Chronogram July 2023

Rhinebeck | Hudson | Hopewell Junction | Tannersville | Red Hook | Pleasant Valley | High Falls

DEPARTMENTS

6 On the Cover

8 Esteemed

11

FOOD & DRINK

12 Restaurant Profile: Pretty to Think So

A

16 Sips & Bites

Recent

HOME

19 Wildcrafting a Sanctuary

A

HEALTH & WELLNESS

26 Ketamine’s Role in Resolving Trauma

Ketamine, often misunderstood due to its recreational use, has shown remarkable results in treating depression, anxiety, and addiction. With careful guidance, patients can harness ketamine’s potential to rewire their brains and experience lasting relief from mental health challenges.

COMMUNITY PAGES

30 Warwick: Preservation and Evolution

From land preservation initiatives and a strong sense of community to housing booms and thriving businesses, Warwick offers a diverse and vibrant environment. Discover how this Orange County town has managed to preserve its small-town feel while embracing growth and change.

CHRONOGRAMMIES

44 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards

The results of the Chronogrammies are in! Nearly 25,000 people voted to determine the 2023 winners. And for the first time this year, we’re throwing a party for all the winners. Come celebrate with us on August 24 at Hudson House Distillery in West Park. Details on page 25.

Tunis and Sharon Sweetman with their daughter Carrie at the Sweetman's Farm farmstand on Route 1A in Warwick.

Photo by David McIntyre COMMUNITY PAGES, PAGE 30

A sketch by Woodstock-based illustrator John Cuneo highlights creative anxieties in the dawn of the AI era.

Reader Jason Stern finds peace cleaning up after dinner.

Editor’s Note Brian K. Mahoney searches for a through-line.

youthful hospitality trio creates a chic, minimalist dining room in Rhinebeck, offering farm-to-table cuisine, exquisite cocktails, and an impressive raw bar.

openings include Pillow & Oats Brewing, La Birbirria Tacos, Day June Luncheonette, Tanners Boathouse, and Nat’s Mountain House.

healer and musician revitalize a farmstead in West Shokan, transforming it into a retreat and cultivating herbal remedies amidst nature’s healing embrace.

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ARTS

40 Music

Album reviews of Agata by Loma Suyo; Many Worlds by Scott Petito; and The Trike by The Trike. Plus listening recommendations from musician and music critic John Burdick.

41 Books

Jane Kinney Denning reviews The Quiet Tenant, Clemence Michallon’s bracing psychological suspense novel. Plus short reviews of V is for Victory by Craig Nelson; Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens; Knowing What We Know by Simon Winchester; How to Lose Friends and Influence No One by Mary Giuliani; and 3003 Days of Mike & Me / And the War Between Us by Martha Donegan.

42 Poetry

Poems by Diego Antoni, Kemp Battle, Matthew Cronin, James DelViscio, Lissa Kiernan, Mary K. O’Melveny, Meghan Pribeck, Jack Quigley, M. R. Silver-Altman, Dominik Slusarczyk, Jim Tilley, Norina Vigeant, and Lyla Yastion. Edited by Phillip X Levine.

GUIDE

66 Linda Mussmann and Claudia Bruce of Time and Space Limited in Hudson talk with Peter Aaron about the 50th anniversary of their arts organization.

68 Jane St. Art Center hosts an exhibition of props and costumes of the Cave Dogs performance troupe.

71 Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival stages a musical twist on “Love’s Labor’s Lost.”

72 The Catskills just got funny again, thanks to the Borscht Belt Festival in Ellenville.

75 The inaugural Summer Shorts Film Festival kicks off at Denizen Theater.

76 Live Music: Bang on a Can, Aimee Mann, Bartees Strange, Iron & Wine, and more.

76 The Short List: Chatham Summerfest, Boudoir Blues Burlesque, Kingston Photo Festival, and more.

79 Lucius performs at Arrowood Farms in Accord with Al Olender on July 6.

80 Art exhibits: Shows from across the region, including the opening of “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth” at the Clark Art Institute.

HOROSCOPES

84 Solar Flares and Changes of Heart

What the stars have in store for us this month.

PARTING SHOT

88 A Guide to Upstate Art Weekend

Suggestions on what’s not to be missed this year’s Upstate Art Weekend includeBeacon Open Studios, Ellsworth Kelly Studio Tour, Strange Untried Project Space, Olaf Breuning Smoke Bomb performance, and NADA x Foreland.

Claudia Bruce performs in the TSL production “Omaha to Ogden (Southwesterly)” in 1986.

GUIDE, PAGE 66

Taking the Line for a Walk

JOHN CUNEO

John Cuneo has over 50,000 followers on Instagram. Not mind-blowing numbers if you’re a celebrity-influencer—Gwyneth Paltrow has 8.3 million followers, Cristiano Ronaldo has 590 million—but “pretty good for a pervy cartoonist up in the woods in Woodstock,” he says. His tagline: “Drawings mostly. Dark thoughts lightly rendered.”

How he got so many followers is a mystery to the illustrator, whose work has appeared in all the magazines that matter over the past three decades, including on the cover of the New Yorker. “I don’t know how I stumbled into 54,000 followers,” says Cuneo. “I’m guessing one or more prominent folks who like my work like Neil Gaiman or Ron Perlman gave it a serious bump a while back.” Instagram is a near-perfect vehicle for the illustrator’s noncommissioned work. Cuneo is compulsive about drawing. “I’m the guy who walks around with a sketchpad or a card in his pocket in case he needs to draw something. I draw all the time,” he says, and notes of Instagram: “It’s a place to put all this stuff.” He posts almost every day, skewering male fantasies, domestic life, and the political scene with sketches that feature more penises than a locker room. “I get away with an alarming amount of genitalia for some

reason,” Cuneo says. But all that libidinous energy is a double-edged pen. “I’ve drawn myself into a corner,” he says. “If I do a normal drawing, people ask, “Where’s the penis?’”

Some of his most scabrous depictions are of the 45th US president, whom Cuneo delights in sending up. Two scatalogically themed sketched are worth searching out on his IG feed: Bill Barr wiping Trump’s ass with the Constitution and Trump using top secret documents similarly.

There are plenty of “normal drawings,” of course—Cuneo illustrates an adorable column on dogs each month for Garden & Gun—like the sketch on this month’s cover. It certainly hits an anxious nerve for those in the creative/contentgenerating realm who worry about being replaced by AI. Cueno is not optimistic about the future of his profession. “At first, I was thinking of it as a change in the industry like digital art,” he says. “I wasn’t thinking of it as the existential threat it really is. It’s the end of illustration. I find myself putting blinders on and just focusing on my sketchbook.”

(This is the second work by Cuneo to be featured on the cover of Chronogram. The first, Amuse-bouche, was published in May 2018 and depicted a woman planting a flower while all the

creatures of the woods emerged to devour it. An apt visual metaphor for upstate gardening.)

Cuneo is an old school illustrator: No digital tools, just pen and ink and watercolor. And for Cuneo, craft is essential to what he does, how he builds a drawing from a single line. “For people who draw with ink, artists who work in contour, the line is paramount,” he says. “The trick is to control it while taking the line for a walk. There’s a weird yin-yang between control and chaos.”

Every new drawing is a world-building exercise. “While there is a predetermined agenda for some drawings (like the one you’re using for the cover), many others simply evolve from a figure on a page, and where elements are added in that weird, half deliberate/half free-associative way, so that maybe an actual scenario or concept presents itself,” Cuneo says. “Often, it’s a self-indulgent mess, but like Linda Barry said: ‘Sometimes you just have to make things for no reason.’”

And making things for no reason is what human beings do. Artificial intelligence may replace us, but they can’t stop us from making things for no reason, which they’ll never do. Unless they kill us all, of course.

Portfolio: @johncuneo3

—Brian K. Mahoney

The Messenger, John Cuneo, pen and ink with watercolor, 2023

An untitled pen and ink with watercolor sketch by John Cuneo, 2023

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Brian K. Mahoney brian.mahoney@chronogram.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR David C. Perry david.perry@chronogram.com

DIGITAL EDITOR Marie Doyon marie.doyon@chronogram.com

ARTS EDITOR Peter Aaron music@chronogram.com

HOME EDITOR Mary Angeles Armstrong home@chronogram.com

POETRY EDITOR Phillip X Levine poetry@chronogram.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Anne Pyburn Craig apcraig@chronogram.com

contributors

Jane Anderson, Winona Barton-Ballentine, Jason Broome, Mike Cobb, Michael Eck, Dan Epstein, Melissa Esposito, Jane Kinney Denning, David McIntyre, Cory Nakasue, Sparrow, Jamie Stathis

PUBLISHING

FOUNDERS Jason Stern, Amara Projansky

PUBLISHER & CEO Amara Projansky amara.projansky@chronogram.com

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Jan Dewey jan.dewey@chronogram.com

BOARD CHAIR David Dell

sales manager

Andrea Fliakos andrea.fliakos@chronogram.com

media specialists

Kaitlyn LeLay kaitlyn.lelay@chronogram.com

Kelin Long-Gaye kelin.long-gaye@chronogram.com

Kris Schneider kris.schneider@chronogram.com Sam Brody sam.brody@chronogram.com

ad operations

Jared Winslow jared.winslow@chronogram.com

marketing

MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER

Margot Isaacs margot.isaacs@chronogram.com

SPONSORED CONTENT EDITOR

Ashleigh Lovelace ashleigh.lovelace@chronogram.com

administration

FINANCE MANAGER

Nicole Clanahan accounting@chronogram.com; (845) 334-8600

production

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

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PRODUCTION DESIGNER

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interns

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mission

Summertime in The Hudson Valley

And the Cookin’ is Easy!

• (845) 334-8600

Founded in 1993, Chronogram magazine offers a colorful and nuanced chronicle of life in the Hudson Valley, inviting readers into the arts, culture, and spirit of this place.

All contents © Chronogram Media 2023.

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Celebrate SUmmer

esteemed reader

by Jason Stern

We began to eat at dusk and now darkness surrounds the house. Nightbird sounds and nighttime stillness enter through the open windows and screen door. Dinner is over and all who partook departed in different directions. The friends went home. The teenage children drove off or disappeared to the backyard studio. My partner, who always prepares the meal because she loves to cook, went to her bed to work or read or rest. I find myself alone in the kitchen, with candles burning low, dirty dishes on the table and counters, and leftovers to be placed in containers and stowed in the fridge.

Every household develops roles and patterns of work for its members. Mine is simple—cleaning the kitchen after dinner. This has always been the case and the experience has changed over the 20 years that this particular constellation of beings has lived together under the same roof. There were times that I resented being the one that had to stay up and clean. “Where did everybody go?” I would ask in my mind’s voice with some irritation. At other times I relished the silence and clear, practical process of returning the space to order. On certain days, particularly as the children have grown and their appearance at table becomes a special occasion, kitchen cleaning is a quasi-sacred ritual of service to a larger whole.

Since my children were little, I’ve felt that eating together was an important ingredient for developing our coherence as a family. Inasmuch as taking food is a biological need, it also embodies a cosmic process undergone by all living beings and at scales so infinitesimal or vast that our limited view can scarcely understand. If any attribute delineates the sacred, I think this universality does.

Eating is about the transformation of energies. Food becomes life, and not just outer activity and autonomic functions, but also thoughts, emotions, passions, and consciousness. Eating together, day by day and year by year, opens the possibility for the group or family to transform energies together, as a greater organism within which each person is a part. Cleaning the kitchen is like preparing an altar for this seemingly prosaic, but actually profound event of preparing and taking food together in a shared atmosphere.

When we moved into the old farmhouse, we decided to keep the hundred-year-old maple floors porous. We treated them with oil and wax rather than sealing the wood with polyurethanes. The result is that all the material of life becomes part of the wood. The old maple floor is literally impregnated with our blood, sweat, and tears. I clean the kitchen barefoot and sense the texture and temperature of the floor and its embodiment of the soul of the family with my feet.

I inherited a set of antique silver salt and pepper shakers from my grandmother. They came from the place she called The Old Country, carried across the Atlantic on a boat by her mother. A modest kiddush cup my father gave me for my bar mitzvah sits with the shakers on the windowsill behind the sink along with a baby cup inscribed with my partner’s name, and “1970.” I arrange these items like parts of an ancestral shrine and every few months polish the silver with respect and satisfaction. The process is nearly magical as tarnish gives way to sparkling shine. At the same time I feel I am polishing together with my grandmother and greatgrandmother. We are simultaneously liberating the lunar radiance of the silver together.

Alone in the quiet kitchen I am peacefully present. Gone is the impatience and sense of injustice I felt when I was younger, when I thought I had something more important to do; when I believed I had things to prove and accomplish. Now the process is an inner one as though I am ordering my inner life and lineage as I bring order to the kitchen. Reviewing the ordered space and shining surfaces, I feel satisfaction with the result.

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Quite a lot swirling around in the ‘ol noggin this month—has anyone else felt like their mind is a merely dust devil of whirling information? In place of a grand unified theory of July, I give you an omnibus edition of a column. Think of its scattered nuggets like a crap version of the six minutes on Abbey Road that strings together “Mean Mr. Mustard,” “Polythene Pam,” “She Came in Through the Bathroom

Window,” “Golden Slumbers,” and “Carry That Weight.” Delightful little ditties that didn’t quite add up to full songs but the Beatles couldn’t part with them. Can’t blame them. Even broken-off bits of things can be beautiful.

Hollywood Forever

I cannot remember how Atlanta-based singersong writer Tyler Lyle’s music came into my life a few years ago, but the only song of his I know popped up in a recent desultory shuffle of the 6,367 songs on my phone. I hadn’t heard Lyle’s “Hollywood Forever” in five or six years, but listening to it again made the hairs on my arms stand up. Lyle’s somewhere along the Americana spectrum between Wilco and the Avett Brothers and “Hollywood Forever” is a gently building boot stomp of a tune. (From his delightfully titled 2015 album The Native Genius of Desert Plants, which also contains the song “Winter is for Kierkegaard,” which I’m frankly afraid to listen to as it’ll likely send me into a depressive spiral usually reserved for Danes in February.)

It starts with a simple acoustic guitar being picked. At the end of the second verse, the drums kick in and Lyle asks the existential question embedded in the chorus:

What do you call the fear of being forgotten?

What if no one remembers your name?

What if we’re just the food for the cotton

The roots of the garden, one day?

Does it frighten or free us

To think the world doesn’t need us, at all?

At the end of the third verse, Lyle is hooting, as if to loudly confirm his own existence, barbaricyawp-over-the-rooftops-of-the-world style. I’ve played the song a few times a day for the past few weeks, grappling with the “frighten or free us”ness of it all, and wondering why certain songs get so stuck in our heads and how personal the stickiness is. I mean, go listen to “Hollywood Forever.” You’ll prolly hear it and think, “Tyler

Lyle seems fine, but he’s no [insert your favorite singer-songwriter here].” And that’s fine, Tyler Lyle will be my guy. I’m not trying to convince you to like his music, just to tell you that I’m in the thrall of this song and there’s good reason for it and I hope it doesn’t stop. I wish something similar for you.

Brekkie Sammich

On Sundays, the deli down the street from my house is closed. I don’t begrudge the deli folks a day off, but Sunday is the one day that I’m home and casting about for some breakfast. It’s a cross I bear. (While I love to cook, I have a rule against cooking breakfast. It’s simply too early in the day to start filling the sink with dirty dishes—it’s too depressing. The few times I’ve tried I’ve ended up on the fainting couch for the remainder of the day.) Since the $5 bacon, egg, and cheddar on a hard roll at my local was out of the question, so I thought I’d pop across town to the upscale market for a fancy brekkie sammich, or however they cutesify its name.

I walk in and step up to the counter and tell the young man behind the register my order. “I’d like a bacon, egg, and cheddar on a croissant,” I say. (I pronounce croissant kwa-sohn, which drives some people who care deeply about me absolutely bonkers. It’s the acoustic embodiment pretention. I might as well just say, “Je voudrais un croissant.” And regarding said kwa-sohn: A hard roll is generally good enough for me, but as I’m in the fancy place, I might as well break out my pretentious diction and get some fancy bread while I’m at it.)

After I make my order, the dude behind the counter says, “That will be $17.28.”

I say, “I’m sorry?!? What?!?”

He points at the screen, which reads $17.28, as if the numbers made any more sense on the screen than they did in his mouth, and says, “Yup.”

I say, “I’m gonna go.”

Dude says in a commiserating tone, “I understand. No offense taken.”

I walk out into the bright morning sunshine thinking I may have to rethink my stance on cooking breakfast.

Everything is Wrong All the Time

At a recent family gathering, I spent some time with my sister’s kids—there are four of them— and I watched the oldest boy, Hunter, eating fruit. Hunter is four, and he’s what we used to call “a handful.” Good kid, but one with enough energy

by Brian K. Mahoney

Oddities & Endities

for two or three children. But there he was, eating fruit at the table in the church basement, looking as blissed out as I’ve ever seen a human—the embodiment of simple human happiness.

It reminded me of a profile of the playwright Tom Stoppard that Kenneth Tynan wrote for the New Yorker in 1977. In it, Tynan asks the question, “What is Tom Stoppard’s version of happiness?” To find it, he quotes a radio play Stoppard wrote in 1969, in which a middle-aged man attends a class reunion at his former school and recalls a single moment of unalloyed delight. He was seven years old at the time.

“I remember walking down one of the corridors, trailing my finger along a raised edge along the wall, and I was suddenly totally happy, not elated or particularly pleased, or anything like that—I mean I experienced happiness as a state of being: everywhere I looked, in my mind, nothing was wrong. You never get that back when you grow up; it’s a condition of maturity that almost everything is wrong all the time, and happiness is a borrowed word for something else—a passing change of emphasis.”

I sat down next to Hunter and dug into some strawberries and pineapple but I couldn’t quite muster the same caliber of joy. Knowing what I know at the ripe old age of 52, I can’t help thinking Stoppard may be on to something here.

Leningrad

Following my column last month detailing my ongoing journey working my way through Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I received a bunch of reader mail with new music for me to check out. Thanks to everyone who sent in song recommendations, and a special shoutout to Lawrence Holzworth, who turned me on to Leningrad, a rock group that loves horns, rap-singing, and cursing in Russian. I have no idea what frontman Sergey Shnurov is saying but the music sounds like the very danceable love child of Gogol Bordello and Lady Gaga and a railroad spike. This must be the stuff of Russian dancefloor legend. Please keep your music recs coming, and for those curious about the Rolling Stone countdown, I’m currently listening to #217, Definitely Maybe by Oasis. You’ve got to be more than a little bit cocky to open your debut album with a song titled “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.”

The Lost Generation, Found in Rhinebeck

PRETTY TO THINK SO

By Brian K. Mahoney

Spoiler Alert: The following review contains spoilers for Ernest Heminway’s The Sun Also Rises (1926). If you haven’t read this chronicle of the Lost Generation yet and wish to avoid any plot details, please skip the following two paragraphs.

At the end of The Sun Also Rises, Jake, the war-wounded hero, goes to Madrid to rescue Brett, who’s been deserted by a young bullfighter. Jake and Brett are in love, but it’s the impossible kind, given Jake’s trauma (it’s in his down-belows) and Brett being Brett (a woman who seduces bullfighters). Once reunited, they head to the hotel bar and drink martinis. Three rounds of martinis. The pair then decide they need lunch. At the restaurant, they’re served roast suckling pig—Brett smokes while Jake eats— and Jake drinks four bottles of Rioja Alta. Amazingly, Jake is still able to walk, and they head out into the street to hail a cab. (Ever wonder what a summer afternoon in Madrid is like? Hemingway knows: “It was hot and bright.”)

In the cab, Brett gets sentimental about their star-crossed love: “Oh, Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together.” To which Jake replies: “Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so.” The line is a cynical cherry on top of Hemingway’s early modernist classic. And, in case you’re wondering why all the preamble, it’s also the name of a restaurant that opened recently in Rhinebeck.

Chef Mark Margiotta’s food at Pretty to Think So is decadent and delicious.

Photo by Harrison Lubin

Opposite: The dining room is small and chic, with 24 seats at tables along a lush, crushed velvet banquette and 12 seats at the bar. Outdoor seating will soon be available as well.

Photo by David McIntyre

Pretty to Think So reunites the youthful hospitality trio—Chef Mark Margiotta, Bar Director Madeline Dillon, and General Manager Eric Mushel are all in their 30s—behind The Dutchess, the secret hotel and restaurant in Staatsburg owned by app developer Rameet Chawla. When The Dutchess shut down in October 2021, the group decided to set out on their own. “Pure serendipity is how it came to be,” says Mushel. “A chef, a mixologist, and an entrepreneur met on a secret farm and discovered ourselves amidst nature, and Pretty to Think So is the beautiful result of that encounter.”

The restaurant is in downtown Rhinebeck, in the former barroom of Liberty Public House. The space is unrecognizable, however, as a gut reno has transformed the once-dark pub into a chic, minimalist dining room punctuated with touches of whimsy, like the faux taxidermied heads of bighorn sheep and antelope done in ceramics. (A subtle reference to a certain novelist/big game hunter?) A lush, crushed velvet banquette runs the length of two walls. Marble-topped tables seat 24 with room for another 12 at the bar. When full, the room can be loud, but it never crosses over to

uncomfortably loud. It’s a lively space that’s pretty but not fussy. The entire back wall is covered in a delightfully busy black-and-white wallpaper that weaves together visual themes from various Renaissance paintings.

Start with a cocktail. The cocktails are highly recommended, as is the Instagram feed of Madeline Dillon, which tracks her process in crafting some of the most interesting drinks in the region. While we waited for our own drinks to arrive, our neighbor was served a Miserable, Darling ($18), a black-as-night concoction in a collins glass made with white rum, grapefruit, lime, black peppercorn, cherry liqueur, and activated charcoal. Lead Me to the Garden ($18), made with dry gin, snap pea shrub, herb liqueur, golden honey is herbaceous yet restrained, and is cute as a button with a sugar snap clothes-pinned to the the coupe. The M ($20), Dillon’s take on a Vesper martini, is also a subtle winner. The booze is fat-washed overnight in goat cheese and finished with goat cheesestuffed olive.

There is a 13-bottle wine list (bottles: $70-$120; glasses: $15-$25) with some distinctive finds from women-owned vineyards. Both the Franck

Besson 2021 Chardonnay ($80), a soft, citrusy, easy-drinking white and a lively and refreshing Nino Costao 2017 Roero Nebbiolo ($85) were food-friendly without being retiring. There are a handful of beers—Hudson Valley Brewery’s Amulet Sour Ales ($13) among them—and three low ABV cocktails for the sober-minded.

When thinking about how to define the kind of food served at Pretty to Think So, the raw bar throws you for a loop because the rest of the menu is so rigorously farm-to-table. Margiotta, a CIA grad who was executive chef at Brasserie 292 in Poughkeepsie before spending two years working under Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park, is committed to Humm’s plant-first ethos. But let’s talk about the raw bar first.

The raw bar at Pretty serves as both a point of pride and differentiation. Sure, you can get oysters in Rhinebeck at Le Petit Bistro (on the half-shell with mignonette) or roasted Pernod herb butter at Willow at Mirbeau. But until now, you couldn’t get a seafood tower in Rhinebeck. At Pretty, there’s both the Royal ($175) and the Deluxe ($90). The Royal includes a dozen oysters, six Little Neck clams, six shrimp, a lobster, and

30 grams of Pacific sturgeon caviar. The Deluxe is half of that and no caviar. There’s caviar service if you want it. The Marshallberg Osetra will set you back $300 for 100 grams. While I did not try the seafood tower or caviar, the oysters I ate on two occasions—both East and West Coast—were top notch ($38-$48 per dozen). The pink peppercorn/ white balsamic mignonette was quietly superb.

