Saratoga Living Holiday 2025

*(robert redford’s local legacy)

THE CITY. THE CULTURE. THE LIFE.

CAPITAL REGION GIVES BACK 2025

MEET OUR SARATOGA HONOREES TREVOR McCARTHY VICTORIA FURFARO

MATT GRIFFIN

BO GOLIBER MAX OSWALD

JON BATISTE: JOY TO THE WORLD

FRESH ON THE HEELS OF HIS ALBUM RELEASE CONCERT AT SPAC, THE SEVEN-TIME GRAMMY-WINNING MUSICIAN SHARES HIS SHARES HIS VIEW ON HAPPINESS, HARDSHIP, AND THE CITY THAT HELPED SHAPE HIM.

BY NATALIE MOORE | photography by DAKOTA GILBERT

As we celebrate this milestone, we wish to express our sincerest gratitude to our clients for placing their trust in us, to our expert Realtors for their dedication, and to our local community as a whole.

It is the mission of Julie & Co Realty, LLC to provide our clients with an exemplary experience, by the utmost attention to detail.

We are honored to celebrate 10 years of business and look forward to continuing to serve Saratoga, The Capital Region, The Adirondacks, and beyond.

Thank you for being a part of our journey!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

“I Do!” Issue

PHOTO CONTEST

PRESENTED BY

Have a wedding photo you believe belongs in a magazine? Now’s your chance to show the world—or at least the Capital Region.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: DECEMBER 1

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Photos must be of a wedding that took place in or around Saratoga between December 1, 2024 and December 1, 2025

• Each entrant may submit up to 3 photographs

• Upload high-resolution digital images between 1MB and 30MB in size, saved as .jpg files

• Photos with watermarks will not be accepted

• Photos may only be submitted with the express permission of both the photographer and, if applicable, the couple in the photo(s)

CATEGORIES

• COUPLE GOALS

(portraits in which one or both members of the couple appear)

• ALL IN THE DETAILS (photos of everything but the couple—the dress, the decor, the cake, the rings, etc.)

• A MOMENT IN TIME

(an unplanned moment that captures the feeling of the day)

• BEST OVERALL

starting gate

onto the next

says

“I

OFF TRACK

HOME STRETCH

decked out A front porch decorated for the holidays by Rena’s Fine Flowers.

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saratoga living 8 Butler Place Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518.294.4390

Volume 27, No. 6

Holiday 2025

Copyright © 2025 Empire Media Network, Inc.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Empire Media Network, Inc.

All editorial queries should be directed to editorial@saratogaliving.com or sent to 8 Butler Place, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. saratoga living assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

Natalie Moore EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kathleen Gates

DESIGNER Linda Gates

SPORTS EDITOR Brien Bouyea

FASHION EDITOR Tiina Loite

EDITOR AT LARGE Susan Gates

WRITERS

Natalli Amato, Lisa Arcella, Maria McBride Bucciferro

Chris Carola, Sarah Carpenter, Laura DaPolito

Jeff Dingler, Danielle Epting, Sara Foss, Kelsey Fredricks

Teresa Genaro, Carol Godette, Leigh Hornbeck

Stacey Morris, Simon Murray, Tom Pedulla

Nicole Russo, Kathleen Willcox

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Francesco D’Amico, Samantha Decker, Dori Fitzpatrick

Elizabeth Haynes, G. Sonny Hughes, Shawn LaChapelle

Jess McNavich, Megan Mumford, Konrad Odhiambo

Zack Skowronek, Fiona Stevens

Annette Quarrier DIRECTOR OF SALES

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Tina Galante

DIRECTOR OF SALES, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Teresa Frazer

SALES MANAGER, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Tara Buffa

Anthony R. Ianniello, Esq. CHAIRMAN

Tina Galante

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

ON THE COVER

Jon Batiste, photographed by Dakota Gilbert. Shot on location at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY.

BIG THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT FOREST GROVE

Home isn’t just where you live. It’s how you live.

Just minutes from historic Saratoga Springs, Forest Grove is a master-planned community designed for recreation, connection, and convenience. Choose from beautiful single-family homes with a variety of elevations or premium twin homes with windows on three sides— all on wooded homesites in the Saratoga Springs school district. With a variety of thoughtfully crafted floor plans to choose from, there’s something for everyone.

Life at Forest Grove extends well beyond your front door. Sidewalks, streetlights, pocket parks, and more than seven miles of walking trails make it easy to enjoy the outdoors. And soon, Belmonte Builders will begin construction on the community’s highly anticipated amenities— designed to bring neighbors together and make every day feel like a getaway. Roadwork is already underway, and the community center is scheduled to break ground later this year.

• Community center with gathering spaces, full gym and kitchen

• Swimming pool

• Pickleball courts

• 7+ miles of walking trails

• Dog park and more

• Plus 50% off a McGregor Links Country Club golf membership for new home buyers

Visit Our Model Home

2 Daintree Drive, Saratoga Springs Open 11am - 4pm, Tuesday - Saturday

Contact: Sharon Byrne 518-527-4914

sharon@belmontebuilders.com

www.belmontebuilders.com

Learn more about Belmonte Builders, our communities & floor plans at BelmonteBuilders.com

from the editor

All for One

Unity,” Jon Batiste said between songs at his performance at SPAC with the Philadelphia Orchestra this past August. “I still believe in that. Don’t you?”

In that setting—thousands of Saratogians gathered to see one of our own, by both association and marriage, perform alongside one of this country’s most significant orchestras—it was easy to say yes. In fact, the reality of living in Saratoga is that unity is something you see play out not just in shared moments of awe, like that evening at SPAC, but in all aspects of life, every single day.

This has become increasingly obvious to me in the last year. In September 2024, I showed up to the Gideon Putnam with 23 people I didn’t know for a two-day retreat that served as the kick-off to a nine-month leadership training program called Leadership Saratoga. We shared our life stories (literally—I made a timeline of my life and hung it on a wall for all to see), broke bread, and navigated our way around the Saratoga Spa State Park blindfolded in a sort of deranged conga line, all in the name of teambuilding. And it worked. After three-quarters of a year spent learning about the issues facing the Saratoga County community, we finished the program with the type of bond that’s rarely found outside of childhood friend groups or families, as well as with the resources we’d need to tackle those serious yet solvable problems.

Upon graduation, we joined an alumni association of some 700 people with whom we had seemingly had nothing in common, save for a shared love of Saratoga. But it turns out that a shared love of Saratoga was more than enough.

Everywhere you look in the Spa City, you’ll find someone willing to lend a hand in the name of community betterment, whether they went through the Leadership Saratoga program or not. This issue, our 7th annual Capital Region Gives Back edition, is printed proof.

As I sat there in the fading late-summer light of the SPAC amphitheater, I looked around. To my right, fellow print media publisher Erin Harkes. To my left, my friend Anne Winter and her husband, Ethan. A few rows away, Don McCormack, Skidmore’s longtime dean of special programs and the man who invited that evening’s performer to Saratoga Springs for the first time more than two decades ago. As the crowd joined Batiste to chant the last few lines of “Lonely Avenue,” I was struck by how truly un-lonely we all are.

NATALIE MOORE EDITOR @natalie_rae_moore / editorial@saratogaliving.com

(with Fyfe, Toohey, and Dixon)

JESS MCNAVICH; (with Peterson and Stebbins) IRONGLASS PRODUCTIONS

follow the leaders (from top) Natalie Moore with former Leadership Saratoga directors Kathleen Fyfe and Linda Toohey and current director Greg Dixon; with the Leadership Saratoga Class of 2025; with Owen Peterson and 2025 Capital Region Gives Back honoree Tom Stebbins.

the man, the myth, the legend Music producer Joel Moss, who worked with the likes of Tony Bennett, Led Zeppelin, and the Beach Boys as well as countless local musicians, will long be remembered for his disarming humility, joyful demeanor, and legendary hugs.

Remembering Joel Moss

ON OCTOBER 14, CAFFÈ LENA HOSTED “WHERE THE MUSIC NEVER DIES,” A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF LEGENDARY PRODUCER AND SARATOGIAN JOEL MOSS. HERE’S WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM BEST HAD TO SAY.

BY NATALIE MOORE | photography by TERRI-LYNN PELLEGRI

There’s no possible way to fully capture the essence of a life—let alone a life as illustrious as Joel Moss’—in a single evening. But Tuesday night’s tribute to the late Saratogian—which was complete with a second line parade from Congress Park to the producer’s beloved Caffè Lena as well as a full slate of readings and performances in his honor—got pretty darn close. I knew Joel as the affable guy who welcomed guests to Caffè Lena shows. And from what I’ve been told, he was probably perfectly happy being known as that. But anyone who knows anything about music could tell that when Joel met Terri-Lynn Pellegri and moved from Los Angeles to Saratoga to be with her in 2001, the Spa City gained a treasure...

SCAN THE CODE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY... →

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First Fill Spirits

ReShop for the Good

When searching for the perfect gift for the whiskey-lover on your list, FIRST FILL SPIRITS should be your very first stop. Located just two blocks from Broadway, the whiskey and spirits shop is known for its global and specialty bottles of Bourbon, Rye, Scotch, Irish whiskey and new world whiskey, but also carries a carefully curated selection of rum, Cognac, tequila and more. You can shop First Fill’s products online, but if you’re able, don’t miss the opportunity to stop by in person. Not only are there more than 100 bottles open for you to sample, but you’ll also receive recommendations from owners Holly Seidewand and Charles Grabitzky, experts in all things whiskey and spirits. Not sure what the person you’re buying for would like? Gift cards and private tastings are also available.

68 WASHINGTON STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS ● 518.886.1425 firstfillspirits.com

Located in the Village of Ballston Spa, RESHOP FOR THE GOOD is a little store with a whole lot of heart. ReShop sells all sorts of gently used furniture and home goods, with proceeds going to Rebuilding Together Saratoga County, a nonprofit that provides critical home repairs for our neighbors in need. When you shop at ReShop, not only will you find one-of-a-kind treasures you’d never see in big-box stores, but you’ll also feel good knowing that your purchase makes a difference.

132 MILTON AVENUE, BALLSTON SPA ● 518.587.3315 reshopforthegood.com

National Museum of Racing

One of Saratoga’s best-kept secrets is the gift shop at the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING & HALL OF FAME, where you can find one-of-a-kind gifts for horse lovers of all stripes. Open to the general public from 10am–4pm on Wednesday–Sunday, the gift shop boasts a wide selection of apparel, accessories, home goods, toys, and books, as well as photos and prints by some of the most iconic Thoroughbred racing artists. Bonus: Museum members get 15% off all purchases in the gift shop!

191 UNION AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS ● 518.584.0400 racingmuseum.org

Shop Local

Bobbles & Lace

Looking to reinvent your fall wardrobe, or simply treat yourself to a cozy new sweater? BOBBLES & LACE has got you covered. Since opening on Broadway in 2023, the boutique has quickly become a Saratoga staple for womenswear, carrying everything from dresses and shoes for that upcoming holiday party to wintertime essentials like denim, knits, boots, and unique accessories you won’t find anywhere else in town—we’re talking statement handbags, understated jewelry, and warm hats and scarves for the cold winter season.

But Bobbles & Lace is so much more than its ever-changing selection—the staff prides itself on creating a comfortable, fun shopping experience for its customers, with personal stylists available to help you curate your perfect winter wardrobe. With new arrivals added every week, it’s never been easier to stay up to date on the latest trends, without breaking the bank. Stop by Bobbles & Lace this winter to take your seasonal style to the next level.

322 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.932.1287 ● bobblesandlace.com

Compliments to the Chef

Whether you’re shopping for a serious home chef or a college student who just moved into their first apartment this holiday season, look no further than COMPLIMENTS

TO THE CHEF, a small-but-mighty kitchenware

store that’s been serving Saratoga Springs since 2002. Stop by the Railroad Place shop to browse gadgets that will make prepping your holiday meal a breeze, the Le Creuset pot your mother always wanted, or holiday dish towels that’ll make the perfect hostess gift. And remember: Life happens in the kitchen.

