Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Sales ( 860) 227-8199 advertising@518mag.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Carol St.Sauveur Ferris, Karen Richman, Rona Mann
Chandler Stevens, Lawrence White, Kirsten Ferguson, Alan Richer, Crystal Cobert Giddens, Nellie Ackerman-Vellano, Kristina Watrobski
Well, Andy Williams was right. It is the most wonderful time of the year! Whether it’s setting up a Christmas tree, a menorah or other decorations, it always seems to bubble up the feeling of nostalgia. When you look at an ornament from childhood, you might recall the magic you felt as a kid. Or, when you put up lights on your house, you might think about how the lights looked on your childhood home. It’s a magical time of year. As colorful lights begin to line the streets and stores become crowded with holiday shoppers, we start referring to the "Christmas spirit" and "holiday cheer."
I believe to truly experience the “holiday spirit” it’s very important to give to the less fortunate. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate warm clothes to your local clothing drive, deliver needed pet supplies or spend some time at your local animal shelter.
We hope you enjoy the December issue. As always, our goal at 518 PROFILES, is always to focus on the good, the beautiful and the positive by publishing stories with heart and soul. We strive each month to deliver authentic and unique content about creative people and interesting destinations. Find a nice cozy spot and enjoy our publication!
Stephanie Sittnick Founder / Publisher
518 PROFILES
587 Grand Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
"We Don't Sell Product, We Sell Service" Pearl Grant Richmans: For 62 Years a Signature of Good Taste pg. 4
ENCORE
Enchantment in Ice:
Brent Christensen’s Ice Castles
pg. 12
"You Can't Rest on Whatever You Have" The Key to the Success of The Wishing Well & Brook Tavern pg. 22
The Essential Woman
Gina Grillo's All About Health, Well-Being, & Small Business pg. 32
Ever since we first opened our doors in 1902, we have been committed to helping local families and businesses grow and prosper. They are more than simply our customers. They are also our neighbors, our friends…our community. We strongly believe that when we support our community — through shopping for holiday gifts locally, giving to area nonprofits, or even choosing to feed our families with produce grown nearby — we all win.
Thank you for being a part of this robust community. This holiday season, we hope you’ll consider reinvesting in the people and businesses that make our community your home. We wish you and your loved ones joy and peace through all this winter's festivities.
Your friends at The Adirondack Trust Company
Barry and Nancy Richman Barry and Nancy Richman
"We Don't Sell Product, We Sell Service"
Pearl Grant Richmans: For 62 Years a Signature of Good Taste
by Rona Mann - photos by Stephanie Sittnick
Where do we begin?
Where do you begin with a business that's been in the Capital District for well more than half a ce ntury, one that's a landmark to many, a tradition in shopping to still others, and a wonderful surprise to those not yet acquainted with Pearl Grant Richmans. You begin with Barry Richman who really is the beginning, middle, and end to everything about this unique business, not to mention its head cheerleader.
Barry Richman is a man who speaks in rapidfire adjectives when he speaks of Pearl Grant Richmans. Complimentary, wide-sweeping comments peppered with adjectives like" beautiful, high-end, exquisite, stylish, outstanding," well, you get the idea. This is not braggadocio, this is a man who works hard - has always worked hard - and is incredibly and indelibly proud of what his efforts and that of his family and staff have sown over the years.
First, a history lesson. According to Richman, Pearl Grant had a beautiful gift shop that opened in 1963. There she sold the loveliest high-end merchandise, and throughout her many departments specialized in fine china, crystal, linens, imports, bridal, and those much sought-after gifts not just for young newlyweds setting up housekeeping, but for anyone who indulged in the art of entertaining. It was what people called a shop of "fine gifts." It had style, it had a gentility all its own, it was very much a well-known part of the Albany business landscape.
Two doors down during those years was Rich mans, a family business opened in 1959 that was largely a card and gift store. Barry Richman was just a young man in those days, but worked for his father, secretly wishing he could take over the store someday and add more and varied merchandise. Finally, Barry's dream was realized when in 1966 Barry's father
bought Pearl Grant's and the result became a 10,000 square foot emporium not only of greeting cards, but now with those added specialized depart ments of fine china, crystal, linen, imports, and bridal gifts. From the first and above all else, the Richman family wanted to maintain the integrity and high-end reputation of Pearl Grant's while adding their own touch of impeccable customer service and expanding and adding departments to make this the premiere gift em porium of the Capital District. They did, and they have. Even more importantly, they continue to do so. Pearl Grant Richmans is today a Capital District treasure.
"Our reputation has grown so re markably," Barry Richman says with enviable pride in his voice, but this did not happen on its own. This is the result of not merely taking over and hanging your hat on someone else's reputation, but along the way of building that business, creating your own foot-
print, and making it a lasting one. Every store, every specialty shop, every business will tell you they give good customer service, but lip service is no substitute for living it day after day in every aspect of dealing with customers.
The departments that make up the Pearl Grant Richmans shopping experience are each unique unto themselves and unparalleled to anything else in the area, yet each has its own individual signature of good taste that makes it an original. Space does not permit us to go into detail, but here is just a smattering of what you may expect when you make Pearl Grant Richmans your next shopping destination.
