Experimental Fine Artist Painter Jeffrey Terreson Moves to Main Street - Opening Tonight (Sponsored)

Jeffrey Terreson is classified as a fine artist. One look at the deeply sourced lighting in his horse paintings in his Equus collection, and you know you are standing in the light of a master painter. Further inspection of the paint reveals layers and layers of textures of not just paint, but maybe sand, wax or other mediums that Terreson experiments with, which he then carves into to reveal tiers of visions applied earlier to the canvas to create the impressionistic effect.

This painting you need to experience in person. Jeffrey Terreson's Beacon gallery is at 475 Main St.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Terreson was a born artist, his talents being revealed in kindergarten, and rewarded at the collegiate level with a four-year Merit Scholarship to Columbus College of Art and Design. In his earlier years twenty years ago, national magazines such as Time and Newsweek published his fine art. Private collectors, including Ralph Lauren and Joseph Abboud, purchased or commissioned his paintings, encouraging him to challenge himself to stretch the ways he translates what he sees onto canvas.

Shadowy and beautiful.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

“You don’t need a brush to be a fine artist,” Terreson says. “Painting can be done in so many exciting ways of creating; why limit it to a brush?" Terreson can be seen using a blowtorch to further melt the painting, or carve into it with other tools. Terreson uses oil paint as a base of much of his work, and like other artists we have covered, is known for mixing other textures into the oil foundation.

Terreson is new in Beacon, but established in the professional illustration world, in Westchester and entering the gallery world in New York and the Hamptons. In the past two years (2014 and 2015), seven of nine of Terreson's museum entries were accepted. Juried by Eva Respini, a curator of MoMA, Terreson’s "Driven" was included in the Katonah Museum of Art as part of their "Line to Cone" exhibition. In addition, six of his entries were accepted into the Hammond Museum curated by David McFadden, Chief Curator and Vice President for Programs and Collections at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. In December 2015, Jeffrey was asked to donate to the collection of the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, Connecticut.

Like all artists who work for hire, it can take a while before the work of passion takes the lead. After years of experimentation, Terreson is devoting his career to showing his work, in addition to making commissioned work. One of Terreson's mottos leads the way of his work: "If you don’t take a chance, you never move forward."

What would you make of these colors, and the details up close? Come in to the gallery to see for yourself.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Mixed media in Terreson's paintings.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Please welcome Jeffrey Terreson tonight (Thursday, June 23rd, 2016) at his opening at 475 Main Street from 6 to 9pm. His new home in Beacon is the former Back Room Gallery, where he has been working for weeks to set up this show. Be sure to notice his new shingle, and newly painted storefront!

We caught him last night as power drills and ladders were scattered in various parts of the room, paintings still being hung and leveled on the walls. In the hours leading up to his opening night, Terreson is moving his studio from Westchester to Beacon, where he will be painting in the back of the gallery. His works average 8-10 feet tall, so watching him paint these oversize canvases is a sight in and of itself.

A video posted by A Little Beacon Blog (@alittlebeacon) on Jun 22, 2016 at 8:01pm PDT

Because I love behind-the-scenes shots, and because I love power drills, here are a few photos of the setup on the eve of the Thursday, June 23rd opening. Hope to see you tonight at the opening! And every day after that, peeking into the windows or walking in to take a look around.

The window paper is down... Come on in!
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

All level.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

This ladder has since come down, and the horse paintings from Terreson's "Equus" collection have gone up.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Another ladder that has since come down! Ready for you to enter the room
behind it, where several paintings from Terreson's collections hang.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Also see our previous article that went deep into the back rooms of this gallery, showing you the bones of this building that you've not seen before.

Thank you for supporting businesses in A Little Beacon Blog's Community Partner Sponsors who help make this publication possible! Please contact us if interested in getting involved as a Community Partner Sponsor.

June Happenings at All Sport Health & Fitness To Start The Summer Off Right! (Sponsored)

Happy first day of Summer! Now that the pool and outdoor park at All Sport are open, this is the perfect time to visit All Sport Health & Fitness this Summer! With long summer hours, the pool and outdoor park are open to you to cool off in the hot afternoon sun! In addition to their outdoor and pool activities, All Sport is hosting special events and classes throughout the Summer.

