Saratoga Living 2023 "I Do!" Issue

BY ABBY TEGNELIA photography by JESSICA GREGG

BY NATALIE MOORE photography by MEREDITH HEUER

BY ABBY TEGNELIA

BY ABBY TEGNELIA photography by DORI FITZPATRICK

BY NATALIE MOORE photography by CHRISTIAN OTH

photo by

ON THE COVER

Ryan and Ali Finley at their June 2022 wedding at Old Tavern Farm in Saratoga Springs, photographed by Christian Oth.

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Volume 25, No. 1 Winter 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

EDITOR AT LARGE Susan Gates

EDITORIAL INTERN Claire Burnett

WRITERS

Vanessa G. Ahern, Lisa Arcella, Karen Bjornland Chris Carola, Tony Case, Dan De Federicis, Jeff Dingler Christine Graf, Benjamin Lerner, Daniel Nester, Tom Pedulla

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Morgan Campbell, Samantha Decker, Elizabeth Haynes Hannah Kuznia, Dustin Lanterman, Rachel McNair Konrad Odhiambo, Terri-Lynn Pellegri, Susie Raisher, Alyssa Salerno Nate Seitelman, Zach Skowronek, Alex Zhang

Annette Quarrier PUBLISHER

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Tina Galante

PUBLISHER, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Teresa Frazer

SALES DIRECTOR, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Tara Buffa

ART DIRECTOR, MARKETING Steve Teabout SALES ASSISTANT Tracy Momrow

SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Rachael Rieck

EVENTS/DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANT Anthony Jones

Anthony R. Ianniello CHAIR

Tegnelia PRESIDENT/CEO

Tina Galante

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Abby

Fashion for the woman of today… inspired by life and all things beautiful!

27 Church Street Saratoga Springs, NY 518.587.2772 spokensaratoga.com

FROM THE CEO

Winter Wonderland

There’s nothing quite like these quieter winter months, a time I’ve never appreciated as wholeheartedly as I do this year after what turned out to be a whirlwind 2022. And I plan to use them well—spa appointments, weekend getaways, drinks with friends. If this is winter, I’ll never complain about driving conditions again!

Alas, when the coldest snap descends, my cavalier attitude tends to give way to the warmth of my cozy house. But there’s really no reason—with all that Saratoga has to offer—to find ourselves stuck indoors. Not sure what to do? That’s what we’re here for! Check out our interactive, cabin fever–busting package on page 20 (a saratoga living first!). Read up on the offerings—think spa memberships, a three-night stay at a beautiful inn and a shopping spree—and then simply use the QR code to bid on the item in a unique silent auction.

Ready for even more action? Natalie Moore has been expertly writing about events and activities all over town for the magazine’s year-old Substack newsletter Saratoga Living After Hours—and she’s inviting you in on the fun. Turn to page 76 to find out how.

Plus, our annual weddings coverage begins on page 33, I sit down with Carly Connors and Cate Masterson (of the Saratoga Automobile Museum and the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, respectively) for a roundtable discussion (page 26), and we look back at 135 exciting years of the Saratoga Winter Club on page 48.

That’s a lot of reading by the fire, Saratoga. Stay warm,

ABBY TEGNELIA CEO @abbytegnelia

(with Moore) NATE SEITELMAN; (with Masterson & Connors) DORI FITZPATRICK ; (Gives Back) ZACH SKOWRONEK

sparkle and shine (clockwise from top left) CEO Abby Tegnelia and Director of Content Natalie Moore hosting an ugly Christmas sweater singles night at Bailey's; with Cate Masterson and Carly Connors at the Saratoga Automobile Museum; with Paul Hennessey at the 4th annual Capital Region Gives Back fundraising event at Putnam Place; with Jacky Ross and Seana Mosher at Gives Back.

The Rockwell Museum Photo courtesy Brian Maloney Glass Photo courtesy The Corning Museum of Glass

winter warriors

Have an Ice Day

If you missed your chance to channel your inner Elsa at last year’s Lake George Ice Castles, you don’t have to let it go: The fantastical, frozen installation is returning to the shores of

the Queen of American Lakes for the second time this winter. And even if you experienced the inaugural year of the upstate Ice Castles, there are plenty of reasons to return for more cold-weather fun.

“The overall aesthetic is the same, with cascading ice that is glacial blue by day and illuminated with color-changing lights at night,” says Melissa Smuzynski, who handles marketing for the company

that also creates castles in Utah, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. “The layout of the experience, however, changes from year to year, and we continue to add new, fun features each season to make the experience even more magical for guests.” This year? Castle-goers will be able to explore snow igloos and then cozy up to an ice bar (!) that will serve a variety of alcoholic beverages.

Tickets are on sale now, but dates and hours are weather dependent; go to icecastles.com for updated information.

MELLOR; DAN BECK; JOE WEILER

Last year, the Lake George Ice Castles welcomed more than 50,000 guests between January 23 and February 20.

Making Waves

Despite what it might look like at first glance, this isn’t some sort of archaic torture device or early attempt at mind control—it’s a perm machine used to give straight-haired women of the 1930s naturallooking wavy locks. To achieve the desired look, hair was first treated with a chemical and then wound around electrically heated clamps, sometimes resulting in perfect cascading waves. (Unlucky beauty buffs instead suffered scalp burns or hair loss.) Regardless of the risks, perm machines of the sort were all the rage, even making a mark on the 1930s zeitgeist when one was featured in the 1932 comedy The Greeks Had a Word for Them Saratoga, which at the time was well on its way to becoming a bona fide wellness hot spot because of its healing mineral springs, stayed right on the beauty trends of the era. The destination spa town boasted at least one such contraption (pictured here), at 344 Broadway, a salon operated by hairdresser Kathryn M. Conley. While you won’t find one of these machines at Complexions—and the perm trend has given way to textured, beachy waves—one thing hasn’t changed: Saratoga’s women still aren’t afraid to go to great lengths for the next hot hairstyle.

#TBT

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In Wilson’s Wake

HOW RICHARD T. WILSON, JR. , AN EARLY SARATOGA RACING ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND NAMESAKE OF THE TRACK’S NOTABLE WILSON CHUTE, PAVED THE WAY FOR A GOLDEN ERA OF RACING AT THE SPA.

BY BRIEN BOUYEA

In every story—horse racing or otherwise—there’s a hero and there’s a villain. In this story, the hero is Richard T. Wilson, Jr., who led the restoration of Saratoga Race Course to its former glory in the early 1900s, and the villain is Gottfried Walbaum, who was largely responsible for the fact that the track needed saving.

After struggling for much of the 1890s because of the dysfunctional leadership of Walbaum, a nefarious character known for operating brothels and shady racing venues in New Jersey, Thoroughbred racing at the Spa was in a precarious position with diminished purses, a sagging quality of racing, and an overall lack of faith in the track’s future. Enter Wilson, a New York City native who began his association with racing as an owner in 1896 and went on to develop an extraordinary stable, winning the Preakness with The Parader in 1901 and both the Preakness and Belmont with Pillory in 1922. In 1900, Wilson sought out famed sportsmen William C. Whitney and Francis Hitchcock and presented them with a plan to purchase the track from Walbaum. With Whitney’s money paying for a whole slew of improvements (including a new grandstand, paddock and training track), Saratoga was once again poised to be held in high regard on the American sporting scene.

richie rich Before becoming the patron saint of Saratoga Race Course, Richard T. Wilson enjoyed success in his father’s banking house and served as New York’s commissioner of municipal statistics prior to the incorporation of the five boroughs.

While both Whitney and Hitchcock headed up the new management team in the first decade of the new century, Wilson took over as president of the Saratoga Racing Association for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses in 1909, a position he held for the next 20 years. Writer Kent Hollingsworth said Wilson “had an innate love for the Spa and left no stone unturned to maintain it as the gayest resort in racing.”

The 1920s were a golden era of racing, aided by the emergence of great horses such as Man o’ War. But it

was Wilson who rebuilt the Spa’s fine reputation in all areas of operation; he oversaw the construction of the present-day Clubhouse and Turf Terrace, and encouraged women owners with the introduction of the Lady Owners Handicap.

After Wilson fell ill and passed away in 1929 at the age of 63, Saratoga honored its esteemed leader with the Wilson Handicap, which was won by the likes of Hall of Famers Equipoise, Discovery and War Admiral before being discontinued in 1958. Today, the track pays homage to Wilson with the Wilson Chute, a configuration for one-mile dirt races located just beyond the 1863 Club that, though dismantled in 1972, was reintroduced prior to the 2022 Saratoga meeting.

Painting by C. S. Wiltschek, from the collection of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The Uncommon Man

SARATOGA COFFEEHOLICS HAVE ROASTER JOSH CLARK TO THANK FOR THEIR MORNING CUP OF JOE.

BY NATALIE MOORE photography by FRANCESCO D’AMICO

If there’s one person who could claim responsibility for the collective productivity of Saratoga Springs as a whole, it’s Josh Clark. If you don’t know him by name, you’d probably recognize him: He’s the affable musician who spends some 30 hours a week manning the massive Probat coffee roaster smack dab in the middle of Saratoga’s town square: Uncommon Grounds. In

other words, he’s the guy keeping Saratogians caffeinated.

“I roast around 1,500 pounds a week,” he told saratoga living over a cup of fair trade Nicaraguan Alta De Jinotega coffee, black—and a mango smoothie. “My blood sugar’s low, OK?”

