Adrienne Cromartie-Wolf

For My Father’s House Southern Cuisine owner Adrienne Cromartie Wolf, her restaurant is so much more than just that – it symbolizes a dream come true for both herself and her late father, Franklin Cromartie. Growing up, Adrienne worked alongside her dad in his catering business where he taught her everything that she knows. Unfortunately, Franklin succumbed to cancer before he could open his own business, but he passed the torch along to Adrienne to achieve their goal.

 

Adrienne has been an educator in the city for many years and prior to My Father’s House restaurant she had her own catering business which she started in 2005 – working church and other related events. After her father passed, her late mother, Cynthia, and nana, Lillie, encouraged her along her journey towards restaurant ownership and My Father’s House restaurant opened in 2021.

 

The restaurant offers classic southern soul food with a twist to a diverse group of patrons with soulfully vegetarian and vegan options influenced by Adrienne’s upbringing as a Seventh Day Adventist. Delicious food aside, Adrienne prides herself on creating a warm atmosphere for all customers.

 

Photo Credit: Eat Okra

“We work very hard to impart warmth and comfort reminiscent of family reunions growing up,” Adrienne says. “When you walk through our door, you are reunited with family members. We are dedicated to providing patrons with a memorable experience complete with delicious food, outstanding service, and even live Gospel and Jazz music on the weekends.”

 

So why Nyack? For Adrienne, the answer is obvious.

 

“Nyack has a rich history of African-American trailblazers and we thought this was an ideal community for us to carry on some of those traditions,” Adrienne stated. “We appreciated the diversity of the Nyack community and believed that it would enable us to offer a unique culinary experience and space that people from all different backgrounds can explore and enjoy.”

 

Looking forward, Adrienne plans to have MFHSC food trucks on the road. She is also looking forward to the annual Mother’s Day and Father’s Day events set to include a special menu and themed live music.

 

You can learn more about My Father’s House by visiting their website and following their Instagram page (@myfathershousesoutherncuisine).

 
 

Photo Credit: Joe Rand

My Father’s House Southern Cuisine

12 N. Broadway

Nyack, NY 10960

845-875-7345

 

Hours of Operation

Tuesday-Friday 4:00pm-9:00pm

Saturday 4:30pm-10pm

Sunday 12:00pm-6:00pm

The post My Father’s House: Where Soul is in More than Just the Food appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

Photo Courtesy of the Nyack Library Local History Room

Under the Housing Act of 1949, billions of federal dollars were made available to local governments through grants and incentives for the purpose of urban “revitalization.” Nyack was just one of several thousand communities across the U.S. affected by this initiative in the 1960s and 1970s.

A new documentary, What Happened to Jackson Avenue, offers rare, real-life accounts of the human impact of urban renewal. Through interviews with people who experienced urban renewal first-hand, the film tells the story of how the intended revitalization ultimately resulted in the destruction of an entire community.

That community was set along Jackson Avenue, where 124 families, nearly 80% of them Black, lost their homes, businesses, and generations of accumulated wealth to ‘eminent domain.’

Photo Courtesy of the Nyack Library Local History Room

Inspiration for the documentary sprang from a comment made by local historian and activist Bill Batson in the summer of 2019 as he in stood in the main parking lot at the center of Nyack village. “This was Jackson Avenue. Our family home once stood here,” he said.

That spark set a creative process in motion—two-years of research, interviews, photography and editing undertaken by young filmmakers Hakima Alem and Rudi Gohl.

Panel discussions followed the 60-minute screenings and gave audiences opportunities to share reactions to the film, and hear live from storytellers interviewed in the film, as well as the documentary creators. Batson, who also appears in the film, served as moderator.

The film was produced by the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble – a NYC-grown theater company now with a home and annual live arts festival in Nyack. Screenings in June and July were presented in collaboration with Rivertown Film Society and The Nyack Center.