Check out what is scheduled for the remainder of June. It includes outdoor classes like Aqua Boogie, H2O Body Blast, Yoga For Tennis Players, and live music!

As you may have heard, the New York Blood Center is in need of donations. All Sport will be doing their part by hosting a Blood Drive today from noon to 6 pm.

Summer Camp registration at CampFIT is still open and includes Summer Day, Teen Travel and/or Tennis Camp.

Let All Sport be a part of your family's Summer fun!

All Sport is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created with them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like this, that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor or Community Partner, please click here for more information.

Line Dancing At Poughkeepsie Nissan! June 23rd Fundraiser For The Grace Smith House

You don't need a reason to dance, but when it's for a good cause, there's no stopping you! On Thursday, June 23rd, Poughkeepsie Nissan is hosting a Line-Dancing Fundraiser, where all proceeds will go to The Grace Smith House in Poughkeepsie.

If you've never line-danced before, no worries! Brandon will be giving lessons and the music is provided by CJ. The dance will be held outside at the new car lot, and there will be lots of space for dancing from 7 to 10pm.

The Grace Smith House is a safe haven for victims of domestic violence and provides support, legal advocacy, housing assistance, child protection assistance, counseling and so much more.

Poughkeepsie Nissan is located at 1445 Route 9, Wappingers Falls, NY across from Hannaford.

Want to join in for a rootin' tootin' good time? Learn more and RSVP on Facebook, see you there! 

Thank you for supporting businesses in A Little Beacon Blog's Community Partner Sponsors who help make this publication possible! Please contact us if interested in getting involved as a Community Partner Sponsor.

All Sport's Outdoor Pool and Park Opening This Friday May 27th! (Sponsor Post)

It's the day we've all been waiting for! Don't worry if you do not have a pool in your backyard this summer, you will always have a place to swim at All Sport Health & Fitness in Fishkill. Their outdoor pool opens for the summer season this Friday at noon and we can't wait! You can see a full listing of their summer outdoor hours here.

Have you been there before? It's an oasis! With two adult pools and one kiddie pool with a sloped depth for little ones and toddlers, All Sport offers refreshing room for everyone. Dry off while playing ping pong, or enjoy tunes from the bands that are scheduled all summer on their covered deck. Plus, the rumors are that Pool Volleyball for all adult ages gets pretty popular there too. Lounge by the Tiki Bar and enjoy an iced tea or something on tap.

Hungry for dinner and hot and tired at the end of the day? The kids won't mind if you buy them dinner of chicken nuggets and yogurt strips, a favorite on the menu. Don't worry about packing a dinner for your family while you take a dip. You can enjoy some fresh air and stay well-fed and hydrated with All Sport's food menu.

If your kids are in All Sport's Summer Camp, extend your kid-pickup for a quick swim! You know how hot it can get later in the day. Check out All Sport Health & Fitness for their Outdoor Club membership. If you haven't seen the Outdoor Club yet, ask to be taken on a tour.

All Sport is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created with them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like this, that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor or Community Partner, please click here for more information.

Flooding From Upstairs Apartments Closes Main Street Businesses. WhatInsurance Covers That?

Over the past two years, a few of your favorite businesses on Main Street have been forced to close temporarily due to damage caused from flooding from residential apartments above them. Mountain Tops was one when their inventory got wiped out last summer, and Style Storehouse (pictured here) was almost another, but fortunately owner Michele was in the store that day and could move her racks of clothing as the drips came from the ceiling.

Accidents happen: Bathtub or sink faucets get left on, or maybe a pipe bursts. Water might flood from your bathroom if a shower curtain is untucked or if very wet children get out of a full bathtub. It might ruin nothing, dampening only floors, and perhaps only cause an inconvenient cleanup. But if it starts dripping into the room below, watch out for that invariably soggy ceiling that will need to be replaced. For a business located below a residential apartment, water can damage inventory, kitchen equipment, flooring that the business owner installed - the financially devastating possibilities are neverending. When this happens, who pays for the damage? Who is responsible?

Pat Moore, partner at the local insurance agency on Main Street in Beacon, Antalek & Moore, provides insight: "Water damage insurance claims can be very expensive, but can also be in a 'gray area' of insurance coverage. Even the most comprehensive of insurance policies do not eliminate the coverage 'gray area.' "

What is the gray area? In Pat's words: "One requirement of all insurance coverages is that the damage needs to be caused by something that is sudden and accidental. For example, a deep freeze in the winter causes pipes to freeze and ultimately burst causing water damage. The act of freezing is generally considered to be sudden and accidental, and most comprehensive insurance policies the business owner has will cover these damages."

