Dutchess Magazine Spring Issue

In the HILLS

Spring is Here!

BRINGING FRESH ENERGY new beginnings, and the perfect excuse to explore Dutchess County.

In this issue, we visit artist Elizabeth Hargraves Mandy, a muralist, furniture restorer, and decorative painter. We also highlight Tiny Greens, a microgreens farm, and Moonrise Bagels, delighting customers with creative bagel concoctions. In Millerton, The Dutchess Trading Company offers a curated selection of home and personal goods, while Demeter Home in Pine Plains brings elegance to interiors with furnishings and décor. Book lovers can stop by Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook, where owner Kira Wizner continues to inspire readers of all ages. We also step into the enchanting world of Zibby Tozer’s garden, a magical retreat complete with farm animals. For those looking to toast the season, we feature Lasting Joy Brewery, where craft beer meets stunning architecture. Plus, we explore Thai Baan, the authentic new Thai restaurant at Tenmile Distillery. Looking ahead, our summer issue will feature a special Dutchess County equestrian section. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletters and follow us on Instagram @dutchessmagazine.com for more great content. Happy spring!

Mary Beth Lawlor

DUTCHESS

Contents / Spring / 2025

A Force of Nature

Zibby Tozer brings passion and creativity to everything she does—hosting lively dinner parties, collecting art, playing competitive bridge, and serving on arts boards. But her greatest masterpiece is the garden at Uplands Farm, a decades-long experiment blending artistry and a love for animals into a breathtaking, romantic landscape. 46

THE

15 MERRITT BOOKSTORE

At Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook, owner Kira Wizner has an eye for trending titles and a passion for literature, making the shop an irresistible destination for readers of all ages.

By Tara Kelly

38

CHEERS TO JOY

Blending modern design with local charm, Lasting Joy Brewery in Tivoli offers craft beer, community events, live music, and a relaxed gathering space.

By Jamie Marshall

58

EATS

At Tenmile Distillery in Wassaic, Thai Baan brings authentic, farm-to-table Thai cuisine to Dutchess County, blending bold flavors with expert hospitality in a warm, inviting setting.

By Chris Stella

LITCHFIELD

2 EDITOR’S NOTE

This issue celebrates creativity, gardening, and community, highlighting the people and places that inspire us.

Q&A

The History of Montgomery Place

ON OUR RADAR

Tiny Greens, Merritt Bookstore, Moonrise Bagels, Demeter Home, Dutchess Trading, Elizabeth Mandy, local invasives

Wassaic Project’s Le Bal Éclipse and Dutchess Magazine’s winter issue party

Blending modern design with local charm, Lasting Joy Brewery in Tivoli offers craft beer, community events, and a relaxed gathering space.

Zibby Tozer and her dreamy country escape.

Thai Baan in Wassaic

Robin

Who WE ARE

ARVIND DILAWAR / writer

Dilawar is an independent journalist. His articles, essays, and interviews on everything from the spacesuits of the future to love in the time of visas have appeared in The New York Times, Time magazine, The Daily Beast, and elsewhere. For this issue, Arvind introduces us to Moonrise Bagels.

SABRINA EBERHARD / photographer

Eberhard is a distinguished Hudson Valley photographer recognized for her refined eye and ability to craft compelling, story-driven imagery. This issue features her photography of Merritt Bookstore, Lasting Joy Brewery, and Moonrise Bagels.

CYNTHIA HOCHSWENDER / writer

Hochswender has been writing about people, places, and events in Litchfield and Dutchess counties since 1999; she is now also a Realtor with Christie’s International. In this issue, she writes about phyto-rich greens, and two new Dutchess County shops: Dutchess Trading in Millerton and Demeter Home in Pine Plains.

TARA KELLY / writer

In this issue, Kelly introduces us to the effervescent gardener Zibby Tozer, the wonder and charm of Merritt Bookstore, the whimsical art and style of decorative painter Elizabeth Mandy— and her husband David Mandy’s first novel, Crook’s Paradise. Kelly is the author of the memoir No Last Words

CHRISTOPHER STELLA / writer

Christopher Stella is a writer, photographer, woodworker, and marketer (by day). In this issue, he introduces us to the bold and brilliant flavors that Jason Jeffords and Arunee Pakaraphag are introducing at Tenmile Distillery, with their new restaurant in residence, Thai Baan.

DUTCHESS

Spring 2025

MARY BETH LAWLOR

Publisher / Editor

DEBORAH HAYN

Creative Director

VANESSA HAMMOND

Operations Manager

CYNTHIA HOCHSWENDER

Copy Editor

ZANDRIA OLIVER

Production Assistant

SHARON PECK

Production Manager

Contributing Writers

ML Ball, Wendy Burton, Arvind Dilawar, Tara Kelly, Cynthia Hochswender, Jamie Marshall, AJ Schenkman, Christopher Stella

Contributing Photographers

Anne Day, Sabrina Eberhard, Rana Faure Cedric Gairard, Jiatong Lu

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Q&A

Bard Has a Mansion?

MONTGOMERY PLACE is located in Annandale-on-Hudson, overlooking the scenic Hudson River. The first owner of the home was Janet Livingston Montgomery, the widow of General Richard Montgomery, a Revolutionary War hero killed in the 1775 attack on Quebec.

Montgomery Place was also owned by the 46th mayor of New York City, Edward Livingston. It remained in the Livingston family from 1805 to 1986, and was then sold to the nonprofit Historic Hudson Valley. In 2016, Bard College—also in Annandale-on-Hudson—purchased the property.

The site boasts the oldest untouched old-growth oak forest in the Hudson Valley. It forms the 70-acre South Woods, also known as The Wilderness.

According to the Old Growth Forest Network, the oldest oak in South Woods is from 1735. Many other trees, including ancient hemlocks, also call South Woods home.

Many noted individuals visited Montgomery Place. The elaborate gardens there were in part designed by landscape architect Andrew Jackson Downing. The mansion was designed by another well-known architect, A. J. Davis. Other well-known individuals also visited the property. According to the National Gallery of Art, Washington Irving visited the home twice in 1832. Irving was interested in horticulture.

In addition to keeping the grounds open to the public, Bard hosts trail walks, performances, athletic events, symposiums, and other special events on the property. —AJ SchenkmAn

feedback

COVER

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CARA CARA

“The local beauty captured by @dutchessmagazine has inspired creative director @juliaworkman2000 for each and every collection—heaven on earth. Thank you for capturing our story in the place where it all began!” [“Cara Cara” Jan/Feb/March 2025]—@sashadmartin

RIVER AND POST

“R&P is the best restaurant in the Hudson Valley 10/10” [“River and Post: A Hidden Culinary Gem in Staatsburg” Jan/Feb/March 2025]—@boardsbykae

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VERSE WORK/SHOP

“Thank you @dutchessmagazine. Your beautiful publication is such an asset for this entire region. We’re so grateful you found us!” [“Verse Work/Shop: Red Hook Gallery of Local Art and Design” Jan/Feb/ March 2025]—@verse_work_shop

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

“The ‘Food for All’ story about Fareground published in the winter issue misrepresented my story. I was disappointed to see my family inaccurately portrayed as immigrants relying on “charities such as food pantries”...Talented engineers, my parents loved feeling included in our community’s spirit of generosity. My childhood memory was mis-portrayed around this story about ‘immigrants,’ but Fareground’s mission is for everyone in our local community. Fareground’s work fosters intergenerational inclusion by building community while fighting food waste. Volunteers build friendships as well as a culture of abundance, not charity...”—Yin Mei

WALTER LAUNT PALMER

( 1854-1932)

AW, SHOOTS!

BY CYNTHIA HOCHSWENDER

On Our RADAR

From a Small Farm, Tiny Greens

›In recent years, young farmers have been coming to the Hudson River Valley and providing us with gorgeous edibles and magnificent flowers grown in our local, nutrient-rich soil. They all have different reasons for their dedication to 21st-century farming; whatever their incentives, we’re happy they’re here.