33 RAILROAD PLACE, SUITE 104, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.226.4477 ● saratogachef.com

Celtic Treasures

Saratoga may be a long way from Ireland, but when you step into CELTIC TREASURES, you’ll be transported all the way across the ocean to the Emerald Isle. A Spa City institution for more than 30 years, Celtic Treasures carries everything from Irish staples like Barry’s Tea and Tayto Irish crisps to glassware, décor, and clothing, including the Merino Wool Aran Cable Signature Coat, seen here in army green. At just $149.95, the coat also comes in navy blue or gray.

456 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS ● 518.583.9452 celtictreasures.com

Bahama on Broadway Impressions of Saratoga & The Dark Horse Mercantile

IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA is known as the “Everything Saratoga Store”—and for good reason: The Broadway shop carries everything from Saratoga ornaments and equestrian gifts to locally made goods and garments for everyone on your shopping list (furry friends included!). Since 1978, Impressions has been growing with Saratoga, and launched its own brand, The Dark Horse, which can be found at its sister store, THE DARK HORSE MERCANTILE, just up the street. Follow both stores on social media for updates and special events going on this holiday season.

368 & 445 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

518.587.0666 ● 518.587.0689 impressionsofsaratoga.com darkhorsesaratoga.com

Saratoga may be cooling down, but the selection is always hot at BAHAMA ON BROADWAY, one of downtown Saratoga’s newest boutiques. The only Tommy Bahama retailer located in the Spa City, Bahama on Broadway carries a curated selection of clothing and accessories for women and men, including vacation must-haves like hats and Hawaiian shirts as well as more seasonal finds for Saratoga, including long-sleeve shirts, quarter-zips, and more. Stop by to shop for the perfect gift for the Bahama babe or bro in your life!

328 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS ● 518.269.0899

Alpine Sport Shop

Surprise yourself at ALPINE SPORT SHOP, Saratoga’s go-to store for all things winter. Shop skis, ski boots, snowboards, cross-country gear, snowshoes, helmets, goggles, skiwear, hats, gloves, and accessories, or get your ski gear tuned up by the experts at this full-service shop. There’s plenty for those who prefer to spend the cold-weather months strolling up and down Broadway, too—top-of-the-line winter clothing and accessories await in Alpine Sport Shop’s beautiful ski chalet–style building. Expect the unexpected!

321 CLINTON STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.584.6290 ● alpinesportshop.com

OVER 25 YEARS!

Saratoga Candy Co.

SARATOGA CANDY CO., the Spa City’s longtime purveyor of all things sweet, is currently gearing up for its 27th Christmas season, and you won't want to miss out. Stop by the store, located below Salt & Char on Broadway, to see the cutest nostalgic displays of candies you grew up with, and to shop favorites like thin ribbon candy, gumdrops, chocolate Santas and, of course, the famous Peppermint Pig. Come be a kid again at Saratoga Candy Co. Online shipping and local delivery available.

353 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.580.0499 saratogasweets.com

The World is at Your Feet

Elevate your Pet’s Lifestyle Elegant Gifts * Home Decor * Hand Bags * Jewelry

& Cleo

A Children's Gift + Apparel Boutique

Curated Gifts, Books & Stationery

A Women's Clothing & Accessories Boutique

Paintings, Prints, Sculptures + more

For the Love of Chocolate

A Boutique Yoga Studio

Locally Sourced Comfort Food

Gifts, Home Decor & Accessories in the Saratoga Style

first turn

CHIC PEEK

Take a Bough

HOW RENA’S FINE FLOWERS HELPS TO MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT. n BY KELSEY FREDRICKS

Each holiday season, Zeppetelli’s team—which includes her 23-year-old daughter and 26-year-old son—loads up 85-foot lifts with 10-foot wreaths, greenery galore, and enough bows to adorn the entire North Pole. Zeppetelli diligently walks through every space, lending her sharp eye for design while collaborating with clients to bring both their indoor and outdoor holiday visions to life.

’Tis the season to take your home from joyless to joyous. But if your vision of a holly, jolly Christmas doesn’t involve detangling twinkly lights and dusting off ornament boxes, you’re in luck: Rena’s Fine Flowers, a Saratoga-based floral company, will deck your halls for you.

It all started 20 years ago, when Rena Zeppetelli became inspired after

ultra violet’s The storefront of Violet’s of Saratoga, decorated with holiday greenery by Rena’s Fine Flowers; (at right, from top) a home made merry by Rena’s; the same house by day; understated holiday decor at a home bar.

spending time at her sister’s flower shop in Cape Cod. “I started working with her on weddings and events and just took to it and loved it,” Zeppetelli says. She brought that inspiration back to the Spa City, and started Rena’s Fine Flowers, which specializes in wedding florals, home and garden design, and, yes, holiday décor.

One past client? The Adelphi Hotel, which in recent years has become a beacon of holiday season merriment. Zeppetelli also works with plenty of home, restaurant, and business owners to get their spaces primped and preened for the holidays; this year, she looks forward to playing with colors and textures—like gold sprigs with burgundy accents and oversized pinecones with touches of silver—plus luxe silks for interior designs.

“I got into this to put smiles on people’s faces,” Zeppetelli says. “I love what I do. Even 20 years later, I still love it.”

first turn

ANNIVERSARY

Read it and Sweep

In 1975, Matt Snyder’s grandparents bought several pieces of antique equipment and taught themselves the art of Shakerstyle broom making. Now, 50 years later, Snyder is carrying on his family’s legacy by continuing Snyder’s Handmade Brooms right here in Saratoga.

Snyder does it all— everything from dyeing broom corn and winding it onto a broomstick that he’s already shaped on a lathe to selling his custom creations at markets including the Spa City Farmer’s Market and online. It’s backbreaking work—Snyder actually herniated a disc by using his antique broom winder too much—but Snyder’s Brooms is truly a labor of love. “If you don’t have passion behind what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter what you have,” Snyder says. “It has to be coming from the inside. People see that with the brooms, and I think that’s why we’ve been able to be successful.”

Happy Birthday, Horses!

All Thoroughbreds have the same birthday. Wait, what? It’s true…kind of. Have you ever thought about how races at Saratoga Race Course are designated for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, or older horses? To simplify record-keeping and create a consistent system for organizing age-based races, January 1 was established as the official “birthday” of all

Thoroughbreds born in a calendar year.

Obviously, there’s a big difference in terms of size and maturity between a 2-year-old born in January versus a 2-year-old born in, say, November of the same year, so breeders make sure that their foals are born between early January and late July. If, somehow, a Thoroughbred was born on December 31, it would turn 1 the next day.

Given Thoroughbreds’ 11- to 12-month gestation

period, breeding season begins February 15 and runs through June 15. If you breed before February 15, you run the risk of your foal arriving before January 1, and if you breed after June 15, your foal will be at a significant disadvantage as it enters its racing career.

So, as you toast the new year this January 1, don’t forget to raise a glass to the birthday boys and girls that’ll be headed back to Saratoga before we know it.

This year, Catholic Charities will present its 30th annual Saratoga Festival of Trees at the Saratoga City Center from December 3–7. The best way to experience the forest of elaborately decorated trees? At Tinsel & Tonic, a cocktail party going on at the City Center on Friday, December 5 from 5–7:30pm. This year, DJ Eric Whin will provide the tunes, and a slate of local bars will be mixing up signature cocktails for attendees. Stay tuned to @catholiccharities_sww on Instagram for event updates and a ticketing link.

tick tick broom Matt Snyder and his grandfather, George, who started Snyder’s Brooms in 1975.

ON THE MOVE

Dancing to a New Beat

C3isn’t new—but after five years of renting out space in Max Level Fitness, the Saratogabased hip hop dance company has finally found a dance floor to call its own. This summer, Miami-born dancer turned Saratoga businessowner Julie Labate moved her operation to a permanent location in Wilton Mall, which now serves as the HQ for C3’s dance teams, kid’s clinics, adult dance fitness classes, and private events.

“I started C3 because I wanted to create a real hip hop home in Saratoga Springs—a place where kids and adults could train, feel supported, find community, and experience worthwhile

“We have to find the most sexually explicit book here.”

—SARATOGA BOOK FESTIVAL

dance opportunities,” says Labate, who comes from the hip hop worlds of Miami and NYC. “As we grew, it became clear that we needed our own home base for an expanded schedule.”

That new home base allows Labate to control

the full C3 experience, from sound to lighting, and enables her to say yes to new ideas, like hosting master classes with industryleading choreographers and offering dance classes in styles other than hip hop— including breaking, which

“Have you been to New York City?” “No, where’s that?”

—HENRY STREET

gained national attention following its debut at last summer’s Olympic Games. Now, Labate describes C3 as a business that’s dedicated to lifting people up. “We use dance to build confidence, selfcompassion, and self-worth, and to combat aloneness,” she says. “In a more distant, digital world, kids and adults need emotionally safe spaces with respected coaches and peers— and the right balance of challenge and joy.”

—NATALIE MOORE

“He fell asleep in Rotterdam and woke up in Roku —ROTTERDAMCity.”

“Chipotle’s not good for my stomach, but it’s good for my soul.”

—EAST SIDE REC

dancing queen Dancer

Julie Labate founded C3 in 2019; (left) a C3 dance team performing on stage; (below) C3 also offers hip hop dance fitness classes for adults.

LIVING THE LIFESTYLE

How to Shop for the Man Who Has Everything

AN EXPERT GUIDE TO THE MOST STRESSFUL PART OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. n BY

NATALIE MOORE

Some say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Those of us who are gearing up to do the seemingly impossible— find a gift the man in our life will actually like—may disagree.

“When people come in looking for a gift for their father, brother, or husband, we start by asking a few questions about their lifestyle,” says Heidi Owen West, owner of Union Hall Supply Co., which has locations in downtown Saratoga and at Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany. “Is he outdoorsy? More polished? A weekend-at-the-lake kind of guy? Once we know how he lives, it’s easy to guide people toward gifts that feel thoughtful.”

Some tried and true presents?

Accessories like bracelets, wool caps, grooming kits, or a great pair of gloves—or even locally roasted coffee, artisan candles with a masculine edge, or tickets to a show at SPAC. At Union Hall, clothing brands like Faherty, Taylor Stitch, and Relwen have been flying off the shelves. And if you think buying clothes for someone else is too much of a gamble, think again.

really tailored. And honestly, when a piece feels like something you’d want to borrow from his closet, it usually means he’ll love it too.”

“Buying clothes as gifts isn’t as risky as people think,” Owen West says. “We carry brands with forgiving fits and timeless styles that make gifting easier. Outerwear, sweaters, and casual shirts are safer bets than something

Still worried you’ll miss the mark? Check the return policy at the store you’re buying from. Union Hall and many other local shops extend them during the holidays, so if the fit isn’t quite right, it’s easy to swap out.

The best advice Owen West can give: Opt for something out-of-the-

ordinary—like a Faherty cardigan with a nature scene woven into the back. “The best gifts are practical, but still feel a little unexpected,” Owen West says. “He may not pick it out for himself, but once he has it, he won’t stop using it. And don’t forget: A dash of humor and a little comfort go a long way when you’re shopping for men.”

In other words, it’s when you take your holiday shopping a little less seriously that this season truly becomes the most wonderful time of the year.

Ever since we first opened our doors in 1902, we have been committed to helping local families and businesses grow and prosper. They are more than simply our customers. They are also our neighbors, our friends…our community. We strongly believe that when we support our community — through shopping for holiday gifts locally, giving to area nonprofits, or even choosing to feed our families with produce grown nearby — we all win.

Thank you for being a part of this robust community. This holiday season, we hope you’ll consider reinvesting in the people and businesses that make our community your home.

We wish you and your loved ones joy and peace through all this winter's festivities.

Your friends at The Adirondack Trust Company

518-584-5844

Visit any of our convenient office locations AdirondackTrust.com

12 UNDER 12

gimme a k

At the young age of 11, Keira Porcello is already showing an affinity for helping others.

Keira Porcello isn’t just a longtime member of a competitive cheerleading team— she’s also a fierce cheerleader for her community.

At just 11 years old, Keira is already a veteran volunteer. At Franklin Community Center, she’s helped out with everything from packing food and hygiene kits to cleaning and hosting events. In 2022, she received the Lions Club Citizen Award for her positive impact and community involvement. She’s also a proud member of Best Buddies, an organization that creates opportunities for friendship for kids with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While she’s already begun helping out with the program at her school, she’s looking forward to being assigned a buddy, and has shown an interest in getting to know new students and showing them around her school.

