An Evening on Bannerman Island...
Bannerman Castle on Bannerman Island, Hudson River, South of Newburgh/Beacon
This past Labor Day, my friend Tiiu Mayer and I went to a special Farm to Table Dinner put on by Noah Sheets, on Bannerman Island.
The weather was perfect! The River was calm. And the Food was Outstanding! This is one of the highlight events of the season.
Bannerman Island is part of the New York State Parks System, and is managed and run by the volunteers and staff of Bannerman Castle Trust. There is a link below if you want to read through the history of the island, which is quite amazing. It played a minor role in the Revolutionary War, it was visited by early Dutch settlers.
We sat on the Terrace of the Residence, looking south toward West Point.
Neil Caplan, Executive Director of Bannerman Castle Trust, Tiiu and me.
View from the Terrace, looking South toward West Point, beyond the second point on the left.
The dinner was so special. Beautifully executed. Layers of flavor, texture and color. Service was impeccable.
There were two seatings, we were on the latter.
Appetizer
Soup
Salad
Main
Cheese
Dessert
There was live music performed by Judith Tulloch, guitar and vocal, and her husband, Steve, on the flute, who played in the styles of Latin & Brazilian jazz... Absolutely amazing, both of them. They played throughout the two seatings.
Beautiful, fun and relaxing evening...
Am sure it was hectic for the staff though! Everything had to be carried up the 70+ stairs and then the pathways! Everything. There is a small generator for electricity. Even drinking and cooking water had to be carried up.
Now for why it is important to me....
My mother lived on this island in 1934-35. She was emancipated from her parents and went to live with her brother who was the assistant caretaker on the island. He lived there with his wife and three children, one of whom was born there. Mom always said it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen then. The children went to school by rowboat. Even in the winter when they were iced in.
My mother and I joined the Board of Trustees for the island in the mid-90's. She gave lectures/ told stories about living there on many tours. There is now a small garden on the island with her name on it.
The River was always a life source for her. She and my father had a home on the River where they could see the island in the distance.
And the River became very important to me as well...
I continue to support the Bannerman Castle Trust and I do show my artwork at the Bannerman Island Gallery in Beacon, NY. It is an amazing organization and they work so hard to keep the island open, run shows and special events. A caring community...
Thank you for reading this....
Virginia
Here is the link:
