A Temporary Closing; A Move; Gift Ideas; Great Food | Retail Therapy Guide 12/4/2020
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Howland Cultural Center Holiday Small Gift Show
HOMESPUN
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Beacon's 3rd Annual Hop And Shop Kicks Off Today!
/It’s that time of year again! Beacon’s 3rd Annual Hop and Shop aka festive shopping, services, sales & specials on Main Street! TODAY 12/3 and Friday 12/4. Perfect opportunity to #ShopSmall & #ShopLocal!
Let’s get to the good stuff…
Which Businesses Are Involved?
Lewis & Pine
Kringle’s Christmas House
Blend Smoothie & Salad Bar
Alton Road Pottery
Tito Santana Taqueira
Utensil
Beacon Tintype
Play
Beetle & Fred
Hudson Land Design
Zakka Joy
Beacon Bread Company
Flora Good Times
Lucky Thirty One
Ziatun
LotusWorks
Happy Valley Arcade Bar
The Studio @ Beacon
Last Outpost Store
Binnacle Books
Beacon D'Lites
Vincent’s Eat Paint Love
Beacon Pantry
Beacon Bed & Breakfast
Blackbird Attic
Wonderbar
The Vault Restaurant
Sullivan & Main
NFP: New Form Perspective
Reservoir I Clothing & Home
LLTO / Live Light Travel Often
La Mere
Raven Rose
Vintage Beacon
Hyperbole
Solstad House
Beacon Mercantile
Village Jerk
The Chocolate Studio
The Leaf NY
Berte
Maria Lago Studio 502
Vegetalien
BAU Gallery
The Snooki Shop
Hudson Valley Marshmallow Company
Kaight
Holistic Living with Doctor Dardano
Miss Tea
The Blushery
King & Curated
Beacon Aesthetics
Melzingah Tap House
Urban Links Design
The Roundhouse
Inglenook Marketplace
What Are The Discounts?
Find out HERE at Hop & Shop Beacon.
Turkey On Many Tables - 3 Organizations Came Together To Distribute 100 Turkeys To Families
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Thanksgiving 2020 was here all of a sudden, and many people were making their usual rounds to hit the grocery stores, as well as food pantries. In non-pandemic times, soup kitchens tend to cook a meal for a designated group of people, like seniors that the Salvation Army of Beacon usually cooks for, but could not host anyone this year, but still managed to help families get meals for Thanksgiving. They will do so again for Christmas (donations for that effort can be accessed by texting rescuechristmas to 91999, where Captain Leilani Rodríguez-Alarcón, Corps Officer / Pastor is in receipt of the donations, or contact Leilani.Alarcon@use.salvationarmy.org).
At the food pantry at St. Andrews Church, who collects and distributes non-perishable items, an unexpected call came from this united group of 3 organizations to donate 25 turkeys to the regular participants of that church’s pantry. I Am Beacon, Key Food Beacon, and Salem Tabernacle teamed up to raise money and distribute the turkeys to families using their local channels, with a goal of reaching 100 families.
Starting in 2014, I Am Beacon started doing the program called Turkey On Every Table to use their community connections to find those in need, and raise the money to deliver. Large organizations are important, but often local, grass-roots organizations have boots on the ground with friends and relatives getting first-hand information on what people need during any time - pandemic or not.
This year, the three organizations teamed up. Says I Am Beacon’s founder, Reuben Simmons: “We worked in a collaborative effort on raising money for the food asked for on our list, packing the bags, and making the deliveries. Salem Tabernacle scheduled a pick-up at their church.”
Pat Lassiter, longtime Food Pantry Manager for St. Andrews Church that opens its doors to residents of Beacon on Saturday mornings, was pleased when she received a call from Reuben, that the group would be donating 25 turkeys to people who come to get food from St. Andrews Food Pantry that Saturday.
Some members in the group who organized the Turkey on Every Table: I Am Beacon, Key Food Beacon, Salem Tabernacle.
Photo Credit: Key Food Beacon
Says Reuben: “I Am Beacon used their network to identify a couple of outlets to also distribute the program through. We worked with Mrs. Lassiter from St. Andrews pantry located on South Avenue, and Kenya Gadsen to distribute to families through Opens Arms Ministry at the Beacon Recreation Center at 23 West Center’s Food Pantry.” Due to state funding requirements, St. Andrews needs to limit giving to Beaconites only, and the Open Arms Ministry at Beacon Recreation Center is open to anyone, regardless of residency.
After hearing of Pat’s appreciation for the gift of turkeys, Reuben replied: “I am happy to hear it all worked out that day. She has been doing an amazing job for many, many years with so many amazing volunteers.”
How To Get Involved
To get involved with any of these organizations, you can donate to food donations bins periodically at Key Food, and follow along on a more personal level with I Am Beacon’s podcast on Spotify. I Am Beacon will be gearing up for Membership 2021, and will be moving forward to a non-voting membership organization in 2021.
To get familiar with all of the Food Pantries in Beacon and how they work, see A Little Beacon Blog’s Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen Guide. There are volunteer opportunities with several organizations listed there. You can call them directly for inquiries, or see their websites (if they have one) for published volunteer opportunities. Directions on how to donate to them are published in that Guide as well.
Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen Guide For Resources In And Near Beacon Updated For 2021
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Updates in the world of Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens are ongoing. The main focus happens at the end of the year, starting at Thanksgiving, but their use happens 365. As do opportunities to donate to them, and changes to how one gets food and hygiene products from them. A Little Beacon Blog has made a big update to our years old Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens Guide, as new people are in place, new organizations have been created, and changes have been made to accommodate the pandemic.
The thing about Food Pantries, is that some of them are really hard to figure out how to donate to, or to use. For instance: finding the correct door of a building to access or drop off food. Knowing what kind of identification to bring - if any. What kind of money to donate - Gift Cards or Checks or Venmo or PayPal?
