It was a beautiful afternoon in the Hudson River Valley with the leaves changing and a clear sunny sky. I was exhausted from all the running around with classes and needed a break from everything. With Midterms next week, I figured that I needed a change of pace and decided to head to the Sheep and Wool Festival at the Duchess County Fairgrounds.
Looking at the beautiful foliage on Route 87
I finally was able to sleep in after many early mornings and relax and enjoy breakfast. I got on the road after 10:00am and it seemed like everyone was headed in the same direction. The highway was packed until we got to Route 84 and then things calmed down.
Route 87 going up to New York
I had to stop several times just to take pictures of the foliage on the New Jersey side of the border. Unfortunately the best angles I could not get due to the fact there was no shoulder to step at on the highway. Still the colorful mountain was a site to see.
The foliage on the way up
With a rain storm coming up the coast, I wanted to be sure I got pictures of all the foliage with this brilliance.
The mountains were so beautiful I had to stop the car and photo them
Going through Hyde Park first, I stopped at the Hyde Park Farmers Market. I have been coming to this Farmers Market for years and it is always so nice.
It must have been just as the Market was closing because it was so quiet. All the vendors had time to say hello to me.
Walking by all the tents of produce and freshly made products
There were all sorts of produce, baked goods and craft products. The one thing I did notice was how expensive things have gotten. Egg Custards for $3.50 and breads for $10.00.
The colorful display of Fall produce
The Fino Farms who always has such great product
I took a quick walk through the market and then headed to the fairgrounds. That was just as packed as well.
The entrance of the festival on a beautiful sunny afternoon
The Sheep and Wool Festival is not as big as the Dutchess County Fair but had a lot of the same food and merchant vendors. On a smaller scale, it is much more manageable but with the number of people who attend this every year, they could use more food vendors for the event.
The sign and directions in the fairgrounds
The foliage was so beautiful that afternoon
The Festival takes place the second week of October just when the Duchess County foliage is coming to its peak. The fairgrounds were covered in golds and reds.
Entering the Midway at the Sheep and Wool Festival where the food vendors were located. The foliage was at peak color.
The Midway was not as packed with vendors as the fair but is had a nice selection of food vendors
Entering the middle of the festival was getting busy
The foliage was amazing both inside and outside the fairgrounds
I got up to the fair late this time, not arriving until 2:00pm ( I thought the festival ended at 6:00pm but it ended at 5:00pm) and needed to get done lunch. Amongst all of my choices, I still always head to Janek’s, the barbecue/hamburger truck that has been my favorite for years.
Janek’s food truck is always at the same location
For years I have been getting the Piggy Back burger with Cheddar cheese and pulled pork on top(which I highly recommend) but I decided to do something different and have the Burger with freshly made Pastrami and Swiss Cheese. A very nice substitute.
The Pastrami and Swiss burger
The burger was perfectly cooked with slices of smoked pastrami on top
Yum!
The dining areas of the festival were busy from the time that I got there until the festival closed that evening. Even up to closing time and just after, people were ordering food.
The crowds kept getting bigger at the Midway at lunch and dinner time
After a good lunch and getting my energy back, I headed over to the animal pens and the craft stalls to see all the handmade products. My first stop was the Sheep pens, where sheering was going on and they were many contests to showcase the livestock. The Sheep were being shown, sheered and were talking amongst themselves as we walked around the pens admiring them.
I found that the sheep looked really relaxed and seemed to have more fun staring at us
This little guy kept smiling at me watching him
While the livestock contest was going on to a huge crowd, I toured the Crafts stalls. In the Summer for the fair, this was full of cows and goats, it now had all sorts of wool vendors, knit items, handcrafts and cosmetic items.
The colorful wool items on display
These wool dragon sculptures I thought were really interesting
Bonny’s Beasts were back with more creative gifts
Bonny’s creative beasts
More creative beasts
I also revisited my favorite wood carvers to see their Santa wares. This was the first year that my mother did not want something!
The Santa Carvings
The Santa Carvings
After touring the stalls and the open museums on the fairgrounds, I decided just to take a walk around and see what things were open since the fair.
The 4H Building was closed and there were no milkshakes now. Just coffee and hot beverages. I thought I saw someone walking around with a milkshake.
The foliage around the fairgrounds was just dazzling
By 4:30pm, they kept making announcements that the show would closing by 5:00pm, so I just wondered around and observed everyone having a good time on this warm and sunny afternoon. I had been watching the football games on my phone to watch Michigan State lose again to number three Indiana. Cornell won the Bucknell game so I figured Bucknell must have been pretty bad.
The last of the patrons at the end of the afternoon with the beautiful foliage in the background by the food vendors
As I left at 5:00pm at the end of the show, I observed the old signs from previous shows. Time has flown since my first show a decade ago. I still can’t believe it will be 2026 soon.
The shoe sign from 2021, post COVID
The last show I went to pre-COVID in 2019
After the show was over, I decided to tour around Rhinebeck. I was going to attend the Cemetery walk at St. James Church again in Hyde Park at 7:30pm so I had plenty of time. I had taken this tour back in 2021 just as everything had opened up and it was a lot of fun.
St. James Church before twilight at 6:15pm
The staff was just setting up the lights at the cemetery (technically a graveyard)
The inside of St. James Church in Hyde Park, NY, parish of the Roosevelt family
I got to the church an hour before my tour and just relaxed and admired the beauty of the church. I never saw an hour fly by before my tour started. Then darkness came and my tour started.
Darkness came by 7:30pm and the cemetery looked much different
We started the lantern tour with a talk of the spirits who were buried in the grave yard. Each of the actors was waiting for us at each stop. I still could not believe these actors were waiting alone in the dark in a graveyard for people to walk by the them.
Each of the actors told their tales of when they were living and stood beside the place that they were buried. It was very intriguing.
The first person we met was Mrs. Emma Victoria Pitkin Marshal
Mrs. Marshall was once known as the ‘Poet Laureate’ of Dutchess County. She was well known in the world of publishing.
The second spirit I met was Mrs. Harper, Mrs. Mill’s housekeeper up at the Staatsburgh mansion. She told us the story of her life working for the Mills and Livingston families.
Mrs. Catherine Kennedy Harper
Mrs. Harper told us about her life working for the Livingston family and her relationship with Ruth, who she was her nanny and then housekeeper.
Our conversation with Mrs. Harper
Our next spirit we visiting was the ghost of Gertrude ‘Gerdie’ Livingston who talked about her time in the Hudson River Valley and in New York City.
Gertrude ‘Gertie’ Livingston
Mrs. Livingston telling her tales of the Hudson River Valley
In between our conversations with the spirits of the past, we walked through the graveyard as twilight gave way to darkness. The graveyard was illuminated with lanterns and lights to follow the paths. It is easy to trip over a tombstone while you are walking around the paths. They did give us lanterns to light the way but there were not enough to go around.
The vaults are illuminated at night to follow the ghostly trail
Our next with the spirits was the ghost of Reverend John McVickar, who was the Rector at St. James Church starting in 1811. He married Eliza Bard, the daughter of Dr. Samuel Bard of Bard College and raised their nine children together.
The spirit of Reverend John McVickar telling his tales of his life in the church
Walking past the church at night
The last apparition we met that night was the spirit of Mr. Augustus C. Colman, the son of a sailing captain who invested heavily in Manhattan real estate on the advice of his boss. John Jacob Astor.
The spirit of Mr. Colman telling his tales of the City
Both himself and the Reverend went at it in the graveyard
The stained glass windows at the church
The church at the end of the tour
After the tour was over, I drove to downtown Kingston , NY to talk pictures of the Dutch Reformed Church at night.
There was no cemetery walk this year here and I just wanted to visit this graveyard looked like at night with the full moon. It was more intriguing than scary.
The Kingston Old Dutch Reformed Church at 272 Wall Street
Even without a graveyard tour the ground can be a little spooky
After my tour of the Old Dutch Church and the graveyard, I walked around Downtown Kingston. I have never seen a town like this that rolls up its sleeves so early in the evening. It seems like a majority of the restaurants close at 8:00pm. I can understand the stores but the restaurants?
I stopped at my favorite go to restaurant in The ‘Stockade District’ Wing Shui at 53 North Front Street. The food is consistently wonderful and extremely reasonable and you can sit down inside the restaurant.
I was surprisingly hungry even after the big burger at lunch. It got cooler that evening so I ordered the Wonton Soup, the Steamed Dumplings and one of their wonderful eggrolls. It was such a great meal and really warmed me up. For such a small hole in the wall restaurant/take out place, the food is excellent.
My dinner that evening at Wing Shui
The Wonton Soup had for large wontons that you could barely fit in your mouth in the rich chicken broth. That warmed up after a graveyard walk in the dark.
The Wonton Soup with the oversized Wontons and rich chicken broth
The steamed dumplings were plump and moist and filled with spiced pork mixture.
The dumplings here are delicious
Their egg rolls are always a treat and are the first thing that I ever tried here years ago.
The egg rolls here are excellent
Yum!
I was nice to sit in the restaurant and just warm up. The temperature really dropped that evening and it was a rather cool October in comparison to other years.
After dinner, I walked around Downtown Kingston some more and admired some of the decorations and store windows decorated for the holidays. It seems like Halloween is now the lead into Christmas rather than Thanksgiving (some places have already decorated for Christmas).
The ‘Jack Pumpkin’ decoration that looked like it out of “The Nightmare before Christmas” in Downtown Kingston, NY
A lot of windows were decorated for the Halloween holidays. The merchants in Downtown Kingston are so creative and here are some of my favorites.
This was displayed in the window on a North Front Street store.
The faceless entities in the windows
They face this witches hat
The skulls and pumpkins in the window. The merchants get quite creative at the holidays in the downtown area.
I walked back to my car and contemplated the upcoming Halloween holiday and all the interesting events I planned to see. It is no longer just Trick or Treating anymore.
The front of the Old Dutch Church at night
While waiting for a friendly ghost to come and greet me.
I did not know how I pulled it off but I did. Teaching three classes while taking three classes and serving on four Executive Boards plus all my volunteer work. I never sat still from Thanksgiving to New Year’s and I am still at it.
Christmas never starts in December for me. It starts just after Halloween ends. One holiday just seems to blend into another as the holiday season has moved from Thanksgiving weekend to Halloween weekend to start the holiday season. I swear, we sit at the Halloween Parade talking about Sinterklaas four weeks later and then there is it is. Literally four weeks later.
My Christmas started on Thanksgiving Weekend. I joined my family for the Thanksgiving Buffet Dinner at the Lambertville Inn again this year. I almost did not go as I had a major paper in my Digital Marketing class at NYU plus another paper due in my Hotel Sales & Marketing class. That on top of the fact that I was so busy working at Bergen Community College that I would have never had a good time knowing there was so much work to do. A couple of very late nights later, there I was at the brunch again with my family.
The Thanksgiving Brunch at the Lambertville Inn dining room.
The marvelous selection at the Lambertville Inn for Thanksgiving.
Enjoying the Pasta Bar at the Lambertville Inn.
There was such a great selection of entrees, soups, salads, sides and desserts it took some time to just take a taste of everything. On top of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, you could have roasted chicken, ham and Prime Rib plus a complete Pasta and Salad Bars.
Enjoying my Thanksgiving Dinner with my family.
For dessert, they had an Ice Cream Bar and fresh miniature pastries to choose from.
The Dessert and Ice Cream bar at the buffet.
It was really nice and we had a wonderful time. The food and the service are excellent and no one has to clean up. That is the best part with everyone running around working so much. I felt like I did not have time to breath let alone to take time out for myself. I actually felt guilty if I was not working on a paper for school or grading something. I am glad that my family convinced me to come out and enjoy myself.
The weekend didn’t end with Thanksgiving Dinner. The next day was Christmas Tree drop off for the Men’s Association as the Annual Christmas tree sale started on Friday morning. We got a text at 7:30am that the driver had just pulled up and needed everyone to show up early. Most of the guys did not show until around 8:45am-9:00am when we were originally were supposed to arrive. Still, we got the truck emptied in 45 minutes and sold our tree of the day at 9:30am. That is a new record for us. We also sold our first tree at 9:30am which was a record for us. We sold three trees by 12:00pm which we never do (We sold out in three weeks and two days).
Christmas tree drop off for the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association took about 45 minutes this year due to all the high school volunteers that we had that morning.
I had stayed that morning and afternoon until 3:00pm when I had to go home to work on both my Digital Marketing and my Customer Service papers for class at NYU. Before I left, we sold 37 trees and three stands. Not bad for the first day of sales and was the sale would be for the next two weeks. I have never seen trees fly off a lot so fast. We were not just getting customers from Hasbrouck Heights, we were getting them from the surrounding towns of Lodi, Hackensack and Wood Ridge but they were coming as far away as Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes and even from Hoboken and Brooklyn. Talk about word of mouth.
That evening I attended the annual Holiday Parade in Downtown Hasbrouck Heights and it was well attended but I still thought it would have had more people. The bands were a bit off key but it is still a fun parade. It got really cold later that evening. The temperature must have dropped twenty degrees from the time that the trees were dropped off to the start of the parade. Still it was a nice way to start the holidays.
The Hasbrouck High School Marching Band opened the parade downtown.
The floats in the parade.
The Santa Float was at the end of the parade.
The Tree Lighting ceremony ends the parade every year. It was really cold that night.
The week in between Thanksgiving and the first week of December was tough for me as I had three papers to work on and it was the week before my students at Bergen Community College presented their final projects to me. It was stressful as we had the last of our Board Meetings to discuss the final touches to the projects.
Then came Sinterklaas weekend and the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Christmas weekend where I had already committed months earlier to help volunteer for both events. Talk about being stretched thin that weekend. The year before I was bringing my computer up for my Business Analysis class on my Rockaways History in Tourism project and this year it was Digital Marketing project on New York City Tourism+Conventions and Customer Relationship Management on Luna Park (which I had to write the paper all by myself and contribute to the PowerPoint). Trust me, it was a weekend of long days and nights.
That weekend started at the Kingston, NY Snowflake Festival, followed by the Sinterklaas festival and parade the next day and then the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Christmas Party after that. I never stopped running around.
It was a rather gloomy Friday and before I headed up to the Hudson River Valley for the Snowflake Festival and Sinterklaas (and everything else), I stopped by the Ringwood Manor to tour the house and see all the Christmas decorations and visit my friend, Leah, who I had worked with when I was still working for the County. She was helping at the Ringwood Manor as a volunteer.
The house was so beautifully decorated for the holidays, and I was impressed by what the volunteers from the Woman’s Club had created in decorating the house for Christmas.
The Ringwood Manor at 1304 Sloatsburg Road in Ringwood, NJ decorated on the outside.
The formal Dining Room decorated for the holidays at Ringwood Manor.
The Ryerson section of the Manor decorated for the holidays.
I was able to spend the early part of the morning touring the house before I left for my trip. The house was magnificent and so tastefully decorated for holidays. Every room including the Carriage House and the Barn were decorated with some type of theme (see my review TripAdvisor). I was able to take about an hour and a half out of my schedule to really enjoy the self-guided tour.
After the tour, I headed up to the Hudson River Valley. Though the weather was on the warm side, it was drizzling when I got there at 6:00pm. I had been touring the Ringwood Manor earlier in the day and it was cloudy and miserable when I left.
I stopped at Auntie El’s Farm for a quick lunch and it was wonderful. I just had snack of an Jamican Beef Pattie and a Black and White cookie and that was all I needed to keep me going for the afternoon.
Auntie El’s at 171 Route 17 South at Christmas time is a pretty spectacular place.
I finally got to Rhinebeck and checked into my hotel, The Hampton Inn Poughkeepsie and then made my way across the river to the Snowflake Festival. It was just getting in full swing when it started a light rain. I walked around for a bit watching the fire eaters and admiring the decorations before I decided to head back to Dutch Reformed Church to relax inside and hear the entertainment. That’s when it started to rain.
The “Snowflake Festival” on Friday, December 1st in Kingston, NY.
My blog on the Snowflake Festival and Sinterklaas:
In 2023, the weather had been gloomy all day and misty so it was not the best conditions for an outdoor festival. It was to my surprise that when I got there at 6:00pm it was really busy. They may have been a light drizzle but that did not keep people away.
The crowds on that misty Friday night in downtown Kingston, NY were very large.
I walked all of Front Street in Downtown Kingston Stockade section admiring all the Christmas windows of the merchants and the snowflake decorations all around the downtown.
Downtown Kingston in the rain the night of the 2023 Snowflake Festival
The snowflakes that adorned the downtown.
As I walked through town, I passed crowds of people walking through the drizzle and watching a fire eater perform. So many people did not have umbrellas and the drizzle started to get worse. I figured I wanted to go someplace warm and headed over to the Dutch Reformed Church. I did not have the agenda yet but I wanted to go someplace that was inside.
When I got to the church it was once again beautifully decorated with garland and lights and the stage was rocking with violinists who were performing in sync. The concert was awash with lights and holograms dancing overhead.
The Strawberry Fiddlers performed that evening in the Dutch Reformed Church
The Strawberry Hill Fiddlers performing that night.
I stayed for four songs and it was really nice to just relax and enjoy the music. I really enjoyed the concert and I found it really engaging and entertaining. After this, I wanted to see more of the festival and hoped that the rain had stopped. No such luck as the rain continued and got worse as I left the church. I was able to sneak some Dutch cookies and cider before I left and the sugar gave me more energy.
The irony of it all was as I left the church and the rain continued, over the loud speaker near the picture taking booth, Gene Kelly singing “Singing in the Rain” from the iconic film “Singing in the Rain” came on and it synced perfectly with the rain and I had to take a video of it as it matched perfectly with the rain coming down but people still having a good time.
The video of the rainstorm during the festival when “Singing in the Rain” was played on the loudspeaker. Just as the song started it started to really pour and the song syncs to the downpour. Talk about irony:
I walked around the church and was back at the Kingston Volunteer Firefighting Museum and I stopped in as the rain started to stop. I wanted to dry off again. I had toured the museum the last two years and I just took a short tour of the museum. Christmas lights adorned the museum and the antique fire truck outside the museum that the kids were able to climb.
The nicely decorated firetruck outside the museum that evening at the Kingston Volunteer Firefighters Museum.
As I passed the museum, I could not believed that people were taking horse drawn rides in the rain but they did and they looked like they were having a good time. I walked down Fair Street where the Senate House was nicely decorated for the holidays to see Santa. That line was the longest as the mist continued. I bypassed even seeing him but I could see him entertaining the families waiting in line to see him.
Even in the rain the lines to see Santa were long and people waited patiently to see him.
I walked around the downtown watching the musicians and entertainers as the rain started to subside later that evening and they had a group of Victorian carolers performing by the bank on Wall Street right by the most beautiful wreath I have seen this holiday season on the historical building. The effect was quite nice.
The Victorian Carolers performing by the old bank building.
The wreath on the bank building was quite spectacular against the stonework.
It was getting colder that evening as I was walking around and the rain stopped and I knew from last year where to get some hot chocolate. So I went over to the Ulster Savings Bank Lobby and had a cup with some cookies that the bank every generously sponsors each year for the event.
While I was there I was listening to Mrs. Claus tell stories to the kids and this woman really looked like Mrs. Claus. While she was telling stories, the Coach Street Players choir was singing Christmas carols. It was a nice way to spend the end of the evening. I was getting hungry after a long trip and even longer day of classes and I wanted to relax.
Mrs. Claus was just finishing to a crowd of children for storytime.
The Coach House Players at the Ulster Savings Bank lobby performing.
By 7:30pm, things were starting the wrap up and the weather was clearing. Most of the bars and restaurants were packed that night or closing for the evening. Wing Shi, the Chinese restaurant I love in Kingston, still does not have any seating inside and there was no place to sit outside so I went to Opa Gyros Greek Restaurant at 333 Wall Street in downtown Kingston. I have wanted to eat here last year watching them serve gyro meat last year on platters but by the time I walked in at the end of the festival last year, they closed at 8:00pm. I went in at 7:30pm for dinner this time and had a wonderful meal.
The sandwich was delicious and I really enjoyed the food and service.
After dinner was over, it was about 8:15pm and the festival wrapped up really quickly. By the time I turned the corner, most of the businesses had closed and the people were gone. All the activities were over and even Santa had left by that point. There were some people milling around but by 8:30pm, the town was quiet. I was able to walk around the downtown one more time and then I left for my hotel as I had to be in Rhinebeck early the next morning to help with the Sinterklaas parade. I slept very soundly at the Hampton Inn in Poughkeepsie.
Christmas windows in Kingston, NY in 2023.
Christmas windows in Downtown Kingston in 2023.
When I got to the Starr Library the next day, I was ready to go. There was a threat of rain too but by noon time the sun started to peek out from the clouds and it cleared for the rest of the day. The weather became a balmy 53 degrees which is unusual for this time of the year and we had a nice day for the event. I got to the Starr Library at 10:00am on the dot to start set up for the parade and it was a nice morning. We had plenty of people and we got the job done in about an hour. Set up was easy when you have the same people to help every year.
We started to unload the puppets at 10:00am.
Unloading the puppets took about 45 minutes.
The Owls are like old friends to me
The Four Seasons standing guard
The Sweepers were new puppets this year.
Setting up the serpent was my first job that morning.
I have been setting up the stars since my first year in 2014 helping out with the parade.
We were done setting up for the parade by 11:30pm and we had to meet back at the library by 3:00pm for the parade staging and get the volunteers to their puppets. That’s when the fun begins with that. I walked downtown to go to the Opening Ceremony which had started at noon and was able to watch the last 45 minutes of the Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms Ballroom. That is always interesting.
The Opening Ceremony in 2023 with the Anteater and his court.
The Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms with Coordinator Jeanne Fleming.
The Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms
The Anteater on the prowl at the Opening Ceremony.
After the Opening Ceremony was over, I stayed to hear story teller, Jonathan Kurk, tell the story of Sinterklaas and the story of the miracle of Christmas.
Storyteller Jonathan Kurk entertains at the Opening Ceremony
After the Opening Ceremony completed, I decided to explore the town. I walked around downtown Rhinebeck which is always amazing at Christmas time. It is a wonderland of lights and sounds and delicious smells as all the charities and local organizations try to sell baked goods and hot dogs all over Main Street to raise money of their organizations.
The musicians on stilts are always a favorite at Sinterklaas.
The musicians are out in full force playing on stilts and walking around the town engaging the crowds of people. Since it was a nice day this year, the downtown was getting packed earlier than it had in previous years. After listening the musicians on stilts, I figured I should go visit the Ant Queen before it got too busy. I visited her just in time as after I left the line, it got even longer behind me.
The Ant Queen on her hill in the Courtyard.
The Courtyard got really busy when I was finished visiting the Ant Queen.
The Ant Queen in the Courtyard with the crowds growing that afternoon.
After I left the Courtyard, I walked around for a bit and then realized that I had to get checked into my other hotel that night so I walked back to the library, got my car and left to go to Quality Inn in Hyde Park where I was staying that evening. After I checked in, got my room and settled in I headed back up to Rhinebeck. The crowds grew even larger in the hour that I left and all the parking spots by the library were now gone as well as most spots in the downtown. I had to park six blocks into town near the exit to the fairgrounds. That would be fun when the parade was over walking back to that.
As I entered the downtown, the Grumpuses started their dance.
The Grumpuses dancing down the Main Street.
The Grumpus dance
The Grumpus Dance
The Grumpus Dance
After I saw the Grumpus dance in the downtown, I was able to walk around for a bit before getting back to the library. I saw some of the roaming musicians, the Dancing Bear and the Pocket Lady roaming around the Downtown. Between checking into my hotel, looking for parking and just walking back to the Main Street, I did not have much time to enjoy the entertainment this time around.
After I got back from the hotel and parked some nine blocks away. I walked through the town again looking at the all the performers and bands going in and out of the now closed Main Street. The crowds had really grown once the clouds cleared and it was sunny again. As the last of the sunshine disappeared by 5:00pm, the lights came on and that is when Rhinebeck truly shines. This started with the town Christmas tree which lit brightly by the main parking lot.
The Christmas tree was brightly lit when I left the downtown area for the library.
I made my way back to the Starr Library and that is where the real magic starts. Getting ready for the parade. Every year, I come back to the library at 3:30pm and help get everyone to their puppet. The parade line up starts at 6:30pm and then the parade heads down the hill. It is the most magnificent site.