Nicole Harris is almost certainly on a different kind of mission than most of the new farmers, albeit with similar results.

Her journey began when she was growing up in the Fishkill region. Although she was strong and fit enough to play Division 1 soccer in school, she was plagued with health challenges that might briefly abate but would always return.

Harris didn’t get to be a Division 1 athlete by being a quitter. After college

she landed her dream job in New York City working in fashion—then chucked it all away, and turned into a health sleuth, determined to go all Sherlock Holmes on her infirmities.

Chronic Lyme disease turned out to be the culprit. Improved nutrition turned out to be the answer. And as a team player at all times, Harris decided to share what she’d learned with friends, family, and, later, with restaurant chefs, home cooks, and all lovers of delicious and nutritious microgreens.

First she earned multiple degrees in nutrition. Then she and her husband, also a Fishkill native, returned to Dutchess County, and began experimenting with growing high-nutrition foods in high-nutrition dirt.

One of the axioms of healthy eating is that your body is most nourished

by foods that are grown in the place where you live. Also true: Small can be extremely mighty when it comes to good eating; and intense coloration usually signals intense nutrient value.

Think of the antioxidant punch that blueberries and raspberries provide. Then think of microgreens and the richness of their coloring.

Although Harris’ farming experiment began with larger edibles (honey, eggs), she quickly found that what she really loved are microgreens.

Harris doesn’t have the luxury of a multi-acre farm but it wasn’t space constraints that led her to micro farming. Her farm is on three acres, but she mostly grows indoors, using a process called vertical indoor farming. The greens are grown on racks under artificial light until they’re robust enough for natural sunlight.

“Indoor vertical farming is a way to maximize food production,” Harris explains. “It allows us to control the environment, and protect the seedlings from high heat and humidity.”

The method worked beautifully, and Harris’ company, called Tiny Greens, began to grow. She has restaurant clients that she supplies with exquisite little pea shoots, arugula shoots, baby chervil, basil. There are jewel-colored radish sprouts and edible flowers.

“Red amaranth, daikon radish, and cilantro have the most phytonutrients,” Harris confides.

Tiny Greens keeps adding new CSA and farm store partners; for now, the list includes Fishkill Farms, Obercreek Farm, Millbrook Beef & Dairy and Poughkeepsie Farm Project.

Because the plants are grown indoors, some Tiny Greens are available in winter. Find out more at the Tiny Greens website.—tinygreensfarm.com

St. James

Roughly 2.7 miles from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s beloved Springwood estate in Hyde Park, a blue sign appears near the road: “Erected 1844. Attended by Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States, and his family.”

St. James Episcopal Church was not just a place for the future president to worship; it linked him to the community that meant so much to him.

From a young age, Roosevelt attended services with his father, James, his mother, Sara, and his older stepbrother, Rosy. Over the years, he grew to be an active member of the church; he eventually became a junior vestryman, vestryman, and senior warden.

Even during his presidency, whenever Roosevelt stayed in Hyde Park, he attended services and did his best to attend vestry meetings. When dignitaries visited Roosevelt, he often brought them to services. Letters between church leaders and FDR show the planning required to accommodate these visits—such as when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited in June 1939.

Though Roosevelt rests in the Rose Garden at his estate, some of his family members are interred at St. James. The humble church remains a link between him, his family, and the community that he cherished.

—AJ Schenkman

MERRITT BOOKSTORE

Kira Wizner’s Irresistible World of Books

BY TARA KELLY

›Not all bookstores are created equal. But it’s probably safe to assume that each one reflects the personality of its owner—which is why it’s nearly impossible to walk into Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook and leave with only one book. The dark gray exterior belies the explosion of colorful and inviting stacks of books, left, right, and center that greet you when you walk in the door. You are welcomed with a warm hello when you walk in, either from Kira Wizner, with her Havapoo, Roxie, in a carry pouch slung across her front, or from one of her friendly staff. If you’ve come with a certain title in mind, they’ll help

Even in a small space, Merritt manages to have a book for every reader. photographs by SABRINA EBERHARD

you find it. If you’re aimlessly looking for something new to read, they’re brimming with suggestions.

It’s hard to be all things to all people, particularly in a small bookstore, but Wizner caters to the community and has her finger on the pulse of what is current, trending, and of particular interest to her customers.

Merritt Bookstore was founded in 1984 by longtime resident Scott Meyer. Wizner and her husband, Jake, were already weekending in Millbrook, when in the summer of 2015, she heard that Meyer had died. She discovered online that the store had been “quietly for sale.”

“Jake and I asked ourselves, ‘How can we live in a town without a bookstore?’” They decided to buy it, with Meyer’s wife, Alison, agreeing to stay on for a year or two to help

On Our RADAR

with the transition.

Books and reading loom large in the Wizner household. Jake is a published Young Adult author and has a book about writing memoir, for teens. Kira had been a middle-school English teacher before her children were born.

“It wasn’t my dream to own a bookstore, but as my children got older and needed less of my time, I’d been trying to figure out what I wanted to do next. I’d been running the book fair at my daughters’ school in Manhattan, and that gave me insight into how books were bought and sold.”

Wizner admits, “It’s been a steep learning curve. I wanted to maintain it as a bookstore and toy store. But I had to learn about turns and profit margins.”

She expanded the inventory to

include gifts and reading accessories. Wizner says, “I love toys and games.” The shop is brimming with Y/A lit, arts and crafts, and every sort of non-electronic puzzle and game you can think of.

Many well-known authors have come to read from their books. Wizner says, “Ada Calhoun read from her memoir, Also a Poet, and she is coming back this spring with her new novel, Crush. Pulitzer Prize-winner Joshua Cohen, read from his book Kings. The legendary [and local] author Michael Korda, comes for all of his book launches, including the most recent, Muse of Fire.”

She says, “People walk in and tell me, ‘I already have too many books,’ and yet, they shop anyway.” Books at Merritt are simply irresistible.—merrittbooks.com

WHEN PIZZA IS IN A BAGEL

Craveworthy Stuffed Bagels at Moonrise Bagels

BY ARVIND DILAWAR

›In the depths of the lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19, Jeremy Rhodes found solace in the same source as so many others: sourdough starter. Baking for the holidays in 2020, Rhodes was left with spare ingredients for both pizza and bagels, inspiring him to experiment. He stuffed bagel dough with pizza sauce, attempting to put a new spin on Bagel Bites, a childhood favorite.

The results, however, were nothing to write home about.

“It didn’t quite work,” recalls his wife, Ali Chetkof Rhodes, with a laugh. “He just became obsessed with trying to make it work, trying to get the sauce to stay in the bagel.”

Rhodes continued to experiment with stuffed bagels, and soon a new sensation was on the rise.

With Moonrise Bagels, he and Chetkof Rhodes now offer more than a half dozen varieties of stuffed bagels from three storefronts in the Hudson Valley, including one in Poughkeepsie, as well as delivery nationwide.

For Jeremy Rhodes and his wife, Ali, bagels are a culinary blank canvas waiting to be filled.

Chetkof Rhodes and Rhodes, originally from the Hudson Valley and Long Island respectively, met in New York City, where she was a publicist for

photographs by SABRINA

tech companies and he was an accountant in the restaurant industry. At the onset of COVID, the couple retreated to Chetkof Rhodes’ hometown of Woodstock, filling the hours between remote work with cooking and social media. After pizza sauce, Rhodes experimented with stuffing bagels with other comfort foods, such as buffalo chicken, eggplant parmesan, pastrami reuben, and bacon, egg and cheese. He documented the results on Instagram. The couple was already sharing the bagels with family and friends when someone expressed interest in purchasing them.

“We came up with the name Moonrise Bagels because we really wanted something that evoked eating bagels at all times of the day,” Chetkof Rhodes explains. “People think of bagels as just breakfast, so we thought of Moonrise Bagels as a way to say, ‘You can eat a stuffed bagel from sunrise to moonrise.’”

