Happening This Weekend - 3/15/2019
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Exciting New Frames From Anne & Valentin Visiting Luxe Optique
/What a delightful surprise while making our sponsor rounds today for this weekend’s Friday Feature in the newsletter (subscribe if you haven’t!). When stepping into Luxe Optique, we got to see a real live stylist and representative from Anne & Valentin with the newest designs.
Often, actually, we stumble in when a major line is in the store with all of their suitcases filled with precious goodies while we’re collecting a feature photo.
Meet Andry pictured here. He was sooo nice, and knew all about the designer curves of all of these new frames. Look for Luxe Optique’s feature photo in their sponsor spot this Friday!
Discover more shops in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide! You can always tap Guides and Calendars in the navigation above - from your computer or mobile.
A Girl Can’t Pass Up A Good Sale Rack...La Mere Delivers
/A girl can’t pass a good sale rack... La Mère Clothing and Goods always delivers.
It was a pleasure visiting the shop and #shootingtheshingle (a new Tin Shingle term!) during our mini-photo session for her sponsor spot in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide!
Go visit our Shopping Guide to learn about more Beacon stores, by tapping Guides and Calendars, then tap Shopping Guide.
Do hit up this clothing rack in person!
Trash Cans Replaced On Main Street For Better Containment - At No Cost To City
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As Beacon increases in popularity as a tourist destination as well as a lifestyle change destination, away from the big city - or just by people relocating here for job opportunities - trash disposal needs also change. Two major shifts have happened that triggered a metal trash can swap-out on Main Street:
Overflowing Trash: Residents have complained of trash overflowing from metal trash cans on Main Street after regular weekends, three-day holiday weekends, or weekends that have special public events.
Recycling: The crash of the recycling market has rocked recycling collection across many communities in the United States. In short, most of the recycling isn’t getting recycled because China, who buys most of the world’s recycling, has tightened its restrictions on what it will accept. Most recycling sent to China is dirty, as in, coated in food, contaminated with non-recyclable objects (like plastic bottle caps not screwed onto a bottle - who knew?!) or is wet paper (only dry, non-shredded paper is accepted - nothing smaller than 6” x 6” actually, according to Beacon’s recycling processing center).
Recycling Must Be Clean: What came out of the 2018 City Council Meeting discovery session with the facility who processes our recycling, is that dirty recycling does not get recycled. If you throw in a plastic container coated with food: it won’t get rinsed at the recycling center. If you throw in straight up food, or other items that are not part of the Single Stream, you are contaminating the recycling collection, and the haul cannot be used. This makes recycling on Main Street pretty useless, being that most people throw in food containers that have food on or in them, and items that are not recyclable at all.
City Council Agrees To Larger Hole At Top Of Trash Cans
The Beacon City Council, which consists of four representatives (called Council People) from each area of the City, as well as a Member-At-Large, the Mayor, the City Administrator, and the City’s Attorney, all consider many details about how the City of Beacon functions. They even think about the design of the trash cans. At one point years ago, two holes were considered to help with trash: a small one for recycling (presumably cups and other small objects), and trash. But not too large, so as to guard against residents of nearby apartments putting their household trash into the public containers, as recalled by Mayor Casale during a City Council meeting.
Trash Cans Replaced At No Cost To The City
During the May 29, 2018 City Council Workshop meeting during which Royal Carting, the City’s contracted trash collection company, presented their proposed budget for a new contract, Royal Carting’s presenting attorney, James Constantino, suggested a replacement of the cans at no cost to the City. “The designs of the cans are not accommodating or giving capacity. We have agreed with the Highway Superintendent for a new can… I can assure you the Mayor has been very clear that he wants the trash cans maintained, and doesn't want to see litter.”
Beacon’s City Administrator confirmed with A Little Beacon Blog in August 2018 that the City was moving forward with the replacement of the cans. By January 2019, the new trash cans lined Main Street.
K104.7's Cupcake Festival Moves From Beacon To Stormville Airport
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UPDATED 3/20/3019: The City of Beacon has since issued a response to our inquiry about the 2019 Cupcake Festival decision. Please see below for that quote from the City Administrator.
