Hills cake decorator earns top 2 awards at show

Those who know cake decorating recently gave Sugako Yokoyama’s creations the two top prizes in a national competition.

Yokoyama, of Farmington Hills, designed a Japanese themed cake that bested cupcakes, a cake with a colorful cake peacock perched on it, cookies that look like fossilized stones and other artistic entries to win the divisional competition in the 4th Annual National Capital Area Cake Show in Annandale, Va.

Her grand prize winning cake’s decorations speak of Japan’s recovery after the March 2011 tsunami disaster. Its black icing is decorated with traditional Japanese symbols such as a crane, which is a symbol for luck.

“Stunning work! … The air in the falling flowers is perfect,” according to one judge’s comments. The cake received a perfect 10 in all of six judging categories.

Her multi-tiered wedding cake, with intricate beads and embroidery crafted of sugar, was also judged best among all other wedding cakes. All had been decorated to look like a purse selected by each cake maker.

Yokoyama, who is still more comfortable speaking Japanese, and her husband, Hiroshi, recently showed her winning cakes at her Farmington Hills home where she decorates cakes as a hobby. The cakes are not edible.

Yokoyama said she was “lucky.” She said she competed against top sugar artists, some of whom are seen on food network and cable television food shows.

“It surprised her,” said her husband, translating from Japanese.

Hiroshi Yokoyama believes she deserves the accolades. He is one of her biggest supporters, driving her to various competitions around the state and country.

“She had a lot of techniques she used like brush embroidery and piping,” he said.

‘Both stunning’

B. Keith Ryder, director, National Capital Area Cake Show, reached for comment, said that Yokoyama competed against some 25 entries in the wedding cake competition and close to 300 in the divisional competition.

“Sugako’s cakes were both stunning… I thought her wedding cake entry was fantastic in its clean lines and artful presentation,” he said. “Her divisional entry was simply breathtaking.”

Winning both categories is a first for the show and unusual in general, he said.

“We’re one of the biggest and most respected shows in the country and by far the biggest show east of the Mississippi,” he said.

“I’ve never heard of it happening at any other show that’s similarly structured with both a divisional and a wedding cake competition.”

The National Capital Area Cake Show is sponsored by the Virginia Chapter of The International Cake Exploration Societé. ICES is a not-for-profit association that focuses on education and sharing the creative possibilities of sugar, according to information.

Tsunami relief

For Sugako Yokoyama, it was a competition she hoped to win more than most.

Sugako Yokoyama had decided in advance to donate a portion of the $1,500 winnings to tsunami relief causes should she win.

As with most from Japan, the couple was personally affected.

Hiroshi Yokoyama works for Panasonic Automotive Systems Co. of America, and was on an airplane in Japan about to take off when the tsunami hit the country. His airplane was the first to land in Detroit from Japan after the disaster.

“WXYZ was at the airport when we landed in Detroit,” he said.

Delicious cake, too

On the day of the interview, her winning cakes were displayed in the hallway of their home. Their home is decorated with stunning large cakes of various themes, similar to sculptures.

Hiroshi Yokoyama said he dabbles in cake decorating, too.

He created a prize winning orange-iced cake symbolizing the current Year of the Dragon, which was also on display.

While his wife has taught him some techniques, he said smiling, “I made it myself.”

Sugako Yokoyama said she went to Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Japan. While visiting a friend from the school, in Australia, she was introduced to competitions. She also studied sugarcraft.

While she occasionally decorates cakes for friends, nowadays Sugako Yokoyama said she mostly concentrates on teaching sugar craft and cake decoration. She teaches students at her home two to three times a week.

Students on this day included Hisako Okuyama of West Bloomfield, who said she enjoys the hobby.

“She’s very friendly. We just come here and have fun.”

Students added that Yokoyama is just as good at making cake that tastes delicious and which she serves them at classes.

ssteinmueller@hometownlife.com (313)222-2241

Craftwork explosion: Spinning a beautiful yarn

Learning skills from previous eras is all the rage these days.

I have a ball of red wool in one hand and a pair of knitting needles in the other.

The plan, it turns out, is to introduce one to the other. Shame the plan hasn’t taken into account my two left thumbs, or the fact that I’m about as creative as a slug. Worse still, everyone around me seems to be getting the hang of it; I wonder if it’s too early to admit defeat.

Thank goodness for Tash Barneveld, Wellington’s knitting guardian angel, who patiently guides me through the minefield of purl, knit and kitchener stitches. At the end of a morning filled with laughter and new friends, I emerge with a tiny sock. It’s not the most attractive thing I’ve even seen, but it makes me irrationally happy.