During a recent conversation with Margiotta, he mentioned that he’d spent the previous day planting his garden, purpose-built for future menu items. When asked what was going in the ground, Margiotta rattled off a long list: four varieties of eggplants; hot and sweet peppers; Swiss chard; 16 varieties of cherry tomatoes, many grown from seeds he’s saved over the years; the list went on. But no greens. He gets his greens from Kyle Nisonger of Maple View Farm in his native Poughquag. “ The natural terroir of the area is very special,” says Margiotta, “and so is the seasonality of what we’re able to grow. I’m trying to raise as much of our own produce as I can and supplement from local growers.”

If you do eat at Pretty to Think So you’ll likely meet the chef, as the restaurant is small enough

that he serves a fair bit of the food himself alongside the charming and professional wait staff. Pretty to Think So is entirely gluten-free, and mostly dairy-free, though you likely won’t notice. The seeded butternut squash bread ($9), made with quinoa flour, is moist and contains a hint of sweetness without being cloying. Other starters include caviar frites ($23) and the twice-baked truffle potato ($20), which is what an average baked potato dreams of being when it grows up. Served in a cast iron skillet, the potato’s skin is thick and crispy, the interior fluffy, and a touch of creaminess added from celery root cream. All this in concert with the sublime earthiness of the truffle. The dish is large enough to be a dinner portion.

A recent special was venison osso bucco ($32) served with Wild Hive polenta, sauteed spring greens, and grilled carrots. The tender venison was effervescently gamy, but it was the grilled carrots that stole the show. No longer than my fingers, these orange beauties embodied the Platonic ideal of carrotness, enhanced by a judicious application of fire for a touch of char. (This makes me excited to return for the barigoule—essentially a vegan

cassoulet—as Margiotta switches ingredients with the seasons. The current iteration of the dish is carrot-focused.)

The duck confit ($29), served with pickled wild mushrooms, spring green salad, and duck fat sunchokes hit the spot, the acidity of the mushrooms and the greens working deftly with the the dish’s fattiness. The half chicken ($30), served with romesco and pickled peppers, operates in a similar, if less interesting way.

Another special we tried on a recent visit— seared diver scallops ($38)—will be haunting me for awhile. I don’t get excited by scallops as a rule, but I am now formally begging Margiotta to put this dish on the regular menu. It’s been a long time since I had scallops seared so well, the crust this perfect, the inherent sweetness of the mollusk so clear. Now take that divine morsel and stack it on a wedge of potato fondant with celery root, leeks, and morels wedged in between. This is food of the highest order—Pretty to Think So has staked a claim as a restaurant to be closely watched and visited regularly.

Will Margiotta put the scallops on the menu? Probably not, but isn’t it pretty to think so?

Duck confit

Photo by Harrison Lubin

Caviar frites

Photo by Harrison Lubin

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Pillow & Oats

385 Main Street, Beacon

Husband-and-wife duo Maria and Max Headley have opened Beacon’s latest brewery, Pillow and Oats, right in the heart of town. Sandwiched between Peaceful Provisions and Big Mouth Coffee Roasters, Pillow & Oats specializes in small batch Hazy IPAs and hoppy, but not bitter, offerings. In time, the now-Spartan space, a long rectangle that radiates beer hall vibes, and the industrial interior is soon to be spruced up with murals. All the brewing equipment is out in the open and, in addition to the rows of communal tables and benches, there are a dozen or so round tables flanked by comfy bar stools.

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La Barbirria Tacos

389 Main Street, Beacon

At Beacon’s newest taqueria, La Barbirria, skip the guac and start with a more adventurous appetizer like the aguacate relleno—a half avocado stuffed with jumbo lump crab meat, red pepper, cilantro, onions, and chile de arbol ($16) or the aguachile, a refreshing dish of lime, cucumber, jalapeños, and your choice of shrimp or scallops ($16, $21). Aside from the street tacos (a dozen varieties to serve every taste and diet restriction), there are also classic Mexican soups and salads, and sides like fried yucca and beans and rice.  Labarbirria.com

Day June Luncheonette

387 Route 296, Hensonville

Following a trend of ski towns activating all-year round with hip new businesses and restaurants, Day June Luncheonette opened its doors in early May in the Windham hamlet of Hensonville. Think all-American, shortorder diner fare like eggs any way served with hash browns or home fries ($11) and sausage, bacon, chorizo, or avocado for an additional $4; the Hunter omelet with roast mushrooms, bacon, and onion ($14); or the corned beef hash ($17). For those with a sweet tooth, the buttermilk pancakes are always a safe bet ($11), though the lemon ricotta pancakes ($15) may be more exciting. Burgers and sandwich classics like BLT ($14), club sandwich ($15), and chicken parm ($15) reign supreme on the lunch menu.  Dayjune.com

Nat’s Mountain House

6589 Route 23A, Tannersville

Following an increasing number of hospitality veterans, Manhattan restaurateur Natalie Freihon (The Fat Radish, Nat’s on Bank) has made the jump upstate. June saw the opening of Nat’s Mountain House in the c.1970s former Chateau Belleview with double-story windows and mountain views adjacent to the recently reinvented Hotel Lilien. With its colorful, geometric, painted-brick wall, coral booths, seafoam stools, and playful floor tiles, Nat’s is a refreshing change up from demure design. The new spot brings the legendary Nat’s burger upstate plus other summery pics like corn ribs and fish tacos; and an array of hot-weather cocktails like spicy margs, strawberry sangria, and a frozen piña colada. Natsmountainhouse.com

Tanner’s Boathouse

27 Lake Road, Tannersville

The red-and-white exterior of the Boathouse, opened in 2021, smacks of summer vacation spots on the Atlantic coast, but it’s surprisingly at home among the hills of Greene County and back another season. There’s loaded hot dogs ($4), cups of clam chowder ($7), fish and chips ($19), and fried shrimp platters ($20) The signature lobster roll, a product of market price hikes, is a hefty $39 this year and comes either hot with melted butter or cold with mayo. If frutti di mare ain’t your thing, there’s also a fried buttermilk chicken sandwich, served with chipotle mayo, lettuce, and tomato ($14); a vegan quinoa bowl served with seasonal veg and coconut curry ($16); and a cold corn salad with cucumber, tomato, avocado, basil, and citrus dressing ($15). Kid-friendly options include a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich ($6), mac and cheese ($7), and chicken fingers with fries ($13).

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Modernist cabin. Sited on 5 private primarily wooded acres. 2,250 SF, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car detached garage.

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Understated refinement, on 6 private acres. 2,728 SF, 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage.

When Jennifer Mulak moved to her 41acre farmstead outside Woodstock, she found a bounty of medicinal greenery. There was native yarrow, wild oregano, nettle, and ubiquitous mugwort (an invasive she’s grown to love). “ There was plenty of witch hazel and plenty of silver birch and plenty of sugar maple,” explains the herbalist and flower practitioner. “The only problem was we didn’t have any juniper trees.” Juniper is a sort of tree totem for Mulak, whose late father nicknamed her “Jennifer Juniper” after the Donovan song.

But it was more than her sentimental attachment to the name that inspired Mulak— the native tree represented many of the healing qualities she wanted to cultivate after 20 years of working in a cubicle on Wall Street. “Juniper has been around for 12,000 years,” she explains.

Wildcrafting a Sanctuary

A healer and a musician rehabilitate a farm—and themselves— in West Shokan

By Mary Angeles Armstrong

Photos by Winona Barton-Ballentine

Ariel Siso and Jennifer Mulak on the restored bluestone patio of their 41acre herb farm and retreat space. Built in 1840, the Colonial farmhouse features many details of a bygone era—including the exterior bluestone fireplace (carved with the initials of the original owner) that was once part of the home’s summer kitchen. Mulak loves sharing the property. “I know how much we’ve healed being here and sharing that with others is such a gift,” she says. “And, selfishly, I love hosting because all the juicy energy gets infused into the space.”

“Every culture—whether Native American, Tibetan, Indian, Egyptian, European, or Chinese—that ’s lived in proximity with juniper has used it as medicine, as well as a purifier and protector. Juniper is strong; it is hardy; it’s a survivor.”

Despite not finding any of the trees, she christened her new property “Juniper Grove” anyway, with a plan to plant saplings in the future. The name reminded her of her father and “ was a such a fitting name for a healing space,” she remembers. Along with her partner, Ariel Siso, Mulak’s plan was to transform the mountainside property into a retreat—a space to share with anyone who was also in need of the healing envelopment of nature.

The two had their work cut out for them. The property, which they were drawn to for its proximity to the area’s lively music scene as well as its wild abundance, came with a 3,000-square-foot farmhouse, a two-story garden cottage, and a giant, ancient hay barn—all in need of as much careful rehab and tending as Mulak’s corporate burnout did. Sitting vacant for at least two years, the 1840 Colonial farmhouse needed a complete overhaul, the vegetable garden needed rebuilding, and the swimming pond up the hill was full of muck. The two closed on the property in early 2018 and immediately dove into the rehab—trusting that the retreat ’ s

details, the gardens, and even the seemingly whimsical name they ’d settled on would all work itself out in time.

The Boiling Point

A native of Massachusetts, Mulak moved to New York City after college and quickly got caught up with fulltime corporate work. “ I loved it and couldn’t imagine ever wanting to live anywhere else,” she says. She was enjoying the challenge of her job in finance, but the intense nature of her career and lifestyle pushed her creative and holistic pursuits to the back burner. It wasn’t until a friend was diagnosed with cancer that she began to question her path. “ I had always been interested in skin care and a DIY type,” she explains. “ But that was when I realized that what I put into my skin was just as important as what I ate.”

Evenings and weekends, Mulak began taking online courses in the medicinal and healing properties of plants and then experimenting with making her own skincare potions. As she began to understand how to work with herbs and other botanicals, she eventually mastered the use of an alembic device. “ The alembic is a copper still that ’s been used for thousands of years in the Middle

Siso and Mulak gutted and completely revamped the farmhouse kitchen to create a welcoming space that takes its design cues from the verdant setting. The couple added handmade Mexican gray cement tiles as a backsplash and handmade Mission Tiles as a hearth for the Fire Boss wood stove, then scrubbed and painted the stove pollen yellow. Local woodworker Daniel Bishop turned oak and live-edge maple slabs into expansive countertops throughout the kitchen and adjacent butler’s pantry.

After choosing an elk toile wallpaper for the dining room walls, the couple added a mix of handmade furniture from Bali, antiques, and local finds. Bishop made the table from a top of local butternut wood and a trestle from red oak and chestnut kitchen beams scrapped from their renovation. It’s a fitting mix. “Butternut is a local wood and the name of the creek that runs by our house,” says Mulak. “Red oak was a local tree that is now extinct in this area. Many, many meals and celebrations have been shared around this table.”

East, Egypt, and Greece to distill perfumes, potions, and alcohol,” explains Mulak, who ordered hers from a Portuguese company that ’s been making the devices since the 1800s. She began using it to make hydrosols—that is flower water—mixing them with homemade essential oils. “ Together they ’re loaded with aromatics and all the healing properties of the plants,” she says.

Around this time, Mulak met Siso, a musician who hails from Tel Aviv, and the two became an item. It was a road trip on the West Coast that inspired their lifestyle change.

“ We went through Oregon and Northern California and saw people living in nature,” says Siso. “ It occurred to us that we could actually do that too.” They began taking trips to the Catskills, first just to visit, then to look for properties. “After living in New York City for almost 20 years, I suddenly and urgently wanted to be in nature and as far away from my cubicle as possible,” says Mulak. Siso also fell in love with the lush green mountains, and appreciated the opportunity to have his own studio.

The two visited multiple properties before happening on their farmstead in the dead of winter. Even covered in snow, layered with dust, and infested with mice they could see the property ’s potential. They immediately put in an offer and soon it was their new home.

Elementally Inspired

The couple’s first two years living on the property were devoted to restoring the buildings and grounds into a haven. “It took most of our time and energy to work on the home, as well as begin our responsibility stewarding the land,” says Mulak. Before sitting empty, the neglected farmhouse was a rental for many years and hadn’t been significantly renovated since a fire in the 1990s. The couple first tackled the property ’s exteriors, hiring local painter Shana Falana to paint the buildings, and then replaced the farmhouse roof. Siso also restored and rebuilt the farmhouse’s original bluestone patio, including a giant exterior fireplace engraved with the initials of the home’s first builder-owner, Lemul P. Winchell.

The farmhouse interior was the next priority. The four second-floor bedrooms—separated by two Jack-and-Jill style bathrooms—were ideal for hosting retreats and only needed fresh paint. The rambling living room, large enough for a grand piano, several couches, and a large bluestone fireplace and corner pellet stove, was also in good shape.

The kitchen, dining room, and first-floor bathrooms, however, were in dire need of renewal. With the help of Shandaken-based contractor Paula Dutcher, the couple carefully gutted the spaces, salvaging what they could of

the original structure. Initially they hoped to preserve the home’s wide-plank floors but realized there was no insulation underneath. “ We carefully pulled up all of the floorboards, uncovering the original foundation,” recalls Mulak. “Underneath, the tree trunk beams still had bark on them.” They added insulation and then relaid most of the original floorboards. Only the dining room floors had to be scrapped. Mulak and Dutcher then added wildlifeinspired wallpaper to the room and Siso added a half-wall of wainscoting to complement the farmhouse vernacular.

Mulak wanted to create a chef ’s kitchen where guests could gather. “It was important to keep the original cabinets but bring the appliances into modern times,” Mulak says. The team carefully removed the farmhouse cabinetry—restoring both the wood surfaces and the original metal fixtures by removing layers of paint. Mulak then redesigned the kitchen’s layout to create a convivial space. “ The stove and oven layout were based on a design from my Brooklyn apartment,” she explains. “ We had many dinner parties there and I loved how I could be cooking with guests sitting nearby and I didn’t have my back turned to them.” A large central island, topped with a six-burner stove, also includes an extra convection oven, a second sink, and abundant counters.

After reinstalling the restored cabinets, they hired local woodworker Daniel Bishop to create one-of-akind counter tops. “ We handpicked quarter-sawn oak

from Rothe Lumber in Saugerties and then Daniel did his magic to finish it and create a real statement piece,” says Mulak. They added live-edge maple shelving above. The kitchen’s color scheme was inspired by layers of blue, yellow, and green moss Siso found while restoring the patio. The couple borrowed the mossy shade of blue for the cabinetry and painted the kitchen’s Fire Boss woodburning stove bright mossy yellow. “ The wood elements warm up the space and the colors bring nature inside,” explains Mulak.

Farmhouse Elixir

In her down time, Mulak was getting to know the 41-acre property and its thriving fields and forests. Along with the retreat space, she planned to start her own line of herbal remedies. As she began to experiment with what she could create from the native flora, she briefly debated whether “Juniper Grove” was an appropriate business name but ultimately kept it. The day she went live with the company website, Bishop stopped by. The couple told Bishop, who’d served as the property ’s caretaker for years, about the new name. “Great name!” He exclaimed. “Especially given all the juniper trees you have here.” The couple had no idea what Bishop was talking about so he took them on a walk through the wooded landscape. At the property ’s edge, behind the pond, was a juniper grove, just as Mulak had envisioned. “I felt like I’d really come home,” she says.

Adjacent to the living room, the home’s covered porch was in surprisingly good shape when Mulak and Siso moved in. Wrapping around the entire front of the house, the porch enjoys views of the Ashokan Reservoir. Painter Shana Falana updated some leftover cane furniture dark gray and Mulak added a round coffee table from Bali. “I wake up every single morning in awe of where I live,” says Mulak. “I feel honored to be here with this house and with this land. “

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Healing the Unseen

KETAMINE’S ROLE IN UNCOVERING AND RESOLVING DEEP TRAUMA

By Jaime Stathis

Mariah King (not her real name) first remembers feeling anxious in kindergarten, and by the age of 16, she was suicidal. King has been hospitalized multiple times throughout her adult life, partly because it was a safe environment for her to transition from one medication to another. “I consider myself a professional,” King says, “but my real career has been staying alive.”

King is now in her late 40s and has tried all the psych meds, but nothing has worked for her. Her team of psychiatric professionals more or less ran out of ideas, plus, in her early 40s, King had a new stressor in her life—motherhood—which made it more challenging to try new meds and deal with the horrible side effects that included escalating suicidal ideation. “I realized I couldn’t go to the hospital for a month or two and leave my son,” she recalls, “and then I read an article about ketamine in the New York Times.”

King lives in Saugerties and considered Woodstock Healing Arts, but she wanted intravenous infusions, which they don’t do, and she decided it was worth the trek to Albany Ketamine Infusions. Ketamine isn’t covered by insurance, though the therapy sessions before and after may be. King paid a $100 copay for each of her ketamine sessions, though most people pay more in the range of $400. In addition to the monetary expense, ketamine requires an investment of time. Patients meet with their therapist before starting ketamine to get clear on their intentions, there’s

the dosing session, plus integration sessions after each dose. It’s also a gamble—about 30 percent of the population doesn’t respond to ketamine treatments.

The standard ketamine protocol is two sessions per week for two weeks, then one session per week for two more weeks, though some patients do more and some less. There’s also the travel to and from the clinic, which requires a ride because you can’t drive afterward, and taking a day off of work. Desperate to avoid another hospitalization, King took a month-long leave from work to devote to her healing and to give ketamine the best shot at helping her.

“I didn’t feel much after the third dose and still had suicidal ideations, so the doctor upped my dosage,” King recalls. “But after that, it was like an unearthing, and I started going places I didn’t normally go.” King felt the biggest shift around the fifth dose, when she noticed her nervousness was gone and she felt peaceful. “You start to learn what the journey is and how to leverage it,” she explains. “Anxiety was knocking at the door, but it wasn’t coming in.”

About midway through the process, King realized she was still depressed—which doesn’t sound great—but the win came when she realized she was no longer planning her suicide. King and her medical team decided she should do more than the standard six sessions, so they added a few more, and she completed her 10-session series in June 2022. A year later, King is still free of suicidal ideation.

Ketamine Calms Everything Down

David Nidorf, MD, medical director at Wellness

Embodied, a New Paltz psychotherapy clinic that offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), is also an emergency medicine physician at Northern Dutchess Hospital. Dr. Nidorf has administered ketamine in the emergency room for 30 years—for everything from setting bones to repairing face lacerations—and he considers it one of the most important medicines in the world.

Ketamine was first synthesized as an anesthetic and pain reliever in 1962 and approved for human use by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1970. It’s used worldwide, has almost no side effects, and has been on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines since 1985. Ketamine gained a reputation as a club drug in the 1970s and is still used recreationally, which makes some people leery of its therapeutic potential, though Dr. Nidorf says it’s one of the safest medications we have available, and it’s shown remarkable results both for supporting patients during surgery and for treating depression, anxiety, OCD, addiction, eating disorders, and more. “We discovered that people who were getting procedural sedation—and ketamine was a part of that—woke up from surgery and felt better than before then went to sleep, like their depression got lifted a little bit,” Dr. Nidorf says.

Researching ketamine as an antidepressant began in the 1990s, when John Krystal, MD, chief psychiatrist at Yale Medicine, and other doctors

designed a study where they gave ketamine to depressed patients. On the day of treatment, patients reported feeling a little better, which wasn’t too promising, but when the researchers checked in with them the next day, they reported that their depression was gone.

This was a huge shift from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which often relieve the symptoms of depression, but leave patients feeling a bit flat because you can’t selectively numb pain, so life as a whole becomes duller. SSRIs work on serotonin uptake, but research shows that serotonin accounts for only 20 percent of neurotransmitters in the brain, and the other 80 percent are GABA and glutamate. Ketamine triggers glutamate production and allows the brain to form new neural connections. What this looks like for patients is an increase in neuroplasticity and an opportunity to rewire the brain.

Like a Street Sweeper in the Brain Cortney Jefferson was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when she was 17, and over the past 20 years has been on 50 different medications, only two of which were effective. Mostly she’s dealt with crippling side effects from medication and very little reprieve. “It’s been a guessing game,” she says.

Jefferson suffers from treatment-resistant depression, but after six ketamine sessions in 2018, she was able to experience two years of remission from anxiety and depression, and she got to experience life completely off all meds for the first time since she was a teenager. “It was a foreign feeling to feel good,” Jefferson says, and although she now takes some medication again, the meds work better than they did before ketamine therapy, and she’s been able to navigate life’s challenges, which for her have included post-partum depression and divorce. It’s been five years since Jefferson’s initial ketamine therapy, which she did at Albany Ketamine Infusions, and she’s lost track of how many boosters she’s had. She describes the treatment as “a street sweeper for the brain.”

“The boosters work instantly,” Jefferson says, with a mix of reverence and awe, adding that one of her favorite parts of ketamine therapy is the two-week window of neuroplasticity that follows a dosing session. “I take better care of myself all around—I eat better, I exercise, and I surround myself with positive people,” Jefferson says, “which is amazing, considering when I’m depressed I can’t even figure out how to get myself to the grocery store.”

Jefferson has done ketamine through intravenous infusions in Albany and through lozenges at Wellness Embodied. She prefers the infusions because they’re fast-acting, you don’t have to deal with the taste of the lozenges, and the dose can be stronger. With a higher dose comes the increased possibility of dissociation, which can range from a relaxed, dreamlike state to more intense visions or hallucinations. More isn’t always better, and it depends on each patient’s particular

set of circumstances.

When it comes to trauma, Doree Lipson, LCSW-R, SEP, who is the founder and director of Wellness Embodied, says we can have small-t trauma or capital-T trauma, but how we manage it is more about how it lands in the nervous system than the perceived size of it, and unfortunately, we don’t get to choose. “The awareness of what you’re carrying can be transformational,” Lipson says, “and KAP acts as a little bit of an accelerant.”

Ketamine as a standalone can only do so much, and the real emotional work is done by the patient, which is why having a therapist in the room amplifies the benefit more than a higher dose. “Higher doses are not needed for good results,” says Susan M. Scharf, MD, a MAPS-trained (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) physician psychotherapist practicing in New York City and at Woodstock Healing Arts. “Most of my patients successfully use very low doses of ketamine.”

certified anesthesiologist who is the owner and medical director of Albany Ketamine Infusions.  During a ketamine dosing session, patients may have a dissociative experience that allows them to relive their trauma. For those with PTSD (and others), this can be frightening and is best done with a trained therapist in the room. “Some people talk during their sessions and some don’t,” says Brook Nam, LCSW, a psychotherapist at Wellness Embodied. For some patients, it’s just nice to know someone is there in the room with you holding space.

“We may not have words for things because they’re pre-verbal and held in the body,” says Julissa Almonte-Perez, LCSW, a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor at Wellness Embodied. Almonte-Perez explains that bodies often move involuntarily during ketamine sessions. “The body is trying to work it out,” she says.

Whether it’s something a patient has discussed at length during talk therapy or something they’ve buried, psychological discomfort can be difficult to pinpoint. Successful people can still feel imposter syndrome, for example, and someone who grew up in a stable family can still experience fear and anxiety around abandonment. Almonte-Perez says that often people want to access “the thing under the thing,” and ketamine helps them do that.