K104.7’s annual Cupcake Festival has moved from the Main Streets of Fishkill for a few years, then to Beacon for two years, and now is at the Stormville Airport, which is also known for the Stormville Airport Antique Show and Flea Market. The Cupcake Festival is wildly popular, attracting bakers from all over the state to compete for a chance to be considered at the final judging table to take home a cash prize.
“We were hoping to come back to Beacon this year but given the growing attendance and space/parking constraints, we had to look elsewhere. We’re looking forward to keeping it in the county and growing the festival in new and exciting ways.”
Attendance to the event has been growing, and possibly grew out of Fishkill, triggering the radio station to consider Beacon. For two years, the festival was hosted in downtown Beacon on Main Street, shutting down the street and leading to an elbow-to-elbow sugared-up experience (parents know how difficult it can be to maneuver children past tables and tables of cupcakes and lemonade).
We reached out to Pamal Broadcasting, the hosts of the event and owners of K104.7, to learn more: “We had met with the City [of Beacon], and after discussing all the particulars, it was in the best interest of both parties to change the location. The two years the festival was in Beacon catapulted this event to the next level and we are very grateful for the city and what it had to offer,” said Zach Higgins, Non-Traditional Revenue Director for Pamal Broadcasting.
“The attendance estimates for this year seemed more than the City could handle in parking and safety constraints. We would love to have them back, but wish them continued success and hope to work with them on other projects in the future.”
The City of Beacon’s City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, had this to say: “The City had an incredible working relationship with Pamal Broadcasting and their success was our success. However the attendance estimates for this year seemed more than the City could handle in parking and safety constraints. We would love to have them back, but wish them continued success and hope to work with them on other projects in the future.”
How Was The Cupcake Festival In Beacon?
A Little Beacon Blog did a an unscientific economic study of the Cupcake Festival on businesses in town in 2017. Most eateries did extremely well that day, while boutiques reported a mixed experience. One retail store who had been a vocal opponent of the Cupcake Festival in its first year, raved about it the day after the first festival came and went, after the day’s sales came in, calling the day “as good as Christmas," which in retail-sales speak means a very good day.
However, other businesses were not as pleased, including an art gallery owner who found it difficult to keep children away from touchable artwork inside the gallery, and other retail stores who saw lots of lookers, but no buyers. Citizens experienced a deluge of cars parked near their homes, sometimes blocking driveways. To read more about the 2017 cupcake experience, click here. To see pictures from 2018’s cupcakes, click here.
Trash was well-contained for the most part, though residential complaints about overflowing trash cans after most spring/summer weekends with or without events prompted the City to accept the offer from the trash collection company, Royal Carting, to replace the metal trash cans on Main Street, letting go of the two-hole approach for recycling and trash, in favor of a larger hole for all waste.
Now that the recycling market has crashed, and most recycling in this country isn’t getting recycled due to it being dirty (food waste on plastic makes it non-recyclable) or wet (soggy newspapers or cardboard can’t be recycled), this can replacement seems to be containing trash better. A Little Beacon Blog does have an article coming on this, and you can read more about it in the Highlands Current.
Parade-A-Month Keeps Beacon Touchable By Citizens
Beacon is known to have a parade every month from spring to fall, so this is one less event to keep track of on the calendar (well, in town, that is… you could still drive out to Stormville!), but there are new events coming to Beacon at the Riverfront, in addition to the usual annual events and fundraisers that keep the community in Beacon together.
See A Little Beacon Blog’s Events Calendar, Classes For Adults Guide, and Classes For Kids Guide for lots of events you want to plan for. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop and get emailed about opportunities.
Where Is Stormville, Anyway?
If you need a quick map on where Stormville is, here’s a picture of the map. It’s *that* way! Good luck to any bakers entering the contest, or vendors vending on the big day!
Second Saturday! Beacon Art Gallery Openings for March 2019
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SOME OF THE ART GALLERY OPENINGS IN BEACON, NY, FOR MARCH 2019. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: IN THE GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS AT MOTHER ART GALLERY; STILL STILL MOVING AT THE HOWLAND CULTURAL CENTER; NANCY DREW-INSPIRED GROUP SHOW AT THE HOWLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY; OVER HERE , DUTCHESS COUNTY’S WORLD WAR I STORIES AT BEACON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND WORKING OVERTIME AT PHOTO BOOK WORKS.