Moonrise Bagels’ first foray outside of the couple’s apartment was a popup at a local farmers market, where they sold out instantly. Rhodes continued baking in their kitchen until

a sandwich shop across the street reached out about taking over their lease. So in December 2021, Moonrise Bagels opened its first storefront, in Woodstock. In July 2024, they opened another, in Poughkeepsie, which also serves as their commissary kitchen and where they bake for all three locations—Kingston opened in October of 2024—as well as for delivery nationwide.

Rhodes left his accounting career to focus on Moonrise Bagels fulltime in 2022 and Chetkof Rhodes followed in 2024. Today, he continues to handle the businesses’ back-of-house production and accounting, while she deals with front-of-house service and marketing. The experiments also continue, albeit under the more professional purview of “research and development,” which continues to have hits and misses.

“We had a team member who made hamburger bagels with bacon and blue cheese,” Chetkof Rhodes recalls with a laugh. “That was not a big seller.”

— moonrisebagels.com

POETRY

Seed

Sliced in half, this fat red apple reveals its crisp, pale flesh — and the seeds that hold a thousand generations of its future. They spiral out into forever tiny capsules of infinity

Purple grape Crimson pomegranate Full-bodied pear all quietly shelter endless possibilities of life hereafter in their tiny seeds

So it is with love, Beginning with a seed, Invisible to the eye, planted deep within us — the impossible power to reverberate into a forever that begins with a seed gently planted in the heart, creating a life force both delicate but unassailable, that ripples out into a universe without end

—By Wendy Burton

On Our RADAR

WELCOME HOME

A Chic Boutique that Feels Like a Hug

BY CYNTHIA HOCHSWENDER

›Demeter Home in Pine Plains is everything a home should be: warm, embracing, cozy—and extremely stylish. The icing on the cake is the family style-greeting that you get as you walk in the door, from owner Alex Athanasiadis. Certainly it takes skill to stock a shop with fabrics, furnishings, accessories, and pillows that discerning customers will want to buy. But it

takes someone with serious retail experience to understand what it takes to put clients at ease in a shop—and put them in the mood to shop.

Athanasiadis started his retail career while in his early 20s, at the Giorgio Armani boutique in Tyson’s Corner, outside Washington, D.C.

The company was so impressed with his

work that they transferred him to New York City. A few years later, he moved to Yves St. Laurent on 57th St.

Then COVID hit. He and his partner grew bored with quarantine in the city, and began making journeys to Dutchess County so they could dine out at restaurants again. In the process, they fell in love with Pine Plains. Athanasiadis found

a retail space he could lease on East Church Street, and decided to switch from fashion to home design, because … why not? He is a man at ease with change.

So far it’s working out great, thanks in part to his natural gift for making friends. One of his most important early connections was Leslie Flood, owner of the eponymous upholstery and design shop in

Millerton. Athanasiadis credits her with teaching him about fabric and how it works on upholstered furniture (as opposed to human bodies).

The high quality of the products at Demeter Home is the baseline.

On top of that, Athanasiadis offers something that not all small-town shop owners understand they need: friendliness.

“When I first came up

here, I would walk into a store and see that people were not being acknowledged,” he says. “At my store, people come in, we talk, we sit. I give them an experience.

“People shop because they’re stressed out, it really is retail therapy. The experience of shopping needs to be relaxing.”

He has new and repeat customers from as far away as Virginia. Sometimes they just come to chat. Of course, most people also buy something. It’s easy to do, with small and large items that range in price from $5 gift cards and small hostess gifts to toys and snacks for dogs to $6,000 sleeper sofas. Some products are local, such as artworks by Sarah Blodgett, and handknit wool beanie caps that have proven to be extremely popular. There are fluffy cardigan sweaters for $40. There is a large ceramic vase with butterfly wings designed by the model Claudia Schiffer.

One thing you won’t see at Demeter Home is multiples.

“Once something is sold, I won’t carry that item anymore,” Athanasiadis says. “I don’t like my customers to see something they bought when they go to a friend’s house.”

—demeter-home.com

Crook’s Paradise BOOKS

David Mandy grew up in the Hudson Valley, so maybe it’s not surprising that he set his first novel just upriver from FDR’s childhood home in Hyde Park. He’d been reading Before the Trumpet, Geoffrey C. Ward’s biography of the future president. When Mandy visited the area, he says, “I was blown away by how these developers had destroyed the town.”

Crook’s Paradise is an environmentalist’s morality tale. The bad guys are the developers turning the lush riverfront into strip malls. The good guys are led by a blue blood trying to preserve his family’s estate. It souns serious, but with a light touch and wry humor, Mandy pulls the reader along.

While Crook’s Paradise is Mandy’s first published book, he says, “I’ve been writing all my life.” It’s a considerable accomplishment for a person with ADHD and dysgraphia. “What characterizes me is that I don’t give up,” he says.

“It’s important to never give up on your dream,” he says of himself, though he could just as easily be describing his protagonist, Valentine Hitch.

“We live in dark times,” Mandy says. “I think we need to have hope for the future.”

—Tara Kelly

On Our RADAR

DUTCHESS TRADING

Finding the Fun in Retail, Again

BY CYNTHIA HOCHSWENDER

›There are, often, two reactions when people walk into The Dutchess Trading Company on Main Street in Millerton. They either say, ‘What IS this?’ or they happily step inside, all smiles, and share memories of the shop’s former incarnation, as the iconic Terni’s Store.

Dutchess Trading owners Christophe Pourny, Richard Lambertson, and Jason Jobson are enjoying both

responses. Like everyone in the region, they were familiar with the century-old Terni’s, seller of guns and ammo, Pendleton shirts, newspapers, and outdoor gear.

After a century of ownership, the last of the family, Phil Terni, died in 2020. The building sat empty for a while—until Lambertson, Jobson, and Pourny purchased it in 2022, mainly just to fix it

up and save an important part of Millerton village.

Owners Pourny, Lambertson, and Jobson have created the dreamiest of all dry goods stores.

“Retail wasn’t a big part of our plans,” says Lambertson, who has been the creative force behind some of the world’s top luxury brands, including Tiffany, Bergdorf Goodman, and Gucci, as well as the designer and co-owner (with John Truex) of the Lambertson Truex line of leather goods. He has had

a home in Litchfield County for two decades, and opened the high-end home furnishing shop Privet in 2007, with Suzanne Cassano.

Pourny is a restorer of historic buildings and furnishings, the author of “The Furniture Bible,” and, with Jobson, the creator of a line of exquisite furniture care products.

Jobson worked as a stylist for famed portrait photographer Francesco Scavullo while still a student at FIT, and went on to work with such brands as Ferragamo, and Chanel.

Two years were spent doing essential restoration work to the circa 1860 building’s foundation, plumbing, electricity, and floors (the Victorian-style edifice started out as a boarding house). The new owners tried wherever possible to retain the look of the old Terni’s—so much so that, recently, a man came in asking if they were still selling guns.

“We may need to take the old signs down off the storefront at some point,” Lambertson muses.

Pourny suggests the sign should say “Hodge Podge.”

As they were renovating the building, the trio’s retail roots began to show. They decided to open a shop—but only under specific conditions.

“Retail is hard,” Pourny says. “We agreed that here we will only sell things we like, and we will have fun, be unpretentious, and make people happy.”

These goals have all been achieved since Dutchess Trading opened in July 2024. The shelves are stocked with a mix of everything from $3.50 dripless candles to Filson menswear, from canvas bags designed by Pourny’s sister to leather goods from Lambertson Truex. Among the most popular of their wares is the Farrow & Ball paint line. Also popular: the beloved holiday fruit cakes made by Mrs. Sylvia Crippen, age 90, of Salisbury.

“We are trying not to sell anything that we find from trade shows,” Lambertson says. “We want it to feel like a dry goods store, or a general store. Everyone can find something they want or need here.”

“Or they can just come in and chat,” says Pourny.

—dutchesstradingco.com

FLIGHTS OF FANCY A Decorative Painter’s Colorful Creations

BY TARA KELLY

›The natural world takes flight in Elizabeth Hargraves Mandy’s work. Her wall murals brim with color and whimsy, and her hand-painted bags inspire envy.

