Josh Kilmer-Purcell's Blog, page 84

7 Billion “Thank You” Notes.

 

 

 

Our Moms taught us to always write “thank you” notes after receiving a gift. We met a lot of people traveling over 25,000 miles through 9 countries before winning The Amazing Race. And every single person who cheered us along, helped with directions, hugged us, gave us water, shared their food, sold us a plane ticket, drove us to the middle-of-nowhere, yelled at their TV set on Sunday nights, traded their plane seat so we could deplane quicker, pointed in the right direction, or just plain got out of our way to let us pass has earned our deepest gratitude.

As longtime fans of the show, we know there are as many different strategies for winning as there are people who watch the show. Before we embarked we reviewed many past seasons to try to find the “secret formula” for winning. We didn’t uncover one. So we fell back on the same three strategies we use in our everyday lives:

1.            Do the best you can at every task in front of you.

2.            Help your neighbor whenever you can.

3.            Don’t give up no matter how bad things look.

We have no idea if this is why we won. But we do know that this was how we raced.

What are we going to do with the winnings? Well, first, we’re going to pay off the mortgage on our farm so that we can live together full-time again after 5 years apart. Next, we’re going to invest in a building on Sharon Springs Main Street that will become the new home of Beekman 1802. And finally we’ll be launching a new line of food products named after a 1929 Heirloom Tomato – “The Mortgage Lifter.” 25% of its profits will help other small American farmers pay off their debts.

Looking back after this exhausting and exhilarating journey, it seems appropriate that it culminated in that very difficult final Amazing Race challenge. “Hello” and “Goodbye” are perhaps the most important words we need to learn as human beings, and we should all try to learn them in as many languages as possible. But along the Race, we also learned nine equally valuable ones:

Xie xie, Terima kasih, Dhanyabad, Sagolun, Spasibo, Dank je, Gracias, Merci & Thank you.

And here’s who we would like to say them to most:

CBS & The Amazing Race Production Team. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. As longtime fans, we knew how beloved this show is in America. But we had no idea how beloved it is around the globe until we raced with you. You’ve had a larger impact on this world over the past 21 seasons than most diplomats. You’ve taught Americans about hidden corners of the world, and you’ve taught hidden corners of the world about Americans.

We’ll always remember something one of the producers said right before the race began. She explained that we’d be racing through some very remote places in this world, and for some of the people we meet along the way, simply having a big TV production include them in their show might be one of the most memorable moments of their lives. She reminded us that while we might be focused simply on making it to Phil as fast as we could, that we were representing America every (hurried) step of the way. We hope that we represented you, and America well. Thank you for giving us that chance.

And because here in Sharon Springs we’ve learned that the best way to thank your neighbor is with baked goods, this past weekend we baked gingerbread men for each of our closest neighbors on the race – our fellow Racers:

 

1. Rob (CEO Lumberjack & groom) & Shelia (CMO & bride): Perhaps our first “fun” experience on the race was joking with Rob and Shelia about catching the “slow plane to China.” Their shared sense of fun and perspective is exactly why they are so successful in their lives and also why they’re such a perfect couple together. Congratulations on your wedding this past summer, you are a beautitul team. Check out their company.

 

 

2. Amy (self-described “Fembot”) and Daniel (Executive Director of Adaptive Action Sports Organization)  There hasn’t been a more inspirational team in the history of The Amazing Race than this couple. After all the life challenges and successes these two have shared, it’s easy to wonder why they would have chosen to take time out of their busy schedules to take on this particular challenge. And the answer is: because every challenge they overcome inspires millions more to attempt their own. And the world becomes a better place. Please check out their organization and donate.

 

 

3.Caitlin & Brittany (The Blondes)  It’s always unfair that strong and smart female teams always seem to have their description reduced to “the blondes.” It’s especially unfair in the case of these two. Watching them sprint past the best male athletes on our race struck fear in our hearts on Day One.  Don’t let the snorting fool you…beauty can be deceiving, and these two proved it many times over.

 

 

4. Will & Gary (Jack & the Beanstalk) – These two great guys will have a greater impact on the world than all of the other Racers combined. For years, they’ve used the Amazing Race as teachers to help students learn more about the world they live in. And this year, they were able to use their first hand experience to inspire kids to become better and more knowledgeable global citizens. That makes us all winners. Please donate on their behalf to Make-A-Wish Michigan, Wish A Mile to help them continue their good works.

