Editor's Note: This article was pushed to the front of our editorial calendar the day that Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., withdrew his name from consideration as drug czar for the Trump administration. A report by The Washington Post and "60 Minutes" found that Marino was part of sponsoring legislation passed in 2016 that made it difficult for the Drug Enforcement Association (DEA) to go after drug companies who failed to report suspicious behavior - which included making large orders - of narcotics. According to the report, the DEA had been trying to block this proposed legislation for years, but in 2016 lost. Learn more about that in this NPR article.
You may have heard the chatter - "There's an opioid drug crisis in the Philipstown area." Two things may have happened after that - you might not have known what an opioid was, so the problem wasn't visible or urgent. Then, Philipstown isn't Beacon, so another removal from the situation occurs. When you read stories, however, of high school students who got addicted to opioids at age 14 after taking prescription painkillers for an ACL injury, or a sunburned foot, and then dying in a motel room in Newburgh, or almost dying after a long and frightening struggle with addiction from how the chemicals in the drug hook into the brain, "opioid" takes on a different meaning.
A recent New York Times article featured a medical examiner who is quitting his job after analyzing so many opioid-overdosed bodies, where he first sees white foam seep out of the lungs when he cuts them open, but has to analyze the entire body in order to give an official overdose verdict. The medical examiner wants to reach people before they get to his autopsy table - while they are living. He wants to be a minister. His church? Hiking trails. He wants to serve as a chaplain for the Boy Scouts of America, and wants to join the Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy of the United Methodist Church so he can minister on the the hiking trails that cross New Hampshire and its White Mountains.
Opioid Deaths and Help in the Hudson Valley
After publishing more than a few drug overdose obituaries, The Highlands Current, the newspaper based in Cold Spring that covers Phillipstown and Beacon, dedicated a lot of ink (aka space in the newspaper) to the epidemic, called Special Report: Fighting Back the Opioid Crisis. What compelled The Highlands Current to dedicate its staff and printing to such a cause? In the words of Christine Bockelmann, Chair of the Board of The Highlands Current:
“The opioid crisis is one of the most urgent of national issues, but where it is felt most acutely is on the local level — when a neighbor goes into treatment, a family member gets addicted, a teenager dies. The Highlands Current decided it was important to look at how this national crisis is playing out in our communities because that is where those receiving care and those giving care cope on a day-to-day basis. We wanted to understand the treatments supported by our care centers, our law enforcement officials, our courts, and we wanted to know their thoughts as well as those of addicts in recovery and of parents in mourning on the best approaches to "fighting back" in this crisis. In the middle of all the words devoted to this critical issue there may be information to help someone pull through, an idea for a more effective treatment, or just hope that educating more on this crisis will help bring it to an end."
The Four Components of the Special Report
The report is broken down into four easy-to-follow sections.
Part 1: Stories Max Max is the son of Teri Barr, owner of Hudson Valley Outfitters on Main Street in Cold Spring. One summer when he was 14, he got a bad sunburn on the tops of his feet while boating. The doctor prescribed an opioid painkiller. When the prescription ran out, they got another prescription. The rest of Max's story is in The Highlands Current's Special Report, and it involves a private boarding school rife with drugs, addiction, withdrawals, relapses, incarcerations, court appearances, a mother's constant battle to protect her son from himself, and what happened next. Read Max's story
Sasha Alexander “Sasha” Matero, of Garrison, developed an opioid addiction while he was 14 years old as a student at Haldane High School in 2007. He injured his ACL, a knee ligament, in an accident and had it surgically repaired. He was prescribed opioid painkillers by his doctor during recovery from surgery. According to the article, the pills “flipped the switch,” his mother said. “The painkillers worked. They made the pain go away.” Sasha struggled with addiction to the painkillers for years after that. Despite open communication with his parents about his addiction, and with Sasha actively seeking help, he died in a hotel room in Newburgh on his 25th birthday in 2014. Read Sasha's story
Part 2: Role of Law Enforcement and the Courts in Battling the Epidemic Two Highlands Current reporters were assigned to cover the courts and police officers. Michael Turton looked at the work of the Putnam County Drug Court, while Jeff Simms (a Beacon resident) spent time with Beacon and Dutchess County police officers who battle the opioid crisis daily.
From his "A Day in Drug Court" piece, Michael recalls a conversation he heard, as the judge delivered opening remarks.
After the 30 or so defendants file into the courtroom, [Judge James] Reitz asks anyone to stand who knows a woman named Samantha who had appeared in court the previous week.
A few stand. “She was doing well,” Reitz says. “She told me, ‘How can life not be great? I’m clean and sober and working. I’m getting my degree. I’m doing great.’ ” Her most recent court-ordered drug test, three days earlier, had come up negative.
Part 3: Treatment Options The Special Report explores different treatment and education options available, and new facilities that are being built. The Hudson Valley has hundreds of thousands of dollars available for building facilities that prevent death and try to get a person away from an addicted state. The following are explored in the articles:
Dutchess County Stabilization
Arms Acres
CoveCare
St. Christopher’s Inn
What Does It Cost?
Part 4: Voices and Shared Thoughts to Fight Problem The Highlands Current explores "thoughts of specialists, counselors, doctors and those struggling with addiction about what they feel should take priority in addressing the problem."