A Little Beacon Blog has always wanted to make knowing how to access the food and to donate super easy. Years ago we compiled this Food Pantry & Soup Kitchens Guide, which is available to anyone online 24/7.
Sponsorship Opportunity
We are hoping to dedicate an editor to the Food Pantry Guide order to keep it updated more frequently. In order to do so, we need longtime sponsors for that Guide. Sponsorship of this Guide comes in a bundle pack that also sponsors the Beacon City School District Fundraising Opportunity Page (ie. events from PTOs, etc.), and the Kids Sports Page (when there are sports, promotes registration openings, etc.). You would be promoting 3 Guides at once.
Sponsorship is monthly, and 5% of the sales from this sponsorship will be donated to a Food Pantry or Soup Kitchen in the list. Please click here if interested in being a sustaining sponsor of the Food Pantry Guide.
Money Monday: Ways To Spend Money To Save Money During Low Or No Holiday Budget Time (Sponsored Post)
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Today is Cyber Monday, and your inbox is lighting up with email after email of cyber deals you could score with your favorite brands now. If you have the budget to spend, YAY! If you have the budget to buy products or supplies for your favorite non-profit, YAY! If you don’t have the budget to spend, and you do have some money somewhere, you may be able to pay that money in a long-term beneficial way, and that is a double-YAY. This article takes a different approach to Cyber Monday, to focus on what you can do during your normal day to make your money work for you, if you do spend it.
Over at Tin Shingle, Mondays usually mean Money Monday. Tin Shingle is an empowerment and education platform for business owners who are learning how to get the word out about their businesses and innitiatives. A good amount of Tin Shingle’s programming is dedicated to money issues, because people usually go into business for financial and creative freedom. Money issues exist both in the personal and business side of things for business owners. This money tip focuses on the personal side.
Here are suggestions you can do on a Money Monday to feel good about money progress. Being in a pandemic is a great way to remind yourself and others around you to be financially responsible. It’s so easy not to be. Most of us are not. Even celebrities! Most people spend all of their money. Here’s how we can take a check on that, and apply what money we do have to forward progress with money health.
Money Monday is a good day to address things like medical bills, car payments, paying invoices, sending invoices, etc. During the pandemic, your holiday gift list and donation list may be stretched or non-existent. Thankfully, some of you still have jobs or other income, and are spending on Main Street and non-profits. YAY.
Here are some tips on what to do to increase your money health overall, which can make you feel great for more days of the year:
Pay Credit Cards. This is an annoying one, because it always feels like there is no money to pay the credit cards. Vow to not add to them, and pay money toward them. Once you pay money to them, and not add to them, this will feel like money well “spent” (even though you already spent it via the loan that the credit card gave you).
Don’t Add To The Credit Cards. This is a hard answer to give to a life partner or children who want things for the holidays. If this is your habit each year - adding to the credit cards - break this cycle. Adding to them will not end the cycle of debt. Talking to your kids directly will help their understanding, and may decrease the intensity with which they ask you for things.
Say “No” To The Credit Card Bonus Point Cash: Credit cards get you to spend on them by dangling 5% discounts on your total. But this only works if you pay that balance in full in a couple days after your purchase. If you wait for months or years, you are paying 29% interest rate additional on your balance (maybe you have a 16% interest rate if you have a great credit). If, after years and years, you are not paying that balance in full in a couple of days, then stop using the card and use your cash, because you are not saving any money and that 5% is just a mirrage.
Cycle The Credit Cards By Tiny Amounts: If you stopped using a card because of the above reasons, you may get a threatening letter a year later saying: “Hey, you need to use your credit card really soon or we are going to close your account.” This is all part of the game. The game that banks don’t want us to win. But we will win! You want that credit history for a good credit score. Don’t let your account close, do use it a tiny amount (Maybe $5? Or $20?). But be careful. Once you use the card that you have successfully stopped using for a year, it is easy to get sucked back in, by thinking “Oh, I can use this card just a little bit…” Pay that card exactly 100% in a couple of days.
Look At Your Dividends: If you have dividends from stocks (free money sent to you every now and then from your stocks if your stock issues it) or Whole Life Insurance policies, look at if you want to keep that cash, rather than reinvest it in your Whole Life Policy or stock. Tin Shingle published an article on this today. The article focuses on the benefit of buying Whole Life Insurance for your kids while they are healthy, as it locks in their low rate. This is important for times during pandemics (like right NOW) where if they test positive for COVID-19 and have long-term problems in the recovery, they could be denied coverage, or have a higher rate. Or for yourself, if you don’t have life insurance. This is a time to consider having it. This article explains more.
The best thing you can do during a pandemic is to reclaim your financial health. Even with the lowest budget, and no additional income coming in, choices can be made. At Tin Shingle, business owners try to hustle it up to earn more money and raise their incomes. Always a challenge, but usually a challenge that fuels a small business owner to wake up every day.
Editorial Note For Sponsorship: Tin Shingle is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and a sister company of A Little Beacon Blog. Tin Shingle teaches how to pitch the media and work your social media in order to get the word out about your business. This article was developed in partnership with A Little Beacon Blog. To learn about how to develop a paid partnership for an article with A Little Beacon Blog, please see here.
It's Happening - Holidays, Wreaths, The Works. Retail Therapy Guide 11/27/2020
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Making The Magic During The Pandemic - Budget Or Zero Budget - Holiday Season 2020
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When my 10-year old daughter brought down the tinsel tree from the attic - two weeks ago, so that puts us in mid-November - I won’t lie to you by sharing that instead of sheer holiday joy, I hyperventilated and cried. It was a Monday morning. We were on a roll with getting dressed, having enough breakfast to satisfy a morning belly during a Remote Morning Meeting for school, and I was methodically making a dent in the 4 baskets of laundry while making my work to-do list.