The Geese and Bee puppets as we enter Downtown Rhinebeck, NY.
The parade in full swing in Downtown Rhinebeck, NY.
The crowds were huge the night of the parade.
The whole town comes out for the Sinterklaas Parade.
As we entered the parking lot to end the parade, the crowds arrived to the main stage where the Closing Ceremony takes place. I could not believe that another parade had ended. I will blink my eye and it will be here again. It is so funny how fast it all goes.
The backdrop of the stage after the Closing Ceremony was over.
All the puppets walked by the main stage and we dropped them off with Alex and Sophia. I then watched the rest of the ceremony and then the closing remarks. Another parade was over. The fire throwers came on and did their routine and that ended the parade. I said my goodbyes until next year and then proceeded to Village Pizza for a slice before I went back to the hotel.
The owner I could tell was exhausted. He waited at the door of his restaurant and asked people what they wanted to order. I thought that was rude but figured he was protecting his bathrooms. The restaurant was still busy almost 45 minutes after the parade was over and remained busy throughout the time I enjoyed my pizza. They limited the slice menu to just plain and pepperoni so it made it an easy choice. I was exhausted by the time I got back to my hotel, took a quick shower and had the best night’s sleep in weeks. I was tired!
After breakfast the next day, it was off to Boonton, NJ to the New Jersey Firemen’s Home to volunteer for the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Christmas Party. It was the first time in three years we had had the full party with entertainment and dropping off presents. The members had time before the party to socialize with each other and I even got better acquainted with the Firemen’s Home resident dog, Wells.
We no longer had to wear masks up at the home and that made for a more engaging environment. It had been a long evening the night before with the end of Sinterklaas and that very busy parade. I slept so soundly at the hotel that I felt refreshed and ready to go. I can highly recommend the Quality Inn in Hyde Park, NY. It might look a little dated but the beds give you the most relaxing slumber and will totally relax you.
After having my waffle breakfast, which is my tradition every year, it was off to the NJ Firemen’s Home again. It was a really gloomy day and I had to spend my morning wondering why the WIFI was not working. Thank God, I had finished most of my writing before I left the Hampton Inn the day before.
The waffle breakfast at the Quality Inn in Hyde Park, NY is something I look forward to each time I stay at the hotel.
When I got to the home, it really got dark outside and rainy. Talk about no fun being outside. Inside though, the NJ Firemen’s Home was decked out beautifully for the holidays. Talk about festive and jolly, with several Christmas trees all over the home and garland everywhere.
One of the many Christmas trees at the NJ State Firemen’s Home.
My blog on the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Party:
We enjoyed Sweet Rolls and Crumb cake for a late Continental Breakfast before the entertainment and had a nice time just catching up with one another before the craziness of the holidays started. Everyone was running around at parties and get togethers.
Signs of the season were everywhere as the home was decorated to the hilt for the holiday season. This was our last event of the season as the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association held its Annual December Meeting and Entertainment afternoon at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ.
Even the fire hydrant display was decorated.
The sign welcoming people to the party.
We had our annual Christmas Party at the NJ State Firemen’s Home and it was nice to be back. Masks were a thing of the past and we were able to see everyone again. It made for a more engaging afternoon.
The home’s Christmas tree with our gifts to the residents, a embordered jacket.
We started our day with a get together of the members before the entertainment began. It was nice to just sit back and talk to the other members before the entertainment began. Our President brought us the most delicious crumb cake and glazed raison buns and these devoured very quickly by the members.
We even got a chance to bond again with the resident dog of the NJ State Firemen’s Home, Wells, who was a former seeing eye dog that has now found a home here keeping our retired firefighters comforted and engaged. He walks around having everyone spoil him with petting and treats. Even he has to watch his weight at the holidays. All I know is that he loves being loved by everyone and likes to spread that love.
NJ Firemen’s Home resident, Wells with BCFHA Vice-President Justin Watrel.
Our entertainment for the afternoon was Dana and Daddy O, a singing duo who sang Christmas songs and told jokes. They were were good.
Dana and Daddy O performed that day for the residents and us.
Member Jerry Naylis asked his daughter and grandchildren perform again this year (Jerry was away on a conference). Daughter Stephanie Naylis-Quirk and her daughters, Regan and Riley Quirk , played the piano and sang to the residents of the home. The children sang lively Christmas songs and led the room in a sing a long with favorites “Jingle Bells” and Regan’s solo, “Silent Night” and Riley’s solo, “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus”.
Stephanie Nayles-Quirk with daughter Riley and Regan, who sang so nicely that afternoon.
After the ladies took their bows, it was time to hand out the Christmas presents from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home to the residents. This year the gift to the residents of the home was a beautiful ‘firemen’ blue jacket that had each resident’s name on it. It was a very personal and touching gift to our fellow retired firemen who we wanted to remember at the holidays. They were very touched by this.
BCFHA Vice-President Justin Watrel with NJ State Firemen’s Association President and BCFHA member Bob Ordway handing out gifts at the Christmas Party.
While members were handing out gifts, other members were serving desserts and other refreshments to the residents. Everyone had a delicious treat that afternoon after they had their lunch. The home provided delectable cupcakes both regular and sugar free to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
BCFHA members Peter Devries and Glenn Corbet serving desserts to the residents.
After the day of entertainment was over, the members got together and took our annual member group shot. It was a fun afternoon for everyone involved. We have managed to provide the residents with all sorts of entertainment, barbecues and special events while never losing the spirit of helping our fellow fire fighters.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our firefighters, retired and still active from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association.
It was a fun weekend but when I got home it was all homework and projects. It was a long evening but I got everything done. It would be a long week of presentations both at NYU and at BCC.
The week started out with my presentation of my project for the New York City Tourism+Conventions for my Digital Marketing class, which went by very well (I got an “A” on this) and then my presentation for my Customer Retention Class on Luna Park (I got another “A”). With those two big presentations for Graduate school done, I then had to concentrate on my students at Bergen Community College’s three final presentations on Wednesday and Thursday. It would be a stressful five days.
Still it was beginning to look like Christmas in the Village. After classes were over, there was time to walk around and admire all the decorations that people had put up and admire the Christmas tree in Washington Square Park.
The Christmas tree at Washington Square Park is always picturesque.
The diner on Greenwich Avenue decorated for the holidays.
Christmas decorations on the side streets in the Village.
Single tree in the window of a Greenwich Avenue window in the Village.
Before I got to my students presentations, I had been looking online at the Carnegie Hall website at the upcoming concert with New York Pops that I was still considering when I saw that singer Amy Grant was going to bring her Christmas concert to Carnegie Hall. There was NO WAY I was going to miss this. I had been dying to see her in concert for years at the holidays and I never saw her come to New York City before. So I arranged the tickets and after my presentation it was off to Carnegie Hall for dinner first and then the concert.
The Front of Carnegie Hall the night of the Amy Grant concert.
The inside of Carnegie Hall the night of the concert.
The concert hall was packed that night.
Amy Grant on stage at Carnegie Hall after singing “Love will find a Way”, her huge hit from the 1980’s.
Amy Grant singing this in concert forty years earlier in 1983 and sounded exactly the sound!
She sang this in the Christmas concert in DC a couple of days before she came to Carnegie Hall.
I am not going to even get into too many details of how excellent this concert was and how she engaged the audience that night with a mix of classic and religious Christmas songs from her playlist and add many more religious and inspirational songs in the second half of the concert. Her and her guest artists that night gave a superb concert that really put me in the holiday spirit after an extremely long semester and cheered me back up. The only problem was that she never sang “Sleigh Ride” which she sings beautifully and my favorite Christmas song she performs. For another concert but it gives me an excuse to see her again.
Amy Grant singing my favorite version of the Christmas song “Sleigh Ride”.
I swear myself and everyone who attended the concert that night were still humming as we left Carnegie Hall. After such a wonderful concert, I had to have some dinner and I was dying for some pasta. Patsy’s which is around the corner I was trying to go in but they were fully booked for everything for the rest of the night so I went to Amore Pizza Cafe at 370 West 58th Street for dinner after the concert. This restaurant never disappoints me.
I ordered the Clams and Spaghetti that I remembered ordering last year this time so I had to have it again. It was just as good as I remembered and worth the trip to the restaurant. Everything here is delicious.
My Clams and Spaghetti dinner
The Clams and Spaghetti here is excellent.
After the concert and dinner were over, I felt much better about myself. It had been really rough up until this point and I still had to face the rest of the week. I swear I hummed “Find a Way” for the rest of the evening. That had been the highlight of my night.
I walked around the Central Park South and admired all the decorations on the buildings. Then I went to see the tree at Rockefeller Center and the crowds had lessened this late in the evening. It was so much nicer to admire the tree.
The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was spectacular this year.
Skating at Rockefeller Center is always popular.
I then walked around Midtown to look at all the decorations that Manhattan is known for. This is Corporate Christmas at its best. The streets of Fifth and Sixth Avenue compete every year to see who does it best. There are wreaths, trees and decorations that celebrate the holidays in an elaborate way. It really represents Manhattan and its traditions during the holidays.
Corporate Christmas on Sixth Avenue during the holidays.
The decorations on West 57th Street during the holidays.
The Snowflake on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street.
West 55th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue.
West 55th Street by Eighth Avenue is always decorated with lights.
I was nice to just walk the streets of Manhattan in the late evening and have time for myself to reflect, all while I was humming “Find a Way” the whole time. I had forgotten how beautiful New York was during the holidays and could not believe has fast things happened after Halloween. It was like Christmas was on overdrive and then it was there.
I really needed that night because it would be full steam ahead for the rest of the week as my students presented their projects and PowerPoints to me back to back on Wednesday and Thursday. Plus I had the extra pressure of having guests from Glen Rock Town Council and the Museum at the Station coming to the Glen Rock project and members of the Executive Board of the Bergen County Historical Society coming Thursday night to that presentation. With the exception of a few hiccups, all went by well with all three presentations.
Wednesday was the most grueling with “I’m Glad I’m in Glen Rock: Be a Tourist in your own Town” and “Go Bulldogs Go-Open House 2024” back to back that day. It was going to be a lot of note taking and making sure that the students were ready for the presentations with grooming and dress code standards to attend to that day. Some of these kids had never dressed like this before.
The “I’m Glad I’m in Glen Rock” Team did a really good job on their presentation but there were some problems in the Marketing Team that needed to be addressed. They had put way too much explanation on what Marketing is and less of a presentation on the subject matter.
The Paramus ‘Glen Rock’ Team
My Executive Team from Paramus for the “I’m Glad I’m in Glen Rock, NJ-Be a Tourist in your own Town” project.
This got revamped when we got an invitation from Glen Rock City Hall to present the project to the Mayor of Glen Rock and the Council on December 19th, the week before Christmas in City Hall. That put pressure on that class to get it done on time. We would end up revamping the entire Marketing part of the project.
My blog on “I’m Glad I’m in Glen Rock, NJ-Be a Tourist in your own Town”:
My class who worked on the “Go Bulldogs Go”, the Spring 2024 Open House did a great job presenting their project that night as well. I was just upset that no one from the college bothered to show up. The ideas the kids came up with were excellent and would have been good had they been done in real life.
The Open House Team the night of their presentation.
My Executive Team in Paramus for the “Go Bulldogs Go Open House 2024”:
I did not have much time to relax as I had my third presentation the next night for the Team marketing the Bergen County Historical Society. That had been an experience as I heard so late back from the Society to help us that the students had only four weeks to pull it all together. Again, this is where the students always impress me.
The BC Historical Society Team.
My Executive Team in Lyndhurst for “Tourism for the Bergen County Historical Society”
My Blog on “Tourism at the Bergen County Historical Society”:
This team I had also taken out into the field, and we went to the Bergen County Historical Society the night of one of their Board Meetings and we were able to tour all three historical houses and the displays in the Steuben House. They were able to see the grounds and see the outside property. Many would revisit that weekend to take pictures and film the Washington’s Crossing event that weekend. After I took them out into the field, I took them out for a pizza dinner. They deserved it!
I was able to handle all three of these projects, my five Graduate papers and three classes, the Sinterklaas Parade, Christmas tree drop off and sales, the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Party and keeping up with all my Christmas blogs and updating all the historical houses that I was visiting for my blog. I have to say that I was in the car, on the bus and walking a lot but somehow, I pulled the first week of December off without losing my mind. There were still three more weeks to Christmas and a whole lot more to do.
After the last Team project was done for the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept, I had to hand in my Term paper on the “The Chalfonte Hotel” in Cape May for my Hotel Sales and Marketing class the next morning. Thank God, I had finished it a week in advance and had handed in it in early. It made that Friday morning class easy, and my Professor at NYU seemed relieved that he did not have to chase after us.
The evening I went to the Open House Christmas tour of the Merchant House in Manhattan. I had been on the haunted tour a few weeks earlier and wanted to see the Christmas decorations. I was lucky that I was able to get on one of the last tours of the evening.
The Merchant House at 29 East 4th Street for Christmas.
The Merchant House dining room decorated for a Christmas party.
The Parlor decorated for Christmas.
The tour was the perfect way to decompress after a long week and that was the hardest week of the holidays behind me. There were other papers to write and things to do so it was nice to just walk around the home and enjoy the decorations.
The second weekend was just as busy as the first one. We lucked out and it was a very mild Saturday afternoon. I made another trip to the Hudson River Valley to visit more decorated houses for my blog, VisitingaMusuem.com.
Many of these homes are rarely open during the year, let alone for the holidays and you have to plan at the right time to visit them. My first home was the Madame Brett Homestead in Beacon, NY, which is only open the second Saturday of the month and then after that I visited Boscobel, which is in Cold Springs, NY. In between those two, I was able to visit the Putnum County Historical Society, which was still open before my trip to Boscobel. It was a lot of running around up and down Route 9.
Beacon, NY is such a great town to visit. The stores and restaurants are really nice, and the town was so nicely decorated for the holidays. I was able to walk around the downtown before my tour at 1:00pm and it gave me some time to revisit some of the stores I had not seen in a while.
The downtown was nicely decorated for the holidays. While it does not have the same charm as Rhinebeck or Red Hook being a bigger downtown, there is a more artsy, hipster look to it with the street artwork and store displays.
Downtown Beacon during Christmas.
I walked around the town admiring the gift shops and the clothing stores and looking at what they were carrying for the holidays.
This was the difference in Beacon versus towns like Red Hook and Millerton. The stores there cater to the locals and there is a charm to the everyday merchandise that people need as opposed to rows of gift shops that cater to visitors. It begins to look like a version of a mall and less like a community. Still there are many stores here that have a personality and some very playful displays. Finding an evil snowman in one store was a play on the holidays.
One of the merchants was very clever with their holiday display.
The Madame Brett Homestead at 50 Van Nydeck Avenue in Beacon was not as decorated as I thought it would. The tour guide that I had in the summer said how the Garden Club decorated it so beautifully.
The Madame Brett Homestead at Christmas time.
The Madame Brett Homestead at 50 Van Nydeck Avenue in Beacon was not as decorated as I thought it would. The tour guide that I had in the summer said how the Garden Club decorated it so beautifully.
The beautiful Dining Room at the Made Brett Homestead during the holidays.
After the wonderful and informative tour of the homestead and a full walk around the downtown area, which was really beautiful during the holidays I had to find a place for lunch.
Santa’s reindeer?
I stopped in BJ’s Soul Food for lunch to regroup for the afternoon of walking and touring. Talk about the most delicious Cheeseburger that you will sink your teeth into. God, that hit the spot. Their menu was extensive and I will have to remember this the next time I visit.
It was then I realized that I had not been to Boscobel, the historic mansion in Cold Springs Village down Route 9 since before the pandemic and wondered if it was decorated and open for touring like the other homes. It had not been on the Hudson River Valley listing of decorated mansions because not every home was open in the winter.
As I was reading the local newspaper, there was a private touring night that evening and I called and got the last reservation at 6:00pm. Talk about luck! After I finished eating, I left Beacon and headed down to Cold Springs. I never realized how close they were together because I got down Route 9 in record time and it was only 4:30pm.
I had passed the always closed Putnam Country Historical Society and this time around they were open so I visited there first before returning to Boscobel. Talk about a very underrated little museum. The Society museum was packed with information on the history of the town and the country plus a display on the Native American history of the area. They also had an interesting display of the former foundry’s for iron producing that I never knew were in this area.
The Putnam History Museum at 62 Chesnut Street in Cold Springs, NY.
This is a great little museum displaying some of the most interesting Native American art that I have seen in a long time. It was very detailed in the displays and had a lot of Lenape artifacts that were displayed. For such a small museum, they mounted two interesting shows.
The sign of the museum.
The museum was having a major exhibition from their collection of Lenape art from the local area including a canoe that had just been authenticated as a reproduction but still historically accurate. The exhibition was very detailed on the life of the local tribes in the Cold Springs area.
The back section of the displayed the foundries that used to dominate the towns surround Downtown Cold Springs. A surprising change from the sleepy historical town it is now.
The recreation of the canoe that was thought to be real but still authentic in its style and make.
The Foundry display and articles made in the area.
I was only at the museum the last 45 minutes it was open but was able to enjoy all the exhibits. After this weekend, they were closing until the Spring so I was happy I was finally able to get inside.
I then left for Boscobel, the home of the Dyckman family that had been moved to this spot in the 1960’s. The interesting part about Boscobel is that it was brought to its current location piece by piece and rebuilt here. I had not been here since 2018 and was lucky that they could fit me in for the tour. It was an amazing evening and the mansion was so beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Boscobel when I arrived for the Christmas tour of the mansion. It was not quite twilight at that point.
Boscobel all lit up after the night fell. It was a fairyland of lights.
The Grand Staircase at Boscobel
The decorations of the Grand Staircase at Christmas time.
The Dining Room set for a Christmas feast.
The Back Drawing Room with the ‘Christmas Table Tree’
The Gardens that night.
The fountains that night.
The Gift Shop and the Meeting Room where the reception after the tour was held.
When I finished the tour of the mansion I joined all the other people who were on the tour with me for refreshments in the gift shop. It was really nice.
They had hot cider and chocolate along with cookies, candies and fruit for us. I thought this was a nice touch after the tour. They also had contemporary Christmas music playing while we all talked amongst ourselves.
After the tour was over, I stopped in downtown Cold Springs to tour the business district. It is hard to believe that this sleepy little hamlet filled with upscale stores and restaurants was once the center of the boundaries.
The downtown is now filled with upscale stores and restaurants that cater to both locals and tourists. Being on the train to Manhattan has also changed the town. More people from the City have moved up here seeking the slower and ‘quaint’ lifestyle of the Hudson River Valley.
Cold Spring, NY is such a beautiful little town both during the holidays and in the summer when I have visited. It always has something going on. In the summer, I have been to concerts here and walked though their downtown admiring the stores and looking at restaurant menus. The parks here are really nice as well. Both the Gazebo and the Band Stand were beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The Gazebo in downtown Cold Springs near the train station.
The Band Stand in Downtown Cold Spring, NY decorated for the holidays.
I got home rather late that night and then had to be up the next morning early to be in the City again from the ‘Holiday Brass’ concert at Lincoln Center. I had been waiting to see this concert for years. When I had chance to get tickets, I jumped at the chance to see this concert.
Everyone taking a bow.
The band playing for the holidays is such a special treat.
The Holiday Brass taking a bow that afternoon.
It was such a wonderful afternoon of Christmas music done by the Brass section of the New York Philharmonic. I had been dying to see this concert for years and it was very much worth the hype. The men and women of the band were excellent. It was a great way to spend the afternoon. I stopped for lunch at Amore Pizza Kitchen up on 58th Street and had their pats Bolognese. Their food is just amazing.
The Linguine Bolognese.
I went home and worked on my research papers for the rest of the afternoon. My Digital Marketing paper was due that Monday on New York City Tourism+Conventions and my Customer Service paper on Luna Park was due on Tuesday. I had finished both before this weekend started but had to put the final touches on them. I got ‘A-‘ on them both and pulled off straight ‘A’s again both Fall semester and for my ‘J’ Term class in Abu Dhabi. I had never worked this hard before in such a short period of time.
I also had to give my classes their Christmas Quiz Four on planning the Corporate Christmas party and these students never cease to amaze me what they can do in such a short period of time. The menus and well wishes were so creative. I would have to spend the rest of the week preparing their finals. I kept saying to myself one more week.
The weekend before finals at Bergen Community College began, I snuck up to the Hudson River Valley to see one more set of decorated houses.
I had visited the Clermont mansion up in Germantown, NY earlier in October for the Halloween tour and it had been since pre-COVID since I had seen the house decorated for the Christmas holidays. I attended their Open House as well during the day and checked the schedule and Staatsburgh, the other Livingston mansion was having their Open House that evening with entertainment similar to the evening in Boscobel. It was the perfect way to get my mind off finals week.
As I toured the homes along the Hudson River, I stopped at some of the small towns that line the east side of the Hudson River. They are usually so beautifully decorated for the holidays and trust me they did not disappoint. I started in downtown Germantown right near Clermont. I had visited the town for Halloween and the town was nicely devoted for the fall. It Christmas time that these towns start to shine.
With a combination of historical buildings and some garland, decorated trees and wreathes all one these historical buildings give these towns a festive look and they look like something out of a Currier and Ives woodcut.
Downtown Germantown, NY at Christmas
Downtown Germantown, NY at Christmas
Germantown has its charms and it seemed the whole town was covered in garland.
The Reformed Church of Germantown at 20 Church Avenue at Christmas time.
The entrance hallway of the front door from the top of stairs.
The Library at Christmas time.
The decorated tree in the Library.
The Dining Room at Christmas time.
The Living Room decorated for Christmas
What was nice about the Open House is what a beautiful day it was to not just walk around the inside of the house but the grounds as well. I got some wonderful pictures of the Hudson River and of the grounds. It will be nice to come back up in the Spring and see the gardens again
After the tour, I stopped by the front of the house where they had a fire pit where we could roast marshmallows by an open fire. That was fun as I had not done that in a long time. The marshmallows got caramelized on the outside and gooey on the inside. That was so good.
When I got back to the Visitors Center, they had an array of holiday treats for us there as well. They had Hot Chocolate and Apple Cider, Christmas cookies, candies and other snacks to enjoy while we looked over the displays. I did enjoy that.
I did not have to be at Staatsburgh until later that evening for their Open House so I decided to visit the other small towns around the area to see how they were decorated and getting ready for the holidays. I swear I love the Hudson River Valley during Christmas time. One town is nicer than the other and they do a lot to make their downtowns look so festive. I decided to stop in Tivoli first, a small hamlet just south of the mansion.
Downtown Tivoli is a small quaint little town right on the Hudson River. When you drive through the downtown it is the last stop.
The downtown was busy when I got there as the Tivoli Fire Department was doing their “Santa Around Town” like we do and the kids were all waiting for Santa to come back to the firehouse.
The old Historic Firehouse decorated for the holidays.
The firehouse plaque. The building has had many uses.
The park right by the firehouse where Santa would be dropped off later that afternoon.
The merchant flower boxes decorated for the holidays.
The Christmas tree right near one of the businesses.
I never did get to see Santa that day but was able to walk around the town and enjoy the weather. It was so nice outside that you really did not need a coat. It was crisp but not cold and was perfect for touring the downtown. I left all the kids as they kept telling their parents they could hear the trucks coming back. I headed to Red Hook to check out how nicely downtown there was decorated. There is something special about Red Hook, NY during all the holidays. They just know how to decorate their downtown.
Downtown Red Hook decked out with garland and bows at the building where the Corner Counter Gourmet Shop is located.
The inside of the Corner Counter had all sorts of holiday treats to choose from.
Annabelle’s Village Bake Shop is always so nicely decorated.
I love Red Hook’s Christmas tree every year. It is so nicely decorated.
When I think of a town that is a step into the past, I always think of Red Hook. It has more of a localized feel than Rhinebeck to the south, which is place that people come up from the City for the weekend for dinner and an overnight of shopping and touring the local mansions. Red Hook has that family feel to it. Even the stores and restaurants are where locals come to eat and shop. Slowly though over the last few years I have noticed that is beginning to change. The stores have been getting gifty and more expensive. Still it is one of the nicest downtowns to visit just before Christmas.
After my tour of Red Hook, it was off to the other Open House that night at Staatsburgh, the home of the Mills Mansion. That is always a treat to visit when it is decorated for Christmas.
