In the HILLS
Editor’s Letter
SPRING ARRIVES with a particular insistence in Dutchess County, not gently but all at once, and this issue is our attempt to keep pace.
Debra Kaye of Bear Creek Farm in Stanfordville opens the season with Iceland poppies, and the Donovans of Millbrook Beef & Dairy remind us why knowing your farmer matters. Lynn Mordas of Dashing Star Farm in Millerton has turned an accidental sheep operation into a thriving product line. Juliet Izon of Milan makes her fiction debut with The Encore. And Dover Stone Church proves the county’s most compelling destinations have been here for centuries. Minh Le holds court at The Lantern in Wassaic. Bjanette Andersen reflects on two decades of burritos. And Millbrook Music Salon keeps world-class chamber music close to home.
Our features go deeper. Jennifer Kounetz and Hans Li have turned Six Dutchess Farm in Clove Valley into a year-round flower operation. Jim Archer of Elk Ravine Farm in Amenia uses exotic livestock to restore wetlands and protect New York City’s water supply. Salt Point designer Young Huh’s debut book, A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors, makes the case for rooms that move you. Colu Henry brings her farmers market–fresh spring salad to the table. Spring is here. Enjoy every page.
Mary Beth Lawlor Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Early Buzz
1 SPRING REFRESH
A spring refresh at Tyte Medispa in Millbrook always feels like a reset for me. Owner Lily Al-Nemri takes such care to make the experience truly special, and after a long winter, her hydrafacials are exactly what my tired, dry skin needs.
2 VEGGIES!
Can’t wait to stock up on all the early spring greens, herbs, radishes, and flowers from local farms at the Rhinebeck Farmers Market.
3 BEES IN THE BARN
Bees in the Barn bring their high-energy, beyond-grass acoustic fun to Banning Hall at the Stissing Center on April 18.
4 DAFFODIL EXPLOSION
Each spring, Innisfree Garden bursts into bloom, with thousands of daffodils transforming its landscapes into a breathtaking celebration of renewal and beauty.
5 WATERFALL HIKE
Madam Brett Park in Beacon offers serene spring trails, blooming wildflowers, and a rushing waterfall, especially spectacular this time of year, for peaceful exploration.
DUTCHESS
Contents / Spring / 2026
At Home with Young Huh
Salt Point designer Young Huh—AD100 honoree, Elle Decor A-Lister—makes her literary debut with A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors , a visually stunning case for rooms that move you. Organized around seven emotional states, it’s part design guide, part love letter to spaces that shape how we live. 36
ON THE COVER / Elk Ravine’s Scottish Highland calf / Photo by
15
BUBBY’S TAKEAWAY
From a beloved camper at Montgomery Place to a Red Hook fixture, Bjanette Andersen’s Bubby’s is a two-decade Dutchess County love story.
By Lambeth Hochwald
46
ELK RAVINE FARM
Jim Archer’s Amenia farm uses exotic livestock like yaks, water buffalo, and Highland cattle to restore local wetlands which in turn, protects New York City’s water supply.
By Christopher Stella
54
SPRING RECIPE
Colu Henry transforms farmers market peas and herbs into a fifteen-minute delicious spring salad with buttermilk-feta dressing.
By colu henry
RANA FAURE
Your guide to this issue, spring’s arrival, and what’s ahead from Mary Beth Lawlor.
42 Main Street | Millerton, NY 12546
Hours: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11am-5pm
Labor and the Land, Wappinger natives
Icelandic poppies, Bjanette Andersen, Millbrook Beef & Dairy, Dashing Star Farm
What’s Happening in Dutchess County
Accidental farmers grow thousands of blooms on a transformed horse farm.
Salt Point designer Young Huh wrote a book about emotional interiors.
Ecological restoration contractor, Jim Archer
Who WE ARE
TARA KELLY / writer
In this issue, Tara Kelly discovers the wonder of early tulips when she visits Six Dutchess Farm. On a small footprint in Clove Valley, owners Jennifer Kounetz and Hans Li produce incredible blooms all yearround. Kelly is the author of the memoir, No Last Words.
CHRISTOPHER STELLA / writer
Christopher Stella is a writer, marketer, photographer, and woodworker. In this issue, he covers how Elk Ravine Farm in Amenia supports regional sustainability and builds awareness through education.
WENDY CARLSON / writer
Writer and photographer Wendy Carlson is an animal and nature lover. In this issue, she visits Dashing Star Farm in Millerton, where she talks with owner Lynn Mordas, who developed a unique sheep crossbreed that produces wool with a distinct palette of natural colors and characteristics.
LAMBETH HOCHWALD / writer
Lambeth Hochwald is a freelance writer and journalism professor. In this issue, she interviewed Bjanette Andersen, a locally famous burrito maker and owner of Bubby’s Take Away Kitchen in Red Hook, where she learned the restaurant’s origins as a popular roadside stand, especially for Bard students.
SABRINA EBERHARD / photographer
Sabrina Eberhard is a Hudson Valley photographer. Her photography captures the atmosphere and character of the places and people that shape the Hudson Valley. For this issue, she photographed Bubby’s Take Away Kitchen, Millbrook Beef & Dairy, and The Tasting Room.
DUTCHESS
Spring 2026
MARY BETH LAWLOR
Publisher / Editor-in-Chief
DEBORAH HAYN Creative Director
VANESSA HAMMOND Operations Manager
ZANDRIA OLIVER Production Assistant
ALEXANDRA MAZZA Editorial Assistant
JAMES SALOMON Director of Business Partnerships & Culture Contributor
GEORGIA LOPRESTI Event Manager
Contributing Writers
D.H. Callahan, Wendy Carlson, Lambeth Hochwald, Tara Kelly, Alexandra Mazza, Christopher Stella
Contributing Photographers
Sabrina Eberhard, Rana Faure
Advertising Sales james@dutchessmagazine.com 860-931-7787
Distribution Man in Motion - 203-515-2288
We welcome input about this and future issues. Please address letters, queries, and ideas to info@dutchessmagazine.com.
To advertise please email james@dutchessmagazine.com or call us at 860-931-7787
Go to dutchessmagazine.com/subscribe for a one year subscription of five issues or send $35 to:
Happening in the Hills LLC PO Box 95, South Kent, CT 06785 860-931-7787
Dutchess Magazine is a publication of Happening in the Hills LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.
dutchessmagazine.com
Looking Back
Labor and the Land
By Alexandra Mazza
THE LANDSCAPE THAT DEFINES Dutchess County today was shaped in large part by immigrant labor in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As agriculture flourished across the Hudson Valley, farms relied heavily on seasonal workers—many newly arrived immigrants—who planted, tended, and harvested crops throughout the growing season.
Italian, Hungarian, Irish, and Syrian immigrants, along with African American migrants from the American South, found work across Dutchess County’s farms and orchards. Their labor supported the region’s agricultural economy, from maintaining fields to harvesting produce destined for local markets and nearby cities. Farm work was physically demanding and often seasonal, requiring long hours during planting and harvest with little security once the growing period ended.
Because employment was tied to the rhythms of the seasons, it’s historically plausible that many workers moved between agriculture and other forms of labor nearby, such as brickmaking. Along the Hudson River, brickyards in places such as Beacon and Fishkill offered temporary employment when farm work slowed.
The conditions in both agriculture and brickmaking could be difficult, and workers sometimes organized to demand better treatment. In 1905, laborers in several Dutchess County brickyards went on strike, protesting long hours and high production quotas.
Though their stories are often overlooked, these laborers helped cultivate the landscapes of Dutchess County. Their hard work supported the farms, gardens, and rural communities that continue to shape the region today.
Their Land, Our Name
By D.H. Callahan
DRIVE UP THE HUDSON enough times, and one word is bound to get stuck in your head: Wappinger. Once home to 20 different factories, the name might be fun to say, but the history of the Native Wappinger people is anything but.
The Wappinger tribes once controlled the lands from Manhattan north along the Hudson River and east to the Connecticut River Valley. For countless generations, they acted as symbiotic stewards of the land, both taking from and giving back to it. But once the Dutch West India Company began claiming the land for itself, the Wappingers faced unprovoked aggression and, eventually, eradication.
Willem Kieft, director-general of New Netherland, single-handedly started a war with the Wappinger people despite the colonists’ contentment with the tribe, and against the wishes of his advisory council. Kieft’s men burned down villages and slaughtered their residents, family by family. At the end of two years of brutality, known as Kieft’s War, the Wappinger population had dwindled so severely that the surviving members were forced to join other tribes.
Today, all that remains of the Wappingers is their name.
feedback
“Beautiful magazine.”
