Month: August 2016

Real Estate News: Construction Edition

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The Montreign Casino in Sullivan County, show in artist’s rendering, is expected to open in early 2018. VIA MID-HUDSON NEWS NETWORK

A construction industry executive says the Hudson Valley is in the midst of a building boom.

Alan Seidman, executive director of the Construction Contractors Association of the Hudson Valley, said he hasn’t seen such a flurry of development in the region in recent memory.

He said most of the union labor force has been engaged with work and other workers are being brought in from neighboring regions.

“Certainly, in the (last) 20 years, it is the biggest boom around and I can’t imagine there was ever anything like this,” Seidman said, pointing to the Orange County Government Center rebuild, Sullivan County Jail project, and the Montreign casino. “It is going to be a really great three- to five-year stretch.”

Read more at The Daily Freeman >>>

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#HudsonValleyGarlicFest

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rs1502_136276999Never been to the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties? The annual festival will be taking place on Oct. 1 from 10AM-6PM and Oct. 2 from 10AM to 5PM.  Here are a couple of tips that will save you a few dollars and make your day even better than you were expecting.

1. Buy your tickets in advance. Here are the locations where you can pick them up. Advance tickets will cost $7 each, $5 for 65 and over, kids under 12 are free. Tickets at the gate will be $10 each.

2. Plan to get there by 10:30. This will get you in there before the big crowds. You won’t get stuck in traffic (which only angers you and takes away from your time to look around) and you’ll arrive in a happier mood.

3. Eat a light breakfast to leave space for all of your sampling. There will be garlic this and garlic that. Most samples will be complimentary (the garlic vinegar and hot sauce are two I look for each year), but there will be garlic flavored food items for you to purchase. Including, but not limited too, garlic flavored ice cream and garlic taffy. If you have ever thought that it could have garlic in it, or made with it, it will be at this place.

Read Full Story: How to Rock the Hudson Valley Garlic Fest

Hudson Valley Vegan Food Festival

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Dr. Ashik Raval (L) and Jalangi Raval from Nimai’s Bliss Kitchen vegan restaurant at the Hudson Valley Vegan Food Festival in Newburgh on Aug. 14, 2016. (Colin Fredericson/Epoch Times)

The City of Newburgh hosted the first Hudson Valley Vegan Food Festival Aug. 14. In the midst of the heat wave that overtook much of the northeast this weekend, people made it out to sample vegan offerings by vendors from the Hudson Valley and beyond.

The football field of the Delano-Hitch Recreation Park was host to a few dozen vendors selling smoothies, plant-based hot dogs,vegan Indian food, and other vegan food options, while also showcasing crafts and clothing that fit the vegan theme, and vegan-friendly organizations in the Hudson Valley.

The event’s organizers are two young, local entrepreneurs. Both Newburgh natives, Kyla El and Sam Simmons are 23 and 30 respectively. They originally had the idea of gathering friends together for a vegan barbecue with two vendors. The idea gained popularity and soon grew into a food festival open to the public. And when local vegan restaurant Nimai’s Bliss Kitchen agreed to be the main food sponsor, the event was suddenly much larger. Nimai’s Bliss Kitchen is a 2-year-old Newburgh-based vegan Indian restaurant on Robinson Ave. It was easily the largest, and one of the busiest, food stands at the event. The owners of the restaurant encouraged Simmons and El to promote the event as the Hudson Valley Vegan Food Festival.

“It went from backyard barbecue to literally Hudson Valley Vegan Food Festival,” said El.

FULL STORY at The Epoch Times

Hudson Valley RibFest 2016

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ar-160819814With Labor Day fast approaching, there are only a few weeks to enjoy a summer barbecue, so don’t pass up the chance to sink your teeth into the Hudson Valley RibFest this weekend at the Ulster County Fairgrounds, 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz.

The event takes place Friday, Aug. 19, from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 21, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The ribfest is actually three events in one. It’s a food festival, a music festival and a sanctioned barbecue contest in which the winners can advance to the national finals in Kansas City.

Some 60 teams will be pitting their barbecuing skills against one another in the competition. Along with bragging rights, there will also be $8,500 in prize money to go along with a berth in the national finals.

Follies, Function & Form: Imagining @OlanaSHS’s Summer House

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The Olana Partnership, in collaboration with the New York chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIANY) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA-NY), presents Follies, Function & Form: Imagining Olana’s Summer House.  This design exhibition unites 21 visionary architects and landscape architects to address one of the great mysteries at Olana: the summer house.

