Saratoga Living 2020 Holiday Issue

THE HORSES (AND HUMANS) THAT HAVE THE BEST SHOT AT GREATNESS AT THE 2020 ECLIPSE AWARDS *{super bowl champ dion lewis steps into the spotlight}

T H E CIT Y. THE CU LT U R E. T HE LIFE.

HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

Free

FLIP Edition!

LOCAL

Lawrence Edelson Allison Meyers Martel Catalano Heather Straughter Ramón Domínguez

HEROES These five Saratogians and their charities take center stage for our CAPITAL REGION GIVES BACK feature and event

&Breaking Bread in The Name of Philanthropy

THE #SHOPLOCAL GUIDE FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST

INCLUDING YOU!

saratogaliving.com | @saratogaliving

“ The staff at Glens Falls Hospital, they do care, they are very proud of what they do. This is a small community, people know they are not just taking care of random strangers. They are taking care of people you are living along side, work along side. The emotional comfort of delivering at Glens Falls Hospital only exists because the clinical expertise is there.”

DR. MARCILLE LABBAN Mom to Snuggery baby Olivia (‘20)

Our specialized care team is the reason more babies are born at Glens Falls Hospital.

You’ve been planning this moment for nine months, and we’ve been preparing for more than 30 years. While each birth is unique, the exceptional care moms and babies receive at the Joyce Stock Snuggery remains consistent. You’ll be supported 24/7 by a care team that puts you and your family’s needs first.

Your baby’s arrival will happen in an environment powered by expertise and built upon compassion.

Learn more at GFHSnuggery.org.

ANNOUNCING PAVILION GRAND EXECUTIVE APARTMENTS Live in the perfect luxury location

we’re waiting for you.

30 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs | 518-583-2727 | email: info@paviliongrand.com | www.paviliongrand.com

A DIVISION OF PRIME COMPANIES

inside NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2020

77

HONOR

SOCIETY MEET SARATOGA’S 2020 HONOREES p h o t o g r a p h y by

DORI FI TZPAT RI C K

FEATURES

34

THE GIFT GIVER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY JENNY O’KEEFE, BRETT FERRI, EMILY BECKER, CAMILA HURST, HANNAH WHITE, TIM PINK, NICOLLE MALLINSON

BY

42

ED & LISA MITZEN: BREAD TO WIN BY

p h o t o g r a p h y by

FRAN C ES CO D’ A M I CO

50

DARLING DOUGHNUTS DECONSTRUCTED: GET IN LINE! BY

NATALIE MOORE

WILL LEVITH

46

MARYLOU WHITNEY: THE QUEEN REIGNS AT REST BY

52

JOEL MOSS: SOUNDMAN TO THE STARS BY

WILL LEVITH p o r t r a i t by

T ERRI - LY N N P ELLEGRI

TOM PEDULA

56

2020 ECLIPSE AWARDS: HANDICAPPING HORSE RACING’S OSCARS BY

BRIEN BOUYEA

inside

Presenting Delightful Properties From

NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2020

The Moderne Condominiums, Saratoga Springs

The Van Dam Condominiums, Saratoga Springs

132 Cedar Lane, Indian Lake

436 Maple Avenue, Saratoga Springs

Julie A. Bonacio Broker/Owner c: 518.701.5080

Julie A. Bonacio Broker/Owner c: 518.701.5080

Christopher Marney Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.348.9358

Cara C. Carley Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.424.2484

32 Hillard Lane, Latham

45 Vista Drive, Saratoga Springs

126 Cicrcular Street, Saratoga Springs

The Residences on Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs

Katherine LaTerra Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.441.2237

Monika Patrycja Cronin, SRS,RENE,C-RETS Lic. Real Estate Salesperson The Monika Cronin Team c: 518.577.1712

Lars Huus-Skladzinski Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.321.1282

Jane R. Sanzen Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.526.6056

16 Sandspring Drive, Saratoga Springs

12 Bensonhurst Avenue, Saratoga Springs

2054 Southshore Road, Saratoga Springs

58 Fifth Avenue, Saratoga Springs

Jennifer Johnson Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.588.1392

Lisa A. McTygue, ABR,ASP,GRI Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.598.4098

Erin Steinbach Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.222.6031

JoAnn Potrzuski Cassidy Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.470.3281

94 Stover Road, Valley Falls

9 Rolling Brook Drive, Saratoga Springs

1231 Eastern Avenue, Charlton

1 Admirals Way, Malta

Harold W. Reiser, III Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.588.5224

Katherine E. King,GRI,CBR Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.524.9550

Amy Farchione Sgromo Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 315.863.2777

Sheila Sperling Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.424.9090

575 Lake Desolation Road, Middle Grove

2045 Rosedale Way, Schenectady

317 Chruch Road, Guilderland

395 Wilton Road, Greenfield Center

Kathie A. Spangler,SRES,GRI Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.542.0294

Ashley Aquilo Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.528.8957

Valerie M. Napoli Lic. Real Estate Salesperson c: 518.248.4191

Jennifer Johnson Assoc. Real Estate Broker c: 518.588.1392

Starting high $700,000’s

$380,916

Starting low $400,000’s

$1,249,900

$257,000

$849,900

$439,900

Starting high $600,000’s

30

the Back 60 62 66 68 70

the front 22 25 26 28 29 30 31 32

It’s True (We Think): Truth Hurts Hot Date: National Bake Cookies Day Power Player: Heidi Owen West Made In Saratoga: The ‘Original’ Vacation Panel: See Ya, 2020 Gridiron Great: 5 Questions for Dion Lewis Anniversary: Alpine Sport Shop #TBT: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town

22

Saratoga After Dark Beauty Décor Hot Chef: John Capelli Thirst: Albany Distilling Co.

73 Play: Crossword 73 Overheard

$889,000

60

the END

74 Saratogian of the Month: Melissa Pecora & All Saratoga Teachers

31

74

(Lewis) MATTHEW SWENSEN; (Auction) DOW SMITH; (Pecora) KATIE DOBIES

10 From the Editor 12 Letter from the CEO

$980,000

$199,900

$749,900

$820,000

$185,000

www.JulieCoRealty.com | o: 518.350.7653 |

$439,000

$1,295,000

$229,000

$1,875,000

$619,000

$499,900

Abby Tegnelia CEO

SMALL POOLS. BIG BENEFITS.

Will Levith EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MANAGING EDITOR

SENIOR DESIGNER

DESIGN EDITOR

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

STAFF WRITER

SPORTS EDITOR

ON THE COVER (from left)

Lawrence Edelson, Allison Meyers, Martel Catalano, Heather Straughter and Ramón Domínguez, photographed by Dori Fitzpatrick exclusively for saratoga living. Hair and makeup: Complexions Spa for Beauty & Wellness.

Shot on location at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs.

EDITOR AT LARGE

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Kathleen Gates Natalie Moore Linda Gates Morgan Fechter Brien Bouyea Susan Waldron Francesco D’Amico Katie Dobies Dori Fitzpatrick Susan Gates Jared LaBrecque Victoria Mangelli

WRITERS

Karen Bjornland, Field Horne, Brian K. Lind, Lisa Mitzen Katie Navarra, Daniel Nester, Tom Pedulla PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kyle Adams, Terri-Lynn Pellegri, Susie Raisher

Annette Quarrier PUBLISHER

saratoga living is published six times a year by Empire Media Network, Inc. subscriptions: Domestic, $24.95 per year; Canadian, $44.95 per year (non-refundable).

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

SALES DIRECTOR. CAPITAL REGION LIVING

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER

ART DIRECTOR, MARKETING SALES ASSISTANT

Tina Galante Tara Buffa Steve Teabout Tracy Momrow Alyssa Salerno Rachael Rieck

saratoga living 422 Broadway, Suite 203 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

PHOTO TIM MURPHY, FOTO IMAGERY

Volume 22, No.6 Holiday 2020 Copyright © 2020 Empire Media Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Empire Media Network, Inc. All editorial queries should be directed to editorial@saratogaliving.com; or sent to 422 Broadway, Suite 203, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. saratoga living assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

⁄

8 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

Anthony R. Ianniello CHAIR

Abby Tegnelia PRESIDENT/CEO

Tina Galante CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

CUSTOM PRECAST CONCRETE PLUNGE POOLS soakepools.com603.749.0665 603.749.0665 Pembroke, | Delivery throughout New England soakepools.com Pembroke, NHNH | Delivery throughout the Capital District

from the editor

Saratoga, Give ’Em Some Money!

Will Levith EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

@Mediawill

⁄

10 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

@willlevith

Easy To Give, Perfect To Receive Stop in the spa or visit our website for all our holiday packages and gift card offerings!

FACIAL TREATMENTS MEDICAL SPA MASSAGE THERAPY HAIR SPA NAIL SALON MAKEUP ARTISTRY

glass act Editorial Director Will Levith, standing next to one of the stainedglass windows at Universal Preservation Hall, where this issue’s cover was photographed.

ALBANY

DORI FITZPATRICK

his year, while you’re lighting the menorah or trimming the Xmas tree—or both, as I did, growing up in Saratoga Springs—I’d suggest adding The Kinks’ “Father Christmas” to your holiday playlist. Besides being one of the funnier rock star–penned “carols” out there, it also has a great message, one that I think will resonate well with the Saratoga crowd (you can also sub in the headline above for the first line of the tune’s chorus).

I believe I first heard “Father Christmas” performed at Caffè Lena by Saratoga’s finest, The Figgs, and later sought out the plugged-in real McCoy. The Kinks’ version starts off so innocently, with a dainty piano figure and sleigh bells ring-ting-tingling over the top. But 13 seconds in, axman Dave Davies slices through the calm with his distorted lead guitar, like a knife through warm butter. We soon learn from the song’s humble narrator that the last time he dressed up as Santa Claus, he was mugged by a bunch of kids, who demanded he give them all of his money and leave the toys for “the little rich boys.” Just before the final chorus—after we’ve been further introduced to these naughty little, Santamugging imps—we learn the true meaning of the song and really, the holiday season. Sings the narrator: “Have yourself a merry, merry Christmas/Have yourself a good time/But remember the kids who got nothin’/While you’re drinkin’ down your wine.” That is what Saratoga’s holiday season is all about. (No, not your second glass of pinot!) Time and again, Saratogians have proven that they don’t need to be reminded to be generous—they simply just give, give, give.

So, during this most trying of holiday seasons, saratoga living is honoring five of Saratoga’s top givers and the charitable organizations/nonprofits they represent, while our sister publication, CAPITAL REGION LIVING, is honoring five more from around the Capital Region on the flipside of this magazine. This year’s Saratoga honorees are Martel Catalano (Beyond My Battle), Ramón Domínguez (New York Race Track Chaplaincy), Allison Meyers (Saratoga Regional YMCA), Lawrence Edelson (Opera Saratoga) and Heather Straughter (Jake’s Help From Heaven). In this issue, you’ll also find great gift ideas from local Instagram influencers (p. 34); your new favorite doughnut, deconstructed (p. 50); and a megaphone shoutout to all the teachers making miracles happen in classrooms this year (p. 74).

Finally, I’d like to personally thank everyone who had a part in making this magazine a success this year, even during a global pandemic. Kudos to our staffers, writers, photographers and contractors—and especially, you, dear reader, who stuck with us through thick and thin. We can’t wait to show you what we have up our sleeve for 2021. Happy Holidays!

GIVE THE GIFT OF BEAUTY AND WELLNESS

221 WOLF ROAD 518-489-5231

SARATOGA 268 BROADWAY 518.306.5502

Visit www.complexions.com to explore all the special holiday gift offers this season

letter from the ceo

INVESTMENT DECISIONS ARE LONG-LASTING

Going for It

I

ABBY TEGNELIA CEO @abbytegnelia

⁄

12 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

You deserve the benefit of a personal approach.

Unsure what to do? We’ll work with you to create a clear financial plan catered to your goals.

Offerings Include: • Retirement income planning • IRA rollovers to small business retirement plans • Mutual funds and separately managed accounts

Let’s Make A Plan – Together ALBANY OFFICE 4 Executive Park Drive (near Stuyvesant Plaza)

keep it going Abby Tegnelia, at our Capital Region Gives Back cover shoot at UPH, reminds us that it was our friends and neighbors that kept us going through 2020.

COBLESKILL OFFICE 384 North Grand Street

ALYSSA SALERNO

f only I had a dollar for every time someone incredulously asked me, “You’re still planning to do your Capital Region Gives Back event?”

We could have planned an all-virtual soirée from the start, instead of saving that option for Plan D. But what fun would that have been? We had to at least try. We’re honoring 10 Capital Region do-gooders, so why not plan for them to be at mini-parties in Schenectady, Albany and Saratoga, all on camera so viewers at home can watch the live shots and musical guests like a scrappy New Year’s Eve TV broadcast?

We didn’t even think about cancelling, because this is the year we needed that fanfare and hope the most. After an exhausting few months, we wanted something to look forward to–both the fun of the event, and the feel-good tradition of giving during the holidays, hence the name of our event.

So we planned what we wanted to do and had a grand time doing so. At press time, we are ready for absolutely anything the governor might throw at us—somehow, someway, the Capital Region will be able to see all 10 of our honorees’ smiling faces, live, and honor the work they have done in 2020, during one of the most difficult times this generation has seen.

After all, if 2020 taught us anything, it’s to be nimble and quick on our feet. One pivot after another, after another… that’s what we all did all year, right?

But that isn’t all we learned. For while we were learning to pivot with the best of ’em, something even more meaningful was emerging: appreciation for the people around us. Every one of us hit a wall at some point this year, surrendering to unrelenting exhaustion. And you know what kept us going? Our friends, our neighbors, those we saw doing even more, and with a smile on their faces.

Join us December 10 as we honor 10 of these admirable local heroes, people who gave their all to a nonprofit doing wonderful things during these COVID-ravaged times (we’ll also be raising money for all 10 organizations).

Exactly how the party will work will probably change eight more times between my writing this and your RSVPing, so please head to saratogaliving.com for the most up-to-date information.

Don’t give up, stay safe, and happy holidays,

• Meet in-person • Interact via Zoom • Speak on the phone CALL TODAY: 800-721-5391 FENIMOREASSET.COM

All investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, carefully read the fund's prospectus which includes investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and other information about the fund.

Please call us at 800-721-5391 or visit fenimoreasset.com for a prospectus or summary prospectus.

Securities offered through Fenimore Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, and advisory services offered through Fenimore Asset Management, Inc.

S P ECIAL P R OMOTIONAL S ECTION

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE S PE C I A L PR OM OT I ONA L S E C T I O N

Northshire Bookstore

Saratoga Olive Oil Co. Extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars and ready-to-give gift baskets abound at Saratoga Olive Oil, which is celebrating its 10th year in business in 2021. There’s something for every budget at the family-owned Broadway shop, with gifts ranging from under $25 all the way up to $75 and more.

Don’t know what to get? Gift cards are also available. Visit saratogaoliveoil.com for store hours or to shop online, and follow Saratoga Olive Oil on Instagram (@saratogaoliveoilco) and Facebook (@SaratogaOliveOil) for more gift ideas.