That was a year ago, at HANDMADE 2011, the capital’s inaugural two-day craft festival which brought together a range of handmade crafts and expert teachers for those wanting to learn the skills of a previous era. There were workshops, lectures and master-classes on everything from soap and cheese making to recycling old furniture, taking the perfect photo and growing organic veg. Socks aside, I managed to produce a passable lace collar and a gorgeous piece of Turkish marbling paper.

But a lot can happen in a year and since last June, I’ve been practising my skills. While the knitting angels aren’t exactly dancing on their pins, they aren’t stumbling in a drunken haze, either. I tell Barneveld I’ve recently graduated to tea cosies and the owner of the Holland Road Yarn Company says she’s glad I’ll be attending HANDMADE 2012, which takes place in Wellington at Queen’s Birthday Weekend over June 2-3.

To say that craft is the new black is to wallow in understatement. The combined effects of the recession, political instability and a desire to get back to simpler things have meant an explosion in craft culture. It’s why more than 600 people spent last Queen’s Birthday weekend in various venues across the capital getting their hands dirty at more than 150 sessions.

So if you fancy a crafty weekend in Wellington, what can you expect? Along with lectures from chefs Ruth Pretty and Martin Bosley, fashion designer Tamsin Cooper and gardening/self-sufficiency expert Lynda Hallinan, highlights of HANDMADE 2012 include:

Remade:
Learn how to sew a tote bag and dress from a pillowcase, upcycle broken or outdated jewellery, decoupage fabric on furniture or shape old records into clocks or bowls.

Taste:
Don’t believe them when they say the cupcake craze is over; last year’s Cupcake Decorating class sold out in no time. You can also learn how to make your own camembert, quark or cream cheese, fresh pasties or old-school lemon curd. There are master classes with Ruth Pretty and Martin Bosley and radio personality Steve Joll hosts a session entitled Man Versus Kitchen, for blokes needing a culinary hand.

Yarn:
Sock knitting aside, there are classes on crocheting a garland and a necklace, spinning yarn, knitting a frangipani flower, learning the European tradition of using beads in knitting and, I kid you not, how to’read’ your knitting.

Home Crafts:
Classes include making fabric baskets, cushion covers, applique wall art and soap, as well as floral styling and how to grow flowers.

Heirloom:
Want to learn how to quilt, embroider a locket using antique crochet stitches, master the art of smocking or lacemaking? Then roll on up to these sessions.

World:
Roam the globe in a day with Oriental bookbinding, harakeke weaving, tribal bunting, contemporary tivaevae, Amigurumi toys, traditional Chinese paper cutting patterns and Turkish paper marbling.

Stitch:
Delights include making felt birds, an Albert toy, cloth dolls, fabric stamped pin cushions and a zip pouch.

Free Range:
Have a boring cardy lying around at the back of the wardrobe? Then get it – and yourself – to the Lace Race: An Upcycled Cardigan class where you’ll learn how lace applique, panels or trim can give it that cool-right-now vintage touch. Other sessions include creating your own hand scrub, turning your art into a pendant or brooch, carving stamps out of rubber and creating a ring or earrings from recycled silver.

By Sharon Stephenson

Watch Out Cake Boss: Demi’s the Next Great Baker

This article was submitted by Robin Straus for the South Orange-Maplewood School District

Demi Schecter-Gross has always wanted to be a baker. Now, based on her talent and outstanding portfolio, she’s officially on her way after being accepted by the Culinary Institute of America.

Currently a senior at Columbia High School, Demi has been a shared-time student for the past three years. She attends Union County Vocational and Technical High School for half the day, studying baking and cake decorating. The second half of her day is spent at Columbia taking her core curriculum requirements. She likes attending two schools, and has made friends in both places.

Entering the baking program in grade 10 was an unusual accomplishment, since students are required to attend a year of an exploratory program in grade 10 prior to selecting a “major.”  Demi, already an accomplished baker with her own cake-decorating portfolio, was given early entry into this program.

Demi has been passionate about cake decorating since she was 12 years old when she took a Wilton cake decorating course. She has taken two other private courses including one from Colette Peters, in New York (a 16^th birthday present from her parents) and from Charmaine Jones, the Cake Diva.

Bakers go head to head in Great Cardiff Cake Off

Competition categories at Saturday’s cake off will include chocolate cake, scones, pastries, and cupcakes.

Cardiff’s bakers will go head to head this weekend in The Great Cardiff Cake Off.

The event on Saturday at Tiger Tiger will feature 10 competition categories covering amateur baking, children’s baking, and a professional category for the best vintage wedding cake.