So what about an apartment dweller who starts to fill the bathtub with water, then gets distracted and forgets? The water overflows and now the business owner on the first floor has a small lake in their place of business. Says Pat: "This is certainly a gray area. Some insurance carriers may just decline to cover these kinds of incidents due to the lack of a sudden and accidental event. Others may decide to cover the damage with the hopes of making a recovery from the apartment dweller. If the apartment dweller has no homeowner's insurance, this is not an attractive option to an insurance carrier.  Some carriers may just cover the claim outright. How an insurance company will react is unpredictable."

Pat and the entire staff at Antalek & Moore work with a number of insurance carriers to find their clients the best coverage for competitive prices, and they have seen it all. Says Pat, as he recalls examples that have defined his years of experience in the insurance business: "It is important to understand what happened in this case. Unfortunately, the business owner sustained damage because the apartment owner was negligent. The relevant insurance policy for this case is the liability part of the apartment owner’s homeowner's insurance."

When and if you ever lived in an apartment, did you carry renter's or homeowner's insurance? Chances are low that you did because no one required you to, as home buyers are required by a mortgage company to carry insurance when a home is financed through a bank.

Which brings Pat to an issue he is passionate about: "When a business owner seeks to occupy a commercial space, most landlords require the business to secure a liability insurance policy and to provide the landlord with written proof that insurance is in place. This is a common practice. A less-common practice is the landlord making the same requirement of apartment dwellers. The cost for this coverage for an apartment dweller is typically $150 per year or less. Having an apartment dweller on the floors above who has an insurance policy in force should be a must-have for any street-level business.

"What does this do? In the case of the overflowing bathtub, the business can make a claim against the apartment dweller and his or her insurance policy. It mitigates the gray area." Also, a landlord might file a claim for the damage, and that may or may not be paid out by the insurance company. Further, says Pat, "The claim could be denied by the landlord's insurance carrier and will almost certainly not cover the damage to the business owner's property."

Consider this flipped way of thinking before you sign the lease on your commercial space. Chicken Little ran around warning his friends that the sky was falling, and while your inventory is inside and locked behind freshly installed locks and protected by a security system, the sky - and a lot of ceiling plaster - just might fall on and ruin all that is important to you and pays the bills for your family. If you are a person renting from an apartment above a business, consider getting renter's insurance for several reasons, accidents like this being one of them.

Antalek & Moore is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created with them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like this, that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor or Community Partner, please click here for more information.

Starting in May: Beacon Open Studios and Constellation Boat and Walking Tours to Bannerman Castle 2016

Behind most great artistic projects in Beacon, you'll find BeaconArts. Founded over a decade ago to serve as a promotion engine for galleries, and later businesses of varying kinds, BeaconArts is connected to just about everything happening in Beacon, specifically two big events opening this month: Beacon Open Studios (BeaconArts is a Fiscal Sponsor) and Constellation (BeaconArts is a Community Partner).

As BeaconArts is one of our Sponsor Spotlight partners here at A Little Beacon Blog, we take pleasure in highlighting two great happenings a month for them, and this month, the focus is on two major Things To Do that you can start planning for now: the city-wide Beacon Open Studios, and Constellation's boat and walking tours launching to Pollepel Island to see the stars making up a constellation installed on Bannerman Castle.

Starting May 7, Running Through October 2016!

Melissa McGill’s land art project CONSTELLATION continues to light up every night at sunset and launches its second season of sunset boat tours. See the installation up close, tour the Bannerman Castle ruins on Pollepel Island, and watch the project come alive while on the Hudson River aboard the Estuary Steward. Tours begin May 7 and run through October 2016, departing from Beacon, NY, steps away from Dia:Beacon. Need some food? Stop into Homespun's location at Dia. Individual and group reservations are now available online. More information about the project, schedules and tickets, including artist-led tours and programs, can be found here.

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Beacon Open Studios Happens May 21-22, 2016!