[January/February/March 2026]
—@ilanharelphotography
COVER
“Congratulations!!!! So incredible!” [January/ February/March 2026] —@upstate_down
ART NEWS
“Love this show” [“Art News: Conversant by E.E. Kono at Troutbeck” January/February/March 2026] —@juliawhitneybarnes
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
“This is an incredible story” [“A Cold Leap for Good” [January/February/March 2026] —@specialolympicsny
LOCAL PICKS
“Thank you for sharing our farm and lots of love to @byron_anderson for his appreciation. #millbrookproud” [“Local Picks – Dutchess Insider Favorites” January/February/March 2026] —@stonewoodny
MEGAN’S RHINEBECK
“I’m lucky enough to live in this town and a BIG YES to ANYTHING at Market St.” [“Megan’s Rhinebeck; Beauty Insider’s Guide to Rhinebeck” January/February/March 2026] —@shannon_amoroso11
LAUREL & ASH
“Just picked this up for some maple syrup tasting in school! ‘Tis the season.” [“Maple Syrup Glow Up” January/February/March 2026] —@welcometohickshollow
“Coolest, tastiest maple syrup.” [“Maple Syrup Glow Up” January/February/March 2026] @natchitwood
SILO RIDGE HOUSE
“This is just beautiful!” [“Silo Ridge Stunner” January/February/March 2026]—@kryedoherty
ERIC SLOANE NA
(1905-1985)
GREEN RIVER GALLERY
SINCE 1975
SPECIALIZING IN WORKS BY ERIC SLOANE AND AMERICAN ART OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES
1578 Boston Corners Rd., Millerton, NY 12546 • 518-789-3311
Just 5¾ miles north of Millerton Open Saturday: 10-5, Sunday: 12-5, or by appointment
“Connecticut Bittersweet,” 18" x 24", Oil on Masonite
FIRST LIGHT
On the Generous, Radiant Life of the Iceland Poppy
BY DEBRA KAYE OF BEAR CREEK FARM
generously and without hurry.
bloom, and something in the garden shifts. The petals emerge crumpled from their papery sheath, like pages of a letter long kept folded, and then, with the morning warmth, they smooth themselves open: white, cream, the palest peach, a deep and unapologetic red. A full range of feeling, from the gentlest blush to the
We remain faithful to the seasons here, and the poppy is the flower that opens the year for us—the first to be cut, the first to fill a vase, the first to sit on a table and say: spring is here. There is something of the morning in it—not the morning that is over quickly, but the long, light-filled mornings of early spring that seem to hold time still. The poppy shares that quality: once its season begins, it gives
That the poppy is both jubilant and delicate—exuberant in its colors, fine as silk in its petals—is not a contradiction but a kind of wisdom. It asks us to be present. To not defer the vase on the table, the flowers on the desk, the single stem placed where it will catch the afternoon light.
You can purchase Iceland poppies and so much more at Bear Creek Farm in Stanfordville.—bearcreekfarm.com
On Our RADAR
A few notes for those who grow and gather
✿ Plant in autumn, so roots establish through winter and are ready to bloom at the first warmth of spring. Iceland poppies ask for little: well-draining soil and modest fertility— overfeeding encourages leaf at the expense of flower.
✿ For cutting, harvest when the bud is just cracking open—when color first shows at the tip. Immediately sear the stem end to seal the milky sap; this single step is the difference between a vase that lasts three days and one that lasts a week or more. Change the water every few days and keep the arrangement cool at night.
✿ If you are buying rather than cutting, ask your grower whether the stems have been properly sealed. A good flower farmer will have attended to this already, and those poppies, handled with care from field to hand, will open slowly and faithfully—one ruffled petal at a time.
On the Nightstand
“The Encore is her debut novel, and her writing will stop you in your tracks.”
Ali Rosen, bestselling author of Unlikely Story
Milan resident Juliet Izon spent years writing about celebrities and artists for publications including Vogue, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar. Now she has turned that world into fiction. Her debut novel, The Encore, published March 3 by Union Square & Co./Hachette Book Group, follows indie rock star Anna Buckley as she reunites with the teenage daughter she gave up at birth—and the man who fathered the child but never knew she existed. The three are thrown together on a cross-country tour bus, forced to confront two decades of choices, secrets, and shared musicianship. Told through alternating voices—Anna’s and her 16-yearold daughter Lottie’s—the novel moves between the conservatory world and the rock stage with propulsive energy. Izon, who splits her time between New York City and Dutchess County, can often be found at a Broadway show, ballet, or concert when she isn’t writing.
MADE WITH LOVE
Burritos And More In Red Hook
BY LAMBETH HOCHWALD
›For nearly two decades, Bard students and locals flocked to Bubby’s Burrito Stand for stuffed-to-the-max burritos and quesadillas. The fact that you could order these lunch favorites from a refurbished 1970s fiberglass camper parked at Montgomery Place Orchards near the Bard campus just added to the appeal.
Behind the two tiny cast-iron pots: Bjanette Andersen (her childhood nickname was Bubby), and her then-husband, whose seasonal business developed a cult following pretty much from its start in 2002, even though the couple didn’t have a business plan or professional cooking experience.
The Bubby’s story is one of right place, right time. After dropping out of high school, Andersen, who grew up in Rhine-
photographs by SABRINA EBERHARD
Owner Bjanette Anderson built a cult following one burrito at a time.
beck, started traveling to San Miguel, Mexico, and every winter she’d stay just a little bit longer.
During one of those trips, she met her now ex-husband.
“We were trying to find something seasonal to do so we could be in Mexico in the winter and here in the summer,” she says. “We were inspired by the street food in Mexico and decided to give it a try. We had no idea how popular and intense and great the business would be.”
These days, that beloved $200 camper is parked in Andersen’s backyard and, while it contains lots of memories of the hundreds
On Our RADAR
of thousands of burritos she folded back in the day, it’s now the place where Andersen sketches or plays the ukulele.
Not that she has lots of time to herself. In fact, most days Andersen is preparing lunch or catering orders at Bubby’s Take Away Kitchen, the brickand-mortar restaurant she opened on Red Hook’s main drag a decade ago.
“I had always had my eye on the space where I am now,” she says, adding that she handles everything from restaurant decor–her brightly colored paintings, many of them featuring her own dogs, hang on the walls–and she’s known to
do carpentry work when needed and even fix the electrical systems should anything go awry.
On her off hours, she spends time with her mom, a local mural artist, her 19-year-old son, or walking her dogs at Poets’ Walk Park. For several years, she was also a songwriter and ukulele player with The Moonlighters, a local band that’s currently on hiatus.
When she’s in the kitchen, though, she’s laser-focused on giving customers the most reasonably priced, delicious lunchtime meal that she can, along with something distinctive–a throwback to the stand.
“Back then, we were serving 500 burritos in a few hours, so we had our tiny cast-irons cranked up as high as possible, which charred the tortillas,” she says. “That gave them this toastiness, which adds a really nice flavor.”
No matter how many burritos Andersen folds in the future, they’ll always be made with love, she says.
“I like this idea that simple food is the best food and that you shouldn’t have to fuss so much about it,” she says. “I believe you should eat real food cooked by a person and not from a frozen bag.”
facebook.com/bubbystakeaway
Intimate Crescendo
World-class chamber music has found a home in Dutchess County, and Millbrook Music Salon is making sure it stays there. Founded by pianist and artistic director Shuhui (Sophia) Zhou, the organization presents leading international artists in intimate, salon-style settings, creating direct and meaningful exchange between artists and audiences through a season of curated concerts, residencies, and educational partnerships with local schools and community organizations.
The spring 2026 season is well underway and offers something for every kind of listener. On April 4, a guitar and viola duo featuring Jacob Kellermann and Luosha Fang performs “Songs from Afar” at the Cary Institute, marking the salon’s first partnership with that celebrated research institution. Later that month, April 26 brings an intimate cello sound meditation at the Stonewood Farm Cook House with Canadian cellist Arlen Hlusko, accompanied by herbal tisane, coffee, and a takeaway by chef Kristen Essig. Seating is limited, and will go quickly.
In May, the energy shifts outdoors. On May 24, The Concert Truck rolls into Bennett Park for a free open-air performance featuring pianists Susan Zhang and Sophia Zhou—a rare chance to experience world-class musicianship in a relaxed community setting. The month closes with “Compass: Musical Distance” on May 29 at Lyall Community Church, performed by the Balourdet Quartet and clarinetist Graeme Steele Johnson.
Additional concerts are forthcoming. Visit millbrookmusicsalon.org for tickets and updates.
21-Day
Dry-Aged Ribeye
Raised on the farm and aged for three weeks, this ribeye develops the buttery depth that only time and good husbandry can produce.
Pasture-Raised Eggs
The yolks are rich, golden, and a world apart from anything you’ll find at the grocery store.
Thick-Cut Applewood-Smoked Bacon
Processed by their butcher and slow-smoked over applewood.
Farmer’s Reserve
A six-month caveaged farmhouse cheddar with a natural rind, made from the milk of Millbrook Beef & Dairy’s own herd. Firm and deeply flavored.
