4). Bethel Woods. 866-781-2922. www.bethelwoodscenter.org.
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Opposite: Crowds gather at Hunter Mountain Oktoberfest on a balmy autumn day. Above: Film still from Dear Lemon Lima, a family comedy feature film written and directed by Suzi Yoonessi, to be shown at the Woodstock Film Festival.
Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest September 12-13. Our area is well known as one of America’s oldest wine-growing regions, a marvel celebrated annually by this taste-making weekend at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. With hundreds of local wines and others from the Finger Lakes to Long Island and beyond, as well as over 100 related vendors, the event has been known to pull in over 20,000 visitors. Rhinebeck. 845-658-7181. www.hudsonvalleywinefest.com.
Heart of the Hudson Valley Bounty Festival October 3. This happening at Cluett-Schantz Memorial Park emphasizes the importance of upstate agriculture. Held in one of the area’s most fertile regions, the festival features agri-culinary competitions by local farms and restaurants, a homemade goods contest and pageant, a farming-oriented scavengers hunt, and a farmers market. Milton. 845-464-2789. www.hvbountyfestival.com.
Tivoli Street Painting Festival September 26. With each season this whimsical celebration of impermanent outdoor art acquires more willing participants; this year upward of 75 artists are set to once again turn this quaint village into a confluence of colorful creations. Adding to the draw is music, vendors, and the Children’s Quilt, which lets young artists chalk up their own square of pavement. (Rain date: September 27). Tivoli. 845-757-2021. www.tivoliny.org.
Hunter Mountain Oktoberfest October 3-4, 10-11. Another longtime regional favorite, this modern celebration of the harvest presents authentic German and GermanAmerican entertainment in the beauty of the northern Catskills. Highlights include a farmers market, plenty of vendors, free crafts and pumpkin painting for the kids, and much more. Lederhosen not required. Hunter. 800-486-8376 ext. 2200. www.huntermtn.com.
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival September 26-27. Garlic ice cream? Believe it! That treat, along with many other must-try delicacies, plus entertainment, crafts, lectures, children’s activities, and more, will be at Cantine Field for the sampling at this dependable perennial. If you’ve never been, 2009 is your year to experience that which, at last count, attracted a whopping 53,000 garlic lovers. Saugerties. 845-246-3090. www.hvgf.org. African American Culture and Heritage Festival October 3-4. Throughout its history African Americans have played crucial roles in the Hudson Valley’s social and cultural development. This event at the Senate House offers opportunities to learn about the history and contributions of African Americans in the region and beyond through performances, demonstrations, food, and handson activities. Kingston. 845-338-2786. www.ulstertourism.info.
New York State Sheep & Wool Festival October 17-18. Established in 1972, this gala at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds is one of the nation’s largest get-togethers for knitters, crocheters, and other fiber artists and breeders of natural fiber-producing livestock. In addition to vendors and crafts, the festival features sheepdog trials, a leaping llama contest, and more. Pick up that stylish scarf or sweater for the coming winter. Rhinebeck. www.sheepandwool.com. International Pickle Festival November 22. Celebrating its first dozen years, this hit pick at the Rosendale Community Center lives up to its name, attracting interest from India and Japan. The briny brouhaha boasts endless varieties of pickles as well as ethnic music and dance. A coloring contest and pickle balloons will delight the kids. Rosendale. (845) 658-9649. www.picklefest.com. SOJOURN FALL 2009 13
SHOP
Very
Above: Hudson Beach Glass, a gallery with glassblowing demonstration studio located in an 1890 renovated firehouse in Beacon.
Crafty By Anne Roderique-Jones
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upporting what’s local has become a way of life in the Hudson Valley. While long known as a hotbed of artistic talent, the area has now become a destination for the support and sharing of local craftsmanship. It’s likely that the addition of the Dia:Beacon art museum has helped to grow these efforts, but also viral explosions like Etsy.com are proof that handmade goods continue to be appreciated and in demand. Whether it’s for a day, a weekend, or in a permanent home, artists’ shows give the community a chance to meet them as well as see their work. A must-see event that’s rich with local talent is Artist Studio Views. For one weekend this annual Dutchess County event features 23 artists showing works in photography, watercolor, ceramics, printmaking, and mixed media. The event was undertaken to help promote the arts in the Hudson Valley and has allowed the artists to open their studios and share their passion for creating. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to engage with the artists.
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Similarly, the Hudson Valley Pottery Trail also gives visitors a unique peek inside the lives of artists. One of the most in-depth artist-immersion experiences in the area, the Hudson Valley Pottery Trail is open four days a week, year-round, and exhibits the work of 10 local potters. The trail gives visitors the opportunity to visit the showrooms of the artists, whose handmade goods are often found in galleries nationwide as well as being sold here, where they work and thrive. While touring this artist colony, porcelain bowls, sinks, figurines, sculpture, furniture, and other truly individual pieces can be found. Also a permanent home for art is Crafts People, a trove of handmade goods run by Rudy Hopkins and Mary Elwin that covers nearly all areas of craftsmanship by local artists. The four vast buildings of their retail space lie on 25 acres of land that are nestled near the Ashokan Reservoir, in the foothills of the Catskills. From glassware to pottery and an extensive jewelry collection, many forms of media are represented in their extensive collection of local crafts.
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Hudson Valley Beach Glass is in a former firehouse in Beacon. The gallery is filled with work from the four owners who practice their discipline by handcasting glass using an ancient process that produces incredibly vibrant results. Glassblowing classes are taught in the studio, as well as other learning workshops from guest artists that include glass bead making. The lovely perfume bottles, candlesticks, and affordable soap dishes make one-of-a-kind gifts. Thanks to its rich history of artistic talent, the Hudson Valley is also a stop for some of the nation’s most renowned craft fairs. These fairs feature craftsmanship from both local and national artists and are filled with a goods to please the entire family. The Woodstock-New Paltz Arts and Crafts Fair offers visitors the chance to view handcrafted goods while enjoying food, wine, and music of the local variety. With over 300 talented craftspeople sharing their goods, the fair has been running for over 25 years. One of the highlights of this event is the artist demonstrations of canoe making and other interesting techniques. Crafts at Rhinebeck is held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds and features local artists and many who have traveled across America to participate in the contemporary high-end show, which dates to 1972. Thousands of crafts are for sale and longtime fans enjoy wine tasting, a farmers market, and a children’s festival complete with petting zoo and hayrides. For a completely different experience, mark your calendar for New Paltz’s third annual Celebration of the Arts. This event includes performing artists from all over the Hudson Valley who come together to perform music, poetry, dance, and other talents, and has grown tremendously in the last three years, with booths, stages, and seminars of emerging and working artists who take chances by bending convention. 16
Above (top): Showroom of Westcote Bell Pottery in High Falls, displaying a wide range of hand-made sinks, painted tiles, paintings and ceramic sculptures by husband-and-wife team Vaughan Smith and Jacqueline M. Cohen; stacking bowls, cast porcelain, 6” diameter each, by Kaete Brittin Shaw.