Happy Second Saturday, Beacon!
We know you’ll be kicking off festive spring with the annual Parade of Green, but after that - then what? Galleries, my friend. Gallery openings galore: at regular spots like Dia, Catalyst, the library (Nancy Drew art show - what?) and No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, but also at once-in-a-while spots like the Beacon Historical Society and an art pop-up at the Beahive in the historic Telephone Building. Check A Little Beacon Blog’s Second Saturday Guide for start times, pictures, and descriptions of the exhibits opening in Beacon.
This month’s Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide is sponsored by No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, at 469 Main Street, down toward the east end of Main Street near the Beacon Movie Theater, where you’ll find not just rotating exhibits, but cool collections of handmade books that the public is encouraged to peruse.
While you're out and about doing Second Saturday, stop by our sponsors and support the businesses who support us!
Happening This Weekend - 3/8/2019
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2019 Parade of Green Grand Marshal Fred Antalek Shares His Fondest Beacon Memory - "Rowing Behind Rite Aid" (Sponsored)
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You’ve seen this face before - longtime Beacon resident and business owner Fred Antalek. Fred was born in 1937 and still works for his family business, Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency, coming to work “faithfully to keep everyone in check.” On Saturday, March 9, 2019, he’ll be bundling up along with everyone else to serve for his first time as the Grand Marshal in Beacon’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Green.
To find out how Fred feels about being this year’s Grand Marshal, we reached out to his daughter, Susan Antalek Pagones, who now runs the business with her partner Vince Lemma and their team of staff members. “Fred is quite honored about being the Grand Marshal this year,” Susan replied. “People ask if he is Irish… LOL, he is actually from the Gallagher family, so don’t be fooled!”
Fred’s Fondest Memory of Beacon
Schoonmaker’s, a department store in Beacon. Open from 1929 to 1960.
Photo Credit: Beacon Historical Society
Our Beacon elders are filled with fond and important memories. We asked Susan for one of Fred’s: “When Fred was 10 years old, he used to row around in a boat on the street behind Rite Aid,” Susan recalled. That street is also the location of Antalek & Moore’s current Beacon office. “This area was always flooded.”
Flooded? “Yes,” said Fred. “Matteawan Brook is what constantly overflowed. This brook caused major flooding to the back of what is now Rite Aid and the intersection of Church and South Chestnut Street.” Before Rite Aid, the location was the home of Schoonmaker’s.
Schoonmaker’s, which you may have heard references to in old stories, was one of the first department stores in Beacon. According to the Beacon Historical Society:
Schoonmaker's Department Store. Beacon had its first "modern" Department Store when Schoonmaker's opened its doors in the Christmas season of 1929. With "60 departments under one roof" (including "Toyland" in the basement), Schoonmaker's was the first stop for your Christmas shopping on Main Street. Later on, across the street at 341 Main, was the W.T. Grant store (Schoonmaker's biggest competitor), where you could even buy a live parakeet for Christmas! Like so many other good things in Beacon, Schoonmaker's and Grant’s were both gone by the late 1960s.
A map of Beacon from 1876, when the town was known as Fishkill on the Hudson. The Map shows the Matteawan stream.
UPDATE 3/9/2019: Since first publishing this article, a reader wrote in with a picture of a map of Beacon from 1876 when it was known as Fishkill on the Hudson. The stream is also on the 1867 map we covered earlier. The reader, Air Nonken Rhodes, is on the Resources Committee for Beacon, a new committee that is currently compiling all known natural resources in Beacon. Residents who live in that area still experience some flooding, so we asked Air about the stream as it is today:
“They buried the stream circa 1910 - scavenger hunt to find the plaque in Memorial Park commemorating that! The stream-burying was done rather poorly. It was especially challenging since it was swampy ground all around what’s now Rite Aid. That’s a big part of why the center section of Main Street wasn’t developed sooner and more fully. So, flooded basements still today, and not many historic buildings along there.”
