hudson valley
Mercantile live. work. play.
February 2012
Mercantile February 2012
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contents Page 3
Mercantile February 2012
Baby We Were Born this Way by Jim Gibbons
6
Seasonal Palette Calendar begins
11
Photo Editing: Getting Started: What Should I Edit and How? by Joel Weisbrod
23
Live! On Stage Calendar begins
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Sounds of the Season Calendar begins
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Take the Kids Calendar begins
29
Readings, Signings & Screenings Calendar begins
32
Smart Metering Technology: Real Solutions for Real People by Indigo Munoz-Weaver
35
Bright Green Valley Calendar begins
36
Town of Red Hook Bicentennial: Part II: Chocolate, Red Hook’s Sweet Success 38 by Claudine & Christopher Klose Miscellaneous Calendar begins
43
Long Days, Short Years by Brian PJ Cronin
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hudson valley
Mercantile a publication of
P.O. Box 178 Red Hook, NY 12571 845-546-3051
Jim Gibbons: Publisher jgibbons@hvrising.com Heather Gibbons: Creative Director calendarhog@hvrising.com Contents ©2012 Rising Tide Communications, LLC No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher
Contributors:
Special Thanks:
Brian PJ Cronin
Town of Red Hook
Kristen Cronin
Bicentennial Committee
Christopher Klose Claudine Klose Indigo Munoz-Weaver Joel Weisbrod
On the Cover: ‘Oopsy Daisy’ painting by Basha Maryanska, whose work is on display at
Riverwinds @ Wells Fargo Advisors in Rhinebeck in a group show called ‘Animal Kingdom’ through April 23. A reception is planned for Saturday, March 17. Basha Maryanska is an internationally recognized artist and has been exhibiting her art around the world since obtaining her MFA at Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, Poland in 1979. She has received awards for her numerous group and solo shows in media ranging from painting, sculpture, installation, fiber art, and performance to photography and graphics. Learn more at http://www.riverwindsgallery.com/Rhinebeck.htm.
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Mercantile February 2012
Mercantile February 2012
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baby, we were
born this way story and photo by Jim Gibbons
Lacking any real need to be delivered from the weather elements, for this year’s “Cabin Fever” issue I find myself contemplating other aspects of this time of year that traditionally chill me to the bone. I am, of course, talking about this point in the sports calendar immediately following football’s Super Bowl and preceding baseball’s Spring training. At the risk of sounding like a man embarking on a 12-step program of recovery, my name is Jim and I am a serial fan of losing sports teams. Feels good to get that off my chest. Allow me to continue. You see in the midst of this unusually mild winter, I am still – as usual at this time of year – coming to terms with the reality that my beloved New York Jets have not won the Super Bowl. They didn’t even make it to the playoffs this year, despite the over-the-top promises of their brash coach. I haven’t quite determined if this year’s disappointment is worse than the past two when the Jets did make the playoffs, progressing heroically only to lose their conference championship game. That’s the game that if they won, would have gotten them into the Super Bowl last year and the year before for the first time since January 12, 1969 – when I was 20-months-old, and not yet initiated into the world of sports fandom. During this year’s Super Bowl I found myself reluctantly rooting for the eventual winner – the New York Giants. Every year, because my Jets are nowhere to be found on Super Bowl Sunday, I pick the team least distasteful to me. Under most circumstances that would be anyone playing against the Giants, but this year they happened to be playing against the only team I like less than them – the New England Patriots. So I jumped on the New Yawk bandwagon, and enjoyed the melancholy, hollow G-men victory. Although fair game because they are a New York team, I am just not a New York Giants fan. Never have been. Never will be. For that matter, I am not a New York Yankees fan. I am a New York Mets fan. Always have been. Always will be. And I am a New York Rangers hockey fan and a New York Knicks basketball fan. Always have been. Always will be.
...I still get the blues at this time of year - the never-ending video loop of someone else’s team showered in confetti, hoisting the Super Bowl trophy overhead fresh on my mind. Our sports allegiances – those now shared with me by my 10year-old son – suggest that we are painfully loyal, and sadly delusional, hoping each year that these teams will produce anything more than the one baseball World Series and the one hockey Stanley Cup that my favorite sports teams have yielded since I began following sports in earnest in the mid-1970s. It bears noting that over that same span, the Yankees have won seven World Series, and the Giants have earned four Super Bowl titles. And don’t get me started about the four straight Stanley Cups won by the New York Islanders beginning in 1980 – one year after my sainted Rangers lost to the Montreal Canadians in the Stanley Cup Finals. One might think that I would have low self-esteem as a result of the consistent futility of the teams for which I root. In fact there was a time when this was actually so, but age and experience with more important things in life help me keep things in perspective. But I still get the blues at this time of year – the never-ending video loop of someone else’s team showered in confetti, hoisting the Super Bowl trophy overhead fresh on my mind. This annual rite followed immediately by the recognition that Spring training starts over the next few weeks, to usher in my perennial, fleeting hope for my cherished Mets, followed quickly by the reality that they are a woefully mismanaged franchise, destined for yet another mediocre season. And even with my intellectual capacity to know better, I will root with all of my heart for my Metskies to defy logic. Always have. Always will. So why do I do this to myself? And more importantly, why have I passed this dysfunctional fanaticism on to my son? It kills me to watch him struggle with the same Charlie Brown feelings that I experienced
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To this day, I can...hear the shuffle of my grandfather’s steps as he approached that color television or that radio to switch on a ball game. With an analog click in my mind’s ear I am transported back to a day when the most important thing in the world was the crack of a bat, or the sound of a referee’s whistle. as a young boy as classmates whose local teams actually win, miss no chance to point out the disparity between our teams and theirs. My explanation is a simple one: We were born this way. Although not technically genetic, this rooting gene is the legacy of my grandfather – who arrived as a teenager in New York in the mid-1920s from Ireland in search of a better life. My grandfather had left behind the political unrest and civil war of his homeland and had made his way to Queens, NY to start his American tale amid a newfound culture that included American baseball and football. He met my grandmother – an indentured servant also here from Ireland – they married and settled in Queens. My father has explained to me that at the time that my grandfather emigrated here, baseball allegiances especially were dictated by the neighborhoods in which one lived. If you lived in the Bronx you were a Yankees fan; if in Brooklyn a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, and if you lived in Manhattan or Queens you were a NY baseball Giants fan. These provincial identities stuck until the Dodgers and Giants relocated to California in the 1950s. While some Dodgers and Giants fans began pulling for the Yankees, the New York Metropolitans’ arrival on the baseball scene in 1962 was met with a fan base starved for a team of their own. That the Mets played their home games at Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens made it all the more convenient for my grandfather and father to put down our family’s baseball rooting roots for good.
As far as football is concerned, my father tells me that my grandfather and he were actually New York Giants fans before the New York Titans emerged on the scene in the 1960s. But the Titans became the Jets, and like the Mets, the Jets played their games in Queens, so the Jets became the family’s football team of choice. Our family’s pro hockey and basketball rooting foundations were formed by way of similar provincial themes. Fast forward to the mid-1970s. My parents had moved us to Long Island from Queens for more elbow room in 1967 after I was born. A few years later, after my grandmother passed away, my grandfather joined us on Long Island – bringing with him his beautiful color television set and his magic transistor radio. And from the summer of 1974 until he passed away in 1979, my grandfather used those miracles of technology to share with me his passion for the Mets, the Jets, Knicks and Rangers. And for better or for worse, from those days forward, I wedded myself to those teams – never to be torn asunder. Despite the ineptitudes of the teams for which I root, I am proud of that aspect of my character that has never even considered switching teams. In my house I have two autographed baseballs that once graced the antique hutch in my grandfather’s bedroom in my childhood home on Long Island. To this day, I can look at those baseballs and hear the shuffle of my grandfather’s steps as he approached that color television or that radio to switch on a ball game. With an analog click in my mind’s ear I am transported back to a day when the most important thing in the world was the crack of a bat, or the sound of a referee’s whistle. I know my son already shares this passion. And I know it’s not such a bad thing if that passion informs his character, regardless of how many championships the teams for which we root might win. Lets go Mets!
Mercantile February 2012
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Mercantile February 2012
All our wines are available to taste along with other products grown and made right here on the estate. From the rustic apple crates to the Italian tile, you will find the Tasting Room to be warm and friendly, but unique. If you would like to hire our Tasting Room for an event, please contact us. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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Mercantile February 2012
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Betsy Jacaruso Studio & Gallery weekly classes in watercolor, drawing and gouche now located in the Rhinebeck Courtyard (next to the back entrance of Bread Alone)
www.betsyjacarusostudio.com
Day/Time
Class
Teacher
Monday 8:00am 9:00am 4:30pm 6:30pm
Meditation All Level Gentle Level I / II
Shannon Shannon Shannon Esther
Tuesday 8:00am 9:00am 4:30pm 6:00pm
Meditation Gentle Level I / II Kundalini
Scott Vivian Vivian Marika
Wednesday 8:00am Meditation 12:15pm Meditation 6:00pm Intro to Yoga 7:30pm All Level
In the spirit of keeping Thursday the practice of Yoga 8:00am Meditation in community 9:00am Gentle accessible and 4:30pm Level I affordable, daily classes 6:00pm Kundalini at Beacon Yoga are Friday offered by 8:00am Meditation donation with a 9:00am Level I / II minimum suggested Saturday donation of 8:00am Meditation $5.00. 9:00am Level II / III Sunday 10:00am Level I Basics 12:00pm All Level
Max Shannon Shannon Shannon Shannon Vivian Shannon Susan Shannon Shannon Mark Joe Shannon Shannon
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Mercantile February 2012
PALETTE e
Dutchess
a
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‘Winter’s Thaw’ an oil by Garin Baker. On exhibit at Mill Street Loft ARTS at River Center in Beacon through April 29.
Albert Shahinian Fine Art Upstairs Galleries
22 East Market Street, Suite 301, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 February 18-April 22: “15: Artists from Ulster County,” an expanded reprise of the May 2011 exhibition at the Brooklyn Artists Gym (BAG). Curated by BAG director, Peter Wallace, and Ulster County artist Christie Scheele, this major showcase of contemporary work includes 15 mid- and late-career artists working in diverse mediums (painting, printwork, photography, ceramics, assemblage and mixed media). On the roster: Kim Alderman, Leslie Bender, Yale Epstein, Bernard Gerson, Chris Hawkins, Heather Hutchison, Mark Kanter, Lenny Kislin, Polly M. Law, Tom Luciano, Kate McGloughlin, Meredith Rosier, Christie Scheele, Judy Sigunick, and Anique Taylor. Opening Reception: Sat., Feb. 18, 5-7 p.m. (snow date, 2/25) Hours: Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. & by appointment or chance. Beginning 2/23: Thurs.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. & by appointment or chance. Information: 845.876.7578; info@shahinianfineart.com
Albert Shahinian Fine Art @ Prudential/Serls
6384 Mill St., Rhinebeck, NY 12572 February 18-April 22: “15: Artists from Ulster County,” see above. Hours: Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. & by appointment or chance. Beginning 2/23: Thurs.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. & by appointment or chance; daily during office hours, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: 845.876.7578; info@shahinianfineart.com
Art POP! Gallery
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Village of Red Hook, NY 12571 March 16-April 14: “Small Works.” Exact location tbd. RHCAN borrows rentable space for their gallery exhibits. Look for the big ARTpop signs around the village in March. Information: redhookcan@gmail.com; rhcan.blogspot.com
Barrett Art Center
485 Main St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Through March 9: “New Directions 2011,” 27th annual national juried contemporary art exhibition. Juror: Susan Cross, Curator, Mass MoCA. Hours: Call for hours Information: 845.471.0407; http://www.barrettartcenter.org
bau Gallery
161 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 January 14-February 5: “bau 86: Two Solos: Joyce Pommer & Elisa Pritzker.” In the Front Gallery, Pommer’s new abstract mixed media paintings reflect an evolving use of space on canvas and wood panels. In the Project Room, Pritzker’s new works continue in the arena of photography on canvas, but she is now closing in on the skins of her animal friends and the respect she has for them. “Inspired by the everamazing animal beauty, I portray what already is with the intention to awake true compassion towards the natural world.” Hours: Sat. & Sun., noon-6 p.m. Information: 845.440.7584; baugallery.com
The Beacon Bagel
466 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through February: “Pet Portraits,” an exhibit featuring paintings created by children between the ages of 6 and 11 as part of a fund raising project through Beacon Art Adventures, a local after school and summer art program for kids. Inspiration for these portraits came from actural animals currently awaiting adoption at shelters in and around Beacon. In addition to raising money for local animal shelters (the painting will be part of an online silent auction), the project was designed to help raise public awareness of the importance of considering a shelter animal when adopting a pet. Information: http://beaconartadventures.com continued on page 13 g
Mercantile February 2012
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hudson valley
Mercantile First a howling blizzard woke us, Then the rain came down to soak us, And now before the eye can focus – Crocus. ~ Lilja Rogers
join us in March for a
spring preview
advertising@hvrising.com calendarhog@hvrising.com www.hvmercantile.com 845.546.3051
publication date: March 16 advertising deadline: March 13 calendar deadline: March 9
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Mercantile February 2012
Tom Luciano, “11-5-11-7”, color photograph. On exhibit in ‘15: Artists from Ulster County’ at Albert Shahinian Fine Art in Rhinebeck through April 22.
