Beacon Bits -- (Unoffical) Summer's End

Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end to summer, arrived in Beacon with temperatures in the 90's, clear skies and bright sunshine. It made me think about the "top 10 list" of things to do in Beacon to celebrate summer's farewell in the next few weeks. There is still time!

10.  Take time for a cold beer at The Hop in its expansive location at the site opened almost  a year ago;  the menu offers so much more than craft brew and unique architectural design.

9.    Start planning a fall wardrobe at Echo, with the help of all the "fashionistas", or get a jump start on holiday shopping for unique toys for the kids. (More to come soon about this women's boutique and children's store in a future featured blog.)

8.    Tune up the bicycle or purchase a new one at People's Bicycle; Jon and his crew are expert and will get you up and peddling for the fall season.

7.     Get ready to buy advanced tickets for the weekend Beacon Independent Film Festival ('aka' BIFF, 9/18-9/20) at the University Settlement on 9D. 

6.     Visit Beacon Natural Market to celebrate 10 years of organics and natural foods; lots of specials and activities happening from September 7th to 12th to thank the Beacon community for its support.

5.     Grab a seat at the outdoor aerie at Beacon Pantry and have a carefree meal and relax with a friend.

4.    Make a plan to get out an old instrument or take up a new one with music lessons available at Main Street Music. Ukulele anyone?

3.     Make more frequent visits to Zora Dora to indulge in delectable and uncanny fruit sorbet and milk-based pops; my pick of the day Mojito (lime and mint), with an eye on the Roasted Beet-Goat Cheese-Walnut and Cardamom-Ginger-Pistachio before season's end!

2.     Purchase some fresh field flowers at Flora Garden & Home; have a chat with Mary, and make a plan for weekly visits to purchase beautifully potted plants and gardening accessories to hold onto to summer's greenery in your own home.

1.     Anticipate the flurry of activity when everyone is in the street on the Spirit of Beacon day (Sunday, 9/27/15), as well as upcoming Second Saturdays -- including a visit to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church to hear Vassar College student Sarah Johnson's piano and organ recital on 9/12/15, with a reception to follow, from 4-6pm.

Food for thought: All of the top 10 activities and even 10 more may help with that tinge of melancholy that begins to set in with the waning daylight at this time of the year. Looking back at what didn't get done during the summer gets in the way of holding onto all that was accomplished, including being able to make a jump start on plans for next summer starting with all the to-do's that didn't get done or all the places that you didn't get to go. Seems like the turn of the season will be slow this year with the warm weather continuing and the hope of Indian summer to come, yet, all the while, the time for this summer will indeed run its course. But it is also good to feel that change is in the air and that letting go of all that was is the best way to (officially) begin again!

(For my own unfinished business, a visit to Saugerties to explore the eclectic shops, including The Perfect Blend; and a day trip to NYC for the on board Circle Line viewing of the 23rd annual tugboat race organized by the Working Harbor Committee, made this Labor Day weekend complete.)

The Perfect Blend -- Yarn and Tea Shop in Saugerties, NY

Early morning train to NYC

Tugboats gathering for the parade to the starting line for the race

Historic NYC harbor fire boat, John D. Harvey, pivotal during 9-11, celebrating at the end of the race

Beacon Bits -- Can't Get More Local

Living in the Hudson River Valley has its perks all year long, but they multiply as autumn approaches. The apples in the orchards are ready for picking and root vegetables abound. The changing light creates a warm glow as the sun sets earlier and rises later as we move through the autumnal equinox. The energy level rises with everyone out-and-about for the annual seasonal festivals and competing events scheduled each weekend that celebrate the harvest and prepare us for the dormant period that awaits us in the near distant future.

 

There's no need to eke out the last few weeks of farmers' markets, however, with Beacon's very own riverfront market continuing through the winter months. But there's a great reminder that you can't get more local when you do go down to the waterfront and are greeted by the Common Ground Farm's iconic bus.

 

 

On the grounds of Stony Kill Educational Center, the CSA farm flourished this past season under the steady hand of farmers Tim Heuer and Sam Wildfong along with their team of knowledgeable and hard-working apprentices.

 

Tim Heuer, Director of Farming, Common Ground Farm

 



Katie from Kentucky, Summer Intern

When you purchase the weekly offerings of produce, which is set up early on Sunday mornings, you can trust that the proximity along Route 9D insures freshness that can't be beat by its competitors. Tomatoes, beets, greens, string beans, yellow and green squash, basil, and onions that easily go from our farm to your table.



  

 The local Beacon scene abounds with additional home grown talent that ripens this time of year. (Some talent even goes global.) Second Saturday events are well-attended during the brisk evening hours; don't miss One Earth at Fovea, a global perspective on ecological crises. The Howland Chamber Music Circle starts its season once again under the capable leadership of Gwen Stevens who orchestrates programming with aplomb and pulls all the strings to get world-renowned musicians into our acoustically engineered Howland Cultural Center. The Beacon Theatre gets ready to celebrate its Second Anniversary kick-off for renovations, which while still underway, have progressed sufficiently to offer plays including upcoming performances of The Gin Game and Love, Loss and What I Wore. And don't forget the Spirit of Beacon Day on September 30th, which is sure to have an international feel with the cross-cultural heritage of local residents.

 

One of the understated events recently held at the Howland Cultural Center was the awarding of the 3rd Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Celebration awards to Tery Udell and Dan Einbender for their role in starting the Rivertown Kids, a classroom based, community-wide children's chorus; the event was held on Sunday 9/16/12 and was sponsored by the Beacon Democratic Committee. While some of the kids are growing up, they continue their journey knowing they won a Grammy with Pete Seeger for their CD Tomorrow's Children. Hopefully, there will be more eight and nine year olds following in their footsteps by signing up to sing about the present state of affairs pertaining to the environment and human rights and to map out the direction for a hopeful future.

 

 

Some food for thought: The local-global connection has a home in Beacon. As we move towards celebrating Beacon's centennial in 2013, there should be no reason to think of it solely as a provincial event. The sense of human connectedness and the power of the community of the 99%-ers who reside here is just a microcosm of a world-wide phenomenon. Beacon, as its namesake suggests, heralds the message that attention should be paid to this specific location at this time. Beacon has something to sing about, to paint and photograph, to grow, and to join hands together to celebrate. There is no better season, as autumn approaches, to be a beacon for the Hudson Valley. Shine on!

 

Some Upcoming Autumnal Events on the Calendar

Thursday, September 20th - Science journalists Horgan & Revkin, BIRE

Friday-Sunday, September 21st-23rd - The Gin Game at The Beacon

Sunday, September 23rd - Wine 101 - Artisan Wine Shop

Sunday, September 30th - Spirit of Beacon Day Parade, Beacon

Sunday, October 7th - Farm Market Set-up, Common Ground CSA work hours

Sunday, October 7th - Wines of the Loire - Artisan Wine Shop

Saturday, October 13th - 2nd Saturday Gallery Events, Beacon

Sunday, October 14th - Beacon Sloop Club's Pumpkin Festival

Friday-Sunday, October 19th-21st - Sheep and Wool Festival, Rhinebeck

Sunday, October 21st - Brooklyn Rider String Quartet, Howland Chamber Music

Sunday, October 21st - Be Inspired by Spain - Artisan Wine Shop