“I like to help people because it makes me feel good, and I love meeting people I have never interacted with,” she says.

KEIRA PORCELLO

On top of all that, Keira is also a focused student who strives to excel academically, a dedicated team member who leads with perseverance and spirit, and a role model to her younger brother, day in and day out.

“She is always striving to learn, grow, and make a difference in her community,” Keira’s mom, Samantha, says. “Keira is a remarkable young person with a bright future ahead.”

7th ANNUAL CAPITAL REGION GIVES BACK 2025

Each holiday season, we select 10 individuals from Saratoga Springs and the Capital Region who exemplify this area of the world’s unceasing dedication to making our community a better place. Meet five of this year’s honorees in the pages that follow, and the other five on the flip side of this issue on page 18.

BY NATALIE MOORE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN MUMFORD

JOIN US AT OUR 7TH ANNUAL CAPITAL REGION GIVES BACK EVENT ON DECEMBER 2!

Party info here

new groove

Since retiring from his career as a jockey, Trevor McCarthy has started investing in real estate.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, jockey Trevor McCarthy retired from horse racing. His reason for hanging up his helmet? Challenges with his mental health.

“I was very stressed out all the time,” says McCarthy, who’d been riding professionally since he was 18.

“I’d be stressed out if I had a good week or a bad week.” Add in the high risk of injuries (he broke his tibia as an apprentice rider) and struggles with weight (at 5’ 9” it was difficult to stay in the weight class of his shorter competitors) and McCarthy’s career was making him—in his words—miserable.

McCarthy’s experience isn’t an isolated incident: In 2023, two young jockeys, 23-year-old Avery Whisman and 29-yearold Alex Canchari, took their own lives less than six weeks apart. Other jockeys have spoken up about the lack of mental health support services available to them (which are provided for professional athletes in virtually every other sport), as well as the stigma that surrounds seeking help.

Since retiring, McCarthy has been working with the Jockeys’ Guild and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to change the tide. In September he traveled down to the US capital to participate in a panel that was attended by many congressmen and women about this very issue. The goal is to secure funding to hire professionals like nutritionists and sports psychologists that will be made available to any jockey that needs them.

Though mental health has been McCarthy’s focus since retiring, he’s long been a supporter of the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund, a charity that provides financial assistance to former jockeys that suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. The fact that such an organization exists underscores just how dangerous— and therefore mentally taxing—riding a horse at 40 miles an hour around a track is.

“The jockey colony is a little strange,” McCarthy says. “We’re fighting against each other every day, multiple races a day. It can be very tense in the jockey room. It’s the only sport where your rival comes back to the same locker room as you do. But when things go wrong, we have a brotherhood. If something happens to somebody, we team up and we look out for those guys.”

WHEN YOU PICTURE a mental health treatment center, chances are you think of a sterile place called a “facility” where residents are “institutionalized.” Not, most likely, an idyllic 275-acre campus surrounded by horse pastures and farmland. But that’s because you’ve never been to The Charlton School.

“What we offer is a new approach,” says Bo Goliber, the school’s Chief Strategy & Impact Officer. “Many of these students have experience at psychiatric hospitals where the focus on academics gets put on the back burner. But we’ve found that many of our students are very academically inclined. When they start to focus back on the academics and get the support they need, it actually strengthens their confidence and empowers them to remember that they’re more than just a patient—they’re a whole person.”

The Charlton School serves 42 students in grades 8–12 from districts all across the Capital Region, from Niskayuna to Saratoga Springs, as well as from the Northcountry and Downstate, and has the capacity to house up to 28 of those students at a time. Residential, academic, and therapeutic support is provided completely free of charge to students’ families. While some of that cost is covered by traditional funding streams such as the Office of Children and Family Services and the NYS Department of Education, many of what students consider the most impactful programs— including equine therapy, therapeutic arts, and career development—aren’t. That’s where Goliber comes in.

A force in Saratoga’s fundraising world for the last 15-plus years, Goliber is uniquely suited to usher in the next era of The Charlton School, not only because of her proven track record of fundraising success at both AIM Services and Franklin Community Center, but because she’s the mother of a young woman herself. “Being a mom gives me a deeper understanding and empathy for the families we work with and allows me to build more authentic relationships with the students,” she says. “Moms of daughters at that stage of life understand the increased pressures that young women are facing today. And it’s incredibly challenging to navigate that, especially if you don’t have support.”

BO GOLIBER

CHIEF STRATEGY & IMPACT OFFICER

THE CHARLTON SCHOOL

landing zone

“The Charlton School has been, for me, a landing place that takes all of the experience that I’ve gained over the years and puts me in a place that needs those skills at the perfect time,” says Bo Goliber.

MATT GRIFFIN

SCHOOL OF MUSIC DIRECTOR CAFFÈ LENA

the price is not right

“You go to any Live Nation venue and it’s $80 to sit in a field across the street, which is really sad, because everyone should experience music,” says Griffin, juxtaposing the reality of big-name concerts with the more intimate and affordable nature of shows at Caffè Lena.

WHEN MATT GRIFFIN was in middle school, his band played its very first show at Caffè Lena as part of a mid-week Emerging Artist Breakout series. In high school, he performed at the storied coffee house’s open mic nights, and eventually formed Let’s Be Leonard, a jam band that toured the country throughout the late 2010s. Now, Griffin’s story has come full circle: In January, he became the director of Caffè Lena’s School of Music.

Founded in February 2020 and immediately taken online, the School of Music has now returned to in-person programming that spans from Music with Miss Deb, a pre-K music-in-the-round experience, to an after-school folk ensemble for ages 7–14 and guitar classes for adults. No program costs more than $20 a class.

“Everyone can sing,” Griffin says. “Everybody can play. It’s not just the people on stage. The greatest gift that I can give now as the director of the School of Music is to keep that culture of folk music alive.”

While its School of Music is only five years old, Caffè Lena, located on Phila Street, is the longest continuously operating coffee house in the country. But even in its 65th year, there are locals who’ve never experienced a show at the intimate venue. And there are more still who don’t know that the Caffè is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide music, connection, and learning in a legendary venue.

In his role as director of the School of Music, Griffin leads the Rolling Pebbles and the Jazz Pebbles, two student performing groups that play shows around the Capital Region. One member of the Jazz Pebbles is a 10-yearold prodigy named Neil, who, through Caffè Lena, has begun taking private piano lessons from renowned jazz pianist Chuck Lamb.

It’s this opportunity to connect musicians across generations that Griffin says is the true magic of Caffè Lena. “It’s not like soundcheck for our shows happens behind closed doors and no one’s allowed in,” he says of concerts at the venue. “The kids in the program see these artists loading in and they’re like, ‘Oh, wow—there is a possible career in music for me.’”

VICTORIA FURFARO HAD been working as a care manager at Transitional Services Association (now RISE Housing and Support Services) for a little over a year when she spotted a sign held by a gentleman sitting on the sidewalk that read, “Too ugly to prostitute—anything helps.” Needless to say, it caught her attention. But while most people would throw the guy a couple of bucks or walk right by, Furfaro was in a position to actually do something meaningful.

“I asked my executive director if I could give him my business card,” she says. “And he showed up at the office the next day.”

That interaction would serve as the catalyst for the creation of RISE’s advocacy and outreach department, which Furfaro now directs. Under her purview, RISE provides advocacy and support for individuals involved in the justice system through the Saratoga Springs Community Outreach Court, provides street-level outreach to populations that typically have difficulty accessing treatment, and operates the city’s only low-barrier, 24hour homeless shelter. Originally made possible through a private donation, the shelter has operated for two years. At press time, it had funding through December 31, 2025, but RISE was still waiting on a decision from the City of Saratoga Springs regarding the future of the shelter.

While finding funding for a temporary homeless shelter is certainly a major obstacle, Furfaro says finding a permanent location for one has proven even more difficult. “If community members want to get homeless folks off the streets, we need to provide locations to go to,” she says. “But anytime a shelter or low-income housing is brought up, the community comes out in full force against it saying, ‘Not in my backyard, not in this neighborhood.’”

But time and time again, RISE has shown that having shelters and lowincome housing works. Case in point: The man who came into RISE’s office after meeting Furfaro on the street? He’s been housed since 2020.

VICTORIA FURFARO

DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY RISE HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES

laying down the law Victoria Furfaro originally set out to be a lawyer, but through her work with RISE, ultimately ended up doing exactly what she wanted to do anyway—working with individuals involved in the justice system by way of the Saratoga Springs Community Outreach Court.

MAX OSWALD FOUNDER

TOYS FOR TOGA

toy box To contribute to the Toys for Toga cause, which runs through December 13, you can donate a toy at one of the more than 100 drop-off locations around the county, or make a monetary donation online.

TOYS FOR TOGA, a local take on the national Toys for Tots, began as way for Saratoga Brewing Company manager Max Oswald to get his brewery more involved in the community. Little did he know, the grassroots initiative would grow into a county-wide effort that long outlived the brewery itself.

“When we started, it was literally just me and our taproom manager, Meg, going around and dropping boxes off and picking them up in our creepy, little, white van,” Oswald remembers.

“But the support was crazy. We had low expectations, and just overshot them by a ridiculous amount.”

Another thing Oswald didn’t anticipate: How much the community actually needed Toys for Toga.

“At the very beginning, I was oblivious,” he says. “I felt like Saratoga County was this wealthy community. My eyes were opened to how much need there is out there.”

Over the years, the program—which collects toys and donates them to Saratoga County children by way of Franklin Community Center, the Mechanicville Area Community Services Center, and CAPTAIN Community Human Services—grew, and when Saratoga Brewing closed in 2018, DeCrescente Distributing stepped up to take it over. Oswald came back into the fold after launching Brewnited, a private foundation that supported out-of-work service industry personnel during the pandemic. Now, he serves more in a volunteer capacity, helping organize community outreach efforts—including an initiative that invites people to donate a toy in exchange for a free tattoo at Saratoga Tattoo Company—and actually going out and buying gifts, specifically for older kids.

“Because we got some funding from Death Wish Coffee, we were able to target those older kids and ask the nonprofits what this population of kids really wants,” Oswald says. “I love when I get a shopping list that I know is focused on a specific kid and I can buy exactly what they’re asking for.” The gifts run the gamut—everything from a scooter to a hair diffuser. (Oswald had to learn what the latter was before he purchased it.)

“One kid wanted a bed,” Oswald says. “I got that kid a great bed.”

ORIGINAL DESIGNS

MATERIALS

COVER STORY

HOW TO BE JOYFUL

TWO DECADES AFTER GRADUATING FROM SKIDMORE’S ACCLAIMED JAZZ INSTITUTE, JON BATISTE HAS BECOME KNOWN NOT ONLY FOR HIS GENRE-DEFYING PORTFOLIO AND SEVEN GRAMMY AWARDS, BUT FOR HIS LEGENDARY OPTIMISM, EVEN IN THE FACE OF UNIMAGINABLE HARDSHIP.

THIS FALL, FOLLOWING HIS PACKED-HOUSE SHOW AT SPAC, WE CHECKED IN WITH THE SARATOGIAN-BY-MARRIAGE TO FIND OUT HOW HE DOES IT.

By Natalie Moore

by Dakota Gilbert

Photograph

money shot Jon Batiste performing songs from his new album, Big Money, with the Philadelphia Orchestra on stage at SPAC on August 22, 2025.

hen you trace the the musical career of Jon Batiste backward from the August 2025 release of his album

Big Money, to his five Grammy wins in 2022, to his 2015 appointment as the bandleader and musical director for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, you’ll eventually find your way back to his native New Orleans, where he played his first gigs as a percussionist with his family’s band at the age of 8. But before you get there, you’ll pass through a brief yet impactful period that helped shape not only the musician Batiste would become, but the person he is today.

Founded in 1988, the Skidmore Jazz Institute each summer welcomes some 65 aspiring musicians, a majority of whom are high schoolers, to Saratoga Springs for an intensive, two-week program led by some of the country’s top jazz artists. The program was started by Don McCormack, Skidmore’s longtime dean of special programs, who took it upon himself to travel the country to recruit top talent for the program. In 2004, he found himself at Louisiana’s New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, listening to a then-16year-old Jon Batiste play the piano.

“When you heard him play, you realized that he wasn’t playing just jazz,” McCormack remembers. “Under the jazz umbrella you can have rap, you can have soul, you can have R&B—all that has roots of jazz in it. And that was Jon. Jon could go back and forth.”

