FRFF 25th Anniversary

 Who would've thought this small folk festival in the middle-of-nowhere amist the Berkshire Mtns is one of the best kept secrets for nearly 25 years! It wasn't too long ago that I experienced FRFF the first time. Five years ago when I went to my first FRFF, which turned out to be a very unforgettable weekend in its history - year of the tornado with golf ball sized hail - I could understand why NY hippies from the Woodstock era appreciate such a place and want it to stay on the down-low.

A traditional diary farm - they really are trusting leaving a 

jar with a sign that says, "Leave your pay" 

Coffee Roll so much better than Dunkin Donuts version.

Falcon Ridge Folk Festival is a community for people to call 'home'. So many great folk singers/songwriters and performers started on the Main Stage at FRFF and now headline folk shows all across the country and the world. Red Molly is a girl-trio folk band with what my friend refers to 'angelic' voices. They were FRFF festies would decided to make a band of their own and had the unique opportunity to perform as an Emerging Artist on the Main Stage eight years ago. Similar to other great bands on the lineup this year such as bluegrass, folk band Spuyten Duyvil. Among legendary folk greats, Vance Gilbert returned to FRFF after five years since the last time (8th appearance) to showcase his latest album "Old White Men" as well as share his wisdom and make new friends with people like me :) I geeked out seeing him off stage walking near the vendors and nearly ran into him to say how much I admired his talent...blah blah blah ick! I did get his signature on my program which I decided moments after to keep as memoriblia.

Always have to have at least one day with rain.

 The next morning...blue skies!

 Young violinist in the main strip by the vendors playing away

One of my top three Emerging Artists this year - Bobtown

It felt like home this year. Third year and second consecutive year coming to FRFF you can get a sense of the neighborly love and power of folk music. Snaggle Rock, our camping neighbors from last year, reclaimed their spot on mid-hill. Harmony, her parents, her husband Ben and the whole crew were back for a very special reunion now with new additions (aka their kids). Other friends also came back, Miles to Dayton (NY) from the Emerging Artist showcase last year, ilyAIMY (MD) winner of the Emerging Artist in 2011 and Honor Finnegan the 3rd place winner of Emerging Artist showcase last year. Lesson learned last year we wanted to take full advantage of the night time performances at Front Porch, Budgiedome, Pirate's Tent and Focus. 1st night - very cold but worth staying up to 4am to see 13 musicians jam out on the tiny stage at Pirate's. Among them Tall Heights (Emerging Artists 2013), Spuyten Duyvil, Miles to Dayton and Pesky J Nixon.

Honor belting out a song

 Grand Slambovians come back to rock the Dance Tent playing tunes off

their latest album "FOLK"

I love the guys from Pesky J Nixon! They are the reason why the Lounge tent has grown to be a permanent stage on Thursday night at FRFF. For the last couple of years since its establishment the Lounge tent was a small stage on the hill that would provide campers who come on Thursday (or days before) to see and hear some great performances before the FRFF events began. Wanting to be part of the action and get to know what all the fuss was about FRFF gave them a bigger stage and venue near entrance. What was once a compact space of free music on the hill became this welcome place for any artist coming to FRFF to stop by and play (even Vance Gilbert). Thursday night at FRFF would never be the same!

 Pesky J Nixon's Nathan, co-host of the Lounge Stage, introduces Miles to Dayton

Surprise, special guest Vance Gilbert joins the fun!

(sorry for the poor resolution)

Hopefully I'll be around and able to come back next year. I would like to try the volunteer position. I think it would be a rewarding experience, become a more involved member of this community and who knows who I'll make friends with!

Last Trip to Say Goodbye

Normally I wouldn't dwell on something that is ending and instead I would take a more optimistic approach. However, I've been very blessed to have extra time out at the house in Sag Harbor. I know I'm so lucky to even have a place by the beach that is like home away from home. Mom and I agree that the continuous visits and summers we've had out there are so precious. Things could have been very different after my Dad passed away almost 10 years ago now but Uncle Rene being a good Catholic bishop and good family member told us that we were welcomed out there anytime. He kept his promise even during this time of hardship with his condition (diagnosed with dementia).

