When did the holidays become a mad dash to the deadline? A consumptive spree through the mall? When did bringing joy to others start standing at odds with convenience? Sustainability is more than an environmental concern: It’s also about sustaining community, supporting ideas, and feeding a flowing economy. Perhaps the holidays can be an opportunity for exploration and creative expression. This holiday season, give a gift to yourself too: Make time to reflect on the individuals in your life, and consider how to reflect them in your gifts. Here, a few ideas to get you going.
SUSTAINABLE STAPLES
Imagination
Poporopo is a toy store named for the Spanish word describing the sound of popping corn––“A word that makes you laugh, even if you can’t help it, just like a toy store is meant to,” says Zeno Vanfretti, the owner. And with an emphasis on stroller-accessibility and open space, Poporopo delivers just that. This holiday season, instead of buying toys that entertain themselves, consider getting toys that spur the imagination. Rody’s Italian rubber riding animals ($52) and Roy Toy’s building logs (tubes are $19.95, classic boxes $25.50, and bags $45.95) implore you to just add kids. Don’t miss the collection of tin toys ($2.75-$35) with Pot Pot Boats that are powered by a candle.
Started six years ago in New Paltz with Waldorf-inspired playthings, Enchanted Toys continues to offer Sarah’s Silks ($10-40) and mostly wooden items. But owner David Tate has branched out from the less-affordable organic toys. You’ll find Haba wooden baby toys ($13), Papo historical figures ($6), plus an amazing selection of Plan Toys ($18-$100), including the popular Ryan’s Room. Made in Thailand from replenishable rubberwood trees, Plan Toys enhance children’s hand-eye coordination and their inner muse. Focusing on old-time toys with durability, Tate doesn’t worry about current trends. Visit him and his mixed-breed dog, Tommy, seven days a week.
Poporopo Toy Store 35 Broadway, Kingston, (845) 331-3005
Enchanted Toys 15 North Front Street, New Paltz, (845) 255-1429
Presentation
The sense of place is immediate when you walk into White Rice in Hudson. With furniture, home décor, and artwork (fairly traded from indigenous business partners in Bali and Java) greeting you at the door, you feel the Asian Island vibe right away. Antiques made from milled and handhewn wood, furniture reimagined from reclaimed teak, vintage-inspired jewelry from New York State artisans and clothing for all ages (including those made from White Rice’s signature batiks), everything emits style, rich color and a sense of history. Check out the children’s area for Peruvian Trade’s snake, fish, and funny-face hats (about $25). Or take a look at Dream Sack’s ridiculously soft baby onesies, made of bamboo fabric (about $20), soon to arrive in nightware for men and women. On every rack there are Tano’s luscious Italian leather bags and wallets ($100-250) and White Rice’s hip Ikats, handloomed in Java and made into table runners, linens ($30+), coats ($90+), and children’s clothes ($20+). Keep your eyes peeled for their new knitware line, coming soon.
In Woodstock, go to Sorella on the village green for midpriced designer clothing that has a cool, ageless style. With the chic ambiance of an LA boutique, and the attention and warmth that only a trio of sisters bred in West Shokan could extend, most of Sorella’s clothing is made in the USA, often from up-and-coming local designers, that has been chosen for its uniqueness and quality. Look for Lisa B’s over-the-knee socks ($25+), Christie’s of London’s men’s fedoras (also hip for women)($35-$50), and Luxury Apparel’s comfy cashmere thermals ($154-$189). Or Solar Recovery’s all-natural beauty supplies ($12-$20) and Pacifica’s vegan soy scented candles ($14) and old-fashioned solid perfumes ($9)––great for stocking stuffers. You’ll also hit matchless finds like Demitasse’s Fairy Absinthe miniature spoon necklace (a nod to Toulouse-Lautrec) and Alpha Industries’ peacoat, the original style worn by Marilyn Monroe ($150). Don’t miss the sale rack!
