See Poughkeepsie in a Whole New Way - the Segway!
You may have heard of it, and now it's right here in Poughkeepsie! "It" is a Personal Transporter (PT), also know as a Segway. After less than 30 minutes of training, you, too, can sway calmly along the scenic shores of the Hudson River on a noiseless, "green" PT.
Segway of the Hudson Valley has come to this area, specifically to Dooley Square at the end of Main Street in Poughkeepsie, near the train station. It's a family affair, run by president Jack White, with Jason White, his son, as the vice president. It's two doors down from Amici's; look for other motorized carts on display, including a golf cart.
In addition to the touring possibilities, it is a really fun activity! The Whites provide calm, confidence-building, step by step instruction. The PT responds immediately to your body's gentle bending and leaning. Once you find your balance and center your feet on the footpads, it's easy to move forward. Next you'll learn how to start and stop, and then after a few tries with assistance, you learn how to get on and off by yourself. Now you are ready to try on your own! It has been compared to skiing or snowboarding. It feels natural, safe, and instinctive, not hard at all - and besides, you are wearing a helmet!
Recently, I went with a group that navigated a section of the ordinarily two-and-a half-hour tour that winds along the Hudson River from Waryas Park, past the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum and the Community Boathouse, all the way to Marist College. The tour is six miles long; it was the first one New York State authorized. Next time I go, I'll see if it's like riding a bicycle; hopefully, I won't have forgotten!
How far can you go? The PT is powered by two lithium-ion batteries that charge in eight to10 hours. How is it compared to driving? The PT goes up to 24 miles on 10 cents worth of electricity.
How far you can actually travel depends on the topography and your speed, which gets up to 12 miles per hour. I felt comfortable going around 6 mph. According to their website, the EPA estimates that Americans take 900 million car journeys every day, but half the trips are less than five miles long and are by solo drivers. The PT is 11 times more energy efficient than a car, and it's 17 times more energy efficient than an SUV - and produces no emissions, of course. It does however, draw interested looks and shouts from those debarking from the train! Most comments are along the lines of, "boy, does that look like fun !"- and they would be right!
Try it - you get a sense of power and speed, yet you also feel safe and in total control. It feels natural, safe, and instinctive. A guided Segway tour runs $65 for an hour-and-a half to two-hour tour. They can accommodate small groups as well as corporate events. PTs costs about $5,200, and you don't need a license (or to register it) to operate one! Call 845-485-7349 or visit
www.SegwayoftheHudsonValley.com
.
Get Down on the Farm - Without Driving!
No car? No problem! Check out the "Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link" MTA Metro-North One-Day Getaways. Dutchess County’s farms and wineries are just a relaxing train ride north, in the heart of the Hudson River Valley.
We have planned weekend day trips so you and your family can easily enjoy the fresh, nourishing goodness of nature’s bounty. The Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link Shuttle picks you up and returns you to your destination train station. You travel on the same shuttle to all of the stops, so you can even leave your belongings right on board! Experience fresh-from-the-farm produce, or pick your own fruits and vegetables. Tour and taste at award-winning wineries, savor freshly made cheese at Sprout Creek Farm, meet friendly farm animals, and more.
Farm Fresh Link Getaway packages include discounted, round-trip rail fare and shuttle transportation (some activities, as well as lunch, are an additional cost). They are available online, at station ticket offices and ticket machines. Purchase your package at
www.MTA.info
and get an additional 5 percent off the already discounted price. You cannot buy the packages on the train or at destination stations. Reservations for the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link Shuttle are required at least 48 hours in advance by calling 800-445-3131 and selecting “0” for an operator. Tired of paying $4.35 a gallon for gas? Leave it home and sightsee by train and shuttle bus!
Three Farm Fresh Link One-Day Getaways are offered this summer and during fall foliage season: Family Fun Farm Days; Farm Fresh Food, Wool & Fine Tea Weekends; and Fall Harvest: Wine, Cheese & Apple Picking Weekends.