484 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

saratoga living’s

Shopping Guide Yes, Saratoga Springs is known for its health, history and horses.

But the city’s unofficial motto isn’t quite complete: It fails to acknowledge the small businesses that make Saratoga (and the surrounding area) as vibrant, charming and downright irresistible as it is.

Saratoga’s small businesses are what make the city tick. In the era of big-box stores and two-day free shipping, being able to shop, door to door, in an eclectic mix of shops and boutiques is a breath of fresh air. By shopping local, you’re not only keeping your hard-earned dollars in the community, but you’re also helping out your fellow Saratogians, true devotees to the cause of community.

In a normal year, shopping local is important, but with the financial hit taken by local businesses because of the pandemic, it's even more crucial than ever before this holiday season. So saratoga living has teamed up with The Scoop Saratoga to celebrate a handful of the Spa City’s locally owned stores and, in turn, give you some hometown holiday shopping inspiration. We’re encouraging all Saratogians to shop local for at least 50 percent of their holiday gifts this year, maybe at some of the stores featured in the pages that follow. Because, while “health, history and horses” may have a certain ring to it, these days, Saratoga’s motto really should be “Love of Local.”

844.465.4836

Northshire Bookstore is a full-service, award-winning, independently owned treasure trove with an entire floor dedicated to kids. A one-stop shopping mecca for books, gifts, toys and holiday essentials, Northshire boasts a knowledgeable staff that is always ready to offer personal recommendations. Visit Northshire online at northshire.com to shop 24/7, see the store’s expanded holiday hours, donate to the annual Book Angel Program or set up a Northshire Selects (book-a-month) subscription.

424 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.682.4200

Caroline + Main

Union Hall Supply Co. What’s on tap for this holiday season? Union Hall has gifts of all sizes for the men in your life, from highquality dress shirts to stylish footwear and the laces that go on them. With brands such as Faherty, Duke Cannon and Pig & Hen, you really can’t go wrong. Pull up a stool at the store’s in-house tap and enjoy a beer tasting while picking out the perfect gift, or opt for curbside pickup.

Follow Union Hall on Facebook (@unionhallsupplycompany) and Instagram (@unionhallsupplyco) for information on its Countdown to a Hometown Holiday.

437 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

From a classic clutch with a twist to sweaters and scents that spread seasonal joy, you’ll find gifts to suit every woman on your list at Caroline + Main. The store is currently open for socially distanced, in-store shopping, and safety is the staff’s highest priority. For those who’d rather not browse in-store, curbside pickup is available, too. Follow Caroline + Main on Facebook and Instagram (@carolineandmain) to check out daily arrivals and stay tuned for the store’s Countdown to a Hometown Holiday.

438 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.450.7350

518.450.7025

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

S P ECIAL P R OMOTIONAL S ECTION

S PE C I A L PR OM OT I ONA L S E C T I O N

Chow Bella

Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor

Tailgate and Party

Purdy’s, which is family owned and operated, has been serving Saratoga County and beyond for 57 years and counting. The store’s reputation for product selection, customer service and unbeatable prices continues to charm the local community. Shop in-store 9am–9pm, Monday–Thursday; 9am–10pm, Friday–Saturday; and noon–7pm on Sunday or put in an order for delivery or curbside pickup at the Congress Street store. Call Purdy’s at (518) 584-5400 with any questions. The staff looks forward to seeing you soon!

70–72 CONGRESS PLAZA, SARATOGA SPRINGS

Collective 131 is your new go-to shop for art, décor and gifts in Saratoga Springs. Located in the Beekman Street Arts District, Collective 131 offers a wide range of original paintings, ceramics, paper goods and other objects for your home. The store’s focus is on showcasing emerging women artists and handmade, small-batch items from local and national artisans.

More of Collective 131’s work is available on collective131.com, which has been featured in Apartment Therapy.

74 BEEKMAN ST., SARATOGA SPRINGS

Sometimes, finding a gift that’s unique—and perfect for the person you’re buying it for—is more work than it’s worth.

That’s where Tailgate and Party comes in. The store (which has its own parking lot—a rarity in Downtown Saratoga) is packed with quirky gifts for everyone on your list, from the hostess to the sports lover, plus party gear for all your holiday gathering needs. Tailgate and Party truly is entertainment for the entertainer. Shopping by appointment, curbside pickup and delivery is available.

Visit tailgateandparty.com for more information and for extended holiday hours.

50 WEST AVE., SARATOGA SPRINGS

53 CAROLINE ST., SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.516.1066

For more than 35 years, G. Willikers has been offering an extensive selection of toys, games and gifts for a wide range of ages. Every day, the store features new and exciting products on its social media pages—@gwillikerssaratoga on Instagram and Facebook—and customers can make purchases on both platforms with the option of curbside pickup at the Broadway store. G. Willikers’ holiday hours are 10am–7pm, Monday–Thursday; 10am–8pm, FridaySaturday; and 10am-6pm on Sundays. Shopping by appointment is also available.

461 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.587.2143

302.643.9369

518.584.5400

Shopping for your furry friend this holiday season? Chow Bella on West Ave is the area’s one-stop shop for your canine companion, with products such as dog food (dry, wet and raw), treats, grooming supplies, training supplies, leashes, collars, bedding and more. In addition to its store, Chow Bella offers full-service grooming (by appointment), as well as walk-in nail trims, self-service wash stations and a climate-controlled dog park for your best friend to let off some steam. Training classes are also available for group and private lessons.

G. Willikers

Collective 131

Saratoga Signature Interiors

518.886.9015

Lucia Boutique

Finishing Touches Home Decor

Saratoga Signature Interiors is a family-owned furniture and interior design store located in the heart of Saratoga Springs. Its design and delivery teams are dedicated to making your tired home sparkle again, while keeping you and your loved ones safe during these uncertain times. Saratoga Signature offers video house calls, video shopping, safe delivery options and a clean showroom to view. The store’s staff is there for you every step of the way.

Finishing Touches, Malta’s new—and only!—home décor store, carries unique gifts for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers and more. The shop also provides full interior design services and a variety of window treatments, including blinds, shades, shutters, cornices and draperies. Finishing Touches carries many items from local artists, so by doing your Christmas shopping there, you’ll be supporting more than one locally owned business.

82 CHURCH ST., SARATOGA SPRINGS

450 E. HIGH ST., MALTA

518.587.2143

When you shop local at Lucia this holiday season, you’ll find a curated selection of women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts that are perfect for everyone on your list! Browse in-store at the boutique, which is located in the Saratoga Marketplace on Broadway, or visit Lucia online at luciaboutique.com and receive free shipping on orders $75 and up. Free curbside pickup is also available.

Follow Lucia on Instagram and Facebook (@LuciaBoutique) for gift-giving inspiration!

454 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.587.7890

518.584.1490

S P ECIAL P R OMOTIONAL S ECTION

S PE C I A L PR OM OT I ONA L S E C T I O N

These businesses encourage and support buying local this holiday season.

These businesses encourage and support buying local this holiday season.

Holiday Greetings from The Heart of Saratoga

H O L I D AY D I N I N G G U I D E S PE C I A L PR OM OT I ONA L S E C T I O N

Morrissey’s Lounge & Bistro

Chef Danny Petrosino says it best: “When you come to our restaurant, it’s like you’re coming to our house. It’s a warm, creative party with family every night.” He’s talking, of course, about Osteria Danny, an Italian-American restaurant he runs with his wife, Patti. Featuring an ever-changing, inventive menu, Osteria Danny is open seven days a week, with “Danny’s To Go” takeout offered Wednesday-Sunday. Call (518) 423-7022 after 4pm for reservations.

SARATOGA MARKETPLACE GIFTS FASHION ART FOOD

Osteria Danny

Locally Owned & Operated

26 HENRY ST., SARATOGA SPRINGS

AMP GALLERIES Local Art

BELLA AND LINDY Pet Boutique

The Adelphi Hotel is pleased to announce the grand opening of Morrissey’s Bistro dining room in the Adelphi conservatory.

The restaurant is open seven days a week with new and expanded menus for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.

Menu highlights include Bread Pudding French Toast, cheese fondue and specialty paninis, flatbreads and pastas. Plus, there’s authentic NYC Carnegie Deli hot pastrami sandwiches, hot corned beef sandwiches, classic potato knishes and cheesecake. Dine-in and takeout are available.

COMFORT KITCHEN Restaurant

DAVID HILL

365 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.678.6000

Gallery

BETSY OLMSTED Design

The Wishing Well

IRENE LEIGH

INTO MISCHIEF

Women’s Athleisure Boutique

Unique Boutique

The Brook Tavern The Brook Tavern is The Wishing Well’s sister restaurant, a casual spot for elevated dining located a mere stone’s throw from Saratoga Race Course on Union Avenue. The menu has a wide selection of small plates, burgers and tacos, plus larger ones such as beer-battered fish and chips, a grilled filet mignon and sesame-encrusted ahi tuna. Stopping by for a drink? The Tavern has an extensive offering of wines, liquors and specialty cocktails, too. Visit thebrooktavern.com for more information.

LUCIA

LEX AND CLEO

Women’s Boutique

Children & Babies

139 UNION AVE., SARATOGA SPRINGS

SARATOGA CHOCOLATE

PAPER DOLLS

PANGEA

Bespoke Design/Curated Gifts

Unexpected Treasures

SARATOGA CBD WELLNESS

Handcrafted Confections

STUDIO SWEET Home Decor

High Quality Cannabidiol

SHOP LOCAL WITH US THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! 454 BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866

518.423.7022

saratogamarketplace.com

Located just north of Saratoga Springs in Wilton, The Wishing Well has been serving fresh fare (think: certified Angus beef, pan-seared salmon and freshly steamed Maine lobster) and fine wines by the glass since 1936. With four dining rooms, each with a fieldstone fireplace, The Wishing Well is the perfect place for a romantic night out, or a holiday gathering of family and friends. Reserve your table online at wishingwellrestaurant.com or call (518) 584-7640.

745 SARATOGA RD., GANSEVOORT

518.584.7640

518.871.1473

the front hit song “American Pie.” For added value, during the process, perhaps you’ve come out all the wiser. We certainly have.

This issue marks the final installment of “It’s True,” and the sl team found it only fitting to honor the section with an ode to all things untrue, or, at the very least, questionably so. Even though we debunked the majority of the legends, there’s no denying that however dubious, the stories Saratogians have passed down through the generations have made the Spa City what it is: a potato chip–loving, “American Pie”–singing, ghost-hunting city of believers.

MYTH: Santa Claus is an

Albany invention. sl says: Untrue. While the Albany Times Union blog post that made the claim sites the Van Rensselaer papers as proof, no reference to Santa Claus exists in the papers.

Bah, humbug.

santa, maybe Rumor has it, incorrectly, that Santa Claus is from Albany.

THE S E SPA CITY MYTH S MAY NOT B E EN TIR E LY ACC URATE—BUT WE’ RE SURE AS H E LL PRO U D OF TH EM. n BY NATAL I E M O O R E

I

f you’ve been a faithful reader of saratoga living since, say, February 2018, we hope you’ve become a fan of our recurring “It’s True (We Think)” feature, in which we’ve investigated the

⁄

22 saratoga living

urban myths Saratogians have come to accept as undeniable fact: age-old rumors about the local origins of the potato chip and Club Sandwich, as well as the US Navy, American Ski Patrol, pie à la mode and the

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

from Troy. sl says: Questionable.

Troy townies did call local butcher Samuel Wilson “Uncle Sam,” but the USS Constitution Museum in Boston possesses a diary that makes reference to an “Uncle Sam” before Wilson acquired his nickname.

MYTH: The potato chip was

invented at Moon’s Lake House on Saratoga Lake. sl says: Questionable.

Moon’s cook George Crum did serve potatoes fried to a crisp in 1853, but an earlier published cookbook listed a recipe for what could only be described as a potato chip.

MYTH: Don McLean

wrote “American Pie” at the Tin & Lint. sl says: Untrue. McLean expressly told the The New

MYTH: The Club Sandwich

was invented at the Saratoga Club House (now the Canfield Casino). sl says: Untrue. “It’s pure rumor,” says Saratoga Springs History Museum Executive Director James Parillo. Sadly, that doesn’t leave much to chew on.

sam i am The Uncle Sam character may be based on Troy butcher Samuel Wilson.

MYTH: Saratoga Race

(pie à la mode) DWIGHT BURDETTE; (Navy) PAINTING BY EDWARD TUFNELL/US NAVY ART COLLECTION

Truth Hurts

MYTH: Uncle Sam is

MYTH: Gore Mountain has (Moon's Lake House) ROBERT JOKI COLLECTION, SARATOGA SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY; (Tin and Lint) LAWRENCE WHITE; (club sandwich) ERIK FORSBERG

it’s true (we think)

York Times that he did not and has said that he doesn’t even know the Caroline St. watering hole. But that hasn’t stopped the T&L from proudly displaying a plaque claiming otherwise.

sl says: Untrue. This is one urban myth not to double down on, as ivory poker chips and mother-of-pearl counters were used at other venues for decades before Richard Canfield purchased the casino in 1894.

Course is the oldest racetrack in the country. sl says: Untrue. The historical Saratoga Race Course has some years on it, having opened in 1863, but both Freehold Raceway in New Jersey and Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack in California are even older.

MYTH: Pie à la mode

was first served at The Cambridge Hotel in Washington County. sl says: Questionable.

Duluth, MN also claims to be the birthplace of the dish, but neither city has produced

particularly convincing evidence that it was the first. We are, however, sure that it was one sweet idea, whomever’s it was.

the world’s oldest ski patrol. sl says: Untrue. Davos, Switzerland’s ski patrol operated for several years before any patrol activity went on at Gore.

MYTH: The Travers Stakes is

the oldest continuously run stakes race in the country sl says: Untrue. There were several years around the turn of the 20th century when the Travers didn’t run, and the Phoenix Stakes is older anyway.

MYTH: Whitehall is the MYTH: The Canfield Casino

is haunted. sl says: Questionable.

While there have been numerous reports of paranormal activity at the casino, including during a spooky episode of the TV show Ghost Hunters, there is no hard evidence.

Also, a 2003 study found that people are more likely to report experiencing a paranormal event in a place they already believed was haunted.

What do you believe?

birthplace of the US Navy. sl says: Untrue. The amphibious operations on Lake Champlain during the Revolutionary War were undertaken by the Continental Army, not the Continental Navy.

MYTH: Ballston Spa’s Abner

MYTH: The Canfield Casino

was the first casino to use the poker chip.

Doubleday invented the game of baseball. sl says: Untrue.

Doubleday was 140 miles away at West Point when he is said to have come up with the game. But he did hit a home run with his (true) war-time hero status.

⁄

saratogaliving.com 23

This Year, More Than Ever,

the front CLASSIC NO-SPREAD VANILLA HOLIDAY SUGAR COOKIES

Let Us Make Your

HOLIDAYS EASIER!

INGREDIENTS:

35/8 cups all-purpose flour 1.5 sticks salted butter 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

hot date: december 18

Ready, Set, Bake!