That ability to seamlessly jump genres has become a defining feature of the 2004 Jazz Institute grad’s sound, and was on full display this past August 22 at his performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC. The show marked the release of Batiste’s newest album and the start of the 2025 Big Money Tour, and was the first time the musician had performed in Saratoga since headlining the 2018 Saratoga Jazz Festival.

piano man “I like everything about Jon,” Suleika Jaouad writes in Between Two Kingdoms. “I like how his brain froths with a million ideas and his fingers stampede across the piano keys. I like his galactic ambition, which makes me want to expand the scope of my own”; (opposite, from top) the couple with the piano Batiste played at Super Bowl LIX; a young Batiste playing piano at Skidmore.

“Jon Batiste’s return to SPAC this summer was more than a performance—it was a homecoming, an utter outpouring of love,” says Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s CEO. “To see

him back on our stage, sharing his music with such joy and exuberance, and knowing that he chose to perform at SPAC on the very night his new album was released, made the evening feel all the more extraordinary.”

Big Money—with its insanely catchy title track, cover of “Lonely Avenue,” and duet with “Rise Up” singer Andra Day—is just the latest album in an ever-growing body of work that defies genre. Batiste’s last album, 2024’s Beethoven Blues, revisited the German composer’s most famous classical works; the same year, Batiste was

nominated for a Grammy for his work on Lana Del Rey’s pop song, “Candy Necklace.” In the past, he’s received Grammy awards or nominations in categories including Best American Roots Performance, Best R&B Album, Best Jazz Performance, Best New Age Album, and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for his work on the Pixar animated movie Soul

If he had to categorize Big Money into a genre, Batiste himself would describe it as “New Americana”—a reframing of Americana that draws on forms of music traditionally left out of the genre but that are undoubtedly a part of the sound of America itself.

“There is no such thing as genre— it’s just what you, as the artist, are into at this moment in time,” Batiste says.

“What is it that is inspiring you? You’ll realize that you are so multifaceted and that we all have so much within us that it’s impossible to categorize people. I can only categorize a person by calling them the genre of themself.”

At press time, 2026 Grammy nominations had yet to be announced, though Variety included Big Money in its list of predictions for Album of the Year nominees. But Batiste, who’d been touring the country since his SPAC show and still had performances in Europe and Asia left on the calendar, was already thinking two steps ahead.

“When you come to see the tour, you are witnessing the next album being created live on stage,” he says. “I didn’t realize how much playing this music live would inspire the next chapter so quickly. This is not a concert—this is a spiritual practice. Because that’s what our shows are: a celebration of life, a revival.”

If you’ve ever seen Batiste perform, live or on a screen, you know this. All of his performances seem like celebrations, with many, including his August show at SPAC, ending in a New Orleans–style second line parade out of the venue led by Batiste on melodica, a cross between a harmonica and a keyboard. “At the end of the performance, people were going to him—they wanted to touch him,” McCormack says of the recent SPAC show. “They wanted to feel his freakin’ soul.”

No one can deny that Batiste’s exuberance is infectious; fellow Louisiana-born singer Lauren Daigle once described him as

“the personification of joy”—a characterization made all the more meaningful given what’s going on in his personal life.

It doesn’t make sense to talk about Batiste’s illustrious career— which in recent years has brought him to the Met Gala, the White House State Dinner, and the Super Bowl—without talking about his

relationship with his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, and her relationship with hospital beds.

“A lot of people who are still in my life and who are major parts of my life I met at Skidmore,” Batiste says, referencing not only Joe Saylor and Philip Kuehn, fellow Jazz Institute grads with whom he formed the band Stay Human, the house band for The Late Show, but also Jaouad, who didn’t attend the Institute but whose father was a French professor at Skidmore. “I thought Suleika was a brilliant, bohemian wild child,” Batiste says. “She wore sandals in the woods and played the double bass.”

At the age of 22—years after after meeting Batiste but before the couple started dating—Jaouad was diagnosed with leukemia. Shortly after, she began writing a widely read New York Times column and video series titled “Life, Interrupted” from her hospital bed. She went on to document her healing journey in a best-selling book, Between Two Kingdoms, which was released in February of 2021. Later that year, her cancer returned. On Jaouad’s first day of chemotherapy, Batiste, who by that point had become her boyfriend, was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards.

“I feel like we’re living a life of contrasts,” Jaouad says in American Symphony, the Grammy-winning 2023 Netflix documentary that follows the couple as Batiste sets out to compose an original symphony while Jaouad undergoes cancer treatment.

“I win the biggest prize in music, come home, she’s back in the hospital,” Batiste says in the film. “This is what we’re dealing with.”

The documentary, which features the couple’s private wedding, ends with Batiste unveiling his symphonic masterpiece at Carnegie Hall, despite a brief power outage that cut sound to the orchestra. (Naturally, Batiste improvised on the piano until power was restored.) Meanwhile, Jaouad’s battle with cancer was far from over;

it returned yet again in 2024. In a video posted to Jaouad’s Instagram this summer, Batiste, desperate to do something—anything—to ease his wife’s chemo-induced nausea, serenades her from the piano in the corner of their bedroom.

“Joy often comes from pain,” Batiste says when I ask him about how he maintains his legendary positivity in the face of hardships in his personal life. “Joy is often powerful because it comes after the rain. The beauty of life is that we are all alive and breathing with another chance to do God’s will, to love our neighbor, to enjoy our work. All we need is what we have; our soul is what will last. This is a belief that allows for me to always tap into the joy of living.”

Throughout Batiste’s career, Saratoga Springs has remained one such source of joy. “I loved Saratoga,” he says, thinking back to his first visit to the city as a teenager. “At the time, I’d never really traveled much outside of New Orleans. It felt very Zen and somehow kindred to some of the suburbs in southeast Louisiana. Every time I visit, it feels like a second home to me.” And in a way, it is. Jaouad’s parents still live in Saratoga, so the couple comes up to visit with them “mostly during the Christmas holiday,” Batiste says. “It’s quite a joy to be in Saratoga during the winter.”

In talking with Batiste, it’s clear that while his time at the Skidmore Jazz Institute certainly helped launch his career in music, Saratoga is and will always be, first and foremost, the place where he met Jaouad. He counts their marriage as his biggest accomplishment to date, and says that his approach to music, oftentimes, is just trying to make an album that she will like.

“That’s Jon,” says McCormack, who still occasionally stays in touch with Batiste and hopes to one day have him as a McCormack Visiting Artist-Scholar in Residence at Skidmore. “He has so much feeling. He’s such a special

american royalty Jaouad and Batiste at the 2024 Oscars, to which Jaouad wore a gown designed by Angelina Jolie featuring a handpainted scene from American Symphony on it; (opposite, from top) Batiste with Skidmore Jazz Institute founder Don McCormack and his wife, Judy, at Arthur Zankel Music Center in 2017; a young Batiste boards a bus while on tour with Roy Hargrove; Batiste performing one of his “Love Riots” on a subway in the early 2010s.

person. The whole world knows that, and that’s why people want to see him.”

Indeed, Batiste seems to exude an unfettered love for humanity—a sense of unity that’s ever-present in his music

and that was palpable when he took the SPAC stage this past summer.

“I like to say, ‘I love ya even if I don’t know ya,’” he says. “You are not alone in what you’re going through. Someone has been through it before, or they are going through it right now and will overcome. Try to stay focused on each step, one at a time. Be present and trust that everything occurring is working together to strengthen you in your path.”

And what a beautiful path it is.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE ESTATE SALE

The dispersal of three historic Whitney family properties—Long Lake's expansive Whitney Park, Saratoga’s Cady Hill, and a third estate in Kentucky—signifies the end of one of the last great American dynasties. But in the Spa City, the legacy of the family that saved Saratoga is not so easily forgotten.

BY MARIA M c BRIDE BUCCIFERRO

The yellow rose of Texas will not be blooming among the pink Marylou Whitney roses at Cady Hill after all, as the Saratoga Springs estate that had been under contract since May went back on the market for $12.9 million in mid-October. Shawn Todd of Todd Interests, a Dallas-based firm that has developed more than $1.5 billion in housing, golf courses, and resort projects, was still moving forward with his separate contract offer to purchase Whitney Park, another historic property that has been home to three generations of Whitneys and Vanderbilts. A third property—a home in Lexington, KY that was a 1958 wedding gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney to his new bride, Marylou—is also still awaiting a buyer.

It all started after the passing of beloved Saratoga socialite Marylou Whitney in 2019. The following year, Whitney’s widower, John Hendrickson, put the 36,600-acre Adirondack estate known as Whitney Park, located in Long Lake, on the market for $180 million. The property, which had been in the Whitney family since 1897, is home to Camp Deerlands, a 17-bedroom “camp” that Sonny remembers visiting as a child.

Four years later, in the spring of 2024, Hendrickson also listed Cady Hill, the 120-acre Whitney family estate located at 40 Geyser Road in Saratoga, for $16 million. At the time, the widower told The Wall Street Journal that he “felt lonely without Marylou,” and that managing the properties was “too overwhelming for one man.” In August of that same year, while at Cady Hill preparing for a bingo night he sponsored for backstretch workers at Saratoga Race Course, Hendrickson suffered cardiac arrest and died at Saratoga Hospital. He was 59.

compound of interest

In March of this year, Hendrickson’s family announced that the net proceeds of the sale of Whitney Park would go to the Town of Long Lake, per Hendrickson’s wishes and Marylou’s blessing. And this past summer, five years after the property was first put up for sale, a buyer—Todd Interests—materialized, not just for the Adirondack estate, but for the Saratoga one, too.

While the sale of Cady Hill ultimately fell through, as of early October, Todd’s purchase of Whitney Park was still on, though many of the details of the purchase had not yet been released. Dan and Andrea Collins of Sotheby’s, the realtors of Whitney Park, and executor Ed Hendrickson, John's brother, all signed nondisclosure agreements. Todd did not respond to saratoga living’s requests for information, but has said he has plans for a luxury hotel, fine

Cady Hill, a 120-acre property located on Geyser Road just steps from SPAC, was owned by the Whitney family since 1926.

shore bet Camp Deerlands, located on the shore of Little Forked Lake in Whitney Park, is a 17-bedroom home that was built by the Whitney family in 1915.

dining, a high-end golf course, and a downhill skiing facility on 4,500 acres of the 36,600acre Whitney Park. The remaining 32,100 acres could be protected from development if conservation easements are approved by state officials and preservation organizations, an option that at press time was being considered. In an interview with the Adirondack Explorer’s James Odato from before the Saratoga purchase fell through, Todd said he “envisions broadening the amenities at Whitney Park and at Cady Hill” but wants to retain “the mystique and specialness of both places.” When asked by Odato if he is a preservationist or a developer, Todd said, “I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive...When historic, we’ve invested heavily to preserve.”

1897

William Collins Whitney, who served as Secretary of the Navy under President Grover Cleveland, purchases the then-80,000-acre Whitney Park in Long Lake for $1.50 an acre.

1915

W.C. Whitney’s son, Harry Payne Whitney, and his wife, Gertrude Vanderbilt, build Camp Deerlands on the shore of Little Forked Lake, one of more than 30 bodies of water located in what is now the 36,600acre Whitney Park.

1917

H.P. Whitney purchases 614 acres of land in Lexington, KY.

Governor Kathy Hochul has even gotten involved with the Whitney Park purchase, writing a letter to the trustees of Hendrickson’s estate and to the Texas developer on October 10. “As you know, my administration has been in conversation with Todd Interests, Inc. for several months about a number of potential conservation outcomes for Whitney Park, including entering into an agreement for the purchase of 32,000 acres of land by the state,” Hochul wrote. “As you consider the future of John’s estate and legacy, my hope is that together we can find a solution that preserves the property’s remarkable waterways, fisheries and forests and ensures the long-term stewardship of the property.”

Now that Cady Hill is back on the market, Julie Bonacio has said she is seeking private buyers and developers for the 120-acre property, which is within walking distance of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Possible uses include as an equestrian farm, a corporate retreat, or a wealthy family’s home compound. Investors may want to create a

1926

H.P. Whitney and Gertrude Vanderbilt purchase Cady Hill, a former stagecoach stop in Saratoga Springs at which George Washington is said to have stayed.

