Happy New Year sweet readers! Have you been reading anything good, or just floating around on a graham cracker raft in a sea of egg nog? I’ve been busy recovering from surgery and have been reading nonstop in the absence of anything else to do besides “heal.” Feel free to send me a pillow with an inspirational message on it if you like, OR just tell me what to read next.
Top Picks
Here are my top picks from an array of genres: Garments Against Women by Anne Boyer (poems); Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh; Bluff by Jane Stanton Hitchcock; The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner; Good and Mad by Rebecca Traister; and I reread the still-transformative Women Who Run With the Wolves for good measure (by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D.). And I’m reading Dr. Dolittle with my kids in anticipation of the movie coming out next week. It’s still funny. Chapter 8 is basically a feminist manifesto.
What is ALBB up to in the reading department these days? Well, magazine devotee Katie Hellmuth Martin is turning those mags into 2020 foresight with Vision Boarding at the A Little Beacon Space. Check back for more workshop dates!
Happening In January
On Saturday, January 11, there’s another amazing edition of The Artichoke at the Howland Cultural Center. It promises to be “a superb evening of storytelling with Sam Dingman (The Moth Grand Slam Winner & host of Family Ghosts), Micaela Blei (The Moth Radio Hour), Erin Barker (The Story Collider), Sandi Marx (Stories from the Stage), Mike Cho (Risk!) and Beacon's own Mike Burdge (Story Screen).” 8 pm; $17.50 in advance, a cool $20 at the door.
On Saturday, January 25, the Spring Street series kicks off the new year at Atlas with an evening of international writers and translation. “The writers are: Mercedes Roffe, whose wonderful book Ghost Opera was translated by Beacon's own Judith Filc. Also appearing that night are Pierre Joris, whose translations of Celan and Adonis will be featured along with his own work. Jeanne Bonner will be reading her translation of the amazing work by a Hungarian writer who actually wrote in Italian, and, following up on the terrific discourse on cheese in The Odyssey at our last food fest event, we have Charles Stein, who will be presenting from his translation of The Odyssey and maybe even the Iliad.” 6:30 pm; donations appreciated.
Writing Workshops Galore!
Did you resolve to write more, even at the risk of harming your social standing and neglecting your family? Well, we support you 100 percent! There are a number of workshops you can join that are starting soon. Find a group to make you accountable!
Danielle Trussoni, writer and organizer of the fantastic Newburgh Literary Festival in October, is leading a writing workshop that will begin Sunday, January 26, 4 to 6 pm, and go for six weekly sessions. “This course is a reprisal of the sold-out course that I taught at Hudson Valley Writers Center, in 2019. It was designed to offer another opportunity to participate - especially for the people in and around Newburgh who could not make the trip, or were closed out.” RSVP to danielle@danielletrussoni.com to reserve a spot.
Ruth Danon is offering live writing poetry-centric workshops beginning in early February. She’s planning to run a “six-week session, take a break and then run another six-week session, the second of which would culminate in a reading by the workshop participants. The fee for the six-week session is $250 and will include private conferences.” Email Ruth for details about time and day: ruthdanonpoetry@gmail.com.
Also in Beacon, Donna Minkowitz is offering a memoir-writing workshop starting Wednesday, January 22, at 7 pm and it “goes for eight Wednesday nights, [until] March 11. The focus is on craft, especially on using the senses, lyricism, emotion, critical thinking, and storytelling to create meaningful and relatable works of memoir. Students get frequent feedback in a supportive atmosphere, and all levels of writers are welcome.” The cost is $275, and people who are interested can write her at Minkowitz46@gmail.com.
Split Rock Books in Cold Spring is rolling into 2020 with a cute new baby, some great book clubs and events and a writing workshop with Lynn Seeger Strong, author of Hold Still. The course is described as a “hybrid craft and reading seminar/workshop.” Spend the first three weeks reading short stories and excerpts, and generating work. The second half will be a more traditional writing workshop: Each student will submit up to 25 pages of work and get written feedback from the instructor as well as from the class. Cost: $395 for six weeks. Meets consecutive Mondays. Capped at 12 people. Sign up at the store. Check out their website (www.splitrockbks.com) for book club info!