“There’s a difference between doing ketamine to avoid being present as opposed to using it to excavate,” Almonte-Perez says. Nam says that one of the biggest indications that a patient will have success with KAP is an openness and willingness to go where the medicine takes them because what will manifest during a session is anybody’s guess. “We say, ‘Be with whatever happens without a need to control,’” Nam explains.

Albany Ketamine Infusion encourages patients to have a therapist in the room with them during their ketamine dosing session, but at this time, they don’t require it. At Woodstock Healing Arts and Wellness Embodied, having a therapist in the room is a required part of the process. “For ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, as with any psychotherapeutic work or any process to create change, it is important for the individual to be engaged and committed to building insight and awareness about themselves and their issues,” Dr. Scharf says. “The goal of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is to help heal/resolve the underlying issue(s) so that the individual can lead a more fulfilling life and no longer require ketamine.”

Unearthing the Thing Under the Thing

Many people struggling with mental health issues have lived much of their lives on moodstabilizing medications—such as SSRIs and benzodiazepines—that have trained them not to feel, which is the opposite of what ketamine does. “You can’t get over something unless you go through it,” says Philip Hansen, MD, a board-

“We go in with intention, but we don’t know what the medicine is going to show you,” Almonte-Perez says. “It’s either something around the intention, or it’s the thing that stands in the way of the intention.” The bottom line is an open mind. For people with high anxiety who want to control as much as possible, it can take a while to let go. “You’ll experience less if you try to direct the experience,” she says, “As opposed to letting it be what it needs to be.

Not a Quick Fix

Psychedelics are trendy these days, but there’s no evidence that you can trip your way to happiness and well-being, even with powerful tools like ketamine. That said, ketamine offers hope for people who’ve been suffering from serious mental illness, especially if they’re willing to put in the time, do the work, and set the intention. “Why wouldn’t we want to do everything we can to help people get to a place where they can live without unnecessary suffering,” says Lipson, who has studied Buddhism in addition to her psychology work since 1996. “If there’s a possibility to help people feel better and be better in their communities and for their families without creating more harm, let’s do it,” she says.

“There’s a difference between doing ketamine to avoid being present as opposed to using it to excavate.”

—Julissa Almonte-Perez, clinical supervisor at Wellness Embodied

A Passion for Preservation and Evolution

Warwick

By Jane Anderson Photos by David McIntyre

Michael Forman was a schoolkid when his family moved to Warwick in 1979. “I can remember when everyone came downtown to watch the traffic light get installed,” he says with a laugh. Now a contractor and partner in the year-old Last Whisky Bar, located in Wickham Woodlands, the former Mid-Orange Correctional Facility, Forman notes that traffic—car and pedestrian—makes it quite a bit tougher to move through the village now, especially on the weekends. Having survived the Covid pandemic, the town of Warwick and its three villages—Florida, Greenwood Lake, and Warwick—are thriving centers of business and family life.

The town spans a diverse area: Hikers and snowboarders appreciate the mountains near Sterling Forest, stretching to the Appalachian Trail; boaters skim across Greenwood Lake; farm-fresh food is grown in agricultural centers in Florida and Pine Island; and shopping needs are met on the village of Warwick’s bustling Main Street. New residents are lured by its family-friendly neighborhoods, as well as ample open space afforded by the town’s innovative

Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) initiative, a town fund that “buys” the right to prevent development of farmland, giving the farm owner a monetary boost.

“Our land-preservation program will have a lasting effect,” says town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, who shepherded the preservation of nearly 5,000 acres via the PDR project during his 21-year tenure. The town this year is preserving a 189-acre farm in the Amity area, as well as the 200-acre Astorino farm. And last September the town partnered with the village of Florida to acquire 85 acres adjacent to Glenmere Lake—a key water source in Florida. “Will we run out of land to preserve? We will, actually,” Sweeton says. But, due in large part to PDR, he adds, “Agritourism has taken off and pumped money into the economy. When people go to these agricultural spots, they go into the villages and shop as well.”

The PDR helped secure two huge tracts that benefit residents directly: The 700-acre former Mid-Orange Correctional Facility that now houses businesses and Wickham Woodlands Town Park, including the 166-acre

Jesse Dwyer, incoming supervisor of Town of Warwick and former mayor of Greenwood Lake, at Thomas P. Morahan Waterfront Park on Greenwood Lake.

Wickham

and

Striking a “Wonderful Balance”

Sweeton will be leaving office at the end of 2023. Waiting in the wings is Jesse Dwyer, who ran unopposed for supervisor and held the reins as mayor of Greenwood Lake for a decade. “Mike’s done great work, and it’s my job to continue that legacy,” Dwyer says. “The top priority will be to keep Warwick a farming community and an open space community. It strikes a wonderful balance for those who live in Warwick and for those who want to visit Warwick.”

The town’s popularity—to locals and tourists alike—stems from two things, according to Dwyer: “Nature, because you feel you’re out in the country, and its proximity to New York City.” That’s drawn people who work in Manhattan to live in Greenwood Lake, according to Mayor Matt Buckley, who’s a Greenwood Lake native and retired after 30 years as a city ironworker. Buckley lauds the recreation available

in the village, from live music every Friday and Saturday during the summer at the PDR-paid beachfront Thomas Morahan Park, to the village soccer fields, and the beloved and newly revived Bed Race that’s set to kick off September 9 on Windermere Avenue through the heart of Greenwood Lake. “Everybody gets along, whether they’re locals or vacationers,” Buckley says.

That proximity to Manhattan helped drive a housing boom that began around Covid and hasn’t yet screeched to a stop. In fact, the housing inventory has shrunk slightly, and house prices are on the way up. In April 2023, the median listing home price in Warwick was $599,000, a 2.1 percent increase year-over-year, according to Realtor.com data.

Strong Sense of Community

Warwick Village Mayor Michael Newhard says the village is attractive, both physically and culturally, because village officials are cognizant of the importance of a healthy, interactive, and vibrant community. “We’ve finished the comprehensive master plan for the village,” Newhard says; the village reached out to as many different residents as

On Friday, June 9, residents of Warwick gathered on the village green for a group portrait. Front and center are Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton (L) and Warwick Village Mayor Michael Newhard (R). They are flanking Barbara Green, a Warwick resident for 82 years.

Lake;

Mountain Lake Park, the 85-acre former Kutz Camp abutting the Fuller Preserve. The town acquired the camp in 2020, and it’s now open with pickle ball courts, a town pool, and other amenities.

Top: Arbor Line playing at Last Whisky Bar, located in the Wickham Woodlands complex.

Bottom: Karen Emmerich is the Tree Commissioner of Warwick and owner of Emmerich Tree Farm.

Opposite top: Sculptor Amy Lewis Sweetman of Agrisculpture outside her studio. Sweetman will be installing trails for self-guided walks at Wickham Woodlands this summer.

Opposite bottom: From left, the staff of Albert Wisner Public Library: Diane Rivas, Lauren Hoffman, Linda Yorks, and Director Lisa Laico.

possible for help with it. “We realized people have busy lives, so for them to get to meetings is difficult. We went to our Hispanic community, BIPOC, seniors, youth—voices that often aren’t heard.”

In April, Governor Kathy Hochul named Warwick a bronze-level Climate Smart community. Newhard—who bicycled to work on the morning of a recent interview— noted that Warwick is the first municipality within Orange County to earn that accolade. And he’s proud to note that the village is “pro-pollinator,” after proclaiming itself a Monarch Village with the aim of protecting those delicate orange butterflies. The volunteer Warwick Valley Gardeners are helping, along with beautifying the village, by filling planters throughout the village with flowers and plants.

“Pride of place is a good starting point, and it strengthens the community here,” Newhard says.

Despite its growth, the town of Warwick has maintained its small-town feel. That’s a hallmark in the small village of Florida, whose Polish ancestry is evident in the Florida Bakery & Deli’s authentic pierogi and goulash. “We are very proud of our tight knit community. It’s a great place to live,” says Mayor Daniel Harter. “We currently are hard at work on our infrastructure in order to prepare for the future.”

John and Peggy Christison are banking on a good future for Yesterday’s, the restaurant and bar that was a

mainstay on Warwick’s Main Street for over 35 years. The Christisons closed that location in December, and are building a new Yesterday’s around the corner on Elm Street. “The area has changed over the years,” John says.

“When we first opened, I served steak and potatoes. Now we’ve evolved to include king crab legs, and we make our own fresh mozzarella. But it’s remained a family restaurant—everyone’s tastes change, that’s all.”

He’s proud to have had four generations of families come through the door, as well as welcoming new neighbors.

“People are coming here for the lifestyle,” John says.

“Warwick is popular for having a thriving Main Street. One of the biggest changes over the years is that a business doesn’t have to be on Main Street now—people will find you, whether it’s via Google or Yelp or word of mouth.”

Families are loyal to their favorite watering holes, and the businesses are loyal to them in return, according to the Christisons. “We have a 35-foot bar, and we had to move it from Main Street to our new location,” John recalls. “We put the call out on Facebook for help moving it. On a Tuesday afternoon, 90 people showed up. Warwick Valley Auto Body brought their flatbed, we loaded the bar on the flatbed, and moved it around the corner to the new location. The amount of support by the community is unimaginable.”

Alexander Ewald, owner of Warwick Valley Iron & Wood, photographed in his studio.

Boats docked at DeFeo’s Marina on Greenwood Lake. The nearly 2,000-squarefoot lake is a recreational draw for the region.

Sylwia Kubasiak and Arek Kwapinski opened the Old Stone House restaurant in 2021 after five years of renovations to the c.1773 General John Hathorn Stone House.

Sylwia Kubasiak and Arek Kwapinski found that same sense of community when they bought the c.1773 General John Hathorn Stone House in 2016. A diamond in the rough, the historic house needed a major overhaul before the couple unveiled their new restaurant, the Old Stone House Inn, five years later.

“In Poland, where we are from, it’s impossible to own a historic building—they are only owned by the government. But here, you can own a historic home,” Kubiasak explains. They were careful to honor the history of the house, to the point of designating one dining room the History Room with artifacts found onsite and donated by the Warwick Historical Society. When they moved to the area, they bought a home in nearby Hewitt, New Jersey. “When we took our first trip to Warwick, we said to each other, ‘OMG, why didn’t we know about this place?’” she says. “It became our destination for everything—spending time at the farms, the surrounding areas, it’s just beautiful. We loved the old houses; we just like the vibe here. We would bring friends here for day trips and show them around. I felt like I was showing them a gem of a place.”

Passion and Preservation

If there’s a soundtrack in the town, it’s provided by WTBQ, the local radio station that’s been broadcasting since 1969. Independently owned by Frank R. Truatt for the past 29 years, the station hosts live call-in shows and plays Billboard-charted songs from every genre and decade. Airing on 1110 AM and 93.5 FM, the station reaches three million listeners throughout the Hudson Valley as well as New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Truatt puts local officials on the air, giving listeners the opportunity to talk directly with their elected representatives.

Forman says that not everyone in town agrees on issues all the time. But he trusts the process. “I’m skeptical of how some businesses will benefit the village, but I think Warwick is going to be fine,” he says. “A lot of people care—if they didn’t care, there wouldn’t be a fight about anything.”

Like many native Warwickians, Forman is nostalgic for the time when the Pioneer Diner downtown served a regular rotation of tradespeople: “Like clockwork, farmers would come to eat at 4:30am, the contractors after, then the schoolteachers. It was a tradition, a neat routine. There were a lot of farmers in Warwick back then. A lot more farms.”

“I think the politicians in Warwick have done a good job preserving open space,” he says. “It has kept a lot of farm spaces open. I’m not sure if it’s kept a lot of farmers here, but that seems to be the nature of the beast in these times. We should try to maintain what makes it a great place. It’s a good, solid community that invests in itself. It’s done a good job evolving, and people are passionate enough to keep it evolving in the right direction.”

Top: Tara Whitsitt opened cafe/provisions shop Drifter Ferments on Oakland Avenue in 2021.

Bottom: Peter Artusa, owner of Pine Island Tap House.

Wandering out of Warwick

The Warwick Valley in southern Orange County is located just an hour from New York City, yet it feels like a world away. The region’s famously fertile black dirt has provided a mighty harvest for generations of farmers who sowed the seeds for its modern-day villages rich with history, culture, and bucolic charm.

Sugar Loaf NY Arts & Crafts Village Chamber

of Commerce

Sugar Loaf, NY

(845) 570-5189

Sugarloafnewyork.com

Over 50+ shops, restaurants and places to explore! If you’re looking for an unusual place to find eclectic and beautiful things, to spend some time strolling, shopping, and enjoying yourself, come visit Sugar Loaf Arts and Crafts Village.

269 Main Street, Goshen, NY

(845) 294-5526

Stagecoachny.com

The Hudson Valley’s premiere guest house and intimate event venue. The inn boasts five deluxe sleeping rooms, new American dining every Thursday through Saturday, plus a unique event space on 3 acres in the heart of the Hudson Valley.

Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs

Sugar Loaf, NY

(845) 469-6460

Sugarloafherbs.com

Herbal and tea shop open yearround for all your herbal pleasures. Specializing in our own herbal blends, a large assortment of teas, spices and dried herbs. Essential oils and skincare. Dried florals are available and are grown in Sugar Loaf. Fresh bouquets, potted herbs and flowers are available in season

3301-3317 Route 207, Goshen, NY (845) 596-5403

Goshengreenfarm.com

A farm and market focused on building community through food, art, and education. Our Farm-toFood Truck with Chef Anbu’s AsianIndian Fusion is open 11am-4pm, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Join us for Upstate Art Weekend, July 2124, 11am-6pm. Enjoy the beautiful creations of our featured artists.

The Stagecoach Inn

Goshen Green Farm

Courtesy of Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce

The Village of Sugar Loaf

sound check John Burdick

Each month here we visit with a member of the community to find out what music they’ve been digging.

Loma Suyo Agata (Independent)

Loma Suyo is a brilliant, bilingual band based out of Boiceville. The duo is composed of singer-songwriter Liz Fullerton and multi-instrumentalist and producer Ish Quintero, and Agata is their second full-length album. Quintero grew up in Colombia; Fullerton in Mexico. By mixing South American folk instrumentation with modern electronic textures, the group fashions a fresh, new style of folktronica. Drawing as much from Tropicalia as from trip-hop, at times Loma Suyo recalls Manu Chao’s Clandestino blended with Portishead’s Dummy. The vibe is relaxed, the exotica references are subtle, and the net effect is enchanting.

“Danza” features Fullerton’s sensuous Spanish vocals in a minor key over rhythmically strummed guitar with touches of Andean harp and tropical jungle noise. “Good Company” is a yearning, romantic song sung in English over chill, ambient grooves, showing Fullerton’s bilingual dexterity. “Lupuna” reveals whiffs of Peruvian pan pipes and charango, a lute typically used by the Quechua people. The lyrically positive “Call and Response,” the liveliest track, is punctuated with flute and accented by percussive elements such as guiro, congas, and maracas. “New Shapes” pulls the listener gently into trance while “Suenos” is a lullaby that asks in Spanish, “How did you sleep my love? How were your dreams?” It’s all dreamy work, indeed. “Patterns of Light” states that “Sounds is the most ancient thing. Sound is how it came to be.” By cleverly combining the traditional with the contemporary, Loma Suyo takes the listener on a meditative musical journey and gently breaks new ground.

—Mike Cobb

I’ve been moved by local artist Frank Bango’s The Truth Fox. It’s a beautiful and sometimes sobering set of songs that speak right to where I am at in life. My bandmate Jesse Doherty of Battle Ave turned me on to the band Alvvays. They sound like a lot of other lush hybrid electronic indie pop projects to me, but their command of harmony is arresting and beautiful. Everything about it is. I liked it so much that I immediately looked for things to dislike. Defensive listening is a thing sometimes. I am always into solo piano music. Brad Mehldau’s album of Beatles songs is deliriously good. Even more to my liking is Dan Tepfer’s Inventions/Reinventions, in which he plays Bach’s famous inventions and fills out the sequence with his own deep, tonal improvisations. It’s an idea he first explored on The Goldberg Variations Variations a decade ago. Contemporary classical has been on my mind. The Icelandic composer Anna Porvaldsdottir and her geologic forms. The amazing Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who just passed away. Every week, I’ve been listening to Sustain, an orchestral piece by Andrew Norman recorded by Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I think it might be the most mysterious and transporting concert piece I’ve ever heard. Get yourself in a good frame of mind (wink, wink) and in a comfortable chair in your best listening space and give yourself to it for half an hour. It is incredible.

John Burdick is music critic at Hudson Valley One and performs with the Sweet Clementines, Battle Ave, and other bands.

Scott Petito Many Worlds (Planet Arts Records)

On one hand, Many Worlds is the latest release from stellar Catskill bassist/engineer Scott Petito. On the other, as Petito says in the brief liner notes, “music exists in its highest form when it is done in collaboration.” So, no surprise that despite playing, producing, recording, mixing, mastering, and penning all tracks, save Lyle Mays’s elegiac “Close to Home,” Petito cobills fellow masters Randy Brecker, Mino Cinelu, Peter Erskine, Steve Gadd, Larry Grenadier, Bashiri Johnson, Mike Mainieri, Simon Phillips, and others. The resulting eight tracks traverse global jazz from the airy opener “Dabwala,” featuring wordless vocals from Anna Maria Jopek; to the busier, but beautiful, “Bombogenesis,” which hangs on a sax line from Yellowjacket Bob Mintzer; to the leader’s subtle, yet harmonically rich solo effort on the title track. As Petito adds, “the interplay of lines and harmony offered by each individual meld into new pathways of creativity.”

—Michael Eck

The Trike The Trike (Independent)

Peekskill trio the Trike play punchy, unvarnished rock ’n’ roll with touches of punk, prog, reggae, and a whole lotta late-’80s/early-’90s college radio: Think Fables of the Reconstruction-era R.E.M. with more crunch, Camper Van Beethoven with less wiseassery, or Matthew Sweet with Hudson Valley dirt under his fingernails. On their self-titled debut EP, they make the unusual move of presenting the same six songs twice—first in mixes by lead vocalist/guitarist Fred Gillen, Jr., then the same recordings (albeit in a different running order) mixed by bassist/ keyboardist John Banrock. It’s an interesting experiment, at least in theory, though Gillen and Banrock serve up only slightly varied sonic interpretations of their material. Banrock’s mixes come off a little stronger to these ears; but in both cases, the ringing, emotional “Ghosts,” the loping travelogue “Kathmandu,” and the bumper-stickerwaiting-to-happen “Don’t Die in the Waiting Room of the Future” stand out as the record’s most endearing tracks.

—Dan Epstein

V is for Victory: Franklin Roosevelt’s American Revolution and the Triumph of World War II

Craig Nelson SIMON AND SCHUSTER, 2023, $32

At a time when the United States military was trained in bombing with bags of flour and equipped with no more than 300 planes to defend the entire country, President Franklin D. Roosevelt saw something that few others did: a path to victory by putting the US’s bluecollar workers back to work making arms. Nelson’s meticulously researched book dives into a frequently overlooked corner of World War II history in which global triumph began on US soil. It’s a familiar account enriched with fascinating details of how one president helped to end the Great Depression, subjugate fascism throughout the world, and create an economic and military superpower.

Lucky Red

Claudia Cravens

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, 2023, $27

In 1877, 16-year-old Bridget takes a job at a woman-run brothel in Dodge City and is heartened by the security and friendship that she finds there. Her comfort and community are soon threatened when a number of dangerous individuals arrive in town, one of whom is a famous female gunfighter who Bridget develops a deep passion for. Bard graduate Cravens strikes the Western genre with something entirely new, a gripping story of queerness, feminism, thrilling adventure, and the intensity of human connection.

Knowing What We Know

Simon Winchester

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS, 2023, $35

Math, map reading, and memorization—does anyone need these skills anymore? Is the treasure trove of facts at our fingertips depriving us of the ability to think critically and retain information? In the past few decades, humanity has gradually uploaded the information that once lived in our minds onto the internet, and the value of knowledge has begun to diminish. Winchester has published over a dozen books, including The Professor and the Madman, and spent a lifetime cultivating and sharing his own knowledge. The 78-year-old resident of Westchester, Connecticut, considers how humans discover, retain, and pass on information from one generation to the next.

How to Lose a Friend and Influence No One Mary

Giuliani

GOLDEN NOTEBOOK PRESS, 2023, $20

When the whole world shut down in March of 2020, celebrity party planner Mary Giuliani found herself caught in a moment when there were no parties to be had. Born of the pandemic, part-time Woodstock resident Giuliani began to grapple with her constant existential internal dialog. With her personal wit and humor apparent from the very first line, this collection of essays offers Giuliani’s contemplations of the big questions like “What is it all about?” interwoven with anecdotes of the business she’s created, the relationships she’s cultivated, and the celebrities she’s mingled with.

3003 Days of Mike & Me / And the War Between Us Martha Donegan

INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED, 2023, $21.99

When Martha Donegan reconnected with an old classmate at the Vietnam Veteran Memorial dedication in 1982, it wasn’t long before she was wrapped in a 3,003-day love story formed within the shadow of the war. Donegan’s memoir documents the wonders and tragedies of her relationship with Vietnam veteran Michael Creamer, living together in Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut, as well as the long distance they endured during his three-year reenlistment in the army. Donegan’s writing, accompanied by letters from Creamer, create a painfully accurate tale of the direct and enduring impact of the Vietnam War on its veterans and their loved ones. Donegan will read and sign at the Wish House in West Cornwall on July 29, from 2 to 3:30pm.

—Lily

Anninger

The Quiet Tenant Clemence Michallon KNOPF, 2023, $28

This riveting and bracing psychological suspense novel is told from the perspectives of several women who are bound, by either circumstance or chance, to Aidan Thomas. Aidan is a young, handsome, well-respected family man in their small, rural community who’s also a predator leading a terrifying secret life committing unforgivable crimes sexually assaulting and murdering women. It’s a story taken straight out of the headlines of our modern lives: women missing, held captive, murdered, tortured, gone forever. Or, if found again, reclusive in their new lives as survivors, damaged in ways it is impossible to understand. Stories like this have become so common an occurrence today that we risk becoming immune to the impact of the deep and lingering tragedy of these brutal, life-altering events for the victims and their loved ones.

The Quiet Tenant, with its expansive plot, is much more than a crime story: it is a story of female strength, survival, and being human. Michallon’s vivid, powerful prose and the use of only the female voices, shares what it means to exist, love, and form relationships as a woman living in such disturbing, harrowing times. The perpetrator of these insidious crimes, Aidan, is given no voice to boast of his work as a serial killer, although his mere presence, sinister stalking, and the implied cruelty he inflicts on his victims is terror-inducing.

Unfolding in excellently structured, alternating chapters from the perspectives of his “tenant” and current victim, Rachel, his 13-year-old daughter, Cecilia, and new love interest, Emily, and intertwined with vignettes from the last moments of his nine nameless victims, suspense and psychological tension builds at a heart-pounding pace that will keep you up at night.