continued from page 11 i
Beacon Institute Gallery
199 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through March 4: “Ted Spiegel: The Hudson’s Seasons & Spans.” An accomplished photojournalist, Ted Spiegel has covered assignments across the globe, but like the 19th-century artists of the famed Hudson River School, he’s made the Hudson River Valley the focus of much of his life’s work. Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon5 p.m.; open until 8 p.m. Second Saturdays. Information: bire.org
CCS Bard Hessel Museum of Art
Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504 Through February 26: “Retroactive,” an exhibition of site-specific works by Greek artist Antonis Pittas. March 18-May 27: “Matters of Fact,” an exhibition that will revisit a number of key encounters from the institutional history of the Hessel Museum of Art: between collector and artist, curator and exhibition, art and art history. Co-curated by Tom Eccles, Nathan Lee and CCS Bard graduate students Suzy M. Halajian and Alicia Ritson. Hours: Wed.-Sun., 1-5 p.m. Information: 845.758.7598; ccs@bard.edu; http://www.bard.edu/ccs
Dia:Beacon
Riggio Galleries, 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Permanent Collection: In addition to the permanent collection, Dia Art Foundation is currently exhibiting: Through September 4, 2012: “Circa 1971: Early Video & Film from the EAI Archive.” Circa 1971 presents a selection of video and film works by key figures in early video art from the collection of Electronic
Arts Intermix (EAI), a nonprofit organization that fosters the creation, exhibition, distribution, and preservation of moving-image art. Through December 31, 2012: Jean-Luc Moulène, “Opus + One,” the first comprehensive exhibition in North America devoted to the work of this Paris-based artist. The installation will comprise objects and images created over the past two decades and will be accompanied by a new project at the Dan Flavin Art Institute in Bridgehampton, NY, as well as a major publication. Ongoing: “24 Farben – fur Blinky (24 Colors – for Blinky), 1977,” Imi Knoebel’s cycle of 21 shaped paintings. Ongoing: “Sol LeWitt, Drawing Series,” Dia’s presentation of wall drawings by Sol LeWitt from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s was selected by the artist himself. It highlights his monumental Drawing Series-Composite, Part I-IV, #1-24, A + B (1968), a four-color rendering of which is executed here for the first time.. Tickets: $10; $7 seniors and students; children under 12 free Hours: Thurs.-Mon., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: 845.440.0100; www.diaart.org
DGAF Gallery
428 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through March 1: A new art & photography gallery in Beacon with this month’s show featuring Tony Vitek, John Stoltz, Marky, Catello Somma & V’nessa Tzavellas. Hours: Fri.-Sun., noon-6 p.m.; and by appointment Information: 845.202.7004; http://www.dgafgallery.com
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fovea
143 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through March 4: “Occupy,” a photographic slideshow curated by Nina Berman and featuring the work of international photojournalists. The visual storytelling begins in Egypt with the Arab Spring, and follows as protests move to Wall Street and the USA. Presented as photo essays, each photographer shows a different angle as the occupy movement unfolds. Hours: Fri.-Sun., noon-6 p.m. Information: http://www.foveaexhibitions.org
Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
College Center, Main Building, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 Through April 1: “Marco Maggi: Lentissimo,” a solo exhibition of 14 colorful new works by Marco Maggi made expressly for the occasion of this exhibition. Named for the Italian word for very slow as well as the musical tempo that denotes only 40 beats per minute, Lentissimo explores the artist’s relationship to time while inviting viewers in for quiet, careful observation. Hours: Tues., Wed., Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m.9 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m. Information: 845.437.5632; http://fllac.vassar.edu
Mill Street Loft Gallery 45
45 Pershing Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Through March 16: “The Senior Project Show 2012,” special exhibition featuring the work of students who completed the Art Institute’s most rigorous mentoring course designed to build strong scholarship portfolios. The show will feature paintings, drawings, printmaking and mixed media works. The public is invited to celebrate these students amazing accomplishments and witness the difference 12 weeks of intensive study can make. The Five young artists featured in this exhibition are Galeen McCartney of Newburgh High School , Jackie Pfleger of Arlington High School, Helen Sywalski of Monticello High School, Isaac Toonkel of Millbrook High School and Alexis Volpe of Arlington High School. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: 845.471.7477; lclark@millstreetloft.org; millstreetloft.org
Montgomery Row Second Level
6423 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Through March 31: “In the Field,” an exhibition of paintings and photographs by local artists Sally Lyon and Rosemary Hanson. Information: 845.876.0543; suehartshorn@frontiernet.net
Gallery @ the Howland Cultural Center
477 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through February 25: 18th Annual “African-American Artists of the Hudson Valley” exhibition. Hours: Thurs.-Sun., 1-5 p.m. Information: 845.831.4988; http://www.howlandculturalcenter.org
Jena Sherry Galerie/Jenesaisquois
506 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through March 17: “Capitalism vs. Communism: Political Parallelisms and Opposing Artistic Values,” opening exhibition in newly renovated space. Hours: Call for hours. Information: 845.202.7055; jenesaisquoi.jenasherrygalerie@gmail.com
Marion Royael Gallery
460 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through March 4: Group show featuring artists represented by the gallery: Rick Hutchinson, Angelo Marfisi, David Coalburn, Jose Acosta, Joe Zarra. March 10-April: Grace Knowlton solo show. Hours: noon-7 p.m., Thurs.-Sun. & by appt. Information: 541.301.0032; http://www.marionroyaelgallery.com
Mill Street Loft ARTS at the River Center
Long Dock Park, Red Flynn Road, Beacon, NY 12508 Through April 29: “Hudson River Waterfronts; Beacon & Newburgh, Yesterday & Today,” a special art exhibition focusing on two important and historic Mid-Hudson River waterfronts. The exhibition will feature paintings, drawings, prints and photographs of the Beacon and Newburgh waterfronts from the 1860’s – present. The Historical Societies of both Beacon and Newburgh have loaned some of their historic works and images to MSL Arts for this beautiful and educational exhibition. The historic works will hang alongside paintings and photographs by contemporary professional artists working in the region today. Hours: Tues. & Thurs., 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Information: 845.471.7477; lclark@millstreetloft.org; millstreetloft.org
Palmer Gallery
Aidan, Grade 3. Hagan Elementary
College Center, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 March 18-24: “A Celebration of Art: The Annual John Iyoya Children’s Art Show.” This is an annual event honoring the memory of John Iyoya, a former Vassar student, who exemplified a wonderful sense of creativity and love of children. The show is sponsored by the Department of Education and features the artwork of students from area participating schools. Opening Reception: Sunday, March 18, 2-4 p.m. Hours: Daily, noon-6 p.m. Information: http://palmergallery.vassar.edu continued on page 16 g
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RiverWinds Gallery
172 Main St., Beacon 12508 Through March 5: “Robert’s World: Paintings by Robert Ferrucci.” Ferrucci’s stylized barns, farms and fields describe a contemporary folk art of rich colors and bold shapes. Many of the farms, barns and landscapes have a childlike appeal and a feeling of fantasy. The technique requires many layers and the use of both acrylic oils and oil pastels. The modern work can best be described as Abstract Expressionism. The paintings are filled with emotion, with colors ranging from muted to bright, full and splashing. Most of the work is mixed media, using acrylic, oil pastel, tissue and layers and layers of tinting. March 10-April 9: “Richard Gedney: Hudson River Paintings.” Hours: Wed. - Mon., noon - 6 p.m.; Second Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Information: 845.838.2880; http://riverwindsgallery.com
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deck, “The Mystical Frog Tarot,” to be published by US Games. Opening Reception: Thursday, February 16, 5-8 p.m. featuring Tasty Tunes Open Mic Night with special guest performers, comedy, poetry and tarot readings by Marcy Currier. Information: http://www.facebook.com/FrogTarot
Thompson Library @ Vassar College
124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 Through March 9: Exhibition of “Artists’ Books from the Women’s Studio Workshop.” Part of the 10th annual festival of the contemporary arts: Modfest 2012. Information: http://arts.vassar.edu
Tivoli Artists Co-op
60 Broadway, Tivoli, NY 12583 Through February 26: “Erotica Show: Let Me Entertain You,” annual fundraising show featuring sensual and playfully suggestive works by member and nonmember artists working in photography, painting, drawing, collage, mixed media, and sculpture. March 2-25: “When Art Meets Science” group show. Hours: Fri., 5-9 p.m.; Sat., 1-9 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m.; and by appt. Information: 845.757.2667; http://www.tivoliartistsco-op.com
Columbia.
A4A: Architecture for Art Gallery
RiverWinds Gallery @ Wells Fargo Advisors
Grizzly Greens by Peter Geller
6423 Montgomery St., Suite 10, 2nd Floor, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Through April 23: “Animal Kingdom: A Group Art Exhibit.” The Animal Kingdom in this show spans the domestic to the exotic. There are exquisite images of eagles to penguins to seagulls to winter birds; elephants and lions and tigers and moose, horses, a bear. There are fish and a frog, dogs, goats, sheep and even a dinosaur, plus many more. The artists captured an intimacy and connection to these creatures that brings the viewer to a closeness and appreciation of the diverse and amazing world of these animals. Reception: Sat., March 17, 5-7 p.m. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; and by appt. Information: 845.838.2880; http://riverwindsgallery.com
School of Jellyfish
183 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Through May 4: “The King and I: An Account of a Daily Courtship by The Hudson River.” Photographs and story by Lily Zand. Information: 845.440.8017; http://www.schoolofjellyfish.com
Steel Plant Studios
Marist College, Beck Place, 3399 North Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Through March 3: Exhibit of works by Avril/Symington. Hours: Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Information: 845.575.3000 x 3182; http://marist.edu/commarts/art/gallery
Taste Budd’s Cafe
40 West Market Street, Red Hook, NY 12571 February 16-March 15: “The Mystical Frogs,” a month-long display featuring select illustrations from Marcy Currier’s forthcoming 78-card
2633 Route 23, Hillsdale, NY 12529 Through February 26: “Ghostly Berms: Fotos by Gerard Malanga.” Hours: Sat. & Sun., noon-5 p.m. Information: 518.325.1114; http://www.architectureforart.com
Basilica Hudson
110 South Front St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through March: “Laetitia Hussain: Installation of 1000 Sculptures.” Invoking the venue’s industrial heritage of mass production, Hussain has cast the 1,000 sculptures over recent months from HydroCal (a form of plaster) from molds made from an original, 10-sided mahogany prototype. These are numbered and stamped with a special mar before installation on the floor of the Main Hall or suspended on glass and metal from the building’s steel structures. The installation will also include 10 paintings, light and film projections, and sound by the artist in the 6,000square-foot, 40’-high Main Hall. Hours: Sat. & Sun., noon-5 p.m. Information: 518.822.1050; http://www.basilicahudson.com
BCB Art
116 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 March 3-April 8: “This Land,” work by Julian Opie, Kay Rosen, Peter Seward, Patti Smith, Barbara Friedman, Lynn Dreese Breslin, Ed Ruscha, Eric Hanson and others. Hours: Thurs.-Sat., noon-6 p.m. Information: 518.828.4539; http://bcbart.com
Carrie Haddad Gallery
622 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through March 4: “Tell Me a Story: Narrative Works” featuring a pictorial history of being black in America by Anima Katz; Tona Wilson’s social injustice series about laborers, prisoners and politics; and the covertly sinister paintings of David Austin.
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The Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center is a not-for-profit organization. It exists to meet the cultural needs of the community by providing venues for both professional and amateur artists to showcase their talent in music, dance, fine and visual arts AND to preserve the two historically significant structures.
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‘256 Chinatown OP’ by Richard Merkin on exhibit at Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson March 8 through April 15.
