*{are to-go cocktails to stay?}
SUMMER 2023
“Saratoga was always great, but it just got even more on the mark. We love walking downtown on a summer night, just taking it all in.”
“In 25 years, the diversity of the exciting things to do in Saratoga has increased. And that draws people in.”
SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION
THE SARATOGA 25: SONNY AND JULIE BONACIO AND 23 MORE SPA CITY ROCKSTARS
THE 25 GREATEST RACING MOMENTS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARS
REMEMBER WHEN? A QUARTER CENTURY OF SPA CITY MEMORIES
Four Hospitals, One Children’s Hospital, One College, and the Visiting Nurses
2023 SUMMER SEASON
Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival
June 24 & 25
New York City Ballet
July 18-22
The Philadelphia Orchestra
August 2-19
celebrating our th anniversary FEATURES
30 THE SARATOGA 25
50 THE SARATOGA 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
BY NATALIE MOORE52 REMEMBER WHEN... Saratogians Share Their Fondest Memories of the Past 25 Years.
58 PUPDATE: LUCKY PUPPY RESCUE
BY ABBY TEGNELIAthe boys of summer “What was great about last summer was it didn’t matter what day of the week it was,” says Bocage “Champagne Bar” co-owner Zac Denham, seen here with his partner (in life and business), Clark Gale. “The second we opened to the second we closed, there was a constant flow of traffic. It gave us a real opportunity to hone in on our service.”
photography by RACHEL LANZI/THE CONTENT AGENCY
16 From the CEO
19
60 saratoga living’ s OVERDRESS TO IMPRESS
62 MAKE-A-WISH’S WISH GALA plus 5 more Saratoga events
69 FASHION: Yellow Boutique
70 FOOD & DRINK:
70 on the move: WEST AVE PIZZA
72 new groove: EDDIE F’S
72 open for biz: INDULGENCE
74 on deck: KINDRED
74 thirst trap: LUCY’S BAR
76 DESIGN: Lee Owens
78 HAUTE PROPERTY: Horse Heaven
HOURS
86 Keep Saratoga Weird
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Volume 25, No. 3
Summer 2023
Copyright © 2023
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Abby Tegnelia CEO
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kathleen Gates
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
Natalie Moore
SENIOR DESIGNER Linda Gates
SPORTS EDITOR Brien Bouyea
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Francesco D’Amico
Dori Fitzpatrick
Susan Gates
EDITOR AT LARGE
WRITERS
Vanessa Geneva Ahern, Lisa Arcella, Karen Bjornland, Claire Burnett
Chris Carola, Tony Case, Dan De Federicis, Jeff Dingler, Elissa Garay
Christine Graf, Benjamin Lerner, Daniel Nester, Tom Pedulla
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Morgan Campbell, Samantha Decker, Elizabeth Haynes
Hannah Kuznia, Dustin Lanterman, Rachel Lanzi
Konrad Odhiambo, Terri-Lynn Pellegri, Susie Raisher, Alyssa Salerno
Nate Seitelman, Zach Skowronek, Alex Zhang
Annette Quarrier
PUBLISHER
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
PUBLISHER, CAPITAL REGION LIVING
SALES DIRECTOR, CAPITAL REGION LIVING
ART DIRECTOR, MARKETING
SALES ASSISTANT
SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER
Tina Galante
Teresa Frazer
Tara Buffa
Steve Teabout
Tracy Momrow
Rachael Rieck
Anthony R. Ianniello CHAIRAbby Tegnelia PRESIDENT/CEO
Tina Galante
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
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Twenty five years is a long time in any regard, but in journalism, where the idea is to churn out new stories as often as you have the bandwidth, it is literally a lifetime. As you’ve probably picked up, this magazine’s lifetime is currently at, yes, 25 years, having been first published in 1998. Our full-time writing and editing staff here at saratoga living—the lifestyle magazine for our vibrant, enchanting, endearingly quaint, bustling, welcoming, magical town—is down to two loyal souls, a sign of the times. So to celebrate our 25th anniversary, we turned to you, dear readers, for our reporting needs. Tell us your stories! we politely begged.
And you delivered.
Turn to page 52 for a collection of memories expertly collected and curated by Director of Content Natalie Moore, and guaranteed to make you fall in love with Saratoga all over again. And on page 31, you’ll find our “Saratoga 25” feature on a collection of the characters that make our town tick. A special thank you to each one for all they do for our city.
Interestingly—at least to our journalistic eye—as we were collecting memories, not much was shared from 2020 or 2021, opening the door for us to do so. As human nature goes, we don’t get much fan mail—we mostly hear from readers when they have a bone to pick with us. But the pandemic temporarily changed that. Without the ability to do much in the way of photo shoots, our first issue produced solely under lockdown became a look back at 26 years of Dave Matthews concerts.
And the fan mail came rolling in—stir-crazy Saratogians telling us that reading the memories gave them hope that we would one day head back to SPAC in droves.
And here we are. For this year’s preview of the summer classical season—I’m there almost nightly, so come say hi!— turn to page 24.
It is our privilege now as much as it was during the pandemic to serve as a connector and story-teller for our beloved Saratoga Springs. Thank you for celebrating our 25th with us.
ABBY TEGNELIA CEO @abbytegnelia
F
E
ence, little risk
SCAN ME
EXCLUSIVE
FEATURES
BONDH. JAMES
Three thoroughbred trainers with three generations of knowledge and experience to bring out the best of each thoroughbred horse under our care.
WHILE GLOBAL FOUNDRIES HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF SARATOGA OVER THE LAST QUARTER CENTURY, SKIDMORE COLLEGE HAS REMAINED A CORNERSTONE OF THE SPA CITY ECONOMY. CHARLES V. WAIT AND SARAH CRAIG TAKE US DOWN MEMORY LANE.
BY NATALIE MOOREThe students of Skidmore College in the late 1990s certainly weren’t thinking about it when they went out for drinks at One Caroline Bistro or watched Belizbeha perform on the campus green, but their presence in Saratoga was, essentially, the city’s sole year-round economic driver. Other than the college, which had been bringing students and their parents to spend money in Saratoga for nearly 100 years, the city’s economy mostly depended on the profits made during the summer months, when tourists came to town for SPAC and the track. That, of course, is no longer the case.
“The challenge was attracting businesses outside the summer season to Saratoga,” says Adirondack Trust Company Chair Charles V. Wait, who served as the chairman of the Plan of Action, a downtown Saratoga revitalization effort that began in the early 1970s. Through that effort, trees were planted on Broadway, a law was passed allowing sidewalk cafes, and eventually, in 1984, the Saratoga
Springs City Center, a community effort Wait considers among his proudest achievements, opened.
But in 1998—the year saratoga living was born—Saratoga still wasn’t the year-round destination it is today.
“I remember the town as being more local most of the year,” says Sarah Craig, who’s served as executive director of Caffè Lena since 1995. “Tourists were here in the summer, but in the off-season we tended to see a crowd of local regulars with deep ties to the venue. Now, we get a steady stream of out-oftown visitors year round.”
The fundamental shift came about in 2009, but the city had been laying the groundwork for it to happen since
decades prior. “All of those years of trying to develop first SPAC, and then renovate downtown, get the City Center—all of those things were incremental improvements that led to the ability to attract a major industry like Global Foundries,” Wait says. “They’ve been here maybe 15 years, but it took 10 years of effort to get them. You should never say a community or economy is on automatic pilot, but now the development has just mushroomed because of all that effort.”
The result? Students who attend Skidmore College today no longer graduate and have to look for work elsewhere—there are jobs here. They can stay in Saratoga, go to the races in the summer, galas in the spring, festivals in the fall and museums in the winter. A year-round community, indeed.
race ace “Everyone wants to bring their best horses there because the competition is so good,” Nafzger says about Saratoga. “If you’re able to win a big race at Saratoga, there’s no doubt you’ve got a really good horse.”
“I was really confident in her going into the Alabama,” Nafzger says of Banshee Breeze, who would go on to become the 1998 Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. “She was a good and consistent filly and she was in top form at the time.”
In the Alabama, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode Banshee Breeze to a six-length romp over Lu Ravi, with favored Manistique finishing third. Banshee Breeze returned to Saratoga as a 4 year old in 1999 to win the Grade 1 Go for Wand. She carried high weight in that race—11 pounds more than runner-up Beautiful Pleasure. Overall, Banshee Breeze won or placed in 17 of her 18 starts and earned more than $2.7 million.
“I had been coming to Saratoga for a while, but that was my first really big win there,” Nafzger says of the 1998 Alabama. “Banshee Breeze is a horse that deserves more credit than she receives. I’ve been fortunate to train some good ones and she’s right there with the best of them.”
TRACK STAR
FORMER CHAMPION
BULL RIDER CARL NAFZGER
MADE HIS FIRST BIG SPLASH AT SARATOGA 25 YEARS AGO.
BY BRIEN BOUYEAIt’s not every day that you see a professional athlete retire from one sport and find success in an entirely different one. But when former bull rider Carl Nafzger—an upstart Thoroughbred trainer—entered his 3-year-old filly Banshee Breeze into the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes 25 years ago, the Texas native’s newfound career looked promising. Nafzger would go on to win the Kentucky Derby twice, develop three Eclipse Award winners and be inducted into the horse racing Hall of Fame, but it was his 1998 win at Saratoga that kickstarted his path to greatness.
Nafzger himself went on to win a second Alabama in 2007 with Lady Joanne and two editions of the Grade 1 Travers Stakes with Unshaded (2001) and Street Sense (2007). Voted the Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Trainer in 1990, he retired with 1,130 wins. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2008. Now retired and living in Kentucky, Nafzger regularly returns to Saratoga for the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
“I’ve been fortunate to win some of the biggest races at Saratoga and I’ve had some great times there,” Nafzger says. “The town really loves racing and the sport’s culture and I can’t think of too many places that can match its history.”
win multiple editions of the Whitney Handicap.
2009 Rachel Alexandra becomes the first filly to win the Woodward Stakes.
2009 With 20 wins, Linda Rice wins the Saratoga training title to become the first woman to lead the standings at the Spa.
2016: Arrogate breaks the nearly 40-year-old stakes and track record in the Travers.
2021: The Mean Queen becomes the first mare in 14 years (and only the sixth overall) to win the Jonathan Sheppard Handicap.
31 and 20 wins, respectively.
2000 City Zip becomes the first horse since Campfire in 1916 to sweep the prestigious juvenile series of the Sanford, Saratoga Special and Hopeful.
2012 Golden Ticket, at odds of 33-1, and favored Alpha finished in the first dead heat in the Travers since 1874.
2012 Trainer Allen “The Chief” Jerkens wins the final Grade 1 of his storied career when Emma’s Encore prevails in the Prioress.
2012: Jockey Ramon Dominguez wins a record 68 races at Saratoga, surpassing the previous standard of 65 set by John Velazquez.
2013 The 150th anniversary of the Saratoga meeting of 1863 is celebrated all summer long.
2014 After overcoming colic surgery, Wise Dan sets a track record in winning the Bernard Baruch.
2014: After a quarter-century as the voice for NYRA, race caller Tom Durkin puts down his microphone and binoculars.