We meet Rachel in the opening chapter, “The woman in the shed,” a place where she has been held captive for five years and where she has convinced herself that “every woman has one.” A man who arrives at night, unlocks the door, tends to her most basic physical needs of food, water, grooming, and then rapes her. It is easier for her to survive thinking that; believing that no one is free. And, although her name is not Rachel, that is the name he gave her when he began to teach her the new rules of the world. “Your name is Rachel, he said, and no one knows who you are.” She became Rachel in order to save herself.

Aidan, the man who happens to be hers (he is nameless to her) is forced to find a new home for he and his daughter, Cecilia, to live when his wife dies. When he tells Rachel that her time in the shed is about to end, she convinces him to take her with him: knowing that if he does not, she will die. Having learned the rules for staying alive in the shed, she uses rule number two, “he is always right and I am always sorry,” to convince him that he needs her. He has no choice but to bring her along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay.

Aidan is confident that Rachel is too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. When Rachel, now chained in an upstairs bedroom, becomes “the woman in the house,” and is introduced to Cecilia, she realizes that Cecilia, who is experiencing her own teenage angst and grief, might be the lifeline she has been waiting for. As Aidan strategically integrates Rachel into their lives, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia.

Meanwhile Aidan’s new love interest, Emily, a young waitress at the local cafe, is succumbing to his charms and her budding curiosity about him draws her into Rachel and Cecilia’s world and closer to Aidan’s secrets. Throughout, insights are given into the lives of these women—which is where the power of this book lies. Rachel shares moments of her life as a young woman studying, writing, having a new boyfriend and dealing with family issues. She tells of a terrifying night out when she was roofied. “The glass didn’t have a lid. You were dancing.” An incident that ultimately, several months later, led her to the place where she was easily abducted. Emily shares the timeline of her relationship with Aidan, recalling Aidan helping her family when she was a child. Seemingly unconnected stories that showcase their vulnerability at the hands of a serial killer. Powerful, scary, and thought-provoking, I hope there is a sequel.

—Jane Kinney Denning

Bathtub

We’re gathered, and the tears not wandered dissolve to bathwater your mouth hanging open, I’m watching, smiling vacantly, how long we’ve been dissolving I don’t know what I was smoking isn’t lit anymore and hangs delicately in my draped hand we’re blinking slowly, not afraid to miss a moment because this lasts forever the waves between us are man made on common ground, my foot, my legs creating the storm like god, as I reach down, down, down to where you are, seeing it all unfold in the ever graying water the things not being said creep in along the sides with the gray, a gray loveliness of glances and movements hardly understood and your pleasure adorns my eyelashes, mine adorns the tub, this exodus of silence in a six by ten bathroom lasting weeks or months so pure but so complex a wanting rippling between our thighs against the porcelain, almost clinging to something rooted deep beneath the bathtub reaching out and digging down to see what we buried under that clawfooted monstrosity, est-ce que c’est la vraie vie?

I’m watching us get awfully sad awfully young, watching us cast things off your head rolls against the wall, eyes shut and mouth open again, what will I do in the summer, I’m wondering, when my lips wilt and nectarine dries out tired will I decide your canine teeth don’t make me furious, whispering prayers on a kitchen counter whispering amen when you turn over in your sleep and peel yourself off my back, because honestly thank god for the open windows and the fireflies flitting in and out soon enough you’ll hate the way I laugh and I’ll hate the way you thrust your way into things, but now, right now, I love the way you move, the way you look right now with your head to the wall and water snaking down your chest, I love it all I haven’t yet found fault with you but months from now with no one to relieve us I promise I will, and though you’re too far away in your mind to tell me, so will you you’re so far away as your eyes come back to meet my smile, I see smoke come from your ears trying to make sense of my feet and my attempt to smoke what is no longer lit, the water so gray now that you’re surprised by the things I do I’m silently grateful we’re still surprising each other, perhaps we should move and drip ourselves into another room, where the flowers bloom but I can’t bring myself to move in any way other than how I am now, and you can’t bring yourself to stop me, not now, definitely not now, our breath is united over a clawfoot tub in a quiet house, I look about myself and try to see past the haze of content brilliance that glistens at the bottom of the tub, and find I’m blind after you I’ll keep myself draped here forever if it stays like this, ce n’est pas la vraie vie.

—M. R. Silver-Altman

Not a Love Story

Some of the best love stories are the ones that did not happen. The ones that ended before they began. They will always be full of hope, and potential. Giggles and mystery.

To be looked back upon with the smile of someone who just shared the most personal inside joke. Those love stories will not be riddled with hurt, or resentment. They will linger on with promise in the land of what if. Where you can visit, whenever you want.

—Norina Vigeant

Spaces

Now that I am at your mercy we reveal our empty spaces now that I’ve breathed you in you are constant—you are constant

Within all of us is the same wanting when I wake for the night I search for it in you the heat of all wanting, it is waning Now we add to the weight of all things, for we have been borrowed, for the heat of us, for our long lives

I writhe in your grip now now that you fill up these spaces—until we met I had often dreamt of negating all

Longing, all of each kind, now the kind for which we are born broken and the earthly kind where we add in great numbers You move silently in me for one another we have been borrowed borrowed by the world for the heat of us

—Jack Quigley

Quiet Dark Places

Like the upstairs closet

On your back looking up at your father’s neckties

The thin, old wood Hoping to stop Hoping to stop time

—Matthew Cronin

Ode to an Amateur Golfer for my son Brad at age 39

A young boy clutching a passel of sticks, cap slightly askew, clad against the autumn chill in a blue sweater with a row of white flags across the chest, out-of-focus yellow maple leaves visible in the background, a young boy, my boy, at age two about to run away from home, but caught in the act… When you were four, I took you to the golf course with irons and woods, your new sticks. You spent hours in greenside sand pots learning how to make bunker shots that came to rest near the cup, the ups and downs serving you well as you rose through the ranks to be named the region’s player of the year.

—Jim Tilley

Who Can Hear a Love Song?

The Kauai O’o stopped singing decades ago. Its lilting, bell-like sounds drifted like silken strands through jungle forests, lifted air in humid wetlands, shifted rainbowed skies. One hopeful mating call can still be heard on tape. The last male chirps, whistles, sighs for thrill of romance. The female, dead five years now, will not reply. Still, his voice rises through mist and rain. Bright yellow feathers shuffle against dark brown plumage as he shifts long legs to better amplify his song through tangled vines. As he tries to court her with twinkling trills of music, does he ever question why silence is her sole retort? Or does he, like poets everywhere, design words, stir, spill, spin them aloft, in prayer that a passionate audience will appear.

—Mary K. O’Melveny

Cut Flowers

Cut like the early morning lily flush with fragrance and majesty she’s distracted by the naivety of pomp and vanity. Despite the wound she is determined to bloom as the scar forms her colors gloom he who cut her does not water. She gives to fatigue harmed her petals sigh once held high her head, now hangs dry.

—Meghan Pribeck

Woodstock Times

In the Almanac, hip-to-hip with penny socials, potluck dinners, tractor safety classes, knitting circles, you’ll find workshops on how to find your spirit animal, recycle candle wax, fly a kite, learn tai chi, I Ching, qigong, sit in silent meditation, cleanse your chakras with celestial channeling, find your cause with speed activism, and yoga, kids yoga, yoga pizza parties, reggae yoga.

The drumming circle thunders its herd of hoofs over the Village Green: sweet, slow djembés, fat, wet congas, the chomp and spank, punch and thump, noise—peaceful noise.

There is no head nor tail, only a whirling dervish of hands, torsos of our tribe becoming one talking drum. I go to The Lodge to stare at the clock made from Levon’s guitars. The bartender handshakes

cannabis to a man in black and his missus and they, too, are my tribe. But what I love is the way ideals are worn on organic cotton sleeves, how music rings from reclaimed woods, how poetry drips from each native honeyed tongue.

—Lissa Kiernan

First Aid

The robin takes her evening bath in the little pond, fluttering her feathers amidst water hyacinths and fallen dogwood petals; the image, for the moment, sutures the grief, with a smile.

—Lyla Yastion

Guilty as Charged

Guilty of never wondering why he was the only black child in my Catholic elementary school

Guilty of never questioning if he really was as mean as others said or just too tall and different Guilty of not recalling now if he had friends at school or why I didn’t want to be one myself But then I was only seven then eight then nine and too young to know something was wrong

Guilty when I was a little older for never being curious about why one side of town was white the other side across the big boulevard was all black and that I shouldn’t ride my bike there

Guilty years later of not being surprised to hear that he had ended up jailed and then killed not disturbed why his end seemed as predestined as was my escape from town to a better life

Guilty too many times over more than 60 years of not noticing or caring enough to question why so many thousands like him have died for no reason beyond the reality of their blackness Wondering after finally awakening to the history of enslavement that continues to fester here if I had befriended him so long ago and come to understand the obstacles he faced in living that I might have done more since then to help right a horrible wrong and feel less guilty now

—James DelViscio

There is a Stillness

There is a stillness that only comes After the dying is done When that brave life, well lived, Has departed the daybed. Her head still tilts towards a whisper None of us can hear, Her undefended eye, slightly open Reveals a whorl of darkness Where blue once flickered. The skin pulled from hip to hip Fingers planked and pale Feet formidable but finished. Playfulness rises from the custodians Whose holy work is finally done— Their laughter drifts from the kitchen On the smell of reheated pizza. The fading afternoon still comes on Piercing the elm’s branches, Turning undisturbed dust to gold, Lighting beloved pictures one last time. We huddle here together Blessed by a quiet that reminds us Once again why we set out to love This confusing miracle

An unceasing invitation

We can neither keep nor lose.

—Kemp Battle

A Garden of One’s Own

After a line by Jorge Luis Borges

Let others boast of pages they’ve written, I take pride in those I’ve read, when the afternoon has taken that surprising turn instead, and my hand holds an old deluxe copy with that boon of a page that makes my eyes sway like a caterpillar weaving its cocoon and my head nod in unrestrained delight about how Character A has described Character B without knowing that C has also access to me and is revealing how fishy A’s descriptions are. I take my pick and submit A, B, and C to my own dubious fancy. My pride is that of a collector of literary specimens cultivated by others so that I can trim and pin each of them to my garden of human experience like butterflies.

—Diego Antoni

2023 CHRONOGRAMMIES

4TH ANNUAL READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Four years in, and we’re more excited than ever to announce the 2023 Chronogrammies Readers’ Choice Awards.

Let’s quantify this year’s vote tally: Close to 25,000 readers participated, casting over 340,000 ballots across 268 categories.

Some repeat winners include Top Taste (Caribbean), Dallas Hot Wieners (Cheap Eats), and Rossi’s (Deli and Sandwich). First-time winners include Hudsy (Arts Organization) and Daffodils (Gift Shop). We also had one winner which closed during Chronogrammies voting, but we kept them in anyway in tribute—High Falls’ institution The Egg’s Nest (Nachos) shut its doors this spring.

Some fun facts: The Bakery category was broken up this year into sweet and savory due to popular demand. Sweet was definitely the more competitive with Emily’s Cookie Co. just slightly edging out Meltaway in one of the most hotly contested categories. Another tight contest was the New Restaurant

category, with Upstate Taco in Stone Ridge barely beating Rosie in Kingston. Annual Event was the most popular new category, and Woodstock Film Fest took home the honors—it probably helped that they used a photo of Ethan Hawke for promotion. And a tip of the hat to 90 Proof Band, who received the most votes out of any category—they really know how to galvanize their fans.

And for the first time this year, we will be throwing a Chronogrammies party to celebrate all the winners! Please join us on Thursday, August 24, from 6-8:30pm at Hudson House Distillery in West Park for an evening of celebration. See page 25 for more details.

Congratulations to all the Chronogrammies winners and a big thanks to readers and supporters. The “Readers’ Choice” Awards are nothing without you, our readers!

P.S. Scan the QR code to the left and take a moment to appreciate the impressive variety of victory dances executed by this year’s winners.

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION

Affordable Housing Organization

1st Gateway Hudson Valley

RUPCO 3rd Ulster County Habitat for Humanity

Animal Welfare Organization

1st Ulster County SPCA

2nd Nothing But Love Canine Foundation

3rd Dutchess County SPCA

Environmental Organization

1st Scenic Hudson

2nd Catskill Center for Conservation and Development

3rd Riverkeeper

Food Justice Organization

1st People’s Place

2nd Kingston YMCA Farm Project

3rd Red Hook Responds

LGBTQIA+ Organization

1st Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center

2nd Defense of Democracy

3rd Queer Kingston

Public Health Organization

1st Planned Parenthood - Kingston Health Center

2nd Gateway Hudson Valley

3rd Hudson Valley Hospice

Racial Justice Organization

1st YWCA Ulster County

2nd Black Lives Matter Hudson Valley

3rd Rise Up Kingston

Maker

Cheyenne Mallo Pottery

Social Justice Organization

1st YWCA Ulster County

2nd Rise Up Kingston

3rd Grannies Respond / Abuelas RespondenHudson Valley Chapter

Youth Advocacy Organization

1st AWARENESS Inc Peer to Peer

2nd YWCA Ulster County

3rd Boys & Girls Clubs of Ulster County

ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Annual Event

1st Woodstock Film Festival

2nd O+ Festival

3rd Dutchess County Fair

Art Classes

1st Woodstock School of Art

2nd Kingston Ceramics Studio

3rd Women’s Studio Workshop

Art Gallery

1st Pinkwater Gallery

2nd Studio 89 in Highland

3rd Emerge Gallery & Art Space

Art Museum

1st Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

2nd MASS MoCA

3rd Woodstock Artists Association & Museum

Arts Organization

1st HUDSY TV 2nd Woodstock Film Festival

Art Omi

One thing is for sure about the area we live in: It’s got a lotta hills and valleys. Cheyenne Mallo Pottery celebrates those undulations in pottery traced with local topography, earning their studio a Chronogrammie in the Maker category.

A perfect souvenir of a favorite trail, or a memento of a happy occasion, Cheyenne Mallo and Zac Schiff’s pieces—from mugs to trays, utensil holders, and bowls, even tile-bearing Hudson River maps for kitchen backsplashes— feature wavy lines against a stark white background.

“I had previously used map imagery in my print work, but when I moved to the Hudson Valley and started hiking in the Catskills, I had one of those lightbulb moments one day when I realized that I could put a map of the hike I had just done onto one of my pots!,” Mallo says. “The first few maps I put on my pottery were of hikes that I had done myself, but, over time, our line has evolved to include hikes that neither of us have done yet, like some of the national parks. We think of those as our hiking bucket list!”

Cinema

1st Upstate Films (Rhinebeck and Saugerties): Starr Cinema and Orpheum

2nd Rosendale Theatre 3rd Lyceum Cinemas

Dance Studio/Classes

1st Center for Creative Education

2nd Take the Leap Dance Studio

3rd Ballet School of Kingston (formerly the Anne Hebard School of Ballet)

Historical Site/Museum

40

Innisfree Garden

DRINK

Bartender

1st Randy Benson, Old Drovers Inn

2nd Louie Barbaria, Catskill Mountain Moonshine

3rd Katie Drao, Snug Harbor

Beer List (Bar/Restaurant)

1st West Kill Supply

2nd Rough Draft Bar & Books

3rd Bacchus Restaurant, Brewery & Billiards

Mallo, originally from Wisconsin, was a printmaker until a 2011 move to the Hudson Valley changed her medium. “I found an amazing ceramics community through an internship at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale,” she says.

In 2018, Mallo faced a “massive” holiday ornament project when her partner Zac pitched in, according to Mallo. “From that point on, we’ve been working together full-time,” Mallo says. “Literally every piece of pottery that comes out of our studio has been worked on by both of us.” A couple thousand pieces come out of the electric kiln each year, in a shed near the studio in Mallo and Schiff’s home in Olivebridge. Cheyenne Mallo Pottery welcomes commission requests, too. “It’s really cool seeing people valuing and using handmade objects instead of mass-produced goods,” Mallo says.

Cheyenne Mallo Pottery is available at various regional retailers as well as via Etsy.

—Jane Anderson

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Bloody Mary

1st Ship to Shore

2nd PAKT / Lekker 209 / Glory Whole

3rd Red Onion Brewery

1st West Kill Brewing

2nd Keegan Ales

3rd Arrowood Farms

Cidery

1st Brooklyn Cider House

2nd Rose Hill Winery & Cidery

3rd Angry Orchard

Craft Cocktails (Bar/ Restaurant)

1st Old Drovers Inn

2nd Catskill Mountain Moonshine Co.

3rd Stockade Tavern

Distillery

1st Catskill Mountain Moonshine Co.

2nd Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery

3rd The Hudson House & Distillery

Dive Bar

1st Tubby’s

2nd Snug Harbor

3rd Exchange Hotel

Margarita

1st Santa Fe Uptown

2nd Armadillo

3rd Casa Vallarta Mexican Restaurant

Martini

1st Hoffman House

2nd Red Onion

3rd Ship to Shore

Jewelry Store

Lewis and Pine Jewelry

New Bar (2022-present)

1st Catskill Mountain Moonshine Co.

2nd The Lemon Squeeze

3rd Goodnight Kenny

Tasting Room

1st West Kill Supply

2nd The Hudson House & Distillery

3rd Vosburgh Brewing Company

Wine List (Bar/Restaurant)

1st Brunette

2nd Terrapin

3rd WYLDE Hudson

Winery

1st Red Maple Vineyard

2nd Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery

3rd Robibero Winery

EDUCATION & LEARNING

Classes/Workshops

1st ClubASL®

2nd YWCA

FAMILY FUN

FINANCE & SERVICES

Sometimes the most eye-catching traits of handmade jewelry are subtle organic lines or imperfectly polished gems, mimicking the shapes and textures we find in nature. Jewelry designer and boutique owner Yali Lewis intentionally— and literally—takes inspiration from the outdoors in her Botanical Collection jewelry line, using actual found twigs, leaves, and rocks to create molds that form one-of-a-kind pieces.

The collection features earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings made from a potpourri of sustainably sourced natural findings. The objects go through a process called lost-wax casting, during which the organic material burns out and leaves a space that she pours silver or gold into. From there, the new object produced is shaped into its final form. You’ll see designs such as twigs collected on nature walks that become bracelets, sage leaves from her own garden turned into delicate silver charms, or small granite chunks that become stud earrings.

Her boutique, Lewis and Pine—a Beacon mainstay for the past five years, with a recently opened second outpost in Cold Spring—won this year’s Jewelry Store Chronogrammie.

- Cetera Investors

Law Firm

1st Mainetti & Mainetti PC

2nd Basch & Keegan LLP

3rd Ingram Law Firm

“I aim to make jewelry that’s unique to Lewis and Pine, sometimes taking classic forms like hoops and putting a spin on them to make it my own,” Lewis says. “It’s a distinct style that people are starting to tell me they can recognize outside of my shop.”

Although the boutique also carries candles and a few handmade items from vendors, the focus is on the delicate designs Lewis creates at her nearby studio. She’s been working with metals for decades and studied fine arts in college and grad school—the arts being another major theme found in her work.

“Besides the Botanical Collection, another inspiration is contemporary art and design,” she says. “I work at Dia:Beacon in adult education, so I find myself inspired by other artists all the time.” She cites Richard Serra as a key modern art inspiration, but also has an entire collection paying homage to women architects.

Lewis’s interpretation of art and nature, and how the two threads weave together, allows her to create elegant, timeless designs. “Nature acts as the through-line that connects the other aesthetic,” she says. “It’s the basis for the expression of my art.”

—Melissa Esposito

through JP’s father, Dr. John Sabia, who was Director of the Emergency Room and Vice President of Medical Affairs at Northern Dutchess Hospital for several decades.

“Our approach is personal. It reflects places we traveled, people we meet, and drinks we love to enjoy,” says Thomas. Emma lived and worked in Napa Valley for nearly a decade, managing marketing and communications strategies for global wineries. She is a Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers), Certified Wine Professional (Culinary Institute of America) and Level 4 Diploma student with the Wines & Spirits Education Trust (WSET).

The shop’s global selection of wine and spirits is constantly evolving and includes a range of nationally recognized brands, small family-owned organic and natural producers, and local wine, cider, and spirits. With bottles from around the world, the selection goes beyond the expected to showcase alternative varieties and accessible styles that people enjoy drinking every day.

Drawing inspiration from the Hudson Valley, the pair make an effort to support local beverage makers. They dedicate an area of the store for local producers, and hosted recent tastings with makers from Branchwater Farms, C. Cassis, Coppersea Distilling, and Accordion Wines. “Supporting local beverage makers is one of our priorities. There is a rich drinks history in the Hudson Valley, and the landscape continues to be shaped today by the diversity and creativity of local makers,” Sabia

The range of offerings and price points means The Bottle Shop has something for everyone. “The main criteria is that it be delicious,” says Thomas. “Many of the selections are organic because we believe in supporting those who are farming responsibly for the future, but we select beverages because they are true to style, variety and place.”

Stay in the loop for new offerings and events at The Bottle Shop at Astor Square by following them on Instagram and Facebook (@thebottleshoprbk) or by signing up for the newsletter on their website, www.thebottleshoprbk.com.

Owners of The Bottle Shop at Astor Square, Emma Thomas and JP Sabia.

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Men’s Shop Thrift 2 Fight

Feel good, look good, do good—that’s the general concept behind Thrift 2 Fight, and one of the reasons why readers chose the thrift store as the Chronogrammies winner of the Men’s Shop category and second-place in the Vintage category.

At this Tivoli shop and community space, you’ll find great deals on a variety of gently used clothes from a range of styles and decades. That covers the “thrift” portion of their name; the “fight” part, however, refers to the social justice organizations that a percentage of all the shop's sales go toward. “It’s a thrift store and a movement,” says Masha Zabara, who co-owns the shop with Jillian Reed. “It’s a place where people of all backgrounds can shop, rejoice, and support organizations at the intersection of social, disability, and queer justice.”

Ten percent of every purchase goes to a researched grassroots organization. Although the store has only been open since January 2023, the pair began doing pop-up thrift sales in June 2020—since then, they’ve raised around $70,0000 for various organizations like Trans Closet of the Hudson Valley and Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP).

“We started a series of pop-ups during the pandemic that were mainly porch and lawn sales around the Hudson Valley where 100 percent of purchases were donated,” Reed explains. “It was a funding mechanism available to us at a time when the other ways of participating in social justice movements during the pandemic were less possible—we didn’t have a ton of money to donate or the ability to travel to protests.”

The pop-ups allowed them to get together with like-minded folks and raise funds by selling clothes they weren’t wearing. “Now, we’re able to offer a year-round shop, plus community space to host events like film screenings, art shows, clothing swaps, and more,” she notes. “And our range of clothing is as diverse as the community that comes in.”

At the shop, you’ll find everyday basics like jeans and tees, as well as two racks of designer clothes and some special-occasion wear. Most garments cost between $10 and $20, but there’s an $8 room with hidden gems. “We do have a large selection of clothes traditionally marketed to men, although we carry items for all genders, all backgrounds,” Zabara says. “But we’re also giving people tools to raise money and awareness in a joyful way.”

—Melissa Esposito

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Law Firm

3rd Derek Spada, Basch & Keegan LLP

Tax Preparer/Accountant

1st Rose Woodworth

2nd Merck CPAs & Consultants

3rd Grady CPA, PC

FOOD

Al Fresco Dining

1st Huckleberry

2nd Ole Savannah Southern Table and Bar

3rd Mariner’s Harbor Bagel

1st Sunrise Bagel & Deli

2nd Moonrise Bagels

3rd Lox of Bagels

Bakery - Savory

1st Deising’s Bakery & Restaurant

2nd Bread Alone Bakery

3rd Kingston Bread + Bar

Bakery - Sweet

1st Emily’s Cookie Co.