But the afternoon event will also include sugarcraft demonstrations, cupcake decorating, arts and crafts stands, a vintage photo booth, music and dancers, and an attempt to build a tower of 1,000 cupcakes.

Money raised from the day will go to children’s hospice Ty Hafan.

The cake off is being organised by Jade Jones, who recently set up her own vintage china business, Forever Vintage.

She said: “We decided we should organise something in Cardiff to get all the community involved, and raise some money on the day for a good cause.

“Ty Hafan popped into my mind as it is one of the biggest charities in Wales, and I have been up there a few times to see the children, so it’s quite close to my heart.”

For amateur bakers, there will be a chance to enter categories in Victoria sponge, chocolate cake, scones, pastries, cupcakes, fruit cake and an international class.

There is a professional vintage wedding cake category, and for children an under 10s fairy cakes class and an over 10s cupcakes category.

A winner will be chosen from each category, and an overall winner crowned Cardiff’s Great Caker 2012.

Judging the entries will be Jade, Sarah Williams and Mariclare Carey-Jones – owners of Cardiff bakery The Cakehouse, Cardiff food blogger Nikki Vivian, a professional WI cake taster Sheena Sarjeant, and “Face of Wales” Piers Bramhall.

Jade said the cake-off had received 30 entries so far, but you can still enter up until 5pm on Friday night through the website.

If you don’t fancy baking, just pop along to Tiger Tiger from midday on Saturday. Entry costs £3.50.

Also take a couple of minutes to have a look at this video on why the cake off is supporting Ty Hafan.

Relay for Life cake-decorating contest looking for entries

LIGONIER — A cake-decorating contest is taking place as part of the Noble County Relay for Life on Saturday, May 19, at the West Noble High School football field.

The “ABCL Walkers” relay team is hosting the first-ever cake decorating contest as a fundraiser for the Relay for Life.

Registrations is $15 per cake and all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. The cakes may be any size, shape, or theme. Prizes will be given for first, second and third place.

All of the cakes will be served to survivors, families, participants, and guests following the judging.

Cakes need to be delivered by 2 p.m. on May 19 at the football field. Preregistration is encouraged.

Send registration fee, name, address and phone number by May 16 to Stacey Lang, 10165 N. C.R. 900W, Ligonier IN 46767

Cupcake workshop helps North Idaho College sports

It’s time to put the final layer of frosting on local cupcake coverage. Before we do, you’re going to need the skills to make your cupcakes beautiful in the comforts of your home.

That’s why there’s a local decorating workshop with Baltimore, Maryland’s Charm City Cupcakes next week to help you out.

Here’s the left field kicker. The workshop is also a fundraiser for North Idaho College’s Athletics Department and during our conversation with the athletics director, Al Williams, he made his pitch for cupcakes and how it all comes back to sports.

Q: Why cupcakes?

A: During one of my travels, I went to Charm City Cupcakes. I was talking to the owner… They’re the official cupcakes of the Baltimore Ravens. … Sports is kind of a neat thing they took on. A player with the Ravens like their cupcakes.

Q: Is it a good idea for football players to eat cupcakes?

A: Have you seen how big the offensive linemen are? They feed them cupcakes. The breakfast of champions.

Q: Why do you like cupcakes?

A: The neat thing I’ve seen, cupcakes have been replacing wedding cakes. So much easier to hand out. People prefer cupcakes.

Williams did admit that cupcakes have a few calories in them, but as a fan of the Boston business, he convinced them to come out to Coeur d’Alene to teach the workshop. They’ve also taught workshops in Ft. Lauderdale and Richmond, Virginia.

The workshop’s proceeds benefit the Athletics Department which features ten different sports programs for men and women. The workshop has about 100 seats available for each session happening at the Coeur d’Alene Inn. Williams says there’s still space in all of them. To sign up, visit http://nicathletics.com/.

Here’s the three different sessions for May 26th:

• Cupcake Decorating 101 Workshop from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., including a decorating kit for $45 (a $90 total value).

• Mommy, Daddy, and Me Cupcake Decorating Workshop from 2 to 3:30 p.m., including a decorating kit for $60 (a $120 total value). Bring a child, ages 6-12.

• Girls’ Night Out Cupcake Decorating 101 Workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m., including a decorating kit for $50 (a $100 total value). This workshop includes a pre-event wine tasting session sponsored by Odom Northwest Beverages.

Cake parade

Posted May 17, 2012
By EMC News

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Click to Enlarge

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Special to the News

EMC news – A cake parade was one of the special event highlights for Catholic Education Week at Holy Spirit Catholic School in Stittsville.