Beacon Open Studios is a weekend-long event where the artists of Beacon, NY, open their studios to the public. Studios will be open all over Beacon to visit and a free catalog with map will be available to guide you around town.  Looking for free parking lots? We have a Guide for that that includes all pictures of locations of free public parking! For some artists, this is one of the only times you can not only see their works IRL (in real life), but visitors can go inside of their studios! Not all artists show from their workspaces, however; some partner with local restaurants and shops.

Here is a random sampling of artists you can find, of which there are over 50! Catalogs will be available throughout town for you to pick up and plot your artist hop! You will definitely want to have A Little Beacon Blog's Restaurant Guide open on your phone for ideas on where to fuel up.

Kat Stoutenborough
50 Liberty Street

Caiming Cheung
5 Beekman Street

The Ground Radio Project
Kube-211 Fishkill Ave.
Room 202 C
(the old Beacon high school)

Margaux Lange
19 Lincoln Avenue

Glen Sneyd
50 Liberty Street

BeaconArts is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created for them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like this, that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Community Partner, please click here for more information.

Alright, Beaconite...You Like a Subaru. Poughkeepsie Nissan Has Those Too! (Sponsored)

Alright, Beaconite ... you like a Subaru. And those boxy cars, like the Honda Element, the Kia Soul, and a good Jeep. We get it - they have a lot of room in the back for hauling away finds from the Beacon Flea, or a good yard sale, or even for picking up a bale of seedless hay from Sunny Gardens on 9D.

So guess what? Poughkeepsie Nissan, just up Route 9, redesigned their logo for a reason and included these words in it: "The BIG Store." That's because in addition to all of the new and used Nissans you can choose from on the lot, they have an even bigger lot of pre-owned cars, the collection of which includes Subarus, Hondas, and Kias. And even BMWs!

I know you need a new or different car pretty soon. So this is what you're going to do:

1. Take the scenic (and possibly faster) route up 9D past Stony Kill Farms, past the bright pink Nesting Doll store, past the Randolph School, and then take a right. 
2. You'll veer left without even touching Route 9, and take the back road to Poughkeepsie Nissan.
3. Park.
4. Walk into the showroom. Before you go in there, however, look behind you because you'll see the giant lot of great-looking pre-owned cars in the lot next door. Many of them have a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty, which makes buying a pre-owned vehicle feel more secure.
5. Also, take note of the Service Center right next to the showroom. They work on all kinds of vehicles, foreign and domestic, and can take care of your car needs.
6. Any of the sales people can help you, but if you get Nick, he'll take you on a test drive on a route of back roads that he made up. It will go toward Bowdoin Park, and you'll see some river and some reeds, and be able to test out the turning radius and brakes in your possible new car.
7. When you get back, the negotiating is up to you, but Poughkeepsie Nissan works with a lot of banks and credit unions, and everyone has a 100% guaranteed credit approval.

Send us a picture of what you drive home with!

Poughkeepsie Nissan is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created for them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like this, that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor Spotlight or Community Partner, please click here for more information.

April at All Sport is Spring Challenges, Barre Fusion, Tai Chi Classes, and Swimming (Sponsored)

April is moving fast through All Sport! Here's the good news: It's Buddy Month! So you get to bring a friend who has been considering joining. Meanwhile, April is an important time for new class signups, including Swimming (registration is going on now, so reserve your spot). You want the kids swimming by summer so that you all can enjoy All Sport's Outdoor Park and Pool, with the poolside food and drink bar!

A Little Beacon Blog keeps tabs on all of the super important dates you want to know about at All Sport. Highlights include:

• SGT Spring Challenge: April 18 to June 26
• Les Mills Launch: April 18 to 23
• Eat Fat, Get Thin: April 21
• Comedy Night At All Sport: April 23 
• Open House for Summer Camp: Camp Fit is open for you to explore on Saturday April 23rd, 11:00-2:00 pm Details>

Definitely look through their classes for adults, which include Barre Fusion, Zumba, and even Tai Chi.

Have you been to a birthday party at All Sport? Booking one is easier and more affordable than you think. We got the scoop for you.
 
Click here for All Sport's easy calendar on A Little Beacon Blog!

