Ilana Papele’s The List

Welcome to July 2009. This means we’re six mere months away from 2010.

Dutchess County Wine Shops will only be open from 9am to 10am on July 4, which means for many small businesses, it is not worth it to open for one hour. An alternative is to swing by the Millbrook Winery, for those wine purchases, though the olive oil and view are quite wonderful too. 845-677-8383, 11 – 6.

Powerhouse Summer Suppers at Café on the Quad, on Friday and Saturday evenings – July 3 to August 1 – from 5:30 to 8:00pm (but not on July 4). Powerhouse patrons will now be able to relax, savor, and enjoy a selection of cuisines on five weekends this summer. Rotating basis by Arlington’s Babycakes Café, Beech Tree Grill (with desserts by Bittersweet), the Dubliner, Twisted Soul, and Zorona Restaurant. Between the Powerhouse Theater and the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film on the Vassar campus. Wine and beer will be offered in addition to a menu sampling from each of the restaurants (cash only). July 3rd features the Dubliner. In addition, the Alumnae House, Friday and Saturday evenings [7/10-11, 7/17-18, 7/24-25, 7/31-8/1] Gigi Hudson Valley will offer “Hudson Valley Mediterranean” flavors starting at 6pm. The prix-fixe dinner menu, reservations (914) 388-7175. And Powerhouse patrons should save their ticket stubs as 17 Arlington restaurants will redeem them for a pre- and post- theater discount. Can’t watch theatre on an empty stomach.

Bard’s Summerscape SpiegelTent again has the SpiegelClub, a late-night bar and dance floor with music spun by New York City and local DJs. Thursday Night Live (8:30–11 pm), hosted by SpiegelMaestro Nik Quaife and WKZE Radio Archaeology DJ Raissa St. Pierre, features local Hudson Valley talent as well as New York City-area bands, singers, musicians, and poets. Food too, casual summer fare served each week at lunchtime on Saturday and Sunday (1–3 pm) and dinnertime on Thursday through Sunday (5:30–8 pm*). And, after a busy and stimulating weekend at SummerScape, chill at the Sunday SpiegelLounge (5:30–11 pm), where friends can enjoy the ambiance of the Spiegeltent in a convivial atmosphere featuring great music mixes, drinks, and small plates – but no live music! Check the schedule for performances. 845-758-7900 or fishercenter.bard.edu.

July is packed with performances.

Vassar’s Powerhouse Theatre features Ninety, by Joanna Murray-Smith, Directed by Maria Mileaf, performed without an intermission. July 1, 2, 3, 7*, 8, 9, 10, 11 at 8pm; July 5, 11, 12 at 2pm; July 5 at 7pm (no performance on Saturday, July 4). Post-show discussion on Tuesday, July 7. Powerhouse Theater, $35.

Triarts in Sharon continues with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum through July 4. www.triarts.net. 860-364-show.

Hudson Valley Shakespeare at Boscobel, www.shakespeare.org, performs Pericles, Much Ado About Nothing and The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged). Thursday, July 2, Dutchess residents have reduced admission. Friday, July 3 and 10 are Wine and Cheese Tasting nights, with an increased admission, but wine and cheese. 845-265-8575.

The Who’s Tommy. Peter Townshend’s tale of a young boy’s journey from pain to triumph is the most electrifying evening of rock and roll ever to play in a theatre! The classic 1960s rock opera by The Who, is a high-energy, one-of-a-kind theatrical event. 8pm Fridays and Saturdays; 3pm Sunday. The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. Tickets: $22; $20. 845-876-3080. www.centerforperformingarts.org. Through July 12.

Forbidden Broadway at Stageworks in Hudson. A “panoply of parodies” 518-822-9667. Through July 12. www.stageworkshudson.org.

Tales of Anton Chekhov at the Basilica Industria in Hudson. 518-610-0909. Fri – Sun. AKA Virtue, Desire, Death and Foolishness. Through July 19.

Non-theatrical things to keep you busy:

Millbrook Fireman’s Carnival starts early this year, July 8 – 11. Grounds open 7pm.

“Be Creative @ The Millbrook Library” this summer. The 2009 Summer Reading Program is open to toddlers through young adults. Summer lineup includes special programs, prize drawings, contests, story hours, reading clubs, family movie night, music, craft events, a Tween Lock-In and Pajama Night. Participants register to keep a reading record kept at the Library. Recording reading time and favorite titles allows children to select prizes from the Prize Box and earns raffle tickets for the weekly drawing. The logs will cover from June 24 to August 31. Summer Reading Wrap-up Open House on September 1st when participants will receive a certificate of completion and a gift book. There will be craft tables set up all day as well as snacks.

Wednesday, July 1:

Free concert at the Mills Mansion in Staatsburgh with the Jim Osborne Orchestra. Outside, 7pm. 845-229-8086.

