$10 Dresses and Costumes on Sale at The Dance Bag for Halloween

On your way home from work, or while pushing your brood down Main Street, take pause at the sale rack outside of The Dance Bag (opposite corner of Rite Aid). Little imaginations think that some of these $10 ballet dance dresses look like "Elsa dresses". You'll also find cheer leader-ish dresses, girl pirate looking dresses, and just a fancy dress to add to a girl's dress-up box. Most material is elastic, and straps are easy enough to stitch shorter until little ones grow. Sign says "$10 Cash" so...bring your dollas.

Saturday Class Combo - And Sauna!

Saturday mornings before noon are a sacred time around here, and as a small business owner (of this blog, Tin Shingle, and Katie James), have always been used as a time to travel within projects without the distractions of work-week expectations and pings from the email inbox. It is for this reason that I've never signed up for a Saturday morning class - an adult yoga class for instance, or a kid music class.

Now that kids are in the life, Saturday mornings involve...stuff. Multiple rounds of breakfast, bathroom breaks, emergency grocery runs, "Saturday Morning Netflix" girl vs. boy negotiations, etc. So I've given in to the Saturday class mindset and signed up the family for Alice Sipple's Dancing Tree Yoga for Kids class on Saturday mornings. Take into account that this class is at All Sport, I wanted to be sure to take advantage of the offerings of a fitness club if we were going to be there anyway, so I double-dutied our yoga class to be a full morning at All Sport, with the end goal being sitting in the sauna.

Keep in mind - this is the "goal," so it doesn't always happen. The first week totally didn't happen, but the second week did, and it was awesome...Check this out (I'm normally not a schedule person, so this has been kind of fun bouncing between times):

Alice and her daughter.

10:30am: Kids Yoga! We all get to class - 4 yoga mats in tow just barely in time - and move like elephants, horses, chickens, with a few break dance moves from little ones. We hadn't planned for both of us parents to do it, but it was really quite nice.

11:30am: Snacks (ideally...if I remember to pack them...or smoothie from the juice bar), and walk the kids into the childcare room aka Kids Club and help them get excited about climbing the big jungle gym, scooting radio flyers, and engaging with coloring books.

12:00pm: Parents Exercise! Dad to the bike so that he can watch seven TV stations at once, and Mom to jog outside (yes, they do have very nice treadmills but I prefer running outside). Then back inside for the "Express Circuit" weight-machine routine, which at first was very scary until a nice trainer showed me how to work them all and gave me a chart and a pencil to check-off my routine.

12:30or45pm (this is where it gets tricky with the time because Kids Club closes at 1pm on Saturdays): Sauna!!!! The ultimate goal of my morning is to sit in the dry heat of the sauna, completely giving my mind over to the extremely hot room without moving. And for being on the go all week long, sitting still is something that must be forced, but is possible if you feel and melt into the warm wooden benches and imagine that you are in Arizona. Once you give yourself over to the still, hot air, thoughts and ideas swirling in the mind can swirl into focus, and any brainstorms going on can get baked in, sealing their fate that they get completed in the coming week. In the sauna, what feels like fifteen minutes is probably only three. But so worth it.

12:50pm (pushing it with the time!): Write an email to myself with the ideas mapped out during the sauna (not doing this in the sauna as the heat would probably break the phone). Then shower in the nicely tiled private showers - if I remembered everything. During the second week, I did forget shoes and makeup, so I attended a birthday party right after this excursion in a dress from Echo, but with Saucony shoes instead of Fly Londons.

1:00pm: Slide into home base and pick up the kids from Kids Club. Then off to lunch somewhere in the area!

Disclosure: All Sport is a sponsor of this blog, but did not sponsor this post. This article is pure editorial. Review our Editorial Policy.

Hoptember is Hopping! At 11:30am People Have Arrived

On a thickly cloudy Saturday morning, the second annual Hoptember festival is on in full force in what normal people might think is a potentially rainy day, but is most likely a hops farmer's delight during this month of harvest. As of this blog post, the crowds are growing and the brewers happily pouring.

Sloop Brewing based in Poughkeepsie had gourds and mini pumpkins on sale next to their tap, and as I was in search for pumpkins as paperweights for our sponsor table, I was delighted to stop by! You'll see many more brewers you recognize, including Dennings Point Distillery!

Shine on Harvest Moon

Fall is coming as the crickets and locusts chirp all day and night, and the Harvest Moon glows over this peaceful morning at 5:46am. Quite a thrill to gaze at the mountain range in the distance, knowing that the Hudson River is just below this spot on Main Street.

Big Sale at Mountain Tops on Clothes, Shoes, Kayaks

I'm a sale junkie.

So when I see a sidewalk sign that says 30-50% off, I take a hard turn to the right and go into that store. Then I become that person in the early Chase commercials when they were advertising their app to make it easy for you to check your balance, and I check my balance to see how creative I can be with a sale at a store I love.

Mountain Tops is having such a sale, but watch out, because the brands you love like Prana are at your fingertips in these last days of summer. But Fall clothing is also coming in on the racks, so you'll see all kinds of must-have sweatpant-style dresses that will make your entrance into Fall that much easier.

These purple shoes pictured here are Keens and are perfect for outdoor parties where you want to wear a cute shoe without the heel or wedge. And yes, select styles are on sale, and yes, this is a picture of my feet returning for a second pair in another color. I don't think I've ever done that before.

The rumors are true, there is a sale on kayaks, so if you were itching to own your first kayak, or upgrade what you have, now might be a good time...