Clark, a Greenfield native, grew up coming to Uncommon Grounds and began working for the Broadway coffee shop as a barista in, he

bean town Uncommon Grounds coffee roaster Josh Clark, seen here with a bucket of yet-to-be-roasted beans, personally likes Indonesian coffee; (opposite) Clark roasts about 1,500 pounds of coffee a week in 24-pound batches.

estimates, 2012. He was drawn to the job for the culture surrounding it. “I like to be surrounded by fellow musicians

and artists and struggling writers,” he says. “In most industries you tend to be the only one. So I definitely dug this as a day job.” He eventually graduated to head roaster after the previous one left and now manages, operates and runs the coffee-roasting operations throughout Uncommon’s four Capital Region shops.

While Clark still writes and makes music in his free time, roasting coffee actually requires quite a bit of left-brain power to heat the beans—which come to Uncommon as pale, rock-hard seeds from the highlands of countries around the world—to the right temperature at the right time. A friend of his recently commented that the calculations Clark does on the daily are actually derivative calculus (after all, he’s monitoring the rate of temperature change over time). “Is that what I’m doing?!” Clark, who’s never so much as taken a pre-calc class, responded in disbelief.

And though he enjoys the thoughtful, analytical part of his job, Clark is clearly comfortable in a consumer-facing role; coffee drinkers come up to him with questions about what he’s doing regularly. “I’m glad to share,” he says. “That’s why we have the roaster in the public square, so to speak. It’s great.”

Purchase With A Purpose

P.C.

the Adirondack Park and the Hudson Valley

1SARATOGA SPA STATE PARK

The Spa Park rules the winter with two outdoor ice rinks so beloved that as soon as the holidays pass, dozens of committed skaters call the park every single day asking if the ice is ready—which the park also announces with great fanfare on its

Facebook page. The bigger rink, 225 by 75 feet, magically appears in front of the picture-perfect Victoria Pool (and is thus dubbed “Vic Mall”) and the other, 150 by 75 feet, is near the Roosevelt II Bath House (nicknamed “Admin Mall”). Once they get going, the rinks are open 8am to dusk; bring your own skates, as rentals aren’t available. Need a

warm-me-up? Stop by Wired Coffee Roasters in the Roosevelt II building for coffee or hot chocolate (and restrooms), or head to the warming hut near the Route 9 entrance to the park to toast those tootsies around the indoor fire.

FUN FACT General skating is more common on the Admin Mall, with hockey games more likely to break out on the Vic Mall—but there are no actual rules about rink usage.

2GAVIN PARK

Not a resident of the Town of Wilton? No problem. Everyone is welcome to glide about on the 80-by-120 foot ice rink in Gavin Park’s new picnic pavilion, which is lit and open until 8pm nightly. If you’re bringing the little ones along, be sure to grab them one of the provided push carts to help them balance on their blades. (But make sure everyone brings their own skates!)

FUN FACT The 7,000-square-foot rink’s proximity to the public pavilion brings one huge bonus: heated restrooms.

3MOREAU LAKE STATE PARK

It’s only 10 miles from Saratoga Springs, but a visit to Moreau feels like stepping into an Adirondack postcard.

The lake has long been an ice skating destination—park entry is free this time of year—but last winter, for the first time, the park turned the beach section of the frozen lake into an actual skating “rink.” This winter, after the snow arrives, they are hoping to do it again (daily 10am to 3:30pm), with rental skates available. Down the road from the beach, a charming log cabin serves as a warming hut where skaters can defrost next to a wood stove, read books from a donated library or play a board game.

FUN FACT The lake is maintained by two homemade Zamboni machines pulled by hand by staff members who also provide an oft-checked Daily Ice Report that kicks off the day the ice on the lake is deemed safe to skate on.

4CRANDALL PARK

Every winter for more than a century, kids in Glens Falls have waited for Crandall Pond to freeze so they could lug their skates over for a glorious day of free skating. The natural water feature is one of the most scenic spots in the park and is visible as one drives up Glen Street. Ice skaters are welcome at the lighted rink from dawn to dusk.

FUN FACT Don’t worry if the weather isn’t cooperating, Crandall Park has a Plan B: Visit cityofglensfalls.com for the skating schedule at the nearby (and indoor!) Glens Falls Recreation Center.

NAME JOHN KUZNIA

AGE: 60

RESOLUTION: “Whenever I think of someone, I will reach out with a text or a phone call.”

SARATOGA 268 BROADWAY 518.306.5502 www.complexions.com .. .. ..

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ONLINE www.duboisbeauty.com

Mountainman Outdoors Complexions

Cabin Fever? We Have The Cure!

Escape to the Adirondacks

WHEN BUCK STAGNITTI got on the summit chairlift at Whiteface Mountain in March of 2021, he was an empty nester living in Rexford. When he got off, he was the future owner of a six-room bed and breakfast in Wilmington.

“I was in line for the lift, and this guy says, ‘Hey, can I ride with you?’” Stagnitti says. “He jumps on and we started talking. He said he and his wife owned a bed and breakfast about two miles from the parking lot, but they’d had it for 32 years and were thinking about putting it on the market. As we were getting off the lift, I said, just for kicks, ‘What are you going to list it at?’ He told me the price and I was like, holy cow, that’s actually doable.”

By Labor Day, Stagnitti and his wife, Clea, had purchased and reopened the B&B, and in the spring renamed it Whiteface Farm (WhitefaceFarmNY.com). “It’s a beautiful, old farmhouse that’s literally two minutes from Whiteface Mountain,” he says. “We have three 4,000-foot mountains in our backyard. You can hike out our backdoor and be on a trail that connects to the trail that takes you to the top of Whiteface.”

And while there are plenty of opportunities for Whiteface Farm guests to get outside, those who enjoy admiring the great outdoors from indoors can explore the towns of Wilmington or Lake Placid, which is just 10 miles up the road, or just hunker down next to the B&B’s fireplace with a hot cup of coffee, brewed with beans from

nearby Keene Valley’s Old Mountain Coffee. “Part of our philosophy is that we want to spend our money with local people that we might run into in the grocery store,” Stagnitti says, “because those dollars just resonate throughout the community over and over again.”

That sourcing of local ingredients—including the pork, eggs, cheese and garlic used to make the breakfast that’s included with each guest’s stay—is part of Whiteface Farm’s larger focus on sustainability. “We’ve cut back on plastics, the local food is certainly part of it, the spending our money locally is certainly part of it,” Stagnitti says. “We’re trying to build a business in a tourism community that can be here for another couple hundred years.”

The Beauty of Winter

ONE OF SARATOGA’S HIDDEN GEMS is the state-ofthe-art spa at Complexions Spa for Beauty & Wellness, complete with sauna, steam room, showers and a relaxation lounge stocked with spa snacks, tea and other beverages. And there are several ways to warm up your winter by taking advantage of these amenities.

“People who frequent a spa to de-stress and take care of their skin and body live a more balanced life,” says Complexions owner Denise Dubois. “According to research, 76 percent of Americans reported experiencing one or more sources of stress, which contributes to approximately 80 percent of most ailments. Taking time to unwind allows the stress hormones to turn off, and the body can de-stress and rejuvenate. Another bonus is that regular use of the sauna boosts the immune system, aids in the elimination of toxins and increases metabolism.”

For unlimited access to these five-star amenities at either the Saratoga or Albany location on Wolf Road, consider an Amenity Lovers Membership, which also offers VIP discounts on spa treatments. Or plan to spend time using the facilities before or after a treatment—starting with an oft-neglected wintertime pedicure.

“People neglect their feet in winter,” Dubois says. “During the summer, pedicures are one of our most requested services. When winter comes and everyone’s toes are hidden in socks and boots, people neglect the health of their feet. Dry, rough skin builds up. Schedule a spa pedicure and add a jelly pedi or callus peel to remove dead skin

including its signature body care line in your choice of three collections: Ease, Uplift and Serenity.

“Products included are body scrubs and shower gels, which are better than using soap and reduce dryness, body butter and body lotions,” Dubois says. “We have shower sprays

LIVING IN UPSTATE New York this time of year, you have two options: Hunker down and wait out the winter, or get out and embrace the cold. Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company owner John Nemjo recommends you do the latter, but you’ll need to stock up on the right clothing, footwear and gear first. And there’s only one place in the Capital Region to get everything you need.

Mountainman Outdoors, located at 490 Broadway in Saratoga Springs, has been outfitting the region’s outdoorspeople since 2008. “We’ve been voted the Best Shoe Store and Best Men’s Clothing Store in Saratoga a number of times,” Nemjo says. “We’ve taken on two additional storefronts over the years, giving us one of the biggest footprints on Broadway, and we’re recognized as the place to go for high-end lifestyle clothing and footwear, as well.” In other words, whether you’re going crosscountry skiing in the Saratoga Spa State Park, snowshoeing in the High Peaks, or just wandering around town this winter season, Mountainman has you covered with name brands that are hard to find elsewhere in the Capital Region, including Patagonia, The North Face, Fjällräven, KÜHL, Smartwool, Blundstone, Prana and Keen, to name a few. “We pride ourselves on being leaders in the industry,” Nemjo continues, “and to be one of the first retailers in the area to bring in new and exciting brands.”