Avery Family at Jackson Avenue, 1920s (Photo Courtesy of the Avery Batson Family)

“This film is essential to an understanding of Nyack’s history, and provides an important case study of how even a small village was shaped by the broader forces driving urban renewal policies in the 1960s,” said Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Former NY State senator.

“This is a powerful film, and a service to our community as it acknowledges and learns from its history,” commented Don Hammond, Mayor of Nyack.

You can view a trailer of the documentary here. Information about the storytellers and the documentary artists are below. Information about broader distribution of the film will be forthcoming.

ABOUT THE STORYTELLERS

Bill Batson is well known in the Nyack community as a leader, artist and historian. His grandmother’s family, the Avery’s, moved to Nyack in the late 1800s. They lived through, and spoke out against, urban renewal. His family home on Jackson Avenue was a casualty. Today, Batson is a columnist and featured contributor to Nyack News & Views, where his weekly Sketch Log chronicles the Nyack experience through words and art. Batson also manages the weekly Farmers Market for the Nyack Chamber of Commerce.

Faith Blount is a Nyack native who experienced urban renewal first-hand as a child. Her family lived with her grandparents in a house on Liberty street, with her grandfather’s dry cleaning business attached. Blount’s grandfather was a civil rights leader and founder of the NAACP chapter in Nyack. In the wake of urban renewal, the Blounts received some compensation for the residence but not for the business, which was their livelihood. Blount is a pharmacist and a role model for young Black people wherever she goes.

Lonnie “Buster” Leonard is a Nyack native who grew up on Jackson Avenue in the 1950s. He experienced urban renewal as a teenager when he lost his home and saw his friends and community forced out. His family moved to High Avenue just before the demolition began. Their old home on Jackson Avenue was destroyed shortly thereafter.

Win Perry is a historian and architect who comes from a long line of Nyack locals. He currently resides in the house his family built in 1846. His grandson is the 12^th generation of his family to live in Nyack. Perry worked for an architectural firm in Nyack during urban renewal and saw both sides of the process. Past president of the local historical society, Perry is currently a member of the executive board. He was a member of the NAACP and has served as an educator on urban renewal and city planning.

Barbara Williams was born in Anniston, Alabama and moved to Nyack in the early 1960s. She was an avid member of the protests against the urban renewal project. In 1965, she managed the campaign that won Hezekiah Easter a seat on the Village of Nyack Board of Trustees—the first Black person elected to public office in Rockland County. Williams was inducted into Rockland County’s Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2016 for her work in fighting discrimination against disadvantaged people and people of color. She describes herself as a storyteller, memory keeper and “ancestor in training.”

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hakima Alem is an Ethiopian writer and film director. She moved to Nyack in 2018, and now resides in New York City. Alem graduated from Bard College in 2021. Her work centers on the lives of women of color, human rights and international adoption. Her credits include documentary films and work with multiple nonprofits. Before directing What Happened To Jackson Avenue, she was an assistant editor for the film Muicha, The Voice of Bossa Nova and created her own film titled Black at Bard 2020.

Rudi Gohl is a filmmaker based in New York City. Since completing college in 2021, Gohl has worked extensively in New York, filming and editing music videos, short films, plays and documentaries. With the documentary format as his primary focus, Gohl has recently worked with the musical artist Chandrika Tandon, and multi-cultural artist Eljuri. He currently holds a position as junior assistant editor and post-production assistant for the award-winning documentary company Show of Force.

Teese Gohl (music) is a Swiss musical producer/director/supervisor/composer of film scores and stage productions. He produced most of Elliot Goldenthal’s film scores as well as others. Two scores that he has produced have won Oscars — Elliot Goldenthal’s Frida and John Corigliano’s The Red Violin.

The post Nyack’s Own Urban Renewal Story Showcased in New Documentary appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

For those seeking a healthy dose of feel-good outdoor fun, Nyack is just the place.

 

Located 24 miles north of New York City on the banks of the Hudson in beautiful Rockland County, Nyack offers great opportunities to share time and enjoy life with family and friends – hundreds of experiences and events all season long that make for great day trips, weekend get-aways and longer stays.

