The Coolest Lemonade Stand Opens - But With Vegetables - At Beacon Elementary Schools

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Photo Credit: Ashley Lederer Chinen, founder of Thoughtful Food Nutrition, based in Beacon.

Photo Credit: Ashley Lederer Chinen, founder of Thoughtful Food Nutrition, based in Beacon.

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.

Now, thanks to an initiative from the Beacon Parks and Recreation Department, Hudson Valley Seed (an education-based food-growing program that is woven into Beacon City Schools' curriculum), and Common Ground Farm, kids from Beacon's After School Program (A Little Beacon Blog first wrote about the program here) will be running "Crop Shops," pop-up vegetable stands during the students' Food Fridays, rotating Fridays among South Avenue, J.V. Forrestal, and Sargent elementary schools.

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

5th Annual For Goodness Bake Sale Benefits Tuition Assistance Fund for Beacon's After School Program

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It's here - the most delicious day of the year, when the Beacon community comes out to fundraise for a cause whether you like it or not. How could you not buy the delicious homemade brownies and cupcakes on sale at this year's For Goodness Bake, happening today, Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm at Catalyst Gallery at 137 Main Street?! This year's edition of the sale has already been dubbed "Best spread so far!" by Beacon resident Jennifer Sarah Blakeslee.

The pop-up bake-sale-for-a-cause, For Goodness Bake, has dedicated this year's proceeds to the Tuition Assistance Fund for Beacon's After School Program. The 2016-17 school year marked the first that children and parents of the Beacon City School District had direct access to an after-school program within the schools themselves. That's right. No busing required to get kids into an enriching childcare program, from 3 to 6 pm at their very own schools. Until last fall, of the four elementary schools in Beacon, only one had an in-school after-school program: Glenham Elementary, and it was a joint program with Fishkill.

Thanks to the efforts of the Beacon Parks and Recreation Department, a five-day program was designed to offer themed content for kids, until 6pm. It's a little unbelievable at first, so pay attention to how it works: Planned in quarterly sessions, each day presents a different theme, which might include baking, yoga, bird-watching (yes, really!), theater, filmmaking, martial arts, and more. Speaking from experience, the program has been incredible. Kids learn to use cooking utensils (and may take over salsa-making in your home), and have interviewed city leaders including the Chief of Police during their filmmaking class.

The Tuition Assistance Fund offers 50 percent off of After School Program tuition to families who qualify for the Free Lunch Program in the Beacon City School District. Roughly 51 percent of Beacon families participate in the program, yet of the 175 children enrolled in After School at three Beacon elementary schools (Glenham is not included because it's in Fishkill's budget), only 21 kids used the Tuition Assistance Fund last year. But just over 80 kids would be eligible, according to the Free Lunch Program statistics. Word spread about After School's first year, but not everyone knows about the tuition assistance, which helps working families afford childcare. However, children in families who have stay-at-home parents certainly still benefit from the After School Program's activities.

Who Pays for Tuition Assistance

Right now, according to the Parks and Recreation Department's Assistant Director Nate Smith, the City of Beacon pays for the tuition assistance, and takes it as a loss. The After School Program was designed to fund itself. Tuition for one child to register for five days during one quarterly session is $600. Families eligible for tuition assistance pay $300, which is matched right now by the City of Beacon.

Hence the fundraising effort through For Goodness Bake, which has been known to raise $4,000 or more per sale. Past bake sales have been dedicated to organizations such as the Kids R Kids Feeding Program, Green Teen Beacon, the Beacon Community Kitchen, and the Children's Organ Transplant Association.

On sale at the bake sale for $5 each are works of art produced by kids in Camp @ the Camp, a summer program created by the Parks and Recreation Department.Photo Credit: For Goodness Bake

On sale at the bake sale for $5 each are works of art produced by kids in Camp @ the Camp, a summer program created by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Photo Credit: For Goodness Bake

Back to the Bake Sale

But really, let's get down to business and discuss what's available at the bake sale. Contributions from talented amateur and professional cooks alike include a wide array of sweet and savory baked treats, confections, and vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free options. Also available is locally roasted coffee from Tas Kafé and hand-crafted sodas from Drink More Good.

The team at For Goodness Bake, Kristen Pratt and Tara Tornello, thanks the following people (and more not mentioned here): "ENORMOUS gratitude goes to these fine folks and establishments: Drink More Good for donating drink syrups, seltzer, and ice; Tas Kafé LLC, Adams Fairacre Farms, Inc. for sponsorship; Viridescent Floral Design for flowers; The Roundhouse for table linens; Beacon Bread Company for to-go containers; The UPS Store 4839 for printing; Catalyst Gallery for the lovely space; City of Beacon Recreation for tables and overall support; the kids of Camp @ the Camp for creating artwork to display; Kit Burke-Smith for hanging the artwork; Diana Vidal for photography; Patti McAlpine for her collection of cake stands and platters; our wonderful volunteers Christopher Dawson, John Fanning, Mary Jean, Ivette Mateiescu, Jessica Nash, Tara D'Andrea, and Maureen Neary and her sweet daughter (and baker extraordinaire) Tallix."