In the 1886 “Plan of Olana,” a detailed blueprint of Frederic Church’s vision for his large-scale designed landscape, the plan’s details are largely accurate, yet it contains a structure labeled “Summer House” for which there is no documentary evidence.  The 21 designers have imagined Olana’s summer house and have each created one concept sketch of this structure and its environs, much in the way Frederic Church sketched to convey design and architectural ideas.  Each designer is free to explore and combine historic and contemporary design themes.

Featured Designers: Richard Alomar, ASLA (Rutgers University), 
Diana Balmori, FASLA (Balmori Associates), Mary Burnham, AIA (Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects), Randy Correll, AIA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects), 
Christopher Counts, ASLA (Counts Studio),Adriaan Geuze, (West 8 urban design and landscape architecture), Judith Heintz, ASLA (sassafras55), Steven Holl, FAIA (Steven Holl Architects), Joan Krevlin, FAIA (BKSK Architects), Tom Krizmanic, AIA (STUDIOS Architecture), David McAlpin, AIA (Fradkin & McAlpin Architects), Laurie Olin, FASLA (OLIN), Peter Pennoyer, FAIA (Peter Pennoyer Architects), Margie Ruddick, ASLA (Margie Ruddick Landscape), 
Hayes Slade, AIA (Slade Architecture), Allan Shope, AIA (Allan Shope Architect), Ken Smith, ASLA, (Ken Smith Workshop), Alison Spear, AIA (Alison Spear AIA), 
Dana Tang, AIA (Gluckman Tang), 
Michael Vergason, FASLA (Michael Vergason Landscape Architects),  Adam Yarinsky, FAIA (Architecture Research Office)

Summer Day: Bear Mountain State Park

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bearGeorge Walbridge Perkins, a businessman and leader of the Progressive Movement (and the Progressive Party of Theodore Roosevelt) died in 1920, but his legacy includes at least one local treasure: Bear Mountain State Park.

The site of numerous military engagements during the American Revolution, the park Perkins helped create has since become one of the most peaceful spots in the tri-state area. Less than an hour’s drive away for most North Jersey residents, it is, like the George Washington Bridge, an integral element of the Hudson River’s long, rich history.

And, just as important: It’s fun!

A perfect place for a hike, with the sort of panoramic views that leave visitors slack-jawed, Bear Mountain offers a host of other attractions, from its pool and playgrounds, to its museums, zoo and vintage carousel, lakeside picnic areas, a delightful gift shop and an inn that offers overnight accommodations as well as terrific food, whether you’re in the market for brunch, a midday snack, or a sophisticated supper in the Bear Mountain Inn’s spectacularly rustic dining room.

IF YOU GO

BEAR MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

Where: Palisades Parkway or Route 9W north, Bear Mountain, N.Y.

Info: nysparks.com/parks/13/details.aspx or 845-786-2701

Park hours: 8 a.m. – sunset; $10 per vehicle.

Bear Mountain Pool: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekends through Sept. 5. $2 per person.

Merry-Go-Round: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, through Sept. 5. $1 per ride.

Perkins Memorial Drive & Tower: through Nov. 30, weather permitting.

Trailside Museums and Zoo: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. No fee, donations ($1) suggested.

Bear Mountain Inn: visitbearmountain.com.

FULL STORY

Hudson Valley Jazz Fest presents #SlideAttack @TheBeanRunner

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calentry_46209_dre4a8b47c077ce3_photoSlideAttack is a modern incarnation of the group led by the great J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding, co-led by two NY veteran trombonists, Alan Goidel and Howard Levy. SlideAttack plays fresh arrangements of jazz standards from the swing era to hard bop and beyond, by composers Kenny Dorham, J.J. Johnson, George Gershwin, Hank Mobley and others, along with original material.

“In so many ways, this music is so refreshing; excellent arrangements, interesting repertoire, all put together with the care and love that can only come from true dedication and appreciation for the kind of swinging jazz that one doesn’t hear nearly enough nowadays. In the great tradition of the two-trombone groups of yesteryear, Mr. Levy and Mr. Goidel deserve our gratitude for keeping the tradition not only alive, but swinging!” – Loren Schoenberg, Artistic Director, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

Friday, August 12 at the BeanRunner Cafe
8:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Admission $10

For reservations, call 914-737-1701.

