The Mountains Summer Issue 2023

BORSCHT BELT BONANZA BEGINS

This museum will change everything

BY TARA SOLOMON

NEW MEDIA, OLD FRIENDS

A tech takeover in our midst?

RUTH REICHL ROARS

The culinary legend gets candid #truthbomb

BY JANE LARKWORTHY

SPECIAL REPORT: THE MUSIC

VENUES

FUTURE

From Woodstock to hip-hop, live music really matters here: Let’s get into it

BY SEAN McALINDIN

exclusive

THE MAESTRO

The planet’s most celebrated conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is right…over…there BY

RICHARD PÉREZ-FERIA

“Live concerts are what keep us connected to the deepest parts of our humanity.”

It’s heating up again here in The Mountains as the summer hills are alive with music: rock, country, hip-hop, Latin, classical. We want this beautiful issue of your favorite magazine to sing the happiest of tunes. Enjoy, mountaineers.

You are here. We are, too.

Art by Jan Kallwejt exclusively for The Mountains

Albany

Cooperstown

New York City

Boston

joyful noise Raven Chacon performs at Basilica Hudson: 24-HOUR DRONE.

Photography by PETER GALGANI

95 mode

Alan Katz FOUNDER | CEO

Richard Pérez-Feria EDITOR IN CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kathleen Gates

MANAGING EDITOR James Long

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Erika Phenner

SENIOR EDITOR | RESEARCH DIRECTOR Sarah Carpenter

ASSOCIATE EDITOR | SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Isabel Hochman

DIGITAL MANAGER Isabella Joslin

DESIGNER Linda Gates

EDITORS AT LARGE Jane Larkworthy, Marco Medrano

Hal Rubenstein, Kevin Sessums

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Toni Gerunda

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Greg Calejo, Kate Doyle Hooper, Martha Frankel

Anthony Giglio, Rebecca Hardiman, Bill Henning

Sean McAlindin, Simon Murray, Todd Plummer

Melissa Reid, Jack Rico, Tara Solomon

WRITERS Bibiana Álvarez-Gaviña, Abbe Aronson

Jonah Bayliss, Bill Cary, Renee Jermaine

Sandy MacDonald, Mira Peck, Robyn Perry Coe

Mitch Rustad, Dee Salomon

PHOTOGRAPHERS | ARTISTS Peter Aaron, Fahnon Bennett, Natalie Chitwood

Julia Clark, Sean Davidson, Anne Day

Bryan Derballa, Arielle Ferraro, Jan Kallwejt

Eric Limon, Jonathan Mehring, Michael O’Neal

Eric Petschek, Robert Risko, Matthew Sussman

EXECUTIVE SALES DIRECTOR Amy Smith

ACCOUNT MANAGERS Lee Posner, Livi Perrone

FINANCE AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Caryn Whitman

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Betsy Low

MARKETING DIRECTOR Bill Gibbons

MARKETING STRATEGIST Randi MacColl

TEXAS SALES DIRECTORS Ellen Lewis, Michael Stafford LEWIS STAFFORD COMPANY, INC

CANADA SALES DIRECTORS Lori Dodd, Bob Dodd DODD MEDIA GROUP

PRODUCTION Digital Workflow Solutions

PUBLIC RELATIONS Abbe Aronson ABBE DOES IT

advertising inquiries: advertising@themountainsmedia.com

editorial submissions: editorial@themountainsmedia.com

follow us on social media: @themountainsmedia The Mountains

Shito

when i first moved fulltime to Los Angeles (from NYC) in 2006, after several decades of spending considerable time there and thinking “One day I’ll make the move,” I hired a young, ambitious, extraordinarily bright guy named Shawn to be my executive assistant. I needed someone I could trust, with a strong, can-do work ethic and Shawn couldn’t have been a better fit. And he was nice. He also happened to be an old soul quasi-obsessed with all things classic Hollywood (“Bette Davis ate dinner here after she won her first Oscar”). It was endearing and at times, frankly, a tad much. Shawn also loved classic rock music and musicians, no one more than Paul Simon.

A few days after Shawn revealed his love for all things Paul Simon, I, of course, happen to spot the rock icon alone and slumped in a chair directly across from my usual perch on the back wall sofa at Chateau Marmont’s fabled shabby chic lobby. I sent Shawn a text to come over right away (it was around 7pm on Wednesday and he was still working in my home, two short blocks away). In what seemed like 30 seconds, there was Shawn, flashing an endearing smile from ear-to-ear. “Now what,” he asked?

Since I have very little interest in meeting any more celebrities (I’ve met, befriended, interviewed and partied with literally hundreds of said famous folks throughout my life) and Paul Simon held zero fascination for me, I walked over to the tiny legend and said, “Mr. Simon, my dear friend is a lifelong fan and would like to say ‘hello;’ would that be OK?” He looked at me quizzically and slowly sat up in his chair and said, “So, you don’t want to meet me?” I laughed out loud, and said, “I just did.” Shawn and his hero chatted for a few minutes, and all was right in the world. Shawn was in a good mood for weeks.

I thought about that anecdote when we first conceived this very special issue of The Mountains featuring a deep dive on all

things music (Paul Simon and his wife, singer Edie Brickell, recently sold their Connecticut home). More than a mere “music issue” as so many magazines have invariably dubbed their accumulation of summer concert dates, my team and I took the assignment seriously, most particularly our music writer Sean McAlindin and his nothing-short-of-incredible report that serves as the storytelling heart of the issue. Another standout is my exclusive cover story with the planet’s most influential musical conductor—and annual summer neighbor— Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who helms both the Metropolitan Opera as well as the epic Philadelphia Orchestra. Like Paul Simon, Nézet-Séguin, too, is a diminutive genius. And a fascinating, chatty one. I do believe a low-grade theme was totally emerging…

I’m so genuinely happy I was able to run interference for Shawn that night so many years ago in advance of him meeting his musical hero—you know what they say about meeting your heroes. But in my informed opinion, I think meeting one’s hero is a relatively harmless bucket list item to be pursued. Donna Summer, my personal musical goddess, couldn’t have been more gracious, funny and engaging in our long, way past midnight chat I was lucky enough to experience with her. Man, I loved that night. My extraordinary maternal grandfather— whom I loved very much—Nicolás Rodríguez, told me something while I was in high school that I still think about to this day: “Richard, no one ever believes they have bad taste in music. And they don’t. It’s just different than yours.” Boy, that man did know everything. I so look forward to hearing your thoughts on our labor of melodious joy.

—Richard Pérez-Feria EDITOR IN CHIEF

Enjoy

Harvest Spirits Distillery

THE team

Sean McAlindin is a writer, musician and educator from Collinsville, CT. After many years living in the western part of the US, he returned home to immerse himself in the arts and culture of this region. When he’s not making music or working on his debut novel, McAlindin can be found exploring mountains and rivers throughout the Catskills and the Berkshires, but music is never far from his heart. “I’m so happy to have worked on this special report because it opened a window into the history of music in this region, a fascinating, soulful legacy that’s never been so alive as it is today,” he says, here pictured at the iconic Big Pink.

Jonah Bayliss is a former professional baseball player with a current passion for storytelling. From small-town beginnings in Williamstown, MA, to the bright lights of Major League Baseball, Bayliss’ exploits have taken him to every corner of the country, South America, the Caribbean and Japan. “When I look back at my experiences, it’s never the amenities and accomplishments that stand out, but the people and the places.”

Simon Murray is an award-winning writer based in the Hudson Valley who’s covered every imaginable kind of boat for Power & Motoryacht, Anglers Journal and PassageMaker

“As the cliché goes… ‘What’s better than having a boat? Having a friend with a boat.’ And you know what? It happens to be true.”

(Details, Movieline) Martha Frankel is the executive director of Woodstock Bookfest, an annual gathering of readers and writers. “What a thrill to write about my pal Connor Kennedy this month. I have long ago stopped trying to explain to people why one of my best friends is a decades younger guitarist. He gets me, I get him. He has an old soul, I have a young one.”

(Murray) DANIELLA MURRAY; (Bayliss) DORI FITZPATRICK; (Frankel) STEVE HELLER

Martha Frankel Author and writer

With meals and countless activities included in your rate, you’ll feel your stresses melt away.

Listen as music from a boat dock concert echoes across the water. Rejuvenate with a massage in our outdoor Lakeview Summerhouse. Rock scramble up the famous Lemon Squeeze to a view you’ll never forget. Dive into Lake Mohonk, or feel the summer breeze from a stand-up paddleboard. All this, plus the highlights of a classic summer, with beach time, barbecue, and campfires under the stars.

Andrew Gates is a leading expert in the sale of unique properties, throughout the region.

MCCAGG ROAD | KINDERHOOK

A transformative Contemporary by architects Clark & Green that engages your senses with exceptional design and a one-with-nature setting, while cocooning you in the luxury of a sophisticated country retreat. Offered at $2,650,000

BROAD STREET | KINDERHOOK

With a colorful provenance dating back to the American Revolution and the distinction of housing British General Burgoyne after his defeat at Saratoga, this iconic brick Georgian manor creates a remarkable setting for today’s style of living. Offered at $2,695,000

Rare Mid-century Modern artist compound. Still the highest sale in Bearsville, NY to date. Sold for $3,000,000

ANDREW GATES

Associate Real Estate Broker

M: 917.755.2640

agates@houlihanlawrence.com

andrewgates.houlihanlawrence.com

An instant classic: this enchanting 1820 Greek Revival Farmhouse has been reequipped and re-imagined as a move-in-ready country home with every 21st century luxury amenity. Offered at $1,400,000

Whether buying, selling or simply interested in exploring your next life move, Andrew offers personalized guidance every step of the way. Andrew acts as a strategic advisor to his clients, at the decision making level, and many of his clients become life long friends.

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201 COOPER LAKE ROAD | BEARSVILLE

77 CRARYVILLE ROAD | CRARYVILLE

berry cute Among FarmOn! Foundation’s many worthwhile activities, picking delicious blueberries in Copake, NY ranks pretty high.

life, a little bit at a time

New Kingston, Who Dis?

This cool town’s vibe may be hard to pin down, but it never disappoints.

By Todd Plummer

kingston stands in a class of its own.

So many small towns give the impression that you could come, visit and really “do” them in a single weekend; that’s not the case here. This town offers a melting pot of style, rich in both history and creativity, making it the kind of place that invites exploration. You can come to Kingston ten times and have ten completely different experiences. That’s because this is a town that’s reinvented itself time and time again.

The traditional home of the Esopus people, the land today known as Kingston, is found 90 miles north of Manhattan and has served at different points as a Dutch trading post, the first capital of the State of New York and a shipping hub for the Hudson River. When the British burned it down during The Revolutionary War, Kingston came back. When the concrete and brick industries waned, Kingston came back. And now, with there being so much attention on the Hudson Valley and the Catskills, Kingston sits at the center of everything

For that reason, there’s no typical Kingston resident and no typical Kingston style; a little bit of everything can be found here. Young fashionistas lovingly searching the racks at Lovefield Vintage. Mature décor obsessives elbow deep in antiques at Zaborski Emporium. Sleek art snobs gliding from gallery to brunch to gallery. People who’ve left New York City behind in search of greener pastures, as well as folks who like being less than two hours away from Gotham.

Ultimately, the combination of architectural charm and natural landscapes is what sets Kingston apart. It has the waterfront appeal of being located on the Hudson and the bonus of being situated at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, making this town a waypoint for travelers and locals alike. Come once, come twice, come a hundred times—you may think you know Kingston, but you’re bound to see something different each time.

no rules kingston

There’s no typical Kingston resident and no typical Kingston style. A little bit of everything can be found here including people who’ve left New York City behind in search of greener, sartorially free of judgement pastures.

Photography by Julia Clark exclusively for The Mountains

Wants, Not Needs

Those perfect finishing touches are what we crave.

By Mitch Rustad

Perisphere Ball

“I want to create things that are playful, timeless and accessible,” says Moses Nadel, maker and designer of the super chic ten-inch Perisphere Ball. “It can be used for seating, but it’s most often coopted as an ottoman.” Each five-sided panel is crafted from select hides of leather, finished with banded stitching details and traditional hand-lacing and filled with hand-compressed micro-foam. “They transcend uses and spaces, that’s what’s cool about it,” he says. “It’s a sculptural object through and through. They’re built for the joy of them.” Comes in variety of shapes, sizes and colors. FieldAndSupply.com $450

Pomegranate Box

Any area in your home will look a whole lot sweeter with this Pomegranate Box, with removable top, from the Jay Strongwater collection. Handcrafted with 14K gold matte, hand painted with enamel and hand-set with crystals, this exquisite box creates an eye-popping sparkle from every angle. Bloomingdales.com $2,600

Coaster Puzzle Set

“What I really love the most is its sense of play,” says Aimée deSimone of the Coaster Puzzle Set by D.A.R. Proyectos, available at Berte, her curated home décor and gift shop in Beacon, NY. “The puzzle shape is incredibly engaging and draws

you in to reconfigure the coasters in different patterns when not in use, ” deSimone says. Another bonus: The natural beauty of the gemstone Leopardita, with its distinct patterns and colors. These Peruvian artisan-made coasters are visually captivating and add a touch of elegance to any space. Each coaster set of four comes in a decorative box. ShopBerte.com $110

The Mountains demand a superior off road vehicle

...And The Party Continues

This summer, Gotham roared back to life. Finally.

new york city is celebrating a summer of resilience and renewal, finally shedding the pandemic-shocked past in search (once again) of unapologetic fun. With a surge of new energy pulsating through the

|

By Jack Rico

streets, Midtown Manhattan is undergoing a sudden rebirth, becoming an epicenter of a burgeoning social scene where luxury meets creativity. New restaurants are opening, buildings are rising and parties

lunch at tiffany’s Blue Box Café at Tiffany & Co. boasts superstar Chef Daniel Boulud; (opposite) celeb Chef Marcus Samuelsson opened Hav & Mar in Chelsea; The Cantor Roof Garden Bar; don’t tell your friends about The Jazz Club at Aman New York. Some gems are best kept secret.

abound. So, trade your hiking boots for your dancing shoes—summer in the city’s calling you back.

Destination Breakfast at Tiffany’s, anyone? Culinary and cinematic nostalgia abound at Tiffany & Co.’s luxuriously redesigned Blue Box Café, brought to life by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud. Bring your main character energy and enjoy a Holly Golightly-inspired breakfast of coffee, croissant and eggs amid Tiffany’s signature blue décor and dangling jewels. This coveted sixth-floor jewel box café can make life feel as charming as any classic movie set.

Restaurant Eat like sea-born royalty at Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s art-infused seafood escape in Chelsea, Hav & Mar,

Hill: Brake Run Helix

where the menu fuses his Swedish and Ethiopian heritage. Dishes such as hävstoppa soup and hamachi with black ceviche are served alongside an Africaninfused wine menu as you admire the six-foot sculptures of Black mermaids adorning the walls. Drop anchor, you’ve arrived at your new happy place.

Art Artist Lauren Halsey brings Black urban life to The Metropolitan Museum of Art at The Cantor Roof Garden Bar through graffiti-inspired hieroglyphs that honor love and struggle. Take your time sipping cava on the terrace and soak in

the culture and glamour where the vibrant streets of South-Central LA meet ancient Egypt.

Bar The Jazz Club at Aman New York is midtown’s newest clandestine gem—if you can find it. Accessible only through a hidden elevator in the historic Crown Building, this underground Art Deco speakeasy evokes 1920s nostalgia and later morphs into a dance party that’ll leave you asking, “When’s the last time I had this much fun?”

or...

LARRY BURSTEIN

former publisher, new york magazine

restaurant: Balthazar

bar: The Regency Bar & Grill

culture: Museum of the City of New York destination: Central Park

DANIEL GLASS

founder/ceo, glassnote records

restaurant: Eli’s Table

bar: Centurion New York

culture: Shakespeare in the Park

destination: Brighton Beach, Coney Island

noted

Face + Body: The Saviors

Standout brands keep it local—and fab.

ll that ’s within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River… It’s my hope that during my lifetime I’ll continue to live at Hyde Park.”

—President Franklin Delano Roosevelt JULY 11, 1944

hyde & seek President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his wheelchair on the porch at Top Cottage in Hyde Park, NY, with Ruthie Bie and Fala. Photo was taken by FDR's cousin Margaret Suckley in February 1941.

Hudson & Packard Does It Again

The Poughkeepsie pizzeria remarkably repeats top three finish at global competition in Las Vegas. Hudson & Packard, the popular Detroit-style pizza joint in Poughkeepsie, has once again improbably secured its spot among the very best pizzerias in the world. Yes, the world. At the 39th annual International Pizza Expo & Conference in Las Vegas, Hudson & Packard finished third in the pan division marking the second consecutive top three finish in the category (they placed second in 2022). “Third in the world is great,” says owner Charlie Webb. “That’s pretty hard to achieve.” You think?!

By Marco Medrano

“Aombining molecular science and human research to combat aging, Bottega Organica brings a certain polish to the skincare game. The brand harvests ingredients from its farms in Chatham and Liguria, Italy, to create the all-natural products. “Designed b y science, made by nature” is the company’s tagline for a reason, OK? At Casa Urbana Salon, Hudson or BottegaOrganica.com

CChoosesCatskills

Clairo

TONIC I knew they were way cool upon meeting the couple behind TONIC at last year’s Field & Supply’s Fall MRKT in Kingston. Born in a personal trainer’s wellness kitchen, Tricolla Farms’ Upstate facilities have grown to world-class body organics, ingestibles and skincare. Yep. They’re super cool. TONICVibes.com

jane iredale

Touted as “skincare makeup” and considered a pioneer in the mineralbased sunscreen and SPF protection world, Berkshiresbased Jane Iredale has your back— and your face. janeiredale.com

The red-hot artist—who may be Kate Bush’s niece— recorded in legendary Allaire Studios. | By Sarah Carpenter Clairo recently purchased a home in rural Massachusetts. She collaborated with producer Jack Antonoff (a frequent Taylor Swift collaborator) on Sling and Lorde contributed vocals to a few tracks (from New Zealand). The album is a departure from her first LP, her bedroom pop stylings taking on something more akin to Elliot Smith’s gentle and intricate brand of emo and dabbling in jazz and disco instrumentals. A long way from creating a viral music video from her laptop for a song she wrote in a day (“Pretty Girl”), Clairo is solidifying herself in the music industry with surprising power in her gentle vulnerability. And she can thank Allaire Studios for getting it all started.

Queer Gen Z bedroom-pop artist Claire Cottrill (Clairo) recorded her sec ond studio album Sling at Allaire Studios near Woodstock, NY, and it’s in many ways inspired by the recording site. Allaire— where David Bowie, Norah Jones, My Morning Jacket and many more have laid down tracks—encourages recording artists to stay in-residence in the Tudorstyle 1928 estate on 20 acres of mountaintop with expansive panoramas of the Ashokan reservoir. Clairo told Rolling Stone the recording locale inspired her to write new parts of the album: “Seeing mountains every day when you’re making music, I suddenly felt the urge to put a horn on a song.”

Taking It To The Streets

Berkshire Busk! expands to more Great Barrington venues this summer.

he streets of Great Barrington are amid a bustling summer filled with performances, art and live music every Friday and Saturday at 6:30pm. In its third season, Berkshire Busk!, an immersive arts festival programming about 100 “busker” performers at various outdoor street locations, is running from Independence Day to Labor Day (June 30–September 4). The festival’s founder and director, Eugene Carr, says the event is making the arts accessible to the community.

“This year our youngest performer is 12 and our oldest is in their 70s,” he says. And the festival’s general manager, Carli Scolforo, says about three quarters of their buskers have returned to the festival annually since launching in 2021.

“It makes us feel good to have the people who are a part of it come back,” she says. This year Berkshire Busk! has expanded their programming to feature performances at the Great Barrington Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, entertainment at Robin’s Candy on Saturday afternoons and a continuation of Berkshire Busk! Roadside, with performances at Berkshire Mountain Distillery from 2-4 pm.

Couture

Coffee

THudson Roastery’s organic brew makes this a definite must-stop. The moment you walk in to Hudson Roastery you can feel the difference: Pale colors envelop you; 12-foot ceilings make it airy; and elegant lamps catch the eye. This isn’t Starbucks, kids. Founded by married former NYC executives— Carolyn Palmieri and Tony Calderone—the organic coffee house opened in Hudson a little more than a year ago and the reviews have been universally positive. And the food… wow. See you there.

No Escaping Our Super Hot Streak

There’s no stopping the positive momentum our region is continuing to enjoy. The Catskills were just named the “The Mountain Winner” in the country by Outside in the popular magazine’s recent “36 Best Places in the US For Adventure” list. The criteria were based on the thousands of miles of hiking trails, mountain biking outlets and the countless ponds and lakes.

Likes For Hikes

Berkshire Camino brings the joy back to exploring trails. | By Isabel Hochman

The Berkshires offers so many scenic hikes, but once you get past the analysis paralysis and choose a trail, you may find yourself halfway to a cartography degree trying to figure out how to access it. Berkshire Camino to the rescue. Oh, blessed day!

Camino’s routes in one season hopes to motivate residents to get out more. “This can improve their physical and mental well-being as well as help them to learn more about the landscape, history, culture and spirit of the Berkshires,” she says. Backpacks at the ready!

Founded in 2020, Berkshire Camino is an outdoor adventure tour operator. From May to October, eight multi-day hiking journeys and more than 200 day-hike tours utilizing 13 curated routes across the Berkshires are open to the public. Berkshire Camino recently launched a 2023 season pass hiking challenge. Those who complete their 12-hike challenge get a hiking goodie bag and certificate of completion. Founder Mindy Miraglia says the challenge to hike all of Berkshire

the last picture show A little piece of the Hudson Valley has sadly gone away. After an astonishing 73 years, the beloved Hyde Park Drive-In has dimmed its marquee for good. Sigh. Say goodbye to Hollywood, indeed.

Berkshires Gives Us Life (House)

Condé Nast Traveler has just named Life House, Berkshires among the very best new affordable hotels in the world. The Lenox, MA-based spot even made the magazine’s coveted 2023 “Hot List,” a roster that only includes the must-go just opened travel spots throughout the world. What makes this designation even more astonishing, Life House, Berkshires was once a Days Inn on US Route 7. Nice turnaround, right?

Destination bible

(Life House, Berkshires) SOPHIE FABBRI

–RICHARD PÉREZ -FERIA

The Timeless Lure Of Scandinavian Architecture

Columbia County’s latest development aims to impress.

|

By Bill Cary

a new 12-home community called Fox Hollow is taking shape on a gorgeous 96acre parcel in Germantown, in Columbia County. Six of the homes, which pay homage to the clean modern lines of Scandinavian architecture, will be the four-bedroom Rift model and six will be the three-bedroom Loft design. Two model homes to showcase each design were completed last fall.

The home sites are big and private (5-15 acres), with prices ranging from $1.5 to $2.1 million. Add-ons include a heated pool, bluestone patio, black-stained siding, carport and pool house. The developer is Roger Bittenbender of Arcus Development, and sales are being handled by Annabel Taylor and Angelica Ferguson, of Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty.

Berkshires Gem

A quintessential Berkshire lodge on 35 acres in Lee, with a camping cabin and 877 feet of frontage on Goose Pond, has been listed for $4.99 million. Patrice Melluzzo and Leslie Glenn Chesloff of Sotheby’s International Realty have the 49 Chanterwood Road listing.

Q1 sales data: First-quarter closed sales are down 35.6 percent compared to Q1 2022, and the median sale price is up 9 percent, from $353,000 to $385,000, according to stats from the Ulster County

Board of Realtors, which includes a portion of Columbia, Dutchess and Greene counties.

Rocks ’N’ Roll

This closed sale ($1.125 million) caught my eye because I think the buyer got a pretty good deal: charming 1750 stone house, 2006 guest house/barn, in-ground pool, screened porch and a covered deck on a dozen partially fenced acres in the hamlet of Accord in Ulster County.