LOVE AT FIRST FARM
Pasture-Raised, Family-Grown, Millbrook Proud
›Brian and Keegan Donovan have farming to thank for more than their livelihood. The couple met while working on neighboring farms, fell in love, and got married on the very farm where their paths first crossed. Today, together with their two children, Isaac and Abigail, they run Millbrook Beef & Dairy, a first-generation family farm raising pasture-raised beef and dairy cattle with no antibiotics, steroids, or hormones of any kind.
Their mission is as personal as their story. The Donovans believe that knowing who grew your food should be the rule, not the exception, and they invite customers to come by the farm, see the operation firsthand, and reconnect with where their food comes from. Products are available at the on-farm store and at the Rhinebeck farmers market.
From their pastures to your plate.—millbrookbeefdairy.com
Small-batch links seasoned with a smooth blend of fennel and sage. Simple, savory, and far better than anything in a freezer case.
Farmer’s Son
A soft-ripened, washedrind cheese, finished with apple brandy from Shady Knoll Distillery. Buttery and aromatic, with a quiet sweetness that keeps you coming back.
photographs by SABRINA EBERHARD
Breakfast Pork Links
SACRED GROUND
A Dutchess Cave With Centuries of History Awaits
BY D.H. CALLAHAN
›Don’t be fooled by the name. Dover Stone Church might be made of stone, but it is no church. Dover Stone Church is a cave formed by a brook running through a fissure in metamorphic rock, which eventually expanded to a striking, cathedral-like entrance. According to local legend, the cave served as a refuge for Pequot chief Sassacus and his warriors as they fled from English forces following the Pequot War in the 1600s. The cave and
surrounding area are part of 174 acres of land preserved by the Dutchess Land Conservancy.
While the church is certainly the main attraction, there are three supplemental hiking trails, each just over a mile long. To access all the trails, you will walk through a tree-lined field and cross a footbridge over the aptly named Stone Church Brook. From there, head right to reach the church. It’s a rough trail that demands careful
footing, especially when the brook is running high. Heading straight after the bridge, you will walk uphill to the three loops. These trails are more manageable than the path to the church, but none of the hikes are particularly difficult. All of them are just right for a spur-of-the-moment walk in the woods. Insider tip–there is no parking at the entrance; designated lots are nearby at Dover Elementary School and other locations in the village.
ACCIDENTAL SHEEP FARMER
First Came Chickens, Then a Flock of Sheep
BY WENDY CARLSON
›If you visit Dashing Star Farm in Millerton and ask the owner, Lynn Mordas, about the products she makes, you may need to take a seat first. It’s a long list, and the workroom of her cozy farmhouse is filled with woolly works in progress. Her cat, Theodore, has the best perch, atop an ironing board. Almost everything on site is made from wool sheared from her
flock of sheep, which Mordas raises for meat. Only a few products are outsourced; the beautiful naturally colored yarns are processed at a mill where the raw wool is washed, picked, carded, and spun into skeins.
With two part-time employees helping, Mordas produces sheepskin-covered
benches and stools, pillbox-style hats, plush sheepskin rugs and throw pillows, dusting wands, and bedding. Felted wool is fashioned into tech covers, pot holders, pet toys, dryer balls, trivets, totes, boot liners, booties, and more. The product line will soon include apparel, accessories, and decor developed by students from Parsons School of Design through a grant from
Owner of Dashing Star Farm, Lynn Mordas, with her flock.
photographs by RANA FAURE
On Our RADAR
the New York Fashion Innovation Center.
It’s a busy place inside and out. Several sheep pelts air outside on the cross-rail fence, waiting to be trimmed and shipped to a tannery. In the barnyard, chickens treat themselves to dust baths under the watchful eyes of multicolored, placid-looking sheep. One of the ewes will give birth any day. Each year, Mordas chooses a naming scheme for the lambs; this year, it’s artists from the Works Progress Administration, the government program that supported
On Our RADAR
artists through the Great Depression. The newborn might be called Margaret, after the photographer Margaret Bourke-White.
Mordas fell into sheep farming by chance. She had a long career with the Environmental Protection Agency and worked a stint as a sports photographer, covering NBA and NCAA basketball. In 1984, when she and her now-ex-husband purchased a historic farm in Millerton, they bought a few hens and geese. About ten years later, she provided temporary housing to a flock of sheep, but the
farmer never returned to retrieve them. So, with no livestock experience, Mordas took a leap of faith.
A single mom by then, she credits the friends and mentors who guided her early on. Working with experts in the field, she educated herself on breeding sheep, crossing English Romneys and Border Leicesters. Later, she added other breeds, including Coopworths, developed originally in New Zealand, and Finnsheep, known for their tender meat. Now these unique breeds graze in Dashing Star’s pastures. The farm’s eggs and meat
are featured on menus at several restaurants, sold at area retailers, at the farm by appointment, and at farmers markets in Cold Spring and Beacon.
It’s been a long haul from the day Mordas became, as she notes, an “accidental sheep farmer.” Today, she finds delivering healthy lambs and caring for them in a humane, regenerative, and environmentally sustainable manner especially gratifying. “Making superior, useful products that people appreciate, that’s the icing on the cake,” she says. dashingstarfarm.com
DUKES & DUTCHESSES
THE BAR THAT HAS IT ALL
Minh Le of The Lantern in Wassaic
BY JAMES SALOMON
›I rack, you crack.
Always a straight shooter, Minh Le (pronounced “Ming,” like in Flash Gordon) is the general manager at The Lantern in Wassaic. You probably know the place, but if you don’t, you should.
Seasonal fruit slushies are now on tap, alongside margaritas and negronis, with pizzas, wings, and springy things rounding out the menu. Fun fact: the Wassaic Fire
Department donated their shuffleboard table, which now serves as the takeout counter, and a rather large Bingo board mounted on the wall. They don’t play Bingo at The Lantern, but some Thursdays become karaoke night, where Minh has been known to belt out “Creep” by Radiohead. It’s a friendly mix of locals, transplants, and weekenders, and Minh says many of the staff graduated from Webutuck High. Two
plaques bookend the bar, celebrating longstanding patrons. The TV isn’t necessarily tuned to sports, but rather to film screenings themed to reflect what’s happening in the outside world. If you have kids, bring em, because kids are being kids here.
Overall, it’s a great vibe. After the thaw, I can’t wait to be in a tee shirt, putting back a can of Drowned Wit.
Cheers to you, Minh.
The Lantern, 10 Main St., Wassaic
photograph by JAMES SALOMON
90 Years of Crafting Exceptional Pools
Jamie Scott brings Fresh Eyes to a Family Legacy
JAMIE SCOTT recently rejoined the family business to lead Scott Pools into its third generation. Here, she reflects on legacy, craft, and what comes next.
1. Scott Swimming Pools was founded in 1937. Walk us through how the company has evolved across generations, and what has remained constant.
My grandfather started this company nearly 90 years ago. The very first pool he built was a natural pool that is still operating today. Years later, he traveled to California to learn how to spray gunite from the Army Corps of Engineers. The process of spraying concrete on walls to create a pool shell was a practice no one was doing at the
time. We were the first.
In the ‘60s, when my father returned from the Navy, he took over the company and grew the business. He continued to perfect their construction practices and helped write the national standard for swimming pools. Today, we are still building the highest-quality pools, by any standard.
2. “The Scott Standard” is central to who you are as a company. What does it mean to you personally—and what does it look like on a pool that has been standing for 70 years?
My father grew Scott Pools into a company that is widely known for designing and building pools to last for decades.
ments that reflect each client’s unique vision—something that can only be achieved through thoughtful collaboration and seamless coordination across the entire design team.
We are the builder of choice by holding ourselves to the highest standards and working cohesively with every partner involved to bring each vision to life.
4. What happens when a project throws the unexpected at you?
Some of our craftsmen have been building Pools with us for over 30 years—from Connecticut, the Berkshires, and New York to the Caribbean. They have navigated challenging terrain, restricted access, and intricate renovations with a level of expertise that only comes from decades of mastery. They have the skills and track record to tackle just about anything.
From the very beginning, every pool has been crafted with an uncompromising focus on structural integrity and long-term performance.
Years—even decades—later, a Scott Pool still looks and feels exactly as it did on day one. It’s the kind of quality you can see, and more importantly, trust. Our work truly sets the standard for excellence.
3. How has Scott Pools become a trusted collaborator for the region’s top design professionals?
We’ve built strong relationships with the area’s leading architects, builders, and landscape architects. Our philosophy has always been to create truly oneof-a-kind swimming environ-
5. You joined Scott Pools this winter to lead the company into its third generation. What brought you back—and what does this next chapter look like?
Returning to Connecticut to join the family business was always a possibility—but not always the plan. A few months ago, over dinner with my father, we began discussing the future of the company, and everything naturally fell into place.
My father built something truly remarkable, and those are big shoes to fill. With my brother Justin leading construction, we are committed to preserving the standard of excellence Scott Pools is known for—while continuing to elevate and evolve.
I’m incredibly proud to be part of this next chapter and grateful for the opportunity to carry the legacy forward.—scottpools.com
Amy Scott and her brother Justin Scott of Scott Pools.