First and foremost is their Gallery of American Handicrafts: art glass, wood, ceramics, pottery, hand-painted ornaments, hand-sewn scarves, and other apparel which are so individual and beautiful that you will find them throughout every other
department in the store. If there is a single signature to this shop, it is their dedication to American handicrafts.
There is a department strictly relegated to fine papers like Crane's, boxed stationery, calendars, cards, and everything needed for the nearly lost art of the handwritten note. Remember, no one ever cherished an email!
Home Decor is a very popular department with lamps, lighting, clocks, vases, candles and candle holders, decorative pillows, desk and of fice pieces, and statement pieces. Gorgeous throws in alpaca and 100% wool adorn this department, delighting those who appreciate the finest.
Looking to make a statement in your decor or gift someone who does? This is the department!
The fine art of dining is not lost at Pearl Grant Richmans which is why they feature the finest tabletop, dinnerware, bar and drinkware, c enterpiece items, placemats, napkins, and linens.
Bath and Body items are always a good choice, and Pearl Grant Richmans only has the best lotions, soap, creams, sprays, and skin products for sale with well-known names like Beekman and Inis.
Apparel for both men and women are much sought-after here with scarves and ponchos of imported Merino lambswool, hats, gloves, handbags, and no one ever, ever went wrong with a gift of jewelry! Earrings, bracelets, and necklaces abound in this department, and did we tell you they gift wrap purchases for their valued customers?
Children and babies are not forgotten and will de light in a gift of a plush toy, books, or clothing, and then there are those chocolates!
Ah, chocolates! Who isn't going to love a box of fine chocolates shipped overnight from California, Oregon, or from the finest chocolatier right here in the Capital District? Sit down with any one of the Pearl Grant Richmans staff and let them create a gourmet gift basket for that special person or client of not only chocolates, but jams, jellies, sauces. The shop even does a good deal of corporate work, so if you have employees you wish to gift this holiday season, you can take care of them all in one visit...and yes, Pearl Grant Richmans will ship your choices anywhere.
Barry's wife, Nancy maintains the two vintage departments in the store, constantly buying beautiful items from estate sales like vintage clothing, ceramics, jewelry, and linens from a different era, but still widely prized by many customers today.
Perhaps most important to Barry is the fact that other than their high-end imported items from the UK, Himalayas, Portugal, India, Nepal most every item in every department in the shop is American-made, handcrafted, hand-painted, hand-sewn and every member of the Pearl Grant Richmans staff is thoroughly versed in every department.
Know what you won't find in this shop? The word "no." Barry says, There is no such word as 'no' here. We never say it to a cus tomer. We give them service, old-fashioned service with gift-wrapping, problem solving, and a lot of smiling. But never do we say 'no' to any request.
62 years ago. What a wonderful time to be alive when society was more genteel, when people looked upon shopping as a beautiful experience and dressed for it because it was indeed an occasion; when manners were not unusual, but the only way to behave; when shopkeepers went out of their way to please customers, to keep fine things, and to do anything and everything for the people who continuously patronized their business because it was good, reliable and comfortable. Well, at Pearl Grant Richmans those days may be gone but never forgotten. They are the values on which this business was built and still operates. Those enviable days of yesterday's shopping experience are the days of today, the only way they know how to do business, for Barry, Nancy, and their staff are invested in their customers and invested in the products they sell with eyes looking toward the future, but always with a glance now and then over their shoulder, and a smile and a wink for the times of the past that have given them the success of the present.
Enjoy shopping the way it was meant to be... an occasion celebrated every day at Pearl Grant Richmans.
Then get ready to spew some adjectives yourself about this unequaled signature...62 years of good taste!
Pearl Grant Richmans is in the Stuyvesant Plaza at 1475 Western Avenue in Albany. (518) 438-8409 www.pearlgrant.com
Enchantment in Ice: Brent Christensen’s Ice Castles
by Carol St.Sauveur Ferris
Imagine a frigid winter garden emerging in an open field filled with thousands of icicles grown and harvested over several weeks for the express purpose of building a one-of-a-kind structure covering one entire acre of land, that will reach close to 35 feet in height for you to visit. Now imagine that same frozen structure, embedded with colorful lighting, coordinated with gentle music wafting through the air, beckoning you inside to explore spectacular icy towers and tunnels, graceful niches, and archways, unexpected slides, and fountains, and majestic thrones and sculptures at every turn. That, my friends, is Ice Castles – an ethereal adventure just waiting for you to discover this coming winter in beautiful Lake George, New York.
Like so many creative businesses, Ice Castles, LLC had a rather serendipitous beginning. It was back in 2000 when Brent Christensen picked up stakes and moved his family from the San Francisco Bay area to Utah, trading a moderate climate for one with very cold winters and semi-arid summers. Since their extended family already lived in Utah, and they had spent many vacations there as well, it wasn’t a stretch for them to make the move. Win ters could be tough though, so Christensen tried to find ways to make it a fun experience for his kids. It so happened that a neighbor down the street would set up a sprinkler on top of a pole in his yard and run it day and night, creating a huge mound of ice. Christensen was fascinated by the ice formation’s changing shape and characteristics and soon became hooked on ice.
He decided to experiment with the water-to-ice process as well by building a tripod out of scrap wood in his yard that year and setting a sprinkler on it just like his neighbor. With each passing night, the ice formations on the tripod grew more amazing than the last and inspired him to create all sorts of unique ice formations using bikes, go-carts, and whatever else he thought might be interesting encased in ice.
