This New Year’s Eve, people using Lyft to get to or from a destination in Newburgh can get $10 off two rides, with a maximum of $10 per ride, thanks to an initiative put together by local officials and Lyft. Newburgh is one of three areas across New York State engaged in the effort, according to a press release issued today by Assemblymember Jonathan G. Jacobson’s office.
According to the press release: “Senator James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley), Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-Newburgh), and City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey partnered with Lyft to provide discounted rides on New Year’s Eve to ensure riders in the City of Newburgh can access affordable, reliable transportation. The initiative is part of a shared commitment to reduce impaired driving as people celebrate the holiday season.”
How To Use The Lyft/Newburgh Discount
The discount is good from Tuesday, December 31, 2019, to Wednesday, January 1, 2020. Riders can use the promo code NEWBURGHNYE to receive $10 off two rides, with a maximum of $10 per ride. The code will work as long as one of the locations, drop-off or pick-up, is in the City of Newburgh. A rider must have the Lyft app installed on their phone, which they can get from their phone’s app store for free.
What Officials Are Saying About It
In the press release, Mayor Torrance Harvey said: “Senator Skoufis, Assemblyman Jacobson and I agree that public safety is Newburgh’s #1 priority and we thank Lyft for offering a great discount to our residents to ride on New Year’s Eve. We don’t want people drinking and driving. Celebrate smart!”
"Our community's safety, both on and off the road, is of the utmost importance to me," said Senator James Skoufis."That's why I was grateful to partner with Lyft to establish two discounted rides for anyone traveling to and from Newburgh on New Year's Eve. I hope our community takes advantage of this and everyone celebrating the new year with their loved ones has a safe and warm ride home."
"New Year's Eve should be fun, but safe,” said Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson.“I applaud Lyft for encouraging people not to drink and drive. The discount they are offering will help keep the roads safer for everyone.”’
“We are grateful to Senator Skoufis, Assemblymember Jacobson and Mayor Harvey for their partnership on this important initiative,” said Jen Hensley, director of public policy at Lyft.“Since 2017, Lyft has provided affordable and reliable transportation throughout Newburgh, helping people to get to work, school, and home responsibly after a night out. This New Year’s Eve, we are proud to work together with thoughtful leaders to ensure Lyft riders celebrating in Newburgh have no excuse to drive impaired.”
Maybe you’re done with your holiday shopping (but that depends upon your definition of “done”), so here are a few stocking stuffer ideas you will find on Main Street in Beacon. We don’t call this “last-minute” shopping, because buying stocking stuffers is our favorite part of the gift-curating experience.
This is also the most dangerous time to shop, because you will see loads of ideas for other people that you hadn’t thought of. Pad that budget.
Manic Panic Hair Color
This temporary vegan-based hair color has been available at Play (167 Main Street) for years and years. Perfect for the hair expressionist in your life. Buy a rainbow series for wild experiments, or one or two contrasting colors for a striped design.
The color is temporary, yet stays in decently well post-shower. However, if you wanted the vibrancy to stay, then you would not wash the hair. However, there is a dry bar shampoo at SallyeAnder at the other end of town. We haven’t tried it, but it’s an option.
Art and Socks
Zakka Joy (177 Main Street, formerly Dream in Plastic) is the destination for stationery lovers who also love kitchen decor, Pusheens, stickers, socks, water bottles, pencils, sketchbooks, journals, planners, etc. With glitter pens to match. Socks make great stocking poppers - the part sticking out of the stocking that adds that visual excitement. Most of the themes of these socks are for the sarcastic ones in your life who like a little bit of dicey language, though not all. Sometimes you just need to wear a pretty sock that says: “Delicate f*ing flower.”
Books
Depending on the size of your stocking, for the protesters in your life, this Posters for Change book from Princeton Architectural Press keeps on giving with 50 rip-out-able quote posters that can be hung somewhere. Available at Binnacle Books (321 Main Street). Pro tip: Binnacle Books can order any book for you if it is not on their shelves. Any book!
Hygiene
Alright. So with cancer being rampant, and the quest for deodorant with no whatevers in it grows stronger with each friend who is diagnosed, the answer to an odor-blocking shield is at SallyeAnder (1 East Main Street) is the Deodorant Stone. The stone itself is odorless, and has bacteria-fighting minerals in it (find synthetic-chemical-free perfume and lotion at Beacon Mercantile just up the street, located in the old train station).
To apply it to the skin, you wet it and rub it on. The easiest way to store the stone is in a dish, which you can also find at SallyeAnder, or at most any shop in Beacon (check RiverWinds Gallery for an artisan-made one), or an unused dish in your house that is ready for prime time.
Bonus perk with this deodorant: It uses hardly any packaging. So this is one less piece of plastic you are putting into the trash (or recycling? not sure if plastic deodorant containers are actually recyclable these days). SallyeAnder products are made in Beacon on the west side of town in their manufacturing center, located in the same building as Brett’s Hardware. The 1 East Main Street location is SallyeAnder’s flagship retail shop.
