July 2011

Contest: Win tickets to the Sullivan County International Great Beer Expo 2011

Tell us your favorite local brewpub and beer and you could win free passes to the International Great Beer Expo in Rock Hill, NY on July 23

By: Jessica Friedlander

Easy Banana-Nut Bread Recipe

The best, easiest, and fastest banana-nut bread recipe you’ll ever need, courtesy of The Joy of Cooking via Hudson Valley Senior Editor, Polly Sparling

Best Shopping Deals in Ulster County This Week: Big Summer Sale at DIG Boutique in Saugerties, NY

This week’s best shopping deal (July 28-Aug. 3): Big 50% off Summer Sale and additional 5% off online at DIG Boutique in Saugerties, N.Y.

By: Jessica Friedlander

Best Shopping Deals in Dutchess County This Week: Summer Spree Sale at Montgomery Row Storefronts in Rhinebeck, NY

This week’s best shopping deal (July 7-13): Summer Spree Sale at Montgomery Row in Rhinebeck, N.Y.

By: Jessica Friedlander

Fourth of July Guide 2011: Hudson Valley Fireworks Shows

Your guide to July 4 fireworks in the Hudson Valley, NY

By Hilary Sparling

Hudson Valley Hiking 2011: Best Hiking Trails and Paths in the Hudson Valley, New York

If anywhere on Earth qualifies as a hiker’s paradise, the Hudson Valley has got to be it. You’re a novice looking for a short and easy trail? We’ve got many. An expert trekker seeking a...

By Polly Sparling

Fighting Fracking in the Hudson Valley: Actor Mark Ruffalo Leads the Movement to Stop Hydraulic Fracturing for New York’s Natural Gas

Could high-volume hydraulic fracturing be used to mine natural gas in the Valley? Some area residents — including a famous actor — are working to ensure that never happens

By Richard L. Gaw

Hudson Valley Home: Summer 2011

An Ulster county artisan explores unique furniture options; the “fifth wall” tops interior home design trends for 2011; and a gymnasium-turned-house gets a workout

Hiking in the Hudson Valley: Breakneck Ridge, Beacon and Cold Spring, NY (Editor’s Letter)

A word from Hudson Valley Editor in Chief, Olivia J. Abel

By Olivia J. Abel

Letters to the Editor in July 2011

Read our letters to the editor for July 2011

Chatter

Choppers move into downtown Newburgh, and a new meaning for “camp fire”

Iona Island: A History of Bear Mountain State Park’s Most Mysterious Isle in Rockland County, NY

Native American fishing spot, Dutch homestead, failed vineyard, amusement park, Navy depot, nature preserve — tiny Iona Island has seen it all

By David Levine

Events: Out & About in July 2011

The power comes in on Potown, Bethel goes from pop to doo wop, SummerScape settles in at Bard

By Polly Sparling

Events: Polly’s Picks in July 2011

Senior Editor Polly Sparling lists the best events picks for July 2011

By Polly Sparling

Events: Kid’s Korner in July 2011

Enjoy the outdoors by searching for dragonflies — or cool off inside with a museum tour, a puppet show, or a magic-carpet musical

By Melissa Esposito

Restaurant Review in Putnam County: Valley at The Garrison, Garrison, NY

Fine fare — along with awe-inspiring river and mountain views — make Valley at The Garrison a dining destination

By Lynn Hazlewood

Hudson Valley Food Trucks

From healthy eats to indulgent sweets, food trucks around the Valley serve a variety of fantastic fare

By Melissa Esposito

Restaurant Recommendation in Dutchess County: Bull & Buddha, Poughkeepsie, NY

Eat out at Bull & Buddha in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, this month

Hudson Valley Celebrity Sightings: How to Miss the Clintons, Paul Rudd, Kevin Bacon, Mary Tyler Moore, and Liam Neeson Like a Pro (Opinion Column)

More than a pleasant pastime, people-watching in the Valley is an all-out war

By Kathleen Norton