Greek Out

Just 20 minutes from Hudson, this fourbedroom 1820 Greek Revival farmhouse on 13 dead-quiet acres in Craryville offers an original bright red barn, pond, screened porch, office, gardens with fruit trees and an attached garage. $1.4 million

Less Than (Net) Zero

On the banks of the Housatonic River— and with a pool—this new Bensonwooddesigned four-bedroom home in Sharon uses cutting-edge net zero design principles and no fossil fuels. $2.825 million

escrow

good for the goose This appealing Berkshires lodge rests on 35 acres and boasts nearly 900 feet of frontage on Goose Pond. This splendor in the grass can be yours for $4.99 million.

REMOVE THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN INDOORS AND OUT

Big Doors from Andersen allow you to enjoy spectacular spaces for relaxing, entertaining or just being.

We share your passion.®

Saturday

7 A.M. AIR DETOX

In celebration of light, I love to burn a candle in the morning to clear the air from the night before—or cooking odors. Try the Gardener scent from The Maker Hotel candle trio that brings clarity only nature inspires.

Copake, Take Me Away

Could this really be the greatest little town (and lake) in America? Maybe... | By

Tessa E. Williams

i cherish our agricultural community in Copake, NY— from the sweeping landscapes dotted with cows or crops to the Taconic Hills and Copake Lake. Situated on the New York corner where Massachusetts and Connecticut connect, Copake’s a magical place where nature’s the real star.

Whether you hike, hunt, boat, swim, ski, bird watch or read, are a local farmer, artist, maker or business in Copake, this town is truly a treasure along the Taconic. Pro Tip: Once you’re here, drive or Amtrak to Hudson north along the river—you’re welcome.

Anyone lucky enough to land in Copake’s usually house hunting within 24 hours (Austin at Copake Lake Realty is a solid option).

The light in this corner of the Hudson Valley is unequaled, and more spectacular than the famed Hudson River School paintings that feature its magic hour and historic homes. A place that begs you to stop, engage the senses and indulge in a day off that usually ends with star gazing and beckons you to your best sleep ever. All of this awaits Manhattan day trippers: We’re only two hours north of New York City.

8 A.M. MORNING TEA

Every morning my amazing husband Eric makes me local tea from Harney & Sons, (Paris, please) with local honey as I let out the dogs, chickens and cats to break the fast and shine in the sun while stretching or doing yoga.

9 A.M. HOMEMADE BREAKFAST

I gather this morning’s eggs from our heritage coop to scramble and pair with the world’s best bacon (Sir William Farms) for the morning meal offering. We add locally made hot sauce and sauerkraut from Hawthorne Valley Farm & fresh pressed juice is a must.

to help decompose) and/or I order bouquets from Amy Bosco at Elegant Floral Creations and mix stems in vessels for every room in the house…who doesn’t love a bedside bouquet?

11 A.M. YOU PICK

Grab one of my vintage garden baskets (bonus from antiquing in nearby Hudson), run to Thompson Finch Farm and pick up fresh organic berries—I call “farm candy”— and always have on hand for guests, snacks and especially homemade shortcake. Afterward, I’ll drop off apples to Cricket Hill Farm (ask about riding lessons in dressage!) and say hi to Gabe.

10 A.M. FLOWERS

Morning ritual of fresh flower cuttings from my victory garden brings joy—and forces you to keep up: Weed, water and plant those successions from Turtle Tree Seed Company with homemade compost (add the left-over eggshells and coffee grounds

1 P.M. LUNCH Stop by Historic Empire Farm (originally built by the Astor Family with a racetrack). It’s a true hidden gem and perfect picnic spot for lunch. Shop the Farm Store & Farmers Market 10-3pm Saturdays. Order summertime lemonade and lobster rolls or other delish menu items at the Sunshine Window The Farm Store sells grab-and-go food— perfect to picnic in the farm’s casual/chic spots set up to reserve. Ask about the “puff puff picnic” with a cannabis farm tour and tasting. At Empire Farm, folks love the variety: $1 bouquet bar, meet local vendors, coffee bar, ice cream and milkshake bar with Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy, Bartlett House (bread and baked goods) and the “FAB CSA” which allows

basketball diaries Still newlyweds—and proud Copake, NY all stars—FarmOn! Foundation’s Tessa E. Williams and ex-Boston Celtics standout Eric Williams feel the love at their compound.

good works

Right On, FarmOn!

FarmOn! Foundation in Copake cultivates something we all need— the next gen of sustainable farmers. It’s time you met Tessa and Eric Williams.

By Mitch Rustad

“Our foundation envisions a world where a career in sustainable farming is valued and respected,” says Tessa E. Williams, food entrepreneur, author and the founder/executive director of the FarmOn! Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit and charity headquartered at the historic 220-acre Empire Farm in Copake, NY. Williams says she founded the organization with a goal of connecting people to the source of their food and teaching why that’s so important. “FarmOn! is a call to action,” she says.

Founded in 2010, FarmOn!— which offers programs for adults and kids, including a dynamic summer camp—put the spotlight on agriculture in the Hudson Valley, especially as a viable, profitable and fulfilling career

you to “Fill A Bag” of organic biodynamic greens and veggies for just a $25 donation to the FarmOn! Foundation.

3 P.M. FIELD TRIP

You can call ahead or pop by Hillrock Estate Distillery, where they make solera aged bourbon, rye and whiskey for a memorable and delicious tour and tasting. They grow the grain to then floor malt and age in small batch bottles. We’ll grab one to pair with our BBQ tonight at Empire Farm

4 P.M.

NAP (…OR WORK OUT)

I highly recommend a nap at this point, but if you like

path for young people. “Farmers are as important as doctors and lawyers and elected officials,” Williams tells me excitedly, “because we need them to feed us, reliably, responsibly, sustainably and as stewards of the land. FarmOn! offers experiences on a farm with an entrepreneurial lens.”

FarmOn! is accredited with Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and works with hundreds of students over the past decade from the Taconic Hills Central School District, often with life changing

to work out, hike Bash Bish Falls with friends. Maybe you can do both? It’s only about 45 minutes on an easy guided hiking trail to visit a magnificent 60-foot waterfall—and you can bring your dog on leash or rent bikes too. It’s also ADA accessible with a new trail ride.

results. “The farm becomes their classroom,” Williams says, who grew up on a farm herself in Beaver Falls, NY. “It’s hands-on project-based learning—I think that’s so impactful.”

Students come to FarmOn! not only to seed and harvest, but to deliver the food to the store, see the sales component and work on the farm to get credits. “It threads through their whole curriculum during the school year,” Williams says.

Williams credits Sandra Gardner, Taconic Hills Central School District administrator, who’s been instrumental in this program for more than a decade, and a big reason why FarmOn!

Farms His black angus rib eye won’t disappoint. Trust. On the way home I stop by Copake General Store in town to pick up all the perfectly local and yummy offerings to supplement the BBQ with friends in our antique barn (also for rent!).

Sunday

9 A.M.

Call Farmers Wife and ask Lisa for a “CK on Multigrain.” It’s not on the menu and it comes as is—no changes allowed—but it’s absolutely life changing for Sunday brekkie (they also have an array of NYC newspaper selections). And if you have

Foundation has such an impact on Hudson Valley youth. “She’s just been such a light in how this program comes together.”

The students’ experience is further enhanced with the help of some high-powered celebrities: Williams’ husband, former NBA player (most notably his years with the Boston Celtics) Eric Williams brings his wealth of knowledge in health and nutrition to the mix, often with the help of some of his NBA pals. “We try to do creative, engaging and fun things, because having fun is important too,” he says.

But Tessa E. Williams brings her own celebrity brand to FarmOn! She launched her career in the food industry as co-founder of Sauces ’n Love, which revolutionized ready-made tomato sauce in a jar (Scarpetta) and other Italian specialty food products, and later founded the Culinary Partnership, guiding both celebrity chefs and food entrepreneurs to launch their recipes to retail shelves. Her first book, Hudson Valley Food And Farming: Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me That? was published in 2014.

So, what does success look like to the indefatigable culinary advocate? What does she really want? “To keep farmers farming.” Sounds like a totally reasonable (and necessary) request to me.

company in the house, get extras to go…or keep it a secret, as I’ve tried to do.

11

Nine holes of lakeside golf at Copake Country Club followed by lunch to-go from The Greens to share on the boat for a late afternoon float on Copake Lake (Copake Boat & Ski ask Alex Almond for rentals available) after all, it’s Sunday Funday on Copake Lake. What could be better?

BREAKFAST

future farmer

“The

FarmOn! student program is hands-on project-based learning. I think that’s so impactful,” says Tessa E. Williams.

6 P.M. MEAT MEET

Order and pick up meat—and meet your farmer, Bruce Connover of Sir William

A.M. GOLF & FLOAT

A micro department store committed to domestic manufacturing and the community it creates. Brought to you by Utility Canvas + Hudson Clothier.

PRESENTS

MAKING THE GREAT OUTDOORS EVEN BETTER

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PERGOLAS

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DECKING

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WHAT’S YOUR OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE?

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Pool PartyCentral

If “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” then a beautifully designed back yard, featuring the right combination of decking, pavers, fire pits, music and lighting is the perfect set for evenings filled with cocktails and conversation. No matter how big your stage is, the right mix of minienvironments—from the pool to the deck to the fire pit—will bring your guests and your party to life.

PAVERS

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Your

Mountains Retreat Interior Designer interior space. Use some of the colors and design elements of the rooms that connect to the cohesive experience.

Juxtaposing

your deck design with pavers from Cambridge with Armotec® not only extends your outdoor space, it also adds visual interest by combining the textures of wood and stone.

Photography by Shervin Lainez

meet music’s Messiah

YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s genius conductor, our annual summer neighbor and the planet’s biggest classical music superstar, takes on his toughest challenge yet—changing everything.

BY RICHARD PÉREZ-FERIA PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARTHUR ELGORT

class dismissed “Classical music— opera, symphonies, orchestras, ballet—has been used throughout history to identify a certain upper class,” says Nézet-Séguin, as he prepares to take the reins this summer once again at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center leading the sublime Philadelphia Orchestra.

He’s adorable.

That was truly my initial thought when I first met Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Is this the most appropriate reaction to being introduced to this colossally important figure in the current classical music universe? Probably not, but when you encounter a 5’4” smiling man wearing a way-too-loud color-block sweater, it makes a bit more sense. Yes, of course Nézet-Séguin is the hottest commodity in the arts right now as conductor and music director of not only the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montréal but also the Philadelphia Orchestra, arguably the greatest musical ensemble in the galaxy. But he’s also funny, passionate and a man very much on a mission to change nothing less than the very world we inhabit.

Nézet-Séguin, 48, acts and looks at least a decade younger than his age. I first saw him in action at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) as part of the Philly Orchestra’s longstanding two-

week summer residency at the fabled Saratoga Springs, NY outdoor amphitheater. That would prove to be the first of many Nézet-Séguin performances I’d attend while enjoying the music, yes, but mostly being riveted by the peripatetic conductor down front: arms akimbo, eyes closed, intensity personified. If passion could ever be captured, Yannick Nézet-Séguin at work would surely be it.

A few years ago, SPAC’s dynamic CEO and my good friend Elizabeth Sobol invited me to tag along with a small number of SPAC board members and staff on a weekend road trip to Philadelphia to see the world-class orchestra’s and Nézet-Séguin’s latest triumphant debut. It was on that occasion that I came face-to-face with the impossibly charismatic man backstage post performance. So, yeah, he’s definitely adorable—and impossible to ignore.

The fact that this giant talent resides a short drive away for several weeks every summer is reason enough to make the pilgrimage to SPAC. This year, I’ll again be enjoying several performances including a much-anticipated collaboration between the Philly Orchestra and multiple Tony Award-winner Audra MacDonald. It should be, in a word, spectacular.

When I sat down to have our exclusive conversation with the affable musical genius— the subject of two major high profile media interviews recently in The New York Times and 60 Minutes I again couldn’t help but think: he’s adorable. Has anyone in the cultured arts ever seemed happier, more jovial than this Québec native? What was that about? I wondered. “Joy is essential to my life,” Nézet-Séguin begins. “I’ve become more conscious of it more recently, in the last decade or so. Joy is something that’s unusual among conductors, but for me there cannot be music without joy. It’s not like I must put on a joyful face all the time. It just is. I truly believe that without joy there cannot be music. It’s as simple as that.”

But what I find the most intriguing and important about the work the celebrated conductor’s championing is his relentless and very public attempt to democratize the arts, specifically classical music. Music, he argues, is for everyone. In this regard, Nézet-Séguin reminds me a bit of another superhero in the current zeitgeist, Chef José Andrés, and his efforts to globalize access to food. The conductor’s doing similar work by feeding people’s souls.

“I believe that anyone who dares to take something to the highest level of quality doesn’t mean that work must be reserved only for a certain portion of the population,” he says, settling in to explain his raison d’etre. “And of course, that’s my model and it’s what makes me wake up in the morning. I want to bring high art to everyone. Art shouldn’t have a class divide. It’s absurd that it does. In terms of classical music, the divide has existed for a long time because there’s an economic component, but also because it’s mere habit. Classical music—opera, symphonies, orchestras, ballet—has been used too much throughout history to identify a certain upper class. But when the composers during the 18th and 19th centuries were writing the music that we currently play, they never intended the music to be exclusively for the rich. But then that shifted in a major way.”

So, does Nézet-Séguin think classical music, performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, no less, can really appeal to, say, the Walmart shopper? In a word, yes; yes he does.

“Look, there’s still a big hint of that elitism today, and that stands in the way of our efforts to spread the word about how music is for

calling all angels

Nézet-Séguin is a master collaborator working with the planet’s biggest and emerging musical prodigies including soprano Angel Blue (opposite) and violinist Goosby (above), both wowed audiences last summer at SPAC with the Nézet-Séguin led Philadelphia Orchestra.

everyone—everyone,” he says, speaking with a clarity of purpose I haven’t heard until now. “Music can make every person react, whether it’s by shocking them, by making them dream, by enabling them to heal or by finding the music itself intriguing. Music, my friend, is for every single one of us for whatever purpose we need it or want it in our lives. So, if you hear the Philadelphia Orchestra perform a piece of music you may not be familiar with at all—this could even be the first time you attend a classical concert by the greatest orchestra in the world—I promise that you’ll still find something that’s going to touch your soul. And that’s why music is for everyone.”

Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s brand of indefatigable positivity is nothing if not infectious. Relentless, even. But, when he’s surrounded by the decidedly bucolic environs of Saratoga Springs—and its nearby mountains and lakes—how does this cultured Energizer bunny chill out? What does he do to relax when he arrives here? Or can he?

“As of late, when I arrive in Saratoga—and I go as often as every afternoon—I try to be on a lake,” he says. “So many of our Philly Orchestra musicians rent lake houses, a lot of them for many, many

“Music, my friend, is for every single one of us for whatever purpose we need it or want it in our lives.I promise you that, in music, you’ll always find something that will touch your soul.”

years now. My parents still have a lake house in Québec, so I’m very much a lake person. And when I discovered how many lakes there were in this gorgeous region of New York, I got very excited. I also like water sports on lakes. I go in the water and that act alone just clears my mind right way. I feel as if I’m connecting with the region and with nature. You know where I’ve been, and love, is the Berkshires because it reminds me so much of Québec. The older I get—though I don’t consider myself to be very old—I find that nature becomes even more a part of who I am. I try to just breathe the air, observe the mountains and I’m always sorry when it’s time for me to go.”

There’s also something else about Nézet-Séguin not entirely framed by his occupation. He has swag. He doesn’t walk up to you as much as strides, never losing eye contact. It’s, frankly…sexy.

“Wow…OK, I’ll take that,” he says, smiling like a Cheshire cat. “I think that my energy in general—my optimism—is probably something sexy. I also dare say something I wouldn’t have said maybe 20 years ago, but now that I’m more at peace with the way I look physically, I can say it. I’m very diminutive—you know, I’m quite petite—and maybe that, too, makes me sexy because it’s so unusual.” [Laughs]

Staying on this track for a moment, I ask this spectacular pianist and happiest-dudeon-the-planet what else may be unusual about him, a man very much in the public eye, the high priest reigning from those hallowed temples of highfalutin culture. “The most surprising thing about me may be that I don’t have a driver’s license and I never learned how to drive a car,” he tells me conspiratorially. “I may be conducting world-class orchestras, but I couldn’t be a conductor of anything else!” [Laughs]

To Nézet-Séguin’s larger point of inclusivity and musical barriers being eliminated, his very essence, his aura matches or exceeds other musical superstars I’ve met. I ask him about the hottest word in the music ether right now: collab—unsurprisingly, he jumped right in.

“Oh, yes, of course, I’d love to collaborate with Taylor Swift or Shawn Mendes or Rihanna,” Nézet-Séguin says enthusiastically. “I love something about all of them, and I have very eclectic musical tastes. A few hours ago, I was listening to Janelle Monáe’s new album, The Age Of Pleasure I mean, I love what she does. I love her acting and I love her music—her whole vibe. I’m also a bit obsessed with Lil Nas X because he’s also pushing the envelope. And, of course, Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance, is also brilliant. As far as collaborating with the Philadelphia Orchestra, I’ve dreamed for years of doing something important with Céline Dion. We did one television show at some point, but it wasn’t a real collaboration, so that would be a dream. Oh, and working with Barbra Streisand

would be amazing as well. And, how about George Michael? That would’ve been great. There are so many possibilities, no?”

Getting serious again, I wonder about the times we’re all living through, full of so much political division, a planet in crisis, technology dictating a reality we may not want. How can music— classical music, no less—help with any of that?

“I believe the future is bright because we need art and music more than ever,” Nézet-Séguin says softly now. “The future is also somewhat scary because sometimes we forget our humanity. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, for example. And I love AI. I think it’s very intriguing and all of that, and it’s exciting in many ways, but being able to stop, smell, look and reflect is what music can do for all of us. And attending live concerts specifically, is what’s going to keep us connected to our deepest parts of our humanity.”

And how does this impossibly famous musical prodigy connect with the deepest parts of his considerable humanity?

“Gratitude is really something that I try to always acknowledge every morning,” he says. “Gratitude for what has happened the day before. Gratitude for the people surrounding me every day. Gratitude for my life with my partner and husband—you know we’ve been together now for almost a quarter century. So, yes, acknowledging and being cognizant of how grateful I should be makes a marked difference in my life.”

As we get ready to wrap up this easybreezy encounter, it suddenly hits me that Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s undeniably appealing, matter-of-fact declarations of his mindblowing intentions to positively shake up the world via classical music is still, to my ear, a far-off dream at best. Is the goal, then, to achieve all his lofty objectives, or is it at least to get on the road toward a more perfect society?

“Wow, yes—what a great question,” the famous conductor flatters me as he begins. “The end goal for me and my work would be to live in a world where there’s more acceptance, more unity, more embracing of each other. This will be achieved through music with the musicians I conduct, in the institutions I lead or wherever I’m surrounded by music. But here’s the thing, I’m never alone in this. I’m the figurehead because I’m the conductor, yes, and people see me wave my arms in the front of the stage. But I have a very gregarious job because I alone can’t do anything. It’s a team effort or none of us will succeed. I don’t see Utopia, my friend, but I still think that if we all contribute seriously to the arts, it can be done. And it will be done. But I’m so tired of the naysayers. I’ll always be the optimistic conductor. I’m always the person who sees the possible in everything I do.”

Adorable, yes. But definitely a warrior.

“I love Janelle Monáe—her whole vibe. I’m a bit obsessed with Lil Nas X because he’s pushing the envelope. And Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance, is brilliant.”

world (master) peace “The end goal for me and my work would be to live in a world where there’s more acceptance, more unity, more embracing of each other,” the self-proclaimed ‘optimistic conductor’ says.

4 walls

HOMMES DÉCOR

When DSGNER’s Eduardo Rodríguez and Herman Vega reimagined Central House, a 150-year-old inn in Germantown, they obliterated the prevailing Catskills interior aesthetic. Get ready to be wowed.

BY SIMON MURRAY

Photography by Winona Barton-Ballentine

modern herstory Herman Vega (left) and Eduardo Rodríguez; when designing the restaurant, the pair looked to the inn’s past incarnation as a brothel for inspiration. “But this time, the women are in charge,” says Rodriguez. “Hence, the artwork we used depicting fun, old portraits of ladies with a modern twist.”

I’ve lived in the Hudson Valley long enough to know that there are two prevailing design aesthetics. The first we’ll call the “general store,” with its rustic wood paneling, folksy wallpaper and decidedly antiquated furniture (“this is my grandmother’s side table”). Businesses with this décor feel arrested in time, as if modernity in its tomorrowbound haste up and left streaming toward the horizon, leaving these poor charming places to lapse into dust. Which is to say, the general store aesthetic is less a choice and more a series of hardships calcified into a fossil-like existence. But boy, do they have personality to spare.

sheep shape (clockwise, from top)

A vestibule is given the star treatment with a pop of color. “This is a transition space between the lounge, bar and event space,” says Rodríguez. “A black sheep sculpture is the protagonist in the room. We painted old walking sticks we purchased in a state sale and arranged them on a wall to create a rather intriguing piece of art;” for the second floor lounge, “we created a calm and serene ambiance where guests can relax;” the ultimate country kitchen; adjacent to the reception, intimate lounging vignettes offer hotel guests a place for a drink in a more intimate setting; (above)

DSGNR also created the inn’s slick new branding and signage.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Germantown

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Lorem Ipsum

The other prevailing aesthetic is austere minimalism. Sleek, shorn and brittle like bone— or smooth and everlasting like titanium—these ultra-modern, glassy interiors call to mind Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. They also feel more than a little soulless.

These polarities are so at arms with each other, you’d be a little daft to think that any design could incorporate both. Except, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting. A much-needed interior redesign of the Central House in Germantown by the boutique studio DSGNER, headed by Eduardo Rodríguez, puts forth a more daring, 21st-century aesthetic that feels like a connective piece of tissue between the past and present.

“We took elements from both in order to tell a cohesive story, reflected in each of the spaces we redesigned,” Rodríguez tells me. He also couldn’t have found a more fitting project for his concept of stylistic layering. Established in 1876, the Central House has served as brothel, speakeasy, stagecoach house and various

entre nous (right) The reception area sets the tone for the entire experience; (from top) the DSGNER principals repurposed an old farm table and a console to become vanities for both bathrooms; “When it came to artwork, we made sure to select pieces that were meaningful, whimsical and represented artists from the area,” says Rodríguez; sisters Julia Carr and Leslie Carr-Avalos are the inn keepers and owners of Central House, Germantown’s oldest inn.

restaurants, before ultimately being converted into an inn. When it was acquired by Julia Carr and Leslie Carr-Avalos last fall, the Red Hook-raised sisters knew they needed the right megawatt talent to bring this project to life. Rodríguez and his business partner and husband, Herman Vega, the former awardwinning creative director of People en Español who now runs his own branding and creative direction business, were all too happy to oblige.

The process began last August with an investigative once-over of both the space and the owners. “Eduardo and Herman were getting to know us and our personalities, as well as getting a deep feel for the space to see what would work here,” says Carr-Avalos, who brings the anima of her San Francisco restaurant, Universal Café, to the Germantown inn in both name and spirit.

“They were very open to our ideas and thoughts and yet offered gentle guidance when we may not have understood the big picture.”

The design work began on Thanksgiving week, and about four months later, “We see ourselves woven into the entire place,” Carr says laughing. “Central House’s design is marked with a sense of humor, whimsy and playfulness that we both treasure.”

Though the hotel can be considered designed practically within an inch of itself, there’s been no sense of comfort sacrificed. Guests reportedly feel transported yet at home thanks to the curated history alive in every space—from the accommodations to the bar and restaurant. It’s all sort of magical.

Another word for it would be timeless. Or beautiful. Or unexpected. Or, best yet, perfect.