Continuing with the bath theme, Beacon Bath and Bubble has all the bribery you need to get a child into a bath. If the deodorant stone is going to be introduced to the new 9-year-old who needs odor blocking - but you don’t want to hurt her feelings telling her this so why not make it more fun and unusual with the stone and pretty dish - the colorful bath products at Beacon Bath and Bubble will get them into the bath. The soap is made right in the store, so you can expect good ingredients in here as well.
Denise Gianna Designs Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Interior Design
While these chairs and lamps won’t fit into a stocking, walking by the design store Denise Gianna Designs (494 Main Street, formerly Utensil before they moved to the other end of town) will be one of the perks of walking around finding stocking stuffers IRL (in real life) vs clicking online. Gianna is a longtime Beaconite and interior designer who opened up shop in various other shops (you may remember her from her Chocolate Studio days, which is now occupied by the beef jerky shop, The Village Jerk). Stop in to see what kind of furniture may fit into your space, and if she can help you visualize.
Your Eyewear Game
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog
An easy and flat gift that can slip into a stocking is a gift certificate from Luxe Optique. Especially if you have HSA Flex Spending to use before year end, Luxe can help with that. They also make filling your out-of-network insurance claims easy - they do it for you. So if you haven’t tried Luxe yet, walk in this time. If you collect shoes or jewelry, having the same perception of your eyewear is similar. When you go to Luxe Optique, your adjustments are complimentary, as your vision is their top priority. As featured in last weekend’s newsletter edition, ask about the end-of-year specials they have running, including the 50% off shelf.
Darryl’s Clothing Boutique in Beacon always has a good sale running, and right now is no exception. Perfect for matching sweaters! If you once went all out on Christmas morning with family PJs, now you can with sweaters if that’s your thing.
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique has the sample sales you want to tell your friends about. Not that a dress fits into a stocking, but you may find an accessory or two in the store. You know what would make a great stocking topper? A tiara.
One of the things that make the holidays so wonderful is the FOOD! The special meals that bring us all together. Some families have their big meal on Christmas Eve while others have it on Christmas Day. If there is a day you plan on dining out, A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide is always here at your service. In this case, we saved you some time in finding out who on Main Street will be open and closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Editor’s Note: If you are a Beacon restaurant not on this list who is open, please email us at editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. Our researcher, Teslie, called every restaurant we could think of to acquire this information. You might not have been able to answer the phone when we called. So please let us know. Thank you, Teslie!
When we do projects like this, it is with the help of all of our advertisers and sponsors that make this happen. Special thanks to those restaurants who do sponsor our Restaurant Guide: Barb’s Butchery, Eat Church (the food truck in the parking lot of Industrial Arts Brewery), and BAJA 328.
Who’s Open Christmas Eve?
Barb’s Butchery, 11 am to 6 pm Bank Square Coffee, until 6 pm BJ’s Soul Food and Restaurant, 7:30 am to 6 pm Tito Santana’s, until 4 pm Homespun Foods, until 3 pm Isamu Sushi, regular hours Ziatun, regular hours (until 8 pm) Max’s on Main, until 6 pm Enoteca Ama, until 9 pm Cafe Amarcord, regular hours Yankee Clipper Diner, until 3 pm Ella’s Bellas, until 3 pm Brother’s Trattoria, until 10 pm Beacon Falls Cafe, until 3 pm Sukhothai, until 9:30 pm Melzingah Tap Room, until 9:30 pm Beacon Bread Company, until 4 pm Roma Nova, regular hours Beacon Hotel Restaurant, regular hours Trax Espresso Bar, regular hours Roundhouse Lounge, 3 to 8 pm (limited menu); main dining room closed.
Who’s Open Christmas Day?
BJ’s Soul Food Restaurant, 7:30 am to 9 pm Isamu Sushi, regular hours The Roundhouse Lounge, 3 to 9 pm (walk-in only, full menu); main dining room closed.
Who’s Closed Christmas Eve/Day?
We are not going to run the Closed list this year because we don’t want to leave anyone out. If the restaurant is listed in the Open list, then we know that for sure, and most everyone else is closed.
If you are a restaurant in Beacon who is in fact open, please reach out to us and we will amend this list: editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com
If you haven't been into the Hudson Valley Food Hall yet, you are missing out. If this is not a regular stop on your regular Sunday Farmers Market circuit, then you need to throw a wrench into your weekly habits, and treat yourself to a mac and cheese/pulled pork bowl from Miz Hattie's Southern BBQ, which is one of the eateries inside. We got the scoop from Miz Hattie herself (who lives nearby in Beacon) on how growing up on a farm in North Carolina shaped her BBQ and pecan pie-making dreams. PS: If you follow our Instagram, you know that we love a good mango lassi, which you can also get at the Hudson Valley Food Hall.
Last-Minute Shopping
You may have a few winning items on your Holiday Gift List. Use A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide that highlights the shops in Beacon. From men's shirts to packaging-free deodorant (it's a mineral rock with no synthetic chemicals), you will find it on Beacon's Main Street.
