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Inside Rubi's: Living The Hipster Barista Fantasy

Last winter, I had a bad case of yearning to be young. I was a middle-aged guy seeking a short cut back to the future. Inspired partly by a book called How Starbucks Changed My Life, I set out to become a barista, a hipster archetype that did not even

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Community

Norman Rockwell Reconsidered: The Closet Case as Gay Icon?

By Dan Shaw Norman Rockwell’s paintings have become the all-American Rorschach Test. As scholars, collectors and museum-goers reconsider his cultural significance and uncover new layers of symbolism in his work, the artist who lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, for 25 years has become an Everyman, a hero to liberals and

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Food

Ben Gable Savories, Chatham's New Hotspot

By Marilyn Bethany “People kept telling us we were moving to the wrong end of town," says Ben Gable, co-proprietor with Michael Gray of Chatham’s new eat-in, take-out specialty food boutique, Ben Gable Savories. Upon closer examination, it seems fair to say that whichever end of town Ben

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Community

A Mercantile Matriarchy on a Main Street: The Women of Hudson's 400 Block

By Jamie Larson Zoom in on Hudson New York, with its eclectic diversity and history. Zoom in closer on Warren Street and its stylish economy of art, antiques, design, fashion, and culture. Now, get closer still. Focus on the 400 block and an interesting anomaly; the large majority of the

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Food

"Farmhouse Rules" Brings Local HV To National TV

By Jamie Larson Nancy Fuller has been a part of the Hudson Valley food community for, essentially, her entire life. From growing up on her family's farm in Columbia County to running the multi-million-dollar  Ginsberg’s Foods alongside her husband David Ginsberg, Fuller has also become one of

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Food

Provence In Pine Plains: Stissing House

By Don Rosendale To see Michel Jean perched at a table in his Pine Plains restaurant, Stissing House, evokes thoughts of a French Impressionist self-portrait. Except that Jean is an artiste of a different sort, his brush a whisk at what many will say is the best French restaurant north

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Food

Hidden in Plain Sight: Jivey Places for a Drink and Snack in the Southern Berkshires

By Jamie Larson It’s always nice to be in on a secret, or two, or five. Southern Berkshire County is filled with amazing attractions, shopping, inns and restaurants, all classy places of deserved renown. But just around back, the region is hiding another of its virtues; some awesome classic

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Community

In Memoriam: Jane P. Fitzpatrick of the Red Lion Inn

Jane Pratt Fitzpatrick was the undisputed queen of the Berkshires, a regal woman with a common touch. When she passed away at age 89 on November 9, she left behind an unparalleled and indelible legacy. As Brooke Astor was to New York City, Jane Fitzpatrick was to the Berkshires, a

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Community

Riding High: Olympic Champion Peter Wylde's Winley Equestrian Center

By Don RosendalePhotos by Tracy Emmanuel Millbrook regularly is featured  as an equestrian nirvana in Ralph Lauren photo layouts, as well as countless New York Times Magazine and Town and Country spreads. The “Millbrook Hunt Country" that surrounds the tiny village of that name offers one of the country’

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Food

How 'Green' Was My Valley Greenhouse: McEnroe Farm Keeps It Growing Au Naturel All Year Round

By Don Rosendale Talking to Ray McEnroe is a little bit like talking to a Burgundy vineyard owner about his latest vintage. The difference perhaps is that, while the French grape grower would enthuse about terroir--the difference a few hundred yards' distance can make in what is grown in

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Food

Love In A Truck: Philmont's Communal Curbside Café

By Jamie Larson You may recall that rare, contented feeling you get when noticing a group of people working towards an altruistic goal, indviduals who not only mean what they say but are actually capable and talented enough to succeed at it. True, this happens often enough in our region,

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Food

Serevan: A Taste of Armenia in Amenia

By Elizabeth Goldfarb Richardson Back in the old days (the 80's), the humor magazine Spy had a column called "Not to Be Confused." Amenia and Armenia could have been included in this always amusing section of the magazine. Just to clarify, if need be: The former

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