White Rice 531 Warren Street, Hudson, (518) 697-3500, www.white-rice.com
Sorella 8 Old Forge Road, Woodstock, (845) 657-4104
Gastronomy
As we all hunker down for that long, cold winter (made colder by our erratic economy), why not bestow gifts that celebrate the home-cooked meal? Your personal chef would enjoy a gift from Warren Kitchen & Cutlery in Red Hook, the shopping place for cooks and foodies alike. Owner Richard Von Husen advises that a chef can never have too many knives and says the hippest thing around the cutting board are Japanese specialty knives ($42.50-$346.50). Warren Kitchen & Cutlery carries brands like Shun and Kikuichi, as well as Henckels, the forever favorite. Stuff stockings with copper or tin cookie cutters ($.99-$7.49), or have them wake up to a gift of a Swiss Diamond omelet and crepe pan ($99.99), and let the holiday morning breakfast be inspired.
In terms of savings, Riverkeeper’s new eye-catching stainless steel water bottles have a lot to offer. With billions of barrels of oil used in the production, transportation, and storage of plastic bottles in the US each year, these easy-to-clean, reusable bottles keep a few thousand more plastic ones out of our landfills. While tap water costs about 88 cents per gallon less than bottled, the maxim, “I Bottle My Own,” is written boldly outside the 20-ounce Riverkeeper Water Bottle (in blue, turquoise, red, or silver with a matching carabiner clip). At only $20, it still supports the important work Riverkeeper does to safeguard the Hudson and the watersheds, which provide drinking water to over nine million New Yorkers daily.
Consider giving the gift that just keeps on feeding: a CSA farm share. Community Supported Agriculture encourages the local economy and limits the carbon footprint left by trucking food from farm to store to home. With the Hudson Valley full of organic and naturally grown farms, shares also help keep the community safe by practicing farming without the use of pesticides. At $400-700 for a full share, $200 to 400 for a partial share, it breaks down to about $10-$35 a week (based on a 20-week season). So let a gift of farm-fresh veggies be the gift your family gives itself, or give a share to your friends. They’ll thank you every week for a year! If you already have a farm share, think about purchasing a fruit share ($150), or the specialty items your farm provides (pick-your-own flowers, herb blends, homemade pies, and honey). As Fruitful Harvest’s Dee Paschall says, “Don’t shop. Give local food, carefully grown.”
Warren Kitchen & Cutlery 6934 Route 9, Rhinebeck, (845) 876-6208,
www.warrenkitchentools.com
Riverkeeper www.riverkeeper.org
CSA Directory www.chronogram.com/directories/CSA-Farms
REGIONAL RENOWN
Original Art
If the Hudson Valley is known for only one thing, it would probably be art. Beginning with the historic Hudson River School, there remain painters, ceramicists, and photographers around every corner. And that offers a unique opportunity to give a gift with regional meaning––and to put some holiday dinner on the tables of your friendly neighborhood starving artist.
As you drive around this fall, you’ll likely notice signs outside of homes advertising “Studio.” Take a moment to go inside, or make an appointment. You’ll be impressed with the level of artistry, as well as with the diversity of media. For instance, Mimi Graminski’s series of sewn drawings made from silk thread and acrylic on linen are unusual in their expansive interpretation of abstract drawing. Widely exhibited locally (she participated this year in the Kingston Biennial and Anxious Objects at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, New Paltz), Graminski was recently chosen for the NYFA MARK artist program and will be presenting her work in Hudson and at Exit Art in Manhattan. Her wall installation of knit cones is now on view at Spencertown Academy’s Unusual Twist: Artists Knit, Crochet and Embroider. Her studio is open by appointment, with works ranging from $25 for prints to $1,500 for sculpture.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for local gallery listings advertising holiday shows of small works or works on paper, where you can often find a unique conversation piece representing a little bit of the Hudson Valley for under $100.
