Gardiner Library Brings Home the Holiday Spirit

It is that special time of year! With the holidays approaching faster than you can say ‘Happy Holidays!’ the Gardiner Library is curating events to help you find unique holiday gifts from local craftspeople, while showing support to your favorite library.

Local Artist Holiday Craft Fair, December 3 

Saturday December 3
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Purchase wonderful and original gifts for the holidays from local sources at your local library! Find colorful pottery, handmade all natural bath products and soaps, decorated wreaths and sprays, hand crafted bracelets, artisanal clocks, one of a kind sewn handbags, pouches and dog collars with custom fabrics, all natural skincare products, unique handcrafted silk, and merino wool nuno felt scarves and soft felted domestic. You’ll also find woodland animals, holiday cards, unique jewelry and more.
 
Local artists include:
Elissa Cimino Flowers by Elissa
Leonie Lacouette Leonie Time Clocks
Denise Aumick Functional Textiles
Kat Majestic-Bouchard with Kat Majestic Artistry
Alexa Ginsburg Naturally Felt
Meadow
Michelle Mosher
Annie O'Neill Annie O’Neill Painted Clay
Barbara Raymond
Michelle Tomasicchio Made with Love Skincare

Friends of the Library Wreath, Cyclamen and Poinsettia Sale

Saturday, December 3rd
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Support the library and get your winter/holiday poinsettias, cyclamen, and undecorated wreaths.

Evergreen Christmas tree with lights and decorations

Family Ornament Making and Tree Lighting Ceremony

Sunday, December 4
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Get ready for Gardiner’s annual tree lighting ceremony and parade (starting at 4:30 p.m. at Gardiner Gables). Make a birdseed covered pine cone for the community tree and a paint poured globe ornament to bring home. 

Article by Matthew Silverman

Author of Out of a Dog’s Mouth (under the name McNally Berry),
https://www.outofadogsmouth.com/ 

Proprietor of Silverman Editing Services 
https://www.silvermanediting.com/ 

 

An Out of the Box Gift Guide to Mother's Day

Whether your mother is nearby… maybe too close by😉, lives far away, or is just a cherished memory, Mother’s Day tugs at the heartstrings. Those who are not mothers ignore the day at their own peril!

And if Mother’s Day is all about you, then that’s all the better, Mom. Here are a few great options in the area for that day to pamper the lady who pampered you—or for you to get a bit of pampering. Enjoy- you’ve earned it!

Bring the Party to Mom…

Opal Baking 

Opal Baking is building from the ground up. Natasha has a full menu and a full plate out of her home location in Gardiner. “I have no actual shop location at the moment, although that is the goal,” Natasha says. Right now the focus is on catering. “I founded Opal in 2021 during Covid,” she says. “All the extra time gave me the opportunity to really figure out the direction of my business.”

Her website is close to fruition, but for your Mother’s Day mission, contact her on Instagram: @opal_baking or by phone at 845-891-3311.


And Don’t Let Her Lift a Finger…

Pepper Concierge 

Taking Mom to lunch is great, but don’t sneak away without making plans to tackle the clutter that dates back to your childhood. Maybe you are too busy—or maybe your home is the one that really needs help! Perhaps professional decluttering is the way to go. That’s where Pepper comes in.

Pepper Concierge is a full-service concierge offering a wide range of services to those in need of a dedicated helping hand. Their team can expertly manage, organize, and implement your goals, enabling you—and Mom—to focus on the big picture.

https://www.pepperwithlove.com/ 


Of Course, She’ll Need Some Wine and Chocolate To Go With It…

Where local, wine, and chocolate intersect, how can you go wrong?

The Mother’s Day bundle by Vegan Wines https://veganwines.com/product/mother-s-day-chocolate-wine- pairs wine with nut-free vegan chocolate from their partners at Olenkos Kitchen. Based in Gardiner, Vegan Wines works toward a mission of conscious consumption and sharing high-quality vegan wines. Founder Frances Gonzalez sources 100% plant-based wines from Chile, France, and Italy for import into the U.S. It is positive global impact and positively exceptional wine. Mom deserves nothing less.