RESOURCES in this article Art Studio Views www.artsnortherndutchess.org Crafts People www.craftspeople.us Hudson Valley Pottery Trail www.potterytrail.com Hudson Valley Beach Glass www.hudsonbeachglass.com Woodstock-New Paltz Arts and Crafts Fair www.quailhollow.com Crafts at Rhinebeck www.craftsatrhinebeck.com Celebration of the Arts www.celebrationofthearts.net For more information on arts and crafts, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org.
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QUAD
Railway Reincarnation Walkway Over the Hudson By Kelley Granger
T
he idea began to take hold back in 1992. The initiative was to convert a landmark feat of engineering from a bygone era—the Poughkeepsie-Highland railroad bridge—into a functional historical monument, a pedestrian walkway open to joggers, bicyclists, hikers, and others. Now, more than 15 years after a nonprofit was formed to save the bridge, it’s secured the funding and manpower necessary and is set to see its mission fulfilled with the October 3rd opening of Walkway Over the Hudson. Fred Schaeffer, the chairman of the non-profit group Walkway Over the Hudson, calls the bridge an engineering marvel. “It’s one of the greatest structures built in the 19th century, if not ever,” he says. “The river is very deep and very wide, so everybody thought it would be impossible to bridge the Hudson, and there were no bridges [spanning the Hudson] south of Albany [at that
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time].” Schaeffer says the builders used wooden caissons 60 by 100 feet in length and width that go down a depth of 120 feet—the equivalent of putting four 10-story buildings underwater, a remarkable achievement for the time. Opened in December of 1888, the bridge was billed as the longest in the world and went on to carry 3,500 train cars a day at its peak. It carried cargo. It transported soldiers departing to fight in World War II. But after almost 100 years of nonstop use, a fire ravaged the tracks in 1974 and the bridge fell into neglect—until Walkway Over the Hudson became involved and was given generous donations by individuals and organizations like the Dyson Foundation and Scenic Hudson. Amazingly, Schaeffer says the steel on the bridge only required $4 million to revitalize. “We did full inspections of it 120 years after it was built and it turns out it’s in great condition,” he says. “There’s the old say-
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Opposite (clockwise from left): View of the walkway—the bright orange-colored areas indicate where the steel has been replaced or strengthened; construction workers guide a precast concrete panel into place on top of the steel beams; Fred Schaeffer, the chairman of the nonprofit group Walkway Over the Hudson, monitors the progress. Above: Nearly finished walkway. Images provided.
ing ‘They don’t build ‘em like that anymore,’ and it’s true of this bridge.” The entire project is estimated to cost $35 million, but is expected to pump millions annually into the regional and state economy. When it opens, the Poughkeepsie-Highland railroad bridge will be resurrected to a second life as a linear park and trailway open to a range of outdoor enthusiasts, from runners to photographers. Once again, it will stake a claim for its size, this time, according to Walkway Over the Hudson, as the longest pedestrian bridge in the world. At approximately 1.25 miles long, the bridge spans 3,000 feet of the Hudson River and is built into the banks of the surrounding land. The view, says Schaeffer, is breathtaking. To the north, there are vistas of the Catskills, Roosevelt’s home, and the Culinary Institute of America. To the south, you can see the Hudson Highlands as the river snakes down, and you can also overlook the Mid-Hudson Bridge because the Poughkeepsie-Highland bridge is about 50 feet higher. While the views are sure to be stunning, the Walkway Over the Hudson group is busy pro-
moting plans to connect the bridge to existing recreational trails in the area. Schaeffer, an avid bicycler, photographer, and history enthusiast, says that the bridge and surrounding trails have the potential to be a world-famous attraction because, if all goes as the group hopes, 25 miles of traffic-free paths will be established. Walkway Over the Hudson is organizing a grand opening celebration that will take place the first weekend in October. The festivities will kick off on Friday night at 8 p.m. with the Celebration of Lights, a procession that will symbolize the bridge coming out of the darkness, followed by a fireworks show. On Saturday, an official ribbon-tying ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. by invitation only, followed by a puppet parade organized by noted celebration artist Jeanne Fleming. By 3 p.m., the walkway will be open to the public. A 5K race will be held on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. by the Mid-Hudson Road Runners, with more events to be announced. For more information on the bridge and the grand opening festivities, visit www.walkway.org, which will be updated continuously as the grand opening approaches.
“It’s one of the greatest structures built in the 19th century, if not ever.”
SOJOURN FALL 2009 19
DINE
CHEWING UP THE SCENERY An Outdoor Dining Tour
A
s warmth and daylight dwindle with the season, we are more and more drawn outside before winter presses in. As late summer this year proved oppressively hot after a cool, rainy first act, many of us took refuge in temperate, air-conditioned spaces. Fall, however, provides the perfect weather for outdoor dining. Balmy days and cool evenings (don’t forget the sweater!) are downright food friendly. And open-air dining just can’t be beat in the Hudson Valley. From intimate streamside porches to breathtaking mountain-view patios, diners can take in the sights and enjoy world-class cuisine without leaving their seats!
Kingston The Rondout Landing in Kingston, where the Rondout Creek meets the Hudson River, has been a hot spot ever since the Delaware & Hudson Canal connected those two rivers in the early 19th century. A bustling boat marina, the lively waterfront promenade hosts fall weekend festivals (Bluestone Festival, October 4; Chili CookOff, October 10), outside its dozen restaurants. Mariner’s Harbor anchors the scene, with seating for almost 100 on the patio and 50 on its covered porch, right on the water. It’s a seafood lover’s dream, from live lobster to Ahi tuna to fried combination platters. If you can’t get out on a boat, quaffing a brew at Mariner’s and tucking into a dozen steamers streamside is pretty close. Just up the block, Acapulco Grill serves authentic Mexican cuisine not found in cookie-cutter, South of the Border chain restaurants. Try the fiery and sweet Mole poblano con pollo (chicken stewed in chocolate sauce). Or any of the dozens of variations of chalupas, burritos, 20
By liam drauf
tostados, and tacos available at this festive, family friendly cantina. (Don’t forget to start with the calamari with chipolte sauce, a smoky Mexican twist on fra diavolo.) The outdoor patio is right on the main drag, Broadway, allowing you to watch all the action from your spot in the shade of your table’s umbrella.