Mimi Graminski 13 Elm Street, Red Hook, (845) 758-2114, www.mimigraminski.com
Commissioned Portraits
Another artful way to go: commission a portrait. Jenny Lee Fowler has contemporized the early American tradition of paper-cutting portraiture. Popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, the silhouette was a quick and economical alternative to more laborious forms of portraiture, such as oil painting, but its heyday ended with the advent of photography. “One of the things that I love about the art,” remarks Fowler, “is that because of how it overlaps with our country’s history, there were many people whose likenesses were only ever rendered in silhouette.” While there are many methods for creating a silhouette, Fowler, in the tradition of early artists, cuts freehand while closely observing her subject in profile, creating a depiction with which the sitter will truly feel connected. It only takes about 5 to 10 minutes and can be done at her studio in Port Ewen. Sihouettes can also be cut from photographs. A classic 4×6-inch bust cut from French black silhouette paper and archivally mounted on white Strathmore 4-ply museum board is $25. Fowler is also available for special events, a fun idea for your holiday party.
Sculptor Cristina Biaggi tells of happy customers who remarked on how well her bronze busts captured the essence of the person depicted. Working from life (a bust can take anywhere from 5 to 10 sittings at her Palisades studio or other location) or from photographs, Biaggi makes a Plastiline portrait that is then taken to the foundry in Beacon where the age-old technique of creating a lost-wax portrait to create the mold is refined. The piece is then cast in bronze. Afterward, the subject visits the foundry with Biaggi to determine the patina (coloring), have the sculpture mounted to its base, and have a tour. The result is a beautiful, lasting likeness. Pricing is dependent upon complexity of the sculpture, but pieces are usually in the $12,000-17,000 range. Gift certificates are available.
Jenny Lee Fowler Port Ewen, (845) 750-5181, www.jennyleefowler.com
Cristina Biaggi 149 Washington Spring Road, Palisades, www.cristinabiaggi.com
Metals
For the past 10 years, Adel Chefridi has been handcrafting jewelry in New York and, as of last year, in Woodstock full-time. Chefridi always starts with the stone rather than a preconceived idea. With a background in gemology, he cuts around the natural inclusions to bring out the gem’s innate character. Chefridi travels each year to India, where he works with a family in the trade to hand-select each stone. A member of the American Gemological Trade Association, an exclusive regulatory society that requires adherence to high ethical standards, his relationship with the dealers in India is much like his relationship with his customers in America: close-knit and long-term. When working with someone to design a custom piece, Chefridi sees his role as neutral so as to help the collaborative process remain open for creating an ideal piece. Not surprisingly, many of his customers are excited to begin the next piece as soon as the first is finished. Perhaps it is Chefridi’s respect for the stones themselves that is so intoxicating. “There’s something about a stone that has taken millions of years to grow––it’s not inanimate. When there are breaks in its development, the stone grows together, creating a healing fracture. If that’s not life, what is?” Chefridi offers pieces at every price range with an especially large choice under $100 around the holidays, all with exceptional stones. Visit Chefridi at the Holiday Fair at Grand Central Station in New York City through December 29, shop online, or call for an appointment in Woodstock, where you can see his studio. Ask about his new line of recycled gold jewelry.
Chefridi Fine Jewels (866) 428-8777, www.chefridi.com
Catskill Carry-ons
No matter what the clouds look like, you can always find a silver lining in an AmeriBag. Pockets, dividers, hooks, and waterfall-shaped zipper pockets help you organize your things while the reflective lining makes everything that much easier to find. To the designers at AmeriBag, an ergonomic bag is as easy on your body as it is on your eyes. All of the bags in the Catskill Collection are named after local towns: The Esopus ($20) is a compact but roomy tote with lots of pockets and a double-zip entry to keep your belongings secure; the Zena ($50) is a large wear-and-tear-resistant bag with built-in space for books, folders, and magazines; the Walden ($56) is a midsize handbag, complete with a padded compartment for a laptop and large pockets for other everyday essentials. The look (which comes in black, taupe, or dark chocolate) is sophisticated, urban, yet down-to-earth. Each bag in the Catskill Collection features sleek, velvety microfiber (bonded to a nylon knit backing for added durability) and brushed silver hardware. Whether you’re having a baby, going on a vacation, or anything in between, AmeriBag has it in the bag.
