New This Week in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides At A Little Beacon Blog!

We've made so many updates to our classes and guides this week, we want to make sure you do not miss a thing!

We just found out this week that the 10th Annual Beacon Barks Parade has been postponed until the last Sunday of April 2017. In the meantime, please continue to support the Dutchess County SPCA and Beacon Barkery.

A Little Beacon Blog is happy to be a sponsor of "Turning Passion Into Profit" at Beahive on March 16th. The event is hosted by HV Women In Business, and the topic will be about how to become successful by doing what you love.

Great guide. Can't believe I missed out on the start of the Beginner Spanish class! https://t.co/FB48lv0IcA

— CTPassat (@CTPassat) February 21, 2016

Don't worry, "CTPassat," we have added more language classes (including Spanish!) from the Fishkill Recreation Center.

Has your kid expressed an interest in Babysitting? Make sure they are trained the right way.  We added a new Babysitting category to our Kids Classes, featuring workshops that aspiring caregivers can sign up for.

Has the craft bug bitten you? Take a road trip down to Pelham in Westchester County to learn the craft of Wet Felting, where you learn to transform delicate wool fibers and into strong cloth with beautiful texture.

And don't forget to keep moving! We added more Zumba! and Tai Chi classes at the Veterans Memorial Building and Beacon Recreation Center.

March is jam-packed with upcoming events to check out! Easter is early this year, so bring the kids to Memorial Park for their annual Easter Egg hunt. More new events include a magic show with illusionist Ryan Dutcher, a special "Coffee House" night at the Howland Cultural Center (check out the "Women Artists Of The Hudson Valley" exhibit while you're there), and the inaugural Parade Of Green for St. Patrick's Day!

Plan ahead for April by supporting The Beacon Players with their rendition of Peter Pan at Beacon High School.

Do you have a class or workshop you would like us to consider adding? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or via email at editorial@alittlebeacon.com. 

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe...Which Car Do You Want the Most? (Sponsored By Poughkeepsie Nissan)

How is that car of yours? The better your car is now, the more value it may have if you use it as a trade-in to get a different car! Poughkeepsie Nissan has a huge selection of new and used cars of many makes and models, including Audi, Mini, Subaru, Honda, and many more in all shapes and sizes. Pickup trucks, too! Poughkeepsie Nissan offers a guaranteed credit approval and is home of the Lifetime Powertrain Warranty on all new and pre-owned vehicles, which makes buying a pre-owned car that much more possible. Plus, have you tried their online shopping? You can "walk the lot" from your computer.

Getting to Poughkeepsie Nissan is easy. Zoom up Route 9 or take the prettier and more direct route up 9D, driving past the Stony Kill Farm and bright pink Nesting Doll store. Poughkeepsie Nissan is located across from Hannaford, so you can fit in some very affordable grocery shopping while you're out and about.

A Little Beacon Blog thanks Poughkeepsie Nissan for being a Spotlight Sponsor, which helps make our coverage of the amazing people and things to do in and around Beacon possible! 

Beacon Historical Society Begins Fundraising for a New Home - Kickoff at Beacon Bath and Bubble

On the coldest night of winter this season (as recorded on cell phones in the area), the Beacon Historical Society joined in February's Second Saturday fun with a gallery opening at Beacon Bath and Bubble. The event's purpose: to kick off their fundraising goal of raising money for a new physical home. The ever-expanding collection of more than 2,000 artifacts and historic materials including photos, letters, maps, and paintings has outgrown its current digs at the Howland Cultural Center. The Beacon Historical Society was formed in 1976 with the mission to "preserve, procure, and present Beacon’s heritage and history." To aid in that mission, a search has begun for a permanent location for a Beacon History Museum, which would serve as a place to store the heritage-focused collection, as well as being an educational destination for people to learn about Beacon across the centuries.

During the fundraiser, I interviewed Diane Lapis, a trustee at the Beacon Historical Society and one of the organizers of the night's event. Lapis ex planed to me how the Beacon Historical Society acquires its artifacts and why the organization needs a new home. The interview was originally broadcast live on A Little Beacon Blog's Periscope channel. If you're at home and want to catch live snippets with us out and about, definitely follow our handle @alittlebeacon! The broadcast only lasts for 24 hours over there, so we upload them to our YouTube channel, to which you can also subscribe.