Staatsburgh-The Mills Mansion and home of the Mills-Livingston family at Christmas.
Staatsburgh, the home of the Ruth and Ogden Mills, is one of the most beautiful decorated houses in the Hudson River Valley and I have visited almost all of them. The house is a wonderland of decorations all done around a theme. Last year was Masks and their relation to the balls that used to happen during the Winter Season in New York. This year the celebration of the seasons decorated the rooms.
The main staircase up to the first floor rooms. This once lead from the kitchen and the servants quarters in the basement.
The Library Christmas Tree on the first floor is the most elegant room in the house. It feels like someone is home for the holidays.
The Christmas tree leading to the main hallway and the front door. This is where the Mills family portraits are located.
The portrait of Ruth’s mother in the main hallway leading to the Dining Room.
The Dining Room decorated for Christmas Dinner.
The Hyde Park Quartet performed the night of the Open House in the Dining Room.
The Butler’s Pantry with all the food prepared for the Mills Holiday Dinner.
It was nice to take my time visiting both mansions and seeing the opulence of the holidays and how dedicated the volunteers were in decorating them. There was so much care and detail to each of the houses I saw that evening. Also, the entertainment and food was a nice touch on both events that made them enjoyable and affordable to so many people who have an interest in these homes.
After the tour of Staatsburgh, I headed back up to Red Hook for some dinner before I left for home. I had the final quizzes to prepare when I got home and final holiday preparations before the last week of work before the holidays. Still I did not want the night to end. I drove to Red Hook for some dinner but toured around Staatsburgh after dark. It can be a magical place too at the holidays.
The outside of the Mills Mansion on the evening of the Open House.
The Staatsburgh Fire Department decorated for the holidays.
I went to my traditional place for dinner when I am up for the holidays at Village Pizza III in downtown Red Hook and the food and the service are always wonderful. The prices are so fair, the owner is not gouging everyone after COVID like every other restaurant is doing and the food is excellent.
Downtown Red Hook at night with all the lights on.
The Christmas tree in Downtown Red Hook with Petals & Moss Flower shop next door.
Annabelle’s Village Bake Shop and Little Pickles in Downtown Red Hook decorated for the holidays.
The bank building right across the street from Village Pizza III is always nicely decorated.
It was nice to walk around on a quiet night and admire the decorations. It is beginning to rival Rhinebeck in beauty. Dinner was amazing as usual.
Village Pizza III at 7514 North Broadway in Red Hook earlier in the day.
Dinner was excellent as I ordered Spaghetti & Meatballs with a salad. The perfect way to end the day. Their red sauce is fantastic and the meatballs are homemade and have the perfect blend of cheese and garlic.
The perfect start to the meal, a crisp salad and fresh warm Italian bread. You can go through a basket of it very easily.
The Spaghetti and Meatballs at Village Pizza III are delicious.
After dinner and another quick walk around the downtown to admire the lights, it was time to head home. Before I left, it was still pretty early. I decided to cross the river and visit Woodstock, NY before I headed home. I knew I would not have time to travel back up and wanted to see what their Christmas tree downtown looked like. It is always so unique to say the least.
Woodstock, NY has a lot of meaning to me during the holidays. It is where I went to decompress after my father passed away and I just got lost in myself. The mountains and the woods are so beautiful that drive around and forget everything else.
I forgot how beautiful Woodstock is during the holidays. I just parked the car and walked around the downtown for about a hour. Just admiring the lights and decorations can put you in the holiday spirit.
The Woodstock Christmas tree
The Woodstock Christmas tree was beautiful this year.
I forgot how picturesque the town was at night and this year especially they really did a nice job on the tree. The tree as usual had an unusual shape to it but the decorations were just dazzling on it. I walked around the downtown square remembering all those years of parades and the way Santa came into town. On this quiet night, it brought back many fond memories. I just could not believe how quiet it was that evening. The stores were all closed and the restaurants were all so quiet.
The restaurant I used to eat at every Christmas Eve with their disaster of entrees has not closed and replaced by a new owner.
Downtown Woodstock preparing for the holidays.
After the tour of Woodstock, it was time to go home. Talk about a trip down memory lane and touring all these wonderful towns at Christmas time really shows the beauty and traditions of the Hudson River Valley and why I love visiting there so much.
The week before Christmas was preparing for the holidays and getting Final exams done. NYU was finally done of the semester and those straight “A’s” made me happy and in the festive spirit. All of my students got their “A’s” on their projects as well. Their final exams would be on Wednesday and Thursday so there was work to do for them as well.
On Thursday morning, I had made a call and drove down to Pennsville, NJ to visit the Pennsville Historical Society and their Christmas decorations all over the house and the surrounding buildings. I knew I could never get down on the weekends prior to Christmas and I really wanted to see them after missing them for the last two holiday seasons. So I made an appointment with the President of their Society and off I went the Thursday before Christmas for the three hour trip down to the end of the Turnpike to Pennsville, NJ.
My blog on visiting the Historical Sites of Southern New Jersey:
It was well worth the trip on a glorious December afternoon. I met the ladies for the appointment at 1:00pm and it was well worth the trip. The house and the small outer buildings were beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The Pennsville Historical Society at Christmas time.
The decorations in the outer buildings on the estate grounds were just as spectacular as the main house.
The whole tour was one surprise after another with each beautifully decorated room after another. Just when one room looked the best you saw another one that topped it. Even the outside buildings that have all the themed collections such as the above amusement park were just as creative. It is one of the nicest decorated homes that I saw this Christmas. Both this and Staatsburgh were pretty amazing.
Since I had time after the tour was over instead of driving immediately back up the turnpike, I stopped in both Salem and Mullica Hill on the way home to see how they were decorated for the holidays.
The homes in the historic district of downtown really decorated for the holidays.
The historic district of North Market Street was decked with garland, bows and trees.
I had about 45 minutes to stop at the Salem Historical Society in downtown Salem to take some pictures of the Keeping Room Christmas tree. That is what attracted me in becoming a member of the museum.
The Salem Historical Society at 83 Market Street at Christmas time.
The Keeping Room is the oldest section of the Salem Historical Society and the most interesting part of the old house.
Instead of the traditional tree in the Keeping Room, the Society opted for a Victorian tree in the middle of the museum. I was a nice alternative.
I had just enough time to see the new exhibition “Toys of the Past and Present” which featured all sorts of wonderful antique dolls, games and playthings.
The quick half hour tour of the museum took longer as I got caught up in the exquisite antique toys which I have such a fascination in since my days at FAO Schwarz. The museum’s collection was quite extensive and the tour guide explained a lot of how they developed as playthings. I scurred and got out as I would have taken all day in this wonderful museum.
I then headed up to Woodstown to see how they decorated their downtown and it was just as nice. Woodstown is a nicer little town with less problems than Salem. It is more of a vibrant business district with small independent businesses.
The homes in their historic district were decked out for the holidays as well.
My last stop on my way home was downtown Mullica Hill, which is such a great little town for nice shopping and great restaurants. Of the three towns this is the most vibrant but it is also closer to Rowan University so the business and traffic of the college town is felt up this way. Its historical downtown was decked out for the holidays as well.
The Downtown Mullica Hill business district decorated for the Christmas holidays.
Downtown Mullica Hill homes that surrounded the downtown added to the beauty of the holidays.
All the stores and restaurants looked like they were vying for ‘Best Decorated Business’ with all the embellishments all over the buildings. I am sure it looked just as nice at night. There was not much time to spend in any of these towns because I had a final for my Business 101 class and I had to be back by 6:30pm. I just made the class with a half hour to spare. I gave my last exam that night and then scrambled all night and the next morning to finish my grades by 5:00pm. I handed them in by 3:00pm on Friday, December 22nd and drove back from the college content. I just put the Fall semester behind me.
I could not believe it. I pulled straight “A’s” in Grad school, ran three very successful and creative projects with my students, one being presented in front of the Mayor of Glen Rock and some of the Council members and all of my Executive Board commitments from running the Halloween Decorating Contest the last week of Halloween, to assisting in parties, get togethers and holiday events benefiting charity. Do not ask me how I ran around this much. I still ask that of myself.
Christmas Eve and Day
I finally caught my breath for a day when classes finally ended at BOTH colleges. NYU classes had ended the end of the second week of December and Bergen Community went all the way up to December 22nd. My last class was Thursday night the 21st when I had to give my final examination to my Introduction to Business students and then the grades for all three classes had to be submitted on Friday by 5:00pm on December 22nd. I felt like I was playing beat the clock the whole month of December. It just would not stop.
I had two days to get the house ready for my brother and sister in law to visit so I cleaned the house from top to bottom. Did six loads of laundry washing all the sheets and comforters, did all the grocery shopping and prepped pancake batter, baked cookies and brownies and made a lasagna with homemade meatballs for dinner I was going to make for my family to have everyone meet my new sister-in-law. When I dragged myself up on Christmas Eve day to visit the cemeteries, I was already burnt out and tired. Talk about a long three weeks.
After visiting family and saying prayers and dropping off flowers at the grave sites, it was the four hour drive down to my mother’s for Christmas Eve. It may seem like a long time but I always enjoy the drive. It gives me time to think and reflect back on the semester. Don’t ask me how I pulled everything off from Halloween to Christmas but I was able to get it all done, meet all my commitments, pull off straight “A’s” and have the students produce excellent projects that they should be very proud of for the rest of college. It was an amazing four months with so much accomplished. Now it was time to relax and enjoy the ride.
I just relaxed as I drove down the New Jersey Turnpike and just passed cars on their way to their holiday celebrations. Thank God the highway was not busy. I got down to my mom’s in less than four hours this time. Along the way down to her home, I got to see farmhouses all decorated for the Christmas holidays and that is always interesting.
Confucius Chinese Restaurant is where we spend our Christmas Eve dinner and I could not believe how packed the place was at 7:00pm. We saw so many of my mother’s friends and neighbors that it looks like everyone else has gotten the same idea that we have on what a pain it is to cook for both days. Going out on Christmas Eve has been our tradition for years.
Confucius Chinese Restaurant at 57 Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach, DE.
The owners are always so nice to us and very welcoming. Even after the busy dinner rush was over and we were one of the last parties to leave they both took the time to come to our table to wish us a Merry Christmas.
The food is always delicious and somehow we end up ordering a lot of the same dishes. We went through three orders of dumplings, two orders of Soft Shell crabs, an order of Spring Rolls, Moo Shu Pork, General Tso’s Chicken, Hunan Beef Noodles, Tai Lake Chicken and Garlic Shrimp with two big sides of white rice. For dessert, I ordered the Vanilla Ice Cream which was a throw back to the days of the Cantonese dinners we ate with my family as kids.
The Moo Shu Pork is one of my favorite dishes.
One of everyone’s favorites at dinner is the General Tso’s Chicken. The chef makes so good.
The General Tso’s Chicken is amazing.
As a family we go through so much rice you would think this was a special dish.
We eat this like it’s going out of style.
What is the best way to end a wonderful Chinese meal is a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
Finishing a meal with Vanilla Ice Cream is such a tradition.
After dinner was over, we walked around Downtown Rehoboth Beach (it was such a warm night) and got to enjoy the beautiful decorations. The downtown Christmas tree was really nice that night. The town is very festive during the holidays and my mother said that you can not even drive into town for the tree lighting ceremony unless you were already downtown that day. I could believe it. It was busy on Christmas Eve night.
The Christmas tree in downtown Rehoboth Beach, DE was dazzling.
The decorations by the Gazebo.
More decorations by the Gazebo.
My brothers and I by the Christmas tree.
Us in front of the Rehoboth Beach Christmas tree.
Christmas Eve was a time we just kick back and relax before the real works begins the next day for Christmas. We all pitch in now with the cooking, serving and cleaning up. It is a lot more fun that way and give my mother a helping hand.
My mother’s Santa Collection at Christmas.
Mom’s decorations at Christmas.
Mom’s Christmas tree in the Living Room.
Her handmade Santa collection is the highlight of the holidays and her decorations.
I was exhausted by the time that we got home from dinner. My siblings had been done at my mom’s for a couple of days so they were all relaxed. Between classes and all the driving I was worn out. While everyone else stayed up to talk, I got ready to go to bed. I went to bed and slept for over nine hours. I could not believe what a deep sleep I went into. Five weeks of running around took its toll on me. I got up late on Christmas Day morning. Still I was up first and got to admire my mother’s house decorated for the holidays.
The table set for dinner
The table was set for Christmas Day a few days in advance so I got to see it that night.
The Dining Room decorations.
After breakfast, we had some time to relax and open presents. This is not the extravagancy that we had as kids but we got to laugh and talk while we opened our gifts to one another.
My brother thought it would be funny to give each of us this tee-shirt as a joke to my mother and her wooden spoon when we were growing up.
One of the small gifts to my mom, a handmade Santa that I found with a artist in Beach Haven.
After the gift giving, breakfast and getting ready it now time to cook. When you have a houseful of guests on their way you have to be prepared. My older brother and I got into our ritual of helping my mother in the kitchen.
My brother and I helping prepare dinner.
My brother and I help my mother in the kitchen as it takes time to cook and greet guests. I think this is what makes the holiday more fun when we are all in the kitchen working together.
My mother also likes the fact that we are helping with the clean up and serving. She passing that part of the holidays on to us. We helped her with all the preparations that morning and the dinner looked picture perfect. We have a ball helping cook and plan our Christmas meal.
Me making my homemade potato croquettes.
I was cooking that morning and afternoon. I was making my homemade Potato Croquettes. These are are really popular at Christmas dinner.
Our dinner starts with appetizers with Shrimp Cocktail, cheeses and dips. When you have a lot of guests it is a nice way to start the meal. These were traditions that my aunt started years ago when we used to spend the holidays growing up.
The Appetizers
The appetizers
Putting the final preparations for dinner.
The final dinner set out for guests.
Our Christmas dinner
The team work for our holiday dinner was the result of a lot of hard work.
My mother’s beautiful holiday roast.
My mother’s Prime Rib roast came out like perfection.
My brother’s Broccoli Puff was excellent.
My mother and our new sister in law at her first family Christmas.
My mother and my sister in law.
Finally sitting down for dinner and relaxing after a long holiday season. Our family had a nice time at Christmas
Dinner at Christmas time. The result of team work and a lot of preplanning. My mother’s delicious Prime Rib, which was cooked perfectly, the potato croquettes and the sauteed string beans. The perfect holiday meal.
My dinner at Christmas at Mom’s.
Our desserts at the end of dinner.
For dessert, my mother ordered a specialty twelve layer cake and my sister in law made a special Russian cake from her family’s tradition. My brother and I made Christmas cookies so there was more than enough for the twelve people having dessert.
Mom’s Twelve Layer cake for dessert.
It was a really nice Christmas dinner and we had such a nice relaxing time. It was a wonderful afternoon and evening with family.
Our family at the holidays. It was so nice to see everyone at Christmas.
It was a relaxing evening once everything was cleaned up and the other guests left later that night. We just sat around and laughed and talked about Christmas’s past.
The next morning, everyone was on their way and my brother and sister in law stayed with me. While they were doing their thing in the city, I visited a lot of the sites around the City for the post Christmas week. New York City is always packed the week before Christmas and New Year and you have to elbow everyone by the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. That’s why I try to avoid that section of the City.
I went uptown to the Cloisters to take a tour of the decorations and hear about the history of the decorations used for the Medieval holidays. I forgot they Three Kings Day was coming up and they changed the tour. So a large group of us walked with our tour guide in not such great weather (it was misty and gloomy out), and looked for the symbolism of the Three Kings.
The tour took us all over the museum in search of the images of the Three Kings. The story had morphed over the years from three ‘wise men’ to the ‘Three Kings” and the interpretation of the story.
The ‘Three Kings” in stained glass.
The ‘Three Kings’ in tapestry.
The beautiful plants at the Met Cloisters during Christmas.
The Cloisters at Christmas in 2023.
After touring the museum, I went outside and toured the neighborhood. My next stop was the Dyckman Farmhouse up the road. For some reason, they had already taken down their Christmas (and when I asked the person in charge that day gave me attitude). I can see from the outside of the house it needs a lot of work. The plantings in the summer hide most of this.
The inside of the house is decorated for a family that owns a prosperous farm in Upper Manhattan. The kitchen was set for a late afternoon lunch and the bedrooms were designed for the family and their guests.
It was really cold and gloomy outside when I left the Dyckman Farmhouse. Still there was a hint of Christmas in the air when I walked down to 207th Street and at the William Tighe Park just off it. There were still Christmas trees up and the neighborhood decorated for the holidays.
The unique tree at William Tighe Park at Dyckman and Seaman Streets
The neighborhood was still decked for the holidays and people looked like they were stretching the holiday to the full 12 days of Christmas.
I got hungry walking around the neighborhood and I headed to G’s Coffee Shop around the corner for some lunch. I love this little neighborhood hangout. It is a place that every neighborhood should have, friendly service and wonderful food.
On this cool afternoon, I was starved and was in the mood for a Cheeseburger and fries and G’s always does such a nice job with their burgers. It did not disappoint me this time either.
The Cheeseburger platter and fries at G’s Coffee Shop is not only delicious but reasonable as well. The service is excellent.
After a wonderful lunch, I walked around the neighborhood and looked at the other decorations and walked in and out of stores to see what was new. Inwood and Washington Heights is changing before my eyes like other neighborhoods in Manhattan. It seems when they rezoned the City during the Bloomberg administration. The whole neighborhood is getting new buildings and parks that don’t look like they are catering to the local population. Already I can see this area changing.
Since my schedule was open for the rest of the afternoon, I decided to walk down to 181st Street to Esmeralda’s Bakery for a snack. I also wanted to see how they decorated the shopping area for Christmas. Washington Heights main shopping district is always nicely decorated for the holidays.
The 181st Street Shopping District
The stars on the 181st Street that decorate the shopping the district.
The core of the Washington Heights shopping district during Christmas.
I stopped at Esmeraldo Bakery at 538 West 181 Street for a snack and the place was pretty busy for a late afternoon.
I had to have one of their sugar doughnuts and they are the best when they are freshly made. It was the perfect sugar high for a gloomy afternoon. Esmeraldo’s Bakery is one of the few quality bakeries left that I can find that does not overcharge for a doughnut, roll or cookie. Her prices are very fair and the selection is always fresh and everything is delicious. It was the perfect pick me up while I was walking around the Washington Heights shopping district. There was still a little Christmas feel around
The selection at Esmeraldo Bakery collection.
The amazing sugar doughnuts at Esmeraldo Bakery are worth the trip uptown.
I walked around the business district and around the 181st Street shopping district realizing how much had changed since the summer and how many small businesses had closed. New businesses have opened up but I was surprised how many places had closed since I toured in August. The rents must be going up here as well.
I went back to the subway stop and admired the Christmas trees one more time as darkness fell. There was a real Christmas spirit up town as well.
The Christmas tree at 207th Street lit for the evening.
The Christmas tree in William Tighe Park.
I really enjoyed seeing the decorations uptown that I have never seen before and realized that there were traditions all over the city. Washington Heights does their own unique job decorating their neighborhood.
On the night before they left for the New Year’s celebrations, my brother and sister in law wanted to take me to dinner at a ‘typical New York” restaurant. I told them of a wonderful restaurant in Times Square at the Marriott Marquis called the “Broadway Lounge” that I had been to many times with the most spectacular views so we went there. The food and service did not disappoint us and the views were spectacular.
The Marriott Marquis in Times Square at 1535 Broadway.
The Broadway Lounge never disappoints me because as the food is pricey it is also very good and the quality I have found to be excellent. The view is the reason why everyone comes here and my sister in law made the reservation so that we could sit next to the window and that was dazzling.
The view of Times Square from our table. It is just dazzling.
The food lived up to the view this evening. I had the Three Cheese Grilled Cheese sandwich with fries with a Coke and for dessert we shared a White Cake with Fresh fruit. Very simple comfort food on a cold and somewhat gloomy night. Still the food and the service were wonderful and gave us a chance to catch up before they left and to how beautiful Manhattan is in the evening.
The delicious Three Cheese Grilled Cheese sandwich with fries and a Coke.
The White Vanilla Cake with fresh fruit that we shared for dessert.
I was a nice meal and a perfect way to ring in the New Year together early.
On New Years Eve morning, they left to celebrate the holiday in the City and I stayed at home to spend a quiet New Year at home. I run in the New Year by watching the last minute of NBC and then went to bed. Not the most exciting New Years Eve but I just wanted to stay in and relax. It had been a long month. This is how I welcomed in 2024.
Now you know why I am so exhausted! My feet never touched the ground since Halloween night.
I wanted to share these pictures around Manhattan during the holidays:
The dazzling West 55th Street at Christmas time.
Christmas on West 55th Street closer to Fifth Avenue,
Christmas lights on West 45th Street
The Christmas lights on West 55th Street.
A Christmas tree on Eighth Avenue.
Corporate Christmas tree at West 58th Street.
The Dior sign for the light show at Saks Fifth Avenue.
1251 Sixth Avenue-A corporate Christmas.
The Star on Fifth Avenue.
1221 Sixth Avenue-A corporate Christmas.
West 57th Street at Christmas.
The skaters in Rockefeller Center by the Christmas tree.
The tree at Rockefeller Center.
The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center the Sunday after the Epiphany.
The true beauty of New York City and especially Manhattan is in the details of it. It just amazes you! I do not know how I did it all and still got straight “A’s”.
I do not think my feet touched the ground the entire month of October. Halloween night was spent in classes doing presentations and starting a new class on the Metaverse at NYU. It was not too awful as it rained during the parade for about an hour and was not the usual clear sunny (and usually warm) day that it had been in the past. Even though my partner at the parade, Mark Schuyler, said it was fun, the rain would be a bit of a deterrent.
The Village Merchant windows
The end of September lead to the crazy days of October as I settled into my classes at NYU and continued to get more assignments than I could keep up with. Between the three classes that I was taking at NYU and the three classes at Bergen Community College that I was teaching, my hands were so full that I never stopped running around. Everyone just kept adding more and more and I just had to keep up.
The Village Merchant windows at Halloween
The weather was surprising warm through early November this year which made the walk from Port Authority to campus a real pleasure. This is how I knew that Halloween was on its way. Here and there amongst the great little stores in the neighborhood, the window displays were full of pumpkins, witches, ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night.
The Salvation Army windows around the corner from NYU
Many of the merchants in the neighborhood really decorated their windows and it made it fun to exploring the side streets.
The Theater around the corner from NYU
As I walked through Washington Square Park, I thought back to the Haunted New York Ghost Tour that I took with the Cornell Club the year before and passed some of the sites in the neighborhood that we visited on the tour especially the “Hanging Tree” at the edge of the park.
The “Hanging Tree” in Washington Square Park where they used to hang prisoners until Society moved to the neighborhood and asked them to stop.
I passed through Gramercy Park to see what was going on in the park and people really decorated around the neighborhood.
I also remembered that Washington Square Park was a giant cemetery with a park on top of it. I am not too sure if people in the neighborhood or my fellow NYU classmates know all of this. Every once in a while when they have to fix the pipes near the edge of the park, they hit the tombs where bodies now rest. It is kind of eerie to know that people are buried under where people now play music, dance and protest. Just hope we don’t wake them up (Hee Hee).
Downtown Hasbrouck Heights decorated for Halloween in 2022
In early October, people really get into Halloween in a major way in Hasbrouck Heights and I start noticing that people are decorating their houses more for the holiday. By the end of the month, the Men’s Association starts to run around town judging houses for our annual contest. Some people started decorating early.
The beginnings of Halloween in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
The beginnings of Fall in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Looks like the competition will be fierce this year
My neighbors even put their evil scarecrow “Giggles” outside to scare the passersby on Route 46 East. I swear this thing has a mind of its own.
“Giggles the Scarecrow” at Route 46 East in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
The story of “Giggles the Scarecrow” on MywalkinManhattan.com Day One Hundred and Eighty-One:
As the temperature stayed warm and the trees stayed green, I could see the windows in Downtown Hasbrouck Heights start to change as the Annual Halloween Children’s Painting Contest for the elementary schools began. This goes on for about a week and sometimes the paintings stay up until Christmas time as people don’t realize that they are still on the windows. Some of these kids are really creative and do a nice job.