More Beacon Business Trivia
Family businesses run deep in Beacon. Fred used to have his office on East Main Street, where Tiko’s Hair is now. “I remember it well,” recalled Susan. “I used to slide along the floor, where the large picture window is. playing with my toys. His sister Mary Ann worked for him.” In the late ’70s/early ’80s, Fred moved to 308 Main Street, where the Darrow Brothers used to have their clothing store. When Fred merged with Pat Moore, the business moved to 340 Main Street, Antalek & Moore’s current location. Fred’s mother worked at Gallagher’s Market, the current location of BAJA.
Continuing in her father’s footsteps, Susan has recently closed on the purchase of their building. She is one of Beacon’s newest female building owners. She’s got her eyes fixed on a new project on their roof involving a light. “We are trying to get the ‘beacon’ light on the roof - look for it the next time you pass by. I think that might be neat to find out the history of that.”
Stay tuned…
Antalek & Moore is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created with them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like theirs that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of news, local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor or Community Partner, please click here for more information.
Local Shopping to Local Pickup! La Mère Clothing and Goods Changes How People Shop Local (Sponsored)
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Main Street is getting even more shoppable as business owners invest in their websites so that locals - or out-of-towners who have never been here, yet - can easily shop a local store online to buy in advance and reserve at the shop for local pickup.
For La Mère Clothing and Goods, it may be easier for owner April’s clientele (who tend to be women, who sometimes need to have their children tagging along when out and about) to buy in the middle of the night as they are thumbing through La Mère’s very active Instagram feed. This way, April’s customer (or men who buy for partners or their home) has the option of buying something without bringing the whole family inside of the shop to complete the purchase of the coveted pink velvet ballet flats shown here. And yes, those are mine now, purchased on a Sunday night at 10:30 pm, picked up on a Friday morning while I was in the shop taking La Mère’s advertiser photo for our weekend Happening This Weekend newsletter.
Our sister design agency, Katie James, Inc. designed La Mère’s website and fashioned the Free Local Pickup option on the site. Whenever in the shop, I “shoot the shingle” (a term used over at my other training business, Tin Shingle) with most business owners about how business is going, what is working and not working. Turns out, when La Mère’s owner, April, told customers in the store that they could “buy an item online,” they took that to mean that she was giving them permission to go elsewhere and purchase it online, like at Amazon or something (I’m not a fan of Amazon for a myriad of reasons). Turns out, shoppers needed to be educated about La Mère’s own online shop, and that it was OK to shop local that way. The online store was the end result of the sale.
To let shoppers know about the online shopping feature, we came up with this official Local Pickup Pile in the store. April made a sign for it, and she may show it more to her customers via Instagram and a future newsletter to customers. Shoppers can select the Free Local Pickup option at checkout, and then come in when they can, and visit with April! I love getting these personalized pink Post-It notes on the bag!
Up Next: Knot Too Shabby on the other end of Main Street is in the final stages of website redesign for her shop. Stay tuned! There are LOADS of things you’ll find in her store other than the Annie Sloan furniture paint. Which is of course, everyone’s favorite.
PS: I had insider intel that these pink velvet ballet flats - which suddenly went on sale - were only available with one pair left in my size. You know what that means: midnight shopping for local shopping. 🛍
Editor’s Note: This article is a Sponsored Partner Post that A Little Beacon Blog did with Katie James, Inc., which is also part of A Little Beacon Blog and is also run by me - Katie (it’s like owning different restaurants that serve different food). This article a way to show you about our design and consulting services, but it made for a pretty good article regardless, don’t you think? ;) We can do these kind of editorial approved Partner Posts for your business as well. See our Media Kit for details, and reach out if you have a topic that might be appropriate.
Welcome Firefly Yoga As A Sponsor Of A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide!
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Welcome to our new Sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog’s Adult Classes Guide, Firefly Yoga and Juice Bar! With their support, we are able to show you inside their beautiful studio, feature regular and special classes, and promote to this Guide in general, showcasing many small businesses in it. See all the pictures and offerings by hitting our Adult Classes Guide right here!