Security in Weddings Has a Whole New Meaning With Antalek & Moore Wedding Insurance (Sponsored)

Wedding bells are ringing! The wedding season has begun, and you or your friends may need wedding insurance to have the Big Day. While we'll always plan for events to play out dreamily, what if your reception venue goes out of business a month before the wedding, and you lose your deposit and have to find another location? Or a hurricane causes your wedding to be postponed? What if your bridal shop closes, leaving you without a gown? OMG. You don't need to be left speechless.

You could call Antalek & Moore to get Wedding Insurance to cover things like Severe Weather, Transportation Shutdown, Ruined Photos (the worst!), Call to Duty, Venue Requirements, and more.

Coverage is also included even after the big day. Kelly and Roberto enjoyed their beautiful wedding up until their photographer called to say their wedding photos were ruined during the development process.  Having the right insurance can help cover the cost to re-take some of your wedding photos.

The average cost of weddings is around $28,000, but that number is rising. You have been planning your wedding day for months and there is no reason it shouldn't go off without a hitch. Call Antalek and Moore today at (845) 831-4300.

Antalek and Moore works in collaboration with Travelers, and wedding coverage includes:

• Lost deposits
• Damaged gown/tuxedo
• Lost rings
• Weather
• Sudden illness
• Transportation shutdown
• Ruined photos
• Call of duty
• Liquor liability
• Damaged gifts
• Additional venue insurance
• Additional expenses such as changing venues at the last minute

Weddings are an investment, like buying a car and a home, so let Antalek and Moore be a part of your wedding planning by providing the protection your wedding deserves. 

Antalek & Moore is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created for them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like this, that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Community Partner, please click here for more information.

Driving Away In A New Car Is So Easy At Poughkeepsie Nissan (Sponsor)

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM OUR PARTNER
Poughkeepsie Nissan
Home of "The Big Store" for New and Pre-Owned Cars

Poughkeepsie Nissan makes it very easy to get into a car that fits your lifestyle and drive it home. With guaranteed credit approval, you could drive away with a deal like this. Get a new Nissan Rogue with 0% APR for up to 36 months. That's a lot of savings!

Or walk the lot of their "Big Store" of pre-owned cars of many makes and models, that Beacon-native and Executive Manager Fran Pomarico talks about in this video.

See all messages from Poughkeepsie Nissan here at A Little Beacon Blog!



Thank you for supporting businesses in A Little Beacon Blog's Sponsor Spotlight Series who help make this publication possible!

March Happenings at All Sport - Including Cycle/Yoga Fusion and Kids Spring Break Camp (Sponsored)

The Cycle/Yoga fusion has been a popular workshop, and is offered on special days only.
Last month, registration doubled as a fundraiser.
This month, registration is going to fill up fast, so get up on it!
Details on Cycle/Fusion below.

The focus is on fitness at All Sport, but their programming is saying it loud and clear: All Sport is a well-rounded club membership. It's an experience with a lot of choices for the whole family. People who have lived in the Hudson Valley their whole lives and whose parents worked at All Sport decades ago have told me: "I lived at All Sport. My mom worked there and I was there all summer. I loved it."

Everyone's experience at All Sport is different, thanks to their ongoing programs in vastly different areas, like basketball leagues for adults, indoor soccer classes for boys and girls, boxing classes with one-time only workshops designed to shake it up and challenge you, entertain you, and keep you on your toes - your boxing toes!

A Little Beacon Blog keeps a full schedule of what is happening at All Sport here at the blog so that you have easy access to see what is going on this month, on which days, for which ages. We are dedicated to helping you have an organized, curated experience here in Beacon and the Hudson Valley, and incorporating All Sport's programs into your weekday and weekend schedule is no exception!

Here's the rundown of things you don't want to miss at All Sport for March. As you know, classes book up fast and you've got to be a quick little bunny to sign up. Keep All Sport's Sponsor Spotlight page open on your phone and refresh it every now and then for the latest classes and programs.

FOR KIDS:

March 1, 2016 - Book Club Begins (ok, this has passed, but know that they have a Book Club!)

March 2, 2016 - Registration for Spring 1 (members)

March 4, 2016 - Registration for Spring 1 (non-members)

March 4, 2016 - Pool Volleyball

March 9, 2016 - Sports Conditioning & Pitching

March 11, 2016 - Kids Night Out

March 11, 2016 - Free Swim Assessment

March 12, 2016 - Babysitting Course

March 21-25, 2016 - Spring Camp

March 28, 2016 - Spring 1 session of programs begin

March 31, 2016 - Lifeguard Training

Special for Wappingers Falls School District: School Age Child Care Begins in September 

FOR ADULTS 

Special workshops have been designed to keep the challenge in your workout and shake up your week! See below for dates of special classes you won't want to miss. Our favorite? The Cycle/Yoga Fusion.