Despite the frigid weather, art galleries on Main Street did have people inside, but you may not have seen them, thanks to the steamy windows! Beacon Bath and Bubble, located in the former home of The Hop, was nice and cozy inside, filled with devout supporters of this community and of the Beacon Historical Society.

Beacon Bath and Bubble made a custom-designed green soap for the occasion, fitting for the Irish in Beacon's history, as well as a bright reminder for the upcoming Irish parade.

During the gallery showing, captions were matched with pictures, enabling visitors to fall back into different decades of Beacon's history.

In this picture, a woman in a plaid dress, matching bonnet, and day gloves
crosses the street with her daughter, who wears a matching outfit.

An aerial photo of the property now known as The Roundhouse. The caption reveals why
the building was originally round - to accommodate the blacksmith stations built
around a large, central hearth. The Beacon Historical Society has evidence that
the building was once a place where the first lawnmowers were made in America,
in 1860-1870. However, the building dates back to 1820, so it has had many lives.

In addition to snagging a bar or two of the special soap, visitors had several ways to donate during the evening, including buying the Beacon Centennial book and raffle tickets. Support - philosophical and financial - was apparent just by opening the book. Local businesses commemorate important times in Beacon's history, as in this ad from Antalek & Moore, which was founded in 1853, and who through their family-owned insurance business knows the history of most homes in this community.
 

The Beacon Centennial book is for the most part divided into two-page chapters. A chapter on Urban Renewal is a page-stopper. Just as you're flipping through the book, there's a picture of a Victorian home being pushed over by a bulldozer - shocking, and revealing a pivotal point in our nation's history.

In the 1960s, federally funded programs aided communities in clearing out abandoned, decaying, or outdated buildings, with the intention of restoring life to those properties.With a controversial vote of 3-2 from Beacon's city council at the time, 205 homes and 142 buildings were torn down, according to Beacon Historical Society. This included buildings on Main Street, as well as the waterfront. Structures like the one Bank Square Coffeehouse is in is not the original, but was rebuilt as a shopping center for the west end of Main Street to take advantage of the then-new 9D corridor and Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. Urban Renewal programs ended in the 1970s, when "inflationary pressures forced the federal government to withdraw funds for any future renewal," according to the book. Although more than 500 new housing units and 250,000 square feet of new industrial space were created by Urban Renewal programs, it is only because of the cease in funding that many buildings, considered historic today, are still standing.

Page 44 in "Beacon at 100, 1913-2013" that gives an overview of the
controversial Urban Renewal project that Beacon participated in.

There are many ways to get involved with the Beacon Historical Society: You might become a member, donate funds, volunteer, or donate historical items. However you decide to get involved, your view of Beacon is sure to be enriched, and reviewing our city's past will help you form opinions on development projects and cultural opportunities to come. 

Longtime Beacon resident Kate (Sandford) Rabe, of Kate Rabe Consulting, attended the event, and declared: "I was so happy that I braved the cold and made it to the Historical Society event at Beacon Bath and Bubble. As a lifelong resident of Beacon, I have never really given much thought to the changes that have occurred in Beacon over the years, not just in my life but also everything that my family has seen over the past 65+ years that they have lived here. I have my membership application filled out and ready to send. I want to become part of keeping this greatness alive!"

P.S.: If you want to stay in the loop on current development projects, you can have videos emailed to you along with the City of Beacon's newsletter. You can also watch the City Council meetings and Planning Board meetings on the Municipal Channel of your TV.  

P.P.S: If you're reading this article way in the future, and that newsletter link doesn't work and has changed, then check the City of Beacon's website for any updated link. We try to keep links updated through the history of this publication, but here's a backup ... just in case!

New This Week in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides At A Little Beacon Blog!

There seems to be a theme with the classes and events added to our Things To Do In Beacon guides this week - keep it in the family! Not only is a new "Parenting" category added, we added more classes from Waddle n Swaddle, ranging from pre-natal topics to teaching children French!