Writerly Happenings: March Is Packed With Writerly Things To Do! New Writers Circle, Book Clubs and More
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Nicole from the hit Netflix show “Nailed It.”
“Hellooo again!!”
Ideally, I’d like you to have heard that “Helloooo” in the voice of Nicole from “Nailed It,” but since that’s not likely we will move on immediately to…
“What Are You Reading?” The Co-Worker Edition
At my new full-time job, I surveyed women I work with, who are surviving working with me, in order to bring you these highly skilled and marketable reading recommendations. To keep their persons anonymous, I have revealed them only by nicknames.
The HBIC sent an email marked with High Importance and instructions not to delete her cosigning of Karen Moning’s “Highlander” series (this co-worker is indeed a fan of all things magic and supernatural and Irish).
The Chorus Line duo is all about jazz hands. One is reading “The Alienist” by Caleb Carr, which combines suspense, historical fiction and justice (what more does one really need?), while the other is feeling the women’s empowerment of “We” by Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel.
The Little Bird is making sure her glam new highlights didn’t fry any brain cells by staying up all night reading “Neverwhere” by sometime Hudson Valley resident Neil Gaiman and feeling very dreamy about it.
And the Silver Fox is multitasking as usual, with “Purity” by Jonathan Franzen and “All About Love” by bell hooks (also on my list).
As for myself, I just started “The Ticking is the Bomb” by Nick Flynn and am withholding comment until later because I’m cold-hearted like that.
“What’s Going On? I’m Losing My Mind In This Weather!”
So what’s going on in the writerly corners of the Hudson Valley that you can get out to, since we are all about to lose our minds in the weather soup that is March?
LOTS OF WRITERLY HAPPENINGS!
GARRISON INSTITUTE
A new game in town (at least to me) is the Writer’s Circle at the Garrison Institute on Wednesday, March 20, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, looking super lovely and free of charge. Bonus round: It includes time for meditation, reflection, writing, and sharing.
BINNACLE BOOKS BOOK CLUB
Binnacle Books in Beacon is doing its boozy book club at Denning’s Point Distillery on Wednesday, March 13, and you want to be there. “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah (of The Daily Show) is what’s on the menu. Get 10% off the book at the store, and $5 cocktails to sip whilst you tilt your head thoughtfully.
P.S. EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you Binnacle Books for becoming a regular sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide! It’s quite an honor to have an independent bookstore show their appreciation and value with a sponsorship!
HUDSON VALLEY WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Hudson Valley Writer’s Workshop has their monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 6, and a Facebook page full of other things to investigate.
SPLIT ROCK BOOKS
Split Rock Books in Cold Spring is on winter vacation until Monday, March 4, with limited hours until then. I’m personally pleased as punch for any small business owners who take a little time to recharge. And they are going to need it for March, because whatever your book club preference may be (History, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Kids Club) they have you covered this month. Also on tap in March: a drawing night, fermentation workshop, and readings by locals and beyond.
ADULT STORIES AT OAK VINO
John Blesso is hosting the second Adult Stories reading series at Oak Vino on Friday, March 8, with a great lineup of writers telling “true stories of an offbeat, edgy, or emotionally-challenging nature told without notes or pages.” $5 and please arrive on time at 7 pm so as not to interrupt. (I’m side-eyeing myself here, if that’s anatomically possible.)
GET LIT AT OAK VINO
Get Lit on Sunday, March 10, features two speakers about award-winning children’s literature power couple James Ransome (illustrator) and Lesa Cline-Ransome (author). In addition to their collaborations on books about Serena and Venus Williams, Harriet Tubman, Louis Armstrong and Alvin Ailey, James is also the artist behind the beautiful mural at the Adriance Library in Poughkeepsie.
GET LIT WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Lucky us! Get Lit founder Julie Chibbaro is doing a an ongoing writing workshop for teens called “Write Your Own Adventure” for ages 12-15 on four Thursdays (March 7-28), and an adult writing intensive on Saturday, March 30, at the Howland Library in Beacon. Also free! See here for details.