Before you dive into the Highlands Current's local spotlight on opioids, you'll want to know what they are. In the words of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, here is what they are:
Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others. These drugs are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain. Opioid pain relievers are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by a doctor, but because they produce euphoria in addition to pain relief, they can be misused (taken in a different way or in a larger quantity than prescribed, or taken without a doctor’s prescription). Regular use — even as prescribed by a doctor — can lead to dependence and, when misused, opioid pain relievers can lead to overdose incidents and deaths. — National Institute on Drug Abuse
Erin and Leigh are back at A Little Beacon Space! They have taken over our office for a pop-up shop event this weekend only, and they have brought their entire inventory with them. To see inventory that's normally only available during certain times in their private Facebook group, anyone can come into A Little Beacon Blog's Space to shop Erin and Leigh's collection of leggings, dresses, denim(!), tops, and more on Friday from 3 to 7 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. A Little Beacon Blog's Space is at 291 Main St., across from Key Food, and down the block from the library.
LuLaRoe is a brand of clothing known for its soft fabrics and unique prints and color combinations, founded by a woman who wanted to build a business that worked around her family's needs and schedule. LuLaRoe has grown into a nationwide brand, with associates like Erin and Leigh stationed in everyone's neighborhood. Beacon has several associates, some of whom you may have seen at school fundraising events, or maybe you've shopped at their homes (see who else is in Beacon). As the company is family-based and always eager to support the community, give a LuLaRoe pal a try if you haven't yet.
Accessories - Where to Find Jewelry to Go With These Outfits
Oh yes, you'll need accessories, and you'll find them at several shops along Main Street. Good places to start include (on the West End of town, near the train) reMADE for uniquely made artisan jewelry, Bellus on Main for a finely curated collection of jewelry, Nella's Bellas for insta-bling at a friendly price-point, and Hudson Beach Glass for more artisan jewelry. On the East End of town, stop into Style Storehouse (also having a solo jam session on Saturday with Sasha Dobson, who is in a band with Norah Jones), echo boutique, Waddle n Swaddle for nursing-friendly jewelry, Vintage Beacon, Lauren and Riley, Shop Reservoir, Kaight, King + Curated, and others.
On Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 12 pm, the City of Beacon will dedicate the East Main Bridge, near the Dummy Light, in between The Roundhouse and the newest row of boutiques at 1 East Main, to Ron and Ronnie Sauers. The couple has been dubbed "early pioneers" - really early - of Beacon's renaissance during the 1980s, by just about every Beaconite who knows about the visionary pair.
To set the scene for why they were so relevant, take a read of this passage from "Celebrating Our Centennial, Beacon at 100," published by the Beacon Historical Society:
"Since its incorporation, the city of Beacon relied on its factories and on trade from the Hudson River for its well-being. But as the river's commercial viability failed, and the factories gradually closed, the city began a slow, inexorable slide to decline. And nowhere was the decay more apparent than on the East End of Main Street.
Enter Ron and Ronnie Sauers. Long-time residents of New York City, the Sauers made their living in television - she as a video editor, and he as a designer and builder of video and sound studios. By the mid-1980s, they turned their vision north, and set about finding an upstate community in need of revitalization. After briefly considering several options, they chose Beacon, and set their creative sights on three burned-out buildings on the city's East End. Buoyed by the enthusiastic support of the city government, they purchased the charred shells, and designed storefronts and high-end apartments that combined historically accurate facades with elegant modern interiors. The finished buildings marked the beginning of Beacon's rebirth.
A reception is to follow at Dogwood, featuring a slide show of the buildings they worked on from the 1980s. Says council member and organizer of the event, George Mansfield, during a City Council meeting on October 2, 2017: "The slide show gives us all a good sense of reference as to where we were, and where we are." Also involved are Polich Tallix foundry, who donated the bronze plaque (side note: they are now casting the Oscar statues!), and Rabe & Co., who donated the graphic design.
Happy Second Saturday, people of Beacon! Dive into autumn this weekend, via spooky celebration or life-affirming art. We've got it all covered for you!
Some highlights: In addition to the slate of Beacon's art gallery openings (a harvest for which we are ever-thankful), a handful of literary/art collaborations are happening today: A photobook pop-up on East Main, a painting-poetry jam in Beacon's newest storefront, and an author/illustrator reading at good ol' Binnacle. Also, a fundraiser for Mid Hudson Animal Aid at the Howland Public Library features art from Beaconites. Community Free Day at Dia:Beacon means extra tours and programs, not least of which is end-of-day beer from the fine folks at 2 Way Brewing. In case you haven't seen it yet, swim quickly to Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries for the waning days of their historic photo exhibit.
A giant thank you to BeaconArts for promoting this day in our city for years, and thanks to the sponsors of A Little Beacon Blog, who make it possible for us to share the goings-on around town. Please support the businesses who support us!
It's Second Saturday, y'all! This one is the most action-packed of the year so far. Thankfully, the weather has dipped down into the 60s, so get your Fall on and make a plan!
All Second Saturday Art Listings are in A Little Beacon Blog's Second Saturday Guide.
Pro Tip: Keep the following Guides, and this email, open on your phone at all times. It's just like having an app of Beacon - but it's on your phone. Each Guide and Calendar at A Little Beacon Blog is mobile-friendly. You will instantly know where to go and what's going on.
