Enjoy Some Heat in the Cold

On Saturday, February 5 from 12:00 – 5:00 pm the Hudson-Chatham Winery heats things up with this too-snowy winter. You can pair wines with spicy, soul-satisfying foods!  One taste of something laced with jalapeños, or chipotle, or horseradish, and you can feel the heat and imagine you're in warmer climate.  The winery will be featuring an array of spicy goodies, including Larry’s Southwestern sauces.  They will also have Maple-Chipotle goat cheese from R&G, horseradish cheddar cheeses, spicy aged cheese in olive oil, "hot" chocolates from Vasilow's, and other delicious foods. They even plan to offer a special drink.  For more information about the winery call (518) 392-9463 or visit their website at www.hudson-chathamwinery.com

Would you like some insight to your life challenges? Or just want some guidance regarding particular situations or questions?  Tarot readings are a great way to get answers. Tarot readings will be offered free of charge 12- 3 pm, February 5th and 19th the reading typically last 15 to 30 minutes. For more information contact Chatham Holistic Healing Arts (518) 392-3339 or visit their website at www.chathamholistichealingarts.com.

On Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 pm you can listen to a piano performance by Jenny Lin.  Jenny Lin is one the most respected young pianists today, admired for her adventurous programming and charismatic stage presence. She has been acclaimed for her “remarkable technical command” and “a gift for melodic flow” by The New York Times.  Her concerts have taken her to Symphony Space, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and MoMA in New York; Kennedy Center and National Gallery of Art in Washington DC; Salle Cortot in Paris; Victoria Hall in Geneva; and festivals worldwide and now in Hudson, NY. Expect a masterful performance with selections from Bach:  The Well Tempered Clavier and Shostakovich.  Tickets are $20 or $18 for HOH members.  For more information contact the Hudson Opera House at (518) 822-1438 or visit their website at www.hudsonoperahouse.org.

On February 19th, Opera a La Carte returns to Lippera’s at the Chatham House, with Kara Cornell and Steve Dahlin singing, David Anderegg on piano, and a very special guest as well, to look at love from many eras and angles. Samplings from early music, Opera, Broadway and American Pop and Jazz standards, wheresoever we look from far or up close, from inside out, Love is Love!  Fixed Price 4 course dinner is $49.99 ($34.99 for dinner /$15 for show).  Reservations at 7:00 pm, show starts at 7:30 pm.  To make reservations and/or for more information contact Lippera’s at the Chatham House at (518) 392-6600 or visit their website at www.thechathamhouse.com

Rock ‘N’ Roll Photographer Patrick Harbron will show 20 years of his work and talk about his experiences with the stars.  Harbron has photographed many major names, album covers, publicity and the groups themselves from 1976 until the mid-1990”s. Star names include:  Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and many more.  This lecture will be held at Columbia-Greene Community College February 19th at 7:00 pm. Admission is $5. For advanced tickets visit C-GCC, the Chatham Bookstore or the Greene County Council of Arts, Catskill. For more information contact Allen Kovler Director of Public Relations at the college (518) 822-2027 or visit their website at www.mycommunitycollege.com.

On Friday, February 18 at 9:00 pm the Slavic Soul Party hits the stage at Club Helsinki Hudson.  The Ultimate Balkan Brass Extravaganza combines traditional Balkan folk music with massive doses of down-and-dirty funk and witty interpretation. The musicians, each of who is part of New York's downtown scene, work with major jazz artists like Dave Douglas, Steve Coleman, Jason Mraz and the Either/Orchestra, but Slavic Soul Party is something altogether different. Their music goes far beyond Eastern European music, meshing the influences of Gypsy, New Orleans, Mariachi, Latin, Klezmer and Asian music with American jazz, soul and even techno - creating a ferocious brand of good-time grooves. This unique band performs nearly 100 times a year across the U.S. and Europe, from the Warped Tour to Carnegie Hall to Istanbul. For tickets or more information contact Helsinki Hudson at (518) 828-4800 or visit their website www.helsinkihudson.com

Animal Tracks

Friday, February 18 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm at the Kinderhook Library located at 18 Hudson Street in Kinderhook.  Columbia Land Conservancy will offer to School Age Children - Animal Tracks - Clues that tell a tale.  Tracks and traces can provide a glimpse into the lives of animals that otherwise are hidden from us.  The program starts by making plaster castes of local animals' tracks to take home.  Then, students will learn about track patterns and how they can help us identify the animals that made them.  Participants will learn to use a "story sheet" to interpret tracks and discover the tale they tell.  To register call AmyThiel at  (518) 758-6192 by February 17.  For more information about Columbia Land Conservancy call (518) 392-5252 or visit their website at www.clctrust.org.

Olana will have President's Day Weekend Tours:  Lincoln, Church and the U.S. Civil War on Friday, February 18 thru Sunday, February 20.  Just twelve days after the attack and surrender of Fort Sumter that began the War, the exhibition of Church's new painting of Icebergs opened in New York City. While Church originally intended the painting to be a demonstration of the wonders of God and nature, the exhibition opened with a new title reflecting Church's sympathies toward the Union cause:  The North Church's Picture of Icebergs.  Join us for house tours focusing on the impact of the U.S. Civil War on Church's life and career.  $9/adult; $8/student and seniors, free for children under 12 and members of The Olana Partnership.  For more information about Olana call (518) 282-0135 or visit their website at www.olana.org.

Friday, February 18 at 8:00 pm, Post-Valentine's OFF LEASH! Improv Night with Walking the dog Theater's Improv Ensemble.  Celebrate a belated Valentine's with the OFF LEASH! Improv Ensemble. Bring your true or dreamed-of love stories, your poems about falling in love, your anecdotes about falling out of it... to the OFF LEASH! Ensemble will take your offerings and bring them to life with their spontaneous imagination. You and your date, long-term partner, or spouse will be entertained in unexpected ways! And your ex might enjoy it, too.  To top it off, we will raffle off a bottle of sparkling juice, and a bottle of champagne!  The Improv will take place at Space 360 at 360 Warren Street, in Hudson.  Admission: $12-$20  For tickets of more information about Walking the Dog Theater call (518) 610-0909 or visit their website at www.wtdtheater.org

Attend an Exposition Auction at Stair Galleries on Friday, February 25 at 6:00 pm.  The Exposition Auction will feature Modernism, 20th century and contemporary furniture, ceramics, metalwork, glass, decorations and fine art.  For more information about Stair Galleries and their auctions call (518) 751-1000 or visit their website at www.stairgalleries.com.