For details about the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link One-Day Getaways, as well as other local agri-tourism resources, news and information, visit Dutchess County Tourism’s agritourism website, FarmFresh.DutchessTourism.com. Go up to the country without spending money at the pump, and return to the city that evening. Dutchess County Tourism’s Farm Fresh Link packages are made possible by a grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Dutchess County Fair 2008
It’s time again for family fun, great deals and food and lively entertainment. The 163rd Dutchess County Fair, which always runs the third full week in August, opens Tuesday, August 19 and runs through Sunday, August 24 at the attractive Dutchess County Fairgrounds on Route 9 in Rhinebeck. There’s a lot to enjoy for the more than 400,000 visitors expected to attend. For one week the fairgrounds is home to thousands of farm animals, petting zoos, antique museums, a huge carnival, arts and crafts, commercial vendors and big name talent. You’ll shriek with delight at the rides on the midway. The canine tent welcomes Animal Planet and ESPN’s Ultimate Air dogs. Check out the Butterfly Habitat walkthrough near the agricultural exhibits and horticultural displays.
With more than 150 food vendors in the food court, everyone splurges! Shop 100 commercial exhibits, fine arts & craftsmen, and take home the county’s bounty at the farm market. Familiar favorites include Rosaire’s Racing Pigs, Antique Museum Village and one-room schoolhouse, wildlife exhibit, Commerford’s Petting Zoo and Pony Hitch, and the dairy birthing center. Plans are underway to expand Century Village.
The Fair hosts non-stop entertainment, all included in your ticket. Grandstand performance schedule is Tues.: Jason Michael Carroll & Jake Owen; Wed.: Beach Boys; Thurs.: Blake Shelton; Fri.: Bucky Covington & Keith Anderson; Sat.: Little Big Town; and Sun.: Championship Bull Riding returns!
Admission is $12, while children under 12 admitted free; parking is also free. The gates open each day at 10am. No pets admitted. Go online to
www.MTA.info
for package with shuttle from train stations. See
www.DutchessFair.com
for an opportunity for discounted admission, ride, food and show tickets or call 845/876-4001.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Welcomes Artists, Authors and Photographers
Colors are brighter, new images emerge and prose flows freely as bluegrass music fills the air at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome this weekend, July 26 & 27. Artists, photographers and writers have space to display their creations and demonstrate techniques to visitors at the Aerodrome Saturday and Sunday. Gilles Auliard, a renowned aviation and aerial photographer whose work appears regularly in Atlantic Flyer Magazine, will engage photography buffs in a specially arranged aerial photography clinic. Music will be provided on Saturday by the Acoustic Medicine Show and on Sunday by No Brakes.
“We broke new ground when we brought in Gypsy Djaz, to play for the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots who met at Old Rhinebeck last weekend,” said Hugh Schoelzel, President of Old Rhinebeck Air Shows. Gypsy Djaz plays 1930s swing music and has been instrumental in finding other bands to showcase their talent at the Aerodrome,” Hugh continued.
The gates open at 10am for visitors to take in the creative displays, browse the museum and gift shop, or have lunch among the airplanes and rustic hangars. The air shows begin at 2pm. Two 1929 New Standard bi-planes fly scenic rides from 10am – dusk for $65 per passenger. Sign up upon arrival at the aerodrome to reserve a seat. The Museum and exhibits open again after the show from 4pm–5pm. Airshows continue through October. The museum is open weekdays.
Visit
www.OldRhinebeck.org
for calendar of events, themed weekends and air show previews. Call Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, located at 9 Norton Road, at 845/752-3200.
Art Along The Hudson Kicks Off 5th Year
Art Along the Hudson – 7 Cities, 7 Celebrations, is in its fifth year, and expands from four to seven cities. In addition to the initial four – Kingston, Beacon, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh - new this year are Hudson, Catskill and Rhinebeck. Through a cooperative media campaign, this regional collaboration promotes arts and cultural activities in each of these Hudson River cities.