#BestoftheBest: Hot Dog Edition

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hot-dog-06via Patch/Trip Advisor – Sometimes a hot dog is the only thing that will hit the spot. But you may not feel like taking a trip down the city or out to Coney Island. where can you find the best hot dogs in and around the Mid-Hudson Valley?

Here are a few that earned raves from TripAdvisor reviewers.

  1. Soul Dog in Poughkeepsie. “Great hot dogs, veggie dogs and sides,” said one reviewer.
  2. Pete’s Hot Dogs Inc. in Newburgh. One reviewer called it a “hot dog landmark.”
  3. Dallas Hot Weiners in Kingston. “A five-star weiner for real,” said one review.
  4. Kosiner Brothers in New Paltz. “Great snack shack.”

Have you visited any of these restaurants and tried the hot dogs? Do you have any restaurants or hot dog trucks to add to the list? Please add your reviews and suggestions to the comments below.

You may just have to do a taste test and try all the options to compare.

Spotlight: Hearty Roots Community Farm

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2016-08-03_11-42-34How surprised was HudsonValley FYI to see that a former baby-sittee from the Big Apple (Hi, Ben Shute!) grew up to become a farmer? And not only that, one with community at its center!

From their website:

Hearty Roots is a family farm using sustainable and organic practices to grow the freshest, healthiest, tastiest food for our community.

The farm is run by Ben and Lindsey Shute along with a great crew of ambitious and hard-working young farmers. Based on 70 acres in Clermont, NY, the farm currently grows about 25 acres of vegetables per year, cares for a flock of laying hens, and manages another 25 acres of pasture and fallow fields.

Our goals in farming are to create a product that is healthy for you, for our community, and for the land. Our fresh produce is certified organic by NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC. In addition to strictly adhering to the organic standards, we also set a high standard for ourselves in other aspects of our farming. We seek to improve our soil’s health and fertility in the long term; we aim to play a positive role in our ecosystem rather than fighting against it; we hope to train a new generation of farmers who gain experience by working with us; and we pay our workers a fair wage and maintain worker-friendly employment policies.

Read more about their CSA and join here.

Or, make arrangements to stay in the 1820’s farmhouse has been recently renovated but retains its rustic charm. A 150-year-old maple tree shades the front yard, and the backyard extends back directly to the farm’s gardens, where you can pick flowers and herbs. Cook up a meal with farm-fresh veggies, eggs and pork available from their farm store.

HOT DOG! WAYS TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE IN THE HEAT

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9484_10152406529095504_1813275392_n1via DogTime – As warmer summertime temperatures approach, it’s important to remember that dogs are vulnerable to injuries and illnesses related to hot weather including heat stroke, sunburn, and foot pad burns. The most dangerous condition is heat stroke, which can cause organ failure, seizures, brain damage, hemorrhages, blindness, convulsions and even death.

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are dangerous situations for any dog. Heat exhaustion is generally the early stages when a dog begins overheating. You can often remedy the effects by taking immediate action to reduce the animals’ body temperature and prevent the more deadly heat stroke. Heat exhaustion symptoms can include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, rapid panting, and the skin inside the ears reddening. Get your dog inside quickly to a cooler area like a basement or near a fan, and offer fresh water. Dampen the skin with lukewarm water and allow it to air-dry.

Heatstroke occurs when the dogs’ normal body mechanisms cannot keep body temperature in a safe range. Dogs don’t have the ability to sweat, and panting can’t fully cool a dog down when they are overheated. A dogs’ normal body temperature is 100-102.5 degrees, a body temperature over 106 degrees is deadly and calls for immediate veterinary assistance. Signs of heat stroke include rapid panting, a bright red tongue, red or pale gums, and thick, sticky saliva. The dog may show depression, weakness and dizziness, vomiting – sometimes with blood, diarrhea, shock, and coma.

Any pet that cannot cool himself off is at risk for heat stroke, but some breeds and dogs with certain conditions are more susceptible. Heart disease, obesity, older age, or breathing problems put the dog at higher risk, and for these animals even normal activities in intense heat can be harmful. Dogs with shorter snouts – like Pugs or Bulldogs – have a harder time panting out their body heat, and certain breeds don’t tolerate the heat as well as others. This group includes English and French Bulldogs, Boxers, the Saint Bernard, Pugs, and Shih Tzu.

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