Coming In February!
In Beacon, Binnacle Books continues to tempt me with all their beautiful instagram photos of books I want, as well as the promise of a book release event for Jenny Offill (author of Department of Speculation) and her new book Weather. She'll be in conversation with Lynn Seeger Strong, leader of a workshop above. It'll be in the evening of Saturday, February 15, and we’ll be writing more in depth about that soon.
No. 3 Reading Room is wisely hibernating for the rest of January, but you can make an appointment or get in there in February to check out works by a legion of talented artists and writers, as well as the latest book of poetry by Edwin Torres and photobooks by Ronnie Farley, both of whom reside in Beacon.
Deeper into the winter we go, my loves; let’s leave a trail of bookmarks behind us.
The first Second Saturday of the year is a busy one! Clockwise from top right: Thomas Van Winkle’s exquisitely cut paper art at Oak Vino Wine Bar; Jo Ann Chaus in Sympathetic Eye at the Howland Cultural Center; Evan Turk at Clarkson University’s Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries; Casey Inch at Industrial Arts Brewing Co.’s taproom out on Route 52; and Aaren Vittoria Connolly’s many media, including paintings, at Big Mouth Coffee Roasters.
Happy Second Saturday weekend, Beacon! You might expect the first #2Sat of 2020 to be sleepy, but it's actually quite busy! A couple of galleries are mostly hibernating (including Mother Gallery and No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works; call them for details) but other venues (Beacon Historical Society, Bank Square Coffeehouse, Big Mouth Coffee Roasters and Oak Vino Wine Bar) have surprise shows to make up for it. Looking to plan your itinerary? We’ve got the whole roundup in our Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide.
Full descriptions of all of these shows - and so very many more! 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!
You know what is the most convenient cool thing you have right now? The knowledge of what is going on inside of each art gallery in Beacon this weekend for Second Saturday - all. in. one. place.
That's right. A Little Beacon Blog's Second Saturday Guide Editor Catherine Sweet hunts and gathers for what is opening where, and then tells you the inside story about it. She even knows what gallery might have disappeared into a hiatus (like Mother Gallery this month), but who is showing upstairs at Parts & Labor Beacon at 1154 North Avenue (next to the twinkly lit windows of Giannetta Salon Spa when you're coming up from the train). Catherine even knows which coffee shops are hosting an artist on their walls (like Bank Square and Big Mouth Coffee Roasters this month). And even what brewery.
How do we do this? With the support of sponsors like No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works located in the coziest little spot on Main Street near Brothers Trattoria. With sponsor support of our Guides, we can bring you these projects. Thank you to all of our advertisers!
TOP LEFT: Industrial Arts Brewing Co. keeps pushing the boundaries of what we expect when visiting a brewery. First, they scored a resident food truck with Eat Church. Now, there’s art up on the walls. Industrial Arts welcomes Casey Inch, who was born in Brooklyn and raised in Connecticut. He went out to Colorado to earn his BFA in Painting, then in 2007 he moved to Brooklyn to deepen his painting and drawing studies pursuing an MFA at Pratt Institute. Inch exhibits his work nationally, and continues to work in his Brooklyn studio. TOP RIGHT: The River, pastels from Croton-on-Hudson artist Evan Turk continues at Clarkson University’s Beacon Institute for Rivers & Estuaries in their Main Street gallery. Turk created the series of more than 150 pastel paintings in the span of an entire year, through all four seasons, reflecting on continuity, impermanence, and change. BOTTOM LEFT: A trio of pretty-new openings at Dia: Better known for her work with sculpture and light, Marian Zazeela instead brings to Dia her works on paper, which ”showcase the range of materials and motifs that stem from the artist’s deep interest in calligraphy and ornamental forms,” according to Dia’s press release. It’ll be interesting to see how those more ornate pieces leap out from the less-decorative works that Dia’s known for. BOTTOM RIGHT: Whispers from the Castle Keep, an exhibit of memorabilia from the Bannerman Castle Trust is on display at the Beacon Historical Society. It includes small artifacts from the Civil and Spanish American wars. Paintings, photographs, catalogs, and rare artifacts will tell the story of the Bannerman arsenal and castle.