There is always talk of decorating for Holiday right after Halloween, and I pushed it off, kicked the can down the road, begging them if I could pick up and organize the house and attic enough before the Christmas decorations came down. So when I saw the tinsel, the amount of loss of control of what was about to happen was overwhelming. The Holiday Season is here, and that means many things, but most physically, it means spending money and existing in pure consumerism. Which as a kid is really fun! But as an adult, has formed an emerging outlook. But the season is so beautiful! And it’s fun to give gifts! But you may not have money. Oye, the agonizing toll. I first wrote about this over at the Highlands Current in 2018.
So here’s the deal. Here’s how we can make it through the holiday season during a pandemic, making it a lot of fun, even if you have no budget. And if you do have a budget, yay! If you don’t have a budget, we are going to yay this too!
ALBB As A Marketer
You’re going to see A Little Beacon Blog go bananas on Instagram for shopping. We usually do anyway, but we will during this season too. Keeping in mind that many of you may not be able to spend on anything at all. We are fans of small business and entrepreneurship, so we like to be a part of keeping people in business, which can give them financial and creative freedoms.
Shops On Main Street Need The Sales
At this point in the pandemic, shopping from the stores is a good deed. Where once retail therapy felt good for you, it is more of a mutual feeling than ever. These shops make our walking and driving experience in any town. If you want that experience to stay, then you need to buy something from the store. If you went into a store one time, and had a bad experience, or someone said or did something to make you mad, and you never go back again, you’re just hurting the vibe in which you live. So give them another try.
Wrap What You Recently Purchased
Holiday gifts don’t need to be purchased after Thanksgiving. That is not the rule. The rule is a feeling of giving and appreciation. If you recently bought a couch, or some shoes that you loved because they were on sale 2 months ago, wrap them. Remember what you have and recently invested in. It all counts!
Schedule Purchases After December 25th
You may need things, like fitness clothing. You may want this to be your gift. But, it goes on mega-sale in the big-box stores after December 25th. Like the Annual Sale at Victoria Secret, where their PINK line includes leggings, sweatshirts, etc. If these are the things you are asking for, let your people know, budget the money, and go after December 25th. If you all know this up front, waiting to make this purchase might make this easier.
Gently Push Back On Those Who Insist On Spending
Yes, we at ALBB encourage people to spend (doing so is our job sometimes!). But for those with no budget, not spending is real. One may either not have cash, or might go back into a cycle of debt. And those are not things we want to do. No debt! Try your best (speaking to the choir, here). Visualize a life with budget buckets, and your life with a pile of savings that you can live from long after you stop working. This doesn’t mean not spending. You can spend! The mindset just needs to shift into when we spend.
There may be people in your life who insist on spending on you, or your little ones. If it’s your own shared budget, and you don’t want to perpetuate the cycle of debt, or take from your safety net, keep talking about the progress of your debt diet, and how having a safety net is important. People build safety nets for emergencies, like when there is a pandemic. And there is a pandemic right now!!
People Who Insist On Spending Their Budgets On You Or Your Kids
Long ago, after donating many, many clothes from my kid’s over-stuffed drawers (we had a great hand-me-down source), I asked some gift-givers to not give us clothes, but to contribute to their college funds. When I bought clothes, I bought them from consignment stores or sale racks, and knew exactly what we needed when we needed it. So I didn’t want heaps of outfits. This did not go over well. The retail itch is strong in people, and wanted to be scratched.
Respecting that the retail itch in someone else is something that I cannot control, I try to direct the gifts to be part of the magical flow for my kids.
Talk About Your Debt Diet Or Money Savings and Growth Plans
Talking about savings - and financial planning - is not part of our normal dialogue. It could be. Showing and celebrating when we make dents in our debt can help keep the debt diet on track. Telling your people about how you want to pay off your car or your home or your outstanding bill somewhere will help them respect your wishes, and either direct their gifts there, or help you yourself not spend.
Making The Magic For Little Ones
Honestly, the holiday season is all about warmth, surprises and thoughtfulness. Surprises can come in many forms. Where once I was a hard “No” on the Elf on the Shelf, I came to terms with it because it brings my kids such joy, to wonder about the Elf and what it will do. We have 3 elves now (one for each child). And they even made an accidental appearance in September! Everyone was very confused. But it added to some fun.
Think of little surprises you can do for your little ones, that make them feel magic around them, that don’t cost anything, or are a part of what you need to get your kids anyway (like gloves). Ignore Instagram trends on what other parents are doing, if those overwhelm you. Do what you feel like is fun for your in your house. Use the elf to translate what you need to.
Teaching Your Little Ones To Make Magic - Activate Elf Magic
I’m not comfortable with the concept of lots gifts showing up without a budget. This is so unrealistic for kids to watch this in movies, and sets their expectations for a pile of presents just showing up. That’s a lot of financial pressure on parents! Instead, I share with my kids the concept of them being elves, and going to get things for people. Then put them in a secret place, because (ok, a little bit of magic is happening) the actual elves will do something to make them show up under the tree.
But this way, we all know what is coming.
Feeling “Enough”
When there are so. many. Instagrams and TikToks and commercials around us, suggesting we get this and that (and ALBB is a part of that), practice feeling “enough.” That feeling of calm, and that you have enough. Look at something around you - a piece of furniture, a journal, groceries, the heat coming out of your heater - and remember that it’s amazing. As for your little kids coming up to you wanting more more more, all I can tell you is….show them your bank account LOL.
