Sights from a Weekend in New York

I am running a few days behind in posting the pictures and witty narrative from last weekend's show in Rhinebeck, New York. I have been test driving a cold and sore throat and have decided to hold onto them both for a few more days . . .

When I told people that I was going on a business trip to New York, reactions usually ranged from "Oh, that's way too crowded for me" to "Are you going to see a Broadway show while you're there?" Rhinebeck is not THAT kind of New York -- this is about 90 miles up the Hudson River, with rolling hills, lots of trees, and a much slower pace.

The show was at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, which was a pretty busy place compared to other weekends I have been here. In addition to our show, there was a gem and mineral show next door, a flea market indoors and outdoors all over the place, and a Rotary Club pig roast.

I was one of the few vendors who had been here before (different promoter this time). When I pulled in for setup, several vendors came up to me with a very important question -- "Is it true there are no restrooms in our building?" Quite true -- the photo at left was taken at the entrance to our show, and the one at right zoomed in toward that little building in the background, across the parking lot. That's where the restrooms were . . .

There were other little inconveniences that had to be dealt with along the way. The loudspeaker system was in the fairgrounds office, and any announcements made there were heard all over the fairgrounds. So Ted Cutts came up with a bullhorn and wandered around our room from time to time calling out prize numbers and such. Everyone knows (and likes) Ted -- he owns Art Gone Wild, Inky Antics, Stampers Anonymous, and Darcie's Country Folk. He also kept me alert Saturday night -- some of his people were in the room next to me in the hotel, and Ted opened up their half of the double door between rooms about 10:30 p.m. and banged the tar out of my half, just as I was walking past it!

It was one of the few good-weather weekends these folks had seen in a long time, but that didn't stop them from coming out early on Saturday morning. Donna Brunell made sure I knew that in all of the giveaway pictures I took in Springfield in June, somehow I missed her. Not this time . . .

The customers were resourceful as well. The boot at left belonged to a teenaged girl who was using it as her camera pouch (and her cell phone was farther down the same boot), and the gentleman at right found a unique spot for his wristband.

Our friend Mary Garvey works with us at several shows in the northeast and was demoing this weekend. This is Mary's "home show" -- she only lives 15-20 minutes from the fairgrounds. Her sister was coming to the show on Saturday, so Mary and I made a deal so she could spend a little time with her . . .

You may remember the picture at left -- it's the one I took of the new Core'dinations display at the Greenville show the weekend before Rhinebeck. I replenished as much as I could, but the picture at right that I took on Sunday morning at Rhinebeck shows just how popular Core'dinations is -- look at those empty holes!

And this is Joey Henderson. I brought along a package she had ordered (her friend checked on Saturday to make sure I had it) so I saw her early on Sunday. Found out later that when she walked in the door, she saw the $500 basket of stamps the promoters were raffling off for charity and announced that she was going to win it. Five hours later, she did . . .