Home, Tended Well
Three Siblings Bring Whole-Home Care to Dutchess County
SIX YEARS AGO, siblings Jared, Jenneka, and Janna began to recognize a pattern in what their clients were quietly asking for. One service was rarely enough. What people truly needed was a trusted team who could care for the home in its entirety. At the time, Jared and Jenneka were running a landscaping business, while Janna focused on cleaning. As requests began to overlap, so did their offerings. The answer, more and more often, became yes. That attentiveness, and a willingness to evolve in step with their clients, has shaped the business from the very beginning. “Our parents always encouraged us to think outside the box, recognize a need, and find a solution,” they reflect. As each sibling built their own venture, requests naturally began to converge. But beneath them was something more enduring:
a desire for consistency, and for care that could be trusted across every aspect of the home. That understanding became the foundation of J & J Property Pros. “We value our clients’ trust and take pride in providing professional services that offer peace of mind,” they say. “We thrive on cultivating the land, creating a welcoming home environment, and, perhaps most personally, caring for beloved pets. With a menagerie of rescues of our own, we understand the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are thoughtfully cared for.”
From that convergence, J & J Property Pros took shape, an integrated approach that brings together landscaping, fine gardening, eco-friendly cleaning, and pet care into one thoughtful, cohesive offering. The aim is not simply convenience, but something more considered: a sense
of ease. A home that feels tended to in every detail, inside and out.
This season, that ethos continues to evolve with the introduction of two eco-conscious services. The first, Ripagreen, is a thermal weed control method that uses hot air rather than chemicals to treat driveways, cobblestone, and other hard-to-maintain surfaces. Long established in Europe, it is only now gaining traction in the United States. The second is an all-natural flea, tick, and mosquito treatment, piloted last season and met with an enthusiastic response from clients and pets alike. New this year as well: daily dog walking, check-in services, and overnight and longterm pet care stays.
In the garden, a shift is underway. What was once considered a niche preference has become a more deliberate choice: native plantings, sustainable landscap-
ing, and designs that support the surrounding ecosystem. Pollinator islands and habitat creation are no longer outliers, but part of a broader movement toward intention, gardens that give back as much as they offer.
For the home gardener, the siblings offer one timely word of advice: patience. “Don’t plant your gardens too soon,” they caution. Check forecasted last frost dates before putting seedlings in.
If there is one principle the siblings return to time and again, it is this: invest well from the beginning. “Do it right the first time, because being cheap gets expensive,” they say, a lesson shaped by years in the field. For those working within a budget: make a plan, and stay true to it.
J & J Property Pros serves Dutchess County.
jandjpropertypros.com
Dutchess EVENTS
Celebrate, Explore, Repeat—Dutchess County’s Hottest Spring Events Revealed
APRIL 11–12, 18–19
Cherry Blossom Festival
Picnic under the cherry blossoms, discover handcrafted goods from local artisans, seasonal flavors, and signature sake offerings, all in a festive, open-air atmosphere. dassai-blue.com, 5 St. Andrews Rd., Hyde Park
APRIL 25
Daffodil Walk
Innisfree bursts into color as thousands of heirloom daffodils bloom across the landscape, planted in honor of the garden’s original owner.
—innisfreegarden.org
362 Tyrrel Rd., Millbrook
APRIL 25–26, MAY 23–24
Stormville Airport
Antique Show and Flea Market
Celebrating 56 years, shoppers can discover everything from antiques and collectibles to arts and crafts, furniture, and glassware. Free admission, free parking.
—stormvilleairportsfleamarket.com 428 Route 216, Stormville
MAY 1–3
Car Show & Swap Meet
A favorite among car collectors, this year’s event features two shows: Saturday’s Rod and Custom Dust-Off, and Sunday’s show for unmodified antique and classic vehicles.
—rhinebeckcarshow.net
Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6636 Route 9, Rhinebeck
MAY 9
Tablao Flamenco
Stissing Center is transformed into a warm, intimate Andalusianstyle nightclub where audiences experience flamenco up close and live. —thestissingcenter.org
2950 Church St., Pine Plains
MAY 21
Throwback Party at the Four Brothers Drive-In
Special showing of Josie and the Pussycats with celebrity guest, live music by Sadie Dupuis, and a filminspired cocktail and food menu. —playeatdrink.com, 4957 Route 22, Amenia
MAY 23
Millbrook Farmers Market Opens for the Season
Dozens of vendors every Saturday through October 10, featuring handmade crafts, local foods, and fresh farm products.
—millbrookfarmers andmakersmarket.com 3263 Franklin Ave, Millbrook
MAY 9, 16, 23, 31
Llamaste Yoga at the Farm
Yoga sessions meet whimsy as friendly llamas and alpacas join the mix at Clover Brook Farm.
—cloverbrookfarm.com 175 Ruskey Lane, Hyde Park
JUNE 6–7
Rhinebeck Crafts Festival
Shop clothing, jewelry, decor, furniture, and sculptural works in ceramics, glass, metal, wood, and mixed media. Enjoy gourmet specialties, craft demos, and family
JUNE 21
Summer Solstice: Sunrise to Sunse
JUNE 14
Beacon Sloop Club’s Annual Strawberry Festival
Dozens of vendors every Saturday through October 10, featuring handmade crafts, local foods, and fresh farm products.
—beaconsloopclub.org
Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park
JUNE 20
Rhinebeck Aerodrome’s First Air Show of the Season
Learn about the history of flight as some of the oldest regularly flying airplanes in the Western Hemisphere take to the skies.
—oldrhinebeck.org
9 Norton Rd., Red Hook
Celebrate the longest day of the year at Innisfree, open from sunrise to sunset, with nature-themed scavenger hunts and the garden at its seasonal peak. —innisfreegarden.org, 362 Tyrrel Rd., Millbrook
JumpOn Spring
A Small Farm in LaGrangeville Produces Big Results
BY TARA KELLY / PHOTOGRAPHS BY RANA FAURE
Jennifer Kounetz describes herself and her husband, Hans Li, as accidental farmers. “Life is a book with one chapter leading to the next,” she says. “I never thought as a child that I would be a farmer.”
In this chapter, Kounetz and Li have transformed a small horse farm on 12 acres in Clove Valley into a flower farm that produces blooms year-round. In Dutchess County—where this past winter snow measured in feet and temperatures dipped below zero—how does that work?
Over time, for starters. Add Li’s background as an architect, a shared commitment to land stewardship, high dedication, and a learn-as-you-go approach, and the picture comes into focus.
The farm, which Li purchased in 2001, has multiple barns, a large indoor arena, and several run-in sheds. He named it Six Dutchess Farm, a nod to the six horses that once lived there. Unfortunately, Jennifer was highly allergic, so they set about reimagining the property’s use.
“The first step was chickens,” says Kounetz. Then they brought in Gotland sheep. “My mother is Swedish,” she explains. “We do rotational grazing, which is gentler on the land. They get shorn twice a year, and we sell the wool.” About seven years ago, they planted their first dahlias.
“That was our first floral attempt. Then we added field tulips. About three years ago, we started growing winter tulips,” Kounetz says. To make this possible, Li converted a former duck house—already equipped with radiant floor heat—into a temperature-controlled building. They continue to transform farm structures into revenue-generating spaces.
“It’s the flowers that allow us to run a business on a small footprint. We have a great market here. We grow tulips for over five months of the year, and all our early spring flowers are grown indoors— hundreds of thousands of blooms annually. We can grow 20,000 flowers in a single enclosure.”
“Our signature flowers are winter tulips. They’re a big part of our production. We start selling them from late January to early April, then move to field tulips. They don’t like heat, so production usually ends by mid-May.”
Their second signature flower is lisianthus. “We grow almost 60 varieties in high tunnels, which are basically unheated greenhouses—big hoops covered with double layers of plastic. In this historic cold, we also put row covers on the plants set to bloom in late March and April,” Kounetz says.
They’re also starting summer flowers: snapdragons, delphiniums, Icelandic jumbo poppies, and campanula in the high tunnels. Fall will bring dahlias and heirloom chrysanthemums. Kounetz and Li are planning events to introduce people to their farm. “Small farms only exist because of their connection to the community,” Kounetz says. “We want people to experience small farm life and see where their products come from.”—SixDutchessFarm.com
and
many other blooms as well).
Jennifer Kounetz,
her husband, Hans Li, specialize in growing winter tulips, by the thousands! (And
Dutchess Magazine is the only publication dedicated entirely to the people, places, businesses, and culture of Dutchess County. For readers, it’s the magazine they reach for when they want to know where to eat, what to see, who to hire, and what makes this county worth celebrating. For advertisers, it’s the most direct line to an engaged, affluent, locally minded audience that actually pays attention.
Five times a year, Dutchess Magazine lands in the hands of readers who are invested in their community—and in the businesses that serve it. Our advertisers don’t just get placement; they get context, credibility, and the trust of an editorial brand readers have come to rely on.
If you live here, love it here, or do business here, there’s a place for you in these pages.