And a Way to Soothe Those Hardworking Hands and Muscles…

Mountain Air Body Care

Mountain Air Body Care’s list of ingredients is notable for what it does not have: no petrochemicals, no synthetic fragrance, no glycols, no silicones, and an ingredient list remarkably free of corporate chemical abbreviations. Organic, plant-based products for health and well being, the company’s mantra can be found at mountaincarebodycare.com: “Skin care and body care the way mother nature intended.” 

Some great ways to pamper Mom? Crag Jam Climber's Palm Balm for the mom who gardens and works out, Muscle Balm to relieve those sore muscles and any of the facial products to pamper skin, such as Fountain of Youth Face and Eye Cream and Blue Tansy Balm.

https://www.mountainairbodycare.com/



And While You’re At It, Give Her the Full Pampering Experience…

Made with Love Skincare

The company is called Made with Love, but a look at the ingredients shows their products are made with high-performance botanicals, herbal oils, and pure essential oils. And what better way to pamper mom than with non-toxic, plant-based, gentle ingredients that are ‘Made with Love’ by local Michele Tomasicchio? Find their products online or by appointment at their studio right on Albany Post Road.

https://www.madewithloveskincare.com/

And don’t forget to show moms love and appreciation every day of the year. We thank you, Mom!

Article by:
Matthew Silverman

Author of Out of a Dog’s Mouth (under the name McNally Berry),
https://www.outofadogsmouth.com/ 

Proprietor of Silverman Editing Services 
https://www.silvermanediting.com/ 

 

April Fun in Gardiner NY!

It’s officially Spring in Gardiner, NY and we’re excited for the events, pop-ups, Little League, soccer practice, Renegades games, dance clubs, eating at your favorite restaurant, or sitting shoulder to shoulder at the corner bar after two years of limited outings. Here’s our roundup of what’s to come this month brought to you by GAB:

Easter Egg Hunt

The Minnewaska Lodge will hold an Easter Egg Hunt that is free and open to the public at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 16. (Rain date is April 23.) The action starts behind the hotel on safe and easy trails for the little ones to run off some steam. There will be a bonfire for adults to take away any lingering morning chill. Guest services agent Rachel Carson also noted that the lodge is open to all for a hearty breakfast for $25 from 7-10 a.m. at the venerable hotel, known for its great views and hospitality. https://www.minnewaskalodge.com/ 

A Special Tour

After a short hiatus, Gardiner Open Studio Tour is back featuring 20+ talented artists local to Gardiner NY! Take an intimate look inside the work spaces of these artists on Saturday April 30th and Sunday May 1st, 10am-5pm. Each tour presents new work and new experiences, and the opportunity to meet the artists where they work, learn about their processes and take home a unique work of art. This year’s creative neighbors run the gamut from a variety of ceramicists, a clockmaker and a felter, to painters in various mediums. Tour participants can expect a range of landscape painters, figurative work and whimsical oils to mixed media artists, a luthier, furniture maker and Shaker box artist. www.gardineropenstudiotour.com

On the Lamb

Next to the Easter Bunny, and maybe some chirping yellow chicks, an image that just screams Easter is a fuzzy little lamb. There are plenty of these at Willow Pond Sheep Farm. And you can see—and even hold—the lambs on weekends through April 17. 

Groups of up to six people receive a 45-minute guided tour. You’ll spend time in the lamb pen, hold some of the young lambs, and learn about how they are born and raised on a working farm. You can also check out the farm store for sheep-related goodies. Farmer Carrie Wasser reminds you to sign up online for the limited spots on the tour, and to keep an eye out for sheep milk yogurt, which should be available at the farm store in the coming weeks. https://www.willowpondsheep.com/lamb-tours 

Beer and Flowers…

Every weekend at Gardiner Brewing Co.  is jam packed. There is live music every Saturday and Sunday, starting at 3:30 p.m. Check Instagram for updates, events, and more weekend tunes. https://www.instagram.com/gardinerbrewingcompany/


And right next door is 118-year-old Wrights Farm. The farmstand has perennials and annuals in store as the weather warms up, starting around mid-April. The stand is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with an array of farm-raised meats and other delectables like homemade fudge and doughnuts.  http://www.eatapples.com/ 

…And Burgers

Burgers are back on the menu at Mountain Brauhaus. As it gets warmer, co-owner Ilka Rouff Casey hopes to be open for midweek lunch at this Gardiner landmark, since 1955. (Current hours are 2-8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 12-8 on weekends, closing at 7:30 on Sundays.) The pandemic put a damper on a lot of things, but at least now you can have a burger with your pretzel, spaetzle, schnitzel, und Franziskaner.