Christmas Trees For Sale From Firefighters
Days/Time: Wednesday to Friday, 5 to 8 pm Days/Time: Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm Location: Parking lot at 60 East Main St. (across from Dogwood and the Beacon Engine Fire Company)
This year, according to the Beacon Free Press, the firefighters are donating the proceeds of their tree sales to a fund that provides Christmas gifts to families. A separate agency selects the families.
Holiday Dance Performance
Day: Friday, December 20, 2019 Time: 6 to 7 pm Location: Rombout Middle School, 88 Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY Information >
Tis The Season with Tony DePaolo & Russell Cusick
Day: Saturday, December 21, 2019 Time: 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Holiday Party at Hudson Valley Food Hall
Days: Saturday, December 21, 2019 Time: 1 to 6 pm Location: 288 Main St., Beacon, NY
Celebrate the holidays at the Hudson Valley Food Hall. There will be free photos with Santa, cookie decorating, food samples, and a raffle.
1-3pm Gingerbread Cookie Decorating
3-6pm Photos with Santa Information >
Truman Capote’s Holiday Classic - A Christmas Memory
Day: Sunday, December 22, 2019 Time: 6 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in ourEvents Guide.
Sleepwalker Textiles Days: Ongoing through Tuesday, December 31 Location: 438 Main St., Beacon, NY (next to the Beacon Hotel)
Read more about this pop-up in this article.
Vintage Pop-Up at Zora Dora's
Days: Daily Location: Zora Dora's, 201 Main St., Beacon, NY
Holiday Crafts Pop-Up at CreateSpace
Days: Saturday, December 21, 2019 Time: 11 am to 7 pm Location: CreateSpace, 145 Main St., Beacon, NY
BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END
LLTO/PTACEK Home
146 #2 Main Street www.livelighttraveloften.com www.ptacekhome.com
Now available at Live Light Travel Often (LLTO) - beautiful as an object and useful as a tool, this ceramic mortar bowl is carefully shaped to catch and bring ingredients down to the center of the bowl while having a design that is sophisticated enough to go straight to the table. This mortar bowl is made using traditional Iwami clay, known for its excellent durability. The hand-combed base efficiently grinds your ingredients firmly and the silicone base keeps this mortar from slipping. A perfect gift of beauty and purpose. Pro tip: The shop is located down the new path just before the kayak station at Mountain Tops.
Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique
155 Main Street www.darrylsny.com
Here is a great gift idea that will you not find (yet) in her closet! Darryl's is known for this lace-up-the-back sweater with a slouchy hood. Right now, it is available in a brightly colored plaid. This is one of Darryl's most popular items this season! SALE: Look for offers of up to 50% off already reduced pricing! Located across from Hudson Beach Glass.
Luxe Optique
183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com
There's still time to take advantage of your Healthcare Spending Account! It is a good time for an eye exam, or get a new pair of frames. Check our your options at Luxe Optique. SALE: Select frames are on sale for 50% off. Find out which ones!
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light)
Who needs Fifth Avenue when there are beautifully decorated holiday windows right here on Main Street! ❄️ Have you seen Lambs Hill's holiday windows display? Take a walk down and get swept away in this bridal fantasy.
Call (845) 765-2900, or book your appointment online through their website!
389 Main Street, Beacon, NY From Gate House Realty: "Fantastic opportunity to own and operate a popular and well-established wine bar right on Beacon's Main Street." Price: $195,000 Real Estate Agent: Gate House Realty, (845) 831-9550 Details + Pictures >
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
The official start of winter is Saturday, and Antalek & Moore is here to share some tips to help keep everyone safe on the road: *Slow it down - adjust your speed down to help with the lower traction you have when driving on ice and snow. Don't try to take off in a hurry and take extra time to stop for lights. *Give extra room - increase your following distance to 5 to 6 seconds. The longer distance will allow for the extended time needed to stop. *Keep moving - don't stop if you can avoid it. It takes a lot less effort to get moving while still rolling vs. from a full stop. This is true, especially with hills to help carry you to the top.
A Little Beacon Space
Book A Little Beacon Space for your next board meeting or business retreat. Perfect for small fundraiser functions, or a business cocktail party! Located in the heart of Beacon, the room is designed for easy and inspiring conversations. Pricing & Availability >
Beacon Chamber of Commerce Business Directory
Is your business in the Business Directory of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce yet? It should be. Join here today. Learn More >
MASTHEAD Producers of this newsletter include:
Katie Hellmuth Martin, Publisher, Writer, Designer, Photographer
Marilyn Perez, Managing Editor
Catherine Sweet, Editor of the Second Saturday Guide
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Pictured here is Miz Hattie (left) and one of her employees, Christasia Jones (right). Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
The sweet tea with the crunchy ice. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
I first had Miz Hattie’s Southern BBQ 10 years ago during an early nice weekend in spring after a harsh winter when one of the worst blizzards hit (30” of snow and three days of no power). A neighbor had organized a block party, and we met all kinds of people while eating spoonfuls of mac and cheese and scooping remnants of pulled pork sandwiches, coupled with fried chicken.