Start paying them to clean your house so that they have their own budgets, and start buying their own things. I have different jobs with different rates, like sweeping and wiping down the stairs; Windexing the mirrors; spray-mopping the floor. They need to seek approval each time - because sometimes they just did it and it’s not dirty - but this is good training for a business mindset.
When they can or cannot afford something from their own bank account (if that’s their wallet or an actual bank account), they will truly learn the feeling of enough. And you won’t need to say “no” anymore or as much.
Feeling Sheer Holiday Joy - Feel The Love
During this time in the pandemic, we all need to feel happy. We do! There is a lot of sorrow around us. And those of you with budgets, you are wanting to contribute your means to help other people with their means. That is AMAZING.
Feel OK to feel joy. And keep on with being aware of others and what they need, and helping them and you get there.
Happy Holidays. The Holiday season is OPEN.
SCHEDULE: Donations, Pie, A New Pop-Up, and More | The Retail Therapy Guide 11/20/2020
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Dutchess County Declares Most COVID Cases Are Coming From Home
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Dutchess County joined surrounding counties including Orange County (Newburgh), Putnam County (Cold Spring) and Ulster County to declare that most COVID-19 cases were coming from people’s homes as they get lax in social circles. “Case investigations in each of the counties show that the majority of new positive cases are transmission from family, friends and close acquaintances in casual settings as opposed to public settings such as schools, workplaces, retail or other businesses where prevention mitigation including mask wearing, physical distance and hygiene are strictly adhered to.”
In Beacon as of today, there are 35 cases. Just yesterday, there were 26 cases. There are 95 cases pending address confirmation. See the Dutchess County Dashboard here.
“Already, 4 children who attended that small gathering were COVID-positive, unbeknownst to themselves or their families. Since then, 15 positive cases have been traced back to that casual get-together, impacting a local college, elementary school, middle school and high school, proving the wide impact of “living room spread.””
A joint, public call was held today by the three counties to implore citizens to not get casual about COVID-19, and to not get together with family or friends for Thanksgiving. Yesterday, when the joint call was announced, Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou issued a robo-call, urging people to socially distance.
Governor Cuomo’s nightly message this evening was the same, and bore down on travel, stating: “Travel is a real concern because New York State has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. If people travel here from states with higher infection rates, that poses a great risk.The CDC is strongly urging Americans, as are we, to avoid Thanksgiving travel. Celebrate this American tradition with just your immediate household to help ensure the safety of your loved ones and your community. Love is sometimes doing what's hard and this year, if you love someone, it is smarter and better to stay away. It's tough to hear but it's better to be safe than sorry—and we can still spread thanks without spreading COVID.”
Dutchess County Urges Residents To Not Cross-Mingle With Households
County leaders are urging people to socially distance from each other on days other than Thanksgiving as well. They made a big plea today via telaconference over Zoom. Presenting leaders included:
Dutchess County:
Marcus Molinaro, County Executive
Dr. Anil Vaidian, Behavioral & Community Health Commissioner
Orange County:
Steve Neuhaus, County Executive
Dr. Irina Gelman, Health Commissioner
Putnam County:
Tom Feighery, Deputy County Executive
Dr. Mike Nesheiwat, Health Commissioner
Ulster County:
Pat Ryan, County Executive
Dr. Carol Smith, Health Commissioner
County leaders are asking residents “to remain vigilant in the coming weeks and curtail small social gatherings. Such parties or “hangouts,” even among friends and family members, have led to a recent increase in local COVID-19 cases, raising the Mid-Hudson region’s positivity rate, affecting the ability of schools and businesses to remain open and further stressing the region’s healthcare resources.”
Mid-Hudson Region’s Rate Rises To 4.6%, Attributed To Casual Settings
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said in the past week, 2 COVID-19 deaths in his county were residents in their 20s, proving the virus can affect every individual differently, regardless of age or underlying condition, according to the County’s press release.
Putnam County’s Deputy County Executive Tom Feighery noted that Putnam saw a direct correlation between people ‘letting down their guard’ (not following safety measures in casual, social settings) and COVID-19 transmission in the six days following Halloween when positive case doubled in that county.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan described a small Halloween party attended by just 3 families in late October. Already, 4 children who attended that small gathering were COVID-positive, unbeknownst to themselves or their families. Since then, 15 positive cases have been traced back to that casual get-together, impacting a local college, elementary school, middle school and high school, proving the wide impact of “living room spread.”
Many Cases Strain Contact Tracing
Contract tracing is key to keeping Beacon schools open. Once a student or staff member is identified as positive, the district staff goes to work immediately to contact trace to see who else may be impacted, and to ask them to quarantine.
“COVID-19 cases stemming from casual gatherings have a ripple effect on counties’ contact-tracing efforts, by creating an increased workload for contact tracers, which slows down the entire tracing process for all infections,” said the Dutchess County press release. “Leaders today asked residents who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to please reach out to possible contacts so they can get tested and begin the quarantine process.”
“We know that this is a make or break moment for us as a county and a community,” Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said. “As we see our numbers increase to levels that we have not seen in months, we must remain proactive to blunt a much more significant second wave. We will be doing everything that we can to remind residents to continue to social distance, wear masks, and take all precautions necessary.”
County Executive Molinaro concluded, “We have been battling this pandemic for 8 months, and we don’t want our best efforts to go to waste. COVID-19 remains a deadly disease, and we must not become complacent and casual in our efforts to fight it. Even when you gather among your immediate family, please wear a mask, wash your hands and remain at a safe distance. The pandemic doesn’t let up for the holidays – neither can we.”
County Executive Molinaro’s father did die of COVID-19 early on in the discovery of the pandemic. From a personal perspective, this blogger’s husband’s best friend in Ohio has been doing his best to avoid COVID by not visiting us in NY. Recently, his father passed away, and they had a funeral for family and friends. A family friend attended the funeral, with no symptoms, who was positive, unbeknownst to her. Since then, the best friend tested positive, and was in bed for a week without being able to take calls, and his sister-in-law (his wife’s sister) has gone to the hospital with breathing problems. Others tested positive from the funeral as well.