AmeriBag (800)246-1292, www.ameribag.com
THINKING OUTSIDE THE GIFT BOX
The Gift of Experience
In a community where everyone is an artist, the perfect gift for anyone might be an experience. Dia:Beacon is the Dia Foundation’s upstate offshoot, a mecca for minimalism’s superstars. Art lovers wander expansive spaces with large-scale installations, paintings, and sculptures, each room designed specifically for the work it contains. The permanent collection houses, among others, Fred Sandback’s clever line drawings sculpted from lengths of yarn, Andy Warhol’s noir Shadows comprising multiple canvases hung edge to edge, and Richard Serra’s corporeal Torqued Ellipses and spirals, which beg the viewer to navigate the sculptures from within. An individual membership is just $50 ($30 for an artist, student, or senior; $100 for a family) and includes complimentary admission, invitations to special events and openings, and discounts at the bookstore and café, and on performances, concerts, and readings.
For the performing arts, consider a subscription to The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College. The center boasts two theaters, which attract world-renowned performers for their regularly scheduled Summerscape, Music Festival, and theater and dance programs. The building itself is a 110,000-square-foot attraction designed by internationally acclaimed architect, Frank Gehry.
Maverick Concerts in Woodstock is America’s oldest continuous summer chamber music festival. Set in the woods, the rustic concert hall, built in 1916, has perfect acoustics and affords an intimate and unique setting for live music performances. Each summer, there is also a Young People’s Concert series within its regular 10-week season. A book of 10 tickets is just $175.
Dia:Beacon www.diabeacon.org
The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College www.fishercenter.bard.edu
Maverick Concerts www.maverickconcerts.org
The Gift of Self
There’s someone you know who is always juggling more than any person can handle, and doing it, most often, with relative style. What do you get the person who always thinks of you first? A gift certificate to one of the Valley’s many skilled yoga studios might just be the thing: an opportunity to reconnect with the self.
As Jai Ma Yoga Center in New Paltz notes on their website, “The word Yoga means Union,” and their classes are designed to provide the student a safe, comfortable atmosphere in which to learn and practice yoga, with focus on alignment and technique in each posture. Class varieties include beginner to advanced, gentle, restorative, children’s, prenatal, private, and Anusara Yoga Theraputics Sessions; and Jai Ma offers gift certificates that can be coupled with massage and bodywork. Owners Gina Bassinette and Ami Jayaprada Hirschstein have been teaching locally since 1995. Purchase gift certificates for one class or a class card (a class card is good for two months or 10 classes). A portion of Jai Ma’s proceeds is donated to local nonprofits.
Satya Yoga offers all levels of classes in Rhinebeck and basic and reduced-price community classes at their studio in Catskill. “Yoga is an instant tonic for all the craziness the holidays can bring,” says co-director Jessie Lee Montague. With a wide selection of styles, including restorative Svaroopa and Gentle Yoga, intense Vinyasa Yoga, alignment-oriented Iyengar, and Anusara, Satya Yoga Centers have something for everyone. They also offer a four-week Intro to Yoga series four times a year. Buy gift certificates over the phone or in person for any amount of classes, which can be redeemed at any time within a year.
Jai Ma Yoga Center 69 Main Street, New Paltz, (845) 256-0465, www.jmyoga.com
Satya Yoga 6400 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, (845) 876-2528, and 352 Main Street, Catskill, (518) 943-3929, www.satyayogacenter.us
The Gift of Home
Perhaps we all yearn for the peace and tranquility of an uncluttered house. Bless Your Hearth cleaning service is run by healer and spiritual counselor Dawn Deevy. Thorough and detail-oriented, with many years of experience, Bless Your Hearth cleaning service uses only nontoxic products. “There are many products out there claiming to be nontoxic and getting away with it,” Dawn says. “There are virtually no regulations at this point. I have done the research and have the knowledge to call myself a truly nontoxic cleaning service.” With a crew who is paid a living wage to enjoy what they do, Bless Your Hearth cleaning service leaves behind good energy and a clean, nontoxic home.
Bless Your Hearth Rosendale, (845) 706-8447
This article appears in December 2008.
