We are very excited to welcome our son, August, to the family.

Last year on Christmas, we discovered some really good news. We we’re pregnant!

And we knew the time ahead would hold such promise, adventures, treasures and delights. It was a joyous year and looking back – we savored every moment. 

We spent the early year in preparation, anticipation and enjoying the final months of our family as a two-some. We hosted baby showers, blazed new trails in the gardens, prepped the house, took birthing classes, and even took a ‘baby-moon’ to the city of lights: Paris! 

Visiting Family in Florida

In March, we traveled to Ocala, FL for Lily’s Mom’s birthday (turning 35 again – or so she looks!). We were able to tell her in-person the good news that we were expecting a baby. Here’s us at the Everglades state park and at the beautiful Zavalsky farm.

“Babymoon” in Paris

In Paris we strolled, ate, drank (well, not Lily) and rested like the French – with leisure. The Parisians were incredibly polite and courteous to me as a 6-month pregnant woman – we were treated with the utmost dignity and priority. Encouraged to jump to the front of any line – we skipped a 2-hour long wait for the Louvre! Our favorite places included the Musée d’Orsay and Montmartre. 

A highlight of the trip was seeing Gavin’s friend, Wesley, who met us for a few days. Wesley is a gifted photographer and blessed us by shooting these gorgeous shots on his vintage camera. 

Alissa’s Wedding

My sister, Alissa married Chris and had a beautiful June wedding which we had the pleasure and honor to attend. It was a (very) small family gathering in Brooklyn. We are so happy for them and absolutely love spending time with their combined family. We also love our new nephews – who we like to spoil as often as possible.

Showers and Support

We are so grateful to all who attended our baby showers! We felt encouraged, supported and blessed beyond imagination. I enjoyed being pregnant with several other important women in my life as well – it was such a gift to get to share daily feelings, experiences and emotions.

Getting the house ready for our boy

August is born! 

Our darling was born on August 16th at 11:15pm and weighed 6lbs 15oz. Once we met him, we knew what his name would be. We both have ‘August’ in our family trees – Gavin’s great grandfather, and Lily, an ancestor from Sweden. But to us, the name August means so much more. The name summons thoughts and sentiments of abundance, grace, exultance and of course – bountiful harvest. It is always the most glorious month for the garden, and the most glorious time for us to have welcomed a sweet baby boy into the world. We used Lily’s last name as his middle name – Johnson. And then honored the Wassung as he is the last in the Wassung lineage to continue on the name!

Alissa coordinated a meal train so that people could either deliver or have meals delivered to us during those first few impressionable weeks after his birth. It was a HUGE blessing and a delight to have the company and communication from those we love. Thank you to all who sent us meals and checked in on us!

Wedding in Hawaii

We traveled to Kailua in Hawaii for my Uncle Mark and Kerrin’s wedding. We knew we could not miss it for the world and prepared August, a mere 2 months old, as best we could for the travel ahead. We learned that he is already a champion traveler – making hardly any peeps on the airplane trips (11 hours!) and sleeping soundly in our arms the majority of the flight. At times, we were exhausted. But, it was a great learning experience for us as parents on how to show grace and have patience with our little one, each other and ourselves. And it was invaluable to get to spend time with my nieces and extended family too!

We loved being at Mark and Kerrin’s beach wedding and spending quality time with our family – from Hawaii side and all over. Most of the time we caught waves and tried to keep up with Grandma Lucy on her boogie board. We introduced Augie to the ocean – he loved it. We often sing him “Baby Beluga” when we bathe him at home – and I can only imagine his thoughts when we bathed him in the ocean that day to his favorite tune. 

Celebration of Life in North Carolina

Promptly after our trip to Hawaii, we prepared for another family gathering – our beloved Uncle Steve Axtell’s memorial service in North Carolina. We did a roadtrip from our home in the Hudson Valley and made 1-2 night stops along the way, which kept us safe and happy with our 2.5 month old. We saw the wild ponies on the Virginia island of Chincoteague, supported and memorialized our dear Uncle Steve with our family, and then had lunch with Gavin’s Uncle Mark and his fiancee, Sue, during our return trip in Maryland. During the car ride, we listened to the audiobooks including Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around The World in 80 Days. Highly recommend them!

On the Farmette

We have made progress on our Farmette, cultivating and nurturing our land and flock more and more each season. 

Gavin’s vineyard is in its 2nd year of maturity, and how the vines have grown! 

This year Gavin – following in the footsteps of his sister – added a rather impressive unit to our farmette, and became a Beekeeper. I love seeing him tend to his bees in his bee suit! 

We live on a hill and our lower yard felt very separate and unfortunately was not well-kept by the previous owners. There were many large dead trees and brush. We decided we wanted to clean it up. We hired some of the large trees to be cut up and split or chipped. And then did our best to flatten the area. Once that was done, we planted a handful of small mini-gardens of laurel, hydrangea, and transplanted shoots of lilac and hibiscus. We also planted a row of hybrid poplars and we’re looking forward to having a beautiful space to enjoy.