Registering for the Tuition Assistance Fund

To register for tuition assistance, contact Nate Smith at (845) 765-2470 or nsmith@cityofbeacon.org. Registrants fill out one form, keeping the process relatively simple.

My bounty, delivered by a friend from Cold Spring who was dropping off a baby gift after she finished Pilates class at Beacon Pilates. Sweetness all around.

My bounty, delivered by a friend from Cold Spring who was dropping off a baby gift after she finished Pilates class at Beacon Pilates. Sweetness all around.

OPEN! LulaRoe Pop-Up Shop with Erin and Leigh at A Little Beacon Space - This Weekend Only!

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There is a cult of women who love LuLaRoe, and members of that cult can now come into A Little Beacon Blog's Space this weekend only - Friday to Sunday - to shop from Erin and Leigh, two moms who were born and raised in Beacon. They've been popping up in people's homes to hold these sales, and now they are popping up in A Little Beacon Space at 291 Main Street, in the Telephone Building across from Key Food. Come into the building. We are on the first floor, in the first door.

If you're aren't familiar with LuLaRoe, here's a primer: It's a brand of clothing designed by a woman who wanted to build a business around her children and family life (pretty much the best goal ever). It quickly grew via its house-party sales model, where the products are not sold in stores, and can only be found at house parties. It's unusual for the brand to be in a location like this, open to the public, but not so unusual for the dynamic duo of Erin and Leigh, who reach people via their Facebook page using videos and pictures galore.

If you're walking by our space with kids in tow, bring them in. There are kids-sized leggings, tops and dresses. Sizing is pretty easy, so you should have plenty of options and several pieces should work.

In addition to the stretchy LuLaRoe fits you may be used to, there are a few pleated styles as well. They've set up a popup changing room behind the curtain, so you can try items on to make sure things fit you just right.

Leggings...there will be leggings. The sizing is unique yet consistently flattering. Pictured here is a batch of size TC, or "Tall and Curvy". Leigh tells me that the TC would fit a pregnant belly nicely. We shall see when the truth is revealed in the popup dressing room, but it's nice to have that sizing label! I will take it!

Hours

Friday: 3 to 7 pm (5/12/17)
Saturday: 10 am to 8 pm (5/13/17)
Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm (5/14/17...Happy Mother's Day...#treatyoself!)

291 Main Street
A Little Beacon Space - First Floor and Door
Across from Key Food

Rain? What Rain?

It's supposed to rain Saturday and Sunday. People came on Friday because they were walking by or made early plans to come over quick. Good choice. This popup is happening rain or shine. Wear your galoshes! Because you don't want to miss this chance to add pretty and comfort to your wardrobe. We know you'll be out this weekend because there are just too many one-time-only events going on. So dash into here while you're out!

Kitchen Cuts is Back: Sunday, May 7 - Book It Now for $16 Kids Haircuts

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Back by popular demand, the girls from Your Presence Salon are taking a road trip, leaving their Poughkeepsie location to visit A Little Beacon Space in Beacon on Sunday, May 7. They'll be cutting your kid's hair from 10 am to 4 pm for $16 a head, while the kids and I do face-painting at our table. It's even bigger than last time, in order to accommodate so many little faces. Face-painting is $1, the proceeds from which are being donated to the Kindergarten Teacher Teams in Beacon City Schools.

The first two Kitchen Cuts events raised about $60, which A Little Beacon Blog matched to bring a total of $130 donated to the Kindergarten Teacher Team at South Avenue School. We have gotten the paint out again in order to ramp up efforts to donate this amount to the other three elementary schools.

The day is super fun, and is a great chance to get your entire brood's hair cut - boys and girls - short and long hair. We have cut bangs for the first time (the child's first time, not the stylist's!), long locks for the first time, and used the mini-flat iron to create little Goldilocks out of the girls. This time, we are bringing in an actual hair chair, originally purchased from the Beacon Buy Sell Group to serve as my daughter's desk chair in her room (more fun than sitting in a regular chair, right?).

Walk-ins only. Cash or credit. See you soon!

Sound Shack Beacon Pops Up For Vinyl Record Show at A Little Beacon Space

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Just when you were thinking of slipping into vinyl record withdrawal after the loss of Audioccult on Main Street, there's about to be a flurry of tunes and album covers for you to indulge in starting this weekend. The pop-up shop takeover by Sound Shack and their crew of collectors from all over the Hudson Valley will be closely followed by the highly anticipated opening of the permanent storefront replacing Audioccult, called Hudson Valley Vinyl. And then Record Store Day is April 22! This is like Christmas and Hanukkah combined for a month of even more reasons to go out record collecting.