It was at this point that the new neighborhood iceman could no longer limit himself to building snowmen and snow forts in his backyard. Now he was building huge caves that his kids called ice castles. Caves with an armature made from scrap wood that housed all sorts of nooks and crannies in them. Slides too. He even built one that banked off his fence just like an Olympic luge. And like his neighbor with the sprinkler, he would water them down at night so they’d freeze into solid ice, safely providing the kids with hours of fun during the day.
While most of us think of ice as merely frozen water, it’s clear that Christensen saw ice as both a phenomenon and a medium that responded to heat, cold, water, sunlight, and the presence of other substances in most intriguing ways. He kept exploring the possibilities and took his curiosity a step further when he built a tower armature out of wood which he sprayed with water, noting the different icicle formations that developed. In addition to the mul tiple formations, Christensen discovered that an armature could actually absorb and retain heat from the rays of the daytime sun, causing the ice to melt from the inside out. He also noted that when the colder temperatures set in, the interior of the ice refreezes, creating beautiful multi-faceted for mations and textures but also creating cavities that weaken the integrity of the structure itself. It was all very exciting that year but when spring
came around, the ice melted and the wood armatures collapsed, leaving him with a “big mess” according to Christensen. Over the summer, he got to thinking about that mess and the concept of creating ice without any armature to support it. When winter came, he bought 50 blocks of ice and began experimenting with them in combination with snow, slush, and water. He even planted icicles in his yard, watching how they grew vertically, thickened and flowered when rained on overnight. He
kept adding water to it until the structure was almost touching the power lines, forcing him to move it and carry on. They were so incredibly strong; he could even climb them wearing crampons!
According to Christensen, there was never any real goal at this time. “It was just a lot of play and a lot of curiosity.” And everyone around him enjoyed the show. His growing fascination with ice and his appreciation for its natural beauty motivated him to create even more icicle structures, now with added lighting that were spectacular at night. His yard was already a hit in the neighborhood but when the word got out about the towers of light, it soon became a destination for others in town. Carloads of people would drive by every night to ooh and ah over his creations, and ever the dreamer in ice, he did not disappoint.
By 2010, the kids were growing up but not Christensen. He was the biggest kid of them all and not done with ice just yet. Based on all the traffic his backyard winter wonderland generated, he thought it would be a great idea to take his ice expertise to the next level and find a new venue for his work. He approached a number of towns and area resorts and pitched his concept for creating a winter tourist attraction on their property made entirely out of ice. It would be much grander in scale yet similar to those he had been creating and building in his yard for the last 10 years. And though there would be a nominal entry fee charged per person, Christensen truly believed that if you build it, they will come. His proposal was rejected over and over until he pitched it to his last resort. To his utter amazement and delight, the resort manager whole-
Brent Christensen
heartedly agreed with him and allowed him to create the first official Ice Castle destination on their prop erty. Needless to say, it was a freezing success and by 2011, Ice Castles LLC of Alpine, Utah was born.
Since that resort experience, Ice Castles LLC has grown into a year-round business with four owners including Christensen. They have been designing and building ice destinations in four to six locations every year. At this writing, excitement is building as the 2022 venues get underway. Locations include Lake George, New York; Midway, Utah; New Brighton, Min nesota; North Woodstock, New Hampshire; and Lake Geneva, Wis consin. Each site is a massive undertaking requiring a great deal of planning, large crews, and countless labor-intensive hours on site. And if the truth be told, there’s a little praying going on for really cold weather too!
A lot goes into selecting a site, and being sensitive to the environment is a major part of the planning. While the water for the Ice Castle construction
is brought in through a temporary pipeline connected to city water, the chosen site is strategically located near a body of water to ensure that when spring arrives, all the water from the melting ice returns to a natural source to be used again by surrounding wildlife, plants, and people.
Building these structures is no small feat. It takes more than 25 million pounds of ice to build each castle. The ice comes from a huge icicle garden created on site located at the end of the temporary pipeline. An astounding 5 ,000 to 12,000 icicles are grown and h arvested each day by hand, then sculpted and delib erately placed, creating spectacular ice for mations by the Ice Castles’ team of ice artisans. While there is a design or theme in place for each Ice
Castle, wind, fluctuating temperatures, and water volume also have a hand in shaping the final structure.
The moody, ethereal quality that Christensen and his team set out to create for their guests is most evident at night when all the colorful and thoughtfully placed lighting glows through the magnificent ice formations and walls. In addition, purposefully selected soundtracks are layered in to add yet another dimension to the experience as guests travel through the Ice Castle. And if a nighttime visit is not possible, the daylight experience is unique as well. Christensen shares that the “sunlight coming through the ice enhances the aqua color of the water and takes on a beautiful glacial look."
As far as who enjoys the experience more, he says that “even though they’re having fun, the little kids tend to complain they’re cold after a while. I really love watching adults go down the slide while saying, 'I don’t care what anyone says, I’m having the time of my life.'” He believes that the older you get, the more you understand how novel the experience is and the more you appreciate it.
When asked about future venues, Christensen sees at most, a total of eight, due to location requirements and the sheer magnitude of work that goes into each one. Currently, there are five. He stresses that the novelty of the expe rience and the awe it creates is most important. According to Christensen, “At every location, you will buy your ticket, walk through the entrance, and enter a different world for the next 30 minutes. When you leave, you’ll probably go off to dinner or wherever, but we hope you will take this ethereal experience with you.”