1930

H.P. Whitney’s son, Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, takes over Whitney Farm in Lexington and expands both its physical footprint and the family’s racing operation.

1936

H.P. Whitney sells Cady Hill to Sonny Whitney for $16,000.

residential development there—it’s close to Geyser Road Elementary School— or create a winery or wedding venue.

not your garden variety

The rose gardens at Cady Hill are filled in part with Marylou Whitney Roses, a unique variety created especially for Marylou by John Hendrickson.

But this isn’t just a story about real estate transactions. It’s about the lasting legacy of a family that helped shape the Saratoga we know and love today—the family that, in 1901, saved Saratoga Race Course from financial ruin. “Natives of Saratoga regard William C. Whitney as a patron saint,” the Illustrated Sporting News once wrote of Sonny’s grandfather, who also helped fund Belmont Park. Now, six years after her death, Marylou is still regarded as the indisputable Queen of Saratoga.

Sonny was 88 and Marylou a youthful 61 when I interviewed them at Cady Hill in 1987. He recalled riding the Wayfarer, his grandfather’s private rail car, to visit Whitney Park, which was then an 80,000acre expanse of land that his family had purchased for $1.50 an acre. “When I first came to Camp Deerlands, I was 7,” Sonny recalled. “Every summer for years, both in school and in college, I spent the summer in the Adirondacks. It was really my second home.”

Getting there was quite a trip, Sonny remembered. After the rail car, the family would board the steamboat Sagamore (also the name of his cousin Alfred G. Vanderbilt’s great Adirondack camp), which would take them to the foot of Raquette Lake. Then they’d take a carriage or walk the 1.5-mile “carry” to Big Forked Lake before continuing on to Camp Deerlands, on Little Forked Lake—a 12-mile drive from Long Lake by car.

Sonny remembered a conversation between his father, Harry Payne Whitney, and grandfather, William C. Whitney, in which William told Harry, “This is one property I wish always to remain in the Whitney family.”

In 1926, Harry and his wife, Whitney Museum of American Art founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, bought Cady Hill in Saratoga. A former stagecoach stop and tavern at which

1958

Sonny Whitney gifts a home located on Lexington’s Whitney Farm to his new bride, Marylou.

1965

Sonny Whitney sells half of his land in Kentucky and half the horses in his stable to John Gaines, who founds Gainesway, a Thoroughbred farm that’s still in operation next to Whitney Farm today.

George Washington is said to have stayed, the property dates back to the 1700s.

Harry and Gertrude sold Cady Hill to Sonny in 1936 for $16,000, according to county records. When Sonny married Marylou in 1958, he wanted to sell the property, but Marylou wanted to keep it. As usual, Marylou got her way. She lived there long after Sonny’s death in 1992, and passed away peacefully in the house in 2019, with Hendrickson, her third husband, and the couple’s friend Maureen Lewi by her side.

During our interview, Sonny shared with me his health regimen: “I smoke seven cigarettes a day,” he said. “I do it religiously: seven a day. It calms my mind.”

“We grow tobacco in Kentucky,” Marylou explained, referencing the couple’s third home in Lexington.

Now located on 72 acres bordering Gainesway Farm, Marylou Whitney Farm was once 1,200 acres encompassing what’s now Gainesway Farm—before Sonny retired from racing and sold off his land and horses. After his passing, Marylou used her inheritance to buy them back, tracking down the broodmare Dear Birdie to build her own stable of champions.

1992

Sonny dies, and Marylou Whitney begins buying back horses to form her own stable.

1997

Marylou gets remarried at the age of 71 to John Hendrickson, a former tennis champion and aide to Alaska Governor Walter Hickel nearly 40 years her junior.

2020

Following Marylou’s death in 2019, John Hendrickson briefly lists Whitney Park for $180 million, without a real estate agent, before taking it off the market.

2025

Following Hendrickson’s death, his executors re-list Whitney Park for $125 million as well as the 120-acre Cady Hill for $12.9 million and the Lexington estate for $6.125.

“Mr. Whitney got out of the business, and she got into it,” says Marylou Whitney Farm Manager Jouett Redmon III, part of the third generation to work for the family. (His father was manager before him, and used to travel from Kentucky up to Saratoga to decorate the Canfield Casino for the annual Whitney Gala the night before the Whitney Stakes; his grandfather worked with the broodmares before becoming the night watchman when he got older.)

“Mr. Whitney was a true gentleman,” Redmon says of Sonny. “He always had a joke. Marylou—she was super nice to me and my family. With their charity, they uplifted the community and were very supportive of the hospital, the rehabilitation center, and more.”

After spending their first year of marriage living at Camp Deerlands—with Marylou driving her four children from her previous marriage to Frank Hosford down the nine-mile

Tales of

Three Homes

Maureen Lewi and her late husband, Ed, were close friends with John and Marylou—and Sonny, too. Here, Maureen remembers the good times shared at her late friends’ properties.

As told to MARIA McBRIDE BUCCIFERRO by MAUREEN LEWI

When I think about all three Whitney houses, four words come to mind immediately: warm, comfortable, beautiful, and inviting. And all had chapels!

The Kentucky house was on the farm. They were so good to the mares

the rich and the famous Marylou and Sonny Whitney often hosted celebrity-soaked Kentucky Derby after-parties at their Lexington estate.

logging road to school— Marylou and Sonny moved to Lexington, living in an 8,400-squarefoot, newly renovated Federal-style home similar to Cady Hill. As she did in Saratoga, Marylou hosted celebrity guests at her Kentucky home; Redmon remembers welcoming Ann Margret, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Princess Margaret, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and John Wayne to the estate.

As of mid-October, Marylou Whitney Farm was still available and listed at $6.125 million. “It’s bittersweet—the passing of an era,” says Redmon, who was responsible for finding homes for the 55 retired Thoroughbreds that were spending their final days on the farm. “There’s a great outlook for the future, but it’s still sad.”

Another one of Redmon’s tasks: driving the racing trophies from four generations of Whitneys—and John Hendrickson—from Lexington to Saratoga’s National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, which Sonny founded and where John Hendrickson was serving as president at the time of his passing. Redmon and his wife, Kim, made the important trip on July 25.

“All the racing trophies—from HP Whitney, CV Whitney, Marylou Whitney, Whitney Stables, and John Hendrickson— went to the Museum,” Redmon says. “It’s a very fitting place for them to be and for future generations to enjoy.”

While a Whitney will no longer own the three properties at which the family built a bona fide American dynasty, their contributions to the sport of horse racing—specifically to Saratoga Race Course—and their legendary generosity will will forever be remembered in the towns they once called home.

and geldings who had once raced for them but were now in their later years and deserving of a beautiful, peaceful lifestyle until their final days.

A few key rooms in the house provided a magnificent view of them racing around the paddocks, which was a serene, heartwarming scene. My favorite memories are of the gorgeous living room filled with high-profile celebrity guests after the Derby— drinking Champagne, singing songs, telling jokes, and relaxing after a long Derby Day. Of course, Marylou was always the life of the party.

My most precious memories at Deerlands were of just the four of us sitting in the living room after dinner—gossiping, laughing, drinking

Champagne, and just watching TV while the loons and beautiful night sounds filtered in through the screens. During the day, we’d walk out to the tiny cabin on the point of Salmon Lake for cocktails, stopping at the outhouse before making the trek back to Deerlands.

At Cady Hill, Sunday services in the chapel were very special—as was the cook Deliene’s coconut cake for after-chapel dessert. The really fun events were the all-night revelries in the backyard teepee, with the butler serving Champagne and tea sandwiches amidst the drums coming from the boombox.

Oh, what fun we had, no matter where we were!

Taking

FORTY YEARS AFTER LINDA TOOHEY FOUNDED LEADERSHIP SARATOGA , THE PROGRAM IS STILL CHURNING OUT ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE EAGER—AND WELL EQUIPPED— TO MAKE SARATOGA COUNTY A BETTER PLACE. | BY NATALIE MOORE

hat if I told you that for the last 40 years, Saratoga County’s civic institutions—from the smallest grassroots charities all the way up to the Saratoga Springs City Council— have been run in large part by a collective of highly trained community members who all just so happen to know each other? When you put it like that, it sounds like some sort of underground cabal. But the real explanation is even more interesting. In 1984, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Joe Dalton and Executive Vice President Linda Toohey were faced with a conundrum. While the county was home to several not-for-profits, very few individuals were

running those organizations. “I was on the United Way board, and I’d see a person there, and then I’d see them running the Y,” Toohey says. “We needed to find new leadership because these people were getting older. We had to come up with a program that was going to get more people involved in organizations.”

Their solution? Leadership Saratoga.

“The elevator pitch that I’ve used for years when describing Leadership Saratoga is that it’s an intensive, selective, nine-month training program to get people skilled in understanding how the community works, how impact sector organizations work, and how to engage in leadership roles in their community in order to make the places that we call home better for

the Lead

the right direction Over the last 40 years, Leadership

has had three program directors: Kathleen

Saratoga

Fyfe, Greg Dixon, and Linda Toohey, seen here in a photo by Jess McNavich; (opposite) the Leadership Saratoga Class of 1993.

“If you think about community development and community building, engaged citizens are really important across the spectrum. Over time, the challenges will change, but the basic need doesn’t. There’s always going to be a need for talented people who care in order for a community to be successful.”

—GREG DIXON, Leadership Saratoga Program Director, 2023-present

“When it comes to teamwork, communication, and leadership, the most important component is trust. Because when we trust one another, we can do tremendous things. And when we don’t trust one another, then we lead with egos and agendas. And that’s not just sitting on a board— that’s in life.”

—KATHLEEN FYFE, Leadership Saratoga Program Director, 2012-2023

everyone,” says Kathleen Fyfe, a 2009 Leadership Saratoga graduate who took over from Toohey as director of the program in 2012 and served until 2023. “What that doesn’t capture is the power of the connection that you make with your classmates going through this intensive program together. Because anytime human beings have experiential learning, it instantly creates a bond that’s different than anything else.”

That bond is exemplified by the Class of 1986. When I asked Tom Roohan, a member of that inaugural class, if I could interview him for this story, he texted a group of his Leadership Saratoga classmates from 40 years ago to see if they’d tag along for the interview.

“Our friend Tom sent one text, and we’re here,” longtime Saratoga financial services advisor

Michael Okby explained when I met the group of five at the Roohan Realty offices earlier this year.

“You never say no to the people around this table,” added Cynthia Hollowood, the former general manager of the Holiday Inn who now works for Roohan Realty and as the executive director of Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar. “When somebody asks for money, or a donation, or a room on Travers weekend, you don’t say no to them.”

That sentiment, Hollowood continued, extends beyond the members of your immediate Leadership Saratoga class to the more than 700 members of the Leadership Saratoga Alumni Association, a network that includes some of the biggest names in Saratoga County leadership, from former Mayor Joann Yepsen (Class of 1993) and current Commissioner of Public Works

Chuck Marshall (Class of 2012) to Stewart’s Shops President Gary Dake (Class of 1987) and DeCrescente Distributing Vice President Carmine DeCrescente III (Class of 2016). Grads stay in touch via regular alumni events that raise money for the Leadership Saratoga scholarship program, as well as an online directory that comes in handy for nonprofit organizations seeking knowledgeable and engaged board members.

“Look at any board in Saratoga and you’ll find two, three, four, or more graduates of Leadership Saratoga,” says George Hathaway, a member of the Class of 1986 who worked for the New York Racing Association and the Adirondack Trust Company and is now retired. “That’s impact.”

Full disclosure: I’m a 2025 Leadership Saratoga grad—part of the second class directed by Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce Chief Strategy Officer Greg Dixon, who took over from

Fyfe in 2023. It was during our last session of the year that Dixon (Class of 2007) suggested I write a story about the program’s upcoming 40th anniversary. Clearly, I didn’t say no.

But this article is much more than a favor I’m doing for a fellow alum. It’s a well-deserved feature on a vitally important piece of Saratoga’s past, present, and future—a program that’s played a major role in the success of both our city and county by producing 24 engaged, informed, and well-trained potential board members each spring.