2nd The Meltaway Bakery

3rd Deising’s Bakery & Restaurant

BBQ

1st Hickory BBQ & Smokehouse

2nd Ole Savannah Southern Table and Bar

3rd Legal Swine BBQ

New Restaurant/Taco

Upstate Taco

Breakfast Sandwich

1st Sunrise Bagel & Deli

2nd Moonrise Bagels

3rd Kingston Bread + Bar

Breakfast Spot

1st Phoenicia Diner

2nd Half Moon Rondout Cafe Coffee and Donuts

3rd Dietz Stadium Diner [Tie]

3rd Rosie General [Tie]

Buffet

1st Cinnamon Indian Cuisine

2nd Mid-Hudson Buffet

3rd Ole Savannah Southern Table and Bar

Burger

1st Buns Burgers - Rhinebeck

2nd Moonburger

3rd Misto

Caribbean

1st Top Taste Jamaican Restaurant

2nd Nelly’s

3rd Café Con Leche

Charcuterie Board

1st Catskill Mountain Moonshine Co.

2nd Yarn Farm Kingston

3rd Savona’s Trattoria & Bar - Red Hook

Cheap Eats

1st Dallas Hot Weiners

2nd Aba‘s Falafel

3rd Dietz Stadium Diner

Chicken Wings

1st Urban Fork

2nd Slices

3rd Castaways Marina Bar and Grill

“We love food, and we love serving food that we enjoy eating,” says Sasha Miranda, who co-owns Upstate Taco in Stone Ridge with her husband, Mauricio.

Open since August 2022, Upstate Taco has quickly gained popularity with locals, weekenders, and visitors alike—enough to nab this year’s Taco and New Restaurant Chronogrammies—thanks to quality ingredients on an inventive menu. Put aside preconceived taco notions; this is comfort food with a fine dining twist.

“We like to use ingredients that our neighbors aren’t using,” Mauricio says. That includes foods directly from where he grew up—the state of Guerrero in Southwest Mexico—like sun-dried chili peppers for salsa roja or jamaica flowers used in beverages. “But we also love our local farms and try to use in-season produce or locally sourced meat as often as possible.”

Their crowd-pleasing tacos are prepared akin to Mexican street tacos, with tender meats, marinated vegetables, and fresh herbs. The tacos de cochinita pibil is a popular pick made from pork shoulder that’s been slow-roasted for four hours with achiote. Burritos, not on the menu,

Community Supported

Dumplings

1st Yum Yum Noodle Bar - Kingston

2nd Helena Specialty Pierogies

3rd Palace Dumplings

Falafel

1st Aba’s Falafel

2nd Opa! Gyros Greek Restaurant

3rd

Diner

1st Phoenicia Diner

2nd Dietz Stadium Diner

3rd Eveready Diner

Dog-Friendly Dining

1st Keegan Ales

2nd Armadillo

3rd Brio’s

Donuts

1st Half Moon Rondout Cafe Coffee & Donuts 2nd The Meltaway Bakery 3rd Hole in the Wall by The Anchor

Fried

Suzie’s Upstate

2nd Harana Market

3rd Kennedy Fried Chicken - Kingston

were asked about so frequently that Mauricio created an alternative. His hybrid quesadillaburrito, called quesaburro, was supposed to be a temporary offering, but grew to be their number one dish. It’s a folded-over tortilla with rice, beans, cheese, and a marinated protein like carne asada seasoned with house-blend spices, or tinga de pollo, a chipotle braised chicken. “Everyone does burritos, so we wanted to do something different,” he explains. “I started playing around, came up with the quesaburro, and from the first day guests have been going nuts for them; people love them.” Pair them with a house-made margarita—at Upstate Taco’s bar, nothing comes from premade mixes.

Both Sasha, a Culinary Institute of America grad, and Mauricio worked in various fine dining institutions in the city before the pair eventually chose to run their own Italian-Latin fusion restaurant, Miranda, in Williamsburg for nine years. After moving to Marbletown just before the pandemic, they opted to open a taqueria upstate with a fun and inviting vibe. “We love to see people enjoy the food that we love—their enjoyment gives us energy,” Mauricio says. “My paycheck is the ‘Mmm’.”

—Melissa Esposito

1st Michael Mainetti, Mainetti & Mainetti PC

2nd Amy Ingram, Ingram

Emily Brooks Rose Woodworth

Zach Sussin

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Fries

1st Buns Burgers - Kingston

2nd Mountain Brauhaus

3rd Del’s Roadside

German

1st Mountain Brauhaus

2nd Gunk Haus

3rd Jaeger Haus

Gluten-Free Friendly

1st Black-Eyed Suzie’s Upstate

2nd Misto

3rd Kitchen & Coffee

Greek

1st Opa! Gyros Greek Restaurant

2nd Aba’s Falafel

3rd Athena Gyro

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1st Bread Alone Bakery

2nd Sissy’s Cafe

3rd Rosie General

Hot Dog

1st Dallas Hot Weiners

2nd Brunette

3rd Pete’s Hot Dog Stand

Hotel Restaurant

1st Hotel Kinsley

2nd Mohonk Mountain House

3rd Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn

Ice Cream Stand

1st Boice Bros Dairy

2nd Alleyway Ice Cream

3rd The Jolly Cow

Thai Isaan Thai Star

Indian

1st Cinnamon Indian Cuisine

2nd Namaste Indian Restaurant

3rd Calcutta Kitchens

Italian

1st Annarella Ristorante

2nd Savona’s Trattoria & Bar - Kingston

3rd Frank Guido’s Little Italy

Japanese

1st SushiMakio

2nd Kyoto Sushi

3rd Golden Ginza

Juice Bar

1st Turn Up the Beet

2nd Little Apple Cafe

3rd Sissy’s Cafe

Late Night Eats

1st Terrapin

2nd Dietz Stadium Diner

3rd Pig Bar

Mexican

1st Main Street

2nd Upstate Taco

3rd Tortilla Taco Bar

Nachos

1st Santa Fe

2nd Terrapin

3rd The Egg’s Nest

New Restaurant (2022-present)

1st Upstate Taco

2nd Rosie General

3rd The Kitchen at Salt & Fire

About five years after debuting in Hudson, and nine months after moving to a beautiful indooroutdoor space just a few doors down from its original location, Isaan Thai Star has earned a Chronogrammie for its tasty, authentic Thai eats.

Andrew McArdle, who owns Isaan Thai Star with his chef/partner, Kukkik Arjsing, credits their menu’s freshness for the win. “Kukkik and I have surveyed Thai restaurants throughout our world travels together,” says McArdle. “We strive to ensure all of our food is made in-house from scratch with the best available ingredients.”

Arjsing creates authentic Northeastern Thai cuisine from her own recipes, brought from the Isaan region of northeast Thailand. Specialties include grilled Penang salmon and the Crying Tiger, made with New York strip steak. Customers gobble up Isaan Thai Star spring rolls—veggie or with shrimp—and the restaurant makes fresh summer rolls each day. The fan favorites are Arjsing’s noodle dishes, according to McArdle. “We use fresh noodles, not rehydrated, that we bring in twice a week,” he says. “A few of my favorites are pad see ew,

Overall Reader Favorite

1st Half Moon Rondout Cafe Coffee and Donuts

2nd Slices

3rd Brickyard Pizza

Oysters

1st Bowery Dugout

2nd Le Petit Bistro

3rd Kingston Standard Brewing Co.

Pasta

1st Frank Guido’s Little Italy

2nd Annarella Ristorante

3rd

Pho

Soft Pretzel

1st Mountain Brauhaus

2nd Stockade Tavern

3rd Kingston Standard Brewing Co.

Soup

1st Stone Soup Food Company

2nd Nana’s Take Out Cafe & Sweetery

3rd Bowery Dugout

Steak

1st End Cut

2nd Red Onion

3rd Ship to Shore

Sushi

1st SushiMakio

2nd Kyoto Sushi

3rd Hokkaido

Taco

1st Upstate Taco

2nd Santa Fe Uptown

3rd Diego’s Taqueria

Tea House

Ramen

1st ImmuneSchein Tea Haus

2nd Harney & Sons

3rd The Ridge Tea & Spice Shop

Thai

1st Isaan Thai Star

2nd Aroi Thai

3rd Bangkok Cafe

Vegan-Friendly

Seafood

1st Garden Cafe Woodstock

2nd Karma Road

3rd Black-Eyed Suzie’s

Shore

drunken noodle, and of course pad Thai. Chang Mai noodle is also a favorite.”

Thai food naturally lends itself to vegan and gluten-free diets. “Our tofu is organic; most noodles are made from rice, hence they are gluten-free,” McArdle explains. “Because we make everything to order, we are able to use glutenfree sauces upon request.” A full bar with craft cocktails and local beer and cider on draft ensures customers won’t go thirsty.

The restaurant’s take-out accounts for about a third of the business; Isaan Thai Star also has a set-up and drop-off service for parties and events. Its staff takes care of all food deliveries, too. New this year is a student work visa program: McArdle and Arjsing have three Thai college students working with them over the summer.

The help is welcome, as outdoor dining season has arrived and the restaurant’s 38-by-48-foot patio fills up fast, especially on live-music nights.

Arjsing and McArdle are already looking ahead to next year. “We strive to be players on a global level,” McArdle says, “and we hope to be nominated to other categories such as noodles, dumplings, steak, and seafood in next year’s Chronogrammies.”

—Jane Anderson

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Vegetarian-Friendly

1st Garden Cafe Woodstock

2nd Black-Eyed Suzie’s

3rd Calcutta Kitchens

Wait Staff & Service

1st Frank Guido’s Little Italy

2nd Half Moon Rondout Cafe Coffee and Donuts

3rd Slices

Waterfront Dining

1st Ole Savannah Southern Table and Bar

2nd Mariner’s Harbor

3rd Castaways Marina Bar & Grill

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Acupuncture

1st AiAiA x Alexis Arvidson Acupuncture

2nd Andrea Barouch-Hebb Acupuncture

3rd Solarena Acupuncture

Audiologist

1st Kingston Audiology Center

2nd Audiologic Solutions

3rd HearingLife

Barber Shop

1st Pugsly’s Barbershop

2nd Lewis and Scott

3rd Union Shave

Cannabis Dispensary (MA only)

1st Canna Provisions

Bike Shop

Overlook Bicycles

Ever since 1988, people looking to bike the Catskills have found a warm and wise ally in Overlook Bicycles, the Woodstock shop where lifelong rider Billy Denter and his crew offer everything a bicyclist could possibly need or want: best-in-class wheels of every description, custom fittings by appointment, over 50,000 cycling-related items delivered to your door within 48 hours, and two group rides a week over some of the prettiest terrain on the planet.

Unsurprisingly, Chronogram readers have once again named Overlook their favorite. “We are so proud of our undefeated string of Chronogrammies,” says Denter. “Being your readers’ choice—knowing that people who read this great publication take the time out of their day to vote for us— means so much to all of us.”

So what’s the secret sauce? “I think we’re very approachable,” says Denter, celebrated by the Catskill Center as one of 50 influential stewards of these hills in 2019, “and we treat everybody equally; whether you’re a really high-end professional racer or a casual hobbyist or

a commuter. We strive to give everybody the same level and quality of attention. That, and I think our mechanical team is excellent. Generally, we’ve got a lot of really happy, friendly faces. We all feel lucky to work here. We’ve got a great team and it’s a great vibe—we consciously go out of our way to be more of a safe haven, a spot where you can be any kind of a cyclist—as long as you’re on two wheels, we love you.”

In 2021, Overlook opened a second location in Shokan, convenient to the Ashokan Rail Trail’s 11.5 miles of beauty and offering rentals of road bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes, hybrid bikes, and kids’ bikes. Day trippers, vacationers, and beginners can now taste the joy easily and affordably, which dovetails perfectly with Denter’s mission. “Cycling is the great unifier, no matter your race, religion, or creed,” he told Chronogram at the time.

“It was my first taste of freedom and independence. It’s good for you, it’s fun, and for me it’s mentally cathartic. It’s like a therapy session on wheels.”

—Anne Pyburn Craig

2nd The Pass

3rd Theory Wellness

CBD Product

1st Your CBD Store | SUNMED - Kingston

2nd The Pass

3rd Hepworth CBD

Chiropractor

1st Hudson Valley Chiropractic and Wellness

2nd Dr. Jerad F. King DC, Upstate Chiropractic

3rd K B Chiropractic

Counselor/Therapist

1st Lea Trageser

2nd The Music Therapy Studio

3rd Katie Peterson, LCSW

Day Spa

1st Origin Wellness NY

2nd RAIN Spa

3rd Zephyr Float

Dentist

1st Pine Street Dental Associates

2nd Thomas Cingel, DDS

3rd Alan DeRosa, DDS, PLLC

Esthetician

1st Spa Lindita: Lindita Dushaj, LE LMT

2nd Take Time Out for Beauty

3rd Remedy Skin Studio

General Practitioner

1st Corinne Reilly, PA

2nd DeLeo Family Medicine

3rd Dr. Elizabeth Costley

Gym

1st Studio Fitness

2nd Hudson Valley Ambition

3rd Bodies by Colotti

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Hair Salon

1st Hair by Leash

2nd Sullivan & Main

3rd Headspace Salon

Massage Therapist

1st The Masterpiece Massage

2nd The Repair Shop

3rd Spa Lindita: Lindita Dushaj, LE LMT

Medical Marijuana Dispensary (NY, CT, NJ, MA)

1st Theory Wellness

2nd Etain Health - Hudson Valley

3rd Curaleaf - Hudson Valley

Medical Spa

1st Hudson Dermatology

2nd Catskill Cryo

3rd The Art of Skin Dermatology

Mental Health Counselor

1st Kristina Sarhadi, MSW - Kingston Reiki

2nd Sara Guerriero, LMSW

3rd Katie Peterson, LCSW

Occupational Therapist

1st Laura Rowan, Essential Pelvic Health

2nd Moving Mountains Occupational Therapy

3rd Noel Starzyk, OT

Optical Center

1st Joseph K. Cohen, OD

2nd Park Optical

3rd Kenco Optical

Orthodontist

1st Sunshine Smiles: Kingston

2nd Efros Orthodontics

3rd Van Vliet Orthodontics: Martin F. Van Vliet, DMD

Farm Stand Story Farms

Pediatrician

1st The Children’s Medical Group - Kingston

2nd Dr. Joseph Appel, MD

3rd Danielle Cigliano, DO

Personal Trainer

1st Ryan Naccarato, Hudson Valley Ambition

2nd Juli Colotti, Bodies by Colotti

3rd Olivia Grimsland, Kingston Athletics

Pharmacy

1st Dedrick’s Pharmacy and Gift Shop

2nd Village Apothecary

3rd Nekos-Dedrick’s Pharmacy

Physical Therapist

1st Christy Keegan, Manual PT of Ulster

2nd Momentum Physical Therapy of New Paltz

3rd Access Physical Therapy & Wellness

Pilates Studio

1st Lilac Studio, West Saugerties

2nd Body Be Well Pilates

3rd Physique Kingston

Reiki Practitioner

1st My Reiki Healer, Michelle Kennedy

2nd Reiki, Healings & Readings by Sensei Lorry Salluzzi

3rd Kingston Reiki, Kristina Sarhadi, MSW Resort/Hotel Spa

1st Mohonk Mountain House 2nd Emerson Resort & Spa 3rd Mirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeck

Spiritual/Contemplative Space 1st Omega Institute for Holistic Studies 2nd Hudson Valley Healing Center

Readers have chosen Story Farms of Catskill as their favorite farm stand. Located in Catskill just south of the intersection of Routes 32 and 23A, the cheery compound, its buildings painted a classic barn red against a mountain backdrop, is a landmark for folks seeking a vast selection of the finest fruits, veggies, flowers, herbs, and starter plants at reasonable prices.

Irene Story, a Philadelphia native, has been here since she married Jim Story in 1979. “Jim and his brother Matt run the farm, and then there are the fifth generation, James, Matthew and Mark,” she says. “So they all work the farm together, doing the back-breaking day-to-day stuff, and I’m here at the farm stand with my daughter-in-law and a bunch of the young girls from the neighborhood that work with us. It’s a nice first job. And the next generation, James, Matthew, and Mark’s kids, they’re involved in the farm one way or another too.”

Story says it’s a great life, growing things and feeding folks. “Between various family

NATURE & THE OUTDOORS

members, a lot of whom are involved in one way or another, and a few paid helpers, there’s always someone stepping up to do the work, everybody pulling together, and that’s the only way it works out. There are ups and downs— the strawberries aren’t great this year because of the weather we’ve had, and it’s the first year in many years that we aren’t doing pickyour-own strawberries. On the other hand, the asparagus has been beautiful; we’re hoping a lot of other things will be, too. And there’s always next year.”

Strawberries or not, you’ll find a cornucopia of goodness at Story Farms—currently, the sugar snap peas and salad mix are going strong, and there are always honey and syrup and fresh baked goods. On the farm’s Facebook, people are already eagerly anticipating sweet corn season.

“It’s been a really great time,” says Story of her decades on the farm. “I’ve been so very happy to be here, and you know, I think all of us feel that way. It’s just a deeply good feeling, to reopen in the spring and be here with summer coming on.”

—Anne Pyburn Craig

CHRONOGRAMMIESWINNERS

Food Justice Advocate

1st Christine Hein, People’s Place

2nd Inno Powell, Abundance Farms

3rd Courtney Malsatzki, Phoenicia Diner/ Dixon Roadside

Furniture Maker

1st Hoppy Quick

2nd Reliquary Studio

3rd Rennie Cantine Design

Hairstylist/Colorist

1st Alisha Tompkins, Hair by Leash

2nd Miranda, Lux Hair Studio

3rd Carolyn Cina, the Fox and the Hare Salon

LGTBQIA+ Advocate/ Activist

1st Julie Novak

2nd Signy Furiya, Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center

3rd Rae Leiner, Newburgh LGBTQ Center

Local Celebrity

1st Jennifer Delora

2nd Paul Rudd

3rd Vera Farmiga

Maker

RETAIL

Antique Shop

1st Kingston Consignments

2nd Rewind Kingston

3rd Newburgh Vintage Emporium Ware-House

Art Supply Store

1st Catskill Art Supply

2nd Manny’s

Public Health Advocacy Organization

Planned Parenthood in Kingston

Union and Ulster County Coalition for Housing Justice

3rd Alexandria Wojcik - Deputy Mayor, Village of New Paltz

Animal Welfare Advocate/ Activist

1st Valerie Ellsworth, Nothing But Love Canine Foundation

2nd Gina Carbonari, Ulster County SPCA

3rd Shalan Newbomb, Saugerties Animal Shelter

Artist

1st Jennifer Delora 2nd Adriana Farmiga

3rd Scott Ackerman

Author

1st Dorian J. Sinnott

2nd Karlie Flood

3rd Holly George-Warren

Auto Mechanic

1st Jeff Smith Import Enterprise

2nd East Chester Auto

3rd West Hurley Garage

Barista

1st Kai Grundig, Half Moon Rondout Cafe

2nd Josh Rosenmeier, Rough Draft Bar & Books

3rd Brittany Morton and Melissa Brown, Monkey Joe Roasting Company

Chef

1st Wilson Costa, Misto

2nd Jordan Schor, End Cut

3rd Mark Suszczynski, Harvest Real Food Catering

Environmental Advocate/ Activist

1st Dan Shapley, Riverkeeper

2nd Manna Jo Greene, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater

3rd Vanessa Bertozzi - Climate Smart

1st Cheyenne Mallo Pottery

2nd Amy Dooley

3rd Karlie Flood

Politician

1st Pat Ryan

2nd Michelle Hinchey

3rd Antonio Delgado

Public Health Advocate/ Activist

1st Randi Kelder, Raising Your Awareness about Narcotics

2nd Joe DeFino, Hope Rocks

3rd Joe Concra, O+ Festival

Racial Justice Advocate/ Activist

1st Amy Brown White

2nd Justice McCray

3rd Callie Mckenzie

Radio Personality

1st Nadine Ferraro, Radio Kingston

2nd Aja Whitney, Radio Woodstock

3rd Greg Gattine, Radio Woodstock

Social Justice Advocate/ Activist

1st J. T. Pinna, Muslims for Muslims International

2nd Callie Jayne, Rise Up Kingston

3rd Catherine Cole, Grannies Respond/ Abuelas Responden

Youth Advocate

1st Grace Louis, Middle Way School

2nd Stephanie Doyle, Mentor Me of Ulster County

3rd Jen Pineda, MidWay, Family of Woodstock

Reading the history of Planned Parenthood, over its 100 years of providing reproductive health care and education, one can’t help but be struck by the stoic courage and cheerful perseverance these folks have shown while facing every flavor of opposition imaginable, remaining devoted to the concept that sexual wellness and wisdom are basic human rights and that children should be wanted children. When you’re providing something as valid and important as that, the opposition tends to be downright unpleasant, but through it all, they’ve got our backs.

Planned Parenthood operates 600 health centers across the country, providing topnotch affordable health care to millions of people: contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, lifesaving cancer screenings, and safe, legal abortion. Their digital education tools and resources have educated millions more. To paraphrase Richard Nixon when he signed the Title X amendment to the Public Health Service Act (with bipartisan support, by the way): No one should be denied family planning help because they’re broke.

Kingston’s Planned Parenthood Health Center means so much to so many. Their understanding, expertise and supportive spirit are local legend; the stories are epic and endless. They’ll stand by you in a storm and get you feeling better, and it’s beautiful to see our readers stand by them.

“We are so honored to be awarded the Chronogrammie for Public Health Advocacy Organization,” says Chantelle Brown, health center manager of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. “This recognition propels us to continue being a proud provider of life altering reproductive services and a place of care for anyone who comes to our center. With abortion and reproductive healthcare under attack nationwide, this award is an opportunity to remind our Ulster County community that Planned Parenthood of Greater New York is committed to our patients, and we will continue to advocate for bodily autonomy for everyone. Abortion care is healthcare, and it is our mission to ensure everyone in Kingston has access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, no

—Anne Pyburn Craig

WEDDINGS

Golden Years

TIME AND SPACE LIMITED TURNS 50

By Peter Aaron

For the last 40 or so years—and counting—it’s been the increasingly unattainable rents that have become the overriding obstacle to any artist angling to exist in New York City. But in the 1960s and ’70s, before the speculative real estate boom that finally brought the hammer down, that element wasn’t so much at the forefront. White flight had driven earlier residents to the suburbs, and apartments in the city, especially in the now long-desirable Lower East Side, were cheap. At more of a premium were two other components that are crucial to any urban artists’ survival: 1) open spots in their hectic schedule between day jobs and the requisite networking and 2) finding the room in which to make their art. Time and space. It was those two entities being in such short supply that in 1973 inspired the name of the theater company that avant-garde playwright, visual artist, multimedia set and lighting designer, and activist Linda Mussmann founded and runs with singer and actor Claudia Bruce, her wife: Time and Space Limited. This month, TSL will celebrate its 50th anniversary as an organization and its 30th year of its likewise-named arts center in Hudson.

“It doesn’t seem like that long,” says Bruce when the pair are asked how they each feel when reflecting upon TSL’s legacy. “Things around us have changed drastically over the years. But you can’t stop change, you can just ride the wave.”

