HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Exile in Art: Thomas Cale Exhibition at Montgomery Row: Portraits of Rock-n-Roll Legends

 




I went to the opening of Thomas Cale's exhibition "Exile in Art" on June 18th, and I'm only getting around to writing about it now. The opening reception got a great turn out. I really think he has found his niche in celebrity portraits. The Exile in Art exhibit runs through July 27th so you still have time to check it out at Montgomery Row in Rhinebeck.  His last collection "Infamous Mugs" centered around celebrity mug shots. To learn more about Tom Cale, visit CaleArtWorks.com.

Cat'n Around Catskill: Cat statues, quirky shops, good eats, and ice cream!

 
 

I spent a lazy afternoon walking around Catskill on Monday. I hadn't been there since last year, and it looks like there are a couple new restaurants that have opened up since I last visited. Unfortunately, it was Monday so a few shops and restaurants were closed. We stopped for ice cream at Cone-e Island ice cream stand. The vanilla soft serve was excellent! It had a real vanilla flavor that you don't find everywhere. There is also a small play area with coin operated rides for the kids to ride near the tables).  

I also loved looking at all the different Cats from the Cats of Cat'n Around 2010 in Catskill. There are 61 of them! The cats will only be on display until September 19th. Come admire them! My favorite is the Michael Jackson cat ("Black or White: Tribute to the Gloved One" by Serine Baeckmann-Elge). If you want to take a Cat home, come back for The Cat's Meow Auction & Gala on September 26th. Visit Cat'n Around or Welcome to Catskill for more info.  

 

Cool Gift Shop: Vintage Designs & Hip Gifts at Still Life Mercantile--Woodstock, NY

 
  
Still Life Mercantile is a cool gift shop in Woodstock. It's a great place to go if you are shopping for a one-of-a-kind witty kind of gift or need to find something for a hip host. Sarah, the owner, says that the store is a design-oriented gift store and most of the merchandise is made by independent designers. You'll find gifts like handmade jewelry (geode slice necklaces), pottery by local artist Shoshona Snow, Envirosax-reusable shopping bags with funky graphic prints on them. (These bags feel kind of silky not like most reusable bags). The gift shop also has crafting books, beautiful designer clothing (under $100). You can see more at the store's blog, Still Life Mercantile, 3 Mill Hill  Road, Woodstock, NY 12498. (845) 679-5172.

Rainy Day Kid Activity: World's Largest Kaleidoscope & Jane's Gourmet Ice Cream

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I have been to the Emerson Place many times over the past 6 years, but I have never braved the World's Largest Kaleidoscope at the Emerson Country Store . The Emerson Place is a quiet group of stores next door to the Emerson Resort and Spa.  There are a few fancy home decor stores (avoid them if you have wild toddlers), a nice toy store which specializes in kaleidoscopes, and a very chic and cozy snack bar that serves Starbucks coffee and Jane's Gourmet Ice Cream. (In case you have never tried Jane's Ice Cream, try it...It's amazing!) The snack bar/book store also sells homemade danishes, cookies and sandwiches.  The Kaleidoscope show runs 10 minutes long and costs $5.40 for adults and is free for children 12 and under. It is sort of built like a miniature planetarium. When the lights go out, you can see Kaleidoscope patterns change on the ceiling. Today's show was "America, The House We Live In"  which included many Americana, political images, and a very colorful 70s segment. It's good fun for kids and grown-ups! For more info visit http://www.kaleidostore.com. Emerson Country Store, 5340 Rt. 28, Mt. Tremper, NY (845) 688-5800. Shows run daily from 10am-5pm.

"Taking Woodstock" now playing in Woodstock's Tinker Street Cinema

 I don't go to the movies that often any more, but I had no excuse not to see "Taking Woodstock" in Woodstock this week. (It's bad enough I missed seeing the fire works for the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock). I figured seeing this film would make up for that.  I had low expectations from seeing the trailer. I think in this case the trailer doesn't do the movie much justice. I thought it was going to be non-stop raucus corny pot jokes, but instead I found it to be very well-scripted, and the hippie performances were acted just right. "Taking Woodstock" isn't really about the music, it is more about the dream,  the coming of age of the main character, the lovable Elliot.   If you're in Woodstock this week, I'd definitely go see it. The movie will be all that more amusing if you see it in Woodstock! To learn more about "Taking Woodstock" visit http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/taking_woodstock/

Musical Family Fun: Maverick Concert Young People' s Concert series!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Gkd8X_5zU]I have been meaning to mention this wonderful concert series earlier in the season. If you are still looking for a fun activity to take your children to this weekend, it's not too late to see piano prodigy Alice Burla perform at Maverick Concerts this Saturday at 11 am. Set in the woods on the outskirts of Woodstock, the 1916 Maverick Concert hall is an intimate space with amazing acoustics. I used to attend the concerts when I first moved here. It really is a great way to introduce a child to classical music. I have included a video of Alice Burla taken 3 years ago when she was only 10 years old. What an amazing talent!  For more information on Maverick Concerts, visit http://www.maverickconcerts.org.

Where to Wi-Fi in the Hudson Valley: Laptops & Lattes

This is one of my pet blog projects. I'm trying to find the best Wi-Fi hot spots in the Hudson Valley. So far, if I'm looking for tasty food and reliable high-speed Wi-Fi, I go to Panera Bread on Ulster Avenue in Kingston. The place is usually packed during the lunch hour, but I've always been lucky in finding a spot. There about 10 different spots at Panera that have outlets that you can use to plug in your laptop. You can also eat and work on your laptop outside (weather permitting, of course).  Another good place is Muddy Cup in Saugerties at 66 Partition Street. (Muddy Cup also has locations in Albany, Beacon, Kingston & New Paltz). I haven't tried the food or coffee here yet, but I can tell you that it gets an A for quiet bookish writer-friendly ambiance. They also feature local artists, singers, musicians, open-mic nights. Check out http://www.muddycup.comfor more info. I'll add more Hudson Valley Wi-Fi spots as I uncover them. Do you know of any good ones?

Cool Art Sighting: Beautiful Carousel Horses--Saugerties, NY

Recently I've been admiring beautiful carousel horses strategically placed around Saugerties, and I have been meaning to go online and find out more about these creatures.  The Saugerties Chamber of Commerce is running a campaign in celebration of New York State 's Hudson Fulton Champlain Quadricentennial, the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's discovery of the river that bears his name, and has lined the streets of the Nationally Registered Historic Business District of the Village of Saugerties with these individually crafted Merry-Go-Round horses. They were installed over Memorial Day Weekend and will be on display until September 12 th when the Merry-Go-Round horses will be auctioned off for charity. Other cool things to do in Saugerties? Lots of great restaurants including Love Bites Cafe, Land & Sea Grill. I haven't been to Tanmayo yet, but I heard it's good.  Horse lovers visit HITS (Horses-in-the-Sun). There are also a few nice antique shops, clothing boutiques like Dig, a cool barber & shaving shop, a couple of beauty salons. A new Tea Room is having a grand opening this weekend as well. For more info on what's going on in Saugerties, visit http://www.welcometosaugerties.com. Click on http://www.horsnaroundsaugerties.comfor more info on the carousel Hors'n Around Saugerties Celebration.