2018: Trainer Chad Brown wins a record 46 races at Saratoga, breaking the previous mark of 40 that he shared with Todd Pletcher.
2019: Code of Honor wins the 150th running of the Travers, the oldest stakes race for 3 year olds in America.
2004 In near darkness with a powerful thunderstorm hitting the track, Birdstone follows up his Belmont victory with a memorable Travers win for owner Marylou Whitney.
2008 Commentator becomes the first horse since Kelso in the 1960s to
2015: With only one win in 10 starts, Keene Ice adds to Saratoga’s reputation as the “graveyard of favorites” by defeating Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Travers.
2015 Now-dominant jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. wins his first Saratoga riding title with 57 wins.
2020: With the track closed to the public because of Covid, New York–bred Tiz the Law wins the Travers for Saratoga-based partnership Sackatoga Stable.
2021: For the second time in three years, Got Stormy defeats an accomplished field of males in the Grade 1 Fourstardave.
win a Grade 1 race at Saratoga in three consecutive years with her victory in the Vanderbilt.
2022:
becomes the first jockey to win 1,000 races at Saratoga.
—BRIEN BOUYEA
Mary Birnbaum has been busy. Opera Saratoga’s new general and artistic director could have coasted for a bit after starting her role in March— after all, the season’s programming was mostly decided before she got here, a normal occurrence during a performing arts leadership turnover. The show, as they say, must go on— even while the country is scoured for that perfect new director. Instead, the
tireless producer (she also serves as dramatic advisor to the Masters of Music and Graduate Diploma Program at NYC’s prestigious The Julliard School) hit the ground running.
Birnbaum’s mission: Bring her beloved opera to a whole new swath of art lovers, adventure seekers and well, anyone in Saratoga with a sense of humor or a certain joie de vivre
“This season is about humanity and people’s foibles,” she says. “The characters are boisterous and funny.
It’s necessary that there be people in the audience who are open to new experiences—the same crowd that would go out to an escape room on a Friday night or to a nightclub. Those are the people who we want to teach us what it means to enjoy something real versus being on your screen at home.”
It’s all so perfectly fitting for experience-driven Saratoga. To entice these folks to the theater, Birnbaum is turning every show into an event, via partnerships with beloved local businesses such as Saratoga Tea & Honey and First Fill Spirits—with the pre-party often serving as a hint as to what that evening’s opera is about. (For example: Before the July 7 showing of Don Pasquale, which Birnbaum lovingly calls a “rom-com” with a dose of old-fashioned catfishing, saratoga living will be doing a preshow cocktail hour for singles.)
“It’s the power of the arts, and the power of the opera’s unique combination of music and theater, that allows us to create community,” she says. “We want to bring unique events to Saratoga—events that make you feel like you belong.”
The season officially kicks off June 3 with its Stars of Tomorrow concert at the Spa Little Theater, which was the opera’s home until Covid. Opening night of its new UPH run is June 30, when the company will perform the musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder . (For the full season schedule, see page 90.)
“We are thrilled to be moving downtown,” Birnbaum says. “We love the vibe of the space.” Of her innovative streak that is breathing new life into Opera Saratoga, she says, “There’s no way to survive if you’re not thinking, ‘How can we expand? How can we make something that really speaks to our moment now?’”
OPERA SARATOGA’S NEW GENERAL AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, MARY BIRNBAUM , IS TURNING A NIGHT AT THE OPERA INTO A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.
It’s not summer in Saratoga until the strains of classical music start pouring out of Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Ballet and classical music enthusiasts will have more than enough to swing their air batons to this season with a sprawling slate of familiars such as virtuosic cellist (and last year’s saratoga living cover star) Yo-Yo Ma; the New York City Ballet (NYCB), which is celebrating its 75th anniversary with an exciting program of crowd favorites and SPAC premieres; and the Philadelphia Orchestra—which will balance spectacular premieres and artist debuts, including that of Emmy-, Grammy-, and Tony-winning Broadway superstar Audra McDonald.
“There’s so much I’m excited about, it’s a little hard to keep it concise,” says Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC President
and CEO. “For the NYCB, the SPAC Premieres program is amazing, but I’m thrilled we’ll also get to see Justin Peck’s first evening-length ballet, Copland Dance Episodes.”
From July 18-22, the NYCB will return with the full company and a roster of more than 90 dancers under Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford. The season kicks off with “NYCB On and Off Stage,” an accessible, peak-behind-the-curtain teaser, featuring the best excerpts from the week’s ballet programs. “[This] has become an important part of our efforts to bring new people to experience ballet in an inviting way,” says Sobol. “New for this year, the celebratory evening will culminate in a dance party in the Hall of Springs.”
Following this is two nights (July 1920) of “SPAC Premieres,” spotlighting new and contemporary works from
around the globe, such as Play Time by Gianna Reisen, which is set to music by hip-hop icon Solange Knowles, and Love Letter (on shuffle) by Kyle Abraham, with music by Grammywinning English singer-songwriter James Blake, among others. There will also be two performances of a different SPAC premiere (July 20 and 22): the aforementioned Copland Dance Episodes by New York-based, Tony-winning choreographer, director and dancer Justin Peck. This original “full-evening” work is set to four of Copland’s most famous compositions: Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, Fanfare for the Common Man, and
Rodeo Closing out the dance season (July 21-22) are ballet classics Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky/Balanchine), Fancy Free (Bernstein/Robbins) and Firebird (Stravinsky/Balanchine and Robbins).
“There’s always something special about performing outside at this wonderful venue that has been NYCB’s summer home for so many years,” says NYCB principal dancer Mira Nadon. “I’m particularly excited to bring Justin Peck’s Copland Dance Episodes to Saratoga. The choreography, music, costumes and lighting have all come together in such a beautiful way, and I’m so excited for the Saratoga audiences to get to experience it.”
Next up, the Philadelphia Orchestra is packing quite a musical punch as well, with homecomings from Music
Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Emmy- and Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Also returning, for the first time in a decade, is renowned violinist Gil Shaham, who will lead a special SPAC premiere (August 16) of Vivaldi’s beloved violin concerti, The Four Seasons. In contrast, there will be several exciting debuts, including a genre-blending “little orchestra” called Pink Martini with China Forbes (August 4) and theater dynamo Audra McDonald, who’s won six Tony awards throughout her career— more than any other actor. (All she needs is an Oscar for EGOT status.)
“I’m very much looking forward to returning to lovely Saratoga this summer to perform with the incomparable Philadelphia Orchestra led by my dear friend [conductor] Andy Einhorn,” says McDonald, who’s been spotted around the Capital Region in recent years filming for HBO’s The Gilded Age. “SPAC is such a special place in the summer, and I can’t wait to sing my Broadway favorites from Ellington, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin, Sondheim and more.”
In addition to McDonald’s night of Broadway favorites (August 10), The Philadelphia Orchestra will present Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring alongside John Luther Adams’ Vespers of the Blessed Earth (August 12), a new work and another SPAC premiere that, Sobol teases, will “be performed in a unique and nontraditional manner.” Audiences should also be sure to catch Yo-Yo Ma as he performs Dvořák’s ebullient Cello Concerto with guest conductor Xian Zhang (August 17). The orchestra will round out its wide-ranging season with a couple of films: Earth: An HD Odyssey (August 18) and, the following day, Jurassic Park In Concert, in honor of the classic dino-flick’s 30th anniversary.
Velociraptors, ballet and Audra McDonald? Sounds like another unforgettable SPAC summer.
“I’m very much looking forward to returning to lovely Saratoga this summer to perform with the incomparable Philadelphia Orchestra. SPAC is such a special place in the summer, and I can’t wait to sing my Broadway favorites from Ellington, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin, Sondheim and more.”
—AUDRA McDONALDALLISON MICHAEL ORENSTEIN
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS?
Without a doubt, it’s having great people on our team. We are fortunate to have staff members who have an innate sense of service and hospitality.
HOW HAVE YOU HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU OPERATE TO CATER TO A CHANGING SARATOGA?
As there is now visitor appetite to come to Saratoga during all 12 months of the year, we have cultivated a year-round staff to meet the needs of travelers and provide our level of service 365 days a year.
THE PROUD OWNERS OF SARATOGA ARMS HOTEL AND CHIANTI IL RISTORANTE CELEBRATE A QUARTER CENTURY IN BUSINESS.
WHAT HAS CHANGED MOST IN THE LAST 25 YEARS? Technology. I remember using a paper calendar to store reservations, and hand-writing confirmation letters and popping them in the mail. We’ve really leaned into technology to help us grow and futureproof the business, but the boutique and concierge nature of Saratoga Arms Hotel will never change.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
Seeing our long-time guests come back year after year. Many of our guests have been staying with us since the beginning, and it is so special to us that they choose to come back for their events and milestones.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR NUMBER-ONE GOAL OVER THESE PAST 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS?
To have every guest leave the restaurant with a smile. To not just provide an exceptional dining experience but to create memories.
HOW HAVE YOU HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU OPERATE TO CATER TO A CHANGING SARATOGA?
You have to be able to adapt and change with the temperature of the industry. However, Saratoga hasn’t really changed. We have been lucky to be part of a vibrant city for so many years, and we always try to stay fresh and relevant and provide our guests with a superior dining experience.
WHAT HAS CHANGED MOST IN THE LAST 25 YEARS? While the industry has gone through many changes, Chianti has always remained diligent and consistent in everything that we do.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
I have so many favorite memories from over the years that it’s impossible to pick just one. From our local community to guests who visit while on vacation, I feel blessed that Chianti has become part of their story.
Craig Wood Golf Course offers a challenging round of golf in a spectacular setting. Designed by Seymour Dunn in 1925, this carefully maintained municipal course was strategically carved into the Adirondack countryside. The back nine is narrow, tree lined, and an excellent challenge! With quick, true greens, Craig Wood offers the perfect opportunity for a great round, plus a pro shop and restaurant with impressive views!
518.523.9811 | craigwoodgolfclub.com
Cronin’s Golf Resort has proudly been serving New York’s North Country for more than 75 years. Five generations of Cronins have operated the resort, which, located on the Hudson River, is known for its breathtaking views of the Adirondacks. Spend an afternoon playing the 18-hole, par 70 course, or stay for the whole weekend in one of the resort’s motel units or cottages.
518.623.9336 | croninsgolfresort.com
Snuggled up to big views of the highest mountains in the state, High Peaks Golf Course offers golfers exceptional scenery that will make keeping your eye on the ball a challenge. Located in Newcomb, the heart of the Adirondacks, this 9-hole, par 33 course is ideally situated for days full of golf and other outdoor adventures including hiking, paddling and birding.
