Rural Intelligence (Page 705)

Style

Shopping: Tivoli Mercantile Puts the Red Back in Red Hook

As bright and cheerful as the bouquet of zinnias that greets customers as they walk through the door, Tivoli Mercantile, the new shop in Red Hook owned by Jill Cornillon, has something for everyone; at least, everyone who is likely to be walking down East Market Street in Red Hook

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Style

Hollister House Garden's "Late Season" Plant Sale Plus

Those great sweeps of bright orange day lilies that looked so vibrant and "country" in our garden in July? Nothing but yellowing foliage and dry stalks now. The thyme-and-alyssum walk that was the essence of charm just a few weeks ago? Shot-to-seed, and in

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Parties

A Grateful Hillsdale Ogles & Celebrates

It has been a big year for Hillsdale, NY. Earlier a group of concerned citizens had taken a good, hard look around and decided that the hamlet may have what it takes to be granted Historic Preservation District status. The formal study, spearheaded by Alexia Lalli with grants from the

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Parties

The Launch of Laura Pensiero's "Hudson Valley Mediterrenean"

It was a quintessential summer 2009 party: the sun was shining one minute and then rain was pouring down the next. The guests passed effortlessly from Amy Goldman's beautiful Rhinebeck garden—where she grows her world-famous collection of melons and tomatoes—to the tent where Laura Pensiero,

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Style

The Wandering Eye: Boning Up on Upholstery

There is a constant up here in the country: We all share resources, but even so, we all have gaping holes in our Rolodexes/Palms/Outlooks. “Do you have a good, cheap painter?” (Dream on.) “My mowing guy quit! Who do you use?” (First tell me why he quit...) “My

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Community

The Winthrop Estate: New Life for a Gilded Age Mansion

In 2002, when Jamie and Ethan Berg were living in Cambridge, MA, and expecting their first child they started to explore the real estate market in the Berkshires. Their broker mischievously asked them: "You wouldn't be interested in a 15,000 square foot mansion in the middle

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Community

The Pied Piper of Pittsfield: Megan Whilden

"I've always liked underdogs, which is one of the reasons I was so attracted to Pittsfield" says Megan Whilden, the city's upbeat director of cultural development since 2005. Whilden is as responsible as anyone for making Pittsfield a destination rather than just a place

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Parties

Pittsfield's Word X Word Festival Takes to the Roof

Cultural correspondent Bess Hochstein reports: Mission owner Jim Benson was blessed with a perfect summer evening to kick off his Word X Word Festival and, at the same time, unveil what may turn out to be the Berkshires’ hottest summer party space: the rooftop of developer George Whaling’s Greystone

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Community

Road Trip: Copake Falls Day This Saturday

Lots of towns around here have an annual festival with live music and plenty to buy, eat and drink but Copake Falls Day may be the only one we've heard of that kicks off with not one but two foot races. This is as it should be. On

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Food

The Omnivore's Delusion? Agri-Intellectuals? Excuse me?

Peter Davies and Mark Scherzer are the owners of Turkana Farms in Germantown, New York. This week Mark writes: I'm fresh from reading “The Omnivore’s Delusion: Against the Agri-intellectuals,” an article that seems to cry out for response. It appeared in the July 30, 2009 edition

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Food

Rhinebeck Farmer's Market Celebrates Its 15th Season

Rhinebeck has long laid claim to having the Hudson Valley’s largest farmers market, so it is always a big deal, but this Sunday, August 23, when it celebrates its 15th anniversary, it will be an even bigger one than usual. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. at the market’

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Parties

Spencertown Academy: Bubbles, Barbecue & the Blues

It was perfect weather for blowing bubbles (Mike Grenny astonishing his daughter Lila, left) on Saturday night, and for the Spencertown Academy's beer-straight-from-the-bottle with pulled-pork-and-ribs-barbecue at Austerlitz Town Supervisor George Jahn's farm in Spencertown. Let's Eat,

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