March 8-April 15: “Richard Merkin on Film and Literature,” a wide-ranging survey of the late Richard Merkin’s paintings on Film and Literature. The show runs the gamut from fantastic and tragic intellectual literary figures to the absurd and comical; for example, an oil pastel of the French poet (393) Arthur Rimbaud in His Bed in Brussels juxtaposed with an oil pastel of the actors Robert DeNiro, Jason Alexander and Renee Russo in (310) Rocky and Bullwinkle. There will be almost seventy works on exhibit exploring the famous and infamous. Reception: Saturday, March 10, 6-8 p.m. Hours: Daily, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Information: 518.828.1915; http://www.carriehaddadgallery.com
Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Gallery
1 Front St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through March 9: “Daniel N. Marcus: Commissioned and Personal Photographs.” Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: 518.828.4417; http://www.columbiachamber-ny.com
Columbia County Council on the Arts
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CCCA Gallery 209 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through March 10: “Animal Art,” a special show benefitting the Columbia-Greene Humane Society. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: 518-671-6213; http://artscolumbia.org
Columbia Greene Community College
4400 Route 23, Hudson, NY 12534 Main Building, through February 29: “Biodiversity: Captured in Photographs.” Display featuring the winners of this annual contest hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Columbia and Green counties. Competition photos tell a vivid story of biodiversity increasing the interest in and appreciation of local plants, animals and the native beauty of the counties. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: 518.828.4181; http://www.sunycgcc.edu
Hudson Opera House
327 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 February 18-March 25: “CCCA’s 16th Annual Juried Art Show,” celebrating the diversity and quality of the work being produced by both Columbia County and regional artists. Opening Reception: Saturday, February 18, 5-7 p.m. Hours: Daily, noon-5 p.m. Information: 518.822.1438; http://hudsonoperahouse.org
John Davis Gallery
362 ½ Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through February 26: “Paintings: Lucy & Robert Reitzfeld.” March 1-25: “Joyce Robins: Sculpture.” Artists’ Reception: Saturday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. Hours: Thurs.-Mon., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: 518.828.5907; http://johndavisgallery.com
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Old Chatham Country Store
639 Albany Turnpike Rd., Old Chatham, NY 12136 March 4-28: “Photography in the Landscape Exhibition,” an exhibition that calls attention to the natural and agricultural beauty of Columbia County. Artists’ Reception: Sunday, March 4, 3-5 p.m. Information: http://clctrust.org
Omi International Arts Center
Charles B. Beneson Visitors Center Gallery & Fields Sculpture Park, 1405 County Route 22, Ghent, NY 12075 Year ‘round, The Fields Sculpture Park, during daylight hours: More than 60 acres of rolling farmland, wetlands and wooded areas, The Fields Sculpture Park presents the works of internationally recognized contemporary and modern artists, offering the unique possibility to experience a wide range of large-scale works in a singular outdoor environment. Founded in 1998, The Fields offer nearly 80 works of art on view–with several pieces added or exchanged every year. Information: 518.392.4747; http://artomi.org
Time & Space Limited
434 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through March: “Journeys” an exhibit featuring the works of Jane Gennaro and Linda Mussmann as two different ways of seeing and thinking and noting the passing of time and travel. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & for 1 hour prior to weekend events Information: 518.822.8448; http://timeandspace.org
Verdigris Gallery
135 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 Through March 4: “David Montgomery Sculptures,” both new and old wall sculptures made from scrap metal pieces. Hours: Call for hours. Information: 518.828.3139
Workshops & Special Event s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Fundraiser
Beacon Theater, 445 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Saturday, February 18, 7 p.m.: The Beacon Arts & Education Foundation presents the classic film “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. All the money raised will go to Beacon City School District students and teacher to enhance classroom learing. Free popcorn. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Information: http://beaconarts.org
Artist Demonstrations
Albert Shahinian Fine Art Upstairs Galleries, 22 East Market Street, Suite 301, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, March 3, 4-6 p.m.: Three of the artists exhibiting in “15: Artists from Ulster County,” present demonstrations of their craft. Information: 845.876.7578; info@shahinianfineart.com
15th Annual Friend of the Arts Award
The Grandview, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Thursday, March 8, 5:30 p.m.: Annual event to benefit Youth Outreach and Scholarship programs of Mill Street Loft. This year’s honorees include The Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Clearwater, and Marist College. Live
music, hors d’oeuvres, open bar, gourmet cuisine. Tickets: $125 Information: 845.471.7477; http://www.millstreetloft.org
Second Saturday Beacon
Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Saturday, March 10, noon-9 p.m.: A city-wide celebration of the arts held on the second Saturday of every month when galleries and shops stay open until 9 p.m. Gallery openings, music are just some of the ongoing events. Information: http://beaconarts.org
Jean-Luc Moulene: Perspectives from the Curator
Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, 3 Beekman St., Beacon, NY 12508 Sunday, March 11, 2 p.m.: Special event. Free with museum admission. Reservations highly recommended. Information: 845.440.0100; http://www.diaart.org
Community Free Days
Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, 3 Beekman St., Beacon, NY 12508 Saturday, March 17: Residents of neighboring counties Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester are invited to visit Dia:Beacon free of charge on select Saturdays. The dates coincide with “Second Saturday Beacon,” a monthly city-wide arts and culture open house. Please bring a driver’s license or other government-issued ID for entry to the museum. Information: 845.440.0100; http://www.diaart.org
Gallery Talks at Dia:Beacon
Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, 3 Beekman St., Beacon, NY 12508 Saturday, March 24, 2 p.m.: Erica Battle on Bruce Nauman. Erica Battle is a Project Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Tickets: Free with museum admission Information: 845.440.0100; http://www.diaart.org
The Business of Art
Village of Red Hook, Location tbd Saturday, March 24, 9 a.m.-noon: Red Hook Community Arts Network is sponsoring a workshop for emerging artists, covering business practices, such as writing a statement and resume, taxes, gallery relationships and marketing. Local artist Kari Feuer hosts. Email for more details. Fee: $25 Information: redhookcan@gmail.com
Artists Being Artists
Albert Shahinian Fine Art Upstairs Galleries, 22 East Market Street, Suite 301, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, March 31, 4-6 p.m.: A lively talk moderated by “15: Artists from Ulster County” exhibition curator Peter Wallace. Information: 845.876.7578; info@shahinianfineart.com
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Mercantile February 2012 PHOTOGRAPHY MADE EASY
photo editing getting started: what should i edit and how?
by Joel Weisbrod by Joel Weisbrod Now that you have decided that your photos could use a little help and want to edit them, where do you begin. Here are some starting tips and a small glossary of terms that will help you get started. Organize the Photos on Your Computer Regardless of the editing software or editing process, the photos or “image files” need to be on your computer. You will need to copy them from the camera or memory card into a folder on the computer. As the number of images seems to grow quickly, I suggest creating a separate main folder and then a structure of sub-folders beneath it. For example, I call my master folder “PHOTOS” and below this I have one folder called “FAMILY”. Inside the FAMILY folder, I have folders for each event where I took photos of my family. Each of these folders is named for the date and event, so for example I have “20080105-Jessica in Newport” for photos we took in Newport on January 5, 2008. Finally, inside this folder is a folder called “EDITED” where I have the completely edited photos ready for printing. Another important point about this process is that you should rename your edited photos when you save them so there is no chance that you will overwrite the original image file. While this amount of detail seems tedious when you have 50 image files, when your “catalog” of images grows to a few thousand, you will be grateful that you took the time to create an organized system to arrange, sort, and categorize your files.
Another important point about this process is that you should rename your edited photos when you save them so there is no chance that you will overwrite the original image file. Getting Ready to Edit Photos Camera Processing – Shoot in RAW mode and/or turn OFF all incamera processing including tone control, sharpening, etc. Camera Image File Format – Set your camera for the best quality and highest resolution. This creates larger image files but this is best for any editing you may do later. Some cameras allow you to choose to optimize file compression for quality or size – in this case, always choose quality. Focus is a Camera Only Technique– No matter which software you choose, you cannot fix the focus on an out-of-focus image. Make this a priority when you are taking the photo! Less is More – While it may seem that if a little sharpening is good then a lot of sharpening will be great, this is rarely true. Your goal should be to capture the best images you can and then enhance them slightly. When editing, the less you do to your images, the better the final prints will look. Noise Reduction and ISO – Along with higher sensitivity, higher ISO settings
introduce “noise” into your photos in the form of blotchy colors and irregular brightness. It is best to turn off the automatic setting for ISO and use the lowest possible ISO in all cases. If there is not enough light, turn up the ISO but recognize that this will affect the quality of the image. Summary Photo editing is a way to take your photography to the next level, creating better photographs through a series of changes and enhancements to your images. In the next article in this series, we will begin discussing some frequently used editing terms including “Cropping”, “Saturation”, “Exposure”, and others.
N Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
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live! on stage
Scene from Sofie Krog Teater’s production of ‘The House’ at Hudson Opera House March 3. The Lawyer; photo by Jakob Eskildsen.
The Caine Mutiny
Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center, 12 Vassar St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Fri., Feb. 24, 8 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 25, 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 26, 7 p.m.: New Day Repertory Company presents the smash play by Herman Wouk based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Directed by John Le Fever. Tickets: $20; $18 seniors; $16 students Information: 845.485.7399; http://www.newdayrep.org
Hairspray
The Center for Performing Arts, Rte 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 February 24-March 11, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.: Winner of 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, “Hairspray,” based on the 1988 film, is the story of big dreams, big girls and big hair! Teenager Tracy Turnblad is obsessed with a local TV dance program and its teen heartthrob. When she finally wins a place on the show, she is launched to stardom and changes the face of 1960’s Baltimore forever. Tickets: $26; $24 seniors/children Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Yvonne Rainer’s Dance Works
Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Saturday & Sunday, February 25 & 26, noon & 2 p.m.: Dia Art Foundation presents a series of Yvonne Rainer’s dance works at Dia: Beacon, Riggio Galleries. Dia’s retrospective, entitled Yvonne Rainer, will celebrate the depth of Rainer’s contributions to dance and will feature early works of choreography from the 1960s—including both iconic and lesser-known pieces—as well as three compositions created within the last 12 years. Tickets: $35; $28 students/seniors Information: 845.440.0100; www.diaart.org
Dance Performance: Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre
Bardavon Opera House, 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Sat., Feb. 25, 8 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 26, 3 p.m.: Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre presents its 30th anniversary Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre Bardavon Gala, including faculty and student choreography as well as Balanchine’s “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux” and two new works by Edwaard Liang and Larry Keigwin. Tickets: $11; $9 students/seniors Reservations: 845.473.2072; http://arts.vassar.edu; http://bardavon.org
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Dutchess Community College, James & Betty Hall Theatre, 53 Pendell Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Thurs.-Sat., March 1-3, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 4, 2 p.m.: Part one of Neil Simon’s autobiographical trilogy: a portrait of the writer as a young teen in 1937 living with his family in a crowded, lower middle-class Brooklyn walk-up. Eugene Jerome, standing in for the author, is the narrator and central character. Dreaming of baseball and girls, Eugene must cope with the mundane existence of his family life in Brooklyn: formidable mother, overworked father, and his worldly older brother Stanley. Throw into the mix his widowed Aunt Blanche, her two young (but rapidly aging) daughters and Grandpa the Socialist and you have a recipe for hilarity, served up Simon-style. This bittersweet memoir evocatively captures the life of a struggling Jewish household where, as his father states ‘if you didn’t have a problem, you wouldn’t be living here.’ Tickets: $5 Information: 845.431.8000; http://sunydutchess.edu
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Mercantile February 2012 Irish Pub Reading
The Black Swan, 66 Broadway, Tivoli, NY 12583 Monday, March 12, 6 p.m.: Tangent Arts presents a St. Patrick’s Day Irish Pub reading. Check website for play selection. Tickets: Free Information: http://www.tangent-arts.org
Hip Hop Theatre
Tangent actors Paul Nugent and Michael Rhodes at last year’s Irish pub reading of Martin McDonagh’s “The Lonesome West” at the Black Swan. Photo submitted.