Photo by Will Morgan

pas de deux

A DECADE OF LOVE

FINCH HUDSON’S MARRIED FOUNDERS LOOK BACK FORGE AHEAD

By Isabel Hochman

Andrew Arrick and Michael Hofemann have had a weekend house in Hudson for more than a decade-and-a-half. They say they loved escaping New York City to submerge in the local shopping scene and scope out the many antique dealers. Hofemann says Hudson was a respite from the craziness of Manhattan (though he admits the kinetic Gotham energy still has a place in his heart). “As it turns out, Andrew and I both thrive here in Hudson. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”

FINCH hudson has become a sanctuary for art and design lovers alike. Hofemann says the shop reflects Hudson’s diverse community. “It’s not just antique stores,” he says. “It’s not just dealers. It’s writers and actors. There’s a whole art community, and there’s an entire music scene happening right here.”

FINCH hudson’s cofounder insists he makes

a conscious effort to create an experience for the art-attuned shopper with curated music mixes and a selection of visual art, antique furniture (1920s-’70s), clothing and textiles. The shop’s focus is vintage, modern furniture, but over the years they’ve added men’s apparel, bath and body products.

Timed with their ten-year anniversary, FINCH hudson launched a second floor of wares: women’s apparel, textiles, bedding and much more.

Hofemann attributes the store’s expertly curated aesthetic to husband, Arrick, who has a background in luxury women’s fashion (Yves Saint Laurent, Celine, Vera Wang) and a visual mind. “He’s the one who makes the store look how it does, and why everyone loves it so much. I can buy all these great things, but I couldn’t put it together the way he does.”

Hofemann has become the store’s unlikely vintage furniture sourcer. “My whole career was banking, investment banking and finance,” he says, so his current role wasn’t always on his list of career moves, but he does seem to have an eye for the very best pieces. Now, he says, he wakes up daily at 4:30am to be the first to purchase new items from a vendor in The Netherlands. “Every day, I spend my life shopping—it’s not a bad gig.”

Since opening FINCH hudson, Arrick and Hofemann have moved the store’s location three times. With their storefront currently on Warren Street, Hudson’s main artery, Hofemann says they now want to take the time to grow in a sustainable way. For the first time, he says, “We now have the security to build something much larger.”

The retail team is talking about expanding but they’re not exactly interested in being too big any time soon. “We want a bigger business, but we must be careful about the decision to grow. We want to make sure that we’re still having fun.”

everything he wants

The shop’s focus is vintage, modern furniture, but over the years they’ve added men’s apparel, bath and body products. Timed with their ten-year anniversary, FINCH hudson launched a second floor of wares: women’s apparel, textiles and bedding.

BY JANE LARKWORTHY

Fan-girling Ruth Reichl is tricky. With a career that’s bursting at the seams with remarkable accomplishments— from celebrated restaurant critic for The New York Times to serving as the last editor in chief for food bible Gourmet and even judging on Top Chef Masters for years—spotting her at the local grocery store incites an instant case of the jitters. But she’s just so normal, her approachability will swat away your proverbial autograph book, leaving you thinking, “I bet she would come to dinner if invited.” We talk about the writing process (or lack thereof), her beauty routine (or lack thereof) and why Natalie Portman could never play her in the inevitable award-winning biopic. We curl up in conversation from the author’s breezy, hilltop home in Austerlitz, NY.

Let’s get the important stuff out of the way: What’s the classic Ruth Reichl uniform? Well, for years I wore Shanghai Tang. Those pieces are great to travel with and so easy to layer, but you can’t buy them anymore. It’s tragic. I try and find used ones on eBay because mine are all shredded. I’m wearing them in rags.

But whose sweater are you currently wearing? [black, funnel neck, long-ish and fanning out slightly].

It’s EILEEN FISHER, and I’d give anything to have another one, but they don’t make them anymore and I’ve never been able to find a used one anywhere. Feel it. It’s silk and cashmere. It’s like wearing a hug. This thing’s pathetic, it’s four years old and I’ve worn it every day. But it’s my favorite thing.

Four years old isn’t that old. Well, I guess it is when you wear it every day. Speaking of every day, what’s your beauty routine?

Funny you ask that. I was at SEVEN salon spa in Stockbridge the other day, and one of the owners, Mark Johnson and I were watching a customer buying hair products. He said to me, “I can’t imagine what you spend on hair products.” And I said, “Nothing. I don’t use a single thing. Soap and water. That’s it.”

You don’t use…

…any cream of any kind. No. Well, sure, if I go to a power lunch, and they give me a gift bag with some cream from blah blah blah, I’ll use it ’til it’s gone and then I stop.

OK then, humor me. I’ll presume the water is tap, but what brand of soap?

Pretty much whatever I take from hotels. In the shower I use Dr. Bronner’s (my husband Michael likes it). Shampoo: Bumble and bumble. Conditioner: Macadamia. And I’ve had two manicures. One was the night before my wedding; and then about 15 years ago, for my birthday, Nancy Silverton, who gets her nails done every two weeks because she does stuff with her hands, treated a group of us to a group manicure. The memory about that day was this attractive young woman was there with a friend of mine who writes celebrity profiles and she said, “That’s Dyan Cannon and her daughter.” And Dyan, who was in her 70s looked like she was in her 20s. I mean, she looked fine, but it was just scary that anyone could look like they’re in their 20s when they’re five decades older. I mean, when you look at that incredible [Sports Illustrated] picture of Martha Stewart in her swimsuit at 81, she looks like someone who’s taken very good care of herself and worked hard to look like that.

Do you think your lack of a beauty routine is because of your mother’s influence?

Probably. My mother didn’t wear makeup except occasionally she’d do something wild when she was going out, like green eyeshadow with a little sparkle. But she didn’t get made up and she didn’t go to spas.

Neither did mine. My mother had one perfume and that was it. But you’re interested in beauty.

Right? Yes, the reluctant beauty editor… I fell into the job as a temp, filing press releases and tidying up Glamour’s beauty closet. I surreptitiously slipped a shampoo into my purse and continued to do that for the next 30 years. But it was never my passion. Food, on the other hand… Does what we have up here adequately satisfy your needs, interests, hunger?

As a cook? Absolutely. As a restaurant goer? Increasingly.

What’s your latest love?

The Aviary in Kinderhook. It’s great. It’s really quirky. She’s an Indonesian chef [Hannah Wong] and a serious one, and the food is wonderful, but it makes no concessions: “This is what we like, and this is what we’re cooking.” And people are still coming in the door at 9pm. It’s owned by an artist and it’s a great looking space. And I like Feast and Floret in Hudson. And I’m excited about Hilltown Hot Pies’ opening.

Let’s talk about your documentary Food and Country What was that like?

Oh. My. God. It’s a total passion project.

“I was this outsider who came in, I talked to 178 people—chefs, policy makers, farmers. The documentary is really about the plight of the farmers. Their stories are so compelling, and nobody seems to tell these stories.”

Was this your idea that you spoke to your team about?

I don’t have a team!

I totally think you have a team.

I have no team. My husband Michael and I were in LA for a couple months. It was March of 2020, and we looked at each other and realized that if we didn’t go home, we might get stuck there. I mean, they were going to close the airports. So, we packed everything up in our Airbnb and came back. I decided to do one huge shopping trip—Big Y, Price Shopper, Guido’s—to pick up massive amounts of food and then we’d go into quarantine and not leave the house. And the shelves were empty. They were really empty. And I’ll never forget a woman standing in Big Y, saying, “Goddamn New Yorkers come here and clean us out.”

I came home and said to Michael, “This may be the moment I’ve been dreaming of my whole life, where Americans wake up and start paying attention to food, stop taking it for granted. No American has ever seen an empty shelf in the supermarket. This could be the big wake-up call. And I have no idea where it’s going to end up. Maybe all the farms will go out of business, and it’ll be the triumph of industrial food. But I thought everything was going to change and I wanted to keep a record of it. So, I just started calling people.

The first were the people at Chef’s Garden in Ohio, who I’ve known for years. They’re an extraordinary farm that raises specialty products for restaurants. Their business was one hundred percent restaurants. I called the people at Chefs’ Warehouse and said, “What’s happening with your clients?” And then I started calling chefs. Dan Barber said to me, “You know, fishermen are really in trouble because most people don’t cook fish at home. I talked to some production companies in LA, and they said this would be a very interesting show and suggested I write up a proposal. While I was working on that, Laurie Ochoa, who’s the widow of [The Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold] told me that Laura Gabbert, who directed the documentary about Jonathan, City Of Gold, is working on a similar project about how COVID is going to affect restaurants in LA. I called Laura and said, “I don’t think it’s just restaurants. I think it’s everything. I think it’s a much bigger story. And she said, “You’re right. I’m not thinking big enough. Would you want to do this together?”

Of course, we thought it would last a few months. And of course, it went on and on and on. And every time we’d somewhere, everything would close again. So, Laura to shoot on location. And we did it via Zoom, to something extraordinary was happening in these became intimate friends with these people I’d never when you’re checking in with people every two two years, and we’re all locked up, so many people to me, “You’re like my shrink.” I was this outsider came in, and people cry on camera. That would have happened if we had a camera there.

I talked to 178 people—chefs, policy makers, farmers. It’s really about the plight of the farmers. Their stories are so compelling, and nobody seems to tell these stories. They all

cost of living “My first husband and I lived on $3,000 a year. We never went to restaurants and never bought clothes, but we lived a really nice life,” Reichl says.

go to the bank every year, borrow operating capital and pray that they’ll make enough money to pay it back so they can do it again the next year. And they do it because they love the work, they love the lifestyle, they want to pass it on to their kids. But it gets harder every year. And if we don’t change that, nobody will be raising food in this country. The thing I don’t understand is that we should have learned from COVID that this is truly a national security issue.

Do you think the system around here is kind of going in the right direction?

Yes and no. I mean, it’s very nice to support the local farmers market and all that, but it also makes us very complacent. You go down the road to Albany or you go the other direction to Poughkeepsie and you’re looking at places where some kids go to bed hungry every night. And they’re getting little to no nutrition. It’s incumbent upon us to make sure that this isn’t a rich person’s movement. The great thing about food is, we can change it. We vote with our dollars. If you want to make a change, vote.

Do you grow anything?

I grow herbs.

Which leads me to a very important question: Why on earth won’t my basil grow? I grow basil.

My other herbs thrive. My basil laughs at me and then dies. Oh no. I have basil every year. And my best basil comes from those little pots at Big Y.

Is everyone as afraid of having you to dinner as I am? I think you’d have a lovely time if you and Michael came over, but I’m not sure I could handle the pressure. But I feel the same way because every time anybody comes to dinner, I’m worried I’m going to disappoint them because they’re just going to get ordinary food. I’m not a chef.

That’s making me feel a little better. Do people say things like, “How did you like cake? What could I have done better with it?” Are people always asking you to critique them?

No. I don’t think anybody’s ever asked me to do that because I think they know that I probably would, and they’d rather I didn’t! But you should know that I’m doing that to myself too. Every time I bake a pie, I’m like, “Oh God, it leaked…”

Does any meal come to mind that was a big flop?

We had John Markus over. He knows everyone and he’s also a barbecue pitmaster. And he has that television show of the same name. I’d planned a very simple dinner—baked

potatoes, local asparagus and a fruit cobbler. They have these aged steaks at Guido’s that I wanted to try for the first time. And I totally overcooked the steak. It was inedible. And here I’ve got this great meat guy over and I’ve completely screwed up the meat. I said, “Guys I’m so sorry, but enjoy your nice baked potato!” [Laughs] I made a delicious salad, and we had a great night. It happens. It’s just a meal.

What are you most excited about?

We were traveling a lot, so I’m just so happy to be here [at home]. I love summer here so much. And I love being home in my little studio. I’m also doing a podcast now with Nancy Silverton and Laurie Ochoa. It’s called Three Ingredients It’s literally just us talking. I was going to do this other very complicated podcast, but my son said, “What people really want from a podcast is to feel like a fly on the wall. Just record what you talk about.” We don’t come to it with any agenda, we just turn on the microphones and start talking.

Can you explain the process of your writing?

I don’t have a clue.

I had a feeling you were going to say that. People have asked me to teach writing, but how can you teach writing when you don’t know what you do? After Gourmet closed, I’d always said, “If I didn’t have a day job, I would write a novel.” So, I tried to write a novel and I did, and it was the hardest fucking thing. See that huge pile of papers over there? That’s the eight gazillion versions of [her first novel] Delicious. But after I turned it in, my editor, the late Susan Kamil, said, “You’re really a novelist. I want you to write two more. There’s a chapter in Save Me The Plums about being transformed by this black dress I’d bought. Susan said, “Take that premise and write a novel based on that.” And I’ve never had more fun.

So, what was the difference this time if the first one was such an epic struggle?

I have no idea. I said to my agent, “This has got to be a piece of shit because I don’t like writing novels and I loved this.” Every day was a treat to spend time with these characters. And when I finished, I was kind of depressed. My agent said, “You’re never allowed to write anything you don’t have fun with again.”

And was your approach to writing it like your memoir style?

Have you ever seen my first cookbook, Mmmmmmm: A Feastiary?

No.

I only bring it up because when I was on tour for My Kitchen Year, Nancy Leson, who’s a Seattle writer, had a copy of Mmmmmmm: A Feastiary She had me read some passages from it, and then she read passages from Save Me The Plums Now, there’s 50 years between these two books, but my voice was exactly the same. And it was shocking to me.

That doesn’t shock me whatsoever. You’ve always been a writer who doesn’t fill with fodder. So why would that change in any way now? And if it did change, wouldn’t you be kind of bummed about it?

I guess, but just to see that 50 years later... my voice... I’m still kind of the same on the page now.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Not that I know of. I mean, there’s just times when I don’t particularly want to write.

Are you extremely disciplined about it? No. I’m not disciplined about anything. I’m kind of a deadline writer.

Pressure is a magical thing.

I’m doing this new Substack newsletter [La Briffe] and it’s kind of great because on Wednesday it suddenly hits me, “Oh my God, I’ve got to get this thing out on Friday.” But I really like doing it. I like having that one thing that I know I must do every week.

Do you also enjoy the immediacy of it?

I do. And I love of the community of these people who comment every week. I feel like I’m really sort of out there touching people. It’s fun.

In the inevitable Ruth Reichl biopic, who would play you?

I’d really like Emmy Rossum to play me. I think she’s great.

She doesn’t get her due enough, either.

I don’t think so at all. And, sure, I’d love Natalie Portman [who had been in talks with Reichl about a former project], and I really liked her when we met. I thought she was wonderful and no nonsense and smart. But it’s hard to imagine a vegan playing me.

Ha! Good point. And what would the setting be? What part of your life?

My Berkeley years. I lived in a commune for ten years and it was just wonderful, that kind of freedom that we had. My first husband and I lived on $3,000 a year. We never went to restaurants, we never bought clothes, but we lived a really nice life, and we owned our own time completely. I was writing, he was making art, we had 15 people for dinner every night. Ten of us lived in a ramshackle old house that we bought for $29,000 and the door was never locked. It was a mess, but it was wonderful. And it was also the beginning of the food movement. I was working in a collective restaurant and [the godmother of California cuisine] Alice Waters was just starting her restaurant [Chez Panisse]. It was a wonderful time.

I’d watch that biopic. It sounds like the Laurel Canyon era but with chefs instead of musicians. Yeah, exactly. It was that. And we were all learning about food, and the wine movement was just starting in California. I got to go to China and Thailand in the early ’80s and these places were like no other—the whole world hadn’t yet become homogenized. It wasn’t the happiest time of my life, certainly, but I think there’s a lot of value in that life. Not everybody got to live through something like that. None of us had kids then but what a great way to bring them up, where there are a lot more people around than just the nuclear family. There were a lot of lessons in that, the idea that we all chose, and we all understood. I mean, we were deliberately poor. We won our time rather than stuff.

Tech Talk

Media execs predict the future—for better or worse.

BY RICHARD PÉREZ-FERIA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE DAY

exclusively for The Mountains

Longtime New York City media executive Andy Plesser opened his Lakeville, CT home he shares with his wife, Manhattan radiologist Kathy Plesser, to capture a moment in geographic and tech curiosity: important new media players at rest.

Plesser, who’s organizing an executive retreat July 16-18 in Salisbury, CT at the White Hart Inn, says he’ll host 75 media and advertising executives as they explore and debate the future of the tech industry.

Ten media powerhouses joined Plesser recently to break bread and tell tales on a sunny day in ever-bucolic Litchfield County, including Sean Buckley, Tal Chalozin, Bob Ivins, Alexandra Levy, Marc Mallett, Rob Norman, Joanna O’Connell, Spencer Reiss, Suzanne Taylor and Paul Woolmington. The Mountains asked these knowledgeable folks one kinda-sorta important question: So, what does the future of media look like? Good one, right?

So, what does the future of media look like?

(FROM LEFT)

Lakeville

Bob Ivins

HEAD OF DATA STRATEGY, TELLY

“The challenge is disruptions to legacy business models and business relationships. In the end, more choice and improved customer experience is a good outcome.”

FOUNDER/CEO, BEET.TV

“The energyintensive Internet is a major cause of CO2 emissions. Digital media must become sustainable as part of a carbon neutral world.”

SENIOR ADVISER, VIVATECH

“Media are (and always will be) the bleeding edge of mass market technology— bring it on!”

HEAD OF NORTH AMERICAN AUDIENCE MARKETING, MICROSOFT ADVERTISING

“Generative AI will bring drastic changes to the industry from the way TV shows are created to how traditional media agencies are modeled.”

CEO, SILICON ALLEY MEDIA

“Media, technology and AI will continue to intersect and become inseparable. Fragmentation will remain, scale will matter and personalization will prevail.”

Andy Plesser

Spencer Reiss

Suzanne Taylor

Alexandra Levy

LITCHFIELD COUNTY

ADVISOR AND DIRECTOR

“Media will be atomized, augmented, virtual, real time and on demand.”

FOUNDER/CEO, CANVAS WORLDWIDE

“New and evolving forms of content, in ever more varied techniques and contexts... after years of expanding contact points, consolidation is much needed.”

CO-FOUNDER/ CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, INNOVID

“The future of media looks real and spectacular!”

FORMER DISNEY

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

“The ongoing fragmentation of TV consumption and the growth of ad supported streaming services highlight the importance of datadriven campaigns.”

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, MAGNITE

“A focus on creativity, coupled with intelligent audience targeting, will make for a more efficient and sustainable media landscape.”

EXECUTIVE VICE

PRESIDENT,

INNOVATION, R3

“The future of media is being written in real-time—that’s both exciting and should give us all pause.”

Rob Norman

Paul Woolmington

Tal Chalozin

Marc Mallett

Sean Buckley

Joanna O’Connell

dispatch

our personal elvis

if you’re lonesome tonight, cozy up to Hudson’s very own elvis (Perkins).

By Kevin SessumS

return to sender Folk-rock singer-songwriter Elvis Perkins (far left) with members of his Dearland band (Wyndham Boyland-Garnett, Nick Kinsey, Brigham J. Brough), makes Hudson his Graceland.

hen I was growing up in Mississippi, mountain music had a bluegrass twang to it that made my bare feet rhythmically twitch when I’d watch a summer rerun of The Andy Griffith Show featuring the musical Darling family, some of whom were played by bluegrass legends The Dillards. On Saturday afternoons, another form of mountain music filled the television screen during The Porter Wagoner Show wondrously female and mountainously wigged—when Dolly Parton from the Appalachian hollers around Gatlinburg, TN, began to make her appearances with him. The northern mountain music of the Catskills was decidedly different when I lived in Hudson—although Iris DeMent with her Pentecostal past and that ever-present stoic steady rhythmic twang in her voice that bares her twitching soul did play Club Helsinki when I first moved to town.

Hudson hews more closely however to musical types—more counterculture than country—who themselves are not hewing sorts. Melissa Auf der Maur—the former bassist for Hole and Smashing Pumpkins who also released a couple of solo albums—is a cultural and real estate presence. She and her husband, filmmaker Tony Stone, own Basilica Hudson, an arts and performance center in a building which once housed a railroad wheel factory and now features a series for local singers and musicians called Jupiter Nights and a more far-reaching musical festival known as Soundscape. Her former bandmate Courtney Love came to town in 2018 to be honored at a Pioneering People Benefit and grabbed a microphone after an onstage interview with Auf der Maur and made us believe she was still a rocker—just one with more meander in her womanly gait than the girlish strut she once employed as the strumpet who could strum.

Two artistic and gender pioneers are Taylor Mac, who has a place in this neck of the woods and Justin Vivian Bond, who lives across the river in Athens. My Hudson buddy, designer and jazz aficionado Marine Penvern and I once motored over to Tivoli to marvel at Mac and judy’s (Mac’s preferred pronoun) fitting band of misfits giving a brilliant concert on the sylvan grounds of the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park. Bond, at the Basilica a couple of years back, marked the region’s emergence from the COVID lockdown by unlocking Viv’s singular nonbinary conflation not only of gender but also of torch songs untethered from their need for neediness and of the nether regions of whimsy where naughtiness is not worn like some flimsy nightie but donned like foliage because it’s so

innately natural, a conflation sylvan itself in how deeply rooted it is in the sapling of self, arboreal (Bond’s first solo album was titled Dendrophile) but never boring.

An argument could be made that the most natural and innate form of music is jazz. Hudson Hall hosts an annual festival in the spring that highlights it. Indeed, one of my favorite memories of living there is walking up Warren Street to visit with Marine at her atelier and as I’d approach, hearing the wondrous wails of her beloved John Coltrane wafting from her sound system as well as those from her own saxophone while she sat on the bench on her bit of sidewalk and sidled up to Coltrane.

Another cherished memory is housed at Hudson Hall when I saw the great Marilyn Maye, then 93, deal with a power outage during her cabaret set. The stage went dark, and the sound went silent. Suddenly the generator kicked in and someone came into the room to tell us of the outage. “We can’t just quit,” said Maye. So she made her way down into the audience to sing both James Taylor’s “The Secret of Life” and Shirley Horn’s “Here’s to Life” without the use of amplification just the power and purity of her unstinting talent. The generator’s lights then went out in the room, and we lit her with our cellphones. I still live in the glow of that memory.

And this one. Hudson has its own Elvis, a divinely talented one named Perkins who finds the swagger in the swing of his sweetness, this rocker who revels in redefinitions; that’s the way he rolls. My first Christmas in Hudson he and his godmother, fashion world legend Nuni Boylan, and her son Wyndham, who was in Perkins’ band Dearland, came over to cook dinner and afterward Elvis and Wyndham got out their guitars to jam and made Nuni and me comfortable enough in their coolness to help them carry some tunes when carols were suddenly being conjured along with the rock ballads.

The next day I was walking down Warren humming one of Perkins’s songs from his Elvis Perkins In Dearland album, “123 Goodbye.” Its last lines: “…It was happy, 1, 2, 3/ It was sad, 1, 2, 3/We were happy once you and me/When we were sad/1, 2, 3 goodbye, goodbye/1, 2, 3 goodbye, goodbye/Ready, 1, 2, 3 goodbye, goodbye/Steady, 1, 2, 3 goodbye, goodbye/Nice to know you, 3 goodbye, goodbye/It’s nice to meet you, 3 goodbye, goodbye/ Are you ready, 1, 2, 3 goodbye.” And then I fell quiet. I found a mindfulness to my silence—as I’ve found it here in this sentence finally after having sat humming to myself as I wrote all the previous sentences in this story scored by my memories of musical interludes during my life in Hudson. For five years there was the hum of home about the place for me. But then it faded—like the sound of a high school band several blocks away during the town’s Flag Day parade, a bit off-key yet curiously captivating.

I’ll always think of Hudson when I contemplate even further what constitutes mountain music and remember the trajectory of my life from the Darlings to Dearland to a noted silence that finally was my home instead inside that hum.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Hudson

Preaching To The choir

Live performances define us. I always wondered why.

By Sean McAlindin

midnight

at the oasis Amy Helm’s Midnight Ramble band sings “The Weight” with Twisted Pine at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY.

PHOTO BY JIM RICE

Last summer, I went camping in Phoenicia with my six-year-old daughter Penelope and her mother.

