Penguin Sweater at Blackbird Attic

Just in case you've not been shopping on Main Street this week, the consignment boutique Blackbird Attic has a nice mens Penguin striped sweater in the window. My husband liked it, so I guess I better get there before you do if I want to get it for him!

Music Classes for Toddlers, Kids, Babies for Beacon, NY

Here is a collection of music classes for kids, toddlers, and even babies happening in or around Beacon, NY. I'll let you know with a *** sign if I personally have experienced the class and teacher and like:

MUSIC & MOVEMENT CLASSES
Juliana's Music Together: Music and Movement Classes for Young Children, Kids, Toddlers, and Babies.
My daughter started going to this class at about 7 months, and now my son has started at 6 months (with my daughter continuing the classes by age 3). Involves singing, playing with instruments, and free form dancing and moving. Juliana's Music Together is part of the world-wide program Music Together. Each semester comes with a CD and music book that has been composed around a theme, like Bongos, or Strings. The music is quite lovely. Locations include Fishkill (Hudson River Performing Arts Center, 29 Elm Street Suite 205), Newburgh and Highland Mills. Addresses and schedule are available here. Available for private parties.
www.julianasmusictogether.com

Miss Vickie's Music
Miss Vickie is a Beacon staple, and is very engaging and knowledgeable about her music. She is involved in several kids activities being offered in Beacon, and offers private music lessons. You should contact her to find out what she is offering when. You can find her in puppet shows, organizing pop-up concerts, and much more.
www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Vickies-Music/16075969061824

Gina Samardge
A Manhattan friend recommended this class to me, as she teachers in the City and in the Hudson Valley. Available for private parties.
www.ginasing.com

Renaissance Kids
They may have a class for your age group or toddlers, but seems to start at age 3. Here is a class schedule. Located at 1821 Route 376 Poughkeepsie, New York 12603.
www.renkids.org

Dutchess Community Classes
See if there is anything going on that fits your child's age via their class schedule link. They even offer playgroup organizing.
www.dutchesscommunity.com

Emily Music For Kids
According to her Facebook page, Emily Emerson "has 14 years of excellent children's programming for children of all abilities and families who love them!" Looks like she offers music classes for babies, infants and toddlers. The Toddler Tots class looks to incorporate movement like animals. Roar!
Emily Music for Kids Facebook Page

Snow Bagels Now Available at The Beacon Bagel

Because I know you were waiting for the seasonal and extremely limited run of snow bagels from The Beacon Bagel. These look deliciously wonderful to sink your teeth into. Wash it down with a cup of joe from across the street at the newly re-opened The Coffee Shop, and you've got a delightful start to your Saturday morning!

PS: Warning: if you are in a coffee high, watch out for echo boutique next door, for she has an amazing selection of practically anything you want to buy, even if it's for a 1 year old's birthday party.

Sidewalk Stroller Walk Despite Ice Storm

When a baby needs to nap, and won't, you take it to the streets, even if you're in the middle of an ice storm. Thank you to anyone who shovels sidewalk snow to make this possible! The shops were mainly dark, but many of them were shoveled, like at Clay Wood & Cotton. Bank Square Coffee House was open, and the decaf was extra good.

Sledding Hill at Memorial Park in Beacon

So fun...sledding with babies and dog and Ghiradelli (sp?) hot chocolate at Memorial Park in Beacon. Love this hill for power walking and picnics in the summer, and now for power sledding on the winter. Kids built moguls on this thing! If you want a serious sleigh ride, possible black diamond, you can come here and get airborne. I trolloped over to the bunny hill side, nearly collided with some kids who were walking up the hill, but it was a good ride. Even took Ruby down a bunny bunny hill. But she got sprayed with snow, so it wasn't her favorite part.

Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt Substituted in Hollandaise Alternative Recipe

Yum...My hubby wanted a steak for dinner, and I wanted to contribute something zesty to the flavor of steak and mashed potatoes we were about to enjoy. We had broccoli in the fridge (bought at Beacon Natural Market), and I wanted a Hollandaise sauce to top it. I googled up my friends the Purcell Sisters to see if they had a Hollandaise recipe, and they had something better - a 10minute alternative of their own creation called the Lemony Dipping Sauce.

The Lemony Dipping Sauce is based on sour cream and mayo. But we didn't have sour cream. We did have plain Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt (local to Little Falls, NY), also purchased from Beacon Natural Market. I checked with the Purcell Sisters on Facebook to see if yogurt would suffice as a substitute, and they replied that it might, but since it's not as thick as sour cream, it might be a thinner dip. Not having had the dip to compare, I must say that plain Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt is quite creamy and thick for yogurt, which is just the way I like it! So...I think a good substitute!

Results? My husband said after eating a piece of broccoli: "First bite: awesome."

His next comment, after bumming himself out that he didn't buy himself a sirloin because he was visually tricked into thinking that a big juicy Chuck would be as good: "The sauce is the best part of the whole dinner." Though I liked my steak, and my mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and nutmeg, The Purcell Sister's alternative Hollandaise sauce was definitely the most sophisticated flavor on the plate, and made eating that broccoli darn easy.

Thanks Purcell Sisters and Maple Hill Creamery!

Voilà! A Little Beacon Blog Created on iPhone!

I'm in love with Beacon, NY, 12508. I've been wanting to start a blog about it for a few months now, but swore I wouldn't indulge until I finished other website projects on my plate. Don't know why it didn't occur to me to start it from my iPhone, but here we are! I'm driving with my husband to Babies R Us on Rt. 9 (he's driving), to return some things that he just bought, that I'd like to switch out.

This is so liberating! I'm going to sync up the blog with my iPhone and perhaps *only* blog from my iPhone, since this blog is celebrating local things in Beacon.

Sigh. More local goodness to come!