Cycle/Yoga Fusion

Friday, March 11

Join Camille for a 30-minute Cycle and Maureen for a 1-hour Power Flow - the perfect balance to end your week. Register today! ($25 Members/$30 Non-Members).
Details >

Train Like A Fighter
March 14 - April 26
This NEW fierce fitness program is based off of Martial Arts and Self Defense techniques. Our Certified Personal Trainers will motivate you in this 6-week program that will have you shadow-boxing, using heavy bags, hitting tires with sledge hammers, and many more fearless feats.
Details >

Group Exercise Chisel & Sculpt Challenge
Tuesday, March 15
You'll use different variations of sculpting exercises to chisel and challenge your body.
Details >

Irish Ride
Wednesday, March 16
Spin out with Kim Wilson to Irish music, including U2, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and many more. A spirited and celebratory ride!
Details >

Motown Ride
Thursday, March 30
Ride to the classics with this fun, funky Motown-themed class.
Details >

All Sport raised over $1,000 for the Fishkill Food Pantry with their Tap Back,
Give Back Fundraiser Ride as well as donations from members.

There's always something going on at All Sport.
This month, they partnered with JMcLaughlin for a popup shopping event to benefit
Hudson Valley Hospice Foundation - and your wardrobe.

All Sport is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and we thank you for supporting businesses that make this publication possible! Click here for Advertising Opportunities.

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! 

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!

Live Interview with Zero to Go Founder Sarah Womer on Her Successful Crowdfunding Campaign (Sponsor)

Remember back in March of 2015 when your favorite education-based waste management company, Zero to Go, launched a crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter to raise $20,000 for their bike-powered food compost pickup project? Well, it was a huge success, and Zero to Go founder and Beacon resident Sarah Womer met her goal of $20,000 from 248 backers in just 18 days. We covered the food waste project here at A Little Beacon Blog, and made a food waste sundae to celebrate.

This Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 12 noon EST, Tin Shingle will interview Sarah during their Live Training Webinar TuneUp series to learn about how she did it, from her social media efforts to how she made her campaign video to one of the most critical aspects of a crowdfunding campaign: community support. This live webinar is free for anyone with a phone or computer to call or click into. If you have thought about starting a crowdfunding campaign, you will want to listen to this interview with Sarah to get inside of her head and learn from her experience. Click here to get the registration information.

The free registration link is here:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5824891914585570305

Tin Shingle is a community-based training resource for small businesses using today's trends in getting the word out about their business using methods in PR, social media, SEO, newsletters, web design, and more. Sign up for their free newsletter to stay in the loop about best practices and great ideas you can use today in these areas. Listen to any of their classes, which are free to those with Tin Shingle memberships. Learn about a budget-friendly, buzz-building membership today.

PS: If you are reading this article after 2/10/16, you can find the recording of this webinar at www.tinshingle.com/classes.

Tin Shingle is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and we thank you for supporting businesses that make this publication possible! Fun fact: Tin Shingle is co-run by A Little Beacon Blog's publisher, Katie, who is obsessed with small businesses.

Mark Your Calendar for New Classes, Programs and Kids Night Out Signups at All Sport (Sponsor Spotlight)

The year is off to a fast start at All Sport Health and Fitness, from classes to group challenges to family nights out. Here are dates from All Sport's full Sponsor Spotlight page at A Little Beacon Blog that you don't want to miss!


Feb. 8: BIG NEWS! The New Winter Session Starts for Kids' and Adults' Classes/Programs
That means that the time is approaching to sign up for youth and adult programs, including Swimming Lessons, the Soccer Clinic, Toddler Time, Boxing for Kids, Gymnastics, and many more classes offered on different days and times. Adult programs include Small Group Training opportunities, Boxing for Adults, Racquetball, and more. Details are included here.

As usual, All Sport has a running schedule of classes, including Yoga, Cycle, Zumba, and more, which members can drop into at any time, as well as a Small Group Personal Training schedule of classes.