WRITING WORKSHOP AT QUINN’S
Stop in to Quinn’s on Tuesday, March 12, and stay a while as readers from Ruth Danon’s Live Writing workshop take to the stage at 7 pm. I am not reading this time, but I will be eating some pickled plum and clapping like mad for them.
THE ARTICHOKE STORYTELLING SERIES
Meanwhile, The Artichoke Storytelling Series at the Howland Cultural Center, hosted by Drew Prochaska, is SOLD OUT! It features storytellers from The Moth, Risk! and Story Collider, as well as Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening. If you were considering moving to Beacon, Fishkill, or Wappingers (anywhere close to the Howland Cultural Center), this new series is a pretty compelling reason!
NATIONAL POETRY MONTH IN TIVOLI
On Tuesday, March 26, you can start your National Poetry Month festivities early (move over, St. Paddy’s Day) up in Tivoli with this brilliant mashup of poetry and philosophy at Murray’s Coffeeshop (the coffee is super good there) from Bard College and the Poetry Foundation. “The Words We Live By: Poetry and Philosophy in Conversation” features poet Fred Moten and author Robert Gooding-Williams, and looks to be a deep well. It’s introduced by this quote by Hannah Arendt: “The storehouse of memory is kept and watched over by the poets, whose business it is to find and make the words we live by.”
Phew! That was a lot of must-dos for this month. If you hear of any throughout the year, email me at phoebe@alittlebeaconblog.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Surprise! An Editor’s Note, because we couldn’t just stop writing in the Writerly Happenings section! If you love this Writerly Happening series as much as we do, and if you love helping promote writers and illustrators and books, then consider becoming a regular Supporting Sponsor! You can get your logo published bright and shiny at the top of this article, and each article we publish a month. Or, if you are a regular person with no business but really want to be a Sponsoring Individual, you can! Please see our Media Kit page for details, and other opportunities for sponsorship. All of our sponsoring advertisers help us get the word out, pay our writers, and grow this publication as a self-sustaining, family-friendly business. Thank you!
Nancy Drew Inspired Art Show To Open At Howland Public Library For Women's History Month
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Nancy Drew Inspired art: At left, Anna West’s “Good Girl”; Top Right, Jean Noack’s “The Secret”; below Right, “Nancy Drew” by Philomena Kiernan
Photo Credit: Anna West (left) and Philomena Kiernan (right).
Imagine our delight when A Little Beacon Blog’s Second Saturday Guide editor Catherine Sweet and I received the press release that a group art show opening at the Howland Public Library will showcase works inspired by Nancy Drew in recognition of Women’s History Month.
The Howland Public Library presents “The Mystery of Nancy Drew, a Group Show.” The exhibit will be on view in The Community Room Exhibit Space from Second Saturday, March 9, through Saturday, April 6, 2019. An artists' reception will be held on Saturday, March 9, from 5 to 7 pm.
Nancy Drew Inspired Jean Noack’s “The Secret”
Photo Credit: Jean Noack
Nancy Drew As The Inspiration
The first Nancy Drew books were published in 1930 under the pen name Carolyn Keene, and are still in print today (with several different authors publishing under that pen name). The first 23 of the original 30 books were written by Mildred Wirt Benson, who shaped Nancy’s brave and adventurous character.
Mildred was a ghost writer for the series and was not revealed as its author until the 1970s, according to this article at Smithsonian.com. Mildred was the daughter of a doctor who made house calls, and often traveled with him on his work. Keen on being a writer, Mildred was a journalist whose beat was local crimes and city corruption. She hung out at the city courthouse to find most of her stories. To learn a lot more about Mildred, read this article at Smithsonian.com.
Jan Dolan’s entry in the show imagines a “girl sleuth” dream team of Agatha Christie, Miss Marple, and Nancy Drew.
Photo Credit: Jan Dolan
Over time, the fictional character of Nancy Drew, the independent girl sleuth, has become a culture icon. The exhibit features artwork by over 20 local women artists inspired by the classic Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.
The exhibit at the library was curated by Jan Dolan and Michelle Rivas of the Howland Public Library. “This show is dedicated to all the real-life independent and creative problem-solving women in our community,” said the curators in their press release.
