Laurie Fendrich and Peter Plagens: A shared life in art and love
Laurie Fendrich and Peter Plagens at home in front of one of Plagens’s paintings.
Natalia Zukerman
Plagens and Fendrich at home in front of some of Fendrich’s paintings. Natalia Zukerman
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The Spirit Ballooning crew and passengers on a flight from Great Barrington to Salisbury on July 25 of last year.
Madi Long
Darrel has been a licensed balloon pilot since 1994 when he flew his first solo voyage in a self-built balloon he called Spirit, now the company’s namesake. “I was not only a brand new student,” he said, “I was a test pilot in my own balloon!”
Luckily, the design was sturdy, proven by its place in the company’s three balloon fleet today, three decades later.
Darrel said once the balloon was built, he realized he needed a crew, so he got to building the next element in the process: a family. “We’ve got two sons and two daughters, and they’ve all been involved since they were born,” he said, explaining that the motivation behind Spirit Ballooning was partially to sustain the family’s passion as the kids developed their own interest in flying.
The real purpose, though, is to share the joy of floating above the verdant morning landscape with others, Darrel explained: “We don’t really do it to make a lot of money, we mainly do it to share the experience.”
Darrel Long shows off the burner flame, the primary instrument used in hot air balloon flight.Madi Long
His daughter Madi, who is the Audience Development Editor for The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News, agrees. During a recent conversation, she recalled a young couple the family met at a balloon festival in Vermont over a decade ago.
“When we first started flying them, they were just boyfriend and girlfriend,” she said, but after a few years of taking them up, “we eventually got invited to their wedding.”
“They were our passengers, but then it became so much more than that,” she said, noting that similar experiences of building relationships came to define her upbringing around hot air balloons. She said that when she was growing up in North Canaan, she made many of her friends after having landed on their parents’ lawn in a balloon.
Madi put her pilot training on pause in high school and college to focus on other things, but recently she’s considering a renewed push for a license. After all, it’s in the Long family DNA – “People learn their ABCs, and we just, like, learned to fly balloons,” she said with a laugh.
Her older brother Jordan was the first of the Long children to get licensed when he was 19, and had built his first balloon by 20 – Foxtrot, which also is featured in the Spirit fleet.
Jordan Long checks the rigging as the balloon prepares to launch.Madi Long
Ryan, the eldest, is also licensed, and currently flies balloons in California but is soon to move back to the Northeast where he may help out with the family business, Jordan said.
Now 30, Jordan is a commercial airline pilot for JetBlue by day and globe-trotting balloon flyer by morning, having soared over the Alps, the lush fields of Ireland, and most recently Northeastern Spain, amongst other destinations.
When he thinks about the differences in the two types of flight, he likes to remember a metaphor his friend, who also pilots both, once offered that likened airplane flying to the structure and order of marching band music.
“With hot air ballooning,” on the other hand, “it’s pure jazz.”
“You can have a destination in mind, you can start off in a known location,” Jordan said, “but in the meantime, you can improvise and float around, go on little tangents with different wind patterns and over different natural features.”
Jordan explained that the farms, industries, towns, estates and landscape features of the Northwest Corner and broader region can make it feel like floating above history. “It just brings your hometown to life in a way you otherwise wouldn’t know about,” he said.
Despite having flown balloons in faraway places, Jordan maintained that “there’s no place like home.”
To find out more and to book a flight, visit spiritballooning.com
A summer 2023 flight where all three pilots participated, each piloting a different balloon.Madi Long
Max Ocean at the Subversive Taproom in Catskill.
Provided
As their business grew, fueled in no small part by their fast and flawless menu of elevated tavern fare, so did the number of customers who called themselves regulars. Among those regulars was David Quituisaca, donor organizer and volunteer coordinator at Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, or CCSM.
Founded in response to the political rhetoric of the 2016 presidential campaign, CCSM provides support for immigrant communities while advocating for policy changes at the county, state, regional and national levels. They’ve partnered with many local businesses in a symbiotic fashion, receiving funds and donations while helping to educate employees and patrons about their rights, and what non-targeted citizens can do to help protect their neighbors. In addition to their work in Columbia County, CCSM also teams up with other immigrant support groups in places like Millerton and Salisbury to educate vulnerable residents and community members alike.
