I was searching for someplace to eat in Chinatown after touring a few museums in Brooklyn. It was cold that night and I was in the mood for soup and dumplings. The place I wanted to go to was closed and as I walked around Division Street, I came across a restaurant that was having their grand opening (I would find out later it had opened in the summer).
The owner waved me in on a very cold and welcomed me inside to a warm restaurant where homemade dumplings are made right in front of you. The best part is that there is a lot to order under $10.00. There were so many choices from the menu with dumplings, pancakes and soups and everything was so reasonable.
The Chive Pancake
I started my meal with the Chive Pancakes. These were being made by the women working the counter behind the register. These golden cakes were rather large and were panned fried. With a little soy sauce, what a way to start the meal.
The Chive Pancakes
The were filled with rice noodles, eggs and chives
Then I needed to warm myself up and had the Wonton Noodle Soup with bok choy. The long noodles and the dumplings are made fresh right in front of you. The dumplings go right from the counter where the women just folded them into the soup or into the pan for an order of ten.
The Wonton Noodle Soup with Dumplings
The food and the service were wonderful and the owner could not have been nicer and more welcoming. She pulled me off a cold street and welcomed me into the restaurant. In a time of rising prices and small portions, North Dumpling is that wonderful exception with reasonable prices and excellent food.
What I found out from the manager after dinner was this is the sister restaurant to China North Dumpling, a tiny restaurant on Essex Street which literally has no seating and this is her new, bigger version of that very successful restaurant.
My reviews on China North Dumpling at 23 Essex Street:
I have been visiting Beacon, NY since I read an article on it and the perils of its gentrification since 2018. So I made a special trip for a First Friday event that Christmas holiday season. With Merchant Open Houses and Caroling and refreshments at every stop, I found a delightful Christmas town that seemed to be rediscovering itself as well as outside visitors were marveling at the town’s turnaround.
I started to venture back to Beacon in 2022, when things fully opened and all the museums and cultural sites opened their doors to visitors again. Over the last three years since my holiday visit, stores and restaurants had opened and closed with time and there is a lot to explore in this small city.
Revisiting Beacon in the summer of 2025
Walking downtown in the Summer of 2025
What I thought was interesting on my last trip over the Summer of 2025, was how the homes on both sides of the downtown were getting renovated and how nice the neighborhoods were getting in the city. It was a slow process but a lot of these small Upstate towns have been seeing a rebirth since COVID.
The neighborhoods have gone from homes that were shabby and somewhat run down to fully renovated and refreshed, creating a vibrant look to the residents who are moving up to this ‘artsy’ city.
Street art in Downtown Beacon
The downtown has made a real transformation from a gritty boarded up downtown of the 1970’s to the late 90’s to what it is today when the DIA Beacon opened up in the old Nabisco Factory by the river. The museum opening really transformed this small Hudson River City. When I was at the Beacon Historical Society recently, they had an exhibition on the before and after pictures of Beacon and what the Downtown looked like in the 1970’s, 80’s and into the 1990’s until the DIA opened. The transformation in twenty years has been amazing! You would never know it was the same city.
The new luxury housing being built in the downtown catering to a hipster crowd from the City. More of this is being built in the downtown.
Downtown Beacon has been fun to explore over the years and watch the progression of restaurants and shops come and go with the times. Since the first holiday ‘First Friday’ event to walking around and exploring new shops in between visits to cultural sites all over town. There is a lot to see and do in Beacon.
Walking in Downtown Beacon means exploring interesting shops and restaurants
The way to start your tour of Beacon is at the coastline of the Hudson River. There are two cultural site you should not miss Bannerman Castle and the DIA. Both show off the distinction of Beacon with both offering unique visits. These are located on the western part of the downtown area closest to the Hudson River.
The Harbor at Hudson River where you start your journey
Bannerman Castle is a seasonal excursion and you should try to visit between May and the middle of October when the foliage is at its peak. The views are spectacular.
Bannerman Island is a tiny island in the Hudson River that used to be ammunition storage area where the storage facility on the island went on fire years ago
Arriving at Bannerman Island
Arriving on the island by boat
The dockside and park at the Beacon Park is where the journey always begins. The views of the river are just breathtaking anytime of the year but the area is especially beautiful at the peak of the Fall foliage and in the beginning of the Spring when the buds are coming out and it is just starting to get warm.
The view of the docks before the tour
The view of the bridge near the park and part of the boat tour
Arriving at the dock on Bannerman Island after your boat ride
The historic sign of General Lafayette’s landing at this site in 1824
Once you get to the island, you are greeted by the tour guide and then have to walk up 74 steps from the harbor to the ridge of the island so this is NOT ADA compliant. At the top of the stairs starts the path around the island. Our tour guide that lead the tour had been there since the tours started in 2004 and gave us many insights on the history of the island and its purpose to the Bannerman family.
The gardens at the hillside as you walk up the stairs at Bannerman Island in the Summer of 2024
The first stop on the tour is the view of the ruins of the old Munitions Storage building
Our first stop was the Bannerman Munitions Storage facilities that were in the form of a castle that can be seen from the rail system up to Poughkeepsie, NY. For years I thought (as most people do) that this was a home but it was the Bannerman Munitions Warehouse for all the Army surplus items that Mr. Bannerman had brought up here from New York City. All the Military items were stored up here and the orders were fulfilled from this island.
Walking by the ruins of the old castle
Walking by the castle on the pathway
The pathway by the river
Walking the pathway by the river
The company has not been in business since the early 60’s and when the children of the founder closed the company after the laws in the Federal Government changed to where private citizens could not sell explosive, it put a damper into operations. In 1967, the storage buildings were destroyed by fire and the compound was a shell of the former factory. The home was also abandoned at the top of the ridge when the family sold the island.
The Bannerman Island Munitions Storage Facility
Once you leave the former storage facility which is now being held up by stilts because the structure is so weak, you will proceed up the path past the formal gardens that are planted along the trail. The local garden clubs now come to the island to replant Mrs. Bannerman’s formal gardens and beautify the island.
The gardens on the pathway to the house
The gardens along the pathway
The gardens
The gardens along the pathway to the house
The gardens by the front of the house
The gardens by the front door of the Bannerman Mansion
At the top of the point, there is the former home of the Bannerman family that is currently under renovation. It houses a quick tour of the family and there is a small gift shop inside. The porch area has the most amazing views of the Hudson River and the surrounding mountains. Here the Friends of Bannerman Island show movies in the warmer months and hold plays just outside the home. The last movie had been “Abbott and Costello Meet the Frankenstein”, which had been sold out according to the tour guide.
The Bannerman House and Gardens
When you get to the island, you have a set amount of time to wonder up and down the paths of the island, admiring the gardens, touring the house and looking over the gardens. When I went to the island for a second time in the Summer of 2025, we had more time to explore the island and take pictures. This is when I got to see the island in full bloom and the gardens were at their peak. It is one of the best times of the year to go.
The main room in the house
I visited the Dia: Beacon also on the riverfront many times too and is the catalyst of why Beacon is what it is today. Almost a colony of artists and writers who have moved to the area from the City and keep changing the community. I have to say that is an interesting space.