So, wherever your cabin fever travels take you—hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or wandering around town—Mountainman is there to help, and their friendly staff is excited to find you the right clothing, footwear and gear to make your adventures safe, warm and enjoyable. “Customer service is what we pride ourselves on and what keeps bringing people back over and over again,” Nemjo says. “Once we get people here, they’re hooked.”

FromWithSaratoga, Love

How Ali Finley’s dream of a lakeside Saratoga wedding turned into the ultimate celebration of the Spa City.

BY NATALIE MOORE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTIAN OTH

barn burner Newlyweds Ali and Ryan Finley in the barn at Old Tavern Farm.

When Ali and Ryan Finley, Manhattanites who recently relocated to Dallas, decided to have their June 2022 wedding in Saratoga Springs, Ali had a onetrack mind. “I’d heard about this beautiful farm that overlooks Saratoga Lake,” the horse racing fan says. “I was dead set on it. I always envisioned myself getting married on water.” The only problem? That farm—Old Tavern Farm—is privately owned and not, unfortunately, a wedding venue. But the soon-to-beFinleys had an in. While Ali didn’t grow up in the horse racing/breeding world (her first horse race was the 2018 Belmont Stakes when Justify won the Triple Crown), her husband-to-be did, and you may recognize his last name.

Ryan’s father, Terry, of Saratoga-based racing syndicate West Point Thoroughbreds, got ahold of Old Tavern owner Walt Borisenok, who graciously agreed to let the couple host their wedding at his working breeding farm. (Two of Borisenok’s children got married on the farm, but this would be the first non-family wedding held there.) Once Ali’s dream venue had been secured, the rest of the ultimate Saratoga wedding weekend fell into place.

“We hosted our rehearsal dinner and welcome drinks at 15 Church, which was

gorgeous,” she says. “We had all of our guests stay at The Adelphi and a bunch of hotels downtown, and Ryan and I got ready at the Adelphi.” But before the couple could say “I do,” they wanted to give their friends and family a taste of the Saratoga racing scene. “We obviously couldn’t host our wedding during racing season just because it’s so hectic, but we really wanted to give our guests a glimpse into what makes Saratoga so special,” Ali says. “We hosted a breakfast on the backstretch catered by The Bread Basket, so everyone got to learn about the horses and watch them work out, and right after we hosted a private tour of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame with Tom Durkin.”

Only after that superSaratoga morning did the party make its way to Old Tavern Farm, which had been transformed into a picture-perfect wedding venue with florals by Hops Petunia, a circular bar and an aisle coming right out of the farm’s main horse weekend warriors (from top) Ryan and Ali’s bridal party; 10 minutes after saying “I do,” Ryan and his friends gathered around an iPhone to watch an important horse race; (opposite, from top) the rehearsal dinner was held at 15 Church; the couple got ready at The Adelphi.

wedding day dreams (clockwise, from top left) The Villa Italia cake; burying a bottle of bourbon at your wedding site is said to bring good weather; the couple’s first dance song was “Joy of My Life” by Chris Stapleton; many out-of-town guests stayed at The Adelphi; (opposite) the ceremony spot overlooked Saratoga Lake.

barn. “Ryan and I did not do a first look, so he was a wreck,” Ali says of her husband seeing her for the first time as she walked down the aisle. “Honestly, I wanted that moment for us.”

After officially tying the knot on the spot where they’d buried a bottle of bourbon 30 days earlier (doing so is said to bring good weather on wedding day), Ali and Ryan joined their guests for a reception featuring catering by On The Marc, music by The Eleven and cake by Villa Italia. “Ryan’s one request was to have espresso martinis passed around with dessert,” Ali says. “I don’t know how they did it, but On The Marc made it happen!”

The after-party was at track season hotspot Dango’s, and on Sunday morning, a farewell brunch was catered by Sweet Mimi’s. “We wanted to make sure to get all of our favorite spots and restaurants involved,” Ali says. “Saratoga is such a special place to Ryan and me, and we couldn’t wait to have all of our people experience the joy of everything it has to offer.”

“We obviously couldn’t host our wedding during racing season just because it’s so hectic, but we really wanted to give our guests a glimpse into what makes Saratoga so special.”

“I Do!”

Lucky 13

College sweethearts JOSH ZAGER and fourth-generation Saratogian MAGGIE DOHERTY had their dream Spa City wedding—13 years after they started dating.

BY ABBY TEGNELIA PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA GREGG

before you nose it Maggie Doherty and Josh Zager enjoying a quiet wedding moment 13 years after their first date; (opposite) Doherty’s “something old” was a cameo necklace that belonged to her dad’s grandmother, Kathryn Doherty (Saratoga High class of 1910), and passed down through the generations.

hen Maggie Doherty called her real estate agent father in Saratoga and said simply, “It’s time,” Dad swiftly went to work with palpable excitement. Doherty and her Hofstra University college sweetheart, Josh Zager, were ready to move back to her hometown, marry and start a family.

But first, the fourth-generation Saratogian and her beau needed a house. And Zager hadn’t yet proposed.

After 12 years of dating, the couple found their dream home at 174 Grand Ave. Then life sped up. In May 2021, Zager proposed (spoiler: she said yes) and the couple moved to Saratoga from Brooklyn. In August, they shot engagement photos at Henry Street Taproom (a favorite date spot and where they held their rehearsal dinner), and the couple that met as collegiate rugby players (she was a freshman, he a sophomore and the team captain) were ready to walk down the aisle at a modern Victorian garden party that was as Saratogian as you can get.

“It was a Saratoga event through and through,” Doherty says of her nuptials that took place October 9 at Anne’s Washington Inn, with catering by 9 Miles East. “I wanted the beauty and charm of Saratoga. This is where we want to raise a family, and we love it deeply.”

No detail was overlooked. The seating chart hung in a frame that once held the coming attraction announcements at an old theater (owned by an uncle of Doherty’s) that was once on the corner of Congress and Spring, and her “something blue” was her strapless fitted gown—with Victorian lace accents and beading, of course—from downtown boutique Something Bleu. “My ‘something old’ and ‘something borrowed’ were a Victorian cameo necklace and earrings, which are family heirlooms,” she says. “The necklace belonged to my greatgrandmother. It’s a real Victorian piece that made its way through the Saratoga generations, and I wore it on my day.”

let them eat (cup)cake (from top) The Bread Basket Bakery made pumpkin spice cupcakes for guests and a two-tier cake for the bride and groom; autumn flowers by Samantha Nass; the couple’s dog, Patsy Cline; Anne’s Washington Inn lit up for the reception; the couple dancing; (opposite, from top) mother-of-the-bride Molly Dwyer helping her daughter get ready; pre-ceremony pampering with Doherty’s wedding party; the bride walking down the aisle with her father, Timothy.

Not only were her flowers done by the brilliant local florist Samantha Nass, but there’s a connection there, too: Nass lives next door to Doherty and Zager, in a home once inhabited by some of Doherty’s relatives. “Sam brought our modern Victorian garden party to the next level,” Doherty says. “She did a stunning installation above the gazebo where we did the ceremony, beautiful arrangements for the tables, and the bouquets. The linens she chose were a gorgeous terracotta color, like spiced cider.” The bridesmaids wore velvet dresses in fall colors such as maple and hunter green, and Bread Basket Bakery baked cupcakes for guests and a small twotier cake for the couple in a seasonal pumpkin spice flavor.

Once everything was perfectly in place, Zager was taken aback when he hit the aisle and saw his 160 wedding guests for the first time. “As I walked down the steps and started to walk down the aisle with my parents on my arms, it struck me just how many people had traveled to join us and given us so much love over all the years Maggie and I have been together,” he says. “Our lives wouldn’t be the same without everyone.” When it was Doherty’s turn to walk down the aisle, Zager “lost it” (his bride says with a giggle) and was comforted by a smiling Doherty. “I held his hand and told him to breathe,” she says. “I was grateful that I got to sit down before the ceremony and read his card—we had planned to have cards and little gifts for each other to get our center and bring everything back to the two of us. I got my emotions out then!”

Both the bride and groom work in the liquor industry—she represents Beam Suntory spirits via the PR/marketing firm Savona Communications, and he does online marketing as a director at the distributor Southern Wine & Spirits—so the signature drinks were important. They landed on a Ginger Smash (Doherty, Zager and their dog, Patsy Cline, are all redheads) made with bourbon, lemon and mint, and a Patsy Cline Paloma named after said dog, who was part of the wedding party. “And my dad brewed a home beer,” the bride says, “that he called Maggie’s Wedding Ale.” Garland Nelson, whom Doherty has known for 20 years, did the music. And after an emotional day, she was ready to let loose. “It would not be a Saratoga event without Garland!” she says. “I didn’t leave the dance floor once.”

Golden Hour

Saratoga natives and former saratoga living cover stars TRINITY MOUZON WOFFORD and ISSEY KOBORI tie the knot at Pitney Meadows in all-natural, true-to-themselves style.

BY NATALIE MOORE PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEREDITH HEUER

party of three Trinity Mouzon Wofford and Issey Kobori held their wedding just five weeks after their daughter, Ruby, was born; the couple first met in preschool and have been together since high school.