 

“Rockland is the gateway to the Hudson Valley,” said Lucy Redzeposki, Rockland’s Director of Economic Development and Tourism. “The county is rich in history, culture and natural beauty, with much to offer visitors from local communities and from around the world. Nyack is a great introduction.”

 

Views of the river – from nearly every angle – are spectacular. It’s also easy to experience the river itself. Boat charters and water sports launch from Nyack’s marina at the east end of Main Street.

 

Photo Courtesy of Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center

A visit to Nyack would be incomplete without a meal in one of Nyack’s top-flight restaurants, casual eateries or cozy pubs, paired with shopping in the village’s one-of-a-kind boutiques. For those interested in the arts, a visit to the Edward Hopper House Museum and Study Center or a show at the Elmwood Playhouse are within steps of the village center. For those with kids, Memorial Park boasts a shaded playground and a splash pad open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The weekly Farmers Market is itself an event, with live music, activities for the kids and fresh goods from local farms and artisans.

 

“Nyack is a treasure trove packed into an area of just over one walkable square mile,” added Nyack Mayor Don Hammond. “Your list of activities in and around Nyack might include hiking Hook Mountain, walking or biking across the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge, or a leisurely riverside stroll in Nyack Beach State Park on an easy, level path right at the edge of the Hudson.”

 

For visitors looking for evening entertainment, live music and comedy shows abound in the center of town while Nyack’s hotels offer comfortable accommodations for weekday and weekend overnight stays.

 

Photo Credit: Chris Carroll

“Nyack is all about enjoying life,” said Nyack Chamber President Roger Cohen. “And now is the time to get out and celebrate the season.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Next up on the Nyack agenda:

 

June 19 – Juneteenth Celebration

June 27 – Music on the Hudson (Tuesday series launch)

July 4 – Fourth of July Fireworks

July 6 – Jazz in the Garden (Thursday series launch)

July 7-8 – Basketball Tournament

July 8 – Rockland Masters Rowing Regatta

July 9 – Street Fair

July 10 – Classic Car Night

A complete list of events and dates can be found here.

 

Nyack events are supported by Visit Nyack, the Nyack Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Nyack, Rockland County Economic Development and Tourism, I LOVE NY, and by local businesses.

2023 Nyack Events

Photos & Graphics

Visit Nyack

Nyack Chamber of Commerce

Explore Rockland

I Love NY

The post Step into Spring – Get Outside in Nyack! appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

Photo Courtesy of Black Parakeetz

A popular host on the CBS Shop Local Saturday program, Elliott celebrated Black History month on the show with interviews featuring members of Nyack’s vibrant community of Black-owned businesses – including Black Parakeetz: Paint, Swig and Sing! on Main Street, as well as Teagevity and Rebecca’s Paradise, regulars at the weekly Nyack Farmers Market.

Links to the video interviews are available here:

Black Parakeetz

Teagevity

Rebecca’s Paradise

While filming at Black Parakeetz, owners Terry and Naomi Clarke took Elliott on a tour of their establishment, which boasts an art lounge for painting experiences (no prior experience needed), a karaoke lounge (also no prior experience needed), and a bar/kitchen offering a menu of specialty foods and art-and-music-themed cocktails hand crafted by Terry.

As Terry and Naomi describe it, Black Parakeetz is an experience-based venue for curated gatherings of every kind – birthday celebrations, pre-wedding parties, holiday get-togethers, music and theater events and corporate meetings, to name just a few possibilities. Terry cites a recent art-themed team-building workshop as an example.

Black Parakeetz is not your ordinary “party place,” so Naomi encourages everyone to stop by the business at 298 Main Street, and visit the Parakeetz website, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook pages. “We’re everywhere and we’re here!”

Photo Courtesy of Teagevity/Preston Powell

As part of his Nyack tour, Elliott also interviewed Preston Powell, owner of an artisanal boutique tea company – Teagevity – at the Nyack Farmers Market.