Vinyl Record Show Pop-Up at A Little Beacon Space - March 10, 11, 12

For three days only, Sound Shack Beacon is hosting a Vinyl Record Show Pop-Up Shop during Second Saturday in March. Over the weekend of March 10 through 12, 2017, A Little Beacon Space will feature seven record collectors hailing from Beacon to Peekskill to Fishkill to Brooklyn. Thousands of records, 45s, CDs, and more will be for sale! 

Details Please!

Ready to go crate diving? You will find records in Classic Rock, Psychedelic, Prog, Garage, British Invasion, Heavy Metal, Punk, and New Wave/'80s. And that's not all... There's also Electronic, Goth, Power Pop, Underground Garage, Jazz, Soul, Funk, R&B, and Hip Hop. But that's not all! Check out Reggae, Blues, Folk, Country, Southern Rock, Surf, Hot Rod, Lounge, Soundtracks, Sealed Records!!!! LPs priced from $1 to $300!!!! Turntables for sale, and we've heard a rumor that there may be posters. Sound Shack is also coming into some unusual CDs.

Photo Credit: Jim Annicchiarico

Photo Credit: Jim Annicchiarico

Photo Credit: Jim Annicchiarico

Photo Credit: Jim Annicchiarico

About These Record Vendors

Big Jim’s Records from Buchanan/Peekskill: Big Jim has been in the music biz for 30 years. He has one of the best selections of rare and collectible music memorabilia in New York.

Sound Shack Beacon Is located just across the river at the Newburgh Vintage Emporium, selling vintage vinyl and other music-related items such as books, pictures, and more. Pictured here are Sound Shack's boxes of records, getting ready for the big move-in to set up shop in A Little Beacon Space.

Vinyl Pit from Fishkill is set up every weekend at the Dutchess Marketplace in Fishkill with a wide selection of records including Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical, Disco, R&B, and much more.

Vinyl Savage Co. from Fishkill is a private collector that has 2,000 to 3,000 LPs and 45s for sale! Contact them with your want list and they will be happy to help find what you are looking for.

Also included are Get Awesome Records coming up from Brooklyn, Rama Records from Beacon, and Record Hunter from Stormville.

Admission is FREE! You can start shopping as early as Friday, March 10 from 3-8pm, continuing Saturday, March 11 from 10am-8pm, and Sunday, March 12 from 11am-5pm.

To host your pop-up experience at A Little Beacon Space, see here for more details.

Pop-Up Shop This Weekend: A Lovely Little Pop-Up in A Little Beacon Space - Look At These Behind-The-Scenes Pictures

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POP-UP SHOP OPEN:

Saturday 2/11:
11 am to 9 pm, with Complimentary Happy Hour starting at 4 pm
Sunday 2/12:
10 am to 4 pm

It's coming ... and we don't mean the snow, although that will make heading out this weekend that much more fun! Because I know you bought those winter boots we covered a few weeks ago in the Happening This Weekend email.

The next pop-up shop at A Little Beacon Space is happening this weekend! It's on, Saturday and Sunday, February 11 and 12, conveniently timed to help anyone find the right Valentine's Day Treat for themselves or a sweetie. The shop, dubbed "A Lovely Little Pop-Up," features several of Beacon's favorite artists showcasing their new work - hot off their benches. And when we say hot, we mean it literally, because these jewelers are metalsmiths, working with heavy-duty transformation to plastic (by way of cellulose acetate), wax, gold, platinum and silver. Joining them will be a scarf designer, floral designer, and baker. Let's meet them, and check in on their behind-the-scenes progress! These artists have been hard at work for weeks to prepare for this two-day show. Take a look at their work:

Kit Burke-Smith, Jeweler

Kit is the organizer behind this event, and a well-known jeweler in the area. You have seen her jewelry in stores like Hudson Beach Glass and Reservoir and Wood. I was first exposed to her designs in Beacon's original pop-up shop, CherryBomb, years ago. 

Photo Credit: Kit Burke-Smith Jewelry

Photo Credit: Kit Burke-Smith Jewelry

"I absolutely love carving wax rings. I usually use purple wax because I like the color and it matches my purple heart-carving tool."
Photo Credit: Kit Burke-Smith Jewelry

"Making some rings for A Lovely Little Pop-Up inspired by the wonderful @elizabethwarrenma."
Photo Credit: Kit Burke-Smith Jewelry

Margaux Lange, Jeweler

Margaux Lange may be best known locally for her Barbie pieces, but what you maybe haven't seen yet is her other work, which has been flying from her workbench. She is as meticulous as she is ponderous in crafting unintended details, which is why her shapes will delight you. Even the stand displaying her jewelry caught the eye of many of her followers in Instagram - several people expressed a desire to buy it!