TO ADVERTISE: Contact james@dutchessmagazine.com
TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit dutchessmagazine.com/subscribe
Dutchess Magazine is published by Happening in the Hills LLC.
Never Miss a Thing
Our newsletters deliver the best of what’s happening in Dutchess County—dining, events, arts, and more—straight to your inbox. We’ll never flood your inbox or share your information. Just the good stuff, when it matters.
Sign up at dutchessmagazine.com/newsletter or scan the qr code.
At Home With Young Huh
The Celebrated Designer’s First Book Starts Close to Home
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACOB SNAVELY
YOUNG HUH, A SALT POINT RESIDENT, HAS A LOT TO say about how a room makes you feel. The AD100 and Elle Decor
A-List designer, whose work has graced the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and every shelter magazine worth reading, has finally put it all down on paper. Her first book, A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors, is exactly what the title promises: a deeply personal, visually stunning argument for designing spaces that resonate on an emotional level.
The book unfolds in three parts. “A Mood” is the one you’ll return to again and again, a look at decoration through the lens of feeling rather than function. Huh identifies seven moods–convivial, peaceful, joyful, cozy, romantic, verve, meaningful, and shows what each looks like when translated into a room. A convivial space buzzes with energy, like an artist’s salon; lighting draws people in, seating keeps them there. A peaceful one is the room you retreat to with a book
Antiques combined with modern artworks by Ellsworth Kelly and lighting by David Weeks to create a salon that is stylish and full of excitement.
and a cup of tea on a grey afternoon, wrapped in warm textures and quiet color. It’s an elegant framework, and Huh wears it lightly. “A Thought” showcases three recently completed houses–among them a chic forever home, a whimsical old house full of accumulated character, and an airy Park Avenue penthouse. Then comes the section Dutchess readers will feel especially at home in. “A Feeling” is Huh’s own love letter to her historic country house in Salt Point, where she has lived for four years, photographed through the seasons from the pattern-filled rooms to the gardens beyond.
A glimpse into Young Huh’s sunroom in Salt Point.
Antique baker’s table from Creel & Gow provides a perch for plants. Turkish style banquette Huh designed for a Kips Bay room. The armchairs are covered in Cowtan & Tout Poppies.
“Being surrounded by nature is the most wonderful part of living in Dutchess County,” she says. “We are surrounded by waterways and lush and varied landscapes. My husband and I love going for hikes and picnics or just watching our flowers grow. But if ever we want a change of pace, we can go look at amazing art, visit historic houses, and eat at world-class restaurants all within a short drive.”
A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors is the rare design book that feels like a conversation rather than a lecture. Available at Oblong Books.
Charles Choi Has Opinions About Your Serum
How One Founder Set Out to Make Beauty Worth Wanting
CHARLES CHOI is not interested in making products that merely work. For Choi, the founder of Korean skincare brand mimmua!, efficacy is the floor, not the ceiling. What he is after is something rarer: a product that feels worth wanting before you even open it.
“We think about the full arc of the customer experience,” he says, “from the moment the product arrives in the mail, to
the first time someone sees the packaging, to the moment the formula touches their skin. That is what customers are paying for.”
It’s a philosophy that sets mimmua! apart in a crowded market, and one that Choi has built into every decision the brand makes. The mission, as he describes it, is built around a single idea: kissable skin. The daily ritual mimmua! offers is designed to give people a boost
of confidence and self-love, while doing away with everything he finds clichéd about the beauty industry, the recycled formulas, the interchangeable packaging, the quiet assumption that functional is enough.
The brand’s best-selling product, the Volume UP Time Block Serum, is proof that the formula-plus-experience approach resonates. Its star ingredient is Volufiline, a patented compound developed by the French cosmetic ingredient maker Sederma. The formula combines a synthetic oil, an herbal extract called Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, and vitamin E. It’s the saponins in the herbal extract that do the heavy lifting: lab testing shows they help differentiate fat cells in the dermis, plumping skin from the inside out and softening fine lines, wrinkles, and sunken areas of the face. Testing also found that the ingredient performs best at a five percent concentration, which is precisely
what the serum and moisturizer contain. The toning essence, by design, contains one percent, making it an ideal entry point for those who want to introduce Volufiline gradually.
The serum’s second active is Beta Glucan, sourced from Schizophyllum commune, a type of split gill mushroom. Long used in oral supplements for its health benefits, Beta Glucan is prized in skincare for its moisture retention and soothing properties. Studies suggest it is 20 percent more hydrating than Hyaluronic Acid, and it has no known side effects, suiting all skin types. That last point was not incidental to Choi. “Volufiline might not work for every skin type, just like any active ingredient,” he says. “I used Beta Glucan specifically to offset any irritation it might cause.” The pairing reflects a philosophy that runs through the entire line: proven ingredients, thoughtfully balanced, chosen not for trend but for function.
Even with limited marketing after launch, the serum found its audience quickly. Within two months, mimmua! was doing $10,000 in daily sales on Amazon, most of it driven by this single product. The Volume UP line has since grown to include a moisturizer, toning essence, and a 100 percent Volufiline oil.
Choi is also forthright about what he sees as a failure of imagination in the broader Korean skincare market. Most brands, he notes, trend toward minimal packaging, colorless and clinical, often dressed up as a kind of rigor. He finds it frustrating.
“Being minimal has nothing to do with being clinical,” he says, “and too often it is simply a way to cut manufacturing costs.” His counterargument is right there in the name. Beauty should be beautiful. Not pretty (that’s
subjective, he’s quick to note) but purposeful and desirable. Customers are not only paying for the formula. They are paying for the container and the experience. It’s a distinction that keeps mimmua!’s manufacturing costs high and, by all accounts, keeps its customers coming back.
The road ahead is ambitious. Mimmua! is currently in the process of entering Ulta, with a longer-term goal of moving into all major retail. The brand is already live on Amazon Canada,
the UAE, and Australia, with Amazon Saudi Arabia launching next month and Europe to follow in June.
What is perhaps less expected is the philanthropic thread running through it all. Mimmua! currently supports single mothers in Korea through the Salvation Army, and Choi is candid about wanting to do more, particularly for children, not just in Korea but around the world. His goal is to donate a portion of profits from each
country back to people in need within that country. The brand has always been about how you feel in your skin, he says. It seems right that it should also be about how other people feel in theirs.—mimmua.shop
HEALING NATURE
Elk Ravine Farm Restores Places and People
BY CHRISTOPHER STELLA / PHOTOGRAPHS BY
RANA FAURE
Elk Ravine Farm sits on 90-acres, and is home to more than 100 animals—from exotic birds to working farm animals.
ANIMALS
are just like people,” says Jim Archer, farmer, ecological restoration contractor, and owner of Elk Ravine Farm. “If you’re dedicated to them when they’re young, it’ll show later.” Archer’s dedication to animals is on full display at Elk Ravine Farm in Amenia—and its well-adjusted livestock are gaining worldwide attention.
Elk Ravine’s story started with a simple love of animals. Archer grew up in Katonah, keeping pigeons, ducks, and chickens as pets. His parents told him that if he wanted larger animals, he’d have to have land to accommodate them. So, after establishing a contracting business, Archer purchased ten acres in LaGrange in 1989, acquiring livestock to fill the fields. He outgrew the acreage and purchased the 90-acre property where Elk Ravine now stands in 1995.
Elk Ravine has built a reputation for its Scottish Highland Cattle, but it’s home to more than 100 animals, including water buffalo from Southeast Asia, Belgian draft horses, Tibetan yaks, miniature donkeys, pygmy goats, Kune Kune pigs, emus, mandarin ducks, peacocks, and exotic pheasants. Atypical as this seems, it’s because Elk Ravine isn’t a conventional farm. It doesn’t produce agricultural products or raise animals for meat—instead, the livestock are employed in preserving local wetlands.
“Development has fractured wetlands, driving out larger herbivore species that once maintained ecological balance,” says Archer. “When the natural grazers disappeared, invasive species took over, trees sprang up, and the ecology changed.” By introducing new herbivores to consume overgrowth—cattle, for example—wetlands and their inhabitants can flourish again. The impact has been significant: birds and pollinators return, native plant life regrows, and endangered species such as the local bog turtle rebound. Animals aren’t the only beneficiaries—much of New York City’s water supply comes from upstate, making wetland preservation essential to its function.
Archer educates the public on these initiatives through two-hour guided tours. “Guests come to pet a
“WHEN THE NATURAL GRAZERS DISAPPEARED, INVASIVE SPECIES
TOOK OVER, TREES SPRANG UP, AND THE ECOLOGY CHANGED.”
While the farm’s animals are gaining worldwide exposure via social media, Archer encourages visitors to put away their phones and enjoy the experience of being in nature.
fluffy cow, but then get an education on the environment, animal husbandry, and how animals should be taken care of,” he says. “The hands-on experience is critical—once a person touches an animal, they open up and absorb new experiences and information.”