Want a change of scenery and to spend some time on a farm? Stony Kill Farm is opening its doors Saturdays and Sundays for Open Barn tours starting this month through November. Parents can even sign up to volunteer as a guide with their child!

Another class added for parent/child is the Dancin' 2's program at Yanarella Ballet School, which started this week for as young as 16 months. This class introduces children to creative movement, helping them to develop motor skills as they run, skip and jump the day away.

If you always wanted to learn how to knit, it is never too late to start, and it can be a therapeutic skill to have. Beacon Art Studio has started their Knit, Slip and Beyond class for young and old, beginner or advanced.

Speaking of crafts, added to our Events page is Fishkill's Fine Arts & Craft Fair, hosted by the Fishkill Business Association, which is going into its 23rd year. They are looking for vendors for this year's event, so get your applications in!

Do you have a class or workshop you would like us to consider adding? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or via email at editorial@alittlebeacon.com. 

It's Flyer Friday! A Peek Into Our Day Hanging Flyers Around Town

The Latest Headlines flyers, fresh from Accuprint the printer.

I now proclaim Fridays in a given month to be Flyer Fridays! The latest headlines from A Little Beacon Blog are selected and printed out at Accuprint on Main Street, and passed out by me in a semi-strategic fashion with a box of thumbtacks and the tape roller hanging out of my pocket.

Hanging flyers is actually nerve-wracking because you're walking into someone's busy day and asking if your own business can show up on their walls. It's really fun, however, to be out and about, out from behind my computer, basking in the sunshine. I've also tried bringing my daughter along so that she can see me at work in a different capacity other than sitting at a computer. This prospect did not go over so well, as she just wanted to get home and run around, so ... I turned it into a job prospect for her! Now, when she comes with my on my flyer route, she is a Flyer Hanger and gets paid 10 whole dollars for the afternoon, which sometimes consists of hanging flyers in just three shops (thanks Beacon Karate!) because of the introductions and shop-talk conversations that take place. But, I figure this is a good job to do, as she's saving up for the grand summer of Summer Day Camps; the cash goes right into her Camp bank envelope.

What my daughter has seen, however, is the denial of a flyer hung. I know! Some businesses just don't do flyers, and that's perfectly alright. But after that happened, she started rooting for me. When we took ourselves on a business lunch to BJ's for some sweet yams and mac 'n' cheese, she insisted that I ask them if we could hang a flyer. I told her that we could wait till the end of our lunch, as they were very busy. But she persisted. "Persistence" is one of her favorite words that she learned at school. I asked why she wanted me to ask so badly ... why the sudden interest? She replied: "I want to see if they said yes!"

BJ's did say yes. Thank you, BJ's! And thank you to everyone who takes flyers! Homespun, Baja 328, Bank Square, Beacon Natural Market, Antelek and Moore Insurance, Beacon Dental, Key Food, everyone!

Do you want the Latest Headlines or a Things To Do In Beacon Guide flyer in your store? Comment here or on Facebook to let me know, and we will stop in!

Daddy, I Swallowed My Molar! Is This a Job for the Tooth Fairy? (Sponsored by Beacon Dental)

An unusual question from a reader came in after her 6-year-old son confessed before bedtime that while eating breakfast that morning, he chomped on something hard, and swallowed it. While thinking about it at school that day, the boy decided that he must have swallowed his molar because the rest of his teeth were in place. When he told his dad, his father was under the impression that molars were permanent and did not fall out. After consulting the book "The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist" and coming up with no answers, the family thought of A Little Beacon Blog's friend Beacon Dental - they must know the answer! Because most importantly, if the tooth was swallowed, does the Tooth Fairy come to collect it?

To find the answer to the tooth question, we went straight to Dr. Wang herself, mother of a teenager who we showcased here. Dr. Wang answered affirmatively: "Yes, kids lose all of their baby teeth. Unless they don’t want to grow up…!” Aha! So this was Peter Pan's trick! And Tinker Bell was maybe in on it with the Tooth Fairy! Pictured above in this article is one of Beacon Dental's gentle hygienists counting the teeth in a 3-year-old during his first visit to the dentist. Brushing baby teeth and visiting the dentist regularly are important ways to keep baby teeth healthy, even though they do fall out! Located in the plaza on Wolcott Avenue, Beacon Dental is an easy location to drive or walk to, and has a parking lot.