Zappa Plays Zappa at the Bardavon. 7:30. 845-473-2072, www.bardavon.org.

Thursday, July 2:

Tivoli Bays Talks: The Hudson Before Hudson, Dave Conover. Free. Tivoli Bays Visitor Center, Tivoli 7:30 – 8:30pm. 845-889-4745 x105.

Friday, July 3:

Aston Magna at Bard. Music of the 17th and 18th centuries performed on period instruments. Admission charged. 8 p.m., Olin Hall. 845-758-7887. Also on July 10 and 17. www.bard.edu.

At the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds, Demolition Derby and Fireworks. Probably a fee. 845-876-4000, www.dutchessfair.com.

Art in the Loft at the Millbrook Winery opening for exhibit that runs through September 6, with the Opening Reception taking place on Sunday, July 12th from 3 – 5 p.m. This exhibit features paintings by Andrea Alvin, Angela Manno and Barbara Masterson. The gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All works on display are also available for purchase. 845-677-8383. www.millbrookwine.com

Shorty King’s Clubhouse, “Junk, Swing, Rhythm & Blues from the Vault”, 7:30 at the Millbrook Bandshell. http://www.millbrookartsgroup.org/mag_events.html.

Saturday, July 4:

Millbrook Farmer’s Market is open, 9 to 1, and Helen Avakian will be playing guitar. Great place to pick up hostess presents, desserts, healthy food and fresh produce.

Charlottes and Red Devon dining are closed, but the Red Devon market is open with a menu geared to make your holiday more relaxing and delicious.

Hudson Valley Philharmonic with Fireworks at the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds. Definitely a fee. 845-876-4000, www.dutchessfair.com.

Fireworks in Poughkeepsie at Waryas Park. Part of the Quadricentennial festival with fireboat too. If the park isn’t your thing, Riverstation offers a superb view.

Fourth of July Parade in Hyde Park, with floats, marching bands, the works. 10am.

Independence Day Celebration at Clermont in Germantown. 18th Century food and entertainment and watch the Saugerties Fireworks. 3 – 10, pay by the carload.

Stormville Flea Market. Everything you could possibly be looking for.

And Millbrook Golf and Tennis Fireworks, whether you at the Clubhouse or the cemetery. Unless it rains, then look up on the 5th.

Sunday, July 5:

The New York Opera Studio will present a selection of scenes from operas during an afternoon performance. This program is open to the public without charge and will begin at 2pm in the Martel Recital Hall of the Skinner Hall of Music on the Vassar College campus. No reservations are necessary.

IWT Writing Workshop for Teachers at Bard. Weeklong workshop for secondary school and college teachers of all subjects. Presented by the Institute for Writing and Thinking. Registration and fee required. 845-758-7484 or jsmith@bard.edu. Thru July 10.

Tuesday, July 7:

A Forum On Opportunities In Ecology, 9 – 3:30. The forum provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to hear firsthand about a wide range of career paths in ecology. The forum is open to all students at no charge. A full schedule of speakers is available on line at http://www.ecostudies.org/events.html. Interested individuals should register for the afternoon program. No registration required for the morning session. Contact 677-7600 x 326 or zolnickp@caryinstitute.org. The program will be held at the auditorium. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Turnpike, Millbrook, NY.

Wednesday, July 8:

Free concert at the Vanderbilt Mansion with The Bearcats Jazz band, a DixieLand jazz treat. 7pm. 229-8086.

Fireman’s Carnival in Millbrook has the opening night special of pay one price for all rides. “Live Music by Local DJ”, which frankly has needs clarification.

Thursday, July 9:

Karaoke for Kids at the Fireman’s Carnival.

The Millbrook Library Book Club will be discussing: Bondwoman’s Narrative by Hannah Crafts and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 12:30. Please bring a bag lunch. Refreshments and dessert will be provided. New members are always welcome. Registration not required.

Soundpainting At Late Night At The Lehman Loeb, Vassar. Dances at an Exhibition. Directed and soundpainted by Mark Lindberg at 6 pm.

Bard SummerScape commences with postmodern dance pioneer Lucinda Childs’ Dance, a multimedia performance of three dances, with film by Sol LeWitt and a soundtrack by Philip Glass. The Fisher Center commissioned the reconstruction of this piece with additional support from The Yard. Dance was made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces: Dance Initiative, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts. Sosnoff Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. July 9, 10, and 11, at 8:00 p.m.; July 12 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets: $25, 40, 55. 845-758-7900 or www.fishercenter.bard.edu.
And the SpiegelTent is open for dining.

Eleemosynary, Lee Blessing’s Clever and Poignant Play at Marist, July 9 – 12. 914-456-0327. www.rivervalleyrep.com.

And coming next weekend, the Amenia Garden Tour, Creek Week, Kevin Zraly on wine and much, much more.