 

 

5. Rob & Kelley – (Monster Mohawk, Mega Smile) Rob & Kelley are two of the most accomplished Racing couples on this season. You’d never know it to look at her, but Kelley is a champion rodeo rider, and Rob is a world famous Monster Truck competitor. These two are tough…but, as Rob said: “all heart.” One of the most rewarding things about the race was that we got to spend a lot of time with folks with whom our paths would’ve likely never crossed…and we’re so very fortunate that ours did. We both learned a lot from each other. An incredibly kind couple.

 

 

6. Abba & James – (The Rockers) These guys had perhaps the best perspective on the race. And maybe life. Whether way out in front, or stymied by bad luck, James and Abba kept going with great humor and humility.  We learned a lot from how these two accomplished men approach the world, and will always remember their attitude, fortitude, and style.

 

 

7. Ryan & Abbie – (Ultra-alpha couple) These two were probably least likely couple that we expected to bond with – especially to the extent that we did.  It’s hard enough to exhibit humility and grace when you’re winning. And near impossible to do so when you’re 14 ½ hours behind everyone else. But Abbie’s silly eye rolls, and big heart kept us going. As did Ryan’s confidence and strategies. People may not understand why we worked together as closely as we did, but we’ll always understand that we only had two choices under our circumstances:

1.            Be ruthless, be miserable, and one of us lose.

2.            Be helpful, have a good time, and one of us lose.

Little did we know that there was a third option…that we’d would both wind up winning just by meeting each other. Please donate to a cause they work closely with.

 

 

8. Natalie & Nadia – (Twinnies!) Clearly, we wouldn’t have won without these two lighting our fires.  But who would’ve thought that we had so much to learn from these two young twinnies? They are truly the ultimate sportswomen. Their “trash talk” and “winner-take-all” gamesmanship might have offended some, but it never did us. We knew they were just being competitive and funny. Plus, what didn’t come across on camera is how impressively polite and intuitive they were during non-race moments. They woke up our spirit at just the right moment. That’s what great competitors do.

 

 

9. Trey & Lexi – (Team Longhorns) Seriously…step back in time to the moment before you’d taken your first trip overseas. Now imagine that version of you going on “The Amazing Race.” We don’t care how intelligent, athletic, or competitive you are…going on the Race without any travel experience is the ultimate underdog position. And they didn’t just do well…they made the final three! It’s incredible. And bodes well for how insanely successful these two will be at everything they try in their lives. We’re so proud to know them, and proud of all the pair have accomplished in life already, including the business Lexi helps run with her mom.

 

10 Jaymes & James – (Chips) We know what it’s like to be underestimated. Even with their incredible physicality, J & J knew that many folks would write them off immediately as mere eye candy. But this candy didn’t only look good…it was good for you. For everyone watching, in fact. We don’t know how they did it, but they were in good humor every single moment of the Race. Jaymes and James are models of positivity in the face of competitive and personal adversities. Please donate and pray to help Jaymes father in his fight with cancer.

And finally…thank you. And you. And you and you and you.

You know why.

We heard you cheering all the way around the world.

And we really needed it.

And it worked.

5 Beautiful Things

 

Chalk It Up To the Holidays

I am really inspired by the décor at the Beekman 1802 Mercantile from a few years ago: the theme was Black Christmas. Brent really outdid himself with the black-and-white Victorian designs, creating a look of etched whimsy throughout the displays. With the theme in mind, I ventured forth to find similar black-and-white Christmas designs and discovered the chalkboard art of Valerie McKeehan: an artist who sells her wares on Etsy using the monicker Lily & Val. She specializes in chalkboard art, writing sayings, lyrics or poetry using chalk and then preserving them using a special technique so the designs will never rub off. The finished pieces can then be framed and placed around the home or used as signage at a special event, such as a wedding. I love the personal touches and flourishes. You can visit the website here. Below are five festive examples.

