Sponsor Shout-Out: And North – Beyond the Boroughs

What does “upstate” mean to you? Geography aside, the word “upstate” conjures all sorts of images and ideas, especially if you’re from the city—farm fresh food, Mom & Pop shops, craftspeople, and nature at its best, to name a few…

…But for Emma Tuccillo, the founder of lifestyle/travel blog And North, one might say it means “inspiration.” As she recently told Grace Bonney on After the Jump, she’s not just been inspired by upstate New York herself, she also wants to encourage the creatives of the city to head upstate to be inspired by—and appreciative of—the creatives outside the five boroughs. We think it’s a noble mission!

And North describes itself as “a curated guide to upstate New York for creative individuals.” From inns and restaurants to local artists and purveyors, from scenic bypasses and the area’s most beautiful hiking spots, And North collects the best our great area has to offer on one beautifully written, expertly collected website with a gorgeous aesthetic and perfectly-composed photos, all gathered and communicated from a unique point of view—that of young creatives who discovered the joys of upstate while attending college at SUNY New Paltz. The blog is part travelogue of their adventures and visits—the things they see and do, the food they eat—and part intimate portraits of the people they meet and places they go.

Emma and her team of writers, photographers, designers, and other creative friends celebrate the area they’ve come to love, and seek to connect the creative communities of NYC and those “north.” They’ve featured businesses and people from all over the Hudson Valley, the Catskills, and the Adirondacks, including some of our favorite places close to home: Market Market in Rosendale, the Esopus Lighthouse, Hullabaloo sponsors Kingston Wine Co., and more!

We’d like to thank And North for sponsoring Hullabaloo, and sharing our mission of telling the world just how fantastic it is up here!

Check out their blog (www.andnorth.com), and their Instagram (http://instagram.com/andnorth), to see where they go and who they’ll feature next! 

On the Hullabaloose!: Anna Rexia and her Winter Spirits Roam Hullabaloo

We’re SO enchanted by the amazing costumes, characters, and mythical beings that are “Anna Rexia and her Winter Spirits”…So you can imagine just how excited we were when Anna expressed an interest in bringing her spirits down from the soon-to-be-snowcapped Catskills to play with us at Hullabaloo before they get too busy doing wintery things (you know: making icicles, tiptoeing around hibernating bears, sorting snowflakes, freezing your car doors shut…)!

While they usual only emerge from their forest hiding places during full moons, Anna and her tribe have made appearances at some of the coolest area events, including the Woodstock Film Festival and the O+ Festival, so you might recognize them from their forays into the streets of unsuspecting cities and villages. Don’t worry…they’re delightful!

Anna combines an earthy, natural look with whimsy and an otherworldly aesthetic that evokes fairy tales, mythology, and fable, to create unforgettable and hauntingly beautiful characters.  She has conceptualized, created, produced, and done make-up and costume designs for both organized and impromptu performances all over the region, mesmerizing attendees and delighting onlookers with her amazing costumes. She’s also got a great Etsy shop where she sells her wild, woodland-inspired headware, is available for all sorts of artistic projects—from store windows to clowning—and she draws and creates in various other mediums too. She describes herself as a visual artist and character cultivator and explains that her stage name is a statement, not an endorsement for unhealthy body images or lifestyles (in fact, she wants to be a voice for body positivity!). Check out this multi-talented lady’s work here: www.annarexia.org

The characters are engaging and captivating, and the costumes and make-up are stunningly beautiful. We can’t wait to meet them all! The Winter Spirits will be roaming and frolicking through the aisles, interacting with our friendly shoppers, and will even be available for photos—in or outside of Peter’s photo booth!  (Rumor has it that a new Spirit may make her debut at Hullabaloo too!)

We know it’ll be a magical experience for Hullabalooers of all ages. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see these magnificent beasts roaming free!

Sponsor Shout-Out: Basch & Keegan LLP –Super Lawyers Supporting the Arts and the Community!

Whether you’re event organizers in need of community support (like us), or an injured client in need of guidance and representation, the Hudson Valley can always count on Basch & Keegan! Their team of lawyers has been dedicated exclusively to personal injury law for over 35 years, advocating for those who have been harmed by negligence, carelessness, and irresponsibility. Basch & Keegan’s Kingston-based boutique litigation firm has recovered millions of dollars for satisfied clients all over the valley, getting them the financial compensation they deserve, so that they can focus on healing…

All the lawyers at Basch & Keegan—Eli, Maureen, Derek, and John—are life-long or long-time residents of Ulster County, and they’re active and strongly-rooted in the community. In addition to Hullabaloo, these Super Lawyers—literally: they’re all recognized by “Super Lawyers,” a service that rates outstanding lawyers in 70+ practice areas—support all kinds of great events and organizations, including: The Kingston Farmers’ Market, The Jewish Federation Art Auction, The LGBTQ Community Center, The Boys & Girls Club of Kingston, Kingston & Benedictine Hospitals, Kingston High School football, and other sports leagues and teams.

We hope you never ever get hurt—but if you do, Basch & Keegan are the ones to call. They’ll take care of you, personally, not through a case manager, and they’re seriously amazing people!

We’d like to thank the Basch & Keegan team for sponsoring Hullabaloo, supporting so many of this great community’s happenings, and helping injured people get the compensation they deserve. http://www.baschkeegan.com/