Mandy, a furniture restorer and decorative painter, moved from New York City to Millbrook in 2015. She works out of a space in the old Shekomeko General Store in Pine Plains that is filled with projects in various stages of completion: studies

for a grisaille wall painting, assorted designs for a wall border, a Queen Anne mirror in the process of being restored.

While she does work in her studio, many of her commissions are done on site. She restored the Zuber wallpaper in the old dining room at the Mashomack Club in Pine Plains.

“Last winter I was working in Florida. Among

other things, I did a geometric design on the client’s floor, hand painted wallpaper in the guest bathroom, painted and gilded a mirror, and painted a chest of drawers based on a fabric in the room.”

Elizabeth Mandy’s art studio in Pine Plains is filled with projects in progress and tools of her trade.

Mandy, an art major in college, got her first job with an antiques dealer. “Eighteenth-century English,” she says. “But I didn’t want to specialize in that, so

photographs by CEDRIC GAIRARD

I went to FIT for their two-year restoration program.

“Lacquer, Japaning, gilding, French polishing. It’s all about color and surface,” she says. One of her early jobs involved “massively restoring an 18th-century lacca povera secretary [poor man’s lacquer, in Italian]. I’m really good at color-matching,” she says. It’s a skill that seems to be at the heart of what Mandy does.

“I’ve been an artist my whole life,” she says. “When I was a little girl, my mom and I had a deal. On special occasions, she had the last word on my outfit, but otherwise I was allowed to wear whatever I wanted—plaid, stripes, polka dots—all together.”

As an adult, her wardrobe reflects the sensibility of a New York City artist, but her art embraces a vibrant palette. “I currently like making work that would be deemed pretty, and in general, I’m drawn to the natural world. I love birds, especially owls. My husband and I go to Cape May, N.J., every

May for the New Jersey Audubon’s World Series of Birding. It’s a big migratory path for shore birds.” And a big inspiration for her artwork.

Recently, Markham Roberts, a decorator she often works with, asked her to do a tropical shore scene in grisaille, for a client.

“Grisaille is painting on the gray scale,” Mandy says. “It was sevenand-a-half-by-five feet and made to look like old wallpaper.” She did studies, and then “he came to the studio, to tweak here and there, and we worked out the final concept together. I love the challenges of what I do—figuring a project out.”

“I’ve painted leather jackets, bags, and 60 water glasses for a friend who was hosting a lunch for the Nantucket Daffodil Festival. Decorative art is a little more on the craft side, but my basic attitude is if it can be painted, I’ll do it,” she says.

—elizabethhargraves.com, firecrackerbags.com

Speak Up, Sing Out

Joy, pure joy. This is the overflowing emotion that bursts forth when Beacon Rising Choir (BRC) performs—and the audience can’t help but feel it too.

Founded by Gina Samardge, director of Compass Arts Creativity Project, BRC is one of several resistance choirs that grew out of the national and international Women’s Marches in 2017. Open to female-identifying and nonbinary treble singers, BRC started with just 13 singers. Eight years later, it has close to 70.

“We have people who have sung professionally, and those who have never sung before,” says Samardge. “Our youngest person is 21, and our oldest is 80.”

From the outset, the choir’s core focus has been to create a safe space for female-identifying and nonbinary singers to come together, sing, and connect with one another.

“It’s really about community and singing songs that bring us joy, sometimes singing songs about difficult subjects,” Samardge explains. “There’s also a joy in expressing, collectively, resistance. We’re registering our stance on something. It’s tapping into this human need to speak and be heard. At our performances, people are really impacted by this joy that the choir members express. That’s intoxicating.”

Beacon Rising Choir’s next concert will be May 18 at the Beacon High School auditorium. —compassarts.org/ beacon-rising

—ML Ball

BYE BYE, GARDEN BULLIES!

Five Invasive Plants To Remove From Your Garden—And Why It Matters

BY ELIZABETH ROLLINS

›Invasive plants may seem harmless, but they outcompete native species, disrupt ecosystems, and reduce biodiversity. Removing them helps restore balance and protect local wildlife. As garden writer Jane Garmey puts it, “Getting rid of them is back-breaking, time-consuming, and exhausting, but unfortunately, it’s a non-negotiable gardening chore.” Here are five invasive plants commonly found in your backyard that you should eliminate:

Japanese Knotweed

This aggressive spreader can grow through foundations and crowd out native plants. Even small root fragments can regrow, making removal challenging.

Mile-a-Minute Vine

True to its name, this fast-growing vine smothers shrubs and trees, preventing them from getting sunlight.

Asiatic Bittersweet

A climbing vine that strangles trees, damaging forests and landscapes. Removing it helps native plants thrive.

Barberry

While popular in landscaping, this thorny shrub harbors ticks and displaces native plants, making it a threat to both ecosystems and human health.

Garlic Mustard

It releases chemicals that prevent other plants from growing, reducing habitat for native pollinators. Pull it before it goes to seed!

By tackling these invasives, you’re not only protecting your own garden but also contributing to a healthier, more resilient local environment. After you’ve cleared these plants, be sure to bag them and throw them out; they should never be tossed back on the ground or in a compost bin.

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Out &About

›› Wassaic Project’s Le Bal Éclipse

The Wassaic Project’s winter benefit, Le Bal Éclipse, was held February 1 at Troutbeck. Guests enjoyed exquisite food and drink provided by Troutbeck, celebrating the arts in an atmosphere reminiscent of Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball. The event honored WP edition artist Taha Clayton, and dedicated supporter Robert Wilder, raising funds for the Wassaic Project’s predominantly free, dynamic cultural programming. For more information, go to WassaicProject.com and join their mailing list.

Out &About

Sisters Vanessa and Cassandra Ruff of Verse Work/ Shop in Red Hook were featured in the winter issue.

›› Dutchess Winter Party

Dutchess Magazine’s Winter Issue Party took place on January 22 at Tyte Medispa in Millbrook, bringing together featured personalities and community members for a lovely celebration. Sponsored by The Hudson Valley Team at Compass, the event fostered connections and excitement around the latest issue.

PLANTING PANTS

BY JAMIE MARSHALL / PHOTOGRAPHS BY SABRINA EBERHARD

Cheers to Joy

Both the beer and the vibe are first rate at Lasting Joy Brewery

In a region best known for its rolling landscape,

rustic red barns, and white clapboard Colonial houses, Lasting Joy Brewery in Tivoli is an outlier—in the best possible way. From the moment visitors arrive, they step into an inviting, lightfilled space with high, beamed ceilings and walls of glass; it does double duty as a tasting room and community gathering spot. There is beer on tap, board games, an outdoor terrace with Adirondack chairs, and a lawn dotted with picnic tables. It’s a happy—dare we say, joyful—place, which is precisely what owners Alex and Emily Wenner envisioned when they launched their small, craft brewery less than three years ago.

The couple met in high school, and married in 2007. After years of living in California and then Brooklyn, where Alex began seriously honing his home brewing skills, they migrated north toward Tivoli, where Alex’s father, Jann Wenner, had a weekend home. At the time, Alex was a profession-

al brewer at Coney Island Brewery. “Part of us moving here was the idea that we could finally open our own place,” he says.

They enrolled in an accelerator course with a craft beer magazine and started visiting breweries. “It became obvious that almost every one of them was designed with one guy in mind, and that guy is Alex: Hardcore beer fans and beer nerds,” Emily says, adding that, “There wasn’t a lot of thought about the visiting experience. I felt like there was an opportunity to do something different.”

They enlisted architect Aron Himmerlfarb of Auver Architecture to create a space that would be welcoming to all. A mixture of wood, glass, and steel, the structure is an ode to the local vernacular and evokes the region’s farming roots. “We wanted to elevate the idea of what a tasting room is, and build a place that’s surprisingly beautiful, and share that with people,” says Emily.

A place, for example, where the local historical society might have an evening lecture or folks

come to hear a band like The Tom Pretties or watch the Highland Games as part of Oktoberfest.

