This communal attitude seems to be a Red Hook trait. Like many Hudson Valley towns, there can sometimes be a "rural folk vs. city visitor" mentality, as well as a distinct line between conservative and liberal environmentalists, but each seems to share a common goal—maintaining Red Hook as a safe and charming town. Bonnie Scheweppe—who opened Living Eden with business partner Bobbi Jo Forte in May—learned this firsthand. The shop offers recycled, upcycled, locally made, fair trade, and USA-made items plus organic and gluten-free foods. "We thought we'd have a niche market, but we actually cater to a very mixed crowd," Scheweppe says. "The very, very conservative bunch want made-in-America products, and the very, very liberal love the cruelty-free, vegan items. And since our items range in prices, we can appeal to anyone. We refer to it as Conscious Capitalism. We want people to understand why buying locally made or fair trade is important. We didn't just open a shop for the sake of opening a shop—we knew if we did this for the right reasons everything would work out, and so far it's been great."
For a taste of the nightlife and local happenings, stop by Bread and Bottle for a glass of wine or craft beer and locally sourced charcuterie (live music takes place during weekends), or head to Mercato Osteria & Enoteca for fine Italian dining with its seasonally changing menu and hard-to-find wines. Enjoy a lively, daylong community celebration during Hardscrabble Day, a family-friendly event featuring fun activities, food vendors, music, and more (September 21), but before that, take part in the Sixth Annual Art Studio View Tour, during which various private art studios will open their doors to the public for a peek into their creative processes. This event takes place the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend at various venues throughout Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Hyde Park, and Tivoli (ArtStudioViews.com). After exploring the studios, any Tivoli-bound fiber artist or knitter will want to check out Fabulous Yarn, which has a huge selection of luxury yarns produced by top brands. (With the fiber-art resurgence in the Valley, we know there are bound to be a few of you.) The shop also features local yarns from Buckwheat Bridge and Alpatrax.
Hometown Pride
An emphasis on buying local and supporting the area's farms and purveyors rings throughout Tivoli. A dish from the all-day brunch menu at Murray's, for instance, features seasonally changing ingredients sourced from Valley growers. Chef Rei Peraza of Panzur, a Spanish gastropub and wine bar, cooks with the same local/seasonal philosophy, but serves small plates with Old World flavor. Larger meals, such as paella dishes or pig feasts that can each serve up to 10 people, are available with advanced notice. The wine bar offers more than 100 bottles, largely from Spain, and has received acclaim from local and national publications. For savory Southwestern flavor, try Santa Fe, a Tivoli cornerstone whose vibrant décor is as authentic as its Enchiladas Tipicas.
Local goodies, fruits, and veggies—including the ability to pick your own apples and pumpkins—are available at Mead Farms through October. Anyone planning to visit Tivoli during the fall should also mark November 7 to 10 on their calendars for NEWvember, a festival of new plays, presented by the town's Tangent Theatre Company, that takes place at the Carpenter Shop Theater (NewvemberFestival.com).
Resources
+Space Gallery
Always There
Annex Antiques (845) 758-2843
Art Studio Views
Atelier Renee Fine Framing
Bard Center for Environmental Policy
Clear Yoga
Ferncliff Forest
George Cole Auctions
Haldora
Law Offices of Michel P. Haggerty
Mac’s Agway
Murray’s Tivoli
Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens
Osaka
Pet Country (845) 876-9000
Red Hook Emporium
Rhinebeck Antique Emporium
Rhinebeck Artist’s Shop
Rhinebeck Department Store
Rusty’s