The Hasbrouck Heights Halloween WIndow Painting Contest
The merchants in our downtown like in the Village start to get creative with the window displays and this is why on the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association we added a Merchant winner this year to our Halloween House Decorating Contest. So many of the merchants do such a terrific job of getting into the spirit of the holiday. Halloween is a big business now.
Heights Flower Shoppe was our winner this year and this picture does not give the display justice
Spindler’s Bake Shop decorated inside and out to be the Runner Up
Residents of Hasbrouck Heights for Halloween last year went all out decorating their houses for the holidays. This year it seemed a bit more subdued as the economy, the elections and just the general environment seemed a bit testy, people held back a bit but some residents went all out and by the end of the month we started the Second Annual Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association House Decorating Contest with a new Merchant Category. Halloween then really kicked off.
I knew that Halloween was coming when I saw the kids on the Boulevard painting away at the Merchants windows in Downtown Hasbrouck Heights the first week of October. The funny part is that I sometimes see these paintings through Christmas.
The kids do such a great job though and they are so creative. Here is a sampling up and down the Boulevard that I saw when I was judging businesses for Halloween. This is just a sampling of some of the paintings that the children of Hasbrouck Heights in 2022:
Ist Place
Some of the paintings on the Boulevard with the winner
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
Paintings on the Boulevard
The contest is really popular every year and there are winners at every level
With classes in full swing and projects that I had to work on it made it tough to have free time to visit a lot of places that I had done in the past, so I concentrated on new experiences and trying to revisit the places I had when I had a free moment. It took a lot of planning, but I was able to get to upstate New York and down to Southern New Jersey again. In simple terms, between classes and work, I never stopped running around for the entire month of October. I did a lot of driving this month.
First I had to spend my birthday in class making a major presentation in my ‘Business Models’ class and my ‘Travel Trends’ class. That was nerve wracking enough but I got an “A” on both so I was really happy. I did the project on Wheelchair tourism in NYC and the challenges that a person could face when visiting Manhattan in a wheelchair.
The in the evening, I was in my Business Models class explaining the use of the “Garbage Box”, a mythical product that I created to contain all the street garbage from leaking on the sidewalk and making the sidewalk a bit more attractive by packaging the garbage. That earned me another “A”.
The “Garbage Box” prototype that when after class I really used it and packed garbage inside and left it at the curb. See how much nicer the garbage looks now?
Between those two classes and work on my two classes getting papers graded and getting quizzes done, I was burnt out. When I got home from my Thursday night class in Lyndhurst, I went to Heights Bar & Grill in Hasbrouck Heights for a drink and a snack. Happy Birthday finally to me!
My birthday dinner (two weeks late) at Heights Bar & Grill. The Cosmos and Pizza were amazing
When I finally got those projects over and done with for school, I went Upstate to the Hudson River Valley for the Sheep & Wool Festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds on October 16th to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather and to walk around the fairgrounds.
I don’t think the festival anticipated that many people that day
It ended up being almost 75 degrees that day but felt warmer. The fairgrounds were packed the entire afternoon. Not quite during the Dutchess County Fair but the food vendors were out in full force and that made me happy. There were not as many as during the fair and that led to a lot of long lines. This is the reason why I decided to walk around for a bit.
The large crowds at the food concessions at the Sheep & Wool Festival
Please enjoy my blog on the visiting the Sheep & Wool Festival Day One Hundred & Forty Nine:
I made my way to the animal pens and the Arts & Crafts sellers. You could see that everyone was getting ready for the Christmas holiday season. There were all sorts of items for stocking stuffers and people had all sorts of beautiful handcrafted ornaments and Santas. I love visiting my favorite woodcarving artists where I get my mother’s Santas every year.
Because of the warm weather, I don’t think the festival figured on the number of people
The guys were all there and all three of them showed me what they had to offer this Christmas. Since I never carry cash around (a mugger would hate me) and they never take credit cards, its makes it easy to make a selection. I have to buy the cheapest most creative one each year.
The wood carvers are so talented. I buy my Santas from these three men every year
I could not decide so I told the guys I would do what I usually did, see what was left over when I got back and make a decision then. I think they get a kick out of that philosophy of mine. I walked around the rest of the building to see what was there but I have a tough time spending $10.00 on a bar of soap or $20.00 on a bottle of honey. I do have limits on what I will spend money on.
The crowds on a warm October afternoon at the Sheep & Wool Festival
I walked around the rest of the buildings looking at the arts & crafts, a lot of yarn and crocheted articles at the booths and the homemade food stuffs. There was a lot to choose from. As I left the buildings with all the homemade articles, I passed displays for Halloween and could not even think about Christmas at this point (it’s always there at Halloween anyway) and remembered which holiday was coming up.
I loved this ‘Disco’ Ghost display in the main buildings
When I got to the animal pens that are usually filled with animals at the top of the hill were filled with more vendors. There were all different types of things to buy from ceramics to homemade flowers to honey and other wonderful gourmet foods to handmade cosmetic products. There really was something for everyone here.
I saw one of my favorite Children’s Arts & Crafts artist’s at the fair, Susannah White and I see her work every year. She creates the most wonderful dolls, fairy houses and masks. Everything is done by hand and her prices are very fair for the craftsmanship and attention to detail that each piece has to it.
I love the creativity and attention to detail this merchant has in her work
These are some of her finger puppets and masks that she create for ‘children’ but I see plenty of adults buying them too. I have to think about getting one of these in the future. They are ‘art’.
Another one of my favorite ‘children’s artists’ was there also displaying her puppets and sculpture as well. Artist Bonnie Hall creates these fantastic 3-D beasts of the imagination. They are so unusual and cute.
I walked the rest of the booths but nothing stood out as these few did. I always look forward to seeing these vendors and what they have come up with in terms of new merchandise.
I then visited the animal pens and made it in time to see the sheep being sheared and groomed. There are some people from the City that looked amused by all of this with a look in their eyes like, “it’s this quaint” when the very clothes they are wearing were created with a process that begins like this.
Some of the groomers explained how they do this and the process behind the step by step process it takes to shear an animal. Also, the difference in the wool from one part of the body to another and the difference in feel of it. I as a retailer thought this was fascinating. It is almost the same as when you skin an animal for its pelt. What is the difference between long hair fur and short hair fur.
The sheep looked they did not mind all the attention either making it a show of itself. They were probably used to all the attention at these shows after all these years.
I loved walking along the pens and looking at all the sheep and lambs staring back at me as well. I think they are amused by all of this as much as we are. These animals must be so used to human contact that they are jaded by it. Still it makes for an interesting interaction.
I walked around the fairgrounds to the rest of the pens and there was a combination of sheep and lambs. There were displays of the animals and the groomers were showing everyone how to care for them.
After I toured all the pens and barns with arts and crafts, I toured the small museums on the fairgrounds. I toured the Century Museum Village, which is a permanent museum on the property which shows life in rural New York State between 1880-1930. There was also the Schoolhouse Museum and Train Station Museum right up the hill from it. These give a look into Dutchess Counties past and compares how much has changed to today.
The Century Museum Village on the Dutchess County Fairgrounds
The inside of the museum and the counties rural past
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com on the Century Museum Village:
By the end of the afternoon, the lines had gone down for food but not by much. I still had to wait in line at Janek’s for a Cheeseburger for a half hour. The lines only went down about an hour before the Sheep & Wool Festival closed for the day.
Janek’s makes the BEST burgers ever!
My favorite lunch at the fair is Janek’s ‘Piggyback Burger’, which is a freshly made burger topped with Cheddar Cheese, pulled pork, cured ham and topped with barbecue sauce and homemade pickles. Biting into it is like biting into a piece of heaven. The burger does not need any salt or pepper and make sure to get it with the side of their homemade pierogis with sour cream. I only eat this twice a year, once at the Dutchess County Fair and once at the Sheep & Wool Festival and I am satisfied for the rest of the year.
“The Piggyback Burger” with the side of homemade pierogis
As I relaxed and enjoyed my lunch, I could see that the sun was starting to move around, and the day was starting to get darker out. I had not realized that I spent the entire day at the fair. Time really went by fast especially as I had never seen crowds like this at the fair before. Having such warm weather made a big difference in the crowds. I think the food vendors will rethink this last year since there were a lot less then for the Dutchess County Fair.
As I left the fair that afternoon, I passed the St. James Episcopal Church in Hyde Park who were holding the Historic Graveyard Tours that evening. I did not have a reservation but stopped in to see if I could tour the graveyard that evening. I had planned on coming up the next week but since I was here, I figured why not try now (Thank God I did because it rained the next weekend). I stopped at the church first in the afternoon just in case I could not make the tour. No one was around but I took a quick tour of the cemetery before I left for the Sheep & Wool Festival.
The sign outside the church
The St. James Episcopal Church of Hyde Park at 4526 Albany Post Road
I walked down the path marked for that evening’s Cemetery Walk and got to see the graves and crypts before it got dark. In the start of the fall, the cemetery was very picturesque on a sunny afternoon. There was almost an elegance to the cemetery with its detailed tombstones and colorful foliage. It looked like a quiet and elegant resting place for these residents of Hyde Park. There are a lot of famous names buried here.
St. James Church before you enter the cemetery
The start of the Cemetery Walk during the day
Walking through the cemetery during the day is interesting
A walk through the cemetery at St. James
Following the path of the Cemetery Walk during the day
The Livingston Mausoleum at the St. James Cemetery
Sara Delano Roosevelt (the President’s Mother) gravesite at St. James Cemetery
Walking through the tombstones at St. James along the Cemetery Walk path
The graves at the St. James Cemetery
It is an interesting tour. Before I got to the fair, I had stopped by the church to talk to someone about the tour, but no one was around so I just walked the path on my own and took pictures during the day so it least if I could not go on the tour, I had seen the cemetery. It was really interesting. The tour guide took us on a lantern tour on a marked path of the 200-year-old graveyard and we got to meet characters who were buried there portrayed by local actors (who I never know how they do it. They have to sit in a dark cemetery until the next tour comes through).
inside the St. James Episcopal Church before the Cemetery Walk
We met in the church first and did a quick orientation on what to expect and then the tour guide took us on the tour. It was very interesting, and the actors did a good job with each character. We met the following characters:
Captain Isaac Russell, a Revolutionary War Soldier who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill and was present at the surrender of General Burgoyne on October 17th, 1777.
Anna Roosevelt Halstead, the daughter of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. She had served in President Kennedy’s Citizens Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and she also served as the Vice-Chairman of the President’s Commission for the Observance of Human Rights.
Susan Cowman Carter, an early St. James Choir Director and organist.
Christopher Hughes III, a 19th century Hyde Park farmer
Adelaide Roddy, a pioneering early 20th century female Theologian who died on her honeymoon of spinal meningitis.
Arthur (Rube) DeGroff, Hyde Park’s very own Professional Baseball Player who had played with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1905. He played one game in 1906 and then was sent back to the minors.
The tour was very interesting, and each actor did a good job telling their story. The tour guide was right though, you had to stay on the path, or you would trip over a tombstone (as I almost did). I have to say one thing in that I was glad there were so many people on the tour and that the next tour after ours was full as well. Once you passed the lit areas, this cemetery was really gloomy and dark. Even the church looked a little creepy from a distance. Maybe that was the effect that they were going for on the tour. After the tour was over, I headed home.
School got even busier, so I had to pace myself with the activities and I managed to finish all my homework as well as get the students quizzes graded and the papers finished before I left for South Jersey the next weekend. The weather was going to be nice, and I decided to head back down to Salem, NJ again to finish touring some of the historical sites for my blogs and to go on the Salem Haunted Tour of the Downtown business district.
The Salem NJ Walking Ghost Tour in 2023
Before the walking tour there would be a concert “Tunes from the Crypt” at St. John’s Episcopal Church with musician Erik Meyer.
I had seen this tour advertised for many years, but it was tough to go on it from such a distance away. Since the weekend would be open, I hopped in the car on a Friday night and made another reservation at the Inn at Salem Country Club for the night. I was glad that Yvonne, the owner had the room open.
I got down early enough on Friday afternoon to take pictures at the Salem Oak Cemetery, the Salem Historical Society and at various points of interest in Salem’s Historical Downtown.
The historic Salem Oak Cemetery where many of the founders of Salem are buried and was home to the oldest Oak Tree in the State until it fell in 2019.
Downtown Salem has the most beautiful and historical residential district
I snapped pictures all the over the downtown area and managed to get all the pictures that I missed over the summer when I came down to do my blog on the Historic sites of Southern New Jersey (see blog below):
My blog on the Historical Sites of Southern New Jersey: Day Two Hundred and Forty:
Before I took the tour and after I settled into the hotel, I had a quick dinner at Bravo Pizza at 179 West Broadway in Downtown Salem.
The inside of the dining room of Bravo Pizza
I must have been attracting attention with all my picture taking in Downtown Salem. Since Salem is not the safest town, some gangbanger looking guys came in while I was eating my meatball hero to check me out. I just stared back, and they disappeared out the back door. I swear everyone thinks I am a Fed.
Bravo Pizza & Pasta at 179 West Broadway is really good and the prices are fair
I was able to get settled into the Inn before the tour and took a lot of pictures of the church’s cemetery before the Haunted Walk and then got to the church in time for the organist started a special Halloween concert. This was taking place before the walking tour. The weather surprisingly cooperated, and it was a warm October weekend.
The Inn at Salem Country Club at 91 Country Club Road (Now called the Salem River Inn)
Once I had eaten and was settled in, it was time to visit the downtown before the concert. Halloween weekend in recent years has gotten much warmer. The night of the concert and the walking tour was not different. It must have been in the mid 60’s the night of the tour.
I was one of the first ones at St. John’s Episcopal Church that evening so I got a prime parking spot right in front of the church and since there were no signs that I could not park there, it was nice that I did not have to move far.
The inside of the church was beautiful with all the historic stained glass windows and wooden pews. I was walking around admiring the church before the concert. What I love about these hundred year old churches is that they have a classic look to them. There is such a history to them. I admired the stained glass windows which were beautiful.
The inside of St. John’s Church
The stained glass windows at the church
The stained glass windows at the church
The church was very impressive. Most of these were Tiffany windows
Still these churches are so old that they have an intriguing look to them with an air of mystery. The interiors look like they belong in a independent horror film.
Even the church had a mysterious look to it at night
Musician Erik Meyer performed a series of classical horror film melodies on the church organ. What I thought was funny was the priest for St. John’s Church did the introduction and made a comment to a packed church full of people of all ages in the pews this was the most amount of people he had seen in the church in a long time.
Musician Erik Meyer dressed as Count Dracula next to the organ
After the concert was over, I talked with Erik Meyer about the irony of performing Halloween music in a church. He said many churches while their thoughts on Halloween are mixed have embraced this type of fundraiser to bring people back to the churches and raise money for them at the same time. He also told me that he had been performing these concerts at churches all over the state for the same reason. They have become very popular.
Royal Port Antiques at 13 Market Street was our starting and stopping point for the tour
After the concert was over, the whole group of us at the church headed over to the antique store where we would be starting the Haunted Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Salem. The tour took us from the store to the Salem Historical Society and back. I guess the rest of the Downtown at night was not the safest (I experienced that).
The start of the Ghost Tour
I have to admit the Historic Market Street neighborhood while very pretty and elegant with all the Federalist homes during the day is very pretty, at night it does look pretty spooky.
Downtown Salem Market Street Historic District at night
People did decorate in Downtown Salem, NJ
This townhouse really got into the spirit of Halloween
More detail on the house
Our first stop on the tour was visiting a small Dutch house that was a recreation of old homes that used to be part of the community. The home had been rebuilt in honor of visiting dignitaries visiting from Europe. The house was now a popular tourist site. While we were inside we got to peek inside and see the furnishings and a live fire in the fireplace.
The small Dutch House on the walking tour
I went back the next day and it did not seem that creepy
A Salem resident shares a ghostly tale of his home since moving here
Creepy tales at the Salem Historical Society courtyard
The Society courtyard is less creepy and very beautiful during the day with the fall foliage
Tales at the St. John’s cemetery
The St. John’s Cemetery is a very interesting place to visit during the day. The foliage in Salem, NJ was at its peak right before Halloween and the end of the October and I got to tour the graves of the people that the narrator was talking about during the day. It was an interesting story of how this resident treated his first wife in death and treatment of the second wife when she died. People are still people.
The entrance to St. John’s Cemetery
During the day, walking around this historic cemetery is very interesting. Many of the founding members of the Salem community are buried here and you can find the family cemetery plots among the paths. I would take the time to visit and walk around this interesting piece of the past.
The the tale of the Second wife that you see above during the day. The husband and second wife are in the elevated crypts and the first wife has a slab on top of here. As the narrator said this is what he thought of her in the end.
Colonial Robert Johnson and his second wife, Julia in the elevated crypts
The St. John’s Cemetery during the day
The St. John’s Cemetery
The St. John’s Cemetery family plots
The famous people buried in the cemetery-The Sinnickson Family plot-One of the founding families of Salem, NJ
After we left the church, we joined this friendly witch who told us the story about a spirit that haunts houses. To confuse them, you have to leave a bowl of rice at the doorway so that you confuse the spirit as it tries to count the grains of rice and then gets frustrated and leaves. I had never heard this story before but I did get a small bag of rice as a gift that I keep in my travel bag now.
Tales of spirits and the use of rice to keep them away
A Ghoul with a New York accent tells the tales
We ended the tour at the Salem Creek with tales of ghostly fisherman but you could not see anything at night so I took this the next morning. I almost tripped on the hill leaving this little park.
After the tour was over, we went back to the antique store to have hot cider and homemade cookies. I thought this was a very nice touch to a wonderful evening. There were a few more tours going on after I was finished so I got to walk around the antique store and then around the downtown and look at all the buildings at night. On a warm October evening, I found this tour to not just be relaxing but fascinating as well to learn the history of the town. When I got back to the Inn, I slept so soundly that night.
When I woke up on Saturday morning, it was a beautiful sunny day, and I watched the phases of the sun come up over the field from my bedroom window. I swear the location of this Inn is amazing and has the most spectacular views.
The Inn at Salem Country Club sunrise:
Sunrise from my room
Sunrise from my room
Sunrise from my room
Sunrise from my room
Sunrise from my room
The sunrise from my room in its final phase and it was an amazing warm day.
What I like about the Inn at Salem Country Club is its location on Delaware Bay. In the warmer months, people use the beaches outside the Inn for swimming and recreation. Its location on the Delaware Bay is pretty spectacular and I never really noticed when I visited in the summer. I was so busy running around Southern New Jersey and I had gotten there late and left early the last time. On this trip, I had more time in the morning to walk around the grounds before I went to visit the remaining museums on my list (most of them were closed anyway as they were only open on certain weekends).
The grounds of the Salem Country Club Inn in late October
The grounds of the Inn were very beautiful on this warm Saturday morning in late October. The leaves were still changing colors and the weather was warm. I had my breakfast on the enclosed terrace (it was too cool to eat outside in the morning) and just watched the boats and birds pass by. It was such a wonderful morning to just relax and watch time go by.
The beach at the Inn at Salem Country Club
The lawn of the Inn of Salem Country Club
The beach at the Inn at Salem Country Club
After a relaxing night’s sleep, Yvonne ordered breakfast for me again from the Salem Diamond Diner just past the downtown. Over French Toast and sausage and fresh fruit, I watch the beauty of the Delaware Bay from the open room on the first floor. It was too cool to eat on the deck but another five degrees and I would have been out there. The views are just amazing when it is sunny.
My reviews of breakfast sent to me at the Inn from the Diamond Grill in Salem:
The rest of the day after I checked out I spent revisiting or trying to visit historical sites that I have missed on my Father’s Day weekend trip here. Most were so small that they were not even on the listing that I had from the summer. Almost all of them were either closed for the season at that point or would be open sometime in November and I was not racing down to South Jersey for a two hour visit to a historical site. This just makes another trip to the area justified in the Spring.
I had already visited the Salem Historical Society, the Salem Oak Cemetery and tried to visit the Salem Fire Museum so I ventured back to some of the places I seen over the summer. I also wanted to visit some of the smaller Historical societies I had a list of from the last trip. Most of them were closed for the season.
Some of the places that I visited were:
The Hancock House at 3 Front Street in Hancock’s Bridge:
I had to cross the county after visiting a these obscure sites to get to the Church Landing Farm at Pennsville Historical Society at 86 Church Landing Road. Thank God it was still open at 3:00pm. It was a real treat:
I was able to tour the Hancock House again while they were having a little Halloween festival and take pictures of the house. I also got to tour the Church Landing Farmhouse and visit all the little out buildings with all the displays. It was fun to finally see with more time to spend. Though it was just an overnight trip, I felt like I was gone for a week. I was so refreshed from the trip. It was time to go home and get some work done.
The Halloween Festival at the Hancock House on Halloween weekend
The days before Halloween, we were in the final judging of the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association Halloween House Decorating Contest so when I got home from Salem, NJ, I had to present the awards to the winners and their families. Later the next week, I presented the awards to the merchants in town who were not opened on Sunday. It was a long but very productive morning and afternoon as the winners and runners-up were thrilled by their awards.
My blog on the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association Halloween House Decorating Contest Day Two Hundred and Fifty on MywalkinManhattan.com:
It was a series of long drives around town, late nights looking at spooky lights, figures of fright and things that go bump in the night but the members of the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association Halloween Decorating Contest made a decision who had the best decorated house and downtown business in Hasbrouck Heights.
Decorations at 85 Woodside Avenue
Like last year the decision was tough but we chose 85 Woodside Avenue, the home of Matt and Lisa Fiduccia, last year’s runners up. The house was decorated to the hilt with ghosts, ghouls and figures that frightened the passersby. “We learned more from last year,” Matt Fiduccia said when they found out they won this year’s contest. “We added more to it.”
85 Woodside Avenue in Hasbrouck Heights Halloween 2022-Winner
The zombies and ghouls of 85 Woodside Avenue
The committee liked the theme of the property, the organization of the props and decorations of the doorway and the lighting of the house the night before Halloween which really showcased their creativity. The family was really excited about winning this year and the whole Fiduccia family joined Chairman Justin Watrel and Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association President Steve Palladino for the presentation of the plaque and official sign from the organization declaring them winner. It was an award well deserved.
Chairman Justin Watrel with the Fiduccia family at 85 Woodside Avenue
Winners Matt and Lisa Fiduccia with their children and the official sign from the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association
It was a tough decision to make this year as last year’s winner, Scott Vicario and runners up last year Frank and Mary Rose Blunda also created wonderful displays that would dazzle and delight trick or treaters the next night for Halloween.
253 Henry Street-The Runner-up this year
This is the second year Scott Vicario created a moving cemetery and ghoul fest all over his front lawn starting with a possessed woman climbing a tree outside the property and a variety of ghouls and zombies climbing popping and walking around the yard. “I keep finding new things to add to the display,” Scott told the committee when he was presented his award. “I look for professionally made displays.” Mr. Vicario who lives at 253 Henry Street said he “has more planned for next year” to win the award back.
Last year’s winner, Scott Vicario, was runner up this year
Some of the decorations were truly frightening
Ghosts and ghouls at 253 Henry Street
Scott Varicario in front of 253 Henry Street
253 Henry Street was full of zombies and ghosts
The other runners up last year, Frank and Mary Rose Blunda, keep creating frightening but friendly displays that dazzle their Halloween visitors. Trick or Treaters keep coming back for the displays of vampires and pumpkin headed beasts.
510 Henry Street
“We really love Halloween and we do this for the kids,” Frank Blunda said. “The families get such a kick out of visiting our house every year.” The Blunda’s love that families take a special trip to see their home.
The Ghosts, Ghouls and Pumpkin Heads of 510 Henry Street
Mary Rose and Frank Blunda of 510 Henry Street were runners-up again this year
Chairman Justin Watrel with Mary Rose and Frank Blunda at 510 Henry Street
The House Decorating Committee added a Merchant Division this year and we were dazzled by Heights Flower Shoppe, who always displays their holiday merchandise so nicely. Ray Vorisek, the owner of Heights Flower Shoppe was very thankful to the committee for the award. “We always like decorating the store to the hilt for the holidays.
Heights Flower Shoppe at 209 Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
People come from all over to visit us.” Both inside and outside, the store was full of all sorts of merchandise to decorate the house and for creative Halloween parties. Ghosts and witches flowed all over the store.