C EL EB RAT E NAT IO NAL B AK E C O O K IES DAY BY W H IPPING UP A B ATC H O F T H ES E C L AS S IC S UGAR C O O K IES . s u bmi tte d by B ES S IE C L ARK E (@bessie_bakes on Instagram)

GIFT CARDS They’ll Actually Use!

And All Your Favorite

Fresh and Local

HOLIDAY FLAVORS

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer on medium speed, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs and mix on slow speed for one minute, then increase to medium for two minutes.

4. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined and the dough starts forming a ball.

5. Remove dough from the bowl and separate into two or three balls.

Wrap each one in Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove dough from fridge and roll out about a quarter-inch thick. Use holiday cookie cutters to create cookies and bake on a parchmentlined baking sheet for 11–12 minutes.

ROYAL ICING INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp meringue powder 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 tbsp warm water DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix meringue powder, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer on low speed.

2. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

the front

power player

Broadway Boss

HE ID I OWEN WEST, WH O OWNS TH R E E H I GH LY RE GARDED DOWNTOWN SARATO GA BOU T I QUES, RULES TH E RETAI L GA M E .

BY NATAL I E MOORE PH OTOGRAPH Y BY KATIE DO B I E S

⁄

26 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

I

t’s no secret that running a brickand-mortar shop is tough even during the best of times. When you’re the one in charge of the buying, employees, marketing, finances, social media and every other duty that comes with running a small business, owning your own store can easily turn from a passion project into a way-more-than-full-time job. But for Saratoga’s Heidi Owen West, one store just wasn’t enough.

Owen West’s first foray into the world of retail came shortly after she graduated from college with degrees in fashion merchandising and buying and English literature, from the Fashion Institute of Technology and University at Albany, respectively. “Basically, I was traveling all over the country, living here and there, and my mom kept saying ‘Come back and we’ll open a store—there’s a gap in the market, there’s a gap in the market,’” Owen West says. “Finally, I said to her, ‘OK, I’ll give you five years; let’s do it.’ It’s been 25 years, almost 30, since then.”

In 1991, Owen West and her mother, Kay Owen, opened Lifestyles of Saratoga, a high-end, eco-friendly women’s clothing store in the storefront that’s now Jos. A. Bank.

This grand opening kicked off a savvy game of retail musical chairs. Within six months, they relocated the store to the corner of Broadway and Phila Street, where it stayed for more than 15 years. Meanwhile, Owen’s gift shop, Nostalgia, on the corner of Broadway and Caroline Street, was struggling.

Since business at Lifestyles was booming, Owen closed Nostalgia so the pair could move Lifestyles into the space where it is today.

After Owen’s passing, Owen West continued to grow the business, all the madam vice president In addition to owning three stores, Heidi Owen West is the vice president of the Downtown Business Association and sits on the Gateway House of Peace board.

while keeping her mom’s advice in mind about gaps in the market. In 2016, she opened Caroline + Main, a store meant to fill the void of fashion-forward clothes for younger women, and in 2019, she opened Union Hall Supply Co., Saratoga’s only casual menswear store.

A year and a half later, Owen West’s three shops are some of the most popular in town. (There’s proof: Union Hall, Lifestyles and Caroline + Main came in

SaratogaHospital.org

Remind you to...

“Saratogians have come out for their small businesses in significant ways, and they still are.” first, second and third, respectively, in the clothing store category of saratoga living’s 2020 “best of everything” reader survey.) But while the city of Saratoga was voting in droves for her stores, Owen West was trying to make sure her shops would survive the shutdown. “We quickly decided that we needed some sort of online presence,” she says. “Certainly, we’re a brick-and-mortar experience, but I wanted to be able to give that same experience online to any of my customers who may not be able to get here. I’m hearing that a lot: ‘I miss coming up and buying my wardrobe with you.’”

It’s that customer dedication that helped Owen West, who is also the vice president of the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association, get through the darkest days of lockdown. “For me, the biggest takeaway is that we are a strong community,” she says. “Saratogians have come out for their small businesses in significant ways, and they still are. And honestly, it has made all the difference just to have the faith in that.”

The ever-pivoting Owen West admits she has plans for her stores’ futures, but remains coy on the details. “I’ve always got some things I’m working on, things up my sleeve,” she says. “I get bored, so I like to just keep figuring it out and finding new things.” And should she come across another gap in the market? Well, you know how that story will end.

As seen on the cover of Harvey H. Kaiser’s new book, Great Camps of the Adirondacks

30 Riverside Drive, Saranac Lake, NY ◆ 518-891-5224 Rhinebeck, NY ◆ 518-637-2524 www.adkgreatcamps.com ◆ Info@adkgreatcamps.com

the front

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW

Winter Jewelry Collection These earrings and more new jewelry available in-store and online: dJoriginals.com/holiday2020

© 2020

❆

Open Seven Days a Week 95 East Ave, Saratoga Springs 518.430.2732 svanabeautylounge.com

O UR LO CAL PANEL LO O K S B AC K O N A D IF F IC ULT Y EAR—AND AHE AD TO A (HOPE F U LLY ) KI N DE R 20 21.

adirondack lair Great Camp Sagamore in Raquette Lake was built in 1897 as a summer retreat for the Vanderbilt family.

WHAT’S ONE POSITIVE THING THAT CAME OUT OF 2020?

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU’D RATHER FORGET?

Michelle Tsao

The pace of life slowed, allowing for more reflection on what really matters, like family time.

The amount of stress that came with adjusting to a “new normal.”

To do more of what makes me happy.

I’m hoping that the SSHS community can be all together again in the same building!

Adam Israel

Because of the hit my business took from COVID, I had a lot of time to spend sheltering in place with my kids and wife.

The loss of business. Once COVID hit, my company’s contracts dried up.

Master the jazz flute.

That “What’s Going on Saratoga,” the community Facebook group I started, will surpass 20,000 members.

Takeyce Walter

The opportunity to slow down and take stock of what’s truly important, to be present in the moment and be home with most of my family.

Despite all the difficulties, I wouldn’t want to forget any of it. I believe in knowing and acknowledging the past so that we can learn from it.

I’m not one for resolution setting, but I always see any new beginning as an opportunity to learn, reset and grow.

My wish is that we, as a society, can learn to be more empathetic and understanding of our differences and appreciate our commonalities.

Aidan Cawley

We started overdue conversations as a community.

DoorDash.

Spend more time with friends and family.

There will be many new businesses and fresh faces around Saratoga.

Taylor Nichols

Having my whole family under the same roof for six months.

My job becoming virtual.

Graduate from college and apply to graduate schools for occupational therapy.

The stock market will rise, and the Yankees will win the World Series.

President, Kahannah Disaster Solutions, PR LLC

I

n the US, Christmas is a holiday. But those two weeks you took off from work to go to Bora Bora? That’s a vacation.

Of course, across the Atlantic, the English consider both Easter and your sunny South Pacific excursion a “holiday.”

Here, it wasn't until the second half of the 19th century, when Americans began to enjoy more free time, that the term “vacation” came about. Back then, vacation literally meant to “vacate” one’s home and head for—wait for it—the Adirondacks.

The rise of the vacation coincided with the publication of 1869’s Adventures in the Wilderness, an Adirondack guidebook written by Boston preacher William H.H. Murray. Amid the rapid industrialization of America’s cities, wealthy New Yorkers saw a trip to the untouched countryside, where lakes sparkled “like gems…amid the folds of emerald-colored velvet,” as therapeutic.

Thanks in large part to Murray’s book, the Adirondack region’s summer population grew from 3,000 in 1869 to 25,000 in 1900. Now, annually, between 7 million and 12.4 million tourists visit the Adirondacks—even more than visit the Grand Canyon. That’s a lot of vacation!

Fine artist and instructor

Chef, Druthers

Trainer, Metabolic JESSICA RIEHL

deJonghe Original Jewelr y 470 Broadway, Saratoga Springs • 518-587- 6422

Color and Blonding Specialists

See Ya, 2020 (and Good Riddance!)

The Original ‘Vacation’

Principal, Saratoga Springs High School

dJoriginals.com

Happy Holidays

panel

N E W YO R K’S A DI R O NDAC K S M A DE VACAT I O N I N G A T H ING .

BY N ATA LI E M O O R E

The flow of this figure eight design creates a simple yet elegant everyday earring, perfectly balanced with a round diamond. $795

Beauty Lounge

made in saratoga

WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PREDICTIONS FOR 2021?

⁄

saratogaliving.com 29

the front gridiron great

5 Questions for Dion Lewis

A FTE R THE N E W YORK GIANTS LOST TH E I R STA R R U N N I N G B AC K I N WE E K 2 , F O R M E R CAP ITAL REG IO N B A LLE R ( A N D ONE-TIME SUPER BOWL C H A M P ) DI O N LE WI S ST E P P E D I N . n BY WI LL LE VIT H

ringleader Only six years into his NFL career, Dion Lewis won a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots.

⁄

30 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

step up. At press time, the Giants are a lowly 3-7, but Lewis is staying positive about his current team. “I love this organization,” he says. “I love being close to home.” saratoga living chatted with Lewis about his Albany roots—and where he’s hiding his Super Bowl ring.

You grew up in Albany. Have you ever made it up to Saratoga for the races?

I’ve been to Saratoga a few times, but I’ve never been up there for the races, because it’s always right around when training camp starts.

Any words of wisdom handed down during your time in Albany that have stuck with you to this day?

I got a lot of motivation from my Pop Warner coaches when I was younger.

They were police officers, so they were really strict with me. The Pop Warner level definitely helped me stay level-headed and become the person I am today.

clinton’s pitch Alpine Sport Shop offered ski lessons inside the Clinton Street store from 1973-1981.

anniversary

The Business of Fun

What was it like winning the Super Bowl in 2017?

It’s huge! You work for that moment your whole life; you dream of that.

And when you’re able to make it come true, it all comes back full circle. It’s a great accomplishment. That was my first time winning a championship at any level, so it meant a lot to me.

SARATO GA’ S O G S K I STO RE, AL P INE S P O RT S H O P, T URNS 80.

BY NATAL IE MO O RE

I

Do you think your team and the NFL have done a good enough job keeping you guys safe from the COVID-19 virus this year?

This is what’s going on in the world.

I’m just trying to be as safe as I can and follow the protocols that the league and the NFLPA [NFL Players Association] put in place.

Obviously, some people are going to get it. But the Giants are doing everything they can to make sure the players are safe.

Be honest: You wear your Super Bowl ring to the holiday dinner table, right?

Ah, no. I’ve only worn my Super Bowl ring one time, when I went to the ESPYs in 2017.

So…is it buried under a bunch of clothing in your closet or something?

I can’t tell you where it’s at, but it’s in a really safe place. [laughs]

MATTHEW SWENSEN/NEW YORK GIANTS

W

hen New York Giants running back Dion Lewis was growing up in Albany—he moved there from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, when he was 5—his father used to take him to watch the Giants practice at the University at Albany.

“I grew up a Giants fan,” says Lewis.

“Back in the day, my favorite players were Tiki Barber, Michael Strahan, Ike Hilliard and Brandon Jacobs.”

Before going pro, Lewis did his own star turn for Albany High School and Albany Academy, leading the latter to a 12-1 record in 2006. He went on to attend the University of Pittsburgh, before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011.

Only six years later, Lewis found himself on the New England Patriots, hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LI as part of one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. He’d feature in another (losing) Super Bowl with the Pats, before moving onto the Tennessee Titans and finally, landing with his hometown team.

And this year, when the Giants’ starting running back went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2, Lewis got another chance to

f you’ve ever shopped for ski boots, you know the process is a delicate balance between finding a pair that isn’t too big for your feet and one that doesn’t make you want to cut your feet off. Saratoga’s Alpine Sport Shop is the only place in town to find that perfect pair of bearable boots, but the shop, which is celebrating its 80th year in business in 2021, sells something besides traditional ski and snowboard gear: fun.

“In the early ’90s we started taking people around the world to ski,” says Cathy Hay, who inherited the shop from her parents and now runs it with her husband, Jack. “We feel like we’re selling ‘fun.’ To have that experience to share with your customers, and then to see them make friends with customers they didn’t know—it’s a sweet thing.”

Since 1994, the Alpine Sport Shop has led ski trips everywhere from Jackson Hole, WY, to Chamonix, France, and the Hays see no end to the fun in the near future. “We like being a small specialty brick-and-mortar shop,” she says. “We’re not looking to slay more dragons—we just want to do a good job with what we do.”

Come see the lights!

Wednesday, November 25 thru January 1, 2021 ROUTE 9, ROUND LAKE

•Damage Restoration •Contractor •Cleaning Service

(518) 899-7090 qrrestore.com info@qrrestore.com

SaratogaHospital.org

Remind you to...

the front

Come Celebrate Our 2020 Honorees!

Thursday DECEMBER 10, 2020 Price of the Ticket goes to the charity of your choice

#tbt

Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town . . .A N D HAS BEEN SINCE THE 194 0 S .

BY N ATA LIE M OORE

⁄

32 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

Y

ou know it’s Christmastime in Saratoga when Santa’s cottage, that small wooden structure where kids can drop off their letter to Santa Claus or meet the jolly, old fellow in person, appears on Broadway. This year, the cottage will return, and while meet-and-greets with Kris Kringle won’t be possible inside his home, the Downtown Business Association (DBA) says he’ll be making regular Broadway appearances, greeting children in socially distanced style.

Actually, Santa started bringing joy to Spa City children long before Saratogians Ed Sakos and Michelle Erceg built him his current digs. In the late 1940s, Santa had an entire village—complete with a stable for his reindeer, church, toy shop, candy shop and evergreen “forest”—all on the south porch of the Grand Union Hotel. A December 1949 Times Union article reported that each visitor to the village would be greeted

by Santa and receive a gift, and it quoted then–Saratoga Mayor Addison Mallery as calling the operation a “veritable fairyland for children.”

In the above photo from the George S. Bolster Collection, children and their families gather on the porch of the Grand Union Hotel, in what Saratoga History Museum Executive Director James Parillo believes to be 1947. The hotel closed and was demolished in the early ’50s, and Santa downsized to his downtown cottage in the early ’90s. He may have lost his village, but he gained a city: the City of Saratoga Springs.

COURTESY OF THE GEORGE S. BOLSTER COLLECTION, SARATOGA SPRINGS HISTORY MUSEUM

ticket sales/more info at saratogaliving.com

F R O M

Y O U R

P E R S P E C T I V E

p 518.580.8818 w balzertuck.com

The

For the Kiddos

JENNY O’KEEFE

Gift-Giver’s Guide to the Galaxy

@JENNY_OKEEFE

RETRO MY LITTLE PONY G. Willikers $14.99 Obviously, this pick is for the kids in your life—but it’ll definitely tug at your nostalgic heartstrings, if you were a child of the ’80s. There’s nothing like the My Little Pony line, and these replicas are sure to be playtime favorites in no time.

COROLLE RAINBOW DOLLS G. Willikers $29.99 How adorable are these dolls from French dollmaker Corolle? G. Willikers has four dolls to choose from, each one with different colored hair— and cuter than the next.