When Trinity Mouzon Wofford and Issey Kobori, cofounders of beauty/ wellness/superfood brand Golde, graced the cover of saratoga living in the summer of 2021, they’d been engaged for nearly two years. The happy couple had been together since high school—he went to Schuylerville and she, Saratoga—and had first met all the way back in preschool, but hadn’t even started planning the wedding yet. Life had gotten in the way, as the duo’s already-popular national brand really took off. And after their moment in their hometown spotlight, life got in the way again. Wofford got pregnant, and this past July gave birth to Ruby. Once Ruby arrived, though, it was time. Just five weeks postpartum, Wofford and Kobori were saying “I do” at Saratoga’s Pitney Meadows.

“We’ve loved visiting Pitney Meadows for their great produce stand,” Wofford says. “So when we heard they hosted a handful of wedding events every year, we knew it would be perfect for us.” (In November 2021, the couple bought a house in and moved to the Hudson Valley, but wanted to get married in their hometown.) In true Wofford and Kobori fashion, the wedding was a fairly simple affair, with Wofford wearing next to no makeup and a $200 vintage lace dress. “We cared about great food, music and photos,” she says. “We were very intentional with those things, and then let the rest be very organic. The whole event felt really natural to us and not stuffy.” The catering was handled by Kevin London of Farmhouse Food (“everyone commented about how it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding”), the music was a live jazz band for cocktail hour followed by a DJ who played ’70s dance music, and Meredith Heuer handled the photos, which have a fittingly timeless feel to them. It was also important for Wofford and Kobori to honor Kobori’s Japanese heritage; he and his mom put together a traditional sake toast ceremony where they literally broke open a wooden barrel with mallets.

And, oh yeah, the teeny-tiny elephant in the room: Ruby. “I was honestly pretty nervous about how it was all going to go,” Wofford says about bringing a 5-week-old to a wedding. “Somehow, though, she did really well through the whole thing. It was so great in the end to have her there with us. It was much more than just a wedding celebration—it was a moment to mark our journey ahead as a new family.”

homebody to love “When our good friend was giving a toast, he joked that this was the first time he’d ever seen the two of us enjoy a party, which is pretty spot on,” Trinity Mouzon Wofford says of herself and her now-husband, Issey Kobori. “We’re total homebodies who like to keep things low-key, and I think that really came through with the wedding.”

THE SARATOGA WEDDING 411

BEAUTY & WELLNESS

Sacred Spa + Wellness

125 Sherman Ln, Schuylerville sacredspaandwellness.com @sacredspaandwellness  info@sacredspaandwellness.com  518.507.0530

Make Me Fab

30 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs makemefab.com @makemefabny  info@makemefab.com  518.583.2626

CATERERS/VENUES

Mazzone Hospitality mazzonehospitality.com @mazzonehospitality  518.690.0293

The Gideon Putnam 24 Gideon Putnam Rd, Saratoga Springs gideonputnam.com @gideonputnamweddings  518.226.4728

The Brook Tavern 139 Union Ave, Saratoga Springs thebrooktavern.com @brooktavern 518.871.1473

The Wishing Well 745 Saratoga Rd, Wilton wishingwellrestaurant.com @wishingwellrestaurant 518.584.7640

CELEBRANT

Reverend Joy Burke

Interfaith Minister / Wedding Officiant revjoyburke.com @saratogajoy  518.583.4668

FLORISTS

Fairytale Florist

68 Ballston Ave, Saratoga Springs fairytalefloristsaratogany.com @fairytale_florist  fairytalefloristsaratogany@gmail.com  518.450.1015

Samantha Nass Floral Design

61 Lawrence St, Saratoga Springs snfloraldesign.com @SamanthaNassFloralDesign  sam@snfloraldesign.com  518.886.9461

A Touch of an Angel Florist 140 Saratoga Ave, South Glens Falls atouchofanangelflorist.com @atouchofanangelflorist  atouchofanangelflorist@gmail.com  518.792.0102

Flowers by Pesha 501 Broadway, Troy flowersbypesha.net @ flowers_by_pesha  pesha@flowersbypesha.com  518.272.1980

JEWELRY

deJonghe Original Jewelry 470 Broadway, Saratoga Springs djoriginals.com @dejonghe_jewelry  info@djoriginals.com  518.587.6422

N. Fox Jewelers 404 Broadway, Saratoga Springs nfoxjewelers.com @nfoxjewelers  info@nfoxjewelers.com  518.587.7777

Dori Fitzpatrick Photography

dorifitzpatrick.com @dorifitzpatrickphotography  hello@dorifitzpatrick.com  518.813.5455

Hannah Lux Photography Hannahluxphotography.com @hannahlux.photography  hannahluxphotography@gmail.com  518.605.1149

Lily Saratoga

6 Franklin Sq, Saratoga Springs lilysaratoga.com @lilysaratoga  info@lilysaratoga.com  518.587.5017

Styled by Lily Saratoga 25 Lawrence St, Saratoga Springs styledbylilysaratoga.com @styledbylilysaratoga  styled@lilysaratoga.com  518.871.1754

Something Bleu Bridal

75 Woodlawn Ave, Second Floor Saratoga Springs somethingbleubridal.com @somethingbleubridal  brides@somethingbleubridal.com  518.584.0962

Mark Thomas Men's Apparel

5 Metro Park Rd, Albany  518.438.7887 385 Broadway, Saratoga Springs  518.871.1293 markthomasmensapparel.com  kmf@markthomasmensapparel.com

WEDDING ATTIRE

“I Do!”

More space and stellar views: Lake George’s Fort William Henry is booking weddings—some sight unseen!—at its stunning new Carriage House.

BY ABBY TEGNELIA

EXTERIOR RENDERING

Fort William Henry, on the lake’s southern basin, already does weddings in its White Lion space—which opens as a year-round restaurant in May— and a conference center that can hold a 200-person wedding. The

LFORT WILLIAM SEPTEMBER

fort ever after Fort William Henry’s stunning new Carriage House boasts yearround lake views.

knew that this was the place to do it,” says Fort William Henry Chairwoman and CEO Kathryn Flacke Muncil. “It’s really taking this gorgeous old building that’s four stories and open to the rafters, and opening it up to look at the lake. I nearly cried when they cut the walls to put in the windows and I could see that view.”

The building has a long history. First it was, as the name suggests, where carriages and horses were sheltered for guests of the original hotel that opened in 1865 (the carriage house opened about 10 years later). Over the years, it was used for staff housing, a dinner theater and even a Jamaican dance bar. And now it is helping Fort William Henry become one of the largest meeting spaces in the Capital Region.

Weddings have already been booked for the Carriage House for this year and next—beginning in May, which puts extra-pressure on BBL Construction Services to finish the renovations on time in April. Muncil says they’ve had bookings “sight unseen,” thanks to the soaring ceilings, post-and-beam construction and wraparound patio and deck overlooking Lake George. Part of the renovation includes bringing in wooden doors that were in style when the building was used as an actual carriage house.

“It’s a barn concept without any barn problems,” Muncil says. “You can see the 1865 shiplap ceiling, so you can dress it up or dress it down. We give brides the shell and they bring in whatever they want.”

Carriage House not only can hold a wedding for up to 400 guests, but it can also do lake-view ceremonies year-round thanks to two sets of enormous windows that were put into once-opaque walls on the north and

east sides. The post-pandemic project came about after executives learned that larger weddings were back in style after Covid lockdowns.

WILLIAM HENRY - CARRIAGE HOUSE

“When we realized we wanted to have a larger place for weddings we

LAKE GEORGE, NEW YORK

Nearby on the property, the hotel has 195 rooms and plenty of parking for a big wedding. The Carriage House has its own liquor license (one of the oldest in the state of New York!), and earlier renovations ensured that Fort William Henry has enough kitchen space to put on a large wedding while its restaurant stays open, too. “The Carriage House incorporates the lake and the mountains, which is what we are," Muncil says. "It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

table

CARLY AND CATE TELL IT STRAIGHT

CARLY CONNORS and CATE MASTERSON sit down with saratoga living CEO

ABBY TEGNELIA to answer the toughest questions about making museums appealing to younger generations, staying open in the winter, and being female stewards of male-dominated industries.

by DORI FITZPATRICK

aratoga still has a bit of a reputation for having a certain resistance and reluctance to change, although two years of forced pivots during the pandemic shook that up a great deal. Leading the pack: Connors Connors, executive director of the Saratoga Automobile Museum, and Cate Masterson, director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Both are straight-talking businesswomen breaking new ground to keep museums flourishing in Saratoga for the next generation, while at the same time walking the walk as female leaders in male-dominated worlds. So what does it take to bring new ideas to a historically older Board of Directors with the goal of attracting younger generations into the museum, all while sparking interest in children, who will one day work in horse racing and the auto industry? Their answers during these two toughest months of the year for Saratoga museums are more layered than you might think.

—ABBY TEGNELIA

photography

power moves Cate Masterson and Carly Connors walk the walk as directors of two Saratoga museums that need their new ideas to reach the next generation of patrons.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Horse racing and the auto industry are both male-dominated, and you’re both female directors of museums that celebrate those industries. Behind the scenes, how gender-diverse are your worlds?

CARLY CONNORS, executive director of the Saratoga Automobile Museum: I was asked to join the Board six years ago because they wanted to diversify, and I was a younger woman who liked cars. I wasn’t the first, but at the time I was the only woman. Since then, there have been very few women on the Board, the majority of our visitors are men, and the majority of our members are men.

CATE MASTERSON, director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame: Women have represented the Board since the beginning. The executive director when the museum opened in 1950 was a woman, Elaine Mann. There has always been a heavy presence of women on our Board. And our staff is 75 percent women.