The museum is sited on thirty-one acres on the banks of the Hudson River and is adjacent to ninety acres of riverfront parkland. The museum is located in a former printing plant built in 1929 by Nabisco (National Biscuit Company) (Wiki). This type of square footage gives the museum the flexibility to showcase many of the larger pieces of artist’s collections that we may not see in the bigger museums whose infrastructure may not be able to hold.
The DIA Museum has clean lines and big halls and a minimalist landscaping
The one thing about the Dia is that the works are quite large and pack a bold statement. The museum uses a combination of both American and Foreign artists and their works make a bold statement. The museums galleries are large and airy and can show larger works of art. The museum shows many of the artists largest pieces of work.
The inside of the Dia: Beacon’s large galleries
These larger pieces were interactive
Inside the museum, many contemporary artists are featured each season. Many of their larger works were featured in their galleries. Artist Louise Bourgeois has displayed some interesting sculptures that dominate the upper floors. One of the most fascinating pieces was that of a large spider that dominates the corner of the floor.
This Louise Bourgeois work is a rather creepy piece of art like something out of the movie “It”.
In Bourgeois’s works on view in these galleries, organic formations fuse with the inorganic materiality of the media in which they are rendered, be it marble, wood, or bronze. The artist’s repertoire of materials spans traditional media and new textures, such as latex and synthetic resin. In her work, representation often entails the creation of a surrogate for the body and its suffering organs (Dia: Beacon museum website).
Artist Andy Warhol has one of his largest works displayed in the main gallery on the first floor.
What I loved about the work by Warhol was the continuous colorful pattern of the work and the way it wrapped around the room. The pattern took form in many colors and showed consistency and balance.
A single painting in multiple parts, Shadows is one of Warhol’s most abstract works, yet one that cohesively synthesizes key elements of his practice, including film, painting, photography, and screen-printing. Originally commissioned by Dia and acquired in 1979 for a solo exhibition at 393 West Broadway in New York, Shadows includes a total of 102 canvases; the final number of canvases on view in each installation is determined by the dimensions of an existing exhibition space (The Dia: Beacon museum website).
What I liked about the DIA is that the works are all on a large scale and you can walk around with plenty of space to admire them. The former factory space offers a lot of room for display so every time I visit, there are three or four artist exhibitions to explore.
What I like about Beacon is that it has an amazing downtown filled with lots of interesting stores, galleries and sometimes pretty pricey restaurants. As the residents from the City are relocating here, the prices keep increasing not just for restaurants but for housing as well.
I have noticed more and more like the town of Hudson, the houses on the side streets are starting to get renovated and neighborhoods are getting a fresh look of suburban gentrification. This is happening all over the Hudson River Valley as small towns are gaining a new set of residents. So many old homes have gotten a facelift. With that, more businesses are catering to these incoming customers.
The first I love visiting is Colorant at 146 Main Street. The trendy and environmentally safe clothing store has a variety of in house made clothes and trendy gifts for the house. I have always admired their custom made clothing with natural dies.
I love walking into the store and seeing the beautiful merchandise and the creative way they display it. It is more than a store or a boutique, Colorant is an experience in retail. It is the way shopping should be, interesting merchandise in a creative setting with personal service from the salespeople.
This new tie die dress really wowed me along with their jean and sweatshirt collection in 2021
This dress by Po eM I thought was really nice
The store also has an assortment of gifts such as planters, soap dishes, mugs and some jewelry and cosmetics. All of the products are environmentally made and have their own artistic touch to them. Please check the above website as the prices do change.
Specialty lines at Colorant
The store’s line of gourmet snacks
The service could not be more personal. The young woman working there explained the way the clothes are made and constructed and a little story about the owner as a designer and how she merchandised the store. The store is designed with exposed walls and piping holding the clothes with creative display cases to showcase the gifts.
Colorant offers something for everyone
There still is an experience of shopping in person and actually touching the merchandise and trying it on. You are part of what the owner is trying to convey with this exclusive line of clothing made for the store. This is something that Amazon can’t replicate. I love looking at all the clothing that made for the store and wonder how it would look on customers in public.
Another great store I enjoy visiting especially when I am hungry is Noble Pies, across the street at 137 Main Street. I love it when I get the emails and what pies they are featuring for the week. There have been times I have organized trips up to the Hudson River Valley to visit historical sites just to try what the featured pie is of the week. They are that good.
The entrance to the new Noble Pie’s at 137 Main Street in Beacon, NY
I stopped in Beacon, NY recently to take a walking tour of a historical home and walked around the downtown after the tour. I had read about Noble Pie’s story on the window of the restaurant on my last visit to Beacon and decided to stop in to see what the store was all about. What a delightful, creative store with friendly service and excellent pie that you could either buy by the pie or by the slice. I decided to stay for lunch and try some out.
The interesting items they have on their menu
I had gotten several emails from the owner of new pies that were coming out and each one of them sounded really good. I had to be upstate for some museum visits and I stopped in Beacon for lunch. I tried a piece of the Cubano pie and. Slice of Blueberry and Peach pie. Both were delicious.
The Cubano is a savory pie with layers of Roasted Pork, Swiss Cheese and pickles. I thought it could have used a little more of the Roasted Pork as I only got about two slices in my piece.
The Cubano Pie with Roast Pork, Swiss Cheese and pickles
The Cubano Pie
This savory pie was delicious
For dessert, I wanted to try the Peach and Blueberry pie because all the fruits are in season now and it was available for a limited time.
The shop had a variety of ice creams to choose from to have an a la mode and I chose the Apricot Orange ice cream to put on the side. What a great choice as it complimented the sweetness of the fruit.
The Blueberry Peach pie with Apricot and Apricot Orange ice cream on the side
The pie was heated up and was cooled by the creamy ice cream
I loved the buttery crust either a hint of sugar on the top of the crust
The selection of pies rotates every week and there is always something interesting on the menu. I got on the email list just to get the blast on what is new on the menu and it makes my mouth water to think of all the delicious pies being created and I have to wait until my next trip.
During the holiday season pre-COVID, I used to come up to Beacon for special shopping nights they used to have on Third Thursdays and loved wondering around the shops and enjoying the entertainment and the special engagements that all the stores used to create on these nights.
Another great shop I came across on these shopping trips puts a spin on the traditional flower shop, Flora a Good Times at 197 Main Street just down the road from these two stores. Talk about a creative approach to selling flowers and the way they are displayed.
It looked more like a boutique than a traditional flower shop. There are handmade pots and gifts, a wonderful selection of exotic flowers and plants all nicely displayed.
The inside of Flora Good Time with its beautiful displays.
What I discovered when I walked in was the original way they display their potted plants and arrangements. The color scheme is juxoposed and the plants were arranged in a way that gave it a colorful and distinctive look about the way a customer would buy them. The shelves were loaded with all sorts of potted and hanging plants that fit every décor.
Handmade gifts and plants
I came across a shelve of smiling face pots by artist Calfinn and thought it made a novel way to display the plants. Not just were the plants showcased well but the smiling face back gives a positive spin on the merchandise. They were so novel and whimsical and I had never seen anything like it before.