“We’re always reimagining and reconstituting TSL,”

Mussmann adds. “The way we go goes with the times. We don’t have tons of grant money to work with, so we rely a lot on private donations and on adding different elements to what we do. But we’re not owned by anyone else, and we’ve built a strong base. So that gives us the freedom to be flexible.”

Down on the Farm

Mussmann grew up on a family farm in Gary, Indiana, an experience that had much to do with preparing her for her future demanding, resourcefulness-dependent jobs as an artist, arts-organization wrangler, and venue manager.

“Most of the first 18 years of my life were full of hard labor,” she says. “Gathering eggs, baling hay, plowing fields, moving cattle around. I got to be good at problem solving and good with my hands, which has been really important for building sets and lighting rigs and doing repairs and renovations. It’s funny, back then there were certain jobs that were seen as women’s work and certain jobs that were seen as men’s work. But when the cows got in the corn or some other crisis came up, like when I was 14 and a tornado hit the area, there was no gender bias. Everyone pitched in to help. We sold eggs door to door, and I remember how amazing that was to me when I was a kid: Every time you’d go to one of the houses in town and someone came to the door, you’d look behind them and see some

whole other world going on in there. It was like a new set behind every door.” Her interest in sets and what plays out on them blossomed, and after excelling at Purdue University, Mussmann moved to Chicago in the turbulent year of 1968. There, she studied theater at an institution whose history would greatly shape TSL’s community-oriented outlook: the Hull House Theater, a site that had originally been the innovative Near West Side immigrant settlement house cofounded by activists Jane Adams and Ellen Gates Star in 1889. “The church had been a big part of rural community life in Indiana,” explains Mussmann, who counts Gertrude Stein and Virginia Woolf as key artistic influences. “But at Hull House I learned more about the social reform work that Jane Adams had done, and that really inspired me.”

Born in Mississippi and raised in the tiny Northeast Georgia town of Cornelia, Bruce was involved in the area’s first summer stock theater company, for whom she acted, sang, danced, made costumes, and built sets and props. Her father ran a successful textiles firm, and she traces her theatrical streak to her family’s visits to New York while he did business as igniting her own interest in performing. “Seeing Broadway, with all of the bright lights and all of the plays and musicals that were going on there,” she recalls. “I knew then that I was going to live in New York someday.” And eventually she did, settling in the East Village in 1969, the same year that Mussmann arrived there.

Linda Mussmann and Claudia Bruce, codirectors of Time and Space Limited circa 1980.

Spirit of ’76

“New York was an amazing, very happening place in the 1970s,” says Bruce, who worked as an usher for the initial run of Kenneth Tynan’s famously bawdy avantgarde revue “Oh! Calcutta!” “There were all these protest movements going on, and there were over a hundred off-off-Broadway theaters in the city at the time. It was so rich, culturally. It was roiling.”

“We treasured our industrial spaces, our nontraditional venues; we made theater anywhere,” says Mussmann, who waxes fondly about sharing the scene with such iconic peers as John Cage and Merce Cunningham. By the dawn of the decade, she had begun writing and directing her own experimental plays and site-specific multimedia performance pieces that utilize film, audio and video recordings, projections, and her own DIY lighting systems, which were fashioned using castoff items. “I built a simple lighting board, and we used pizza sauce cans from the place up the street for the light cans,” she says. “We got to know when the pizzeria was throwing the cans out, so we’d just go up and get them.” In 1973 Mussmann launched the Time and Space Limited company to present her own works and classics by Chekov, Ibsen, Pinter, Ionesco, Beckett, and other repertoire greats, setting up residence at the Universalist Church on West 76th Street.

The two met in 1976, when Bruce, then working as a reporter for the feminist newspaper Majority Report, attended a TSL theatrical adaptation of Gertrude Stein’s modernist novel The Making of Americans. They’ve been together as life partners and collaborators ever since, with Bruce becoming Mussmann’s muse and appearing in many of her works as well as taking on the position of TSL’s codirector. The 1980s were a fruitful time as the company’s reputation in New York’s avant-garde axis continued to blossom thanks its stagings of reinterpreted repertoire plays and surreal Mussmann originals like 1984’s “Room/Raum” (from her 1981 book of the same name) 1985’s Harbors Wait, a dance performance piece at the Museum of Modern Art. A highwater mark was her epic, six-part “Civil War Chronicles” series (1987-1989), which utilizes dance, music, films, slides, and elliptical text to reexamine history. But, as the song goes, money changes everything. And, as TSL competed for grants to keep going, money was changing New York. At an accelerating pace.

“It was the era of Reagan and real estate,” remembers Mussmann. “Lofts were becoming ‘cool.’ We could see the handwriting on the wall. We knew we couldn’t stay in New York if we wanted to keep doing what we do.” The final straw came in 1991, when TSL was one of four theater companies in the US that refused a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had mandated an anti-obscenity pledge. “It was eyeopening,” says Bruce about the decision. “So we started looking around for a new home for TSL, somewhere that could be constantly evolving.”

A Diamond in the Rough

That place turned out to be 130 miles north of Manhattan: a sprawling former bread factory in the thenwithering, post-industrial city of Hudson. “We’d had a weekend home in Gallatin where we’d been coming up to write since 1983, so we already knew the area well,” Mussmann says. “And we knew the taxes were much lower in southern Columbia County than in [bordering] northern Dutchess County.” When the 9,600-squarefoot, warehouse-like structure on Columbia Street (known as Diamond Street during Hudson’s red-light era) became available in 1993, Mussman and Bruce were instantly smitten. “We knew immediately it was the place when it came up,” says Bruce. “It needed a lot of work at the time—it always does—but we could see the possibilities right away.”

Despite their shared optimistic vision, launching such a venue in what was then an economically blighted and culturally barren city was still a daunting prospect. But with their Lower East Side-learned chutzpa, TSL bought the building, and the couple dove right in. Mussmann took on much of the renovation work herself, the facility soon opened as not only an outlet to show performance works by the TSL team and others, but also as a screening room for art house films, a gallery, a venue for live music by local and touring bands and live readings, and a community center offering programs for underserved neighborhood kids. Most of the other arts and nightlife venues, galleries, restaurants, and shops that make Hudson the cultural destination it is today sprouted up after TSL had paved the way, and Mussmann and Bruce took a chance on the city when few others were willing to do so. “We either deserve the credit or the blame for the gentrification of Hudson,” says Mussman with a laugh. (The saga even inspired the script of A Bread Factory, a 2018 film shot at TSL Hudson starring Tyne Daly.)

Throughout its presence in Hudson, the communityadvocacy aspect of TSL has been important to its directors. “When we started doing work on the building, there was this group of little girls who lived around the corner on Fifth Street who used to come and bang on the door, wanting to know what was going on inside this place that had been boarded up for so long,” Bruce recounts. “It was clear that they weren’t getting enough to eat, so we started buying them all sandwiches from the deli up the street. Well, that started to add up quickly, so then we just started making them peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches here. Pretty soon, word got around to the Rotary Club and they started buying us bread for the sandwiches and dropping it off every day.” In the early 2000s, when the St. Lawrence Cement company was attempting to push through a project that would have constructed an environmentally unsound cement plant and river port in Hudson, Mussmann and Bruce were in the thick of the ultimately successful fight against it; Mussmann, who ran for mayor during the same period, now serves on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. The organization has also raised money to send kids to camp and put up bail for troubled community members.

An Ongoing Legacy

As it welcomes its fifth decade, TSL Hudson is still riding the wave and maintaining its flexibility. Over the years, the center has added appetizing attractions like regular livestreams of the Metropolitan Opera and, recently, a used bookstore in its basement space. The milestone is being marked with the July 1 opening of “Made Up Mythologies,” an exhibition of works by acclaimed painter Roberto Juarez created specifically for the occasion.

“I’ve known Linda since 1980, when she was resident director at [Off-Off-Broadway experimental theater] La Mama and I had a space there,” says Juarez, who’s lived in Hudson since 2000. “TSL is such a sanctuary for creativity, whether it’s great painting, great music, or great poetry. Where else around here would you be able to see something like [radical, Vermont-based puppet troupe and past TSL headliners] Bread and Puppet Theater?”

The seeds sown by Mussmann and Bruce’s efforts have inspired next-generation arts groups in town, such as local presenters the Hudson Eye. “TSL really is the anchor of the arts community for the entire region,” says Hudson Eye founder Jonah Bokaer, whose foundation exhibits works by selected artists at its Third Street location and since 2016 has hosted the annual Hudson Eye Arts Festival. “The legacy they’ve built in New York and here really encapsulates this country’s modern artistic experience.”

As TSL continues on its course and looks toward the future, that legacy is being preserved via the online Mussmann/Bruce Archive, which features a timeline, films of their early work, event posters, and more.

“I think the heart of the message of what we do is ‘Art saves lives,’” says Bruce. “We know that’s true. We’ve seen it happen.” Timeandspace.org

Claudia Bruce and Linda Mussmann at Time and Space Limited in 1992.

Photo by Sedat Pakay

Every child experiments with shadow projection, forming their fingers into dancing silhouettes of rabbits and bats. “It’s something we all know,” says Suzanne Stokes. Stokes is cofounder of Cave Dogs, a performance troupe that’s been telling stories with shadows for 31 years. “Between Light & Shadow: Objects and Evidence” is the first art show to display their props, as well as costumes, still photos, and videos of their performances. The exhibition, at the Jane St. Art Center in Saugerties, continues until July 31.

Cave Dogs began as an art project. Suzanne Stokes was working on her MFA in metal sculpture, and became more intrigued by the shadows her objects cast than by the sculptures themselves. As part of her master’s thesis, she gave a shadow play performance at SUNY New Paltz’s McKenna Theatre. Her sculptures had come to life.

Plato compared the entire visible world to shadows on the walls of a cave. Cave Dogs made that metaphor quite literal in their first performance at the Widow Jane Mine, a former cement quarry in Rosendale. The venue gave birth to their name.

The backstage personnel are also performers. All of them are grips, actors, lighting technicians. Cave Dogs

uses both front projection—a video projector in front of the screen—and rear projection (a second projector behind the screen), sometimes simultaneously. The performers behind the scenes also carry independent light sources. The show for them is an intricate dance of flashlights, shadow-casting cutouts, and pantomime. “Everything we’re doing backstage is backwards of what you’re seeing,” cofounder James Fossett explains. “We’re doing everything backwards, and in the dark.” One connotation of their name is that they work like dogs. Dean Jones and Emerson Fossett produce the prerecorded music.

The team uses a wide variety of materials to generate shadows: wood, acetate, cardboard, metal, paper. They tend to avoid glass because it can break in the backstage darkness and become hazardous. Cave Dogs often tours, so the props must be portable. Some roll up; others divide into pieces to be reassembled.

Not all the shadows are black. Translucent colored stencils cast images of various hues. In a violet-tinted photograph titled Tree Puller Rain, a woman wearing a flower wreath—or is she a fairy?—creeps through a forest in a furious rainstorm. Cave Dogs is known for its experiments with scale. Because of the magic of optics,

a 24-inch cutout can represent a 20-foot-tall tree. When you shine a light on most objects, the shadow is not recognizable. That’s why Cave Dogs cast member Adam Mastropaolo had to build a fake (three-dimensional) sewing machine, which is in the exhibition. Nearby, a video from the show “Sure-Minded Uncertainties” (2013) reveals the sewing machine at work. At first, fabric passes through it—then actual people! No wonder children at all chronological stages enjoy this troupe.

In the rear of the Jane St. Art Center, some of the cutouts may be seen in action, shooting out alluring shadow-shapes.

Both Fossett and Stokes are art professors at SUNY New Paltz when they aren’t telling tales with light and shade. (She teaches sculpture; he specializes in video and photography.)

Cave Dogs will also perform their most recent show, “Liquid States”—about the increasingly crucial resource of water—at Upstate Films’ Orpheum Theatre in Saugerties on July 1 at 2:30pm. There will be a Q&A after the show, at Jane St. Art Center.

—Sparrow

A still from Cave Dogs's show "Liquid States," which the troupe will perform at the Orpheum Theater in Saugerties on July 1. Photo by Jim Fossett

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“Love’s Labor’s Lost” is a rarely performed Shakespearean comedy. Possible causes: out-of-date political humor and complex wordplay. Director Amanda Dehnert has updated the play for a contemporary audience at Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Because of its infrequent staging, Dehnert believes there is more space for creativity in the play: “It’s like a new experience for viewers because it’s something they’ve never seen before—and they didn’t read it in school!” She’s has also picked up on something in this play that she believes others fail to see: modernity. She’s experienced how modern plays surprise viewers and take them on a journey. “This play does that in a way that no other Shakespeare play does,” Dehnert says. “When I read ‘Love’s Labor’s Lost’ I am constantly surprised at how modern it is in its structure.”

A brief plot synopsis: Soon after four young men from Navarre decide to swear an oath to focus on their studies for three years and avoid any distractions, especially women, their plan is threatened when the Princess of France and her ladies come to town. The men find themselves abandoning their vows and chasing women.

The themes of the play are modern as well, each speaking to something that current audiences can relate to. The main message that Dehnert has pulled out, because she feels it’s so relatable, is fantasy versus reality. In this play, it is the fantasy that the men are able to swear off women versus the reality that they have fallen in love and can’t follow through, and the fantasy of perfect young love versus the reality of what young love is. “This play deals with how people need to escape reality for a time,” she says. “But the moral is

that you can’t escape the real world. We’re shown how fantasy is a part of existing in reality.”

Dehnert’s adaptation of “Love’s Labor’s Lost” got its start at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2018. Since then, she has continued to fine-tune the production. Dehnert attempts to revive this comedy by building on music to change the context of the scenes and develop the emotional experience for viewers, as she believes “music speaks to people in a more intuitive and emotional way than language.” Using this modern score, she’s aiming to generate a depth and backstory for viewers that cannot always be conveyed through Shakespeare’s poetic syntax. The original music embraces both pop and rock themes created by Dehnert and Andre Pleuss, a sound designer based in Chicago, and performed by cast members.

Dehnert’s current adaptation will run from July 15 to August 27 at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s new home in Garrison. This location will continue to house the festival’s iconic all-weather, 540-seat, openair theater tent, which theatergoers will remember from the festival’s 34-year run at Boscobel. The outdoor stage is perfectly suited for “Love’s Labor’s Lost”—the action of this play occurs outside the Navarre palace, on the castle grounds. “Audiences really need room to have fun with other people, and this play is a great vehicle for that,” Dehnert says.

The festival plans to build a LEED-certified permanent theater using a New York State Council on the Arts capital grant of $10 million announced earlier this year. This will allow year-round performances and aeducational programs.

—Nola Storms

Labor Movement

“LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST” AT HUDSON VALLEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

July 15-August 27

Hvshakespeare.org

The cast of Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's 2023 production of "Henry V."

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Jewish Alps

THE BORSCHT BELT FESTIVAL IN ELLENVILLE

July 28–29

Borschtbeltfest.org

During summer stays at Borscht Belt resorts, some of the most notable comedians of the second half of the 20th century, like Mel Brooks, Lenny Bruce, and Jerry Seinfeld, sharpened their one-liners and mused about Jewish culture. They cultivated a distinct style of modern Jewish humor: smart, incisive, and self-aware. Now, the region’s history, including the influence these artists continue to have on American culture, is the subject of an upcoming museum and festival.

The Borscht Belt was made up of a series of Jewishowned resorts in the Catskills where Jewish people came together when antisemitism prevented them from going elsewhere. The museum is scheduled to open in 2025, and exhibits will feature archival film, artifacts, and ephemera. One such artifact is a neon sign from Kutsher’s Hotel and Country Club, one of the longestrunning resorts. A pop-up exhibition can be found through the summer at the site of the museum, 90 Canal Street, and the first annual Borscht Belt festival will be held July 28–29.

The project was initially conceived of in the 1990s by Jack Godfrey, whose family owned a hotel in the area, and who went on to work in the hospitality industry. Now, the advisory board includes names such as Fran Drescher and Harvey Fierstein. Andrew Jacobs, the

museum board president and a New York Times reporter, is the director of a 2008 documentary, Four Seasons Lodge, about a group of Holocaust survivors who shared a bungalow colony in Ellenville. Jacobs emphasizes the role of the Catskills as a refuge for those facing persecution, including Jewish people, people of color, and members of the queer community, who all founded resorts that served as safe community gathering spaces.  Jacobs also hopes the museum and festival can play a role in the economic revitalization of Ellenville, which was once home to several resorts. However, when the resorts started to lose popularity, the town struggled. “People are embracing [the project] because everyone in Ellenville has a connection to this Borscht Belt past,” Jacobs says. Currently, Ellenville is experiencing economic growth as tourism reaches new highs, and permanent residents settle in after pandemic-motivated relocations. Events like the festival, which is a block party with food, comedy, and talks, create support for local businesses and honor the town’s past.

Food, in the Jewish tradition, brings people together and retains centuries of history. At the festival, Canal Street will be lined with food trucks selling knishes, pastrami sandwiches, pickles, bagels, black and white cookies, challah, and borscht.

Given the Borscht Belt’s entertainment history, the festival features a lineup of comedy shows at the Shadowland Theater. On July 29 at 5:30pm is “Immigrant Jam,” a stand-up show featuring immigrant and firstgeneration New Yorkers hosted by Lucie Pohl. At 10pm there’s “Weeding Out the Stoned”: a crowd of comedians enter and only one is sober. Who’s not high? It’s up to the audience, guided by Alex Grubard, to figure it out.

Visitors can also attend history talks at Market Street Studios. “From Pushcarts to Poolside: An Immigrant History of Food” is hosted by Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, coauthors of The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods, and examines food history in the Jewish communities of the Lower East Side. “Stop at the Red Apple: A Journey Back in Time,” is presented by Elaine Freed Lindenblatt, whose parents established the iconic Red Apple Rest, a popular stop on the way upstate.

“This institution [is] not just a vehicle for remembering the past, but also creating possibilities for contemporary [Jewish] arts and culture,” says Jacobs. From comedians who revolutionized comedy to vendors introducing traditional food to festival goers, Jewish creativity and innovation persists.

—Sophie Frank

A postcard of the olympic pool at Laurels Hotel and Country Club on Sackett Lake in Monticello circa 1960. The Borscht Belt Festival will be held this month, kicking off a fundraising campaign for the Borscht Belt Museum, which is slated to open in 2025.

The Historic Woodstock Art Colony: The Arthur A. Anderson Collection

CLOSING - July 23, 2023

Learn about America’s first intentional art colony and experience local artwork of national and international significance.

Organized by the New York State Museum, Albany, NY

In 2007, like many young actors trying to make a living in New York City, J. J. Kandel was frustrated. Even though he’d recently been called up for a small role as a soldier in The Hurt Locker, he felt like he never got the meaty parts his actor friends were landing. But rather than “sit around being bitter,” he came up with the idea to launch his own short play festival, featuring the kind of works he wanted to be in. With a mixture of chutzpah and luck, he managed to convince the off-Broadway theater 59E59 to host the event that summer.

Kandel’s Summer Shorts festival went on to become one of the most successful theatrical events in the city, running for 13 years and launching 80 new plays—10 of which Kandel acted in, four of which he directed. It also showcased the work of many famous playwrights, including Tony nominee Neil LaBute and Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning writer of Birdman

“The ticket sales were pretty amazing,” says Kandel, now 42, a native Californian with an intense gaze and the compact body of a runner. “One year we even hit $100,000 in sales, which is amazing for a 99-seat theater with a $25 top ticket price.”

Now, Kandel has quit the city and is executing a new vision: to bring the first-ever Summer Shorts Film Fest to New Paltz.

Running from July 20-23 at the Denizen Theatre in the Water Street Market, Kandel wants festival attendees to enjoy “high-quality” scripted and documentary short films at the theater while also shopping, drinking, dining, and listening to live music at the market over the four-day run.

“It’s such a cultured community and you’ve got such

a wide range of ages and people and interests,” he says. “I don’t want people to just stay in the theater and then leave. There will be happy hour music in the courtyard from 5 to 7. I’m hoping to get a liquor license so people can carry drinks through the market. I want people to interact. For me, a film festival is about the people that you meet—people who are in the business and people who are not. And with a short film festival, it’s very accessible. The filmmakers want to be there, they’re excited, they want to talk to the audience.”

One person who will be there on opening night is Neil LaBute, who is presenting his short, The Mulberry Bush, about a random conversation in Central Park between two men—one of them played by Kandel—that turns personal. After the movie screens on Thursday, July 20, LaBute will take part in a discussion with the audience.

Over 40 movies will be shown, followed by more inperson Q&A sessions with attending filmmakers, some of whom live in the Hudson Valley. Trophies (created by local artist Ryan Cronin) will be awarded for seven categories including Best Film, Best Performance, and Best Local Short.

Warren Etheredge, who co-founded the renowned short film festival in Walla Walla, Washington, is curating the New Paltz programming, which ranges from the deep to the delightful. The Old Young Crow, for example, follows the story of an Iranian boy and an elderly Japanese woman who befriend each other at a Tokyo graveyard, while the cute animated short The Social Chameleon will please pint-sized audience members. Really Good Friends depicts a woman in her

Let's Be Brief

SUMMER SHORTS FILM FEST AT DENIZEN THEATER

July 20-23

Summershortsfilm.com

60s who meets a mysterious man online, and Good Luck (In Farsi) is a comic tale of two actresses vying for the same role on a television show.

Kandel, who first came to New Paltz after Covid hit, has no plans to return to New York City. He is now Artistic Associate at Denizen and hopes his festival will give an added boost to the burgeoning film scene in the Hudson Valley. “My ideal is to have this film festival be an annual event and to have it grow. And to have more films shown at the theater outside of the festival. And to help connect other creatives making movies up here, to have more film production up here, too.”

He pauses for a moment, pondering how life can sometimes take funny turns.

“If it wasn’t for Covid, I’d probably still be in New York City. But now I’m over the city. After 20 years in the concrete jungle and standing on subway platforms, I just came up here and I thought, quality of life and nature are too important. I don’t want to lose that.”

Tickets to the Summer Shorts Film Festival are $10 per block; a $50 badge gives VIP access to the entire festival.

—Margi Conklin

Gia Crovatin and Elizabeth Masucci in Good Luck (In Farsi), directed by Jessica Cummings, which will be screened at the Summer Shorts Film Fest at Denizen Theater.