Sofie Krog Teater, Denmark
Hudson Opera House, Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534 Saturday, March 3, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.: From the company that brought Diva to HOH in 2009, Denmark’s Sofie Krog, partnering with Spanish puppeteer David Faraco, returns. This complex puppetry piece set in a creepy funeral home featuring intricate lights, contraptions and sound effects. Inviting tweens, teens and adults on a comically harrowing journey, The House reveals the secrets of one Mrs. Esperanza and her family by venturing behind the closed doors and into the private rooms hiding their unspeakably dark deeds. Tickets: $20 Information: 518.822.1640; http://www.hudsonoperahouse.org
Stage Blood
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504 Thurs.-Sat., March 8-10, 7 p.m.; Sun., March 11, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.: Bard Theater is thrilled to present Charles Ludlam’s legendary, whacky and raunchy Ridiculous comedy Stage Blood. In this comedy, a family acting company continuously tours Hamlet. Carleton Stone, Sr., once a great Hamlet, is now a drunk dissolute and playing the ghost. He tries to make his reluctant son the Hamlet he once was. Here is a Hamlet within a Hamlet within a Hamlet and a murder mystery for people with stage blood in their veins. Tickets: $10; $5 seniors Information: 845.758.7900; http://fishercenter.bard.edu
Legally Blonde, The Musical
Stissing Mountain Jr./Sr. High School, 2829 Church St., Pine Plains, NY 12567 Fri. & Sat., March 9 & 10, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 11, 2 p.m.: What happens when sorority president Elle Woods sets her sights on Harvard Law School? Join The Stissing Theatre Guild at Pine Plains Junior/ Senior High School on the journey as Elle learns about the law and herself in this energetic and funny new musical. Tickets: $13; $11 students/seniors Information: 518.398.7181; http://www.pineplainsschools.org
Irish Pub Reading
The Dubliner Pub, 796 Main St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Sunday, March 11, 6 p.m.: Tangent Arts presents a St. Patrick’s Day Irish Pub reading. Check website for play selection. Tickets: Free Information: http://www.tangent-arts.org
Bardavon Opera House, 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Thursday, March 15, 7 p.m.: This is the public culmination performance of a two-week in-school residency with 75 sixth graders at Poughkeepsie Middle School, led by Hip Hop’s Playback Theater NYC.Through this innovative, multi-faceted workshop, students study poetry, graffiti, music and dance, drawing on their own creative abilities and gaining knowledge and skills in each discipline. They connect with the rhythms of their bodies and explore the art of the written and spoken word. They discover the satisfaction that striving for a shared goal can offer – and they realize they have a voice. Tickets: $5 all seats Information: 845.473.2072; http://bardavon.org
Finnigan’s Farewell
The Beacon, 445 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 March 16-18, 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.: The audience has come to say goodbye to Patrick James Finnegan, a mailman who won 2.5 Million dollars playing the slots at Atlantic City and then promptly dropped dead. As his contentious family gets more and more distraught during this memorable evening concocted by the co-creator of Tony and Tina’s Wedding, a fight erupts over opening the casket. Finally they do and Paddy’s body is not in there! While the missing body is located, the audience can eat, drink, and be merry at this authentic Irish American wake, complete with traditional Irish drinking songs and some lively tap and step dancing. Paddy is found, the party continues, and all are treated to a great surprise straight out of the song “Finnegan’s Wake.” Produced by 4th Wall Productions. Tickets: tba Information: 845.226.8099; http://thebeacontheatre.org
Pack of Lies
The Ghent Playhouse, 6 Town Hall Place, Ghent, NY 12075 March 16-April 1, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.: All lies. One lie is wrapped in more lies. Who do you trust? Espionage, danger, suspense! Set during the cold war and based on real events where neighbors spy on neighbors. Sometimes things are not what they seem... Tickets: $18 Information: 518.392.6264; http://ghentplayhouse.org
Solas An Lae: SOUL
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Fri. & Sat., March 16 & 17, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 18, 3 p.m.: Coming off the heels of last years celebrated production of The Celtic Soul of Van Morrison, directors Deirdre Lowry & Patrick Brown have ambitiously created yet another unique and unprecedented vision in Irish Dance performance art. Drawing from a musical landscape of classic American and European neo-soul music, Solas An Lae explores through dance, sign posts and current perceptions in society that are ushering in a new world of hope and promise. Lá Fhéile Pádraig (St. Patrick’s day) will never be the same! Tickets: $20; $18 seniors/children Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
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e
th
sounds season of
Mendelssohn’s Elijah
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504 Fri. & Sat., Feb. 17 & 18, 8 p.m.: American Symphony Orchestra, Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Fisher Center present Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” performed by members of the Bard Conservatory Orchestra, members of the American Symphony Orchestra with singers of the Graduate Vocal Arts Program, The Bard College Chamber Singers, and Cappella Festiva. Tickets: $20 suggested donation for orchestra seating; $15 parterre/first balcony; minimum donation $5. Free to Bard community with I.D. Information: 845.758.7900; http://fishercenter.bard.edu
The Acoustic Medicine Variety Show
Elmendorph Inn, 7562 Route 9, Red Hook, NY 12571 Saturday, February 18, 7-10 p.m.: Live music by Amy Labor, David Kraai, Summer Corrie and Moss Meredith. Tickets: $10; good for 2 beverages and snacks. Pizza sold separately. Information: 845.758.5887; http://www.elmendorph.org
Love in Music: A Valentine’s Recital
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Sat., Feb. 18, 8 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 19, 3 p.m.: Paul and JoAnne Schubert perform renowned classics and original works in Love in Music: A Valentine’s Recital. Pieces include “Petite Suite,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” and music from “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Original works include Paul’s “Fantasie for a Valentine.” Show your love by celebrating Valentine’s with this special benefit concert. Tickets: $15 Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Aaron Lewis (formerly of Staind) performs a solo acoustic show at UPAC on March 17.
The Arabesque Trio
Elmendorph Inn, 7562 Route 9, Red Hook, NY 12571 Sunday, February 19, 3-5 p.m.: The 2012 Gala Benefit for The Rhinebeck Chamber Music Society will celebrate Spain with a concert featuring Spanish music, followed by tapas and other delicacies. Silent auction featuring a vacation week in Italy and Spain. Tickets: $35 Information: http://www.rhinebeckmusic.org
Winds in the Wilderness Concert
Church of St. John in the Wilderness, Route 344, Copake Falls, NY Sunday, February 19, 3 p.m.: Sharon Powers, flute; Ellen Katz Wilner, oboe; Anne Legene, cello; Mariken Palmboom, harpsichord, in works by Telemann, Marcello, Ibert, Haydn, and W.G. Still. Tickets: $10 suggested donation; free, children Information: 518.329.1577; http://hillsdaleny.com
Russian Fantasy
Hillsdale United Methodist Church, Routes 22 & 23, Hillsdale, NY Sunday, February 19, 4 p.m.: Duo-pianist Ellana Belli and Delana Thompson. The program, entitled, “Russian Fantasy” will include works by Scriabin, Glazunov, and Rachmaninoff. Tickets: $10 suggested donation Information: http://hillsdaleny.com
American Symphony Orchestra
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504 Fri. & Sat., Feb. 24 & 26, 8 p.m.: This season the Fisher Center’s orchestra-in-residence performs major orchestral works by Gustav
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Mahler, Béla Bartók, and Igor Stravinsky (whose life and musical legacy will be the subject of the 2013 Bard Music Festival). Other composers to be featured include Maurice Ravel, Sergey Prokofiev, Witold Lutosławski, Godfrey Winham, and two contemporaries—Howard Shore, whose Mythic Gardens, a concerto for cello and orchestra, will receive its world premiere, and Christopher Brubeck. Featured soloists include Sophie Shao, cello; Jiazhi Wang, violin; Tamas Markovics, trombone; and Julia Bullock, soprano. Tickets: $25; $35; $40 Information: 845.758.7900; http://fishercenter.bard.edu
An Evening with Lucy Wainwright Roche & Rebecca Pronsky
Community Music Space (in the Chocolate Factory), 54 Elizabeth St., Red Hook, NY 12571 Saturday, February 25, 8 p.m.: Local 845 presents singer songwriters Lucy Wainwright Roche and Rebecca Pronsky in an intimate night of music. Lucy Wainwright Roche is the daughter of two performing musicians, Loudon Wainwright and Suzzy Roche (The Roches). The New York Times says “...her clear, steady voice feels like a beacon of sorts, slicing straight through the room.” Rebecca Pronsky’s “lowregister warble ... conveys the wisdom of experience without crossing the line into defeatist world-weariness.” NPR (Song of the Day). Tickets: $15 Information: 917.806.1348; http://www.local845.com
Alessio Bax, Piano
Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Sunday, February 26, 4 p.m.: Italian pianist Alessio Bax, now resident in New York, counts an Avery Fisher Career Grant among his many prizes. Following his New York debut at the Metropolitan Museum, the New York Times felt he “is worth getting excited about.” His recital includes works by Brahms, Rachmaninov, the same composer’s transcription of two Kreisler pieces, and Aprés une lecture de Dante by Liszt. Tickets: $30; $10 students Information: 845.297.9243; http://howlandmusic.org
The Intimate Voices Quartet
First Presbyterian Church, Hudson, NY 12534 Saturday, March 3, 6 p.m.: Exemplary string players perform Mendelssohn, Yonavsky and Beethoven. Concert followed by exclusive buffet reception with the artists. Two additional concerts will follow on March 31 (flutist Paula Robison & guitarist Frederic Hand) and May 3 (violinist Elmar Oliveira and pianist Robert Koenig). Tickets: $120 for series; $30/$45 with reception individual concerts Information: http://columbiafestivalorchestra.org
Bebe Neuwirth: Stories with Piano
Bardavon, 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Friday, January 20, 8 p.m.: Actor, Singer & Dancer Bebe Neuwirth brings her Tony/Drama Desk/Astaire/Emmy-Award winning talent to the Bardavon stage for the very first time. Her amazing list of Broadway credits includes Velma in Chicago, Nickie in Sweet Charity as well as roles in Fosse, Damn Yankees, Dancin, Little Me, and A Chorus Line and most recently in her starring role as Morticia in The Addams Family. On television she is well known for her role as Lilith on both acclaimed series Cheers and Frasier. Tickets: $50; $65 Golden Circle; $45 members Information: 845.473.2072; http://www.bardavon.org
An Evening with Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Broadway, Red Hook, NY 12571 Friday, March 9, 8 p.m.: Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill are two of the world’s leading artists in traditional Irish music. Since the mid-1990s the Irish fiddler and American guitarist have been changing the shape of Irish music, exploring and expanding the tradition in intimate and electrifying ways. “As close to a spiritual experience as [music] can be” is how the The Irish Examiner described them. Tickets: $34 Information: http://www.studioredhook.com
HVP 40th Annual String Competition
Vassar College, Skinner Hall of Music, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 Sat., March 10, 10 a.m.; Sun., March 11, 3 p.m.: This string competition gives the public a rare opportunity to hear and see some of the best young violinists, cellists, and violists in the world before their careers have even begun. The competition has always attracted some of the finest conservatory string players in the world, and many participants have gone on to illustrious classical music careers. First prize includes $3,000 First Prize a solo performance with Hudson Valley Philharmonic. Tickets: Free and open to the public. Information: http://arts.vassar.edu
Cajun Dancing with Maggie Hoffee & the Catahoula Cajun Band
Wild Hive Farm, 2411 Salt Point Tpke., Clinton Corners, NY 12514 Sunday, March 11, 1:30-5 p.m.: Stomp out those winter blues with an afternoon of great Cajun/Zydeco music and dancing. Beginners lesson with admission. Tickets: $10 Information: 845.266.5863; cindi@wildhivefarm.com
The Philharmonic Quintet of New York
Church of the Messiah, 6436 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Sunday, March 11, 4 p.m.: The Philharmonic Quintet of New York was formed in 2001, and consists of five of the key players from the wind section of the world-famous New York Philharmonic. Having played in the orchestra together for years, they had already developed a common approch to music making and a keen sense of ensemble. The PQNY have thrilled audiences around the world with their virtuosity, and their infectious sense of fun, energy and musicality. Tickets: $25; $5 students Information: http://rhinebeckmusic.org
Of Time and the River: Songs of the Historic Hudson
Beacon Sloop Club, 2 Red Flynn Drive, Beacon, NY 12508 Friday, March 16, 7 p.m.: A lecture by Linda Russell which traces life along the Hudson as seen in folk ballads, Erie Canal ditties and dance tunes accompanied by guitar, pennywhistle & hammered & mountain dulcimers. Tickets: Free Information: http://www.beaconsloop.org
Vanderbilt Garden Association Concert Fundraiser
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, 4079 Albany Post Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538 Friday, March 16, 7 p.m.: Concert featuring the Bard College Chamber Music String Quartet to benefit the maintenance and rehabilitation of the Formal Gardens by the F.W. Vanderbilt Garden Association. Tickets: $12 Information: 845.486.7770; http://fdrlibrary.marist.edu
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Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are special guests at the Bardavon on March 18. continued from page 27 i
Staind’s Aaron Lewis: Solo & Acoustic
UPAC, 601 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401 Saturday, March 17, 8 p.m.: Aaron Lewis rose to fame as the lead singer of the rock band Staind, whose #1 albums include Break the Cycle, 14 Shades of Grey and The Illusion of Progress. At his UPAC debut, Aaron will present a solo acoustic performance, playing the band’s hits including It’s Been Awhile, Outside, and So Far Away, as well as new songs from his Country Boy album, in addition to taking requests from the audience. Tickets: $44; $39 members Reservations: 845.473.2072; http://bardavon.org
Strawberry Hill Fiddlers: Jamming for Scotland with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason
Bardavon Opera House, 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Sunday, March 18, 3 p.m.: Strawberry Hill Fiddlers are a group of fiddling teenagers from various high schools in and around Dutchess County, New York. The group performs traditional music from across the world, and are known to sing, dance, improvise, and solo throughout their shows. This concert will feature Scottish, Irish, Scandinavian, southern American old-time, bluegrass, Mariachi, and French Canadian fiddle tunes and songs. Special guests Jay Ungar and Molly Mason will join the fiddlers and present their own set of timeless American roots music. Tickets: $20; $15 students/seniors Reservations: 845.473.2072; http://bardavon.org
Wind Soloists of New York
Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 Sunday, March 18, 4 p.m.: The Wind Soloists of New York brings together leading wind players from New York City. For this concert they will be joined by pianist Pedja Muzijevic, who has played previously
in our Piano Festival, to perform a Beethoven quintet, a Saint-Saens Caprice, a Jean Françaix quartet and a Poulenc sextet. Tickets: $30; $10 students Information: 845.297.9243; http://howlandmusic.org
Ethos Percussion Group
Vassar College, Skinner Hall of Music, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 Friday, March 23, 8 p.m.: Recently hailed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as “extraordinary musicians... (who) played with equal subtlety and power,” Ethos Percusion Group, whose members include Michael Lipsey, Eric Phinney, Yousif Sheronick, and Vassar faculty member Trey Files, will present works for percussion influenced by cultures from around the world. The program will include Steve Reich’s classic Drumming Part One and The Guiros Talk, a work written for Ethos by 2011 MacArthur Fellow Dafnis Prieto. Free and open to the public. Information: http://music.vassar.edu
Cellist David Heiss & Pianist Warren Jones
Vassar College, Skinner Hall of Music, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 Sunday, March 25, 3 p.m.: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra cellist David Heiss and world-renowned pianist Warren Jones (named as “Collaborative Pianist of the Year” for 2010 by the publication Musical America) join Vassar faculty member Robert Osborne, bass-baritone, in a concert of works for cello and piano, solo piano, and voice, cello, and piano. The program will include songs and arias with cello obbligato by Verdi, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, and Stravinsky; Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces for cello and piano; and Brahms’ Three Intermezzos, op. 117. Free and open to the public. Information: http://music.vassar.edu
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Bring the family to the Hudson Opera House on February 24, and get ready to dance with Mister G, a Parent’s Choice Award winner and 2011 Grammy nominee for Best Children’s Album.