The decorations of the windows at Heights Flower Shoppe
“We have a creative team that works together here,” Mrs. Spindler said as she accepted her framed award. “It is a team effort that got the store ready for the holiday.” Spindler’s Bakery not only decorated the windows with pumpkins and bears ready for Trick or Treating but the store had all sorts of delicious looking decorated pastries and cookies, perfect for any Halloween Party.
The inside of Spindler’s Bake Shop with decorations and Halloween treats
Chairman Justin Watrel with runner-up winner, Ginny Spindler and her co-worker
We also wanted to mention the Honorary mentions, whose decorated home made the first and second round cut of the contest and we wish you luck next year. These are 110 Central Avenue, 458 Jefferson Avenue, 415 Madison Avenue, 115 Ottawa Avenue and 310 Bell Avenue. Good luck and have a wonderful and safe holiday season from the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association.
Honorary Mention on Ottawa Avenue
Another Honorary Mention on Ottawa Avenue
Halloween Night was a bust for me. I had to start my first night of my Tourism Innovation Class, which concentrated on the Metaverse that evening and for the first time in six years I did not work on the Halloween Parade. It was a real bummer and I know Mark was really disappointed that I could not make it that evening. It rained during part of the parade so that at least made me feel a bit better.
When I left class that evening, it was also about 9:30pm and since we were meeting in the Uptown campus on West 42nd Street, I did not notice any part of the parade except for a few people heading back to New Jersey through the Port Authority. It was a cold and rather gloomy night because of the quick shower we had earlier. Not much of a holiday but at least I was able to celebrate in different ways in different parts of the month.
‘Aristocrats’ Justin Watrel (Beekman family) and Marc Schuyler (Schuyler family) at the Halloween Parade gate 2019.
Before Halloween was over I managed to sneak up to Croton on the Hudson to the Van Cortlandt Manor to see the Annual “Pumpkin Blaze” (see the blog attached):
Visiting the Pumpkin Blaze Day Two Hundred and Six:
The weather was really mild that night and I got tickets for the 8:00pm walk. Being later in the season, it was not as busy as it would be before Halloween. Still I could walk the show at my own pace and enjoy the displays. If you have never been there, I highly suggest it.
The entrance to the “Pumpkin Blaze”
The displays keep changing every year and it is fun to see all the new creative ideas that they come up with for the evening. It was the perfect way to finish the Halloween festivities. Now here comes Christmas!
Don’t miss this permanent museum exhibition at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds.
The Century Museum Village at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds
The sign that welcomes you to the museum
The museum is only open when the fairgrounds are open but it is a treat to those history buffs who want to have as glimpse of life in the early agricultural Hudson River Valley.
The museum at its entrance.
Each of the displays depict a way of life themed many farming families lived in the late 1800’s to the early twentieth century.
The turn of the century ‘Wash Day’ display
The new Barbershop display
The family picnic display from the front of the museum
Transportation from the turn of the last century
The farming techniques before the advent of the modern gas equipment
Farming equipment from the early 1800’s
The back part of the museum is a Blacksmith Shop where a demonstration was going on while I was there.
The Blacksmith Shop
The engines and early modern equipment and engines
The displays are interactive and there are volunteers on hand to explain the time period
Open: When the fairgrounds are open Spring, Summer and Fall for events
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Century Museum Village inside the Dutchess County Fairgrounds
When the Dutchess County Fairgrounds are open for the season for big events in the Spring, Summer and Fall, the fairgrounds open their historical museums that are located on the property. These include the School House Museum and the Train Station Museum and the when the volunteers are there the Dutchess County Volunteer Firemen’s Museum. The main museum is the Century Museum Village, a look at rural life in Dutchess County at the turn of the last century.
The Schoolhouse Museum in the Century Museum Village
The Train Station Museum at the Century Museum Village
Sometimes you are in the right place at the right time and something wonderful and fun happens. My weekend up in the Hudson River Valley was like that when I was on a recent business trip. It was restful and I got my mind off school and work. I had to go to the Culinary Institute of America to talk to one of my old chefs for a project I was working on for my Innovations in Tourism class at NYU.
Roth Hall during Christmas time 2022
It was a step back in time for me walking around campus and talking to students in their chef’s gear. It reminded me of when I was attending the CIA and visitors asking me what it was like to be a student there. Roth Hall where I took all my classes was decked out for Christmas which I never experienced when I was on campus because I left campus in October when it was still warm and worked in Hawaii during the holiday season.
The inside entrance of Roth Hall decorated for Christmas
The outside of Roth Hall decked out for Christmas
While on campus, I noticed in the paper that there was going to be a small Christmas celebration in Downtown Kingston, the “Snowflake Festival” from 6:00pm-8:00pm that evening so I thought I would just visit Kingston after I settled in the hotel.
My chef was not available that afternoon but it gave me a chance to walk around the campus and visit parts of campus that I had not visited since pre-COVID. It got to see some of the new buildings and renovations of the old ones. I forgot how beautiful the campus is on the Hudson River.
The campus was quiet because most of the students were in their night classes so the restaurants were preparing for evening dinner shift. Visitors were taking tours of campus so I took time to explore all the restaurants and see what they looked like. It was a step back in time to see that not too much had changed but the course levels and curriculum kept evolving.
The artwork on campus is interesting
After a long tour of the building, I walked around the grounds of the campus. I visited the new Student Center and the Recreation Building to see all the happenings. They now have more clubs than ever and a series of sports teams. We never had those things when I was on campus. I walked through the “Egg”, which is the big cafeteria for the students and then the path outside the building following the Hudson River.
I knew that it was going to be a long day so I stopped for some lunch at the Apple Pie Cafe, which had not opened until I graduated. The Apple Pie Cafe is a Panera type restaurant featuring soups, sandwiches, small entrees and desserts. It is really popular with all the tourists.
The Apple Pie Cafe on the first floor of Roth Hall
I got there near closing time so the menu was limited. I decided on the Mac & Cheese and an Apple Cider donut. Everything was delicious but then I would not have expected anything else. The Mac & Cheese was made of Cheddar, Asiana and Parmesan. It had been sitting so it was firm on the outside but still tender and cheesy on the inside and the flavor was excellent.
The Mac & Cheese is baked until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside
For dessert, I had one the Apple Cider Cake donuts and it was wonderful. The donut was freshly fried and then it was almost poached in a reduction of Apple Cider so the top was firm and the bottom was dipped in the reduction giving the bottom of the donut a sweeter taste.
The Apple Pie Cafe at 1946 Campus Drive on the Culinary Institute of America campus in Hyde Park, NY
The whole meal was delicious and they let us continue eating after the restaurant was closed. They were just cleaning up the kitchen around us. After I finished that wonderful lunch, I got back to Heinz Plaza as twilight was happening and the sun was receding along the Hudson River. The Christmas trees were lit in the plaza and it looked very festive.
The Christmas Tree in the Courtyard was lit for the evening and the site of the Tree was wonderful.
I went back outside to see the Christmas tree in the courtyard lit. The whole effect was very beautiful.
I left campus that day refreshed after a good lunch and a long walk and wanted to relax at the hotel before I left for Kingston. It was just nice to sink into the bed of the Quality Inn in Hyde Park. The rooms are so comfortable and the beds are soft and firm. I just relaxed in the room for about an hour and just took it easy. It had been a long week of classes at both colleges.
The Courtyard at night
The campus Christmas tree was fully lit when I returned to talk to Chef Zearfoss
I left for Kingston, NY across the river and got to the Stockade section of the City around 6:00pm when things were just starting up. The weather was perfect and it was around 50 degrees when I got there so the streets were really busy with people walking around to hear the bands.
The “Snowflake Festival” in Downtown Kingston, NY
The town had a lot of activities going on that night
I was greeted by this festive sign welcoming people to the festival
Downtown Kingston’s Stockard section was beautifully decorated for the holidays
I got the Stockade neighborhood in the oldest part of Kingston by 6:30pm so people were just starting to arrive when I got there to join in the festivities. The crowds were starting to grow as the evening progressed as it was a crisp but pleasant December evening. It was not too hot and not too cold. It was the perfect 48 degree evening.
People arriving in the Stockage section of the City of Kingston, NY
Snowflakes decorated the whole downtown area
The crowds kept growing through the evening
It was really a fun evening. The City of Kingston had a lot of activities planned all over the downtown and people were walking all over the decorated downtown. All the lights were on all over the streets and the main streets were lined with Christmas lights and snowflakes. The display windows of the business were decorated to the hilt for the holiday season.
Downtown merchant window display
Downtown merchant window display
My favorite window display was a home furnishing store on the main street
The merchants of Kingston really went all out for the holidays
The merchants in Kingston really got into the spirit of it all
I first wondered around the downtown on where to start first and just walked all the streets of the downtown area to see what was going on. My first stop was the Dutch Reformed Church were they were going to have a series of concerts. I had been there many times for Sinterklaas fundraisers in the past but had not been there for this event.
The church was all decked out with garlands and lights for the Christmas holiday season. I love these old churches when they are decorated for the holidays. There is such a beauty to them and so many traditions that they are a part of in the community. This church is in the center of old Kingston and always has such interesting events.
The outside of the Dutch Reformed Church of Kingston at 272 Wall Street was very festive with garland and lights
I had been in the church before for Sinterklaas fundraisers but never in the main part of the church where services took place. It is one of those old 19th century churches with the wooden pews, the elaborate stained glass windows and the high pulpit above the congregation.
The church was decorated with lights, bows, holly and garland all over the pews and aisles. It is amazing how secular these churches are getting for the holidays. The concert was a lot of fun and very festive. They not only performed classic hits, contemporary music but also some traditional Christmas songs. It really got everyone in the mood for the holidays.
The concerts were very lively
After visiting the church, I walked around the grounds. It is amazing how short the distance is between Halloween and Christmas but the lines are getting more blurred every year. It seems that time is flying by between the two holidays. I even see some of the Halloween merchandise still sitting on the shelves in stores.
I followed the carolers around the downtown area and took several pictures by the Kingston Christmas tree. Their tree was very impressive this year and beautifully lit for the holidays. Downtown Kingston was very beautiful that evening as I admired all the buildings that were being renovated and all the new stores opening up.
The Downtown Kingston Christmas Tree on Main Street
I walked around the streets and I came to the Kingston Volunteer Firefighters Museum that was open and decorated for the holidays. They even had an antique fire engine in the front of the museum decorated with lights.
The Volunteer Firemen’s Hall and Museum at 265 Fair Street
The retired firefighters from the former volunteer companies really did a great job dressing the museum up for the event. In the upstairs Chief’s office, there was garland and a Christmas tree.
All the equipment was shined up for the open house and all the firemen were swapping stories with those of us in the fire service who understood what we were talking about. They had some pretty good stories to tell. What I like about visiting this museum is all the antique equipment they have on display.
I love the parade hose beds that the museum has on display. These elaborate pieces are the pride of these fire companies and were out for every parade.
Before I left though, I had the worst (I mean worst) cup of hot chocolate that I ever drank. It tasted like it was cooked in a burnt pot. I had to throw that out and find something else to drink.
After the fire museum, I turned the corner to see the horse drawn carriage rides that were available. I loved the look of the carriage with the horses decked out for the holidays and the driver in a top hat. The only problem was there was one driver and the line even towards the end of the event was fifty deep. I did not know how they were going to get through all those people before it was time to go.
My last visit for the evening was to the Senate House in the historic area of downtown. The lawn and all the trees were lit with Christmas lights and the buildings covered in garland.
The Senate House Complex at 295 Fair Street was beautifully decorated that night
Here a performer was singing Christmas songs and leading sing a longs while Santa wished everyone well and listened to what everyone wanted for Christmas.
Singer Mark Rust at the Senate House lawn for the Snowflake Festival
The lines to see Santa were also fifty deep as everyone was trying to see Santa before the event ended. I just was a casual observer.
Santa was really busy that night. I don’t know how he handled the crowds
The event winded down rather quickly at 8:00pm and when I started to turn the corners of the downtown again especially on main street, they were starting to pack things up. 8:00pm meant 8:00pm! The strange part was that it looked like all the restaurants were closing at 8:00pm as well. It was as if the whole downtown was rolling up its sleeves. By 8:30pm. the downtown looked like a ghost town.
The Snowflake decorations in Downtown Kingston, NY
Street art in Downtown Kingston, NY by the Christmas tree
In 2023, it was a different story. Though the weather was on the warm side, it was drizzling when I got there at 6:00pm. I had been touring the Ringwood Manor earlier in the day and it was cloudy and miserable when I left. I checked into my hotel, The Hampton Inn Poughkeepsie and then made my way across the river to the Snowflake Festival. It was just getting in full swing when it started a light rain. I walked around for a bit watching the fire eaters and admiring the decorations before I decided to head back to Dutch Reformed Church to relax inside and hear the entertainment. That’s when it started to rain.
The “Snowflake Festival” on Friday, December 1st in Kingston, NY.
In 2023, the weather had been gloomy all day and misty so it was not the best conditions for an outdoor festival. It was to my surprise that when I got there at 6:00pm it was really busy. They may have been a light drizzle but that did not keep people away.
The crowds on that misty Friday night were very large.
I walked all of Front Street in Downtown Kingston Stockade section admiring all the Christmas windows of the merchants and the snowflake decorations all around the downtown.
Downtown Kingston in the rain the night of the 2023 Snowflake Festival
The snowflakes that adorned the downtown.
As I walked through town, I passed crowds of people walking through the drizzle and watching a fire eater perform. So many people did not have umbrellas and the drizzle started to get worse. I figured I wanted to go someplace warm and headed over to the Dutch Reformed Church. I did not have the agenda yet but I wanted to go someplace that was inside.
When I got to the church it was once again beautifully decorated with garland and lights and the stage was rocking with violinists who were performing in sync. The concert was awash with lights and holograms dancing overhead.
The Strawberry Fiddlers performed that evening in the Dutch Reformed Church
The Strawberry Hill Fiddlers performing that night.
I stayed for four songs and it was really nice to just relax and enjoy the music. I really enjoyed the concert and I found it really engaging and entertaining. After this, I wanted to see more of the festival and hoped that the rain had stopped. No such luck as the rain continued and got worse as I left the church. I was able to sneak some Dutch cookies and cider before I left and the sugar gave me more energy.
The irony of it all was as I left the church and the rain continued, over the loud speaker near the picture taking booth, Gene Kelly singing “Singing in the Rain” from the iconic film “Singing in the Rain” came on and it synced perfectly with the rain and I had to take a video of it as it matched perfectly with the rain coming down but people still having a good time.
The video of the rain storm during the festival when “Singing in the Rain” was played on the loudspeaker. Talk about irony:
I walked around the church and was back at the Kingston Volunteer Firefighting Museum and I stopped in as the rain started to stop. I wanted to dry off again. I had toured the museum the last two years and I just took a short tour of the museum. Christmas lights adorned the museum and the antique fire truck outside the museum that the kids were able to climb.
The nicely decorated firetruck outside the museum that evening.
As I passed the museum, I could not believed that people were taking horse drawn rides in the rain but they did and they looked like they were having a good time. I walked down Fair Street where the Senate House was nicely decorated for the holidays to see Santa. That line was the longest as the mist continued. I bypassed even seeing him but I could see him entertaining the families waiting in line to see him.
Even in the rain the lines to see Santa were long and people waited patiently to see him.
The Senate House decorated for the holidays.
I walked around the downtown watching the musicians and entertainers as the rain started to subside later that evening and they had a group of Victorian carolers performing by the bank on Wall Street right by the most beautiful wreath I have seen this holiday season on the historical building. The effect was quite nice.
The Victorian Carolers performing by the old bank building.
The wreath on the bank building was quite spectacular against the stonework.
It was getting colder that evening as I was walking around and the rain stopped and I knew from last year where to get some hot chocolate. So I went over to the Ulster Savings Bank Lobby and had a cup with some cookies that the bank every generously sponsors each year for the event.
While I was there I was listening to Mrs. Claus tell stories to the kids and this woman really looked like Mrs. Claus. While she was telling stories, the Coach Street Players choir was singing Christmas carols. It was a nice way to spend the end of the evening. I was getting hungry after a long trip and even longer day of classes and I wanted to relax.
Mrs. Claus was just finishing to a crowd of children for storytime.
The Coach House Players at the Ulster Savings Bank lobby performing.
By 7:30pm, things were starting the wrap up and the weather was clearing. Most of the bars and restaurants were packed that night or closing for the evening. Wing Shi, the Chinese restaurant I love in Kingston, still does not have any seating inside and there was no place to sit outside so I went to Opa Gyros Greek Restaurant at 333 Wall Street in downtown Kingston. I have wanted to eat here last year watching them serve gyro meat last year on platters but by the time I walked in at the end of the festival last year, they closed at 8:00pm. I went in at 7:30pm for dinner this time and had a wonderful meal.
The sandwich was delicious and I really enjoyed the food and service.
After dinner was over, it was about 8:15pm and the festival wrapped up really quickly. By the time I turned the corner, most of the businesses had closed and the people were gone. All the activities were over and even Santa had left by that point. There were some people milling around but by 8:30pm, the town was quiet. I was able to walk around the downtown one more time and then I left for my hotel as I had to be in Rhinebeck early the next morning to help with the Sinterklaas parade. I slept very soundly at the Hampton Inn in Poughkeepsie.
Christmas windows in Kingston, NY in 2023.
Christmas windows in Downtown Kingston in 2023
Downtown Kingston during the holiday season in 2024:
I was not able to attend the Snowflake Festival in 2024 because I was in Salem and Woodstown, NJ for a series of Holiday house walking tours but I went up to Kingston later in the month to see the decorations in the downtown. Here are some of the pictures from my trip to Kingston, NY during Christmas time in 2024:
The beautiful quiet of Downtown Kingston, NY in 2024
A late night in Downtown Kingston, NY during Christmas time
The Kingston Christmas tree
It just felt like Christmas
Passing the Senate House decorations
The decorations around the Senate House
Walking back down the street after visiting the Christmas tree. A light snow fell
The window shopping was fun
Window shopping in Downtown Kingston
All the buildings were so beautifully decorated for the holidays
Kingston Dutch Reformed Church in Downtown Kingston
The beauty of the church after the snow storm. Christmas was coming
The front of the church during the holiday season
In 2022, I tried to find a place to eat that evening but literally most every place was closed and the only Chinese restaurant that was open did not have a place to sit down so I left Kingston to cross the river again. I knew that Golden Wok in Red Hook was open late so I decided to head to Red Hook, NY for dinner.
Red Hook like the other towns in the Hudson River Valley is so picturesque during the holidays and is one town that is not geared towards tourists as opposed to the local citizens. Their restaurants are reasonable and the town is not overloaded with expensive gift shops like Rhinebeck and Woodstock are in their downtowns. It is also so beautifully decorated with garland and white lights all over the buildings downtown.
Downtown Red Hook, NY was decked out for the holidays
Downtown Red Hook, NY decked out for the holidays
Downtown Red Hook, NY
Annabelle’s Village Bake Shop really decorated to the hilt for Christmas
It was also quiet in Red Hook as well and I was the only one walking around the downtown. I walked around for a bit, admiring the lights and looking over their town Christmas tree which just a few weeks earlier had been a Fall display for Halloween.
Downtown Red Hook, NY Christmas tree
Things move fast in these towns.
I was Golden Wok’s only customer at that time so I ate in at the front table and just watched the traffic go by. The food at the restaurant is just amazing. For a small take out place, they do a wonderful job with their dishes.
I had the most delicious Roast Pork Lo Mein with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll for dinner. Not only was the food good but the portion sizes were very generous. I just sat back and relaxed and ate realizing that I did not have to be anywhere or race to do anything. That was a nice feeling. It was just nice to eat and admire all the Christmas decorations. The restaurant got a little busier as people saw me eating in the front of the restaurant and I guess figured that it was open and started to come in. They got a bit of a rush after that
.
The Roast Pork Lo Mein and Fried Rice are delicious at Golden Wok
Snowflake Festival 2025:
They had to cancel Sinterklaas again this year again, so I rearranged my schedule around it. I decided to come up to the Hudson River again for the Snowflake Festival and for the opening of the BFA/MFA show at the Dorsky Museum on the SUNY New Paltz campus. This afternoon a long day at work. I had my students create the Holiday Project for Bergecco-Parc consulting Inc., my class project. I swear I never sit still.
After another long week at work, it was going to be another long weekend of activities as I had the Snowflake Festival in Kingston, the Cape May Historical Walking Tour and their Christmas Parade and then the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Christmas Party for the residents followed by a Sinterklaas event at the historical Van Allen House, home to the Oakland Historical Society. I would be in the car all weekend.
After a long day with my students, who did their Bergecco-Parc Consulting Holiday Party project for extra credit. The project is creating a holiday invitation, menu with an appetizer, entree, dessert and signature holiday drink and then film a greeting. We had our share of hiccups in the project but the kids looked like they had a lot of fun with it.
The students really earned their strips with me that day. We had our share of hiccups but that is what a trial run is all about. It was Ann interesting Friday afternoon.
I had gotten an email from the Dorsky Museum on the SUNY New Paltz campus that the BFA/MFA Student Opening Show was going to be that night. I decided to attend before I went to the Snowflake Festival in Downtown Kingston. Don’t ask me how but I attended both events with plenty of time to spare.
I got up to New Paltz in record time and had time before the art opening to visit Historic Hugenot Street, the complex of historic homes in the historic district in the downtown area.
Some of the homes were decorated with simple wreaths and not much else but the snow from the recent storm offered a picturesque view with a Christmas feel.
The decorations outside the Dubois House
The historic Dubois House
The Janet Hasbrouck House
The historic Presbyterian Church decorated for the holiday
As it got darker, I made my way to the SUNY campus and to the art museum. It really was a good show with a nice reception and interesting art. While the students were devouring the food at reception, I had the whole gallery to myself to look at the art.
I have to admit that some of the art was quite unusual. The students did have a streak of creativity to them.
The Dorsky Museum Gallery
Some of the unique pieces
Once the students devoured the Reception buffet, everyone came in to see the exhibition
This is the one piece that really stuck with me at the show
The gallery at the museum is rather small do I got through the whole show in less than an hour. I had a quick snack with what was left on the buffet table, which was not much. The food was really good and a snared the final meatball.
Just enough of a snack to get through the next two hours
I only stayed at the Gallery opening for about an hour and then it was back on the road again and up I 87 I went to downtown Kingston to the Annual Snowflake Festival. The weather was cold but at least it was not raining like the previous year. The crowds were beginning to grow that night.
The crowds that evening on East Front Street
The decorations in downtown Kingston, NY for the Annual Snowflake Festival
The first entertainer at the beginning of the event I saw was the Fire Thrower and she did an amazing job interesting us. She really got the crowd engaged.
The Fire Thrower engaged the crowds downtown
The next group of entertainers I saw was the band on stilts, whom I have seen at Sinterklaas for years. They got the crowd motivated.
The guys do a marvelous job every year
Even their Christmas songs are fun. Here are them performing ‘Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer’
I made my way around the downtown this year to try to enjoy everything in the festival, which meant running from one thing to another.
Main Street where the stage was and the core of the entertainment
My first stop was the bank with all its entertainment and things to do. They really kept the crowds entertained.
There was a group of singers performing Christmas carols. I thought they were the bank staff.
They had all sorts of desserts and hot beverages like Hot Cider and Chocolate for the crowds
Mrs. Claus was entertaining all of us with puppets and stories. There was also crafts for the kids
Mrs. Claus posing for me. It took me a half hour to finally email this picture to here.
Then I headed over to the Dutch Reformed Church to hear the fiddlers. The church is always so beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The inside of the Dutch Reformed Church that evening
The start of the concert with the Strawberry Fiddlers performing
Here you get to see the true beauty of the church
I then got a close up shot of the fiddlers
The Strawberry Fiddlers performing that night. They really got the crowds going. I heard two songs performed before I moved on to the next thing to do.
Walking through the well lit downtown where freshly fallen snow the night before made it look more picturesque.
The downtown was amazing at night
My next stop was the Kingston Volunteer Museum’s display of antique fire trucks.
I didn’t go inside because the crowds packed the place and I remembered from both years how God awful their hot chocolate was and bypassed it this year. Still the fire trucks were the big lure and festively decorated with Christmas lights.
The decorated trucks outside the museum
As the evening wore on, I had never seen an evening fly by. My last stop of the evening was the Senate House, which was closed that evening, but in the barn Santa and Mrs. Claus were receiving visitors and a guitarist was performing.