Where To Buy Thanksgiving Pies Near Beacon!
/And just like that, Thanksgiving is one week away! Although it might look a little different this year, the Hudson Valley is filled with the best places to get the most delicious pies. Plus, what a better time than now to shop small & support locals! Right?!
See below for the list of businesses near Beacon that are selling pies! Some places already closed their pre-order window. Pies are going fast! Can ya blame people?
If we missed you, please email teslie@alittlebeaconblog with your hot tip :)
BEACON
Beacon Bread Company
Beacon, NY
Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
Email beaconbread@gmail.com for an order form if you can’t make it to the shop!
BJ’s
Beacon, NY
Small Pies
BJ’s does sell pies (apple, cherry, yam, and others) as well as cheese cake. Your best bet is to call or walk in. (845) 831-1221
Yankee Clipper Diner
Beacon, NY
Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
You can also place an order for Thanksgiving meals!
More details HERE.
Beacon Pantry
Beacon, NY
Pre-order until Saturday 11/21!
You can also place an order for Appetizers & Side Dishes!
More details HERE.
Kitchen And Coffee
Beacon, NY
Pre-order until TONIGHT 11/20 or inquire to see if you can be squeezed in ;)
More details HERE.
NEWBURGH
WAPPINGERS FALLS
O’ Heavenly Cake
Wappingers Falls, NY
Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
Message to order or email oheavenlycake@gmail.com
FISHKILL
COLDSPRING
OTHER
Adams Fairacre Farms
Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Newburgh and Wappingers
See Holiday Catering Info HERE.
Key Food Beacon
Key Food does sell pies, and carries different brands from time to time. They have been known to carry Junior’s Cheesecake, so give them a try.
Beacon Natural Market
Frozen pies including apple pie and others!
ALL DONE OR NOT OFFERING
We called around to some usual suspects, and they either passed their deadline, or aren’t doing it this year. These include:
Fishkill Farms
The Beacon Daily
Homespun Foods
"Last Call 10pm" And The Retail Therapy Guide 11/13/2020
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Beacon Restaurant Owners Respond To 10pm Alcohol Curfew: The Grill Is Hot
/As coronavirus cases surge across the country, with states like North Dakota declaring that their hospitals are 100% at capacity and they don’t have enough nurses who are not infected, while Ohio warns that their hospitals may soon be over-capacity, and every day the United States out-does itself with the next highest record, Governor Cuomo nipped it by nixing late night drinking after 10pm at bars and restaurants. They can continue to cook for to-go orders, but in-person service will stop. Gatherings at home are limited to 10 people, and gyms must also close at 10pm.
At first blush, this seems to target canoodling. As one 8 year old observed: “Everybody knows that COVID cases are coming from people kissing at bars.” The truth may be that infections are spreading at home as people get lax in their social circles. With Thanksgiving coming up, Governor Cuomo just decided for you on if you were merging with another family, depending on the size of yours. Which may be good, as family table talk could get fiery with the election still in the rear view mirror.
For some restaurants in Beacon, the surge in take-out, delivery, parklets (seating in the street) and new safety measures have helped keep their businesses alive. We checked with business owners in Beacon to see how this curfew will impact them, interviews with some are below.
The eateries most impacted will most likely be Hudson Valley Food Hall, with the limitation of the Roosevelt Bar, Barb’s Fry Works, who just opened a stall inside HV Food Hall to cater to the late night drinking crowd, and The Beacon Hotel, who is known for their late night lounge service.
Max’s On Main, one of the original a late-nighters in the game, pivoted already to focus on food and take-out. The Eat Church Food Truck used to be hunkered down at Industrial Arts Brewing on Rte. 52, but long ago pulled up the pins and was serving from Marbled Meat Shop in Cold Spring, and will bounce to Kingston next. Sadly, Joe’s Irish Pub, announced their permanent closure and retirement in early November 2020.
We interviewed several owners below, and heard from others as well.
Some Restaurants Already Started Closing At Or By 10pm
MEYERS OLD DUTCH
Meyers Old Dutch (MOD) owner and chef Brian Arnoff used to have a weekend late night crowd, but stopped when he re-opened during the pandemic. “Since COVID started, we’ve been closing by 10pm anyways. We used to stay open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Thankfully, this shouldn’t impact us. At least for now anyways.”
CHILL WINE BAR
Jim Svetz, owner of Chill Wine Bar, is also able to proceed, saying: “Thankfully this won’t impact us that much, since we reopened with already limited hours Friday and Saturdays, from 5pm-10pm. So no change here. I think most places with limited indoor seating will have a difficult time this winter. But we will get through this together.”
HOMESPUN
New owner of Homespun, Joe Robitaille, who is a wine expert (aka sommelier), has increased the amount of wine bottles and specialty beer they sell from the store, which “has helped us so much,” he told us when mulling over Thanksgiving and catering options. Look for a possible fire-pit and heaters in the back garden, but that is not confirmed yet.
BANK SQUARE COFFEE HOUSE
Bank Square Coffee House is a coffee house that caters to a beer crowd for day-drinking and lightly into the evening. Says their manager: “I do believe it might impact our weekend crowd. Now with winter coming along, we depend a lot on our weekday regulars and our occasional busy weekends. Now with not many people being able to stay out late, I think we might see a little less of a weekend crowd. Fortunately, we close at 8pm even on weekends, so we won’t get too impacted.”