Little did we know that Miz Hattie, who lives in Beacon, was famous for her Southern BBQ, but that BBQ was only available at catered events, parties and festivals. The next time we got to eat her food was at the Spirit of Beacon Day parade, where she had a long table of deliciousness.
And now, for the first time ever, anyone can get Miz Hattie’s Southern BBQ any time they want - in the Hudson Valley Food Hall on Beacon’s Main Street, just past the public library, near the Subway. Featured in this article is the mac and cheese bowl with pulled pork, the sauce for which has a slight hotness to it, but even people who don’t like spicy things will be just fine with this. Paired with the generously cheddary mac and cheese, this is one of the best food bowl combos in Beacon.
The menu. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Yes. Inside that unobtrusive door of the Hudson Valley Food Hall is a whole lot of food creativity (but have you seen the back of the building?) - including Miz Hattie’s Southern Sweet Tea. The Hudson Valley Food Hall is the perfect destination for finding a variety of street food to eat there at their tables, or on the go. Find soups, salads, BBQ, and even seafood (hello, fresh Shrimp Cocktail!). When you’re walking to the Beacon Farmers Market on Sunday, add this to your list of warm lunch/snack options.
About That Sweet Tea…
Thankfully, Miz Hattie adds her Southern Sweet Tea to the mix on Main Street - with crunchy ice. One must get the sweet tea to wash down the Southern goodness, even if one gets a pecan pie.
Miz Hattie’s famous pecan pie. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
How do you know if you’ll like sweet tea? If you are a Snapple drinker, you already drink sweet tea, but that is imitation, and you may as well abandon that, and just go to Miz Hattie’s to get real sweet iced tea.
What Made Miz Hattie Expand To A Main Street Storefront From Her Catering Truck?
This is Miz Hattie’s first spot in a storefront ever. How did it come to be? “The opportunity came to me,” she recalled, while packing mac and cheese for a catering order. “I am in a book club, and everyone was talking about the food hall coming. Friends were telling me to open up there. Once a week, I sit with an elderly woman for lunch. One afternoon, we went to Brothers Trattoria, and as we entered, I saw a pair of keys on the floor. I picked them up, and showed them to the next person in front of me - the building inspector for Beacon. They were his keys, and he and I go way back. I asked him if he knew about this food hall. He did, and put me in touch with the owner right away.”
Miz Hattie’s Southern Secrets
Where does Miz Hattie’s Southern cooking come from? “I grew up in North Carolina on a small farm. I was one out of nine kids. I loved being in the kitchen with my mom cooking. When my father would roast a pig for all the farm workers, I would love hanging out with him and learning, I sat up all night watching. Cooking is just something I love doing.”
Miz Hattie moved to Beacon in the 1980s to attend CIA for pastries. “Baking is also my passion. But when I moved here, I always knew I would start doing BBQ at some point.”
What is the secret to her pecan pie and corn bread? “My sister sends me pecans from Texas. My aunt told me how to make the sugar sauce. The corn bread I just tested until I got it the way It is - lots of work!”
The front of Miz Hattie’s spot in the Hudson Valley Food Hall. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
The decor is unique to the Hudson Valley Food Hall. All of the food venues are, actually. Miz Hattie’s is wooden, rustic, and Southern. “My setup is all the things I had collected over the years,” Miz Hattie told A Little Beacon Blog.
The Hudson Valley Food Hall is open seven days, and so is Miz Hattie’s, open Monday to Thursday, 11 am to 8 pm for now (or until the bar closes), and Friday to Sunday, 11 am to 9 pm.
The Hudson Valley Food Hall is located at 288 Main St., Beacon.
At 10:32 pm on a Thursday evening, right before bed, I checked Facebook for any updates. A link was shared in a Moms group I’m part of. The link was to an article at Medium by a 37-year-old mom who works for BARK who posed as an 11-year-old girl in order to catch and trap any online lurker trying to send sexual content to children. BARK uses AI (artificial intelligence) to alert parents and schools when children are experiencing issues like cyberbullying, depression, threats of violence or targeting by sexual predators.
I reluctantly read the article, learning how easy it was for a sexual predator to find and talk to young people using Instagram - like, in seconds thanks to hashtags and selfies - and begin a conversation with an 11-year-old who doesn’t know much about birds and bees. I made a mental note to think about how to make my kids aware of this reality, as we constantly navigate their use of devices, which in many cases, make online social interaction required in order to play them (Nintendo Switch and XBox, etc.).
This morning in this week’s issue of the Highlands Current, editor Chip Rowe reported on a related story of what I read about at BARK - but IRL (In Real Life) - in Cold Spring. A former mayoral candidate, Charles E. “Chuck” Hustis III, who served two terms as a Village of Cold Spring trustee and worked as a substitute teacher who last was in a Cold Spring classroom in 2016, was arrested by the FBI on Monday and charged with “attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity,” according to federal officials, the article stated. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. He was released to home confinement on a $150,000 bond, as reported in the article.