Classics for Kids presents Pianist Fei Fei
Day: Saturday, January 11, 2020 Time: 12 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
The Artichoke Storytelling Series
Day: Saturday, January 11, 2020 Time: 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Howland Chamber Music Circle presents Piano Festival Day: Sunday, January 12, 2020 Time: 4 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.
BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END
Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique
155 Main Street www.darrylsny.com
We know you're iced over with this cold weather, but it's coming out great in colors for your wardrobe. This ice blue stretch pant goes with any season - pair with the whimsical paisley print shown here, or top with a black sweater or a super sharp jacket. We have a couple - you do too! You'll turn heads in this outfit. Find it at Darryl's now and let their stylists dress you.
Luxe Optique
183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com
Check these itty-bitties! Staying on theme with the bright winter blue/greens, Luxe Optique has a fresh collection of eyewear for kids in the store right now. Luxe Optique is known for their kind and patient treatment with kids - both in the doctor's office for the exam, and for the fitting once you find a style that works. Make your eye appointment today - even if you think your kid doesn't need it! You'd be surprised (some of us at ALBB have had glasses since third grade).
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the historic dummy light)
"The details are what brings the look all together, and we love it!" says Lambs Hill about this photo. Not only are they a bridal boutique, but they can connect you with the other components you need to create and capture a beautiful wedding.
Photo by @the.ramsdens⠀
Flowers: @maple_field_floral ⠀
Dress: @madisonjamesbridal
Call (845) 765-2900 or book your appointment online through their website!
Vision Boarding With Magazines
Day: Saturday, January 11, 2020 Time: 11 am to 2 pm Location: A Little Beacon Space, 291 Main St., Beacon, NY Price: $10 per person, All You Can Clip Ages 6 & up (kids must be accompanied by adult)
It's Vision Boarding Season! Come to A Little Beacon Space to collect your clippings from Tin Shingle's magazine collection, and take your collage to your next Vision Board event or party. You can Vision Board anything, but now is Resolution time. Information >
For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide.
50 Mountain Lane, Beacon, NY 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom From Gate House Realty: "Sitting on almost a half-acre, perched on a rolling hill landscape, this cottage strikes the perfect balance between Old World charm with a touch of contemporary upgrades." Price: $294,000 Real Estate Agent: Gate House Realty, (845) 831-9550 Details + Pictures >
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Perhaps you have noticed, when visiting your favorite store in Dutchess County, there are no longer plastic bags available. The countywide change went into effect on 1/1/20 to ban single-use plastic bags. Don't worry, Antalek & Moore got you covered! Stop into their offices at 340 Main Street, Beacon and say hi to Thomasine for one of our reusable shopping bags!
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.
According to a press release sent by Air Nonken Rhodes, a new City Council Member representing Ward 2, grassroots activists plan to gather at Polhill Park (corner of Main Street and Route 9D) at 5 pm on Thursday, January 9, to make visible a “No War” message as part of a national day of grassroots action in opposition to escalation of war with Iran.
The protest will take the form of visual elements such as anti-war signs and a bucket-drumming brigade.
WHO: “People who live in the Beacon area who are concerned about Trump’s apparent rush to war with Iran,” according to the press release. WHAT: ‘No War’ grassroots visibility action WHEN: 5 pm, Thursday, January 9, likely through ~6:30 pm WHERE: Polhill Park (corner of Main Street and Route 9D, near the Visitors Center, adjacent to Bank Square Coffee House) VISUALS: Neighbors holding colorful anti-war signs HASHTAG: #NoWarWithIran
The Howland Public Library is pleased to present Art is Elementary, the fourth annual exhibition of student artwork from the Beacon City School District elementary schools. A reception for the students and teachers will be held on Saturday, January 18, from 2 to 4 pm. All are welcome. The exhibit will be on view in the Community Room through Saturday, February 1.