New Paltz Nestled at the base of the Shawangunk Ridge, the best views take in the splendor of the quartz conglomerate face that fences the horizon. From the second-story deck of The Harvest Café, you can bask in the sunset while delighting in chef Mark Suszczynski’s inventive dishes like filet of salmon in tomato-fennel broth topped with spinach, onions, and chorizo. Also in the shadow of the hills, and just across the road from the Wallkill River is New Paltz’s own microbrewery and restaurant, the Gilded Otter. Serving a rotating selection of 10 beers brewed on site, the Otter is the perfect place to kick back on the porch after a hike and down a couple Rail Trail Pale Ales with a bowl of three-meat chili, topped with sharp cheddar and served with cakey cornbread. Just up the block is Karma Road, a vegetarian deli and smoothie bar serving healthy food in an environmentally conscious way. A local favorite is the Karma Reuben, with baked tempeh, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, sprouts, and soy mayo. A full-service deli, Karma Road has organic juices and smoothies, as well as a robust offering of soups and sandwiches to enjoy on their deck. Right at the center of downtown, Neko Sushi, recently renovated its outdoor dining area. Arched gateways now beckon diners to its understated outdoor dining area, New Paltz’s ideal
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Shadows on the Hudson’s Sunrise Deck offers a unique outdoor dining experience.
people-watching perch. Voted “Best Sushi in the Hudson Valley” three times by Hudson Valley Magazine, Neko also serves yakitori, tempura, dumplings, and gyoza.
Poughkeepsie Perched over the Hudson on the Poughkeepsie waterfront, Shadows on the Hudson has it all— literally. From three kinds of burgers to two kinds of calamari, coconut shrimp, 15 sandwiches, complete raw bar, steaks, lobsters, 10 entrée salads, there is something for everyone—even an outdoor bar. Not to mention the desserts, from flaming bananas Foster to Alsatian cheesecake in huckleberry sauce. Rhinecliff A $5-million renovation has transformed the derelict Rhinecliff Hotel, which had been crumbling into the earth for half a decade, into a shining yellow beacon on the Hudson just south of the Rhinecliff train station. There are well-appointed rooms upstairs, but the action is on the patio, just off the train tracks, overlooking the grandeur of the river and mountains beyond—it’s a view of the Catskills you won’t get elsewhere. Chef Rei Peraza’s food is also something to see, at turns comforting—fish and chips, mac and cheese
with bacon and Gruyere—and adventurous— “Rhinecliff Wings” (read: crispy frog’s legs, served with parsley aioli), a salad with asparagus, cauliflower, and pig cheeks. Peraza is also attuned to seasonality, changing his menu with the availability of local ingredients. Try the cheese board, featuring selections from regional cheesemakers like Sprout Creek in Poughkeepsie, and housemade confit. And as for the trains that rush by occasionally: Dig in, you might not even notice!
Rosendale/high falls Standing outside the unassuming Bywater Bistro, you wouldn’t know that once you pass through two small dining rooms, an oasis awaits. Think gardens, stretching from the covered porch—great for rainy Sunday brunches!— to the edge of the Rondout Creek, lazing by a hundred feet away. Colorful annuals and perennials line the wrought-iron walls of the Bistro’s magical backyard, anchored by a koi pond just off the porch. Chef Sam Ullman keeps things simple but interesting, fusing ingredients in unexpected ways. Try the meaty and piquant crab cake and grilled portobello sandwich with chililime mayo. The pulled pork is also a generous helping; ask if they’ll substitute potato pancakes for fries and you have a surefire winner! Just a few miles up the road, in the quaint village of High Falls is the restaurant that put the Hudson Valley on the culinary map, the
SOJOURN FALL 2009 21
Depuy Canal House, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Chef/owner John Novi spun off Chefs on Fire a few years ago for a more casual dining experience, including tables on the patio outside the 1797 stone house on the former D&H Canal.
Woodstock With the 40th anniversary of the festival come and gone, perhaps the crowds will have died down at Woodstock’s see-and-be-seen eatery— was that really Uma who just walked by?—and you can snag a table streamside on the bluestone patio. Celebrity rubbernecking is second to the food at The Bear Café, however—its New American cuisine is consistently regarded as among the region’s best. Enjoying pan-seared halibut with fennel chowder and hazelnut crumbs or grilled tofu on soba noodles with Napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions under the twinkling lights wrapping the trees that sway streamside, you’ll probably think so too. The Bear’s unpretentious elegance, burnished to a fine glow since Dylan’s manager, Albert Grossman, opened the place in 1971, will make you feel like a star. Reservations are highly recommended.
RESOURCES in this article Acapulco Grill 40 Broadway, Kingston 845-331-6320 The Bear Café Route 212, Woodstock 845-679-5555; www.bearcafe.com Bywater Bistro 419 Main Street, Rosendale 845-658-3210; www.bywaterbistro.com
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Chefs on Fire Rt. 213, High Falls 845-687-7700; www.depuycanalhouse.com Gilded Otter 3 Main Street, New Paltz 845-256-1700; www.thegildedotter.com The Harvest Café Water Street Market, New Paltz 845-255-4205; www.theharvestcafenp.com Karma Road 11 Main Street, New Paltz 845-255-1099; www.karmaroad.net Mariner’s Harbor 1 Broadway, Kingston (845) 340-8051; www.marinersharbor.com
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Neko Sushi 49 Main Street, New Paltz 845-255-0162; www.thenekosushi.com The Rhinecliff Hotel 4 Grinnell Street, Rhinecliff 845-876-0950; www.therhinecliff.com Shadows on the Hudson 176 Rinaldi Boulevard, Poughkeepsie 845-486-9500; www.shadowsonthehudson.com For information on other restaurants, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org.
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SOJOURN FALL 2009 23
HALLOWEEN
LOCAL HAUNTS Halloween in the Hudson Valley By Anne Pyburn Craig
S
omething about Halloween resonates deep in the soul. The celebration of the end of October—considered the beginning of the New Year by ancient Celts—has endured and grown, without sponsorship by either the government or any one religion. Part carnival, part harvest festival, and part acknowledgement of the deepest mysteries faced by human beings, the fun of Halloween revelry may have been for little kids through most of the 20th century, but as those kids grew up, Halloween grew with them, bringing along some extremely visually interesting nights. To those who deplore all things mystical, it’s a night for heathens and hedonism. But to most of us, the idea of the veil between the worlds becoming permeable for a night is intriguing— and the fun of dressing up and/or helping one’s children to do so is not to be missed. If you’re wondering what to dress up as, or whether to bother, a visit to Columbia Beauty Supply in uptown Kingston will settle the matter. The selection of rental costumes, theatrical
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makeup, and accessories can leave you giggling and gasping in childlike wonder, which is exactly the right spirit in which to plan and enjoy Halloween. Columbia will turn you into Sarah Palin, Abraham Lincoln, or the Swamp Thing with equal aplomb. Some people have made Halloween their life’s work—like the folks at the Headless Horseman Hayride and Haunted House in West Park, a scare-fest that’s been ranked in the top 10 of several nationwide lists of attractions (including a first-place ranking from Haunt World magazine). H-5, as it’s familiarly known, includes the hayride, three haunted houses, and a corn maze, all infested with creatively adorned ghouls, witches, and suchlike. There’s a stage show, several food concessions, and gifts. Showcasing the vividly nightmarish aspects of Halloween, Headless Horseman is not recommended for those under 8, but older kids and adults will have a blast enjoying cathartic shrieks. Other professionally haunted houses in the Hudson Valley include Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion in
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Above: Graveyard at TerrorDome Haunted Scream Park.