Pots by artist Calfinn-The Collection is called Lil’ Friends
The Handmade “Victory” Pots that have their own personality
What was nice about Flora Good Times is that they will create the most special bouquets and arrangements for the customers. Their approach to flowers gives them a personality all to its own and is the perfect housewarming and host present. I thought the arrangements I saw in both the store and online were colorful and very original in design.
The fresh flower are very beautiful
They also have a nice assortment of potted and hanging plants that line the walls and a selection of gift items that come from artists all over the country. I thought it was good business not just to support local artists but artisans all over the country.
There are a lot of wonderful places to go to lunch up and down the Main Street of Beacon and a few of them I have tried. I stopped in BJ’s Soul Food at 213 Main Street for lunch to regroup one afternoon after a day of walking and touring. Talk about the most delicious Cheeseburger that you will sink your teeth into. God, that hit the spot.
BJ’s Soul Food Restaurant at 213 Main Street (Closed January 2026)
The food and the service were always very nice and I enjoyed doing work in my booth while I was eating. I ate here the night I went to tour the historic Boscobel Mansion at Christmas time. I just read that the owner closed the restaurant in early 2026 after 47 years in business.
The Cheeseburgers at BJ’s were excellent.
I love the selection of menu item and their emphasis on Southern cooking. They also had some amazing desserts.
One of my favorite pizzerias in Beacon is Pizza & Stuff Two at 332 Main Street. I have been coming here since my first trip to explore Beacon’s downtown. The food and service here are really good.
Pizza and Stuff Two at 332 Main Street in Downtown Beacon
I have always loved the Cheese Pizza here and they have decent specials during lunch hour and on the weekends. Like many other places in Beacon the prices have gone up over the last six years but they still offer nice specials are reasonable and the service is really good.
Another restaurant I enjoy dining at is the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant at 393 Main Street. I have never had a bad meal here and their lunch specials are really good and very reasonable.
The Great Wall Chinese Restaurant at 393 Main Street
When I was visiting Mount Gulian, a historic house just outside of town, I stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner and a Shrimp Lo Mein combination platter with an Egg Roll and Wonton Soup. Both the food and the service were wonderful. I have enjoyed many wonderful meals there.
The Shrimp Lo Mein meal was delicious and just enough for both lunch and dinner
Another restaurant I have enjoyed many times since touring Beacon is the Yankee Clipper Diner at 397 Main Street.
The make the best Roast Turkey Club sandwiches and the best part is that you can watch TV while you are eating. I was watching this hysterical episode of “Will and Grace” when I was there the last time and when Jack walked in dressed as Cruella De Vil, I lost it in my booth laughing so hard. No one else got it.
Nothing beats a Turkey Club sandwich for lunch
When visiting Beacon, just off the downtown area, one of the historical sites that is interesting to visit but hard to see is the Madame Brett House at 50 Van Nydeck around the corner from the downtown district. The house is only open once a month so you have to time your visit accordingly.
The Madam Brett Homestead at 50 Van Nydeck Avenue in Beacon, NY
I visited the Madam Brett Homestead on a walking tour and discovered that the family had a lot to do with the growth of not just Dutchess County but New York State as well. The house was the homestead for five generations of family members each who added to the home.
The homestead’s historic plaque
Since the family practiced thrift in the home and decor, we get to see the house with period furniture that has been donated back to the house from the family. Also, period pieces have been donated by other members of the community to show the home at different periods of time. It gave us a look into the home life of a prosperous farming and milling family.
The entrance of the Brett Homestead
The tour starts with a short video on the family and how Madam Brett got her inheritance from her father and built on the wealth that he had created. She leased out land with water and mineral rights thus adding to her wealth and had a grist mill that was the only one on the patent, so everyone had to go through her for grain processing.
The china cabinet with family related items.
The homestead was built by Roger Brett and Catherine Rombout Brett on land inherited by her father, which was part of the Rombout Patent (which covered much of lower Dutchess County). The couple had been married in 1703 and had originally moved in with her mother in the family’s manor home in Manhattan. Upon the death of her mother, Catherine inherited the land and the manor house in Manhattan.
Land rich and cash poor, she and her husband mortgaged the manor house in Manhattan and built a small home and gristmill. They moved into their Dutch style home on Christmas Day 1709. The house was expanded in 1715. The home was later added on again in the 1800’s to the present house (Brett Homestead Pamphlet).
In the hallway on display is the original Rombout Patent, which everyone on our tour thought was very impressive. It had been found and was given back to the house. It shows the land deal that the settlers made with the Native Americans.
A copy of the Rombout Patent
We next headed to the Dining Room, where the family entertained guests. The room is full of period furniture and silver both family owned and donated to the homestead. The formality of entertaining is shown in the room set up.
The Dining Room at the Brett Homestead
Hannah Brett’s (Madam Brett’s granddaughter) bridesmaid dress was on display as well. This had been worn when she danced the Minuet with Marquis de Lafayette. I thought this was interesting in that she had this altered for the occasion and that it had lasted all these years. She had worn this for the wedding of Cornelia DePeyster, whose wedding dress in the New York Historical Society (Brett Homestead pamphlet). It was donated back to the house by the family descendants for display.
Hannah Brett-Schenck’s bridesmaid dress
Period furniture and decorations adorn the Brett Homestead
I went back to visit the house during the holidays as my tour guide raved about the decorations. It ended up being some garland around the banister and around the fireplace with some greens and fruit around the dining room table. Interesting tour of the Dutch Christmas holidays but the decorations were rather simple for the times. The you of the house is an example of how the town had grown up around the house.
The downtown walk towards the Roundout Hotel and the Falls is beautiful at anytime of the year.
Downtown Beacon in the middle of the summer in 2025
A downtown sculpture by a local artist
It was a pretty amazing night with people walking up and down the downtown at night admiring the lights, the musicians strolling and the warm drinks at some of the stores . Their Downtown Association did a really nice job with the event.
Downtown Beacon during Christmas time
The decorations downtown
A evil looking snowman in the window
The beautiful views of the mountains surrounding the town
The waterfall during winter time
I had wanted to come back but between work and the holidays, I never got back. Then time rolled by and then COVID closed everything down until 2021. So there was a lot of waiting to travel back until the end of 2021. That’s when things began to open up again and then close by the holidays due to the second wave. Then it opened back up in the Spring and then you saw the magic of Beacon come to life.
The snow backdropping the downtown
Downtown Beacon at Christmas time is quite picturesque
The beauty of Mount Beacon in the background of the city
The waterfall by the Hotel Beacon used to power the mills in the summer months
The waterfall by the hotel patio restaurant
In 2025, Beacon has really come into its own with most of the downtown fully occupied with all sorts of innovative and very interesting restaurants and shops. The sticker prices have also gone up as the restaurants have gotten very expensive here. Some of the more reasonable restaurants that I had eaten at in the past had either closed or have raised their prices since COVID. In some cases the prices of going out to eat here are the same as Manhattan.
One of the markers for a turn of the century steam heater on one of the buildings downtown
I recently explored the Beacon Historical Society at 61 Leonard Street just off the main part of downtown. The museum hosted two exhibitions, one on brick manufactures along the Hudson River and the other on pictures of the progression of change in Beacon by a local photographer. This led me to discover even more changes to that part of the town. The Beacon Historical Society, which like the Madame Brett House has limited hours during the month and year so again plan accordingly.