New shapes and wearable art coming off the bench.
Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

"Made some nifty earring display stands today! I'm excited to share my work along with five other talented local ladies at A Lovely Little Pop-Up, 291 Main St. Beacon NY, Saturday 2/11 (11-9pm) & Sun 2/12 (10-4pm.) Beautiful fresh flowers, delicious baked goods, gorgeous handmade wearables & art jewelry ...come say hello! "
Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

Some pieces from Margaux's Barbie collection.
Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

Photo Credit: Margaux Lange Jewelry

Martha P. Humphreys, Third Muse Metal Arts

Martha has not yet agreed to wear her happy mask during the show, but my fingers are crossed.
Photo Credit: Third Muse Metal Arts

Known the most immediately for her cast water chestnuts (aka devil's heads), Martha P. Humphreys of Third Muse Metal Arts may work with tiny, high-end pieces of jewelry all day long, but one never knows where her molding and carving will take her. Looks like she's been dipping into the plastics, perhaps pulling from her guilty-pleasure inspiration of $5 surprise-bag orders of costume jewelry from eBay. How do I know about her costume jewelry obsession? Because I visited her studio last year during Beacon Open Studios. You will be amazed at her collection of tools and machines that enable her to produce these creations. She's a great teacher and loves explaining them. 

"Still in progress, but coming along... Been listening to a lot of Canadian unsolved crime podcasts during this one tho!"
Photo Credit: Third Muse Metal Arts

"Miles to go before I sleep... Actually, that's a lie. I'm going to bed now, despite not being finished."
Photo Credit: Third Muse Metal Arts

"Next up: these guys. So...much...carving..."
Photo Credit: Third Muse Metal Arts

Kate Amato, Viridescent Floral Design

Photo Credit: Viridescent Floral Design

Freshly cut flowers from Viridescent Floral Design will be available in the space - pick some up for yourself or your sweetie. You know how good a greenhouse can smell, right? Well, it's going to smell pretty fresh in this pop-up, as Kate required a lot of space to prepare big wraps of floral arrangements. I do not know which flower varieties she will be bringing, but OMG. Everything we've seen (and smelled) so far is simply. stunning.

Photo Credit: Viridescent Floral Design

Photo Credit: Viridescent Floral Design

Photo Credit: Viridescent Floral Design

Dana Devine O'Malley, Five Hens Baked Goods

For some, Dana of Five Hens Baked Goods is an enigma. Her tasty wares appear only at pop-up shops, most recently at Echo, sometimes at Denning's Point Distillery for their tasting and music nights, and previously at Wickham Studio's holiday pop-up experience. As with Kit, my first exposure to her was at the CherryBomb pop-up. There, I sampled her famous marshmallows and loved them - and I don't usually even like marshmallows. You can find Five Hens products more regularly now in the Chocolate Studio on the East End of town. Lucky for us, this weekend Dana will be at the bar at A Little Beacon Space, serving this deliciousness as well as some other treats during the complimentary Happy Hour that starts at 4 pm on Saturday:

Photo Credit: Five Hens

Photo Credit: Five Hens

Photo Credit: Five Hens

Photo Credit: Five Hens

Photo Credit: Five Hens

Kate Aubrey, Designer & Stylist

One of Beacon's newest textile artists, Kate Aubrey, is bringing her printed scarves to the Lovely Little Pop-Up. Kate draws inspiration for her striking and playful textile art largely from her extensive travels and connection to nature; whether it’s the mesmerizing snowfalls of Canada or the flamenco dancers and music of Spain. Each design is created using multiple specialized textile design and fabric manipulation techniques. Her range of methods includes hand illustration, shibori dyeing, and painting, which is subsequently digitally scanned. Kate’s latest collection of luxurious, wearable art pieces fuses bold, modern design with a timeless aesthetic. Using high-quality 100% silk satin and chiffon, modal and cashmere, silk and cotton and 100% fine wool, each digitally printed piece is part of a limited-edition run of only 25.

Photo Credit: Kate Aubrey Textiles

Photo Credit: Kate Aubrey Textiles

Photo Credit: Kate Aubrey Textiles

Photo Credit: Kate Aubrey Textiles

So dig out of the freshly fallen snow, and come to this two-day only pop-up shop!

A Little Beacon Space
291 Main St., The Telephone Building, Beacon, NY

HOURS:

Saturday, 2/11:
11 am to 9 pm, with complimentary happy hour starting at 4 pm
Sunday, 2/12:
10 am to 4 pm

A Pop-Up Shop Is Back for Valentine's Day Weekend!