Wappingers Falls, the TerrorDome in Newburgh, and the Forest of Fear in Sterling Forest. For those who like a little more culture and a lot less gore, Legend Weekends at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside in Tarrytown offer children’s games, spooky stories, magic shows, and pumpkin carving by day. By night, the grounds of nearby Phillipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow will be lit by bonfires and jack-o-lanterns and haunted by creatively eerie giant puppets, as Irving’s classic scare tale is brought to life. Van Cortland Manor in Croton-on-Hudson offers the Great Jack-O-Lantern Blaze on weekend evenings throughout October, featuring over 4,000 hand-carved pumpkins guaranteed to amaze and delight. Smaller in scale yet amazing and delightful in its own right is the Night of 100 Pumpkins at The Bakery in New Paltz. Locals are invited to carve or paint a jack-o-lantern and enter it in the contest (remember, this is a town full of artists) and the community gathers on Halloween to view the results over hot chocolate and pumpkin bread. New Paltz, in fact, is a wonderful town for Halloween fun—from the well-attended kids’ parade down Main Street in the evening to the late-night revelries of the costumed collegians and other “adults” at the local pubs. And from 7pm ’til midnight the oldest existing street in the United States will be dressed up for Haunted Huguenot Street. This year’s event has a Quadricentennial flair, featuring Colonial-era spook tales in honor of Henry Hudson.
There are always a host of other eerie happenings around the region, from planned trick-or-treat rounds and children’s parties hosted by merchants and civic organizations to less-formal haunted house attractions put on by youth centers (the Teen Seen in New Paltz hosts a great one). In many Hudson Valley towns good, old-fashioned trick-or-treating still thrives in some neighborhoods, and at least a couple of locals take pride in their decorative flair and create haunted venues just for fun, some of which attract neighbors from miles around.
RESOURCES in this article The Bakery www.ilovethebakery.com Columbia Beauty Supply www.columbiacostumes.com Forest of Fear in Sterling Forest www.theforestoffear.com Headless Horseman www.headlesshorseman.com Haunted Huguenot Street www.huguenotstreet.org Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion www.thehauntedmansion.com Sunnyside, Phillipsburg Manor, Van Cortlandt Manor www.hudsonvalley.org TerrorDome www.terrordome.com For more info on where to get spooked, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org.
SOJOURN FALL 2009 25
STAY
Room for Everyone Family Lodging in the Hudson Valley By Peter Aaron
W
ith the seemingly endless array of kid-friendly activities the Hudson Valley offers—everything from skiing to canoeing to apple picking—it’s no wonder the area is one of America’s leading destinations for vacationing families. In addition to the steady visits by downstate clans looking for a little fresh-aired respite from the concrete grind of their environs, the Catskills regularly draw families from far beyond the nation’s borders. More and more, the region has been welcoming holidaying parents with children from Europe, Canada, South America, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle and Far East, all of whom have been lured equally by images of the area’s natural beauty and tales of corn mazes and kayaking a mere two hours from Manhattan.
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“What makes the Hudson Valley such a great place for families to come to is the huge variety of things they can do here,” says Joanne Michaels, the former editor of Hudson Valley Magazine and the author of Let’s Take the Kids: Great Places to Go in the Hudson Valley, now in its third edition through St. Martin’s Griffin Press. “Everything is very accessible. If you get up early, which people with kids generally do, you can do a really wide range of fun and educational activities in a single afternoon. You can visit a local farm to see where our food comes from, and then go biking on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Highland. And kids absolutely love Zoom Flume Waterpark in Greene County.” To complement the area’s rich abundance of family fun are the numerous facilities that offer lodging geared toward Junior and Sis as
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Opposite: A child mines for gems and minerals at the Western Mining Town, one of the many activities offered at the Rocking Horse Ranch. Above: The climbing wall at Rocking Horse Ranch.
well as Mom and Dad. These include everything from traditional hotels to bed-and-breakfasts to camps and all-inclusive resorts, not to mention several long-running local ranches. One of the latter is Highland’s Rocking Horse Ranch. “We’re a full ranch and family resort, with over 100 horses, boating, water-skiing, an extensive children’s program, and more,” says manager Stan Ackerman, who has been with the ranch for 39 of its 51 years. Adding to the mix are a mammoth water park with a 225-foot waterslide, a foam-padded Fun Barn complete with a climbing wall, winter skiing, tubing, ice skating, hiking, hayrides, and a children’s nursery and playground. (Parents love Rocking Horse’s golf course and massage and facial center.) “And one price pays for everything, even meals,” Ackerman adds. Located in Kerhonkson, Pinegrove Dude Ranch takes a similar tack. The 600-acre, allseason complex is dedicated to family enjoyment, and with its 126 guest rooms offers such outdoor activities as horseback and pony rides, cattle driving, fishing, hiking, swimming, campfires and marshmallow roasts, miniature golf, and a petting zoo. All of these activities are supervised by the ranch’s highly experienced staff, which is headed by owner David O’Halloran, who grew up at the ranch and takes pride in its down-home, Western-style hospitality. Frost Valley YMCA, outside the mountain hamlet of Claryville, was established in 1901 as one of the nation’s first summer camps and provides families with four seasons of outdoor, experiential, and educational opportunities. The 6,000-acre site offers residential camping and environmental education through its family and group retreats, which are designed to create and strengthen familial relationships. Amid the forests and streams of the Catskill High Peaks
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campers participate in educational hikes, arts and crafts programs, and adventurous challenges like the 65-foot climbing tower and snow-tubing run. All-inclusive family weekends include meals and evenings marked with rousing campfire singalongs, while housing options boast platform tents, rustic cabins, family-style lodges, motel-style rooms, and inn-style accommodations. The historic, 265-room Mohonk Mountain House has been a commanding destination for summering, wintering, and leaf peeping families since 1869. Situated in New Paltz alongside Lake Mohonk and the beautiful Shawangunk Ridge, the castlelike manor offers a Victorian garden maze plus guided hiking and nature walks, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, horseback and carriage rides, ice-skating, rock climbing, and mountain biking, as well as other programs through its special Kids Club, which caters to guests ages 4 to 12. “The Kids Club includes the Junior Naturalist Experience, which helps children to see nature with new eyes,” says Mohonk’s director of marketing Nina Smiley, a member of the family that has owned and operated the resort for 140 years. “Parents today are seeking ways to keep their kids healthy and connected in ways that don’t require batteries or remote control, and the program does just that.” In July and August Mohonk also offers its Teen Program for guests 13 to 17, which features daylong hikes, golf, tennis, and other supervised activities.