The cake parade was on display at the open house which was held at the school early on Thursday morning, May 10.

There were lots of cupcakes, many with faces, in the cake parade. But there was a variety of cake designs. There was a Lego cake, a Barbie doll cake, a Bart Simpson cake and a baseball glove and ball cake.

Holy Spirit also held a Jump Rope for Heart event on Wednesday, May 9 as part of the school’s special activities for Catholic Education Week.

Other Catholic Education Week activities at Holy Spirit School in Stittsville included an Education Week Mass, a school spirit day, a Jump Rope for Heart event, a volunteer appreciation tea and a schoolyard cleanup.

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Cake decorating class for kids to begin May 30

A cake decorating class for beginners will be offered from May 30 through June 20 at the Penfield Community Center.

The class costs $30 and is intended for children ages 7 and older. Kids will be taught coloring frosting, frosting cakes, decorating with many basic frosting tips and writing on cakes, among other things. Classes are scheduled to last from 6-7 p.m.

To register, visit www.penfield.org. Registration forms can also be picked up at the Penfield Community Center, located at 1985 Baird Road.

For more information or if you would like a similar class for adults, call 585-340-8655.

Kids Almanac: Get a job, fly a kite & make way for Pet Palooza, Cupcake …

The Gardiner Cupcake Festival will be held at Wright’s farm this Saturday (Photo by Clever Cupcakes)

When I saw Fa-Mulan, the title of Cocoon Theatre’s latest production, the first thing I thought of was Mulan of Disney fame. I wasn’t alone; Ada Graham-Lowengard, 12-year-old homeschooler and local actor playing the title role, can relate: “I had heard the name Mulan, and I knew it was a Disney film, but other than that I had no clue what it was. I was really excited to do the play when I heard that she was disguising as a boy to be in the army; I’d read a story similar to that a few years ago and I’d really liked it.”

Written in the sixth century, this story is both timeless and inspiring. When Mulan’s father is called to join the army, Mulan decides to disguise herself as a man and go in his place. Eleven years later, she returns home and reveals her true gender, to the shock of her fellow soldiers. I asked Ada how the role of this legendary Chinese heroine compares to other work that she has done in the past. “She’s pretty similar to most of the roles I’ve played. I usually play this kind of intellectual and nice character: someone you would want to be around, and I like playing that type.”

This original play is written and directed by Marguerite San Millan and includes live percussion, classical Chinese music, mime and dance. What does Graham-Lowengard have in her sights to do in the future? “I really want to try doing a musical.”

The Ballad of Fa-Mulan will be performed on May 18 and 19 at 7 p.m., and on May 20 at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and the play is suitable for all ages. Cocoon Theatre is located at 6384 Mill Street in Rhinebeck. For tickets or more information, call (845) 876-6470 or visit www.cocoontheatre.org.

 

 

Celebrate the Monolith’s 50th this Saturday at Opus 40 in High Woods

 

There are certain unique spots here in the Hudson Valley that I consider must-sees for families, such as Opus 40 and the Storm King Art Center. With our various commitments each week, I find it hard actually to get there. So when these places host special family-friendly events, it’s the perfect draw to share them with the kids.

It’s opening weekend at Opus 40, and its keepers are hosting a “50th Anniversary Celebration of the Raising of the Monolith.” Opus 40 is an outdoor sculpture gallery of walkways, ramps and carved pieces created by artist and former Bard professor Harvey Fite. All of the walls, walkways and sculptures were done entirely by hand, and raising the central nine-ton monolith was accomplished by adapting principles of the ancient Egyptians to hoist it into place. Fite named his site Opus 40 because he figured that it would take 40 years to complete. He died in an accident in 1976, 37 years after beginning the work. Fun Fact: the rock band Mercury Rev produced a song called “Opus 40” referencing this site.

The Monolith celebration takes place on Saturday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but donations are welcome. Children’s book illustrator and author Iza Trapani will do a reading at 11:30 a.m. At 1:30 p.m., Harvey Fite’s stepson Jonathan Richards, who grew up at Opus 40 and witnessed the raising of the monolith, will give a presentation about it. Then, from 2:30 to 5 p.m., there will be square dancing with caller Sandy Corey.

Opus 40 is located at 50 Fite Road in Saugerties. For more information, call (845) 246-9922 or visit www.opus40.org.

 

Storm King Art Center in Mountainville hosts kite workshop this Sunday

 

Go fly a kite! No, I’m not telling you to leave. On Sunday, May 20, Storm King Art Center is hosting a “Kite-Making and Flying Workshop” in Storm King’s South Fields. Is it possible to read these words from Mary Poppins without humming along? “Let’s go fly a kite/Up to the highest height!/Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring…” Or perhaps you’ve been looking for some motivation to gear up for another week. Try this Winston Churchill quote: “Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.”