So there you have it: Yes, young kids do lose their molars. As for whether the Tooth Fairy comes to collect it, I will leave that process to you... but somehow, a delivery of some kind should probably appear.

Beacon Dental is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and we thank you for supporting businesses that make this publication possible!

Need a Card? For Saying I Love You, Thanks, or to Address Your Inner Awesome Self

Isn't shopping for cards fun? Should you need one today - Valentine's Day - or any day of the week, you could of course find rows and rows of them at Rite Aid, which does carry the popular Papyrus cards that are usually decorated with glitter, or you could find clever cards from artists in your favorite boutique. The best part about this route: The cards carried in each store reveal the personality behind each proprietress or proprietor. Which personality fits you?

Awwwe! A Forever Awkward Together card is precious with this gift set, from proprietress Michelle Caves at Blackbird Attic, on Beacon's east end of town near the mountain.

At first glance, these lovely fonts are so innocent...until you read the kick-ass message!
Find these "glitter and cleavage" or "Being a badass is exhausting" cards in one of Beacon's newest shops, Style Store House from owner Michele Williams, who is actually from Poughkeepsie! #funfact. Style Store House is on Beacon's east end of town near Utensil and the mountain.

If Clay Wood & Cotton owner Kristy Carpenter had her way,
she'd knit all day at home without pants. And she's got the card to prove it.
Plus, find locally designed pottery for your coffee and tea drinking needs. Clay Wood & Cotton is on Beacon's west end of town near Bank Square.
HOT TIP! Some of the most beautiful and creative flower bouquets from Viridescent are at Clay Wood & Cotton today - Sunday!

Are you part of one of those lucky couples who shares the same schedule -
and taste in shows - to hunker down on the couch and binge-watch
shows together? So is Jackie Foley, owner of The Pfotoshop.

And because it's Valentine's Day, you may need a larger
selection of smart love cards, also at The Pfotoshop.

Because really...cats will wake you up each morning with kisses...
and demand to be fed. Wait a minute...aren't you supposed to get
breakfast in bed on Valentine's Day? Or your birthday? Or any day?

YES. One of my favorite cards at Play, on Beacon's west end of town.
Because really, prehistoric reptiles are pretty cool.

Should you need a Thank You card at any time for a job interview,
gift, or just any reason to say Thanks, you've got options at The Pfotoshop,
Clay Wood & Cotton, and Echo.

This is not an exhaustive list, as cards show up in several shops around town at any given time, and this won't be the last stationery roundup you'll get! Keep your eye on another new shop, Wanderlust Gifts near Ella's Bellas, who has a curious collection of just the right things you need for any given moment.

Find addresses and days open for these shops in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide!

New This Week in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides At A Little Beacon Blog!

Our Classes Guides, which are part of the Things to Do in Beacon Guides, continue to grow this week!  The Beacon Pantry has more classes coming this month if you want to up your cheese-and-wine pairing game. We also added more classes for moms-to-be or brand new moms, with classes from Waddle n Swaddle. Our friends at the updated Howland Public Library have a new kids class starting this weekend, Kids Explore: Sea+Space.

We have added more categories to both Kids and Adults Classes to help your searching and get you exposure to more business classes and workshops: 

Baby/Infant (Kids)

Business (Adults)

Cooking (Adults)

Food/Tasting (Adults)

Open Houses (Kids)

Pre-Natal (Adults)

We appreciate everyone sharing their classes and workshops with us on Twitter, Facebook, and via email at editorial@alittlebeacon.com, so keep them coming!

More Annual Events are being added too! Next month, visit the Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill for their FREE 13th Annual Sugar Maple Celebration, co-sponsored by The Fresh Air Fund and New York State Outdoor Education Association.

Sweet and Spicy Valentine's Day Gift Guide for Beacon 2016!

Y'all. You are in for a delightful weekend in Beacon again! Happy Valentine's Day! We have many gift ideas to warm your heart, because it will be chilly out! Quick, scroll down and see which idea works for your valentine, even if you are your own valentine! PS: Need a card?