Jan. 21: Lifeguard Training starts

 
SPECIAL!
Feb. 3: Michael Jackson-Themed Cycle Class, 9:15am: Get spinning to tunes from the King of Pop! All Sport spin classes provide you with great music and an instructor that will motivate you as you spin your wheels!

SPECIAL!
Feb. 13: Buddy Boot Camp, 9:30am-10:30am: Share the love, bring a friend and work out together. This buddy boot camp will partner you up to complete exercises in pairs. If heart-shaped candies existed for exercise, they would say, "I love squats" or "Be my workout buddy" or "This rep is for you." Happy Valentine's Day!

Next Holiday School's Out Camp for Kids: Monday, Feb. 15

Next Kids Night Out: Friday, Feb. 19


Be sure to check All Sport's Sponsor Spotlight page here on A Little Beacon Blog for a full list of programs and highlights available to members and non-members alike.

Thank you for supporting our Sponsor Spotlights from businesses who support A Little Beacon Blog. They make this publication possible!

Love Note to You

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for reading A Little Beacon Blog, and for finding value in the stories we share, and the obsessive organization we take pleasure in with the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. Thank you to each and every advertiser who has invested in A Little Beacon Blog, using it as an outlet to reach readers just like you, encouraging them to frequent these hard-working businesses, both the growing ones and those long established in this area. Without you, the way in which we produce this blog - with the varying degree of frequency, image production, and social media sharing to reach long-distance readers, following Beacon from California, Vermont, New York, all over, who are all vying to move here (for real...it's not just folks from Brooklyn!), as well as lifers who grew up here and are loving the changes - it would not be possible. You see, this blog is my business. When you visit this blog, you are standing in front of my storefront, and deciding to come in and explore.

Always obsessed with magazines, I wanted to write for them. Jane Pratt of Jane Magazine was my idol. I sold newspaper ads for the college newspaper and wrote a love advice column called "Dear Trudy." I went on to be the editor-in-chief of the school's literary magazine after it had started to fall apart (as I had a knack for graphic design), laying the whole thing out, and working with a team of very different people to produce a unified publication.

The business person in me (before I knew I had a business person in me), and the creative person in me, wanted to create a magazine. That is a bold statement, to be sure, as I had no idea what it meant to produce a magazine. Keeping that in the back of my mind, I tried other careers. I worked for a season on Law & Order as a production assistant. I learned the fascinating ways that people measure other people's likes and dislikes while working in the Research Department of the Food Network. I learned the ways of contracts and sifting through book ideas as an editorial assistant at Harper Collins. I took writing courses at MediaBistro. And then I fell into website production while taking costume design courses at FIT. This is also where I discovered blogging, which circles it all back to creating a magazine.

While blogging on the side, and after working for three years as the website editor for a national nonprofit organization, I quit my day job and hung my shingle as a website designer and producer. It was there that I started working heavily with small businesses to produce their dream websites, to sell their products and services. I was honored to work with a nonprofit who built schools in Africa, a yoga teacher who produced DVDs for pregnant women, and so many other shops on the web that you would love. My career morphed into another business that is a training platform for small businesses to learn to get the word out about their businesses using websites, PR, social media, and more. This began my opportunity to work with corporate advertisers like Capital One Spark, who contracted us to blog about the film crew they hired to make videos about business owners, getting to the heart of why they started and what made them tick.

When I moved to Beacon from a nondescript area of Manhattan, BOOM, the blogging fire was lit! Suddenly, so many story ideas began unfolding in my head, and fit perfectly like a puzzle. The local scene is so different from the national one, and so special. I have loved learning about how it works, and being a part of it. The businesses, large and small, are run by people who live here and are just like us, who have put their necks out on the line to live life on their terms to build a business that people hopefully frequent and love. And so this blog, this online magazine of sorts, was born in 2011, with this first post, from my iPhone.