Information about Elk Ravine is spreading rapidly worldwide through social media. Its Instagram and TikTok accounts now boast hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views. One video of Archer bathing a baby Scottish Highland calf in a sink to save it from hypothermia amassed more than 1.2 million views on TikTok—the calf is aptly named Frosty. “We’ve had people who found us on Instagram visit from as far as Luxembourg,” says Archer.
For Archer, Elk Ravine represents more than a lifelong dream—it’s an opportunity to heal landscapes and people. “Nature can help people with anything they’re dealing with,” he says. “They just need to recognize the beauty of what’s around them and realize they’re a part of it.”—elkravinefarm.com
PEAK PEA SEASON
The Perfect Spring Salad
HUDSON VALLEY
based food writer and cookbook author Colu Henry brings her signature flavor-forward approach to this bright spring salad—best made with the freshest peas and herbs from your local farmers market. Tangy buttermilk-feta dressing and a shower of greenery make it a fifteen-minute stunner worthy of your prettiest platter. Henry’s approachable cooking has made her a trusted voice in the American food world. Better at Home (Abrams, 2026) is her third cookbook.
Peas, Shoots, and Leaves with Buttermilk and Feta Dressing
Taken from Better at Home by Colu Henry
SERVES 4 TIME:15 MINUTES
The truth is, I developed this recipe because I always wanted to call something by this name. She’s witty, eh? But this salad is also a bit of a showstopper. The tangy buttermilk and feta dressing is best tumbled with peak spring produce, and the snap peas offer a lovely counterbalance to its creaminess with their crunch. Serve it with whatever else you’re making for dinner and New Potatoes and Mint with Too Much Butter alongside.
INGREDIENTS
3⁄4 cup (180 ml) whole buttermilk
2 1⁄2 ounces (70 g) crumbled feta cheese (preferably French if you can find it)
5 tablespoons (75 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces (225 g) snap peas, cut on the bias
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
2 ounces (55 g) pea shoots
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons minced chives and/or blossoms, for scattering
2 tablespoons roughly chopped or torn fresh mint leaves
Flaky salt, for serving
METHOD
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, feta, and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and season well with salt and a good few churns of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Set aside.
In another bowl, gently toss together the snap peas, scallions, and pea shoots with the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the olive oil. Season with salt.
To serve, transfer the dressing to a medium plate or platter, preferably with sides, and mound the snap pea mixture on top in the middle. Drizzle with some more olive oil and scatter with the chive blossoms and mint. Finish with a few pinches of flaky salt.
ON FRIDAY, MAY 15, join us at Stonewood Farms in Millbrook for a celebration dinner honoring Better at Home, the newest cookbook from Colu Henry—who will be joining us in person.
Chef Kristen Essig will prepare an inspired meal in Stonewood’s stunning barn, with wines thoughtfully curated by Ten Mile Table in Amenia. It’s an intimate night of great food, great company, and a cookbook you’ll be cooking from all season. Tickets are limited. Reserve yours at stonewoodny.org
ATS
FROM TOKYO TO TEN SEATS
› When you walk out the door, you have to have a good feeling,” says Daniel Gendron, chef and owner of The Tasting Room. “That’s what I want to provide here.” At his ten-seat restaurant, that feel-good sensation doesn’t emerge when you leave, it starts when you arrive. The Tasting Room offers exceptional food, elegant presen-
BY CHRISTOPHER STELLA
tation, and preparation by a chef who has spent years honing his craft. Born in New York City, Gendron was raised in Tokyo, where his mother was a famed jazz singer. His first kitchen job came at just 15, dishwashing at a country-style restaurant, an experience that cultivated an appreciation for precision and quality. It led
to another position doing prep work at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, inspiring Gendron to enroll in the Culinary Institute of America. After graduating, he worked his way through many of New York City’s iconic institutions, including Windows on the World and Tavern on the Green.
Photograph by SABRINA EBERHARD
Gendron later moved to the Hudson Valley, ultimately launching Gendron Catering in 1998. In 2013, he founded The Tasting Room, choosing to work at a more intimate scale than the catering business demanded. Gendron is a one-man operation, handling everything from sourcing ingredients to preparing each dish to selecting the wines. The menu changes weekly but is consistent in format: four options each for appetizers, entrees, and desserts, all based on what high-quality ingredients are available from regional and international purveyors. He sources in small quantities and cooks everything fresh. On Tuesday through Thursday evenings from January through early spring, Gendron offers ramen, a nostalgic nod to his Tokyo upbringing. “I grew up eating it on street corners at yatais,” says Gendron, referring to Japan’s small food carts. The tradition also inspired an appreciation for presentation. “There’s a Japanese film where an old man teaches a kid about ramen. He tells him that the first thing you should do when you receive a bowl is look at it.”
The ramen at The Tasting Room is indeed beautiful: pink prawns, verdant broccoli, dark shiitake mushrooms, and a fresh Wellfleet oyster served atop fine noodles in a dark dashi. The accompanying steamed buns are pillowy and filled with crunchy, savory burdock root simmered with pickled ginger, soy sauce, mirin, dashi, and agave. The dishes offer a complementary textural contrast while remaining rooted in rich umami flavor, subtle spice, and an uncanny ability to excite the palate.
Looking ahead, Gendron wants to create space for live music. He is a multi-instrumentalist from a lineage of performers, and his grandfather’s trumpet hangs on a wall in the restaurant. “Music and food are about feeling,” he reflects. “But notes and words can only convey so much. Food is a full multisensory experience.” This confluence of influences has cultivated devoted regulars. “People call and say, ‘Danny, what am I eating tonight?’” Gendron muses. “It keeps people excited, guessing, but they always have a good time. That feeling is everything.
The Tasting Room 3767 Route 9G, Rhinebeck —mytastingroom.com
Amenia
AMENIA STEAK HOUSE
A great spot for steak, charcoal burgers, and cheesecake. 4905 US-44, 845-789-1520 I
FOUR BROTHERS DRIVE-IN
Popular spot in Amenia; seasonal. Lobster rolls, burgers, ice cream, frozen margaritas. 4957 NY-22 845-373-8178 playeatdrink.com I
FUEGO LATINO DELI
Tamales, sandwiches, and other Latin specialties, as well as a small convenience store. 3294 NY-343 845-789-1038 @fuegolatinodeli I
PANACEA
Everything from fresh pastas to smash burgers and oysters in a farmhouse setting. 6 Autumn Ln. 845-373-9800 panaceany.com M
SANTO PIZZERIA & RISTORANTE
A traditional pizza spot serving New York and Sicilian-style pizza. Try their Italian stuffed pizza or pasta fagioli soup. 5094 NY-22 845-373-8290 santopizzeriarestaurant.com I
TROUTBECK
A scenic hotel and restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Exquisite food and fantastic cocktails. 515 Leedsville Rd. 845-789-1555 troutbeck.com E
Beacon
BROTHER’S TRATTORIA
Authentic Italian restaurant serving lunch, dinner, and pizza. Try their chicken sorrentino or eggplant parmigiano. 465 Main St. 845-838-3300 brotherstrattoria.com M
ISAMU JAPANESE & CHINESE RESTAURANT
A long list of specialty sushi rolls, and more.
240 Main St. 845-440-0002 isamubeaconny.com I
LYONSHARE PUBLIC HOUSE
Elevated American bistro food at award-winning eatery in a tavern-like space.
246 Main St. 845-275-4932 lyonsharebeacon.com M
LA BARBIRRIA
MEXICAN CANTINA
A great spot for birria tacos and chorizo con huevos. 389 Main St. 845-440-7508 labarbirria.com M
THE ROUNDHOUSE
Modern American cuisine inspired by Hudson Valley agriculture. A great spot for pan-roasted duck and a cocktail. 2 E. Main St. 845-765-8369 roundhousebeacon.com E
ZIATUN
A Middle Eastern restaurant serving Palestinian cuisine. Try the chicken shawarma wrap and falafel burger. 244 Main St. 845-765-8268 ziatun.com M
E ATS
Dover Plains
OLD DROVERS INN
A classic early-American bed-and-breakfast fully restored and serving a variety of food.
196 E Duncan Hill Rd. 845-832-9311 M
LA CAZUELA
A traditional Mexican restaurant using fresh and homemade ingredients. 3081 US-22 845-442-9341 I
Fishkill
DANNY’S TABLE
Large menu of traditional favorites, with a lighter touch and modern panache. 1113 Main St. 845-440-3918 dannystablerestaurant.com M
GYMKHANA
Modern Indian restaurant serving flavorful curries and kebabs.
18 Westage Dr. #12, Fishkill 845-250-1010 gymkhanafishkill.com M
SOTANO
Gorgeous Mediterranean meals, in a gorgeous upscale setting. 1036 Main St. 845-897-1036 sotanofishkill.com M
Hyde Park
CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
The student-run restaurants at Hyde Park’s Culinary Institute of America offer creative menus at affordable prices.