Late Night Bars With Food Who Pivoted With The First Re-Opening
QUINN’S
Quinn’s was one of the last restaurants in Beacon to re-open, waiting until summer. For this latest restriction, Quinn’s manager, Stamper, was feeling prepared: “After our hiatus between May and August, we re-opened understanding that we would not be a late night place again for a long while. With this in mind, we shifted our hours to incorporate lunch and closing at 9pm. With the removal of Main Street parklets, losing our outdoor dining, we’ve recently opened up indoor at an exclusive capacity, and with new hours: 5pm-11pm. This change was so fresh, that most customers still assume our kitchen is only open until 9pm, and so orders taper off around then. Ultimately, we’re losing an hour, but the bulk of our business is kept between the 5pm-9pm hours, and I’m certain as word spreads, folks will hang at Quinn’s until 10pm. Thank you!”
MAX’S ON MAIN
Max’s on Main is where you go where everybody knows your name, at practically any time of the day. You need a Blondie dessert at 11pm after having a great dinner at Dogwood? You go to Max’s. However, after the re-opening, they too shifted their late night bar scene to be heavy in food. We caught up with Jesse Kaplan, son of co-owner Richie Kaplan, and bar tenders Stephanie and Mary.
Said Jesse: “We were one of the business that served food the latest. Our customers know that we are available here later than some other places, and they have been very supportive of that. We are going to take a hit for that. But, we care about everybody being safe. If this is what we have to do to help the community be safe, then we are all in favor. I would never want to put the community at risk. We have been very careful here about everything. Face masks. Sanitation. Temperature. If we have to close at 10pm, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Will alcohol sales hurt Max’s? Jesse explains: “Our identity changed a little bit as a result of the pandemic. We made the decision to operate the business more as a restaurant once the pandemic hit, with an understanding that we would lose those alcohol sales, but our customers and our staff would feel more safe.”
Delivery is now available at Max’s. Right now, the crew is driving. “We all have been pitching in. Richie takes a delivery. I have been known to take a delivery or two. Stephanie (a bartender and former reporter and student in cyber crime) will take one one the way home at the end of her shift. The staff has really stepped up to pitch in.”
Stephanie chimed in to say that right away after the pandemic started, the community was very supportive and ordered a lot of food. Jesse recalls phone-in orders, where people will say: “Hi, I’m calling in an order, and I ordered from Brother’s earlier, and the Diner yesterday. I want to do my part to support restaurants in town. We are very thankful for that.”
True Late Night Bars Are Digging In
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL VIA THE ROOSEVELT BAR
Owner of the Hudson Valley Food Hall (HV Food Hall), Marko Guzijan was cruising right along with the bar business at the Roosevelt Bar until 1am, which was doing so well that Barb’s Butchery, who enjoys popping up on Main Street at the Farmer’s Market from time to time from her home base of Spring Street, had just opened a stall inside the food hall called Barb’s Fry Works, which catered to the hungry late night crowd. HV Food Hall is very spacious inside, with tall ceilings, and has a generous patio on their corner lot.
Said Marko, who was looking forward focusing on his 40th birthday: “The late night crowd has been very good for us. Barb’s Fry Works just opened, and her business model is based on staying open with the bar. So it’s a big hit. Everyone in the Food and Beverage business wants to do the right thing. If shutting down helps end the pandemic, then let’s do it. But it feels like the Governor just keeps punching down and hurting Food and Beverage businesses.
“We try to follow the rules. We implement new business models, and then the Governor changes it all up and offers us nothing in return. We have to help out with overhead and bills. Central Hudson still charges the same rate, Optimum charges the same rate, our insurance is based on the size of the business, but our business is cut by over half. I think all small businesses will do what is best for the greater good, but it feels like we are the ones taking the larger hit on our business.”
What new things has HV Food Hall done to accommodate the pandemic? Marko describes: “The food hall bar business model for us is fast/casual and self-service. With the new restrictions, we have had to hire more staff (2 hosts, 2 servers, a barback, and 2 busboys). Now we need to figure out if we need that staff anymore. I really don’t want to lay people off in a pandemic, but might not have a choice.
“We have limited our seating because of the 6 feet rule, which has forced us to turn people away at times. Because of the food rule, the bar will buy food for patrons instead of forcing them to spend more money on something they don’t want. We have 25+ staff in the whole food hall, and have not had a single positive test. When someone doesn’t feel well, they stay home and close the stall. We then pay for a commercial cleaning company to come in and deep clean everything, at a cost of almost $1,000. Five guys in hazmat suits spend 4-5 hours going over every inch of the food hall. We do these things and we’ve never had a staff member test positive.
“As the rules keep changing, we start running our business in fear. At any point, the Governor can send people in and take away the liquor license. I would love to have live music for Saturday and Sunday brunch, but can’t get clarification on if it is allowed or not. So I don’t let it happen, even though a few of the chefs have pushed for it.”
THE BEACON HOTEL
The Beacon Hotel was fully renovated a few years ago by a different ownership team. Jon Lombardi started as the general manager there, and is now co-owner. Under his management, The Beacon Hotel has become an eatery for all times: brunch, lunch, dinner, and operates as a lounge in the evening. Jon was walking past his restaurant when we caught up with him. When asked about the change, he didn’t flinch. “We’re ready. I’ve got my flyer. I’ve got my to-go glasses.”
Jon is never one without ideas, and has inspired his pandemic survival package with a “Last Call: 10pm” theme. Patrons can order to-go shots with group discounts, different cocktails in cute mason jars, and perhaps the best part: if you bring back your mason jar for a refill the next day or days later, you get a discount. Food has always been available to go at The Beacon Hotel, and continues to be, which includes rotating specials and themes for whatever is going on.
There are other bar/restaurants in town, but we did not get their definitive plans in time for this article. Wishing everyone the best, and to keep on ordering.
