Mama and Baby Kitchenaids Courtesy Trendy Tots Take Two

Ruby and I went "walking into town" today as my neighbor calls it (we practically live in Beacon Barkery's back yard) to accompany my neighbor and her daughter on a shoe purchasing expedition at Trendy Tots Take Two, located midway down Main Street.

I tried to exhibit restraint, as I don't have particular clothing needs in mind, and I'm on a hunt for a toy with buckles on it (Ruby's quite into understanding her stroller and carseat buckles and how to clip them). But then I saw this teal wooden mixer from Honeybake and just...couldn't not apply some consignment credit to it! Maybe I got it more for me, but I did test it on her, and she carried it around for a minute before returning to the popcorn walker thing. For $14.99, how could you not have a matching set? It compliments Ruby's pink wooden stove, also from Trendy Tots. The mixing bowl was not included, and is the small bowl in a set of Martha Stewart stainless steel flat bottom mixing bowls.

I also randomly got Ruby a black and pink baseball glove because...it is black and pink, was $4.99, and is left handed. I'm manifesting this hand upon her...

View from The Roundhouse at Beacon Falls on the Patio

We late-lunched with our Cold Spring friends yesterday at The Roundhouse patio at Beacon Falls, and yes, the view is that great, and the sound of the waterfall transports you to yet another side of Beacon. Don't let those empty tables in the picture fool you - it was quite packed while we were eating, and our party and those around us have finished and aren't sitting there anymore.

Yesterday was a most ideal Saturday: started at Crumb for an early chicken sandwich lunch on their back garden patio while I did a little mom-preneur work while my husband watched Ruby. Then moseyed on down to Bank Square for a lovely iced vanilla latte to cruise through the rest of my work, then received a text from hubby that we were all meeting at The Roundhouse and that he was already in the parking lot to pick me up, followed by a quick stop at Vintage Cafe for a delicious grilled cheese and fruit cup for young Ruby whose daddy thought she could order off the sophisticated menu at The Roundhouse, followed by a trip back to Vintage for pie because it looked so good when I was picking up the grilled cheese.

But I digress, as you want to read about The Roundhouse! Very Manhattan and minimalist - so far. The views are amazing. No matter what side of the table you're sitting on, you will gaze at something pleasing. Either the Beacon Falls, or the bar which is a dark brown wood (very modern and clean looking), or the sloping side of Main Street since the restaurant is nestled into the river bed, or the rugged construction look of work being done to round out the old building structure for the real future restaurant.

The waitress was apologetic while setting our table with paper and plastic dining tools, explaining that they aren't the real deal yet, with their "makeshift" kitchen in the back, you can see as you walk down the steps descending onto the patio. It might be the best makeshift kitchen around, as it churns out scallops with a touch of bacon in a cream sauce, fried pig (this had a fancier name I cannot remember). I get the feeling from their Facebook page, that the menu changes weekly, or at least from time to time with fresh, seasonal specials. They offer craft beers and artisanal cocktails, yet we went with an easy bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. I didn't get to gaze at the drink menu, as I was arms full with Ruby.

So far, The Roundhouse is kid friendly (although you'd want to go there to relax and enjoy the view) in that Ruby could run up and down the steps, yet wanted desperately into that kitchen. I saw two mom-friends, with kids, meeting friends and family. Menu-wise, it's pretty sophisticated (or, the version at 2:30pm is). Even the fries had an upscale cheese squiggle on them, and were delicious. There is a cheeseburger, but we haven't tried it yet. I had the scallops, and my friend the tuna ceviche and fresh tomatoes.

Our takeaway was that The Roundhouse was definitely going to be an "it" place to be, where you'll need reservations. They don't take reservations yet and are very accommodating. Their Facebook page already has 1200 fans who are very involved with the page. Another good sign. This is absolutely a place you want to come to relax and enjoy a cold drink or bottle of wine with friends in serenity.

Second Saturday Tonight - Gallery Openings and Windows

Lots going on tonight for Beacon's Second Saturday:


Have fun! I may be attending, juggling two babies.

Where Is This? Hint: it's vintage

Hey Beaconites and Hudson Valley enthusiasts! This week's contest prize is brought to you by Blackbird Attic, one of Beacons coolest consignment shops for mens and women's fashion (and jeans...lots of jeans). You win 20% off your purchase on already great savings, good for one month. The prize in and of itself correlates with the hint of where is picture is and what it's taken of.
This location is not in Beacon, but is a short day trip away. I have more hints lined up just in case this is an extra hard one. But one of you may get it in an instant! Put your answer in the comments below!

The "Where Is This in Beacon" Contest is Back!

