The Retail Therapy Guide, 4/3/2020

Hello and Happy Friday. It's a busy Friday. It's a Friday where some banks opened to take applications from businesses applying for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), but there's a flood of applications and some banks are delaying in order to prevent fraud. The new owners of Homespun Foods have been on it like bonnets from the beginning, trying to save their restaurant, and applied today, and have a hopeful response. We'll send you their story soon. In the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) department, masks are being talked about in a big way for a variety of reasons. There's the shortage of hospital-grade ones. Beacon Makers, organized by the Mutual Aid Beacon and Beacon Moms Group (and possibly others) have also been on it like bonnets and have been making CDC-approved emergency masks for weeks to try to help the front lines at the hyperlocal level in Beacon and beyond. The making continues, as a lot more masks and gowns are needed. And then there is my mom, who live-texts me the daily briefings from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, and sends me the latest in cybersecurity alerts, like this one from the FBI regarding defending against VTC Hijacking and Zoom-bombing. Great. Well, now you know how to tell your boss to have shorter meetings! All of these articles are going to come to you, but after our regularly scheduled Retail Therapy Guide. Get this guide, know how to get your wine delivered, treat yourself to a new shirt or pair of glasses, and then continue on with the harder stuff. BUT FIRST, A THANKS TO OUR ADVERTISERS As best we can, people are trying to pay in place - keep the system moving as if money is still flowing. A Little Beacon Blog has some advertisers who have stayed on, and we appreciate them so much. Their support helps us report on the virus, and business developments in town. To those businesses who needed to pull out, we get it! And we support you too, and know that we are cheering for you to make it to the other side of the apex. Advertisers trying to continue to support us (give them extra love!): Antalek & Moore Insurance Agents. As you juggle which bills to pay, pay your insurance bill if it's through an agent. If people skip their insurance premiums, the good people at Antalek & Moore don't get their commissions. Antalek & Moore employs several people, and they work hard doing homework to make your home and business insurance life easier. If you aren't in their good hands yet, call them today to transfer your insurance to them. Honestly. They do the work for you. They find the right fit with an insurance carrier, and they do the rest. Need a new Workers Comp policy? They are on it. Change of address? Done. Binnacle Books. Huge supporters of many movements. Order your books through their easy web page. The fact that an independent bookstore even opened in the past few years is amazing, and now they're riding out a pandemic. Eat Church. Bless them. Their food truck is powered down for now and they are still supporting ALBB. They are also involved with Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), so any extra love we can throw ARF's way to encourage you to donate to help the dogs and cats, we will. Donate here. Or adopt! Luxe Optique. Another huge supporter of local, and thinking outside the box to make things work, and make you happy with your vision and your style. We miss their faces and energy so much! PTACEK Home. Newbies to Beacon from Garrison, and they dove right in months before the pandemic shut them down. They have the custom-made furniture shop off the beaten path, but really they make homes and custom-designed furniture. See below for ideas. LLTO (Live Light Travel Often). Partners with PTACEK Home in the shop only, Tamara Reynolds is the founder of LLTO and its curated stock of beautiful products from her travels to Japan and knowledge of artisan-made goods. Virtual Benefit Concert - Howland Chamber Music Circle Presents Day: Saturday, April 4, 2020 Time: 8 pm ET, 7 pm CT, 5 pm PT PURCHASE TICKETS > OurConcerts.live, a new venture dedicated to supporting and promoting classical music, will bring together some of classical music’s biggest stars in a virtual benefit concert. Proceeds will go to the Artist Relief Tree, a new fund created to financially support artists who are affected by cancellations due to COVID-19. OurConcerts.live is pleased to present an evening of extraordinary music. Streaming live from their homes, pianists Emanuel Ax and Jon Kimura Parker, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, violinist Rachel Barton Pine, clarinetist Anthony McGill, harpist Bridget Kibbey and others will give an intimate view into some of their favorite pieces. The artists are graciously donating their time to benefit their colleagues. Information > Malfatti Glass: Free Giveaway Day: Saturday, April 4, 2020 Time: 12 to 2 pm Digital Location: 10 Willow St., Beacon Malfatti Glass is a local glass-blowing shop right here in