Nearly all the ingredients used are grown in New York. The grain is even floor malted in Germantown. As for the beer? “We focus on the classics,” says Alex. “The hazy IPA is almost the most modern style we make.” In addition to their five flagship beers, they have a rotating menu of seasonal and special occasion beers as well as plenty of NA options.

New this year is the Gather at Lasting Joy food truck, where chef Collin Luce serves up locally sourced picnic-stye fare. It’s all part of the Wenners’ mission to make the brewery a family-friendly destination for all.

“The other day someone said, ‘I picked my friend up from the train, and we came here because I wanted to show this off.’ I love it when people have pride of place like that,” says Emily. “I’m like, yeah, this in your backyard. This is for all of us.”—lastingjoybrewery.com

The tasting room’s interior is warm and inviting with its spectacular views and “floating” bar (left); seasonal beers are part of the daily mix.

A Force of Nature

Creating a Garden Where None Existed

BY

Zibby Tozer does everything with exuberance. She’s renowned for dinner parties that embrace a wide circle of friends, old and new. She collects art, often paintings done by friends. She’s a competitive bridge player. She serves on multiple boards in the city, most to do with dance and the arts. She’s a floral designer. And there’s her garden, a passion project since 1987, when she and her husband, Jim Tozer, bought Uplands Farm in Stanfordville.

The gardens didn’t exist when she first toured the property, but she could see the potential. The 1855 Victorian needed lots of work. “The restoration went on for years. Some things about the house, like the old floors, were wonderful. But the house was dark, so we added the wings” on either side of the main house.

“Later we added the conservatory; Jim calls it The Crystal Palace, because he thought I was being extravagant,” Tozer says. It is, however, a wonderful setting for those big dinner parties and bridge competitions.

“When I started gardening, I knew nothing; but I studied books every night, and learned as I went. I took a course at the Bronx Botanical Garden,” she says. But mostly she experimented. “I made lots of mistakes. A lot of plants have many species, and they can each behave differently. I put in a form of lysimachia that took over half my garden. I like most things, but this plant I hated. It’s just a vigorous plant you can’t get rid of.”

In fact, there’s not just one garden. “I had a dappled- light garden, which was shaded by an old tree. When that fell over, it became a high light garden—and some of the shade plants thrived. So you never know,” she says.

“I’m an artist, but I’m fascinated by science.”

“I planted an herbaceous border with the plants very close together, like an English garden.”

The Romantic Garden, which is a circular bed off the stone terrace, is populated with plants alluding to love: bachelor’s button, love in the mist, plants that have love in their name.

Tozer pays attention to things like leaf size and shape, and color. “Every garden should have gray in it. I like pale grays. I found a fascinating plant at Paley’s in Sharon, called crambe cordifolia, or flowering sea kale. It has cloud-like little flowers above it. It’s so intriguing, and it grows really well in our area.” Proving that not all experiments end badly.

Tozer is also a big supporter of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook. “When I joined the board, it was very difficult for me. I’ve done a lot of projects in my life, ones that always have an end and you see the result. But with science, you have milestones. I found that a huge challenge,” she says.

“I’m an artist, but I’m fascinated by science.” That’s apparent in her approach to gardening: forever experimenting, noting the results, and ready to try something new when the situation calls for it. The gardens at Uplands Farm are the perfect marriage of science and art, with a dash of exuberance thrown in. n

Uplands Farm is very much a comfortable family home. Tozer’s art collection includes works by Henry Koehler, over the fireplace, and an oil painting of hunting dogs by Peter Corbin, over the desk. More dogs guard the entrance to the conservatory, and Belted Galloway cattle graze contentedly in the back pasture.

Get To Know J&J Property Pros

Entrepreneurial Siblings Care for Every Corner of the Home (And All the Creatures in It!)

FIVE YEARS AGO, siblings Jared, Jenneka, and Janna saw an opportunity. Jared and Jenneka ran a landscaping business, while Janna focused on cleaning—but their clients often needed both. So they merged their expertise to create J & J Property Pros, a one-stop shop for landscaping, fine gardening, pet care, and eco-friendly cleaning.

1. How did your upbringing and experiences shape the vision behind J & J Property Pros, and what drives your passion for the work you do?

Our parents always encouraged us to have an entrepreneurial spirit—to think outside the box, identify a need, and find a solution. When we started our separate businesses, clients would ask if we landscaped, cleaned, or provided pet care because they knew we loved animals and had

a menagerie of rescues. We met many clients struggling to find consistency, so our goal became building a reliable team and business that delivers exceptional service. We value our clients’ trust and take pride in providing professional services that offer peace of mind. We thrive on cultivating the land and creating a welcoming home environment. Our mission is to make our clients’ lives easier and more beautiful while upholding the knowledge and professionalism of our team.

2. What innovative services or new offerings are you introducing this season, and how will they benefit your clients?

We’re excited to offer Ripagreen, an eco-friendly thermal weed control service for driveways and hard-to-maintain cobblestone and stone areas. Using the

power of hot air, this method—widely used in Europe—is now making its way to the U.S. After successful testing last year, we’re thrilled to expand this offering as a powerful weed management solution.

Additionally, we’ve introduced a handyman service, and have been refining our processes to ensure the best experience for both our clients and team.

3. Are there any new garden design trends you’re seeing this year?

We’re seeing a strong shift toward native plantings and sustainable landscaping practices that support the local ecosystem. Pollinator islands, habitat creation, and the use of native plants to promote sustainability and a healthy environment are becoming more of a conscious choice rather than just a trend.

4. What’s one common mistake gardeners make, and how can they avoid it?

Overwatering or underwatering plants—it’s a fine balance. The key to a healthy watering schedule is using irrigation options, monitoring the weather, and staying mindful of changing conditions.

5. What’s one piece of expert advice you always share with your customers?

Do it right the first time, because being cheap gets expensive. This is a lesson we’ve learned over the years, and we always encourage our clients to adopt this mindset. If things need to be budgeted, have a plan and stick to it.

J & J Property Pros, 2517 Rt. 44 #11-150, Salt Point, NY 845-379-3965

jandjpropertypros.com

The Art of Enjoyable Living

Denscot Pool & Spa: A Legacy of Luxurious Backyard Retreats

FOR 30 YEARS, Denscot Pool & Spa has perfected the art of turning ordinary backyards into luxurious oases. Rooted in passion for family and community, the mission is simple yet profound: to “create enjoyable lifestyles,” one property at a time. The vision, embodied by Scott and Heather Meeker, the couple behind Denscot, resonates through every custom installation and service they provide.

Having established itself as a premier contractor for Litchfield and Dutchess counties, Denscot specializes in inground gunite and fiberglass pools, and spas. Heather fondly recalls the early days when their young family gathered around the pool for simple pleasures and celebrations. “We created a lifestyle by the pool that we wanted to share with others,” she reflects.

What began as a small service-oriented business has flourished into an award-winning

BY CLEMENTINA VERGE

company, known for impeccable design, expert installation, and personalized customer care.

Scott’s journey into the industry, however, began long before Denscot’s inception. As a teenager working for a local pool company, Scott quickly discovered a natural aptitude for the trade. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he transitioned to a full-time position, establishing a successful service and maintenance department.

In 1994, with Heather’s support, Scott launched Denscot Pool & Landscape Services LLC, laying the foundation for their family-run business. They worked tirelessly to provide top-tier service, eventually expanding into custom design and installation.

As Denscot’s reputation grew, so did its vision. By 2000, the company was designing and installing luxury gunite pools. Since then, technological advancements and evolving

customer tastes have led to stunning, modern pools that blend seamlessly with their surroundings. Modern innovative design elements push boundaries, from elegant bubblers and built-in seating, to automatic covers that provide safety, thermal retention, and reduced maintenance. “It’s a game-changer for pool owners,” Scott explains. “The convenience and functionality these covers provide have made them an essential element in pool designs.”

