An event planner with over a decade of experience in the wedding industry, Mokihana Pambianchi was inspired to start creating luxury picnics in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains after seeing the trend take off on social media in her native Hawaii a few years ago. 'The idea was really born during the pandemic,' says Pambianchi, who is the founder of Greene County-based Bliss Events . 'When we couldn't have more than 25 guests at an event, it was still such a special way to celebrate intimate gatherings.

https://www.chronogram.com/arts/bliss-events-luxury-picnics-17540550

#chronogram

click to enlarge Sylvain Cote Millbrook Vineyard and Winery The Hudson Valley has long been known as a leaf-peeping destination for folks eager to soak up the technicolor tree show mounted by the crisp advance of autumn. But in the past decade, the explosive growth of the region's craft beverage scene has given the touristic draw of fall foliage a run for its money. But there's no reason to choose. At these 11 scenic craft beverage producers you can take in sweeping hillsides and dramatic vistas of fall color while sipping wine, cider, spirits, or beer at the source.

https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/take-in-the-fall-foliage-at-these-hudson-valley-craft-beverage-destinations/Content?oid=16469396

#chronogram

Anyone who's been around New Paltz long enough will know that famed Brooklyn pizzeria Grimaldi's opened up a far northern outpost on Main Street in the early 2000s. Now, almost a decade after the shop served its last slices, Adam Monteverde, the pizzaiolo who once helmed its impressive hand-built brick oven, has reimagined the space as Apizza!, a love letter to coal-oven pizza and the rustic, homey Italian dishes he grew up eating around his family's table. 'I cut my teeth on coal-oven pizza,' Monteverde says.

https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/apizza-in-new-paltz-authentic-coal-oven-pies-and-seasonal-rustic-italian-fare/Content?oid=16696462

#chronogram

Chef Youko Yamamoto may be best known for her studied dedication to Japanese culinary tradition, which she has lovingly shared with the Hudson Valley community in the form of two restaurants— Tanma Ramen in Kingston and its beloved predecessor, Gomen Kudasai in New Paltz. Yamamoto has always been a strong advocate for Japanese cultural exchange in the region. Since 2010, she has curated the Bon-odori Dance Festival for Peace , an annual summer event for peace activism and nuclear nonproliferation that pays homage to a 500-year-old Buddhist-Confucian custom.

https://www.chronogram.com/arts/japan-in-kingston-at-the-cornell-creative-arts-center-may-5-28-18055544

#chronogram

Delaware County in the Catskill Mountains has long been an outdoor sports and adventure destination. Home to the headwaters of the mighty Delaware River, its lush landscape is defined by plentiful crystal streams, rolling hills, soaring pine forests, and magnificent high peaks. Thanks in large part to the mix of public lands and 'forever wild' forest preserves that run through Catskill Park, the county also offers unparalleled access to enjoy recreational pursuits including hiking, camping, fly fishing, and more.

https://www.chronogram.com/lifestyle/top-5-outdoor-activities-to-enjoy-in-delaware-county-this-summer-18048066

#chronogram

click to enlarge David McIntyre Looking south down Main Street. You can feel it in the air like a crisp autumn wind. Catskill is continuing to grow and transform, even in the face of economic upheaval. Amid longtime businesses shuttering, new ones have launched, and change in all its forms, the defining feature here for better or worse—especially since the pandemic—continues.  Catskill's Star Turn For several months this year, the village of Catskill became Millwood, Pennsylvania, the fictitious setting of an HBO Max teen slasher series.

https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/catskill-shelter-from-the-storm/Content?oid=16926809

#chronogram

After three years of virtual programming, the Art Effect's PKX Reel Exposure Teen Film and Photography Festival will once again bring its annual showcase of work by the next generation of media-makers to downtown Poughkeepsie. In honor of the event's 10th anniversary, this year's festival will be bigger and brighter than ever, with three days of events in and around the Trolley Barn Gallery that celebrate the creativity of young artists from the Hudson Valley and around the world. The Reel Exposure festival will take place Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7, and will be free to the public with a suggested donation.

https://www.chronogram.com/arts/reel-exposure-teen-film-and-photography-festival-may-2023-17964037

#chronogram