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A Pop-Up Shop is back at A Little Beacon Space! Our planning meeting is complete for the Valentine's Day Pop-Up Shop, happening the weekend before Valentine's Day, which is also February's Second Saturday. Some of your favorite makers in jewelry, flowers, yummy baked goods, and mayyyybe print, if the letterpress company signs on. Cute name for this pop-up shop to come, but makers include:
Kit Burke-Smith @kitburkesmithjewelry
Margaux Lange @margauxlangejewelry @redheadmidge
Dana Devine O'Malley @five_hens_baked_goods
Diana Cowdery, Diana Mae Flowers @dianamaeflowers
Martha P Humphreys Third Muse Metal Arts @mphumphreys

Beacon Fundraisers Raise Over $13,000 for Refugees Settling in Hudson Valley, and In Mountains Abroad

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The beacon of light and hope that people refer to when describing Beacon, NY, the city named for fires burning atop Mount Beacon during the Revolutionary War to send signals warning of British advancement, extends beyond the City of Beacon to reach refugees locally and in warring countries abroad. Today, Beaconites have organized to send money to people displaced by war,  with the culmination of three such fundraisers from 2015 to 2016 having raised over $13,000 to be sent to nonprofit groups who help refugees, or to organizers who have a direct connection to a refugee camp and deliver and distribute the donation themselves.

Lemon bars with olive oil and sea salt from the artist Anna Bergin, for sale at the Beacon of Love bake sale.Photo Credit: Beacon of Love Facebook Page

Lemon bars with olive oil and sea salt from the artist Anna Bergin, for sale at the Beacon of Love bake sale.
Photo Credit: Beacon of Love Facebook Page

On December's Second Saturday this year, a local group called Beacon of Love, whose group type in Facebook is a category called "Get Things Done," raised $4,476.60 during a pop-up bake sale organized by Julie Shiroishi. Held in Open Space, an art gallery on the east end of Beacon, the pop-up benefited 80 refugees relocating to the Hudson Valley from the Middle East and Africa. Proceeds went to Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley for the #BeaconofLove project, and will be used to help the people coming over.

In 2015, just before Thanksgiving, a pop-up bake sale called "Bake Love Not War" was hosted by Shannon Brandt of Shambhala Yoga Center, Anna Sullivan-Youatt, and Nisreen Nasser. That sale raised $3,500, which was personally delivered by Nisreen to a Lebanese refugee camp located on the border with Syria. The fundraising organization is now known as Solidarity Through Humanity and continues to raise money and document the use of donation efforts through an online campaign platform, IndieGoGo, and has raised $5,271 from 82 people in the last 23 days (as of this publishing), and the donating continues here for the next delivery to Lebanon. Solidarity Through Humanity's goal is to deliver fuel for heating, water management techniques to keep water from seeping in under tents, and other supplies to help the 600 refugees living there through harsh conditions. The first death at the camp was a child.

Pictures taken by the contact and distributor Nisreen Nasser after the "Bake Love Not War" pop-up bake sale fundraiser at Shambhala Yoga Center last year. Nisreen's goal was to distribute fuel to the refugees who otherwise have no heat in the winter…

Pictures taken by the contact and distributor Nisreen Nasser after the "Bake Love Not War" pop-up bake sale fundraiser at Shambhala Yoga Center last year. Nisreen's goal was to distribute fuel to the refugees who otherwise have no heat in the winter in the mountains of Lebanon on the Syrian border. learn about that camp here.
Photo Credit: Solidarity Through Humanity Facebook Page

Bake Sale Fundraisers That Persuade Through Sweetness

Perhaps first to demonstrate the great impact of a bake sale fundraiser are the ladies behind For Goodness Bake, Kristen Pratt and Tara Tornello. They're known for organizing pop-up bake sales straight out of a Martha Stewart magazine spread, and they dedicate 100 percent of the proceeds to one cause per year. So far, they've benefited the Beacon Community Kitchen, Green Teen, and Kids R Kids Feeding Program, raising a few thousand dollars each sale for the causes. Veterans of this art, they have advised others on how to make their bake sales a success.

Bake Sale Fundraising Takes a Community

The effort behind such a bake sale involves a community effort, with sometimes more than 100 citizen bakers volunteering to get their bake on by breaking out their most favorite dessert cookbook, and trying a recipe that will impress and tempt donors into purchasing a single piece or an entire pie or loaf of bread. Professional establishments have been known to donate baked goods as well. What often accompanies such fundraisers is the build-up to the event, with citizen bakers posting pictures of their accomplishments, and bake sale organizers thanking each baker in social media posts. The anticipation, and the unique notes from the bakers, such as this one shown below, help make the events a success: "Pear-Pecan-Vanilla Tart: Full of gluten, nuts, butter, super fattening. YOU WANT THIS TART. Sooooo good. - Enid"

Citizen baker Enid Zentellis tempts donors with her Pear-Pecan-Vanilla-Tart.Photo credit: Beacon of Love's Facebook Page.

Citizen baker Enid Zentellis tempts donors with her Pear-Pecan-Vanilla-Tart.
Photo credit: Beacon of Love's Facebook Page.

Stepping up the game can also be a raffle with prizes, as was the case with the Beacon of Love fundraiser, which offered a number of prizes from local and national brands.