For some of us, Instagram influencers have replaced our friends and family members as our main source of recommendations. We turn to them for everything from beauty and makeup tips to recipes and movie suggestions—so why not get their opinions on what to buy for our loved ones this holiday season? saratoga living turned to the Capital Region’s most-followed Instagrammers for gift-buying advice in seven categories—kids, men, fashion/beauty, pets, health/fitness, food and home—and boy, did they deliver. Read on for their top #shoplocal

CREDIT

picks, and prepare to be thoroughly influenced.

⁄

34 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

MOULIN ROTY LA GRANDE FAMILLE BUS WITH JULIUS Lex and Cleo $44 Well-made wooden toys—like this busload of animal friends—always make a great holiday gift for kids.

They’re the perfect open-ended toy for sparking a child’s imagination and (better yet) hours and hours of glorious uninterrupted playtime.

FROZEN SCIENCE LAB Northshire Bookstore $19.99 For your future GE Global Research scientist, this STEMbased science kit is a great way to combine knowledge and fun.

Lab-test a “snow rainbow” in between snow angels.

MAILEG PRINCESS MOUSE AND THE PEA SET Lex and Cleo $55 Your kids will be obsessed with the Maileg mouse, and it’ll soon become the sweetest addition to their busy toy room collection. If mice aren’t your kid’s definition of nice, Lex and Cleo has a great assortment of other Maileg products, too.

⁄

saratogaliving.com 35

CURATED BASIC WOOL SOCKS AND HERITAGE MADMAN SCARF Union Hall Supply Co. $33 total When you live in a place that’s cold seven months out of the year, you’d better have some warm accessories.

Start with an oven-y pair of wool socks and a durable scarf in a neutral tone, so you can pair it with many different outfits.

Just for Him

BRETT FERRI

AEROPEX WIRELESS BONE CONDUCTING HEADPHONES iRun LOCAL $159.99 AirPods lovers know that wearing them too long will hurt their inner ear. A cozier alternative? These lightweight, waterproof headphones from Aeropex Wireless, which painlessly wrap around your ears and beam in your music, loud and clear.

⁄

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

EMILY BECKER

@BRETTFERRI

ON CLOUD RUNNING SHOE iRun LOCAL $129.99 If you’re an athlete on the go, you’ll know that it’s hard to find a comfy, reliable running shoe with a casual look that goes with an everyday outfit. The running shoes from On Cloud check all the boxes.

For primo versality, go with the slate/rock color—it’ll match just about anything.

36 saratoga living

Just for Her @EMMBECKS

THE GUCCI MANE GUIDE TO GREATNESS Northshire Bookstore $28 For the music lovers in your life, try expanding their horizons with platinum-selling hip-hop artist Gucci Mane’s The Gucci Mane Guide to Greatness.

With it, they'll unlock a new appreciation for rap music— and living life to the fullest.

SHANA LEE STERLING RING Silverado Jewelry Gallery $121 Call it double dipping.

Saratoga’s Silverado sells wares from multiple artists, so in buying a gift there, you’re supporting two small businesses in one. This silver ring by Shana Lee is such a simple piece; it could go with literally anything you wear.

YANKEE COIN NECKLACE Supernatural $88 Any accessorizer on your list is sure to fall for this flashy gold-plated New York City subway token necklace by Electric Picks Jewelry, which will pair famously with any outfit. It comes from Saratoga’s new kid on the block, Supernatural, a gift-giving goldmine of wonderfully whimsical items.

BEEKMAN 1802 MILK DROP + CBD FACIAL OIL Lifestyles of Saratoga $100 Schenectadyheadquartered Beekman 1802 crushes in the skincare category, and the fact that you can buy this locally produced product at a Saratoga small business is nothing short of a holiday grand slam.

The skincare junkie in your life will be all over the spa-day-in-a-bottle Milk Drop + CBD Facial Oil.

LEOPARD LOUNGE SET Piper Boutique $72 Since we’re all spending a lot more time at home these days, buttery soft loungewear goes a long way. This Leopard Lounge Set from Piper is the perfect gift for your remote-working machine of a significant other.

And the material is so velvety smooth, she’ll want to live in it all season long.

CASWELL-MASSEY HAND CREAM Menges + Curtis $18 When it’s blustery and cold outside, it’s important to keep your skin hydrated. This Caswell-Massey Hand Cream is a luxurious way to catch all those cracks before they form. Better yet, it smells like gorgeous Gardenias. Stocking stuffed!

KNIT SWEATER Caroline + Main $60 Nothing says “holidays” like a cozy sweater. Caroline + Main has an amazing selection of neutral knits that will keep your “main” squeeze toasty and comfy on the chilliest of days.

⁄

saratogaliving.com 37

PUFFER COAT Bella and Lindy Starting at $48 Not only are these canine puffer coats super cute and fashionable, but they’ll keep your furry friend warm in all types of weather.

Pet Love

TIM PINK

@ S A R AT O G A D O G WA L K E R S

ORTHOPEDIC DOG BED Benson’s Pet Center $134 A great gift for any dog, the Ortho dog bed is especially comfy for your senior canine companion.

Its gel cushion makes it super soft, so it’s easy on an older dog’s joints. Plus, your pup will love its built-in pillow sides.

CUSTOM PET PORTRAITS Feathered Antler Starting at $60 Gretchen Louise Tisch bases her pet paintings on an actual photo of your furry friend—and they’re fully customizable, too. Get yours on a canvas, pillowcase, article of clothing…you name it!

Stop by the store, order online at featheredantler.com or catch Gretchen, in person, at either one of Saratoga’s weekend farmers’ markets.

JOLLY PETS JOLLY BALL Bensons Pet Center $15.75 Jolly Balls are a dog’s best friend, because man’s best friend can bite at them all day long, but they won’t pop or rip. This one for medium-sized dogs comes with a rope, so it can be used for both fetch and tug of war.

KURGO HAMMOCK CAR SEAT COVER PetSmart $59.99 Dog owners are familiar with the never-ending struggle to keep the inside of their car hair- and muck-free. This contraption will keep your backseats spotless and dry after any wild winter adventure.

GIFT CARD iCRYO Any amount Everybody needs more selfcare during these maddeningly uncertain times, so why not get your special someone a pass to iCRYO Recovery and Wellness, which has locations in Clifton Park, Latham and Guilderland?

Friendly suggestion: Try the cryo-facial, which uses ultra-chilly temperatures to reduce lines and wrinkles, promote collagen production and brighten your skin’s appearance. Cold never felt so good.

Healthy Living

HANNAH WHITE @HANNAHRAEFIT

GIFT CARD BARE Blends Any amount For your gift list’s fit, on-the-go smoothie lover, Albany’s BARE Blends has just what the trainer ordered. All of the smoothiemaker’s ingredients are plant based, and its supplies are environmentally responsible, so you’ll be giving the gift of green. Plus, you’ll get an additional gift— a free smoothie, smoothie bowl or BARE T-shirt— if you purchase gift cards in $50, $75 or $100 increments.

REFLECTIVE VEST iRun LOCAL $44.50 Buying for an outdoor enthusiast who doesn’t let Daylight Saving Time get in his or her way? Check out this reflective vest that’s sure to make any runner, walker or biker visible to drivers.

CUSTOM LEGGING gtsclothing.com custom-legging $48 Saratoga’s Greater Than Sports makes satiny soft leggings that work for both gym-time sweats and your day-to-day. Take advantage of its Custom Legging option to give a truly unique gift.

OUTDOOR RESEARCH FACE MASK Fountain Square Outfitters $20 Comfy, breathable face masks are now an essential accessory—even more so for the gym rat in your life, who’ll be required to wear one inside his or her gym all winter long (if they stay open).

The Outdoor Research mask, available at Glens Falls’ Fountain Square Outfitters, is an indoor champ. Plus, masks make amazing stocking stuffers.

⁄

saratogaliving.com 39

CHEESE BOX Saratoga Grazing Co. Starting at $30 All true foodies melt for a cheese board. Sizes of Saratoga Grazing Co.’s boxes vary and can serve anywhere from two to 15 people.

Each box is filled with a variety of cheese, charcuterie, fresh and dried seasonal fruits and accoutrements.

For the Foodie

CAMILA HURST @ P I E S A N D TA C O S

NORDIC WARE ANNIVERSARY BUNDT PAN Compliments to the Chef $34.99 Give the gift of a Bundt pan, and the baker in your life will thank you—in baked goods, that is. Compliments to the Chef wins with this one on price alone. Take that, Amazon!

CHEMEX POUR-OVER GLASS COFFEEMAKER Healthy Living Market $38.99 Up your Joe game with this super-elegant coffeemaker, which brews a smooth and delicious cup (this three-cupper is the smallest version). Consider pairing it with one of Healthy Living’s sturdy stoneware mugs ($9.59-$10.59) and a locally roasted, consciously sourced bag o’ beans—like Upstate Coffee Collective’s All Day ADK blend ($15).

⁄

40 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

WICK APOTHECARY CANDLE etsy.com/shop/ WickApothecary $16 Wick Apothecary is the brainchild of Michelle Law, a mother of three based in Clifton Park. Her candles are 100 percent soy-based, making them clean and healthy— the perfect gift for the people you care about the most.

Home Design

NICOLLE MALLINSON @OURTINYNEST

STARTER GIFT BASKET Saratoga Olive Oil Co. Starting at $50 Packed with Tuscan herb olive oil, traditional balsamic, garlic medley sea salt and two pourspouts, Saratoga Olive Oil’s starter basket is a wonderful gift for your favorite culinary condiment connoisseur.

SARATOGA SIPS GIFT BAG The Savory Pantry $29 Have any hot chocolate lovers on your Christmas list this year? Look no further than The Savory Pantry’s Saratoga Sips bag, which comes complete with Saratoga Chocolate Co. hot chocolate, locally made marshmallows and authentic Scotch oat biscuits. Mmm.

FLANNEL NEW YORK STATE PILLOW Fort Orange General Store $42 Nothing says “I Love New York” like these pillows handmade locally by Abby Kirkman Quilts. They come in a few different colors and patterns— some flannel, some solid—and make a wonderful gift for the new homeowner (or homebody) in your life.

RUTH BADER GINSBURG ORNAMENT Vischer Ferry General Store $20 Honor late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with these adorable fairtrade ornaments. No lengthy deliberations needed here: Just pick one up from the Vischer Ferry General Store.

LET’S STAY HOME BOOKS etsy.com/shop/ OurTinyNestByNicolle $39 These book-stacks from my very own Etsy collection are made from real upcycled books, hand-stamped and wrapped in twine. They’re the perfect addition to bookshelves, mantles or tables, or make for very farmhouse-chic tray décor.

SARATOGA SPRINGS VINYL TILE MAT Silverwood Home & Gallery $85 Vinyl mats are all the rage, whether they’re in your kitchen or home office. And the tiled look? It’s not only fun and stylish, but also durable and functional.

⁄

saratogaliving.com 41

philanthropy oven mitzens Fingerpaint owner Ed Mitzen and his wife, Lisa, purchased the Bread Basket turning it into a financial pipeline for local charities; (opposite) The Bread Basket Bakery, will retain its bakers chefs, as well as its general manager.

S A R AT O G A’ S M I T Z E N F A M I LY T U R N S T H E 3 8 -Y E A R - O L D B R E A D B A S K E T B A K E R Y I N T O ( W E H O P E ) A GOLDMINE FOR LOCAL CHARITIES.

Bread to Y

Z

Win

“The bakery has always been a favorite of ours, and we saw it as an opportunity to keep the tradition alive, while also helping out the community by donating all of the future profits to charity.”

– Ed Mitzen

By Will Levith

⁄

42 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

CREDIT

CREDIT

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y F R A N C E S C O D ’A M I C O

⁄

saratogaliving.com 43

F

our daily bread The Bread Basket will continue serving its signature bear claws, cakes, cupcakes, pies and scones—but all proceeds will now go to local charities.

ingerpaint founder Ed Mitzen and his wife, Lisa, had a busy summer. This past July, sandwiched between wins by their prized Thoroughbred, Tiz the Law, in June (Belmont Stakes) and August (Travers Stakes), the Mitzens closed a deal to purchase the 38-year-old Bread Basket Bakery in Saratoga Springs.

It wasn’t any old summer impulse buy.

Following a complete renovation of the space, the Mitzens turned the beloved forprofit bakery into a financial pipeline for local charities, with 100 percent of its future profits going to nonprofits and charitable organizations in the Capital Region, many of which have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The bakery has always been a favorite of ours,” says Ed, “and we saw it as an opportunity to keep the tradition alive, while also helping out the community by donating all of the future profits to charity.”

Longtime Bread Basket owner Joan Tallman first started baking what would become the bakery’s array of delicious offerings—including its signature bear claw, plus muffins, cakes, cupcakes, pies and scones—out of her Saratoga basement in

petite W E D D

1982. (The Bread Basket also bakes its own breads and has been a popular spot for the soup-and-sandwich set throughout the decades.) As she neared retirement, it was Tallman’s desire to see her bakery carry on with as little disruption as possible. So her son, Matt, has stayed on as the Bread Basket’s general manager, and its bakers and chefs have agreed to stick around, too.

Mitzen says that keeping the bakery’s core staff intact will allow the same great baked goods to continue being made for Saratogians, despite its new ownership. “The last thing we wanted to do,” he says, “was screw up the scones.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place this past October, and in keeping with the spirit of the bakery’s new mission— “baking a difference”—the Mitzens presented a check for $25,000 to Troy nonprofit Capital Roots, whose mission is to reduce the impact of poor nutrition on public health and whom we’re honoring on the CAPITAL REGION LIVING side of the magazine as part of our second annual “Capital Region Gives Back” feature.

I N G S . . .

elite style

November 1 st, 2020 - March 31 st, 2021

*select dates available Inquire (?) • 518.306.2330 • atrackey@golfsaratoga.com

@JPElarioPhotography

• Multiple locations on property • Experienced Wedding Planner • Day of Event Manager • Exemplary culinary work • Hors d’oeuvres followed by a prosecco toast & 3 course dinner • Table-side ordering for your guests • Wedding cake provided by Mazzone Catering • Fully customizable menu, customization of dietary restrictions • Signature “his” & “hers” specialty cocktails • Three hours of top shelf open bar

Townhomes

by Witt Construction

Located near I-87 Exit 15, off of Excelsior Avenue

Smart home living in Saratoga Springs For available units Call 518-587-4113 or visit us at wittconstruction.com

$190.00 Per person (+7% NY tax), hospitality included 25 Person minimum Subject to change based on NYS covid-19 mandated guidelines

Have the best of both worlds: home ownership in sought after Saratoga Springs with no maintenance and upkeep.

Excelsior Park townhomes are nestled on the edge of the Spring Run Preserve and convenient to the farmers market, shops, and restaurants. From sophisticated style to innovative smart home features, Excelsior Park Townhome’s 18 exclusive residences set the standard for high-end, high-tech town home living.

This advertisement is not an offering. It is a solicitation of interest in the advertised property. No offering of the advertised units can be made and no deposits can be accepted, or reservations, binding or non-binding, can be made until an offering plan is filed with the New York State Department of Law. This advertisement is made persuant to Cooperative Policy Statement No. 1, issued by the New York State Department of Law, file NO. CP17-0053.