 

 

All photos by Lily & Val

 

 

Around the World

 

The first scene ever filmed for the Fabulous Beekman Boys involved us walking through the goat pasture.  As if PolkaSpot said to herself, “There’s a film crew in my barn.  This is my star-making chance!”, she decided to play dead.

And a star WAS born.

She’s gone on to have her picture in People magazine, thousands of followers on Facebook and Twitter, to ring the NASDAQ opening bell and her own comic book series.

So how could we say ‘no’ when she asked us to develop her own iPhone app?

Unfortunately for her, we knew nothing about developing iPhone apps, so she set about charming the pants off of one of our friends, Skip Haughay–a computer genius and employee at Apple.

Thanks to these two masterminds, PolkaSpot can now be a part of YOUR family pictures, YOUR vacation photos, and YOUR Facebook embarrassing moments.

Take a look at how the app was created:

 

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To purchase the PolkaSpotted photo app, click here

To visit PolkaSpot’s personal website:  PrettyPolkaSpot.com

Our friend Skip passed away before completing the project, but by clicking the information button within the app, you’ll forever be able to see his picture.  We think he’d be really happy knowing how many smiles his work continues to create.  Read more about Skip by clicking here

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Oh, the places you’ll go…

Made by Hands

 

From artist Jesse Freidin

“Last Winter I was invited by Josh and Brent to photograph the incredible craftspeople of their B. 1802 Aritst Collective. After having spent many Summer hours on the Beekman farm photographing Farmer John, his goats and Polka Spot, I was excited to turn my lens on the people of Sharon Springs keeping the heritage of American folk art alive.

Stepping into each of these artists’ studios was like taking a step back in time. The quick, snowy walk between my car and the front door of the Adelphi Paper Hangings shop must have brought me back hundreds of years- I suddenly was surrounded by curled wood shavings and paint spills created by human hands, antique machines powered by enormous foot pedals and rope, and a level of incredible quality and detail long-forgotten by modern technology.

These artists carried a pride in their tradition, sewing bits of history and craftsmanship into each singular piece produced. Every page of John Townsend’s handmade books were folded and trimmed by hand, every wool rug made in Sharon Kruppenbacher’s old farmhouse studio was woven on looms from the turn of the century, Michael McCarthy’s blacksmith shop used spoon molds from the 1800s. As a contemporary artist also dedicated to producing all of my photographic work completely by hand, I felt a magical connection with each of the Beekman 1802 Artisans and was honored to tell their story.

 

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To see more of the work of photographer Jesse Freidin, please click here

To see some of the items created by the B. 1802 Rural Artist Collective, click here

5 Beautiful Things

Senescence

In Margaret Roach’s beautiful book “A Way To Garden” I came across a chapter heading that intrigued me. It was a word I had not heard before: Senescence. When I looked it up, its use in a book about the annual lifecylce and maintenance of a garden made perfect sense. The term senescence refers to the period of decline in a lifecycle: the endogenous and hereditary process of accumulative changes. In other words, old age.

Senescence in the natural environs of North America’s northeast begins in September and runs through the end of November. We refer to it as Autumn or Fall, but if we look at the natural year through Margaret’s interpretive lens, this phase of bare branches and wilted grass takes on a more human note and (to me at least) makes the mournful skies and bleak landscape more poetic.

I need that poetry this last week of November. Too early for snow in most parts of this region and too late for Autumn’s brilliant, tumbling leaves, there is not much left to dazzle us. The gardens have been laid to rest, the flowers have long since died and anything deciduous is now a frail husk, crumpled and trampled on the ground, leaving skeletal trees to rattle in the icy winds. In our overcoats and boots, we rush to enliven the landscape with ribbons and bows, twinkle lights and garlands. The resilient evergreen becomes our best friend.

It took me a very long time, but these days I do see beauty in this cold and barren time of year – this  fallow period, between bright colour and bright white. The beauty lies in the restfulness and peace of nature’s slumber:  the new length of the shadows at twilight, the muted sounds and colours, the heavy textures and striking silhouettes we observe only during this time of year in the prelude to snow. Brave the chill and go outside to see the beauty of senescence for yourself. It may take time to train your eye, but beauty is always there.