CoMFY At It Again
The show is the fifth annual exhibit from the group CoMFY, a collective of women artists from the Beacon area. Last year their show was inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The group formed in 2011 when local artists Kat Stoutenborough and Jennifer Blakeslee invited some friends to a local coffee shop to talk. Inspired by their discussions about balancing life and their creative pursuits, the women began meeting on a regular basis. The group has grown and transformed over the years. “While the women do not meet in person as often as they'd like to,” the library’s press release states, “the support network created has endured.”
Find The Show
The Howland Public Library is located at 313 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508. The Community Room Exhibit Space is open during regular library hours. Please note the gallery may not be accessible during some library programs. Please consult the library calendar at beaconlibrary.org.
Find The Books In Beacon
You can order almost any Nancy Drew book you want from Beacon’s local bookstore Binnacle Books, or stop into the library’s volunteer-powered bookstore, Beacon Reads, to see if they have any. And of course, check the Howland Public Library to borrow a few.
Photo Credit: “Nancy Drew,” by Philomena Kiernan
Beacon Open Studios 2019 Is Coming...Sneak Preview Of Artists To Visit
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As the first bulbs of spring start coming up, artists in Beacon are busy preparing for the big day when everyone and anyone is invited to step inside of participating artist studios during Beacon Open Studios. Usually spring has sprung, and you can smell the freshly thawed ground and greening grass as you walk, drive or hop around to different artist studios. This year, the big weekend is Friday to Sunday, May 17 to 19, 2019, and A Little Beacon Blog is a proud sponsor.
Open Studios was the first event that locked in my love for Beacon when I accidentally discovered the studios while out jogging one day. An artist had opened their studio (their garage), had the red balloon tied to their mailbox (the official sign that they are inviting you in) and visitors were encouraged to walk up the driveway to explore inside and meet the artist.
Register! Artists Participate
Artists of all kinds are invited to participate. If you’re in Beacon, and if you are an artist - no matter what your age, tools, art supplies, etc. - you are encouraged to register and help people get to know your art. I’m partial to jewelry designers’ studios because I like looking at their work tables. What kind of art do you make? Pottery? Sculptures? Ephemera? Let’s get you on the map and in the brochure. Register here to participate in Beacon Open Studios 2019.
Sponsor! Help Make It Happen
Artists are often withdrawn with their art - or they are just hard to find. Beacon Open Studios is the initiative that make them approachable by everyone. You never know what kind of inspiration may hit you or your children or friends while visiting one of these studios. This is why A Little Beacon Blog sponsors Beacon Open Studios. It keeps the community churning and ideas accessible.
Sponsor Beacon Open Studios here. Or, you can simply donate!
And Now, A Sneak Peek…
A bunch of artists have signed up, and you still can. Here are three that we found and intend to explore during the big weekend:
Photo Credit: Beacon Open Studios
Ómò Oba (Prince) Adetomiwa A. Gbadebo
“Born Ómò Oba (Prince) Adetomiwa A. Gbadebo in Abeokuta, Nigeria; into three royal families: the Gbadebo royal family of Egba Kingdom and the Ademiluyi family of Ilé-Ifè Kingdom, as well as the Oshodi (Tapa) family from Lagos. Òmó Oba (Prince) Gbadebo uses his Yorùbá heritage and life experiences to create his pieces based on emotions and the journey that life stitches; he embodies a spiritual trance while he creates. He does not associate himself with any artistic movement; for it is with the guidance of Olódùmarè that he executes his message.” - from his artist page.
Open Studio Destination:
211 Fishkill Ave. (Old Beacon High School)
Represented by Ethan Cohen Fine Art (Ethan Cohen Fine Art owns the Old Beacon High School, where several artists have working studios or exhibit space)
Photo Credit: Beacon Open Studios
Toby Dunne
To be honest, we don’t know much about Toby - yet. Mystery artists are a favorite. Well, maybe not a mystery to you. But he remains one to us. We’ll fill you in as we learn more - possibly after a visit to his working studio on Rombout Avenue!
