Trending in Mountaindale

Ready to deliver your delicious Girl Scout Cookies

If someone asks you, "What's trending in Mountaindale?"  The answer is "A LOT!" I've been so on the go go go these last few weeks, there hasn't been a spare moment to post.  I'm going to say that our hottest topic is Girl Scouts and more specifically, Girl Scout Cookies.  Mountaindale hosts a very significant Cookie Cupboard for the community and we service the Towns of Fallsburg, Thompson & Mamakating with very delicious Girl Scout Cookies.  So far, I have taken delivery on well over 1000 cases, which is nearly 13,000 boxes and cookie season has only just begun! Our annual sale teaches the girls valuable lessons of entrepreneurship, goal setting and funds a high percentage of Scouting programming and activities.

On Friday night, the girls took some time off from their sales to participate in an environmental progam that was hosted right here in Mountaindale.  It was an Eastern Bluebird Workshop. The Scouts learned some basic birdwatching fundamentals as well as a lot of interesting nesting info.  Then they got out their hammers and rolled up their sleeves so they could build a set of bluebird boxes.  Fallsburg Lumber Company very generously donated the materials and Mike Yavaniski of Diversified Realty Services meticulously cut it up to create a dozen individual nest box kits, using the Herman Bressler design.  The girls enjoyed a wonderful evening and the boxes will be donated locally to help build our Bluebird population. On a very personal note, I am extremely proud to say that last week I was awarded a very high honor for a Girl Scout Volunteer. It is the Leadership Award and it means a great deal to me because the nomination and recognition comes from peers for outstanding community service.

Another hot topic in town is Karate.  Of course the place for martial arts is Upstate Karate of Mountaindale. This month, we had three students who were tested as candiates for their black belts. Two were teenage girls and the third was an adult woman, named Slava Milov. Slava frequently attends classes with younger students, like her son, and is also training to become an assistant instructor, or Jo Kyo, as it is called in Korean.  We wish them all luck and patience as they humbly wait a month to find out their test results. However, the long waiting is now over for our own certified Master Instructor, or Sa Bom in Korean. Studio owner Alexandra Lalieu just received word that she is about to become promoted to 5th Dan, or fifth level black belt. She will celebrate this momentous event with her students on Saturday, May 12th at a luncheon ceremony in town. Her instructor, Edward Frampton, will attend to present Alexandra with her Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan promotion certificate.  He is a 6th level Master Instructor and teaches at Frampton's Karate in New Windsor, NY, and is also a Regional Examiner in Soo Bahk Do.

Additional trending topics in town include the new lunch and Sunday brunch menu at Uccelli Restaurant, the return of Wednesday night live music at Eddie's Mountaindale Inn, and I should have a date shortly for the next Salsa Dance in 62 Main Street, hosted by Janet Gula of Radiant Yoga.  The Tuesday night Bellydancing classes continue to grow in 62 Main Street.  Stay tuned for news about a new Main Street neighbor who we will all have a chance to greet later this week as she gets settled in at 47 Main Street.

Main Street Matters

There are a lot of things going on with our Main Street Mountaindale neighbors that are worth sharing:

Photo by Vi Carpio, talented wife of
featured artist, Virgelio "Billy" Carpio

With the weather turning warmer, Uccelli Restaurant guests will be able to enjoy dining al fresco at the outdoor seating in front of the restaurant. Plans are underway to build a large deck before the summer for additional outdoor dining. Chef Robert is also busy creating an all new Lunch Menu that he will begin serving on April 24th. He will resume Sunday Brunch with a new menu and new daily hours. Please visit the Uccelli Restaurant site for updates this month.

We have been glad to welcome Ahleana back to Main Street with her Tuesday evening Bellydancing classes in 62 Main Street. The new time is 7 to 8:15PM. I have heard that her students are getting a very enjoyable workout while learning an exciting, exotic art form. Please call 845-436-8945 for more details about weekly classes. The suggested attire is comfortable, loose clothing and fun hip scarves may be purchased before class.

Alexandra Lalieu of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale and several of her advanced students will spend the day at the Sullivan County Community College tomorrow to participate in the 3rd Annual Health & Wellness Fair. They will be providing information and demonstrations of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, the Korean martial art that they have studied at 81 Main Street for the past 8 years. Congratulations are in order for all of the champions of this karate school who attended the Mid Hudson Regional Tournament at the New York Military Academy last week and came back with loads of trophies and medals. Next, they will be attending the Soo Bahk Do National Festival in Cherry Hill, NJ in June.

The Look Up Cafe added a colorful banner on their railing to help you look up to find this charming place for breakfast and lunch at 6 Main Street. Speaking of banners, the Mountaindale Community Development Project will soon be installing all new banners along Main Street in Mountaindale. The new, larger banners and bracket hardware were purchased with a portion of the funding awarded by Sullivan Renaissance for our efforts to enhance the gateway to the Rails to Trails last summer.

Busy Upcoming Mountaindale Weekend

This weekend in Mountaindale is going to be exceptionally busy with a wide variety of things to do from Friday straight through to Sunday and beyond.  The Valentine's Day weekend romantic activities in Mountaindale begin on Friday night with a very special 4 Course Feast of Love Menu, created especially by Chef Robert of Uccelli Restaurant.  These special delectable dishes will only be prepared on Friday,

Romantic Tango - Harold & Betty Fried

Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday nights, and will include Chicken & Shrimp Alfredo, Paella Catalana, Chicken Gruyere, Shrimp Saag and Steak Pizzaiolla. Live entertainment will be provided during dinner by songstress, Marilyn Kennedy.  Reservations are encouraged by calling 845-434-4447.