The Lodge at Emerson Place in Mount Tremper is another Hudson Valley favorite with visiting families. The log-built, 27-unit lodge houses several multi-room family suites, each of which contains a private sitting room with a queen-size sofa bed and two bedrooms with king-size beds; one room in each suite has a balcony overlooking the Esopus Creek. Guests big and small will be delighted with their free admission to the world’s largest kaleidoscope, which is housed inside a converted corn silo on the former farm’s premises, and just up the road are inner tubing in Phoenicia, vintage train rides on the Delaware and Ulster Railroad in Arkville, winter sports at Belleayre Mountain, and, of course, hiking and nature all around. Speaking of nature, the area adjacent to lush Minnewaska State Park is home to two wonderful family-friendly lodging facilities. Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonksen offers stunning views of the surrounding Shawangunks and offers seasonal access to fully accredited rock-climbing guides and chartered Hudson River fishing, sailing, and cruise boats. The complex is also only minutes from two locations that are very popular with the young set: Skate Time 209 skate park and arcade in Accord and Ellenville Bowling Lanes in Ellenville. Also near the park is Gardiner’s so-named Minnewaska Lodge, a contemporary 26-room mountain lodge set on 17 secluded woodland
“Helps children to see nature with new eyes.”
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Opposite: A family enjoys a boat ride on beautiful Lake Cole at Frost Valley YMCA. Above: Kids learn to trust in each other at the Frost Valley YMCA Low Ropes Course.
acres. In addition to the district’s world-class rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and cross-country skiing, the site’s close proximity to New Paltz is also a key advantage for families, as the town is home to dozens of fun shops and casual dining options as well as the annual Woodstock/New Paltz Arts & Crafts Fair and apple- and pumpkin-picking festivals. Many of the lodge’s spacious guest rooms include twin full-size beds, making it ideal for family getaways. The fertile farmland community of Milton is home to Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa, a former trading post that dates from 1680. Buttermilk is nestled on 17 acres complete with fields, gardens, ponds, brooks, and streams. “We offer family accommodations in the six restored outbuildings we have on the property,” says Dan Reyburn, the inn’s general man-
ager. “One of these is a three-bedroom, threebath farmhouse, which is perfect for families or groups.” With a firm belief in sustainability, Buttermilk maintains its own farm populated with chickens (kept for their eggs), peacocks, goats, llamas, and other child-pleasing domesticated animals. Jumping across to the eastern side of the Hudson, one finds the old-world Red Hook Country Inn. Named for the charming village that bears its name, the elegant Federal-style inn was built in 1842 and boasts a Zagat-rated four-star restaurant on its rocking-chair porchenveloped ground floor. Guest rates include a complimentary full breakfast, and family attractions close by include pick-your-own berry and apple orchards; hiking at inspiring Poets’ Walk Park; children’s musicals at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck; the historic
�Jingle Bell Bed & Breakfast�
Featured in Colonial Home magazine, Jingle Bell Bed & Breakfast is a 1790s salt box house situated on five serene acres with private walking paths and waterfall. The new guest quarters are located in the beautifully converted barn boasting beamed cathedral ceilings, lovely antiques, kitchen and private bath. Relax by the landscaped pool in summer. Owner Juli Christman welcomes you to breakfast in her charming country kitchen.
302 Swartekill Rd., Highland, NY 12528 | 845-255-8458 | www.jinglebellbandb.com SOJOURN FALL 2009 29
Roosevelt and Vanderbilt mansions; and the essential Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, which offers seasonal airshows featuring authentic antique biplanes. Also on the river’s east side is Jenny’s Country Manor Lodge in Stanfordville. Jenny’s is run by Donna and Ezra Rand, who opened the 14-room motel, which is also home to their collection of fully restored 1940s and ’50s Chevrolets, in 1993. The automotive theme continues with the kid-dazzling display of die-cast model cars on view in Jenny’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant, connected to the lodge. Also located in the Red Hook-Rhinebeck area, the lodge enjoys close proximity to many of the same family activities as the Red Hook Country Inn. “And we’re only about a half mile from Wilcox Park,” says Donna Rand. “There are all kinds of great things for families to do there—fishing, hiking, boating, picnicking. Families with kids love it.” If you’re thinking about taking a family getaway and want to be in the center of it all and leave the car in the driveway, downtown New Paltz has a number of family friendly options for you. The Inn at Orchard Heights, an 1888 Queen Anne Victorian perched on a hill just off Main Street, is pet as well as kid friendly, and its five charming rooms will position you for all that New Paltz has to offer. Another good bet in the village is Lefevre House Bed & Breakfast, just two blocks from downtown, a renovated 1870s Painted Lady Victorian is graced with modern artwork and the rooms have warm, almost zany colors, and fun names like “Green with Envy” and “Pretty in Pink.” The Hudson Valley is dotted with the remains of formerly bungalow colonies where the urbanites of a former century fled to beat the summer heat in New York City. One such colony of seven cottages built in the 1930s has been restored and updated with the latest conveniences for lodgers looking for rustic charm without sacrificing amenities. Clove Cottages in High Falls is perfect for the family, as each cottage has its own kitchen and outdoor charoal grill. A short
30
one-mile hike through the woods from the property leads to an idyllic swimming hole on the Peterskill stream. It’s abundantly clear the Hudson Valley has no shortage of family-welcoming lodges, each one ready to serve as the perfect home base for daily adventures. “In the Hudson Valley we’re so lucky, the changing of the seasons makes everything old seem new again, year after year,” says Michaels, whose newly published Hudson River Valley Farms (Globe Pequot Press, 2009) offers portraits of 44 local farms and lists nearly 100 farmers markets. “And with all the great things there are to do, kids who visit are never bored.”
resourceS in this article Rocking Horse Ranch www.rhranch.com; 845-691-2927 Pinegrove Dude Ranch www.pinegroveranch.com; 800-346-4626 Frost Valley YMCA www.frostvalley.org; 845-985-2291 Mohonk Mountain House www.mohonk.com; 800-772-6646 The Lodge at Emerson Place www.emersonplace.com; 877-688-2828 Hudson Valley Resort and Spa www.hudsonvalleyresort.com; 845-626-8888 Minnewaska Lodge www.minnewaskalodge.com; 845-255-1110 Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa www.buttermilkfallsinn.com; 877-746-6772 Red Hook Country Inn www.thedredhookinn.com; 845-758-8445 Jenny’s Country Manor Lodge www.jennysmanor.com; 845-876-1151 Clove Cottages www.clovecottages.com; 877-687-4170 Inn at Orchard Heights www.innatorchardheights.com; 845-255-6792 Lefevre House Bed & Breakfast www.lefevrehouse.com; (845) 255-4747 For complete lodging resources, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org.
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TASTE
Photo by Lauren Thomas Above: Cody Ritson, chef and co-owner of Rock Da Pasta, prepares pasta dishes featuring local, organic ingredients at last year’s Taste of New Paltz.