After seeing reports and footage of the increasingly violent tactics used by the federal government in its efforts to arrest and deport Spanish-speaking residents, Subversive wanted to do something to help. Around the National Day of Protest against ICE’s tactics in January, Ocean reached out to Quituisaca and asked what they could do. It was quickly determined that a limited run beer and community launch party was the way forward. But what kind of beer would it be?
Subversive is known for their carefully crafted brews, which, while adored by their customers, aren’t always the most accessible to the casual sipper. For this run, they wanted something unique enough to talk about, but easy enough for non-craft beer fans.
What they decided on was creating a more accessible light beer using the yeast from Modelo’s internationally popular Mexican-style cerveza. They call it “Chinga la Migra.” Subversive committed to donating 15% of all sales to CCSM, a pledge they anticipate will net thousands of dollars when all the beer is sold out.
5% of proceeds from Chinga La Migra will be donated to Columbia County Sanctuary Movement.Provided
While the beer and the event will undoubtedly help CCSM’s efforts in raising awareness and garnering funds, Quituisaca notes that their efforts are nonstop. He notes that recent high-profile immigration enforcement tactics have underscored an ongoing need for support, including financial donations and access to larger spaces for classes and seminars on how to navigate an increasingly aggressive federal enforcement environment.
Though the fight may persist, with partners like Subversive, the migrant community and their supporters can kick back with a cold beer every once in a while to celebrate this vibrant community, and all they have to offer.
Subversive Brewing is located at 96 W. Bridge St., Catskill. More info at drinksubversive.com
Cast members of “Legally Blonde” rehearse offsite.
Olivia Michaels
That mission remains at the heart of The CENTER’s work today. Managing Director Kerry Dotson calls it “the Hudson Valley’s home for affordable, quality theatre for almost 30 years,” noting the ongoing effort to maintain “a balance throughout our season of plays and musicals, and of classic and contemporary pieces.”
The organization strives to create an inclusive environment while offering opportunities for performers, technicians and students to develop their craft and engage with the performing arts.
“Many of the artists who call The CENTER home have extremely impressive theatre resumes,” said Dotson. “Many of them started by trying for a professional career in theater, but it takes more than just talent and training. It takes a lot of luck and the right connections. Many of the artists who work on our productions are every bit as talented as those who work on Broadway productions,” but never quite managed to be in the right place at the right time.” She went on to say that many performers have had successful careets in theater or film,“but have retired and need the creative outlet that they find at The CENTER. The CENTER has become their second home,” she said.
One of The CENTER’s most distinctive traditions is its annual Sam Scripps Shakespeare Festival, now in its 20th year. Named for philanthropist Samuel H. Scripps, whose support helped shape the theater’s development, the festival is performed on The CENTER’s replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, reconstructed each year and modeled after the historic London landmark.
While this year’s Shakespeare season has concluded, audiences can still look forward to a busy summer lineup.
Olivia Michaels
From June 5 through June 28, The CENTER presents “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” the upbeat Broadway adaptation of the popular film. Filled with high-energy dance numbers, memorable songs and plenty of humor, the musical follows Elle Woods as she defies expectations and discovers her own strengths while pursuing a law degree at Harvard.
The summer season continues with Stephen Sondheim’s acclaimed musical “Company,” running July 10 through July 26. Widely regarded as one of the most influential American musicals of the 20th century, “Company” offers a witty and thoughtful exploration of friendship, marriage and modern relationships.
Rounding out the season is “Trenzas,” scheduled for Aug. 7 through Aug. 9. The contemporary musical celebrates family, identity and cultural heritage through a collection of interconnected stories centered on Latina women and their experiences.
“Younger audiences are welcome to attend our Kids on Stage productions of ‘Shrek Jr.’ or ‘School of Rock Jr.’ in July and August,” said Dotson.
In addition to its mainstage productions, Dotson added that the Black Box space —opened in 2024 — has become a “springboard for local playwrights and artists,” expanding opportunities for new and experimental work while keeping production accessible and intimate. She also emphasized that audiences can “look actors in the eyes,” a reflection of the close-knit, community-driven spirit that defines the theater.
The CENTER continues to serve as a community hub for arts education, youth theater and special events throughout the year.
For tickets and more information about upcoming performances, visit centerforperformingarts.org.
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Research and development on a cold, nasty day on the Beaverkill in New York. The author was particularly pleased his new right hip didn’t present any difficulties.