DrinkinHistory

short list

“The Prom”

July 7-23 at Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck

When lesbian high school student

Emma’s senior prom is canceled in an attempt to prevent her from bringing her date, four out-of-work actors looking for some good publicity arrive on the scene. Rooted in true events, the 2018 Broadway hit musical “The Prom” will be performed by the Rhinebeck Theater Society in a partnership with Dutchess Pride Center and River Haven. Centerforperformingarts.org

Near Life Experiences

July 8 at the Rosendale Theater

For as long as we have existed, humans have reveled in the arts of drama, comedy, truth, and fiction. Audiences can immerse in an evening of diverse stories at the Near Life Experiences Variety show inside the walls of the iconic Rosendale Theater. The program will feature five different stories shared by award-winning storytellers Chris Wells, Nicole Quinn, David Gonzalez, Verna Gillis, and Beverly Donofrio alongside musicians Marianne Osiel and Joey Eppard.  Rosendaletheatre.org

Chatham Summerfest

July 8 on Main Street in Chatham

With live music, magicians, mini-horses, and so much more, the annual Chatham Summerfest will return to celebrate in the midsummer warmth of July. Main Street will be closed to make way for a family-friendly day filled with delicious food from local restaurants and food trucks, tons of activities including tiedying and a scavenger hunt, a diverse array of vendors, and the annual pieeating contest sponsored by Chatham’s own Pieconic. Live music from Rich Hallenbeck and the Landing Party and Joe Adee and the Lugnuts. Visitchathamny.com

The Bunker Hudson Valley

July 8 at Basilica Hudson

With music by AceMo and DJ Swisha, Analog Soul, and the Hudson Valley’s own Sister Zo and Scotia, The Bunker New York will be hosting a dance party at the Basilica Hudson, complete with full production custom sound and light systems, food from Local 111, and a fully stocked bar. The Going Room, a sub label of The Bunker, will offer a quieter space as a retreat from the dancefloor. There will also be a “safer spaces” team to reinforce an atmosphere of respect and to ensure the physical and mental safety of all guests. Thebunkerny.com

Sharkey and His Pals: When Sea Lions were Stars of Show Business

July 9 at the Hudson River Maritime Museum

When a sea lion took to a Broadway stage in 1938, Americans could not look away, and the gifted animal swiftly became a multi-media star. Sharkey the

sea lion’s illustrious career, which began in Kingston at the famous Seal College, was spent working alongside stars like Milton Berle, Bob Hope, the Three Stooges, and Ella Fitzgerald. As a part of their Follow the River lecture series, the Maritime Museum will be hosting a lecture on Sharkey’s story with Gary Bohan Jr., author of Sharkey: When Sea Lions Were Stars of Show Business, and others. Hrmm.org

Boudoir Blues Burlesque

July 13 at Colony

Fashion, music, humor, and athleticism collide for an exciting evening at Colony in Woodstock. Performers Tryst La Noir, Ashley Rose, Purple, Nastya Nice, and Ginger Snack Pack will gather to celebrate the classic art of burlesque and cabaret with pole aerial, hoop aerial, singing, and more.

Colonywoodstock.com

“We Start in Manhattan: A New Queer Journey”

July 14-15 at Powerhouse Theater

Fresh off the stage of the 2023 Broadway revival of “1776,” the real-life couple Ariella Serur and Sav Souz and accompanying cast members from “1776” will perform “We Start in Manhattan: A New Queer Musical” at Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College. Brimming with life and humor, the show follows the story of a one-night stand turned one-month-long road trip, and explores the influence that short-lived intimacy can have on our lives.  Vassar.edu/powerhouse

Underground Before Earthworks: Robert Smithson’s Paintings

July 16 at Starr Library

“Crucified Christs, buried angels, erupting penises” are all descriptions given by writer and art historian Suzaan Boettger on the imagery featured in American artist Robert Smithson’s artwork. In her recent biography, Inside the Spiral: The Passions of Robert Smithson, Boettger goes beyond the shore of the Great Salt Lake where the artist famously sculpted the Spiral Jetty, into the complexity of his sexual fluidity, relationship with religion, troubled family history, and much more. Boettger will be giving a lecture at Starr Library in Rhinebeck. Starrlibrary.org

Kingston Photo Festival

July 22-23 at 474 Broadway & 25 Dederick Street

It will be hard to look away from the photos and films appearing at the first ever annual Kingston Photo Festival, hosted by the Center for Photography at Woodstock at its new permanent home on Dederick Street. The festival will feature two photo exhibitions, including “Upstate Girls” by artist-activist Brenda Kenneally; a photobook fair; workshops for making tintypes, cyanotypes, zines, and portraits; film screenings; and food/ food trucks from local vendors. Cpw.org

live music

CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

ARTISTIC

ARNAUD

WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS

PERFORMING

CHAUSSON

Art Gray Noizz Quintet/Skull Practitioners

July 8. There’s no Art Gray in the Art Gray Noizz Quintet. But don’t let that distract you from making your way to Tubby’s when the scum-rock-cum-laude outfit hits town for this coheadliner with their noisy New York neighbors Skull Practitioners. The all-star AGNQ includes Stu Spasm (Lubricated Goat, Beasts of Bourbon), Skeleton Boy (Woman), Bloody Rich Hutchins (Live Skull, Of Cabbages and Kings), Andrea Sicco (Twin Guns), and others. Skull Practitioners sport current Dream Syndicate lead guitarist Jason Victor and rock a heavy psych/dark postpunk attack. Love Letter opens. (R.L. Boyce brings raw blues July 11; Pyrex, Rider/Horse, and Beech Creeps smash July 13.) 7pm. $12. Kingston. Tubbyskingston.com

Hudson Valley Intertribal Noise Symposium and Book Release

July 21. Native American noise is the focus of this program at sculpture park and contemporary arts center Art Omi. Cosponsored by Tulsa Artist Fellowship, the event, billed as “an evening of performances by experimental sound artists who create and destroy sound worlds and embody Indigenous sonic agency,” features Pulitzer Prize winner Raven Chacon, Kite, Laura Ortman, Warren Realrider, Robbie Wing, and Nathan Young. The Oklahoma-based Young is also the organizer of the gathering; it will double as a celebration of his new publication about Hudson Valley Indigenous territories, which is being hand-printed by Lanesville Press. (A “Dance Showing” features collaborative pieces August 5.) 5:30pm. Free. Ghent. Artomi.org

Aimee Mann

July 24. The songs on Queens of the Summer Hotel, the 10th studio album by Aimee Mann, came about when the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was commissioned to compose music for a stage adaptation of Susanna Kaysen’s memoir about undergoing psychiatric treatment as a teenager, Girl, Interrupted Perhaps the album’s dark songs that deal with difficult subject matter feel like they ring true because the pairing is perfect; Mann herself has been open about once being treated for anxiety and depression and, in a stroke of black humor, even titled one of her albums Mental Illness. The former ’Til Tuesday vocalist appears at the Egg as part of its American Roots and Branches series. Jonathan Coulton opens. (Judy Collins returns July 15; Melissa Etheridge emotes August 8.) 7:30pm. $34.50-$59.50. Albany. Theegg.org

Bang on a Can: LOUD Weekend 2023

July 27-29. The culmination of groundbreaking contemporary music organization Bang on a Can’s yearly Summer Music Festival at Mass MoCA, the three-day LOUD Weekend is packed with mesmerizing experimental music. The celebration promises two 50-year anniversary concerts by the Kronos Quartet; the new trio of Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily; composer David Lang with vocalist Theo Bleckmann; the Bang on a Can All Stars and Ensemble Klang in the US premiere of Petra Haden’s “Forgiveness and Forgetting”; composer Joan Tower with her new work “Into the Night”; Catalan folk duo Tarta Relena; composer Paola Prestini and cellist Jeffrey Zeigler; and much more. (Oscar Jerome gets soulful July 1; pianist BLKBOK plays July 15.) See website for schedule. $129$225. North Adams, Massachusetts. Massmoca.org

Iron & Wine

July 28. Better known by his musicalproject moniker, Iron & Wine, four-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sam Beam saw his profile dramatically jump from indie to household status when his songs appeared in the films Garden State and Twilight and began to be featured on TV in various series and commercials. The Southern-bornand-based folk rock giant, who has released seven studio albums to date and collaborated with Calexico, Jesca Hoop, Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell, Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, and others, pays his first visit to UPAC with this hotly anticipated evening during his “Back to Basics” tour. Half Gringa opens. (Big Thief steals in July 19; Jack DeJohnette drums August 9.) 8pm. $35 and up. Kingston. Bardavon.org

Bartees Strange

July 28. Mixing indie, electronica, hip-hop, folk, and pop, the eclectic style of Bartees Strange reflects his nomadic upbringing: Born in England to an opera-singer mother and a serviceman father, he grew up in Oklahoma before moving to Brooklyn and, finally, Washington, DC. After playing in post-hardcore band Stay Inside, he cut a pair of self-released EPs before officially debuting with 2020’s locally recorded Live Forever. In 2022 Strange signed with the influential 4AD label for the acclaimed Farm to Table, which has been singled out for its diverse sound and lyrical depth. He visits Colony for this summer show. Dominic Angelella opens. (Nanna nips by July 28; Indigo De Souza simmers August 1.) 8pm. $23.27. Woodstock. Colonywoodstock.com

—Peter Aaron

DIRECTOR AND VIOLINIST ARNAUD SUSSMANN

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH

SUSSMANN |EHNES STRING QUARTET | JENNIFER FRAUTSCHI| AND MANY MORE |

WORLD-FAMOUS COMPOSERS

|YSAYE | TCHAIKOVSKY | SCHUBERT | MENDELSSOHN | DVORAK | HAYDN Experience

most beautiful places.

During the making of Second Nature, the third and newest album by Lucius, the indie pop band centered around the unison vocals of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, dark and heavy times were happening. There was, of course, the pandemic. And there was also the dissolution of Wolf’s marriage to drummer Dan Molad. But, somehow, Second Nature didn’t turn out to be a record wholly devoted to downtempo songs about breakups and weighty, worldly topics. Yes, there are such songs on it—beautiful ones, to be sure. But the 2022 release is also bursting with plenty of sunny, super-upbeat, highly danceable tracks—numbers that the group will deliver with unbridled zeal when they appear with special guest Al Olender at Arrowood Farms on July 6.

“That kind of became our mantra when we were working on the album: ‘Dance through the darkness’,” says Wolf via phone during a pre-summer tour vacation shared by her and Laessig’s families. “A lot of the songs have more movement, more of a rhythmic element. Since [during the lockdown] no one could really get outside, we really leaned into the concept once we figured out what it was going to be. But even some of the upbeat songs have lyrics that are a little more serious.” Indeed, the words to cheerful-sounding cuts like “Heartbursts,” “Next to Normal,” and the Sheryl Crow-guested single “Dance Around It” belie their bouncy frameworks. The discotinged album also features the poignant “The Man I’ll

Never Find,” the first song that the two singer-songwriters have ever written with an outside composer (Nashville tunesmith Trent Dabbs).

Formed in Brooklyn circa 2007 by Berklee College of Music alums Wolfe and Laessig, Lucius debuted with 2009’s self-released Songs from the Bromley House. Molad, guitarist Peter Lalish, and multiinstrumentalist Andrew Burri (since departed) soon joined the lineup, which put out a self-titled EP in 2012 and saw song placements in “Grey’s Anatomy,” “New Girl,” “Catfish: The TV Show,” and other programs. The band broke through with 2013’s highly praised Wildewoman and shared bills with Tegan and Sara, Jack White, and others before releasing Good Grief in 2016. The latter album’s success led to Laessig and Wolf’s being tapped to sing with Jackson Browne, My Morning Jacket, and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, with whom they toured the world in 2017 and 2018.

“Working with Roger was really inspiring,” Wolfe says. “He’s so meticulous, and really got us to think about not wasting any time on stage: about making every moment count, and about the story you tell as a performer. When people come to see us play, I hope they can just feel some relief from whatever’s been stressing them out, some joy. It’s so powerful to be able to be present and let yourself be transported to another world.”

—Peter Aaron

Dancing Days Are Here Again

LUCIUS WITH AL OLENDER AT ARROWOOD FARMS

July 6 at 6:30pm Arrowoodfarms.com

art exhibits

Boletus Vitrium, Scott Bluedorn, from the "Symbiotic Forest" exhibition at The Source in Lake Hill, part of Upsate Art Weekend, July 21-24.

BERKSHIRE MUSEUM

39 SOUTH STREET, PITTSFIELD, MA

“Romance and Nature: Art of the Hudson River School.” Highlights of the museum’s Hudson River School collection and lithographs from John James Audubon. Through October 1.

BETHEL WOODS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

200 HURD ROAD, BETHEL.

“Rockin’ the Woods. Sculptures by Wayne Holbert.” Through October 31.

BILL ARNING EXHIBITIONS / HUDSON VALLEY

17 BROAD STREET, KINDERHOOK

“Jason Middlebrook: Small Time.”

July 8-August 13.

WOMEN’S STUDIO WORKSHOP

722 BINNEWATER LANE, ROSENDALE

“in the palm of your hand.” Group exhibition of itty-bitty works of art. July 10-October 31.

CANVAS + CLOTHIER

27 GARDEN STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE.

“American Patchwork”. Work by Monica Church, Elisa Lendvay, Suprina Troche, Noah David Smith, Fulani Hart, Peter MacKennan, Nestor Madalengotita, and Chisie Cordrey. Through August 31.

CAROL COREY FINE ART

6 NORTH MAIN STREET, KENT, CT.

“She Then Turned Away.” Works from Maison Gerard and Atelier Salvagni’s Aldus collection curated by James Salomon and Benoist Drut. Through July 9.

“Lizzie Gill.” Mixed media works. July 15-August 20.

CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY

622 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

The Summer Show. Work by Alaina Enslen, Anthony Finta, Jenny Nelson, and Susan Stover, and Dora Somosi. Through August 6.

THE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AT WOODSTOCK

474 BROADWAY, KINGSTON

510 WARREN ST GALLERY

510 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

“Some of This and Some of That.” Recent works by Ken Sahr Through July 30, 2023.

AL HELD FOUNDATION

26 BEECHFORD DRIVE, BOICEVILLE

“On the Grounds 2023.” Sculptures by Anina Major and Sagarika Sundaram. Through October 14.

“Kite: (In a Dream).” Oglala Lakota artist Kite approaches embroidery as a means of bringing knowledge from the nonhuman realms of machines, animals, and spirits into the human realms of creation. Through October 14.

THE ALDRICH CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM

258 MAIN STREET, RIDGEFIELD, CT

“Amy Brener: Harbingers.” Larger-than-life sculptures. Through September 3.

ANN STREET GALLERY

104 ANN STREET, NEWBURGH

“Listening to Land: Imaginal Technologies, Material Conduits, and Landscape Translations

Toward Perceiving Place.” Work by Margaux Crump, Katerie Gladdys, Katie Grove, Ellie Irons, Kite and Robbie Wing, Fernanda Mello, Steve Rossi, Millicent Young, and others. Curated by Allison McNulty. July 13-August 27.

ART GALLERY 71

71 EAST MARKET STREET #5, RHINEBECK

“Lee Rubenstein: Paintings and Furniture.” July 7-August 6.

ARTPORT KINGSTON

108 EAST STRAND STREET, KINGSTON

“Sense and Sensibility: Art on Prescription.” Through July 15.

ART SALES & RESEARCH

CLINTON CORNERS

“Structure.” Work by Fabienne Lasserre, Nicole Cherubini, James Little, Margie Neuhaus, Natasha Sweeten, and Anne Brown. July 1-30.

ARTISTS’ COLLECTIVE OF HYDE PARK

4338 ALBANY POST ROAD, HYDE PARK.

“In a Dream.” Group show of paintings, drawings, photography, mixed media, digital art. Juried by Betsy Jacaruso. July 15-August 12.

ARTS SOCIETY OF KINGSTON

97 BROADWAY, KINGSTON.

“Inaugural NFT Show.” Curated by Colborn Bell. July 1-July 24.

ATHENS CULTURAL CENTER

24 SECOND STREET, ATHENS.

“Kindred Spirits.” Work by Beatrice Glow, Paula Hayes, Jim Holl, Daniel Lanzilotta, Athena LaTocha, Jason Middlebrook, Alisa SikelianosCarter, and Susan Wides. Curated by Becky Hart. Through July 23.

BAU GALLERY

506 MAIN STREET, BEACON

“Con'joined.” Work by Jebah Baum, Daniel Berlin, Robyn Ellenbogen, Matthew Gilbert, Linda Lauro-Lazin, Mary McFerran, Eileen Sackman, Ilse Schreiber-Noll, Pamela Zaremba, Joel Brown, Emma Hines, and Nataliya Hines.

“In the Room." Photos by Kelly Kristin Jones, Ashley Freeby, and Jonathan Mark Jackson. Curated by Frances Cathryn. Through August 12.

CHANGO LIFE ARTS

211 FISHKILL AVENUE, BEACON

“Seres Imperfectos.” Work by Cuban artists: Sheyla, Mijail Ponce, and Eddy. Through December 27.

CLARK ART INSTITUTE

225 SOUTH STREET, WILLIAMSTOWN, MA

“Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth.” Thirty-five works from the Munchmuseet’s world-renowned collection and more than forty paintings and prints drawn from private collections and rarely exhibited publicly. Through October 15.

“Humane Ecology: Eight Positions.” Work by Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio, Korakrit Arunanondchai, Carolina Caycedo, Allison Janae Hamilton, Juan Antonio Olivares, Christine Howard Sandoval, Pallavi Sen, and Kandis Williams.

July 15-October 29.

“Printed Renaissance.” More than 30 prints drawn from the Clark’s extensive holdings of works on paper. July 29-October 22.

CMA GALLERY AQUINAS HALL MOUNT SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE, NEWBURGH

“A Place To Connect.” Work by Romina Gonzales and Jason Bauer. Through September 30.

D'ARCY SIMPSON ARTWORKS

409 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

“Megacosm.” New work by Joseph Stabilito. June 3-July 9.

DAVID ROCKEFELLER CREATIVE ARTS CENTER GALLERY

200 LAKE ROAD, TARRYTOWN

“Inspired Encounters: Women Artists and the Legacies of Modern Art.” Exhibition brings together works by women artists from the Rockefeller’s collections, such as Lee Bontecou and Louise Nevelson, in dialogue with a group of seven women artists, including Sonya Clark and Elana Herzog, still making their way through an art world too often dominated by men. Through July 29.

DIA BEACON

3 BEEKMAN STREET, BEACON

“Jack Whitten: The Greek Alphabet Series.”

Forty works from Whitten’s Greek alphabet series. Through July 10.

EMERGE GALLERY

228 MAIN STREET, SAUGERTIES

“Veronica Lawlor: Material Memory.” Abstract paintings. July 15-August 27.

FENIMORE ART MUSEUM

5798 LAKE ROAD, COOPERSTOWN

“M.C. Escher: Infinite Variations.” 160 works by the Dutch artist. Through September 4.

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST

89 TINKER STREET, WOODSTOCK

“Creative Mind: Beyond Imagination.” Work by Hudson Valley artists. July 9-August 6.

FORELAND

111 WATER STREET, CATSKILL

“Rachel Hayes Glass Bridge Installation.” Sitespecific fiber work. Through August 3.

FRONT ROOM GALLERY

727 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

“Part and Parcel.” New work by Joanne Ungar. July 15-August 27.

GALLERY 40

40 CANNON STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE

“Flora Flora.” Work by William Noonan and Joe Radoccia. July 1-30.

GARAGE GALLERY

17 CHURCH STREET, BEACON

“Reclaimed.” Work by Laura Petrovich-Cheney, Jaynie Crimmins, and Rinat Goren. July 8-23.

GARNER ARTS CENTER

55 WEST RAILROAD AVENUE, GARNERVILLE

“Steve Geberich and Polly King.” Kinetic sculptures and collages. Through July 30.

GARRISON ART CENTER

23 GARRISON’S LANDING, GARRISON. "James Murray." Sculptures. July 21-July 24.

GEARY CONTEMPORARY

34 MAIN STREET, MILLERTON

“Who’s to Say I’m Awake; Are You?” Work by Paul Anagnostopoulos, Aisha Tandiwe Bell-Caldweel, Theresa Daddezio, Mark Joshua Epstein, Tara Foley, Henry Klimowicz, KK Kozik, Kirstin Lamb, Marta Lee, Loraine Lynn, Azikiwe Mohammed, Lucha Rodriguez, Kat Ryals, Saki Sato, Nikko Sedgwick, DARNstudio, Brigitta Varadi, Erik White, and Jack Wood. Through July 30.

GREEN KILL

229 GREENKILL AVENUE, KINGSTON

“The Long View: Creativity Over Time”. Work by Blue Mountain Gallery artists. July 1-August 31.

GRIT GALLERY

115 BROADWAY, NEWBURGH

“Corners of My Mind.” Paintings by Carolyn Bogart Deleo. July 29-September 17.

HEADSTONE GALLERY

28 HURLEY AVENUE, KINGSTON

“A Sackful of Seeds.” Joshua AM Ross and Judd Schiffman. July 1-30.

HOLLAND TUNNEL GALLERY

46 CHAMBERS STREET, NEWBURGH

“Down To Earth.” Work by Kent Peterson, Gerda van Leeuwen, and Peter Yamoaka. Through July 30.

“Wood, Wool, Glass & Clay.” Work by KaKyung Cho, Naomi Beth Gans, Romina Gonzales, Stuart Sachs, and Tina Scepanovic. July 22-August 20.

HOLY CROSS MONASTERY

1615 ROUTE 9W, WEST PARK

“From Glacial Ponds.” Joan Monastero's Lily Pond Paintings. Through July 29.

HOWLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

313 MAIN, BEACON

“Cat Art Show.” Curated by Jean Noack. July 8-August 4.

HUDSON BEACH GLASS

162 MAIN STREET, BEACON

“Beacon Open Studios Show.” Group show of participating artists. July 8-August 6.

HUDSON HALL

327 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

“Peter Superti & David Konigsberg: New Work.” New furniture. Through July 23.

HUDSON VALLEY MOCA

1701 MAIN STREET, PEEKSKILL

“Gen Z : A Student Exhibition.” Work by Peekskill Central School District students. Through August 4.

JANE ST. ART CENTER

11 JANE STREET, SAUGERTIES

“Between Light & Dark.” An installation of props, artifacts, and video from the Cave Dogs theatrical collective. Through July 31.

THE KUBE

192 VERPLANCK AVENUE, BEACON

“Aboudia.” Large-scale paintings, collages, and drawings by the street artist from the Ivory Coast. Through July 16.

“Margaret Innerhofer: Shadowland.” Multimedia artist Innerhofer explores the transitional spaces between spiritual and psychological borderlands. Through August 29.

KLEINERT/JAMES ARTS CENTER

34 TINKER STREET, WOODSTOCK

“Self: Portraits + Places.” Work by Elise Jensen, Julie Heffernan, and Brenda Goodman. Curated by Melinda Stickney-Gibson. Through August 6.

LABSPACE

2642 NY ROUTE 23, HILLSDALE

“The Hills Have Eyes: Artists of Hillsdale + Neighbors.” Work by Les Baum, Martha Bone, Louis Brawley, Ian Wilson Clyde, Peter Bradley Cohen, Stuart Farmery, Jean Feinberg, Marianne Gagnier, Joan Grubin, GUZMAN, Sean Hutcheon, Susan Jennings, Erick Johnson, Jennifer Johnson, Suzi Matthews, James Menshenfriend, Rylan Morrison, Kristen Palazzo, Susan Petry, Liz Sample, Karin Schaefer, Kim Sloane, Joseph Stabilito, Linda Stillman, and Guy Walker. July 1-30.

LEHMAN LOEB ART CENTER

124 RAYMOND AVENUE, POUGHKEEPSIE

“Apocalypse Sky: Art, AIDS, and Activism in New York City, 1982–1992.” Twenty works by artists whose lives were transformed by the

HIV/AIDS crisis during the 1980s and 1990s, including Keith Haring and Felix Gonzalez-Torres. Through August 20.

“Between the Lines: Innovation and Expression in Women’s Sewing Samplers.” Through September 3.

“Body Matters.” Vassar students re-curate, reshape, and reimagine “What Now? (Or Not Yet).” Through September 10.