Art Along the Hudson celebrations are anchored by rotating Saturdays spotlighting each city. Kingston and Hudson share First Saturdays; Beacon has Second Saturdays; Catskill, Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck celebrate Third Saturdays; and Newburgh highlights Last Saturdays. A focus of one Saturday monthly strengthens and builds awareness of each city’s arts initiatives. Enjoy gallery and museum exhibits, music, dance, theatre and poetry. Take in sculpture exhibits, street fairs and parades, and art and history tours.
A four-color brochure lists the participating venues in each city, and distributed to tourism sites throughout the region. The website,
www.ArtAlongtheHudson.com
provides details about each city’s events and is updated when new offerings become available.
Sightseeing Cruises on the Hudson River
Hudson River Adventures' sightseeing cruises area terrific way to enjoy the Hudson River, take in its scenic shores, and really feel like summer is in full swing!
Cruises aboard the "Pride Of The Hudson" are two hours long. You begin and return to Newburgh Landing, Front Street, Newburgh. Your cruise heads south on the Hudson River enjoying such Dutchess County sights as Mount Beacon, Bannerman Island and Castle, and Breakneck Mountain plus Storm King Mountain, Catskill Water Aqueduct, Cold Spring and Worlds End. At the northern part of the US Military Academy at West Point the ship turns back north. A historical narration of the sights are given in the first half of the cruise.
Tickets may be purchased in advance or at dock by cash or check beginning one hour prior to cruises. Narrated sightseeing is $18 and $17 seniors (65+) and children 4-11 years old. Ship's main enclosed deck is climate controlled and there is a large top sundeck and cozy bow area. The ship has a full cash bar/snack bar. There are daytime and sunset cruises. For schedule call 845-220-2120 or visit
www.prideofthehudson.com
.
Wilderstein’s 2008 Exhibit: “Art Of, For & By Women”
Have you ever wondered what makes a woman of independent means tick? Especially Hudson Valley women of distinction whose “country lives” have been captured in literature and lore through the centuries?
Wilderstein Historic Site in Rhinebeck's 2008 special exhibition, “Art Of, For & By Women” brings to life the social, cultural and economic contributions the women of Wilderstein have made, and their profound impact on Hudson Valley history. Many of the featured pieces are on display for the first time ever.
Three generations of the Suckley family called Wilderstein home. The last person to reside there was Margaret (Daisy) Suckley, whose extraordinarily close relationship with Franklin Delano Roosevelt has been well-chronicled.
The women in this exhibition represent 200 years, from the 1697 Beekman Patent to the death of Margaret Suckley in 1991. Their stories are told through paintings, drawings, needlework and silver. Generations of women brought land, money and social connections as part of their dowries. Land descending through the female line began when Catherine Beekman and her sister Cornelia inherited the Beekman Patent. The archives reveal, through letters, diaries, maps and business papers, that women were active partners in family enterprises, often controlling partners. In the frequent absence of their husbands, they not only managed the family and estate, but also business ventures.
They were educated, intelligent and insightful. Their concern for family, community and country and their ability to earn outside income attests to their independence and resourcefulness.
Margaret Suckley exemplified the role generations of women played. She reached beyond the expectations of women of her social standing. She attended Bryn Mawr College and was a nurse’s aide in New York during World War I. It was Margaret who Sara Delano Roosevelt called when her polio-stricken son needed suitable company. For the rest of his life, FDR relied upon her for support, as a trusted friend and confidante.
The estate, with its Queen Anne mansion and Calvert Vaux designed landscape, is an important examples of Victorian architecture. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this property is a major feature of the Hudson River National Landmark District and a designated site on the New York State Women’s Heritage Trail.
This exhibition runs til October 31, Thursdays through Sundays, from noon until 4pm. Wilderstein Historic Site is located at 330 Morton Road, Rhinebeck. For more information, call 845-876-4818 or visit
www.wilderstein.org
.