The Summer Potager Garden produced a healthy amount of vegetables – peppers, lettuces, basil, eggplant, squash, cucumber, zucchini, radishes and, of course, tomatoes. This year I also ventured to grow some flowers from seed and they did not disappoint! The garden was in full swing by the time our baby August was due – and I was gardening until the day before we went to the hospital for his delivery. I like to sing him “Golden Afternoon” from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland as I have countless times while pregnant in the garden. I believe he recognizes the tune.  

We also added a new berry garden/patch. Our kind neighbor gifted us several mature blackberry and raspberry plants which we planted in rows in our backyard in a section that gets “just enough” sun.

We did some landscaping to our lower yard. It was largely unmanaged by the previous owners, but represents over half of our property. There was a lot of dead brush and fallen trees. We cleaned them up and did our best to flatten the yard. We promptly planted a few small forest gardens. And we’re excited for what next season will bring.

While we had some highs, we also had some lows. We had to say goodbye to 3 ladies from our flock – our Doris (Chicken), Dotty (Duck) and Littles (Duck). We miss them dearly and so do their compatriotes.

To boost morale in the flock, we adopted 4 new pullets from a farm nearby: 2 Rhode Island red hens and 2 New Hampshire red hens. They are beautiful and hilarious creatures! We named them Nina, Simone, Buttercup and Sunny. They bring a new sense of playfulness to the flock and are always keeping the more veteran birds on their “toes”. 

Of course, Maddy (5 years in January) and Lucy (10 years) are always nearby – keeping things in order and now, being sweet older sisters to baby August. Maddy often sleeps next to him when he’s doing floor play-time. They are ever-curious. And Lucy is very happy now that the fireplace is heating up the home once more this winter. 

More About August 

Our baby boy – now 4 months old – is such a treasure. He loves when we sing to him (his favorites being “Do-Re-Mi” from the Sound of Music, “I just can’t wait to be King” from The Lion King and “Alouette” the French Rhyme. He has learned to self soothe, how to push his head up while on his tummy and I was delighted to hear his first few giggles on Thanksgiving day!

We have had the fortune to take ample time away from work to learn how to be a family of 3. Every day is a new adventure (some nights we sleep, others, not so much) and every minute a pleasure. We love his babbling and huge eyes as they fill with wonder – especially this time of year with all the Christmas decorations! 

May your holiday season be cheery and bright – and your next year full of promise of delight.

Love,

Gavin, Lily and August

We wish you all good health and happiness as we end 2022. We invite you to read through different chapters of our photo journal as we celebrate so many good memories.

VISITORS

Looking back at the year – we hosted some wonderful people including:

Lily’s sister, Rachael and her family Libor, Sky, Zara and baby Ragnar (in Rachael’s tummy in this photo) when they visited our Farmette(what Lily has affectionately called our house, garden and animals) in April. The girls loved meeting the ducks and chickens and we really enjoyed spending quality time with Rachael and Libor during their visit.

On Gavin’s birthday (June 28th) his Mom, Dad, Uncle Mark and Sue made a special trip to our home. We enjoyed a lunch together of a sushi boat and then a chocolate mousse cake! It was very special to see Gavin give everyone the tour of the newly planted mini vineyard (25 vines of Marquette grapes) and to share some of the interior home renovations completed earlier this year.

We rang in the 4th of July with a week of Lily’s Mom and Lily’s step-dad Michael! We had so much fun enjoying the spoils of mid-summer and went hiking/swimming/fishing/paddle boarding at Lake Taghkanic, visited the Motorcyclepedia Museum in Newburgh and then later visited a Tibetan spa in the Catskills for massages.

Lily hosted a multi-course birthday dinner party on September 4th which was such a blast! The original plan was to host the party outside but plans changed once rain arrived and the party commenced indoors. Afterwards – Gavin surprised me with a stay at a local legend – a castle built in the 70’s by Millbrook’s Peter Wing. It was a stay of a lifetime! The castle was handmade and assembled over the course of 30 years and truly a source of inspiration.

Later in the Fall, Alissa, Chris, Kids, Christian and Eli visited for Thanksgiving Dinner and weekend fun. Pictured here was movie marathon night, watching the Home Alone films. Lots of popcorn and hot cocoa required.

HOME AND GARDENS

Here at 11 Stream Lane, we have been enjoying the fruits of last years’ labors and renovations to the house interior, and then shifted our focus outside to the gardens and animal husbandry.

Of course the interior home renovations are not done – so this year we added some fun features including a glass sliding door divider (which really helps with Winter heat efficiencies!). Gavin also installed these awesome bar stools next to the kitchen island. They were raw steel and we painted them to match the white and then bolted them to the floor.