Last year, I decided to make blogging about Beacon (one of) my full-time jobs. Nobody hired me; it's a job I made up. So far, you have liked the articles and return to read more. Those articles and Guides have been supported from businesses in this area with advertising, and I am so grateful. It means I can keep doing my job and keep on creating words and pictures you will hopefully like. :)

A huge thank you to these advertisers who supported A Little Beacon Blog in 2015:

Major Spotlight Sponsors

Antalek & Moore

Beacon Dental

Poughkeepsie Nissan

All Sport Fishkill 

BeaconArts 
Tin Shingle
StudioPixelated

Single Guide Sponsors

Beacon Flea

WOMS 2015 (Windows on Main Street)

Article Sponsors

Ella's Bellas ("Decorate That Pumpkin With A Power Drill")

Featured Businesses in Guides

River Therapeutic Massage (Beauty Guide)

The Bra Fit Expert (Shopping Guide)

The Pfotoshop (Shopping Guide)

BCAP (Be Creative As Possible) (Summer Camp Guide)

All Sport Fishkill (Summer Camp Guide & Swimming Lessons Guide)

We have more of what you love coming to you, and new stories and feature articles being planned in our editorial calendar. If you are a business who wants the inside track to articles we are working on, sign up for this business newsletter.

If you would like to join this list of supporters, please see our Advertising Packages page, and/or reach out directly to me at katie@alittlebeaconblog.com.

Thank you, everyone!

Tick-Tock! Dental Benefits Ending, Get Teeth Cleaned/Fixed at Beacon Dental! (Sponsored)

December is an extra-busy month for taking advantage of your unused health insurance benefits - before they start all over again from $0! You have spent the year - and your money - on making your deductible, so visits to the doctor and dentist are a bit easier on your wallet at the end of the year. Don't let the chance go by to get a teeth cleaning, or to take care of any other oral issues you have been putting off under your current dental plan.

Patients of Beacon Dental have it lucky - the office tracks unused benefits, and knows what you are qualified for with your current coverage. Call them today to make appointments for yourself and your family, (845) 838-3666.

Thank you for supporting businesses who support A Little Beacon Blog who make this publication possible!

Poughkeepsie Nissan Can Upgrade Your Sleigh (Sponsored)

Ho-Ho-Ho...What is in your sleigh? Is it time for a new car? Or a new-used car? Take yourself to Poughkeepsie Nissan to see how they can work with your car needs to fit you into the car of your dreams. Do you need a pickup truck? A large, yet sexy, minivan (the Nissan Quest)? Or maybe even a Subaru from their Certified Used Car lot?

Poughkeepsie Nissan offers a guaranteed credit approval and is home of the Lifetime Powertrain Warranty on all new and pre-owned vehicles.

Search through their used cars under $10,000 to see what you can find! If you have been putting off upgrading your car situation, get yourself to Poughkeepsie Nissan to see what they can do for you.

With a full-service shop to service your car, going through Poughkeepsie Nissan can be convenient.

Thank you for supporting businesses who support A Little Beacon Blog who make this publication possible!

Plan Ahead for Health Insurance 2016! Antalek & Moore Can Help Select Your Coverage (Sponsored)

It is December and everyone is all-a-chatter about which health insurance carrier to select for 2016. Well guess what? You have someone to talk to right on Main Street - the good folks at Antalek & Moore, an agency of independent agents who can shop around for you to get you the best rate for your needs. We know the options are overwhelming, which is why Antalek & Moore can help! They are located right on Main Street, and always have the cheeriest window displays for every season (as pictured here for the holidays). They are happy to review your policy and see how you can save more.

As an independent agent, Antalek & Moore has access to all of the new plans sold on and off the exchanges, throughout New York State, including Aetna Health Plans, CDPHP, Emblem Health, Empire BlueCross/BlueShield, and others. Call Antalek & Moore at (845) 831-4300 or click here today to learn more.

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

Welcome BeaconArts as a New Sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog!

Welcome to BeaconArts as a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog! Long-time supporters of the arts in Beacon, it is thanks to BeaconArts that many people in the Hudson Valley and beyond know about the art being produced and put on display in Beacon. BeaconArts has been vital to promoting the arts in Beacon, NY since 2002, with the help of many dedicated volunteers and board members. BeaconArts is the fiscal sponsor of many of the events you attend year after year in Beacon as well as organizations you value, and they nurture a valuable membership that fosters networking and promotion opportunities.

A Little Beacon Blog is honored to be a media sponsor of BeaconArts and to be part of their great work. Look for their official sponsor page here that highlights their projects and involvements. Select articles from A Little Beacon Blog will be syndicated on the BeaconArts website, and look for our Things To Do In Beacon Guides over there as well, as we share the mutual quest of creating an organized event life in Beacon!