Reminder About Comment Policy; No Grammar Shaming; Bias In The Media
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After last week’s reaction to news, we are running an article to remind everyone about the Comment Policy at A Little Beacon Blog. As a result of the insults being thrown around throughout the pandemic, which peaked during election week, and will continue as we cover racial and pandemic topics, and quote people (any people), the insult darts from neighbor to neighbor are going to continue. This is how we deal with them at A Little Beacon Blog:
Comments Are Privileges, Not Rights
Back in the days when print media was the only way to get the news delivered to you in some format that was not word of mouth, people had the opportunity to write in a Letter to the Editor. Of the letters received, only a few could be selected. So it’s a big deal to be printed. Now with website platforms, people can publish comments usually un-moderated. Some websites thrive on this activity. ALBB does not. We do not relish in discomfort, hurt, punches through words.
While a news story might hurt someone’s feelings, it is usually a reflection of what happened. In a news story, reading the truth might hurt, or reading yourself quoted when you spoke at City Council Meeting or other public meeting might feel awkward, but that’s another matter.
The following types of comments will be deleted if left on our Instagram or Facebook, and will not be accepted to be published here on this blog:
Name Calling, like “They are stupid!” Phrases that disrespect people, especially those phrases that combine a word that implies a mentally disabled person. No matter what side you are on, or if you are blended into both sides, if you imply others as being stupid, your comment may be deleted.
False Accusations. When an implication is made in a comment, sometimes we will know who the person is, and if the claim is true. If we cannot validate an event mentioned in a comment, usually we use the comment as a lead to follow up on with the proper authorities, or get more information from that person.
First and Last Names Required, usually: When publishing a comment here at the blog, you need to include your first and last name, and your actual email. If you include just your first name, and your correct email, we may consider publishing it. But really, if you stand behind what you say, you won’t be afraid to include your first and last name. If you use a false email, we won’t publish it. Emails are kept private. They are not published, and we do not add them to our newsletter list.
Try to contribute a thought. If you’re making a comment, please try to contribute a thought that we all can benefit from, as we consider different angles.
Time to disengage. If a comment conversation gets too heated, with insults piling up, we will ask you to stop. Please respect this and move on.
Facebook Alias: If you use an alias at Facebook, and we find out, we may delete your comment. Already we have corresponded with people who do use aliases for various reasons. Those who do use an alias have so far left the most bully-ish comments. If you want to be a bully, do it under your full name with your face for us all to get to know you better.
Instagram Alias: Instagram is a different vibe than Facebook. It was not designed to be like a moving yearbook. If you use a cute name at Instagram, we are fine with this, and may quote you using your Instagram handle.
Quoting from Instagram or Facebook: When you leave a comment at Instagram or Facebook, it is public for the world to see, so we will not ask your permission to quote it if we lift it for an article.
Exceptions to these rules: If you leave a horrific comment, we may actually leave it up, so that others can learn more about you.
Grammar Shaming
What has become clear during the 2020 election is that one group is being implicated as stupid, while that group despises the other group for being elitist smarty-pants types. While one group viewed the 45th president as a great leader, others viewed and experienced him as a bully.
Grammar Shaming is an act of bullying. It is taking the distraction of one’s error in using a official word - either spelled or pronounced - and discarding them based on a spelling error or grammar flub. We discussed this with former mayor Randy Casale in a podcast episode on “What, What Is That?” Randy uses his own diction in pronouncing some words, and for years has been discounted and cut down for it in Facebook. And he’s not the only one who is grammar shamed. It happens all of the time in social media when someone spots a misspelling, etc.
Cutting someone down for the way they speak is wrong. If a white person did that to a Black person, it would be racist. If a white person does it to a white person, it is rude and hurtful. Both versions are an act of being a bully and are hurtful.
People love finding misspelled words. It basically makes them feel better about themselves, because they also make mistakes. But there are several things to consider here:
Ideas are not discounted just because someone spelled something wrong, or uses their own diction. If you see an error, and you want to snicker, keep it to yourself, and do not use ALBB’s social media to point it out.
The English language really is not logical. For those who are professionals at it - good for you. The logic just isn’t consistent. Why are “dove” and “love” pronounced with a soft “o” and “move” is spelled with a hard “o”?
Why does “y” sound like a “y,” except when it’s at the end of a word like “happy?”
There is probably a grammerly type answer for these questions, but that doesn’t mean they are logical or contribute to an easy life :)
So give everyone a break, and don’t use Grammar Shaming if you disagree with someone.
Editing For Spoken and Written Word
There are times when people speak in their style, and their grammar is unique, or part of a dialect of their community. We tend to not edit for that, especially when we transcribe a speech. The speaker loves the way they speak, and we want to respect that. If a speaker asks that we edit a pronunciation, we can do that.
Usually in press releases, if we feel that there needs to be an extra comma, and we really want to add one, we won’t. We love commas! And run-on sentences. If a press release forgot a word, like “not,” then we reach out if the context doesn’t make sense.
Holding Ourselves Accountable Too
There are lots of times we want to reply to a comment, but don’t, as it’s mainly a conversation space for you. We also know that you like your media on the neutral side. But sometimes we dip in. Know that we too are sitting on our hands and biting our tongues if a really snarky or sarcastic comment is trying to come out. We try to follow a guidline of not responding after 7pm, as that’s when words can get really spicy. We try to give it a minute.
Bias In The Media
Every single media outlet is biased, because it is run by humans. Even if the media was created by a computer, the machines learn, right? So they eventually lean in a certain direction. When a writer has an idea, they have an idea for a reason. From the genesis of their idea, or their clue that they are onto a good story idea, they are biased with that idea.
When they pitch it to their editor, their editor gets to make the choice of if the writer can pursue it or not. That editor is also biased. Everyone putting the publication together has a bias. Even the layout artist who is arranging pictures and words and headlines, to find what stands out more. You can’t not be, because you are alive and process information around you.