We paved / seal coated our driveway. We hired help to put the gravel in at the top of the drive and pave, but we personally sealed and coated the rest of our massive driveway slope. It was a real feat with 100 degree weather to boot!

We added a couple new art pieces to our home including a very special painting from Kyle Steed. Like mental maps, his new work combines the power of memory and imagination to form a very present look at life. A second piece was found at an antique shop nearby and is the work of a local stone mason. Much like the ensō symbol in Japanese culture, it represents enlightenment, strength, elegance, the completeness.

Lily’s dream project was to build a greenhouse. Gavin found Lily a kit for a 3-season room on Craigslist which started it all! We then hired help to lay a foundation, install the kit and build a custom roof. It’s not yet winter proof but that is the next step in the whole greenhouse-build-business. We added the greenhouse structure off the South-side of our detached garage and garden shed – which we cut a door through for easy access. It’s certainly Lily’s happy place!

Gavin undertook a massive initiative (actually, a lifelong dream!) to plant his own mini VINEYARD. Which he did by preparing the land, ordering 25 vines of Marquette grapes (a Pinot Noir hybrid designed by the University of Minnesota for colder terroir) and after loads of research and planning – made the dream a reality.

In the Spring-Summer, Gavin engineered and finished a beautiful path from the “sacred space” or fireplace stone circle to the South gardens (vineyard/greenhouse). We planted indigenous perennial plants and we can’t wait to see how the plants take and boom in the Spring and Summertime! Gavin moved all of these massive pavers by hand – leveling them off and backfilling with wood chips from trees we fell earlier in the year.

ANIMALS

Our precious Maddy dog turned 3 in January and is loving the country life. She goes on walks daily (just saying the word “walk” makes her ears perk!), chasing around our drake “Chonks” and taking breaks to enjoy nature. She is quickly becoming the neighborhood and dojo favorite.

Lucy the cat continues to enjoy the house and additional space. This adorable girl turned 10 in September! She is also learning to co-exist with Maddy and the two can occasionally be found snuggling on the couch (with a safe 1-foot buffer distance) and playing together.

Ducks: Our ducks celebrated 1-year of life in September and are as blissful and clumsy as ever! The hens (Dotty, Gus-Gus and Littles) diligently provide eggs daily even in Winter months and our drake, Chonks, continues to be the clumsy champion of his ladies – bravely fighting off any potential threats which includes chasing Maddy all around the yard in a never ending game of “tag”.

Chickens: Our 3 hens (Doris in brown, Ninja in black and Caroline in white) are such lovely additions to our flock. Adopted last November, we celebrated our 1-year with them and they faithfully provide us eggs daily although the supply tapers down in the cold winter months. We learned chickens take ‘dust baths’ by digging into loose dirt soil, tossing it around their feathers and eventually standing to shake it off. And by doing so – cleaning themselves! It’s a funny sight and warms our hearts every time.

LOCALE

For Gavin’s birthday, he became a Millbrook Winery member and we visit for free concerts in the summer as well as occasional tastings – come join us next summer!

We love exploring the areas in more rural Hudson Valley. We enjoy going for hikes, picking fresh fruit, and all the seasons in between.

We love getting involved with local activities in our new area. Gavin received his yellow & green belt in karate this year. These are big achievements that require a lot of effort and focus. He also walked in the Spirit of Pleasant Valley Parade and occasionally hosts a DnD group with his colleagues. Pictured here is when he was participated in an annual tournament in February as a white belt.

Lily plays volleyball at the Mid-Hudson Athletic Center (MAC) on C, B and A leagues. She recently won her league and celebrated an undefeated season.

Also, we visited the Dia in Beacon where we’re members and often go along with some good friends.

TRAVEL

This past year, we travelled a lot!

In January, we helped Grandma Lucy after her hip replacement surgery in Colorado. We enjoyed quality time with her and Grandpa Jerry.

In May, Lily did her first “long trek”, a 10-day hike across the West Highland Way in Scotland with Laura Allen who together, did 97 miles on foot!

August 6th was our 6-year wedding anniversary. We celebrated by staying in a sea-side hotel in Connecticut and then visiting Gavin’s parents afterwards. Here we are at the beach, picking up some obligatory lobster rolls for lunch!

In October, we took an incredible trip to Grand Junction, CO where we got to celebrate Lily’s half sister Peyton and Kevin’s beautiful wedding. It also gave us time to rekindle our friendships with Utah-based Travis, Lacey and kids Jade, Mia and Colby. After the wedding, we visited Allenspark CO where we got married and got to spend time with Grandma Lucy and Grandpa Jerry at the cabin. While visiting the cabin, our friends David and Hope Forman came with their two boys Ezra and Ollie.

Gavin’s Nana passed away in October and we attended her memorial in Connecticut. Alissa and Gavin were able to visit their Nana earlier in the year to say their thank you’s and goodbye’s before she passed away a short while afterwards. The memorial was in November and was a very special time where all the aunts, uncles and cousins were reunited in her memory. A true celebration of life!