Pop-Up Shop: LuLaRoe w/ Erin & Leigh Day: Open Friday to Sunday, October 13 to 15, 2017 Location: A Little Beacon Space, 291 Main St., Beacon, NY Times: Friday: 3 to 7 pm Saturday: 10 am to 8 pm Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm Information >
City of Beacon Dedicates the East Main Bridge to Ron and Ronnie Sauers Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: Noon Location: East Main Bridge, near the dummy light, in between The Roundhouse and the row of boutiques at 1 East Main. Reception to follow at Dogwood, featuring a slide show of the buildings they worked on from the 1980s. Says city council member George Mansfield: "The slide show gives us all a good sense of reference as to where we were, and where we are." Information >
Dia:Beacon Community Free Day Day: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 11 am to 6 pm Location: Dia:Beacon, 3 Beekman St., Beacon, NY Information >
Book Reading & Signing with Thyra Heder: Alfie Day: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 10:30 am Location: Binnacle Books, 321 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Wappingers Falls 4th Annual Halloween Parade & Festival Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 11 am to 4 pm Location: Mesier Park, Wappingers Falls, NY Information >
Niche Modern Semi-Annual Factory Sale Day: Saturday & Sunday, October 14 & 15, 2017 Time: 10 am to 6 pm Location: Niche Modern, 311 Fishkill Ave. #11, Beacon, NY Information >
Sasha Dobson of Puss N Boots Plays at Style Storehouse Day: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 6:30 to 9 pm Location: Style Storehouse, 484 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
STEADY ON: Celebrating Lilith Fair at 20 Day: Friday, October 13, 2017 Time: 8:30 pm Location: Towne Crier, 379 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
6th Annual Classic Car Show In Beacon
Presented by Beacon's Chamber of Commerce and Dutchess Cruisers
Day: Sunday, October 15, 2017 Time: 9 am to 4 pm Location: Main Street, Beacon, NY Information >
Story Screen Presents "Horror Shorts Vol. 3" Day: Sunday, October 15, 2017 Time: 7:30 pm doors, 8 pm movie Location: Dogwood, 47 E. Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Beacon Sloop Club Annual Pumpkin Festival Day: Sunday, October 15, 2017 Time: Noon to 5 pm Location: Pete & Toshi Seeger Park, 1 Red Flynn Drive, Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.
Fall Foliage Half Marathon & 5K Day: Saturday, October 15, 2017 Time: 10:20 am start time Location: Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6550 Spring Brook Ave., Rhinebeck, NY Information >
Plan ahead and find upcoming races the in Hudson Valley in our 5K Races Guide.
Defensive Driving Course Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 8:30 am to 3 pm Location: Antalek & Moore, 340 Main St., Beacon NY Information >
Beetle + Fred Sewing School - Beginners with Katy Hope (4 sessions) Day: Saturdays, October 14, 2017 Time: 9 am to noon Location: Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Ballet Arts Studio Classes
Registration is open for all classes at Ballet Arts Studio. From the Musical Theatre Class to Ballet, students can sign up and get started! REGISTER: Call (845) 831-1870 or email info@balletartsstudio.com Visit Beacon Arts Studio's Schedule of Classes >
Where is Ballet Arts Studio? On the corner of Henry Street and Teller, opposite the back of the Yankee Clipper Diner.
Rig-ama-jig Builders' Club for K-5th grade Day: Friday, October 13, 2017 Time: 4 to 5:30 pm Location: Compass Arts, 395 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
reMADE
133 Main Street
These two dainty necklaces made by Marlo Richards of Groovy Chick Jewelry out of Elmsford, N.Y., would look perfect on you or your lady friend. If you need ideas on how to display your jewelry at home, see this idea (or pick up another unique design, also at reMADE).
Where is reMADE? Across from Tito Santana's, next to Bank Square Coffee.
Bellus on Main
181 Main Street Where's he going? This little frog is one of several delicate pieces of jewelry carried in Bellus on Main. From large hoop earrings to recycled glass from bottles of spirits, you'll want to pick up something new soon. Pro Tip: Bellus often has sales, so you just might get lucky.
Where is Bellus? Next door to Luxe Optique.
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street
Congratulations to Luxe Optique for winning Best High-End Eyewear in the Hudson Valley by Hudson Valley Magazine! Read more about it here! Where is Luxe Optique? Across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company, and across Main Street from Beacon Barkery.
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main, by the Hudson Valley Brewery, and use the back walkway entrance up to Main Street!
Sasha Dobson at Style Storehouse
484 Main Street
Sasha Dobson is back! She'll be performing live in the store this Saturday from 6:30 to 9 pm. Style Storehouse will also be debuting their new styles of shoes! Special discounts will be available during Sasha's performance. She started as a jazz songstress, but has transitioned to country and beyond, teaming up with Norah Jones and Catherine Popper to form the band Puss N Boots.
Where is Style Storehouse? Near Waddle n Swaddle.
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main St., Retail #3 SAVE THE DATE
Get ready to experience a Justin Alexander Trunk Show next weekend - October 20-22. The Justin Alexander company will be bringing its entire line of the Spring/Summer 2018 collection, which is not yet in stores. Special discounts will be available for purchases made that weekend. Meanwhile, pictured here is a Justin Alexander gown with copious amounts of lace. Don't miss an early peek at this dress!
Where Is Lambs Hill? Next to King + Curated.
King + Curated
1 East Main St., Retail #2
When you're down on the East End of town this weekend for the Sasha Dobson show or the dedication of the East Main Bridge, stop into King + Curated to see the photos of Madam Brett Park that you may want to add to your collection. Photo Credit: Alicia King
Where is King + Curated? Near the dummy light, just down from the old train tracks in the renovated factory.
Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! reMADE, Bellus on Main, Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill, King + Curated, and Style Storehouse.
