The best cheap eats are free

Artisan Wine Shop in Beacon offers free wine and food tastings every Friday and Saturday night.

Spend happy hour tonight (4 to 7 p.m.) with all-American wines like SkinFlint Rose, Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc and Bogart Old Vine Cinsault Lodi and munch on whatever owners Tim Buzinski and Mei Ying So — both Culinary Institute of America grads — are inspired to make.

On Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m., Artisan features South African wines and frikkadels — South African meatballs — to go with them.

Artisan is located at 180 Main St.

One more apocalyptic treat from Vassar

"Children of Men" (2006) closes Vassar College's free outdoor series of films that focus on some form of failed utopian ideals. The movie, screened tonight at 8:30 on the east lawn of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, is an absolute must-see for sci-fi fans.

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, "Children of Men" is set in Great Britain in 2027, an era plagued by two decades of global infertility that has left the remaining humans with less than a century to survive.

Check out the ground-breaking camerawork in the car scene. Cuaron's use of long shots makes you feel like you are part of this dystopia.

I'm going to have to miss tonight's screening because I'll be on the Poughkeepsie campus watching "Geometry of Fire."

Click here to read my interview with star Logan Marshall-Green.

Late to the sake party

I recently discovered that New Paltz has its own sake bar in the Cabaloosa complex. It's called Katana Sake. Katana features dry sake, unfiltered sake and sweet sake. The list of Japanese-inspired cocktails is creative and fun: Love Potion #9. Apple Sakatini, Singapore Sling, Thai Stick, Patpong Punch, Siam Squeeze and Samurai Rocks.

The Hello Kitty is made with Japanese Soju vodka, Calpico and cranberry juice.

They also advertise "Absinthe Refined." Absinthe? Wow. Is this for real?

If anyone is a fan of Katana, tell me more about it. I did find an article by Journal reporter Alice Hunt that describes the place. The photo above was taken for the story last year by Journal freelancer A.J. Soto.

See you out in New Paltz.

Cheap eats update: Janet's Jerk Stop

Poughkeepsie's highly recommended Janet's Jerk Stop, 96 Washington St., has a booth at the Poughkeepsie Farmers Market, which takes place on Fridays on Main Street.

I'm writing this post in between delicious forkfuls of curry chicken, rice and beans and cabbage with carrots: $6. Janet is also serving jerk chicken and fried chicken at the stand. If you can't get to the market today, you will have to wait two weeks. Janet will be vacationing Jamaica.

Also, Anu Bhatia is at the market today doing cooking demonstrations with her homemade chutneys and masala sauce.

Beautify your palms with mendhi for free

Sadhna Bhargava will be in front of Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center today creating intricate designs with henna. Her appearance is part of Weekend on Main, a daylong celebration of the artistic renaissance taking place in downtown Poughkeepsie. It begins today at noon and goes until 8 p.m.

This photo by Poughkeepsie Journal photographer Kathy McLaughlin demonstrates Bhargava's handiwork (so to speak).

Read my Poughkeepsie Journal article about henna here.

During your Weekend on Main stroll, be sure to check out G.A.S., a new visual art and performance space at 196 Main St.

For lunch, I recommend a stop at The Artist's Palate, which has a farm-driven menu and features fabulous exhibition of posters from the "Jazzin', Jammin' and Jivin'" collection of Separate Cinema.

'Entourage' star dons Vassar T-shirt in doc

To call Adrian Grenier a friend would be a lie. To call him an acquaintance would be a gross overstatement.

But back in 2000, I actually kinda sorta knew him. Adrian was dating the beautiful and super talented roommate of my boyfriend (now husband), Sean, so our paths crossed all the time.

In 2001, he attended my wedding at the Hillside Manor as a guest but pitched in to help his then-girlfriend, our photographer. That's right, Adrian took pictures of me.

Sean and I were part of a short film Adrian directed that involved us getting on a subway train and acting like tourists.

He even invited us to the Tribeca Film Festival screening of his documentary, "Shot in the Dark" in 2002.

Haven't spoken to Adrian since we moved from New York, but I did get a chance to watch the deeply personal documentary again on HBO last night. In it he questions the necessity of fatherhood as he confronts his estranged dad. The two hadn't seen each other in 18 years.

Although he attended Bard College, Adrian wears a Vassar T-shirt for much of the film.

Check out "Shot in the Dark" if you can. You will get a glimpse of the life of the down-to-earth star before Vincent Chase was even a concept.

Calling all cyberpunks

Vassar College will screen Ridley Scott's 1982 cult film, "Blade Runner," for free Thursday.

The outdoor screening at 8:30 p.m. coincides with the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center's current exhibition, "Utopian Mirage: Social Metaphors in Contemporary Photography and Film."