CONNORS: That’s impressive.

What’s the difference? Why do so many women run to support the racing museum?

MASTERSON: It’s a different kind of horsepower. There’s a natural connection with a living animal, an emotional draw, tie and feel that you don’t get with an engine.

CONNORS: That’s the perfect answer.

Carly, do you think that will ever change in the automotive world?

girls and underrepresented groups into STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] classes, and into other fields they might not be exposed to, in order to increase all kinds of diversity. You two are shouldering a lot of that work here, locally.

CONNORS: Our education director is working on bringing more students in, especially with STEM and showing how it can relate to vehicles, engines and cars. And how it can be fun! You can also look at the design aspect.

MASTERSON: BOCES has an equine program for 11th- and 12th-graders, and it’s predominantly female. It’s interesting, because I’m guessing the automotive program at BOCES is predominantly male…

CONNORS: We just had BOCES here last Tuesday, and it was 95 percent male.

MASTERSON: We’re doing a five-part series with them, which we hope will include an Oklahoma [training track] tour and a hot walking training program. We’re trying to get the youth access to the backstretch. Carly, do we have any mechanical shops that you’re affiliated with?

meeting of the minds Connors and Masterson each had “aha” moments when listening to the other as they sat down together for saratoga living

CONNORS: I do. You definitely see more women in racing and the hobby of collecting. Danica Patrick was a big one—I thought she would have made a much bigger splash with women. But you’re definitely seeing more women collecting.

What role do you play locally, just by being a woman who loves cars yourself?

CONNORS: It’s great when we have students come in, and they see there’s a woman executive director. Some are pretty surprised by that—and surprised by my knowledge of cars. We just hired an education director [Rachel Chase] to shore up even more student programs. She’s dynamite.

MASTERSON: She is awesome. And our educator [Matt Reichel], who’s new too, has already worked with her on three events. They hit it off and are doing all sorts of things.

I love the synergy when it comes to local kids. Worldwide, people are talking about how we can get more young

CONNORS: We’re hoping to start a restoration program where we’ll have high school kids come in and learn from the older generation. We’re partnering with the local Model A Club, which is similar to the Model Ts. We’re really excited about it. But it’s not seeing interest from females.

Really? I think that sounds fun, like a puzzle to figure out— something that I might have enjoyed when I was younger.

CONNORS: When they talk about women in STEM, it’s the higher-paying jobs, the doctors and engineers. They never talk to them about mechanics.

MASTERSON: My boyfriend’s niece just turned 21 and wants to be a welder. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and asked her about it. She said she grew up doing this stuff with her dad.

CONNORS: That’s where I got my love of cars: My dad was really into cars, so we would talk about cars. That’s how a lot of kids get into it—a dad, an uncle, a grandfather.

That speaks volumes about the generations—the generation before might not have taught their daughters any of that.

CONNORS: Definitely not.

Do you two ever get sick of being asked about being female? I know that every time I’m referred to as a “female

“We just had our firstever bilingual exhibit. We went from “Women in Racing” to “Betting on America: the Immigrant Experience.” It was amazing and so well received.”

–Cate Masterson

“For us, getting the younger generation meant really looking at our exhibits and thinking outside the box. The RADwood exhibit, about the cars from the ’80s and ’90s, brought in a whole new demographic for us. And then James Bond did the same.”

–Carly Connors

CEO” I’m thinking to myself, “I’m also good at my job.” [Everyone laughs.]

CONNORS: Yes! Yes! I think, “Aren’t we over that?”

When I first moved here, I didn’t think so. In fact, I felt pushed into what I call a “little lady lane” more than I ever had in California. But maybe during Covid there simply wasn’t time for that, because I have seen vast improvement. [The group starts to list female leaders in Saratoga, and then shares stories of—in recent memory—being treated differently

stronger together The two women enjoy forging synergies between the two museums, especially in the education sphere; (opposite) the two women in front of the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

than male counterparts. Connors and Masterson asked for details to be off the record, but topics the three of us discussed included salary disparity, being talked over by males in group meetings and watching a male be approached for something first at an event. But overall, both women proudly deemed Saratoga gender-neutral.]

What I think I’m hearing is that while gender equality is an important topic right now, the other elephant in the room is getting the next generation in the door.

MASTERSON: It’s education. It really is. We have a very good relationship with NYRA, where we can have a space at the track that we can promote the museum as an educational program across the street. We just had our first-ever bilingual exhibit. We went from “Women in Racing” to “Betting on America: The Immigrant Experience.” It was amazing and so well received. We’ve done events to get the backstretch workers in, but this really brought them in.

CONNORS: For us, getting the younger generation meant really looking at our exhibits and thinking outside the box. The RADwood exhibit, about the cars from the ’80s and ’90s, brought in a whole new demographic for us. And then James Bond [Bond in Motion, the current exhibit] did the same. We needed to rethink what we were showing at the museum. And now we’re getting younger volunteers and new, younger members.

MASTERSON: And you have to change more than before. You used to be able to have an exhibit for two years. Now? No way. Six months. We’re constantly changing because we can’t be a place you visit once every 10 years. We need people to come back every season or at least once a year.

CONNORS: And you have to keep up with social media to get younger people in the door.

MASTERSON: Do you Tik Tok?

CONNORS: We don’t Tik Tok. Do you Tik Tok?

MASTERSON: We don’t Tik Tok.

CONNORS: I really want our Board to do a Tik Tok dance. We’re so lucky we have Zach [Skowronek, communications director] to do our social media. He gets it. Well, he doesn’t get Facebook, but I help with that. He’s like, “It just

doesn’t make sense.”

MASTERSON: Yeah that’s too old for him.

CONNORS: During a RADwood meeting, no one on staff knew what CliffsNotes were; they were too young. But on the [older] Board, very few knew what [’80s and ’90s lifestyle brand] RADwood was. Some still don’t get it. The Bond exhibit they got. But they embraced all of it.

MASTERSON: We’re planning Secretariat’s 50th anniversary. That goes back to 1973, so we have to make it relevant to today’s youth. It’s tough.

It’s interesting to hear about the generational layers that exist within your organizations and how serious these discussions are.

CONNORS: We have to.

MASTERSON: Otherwise, we’re not going to be here.

What else are you thinking about right now?

MASTERSON: January and February are tough for places that are open year-round in Saratoga.

CONNORS: Winter is our most difficult time because numbers are down, and we can’t have our outdoor events like we do in the summer. We go down to five days a week.

MASTERSON: Same.

What does the immediate future look like?

MASTERSON: We’re doing a February fundraiser. We’ve never done one before! On February 4, our Countdown to the Triple Crown will be exactly three months to the day before the Derby. It will be low-key to get people excited about the spring.

CONNORS: We have an auction in Florida that same weekend. This will be our second year down in Naples. We split the proceeds with an amazing organization called St. Matthew’s House.

And long-term?

MASTERSON: We’re always thinking, “How can we change the mindset that museums are a thing of the past?”

CONNORS: Yes! A museum doesn’t have to be stuffy.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS 135-YEAR HISTORY, THE SARATOGA WINTER CLUB ,

SPEED

BY JEFF DINGLER

lake life The 1938 Eastern States Outdoor Speedskating Championships, hosted by the Saratoga Winter Club on Saratoga Lake.

axine Lautenberg spends most of her days around the ice. With slate gray hair and thickrimmed glasses, she exudes a coolness and poise that betrays her busy schedule as president of a sporting organization almost as old as the Spa City’s famous horse racing track: the prestigious Saratoga Winter Club (SWC).

“It is quite historic that this is the first time we’ve had a woman at the helm of the Saratoga Cup meet being supported by a woman president, and our skaters are being coached by a woman,” says Lautenberg, who in 2019 became only the second woman president in the club’s 135-year history. (The first was Sue Strauss, who held the position from 1999 to 2003.)

Lautenberg had previously served as vice president for three years and although she’s never speed skated herself, she fell in love with the sport through her three children, who all learned to skate through the SWC at the city rink on Weibel Avenue. “I was previously a dancer,” she says. “When I watch these athletes, I so appreciate the technicality and the

intricacies of speed skating, and being able to skate on the edges of those blades and turn those corners. It’s its own dance on ice, and that’s really where I get my pleasure.”

The SWC began as the Saratoga Toboggan Club in 1888, the same year as the Spa City’s Great Blizzard and only five years after Saratoga Race Course opened. In the early days it was just an allotment of locals who shot riders onto Saratoga Lake via a large toboggan slide. By the early 1900s, however, the organization had changed its name to the Saratoga Winter Sports Club (“Sports” would be dropped from the name in the 1930s) and added skiing, skating and even a Winter Snow Queen coronation. Over the years, the SWC evolved into a serious speed skating center that has sent eight athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics. That number doesn’t include the North American Short Track Champion and renowned Olympics skating coach Patrick Maxwell, who trained some of the SWC’s top athletes from 1976 to 2002. Maxwell’s tutelage was so successful that of the 32 speed skaters who competed at the qualifying trials for the ’98 Olympics, 18 came from the Saratoga Winter Club.

skate capital Olympian alumni of the Saratoga Winter Club Amy Peterson-Peck, John Wurster, Pat Maxwell, Erin (Porter) Bembry and Paul Marchese; (above) SWC President Maxine Lindig Lautenberg, Saratoga Cup Race Director and Co-VP of Racing Karolina Quinn and SWC Head Coach and five-time Olympian Amy Peterson-Peck.