River Therapeutic Massage 612 Route 52
Beacon, NY
(845) 379-1956
Take care of yourself and enjoy these October specials from River Therapeutic Massage:
Aromatherapy facial massage* $50 (regularly $75)
Intensive foot treatment* $50 (regularly $70)
Hand and/or foot massage* with eco-fin $50 (regularly $70) *cannot be combined with any other offer; no coupons or gift certificates.
Where is River Therapeutic Massage?
Sharing space with Karen's Place Salon on Route 52.
Thank you River Therapeutic Massage for sponsoring the Beauty Guide!
The Vault
446 Main Street
A classic Old Fashioned made with muddled orange, cherry and sugar and mixed with their very own Beacon bourbon and a dash of bitters. Can't go wrong. Enjoy it outside in the (hopefully) crisp air.
Where is The Vault? Near Beacon Bath & Bubble.
Thank you to The Vault and to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide!
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Join Susan Pagones as she guides you through a Defensive Driving class. You want to lower your auto insurance rates, right? Taking this class is one way to do it. And it will make you a safer driver. A win-win. Date: Saturday, October 14 Time: 8:30 am to 3 pm Location: Antalek & Moore Office, 340 Main St., Beacon NY RSVP: Register with Thomasine Supple, (845) 831-4300 or tsupple@antalek-moore.com
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Rhinebeck Bank
The Beacon branch of Rhinebeck Bank is now accepting artists' submissions to the bank's art program, to hang from the walls of the bank. Click here for details. Featured now is Stanley Lindwasser, a renowned painter who has shown in dozens of exhibits, including several at the Brooklyn Museum and the Jersey City Museum. Read more about the current show here.
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Car Show is this Sunday! Get your walking shoes on and bring a camera. See pictures from years past. You will have lots of food options, from the Beacon Farmers Market to restaurants and cafes. Have A Little Beacon Blog's Restaurant Guide open on your phone to help you make an informed choice.
BeaconArts
Please consider making a contribution to Beacon 3D, Beacon's Main Street public art sculpture project. Soon most of the sculptures will be de-installed, gone from view, until next season, when new work and some old favorites will be back to engage and inspire us. "Mounting this project every year takes an enormous amount of coordination, energy and time," says BeaconArts president, Kelly Ellenwood. Your contribution in any amount will make a difference! Click here to make an online, tax-deductible contribution.
A Little Beacon Space
OPEN TODAY! LuLaRoe Pop-Up Shop
The shop opens today! The Pop-Up Shop, LuLaRoe with Erin and Leigh is upon us! Friday the 13th is your lucky day to update your wardrobe with some of the softest leggings around. If you've not worn this line of clothing before, you need to come into the shop to at least feel the fabrics, and then you'll see why everyone is wearing them. Find dresses, tops, skirts and more. Friday, October 13, to Sunday, October 15 Get Details >
InHouse Design Media
Private training sessions are available to businesses who want to produce their own newsletters, make website changes, or jump-start social media campaigns, but need guidance. Make an appointment with InHouse Design Media, who can make house-calls to businesses located in Beacon. Book Now >
Tin Shingle
This is Stanley Lindwasser. Stanley is an artist. He enjoys being in his studio painting and marveling at the Hudson Valley sunsets as they inspire his work. But he's also a go-getter. This is a picture of him as he passes out flyers he made to promote his most recent show, and he's dropping one off at Tin Shingle's office in A Little Beacon Space. He also hired Tin Shingle to write and distribute his press release to a select group of local media. Tin Shingle has a DIY promotion membership platform, but they can also be hired guns. We call them Buzz Builders.
We know what you're thinking... "I want my business featured here!"
Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too!
Stanley Lindwasser wandered into our office one day last December with his little dog, Rembrandt, who he takes everywhere. Wearing his signature winter fur hat, Stanley looked around our place, wondering what it was. Where had he stumbled into? A Little Beacon Blog? Tin Shingle? "What are these things?" he asked. And with that began a beautiful friendship of us helping him complete his website design, and most recently, writing a press release for him to announce his first gallery showing in Beacon at Rhinebeck Bank's new Art Program, which he found out about through BeaconArts. The show is up now through November 3, with a reception on Thursday, October 12, from 5 to 6:15 pm at the Rhinebeck Bank's Beacon Branch (1476 NY-9D, Wappingers Falls, NY, across from the Family Dollar). (Shhh, don't tell anyone it's not in Beacon!) In keeping with this new program, all of the artwork is for sale. Get a feel for Stanley's artwork on his website here.
Stanley had just moved here with his wife Helen after decades of splitting their time between Forest Hills, Queens, and Hoboken, New Jersey. He had just joined BeaconArts and was preparing his new studio for Beacon Open Studios. Stanley spends most days painting in a pre-fab studio in the backyard. “It’s really nice; I had them put in skylights and glass doors,” says the artist, adding that the famous beauty of the Hudson Valley is inspiring his work. “The light here has certainly interested me. The skies are fantastic and the sunsets over Newburgh are really amazing.”
Color captivates Stanley, as you can see from his paintings. “My mother told me that my kindergarten teacher praised my finger painting, and it just took off from there. I’ve been painting very seriously virtually every day since I was around 12 years old,” recalls Stanley.