518.582.2300 | newcombny.gov/high-peaks-golf-course
Challenging yet serene is the name of the game at Inlet Golf Club, an 18-hole, 6,131-yard, par 70 championship course offering beautifully manicured greens and an impressive layout. The course boasts well maintained fairways and greens, and golfers who’ve played can’t stop talking about the tough sixth. Stop by the fully-stocked pro shop, and enjoy the scenery at Double Eagle Bar and Grill. 315.357.3503 | inletgolfclub.com
The Lake Placid Club offers 45 holes of spectacular golf in the Olympic village. Award-winning courses offer a unique variety of golf for players of all abilities. Choose from a Seymour Dunn–designed classic Scottish links course laden with bunkers; the straight, tree-lined mountain course; or the short iron–friendly “Pristine Nine.” Discover why presidents and legends golf at the Lake Placid Club!
518.523.4460 | thelakeplacidclub.com/golf
Fans of Donald Ross courses adore his design for this tree-lined, 9-hole, par 35 course in the scenic small town of Lake Pleasant. Overlooking Sacandaga Lake, the course, with four back nine tees and five black tees for longer play, is a hidden gem in Adirondack golf. The challenges on this course are plentiful, packing a lot of play into nine holes.
518.548.7071 | lakepleasantgc.wixsite.com/lpgc
SARANAC INN GOLF CLUB
125 COUNTY ROUTE 46, SARANAC LAKE
The Saranac Inn Golf Club is one of the Adirondacks’ most stunning courses, challenging golfers since 1901. Legendary course architect Seymour Dunn called it his masterpiece! Noted for its lightning-fast and true greens, the classic Scottish design has a great mix of long, medium and short par threes, fours and fives, and is fun for a range of skill levels.
518.891.1402 | saranacinn.com
35 GRACE MOORE ROAD, SARATOGA SPRINGS
Saratoga Lake Golf Club is a par 72 public golf course located in the heart of a lush forest just outside of downtown Saratoga Springs. It’s one of the most relaxing courses in upstate New York; every round takes players past sparkling ponds, beautiful wetlands and views of Saratoga Lake. Post-round, golfers can enjoy drinks, snacks or dinner on the spacious deck of The Hideaway, the club’s onsite restaurant. 518.581.6616 | saratogalakegolf.com
SCHROON LAKE GOLF COURSE
36 CLUBHOUSE DRIVE, SCHROON LAKE
The Schroon Lake Golf Course is a 9-hole, par 36 course close to the amenities of the classic Adirondack vacation town for which it’s named. Make your way through rolling hills and over a picturesque landscape as you glimpse Pharaoh Mountain in the distance. This public course has been in action for nearly a century, but its fun holes surrounded by natural beauty never lose their appeal.
518.582.2300 | schroon.net/golf%20course.htm
609
Friend to beginners and seasoned golfers alike, Ticonderoga Golf Course is built into the rugged Adirondack landscape. Scenic panoramic views, babbling brooks and tree-lined fairways make for a truly memorable round. A par 71 with 18 holes, the course is ideal for those looking to fine-tune their game in a historic, legendary town. Exceptional dining at Seymour’s Restaurant caps off an ideal day.
518.585.2801 | ticonderogagolfcourse.com
TUPPER LAKE GOLF CLUB
141 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD, TUPPER LAKE
With stunning views of lakes and the Adirondacks, the Donald Ross–designed Tupper Lake Golf Club is a “must play.” Established in 1932, this mountain course provides the perfect balance of challenge and beauty. Rolling terrain, tree-lined fairways and undulating greens offer a rewarding round of golf to both the low and high handicapper. After your game, unwind at the course-side Lookout Bar & Grill. 518.359.3701 | tupperlakegolf.com
373 WHITEFACE INN LANE, LAKE PLACID
Luxury awaits at this historic course, perched on the shores of Lake Placid (it’s the only course on the lake). Tight, rolling fairways pair with challenging greens that keep golfers exhilarated and on their toes. Opened as a 9-hole course in 1895 and later expanded to a full 18 holes by architect John Van Kleek, the Whiteface Club is known for excellent play and rewarding post-round celebrations.
whitefaceclubresort.com/amenities/golf
CLAIM TO FAME: The power couple behind Bonacio Construction and Julie & Co. Realty
There’s arguably no one alive today to which you can credit the actual physical appearance of Saratoga more than Sonny and Julie Bonacio. The power couple is responsible for the construction or renovation of local museums, horse barns, concert venues, apartments, condominiums, medical offices, fire stations, banks, stores, restaurants, golf clubs…Need we go on? Most recently, Bonacio Construction has undertaken the behemoth Adelphi Hotel expansion, as well as the redevelopment of Longfellows and, outside of town, a sprawling 36-acre resort in Schroon Lake.
Oh, and the Bonacios don’t just create the structures that define the look and feel of Saratoga Springs today—they sell them, too. In 2015, Julie opened Julie & Co. Realty, a boutique brokerage firm that to date has closed more than $1.7 billion in sales combined, opened a second office in Schroon Lake, and recently hired six new agents. This, in addition to her role as vice president of her husband’s construction company, which he started in 1988 right before the duo said “I do.” Power couple indeed.
Thirty-five years later, the Bonacios have built a bona fide empire on the promise of what Saratoga has to offer. “We create a product for people who want a different level of quality of life,” Sonny says. “At the end of the day, it’s the quality of life and the interesting things—”
“—that Saratoga has to offer,” Julie jumps in, a regular occurrence after more than three decades of marriage.
“It’s the arts, the track, the downtown that’s so pedestrian friendly, all our great restaurants, boutiques...people really love to be here.”
In honor of saratoga living’s silver anniversary, we selected 25 people who have made Saratoga what it is and who will continue to shape its future for years to come. From the couple that literally built this city to a star high school student with high hopes for her hometown, meet the saratoga 25.
CLAIM TO FAME: Cofounders of Business for Good, a foundation that transforms the traditional philanthropic model by buying businesses and donating profits to charity, supporting minority-owned businesses with capital and resources, and assisting charities with donations
ED ON SARATOGA: “With Fingerpaint [the marketing firm he founded] being in Saratoga, it gave us instant recognition all over the country. There were so many clients that had heard about it, been here for a concert or for the track. There’s a nice national cachet to the city.”
LISA ON SARATOGA: “We’d like to see more attention given to diversity in Saratoga. Close the income gap so that you can help people that struggle with homelessness or food insecurity.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Vice president of DeCrescente Distributing Company, the Saratoga County–based business that his great-grandfather started 75 years ago this year
ON SARATOGA: “I love wakesurfing on Saratoga Lake. Just going out there, stopping at one of the bars or restaurants that are on the lake, hanging out, spending time with my family.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Co-founder, head of business development and “Buttonista” of Two Buttons Deep, which is known for Gen Z-luring videos—that can garner tens of thousands of views —and unconventional sponsorship opps, such as a recent car wash scavenger hunt
ON SARATOGA: “I’m one of those people who loves the tourist season. I don’t hide or go to Ballston Spa to get dinner during track season. It goes by so fast, but the energy… It puts a nonstop smile on your face for eight weeks.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Panza’s Restaurant’s personable, tireless owner who greets every one of his regulars himself—if they can get him out of the kitchen
ON SARATOGA: “Looking back, at one point there was only the Wishing Well, the Trade Winds, our place on the lake, Mangino’s and a place called the Country Gentleman. After the track, there was nowhere to go. You look at the number of restaurants that have moved in—there’s amazing competition. Everybody’s got to step up their game to compete.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Owner and bandleader of Soul Session Entertainment, self-proclaimed “edu-tainer,” and quite possibly Saratoga’s most beloved musician
ON SARATOGA: “I remember being at the Arcade building, setting up my full drum kit and having people come and join me and just jam out. Why? Just for the sake of jamming. Foot traffic made it really easy for me to be on the street and just play.”
CLAIM TO FAME: General manager of The Adelphi Hotel in the midst of its mammoth expansion to add 33 rooms and 79 condominiums, and dog mom to Adelphi regular Jackson, her 40-pound Goldendoodle
ON SARATOGA: “Saratoga has so much to offer. It’s not just about the racetrack, it’s not just about SPAC. It’s about a collaboration of a lot of different entities in town that make it a special place to be.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Saratoga’s Commissioner of Public Works, the City’s first Black commissioner ever, and a calm voice of reason during a particularly raucous local government spell
ON SARATOGA: “Working for the City, there’s never a dull day. You get to interact with lots of different people, residents and groups on problems that impact our community. You get to make a significant impact on the residents’ lives day to day, which I find to be the best part of public works.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Resident Unicorn—a fitting title that really means COO— at Palette Community
ON SARATOGA: “I love the Spa State Park. When I die, I’ll be a ghost there haunting everyone—just preparing you. I would love to see Saratoga become a really bike-friendly city that’s more walkable. We already have such a lively downtown but we can make it even better.”
CLAIM TO FAME: “First on 13”: Breaking news guru/ anchor/reporter and Saratoga-North Country news chief at NewsChannel 13, and founder of Kelly’s Angels, a charitable organization created in honor of his late wife, who died of breast cancer at 37
ON SARATOGA: “I’m reminded every day through Kelly’s Angels that most people are good and want to do good. And in this community, they do. They step up.”
CLAIM TO FAME: The notoriously pessimistic owner of Saratoga’s Broadway Deli, outspoken social media commentator (aka The Deli Lama), and provider of free rotisserie chickens to those in need
ON SARATOGA: “My favorite part of Saratoga summer is when the tourists leave. Obviously, they are a great boon, but I’ve always worked in the restaurant industry and frankly, as nice as all that tourist business is, we do fine without it.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Director of donor engagement and main spokesperson for Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary
ON SARATOGA: “This is a very special place for a million reasons, but one of them is that people from around the world come here. And when you are an organization that’s devoted to the welfare of horses, everyone we’d ever want to talk to—our whole universe— literally comes to us. No other organization has that kind of home-court advantage.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Chairman of the board of directors of Adirondack Trust Company and key player in Saratoga’s Plan of Action, which revitalized the city’s downtown beginning in the 1970s
ON SARATOGA: “One of the things about Saratoga that makes it possible to have a thriving and financially strong local institution is that people have an identity as Saratogians. Saratoga has such a strong self-identity, and people are so interested in supporting local stores and local institutions. It’s kind of in the DNA not only of people who grew up here, but people who move here too. There’s this tremendous sense of community.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Appointed president and CEO of Saratoga Hospital after the toughest healthcare crisis of our generation
ON SARATOGA: “I’ve lived most of my adult life in DC/Baltimore. There’s so much opportunity there, but people live so far apart from each other. You work and live in two very different places. In Saratoga, you work and live all together. The biggest change for me is being part of a real community where I see people I work with and I see our patients. It’s very nice to be a part of something bigger, even though it’s smaller.”
CLAIM TO FAME: President of Skidmore College, who moved to town during the height of Covid lockdown to navigate the school out of the pandemic
ON SARATOGA: “I’d never been here until my last interview at Skidmore. I knew Manhattan. I knew there was something north of Manhattan, but I didn’t know what, and now I’m discovering this amazing state and loving it.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Co-owners of longtime— and dog-friendly—Spa City gift shops Impressions of Saratoga and The Dark Horse Mercantile, the latter of which is celebrating its five-year anniversary on June 17 (expect a visit from mascot Upset, their miniature horse)
MADDY ON SARATOGA: “Over the next few years there are going to be a lot of new entrepreneurs and new ideas coming to the city with the way people have moved around during Covid.”
