High on a hill overlooking two mountain ranges and infinite acres of farmland, Klocke Estate – a soil-to-glass “destination distillery” in Claverack devoted to creating brandy that echoes “the timeless spirit of the Hudson Valley” – is finally opening its doors after more than seven years of development. Earlier this week, a ribbon cutting ceremony…
Author: Ben Rendich
Quality Haircuts and a Game of Pool: Blends is a Place to let your Hair Down
The solstice has arrived, summer is here – and if the heat wave has got you itching for a fresh haircut, try out Blends Co. Barber Lounge on Bridge Street in Catskill. Owned and operated by Catskill native Keo Branch, Blends opened in August 2023 and has quickly become a fixture of its neighborhood. Featuring…
Cozy, Consistent Cornerstones
A Trio of Women-Owned Bookstores and the Role they Play in our Community When Kristi Gibson first opened Magpie Bookshop in Catskill just over ten years ago, it was, from her point of view, an act of necessity. “The entire county didn’t have a bookstore at that point,” she remembers, “and I felt like I…
Fanciful families: odd characters and group dynamics in the paintings of Michael Lindsay-Hogg
When I met Hudson-based artist Michael Lindsay-Hogg at Hudson Hall earlier this week, it was during the installation of Talking Pictures – a new solo exhibition of more than eighty original works by the man Wes Anderson calls “the Buñuel of portrait-painters.” A menagerie of whimsical, strange faces stared at us from varying angles; it…
Making art, wholesale: a private event at the home of Carrie Haddad honors the legacy of Frederic Church
Two Thursdays ago, a group of Hudsonians gathered at the home of beloved local gallerist Carrie Haddad to celebrate the closing weekend of Spectacle: Frederic Church and the Business of Art – an exhibition curated by The Olana Partnership that examined the historic painter’s use of showmanship in promotion of his artwork. The event, subtitled…
“A Butt for Every Seat:” Catskill Bicycle Supply Co. is Bringing People Together, One Ride at a Time
Spring is very nearly sprung here along the Hudson River – and if you find yourself antsy for some outdoor fun, try swinging by Catskill Bicycle Supply Co., the full-service bike shop run by Lee and Ian Herchenroder. Whether you’re looking for a niche repair or hopping onto a banana seat for the very first…
Transcendent Turbulence: A Quartet of Women Artists Bring Refracted Natural Views to Warren Street
A couple weekends ago, I had the delight of visiting two galleries on Warren Street – both featuring women artists who offer sustained yet refracted views of nature in their work. The first of these galleries, Susan Eley Fine Art, presents Scenes of Ethereality – which is the second half of its two-part wintertime exhibition…
A Matter of Practice: Catskill Zen Circle is a Place to Hear Your Own Thoughts
If you find yourself in need of an hour’s meditation – and a friendly space in which to do it – head on over to the Catskill Zen Circle, located on Main just past the intersection with Bridge Street. Operated by Rodney Greenblat, the Zen Circle is a low-maintenance, hour-long meditation that’s held three times…
All the Good, All the Time: at Made X Hudson, Sustainability is more than just Fashionable
For anyone in search of a last-minute holiday gift, try swinging by Made X Hudson – the full service design atelier headquartered on Main Street in Catskill. From their own branded clothing (produced in-house by a team of skilled seamsters) to beauty and pantry items from a roster of Hudson Valley makers, everything in the…
Movies, Magazines, and Modeling: an Ongoing Series of Queer-Centric Events at Kasuri
If you haven’t visited Kasuri’s “new” location between Prison Alley and Columbia since they moved about a year ago, now is a great time to get yourself re-acquainted. The mainstay Hudson boutique continues to offer a trove of avant-garde fashions, but they’ve also recently teamed up with Dream Brother – a fluid creative platform helmed…