One of the library’s most colorful exhibits, Art is Elementary features work from students at J.V. Forrestal, Glenham, Sargent, and South Avenue elementary schools. The annual exhibit is organized in collaboration with art teachers Sallie Farkas, Cathy Pezzo and Susan Wurtz. Eight pieces of art were selected to represent each of the four elementary schools. The exhibit is just a small sample of the wonderful art being done by students of all ages throughout the Beacon City School District. Stop by the reception to show your support for the young artists and see their creative works.
The Howland Public Library is located at 313 Main Street in Beacon, N.Y. The Community Room is open during regular library hours. Please note the gallery may not be accessible during some library programs. Please call the library at (845) 831-1134 or consult the library calendar at beaconlibrary.org before planning your visit.
It’s that time… Maybe you were on the ball and did it on January 1, or maybe you’re thinking of doing it today. The time has come to dispose of your Christmas tree, and here are best ways to do it. The City of Beacon’s Highway Department will pick it up for free, but you need to meet their requirements:
Nekkid: Strip that tree down of all ornaments, lights, bows, anything that is not the tree. These trees go to the Transfer Station to be mulched, so they can’t have any other element on them, other than natural nature. If you’ve moved from New York City, where putting out a fully decorated tree is the norm (there was some good trash/decoration picking to be had off those wasted trees!), well, you can’t do that here.
Sidewalk - in view: Leave that tree in plain sight on its side. If the workers in the trucks can’t see your tree, then they won’t stop to pick it up.
Give ‘em a call: If your Christmas tree has been out on the sidewalk for weeks and weeks, give the Highway Department a call to tip them off that your end of town could use a run. According to our article in 2017, the Highway Department divides the city into grids, and travels through the grids looking for trees to pick up.
Leaf bags are still being picked up, too. If you’ve got piles of leaves or aging grass clippings in your backyard, you could use this time to bag it, and put it to the curb before the next snowfall.
Photo Credits: We put out a tweet call for reader photos of Christmas trees they found on the sidewalk to be used in this photo. Thank you Vicki Raabin and Erin Giunta for your submissions!
The Food for Fines program at Beacon’s Howland Public Library is going on now through Friday, January 31. Library patrons can erase or reduce their library fines and help their neighbors in need at the same time. This program benefits local food pantries. Donated items must be nonperishable, labeled, undamaged, and unexpired. Food for Fines does not apply to fees for items that are lost, damaged or from other libraries. Donations cannot be applied to future fines.
Although the program is called Food for Fines, the library encourages you to donate personal-care items too, like tampons, adult diapers (Depends), and even new socks. People do a lot of walking, and it’s hard to do in run-down socks! Conveniently, Rite Aid is located almost across the street, where you can find a lot of these items!
These items will be donated to the Tiny Food Pantries and Beacon Community Kitchen. Items must be donated at the library's circulation desk to qualify for the Food for Fines program. St. Andrew’s food pantry has requested that when donating canned items, low-sodium items are preferred and items like peanut butter, tuna, canned chicken, and Parmalat milk are in demand. The library will be donating pasta and other staples like spices and broths to the Community Kitchen.
PS: Our column Writerly Happenings is coming back! In these cozy times, you need to know about the reading and the writing. If you have anything writerly related, submit it here. Take this seasonal downtime to make an appointment to visit No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works near Brothers Trattoria, and Binnacle Books. Binnacle can order any book you want if they don't have it.
Opening Reception: The Sympathetic Eye
Day: Saturday, January 4, 2020 Time: 2:30 to 4:30 pm Location Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Live @ The Howland: Abby Feldman’s Life Is Amazing
Day: Saturday, January 4, 2019 Time: 8 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.
BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END
Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique
155 Main Street www.darrylsny.com
#AllTheDresses... That's what is happening inside of Darryl's right now. Plus coats and jackets that will really streamline your look. Find long, fleecy jackets for comfortable chilly days, and fitted crop jackets for a day at the office or smart evening out. SALE: The storewide sale is on. Check the tags for pricing.