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Dance Together
Hudson Opera House, 327 Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534 Mondays, through Mar. 19, 10-11 a.m.: A six-week workshop in movement for pre-schoolers taught by Abby Lappen, exploring the elements of motor skills, balance with rhythm and music as tools. Each week a specific theme will direct exploration, including animals, nature, colors, shapes, numbers and language. A fun and engaging hour for parents and children ages 2 and up. Fee: $5/child Information: 518.822.1438; http://wwwhudsonoperahouse.org
Great Backyard Bird Count
FDR Historic Site & Vanderbilt Historic Site, Hyde Park, NY 12538 Fri.-Mon., Feb. 17-20, 9 a.m.-noon: Participate in the nation-wide bird count right in FDR’s back yard over Presidents’ Day Weekend. FDR wa an avid bird watcher and you can count some of the same varieties of birds he observed at his Springwood home. Fri.: meet at Vanderbilt Visitor Center; Sat., Roosevelt Farm Lane Trailhead; Sun., Val-Kill Parking lot; Mon., Wallace Visitor Center. Information: 845.486.1966; http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc
Sleeping Beauty
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, February 18, 11 a.m.: A classic tale for children of all ages, “Sleeping Beauty” tells the story of the wicked witch who curses Princess Aurora. Will the curse come true? Will someone with a “true heart” appear? You will know when you see Tanglewood Marionettes’ presentation of this beloved tale. Part of The Center’s Saturday Morning Family Series. Tickets: $7 children; $9 adults & seniors. Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Winter Sledding Party
Siegel Kline Kill Public Conservation Area, 1452 County Route 21, Ghent, NY 12075 Saturday, February 18, 1p.m.: The party includes sledding, snowshoeing, igloo and fort making, and animal tracking. Hot chocolate and snacks will be provided. Wear your warmest outdoor clothing and bring your sleds. Party may need to be rescheduled, depending on weather. Information: 518.392.5252 x 214; lauren@clctrust.org
Documents on Display: Presidential Autographs
Henry A. Wallace Center, FDR Historic Site, Hyde Park, NY 12538 Saturday, February 18, 2:30-4:30 p.m.: Special display of original documents from the Roosevelt Library archives bearing the signatures of many of our nation’s Presidents including: Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy. Twenty-eight signatures will be on display -- most of which were collected by Franklin Roosevelt himself. There will also be a video presentation and family-friendly activities relating to presidential history. Information: 845.486.7745; http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/ publicprograms/calendar.html
Hudson Valley Reptile Expo
Mid-Hudson Civic Center, 14 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Sunday, February 19, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Reptile breeders and dealers from across the Northeast offer the finest in captive bred reptiles and amphibians at wholesale pricing! Feeders, cages, supplies, books, etc. Everything under one roof for the seasoned or beginner herp lover! Fun for the whole family! Tickets: $10; $4 children 7-12; free, kids under 7 Information: http://herpnerds.com; continued on page 30 g http://www.midhudsonciviccenter.org
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Page 30 Juggler Chris Chiappini visits Center for Performing Arts on March 10.
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M-Power Elite Dance Performance
Mid Hudson Children’s Museum, 75 North Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Monday, February 20, 10 a.m.: M-POWER Elite Dance Team is a powerful dance crew from Poughkeepsie that has an eclectic, vibrant style of hip hop that elicits an emotional connection with their audience. Their dance performances utilize music from a variety of genres such as Gospel, Hip Hop, House, African, Bollywood and Classical. Get ready to dance and feel the rhythm of this high energy performance! Reservations required. Tickets: $6 per person, does not include museum admission. Information: 845.471.0589; http://www.mhcm.org
Creative Writing for Teens Mid-Winter Break Intensive Hudson Opera House, Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534 Tues.-Fri., Feb. 21-24, 1-3 p.m.: A creative writing intensive of nonfiction, fiction and flash fiction, and poetry. Teens will develop new skills and techniques, healthy writing habits, and increased confidence in their abilities. Taught by Chloe Caldwell. For ages 13 & up. Information: 518.822.1640; http://www.hudsonoperahouse.org
2012 Oscar Shorts: Animation
Time & Space, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Thurs., Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 24, 5:30 p.m.: Watch the five best Animation selected for the Academy Awards this year: Dimanche / Sunday, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore, La Luna. A Morning Stroll, and Wild Life Just because they’re short doesn’t make them any less entertaining, important or meaningful. In fact, one could argue that the short film format actually makes the art of filmmaking a greater challenge, considering the microscopic budgets and the narrative limitations of time. These wee gems of the cinema are labours of love, not box office returns. Tickets: $7; $5 students/members Information: 518.822.8448; http://timeandspace.org
James Ransome & Lesa Cline-Ransome, Words Set Me Free
Merritt Bookstore, 57 Front Street, Millbrook, NY 12545 Friday, February 24, 10 a.m.: Celebrate the work of Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome as they share their newest book, “Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass.” This picture book biography chronicles the youth of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African American figures in American history. Douglass spent his life advocating for the equality of all, and it was through reading that he was able to stand up for himself and others. Information: 845.229.9115; http://www.merrittbooks.com
Mister G
Hudson Opera House, Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534 Friday, February 24, 11 a.m.: “Jack Black meets Dr. Seuss...” Bring the family and get ready to dance with Mister G, a Parent’s Choice Award winner and 2011 Grammy nominee for Best Children’s Album. People Magazine describes Mister G as “Irresistible... pairing bluegrass, bossa nova, & more...” Mister G (Ben Gundersheimer) has performed at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the Eric Carle Museum, the Clark Art Institute, and the 92nd St Y and will perform songs from his recently released new CD, Bugs. Tickets: $10 Information: 518.822.1640; http://www.hudsonoperahouse.org
Tracks & Traces Snowshoe Hike
Mud Creek Environmental Learning Center, 1024 Route 66, Ghent, NY 12075 Friday, February 24, 2-3 p.m.: Join us for an animal tracking hike around Mud Creek! We may see tracks and traces left by squirrels, foxes, deer, and perhaps even a bobcat! We will look for signs of wildlife and learn about the natural history of local animals. A limited number of snowshoes are available. Registration is recommended in order to reserve snowshoes. The hike is a snow or no snow event. Information: 518.828.4386 x 3; http://www.ccswcd.org
Uncle Rock
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, February 25, 11 a.m.: Bring the whole family for a rockin’ good time! A fun concert experience for little kids and big kids alike. Tickets: $7 children; $9 adults & seniors. Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Discover Norrie Point: Winter Tree I.D.
Norrie Point Environmental Center, Norrie State Park, Staatsburg, NY Saturday, February 25, 2 p.m.: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Research Reserve continues its series of monthly nature walks. Enjoy the crisp winter air on this two mile hike while learning to identify trees using bark, twigs, and buds. Meet at Norrie Point Environmental Center. Information: 845.889.4745 x 109; http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4915.html
Twinkle Stars: Starlab Planetarium Show
Mid Hudson Children’s Museum, 75 North Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Thursday, March 1, 10:30 a.m.: This special planetarium show is geared for the Museum’s youngest visitors. Children will enjoy viewing our winter sky inside the Museum’s cozy inflatable planetarium. Songs and a simple art project will follow the planetarium show. Ages 3+ Tickets: $4/person Information: 845.471.0589; http://www.mhcm.org
Celtic Heels Irish Dance
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, March 3, 11 a.m.: Joan McGrenaghan and her performing
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troupe have delighted audiences for over two decades! Enjoy Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes choreographed to energetic, hand-clapping, toe-tapping instrumentals. Tickets: $7 children; $9 adults & seniors. Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Toy & Train Show
Columbia-Greene Community College, Gymnasium & Student Dining Hall, 4400 Route 23, Hudson, NY 12534 Sunday, March 4, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: 31st Annual Toy & Train Show. Tickets: $3; free, kids 7 and under Information: 518.828.4181; http://www.sunycgcc.edu
Juggling with a Magical Twist
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, March 10, 11 a.m.: Chris Chiappini combines skill and comedy in his face-paced magic and juggling show that is sure to be a crowd-favorite! Moms love him, Dads are impressed and kids have fun! Tickets: $7 children; $9 adults & seniors. Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
anything is possible. Tickets: Free Information: http://www.sunydutchess.edu/studentlife/ studentactivities/famfest.html
From Sap to Syrup
Hand Hollow Sugar Shack, County Rte. 34, New Lebanon, NY Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m.-noon: Warm days and cold nights are the perfect recipe to get the sap flowing in sugar maples across the northeast. Join us at a local sugar bush to learn about the modern and traditional techniques of tapping trees, collecting sap, and boiling the sap down to syrup. Local maple experts will explain the present day gravity fed collection system, and if the conditions are right, fire up the evaporating pan to start the sap boiling. You may even have the chance to taste the sweet syrup as it comes out of the pan. Registration required. Information: 518.392.5252 x 210; jenny@clctrust.org
Barefoot Dance Company
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Saturday, March 10, 11 a.m.: This unique company of young dancers will perform several innovative modern dance pieces in a delightful concert. Bring your kids as the event is family friendly. Audience members of all ages will find the variety of work exciting and inspiring. Tickets: $7 children; $9 adults & seniors. Information: 845.876.3080; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Discover Norrie Point: Woodpeckers
Norrie Point Environmental Center, Norrie State Park, Staatsburg, NY Saturday, March 10, 2 p.m.: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Research Reserve continues its series of monthly nature walks. “Woodpeckers” will be the topic for this month’s family-friendly program. Take a hike through Norrie Point’s woods looking and listening for signs of “hammerheads.” During the program, a naturalist from the reserve will explain the life cycle of these fascinating birds. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them. Please dress appropriately. Information: 845.889.4745 x 109; http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4915.html
Starlab Planetarium Show & Museum Late Night
Mid Hudson Children’s Museum, 75 North Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Saturday, March 17, 6 p.m. & 7 p.m.: Enter the inflatable planetarium to explore seasonal constellations and learn fun facts like, why Polaris, the North Star, never seems to move. Gaze up at a clear starry night while an educator tells about the wonders of it all. Reservations are required. The Museum is open until 8 p.m. this night and Museum admission from 5-8 p.m. is free! Tickets: $4/person for Planetarium show. Information: 845.471.0589; http://www.mhcm.org
Shadow Tales with Rick Adam
James & Betty Hall Theater, Dutchess Community College, 53 Pendell Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Saturday, March 24, 11 a.m.: Discover the timeless magic of hand shadows. Using hands and simple cutouts this program illustrates familiar stories, tales and fables with shadow. Audiences will learn, firsthand how to cast shadows on a wall and create worlds where
8th Annual Build a Blue Bird Box
Schor Conservation Area, 58 Shoreview Dr., Canaan, NY 12029 Saturday, March 24, 1 & 3 p.m.: Celebrate the arrival of spring by building a nesting box for the Eastern bluebird. Using pre-cut lumber with all materials and tools provided, everyone gets to make and take home a bluebird nesting box. In the springtime in Columbia County, some birds (like robins) build an open nest, but others prefer nesting in cavities of decayed trees or stumps. Cavity-dwelling birds, like bluebirds, will substitute a nest box for a tree cavity. Free! Registration required by noon March 23. Information: 518.392.5252 x 210; jenny@clctrust.org
Spring Amphibian Egg Hunt
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Tpke, Millbrook, NY 12545 Sunday, March 25, 1 p.m.: Join educators for a family-friendly guided hike on the grounds of the Cary Institute. Explore vernal pools and discover early spring life while searching for amphibian egg masses. Learn about the extraordinary diversity of life that inhabits vernal pools as well as their ecological importance. Participants should be prepared for the possibility of getting their feet wet! Information: 845.677.7600 x 121; http://ecostudies.org
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readings, signings & screenings L to R: Virgin and Child (Madonna Litta) about 1492; The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptistc. b/w 1499 and 1500, both paintings are part of the ‘Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan’ exhibit at the U.K. National Gallery. Experience it on the big screen at Time & Space in Hudson On Feb. 25 & 26.