An Appetizing Affair A Celebration of Local Cuisine at the Taste of New Paltz on September 13 By Kelley Granger
T
he New Paltz area is a melting pot of eclectic food—from Neko’s stellar sushi to Aroma Thyme Bistro’s nourishing, organic meals to Tantillo’s fresh farm produce, and much more in between. It’s not surprising that a visitor to the area (or even a local) may be indecisive when it comes to choosing a place to chow down. If you’ll be traveling through town on Sunday, September 13, don’t miss the opportunity to help solve your provision predicament by attending the annual Taste of New Paltz event at the Ulster County Fairgrounds. Now in its 19th year, the food festival brings together a variety of the best in local cuisine and offers up samples that could help you decide where your next dinner reservations will be. Whether your taste buds long for a cold beer and a loaded hot dog or curried lentils paired with an appropriate Hudson Valley wine, you’ll find it all at the event. Not only do you get a taste of local fare, but you’ll also get a chance to experience some of the best in local wares, too. At the Artistic Taste and Craft Expo, browse paintings, photography, and one-of-a-kind handmade items, and purchase a souvenir to savor the experience of the Mid-Hudson long after you’ve returned home. And if all that sampling has you feeling a bit guilty, stop by the wellness and recreation area where exercise demonstrations will be given among other healthy highlights.
If you’re planning to attend with kids, they’ll find plenty to do at the Children’s Expo, which features face painting, temporary tattoos, a dunking booth, balloons, giveaways, and more. For their entertainment, the Radio Disney Performers will take the stage in the mid-afternoon. A lineup of local talent, including the Trapps, Vickie Russell, the Greyhounds, the Sugar Bees, and Cleoma’s Ghost, will also be providing live music throughout the day. The event, which is produced by the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce, began in 1991 with 2,500 attendees. Today, the event draws thousands of participants from the local area and surrounding states as far as Massachusetts. Admission on September 13 is $5, and individual samples are $2 or $3 each. Children ages 12 and under are admitted for free. Attendees can purchase an advance admission for $3 through September 9, or an advance ticket package can be purchased for $20 through the same date. These packages include the admission price, 10 taste tickets, and a commemorative T-shirt for the 19th Annual Taste of New Paltz. Packages may only be purchased at the chamber office, located at 257 Main Street in New Paltz (call 845-255-0243 or 845-255-0411 for more information). The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, at the Ulster County Fairgrounds, 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz. SOJOURN FALL 2009 31
EVENTS
Fall EVENTS By KelleyAnne Maguire
Weekends in September & October Grape Stomping Brotherhood Winery hosts a lively event in the tradition of great wine making: grape stomping! Attendees get to help stomp grapes from the fall’s harvest, competing for who has the most grape juice in his or her barrel. Fun for the whole family. Call or visit the website for more information on specific dates and times. 100 Brotherhood Plaza Drive, Washingtonville. 845-496-3661. www.brotherhoodwinery.net. September 5–november 1 Hurd Family Farm Harvest Festival In addition to picking a wide variety of apples available for picking—Royal Gala, Gingergold, Early Macintosh, Paula Red and Tydemens—Hurd Family Farm, just five miles down the road from downtown New Paltz, features a full day of activities for the whole family: four-acre educational corn maze (a replica of Henry Hudson’s Half Moon in honor of the 2009 Quadricentennial celebration), hayrides, pumpkin picking, apple catapult, and threshing barn. Special moonlight maze walks October 17, 24, and 31. Saturdays and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2187 Route 32, Modena. 845-883-7852. www.hurdsfamilyfarm.com. 32
Above (from top to bottom): Storm King Wavefield by artist Maya Lin at the Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York / Photograph by Jerry L. Thompson; BrotherHood Winery; Flaming Lips to headline All Tommorow’s Parties at Kutsher’s in Monticello.
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NEW PALTZ’S TRANSPORTATION HUB NEW PALTZ BUS STATION Main & Prospect Streets Serving New Paltz for over 45 years
Consumer friendly taxi service provided by:
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Stewart Glenn, President Eileen Gulbrandsen Glenn,Vice-President Michael King, Manager
September 11–13 All Tomorrow’s Parties All Tomorrow’s Parties returns to the Borscht Belt for another weekend of alt-rock, curated this year by neo-psychedelic pop masters the Flaming Lips. Throwback noise rockers the Jesus Lizard and quiet rioters Iron and Wine open the festival on Friday night, with Sufjan Stevens and Animal Collective on Saturday. Sunday is anchored by the Flaming Lips, known for their outrageous stage performances involving pyrotechnics, costumes, and puppets. With 35 bands across a mix of genres, think of it as Coachella for the Catskills. Kutshers Country Club, Monticello. www.atpfestival.com. September 12 Guided Walking Tour of Byrdcliffe Arts Colony One of the oldest continuously operated art colonies in the country, Byrdcliffe Arts Colony has been home to myriad artists as diverse as Isadora Duncan and Bob Dylan. Established in 1903 by Ralph Radcliffe, Jane Byrd McCall Whitehead, Bolton Brown, and Hervey White, the colony was established as a utopian experiment, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild Executive Director Carla Smith will lead a walking tour of the property, which houses 30 historic buildings, including White Pines, the original home of Radcliffe and Whitehead, which is rarely open to SOJOURN FALL 2009 33 !"!#$%&%'!(#)'*!+,!-*./012(..3334
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the public. The tour begins at 1 p.m., lasts about 90 minutes, and is free. Meet at Byrdcliffe Theater, Upper Byrdcliffe Road, Woodstock. 845-679-2079. www.woodstockguild.org.
September 12–27 American Buffalo “Loyalty is fine, but this is business.” So says Teach, one of the hapless wannabe-thieves in David Mamet’s evisceration of the dream of advancement, American Buffalo. Shadowland Theater presents this early masterwork by the master of the vulgar vernacular, directed by Brendan Burke. The play presents three criminals who plot to steal an antique coin collection, but who believe they must crawl over one another in order to do so. Thursday through Saturday 8 p.m., $26; Sunday 2 p.m., $23. Shadowland Theater, 157 Canal Street, Ellenville. 845-647-5511. www.shadowlandtheatre.org. September 18–November 14 Bardavon/Ulster Performing Arts Center This fall, the Ulster Performing Arts Center and Bardavon host a line-up of musical acts ranging from rock to folk and country to pop. Among them are retro-rockers Black Crowes (September 18) and power-pop pianist Ben Folds (October 19) at UPAC in Kingston, and at the Bardavon, a renovated 1869 opera house in Poughkeepsie, swamp chanteuse Lucinda Williams (October 8) and singer Rickie Lee Jones (October 24). Both performance spaces are renovated theaters with hundreds of years of history between them. Bardavon, 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie. 845-473-2072. UPAC, 601 Broadway, Kingston. 845-339-6088. www.bardavon.org. September 19 Sail the Sloop Clearwater How many chances do you get to sail on a national landmark? In 2004, the sloop Clearwater—the 106-foot flagship of the grassroots environmental organization Clearwater, founded by Pete Seeger—was named to the National Register of Historic Places. A three-hour sail on the vessel, a replica of an 18th-centuty Dutch sailing ship, includes learning stations about river wildlife, talks on the history and mission of Clearwater, and music performed by the crew. Adult tickets, $50; children under 12, $15. Poughkeepsie. 800-67-SLOOP. www.clearwater.org. September 19 Drum Boogie Festival The first ever Drum Boogie Festival will bring together world famous percussionists for a beat-ific afternoon in Kingston. Woodstock Chimes founder Garry Kvistad presents performances that will include the Jack DeJohnette 34
Above (from top to bottom): Lucinda Williams to perform at the Bardavon; aboard the sloop Clearwater sailing along the Hudson; Jack DeJohnette will perform at the Drum Boogie Festival in Kingston on September 19.