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com
If the pictures you've been seeing on the walls of Luxe Optique have a familiar feel to them, it is because they are your Beacon neighbors. From Luxe stylists themselves, to Mr. Arnoff of Arnoff Moving and Storage. Even Gertie the famed pattern-maker is a Luxe model now!
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the historic dummy light)
We always enjoy the little sneak peeks from Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique's #dressoftheweek. It really makes you appreciate the beautiful work and detail put into these gowns. Follow their Instagram if you want to be dazzled.
Call (845) 765-2900 or book your appointment with Lambs Hill.
Vision Boarding With Magazines
Day: Saturday, January 4, 2020 Time: 11 am to 2 pm Location: A Little Beacon Space, 291 Main St., Beacon, NY Price: $10 per person, All You Can Clip Ages 6 & up (kids must be accompanied by adult)
It's Vision Boarding Season! Come to A Little Beacon Space to collect your clippings from Tin Shingle's magazine collection, and take your collage to your next Vision Board event or party. You can Vision Board anything, but now is Resolution time.
Vision Boarding is when you have an idea or a direction you’d like to go in, and you need help shaping that concept with pictures, words, or letters. When using a magazine for Vision Boarding, you open the pages of the magazine and explore the imagery inside - imagery that you have maybe never imagined before, but speaks to you. Fabric, makeup applications, nail polish drips, trucks driving through golden fields of wheat, strawberry shortcakes, etc. 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 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms From Gate House Realty: “One of a kind, spacious, SoHo-style luxury loft in 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 >
Beacon Dental
1020 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY
(845) 838-3666
Beacon Dental is currently expanding to further meet your needs at their facility. They have expanded next door by 2,500 square feet and offer brand new equipment and furnishings! Their team now includes an associate dentist, an orthodontist, and a periodontist. Says Beacon Dental: "We are dedicated to constant and never-ending improvement to provide many more treatment options at one convenient location." Visit their new office and check out their new services.
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
340 Main Street, Beacon, NY
(845) 831-4300
Planning a big event? Insurance will be the last thing you want to think about. Let Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency handle that for you. They will do the homework to find you the best coverage for the best price. Call them to get started: (845) 831-4300
A Little Beacon Space
291 Main Street, Beacon, NY First Floor, First Door of the historic Telephone Building
A Little Beacon Space is an event venue in Beacon that can accomodate up to 25 people in different seating configurations. Tables, chairs, a bar, and even a projector with screen can be used for your meeting, movie, or presentation. Pricing & Availability >
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.
Beacon’s new mayor, Lee Kyriacou, was sworn in on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, along with two new Council Members: Air Rhodes (Ward 2) and Dan Aymar-Blair (Ward 4). Lee had served on Beacon’s City Council for nine terms, and defeated Randy Casale, who led the city for two terms. You can read Randy’s reflections here at the Highlands Current.
As for the first piece of legislation he would like to see passed, Mayor Kyriacou told the Beacon Free Press in an article by Kristine Coulter: “Clearer limits and requirements for when a fourth floor is allowed on Main Street.” During the last year, the City Council had been restricting zoning throughout the city, with an emphasis on limiting buildings to be three stories, with a possible exception for a fourth story if special permission is requested and granted for specific reasons, which is being considered now.
As for his visions for Beacon’s future, Mayor Kyriacou told the Beacon Free Press: “I am committed to preserving the history, physical beauty and small city feel of Beacon, while preparing the community to thrive in the 21st-century economy.”
In the article, the new mayor also encouraged newcomers to Beacon to “participate actively in defining our community’s future.”
Students from Beacon High School performed “This Land Is Your Land,” by Woody Guthrie, part of the legend of Pete Seeger, whose spirit remains throughout Beacon to preserve it and the Hudson River.
I am sitting in my house in Beacon at 9 am with no phone calls from work, no shifts to cover, no orders to put in and no fires to put out and I am loving it!
What are your days looking like?
I've been walking everyday and brushing up on my Spanish using our library's online language classes - check them out!
Also, Chris and I are going traveling soon and we are busy packing up our house and dealing with all the stuff we have accumulated. (Really, how many cookbooks do you need???)