To accuse a media publication of being “biased” and that being the reason you stop reading is … a sign that you don’t like that one article. Everyone likes to hate on the Poughkeepsie Journal, except when that newspaper breaks a great story that proves your opinion.
Of the two people who unsubscribed from our last newsletter digest, one person had moved, and the other person, an avid reader and inspiration for our Where To Buy Easter Egg Stuff On Main Street Gift Guide (she DMed us from Target, where she put everything back and wanted to buy on Main Street), unsubscribed to say that the publication had become too biased.
That newsletter digest contained the article about the truck train, and article about the second Black person to be appointed onto Beacon’s Board of Education, and how Beacon’s Superintendent was committed to keeping the theme of Undoing Racism in the school’s curriculum.
So if this publication is biased because it is writing about Black people, and making a point to do so more, then yes, that is how we lean into our bias.
“But I’m not racist.”
That’s great!! This comment has been circulating a lot by people who say they are not racist. One of the first steps of not being racist is to be anti-racist. That little word, “anti,” means that you are putting out an extra effort to not be racist.
Part of not being racist is to believe people. If someone tells you a story, or shares a video of someone shouting “white power” in front of the Beacon Post Office, the comment that shows you are not racist would be: “Oh my gosh. That is dreadful. I am so upset he was part of our rally.” Or “Oh my gosh. I know him. I am ashamed that he did that in our rally. I am going to speak to him later.”
But if you say: “I did not hear that from the car I was in.” or “Did you it see coming out of his mouth? Did you see his mouth move?” This will signal that you are in denial. An person in denial contributes to racism. Which brings us back to being anti-racist. Several people who supported the Trump caravan did say these statements - stating that they did not hear anything and wanting more proof than it captured in a video - and it fueled the tension because it was denial. It also stunned a lot of fellow readers.
Ultimately, all of the readers wanted no racism. Anti-racism is how we get there. If you hear a story told to you, and then you respond by telling a story that counter-balances the testimonial given to you, you have denied that person’s testimony. That is not an act of being anti-racist. That is an act of being in denial, and contributing to racism.
You can also know, that our readership has grown with our racial coverage. White people reading are wanting to know more about Black people and their culture - a culture that exists within this very white community but isn’t covered that much - if at all - by the media. So we are trying our best to increase that.
In between breaking news stories about the pandemic or police or whatever else keeps happening.
Thank you for reading, and for your support. This community wants the same thing. Getting there is a unique journey, and never ends. It is a journey we will always be on, so is daily work.
Reminder From Beacon Arts To Apply for Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts Grants
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From Beacon Arts: Gwen Laster and Creative Strings Improvisers Orchestra, 2019 Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts Grant Recipient.
Reminder: Applications now being accepted for the Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts 2020 Grants
Deadline: November 15, 2020
The goal of the Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts is to fund Beacon projects not generally supported by other area arts organizations, including individual artist’s projects, unique exhibition, performance or public art projects, arts education programs, and community projects that promote area artists and arts activities and that draw attention to the valuable role of arts and culture in our community.
To honor Clara Lou Gould upon the occasion of her retirement after 18 years of service as Beacon’s Mayor, and in recognition of her support of arts and culture in Beacon, BeaconArts created a special Fund for the Arts named for Beacon’s former Mayor. Because Mayor Gould was born and raised in Cold Spring but spent most of her adult life in Beacon, the arts fund is designed to support arts and cultural projects and activities in the Greater Beacon community, including projects that may be initiated outside Beacon but benefit the arts community in the Beacon area of New York.
The Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Dutchess County.
The 2020 round of applications for the Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts is now open, for projects taking place between December 1, 2020-November 30, 2021.
Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization or be fiscally sponsored by one. If you would like information about fiscal sponsorship through BeaconArts, please visit Beacon Arts website.
Application deadline: November 15, 2020
Apply Online Now
10 Is The New Number In New York: Establishment With A State Liquor Authority License Must Close By 10pm; Private Gatherings Limited To 10 People
/With COVID-19 cases rising in the nation and in New York, Governor Cuomo announced today via press conference that any establishment with a State Liquor Authority license must close by 10pm. The Dutchess Business Notification Network reported the news quickly. The Executive Order is to come, but you can watch the announcement here.
Hospitalizations in New York are up overall, as are deaths. While the average number of deaths over the summer was at around 4, lately it has been climbing, with yesterday reaching 32. While this is very sad, and overall low compared to New York’s death number in the spring, the increase is notable. Governor Cuomo in his daily emails has been stressing to limit private gatherings, and did remove the liquor license from a wedding venue in Long Island who hosted a wedding that exceeded reduced capacity, and ended up being a super spreader.
From his 11/9/2020 nightly email: “A Long Island country club lost its liquor license after hosting an illegal, super-spreader wedding. As we have seen time and time again, large gatherings can unfortunately turn into super-spreader events. The State Liquor Authority has suspended the liquor license for the North Fork Country Club following a wedding which violated pandemic-related guidance. A total of 113 guests attended—more than double the number allowed—leading to 34 COVID-19 infections, and scores of people in quarantine. New York will not tolerate illegal and dangerous mass gatherings.”
Said Governor Cuomo Tuesday evening: “In the micro-cluster focus areas, the positivity rate was 5.59 percent. Excluding these areas, it was 2.56 percent.” He has always indicated the “tighten the valve” method as numbers increase, and this is one of those measures, without fully shutting things down.
The Dutchess Business Notification Network also reported that while the physical location must be closed, restaurants and bars may continue to serve take-out and delivery options for food items.
Gyms are also required to close each night at 10PM.
Gatherings at private residencies must now be limited to 10 individuals maximum.
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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.
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