We’d migrated here from Lake Tahoe after getting divorced and priced out of our housing during what I call the “Great Pandemic Migration.” It seemed that half of San Francisco moved to the Sierra Nevada, and I left behind my life for the last decade—a community of like-minded artists and nature lovers and a barnburning bluegrass band called Lost Whiskey Engine that went on hiatus in March 2020 when the world shut down—and settled in with my parents in my hometown of Collinsville, CT.

band called Lost

Penelope’s mother moved them into a place in Hudson where her best childhood friend lived. While I knew this region was historically rich in music and culture, you could see the tumbleweeds rolling down Warren Street after dark, and it wasn’t exactly easy to meet new friends during COVID.

Warren Street after dark, and it wasn’t guys at Buddhist art dealer Alan Fernández’s

I was lucky enough to jam with some guys at Buddhist art dealer Alan Fernández’s Gallery 707 Hudson, and eventually got a gig playing piano on Friday nights at Isaan Thai Star. But I missed my old friends and the close-knit bandmates who’d made waves with me playing hippie festivals throughout Northern California. So, I strummed my banjo while Penelope explored the turbulent banks of Esopus Creek. As I plucked the lonely strings, somehow, the subtle magic of the mountains found its way into my soul.

the times they are a-changin’ Concertgoers soak in peace, love and music at the Woodstock Music Festival, summer of ’69. PHOTO BY

author and his daughter at the Mad Hatters’ Parade in Hudson; (opposite) Icons Levon Helm and Bob Dylan trying out their costumes for the Basement Tapes album cover shoot in 1975. PHOTO BY JOHN SCHEELE; (inset) Martin Keith at his guitar shop in Saugerties, NY. PHOTO BY SEAN McALINDIN

Long before humans set foot in the Catskills, Hudson Valley or the Berkshires, the sound of water rushing down the mountainside mingled with wild birdsong and the whisper of the wind. Beneath the chaos and confusion of modern culture, nature’s original soundtrack still sings for us—if we’re only willing to listen.

us—if we’re to listen.

The first recorded people to make music here were the Esopus, a native tribe who played water drums, deer hoof shakers and turtle shell rattles. By the end of the Civil War, the land was resettled by Europeans who passed on folk songs to suit the times. Many of these songs were later kept alive at utopian leftist Camp Woodland in Phoenicia, a place that put campers to work collecting and preserving thousands of folk songs.

that put campers to work and preserving thousands of folk songs.

Meanwhile, as the 19th-century Hudson River School of painters established the region as an international artistic destination, the extravagant mountain houses of the Victorian Era hosted concerts and dances for everyone from presidents to royalty.

River School of painters established the region as an international artistic destination, the extravagant mountain houses of the concerts everyone from presidents to

The next boom in Upstate entertainment arrived with the Borscht Belt where, from the 1920s to the 1970s, more than a million predominantly Jewish New Yorkers came to visit a fantasy

world of bungalow colonies and summer camps scattered throughout Ulster and Sullivan County. At upscale resorts such as Grossinger’s in Liberty—on which the hit movie Dirty Dancing was based—Duke Ellington played poolside with his 15-man orchestra, and Louis Armstrong and Dean Martin crooned in the ballroom.

world of colonies and summer camps scattered Ulster and Sullivan At resorts such as Grossinger’s in which the hit with his 15-man orchestra, and Louis Armstrong and Dean Martin crooned the ballroom.

In Woodstock, the Byrdcliffe Guild artist colony was founded at the turn of the 20th century and Maverick Concert Hall opened in 1916. But it was only matter of time before rock ’n’ roll found its promised land. In 1963, Bob Dylan moved into a room above Café Espresso on Tinker Street where he wrote the songs on Another Side Of Bob Dylan and Bringing It All Back Home Scores of musicians followed, and Woodstock became the lively folk-rock haven it remains today.

artist colony was founded at the turn of the 20th century and Maverick Concert Hall in 1916. But it was a matter time found its promised land. In 1963, Bob moved into a room above Café Espresso on Tinker Street where he wrote the songs on Bob

retreated to a humble, two-bedroom house tucked away in the forests of

Dylan was practically a local by the summer of 1967 when he retreated to a humble, two-bedroom house tucked away in the forests of Saugerties. Far from the roar of excess and fame, there in the underground garage of “Big Pink” (the now infamous pink house once rented by Rick Danko), Dylan and The Band pioneered the art of home-recording with the legendary Basement Tapes. This is where our musical journey begins.

It’s a sunny day in May when I pick up Penelope from school and drive across Rip Van Winkle Bridge toward the Catskills in search of Big Pink. Along the way, we stop by Martin Keith’s guitar workshop on Stoll Road. His rustic house rests in a dense forest atop a sloping bluestone terrace. Penelope disappears upstairs with his daughter as we sit down to talk shop.

“I tried to leave a bunch of times, but always found a reason to stay,” Keith says. “Woodstock’s changed a lot. It seemed like most of Manhattan moved here to the escape pod during the pandemic. It’s been an adjustment for a lot of local folks like me, but it’s also brought a lot of artists, creatives and musicians who are doing cool stuff.”

The son of melodic banjoist Bill Keith, Martin grew up around the Woodstock music legend. After college, he apprenticed at Joe Veillette’s guitar shop where he built instruments for the likes of Lauryn Hill, Eddie Van Halen and Dave Matthews.

JIM SHELLEY; The

“It’s one of those he

“It’s one of those paradoxical things,” he says. “Growing up here, I thought a lot of the Woodstock mythos was exaggerated. But I think it’s attracted enough people that it sort of made itself true, you know? Because Woodstock was this iconic music town and people have this idea of it that way, they move here and they kind of turn that into a reality.”

As we leave the Keiths and wind our way down the road, I’m struck by the infinite beauty of this place, its ever-shifting light and endless mountain vistas. We pass a series of “No Trespassing” signs and round the corner on a bumpy dirt road into a hidden meadow.

resident, musician and audio engineer. He says artists and music lovers from around the world come to the house to with friends, listen to

come to the house to jam with friends, listen to records, paint and type on the typewriter just as Dylan would. “We let the fans have it,” LaSala says. “They become part of its history.”

The house is decorated much the same way it was in 1967 when The Band’s drummer Levon Helm slept in the attic and they wrote, recorded and dreamed as a true band of brothers, lost together in a creative wilderness. “There’s a mystical side to it,” he says. “Nature is very strong here. It’s as if the band left and could come back any time.”

see and The Band dirt road. I sit on a bench

Pink appears before us. She’s nothing spectacular, but Overlook Mountain stands gallantly in the distance, and I can easily see why Dylan and The Band hid out here at the end of a lonely dirt road. I sit on a bench alongside the driveway, the wind sings through the pines, and I drift back to the Summer of Love.

Pink, as she’s known, is now a vacation rental owned by Don LaSala, a longtime Woodstock

homage to the classic artists while mixing in new ones the vision, consciousness of times in.

As we head home with the sun setting, I tune into WDST 100.1. Radio Woodstock launched in 1980 and has evolved into a contemporary roots rock station that pays classic artists while mixing in new ones that reflect the vision, creativity and social consciousness the times we’re in.

Former station manager Richard Fusco moved to Woodstock in spring 1969, but he didn’t to the famous festival.

manager Richard Fusco to in 1969, but he didn’t go to the famous festival.

“There was a lot going on in town that weekend, too,” he says.

In 1970, Fusco helped build Joyous Lake, a premiere live music venue of the time. Any night of the week, legendary artists including Muddy Waters, Joe Cocker or Van Morrison could wander in beside you, have a drink and sit in on a couple of songs.

“The sense of community in the ’70s was part of the hippie mentality,” Fusco says. “Music is part of life. Supporting musicians is what everybody does. If you needed a place to stay, they’d give you a place to stay. If you needed a shirt, we’d give you a shirt. The creative energy, the Woodstock spirit, is still here. Though the outside has changed a bit, the essence of what Woodstock means is still as strong as it ever was. It’s like an energy vortex that’s not going anywhere.”

A couple of weeks later, I almost miss the turn into Levon Helm Studios, but when I see a bunch of cars turning onto an unmarked dirt road, I follow. Through the woods, the barn appears before me, a tapestry of the 2010 Grammy-winning album Electric Dirt pinned to its tall, grey timbers. Jammy rock

music outside and there are more than

music plays outside and there are more than a few tie-dye shirts in the parking lot.

I wander down to the banks of a threeacre pond that Levon built himself. As I sit in a wooden rocking chair and gaze into the reflection of the forest in the water, Overlook Mountain once again hangs in the distance. wonder what Levon would think about when he did much the same in his day. There’s something about being on the land of a rock legend that gets your imagination going.

Mountain once again in the distance. I

The show’s about to begin as I walk up the sturdy stone steps into the barn. Inside, it smells of sawdust and inspiration, and the stage is set warmly in the center of the room. Before the concert begins, Levon’s presented with a lifetime achievement Grammy, accepted on his behalf by his daughter, Amy, and his wife, Sandy.

The family moved around a lot when she was a kid, but Amy always considered Woodstock to be home. Her mother, singer and actress Libby Titus, was born here in 1946.

“My early memories of Woodstock are of the land,” Helm tells me. “I remember the smell of it and the bluestone walls and the

barn to run Amy Helm revived the barn at her dad’s studios and started hosting concerts again with the help of a younger generation of musicians including guitarist Connor Kennedy and drummer Lee Falco.

trees and the quiet, and that’s kind of the first sound I remember. I think that’s why I need to still be here, in this place, to try to do the best work I can do.”

In the early 2000s, when Levon was out of money and had lost his singing voice to throat cancer, he began hosting concerts here. He called them “Midnight Rambles” and friends including Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello and Dr. John would sit in. It was a way to save his house and put some money in the pockets of local musicians.

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“He was really into building community,” Helm says. “That was his drive. My dad wasn’t into celebrity or legacy. He was a real union man, so to speak.”

Back at the concert, Twisted Pine, an eclectic Boston quartet, light up the stage with an energetic set. Then Amy’s band, The Helm Family Midnight Ramble, comes on. The tenperson band features Woodstock’s Connor Kennedy, a guitarist who reminds me of Robbie Robertson with his confident, economical playing and heartfelt singing. Kennedy attended his first Ramble at 14 and for years he earned free admittance by taking out the trash. He quickly gained local respect for his musicianship and creative tenacity, and soon found himself on tour with Donald Fagen of Steely Dan.

“The first time I went to the Ramble it changed my life immediately,” he tells me. “I’d sit behind Levon and watch him play drums. It was basically like going into another world of music.”

Amy’s teenage son, Lavon (Lee) Collins, sits in on drums and steals the show with a rousing rendition of “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry. Led by Amy, the group takes us through The Band’s classic repertoire and by the end of the night there are 15 musicians on stage joined together in a moving rendition of “The Weight.”

After Levon died in 2012, Amy revived this space and started hosting concerts again with the help of a younger generation of musicians including Kennedy and drummer Lee Falco. “That’s what inspired and encouraged me to keep putting one foot in front of the other trying to build after he went away,” she says. “There’s this strong multi-generational connection of players. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s really been a gift to me in my life.” As far as the room goes, “It’s just filled with all the right muses and energies that make people

sing and play in a way that feels really good for musicians and music lovers,” she says. “And it sounds fucking great, too.”

It’s a beautiful spring evening as I follow the Farmington River upstream from Collinsville into the dense forests of the Berkshires. The road slowly deteriorates as I drive deeper into the woods. When I reach what seems like the last driveway, The Dream Away Lodge appears magically before me.

Rumored to have been a brothel and speakeasy during the Great Depression, this 200-year-old Becket, MA farmhouse at the edge of October Mountain State Forest was bought by Mamma Maria Frasca and her three musical daughters in 1947. It became an unconventional roadhouse where the Berkshire Folk Society hosted its original hootenanny jam sessions in the 1950s. Legends, including Frank Sinatra, are rumored to have visited, and Dylan, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie and Allen Ginsberg made a memorable stop in 1975 that found its way into Dylan’s epic film Renaldo And Clara.

After strolling the peaceful grounds and chatting up some strangers by a campfire,

“The first time I went to the Ramble it changed my life immediately. I’d sit behind Levon and watch him play drums. It was basically like going into another world of music.”

I sit down to a lovely meal by guest chef Brian Alberg of The Break Room in North Adams: Tuna poke and wakame salad with carrot-tamari vinaigrette followed by barbecued chicken with pico de gallo

I have a drink and talk to former owner of The Dream Away Lodge Daniel Osman who purchased the property from the Frascas in the ’90s. Soon, Moon Radio begins to weave their ethereal sounds in the cozy side room. There’s no cover charge, but Osman periodically passes around a bucket to collect payment for the band.

Andy McDowell’s one of four new owners who bought The Dream Away Lodge in 2022 and they’ve recently reopened the space after three years. His wife, Courtney, and partners Sheryl Victor Levy and Scott Levy are also owners.

“It’s an intimate room, so the musicians tend to relax,” McDowell says. “It can hold 50, but if there’s only 10, it still feels good. There are people who wouldn’t play such a small

room for small money; but they’ll do it here.”

After the show, I talk with the band, and it feels like I’m surrounded by old friends. All in all, it’s honestly one of the best nights of dinner and music I’ve had in my life. Like many a visitor before me, I find myself asking the next morning, “Was that all a dream?”

A few days later, on a perfect Memorial Day weekend, I head down Warren Street to an 1880s industrial factory by the banks of the Hudson River. I’m going to 24-HOUR DRONE at Basilica Hudson. The ultimate club night for introverts, this immersive, experimental sound-as-art performance will be like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

Basilica Hudson was founded in 2010 by musician Melissa Auf der Maur and her husband, filmmaker Tony Stone, to host genre-pushing music festivals, film screenings, public installations and other unique concert events. Most of its programs are free or sliding scale. Raised in Montréal

by an artistic and socialist community, Auf der Maur has always seen music and social activism as two sides of the same coin. She and Stone recently took out a construction loan to winterize the factory and outfit it with solar panels and other green technology to achieve net zero energy impact.

“The history of art and environmentalism here is intertwined,” says Auf der Maur. “Artists can save the world on an emotional level. We let you see what the system is destroying because we preserve the beauty.”

As I approach the glowing building, the ragged edges of sound pour through the ancient bricks. Under the soaring, raftered ceilings of the main room, hundreds of people lay down on mats and sleeping bags surrounding a rug in the center of the room. A man in a black loincloth writhes and crawls around the makeshift stage as Haela Ravenna Hunt-Hendrix of noise rock group Liturgy pounds out wild distortion from an electric guitar. We’re already nine hours into the drone and it’s only just beginning.

The next artist to take the stage is Laura Ortman. Dressed in a sparkling top, she

Like many a visitor before me, I find myself asking the next morning, “Was that all a dream?”

take me to church Pioneering saxophonist Michael Foster shows off his talent at 24-HOUR DRONE at Basilica Hudson.

builds a tempestuous tapestry of sound by looping her violin through a series of pedals. Then comes Wolf Eyes, a Michigan duo who combine digital effects with a range of homemade instruments to create an unearthly atmosphere that bends and shifts outside the grasp of time.

At midnight, Raven Chacon of Fort Defiance on the Navajo Nation begins his three-hour endurance set. As I lay on my mat, snuggled up next to complete strangers, he takes me on an emotionally challenging inner voyage. I must step outside just as he reaches the climax at 3am.

I settle back in and finally drift to sleep for a few hours as C. Lavender welcomes the sunrise with his glorious sound bowls. Morning light streams in through the 20-foot windows when FUJI|||||||||||TA begins to share in the unending void of noise with hand-pumped organ pipes and ASMR-like vocal renderings.

welcomes the sunrise with his sound ears have been retuned. I hear everything

more clearly. The vibrations throughout the night, though at times uncomfortable, have rewired my body and mind, and I’m not sure I’ll ever listen to music the same way again.

It’s Thursday afternoon and I’m in the auditorium at my daughter’s school.

Penelope is performing front and center with Harmony Project Hudson, an afterschool program that provides students

PHOTO BY PETER GALGANI

training. She sings a of adorable songs and Had A Little on MUSIC SPECIAL REPORT:

teach for the stars Music students become stars at Jason Bowman’s acclaimed Rock Academy Woodstock. “You don’t teach the subject. You teach your love of the subject. That’s what kids pick up on. We’re raising the next generation,” Bowman says.

the stars at Jason Bowman’s acclaimed Rock in teach the You teach your love of the That’s what kids up on. We’re the next Bowman says.

PHOTO BY NEIL SEGAL

with free instruments and professional training. She sings a couple of adorable and plays “Mary Had A Lamb” on the recorder. The program was started Anneice Cousin who also founded Beautiful Racket, an organization committed to eliminating barriers that have historically prevented Black and Brown people from accessing the power self-expression.

It’s one of many amazing here. Back in Woodstock,

Jason Bowman created Rock Academy in 2013 after moving here from Manhattan’s Chinatown. Folk legend John Sebastian and John Ashton of The Psychedelic Furs are regular guest teachers.

“Kids can go online and learn how to play a song,” Bowman tells me. “You don’t teach the subject. You teach your love of the subject. That’s what the kids pick up on. We’re raising the next generation.”

Local programs like these are an oasis for children to call home and belong to an artistic community in their increasingly hectic lives. They’re a reflection of the beautiful world we hope to create together.

“It gives so many kids structure and focus,” says Amy Helm. “It’s something to count on and grow toward.”

As I watch Penelope leave the stage, a big smile glowing on her face, I have a feeling the future is in good hands after all. I’m not sure what lies ahead for us in this corner of the planet on our musical journey, but I know I’m in the right place. And, if I only follow the sound, some sort of magic is never far away.

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Superstars Among Us

Wait, is thatÉNo, it couldnÕt beÉ

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

Do you know we’re surrounded by musical luminaries in the mountains?

Our region is home to so many iconic musicians. Here are some of our favs.

Arlo Guthrie WASHINGTON, MA

Arlo Guthrie’s larger-than-life 1967 song “Alice’s Restaurant” was based on a friend’s diner in the Berkshires. The folk singer opened the nonprofit Guthrie Center in Great Barrington in 1991. He’s recently resurfaced after three years in retirement, so look out for upcoming shows. The family legacy lives on (his father was folk icon Woody Guthrie) as his daughter, Sarah Lee Guthrie, is now an accomplished folk singer in her own right.

Natalie Merchant

HUDSON VALLEY

Alt-rock icon Natalie Merchant came of age as the frontwoman for 10,000 Maniacs, a group who met at Jamestown Community College and formed the band in 1981. She left the band in 1993 at the height of their popularity and released her debut solo album two years later, Tigerlily, which sold more than five million copies. She’s since

retreated from the spotlight to raise her daughter but continues to create. She released her ninth solo album Keep Your Courage in April. It’s a beautiful, powerful, deep and emotive meditation on personal growth, introspection and

modern society with the perfect dose of the same infectious melodies she’s always been known for.

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ.

Melissa Auf der Maur

HUDSON

Melissa Auf der Maur is currently writing a memoir that reflects on her time as the bass player for Hole and Smashing Pumpkins at the height of the alt-rock movement. She and her husband now own nonprofit performance center Basilica Hudson. “The rumblings in our youth subculture in the late ’80s and early ’90s was pure magic,” she says. “There was a visceral energy rising out of the corporate hell zone. The common thread was ‘don’t sell out,’ but we watched it all get bought up by Coca-Cola and people died terrible deaths. I find myself asking, what were we fucking screaming about and what can we learn from that now?” PHOTO BY GEORGE HOLZ.

Tommy Stinson

HUDSON

After touring the world with The Replacements, Guns N’ Roses

PHOTO BY ERIC BROWN.

(clockwise, from top left) Arlo Guthrie, Natalie Merchant, Tommy Stinson, Melissa Auf Der Maur

and Soul Asylum, bassist Tommy Stinson decided to settle down in Hudson in 2011. “It seemed like a good place to raise a kid,” he says. “It has a really great sense of community. It’s a pretty fastevolving little domicile.” Stinson recently released a new album as Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire, Wronger, and is heading out on tour again this summer. He recommends stopping by Spotty Dog Books & Ale to get the lowdown on what’s happening around town.

“You’ve got to stick with the locals here to find out about it,” he says. PHOTO

James Taylor

LENOX, MA

American folk rock icon James Taylor lives at the foot of October Mountain and plays at Tanglewood every Independence Day weekend. He moved to Lenox in 2002 to raise his twin boys with his wife Kim whom he met at a John Williams-conducted Boston Pops concert at the storied outdoor venue. How many 75-year-olds not

(clockwise, from top left) Pat Metheny, Daryl Hall, James Taylor, Jack DeJohnette

mega hitmakers Hall & Oates, he scored six No.1 singles including Rich Girl, Maneater and Private Eyes Almost nine years ago, he opened Daryl’s House, a live music venue restaurant in Pawling where he hosts a handpicked lineup of amazing music.

mega hitmakers Hall & he scored six No.1 ago, he a live music venue and restaurant in where he hosts a of

named Jagger do you know that could still sell out stadiums?

named do you know that

Jack DeJohnette

WOODSTOCK, NY

Born in Chicago in 1942, Jack DeJohnette grew up in a musical family. Over the course of five decades, the Grammy-winning jazz drummer has played with greats Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, to name a few. These days he keeps himself entertained by jamming with other

Pat Metheny

GLENFORD, NY

Hudson Valley locals including

Daryl Hall

PAWLING, NY

Daryl Hall grew up in Chester County, PA and cut his teeth in the Philadelphia soul music scene. As the lead singer of ’70s

Pat Metheny is probably the most famous jazz guitarist to ever live, barring Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt. He was born in Lee’s Summit, MO and moved to Boston as a teenage prodigy to teach at Berklee College of Music. He’s won 20 Grammys and released more than 50 albums since 1975. His latest LP, Dream Box, came out in June.

BY VIVIAN WANG.

PHOTO BY NORMAN SEEFF.

John Scofield and John Medeski.

PHOTO BY LORA KARAM.

PHOTO BY JIMMY KATZ.

MUSIC

(clockwise, from top left) Graham Parker; Aaron Dessner; Rhett Miller; Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby; Amanda Palmer

Graham Parker

HUDSON VALLEY

In the spring of 1975, a 24-year-old petrol pump attendant from Surrey, England, drove to London to meet like-minded musicians. Graham Parker formed The Rumour and continues to release new music to this day. His funky new single “Them Bugs” came out earlier this year.

HUDSON

came out earlier this year.

Rhett Miller

NEW PALTZ, NY

Roots rocker Rhett Miller’s a seventh-generation Texan born in Austin. He founded much-loved Americana group Old 97’s in 1993. He’s also a writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic and Sports Illustrated His new album, The

Misfit, written and recorded in this region, comes out in September 2023

Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby

CATSKILL, NY

English new wave singer Wreckless Eric releases a new album, Leisureland, on August 25. He’s

Amy Rigby who cut her teeth at CBGB, Manhattan’s “birthplace of rock” HQ, in the 1980s.

BEARSVILLE, NY

Amanda Palmer’s traveled far

as cabaret now at Albert the and manager of Bob Janis

and wide as the frontwoman of punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls. She now lives at the former residence of Albert Grossman, the influential and legendary manager of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and The Band.

Dessner

he came to fame as a founder of Brooklyn rock band The Aaron Dessner’s better known as the behind Pond Studio which has into one most destination studios in the world. married to musician and writer Amy who cut her teeth at

Though he came to fame as a founder of Brooklyn rock band

The National, Aaron Dessner’s perhaps better known as the visionary behind Long Pond Studio which has quietly transformed itself into one of the most distinguished destination recording studios in the world. Hidden along the banks of the river somewhere outside of Hudson, the pastoral, state-of-the-art creative haven has hosted artists including superstar Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff of Bleachers.

Amanda Palmer

Artists To Watch

Catch them soon before they hit Taylor Swift status.

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

The magnitude of talented, accomplished musicians in this region is far too great to cover, but here are a handful of the most exciting, creative and up-and-coming artists we’re lucky to call neighbors.

