Little Chapel on the River

Hi everyone -- I'm borrowing the blog for something personal, but in keeping with the spirit of community and collaboration and partnerships. On Tuesday, Aug. 18th at 7 p.m., I'll be moderating a panel about collaboration at Lincoln Center in New York City featuring a group of extraordinary artists. Among them: rock musicians Stew and his creative partner Heidi Rodewald who co-wrote the Tony-award winning musical Passing Strange (video clip above) and the incredible choreographer Bill T. Jones whose musical Fela! is headed to Broadway this fall. The event is part of The Wall Street Journal's "Summer Scoops" series at Lincoln Center, and I'm pretty damn humbled to be a part of the evening. It would be awesome (and reassuring!) to see some Hudson Valley faces in the audience so if you are interested, tickets are still available online here or by calling 212.721.6500. And please email to let me know if you are coming so I can look for you... Hope everyone...

This is kind of cool and unexpected. The story of Guinan's will fall into the hands of readers in Waco, Texas later this summer. Little Chapel on the River was picked as a summer read for the community's One Book, One Waco program. The book was selected for exploring "themes of family and friendship as well as the importance of building a strong community." Last summer's pick was "Marley: A Dog Like No Other." Clearly they hadn't heard of Lou-Lou yet.

Two interesting pieces in this week's Putnam County News & Recorder neatly capture the tenor of the ongoing push to have a public gathering space in the old Guinan's building. One, written by Michael Turton , does a nice job painting the scene of last week's lively Philipstown Planning Board meeting while a second by Joe Lindsley Jr. titled " A Brief History of the 'Little Chapel ,'" describes the long, rich tenure of this particular gathering spot along the Hudson. (You need a subscription to view these pieces in full.) Lindsley cites my book saying that Jim Guinan was determined to keep the place going even though the operation was losing money. It's true that at various points in time in its nearly 50-year history Guinan's struggled -- early on when Jim and his late wife Peg were launching the business, after Peg's death. However, as my book also notes, according to the family the store also was profitable during its long history, i...

I loved this random letter to the editor this week in the Putnam County News and Recorder . Solange Muller of Cold Spring wrote in thanks of a mystery snow plower who plowed Muller's driveway -- twice -- this winter unasked, unpaid. Wrote Muller: "Your gift of plowing my driveway this winter has been like a ray of sunshine making it's way through a dark cloud, bringing light and hope into my life and strengthening my believe that we are surrounded by goodness." It's remarkable how far a small gesture of unexpected kindness can reach.

Two letters in support of preserving a portion of the old Guinan's store building as a public gathering spot, such as a cafe, appeared in our local paper the Putnam County News and Recorder this week. One letter from resident Mary Ellen Yannitelli , who made her own bid to open a cafe in the space, included the following: "Garrison Station Plaza Inc. has decided the ultimate use for the building at #7 Garrison's Landing, and it appears that they have disregarded the Town of Philipstown's goals in the Comprehensive Plan, and were uninfluenced by public pressure (we submitted a petition in support of a store with over 1,000 signatures.) Over 75% of the GSP corporate stock is owned by their not-for-profit sister company, the Garrison Landing Association. As a 501c3 company they receive public funds from both individuals and State and foundation grants. It is possible that if their decision about the use of the building at #7 Garrison's Landing favors what the majori...

Chuck Leavell , keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and a founder of the new environmental Web site Mother Nature Network , talks to local art curator Amy Lipton and artist Simon Draper in the Carl Van Brunt Gallery in Beacon N.Y. Amy and Simon discuss their two projects -- ecoartspace and Habitat For Artists -- with Chuck. Cool projects with national reach; check them out.

The Hudson Valley's own Ned Sullivan of Scenic Hudson talks with Chuck Leavell of the Mother Nature Network (and Rolling Stones keyboardist) about smart growth, brownfields and conservation easements in the Hudson River Valley.

There are some interesting comments , on both sides of the issue, attached to Sunday's Journal-News story on the new use of the Guinan's building, including one speculating that one new tenant may be another not-for-profit. The comments are mostly anonymous, however, so sourcing is far from firm.