The article went on to expose how the man was caught - from the first report by a 16-year-old male who received solicitations from the accused - who was one of his substitute teachers - via Facebook Messenger.
The rest of the details of this step-by-step almost-encounter are made clear in the Highlands Current in this week’s edition of the paper, or any time after the print issue is gone it’s published online. After the teenager reported it, an FBI agent took over his Facebook account to pose as the teenager. The FBI agent was able to get photos and other evidence that were sent by the accused, and agree to meet (while posing as the teenager). The suggested meetup by the accused was to take place at the Foodtown parking lot, where he has been a manager.
The article suggested that anyone with relevant information should contact the agency at (800) 225-5324.
Newburgh Restoration identified three of the projects awarded to Newburgh initiatives as “pivotal” to Newburgh.
Awards In Newburgh…
PS 6 Liberty Street To renovate PS 6 Center for Film and Television to be a one-stop-shop film/TV facility, including sound stages and production offices as well as rental space for events, weddings and photo shoots. The community flex space on the first floor will be used for job training, mentorship programs, art shows, and screenings. Award Total: $955,000
Graft Cider Graft Cider was awarded funding to adaptively reuse an old factory building to create a 14,000-square-foot production/distribution facility and tasting room in the City of Newburgh. Award Total: $264,000
Ritz Theater (for Safe Harbors): Awarded to Safe Harbors of the Hudson to prepare construction documents for rehabilitation and re-development of the historic Ritz Theater in Newburgh. Award Total: $222,900
Awards In Poughkeepsie…
Bow Tie Cinemas ”Bow Tie Cinemas will build a 40,000-square-foot, multiplex cinema on an underutilized City of Poughkeepsie parking lot, creating an entertainment hub that will attract many people to its downtown location. The multiplex cinema will create jobs as well as contribute to the revitalization of a distressed community,” according to the award document. Award Total: $2,000,000
Family Services, Inc. Family Services, Inc. will renovate the Family Partnership Center at 29 North Hamilton St. in Poughkeepsie. Award Total: $490,000
Awarded In Manufacturing…
New York Juice Company "New York Juice Company, a subsidiary of Direct Refreshments, will design and construct a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Dutchess County. The facility will produce Concord grape juice sourced from New York farmers. These products will be sold to schools through the NYS Farm to School Program as well as to hospitals, casinos and others," according to the award document. Award Total: $800,000
Awarded In Food & Entertainment…
The Culinary Institute of America The Culinary Institute of America will construct, renovate and launch Post Road Brew House and an Italian Cafe & Bar at Ristorante Caterina at The Culinary Institute of America, enhancing the world-renowned destination as a key attraction for visitors to the Mid-Hudson region of New York. Total Awarded: $175,000
Awarded To Public Space…
Walkway Over the Hudson Lighting Project - Phase Two Walkway Over the Hudson will install sustainable LED lighting at the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park for increased safety and security, extend hours that the Park is open to the public, and increase opportunities for nighttime programming. Total Awarded: $588,562
Several other monies were awarded for creative projects, including to fund staff positions to make programs possible. Municipal projects were awarded as well, including a Sewer Inflow and Infiltration Study for the City of Poughkeepsie. Climate Smart Community projects were also awarded. You can read all about the grants here.
Tuesday’s predicted snowstorm, which triggered numerous announcements of cancellations the evening before, including Beacon’s monthly Zoning Board Meeting (rescheduled for next month), delivered as a steady fall of ice rain. Beacon City Schools announced their closure on Tuesday morning, and snowplows were out on the streets monitoring the situation.
The pelting ice has covered everything in, well, ice, making it extremely difficult to even leave one’s front porch and requiring immediate sprinkling of salt. In fact, you may want to carry salt with you everywhere you go today, if you decide to go outside. This Snow Day does not involve snow yet, so for kids at home, it will be an indoor day, as it is very cold. Simply taking the picture for this article required a five-minute warmup back inside the kitchen while eggs cooked on the stove. Temps are in the high 20s, low 30s.
Thankfully, Tuesday’s trash collection by Royal Carting has started. If you’re a put-the-trash-out-the-night-before kind of person, you’re really patting yourself on the back right now as you sip your morning coffee.
The next question is, can you even open your car door, or is it iced shut? Brett’s Hardware probably has a product to help with that.
There we were, driving to Best Buy to pick up the Xmas Wish List item of a new TV to replace one so old that the technology is cutting off the headlines and football scores - when we saw Santa riding atop a fire truck.
At first, he was just one of many stuck at a traffic light on Route 9, headed through Wappingers, and then his fire truck turned left down a side street. A car in front of us turned after him.
My toddler was sleeping in his car seat. It was why we were driving up Route 9 in the first place: to guarantee a car nap. My 7-year-old was also in the car, and not napping.
”Should we follow him?” I asked my 7-year-old.
”Yes. No. I don’t know. It might be weird,” he replied.