Smart automation has revolutionized pool ownership, making it easier than ever to control temperature, lighting, and sanitization—all from mobile devices. This has transformed how people interact with their pools, offering unprecedented convenience. Denscot’s reputation for excellence is underscored by numerous industry awards, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze honors for innovative designs, construction, and renovation

and retail. The work epitomizes a commitment to staying ahead of industry trends and technological advancements. As a member of the Northeast Spa and Pool Association (NESPA) and the Connecticut Spa and Pool Association (CONSPA), Scott continues to play an active role in shaping the future of design.

Now, with their children integrated into the business, Denscot has evolved into a second-generation family company. The Meekers remain committed to providing clients with the highest level of customer care and craftsmanship. “We’re a pool company, a high-end pool company,” they reflect, “but it’s so much more than that. It’s about a lifestyle.”

Denscot continues to redefine pool design, fusing beauty, functionality, and effortless luxury, transforming each backyard into a sanctuary—one that will be cherished by generations.

—denscotpools.com

E ATS

BOLD THAI FLAVORS IN WASSAIC

BY CHRISTOPHER STELLA

›For years, “I wish there was a Thai restaurant here” has been a constant refrain among my neighbors living on the border of Dutchess and Litchfield counties. That wish has been granted by husband-and-wife team Jason Jeffords III and Arunee  Pakaraphag, and their restaurant, Thai Baan at Tenmile Distillery in Wassaic.

Both have extensive careers in hospitality. Jeffords spent years working in New York City as a sommelier, immersing himself in craft cocktail culture at renowned institutions such as the Pegu Club, and managing restaurant openings—Jean Georges’ Tin Building among them.

ments the food’s herbaceous notes. The building’s warm wooden interior (renovated using local timber), soaring ceilings, and new fireplace evoke a grand yet comfortable living room.

Pakaraphag, the chef in the endeavor, grew up on a rice farm in Thailand. Her career in hospitality led her to the Hyatt in Dubai, a UK-based cruise line, and the IHG hotels in Oman.

But it wasn’t her experience in food and beverage service that re-ignited her love for cooking; it was preparing food to share with colleagues after long shifts. “The dishes I cook are based on what Thai people crave when living abroad,” notes Pakaraphag.

“We each have our areas of expertise, so it’s easy to work together,” says Jeffords.

He discovered Tenmile Distillery when  owners  Joel LeVangia and Eliza

Dyson  hired him to manage beverage distribution. Last summer, he and Pakaraphag hosted pop-up events onsite, featuring her homestyle cooking.

“We received a positive response,” recalls Jeffords. “Joel and Eliza were looking for a new, trusted partner to serve food in the space; we jumped at the opportunity.”

The synchronicity between the distillery and restaurant is natural.

“Whiskey goes with the toastiness of curry, and gin with ingredients like mint and lemon balm,” says Jeffords. “We’re exploring creating cocktails to complement the menu, and balance its spices.”

The scent of botanicals comple-

Jeffords has strung a canopy of small lights above the seating area, bringing additional warmth and elegance to the space.

Pakaraphag notes that Thai food plays on multiple flavor senses: salty, savory, spicy, creamy—all in a single spoonful. It’s an apt description for every dish I tasted. The veggie spring rolls are light and crispy. The pad thai beautifully balances lemony and nutty. The tam yum fried rice is rich and savory, punctuated by fresh lemongrass. Crème brûlée with pandan offers coconut and vanilla accents.

Pakaraphag and Jeffords plan to grow herbs at the distillery, ingredients such as Thai chili and long beans on their Millbrook property, and to source protein locally.

And there’s new ground to break.

“I’ve never heard of restaurants offering farm-to-table Thai food,” he says with a smile. “We get the opportunity to be the first.” Open Thursday and Friday, 5 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon to 9:30 p.m.

Thai Baan at Tenmile Distillery, 78 Sinpatch Road, Wassaic thaibaannyc.com

Photographs by JIM HENKENS

Amenia

AMENIA STEAK HOUSE

A quaint and cozy tavern-style steakhouse. A great spot for steak, charcoal burgers, and cheesecake.

4905 US-44, 845-789-1520 I

FOUR BROTHERS DRIVE-IN

Popular spot in Amenia. Enjoy their famous pizza “with a Grecian touch” and their Greek salads.

4957 NY-22 / 845-373-8178 fourbrothersrestaurants.com I

PANACEA

Everything from fresh pastas to smash burgers and oysters in a farmhouse setting.

6 Autumn Ln. / 845-373-9800 panaceany.com M

PEGGY’S SWEET & SAVORY

Cozy cafe serving breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, classic sandwiches, and bakery items such as chocolate coconut and hummingbird cakes.

3312 NY-343 /845-789-1444 peggyssweetandsavory.com I

SANTO PIZZERIA & RISTORANTE

A traditional pizza spot serving New York and Sicilian-style pizza. Try their Italian stuffed pizza or pasta fagioli soup.

5094 NY-22 / 845-373-8290 santopizzeriarestaurant.com I

TROUTBECK

A scenic hotel and restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Exquisite food and fantastic cocktails. 515 Leedsville Rd. 845-789-1555 troutbeck.com E

Beacon

BROTHER’S TRATTORIA

Authentic Italian restaurant serving lunch, dinner, and

pizza. Try their chicken sorrentino or eggplant parmigiano.

465 Main St. / 845-838-3300 brotherstrattoria.com M

ISAMU JAPANESE & CHINESE RESTAURANT

Offers a wide variety of Japanese and Chinese food. Try their Isamu duck wrap and Ocean Chic roll.

240 Main St. / 845-440-0002 isamubeaconny.com I

LA BARBIRRIA

MEXICAN CANTINA

An authentic Mexican restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A great spot for birria tacos and chorizo con huevos.

389 Main St. / 845-440-7508 labarbirria.com M

MAX’S ON MAIN

Popular restaurant serving a wide range of delicious foods, from pierogies to a BBQ chicken Caesar wrap.

246 Main St. / 845-838-6297 maxsonmain.com M

THE ROUNDHOUSE

Modern American cuisine inspired by Hudson Valley agriculture. A great spot for pan-roasted duck and a cocktail.

2 E. Main St. / 845-765-8369 roundhousebeacon.com E

ZIATUN

A Middle Eastern restaurant serving authentic Palestinian cuisine. Try their chicken shawarma wrap and falafel burger.

244 Main St. / 845-765-8268 ziatun.com M

Dover Plains

OLD DROVERS INN

A classic early-American bedand-breakfast fully restored and serving a variety of food.

196 E Duncan Hill Rd. 845-832-9311 M

E ATS

LA CAZUELA

A traditional Mexican restaurant using fresh and homemade ingredients.

3081 US-22

845-442-9341 I

Hyde Park

CULINARY INSTITUTE

The half-dozen student-run restaurants at Hyde Park’s Culinary Institute offer creative menus at affordable prices.

1946 Campus Dr. 845-452-9600 M

LaGrange

HANGARS CAFE

Watch the planes depart and land at this relaxing cafe serving breakfast and lunch. Outdoor dining.

32 Airway Dr. 845-605-1991 hangarscafe.com I

Millbrook

ALL THAT JAVA

Coffee shop serving excellent coffee and light breakfast.

149 Church St. 845-233-1976 allthatjava.net I

BABETTE’S

Popular coffee and lunch spot in town. Homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches.

3293 Franklin Ave.

845-677-8602 babetteskitchen.com M

BARBARO

Italian dining with a fabulous cocktail bar. Enjoy their handmade pizza al fresco on their porch.

3279 Franklin Ave.

845-677-4440 barbaromillbrook.com M

CAFE LES BAUX

Cozy French restaurant in downtown Millbrook. Enjoy their escargot, steak frites, and extensive French wine list.

152 Church St.

845-677-8166 cafelesbaux.com M

CANOE HILL

Bar and restaurant serving delicious drinks, tapas, and plates. Great place for oysters. 3264 Franklin Ave. 845-605-1570 canoehillny.com M

CHARLOTTE’S

A scenic country-style restaurant featuring locally sourced food with a Euro flare.

