Letters   Made to order   I purchased a copy of the December Hudson Valley magazine from my local drug store and felt as if it was developed just for me. I read the magazine ...

The New Normal   Down-to-earth dining with a touch of class at Bywater Bistro in Rosendale       A few years back, when a couple of sophisticated city guys opened a hip restaurant called ...

Champions of Chocolate   Is your Valentine ready for a $10 chocolate bar?     Oliver Kita and Rae Stang think so. Both recently traded in careers as chef-restaurateurs to open small shops in the ...

  A Reunion of Revolutionaries Bard College Remembers     In the aftermath of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, close to 300 student refugees called Bard College home. This month, the college hosts a reunion of ...

Have you ever heard telemarketers trying to deal with the word “Poughkeepsie?” Coming upon it in the midst of a chirpy spiel, it’s as if they’ve rushed headlong into a wall. While they ponder all ...

Of Bistros and Birthdays   I tend to ignore my birthday. Presents don’t excite me that much (although I will graciously accept if any of you feel compelled to buy me the latest Mustang convertible). ...

Contributors’ Corner     Veteran Hudson Valley portrait photographer Michael Polito loved this month’s assignment: to capture chocolatier Oliver Kita in motion. “Oliver explained his process and philosophy of chocolate making. I could sense that ...

  Marching orders for the modern West Point Women’s Club: raise money for charity, and have a damn good time doing it!     There are any number of reasons to visit the storied United ...

For Peat’s Sake     Thousands of Valleyites pass this imposing structure every day, although it’s a safe bet that most of them don’t know exactly what it is. No, it’s not a cell tower ...

Knight light     One of the shining stars of R&B music headlines the gala at the Bardavon Opera House. Gladys Knight, a seven-time Grammy Award winner and member of the Rock and Roll Hall ...

Best New Restaurants   It’s official. The Hudson Valley has arrived as an international dining destination. Master chefs, many trained right here at the world-renowned Culinary Institute of America in Dutchess County, are wooing locals ...