Whatever it takes, get your family out to Storm King on Sunday, May 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. This kite event is a collaboration with the Free Style Arts Association from Queens. Its mission is to connect the public with art in spontaneous, creative ways. All materials will be provided.

I wondered where this Storm King name came from in the first place, since the Art Center is named after the nearby mountain. According to the Marist Environmental History Project, “The name Storm King was coined by 19th-century writer Nathaniel Parker Willis. Noting that the mountain was the tallest in the region and an accurate predictor of stormy weather when early morning clouds covered its peak, he felt there could be no better name than Storm King.”

Entrance fees to Storm King are $12 for adults; $10 for senior citizens aged 65 and older; $8 for students; free for members and children under age 5. Storm King is located at 1 Museum Road in New Windsor. For more information, call (845) 534-3115 or visit www.stormking.org.

 

 

Munch out at Gardiner Cupcake Festival this Saturday

 

The Gardiner Cupcake Festival is in its fourth year, and this year it takes place at Wright’s Farm. Fun Fact: What do cupcakes and Wright’s Farm have in common? They’ve both been around for over one hundred years! Fun Fact #2: What’s the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? A cupcake is generally considered more of a “sweet,” and a muffin more of a “savory.”

If you and your family like cupcakes, or frosting, or both, you should head over to the festival. Maresa Volante of Sweet Maresa’s Cupcakes, based in New Paltz, is looking forward to this year’s event with some amazing vegan offerings: “I’m very happy to be at the Gardiner Cupcake Festival, stocked with tons of decadent cupcakes made with healthy fats and organic ingredients. Treat your kids to one of our cupcakes (like Coconut Cream!) made with heart-healthy coconut oil. No need to worry about factory-farmed butter or shortening; we wouldn’t touch those with a ten-foot pole – only pure, good ingredients, whipped into sweet little cakes for you and your family.”

There will also be live music, a cupcake-eating contest, a bouncy house, cupcake-decorating, face-painting, hair-braiding, pony rides, an amateur cupcake-baking contest, a local racecar exhibit, helicopter rides and wagon rides, too. The Gardiner Cupcake Festival takes place on Saturday, May 19 from noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the Gardiner Cupcake Festival is free. There is a suggested $1 per car donation to the volunteer Fire Department for helping with parking.

Wright’s Farm is located at 699 Route 208 in Gardiner. For more information, call (845) 255-5300, visit www.eatapples.com or check Facebook for the Gardiner Cupcake Festival or Sweet Maresa’s Upstate Cupcakes.

 

 

Arm-of-the-Sea Theater performs at Earth Water Festival in Montgomery this Saturday

 

Looking for a festival that’s both fun and informative? An event that is engaging for both adults and children? Festivities with free admission and free parking? Then you need to get to the fifth annual Earth Water Festival. Organized by the Orange County Water Authority (OCWA), this event features a wide variety of environmentally conscious citizens, groups and businesses from the Hudson Valley. In addition to the Green Expo’s booths and exhibits, there will also be a Farmers’ Market and festival food vendors.

Another terrific component of this event is the Children’s Activity Area. Children can pick up a “Passport to Fun” to do free activities, get it stamped by vendors, then pick out a free prize. The Snakeman will be on hand with snakes for kids to hold and look at. There will also be games, crafts, educational activities, information for families, live music and entertainment all day.

One highlight for all ages is the Arm-of-the-Sea Theater’s 3 p.m. performance of At the Turning of the Tide. I asked Carl Welden, who has been a puppet wrangler with the company since 1997, about the show: “At the Turning of the Tide is a tale of the natural and human history of the Hudson River Estuary. It’s about the lifeforms in the river and lifeforms using the river, such as for industrial and commercial use.”

Founded by Marlena Marallo and Patrick Wadden, Arm-of-the-Sea is in its 30th year and is the region’s oldest puppet company. I think that its life-sized masked characters, costumes and music create a wonderful opportunity for Earth Water Festival families to learn more about our river’s freshwater and saltwater dynamic.

Welden enjoys doing these performances as much as people like watching them: “I just love this medium for storytelling. It’s a place where all of the artistic disciplines find a home: sculpture, writing, puppetry, movement, music…It’s a blend of science and poetry, ultimately.”