4258 US-44

845-677-5888

charlottesny.com M

HOUSE OF STEFAS Coming Soon.

JULIEN’S

A quirky takeout eatery that serves from sushi to pizza; specials utilize local purveyors. Vegan and gluten-free options.

5 Washington Ave. 845-677-2222

juliensmillbrook.com M

LA PUERTA AZUL

Traditional Mexican restaurant serving brunch, lunch, and dinner. Live music on weekends.

2510 US-44

845-677-2985 lapuertaazul.com M

MILLBROOK CAFE

Cozy restaurant that uses a wood-fired brick oven to cook their dishes. Great spot for a steak.

3288 Franklin Ave. 845-677-6956 themillbrookcafe.com M

MILLBROOK DINER

Classic diner food and a Millbrook institution; enjoy classics such as BLT, Caesar salad, or the club sandwich. Never know who you will bump into.

3266 Franklin Ave. 845-677-5319 millbrookdiner.com I

THE VINTAGE AT THE MILLBROOK INN

American restaurant featuring locally sourced ingredients. Open for brunch and dinner. 3 Gifford Rd. 845-605-1120 millbrookinn.com M

THE BIRD DOG CAFE

Cafe at Orvis Sandanona featuring local game. 3047 US-44

845-677-9701 orvis.com/sandanona-dining I

Millerton

AVOCADO CAFE

Small cafe serving traditional and authentic Mexican food. 208 US-44 518-592-1181 avocadocafe.net I

FOUR BROTHERS PIZZA INN

Popular lunch and dinner spot in Millerton. Enjoy their famous pizza and their Greek salads. 5952 N Elm Ave. 518-789-9434 fourbrothersrestaurants.com I

GOLDEN WOK

Authentic Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine with a friendly atmosphere. 3-7 Railroad Plaza 518-789-9236 goldenwokmillertonny.com I

HARNEY & SONS TEA

A cozy tea room with an extensive choice of worldclass blends, plus sandwiches, soups, and a terrace. 13 Main St. / 518-789-2121 harney.com M

IRVING FARM NEW YORK

Popular coffee house serving light eats, and drinks made from house-roasted beans. 44 Main St. / 212-206-0707 irvingfarm.com I

OAKHURST DINER

Imaginative fare in a retro-style setting with counter stools.

19 Main St. / 518-592-1313 oakhurst-diner.com I

TARO’S

A casual NYC-style pizza spot with delicious Italian options. 18 Main St. / 518-789-6630 I

brunch, lunch, and dinner. Enjoy their baked moussaka or saffron orange chicken.

53 Main St. / 518-592-1900 themillertoninn.com M

WILLA

Farm-to-table restaurant serving fresh local ingredients. Try their smash burger made with Kinderhook Farm beef. Cozy atmosphere serving handcrafted cocktails. 52 Main St. / 518-789-0252 willabar.com M

Pine Plains

CHAMPETRE

Cozy French restaurant in Pine Plains. Enjoy their escargot, steak, or fish dishes.

2938 Church St. 518-771-3350 M

EL GUACAMOLE

A family-style Mexican restaurant with classic tacos, fajitas, fried plantains. 7795 S Main St. 518-771-3330 I

LIA’S MOUNTAIN VIEW

A cozy family-run Italian restaurant featuring homemade pasta, and meat and seafood dishes. 7685 NY-82 / 518-398-7311 liasmountainviewrest.com M

SPUD SHACK

Casual lunch spot for burgers, fries, dogs, wings.

2953 Church St. 518-771-3205 I

STISSING HOUSE

Colonial tavern with a wood-burning oven featuring award-winning seasonal French-Italian meals in cozy rooms.

7801 S Main St.518-771-3064 stissinghouse.com M

THE MOOSE ON THE LOOSE

An old-fashioned sandwich shop with great options for breakfast or lunch.

THE MILLERTON INN

A quaint restaurant with a Mediterranean touch serving

7711 S Main St. 518-398-5040 I

I= Inexpensive M= Moderate E= Expensive

TOWER PIZZA

A small-town spot serving pizza and Italian food. Enjoy their fried calamari or chicken parmigiana. 2947 Church St. 518-398-7800 I

Poughkeepsie

ALEX’S RESTAURANT

A fourth-generation owned restaurant with delicious options for breakfast and lunch. 1 Market St. 845-452-1125 alexsrestaurant.org I

BRASSERIE 292

A timeless spot with an impressive menu, from a raw bar to the plat du jour. 292 Main St. 845-473-0292 brasserie292.com E

ESSIE’S RESTAURANT

Cozy but elegant Ameri-

can-style restaurant with an array of options.

14 Mount Carmel Pl. 845-452-7181 essiesrestaurantpk.com M

MAHONEY’S IRISH PUB & STEAKHOUSE

A traditional Irish pub serving authentic cuisine. 35 Main St. 845-471-7026 mahoneysirishpub.com M

SAVONA’S TRATTORIA AND BAR

Serving authentic homestyle Italian. 1 Collegeview Ave. 845-876-4505 savonas.com M

SHADOWS ON THE HUDSON

Waterfront restaurant with a raw bar, a variety of meal options, and an extensive beverage list.

176 Rinaldi Blvd. shadowsonthehudson.com E

SUSHI VILLAGE

Offers sushi, hibachi, createyour-own poke bowls. 8 Raymond Ave. 845-471-5245 sushivillagenyc.com M

TAVERN 23

Combines modern-creative and traditional cooking styles to create remarkable dishes. 23 Verrazano Blvd. 845-473-2323 tavern23.com M

THE ACADEMY

The Bar, Keepsake, and Cornerstone Cafe. 33 Academy St. 845-444-5269 theacademyhvny.com M Red Hook

BRIGITTE BISTRO

A bistro serving French cuisine during brunch and dinner in a quaint setting. 61 E Market St.

845-835-6230

brigitte-bistro.com M

BUBBY’S TAKE-AWAY KITCHEN

Slow-cooked meats, vegan, and vegetarian options in downtown Red Hook.

19 W Market St. 845-758-8226 I

CHARLIE O’S BAR AND GRILL

A casual family friendly restaurant with a full bar and extensive menu.

23 E Market St. 845-758-2123 charlieosbarandgrill.com I

CIDER BROS. ROADHOUSE

Serving brunch, lunch, and dinner made with locally sourced ingredients to eat in or take out. Waffles, duck and bacon wontons, Southern Cuban sandwich. 1215 Route 199 845-758-2437 ciderbrosroadhouse.com I

FLATIRON RESTAURANT

American-style restaurant serving roasted cod, panseared duck breast, and more.

7488 S Broadway

845-758-8260 flatironsteakhouse.com E

THE GROVE

Elegant versions of beloved comfort foods.

650 NY-199 845-758-3006 thegroveatredhook.com M

THE HISTORIC VILLAGE DINER

Open at 6 am, this streamlined metal railroad dining car is the focal point of local nostalgia. 7550 N Broadway 845-758-6232 historicvillagediner.com I

LUCOLI

Popular pizzeria hidden on a back street. Fresh ingredients, wood-fired pies. 7476 S Broadway 845-758-5600 i

MISTO EATS

A mix of cultures and cuisines, using local Hudson Valley ingredients in its food and catering service.

7466 S Broadway 845-835-8044 misto-eats.com M

SAVONA’S TRATTORIA & BAR

Traditional Italian meals made from family recipes and local ingredients. 7249 S Broadway 845-758-6400 savonas.com M

TASTE BUDD’S CAFE

Chocolates, coffee, sandwiches, pastries, salads. Vegan options. Live music. 40 W Market St. 845-758-6500 tastebudds.com I

YUM YUM NOODLE BAR

Dishes inspired by Japanese and Asian cuisines with vegan and vegetarian options. 7496 S Broadway

845-835-6383 yumyumnoodlebar.com M

Rhinebeck

ABAS FALAFEL

Traditional Middle Eastern falafel, salads, Turkish coffee.