While my classmates and I are only a few months removed from Leadership Saratoga graduation, the members of the inaugural class I spoke with have literal decades worth of memories together,

class acts (from top) The first Leadership Saratoga class, which graduated from the program in 1986; Class of ’86 grads Tom Roohan, Priscilla Toth, Michael Okby, Cynthia Hollowood, and George Hathaway today; (opposite, from top) a project group from the Class of 2025 working together in a program session; the Class of 2002 engaged in a team-building activity.

from a bake sale fundraiser at which Okby’s infamous store-bought place-and-bake cookies had unsuspecting customers asking him for the recipe, to a talent show in which losers were cut off mid-performance by the ringing of a gong.

“Remember Sonny and Cher?” former New York State Association of Realtors Education Director Priscilla Toth said, thinking back to the Gong Show the Alumni Association hosted. “Bob Allen was Cher.”

“And how about the violinist?” Hollowood added.

“The violinist!” Hathaway chimed in.

“We’ve actually made fun of each other, and we’ve laughed at each other, and it’s OK.” Okby said. “That’s why we can have civil discussions. I encourage the new Leadership Saratoga graduates to communicate. That doesn’t mean email or text—it means getting to know each other.”

While the Leadership Saratoga Alumni Association extracurriculars have changed—I haven’t been invited to a Gong Show (yet)—the format of the program itself has remained largely the same. Applications open in the spring, and applicants must interview with the program director as well as two members of the Leadership Saratoga Advisory Board. (Toohey stresses that the program is open to anyone and that scholarships are available for those who aren’t able to pay for it.) The board selects 24 individuals for the program, which kicks off with a transformational two-day opening retreat in September and continues over the course of the next nine months with 13 sessions that cover everything from fundraising (presented by Dave Collins) to zoning boards (presented by Sonny Bonacio). Throughout the program, class members are also responsible for completing group projects that challenge smaller segments of the class to work with local nonprofits to solve current, reallife problems. Graduation is in May, at which time members of the class join the Alumni Association.

Over the course of her 40 years of involvement in Leadership Saratoga, Toohey says she has been continuously blown away by the number of people willing to show up to make their community a better place.

“The people in this county are unusually generous of their time, of their expertise, and of the financial resources that they are able to provide,” Toohey says. “You look around at other counties, and you just don’t have the generosity. It’s remarkable.”

Tom Roohan, whose father helped lift Saratoga out of its 1970s slump and instilled in his son a sense of civic pride that’s helped shape the Spa City we know today, has an explanation for that generosity: “There’s just something in the water,” he says. “We give a darn. And we’re not going to accept anything but the best for our community.”

“As the times change there are sessions that have been added, like cybersecurity, which really wasn’t an issue 40 years ago. But surprisingly, the program has stayed very much the same. “Ethical dilemmas was a session back then. It still is today. Serving as an effective board member: relevant then and still relevant today.”

—LINDA TOOHEY, Leadership Saratoga Founder & Program Director, 1985-2012

WILTON MALL, Revisited

LONG AFTER SARATOGIANS EFFECTIVELY GAVE UP ON WILTON MALL, ONE LOCAL DEVELOPER HAS BIG PLANS TO REVIVE THE SPA CITY’S SHOPPING CENTER—AND ITS VITAL ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

By Laura DaPolito

by Kyle Adams

Photography

you have the floor Wilton Mall owner Faraz Khan, seen here, wants to replace the shopping center’s tiled floor and give the interior a more upscale look; (opposite) the mall’s exterior is also getting some TLC.

Faraz Khan is passionate about malls.

The Albany native isn’t a mall rat, if there even is such a thing in today’s world. Nor is he overly interested in shopping as a hobby. Instead, he’s concerned with building places for people to come together—and he’s using marketing data to make those spaces actually work for people.

Khan, a local real estate developer who purchased Wilton Mall from a California-based real estate trust this past spring, grew up in a time when adolescents used malls to socialize as much as they did to shop. Malls were quintessential “third places”—spaces outside of home and school/ work where people were able to connect with their community on an informal, free basis.

“Think back across time—across the globe—to town centers, open-air bazaars, and even the general store,” says Khan. “Marketplaces create that opportunity for connection. Otherwise, people are in bubbles.”

With the rise of online shopping and the shuttering of stores that once served as anchor tenants for malls, many shopping centers have become shells of their former selves. (As have many humans.) In the 2010s, terms like “dead mall” and “zombie mall”—used to describe deteriorating shopping centers with low customer traffic—came into the American lexicon.

“There were 25,000 malls across the country between 1989 and the early 1990s,” Khan says. “But by 1998, the market had crashed; we had about 4,500 malls. Today, only about 900 are left.” Khan puts it another way: Malls didn’t just have a bad year; they had a bad 20 years.

board room Zumiez Assistant Manager Cadan Alvarez and Store Manager June Tieckelmann; (left) Kahn talking with Leejay Pollacchi of Vintage Sports Club.

But while at one time malls appeared to be on their way out for good, in recent years there’s been a movement to save them—and Khan is leading the charge.

Take Clifton Park Center, a once-run-down mall that Khan purchased in 2023 and immediately began improving upon. After recognizing that Clifton Park was primarily a family market, Khan’s team began developing the center to meet those customers’ needs. They intentionally put the stores serving families near each other for ease of use, and began hosting community events including car shows, craft fairs, and a winter festival.

Now, Khan says, Clifton Park Center’s vitality reminds him of the “meet me at the mall” days of old. Claire’s, the teen jewelry chain once present in virtually every mall in America, may be gone (the Clifton Park store closed in 2024 and the company filed for bankruptcy for the second time earlier this year), but there are plenty of experience-based new concepts that have taken its place, from a trampoline park to a cryotherapy studio.

The key word there is experience; businesses that sell more than physical products seem to be succeeding in malls. Crossgates in Albany is now home to a comedy club, a Dave & Buster’s, an escape room, and a spa. At press time, Queensbury’s Aviation Mall, which sold to a Rockland County investor in September, was set to welcome an indoor go-karting track in November. Via Port Rotterdam has the Via Aquarium. Outside of the Capital Region at Ohio’s Dayton Mall, a former Sears has been transformed into a 90,000-square-foot church.

it’s a mall world (above) Khan with dance instructor

Josh Meliski at C3 Hip Hop Dance Co.; (clockwise, from top left) Scene One Cinemas; Home for Orphaned Pets Exist's office; a game of Mahjong; Wow Arcade; Auntie Anne’s; a kids play area; Lansing U Batting Cages; a game of Magic: The Gathering; Diana Garcia with a lamp from Home Goods.

Khan’s next frontier? Wilton Mall, which, despite its convenient location and proximity to Saratoga Springs, has been what many would call a zombie mall for several years.

“It’s been a tale of two cities,” Khan says, referencing the fact that some tenants have done very well at Wilton, while others have been just skating by. (In recent years, many of Wilton’s traditional “mall stores” have been replaced with nontraditional tenants, such as a martial arts studio, a rabbit sanctuary, and the offices of a community theater.)

Khan’s goal for the future of the mall is to create a shopping experience that’s more upscale and that caters to the needs of high–net worth shoppers’ interests with luxury stores and outlets. He’s identifying tenants that build on the synergy of the center, as well as those current tenants that would be better served in alternative locations (and helping them find leases that will better suit them). Khan says he’s aiming to bring in 12 restaurants to create an “International Food Hall,” but won’t disclose any of the stores he plans to pursue—though he teases that shoppers will be delighted by what is to come.

Right now, the outside of the building is receiving some TLC to make it sparkle with the energy Khan seems to bring to each project he touches. He predicts it will take approximately two-and-a-half years to realize his vision, but if anyone can restore Wilton Mall to its former glory, it’s him. Because Faraz Khan isn’t just passionate about malls. He’s passionate about helping people connect with one another.

“Now, more than ever, people need that,” he says. “Maybe we will find some unity that way.”

change of pace (above) Coins in the Wilton Mall fountain; (left, from top) retired US Navy Veteran Jeffrey Beers walks the mall for exercise; Shoe Dept. Encore; Saratoga Tattoo Company.

care to (sun)dance? Robert Redford, seen here in a scene from The Way We Were that was filmed at Union College, starred in or directed countless beloved films, from 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to 1980’s Ordinary People, for which he won an Oscar. Perhaps his greatest legacy, though, is the Sundance Institute, which he founded in 1981 to foster new voices in the film industry.

WHEN ROBERT REDFORD CAME TO TOWN

Following the star’s recent death, locals reminisce about memories of the films he made right here in Saratoga County.

BY MARIA M cBRIDE BUCCIFERRO

hen the Oscar-winning filmmaker, actor, and activist Robert Redford passed away at his Sundance, UT home at the age of 89 this past September, many locals felt a personal loss. Because Redford wasn’t just a face on a screen— he was a celebrated actor and director that filmed not one but two feature films right here in our neck of the woods.

The Horse Whisperer, 1998

Redford, the boyishly handsome all-American icon, had matured by the time he directed the first film he also starred in: 1998’s The Horse Whisperer. In the movie, he plays Tom Booker, an elusive horse whisperer in Montana who heals a teen girl’s horse—and her family. Redford stars alongside a 15-year-old Scarlett Johansson, who plays Grace, and Kristen Scott Thomas, who plays Grace’s mother, Annie.

The opening scene of The Horse Whisperer shows two girls riding horseback across a snow-covered field past a stable and line of fences. If it looks familiar, that’s because it is. Stepwise Farm on Fitch Road, now called Thirty Year Farm, was the setting.

Another farm that makes an appearance early in the movie is Winterwood Farm on Middle Line Road in Ballston Lake.

“Mr. Redford came up and looked around and asked if we could do some preliminary shots,” says Winterwood’s Barbara Sanford, remembering back to 1997. “He was a true environmentalist—so down to earth and funny. A real rider. He came in February and stayed to the end of April. He was as lovely as everyone has said.”

Sanford’s role in the filming was threefold: In addition to providing Winterwood as a filming location, she helped Hollywood horse trainer Rex Peterson with the equine star, Hightower, and other horses used in the movie, and even appears on screen as an assistant veterinarian at the accident scene filmed at a tunnel on Ushers Road in Halfmoon. The

hospital Grace is brought to following the accident is actually the Roosevelt Bathhouse in the Spa State Park. Sanford’s daughter, Cailin, even served as a double for Johansson, who was the same age; in the scene where Grace is in bed after her amputation watching videos of herself riding in a horse show, she’s really watching Cailin’s own home video.

Locally shot scenes only make up the first 15 minutes of the movie, but after filming moved to Montana, Sanford was invited to visit the set. “I rode the mountains horseback with Robert, his girlfriend at the time, and head trainer Rex Peterson,” she says. “Rex and my family are great friends to this day. It was an amazing opportunity. We’re forever grateful to Bob Redford.”

The Way We Were, 1973

But The Horse Whisperer wasn’t Redford’s first time in the Capital Region: In 1973, he co-starred with Barbra Streisand in The Way We Were, a romance movie filmed in part in downtown Ballston Spa and at Union College in Schenectady.

In one romantic scene, Redford, who plays an Ivy League college student, drops to one knee in front of the Medbery Inn on Ballston Spa’s Front Street to tie the shoelaces of Streisand, who plays a Marxist anti-war activist that waits on Redford and his preppy friends at the café down the street. You can sense it’s not going to work out—and it doesn’t.

Years ago, former Ballston Spa Mayor John Romano shared his experience as a night watchman on the set in 1973 with writer Ann Hauprich, who joined other Ballston Spa residents to watch the filming from the Post Office steps. “During downtime on the set, we would congregate in a garage owned by The Medbery and bounce a ball in a cup to pass the time,” Romano told Hauprich. “I remember Robert Redford and Bradford Dillman watching the games. They struck me as being just a couple of regular guys.” Romano went on to say that Redford was always gracious, taking time to talk to everyone who approached him.”

New York State Senator James Tedisco, a 1972 graduate of Union College, was hired as a wardrobe manager for the movie alongside his basketball team co-captain, Bob Pezzano. “The pay was $50 a day,” Tedisco told Times Union reporter Paul Grondahl. “We felt rich.”

At Union, Redford would often toss a football or frisbee with student extras during breaks. “He was a wonderful guy—very friendly, and joked around with us,” Tedisco said. “It was the experience of a lifetime.”