The Earth Water Festival takes place on Saturday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Thomas Bull Memorial Park, rain or shine. Thomas Bull Memorial Park is located at 94 Grove Street in Montgomery. For more information about the Festival, call (845) 615-3868 or visit http://waterauthority.orangecountygov.com. To learn more about Arm-of-the-Sea, visit www.armofthesea.org or the troupe’s Facebook page.

 

Phools’ Parade returns to New Paltz this Saturday

 

The artist Pablo Picasso said, “The purpose of Art is to create enthusiasm.” That sentiment has infused New Paltz’s Phools’ Parade from the beginning. The Phools’ Parade is a public procession of art. It is open to all artists, musicians, theatre and puppet troupes and students of any age. According to Phools’ Parade founders and organizers Eileen Hedley, Melanie Cronin and G. Steve Jordan, “The goal is a fantastic family and community event celebrating the creative spark in all of us.” All ages and skill levels are welcome and encouraged to get as artsy and creative as possible, such as dressing like a favorite artist, displaying wearable art, making a puppet or even making a float.

The Phools’ Parade takes place in New Paltz on Saturday, May 19 at 2 p.m. The route begins at the New Paltz Middle School at 196 Main Street, continues down Main Street, turns south onto Plattekill Avenue and finishes at Hasbrouck Park. After the Parade, the festivities continue at Hasbrouck Park with an awards ceremony, food, crafts by Macaroni Kids and music by Ratboy, Jr. and the Sweet Clementines. For more information, call (845) 255-6724, visit www.phoolsparade.com or check out the Phools’ Parade page on Facebook.

 

 

Summer job workshop for teens this Saturday at Elting Library in New Paltz

 

To me, summer in the Hudson Valley means swimming at Split Rock, Young People’s Concerts at Maverick and homegrown tomatoes. For teens looking to earn some disposable extra income or save for college, it means summer jobs. The Elting Memorial Library in New Paltz announces new offerings to optimize teens’ chances for summer employment. First, plan to attend the “How to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Summer Job” workshop on Saturday, May 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Library. Led by local entrepreneur Julia Robbins, topics for job-seeking teens will include “What do you need to know before applying for a job?” “What type of job is right for you?” and “How can you best present yourself to a potential employer?”

Following this workshop, the library intends to create a Teen Summer Jobs Information Book where potential employers can list and describe working opportunities for teens, and teens can submit a Job Wanted profile for potential employers to consider. Finally, teens can meet potential employers at the Job Fair on Saturday, June 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Library. These Teen Summer Job resources and events are free and open to the public.

The Elting Library is located at 93 Main Street in New Paltz. For more information, call (845) 255-5030 or visit www.eltinglibrary.org

 

Open House at John Burroughs’ Slabsides this Saturday

 

I like hikes, I like history and I like proximity. Famed naturalist John Burroughs’ rustic 1895 Slabsides cabin accomplishes all three and has quickly become a favorite spot for me and the kids. Whenever we stroll the fabulous grounds or take a peek in the cabin windows, we see a detail that we missed the last time. But twice a year, the cabin opens up, and now we can’t wait to check out the inside.

Naturalist, writer, educator and New Paltz Times columnist Richard Parisio teaches about John Burroughs. He shared with me Burroughs’ basic premise: All that Burroughs had and ever would have, every person can have as well. All that is needed is to reach out and touch it, for it is right in front of us – these satisfactions that come from opening our minds, hearts and senses to the natural world.

I asked why this historic site, and the man who built it, matter to children and families today. “These days, cut off as we are in so many ways from the simple life in nature Burroughs recommended, families need to go outdoors together to rediscover it. Children only need to be exposed to places like Slabsides, and the sanctuary that surrounds it, for them to experience nature for themselves, and maybe in the process help their parents recover a bit of their own childhood sense of wonder.”

I know that “wonder” is exactly how I feel any time I walk around Slabsides, looking up at those majestic shelves of rock, hearing the trickle of water along the rocky connector trail or experiencing the peaceful grandeur of Sanctuary Pond. What is Slabsides all about, anyway? In John Burroughs’ own words from Far and Near: “I was offered a tract of wild land, barely a mile from home, that contained a secluded nook and a few acres of level, fertile land shut off from the vain and noisy world by a wooded precipitous mountain…and built me a rustic house there, which I call ‘Slabsides,’ because its outer walls are covered with slabs. I might have given it a prettier name, but not one more fit, or more in keeping with the mood that brought me thither…Life has a different flavor here. It is reduced to simpler terms; its complex equations all disappear.” It still feels true today: just moments from Route 9W, and I’m surrounded by pristine forest.