 

Andrew Ritchie is the creator of Martha Moments, a blog devoted Martha-Stewart related content and her community of supporters. He lives and works in Toronto, Canada, and has been a longtime friend of Brent & Josh, Beekman 1802 and Sharon Springs. Each week he’ll scour the world (wide web) to find the 5 most beautiful things to inspire you. Follow Andrew on Pinterest.

 

The December Chatter

We’ve lobbied really hard for Garrison Keillor to give up life in Lake Wobegone and move to Sharon Springs,  but thus far he has not answered our letters or returned our calls.

Sharon Springs has beautiful people and above-average children, too, so on to Plan B.

What is a small town village without a small town paper to keep track of what everyone is doing?

Nancy Pfau, our Town Historian, is now editor of our own little paper.

Each month you can check back here for a new issue and follow the lives of the real village people.  If you pay a real visit, you  may even want to submit a story idea of your own!

You may not live in small town, but at least you can pretend.

See below for the December 2012 Issue

 

Mail Perfection

 

On the first Saturday of every December, Sharon Springs travels back in time as the streets are filled with visitors from all around dressed in their finest.

It’s just like entering into a post card.

Were things just more beautiful back then or were we all just more romantic?

Photographer Richard Walker contributed these stunning images.  Learn more about his work by clicking here

 

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For a close-up peek at our own vintage post card collection.  Click here

At Beekman 1802, we’re always trying to make the world more beautiful.  Join us.

 

A Horn of Plenty

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One of the most magical times to be in NYC is during the holidays when all of the stores unveil their holiday windows.

Since we opened the Beekman 1802 Mercantile in Sharon Springs three years ago, we’ve tried to bring a little bit of that big city magic to our Main Street.

This year’s holiday theme is “A Horn of Plenty”.

The cornucopia (or, horn of plenty) is a symbol of abundance and nourishment and is often presented over-flowing with produce, flowers, nuts or some other form of wealth.

The idea comes from Greek mythology.  Baby Zeus broke off the horn of his nursemaid, the goat Almathea, which gave him the divine power of providing neverending nourishment.

If you can’t make it to our Main Street this year, here’s a peak at holiday at the Beekman 1802 Mercantile

 

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Click here to see our 2010 window display, Black Christmas

Click here to see our 2011 window display, Merry LITTLE Christmas

5 Beautiful Things

 

Serving Pieces

Every year, around this time, we raid the china cabinet and bring out the serving platters, the chargers, the silverware and crystal that spends most of the year behind glass or closed doors. In the rush to prepare a holiday celebration with friends and family, we rarely take the time to examine this beautiful serveware on its own. We quickly set the table, rarely pausing to appreciate the beauty of the small details, shapes and embellishments that make our serving pieces special.

One of the reasons I am so enamored of lifestyle blogs and home magazines is the focus the editors put on examining ‘the little things’ we love but often overlook. Through photographs and articles, we can learn about the history of many of our most cherished and valuable collections. One of the best monthly encyclopedias of home management is, of course, Martha Stewart Living – Brent’s former place of work and one of my favourite publications.

Below are five images from Martha Stewart Living magazine depicting Thanksgiving serveware: carving sets, carving knives and dessert servers. They are all antique, some pieces dating back to the 1800s, and all beautifully presented and styled. (No magazine does it better!)

I hope you take some time this year to really look at the objects that will decorate your Thanksgiving table or facilitate your meal preparation. Understanding where your treasured objects come from and having an appreciation for their details will make them all the more valuable to you.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 

 

Andrew Ritchie is the creator of Martha Moments, a blog devoted Martha-Stewart related content and her community of supporters. He lives and works in Toronto, Canada, and has been a longtime friend of Brent & Josh, Beekman 1802 and Sharon Springs. Each week he’ll scour the world (wide web) to find the 5 most beautiful things to inspire you. Follow Andrew on Pinterest.

 

 

Gartending: Before & After

 

Thanksgiving is all about family.  Klaus is no different although the circumstances of his father’s visit from Germany are quite a surprise!

Klaus’s father had a dinner in mind with his favorite ingredients and his favorite son, Klaus.  They planned to enjoy a vast platter of smoked and braised meats.  Sauerkraut, roasted apples and onions cooked beyond soft.  The wines and spirits would flow and all good in Klaus and his father’s universe.