“The Hairy Leg or What To Do Wrong.” Judy Linn selects photographs from the Loeb’s permanent collection: Diane Arbus, Sid Grossman, and others. Through September 24.

LEXINGTON HOUSE

3879 ROUTE 42, LEXINGTON

“Summer Camp.” Group show of Catskill-based artists curated by Jill Benson. Through July 16.

LIFEBRIDGE SANCTUARY

333 MOUNTAIN ROAD, ROSENDALE

“Becoming Abstract.” Work by Nancy O’Hara. Through August 31.

LIGHTFORMS ART CENTER

743 COLUMBIA STREET, HUDSON

“Brian Dickerson: Constructed Paintings & Drawings.” Recent work. July 15-August 20.

LIMNER GALLERY

123 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

“Global Crisis and Meltdown.” Group show. Through July 25.

LISA VOLLMER PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO + GALLERY

325 STOCKBRIDGE ROAD, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

“Season Opening.” Recent work by Lisa Vollmer and Sabine von Falken. Through August 26.

MARK GRUBER GALLERY

13 NEW PALTZ PLAZA, NEW PALTZ “Skyscapes.” Group show. July 8-September 2.

MASS MOCA

1040 MASS MOCA WAY, NORTH ADAMS, MA

“Love from Vicki Island.” Sculptures by Daniel Giordano. Through September 30.

MILLBROOK LIBRARY

3 FRIENDLY LANE, MILLBROOK

"I Dreamed A Garden." Work by artists of the LongReach Arts cooperative. June 2-July 30.

MONTGOMERY ROW SECOND LEVEL

6423 MONTGOMERY STREET, RHINEBECK

“Ice & Fire.” Recent paintings by Penny Dell. Through July 30.

MOTHER GALLERY

1154 NORTH AVENUE, BEACON

“I am the Passenger: Part II.” Work by Lisa Beck,Trudy Benson, Seth Cameron, Mariah Dekkenga, Stacy Fisher, Rico Gatson, Russell Tyler, and Susan Weil. Through July 29.

MOTHER-IN-LAW’S

140 CHURCH AVENUE, GERMANTOWN

“Uncontained Consumption.” Work by Linda Ganjian, Joanne Ungar, and Marianna Peragallo. Through July 16.

NORTH LOOP

112 WATER STREET, WILLIAMSTOWN, MA

“Patterning.” Work by Lauren Luloff, Joiri Minaya, Alyssa Sakina Mumtaz, Padma Rajendran, Aparna Sarkar, Benedict Scheuer, and Pallavi Sen. Through July 16.

OLANA STATE HISTORIC SITE

5720 ROUTE 9G, HUDSON.

“Terraforming: Olana’s Historic Photography Collection Unearthed.” Nineteenth-century

photographs from Frederic Church’s collection curated by David Hartt. Through October 29.

OLIVE FREE LIBRARY

4033 ROUTE 28A, WEST SHOKAN.

“Beneath the Surface.” Work by the Women’s Photography Collective of the Hudson Valley. Through July 8.

“A Town Shaped by Water: 200 Years of Olive History.” Photos, ephemera, and colorful stories collected through oral histories of several Town of Olive notables. Through December 31.

PALMER GALLERY, VASSAR COLLEGE

124 RAYMOND AVENUE, POUGHKEEPSIE

“Vassar Views: The Art of Tarryl Gabel & Tatiana Rhinevault.” Through August 1.

PAMELA SALISBURY GALLERY

362 1/2 WARREN STREET, HUDSON.

“Air, Light, and Water.” Work by Dave Gloman. “Behind Closed Eyes.” Work by Chie Fueki and Joshua Marsh.

“Forecast.” Work by Kamilla Talbot.

“Multinatural.” Work by Julie Evans.

“Two Storied.” Work by Barbara Takenaga. All shows through July 23.

PINKWATER GALLERY

56 NORTH FRONT STREET, KINGSTON

“Mimi Young.” Through July 24.

THE RE INSTITUTE

1395 BOSTON CORNERS ROAD, MILLERTON

“Family Snapshots.” Altered photographs by Nikko Sedgwick. Through July 25.

“Material Sustenance.” Work by Frank Jackson, Tom Goldenberg, Jonathan Fabricant, and Russell Steinert. Through July 25.

SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM OF ART

1 HAWK DRIVE, NEW PALTZ

“Notes for Tomorrow.”Artworks selected by 31 curators around the world to reflect on a new global reality ushered in by the Covid-19 pandemic. Through November 12.

“Be Who You Are: Portraits of Woodstock Artists.” Photographs by Harriet Tannin (19292009). Through July 16.

“The Historic Woodstock Art Colony: The Arthur A. Anderson Collection.” Illuminating America’s first intentional Art Colony, this exhibition presents more than 100 artists whose paintings, sculptures, and works on paper together form an artistic history of national and international significance. Through July 23.

THE SCHOOL

25 BROAD STREET, KINDERHOOK

“Michael Snow: A Life Survey (1955-2020).”

Retrospective for the musician, painter, photographer, and pioneering experimental filmmaker. Through December 30.

Sunbather, Theresa Daddezio, 2022, from “Who’s to Say I’m Awake; Are You?” at Geary Contemporary.

FINE ART SERVICES

ATHENS

ATHENS

Providing fine art services for artists, collectors and gallerists in the Hudson Valley, Massachusetts, Connecticut and surrounding region 518-822-7244 athensfas.com

Providing fine art services for artists, collectors and gallerists in the Hudson Valley, Massachusetts, Connecticut and surrounding region 518-822-7244 athensfas.com

Providing fine art services for artists, collectors and gallerists in the Hudson Valley, Massachusetts, Connecticut and surrounding region 518-822-7244 athensfas.com

Sunset, Alyssa Follansbee, oil on canvas, from her one-person show "Interior" at Super Secret Projects.

SEPTEMBER

4 HUDSON STREET, KINDERHOOK

“Ashley Garrett: Ambrosia.” Work by Ashley Garrett. Through July 30.

STORM KING ART CENTER

1 MUSEUM ROAD, NEW WINDSOR

Site-specific presentations of new and recent artworks by Beatriz Cortez, Ugo Rondinone, and RA Walden in addition to permanent collection. Through November 13.

STUDIO 89

89 VINEYARD AVENUE, HIGHLAND

“Secret Lives.” Work by Marsha Massih. Through July 30.

SUPER SECRET PROJECTS

484 MAIN STREET, BEACON

“Interior.” Paintings by Alyssa Follansbee. July 8-August 6.

SUSAN ELEY FINE ART

433 WARREN STREET, HUDSON

“Diametric Abstraction.” Work by Ted Dixon and Susan Lisbin. Through July 16.

“Bountiful.” Work by Eunju Kang and Fumiko Toda. July 20-September 3.

‘T’ SPACE

137 ROUND LAKE ROAD, RHINEBECK

“Closer (Bird and Lava).” Site-specific installation by Torkwase Dyson. Through July 9.

“Ann Hamilton." July 16-August 20.

TANJA GRUNERT

84 GREEN STREET, HUDSON

“On Friendship.” Work by Barry Bartlett, Elana Herzog, and Arnie Zimmerman. July 8-August 20.

THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

218 SPRING STREET, CATSKILL

“Women Reframe American Landscape: Susie Barstow & Her Circle/Contemporary Practices.” Female artists of the 19th century exhibited alongside contemporary female artists. Through October 29.

TIME AND SPACE LIMITED

434 COLUMBIA STREET, HUDSON

“Roberto Juarez: New Paintings.” Installation of large paintings. July 1-August 27.

TIVOLI ARTISTS GALLERY

60 BROADWAY, TIVOLI

“Going Places.” Group show. July 7-August 6.

TURN PARK ART SPACE

2 MOSCOW ROAD, STOCKBRIDGE, MA

“Nikolai Silis: Don Quixote Graphic Series.”

Persecuted for “formalism” under Khrushchev’s “thaw” and the long reign of Brezhnev, the famed underground Soviet artist nevertheless captured human beauty through abstraction, including through his favorite literary character, Don Quixote, represented in this exhibition of original drawings, lithographs, and more spanning two decades. Through July 31.

“Steven Careau: in the lining of fields.” Wallmounted wood-and-metal pieces characterized by clean lines and precise geometry. Through July 31.

ULSTER COUNTY HISTORICAL

SOCIETY

2682 ROUTE 209, KINGSTON

“Leaving Bishop Falls: An Ashokan Story.” Paintings, prints, poetry, and historical ephemera of Kate McGloughlin. Through October 29.

UNISON

68 MOUNTAIN REST ROAD, NEW PALTZ

“Human Foibles Met the Machine.” Work by Kathy Goodell. July 7-August 11.

VISITOR CENTER

233 LIBERTY STREET, NEWBURGH

“The Divine, the Passion, and the Magic.” Work by Clara Fialho, Michela Martello, and Sooo-z Mastropietro. Through August 19.

THE WASSAIC PROJECT

37 FURNACE BANK ROAD, WASSAIC

“Counting the Seconds Between Lightning and Thunder.” Work by Fern Apfel, Mara Baldwin, Desmond Beach, Shawn Bitters + Matthew Willie Garcia, Leonardo Bravo, Michael Covello + Elizabeth Schneider, Adinah Dancyer, Liz Ferrer + Bow Ty, Francesco Gattuso, Jeila Gueramian, Dan Gunn, Iris Helena Hamers, Jazmine Hayes, Joe Hedges, Pete Hillstrom, Jeremiah Jossim, Natalja Kent, Danielle Klebes,

Kyle Kogut, KK Kozik, Ailyn Lee, Chip McCall, Caitlin McCormack, Austin Nash, Chiara No, Marianna Peragallo, Kat Ryals, Azadeh Nia, Jen Shepard, Daniel Shieh, Jeff Slomba, Melissa Vogley Woods, Janet Wang, Poyen Wang, Jen White-Johnson, Natalie Woodlock, and Ping Zheng. Through September 16.

WEST STRAND ART GALLERY

29 W STRAND ST, KINGSTON

“Meditations on Nature.” Work by Tom Sarrantonio, Pablo Shine, and Deborah Friedman. Through July 9.

“Abstact Configurations.” Work by Pamela Blum, Susan Spencer Crowe, Marcha Goldberg, and Andrew Lyght. July 15-August 20.

WOMENSWORK.ART

4 SOUTH CLINTON STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE

“Seen/Heard.” Group show. July 7-August 26.

WOODSTOCK ARTISTS ASSOCIATION AND MUSEUM

28 TINKER STREET, WOODSTOCK

“Far & Wide: Waiting for the Light.” National invitational exhibition juried by Shazzi Thomas, director of the Painting Center in New York City. Through July 23.

“Fern T. Apfel: Sacred Geometry.” Paintings. Through July 23.

“Norma Morgan: In the Lands of the Moors and Catskills.” Paintings, drawings, and engravings. Through September 10.

SpaLindita

Horoscopes

By Cory Nakasue

Solar Flares and Changes of Heart

July starts with a practical full moon in Capricorn on the 3rd and Mars’s ingress into task-oriented Virgo on the 10th. It might look like we’re in for a work-filled, rule-following month, but that’s where the industriousness ends. The second half of the month has us flying by the seat of our pants and following our passions. Two major astrological events will have us honing our abilities to handle hot emotions and our desire for self-expression.

The north node of the moon enters the fiery sign of Aries on July 17th. This means that for the next 18 months we will experience eclipses on the Aries-Libra axis. Eclipses are events that accelerate change and fast-track advancement. We’re shifting our individual and collective focus to themes of independence within relationships. The moon’s north node is where the volume gets turned up, and in Aries that means an increase of impulsiveness, assertiveness, and instinct. We only experience eclipses about four times a year, but nodal activity is always humming in the background. During this time our emotions will be triggered by the interplay of Mars and Venus.

The second major event of July is Venus’s station retrograde in Leo on the 22nd—the same day that the Sun enters Leo. Venus typically spends about three weeks in each sign, but due to its retrograde, it will spend roughly four months in Leo. This means four months of a more extraverted expression of Venus, more heat, drama, passion, fierce pride, and pageantry. When any planet goes through its retrograde phase, it goes through a deep dive of what that planet and sign represents in your chart. Venus and Leo symbolize matters of the heart. During Venus’s station our hearts stop and prepare their journeys into the past and below the surface.

ARIES (March 20–April 19)

With so much activity in Leo, you’re bound to enjoy a month of very friendly fire, as in exchanges with friends that are a little spicy. All of the things you usually enjoy—competition, rough-housing, and risktaking, will be even more satisfying. All of your creative, romantic, and recreational pursuits have a feverish edge to them, and make you feel more like yourself than you have in a long time. Also, with the north node of the Moon entering your sign mid-month, the cosmos is singing your tune. There’s not much more to do other than dance your own inimitable dance.

TAURUS (April 19–May 20)

Your horoscope ruler, Venus, is taking inventory of all the creative urges left uncultivated and unexpressed in the deep recesses of your heart. Why did you ever put these things in the basement? Don’t you know that they’re essential to the realization of a more expanded version of yourself? I see you spending time in the basement of your house, heart, or mind, and resurrecting connection with your children, old love letters, and unfinished manuscripts; looking deep into the soul of these things in search of your essence. You’re being called to nourish the smoldering embers of love to full flame.

Cory Nakasue is an astrology counselor, writer, and teacher. Her talk show, “The Cosmic Dispatch,” is broadcast on Radio Kingston (1490AM/107.9FM) Sundays from 4-5pm and available on streaming platforms. AstrologybyCory.com

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GEMINI (May 20–June 21)

You’re about to find yourself everywhere you look, so I hope you like what you see. The reflections you catch of yourself, even in the most familiar of places, might seem strange—like funhouse mirrors. Your subconscious mind is incredibly active, and it wants to express the more disruptive parts of itself. At the moment, it has access to the most prosaic parts of your life. You may find these unclaimed parts at the grocery store, the dog park, or your commute to work. When they show up, befriend them. They want to be included in your day-to-day reality.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

After a stern reminder about the realities of love at the top of the month, you’re ready to bring different expectations to the table. Perhaps the biggest lesson you’re learning is that it takes a complex palette of social connections to make us feel secure enough to form more intimate bonds. Most one-to-one relationships can’t survive the pressure of being one partner’s everything. That kind of pressure makes relationships less stable, and less likely to survive. By enjoying the support and resources of more social ties, you’re less tempted to extract all your needs from one person.

LEO (July 22–August 23)

This month I’d like you to identify your walk-up song. A walk-up song is what’s played as a baseball player walks up to the plate. Walk-up songs amplify our auras and put us in touch with rhythms and energies that connect us to the pulse of life. Once you’ve picked your song, walk, strut, or swagger down the street or around the house. All eyes are on you, and you want to make sure you’re radiating a coherent expression of your most authentic self. How you’d like to present yourself is changing. Try on lots of songs until something feels just right.

VIRGO (August 23–September 23)

While everyone is outside playing, you’re inside cleaning, studying, and working out. You’re not even upset about it because you’re on a mission. All of the dreams and ambitions that Mars in Leo stirred up have you inspired to put your muscle where your mouth is. Major projects, including personal development and fitness goals, can be realized once you get yourself in gear. Mars’s six-week tour through your first house gives you the energy, focus, and unerring discernment to do the heavy lifting and detailed editing that will lead to satisfying results. One caveat: Don’t rip yourself to shreds in the process.

LIBRA (September 23–October 23)

In the short and long term, you’re being confronted with the fiery nature of others and what that says about the way you deal with your own heat. Much can be gained right now by going a little overboard and tipping the scales out of balance. Does the mere thought offend you? You might want to look into that. What happens when you don’t play nice? How does it feel to hog the mic, the spotlight, or more than your share of the spoils? Sometimes throwing things out of balance creates more equanimity in the larger scheme of things.

SCORPIO (October 23–November 22)

Some deep ambivalence may crop up this month around the desire to be seen, and maybe even revered, and your need to maintain control by hiding. We all know that exposing too much can leave us vulnerable to attack, but protecting ourselves unnecessarily can distance us from the help we need and the love we crave. You’re due for some accolades and acknowledgement. Why are you resisting it? This is something to explore as Venus retrogrades through your house of reputation, recognition, and your relationship to authority. There are beneficial relationships knocking on your door. Will you let them in?

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 22)

The fires of creation are conspiring with the fires of the quest to reveal facets of your being that have yet to be integrated. This is the kind of adventure custom-made for a Sagittarian. By journeying into uncharted territory—through travel, study, or some form of missionary work, you’re likely to find a part of yourself you’ve been missing. By expanding the reaches of your mind, heart, and body, you recognize yourself in the faces you would describe as “foreign.” For you, the “foreign” is home. Answer the call of the hero/ine’s journey, the soul retrieval, or the majestic crusade.

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 20)

You’ve wandered into the deep end of the relationship pool. Do you jump out, dive to the bottom, or, do a cool backstroke? All of these options are on the table but all of them require that you do something. Floating is not an option. There’s so much potential for you to form deliciously intimate bonds with those who are important to you. The cost will be giving in to someone else’s desires and allowing yourself to have needs too. You’re about to discover what, in your nature, keeps you from doing that. What keeps you from enjoying the water?

AQUARIUS (January 20–February 19)

Ghosts of lovers past may show themselves to you in some creative ways this month: an “accidental” text message, an old love letter at the bottom of your sock drawer, or, they may show up in your dreams. However they present themselves, listen to what they have to say. You’re reflecting on all the things that didn’t work out and all the feelings left unexpressed. What would you have done differently? What do you wish you would have said? Even if you have no interest in reconciling with anyone, it’s time to take accountability for your part in any relationship drama.

PISCES (February 20–March 19)

You are not to be rushed this month. Others will try to crack the whip and push you to produce something, but they will be surprised by your newfound gravitas. You are simply not as pliable as you usually are, which might strain relationships. So be it! I want you to remember this month after it passes—what it felt like to say “no” without the guilt, and what it felt like to move to your own dreamy tempo. Nothing will ever keep you from wanting to be of service to others, but not all problems are yours to solve.

Horoscopes

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UPSTATE ART WEEKEND

This year’s Upstate Art Weekend (July 21-24) is a full-to-bursting art suitcase with over 130 participants, from galleries and museums (Catskill Art Space, David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center, Olana) to lesser-known art destinations (White Feather Farm, the Starlite Motel), and artists’ open studios (like Kathy Ruttenberg, see below). With so much to choose from, it’s hard to know where to point the arrow of one’s attention. Here are some suggestions on what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s not to be missed. Upstateartweekend.org

Kathy

Ruttenberg Studio Tour

Ruttenberg’s ceramic sculptures explore the humananimal boundary, possessing the stately elegance of Proust, as well as the winsome immediacy of an indiepop song—simultaneously solid and slight, rooted down and taking flight. For the first time, she is opening her studio, located on a mountaintop outside Woodstock, to the public. The tour is presented in conjunction with Ruttenberg’s exhibition “Twilight in the Garden of Hope” at Lyles and King in Manhattan. Lylesandking.com

NADA

x Foreland

The second edition of the New Art Dealers Alliance takeover features over 40 participating galleries in a collaborative exhibition in Foreland’s 85,000-squarefoot arts complex in Catskill. Expect a robust series of live music, discussions, guided tours, and performance throughout the weekend. Newartdealers.org

Olaf Breuning Smoke Bomb Performance

On Saturday, July 22 at Inness resort in Accord, experiential Kerhonkson-based artist Breuning will stage one of his smoke bomb performances. For these interventions, Breuning builds a grid of fireworks and lights them to create a rainbow-hued smoke screen. Rain date: Sunday, July 23. Inness.co

Abortion Access Fund Benefit Concert

NOISE FOR NOW and Seeding Sovereignty present a benefit concert for abortion access in Woodstock on Sunday evening July 23rd. Location TBA. Musicians include: Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear), Holly Miranda, Shana Falana, Sandy Bell and more to be announced. Noisefornow.org

UAP Workshop Tour

In 2020, UAP acquired Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in Rock Tavern, extending UAP’s worldwide artmaking operations to the Hudson Valley. UAP’s clients of the past two decades are contemporary art superstars: Louise Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Frank Stella, and Kiki Smith, among others. On Friday, July 21, from 1-5pm, UAP Hudson Valley hosts tours. Uapcompany.com

Strange Untried Project Space

In “Appearances,” six Hudson Valley artists explore how artworks converse with each other in works that skirt the boundary of recognition: Natalie Beall and Amy Talluto create nonfunctional domestic objects that seem to no longer remember their use; Adie Russell creates charcoal drawings that explore erasure, loss, and digital manipulation of historical photography; Judy Glantzman and Mandolyn Wilson Rosen create representations of un-nameable faces in sculpture and assemblage; Jesse Bransford creates color drawings of intangible phenomena inspired by his study of folk magic. Strangeuntried.com

Beacon Open Studios

Long before Dia moved to town, Beacon was a haven for artists fleeing the high rents of New York City. Even though the city’s real estate is as expensive as Manhattan’s in certain instances, many artists still live here. This self-guided tour is a perfect way for art lovers, collectors, and curators to discover new talent and purchase artwork directly from a diverse group of 80 artists. The Yard (4 Hanna Lane) is this year’s studio tour hub and will host an immersive group art exhibition indoors and a ticketed concert outside.

Beaconopenstudios.com

Wolfhouse

Set atop a hillside just north of Newburgh with panoramic views of the Hudson River, Wolfhouse is a classic Mid-Century Modern home built by Philip Johnson in 1949. Meticulously restored to its original condition in 2020, Wolfhouse has now been reimagined as a cultural space, which launches during Upstate Art Weekend. Reservations required for house tour.

Wolfhouseny.com

“High Entropy Breakfast”

Since 2007, Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe have been collaborating on a series of large-scale, labyrinthine installations. At Osmos Station in Stamford, Freeman and Lowe borrow from Robert Smithson’s model for “Site/Non-Site” with an installation of objects, ceramics, and paintings extracted from the larger universe of their practice—from ongoing projects where the real and imagined are no longer clearly defined. Osmos.online

Ellsworth Kelly Studio Tour

The painter, photographer, sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker would have turned 100 this year. The longtime Columbia County resident is considered one of the most significant artists of the late 20th century. In his honor, museums across the globe, are hosting exhibitions of his work. Closer to home, Ellsworth Kelly Studio and the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College invite the public in for a rare tour of the studio and a dialogue with artists in response to the collage work of Ellsworth Kelly on July 22 at 1pm.

Tang.skidmore.edu

—Brian K. Mahoney

Olaf Breuning will stage a smoke bomb performance at Inness resort on July 21 as part of Upstate Art Weekend.

Gosavor!

It’s summertime in our Sullivan Catskills—time for food and drink, song and dance, love and laughter. Roll down the river. See an outdoor concert. Applaud a play. Fly fish in our world-famous waters. Dine riverside or lakeside. Sip your way through the award-winning Good Taste Craft Beverage Trail. Shop our charming hamlets and embrace our low-key country vibe and street festivals. Book a sleepover, now!

RIVERFEST: JULY 23

Narrowsburg, NY

THE BAGEL FESTIVAL & CATSKILLS

REVIBE MURAL FEST: AUGUST 13

9 am – 4 pm; Broadway in Monticello

JERSEY BOYS: AUGUST 15-27

Forestburgh Playhouse

CATBIRD FESTIVAL: AUGUST 19 & 20

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

1.800.882.CATS

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