”The car in front of us went. I don’t think it’s weird. I think we should follow,” I declared.
We turned left, and followed the Santa-topped fire truck down the side street. Two little girls came to their house’s front door and waved to him, incredulously.
Other cars followed us too. Eventually the fire truck turned down Church Street and then took a right down Route 9 to head back through the center of the tiny town that is Wappingers Falls. When the fire truck pulled right past the cute little Ground Hog coffee shop, we veered left back toward Poughkeepsie for our destination.
My 7-year-old exclaimed: “Every time, I don’t want to go with you on these trips. And then every time, something amazing happens. I see a friend. Or we find a lollipop. Every time.”
Errands are magical, yes. You never know when you’ll stumble on a Christmas miracle.
Some of the art gallery happenings for December 2019, clockwise from top right: a figurine by Little Lazies in Clutter Magazine Gallery’s Gift-Wrapped; Maria Lago packs Studio 502 with new paintings in Ideograph Materica; RiverWinds Gallery has many, many Hudson Valley artists but is spotlighting ceramic vessels like this mug from Lynn isaacson; Beacon Historical Society opens its vault of vintage holiday ephemera, with cameos from long-running Beacon businesses; and closing weekend for the work of video art pioneer Shigeko Kubota at Mother Gallery.
Happy Second Saturday, Beacon! Don't let dreary weather keep you at home. Rather, head out to Main Street (and well beyond) to enjoy one of our favorite Second Saturdays of the year. At least 10 brand-new exhibitions are opening, almost as many are continuing, and one show, at Mother Gallery, is closing. New venue alert! Daniel Aubry Gallery and Industrial Arts Brewing Company have openings this month. Get all of the details here in Beacon's most comprehensive Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide.
The big theme this month seems to be diverse group shows of small-scale works, often from Hudson Valley artists, at Clutter Magazine Gallery, Catalyst Gallery, RiverWinds Gallery, BAU: Beacon Artist Union and Bannerman Island Gallery. These shows are a great way to learn about lots of artists, find styles you like, maybe pick up a ready-to-gift piece for a loved one, or even jump on a New Year's resolution to support the arts locally by choosing something for your own collection.
Speaking of supporting the arts locally - big thanks goes out to BeaconArts for their tireless work around town over the years. Full descriptions of all of these shows - and so very many more - are in the Art Guide! Once you've figured out where to park, what's next? If you're in need of a bite to eat, check out the Restaurant Guide. Itching to show local shopkeepers some love? We've got a Shopping Guide at your fingertips. Thank you for supporting the businesses that help support A Little Beacon Blog! We couldn't do this without you — or them. Happy Second Saturday strolling!
Baby, it's gray outside, but it's bright inside the shops who are staying open late for your holiday shopping! Pictured here is a photo from a person who used to live in New York, Rachel Calvelli, and loves coming back to visit, especially Beacon. She says: "One of my favorite little towns upstate. I love how much it's grown since I moved. And I especially love how the community supports the small businesses."
Tonight (Friday) is the last night of Hop & Shop, where participating stores are staying open until 9 pm. Will stores stay open later during the rest of the season? Perhaps... Only you will know when you drive or walk down - don't let Googling hours fool you! Get your answers IRL.
It's Second Saturday this weekend! Here is a peek at the opening or closing exhibits you don't want to miss.
TOP LEFT: Clutter, 7th annual Gift-Wrapped show with small-scale pieces from dozens of artists. Pictured here: a piece from artist Little Lazies.
TOP RIGHT: RiverWinds Gallery has its 16th annual big group holiday exhibition, with work from artists around the Hudson Valley in everything from jewelry to paintings to prints. Special for this year is their highlighting of usable art, with a spotlight on a huge collection of ceramic mugs, like this one by Lynn Isaacson.
BOTTOM LEFT: Maria Lago, whose Studio 502 is one of the longest-running galleries on Beacon's East End, returns with new paintings in Ideograph Materica.
BOTTOM RIGHT: The Beacon Historical Society is displaying its collection of vintage holiday ephemera, with cards and trinkets from Beacon's past.
Christmas Trees For Sale by Firefighters Days/Time: Wednesday to Friday, 5 to 8 pm Days/Time: Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm Location: Parking Lot at 60 East Main Street (across from Dogwood and the Beacon Engine Fire Company)
This year, according to the Beacon Free Press, the firefighters are donating their Christmas tree sales to a fund that provides Christmas gifts to families. A separate agency selects the families.