The meal would begin with slices of Weisswurst served with the most German of aperitifs, Vermouth.  Klaus is rather fond of the Bittersweet Vermouth from Oregon named Imbue.  He thinks that the combination of citrus, pine needle sap, spicy earth and flavors of the forest floor are quite beguiling.  Vermouth comes from all over Europe, but Imbue is a taste of Oregon.  Imbue is made of Willamette Valley Pinot Gris wine aged in oak barrels along with local herbs.  Klaus is very fond of how a glass of chilled Imbue Vermouth speeds up his hunger.  Klaus is also very fond of a new brand of Vermouth named Uncouth.  This lovely little gem is right up Klaus’s alley.  He’s that kind of little guy.  He’s sort of uncouth, but very well spoken.  Right Klaus?

An alternative aperitif would be a glass of Dolin Vermouth from France.  The blanche or white Vermouth is lightly seasoned, crisp and nearly bone dry.  You might add a slice of grilled quince and a splash of sparkling water.  I am in love with the Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water in the pink grapefruit essence.  It would be fabulous as a low calorie, near-mocktail, a bitter one at that.  Because if it’s one thing that Klaus knows is that with the bitter, there always needs to be the sweet.

Lillet makes a gorgeous French Aperitif wine that stimulates the appetite.  Klaus is quite fond of the new rose’ offering.  Bordeaux wine woven with aromatic herbs.  How historic!

 

a·pe·ri·tif/äˌperiˈtēf/



Noun:




An alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

 

During the meal vast draughts of German Beer will flow along with peach pit tinged, tightly wound- Trocken Rieslings.  Trocken means dry in German.  The best Riesling is produced dry in my opinion.  Of course Klaus has a healthy amount of ice-cold peppermint Schnapps filling his little flask tied to his tiny ceramic chest.

Klaus is very fond of the small batch, Indiana distilled, Bardstown, Kentucky bottled- Homestead Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey.  It is a perfect aperitif to stimulate the hunger in his little ceramic belly!

MMMMM he’s getting warmed right up!

 

di·ges·tif/ˌdējesˈtēf/



Noun:




A drink or portion of food drunk or eaten after a meal in order to aid the digestion.

 

 

The Germans know a thing or two about ending a meal on a good note.  Take the product named Underberg and hold the little paper wrapped bottle in your hand. http://www.smallflower.com/brand/underberg

Although it’s only a small amount of liquid, the healing herbs within aid in digestion with their potent recipe for, “after a good meal.”

Klaus hails from the Black Forest region of Germany.  This is a region long accustomed to cold weather, celebrations and great  overindulgence.  Thanksgiving may not be celebrated in Germany, but there are many opportunities to find that heaping plate of roasted pork, sauerkraut, apples and onions along with copious platters of hand crafted sausages.  All this savory cooking can only mean one thing, discomfort from within.  The method of imbibing Underberg is quite simple.  Gaze at the tiny bottle with your weary eyes.  Tear off the paper exposing the little plastic top.  Twist it with your fingers and inhale the aroma of freshly picked Alpine herbs along with distilled spirits.  I know you are saying that you don’t need any more alcohol, but bear with me; the Klaus’s brethren know what they’re doing here.  Inside this tiny 50ml bottle is the veritable fountain of youth.  You may not have captured eternal life, but after one or two of these little bottles “after a good meal,” I promise you a cure like no other when your world is rocked by a bit too much to eat and drink!

One of Klaus’s favorite digestives is the Italian digestive named Fernet Branca.  Invented as an augmentation for life spent living under duress, Fernet Branca has a most assertive aroma and flavor.  It’s herbal, yes- but it goes much further.  There is nothing that Klaus likes better than shooting ice-cold shots of Fernet Branca out of a luge carved from of a solid chunk of ice.

If this doesn’t make you thirsty for dessert I don’t know what would.

Klaus’s most favorite dessert wine is the Vin Santo.  Vin Santo is the Trebbiano and Malvasia varieties of grapes, let to dry on straw mats then pressed.  The flavors are of hazelnuts, stone fruits and sea air.  If it is truly season for celebration, then Vin Santo is a lovely choice.  Klaus would love a sip right now!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers to good digestion…and a great nap!