Despite that sad fact we did have a good time this past weekend. For two gals with plans to have no plans or expectations did pretty great. Going with the flow pays off sometimes. We decided to go to the Farmer's Market in downtown Sag Harbor (overpriced but nice to hang out and meet local farmers) where we did get pickles and real cow milk! Later Mom surprised me when we drove out to Cedar Point Light house. It sits on a small peninsula, sand strip within a secure state park. It was really great to observe the camp grounds and the possibly for future trips that wouldn't include the house.

The walk out wasn't as long partially since we didn't have anything better to do and because we needed some exercise. Its a stone non-working lighthouse. I loved looking out across the bay to the North Folk and looking the opposite side to see the town and harbor. So peaceful out there...

I almost forgot to mention our first evening. Friday night was beautiful: not too hot or cold. We cooked up some beef soft-tacos and took a trip down to Big Oloffs ice cream for a night treat. We sat outside eating our ice cream admiring the boats docked in the harbor. Longtime friend from the last trip out to Sag Harbor, the Coastal Drifter III was still in port.

The rest of the day (Saturday) was spontaneous. We decided to keep driving. Map in hand and hope to find another lighthouse with drove through Springs on route 40 and came back into Easthampton on route 41 (on the opposite side of town) passing the Arts and Crafts fair in Fireplace. Later we went to Woldoff estates winery for a tasting. No tasting past whenever they decided to stop that but we stood listening to some live music, drank some white wine and flirted with the busboy :)

Afterwards we drove out to Montauk to get new sweatpants (The End on the butt...I got my first pair waaaay b4 Juicy was plastered on girls butts) and of course Lobster bisque soup from Gosman's. Ride back was a little wet but we managed just fine.

Sunday was a much slower paced day. Melancholy feelings on the last day of the trip to Sag Harbor were a little unsettling. Thinking about all the memories I've made over the years since my Dad has been gone and the good-ole days when the family was together. I tried to keep it together while we spent the afternoon on Long Beach (the bay not the ocean) but I couldn't help my emotions. I was happy Mom was there to comfort me and simply listen without judgement. All in all the end of the evening was so worth the tears. We played cards and Sudoku, BBQ (great fire that later we had to manually distinguish), ate, laughed, packed the car and drove away.

I hope one day in the future I'll remember all the great moments instead of remembering the pain of leaving. I'm sure in time...

Falcon Ridge Folk Festival 2012

FRFF this year was my best yet. It had been four years since my last visit and despite the lack of repeat artists from 2008 the talent wasn't less than spectacular! We (Tom, Mom and I) arrived in Hillsdale, NY around 9am on July 26th to be welcomed with gray skies and no rain...yet. The tent and cabanas were put up, semi-permanent kitchen set up and sleepingbags ready to be used. Since Thursday was our open day to do whatever we decided to use it as such and do absolutely nothing. We did go for a walk around the campgrounds to see where the showers were and browse other people's camping gear.

 Lookin Hippiafied

 Our view...

 Our neighbors to the left

Thankfully when Mom and I split off from Tom we found a small tent with a set list of bands planned to perform throughout the weekend. We also found out about a few other smaller venues like Buggy Dome or Dungon, Front Porch and Night Owl Song Swap. Back at the tent we met our friendly, hippie, returning volunteers Harmony her husband Brad, Harmony's mother Jodie and her husband Gary. Hour later in the evening we ate Bubba Burgers and played a few games of Gin Rumy 500.

 Tom's talent: catching butterflies

Our neighbor, Harmony, told us about her group's history and the fun tales of the Snaggle Rock gang. Snaggle Rock was lively and ready to start the weekend with a head start. We part-taked in a few rounds of "smack the bag" (a bag with a push button spout full of wine) during the day and right before bed enjoying conversation with the gang. As it turns out the gang has been around of nearly a decade!!

 SNAGGLE....ROCK!

Friday morning I woke to eggs and bacon and music coming from the upper camping field and some of our neighbors. The schedule for the early afternoon consisted of the back-to-back sets of Emerging Artists making their FRFF debut. We ended up going down by the Main stage to see some of them and of course the sun decided to peek out of the clouds and dry the place a bit. Those were some of my favorite sets of the entire weekend.

 Miles to Dayton from Long Island, NY

Mom and I square danced in the Dance Tent and then went back to the tent to listen to some tunes coming from the Main stage down the hillside. There was this huge rock near the top of the hill that was begging to be claimed and thats what we did. Mom and I were greeted by these two little girls or princesses I should say: Princess of Stars and Princess of Love and Peace. It was so sweet and I never realized until in that moment the FRFF atmosphere is very family oriented and conducive to the "free love," free-spirited-hippie 1960's era. I relished when Mom said later into the weekend that this was my version of Woodstock.