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Above: Philippine Hoegen and Carolien Stikker’s Study for Inscription (2009, ink on found book), exhibited September 19-November 29 at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz.
Trio, steel pan player Liam Teague, bass drum player Nick Attanasio, NEXUS, rock drummer Jerry Marotta (performing with Tony Levin), Bard College’s Gamelan Orchestra Giri Mekar, Silver Cloud Singers (a intertribal Native American dance troupe), and an opening ceremony featuring 100 drummers. Noon to 7 p.m. at Cornell Park in Kingston; rain date September 20. Admission is free. 845-594-6518. www. drumboogiefestival.com.
September 19–November 29 Inscription: Philippine Hoegen and Carolien Stikker The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz commissioned artists Philippine Hoegen and Carolien Stikker to create a film observing the Hudson River’s wetlands and tidal areas. The film and still photographs, along with notes from the project, will appear in a show at the museum commemorating the 400th
9
ARTS EVE EV E NTS
SCHOOL OF FINE & PERFORMING ARTS
THEATRE www.newpaltz.edu/theatre 845.257.3860 Box Office opens Sept. 28 – 845.257.3880 Monday – Friday 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Gregory Dinger and the Arabesque Trio Tuesday, October 20, 8:00 p.m. McKenna Theatre $6 general admission, $5 SUNY New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students/seniors
Museum Programs
Red Masquerade, by Jack Wade Directed by Stephen Kitsakos Parker Theatre October 8, 9, 10 and 15, 16, 17 at 8:00 p.m. October 11 and 18 at 2:00 p.m.
ART LECTURES Visit www.newpaltz.edu/artsnews for a list of participating artists. Wednesdays during fall and spring semesters 6:30 p.m., Lecture Center 102 Free and open to all.
Lecture by Gil Brenner Professor Emeritus of Geology at SUNY New Paltz Sept. 23, 7:00 p.m. Lecture Center 108 Illustrative lecture - geological perspective on the history of the Hudson River Valley and Hudson River School landscapes in the current exhibitions.
MUSIC www.newpaltz.edu/music 845.257.2700 Tickets are available at the door one half hour prior to performance. Faculty Showcase Tuesday, October 6, 8:00 p.m. McKenna Theatre $6 general admission, $5 SUNY New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students/seniors Faculty Jazz Ensemble Tuesday, October 13, 8:00 p.m. McKenna Theatre Admission $10 general admission, $8 SUNY New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students/seniors
SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM OF ART www.newpaltz.edu/museum 845.257.3844 Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Upcoming Exhibitions The Hudson River: A Great American Treasure – Greg Miller Inscription Hoegen&Stikker (Philippine Hoegen and Carolien Stikker) Sept.19 – Nov. 29, 2009 Opening receptions: September 19, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Lecture: Philippine Hoegen and Carolien Stikker Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m Lecture Center 102
Third Saturday Family Day Sept. 19, 1-3:00 p.m. Call 845.257.2331 to register and for additional information.
Community Roundtable on Habitat for Artists September 24 at 7:00 p.m. Location tba (call 845.257.3844) Lecture by Fran Dunwell Author of The Hudson: America’s River Sept. 30, 7:00 p.m. Lecture Center 108 Illustrative lecture – connected strands of the arts, industry, engineering, geography, conservation and the Hudson River. Sunday Gallery Tours September 13, 20, 27 at 2:00 p.m.
Philippine Hoegen and Carolien Stikker, Study for Inscription 2009, ink on found book, courtesy the artists.
For a complete listing of arts events:
www.newpaltz.edu/artsnews SOJOURN FALL 2009 35
anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage up the river. The opening will take place on September 19 from 4 to 6 p.m., and the show will last through November 29. SUNY New Paltz. 845-257-3844. www.newpaltz.edu.
September 26 Farmland Cycling Tour Enjoy a scenic ride through the countryside of Dutchess and Columbia Counties sponsored by Scenic Hudson. Choose a ride length that suits you best: 15, 25, 40, or 60 miles. Along the way you will see farmlands, farm stands, and glimpses of the Hudson River. Afterward, enjoy a meal at Poets’ Walk Park, a picturesque setting along the river just north of the Kingston/ Rhinecliff Bridge where Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant once strolled. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning at Poets’ Walk Park, Red Hook. 845-473-4440, www.scenichudson.org. October 2 John Sebastian and David Grisman Musical legend John Sebastian will perform with mandolin player and composer David Grisman near the site of the original Woodstock concert, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Sebastian is known for his band The Lovin’ Spoonful with such hit songs as “Do You Believe in Magic?” and “Summer in the City.” Grisman, known for his collaborations with Jerry Garcia, created “dawg” music, an original blend of swing, jazz, and Latin styles. The show starts at 8 p.m.; tickets are $65. 200 Hurd Road, Bethel. 866-781-2922. www.bethelwoodscenter.org. 36
Above (top to bottom): The Davis D1W soars the skies at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome; American Ballet Theater to perform at the Fischer Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College / Photo by Susan Reiter. Opposite: One of 10 historic Dutch houses on Hudson River Heritage’s 21st annual Country Seats Tour, “What’s Dutch?” / Photo by Manuela Mihailescu.
October 2–4 American Ballet Theater The American Ballet Theater returns to Bard College for its annual residency, with three world premieres choreographed by Aszure Barton, Benjamin Millepied, and ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, designed by Frank Gehry. Also on the program are Jerome Robbins’ Other Dances (1976) and Clark Tippett’s Some Assembly Required (1989), set to the music of Chopin, Scarlatti, Ravel, and others. Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $55. Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson. 845-758-7900. www.fishercenter.bard.edu.
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October 3–4 Hudson River Heritage Tour of Historic Houses One of most lasting and significant momuments to Dutch colonization of the Hudson Valley is the architecture found in the Ulster County communities of Hurley, Stone Ridge, Old Hurley, and High Falls. Ten private 18th-century homes in these hamlets are the focus of Hudson River Heritage’s 21st annual Country Seats Tour, “What’s Dutch?” Presented with Hudson Valley Vernacular Architecture, the self-driving tour will trace the roots of Dutch design back to medieval Europe. Tickets are $55 a day or $100 for both days. The tour begins in Hurley, at the Bevier House on Route 209. 845-876-2474. www.whatsdutch.org.