International Film Night: “Crazy Rich Asians”
Day: Friday, December 13, 2019 Time: 7 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Moon, Serpent and Bone Oddities and Curiosities Night Market
Day: Friday, December 13, 2019 Time: 6 pm to midnight Location: HYATT House Fishkill, 100 Westage Business Center Drive, Fishkill, NY Information >
Holiday Party at Hudson Valley Food Hall
Days: Saturday, December 14 & 21, 2019 Time: 1 to 6 pm; 1 to 3 pm Gingerbread Cookie Decorating; 3 to 6 pm Photos with Santa Location: 288 Main St., Beacon, NY
Celebrate the holidays at the Hudson Valley Food Hall. There will be free photos with Santa, cookie decorating, food samples, and a raffle. Information >
Mighty Girl CD Release
Day: Saturday, December 14, 2019 Time: 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
The 20th Annual Musical Holiday with Sloan Wainwright & Friends
Day: Saturday, December 14, 2019 Time: 8:30 pm Location: Towne Crier, 379 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Santa at Bank Square Coffeehouse
Day: Sunday, December 15, 2019 Time: 10 am to 12 pm Location: Bank Square Coffeehouse, 129 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
"Jingle All The Way" to Cafe Sizzle!
Day: Sunday, December 15, 2019 Time: 6 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.
CreateSpace Beacon’s Holiday Pop-Up
Day: Thursday to Sunday, December 12-15, 2019 Time: 6 pm Location: CreateSpace Beacon, 145 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Reservoir's Holiday Makers Pop-UP Market
Days: Saturday & Sunday, December 14-15, 2019 Time: Store hours Location: Reservoir, 460 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Sleepwalker Textiles Days: Ongoing through December 31, 2019 Time: n/a Location: 438 Main St., Beacon, NY (next to the Beacon Hotel)
Read more about this pop-up in this article.
Vintage Pop-Up at Zora Dora's
Days: Daily Time: n/a Location: Zora Dora's, 201 Main St., Beacon, NY
BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END
PTACEK Home/LLTO
146 #2 Main Street www.ptacekhome.com www.livelighttraveloften.com
This wall planter is sure to catch the eye of anyone walking into your home - or office! The designer, Thomas Ptacek, crafts each piece of furniture and the wall pieces available in PTACEK Home/LLTO from reclaimed materials. This piece is made of boards from construction, and then darkened using various methods. The succulents planted in each box make for a great contrast. Even better? PTACEK Home can build to your specs. If you have a spot in your home or office and want a smaller one, they can most likely accommodate. Go inside to ask! Pro tip: This shop is located down the new path just before the kayak station at Mountain Tops.
Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique
155 Main Street www.darrylsny.com
Your summer festival wardrobe days are not over! Throw that coat to the side and let this knitwear from Aldo Martins of Barcelona change up your outfit this weekend - and any day of the week. Just grab mittens and a scarf and go! Oh, and did you see the ballcaps with the pompom at Darryl's? See our InstaStories in the Sponsor Highlight. They are adorable and available now inside. Open late for Hop & Shop! SALE: Look for offers of up to 50% off already reduced pricing!
Luxe Optique
183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com
Look at these frames at Luxe Optique from French Collection. Are you seeing cross-eye? Are you seeing cat-eye? You are seeing the latest breakout designs from French Collection in a stunning example of what more you can expect from your frames from designers who love eyewear. Go in and try these on, but see which other pairs you ultimately fall in luxe - we mean love - with! SALE: Select frames are on sale for 50% off. Find out which ones!
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) TRUNK SHOW!
This weekend only is the @madisonjamesbridal Trunk Show! Book your Trunk Show appointment while they still have some availability!
Call (845) 765-2900 or book your appointment online through their website!
Musical Theater Workshop with Joshua Burrage
Day: Sunday, December 15, 2019 Time: 2 to 4 pm Location: Ballet Arts Studio, 107 Teller Ave., Beacon, NY Information >
For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide.
1 East Main Street, Unit 301, Beacon, NY 3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom From Gate House Realty: "One of a kind, spacious, SoHo-style luxury loft in the heart of Beacon. Stunning mountain views, light-filled open floor plan, exposed brick, wide-plank oak floors and original historic beams highlight the architecture in this industrial space." Price: $1,150,000 Real Estate Agent: Gate House Realty, (845) 831-9550 Details + Pictures >
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
A friendly reminder from Antalek & Moore: As you are checking off items on your holiday shopping list this year, they wanted to share a few tips to make it a safe and enjoyable time. 🎄Watch out for porch pirates. It is becoming pretty common to order a present or two online these days and many times your packages are delivered during the day while you are not at home. Take advantage of real-time delivery alerts to help ensure your items are received.
A Little Beacon Space
Book A Little Beacon Space for your next board meeting or business retreat. Perfect for small fundraiser functions, or a business cocktail party! Located in the heart of Beacon, the room is designed for easy and inspiring conversations. Pricing & Availability >
Beacon Chamber of Commerce Business Directory
Is your business in the Business Directory of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce yet? It should be. Join here today. Learn More >
MASTHEAD Producers of this newsletter include:
Katie Hellmuth Martin, Publisher, Writer, Designer, Photographer
Marilyn Perez, Managing Editor
Catherine Sweet, Editor of the Second Saturday Guide
Advertise With A Little Beacon Blog
The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of making it happen, and get your business in front of the community in a meaningful way.
Love these chairs! How about you? You only would have seen them if you were walking the streets of Beacon on Thursday night at 8:30 pm during Beacon’s second annual Hop and Shop, where participating stores stay open until 9 pm.