Just don’t forget to bundle up!
To learn more about Ice Castles and purchase tickets for the Lake George venue, go online to: www.icecastles.com.
"You Can't Rest on Whatever You Have"
The Key to the Success of The Wishing Well & Brook Tavern
by Rona Mann photos by Stephanie Sittnick
It's not hard to figure out why The Wishing Well Restaurant and its sister restaurant in Saratoga, The Brook Tavern, are so wildly popular. Just spend a few minutes with owner, Robert Lee, and you'll never question it.
There is a genuineness, a dedication, and a sincere commitment to purpose that comes through al most as soon as Lee begins to speak. These
restaurants are in his blood, they are his family history and have been his life for a long, long time, and he's not willing to rest on his success for even a minute.
Originally built as a farmhouse on a sprawling piece of land, the prominent Stiles family inhabited what is now The Wishing Well from 1823 until they sold it in the 1930s to a Utica businessman named Jack Hedrick who turned the farmhouse property into a restaurant. But Hedrick was not a restaurateur and had lit tle desire to run it, so in 1936 he leased it out to people who had owned the Wishing Well Motel in Lake George, hence the name which was a natural with no thought of ever changing it. From 1936-1968 the restaurant had a variety of different owners until Bob Lee's parents purchased it in 1968 and a legacy was begun. "We lived upstairs over the restaurant,"
And Bob's parents made all the kids work as well! "Growing up, we all held various jobs downstairs at the restaurant. When we were young, we washed dishes and trimmed vegetables.
Bob said. "Four kids, a cat, a dog, and my parents, but we made it work."
1970 - Bob Lee breading onion rings in the kitchen
Circa 1960 Christmas Party
As we got older, some of us served as cooks, busboys, even parking valets." Bob is the youngest of all the Lee children, however, he is the only one to stay in the hospitality busi ness; still, he did not transition right from high school into a lifetime career at The Wishing Well. First, he went to college and
majored in history. "When I got out, I became a writer for a time and wrote for newspapers, then I realized I could make a difference in the restaurant." He's been at The Wishing Well's helm ever since, striving to make a difference each day.
One of the first things he realized was, "The Wishing Well is a destination restaurant, there's no pedestrian traffic where people just drop in. We're located about a 20-minute ride north of Saratoga, so people who are coming, are coming specifically to dine with us, they just don't wander in. You look at cus tomers differently in that case. It comes with a responsibility."
Bob Lee has instilled that sense of responsibility and total customer satisfaction in his entire
Supplied photo
photo by FeedMe518
staff. "We are a team, and everyone on that team is moving toward a common goal from the servers to the bartenders, to the chefs, to the piano players. You can't rest on whatever you have."
Lee calls the cuisine at The Wishing Well "a variation on continental cuisine, the preemi nent cuisine of the 20th century. Here the talented chefs have maintained many of the more popular dishes, sticking to the classics, but
re-imagining them. Over time, the restau rant has likewise transitioned fr om being one for just special occasion dining t o one where people eat more frequently. Lee alludes to the fact that over time, menu, style, and even dress code have undergone changes. "We used to have a whole coat closet filled with a collection of blue blazers in different sizes," he laughs, referring to those days when gentlemen were required to wear jackets at dinner. Still, the hallmarks of this restaurant which always was and always will be a classic, still endure. Bob makes sure of it.
One of those hallmarks is having a piano player on the weekends, perfectly sit uated in the lounge by one of the four stone fireplaces. Even the musical selections have been reimagined to some extent as Lee allows, "the piano players play everything from Cole Porter to Stevie Ray Vaughan."
Blueberry Mousse with blueberry gel mirror glaze over almond lemon cake. photo by FeedMe518
Chicken Liver Pate with cornichons, whole grain mustard and crostini. photo by FeedMe518
Center Cut Filet Mignon, sauce Diane, pearl onions, wild mushroom duxelles
Grilled Center Cut Pork Chop, root vegetable hash, sage, parsnips, maple Dijon
Fresh Block Island Swordfish, sauce au poivre, Madeira
After the very busy track season, The Wishing Well sees a definite uptick in functions. Corporate parties, holiday parties, showers, rehearsals, reunions, and weddings all enjoy the customdesigned menus, the ambiance of the fireplaces
and music, and the incomparable care and service for which The Wishing Well is known...it is the very backbone of their reputation.
Bob characterizes The Brook Tavern as "more casual, a place where you can get a draft beer and fried pickles if you want, or a filet mignon, Faroe Island salmon, or a fried chicken sandwich." Regardless of what's on the menu or what's on your plate, that special brand of service is still ingrained in every server, cook, and busboy at The Brook Tavern. Located near the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in an old
Victorian-style building, at one time it served as a carriage factory, the architectural integrity of which has been well-preserved.
Two restaurants, each with their own brand of history from the history of the land to the his tory of one family. This holiday season, ei ther restaurant would be a wonderful choice for you and your family and friends to raise a glass from their award-winning wine list or a craft cocktail to accompany a great meal and toast Hanukkah, Christmas, and the promise of a New and Healthy New Year. When the snow falls, there's nothing more beautiful than sitting by one of the stone fireplaces at The Wishing Well," Bob Lee concludes. It is magical."
