Sunday, January 29, 2012

Out And About In Beacon, NY

We decided to get off our asses and stop playing MW3 & COD Black Ops and walk around town. It's been unseasonably warm and snowless so far this winter, which is good and bad for business. Nonetheless we got to see some nice new stores that are opening soon, some that just opened recently, and others still that have been here for years and we visit often. We also took in some interesting sights along the way. I hope it makes you want to visit our little town.


A figurehead adorns the turret of a home in beacon.

Twin silos adorned with a campaign sign for our new mayor, Randy Casale.  I found the  matrix of wires  intriguing.

I tried to catch two birds on the branches but you can only see them diving away in the lower right. 

Graffiti on an older building near the Fishkill. 

Some odd characters peer from within a storefront. 

Detail of a panel at the Electric Windows display.

Detail of a panel at the Electric Windows display.

Detail of a panel at the Electric Windows display.

The Electric Windows installation, East Main street, Beacon.

Detail door at the Electric Windows display.


Detail of a panel at the Electric Windows display.

The Fiskill steps a little closer to the Hudson near the Roundhouse at Beacon Falls.

Closeup of the waterfall. It looks so much cleaner in the cold weather. 

Work being done at the Beacon Roundhouse.


Detail of sluice gate at the falls.

Graffiti on sluice gate at the falls. 

Looking from the falls to the Roundhouse.


Looking from the sluice gate at the falls toward East Main street. Jennifer is shooting me with her iPhone.

The brother of a friend of mine opened a coffee roasting shop here in Beacon. 

Beacon Art Emporium, handmade goods and supplies for artists.

Gourmetibles, a yummy candy shop.

Gourmetibles, a yummy candy shop

Inside Gourmetibles, a yummy candy shop

Inside Gourmetibles, a yummy candy shop

Artist workspace/lofts for sale in Beacon now. 

Other real estate available. 

Doorway to alley, East Main Street.

Beacon Falls Cafe, a yummy stop for breakfast or lunch.  

A new restaurant/deli in town. We have not tried it yet but we will. 


We're getting a microbrewery soon. Too bad  I don't drink anymore!

Beacon Bath and Bubble - handmade soaps and the like. 

Cool bumper sticker near the former Piggy Bank restaurant. 

Looks like the Piggy Bank restaurant will soon be something else. 

The Beacon Theatre is still under transformation but already hosting  events. 

Interesting creations inside a local gallery.

A new bakery, Ella's Bellas.

An old professional building has recently been remodeled and is looking for renters. 

The front door of the Beacon Community Islamic Center. 

Another local bakery, All You Knead. Their bread can be found on store shelves and at Farmer's Markets throughout the area.

Local and international liquors at the Artisan Wine Shop.

The Beacon Cycles shop sports a restored bicycle in the window.


Hudson Beach Glass, where we have dumped a lot of money. 

Lunch at Tito Santana's
Jennifer enjoys some time off of her feet. 

Friday, January 27, 2012

The Problem With Wearing Sports Apparel As Fashion

I have a Liverpool F.C. scarf. I bought it in London and I wear it because I grew up in Liverpool, New York. (Oddly enough, the RBC scarf I bought because I once lived in Rosendale, NY, has the same colors as Liverpool High School - orange and blue).

I was walking into the building where I work this morning when someone eyed me suspiciously. He said, "Liverpool, huh?"

In a split second, I remembered that I had the Liverpool scarf on and that was what he was talking about (not that he knew I went to Liverpool High School). So I responded, "Yeah."

He then says, "Walking alone?"

Again I had to think quickly - I had read the scarf, so I immediately responded, "You'll never walk alone" and smirked. I was glad to be walking the other way at this point.

A friend here at work - who is a real football fan - gets mad at me whenever I wear this scarf, or the RBC scarf. He thinks if I know nothing about the sport, I shouldn't be allowed to wear the scarves. I don't know much about baseball, either, but I wear a Boston Red Sox cap to remember my grandmother. She was a BoSox fan, and never got to see their wins in 2004 and 2007.

I was wearing the cap on the beach in CT in August when people walking by me shook their heads. One guy passing by tried to engage me: "It was awful last night, wasn't it?" I just stared. I did not know what he was talking about. My daughter elbowed me and said, "IF YOU'RE GOING TO WEAR THE DAMN HAT, YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAME!"

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Apparently Other People Find It Interesting, Too

The other day I shared a photo of a notepad I bought, on which someone left a message before I purchased it. Seems other people get a kick out of finding messages left in strange places:

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/12/30/forgotten-bookmarks-the-secret-life-of-second-hand-books/

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Corning vs. New Hamburg, Part II

Today at approximately 8:30 in both locations. Hi, Sarah!

Corning Museum of Glass, Rakow Research Library

Troy Road, near New Hamburg.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Corning vs. New Hamburg

About 8:30 AM today I sent the following picture to my friend Arfie from my iPhone. I was on Troy road, facing the Hudson River in New Hamburg, NY. 


Arfie responded in kind a few minutes later with a picture from his home in Corning, NY. 


I've sent many pictures from New Hamburg to my brother Pat in Orange, CA. He's collected a few and altered them here.