Gavin’s sister, Alissa and her partner Chris are doing a lot of gardening at their homestead in Unadilla, NY. We enjoy visiting and eating their good food and on occasion helping them there. We also visit them whenever possible in Brooklyn to spend quality time with the kids!

BAKED, GRILLED, BREWED … GLORIOUS FOOD

Together, we love to cook/bake/brew a lot with our home grown produce, fruit and eggs.

WORK

Lily continues her role as Director of Production at Beacon Digital Marketing. Highlights include hiring 2 full-time supporting roles (a Producer and an Animator) as well as attending a company retreat in Las Vegas last March.

Gavin continues to lead Person Consulting and serve a roster of clients including The Whitney Museum, Teladoc, PAL and Avantax.

Here’s to another plentiful year with food on the table and a roof over our heads!

We wish you all good health and happiness as we bring 2021 to a close and welcome in the New Year ahead. 

In 2021, we moved to a new home. A big upgrade from 900 square feet to 2200. We’ve also made some improvements in the first 6 months and it’s really starting to feel like our own. We enjoyed the transformation, with only one or two occasional construction hiccups along the way.

We had the privilege of working with Gavin’s cousin, Christian Neary, who fabricated and delivered a beautiful dining room table for us in the Summer, and later in the Fall crafted and installed an outstanding “single stringer” staircase. His skill has blown us away and we are proud to have such beautiful statements in our home.

We are now on month 7 and can rest comfortably knowing that the efforts of the Spring and Summer have paid off, so that we can retreat to our cozy oasis and even begin to plot out future Spring and Summer plans and the planting season.

We have a shortlist for next projects including a greenhouse extension of the 2-car garage(already got the foundation and frame), an upstairs bathroom renovation(ordered the tub) and perhaps a custom built pergola by Gavin(just daydreaming) on the side porch/patio area.

In November, we were thrilled to have Lily’s grandparents, Jerry and Lucy come and stay a week, as well as host a Thanksgiving dinner which Gavin’s parents were able to attend.

We were able to show everyone one of our favorite hikes at Peach Hill Park. It’s a former orchard and the trees, at least 50 years in age, grow proudly and abundantly giving us more apples in the past few months than we’ve been able to keep up with! It is by far our favorite place to get away, enjoy a small picnic or just to lose yourself in nature. 

Perhaps one of the most adorable updates is that our dear Maddy (dog) and Lucy (cat) have some new funny friends to observe! Please welcome our new flock: Ducks and Chickens! 

The ducks were adopted at only 3 weeks old in September, making them now just over 3 months old. And they’re huge – pekin ducks are one of the largest breeds. Their names are: Dotty, Littles, Chunks and Gus Gus. We have yet to confirm all of their genders – but we do know Chunks has recently developed his drake feather. The Chickens were a more recent adoption in early November, and they are: Doris, Caroline and Ninja(formerly known as Helen). 

All three chicken hens are laying eggs, which will never cease to amaze and delight when we go to their coop to find one or two treasures every morning! And the ducks are anticipated to lay in the Spring. Duck eggs are known to be fabulous for baking and pasta dough! 

We also added a new addition to the smaller coop we bought. The new arbor-based home made it a little easier to muck as they grew bigger and bigger. And the chickens then transferred to the pre-made coop.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

After our vaccination status was made possible in Spring of 2021, we looked to book a trip to the EU to share ‘a getaway’. We were welcomed warmly by our dear friends Wesley and Jenna, who live in Amsterdam. We had a phenomenal time biking around, exploring, eating and devouring the city and the outskirts towns and farms. We were able to visit museums, make new friends, and try our hand at speaking Dutch!

There were a few defining experiences in Amsterdam that left a deep impression on Gavin and me. The first being the bikes. There are MORE BIKES THAN PEOPLE in Amsterdam. Our bodies thanked us after a long day of exploring. And because there are less cars, the city is much quieter.

We biked to Muiden Castle (Muiderslot) which took just over one hour. The breathtaking castle on the canal and sculpted gardens left you with a sense of calm and upkeep. 

The second part of trip included a dinner of a lifetime. We were invited to join a private group on an island just outside of Amsterdam, called Vuurtoreneiland. The ferry took about an hour and included a light picnic and drinks, and we were awestruck by the beauty upon our landing. The island, literally made during WWII as a bunker post, had been converted to a beautiful cottage, outdoor pavilion where they cooked and served our meal, and with an iconic lighthouse standing guard at the opposite island corner. The bunkers had been modified to become the indoor restaurant, where we learned they serve meals in the winter. And part of the old bunkers were wine cellars. The whole scene became perfectly idyllic once the fuzzy white and black sheep flock came and galloped past just before sunset. 