Buttercup Farm Sanctuary Open
Buttercup Farm Sanctuary is located in the northeastern corner of Dutchess County just south of Pine Plains. More than 500 acres in size, Buttercup is an area of diverse habitats with rolling, open grasslands, second growth and more mature woodlands, a former orchard and a marshy, flooded woodland. There are six miles of trails throughout the sanctuary. On a good day, you might see more than 80 species of birds. Of special interest are nesting Great Blue Herons, Wood Ducks, Bobolinks and other birds of the field. Both Golden-winged and Lawrence's Warblers are seen periodically. The sanctuary is relatively undeveloped and admission is free. Open from dawn until dusk, seven days per week. For information call (518) 325-5203.
Buttercup Farm Sanctuary is just off Route 82, between Pine Plains and Stanfordville. From the Taconic Parkway, exit at Route199. Proceed east 5 miles to Pine Plains. Go right (south) on Route 82 for 5 miles. Just past Attlebury Road (County Route 88), on the left is the parking lot for Buttercup "East". For Buttercup "West", continue south on Route 82, take next right, Stissing Lane. At end of road, go right. Sanctuary driveway is a short distance on right.
http://ny.audubon.org
.
National Park Service Hosts Summer Fun Programs
Looking for something that combines education and fun, right here in Dutchess County? The National Park Service presents Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Historic Sites Summer
Fun Family Programs, great activities for children, nature lovers, and history buffs alike. The programs, many of them outdoors, run from July 3rd through August 31st and include tours, hikes, games, farm activities, and a puppet show. Visit
www.HistoricHydePark.org
.
Finks Take Over Powerhouse Theatre
“Finks” takes the stage at the Powerhouse Theatre at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. The new play runs Wednesday July 23 through Sunday, August 3. Josh Radnor, the charismatic star of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother, and Tony Award-nominated Jennifer Westfeldt lead the cast of Joe Gilford’s play. It is based on his parents’ romance and tragic struggle of noted actor Jack Gilford with the blacklist in the 1950s.
The Powerhouse program a unique partnership between New York Stage and Film and Vassar College. An eight-week residency on Vassar's campus draws more than 200 professional artists and 40 apprentices, who work together to create new theater works. Powerhouse supports both emerging and established artists. Since its inception in 1985, it has played a significant role in developing new plays, provided a home for a diverse group of artists free from critical and commercial pressures, and established itself as a vital cultural institution for the region.
The curtain goes up at 8pm, with an additional 2pm matinee on weekends, July 26, 27 and August 2, 3. Tickets are $35. Call the box office at 845/437-7235 or visit
www.powerhouse.Vassar.edu
.
Bard Music Festival: “Prokofiev & His World”
A dedication to Sergey Prokofiev characterizes the Bard Music Festival this summer. Featuring 11 programs over two weekends, “Prokofiev and His World” rounds out the last two weeks of Bard SummerScape ‘08. A Russian composer, Prokofiev is honored through chamber, orchestra, and choral performances; as well as pre-concert talks, panel discussions, scholarly writings, and a symposium. The programs are the weekends of August 8-10th and August 15-17th, with an autumn finale October 24th and 25th.
Prokofiev lived from 1891-1953 and is known as a huge contributor to 20th century music. His most famous works include Peter and the Wolf and a ballet of Romeo & Juliet. Educated in Russia, he lived and worked in France and the United States, but returned to Russia during the 1930s. “Prokofiev and His World” offers an opportunity to reassess and rediscover a composer of remarkable range and striking originality, charting a thrilling creative journey from Prokofiev's early years in St. Petersburg to the dazzling art scene of 1920s Paris, and back to a Russia increasingly transformed by totalitarianism.
The programs focus on Prokofiev’s life and compositions, highlighting his film music, the effect of religion on music, and how dictatorships impact art. Film screenings and performances are also scheduled.
Weekend One (August 8–10), themed "From East to West," opens on Friday at 7:30 pm with a pre-concert talk by Leon Botstein, followed by an all-Prokofiev program by the Chiara String Quartet with several guest artists, including pianist Jeremy Denk, a faculty member of The Bard College Conservatory of Music, and members of the American Symphony Orchestra. The weekend closes with a family-friendly concert: "The Cult of the Child," a late-afternoon program in which Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and Poulenc's Babar are joined by Ravel's "Mother Goose" Suite, Satie's Gymnopédies, and John Alden Carpenter's Krazy Kat.