Marco Benevento SAUGERTIES, NY

Keyboardist Marco Benevento moved just outside of Woodstock from Brooklyn in 2011. He spends much of the year touring with jam bands including Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and putting on festivals such as Follow the Arrow in Accord. “There’s a little compass that points musicians up to this area,” he says. “Being in the open air is like a big reset button for me. I feel clearer. After going on the road, I come home to paradise. It’s like a supercharging station.”

Benevento is inspired by the vast recording studio scene in the area including Dreamland

Recording Studios in Hurley, Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, Applehead Recording & Production in Saugerties, Allaire Studios in Woodstock and Long Pond Studio in Hudson Valley where Taylor Swift recorded a live version of her last record-breaking album, Folklore, as well as her follow-up album, Evermore, with Aaron Dessner of The National. “It’s a small little scene, but there’s almost not enough venues for the number of musicians that are here,” he says. “Everyone is crazy knowledgeable.”

York City at age eight and, by 15, he was writing hip-hop lyrics in Spanish and English. He was on his way to SUNY-Orange when he saw a guy walking alone down the road. He decided to pick him up. It turned out to be a rapper named Decora. “We freestyled all the way to the college,” says Villegas. “We just connected.”

is super important to me. We want to make people feel like they’ve gone someplace, but they were just in their own backyard. People are thirsting for it.”

Lee Falco

MARLBORO, NY

away in 2021. his many admired was known giving

100 percent of

Lee Falco grew up in Marlboro where his father Tony Falco founded The Falcon restaurant and theater. He took over the iconic venue after his father passed away in 2021. Among his many admired traits, the elder Falco was known for always giving musicians 100 percent of proceeds.

“It’s been really fulfilling r me,” says Lee about carrying on his family legacy.

for me,” says Lee on family legacy. was

“His mission was supporting artists and community, so it’s been beautiful to keep going and feel the support everyone wanting to do with me.”

Daniel Villegas and Decora

NEWBURGH/BEACON, NY

Hip-hop artist Daniel Villegas was born in Cali, Colombia where his grandmother taught him traditional folklore and drumming. He moved to New

it going and feel the support of everyone wanting to do it

it’s been beautiful to keep small little scene, but there’s

The Lemonheads. He’s in The Restless and his most (clockwise, from top)

Marco

Marco Benevento; Decora; Daniel Villegas

This summer, they’re hosting Dream Valley, a series of curated concerts at unexpected venues including roller rinks, bowling alleys and pool parties featuring an ethnic mix of house music, hip-hop, jungle, afrobeat, Latin and reggaeton. “When it comes to small towns, because of resources or lack of knowledge, there’s a lot of homogenies,” says Decora. “Having cultural variety, and offering it in a way that’s genuine,

Falco is also an in-demand drummer who’s toured with The Lemonheads. He’s played The Restless Age and his most recent project is a honky-tonk band, The New Original Locals (yes, it’s a joke) with Connor Kennedy on guitar, Will Bryant on keys and Brandon Morrison on bass. They’ve become somewhat of a house band around Woodstock.

With the pandemic behind us, Falco sees a growing regional music market ripe for expansion.

“It’s kind of like Nashville in the 200-mile radius,” he says. “It’s got a music economy like a big city, but it’s all spread out.”

PHOTO BY SETH OLENICK.

DECORA PHOTO BY MATT PETRICONE; DANIEL VILLEGAS PHOTO BY CHANDLER M STANLEY

in a

Rhinebeck,

“We connected.”

Upstate BEACON, NY

After a decade on the road, Upstate (above) members Mary Webster, Melanie Glenn, Harry D’Agostino and Dylan McKinstry took a long, unexpected pause while navigating the pandemic and some of life’s big milestone moments. They have since released their third LP, You Only Get A Few, this March. Recorded at The Building in Marlboro, it’s a deeply honest album filled with beautiful songs blossoming with ambiguity. It’s speckled with field recordings made by the band, including the sound of spring rain and a summer night. PHOTO BY BRIDGET BADORE

Al Olender KINGSTON, NY

For singer-songwriter Al Olender, facing her fear of the truth has been a cleansing, often cathartic, experience. On her debut LP, Easy Crier, written after the sudden loss of her older brother, she asks: what happens if we vow to never tell a lie again? Staring demons in the face, Olender shares her most vulnerable moments to remind us of the power of really getting to know yourself. The album was recorded by James Felice of The Felice Brothers at The Church in Harlemville.

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams WOODSTOCK, NY

After seven years of playing in Levon Helm’s band, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams released their critically acclaimed eponymous 2015 debut Americana folk rock album. With Campbell composing and playing several stringed instruments, and Williams on lead vocals and guitar, the duo has become a beloved staple in Upstate and beyond. The musical power couple’s latest album Live at Levon’s captures their fiery energy at their old friend’s Woodstock home.

Jeff Haynes BEACON, NY

Percussionist, composer and producer Jeff Haynes moved from Brooklyn to Beacon 15 years ago to raise a family. His wife had bumped into folk legend Pete Seeger while walking down Main Street. It started a long musical relationship that won Haynes and Seeger a Grammy for Tomorrow’s Children in 2010 and encouraged him to volunteer in the local schools. “When I moved to the Hudson Valley, I thought musicians wouldn’t come up from the city to play with me, but that’s far from the truth,” says Haynes. “This is where I live, and I love paying it forward.”

The Felice Brothers THE CATSKILLS

The Felice Brothers got their start playing in New York City subway trains. Their 2021 album, From Dreams To Dust, was recorded in an 1873 one-room church near Hawthorne Valley in Harlemville, NY where they continue to produce up-and-coming artists.

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Location, Location, Location

Make it the summer of live music in these thriving (and historic) venues.

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

he simple fact about this region is: the more you look, the more you find. Like its bountiful nature and cultural history, the music of the mountains is diverse, expansive and never-ending.

It’s true Hudson suffered a major loss when Helsinki closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. The beloved BSP Lounge across the river in Kingston suffered a similar fate and, in the Berkshires, The Mission in Pittsfield and HiLo in North Adams both permanently shut up shop.

But for every venue to close, it seems like two new ones open. We counted more than 70 live music venues scattered throughout our region. Here are a few you simply must check out.

Bethel Woods Center for the Performing Arts

BETHEL, NY

In the summer of 1969, close to half a million hopeful souls traveled to Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel for three days of peace, love and music. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts opened in 2006 on the property adjacent to the original concert

property to the concert field. many will tell you, ‘I left a different person,’”

“So many will tell you, ‘I left a different person,’” says Bethel Woods CEO Eric Frances. “I think the reason that happened is that it should have turned into something much more chaotic, but it didn’t. People helped each other. It just tested humanity for those three days.”

At any time of day or night, pilgrims can be found gathering by the roadside festival plaque, playing guitars, joining drum circles or even spreading their loved one’s ashes.

“We refer to it as the magic,” says Frances. “The original promoter was kicked out of a few places. But he felt something on this field.”

Saratoga Performing Arts Center

SARATOGA

SPRINGS, NY

Elizabeth Sobol had been a successful record company and talent agency executive when she was lured Upstate to become the president and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).

“I took the job, came up and was flabbergasted,” she says. “It’s a world-class amphitheater from 1966 built in the heart of one of New York’s flagship parks. You’ve got woodlands, streams, geysers and healing mineral springs. There’s tons of historical preservation and green space. You’re three hours from Boston, New York City and Montréal. Forty-five minutes from six million acres of Adirondack parkland. It’s kind of an astonishing confluence of things here in Saratoga.”

of the summer

Throughout the year, SPAC features massive pop and rock concerts produced by Live Nation alongside classical and jazz concerts put on by the Center itself to say nothing of being the decades-long summer home to two of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by star Yannick Nézet-Séguin (see page 38).

The Egremont Barn

EGREMONT, MA

came out stronger for it.

barn hosts open mics, and a

Jenny Rubin and Nick Keene opened live music venue The Egremont Barn, or ‘The Barn,’ in 2016. With a healthy dose of creativity, they managed to keep it open throughout most of the pandemic. While other venues closed, they came out stronger for it. The snug venue housed in an 18thcentury barn hosts open mics, jams and a variety of live concerts several nights a week.

“Our vision has been to create an organic space, a community hub, a meeting ground for people and musicians,” says Rubin. “It’s not easy. You’re not a millionaire. You do it because you love it.”

The LionÕs Den at Red Lion Inn

STOCKBRIDGE, MA

Johnny Irion toured the world as a guitarist for Stone Temple Pilots and The Black Crowes before arriving in the Berkshires when he married Sarah Lee Guthrie. He now runs a home studio where he’s been recording local bands including The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow. He also

Celebrated and Irion hosts weekly music at The Lion’s Den at Inn.

(counter lockwise, from top) Berkshires folk-rockers The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow at The Egremont Barn. PHOTO BY JENNY RUBIN; Celebrated guitarist and producer Johnny music at The Lion’s Den at Red Lion Inn.

Another hot of live at books music Den at Lion Inn.

“I the of street in he says. “You can get away from strip malls, sit outside, have a walk beautiful churches and you into Den and you feel like you could be in New York

books music for the Lion’s Den The Red Lion Inn. really dig the quaintness of old-school, main street America Stockbridge,” he says. “You get away from strip malls, outside, have a cappuccino, by beautiful churches and Norman Rockwell’s studio. Then duck down into Lion’s Den that night and you feel like you could be in New York City or Europe with a speakeasy kind of vibe.”

PS21

CHATHAM, NY

Since its state-of-the-art theater was inaugurated in 2018, PS21 has evolved into a Hudson Valley mecca for innovative programming. “Like an exotic bird in the midst of a 100-acre former apple orchard,” according to The New York Times,

PHOTO BY BRIAN BARNICLE; Another hot night of live performance at PS21

this “outpost of the avant-garde” offers dance, theater, music, art, workshops, an international contemporary circus and participatory events for young and old, all free or at very low cost.

Opus 40

SAUGERTIES, NY

Hudson Hall

HUDSON

Hudson Hall is home New York’s oldest surviving theater, and it’s come this far because its community won’t let it

sculptor

Self-taught sculptor Harvey Fite spent half his life creating by hand this sprawling six-acre bluestone sculpture into the walls of an abandoned quarry. He began to build the stonework sculpture park in 1939, inspired by Mayan stone building techniques, first using the site as a gallery for his sculptures. Since 1980, they’ve held outdoor concerts, nature walks and educational programs on this otherworldly historical preserve. (see page 128)

Bearsville Theater

BEARSVILLE, NY

Bearsville Theater is more than an intimate venue in a beautiful stream-side setting. “It’s hallowed ground,” it boasts. Music entrepreneur and manager Albert Grossman made the site historically sacred by cultivating a creative and nurturing live/work environment on the edge of Woodstock for his artists. Bob Dylan, The Band and Janis Joplin took creative refuge in these hills and became leaders in the music revolution of the ’60s.

A dancing couple at City Winery in Montgomery.

is to theater, and it’s come its community won’t let it die. In 1992, the seen Church and Bret Harte poems, “Blind Tom” on

Current owner Lizzie Vann has been hard at work refurbishing the venue and re-energizing the historic room for the next generation.

City Winery Hudson Valley

MONTGOMERY, NY

Knitting Factory founder Michael Dorf was determined to bring something a little different to the wine scene when he opened City Winery in NYC in 2008: a fusion of his love for both wine and music. The venues offer intimate concerts, food and wine seminars, upscale dining and a fully functioning winery. The Concerts in the Vineyard summer music series brings brand name acts like Josh Ritter, Judy Collins and Rising Appalachia to their Hudson Valley location.

In 1992, the theater, which has seen Frederic Church and Sanford Gifford paintings, Bret Harte reading poems, “Blind Tom” Wiggins on piano, Henry Ward Beecher lecturing on abolition, Susan B. Anthony and Teddy Roosevelt grace its stage over the years, was saved by locals who established it as a cultural center and slowly restored the building.

In 2017, the community helped Hudson Hall complete a $9.5 million restoration. Amidst movie screenings and workshops on their events calendar, you’ll find concerts in jazz, early Baroque music and more.

Avalon Lounge

CATSKILL, NY

Along with Tubby’s in Kingston, Avalon Lounge is probably the best dive bar to see live music in the area. The venue features a dance club, Korean kitchen and a lineup of obscure to legendary indie bands from around the country.

SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 2023 SUMMER SEASON

August 2

Festive Fireworks feat. the 1812 Overture

August 3

Schubert’s “Great” Symphony

August 4

Pink Martini feat. China Forbes

August 5

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert

August 9

Beethoven’s Seventh

August 10

An Evening with Audra McDonald

August 11

Rachmaninoff at 150

August 12

Rite of Spring & Blessed Earth feat. John Luther Adams’ Vespers of the Blessed Earth

August 16

The Four Seasons with Gil Shaham

August 17

Yo-Yo Ma plays Dvořák

August 18

Earth: An HD Odyssey

August 19

Jurassic Park in Concert

Harvey Fite spent half his life

(from left)

PHOTO BY HANNAH GREVE; Next to Woodstock the tradition of live music continues at the recent Bluegrass Festival at Bearsville

Audra McDonald

Pink Martini

Yannick Nézet-Séguin

It’s Festival Season, People!

What’s better than a roster of bands among several thousand friends?

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

ith nature in full bloom and the live music ecosystem finally returning to something like normal, there are more concerts and festivals happening than ever before. Here are our picks for the hottest places to soak in the sounds this summer season.

Indie folk will be in style with Iron & Wine at Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston on July 28 and Cypress at Park Theater in Hudson on July 29. Vintage songwriter Jim Messina sings for the cozy Infinity Hall in Norfolk, CT on August 2.

The Positive Jam Festival brings roots rockers The Hold Steady, Guided by Voices and The Tallest Man on Earth to Arrowood Farms in Accord on August 5.

nee nee peaks Hudson Valley global fusion seven-piece The Big Takeover, led by powerhouse vocalist Nee Nee Rushie, take over the Colony in Woodstock for Jamaican Independence Day on August 5.

PHOTO BY CAITLIN MAHAR-DANIELS

MUSIC SPECIAL REPORT:

Devon Allman and Donavon Frankenreiter join forces on August 9 at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington.

Hudson Valley Jazz Festival pops up at venues throughout the region August 9-13.

Catskill Mountain Jubilee comes to East Durham August 10-12 with jam bands galore including The Disco Biscuits, Dogs in a Pile and Space Bacon

Traditional Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas will grace the stage at The Stissing Center in Pine Plains on August 18.

For the first time in decades, a new festival’s set to premiere on the field of the original Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel with Catbird Music Festival August 19-20 featuring a fantastic lineup of The Lumineers, Tyler Childers, The War on Drugs, Band of Horses and Trey Anastasio Band

After a summer of breathtaking classical music, Tanglewood in Lenox will showcase classic rocker Jackson Browne on August 31 and the poppy melodies of Guster on September 2.

Jazz and classical will echo in the Litchfield Hills with Norfolk Chamber Music Festival through August 19, Music Mountain through September 17 and Litchfield Jazz Festival July 28-30.

Cave Mountain Catskills Music Festival at Windham Mountain welcomes a fun squad of Weezer, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and Dinosaur Jr. September 15-16.

Alabama country star Walker Hayes of “Fancy Like” fame headlines the Hudson Valley Rodeo September 16 in Amenia. Alt-rocker Ryan Adams will be at The Egg in Albany on the same night.

FreshGrass at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA September 22-24 attracts bluegrass and more with Dropkick Murphys, Lukas Nelson + POTR and Rhiannon Giddens

With so many amazing concerts to choose from this summer, pick your favorites and plan for a night to remember. See you at the show!

soul to soul Brooklyn soul singer Alexis P. Suter performs September 7 at Music in the Park on the banks of the Hudson in Catskill.

PHOTO BY ED BOARDMAN

C . G . S T O N E , I N C .

Christopher Gregory, Stone Mason cgregorystone.com

TO PICNIC WITH FRIENDS

You know what you should do?” he texted. It was the spring of 2019. Winter was just fading. “Come out here to Vegas!” He was my pal Connor Kennedy, the guitar virtuoso who would turn 25 a few months later.

I laughed. I’m an addict in recovery. Part of my addiction, which I chronicled in my memoir Hats & Eyeglasses, was to online poker. And although I sometimes play live poker, Las Vegas isn’t a good place for someone like me, someone prone to excess, someone who thinks 3:30am is prime decisionmaking time. “That’s not gonna happen, boychick,” I texted back.

Connor was in Vegas for a three-month residency, playing guitar with Steely Dan. It was a dream job. More than that, even. But he was alone a lot and wanted company. “My hotel doesn’t have a casino,” he texted a few nights later. “It’s where all the musicians stay. The rooms have nice little kitchens. I bought a cast iron pan. I’ve been making steaks.”

I laughed. Food was our language. And a good steak never hurts. But I forgot about it, and him, for a couple of days. Then I got this text: “Please come. I’m losing my mind. Everyone else in the band goes home when we’re not playing. Vegas isn’t a good town to be alone. Plus, I found the greatest breakfast place, off The Strip, with the best iced coffee and the most incredible savory porridge.”

I could say I booked the trip because he was losing his mind, but congee for breakfast is my dream. And he knows it. I booked a flight that night. He picked me up in a Mustang convertible, and that car set the tone.

where we basically—and happily—ordered everything on the menu. On our last night I went to The Venetian to see Connor play with Steely Dan. On the way through the hotel, I had a full-blown panic attack. I couldn’t tell if the clouds were a glimpse of the outside or painted on the ceiling; if the people in the gondolas were real, if the sounds were birds or slot machines. Connor saw it happen and didn’t say a word, just strode behind me, put a hand on my waist and propelled me forward. He sat me at the first slot machine we came to and just stayed with me ’til I could breathe again. We never talked about it again.

That winter my husband Steve Heller and I were in Los Angeles and Connor was, too. In the mornings during our stay, he’d leave involved texts about where we should eat and what we should order. This guy definitely works best with a set list.

Steve and I decided to leave LA a week early. It was clear something was happening in Europe, and it sounded scary. I mentioned to Connor that he should either get a place for a month (he’d been staying at a friend’s guesthouse) or come home. “Really?” he asked over and over.

JAM SESSiON

My close friendship with celebrated guitarist Connor Kennedy is something else. So is he.

BY MARTHA FRANKEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY FLETCHER MOORE

If you’ve ever been near Connor, you know this—he’ll find the best restaurants in any town he’s in. He’ll know the food scene better than the locals after a week. When on tour in 2017-19, he went to every barbeque joint he could find. He met the pit masters. He got schooled in vinegar mops.

By March 10 there was no denying it. And a couple of days later he started the drive back across the country. “No one’s on the road,” he texted from each state.

In the summer of 2020, when it was clear musicians wouldn’t be touring or playing live in concert anytime soon, he approached Steve about building a barbecue smoker. They worked on it for more than a month. Connor moved it to Mount Tremper, to Catskill Pines, where he served a once-a-week, alwayssold-out outdoor barbecue that was invariably the talk of the town.

A few months ago, he called to talk about Ken Burn’s country music documentary. “It’s like 30 hours long,” he said. The next day he asked if I was ever in the VFW on Albany Avenue in Kingston. I had. “It’s a great room,” I said. Within days he had booked it for every Wednesday in April for honky-tonk. It was Connor and the guys he’s been playing with for a decade: drummer Lee Falco, bassist Brandon Morrison, keyboardist Will Bryant, plus the incandescent Cindy Cashdollar on pedal steel. The second week they put up a disco ball and turned down the lights. Week three they hired a dance instructor and people started driving from as far away as Boston to two-step around. It got extended into May and then through June. Who knows, it might still be happening!

Brandon Morrison, Will Bryant, the incandescent Cashdollar on steel. The second week put up a disco ball and turned down the Week three hired a dance instructor and started from as far away as Boston to two-step around. It got extended into and then Who knows, it still be

We stopped at Eataly to discuss steaks. We

So, in the Vegas mornings we went to his breakfast spot and damn, he was right. In the afternoons, we drove deep into the desert. Or into the neighborhoods where “real” people lived. We found the Asian section of town and bought him an enormous molcajete (a mortar & pestle) that would come back to Woodstock with his guitars. We went to Pok Pok for Chef Andy Richter’s wings. We stopped at Eataly to discuss steaks. We went to dinner at Roy Choi’s Best Friend,

Now, when he texts and says, “You know what you should do?” I just throw my hands up and say, “Whatever you tell me.”

what you should do?” I throw my hands up and say, “Whatever you tell me.”

soul mates The author’s close friendship with guitar virtuoso Connor Kennedy features a significant age difference, a non-issue for the BFFs. Here, Kennedy lights up the stage with Little Feat in Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium.

Take My Culture—

The Borscht Belt—and its impossibly rich history—will be the driving force powering the region’s exciting new museum opening in 2025. Even Mrs. Maisel would approve.

BY TARA SOLOMON

Please!

Growing up in Miami Beach during the 1960s & ’70s, my best friend Susan Whitebrook spent three to four weeks every summer at the tony Concord in the Catskills, where she learned to dance the hustle and had her first kiss—an innocent peck on the lips with a young waiter working his way through college named Gary, when she was sweet 16.

(And, no, it didn’t happen at clandestine staff quarters as depicted in Dirty Dancing, although the guest-employee romance was certainly a thing, Susan recalls, adding that she also slow-danced to “The Lady in Red” with another young waiter, Teddy, at the hotel’s Night Owl Lounge. Teddy had a twin brother, Susan shared, but we didn’t press for details.)

Everyone, it seems, has a Borscht Belt story—indelible memories of their summer happy place. Overlooked and forgotten since the area’s decline in the mid-1980s, the Borscht Belt is making its big comeback—with a museum of its own, slated to open spring 2025, and an annual festival celebrating the Borscht Belt vibrant lifestyle starting this summer.

“The Borscht Belt was an incredibly important part of American culture,” says Andrew Jacobs, president of the board of directors of the new Catskills Borscht Belt Museum. “By honoring its legacy, we’re honoring Jewish culture and the many individuals who created what’s one of the nation’s most dynamic and unique eras.”

Housed in the former Home National Bank building in Ellenville, NY—a neo-Georgian, brick-and-terracotta structure from 1928 that’s on the National Register of Historic Places—the museum’s location is especially significant: The bank was one of the first to lend money to the region’s Jewish hoteliers.

Originally a resort destination for gentiles in the 19th century, the Catskills started becoming a destination for Jewish emigres and city dwellers in the 1920s. Enticed by the clean mountain air, pristine lakes and homecooked traditional meals, Jews found a safe haven where they could escape both the stifling heat and the nation’s prevailing antisemitism.

During its heyday in the 1950s and ’60s, there were nearly 1,000 hotels, boarding

Ellenville

ULSTER COUNTY

home improvement Ellenville, NY’s former Home National Bank will be transformed as the Catskills’ Borscht Belt Museum that’s slated to open in 2025.

houses and bungalows catering to Jewish families. Dubbed “The Jewish Alps,” the Catskills boasted upscale resorts such as the Nevele, Grossinger’s, Brown’s, Laurel’s and Kutsher’s that featured amenities lavish even by today’s standards—professional golf courses, tennis courses, indoor pools, skating rinks–even a ski slope with imported snow and a fancy chalet.

The glitzy, Vegas-style hotel theaters hosted nightly performances by showbiz elite, including Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong, Johnny Mathis, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Paul Anka, as well as the famed comedians who helped give the Borscht Belt its name: Don Rickles, Milton Berle, Fanny Brice, Rodney Dangerfield, Jerry Lewis (who had his own theater at Brown’s) and, of course, Henny “Take My Wife, Please” Youngman.

Massive and flashy, Catskills venues had fanciful names such as Stardust Nightclub (Kutsher’s), Starlight Room (Stevensville Hotel) and Black Magic Room (Commodore Hotel) and accommodated up to 3,000 guests.