And If You Feel Like Staying Home…

…Let Gardiner come to you. Jodi Whitehead at Uptown Attic puts on Uptown Attic Live a couple of Thursdays per month. Dates in April are April 14 and 21 at 7 p.m. live on Facebook. Join the Uptown Attic Live group on Facebook and be a part of the show. https://www.facebook.com/groups/519002645481612 

“It started during the pandemic,” Jodi says, “and now we keep doing because people love interactive online shopping from home.” Watch out, QVC! 

And watch out for more spring events in Gardiner as they happen. Activities start to bloom like daffodils as it warms up. Be sure to contact GAB and let us know if there’s something we missed that Gardiner should know about!

Article by:
Matthew Silverman

Author of Out of a Dog’s Mouth (under the name McNally Berry),
https://www.outofadogsmouth.com/ 

Proprietor of Silverman Editing Services 
https://www.silvermanediting.com/ 

 

What's QOL Got to Do With It?

The name is Operation QOL. If you don’t know what QOL stands for, you’re missing something—namely, Quality of Life.

“One of biggest reasons I went into operations is because quality of life is really important,” says Sonia Narvaez, who started Operation QOL in March 2021. “In dealing with entrepreneurs, my first job is to take the operations part of their business off their plate so they can do what they do best. Operations is my bee’s knees!” She laughs about digging up that old expression. “Taking ownership is really my way to contributing to my betterment of the world. If I can help businesses so they concentrate on what they do best and improve their quality of life, I can help them do better things for the world.”

Operation QOL came into focus during the pandemic as Sonia looked to improve her own QOL. “It’s not the work,” she says, “it’s the work we do. Often we are rewarded not for what we do but for how long we sit there.”

Sonia combined her background in public health with her skill set in operations to develop her first virtual assistant company, Socially Passionate Consulting. She saw a common need among many of her clients, prompting her to create a laser-focused business solutions system: Operation QOL.

Sonia has seen firsthand that it’s not healthy or good business practice to try to do everything yourself, so she’s passing that lesson on.

“The pandemic has opened the eyes of business owners that it’s not manageable or sustainable to wear all the hats. I love working with owners who have a lot of different ideas or goals.” 


And she is living what she preaches. Sonia has her own support system in place so she can concentrate on her area of expertise. The key part of her skill set? Knowing how to listen. That is especially important for small businesses without a large staff.

“I act as a sounding board,” she says. “I love working with these visionary people and then looking at what they are good at. It can be a reality check to have me on board. We work on what their strengths are and how to get the most out of them.”

It is so much about giving these people space and moving the business forward. A lot of times businesses have no space to create because they are wearing all these hats. People are afraid to leave the space because they are so overworked.


Does that sound familiar? It may be hard to find employees right now, but Operation QOL helps get the most out of the employees you do have. Not to mention, getting the most out of you.

Sonia is a Hudson Valley native. She grew up in Kerhonkson and attended Rondout Valley schools. She attended college at SUNY Stony Brook with a degree in public health and later received her masters at the University of Illinois-Chicago. She has lived in the Midwest and Brooklyn, but she is glad to finally be back in the area. Sonia is also happy to have found Gardiner Association of Businesses. Even though she resides in Kingston, she feels GAB is worth the travel and the connection.

“Several other Chamber of Commerce groups put me off. I am an introvert and I didn’t like the crazy dog-eat-dog energy of trying to get business from each other. I can network in a peaceful way. This seemed a calmer energy without all the chaos. As an introvert I really appreciated that. I need to have an intimate or very well structured group, and GAB was just right.”


 

Article by:
Matthew Silverman

 

Author of Out of a Dog’s Mouth
https://www.outofadogsmouth.com/