Good restaurants come and go. Great restaurants just get better and better. Like The Brook Tavern and the 53-year-old Wishing Well. Not just re liably consistent, delicious food, but warm, professional service, ambiance, that piano ac companiment to a great meal, and the origi nal well still standing as a welcoming beacon outside. The success of these two venues is not just an "accident" or "luck." It's first-class family stewardship, a little bit of history, and a lot of love. Bob Lee's words echo, "You can't rest on whatever you have. You have a responsibility."
One really could not wish for more.
The Wishing Well is located at: 745 Saratoga Road in Wilton, just a few miles north of Saratoga (518) 584-7640 www.wishingwellrestaurant.com
The Brook Tavern is at: 139 Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs (518) 871-1473 www.thebrooktavern.com
The Essential Woman Gina Grillo's All About Health, Well-Being, & Small Business
by Rona Mann - photos by Shawn Soares-Kern
We've heard a lot about "essential" this past year and a half-plus, haven't we?
"Essential" referring to medical personnel, police, fire, teachers, nursing home employees, and the like."Essential" has come to mean that which is absolutely necessary and of the highest importance, and for years we have also heard the expression, "essential oils" referring primarily to skin products.
And then there's the essential thing you need to do when you find yourself a single mother with two young children, and you need to make a living for them and yourself. That's when you dig deep into your resources, your own ingenuity and empowerment, and you make things happen.
Meet "The Essential Woman" in the Capital District, Gina Grillo, who was that woman 25 years ago, living at the time in Virginia Beach, Virginia, although originally she hailed from the Adirondack area. Gina had always been involved with natural products and working with herbs, so she likened back to her childhood when she had a pillow with hops in it, pro ducing a soporific quality inducing sleep. "But that pillow smelled like wet socks," Grillo laughed, so I created and designed a pillow with a very pleasant fragrance of lavender buds, essential oils, and herbs to help people sleep. I had no idea what I was doing, but I ran a small ad in The Village Voice (NYC) newspaper, and I got or ders! I then went to the health food store in Virginia Beach, and they immediately took on the line." Ah, but the real break was about to come.
In 1996, QVC, the Shopping Network, did a 50/50 Tour throughout the United States looking for the best and most innovative products in each state. In total, they traveled 88,796 miles that year, and when they got to Richmond, Virginia 250 aspiring entrepreneurs showed up with their wares, hoping to be "discovered." Gina Grillo was one of them, having made the trip from Virginia Beach with her standard size pillow and her smaller travel size pillow with accompanying satin pillowcase. As the then Governor of Virginia, George Allen, came through the convention and expo center, Grillo presented him with a package of both pillows. He immediately called his photographer over, hugged Gina, and it made the Richmond press. It also made Gina one of the 20 that were selected by QVC from the field of 250. But the story doesn't end there, not at all. She wound up doing a live broadcast of her pillows on the QVC channel and sold 5000 of them in just 6 minutes! Grillo's Pillows was now on its way!
But Gina is not a one-hit wonder, not by a long shot. She's been inventing and reinventing herself and re-branding her products for the past 25 years, constantly learning, studying, and delving into science and chemistry to perfect all she has. "I am a self-learner, I study hard, and I also talk to people who know." Twelve years ago, she created what now is one of her top products, marketed nationally and internationally. It's an outdoor fragrance approved and much requested by those who hike, camp, and trek through the jungles of the world. "I have a great nose," Grillo says, "and this is a roll-on product that people put on their pulse points in the outdoors, it has a beautiful aroma."
When she first started marketing her line, she worked every upscale art and craft show she could find...and people quickly found her and the products that became known as Grillo Essentials. In 2018, "I was at Menges and Curtis Apothecary, the very popular compounding pharmacy in downtown Saratoga. When I walked in, Jennifer and Scott Lamb were literally taking the keys, becoming the new owners of this institution on Broadway that had been around since 1870. They took one look and picked up all my lines."
Grillo Essentials include the pillows that gave her that auspicious start, the extremely
popular outdoor fragrance, various sachets, lavender misting spray, even catnip for your favorite felines. All have been developed by this one "essential woman" who promotes good health and well-being at every turn. But wait, as they say on those QVC television commercials, there's more!
Lest you think this is just a local woman with a good idea, hear how SCORE the nation's largest network of business mentors and Sam's Club honored her in 2017.
In the fall of 2017, three small business owners nationwide were recog nized for their extraordinary entrepreneurial efforts. They were selected from thousands of small businesses nationwide, a list that was then narrowed down to 102 small business finalists from 49 states and the District of Columbia. After an in-depth review process, a panel of expert judges selected three Grand Champions of American Small Business: a minority-owned sports facility which trains youth in both sports and academics; an Albuquerque-based business owned by a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran that takes in donated vehicles, refurbishes them, and sells them to neighbors in need of an affordable used vehicle while helping non-profits raise money through car donations; and to Grillo Essentials! Gina was awarded $25,000 underwritten by Sam's Club and used the hon orarium to expand her very successful business and to educate her community.
The award was well-earned because from the first, Gina Grillo has been all about small business, about community, and about making people feel good.