A forerunner of the all-inclusive vacation, a stay in the Catskills guaranteed a summer full of fun and adventure—for one lump sum. The bungalow colonies, or kuchalane—Yiddish for “cook alone”—were geared to the middle class, offering a flexible option for families whose breadwinner needed to drive back to the city for the work week. “It’s fair to say that a garment worker or taxi driver could afford a few weeks at a kuchalane,” says Jacobs.

This fascinating, historically rich melting pot of Jewish society and customs will be celebrated at the upcoming Catskills Borscht

Belt Museum through visiting exhibitions as well as a core collection of photography, original hotel brochures and other memorabilia, films, audio recordings of personal recollections and educational materials. “It’s essential for future generations to understand the importance of this time,” says Jacobs.

In advance of the museum’s opening in spring 2025, organizers will be debuting the Borscht Belt Fest, an annual cultural and food event, July 29-30 in Ellenville, NY. A curated street fair will feature vendors selling tasty noshes, and Master of Simon Sez, Steve Max, will lead a group of that Borscht Belt staple. Five local bands will perform, including one that plays nothing released after 1967. The special guest of honor will be iconic Catskills painter Morris Katz. “Every Jewish family had one of his Dancing Rabbi paintings,” says Jacobs.

The festival is free and open to the public; the five comedy shows and panel talks will both require a ticket.

“Part of our mission is to show people the Catskills is cool again,” says Jacobs. “After 50 years, it’s ready for its second act

Susan Whitebrook and I will see you there in our search for Mrs. Maisel and her intoxicating brand of nostalgia mixed with humor so perfectly reflective of the magic in the mountains known as the Borscht Belt. Mazel to one and all.

future perfect “It’s essential for future generations to understand the importance of this time in history,” says the Borscht Belt Museum’s Board President, Andrew Jacobs.

goodnight, hello “Images of the Borscht Belt hotels in their heyday look like something out of a dream sequence,” Jeffreys says of his haunting works in the fabled New York region.

legacy

Beauty, Everywhere

Rhinebeck native Isaac Jeffreys captures the light and the magic of the Borscht Belt’s bygone golden era. And how.

BY TARA SOLOMON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ISAAC

JEFFREYS

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU,

but my early 20s were spent watching MTV and shopping at the mall, among other low-brow pursuits.

Unlike Isaac Jeffreys, an enthusiastic 23-year-old Rhinebeck native with a BFA from Parsons School of Design who’s built an impressive portfolio photographing abandoned hotels in New York’s famed Borscht Belt—a hobby since high school, a time when I was laser-focused on scrapbooks and braiding my hair.

Jeffreys, an old soul who enjoyed listening to his grandparents’ stories about their summers in the Catskills, spent “a good amount of time dreaming of the past.” Fascinated by the mystique and glamour of the bygone era, the atypical zillennial has documented 75 historic Borscht Belt resorts

throughout Sullivan and Ulster counties where Jewish families famously vacationed en masse from the 1920s through the 1970s.

The faded facades, drained swimming pools and empty theaters of former iconic hotspots including Grossinger’s—the inspiration for the 1987 film Dirty Dancing and Kutsher’s Country Club, whose ritzy Stardust Room hosted the biggest names in the biz, from Duke Ellington to Joan Rivers, come alive in haunting detail.

“Images of the hotels in their heyday look like something out of a dream sequence,” says the young photographer, whose modern interpretations indeed serve Twilight Zone (un)realness. Dramatically staged and lit at night by Jeffreys and shot with a Hasselblad medium-format film camera, the austere images are eerily inviting, making us wistful

lit major Dramatically staged and lit at night by Jeffreys (above), the austere images are eerily inviting, making us wistful for those Marvelous Mrs. Maisel days of yore.

generation wow Jeffreys’ work gives a new generation an opportunity to appreciate the architectural merit of hundreds of midcentury modern resorts which were “cultural epicenters in the Catskills, representing a peak in design and art.”

for those Marvelous Mrs. Maisel days of yore, having the time of our lives while frolicking through the “Jewish Alps” in fabulous vintage getups. (Side note: Superfans of the sublime Amazon series will recall Season 2, Episode 4 “We’re Going To The Catskills!” in which Midge Maisel and her mother Rose assemble their late-1950s vacation looks from racks and racks of clothing they’ve moved into the living room—which truly is an inspired concept.)

In reviving the allure of fabled Borscht Belt destinations such as the 1901 Nevele Grande Hotel in Ellenville—with its ski slope, Swiss chalet and exotic “mural staircase”—Jeffreys gives a new generation (his generation) an opportunity to appreciate the architectural merit of hundreds of

midcentury modern resorts which were “cultural epicenters in the Catskills, representing a peak in design and art.”

Of the approximately 500 hotels during the Borscht Belt’s glory days, only half remain, says Jeffreys, who plans to complete his Borscht Belt series—now hovering somewhere near 200 images—this summer.

On August 13, Jeffreys will be part of a joint show entitled “Day And Night: Return To The Borscht Belt” with photographer Marisa Scheinfeld at Grocery Store Gallery in Mountain Dale in Sullivan County. Considered one of the Borscht Belt’s oldest towns (established 1880), the hamlet will be honored with a special designation by the Historic Marker Project, for which Jeffreys serves as visual coordinator.

A gallery opening in New York City’s new art mecca, West Chelsea—and a book deal— are at the top of the Borscht Belt ambassador’s wish list. “There’s such a rich visual history in the Borscht Belt,” Jeffreys says. “My goal is to make that history come alive.” Again, much loftier goals than I had at his age. The Borscht Belt deserves nothing less.

Summer is made for Getaways!

Photography by Jamie Kraus

The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You

At Lil’ Deb’s Oasis and Casa Susanna, amazing meals make their own sweet

(Latin) music. | By Hal

Rubenstein

I’m really a happily garrulous, agreeably “C’mon, let’s just do it” kind of guy, but I’m starting to feel like The Mountains’ version of Mr. Burns from The Simpsons Last issue, your favorite magazine chose to do an edition all about love and friendship.

So, what do I write? That I don’t like eating out with a lot of people all at the same table. This month, the publication’s big theme is music. How can you hate music? It’s more bizarre than gagging on mountain air, refusing Joel Robuchon’s butter drenched mashed potatoes or putting on Janis Ian albums for laughs. Except I regard eating in a room dominated by a resident DJ, or even a thumb drive, deliberately crafted to take me on a musical “journey” to enhance my victual delight is akin to energy theft, as incompatible as me chomping on an everything bagel heavily laden with lox, carp

and capers while sitting third row center at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I offer eternal props to restaurateur Keith McNally for first promoting the pre-Buddha Bar, R&B and TSOP, infused reel-to-reel tapes that he’d play at faintly discernible 25dB levels at his seminal spaces including The Odeon and Cafe Luxembourg which would instigate just enough low-level frisson to eradicate silence and trigger intimate conversation. You couldn’t really hear the song—if you could, you must have been one helluva lousy date—but that rhythmic undercurrent subtly jumpstarted the energy so that conversation was what dominated the room. McNally should’ve taken out a patent on this now ubiquitous technique and then he wouldn’t have to suffer shlepping back-and-forth to his hand-over-fist busy new Pastis in Miami. McNally dining outside under the Miami sun is as incongruous as me tearing into a porterhouse at The Blue Note.

What happens when stars align, and you come upon a spot—a restaurant, mind you— whose ambiance ebbs and flows with a rhythm all its own. It doesn’t announce it, or hand you a tambourine upon arrival so you can join in an upcoming sing-along (check, please!). And yet you can sense instantly by how everyone who works there, from Carla, the greeter/manager who waves hi from across the room to the server stealthily sliding effortlessly through a bar throng with a glistening lacquered mound of fried plantains, that all in residence have

buen provecho Lil’ Deb’s Oasis and Casa Susanna (opposite) both boast elevated Latin cuisine served up with style and whimsy.

adopted the same languid but focused pace. What’s more, you can immediately tell who the regular customers are—and there are a lot of them—because they’ve all adopted the same sultry sway. No one’s playing an instrument. Maybe there’s actual music on. I don’t even remember, and I’ve been there a dozen times. But Lil’ Deb’s Oasis is pure jazz.

Deb’s completely original alchemy starts with a menu so singular and virtually incapable of duplication because it’s a Rorschach of the staff, unequal parts South American, Caribbean, Southern, macrobiotic, gluten free, and, hey, what about this? The staff is both visually distinct yet interchangeable (will explain later because it’s meant as high praise), all set

loose in a room that looks like someone had such a really good day at the kitsch section of the Elephant Trunk Flea Market then had time to stop for some low wattage tree lights from a Walmart holiday closeout, all of which hovers under a rare Brigadoonian cloud that insists that everyone here’s going to get happy, satiated, drunk, fed to the gills or hopefully, all of the above. If Carmen Miranda and Busby Berkeley were to come back from cinema’s beyond to update The Gang’s All Here, they’d have to restage it at Lil’ Deb’s Oasis if only because the joint’s even queerer than I am, which has no bearing on what you order, just how you behave. So, here’s a small directive. This is probably the most joyful and musical restaurant for miles, and I don’t know if anyone there can even carry a tune.

Because all dishes are served family style, don’t even try to make this a group effort. Instead, choose one of you to be

jazz club No one’s playing an instrument, but Lil’ Deb’s Oasis is pure jazz. The eyepopping interiors are duly in synch.

© Millicent Harvey Photography

the ‘designated driver’ who’ll work with your savvy server to coordinate a family style meal plan. The staff ain’t there to oversell you, but then there isn’t one item on the menu I wouldn’t recommend. Sorry if that sounds like a cop out but I think part of the fun of Deb’s is being surprised by how deliciously satisfying and surprising the ensuing parade of lentil dosa, scallops in parsnip purée, octopus tambala, passion fruit marinated shrimp, vegetarian empanadas, glazed plantains and provided they have one big enough to satisfy the whole table (their one flaw in portion control), fried porgy in ginger vinaigrette can be.

Earlier I mentioned that the staff was interchangeable. The comment doesn’t have any bearing on their individual personalities, but rather that it seems as if everyone on the floor seems capable of taking over cooking, bartending, dish washing, birthday tributes, troubleshooting or spirit lifting at any moment without a beat drop. If we could only create a queer, nonbinary front this united on a national scale, we could happily scare Lauren

Boebert into never eating anywhere but at a McDonald’s ever again.

Could anything make dining at Lil’ Deb’s any better? Yup. Two things, actually. First, walk in with a smile on your face that says you’re as happy to see them as they are to serve you. Second, regardless of the extensive and impressive roster of cocktails and libations available at the spot on the menu, immediately order a massive triangular pitcher of their spicy tequila cocktail called Garden Orgy. Blissful delirium has never had an easier or faster time getting through a straw. Oh, you’ll be ordering a second pitcher. I’m just not pushing it because if you start singing, and you don’t have a designated driver, there are currently bills stalled in Congress that’ll get voted on before you ever find an Uber to come to Hudson.

LIL’ DEB’S OASIS

747 Columbia Street

Hudson 12534

Open: Thurs – Sunday 5-10pm

518.828.4307

Reservations: Resy

Casa Susanna

Yes, there’s music playing at Casa Susanna though Chef Efrén Hernández doesn’t allow any melodies running through his kitchen. It clouds his thinking. And from the look and taste of the results of his creative process, he has a lot going on, and a lot that’s deservedly being noticed. I admit to arriving at Susanna with a positive bias, since Hernández transformed a hastily conceived dining room at the Riverton Lodge in Hudson and turned it into one of the town’s most enviable dining destinations. In fact, if Riverton served nothing but Hernández’s sourdough bread and the elixir from its Merlinworthy Frozen Negroni machine (Santa, I know it’s early, but are you listening?) I’d still be a regular.

Hernández earned a solid reputation at Riverton for pairing local produce in unexpected ways, including pears and foie gras, chanterelles and blueberry mostarda and squid ink cavatelli with red crab. But for his new endeavor, located in Leeds, NY within a handsomely and playfully restored

EDVARD MUNCH

rustic Camptown Lodge right off a less than glamorous stretch of highway on the way to Home Depot, Hernández chose to devote his efforts to not just being inspired by his Mexican roots but by returning to basic techniques that technology had simplified rather than improved.

Few Mexican restaurants make a big deal over masa anymore because it’s now almost as easy to make as a Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake. One bite of Hernández’s daily corn ground gold and red masas and you can’t help but go “How am I eating anything this special in the middle of Leeds?” It’s the first clue that you probably won’t find Mexican food as directive as Hernández’s in many places in Manhattan either.

According to the young chef, “part of my goal was to share and celebrate the rewarding labor-intensive work from my home that we rarely see in the states, even when it comes to making street food. It’s like how many people discovered how much they loved sourdough bread when they started making it on their own during the pandemic. Grinding your own corn

every day is just one way cooking from scratch can make a difference,” he says.

But Hernández was also adamant that Casa Susanna wasn’t going to be mired in old world techniques with a cornucopia of menu classics including tacos and enchiladas. “There’s so much here that’s special to the Hudson Valley,” says the chef. Guests are surprised when they can’t find guacamole on the menu. “Well, you know what? They

don’t grow avocados anywhere around here. What’s the point of not taking advantage of what we do have that’s unique?”

Gorgeous squash blossoms in salsa verde, pears set soaring with a rub of Meyer lemon, Gochujang and a flash of Calabrian chili and someone who finally knows how to treat cauliflower as something other than fake steak in a cloak of hummus with thick pumpkin seed paste fragrant with sikil pak. For those still afraid of the term “blood sausage” get over it and eat it. It’s so good.

But where you really see the ballsiness of Hernández’s desire and talent are in the selection of six entrees. Only two are anything you might expect anywhere on 28th Street and Park let alone on a lonely road in Greene County–delicious duck confit in fermented black mole and a fine grilled 40oz ribeye. But the other four? You got your seat belts on?

Sweetbread tacos, grilled mackerel in red chilies, beef tongue in salsa Macha (chilies, peppers, nuts and oil) and goat birria tatamada. All are common to Hernández’s origins, and he has the skill

oh, susanna “When I get into that kitchen, I go back to my childhood, my roots, my best memories, and it helps me bring out the best part of myself forward,” Casa Susanna Chef Hernández says; (opposite) the view from the bar from the much buzzed-about restaurant.

and bravado to prove why each is worthy of your attention and gestation.

Because bluefish is so meaty and oily, he seasons the fish the way others might do a roast pork. The result is a fish I’ve never cottoned to that now boasts a mysterious new depth and attraction. Hernández thinks sweetbread tacos are like popcorn and don’t bet against him. I haven’t eaten

tongue since I was eight. I’ll now happily eat it again. But only if Hernández is cooking it. As for the goat… Honestly, it’s simply the best dish in the house. Like beef stew but with a layer of briny richness, and sinewy succulence no cow could ever pull off. For all you skeptics, the daring quartet are four of the house’s most consistent best sellers. So, please go for it. You won’t

be sorry. Just like you’ll believe Susanna’s prickly pear sorbet should be sold at the door hand packed by the pint.

“My family is in México,” says Hernández. “My sister is in Southern California. My wife is from the area, so she’s always comfortable here and I love being with her. But when I get into that kitchen, I go back to my childhood, my roots, my best memories, and it helps me bring out the best part of myself forward. I start to feel closer to who I am. And that makes me very happy.”

He’s not alone. “Why this goat! This damn goat!“ cried out one diner. “This is so goddam good it’s worth singing about. Except I can’t think of one nice song with a goat in it.” Actually, T-Pain has a famous positive hip-hop song called “Goat Talk.” But damned if I was gonna tell him.

CASA SUSANNA

800 County Road 23

Leeds, NY

Open: (Dinner) Thursday-Saturday 5-11pm Sunday 5-10pm (Lunch) Saturday/Sunday 10am-2pm 518.719.0097

Reservations: Resy

LAWRENCE BRAUN

The Cider Man Rules

Doug Doetsch returned to the Catskills to build an empire on Seminary Hill.

By Anthony Giglio

Photography by Daniel Schwartz

Among the first tasks European colonists in the Massachusetts Bay Colony set out to do—400 years ago—was to plant apple trees. Why? Because in Colonial America water was not safe to drink, so hard cider was the most common beverage, such that even children drank it in a diluted form.

Google the words “cider” and “founding fathers” and you might be surprised to discover that the great minds who dreamed up the architecture of our independent republic were fueled by gallons and gallons of cider (and Madeira and rum, too). But the

late 1800s brought cider’s decline thanks to the rise of cities during the Industrial Revolution (unfiltered and unpasteurized cider didn’t travel well from farms to the emerging cities), as well as the ascension of beer—especially in cities filling up with German and Irish immigrants.

Doug Doetsch, co-founder of Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery, happily recounts the history of cider in Sullivan County through the lens of his own personal history. “I’m originally from that little corner of the Catskills called Callicoon. My family on both sides have been in Callicoon for five generations, both were farm families, doing everything from dairy and vegetables to subsistence farming,” he recounts, adding, “New York is the richest agricultural market in the world!”

While Doetsch’s agricultural roots are (ahem) firmly planted in Sullivan County, his journey to apple husbandry took a detour when his dad got a job with General Motors and moved the family to the Midwest after Doug finished elementary school. After law school, he moved to New York City and started going to visit his grandparents a lot—his mom’s side was still up there. Around the same time, he met Susan Manning, now his wife and co-founder at Seminary Hill, and started taking her up to Callicoon to visit the family.

“She could see the authentic farm roots, and my thinking was that this might help my pursuit,” he says with a giant laugh. It worked. Well, at least the part about getting married. But instead of heading Upstate to start growing apples, they left for Chicago to start a family. “I’m a lawyer and Susan’s a professor, so we toggle between Evanston, IL and the Catskills,” spending at least a week a month there, he says. “We left New York City 35 years ago, but still go back regularly to see parents, grandparents, cousins, uncles, friends—we maintain firm roots.”

Sometime around 14 years ago, Doetsch started thinking of his second act, trying to bridge the connection between his family homestead and his agricultural heritage. He and Susan knew they wanted to make cider, but they quickly learned they didn’t know much about organic apple orchards and cider making.

That’s when he discovered Michael Phillips, who had written two books,

setting the apple cart Co-founder of Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery in Callicoon, NY, Doug Doetsch, knows how to work the apple cart en route to making his delicious apple cider as only a proud owner can.

The Organic Orchardist and The Holistic Orchard, both considered classic guides to both commercial and home growers. Phillips visited their land, took soil samples and told them the land needed some TLC by way of cover cropping to enrich the soil. They followed his advice for three years before planting their first 250 trees in 2014. Every year they’d get together with friends and family to plant another 100 or so trees.

Two years later, they turned their attention to another parcel they owned on a slope overlooking the Delaware. “From here there’s a view of a defunct seminary and the Delaware River snaking away at the bottom of the valley,” Doetsch reveals. Phillips said it’d be a phenomenal site for an orchard (with little need for cover cropping), so in 2016, they began planting 1,250 cider apple and cider pear trees on what would become their main estate. Sadly, Phillips passed away unexpectedly last year, but his legacy lives on. “Today we’ve got 1,500 trees,” Doetsch says. With all the trees in place, all that was missing was a production facility with a tasting room. For this they enlisted James Hartford of River Architects in Cold Spring, NY. Hartford designed a “Passive House” structure that uses a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing a structure’s ecological footprint. He built their facility on the slope, deeply embedded in the hill, resulting in natural insulation on three sides, with the south facing side—the one with the seminary and river valley below— made mostly of glass.

“We get lots of light, and we set up with plenty of space for tanks, cold storage, pressing and lab work,” Doetsch says. Upstairs is a tasting room that turned into a full-service restaurant—“and

it’s probably the best restaurant in Sullivan County,” he says smiling, crediting Chef Jack Tippett, who grew up on a farm in North Carolina hunting, fishing and foraging. “He does the same thing up here! The menu features lots of venison, duck, trout, hearkening back to 100 years ago in the Delaware Valley,” Doetsch explains, adding, “It might best be described as Country French or Tuscan, with lots of root veggies, but no tweezers.”

Back outside, they have 60 different varieties of apples and pears, used to make mostly dry ciders; some are sparkling, which Doetsch describes as essentially “pet nat,” which is the abbreviated nickname for pétillant-naturel, a French catch-all term for practically any low-sugar sparkling wine made in the méthode ancestrale, meaning the wine is bottled before primary fermentation is finished, without the addition of secondary yeasts or sugars. They also make a couple of semi-dry (slightly sweet) called Susan’s Semidry, and one with more sugar called Cackling Hen. By commercial standards they’re all on the dry side, in fact, some are quite tannic, all of them structured, and none of them contain any additives, such as spruce tips, honey or grapes—just 100 percent organic fruit. “The alchemy of cidermaking is taking the apples you’re given that year and turning out seven, eight or nine different ciders with differing flavor profiles,” says Doetch, “So, each year is a little different.” He should know.

BACK PORCH MUSIC

Great Barrington High

| By Melissa Reid

I’d been traveling back and forth between New York City and the Berkshires for quite some time and Great Barrington struck me as the perfect place to open a cannabis company,” says Alexander Farnsworth, co-founder of Farnsworth Fine Cannabis, one of Great Barrington’s more distinguished dispensaries. Massachusetts legalized cannabis in 2016, and the entrepreneur opened Farnsworth Fine Cannabis with his brother Brayden and sister Bella in 2021. “I was still spending time in Great Barrington when the ballot was approved by voters, so I started to really explore the idea,”

he says. “The more I spoke about it, the more I was met with resistance. People said, ‘Oh, that’s illegal,’ or ‘That’s a drug.’ Like my love— and ability to marry until 2015—I’ve never believed what society had to say or believed the hype about cannabis being bad.”

Indeed, Farnsworth credits the plant with helping him through an emotionally difficult period in his life. “I smoked cannabis for the first time at age 15 and immediately felt a sense of peace that I hadn’t felt living as a closeted queer kid in a conservative state,” he says. When he moved to New York City at

Alexander Farnsworth slays the cannabis game from his popular perch in the heart of the Berkshires.

19, social cannabis use was all around him. “Everyone I knew was using it for creative projects or to go out dancing,” he says.

Proudly queer-owned and operated, the Farnsworth Fine Cannabis dispensary was designed to be a light and modern retail space, reflecting the brand’s mission of changing lingering outdated stereotypes around cannabis. “We wanted to provide a more modern perspective and counterpart to the historic Main Street of Great Barrington,” Farnsworth says. “It’s a juxtaposition to the historical architecture and buildings.” Whoever passes through the dispensary doors, both weekend visitors and locals alike, Farnsworth suggests a Camino gummy as the perfect edible for exploring the area. Additionally, he says, “The flavor profile is just incredible; it takes the edge off the body and provides a little bit of giggling and a little bit of relaxation. I really love it.”

Farnsworth says the retail experience is “luxurious, inviting, educational and layered in history.” That history is the family’s lineage—great-uncle Philo T. Farnsworth was the inventor of the first fully functional and complete all-electronic television system. His descendant pays homage to the pioneering audiovisual innovator throughout the dispensary, with early televisions and radios proudly on display beside some of

the finest cannabis products on the market. Farnsworth says the gadgets help to create a contrast to the sleek, modern interior design and add some gravitas and a sense of the passing of time. “The radios provide a sense of nostalgia for many of our customers,” he says. “They also provide some color and texture to the experience and help to tell our story.”

Only premium cannabis products are offered at the dispensary, Farnsworth says, including cannabis flower, concentrates and edibles, as well as an eponymous line of products. “By putting cannabis in a museum-quality showroom, we’re signaling that the plant is worthy of being put on a pedestal,” he says. “We sell everything from $2 rolling papers to $2,000 diamond-encrusted pot leaf necklaces.” If you’re in the market for a gift that’s a little extra special, like Jack Kerouacs’s desk lighter, vintage smoking accoutrements from Cartier, DuPont, Hermès or Tiffany’s, you’re in the right place, as Farnsworth and his brother collect exquisite cannabis-themed objets d’art from their global travels.