Tasty Tunes Weekly Open Mic
Taste Budds Cafe, 40 West Market St., Red Hook, NY 12571 Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Free weekly music and spoken word open mic. Sign-up at 6 p.m. Information: 860.823.8605
Author Talk and Signing: Richard Striner Lincoln’s Way: How Six Great Presidents Created American Power
Henry A. Wallace Center, FDR Historic Site, Hyde Park, NY 12538 Saturday, February 18, 2 p.m.: Washington College Professor of History Richard Striner, author of “Lincoln’s Way: How Six Great Presidents Created American Power.” Information: 845.486.7745; http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/ publicprograms/calendar.html
Met Opera: Gotterdammerung (Wagner)
Time & Space, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Sat., Feb. 18 & Sun., Feb 19, noon: With its cataclysmic climax, the Met’s new Ring cycle, directed by Robert Lepage, comes to its resolution. Deborah Voigt stars as Brünnhilde and Gary Lehman is Siegfried-the starcrossed lovers doomed by fate. James Levine conducts..Running time: 6 hrs, 25 mins, 2 intermissions. Tickets: $25; $15 students Information: 518.822.8448; http://timeandspace.org
Crazy Horse
Time & Space, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Sat. & Sun., Feb. 18 & 19, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 26, 4 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., March 2 & 3, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 4, 5:30 p.m.: Celebrated documentary director Frederick Wiseman spent ten weeks with his
camera exploring one of the most mythic places dedicated to women, the Crazy Horse Paris. This legendary Parisian cabaret, founded in 1951 by Alain Bernardin, has become over the years the Parisian nightlife “must” for locals as well as any visitors, ranking alongside the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Wiseman’s impeccable eye allows us to enter into this intriguing international temple of the Parisian cabaret world and to discover what makes the Crazy Horse tick: elegance, perfectionism and a grueling schedule (with 2 shows a night and 3 on Saturdays, 7 days a week). Tickets: $7; $5 students Information: 518.822.8448; http://timeandspace.org
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
UPAC, 601 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401 Friday, February 24, 7:30 p.m.: A high school wise guy is determined to have a day off from school, despite of what the principal thinks. Directed by John Hughes. With Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones. Tickets: $5 all seats Information: 845.339.6088; http://www.bardavon.org
The Underground Railroad in the Hudson Valley
Mid-Hudson Heritage Center, 317 Main St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Saturday, February 25, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Noted author Fergus Bordewich has been an independent writer and historian since the early 1970’s. His articles have appeared in many magazines and newspapers including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. “Bound for Canaan,” his book on the underground railroad, was selected as one of the American Booksellers Association’s “ten best nonfiction books” in 2005 and as one of the New York Public Library’s “ten books to remember” in 2005. A light breakfast will be served. Tickets: $5 suggested donation Information: 845.485.6911; http://midhudsonheritage.org
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Margaret Roach Nonstop Plants: A Garden for 365 Days
Germantown Library, 31 Palatine Park Rd., Germantown, NY 12526 Saturday, February 25, 1 p.m.: Join author and gardener extraordinaire Margaret Roach for a lecture and book signing. After 15 years at Martha Stewart Living and a decade each at Newsday and The New York Times, Margaret Roach now writes the nationally acclaimed blog A Way to Garden (dot com) and is author of the corporate-dropout memoir, “And I Shall Have Some Peace There,” about walking away from “success” for a quieter life lived closer to nature. She will present a talk on “Nonstop Plants: A Garden for 365 Days.” Roach has worked for more than 20 years to make her garden in the Hudson Valley–Berkshires area a visual treat every day of the year. Meet the plants and the philosophy that make it happen, delivered with a dose of “horticultural how-to and woo-woo.” Reservations recommended. Information: 518.537.5800; germantownlibraryevents@yahoo.com; http://www.germantownlibrary.org; http://awaytogarden.com
The MET: Live in HD, Ernani
UPAC, 601 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401 Saturday, February 25, 1 p.m.: Angela Meade takes center stage in Verdi’s thrilling early gem. Salvatore Licitra is her mismatched lover, and all-star Verdians Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ferruccio Furlanetto round out the cast. Tickets: $23; $16 children 12 and under Information: 800.745.3000; http://www.bardavon.org
Bard Fiction Prize Winner Reading
Laszlo Z. Bito Auditorium, Reem-Kayden Center, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504 Monday, February 27, 7 p.m.: Writer in residence Benjamin Hale will read from his work. Hale received the annual Bard Fiction Prize for 2012 for his debut novel, “The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore.” The novel has been hailed as “a brilliant, unruly brute of a book” by the Washington Post. Tickets: Free Information: http://bard.edu
National Theatre of London Live Simulcast: The Comedy of Errors
Time & Space, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Thurs., March 1, 7 p.m.; Sun., March 11, 2 p.m.: Shakespeare’s furiously paced comedy will be staged in a contemporary world into which walk three prohibited foreigners who see everything for the first time. Two sets of twins separated at birth collide in the same city without meeting for one crazy day, as multiple mistaken identities lead to confusion on a grand scale. Tickets: $22; $15 children under 12 Information: 518.822.8448; http://timeandspace.org
National Theatre of London Live Simulcast: Leonardo Live
Time & Space, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Sat., Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 26, 1 p.m.: Art lovers around the world will be able to experience “Leonardo Live,” a satellite-delivered HD presentation of the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan”, captured at the U.K. National Gallery. “Leonardo Live” offers an unprecedented opportunity for audiences worldwide to experience these da Vinci works. The historic exhibition is sold out in London and, due to the fragility of the paintings, the exhibition cannot tour.Tickets: $12.50; $5 students Information: 518.822.8448; http://timeandspace.org
Discussion: Shyala Tenzin Rinpoche, “Living Fully”
Oblong Books, 26 Main St., Millerton, NY 12546 Sunday, February 26, 2 p.m.: In Living Fully, Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche reveals timeless wisdom that can help us fulfill this deepest aspiration. Each succinct teaching is a luminous jewel, an invaluable guide to actualizing our innate potential and breathing with joy and ease. Information: 845.876.0500; http://www.oblongbooks.com
Movie Night at the Hive
Wild Hive Farm, Clinton Corners, NY 12514 Sunday, February 26, 4-7 p.m.: “Big Night,” the featured film tells the story of immigrant brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci), whose Italian restaurant is on the verge of bankruptcy despite its superb cuisine. Wild Hive will be serving tapas, popcorn, wine & beer, or the beverage of your choice. Tickets: $5 Information: 845.594.1778; http://wildhivefarm.com
Hudson Valley YA Society: Lauren Oliver & Kate Ellison
Oblong Books, 6422 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Friday, March 2, 6 p.m.: Meet bestselling author Lauren Oliver (Pandemonium) and debut novelist Kate Ellison (The Butterfly Clues). A monthly series, the HVYAS brings the best and brightest YA authors to the Hudson Valley in a memorable and fun party-like “literary salon” atmosphere, with refreshments, conversation, and giveaways for attendees. Information: 845.876.0500; http://www.oblongbooks.com
Rebecca Traister: Big Girls Don’t Cry
James & Betty Hall Theater, Dutchess Community College, 53 Pendell Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Thursday, March 8, 12:30 p.m.: Rebecca Traister is a senior writer at Salon.com, where she has covered women in media, politics, and entertainment since 2003. She received a huge response to her pieces on Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama, the media’s coverage of the candidates, and the role of women within the media. Her book “Big Girls Don’t Cry” is the result. It makes sense of this moment in American history, in which women broke barriers and changed the country’s narrative in completely unexpected ways. Ms. Traister has also written for a range of national publications, including the New York Times, Vogue, and the Nation. Tickets: Free Information: http://www.sunydutchess.edu/studentlife/ studentactivities/lyceumseries.html continued on page 34 g
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Purple Rain
UPAC, 601 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401 Friday, March 9, 7:30 p.m.: A young man with a talent for music and a troubled home life begins a music career and meets an aspiring singer, Apollonia, finding that talent alone isn’t all that he needs. Tickets: $5 all seats Information: 845.339.6088; http://www.bardavon.org
War Horse
James & Betty Hall Theater, Dutchess Community College, 53 Pendell Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Friday, March 9, 8 p.m.: Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets. PG13 Tickets: Free Information: http://www.sunydutchess.edu
Self Publishing and Publicizing: A Workshop with Shelia Buff
Merritt Bookstore, 57 Front Street, Millbrook, NY 12545 Saturday, March 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Rapid changes in printing technology and the astonishing growth of ebooks mean that selfpublishing is now a serious alternative to traditional publishing—today even some bestselling authors are publishing themselves. In this workshop, instructor Sheila Buff explains how self-publishing is ideal for first-time authors, for genre fiction, and for books that have specialist or
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local interest. Learn about the latest technological advances and discover how inexpensive and simple self-publishing can be. Call for ticket information. Information: 845.229.9115; http://www.sheilabuff.com; http://www.merrittbooks.com
Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage Lecture & Book Signing
Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, 4079 Albany Post Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538 Sunday, March 11, 3 p.m.: Photographer Annie Leibovitz’s project Pilgrimage is a personal statement about how narrative history informs the present. Places like Eleanor Roosevelt’s Val-Kill home and others, inspired the book. Limited seating, reservations required. Please arrive 15 minutes before the lecture. Reservations are not needed for the book signing of Pilgrimage. The book will be available to purchase at this time. Information: 845.229.9115; http://www.nps.gov/hofr/planyourvisit/events.htm
Little Shop of Horrors
Bardavon, 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Friday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.: A nerdy florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant that demands to be fed. Based on the Broadway musical. Tickets: $5 Information: 845.473.2072; http://www.bardavon.org
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smart meter technology real solutions for real people
by Indigo Munoz-Weaver
s
o far, winter 2011/12 has been an also helps offset the need for new power plants unseasonably warm one here in the Hudson and infrastructure. If you live in Red Hook or Tivoli, Valley. Everyone seems to be familiar with A very important component of the Smart you may qualify to be part of the global warming, but many remain unaware of Grid is Smart Metering—which enables users Smart Meter pilot project. For more the current energy crisis. Anticipated record to monitor and manage their electricity use in high temperatures in the summer months real time. Smart Meters give consumers greater information or if you are interested in with increased demand for air conditioning, is control over their own electricity usage. By getting involved, please contact Green only going to add to the energy problem. creating a two-way communication between T Energy, Inc., a local electrical The US produces 25% of the world’s the consumer and a utility, individuals will greenhouse gases and yet we only account gain a window into their energy usage, giving contracting company with an for 4% of the world’s total population. Up to them an awareness tool previously lacking. emphasis on energy conservation and 60% of the US’s electricity is generated from Washington D.C.’s Smart Meter pilot project, sustainability at (845)247-3473. coal, which accounts for 40% of our carbon called PowerCents, revealed that through emissions. These statistics become staggering, improved consumer awareness alone, energy added to the exponential rise in consumer and savings of 5% can be achieved. industrial demand for electricity that, since 1982 has exceeded utilities’ A number of countries, including most of the European Union ability to meet that need by 25%, annually. nations, and Asia are way ahead of the US in the adoption of Smart Something has to give—but what? We have an outdated electrical Technology. That’s not to say America is standing idly by. As of September system, an accelerated increase in energy demand, and a pending decrease of 2011, 22% of all US households had Smart Meters installed. The in our primary energy source—coal. That’s right. The Federal government Institute for Electric Efficiency (IEE) projects that by 2015—54% of all has new laws pending to enforce stricter environmental regulations on homes in the US will have them. coal-generated power plants by 2014. According to the Chicago Tribune, A number of states have adopted Smart Meters but New York is the resulting expensive upgrades will force many plants to close and the first state in the Northeast to see this technology. In fact, right here energy costs to skyrocket by as much as 40-60%. Combating climate in the Hudson Valley, Red Hook and Tivoli have been chosen to pilot change, environmental degradation and a struggling economy, utility Smart Meters because of their towns’ strong environmental record. This companies will have to leverage the delivery systems already in place to lower-carbon technology works. So far, every utility has implemented manage energy demands. smart meters after their pilot projects’ completion. This is the future of energy technology—A vital tool for positive change. A real solution for Smart Meters give consumers greater control over their real people.