February 22, 2009 Guinan's site slated to become office space Barbara Livingston Nackman The Journal News GARRISON - The former Guinan's Country Store and Pub is all but gone from its Garrison Landing location. The nearly 4,000-square-foot space, tucked into a ledge at the Hudson River shoreline just steps from Metro-North tracks, has been gutted. It is ready for new tenants - two local businesses and a resident. Garrison Station Plaza, the owner of the property at 7 Garrison Landing, presented plans Thursday to the Philipstown Planning Board showing how it wants to reconfigure the structure. It is more than 100 years old and is in dire need of renovations, which include a septic system and new electrical wiring. Guinan's operated as a local gathering spot for morning coffee and newspapers and for evening beers and Irish music for nearly 50 years before Jim Guinan, its patriarch and owner, retired in January 2008. Guinan's customers, many of whom think of themselves as ...

The board of the Garrison Station Plaza has rejected proposals for a new cafe or similar gathering spot at the building formerly known as Guinan's. Today's Journal-News story by Barbara Livingston Nackman quotes several board members, one of whom says the board is now considering proposals for offices and a rental apartment. People familiar with the board's plans say it is close to or has already signed a contract with at least one new tenant. The board's decision comes after several months of lobbying from many parts of the community for a general store or other enterprise that would serve the needs of commuters, tourists, cadets, boaters and residents. More than 1,000 people from this community and around the country signed a petition urging the board to "preserve our community's center and vitality and permit a new store." The board cited liability concerns but said little more. In the story, board member Hank Osborn , whose grandfather once owned t...

Owners reject new café at former Guinan's Barbara Livingston Nackman 746 words 23 September 2008 The Journal News (White Plains, NY) GWP-Westchester and Putnam 1A English (c) Copyright 2008, The Journal News. All Rights Reserved. GARRISON - Visions of a new café-bar at the former Guinan's Country Store and Pub were dashed this weekend when a property-owner group said it wants offices and housing instead. Garrison Station Plaza expects to replace the former Guinan's with something totally different. Mary Ellen Yannitelli, 42, a lifelong Garrison resident who knew and helped the Guinans run their family enterprise, had submitted plans for a café selling homestyle foods, drinks and convenience items at 7 Garrison Landing overlooking the Hudson River. Her plan was rejected, with the Station Plaza board citing liability concerns as the reason. Instead, board members are considering proposals from two "well-established local businesses" for offices and a rental apartmen...

This story appeared last weekend by Tabitha Lucas in The Voice Ledger about the Highland Harper, Candace Coates . Candace was a regular at Irish Night at Guinan's. For anyone who wants to catch up with her and find out where she's playing next, the story is a good guide. The story notes how Candace taught herself to play from a book and a tape. Says the harpist in an email: "As of August of this year I have been playing that small harp for 15 years. Somehow it doesn't feel like it's been that long."

One familiar face at Guinan's during its last few years was a West Point cadet named Brad Hoelscher . He came to Guinan's on his 21st birthday and continued to support the store both as a patron and as an extra pair of beer-slinging hands on several of the busiest nights during Guinan's final hours. Brad is quoted in this New York Times story yesterday about the controversy over what kind of role religion plays and should play at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and other service academies. It's an interesting piece, even if you don't know Brad. For those of you who do, he graduated on May 31st . I was lucky enough to attend the ceremony and spend time with his family and friends that day. They are an incredible bunch. As for Second Lieutenant Brad's next steps, I'll keep you posted here.

The Poughkeepsie Journal published this nice tribute to John Guinan last week by Barbara Nackman . She talks a lot about his commitment to Braking the Cycle (aka, "The Ride") that he participated in every year -- and which his daughter Kelly now does in his stead with a group of us from Guinan's. We're approaching the three-month mark for the ride. All the rain has kept a lot of Team Guinan off the road, but training has to begin in earnest soon. (Or we'll all be sorry.) We're also entering into serious fund-raising mode. Please consider making a donation to help us meet our $50,000 goal at the Team Guinan link . It's a large amount in an economy that's got everyone watching their dollars. But it's for a very important cause that meant a lot to a man who meant so much to us. We're very appreciative of your help. Photo by Kelly Guinan titled "I am my father's daughter." All Rights Reserved.