Put your thinking caps on, Beaconites! The "Where is This in Beacon" contest is back for Wednesday afternoons! The pictures are going to get trickier because the prize bag just grew. That's what I was doing - making a proper logo page for those Beacon businesses who are providing prizes. The prizes are great, and the visual challenges even better, as I see how long I can stump you with an obscure picture of something you look at all the time here in Beacon - or around the Hudson Valley where you may have day tripped. So get your RSS feeds ready! First correct answer in the comments section of each picture wins the prize for that week.

I'm debating which picture I'm going to put up next - a Beacon one, or one from a day trip. Trying to decide how hard I want to make the first one for you... :)

'e ko logic is Upstate New York's Most Individual Designer


'e ko logic has been on my radar for quite some time now (was it from Daily Candy a really long time ago?), and now that we moved up to Beacon from Manhattan, I'm even closer to them! Working from their studio in Troy, NY, 'e ko logic has been ahead of the green movement, and will always be desirable because of their resourceful, delightful, and creative designs of dresses, hats, fingerless gloves, and whatever else they want to make into something wearable and extremely funky.


'e ko logic designs high quality clothing out of recycled clothing, but not just any clothing: fine fabric clothing. Cashmere, cotton, everything you want in something against your skin. I have a two-tone dress from them that made it through my maternity stage, and then just the other day in this hot weather, atop a little jersey skirt from echo boutique.

Get on their mailing list, because sometimes they have sales, like today, where select accessories are 30% off (like their cashmere hats!! who cares that it's a heat wave! i buy all of my winter items in spring/summer). You can buy from their store, and now they have an Etsy store where they sell cotton and cashmere scraps! And some clothing.

Prize Bag for the "Where Is This in Beacon?" Picture Contest

Winners of the "Where Is This in Beacon?" picture contest can win one of these lucky local prizes! Each Wednesday, we post an obscure picture of some little corner of Beacon you have most likely seen several times. The first person to identify in the Comment section of that blog post wins the designated prize that is described there! If a winning answer is not given by the following Wednesday, the contest remains open and more clues will be given. This is the prize bag so that you can see all of the participating stores. To include your store or service in this list, or to learn the rules of the contest, please see below.




ECHO BOUTIQUE
Echo is a delightful boutique for women and a toy store for kids on the east end of Main Street. Owner Karen is known for her keen eye and fills the store with exactly what you desire, from wallets to shirts to dresses to notebooks to shoes to Melissa & Doug galore.
Prize: 20% off any purchase good for one week after winning the contest.
www.echobeacon.com


BLACKBIRD ATTIC
Blackbird Attic is Beacon's vintage consignment store on the east end of Main Street, with a little bit of fashion for everyone. Known for their jeans selections, vintage Penguin collection, and extremely affordable consignment prices on designer labels and quality clothing.
Prize: 20% off any purchase, good for one month after winning the contest.
www.blackbirdattic.com







THE BEACON BAGEL
The Beacon Bagel is your source for bagel sandwiches, lox, buttered bagels, and most any bagel combo you could want.
Prize: One dozen plain bagels with 1lb of cream cheese.

The Beacon Bagel
466 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
www.thebeaconbagel.com



UTENSIL
Utensil is a practical, affordable kitchenware shop that has classic style and a modern sensibility. Find what you need from pots & pans to french presses.
Prize: Jar of Jeni's fudge sauce

Utensil
480 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
http://www.utensilkitchenware.com/



SALLYEANDER SOAPS
SallyeAnder is a family owned and operated soap company located here in Beacon. Every product is always homemade, using natural, uncompromising, quality products, and always made with care.
Prize: Summer Basket of goodies, including Sallye Sunshine Soap, Gardener's Hand Soap, No Bite Me Cream, No Bite Me Bar, and Lakeshore Soap

SallyeAnder
18 West Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
http://www.sallyeander.com/


RULES
- If you are a winner, you can redeem the prize that was assigned on that particular contest. You will be sent directions via email as to how to redeem.
- Sorry, no trade-ins at this time. You need to stick with the prize you won (if it's too girly for you, maybe buy your lady friend a present!).
- You must redeem your prize within the stated deadline from each store, otherwise, you will forfeit it.

TO OFFER A PRIZE
Contact Katie at katie@alittlebeaconblog.com to submit a prize suggestion. Click here to see which businesses are in the Prize Bag now.

SPONSOR THE CONTEST
Your business can sponsor the entire contest. This gets your logo linked to your website on the contest page you sponsor, where people will see it as they search the archives. Click here to book your spot.