The Beacon Historical Society at 61 Leonard Street
The second exhibition that I walked through was the ‘From Haverstraw to Beacon: Inside the Brickyards the built New York City’, an extensive look at the brickyards and the clay deposits that once lined the Hudson River that build most buildings in the City in the end of the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries.
The exhibition sign
The map of the location of the brickyards along the Hudson River. This depended on the location of the clay deposits.
Transportation of freight and people for both recreation and business was described in this display of different boats down the Hudson River.
The display of understanding the brick business
Display of the different companies and processes of making bricks
The display of people that make up the industry
The process of mining, making, drying and creating the bricks that would end up in New York City
Some of the bricks and the companies from the New York market that were created in the region
Once I had finished my tour of downtown, I headed out of town and visited the historical site, Mount Gulian, the historical home of the Verplanck family, who are still prominent in the area. The original house burned down in the 1930’s and this home is a recreation of the original built on the same foundation. I have visited both in the summer snd when decorated for Christmas.
In the Summer of 2024, I returned to Mount Gulian to take a full tour of the estate in the summer when everything was in bloom. The same house but a different feeling than the Christmas holiday season. On the Summer tour, you are able to walk the gardens, the barn and the grounds around the house. Plus the gardens were in bloom so it was a more complete tour.
The back lawn on the Mount Gulian Homestead estate
The lawn to the gardens from the house
I started the tour of the property while I waited for my tour at 2:00pm. I walked the lawns and walked around the gardens. The property looked so much nicer than in the winter months. You can see the vibrance of the gardens and the beauty of the lawn and woods against the house. The gardens were well maintained and the flowers were still in bloom in the late summer months.
The gardens with the house in the distance
When I started the tour of the house in the Summer of 2024, it was similar to the December tour in the description of the house but the tour guide discussed the house from the perspective of the family living here full time when they moved from their New York City home to the Hudson River Valley permanently.
The Living Room with original furniture from the Verplanck family
Our first stop was in the Living Room where original family furnishings decorate the room. The family would gather in this room for specials occasions and holidays. The tour guide explained that the room contained some items that used to be in the original house including the portrait of the last resident of the house, Virginia Verplanck before the house burned down in the 1930’s.
The Verplanck Family china
Portrait of Virginia Verplanck as a child. She was the last Verplanck to live in the house
The Library
Revolutionary War artifacts in the house
The house was used by General Washington and his troops during the Revolutionary War and Baron von Steuben used the house during the war as well. The proximity both Washington’s Headquarters and the City made it an ideal location.
The portrait of the Baron Van Steuben
We next toured the kitchen, which had been decorated for a Dutch Christmas the last time I had visited. The hearth was from the original house and you could see how things were cooked in the open fire and then in the beehive oven where breads and cakes were cooked.
The kitchen in the basement
The cooking hearth and heat of the house
Cooking and Kitchen equipment
The items a cook would need to prepare meals in a Dutch kitchen.
The Grounds part of the tour:
After the full house tour, we went out to the grounds to see the barn and the gardens. The barn was the American Dutch style barn which was specific to this area. It was large and airy, enough to hold the crops and the animals in case of bad weather.
The Dutch Barn sign
The outside of the Dutch Barn
The Maitland bird holes in the barn to eat bugs on the hay and vegetables
The house officially had closed for the season at the end of October and was decorated for the holidays for the weekend between December 14-16th to represent the Dutch celebrations. There had been a Children’s tea the Monday before the New Year, so the house was closing down for the season. I was able to revisit the house and see it decorated beautifully for the holiday season in December of 2024.
The beautiful garland and lights adorn the house at Christmas time
The front door is very welcoming for the holidays
The front door was beautifully decorated for the Christmas season
The house as you enter through the front door
The house is very unique. You would have never known it was a reconstruction. The house really looked its age. The funny part of the house is that is at the very back of an old estate that had been developed with townhouses from the main road to almost the border of the house’s property, so it was strange to drive through to find the house. Once in the semicircular driveway, you plunge back into time.
The Hallway decorated for Christmas
The Hallway decorations in more detail
The Staircase to the Second Floor (Closed) was beautifully decorated for the holidays
The large porch in the front of the house looks over what’s left of the lawn and the housing developments. Once inside you enter the foyer and long hallway with rooms on each side. Each room was or had been decorated for the holidays with garland, mistletoe, fruits and a Christmas tree in one room, a kind of mixture of old Dutch meets Victorian Christmas. Still the effects were nice and it was very festive.
The furniture in the hallway decorated for Christmas in 2024
The furniture in the Hallway was nicely decorated for the holidays
What I enjoyed is that in each room, there were stories of the Verplanck family and the role that they played in the formation of the community and in the nation as well. In real life though, this much decorating would not have been done. This is a more elaborate look on how the Victorians would have decorated the house. The Dining Room would have been one of the most elaborate for entertaining during the holiday season for dining and entertaining.
Until the Victorian Age, things had been kept very simple. You would have decorated the house before Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day, there would have been an afternoon church service and a nice lunch. Gift giving did not come into play until after the Civil War.
What I enjoyed is that in each room, there were stories of the Verplanck family and the role that they played in the formation of the community and in the nation as well. In real life though, this much decorating would not have been done. This is a more elaborate look on how the Victorians would have decorated the house. The Dining Room would have been one of the most elaborate for entertaining during the holiday season for dining and entertaining.
Until the Victorian Age, things had been kept very simple. You would have decorated the house before Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day, there would have been an afternoon church service and a nice lunch. Gift giving did not come into play until after the Civil War.
The Dining Room set for Christmas dinner in 2024
The full view of the Dining Room
The Dining Room Table and the fireplace mantle
The back part of the Dining Room
The Dining Room sideboard decorated for the holidays
The Historic Documents in the Dining Room with a funeral dress (why this was here I was not too sure)
The elaborate decorations between the windows in the Dining Room
The detailed decorations on the Dining Room table ready for a wonderful Christmas dinner
The beautiful fresh Christmas tree in the corner of the Dining Room in 2024
All of the rooms had artifacts that the family keeps donating the house as most of the original furnishings were destroyed in the 1931 fire. Still the furnishings are vintage to the time period. Here and there are stories of the house, the people that lived here and about the family in their daily lives. There were also stories of the Revolutionary War and its headquarters of Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. It is a really great tour at any time of the year.
There is a lot of more to do in Beacon from street fairs to film festivals or just a nice day of shopping on a warm weekend or during the holiday season. Things keep changing in the downtown as I have seen over the last six year of visiting and I look forward to new changes when I visit next.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Executive Paramus, NJ Team December 10th, 2025
My Executive Team for ‘Sounds and Subs”
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught three sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Fall semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
This semester I created three restaurant concept projects for my students, “Sounds and Subs”, a music store and sub/sandwich shop concept based on Mike’s Sub Shop in Boonton, NJ, “Farmer’s Market”, a farm to table concept based on The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY and then “Pasta and Pies”, a sweet and savory pie concept with pasta dishes based on Nobel Pies out of Beacon, NY.