Beacon Pantry

Beacon Pantry's owner, Stacey, is the queen of cheeses in Beacon. (She frequently takes trips to Europe to further educate herself.) Thanks to her obsession with flavors, Beacon Pantry is offering a fondue night on Saturday and Sunday from 2pm-9pm. On the menu is fondue, but they will also substitute a cheese and charcuterie plate if desired. Each couple receives bubbly fondue with all the trimmings, a bottle of bubbly and a dessert to share! Reservations are required.
Details >

After Ella's More Good Tasting Room

This Valentine's Day Sunday, Ella's Bellas and Drink More Good (we covered More Good's bitters here) have teamed up to introduce After Ella's: More Good Tasting Room for a very boozy Valentine’s Day brunch, which will run from 11am-3pm, followed by an evening of small plates and cocktails from 4pm-9pm. Guest Chef Brandon Collins will be serving up some fantastic food and More Good will be curating the cocktail menu. Normally they serve a light breakfast on the weekend, as seen in A Little Beacon Blog's Best Brunches Guide, but this special brunch opportunity is a treat. Yum.
Details >

A Room With a Heated Stone Floor

Watch out world...one of the sisters of Cedar Lakes Estates, and of the corresponding Instagram account "sistersofcedarlakes," has moved to Beacon, bringing with her the style of the unbelievably beautiful wedding and event venue from Port Jervis (off of I-84's Exit 2). You could book this room with its "heated stone floors, wood burning fireplace and like 100 furry blankets" and take a mini-vacation from Beacon. Just sayin'.
Details >

Beacon's airbnb scene offers many options, from romantic and country to city and lofty. Here are two you'll want to try:

A Room with Quite a View

Lambs Hill is a private equestrian estate on Mount Beacon, with 180-degree views overlooking the Hudson River and Beacon. This private guest house is part of a larger wedding destination spot. During your stay in a beautifully designed luxury suite, you can visit the estate's Icelandic horses and donkeys, or slip into the outdoor hot tub. One mile to Beacon's Main St. and 2 miles to train and Dia.
Details >

An AirBNB in Beacon Special

You can stay for a night in this mid-19th-century Italianate home. Owned by a sculptor, you have a built-in concierge as he is happy to advise you on the local arts and outdoor scene. Just half a block off of Beacon's Main Street, and minutes to the Metro-North train station.
Details >

Lacy Things!

You can thank Christina Faraj, The Bra Fit Expert for the sexy lead photo of this Valentine's Day Gift Guide, as she is selling that matching lingerie set in her shop, located in a permanent pop-up space in Echo Boutique on Beacon's east end of town near the mountain. Walk on down to her shop and you can buy the lingerie set seen here, or any lingerie item, and get a festive valentine gift bag to give your valentine. Pictured here is a matching set, with a black lace push-up demi bra from BTempted. Christina is a professional bra fitter and can get you in exactly the right shape for your body. She can see you on the spot if you need a quick fitting, but if she's not there, fear not, you can grab any style of bra you want and buy it at the sales counter at Echo. The Bra Fit Expert is a Featured Business in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide, and she always has something new up her sleeve!

Hot Stone Massage and Melt Those Cares Away

With all of the heavy shoveling you aren't doing this year, I know your body is worn out anyway, from getting your taxes ready, last minute Valentine's Day shopping and teacher card writing, and all of the other things during your day that make you tense. I'm not sure how you are going to make it to March without getting a therapeutic massage from Karen Meyer at River Therapeutic Massage, who has designed a special Valentine's Day massage just for you. Incorporating gently warmed and scented oils, the Himalayan Salt Stone Massage Experience is like no other. These polished stones have ancient healing energy to bring balance to the mind, body and spirit. Luxuriate in their warmth as they ease the tension out of your back, neck and shoulders.

Your session continues with an oil-infused Himalayan Salt Scrub for your hands and feet…and finally, complete your experience with a relaxing and rejuvenating Mini Facial Massage, enhanced with essential oils. Choose from rose, frankincense or several others.