The line to see Santa was about sixty deep and I really did not have time to see them. I had seen Mrs. Claus already.
Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting guests that night
So I listened to the guitarist, who I seen perform before. He performed all sorts of classic Christmas songs.
The singer performing on that cold night. I do not know how he did it.
Here he is performing ‘Dominick, the Italian Christmas Donkey’
The musical performance of ‘Dominic, the Italian Christmas Donkey’
The last thing I did that night after the performance was get in line for the horse drawn carriage around the downtown. The line had been fifty deep most of the night. It ended up I was the last person allowed in line as it was the last ride of the night.
The horse drawn carriage rides that night
Everyone was trying to get on the last ride of the night and begged because they had kids. I love it when parents use their kids as pawns. Even so just as we were to get on the carriage a group of people snuck out of a restaurant and took the spots of the family in front of me and myself and we could not get on.
They were so pissed. The police were just starting to reopen the downtown roads and the carriage guys said he had no control over it. So the carriage guy said he would take us on a ride back to the other side of downtown to load up these very cold horses.
The temperature had really dropped at this point. We got the best ride because we got to see more of downtown and see it lit up for the evening.
The very last ride on the horse drawn carriage through the downtown. It was the best trip of the night!
By this point the event was over. It was past 8:00pm and when this event ends, it ends! The roads opened up and the crowds disappeared. I turned around and everyone was gone.
Like last year, most of the restaurants close at 8:00pm on the dot. I am not sure why. One of the few restaurants open that night downtown was Vincenzo’s Pizza at 305 Wall Street. It was packed when I arrived.
The inside was crowded as there was barely anything open after 8:00pm
I needed something to warm me up and carry me over before the two hour ride home and pizza would not do. So I ordered a Meatball sub. Was that ever good on a cold night.
The best comfort food that night
Yum!
After dinner was over, the crowds were gone and I had to head home. I stayed for just a little bit longer to admire the decorations one more time and visit their Christmas tree.
This downtown display replaced the Pumpkin man from a month ago
The Kingston Christmas tree downtown
I headed back to the car and managed to get home in an hour and forty-five minutes. There was no traffic on the road that night. I was happy as I had to turn around early that next morning for my trip to Cape May for the Christmas Walking tour. The Sinterklaas Parade had been cancelled for another year (now in 2024 and 2025), so it gave me this opportunity to finally go to Cape May for their Holiday House Walking tour.
In 2023, I headed back to my hotel to get some rest. I had to be up the next morning to help with the Sinterklaas Parade. During the Sinterklaas weekend, I always stay at the Quality Inn in Hyde Park, NY which is near the Culinary Institute of America campus. It is the halfway point between all the towns that I visit and not that far from Rhinebeck so it is a quick trip for set up the next morning.
The Quality Inn Hyde Park at 4142 Albany Post Road
The Christmas tree at the hotel is always so festive.
Since we had the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association party for the residents on Sunday morning and afternoon in Boonton, NJ, I arranged to stay for two nights. One top of the loads of homework I had for graduate school, I also was taking pictures for my blogs as well and trying to catch up the visuals on my VisitingaMuseum.com site. I had to get settled into the hotel and ended up staying up until almost one in the morning getting work done for school.
The next morning could not have been more miserable. It was cold and rainy when I got up for the Sinterklaas parade. They said it was going to rain all day and that did not make me happy. I had walked in the Sinterklaas Parade in the past in the rain and it is no fun!
I made a big mistake and got up really early and ate my breakfast early and got to the Starlight Library in Rhinebeck by 8:30am thinking I would be late. I forgot that this is when I used to leave home to get to Rhinebeck. The set up was usually at 10:00am and I forgot. So I sat there making phone calls until 10:30am wondering where everyone was that morning. I was not the only one as another volunteer did the same thing. We both ended up back downtown in Rhinebeck asking what was going on.
I ended up that the parade organizers decided to wait until 11:00am to start setting up. By that point, I was starved again and went to Peter’s Famous for an early lunch and decided to go to opening ceremonies before heading back to the library. It was there I heard that they were setting up at the library by 11:00am. I decided to stay and head up after.
I have been participating and/or attending the Sinterklaas Parade since 2010 when my dad and I went up to Rhinebeck, NY when I was interviewing Jeanne Fleming for an article I was working on for the Soup Kitchen. We loved it so much that we continued to go for years even after my father got sick. We made the best of the whole experience.
Since I was not too sure what was going on, I decided I wanted to see the opening ceremony first so I had a quick lunch at Pete’s Famous in Rhinebeck at 34 East Market Street #1. I was in the mood for one of their club sandwiches and ended up indulging in their homemade Chicken Salad Club Sandwiches ($11.99) with French Fries and a Coke
Pete’s Famous at 34 East Market Street in Rhinebeck, NY
Did that sandwich hit the spot and kept me going for the rest of the afternoon. The chicken salad was delicious and the sandwich was so filling. The French Fries really warmed me up on this cool gloomy morning and the service is always so friendly.
The Chicken Salad Club at Pete’s Famous is a ‘must try’ when dining here
After lunch was over, I headed over to the Beekman Arms where in the banquet room they had the opening ceremony for Sinterklaas.
Sinterklaas Director and founder Jeanne Fleming at the opening ceremony
The Mayor of Rhinebeck, NY welcoming everyone to the event
Jeanne Fleming welcoming the Pocket Lady to the event
Jeanne Fleming welcoming Mother Holly and her story book to the event
Jeanne Fleming welcoming the evil “Gadfly” to the event
The Grove of Trees of the magic forest
The musical polar bear enters the room to bring cheer to the crowd
The meddlesome Gadfly jealous of the polar bear
Hansel and Gretel close the ceremony with a song
The Opening Ceremony was about an hour long and we got to meet all the characters of Sinterklaas. There was the Pocket Lady who shares a gift with all the good little children from her series of pockets, Mother Holly (who is always feeling jolly), the Queen Bee (Oh!), the Dancing Musical Polar Bear and the evil Gadfly. The Mayor of Rhinebeck, NY welcomed everyone to the annual event and wished everyone a happy and safe holiday season.
The Polar Bear danced down the aisle high fiving everyone much to the Gadfly’s dismay and he started to kvetch about it. Only when he was shushed by the crowd did he calm down. Then the dancing trees took their place on stage to be followed by a song by Hansel and Gretel, who closed the ceremony with a lively song. Everyone was wished a Happy Sinterklaas and some people stayed to listen to storyteller Jonathan Kruk tell the story of Sinterklaas while I went out to enjoy the festivities.
When I got outside the Beekman Arms, I saw the first musical group performing on the lawn of the Beekman Arms. I stopped for a bit to watch them perform and then I rushed to the library to see if there was anything left to do for the parade. When I got there, the last touches were being put on the puppets for the parade and there was not much left to do. The weather started to clear so it looked like the parade was on for later that evening.
The first group was performing on the lawn of the Beekman Arms
I looked over all the puppets like they were close friends seeing these puppets over the years and watching them being created by our puppet masters, Alex and Sophia, who have been running this part of the parade for years. Their ingenuity is what creates these masterpieces every year. Everything was wrapped in plastic waiting to see if the rain would clear for the evening (it did and was a clear and starry night).
Mother Holly welcoming children to her story house
With the parade set up wrapped up, I did not have to be back to help until 4:00pm, I decided to head back down the hill and join everyone else in all the celebrations around Rhinebeck. The weather was slowly clearing and I could see some blue peeking out of the clouds.
The Parade under wraps
The Owls awaiting for their parade
Getting ready for the parade
The bees are buzzing for the parade
The Dragon awaits opening
The stars are kept under wraps
When I left the library, the weather report said it was going to clear and when I reached downtown, the blue of the sky was there. More people started to show up for the activities. Not like last year but people were crowding the sidewalks and enjoying the festivities.
I decided to head to the ‘Porcupine Grove’ where a mysterious woman was doing the reading of the porcupine. It was an unusual home and place to visit but the creativity of the person who designed it was immense. We were told the story of the Porcupine, the representative of this year’s parade.
The Porcupine Grove ceiling to his home
The porcupine’s mushrooms were our seats for the talk
Here we heard the tail of “The Porcupine” by a wise woman
I was lucky that I got to the porcupines home first because as soon as I exited the line to get in was twenty deep and counting. It looked like I was the first one there with my group of visitors.
After the talk in the porcupine’s home, I walked all over Downtown Rhinebeck as the festivities were starting and decided my next stop would be at the Reformed Church to see the “Into the Light” show that I had not seen in years. The church location had changed and it was now in the Reformed Church Sanctuary. This is where I met up with my ‘cousin’ Marc Schuyler, who was working the door to control crowds. We got to catch up on the Halloween Parade that I was not able to attend because of classes that night at NYU.
Myself and Marc at the Halloween Parade a couple years ago
I had not seen the show in a couple of years and stared at the girl who was performing the lead role. She a little too developed to play the role of a young girl in the play. Come to find out this was the same girl I had seen in the show ten years earlier and she was still playing it.
The Reformed Church on Route 9
“Into the Light” is the story of a young girl’s journey throughout the world searching for the light. It features giant puppets and music. The kids did a nice job on the show.
The “Into the Light” show
The “Into the Light” show at the Reformed Church
The “Into the Light” show
The cast taking their bows
After the “Into the Light” show, I said my goodbyes to Marc and told him I would see him (if I do not have class that night) on October 31st, 2023 for the next Halloween Parade. I was off walking to my next stop, the United Methodist Church to hear the brass bands play. What was ironic was that most of these groups had been at the Dutch Reformed Church the night before in Kingston so I got to hear them perform again.
People were dancing in the aisles at the United Methodist Church to the brass bands
There were also musical groups outside the church as well
As the weather cleared during the afternoon, outside the church got lively.
I was only able to stay for two shows and then I had to head back up to the Starlight Library to help with the set up of the parade route and help get volunteers to where they needed to go. The streets got more lively as the weather got sunnier and clear. There were all sorts of musicians walking around, the Gumpuses were performing before the crowd (many of these guys I have seen over the years), angels on stilts dancing to the bands, our friend, the Polar Bear, was dancing around everyone. It really lively on the Main Street.
The Gumpuses dancing around town
The Polar Bear dances to the musical beat
The Angel’s on stilts lead the magical forest around town
Musical bands played all over the main street
Different bands were playing all over the downtown area as the weather cleared
I walked up to the library after watching all the bands perform and every one was having such a nice time. As the weather got better, the crowds really started to arrive and I guest people figured with the weather getting better and the parade night clearing up, it is a perfect time to come out and see it.
I loved how decorated the town was for the event. Downtown Rhinebeck is one of the most beautiful downtown’s during the Christmas holidays. All the merchants and home owners decorate to the hilt and the whole town is covered in garland, bows, white lights and Christmas decorations that give it a festive appearance and put you in the holiday spirit.
The homes and businesses were beautifully decorated
I always admire this house on my walk back up to the Starlight Library
When I got to the Starlight Library, all the volunteers were preparing for the rest of the parade volunteers to arrive. We got to eat some dinner provided by the Parade committee and then we had to get to work making sure everyone was where they needed to be. People wanted to test out their puppets and walk around. I have never seen an evening zoom by so fast and soon it was time to start the parade and get lined up and ready to go. It is always exciting to take that trip down the hill.
The Angels on stilts were exciting about leading the parade
As darkness came, it was time to light up the puppets and get the parade started. It is the most exciting time of the night as the puppet prepare for the lineup.
The Star Puppets lead the way each year and light the path of the parade
The Christmas Dove in the parade
The serpents leading the way both at the Halloween and Sinterklaas Parades
The Dragon lighting the way
The Bees have been lighting the way for years
The wise old owls enter the parade route
Miss Mouse enters the parade
The Star puppets lead the way down the hill to Downtown Rhinebeck, NY
The Start of the Parade at the Starlight Library. You can see me holding the banner at the end of the parade.
Because of the weather earlier in the morning, we did not have the crowds we had last year and in 2019 but still everyone lined the Main Street on the way to the community parking lot on our way to the Closing Ceremonies. People were so excited when the parade came down the hill. It is quite a event with all the lights and music and puppets dancing around the streets.
I was behind the stars and the dove and had the drummers behind me. I could not hear for most of the parade.
The parade moving down the hill towards downtown
The parade in the heart of Downtown Rhinebeck, NY is really exciting!
The parade slowed down as we entered the Community Parking lot as the puppets were being dropped off and the Closing Ceremony started. By the time I got to the parking lot, everyone had pretty much dropped off their puppets but the Stars and Bees who lingered a bit longer.
Than we started the Closing Ceremonies where all the main characters are introduced one more time before they make their exit from the parade awaiting next year. Everyone was so excited and the stage really breamed with artists having a good time.
The closing ceremony with Sinterklaas and his court of people helping him that day.
The Grumpuses perform their last dance of the day on stage.
The Polar Bear was leading the dance at the end of the parade
Hansel and Gretel singing and dancing at the parade.
The band plays on at the closing ceremonies
The flame throwers performed at the end of the Closing Ceremonies.
The stage after the performances were over. It was really creatively done.
After the Closing ceremonies, I walked around the downtown area and spent time admiring the window displays at the stores and admiring the artwork around the trees. It got very quiet in Downtown Rhinebeck. Within an hour of the parade, you would have never known there was a parade.
The merchants in Downtown Rhinebeck really decorated their stores to the hilt for the holidays
The display windows in Downtown Rhinebeck were amazing
Merchant’s window at Christmas
Merchant’s windows at Christmas
Merchant’s windows at Christmas
The night had cooled down but you could see all the beautiful stars in the sky when the weather cleared and in the background I could hear the saxophonist who always plays at night. The Christmas songs he was playing really put me in the Christmas spirit.
I ended the evening with a couple of slices of pizza at Village Pizza. I can’t tell you how good that pizza tasted at the end of the evening. I was talking with the staff there and they said they were consistent that day but not like the two previous years when they did not sit still. The rain at the beginning of the day put a damper on everything.
Village Pizza at 19 East Market Street in Rhinebeck, NY during Sinterklaas
The pizza is excellent at Village Pizza. My Sinterklaas dinner every year.
After dinner, I walked around Downtown Rhinebeck, which to me outside of Cape May, NJ is one of the beautiful town’s to spend Christmas in. The whole downtown was beautifully decorated and the Christmas tree was amazing.
Downtown Rhinebeck, NY after the Sinterklaas Parade
Downtown Rhinebeck, NY at Christmas time
The Christmas tree in Downtown Rhinebeck, NY
The angels in the alleyway
The angel in the alleyway
I got back to the hotel and went right to bed. I slept so soundly that evening. Between the heat of the room and how comfortable the bed was I got one of the best night’s sleep in a long time. With all the stress of school and having to bring work with me, I just needed this evening to relax.
The view from my room the next day. It was sunny and warmer.
The waffles at breakfast are always a treat at the Quality Inn in Hyde Park, NY.
In 2023, there was a threat of rain too but by noon time the sun started to peek out from the clouds and it cleared for the rest of the day. The weather became a balmy 53 degrees which is unusual for this time of the year and we had a nice day for the event. I got to the Starr Library at 10:00am on the dot to start set up for the parade and it was a nice morning. We had plenty of people and we got the job done in about an hour. Set up was easy when you have the same people to help every year.
We started to unload the puppets at 10:00am.
Unloading the puppets took about 45 minutes.
The Owls are like old friends to me
The Four Seasons standing guard
The Sweepers were new puppets this year.
Setting up the serpent was my first job that morning.
I have been setting up the stars since my first year in 2014 helping out with the parade.
We were done setting up for the parade by 11:30pm and we had to meet back at the library by 3:00pm for the parade staging and get the volunteers to their puppets. That’s when the fun begins with that. I walked downtown to go to the Opening Ceremony which had started at noon and was able to watch the last 45 minutes of the Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms Ballroom. That is always interesting.
The Opening Ceremony in 2023 with the Anteater and his court.
The Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms with Coordinator Jeanne Fleming.
The Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms
The ‘evil’ anteater was the ‘Gadfly’ last year.
The Anteater on the prowl at the Opening Ceremony.
After the Opening Ceremony was over, I stayed to hear story teller, Jonathan Kurk, tell the story of Sinterklaas and the story of the miracle of Christmas.
Storyteller Jonathan Kurk entertains at the Opening Ceremony
After the Opening Ceremony completed, I decided to explore the town. I walked around downtown Rhinebeck which is always amazing at Christmas time. It is a wonderland of lights and sounds and delicious smells as all the charities and local organizations try to sell baked goods and hot dogs all over Main Street to raise money of their organizations.
The musicians on stilts are always a favorite at Sinterklaas.
The musicians are out in full force playing on stilts and walking around the town engaging the crowds of people. Since it was a nice day this year, the downtown was getting packed earlier than it had in previous years. After listening the musicians on stilts, I figured I should go visit the Ant Queen before it got too busy. I visited her just in time as after I left the line, it got even longer behind me.
The Ant Queen on her hill in the Courtyard.
The Courtyard got really busy when I was finished visiting the Ant Queen.
The Ant Queen in the Courtyard with the crowds growing that afternoon.
After I left the Courtyard, I walked around for a bit and then realized that I had to get checked into my other hotel that night so I walked back to the library, got my car and left to go to Quality Inn in Hyde Park where I was staying that evening. After I checked in, got my room and settled in I headed back up to Rhinebeck. The crowds grew even larger in the hour that I left and all the parking spots by the library were now gone as well as most spots in the downtown. I had to park six blocks into town near the exit to the fairgrounds. That would be fun when the parade was over walking back to that.
As I entered the downtown, the Gumpuses started their dance.
The Gumpuses dancing down the Main Street.
The Gumpus dance
The Gumpus Dance
The Gumpus Dance
After I saw the Gumpus dance in the downtown, I was able to walk around for a bit before getting back to the library. I saw some of the roaming musicians, the Dancing Bear and the Pocket Lady roaming around the Downtown. Between checking into my hotel, looking for parking and just walking back to the Main Street, I did not have much time to enjoy the entertainment this time around.
Downtown Rhinebeck got busy during the day.
Downtown Rhinebeck got busy during the day.
Admiring the Christmas windows at the stores.
The Christmas Tree by day
After I got back from the hotel and parked some nine blocks away. I walked through the town again looking at the all the performers and bands going in and out of the now closed Main Street. The crowds had really grown once the clouds cleared and it was sunny again. As the last of the sunshine disappeared by 5:00pm, the lights came on and that is when Rhinebeck truly shines. This started with the town Christmas tree which lit brightly by the main parking lot.
The Christmas tree was brightly lit when I left the downtown area for the library.
I made my way back to the Starr Library and that is where the real magic starts. Getting ready for the parade. Every year, I come back to the library at 3:30pm and help get everyone to their puppet. The parade line up starts at 6:30pm and then the parade heads down the hill. It is the most magnificent site.
The Geese and Bee puppets as we enter Downtown Rhinebeck, NY.
The parade in full swing in Downtown Rhinebeck, NY.
The crowds were huge the night of the parade.
The whole town comes out for the Sinterklaas Parade.
As we entered the parking lot to end the parade, the crowds arrived to the main stage where the Closing Ceremony takes place. I could not believe that another parade had ended. I will blink my eye and it will be here again. It is so funny how fast it all goes.
The backdrop of the stage after the Closing Ceremony was over.
All the puppets walked by the main stage and we dropped them off with Alex and Sophia. I then watched the rest of the ceremony and then the closing remarks. Another parade was over. The fire throwers came on and did their routine and that ended the parade. I said my goodbyes until next year and then proceeded to Village Pizza for a slice before I went back to the hotel.
The owner I could tell was exhausted. He waited at the door of his restaurant and asked people what they wanted to order. I thought that was rude but figured he was protecting his bathrooms. The restaurant was still busy almost 45 minutes after the parade was over and remained busy throughout the time I enjoyed my pizza. They limited the slice menu to just plain and pepperoni so it made it an easy choice. I was exhausted by the time I got back to my hotel, took a quick shower and had the best night’s sleep in weeks. I was tired!
After breakfast the next day, it was off to Boonton, NJ to the New Jersey Firemen’s Home to volunteer for the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Christmas Party. It was the first time in three years we had had the full party with entertainment and dropping off presents. The members had time before the party to socialize with each other and I even got better acquainted with the Firemen’s Home resident dog, Wells.
Our article on the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association website:
The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Executive Board, Tom Simpson, George Heflich, Justin Watrel, John Kinner.
Vice-President Justin Watrel with resident dog, Wells.
Member Jerry Naylis’s daughter and grandchildren were part of the entertainment again this year and really charmed the residents.
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association gathered together for our annual membership picture after the party was over.
After the entertainment was over, we handed out our presents to the residents which was a beautiful red fleece jacket with the residents name on it. I could tell that all the residents were touched by the gift and it really meant something to all of them to be remembered at the holidays.
Our Christmas present to the residents
While the entertainment carried on for the next 45 minutes, some of the members stopped for dinner at the Columbia Inn in Montville, NJ and just relaxed. It had been a long day for everyone and a good meal was a nice way to end the day. I had the most wonderful Chicken Rollatini special that really warmed me up on this cool early evening. It was nice to catch up with the other members before the holidays went into full force.
It had been a long weekend and when I got home, it was getting ready for classes again, finishing my White Page for my Trends in Tourism class, my Metaverse paper for Innovations in Tourism class and our Mapping project for my Data Analytics class. This on top of all the work I had to finish in my own classes at Bergen Community College. It was going to be a long next three weeks before Christmas and both colleges would keep me busy.
In 2023, we did the same thing without masks and both the guests and all of us enjoyed it more. It made for a more engaging environment. It had been a long evening the night before with the end of Sinterklaas and that very busy parade. I slept so soundly at the hotel that I felt refreshed and ready to go.
After having my waffle breakfast at the Quality Inn, which is my tradition every year, it was off to the NJ Firemen’s Home again. It was a really gloomy day and I had to spend my morning wondering why the WIFI was not working.
When I got to the home, it really got dark outside and rainy. Talk about no fun being outside. Inside though, the NJ Firemen’s Home was decked out beautifully for the holidays. Talk about festive and jolly, with several Christmas trees all over the home and garland everywhere.
One of the many Christmas trees at the NJ State Firemen’s Home.
We enjoyed Sweet Rolls and Crumb cake for a late Continental Breakfast before the entertainment and had a nice time just catching up with one another before the craziness of the holidays started. Everyone was running around at parties and get togethers.
Signs of the season were everywhere as the home was decorated to the hilt for the holiday season. This was our last event of the season as the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association held its Annual December Meeting and Entertainment afternoon at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ.
Even the fire hydrant display was decorated.
The sign welcoming people to the party.
We had our annual Christmas Party at the NJ State Firemen’s Home and it was nice to be back. Masks were a thing of the past and we were able to see everyone again. It made for a more engaging afternoon.
The home’s Christmas tree with our gifts to the residents, a embordered jacket.
We started our day with a get together of the members before the entertainment began. It was nice to just sit back and talk to the other members before the entertainment began. Our President brought us the most delicious crumb cake and glazed raison buns and these devoured very quickly by the members.
We even got a chance to bond again with the resident dog of the NJ State Firemen’s Home, Wells, who was a former seeing eye dog that has now found a home here keeping our retired firefighters comforted and engaged. He walks around having everyone spoil him with petting and treats. Even he has to watch his weight at the holidays. All I know is that he loves being loved by everyone and likes to spread that love.
NJ Firemen’s Home resident, Wells with BCFHA Vice-President Justin Watrel.
Our entertainment for the afternoon was Dana and Daddy O, a singing duo who sang Christmas songs and told jokes. They were were good.
Dana and Daddy O performed that day for the residents and us.
Member Jerry Naylis asked his daughter and grandchildren perform again this year (Jerry was away on a conference). Daughter Stephanie Naylis-Quirk and her daughters, Regan and Riley Quirk , played the piano and sang to the residents of the home. The children sang lively Christmas songs and led the room in a sing a long with favorites “Jingle Bells” and Regan’s solo, “Silent Night” and Riley’s solo, “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus”.
Stephanie Nayles-Quirk with daughter Riley and Regan, who sang so nicely that afternoon.