Powell, who happens to be the grandson of Abyssinian Baptist Church Pastor and politician Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., credits his time sipping “comfort drinks” like coffee and tea in church as the original driving force behind his love for tea. He also says the idea to start his business came to the fore when one of his martial arts students suggested he sell the tea that he was serving after class.

Powell carefully sources his teas from organic growers, offering a wide range of special blends created to promote health and longevity. ”I tell people ‘don’t buy tea from strangers,’” Powell said. According to Powell, his customers are neighbors, friends, family. “That’s what I love about the Nyack Farmers Market…it’s all about community.”

Elliott also had a conversation with Annie Rebecca Roberts of Rebecca’s Paradise, another shop at the Nyack Farmers Market. Roberts creates organic, plant-based skincare products.

Photo Courtesy of Rebecca’s Paradise

Sharing a thread with Powell’s story, Roberts’ experiences growing up in an ecofriendly family environment shaped her business concept and mission. Her grandmother was a skincare professional in Jamaica.

“It’s very important to know what you’re ingesting or applying to the skin,” said Roberts.

With Rebecca’s Paradise skincare products, customers can be confident that they’re caring for their skin naturally, and don’t have to worry about harmful toxins, which are not uncommon in commercially produced lotions and soaps.

“Customers support me because they like what I do, and they like that the products are clean beauty.”

You can view the full interviews with the Clarkes, Powell and Roberts below. For more information about the Nyack Farmers Market, click here.

Also featured earlier in the year on the CBS Shop Local program include Nyack’s Pickwick Book Shop and the Hickory Dickory Dock boutique, a purveyor German handicrafts, clocks and decorative goods sourced from Europe.

Click below for Pickwick and Hickory Dickory Dock interviews.

Pickwick Bookshop

Hickory Dickory Dock

We hope to see more Nyack businesses in the spotlight for future CBS Shop Local segments!

The post CBS News Celebrates Black-Owned Businesses in Nyack appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

All tours commence at 2:00pm sharp; meet-up locations vary by tour, see below. Suggested donation: $5.

Oak Hill Cemetery
April 28
October 20
meet at cemetery entrance gate, Route 9W, between Sickles Avenue and 5th Avenue

Edward Hopper’s Nyack
May 26
meet at Edward Hopper House Art Center, 82 N. Broadway

South Nyack
June 9
October 13

meet at SW corner of S. Broadway and Cedar Hill Avenue

Upper Nyack
June 23
meet at NW corner of S. Broadway and 6th Avenue

Downtown Nyack
September 22
meet at the foot of Main Street, at the Hudson River

Walking tours are presented by the Historical Society of the Nyacks. The Museum and Shop are located at 50 Piermont Avenue, and they are open Saturdays from 1pm – 4pm. 

The post Nyack Walking Tour Schedule 2019 appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

With stunning fall foliage as your backdrop, there are so many amazing ways to celebrate autumn in Nyack!

Leaf Peeping on the Hudson

There’s no better way to enjoy leaf-peeping season than on the Hudson River! Check out nature’s amazing fall show from the bridge viewing platform at Nyack Memorial Park(Depew & Piermont Avenues, Nyack), take a walk or bike ride on the riverside trail at Nyack Beach State Park(698 N. Broadway, Nyack), or book a sailing excursion with Nyack Boat Charter (Tel: 845-535-1675).

Nyack Sketch Log Walking Tour

Enjoy the beauty and history of Nyack in the first ever Nyack Sketch Log walking tour led by artist, writer and activist Bill Batson. The tours will kick off from the John Green House and end at the Historical Society of the Nyacks Museum, and includes admission to the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center and the Historical Society of the Nyacks Museum (a suggested donation is encouraged).