My morning Business 101 class worked on the “Sounds and Subs” concept where they were challenged to create a music based restaurant concept with a menu of creative sub and sandwiches, interesting salads, a mocktail menu, an opening party, social media and a gift shop selling items from their menu plus records, CDs and musical products. They also had to pick the location and figure out all the budgets.
They also had to create a stage area for bands and local performers for ‘Open Mic nights’. The results were amazing to see and what students with a little creativity, a lot of time (six weeks) and a little push can accomplish. I also liked the bands they chose to perform at their restaurants,
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This class created menus with creative subs and sandwiches, salads, soups and unique signature desserts. They had to also create a mocktail menu. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
Each project had to include the location of where the restaurant would in what town in Bergen County, the social media, the menu, the opening party and what would be featured in their gift shop. They had a to figure out the budget for everything as well.
Before we did the formal presentation, I had the students create the ‘Holiday Presentation’ where corporate requested that our Teams represent the company in creating the invitation, menu and holiday greeting for the Corporate party in the New Brunswick headquarters. This is the presentations:
One Wednesday morning, December 10th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams. Each Team came up with different and unique concepts.
The day of the project, I have the students dress in professional dress to present their ideas to the clients. The student executives presented their ideas on location, design, menus, social media and creating an opening party for the restaurant. They also came up with ideas for local musicians who could entertain on a nightly basis. The client was looking for a concept that would attract music lovers not just from the suburbs but from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Newark.
Here are examples of ideas of what the Student Consultants would work in the town that they chose:
Team Three making their initial pitch to the client
Team Three explaining their proposal for the floor plan of their restaurant
Team Five starting their presentation
What I found interesting what the musicians who the Student Consultants chose for both their Opening Parties to promote the restaurant and to play at the restaurant on a circulating schedule. They were some pretty sophisticated musical groups which showed me the tastes of these students in their music selections.
After the presentations were over, we had a Q & A and then we had a light reception. For each of my classes, I baked cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats along with a variety of chips, sodas and waters for all of my students to show my appreciation for their hard work.
It really was an interesting presentation and I was very proud of my students.
My Executive Team from the ‘Farm to Table’ Restaurant concept in our Corporate picture
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught three sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Fall semester was no different.
This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
This semester I created three restaurant concept projects for my students, “Sounds and Subs”, a music store and sub/sandwich shop concept based on Mike’s Sub Shop in Boonton, NJ, “Farmer’s Market”, a farm to table concept based on The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY and then “Pasta and Pies”, a sweet and savory pie concept with pasta dishes based on Nobel Pies out of Beacon, NY.
My morning Business 101 class worked on the “Farmer’s Market” concept where they were challenged to create a restaurant with a menu of creative sandwiches, soups, interesting salads, a mocktail menu and a gift shop selling items from their menu plus homemade jams, jellies.
They also were tasked in finding local farms to supply the restaurant concept with fresh produce and meats. The results were amazing to see and what students with a little creativity, a lot of time (six weeks) and a little push can accomplish.
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus Campus where I work.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This class created menus which reflected the seasons and had to choose one season to feature. The menu had to reflex fresh ingredients from that period with a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
The students also had to create a gift shop concept with items from the menu, items like fresh jellies and jams, a variety of baked goods and then novelty items such as shirts, bags and aprons. For extra credit, I asked them to source the items for menus. I saw the most interesting results that afternoon.
The Holiday project normally serves as Quiz Four for my class but I wanted the students to concentrate on their Academics this semester so I used this as an extra credit project.
Each Team has been requested by corporate in New Brunswick, to create a proposal for the Corporate Holiday Party that includes a invitation with a Christmas themed logo, a menu proposal with an appetizer, entree, and a dessert along with a signature holiday drink.
Then the Team had to film a video greeting in English and Spanish wishing everyone a Happy Holiday season. They had forty-five minutes to pull it off and these were the result of that project.
One Wednesday morning, December 10th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams. Each project was so different for the same concept.
Team Two’s diorama of their restaurant concept
Team Four presenting their project presentation
Team Three starting their presentation
Each Team had to present their ideas on their location for the restaurant, budget, layout, menu, gift shop ideas and advertising. Each Team had their own unique way of interpreting the restaurant concept and bring their fresh ideas to their Presentation.
Of my three classes in the Fall 2025 semester, this class came up with some of the most clever ideas and all five Teams seemed the most competitive of all the classes.
After the presentations were over, we had a Q & A and then we had a light reception. For each of my classes, I baked cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats along with a variety of chips, sodas and waters for all of my students to show my appreciation for their hard work.
It really was an interesting presentation and I was very proud of my students.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Executive Paramus, NJ Team December 10th, 2025
My Executive Team Team picture
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught three sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience.
The Fall semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
This semester I created three restaurant concept projects for my students, “Sounds and Subs”, a music store and sub/sandwich shop concept based on Mike’s Sub Shop in Boonton, NJ, “Farmer’s Market”, a farm to table concept based on The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY and then “Pasta and Pies”, a sweet and savory pie concept with pasta dishes based on Nobel Pies out of Beacon, NY.
My evening Business 101 class worked on the “Pasta and Pies” concept where they were challenged to create a restaurant with a menu of sweet and savory pies, creative pasta dishes, a mocktail menu and a gift shop selling items from their menu plus clothing and gifts. The results were amazing to see and what students with a little creativity, a lot of time (six weeks) and a little push can accomplish.
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Banner is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus Campus where I work. I use this concept to teach the lessons in the book.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This class created menus with creative pies and what delicious ingredients that can be tucked into them, selective pasta dishes with side salads and unique signature desserts. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
One Wednesday night, December 10th, 2025, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams.
Each of the Team members are required to be in Professional dress when presenting their project to the fictional client as they would in task life.
Team Four starting their presentation
Team One presenting their presentation
Team Two’s winning presentation and I wanted to add the best dressed Team
Some of the creative Gift Shop ideas from Team Two
Team Four presenting their project featuring their logo
Team Five making their presentation of their Team
Some very creative advertising from Team Five
At the end of the presentation and after the Q& A, we take the Corporate picture, which I do to show feature recruiters what these students are made of and what seasoned executives they will make in the future. I really am proud of the students that accomplish this project.
Our Corporate picture at the end of the evening
At the end of the evening, I always have a small reception after the presentation. Many of the groups brought samples of their pies for extra credit and our President was the manager of a bakery and brought this beautiful sheet cake with the company logo on it. I thought this was very clever.
The President’s Cake at our reception after the presentation
I bake a variety of cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats along with providing a variety of chips, sodas and waters for the reception. It is my way of recognizing a job well done.
The students did a nice job interpreting what the ideas and theme of the project was and what the client might be expecting.
It was a very interesting evening of which I hope the students carry with them in the future not just to other classes but into the workplace as well.
I came across the branch of Aux Merveilleux de Fred (I discovered there are three other branches in New York City) when I was exploring the Garment District for my blog MywalkinManhattan.com. I spied the delicious pastries in the window and this the last part of my trip that day. I saw items being made in front of me and a new batch of brioche just coming into the window.