Beacon, who is loved nationwide. Also, one of the glass-blowers, Jill, is your local representative on the Zoning Board. She and her husband Joe are giving away 50 pairs of Prosecco "Seconds" (glasses that for one reason or another would be included in their annual seconds sale) to show their support for the community during this time of anxiety and uncertainty. You can pick up, BUT you have to maintain social distance. Grab and go, don't linger, and wait for the person in front of you, six feet away, to leave first. The glasses have been sanitized, wrapped in clean tissue, packed in cardboard tubes, and the tubes wrapped in more tissue by a glove-wearing packer following best practices. Glasses will be available for pick-up from a box at the end of the driveway. Malfatti Glass: Raise A Glass for a Toast (digitally) Time: 8 pm Location: Instagram @malfattiglass or Facebook Streaming Day: All Day, Every Day Location: Your House Local Beaconite Gwynne Watkins is an entertainment and culture journalist for Yahoo Entertainment, Vulture, Elle Magazine, and GQ. She gave A Little Beacon Blog recommendations for family-friendly TV watching. Get Details > SXSW Film Selections Will Stream On Amazon Prime For Free For 10 Days Get Details > HBO To Stream 500 Hours Of Free Programming, Including Full Seasons Of ‘Veep,’ ‘The Wire,’ ‘Silicon Valley’ Get Details >                                        A Little Beacon Blog updates our Restaurant Guide constantly. When we see changes on social media, or get a tip from a reader, we dive in and update. To cut to the chase of who is delivering and needs your biz: 2 Way Brewing (select days), Baja 328, Bank Square Coffee, The Beacon Daily, The Pandorica (good menu! great desserts), Big Mouth Coffee Roasters, BJ’s Soul Food, Melzingah Tap House, Miz Hattie’s BBQ, MoMo Valley (Himalayan), Max’s On Main, Quinn’s, Enoteca AMA, Roma Nova, Trax Coffee, Végétalien (check IG for dates). Fundraisers have also been posted to the Guide, like for The Yankee Clipper's GoFundMe and Chill Wine Bar Gift Cert. Rumors of a few new openings may be around the corner, so keep refreshing that Restaurant Guide! VÉGÉTALIEN This weekend, Végétalien is doing a test run with DoorDash/Curbside Pick-Up/Takeout starting Friday, April 3, through Sunday, April 5, from 10 am to 3 pm. You can call to order at (845) 765-1943, send a message on their Instagram, order through DoorDash, or email at vegetalienbeacon@gmail.com. They will only be accepting cards or exact cash. If this weekend goes well, their takeout hours will be extended. Follow their Instagram for updates. Information > ARTISAN WINE SHOP Wine and spirits delivery. Need we say more? Order online. In advance. Delivery or in-store pickup available. Start Browsing > EAT CHURCH (Closed For Now) Eat Church shared a super easy recipe for making bread at home. Here's what owner Mark says: "This is the most stripped-down bread recipe I've got, as it makes a great standard white loaf but requires so few ingredients and so little effort. Great one to make with kids as most folks have the ingredients in the pantry." Get the ingredients here > Eat Church is a Sponsor - thank you! MIZ HATTIE'S - CURBSIDE DELIVERY (inside Hudson Valley Food Hall) We ordered it last week. There was so much food, we had lunch well into the next day, and snacks into the night. Bottles of wine are also available.  A Little Beacon Blog has written about Miz Hattie's before. Order from Miz Hattie any day of the week. BEACON FARMERS MARKET OPEN The Beacon Farmers Market opens for pre-online ordering (Friday afternoon order deadline) and Sunday pickup. Normally, pre-ordering ends on Fridays for Sunday pickup, but you could maybe still try! Now also offering delivery. Details Here >                                       LUXE OPTIQUE We know you are in Luxe Optique withdrawal. We are, too. We miss their energy. More importantly, you miss your next pair of frames. Here's what you need now: an easy pair of glasses that don't need the expert touch of Laurie or Ryan for adjusting. You need a pair of La Fonts, which may sit just right from the beginning. This Luxe Optique customer loves jogging in her leopard La Fonts. They never need fixing. Shop Now, Call Later! > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor - thank you! THE CHOCOLATE STUDIO  Did you know that The Chocolate Studio also offers vegan and gluten-free brownies, vegan/GF cheesecake, cookies, vegan donuts, vegan mini-lemon bundt cakes, and vegan/GF raspberry bars? Order and pay online now! Delivery is FREE! Available on their website!  