We also visited our friends Adam and Betsy in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The visit was just what we needed – a time to rest, reflect and enjoy heartfelt conversation.

Our hobbies continue to provide resilience and a break from zoom fatigue. Gavin has been reading graphic novels, baking, brewing, golfing and also recently started karate thanks to a generous birthday gift from his sister and Lily.

Lily’s hobbies includes reading novels, designing the gardens on our land and also of course gardening vegetables and flowers, building her dream greenhouse which involved cutting down several 40+ ft tall trees and spending quality time with friends. Most recently she is planning a hiking trip to Scotland which will take place in May of 2022! (details to come!)

Lily also turned 30 this year! She’s pretty happy about it and Gavin made a delicious 3-tier black forest cake which didn’t last long.

Career-wise, Gavin continues to grow his business at Person Consulting, and Lily continues to enjoy her role at Beacon Digital Marketing as the Director of Production. We continue to support our favorite organizations including Habitat for Humanity, ACLU, For The Many, Sparrow’s Nest, and God’s Love We Deliver.

We seek great blessings in the New Year for you and yours!

With love,

Lily & Gavin

Thank you for venturing over to our blog! Here, we make an effort to capture the essence of our year, and share our memories and photo journal with the ones we love. We are delighted you are here.

All of us have faced the challenge of learning how to navigate in a COVID-world and our hearts go out to those who have suffered from this virus personally or indirectly.

Here in Beacon, NY, we began the year with great expectations for travel as Gavin and I both are blessed with the ability to do our work remotely, even before the pandemic made it a requirement.

TORONTO, CA

To begin the year – in February we (Gavin, Lily and Maddy) drove from NY to visit Toronto (CA) for a week to work “abroad” and to explore the city, rumored to be fond of Arts and rich in History. It certainly was! We found ourselves in a “heat wave” and the weather proved to be a comfortable 60 degrees – outstanding said the Canadian locals who warned us it would not last for long. We were able to enjoy the city by waltzing around at historical sights, admiring local art and of course – savoring the flavors that each subdivision had to offer. We ate “Experimental” Middle Eastern fare at Byblos, and also an unconventional Italian experience in the atmospheric restaurant, Buca, where we tried pigs blood sausage and handmade pasta.

One Canada moment which will forever radiate in my memory is when Gavin surprised me by waiting in a small but significant line that weaved it’s way out of a warehouse type building and onto the sidewalk in Wallace Emerson. Boiling with anticipation, we had arrived to a handmade pasta warehouse that exports its delightful pasta through the city of Toronto and beyond. The warehouse opened its door only 3 mere days a week to serve patrons during a slim window right in the vicinity – with 3 very quaint tables and mismatched setting available to those who were first come, first serve. It was incredible. This pasta making facility is Familia Baldassarre.

It was days after our arrival back to Beacon, NY when the virus spun out of control and NYC went on lockdown. We decided that all travel plans would have to be put on HOLD. With many prayers for the ones we love who live in tiny NYC apartments – we had a new outlook on our spacious Beacon home. We spent the extra hours in our day to dedicate ourselves to improving our home, a habit which we’ve continued even into the cooler months.

We invested in re-finishing our (only) bathroom and poured new concrete for our front stairs – from demo til done!

Of course, every year we focus much of our attention on our home garden and at our Stony Kill Farm garden which is a 20x20ft organic plot. Giving our time to our plants and improving the landscape is something we cherish and find fulfilling. We grow, small project-by-project, to better know ourselves through our gardens. We love eating what we grow and had sufficient produce from our gardens to sustain us through the Fall – and now even our canned tomatoes become our soups and sauces. We grew an abundance of kale, collard greens, lettuce, green beans, peppers at Stony Kill, eggplants, beets, corn, melons and tomatoes at our Home garden and fragrant lavender, oregano, basil, chamomile, mint, catnip (for Lucy!) and a collection both medicinal and culinary spices in the spice garden.

Gavin’s baking habits have also blossomed into other forms such as making Dutch Babies for breakfast, pies, cookies and more. He’s always experimenting with new recipes. This year, he is expanding his repertoire past baking and onto brewing! His first batch of rosemary, mandarin Continental Pilsner is brewing steadily in a carboy, and smells delicious.

We were able to have many Zoom and WhatsApp chats with our family – celebrating hallmark celebrations from afar like Sky’s 1 year old Birthday cake SMASH, Lily’s Dad’s 50th birthday, Grandpa Jerry’s 70th birthday, Catherine Allen’s 30th Birthday and even our good friends Dan and Sarah’s Zoom wedding this past Fall!

We were able to join Gavin’s family memorial service for his late Aunt Kenda in October in Baltimore. It was a pleasant drive there with a great feeling to be in the (masked) company of Gavin’s family, Uncle Mark and cousins.

And at the Peak of the NY autumn, we took an indulgent trip north to the Finger Lakes, NY for a weekend of wine tastings, tours and hiking galore. It was GORGEous.