East Side Recreation Field transformed into a skaters’ Paradise – 1929

The list of those who made it all the way includes the brothers Richie and John Wurster from Ballston Spa, who both competed in the 1968 Winter Games (and John again in ‘72); Kristen Talbot, also Ballston Spa–born (’88, ’92, and ’94); Saratogians Moira D’Andrea (’92 and ’98), David Tamburrino (’94 and ’98) and Erin Porter (’98 and ’02); and Schenectady native Trevor Marsicano, who made headlines in 2009 as the youngest gold medalist in the history of the World Single Distance Championships and again the following year when he won a silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The winter speed demon who most tugged at the heartstrings, however, was the imitable Amy PetersonPeck, a five-time Olympian who emerged from the Saratoga Winter Club to compete in every winter games from 1988 to 2002, racking up two bronze medals and one silver— and then carried the US flag for the opening ceremony at the ’02 Salt Lake City Winter Games. “It was right after 9/11, so it was a very special moment for all Americans,” she says. “It was an amazing experience—culminated my career.”

Peterson-Peck (who was just Peterson during her Olympic career) is particularly important to the SWC because she didn’t just train at the premier skating club: She’s now the head coach, having been promoted to that position the year before Lautenberg became president. “It didn’t really occur to me until just now that I’m the first woman head coach,” PetersonPeck says with a laugh. She originally came to Saratoga in 1997 to work with Maxwell at the SWC. She later met a local, the brotherin-law of her friend and fellow Olympian Kristen Talbot. In 2006, the same year Peterson-Peck was inducted into the National Speed Skating Hall of Fame, the couple married before settling down in Schuylerville, where they had four boys. “I always see life as an even playing field: men, women, anyone,” she says. “You just do the job to the best of your abilities.”

But the timing, right before life came to a halt because of Covid, couldn’t have been worse—not only for Lautenberg and Peterson-Peck, but for the SWC as well. Like every other sports organization, the Spa City’s historic speed skating club suffered greatly during lockdown. “The club is in transition for sure,” says Lautenberg of coming out of the pandemic. “We are not the club of the late ’90s and very early 2000s. But we have new members that are enthusiastic and love the sport and appreciate it for its blend of precision, technical training

and physical training. It’s a sport to carry throughout their lives.”

One of Lautenberg’s first moves as president might have saved the organization. She created a new program that offers accessible skating classes for all ages and levels, including beginners. The program kicked off shortly before Covid and, while it had to take a hiatus during the pandemic, it’s come back strong. “Maxine has been instrumental in designing and implementing the learn-to-speed skate program,” says Peterson-Peck. “Of our current members, I’d say maybe 80 percent or more have come through that program. Skating has such a history in this town that we just keep wanting to make it thrive and provide the same opportunities that we had when we were younger.”

Of course, Peterson-Peck’s expertise as head coach has also been part of the SWC’s secret sauce. She’s been skating since she was 2 (speed skating since the age of 6) and is one of only a few Level 3 certified speed skating coaches in the country. “Coaching is a big part of our success,” says Lautenberg. “We’ve been super fortunate to have had really great coaches: Pat Maxwell, Paul Marchese—who’s one of the top boot-makers in the world—and now we have Amy!”

And one more powerhouse female recently joined the ranks. This past autumn, Karolina Quinn, who shares the office of VP of Racing with her husband, Tim, stepped up as the new meet director, the first woman to ever hold that position since the SWC started hosting skating meets 90 years ago. “I can assure you it’s a collaborative effort all the way,” Quinn says about overseeing the Saratoga Cup, a regional ability meet held in the Weibel Avenue ice rink that attracts nearly 100 skaters from across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast every fall. “It’s humbling to work with so many dedicated people who donate their time and talents to make this meet what it is.”

Though her children are all grown now and no longer involved with speed skating, Lautenberg says her family’s experience in the sport was completely worth it. “As a woman,” Lautenberg says, “one thing I’ve brought to the club is not only continuing the competitive opportunities, which are significant on many levels, but also acknowledging the importance the sport has as a lifelong form of exercise and a place to find community and friends. The Saratoga Winter Club is a breakout place for me—it’s where I can go and just enjoy being there.”

porter’s house Erin (Porter) Bembry, one of several SWC alumni who became Olympians, competed for Team USA in ’98 and ’02.

off track

SARATOGA’S HOTTEST TICKETS

saratoga living

’s & CAPITAL REGION LIVING ’ s

CAPITAL REGION GIVES BACK

DECEMBER 15 • PUTNAM PLACE photography by

ZACH SKOWRONEK

It wouldn’t be the holiday season in Saratoga without Capital Region Gives Back, our fourth annual event that highlights 10 local do-gooders and raises money for the 10 nonprofits they represent. This year’s fundraiser was held on Thursday, December 15 at Putnam Place and saw an impressive $14,165 raised by the more than 200 guests in attendance.

The elegant evening began with tunes by DJ BoyBoy, complimentary wines from Freixenet, tequila samples from One With Life Tequila and an impressive Italian spread by Old Daley Custom Catering and Bella Napoli. At around 7:30pm, emcee (and Gives Back alum!) Christina Arangio from NEWS10 ABC took the stage to introduce the 10 honorees, eliciting a few tears in the crowd as she told their heart-wrenching and heart-warming stories. After all the honorees had been recognized (they each received a gorgeous bouquet by Samantha Nass Floral Design and a memento by Awards by Walsh), Arangio announced the winner of the friendly competition to raise the most money: Dan Graham, who was representing Argyle’s Lucky Puppy Rescue. Graham then said a few words, acknowledging the amazing work done by his fellow Gives Back honorees and pledging to make a personal donation to each of their nonprofits. As winner of this year’s competition, Graham will have his funds raised matched by Empire Media Network Chairman Anthony Ianniello.

Natalie Moore, Molly Gallagher

Michelle Cardone, Abby Tegnelia, Suzanne Morris, Seana Mosher, Jacky Ross

Phillip and Nancy Underwood and Ramón and Sharon Domínguez

DJ BoyBoy

Christina Arangio introduces the Gives Back honorees

Kato Kawaguchi, Emily DiSiena, Tim Pink, Dan Graham, Meagan Brown, Steve Lisciani

Mike McNary, Beth Ann Tierney

Jeff and Patti Yule

Annette Quarrier, Tina Galante, Teresa Frazer

Kasia and Adam Israel

Anthony Ianniello, Tracy Momrow Anna Kuwabara, Craig Edwards Keli Scott, Emma Brodwin, Katie Crager, Kathy Crager

Christina Arangio, Chad Rogers

Italian spread by Old Daley Custom Catering

Cookies by Bella Napoli Wine by Freixenet

Brothers Simon and Shamus Evans Bobby Choquette

Starletta Smith, Shaun Evans

track

SARATOGA’S HOTTEST TICKETS

saratoga living’s Single in Saratoga: Ugly Sweater Edition

DECEMBER 7 • BAILEY’S photography by NATE SEITELMAN

After a successful first event in October, saratoga living brought back Single in Saratoga for a second round. This time, attendees came wearing their ugliest Christmas sweater, with one lucky woman going home with the title of ugliest sweater (it was actually a sweater-jumper) as the winner of a contest presented by the Micropolitan Matchmakers. Like last time, Deep Eddy Vodka provided the libations, and singles mixed and mingled throughout the evening, playing games and filling in a poster of their dating red flags and green flags. Save the date for our next Single in Saratoga event: February 8!

photography by LOIS RYBKA DYSARD

The Flower and Fruit Mission of Saratoga Hospital’s Snow Ball

DECEMBER 3 • CANFIELD CASINO

photography by CATHY DUFFY

home stretch:

haute property

New

FITZPATRICK

whether your new year’s resolution is to get back to the gym, take a daily walk around town to clear your head, or spend more time wearing comfy clothes (count me in!), these two looks are for you. Those who identify with Wednesday Addams should head straight to Irene Leigh in the Saratoga Marketplace for a trendy head-to-toe look that’s (almost?) as dark as her soul. I paired slightly shiny black leggings with this fun sweater and puffer coat, and added a splash of color with Hoka sneakers from iRun Local. For those not afraid of a little hot pink, I dressed up another pair of black leggings with somewhat of a statement piece: a soft, fuchsia coat that matches the pink in the sneakers perfectly, and a bulky black scarf (hey, in Saratoga in the wintertime, keeping warm is always in style). The final touch for either look? Futuristic ski glasses that’ll propel your style into 2023 and beyond.

—CLAIRE BURNETT @clairewburnett

IRENE LEIGH:

ELECTRIC & ROSE SHAUNA

FP MOVEMENT PIPPA PACKABLE PUFFER JACKER | $198 SPIRITUAL GANGSTER SHINE INTENT LEGGING | $88

IRENE LEIGH:

BEYOND YOGA DAYDREAM

PULLOVER | $66

RD STYLE HEIDI JACKET | $118 ALO YOGA LOUNGE LEGGING | $108

WINDOWPANE SCARF | $34

home stretch:

fashion || food & drink || design || haute property

Coziest Cocktails

THIS YEAR’S WINTER COCKTAILS ARE NEXT-LEVEL, SO WARM UP AT YOUR FAVORITE BAR WITH ONE (OR TWO) OF THESE SPIKED MASTERPIECES.