Enjoy the show now before it's gone. And if you see Stanley walking around town - you'll recognize him with little Rembrandt - say hi. He'd love to talk to you. :)
For those who like to find tucked away events that may fly past your radar, then the book signing (dare I call it a pop-up book signing?) by renowned photographer Ronnie Farley is for you. It takes place over October's Second Saturday weekend, Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, October 15, from noon to 8 pm. The storefront space is that of the designer Gwenno James, and is across from The Roundhouse, and down the street from Dogwood.
Ronnie has just released a new photo book "documenting the 'chemtrails' (albedo modification) and other geoengineering effects on the atmosphere in the lower Hudson Valley in New York," according to her website. Books, prints, paintings and T-shirts by Ronnie will be available. This is your chance to get art that is otherwise hard to find. You'll also get exposure to a special performance by Craig Chin of Errant Space: Ambient Soundscapes from 5 to 7 pm.
Ronnie Farley is an award-winning fine art and editorial photographer. Ronnie's books include Women of the Native Struggle: Portraits and Testimony of Native American Women (Crown), Cowgirls: Contemporary Portraits of the American West (Crown/ Thunder’s Mouth Press), Diary of a Pedestrian: A New York Photo Memoir (Third Eye Press), New York Water Towers (KMW Studio) and the latest, Ghost Plane (Third Eye Press).
Ronnie's work has been shown both nationally and internationally, and has been critically acclaimed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. Her work is also in the permanent collections of the Museum of the City of New York, The National Museum of the American Indian in New York City, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, The Nicolaysen Museum (Casper, Wyoming), and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame (Fort Worth, Texas). Her images have appeared in Rolling Stone, USA Today, Sierra Magazine, Western Horseman and The Sunday Times of London.
In addition to her own photography, Ronnie Farley’s career includes working for the Associated Press in New York City over a span of 20 years as a photographer, a photo librarian, and a national photo editor.
Building up and across is booming all around us in Beacon, making the most recent show at Matteawan Gallery all the more relevant. Björn Meyer-Ebrecht, born in Germany, was the debut artist for Matteawan Gallery back when it opened in 2013, and he has returned for this show that runs through November 5, with a reception on October's Second Saturday.
"The title of the show, Fragments Remnants Leftovers," says the gallery's owner Karlyn Benson, "refers to the end of major cultural and political eras, such as modernism or the Cold War. Meyer-Ebrecht’s drawings approach architecture solely as material. As artifact this material carries over historic knowledge into our present time and the specific place of the gallery."
To illustrate this, the artist has built a wall in the middle of the gallery, dividing the room into two spaces, connected by a passageway. The back of the wall reveals its structure and consists of unpainted wood, Masonite panels and metal studs. "Meyer-Ebrecht sees this work as both an abstract painting and as a utilitarian object," says Karlyn. "As the viewer passes from one side to the other, the painting reveals itself as functional architecture: as a room divider. The shapes painted on the wall refer to geometric abstract painting, flags, political symbols, billboards, and film or theater sets."
Meyer-Ebrecht’s ink drawings are made on separate sheets of paper joined with transparent tape. The construction of the drawings relates to the building processes they illustrate, but it is also a device to bring the drawing out of the illusionistic into the actual space. Colored ink is applied over some of the black-and-white drawings, creating a layer of artifice and what the artist describes as “looking at history through the proverbial rose-colored glasses."
Experience the wall in its final form and the art meshed into one gallery, on weekends or by appointment. For more information, contact Karlyn Benson at info@matteawan.com or (845) 440-7901.
Eager to support its local community, Rhinebeck Bank has dedicated the lobby of its Beacon and Rhinebeck branches to feature the art of local artists for six- to eight-week exhibitions, a program they have re-launched to include more artists.
The first artist to be featured in the Beacon branch, at 1476 NY-9D (technically in Wappingers Falls, across the street from the Dollar General) is Stanley Lindwasser, a new Beacon resident from Forest Hills, Queens, and Hoboken, New Jersey. Stanley spent decades teaching in the New York City public school system, and relocated to Beacon with his wife Helen and little dog Rembrandt last year. This is his first opportunity showing in a gallery in Beacon, albeit a comfortable waiting lounge for customers of the bank.
"Because we are a community bank," says Michelle Barone-Lepore, Vice President of Marketing for Rhinebeck Bank, "it's important for us to stay connected to art and the artists in the community. Supporting the community is very important to us, and this is one way in which we do so." As for participating in Beacon's Second Saturday with their new gallery, the Beacon branch is open on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. Stanley Lindwasser's paintings will be on display for October's Second Saturday, and will remain up through November 3.
Artists who are accepted into the program and have shows in the gallery reap the benefit of Rhinebeck Bank's social media reach, as well as an Opening Reception put on by the bank. How has the reaction been received by the public? "They love it," says Michelle. "For some artists, we hold receptions after-hours for people to come view their artwork. We had a reception for the artist Harvey Silver. He had over 50 people attend his artwork reception and he auctioned off a framed print to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas."
How to Apply to Rhinebeck Bank's Art Program
Interested artists can email artwork@rhinebeckbank.com or call (845) 454-8555. Include one or a few photos of your artwork so that the deciders can have an immediate frame of reference for your work. Artwork may be displayed for six to eight weeks in either the Rhinebeck or Beacon branch locations. Artwork may be listed for sale if desired, but that is not a requirement. Rhinebeck Bank does not make a commission from sales of artwork, and there is no fee to display.
Rhinebeck Bank 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 this, 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.
The baskets of hanging petunias that line the mile of Main Street in Beacon are some of the biggest around - maybe in the country - for a series of displays that must be produced and maintained each year. I'd say they only rival the petunias that decorate every building (even the gas stations) in Maine.