Gary Dodson
We did not.
There were four anglers clumped together right under the covered bridge where famed angler and fly-tier Theodore Gordon did a lot of his research and development. Gordon did his in the late 19th century, when R&D was a little easier in the sense that getting to the river meant walking or catching a ride from a passing horse and buggy. It would have been unusual to see four anglers anywhere, never mind in a bunch.
We bypassed these researching developers and made our way downstream. The river was high enough to make wading tricky and cold enough, at 48 degrees, to make the trout sluggish and uninterested in participating in R&D.
I managed a couple of bumps on small, heavy nymphs, and Gary caught a handful of dinker browns who, he said, had trouble getting their little mouths around a size 12 soft-hackle wet.
The important thing here was that my new right hip didn’t give me any trouble.
“Let pain be your guide,” said the doctor, Yoda-like, when he took me off the injured reserve list.
And by golly, he was right.
It is traditional to complain about the weather. It is also boring, so I won’t do it, except to say that in the last few weeks sometimes it was cold and sometimes it was unusually hot, and none of it helped.
But it was good R&D.
Example: I was wet-wading the Housatonic and environs by the third week of May. This is the earliest I can recall doing this.
The Hous water temp was at or near 70 on May 20, which made me think it was time to deploy the Woolly Buggers in search of smallmouth bass. Since I had the wrong rod for the job, this was a sloppy and cumbersome maneuver. It resulted in one rainbow trout of modest size, no doubt a recent arrival from the hatchery, and precisely what I was trying to avoid.
The basic hatchery rainbow as plucked from the Blackberry River. This one was hanging around in the most aerated water available, and took a heavy, sparkly Surveyor nymph. Patrick L. Sullivan
But it was momentarily satisfying to have some development to go along with the research.
My friend Dave Edgerly came up, and we took a whack at the Blackberry, where the water temps hadn’t reached the danger level, and we plucked a few from the foamiest, most aerated water we could find.
Years of R&D have taught me that, given the choice between breathing and any other activity, trout opt for the former.
So if things are slow in the long, slow, deep pools, find the white water and watch for a few minutes. Chances are you’ll see trout sticking their heads up, grabbing whatever bugs are coming down the pike.
In a situation like this, I take it straight to them, with a couple of heavy nymphs — one drab, one gaudy — launched straight into the foam.
How big and how heavy?
“Let pain be your guide.” Or, in this case, “let getting hung up on a rock and having to rerig be your guide.”
Start with the big ones. If you’re getting snagged, switch out to the smaller ones. Eventually, through careful application of research and development, you will find the answer.
Or not.
Failure is a big part of R&D. If it starts to get on your nerves, just remember this:
In most endeavors, if you fail 70% of the time, someone will suggest a new line of work.
In baseball, a hitter who fails 70% of the time over a 20-year career goes in the Hall of Fame.
Fly-fishing is like baseball in this sense.
So relax and get on with the R&D, en route to the HoF.
Modern farmhouse designed by Tina Anastasia.
Miki Scarfo
Maybe it is the worn stone paths leading to the back door, the creaky screen doors or the perennial gardens that grow a little wilder every year. Or perhaps it is the everyday, useful objects gathered naturally over time — mismatched chairs, weathered tables and open shelving lined with practical pieces never intended to be decorative.
Whatever the reason, authentic farmhouse style continues to resonate even as the mass-produced version of the trend fades from design circles, chain stores and Pinterest boards.
Classic farmhouse design has endured for hundreds of years because it was never rooted in excess or perfection. Authentic farmhouse homes were built around practicality, comfort and resourcefulness — qualities that naturally made the style budget-friendly long before DIY projects and “the collected look” became part of the design conversation. Furniture was repaired instead of replaced, family pieces were reused for decades, and simple materials like wood, stone and iron aged beautifully over time.
The more recent mass-market version of farmhouse style often turned those authentic elements into a formula. Barn doors, overly distressed furniture, word signs like “Fresh Eggs,” and factory-made “rustic” decor flooded stores and social media feeds. What once felt collected and organic eventually became overly themed and predictable.
Now, many homeowners seem to be gravitating back toward spaces with more individuality and character — homes that feel layered, lived-in and connected to real life rather than carefully staged.