BINNACLE BOOKS Binnacle Books is keeping their Instagram updated with books you can purchase online. They'll be delivering stock from the store directly to local customers or special-ordering new books from their distributors, which are shipped directly to your mailbox, whether you’re local or not. Order anything through https://www.binnaclebooks.com/order-books, and reach out via their Instagram DM with any questions! Get Details > Binnacle Books is a Sponsor - thank you! PTACEK Home See all of the looks created at PTACEK Home, and start dreaming. These looks can be in your home, too. Either from the showroom store in Beacon (when it re-opens), or custom-built or designed just for your space. Start Dreaming > PTACEK Home is a Sponsor - thank you! LLTO (LIVE LIGHT TRAVEL OFTEN) With all that is happening in the world, LLTO is grateful to practice and promote minimal living, rich with connection and quality. They can help you create your home sanctuary, with items that have meaning and purpose, and take advantage of their FREE SHIPPING*. These are naturally scented bath flakes from Tosaryu. Aromatic hinoki (Japanese cypress) chips. Sustainably made from recovered byproducts of the hinoki wood manufacturing process. Includes two pouches. $10. Made in Japan. Buy Online! > LLTO is a Sponsor - thank you! ZAKKA JOY Shop online, with free shipping on all orders over $50 with coupon code EWGERMS, and free Beacon no-contact doorstep delivery with coupon code SHOPLOCAL.                                    SALON DAE with DANIELLE Got transitioning hair? Are you a new curly girl? Not sure how to shampoo and condition? Danielle's got you, over at virtual Salon Dae. In this video, she treated one side of her hair with conditioner and she shares tips for the other side. Watch the video.   People have been craving schedule and routine in their lives. Fitness centers have been providing that. Here are a few: BEBHAKTI YOGA Tune into kids yoga on Tuesdays at 3:15 via zoom with BeBhakti Yoga! A great way in which our children can interact in a safe and fun manner, while being physically active and stimulated! And bonus, this can count as P.E. for home schooling! Parents, feel free to join in on sleepy pose at the end of class. Information > FIREFLY YOGA Digital yoga classes are also available through Firefly Yoga in Fishkill. Our Managing Editor, Marilyn Perez, teaches Slow Flow (Gentle) class Fridays at 11:30 am via Zoom. Open to all levels! Drop-in rate is $10. Sign up through the MINDBODY app at least an hour beforehand so you can receive the meeting room link.  ANTALEK & MOORE Antalek & Moore has been hard at work (remotely) researching opportunities for small businesses and sharing them on their Facebook page - such as a recent SBA Webinar on YouTube about Economic Injury Disaster Loan Basics. Be sure to follow them also on Instagram! Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor - thank you! TIN SHINGLE This weekend only, stream two TuneUp webinars from Tin Shingle for free. There are loads and loads of articles and videos being produced right now. There is a good chance your business could get media coverage, you just need to know how to pitch it in the right way. "Timing Is Everything: Pitching The Media In The Time Of The Coronavirus" "What To Pitch The Media During April: Are Magazines Even Printing?" We got a suggestion in from a reader, who wanted to know how to send financial support to A Little Beacon Blog to help us continue to produce. Even just $5. First of all: THANK YOU to that reader for wanting to do this! If you are feeling like you want to contribute to ALBB as a reader, then visit the new link in the ABOUT tab, called: “I Want To Support ALBB!” Different amounts are available, starting at $5. Click here or on the graphic above to learn more about how you can help! Support Here > People Who Have Given Reading your comments about what ALBB means to your life has been humbling and keeps us going. Thank you. See Who Supported >

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The Retail Therapy Guide This Week - 3/27/2020

Happy Saturday! Apologies on the late send... My (Katie) son's eighth birthday was yesterday (Friday), and we had an early evening drive-in birthday sing for him. Hope that was OK! Most were in their cars or across the street in their own Sphere Locks (that's what I call household social distancing). Internally, Marilyn and myself wondered what would become of the event-based weekend newsletter? We decided to dedicate the Friday newsletter to "Retail Therapy," because gosh darnit, the beat still goes on! We still need good books, new shirts, new shoes, new bikes, and delivery. ALL RESTAURANT + SHOP COVID-19 STATUS ALERTS REGULARLY UPDATED Marilyn, who is A Little Beacon Blog's Managing Editor, scours the socials to find out which restaurants are still doing carry-out, curbside delivery, etc. She updates the Restaurant and Shopping Guides for every single storefront on Main Street, East Main, and West Main. If your storefront is not in these guides and your business has a storefront here, let us know. If you see a "@inkcoffeeyoga NL" in the comments of your business's social media account, it means we've been by and are going to update a Guide or feature something here in the newsletter!   