Weekend Two (August 15–17), "The Faustian Pact," covers Prokofiev's world from 1939 onward, opening on Friday, August 15 at 10 am with the first part of a Symposium led by Jonathan Becker, who will moderate a panel in a discussion of "Stalin and Stalinists." Part Two begins at 1:30 pm, and the evening's concert, at 8 pm, will present works by Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky, among others. The finale of Weekend Two is a late-afternoon concert of exoticism – "20th Century Russia: Nostalgia and Reality" – with Prokofiev's Egyptian Nights contrasted with his Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution, and Epitaph by Vladimir Dukelsky followed by Rachmaninoff's Three Russian Songs.
Weekend Three (October 24-25) explores "Prokofiev in America and Russia," with a pre-concert talk by scholar Christopher H. Gibbs and a performance by the American Symphony Orchestra featuring Prokofiev's Waltz Suite, the March and Scherzo from The Love for Three Oranges, his monumental Symphony No. 5, along with John Alden Carpenter's rarely performed Violin Concerto. The next day offers a panel discussion on "Art and Dictatorship" and an afternoon concert of music by Prokofiev and Stravinsky, performed by faculty and students of The Bard College Conservatory of Music.
For tickets and more information call 845/758-7900 or visit
http://fishercenter.bard.edu
.
2008 Tourism Award Winners Include Two for Dutchess County
I Love New York recently honored the best of the state’s tourism industry with the presentation of the I Love New York Tourism Awards. Dutchess County won two out of the seven honors! The annual awards, given in May, recognize individuals and organizations making significant accomplishments and contributions to New York State's tourism industry. Division of Tourism staff selected winners based on nominees’ innovation, creativity, design, content and impact. And the winners are…
• Dutchess County, winner of the I LOVE NEW YORK Best Travel Guide Award for their full-color 64-page guide, “An 800 Square Mile Experience.”
• Dutchess County Tourism’s Donna Haynes, winner of the Motor Coach Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes demonstrated commitment and impact on the development of group tour motor coaches.
Make travel planning easy - get your free copy of the Dutchess County Travel Guide at
http://www.dutchesstourism.com
For details about each award winner, visit
www.iloveny.com/thebeat
.
Gigi Market Serves Up Barbeque
Working in synergy with Gigi Trattoria restaurant in Rhinebeck, Gigi Market in Red Hook celebrates the bounty of area farms and Hudson Valley food artisans. New this summer is their great barbeque outside overlooking the farm, featuring the juiciest hamburger in the valley! Enjoy reasonably priced menu items such as Barbequed Pork Ribs or Northwind Farm Chicken, Grilled Northwind Farm Kielbasa, and those local beef burgers. Entrees are $7.50 each plus tax. Gigi potato salad, confetti cole slaw, Mediterranean pasta salad, tomato-cucumber salad - all of these tasty side dishes are $3 each; two for $5 or three for $7. Finish off with a bakery cookie, cupcakes, or ice cream for $2.50. Gigi Market is a stop on the Farm Fresh Tours August 30 & 31 and September 14 & 15; or visit Saturday - Sunday, noon-4pm.
You can still enjoy the cafe menu, which includes Skizzas (flat bread pizzas), panini, soups, salads and baked goods; all made with fresh farm ingredients, of course.
At Gigi Market, you'll be amazed at the diverse bounty of area farmers and food producers; bring home edible souvenirs! You can buy the same products that Gigi's uses to prepare meals at both locations.
Located at the abundant 500-acre Greig Farm, a visit to Gigi Market means the chance to get flavorful local food and beautiful views on a working farm. Greig's is located at 227 Pitcher Lane, Red Hook and is open 9am-6pm daily. Call 845/758-1999. Gigi Trattoria at 6422 Montgomery Street/Route 9 in Rhinebeck is open 11:30am-9pm Sunday-Thursday; and until 10pm on Friday & Saturday. Call 845/758-1007 or
www.GiGiTrattoria.com.
|