The all-volunteer Tioronda Garden Club puts these together each year, in addition to several other arrangements throughout the city. The group is holding its annual fundraiser on Thursday, October 12, at 7 pm at St. Rocco's Hall (26 S. Chestnut St.). Admission is $25, and includes wine and cheese appetizers. Also, wines will be raffled off, and there will be several prizes from local merchants.
Petunias seem to thrive seasonally in Maine's climate with the damp, cool, salty air. Beacon has humid air, certainly, but not as much rain, and the petunias don't water themselves, as they do in other cities with irrigation systems. Years ago, the City of Beacon removed watering them from the budget, and then-councilperson (now mayor) Randy Casale and former city councilperson Sam Way took it upon themselves to use their early morning time to go around in the cherry picker truck, and personally water the flowers. Learn more about the Secret Gardeners of Main Street here. This year, Randy and Sam are the honorees at the Tioronda Garden Club's fundraiser.
According to the Beacon Free Press, the Tioronda Garden Club maintains flower arrangements in the following areas: the Beacon train station, Municipal Plaza, Memorial Park, George Washington Triangle, Patriots Garden 9/11 Memorial, Howland Cultural Center, and the Visitors Welcome Center.
After living in Beacon for several years, it has become very clear that holiday yard art is a thing. Air blown, lit up, puffed up things in the night are to be embraced. Like giant Santas, Snoopies, Grinches, and now Ghosts, Spooky Trees, and even a herd of hatching, rabid dinosaurs.
A Little Beacon Blog has documented this for the past few years for the December holidays, when we go around Christmas Light Hunting. But we've never done it for Halloween. We've attended the unofficially named Willow Street Halloween Extravaganza aka Halloween Night of Crazy, where several of the houses on that street get really into Halloween and set up spooky houses, play eerie drums, show old movies, and generally create a street party. But we've never documented the Halloween decorations...
Until now. Halloween has come to Home Depot in Fishkill in a big way (and probably every Home Depot in the country, but we prefer the one off of 84 in Fishkill because it's at the base of a mountain and employs some neighbors), making it really easy to access these marvelous decorations that people seem to spend years acquiring.
We only had one bin of Halloween decorations, but after stopping into Home Depot one weekend this September, our lives were forever changed. Being that we have kids, it was as exciting as going into a haunted house. When their grandparents visited from out of town, the kids wanted to take them to Home Depot to visit "the Halloween section." We needed to set a Halloween Budget so that we would stop getting asked what they could buy.
So we set the budget and made a plan. Tough choices were made. Spooky things with effects like The Three Witches were cut from the must-have list. Electric things that made noise were assembled. We are now ready for our Very Beacon Halloween (a Beacon Chamber term, but that's what it feels like when getting into the yard-art spirit). For the first time, I want to stay home to hand out candy in order to represent at our spooky home.
Kids can pick up the phone outside of your door, and hear a spooky message...
For the glue gun enthusiasts, you could webcast your home...
Instant-mega-deecoration with these lights. At holiday time they have taken off in Beacon, but for Halloween, you can have creepy ghosts flying around the siding of your house.
You must go into Home Depot to experience this actual 3D TV. Just turn the dial, and wait. It's actually about 7 seconds too long, but next year maybe they will edit it back. Wait for the effect of this creepy face popping out...
And for those who just want a little Halloween Pretty, there is the black wreath with glitter silver spiders and ribbon.
The Inn and Spa at Beacon first opened up its doors with walls featuring art from a variety of artists, and they are at it again for October's Second Saturday. The new hotel, located at 151 Main St. in Beacon, NY, is officially designating its walls as the Anamario Gallery on Saturday, October 14, 2017 through December 3, 2017. An opening reception for the artist and public will be held on Saturday, October 14, from 5 to 7 pm.
Internationally acclaimed artist Anamario Hernandez has created unique representational works that are both classical and modern. Ms. Hernandez exhibits worldwide and was recently honored in the Biennale Internazionale Dell’Arte Contemporary Cita Di Firenze.
Author, critic, and NYU Art History Professor Edward J. Sullivan writes: “There is a sense of classical calm, dignity and monumentality to the work of Anamario Hernandez. She is the quintessential describer of things. In her still life [paintings], each individual component seems to possess a life of its own. Whether humble objects such as jars, glasses, bottles or plates are depicted, or the artist concentrates on more fancy objects like exotic shells or rich cloths - the subjects of Anamario’s paintings are not only the things depicted but the inner life of objects.”
Mark Jenkins, art critic for the Washington Post, wrote about Ms. Hernandez's recent exhibition at the Cultural Institute of Washington, D.C., noting that a "classical sensibility tempers even her more experimental works, highlighting not only the artist’s craft, but also the limits of our perception.” Additionally, art critic Mireya Folch affirms: “Like magic, she transforms the simplest of things and gives them meaning.”
The Anamario Hernandez exhibition will continue through Sunday, December 3, 2017. For more information on this gallery exhibition and other arts and wellness programs at the Inn and Spa at Beacon, please call Roger Greenwald at (845) 505-9331.
Glorious weekend plans are upon us! You have plenty of outdoor options, including ghost tours and reflection huts, so let's get to it!