54 E Market St. 845-876-2324

abasfalafel.com I

AROI THAI

Casual restaurant offering traditional Thai dishes. Open for lunch, dinner.

55 E Market St. 845-876-1114

aroirestaurant.com M

BIA

A Hudson Valley interpretation of modern Irish cuisine.

22 Garden St. / 845-516-4044 bia-rbk.com M

BUNS BURGERS

A new take on fresh, local family dining—burgers, fries, shakes, and more.

20 Garden St. / 845-516-5197 bunsburgersny.com I

BREAD ALONE

Beautiful cafe serving breakfast and lunch daily. Amazing breads, crackers, and treats.

45 E Market St. 845-876-3108 breadalone.com I

CAFE CON LECHE

A cafe offering authentic Puerto Rican cuisine using only fresh ingredients. 6384 Mill St. / 845-516-4315 nycafeconleche.com I

CHEESE LOUISE

Curated selection of imported cheeses from around the world and from cheesemakers in the Hudson Valley. Fresh cured meats, pasta, and prepared food.

6384 Mill St. 845-853-8207 cheeselouiseny.com M

CINNAMON INDIAN

Traditional dishes from various regions in India and Sri Lanka. Lunch and dinner daily. Extensive wine menu. 51 E Market St. 845-876-7510 cinnamoncuisine.com M

FOSTER’S COACH HOUSE TAVERN

A tavern offering a wide variety of food choices, from nachos to seafood dishes to the Thanksgiving sandwich. 6411 Montgomery St. 845-876-8052 M

GABY’S CAFE

An authentic Mexican restaurant known for its enchiladas, paella, and mariscada. 141 Canal St. / 845-210-1040 gabysrhinebeck.com M

GIGI TRATTORIA

Modern farm-to-table Italian fare in airy, stylish quarters with a patio. 6422 Montgomery St. 845-876-1007 gigihudsonvalley.com M

LE PETIT BISTRO

Bistro delivering classic French fare, with a smart wine list, in a quaint storefront. 2 E Market St. 845-876-7400 lepetitbistro.com E

MARKET ST.

Italian restaurant serving Neapolitan-style pizza and specialty cocktails. 19 W Market St. 845-876-7200 marketstrhinebeck.com M

OSAKA SUSHI

A family-run Japanese restaurant known for their incredible sushi and friendly staff. 22 Garden St. / 845-876-7338 osakasushi.net M

PIZZERIA POSTO

Acclaimed pizzeria serving artisanal wood-fired pizza in the courtyard in Rhinebeck. 43 E Market St. 845-876-3500 postopizzeria.com I

{PRETTY TO THINK SO}

Utilizes locally grown ingredients for their farm-to-table fine dining and craft cocktails in a chic space. 6417 Montgomery St. 845-516-4556 prettytothink.so E

RHINEBECK BAGELS AND CAFE

Serving the area’s most artistic breakfast and lunch. Lemon caper cream cheese, grilled cheese with eggs, and chicken salad, avocado, bacon, and spicy mayo. 31 W Market St. 845-876-8025 rhinebeckbagels.com I

THE TAVERN AT THE BEEKMAN ARMS

Colonial tap room with a hearth and full bar, and a garden greenhouse. Sunday brunch. 6387 Mill St. 845-876-7077 beekmandelamaterinn.com M

TERRAPIN RESTAURANT

Former-church-turnedcontemporary-American restaurant serving diverse flavors from local farms. 6426 Montgomery St. 845-876-3330 terrapinrestaurant.com I

Rhinecliff

KIPS TAVERN

Riverfront dining next to the train station, with feel-good American fare. The crabcakes and chicken paillard are customer faves. Sunday Brunch. 1 Shatzell Ave. 845-516- 4737 kipstavern.com M

Staatsburg

RIVER AND POST

Eclectic local fare and cocktails, celebrating its sleepy village. 57 Old Post Rd. 845-773-9373 riverandpost.co M

Tivoli

THE CORNER

A Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring fresh ingredients and a wide range of wines. 53 Broadway 845-757-2100 hoteltivoli.org/the-corner M

GIOBATTA ALIMENTARI

Chef Francesco Buitoni’s authentic Italian cuisine; pre-made meals available. 69 Broadway / 845-757-2567 giobatta.com M

JAEGER HAUS TIVOLI

A modern German restaurant: potato pancakes, rahm schnitzel. 5084 NY-9G / 845-757-1011 jaegerhaustivoli.com M

OSAKA TIVOLI

An original menu with unique sushi creations along with standard Japanese dishes. 74 Broadway 845-757-5055 osakativolisushi.com M

SANTA FE HUDSON VALLEY

A menu inspired by the rich flavors of Mexico. Lobster quesadillas, short rib tacos, and grilled salmon Veracruz. 52 Broadway 845-757-4100 santafehudsonvalley.com M

TIVOLI GENERAL

A cozy coffee shop offering breakfast, sandwiches, groceries, wine, and beer. 54a Broadway tivoli-general.com I

Stanfordville

3 BROTHERS PIZZA

Pizza shop offering a variety of delicious pizza and food. Gluten-free pizza too.

6270 NY-82 845-723-4139

3brotherspizzadeli.com I

COYOTE FLACO

Casual family-run Mexican restaurant that has authentic Mexican cuisine.

6063 NY-82 845-868-3360 coyoteflacostanfordville.com I

PEYOTE’S CAFE

Mexican restaurant serving paninis, wraps, and quesadillas.

5979 NY-82 845-868-3335 I

UNCLE SONNY’S CAFE AND PIZZERIA

Cafe and pizzeria. Burgers, meatballs, and more. 6270 Route 82 845-868-7121 I

Wassaic

BLACK BIRD BISTRO

Casual family-owned bistro serving flat bread with sausage and ricotta, chicken with mac-and-cheese, and more.

3997 NY-22 845-789-1515 M

THE LANTERN INN

Wood-fired pizza and organic small-production wines, craft breweries, and cocktails. 10 Main St. / 845-373-8389 wassaiclanterninn.com I

TENMILE DISTILLERY

Traditional spirits produced in

HAVER & SKOLNICK ARCHITECTS

a lovely distillery. Sophisticated and elegant tasting room. 78 Sinpatch Rd. 845-877-6399

tenmiledistillery.com M

THAI BAAN

Upscale versions of family -style Thai favorites, in the lovely Tenmile Distillery. 78 Sinpatch Rd. 845-877-6399

tenmiledistillery.com M

VITSKY BAKERY

Small-batch bakery using seasonal, hearty ingredients and nutrition-dense flours, sourced locally when possible. Cookies, breads, and more. 3 Main St. vitskybakery.com I

WESTERLY CANTEEN

Uniquely housed in a 1971 airstream, catering at events and pop-ups. westerlycanteen.com I n

THE ONLY WAY IS THROUGH

›ROBIN ADLER, a contemporary abstract artist based in Woodstock, transcribes emotional experience into visual form. Working intuitively with oil, acrylic, encaustic, and print, she explores both the natural world and inner landscapes. A member of BAU Gallery, Spliced Connector, and The Drawing Galaxy, her work has been exhibited throughout the East Coast.

In “The Only Way Is Through,” Adler reflects on the cyclical nature of life, civilization, and history. What is strong eventually collapses. While we celebrate disruptors, we remain part of a larger system. Imagined freedoms are fleeting—angels in the snow.

Like all before us, noise, chaos, and friction will come and go. There is both comfort and despair in this truth. As winter gives way to spring, darkness too will relent. And on it goes.

But Adler asks—can we see cycles differently? Can a circle be viewed as a spiral? If setbacks lead to learning and growth, can we break free from repetition? Disruptions may echo the yet new choices shift outcomes.

Her latest work responds to the vastness of our turbulent times. Gone are the energetic, layered patterns of her earlier pieces, replaced with a sense of stillness and space to breathe. The colors remain rich, but the forms are lighter, offering a path forward—an emergence from darkness. “The Only Way Is Through” runs from April 12 through May 4 at the BAU Gallery on Main Street in Beacon.—baugallery.org

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