Modern farmhouse designed by Tina Anastasia.Miki Scarfo
Historically, New England farmhouses were designed around utility and survival. Large kitchens served as gathering places and workspaces. Mudrooms handled snowy boots and muddy shoes after chores. Wide porches offered a place to gather after long days outdoors, while barns, sheds and stone walls became extensions of daily life on the land.
That practicality still resonates today.
Some of the most timeless farmhouse details are the ones that cannot be replicated overnight: a scratched pine table handed down through generations; vintage crocks discovered in an old barn; worn baskets from the town dump swap shop; iron hooks, enamelware and garden furniture softened by years of New England weather.
Interior designer Tina Anastasia offers ways to create a more classic farmhouse design.
“The best farmhouse spaces feel rooted in warmth and history, even when they’re newly built,” Anastasia said.
For a farmhouse project she designed in Kent, Connecticut, Anastasia layered weathered stone, antique barnboard and touches of plaid and metal to make the home feel connected to its surroundings.
“It’s all about bringing in materials that contrast with the newness of a space and give it depth and character,” she said.
According to Anastasia, farmhouse style works best when homeowners steer away from trends and focus instead on unique finds with texture, age and practicality.
“These are the pieces that will give the home soul,” she said. “Not everything should look brand new.”
Farmhouses were never created to follow trends or become one; they evolved gradually over generations, building layers of history along the way.
Taiga is located at 119 Warren St. in Hudson.
Provided
“We never wanted Taiga to feel like a traditional restaurant,” Larvin said. “We wanted it to feel emotional, immersive and deeply personal — almost like stepping into another world for a few hours.” That philosophy becomes immediately apparent the moment dinner begins.
Nearly everything at Taiga is made from scratch by Larvin, from delicate handmade dumplings to traditional blini and seasonal dishes inspired by Russian, Slavic and Central Asian influences. The menu changes frequently and reflects Larvin’s Siberian upbringing near Kazakhstan and Mongolia, where food culture naturally blended European and Asian traditions. Many ingredients are sourced locally from Hudson Valley farms, while certain teas, herbs, honey and spices come directly from the Altai region of Siberia — creating a menu that feels simultaneously rooted in two different worlds.
As someone who grew up around Russian food, I expected familiarity. What surprised me was the emotional accuracy of the experience. The dishes had the warmth and intimacy of home cooking while still feeling refined and modern. Larvin credits his grandmother, who taught him to cook from a young age, with instilling an emotional foundation around food. “In our culture, food was never just food,” he said. “It was love, care, generosity, conversation and connection.” That idea seems to define the entire atmosphere of Taiga.
Taiga is located at 119 Warren St. in Hudson.Provided
Unlike many restaurants designed for quick turnover, Taiga encourages people to slow down. Tables glow under candlelight while guests linger for hours over wine, conversation and shared dishes. The restaurant’s Thursday movie nights further deepen that atmosphere, transforming the dining room into what Larvin describes as a “candlelit cinema,” where carefully selected American, European and Russian films play softly in the background. The effect is surprisingly transporting.
At one point during my visit, I looked around the room and realized almost nobody was looking at their phones. People were talking slowly, laughing, sharing plates and leaning into conversations. That sense of emotional presence is precisely what Larvin hoped to create.
“We want people to slow down, disconnect from the outside world and feel warmth, comfort, curiosity and connection,” he said. “Ideally, dinner at Taiga feels less like going to a restaurant and more like being invited into someone’s home late at night.”
Much of the restaurant itself was restored and designed personally by Larvin and Sirko. Vintage furniture, antique objects and much of the photography throughout the space were collected over years of travel or created by Larvin himself.
For many Americans unfamiliar with Russian or Eastern European culture, Taiga offers an introduction that feels intimate rather than stereotypical. But for Russian-speaking visitors, the experience can feel unexpectedly emotional.
There is something moving about hearing familiar music while eating handmade dumplings in a candlelit room in the Hudson Valley. Something about it collapses distance. For a few hours, Hudson felt connected to another world entirely — one built around hospitality, memory and gathering around a table. And perhaps that is what makes Taiga so compelling. It is not simply serving food. It is creating atmosphere, emotion and human connection in a time when many people seem desperately hungry for exactly that.
Taiga is located at 119 Warren St., Hudson. For menus and reservations, visit
taigarestaurant.com
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