DRIVEN Blog
Serrano Ham: Join the Converted
Okay. This has nothing directly to do with Spain (or Italy, for that matter). It concerns two people living in Cold Spring, NY who share a passion for European cured hams. Michael and I have been enjoying Italian Prosciutto di Parma for decades, since long before we even met. Whether on a hero with other cured meats…
In The Abstract at Gallery 66NY: Where Great Local Art Rotates Each Month
The Hudson Valley has caught on: New Yorkers love art and the art scene. Now that our region is overflowing with noteworthy artists, the villages that are ahead of the curve are featuring them in their own hip…
Inside Scoop: What They're Saying Behind Your Back
Woody Allen says that 80% of success is showing up. Goldie says that 80% of success is showing up on time! Picture it: There were four of us sitting at the table in the restaurant dining room ready to begin our business meeting…
Home Made Ice Cream Brings Out the Kid in Us All!
Most homemade ice cream parlors hype theirs as being the world’s greatest. However, we are convinced that Moo Moo’s has earned the right to do so! Owner Alexi Katsetos crafts 16 of his own unique ice…
Charm and Whimsy: Hand in Hand
The Country Touch 97 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY Connie Kelley opened a little country gift shop in Cold Spring over 20 years ago, which has long since become a local and visitors’ highlight. The immediate draw is her window-full of handmade signs with whimsical, ironic sayings (which she customizes to order as well).…
The Foundry - Home of the BALT - Best Sammie in the Land!
Foundry Café 55 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY Famous for his huevos rancheros, French toast, organic quiches, hearty soups, and the BALT— a bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato sandwich on whole wheat bread with bean sprouts and spicy jalapeño mayonnaise, chef/owner Jeff Consaga established the Foundry Café with the aim of creating a local dining…
The Shop Not-To-Miss on September 28th in Cold Spring:
Highland Baskets at The Country Goose 115 Main Street, Cold Spring NY A fixture on Main Street in Cold Spring for nearly 30 years is romance author and shopkeeper Leonora Burton’s pride and joy. Highland Baskets is the metamorphosis of her charming and regionally admired kitchen/housewares boutique The Country Goose. Her custom gift baskets…
Owners Hearts as Huge as their Gigantic Store: A Must See
Bijou Galleries, Ltd 50 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY For the ultimate Hudson Valley antiquing experience, it’s hard to top “The Bijou”. Proprietors Michael and Jane Timm are famous around the world for the horde of vendors they’ve gathered together in this extensive, multi-room outlet seated warmly on the street level of an 1880s home…
Old Souls has a Youthful Spirit
Old Souls 63 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY One of the newest shops to open its doors in Cold Spring is Old Souls, and a place this special was long overdue. Founded in 2012 by fly-fishing enthusiast James Caroll, and operated by his wife Tara, Old Souls appears at first to be a source for…
Work Distractions No More!
Work can be very boring. Even if you are doing something you love, we all crave some type of distraction during those long weekdays. The Internet is my number one source of distraction. There are endless ways I can waste hours of my day. Social media, such as twitter, Facebook, and email have…
Moderator Training Session
On Tuesday July 23rd, I attended the Women’s Advancement Compact’s first workshop event. It was a small, yet highly motivated group of 12 who were all very eager to share and enrich their leadership skills. Two professionals, Stanley Goldstein and Ginny Brown, led the workshop. Stanley is a well-respected leader among corporate professionals, and had…
A Childless Woman Gives Birth, Twice.
Yesterday I gave birth for the second time. Confused? Those who know me well have heard about (and some have witnessed episodes of) my 25-year battle with panic attacks. The full attack I endured, a mere three months ago, brought paramedics to our little apartment on Main Street in Cold Spring. As I was on…
The Trials and Tribulations of Working From Home
Things are changing in the workplace; working at home is becoming a more common occurrence. However, as appealing as working from home sounds, it requires a disciplined work ethic the same way an…
Stop Overwhelming Yourself By Overworking Yourself
One of the launch questions that I know everyone has admitted to feeling is: “Do you feel overwhelmed, like there are just too many things to do in a day, and it affects your focus?” If you say no, I think…
Powering Down Helped Empower Me Up!
I was determined and, frankly, a little scared. A colleague had challenged me to not only unplug for two full days, but to do NO WORK AT ALL for those days. I don’t consider myself a work-a-holic, but I do work every day. My logic is that by working ½-days on weekends, I won’t fall…
Give Me Back My Tongue!
Polling Question #5: It’s My Job and I’ll Speak if I Want To! One of the polling questions asked at the launch-event was ‘Do you hold your tongue because you worry about not being liked?’ I find this question very interesting and complex, depending on the circumstances. In a personal setting, I think it is…
Wine and Dine with the WAC
An excited group packed the room at Alston and Bird on June 26th to attend the Women’s Advancement Compact’s first educational wine event! 36 women were ready to participate in a unique wine tasting adventure. Most people in attendance were probably unaware that the event had more goals than just DRINK LOTS OF WINE! In…
GMO Labeling: A NEED to Know
My name is Patti Hayde and my daughter Emily is 8 years old. The last two years of her life she has spent fighting to be healthy and I have spent trying to find the cause of her sickness. It has been a long, frustrating, horrifying, and appalling journey for me. For her it has…
Citi Bike: The Most Efficient Way to Travel in NYC
Interacting with a city by bike is an optimal way to take in a landscape at eye level. A two-wheeled velocity keeps pace with urban streets and yet you move slow enough to observe and absorb the city’s unceasing energy. I rent a bike when visiting new places to achieve this very sensation. I can…
The REAL Vintage Deal!
In every northeast antiquing village, there’s that one antique shop that stocks the true vintage Americana items that the real hawk-eyes are looking for. In Cold Spring, Once Upon a Time Antiques is that…