own electricity usage. By creating a two-way communication between the consumer and a utility, individuals will gain a window into their energy usage, giving them an awareness tool previously lacking. One of the key solutions to the growing problem is quickly gaining national support because of its multitude of benefits. We are talking about Smarter Grids, which offer improvements and cost savings from generation of electricity to consumption. Smart Grids are digitized systems that can increase utilization of energy by sending 50-300% more electricity through existing corridors. Smart Grids enable utilities to reduce high-demand periods, balance electric loads to help avoid local and regional blackouts and manage voltage changes. Smart technology
8 Green T Energy, Inc. is a local electrical contracting company with an emphasis on sustainability and energy conservation. They are currently running a free Smart Meter Pilot Project exclusively for the Red Hook/Tivoli area that will help homeowners control their electric usage to save money, and the environment. They have also been involved in Central Hudson’s Commercial Lighting Retrofitting program for over a year. They handle all aspects of electrical work and lighting design from residential to industrial, and also offer home and business electrical energy audits. Their ultimate goal: Help secure the future for generations to come by decreasing our environmental impact on the planet.
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bright
greenvalley
Northern grey-cheeked salamander photo by Brian Gratwick. Join Laura Heady, NYSDEC’s Biodiversity Outreach Coordinator, for a slide presentation on woodland pool ecology and the “Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings” citizen science project at Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park in Beacon on February 28.
Acres Co-op Market
702 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534 Saturdays through March, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Winter indoor food market. The roster of producers participating in the indoor market, still in formation, includes: North Wind Farms (organic meat); Block Factory Tamales; Breezy Hill Orchards and Migliorelli Farm (vegetables, apples, cider); Berkshire Mountain Bakery; Tierra Farm (nuts, nut butters, coffee); and Amazing Real Life Food Company (cheese). Additional vendors will be announced. Information: acrescoop@gmail.com; http:/facebook.com/pages/Acres-Co-op-Market
Beacon Farmers Market
Red Barn Art Center, 8 Long Dock Road, Beacon, NY 12508 Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: The Beacon Farmers Market has moved to its winter location. Local produce, foods and crafts all surrounded by art, and the Hudson waterfront. Information: 845.597.5028; www.thebeaconfarmersmarket.com
Millerton Winter Market
Gilmor Glass, 2 Main Street, Millerton, NY 12546 Saturdays, Feb. 25, March 10 & 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Local producers offer everything from artisanal breads, locally-grown fruits and veggies, gourmet baked goods, wool & sheep skins, maple syrup, pickles, grassfed beef, free-range chicken and eggs, and so much more. Sponsored by the North East Community Center. Information: http://www.neccmillerton.org
Red Hook Winter Market
Elmendorph Inn, North Broadway, Red Hook, NY 12571 Saturdays, Feb. 25, March 10 & 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Featuring many
local farms and foods, fruits, veggies, meats, milk, speciality foods, gifts and more. Information: 845.399.4582; mckeonandny@yahoo.com
Winter Market
Rhinebeck Town Hall, E. Market St., Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Sundays, Feb. 19, March 4 & 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Many of the Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market vendors participate in this indoor winter market offering an opportunity to buy locally grown and produced food year-round. Information: http://www.rhinebeckfarmersmarket.com
Energy Efficiency Workshop
Hudson Opera House, 327 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 Wednesday, February 22, 6-7:30 p.m.: The Hudson 10% Energy Challenge offers a free energy efficiency workshop. The city of Hudson has been working to reduce its municipal energy usage and encourages residents and building owners of Hudson and neighboring communities to reduce their energy usage by 10% over the course of a year. Participants should bring their utility bills from January 2011. Learn how to create an energy use tracking system; apply for a free energy audit; learn how to save energy and money! Registration suggested. Information: 518.828.4369; http://www.hudsontenpercentchallenge.org
Farming Our Future
Taconic Hill Central School, Performing Arts Center, County Route 11A, Craryville, NY 12521 Satuday, February 25, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Join the discussion and help shape the future of farming in our region. This inaugural conference for local and regional farmers, educators, farmers’ market managers, agricultural students, providers of goods and services, and consumers
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will engage the agriculture community to think about its work toward Growing Food, Farms and Community in the context of a rapidly changing local, regional and global food system. Tickets: $20 advance; $25 door; $10 students Information: 518.392.0890; http://www.farmingourfuture.org
Why Did the Salamander Cross the Road?
Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park, Beacon, NY 12508 Tuesday, February 28, 6:30-8 p.m.: The NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University are working together to conserve forests, small wetlands, and other critical habitats in the Hudson Valley. Join Laura Heady, NYSDEC’s Biodiversity Outreach Coordinator, for a slide presentation on woodland pool ecology and the “Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings” citizen science project. Learn how you can get involved by witnessing these incredible spring migrations, documenting “Big Night” road crossings, helping amphibians survive their overland travel, and conserving important habitats in your community. Information: 845.473.4440 x 273; http://www.scenichudson.org
Go Green to Save Green
Hyde Park Library Annex, 2 Main St., Hyde Park, NY 12538 Tuesday, February 28, 7 p.m.: Facilitator Luis Hernandez of Home Energy Solutions presents an Energy Savings Workshop. Information: 845.229.7791 x 205; http://hydeparklibrary.org
Wednesday Wandering at Ooms
480 Rock City Rd., Chatham, NY Wednesday, February 29, 10-11:30 a.m.: Learn about the history of the site, look for wildlife, and have a chance to familiarize yourself with the trails. Snowshoes provided if needed. Information: 518.392.5252 x 202; http://clctrust.org
Bald eagle chicks. Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Tivoli Bay Talks: Back from the Brink: Hudson Valley Bald Eagles
Tivoli Bays Visitor Center, 1 Tivoli Commons, Tivoli, NY 12583 Thursday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.: Join DEC Hudson River Estuary Program naturalist Tom Lake as we explore the natural history of the bald eagle and discuss its recovery from near annihilation. Information: 845.889.4745 x 109; http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4915.html
Tracking the Great Migration
Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park, Beacon, NY 12508 Tuesday, March 6, 6:30-8 p.m.: American eels (Anguilla rostrata) are born in the Atlantic Ocean and swim into North American streams as
tiny, almost see-through “glass eels.” The species is in decline over much of its range, and studies of its migration are considered crucial for its survival. Chris Bowser, Science Education specialist with the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program, will discuss the eels and their journey, and then describe when, where and how you can help catch and document these fascinating fish. Information: 845.473.4440 x 273; http://www.scenichudson.org
National Climate Seminar
Teleconference sponsored by Bard CEP Wednesday, March 7, noon: Listen in real time to climate and clean energy specialists talk about the latest science, policy, law and economics of climate change. Send your questions prior to each call by emailing climate@bard.edu. All calls are also available as podcasts. On 3/7, the presenter is Billy Parish, co-founder of the Energy Action Coalition -- the largest youth organization in the world focused on clean energy and climate solutions. He will discuss “Careers: Finding Meaning, Money and Community.” Call in number: 1-712-432-3100, conference code: 253385 Information: http://www.bard.edu/cep/ncs/
Wetlands, Woodlands and Water: What Local DecisionMakers Need to Know Columbia Greene Community College, Rte 23, Greenport, NY 12534 Saturday, March 17, 9:30 a.m.: A workshop for municipal boards and interested residents on the importance of wetlands and woodlands for healthy water resources. With the participation of NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program/Cornell University (Major Sponsor), Cornell Cooperative Extension and Hudsonia Ltd. Information: 518.392.5252 x 208; http://clctrust.org
National Climate Seminar
Teleconference sponsored by Bard CEP Wednesday, March 21, noon: Listen in real time to climate and clean energy specialists talk about the latest science, policy, law and economics of climate change. Send your questions prior to each call by emailing climate@bard.edu. All calls are also available as podcasts. On 3/21, Auden Schendler, VP of Sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, will discuss “Getting Green Done: Front Line Sustainability Work.” In 2006, Auden was named a global warming innovator by Time magazine. He has also been named a Wirth Chair “Pioneer of the New Energy Economy” by the University of Colorado, a “Climate Saver” by the EPA, and an E-chievement award winner by the radio show E-town. Auden has testified to congress on the impacts of climate change and speaks widely on sustainability. His book “Getting Green Done: Hard Truths from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution” was called “an antidote to greenwash” by NASA’s James Hansen. Call in number: 1-712-432-3100, conference code: 253385 Information: http://www.bard.edu/cep/ncs/
EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want
Carey Institute for Ecosystem Studies, Auditorium, 2801 Sharon Tpke. (Route 44), Millbrook, NY 12545 Friday, March 23, 7 p.m.: Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet and founder of Food First: The Institute for Food and Development Policy, will talk about her new book EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Information: http://www.ecostudies.org/events.html
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rural traditions, community connections
Part II: chocolate Red Hook’s Sweet Success by Claudine and Christopher Klose
A s we take for granted the Red Hook of
today, especially the “built environment” of our houses, shops and favorite stops, it’s virtually impossible to imagine that just a lifetime ago, Red Hook looked, moved and sounded vastly different. But in this our Bicentennial year, we feel it is particularly important to take to heart the lesson that the more things change, the more they remain the same. If we’re lucky, that is. Ask about “the chocolate factory” in Red Hook, for example and most villagers will be able to direct you to the sprawling red brick building at 54 Elizabeth Street. Like many former industrial complexes, through imaginative reuse it now houses a variety of 21st century ventures – from engineering and computer software, to a pre-school, ceramics maker and Irish dance studio. But 100 years ago, it was home solely to Baker’s chocolate. Not the Baker’s chocolate, familiar to generations of Americans. That was created in 1780 by the Walter Baker Company, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and is part of Kraft Foods.
Red Hook’s chocolate was made by William H. Baker, no relation, and is long gone. But in its day, it helped put Red Hook on the map. Chocolate was introduced to Europe in the 16th Century by the Spanish, who had observed the Mayans and Aztecs consume hot chocolate for its medicinal effects. It became popular as a drink for the aristocracy in the 1700s, and by the mid-1800s new technologies made cocoa powder and solid chocolate possible, allowing it to became a treat for everyone. Why chocolate came to Red Hook at all remains a mystery. Certainly proximity to good rail and river transport to and from New York City played a part, as did access to bountiful supplies of milk. Equally plausible is an old timer’s anecdote we like best: that a wealthy, influential Red Hook resident who “really liked chocolate” simply made it happen. What is fact is that chocolate arrived in Red Hook courtesy of a relationship between William Henry Baker (“our” Baker) and Joseph Griffing.