Visit:  Saturday, October 6 at 11:00am-1:00pm & 2:00pm-4:00pm beginning at John Green House, 23 Main Street, Nyack 

Tickets: https://nyacksketchlogtour.brownpapertickets.com

Nyack’s Famous Street Fair

Over three hundred exhibitors will be lining Main Street and Broadway during Nyack’s Famous Street Fair in downtown Nyack. With a large selection of arts, crafts and photography plus retail, home décor, collectible and commercial booths, this unique fair has something for everyone in the family. Other highlights include numerous festival food tents, Nyack’s outdoor cafés, a Kidz Zone with inflatables and games located in the Main Street parking lot, and music by Richie G at the gazebo on Main Street.

Visit: Sunday, October 7 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, rain or shine

Info: Sponsored by Art, Craft & Antique Dealer’s Association of Nyack and promoted by P.J.’s Promotions

Lewis Black in Conversation with Elliott Forrest

Lewis Black, America’s angriest funnyman returns to Nyack for an intimate (probably rant filled) evening of conversation and laughs. Mr. Black will be interviewed by Elliott Forrest, WQXR Radio Personality and ArtsRock’s Executive Director. The two have known each other for over 30 years and will discuss Mr. Black’s life, his career and perhaps some politics. The evening is a dual benefit for ArtsRockand Penguin Rep Theatre.

Visit: Monday, October 8 at 8:00pm at Rittershausen Theater, 131 North Midland Avenue, Nyack

Tickets: http://artsrock.org

Nyack’s Autumn Sidewalk Sale

Close your internet browser and hit the sidewalks of Nyack to browse the the unique brick-and-mortar shops of Main Street and Broadway during Nyack’s village-wide Autumn Sidewalk Sale! Great deals will be available from dozens of retailers and restaurants.

Visit: Saturday, October 13 from 10:00am-6:00pm, rain or shine

Info: https://www.nyackchamber.org/nyack-sidewalk-sale/

Walk or Run to Help Montefiore Nyack Hospital Blow Away Breast Cancer 

Lace up your sneakers, and join more than 350 runners and walkers of all ages at Montefiore Nyack Hospital’s 28th Annual Blow Away Breast Cancer 5K Run/Walk. Last year, over $40,000 was raised in support of the Hospital’s world-class Breast Center!

Visit: Sunday, October 14 at 9:00am at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, 160 North Midland Avenue, Nyack

Info: https://www.montefiorenyack.org/special-events

Heritage of West Nyack 6th Annual Fall Family Festival

See how the men and women of the Revolutionary War lived at Historic Traphagen and Vanderbilt/Budke Houses. Festival activities include living history demonstrations, a horse-drawn hayride, pumpkin picking and decorating, sheep shearing, children’s games, crafts, live music, dancing, and much more!

Visit: Sunday, October 21 from 12:00pm-4:00pm, rain or shine. 131 Germonds Road, West Nyack

Info and event schedule: www.HeritageofWestNyack.org 

Enjoy Autumn’s Bounty at the Nyack Farmer’s Market 

Experience everything harvest season has to offer at the weekly Nyack Farmers’ Market, which remains outdoors through November 30, before moving to the Nyack Center for the winter. Join some of the greatest vendors in the region who come together to bring you locally produced food, featuring fresh, delicious produce, baked goods, sweet somethings and other great items. Local artist and crafts people offer unique gifts.

Visit: Every Thursday from 8:00am-2:00pm in Nyack’s main municipal parking lot

Info: https://www.nyackchamber.org/nyack-farmers-market/

Get Your Spook on During Nyack’s “Halloweek”

In addition to the second largest Halloween Parade in New York, Nyack goes all out to be the destination for hair-raising Halloween fun. From screenings of scary movies and live shows to dressing up the windows of the village with spooktacular artwork, anyone that loves to be a spectator of spookiness will enjoy our freaky fall festivities.

Info and “Halloweek” event schedule: https://visitnyack.org/2018/09/26/october-halloween-2018/

The post Celebrate Autumn in the Nyacks! appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

All tours commence at 2:00pm sharp; meet-up locations vary by tour, see below. Suggested donation: $5.