Tell Your Friends:
Anything they need to know about Beacon, like where to shop, eat or take a class of any kind, can all be found in A Little Beacon's Guides:
Beacon Sloop Club Presents Potluck Supper Day Friday, October 6, 2017 Time: 6:30 to 7:30 pm Location: Beacon Sloop Club, 2 Red Flynn Drive, Beacon, NY Information >
Beacon Recreation's World Hoop Day Jam Day: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Time: Noon to 2 pm Location: Beacon Recreation Center, 23 W. Center St., Beacon, NY Information >
Beacon Historical Society Ghost Tours Day: Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8, 2017 Time: Times vary; several tours are sold out, so get tickets now! Location: Tours start at Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St. Information >
Sonte Barn's Harvest Fest 2017 Day: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Time: 10 am to 3 pm Location: Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, NY Information >
Howland Chamber Music Circle Presents Thomas Meglioranza, Baritone Day: Sunday, October 8, 2017 Time: 4 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Story Screen Presents "The Invitation" Day: Sunday, October 8, 2017 Time: 7:30 pm doors, 8 pm movie Location: Oak Vino, 389 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in ourEvents Guide.
Newburgh-Beacon Bridge 5-Mile Run Day: Sunday, October 8, 2017 Time: 11 am to 1 pm Information >
Plan ahead and see upcoming races in Hudson Valley in our 5K Races Guide.
BeBhakti's What is a Chakra? Day: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Time: 1 pm to 3 pm Location: BeBhakti Yoga Center, 89 Dewindt St., Beacon, NY Information >
Ballet Arts Studio's Musical Theatre Class
Did you know that a strong foundation in ballet creates great musical theatre dancers? Some great examples are legendary musical theatre dancers Gene Kelly, Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse! Registration is open for Ballet Arts Studio's Musical Theatre classes. REGISTER: Call (845) 831-1870 or email info@balletartsstudio.com Visit Beacon Arts Studio's Schedule of Classes >
Where is Ballet Arts Studio?On the corner of Henry Street and Teller, opposite the back of the Yankee Clipper Diner.
All Sport's Tennis Fall Sessions Day:Saturdays, October 7-28, 2017 Ages/Time: 7-9 years old, 4-5 pm Ages/Time: 10-12 years old, 5-6 pm Location: All Sport Health & Fitness, 17 Old Main St., Fishkill, NY Information >
Ghostie Fun for Kids Day: Friday, October 6, 2017 Time: 6:30 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
reMADE
133 Main Street
Is it a speaker? Is it a record? Introducing the Upcycled Vinyl Record Bowl, handmade by Keith Decent for the record collector in your life. How does Keith make these bowls? Stop into reMADE this weekend to find out more.
Where is reMADE? Across from Tito Santana's, next to Bank Square Coffee.
Bellus on Main
181 Main Street
This jacket is instant classy. Super light, yet bold in shape, this Joseph Ribkoff cover-up will make you camera-ready, real quick, for any telecommuting meeting calls you need to make.
Where is Bellus? Next door to Luxe Optique, just up Main Street from Notions-n-Potions.
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street
Can you believe these frames by Anne & Valentin? They are mini-sculptures. Super exclusive, and very limited in availability. Only at Luxe Optique. PS: Congratulate them when you walk in - they won Best High-End Eyewear in the Hudson Valley by Hudson Valley Magazine! Read more about it here!
Where is Luxe Optique? Across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company, and across Main Street from Beacon Barkery.
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main, by the Hudson Valley Brewery, and use the back walkway entrance to Main Street!
Style Storehouse
484 Main Street
Take it from us - you will get stopped on the street for your amazingly stylish and comfortable leggings from Michele's curated collection at Style Storehouse. We bought out the pink camouflage sweatpants, and might pick up these in the photo before you get there. Better hurry! Pair with this hat, of course.
Where is Style Storehouse? Near Waddle-n-Swaddle, and across Main Street from the old Matteawan Train Station.
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main, Retail #3
This Justin Alexander gown is drenched in lace and embroidery. The effect of the Venice lace is memorable with a mermaid silhouette, illusion v-neckline, dropped waist and chapel train. Longing to take a look in person? Walk-ins are welcome.
Where Is Lambs Hill? Next to King + Curated!
King + Curated
1 East Main, Retail #2 Behold the Jewelry: The Curated Gift Shop sells modern, one-of-a-kind jewelry made from stones selected by Lauren herself. No piece is ever mass-produced. Notice the Photos: Below the jewelry, notice the black-and-white photos. Alicia King Photography offers art prints featuring images from Madame Brett Park in Beacon. Photos Credit: Alicia King.
Where is King + Curated? Near the historic dummy light, just down from the old train tracks in the renovated factory.
Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! reMADE, Bellus on Main, Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill, King + Curated, and Style Storehouse.
Visit the Shopping Guide for a full list of shopping destinations up and down Main Street. Includes stores specializing in Vintage, Kitchen, Kids, and more.
River Therapeutic Massage 612 Route 52
Beacon, NY
(845) 379-1956
Guess what October means at River Therapeutic Massage? HOT STONES!!! They are back for the season and are in the stone warmer, ready to be used for your massage. Click the "Spa Services" tab when you book online. Book Now >
Where is River Therapeutic Massage?
Sharing space with Karen's Place Salon on Route 52.
Thank you River Therapeutic Massage for sponsoring the Beauty Guide!
The Vault
446 Main Street
The Vault's Cheese Plate is generous in portion, and will leave you happy as you emjoy it with a glass of wine. Cheeses include smoked gouda, herbed goat cheese, French brie and gorgonzola, accompanied by fig jam, local honey, sweet and spicy walnuts, and baguette. Meats include prosciutto, soppressata, aged dried sausage, and hot capicola served with pickled vegetables and whole-grain mustard.