REd hook’s chocolate was made by William H. Baker...and is long gone. but in its day, it helped put red hook on the map. Baker was a successful Winchester, Virginia grocer. He had an eye for expansion and a nose for opportunity. By the early 1890s, he’d expanded to New York City, capitalized on the rage for chocolate and gone into business with a second-generation New York City chocolate manufacturer, Joseph Griffing. By 1895, the demand for W.H. Baker’s chocolate was booming and Griffing was off to Dutchess County at Baker’s request to find larger facilities. He settled on a grist mill located on the upper Saw Kill falls, in Annandale and, around 1896, converted it to “W. H. Baker’s Annandale Mills.” The new operation soon was churning out a reported eight tons of chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter a day. And to satisfy the burgeoning consumer taste for milk chocolate candy, Baker and Griffing built the Hudson Valley Confectionery Company close by.
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By then, Griffing was overseeing 41 employees, including five children under 16 and advertising, in 1898, in the Red Hook Journal for more “girls to work in the Chocolate Factory at Annandale.” At the turn of the century, the Journal reported “business there is increasing and more room is required.” With steam rapidly replacing water power, W.H. Baker next expanded into the Village of Red Hook. In 1902, on a site served by the Central of New England Railroad – the “Hucklebush Line” – Griffing built the Chocolate Factory we know today. A successful entrepreneur, our Baker (William H.), also was an aggressive, shrewd salesman throughout. All along, he knew about the “other” Baker’s chocolate, the one that had become one of America’s first national brands. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then our Baker was a shameless mimic. Using practically identical designs and color schemes, he practically reproduced the original Baker’s Chocolate products, package for package. However soon he was sued for “committing fraud on Walter Baker & Co.” The judge ordered our Baker to “place on his packages, in prominent type, the words ‘W. H. Baker is distinct from and has no connection with the old chocolate manufactory of Walter Baker & Company.’” He also restrained him from using yellow labels. Not to be deterred, our Baker switched to blue labels that prominently proclaimed “Best quality now with blue label.”
...joseph griffing... married three times and fathered nine children, many of whose descendants remain in the area... Litigation went on for years, and was further complicated by not one but two other chocolate making Bakers: William H., of Syracuse, who sold “Baker’s Chocolate;” and William Phillips Baker, precise New York location unknown, who also tried to play on the Baker Co. name and reputation. Apparently these legal battles did little to daunt our Baker’s business. As late as 1911, the Kingston Daily Freeman reported that ‘The Baker Chocolate Factory which has been forced to work overtime owing to increased business has broken ground for a new addition to their factory...” Alas for Red Hook, William Henry Baker died in 1915 and the business went to his four sons, who sold out to the Walker Candy Company in 1924. In turn, Walker Candy fell victim to the Depression, in 1931. Chocolate making ceased in Red Hook, for the time being. But what of Joseph Griffing? He left quite a mark. He married three times and fathered nine children, many of whose descendants remain in the area, among them Sue T. Crane, current Red Hook Town Supervisor.
Among his credits, Griffing built the original Lyceum Theater, was president of the First National Bank, a charter member of the Red Hook Fire Company, and sponsor of the twenty-member Joseph Griffing Fire Company Band. He was a partner in the Red Hook Milling Co., a Village trustee, charter member of the Hendrick Hudson Lodge, No. 875, of Masons, and a founding member of the Red Hook Elks Club. In his later years, he operated a fruit farm in Red Hook. He died in 1939 and is buried in St. Paul’s Lutheran cemetery. And what of chocolate in Red Hook today? For some of the best anywhere, visit Taste Budd’s Café, owned and operated at 40 West Market Street by Dan Budd, many times honored as one of America’s top pastry chefs.
✥ Claudine Klose is president of the Egbert Benson Historical Society of Red Hook. She was formerly deputy director of a Smithsonian Institution research and education center at the Museum of American History, Washington, DC. Chris Klose is contributing editor to MedlinePlus, a quarterly consumer health magazine from the National Institutes of Health. The Kloses live at Echo Valley Farm, tending their sheep and sharing a passion for all things Red Hook.
✥ Photos Courtesy Egbert Benson Historical Society of Red Hook: opposite page, Red Hook Factory: New Chocolate Factory built in 1902 near the railroad tracks; inset, W. H Baker letterhead; bottom right, Chocolate Factory Annandale Factory employees, c 1897.
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Mercantile February 2012
Red Hook Spring Egg
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Scan this QR code with your phone for more information. To get a QR code reader, check your app store or try www.scanlife.com
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miscellaneous
Framing the Viewshed: A Bend in the River
Stair Galleries, 549 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534 Saturday, February 25, 3 p.m.: In 1979, a nuclear power plant was nearly built on the Hudson River in plain view of Olana State Historic Site. The Olana Partnership is presenting a panel discussion about this little-known incident in Hudson Valley history. For the first time ever, three key players in this debate will unite and recount this game-changing episode, and how each played an important role. The panelists, Carl Petrich, J. Winthrop Aldrich, and Richard Benas, will discuss the unprecedented and nationally significant approach of considering the visual impact of a nuclear power plant in a region. Dorothy Heyl, a member of Olana’s Landscape/Viewshed Committee, will moderate. Tickets: $10; free for members of the Olana Partnership Information: 518.828.1872; http://www.olana.org
program and most importantly, how Tivoli, Red Hook and surrounding communities can get involved. Free and open to the public Information: 845.757.3771; http://www.tivolilibrary.org
Red Hook’s Historic Hostelries
Historic Elmendorph Inn, 7562 N. Broadway, Red Hook, NY 12571 Sunday, March 18, 3-5 p.m.: The Egbert Benson Historical Society presents an illustrated talk on the history of Red Hook’s hotels, boarding houses, and B&B’s. How have travelers, visitors and summer boarders been welcomed in Red Hook over the years? Grand Dutchess’ proprietor Beth Pagano and EBHS president Claudine Klose will explore the early days of Red Hook’s hospitality industry. Information: 845.758.1920; http://www.redhookhistory.com
Helping Hand: Free Tax Prep
Red Hook Public Library, 7444 S. Broadway, Red Hook, NY 12571 Saturday, February 25 & April 7, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Low to moderate income taxpayers may get free tax return preparation during these days and times. Special attention will be given to senior citizens. Help will be provided by AARP Tax=Aide volunteers. Free and open to the public. Appointments are required. Information: 1.800.899.1479; http://www.redhooklibrary.org
The Eleanor Roosevelt “We Make Our Own History” Forum: Underground Railroad History Project Henry A. Wallace Center, FDR Historic Site, Hyde Park, NY Sunday, February 26, 2 p.m.: The FDR Presidential Library, the Catharine Street Community Center and the Roosevelt Institute proudly present the third annual Eleanor Roosevelt “We Make Our Own History” Forums. The first 2012 forum is an illustrated lecture about the Underground Railroad History Project with Paul Stewart in commemoration of African American History Month. Tickets: $25, includes reception Information: 845.486.7745; http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/ publicprograms/calendar.html
17th Annual Dutchess County St. Patrick’s Parade
Main St., Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Saturday, March 3, 1 p.m.: There will be bagpipe bands, floats, fire trucks, and classic cars. The parade will commence at North Street and proceed on Main Street (9D) through the village, up Elm Street, then left onto South Mesier Avenue, ending in Mesier Park. Traditional Irish food, music, and fun at local establishments. Information: http://dutchesstourism.com
What is Citizen Science? with Brooke Jude
Tivoli Free Library, 86 Broadway, Tivoli, NY 12583 Tuesday, March 13, 6-7 p.m.: The Citizen Science program at Bard College introduces students every year to the ideas behind the scientific method and is designed to promote science literacy. This one-hour lecture given by Brooke Jude, Director of the Bard Citizen Science program and Assistant Professor of Biology at the institution, will discuss how Bard College promotes science literacy through this
Photo by Heather Gibbons.
Hudson Valley Yarn Crawl
Yarn Shops & Farms throughout the Hudson Valley Sat., March 24, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., March 25, noon-4 p.m.: Twice a year, yarn shops and farms throughout the Hudson Valley participate in a yarn crawl. The goal of a yarn crawl is to create a social event where knitters, weavers and other fiber enthusiasts and artists travel throughout the region to visit independent yarn shops and farms to familiarize themselves with the unique yarns and accessories each shop and farm has to offer.Visit website for list of participating businesses. Information: http://hudsonvalleyyarns.com
6th Annual Celebrity Waiters Brunch Fundraiser
The Grandview, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Sunday, March 25, noon-3 p.m.: Extravagant brunch, unlimited signature cocktails, a decadent dessert and entertainment provided by local and well known celebrities! Waiters will serve brunch and walk the runway to compete for the title of: Best Legs in the Hudson Legs in the Hudson Valley, chosen by the audience! Proceeds benefit the Mid Hudson Children’s Museum. Tickets: $60 in advance Information: 845.471.0589; http://www.mhcm.org
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A Weekend of Fun & Inspiration
WOMEN’S WELLNESS WEEKEND MARCH 23-25 AT FROST VALLEY YMCA
Take this opportunity to focus solely on your own needs. Spend time alone communing with nature, transfer your dreams to paper, allow one of our guest presenters to guide you on journey of self-discovery and renewal or simply follow a trail that nature helped create and get in touch with your inner strengths and the great outdoors.
In the Catskill High Peaks, Claryville, NY Just 2½ hours from metro NY/NJ area
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Mercantile February 2012
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multiples
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Long days short years by Brian PJ Cronin, photo by Kristen Cronin
We should be in the thick of cabin fever right now...Instead we wander through the 55 degree streets in a Mid February stupor, our circadian rhythms broken and reeling...Are the groundhogs ever going to go into hibernation or are they just going to pull the seasonal equivalent of an all-nighter?
R
emember Winter, aka That One Weekend in October? That was weird. This has not been a good year for snow here in the Hudson Valley. I spent our only snowstorm of the season wondering if I had bought enough Halloween candy. We should be in the thick of cabin fever right now. We should be climbing the walls. Instead we wander through the 55 degree streets in a mid February stupor, our circadian rhythms broken and reeling. Did Christmas happen already? Is Spring Training underway? Are the groundhogs ever going to go into hibernation or are they just going to pull the seasonal equivalent of an all-nighter? Somewhere in the middle of this ongoing space/time displacement, Cooper learned to crawl. I’m not sure what happened. I thought we had more time. Then again, I didn’t think I’d see tulips pushing their way through the dirt before Valentine’s Day. Everything is out of whack. “At some point we’ll need to childproof the house,” I’d say offhandedly while Cooper scooted around on his bottom. “One day we’ll need to figure out how those baby gates work,” I’d mumble while Cooper pushed himself backwards around the room on his belly, wedging himself under the radiator. And then, after explaining to Kristen that it was too early to start buying furniture straps, one of Cooper’s toys rolled out of his reach and he...well, he just went and got it. Then he crawled back to where he was. Then he looked around the room, realized that everything at his eye level was now fair game, and smiled. We were dumbfounded, as were the cats, who were not
ready for the giggling paperweight we’ve been carrying around for seven months to start chasing them. We had originally been looking forward to Cooper becoming mobile. Crawling leads to walking, which opens up a whole load of new activities we can all do together. We picture the three of us running through the fields at the foot of Mt. Beacon. Chasing grasshoppers, fireflies, exhausted groundhogs. But at that point, Cooper will no longer be the boy who stretches his arms out and looks at me with wide eyes whenever he wants to go someplace. He’ll find out that there are other ways to get around besides being snuggled against my chest as I walk around the house. He’ll just go. He’ll be out of sight, which is something he never is now. And so we find ourselves feeling out hearts soar as we watch him crawl towards us and feeling them sink as he crawls away from us. We find ourselves desperately trying to savor these dwindling weeks of Cooper being completely dependent on us, dreading dropping him off at daycare even more, looking forward to picking him up after work more than ever. And we find ourselves in this strangest of winters, praying for the temperature to plunge and the sky to drop a few feet of hard snow onto the valley. Shutting down offices and roads. Freezing everything in place, even time, just for a few days. Sometimes a little bit of cabin fever is a good thing.
❆ Brian PJ and Kristen Cronin live in Beacon with their four cats, and their son Cooper James Cronin. Check out their blog A Rotisserie Chicken and 12 Padded Envelopes at hvmercantile.com, and view more of their photos at www.flickr.com/ teammoonshine.
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