We miss our friends and family and pray that we will be able to once again reconvene and rejoice in each other’s splendid company. Until then, we will continue to nurture our home and appreciate the many great blessings we have been given – and hope that our cup runs over and we can share that success with our neighbors and loved ones.

XO – Gavin & Lily

We had a bountiful 2019! We traveled, got a puppy, celebrated 3 years of marriage, and explored new local adventures. To help share that story with you, Lily and I handpicked 19 things. Enjoy!

1. Hawaii
2. Barcelona
3. Volleyball
4. DC
5. Meet Maddy! Our new puppy
6. Gavin’s bday
7. 3rd Anniversary
8. Lily’s bday
9. Home improvements – New fan bedroom, garage door
10. Stonykill Farm plot
11. Maters in back yard
12. Meet Skyler!!!
13. New piano
14. Camping trips with Maren and Awissa
15. Virginia Wedding + cousins 1776 cabin
16. Food
17. Candles
18. Dried herbs
19. Family

We also made some music this year. These songs are a raw recording to share with friends and family. But, we are especially excited to give you some of our music, including Lily’s Top 40 hit, Adams Fairacre Farm.

Gavin is loving the mountains and trees in Beacon. He started a new company this year called Person: a design consultancy dedicated to helping organizations collaborate, stay productive, innovate and build more effective products & services to meet the needs of today’s holistic customer experience.

Gavin continues to pray, bake and love his wife. He started playing volleyball in a co-ed league this year with Lily and even joined a more competitive Men’s league in Poughkeepsie. His favorite moments from this year are getting a new garage door, visiting Europe for the first time and learning to love his new puppy (hint: it’s not that hard at all).

Lily is humbled by the blessings provided in 2019. In addition having consistent freelance work available as a Senior Producer for video and digital advertising, Lily is also producing a feature length film.

Lily has been exercising her green thumb this year, growing tomato plants that grew 10.5 ft+ over her backyard balcony. She also enjoys spending ample time with Lucy the cat and her new pup, Maddy (or Madam Brett) the dog. Lily has been enjoying reading books about Beacon’s rich history (stemming back to the 18th century) and vising the Beacon Historical Society of and on. A shameless fan of local diners and cafes, Lily is savoring life in the Hudson Valley.

1. Hawaii

Aloha!

Lily and I took a flight to the island of Oahu and landed in Honolulu, Hawaii for a couple weeks of surfing, eating, sleeping, and hiking. We stayed with Lily’s family in Kailua, which is the North side of the island.

Mele Kalikimaka in fact doesn’t mean Merry Christmas in Hawaiian. And a handful of intellectuals, the Trivial-Pursuit-type, made sure to tell us this before we took the trip. But, “Police Navidad” was a common sign on the road side. And “Mahola Obamas” was just two houses away from our winter perch.

We took an afternoon to hike up Kaiwa Ridge also known as the Lanikai Pillbox Hike. This is one of the most popular hikes in Hawaii. The incline was challenging enough and view was terrific and rewarding.

2. Barcelona

We visited the beauty of Europe and the food was delicious and the architecture was stunning. Needless to say we’ll be going back again.

Leading up to the trip we watched an episode of Chef’s Table about Tickets, a Michelin-rated restaurant. Unable to get in because it’s booked ahead for months, we found a few places that are etched in our memories forever.

We loved Sucursal Aceitera, Filomena Gastrobar, El Nacional, and spent our last night at La Alcoba Azul.

3. Volleyball

Lily has played volleyball since Middle School, but this year was Gavin’s first foray into the sport. We both joined a league in coed league in Garrison at the Philipstown Recreation Department, which is right next to Garrison Institute, that in addition to the Recreation center, is a place Gavin likes to go for events full of timeless wisdom and timely action.

Later in the year, Gavin joined a competitive league with his friend Pat Meaney at the Midhudson Athletic Center. Lily also joined as a sub for a couple games.

Lily plays in a local women’s league sponsored by Max’s on Main street, by a secret invitation from our neighbor Karen Davis.

4. DC Trip

Lily’s work with Samsung brought us to D.C. While the Spring weather was a steady 45 degrees, the sun was shining most of the time. And most importantly, we took Lyft scooters everywhere!

5. Meet Maddy!

So we got a puppy. And her name is Maddy, or Madame Brett. She’s a rescue black lab and poodle mix. But, she’s also a mini, so she’ll be max 20-30 pounds when she’s all grown up.

We got her from Ohio. She came in on a truck with her brothers and sisters on an early Saturday morning. And we brought her home all covered in dirt and feces. She’s the guudest gurl. It’s Gavin’s first doggo. And she’s super sweet. She was born on January 20th and has already passed two classes and has her AKC medal.