People in the Capital District can meet this powerhouse of a business person and view the entire line of the wildly popular Grillo Essentials at a Meet the Maker Event being held on four separate dates at Menges and Curtis this month. Check out the dates and times below and make plans to meet Gina, see what she's got for your own good, and maybe you'll find you can even cross a few people off your holiday gift list.
It's a great story. A single Mom with a single great idea. Hard work, sweat equity, dedication to purpose, and doing things the right way, while all along the way championing small business and always giving people and community first preference. This is Grillo Essentials, a national award-winning company right here at the foot of the Adirondacks, growing stronger every day, thanks to the "essential woman" at the helm, Gina Grillo.
Grillo Essentials, PO Box 44, Greenwich, NY 12834 518.692.9792 Grillo@GrilloEssentials.com www.GrilloEssentials.com
MEET THE MAKER!
You have four opportunities to meet Gina Grillo and see the entire line of Grillo Essentials at:
Menges & Curtis Apothecary, 472 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs on:
Friday, Dec 3rd: Noon-6 PM - Saturday, Dec 4th: Noon-3 PM
Friday, Dec 10th: Noon-6 PM - Saturday, Dec 11th: Noon-3 PM
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Amanda Magnetta Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery, Schenectady
The Hole in the Christmas Stocking The Hole in the Christmas Stocking
by Karen Richman
I don't remember exactly what Christmas it was, but I know I was a little girl.
Probably no more than six or seven, and oh, how I loved not just Christmas, but the run-up to all the holidays from Halloween to New Year's. It was a time of decking the halls with decorations we made and hung in our classroom in school to the more elaborate ones we bought and had at home. Each year Mom would take us to the store as soon as the new tree ornaments came out for the season and let us each pick out a new ornament for our tree that year.
When I was very young we had a fake tree. Mom always corrected us by saying, "Don't say fake. Nothing about Christmas is fake.” It is an artificial tree because getting a live tree is just too much work right now. It was also too expensive because the family didn't have much money then and live trees were pretty expensive. So every year we'd grouse and moan a bit, but by the time the lights and tinsel and our new ornaments joined the old ones, our tree looked pretty good indeed.
We also always bought that stuff and sprayed it on the windows to make artificial snow until one holiday season Mom read an article in one of her ladies' magazines saying you could save money by making it yourself with talcum powder and sugar, which we did, but along the way it looked like it had snowed on the carpeting!
We loved helping Mom and our grandmother make the Christmas candy, the pies, and a lot of other goodies that we only had once a year, but that made them all the more special Daddy said. Looking back now, the "help" we offered was more in the tasting than in actual work, but those once-a-year treats were so good that from Thanksgiving on we were bugging anyone who would listen to start baking those cookies and treats ahead so we could "help out."
But it was the Christmas when I was six or seven that things changed. As we were hanging our stockings up on the mantle that Christmas Eve, all giddy with expectation and wondering how we'd ever sleep that night, Daddy said that we would find a very special surprise in them the next morning. Well, the buzz started, all of us wondering what that very special surprise might be. My little brother was sure Santa would leave some sort of voucher so we could go to the farm and get a pony. I was hoping for one of those new dolls I had seen on television, the kind that both walked and talked. And of course, we were chattering on about all kinds of candies and trinkets.
Imagine our surprise when we awoke the next morning when it was still dark, ran down the stairs, and found our stockings hanging, but half full. "Why are they half full?" I wondered allowed. "L ook!" My brother answered incredulously. "There's a hole in the bottom of them all, even Mommy and Daddy's." He was right. At the bottom of each of our stockings was a perfectly cut hole, allowing much of the contents to drop on the floor.
There was also a big note taped to the mantle that said:
"TO EVERYONE IN THE RICHMAN HOUSEHOLD: I have cut a hole in the bottom of all your stockings on purpose. Do not eat what has dropped out on the floor. I did this because I love you all, but I love all the children around the world to whom I deliver. But many of them can't afford a nice Christmas like you can. Some live right in your own community. So what I want you to do is after you finished your breakfast, fill the new stockings I have left in a bag under your tree and take them to the local hospital children's floor or the food pantry. They are both open today, and they will make sure that kids just like yourselves have a sweet and Merry Christmas.
I know you will do this because just as you believe in me, I be lieve in the goodness of you. Merry Christmas.
Love, Santa"
And that's how our tradition began and has endured to this very year and holiday season. It's been many years since that hole-in-the-stocking Christmas, but we continue to hang up our stockings every year wher ever we all are. And we always have a few stockings with a hole in them to remind us of those whose luck has fallen through the cracks but need a little Christmas cheer as well. I don't know what the others in my family do, but I always prepare a few stockings in advance and deliver them to the local food pantry. They are filled to the brim with candy and small toys and fun things...and always, always I put in each of the stockings a new pair of fresh, warm socks.
Happy Holidays to all of you from all of us at 518 Profiles! May your feet always be warm and dry, your bellies full, and may your Christmas stockings always have a hole in the bottom.
Gifting Experiences Instead of Stuff
Crystal Cobert Giddens, LE, FACES of Saratoga
It’s December. As much as I don’t enjoy the cold, longer days…I love Christmas! The tree, the food, the presents, the music, the parties and the festive clothes!