Witt-EP-SaratogaLiving-9.25x5.375-Ad.indd 1

6/12/20 3:46 PM

legacy

lending hand Saratoga lost its greatest champion and benefactor, Marylou Whitney, on July 19, 2019. Shown here with C.V. Whitney in Saratoga.

The

Queen Reigns at Rest M O R E T H A N A Y E A R A F T E R H E R D E AT H ,

MARYLOU WHITNEY’S G E N E R O S I T Y I S S T I L L B E I N G F E LT I N S A R AT O G A .

∏

BY TOM PEDULL A

⁄

46 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

⁄

saratogaliving.com 47

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OUR PRIORITY

I

WITH OVER 30YRS OF EXPERIENCE WE ARE YOUR GARAGE DOOR EXPERTS

love story John Hendrickson, Marylou Whitney’s widower, hosted an online auction of her things this past summer to help fund a permanent backstretch medical clinic at Saratoga Race Course.

LAWRENCE WHITE

had the honor of serving as was a tremendous benefactor of Whitney Stables–bred Birdstone over president of the National Turf Saratoga Hospital, funded the Museum that year’s Triple Crown threat, Smarty Writers and Broadcasters in of Dance, and gifted the Native Dancer Jones. Incredibly, she told me how 2013 when the organization statue to Saratoga. badly she wanted to see her winning honored Marylou Whitney One of Whitney’s most cherished horse’s competitor, Smarty Jones, who and her husband, John charities, the Saratoga Backstretch had risen from obscurity to national Hendrickson, with the Joe Appreciation program, continued prominence, complete the historic Triple Palmer Award for long and its essential work during this Crown sweep. She recounted how she meritorious service to the past summer’s spectator-less track had apologized to the horse’s owners, sport of horse racing. Hendrickson season. Since the virus made it Pat and Roy Chapman, after the race, had traveled to California to accept the impossible for backstretch workers expressing how much she regretted honor at our annual dinner, part and their families to gather for of the festivities surrounding the program’s hugely popular the Breeders’ Cup World Sunday dinners, grab-and-go Championships at Santa Anita. meals were provided instead.

Hendrickson called me a few This is just one example of hours before the function how Whitney’s presence can began, wanting to know how still be felt in the everyday the organization, more than half support of the track’s vital (but a century old, was faring. I told so often forgotten) backstretch him we had lost some members, workers and their families. as newspapers and magazines Keeping with this spirit, last were struggling to survive in a year, New York Governor rapidly changing market. Later Andrew Cuomo declared that evening, after the award August 3 “Marylou Whitney hats off Marylou Whitney (far right), with friends was presented, Hendrickson Day” and announced that a Susan Lucci, Joan Rivers and Mary Ann Mobley, announced that he and Whitney pavilion would be erected in her will be honored with a pavilion on the Oklahoma side had a presentation of their own: honor at Saratoga Race Course. of the track, which is set to open in 2021.

They would be donating $10,000 Despite a minor controversy this past summer about where the to underwrite the dinner. Writers and broadcasters in attendance were left the outcome. The more Whitney spoke pavilion would be constructed, workers speechless by the couple’s generosity. to me, the more obvious it became how eventually broke ground on The Marylou special a person she was.

Whitney Pavilion this past October, and A little more than a year before Whitney has been gone for nearly a Whitney died on July 19, 2019, I NYRA says it’s expecting it to be ready year and a half now, but it doesn’t feel interviewed her for my first and only for the 2021 season. It’ll be located like it. Her legacy is just that powerful. time. I was putting together a series for next to the recreation center on the “She will never die,” Hendrickson the New York Racing Association (NYRA) Oklahoma Training Track side of Union says of his late wife. “You look around Avenue. On the same side of Union in advance of the 150th anniversary Saratoga, and she is everywhere.” of the Belmont Stakes, and one of the Ave., plans have been hatched to build And he’s right: She co-founded most prominent pieces of the puzzle a permanent on-track medical clinic the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, for backstretch workers (it’s currently was about the 2004 upset by Marylou

a trailer), to be managed by Saratoga Hospital and the aptly named Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST). To fund it, Hendrickson launched an online auction this past July and August of more than 1,700 pieces of memorabilia from his late wife’s personal collection, including dresses, jewelry and a car. “I had to go through each item individually and try to put a price on a memory,” says Hendrickson. “That was difficult.” In just a handful of days, the auction raised $400,000. (Ground is expected to be broken on the clinic this spring, confirms Jeffrey Methven, executive vice president of Saratoga Hospital.) Besides the clinic, there will also be a backstretch daycare center there, too, which is projected to be completed this winter and will open for the 2021 meet. The daycare center, which will be erected where Hendrickson initially thought his late wife’s pavilion was going—hence the minor controversy—was spearheaded by prominent horse owner and real estate developer Michael Dubb, in partnership with the Belmont Child Care Association.

Whitney gave so much to so many local charities that it’s impossible to single out just one that defines her legacy. But given her support of the track’s backstretch workers—and the crucial facilities for them going up in her name—it’s hard not to be a little biased. Hendrickson puts it best: “Everyone should feel loved at Saratoga.

Everyone should have a great quality of life, including backstretch workers.”

VISIT WWW.OLEARYOVERHEADDOOR.COM TO TRY A NEW, ENERGY EFFICIENT GARAGE DOOR OR ENTRY DOOR ON YOUR HOME OR CALL DAN OLEARY TO COME MEASURE UP AND LEAVE YOU WITH A FREE, NO HASSLE ESTIMATE! CALL DAN OLEARY @

518-321-2736

ADD UPDATED CHARACTER AND ENERGY SAVINGS TO YOUR HOME Your window replacement project is an opportunity to reimagine your space.

Marvin offers thoughtfully designed styles and options, as well as the highest standards in energy efficiency.

Discover a smarter way to replace with our experts at the GNH Design Center in Latham.

Visit us today for a free consultation.

898 New Loudon Rd, Latham, NY | 518-313-1229

⁄

48 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

SHOWROOM HOURS: Mon-Fri: 9-5 | Sat: 8-4 | Sun: Closed

deconstructed

GET IN LINE!

A D A R L I N G D O U G H N U T, DECONSTRUCTED F L O U R F R O M K I N G A R T H U R B A K I N G C O M PA N Y N O RW I C H , V T

B R O A D WAY N E W C O M E R D A R L I N G D O U G H N U T S M A K E S S W E E T T R E AT S T H AT A R E W O R T H T H E WA I T.

E G G S F R O M T H O M A S P O U LT R Y F A R M S C H U Y L E RV I LL E , N Y

BY NATALIE M OORE

I

f Saratogians learn nothing else during this strangest of years, it might as well be this: that the deliciousness of a doughnut is directly related to the length of the line outside its shop’s door. The first evidence arrived on July 29, the morning Darling Doughnuts, Saratoga’s first gourmet doughnut shop, opened its flagship brick-and-mortar on Broadway. A line formed before it opened at 8:30am, and every doughnut inside— in flavors including Galaxy Glazed (pictured here), Chocolate Bomb and Worms ’N Dirt—was sold out by 11am. Most weekdays and every weekend morning for months after that, the line reappeared, stretching south all the way past Putnam Market.

“The response from the community has been absolutely incredible,” says Natascha PearlMansman, who founded Darling Doughnuts online in 2018 and now co-owns the shop with her business partner, Glenn Severance. “I never imagined having a line like that nearly every day—especially during COVID.” The best part? The doughnuts are worth the wait.

Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, Darling Doughnuts’ offerings are a rotating cast of surprising flavors, topped with everything from fortune cookies and Dunkaroos to marshmallows and Lucky Charms. Pearl-Mansman’s personal favorite is Blue Strazzberry, which is a mixture of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry glaze, with a vanilla swirl. “My other favorite is Butter Pecan—the glaze is actually my greatgrandmother’s recipe for a frosting she put on our secret-family-recipe cookies,” she says. “We make those cookies every year around the holidays, and the flavor of the glaze reminds me of growing up in the kitchen with my family.” The fact that Pearl-Mansman can now share her recipes with her own daughters is just icing on the doughnut.

M I L K F R O M B AT T E N K I L L VA L L E Y C R E A M E R Y SALEM, NY BUTTER FROM CABOT WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA YEAST SUGAR D E A D S E A S A LT

DARLING DOUGHNUTS

dough your own way All of the ingredients in Darling Doughnuts’ dough are sourced from local farms and producers within 150 miles of the shop.

By The Numbers:

⁄

50 saratoga living

300 Pounds of flour used every week

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

50

Total number of flavors the shop chooses its weekly options from

10

Number of flavors available in the store each week

14

Hours the dough ferments prior to being rolled and cut

24

Hours it takes to make a batch of doughnuts, from the mixing of the dough to the finished product

CREDIT

Number of doughnuts Darling Doughnuts has sold since 2018

CREDIT

50,000

⁄

saratogaliving.com 51

producer

Soundman to the Stars O S C A R - A N D G R A M M Y- W I N N I N G S A R AT O G I A N HAS PRODUCED M U S I C F O R A L I TA N Y O F L E G E N D S , I N C L U D I N G T O N Y B E N N E T T, R AY C H A R L E S A N D T H E B E AC H B OYS .

Joel Moss

By W I L L L E V I T H Portrait by

T E R R I - LY N N P E L L E G R I

like a moss Award-winning multimedia producer Joel Moss has taken home an Oscar and multiple Grammys for his work.

⁄

52 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

⁄

saratogaliving.com 53

Talking to Joel Moss, I can't help but be reminded of the gathers no moss 1995 Joan Osborne hit, “One of Us,” in which (clockwise from top left) God takes the form of an average-looking dude, one Moss working on the cast you might run into on the bus. Moss doesn’t wear particularly recording of Broadway flashy clothes—no black leather pants or snake-skinned cowboy show, It Coulda Been boots. He’s respectably bespectacled and has a single earring in his You, with Saratoga native and director, left ear, which might be the least gaudy one ever affixed to a lobe. In David Hyde Pierce, short, nothing about Moss screams “famous.” But his six-decade-plus-long in the background; producing career speaks otherwise. He’s recorded the likes of Little Richard, Moss with Ray Charles, The Beach Boys and Tony Bennett, among a laundry list of others; celebrated found success as a sonic producer not only in the pop music world, but also on French singer Charles the small and silver screens and Broadway; and won an Academy Award and seven Aznavour; Moss Grammys and been nominated for two Emmys, to boot. with jazz piano The 74-year-old Saratoga Springs transplant began his music career in his hometown legend Dr. Billy of Detroit in the late 1950s as a 12-year-old folk prodigy, leading a Hebrew folk quintet Taylor; Moss called The Hi-Liters. The group became so successful that Moss was able to buy (second from the right) sharing a his parents a new house. As the band was winding down in the early ’60s, Moss laugh with oneand company made their first and only appearance at Caffè Lena. “I don’t know time boss George if you’ve seen many photos of what Phila Street looked like in 1963, but it was Martin (at left); scary,” Moss says. “Coming down Phila, we took a quick vote to see if we Moss’ Album of were even going to stop. We went up and played a set. The place was the Year Grammy for the 2004 Ray packed, everybody knew our songs, and it was an amazing night.”

Charles album, Genius Moss wouldn’t return to Saratoga until 2001, but by that Loves Company. point, he had swapped the stage for the control room, having transformed himself into one of the foremost multimedia producers in the world. Here are five of his career’s greatest hits.

❶

(Dracula Sucks poster) HERITAGE AUCTIONS, HA.COM

WATCHING LED ZEPPELIN TAKE FLIGHT (1969) “I worked at this tiny little studio called Mystic Sound in the middle of Hollywood. I hung out there as much as I could, because all kinds of things were happening there. One day, a band that I’d never heard of called Led Zeppelin came in to cut a demo called ‘Whole Lotta Love.’ Up close, I’d never heard anything that sounded like that. I think that demo became the basic track for the tune.”

⁄

54 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

❸ MAKING PERFECT SENSE (1984) “I didn’t do the live recording [of the Talking Heads’ concert film Stop Making Sense], but I was given the analog tapes that I transferred to 24-track digital, the first time that had ever been done. That film, to me, was such an important part of my life.”

❹ A SARATOGA CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS WISH (2003) “It never occurred to me that I would do any music work in Saratoga. I met [local musician] Peter Davis, and he introduced me to the guys at NYRA, and I said, ‘If I could produce a really high-quality CD of track-related songs by local artists, would you use it for one of your giveaways?’

They said, ‘We’ll buy 70,000 of them.’ I used to be on the board for the Make-AWish Foundation in California, so I found the local [chapter] and told them that I wanted to do the record for charity around Christmas. It was released the day after Thanksgiving 2003, and we raised $70,000 for Make-A-Wish Northeast New York.” (Moss also produced a follow-up cd in 2005 called A Saratoga Christmas Wish.)

❺ CAPTURING GENIUS, ONE LAST TIME (2004) Ray Charles’ duet with Elton John on the British piano man’s “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” was the last recording Charles made before he died (Moss won a pair of Grammys for his work on the resultant album, Genius Loves Company). “I was in LA for the birth of my granddaughter, and the phone rings, and it’s [record producer] Phil Ramone saying, ‘Are you available?’” remembers Moss.

“We did it at the Record Plant. Elton was working on his album across the hall. I had Ray, who was in a wheelchair, set up so that Elton would be right across from him. He acknowledged Elton was there, the music started up, we did two takes, and that was it.”

❷ MIXING ADULT FILM DRACULA SUCKS (1978) “I told the director that I didn’t want to use my real name. So I called myself the Earl of Sandwich [in the credits].

How anyone knows that I did [this movie] is astonishing to me, but I’m proud of it.”

⁄

saratogaliving.com 55

predictions

HANDICAPPING HORSE RACING’S OSCARS

T H E H O R S E S ( A N D H U M A N S ) T H AT H AV E T H E B E S T S H O T AT G R E AT N E S S AT T H E 2 0 2 0 E C L I P S E AWA R D S .

I

magine what it would be like if the Academy Awards carried on without a single moviegoer having even seen any of the Oscar-nominated films. Essentially, that was 2020 for the horse racing world, with choice few spectators able to watch their favorite Thoroughbreds compete live, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was anything but a “normal” season. The Triple Crown order was jumbled, with the Belmont Stakes running in June, followed by the Kentucky Derby in September and Preakness Stakes in October. Saratoga Race Course’s Travers Stakes made for an early-August Derby prep.

And local hero Tiz the Law made an early run at greatness, nabbing the Belmont and Travers, before losing in the Derby to Authentic. The year in racing was capped on a crescendo in early November, when Authentic took home the W in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Tiz finished a disappointing sixth— and will likely be out of contention for an Eclipse Award.)

All of that winning has to add up to something. This January marks the 50th annual Eclipse Awards—basically, horse racing’s Oscars—and at it, more than a few equine (and human) heroes will reach “champion” status. Who has the best chance for Eclipse glory? saratoga living has handicapped all of our favorites.