Romance will be in the air as you stroll down the block to 62 Main Street in Mountaindale on Friday night for a  Valentine Lesson in American Tango and other romantic dances with the return of the wonderful dance instructors, Betty & Harold Fried. They will give the first lesson at 7PM, have Open Dancing from 7:45 to 10PM, and include an additional lesson sometime during the evening. Their class in Mountaindale last month was very enjoyable. They brought great music, but I honestly thought that the best part was seeing all the wonderful dancers, who just love a great party that allows them to dance in a nice room.  I observed some who were quite experienced, some not as much; some who brought a partner, and some who enjoyed the experience of dancing with a brand new partner. This dance workshop is hosted by Janet Gula of Radiant Yoga of Mountaindale. The event fee is $12/person or $20/couple and includes tea and a dessert tasting in the Sweets for the Sweet Valentine's Dessert Competition. You may RSVP by calling Janet at 845-866-7822.

Double Primary by Michael McKee

Should you happen to miss a visit to Uccelli Restaurant on Friday, you are also welcome on Saturday. From 2 until 4PM, there will be a wine & cheese reception for local artist, Michael McKee of Moydan Art. The display that he is exhibiting in the Uccelli dining room is based on "Intuition, Mathematically Composed." Michael's style is unique and this particular show of his work includes his realism, abstracts and color balanced geometric designs. After the reception, the Feast of Love menu will be available for dinner.

Another very special event will be taking place on Sunday at Upstate Karate of Mountaindale. After the usual schedule of classes, there will be the monthly Testing for eligible students - Adults & Red Belt Evaluations will take place at 12:15PM, and Children's Testing will begin at 1:30PM. However, what makes this day unique is the special event that begins at 3:30PM. Master Instructor Alexandra Lalieu will be hosting a Dan Promotion Ceremony for a hardworking, dedicated student who is only 8 years old, but has achieved her Midnight Blue Belt, which will be presented to her that day. This traditional ceremony will be conducted in the Korean Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan style. Her family, friends and fellow students will be there to wish her well as she continues her martial arts studies.

Ode to Isis

Isis and Alexandra Lalieu

History is full of famous dogs who are known for their loyalty and love for their masters. These dogs include Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Hachiko of Japan, and Toto, too. Another name needs to be added to this list, and that is Isis, a beautiful Doberman Pinscher, beloved by all of the students of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale. Isis was an incredibly obedient dog who loved her owner, Alexandra Lalieu, with every drop of her soul. They often arrived together at the Main Street karate school, where Isis would relax quietly all afternoon and into the evening while Alexandra taught her students the art of Soo Bahk Do. Except that Isis would always be carefully listening for the sounds of the commands for the closing ceremony of each class. As soon as they were heard, Isis would poke her head out of the office curtains to see who might be interested in playing with her in between classes. She would patiently await permission from Alexandra, and then bound out to the glee of all around.

Isis was also a working dog who assisted Alexandra by demonstration in Dog Training classes. Ms. Lalieu is a very talented Trainer, who taught Isis in Dutch. This way, Isis could obey the Dutch commands without confusing the Loving To Please dog clients who were learning in either English or another language. The ‘tricks’ that Isis could perform were spectacular. There was obviously a tremendous amount of mutual love between Alexandra and Isis to achieve such a high level of canine obedience. Isis’ desire to please was palpable, whether she was in Heel, Stay, waiting to eat a treat on her nose, or not stepping in the martial arts training mats. Of course, my absolute favorite game with Isis was playing Hide & Seek with her squeaky tennis ball. At this, she was the Master! I might come up with a hiding place to stump her for a few minutes, but she ALWAYS persistently sniffed for that slobbery ball until she proudly found it and would then immediately give it back to me to play again, after she had chomped it a few more times for some victory squeaks.

Doberman Pinschers are often bred to be aggressive and fearsome as guard dogs. Isis was always loving and gentle with all of the students. She had a wonderful temperament. It began with her looks. She was sleek and muscular in her build and noble in her stance. She had a natural long tail which hadn’t been docked as a puppy, and also retained her natural ears, which Alexandra had ordered not to be cropped at birth. Her joyful, expressive face and her loving warmth will be missed by the Lalieu family and all of the students of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale.

written by Barb Schmitt

Upstate Karate of Mountaindale Celebrates Seventh Anniversary This Thursday

Anniversaries are always important milestones to commemorate, both in life, and in business. In these hard economic times we face here in Sullivan County, and across America, some of these milestone anniversaries are particularly noteworthy, and this Thursday, February 24th our very own Upstate Karate here in Mountaindale celebrates one such major milestone as they celebrate their seventh full year in business here in our small hamlet.

Upstate Karate of Mountaindale, which teaches the traditions of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan opened its doors back in 2004, and its student numbers, and presence in our community have grown ever since. The schools proprieter and Master Instructor Alexandra Th. Lalieu has flourished in the community for several reasons, including her love and passion for Soo Bahk Do, her desire to pass on and share that knowledge with our youth, and a host of programs aimed at helping our children become everything they can be as they move into Adulthood.

One such program is a self defense course for young women, called "Stand Strong" that has been shared with Girl Scouts throughout the region, where they are taught basic skills to avoid being attacked and/or abducted.

For More information, or to begin your own journey of enlightenment in the traditions of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, please contact Alexandra at (845) 434-0500 today.

Master Instructor-Alexandra Th. Lalieu

Upstate Karate of Mountaindale

81 Main Street
Mountaindale, NY 12763
(845) 434-0500