Oak Hill Cemetery
October 21
meet at Cemetery entrance gate, Route 9W, between Sickles Avenue and 5th Avenue

Edward Hopper’s Nyack
September 16
meet at Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, 82 N. Broadway

Upper Nyack
June 24
meet at NW corner of N. Broadway and 6th Avenue

South Nyack
June 10
October 14

meet at SW corner of S. Broadway and Cedar Hill Avenue

Downtown Nyack
September 23
meet at the foot of Main Street at the Hudson River (near where Gedney meets Main)

Walking tours are presented by the Historical Society of the Nyacks. The Museum and Shop are located at 50 Piermont Avenue, and they are open Saturdays from 1pm – 4pm. 

The post Nyack Walking Tour Schedule 2018 appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

ExperienceNYack offers fun, educational and entertaining things to do in Nyack and our surrounding communities.

“We are developing experiences which allow visitors to “add-on” a two-hour event before or after they go to eat or shop around town,” said Laura Carpentier, co-founder of Experience Nyack. “We’re responding to what people like and want more of – unique experiences in Nyack, including insights into local history.”

Experience Nyack currently offers three adventures: Main Street USA Historical Tour, Hook Mountain Guided Hike, and History on the Hudson.

Walking Main Street History Tours
ExperienceNYack’s guides share Nyack’s 350-year evolution from a seaport town, to a manufacturing mecca, to the retail destination for all lower Rockland, and finally, to the cultural and entertainment destination it is today. Learn the secrets only the locals know, ask all your questions, and end the tour ready to satisfy those grumbling tummies at one of our great restaurants and peruse the fine shops!

Guided Hikes on Hook Mountain
Have you always wanted to hike up a mountain but were afraid of getting lost, or just wanted a little company? Guided hikes help you become more confident and capable in a wilderness setting. Join experienced trail guide Nice McLean on a challenging 6-mile hiking and fitness walk. You will stop along the trail for directed exercises, Taekwondo, balancing, focusing and stretching. At the top, you’ll stop and see some great sights along the majestic Hudson River. The pictures you’ll bring back will be amazing!

History on the Hudson Tours

The History on the Hudson tour is a one-of-a-kind Experience! Hop aboard the beautiful 54′ Al Vento sail boat and learn about Nyack’s unfolding 350-year-story and hear the secrets only the locals know. See the sights while sailing up and down the beautiful Hudson River. See the new Tappan Zee Bridge being built from a unique vantage point!  Join us for this 2-hour delightful excursion and Experience Nyack!

ExperienceNYack’s tours are available now at www.ExperienceNYack.com, offering visitors to the Village more “things-to-do” … and more reasons to visit Nyack. Visit them online for schedules and tour offerings.

The post Experience Nyack with an ExperienceNYack Adventure! appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

Visit Nyack this summer, and explore all that beautiful Rockland County, New York, has to offer.

The post Rockland County Tour Guide Now Available: Plan Your Trip Here! appeared first on  Visit Nyack.

All tours commence at 2:00pm sharp; meet-up locations vary by tour, see below. Suggested donation: $5.

Oak Hill Cemetery
April 30
October 15
meet at Cemetery entrance gate, Route 9W, between Sickles Avenue and 5th Avenue

Edward Hopper’s Nyack
June 18
September 17
meet at Edward Hopper House Art Center, 82 N. Broadway

Upper Nyack
June 25
meet at NW corner of S. Broadway and 6th Avenue

South Nyack
May 14
October 8

meet at SW corner of S. Broadway and Cedar Hill Avenue

Downtown Nyack
September 24
meet at the foot of Main Street, at the Hudson River

Walking tours are presented by the Historical Society of the Nyacks. The Museum and Shop are located at 50 Piermont Avenue, and they are open Saturdays from 1pm – 4pm. 

The post Nyack Walking Tour Schedule 2017 appeared first on  Visit Nyack.