Spring Slabsides Day takes place on Saturday, May 19 from noon to 4:30 p.m. Dan Payne presents “John Burroughs: Conservationist” at noon. Additional activities include cabin tours beginning at 1 p.m., self-guided trail walks and a Pond House viewing of the DVD “John Burroughs: A Naturalist in the Industrial Age” by Dr. Lynn Spangler, as well as refreshments. Admission is free, but donations are always welcomed.

Slabsides is located on John Burroughs Drive, off Floyd Ackert Road in West Park. For more information, call (212) 769-5169 or visit http://research.amnh.org/burroughs.

 

 

Grenadilla New Raspberry Bandits perform for kids in Rosendale this Sunday

 

I’m going to bottom-line this for you: Debbie Lan’s music is awesome, and you and your kids should go hear her group Grenadilla (rhymes with sarsaparilla). Alm@nac’s Ann Hutton describes the music this way: “Grenadilla – the South African name for passionfruit – puts out rhythms and harmonies of a distinctly ‘township’ vibe, its founder, songwriter Debbie Lan, having been born and raised in Cape Town.” Sure, there’s an international flair, and the songs are playful, affirming and upbeat; but for me, what it comes down to is how much I enjoy listening to them. Her lyrics are a powerful celebration of life, friendship, connection and joyfulness – a reflection of the possibilities of love and growth that surround us everyday.

Grenadilla’s newest CD Can’t Wait is the winner of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award. “It’s family-friendly music, for sure; but it’s definitely not just for little kids,” says Debbie, a mother and teaching artist who lives in the mid-Hudson Valley, as do her bandmates. “So many parents who’ve bought our CD tell us they love it so much, they listen to it in their car themselves – even when their kids aren’t around.”

Grenadilla is teaming up with the New Raspberry Bandits for a wonderful all-ages concert at the Rosendale Theatre on Sunday, May 20 at 11 a.m. The New Raspberry Bandits are the new band from Vanessa and Jamie Saft. Our son loves the rock sounds of their “Big Trucks” song, and our daughter gets excited hearing the word “princess” in the lyrics of “LULA.” The New Raspberry Bandits’ new CD Little Birds and Big Trucks is out soon on Veal Records.

Tickets for this double feature are $5 each or $10 per family. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Rosendale Food Pantry. The Rosendale Theatre is located at 408 Main Street in Rosendale. For more information call the Theatre at (845) 658-8989 or visit www.rosendaletheatre.org. To learn more about the musicians, visit www.grenadillasings.com and www.vealrecords.com/newraspberrybandits.

 

Cunneen-Hackett Theatre in Poughkeepsie screens Louder than a Bomb this Saturday

 

In March, I wrote about the Poughkeepsie students’ Hip Hop Theater performance at the Bardavon, a culmination of the two-week residency with Hip Hop’s Playback Theater NYC. I was moved by the stories of these youth who connected with their inner voices through this program, and I admired their courage to take that self-expression to the stage. So I was thrilled to learn that the film Louder than a Bomb delves into these same themes and is having a showing in Poughkeepsie.

Louder than a Bomb, held annually in Chicago, is the world’s largest youth poetry slam. This documentary follows the youth on four teams, giving us a window into their lives and how it reflects in their poetry: “This is not ‘high school poetry’ as we often think of it. This is language as a joyful release: irrepressibly talented teenagers obsessed with making words dance. How and why they do it – and the community they create along the way – is the story at the heart of this inspiring film.”

To learn more, I contacted Neil Johnson, the producer of the Sleuth Pro Film Series, which is presenting the film at the Cunneen-Hackett Center. I asked him how he heard about the film and what motivated him to arrange for a showing: “When I saw it, it touched me. I knew this was a film I wanted to bring back to the community.” Johnson said that the stories stayed with him – like Nova, who agonized about going away to college wondering if her beloved brother with autism would forget about her; or Nate, who became an inspirational leader among his peers against all odds, having drug-addicted parents and growing up in the ghetto. Could Johnson relate to any of this? Was it personal? What was different?

“I was born and raised here in Poughkeepsie. I was a ghetto kid growing up in the projects with a loving mother and family who exposed me to art, to learn about the world beyond home.” The key to the outside world for young Neil was art. And his nickname Sleuth came from his constant questioning, “Why?”

After school, Johnson traveled and returned to Poughkeepsie, passionate about the power of poetry, art and music to bring people together. An independent producer, he hosts dynamic, uplifting shows in his Sleuth Pro Art Studio and around the area. He arranged a screening of this film as yet another medium to inform, educate and inspire area families and youth right in Poughkeepsie and beyond.