Farnsworth says his favorite things about Great Barrington are the same things that draw so many visitors to this heavenly slice of the Berkshires: Arts, culture, food and the great outdoors. He says he was struck by the similarities between his hometown of Park City, UT, and Great Barrington during his first visit to the region—a familiarity that’s lasted to this day. “Ultimately, Great Barrington reminds me of home.”

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alexander the great Farnsworth Fine Cannabis in Great Barrington is the headquarters where its eponymous proprietor Alexander Farnsworth (opposite) delivers his coveted herb and popular accoutrements.

buzz off!

isn’t it time for breezy (bug-free) hikes, cool music and hot pizza? Yes, It is.

By Jane Larkworthy

creations because of adjacent nepotism. Rather, I prefer to call it adjacent Neopolitan, with a mildly tangy, faintly sweet crust you’ll be thinking about for days and a divine tomato sauce that’ll frustrate all attempts to recreate it. But when we do try to recreate it… Brightland Pizza Oil is always at arm’s length in the kitchen. Its aromatic mix of garlic, oregano, basil and hint of jalapeño is also excellent for topping off a pasta dish should you be a failed pizzaiolo like myself.

Swatter Weather

This region really starts showing off in the summer—the music, the theater, the festivals, the food! But we stay for the bounty of nature—the lakes, the backroads, the hikes. And in those regards, I rely on these accompaniments:

Spray + Walk

Heretic Parfum is known for its alluring creations including Dirty Hinoki, Dirty Grass and Florgasm. But its thyme, cedar and clovebased The Entomologist was formulated to deter—at least flying critters that enjoy biting. And the pleasant herbaceous scent of this clean blend is downright refreshing.

Another One Bites

The Life Of Pie

It was a wistful moment when the venerable John Andrews Farmhouse Restaurant shut its South Egremont doors this past winter, but pizza fans will rejoice when they bite into the pies being offered at Hilltown Hot Pies, which moves in this summer. Starting with just outdoor seating, Hilltown will eventually expand its menu beyond pizza sometime next year. Full disclosure: owner and pizzaiolo Rafi Bildner and I are related by marriage, but it seems unfair that I can’t share his magical

If, unfortunately, the deed has already been done, a little dab of Eir NYC Bite Tamer will quell most itches and stings thanks to a blend of calendula, arnica and castor oil. And its tiny little roll-on fits easily into any pocket.

Overdid It?

When there’s no time for a massage, a blast or two of Vertly Cooling Recovery Spray soothes overworked muscles. Its recipe of comfrey, magnesium, cooling peppermint, soothing aloe vera and lavender will likely make it a summer reach-for, whether it’s post hike or just a hot and sticky afternoon.

When it comes to live performances, everybody knows about Helsinki (RIP) and Tanglewood (just procured my Jackson Browne tickets today!) and, when the mood strikes, karaoke at The Egremont Barn. But music can be found in so many different places up here

and the chorister in me just had to sing about them.

Yale School Of Music (Norfolk, CT) The university’s summer home offers excellent classical music— opera, chamber music, even Sondheim—and the bucolic

setting can’t be beat. Music.Yale.edu

Dewey Hall (Sheffield, MA)

Catch exciting jam sessions here, where musicians will sit in with the live bands, be they jazz, strings or contra dance. DeweyHall.org

pizza

hut Hilltown

Hot Pies may just be the most anticipated culinary happening this summer in our neck of the woods. We do love our pizza here.

Farm-ToFabulous

By Marco Medrano

Think Succession meets Bonanza in the Hudson Valley. Auberge is globally known for its extraordinarily sophisticated properties. And this 140-acre retreat in Gardiner, NY doesn’t disturb that sterling reputation of excellence. Wildflower Farms exudes the luxury of new, now, next. It’s sumptuous design and earthy elegance feels personal and familiar: Think billionaire family compound with all the trappings. This can’t-miss destination is clearly intended for those among us who know our way around a luxe experience.

Architecturally, this resort was recently built with the breathtaking views in mind at every turn. Walls of glass open to your world of expanse, no matter what freestanding cabin suite you’re in, regardless of the weather. Rain, snow

or sunshine, this panorama is stunning in its full natural setting. We do live in a gorgeous corner of the planet.

Auberge’s publicly stated ethos fits the experience: “A natural playground from which to explore the bounty of the Hudson Valley, Wildflower Farms is a basecamp for adventure, craft, exploration and curiosity.” Want to hike a challenging trail? Or perhaps test drive an electric Mercedes Benz? Take in the scenic paths and country roads on an allelectric Ösa Flex CAKE bike? Yes, you can.

Onsite is Clay, with Executive Chef Ron Lawson in charge of the kitchen, and its expert preparations of seasonal produce direct from Wildflower Farms offer fine dining that highlights local bounty. Chef Lawson also runs the adjacent cooking school and farm education center, Maplehouse. Other offerings include the ability to learn the farm-to-formulation lab process relating to skincare and wellness, while making your own home-grown fragrance at their Cultivate Apothecary. Or if you prefer, there’s an on-site bee apiary that’s both interactive and educational. The above barely touches upon the numerous Auberge “experiences.”

Don’t worry. If you love being in nature but don’t want to roll around in it, there’s plenty of town in this country with divine Ralph Lauren-like moments at the musttry-right-now indoor/outdoor Great Porch.

Nearby, you can take a distillery tour or formal wine tasting, or just drink.

Thistle Spa is steps away, providing calm, roomy spaces for experiences that feature steamed farm botanicals for poultice and deep massage or bespoke facials. Try “Heightened Healing,” “Bodywork,” “Skin Remedies” and/or “Wildcrafted Experiences” (the latter includes “Recovery Remedy,” “Body Botany” and “The Cultivate Facial,” which are unique to Auberge’s Wildflower Farms location with ethically sourced ingredients from the Hudson Valley).

Personal rejuvenation with varying types of yoga, meditation, breathwork and Pilates each have multiple offerings including sound baths and a “Healing Reiki Ritual” (recommended). Just relaxing?

Perfect. The herbal steam room, saunas, outdoor hot tubs, indoor saltwater pool or fine Dew Bar pool are, well, great. How could they not be?

Whether it’s a spa/thermal day pass or as a registered guest, Wildflower Farms offers curated spaces with well thought out experiences that can either be indulgent fun or provide informative life skills. Of course, this is the perfect place to host a wedding, corporate team building or a milestone gala. A highbrow take on glamping? Maybe. But know this: Wildflower Farms is just what you need. A sort of farm-to-opulence experience.

Thistle, an Auberge spa at Wildflower Farms, is exactly what you need.

thistle while you werk Thistle at Wildflower Farms is a 140-acre retreat in Gardiner, NY that doesn’t disturb Auberge’s sterling reputation of excellence.

gorgeous Beekman 1802: The G.O.A.T.

The Beekman Boys may have cashed in, but their luxe legacy lives on.

By Marco Medrano

Now a coveted skincare line, Beekman 1802 was born as a “good guys make good” story that includes the likes of orphaned goats and the subsequent amazing goat’s milk soap bars all from the heart of the Catskills.

Though the well-documented media sensations that were “The Beekman Boys” (founders Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge) sold Beekman 1802 a couple of years ago for a cool $92 million (though they remain involved), the brand continues its excellence trajectory and its sophisticated daily facial therapies have evolved into producing natural remedies that can stand up to the shiny retailers in an affordable luxury category.

PRO TIP: Slather the Milk Wash Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser, Willow Bark Exfoliating Serum, Milk Drops Ceramide Serum, Milk Primer SPF 35 or Milk Shake Hyaluronic Acid & Squalane Facial Toner Mist. The clever product range is large, and each target treatment has something extra, with no trace of any bad ingredients. As a longtime beauty and grooming editor, I test skincare for a living, and I can honestly say that Beekman 1802 really makes a daily anti-aging regimen resultsoriented and fun. Now, that’s hard to find—in the Catskills or anywhere. Beekman1802.com

JOANE CORNELL MAKER OF FINE HANDMADE ARTISINAL

Misty Water-Colored Memories

The Marian M 800 Spyder is the sleek, electric bowrider of our summer dreams.

By Simon Murray

At this point, I’ve lived far too many lives to count as an avocado-toast-eating millennial. Inside me is a Russian nesting doll of sorts—worlds within worlds falling away into insignificance. Old misbegotten lookalikes in various states of atrophy that I carry around with me under my epidermis. The

volunteer teacher in the Louisiana Bayou, the Midwest newspaperman, the valet running back and forth to a parking garage in Boston’s North End—their memories and experiences unravel like yellowed film reel in a clunky film projector that I, admittedly, consult from time to time.

Some are more tangible than others. In my most recent life, I was an International Man of Mystery, journeying around the

spyder, man! Part of the Marian M 800 Spyder’s appeal is its power: At the highest end, a 150-kW shaft drive motor powered by 20 kW lithium batteries.

world to test yachts and hobnobbing with the rich and famous. All this under the guise of an editorship for a nationally syndicated yachting magazine based out of Connecticut. The boats I climbed aboard

in Fiji and Taiwan, Norway and Mallorca, were typically rated for ten-foot seas or more, oceancrossers built for blue water. That’s what they call the deepest, remotest depths. The places on curled ancient maps where grotesque sea monsters would be drawn during the age of exploration, and today, where unimaginably large container ships transport their heaving cargo across the great watery maw of the world.

meaning this ultra-sleek bowrider with a two-foot draft has impeccable trim and finish worthy of the Italians. Styling for this version of their flagship model is all done in-house at this family-owned manufacturer’s facilities along Lake Wolfgang in Salzburg, which reminds me of Upstate New York’s Lake George if it was surrounded on one side by dizzyingly high alpine mountains. Each boat is handcrafted with exacting attention to detail, as everything on the Spyder—including the color, equipment and materials—is customizable, entirely up to you.

Except the sea isn’t blue out there. It’s a deep, menacing black like a starless night. There’s a subset of boaters who have no need for that existential dread, and I don’t blame them. Lake life, on the other hand, is pure bliss. The depths aren’t nearly as deep on the lake, but a shallow boating life has a peaceful, laidback beauty all its own. The irony of my days spent running multi-million-dollar vessels was a duality of sorts. After I came home and took off the chinos, loafers and button-up shirt, I’d slip on a pair of board shorts and flip flops and head to Onota Lake in the Berkshires or one of the smaller lakes in northeastern Connecticut, near Boston, and enjoy a pontoon rental on a glassy expanse of water with family or friends. Venture even the word “pontoon” to one of the yachting ilk, and they’ll adjust their ascot and stare at you quizzically. Say it fast enough and they might even say “bless you.”

I’ve never been snobby enough to denigrate watercraft. Thankfully, the act of floating is democratized not only at birth, but with the help of canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. (You may find me on any of the above.) But there’s always room for a little zhuzh, whether you’re a lake enthusiast like me, or have grand plans to navigate the mighty Hudson River.

In either case, look no further than the Marian M 800 Spyder, which comes from Austria seemingly by way of Lake Como,

Admittedly, this isn’t a new model: the Spyder debuted in 2021. However, in February, Marianboats announced that all its boats are now available in the US through a partnership with Mocean Watercrafts, so their exclusivity’s still a big part of their allure. With a price tag that starts at a quarter-million dollars, so’s the cost.

The other side to its appeal is its power: at the highest end, a 150-kW shaft drive motor powered by 20 kW lithium batteries. (Marian offers a range of power options for motors and batteries.) Yes, the Spyder, like all their boats, is 100 percent electric. Electric motors aren’t the most advisable power supply for longrange voyages at sea quite yet, but they’re perfectly applicable for meandering summer lake days. On Marian’s website, you can select your power package and desired speed, and you’ll be presented with an easy-to-read travel time broken out in hours and distance in kilometers. For instance, if you were to set the throttle to 18mph, you’d run out of juice in a little less than two hours. But hook it up to shore power, and you’ll be good to go after lunch, unless you’re like me and want (need?) to constantly test its 40mph top end. And thanks to its plentiful seating aft and in the bow, at least nine people can join you for the day. Now, that’s a party.

One day I’ll dust off the memories spent cruising on yachts and entertain my young family with a boat of our own. Our memories might wither and decay, but I find those made on boats have a rigidity that stands the test of time. Even if they were made going two knots on a bright bluebird day on a small body of water. Those memories especially seem to last the longest. Go figure.

MODERN SOPHISTICATION

Sited on 9 private primarily wooded acres, minutes from Rhinebeck Village.

2,612 SF, 4 BR, 3 BATH, 2 CAR GARAGE

MODERNIST CABIN

Sited on 5 private primarily wooded acres, minutes from Rhinebeck Village.

2,250 SF, 3 BR, 2.5 BATH, 2 CAR GARAGE

CONTACT: DOUG MAXWELL

Real Estate Broker, Upstate Modernist 212.518.3130 (mobile)

info@UpstateModernist.com @UpstateModernist

Styling for this version of their flagship model is all done inhouse at this family-owned manufacturer’s facilities along Lake Wolfgang in Salzburg, which reminds me of Upstate New York’s Lake George.

What Lies Beneath

Let’s talk about soil microbes. Sounds Sexy, right?

Pictures and Words by Mira Peck

You’ve heard all the buzz about “carbon gardening” and “regenerative agriculture,” right? OK, probably not, but once you learn more about it, please, spread the word. Some things in the garden shouldn’t be a secret.

Imagine a lush summer garden, full of vibrant flowers, buzzing bees, colorful butterflies and hummingbirds darting through the air. This type of garden only happens when you cultivate an important symbiotic relationship between plants and pollinators—this is when flowering plants attract insects to their flowers to give them a treat of nectar in exchange for helping them spread their pollen to produce seeds—something I, as a professional horticulturist, have been hyping for years.

Now I’d like to introduce you to a different symbiotic relationship, this one happening just below the soil surface between plant roots and microbes.

We’re all feeling the effects of climate change in the mountains: high temperatures, drought and more extreme weather events. For gardeners, it’s also these annoying early warming periods that kickstart early flowering and plant hormonal changes signaling it’s spring in January (which makes plants abort flowers, etc.) or late unexpected frosts that damage even hardy plants because their leaves have pushed out, but they haven’t hardened off yet.

Why is this happening? Through human activity, including industry, deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels, we’ve been releasing copious amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere (carbon dioxide and methane), trapping radiation and warming the planet. For most of the time humans have been here, carbon dioxide has accounted for about 0.03 percent of our atmosphere, or 280 parts per million (ppm) of it. Today, the system’s way out of balance, with carbon dioxide at more than 400ppm.

This excess carbon originally came from the ground (picture a huge oil well drilling into the Earth) and it can go right back into it again. How, you ask? Enter roots and microbes. When they team up, they can draw gaseous carbon from the air, convert it to liquid and then sequester it as solid carbon in the soil.

This is how it works: It starts with plants. To make their own food, plants use the process of photosynthesis to absorb sunlight through the chlorophyll in their leaves and draw up water through their roots (are you getting nostalgic for high school biology yet?). They use this energy from the sun to break apart the water molecules and then they release oxygen into the air through pores in their leaves. They draw carbon dioxide from the air through their leaf pores, which binds with the leftover hydrogen from the water molecules to create simple sugars and carbohydrates (plant food).

Plants use this food to grow and flourish, but they also secrete some of it out of their roots as “root exudates.” This seems like a waste of precious resources, but there’s a savvy reason behind it. Think of the obvious limiting factor that plants can’t move and therefore can’t always access all the nutrients from the soil that they need to grow and thrive. They need little helpers to go get nutrients for them that they can’t reach. Like how plants found helpers above ground to spread their pollen further afield (pollinators), plants found helpers below ground to access critical nutrients and hydration that’s out of their reach. There’s just got to be something in it for them: yummy exudates.

These helpers are soil microbes. A healthy soil is alive with microbes (bacteria, fungi, nematodes and others) that cycle organic matter and process minerals, all of which plants need. So, to get better access to those minerals, plants leak this liquid carbon in the form of simple sugars and carbohydrates (“cake and cookies” as the soil scientist Elaine Ingram calls them) so the microbes

the converts When the roots and microbes team up, they can draw gaseous carbon from the air, convert it to liquid and then sequester it as solid carbon in the soil.

will start to colonize the root zone. In return, they help plants absorb nutrients and effectively carry minerals and moisture closer to the plant.

Now here’s how this helps the planet: Microbes also secrete substances from this process, one of which is a glycoprotein called glomalin Glomalin’s super sticky, and it binds soil particles together into larger aggregates. These aggregates hold large amounts of stable carbon inside of them, carbon that’s protected and won’t just be cycled by microbes, remaining stable as sequestered carbon.

Voilà! A carbon sink, which acts as a safehouse for carbon holding it in the soil for very long periods of time if not disturbed.Here are some ideas to sequester carbon in your own yard:

Soil Covered With Plants

Leaving bare soil exposes carbon molecules to the air which then binds with oxygen and is released into the atmosphere; this is basically the opposite thing we want to have happening (a carbon pump). Plants prevent this from happening: Instead of leaving soil bare between crop rotations in your veggie garden, use a diversity of cover crops as a green manure; plant ground cover plants in your shrub or flower beds, as a living mulch.

Reduce Tilling

Tilling breaks up all the fungal hyphae and the soil aggregates that hold the stable carbon; it also exposes organic matter to oxygen.

No Synthetic Chemicals

These kill the biology in the soil so carbon cannot be sequestered, and plant health suffers.

Perennial Crops Are Best

That deep-rooted meadow you’re fantasizing about is the best carbon sink ever.

We do need to prevent further dangerous emissions, and we need to give the excess carbon already in the air a place to go. So, go forth and garden for Mother Earth, because the answer’s a living, healthy soil in conjunction with—every gardener’s dream—more plants. And there’s nothing ever wrong with that.

How To Spend $100: Stewart’s Shops

No road trip is complete without this iconic ice cream.

By Robyn Perry Coe

The definition of scenic route? A car trip Upstate—not just getting here but enjoying the ride. With 350 locations from Newburgh, NY to Vermont, fill up at Stewart’s Shops to power your next fun road trip.

No.1: ICE CREAM Start where Stewart’s started: ice cream. They make their own with fresh local milk. Double waffle cones maximize flavor and minimize spills. $3.39

No.2: SUNSCREEN + INSECT REPELLENT While you’re there, stock up on this summer fun insurance. $19.18

No.3: WIPER FLUID Your windshield will thank you. $12.95

No.4: COOLING TECH Grab a cooler and bag of ice to keep your refreshments refreshing. $9.28

No.5: DONUTS Stewart’s own maple donuts. I mean... $4.99

No.6: FIRST AID Restock your glove compartment with Motrin, Band-Aids and Dramamine. $9.77

No.7: CAMPFIRE WOOD Car camping? Pick up a bundle of firewood. $7.95

No.8: FUEL Get some gas; fill the tires (air is free). $32.49

Schedule a Free BEMER session today.

SunCommon installed a beautiful solar panel system on our house. The whole process from start to finish was so quick and easy because their staff was amazing! Everyone was friendly and super helpful and handled every step so professionally.

- JANIS Hudson Valley, New York

As one of the most tenured local solar companies in our region, we’re deeply committed to the communities where we live, work, and play. We’ve probably crossed paths with you at the grocery store, the farmers’ market, or our kids’ soccer games. We’re your neighbors, and we’re here to create stronger, more vibrant communities together, for years to come.

Being a good neighbor means building trust and showing up when it matters most, which is why we put customer experience at the forefront of our work. Everyone has a different perspective on what going solar means to them, their family, and their future. It’s our job to meet each need with a custom solar solution. That commitment shows in the words of our 10,000+ happy customers.

Barnwood Tonight

Don’t zoom by this Catskill treasure hiding in plain sight.

Pictures and Words by Alan Katz

Heading east for an important meeting, it flew by my view on the left, driving up Route 23. Like a beacon for what, I didn’t know, but it caught my peripheral attention, nonetheless.

Barnwood Restaurant never left my mind as my meeting commenced, although there’s plenty else about Catskill, NY to keep my attention. Rolling hills and deep woods. Beautiful old homes and newly renovated architectural marvels. Wraparound porches with wooden handrails and wire cross bars to keep you safe while allowing great views of the woods and streams. Picture windows replacing small eyelet four-on-four casements. All meant to bring the outdoors in. Exteriors painted black to blend in are instead striking and majestic. Heading back eastward, dinner beckoned, and I wondered, “Does one wait to dine in fashionable Hudson or pull over at the big

A co-ed boarding and day school for grades 9-12 & PG. Advanced Math/Science Research, Advanced Humanities Research, Sustainability, a range of arts offerings, and championship athletics on a stunning 400-acre campus in the Berkshires.

wooden building and sample the Barnwood?”

A quick right into the parking lot and I was greeted with a perfect menu of the classic comfort foods I grew up with, which I now enjoy far too infrequently: wood-fired pizza, crackling good fried chicken, big salads, falloff-the-bone ribs and a plethora of craft brews.

The ambience inside was like a memory I never had, impossibly familiar and comforting. Imagine your most beloved Swanson dinners— but brought to life by someone who can cook. From the too-classic pizza to the updated fried chicken with skin and crust so crunchy you would think a Korean street chef was in the kitchen, this menu is even better than it looks.

Being solo, I chatted up another couple a table away (turns out they too were weekenders who recently became transplants) who were also marveling at the childhood memories embodied by the Barnwood kitchen and restaurant. They too were knocked out by how good those classics could be when brought to life.

So don’t just zoom by these sheds of yesteryear. Sure, the refurbished and redesigned hipster joints abound these days (many of them we recommend as well) but don’t sleep on these classics. They rarely disappoint and the price point is always right. Bring the family or make new friends with someone else’s. And that’s the beauty of the mountains.

comfort zone Wood-fired pizza and other comfort classics await all at Barnwood Restaurant in Catskill, NY. Hungry yet?

Road trippin’ Season is here

Tri-City ValleyCats fill ‘The Joe’ in Troy. time to play ball. | By Jonah Bayliss

As a former Major League Baseball player, I’m often asked what I remember most about my experiences in professional ball, and my answer’s almost always a shock to those asking. It’s not the pre-draft workout I was invited to at Fenway Park (baseball’s holiest of temples) or pitching on the same mound as so many of the great New York Yankees legends in The House That Ruth Built or even getting my first career win at Wrigley Field (baseball’s second holiest of temples).

There’s a place in the majors far removed from the glitz and glam, where smaller, quainter stadiums have captured something precious to the professional baseball experience: wholesome family fun. It’s a place where smiles from good-hearted fans and hard-working players can share genuinely requited smiles. And it’s a place that can be found right here—or a very short drive away.

Just a stone’s throw from Albany (or a towering homerun shot away) is the town of

Troy, NY. Here, you’ll find a little baseball gem named Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, affectionately known as “The Joe” to those in the know. It’s the official summer home of the Tri-City ValleyCats and it’s easily accessible and hosts captivating entertainment, night in and night out.

For starters, let’s talk about getting there. If you’re anything like me, the thought of taking the car into New York City to catch a game is nauseating. “How much time should we plan for getting there? Will we hit rush hour? Where’ll we park? Will parking cost more than a ticket for the game? Will my car still have wheels on it when I come back?” There’s no such need to fret when you’re headed to catch the ValleyCats. A trip to The Joe couldn’t be easier. You simply drive right to the stadium’s parking lot and exit your car to a brief walk to the front gate.

As you walk through the turnstiles, the concourse opens to unobstructed views at every seat and a beautiful, wooded backdrop of pine trees. The stadium has all the traditional food and drink offerings you’d expect at a baseball game, mixed with

BAGELS BAKED FRESH DAILY SMOKED FISH • PASTRAMI SOUPS & SALADS CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS

pitch perfect The Tri-City Valley Cats provide an experience packed with fun from the moment you step inside the gates at ”The Joe” until the very last pitch.

some local samplings. With such an inviting atmosphere, it’s never ceased to amaze me how these smaller venues can meld an “athome” feel with the energy of a professional sporting event (and with shorter lines).