Saturday's line-up was focused more on headliners including some of my favorites: Brother Sun and Tracy Grammer. The best part of the day was traveling to the Acoustic Live tent near the vendors to see  a favorite unrecognized band in the FRFF line-up, The Boxcar Lilies, however, not less talented. We had seen them perform Friday evening at Pirate Tent by the RV camping. They were amazing and worth a second performance.

The staff even closed the holes in the ground for us hippie foke

The Boxcar Lilies 

That evening after tenderloin dinner Tom was too cold to the bone with wet feet and decided to stay in the tent while Mom and I walked down to the Main Stage to see the Grand Slambovians. We went back to visit Tom to see how he was but he didn't change his mind. Walking down to the song swap we saw the last of Tracy Grammer's set and a song from Storyhill (one of our favorite bands). The Song Swap was held at the main entrance open to artists, poets and regular foke come together to enjoy each others company. We also headed back up to our campgrounds to hear some music at Front Porch and Buggy Dungon. ilyAIMY, the Most Wanted Emerging Artist from the year before was so AMAZING!!! Around 230am we went back to find Tom fast asleep. Carefully we got ready for bed and slept.

 View from the top of the hill Saturday early evening.

The famous rock on the hill where a few teens sat smoking grass.

Sunday morning was the best ever. I woke up from the most blissful sleep I'd had the entire weekend. Although an air mattress is somewhat comfortable its especially difficult to sleep in your own sweat and sharing a mattress with someone else. Gospel Wake-up Call was awesome especially since the sun came out a few hours later. Afterwards we headed over to the Storytelling set at the Workshop tent to see Spuyten Duyvil, Brother Sun and the Grand Slambovians. We also had ice cream while watching the ever-entertaining and talented Ellis. 

Gospel Wake-up Call peeps sitting near the Main stage waiting for Eddie from Ohio, Girlyman and Brother Sun to fill us with hope for a bright sunny day.

 After three days we finally caught up with Putman Smith, an artist we saw in 

our camp the first day who performed a the Lounge tent during the rain storm Thurs. night

 Harmony and her little artists paraded down the main strip followed by the falcon.

 Thanks to Brother Sun we did have a beautiful sunny day.

The Closing Song with all the remaining artists.

This was a wonderful experience to share with my Mom. We both plan to return together in the years to come but for now we will reminisce in our time at Falcon Ridge. 

Chill Down By the Seashore

Sag Harbor has always been a place of calamity and relaxation. I've been so fortunate to have the luxury of time and a place to spend a few weekends here and there during the summer since I was born. I'm often reminded of the memories I've shared throughout the years going out to the East End with my family. My mom always remarks the time we went out to Sag Harbor with my Aunt Barbara before my cousin Brian was born. It seems to have been a fond memory for my mom especially since that was the time when I ate my first solid food: ice cream. No wonder why its one of my trigger foods! (Along with  Nutella).

In the last five or six years we've tried to bring new people out with us to experience what we treasure so dearly. I feel it is a magical place despite the rudeness of pretentious drivers and the snotty attitudes of the Hamptonites. See the people who've lived out there for sometime like our family still called the South and North Forks the East End. I just don't see the point calling it The Hamptons. Who died and made those people kings and queens.

This past weekend my DC friend and former TWC alum, Kristi, came to spend a relaxing time at the beach. She was an absolute joy to be around not to mention a good luck charm. All the traditional things to go wrong or be challenging were easier with her around...I'm convinced. I was super excited that she had the opportunity to spend time on the beach at both the bay and the ocean. We went out to Montauk for an afternoon and went up the lighthouse. She even had the chance to eat a whole lobster!! And unlike my other friends who ignored my advice to A) put on sunscreen, B) stay out in the sun for a limited amount of time, and C) reapply sunscreen, Kristi, who is paler than almost anyone we've taken out there, listened to everything AND got a really nice tan.

Dropping her off in downtown Sag Harbor on the Jitney was a sad moment. She didn't want to go back to work and I didn't want her to leave. However, there will be other times. We stayed an extra night with Daddio (aka Tom) and even squeezed in a visit to his favorite Candy Kitchen as well as grab a quick bite at this new joint Mom recommended called Bay Burger (TRY the watermelon sorbet - its delish!)

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