HORSE OF THE YEAR

1. AUTHENTIC: This 3-year-old son of Into Mischief made a lot of people happy this year—one of his ownership groups is MyRaceHorse Stable, which sold more than 5,300 microshares in the horse—by winning five graded stakes and finishing second in his other two races. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Authentic won September’s Derby and November’s BC

⁄

56 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

JESSICA MORGAN/BREEDERS’ CUP/ ECLIPSE SPORTSWIRE/CSM

BY BRIEN BOUYEA

certificate of authenticity Authentic, who won this year’s Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup classic, is saratoga living’s pick for Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards.

girl, uninterrupted Monomoy Girl (in the foreground), who won all four of her starts after an 18-month absence, will likely receive Champion Older Female honors at the Eclipse Awards.

Rachel Alexandra in 2009 to win the Preakness Stakes and added wins in the Alabama Stakes, Santa Anita Oaks, Fantasy Stakes and Gulfstream Park Oaks. A true throwback campaign saw her race at nine different tracks in 2020 for trainer Ken McPeek.

2. Gamine 3. Shedaresthedevil

CHAMPION OLDER MALE

1. IMPROBABLE: This Bob Baffert– trained son of City Zip won three of his five starts this year and finished second in the other two. Improbable’s wins in the Whitney Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Awesome Again, and a secondplace finish in the BC Classic, stamped him as the leader in the division.

2. Global Campaign 3. Maximum Security

CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD MALE 1. AUTHENTIC (see above) 2. Tiz the Law 3. Honor A.P.

CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY

1. SWISS SKYDIVER: This brilliant chestnut daughter of Daredevil won or placed in eight of 10 starts this year. She became the first filly since

CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY

1. VEQUIST: This impressive daughter of champion Nyquist broke her maiden at Saratoga in the Spinaway Stakes and delivered a spectacular victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to distance herself from her peers. She should only get better next year.

2. Dayoutoftheoffice 3. Simply Ravishing

CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE

1. MONOMOY GIRL: After being away from the races for 18 months, the 2018 champion 3-year-old filly returned to win all four of her starts, including Grade 1s in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and La Troienne Stakes. Monomoy Girl was one of the best comeback stories in racing in 2020, and she is expected to return to the track in 2021 for new owner Spendthrift Farm, which purchased her for $9.5 million following Breeders’ Cup weekend.

2. Midnight Bisou 3. Valiance

⁄

58 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

1. ESSENTIAL QUALITY: The early favorite for the 2021 Kentucky Derby broke his maiden at first asking at Churchill Downs in September, then followed it up with wins in the Breeders’ Futurity and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. Bred and owned by Godolphin and trained by Brad Cox, this son of Tapit has superstar potential.

2. Jackie’s Warrior 3. Fire At Will

OUTSTANDING JOCKEY

totally eclipsed Even though Tiz the Law won the Belmont and Travers early in the summer, losses in the Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic will likely cost him Champion 3-Year-Old Male honors at the Eclipses.

1. IRAD ORTIZ, JR.: The winner of this Eclipse award each of the past two years is likely to make it three in a row.

The leading rider at Saratoga (59 wins), at press time, Ortiz had 24 graded stakes wins and led all North American jockeys in wins (264) and earnings ($19.5 million). Ortiz won Breeders’ Cup races this year with Whitmore and Golden Pal. 2. Joel Rosario 3. John Velazquez

three’s company We’re predicting that jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will win his third Outstanding Jockey award in a row at next year’s Eclipse Awards.

OUTSTANDING TRAINER

CANDICE CHAVEZ/BREEDERS’ CUP/ECLIPSE SPORTSWIRE/CSM

Classic, making him the overwhelming favorite in this category. Earlier in the year, he also won the Grade 1 Haskell in New Jersey and the San Felipe Stakes and Sham Stakes in California.

2. Monomoy Girl 3. Improbable

(Monomoy Girl) ALEX EVERS/ECLIPSE SPORTSWIRE; (Tiz the Law) SCOTT SERIO/ECLIPSE SPORTSWIRE/BREEDERS CUP

CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD MALE

1. BRAD COX: The nod goes to Cox here after equaling Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella’s record of four wins at a single Breeders’ Cup. At press time, Cox ranked fourth nationally in both purse earnings ($17.6 million) and wins (188). He won 28 graded stakes this year, including seven Grade 1 events with five different horses.

Cox trains Monomoy Girl and Essential Quality, both likely champions, too.

2. Steve Asmussen 3. Chad Brown

OTHER NOTABLE ECLIPSE PREDICTIONS MALE SPRINTER: Whitmore FEMALE SPRINTER: Gamine MALE TURF HORSE: Channel Maker FEMALE TURF HORSE: Rushing Fall STEEPLECHASE HORSE: Moscato OWNER: Godolphin BREEDER: Godolphin APPRENTICE JOCKEY: Charlie Marquez

SaratogaHospital.org

Remind you to...

Saving Saratoga’s Social Season

THE AUTO MUSEUM AND SPAC H O ST E D T WO S U CCE S SFUL, SOCI AL LY DI STANC E D E V E N TS I N T H E SPA STATE PARK TH IS FALL . n BY N ATA LI E M O O R E

Your Classical Companion

Ask your smart speaker to play “WMHT”

Ask your smart speaker to play “WEXT”

89.1/88.7 | wmht.org/classical

97.7/106.1 | wextradio.org

OR

OR

Download our Classical WMHT App

Download our WEXT Radio App

DAVE BIGLER

auto zone A 1941 Buick Super 8 on the stage at the Saratoga Motorcar Auction; (right) a 1965 Cadillac Calais in the staging area outside the Auto Museum.

DOW SMITH

C

oming off this most unusual of Saratoga summer social seasons, almost entirely bereft of in-person gatherings, two socially distanced, in-person events gave the fall season the kickoff it deserved.

On September 19, the Saratoga Automobile Museum pulled off a wildly successful auction, rebranded this year as the Saratoga Motorcar Auction (saratoga living partnered with the museum to create the auction catalog).

Viewers watched online as maskedup consignors and bidders, standing six feet apart from one another and their rides, achieved a 70 percent sell-through rate and $3.7 million in sales, with highlights including a 1958 Plymouth Fury used on-screen in the classic horror film Christine going for $275,000, the biggest sale of the day.

About a month later, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center teamed up with Kim Klopstock of Lily and the Rose to put on an equally impressive event—a two-night Chef’s Table Harvest Dinner that featured a five-course, locally sourced meal prepared by Michael Blake, head chef at Yaddo and the Saratoga Supper Club, and Michele Hunter, executive chef of Hamlet & Ghost and winner of Food Network reality series Chopped! earlier this year. Highlights included a monkfish and polenta dish paired with a 2013 Turley Zinfandel from Klopstock’s personal collection.

series of fortunate events SPAC’s Chef’s Table Harvest Dinner on October 13 and 14 was the first event in the CulinaryArts@SPAC series.

the back ⁄

It’s Easy Being Green TH ESE SARATOGA BEAUT Y B U SI N E SSE S A R E H EL PING YOU L I VE YOUR H E A LT H I E ST LI F E , O N E ECO-FRIENDLY BEAUTY P R O DU C T AT A T I M E .

BY NATALIE MOORE

N

ext time you take a shower, read the fine print on your plastic shampoo bottle after you’re done lathering up, rinsing and repeating.

If that bottle happens to contain surfactants (chemicals that make the shampoo sudsy) or preservatives (chemicals that prevent its contents from getting moldy), it could prove a dangerous addition to the local landfill, potentially releasing toxic chemicals into the ground water and harming nearby aquatic life or even humans. Plus, if the bottle makes its way to Trash Mountain—552 million do every year—it may not fully break down until the year 2470.

Luckily, the beauty industry is in the know and is making a concerted effort to go green. L’Oreal, for example, is aiming to make 100 percent of its packaging reusable or compostable by 2025. Closer to home, three Saratoga companies have jumped on the green beauty bandwagon, offering healthy, eco-friendly products and practices to ensure that everyone has a sustainable tomorrow.

IN YOUR HOME

⁄

62 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

but for an extra dollar per fill, you can add an essential oil, in scents such as peppermint, lavender and lemongrass.

“My focus,” Carpenter says, “is on the future of my children, what the planet is going to be like for them, and how I can teach them to live more sustainably.”

AT T H E S A L O N

JESSICA LANG

When Saratogian Suzanne Carpenter first came across the idea of household product refill stations in a news article, she immediately knew it was an important concept. “It turned out that they’d been mainly adopted in Europe,” she says, “but the further research I did, I was like, ‘This needs to be everywhere.’” So in July 2019, Carpenter, who manages the Kayak Shak during the summer, opened Conscious Refill (consciousrefill.com), a refilling station for bath, body and household cleaning products, out of her home on Ludlow Street. Since then, she’s been selling eco-friendly soap, cleaning products, laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioner in reusable containers, and has even been offering home deliveries within Saratoga’s city limits. Her products are all unscented,

home depot Since 2019, Saratogian Suzanne Carpenter has been operating a refill station for bath, body and household cleaning products out of her home on Ludlow Street.

The beauty industry produces 877 pounds of waste every minute, and many of the products used in salons contain potentially harmful chemicals.

Saratogian hairstylist Lisa Liptak took this to heart and tried to seek out green salons in the area where she could work, before quickly discovering that there weren’t any. “So, I was like, ‘I guess I’m going to have to do it,’”

⁄

saratogaliving.com 63

the back ⁄ SaratogaHospital.org

A LOCAL MEAL SUBSCRIPTION

A LOCAL MEAL SUBSCRIPTION

D I F F ER ENT D I ETARY O PTI O NS AVA I L A B L E

A LOCAL MEAL SUBSCRIPTION

P L AENT STI C WA D INFOF ER D I STE ETARY O PTI O NS AVA I L A B L E D I F F ER ENT D I ETARY O PTI O NS AVA I L A B L E LOCA L LY SO U RCED A DLOCAL SUBSCRIPTION NWA O STE P L A STI C WA STE N MEAL O P L A STI C ELIV ER ED R I G HT TO YO U R H O M E/O F F I CE D I F F ER ENTLOCA D I ETARY O PTI O NS AVA I L A B L E L LY SO U RCED USE CO LOCA DE L LY SO U RCED P L ATO STI C D ELIV ER ED RNI GOHT YOWA U RSTE H O M E/O F F I CE

shower power Saratoga startup Mirage Waterless makes tablets that turn into shampoo when they come into contact with shower water.

SARATOGALIVI N G

D ELIV ERL ED HT TO YO U R H O M E/O F F I CE LOCA LY SORUI G RCED

FO R 20 % O F FUSE YOCO U RDFEI RST OR D ER

SARATOGALIVI NG USE CO D E FOR M ORE I N FORM USE CO D E ATI O N VISIT: FOR 20 % O F F YO U R F I RST O RD ER D ELIV ER ED R I G HT TO YO U R H O M E/O F F I CE

ON THE ROAD

SARATOGALIVI NG SARATOGALIVI NG

H AFOR RV HU ROO M E .CO FO R 20 %ST2 FI N YOFORM F IFRST OR D ER ME ORE ATI O NS FO RO F 20 % F YO U RVISIT: F I RSTMO R D ER FOR E M ORE I N FORM NSVISIT: H A RV ST2M H OATI MI NOEFORM .CO FOR ORE ATIM O N VISIT: H A RV E ST2 H O M E S .CO M

H A RV E ST2 H O M E S .CO M

Historic Photographs of Saratoga Springs The George S. Bolster Collection

Thousands of historic images of Saratoga Springs are available for purchase Custom sizes and finishes available Fast turnaround on special orders

The Canfield Casino in Congress Park www.saratogahistory.org 518.584.6920

green new deal Since 2015, Nurture Green Salon & Spa has been Saratoga’s only fully green salon, according owner Lisa Liptak.

she says. “I know all these people that own salons, and they survive and know how to do it…why can’t I? And that’s how I opened Nurture.” That was in 2015, and these days, Nurture Green Salon & Spa (nurturegreensalonandspa.com) is the only fully green salon in the Spa City, according to Liptak.

All products used at Nurture are cruelty free, vegan and free of damaging chemicals. Plus, the salon is certified by Green Circle (greencirclesalons.com), an organization that collects and recycles or repurposes waste from salons—everything from paper, plastic and metal to excess hair color and even hair itself. “I’m proud that I have a space where people can come in, and they don’t feel like they have to read labels,” Liptak says. “They can trust that what we have here is good for them, and they can leave their troubles or worries at the door.”

Those miniature bottles of shampoo and conditioner that you get at hotels may be convenient to travel with, but they’re not so great for the environment.

In 2019, California banned travel-size plastic bottles, and big hotel chains such as Marriott have done away with them completely. An alternative that’s both TSA-friendly and good for the environment? Mirage Waterless (miragewaterless.com), a Saratoga startup that launched its shower-activated shampoo tablets in November. “First, I’m an eco-conscious person, so I’m always trying to reduce plastic in my daily routine,” says Delmar native and Mirage Waterless founder Lauren Leavitt.

“Secondly, I was frustrated by the amount of chemicals in shampoo, and then found out that shampoo is 80 percent water and has to contain a lot of harsh chemicals to act as preservatives against bacteria growing inside the bottle.”

Leavitt, who works in the tech industry, put those two ideas together to create a water- and bottle-free shampoo solution.

The old adage “just add water” certainly applies here: When a Mirage Waterless tablet comes into contact with water from the shower, it turns into a paste and can then be used like traditional shampoo, frothy suds and all. The tablets also come in a recyclable paper container. “It’s really great for travel, and that’s a really big market that I want to hit on,” Leavitt says of her product. But don’t pigeonhole this waste-reducing gem: “It’s great for every day, too.”

Remind you to...

the back Décor ⁄

The 12 DIYs of Christmas

TI PS FOR M A KING YOUR H OME SH I MME R A N D S HIN E TH IS H OLIDAY SEASON. story and photos by SUSAN WALDRON

T

his holiday season, you’ll likely be spending a lot more time in your own house because of the pandemic. But staying home (and safe!) doesn’t mean you can’t have a holly, jolly Christmas. A little décor goes a long way in upping holiday cheer, and this year, we need all the additional merriment we can get. So dig up your

dusty decorations, uncap your spray paint and gather some evergreen clippings.

It’s time to transform your COVID cave into a winter wonderland, DIY-style.

❄❄❄❄ 1 For a quick and easy centerpiece, fill a sliver tray, glass bowl, wood bowl or white platter (or whatever you have on hand) with pine clippings,

11 12 colorful ornaments or battery-operated candles.

2 Spray-paint some twigs from your backyard white, silver or gold, and set them up in a jar or vase.

3 Don’t like the look of your Christmas tree stand? Set it up in a basket, bucket or crate that you love.

4 Use a drop cloth, blanket or some burlap around the base of your tree instead of a traditional tree skirt.

5 Remember those wooden beaded car seat covers?

If you have one lying around, cut it apart and string the beads to create a garland.

6 Transform jelly or mason jars into tealight holders.

7 Place a mirror behind or under your candles to increase the glow factor!

8 Spray paint can transform outdated or rarely used decorations. Ornaments, nutcrackers and branches can all be reimagined with a quick coat.