After the ladies took their bows, it was time to hand out the Christmas presents from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home to the residents. This year the gift to the residents of the home was a beautiful ‘firemen’ blue jacket that had each resident’s name on it. It was a very personal and touching gift to our fellow retired firemen who we wanted to remember at the holidays. They were very touched by this.
BCFHA Vice-President Justin Watrel with NJ State Firemen’s Association President and BCFHA member Bob Ordway handing out gifts at the Christmas Party.
While members were handing out gifts, other members were serving desserts and other refreshments to the residents. Everyone had a delicious treat that afternoon after they had their lunch. The home provided delectable cupcakes both regular and sugar free to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
BCFHA members Peter Devries and Glenn Corbet serving desserts to the residents.
After the day of entertainment was over, the members got together and took our annual member group shot. It was a fun afternoon for everyone involved. We have managed to provide the residents with all sorts of entertainment, barbecues and special events while never losing the spirit of helping our fellow fire fighters.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our firefighters, retired and still active from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association!
In 2025 The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Party:
In 2025, we were back at the home again for one of our best Christmas party’s for the residents that I can remember. We had such a good time.
The weather had gotten cooler and Halloween was behind us. The smell of pine is in the air and it seems the holiday decorations are coming out quicker and quicker even before Halloween is over. It was time for the members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association to host our annual Christmas lunch and resident party at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ. This is our most popular party of the year and an event that the residents of the home look forward to every year.
The NJ State Firemen’s Home Association in Boonton, NJ decorated for Christmas
The home was decorated so festively and put everyone in the mood for this afternoon. Is it what the holidays are all about?
The decorations around the home to create a festive environment
The holiday cheer around the building
In December our organization does not have a formal meeting but rather a members lunch shared by both the members and the staff so that we all could share in the successes we had this year. It was a productive and profitable year of fundraising and that will help us sponsor more programming at the home for our fellow firefighters who reside here.
This afternoon buffet is a way for members and their family and for the hardworking staff at the home to know how much we care for all their love and support of the residents who live here. None of us could do what we do without them.
Our buffet luncheon cooked by the Home’s in-house chef Prince
The delicious sandwiches and salads at lunch
After lunch was over, we joined the residents in the main recreation room for entertainment and our visit from Santa.
The recreation room decorated for the holidays
Our DJ and Master of Ceremony for the event, BCFHA member John McLoghlin was who was joined with the musical talents of member, Jerry Naylis’s granddaughters and resident favorite, Gigi in an afternoon of Christmas carols and songs.
Entertainer Gigi with Master of Ceremony BCFHA member John McLoghlin
Jerry Naylis’s granddaughters are a big favorite with the residents
Accompanied by their mother on the piano, it was a festive afternoon of songs and hymns
The girls singing “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer”
The girls singing “Walking in a Winterland”
The girls singing “Silent Night”
The girls singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas”
After the girls performance, entertainer Gigi rocked the room with a series of popular Christmas songs and warm holiday wishes to all the residents and their family members in the audience.
Gigi performing for the residents
In the middle of the concert, we had a quick pause as a very special visitor arrived from the North Pole as Santa led our break in the concert for gift gifting.
Santa arrived to help us distribute gifts to the residents
As the afternoon rolled to a close, we were treated by both Gigi and Santa a sing a long of ‘I’m dreaming of a White Christmas’.
The sing a long lead by Gigi and Santa with the song “Walking in a Winter Wonderland”. There was so much energy in the room!
All good things come to an end plus Santa had to make his trip back to the North Pole and the afternoon wrapped up. The membership of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association took our annual group picture. I couldn’t ask for a greater group of men who are so dedicated to making the lives of our Brothers at the home so comfortable. We never want to forget the firefighters who came before us and set the tone for the Brotherhood!
The membership at the end of the festivities
We could not do all of this without the best Executive Board who are so dedicated to this organization. Thank you guys for everything!
The Executive Board of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association
John Kinner, Tom Simpson, Justin Watrel and Roy DeYoung
Merry Christmas everyone and a very Happy New Year!
It was another wonderful weekend in the Hudson River Valley. Merry Christmas everyone!
The Hyde Park Historical Society at 4389 Albany Post Road
The Hyde Park Historical Society is going through a type of rebirth as it has reopened with a fresh approach towards not just the history of Hyde Park, NY but the area in general and life here over the last two hundred years. The society is taking a new direction and revamping their efforts on the displays and on the history and activities of the museum. The museum is housed in what was once the Hyde Park, NY Fire Department building.
The museum is broken down into sections by displays. When you enter the museum there is an display of bicycles and recreation items that would have been used over the years…
I cannot believe that another Christmas has come and gone and COVID is still raging around. Talk about having to adapt to a new world a lot wiser and more aware. I have just become more careful over the last year and kept my activities to a minimum (yeh right, I still run all over the place for work and keeping people informed about happenings all over the place). I just try to stay safe. I put my walk of the Garment District on hold for the Christmas holidays and all that came with it.
Christmas started right after I came home from Thanksgiving dinner in Lambertville when the next morning, I had to wake up at 6:00am to get ready to go to the Christmas tree lot for the Annual Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association Christmas Tree Drop Off of the trees. We had 390 trees being delivered and it was all hands-on deck.
Setting up the Christmas trees
Who knew that the truck would arrive at 8:00am and we got caught off guard. No one expected it to come until at least 10:30am. So, at 9:00am, over thirty members and their children emptied all 390 Christmas trees off the truck (they shorted us ten trees), got them tagged and ready to sell. We had not even finished tagging the trees and our first tree sold at 10:30am.
The Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association at Christmas tree set up 2021
I stayed on the site until 4:30pm and we had already sold the first twenty-one trees. I could not believe how fast the trees sold that day. The only reason why I left is that I had to help with the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department on the town’s Annual Holiday Parade. God did it get cold that night.
The night after Thanksgiving, the Hasbrouck Heights Chamber of Commerce holds the Annual Holiday Parade and the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department is always a participant from helping Santa enter town in the Parade to setting up the sound system for the Tree Lighting Ceremony. I swear it got so cold that night by the time the town lit the tree it must have gone down to 35 degrees. Thank God we bundled up!
The Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department at the Annual Hasbrouck Heights Holiday Parade
After the tree was lit, I never saw a place empty out so fast. People were so cold! Even with all our layers, we were cold too.
I did an about face and the next morning left for Beach Haven, NJ to attend some of Long Beach Island’s Christmas activities. The day ended up being much nicer and was a bit warmer. It is a two-hour trip to the shore and you would think that a beach community is not the place to spend an early Christmas weekend but you would be amazed at the activities they had planned all over the island that day.
I left the house around 8:30am on what started out as a gloomy morning that turned sunny and clear by the time I reached Long Beach Island. I decided to visit the Barnegat Lighthouse first to see if it was decorated with lights like the lighthouse at Montauk Point. That was always impressive the years I went out to visit my friend, Lillian.
The lighthouse was not decorated for the holidays but was finally open to walk in and climb the stairs. It was over a hundred steps up and back down. What a view all the way up. There were small stops on the way up with views on each level landing. By the time I reached the top of the stairs there were only three of us up there and God was it windy. I only lasted at the top of the lighthouse a few minutes before I almost blew off. What views of the waves coming in!
The Barnegat Lighthouse at the tip of Long Beach Island
Before I made the journey to the southern part of the island on my November trip, I stopped by the “Santa’s Viking Christmas Village” to see the arts and crafts festival at Viking Village at 19th and the Bay Barnegat Light. It was a sunny but cool afternoon but the winds had calmed down and I was able to walk the booths with no problems. I was in search of homemade Santa’s for my mother’s upcoming birthday. I found them in two different booths, one made of a conch shell and another made of wood.
The craft fair was very busy that afternoon.
The local seafood restaurant was open for takeout and you could smell the fried fish in the distance along with the horrible singing by a guitarist who could not carry a note. Thank God he took a break in time for the Barnegat Light Fire Department to bring Mr. and Mrs. Claus to the Village for a visit to the local children.
Santa’s Viking Christmas Village at dusk at closing
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived right before I left the Village that afternoon.
After touring the Village, I made my way back down Long Beach Boulevard to the LBI Foundation of The Arts & Sciences Holiday Market 2021, which was mostly full of more expensive artwork and home decor products. It was not as festive as the Village Market and all our mask wearing steamed up everyone’s glasses which was a big complaint.
My next stop was the Long Beach Island Historical Society which sponsored an “Elves Workshop” for kids and their parents with all sorts of arts and crafts happening at twelve different tables lining the front room of the museum. There was cookie decorating and Christmas tree creation with beads and cloth and gingerbread house making. To end the evening, they had Smores and Marshmallows roasting over open firepits in the park across the street.
The Elves Workshop at the Long Beach Island Historical Society
The museum knows how to welcome in the holiday season.
The Christmas display at the front of the Long Beach Island Historical Society
After my visit to the Historical Society, I went down the road and revisited the NJ Maritime Museum 528 Dock Road right by the water. I had read so much at the shark attacks in New Jersey back in 1916 and wanted to see the exhibition again. I also wanted to see the exhibition on shipwrecks again so I spent the rest of the afternoon at the museum and then walking down to the harbor to watch the sun set. The sun sets on that island are amazing.
For dinner that night, I went back to the Chicken or the Egg at 207 North Bay Avenue in the Beach Haven downtown. The food and the selection here is just excellent and the perfect place for comfort foods on a cool night. My waiter could not have been nicer and recommended the White Clam Chowder, which was so thick and rich and you could taste the cream and fresh clams in every bite. God the seafood was so sweet.
The Chicken or the Egg at 207 North Bay Avenue in Beach Haven, NJ
For dinner, I started with the New England Clam Chowder and did it hit the spot. Loaded with clams and potatoes in a rich cream soup. It warmed me up inside. I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie for the entree, which was delicious as well. Chunks of chicken and fresh vegetables in a flaky crust and a rich gravy. On a cool night by the shore, there is nothing like it to warm you up. Talk about making the perfect choices for dinner.
Kapler’s Pharmacy had refreshments and Horse Drawn carriage rides that afternoon.
After dinner on my visit in November of 2021 at the Chicken or the Egg, I finished dessert at The Woo Hoo and walked up through the downtown to see the last of the people roasting marshmallows in the park and walked to Kapler’s Pharmacy at 1 South Bay Street. The drug store was sponsoring horse drawn carriage rides around the neighborhood.
The rides were completely full that afternoon and evening as the weather was really nice that day.
I thought what a nice way to end the evening with a twilight view of the sun setting and watching the Christmas lights going on at houses around the neighborhood. The Jersey Shore at Christmas can really surprise you.
Kapler’s Pharmacy event at 1 South Bay Avenue in 2021
I thought it was a nice group of visits to get my mind off what is going on in the world. What’s better than the Jersey Shore in warm weather? Visiting at all times of the year in warm weather and then returning for the Christmas holiday events. Who says the Shore closes at Labor Day?
Later that day I found out that Michigan State beat Penn State 30-27. What a way to end the day on my November trip!
After a short trip down to my mom’s for her birthday and two Private Member Nights in New York City at The Met and the Museum of the City of New York (see blog below):
Day Two Hundred and Eight: Private Members Nights in NYC:
it was back to Rhinebeck, NY for the Sinterklaas Parade and Celebration on Saturday, December 4th. I swear I was running from one place to another the whole week but was looking forward to the parade that had been cancelled last year because of COVID.
I travelled back up to Rhinebeck again for the festivities and got there by 10:00am in time to help unload the truck at the Starr Library. That brought back a lot of memories from parades past and it was so nice to walk around the cool air of Upstate New York. What started off as a very gloomy morning cleared up and it ended up being a clear, sunny and mild day in Rhinebeck.
We unpacked the familiar floats and puppets from years past and put together the bees, owls, geese, knights and dragons, horses that would lead Sinterklaas down his route and Children’s puppets that had children hoping for better times ahead. I always enjoy the comradery of the morning of putting the puppets together for the parade. Our theme this year was “Miss Mouse and Mr. Toad get married” so our events were based on the two characters getting hitched.
(I wanted to thank volunteer Jonathan Green for these pictures)
Me (in the jacket and khakis at the set up for the ‘Sinterklaas Parade’ in Rhinebeck, NY
Setting up the puppets for the parade is interesting
All the latest puppets ready to enter the parade
Mr. Toad preparing for his marriage to Miss Mouse
Miss Mouse preparing for her marriage to Mr. Toad in the Sinterklaas Parade
The Dragon is preparing for his duel with the knights of the parade
The puppets were set up in record time and we were finished by 11:45am
After we were done with the puppets, I drove down to Downtown Rhinebeck and parked a few blocks away and walked over to Main Street and joined in the opening festivities at the Beekman Arms. The restaurant was already packed with customers when I got there and the banquet room was full of visitors at the Opening Ceremony.
I had already checked in to my hotel, so I did not have to come back to the hotel until later that evening. This time I stayed at the Marriott Poughkeepsie which was much closer to Rhinebeck than staying at the one in Fishkill. I have to say that both hotels were wonderful when I was visiting the area.
The Marriott Poughkeepsie at 2641 South Road/Route 9
The inside lobby of the Marriott Courtyard Poughkeepsie
The Opening Ceremony at the Beekman Arms is always a lot of fun. All the costumed characters are introduced like the Pocket Lady, Mother Holly (who is always feeling jolly), the Queen Bee and the Snow King and Queen. They also introduced the Mayor of Rhinebeck and his wife, who portrayed Mr. Toad and Miss Mouse and reconfirmed their wedding vows in real life in front of the whole crowd. I thought that was very touching and I told her this later when I ran into her at another event.
The Opening Ceremony at Sinterklaas.
After the marriage ceremony and the traditional Polar Bear Dance, Jonathan Kruk, a well-known storyteller, told the story of Sinterklaas. Mr. Kruk is a wonderful speaker and knows how to tell a story. He always captivates a crowd. Even though I have heard the same stories for years, I still enjoy listening to him speak.
No one is better at storytelling then Jonathan Kruk at Sinterklaas
Because I said that I would help with the checking in with the volunteers for the parade, I had to be back to the library by 4:00pm so that only gave me about a little over two and a half hours this time to enjoy the festivities.
What was nice was the policy blocked off the Downtown area so that everyone could walk in the streets and watch the performers do their thing. There were bands on stilts performing rag time music and holiday classics, the Polar Bear danced around and greeted visits with a quick spin on the street and I visited the Toad Stool where Mr. Toad and Miss Mouse greeted each visitor with a bundle of ribbons so that you could give them to strangers for good luck. I had never heard of that tradition before but it was interesting to walk through a giant toadstool.
I also walked around the businesses that were open and admired the store window displays. It was as if each store was trying to outdo the other for creativity and beauty of the Christmas season. My favorite was Samuel’s Sweet Shop at 42 East Market Street in Downtown Rhinebeck.
I watched the Grumpuses, Sinterklaas’s helpers do their traditional dance, singing groups entertain the outdoor crowds (Keeping COVID safe) and performers with sticks doing their routine. What I liked about Sinterklaas this year is that there were a lot of outdoor venues, so people were not cooped up inside wearing masks.
By 3:00pm I was starved and knowing that I would not be able to eat until way after the parade was over, I stopped at Pete’s Famous at 34 East Market Street. I love dining here and like their generous portions and the friendly service. I had my favorite Turkey Club sandwich with French Fries which is always good.
They roast their own fresh turkey every day for their sandwiches.
The day started to fall into dusk and the whole town was being lit up. This is when Rhinebeck shows its true beauty as a Christmas village. All the trees in the Downtown are lit with white lights and adorned with paintings of the Sinterklaas Festival and ribbons. Also, all the stores light their windows and it makes the whole town look like a Currier & Ives woodprint.
Downtown Rhinebeck at dusk
Downtown Rhinebeck at night when its magic comes to life
I got back to the library at 4:00pm and assisted the staff in getting everyone ready for the parade, explaining how to work the puppets and hold them and making sure that everyone knew to listen to the marshals who were running the parade when it started.
It had been two years since we had a parade but it felt like time had not even passed by. I love to watch the parade come to life. As everyone lines up, the lights go on at each puppet and the bands get into high gear. Then there is the excitement of walking down the hill into Downtown Rhinebeck to the adoring crowds of the parade.
The crowds have tripled in the decade that I have been volunteering for the parade. The first time that I volunteered it was in 2010 with my father on my first trip up to Rhinebeck since being at the Culinary Institute and then I started volunteering again in 2014 when I started working on the Halloween Parade in the City. Just like that parade, excitement builds as the parade starts.
Walking down that hill is an amazing thing as people get so excited to see the floats and hear the music especially at this time with COVID raging on. Things seemed more festive as this is an outdoor event and it was two weeks before the omicron outbreak raged the country. It was a night of revelry and welcoming in the holiday season.
Sinterklaas is a magically evening in Downtown Rhinebeck
Opening Ceremonies at The Beekman Arms
Because the positions in the parade and the puppets were all filling myself and the other person, I worked with on checking people in took the “Follow the Banner in the Parade” banner down the hill to get everyone to the staging area for the conclusion of the parade. We were right behind the drumline of women who concluded the parade and whipped spectators into a dancing frenzy. I watched as people literally danced in the streets happy to be outside enjoying this evening. It was so nice to see families have such a good time.
This wonderful view of the parade that was posted online of ‘Sinterklaas 2021’
The parade ended in the community parking lot with all the characters are introduced and the well wishes to Sinterklaas and his entourage. There was music and the fire eaters showing their talents off to the large crowd who were looking towards a much happier holiday season. It was just nice to see everyone having a festive evening.
After the ceremony was over, I just walked around Downtown Rhinebeck, admiring the beautifully decorated windows and admiring the white lights adorning the trees. I love this downtown at Christmas.
The Downtown Rhinebeck Christmas Tree near the Community parking lot.
I stopped at Village Pizza for dinner and it was nice to just warm up. God is their pizza delicious.
After dinner, it was another quiet walk around downtown Rhinebeck to admire the lights and the window displays. I love walking around this town.
Downtown Rhinebeck before dusk
Downtown Rhinebeck’s merchants go all out for the holidays
The next morning, I was off early to join some of the other members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association for a modified Christmas hello to all our retired firefighters living in the NJ State Firemen’s Association.
Since our party was cancelled for the residents due to COVID, we gave our gift to the residents the week before (we got each resident a long-sleeved shirt that was monogramed with their name on it which I heard they all loved) and we also had a special Jersey Mike’s lunch for the residents the month before to ring in the holiday season.
Because of COVID regulations, we could only have a few members come but myself and the President of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association talked with our fellow firefighters during ‘Holiday Bingo’ or walked around to greet them and wish them a ‘Merry Christmas’.
Santa greeting guests at the NJ Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ in 2019 in better times
It was just for a short time that we were allowed to stay but the members of the home appreciated it. We wanted to let our fellow firefighters know that we did not forget them during the holidays.
Members of the NJ State Firemen’s Home enjoying the Jersey Mike’s dinner we sponsored
Classes took up most of next week for me as we prepared for my Introduction to Business class to make their big presentation to me for their final grade. So, I was running around most of the week working with both my online class and my live class as we were getting ready for final exams.
On Thursday, December 9th, I took a break from all of my grading and went to see the production of “A Christmas Pudding” at Bergen Community College where I work. The students were putting on a Christmas retrospect of songs and readings which was a very nice performance.
The Theater students sang many traditional and contemporary songs from the American songbook with one student singing a very emotional version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from the movie “Meet Me in St. Louis”. Considering everything that was going on with COVID, I thought it was very touching. The students did a good job with the production and it really put me into the Christmas spirit.
The Play “A Christmas Pudding” at Ciccone Theater at Bergen Community College on December 9th
Another thing that put me into the Christmas spirit was all the new songs coming out this year. Did we need some Christmas cheer this year! I wanted to share two of my favorites that came to me via YouTube.
These two songs appeared on the Internet when I was writing this blog and I thought they were very symbolic of what is going on right now during the holidays as we try to resume to a new normal. I wanted to share them with all of you.
John Legend’s new Christmas song: “You Deserve it All”
Nora Jones new Christmas song: “Christmas Calling”
Kohmi Hirose did this great version of “Sleigh Ride” in English
On December 10th, my students presented their Class Group Project entitled “I’ve got a Golden Ticket to Bergen Community College-Homecoming 2022” and the students did a terrific job with the project.
The students logo to “I’ve got a Golden Ticket to Bergen Community College-Homecoming 2022”.
Here is the presentation with all the commercials:
Day Two Hundred and Nine on my “MywalkinManhattan.com” blog:
This “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory themed project was inspired by the 50th Anniversary of the film. I had the students watch the film for inspiration and ideas, then put the framework for the project together and they took it from there.
There is a message from me their CEO as well:
A welcome from CEO/Co-Founder of Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
I could not have been prouder of my students both in my live class and in my online class who created the individual Class Project, “Market Street Candy & Confections”, reopening a 100-year-old candy store with a modern twist.
Here is the project with all the graphics that the students created:
Day Two Hundred and Ten on “MywalkinManhattan.com”:
With the major class projects over with, I prepared the students final exams and emailed off my online students their exam first. While they came in, I was able to grade along the way. Taking a break from that over the weekend, I visited Hope, NJ for a Lantern Walking Tour of the town and then a Candlelight Church Service at the Methodist church.
The Hope Annual Moravian Christmas Tour and Church service in Hope, NJ
I discovered this tour when I was traveling out to the Delaware Water Gap when I was updating my blog on “Visiting Budd Lake” and I stopped in Hope before heading to Blairstown, where I had wanted to visit the Blairstown Museum at the end of the day (it had closed by then). I saw this flyer when one of the shopkeepers in town handed it to me and I thought it would be an interesting event. What an eye opener!
I never heard of the history of the Moravian religion before and how they founded the town. We toured all the former factories and homes that had been built around the turn of the last century and then heard actors talk about that time during Christmas. Life just seemed slower then.
This is also where the opening scenes of the cult film “Friday the 13th” were shot. The initial scene where Annie arrives in Crystal Lake for her journey to the camp. I included the clip from the opening scene and the what the current locations look like now.
“Friday the 13th” from 1980 filmed in Hope, NJ
The famous opening scene from the film “Friday the 13th”
The inside of the Hope Junction Antiques with one of kind artwork and antiques.
This unique store carries an array of local and regional artists work, the owner’s personal art pieces and a selection of decorative items and antique pieces. It had an interesting selection of holiday items when I visited the town both on my journey through Budd Lake and Route 46 and when I took the walking tour on December 11th. The store was open still right before the tour.
Burgdorff Realty at 2 Walnut Street where Annie enters the truck
The cemetery is the ‘crossroads’ but is actually right down the block from the antique store and the realty company. This is now part of the St. John’s Methodist Church. This is where the Candlelight Services were held.
But I was not there for a movie tour but a cheerful Christmas tour of Moravian history. I met my tour group at the Hope Community Center which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. Before the tour started, the Hope Historical Society who was running the tour was selling food and Christmas items as a fundraiser. We started the Lantern Tour from this location.
The Hope Community Center at 5 Walnut Street decorated for Christmas
The Festival of Trees inside the Community Center
The Festival of Trees
When we finished visiting some of the old factories, we visited ‘Trout Alley’, where people used to travel to get around the toll booth when they arrived in Hope. The path is now used to get to the antique store at the end of the path.
The Hope Historical Society was the sponsor of this program and was open the evening of the tour. We got to walk inside and look at old pictures of the town, old maps and artifacts that have been donated over the years by local residents that are part of the history of the town. The small one room building also houses vintage furniture and household and dress items. Please look at my blog at VisitingaMuseum.com above.
Looking down the street from Downtown Hope, NJ to the Inn at Millrace Pond where the Festival of Trees was located.
The house on High Street where we heard about Moravian Christmas traditions
Costumed characters sat on the porch that evening and reminisced about life at the turn of the last century as they prepared for the Christmas holidays. They talked about the hours needed to prepare the decorations and food for the legions of relatives and friends that would be visiting.
It was more spectacular at dusk when it was lit for Christmas
The First Hope Bank and Moravian homes that are now private residences
The bank was called the Gemeinhaus, which was the church/community center of the village. It was built in 1781. The house next door which is part of the bank is the Caleb Swayze House that was built in 1832.
Moravian Residences by the bank
The Caleb Swayze is the house towards the right and it was built in 1832. It is now part of the bank.
The homes and the current bank at dusk lit for Christmas
The Toy Chest Toy Store at 335 High Street a former Moravian home
I have been to the Toy Chest Toy Store many times on my journey to Hope, NJ and it has the most amazing selection of toys, games and collectibles in the area.