MARIANNE ON SARATOGA:
“You know, it has its pains and its little bumps and warts, but there isn’t any place else I’d want to be.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Longtime owner of H. James Bond Racing Stable, Thoroughbred Breeders board member and Saratoga Race Course enthusiast
ON SARATOGA: “I cannot tell you what it means to have a horse win in Saratoga. It’s the most special thing in the whole wide world. My heart flutters when I go on the backside of Saratoga and realize the people over the last 200 years that have touched that surface, walked on that dirt. It’s second to none.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Co-owners of Bocage Champagne Bar—which just celebrated one year in business—who married at The Adelphi after hiding out from big-city life in Saratoga during the pandemic
CLARK ON SARATOGA: “We always had a hunch that people in Saratoga would get what we’re into. There’s certainly a rich food and beverage scene here, and we thought we would fit into that.”
ZAC ON SARATOGA: “This summer, we’re putting a focus on prioritizing our locals by giving them access to reservations that the general public can’t see in an effort to keep bringing people to downtown when they typically would avoid downtown.”
CLAIM TO FAME: Owner of downtown clothing boutiques Lifestyles of Saratoga, Caroline + Main and Union Hall Supply Co. (and its upcoming sister store in Albany); Downtown Business Association VP; and mastermind behind some of downtown’s most elaborate window displays
ON SARATOGA: “People that I’ve met throughout my life know that I’m here, so anyone who’s passing through Saratoga will pop in [the store]. Those unexpected moments with people I haven’t seen since high school are super fun.”
CLAIM TO FAME: President of the Stewart’s Foundation and chair of the SPAC board, among other philanthropic endeavors
ON SARATOGA: “In Saratoga, there has always been this commitment to giving back and making the community stronger. The Waits, the Dakes, the Grandes…I’m probably going to leave out all the other very important people because I wasn’t here then. They really made this community what it was, but also set it up for people to understand that if you’re going to be a member of this community, you’re going to be supportive. You’re going to give of your time and your talent and your money.”
CLAIM TO FAME: President and co-founder (supported by a teen A-team CFO, VP and others) of Stories for Success, a nonprofit that provides literacy materials and a children's book to every baby born at Saratoga Hospital
ON SARATOGA: “We founded Stories for Success to improve childhood literacy, because that’s a big issue everywhere—even in a community that’s perceived as being well off like Saratoga. Saratoga has so many amazing opportunities, but not everyone has access to them.”
SATURDAY, JUNE 24
Snarky Puppy
Angelique Kidjo • Cory Wong • Tower of Power
Chucho Valdes Quartet • Cindy Blackman Santana Band
Kurt Rosenwinkel • Emmet Cohen Trio
Claudia Acuna • Carolyn Wonderland
Glen David Andrews • Nduduzo Makhathini
SUNDAY, JUNE 25
Pat Metheny Side-Eye • St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Hiromi sonicwonder • Samara Joy • Jupiter & Okwess
Melissa Aldana • Mark Guiliana
Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars: Centennial Celebration of Wes Montgomery, Tito Puente & Dexter Gordon
SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
TICKETS ON SALE NOW SPAC.ORG
Rachel Lanzi, founder of The Content Agency, likes to do things a little differently than most other professional content creators. “We don’t force our clients to fit into a mold, style or certain look,” she says.
“We morph our shoots to the client and what their brand and look is. Most of the time a brand has to hunt down a photographer who has the look they want, but with us we take the client’s vision and alter our style to fit it.”
Started in 2018, The Content Agency is a one-stop shop for brands and businesses seeking video and photo content creation (your favorite Instagram feed just might shine because of her photos). Raised in Saratoga, Lanzi was always drawn to photography, painting and sculpture work. She earned a bachelor’s degree in film production and her images have even been featured in Elle.
In spite of some tumultuous years filled with pandemic lockdowns and economic uncertainty, The Content Agency has taken off. Lanzi has worked with some über-successful clients such as luxury skincare brand Kahina out of New York City and a high-end Los Angeles shoe line carried by Nordstrom called E’MAR Italy. Says Lanzi: “Working with those brands is a huge honor because they have access to huge photographers, and they still choose me.”
But it’s not just the national big dogs. Lanzi likes to work with local businesses as well, such as Dubois Beauty, Complexions Spa for
Beauty & Wellness and Kate O’Grady Skincare. as well as downtown boutiques such as Irene Leigh and Supernatural. “And I have a long list of local restaurants and bars that I work with,” Lanzi adds. “One thing I’ve found is that no matter how big or small a brand is, most of them are incredibly loyal and supportive.” That support has led The Content Agency to celebrate its fifth anniversary this fall. Lanzi says she’s “tossing around” a few ideas about how to celebrate in October. Before then, however, she’ll have an even bigger celebration. “I’m currently pregnant with my first child, due August 4,” she says. “Right now I’m trying to get through having my first baby, but eventually I hope to bring on more creators and build out our modeling list into a full-blown modeling department where we can represent our girls not only within The Content Agency but also with other photographers. That’s the great part about being an artist: The possibilities are limitless.” ■ For more information, visit thecontentagencyinc.com
In 2018, we honored a tireless group of 20 Saratogians doing amazing things to celebrate saratoga living’s 20th anniversary. Five years and a global pandemic later, we caught up with five of them to see what’s new. Spoiler alert: They’re still busy making Saratoga— and the world—a better place.
BY NATALIE MOORE
SARATOGA SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR TURNED SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY JUNIOR
Back in 2018, we selected 17-year-old TJ Tracy for the Saratoga 20 list for his entrepreneurial spirit. He had just started an errand-running business called SERV, and when he was just 9 years old, had founded TJ’s Turkeys, a nonprofit that to this day provides local families in need with holiday meals. Just by nature of his age, Tracy’s last five years have likely been more transformational than those of any other member of the Saratoga 20; since 2018 he’s graduated from high school, traveled the world as part of a gap year, and started college at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Business where he’s majoring in— what else?—entrepreneurship.
Tracy plans to continue growing the sneaker reselling investment fund he started in college, expanding his photography business, and traveling the world. “I plan on moving out of the country for most of my twenties,” he says, “with the goal of better understanding different cultures around the world and exploring the abundance of opportunities there are to make a positive impact.”
THE SARATOGA DOG WALKER
While Tim Pink had enough local celebrity status to land him on the Saratoga 20 list five years ago, his stardom has only gone up since then. Pink, a dog-training wizard and owner of Saratoga Dog Walkers, is known around town for walking packs of dogs—and we mean packs and taking impressive photos and Instagram reels showing said pack (sometimes 30-plus pups) posing in notable Saratoga locales. His social
media posts are so captivating (one recent post racked up more than 870,000 likes) that they caught the attention of the national media— including The Kelly Clarkson Show
But Pink has been up to more than spreading smiles via adorable dog pics and vids: He recently bought a farm in Gansevoort with a heated horse—now dog—arena and 12 fields where he plans to launch a 9-5 program featuring pack walking, play time and training. “We’re aiming,” he says, “for the happiest and most well behaved pack of dogs on Earth.”
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SPAC
When Elizabeth Sobol up and moved from Miami to upstate New York to take the job of president and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center in 2016, her presence was felt immediately. But she was just getting started.
Since then, SPAC has launched new programming around culinary, healing, visual and literary arts; undergone a complete campus transformation; grown its educational programming to serve 50,000 students throughout the Capital Region annually; opened the SPAC School of the Arts; took on year-round programming at the Spa Little Theater… the list goes on. And like SPAC’s list of offerings, Sobol’s love of her new home has only grown. “What started as a besotted infatuation with the city,” she says, “has grown into a deep and abiding love for my adopted hometown.”
PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT/OWNER OF PHINNEY DESIGN GROUP
For Mike Phinney, the last five years have been all about growing the environmentally responsible architecture and design firm he started in 2002. Four years ago, the firm opened a second location in Troy, which they have already outgrown (Phinney’s interior design department has doubled in size since
2018). Meanwhile, they just signed a lease on a Lake Placid office to better serve their Adirondack clients. Closer to home, the firm is responsible for the mixed-use 385 Broadway building in Saratoga, 550 Waterfront on Saratoga Lake, Walt and Whitman in the former Saratogian building, and Common Roots Brewing up the Northway in South Glens Falls. Up next? Amsure’s new headquarters in the former Salvation Army building on Woodlawn.
And while Phinney Design is known for its luxury homes, Phinney himself knows Saratoga won’t thrive without more affordable housing options. “We are really proud,” he says, “to be part of the Liberty Workforce Housing proposal that, once approved, will bring more than 200 workforce housing units to within walking distance of downtown and the Saratoga Race Course.”
UNIVERSAL PRESERVATION HALL CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR TURNED DIRECTOR
One highlight of the last few years in Saratoga as a whole, but certainly in the life of Teddy Foster, is the long anticipated opening of Universal Preservation Hall (UPH), a performing arts center housed in a historic church on Washington Street. Back in 2018, Foster was in charge of a capital campaign to raise $14 million to restore the run-down structure; now she’s the director of the venue, which provides Saratoga with year-round arts programming. But it wasn’t an easy path to get to this point.
After Foster’s behemoth fundraising effort and then the building’s extensive renovations, UPH opened to the public in February 2020—yup, just in time to have Covid shut it right back down. Now, UPH is back on track with its regularly scheduled programming, and Foster couldn’t be happier with her new role. “It’s been a roller coaster ride for the last five years,” she says. “But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
“I met my husband in the Gaffney’s parking lot. My car was frozen solid from an ice storm, and I was ending my work day at the nail salon I owned. He ran and got me a can of de-icer…the rest is history. We’ve been married 24 years.”
–JOANNE H. ROULIER“My first customer at Saratoga Candy Co. was a new dad whose daughter was just born. He came in looking for some goodies to pass around at the hospital. I didn’t even have cash in the register yet! But I had gum cigars for him. Over the years he’s come back in with his daughter— she’s now 25—to say hi.”
—DAWN OESCH
“Most people have a sense of nostalgia for the big chains like Blockbuster or Hollywood video, but for us, none compared to The Drive In Movie Store. After the kids finished school on Fridays, they would pile into the van—often with a friend or two—to go
When a local magazine has a birthday, it’s really the stories at the heart of its community that are being celebrated. So, to toast our silver anniversary, saratoga living asked longtime Saratogians to share their fondest memories from the last 25 years of Spa City living.
my father’s cooking, but she also made the most delicious dessert sampler: ‘tre bambini’ (the three babies)—panna cotta, chocolate budino and tiramisu.”
—JULIANA RUSSELL
check out the newest movie releases. The manager, Joe, was always ready to share the best recommendations. No matter your mood or the genre, he’d seen it all. And he wasn’t the only one. Customers and employees alike would share their impressions of their favorite new and old movies. There was just this sense of friendliness and community between the stacks of DVDs and VHS tapes.”