I remember waking up on Christmas morning as a child and seeing so many beautiful packages under that tree. I would run, squealing with excitement, while my mom would grab the camera and take pictures of me tearing into those boxes, one after the other, opening toys and books and games. It was the biggest “high” of the year! So many boxes…
Fast forward to my daughter’s Christmas mornings. She would wake up around 4:00 am, jump on our bed and ask if Santa had been there yet. I would tell her that we couldn’t check until 7:00 am (in case Santa was coming to our house AFTER he went to Europe and Brazil) and that we didn’t want to startle him while he was putting presents under the tree. She would chatter non stop about all the presents waiting for her and wiggle and gig gle while she waited for the clock to show that magic number 7:00 and then she would race to the tree and open all of her gifts.
One year, I think she was 12 or so, she opened her gifts and then we went to the table to eat breakfast. I asked her if she had a favorite gift and she looked at me and said, “Mom, I have to look again. I don’t remember everything!”
We laughed, but then I thought about it a lot. Were we going overboard with the presents? How many “things” does one 12 year old need? Does she really need everything or does most of it wind up in a closet somewhere?
The next year, for her 13th birthday, I decided to get her a few small things and one big AD VENTURE. She’s a June baby, so school was already over for summer and we had a birthday party in our back yard. She had gifts from friends and family members but her gift from us was a week of Surf Camp in August. She was going to spend a whole week living on the beach, in a tent, learning how to surf. She was thrilled!
The build up to that week in August was intense. She talked about it every day. We had to get her a few little things: lots of sunscreen, a hat, rash guards, board shorts, new sunglasses a journal. Every little thing we gathered brought more excitement as she started to pack her duffle bag and get her backpack in order. Then came the big day and she couldn’t stop bouncing in her seat as we drove down to the ocean camp site. It was one of the biggest highlights of her teenage years. She’s 36 now and still talks about Surf Camp.
One of the best things about gifting an experience is that you’re actively creating a memory for someone you care about. Watching their excitement build up is the absolute best!
I have compiled a list of several ideas to help get you started. I would love to know if you decide to try gifting an experience this year!
SPA DAY: One of my favorites (of course) Send your mom, sister or bestie for a relaxing day at the spa. Maybe facials are their thing? Gift them a facial with a special add on like reflexology. Or a Gua Sha treatment and they get to take home a jade stone to use at home. How about a mani and pedi experience with chocolate truffles and champagne? Gifting someone the opportunity to relax, get away and feel amazing is an experience they will never forget!
DATE NIGHT: Offer a date night to some stressed out parents. Call their favorite cafe or restaurant and make a reservation. Come over early and order pizza for the kids. Scoot the parents out the door and tell them you will see them in a few hours and not to worry about a thing. Johnny and Suzie will be just fine watching movies and noshing on pizza.
SNOW REMOVAL: One of the BEST gifts EVER was a seasonal snow removal gift from my mom when I moved here 20 years ago. I knew it snowed here but I had no clue that it snowed a lot and all the time. I had a snow shovel but hadn’t considered purchasing a snow blower. I definitely did not know that once I cleared the driveway, a snow plow would push all the snow from the street onto the end of my driveway, up to my car’s bumper and I wouldn’t be able to leave (true story) until I shoveled myself out again.
Having someone do it for you is the best gift ever. Imagine waking up at your regular time, sipping coffee and leaving on time because your driveway is clear.
PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION: While this fam ily was having fun, playing in the woods, their photographer was capturing those moments and making memories that this family will al ways treasure. Or?? Gift the experience of learning how to artfully take photos!
HIRE A HAND: Life can be overwhelming. Work, kids, projects, stuff that just needs to get done. Arrange for someone to come clean the house or do all the yard work.
COOKING LESSONS: Better yet…how about cooking lessons at a winery?
TICKETS TO A SPORTING EVENT: A fam ily pack of 4 tickets to go see the Yankees play the Red Sox might be a great way to spend a weekend.
HORSEBACK RIDING: When was the last time you rode a horse?
RACE CAR DRIVING: A hint to my husband: I absolutely want to do this some day. Soon.
WILDERNESS ADVENTURE: Camping or Glamping? Tents or Cabins? A gift just for two or a getaway for the whole family?
Whether fulfilling a wish, encouraging a dream or just offering someone a peek into something new, gifting an experience will help create a lifetime of memories.