Meier Law Firm: Where Life’s Transitions Meet Community-Centered Council

CHRISTINA W. MEIER, Esq., founder and principal of Meier Law Firm

R. TYLOCK, Esq., associate attorney at Meier Law Firm

For many of us, “The Law”—capital T, capital L— can feel intimidating. There are documents to be signed, decisions to be made, and surely a whole lot of legal jargon you won’t understand. It’s enough to make you want to put off estate planning even longer than you already have. Christina W. Meier, Esq., founder and principal of Meier Law Firm, gets it. But she’s ready to work with you to make planning for the future approachable, understandable, and empowering.

“Planning isn’t just about documents,” she says. “It’s about protecting what matters most: your family, your future, and your values.”

A graduate of Scotia-Glenville High School and the daughter of a Navy Veteran and a Schenectady-based CPA, Meier has made it her mission to continue her family’s legacy of local service by establishing a practice where clients can find both knowledgeable legal counsel and the compassion they deserve. Established in 2011, Meier Law Firm has offices in Latham, Schenectady, and Saratoga, and specializes in elder law, guardianships, business formation, real estate, and the aforementioned estate planning.

“The question I hear most often is, ‘Do I really need an estate plan?’” says Meier, who works alongside Angela R. Tylock, Esq., an associate attorney who joined the practice in 2021. “My answer

is always yes. While DIY wills or online templates may seem convenient, they often create more problems than they solve.

Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy or the elderly—it’s for anyone who wants to protect their loved ones, their health care decisions, and their legacy. A carefully crafted plan provides clarity, avoids unnecessary complications, and gives loved ones peace of mind.”

While Meier Law Firm takes a no-nonsense approach to problem solving that has satisfied clients again and again, its Meier’s deep roots in the community that sets her practice apart. Each year, the firm selects four local nonprofit partners to support by way of donations, sponsorships, and action. This year, Bethesda House, The Charlton School, Lansingburgh Boys & Girls Club, and United Way are all beneficiaries of Meier’s generosity.

If Meier’s big-picture mission is to enhance the community that we call home, she’s making that possible one person at a time. “Life transitions can be emotional and overwhelming,” she says. “That’s why our firm is grounded in the core values of compassion, loyalty, and integrity. We see every client relationship as a partnership. Our team is committed to not only providing strong legal representation, but also to being a supportive, trusted resource. At the end of the day, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.”

10 Utica Avenue, Latham (by appointment in Schenectady and Saratoga Springs) | 518.313.7809 | themeierlawfirm.com

ANGELA

off track

SARATOGA’S HOTTEST TICKETS

saratoga living’s

Fall Issue Release Party

SEPTEMBER 23 • WEST AVE PIZZA photography by KONRAD ODHIAMBO

There are pizza parties, and then there’s what transpired on Tuesday, September 23. saratoga living teamed up with fall issue cover subject Mario Cardenas, aka Super Mario, to host a “pizza rave” at Cardenas’ West Ave Pizza, complete with drinks from Little Lucy’s Mobile Bar and Keuka Spring Vineyards, music by DJ Bump of Presidential Entertainment, and all-you-can-eat pizza.

Annette Quarrier, Tina Galante, Natalie Moore, Mario Cardenas, Tara Buffa

The crowd takes the dance floor

Matt Beecher and Justin LaViolette from Little Lucy’s Mobile Bar DJ Minix and DJ Bump of Presidential Entertainment

Autumn Manning and Karen Harkness of Keuka Spring Vineyards

Melissa Del Savio, Kristen Suraci, Josh Marthy

Katie Caporta, Spencer Sherry, Lauren Leddy, Natalie Moore, Jessie Brooks

Dominic Micelli, George Kenyon, Lorno D’Ambrosio, Joe DeLorenzo

Tiina Loite, Mario Cardenas, Fred Conrad Angelo Santabarbara, Mario Cardenas

Nikki Zick

Tiffany Lochner, Mario Cardenas, Josh Lochner

John and Tracy Passaro, Mario Cardenas, Beth Tennant

Mario Cardenas, Marion and Patrick Bidinost

Jojo Isopo, Mario Cardenas Zack Skowronek

SARATOGA’S HOTTEST TICKETS

Saratoga Book Festival’s Literary Night Market

OCTOBER 3

UNIVERSAL PRESERVTION HALL

photography by JESS

MCNAVICH

For the first time ever, the Saratoga Book Festival, now in its fifth year, showcased the work of dozens of local artists at a free, open-to-thepublic Night Market, complete with live music, drinks, charcuterie, and more. While attendees checked out the author exhibits on the first and second floors of UPH, saratoga living sponsored an Insiders Lounge for Book Fest VIPs and the Saratoga Living Insiders Club.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

COAT ROOM SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

home stretch

fashion & style :: HOUSE & HOME :: FOOD & DRINK

A Mid-September Night’s Dream

THE STYLES OF 16TH-CENTURY ENGLAND

TOOK CENTER STAGE AT SARATOGA ARTS’ SHAKESPEARE-INSPIRED SOIRÉE. BY TIINA LOITE

photography by SHAWN L aCHAPELLE

there’s a reason Saratoga Arts calls its annual fundraiser an experience rather than a gala. From sword-swallowers and acrobats to themed food stations and a pair of real-live owls, every minute of the Shakespeare-inspired event was a treat for the senses. And what kind of experience would it be without elaborate regalia inspired by the works of the Bard himself? After all, “the apparel oft proclaims the man.”

CAROLINE BURKE

INTERIOR DESIGNER

This is a great look. It’s completely modern yet it fits in here beautifully.

“There’s got to be something Shakespearean in this.”

Your shoes are contemporary, but I could see them being worn by a character in a Shakespeare play.

“These are Marc Jacobs shoes. I can’t think of which character he could be.”

And those gorgeous slacks!

Who is the designer?

“Pucci—maybe there’s a Merchant of Venice look here? I like that.”

EVENT: SARATOGA ARTS’ FOUNDATION EXPERIENCE

PLACE: THE NIGHT OWL

DATE: SEPTEMBER 25

BART AND JEFF ALTAMARI

PITNEY MEADOWS BOARD MEMBER AND RETIRED FINANCIAL OFFICER

This is beautiful, but methinks it hails from someplace other than Elizabethan England?

ba: “No, it’s not really Shakespearean. Maybe it’s kind of Shakespearean. The jacket is Chinoiserie. My earrings are German. My bag is Gucci. It’s my disco bag.”

Jeff, this is a gorgeous jacket. What made you choose this for tonight?

ja: “I thought tonight called for upscale elegance. My velvet jacket is from Saks in Houston.”

Did you have a “to wear, or not to wear” moment about it?

ja: “I was going to wear a dark suit and a black shirt, but I decided not to.”

Yeah, that’s a different party.

TERESE RUSSELL

SPONSORSHIP SPECIALIST

Hmm, this could be Midsummer Night’s Dream-ish. Tell me more.

“I told my neighbor Shakespeare was my assignment, and she’s very specific about using corseting. This is a vintage gown and I put the corset on top.”

That works. What’s going on atop your head?

“I told my neighbor, ‘I’m not doing the butterflies!’ But she said, ‘It’s Shakespeare—make the statement.’” OK, but what’s that thing next to the butterflies and what does this all mean?!

“She added the gold cage for drama.”

I need to talk to your neighbor.

home stretch

SPENCER SHERRY

SARATOGA ARTS GRANTS

COORDINATOR/FILMMAKER

Art thou channeling a specific play by the Bard?

“I think I probably have some Julius Caesar vibes or maybe Coriolanus. I’m just so happy to see people wear that thing in their closet that they haven’t worn anywhere.”

Was your tie that thing in your closet?

“I already had the tie—it came from my high school friend’s vintage store, The Underground Attic. I wore it to a wedding once.”

LAUREN LEDDY

SENIOR MANAGER OF TALENT DEVELOPMENT

You’re leaning into the Shakespeare theme. Is it something in particular?

“Romeo & Juliet…roses…’A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’ We’ve got roses on this, and it’s velvet, which seems very Shakespearean.”

Where did your hat come from?

“My partner, Spencer Sherry, bought me this hat. He wanted me to have a head ornament to complete my look.”

fashion & style :: HOUSE & HOME :: FOOD & DRINK

JEAN DUCROT AND MARCELLA HAMMER

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER AND ENTREPRENEUR

You both got the memo about dressing 16th-century English. Did you already have these items?

jd: “No, I had to put it together. I decided to go with ‘jaunty raconteur.’”

mh: “I did! I was thinking about all the puffy sleeves…I wanted to be as puffy as possible. This has been in my closet for five months. I got it in Quebec City.”

DANIEL FAIRLEY SOFTWARE DEVELOPER/ARTIST

How is that Shakespearean?

“It’s not, but I figured no one would dress up, and I don’t like following the rules anyway—I’m an artist.”

I get the feeling you’ve worn this jacket before.

“I have, at a wedding at The Adelphi. It was a tea party. And I also wore it to my cousin’s wedding, when my hair was pink.”

SARAH HUTCHERSON AND JENNA CLARK

BREATHING COACH AND MEDIA CONSULTANT

I think you two really enjoyed making this theme work.

sh: “I’m in a global Shakespearean vibe. The top is from Columbia, but it belongs to Jenna. The dress is mine from high school.”

Where you undoubtedly studied Shakespeare.

sh: “Oh, yes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a big favorite.”

Jenna, where are you taking us with your look?

jc: “2025 modern day meets Shakespeare. If Shakespeare were alive and he saw a beautiful girl from afar, he might see me. This is a Victorian dress, and I put a black skirt over it.”

sh: “She is the modern-day Juliet!”

JUDY HARRIGAN RETIRED PSYCHOLOGIST

You’re not dressed like anyone else here, but I really like what you’re wearing. So, tell me, why this tonight?

“I breezed back into town at 5pm. It was a decision. It’s cozy in here—it’s warm. I don’t have an outrageous outfit on. Question: Do I change, head out, and brave the rain, or not? Answer: Get out there—it’s for Saratoga Arts.”

I really like the boots. I’m getting a Twelfth Night vibe from them.

“They are rain boots, made by Joules. I got them at either Lifestyles or Caroline and Main. Let’s just say they’re from Heidi.”

JOYCE AND GARRY WHITE PHILANTHROPIST AND REAR ADMIRAL (RET.)

I know there is a nod to the Bard in your attire—tell me where it is.

gw: “Absolutely! I’m wearing Austin Reed of Regent Street. In my mind, that was the finest tailor in London. I wore it as a nod to William. The rest is by the recently deceased Giorgio Armani.”

Joyce, tell me about your dress.

jw: “’To wear red lips, or not to wear red lips, that is the question.’ With a nod to Taylor Swift. My dress is Altuzzara; the bag is by Gucci.”

home stretch

FASHION & STYLE :: house & home :: FOOD & DRINK

The Quintessential Queen Anne

NORTH BROADWAY’S REDSTONE SEAMLESSLY BLENDS HISTORIC CHARM WITH MODERN CONVENIENCE. IT COULD BE YOURS FOR $7.99 MILLION. n BY DANIELLE EPTING

too often, saratoga homebuyers have to make a choice: Do they go with the charming, historic property that’ll surely require plenty of upkeep, or the cookie-cutter new build that lacks in personality but won’t cause headaches down the road? The residence at 795 North Broadway is the best of both worlds.

“To me, this is a quintessential Queen Anne Romanesque Revival home that has been maintained to the utmost,” says Roohan Realty’s Kate Naughton, who, along with Cathy Allen, is representing the property that’s located adjacent to Skidmore College. In all her 35 years of experience, Naughton says she’s never encountered a home this old that’s been so impeccably maintained that its true age is imperceptible.

Built in 1886, Redstone, as it’s known, was designed by architect S. Gifford Slocum for Eli Clinton Clark, a prominent lumber businessman. The home’s most recent owners have lived there for nearly 15 years and are responsible for the construction of the onsite carriage house, which boasts a heated two-car garage with a potting sink, a skylit mudroom breezeway, a year-round sunroom, a full bathroom, a vaulted great room with a custom bar area, a sun-filled cupola, and

plenty of additional storage space. Designed by architect Tom Frost and built in 2015 by Northern Dean, the new structure blends seamlessly with the historic home next to which it stands.

“In conversations with the current owners, we often talk about how this house has all the charm of an older home with all the amenities of a newer home,” says Allen, referencing Redstone’s craftsmanship, elegant style, updates, and renovations. “The owners also say it’s great for raising a family, as well as for entertaining—whether you’re having a small gathering or a holiday party for 200 people. I’ve been fortunate to see this benefit first hand.”