—KERRY CONLEY
“My Gramp came over from Italy, and his father created The Empire Fruit Company and then Tarantino Insurance Company, both on Division Street. Gramp was so proud of downtown Saratoga and all the treasures the town provided. In 2007, we purchased his home on the Oklahoma Track, and every morning during training track season it never fails to amaze us. Every day we are grateful to my Gramp for having the vision to build a house that will be carried down as a legacy home within our family.”
—SUE JEFFREYS“I was at the final weekend of Thoroughbred racing at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, September 5. Part of the thrill was getting to watch the 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra, who was undefeated at that point, in the Grade I Woodward Stakes. She was racing against seven colts, including a Belmont winner, and no filly had ever won that race. When it started, she got to the front very quickly, but a horse from the back of the pack started picking up steam and catching up to her on the final stretch. With just meters to go ’til the finish line, Rachel Alexandra was able to give a little more, and won the race by a head. All 31,000 people at the track that day were on their feet and screaming at the top of their lungs. That day will never be forgotten and goes down in my memories as my favorite day at the track—ever!”
—MAUREEN ROBERTS“My parents started their own Italian restaurant called Lanci’s (our last name). They bought it when it was a hot dog joint and turned it into a hidden gem. My whole family worked there and it felt like the people who walked in our restaurant were walking into our home. My mother not only mastered Italian wines and knew what to pair with
Blues Traveler, Barenaked Ladies and Paula Cole perform as part of the H.O.R.D.E. Festival at SPAC on August 2
The Horse Whisperer, which filmed scenes in Saratoga Springs, is released
Newlywed Marylou Whitney arrives at her annual gala in a flapper-era Ford Model T
Opera Saratoga (then Lake George Opera) performs its first season at Saratoga’s Spa Little Theater, which becomes its permanent home for the next two decades
Longfellows and Saratoga Arms hotels open their doors
Siro’s hosts free daily public handicapping sessions during racing season
Fred Clark answers a Hewitt’s Garden Center ad looking for someone to play Santa Claus and the Saratoga Santa is born
“Coldplay came to town on July 27. We had already turned our kids (then ages 7, 12 and 15) into superfans, but our family was not ready for such an unbelievable show. Giant yellow balloons floated overhead as the band played ‘Yellow’ and paper butterflies exploded out of confetti cannons into the night. Somewhere in between, Chris Martin joined us all out on the SPAC lawn. It was pure joy. We knew that Coldplay was destined for greatness, but for just one special night they were here with us in our own backyard.”
—GABRIELA AND KEVIN BARTLETT“On April 21, an activist community was born under the canopy of a legacy American elm. Two years before Sustainable Saratoga’s Tree Toga crews started planting trees each April, the organization recruited volunteers to conduct a tree inventory. The data these volunteers collected was the foundation upon which the city created its visionary, first-ever Urban Forest Master Plan in 2013. To me, the tree inventory team captures the spirit and power of Saratoga’s many volunteer communities. If you ask, Saratogians will pitch in.”
—TOM DENNY“The weekend of October 10 was our 50th class reunion (we were the first class from Saratoga High School to graduate outside at the Hall of Springs). We began with a mixer at the Parting Glass on Friday, and Saturday night Panza’s did an incredible job for dinner and dancing. After returning to the hotel, Joe Slocik, Bob Rowe and I decided to walk up to the OBI since the hotel bar was closed. Imagine two guys and a girl in their late sixties locking arms and skipping up and down the Maple Avenue hill. All their wives could do was follow behind us and shake their heads.”
—JOANN HUGHES
“I kicked off Chowderfest at Peabody’s, where I was enjoying chowder and a beer that most would call ‘water.’ (Hey, I knew the day would be a marathon, not a sprint.) I ended up calling a good friend of mine who lived in Boston at the time. After a quick phone call, and being the foodie that she is, her ass was headed to Saratoga Springs. Three hours later, she was sitting next to me.”
—STEVE BOUCHARDUAlbany student (and Saratoga native)
Suzanne Lyall disappears from campus, prompting fear in undergraduates nationwide; her parents become activists and get “Suzanne’s Law” passed to increase the age at which local police must report missing persons from 17 to 21
Future longtime Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco is elected Saratoga County Supervisor
The Saratoga Automobile Museum is chartered, though it won’t officially open in the old bottling plant until 2002
Zippy Chippy, a Thoroughbred known for losing all 100 of his races and a future resident of Saratoga’s Old Friends at Cabin Creek, is banned from Finger Lakes Racetrack after failing to leave the starting gate for the third consecutive time
work and hear the music from the Horseshoe. In the summer of 2019 I was training for a big MMA fight I had at Madison Square Garden, and every morning I’d take a 3- to 5-mile run by all the stables and the track and watch the sun come up.”
—BRANDON JORDAN2022
“I lived above what is now Hamlet & Ghost. We’d barbecue and watch live shows at Gaffney’s from the roof, play cards in the back of Smoking Sam’s cigar shop on Caroline Street when the streets were too crowded, and when it snowed, we’d start on the top of the stairs on the other side of Broadway and ski all the way down to our apartment.”
—BRAD CRANSTON2019
“I used to live a block from the track next to the Horseshoe. I loved looking out my window and seeing people carrying their coolers and chairs to the track. I’d come home from
“I’ll never forget what SPAC looked like in 2020. I had a meeting there that July and when I saw the overgrown lawn with grass two feet tall, I immediately began to tear up. I didn’t get back to SPAC until July 13, 2022 for the ballet. I’ll never forget that night and what it felt like to see the dancers on our stage again, feel the energy of the audience, experience the life back in the amphitheater—and of course admire the perfectly manicured lawn again.”
—LEAH FERRONE“I coach the boys cross country and track teams at Saratoga High. This season, we had a young man on our team, Othmane Kerroum, who had religious obligations during the month-long Ramadan. Because he is required to fast all day, it was
William Roach sells his first bottle of wine at Putnam Market’s new wine room
Future Hall of Famer
John Velazquez wins top jockey honors at Saratoga Race Course for the first time
Novelist Patricia Highsmith bequeaths her $3 million estate to Yaddo
Chianti Il Ristorante and Saratoga Candy Co. open for business
best for him to run in the evenings, so he could eat before and after his workout. We decided as a team to commit to an optional day of fasting on April 6, followed by a team practice after sundown and then a team meal, right on the track. Through this experience, we were able to collectively relate to the commitment Othmane had shown to his faith, as well as to his training. It was one of the most memorable nights I’ve experienced as a coach, and it made me proud to be a part of the Saratoga community.”
—SHANE ZANETTI
Saratoga is the summer place to be—for more than just humans! Meet a handful of the four-legged friends who call the Spa City home.
PRESENTED BY Saratoga Honda
Each December we hold a friendly competition to raise awareness—and some money—for 10 local nonprofits. Six months after our most recent “Gives Back” event, we wanted to check in with the 2022 winner, Lucky Puppy Rescue.
by ABBY TEGNELIAhen saratoga living and CAPITAL REGION LIVING honored 10 noble dogooders—who each represented a worthy local nonprofit—last December, one of the honorees went above and beyond. Dog lover Dan Graham partnered with local dogwalking Instagram star Tim Pink to help shore up donations for Argyle’s Lucky Puppy Rescue and Kennel— and ended up raising the most money of the honorees.
Five months later, we wanted to check in with Lucky Puppy, both in the “Gives Back” program’s spirt of raising awareness and to see how the $9,000 Graham raised has helped.
“The donation helped us spay and neuter so many dogs!” says Lucky Puppy founder and director Teri Mattson. “The whole purpose of this effort is prevention, because puppies are being born faster than we can find homes for them. This last year has been horrendous as far as overpopulation. We really can’t identify why it is so bad, but it is unbearable.”
In fact, Lucky Puppy has slowly morphed into a rescue that focuses on that specific calling: helping to save pregnant dogs and orphaned puppies. “I personally have such a soft spot for momma dogs,” Mattson says. “When we bring them
in, we can feel and see their fear and hopelessness, which spurs us on to continue. What happens, usually within a short amount of time, is they begin to get a spark in their eyes that shows happiness and hope.”
Raising money and forging partnerships to help cut costs—and then of course there’s the enormity of the dog care itself—keeps Mattson busy. “We have seen a pretty sharp increase in the cost of puppy vaccines,” she says. “We also have crises cases often—momma dogs that might require emergency C-sections, dogs brought to us after being hit by cars. It hits the budget hard.”
Mattson’s next project is raising $40,000 for a new building that will double Lucky Puppy’s capacity for rescues at its new adoption center.
“We have only two small kennel buildings, and we could easily fill 20 buildings,” she says. “We have additional acreage that will allow us to build on site and are about to begin a capital campaign to make that become a reality.”
For more information and to donate money, labor or materials for the new facility, visit luckypuppy.org.
To nominate a local do-gooder for the 2023 Gives Back program, email editorial@saratogaliving.com
MARCH 23 • THE ADELPHI HOTEL
photography by RACHEL LANZI/THE CONTENT AGENCY
On an unseasonably warm March evening, saratoga living hosted Overdress to Impress, our second annual fashion-forward event presented by Keeler Mercedes with co-sponsors California Closets and N. Fox Jewelers. After guests were shuttled over from the City Center parking garage in electric cars provided by Keeler, they were treated to a welcome glass of bubbly by Bocage Champagne Bar and food by The Adelphi Hotel. The evening culminated in a fashion show hosted by Bocage’s Zac Denham and judged by 2022 Design Issue cover star Andrea Zappone, Two Buttons Deep cofounder Taylor Rao and California Closets Albany owner Joy Rafferty. The winners of the title of “best overdressed” were Carina Rodriguez and Drew Herrera-Suarez, who split the grand prize: design books donated by Zappone, a Bocage gift card, a magnum bottle of Besserat De Bellefon Champagne Rosé and a floral bouquet by Samantha Nass Floral Design.
Every August, top-notch classical and “new music” performers and composers from around the world descend upon the region for two weeks, sharing the fruits of their talent and hard work through traditional and experimental concerts, open rehearsals, public receptions, and informational talks—held at the historic Carriage House on the ground of the Fort William Henry Hotel.
Lake George is no stranger to the flowering of classical music in America. In the early twentieth century, it attracted such luminaries as contralto Louise Homer and her husband, composer Sidney Homer. It brought soprano Marcella Sembrich, whose studio on the lake’s west shore remains open to the public today as a museum and intimate performance space. In the second half of the century, the “Queen of the Lakes” spawned the Lake George Opera.
Nowadays, the Lake George Music Festival is transforming the region into an exciting destination for experiencing the twenty-first century blossoming of classical and new music.
Programs are tantalizingly diverse and span solo piano and chamber music to large orchestral works. There are fresh interpretations of the classics—from Bach to Brahms, Mozart to Mahler. There are pieces by twentieth century experimentalists such as Xenakis and Reich. And, there are performances—even premiere performances—of contemporary works, many written by the festival’s own composers-in-residence. In addition, the “Sounds of Our Time” series pairs the festival’s symphony orchestra with cutting edge artists in such popular genres as indie rock and electronic dance music (EDM). Ensembles-in-residence, be they focused on percussion or art song, further expand the range of musical offerings.