Crystal Cobert-Giddens- Owner and Esthetician of - FACES of Saratoga 489 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY (518) 396-7403 facesofsaratoga.com
DECEMBER EVENTS
December 1 - January 2022 Troy
Winter Salon 21'. Now in its 10th year, The Clement Art Gallery is proud to announce its end of the year wrap up exhibition of art with our Winter Salon 21'. Featuring a diverse array of works from artists both represented and new to the gallery, this is the perfect show to find that right piece for your col lection or starting a collection. Works purchased from November 26 - December 4 may be picked up after December 5 and throughout the entirety of the show. The show will run through the Holidays and into the new year through January 2022. Sarah Blakeman, Erich Getchell, Ken Wilson, Randi Martin Kish, Susan Story, George Dirlof, Takeyce Walters, Mary Ellen Riell, Jillian Platt, Marina Petro, Harry Orlyk, Jon Gernon, Matt Chinian.The Clement Art Gallery, 201 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180 518.272.6811
Month of December Saratoga Springs
Soave Faire is offering artists time in our Art Department to do demos of their craft, painting, drawing, carving etc. Saturday and/or Sundays. The artist has a set project for their demonstration, we will have a time-lapse video made of the duration. 4 hours will make about a 2–4-minute time-lapse video! We can even go Live! if you wish. There is no cost for this! We generate a Facebook "event" and also publish the time-lapse on YouTube! We love supporting our local artists!! Contact Robert Wheaton - Art Department, Soave Faire, 449 Broad way, Saratoga Springs (518)-587-8448
Dec 1 - 24 Glens Falls
The Mountain Gallery and LARAC Holiday Gifts. Featuring a wide range of handcrafted items- including pottery, textiles, fine art, jewelry, culinary treats, and wood items- of assorted and affordable prices. Enjoy our community, its artists and our hometown spirit....happy Holidays begin. LARAC's Lapham Gallery, 7 Lapham Place, Glens Falls, NY. Mountain Gallery, 21 Bay Street, Glens Falls, NY
December 1 - January 8 Glens Falls
North Country Arts presents "Cele bration" - art work in all media, through January 8th. Hours: Thursday - Saturday 12-5pm at North Country Arts Gallery #120, The Shirt Factory, 71 Lawrence Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801. For membership and show information visit: www. northcountryarts.org
Dec 4, 11 & 18 Saratoga Springs
Dec 1- 23 Troy
“Small Show” Group show of small works, paint ings, drawings, prints and pho tographs. The show features more than 10 artists with work that is 10”x10” or smaller. It is our aim to make art affordable for the holiday season. Pause Gallery is a warm and welcoming space that en courages v is itors to savor a few minutes of peace ful inspi ration. Pause Gallery, 501 Broadway #106, Troy, NY 12180. Phone (518) 203-1251 www.pausegallery.com
We are excited to bring back our Pop Up Holiday Market! Find the perfect gift for those you love from local artists and crafters every Saturday at Saratoga Arts. The market will happen the next three Saturdays, starting December 4th through December 18th, with the 18th being the largest of the markets. Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY
December 4 Schuylerville
Join us along with the children of The Village of Schuylerville for their annual lantern walk down the village center with St. Nicolaas to light the village tree. Saratoga Gluten Free Goods will be open for the celebration. Saturday, December 4 at 4PM. 176 Broad St, Schuylerville, NY 12871
December 4 - January 9
Upstate Artists. The Laffer Gallery’s 10th an nual juried group show was Juried by Richard & Stephen Cutting-Miller. “Upstate Artists” features a diverse cross section of the Upstate New York arts community. Exhibit work was chosen from over 100 entries in re sponse to an open call for submissions to local artists. The Laffer Gallery 518.695.3181 | 96 Broad Street Schuylerville, NY
December 4 Glens Falls
Holiday Jazz Concert w/ The North Country Jazz Project December 4 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm. It’s the Holiday Season and The North Country Jazz Project’s big band along with a very spe cial guest vocalist – Colleen Pratt – will be providing a free concert to the community fea turing jazz classics and seasonal favorites. Suggested Donation – $10.00 per guest. Doors Open: 4pm The Park Theater, 14 Park Street, Glens Falls, NY info@parktheatergf.com
December 10 Albany
The R Gallery at Arlene’s is pleased to announce the first annual Juried Small Work Show, an exhibition featuring small format art work of various media. Featured artists in clude Maria DeAngelo, Ali Herrmann, Laura Shore, Emma Smith, Sharon D Siegel, Natalie Boburka, MaryK Weeks, Jean Krueger, Beverly Skoll, Susan Himmel, Robin Rosenthal, Karen Vradenburg, Maya Lewis, Lorraine Dewey, Laurie Goodhart, Erich S. Getchell, Peter Mueller, Rebecca A Flis, Alan Opresko, Kim Tateo, Wendy Nooney, Jessica Scisci Luberda, Kevin Kuhne, Andrew Ochal, Madison Scisci, Leslie Berlinsky, Jonathan Christopher Gernon, Sarah Blackman, Kate Wolford and Kelly Beam. Artist Recep tion on Friday, December 10, 2021, from 4:30 to 5:30pm, the exhibition is a juried showcase of work by local artists selected by juror and curator Andrew Ochal. Arlene’s, 57 Fuller Rd Albany NY 12205. For more information, please contact the gallery at (518) 482-8881, or email arlenesartist@gmail.com.
December 18 Saratoga Springs
Holiday Folk Show. Every year folks from across the region come to Caffe Lena to enjoy a sweet, sentimental and silly celebration of the season complete with swanky décor, audience participation, and loads of lovely songs. Our cast members are John Kirk, Trish Miller, David Kiphuth, Addie & Olin and Sara Milonovich. Sing-alongs, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, flute, concertina, horns and percussion played by talented folks who click like only old friends can. Selections are performed with harmony, peace and goodwill to wards all! Sat, December 18, 2021, 8:00 PM EST. Doors at 7:30 PM. Caffe Lena, 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
December 18-19 Lake George Holiday Artisan Vendor Market. 50+ local handmade artisan vendors with beautiful and unique gifts for all to enjoy. Delicious food, FREE pictures with Santa, free arts and craft activities for kids, live entertainment and more. Saturday & Sunday, December 18 & 19 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at Fort William Henry Resort Carriage House, Lake George, NY. eventstoat.net/lake-george-festival-of-lights/