NEW: Also for Main Street businesses, we have added Fitness businesses into the Business Directory to include which Beacon fitness studios are doing things online. We are doing this basic listing for free. Any other type of business who wants inclusion and promotion in the Business Directory can learn about it here. We are doing this free of charge for storefronts, as a way to support our storefronts. SUPPORT OPTION: If you do want to support ALBB, and want to include your scheduled class times and other fun details, as well as guarantee your upcoming online Zoom class schedules are included on ALBB's website and in this newsletter, you could start an advertising campaign. Starts at $100/month. Regardless, basic listings with links to the schedules are free at this time on the website. Special note: Studios from Fishkill, Cold Spring, etc. are welcome and encouraged to be listed in the Business Directory, but we can only extend the free listing to Beacon businesses at this time. We are buried in our workload, but want to help!                                        EAT CHURCH (Closed For Now) This week, Eat Church shared a super easy recipe for making bread at home. Here's what owner Mark says: "This is the most stripped-down bread recipe I've got as it makes a great standard white loaf but requires so few ingredients and so little effort. Great one to make with kids as most folks have the ingredients in the pantry." Get the recipe here > Eat Church is a Sponsor, thank you! BARB'S BUTCHERY (Closed For Now) Barb's Butchery announced their temporary closure this week. The orders came in fast and furious. There were many tears in the Instagram. But businesses have to sift through a lot right now, figuring out financing and other everyday big hurdles that any business hits. We are all anticipating Barb's return so that we can fill our bellies once we all bounce back on the other side of the wave. Barb's Butchery is a Sponsor, thank you! THE BEACON HOTEL & RESTAURANT Also announced this week, the Beacon Hotel & Restaurant is also temporarily closing. From their Instagram: "Although this was a very hard call to make, we have made the decision that it is best to close our doors including take-out and delivery to protect the health of our employees and community. We appreciate every single one of you who has been here to support us during this hard time. We will all get through this, and look forward to having you as our guests when we re-open." Other restaurants continue to be open. Do check our Restaurant Guide and order takeout/delivery! MIZ HATTIE'S - CURBSIDE DELIVERY (inside Hudson Valley Food Hall) This is your answer to comfort food cravings. Mac and cheese and fried chicken. A Little Beacon Blog has written about Miz Hattie's before, and now will be ordering curbside delivery for Saturday night. Eight-piece Southern Fried Chicken? Yes, please. Order from Miz Hattie any day of the week. Maybe even lunch! WALTON SISTERS BAKING SHOW The Instagrammer @pk_foodie_eaaaatss has been a reader of A Little Beacon Blog for a bit, and her feed is delicious. Now she's added a couple of pint-size foodies in Poughkeepsie. Check out their latest episode, it's Jell-O time! And now, the sisters seem to be Instagramming their food deliveries! Check out Friday's order... BEACON FARMERS MARKET OPENS Beacon's Farmers Market opens for online pre-ordering. Order deadline is Friday afternoon, pickup Sunday. Normally, pre-ordering ends on Fridays for Sunday pickup, but you could maybe still try! Details Here >                                   LUXE OPTIQUE Appointments can be scheduled for dates after Wednesday, April 15. Luxe Optique will accommodate sooner if possible. Contact lens orders continue through their online shop. Contact lens pricing and shipping has been adjusted to provide affordable options to their patients during this time. We miss their faces and voices too, and may ask for a video-check in. If we can do that, we Will post to the blog. Visit their website for details > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you! LAMBS HILL BRIDAL BOUTIQUE Weddings are still happening in the time of Social Distancing. Just look at this couple in Vogue. Look at this gorgeous Justin Alexander dress on Hanna Withnoh. That detail, though! 😍 Browse Dresses > Lambs Hill is a Sponsor, thank you! The CHOCOLATE STUDIO  The Chocolate Studio is encouraging you to send E-gift cards or Snail Mail gift cards to friends and family. Well, guess what? They are now available on their website! 