These fundraisers are easy to participate in - both as a baker and as a buyer - making community stronger all around. They're a spoonful of sugar in spotlighting problems that may otherwise find fundraising slow-going.

50Roots Hosts Pop-Up Shop Takeover of A Little Beacon Space Thanksgiving Weekend

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The Friday after Thanksgiving - Black Friday - A Little Beacon Space will be open as a pop-up shop! It continues through Small Business Saturday, going until Sunday afternoon in a pop-up shop takeover by the Newburgh-based online shop 50Roots.com. Some may have met 50Roots.com owners Christa Gray Page and Patrick Page at various local markets when they tried their hand at selling in real life. Now, from Friday to Sunday, you get to walk into their world, where they have set up a shopping experience for you that includes a complimentary happy hour from 5 to 6 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. The store will be open until 10 pm, so you have plenty of time to shop as you visit the many shops of Beacon's Main Street this weekend! 

To match their online deals, the owners will be offering 15% off the entire store all weekend. 

Hours are: 

Friday: 12 pm to 10 pm

Saturday: 10 am to 10 pm

Sunday: 12 pm to 6 pm

A Little Of What You'll Find In the 50Roots Pop-Up Shop

50Roots.com was started by Christa, who used to work in retail and grew tired of dealing with items made in China. Currently residing in Poughkeepsie, Christa quit her day job and opened 50Roots.com, an online store that carries products made only in the USA. Woven into the shopping experience are behind-the-scenes stories of each designer so that you can get to know who you are purchasing from. With their online shop headquartered in Newburgh, where you can find them taking product pictures of their items before posting to their website, Christa and her husband Patrick are spread throughout the Hudson Valley with their work and home locations. Some of the lines they carry are from this neck of the woods, too!

David Rasmussen Design
WUD Wine Glasses - Blue
David Rasmussen is one of only a handful of designers who also handcrafts his elegant and detailed work. Concentrating mostly on furniture and architectural built-ins, David practices his craft in Carbondale, Colorado.

Recognize the hue of that wood? David Rasmussen's cutting boards and bowls are also carried in Utensil at the east end of Main Street, toward the mountain. You could make quite a collection by combining purchases.

Alchemy Goods
Franklin - Eco Vegan Wallet - Orange
People say that “necessity is the mother of invention,” and that’s exactly the way Alchemy Goods got started. “My messenger bag got stolen and I needed another one. But the perfect messenger bag eluded me,” says its founder.

Zootility Tools
PocketMonkey
Says the designer: "I like to think of myself as both an engineer and an artist. I’ve done very well exercising the left (logical) side of my brain. I studied Mechanical Engineering and I worked with a product design firm. More recently, I did software development, believe it or not, where I also got to use the right (creative) side of my brain for graphic design, branding, and web development. Now, I’m exploring the intersection between art and engineering. And it’s a brainstorm!"

Reed Wilson Design
Merican Dream Doormat
Reed Wilson Design creates clever objects that often evoke deep thoughts and giggles simultaneously. Their products have exhibited with AmDC at MOST Salone in Milan and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. They have been featured in The New York Times, among numerous other publications.

tote+able
WOOF - Water & Beverage Tote
tote {tote} verb, toted, toting. 1. to carry by hand or on one’s person, especially something that is a load or burden: I toted a bucket of water to the camp.

able {ay-bul} adjective, abler, ablist. 1. having the skill, power or design to do something: We were able to carry the load. 2. having function or ability that is above average: The foldable bottle is an able device.

These are only a few of the items you'll see in the space. Come on down as you shop from all of the small businesses on Main Street!

PS: Do you want to host a Pop-Up Shop in A Little Beacon Space? You can! Details are here.

 

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Well, That Was Awesome... Hunting for Vampires and Bonding with Kids During Parent/Child Yoga

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After we put down the mats and set up the boom box, the morning began with spooky and dramatic organ playing as we moved our arms and pointed fingers to warm up our bodies. Child fitness instructor and founder of FitKidz, Dayna Case (my sister-in-law), led a small audience of mothers and children through different yoga poses and activities to songs, like "Going on a Bear Hunt," except our version was "Going on a Vampire Hunt" with all sorts of creepy adventures as we got closer to finding the vampire. Don't worry - we escaped from him.

The first dual yoga I'd ever done was Alice Sipple/Dancing Tree Yoga's class at All Sport. It was called Family Yoga and it was awesome. Alice has since moved with her family to Egypt for a spell, so when Dayna asked me if she could run a Parent/Child Yoga class in A Little Beacon Space, I jumped on it.

Why It Was So Special

In a yoga class with pairs, you get to work with and touch your partner. You can put feet to feet and grab wrists and sway back and forth. You can look at each other eye-to-eye, and give each other a spooky face. You can stop in the moments of a busy day to just be with that other person, who in this case, is your child. No telling them to put their socks on, no telling them to stop throwing water. Just moving and swaying, curling and rolling.