Yet, what makes this festival transformative isn’t just that it attracts so many world-class performers and composers, but also that its organizers make it a priority to cultivate an invigorating spirit of cooperation and camaraderie among the musicians, local residents, and summertime visitors.
Open rehearsals occur throughout the community—from church to outdoor amphitheater, from art gallery to auditorium, from hotel rooftop to steamboat on the lake. Local families take the musicians into their homes as guests. Everything from wine-tasting events to post-concert receptions make it easy for all who attend to mingle informally with one another and with the musicians.
Finally, there’s the extra enchantment that comes from all this taking place surrounded by the beauty of the Adirondacks. If residents, visitors, and musicians intertwine like voices in sublime counterpoint, they do so around a cantus firmus that is the silvery shoreline of Lake George.
Welcome to classical music in the twenty-first century!
Pictured: Music Director and Conductor, Roger Kalia, performs with guest artists, Time For Three, at the Shepard Park Amphitheater overloking Lake George.The Lake George Music Festival is reinventing the meaning of the phrase “cultural destination.”
FOR ARTIST ROSTER, FESTIVAL PASSES, AND INFO PLEASE VISIT LAKEGEORGEMUSICFESTIVAL.COM
OUTFIT YOUR SARATOGA SUMMER WITH HEAD-TO-TOE LOOKS FROM YELLOW BOUTIQUE .
photography by DORI FITZPATRICK
who ever said florals were just for spring? Broadway’s Yellow Boutique is riding that flower power all the way into the summer season with two looks that scream “happy hour on a patio.” Our first floral ’fit was made for Saratoga’s soft summer days, with its tropical hues and flowy, flirty cut. I dressed it up with a gold necklace, chunky earrings and a pair of sensible shoes—sometimes summer in the Spa City means a lot of walking!
Next up is a look that’s at once chic and fun, and easily transitions from a daytime stroll on Broadway to an evening bar crawl on Caroline Street. Here, the plain ivory jeans (straight or flair leg pants are perfect for summer!) let the bold top shine, its gold accents adding a slightly edgy vibe. Complete the look with a pop-of-color purse, and you’re all geared up for the perfect Saratoga summer day.
—CLAIRE BURNETT @clairewburnettYELLOW BOUTIQUE:
MOLLY BRACKEN GREEN ZELIE DRESS | $74
CHARLIE PAIGE BROOKE SANDALS | $36
ASH & CLAY LEAF EARRINGS | $35
MOLLY BRACKEN HALTER TOP | $54 KUT FROM THE KLOTH MEG WIDE LEG JEANS | $105 MELIE VIANCO VEGAN HANDBAG | $75
lookin' like a snack West Ave’s catering is particularly popular in summer, serving up its famous mac ’n’ cheese bites, wings, sandwiches and fried chicken.
WEST AVE PIZZA’S MARIO CARDENAS AND HIS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PIZZA OVEN GEAR UP FOR ANOTHER SLAMMED SUMMER OF FEEDING THE MASSES—AND MAYBE SOME A-LISTERS—IN THE SPA STATE PARK.
BY ABBY TEGNELIA n photography by KONRAD ODHIAMBOwhen mario cardenas took over West Ave Pizza in 2021, he already had a rabid following, thanks to two decades at Schenectady’s Prima Pizzeria and Mario’s Restaurant in Niskayuna. But it took moving to Saratoga—and adding West Ave Chicken next door—to level up to a certain celeb clientele.
Yup, he’s fed Live Nation headliners (and their crews) such as Dave Matthews, Chris Stapleton and Wiz
Khalifa, who love his mobile “Van Halen” pizza oven that churns out delicious pies such as his signature pepperoni with ghost pepper honey from Saratoga Tea & Honey. “That oven is iconic,” Cardenas says. “Everybody recognizes it, and it’s autographed by Wiz and 24kGoldn. When people at SPAC see it, they know it’s West Ave. We don’t bring signs or banners—just the oven.” And by “we,” Cardenas means his
tight-knit family (think two sisters and his teenage son, for starters) who help run the actual restaurant as well as tirelessly run around town with him for their thriving catering business. Khalifa even danced with Cardenas’ precocious 6-year-old nephew, Dylan: “People come here just for that kid.”
There’s no telling what this summer will bring. Cardenas is already set to bring his rock ‘n’ roll oven to the Auto Museum and SPAC to serve his awardwinning favorites such as fried chicken sandwiches, wings and of course, that pizza. “I didn’t want to do it like everybody else does it—that’s what it comes down to,” he says. “I use local ingredients, such as my pepperoni. It’s local and exclusive to me. It’s very, very special.”
Blue skies are here again. Summer is coming and The Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa is now open. Enjoy a timeless Saratoga Spa State Park hotel, right next door to the acclaimed Roosevelt Baths & Spa. From Saratoga Performing Arts Center to Saratoga Race Course, The Gideon Putnam is close to everything and close to perfect.
Blue skies are here again. Summer is coming and The Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa is now open. Enjoy a timeless Saratoga Spa State Park hotel, right next door to the acclaimed Roosevelt Baths & Spa. From Saratoga Performing Arts Center to Saratoga Race Course, The Gideon Putnam is close to everything and close to perfect.
if you didn’t know about Eddie F’s, the hidden gem of a seafood restaurant located in a residential Saratoga neighborhood, before the pandemic, chances are you did after. “We really took off during the pandemic because I was one of the only guys in Saratoga that did takeout,” the Schenectady native says. “We were packed every night. We were sold out. We had no availability from 11 o’clock [am] to 8 o’clock at night.”
While the Covid-caused takeout takeover has slowed, Fazzone’s restaurant has remained popular—so much so that he was approached by the owner of the building in Clifton Park that used to be home to Harbor House. “He said, ‘I’ve got an opportunity for you,’” Fazzone says. “‘You’re the guy I want in there. If you want it, you’ve got first shot at it.’” Fazzone didn’t think twice.
The Eddie F’s Clifton Park location officially opened February 1, just in time for Ash Wednesday. At press time, it was gearing up to begin offering both soft and hard ice cream, and was planning to host weekly cruise-in car shows, like Harbor House used to do, on Tuesday evenings beginning May 2.
“You just try to do the best you can and hope everybody comes back,” Fazzone says. “The repeat business we’ve been getting has been unbelievable.”
BEAUTIFUL BITES AWAIT AT INDULGENCE BAKERY.
BY NATALIE MOORE
downtown saratoga springs just got a little bit sweeter.
Schuylerville native Alexandra Gaertner opened her first brick-and-mortar bakery, Indulgence, which she was previously running out of the former Uptown Café on Weibel Avenue. The new spot, which at press time was open to the public on Saturdays and by appointment or for preorder Monday through Friday, is located on Lulu Lane behind Wasabi.
“I can’t remember a point when I started,” Gaertner says about baking. “It’s just something I’ve always done. I always wanted to do this sort of thing, but I was afraid of hating it if it became my job.” For that reason, she went to school for business management and pursued other careers, keeping her baking biz on the
alex in wonderland (from top)
Indulgence owner Alexandra Gaertner; custom wedding cookies; (opposite) Gaertner’s signature flower cupcakes.
side. She finally went all in on Indulgence in October 2020, and since then has been growing the business into what it is today.
While Gaertner is still mainly doing made-to-order baked goods (her specialties are raspberry cream cake, frosted sugar cookies and cupcakes topped with decadent icing flowers you have to see to believe), having the brick and mortar allows her to offer her creations, plus coffee and tea, to passersby on Saturday mornings. She also uses the space to host cookie decorating classes, complete with complimentary Champagne and snacks, in the evenings. The bakery opened quietly this spring, but Gaertner is planning a larger grand opening now that the weather is warmer.
So, now that Gaertner runs a bakery full time, does she hate baking like she feared she would? “I don’t,” she says. “I love it.”
when people hear the term “wine bar,” their minds usually go right to having to pore through a bible-sized list of obscure varietals—and being able to talk about notes and tannins before sitting back to enjoy the vino. Ryan McFadden, who owns downtown’s Henry Street Taproom with his wife, Sonja, knows this better than anyone. That’s why he’s quick to get the word out: When it comes to Kindred, the new wine bar he’s opening, forget everything you think you know about wine bars.
AT HENRY STREET’S SOON-TO-BE-OPENED WINE BAR, FUN IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.
BY NATALIE MOORE photography by FRANCESCO D’AMICOLUCY’S BAR HOPPED ON THE TO-GO COCKTAIL TRAIN SHORTLY AFTER THEY WERE RE-LEGALIZED THIS APRIL, AND YOU CAN NOW GET YOUR SUMMERTIME FAVORITES DELIVERED.
if there was one good thing about the Covid pandemic, it was, undoubtedly, to-go cocktails. But after former Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted an executive order that allowed the sale of to-go margaritas and martinis in June 2021, all to-go cocktail orders ceased. Until now.
As of April 11, the sale
of alcoholic beverages in containers with sealed and secure caps or lids is back, and Lucy’s Bar in Saratoga didn’t miss a beat, going live on DoorDash on April 16.
“Right now we pretty much just have our top sellers on there,” owner Lucy Rivas says.
“The spicy margarita has been a hit.” At press time, the bar’s
“Kindred is a wine bar, but maybe not in the way you’re thinking,” says McFadden. “For whatever reason, wine has developed a stigma as an elitist beverage, and we want to help get rid of that notion. Kindred will be a place where you can come, hang out and enjoy a glass of wine the same way you would a beer with friends.” The new spot will keep its glass and bottle list rotating, like neighbor Henry Street Taproom does with its beer list, and focus on organic wines, but it will also serve beer and cocktails too, plus food. “The menu will have a large shareable section, with a few more composed entrées,” McFadden says. “We’ll be cooking most of our food in our wood-fired ovens, which are right in the main dining room.”
wine language “Wine can be intimidating,” Kindred owner Ryan
At press time, the McFaddens were eyeing a May opening for their new venture. “There will be nothing pretentious about Kindred,” McFadden says. “Wine is fun, and that’s what Kindred is about.”
summer cocktail list was in the works, and those drinks were expected to be available to go by mid-May.
There’s just one caveat. The
new law, which will remain in effect until at least 2025, requires that to-go drink orders be accompanied by the purchase of a substantial food item. That’s why, once you choose your drink on DoorDash, you’ll be required to add a $2.50 strawberry Pop-Tart to your order. A spicy marg and a Pop-Tart? Sounds like the perfect night in.
PUTNAM PLACE features a full-blown live music experience, complete with a raised stage, state-of-the-art sound
PUTNAM PLACE
We work with local businesses to create a well-rounded exciting event and can accommodate up to 500 people!
BIRTHDAY PARTIES | BABY SHOWERS |
Call us for details! 518-886-9585
SATURATED COLORS MAKE FOR A MOODY YET ELEGANT AESTHETIC IN THIS SARATOGA HOME DESIGNED BY LEE OWENS . n BY NATALIE MOORE photography by ELIZABETH HAYNES
when lee owens met with future clients Steve Soucy and Tom Becktold over Zoom and saw their Palm Springs home in the background, her gears started turning. “I could immediately see that they held an appreciation for midcentury modern pieces and dark, moody wall colors,” the Saratogabased interior designer says. “From our early discussions with the clients, we knew that deep greens and blues were a natural color palette [for them], and we just ran with it.”