9 To give any of your decorations a snowy look,

wipe them with Elmer’s glue and sprinkle on some Epsom salt.

10 Battery-operated fairy lights are perfect for this time of year. Place a strand on shelving, drape one over a mirror or wrap one around the greens you put in a vase.

11 Don’t overlook the inside or top of your china cabinet: Add some greens here and there, an ornament in a wine glass or teacup and maybe even a mini tree.

12 Use an old pair of ice skates hung over a chair and stuffed with greens and fairy lights as an accent. They’ll make a beautiful “wreath.”

4

Museum and New Gift Shop Now Open!

For more information visit our website

racingmuseum.org architecture, interior design & construction management

Saratoga Springs, NY | Troy, NY 518.587.7120 | phinneydesign.com

191 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 584-0400

Happy Hour is Back

Daily

$10 Breckenridge Martinis and rotating Tapas

Small Town Feel Big City Taste Innovative Entrees Crafted Cocktails and Nightly Features

Thursday Oyster Night $2 Oysters on the Half shell and additional Oyster Features

Sunday Happy Hour from Open to Close

Everything Olde Is New Again

Custom Painted Furniture

susanwaldrondesigns@gmail.com 518.421.2059

Consultations

susanwaldrondesigns love2decorate

Capital Region’s Premier Black Car Service The business traveler’s first choice since 1995

THE OLDE BRYAN INN’S LONGTIME EXECUTIVE CHEF JOHN CAPELLI ON KEEPING THE SARATOGA INSTITUTION RELEVANT—EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC.

BY MORGAN FECHTER photography by FRANCESCO D’AMICO

A

s anyone who grew up in the Spa City knows, nothing beats walking into the cozy Olde Bryan Inn on a cold winter’s day and ordering a hot bowl of French onion soup to enjoy next to its blazing wood fireplace. Housed in a nearly-200-year-old building, the “OBI,” as locals know it, is a Saratoga institution and has delighted customers for four decades and counting. That’s thanks, in large part, to John Capelli, the restaurant’s executive chef.

A Saratoga native, Capelli came to the OBI as the restaurant’s first intern in 1990. He was then hired as a prep cook and moved up the ranks—“to salad to sauté to grill to expedite to brunch cook,” he says—within a year. He was named executive chef in the late ’90s when he was in his mid-20s.

The OBI has gone through its fair share of changes, too—log cabin (circa 1773), Bryan family residence (1825), Burnham’s Hand Laundry (1925), Veitch family residence (1954) and, finally, the restaurant that it is today (1981). After 250 years, and with a seasoned chef like Capelli at its helm, OBI is ready to handle anything thrown its way. Including a pandemic.

30 Lake Avenue І Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 І 518– 539-3474 І www.30lake.com

Interior Styling

Hot Chef

How has the OBI managed to stay so popular and relevant?

My mission is “simple comfort food” meets “cutting edge.” As far as the menu

Reserve online superior-sedan.com

or through the app – or call 518-378-8573

life of bryan Olde Bryan Inn Executive Chef John Capelli has been with the restaurant since interning there in 1990.

in general, I am very passionate about having something for everyone. I like to have a wide variety of menu items that include as many ingredients as possible from local vendors. I also like listening to our guests for continuous feedback.

Luxury transportation you can count on 365 days a year PARTY BUSES AVAILABLE

What’s it been like navigating the pandemic at the restaurant?

It’s been a challenge, for sure. We’re taking every precaution we can so people can come in and have some comfort food and feel like [COVID] is not going on. But, without sounding arrogant, this property has been through everything: We’ve been through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Korean War, World War I, World War II…so to us, coronavirus is just another challenge.

What has kept you working at the OBI for all these years?

It’s a tie: my passion and pride for the industry and what I do, and my owner, Steve Sullivan. I absolutely love the guy—he’s a mentor, he cares about his community, he cares about his people. And I love getting out on the floor every single night, greeting tables, carrying out food, checking on people. It’s just wonderful to feel, at this point in my career, that I’m not at all burnt out or sick of doing this. It’s just the opposite. I wake up every day wanting to come in and make people happy.

30 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs | 518-583-2626 | makemefab.com

the back Thirst ⁄

Stock Up, Saratoga!

F I LL YO U R LI Q U O R CA B I N E T WI T H B O OZ Y B E V E R AGE S F R O M A LB A N Y DI ST I LL ING C O. T H I S WI N T E R . n BY N ATA LI E M O ORE

I liquor authority Albany Distilling Co.’s offerings are available in approximately 3,000 bars, restaurants and liquor stores in New York and New Jersey.

n Upstate New York, winter is coming, and just as was implied by the phrase in Game of Thrones, this year’s will be a lot more ominous than merely several months of snow and ice. Whereas the fictional people of Westeros were on the cusp of an impending war with an army of the dead, fleshand-blood Saratogians are staring down something

just as terrifying: a potential second lockdown.

Luckily, we’ve been through this once before, and we know that if bars and restaurants are forced to close again, there are plenty of ways to get our firewater fix in the Capital Region.

One prolific provider of lockdown liquor is Albany Distilling Co., which has been arming upstaters

with liquid courage since 2012. “We started off with just whiskey,” explains John Curtin, who co-owns the Capital City business with Rick Sicari. “Then we realized Albany’s first distillery from the 1750s was right around the corner from us. They made rum, so it seemed like a natural sort of progression.” Nearly a decade laterthe distillery also produces vodka and brandy, as well as its Cocktail Club line of canned cocktails.

It’s The Cocktail Club that has really taken off since the beginning of the pandemic, especially in the New York City market, says Curtin. “For people who are used to going out more, it’s kind of a bridge between

trusty can Albany Distilling’s Cocktail Club canned cocktails have proven to be a popular lockdown libation.

their former lives and the realities of quarantine,” he says. For those more interested in the straight stuff—and in supporting more than one locallyowned business—there are plenty of options, too.

Death Wish Coffee Vodka is Albany Distilling’s coffeeflavored collaboration with the popular Saratoga-based “World’s Strongest Coffee” brand, and 10th Pin Apple Brandy is an aptly named

add-on to Nine Pin Cider’s alcoholic, apple-y offerings.

“The motto of distilleries, and I think of a lot of small businesses, is ‘a rising tide lifts all boats,’” Curtin says of his company’s partnerships with other Capital Region businesses. “The idea of the community spirit— pardon the pun—is very much part and parcel of our business model.”

While Albany Distilling’s bar and bottle shop on

Livingston Ave. in Albany is temporarily closed to customers, you can order pre-mixed cocktails, plus Cocktail Club cans or bottles of liquor, for in-shop pickup. Any pre-packaged products, including Albany Distilling’s hand sanitizer, which it has offered free of charge for those who need it since this past spring, can also be shipped anywhere in New York State. And in Saratoga Springs, you can grab the distillery’s products at Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor (which offers curbside pickup and delivery), among other area liquor stores.

Yes, winter may be coming, but here in the Capital Region, we’re going to be ready.

Mirror Lake Inn

play

Resort and Spa

Safety is the New Luxury

Reindeer Games

BY N ATA L I E M O O R E

As Lake Placid’s Finest, we are committed to being amongst the very cleanest and safest resorts anywhere in the country. Come see why we are known as the place where “Memories are made and traditions begin”.

518-523-2544 | www.mirrorlakeinn.com

✁

Don’t Miss An Issue of FILL OUT THIS FORM AND SEND IT TO: 422 Broadway, Suite 203, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Yes! Sign me up today for a subscription to saratoga living (non-refundable)

☐ 1-year Domestic: $24.95 ☐ 1-year Canadian: $39.95 ☐ 2-year Domestic: $44.95 ☐ 2-year Canadian: $69.95 This is a: ☐ New Subscription ☐ Renewal

I am paying by:

For gift subscriptions: Name of person receiving subscription:

SELECT PAYMENT TYPE

☐ Check No. __________

☐ Credit Card

Amount: _______________

☐ Visa ☐ MasterCard ☐ American Express

CARD NO.

EXP. DATE

NAME NAME

ADDRESS

ADDRESS

PHONE

CITY/STATE/ZIP

SIGNATURE

CITY/STATE/ZIP EMAIL

subscribe@saratogaliving.com

518.584.7500

ACROSS: 1. Baker’s amt.

4. Related to the eye 9. Superstar 13. Mayor ___ (2020 presidential candidate, familiarly) 14. Pay for in advance 15. Fifth Roman emperor 16. Car buyer’s option 17. Sierra Nevada site known for cannibalism 19. Snowmobile, to enthusiasts 20. “___ Blue” (Billie Holiday song) 21. Two are worth about $2.37 22. Astronomical body seen on Mark Twain’s birth and death day 26. Pennsylvania has three 27. Nonverbal “yes” 28. Little rascal 31. Norwegian attraction 34. Slang for alcohol and marijuana 35. Important 36. Kendrick Lamar’s genre 37. Dating site created by the founders of SparkNotes 41. Body part that rhymes with what it does 42. Hit song by U2 43. Type of atom 44. Angry 46. Word before Z or X, for short 47. ___-mo 48. Broad rd.

49. Mikhail Baryshnikov, for one 55. “Rocketman” John 58. Texter’s “however” 59. Sculpt, as muscle

60. Modern day food deliverer 63. Toy Story human character 64. Thought 65. Medieval church feature 66. Stan and Spike, for two 67. Try out 68. Walked back and forth 69. Pink Floyd cofounder Barrett

DOWN:

1. Leader in electric cars 2. Metal used to describe nerves and hearts 3. Street salesperson 4. End ___ (1999 Schwarzenegger film) 5. High school dances 6. Gin’s partner 7. Tavern or guest house 8. Concern for NFL players 9. Two cents 10. Term of (and in) endearment 11. Approximately 12. “I’m sorry for your ___” 13. Word written on some doors 18. Grass-like wetland plant 23. Prefix for skeleton 24. “Come ___” (call heard from the second floor) 25. Indian Prime Minister Narendra 28. Store known for its easy-to-assemble furniture

ANSWERS ON saratogaliving.com SEARCH: CROSSWORD

1

1

2

3

5

4

5

6

7

8

9

13

14

16

17

18

20

21

19

21

22

23

28

29

30

31

32

33

31 35 38 43

42

45

42

46

49

47

47

48

49

55

56

57

24

37

25

27

28

34

48 45 50

61

59

61

62

37

35

40

40

41

44

45

51

52

58

29

30

53

54

59 62

63

69

65

65

66

67

73

68

68

69

“If it can be consumed, you’ll like it.”

12

48

64

29. What jackfruit is used as a substitute for 30. Lit structure 31. Throat-dwelling “animal” 32. Tarzan’s lady 33. Willing to talk 34. Simple updo 38. Word that follows buzz and road 39. 60 degrees, say 40. Hard-to-please person 45. Airbnbs and others

11

27

39

49

60

10

15

26

36

9

47. Building material for some castles 48. Cherished 49. 2006 comedy with a "subsequent" 2020 sequel 50. Set of moral principles 51. Calming word, when repeated 52. ___ Island (NYC attraction of old) 53. Finished 54. Jedi Skywalker and wrestler Mysterio

55. Use Adobe Premiere, say 56. Vein of metal ore 57. Anatomically named Zac Brown Band song 61. Reptile whose name is a anagram of 62-down 62. Relaxation locale whose name is an anagram of 61-down

overheard SOMETHIN’ TO TALK ABOUT...

“I don’t care about the Dalai Lama; I care about Hawaii Five-0.”

“Have you ever seen me come to Stewar t’s and only eat one hot dog?”

“At least you didn’t have to memorize The Lord’s Prayer in German.”

⁄

saratogaliving.com 73

we the peep-le Saratoga elementary school teacher Melissa Pecora, who has been teaching mostly inperson classes during the pandemic, refers to her students, past and present, as “PEEPs,” or Positive, Encouraging, Engaged Partners.

THE HEIGHT OF CLASS TH IS MONTH , saratoga living ’ S “ SARATOGI AN OF TH E M O N T H ” I S AL L SARATOGA TEACH E R S—A N D WE FOUND TH E PERFECT SP O KE SWO M A N FOR TH EM IN CAROLIN E ST R E E T ELEMENTARY’ S MEL I SSA P E C O R A .

I

BY WI LL L EVI T H p h otograp h y by KAT I E DO B I E S

think we can all agree that the pandemic gets a big, red “F” for how it’s failed teachers this year. First, they had to deal with pivoting to entirely remote teaching in mid-March. Then, at the end of the summer, they had to worry about the shape of the school year to come. Would students be on a hybrid schedule—some days live, while others on Zoom? If they were learning in person, would students comply with mask-wearing and social distancing rules? And would any inperson arrangement be safe?

Melissa Pecora, who has been a second-grade teacher at Caroline Street Elementary School for the past

⁄

74 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

six years, was in the middle of it all— and so were her PEEPs (an acronym she uses to refer to her students, which stands for Positive, Encouraging, Engaged Partners). At press time, Pecora had an in-person class of 20 students in attendance and room for a few more. (She had also been required to teach virtual classes to five students, who had been sent home to be tested for COVID. All have since returned.)

Nowadays, Pecora is super proud of her classroom setup—the “classnasium,” as she puts it (it’s in the school’s gym)—and by the sound of it, she’s taken a ball-pit’s worth of lemons and created a lemonade stand for the ages. saratoga living caught up with her

to find out what it’s been like teaching during a pandemic.

Do you feel safe in school right now?

As a teacher, it’s my number one priority to keep my kids safe, and I’ve said that for years. I do feel safe at school, and that’s [largely due] to the maintenance staff, who is present and working overtime and constantly cleaning. But I have to hand it to the kids: I was the most nervous about returning and managing 20 kids wearing masks. Incredibly infrequently throughout the day do I have to remind them to put a mask on.

They are aware that they are doing themselves a favor and showing respect for one another and to me by doing this.

Start your orthodontic treatment, braces or Invisalign for

AS LOW AS

99-$139/MO.

$

That’s interesting, because that’s in stark contrast to what’s happening out in the real world amongst adults.

I feel safer with twenty 7- and 8-yearolds than I do in many places. The kids want to be here, and their families want to keep them here. The worst part for me has been when a PEEP’s pencil box falls on the floor, and I have to tell the others, “You can’t help [pick it up].” As children, they run to help one another; it’s been hard to undo some of the things we’ve worked so hard to teach them.

What’s been one major win since you’ve returned to school?

Bringing creativity back into the classroom. We’ve been having to really rethink and restructure our days. I knew that the challenge this year would be to keep students engaged. I feared that students would be saddened by the lack of “fun” in the classroom. I’m the most surprised that students are telling me, “That’s the most fun thing we’ve ever done at school!” Or “that was the best day I’ve had!” It’s not because I’m this great, miraculous provider of fun; I think that they are more grateful than ever.