When's The Next One?

I don't know! Dayna lives in Columbus, Ohio, so it could happen whenever she passes through Beacon, I suppose. Or if you lead classes like this and want to give a special pop-up experience, contact me with your idea.

Meanwhile, see what other events are popping up in this Little Beacon Space. You never know if it will be back, so best take advantage by coming when it's here!

A Little Beacon Space Is Open!

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Hello!

Oh my gosh, y'all! I'm not even Southern, but I lived there for a bit and I know what that phrase means when spoken by someone very excited: A Little Beacon Space is open. What is A Little Beacon Space? It's the office headquarters of A Little Beacon Blog and Tin Shingle, but I couldn't just have an office and an overhead because what fun is that? It's an interactive extension of A Little Beacon Blog that can bring in the community for special events planned by us, or planned by you! This office is in the heart of Beacon's Main Street, one of the areas of Main Street that is currently defining itself, at 291 Main St. in The Telephone Building. With such a vibrant city, I wanted to be part of Main Street, one of the shop owners, feeling the pulse of the city.

Having a space like this at 291 Main Street was never on my radar as a goal. Yes, I did and do have secret Plan B-type dreams of opening an ice cream parlor, or buying a nail salon and making it awesome. Interestingly, each of my marketing plans for those Plan B dreams involved hosting special events in those spaces to help bring people in.

With a little help from many friends, team members and supporters, A Little Beacon Space is open inside of A Little Beacon Blog's Main Street headquarters. I'm so excited to share this wonderful Telephone Building with so many other people producing unique things with their unique skill sets. The excitement is contagious: Here's a picture of the folks at Home Depot, taking it upon themselves to build me a sandwich board after they heard how I wanted to construct it (meaning, my version would have flown away in the wind).

Booking A Little Beacon Space

Different people and groups can rent this space for a workshop, event, pop-up, photo shoot, and many other things I haven't mentioned here but would love to hear from you about. Many thanks to photographer Jackie Foley, who took professional pictures of different aspects of the space. She was our first customer when she booked the space for the day to conduct a portrait session.

 
 

We had the great fortune of being featured in the Highlands Current earlier when the local networking group, HV Women in Business, hosted a meetup.

Curated Pop-Up Events at A Little Beacon Space

Sometimes, we make up our own events and host them in the space. You can always find the schedule of all events here. This weekend includes two of them! Spooky Parent/Child Yoga, and Kitchen Cuts, which was included in the Calendar at the Highlands Current! P.S.: Huge congratulations to The Incline Railway for their award.

Come to parent/child yoga with us this Saturday from 9:30 am to 10:15 am. Only seven spots left!

Then stop in and say "hi" during the Kids' Hocus Pocus Parade, where we'll be giving little kids $16 haircuts and $1 face painting. Proceeds from the face painting go to the Beacon elementary schools, where we are working on a donation to the teachers for all of the art supplies they buy for our kids for day-to-day projects.

And then on Tuesday, pop in to do a quick 30-minute workout with us. Don't worry - you can come dressed for the day and get right back into your work clothes from your work-out clothes. Led by professional athlete Jane Savage of Savage Health, the idea is to get your blood flowing to inspire great ideas during your day.

Then in November, join us if you want to get your finances in order: Galia Gichon, one of my favorite people in finance who works with creative types, gives an interactive seminar on Personal Finance Planning for Creatives, Entrepreneurs & Artists. If you have some plans, no plans, or want a checkup, this seminar will make getting your house in order easier and more attainable.

Thank you so much for you support thus far. Only in Beacon could this business have been crafted this way. It's an inspiring city to grow a business in. See you soon!

Yes, The Kids' Halloween Parade Really Is This Sunday!

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The questions are flying around Facebook groups and my inbox: "Is the Kids' Parade really this Sunday?" Yes... as is maybe your school Halloween party this week, unless it's on the day of Halloween, or who knows! October turned super-busy last year, and this year has proven no different. Just take a look at how the 2015 Kids' Halloween Hocus Pocus Parade turned out!

Two parades pass through this weekend: The Dark Parade, which is a glow-in-the-dark event for adults on Saturday night, and the Kids' Hocus Pocus Parade on Sunday afternoon.

We dusted off last year's Pumpkins and Parades Guide that contains information on where to find parades, pumpkin carving events, and pumpkin patches and markets. This year, we added a "Watch For It" section to highlight special offerings from stores. Don't let the warm weather fool you - Halloween is coming, and you may need two costumes for all of the display opportunities. By the time trick-or-treating comes around, that well-planned costume may have a few worn patches. Take a look at our coverage of last year's Kids Halloween Parade to get a sense for the day.

PS: The location of this photo is Lawrence Farms, which is in this guide as a beautiful location of pumpkin picking.