While there’s a long-held belief that dark walls and ceilings make a room feel small, Owens believes they can create an enveloping, finished space. If done correctly, of course. “It’s all about layering—fabrics, patterns,
pass the popcorn (from top) The basement movie room; the upstairs landing; deep blue hues are found throughout the home.
colors,” Owens says. “For this home, we countered the dark paint colors with white/light window treatments and textiles.” In the dining room, for example, a dark green coffered ceiling is complemented by a neutral floral wallpaper, white window treatments and an arabescato marble–topped Saarinen tulip table.
Other rooms in the craftsman-style Oak Ridge home (Capital Region native and documentary filmmaker Soucy and Californian Becktold relocated to the Saratoga neighborhood during the
pandemic) are light and bright, including the living room and upstairs landing, where 14 paintings by the late French artist Vernet Bonfort are on display. “When grouped together as a full collection, the ensemble feels so fresh and current,” Owens says.
“With the client’s existing chaise lounge that we reupholstered in a contemporary geometric patterned fabric, it’s one of my favorite spaces in the finished design.”
Given Soucy’s profession, there was just one thing missing: A movie room. The décor in said room, which is located in the home’s completely renovated basement? Well, dark and moody, of course.
All proceeds go to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY NSWWC to build affordable homes in our local community
Store Hours:
Wednesday-Saturday
10-5
JUST FIFTEEN MINUTES FROM SARATOGA, 76 MEDBURY ROAD IS A TOP-OF-THE-LINE EQUINE TRAINING FACILITY— WITH FOUR RESIDENCES—ON 60 GORGEOUS ACRES OF LAND.
BY JEFF DINGLER n photography by MARC JACOBS
why bet on a winning racehorse when you can raise one? Those in the market for a high-end horse farm should look no further than 76 Medbury Road in Porter Corners. This 60-plus-acre equine training facility is packed with creature comfort amenities for horses and humans alike. It comes with two barns, 50 stalls, a 5/8-mile training track with a starting gate, covered training/ schooling arenas, 10 pastures with safe fencing and run-in sheds, and, oh yeah—four residences. It could all be yours for a cool $3.6 mil.
“The 4,700-square-foot main house is centered on the farm, and every room has an incredible view of the farm and any activity going on,” says Kelly Quinn Zanella, the Howard Hanna licensed real estate salesperson representing the property. “The owners especially love the unobstructed view of each sunrise and sunset.”
The main residence is a four-bed, 2.5-bath contemporary farmhouse,
complete with a sprawling open floorplan, a wood-burning fireplace, stainless appliances and a master en suite with a spa-like bath. The other three residences—a gatehouse (the original, historic home on the property), a four-bedroom log home, and a onebedroom apartment attached to the log home—are great accommodations for farm employees, trainers or guests.
And the land! It’s like something out of a pastoral poem. The property comprises rolling hills (great for developing young horses) with sandy loam soil that never gets muddy so it’s easy on horses’ feet. Several natural streams flow through the property, providing plentiful, fresh water to the pastures, paddocks, equitation rings and racetrack.
“The farm has been laid out with an experienced eye towards horse training,” says Zanella, who, over the years has listed and sold some of the region’s most beautiful equine
properties. “It is, of course, ideal for horse owners—especially those who have Thoroughbreds. The facility, however, is incredibly versatile and can be used for a wide range of different equine disciplines and as an income-producing property.”
A horse farm near the Spa City? Now that’s a sure bet.
Run by chef Danny Petrosino and his wife, Patti, osteria danny specializes in Italian-American cuisine with an emphasis on simplicity and creative development. As such, the menu is updated frequently to encompass new culinary concepts and locally sourced ingredients whenever they are available. Although the menu is continuously evolving via Danny’s creative will, the original recipes remain a pivotal influence on the dishes that osteria danny produces.
Open 7 days a week. Dinner starting at 5pm.
26 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS osteriadanny.com
518.423.7022
Good food, lots of beer and an atmosphere that’s the perfect mix of relaxed, cozy and chic? That’s what you can expect at Henry Street Taproom, which has been serving local craft beers and ciders, classic cocktails and locally sourced, made-from-scratch food since 2012. Ten years in, Henry Street is still a go-to spot for locals who never tire of cozying up to the fire or settling in on the patio during the summer months.
Open 4-10pm Tuesday-Friday; 2-10pm Saturday; 2-9pm Sunday.
86 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS
henrystreettaproom.com
• 518.886.8938
Tucked away in the Village of Round Lake, just off Exit 11 of the Northway, Lake Ridge is only 10 minutes from Saratoga Springs and 15 minutes from Albany. Make it happen this summer at the “Best of 2022”-winning restaurant, where seafood, steak, pasta, small plates and a rotating list of food and drink specials are always on the menu. Whether you’re sitting down for a full meal or bellying up to the mahogany bar for a specialty cocktail, you’ll always have a great time at Lake Ridge. Open 4-8:45pm Tuesday–Saturday.
35 BURLINGTON AVENUE, ROUND LAKE
lake-ridge.com
518.899.6000
Prime at Saratoga National is the place to be this summer, with indoor and outdoor seating options, two full-service bars and a grand patio overlooking the infinity pool and the 18th hole. Enjoy first-class service in an atmosphere of casual elegance with American steak classics all summer long. Host your next life event with Mazzone Hospitality—whether it’s a wedding, golf outing, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, corporate fundraiser or gala, Prime and Mazzone Hospitality have you covered. Open daily for lunch, dinner, brunch and seasonal happy hour.
458 UNION AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS primeatsaratoganational.com • 518.583.4653
Innovation and experimentation have long been hallmarks of Steuben County entrepreneurs and artisans. Over the past year, a few Steuben winemakers have embodied the very best of those characteristics, pushing the boundaries of the norm to craft exciting, unique and (most importantly) delicious alternatives to traditional wine through collaborations with tastemakers in other realms. The effect has transformed Finger Lakes wine into something else entirely. You may have read about one such collaboration in The New York Times, Eater or VinePair, as Point of the Bluff’s winemaker partnered with craft beverage tastemakers from New York City to create a fresh, delicious apéritif called Le Moné. Just down the road, creative masterminds from Wild Brute Winery and Krooked Tusker Distillery have collaborated on The
Wild Ones, a port-like fortified wine, and most recently on Mad Mongo, a delicious 120-proof brandy made from wild-fermented, hyper-local catawba grapes. Crafting small batches of creative concoctions is a passion of Keuka Lake Vineyards’ assistant winemaker, Katie Cochrane. So, it’s not that surprising to learn that Katie teamed up with Big aLICe Brewing on Long Way Home, a wild farmhouse ale made with native yeast and aged in French oak Blaufränkisch barrels. Even Master Sommelier and Chef Christopher Bates has been stepping out of the vineyard at Element Winery to craft creative brews for FLX Culture House, including aged sours, a traditional and flavored Gose, an IPA and a Pilsner.
Check out the awesome collabs happening in the Finger Lakes here.
The Gideon Putnam’s signature dining experience, Putnam’s Restaurant, offers historic charm, first-class service and seasonally changing menus. But the restaurant isn’t just open to guests of the historic hotel— the public is welcome to stop by for breakfast and dinner. Locally sourced and seasonal ingredients are used whenever possible in dishes such as shrimp and lobster risotto, grilled portobello burger and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, all of which are served by highly trained staff who provide personalized service to each and every customer. During the summer months, stop by the Gideon to enjoy a cocktail or meal on Putnam’s patio. See website for hours of operation.
24 GIDEON PUTNAM R OAD , SARATOGA SPRINGS
gideonputnam.com • 866.890.1171
Broadway dining hotspot Cantina has been serving up fresh Mexican dishes and signature margaritas in the heart of downtown Saratoga for the last 16 years. Guests flock to the restaurant for its festive vibe, creative fare, craft cocktails (happy hour, anyone?!), and open-air dining—in addition to its patio and rooftop bar, Cantina boasts floor-to-ceiling doors on the first floor that are open whenever the weather is warm. In Saratoga, nothing screams summer like Cantina. Open noon-9pm Sunday–Thursday; noon-10pm Friday and Saturday. See website for seasonal hours.
408 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS
cantinasaratoga.com 518.587.5577
With creative takes on breakfast, brunch and bakery goods, Sweet Mimi’s continues to win “best breakfast” and “best bakery” awards year after year. Situated just off Broadway, the charming café seats 35 guests with additional outdoor seating available May-October. Garnering national attention for her battle with Bobby Flay and her appearance on CBS’ The Talk, Owner and Executive Chef Jeannette Liebers has made Sweet Mimi’s into a sought-after spot for a next-level breakfast, lunch and bakery experience. Open 8am-2pm Thursday–Monday.
47 PHILA STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS
sweetmimiscafe.com • 518.871.1780
Set against a modern and relaxed atmosphere, 30 Lake has a small-town feel with big-city taste. The modern American menu boasts the freshest seafood in upstate New York, house-made pasta, a variety of entrées and daily features to satisfy any cravings. Go for dinner or stop by for happy hour every day from 4-6pm for $2 oysters (several varieties are available daily), small plates, $8 Stoli and Woodford Reserve cocktails, and $6 house cocktails/wine/select beer. Top off date night with a slice of house-made carrot cake! Open
4-8pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and 4-9pm Friday and Saturday.
30 LAKE AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS 30lake.com • 518.539.3474
Located just five minutes from downtown
Saratoga Springs, Artisanal Brew Works sports a cozy atmosphere, expansive outdoor space and a wide array of offerings, both culinary and experiential. There are 20 rotating craft beers on draft, along with plenty of options for non-beer drinkers, plus award-winning cuisine, live music, outdoor activities, and a trailhead connection to local mountain biking and hiking trails. Check Artisanal’s website for summer hours: warmweather sipping awaits. Open 3-9pm Tuesday–Friday; noon-9pm Saturday; noon-5pm Sunday.
617 MAPLE AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS abw.beer • 518.306.4344
There’s good, and there’s seriously good! Stop by the Bourbon Room, home of Caroline Street’s largest whiskey selection (the bar boasts 575 whiskeys!), to try its Seriously Good Old Fashioned, a concoction made with Bulleit Whiskey, a couple of dashes of orange bitters and Bourbon Room’s house simple syrup. Here’s a challenge: Try not to smile while drinking it! Open 4pm-close daily.
8 CAROLINE STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS sipsaratoga.com • 518.791.6199
Named after its convenient location just off the highway, 13 North is a familyowned restaurant that serves quality food in a casual environment. The diverse menu is highlighted by housemade desserts and bread, plus specials to please everyone. Wash it all down with a drink from the bar, which boasts a fine selection of wines and bourbons. Make the short drive from downtown Saratoga on a Thursday for their prime rib special or Friday for Fresh Fish Friday. Open 4-9pm Wednesday–Saturday and until 10pm beginning late June.