While you’re still feeling the post-massage “glow,” enjoy a glass of wine or mineral water and a light snack. No rush to get back to real life!

River Therapeutic Massage is a featured business in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide, and each month we are tempted with a new offering! So keep checking here to find out which special Karen will offer next.
Details >

Couples Massage

Maybe you did a couples massage on your honeymoon, or maybe you've never booked a massage with your honey at all. This may be your weekend! Terra Firma Massage is offering an educational twist to this, where you can learn some easy massage techniques to enhance your connection with each other and not feel like you don't know how to give a nice back rub. Giannetta Salon Spa always has available their couples room, which includes homemade banana bread for you to snack on. Amazing, I know! For other sources of massages, do see A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide for many more ideas.

Fun in a Photo Booth!

Adorbs, I know. You too can look this cute and fabulous in the photo booth at The Pfotoshop, who painted the backdrop pink for Valentine's Day! Pfotoshop is a boutique specializing in home decor and gifts and is a featured shop in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide. They're on the east end of Main Street near the mountain, one of a few shops in the old Matteawan train station. And if you need to pucker up for that photo like owner Jackie Foley is here, head across the street to The Blushery, where you'll find a fresh shade of pink or red lipstick.

Do treat yourself to these lovely aromas, the Pfotoshop's newest line of bath and body products.

Roller Skating Date!

I know, right? You're dying to go roller skating with your mate! Well now you can, in Hyde Park at Roller Magic. Hyde Park Roller Magic is also included in our Adults Classes Guide, should you be looking for hula hooping classes...

Going to a Dance

Those Howlands...they are always dancing! Every month,, the Howland Cultural Center has a dance event, and this month it is in honor of Valentine's Day on Saturday night at 8pm. Special refreshments will be served, along with chocolates. This night is also Beacon's Second Saturday, so after you see art by walking our Second Saturday Guide, drop into this dance!

Chocolate and Balloons

Sometimes you need to give balloons instead of chocolate or flowers. Maybe your recipient is not eating chocolate at the moment, or is overwhelmed by the scent of flowers. Balloons are the way to go. My secret balloon source is the little shop in the middle of town that is next door to Trendy Tots, the kids consignment shop. If you have never been inside of this little store, I know that you have walked by it several times. The window is nondescript with old flyers on it, but the woman inside is magical and very busy building flower arrangements and blowing up mylar balloons, and even has an air pump for those of you who need a sea of balloons on the floor or taped to walls for decoration. At the time of the publishing of this article, the photo of her storefront is buried in my files, but I will snap the shot and post it here.

A lot of chocolate was consumed for the writing of this Valentine's Day Gift Guide. These chocolate hearts in particular are from Alps Sweets Shop on Beacon's Main Street. The chocolate-covered Oreos below are famously from Gourmetibles.

Kids Activities

You knew Beacon's bakers were going to do something special for Valentine's Day! The Be Mine Pop UP  is your chance to buy baked goods from 5 Hens as well as sing and dance in Spanish with Lisa Marie and listen to bluegrass music from The Miller Brothers. This is a weekend event, running from Friday at 4pm until Sunday. So get up on it.
Details >

Friday afternoon at 4pm, make cards at The Beacon Bagel with The Beacon Craft Workshop to raise money for the Beacon Soup Kitchen. Kids 5 and up can attend without a parent, and kids 4 and under must be with a parent.
Details >

Work off the Chocolate

Maybe you forwent all of the gifts and went straight for dessert, as was recommended here in last year's Valentine's Day post with the seven sources of chocolates at that time. It's best you go to a boot camp or get some endorphin-producing exercise. All Sport's special Buddy Boot Camp is your chance to come with a friend and work out together in what will be a challenging morning, but so worth it in the end. And you can always relax in the hot sauna to sweat it out even more when complete. This is one of several special classes at All Sport that we keep track of here at A Little Beacon Blog.

This Valentine's Day Gift Guide was brought to you buy (typo intended!) A Little Blog's Shopping Guide. There are plenty more gift ideas out there on Main Street, and we have your full Shopping Guide for when you are out and about! Have A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide open on your phone as you look for gifts for Men, Women, Kids, Foodies, and more.