October October 3–4 Crafts at Rhinebeck The fall crafts fair in Rhinebeck has the family in mind, with horse-drawn carriage rides, a petting zoo, and a farmers’ market. High-end crafts are still the focal point, however, with artists from around the world participating in juried shows of their creations in wood, metal, glass, leather, fiber, photography, jewelry, and more. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entrance price $7, children under 12 free. Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck. 845-876-4001. www.craftsatrhinebeck.com. October 3–18 Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome This year marks the 50th air show season of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, a living museum of aviation with the largest collection of early airplanes in the world (and 50 vintage cars, motorcycles, tanks, and trucks). Turn back the hands of time and relive the years of early aviation. Biplane rides begin at 10 a.m. and air shows begin at 2 p.m. every weekend through October 18, weather permitting. Rhinebeck. 845-752-3200. www.oldrhinebeck.org. SOJOURN FALL 2009 37
October 8–18 Red Masquerade The SUNY New Paltz Theater Department puts on the world premiere of a new play by Jack Wade. Set in 1942, the drama is based on the real-life spy tale of Angela Calomiris, a tough Greek-American phorojournalist who fell in love with a Communist while infiltrating the Party for the FBI. Calomiris was a key witness in the sensational “Communist 11” trial. Tickets are $16, $14 for seniors/students. Parker Theater. 845-257-3880. www.newpaltz.edu. October 16–18 Burning of Kingston Reenactment The British are coming! The British are coming—yet again! It has been 232 years since the redcoats put New York’s first capital, Kingston, to the torch to punish its “nest of villains,” as English Major General John Vaughn put it at the time. The biannual reenactment on the weekend of October 17th, the actual anniversary of the British attack, will feature soldiers in period regalia, encampments along the waterfront in Kingston, and staged warfare. This year’s event will feature a strong naval presence: 18th-century wooden boats will engage in various mock battles throughout Saturday and Sunday, pitting the underdogs of the First Ulster Militia against the might of the British Empire! www.firstulster.org. Through October 24 Woodstock Generation Photo Exhibit The Center for Photography at Woodstock presents a solo exhibit by longtime member of Magnum Photos cooperative Dennis Stock. The accomplished photographer’s “Woodstock Generation” documents his visits to alternative lifestyle communes in Colorado, New Mexico, and Colorado in 1969, portraying people who were part of the so-called hippie movement, searching for a simpler and better life closer to the Earth. 59 Tinker Street, Woodstock. 845-679-9957. www.cpw.org. 38
Above: Brooklyn-based quartet The Wiyos will perform their rollicking Ragtime blues at The Unison Theater in New Paltz on October 24.
october 24 The Wiyos The Wiyos take a break from touring with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp to bring their sui generis brand of “ragtime jugband blues hillbilly swing” to New Paltz. Their rollicking “Dying Crapshooter’s Blues” is sure to bring the house down at the Unison Theater. 8 p.m.; tickets are $23. 68 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz. 845-255-1559. www.unisonarts.org.
November Through November 15 Maya Lin Storm King Art Center is an outdoor chapel of homage to sculpture, siting 150 pieces over 500 acres of fields, woodlands, and water in Orange County. Maya Lin’s Storm King Wavefield, installed earlier this year, uses contrived landscaping to simulate the look of rippling waves. It will be on display in conjunction with an exhibit in the indoor museum featuring other works by Lin inspired by water, such as photographs and drawings. Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tickets $7 to $10, children under 5 free. Old Pleasant Hill Road, Mountainville. 845-534-3115. www.stormking.org. November 21 Red Wine and Chocolate An annual favorite hosted by Whitecliff Vineyard, perched under the bleached walls of the Shawangunk Mountains in Gardiner, the event pairs tastings of two delectibles: wine and chocolate. 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; $8 to $12. 331 McKinstry Road, Gardiner. 845-255-4613. www.whitecliffwine.com.
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INFO
Hospitals
Airports
Benedictine Hospital 105 Mary’s Avenue, Kingston 845-338-2500
Albany International Airport (ALB) Albany 518-242-2200; 518-242-2299
Ellenville Regional Hospital Route 209, Ellenville 845-647-6400
Stewart International Airport (SWF) Newburgh 845-564-2100
Kingston Hospital 396 Broadway, Kingston 845-331-3131
Radio Stations
Northern Dutchess Hospital 6511 Springbrook Avenue, Rhinebeck 845-876-3011 St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers 241 North Road, Poughkeepsie 845-483-5000 St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital 70 Dubois Street, Newburgh 845-561-4400 Vassar Brothers Medical Center 45 Reade Place, Poughkeepsie 845-454-8500
Trains Amtrak Stations: Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie 800-872-7245 Metro-North Railroad Stations: Poughkeepsie, New Hamburg, Beacon, Breakneck Ridge, Cold Spring, Garrison 800-METRO-INFO
Buses Adirondack Trailways 800-858-8555 Dutchess County Loop Bus System 845-485-4690 Pine Hill Trailways 800-776-7548 Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) New Paltz Loop; Ulster-Poughkeepsie Link 845-340-3333
Taxis Anthony’s Taxi Shuttling Service 845-255-2870 Joey’s Taxi and Transportation 845-255-8294; 845-691-5639
Clear Channel Radio of the Hudson Valley 92.1 Lite FM, soft adult contemporary Star 93.3, hot adult contemporary Cruisin’ 93.5, oldies 96.1 Kiss FM, contemporary hit radio 98.5 Lite FM, soft adult contemporary 107.3 / 99.3 WRWD, country 1230 AM WHUC, adult standards 1370 AM WELG, adult standards 1450 AM WKIP, news talk Cumulus Broadcasting 101.5 WPDH, classic rock Mix 97.7 WCZX, adult contemporary 92.7 / 96.9 WRRV, alternative rock 94.3 / 97.3 WKXP / WZAD The Wolf, country 1490 AM WKNY adult contemporary 1340/ 1390 AM Radio Disney, kid-friendly WAMC: Northeast Public Radio 90.3 FM Albany 103.9 FM Beacon 96.5 FM Ellenville 102.1 FM Highland 97.1 FM Hudson 90.9 FM Kingston 107.7 FM Newburgh WDST Radio Woodstock World Class Rock, contemporary alternative, reggae, acoustic 100.1 FM Woodstock 106.5 FM Beacon 102.3 FM Newburgh 106.3 FM Poughkeepsie WKZE: Musical Diversity Americana, blues, roots, world music 98.1 FM
Tourism Information Columbia County Tourism 401 State Street, Hudson 800-724-1846 Dutchess County Tourism Ste. Q-17, 3 Neptune Road, Poughkeepsie 800-445-3131 Greene County Tourism 700 Route 23B, Leeds 518-943-3223
New Paltz Taxi, Inc. 845-255-1550
Orange County Tourism 124 Main Street, Goshen 845-615-3860
Yellow Cab Albany 518-434-2222 Poughkeepsie 845-471-1100
Ulster County Tourism 10 Westbrook Lane, Kingston 800-342-5826 SOJOURN FALL 2009 39
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(845) 255-1403 WaterStreetMarket.com Exit 18, NYS Thruway, take Route 299 West (Main Street) to Water Street. At the foot of the bridge go left onto Water Street. Just look for the Tower