2955 ROUTE 9, MALTA
13northrestaurant.com
• 518.400.1746
ASaratoga staple since 1938, Panza’s has been family owned for generations. Classic Italian food meets modern American fare in a cozy, intimate setting. Expertly curated wine and inventive cocktail menus round out the perfect night out.
Looking for dinner and a show? The Starlight Lounge is the restaurant’s music stage that has hosted world-renowned artists throughout the years. In a city steeped in tradition, no one does dinner like Panza’s. Open 5-9pm Sunday–Thursday; 5-9:30pm Friday and Saturday.
129 SOUTH BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS
panzasrestaurant.com
518.584.6882
Combine the bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari in a cocktail mixing glass. Fill the mixing glass with 1 handful of ice and stir continuously for 30 seconds.
Add ice to a lowball glass, and strain the drink into the glass (or you can use a cocktail glass without ice).
Use a knife to remove a 1″ wide strip of the orange peel. Squeeze the orange peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the glass and serve.
518.584.5400
www.purdyswine.com
info@purdyswine.com
1. 2.
3.
Ice, for serving For the garnish: Orange peel
ITALIAN
osteria danny
osteriadanny.com
518.423.7022
26 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs
Panza’s panzasrestaurant.com
518.584.6882
129 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs
AMERICAN
13 North
13northrestaurant.com
518.400.1746
2955 State Route 9, Malta
30 Lake
30lake.com
518.539.3474
30 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs
The Brook Tavern
thebrooktavern.com
518.871.1473
139 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs
Dunning Street Station
dunningstreetstation.com
518.587.2000
2853 State Route 9, Malta
Henry Street Taproom
henrystreettaproom.com
518.886.8938
86 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs
Lake Ridge
lake-ridge.com
518.899.6000
35 Burlington Avenue, Round Lake
Mint mint518.com
518.741.0584
80 Warren Street, Glens Falls
Park & Elm parkandelm.com
518.480.3220
19 Park Street, Glens Falls
Putnam’s Restaurant
gideonputnam.com
866.890.1171
24 Gideon Putnam Road, Saratoga Springs
Prime at Saratoga National
primeatsaratoganational.com
518.583.4653
458 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs
wishingwellrestaurant.com
518.584.7640
745 Saratoga Road, Wilton
Cantina
MEXICAN
cantinasaratoga.com
518.587.5577
408 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
BREWERIES
Artisanal Brew Works
abw.beer
518.306.4344
617 Maple Avenue, Saratoga Springs
Gideon Putnam (cooler in lobby)
gideonputnam.com
866.890.1171
24 Gideon Putnam Road, Saratoga Springs
West Avenue Pizzeria
westavenuepizzeria.com
518.886.3788
99 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs
Sweet Mimi’s Cafe
sweetmimiscafe.com
518.871.1780
47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs
Bourbon Room
bourbonroomsaratoga.com
518.791.6199
8 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs
i know, i know—from the outside, Saratoga is far less weird than Portland, OR, the city that popularized the “Keep [insert city here] Weird” slogan. We have mainstream stores on Broadway, approximately 7,000 Italian restaurants, and a population that is, for the most part, largely homogeneous.
But it’s my belief as both a human and an intrepid reporter that every person has a little bit of weird in them— you just have to get it out of them.
That right there is my favorite part about writing Saratoga Living
After Hours, the newsletter we publish on the platform Substack to keep Saratogians updated on local happenings between issues of the print magazine. Now, to be clear, I use the term “weird” not as an insult but as a badge of pride, just as the Portlanders do.
The “Keep Portland Weird” slogan has evolved from one that celebrated an eclectic local business scene to one
that also promotes individuality and atypical lifestyle choices or activities.
Some of the people I’ve met through Saratoga Living After Hours wear such atypical lifestyle choices on their sleeve—take Toga Chip Guy Alan Richer, Saratoga’s resident potato chip historian, who promotes his trade like a door-to-door salesman. Or professional bocce player Michael Scialdone Sharkey, who almost exclusively wears Bocce Broadcast Network apparel and has been known to delve into the intricacies of the sport of his Italian ancestors on a first date. Then there are those who mask their weird a little better, such as taproom manager Ryan Wood, who moonlights as both a bao bun chef and soup club cofounder; CPA Dave Wojeski, who despite having the most boring day job is the most entertaining person to sit next to at a dinner party; and beer distributor/bartender Paul Singh, whose quirks include getting his hair cut every single
weird gals Director of Content
Natalie Moore taking notes on a group of women who, in their free time, dress up as Wordle words and go into public.
week and making people share the most intimate details of their lives shortly after meeting him. (Guilty.)
Those characters have already had their moment in the After Hours limelight, but there are many more where they came from, including nurse/ bow hunter/social chair Susan Cooley and pizza delivery driver/Caroline
Street barfly/Beatles enthusiast Daniel Macejka, more commonly known as “Blade.” You don’t want to miss these features and more; scan the QR code at the left to subscribe to Saratoga
Living After Hours.
save the date!
saratoga living is toasting our 25th anniversary— and our Saratoga 25 from this issue!
Celebrate with us June 8 at Putnam Place.
RSVP here! >
What does joy sound like to you?
The giggles of children playing outside on a summer day? The sparks and crackles of a summer bonfire? To me, an opera director, joy sounds like a roomful of people with different backgrounds and histories laughing and discovering the same moment—together.
When I first came to Saratoga Springs six years ago, as a cofacilitator of The Orchard Project’s Greenhouse Residency, I was blown away by the region’s number of excellent arts organizations. Saratoga seemed to be this cultural hub for the performing arts, with Opera Saratoga such an important part of the thriving arts ecosystem.
“Opera has the ability to speak to our contemporary struggle with what is authentic versus what is virtual in a way many other art forms don't. We'll be in dialogue with the acoustic and artificial, and creating art where truth equates to beauty.”
Now, as the new leader of Opera Saratoga, I understand that we are in a historical moment with an urgent need for collaboration and live experience that opera is uniquely suited to address. Though I can’t yet share the details of what I’m planning for next season, I wanted to share with you my thoughts about the purpose of an opera company within a community as special as this one, and where we’re headed—like that roomful of laughing, joyful people—together.
First, opera is a spectacle that lives at the nexus of all the different art forms: music, theater, dance, fine art and writing. To that end, expect lots of interdisciplinary fun and cross-genre experimentation with form. A food fight opera, anyone? Or an AI opera? Though the history of opera spans more than 400
years, new opera is thriving in the US. Expect to listen to exciting, underrepresented and unique voices at Opera Saratoga—voices with something contemporary and boundary-breaking to say.
Though I came on board after this season’s shows were mostly planned, the visionary Board and all-female staff of Opera Saratoga have been game and supportive, helping me plan events around our programming to pump up your night at the opera. Some this season include partnerships with Thirsty Owl, Saratoga Pride, First Fill Spirits, Saratoga Tea & Honey, Northshire Bookstore, and more. If you’re not on this list and would like to be, please reach out. We’d love to work with you to make sure your business gets its share of the spotlight!
I’ve spent 15 years directing opera all over the world and 10 years teaching acting to opera singers at Juilliard and The Metropolitan Opera. In Costa Rica, I learned that rehearsals stop at 4pm for a coffee break; at Versailles we had to restage a lot of our show to accommodate more than 100 feet of added depth to the stage; and in Taiwan, I asked the children’s chorus who their favorite celebrity was (to inspire them to act awestruck) and they told me it was SpongeBob. All of the directing I have done has made me redouble my belief that music is the universal language, a language that bypasses our rational brains and speaks directly to our hearts.
Isn’t this a time when our hearts need to be opened? I hope you’ll join us at the opera—you belong here. ■
6 A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER UPH • 7:30pm
7 saratoga living Singles Event UPH • DON PASQUALE UPH • 7:30pm
8 THE SELFISH GIANT with Saratoga Tea and Honey Tea Party before the show starting at 10am • UPH perf at 11am Under 40s Night First Fill Distillery • 6pm followed by A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER UPH • 7:30pm
1 THE SELFISH GIANT with Saratoga Tea and Honey Tea Party before the show starting at 10am • UPH perf at 11am Tasting Notes The Thirsty Owl • wine pairing with characters from DON PASQUALE • 6pm followed by DON PASQUALE UPH Opening Night • 7:30pm
2 A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER UPH • Matinee at 2pm with postshow talk with cast & creatives
9 DON PASQUALE UPH • Matinee at 2pm with postshow talk with cast & creatives
5 THE SELFISH GIANT Pitney Meadows • 11am
For tickets and more information about Opera Saratoga’s 2023 Summer Festival, visit operasaratoga.org . Opera Saratoga season artwork by Dan Pecci • Venue
Illustrations by Jenny C Design
In a world of too much screen time and dwindling fine and performing arts programs within schools, children will have access to an enchanting free show by Opera Saratoga this summer, an imaginative story about friendship that will be performed at venues across town.
The Selfish Giant—sung in English with beautiful, modern music and great for kids as young as 5— brings Oscar Wilde’s beloved short story to life, with its themes of kindness and inclusion via a garden that needs children to blossom.
“This family show is a really special take on an Oscar Wilde children’s book, which stars a giant shutting out children from inhabiting his garden,” says Mary Birnbaum, Opera Saratoga’s new general and artistic director. “As soon as he closes the gate on these children, his beautiful spaces are cast into eternal winter. The giant decides that he will let one of the children back in, and spring returns. So, under duress from a magical tree and a child who refuses to take no for an answer, he eventually decides to share his green space.”
The idea for this new children’s opera grew like one of the giant’s beautiful flowers after the show’s librettist and producer Lila Palmer recognized the jailed beauty of meticulously cared for private gardens in London. “As a young woman working as a secretary, I often took the bus past Hyde Park and through Chelsea on a stunning route past the lovely green spaces of London and its most elegant Georgian neighborhoods,” she says. “With my bird’s-eye view from the double-decker bus, I could stare down into the many private gardens—green oases of beauty behind imposing wrought-iron fences, to which only the homeowners possess keys.”
The story of the isolated giant in his stark garden stuck with her, and years later she wrote the opera during the pandemic. “What we were all craving was each other, even as we increasingly fled from human contact,” she says. “The great horror of the pandemic was the darkness of selfishness and mutual mistrust, just as the lights in that time were acts of courage and connection.”
The Opera Saratoga performances of The Selfish Giant star professional artists who find great joy in sharing their love of music and theater with children, and they do question-and-answer
sessions after each show. Performances include outdoor showings at the Saratoga Farmers Market and Pitney Meadows, an 11am show at Saratoga Library, and two Universal Preservation Hall options with a preshow tea party with Saratoga Tea and Honey.
“This little opera is as much a prayer as entertainment,” Palmer says, “it is a belief that across our differences we can choose to share, to live together, and thrive.”
The Selfish Giant’s June 3-July 8 performances are free to the public, but registration is required. Visit operasaratoga.org to register for free tickets and for virtual curriculums organized by grade.
Commissioned by American Lyric Theater | Lawrence Edelson, Artistic and General Director | The Selfish Giant was developed under the auspices of the Composer Librettist Development Program at American Lyric Theater in New York City, which is made possible through lead funding from the Mellon Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