PS: The location of this photo is Lawrence Farms, which is in this guide as a beautiful location of pumpkin picking.

For the past two years (that I know of), Dance Bag has had a $10 rack out on their sidewalk for an impressive selection of poofy dresses and other stage-worthy costumes, but they say they won't this year. If making your own costume is not an option right now, really impressive and affordable costumes have been known to be at TJ Maxx and at Cracker Barrel. By now, Cracker Barrel may have their costumes on clearance. So that's a bonus!

two Halloween Events at A Little Beacon Space!

We're about to send an official announcement about it (but all of these parade dates bumped our own article), but A Little Beacon Space is open! We're hosting two pop-up events this weekend: Parent/Child Yoga on Saturday with a Halloween theme (only seevn spots left!), and Kitchen Cuts for kids' haircuts and face painting on Sunday. Hope to see you!

Only seven spots left, so get your ticket!

Only seven spots left, so get your ticket!

Walk-ins welcome! If you book online in advance of the day, you get a discount.

Walk-ins welcome! If you book online in advance of the day, you get a discount.

Pop-Ups With Handmade Goodies and Sweet Treats Coming To Beacon

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We have a few exciting pop-up shops in Beacon coming soon...

For Goodness Bake!

The popular bake sale, For Goodness Bake, is back for its fourth year next Saturday (September 24th) at the Catalyst Gallery (137 Main Street).  This bake will be raising funds for The Beacon Community Kitchen (formerly Beacon Soup Kitchen), which provides lunches, love, and warmth to those in need in the Beacon community. Says Tara Tornello one of the organizers: "The Beacon Community Kitchen volunteers are skilled at turning a few dozen pounds of veggies into a delicious, fulfilling meal. It's pretty cool to see what they can whip up with just a few basic ingredients like farm-fresh tomatoes and eggplant. Our goal is simple: raise funds for the Kitchen to purchase more of these wholesome ingredients as well as new utensils and appliances that will help make food preparation a breeze. Every dollar raised will go directly toward these needs."

The Beacon Community Kitchen transforms .Photo Credit: Tara Tornello

The Beacon Community Kitchen transforms .
Photo Credit: Tara Tornello

Over the past four years, For Goodness Bake has raised $8,000 cumulatively for charities such as Green Teens (nearly $3K), Kids R Kids (nearly $3K) and Baby Felix ($1.5K), who was the beneficiary the first year this bake sale was produced. This year, funds will go toward purchasing new appliances (possibly a stove) and groceries for meal preparation at the Beacon Community Kitchen. The bake sale will feature some of the Hudson Valley’s most celebrated amateur and professional bakers and confectioners.

Hudson Valley bakers wait all year for this fundraiser. Tessa Dean calls it her "Christmas" as she prepares cupcakes that will appear on Instagram with the hashtag #beacondessertmafia - before they head for your mouth.

Hudson Valley bakers wait all year for this fundraiser. Tessa Dean calls it her "Christmas" as she prepares cupcakes that will appear on Instagram with the hashtag #beacondessertmafia - before they head for your mouth.

Take a look at this lineup!

  • Savory tarts from Little House Bakeshop
  • Salted caramel pretzel brownies from Nerds with Knives
  • German apple cake from Gina DeMaria Gratz
  • Lemon yogurt pound cake from Virginia Piazza
  • Cookie dough peanut butter cups from Susannah Pugsley
  • Coconut macaroons from Patricia DeGroodt
  • Semolina cake from Lena Jamal of Beacon Bread Company
  • Assorted vegan cookies and cupcakes from Nora Holt
  • Pumpkin pie cheesecake bars from Mike DeCiutiis
  • Zucchini bread from Margaux Lange
  • Brown butter rice krispie treats from our own Kristen Pratt
  • and SO much more!

Mid-Hudson Etsy Makers Pop-Up Market

Get an early jump start picking up some unique holiday gifts on Saturday, October 8th. The Howland Cultural Center will be hosting the Mid-Hudson Etsy Makers Pop-Up Market. The market will feature 13 artisans of handmade goods from the mid-Hudson Valley area.  The market is free and open to the public. Doors will be open from 10 am to 4 pm. And so begins the holiday season!

Kitchen Cuts: A Pop-Up Hair Cut Day at A Little Beacon Space with Your Presence Salon

Join A Little Beacon Blog and Your Presence Salon during the Children's Hocus Pocus Halloween Parade down Main Street for our second Kitchen Cuts, a Pop-Up Kids Hair Cut day with face painting! Hair cuts are $16 the day of at the door, or book ahead online for $12. Face painting is $1 and will have a collection can, with face painting proceeds going to Beacon elementary schools. We collected $36 last time, and we're adding to that to make one donation, hopefully for teachers' art supplies. Book your hair cut online here, or come by the day of! If the kids are still up for it, they will be the ones doing the face paint - and they are really good!