Hudson Valley Fall Happenings

Posted by Dylan Taft on October 21st, 2011

Autumn is an amazing time to visit the Hudson Valley region! Mother Nature takes center stage in the fall, showing off with vivid colors and bountiful harvests. It’s a season of crisp, sunny days, and clear, sometimes spooky nights. Here in Ulster County, NY, we celebrate and indulge in all that our environment gives us this time of year, knowing that winter is right around the corner. The best thing about the local autumn activities is that they’re tailor made for families and kids. Whether its apple & pumpkin picking, trooping through a corn maze, or going on a hayride, fall in the Hudson Valley equals outside activity that the whole family can enjoy!

The Hudson Valley's Bountiful Harvest

The fabled home of the legendary Johnny Appleseed, here in the…

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Carolyn Wonderland: A Cool Band & Woodstock's Latest Fan !

Posted by Dylan Taft on October 18th, 2011

This morning I happened to be flicking through the channels, hoping to catch a little news as I began my day. I paused on “Imus in the Morning”, drawn-in not by a headline, but by the powerfully strong female vocals of a band playing live on the show. I listened on. The 3-person band was called Carolyn Wonderland, and they’re soulful performance this morning came as a pleasant surprise, as I’m always grateful to catch good music that’s new to my ears. I bopped off of my living room couch with a tune in my head and a fresh new blog topic in mind, because what really caught my attention was where they will be playing this weekend...

An Unmatched Stage Presence, Live in Woodstock, NY!

Singer/songwriter & guitar…

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The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival - A Taft Street Guide

Posted by Dylan Taft on September 23rd, 2011

There’s something in the air around the Town of Saugerties; a scent that’s easy to identify and hard to miss. The aroma of fresh garlic emanating from Cantine Field in Saugerties can mean only one thing: the 2011 Hudson Valley Garlic Festival! This extremely popular annual festival features all things garlic, and we mean all things. From garlic ice cream (yes you’re reading that correctly!), to garlic fudge, to humans dressed as dancing garlic cloves, the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is yet another lively event unique to the Hudson Valley Region. It is another shining example of an active community that characterizes not only Saugerties but most all of Ulster County.

 

Taking place this Saturday and Sunday, the 2011 Garlic Festival started in 1989 as a…

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The 2011 Woodstock Film Festival - A Taft Street Guide

Posted by Dylan Taft on September 22nd, 2011

- Update - New 2012 Woodstock NY Film Festival Blog -

The Woodstock Film Festival is an exciting event that showcases not only great films, but also the lovely Hudson Valley region and our thriving community.  The festival will be four days and five nights of films, concerts, workshops, celebrity-led panels, awards ceremonies, and fantastic parties. With multiple venues not just in Woodstock but all over Ulster County, the Woodstock Film Festival will draw an estimated 12,000 visitors, more than half of whom will be out-of-towners travelling from all parts of the country and the world. This surge in tourists will undoubtedly give a boost to local businesses, in particular the service sector. Often upon arriving in the Woodstock area and seeing some of…

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The 2011 Jennie Bell Pie Festival - A Taft Street Guide

Posted by Dylan Taft on September 21st, 2011

September 23rd and 24th will kick off the 2011 Jennie Bell Pie Festival! The festival is a delicious celebration of pies and of a local hometown hero featuring great food and entertainment for the whole family. Jennie Depuy Bell (1915-2004) and her family were among the first settlers in the area now known as Accord. Accord is one of Ulster County’s best kept secrets in terms of real estate. Located where the Rondout and Peters Kill Creeks meet, Accord real estate conveniently borders the relative hotspots of Stone Ridge and High Falls, as well as butting up to the spectacular cliffs of the Shawangunk Mountains and the academic and cultural Mecca of New Paltz. All while maintaining relatively affordable home prices.

Jennie Bell was known for baking some…

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The 2011 "Taste of New Paltz" - A Taft Street Guide

Posted by Dylan Taft on September 13th, 2011

Taste of New Paltz is a delightful and delicious event unique to the Hudson Valley. It features local restaurants showcasing their specialties, selling taste-sized portions of their best dishes. Area wineries will be offering tastings and local farms will be presenting the best of this year's crops. If you've been dreaming of owning real estate in New Paltz, here's your chance to sample everything the local cuisine has to offer in one fell swoop! Taste of New Paltz offers a great experience for residents & visitors, as well as a platform for regional artisans to gain some great exposure!

Food Is The Main Event

2011 marks the 21st birthday of Taste of New Paltz, which is presented by the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce. Local restaurants and food…

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The Main Street Series - Saugerties: One of America’s Coolest Towns Celebrates 200 Years

Posted by Dylan Taft on September 8th, 2011

  

Happy Birthday Saugerties! Saugerties, New York is celebrating its 200th anniversary of incorporation this year! Originally inhabited by the Esopus Sachem Tribe, and then Dutch settlers in the 1600’s, Saugerties has evolved into the perfect blend of old and new. Nestled at the base of the Catskill Mountains and bordered by the Hudson River and the Esopus creek, Saugerties is a beautiful Hudson Valley town. Just 90 miles north of New York City it currently thrives as a tourist location with a bustling Main Street dotted with shops and eateries. Recently named one of the Top 10 Coolest Towns in America, Saugerties is a melting pot of rich history and energetic culture, perfectly epitomized by its vibrant Main Street.

Festivals & Farmers Markets,…

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Historic Ulster County Flooding Poses Biggest Challenge In Wake of Hurricane Irene

Posted by Dylan Taft on August 30th, 2011

 

Though it may look pretty bad, Ulster County will recover. As expected, Hurricane Irene caused extensive flooding, power outages and knocked down many trees. Ulster County officials are still assessing the extent of the damage, but all it takes is a short drive around the neighborhood for the impact of Irene on some Ulster County homes to become painfully apparent. However in spite of the destruction, the general feeling is that we were prepared and have fared well. Innovations like social media rose to the occasion and assumed an important role in providing a means for communication amidst a blackout. Our area has proven to be resourceful enough to withstand what County Executive Michael Hein called, “The worst natural disaster in Ulster County’s…

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Ulster County Set to Tango With Hurricane Irene

Posted by Dylan Taft on August 25th, 2011

Just days after a rare earthquake rattled the east coast, the Hudson Valley finds itself in the path of Hurricane Irene, which could reach our area by Sunday reports say. Though vastly different in nature and origin, Tuesday’s earthquake and Hurricane Irene follow a seeming trend of extreme weather this summer and once again highlight the importance of disaster preparedness. Local hazards like flooding and loss of power may occur should Irene decide to pay a visit, so officials are advising that Ulster County residents take measures and be prepared. It’s not often that we at Taft Street can blog about an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week! Thankfully in this age of information, the resources for monitoring such storms are numerous and easily…

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E A R T H Q U A K E !!! Tremors Felt In Ulster County As Earthquake Hits D.C. Area

Posted by Dylan Taft on August 23rd, 2011

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake just struck in central Virginia, rattling Washington D.C. and sending tremors as far north as Ulster County. Buildings were evacuated in Washington and New York City. Almost immediately, reports of tremors being felt in the Hudson Valley were popping up on social media and anxious texts. Earthquakes do occur on the East Coast though normally not on the scale seen on the West Coast and Pacific regions. Aside from alot of rattled nerves, as of now no injuries have been reported.

What should you do if you think you're experiencing an earthquake? As Taft Street reported in a previous blog on disaster preparedness, in the event of an earthquake the following steps should be taken: If You’re Indoors – If possible, go to the ground…

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