Louder than a Bomb is showing at 8 and 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. Tickets cost $10. The Cunneen-Hackett Theatre Building is located at 12 Vassar Street in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (845) 486-4571 or visit www.cunneen-hackett.org. To learn more about the Sleuth Pro Film Series, the Sleuth Pro Art Studio or to donate, contact Neil Johnson at (845) 705-9995 or sleuthprolyrics@hotmail.com. Information about the film can be found at www.louderthanabombfilm.com.

 

 

Huguenot Street in New Paltz, Washington’s HQ in Newburgh offer Heritage Weekend discounts

When you live in the Hudson Valley, you can find direct links to the past. I get complacent that “history happened here” and often tend to take it for granted. Sometimes I forget that some of the stone houses that I drive by all the time in New Paltz are 300 years old, or that George Washington actually spent time in Newburgh. And I don’t think that I ever even thought about the people behind the name of Montgomery Place. New York Heritage Weekend, May 19 and 20, is a great way to introduce or reconnect us to some historic treasures right here, as well as throughout New York State. This weekend will appeal to a lot of families because it’s such a great time of year to go exploring, both indoors and out, and it’s easy on the budget: Some historic sites are discounting or waiving tour fees, as well as hosting special events.

Quick: What’s the oldest street in America with its original houses? Huguenot Street in New Paltz. There’s lots more to learn here during opening weekend. In honor of New York Heritage Weekend, Historic Huguenot Street is offering two-for-the-price-of-one deluxe guided tours on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are offered at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Just mention New York Heritage Weekend to take advantage of the discount. The offices for Historic Huguenot Street are located at 88 Huguenot Street in New Paltz.

George Washington spent just over 16 months commanding troops from his headquarters at 84 Liberty Street in Newburgh. Learn more about life here during the 1780s with a tour of the authentically furnished house. Montgomery Place, located on Annandale Road in Red Hook, is hosting free tours from 11 a.m. to the last tour at 3 p.m. Bring a picnic; the grounds themselves are worth visiting on their own.

For more information about any of these places, about New York Heritage Weekend or to discover many other Hudson Valley historic sites celebrating this weekend, call (518) 473-3835 or visit www.heritageweekend.org.

 

 

Magic show with Domino the Great this Saturday in Kingston

 

Before I heard about the comedy magician Domino the Great, I thought that magicians just played to audiences of all ages. But Domino is a professional children’s entertainer and magician, and his shows are specifically designed for children. It’s what he does. He knows how to engage them with humor, fun and riveting tricks in a style that kids love – especially kids aged 5 years and up. Make a plan to take your family to the Kingston Library’s Super Saturday performance of Domino the Great. The show is free and takes place on Saturday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m.

The Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-0507, extension 7, or visit www.kingstonlibrary.org. To learn more about the magician, visit www.dominothegreat.com.

 

 

Pet shows this Saturday in High Falls and Rhinebeck

When I heard about this weekend’s pet events, I started thinking about dog shows, which reminded me of the dog show mockumentary Best in Show, which made me laugh out loud remembering Harlan Pepper and his hysterical nut list recitation: “Peanut. Hazelnut. Cashew nut. Macadamia nut…” Luckily for us, these events are open to more than just dogs. So pack up your kids and your fur kids (or feathered or otherwise) and check out these two shows, both on Saturday, May 19.

The High Falls Pet Show is open to all restrainable pets and offers 12 areas of competition, including “Pet/Owner Lookalike,” “Most Unusual Pet” and a “Kids Only” category. The entry fee is $4 per pet. The Pet Show takes place in High Falls at the High Falls Community Church yard, on Mohonk Road near the firehouse. Registration begins at 10 a.m., and the special competitions run from 11 a.m. to approximately 1 p.m.

If you’re looking for a larger event or want to make it a double-header, head over to the Hudson Valley Pet Palooza at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, located at 6550 Spring Brook Avenue in Rhinebeck. Held annually since 2009, Pet Palooza raises money for Partnership for Animals Needing Transition (PANT), Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue, the Catskill Animal Sanctuary and Lucky Orphan Horse Rescue. Admission is $10 and children under 12 are free. Leashed animals are welcome. A rabies clinic and microchipping are available on-site, as well as a petting zoo, dog agility and acrobatic demonstrations, an animal communicator, live music, food, vendors and free face-painting.

For more information about the High Falls Pet Show, call (845) 399-8981 or visit www.highfallscivic.org. To learn more about the Hudson Valley Pet Palooza, call (845) 229-7739 or visit www.hudsonvalleypetpalooza.com.

 

 

 

Erica Chase-Salerno lives, loves and laughs in New Paltz with her husband Mike and their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.

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