6. Gavin’s Bday

7. 3rd Anniversary

We celebrated 3 years together. It feels like yesterday we said “yes” in Colorado. We decided to take a romantic ferry to Newburgh and eat at Blue Pointe. It was our first time taking the boat across the river.

8. Lily’s Bday

More pics coming soon…

9. Home Improvements

10. Stonykill Farm Plot

We joined Stonykill Farm in Wappinger Falls. It’s an organic farm with a land trust that allows locals to “rent” plots for a season. When we were first given the plot, it was overgrown with weeds up to Lily’s hips! It took about 8 hours of digging (over 3 days) until finally, our lot was cleared and beds were ready for seeding. We cherish working with the soil and we feel so rewarded when the vegetables begin to grow. 2020 will be a record year of growing vegetables, as we hope to eat even more from our crop!

11. Backyard Garden

In our backyard, we grew tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and greens. We like to make cucumber, tomato, onion salad.

12. Meet Skyler!!

Lily has a new niece.

13. New Piano

We added a new member to the family. It’s an upright Baldwin piano shipped from Ohio. Both of our families are musical and we felt this was a centerpiece of our home.

In choosing the model, we were looking for a slim build with the right “timbre” and pitch as our friend, Laura Allen, would say.

14. Camping Trip with Maren and Alissa

After we got our dog, Lily wanted to try out some camping spots that were listed in Chronogram. We started at Lake Tagkonic State Park.

15. Virginia Wedding

16. Food

17. Candles

Gavin started making candles this year. It was an adventure! First, he gathered used containers from local 2nd hand stores. And used soy wax and hope to graduate to beeswax at some point. But, avoided paraffin-based candles as they typically give off toxins.

18. Herbs

19. Friends and Family

It begins with the Marcato Atlas pasta roller. 

Put 3 cups of flour directly on the counter. Make a divot or “bowl” within your flour on the counter. Put 5 whole eggs (lightly beaten) inside your flour bowl. Now you use your fork to mix the flour and egg, using an old school Italian technique … which is now my life mission to master. So far, I’ve noticed the trick is to take it “nice and slow” … any erratic fork movements and the eggs spill out of the flour bowl and ooze along your counter. That’s the moment making pasta becomes stressful.

Pasta making should be life-giving, not be stressful. 

Once the flour and egg becomes a dough (about eight to ten minutes) wipe away the remaining mixture from your fork – remove all the rings you are wearing – and begin to roll. You ‘Lean wit it, rock wit it’ for at least ten minutes. This allows the gluten to really activate and ‘come alive’. If your dough is sticky…add more flour. If your dough is too firm, try glazing it with a little olive oil (1 tbs). Persist and carry on.   

If lose track of time, don’t worry. In this moment, you are Italian. And time is irrelevant.

You have arrived at your destination once you have made a dough that is “springy”, when you press your finger into it, it bounces back. Now, wrap your dough with plastic wrap. It needs to rest at room temp for at least 30 mins. And so do you. Grab a glass of wine or go for a walk, weather permitting.

30 mins later, it’s a whole new dough and a whole new you! Cut the dough disc into 5 or 6 pie slices. You will roll them out one by one, keep the others  wrapped with the plastic wrap until needed. 

Roll out one slice of dough with rolling pin, until you have a piece of dough 3inx2in rectangle. Pat with flour, as needed, to keep from sticking. 

That’s when our good friend, Atlas, comes into play. You and Atlas are going to need to navigate your own relationship. And since I am not a therapist, I can only suggest that you be patient in the beginning. Start out by rolling your dough at a 2 setting, then progress onto 4, ultimately 6 or 7, or to desired thinness. 

No, it is not smooth sailing from here. But like any relationship, marriage or friendship, you need to be graceful to make it work. When the pasta comes out with stretch marks, have compassion, and start again. When you roll out the perfect layer, praise each other! Life is too short not to celebrate even the smallest successes. 

From there, your artistry will be on making a noodle of your choice. I have made over 500 pieces of bowtie pastas this month. Every bowtie is a unique shape, size, density, color…but they are all dear to my heart. I love them all. I accept their quirks and have faith that cooked properly (only 3 minutes for fresh pasta!) they will thrive. 

And so I challenge myself in 2019, to not settle for machine-made, cookie-cutter pastas and doughs … but to make every dinner by hand. With love and gentleness. So that in giving my heart to Atlas and my food, I can better give my soul to the ones I love. 

xLily  

After 16 years for Gavin, and 10 years for Lily, we’ve moved from Brooklyn to the small town of Beacon, NY.

2 years ago, we bought a modest ranch on Talbot Ave. We’re surrounded by trees, mountains, quiet streets and wonderful neighbors.

The Hudson River town is known for its Dia: Museum, arts culture, lengthy Main Street with tiny shops, and a beautiful hotel called the RoundHouse. Like most towns on the Hudson, it used to be an industrial factory center upon which a ‘revival’ took place in the late 90’s. For more awesome information, please check out our favorite blog, A Little Beacon Blog or the Beacon Historical Society.