BY ABBY TEGNELIA

There’s no at better way to warm up one’s belly than by bellying up to the bar—so get out of the house and hit up one of these hot spots for a drool-worthy concoction

or two. Downtown’s most creative mixologists have outdone themselves this year, with each boozy confection more delectable than the last.

“Patrons want that magical kind

baby it’s cold outside Fancy winter cocktails beckon patrons into (from left) Lucy’s (Sweater Weather); Henry Street Taproom (Brutella); and (opposite) The Misfit (Red Ryder and Drop It Like It’s Hot).

of feeling in the winter, like they’re ordering a present—something special—for themselves when they order a drink,” says cocktail curator Jess Contompasis of Henry Street Taproom. Her liquid treats include a Brutella (cold brew, Bruno Mars’ SelvaRey chocolate rum, biscotti liquor and hazelnut whipped cream topping) and It’s Tradition (eggnog, St. George apple brandy, vanilla vodka and grated nutmeg).

Other downtown hotspots splashed out fancy new winter cocktail menus— stop in for a visit at Lucy’s (the bar’s vodka-soaked Sweater Weather will speak to the staunchest s’mores fans) or The Bourbon Room, for starters. But don’t miss The Misfit, their newest Caroline Street neighbor.

(Lucy's, The Misfit) RACHEL MCNAIR/THE CONTENT AGENCY

Owner Michael Mills started his enviable winter cocktail list with a base of seasonal flavors such as rosemary, chocolate and cinnamon. “Every member of the bar staff works together to build recipes that are unique and unexpected,” he says. “We finish by making sure we’re offering a mix of spirits, colors, glassware and interesting garnishes to complete the job.”

The outcome? An impressive list that includes a spiced rum cocktail made with apple cider, orange and cinnamon and served warm—plus an over-the-top s’mores treat, peanut butter espresso martini, and tequila/mezcal masterpiece topped with egg white and called We Didn’t Start the Fire. If that doesn’t warm you up, we don’t know what will.

Historic Photographs of Saratoga Springs

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Cake Boss

BY NATALIE MOORE

Saratoga’s Bread Basket Bakery has been much in the news in recent years: First, in 2020, it was purchased by Ed and Lisa Mitzen and turned from a for-profit business into one whose profits go to charity, as one of the couple’s Business for Good family of companies. The following year, a second location of the beloved bakery was opened across town in The Springs apartment complex at 3 Hampstead Place. And now, this past fall, that second location has been transformed to meet Bread Basket’s rising demand for one thing: cakes.

Heading up the cake-making operation is cake designer and manager Angelina Tallman. She first worked at the bakery starting in the 1990s, then she ran her own operation, Cakes By Angelina, for five years

before coming back to Bread Basket full-time in 2016. “What sets us apart is the length of time we’ve been operating,” she says. “I’ve made cakes for families for decades. I make cakes for kids now, when once I made their parents’ wedding cake.”

While the Hampstead Place location no longer serves food (you can still get all your Bread Basket favorites at the original location on Spring Street), the shop still offers coffee and tea, as well as some breakfast pastries and, if you just need a little something to satisfy your sweet tooth? Cupcakes.

ice, ice, baby Angelina Tallman heads up Bread Basket Bakery’s new cake shop; (inset) Bread Basket decorators Kathleen Stewart and Yvette Macapagal.

BREAD BASKET BAKERY DEDICATES ITS SECOND LOCATION TO THE ART OF CAKES.

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and worked my way up,” he says. Since then, Emerson has worked for some of the toniest restaurants and resorts in the area: Saratoga National, The Sagamore and The Equinox across the Vermont border in Manchester. He spent the previous six years as a sous chef at the Spa City’s famed artist retreat, Yaddo. “We’re going to rotate some comfy taproom favorites,” Emerson says. “Beer cheese, pizza, panini, and Michigan dogs with chips.” His current favorite item? A marinated mix of sautéed Greek and Spanish olives, tapas style, with Calabrian chilis and garlic. “It pairs very well with our Intermezzo Italian Pilsner,” he says.

Pub Grub

Even in the bitter winter, nothing goes better with a cold beer than some salty, spicy pub fare. “Tell me about it,” says Colin Quinn, co-founder and co-owner of the Saratoga-based Artisanal Brew Works (ABW). A school teacher at Saratoga High by day, the bearded Quinn looks more the part of a beer-brewer, and took his passion pro in 2015 by starting ABW with Kurt Borchardt. Now he’s excited about adding a permanent inhouse food menu. “This is the very first time in our seven-year history that we have our own kitchen,” says Quinn,

who began home-brewing in his 20s. “To be able to pair beers with food items is something that Kurt and I have been talking about for a long time.”

To complete that barroom snacking dream, Quinn and Borchardt tapped culinary whiz Jason Emerson, who grew up in Saratoga and got his first taste of the food scene in high school. “I started out as a dishwasher at the Mexican Connection

“The beer complements the spiciness, saltiness and herbaceousness of the marinated olives.” For dessert, he created a chocolate mouse with ABW’s own popular peanut butter stout and plans to add a frosty sorbet utilizing the brewery’s own fruited sours to the menu.

The new kitchen soft-opened on December 17 with a small but scrumptious selection. Since then, the pair of beer-makers has rolled out a full menu, and they’re hoping to toast to a full-fledged ABW restaurant one day. “Unfortunately the slow economy has delayed our 180-person restaurant space,” says Borchardt. “For now, we pivoted to having a smaller kitchen with a focus on making super highquality food. Our focus is on becoming a destination brewery.”

The duo’s beverages have been so successful that Quinn even gets recognized at work. He says, “I get questions from my students like, ‘When can I come in and have a beer, Mr. Quinn?’ I tell them: ‘When you’re 21.’”

For now, a bite to eat will have to do.

ARTISANAL BREW WORKS UNVEILS A COLLECTION OF CASUAL COMFORT FOODS THAT PAIR PERFECTLY WITH THE BREWERY'S BELOVED BEER SELECTIONS. BY JEFF DINGLER

dog days Artisanal

Brew Works co-owners Kurt Borchardt and Colin Quinn; (above) Chef Jason Emerson’s Michigan hot dogs served with chips; (inset) ABW’s Total Darkness Stout.

From Your Perspective

Saratoga Springs–based architecture firm Balzer & Tuck has been bringing clients’ visions to life for more than two decades.

DRIVING NORTH ON ROUTE 9, just before you get to the entrance of the Saratoga Spa State Park, you’ll pass a car dealership on the right. Sure, “Honda” is displayed on the side of the building, and the lot is filled with new and used cars, but if it weren’t for those details, you might think you were driving by a museum, or maybe a performing arts center.

“We didn’t bring a portfolio of car dealerships to this project, but we did bring a great appreciation for Saratoga Springs and a willingness to listen to what the owner needed to operate a successful business,” says Michael Tuck of Balzer & Tuck Architecture. “The owner of the car dealership knew a corporate dealership identity wouldn’t be well received, so he came to us saying, ‘How do you bridge the gap? How do we give enough of the corporate identity but yet respect the context in which it will be constructed?’” The answer? A signature auto porch for showcasing new vehicles inspired by the sweeping porches found on the historic buildings of Saratoga Spa State Park directly across the street.

Balzer & Tuck’s ability to work closely with clients to determine exactly what they want and need from a project—whether it’s residential or commercial, new construction or a renovation—is

something Tuck and business partner Brett Balzer are especially proud of. “What we hear from folks is that we check our ego at the door,” Tuck says. “That means we’re designing for people. We’re not trying to make another signature project or push them in a way that we think is better. It’s the quiet listening, the quiet guiding, and really advocating for what the owners want that sets us apart.” That notion is even illustrated in the firm’s three “pillars of design”: design with thoughtfulness, listen with empathy, and deliver with passion.

Thinking of building a custom home and don’t know where to start? “There are folks that say ‘I don’t really know what I want, but I have this piece of land or I have this existing home that isn’t working for me,’” Tuck says. “They need x bedrooms and would like a pool and all these things, but don’t know how to get it all to come together or how much it’s going to cost.” If that sounds like you, Balzer & Tuck should be your first call. “We take that information and get at why they want the house,” Tuck says. “How do they live? What’s important to them? Whether it’s the card games that they play with their extended family on the porch on the weekends, or if it’s gardening—different people have different things, and that all informs our process for designing a unique project for each client’s needs.” ■ 518.580.8818 | balzertuck.com

The Balzer and Tuck team prides itself on designing for clients rather than trying to make another signature project, whether it’s a commercial building or a residential home.

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Tile Points

MOROCCAN ZELLIGE TILE TAKES CENTER STAGE IN THIS GLENMONT BATHROOM REMODEL.

BY NATALIE MOORE photography by MEGAN MUMFORD

The silver lining to finding mold beneath the tiles in your shower? It’s the perfect excuse for a bathroom remodel! Just ask Diane Meyer, a designer at Interior Designs Atelier, a Saratoga-based firm owned by Linda Gerace-Skinner. Meyer helped one Glenmont couple turn their nightmare of a primary bathroom into a modern Moroccan oasis.