Once you’ve settled on a savory treat and you find your way to your seat to take in the game, you may notice something else that can only uniquely exist at this more intimate venue: there are games and entertainment options everywhere you look. In between innings, on the field, over dugouts, in the stands and scattered about the concourse, there are raffles, trivia contests, dizzy-bat races, basketball freethrows, giant inflatable slides, kid games, adult games and more. Yes, more.

Speaking of nights, I haven’t even mentioned the myriad theme nights. If you happen to look over and see someone dressed

in a robe with a tall pointy hat and a long white beard, don’t be alarmed. It’s probably just Wizard Night. Not to be outdone, of course by Hawaiian Night, Pirate Night, Star Wars Night or, a personal favorite, Denim Day.

The small, community-based venue understands something very key to its own success. They’re selling something quite often more prized in the eyes of a child and families than seeing a star player. They’re providing an experience—an experience packed with fun from the moment you step foot in the gates until the last pitch. Their mission isn’t so much dollars and cents and perfectly negotiated player contracts, it’s simply to offer the very community that supports it opportunities to create memories that’ll outlast a typical major league career.

You can find the little gems scattered across the land, tucked away in some of the country’s greatest nooks and crannies. They constitute the grassroots foundation for the professional baseball we all know so well and are fortunate to have so close to our backyard.

Like so many of the fantastic minor league towns and stadiums I played in, it’s a symbolic treasure chest of good times, wholesome fun and magical memories all wrapped in a unique baseball experience impossible to achieve at Yankee Stadium or any other MLB edifice. When I think back on my own career, it’s not the glitz and the glam that seems to garner the focus of my nostalgia. It’s these small stadiums and communities that take adopt and love you and truly make you feel like you’re a native son. It’s special indeed.

With an abundance of talented players that barely fall shy of their major league counterparts and never quite make it to “The Show,” they thrive in the intimate environment with more entertainment than you can shake a stick at. Time to play ball, folks. You’ll have a night for the ages.

Backyard Beer Garden Oasis

Fire pits & games

Roberto’s Pop-Ups at High Lawn Farm in Lee every Thursday 11–3

Roberto’s Artisanal Donuts Saturday mornings at Flying Church Coffee Shop in GB OPEN

The Joe’s a symbolic treasure trove of good times and magical memories wrapped in a unique baseball experience impossible to achieve at Yankee Stadium.

Reported by Sandy MacDonald

CALENDAR

Impermanence

Four Meditations On

PS21, Chatham, NY

Inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, Filipinx composer/percussionist

Susie Ibarra plans a day-long communal exploration of PS21’s forested landscape. PS21Chatham.org

15

Fisher Center 20th Anniversary Community Celebration Fisher Center At Bard

Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

Kick off the S ummerScape season with an all-day, all-ages fête featuring “Kinder Disco!” a Flor de Toloache performance (all-female mariachi), and an aft er -hours dance fl oor in the Spiegeltent. FisherCenter.bard.edu

15-30 As You Like It

Catskill Mountain Shakespeare, Hunter, NY

Nothing says summer like Shakespeare under a tent, and this fl edgling company has chosen a timely tale about a band of discontented courtiers camping out in protest. CatskillMountainShakespeare.com

19-23

Dorrance Dance

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

This decade-old New York City company has helped elevate vernacular tap dance to the realm of fi ne art. JacobsPillow.org

JULY 18 –

AUGUST 5 Blues For An Alabama Sky

july

Henri VIII Fisher Center at Bard

Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

Commanding bassbaritone Alfred Walker plays the title role in Saint-Saëns’ Henri VIII, rarely seen on these shores for the past half-century. FisherCenter.bard.edu

15 Così Fan Tutte

Tanglewood, Lenox, MA

Mozart’s romantic bagatelle makes for perfect summery entertainment, especially with a cast of youthful up-and-comers including Nicole Cabell and Elliot Madore. BSO.org/events

16 Laura Benanti In Concert

Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA

Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfi eld, MA Pearl Cleage’s 1995 play captures the heady, hopeful atmosphere of the Harlem Renaissance. BarringtonStageCo.org

JULY 20 –AUGUST 5

The venerable institution (est. 1954) is on semi-hiatus this summer, recalibrating aft er a long-overdue apprentice-led mini-revolt. How fi tting it would be were Benanti to tr ot out her Melania. WTFestival.org

WTF Cabaret

Williamstown Theatre Festival

Williamstown, MA

Williamstown’s cabaret tradition lives on.

Curated by the impish Christopher Fitzgerald, no two weekends of the program are the same, though all are promised to be intimate, casual and ever surprising. WTFestival.org

20-23

Call Fosse At The Minskoff

Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie

Mimi Quillin recreates the heady experience of working with dance giants Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon on their fi na l collaboration. Vassar.edu/powerhouse

Actor/dancer

Runners PS21, Chatham, NY A benefi t introduces the two-night run of Cirk La Putyka, a Czech performance troupe who cavort in concert with a giant treadmill.

22-23

The Chevalier

Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie

Paris, ACTORS!

Williamstown Theatre Festival Williamstown, MA

PS21Chatham.org

The Main Stage stirs to life briefl y for a reading of Hamish Linklater’s latest play, a WWII farce set in occupied Paris, his wife, Lily Rabe, co-stars. WTFestival.org

You’ve seen the movie? The Harlem Chamber Players off er a live take on the saga of fencer/ violinist Joseph Bologne, a familiar of both Mozart and Marie Antoinette.

JULY 31 –AUG 1

Fisher, The Grand Aff air:

Paul

J ohn Singer Sargent in His World The Mount, Lenox, MA One hardly needs a pretext to visit Edith Wharton’s country house, but opportunity to learn more about her good friend, the great painter John Singer Sargent, will serve. EdithWharton.org

Hip-Hop Across The Pillow

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

Top contenders will convene for a half-century celebration of the street dance phenomenon. On August 4, all comers are welcome to partake in a participatory, cross-campus “All Styles Dance Battle.” JacobsPillow.org

SEPTEMBER 2

AUGUST 12 –

On Cedar Street

Unicorn Theatre, Stockbridge, MA

Oona Doherty

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

The Ireland-bred avantgarde choreographer presents the US debut of her latest, largest work, Navy Blue , encompassing “spoken word poetry, political candor and eclectic music.” JacobsPillow.org

Complexions

Vassar.edu/powerhouse

JULY 22AUGUST 27

August Wilson’s Fences

Shakespeare & Co. Lenox, MA Horror fi lm star Tony Todd takes o n the iconic role of a trash collector who still dreams of playing ball. Shakespeare.org

Faith Healer

Barrington Stage Company Pittsfi eld, MA

1

Christ opher Innvar assumes the title role in Brian Friel’s mesmerizing 1979 three-hander about an itinerant Irish mystic. BarringtonStageCo.org

Contemporary Ballet

august

Could a humble barn theatre generate the next big Broadway show? Signs are good: With a book by Emily Mann and music by Lucy Simon ( The Secret Garden ), this adaptation of Kent Haruf’s novel Our Souls at Night —set in a drought-ridden Colorado town—could go far. BerkshireTheatreGroup.org

...DON’T MISS!

SEPTEMBER 1-3 Hamlet: A StagedReading Shakespeare & Co. Shakespeare.org

4-6, 10-13

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

A company as diverse as its repertory makes its Pillow debut with a program centered on Stardust , a tribute to genre-bending superstar David Bowie. JacobsPillow.org

Água Viva Hudson Hall, Hudson Dancers Jodi Melnick and Maya Lee-Parritz pay tribute to Ukrainian-born Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector’s feminist vision. HudsonHall.org

All-Beethoven Program

Tanglewood, Lenox, MA

In what’s sure to be the standout concert of the season, musical superstars Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and Yo-Yo Ma focus on the master. BSO.org/events

Vaughan Williams And His World Fisher Center at Bard

Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

A two-weekend study—with musical accompaniment ranging from operas to fi lm scores—of the life and work of the prodigious British composer. FisherCenter.bard.edu

AUGUST 16 –SEPTEMBER 10

A New Brain Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfi eld, MA

The BSC, in concert with the Williamstown Theatre Festival, revives William Finn’s autobiographical 1998 musical about a writer (Adam Chanler-Berat) facing a potentially fatal operation while dealing with a domineering mother (the indomitable Mary Testa). BarringtonStageCo.org

My Pick-Your-Own Obsession

By the time you’ve read this, I’ll have exhausted my friends’ and family’s good will and company when it comes to asparagus, and for that matter, most likely have pushed the limits when it comes to strawberries. You’re just in time to jump on the bandwagon with blueberries and blackberries alongside me, so come on in, the water’s fine.

I’m talking about one of my favorite obsessions when it comes to life in the mountains—the pick-your-own farm. Addictive in the best way, fun for nearly everyone who’s willing to stoop or bend, pluck and pick, pick-your-own fruit and veggie

season begins in my corner of the Hudson Valley in early spring and runs through the fall—don’t even get me started on apple picking. For me, the locale of choice is Greig Farm in Red Hook, NY, in continuous operation since the 1940s.

What I love about pick-your-own is…well, everything. For one, the perennial New York City slicker in me is still agog every time I get to grab a piece of fruit from a tree when vacationing, and since moving to my mountainside town just outside of Woodstock full-time in 2005, I get an enormous thrill at the idea of selecting my food at its source. For another, pick-your-own is all about possibilities. “What am I planning on

I’m not messin’ around. Not even a little. | By Abbe Aronson

doing with x pounds of this?” and if you’re an overachieving home cook like me, possibilities are like foreplay…the more, the better.

With asparagus season, we like to “roast-’tilcrispy” as many tender stalks as possible, but then there’s always pickling, quick sautéing the tips with pastas, puréeing whole for soups hot and cold and loading up omelets. With strawberries, besides the no-brainer shortcake, there’s ice cream to be topped, drinks to be garnished, whole fruits to be dehydrated and enjoyed in distinctly non-strawberry season (believe me when I tell you that a handful of dehydrated strawberries sprinkled on top of oatmeal in the middle of winter is a gamechanger) and of course, in the dog days of summer, an ice-cold bowl of strawberries with freshly whipped cream is really all you need to make any meal magical.

But again, the bounty aside, it’s the whole idea of pick-your-own that’s romantic and fantastical to me. It’s endlessly affordable, so you and you alone decide how crazy you wanna get in the field. Greig Farm, like almost all our local options, is plain ol’ gorgeous and a great place to glimpse those skies everyone’s been painting for decades. Bought yourself a big sun hat and wondering when you’ll wear it? Here’s your chance. Breaking in your new Wellies? Yup, you’ve come to the right place.

Asparagus in early spring is spectacular because for many people, it’s the first time they’ve gotten to dig in the dirt since the former season and it’s…life-affirming.

pick-up artist Come early and come hungry to pick-your-own blueberries and asparagus at Greig Farm in Red Hook, NY.

Berry season? You’ve got the bees buzzing and that smell. That. Smell That, combined with a field full of happy kids smeared in berry juices and everyone licking their fingers? Well, that’s summer in a nutshell. Looking ahead to fall, don’t sell apple or pear picking season short. Yes, you might’ve been schlepped along on a school trip to an apple field, or you might’ve tipped a glass of cider at a pumpkin patch—but a day spent tromping around acres and acres of different varieties of apples and pears, perhaps getting a taste of some early coolish fall air? You’ll be rationalizing your decision to haul home 15 pounds of mixed varieties in no time. Add to that the bonus that many of the pick-your-own apple farms also bottle and serve hard cider and spirits, and you’ll realize it was indeed a very good idea to go picking.

the insider

• I love Greig Farm for all my summer pickings, but come fall, don’t miss Fix Bros. Fruit Farm in Hudson for one of the largest assortments of apples and pears.

• I know you might’ve missed asparagus season, but there’s still plenty of lovely asparagus to buy in the stores right now and David Chang (of NYC’s Momofuko) has an asparagus with miso butter recipe that no one should truly live without. Spoiler: it has a soft-boiled egg on top. Need I say more?

• The Cosori Stainless Steel Dehydrator is well-priced, does meats and herbs as well as fruits and veggies and it’ll forever change your snacking game. Trust.

produce aisle All roads lead to summer produce at Greig Farm. See you there.

Pippa Garner, Specimen Under Glass, 2018. Framed photograph, Courtesy of the artist and STARS Gallery, Los Angeles

roof repair

AAA Roofing 70 Middle Road Hudson, NY 12534 518.828.7302 AAARoofingNY.com

Five Star Roofing Serving Catskill, NY and surrounding area 518.567.4027 FiveStarRoofingNY.com

Klaus Roofing Systems by J Smegal 449 Pittsfield Road Suite 201 Lenox, MA 01240 413.655.7663

JSmegalRoofing.com

Phelps Brothers Roofing

1222 US-9 Castleton-On-Hudson, NY 12033 518.479.4362

PhelpsBrothersRoofing.com

In business since 1978, this family-owned and operated roofing company offers a ten-year warranty on their workmanship.

J and A Roofing 3 Clarendon Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 845.768.3139 JARoofing.com

Chris Ba aini Roofing Company 567 Dalton Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201 413.441.4840 CMBRoof.com

Rob Sherlock Roofing Serving Sullivan County and surrounding areas 845.316.2158

RobSherlockRoofing.com

Lyndsey Roofing, LLC 316 Titusville Road Suite B Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.206.0329

LyndseyRoofing.com

must-have survival guide

wildlife home removal

All Seasons Wildlife Removal

Serving Dutchess and surrounding counties 914.621.8574

All-Seasons-Wildlife-Removal. business.site

Wrex Wildlife 341 Grand Street Croton-On-Hudson, NY 10520 914.566.9739

WrexWildlife.com

Hudson Valley Wildlife Solutions

Serving entire Hudson Valley 518.512.0400

HVWildlife.com

Flying squirrels, bats, raccoons and other nuisance wildlife don’t belong in your house, and these certified wildlife experts’ll make sure of that.

Wildlife Busters LLC

Serving Poughkeepsie and Greater Hudson Valley area 855.945.1212

WildlifeBusters.com

Catskill Animal Damage Control

Serving Ulster County and surrounding area 845.389.8841

CatskillADC.com

Cri erex LLC

Serving entire Hudson Valley 845.247.7564

Critterex.com

Gardening equipment

Country Living 325 NY-66 Hudson, NY 12534 518.828.4031

Green Lab Supply 160 Fairview Avenue Suite 72 Hudson, NY 12534 518.828.1083

Lowe’s Garden Center 1941 South Road Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 845.298.4720

Lowes.com

H Houst & Son Inc. 4 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, NY 12498 845.679.2115

Housthardware.com

The Phantom Gardener 6837 US-9 Rhinebeck, NY 12572 845.876.8606

ThePhantomGardener.com

This one-stop shop for all your gardening solutions also offers gardening events including classes and hands-on workshops throughout the year.

Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center

600 Main Street Great Barrington, MA 01230 413.528.0166

WardsNursery.com

Carr Hardware 547 North Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 413.443.5611

CarrHardware.com

Monticello Farm Home & Garden 420 NY-17B Monticello, NY 12701 845.794.6457

nail salons

Gel Nails 300 Fairview Avenue Hudson, NY 12534 518.671.6666

Nail Art 160 Fairview Avenue Suite 118 Hudson, NY 12534 518.828.3130

Lux Spa Nails 28 Grandview Avenue Catskill, NY 12414 518.943.7000

Lux-Spa-Nails.business.site

Ashley’s Nails 1104 Dutchess Turnpike Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.635.1392

LJ Neon Nails Salon 196 Main Street Saugerties, NY 12477 845.247.7303

Luxury Nails & Spa 489 Pittsfield Road Suite A136 Lenox, MA 01240 413.344.9162

LuxuryNailsLenox.com

You’ll feel like royalty the moment you walk in thanks to this nail spa’s zen-like vibe, elegant décor and nonstop pampering.

Polished 264 West Housatonic Street Suite 4 Pittsfield, MA 01201 413.464.8016

PolishedNailandSpa.com

Noel Vincente Salon 57 Forestburgh Road Monticello, NY 12701 845.794.4553

pool service

Majestic Pools & Spas 5 Apple Meadow Road Hudson, NY 12534

518.822.1082

MajesticPoolsandSpas.com

Dutchess Pool Pros

Serving Dutchess County, NY 845.436.3358

DutchessPoolPros.com

Holland Pools 46 Noxon Road

Poughkeepsie, NY 12603

845.485.3434

HollandPools.net

This family-owned and operated shop handles all residential and commercial pool needs, including installations, renovations, residential and commercial maintenance, sand blasting and much more.

Rainbow Pools & Spas

1807 NY-52 Fishkill, NY 12524

845.896.8320

RainbowPools.com

Chuck The Pool Guy Serving Ulster County, NY

845.246.4662

ChuckThePoolGuy.org

Berkshire Pools & Patio Co. 996 Pecks Road Pittsfield, MA 01201

413.445.4939

Mountain Pools

257 Tinker Street Woodstock, NY 12498

845.679.7213

MountainPools.com

Happy Penguin Pool Care 28 Dinan Street Beacon, NY 12508

845.219.9515

pest control

Meerkat Pest Control

One Taconic Place Chatham, NY 12037 518.390.1002

MeerkatPestControl.com

Thomas Pest Services

205 Fairview Avenue Hudson, NY 12534 518.267.7218

ThomasPestServices.com

Pestmaster Services

15 Barbarossa Lane Kingston, NY 12401 845.340.9700

Pestmaster.com

Best Pest Control

81 Maple Wood Drive Brewster, NY 10509 845.278.8625

GetThePest.com

Action Pest Management

1 Center Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 413.442.9489

ActionPestVT.com

Serving Berkshire County since 1987, they also have wildlife experts who are trained to remove/trap nuisance pests such as bats, raccoons, woodchucks and squirrels.

Orkin 1186 NY- 9G Hyde Park, NY 12538 845.366.1546

Orkin.com

Tony’s Pest Solutions

Serving Dutchess and Putnam counties 845.905.6336

TonysPestSolutions.com

New Age Pest Control, Inc. 538 Fenn Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 413.441.9369

Fox Pest Control-Hudson Valley 1944 NY-22 Brewster, NY 10509 914.984.5967

Fox-Pest.com

Heating/Cooling

American Heating & Cooling 1103 Dutchess Turnpike Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.473.1966

American-HeatingAndCooling.com

Rycor HVAC 135 North Chestnut Street, New Paltz, NY 12561 845.742.5110

RycorHVAC.com

Rycor’s team of experts specializes in installing the state-of-the-art energy saving Mitsubishi minisplit HVAC system for optimal climate management and offers a free consultation.

LePrevost Plumbing Heating & Cooling 18 Run Way Lee, MA 01238

413.243.1777

LePrevostPlumbingAndHeating.com

WTPI Services Serving Berkshire County 413.281.0592 WTPIServices.com

Kool Temp Heating & Cooling 11639 US-9W Coxsackie, NY 12051 518.731.6878

KoolTemp.com

Long Heating & Cooling 27 Railroad Avenue Hudson, NY 12534 518.822.8716

All Season Experts 799 Main Street Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.285.0219

AllSeasonExperts.com

A-Team Comfort Systems 310 NY-28 Kingston, NY 12401 845.246.5454 ATeamComfort.com

massage therapists

Massage By Maren 488 Freedom Plains Road Suite 125 Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.418.2980

MassageByMaren.com

Partner To Heal 436 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 845.244.1780

PartnerToHeal.com

Hudson Valley Body Works 101 Hurley Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 845.331.5759

HudsonValleyBodyWorks.com

Sakinah Irizarry, LMT 382 Main Street Saugerties, NY 12477 845.594.2084

SakinahIrizarryLMT.com

BODHI Spa 543 Warren Street Hudson, NY 12534 518.828.2233

BODHIHolisticSpa.com

Luna Faun Bodywork & Botanicals

150 North Street Suite 28, Room 1 Pittsfield, MA 01201 413.841.9419

LunaFaun.com

Body & Soul Day Spa 184 Maple Avenue SR23 Great Barrington, MA 01230 413.528.6465

BodyAndSoulGreatBarrington.com

Founded in 1987, this was the very first day spa in the Berkshires; it’s located in a charming vintage house just outside Great Barrington’s village center.

Woodstock Massage Works 83 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, NY 12498 347.693.9340

WoodstockMassageWorks.com

Stone Cold Fabulous

Opus 40 in Saugerties is home to artist Harvey Fite’s stunning outdoor sculptures—And Live Music. BYOB.

By Sarah Carpenter

There’s one impossible fact about the gorgeous six-acre stonework park that’ll replay in your head as you take in the pathways, the sculptures, the nooks and crannies: It’s all the work of one man. Stone by stone, self-taught sculptor Harvey Fite masoned his personal masterpiece in the bluestone quarry over the course of 37 years, channeling Mayan stone building techniques he observed while working in Copán, Honduras. The dry key construction doesn’t require mortar or cement—it’s all flat stone strategically placed. Done correctly, and with proper maintenance, it could last millennia.

Fite initially used the site as a gallery for his humanist sculptures. The iconic monolith that punctuates the landscape was a piece of stone that he intended to sculpt. He’d spotted the piece on a bit of neighboring property, and the owners of the land it was on wanted a fee he couldn’t pay. A decade later, Fite finally acquired the stone, and set the monolith into place using ancient Egyptian techniques for raising obelisks. His intention was to carve the stone, but after placing it, he looked around at what he’d created and decided it was so much greater than a place for sculptures—the setting was a work of art in and of itself.

Inspired by classical music, he named it Opus 40 for the four decades he expected it to take to finish—and music would become a major part of the site’s legacy.

In 1966, Fite had begun work on an amphitheater he wouldn’t finish before his his death in 1976. It was completed in 1980, turning the sculpture park into a venue that continues to host concerts today. Check if there’ll be a concert before you go and buy tickets online. Am I saying you could theoretically get out from behind the wheel, frolic through an immersive bluestone landscape, fill your tummy and listen to a live concerto? That’ll be a yes—but do frolic with care because there are several spots that could trip you up.

The last thing I want to do after I’ve been driving for a couple hours is step indoors and crowd around a table. The perfect road trip break is one that frees the knees, I say. Maybe I’m just getting old.

Just off the Glasco Turnpike in Saugerties, NY near the Hudson River is a road tripper’s dream stop: Opus 40. About an hour is plenty of time to take in this outdoor work of art. Grab some food to-go from one of many nearby restaurants and pop outside for a sprawling open-air respite from that seated position. There’s plenty of picnic space, complete with chairs and tables if you want (I opt for a picnic blanket) and your legs will appreciate the wandering you’re wont to do amongst the hand-crafted maze of stone.

Children will require supervision, but there’s lot for them to do here: the “Be a Sculptor” section’s the only place you’re allowed to pick up the rocks, and kids (grownups too) are encouraged to make their own earthwork sculptures in this zone.

Opus 40 recently acquired the house built by Fite adjacent to the sculpture park. It’s undergoing careful restorations to bring the building up to code, but it’s expected to bring new programs in partnership with Bard College to explore Fite’s impressive legacy and the history around his work.

Get in your car, find a nostalgic station and drive processing the majestic ode to the human will to create what you just experienced.

Opus 40 is open every Thursday to Monday until Labor Day from 10:30am to 5pm. $11/adult

cornerstone The iconic monolith that punctuates the landscape was a piece of stone that artist Harvey Fite intended to sculpt. He’d spotted the piece on a bit of neighboring property, but the land owners where it was wanted a fee he couldn’t pay.

Gosavor!

It’s summertime in our Sullivan Catskills—time for food and drink, song and dance, love and laughter. Roll down the river. See an outdoor concert. Applaud a play. Fly fish in our world-famous waters. Dine riverside or lakeside. Sip your way through the award-winning Good Taste Craft Beverage Trail. Shop our charming hamlets and embrace our low-key country vibe and street festivals. Book a sleepover, now!

RIVERFEST: JULY 23

Narrowsburg, NY

THE BAGEL FESTIVAL & CATSKILLS

REVIBE MURAL FEST: AUGUST 13

9 am – 4 pm; Broadway in Monticello

JERSEY BOYS: AUGUST 15-27

Forestburgh Playhouse

CATBIRD FESTIVAL: AUGUST 19 & 20 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts