<p>Thank you. I am running all comments past my DD. Curmudgeon, You are right; we are absolutely over the moon. </p>
<p>Mini, you asked what DD likes to do... Well, she's involved in her school a lot (charity work, studnt govt and leadership) but, in her little free time, she roller blades and hangs out with her girlfriends (window shopping, movies, talking). She is very friendly and outgoing and generally gets along with many people (some of her friends are very politically active and others are pink-hair types but she isn't) but is not a partier or prep. </p>
<p>dc89, Thanks for your insight but I did want to clear something up. You wrote "Although I really don't understand how theatre is a factor - as a performing arts kid, I can assure you that no matter where you study/perform, you're strongly discouraged from "radically" changing your appearance. So perhaps you should clear that stereotype from your radar?)" I'm not sure what you're reading. I didn't mention theater at all and only said my dd was neither preppy nor alternative in the pink-hair sort of way; no mention of theater and no judgement call at all-- just a description of who my kid is.</p>
<p>Just putting in another vote for Vassar. There are a few shops right off campus (though I think the stores on Raymond Ave. are getting a facelift? Can someone update me?). The sciences are really strong at Vassar, and the open curriculum really does let you explore lots of things you might not have chosen to, and/or to concentrate on whatever you want. Socially, I think our daughter will find whatever she is looking for. I don't think you really have to worry.</p>
<p>"Mini, you asked what DD likes to do... Well, she's involved in her school a lot (charity work, studnt govt and leadership) but, in her little free time, she roller blades and hangs out with her girlfriends (window shopping, movies, talking). She is very friendly and outgoing and generally gets along with many people (some of her friends are very politically active and others are pink-hair types but she isn't) but is not a partier or prep."</p>
<p>I imagine she'll do fine at any of these wonderful schools, but she sounds more Wesleyan/Vassar to me than Hamilton/Colby.</p>
<p>twinmom-
Thanks. Is the college store still independently run by the college, or have they sold out to management companies like Barnes & Noble? (I hope not!)</p>
<p>2collegewego, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to... someone else whose name I can't remember off the top of my head! Sorry :-)</p>
<p>ETA: It's a Barnes and Noble and right now there's a lot of controversy because, as twinmom said, they're expanding and moving to Raymond Ave and, in doing so, are taking over the Juliet Cafe... a building that the college owns and has been renting to restauranteurs but is not going to be any longer. It's kind of an obnoxious thing that people are getting really up in arms about... but whatever.</p>
<p>jym626: Starting September Vassar will have a shuttle bus that has 4 drop off/pick up locations in downtown Poughkeepsie. (Never went downtown but, despite poor reputation of town, there must be SOME decent restaurants, etc. or why would they have a shuttle?)</p>
<p>Thanks, native NJ-
Back in <em>my</em> day, we would occasionally go downtown to the department store (don' recall the name, but I bought some perfectly hideous cork-soled platform shoes) and also to a store that sold the products of a local farm. I wish I could remember the name... It was a rather large farm, and there were a few stores owned by the farm, selling meats, cheeses, pastries, etc. I recall going downtown to that store around Valentines day and buying a pink pig made out of marzipan paste. A <em>true</em> piece of art that became a dorm mascot, of sorts. Is there <em>anyone</em> here who remembers any of this stuff from 30+ years ago??? The other thing we used to do was walk up to a nearby bakery at about 2 or 3 in the morning. We'd knock on the back door and they'd sell us donuts fresh out of the fryer/oven!! Sooo yummy. Unfortunately the Board of Health didn't like this practice, and ultimately closed down the bakery :(</p>
<p>Still trying to remember the farm store.. Earl Something or other maybe... (like a precurser to Stew Leonards..) BUT-- the department store was Luckey Platt!! I am sure it is long gone!</p>
<p>Found it!! No one cares but me, I am sure, but I found the name of the store/farm/butcher.. that had stores in Poughkeepsie. It was Karl Ehmers. OK, nostalgia trip over....
(Karl Ehmers farm wasn't in Poughkeepsie, but he had a big presence in Poughkeepsie back then. Ok-- no one cares, I know..)</p>
<p>jym, I'm pretty sure Karl Ehmer's also used to have a deli in lower Westchester. They were the only place I ever found that sold real German bread and wurst. Sadly their locations are not nearly so convenient now.</p>
<p>I was strolling down memory lane yesterday, reading about Luckey Platt Dept store in Poughkeepsie and reading all about Karl Ehmer and his meat products. Apparently there was some bru-ha-ha about some sausage that was not an authentic Karl Ehmer product, and it caused quite a stink (pun intended). There are still several Karl Ehmer stores, but not as many as in his hay day 30 yrs ago. You can order on line, though, should anyone be so inclined.</p>
[quote]
In 1932, Karl Ehmer started his first butcher shop on 46th Street and Second Avenue in New York City, NY. Due to the depression, Mr. Ehmer was forced to make product at night and work a full time job uptown during the day. Mrs. Ehmer ran the shop during the daylight hours. In the 1940's, as times improved, Mr. Ehmer began to look for a larger manufacturing facility and found one in a German community in Queens, called Ridgewood. From this facility he manufactured products for six stores. </p>
<p>As immigration from Germany skyrocketed and more stores opened, Mr. Ehmer saw an opportunity for growth - he offered partnerships to the store managers. He would open these locations with his money and their entrepreneurial skills. The requirements to become a Karl Ehmer storeowner were the desire, knowledge, and stamina to operate a store. </p>
<p>As his chain of quality butcher shops grew, Mr. Ehmer moved to a new location in Ridgewood and built a "state of the art" plant He also went on to raise pigs on his Hudson Valley farm in upstate New York. This gave him the ability to raise his own pigs, send them to his manufacturing facility. and distribute the products to his own branded Karl Ehmer Quality Meat stores.
<p>Should anyone besides me care, Karl Ehmer's farm is (was) in LaGrange, NY. I DID recall passing it on rte 55 going from Vassar to the Taconic Pkwy. I thought so. Whew. Now I can chill.</p>
<p>There's still a farmer's market at Vassar... from August to October, it's in the park on Raymond across from Joss (dorm) every Thursday, and the rest of the year it's in the College Center on Tuesday. I just got back from it... with four loaves of bread. For myself. This is a problem.</p>
<p>^^^ LOL dc89!! I'd like to have that problem! There was no farmers market when I lived in Joss :( but we did have the old cider mill on Cedar Ave., up by the Vassar farm. It was great!! Fresh cider and homemade cookies and pastries. Yummmmm.</p>