What do you eat if you’re not at Homespun? Do you cook Homespun at home?
Okay, first, when you own a restaurant, you end up eating restaurant food all the time! Because there’s a lot of leftovers or a lot of takeout, you get tired of being around food. It's a pleasure to cook at home although the cleaning up part is a drag. We eat simply which was the basis for Homespun from the beginning.
The first week I was retired, I baked bread and made a great chocolate halvah babka ... but it’s not as much fun if you aren't getting positive customer feedback!!
My favorite lunch now is rice cakes with tahini, sharp cheddar, tomato and sprouts ... it is a crumbly, delicious mess.
I don’t miss the work, but I do miss my staff and being such a part of the neighborhood - but it was a good run. I did what I set out to do which was to make community.
Homespun Foods is a staple in Beacon. It always has one of the longest lunch lines, is one of the most trusted menus for ready-to-go dishes or desserts to quickly pick up and bring to a party, and is one of those eateries in Beacon that is built into the experience of living here. A few years ago, they opened a café down at Dia:Beacon, and do Dia’s catering for in-house events. At the original Main Street location, you step in through the well-worn heavy door, onto the warm, hardwood floor that has absorbed the aromas of the soup-making and pastry-baking over the years, and you feel at home.
When the building that houses Homespun was up for sale, the natural question became: “Will Homespun stay?” And it did, confirmed founder and former owner Jessica Reisman in an article we ran about it. But then something else happened: Jessica sold Homespun to a new owner. The food seemed to stay the same, the website got updated, a kid drawing showed up in the Instagram feed, so we wondered… Who is this new owner? What will Homespun become now? Will we still have access to the baked french toast, the Mediterranean plate, and the carrot cake log?! Turns out, the answers are yes to all…
About The New Owner
Meet Joe Robitaille, the new owner who moved his family (including his wife and three young children) from Brooklyn to Beacon - but that path is not as straightforward as it seems. It never is when telling the business story of businesses in Beacon. Joe grew up in Hamburg, NY, just outside of Buffalo. He fled south to attend and graduate from the College of Charleston (me too!) where there is lots of good food (especially Mediterranean), and then moved to Brooklyn to earn a MFA in Poetry at Brooklyn College.
To support himself through school, he worked at a wine store in Brooklyn Heights. “That led to me becoming a sommelier in the city,” Joe explains, “working at il Buco for six years as head sommelier, and two years as chef-sommelier for Daniel Boulud’s Bar Boulud and Boulud Sud.” And so began Joe’s career in wine, which he is bringing to Beacon.
Working At A Wine Store Means More Love For Wine … And Food
Joe with Homespun’s sommelier-in-training. The staff will learn more about wines from Joe and importers he works with.
Being a sommelier means that you are an expert in pairing food with wine. People who love food often love good wine. Just ask Tim and Mei, founders of Artisan Wine Shop just down the road, who built a kitchen in the back of their wine shop just to host wine tastings with unusual food they like to cook (catch this food pairing almost every Second Saturday).
Being in New York, Joe tells me, has its advantages. “We are pretty spoiled in New York because a lot of the great wine arrives here first and sits in warehouses until it gets funneled through different shipping channels,” he explains. “I got to source wine through purveyors in South Carolina at Butcher & Bee, which gave me a glimpse at how wine travels through national channels, and got to pair wine with their menu which was really, really fun because their food is this brackish zone between Israeli mezze and Lowcountry.”
Joe with one of his wine importers for German white wine. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Being a sommelier also means you are working directly with people. Some of those people are wine importers. You need a wine importer to bring the wine to your restaurant. Because some of the greatest wine arrives in New York first, extra fees on shipping it across state lines can be avoided. Joe aims to use that, and his current relationships with wine importers (one of whom is a German wine importer who stopped into Homespun to convey season’s greetings the day of our interview, pictured here) to keep the tightly curated selection on his wine list more affordable to patrons.
Wine will be available shortly, just as soon as the license gets approved.
Was Homespun Looking To Sell? How Did That Happen?
