Hi Friends,
Last week I had a call with a woman who writes a very successful local newsletter in Boise. Nintey-nine percent of the advice she gave me was things I already know and will never, ever believe unless I hear them from someone else.
She also told me that my individual voice is my superpower, which was quite a statement after twenty minutes of my typically vigorous conversational cursing.
The best, most obvious, hardest to take advice was “do not pursue the shiny object.” If it’s not the thing itself, and it’s not how the thing makes money, it is a shiny object. The young people call these things side quests. The old timers call them the dumb shit we do for fun. As a person with no coworkers with whom to brainstorm , I call them the ideas that wake me up at 2am.
A few examples:
A master list of every local business I’ve ever written about, filtered by category on a dynamic map
Weekend retreats with workshops from Hudson Valley chefs, producers, artists and writers
“Catskills Cupid” singles events (credit to emu friend Gemma for this one)
A dinner series with local producers
A book club in a format inspired by Thoreau’s “three chairs”
A holiday shopping guide of local food, spirits, beauty/wellness, art/decor and books/stationary
An ongoing, constantly updated calendar
A monthly email of event highlights (You can vote on that one and find a link to October’s highlights here. That was last week’s shiny object.)
A directory of clubs and volunteer orgs with recurring activities
She gave me a way around this, though. Poll the community! Force you to do the filtering for me.
If you have a shiny object to consider, just reply to this email and let me know. Otherwise, we’ll dig in further next week.
Newburgh residents are packing the meeting to ask what the town has done since voting to oppose an ICE processing or detention facility at 800 Corporate Blvd. 7pm, 1496 Route 300.
Mickey's Igloo in Kingston is blending Little Rye Bake House's salted maple pie whole into a vanilla shake, then topping it with whipped cream, a maple drizzle, and powdered brown sugar. A combo that makes my heart sing and my gluten- and dairy-sensitive intestines make other noises.
Speaking of gurgling and growling, Boutique Wines, Spirits & Cider is offering $8 (!) growler fills of cider with this handy coupon.
Local artists have until Oct 31 to apply for a 2027 gallery show at Millbrook Library through the Millbrook Arts Project. The selection committee reviews in mid-November.
A long autumn weekend in the Catskills. Breathwork, yoga, cacao, writing, and deep rest with a bunch of strangers in the woods. After my Pagebreak experience I'm all in on these. Just watch out if they start feeling culty.
Potter Bros's ski and snowboard sale is Oct 9 to 12 on Route 28 in Kingston, with 2027 Burton, Salomon and Blizzard gear on the racks. A free lift ticket comes with a qualifying purchase.
A reader is rounding up a group to hike to the Red Hill fire tower from the Dinch Road trailhead in Claryville. Meet at 8am (GPS: 60 Dinch Rd). Hi Teddy!
Thursday, October 8