The wonderful selection of sandwiches and brioche
The delicious pastries and meringues
I fell in love with the sugary brioche and the delicious meringues. The pastries here are such high quality and the selection of delicious treats is so different from other pastry shops in the City.
The store was beautifully decorated for the Christmas holidays. A little bit of Paris transported to New York City.
The delicious Sugar Brioche and the Cherry Merveilleux
The Cherry Merveilleux is a light meringue with a sugary Cherry topping. These delightful treats are sweet and whimsical to look at and more fun to eat. The sugary brioche have a chewy and crunchy consistency to them and are the perfect afternoon treat.
The Sugar Brioche
Inside the layers of brioche dough are the sugar crystals that give the pastry its extra sweetness.
The brioche pulls apart so nicely
The are so buttery and rich. These were warm just out of the oven.
The Cherry Mini Merveilleux are wonderful
This simple Meringue is delicious
The baked goods here are high quality and delicious. The service was excellent as well, very friendly and personal. It like visiting Paris in Manhattan. You can not pass by this bakery without stopping in to try something.
The history of Aux Merveilleux de Fred:
(from the Aux Merveilleux de Fred website)
About Chef Frederic Vaucamps:
Frédéric Vaucamps is a pastry chef from the North of France. During the 1980s, his career in pastry took him back to a cake dear to his heart: The Merveilleux. He adapted the recipe to make it extremely lightweight. In 1997, he decided to name his Lille store after his flagship cake, and so “Aux Merveilleux de Fred” was born. His version of The Merveilleux has quickly become a must-have, just like the cramiques and his Belgian waffles. Frédéric combines know-how and tradition to offer high-quality products in stores that are the epitome of French elegance.
Artisan pastry chef Frédéric Vaucamps utilizes his unique know-how to create his recipes whilst remaining true to his signature style: lightness and deliciousness. Each cake and pastry requires artisan know-how, a mastery of the craft that imbues them with a flavor that is instantly recognizable amongst thousands of others.
About the Company:
We love to share and showcase our artisan know-how. Our specialties are created in front of our customers, in each of our store’s ateliers. Every day we pledge our commitment to offering high-quality products, created before your eyes and baked all day long. We make our specialties using ingredients that have been selected for their quality.
These tiny and delicate meringue treats evoke a specific period in French history: high society life during the Directory regime. The aristocratic Incroyables and Merveilleuses, as they were known at the time, would gather in salons to discuss politics and economics. But their main objective there was to see and be seen, to drink tea and eat cakes. The “Aux Merveilleux de Fred” stores with their refined, baroque decor, are generously adorned with mirrors and gilding and take inspiration from this historical period.
Frédéric Vaucamps transmits his passion for the French art of living through his cakes and pastries: the art of taking your time and appreciating good and beautiful things.
It has been almost a decade since I attended the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The last time I attended the parade, it was when my best friend came in from the Midwest as part of a four day band trip that the local high school sponsored as they were performing in the parade. We had a really nice time.
For the next several years it was either spending time with a friend out on the island or family commitments or the weather that kept me away. Last year it down poured on the parade. This year it would be hit or miss with the weather but the rainstorm the day before went out to sea and it ended up being a sunny cool day.
My spot on the corner West 46th street and Sixth Avenue for the start of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
I got there early leaving the house at 7:00am to a packed bus. I was lucky to get a seat and I am at the beginning of the route into the City. We just passed all the stops on the way into the City as we zoomed through the Lincoln Tunnel, a first in a long time.
The crowds at 8:00am on Sixth Avenue
I had read that the route had moved from Broadway to Sixth Avenue, so I walked a couple of blocks uptown to get away from the Times Square crowds. I figured that was where all the tourists were headed. I settled on West 46th Street, which has an incline near one of the office buildings and offered a better view.
The crowd just kept growing around me at the start of the parade.
The parade started uptown at 8:30am and made its way down Broadway until 59th Street and turn on Sixth Avenue and made its way down Sixth Avenue to Macy’s on West 34th Street. I was around the halfway point. Around 9:15am, we heard the first band coming down the Avenue and Tom Turkey, one of the oldest floats in the parade that I could remember from my years in the parade.
The Tom Turkey float used to house the grand marshal of the parade. My first year with the parade in 1988 it was a freezing cold Clint Black, the country singer.
Tom Turkey passing West 46th Street
As the float passed by there was no one on top. Maybe it was too cold or maybe they were on a different part of the float. That height can freak people out.
The start of the parade passing all of us on West 46th Street. The crowds and the excitement started to build. We could see Tom Turkey coming down Sixth Avenue to start the parade. People started to cheer as the parade passed us by.
The start of the parade with the Macy’s logoed gold balloons, which have been part of the parade since I volunteered in the early 1990’s.
The Macy’s balloons at the start of the parade
After this, it was a series of balloons and floats that passed by. The funny part was I thought there were more marching bands in the past.
The Super Mario balloon passing by
The Super Mario passing by
Doria the Explorer balloon
Doria the Explorer passing by our spot
The SpongeBob SquarePants balloon
The Sesame Street float passing by
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloon
The Green Giant float passing by
The Disney Float passing by with Micky Mouse
The Spiderman float makes an impact on the parade
The Spider-Man float passes by
The Minon passing us and looking everyone over
The Stuart the Minon balloon passes by
The Golden Turkey float passes by with rapper Busta Rhyms
The balloons Gabby and Panda Paw balloon pass by
Cool & the Gang on the Bronx Zoo float
The Smokey the Bear balloon
The Snoopy float, one of the many that have graced the parade for years
Snoopy passing by
Snoopy has been part of the parade in different forms since the early 1990’s. This is the latest version of the balloon.
The Pac Man Balloon passing by
The Marshall from Paw Control balloon passes
The Buzz Lightyear balloon passes by
The Silver Macy’s Balloon
The parade passed by in intervals as the parade had to stop for performances further down the route.
The Jolly Polly Pirate Ship passes by with Mr. Fantasy. I did not know who he was.
The balloons moved down Sixth Avenue
Here comes the Shrek Onion Carriage balloon in the distance
The Shrek Onion Carriage balloon
The Goldbear balloon
The Bluey the Dog balloon
The Counting Sheep Dream float passing by with performer Debbie Gibson, a singer from the 1980’s.
The Noorah balloon
The Palace of Sweets float
The Pillsbury Doughboy then passed us
The Pillsbury Doughboy passing us in the parade
The Deck the Halls float passed us with Ms. Christmas herself, Darlene Love, whose Christmas song, ‘Nobody aught to be alone on Christmas’ is played every year in the movie, ‘Home Alone II’.
Darlene Love on the Christmas float as it passed by
Then Minnie Mouse made her appearance towards the end of the parade
Then the ‘Believe’ balloons came down Sixth Avenue to announce the arrival of Santa
Here comes Santa, which basically opens the shopping season snd Christmas
Santa waving at the crowds
Santa waving to us as he passed by
Santa saved my way as we all waved to him
Santa on his sleigh marking the end of the parade as it passed West 46th Street
Then the parade ended by us as it made its way to West 34th Street to join the crowds at Macy’s. There all the performers would perform clips from their shows.
Sixth Avenue at the end of the parade
After the parade was over, I spent some time in Midtown getting some work on previous blogs and creating new ones.