Hoptember! Celebrating the Fall Harvest of Hop Plants aka "Hills" (Partner)

Craft brewers usually start brewing beer in their basements, gathering supplies from their trusted home brewer suppliers. New York is a mecca for craft beer and is soon to be a Napa Valley of Beer. With the farm to table trend, comes the farm to basement trend, or farm to brewer trend, where breweries and craft beer enthusiasts can buy hop plants, aka "hill" straight from the fields.

Enter Dutchess Hops, located on the farm of Eastern View Nursery, the first commercial hop farm in the Hudson Valley. Situated in the heart of Dutchess County’s agricultural region, Dutchess Hops will bring back an industry that the State of New York once flourished in. Spring 2013, Dutchess Hops planted 4000 hills (hop plants) on 4 acres. These will be ready for harvest in fall 2014, which will be celebrated with the second annual festival, Hoptember Harvestfest on September 13, 2014!

Hoptember is also hosted in collaboration with Hudson Valley Hops, which was created in 2013 to act as a cooperative for both Farmers and Brewers. Hudson Valley Hops’ mission is to help build Hop farms, promote the craft beer industry and assist in creating the Freshest, highest quality Hops throughout the Hudson Valley. Hoptember 2013 was able to raise enough money to help further develop 4 additional Hop Farms in 2013, with 4 additional coming online in 2014.

Hoptember showcases Brewer, Distiller, Cider and Wine Artisans from the Hudson Valley, as well as culinary artisans, and is your chance to meet over 20 Brewers and Distillers all from the Hudson Valley. Included in the ticket price are both food and beverage tastings, and all food will have Hops incorporated in it. The Event will run from 1pm-5pm for General Admission ticket holders and run from 11:30am – 5pm for VIP ticket Holders.

• General Admission Tickets: $50 and includes unlimited food and tastings. Admittance begins at 1 p.m.
• VIP Tickets: $75 also in addition to the General admission benefits, there will be a culinary Hop treats along with rare beer tastings, a tour of the Hop Yard, and a commemorative glass and T-shirt. Admittance begins at 11:30 a.m.
• Designated Driver Tickets: Designated Driver ticket is for anyone that won't be drinking but wants to still attend the event 

LOCATION:

Eastern View Farm & Nursery (View)
1167 Noxon Road
Lagrangeville, NY 12540

Click here to learn more about Hoptember  >

Click here to purchase tickets!  >

Great Pandora Music at Encore Coffee House

From the owners of Sukhothai down on the East End of Main Street comes Encore Coffee House. And with free wifi, it really has a nice folky music selection playing for those of us seeking an iced latte in air conditioning, with maybe a fruit smoothie later!

Listing and Advertising Opportunitites for Businesses Listed in Guides

Being included in a Guide is part of an organized experience of living in and around Beacon. What follows are overall requirements for being included in a Guide, how to advertise in one, and how to get listed without advertising. Guides include: Second Saturday Entertainment + Dining, Pop-Up Shops! and the Holiday Shopping Guide.

• Beacon Businesses: For businesses located in Beacon, there is no fee to be in a Guide, but a business must meet certain requirements of a Guide listed with that Guide. 
• Hudson Valley Businesses: Businesses located in the Hudson Valley, such as Peekskill, Cold Spring, Garrison, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and beyond who want to be featured in a Guide can purchase placement via an ad. 
• Sponsors Outside of Beacon: Sponsors of A Little Beacon Blog who have a prominent banner ad displaying on this website who are in the Hudson Valley or anywhere in New York can be listed in one Category of a relevant Guide.
• A Website or Social Page: You do need a website or online presence for us to link to and for people to get more information. Need one quick? Just fill out your Google Plus page or start a Facebook Business Page.
• Not Listed Yet? If you feel that your business would be a great fit for a Guide, please email your suggestion with details to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com.

ADVERTISING:
Enhance Your Listing with a Photo

If your business is in a Guide, you can give it some flare with a photo of the interior of your shop or experience. Your photo and mention of your business will also be shared in A Little Beacon's Blog Twitter and Instagram accounts and added to popular hashtag streams like #beaconny, #hudsonvalley and #keepitlocal! If your business is featured more than once in a Guide because you cater to different audiences, you can feature a different photo in each spot. Discounts are available on multiple months. To book a photo, just click on a button below to add it to your cart. We will come to your establishment to take a photo that fits the style of A Little Beacon Blog, if you don't already have a photo on hand that fits the style of this website.

GUIDE ADVERTISING PACKAGE 1
1 Photo in a Guide Category
Duration: 1 month

Additional Photo in Other Categories Your Business Is Listed In
Duration: 1 month

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GUIDE ADVERTISING PACKAGE 2
Photo + Specials and Sales Text
To list specific sale information in addition to the regular editorial used to describe your brand, you can list additional text below your listing. This is useful for if you're running a special sale or have other specifications you'd like to highlight with your listing. This comes with 1 photo.

Additional Photo and Text
If your business is in more than one category and you'd like to add a photo + specific text, you can.

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SPONSOR A GUIDE

If you want to reach people who are reading a certain Guide, you can sponsor that guide with your logo at the top of the Guide. Your logo will also appear with the main logo of the Guide in the right side column of this website. As a sponsor, you can have your own dedicated page on this website that highlights what our readers would love about your business. We design your ad and write your copy on your special page. Please email katie@alittlebeaconblog.com to sponsor a Guide.

EDITS TO LISTINGS:

Please email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com if you:

• need to change hours or information in a listing
• need to change a photo