Hello, friends.
I inadvertently took August off. This is the life of running a small business (or 3)—when folks are on vacation, you pick up the shifts. When the dishwasher is broken, you climb behind it to try to figure out why. When the city delays your new project for nine weeks, you wake up at 3AM and wondering where the fuck you’re going to get the money to make it through the other side. Glamour. Intrigue. Stress-induced gastro-intestinal drama.
I am very lucky to have a team that steps up to plug the holes with me (and climb behind the dishwasher with me) when the seas get rough, and it would be a lie to say that every single buck stops with me. But August kicked my ass, and there was little time for this newsletter (or showering). Apologies. I’ll try to make it up to you this month.
Luckily, there will be plenty for me to fill your inboxes with! We have… so much happening. As is always the way, August ends, the world rolls off its beach blanket, and it’s full speed ahead into winemaker visits, holiday planning, and the sense that time might actually be getting away from us. Basically, it’s already January.
I’m really excited for this upcoming programming, so take a good look. There’s something for everyone right now, and that feels pretty good.
See you soon, I hope.
XOXO,
L
EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS!
SATURDAY 9/14 @ 3PM: WINE SCHOOL W/ THE KOJI CLUB
It’s impossible to convey how special this class is, but I shall do my best. “Sake For Wine People,” as I’m calling it, will be taught by two of Japan’s most respected sake brewers, one of whom is Miho Fujita, one of only a handful of sake brewers in an extremely male-dominated industry. Miho’s story is incredible, and having her here teaching us is a literal honor. You’ll taste 4 exceptional sakes, and The Koji Club’s Alyssa DiPasquale will also be present to help answer questions and offer insight. This is an unbelievable opportunity to share space with some brilliant minds, please don’t miss it!
OKTOBERFEST + GERMAN WINE SCHOOL @ 12PM
Also happening Saturday! It’s Remnant Brewing’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, and Marie-Louise is hosting a petite German wine class at Rebel, like the old days. Should you be a total babe and attend BOTH CLASSES on Saturday???
AUTHOR EVENTS*
We have TWO upcoming author events for you!
On 9/24 at Dear Annie, beloved community member Maggie Cooper will be reading from and discussing her new queer fiction chapbook, “The Theme Park of Women’s Bodies” in conversation with Ash Trebisacci. Maggie (she/her) is a graduate of Yale College, the MFA program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Clarion Writers' Workshop. Maggie's writing has appeared in The Rumpus, Ninth Letter, and Autostraddle. Tickets include a glass of wine (or NA bev) and can be purchased here.
On 10/5, also at Dear Annie, our pal Tyler Akabane of The Mushroom Shop will be in fungal conversation with picture book author Chris Baker to celebrate the release of Chris’ book, On A Mushroom Day! Chris is a writer and professional mushroom lover who dropped her taproot in the Hudson Valley in 2014. She lives in Port Ewen with her spouse, kiddo, two cats, and a rotating assortment of pet lichens. Chris runs Chicory Naturalist, a nature shop in Kingston, NY! Tickets include a glass of wine (or NA bev) and can be purchased here.
* We’re hosting these at Dear Annie instead of our literal bookstore, Wild Child, because we aren’t super confident in the city’s sense of urgency at this point. BUT! We are, in fact, hoping Wild Child will be open in the new space by the end of September!
AND FINALLY!
Y’all, I am so excited about this.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MONTHLONG SERIES ON BUTCHERY FOR WOMEN TAUGHT BY SHANNON LARGEY, BUTCHER + OWNER OF HIGHLAND BUTCHER
Here’s the general link to our Eventbrite page so you can see al 4 (!!!) classes being offered in the month of October. I have been DREAMING of a butchery class designed for women and queer folks for an actual lifetime, and I could not possibly imagine a better partner than Shannon. She’s knowledgable, she’s talented, she loves a pun (see the title of the first class). If you’re unfamiliar with Highland Butcher, it’s one of the only shops in the area that offers whole animal butchery from small, local farms. If you’re going to eat meat, you should probably be getting it from HB.
Here’s the lineup:
Part 1: Nice to Meat You - Intro to Meat Cuts & Anatomy
Part 2: Entertaining + Final Touches
You can attend one or all four—the classes are designed to stand on their own, but they’re complementary as a series. Each ticket includes a glass of wine or NA bev, and some classes are more hands-on than others, so take a look at the class descriptions!
Note: While this class is designed to help women gain confidence with butchery, rendering, and curing meat, all are welcome and encouraged to attend.
ONE MORE THING
I leave you with a perfect track for an early Fall day, from Bonnie Raitt’s 1971 self-titled album.
MWAH.
Looks like I’ll be at DA for the whole month 💕 Great programming, my friend 🫶