We continue to be active in our faith. This season Gavin’s focus is on reducing suffering by supporting local causes like Habitat for Humanity and addressing hate culture in America with the ACLU. Lily’s faith journey starts early in the morning with quiet time and continues into the day with outreach to loved ones.

We’re making new friends. And we’ve been cooking and baking a lot. We’ve also done some work on the house including: raising dropped ceilings, painting rooms, landscaping front yard, and putting in a new driveway.

Gavin has bravely parted ways with his full time job at Co: Collective to launch a design consultancy called “Person”. Gavin now has an office at  “The Beahive”, a Beacon co-working space, and is quickly becoming a local (and local business)! For more information on Gavin’s consultancy, please send your business (and friends with design needs) to his website. 

After 2 years as a Producer at Sister Studios, Lily is also now working from Beacon. From her home office, she’s working with clients like GE and Samsung while producing independent films: features and mini-series. Lily is excited to have some films in festivals such as SXSW, Urban World and Yonkers Film Festival. To check out Lily’s projects and watch her reel, please go to http://www.lily.productions.

We’re not having kids yet. You’ll have to wait a few more years for that kind of news (this is where you roll your eyes).

However, our resident furry, Lucy, loves having a large house to run around and many animals (like birds, squirrels, neighborhood dogs) to keep a close eye on. Her main post is on the sofa chair (facing a large window to the front yard). She also loves the basement where exciting events take place, such as Gavin fixing the plumbing.

Check out pictures from Beacon on this google photos link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VHiRattxC56ASeMNA

Love you all, come visit soon!

XOXO,
Gavin and Lily

2018 was the year of bread. A year of kneading and pressing down through layers and pockets of empty space. And then waiting to see things grow back bigger, better, and more delicious. If you’ve never made a loaf of bread before, this could be the beginning of something special. It was for me.

This is basically a “just add water” recipe. If you received a Gavin’s Bread, you can add 1 cup of warm water and a 2 tablespoons of oil and you will do just fine. But, you’ll find that your bread will rise better, bake better, and taste better if you follow my instructions closely. You may also enjoy it. I did. If you’d like to receive a Gavin’s Bread bag, message me and I’ll see what I can do.

Ingredients

1.5 T sugar
2 t yeast
1 c and 2 T warm water 
2.5 c all purpose flour
1.5 t sea salt
2 T olive oil

Instructions

1. Add the sugar and yeast to warm water and stir to combine. Add 2 T of olive oil. This will help with buoyancy of the dough. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it’s foamy and bubbling. Yeast is living and breathing. So make sure it gets fed from the sugar and water. 
2. Dust your counter top and then put the remaining flour and salt into a large bowl, and stir to distribute salt. Salt is kept separate from the yeast because in large quantity it can kill yeast.
3. Add the water/yeast mixture to the bowl with the flour, and using a spatula roughly combine all the ingredients. It will feel slightly sticky. 
4. Remember the dusting on your countertop? Dump your dough onto the counter. Knead for a minute or two, adding flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the counter. Knead for 5-7 minutes until it’s cohesive. Make a ball, by folding the edges underneath, so the top is smooth.
5. Rinse out your bowl, and dry. Put a dab of oil in the bottom and place your ball into the bowl. Flip the ball, so the oil is on top and the bottom.
6. Cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm humid place for 1.5 hours or until doubled. This is my favorite part. 
7. Punch down the dough. Place on floured surface. Knead again for 5-7 minutes. Roll and place in oiled 8.5 x 4.5 bread pan. 
8. Cover and let it rise in a warm humid place for 1 hour or until doubled. 
9. Set oven to 350. 
10. Bake for 30 minutes on middle rack. 
11. Let it sit and cool for 2-3 hours (it’s still baking inside).
12. Eat it and send me pics!

XO-Gavin

Level up!

• Want it to rise better? Microwave a couple small bowls of water for 4 minutes or until steaming. Place towel-covered bowl with your dough in the microwave. Close the microwave door. Don’t microwave your dough! Just let it sit in the warm, humid space. Yeast loves warm, wet spaces. And then follow the recipe.
• Want it to be more of a farmer’s loaf? Substitute half of the water with milk. After the first knead, put it in the fridge over night. Use a bowl with olive oil and a cover. When you take it out, let it sit for an hour or so. Knead it. Form into a log. Put it in a pan. Let it rise. Slash the top. And follow the recipe to bake it.
• Want it to be more hearty? Cook 1 cup of brown basmati rice or Spanish rice. And add it while you’re kneading the dough after the first rise. Make sure the rice has cooled and just combine it with the dough. Many friends ask me how I make my rice bread. This is the secret. 
• Want it to be like my pizza bread? So called by Lily’s friends at Mekanism. Chop small cherry tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Add it when you add the rice (above). Let it rise once more. And bake it.