1946 Campus Dr. 845-452-9600 ciafoodies.com M
LaGrange
HANGARS CAFE
Watch the planes depart and land at this relaxing cafe serving breakfast and lunch. Outdoor dining.
32 Airway Dr. 845-605-1991 hangarscafe.com I
Millbrook
ALL THAT JAVA
Coffee shop serving excellent coffee and light breakfast.
149 Church St. 845-233-1976 allthatjava.net I
BABETTE’S
Popular coffee and lunch spot in town. Homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. 3293 Franklin Ave. 845-677-8602 babetteskitchen.com M
BARBARO
Italian dining with a fabulous cocktail bar. Enjoy their handmade pizza al fresco on their porch.
3279 Franklin Ave. 845-677-4440 barbaromillbrook.com M
CAFE LES BAUX
Cozy French restaurant in downtown Millbrook. Enjoy their escargot, steak frites, and French wine list.
152 Church St. 845-677-8166 cafelesbaux.com M
CANOE HILL
Serving delicious drinks, tapas, great place for oysters.
3264 Franklin Ave. 845-605-1570 canoehillny.com M
CHARLOTTE’S
A country-style restaurant featuring locally sourced food with a European flair. 4258 US-44 845-677-5888 charlottesny.com M
HOUSE OF STEFAS
Ultra-hip Greek restaurant serving ceviche, zucchini fritters, salt-crusted fish, grilled lamb, other delights.
3299 Franklin Ave. 845-677-4888 houseofstefas.com M
JULIEN’S
A quirky takeout eatery that serves sushi and pizza. Vegan and gluten-free options. 5 Washington Ave. 845-677-2222 julienspizzamillbrook.com M
MILLBROOK CAFE
Cozy restaurant that uses a woodfired brick oven to cook their dishes. Great spot for a steak.
3288 Franklin Ave. 845-677-6956 themillbrookcafe.com M
MILLBROOK CONTINENTAL
A Hispanic-Amerian menu with everything from tamales to French toast, in a small, cozy setting . 18 Alden Place 845-345-0744 millbrookcontinental.com I
MILLBROOK DINER
Classic diner food and a Millbrook institution; enjoy classics such as BLT, Caesar salad, pancakes. 3266 Franklin Ave. 845-677-5319 millbrookdiner.com I
THE VINTAGE AT THE MILLBROOK INN
American restaurant featuring locally sourced ingredients. Open for brunch and dinner. 3 Gifford Rd. 845-605-1120 thevintageatthemillbrookinn. com M
SANDANONA BISTRO
Soups, salads, sandwiches in the bistro or to go. 3047 US-44 845-677-9701 orvis.com/sandanona-dining I
Millerton
AVOCADO CAFE
Small cafe serving traditional and authentic Mexican food, including carne asada, chicken enchiladas, and housemade tamales. 208 US-44 518-592-1181 avocadocafe.net I
FOUR BROTHERS PIZZA INN
Popular lunch and dinner spot in Millerton. Enjoy their pizza and Greek salads. 5952 N Elm Ave. 518-789-9434 fourbrothersrestaurants.com I
HARNEY & SONS TEA
A cozy tea room with an extensive choice of worldclass blends, plus sandwiches, soups, and a terrace. 13 Main St. 518-789-2121 harney.com M
IRVING FARM NEW YORK
Popular coffee house serving light eats, and drinks made from house-roasted beans. 44 Main St. 212-206-0707 irvingfarmcoffee.com I
OAKHURST DINER
Imaginative fare in a retro-style setting with counter stools and booths. 19 Main St. 518-592-1313 oakhurst-diner.com I
PASTURE KITCHEN
Redefining fast food with clean, nutrient-dense meals made from regeneratively farmed ingredients. 130 Route 44 518-689-4090 tallow.menu I
TARO’S
A casual NYC-style pizza spot with delicious Italian options. 18 Main St. 518-789-6630 I
THE MILLERTON INN
A quaint restaurant with a Mediterranean touch serving brunch, lunch, and dinner. Enjoy their baked moussaka or saffron orange chicken. 53 Main St. 518-592-1900 themillertoninn.com M
WILLA
Farm-to-table restaurant serving fresh local ingredients. Try their smash burger made with Kinderhook Farm beef. 52 Main St.
518-789-0252
willahvny.com M
Pine Plains
CHAMPETRE
Cozy French restaurant in Pine Plains Enjoy their escargot, steak, or fish dishes. Seasonal specialties.
2938 Church St. 518-771-3350 @champetre.ny M
EL GUACAMOLE
A family-style Mexican restaurant with classic tacos, fajitas, fried plantains.
7795 S Main St. 518-771-3330 I
SPUD SHACK
Casual lunch spot for burgers, fries, dogs, wings.
2953 Church St. #29 518-771-3205 I
STISSING HOUSE
Colonial tavern with a wood-burning oven featuring award-winning French-Italian meals.
7801 S Main St. 518-771-3064 stissinghouse.com M
THE MOOSE ON THE LOOSE
An old-fashioned sandwich shop with great options for breakfast or lunch, from bacon, egg, and cheese on a bagel to turkey clubs and Cuban sandwiches.
7711 S Main St. 518-398-5040 I
TOWER PIZZA
A small-town spot serving pizza and Italian food. Enjoy their fried calamari or chicken parmigiana. 2947 Church St. 518-398-7800 I
Poughkeepsie
ALEX’S RESTAURANT
A fourth-generation owned restaurant; delicious options for breakfast and lunch. 1 Market St. 845-452-1125 alexsrestaurant.org I
BRASSERIE 292
A timeless spot with an impressive menu, from a raw bar to the plat du jour. 292 Main St. 845-473-0292 brasserie292.com E
ESSIE’S RESTAURANT
Cozy, elegant American-style restaurant with an array of options.
14 Mount Carmel Pl. 845-452-7181 essiesrestaurantpk.com M
MAHONEY’S IRISH PUB & STEAKHOUSE
Lively Irish pub serving
authentic cuisine and offering nightly events.
35 Main St. 845-471-7026
mahoneysirishpub.com M
SAVONA’S TRATTORIA AND BAR
Serving trattoria-style Italian favorites for breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner. 1 Collegeview Ave. 845-876-4505
savonas.com M
SHADOWS ON THE HUDSON Waterfront restaurant with a raw bar and an extensive beverage list. 176 Rinaldi Blvd. 845-486-9500 shadowsonthehudson.com E
SUSHI VILLAGE
Offers sushi, hibachi, createyour-own poke bowls. 8 Raymond Ave. 845-471-5245 sushivillagenyc.com M
TAMARIND
Upscale Indian restaurant offering classic curries and tandoori dishes.
2185 S Rd., Poughkeepsie 845-632-2230 thetamarindrestaurant.com M
TAVERN 23
Combines modern-creative and traditional cooking styles to create remarkable dishes. 23 Verrazano Blvd. 845-473-2323 tavern23.com M
THE ACADEMY
The Bar, Keepsake, and Cornerstone Cafe. 33 Academy St. 914-512-4324 theacademyhvny.com M
Red Hook
BRIGITTE BISTRO
Quaint bistro serving classic French cuisine in a charming setting, for brunch and dinner. 61 E Market St. 845-835-6230 brigitte-bistro.com M
BUBBY’S TAKE-AWAY KITCHEN
Slow-cooked meats, vegan and vegetarian options in downtown Red Hook. 19 W Market St. 845-758-8226 I
CHARLIE O’S BAR AND GRILL
Family friendly restaurant with a full bar and extensive menu. 23 E Market St. 845-758-2123 charlieosbarandgrill.com I
RUSTIC TABLES
Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner: waffles, duck wontons, Fiesta Bowls. 1215 Rte. 199
845-758-2437 rustictablesrestaurantbar.com I
FLATIRON RESTAURANT
American-style restaurant serving roasted cod, panseared duck breast, and more. 7488 S Broadway
845-758-8260 flatironsteakhouse.com E
THE GROVE
Elegant versions of beloved comfort foods.
650 NY-199 845-758-3006
thegroveatredhook.com M
THE HISTORIC VILLAGE DINER
Open at 6 a.m., this streamlined metal railroad dining car is the focal point of local nostalgia.
7550 N Broadway 845-758-6232
historic-village-diner.com I
LUCOLI
Popular pizzeria with fresh ingredients, wood-fired pies. 7476 S Broadway 845-758-5600 lucoliredhook.com i
MISTO EATS
A mix of cultures and cuisines, using local ingredients.
7466 S Broadway 845-835-8044
misto-eats.com M
SAVONA’S TRATTORIA & BAR
Traditional Italian meals made from family recipes and local ingredients.
7249 S Broadway 845-758-6400 / savonas.com M
TASTE BUDD’S CAFE
Chocolates, coffee, sandwiches, pastries, salads. Vegan options. Live music. 40 W Market St. 845-758-6500 tastebudds.com I
YUM YUM NOODLE BAR
Dishes inspired by Japanese and other Asian cuisines with vegan and vegetarian options.