Creating Smiles For A Lifetime

INVISALIGN • CLEAR BRACES • EARLY TREATMENT • SAME DAY TREATMENT • FRIENDLY STAFF Family discounts | Complimentary consultation with X-Rays | Participates with most major insurances In-office interest-free payment options | Evening & weekend hours

4 C O N V E N I E N T L O C AT I O N S ALBANY

LATHAM

CLIFTON PARK

EAST GREENBUSH

1465 Western Avenue

713 Troy-Schenectady Road, Suite 127

939 Route 146, Building 400, Suite 4

4 Middle Mannix Road, Suite 100

(518) 512-3001

(518) 724-0770

(518) 631-9771

(518) 280-8882

ADIRONDACKORTHODONTICS.COM

HONOR SOCIETY MEET SARATOGA’S 2020 ‘CAPITAL REGION GIVES BACK’ HONOREES Last winter feels like an eternity ago, doesn’t it?

Great personal success has always been achieved through listening, collaboration and leadership.

We view your unique wealth management needs the same way where the relationship is entirely transparent.

Since 1990, we at Bouchey Financial Group have provided personalized wealth management services for individuals, families and businesses. As an independent, fee-only investment Since 1990, Steven Bouchey has been advising clients and in 1995 formed Bouchey Financial Group.

As an independent, SEC Registered Investment Advisor, Bouchey Financial Group acts as a fiduciary for our clients in order limit any conflicts of It is through successful stewardship of our situation that theytohave entrusted usinterest. to manage overour $350 million in assets onclients’ their behalf. financial situation that they have$550 entrusted million us to manage more than $550 million in assets on their behalf.

When saratoga living unveiled our inaugural Saratoga Gives Back list and event in December 2019, we had the luxury of throwing a classy launch party, during which we were able to rub elbows with our honored guests, giving them the royal treatment in front of a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Thousands of dollars were raised for the honorees’ organizations, and all was merry and bright.

This year, our 10 newest honorees—five in saratoga living, five in CAPITAL REGION LIVING—are working under much more trying circumstances (i.e. the pandemic) in a year when their organizations are hurting a little bit more than usual. That, and we’ve traded rubbing elbows for 20-second handwashing.

So our newly minted Capital Region Gives Back event, which we’ll be hosting on December 10, will look a little different this year, due to COVID restrictions. But the endgame will be the same: raising money for great Spa City causes. (For tickets, visit saratogaliving.com.)

Join saratoga living as we honor our 2020 class of givers.

—THE EDITORS

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY D O R I F I T Z PAT R I C K

www.bouchey.com

Historic Downtown Troy 518.720.3333 INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

|

|

Saratoga Springs 518.306.6268

FINANCIAL PLANNING

Historic Downtown Troy 518.720.3333

|

|

|

www.bouchey.com

PERSONAL CFO SERVICES

Saratoga Springs 518.306.6268

⁄

saratogaliving.com 77

Heather Straughter

P

owerhouse super-mom Heather Straughter co-founded Jake’s Help From Heaven with her husband, Brian, as a coping mechanism for the overwhelming grief she felt after their beloved son, who was fighting a rare and debilitating illness, passed away in December 2010 at the age of 4. Over the years, the nonprofit has helped more than a thousand families with children with chronic illnesses and disabilities, with Straughter often having the greatest impact simply by showing up as “Jake’s mom.”

But this year was different. “The hardest thing now with COVID is missing out on the personal connections,” Straughter says. “When someone needs an adaptive bike or chair, we order it, put together the items and personally deliver. But with COVID, we’ve had to stop the deliveries.

Sometimes moms hug me and cry when they realize it’s me, Jake’s mom. Their existence is normal to me, so there’s that connection.”

Having walked in those moms’ shoes for four years, Straughter understands on the deepest level what it’s like being your child’s full-time advocate, all while balancing 24/7 caretaking duties with “normal” family life. “It was so important to us as a family to be a family,” she says about herself, Brian and Jake’s older brother by a year, Ethan. “That means having the right stroller, so that when Ethan was playing soccer, it could get in the dirt, and Jake could watch the game.

At Jake’s Help From Heaven, we give normal family experiences to people.”

The organization also provides services such as transportation to treatments and help with medical costs, and increased its offerings this year. “In April, we started the COVID Emergency Fund,” Straughter says. “There’s so much going on during this pandemic—a child can’t get care, or a parent lost a job. With these kids, you have to be extra careful.”

—ABBY TEGNELIA

CO-FOUNDER AND P R E S I D E N T/ T R E A S U R E R , JA K E ’ S H E L P F R O M H E AV E N

Lawrence Edelson ARTISTIC AND GENERAL D I R EC TO R , O P E R A S A R AT O G A

W

hen COVID decimated Saratoga Springs’ renowned performing arts season this past summer, it was a crushing blow to the area’s economy and affected an enormous amount of people. But, the show must go on, and Lawrence Edelson, the passionate Opera Saratoga artistic and general director, was left to usher in the oh-so-classical opera to a techie new world.

“This is going to have a permanent impact on our field,” Edelson says. “Hopefully, what it’s going to do is catalyze and accelerate our thinking about technology in the arts. We have some catching up to do, because digital and virtual engagement are not our expertise; live performance is.”

As it turns out, Edelson was a quick study. In November, the opera launched America Sings, a monthly series live-streamed from Caffè Lena and featuring BIPOC performers, who have been historically under-represented in the classical arts.

In addition to the Herculean challenges involved with keeping an artistic company afloat (Edelson promises there will be a season in summer 2021!) through a pandemic, he has also worked tirelessly to preserve the opera’s vital educational programming. One addition that stands out is a new music therapy program, made possible by a partnership with Songs by Heart, that will soon use new software with low latency to allow the opera’s interactive music activities for Alzheimer’s patients to happen virtually. While Edelson looks forward to hopefully being in-person again by next spring (“There is incredible value in holding the hand of a patient”), he has high hopes for the newly rejiggered program this winter. “We’re going to be the only opera in the country that has a fulltime music therapy program for Alzheimer’s patients,” Edelson says of the opera’s partnership with Songs by Heart. “This is very personal to me, because I’ve had a number of members of my family, including my father, who have had Alzheimer’s.”

—ABBY TEGNELIA

⁄

78 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

⁄

saratogaliving.com 79

T

he longer we were told to stay home during the pandemic, the more concerns started to arise about what this sedentary—and often isolated—new lifestyle was doing to our physical and mental health. Locally, the Saratoga Regional YMCA swung into action, with Board Member Allison Meyers spreading the word to anyone who would listen.

“Everybody deserves good health, regardless of means,” Meyers says. “As we enter 2021, we’ll have the need for more physical activity and mental health support, which the Y provides. And we help just about everybody who asks for it.”

Seniors are a huge part of the Y’s membership, and this COVID experience has been a lesson in keeping them connected in a new virtual world. “Many of them have come to the Y daily for 30 years,” Meyers says. “When they were told to stay home, the Y staff made personal phone calls to make sure they didn’t need anything and started a daily email just for seniors, to keep them engaged and comfortable with the virtual experience. To this point, almost 10,000 seniors have participated in a virtual workout since the beginning of COVID.” The Y also now provides assistance to children whose parents are unable to oversee their at-home learning, as well as post-lockdown nutritional guidance.

Surprisingly, many people don’t even know that these programs (not to mention the Y’s bread-and-butter “swim and gym”) are free to anyone who asks for financial assistance, with the association providing more than $780,000 in assistance last year. “We now have a fraction of the membership that we had,” Meyers says. “So we’re really looking to the community to help us be able to continue to provide wellness to people during one of the greatest times in history they’ll be needing it.”

Ramón Domínguez P R E S I D E N T, N E W YO R K R AC E T R AC K C H A P L A I N C Y OF AMERICA

R

⁄

80 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020

MEMBER OF THE B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S , S A R AT O G A REGIONAL YMCA

—ABBY TEGNELIA

CREDIT

—BRIEN BOUYEA

Allison Meyers

CREDIT

amón Domínguez began his association with the New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America during his Hall of Fame career as a jockey. Now, seven years after his retirement from the saddle, Domínguez has taken on the role of president of the organization. “I got involved with the Chaplaincy when I was riding and learned how important it is for the backstretch workers to have a support system like this in place,” says Domínguez.

“I wanted to help any way I could. The backstretch workers are the heart of the sport and the Chaplaincy is there for them in many ways.”

Incorporated in 1972, the Race Track Chaplaincy of America is a national organization that provides backstretch workers with food and clothing banks, recreational activities, referrals for healthcare, legal and financial services, education workshops and transportation, among other programs. The New York chapter is run by a small staff led by Reverend Humberto Chavez and relies primarily on volunteers and supporters to accomplish its mission.

“Many of the people working on the backstretch are away from their families and count on the Chaplaincy for emotional support and spiritual guidance,” says Domínguez. The organization also helps workers with practical matters such as finding a doctor or showing them how to address a letter and place a stamp on it—everyday tasks that the majority of us might take for granted. “The roles the Chaplaincy fills have been even more essential this year with the pandemic and all of the stress and uncertainty it has caused,” he says. “The Chaplaincy is always there no matter what, and it’s my honor to be a part of it.”

Martel Catalano CO - FO U N D E R A N D E X EC U T I V E D I R EC TO R , B E YO N D M Y B AT T L E

M

artel Catalano and her friend Nell Pritchard, both of whom suffer from incurable diseases—Catalano from Retinitis Pigmentosa, Pritchard from Cystic Fibrosis—founded the Saratoga Springs– based nonprofit organization Beyond My Battle as a kind of support group within a support group. “No matter what condition you’re going through, there are emotional themes that are not often addressed through your rare disease group or association,” she says. These could be anything from a stress reaction to a recent Lyme Disease diagnosis, to someone feeling incapable of being loved because of his or her Fibromyalgia. That’s where Beyond My Battle (BMB) comes into play, offering a community of friendly people willing to listen and provide support, as well as a panoply of educational resources.

In just two years, BMB has had countless wins. “Through participating in a caregiver workshop,” says Catalano of one example, “a parent was able to better understand their child’s embarrassment, lack of self-worth and limitations in having a chronic illness, and improve their relationship at home. Everything that we do comes back to relationships, and how to use them to [reduce stress].”

Due to the pandemic, BMB’s support groups have gone completely virtual, but that hasn’t stopped the organization from fighting the good fight.

In a first, BMB partnered with the Upstate New York chapter of the ALS Association in November, doing weekly workshops with caregivers. And as Catalano notes, going all-virtual had been in the stars all along. “Meeting people within the comfort of their own home was actually the direction we were headed anyway,” she says. “So it has worked to our advantage.”

—WILL LEVITH

⁄

saratogaliving.com 81

⁄

82 saratoga living

⁄ HOLIDAY ISSUE 2020 By t h e Numbers EVERY MOTHER COUNTS 17,000,000: DOLLARS INVESTED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GRANT MAKING GLOBALLY SINCE 2010 963,000: WOMEN, BABIES, HEALTH WORKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS SERVED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD 5,300: DOLLARS KRISTEN RAISED AT THIS YEAR’S VIRTUAL RUN TO BELIEVE

CAPITAL ROOTS 55: COMMUNITY GARDENS LOCATED THROUGHOUT ALBANY, RENSSELAER, SCHENECTADY AND SOUTHERN SARATOGA COUNTIES

250: FAMILIES IN NEED WHO GET A THANKSGIVING MEAL AND GROCERIES EVERY YEAR THANKS TO THE CHAPLAINCY

Dominick Purnomo

3,500: BACKSTRETCH WORKERS SERVED VIA CHILDREN’S ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, SOCIAL SERVICES, RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND NON-DENOMINATIONAL RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Denise Dubois

3: NEW YORK RACETRACKS (INCLUDING SARATOGA RACE COURSE) WHERE CHAPLAINCY SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE

Kristen Garzone

NEW YORK RACE TRACK CHAPLAINCY OF AMERICA

Patti Veitch

900: PLOTS AVAILABLE IN THOSE 55 COMMUNITY GARDENS

2,500: GRANT MONEY, IN DOLLARS, EACH FAMILY RECEIVES PER YEAR TO COVER MEDICAL COSTS FOR THEIR CHILD

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY OF THE CAPITAL REGION

117: DAYS JAKE STRAUGHTER, AFTER WHOM THE CHARITY IS NAMED, REMAINED AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN 2007, DUE TO LONG-LASTING SEIZURE COMPLICATIONS

36: INNER-CITY STOPS CAPITAL ROOTS’ VEGGIE MOBILE MAKES PER WEEK

100: MAXIMUM MILES FROM SARATOGA A CHILD CAN BE TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN

386,942: DOLLARS RAISED BY THIS YEAR’S LOCAL REAL MEN WEAR PINK CAMPAIGN FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER, MAKING IT THE TOP CAMPAIGN IN THE COUNTRY

JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN Rachel Hye Youn Rupright

2,600: CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS BENEFITING FROM EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE CAPITAL REGION HOPECLUB

8: BMB PODCAST EPISODES EXPLORING TOUGH TOPICS ABOUT LIVING WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS

46: PERCENTAGE OF CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A CHANGE IN THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR CARE SINCE THE START OF COVID

2: WEEKLY ZOOM SUPPORT GROUPS (THERE’S AN ILLNESS/DISABILITY VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP AND A CARE PARTNER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP) 1,218: MEMBERS IN BMB’S SUPPORT GROUP ON FACEBOOK

Allison Meyers

GATEWAY HOUSE OF PEACE

BEYOND MY BATTLE

100: PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING THAT IS DONOR DRIVEN 1: BEDS AVAILABLE FOR TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS AT GATEWAY HOUSE IN BALLSTON SPA (TWO IN A NORMAL YEAR)

Heather Straughter

0: COST OF GATEWAY HOUSE’S SERVICES TO RESIDENTS

120: WEEKS OF CAMP PROVIDED TO CHILDREN IN NEED IN 2019 THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH FRANKLIN COMMUNITY CENTER 35: PERCENTAGE OF MEMBERSHIPS LOST ACROSS THE FIVE SARATOGA REGIONAL YMCA BRANCHES BECAUSE OF COVID

FEED ALBANY 175,000: DOLLARS RAISED BY FEED ALBANY THROUGH GRANTS AND PERSONAL DONATIONS SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED IN MARCH 2020

4,086: SENIORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN YMCA PROGRAMS IN 2019

3: DAYS A WEEK FEED ALBANY OFFERS FREE MEALS AT DP AN AMERICAN BRASSERIE

Lawrence Edelson

32,500: POUNDS OF FRESH FRUIT, PRODUCE, MEAT AND DAIRY DISTRIBUTED TO ALBANY FAMILIES IN NEED ON ONE SATURDAY IN OCTOBER THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH KIPP ALBANY COMMUNITY CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SARATOGA REGIONAL YMCA 90: FULLY STAGED WORKS THE OPERA HAS PERFORMED TO DATE, INCLUDING 10 PREMIERE PRODUCTIONS

Martel Catalano

0: SHOWS ALLOWED THIS SEASON DUE TO COVID-19 20,000: ELMENTARY SCHOOL–AGED CHILDREN REACHED EVERY YEAR THROUGH EDUCATION PROGRAMS (THIS YEAR, VIRTUALLY)

Ramón Domínguez

OPERA SARATOGA

By t h e Numbers 54 | C A P I T A L R E G I O N L I V I N G | H O L I D A Y I S S U E 2 0 2 0