Open Studio Destination
186 Rombout Ave.
Working Studio
Photo Credit: Beacon Open Studios
Yali Lewis
Yali Lewis’ jewelry may look familiar to you because… her flagship shop, Lewis & Pine, is in Beacon at 133 Main Street (near Bank Square)! “Lewis & Pine Jewelry and Apothecary are created by New York-based artist Yali Lewis and are inspired by modernist design and natural beauty. Yali creates her jewelry and apothecary collections by hand in her studio in Beacon, NY. The visual and sensory landscape of the Hudson Valley meet the architectural geometry and cultural richness of New York City in Yali's work. Yali has shown in numerous juried craft fairs around the country. Yali’s work has been at the Bryant Park Holiday Village, Columbus Avenue Craft Fair, Renegade Craft Fair, Urban Craft Uprising, and many others.“ - excerpted from her website.
Open Studio Destination:
Catalyst Gallery, 137 Main Street
(an art gallery just a few doors down from Lewis & Pine’s shop)
A Big Thank You To Our Supporting Sponsors Of The Shopping Guide!
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A big Thank You to the sponsors and supporting businesses of A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide!
This is a Guide we created that includes all shops in Beacon (if we missed you, email us!), and businesses have the opportunity to stand out with a Sponsor Spot to show readers photos inside of their shops, and special events.
Supporting Sponsors include Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, Binnacle Books and La Mère Clothing + Goods. Thank you so much! Your ongoing support helps us maintain these Guides, and produce the Happening This Weekend newsletter that everybody loves that comes out on Fridays. We’re busy working on that today!
An exciting weekend is coming up, with Second Saturday and the Parade of Green! You can always visit the Shopping Guide here, that lists all shops with addresses and links. Share with your friends who are visiting! Or use it yourself to go inside the stores! You'll be so happy you did.
If you run a business and are interested in participating, click here to our Media Kit for details.
First Snowfall Of March In Beacon 2019
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Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog
The first snowfall of March for 2019 has fallen onto lilac tree buds and hyacinth shoots. Fear not, they have been covered before.
The snow fell heavy and wet onto warm (well, not super-cold) ground, temperate from the Sunday before when the days had just started to warm up a bit.
Schools in New York City are closed, with a Hazardous Travel Advisory issued by NYC, according to WNYC. Most schools in the Hudson Valley are on a two-hour delay, with some schools on a three-hour delay, or a Transportation Delay. Some Hudson Valley Schools are simply closed for the day.
Beacon City Schools are in a two-hour delay, and our delay call came last night, which helps with planning and rescheduling. Delays have become commonplace over the years when snow is expected to be on the ground in the morning. According to Beacon Superintendent Matthew Landahl, a small team from the school’s Transportation Department goes out at 3:30 am to check the roads to make a decision, since buses start their routes at 6 am.
“Since I live here,” says Dr. Landahl, “I sometimes go out and join in on the fun.” If the team finds icy patches where the buses need to drive to transport kids in and out of the district, Landahl is inclined to call a two-hour delay. Robocalls issued by Dr. Landahl have helped to keep everyone informed along the way. This morning, a call was issued to confirm the decision from the night before: that everything was good to go for the planned delay. “See you soon,” he added, and credited the city’s Highway Department and school facility teams for getting the roads clear for everyone. To follow along with other school schedules during weather, check out the list here: http://wpdh.com/snow-closings-delays/
Shoveling!
Well, you know what snowfall means: shoveling. And you know what shoveling means: chocolate chip pancakes! Or deep-dish French toast from Homespun, three-layer cake from BJs, a cheese danish from Beacon Bread Company, a hearty bagel sandwich from Beacon Bagel, or cut to the chase with a bacon egg sandwich from Mr. V’s or Bob’s. Permission granted to totally carb out.
Be safe! Don’t overdo it. Take breaks. And don’t stand under snow-covered heavy branches of snow. OK, that’s a lot to remember. Enjoy!
Bear Mountain Bridge on the morning commute from Beacon to New York City. Photo Credit: David Ray Martin
The east end of Main Street, before the second half of the east end of Main Street beyond Teller Avenue. Photo Credit: David Ray Martin
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The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
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