Sweet Mamas is Soul Food in the Raw

Sweet Mama's serves raw, vegan and organic living desserts and savories to NYC and the Hudson Valley. Their non-dairy, gluten-free cheesecakes, brownies, pies, lasagnas, pizzas and other edibles are made with the finest ingredients and attention to the principles of raw food preparation. You can find the woman behind Sweet Mama's, Katherine Key, walking around Beacon, usually going to or from her friend, Marla's Kale Kitchen, on Verplank (the house you see with the garden of a variety of luscious leaves growing in front).

I'm on Sweet Mama's email list, which means I get tempted with her affordable raw meals at least once a week. I'm not a vegan, and prefer butter whenever possible, and am a total carnivore, but these raw meals sound too good to resist! And are very affordable.


SAMPLE SWEET MAMA'S RAW MEAL PLAN
Soup:  Vegetable Bisque.......$3/8oz
Lunch: Pest or Marinara Pizza with sprouted buckwheat crust, walnut cheese, red peppers, onions and black olives..........$6
Salad: Sprouted Quinoa Mixed Greens Salad with Critrus Vinaigrette...........$4
Dinner: Ginger "Stir Fry" with Cauliflower Almond "Fried Rice".............$8
Snack: Sour Cream n Onion Kale Chips........$5
Dessert: Cran-Rasberry Cheesecake (dairy free)...............$4


WHERE TO FIND SWEET MAMA'S:
(this list does not include all of her locations, and she does deliver)

  • The Juice Spot @ 33 Garden St carries Sweet Mama's savories & cakes and their own house-made specials.
  • Poughkeepsie Farmer's Market! It's at the entrance to the Walkway Over the Hudson, Fridays 3-7pm. Sweet Mama's will be there each week selling slices of raw & vegan Fruit-Topped Cheesecakes, Walnut & Sprouted Lentil Burgers, Sweet Root Rosemary Flax Crackers, Fruit Leather and MORE!
  • Integral Yoga Natural Foods, Live Live and Life Thyme in NYC is carrying Sweet Mama's raw organic desserts, cookies, crackers and more.

Contact Katherine at Sweet Mama for details, to order a delivery, or to get her newsletter: sweetmamasny@gmail.com.


Bi-Polar Explorer on Display in my Chronogram Magazine

So this worly eyed guy has been staring at me this week from the Ikea butcher block island in our kitchen as I feed Ruby one of several meals and snacks. I don't read much anymore because 1. I'm a 'preneur so am consumed with working on my business, and 2. I'm a new mom, so can barely shower.

Tonight, we're having date night at home, so hubby cooks steaks (I whisked a lemon sauce for asperigas), and I've got the radio on WFUV. Yes, the radio, because I really do love it more than iPods on shuffle or repeat sometimes.

Before date night started, hubby took a walk while I put Ruby to bed, so when I came down, I had a few quiet moments to drink a beer, wipe down the highchair, and fall into a Saturday night place I haven't been in a while. In my single days, I'd listen to Garrison Keillor in my apartment, followed by TV of British comedies on Thirteen, followed by my music while I worked on projects, any project. Drawing for an FIT assignment, blogging for my old blog, cleaning, anything. It was awesome.

So I checked my email quick to email my business partners (didn't have business partners or a baby or a husband in those days), and picked up the Chronogram to finish reading about the home-based bread baker with an awesome kitchen. But I've gotten so far as to learning about who this man is on the cover: he's a misfit explorer from the early 20th-century, who "never got anywhere or found anything." He is now part of a photography exhibit by Allison Leach titled Bi-Polar Explorer, and it's on display at Davis Orton Gallery in Hudson through July 31, 2011. Allison did something neat with the negative and Polaroid.

And now my steak is done, date night has started. Let's all go to the exhibit!

Kids Eat Free in Beacon: Summer Meals

This just in from some people trying to spread the word about a lunch program that feeds any child in Beacon, and doesn't seem to ask for paperwork. All kids & teens 18 and younger can receive a nutritious lunch for free during the summer! Lunch time is an hour, so you need to get there and be prompt!

  • It’s Free: Kids eat free meals and families save money.
  • It’s Easy: No residency or citizenship rules, no registration, and no forms to fill out!
  • Any kid can receive a free meal this summer.
  • It’s Fun: There will be occasional events and activities at the lunch site.
  • It’s Good Food: A nutritious meal is served.

Meals served at:
Beacon Community Center
23 West Center Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Lunch (11:30am – 12:30pm)

Springfield Baptist Church
8 Church Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Lunch (11:30am – 12:30pm)

Efforts for this program are brought to you by the Nutrition Advisory Committee of Dutchess County. For more info information visit Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County at www.ccedutchess.org or call 677-8223.

CCEDC provides equal programs and employment opportunities. The program provided by this agency is partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.