The main attraction of the remodel is, unquestionably, the tilework. “I selected zellige, a hand-crafted glazed clay tile made in Morocco that’s known for its incredible dimension and imperfection,” Meyer says. “It’s made the same way as it was 600 years ago.” The process involves mixing clay from the Moroccan region of Fez with water, hand-shaping the mixture, and then drying it in large sheets. These sheets are then glazed and manually cut into tiles using a sharp hammer. The result? Geometric shapes that vary in color and thickness but create a perfectly imperfect mosaic of sorts when covering a bathroom wall. (The technique has become so popular that Kendall Jenner covered the walls of her LA bathroom with square,

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emerald green zellige tiles.) “I had the tile installed in a double herringbone pattern from floor to ceiling on two walls,” Meyer continues, “and kept the remaining walls and complementary materials to a minimum to showcase the color and depth of the tiles.”

Shaker-inspired cabinetry, LED backlit mirrors and staggered lighting pendants over the vanity complete the cool, clean and classic space…Now off to look for mold in the kitchen.

wall of fame A zellige tile accent wall, plenty of storage and LED backlit mirrors with a full-spectrum range of warm or cool lighting make this primary bathroom, designed by Diane Meyer of Saratoga-based interior design firm Interior Designs Atelier, a spa-inspired Zen escape.

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Mansion Makeover

AFTER A TWO-YEAR RESTORATION

BY PHINNEY DESIGN GROUP, THIS 1884 QUEEN ANNE VICTORIAN IS AS GOOD AS— AND MAYBE EVEN BETTER THAN—NEW.

BY JEFF DINGLER

As an architect, Michael Phinney spends a lot of his time working on new, state-ofthe-art buildings that utilize the latest and greatest sustainable building methods. But sometimes

an old house comes along that requires his firm’s expertise to restore it to its former glory. That’s the case with 73 Union Avenue, a signature High Gothic Victorian that recently underwent a two-year restoration courtesy of Phinney Design Group.

“You don’t get to touch three-story, historic Victorians every day,” Phinney says of the mansion that was originally built in 1883 for John M. Jones, a jeweler and watchmaker, and his wife, Henrietta, whose uncle was the French composer Jacques Offenbach, famous

union collage (clockwise, from left) Architect Michael Phinney says the dark façade of 73 Union is unique for a Victorian; the home’s patio; the sky-blue kitchen cabinets give this historic home a modern feel; the circular dining room; Phinney was conscious of respecting the home’s past during its renovation.

for a can-can from his comedic opera Orpheus in the Underworld. In 2016, current owners John and Michelle Haller purchased the 6,500-square-foot home and lived in the carriage house during the renovation of the original structure, which required foundational reinforcement, structural modifications and improvements, and a lot of interior renovations, including a wholly redesigned kitchen, primary bath, living room, mudroom, office and dining layout.

“We wanted to respect the past but really embrace

the future,” says Phinney. “We were very careful to replace parts with exact replicas or, when replacing a damaged item, getting it made to match exactly. But in other instances, we incorporated modern conveniences.”

Those modern conveniences include a much larger kitchen with a giant island, a chef-grade stove, and a pop of sky-blue color in the cabinets. The reconfigured dining area features a creative circular theme, including a round table and rug, rounded bay window, and organic gold

chandelier under a roundcoffered ceiling. The third floor, originally the live-in servants’ quarters, was turned into a study. All this was done without touching the iconic Union Avenue façade, which brings its own freshness.

“The color scheme of the original house is unique for a Victorian because of its darker colors,” says Phinney. “To work with that palette, to save an old girl like that and have it be even better than it was in its heyday, is really nice. Now hopefully it’s going to be something special for another 100 years.”

osteria danny

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.

Closed Tuesday & Wednesday; 5pm-9pm Sunday, Monday & Thursday; 5pm-10pm Friday & Saturday

26 HENRY ST, SARATOGA SPRINGS osteriadanny.com 518.423.7022

Henry Street Taproom

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 on the coldest of Saratoga days.

Open 4-10pm Tuesday-Friday; 2-10pm Saturday; 2-9pm Sunday.

86 HENRY ST, SARATOGA SPRINGS henrystreettaproom.com 518.886.8938

Dunning Street Station

Celebrate the new year with a drink and a twocourse meal for $20.23. Located less than 10 minutes from downtown Saratoga Springs just off Exist 13S, Dunning Street Station is known for its laidback environment and front-of-mind customer service.

Chef Bruce Jacobson, formerly of sister restaurant Lake Ridge, has curated an impressive menu that features many Italian-inspired classics with a twist, which are available for dine-in or takeout. Add in plenty of parking, ample space at the bar and Dunning Street Station is a winning option for a night out. Open at 4pm daily.

2853 STATE HWY 9, MALTA dunningstreetstation.com 518.587.2000

Lake Ridge

Tucked away in the village of Round Lake, just off exit 11 of the Northway, Lake Ridge is only 15 minutes from both Saratoga Springs and Albany. Enjoy a full seafood, steak or pasta dinner in one of the “Best Of 2022”-winning restaurant’s three dining rooms, savor a snack from its expanded small plates menu, or skip food altogether and stop in for a martini or specialty cocktail at the breathtaking mahogany bar. Gift certificates are also available.

Open 4-8:45pm Tuesday-Saturday.

35 BURLINGTON AVE, ROUND LAKE lake-ridge.com 518.899.6000

Winter Citra Sour

Woodinville’s hand-crafted rye whiskey yields notes of cinnamon, clove and wood spice—a perfect base for this wintery concoction. The Bourbon Room’s top-tier mixologists add in just the right amount of their house-made sweet 'n' sour mix, a refreshing splash of ginger beer, and seasonal pressed cranberries for a luxe final touch.

8 CAROLINE ST, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.791.6199 sipsaratoga.com

Just Do It

it seems like every time I talk to someone these days, they all tell me the same thing: “I can’t believe you do so much.” No, I’m not a tireless volunteer doing hero’s work for the community or a single mother balancing a full-time job—I am simply out doing as much stuff in Saratoga as humanly possible. (And posting it online for all to see.) Celebrating our local community is our magazine’s mission, and doing that while spotlighting all kinds of cool things going on within it is our Substack newsletter’s role in our achieving that goal.

To be fair, I’m the farthest thing from a homebody that

you can find, and being on top of the Saratoga scene is literally part of my job description—I’ve been writing “Vibe Checks” of various Spa City happenings since we launched Saratoga Living After Hours (SLAH) just over a year ago. (Scan the QR code below to read all past stories and get future event recaps sent directly to your email.) But there’s another reason I always find my nights and weekends completely booked: There’s simply so much to do in Saratoga. Wait, stay with me—I’m serious. Sure, winter in the Spa City is no August in the Spa City, but I’ve been waiting to run out of events to cover

for SLAH, and it hasn’t happened yet. From the Saratoga Automobile Museum’s new James Bond exhibit and Kings Tavern’s Sip and Spell spelling bee, to an early-morning World Cup viewing party at Bailey’s and the Saratoga History Museum’s murder mystery dinner, there’s always something going on.

So while I do have a reason to get out there and do fun things, it’s time for those who feign jealousy over my “cool job” to get out there, too. (Admittedly, some events are expensive, but there are just as many that are budgetfriendly or even free.) In the spirit of inspiring others, we just started to include “save the dates” at the end of our Saturday SLAH weekend digests. Who knows? Maybe we’ll cross paths and you’ll become the star of our next Vibe Check story.

SARATOGA MAY SLOW DOWN IN THE WINTER, BUT THE FUN NEVER STOPS.

queens of kings Natalie Moore competing in an adult spelling bee at Kings Tavern hosted by Corinth teacher Jenna Morrow; (left) Moore at the members and media preview of the Saratoga Auto Museum’s Bond in Motion exhibit.

Good Vibes Only

READING THE ROOM FROM SARATOGA CITY TAVERN TO THE HALL OF SPRINGS.

Make-A-Wish Gala, saratoga living’s very own group medium reading and way more—and long for the most local, insider-y look down this track season, at both the One thing I’ve noticed in all this (besides the fact that event coverage I end up having way more fun when along. All I had to do at Night at the to John, notebook in hand, and he provide the quote of the night, which the quote of the season. Essentially, an excuse to talk to people, which Vibe Check may be a fancy way of I think of my Vibe Check stories more And, as it turns out, the people of pretty fun crowd.

BACK IN APRIL,at the Saratoga Lions Club’s annual Night at the Brewseum fundraiser, one smirking attendee named John described the vibe of the evening this way: “The revelry” he said, feigning thoughtful introspection, “was infectious.” Fast-forward a few months, and what was once a funny interview parody now pops into my mind whenever I’m out in Saratoga. The revelry in the Spa City has been infectious lately, and that tangible electricity I’ve felt time and time again since the world reopened following COVID is what I try to capture in “Vibe Check,” a semi-regular segment of our threetimes-a-week newsletter, Saratoga Living After Hours. Vibe Check started about the same time SLAH launched, and we kicked it o with the surprisingly rowdy Fall Flavor Fusion dinner at SPAC, which began with my tablemate, Je , helping himself to my wine, and ended with four attendees delivering a pomegranate to the violinist performing at Saratoga City Tavern. Since then, I’ve checked the vibe of many formal and informal gatherings, including the Lake George Ice Castles, Northway Brewing’s indoor disc golf putting league, Chowderfest, Saratoga Comic Con and, speaking of Saratoga City Tavern, the vefi oorsfl of Saratoga’s tallest bar. More recent Vibe Checks have skewed toward the upper-echelon of Saratoga’s social scene, given that there have been no fewer than 7,000

–Natalie CVO (Chief