Moravian home where the Manger program was performed and after it was over, we visited many local homes of prominent residents from the area. To end the tour, we visited the back of someone’s garage where there was a live nativity scene performed that evening with actors reading from the Bible.
The live Nativity performance
This interesting little barn/garage is across from the church and I thought looked quite festive
St. John’s Methodist Church at 354 High Street and the former Moravian Church where the Candlelight services were held. The service is posted on their Facebook page below.
I attended the Candlelight Christmas services at St. John’s Methodist Church which had once served as the Moravian Church and the service was followed as it would have been at the turn of the last century.
The inside of the church during the holidays
The Christmas tree at the church
The visiting priest had once been head of the church here and gave a very inspirational talk on the holidays that was followed by the lights being dimmed and caroling by candlelight which gave the whole church an interesting glow (you can see the whole service on the church’s Facebook page attached).
The start of the Candlelight ceremony at the church
The downtown lit up for the holidays
Afterwards I took one last walk around Hope to admire all the lights and decorations. After a quick slice of pizza at Hope Pizzeria at 435 Hope Blairstown Road, I was on my way home through the darkness. It really does get dark on these back roads until you hit Route 80. The little pizzeria is tucked into a small strip mall on the side of the road and has great pizza. It really was a festive and interesting evening.
Hope Pizza and Catering at 435 Hope Blairstown Road
For my Christmas present to myself every year, I go to Carnegie Hall for the NY Pops Christmas Concert but it ended up being on the night of my final exam and there was no way to cancel it, so I had to miss it again this year (COVID cancelled it last year).
When I visited the City the Sunday before for the “Shark” exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, I walked back to Port Authority through Lincoln Center and I wanted to see what was going on this Holiday season and I saw that Kristin Chenoweth was performing a one woman show to promote her new Christmas album that Monday night. I was on the Internet that night to see if there were tickets left for the show.
The “Shark” exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History at Central Park West at 79th Street
The next night I had tickets in hand and off I went to Lincoln Center which I had not been to in two years since I had seen “Whipped Cream” in December of 2019 for the holidays. It was so nice be dressed up and going to the Met again. The theater was packed with people with the same idea. The City was ablaze with Christmas colors and lights.
Lincoln Center in all its glory at Lincoln Center Plaza
What a concert! Talk about being in sync with the holidays and just what the doctor ordered after a long semester. I needed a good concert and this really put me into the holiday spirit. Ms. Chenoweth was really in great spirits that night and brought the house down with these two songs from her album plus playing from Broadway shows and the Great American Songbook. It was a great Christmas concert and I left humming down Eighth Avenue.
This song opened the show at the Metropolitan Opera House on December 13th, 2021
I was starved when I left for the theater since I was in a rush to get into the City that afternoon with enough time to make the concert and still grade quizzes that were coming in from my online class at the Cornell Club.
I had a sudden craving for Linguini in White Clam Sauce so off I went to Amore Pizza Cafe at 370 West 58th Street which I had visited over the summer. I ordered their Linguini in White Clam sauce which ended up being a piping hot almost pound of pasta with a quarter pound of clams on top ($10.95) with a Coke. Talk about excellent and the perfect dinner on a cool night. The sauce was so flavorful and the clams were so sweet and fresh. I ate contently and the manager was so happy when I told her the food was excellent. Talk about an end to a wonderful evening.
The Linguini with White Clam Sauce was just superb that night at Amore Pizza Cafe
For the rest of the week, I had visited the Met and the Museum of the City of New York for private events and while seeing the new “Shark” exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, I went to see the “Origami Tree”, that has been a staple of the museum for years. All of these events really put me in the Christmas spirit and put the ghosts of last Christmas behind me. It was not too last.
The Origami Tree at the American Museum of Natural History
I wanted to visit the Hudson River Valley again before the holiday season was over and I saw on the Dutchess County Tourism site that Mount Gulian, a mansion near Beacon, NY was being decorated for the holidays and December 15th was the first day it would be open for touring.
I grabbed my aunt and we decided to spend the day visiting decorated homes and towns for the Christmas season. Our first stop was Beacon, NY to visit some of the stores on my website, LittleShoponMainStreet@wordpress.com, Colorant and Flora a Good Time both located in the downtown area and then off to Mount Gulian, a decorated mansion up Route 9.
Downtown Beacon, NY at Christmas
Mount Gulian was the home of the Verplanck’s for generations, the original house burned to the ground in 1938 and this house is a replica of the original sitting on the original home’s foundation. The house is decorated in many of the Verplanck’s family heirlooms donated by branches of the family over the years.
The main rooms on the first floor of the home including the former living room, dining room, sitting room and library were all decorated for the Victorian Christmas holidays. The hallways and doorways were also adorned with garland and bows and lights giving a festive and warm appearance to the house.
The tour took about an hour (see my blog on VisitingaMuseum.com) and the history of the house was discussed at various times and how family members called it home. Our tour guide also gave us interesting facts on the family and their connection with the house today. It is so nice to hear that various members of the Verplanck’s family still take an interest in the home.
Mount Gulian’s Dining Room decorated for Christmas Dinner
The sitting room at Mount Gulian
The Library decorated for the holidays
After the tour was over, the tour guide invited us to enjoy refreshments of hot cider and home baked goodies. Since there were only three of us on our tour, it gave us a chance to discuss the history of the families in the Hudson River Valley, the status of these famous homes and the future of historic sites of the region. It was really an engaging and interesting afternoon and the tour guide could not have been nicer. The whole event really represented what the Christmas experience is in the Hudson River Valley.
Between the Sinterklaas Parade in the beginning of the month, visiting the decorated homes of the region and walking the festive downtowns of the area giving them a “Currier & Ives” look about them. Dutchess, Ulster, Greene and Columbia counties really know how to convey the holiday spirit.
Downtown Rhinebeck, NY at Christmas
Our next stop was visiting Rhinebeck, NY which we arrived before dusk. The town was just lighting the trees and all the storefront windows were beautifully decorated for the holidays as they were on the night of the Sinterklaas Parade. The only town I know that can compete with Rhinebeck for the title of ‘Christmas Village’ is Cape May, NJ.
Rhinebeck has a magical look at nightfall
Samuel’s Sweet Shop at 42 East Market Street gets into that spirit every year
I love the way they merchandise the store for the holidays and their prices are very fair on their candies and desserts. You have to try their doughnuts.
The delicious candies and baked goods at Samuel’s Sweet Shop
Our next stop after leaving Rhinebeck was downtown Red Hook, NY which to me represents the best in small towns in the Hudson River Valley with excellent reasonable restaurants, creative store owners and a blend of old and new in architecture. Plus, everyone is so friendly when you shop and dine there.
Downtown Red Hook, NY at Christmas
I have written about my many trips to Red Hook in my blog “MywalkinManhattan.com” and discussed visiting the downtown and its proprietors.
The Red Hook town Christmas tree is such a great addition to the downtown and it more amazing at night as is the rest of the town when it is lit. When it gets dark in town, Red Hook gets that classic Americana feel to it.
Downtown Red Hook’s Christmas Tree
Downtown Red Hook, NY at dusk is so beautiful
After the walk around Red Hook (most of the stores closed early that night), my aunt and I crossed the Kingston Bridge and visited the ‘Stockade District”, the historical and shopping district of Downtown Kingston, to see how the town prepared itself for the holidays. It really was beautiful even with the light rain.
Downtown Kingston, NY at Christmas
The businesses had garland and beautiful white lights adorning them and the windows were very festive as in the other towns. Large snowflakes decorated the main streets which were lit brilliantly.
Downtown Kingston, NY Christmas tree
The Kingston, NY Christmas tree is right in the middle of the downtown shopping district and gives off such a holiday vibe. It is also so beautifully decorated. It really brightens up this stretch of the street.
Our last stop that evening was visiting Woodstock, NY, where I had spent three wonderful Christmases and is a place that I highly recommend spending the holidays. The Christmas Parade every year is so festive and well organized. The town is also so nicely decorated for Christmas and the square always has the most unconventional Christmas tree. They are usually oddly shaped and decorated and that’s their charm.
By the time we got to town that evening, all the stores were closed for the night and we dined for our early Christmas dinner at Shindig at 1 Tinker Street.
The love the Christmas tree in Downtown Woodstock, NY. It always looks so unusual.
Downtown Woodstock, NY square and Christmas tree
My visits to Woodstock, NY during Christmas meant a lot to me and I always loved going to the town’s Christmas Parade on Christmas Eve night. Santa always makes such interesting entrances.
Shindig has the best hamburgers and some of the most delicious mac & cheese. Talk about great comfort food on a cool misty night in the Catskills. We were the last customers to dine there that night, so they did not rush us as they were cleaning up for the night. Don’t miss their Cowboy burger. I highly recommend it.
Shindig at 1 Tinker Street in Woodstock, NY (Closed June 2022)
We had such a wonderful time visiting all the towns with their Christmas decorations and beautiful window displays. The Hudson River Valley is a wonderful place to get into the Christmas spirit. Who knew with all this Christmas cheer that all hell would break loose two days later.
Thank God I did all these events when I did because by Friday, December 17th, the night of my final exam, there was panic all over the country with the spread of a new variant of COVID, Omicron. All of a sudden, this new variant from South Africa started to move like wildfire all over the country and New York City was inundated by it.
I had to stay home all weekend and grade final exams because grades had to be posted by Tuesday. All I heard on the Internet and on TV was the rapid spread and the almost panic mode that everyone went into. I hauled up in the house and concentrated on school and getting the students emailed with their grades so that they could relax and enjoy their Christmas break.
I posted all my grades by Monday night and had to drop off all the paperwork on Tuesday at the college. I was just glad that they had not cancelled classes on Friday night when I was giving my exam. That would have been too much on me scrambling to get the exams done. Since I was the only one teaching on a Friday night, I was hoping they just forgot about me and the class would just happen which it did. Thank God!
Tuesday afternoon, we had a sparsely attended Faculty Party which I thought was very nice considering what was going on all over the country. We kept our masks on while we were walking around the room and enjoyed a lot of finger foods made by our Culinary Department and soft drinks. It was nice to just talk to people through our masks and catch up with people I had not seen all semester.
On the Sunday, December 19th, the Sunday before Christmas, the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department held its Annual “Santa Around Town”, one of the highlights of the holiday season for both the town and the department. Last year because of COVID rules, we could only drive down each street slowly waving at residents.
This year we were able to go back to making stops and greeting each resident and taking pictures with children and their families. Even a family dog decked out in its Christmas jacket joined in the fun. It was nice to see people outside and engaging with their neighbors.
The Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department’s ‘Annual Santa Around Town’
The Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department’s “Santa Around Town” 2021
By Monday, December 20th, it seemed that the whole country was going crazy with the new COVID variant. Flights were being cancelled, people were putting get togethers on hold and families were abandoning their plans for the holidays. Our family seemed fine until one by one, things kept happening the whole week and everything was derailed by Christmas Eve.
First my brother’s flight was cancelled and he could not get another flight until late Christmas Day so he nixed coming to Delaware for Christmas. Then a family member got sick so my mother cancelled all Christmas plans including our family dinner. She did not want anyone at the house who was not vaccinated. This derailed the plans even more as family members and friends were not vaccinated so no one was going to visit her house that day.
So when my mother called me to tell me that everything was being cancelled, I immediately looked into going back to Woodstock, NY where I had spent many happy Christmases. These plans were abandoned when my other brother’s flight was fine and he was coming for Christmas and he did not want to spend it alone in Rehoboth Beach.
So, I changed my plans again and booked a room at the Chalfonte Hotel’s Southern Quarters and Thank God was able to book the last room at the resort. The main hotel was closed for the season but the Southern Quarters is the small B & B concept they have next door, which serves guests all throughout the winter months (the main hotel will not reopen until May).
This was the weird part about the eve before Christmas Eve, it snowed overnight which it was not in the forecast and it looked like we would have a white Christmas. Since it was supposed to rain all day on Christmas, I looked at the weather and thought ‘great having to walk around with wet weather on Christmas’ but like the rest of the holiday season, Christmas Day brought its own surprises. After paying my respects at the cemeteries, it was off to Cape May to start the holidays.
My Christmas Eve was spent as it had three years earlier, going to dinner at the Boiler Room at The Congress Hotel for dinner. I love their coal-burning oven pizzas and their fresh salads. The dinner was really amazing and the restaurant was pretty busy all things considered. I guess some people were not going to be spooked by everything going on around us, myself included. I figured I was fully vaccinated and if I wore my mask every place, I needed to I would be fine.
The Boiler Room Pizzeria at The Congress Hotel in Cape May, NJ at 200 Congress Place
I had the most wonderful dinner. I started with a Mixed Green salad with Balsamic dressing and chopped strawberries which had the most complex flavor with the sweetness of the strawberries playing off the Balsamic vinegar. The greens were so fresh that they crunched when I bit into them.
The Mixed Greens were so fresh and crisp
For the entree, I had the Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza with fresh mozzarella. Talk about a crisp pizza and the sauce could not have been more delicious with the fresh tomatoes and olive oil.
The Prosciutto Arugula Pizza at the Boiler Room
(sorry the pictures have such a strange light but that is the dining room)
After dinner was over, I walked all over The Congress Hotel which is always so beautifully decorated for the Christmas holidays. The halls are lined with white lights and garlands and a fire roaring in the fireplace in the main hall. Outside on the lawn, there a colorfully decorated tree and decorated tables with pool heaters for people to sit under.
Congress Hall Hotel Lobby decorated for Christmas
Seeing the casual and engaging conversations the other guests were having you would have never known that there was a major outbreak going on. Most people walking around the hotel were not even wearing masks.
After walking through the grounds and through all the gift shops to see what was for sale (their gift shops are really nice and they have an interesting bakery), I walked the Washington Mall which serves as the Cape May downtown. All the stores were closed by this point but I got to admire all the beautiful window displays and the white lights adorning the trees. The only town that can rival Cape May at Christmas is Rhinebeck, NY. Both have that Christmas feel to them.
The Gazebo in Downtown Cape May
After my walk around Downtown Cape May, I went to 9:00pm Christmas Eve mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Downtown Cape May at 525 Washington Street. I needed some spiritual guidance at this time of the year as well as the rest of the congregation did as well. What really surprise me again was that 95% of the parishioners did not wear masks. I guess people in Cape May thought they were away from the danger (I wore mine through the whole service, hey you never know).
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church at 525 Washington Street in Cape May, NJ
It was a beautiful service with the choir singing and a very inspirational Christmas talk from the priest. The service could not have been more perfect and the church was so beautifully decorated with Christmas trees with white lights and poinsettias all over the place. Very secular but still in the spirit of the holidays.
Christmas services at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church
The next morning, I had to be on the Cape May ferry at 10:15am and there was literally nothing open for breakfast without going to one of the hotels and there was no time for that. There was no food service at the ferry and the woman at the ferry was unsure if food was going to be available on the boat (it was we both found out later), so I left the ferry and had to go to the local WaWa around the corner at 3719 Bayshore Road.
If there was ever a meeting place on Christmas Day that everyone congregated at it was the local Wawa. The place was mobbed with people socializing with one another and wishing everyone else a Merry Christmas. You would have thought I was at City Hall or a Town Square. Everyone knew everyone else in the store and they were all ordering their breakfasts, getting coffee or their takeout orders or filling up on gas for a trip somewhere. I felt like I was in Mayberry.
The surprising part was I ordered a Bacon, Egg and Cheese omelet on a fresh hoagie and it was really good! I was amazed. The All-Berry Smoothie that I ordered with it was also terrific. I was blown away on my Christmas breakfast which I ate on the back of my car since there was no place to sit down.
After breakfast, I noticed the gloomy morning was starting to clear up and by the time the ferry left Cape May for Lewes, DE, it was becoming sunny and bright. When we got to Lewis by noon, it was sunny, clear and going up into the 60’s. It ended up being 65 degrees and sunny the whole day. God answered my prayers for a warm Christmas!
By the time I got off the ferry at noon in Lewes, De, it was a bright sunny and warm day. This is when the forecasters predicted rain all day. The entire afternoon was in the high 60’s, sunny and clear. It was the perfect day to be at the shore.
After dropping some presents off at my mom’s and wishing her a Merry Christmas, my brother, niece, my brother’s girlfriend and I went to Dos Locos in Downtown Rehoboth Beach for Christmas lunch. Unusual choice but it was the only place open. I had the most delicious Shrimp Quesadilla for lunch and that was more than enough after the big breakfast I had two hours earlier.
Before we left the restaurant, we took a memorable group shot in front of their Christmas tree. As we were leaving, I was amazed by how many people had the same idea we had and the restaurant really started to fill up.
My family at Dos Locos for our Christmas Dinner
To work off lunch (and my earlier breakfast), we walked all over the boardwalk that afternoon. Being such a nice day, again everyone had the same idea and we were wishing other families a “Merry Christmas” as they walked on the beach and walked their dogs around the downtown area. It was also ideal to go window shopping. By 3:30pm, it had reached almost 67 degrees and we walked along the beach and watched as one brave soul took a Christmas swim in the ocean. I know it was warm but it was not that warm outside.
My family by Santa’s House on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk
We took a lot of family shots around the Rehoboth beach Christmas Tree and at Santa’s House. He had left for the North Pole, so he was not around at this point. Still, everyone on the boardwalk was taking pictures by the tree.
My brother and I by the Christmas tree in Downtown Rehoboth
My brother and I in the bandstand in Downtown Rehoboth Beach
Me at the holiday displays in the Bandstand in Rehoboth Beach
The Manger at the bandstand in Rehoboth Beach with Santa’s House in the background
It started to get dark by 5:45pm at that point (the days are starting to get longer) and we headed back to my brother’s hotel as they prepared for dinner and I had to head back to the ferry to go back to Cape May.
I was surprised on how well Christmas had turned out. For a day that started off as the original ‘Clusterfuck’, it is amazing how plans change and the day can still turn out to be pretty good. I got on the 7:45pm ferry back to Cape May and we were in by 9:00pm. Again, not much was open on Christmas Day for dinner and I refused to have dinner at WaWa.
When I got back into town, the only two restaurants were the Chinese restaurant in the mall but they were closing for the night. So, I went to the Ugly Mug at 426 Washington Street in the Washington Mall for a snack. It was the only place open besides going back to Congress Hall.
Talk about crowded for a Christmas night! All the locals either had tired from their families, tourists need to get out of their hotels or people had just gotten off their shifts from work, people lined the bar having a good time eating, drinking and laughing. The Christmas games were going on and the bar was in full swing.
The inside of the Ugly Mug
With only five minutes left to order, the manager of the restaurant who was eating right next to me was eating a cheesesteak and highly recommended it. So, it was a cheesesteak and a Coke for me on Christmas night. It was nice to sit back and talk with the other patrons and bartenders in a relaxed environment.
The Cheesesteaks at The Ugly Mug are fantastic. Just like Philly!
The cheesesteak was so good
I spent the rest of Christmas night walking along the shore, listening to the waves hoping to get a glimpse of Santa on his way back to the North Pole. For the craziest Christmas Day with twists and turns, it ended up being a really great day. Not at all what we had planned but sometimes things work out for a reason. I ended up getting the best night’s sleep.
The day after Christmas my plans changed when a friend of mine who came into town changed the plans again and I decided to go to the theater at the Cape May Stage at 405 Layfette Street. I saw the final show of the season “Adopt a Sailor: The Holiday Edition”, which was performed by the Theater Director and his wife who are professional actors.
The Cape May Stage: Adopt a Sailor: The Holiday Edition
It was a clever story about a Manhattan couple that ‘adopt’ a sailor from the deep south for Christmas Eve. I thought it was a bit predictable with the stereotype of the uptight Upper West Side couple and the ‘naive’ sailor from the South but it ended up being a very bittersweet story about the couple looking within on their own relationship with this sailor shipping out on Christmas to a dangerous part of the world. It made them think about how small their own problems were and what Christmas was all about.
After the show was over, I decided to spend my last night in Cape May watching the sunset at Sunset Beach in West Cape May at 502 Sunset Boulevard. If you ever want to see the most spectacular sunset in the world and I have literally seen them all over the world, this is the most fantastic location to see the sunset over the Delaware Bay.
I stayed until after 5:00pm to watch the sun dip below the bay in most spectacular fashion. It really does amaze the way it slowly disappears into the bay and then the whole sky is a brilliant variety of colors. People were literally applauding the sun setting. I left Cape May for home after this.
You have to see the sun set at Sunset Beach at least once
In the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I spent the night in the City before the Ball dropped museum hopping between the Met and the MoMA trying to see the current exhibitions before they closed and taking the long ride up to Inwood to see the Cloisters decorated for Christmas and the current exhibition “Spain: 1000-1200” and taking a second look at the Christmas decorations all over the City.
I wanted to explore the neighborhood for changes since COVID and my last trip to the area since the summer, so I walked from The Cloisters to West 155th stopping for lunch and visiting stores and bakeries that I had written about in the past.
I stopped for lunch at the New Golden Star Chinese Restaurant at 4247 Broadway, a restaurant that I had passed many times on my walks down Broadway and had wanted to try. The food is excellent and the service could not have been nicer. I had a Chicken with Broccoli ($11.95) with Hot & Sour Soup and an eggroll.
New Golden Star Chinese Restaurant at 4247 Broadway
The Chicken with Broccoli was delicious and the sauce with a combination of Hunan and Soy really made the dish. The Hot & Sour Soup was one of the best I have had recently. The chili peppers added some kick to the soup and it was loaded with vegetables and sliced pork. The service could not have been nicer.
The Chicken with Broccoli was excellent
After lunch, I continued my walk down Broadway. I had originally planned had planned to go the Met on Fifth Avenue but it was too late for that and then I decided to walk down Broadway but by the time I got to West 155th Street near the cemetery I was pooped. I needed something sweet, so I stopped at one of my favorite bakeries uptown Five Star Estrella Bakery at 3861 Broadway for a snack.
I had the most amazing Vanilla and Strawberry Iced Doughnut ($2.00) and between the sweet thick icing on top and the rich dough, every bite was heaven. I was reenergized but my feet were beginning to kill me. I stopped at Ilka Tanya Payan Park and sat down to finish my doughnut and relax.
I just admired the Christmas tree in the park for a bit before taking the subway back to midtown. I never knew that the park was named after the actress and activist, Ilka Tanya Payan. I thought it was nice of community to set such a beautiful tree up for the holidays and it was nicely decorated. I was finished for the day.
Ilka Tanya Payan Park at Edward Morgan Place & Broadway
New Year’s Eve this year was a quiet evening at home watching the ball drop on TV. There was no way I was going back to the City with those crowds in that cold. Thank God that 2021 is now over and hopefully better days ahead!
This was not the Christmas I planned but things took so many twists and turns that I just went with the flow. This is why I am fully vaccinated. Life needs to go on as normal in these unnormal times.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
My three favorite Christmas songs: These are the songs that I wait to hear on the radio.
The Ronette’s: Sleigh Ride:
Ray Parker Jr.: Christmas Time is Here
The Waitresses: Christmas Wrapping
I also thought these Christmas songs in Chinese were interesting when I found them on YouTube:
I find it intriguing how other countries see Christmas and interpret it.
When I was visiting Rhinebeck for the recent Sheep and Wool Festival (See day One Hundred and Forty-Nine on “MywalkinManhattan.com), I decided to visit Bard College and their contemporary art museum, the Hessel Museum. When approaching the museum, it almost appears to be a fortress with several large pieces of contemporary sculpture on the grounds outside the building.
Once upon entering the museum, you are greeted by many welcoming volunteers who will check your vaccination card and ID and your mask and then you can enter the museum for viewing. At the time I was there, NY State still had a lot of their mandates.
There were a couple of interesting exhibitions going on…
On a recent trip to the Hudson River Valley for Fall events I took a tour of Bard Campus to visit their campus and tour Montgomery Place which the college bought from the Hudson River Historical Society in 2016. It is now part of the campus and you can tour the grounds but not the inside of the house.
Montgomery Place on the Bard College Campus
Before 2016 when the house was owned by the Hudson River Historical Society who used to have tours of the mansion. When the family sold the mansion and all its contents to the Society, they left the house untouched when they moved out you got to see how the Livingston family lived not just in current times…
mywalkinmanhattan 