The museum remains open until 9 p.m. Thursday nights.

So pack a picnic, libations and bug spray, and head to the Poughkeepsie campus.

It's time to ponder the classic sci-fi question, "Can the maker repair what he makes?"

Were you there?

The Hudson Valley Horrors made their derby debut Sunday at Hyde Park Roller Magic. I profiled the ladies last September, which drew the attention of the New York Times, followed by ABC World News with Charles Gibson. I feel like I've watched them grow and mature from skating novices to roller terrors. And I ended up missing the bout! If you were there, please, please, please tell me about it by posting below.

(Photo by Poughkeepsie Journal photographer Karl Rabe)

Father's Day picks for alterna-dads

If the Gen-Ex dad in your life is more tattoo than tie, here are a couple of cool ideas for Father's Day:

The Hudson Valley Horrors, the valley's own female flat track roller derby league, take on the Pioneer Valley Western Mass Destruction in their inaugural bout, "Who's Your Daddy?" The action takes place Sunday at 6 p.m. at Hyde Park Roller Magic on Route 9.

Seats are $13 in advance, $15 at the door.

Tickets can be purchased at the rink in Hyde Park, Firebird Grill and Lounge in Rhinebeck, Catskill Art & Office Supply in Kingston and Burt's Electronics in Kingston.

And in Poughkeepsie, dad can smoke the hookah and dine on Middle Eastern food while belly dancers entertain him at Zorona on Raymond Avenue.

Reservations are necessary. Call 845-471-8838.

Cute roadside stand alert

I snapped this picture on Route 9G, near the intersection of Route 199 in Red Hook.

Bubby's Burritos serves rice and bean burritos and cheese quesadillas with all the fixins for cheap out of a Trillium 1300 trailer decorated with potted plants.

The owners split their time between their stand in Red Hook and their restaurant in Mexico.

Try it on your next trip to Bard College or Tivoli.

And if you do, let me know what you think.

My first valley haircut

I skipped my usual trip to Williamsburg and booked an appointment with Jen at Le Shag.

See my previous post about the best places to get a cool cut in the Hudson Valley here.

Jen has a lot of musician clients whom she met through her fiance, Grasshopper, of the band Mercury Rev. She is also the makeup artist/hair stylist for Bard College's SummerScape festival.

This haircut cost me $30, $20 less than what I usually pay in the city. I really like it and whole heartedly recommend Le Shag. If you go, tell Jen an exiled hipster sent you.

Reality check, Hudson Valley style

The falls at Minnewaska State Park, one of the best things about living in the mid-Hudson Valley. I took this picture during a beautiful hike a couple of weeks ago.












And one of the worst things: the deer tick. My husband just discovered one attached to his leg at about 12:45 a.m. today. We think it had been feasting since Saturday. He's on the phone with the doctor now.

I have really close friends that have Lyme disease, but it's really freaky when a tick strikes someone you love. Here's hoping he's okay ...


Oh, and to add flame to the fire, I spotted a deer walking in my backyard at about 7:30 a.m. (I live in the city of Kingston!)

Anyone have any advice for us?

Update: A reader suggested this link to the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society's Web site as a better source of information than the county site I provided.

Grab a blanket, watch 'Metropolis' outdoors

Yup, it's currently pouring outside, and I am writing a post about an outdoor movie screening. But I am an optimist.

Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College launches its free outdoor film series on Thursday at 8:30 with a screening of Fritz Lang's classic thinkers versus workers movie, "Metropolis" (1927).

"Metropolis" depicts skyscrapers, technology and the urban paradise, along with the failure of the city to live up to its expectations. Similar issues are addressed in the art center's new exhibition, "Utopian Mirage: Social Metaphors in Contemporary Photography and Film."

All films in this June series will be screened on the east lawn of the art center at the Poughkeepsie campus, weather permitting. (If it rains, the screenings will be moved indoors.)

Other movies are "Playtime" (1967), "Blade Runner" (1982) and "Children of Men" (2006).

Pray for sunshine.

A peek at my weekend plans

Saturday is an all-Kingston day for me. First, I will hit the Old Town Stockade Farmers Market and maybe breakfast at Gabriel's.

In the early evening I'm going to hop on the new Art Bus and check out some of the First Saturday openings, including Chad Hunt's war photography exhibit at the Kingston Museum of Contemporary Arts. (Pick up a copy of today's Enjoy! to read my story about Hunt and his work.)

I will end the evening at Elephant, my new favorite wine bar and restaurant on Wall Street. The husband and wife team of Rich Reeve (chef) and Maya Karrol (front of house) used to own the beloved Brady's Public House in Poughkeepsie.

On Sunday, I will participate in the henna workshop in Highland. If you can't attend, read my first-person story about it in next Friday's Poughkeepsie Journal.