The shop pictured is The Archive Beacon, which arrived in Beacon during the spring. It is next door to The Vault and just up the block from The Underground Beacon. This vintage shop is a must-investigate if you are collecting pieces for your home.
Learn about this shop and others in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide!
We knew something was going on when we saw the hole in the wall at Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique right when King + Curated, the bridal boutique’s former neighbor, moved across the street to a larger location. Lambs Hill started as an experiment from realtor and artist Charlotte Guernsey a few years ago. Several storefront windows later in one of Beacon’s renovated factory buildings at 1 East Main Street, the venture has been a success.
“The space itself is what inspired me to design the boutique,” said Charlotte, whose real estate firm, Gate House Realty, represented the retail and commercial sales of 1 East Main Street after it was renovated.
Inside of Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, which is always undergoing new design transformations. Photo Credit: Lambs Hill
The local bridal shop expanded in order to fit more inventory into the store, and to make more room for their own office. The expansion allows Lambs Hill to fit another 150 dresses into the boutique, bringing the total to 300 dresses from 10 designers at any given time. They also converted a bathroom to add a new dressing room and full-length mirror for brides to try on the gowns, for a total of five mirrors in order to accommodate five bridal fitting appointments at one time.
“In order to carry a designer you have to purchase a certain amount each year,” Charlotte explained. “Therefore, a lot of product is coming in all the time. We are constantly unpacking new dresses.”
Lambs Hill has also dedicated more than one-fourth of the shop to plus-size dresses, ranging from sizes 16-30. Parts of the store have sample-sale dresses, or dresses that a bride can pull off the rack and take home that day. “These are great for last-minute weddings, second dresses, destination weddings. But mainly customers order dresses to their sizes.” Prices in the store range from $1,500-$2,500, while dresses from the popular designer, Haylee Paige, range from $3,000-$5,000.
Charlotte has done many of the renovations herself, including installing the herringbone wall on the new addition.
Main Street is never dull. Get out there and step into the experiences these shop owners have created for you. For more ideas on shopping in Beacon, visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide. Lambs Hill is a sponsor of that Guide, which allows us to show you even more of what is going on inside each week.
Check out Beacon’s second Annual Hop & Shop, where participating shops stay open until 9 pm to make your holiday shopping easier - and more fun.
For a detailed guide on your Shopping experience, see A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide for write-ups of many of the boutiques in town, including some pictures for you to get a better idea of what you’ll find inside.
We could talk about the shopping for days, but the only way for you to truly know that Main Street is extremely shoppable with not only unique gifts, but truly awesome finds - is if you walk it. So get out there!
From the organizers:
Hi Beacon! If you haven't already heard, this Thursday & Friday is Beacon's second annual HOP & SHOP!!
This community event is organized by your local Beacon businesses in an effort to give you an opportunity to shop, sip, hop and indulge in all the unique places we have here in this beautiful city.
From tacos to yoga, from antiques to olive oil, from beer to barre, and appetizers to apparel - there are over 60 businesses offering you discounts, specials and reasons to come out and celebrate the holidays and walk your gorgeous Main Street!
Open late until 9 pm 🎉🎉
Follow along on their Instagram stream to get an idea of all of the different products and services you will find on Main Street. Gems. All gems.
This just in! We’ve got updates to our Shopping and Beauty Guides we wanted to let you know about: There are two new boutiques and a new hair salon worth checking out.
b. expressive, b. beautiful, b. you!
Back in October, Ryan Leoni opened b.Hair Studio at 323 Main Street, next to Binnacle Books, where Pink Optical used to be. Their mission is to provide a hair salon that is not only a friendly, judgment-free atmosphere, but has the highest quality of work as well.
One Of A Kind Hand Crafted Furniture
PTACEK Home/LLTO provides an exclusive source of artisan-built furniture and cabinetry as well as interior design through LLTO (Live Light Travel Often). They’re located behind Colorant at 146 Main Street; take a walk along the building to get to their entrance. They’re known throughout the Hudson Valley for their collaborative work in people’s homes. Now they are bringing their talents to Beacon!
For Love Of Fashion
Lucky Thirty One opened their doors in November 2019 where they offer carefully hand-picked collections to bring you classic pieces and the latest trends. Find them at 217 Main Street, where the Hudson Valley Marshmallow Co. used to be before they located to the other end of Main Street.
Community Mercantile and General Store
Take a walk over the short bridge at Beacon Falls to East Main Street, and check out Solstad House, at 17 East Main Street. Also opened in November, this a great stop for gift ideas for the home, book lover, accessories, candles and more.
While our Events Guide is updated almost daily, our other guides get updated on a regular basis so keep checking back!
Support for this publication comes in part from these businesses. We have highlighted what makes them special on their own dedicated pages. Want your business listed here? See the "Sponsor Spotlight" or "Event Promotion" option in our Advertising Page.
A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
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.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
Days/Time: Wednesday to Friday, 5 to 8 pm