As we were researching this story, a reader asked this question, so we asked Joe: “How did you find out about Homespun?” While we love Beacon’s existing businesses and buildings, sometimes their owners are ready for something new, and they put an ad out to sell the business. And that’s how Joe and Jessica’s relationship began. Jessica put an ad out, and Joe found it. “Jessica and I both really like and respect each other a lot, and we stuck to the plan through all the bumps. I count Jessica among the mentors I have had in my career. She did an amazing job for the community, and set me up for success.”
Is the staff staying? “Yes, all of them really!” says Joe. “ It has been a remarkable transition. I learn so much from our staff everyday.” The menu is also remaining the same, with breakfast available every day, and new specials appearing in the menu. Dinner is coming, but Joe is waiting for his new chef to start, who can incorporate a special menu just for dinner.
The New Business Journey - Finding Homespun
For those who like a good business startup story, here is Joe’s in his own words. With a young family of three boys, working in the restaurant industry can be tough with its long hours. Now, at Homespun, he is minutes away from school (just wait until he experiences the tug of snow delays!), and can break up his day between work life and personal life.
“I had been wanting to open my own restaurant for a long time. I had done trips up here and started to really home in on the Hudson Valley/Catskills as the place to do it. Brooklyn wasn't going to be possible, and definitely wouldn’t be possible without a multitude of investors, so I was looking up here.
“Initially we were looking at the area around Phoenicia, but decided we ultimately wanted to be closer to the train. I liked Beacon a lot from visiting with my wife, Kate, a few years earlier, just knowing Dia was here, and I remembered a nice record store on Main Street. The town seemed pretty lively on the weekend we were there, so there was energy.
“After a long weekend stint of working as sommelier in the city, just laying around the house, I started reading an article about Bottega il Buco, which is the restaurant my old boss Donna Lennard opened in Ibiza. I was looking at photos of the place, and seeing the place very much having a sibling resemblance to her two spots in the city. It was its own unique space for sure, you could tell that, with these beautiful whites and blues and open air and light, but you could also tell Donna had done this, even though it looked so new.
“In that moment, I felt this urge of ‘I want to open a restaurant so bad!' I literally Google searched ‘turn-key restaurants hudson valley.’ That's how I met Jessica Reisman. Her ad came up of selling this sweet restaurant in Beacon, right on the Main Street. It had been open since 2006. It had this beautiful backyard, the exposed brick inside, a nice size for a cozy restaurant. And then as I read I saw that she also ran the cafe at Dia:Beacon. I sent the link to my wife, who had historically been pretty skeptical about me finding a space etc, and Kate said, ‘You have to write this lady.’ So I did.”
Watch For More From Homespun
There is even more to this story, for the foodies in the audience who want to know more about Joe’s experience with food and chefs who open restaurants. This, I will bet, will be a feature you’ll read about in edible Hudson Valley, so we’ll leave it to them for the interview. But also know this: Joe has been following the threat of the 100 percent tariffs expected to come on European wines, a result of the current U.S. administration’s tariff war, says Joe. Already, a 25 percent tariff is in play, “but most importers are eating it,” he says. “If the tariff happens, a $12 bottle of French wine could be $40.” People are encouraged to call their congressional representatives.
Meanwhile … lunch at Homespun continues!
PS: We interviewed Jessica Reisman too, to find out where she is now. Read her answers here!
Beacon Girls Softball (BGS) has announced their 2020 Winter Softball Clinic dates and you can sign up right now! Clinic will be held Tuesday nights, beginning January 14, and continue through April. Beacon Girls Softball has been a long-standing Beacon institution for more than 40 years, educating 4 to 13 year old girls on the skills and rules of fast-pitch softball. This program has given back to the Beacon community by spearheading additions and improvements at Memorial Field, built the concession stand and new field house, added backstops, renovated the bathroom facilities, and has even donated to Beacon’s Independence Day fireworks. They also hold a softball tournament each year that raises thousands of dollars to benefit a local person in need. Learn more about this program by clicking here.