7496 S Broadway 845-835-6383 yumyumnoodlebar.com M
Rhinebeck
ABA’S FALAFEL
Traditional Middle Eastern falafel, salads, Turkish coffee.
54 E Market St. 845-876-2324 abasfalafel.com I
AROI THAI
Casual restaurant; traditional Thai dishes.
55 E Market St. 845-876-1114 aroirestaurant.com M
BRILLIANTLY BRITISH
›There is a particular kind of afternoon that calls for slowing down entirely, and Moreish on Beacon’s Main Street has made an art of it. The warm, intimate dining room, with its vintage mirrors, mismatched dinnerware, fresh flowers, and bentwood chairs, feels less like a restaurant than someone’s well-appointed parlor.
At the center of it all is the afternoon tea, a $45 threetiered experience that chef Michael Johnson and his wife and co-owner Shey Aponte have crafted with real reverence for the tradition. Finger sandwiches, housemade scones with clotted cream and jam, and a rotating selection of sweets arrive alongside a proper pot of British tea, the kind of spread that demands you put your phone away and simply be present.
Johnson’s credentials are formidable, two decades in UK kitchens including Michelin-starred restaurants, fivestar hotels, and stints at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. But what comes through most at Moreish is not the resume. It is the conviction that British food, done right, is worthy of genuine celebration.
Afternoon tea is served Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 3 pm. Reservations required with at least 24 hours notice.
207 Main St., Beacon. gimmemoreish.com
MEGAN SPIRO
BUNS BURGERS
A new take on fresh, local family dining; burgers, fries. 20 Garden St. 845-516-5197 bunsburgersny.com I
BREAD ALONE
Beautiful cafe serving breakfast and lunch daily. Amazing breads, crackers, and treats. 45 E Market St. 845-876-3108 breadalone.com I
CAFE CON LECHE
A cafe offering authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. 6384 Mill St. 845-516-4315 nycafeconleche.com I
CINNAMON INDIAN
Traditional dishes from various regions in India and Sri Lanka. Lunch and dinner daily. 51 E Market St. 845-876-7510 cinnamoncuisine.com M
FOSTER’S COACH HOUSE TAVERN
A tavern offering a wide variety of food choices, from nachos to seafood dishes to the Thanksgiving sandwich. 6411 Montgomery St. 845-876-8052 fosterscoachhouse.com M
GABY’S CAFE
An authentic Mexican restaurant known for enchiladas, paella, mariscada. 6423 Montgomery St #7 845-516-4363 gabysrhinebeck.com M
GIGI TRATTORIA
Modern farm-to-table Italian fare in airy, stylish quarters with a patio. 6422 Montgomery St. 845-876-1007 gigihudsonvalley.com M
LE PETIT BISTRO
Bistro delivering classic French fare, with a smart wine list.
2 E Market St. / 845-876-7400 lepetitbistro.com E
LITTLE GOAT
Seasonal vegetables, house pastas, local meats, bold
Mediterranean flavors. 6380 Mill St. 845-516-7273 littlegoatny.com M
MARKET ST.
Italian restaurant serving Neapolitan-style pizza and specialty cocktails. 19 W Market St. 845-876-7200 marketstrhinebeck.com M
OSAKA SUSHI
Family-run Japanese restaurant known for fresh sushi and friendly staff. 22 Garden St. 845-876-7338 osakasushi.net M
PIZZERIA POSTO
Acclaimed pizzeria serving artisanal wood-fired pizza. 43 E Market St. 845-876-3500 postopizzeria.com I
{PRETTY TO THINK SO}
Farm-to-table fine dining and craft cocktails in a chic space. 6417 Montgomery St. 845-516-4556 prettytothink.so E
RHINEBECK BAGELS AND CAFE
Serving the area’s most artistic breakfast and lunch. 31 W Market St. 845-876-8025 rhinebeckbagels.com I
SMOKY ROCK BBQ
Consistent winner of Hudson Valley BBQ contests, serving beef, pork, duck and more 6367 Mill St. 845-876-5232 smokyrockbbq.com M
THE TAVERN AT THE BEEKMAN ARMS
Colonial tap room with a hearth and full bar, and a garden greenhouse. 6387 Mill St. / 845-876-7077 beekmandelamaterinn.com M
TERRAPIN RESTAURANT
Contemporary-American restaurant serving diverse flavors from local farms. 6426 Montgomery St. 845-876-3330 terrapinrestaurant.com I
Rhinecliff
KIPS TAVERN
Riverfront near the train station. Crabcakes and chicken paillard are faves. 1 Shatzell Ave. 845-516- 4737 kipstavern.com M
Staatsburg
RIVER AND POST
Eclectic local fare and cocktails, celebrating its sleepy village in a cozy setting. 57 Old Post Rd. 845-773-9373 riverandpost.co M
Tivoli
THE CORNER
A Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring fresh ingredients.
53 Broadway / 845-757-2100 hoteltivoli.org/the-corner M
GIOBATTA ALIMENTARI
Chef Francesco Buitoni’s authentic Italian cuisine; restaurant and market.
69 Broadway / 845-757-2567 giobatta.com M
OSAKA TIVOLI
An original menu with unique sushi creations along with standard Japanese dishes. 74 Broadway / 845-757-5055 osakativolisushi.com M
SANTA FE HUDSON VALLEY
Lobster quesadillas, short rib tacos, and grilled salmon Veracruz.
52 Broadway / 845-757-4100 santafehudsonvalley.com M
TIVOLI GENERAL
A cozy coffee shop offering breakfast, sandwiches, groceries, wine, and beer.
54 Broadway tivoli-general.com I
Stanfordville
3 BROTHERS PIZZA
Pizza shop offering a variety of delicious pizza and food. 6270 NY-82 / 845-723-4139 3brotherspizzadeli.com I
COYOTE FLACO
Family-run Mexican restaurant, authentic dishes. 6063 NY-82 / 845-868-3360 coyoteflacostanfordville.com I
PEYO’S CAFE
Mexican restaurant serving paninis, wraps, and quesadillas. 5979 NY-82
845-868-3335 I
Wappingers Falls
AROMA OSTERIA
Rustic Italian cuisine served in a romantic country. Known for handmade pastas, fresh local ingredients, and an extensive Italian wine list. 114 Old Post Rd. 845-298-6790 aromaosteriarestaurant.com M
Wassaic
BLACK BIRD BISTRO
Casual family-owned bistro serving flat bread with sausage and ricotta, chicken with macand-cheese, and more. 3997 NY-22
845-789-1515
blackbird-bistro-ny.com M
THE LANTERN INN
Woodfired pizza, organic wines, craft brews, cocktails, outdoor fire pit. Popular spot for families. 10 Main St. 845-373-8389 wassaiclanterninn.com I
TENMILE DISTILLERY
Traditional spirits produced in a lovely distillery. Sophisticated and elegant tasting room. 78 Sinpatch Rd. 845-877-6399 tenmiledistillery.com M
THAI BAAN
Upscale versions of Thai favorites, in the high-ceilinged Tenmile Distillery. 78 Sinpatch Rd. 845-877-6399 tenmiledistillery.com M
VITSKY BAKERY
Small-batch bakery using seasonal, hearty ingredients. 3 Main St. vitskybakery.com I
ICONS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
›FRED STEIN: ICONS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, featuring portraits by master photographer Fred Stein, is on view through May 10. This exhibition offers a rare, intimate look at faces that shaped the 20th century: Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Salvador Dalí, and Fidel Castro, to name a few.
“We are honored to bring Fred Stein’s legacy to Millerton,” says Natalie Tyler, gallery director. “To see Stein’s portraits in conversation with one another is to witness the 20th century in the making. These figures transformed the arts and sciences, launched revolutions, and led nations.”
Fred Stein, a pioneer of street photography and a master of the Leica, had a singular gift for capturing the psychological depth of his subjects. Having fled Nazi Germany and later occupied France, Stein brought joy and perspective to his work—his experience as a refugee informing an intimate, humanistic style.
Mad Rose Gallery, located in the heart of Millerton, is dedicated to exhibiting contemporary works that inspire the intellect and stir the spirit. Representing a roster of established and emerging artists, the gallery is a cultural hub for Dutchess County and beyond.
Opening Memorial Day weekend, Constellation: A Summer Salon, curated by Kim Schmidt, brings together nearly 100 works in a layered, salon-style exhibition. Artists include Louise Bourgeois, Sandy Skoglund, Alice Aycock, Kiki Smith, Richard Estes, and Richard Diebenkorn, among many others.
Mad Rose Gallery, 5916 N. Elm Ave., Millerton —madrosegallery.com
A NEW ERA IN HEALTH CARE IS COMING
Nuvance Health is becoming Northwell, the most awarded health system in the tri-state.
With expanded support for our trusted hospitals and broader access to top-tier care and lifesaving innovations, this new chapter will bring everything you need to live your healthiest life.
We’re raising health for New York. For Connecticut. For you.
Nuvancehealth.org/Northwell