💝 Wholesale pricing for vegan and gluten-free baked goods 🌱 on the website too! Get more ~ Save more ~ Stay home BINNACLE BOOKS Binnacle Books is delivering stock from the store directly to local customers, or special ordering new books from their distributors, which are shipped directly to your mailbox, whether you’re local or not. Order anything through https://www.binnaclebooks.com/order-books, and reach out via their Instagram DM with any questions! Get Details > Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you! PTACEK Home In this time of Work From Home Life, you need an office nook, quickly! Having an inspiring space makes all the difference when you work from home. Definitely worth the investment. Shown here is one of PTACEK's most popular designs: the Pierced Plank Shelf. Delivery is available. They can build to your own dimensions, so get the tape measure out. Get Details > PTACEK Home is a Sponsor, thank you! LLTO (LIVE LIGHT TRAVEL OFTEN) OK, be honest... How many days this week did you get fully dressed? Do you have your Zoom outfits picked out yet? If you're doing a lot of jammy time, you may as well order a few of these, and hunker down in comfort and style. Buy Online! > LLTO is a Sponsor, thank you! BLACKBIRD ATTIC  Blackbird Attic is making moves to bring her consignment shop more online. Keep shopping her Insta POP UP SHOP. DM her to purchase. Free curbside pickup and delivery to nearby customers, $5 shipping available, more for oversize items. Information > LA MERE CLOTHING & GOODS If you already love the shopping experience at La Mere, don't fret, you're going to keep receiving it at La Mere. The owner, April, continues bringing it to her Instagram to show you what's in the store, what you can order, and how fast she is at shipping or arranging curbside pickup with you. Not on Instagram? No problem. Shop her website any time. BEACON FARMERS MARKET & COMMON GROUND FARM FUNDRAISER We love seeing how Main Street businesses are coming together. For $100 you will get a Reservoir tote (pictured) along with items from Beacon Farmers Market, Utensil, Big Mouth Coffee Roasters, Reservoir, and Solstad House too! PLUS a donation to Common Ground Farm for $10, supporting their efforts to help bring fresh produce to those in need in our community! Information > Wondering if accepting packages is safe? Trevor Noah of "The Daily Show" wondered the same thing, and asked Dr. Fauci on "The Daily Show", which is now airing from Trevor's home. (Also, he's now calling it "The Daily Social Distancing Show.") SMALL BIZ PEP TALK If you're running a business, and are unsure if you should be promoting your goods or services during this time of uncertainty and mourning of human loss, you can. Running a business is part of human survival, and we all get that. If you need a pep talk to hear why, head over to Tin Shingle's Instagram, where Katie gives a pep talk on this topic (skip to the end). People have been craving schedule in their lives. Fitness centers have been providing that. Here are a few: PAVONINE YOGA Pavonine Yoga is offering virtual yoga classes (through Zoom) which you can sign up for through the MINDBODY app. See their schedule online (Beacon or Highland location) and reserve a spot. Drop-ins are $10.  ZONED FITNESS Have you gotten yourself moving at home yet, or are you still sitting on the couch? Use this downtime to start focusing on your health and fitness. Get your family and friends to start up with you, at a distance of course. Let ZONED guide you on this journey. To learn more, visit our home training website: https://www.zonedfit.com/ BUSINESS DIRECTORY FEATURES ANTALEK & MOORE Antalek & Moore has been hard at work (remotely) researching opportunities for small businesses and sharing them on their Facebook page - such as a recent SBA Webinar on YouTube about Economic Injury Disaster Loan Basics. Be sure to follow them also on Instagram! ALBB is recruiting co-owner Susan Pagones to report on highlights that business owners can focus on in the changing legislation or financial relief packages. We need to cut to the chase, and Susan is helping us do that. Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you! TIN SHINGLE Every Wednesday at 1pm, Katie hosts a live webinar for small businesses. Usually it focuses on how to pitch your business to the media for publicity (still relevant... SO many articles are being produced right now!). It alternates between free and open to all, and private for members only. This week's was private, and included Hudson Valley EATS and Fluid Running (jogging in place in a pool... sells a flotation kit and an app with running routines). Both businesses are navigating how to get the word out. Fluid Running is experiencing healthy sales from states down south as people shift running routines and run in their pool. Fluid Running wants to get the word out in a sensitive way, being mindful of people who don't have pools. Learn More > A 15% Membership Discount is available to current advertisers of A Little Beacon Blog. Email for details. We got a suggestion in from a reader, who wanted to know how to send A Little Beacon Blog financial support to help us continue to produce. Even just $5. First of all: THANK YOU to that reader for wanting to do this! If you are feeling like you want to contribute anything to ALBB as a reader, then visit the new link in the ABOUT tab, called: “I Want To Support ALBB!” Different amounts are available, starting at $5. Click here or on the graphic above to learn more about how you can help! Support Here > People Who Have Given Reading your comments about what ALBB means to your life has been humbling and keeps us going. Thank you. See Who Supported >

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