Wee Play Drop Off Dates
Also added to the Kids Classes Guide: more drop-off dates with Wee Play Community Project through the Beacon Recreation Center. You can drop off your child at Beacon Recreation Center, 23 West Center St., Beacon, NY, on Mondays, January 6 or 13, between 9 am and 12 pm. Block Party Fridays are also held at this location, 9:30 to 11 am. When dropping off, please leave a donation with a Wee Play volunteer.
Continue to check our Event Listings, Guides, and Kids Guide for regular updates!
Pictured here is Lovingly co-founder Ken Garland, with a flower recipient. Photo Credit: Lovingly
Remember those days (what feels like) so long ago, back when the sun shone, casting those especially steep fall shadows toward the dimming of the day? Back in October, Lovingly, a national tech company based in a nondescript office building in Fishkill, wrote into A Little Beacon Blog to let us know of a time where they randomly walked the streets of Beacon to hand out flowers.
Pictured here is co-founder Joe Vega, left, and Steven Duckworth, right, with flower recipients. Photo Credit: Lovingly
It was Lovingly’s way of stepping out from digital life to get the word out and meet people in real life, to see their reactions to randomly receiving flowers, which is what Lovingly is all about.
As a tech company, Lovingly has a unique approach to flower delivery: They make it easy to order online, but they really specialize in crafting your moment and translating that into a flower arrangement. Meaning, if you’re sending flowers for a message of love, or sign of sympathy, you select that category before you even shop for any bouquets and get lost in options. Lovingly hooks you up with a local florist who is going to curate your bouquet.
There are several florists in Beacon you could call directly to get your flower on (Tin Shingle did when finding a dried flower arrangement for the new Mini Meeting Space that people can rent in Beacon), like Batt’s Florist, Raven Rose, Flora Good Times, and Junko’s place next to the Kumon Learning Center (yellow house building that was formerly Trendy Tots; it’s best to walk into that florist for on-the-spot ordering, but is a great source for helium and air balloons).
This seems a neat concept, and it’s really neat that Lovingly is a tech company based in the Hudson Valley. Travel company Via Hero is another local tech company, based in Beacon on Main Street, who we featured before when they posted a Job Listing with A Little Beacon Blog and promoted their “Hello, We Want To Meet You!” party in the fall.
Graphic designer Ken Rabe of Rabe and Co. captured Beacon’s historic dummy light on the east end of town near the mountain. Photo Credit: Ken Rabe
The gray mist has enveloped Beacon for the past several days, the only benefit of which can be seen via local photographers who have captured its special lighting and mood. We caught a few of them on Instagram, and are pulling them up to the surface for you to see. With rain in the forecast for the next few days, you can bet that the next sunny day will have people bouncing out of their houses to get back outside - if they haven’t already been getting fresh air with their slickers and rubber boots on despite the rain.
On Monday, December 23, three pedestrians in Beacon were hit by a car at the intersection of Main Street and Route 9D (aka Wolcott Avenue), which is across from the police station, and near Bank Square Coffee, according to a press release issued by the Beacon Police Department and reported by local news outlets.
According to the reports, at 4 pm, police and emergency medical service personnel responded to the accident, transporting the three pedestrians to a local hospital where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
As reported, the driver was a 17-year-old who fled the scene after allegedly hitting the people. The identity of the driver has not been released because of their minor age. The driver was charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury auto accident, as well as other vehicle and traffic citations, according to this article, and then was released to the parents on an appearance ticket.
There are two major crosswalks on Route 9D at Main Street, with a third crosswalk a little further up Main Street, across from the Beacon Creamery and Bank Square Coffee. All crossings are dangerous at that intersection, as traffic crosses out onto 9D from Main Street, and seeing pedestrians crossing on the far side of the crosswalk from the train station is unexpected, unless you are slowing down and first looking really closely.
The left turn from 9D onto Main Street often involves fast turns and clipping the double-yellow line on Main Street, nearly missing hitting cars stopped on Main Street at the red light. South Avenue empties onto Main Street at that point as well, with cars either making the left onto it, or cars making the right out from it. Not to mention the cars who make the illegal left turn out of South Avenue.
The details of this car accident have not yet been reported.
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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.
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