Where is The Vault? Near Beacon Bath & Bubble, and across Main Street from the Howland Cultural Center.
Thank you to The Vault and to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide!
Rhinebeck Bank
Thank you to Rhinebeck Bank for coming on board as a Spotlight Sponsor for A Little Beacon Blog! We look forward to highlighting their products and programs supporting residents and business owners. Local business owner Michele Williams, of style storehouse, raves about the relationship between this independent bank and her shop. “I love Rhinebeck Bank! If it wasn’t for them I would not have my business right now. Being a first-time business owner, they helped every step of the way!” Read More >
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Your neighbors at Antalek & Moore encourage you to prepare your home against frozen pipes before the winter sets in, in order to prevent damage to your home. Read this message from Travelers, one of the insurance companies Antalek & Moore works through.
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Car Show is coming! A Little Beacon Blog has covered it before, so read up and get a fresh feel for which cars will be in town, and see which new ones you'll find. One October it snowed on the Car Show. This year, will you be drinking hot cocoa? Or an iced lemonade? You'll know when you stroll down the middle of Main Street next weekend.
BeaconArts
BeaconArts is a proud sponsor of the "Open To The Sky: Beacon Sukkah Project" happening right now at Polhill Park (across from Bank Square Coffee). A sukkah is a house that gives no shelter, a house that parodies the idea of security. It's a Jewish sand mandala of a building, open to the sky and used for seven days around the time of the fall harvest and then dismantled. It's rickety and tenuous, creating the illusion of permanence and highlighting the impermanence of everything. This year, Open to the Sky invites creative exploration of The Space Between perceived opposites. It provides time and space to press pause on transitions and connections; to move around in the openings between ideas or states of being. Open from October 4-12, 2017. Photo Credit: @hudsonvalleymama
A Little Beacon Space
LuLaRoe Pop-Up Shop
The next Pop-Up Shop in A Little Beacon Space will be LuLaRoe with Erin and Leigh! Back by popular demand, they will have all of their inventory and racks in the space for one quick weekend, starting Friday, October 13 and running through Sunday, October 15. The collection will include their Halloween prints and denim! It's the same weekend as the Car Show, so you'll have extra shopping to add to your walking down Main Street. Get Details >
InHouse Design Media
Private training sessions are available to businesses who want to produce their own newsletters, make website changes, or kickstart social media campaigns, but need guidance. Make an appointment with InHouse Design Media, who can make house calls to businesses located in Beacon. Book Now >
Tin Shingle
Do you have questions about how to create your own promotion and do your own PR? See Tin Shingle's Ask the Expert series on their website to get a head start on buzz-building education.
We know what you're thinking..."I want my business featured here!"
Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too!
Summer may be over for lemonade stands, but it's just starting for the newest farm-fresh favorite activity to hit Beacon - vegetable stands. Fleeting vegetable markets have popped up in Beacon for a few years now, with the green truck from Green Teen (a program connected to Common Ground Farm) parking in designated lots, as well as appearing at the Beacon Farmers Market (of course) on Sundays.
In the After School Program, each weekday has a theme, such as baking, karate, yoga, or bird-watching, run by a business or nonprofit from the Beacon community. During the program's first quarterly session, Fridays are designated Food Fridays, and the kids learn to make snacks. Thanks to this program, the kids will also learn commerce as they run the vegetable stands. "Staff from the After School Program as well as Hudson Valley Seed will be on hand to make sure the kids have a great experience and learn about produce, small business and salesmanship," says Nate Smith, the Recreation Department's assistant director. "Please be patient while a second grader figures out your total and makes change!"
Donation to the After School Program's Tuition Assistance Program
The kid-run vegetable stands are open to the public, and will rotate among three of the Beacon district's four elementary schools. (Glenham Elementary isn't participating right now.) The stands, which will spend two Fridays at each school, will be open from 4:45 to 6 pm. Half of the stands' proceeds will go toward the After School Program's Tuition Assistance Program, which offers a 50 percent discount to students who qualify for the Free Lunch Program. Kids in roughly half of the families in Beacon qualify for free lunch program.
Schedule for Farm Stand Fridays
Here's the lineup. Check back with this article to make sure you're going on the right day!
OPEN HOURS Fridays, 4:45 to 6 pm
10/6 and 10/13 – South Avenue Front entrance near the disabled parking
10/20 and 10/27 – Sargent Lower cafeteria entrance
11/3 and 11/10 – J.V. Forrestal In front of main entrance
We're so happy to partner with edible Hudson Valley to be their Beacon meeting destination when their editorial team converges from all corners of the Hudson Valley. (It's like a group of superheroes coming together.) After one booking at A Little Beacon Space (you can rent our space!), they wanted more. Paging through their issues, you will now see A Little Beacon Blog ads saying "Hi!" to you. High fives to media friendships! Especially in this day and age, media outlets can be friends with each other to get more of the good word out.
We've had a magazine/business crush on the edible brand for a while, and we read several other city editions as well. The first one I picked up was edible Columbus, and edible Cleveland is pretty good, too! What is even neater is that edible Hudson Valley's new publisher, Jennifer Solow, is also the author of the book The Booster, published in 2006. This was exactly when I started my first blog just for fun, and she sent me a copy of the book with the nudge to "write a good review if you like it, and if you don't like it, eh, up to you what you do!"
Full circles are great, and encourage us to keep up the work.
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.