After work was over at the club, I headed down to Chinatown for my Thanksgiving dinner. I had been feeling the sniffles trying to come in, so I had my dinner at Wonton Noodle Garden for an early dinner.
I felt I needed the excise and the fresh air to fight this thing so I walked from East 44th Street to Chinatown. I figured a several mile walk would get rid of this thing. I got some great pictures in along the way. All the parks on the way to Chinatown still had foliage left on the trees and the parks were also decorated for the upcoming Christmas holiday season. This is when you get to see the City at its best.
When I was attending NYU, I never realized how close Chinatown was to campus and I made my dumpling runs as many times as I could. I wanted to be supportive to Chinatown businesses. I decided earlier I would go to Wonton Noodle Garden (Mei Lai Wah) on Bayard Street for Thanksgiving.
I thought Chinatown and Little Italy would be closed down for Thanksgiving and I would not have much of a choice of places to eat. Wrong! Chinatown was mobbed with both locals and tourists and all the restaurants would be packed until 6:00pm.
When I got to the restaurant, it was packed with diners. I sat in the counter area by the kitchen, which I enjoy. You get quicker service and I like talking to the staff.
My Thanksgiving dinner, Cantonese Wonton Soup with Roast Pork, Egg Noodles and Pork Wontons and a order of Fried Wontons
This is the best dinner and the cure all when you have a cold. It cleans out all the cold in your system. The food and the service here are excellent. I have coming here since the original restaurant opened on Mott Street back when I was in Junior high.
The Cantonese Wonton Soup chicken broth is so rich in flavor
The Fried Wontons are the perfect accompaniment to the soup, crisp and served with a sweet sauce
The Wontons are so good
The staff is so funny here. They can never believe my appetite. I had had only a quick breakfast and no lunch so this served as both lunch and dinner. I was still hungry after lunch. I knew where to walk for dessert.
I stopped down at Great Taste Bakery on 53 Catherine Street for dessert.
Not only were they open but still baking. I got two egg custards that were still hot out of the oven. The tables were filled with local residents talking with their neighbors in Chinese.
The egg custards at Great Taste Bakery
This is one of the last reasonable holdouts in Chinatown for excellent desserts and cheap prices. It caters to the older locals and the hipsters who are flooding the neighborhood.
After dinner, I decided to walk back to Port Authority since it was such a nice night. Most people think I am crazy when I do this but it really is a nice walk.
Walking through Chinatown around 5:30pm Thanksgiving night
Midtown with the Empire State Building lit for Thanksgiving
The Empire State Building in all its glory
It really was a great afternoon and a wonderful Thanksgiving. This was fun just seeing the parade on a sunny afternoon and the perfect dinner in Chinatown.
The front of the library and museum in the Fall of 2025
The historic sign
I recently visited the Beach Haven Library and Museum in Beach Haven during the holiday season and discovered a historical library with a rich history in both the community and on Long Beach Island.
The museum on the second floor
On the second floor of the library is the history room of the Beach Haven Library that contains a collection of historic artifacts and ledgers from hotels and businesses on the island. Each of the case lines tells a different story of the community from the grand hotels that once lined the shore and have since disappeared to the lives of the families that once called the island home. When I talked with one of the librarians, she told me that estates from the area donate these items to the library and this has established their collection.
The second floor fireplace
The antique kitchen equipment
The second floor of the library has another fireplace where vintage pottery and kitchen items are on display. There are also decorative pieces of pottery lining the shelves.
Historic China inside the Emily Lloyd Wilson Secretarial desk. Her father designed the Baldwin Hotel in Beach Haven.
The historic ledger from the Parry Hotel
The library has another fireplace where extensive collection of hotel ledgers and artifacts.
Letters from Elizabeth Pharo proposing the Library in 1923
Short History of the Library:
(From the library pamphlet)
Mrs. Pharo presented to the library board a proposal to build the library entirely at her own expense. She contacted Philadelphia architect, R. Brognard Okie to design the library. He chose the model of a Pennsylvania Farmhouse. The library was completed in the Fall of 1924. The museum is now over a hundred years old.
The dedication to Elizabeth Pharo, who dedicated the museum.
The Long Beach Island House Guest Ledger and historic items from the historic Bond Hotel
The records of the past resort town Long Beach Island used to be with guests coming from New York City, Philadelphia and beyond.
Historic items from the Tuckerton & Long Beach Building Land and Improvement Association
The Engleside Hotel ledger and items from the hotel
The New Jersey Declaration towards the Declaration of Independence
Historic books and periodicals
The library has an interesting collection of vintage and antique books that have been donated to the collection.
Photo display on historic sites in Beach Haven and pictures of the original library
Some of the pictures are from the old library and the artifacts come from ships ground ashore. The library has a diverse collection of items to view.
The Compass from the historic shipwreck ‘Fortuna’ that wrecked off Ship Bottom in 1910 and historic boat
The second floor museum gallery holds the diverse collection of artifacts
The second floor of the 1928 building
The first floor of the library has all sorts of historical artifacts along the walls
The Holiday Kickoff in 2025:
I visited during the library’s Holiday Open House with games, trivia and activities. There was also live music in the afternoon. It was a way that the library gives back to the community. It was a nice family event with good food and nice conversation with people from the community.
The Holiday Open House
The fireplace was going when I was talking to the librarians
It was a very nice family event where patrons families could relax, have something to eat and play games with their children. The Liberians could not have been more friendly and engaging with the public.
The Children’s Room had a holiday challenge
The museum is a rare gem tucked not just on the second floor but along the shelves and tables of the entire historic library giving visitors a chance to see all these historic artifacts mixed in with the library book collection.
The History of the Beach Haven Library:
(from the library website)
Attempts to establish a library in Beach Haven had begun as early as the 1880’s with a gift of books for the town’s children by Dr. Edward Williams. Williams, along with Charles Parry of the Parry House and the Baldwin Hotel, was a partner in the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The library collection was first housed in the home of Samuel Copperthwaite on Engleside Avenue. It was later moved into one of the Sunday School rooms of the Kynett Methodist Church, which had been built in 1890.
After the old Quaker Meeting House was donated to the town by Walter Pharo, the Reverend Alexander Corson of the Methodist Church began work, with the help of his wife, to turn the former Meeting House into a viable library. By the time they left in 1908, it was well on its way.
In 1923, Walter’s widow, Elizabeth Pharo, presented the library’s board of trustees with a proposal to build, entirely at her own expense, a new library for the town. It would be sited two blocks away from the Methodist church on a corner lot which she owned at Third Street and Beach Avenue. The library would be dedicated to the memory of her husband’s parents, Archelaus Ridgway Pharo and Louisa Willits Pharo–the founders of Beach Haven–as well as to her late husband Walter.
Mrs. Pharo contracted R. Brognard Okie, one of Philadelphia’s finest architects, to design the new library. He chose as his model a Pennsylvania farmhouse–not an early lifesaving station, as some believed. Unlike a traditional farmhouse, however, it would be constructed entirely of brick and steel and include several stunning features: three working fireplaces, a vaulted ceiling, and an interior balcony encircling the first floor.
