September Trip Planned

Linda Gold and the American Association of University Women present:

Michelangelo & Monet’s Giverny in the Finger Lakes

September 7-8, 2008

$465 per person based on double occupancy/ $100 single supplement

Slip away and indulge yourself for two days of magnificent art and a stay at a luxurious four-star inn in the Finger Lakes Wine Country. Whether you’re sipping wine, soaking in the beautiful mineral pool, or discovering the joy of seeing Michelangelo’s drawings, this will be a trip you’ll never forget. Bring your camera, your sketchbook and your watercolors: this is a setting to inspire artists and art lovers alike.

We’ll be privileged to view the exhibit, titled “Michelangelo: The Man and the Myth,” organized by the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, Italy, in association with the Syracuse University Art Galleries. The exhibition will include more than a dozen original drawings and writings by the Renaissance master. Since there are few drawings and no paintings or sculpture by Michelangelo in current American art collections, this exhibition will temporarily more than double the number of Michelangelo masterpieces in the United States, presenting a unique opportunity for those who have never seen his original work. These treasures are rarely seen in public, even in Florence, because they need to be kept protected from the damaging effects of light. Our tour will be self-guided, allowing us enough time to view the original work of this Renaissance genius.

Accommodations are at the Mirbeau Inn and Spa in Skaneateles, NY. This four-star resort is an absolute wow, reminiscent of an old world country estate. All guest rooms feature a cozy fireplace, gorgeous oversized bathrooms and a view of a pond and impressionist gardens inspired by Monet’s home in Giverny, outside of Paris. You’ll view the waterlillies, the blue footbridge and the hanging wisteria. Our four-course dinner at “Giverny” is an elegant, culinary treat. The luxurious, world-class spa has a sauna, exercise room, and large aqua terrace with waterfall, open hearth, heated towels and steamy in-ground whirlpool.

We’ll visit the complex of MacKenzie-Childs, an internationally acclaimed design firm with the most unique, whimsical, creative home furnishings collection that will knock your socks off. We’ll take a tour of the restored 1870 Victorian farmhouse, sit by the duck pond, view the beautiful gardens, or browse the magnificent gift shop. Before leaving the area, we’ll stop for a wine tasting at the King Ferry Winery. On the return trip we’ll enjoy a delicious box dinner with wine while reminiscing with old and new friends about our memorable Finger Lakes experience.

The fee covers the motorcoach, luxury accommodations in a four-star inn, five meals including one dinner in the four-diamond restaurant of the inn (one lunch is dutch-treat); admission to Michelangelo: The Man and the Myth, tour of MacKenzie Childs Victorian farmhouse, private tour and wine tasting at the vineyard, handling of one piece of luggage and all gratuities.

The bus leaves on Sunday, September 7, at 8:15am from the front of the Monticello Government Center on North Street and 9:30am from the rear of the former Ames parking lot (now Steve & Barry’s) in the Kingston Plaza. To reserve, make your check payable to “AAUW – Kingston”, include your phone # and mail it to: Linda Gold, 1 Jacobs Lane, New Paltz, NY 12561. For further information, call 845-255-5256 or email artladyLG@aol.com. Specify “art tours” in the space for “subject” so that your message is not deleted. A deposit of $200 is due with your reservation and full payment is due by August 5. There will be no refunds after August 5, unless the spot is filled. Your early sign-up is needed since the hotel has to be paid in full and cannot guarantee holding the rooms beyond the date mentioned. The assigned bus seating is on a first-come first-served basis. We’re looking forward to sharing this trip with you.

AAUW SUMMER TRIP SCHEDULE

Open to all, our trips are part of our mission to offer community enrichment and to raise funds for scholarships and grants to local, national and international programs, especially in support of women. Membership in Kingston Branch of American Association of University Women is open to all people.

June 21, Saturday: Bronx Zoo or New York Botanical Gardens

Choose between touring the Bronx Zoo, home to more than 4000 animal species, or the Botanical Gardens, home to 250 acres of grounds and 47 gardens! Lunch on your own.

Leaving at 8:30 AM Kingston, 9:10 AM ParknRide, New Paltz. Returning around 6 PM

Total with bus ride and driver's tip: Bronx Zoo (includes rides): Child (12 or under) $54, Senior or AAUW member $56, Adult $59

Botanical Gardens: Child (12 or under) $47, Senior or AAUW member $55; Adult $57

July 10, Thursday: Saratoga and SPAC

Four Bagatelles – FIRST TIME EVER SEEN AT SPAC (Beethoven/Robbins), Afternoon of a Faun (Debussy/Robbins), Symphony in C (Bizet/Balanchine), Interplay (Gould/Robbins).

Pre-Performance Talk at 1:00 PM; performance at 2 PM

Optional picnic or lunch in Saratoga. Leaving at 9 AM Kingston Returning around 6:30 PM

Total cost with bus ride and driver's tip: $64

July 24, Thursday evening: Boscobel, Garrison

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's Twelfth Night

Don't miss Shakespeare’s gender-bending comic adventure where men are women and women are men, leading to hilarious antics. Egos and comic mishaps abound, but in the end true love wins. Directed by John Christain Plummer. The HV Players were hilarious last year.

Leaving Kingston at 4 PM, ParknRide, New Paltz at 4:20 PM, Poughkeepsie, 4:50 PM. Performance at 7 PM. Returning around 11 PM. Bring a picnic and lawn chair for supper overlooking “best view along Hudson River” Total cost with bus ride and driver’s tip: $67

August 3, Sunday: Tanglewood & YoYo Ma

The many-faceted career of cellist Yo-Yo Ma reflects his continual search for new ways to communicate with audiences and to find connections that stimulate the imagination. Yo-Yo Ma performs Lalo's Cello Concerto. The concert also features Ravel's Rapsodie espagnole and Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances.

Bus, tip and shed tickets $69 (Seated toward the rear of the shed, you may want binoculars).

Leaving at 11 AM from Kingston. Bring picnic. Performance at 2:30 PM. Returning about 6 PM

August 24, Sunday: Glimmerglass,

Bellini's I Capuletti i Montecchi (Romeo & Juliet)

Bellini's I Capuletti i Montecchi: Two warring families, a tragic love affair: the tale of Romeo and Juliet cries out for the expressive power of the operatic voice, thrillingly exploited here by a master vocal composer. This elegant production imparts an ethereal vision of enduring love -- and transcendent death. New production. Sung in Italian with English titles.

Best seats: $119, Balcony $103.

Leaving at 8 AM, Kingston. Picnic optional. Returning around 7 PM

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Make your on-line trip reservations for any or all of these great trips

on this RESERVATION FORM

Subscribe by June 1st to four of the five and get $10 off the total cost

Subscribe by June 1st to all five and get $25 off the total cost

The Small Print

We look forward to having you join us and we believe that clarity yields happy travelers. We hope this information brings clarity. Payment terms: Please sign up for the trips you wish at http://kingstonaauw.blogspot.com under the trips reservations link. If you do not have Internet access, make your reservations by calling Pat Whelan, 845-657-6807. Generally, we expect payment within a week after you sign up in order to confirm your reservation.

Send your check, made out to AAUW–Kingston Branch, to KAAUW, c/o Pat Whelan, 1321 County Road 2, Olivebridge, NY 12461. Cancellation Policy: No refunds unless KAAUW cancels the trip. If you find you cannot attend you may arrange for someone else to take your spot. If you aren't coming, do let us know. If there is a waiting list we may be able to help you find someone, but we make no promise to do so.

In some cases, you may be able to arrange private trip insurance. If you provide your address on the reservation form, we will send you information about a company that offers it. Please note: we have no connection to this insurance company. If you choose to contract with them, it is strictly between you and them.

Departure and Return: All trips leave promptly from the rear of the former Ames in the Kingston Plaza, and, if southbound, pickup service is available at the ParknRide in New Paltz or, occasionally, from Poughkeepsie. Departure times are firm. Return times are estimates that may be impacted by traffic or weather.

Questions? Call Pat Whelan, 657-6807, or send her an email at aauwnytrips@gmail.com. She will get back to you.

Report on the AAUW Trip

From Garnette Arledge:

The Washington DC trip, April 25-28, four days, three nights was like reading my own memoir without writing it.

Every single thing we saw: illuminated monuments, iconic Capitol, White House, National Cathedral, National Gallery of Art holds a special personal memory. Memories of growing up there, marching for causes, working on the 'Hill', studying during Library of Congress high school dates, came alive.

We missed the cherry blossoms by days. However lacy spring azaleas, dogwoods, wisteria charmed us until finally at a rest stop on NY Thruway, I lingered under a double blossom cherry tree - just the right fillip at the end - in a pouring rain.

Some comments from the thirty-seven congenial traveling companions: 'I saw a lot, I learned a lot.' 'The people on the trip were very nice.' 'Washington DC is one of our great American cities. I loved it – I could spend two or three months seeing everything.'

Some spotted political celebrities at the National Shrine noon mass. Others reveled in the new acquisitions at DuPont Circle's Phillips Museum. Those who had tickets for the Holocaust Museum came back deeply moved.

Let's keep going to see our national treasures; it expands our vision.

AAUW Trip: Washington, DC April 25 - 28

Late April! The perfect time to explore Washington. And, we've arranged to take you right to the door of each place we visit.

Whether you've been to Washington a thousand times or this is your first trip, you'll enjoy visiting these sites without the hassle of driving, parking, cabs, or subway.

Guided Sightseeing Tour includes:

* Arlington Cemetery with Tourmobile * National Cathedral * Union Station * National Archives * Embassy Row * Vietnam Memorial * World War II Memorial * Women in the Military Memorial * Tour of Capitol Hill & White House Visitor's Center * Famous Monuments, including FDR Monument * Smithsonian Institution * Holocaust Memorial Museum*

* 3 Nights lodging * 3 Breakfasts * 3 Full course dinners* Luggage handling * Souvenir gift*

Cost: $429.00 per person, double occupancy

Add $99.00 for single occupancy

Photo by WallyG

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All trips leave from the rear of the former Ames in the Kingston Plaza

New! AAUW members receive an additional discount which may vary by trip. Be sure to request the discount when you reserve your place.

Cancellation Policy: No refunds unless KAAUW cancels the trip. If you find you cannot attend you may arrange for someone else to take your spot. Let us know in case there is a waiting list.

We can provide information about trip insurance you can arrange privately. KAAUW does not offer or endorse this product.

For more information and reservations, write aloha.garnette@gmail.com or call Garnette at 845-704-2120. Checks, made out to the AAUW–Kingston Branch, may be sent to Garnette Arledge, PO Box 14, Glenford, NY 12443

To make your reservation on-line click here.

Open to non-members, so bring your friends

Sharing a New Zealand Adventure

From ViVi Hlavsa:
For most of February, I was in New Zealand and Australia with Elderhostel. As usual, they had fine resource people who led us into the mysteries of the geology of the area, the Maori culture, the Aborigines, and the founding of the two countries.

They're very different:
New Zealand is not only divided north and south into two islands, it's also divided east and west, resting on two tectonic plates, with the Pacific Plate jamming into the Australian and moving laterally as well. That's why the country is one of the most volcanic areas in the world. The first picture is of some beautiful hot springs.

The Australian continent, on the other hand, is quite stable. The oldest land-mass in the world, it once belonging to the collection of continents called Gondwanaland, which included the Antarctic, Africa, South America and India (before it went racing north and created the Himalayas).

Maoris are also quite different from Aborigines.
They emigrated originally from Taiwan and, since the New Zealand "bush" is virtually impenetrable, they would burn out coastal settlements, keeping their territories by war (image 2, a Maori "greeting"), so when the Europeans arrived in the early 1800's, they were not easily conquered.

The Aborigines were a nomadic people. When the Europeans arrived there in the late 1700's, they did not feel the need to defend their territories. Moreover, the New Zealanders love to note that they were not settled by convicts! Today, New Zealand is a bi-cultural country--two official languages.

In Australia, the struggle to integrate the two cultures has been more painful. I happened to be in Melbourne when they had their "Sorry Day," apologizing for tearing mixed breed children from their parents to "save" them with Western-style education. It was very moving.

All-in-all, it was a great trip, highly recommended. I especially enjoyed my 14 days on the sea,entering the coastal cities. I've included a picture from New Zealand's Napier--a town destroyed by earthquake in the early 30's, rebuilt in the style of the day--Art Deco (image 3), and a picture of one of the fjords we entered on New Zealand's South Island (image 4). The famous Sydney Opera House, where I heard a splendid La Boheme! (image 5). Finally, here's a picture of me wearing a boa (image 6) -- ViVi

We invite branch members to share the highlights of their trips with the rest of us. Then we'll know who to call when we want recommendations on what to see and do!

New MOMA show in time for AAUW March 8 trip

New Color Show at MOMA
From The New Yorker, February 25, 2008
MOMA's upcoming show "Color Chart: Reinventing Color, 1950 to Today" identifies a broad shift in artists' approaches to their palettes, away from the spiritual (a la Kandinsky) and theoretical (a la Josef Albers), and toward ready-made sources and random systems. On view will be nearly a hundred works by dozens of artists, including Bas Jan Ader, Daniel Buren, Damien Hirst, Yves Klein, Sherrie Levine, Gerhard Richter, Frank Stella, and Andy Warhol.

Seats still available for March 8 trip. Member discount available. Email kaauw12401@gmail.com to reserve with Garnette

AAUW Trip: NYC and MOMA - March 8th

Saturday, March 8th

NY City and the Museum of Modern Art

Join us for this one day trip to Manhattan. Spend the day browsing the MoMA collections. Enjoy the City and leave the driving to us.

Current exhibits include Alexander Calder, Jan DeCock, Lucian Freud’s Etchings, RAW-WAR, and Panoramas of the Moving Image.

Cost: $52 (Seniors); $55 (Adults); $38 (bus alone).

Leaving at 8:30 AM and returning around 6 PM

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All trips leave from the rear of the former Ames in the Kingston Plaza

New! AAUW members receive an additional discount which may vary by trip. Be sure to request the discount when you reserve your place.

Cancellation Policy: No refunds unless KAAUW cancels the trip. If you find you cannot attend you may arrange for someone else to take your spot. Let us know in case there is a waiting list. In some cases trip insurance may be available.

For more information and reservations, write aloha.garnette@gmail.com or call Garnette at 845-704-2120. Checks, made out to the AAUW–Kingston Branch, may be sent to Garnette Arledge, PO Box 14, Glenford, NY 12443

To make your reservation on-line click here.

Open to non-members, so bring your friends

AAUW Trip: Tosca at the City Opera April 5th

If you're an opera lover, don't miss this trip. If you want to learn more about opera, what better way than joining us for this performance.

The NYC Opera's production of Tosca has been lauded by the critics.

Anna Shafajinskaia, one of opera’s most exciting dramatic sopranos, triumphantly returns to the leading role, performing with a sound The New York Times calls “appealingly dark and rounded.”

Join us for the Saturday matinée on April 5th.

Cost: $103 (3rd Ring); $129 (Orchestra)

Hate opera? Enjoy our company on the bus and explore Manhattan on your own. $38 (bus alone)

Leaving Kingston at 9 AM and return around 7 PM

*************

All trips leave from the rear of the former Ames in the Kingston Plaza

New! AAUW members receive an additional discount which may vary by trip. Be sure to request the discount when you reserve your place.

Cancellation Policy: No refunds unless KAAUW cancels the trip. If you find you cannot attend you may arrange for someone else to take your spot. Let us know in case there is a waiting list. In some cases trip insurance may be available.

**********

For more information and reservations, write aloha.garnette@gmail.com or call Garnette at 845-704-2120. Checks, made out to the AAUW–Kingston Branch, may be sent to Garnette Arledge, PO Box 14, Glenford, NY 12443

To make your reservation on-line click here.

Open to non-members, so bring your friends

Kingston AAUW Trip Reservation Form

Complete the reservation form below to reserve your place for any of our trips. After you submit the form, Kingston AAUW will send you a message, usually within 48 hours, that either confirms that we are holding a place for you, or where you are on a waiting list if the trip is full.

The Small Print

We look forward to having you join us and we believe that clarity yields happy fellow travelers. We hope this information brings clarity.

Payment terms: generally, we expect payment within a week of your confirmed reservation. Your confirmation message will note any exceptions -- for example, the Washington DC trip requires an initial $200 deposit and full payment by March 4th.

Send your check, made out to AAUW–Kingston Branch, to Garnette Arledge, PO Box 14, Glenford, NY 12443

Cancellation Policy: No refunds unless KAAUW cancels the trip. If you find you cannot attend you may arrange for someone else to take your spot. If you aren't coming, do let us know. If there is a waiting list we may be able to help you find someone, but we make no promise to do so.

In some cases, you may be able to arrange private trip insurance. If you provide your address on the reservation form, we will send you information about a company that offers it. Please note: we have no connection to this insurance company. If you choose to contract with them, it is strictly between you and them.

Departure and Return: All trips leave promptly from the rear of the former Ames in the Kingston Plaza. Departure times are firm. Return times are estimates that may be impacted by traffic or weather.

Questions? Leave a Garnette Arledge message at 845-704-2120 or send her an email. She will get back to you.

To reserve your space on one or all of our summer 2008 trips,
go to our reservation form here.

Thanks! We look forward to traveling with you.

July 14, Saratoga for the NYC Ballet AAUW Trip

Sorry you missed it! We've got other great trips scheduled, though. Subscribe to our mailing list for trip updates. (Right sidebar)

Longing to see Masters at Work? Join us for the next AAUW bus trip to Saratoga to see dance by Balanchine and Robbins. And take advantage of an optional visit to Skidmore College's famous Tang Museum. There are still seats available for the ballet. Cost: $64 includes bus, driver tip and the ballet. The Tang is extra, Seniors - $2; Adults - $5. We leave at 9 a.m. sharp and return between 6:30 and 7 p.m from the Ames-less parking lot. Send your checks made out to AAUW to me. My address is in your directory. Or email me through this blog. Coridally, Garnette, co-president and Trip Coordinator