Barkeep a giving person right up to his own death Barbara Livingston Nackman 666 words 17 June 2008 Poughkeepsie Journal 1B English (c) Copyright 2008, Poughkeepsie Journal. All Rights Reserved. GARRISON - For a decade, Fishkill resident John Guinan each year rode his bike hundreds of miles to raise money to combat AIDS, the disease that took the life of his brother-in-law. Now, friends and relatives of the man whose family founded the legendary Guinan's pub will do the same to honor his memory this fall. Guinan, 56, died June 3 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie after a two-year battle with brain cancer. Guinan first realized some numbness in 2006 during his last ride for Braking the Cycle, which benefits health services at New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. Garrison resident Gwendolyn Bounds rode with Guinan. A columnist for the Wall Street Journal, she wrote "Little Chapel on the River," chronicling how Guinan...

Garrison resident, friend to John Guinan and morning commuter Dwight Garner wrote this fine tribute to John Guinan today on his New York Times book blog, Paper Cuts . Last year Dwight posted about his commute from Garrison , and noted how Guinan's was one of the "Hudson Valley’s last great establishments." No argument here. In today's post, Dwight fittingly described Garrison's loss of John this way: "The town feels atomized without him." During John's battle with brain cancer, Dwight often sent John books he thought he'd shine to -- just another example of the small ways the morning commuters paid back the man behind the bar for his kinship. Dwight lives here with his wife, author Cree LeFavour , who writes this interesting, visual foodie blog called On the Plate .

New York Times "Our Towns" columnist Peter Applebome Friday penned this tribute to John Guinan and the Garrison's Landing store his family ran from 1959 until 2008. Peter has written two other stories about Guinans, one in 2007 and another this year. In his most recent post, Peter included a moving quote from John about what the store meant to him all these years: “I’m not sure exactly how, but we became a comfort zone for people,” [John] said, “a place that reminds people of a place they went to when they were young, something that makes them think good thoughts. People need a place like this, but the reward you get for the kindness you provide is worth much more than whatever you give out. It blows me away to be a part of it.” John also would have been blown away at the generosity of the community during his wake, funeral service and memorial reception at Garrison's Landing. One of his dear friends, Mary Ellen Yannitelli -- who has proposed opening a new store ...

"Garrison rocks." That's what 10 seventh-grade students have to say about their town. Today they launched their Spring edition of the "Cougar Times" online . [NOTE: I'm with them live-blogging from their classroom.] Included in the edition are book reviews, stories about summertime, articles on school issues, photos and community news about where the 8th graders are going to school next year. The students have been working for two months under Charlotte Rowe at the Garrison Union Free School District. Journalists working on the project include: Lianna Culp, Richard Stiehl, Eryn Kelly, Nicklas Clemente, Simon Close, Lindy Labriola, Robby Schartner, Olivia Mennillo, Madison Freeman and Chloe Wareham-Gordon . Congratulations to them all.

An obituary for John Guinan ran today in the Poughkeepsie Journal. Many people know John mostly from his days behind the counter at Guinan's Pub & Country Store. But reading this testimony to his life sheds light on the many other facets of his character. For details about the memorial services being held for John, as well as how to reach the family, please see this post .

Yearning for a new Guinan's, but Garrison owners say no Barbara Livingston Nackman 880 words 5 June 2008 The Journal News (White Plains, NY) GARRISON - It's been more than four months since Guinan's pub and country store closed - and pining for a reopening has become something of a local pastime. The old glass-fronted counters inside the Garrison Landing shop are gone, and the interior walls have been stripped bare and opened to the studs. No neon signs suggest beer varieties, and there is a clear view of the Hudson River from the front entrance. There is no final word from the building's owners, Garrison Station Plaza Inc., on what exactly will replace the beloved Irish pub begun by Jim Guinan in 1959. One resident, Mary Ellen Yannitelli, whose family is historically connected to the site, is hoping she can make it into Hudson Cafe. "I don't want to do this for melancholy sentimental reasons. I don't have a claim on it," she said from her home, a shor...