Tons of concrete were poured and steel girders for the new, two-story structure were already up by the spring of 1924 on the southeast corner of Beach Avenue at Third Street. Okie moved to Beach Haven to supervise every step of the construction, which was all done by local builder Floyd Cranmer. Ten railcar loads of bricks were used to build the solid outer walls and it was soon evident that the town was to have the finest library on the New Jersey coast.
As the library neared completion in the late fall of 1924, its beauty was already drawing praise. Every window in the structure was framed with long shutters of pale green, which gleamed against the white brick exterior. A sweeping, multi-dormered black roof added a grace seldom seen in a public building. Surrounded by a low, white picket fence and later, a well-kept green lawn, it added an incomparable dignity to what, in that time period, was the town’s main street, Beach Avenue.
There are two large colonial-style working fireplaces on the first floor. One is in the main room and the other is behind it in the long back room on the ocean side of the library. Today this room houses the Mystery collection and its solid, ten-foot table makes it useful as a meeting room. In the early years, however, it served a different function–it was designated as the men’s reading room, and there male patrons could sit in large comfortable chairs to read magazines and newspapers. It was well lit by two tall French windows and it opened out onto the screened porch on the north side.
The main reading room with its vaulted ceiling is encircled with a balcony reached by a spiral stone staircase, its steps topped with thick slabs of slate. The balcony flooring is of oak, as are all of the spindles in the railings. The upstairs walls are lined with books. One great window on the west side rises ten feet to the ceiling. The rest are all set into dormers. On the east wall behind the upstairs balcony there is a door where one may step down into a well-furnished little museum with high, beamed ceilings and a huge stone fireplace. It is filled with old hotel registers, deeds, diaries, photographs and other mementos of Beach Haven’s vibrant history.
The Beach Haven Public Library is a prime architectural treasure on Long Beach Island and a direct link to a colorful past that is the town’s most precious heritage. Mrs. Elizabeth Pharo’s gift to the town, itself now almost 100 years old, is as stunning as the day it was built. The taxpayers who support it are proud of its status as the only independent library in Ocean County and have chosen to keep it that way.
Schneider’s Bakery at 157 Main Street in Cooperstown, NY
The front window of Schneider’s Bakery
I have only visited Cooperstown, NY twice but I have made my annual visit to Schneider’s Bakery part of my annual visit. The doughnuts, danishes, twist and croissants here are excellent. I stop in for breakfast, desserts and snacks there when I am in town. It is not just the taste of the pastries, it is the way the store is displayed too.
The inside counter for coffee and drinks
The only problem with the store is that there is no place to sit down to enjoy all these delicious treats. You have to take your pastry to go. The other problem is the choices. There are so many yummy things to choose from it is hard not to walk out with a bag full of goodies.
The cases of cookies
I loved the creativity of the designs of the cakes and cookies in the store. I thought the Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas themed cookies looked like little pieces of art. They really put you on the holiday spirit.
The delicious selection of doughnuts
The history of Schneider’s Bakery:
(From the Cooperstown’s Downtown website)
Since 1887, Schneider’s Bakery has been serving Cooperstown residents and visitors alike some of the tastiest baked goods around! Everything from moon pies and cupcakes, to chocolate chip cookies and homemade donuts, can be found at Schneider’s.
The doughnuts and croissant’s were really good and very fairly priced. That was the one thing about Schneider’s Bakery, their prices are very reasonable.
The fantastic Apple filled jelly doughnut
On my first day in town, I stopped for a quick snack of one of their Apple filled doughnuts and these are just mindblowingly good. I was impressed by the fresh apple filling and it almost tasted like a cross between an apple pie and apple turnover.
The lemon zested Glazed Doughnut
It was so good, I had to go back and get another treat to take back to my room at the hotel. I took one of their Glazed Doughnuts back with me and it had a unique taste. It tasted like there was lemon zest in the dough. It had a very unique and sweet flavor to it.
On my last day at the resort, I stopped in for some breakfast items to take back to the room with me. I did not want a big breakfast for the three hour trip home and just something light to tide me over until I got on the road.
The Ham and Cheese Croissant
I started with one of their Ham and Cheese Croissants for breakfast and it was delicious. Filled with sharp Cheddar Cheese and sweet ham, it was the perfect savory item. They should think about putting eggs in it.
Yum!
The Raspberry Long John
This was excellent and tastes even better than it looks
I finished breakfast with one of their glazed Raspberry Long John’s, which is an elongated doughnut with a thick, sugary glaze. I swear I saw stars when I bit into it. The Raspberry jam tasted like it was freshly made and the dough was so soft and sweet. It was excellent.
Afterwards, you can walk these off with a tour of picturesque downtown Cooperstown. It was all decorated for the upcoming Christmas Parade. I am sure that Santa would link to get his treats from here as well.
Walking in Downtown Cooperstown, NY Thanksgiving week in 2025
Downtown Cooperstown, NY decorated for the holidays
There is always a lot of excitement when a new art exhibition is ready to open. It is even better when the museum opens it to its members first before the public gets a glimpse. The lines always wrap around the corner from the museum.
The long line of MoMA members waiting to get into the museum for the opening night of Artist Ruth Asawa’s exhibition
I noticed this year especially and right before Thanksgiving, all the museums are throwing open their doors for Member’s Nights. I have been invited to five Members Nights at museums all over the City. You can’t attend them all but when you can, it is a lot of fun.
The excitement the museum creates for these evenings
Video of entering the museum at the start of the opening with 80’s Japanese Pop Music
I think in an economy like this, these Members Nights are one of the best ways to engage with the membership for both donations and renewals of memberships especially before the holiday season. Plus it gives the members a wonderful night out to see the exhibitions ahead of time and enjoy the evening after a long week at work.
Born on a farm in Southern California, Asawa began her arts education when she was a teenager and she and her family were among the thousands of persons of Japanese descent who were forcibly incarcerated by the US government during World War II. It was at the internment camp that Asawa began taking classes in painting and drawing. After her release, Asawa studied to be a teacher but was unable to get a license because of her Japanese heritage, so she enrolled at Black Mountain College, an experimental art school in North Carolina. Asawa took classes from and worked alongside fellow artists Josef Albers, Robert Rauschenberg, Merce Cunningham, and R. Buckminster Fuller. Black Mountain was also where she met her husband, the architect Albert Lanier.
I loved her wire woven sculptures. They were the real standouts of the show.
The wire woven sculptures were the standouts of the exhibition
I thought these were a unique design
I liked here colorful paintings, these are of her child’s footprints. I loved the idea that her children were involved with the art
The patrons enjoying the art
The display of the wire art
The displays were impressive and graceful
The colorful faces looked tired
The look of nature in the wire art in the form of trees
I loved her works of food
At the end of the exhibition and the evening, I joined everyone on the main floor where the bar and gift shop were located. The main floor was the busiest part of the museum. I wondered if some of these people even went upstairs to see the exhibition or just stayed downstairs to socialize.
The main floor of the museum is always packed with people
Share in the excitement of the Membership opening
These evenings always get my mind off the stress of life. It is nice to just be in Midtown Manhattan and be in the moment. It is nice to see art, hear music and walk through the museum.
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