The home is a work of art in and of itself. At 9,000 square feet and boasting seven bedrooms, nine full bathrooms, five half-baths, and nine working fireplaces (eight gas, one wood), there’s something to behold at every turn, from stained-glass windows and hand-carved woodwork to elegant window seats and that porch

“Every person’s breath is taken away when they enter the home,” Naughton says. “I don’t know where you would have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine because there are so many places you’d want to sit. Every room is prettier than the next.”

style points The Queen Anne Romanesque Revival style in which Redstone was built emerged in the late 19th century and combined the asymmetrical, decorative flair of Queen Anne architecture with the heavy stonework and rounded arches of Romanesque design.

home stretch

FASHION & STYLE :: HOUSE & HOME :: food & drink

Dare to Pair

FOOD AND DRINK PAIRING IS AN ART, NOT A SCIENCE. BUT WE COULDN’T HELP OURSELVES FROM HIGHLIGHTING A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE NEW YORK–MADE BEVERAGES... AND RECOMMENDING HOW BEST TO SERVE THEM THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. BY KATHLEEN WILLCOX

a cottage industry has sprung up around creating the “perfect” food and wine pairings, especially around the holidays. But as most (honest) wine professionals will confess, there really is no such thing as a “perfect” pairing. Take turkey and Pinot Noir. Depending on how the meat is cooked and where the wine comes from, your experiences will be wildly divergent. (Your grandmother’s plain, Butterball roast turkey resembles your locally sourced, brined, and spiced turkey in name only, and an aged Pinot Noir

from Burgundy is going to taste very different than a freshly released Pinot from the Russian River Valley.)

Also, news flash: The etiquette police are not going to show up at your front door if you opt to serve beer or cider with your holiday fare.

The most important piece of advice I can give you? Follow your palate, and pair what you suspect will taste good together. And a recommendation? Drink local! Here are some of my personal favorite food and drink pairings for the holiday season.

Oysters + Dr. Konstantin Frank 2021 Brut

Get the party started with this expressive and captivating Brut, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier with bright acidity that pairs beautifully with seafood like oysters, shrimp, and lobster—or anything fried. (Seriously, if you haven’t tried sparkling wine and French fries yet, you must rectify this error immediately). The wine comes from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, a Finger Lakes operation whose founder planted the first Vitis vinifera grapes in New York State.

Turkey + Tree House Brewing’s Julius

One of my favorite ways to cut the richness of a dish like turkey—or a vegetarian entrée like acorn squash baked with wild rice and pecans—is to offer equally bold flavors in a glass. Julius, a tropical IPA from the new-toSaratoga Tree House Brewing, won’t overpower your palate or wilt under the power on the plate. Plus, the brew has been known to convert even the strictest hop-haters into IPA aficionados.

Cheese + Arrowood Farm Distillery’s Single Barrel Bourbon

I love ending a holiday feast with cheese—and New York cheesemakers are producing some of the best in the world. (Check out Chaseholm Farm, Four Fat Fowl, Old Chatham, and Lively Run Dairy.) And while wine may be the most obvious pairing for a hunk of gruyere, I love Arrowood Farm’s single barrel bourbon whiskey, made from locally grown heirloom corn, rye, and barley and aged in Adirondack oak. It balances smokiness and candied black cherries with a rare grace, and stands up to all of the rich, sharp, and funky dairy you throw at it.

Pumpkin Pie + Nine Pin’s Imperial Cider

Obviously, though, I realize that most people would prefer a touch of sweetness after a meal. Whether you’re serving pumpkin pie, chocolate mousse, or some sort of fruity tart, you’d do well to dish it out with snifters of Nine Pin’s Imperial Cider, a full-bodied, fruit-forward tipple that’s brimming with locally farmed, high-sugar apples like Gold Rush and Harrison. With notes of toffee and baking spices, it’ll compliment and meld with whatever sweet treat emerges from your oven.

in the end, the “perfect” pairing is the act of gathering people you love to the table and sharing a meal to remember.

Henry Street Taproom

86 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS

henrystreettaproom.com • 518.886.8938

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, inventive cocktails, and locally sourced, made-from-scratch food since 2012. More than 13 years later, Henry Street is still a go-to spot for locals who never tire of settling in on the patio or cozying up to the fire when the winter weather rolls around. Open Tuesday-Friday 4-10pm; Saturday 2-10pm; Sunday 2-9pm.

The Wishing Well

745 SARATOGA ROAD, GANSEVOORT wishingwellrestaurant.com • 518.584.7640

Acornerstone of Saratoga’s dining scene, The Wishing Well has welcomed guests since 1936 with its reputation for excellence. The menu showcases USDA Prime beef, live Maine lobsters, and the freshest seasonal seafood, paired with an award-winning wine list and cocktails to match every palate. In search of the perfect meal on a cold winter evening? Locals and visitors alike have been flocking to The Wishing Well for a high-quality meal just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Saratoga for generations. Open Tuesday-Sunday at 4pm.

Franklin Square’s Market Bar & Restaurant

55 RAILROAD PLACE, SARATOGA SPRINGS franklinsqmarket.com • 518.430.2049

LLake Ridge

35 BURLINGTON AVENUE, ROUND LAKE lake-ridge.com • 518.899.6000

Cooking for a one-of-akind setting for your next gathering? At Franklin Square Market and The Market Bar, every event feels personal, elevated, and effortlessly enjoyable. The Franklin Square culinary team creates custom menus entirely in house, designed around your group’s tastes and preferences— from creative plated dinners and lively cocktail receptions to interactive cooking classes. Pair it all with a full-service bar and you have the recipe for the perfect evening in downtown Saratoga. Open 7 days a week.

elebrate 24 years of Lake Ridge, a fine dining restaurant that’s tucked away in the Village of Round Lake, just off exit 11 of the Northway and only 10 minutes from Saratoga Springs and 15 minutes from Albany. The romantic establishment— which was voted first in the Fine Dining category in Saratoga Today’s Best of Saratoga survey—is a great, laid-back alternative to dining in busy downtown Saratoga. And if you need a dose of holiday cheer, look to Lake Ridge for your holiday party, New Year’s Eve celebration, and gift certificates. Open 4-8:45pm Tuesday-Saturday.

Saratoga Chocolate Co.

454 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS

saratogachocolateco.com 518.680.7974

Step into Saratoga Chocolate Co.’s newly expanded shop and café and experience chocolate reimagined. At Saratoga Chocolate Co., small-batch confections are crafted with the finest ingredients, blending artistry and flavor for a true taste of luxury. From indulgent truffles to signature bars, their chocolates are designed to be savored, shared, and remembered. Whether you’re celebrating the holidays locally or sending gifts across the country, Saratoga Chocolate Co. brings handcrafted indulgence to every occasion. Explore decadent creations, holiday collections, and corporate gifts that leave a lasting impression. Open daily.

Panza’s Restaurant

129 SOUTH BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS panzasrestaurant.com • 518.584.6882

There’s no time like the holiday season to indulge in a dinner at Panza’s. Come November, the classic restaurant transforms its dining room into an enchanted holiday scene straight out of a Hallmark movie, making it the perfect place not only to grab dinner or drinks with friends, but to get in the Christmas spirit, too. Add in authentic Italian food with a modern American flair, expertly crafted cocktails, and a dessert menu that’ll make you swoon, and Panza’s is a no-brainer for your next night out. Wednesday–Monday 4–9:30pm.

Kindred

84 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS kindredsaratoga.com • 518.886.1198

Imagine dining at a chic NYC restaurant…without ever having to leave downtown Saratoga. That’s what it feels like when you eat at Kindred, a cozy, sophisticated bar and restaurant located on Henry Street. Opened in 2023, Kindred has quickly gained a reputation for its woodfired food, hand-crafted cocktails, and impressive wine program. With something for everyone, Kindred is the perfect spot for a night out on the town. Open Tuesday-Saturday 4pm-midnight.

The Brook Tavern

139 UNION AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS thebrooktavern.com • 518.871.1473

It doesn’t get much more convenient—or delicious!— than dining at The Brook Tavern, an elevated casual restaurant with something for everyone that’s located just steps from the historic Saratoga Race Course. But The Brook Tavern is a favorite even in the racing off-season: Stop by for a cocktail and some small plates (sesame-encrusted ahi tuna, anyone?), grab a burger and fries, or go all in on a full-fledged holiday dinner. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available! Open TuesdaySunday 4-9pm.

New Scotland Spirits

209 LARK STREET, ALBANY newscotlandspirits.com • 518.818.0115

Whiskey, vodka, and gin, made from New York State grain and distilled right here in the Capital Region: That’s the MO of New Scotland Spirits, which serves its spirits at a tasting room on Albany’s Lark Street and at bars around the state, and sells bottles at liquor stores so you can enjoy the taste of local at home. In Saratoga, find New Scotland Spirits in every major retailer (Purdy’s, First Fill Spirits, Post Time) and the hippest bars in town (Bibulous, Coat Room, Bailey’s). For a full list, visit NewScotlandSpirits.com/saratoga-county

Cantina

408 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SP R INGS cantinasaratoga.com • 518.587.5577

BRegent

500 UNION AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS hotelbrookmere.com • 518.241.4000

You don’t have to be a guest of Hotel Brookmere & Arbor Spa to enjoy a world-class French-inspired dinner at Regent, the new resort’s onsite restaurant. The Regent at Brookmere makes every detail feel intentional yet never overdone. The monkfish three-meat cassoulet, pictured here, embodies that spirit: thoughtful, seasonal, and quietly indulgent. Regent is the kind of place that invites you to slow down and savor, whether you’re a local discovering your new favorite spot or a traveler in search of something authentic. Open starting at 8am for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week and for brunch on weekends.

roadway dining hotspot Cantina has been serving up fresh Mexican dishes and signature margaritas in the heart of downtown Saratoga for the last 18 years. Guests flock to the restaurant for its festive vibe, creative and delicious fare, and craft cocktails—happy hour, anyone?! When the weather gets cold, belly up to the bar or find a table for all your south-of-the-border favorites. Need a venue for your private party? Look no further than The 408 Event & Occasion, an event space located on the restaurant’s second floor. Open daily; see website for hours.

The Brook Tavern thebrooktavern.com

 518.871.1473

139 Union Avenue

Saratoga Springs

Franklin Square’s

Market Bar & Restaurant

franklinsqmarket.com

 518.430.2049

55 Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs

Henry Street Taproom

henrystreettaproom.com

 518.886.8938

86 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs

Kindred

kindredsaratoga.com

 518.886.1198

84 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs

Lake Ridge Restaurant

lake-ridge.com

 518.899.6000

35 Burlington Avenue, Round Lake

Regent

hotelbrookmere.com

 518.241.4000

500 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs

The Wishing Well

wishingwellrestaurant.com

 518.584.7640

745 Saratoga Road, Gansevoort

Panza’s Restaurant

panzasrestaurant.com

 518.584.6882

129 South Broadway

Saratoga Springs

Cantina

cantinasaratoga.com

 518.587.5577

408 Broadway

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Chocolate Co.

saratogachocolateco.com

 518.680.7974

454 Broadway

Saratoga Springs

New Scotland Spirits

newscotlandspirits.com

 518.818.0115

209 Lark Street

Albany

good chair day Leading up to the Congress Park Carousel’s opening in 2002, Cathy chaired the committee that raised enough money to relocate the historic ride from Saratoga Lake’s Kaydeross Park to its nowiconic location.

found Pitney Meadows Community Farm, and served on the boards of everything from the Saratoga Regional YMCA to the organization that’s now Wellspring—all while raising her kids largely as a single parent. Oh, and she’s a Coast Guard–licensed captain, too. But that’s a different story.

SARATOGIAN OF THE MONTH

It’s Cathy’s World

IN A SOCIETY IN WHICH WOMEN REGULARLY GIVE UP THEIR LAST NAMES, ONE SARATOGIAN IS PROVING THAT IDENTITY IS MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT YOU MAKE THAN THE NAME ON YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE.

BY NATALIE MOORE photography by SHAWN L a CHAPELLE

You may know her as Cathy Walbridge, Cathy Stimmel, Cathy Allen, or even Catherine Walbridge-Allen. I know her simply as Cathy, a woman who will win your heart while simultaneously destroying your dignity on the pickleball court. Like Oprah—or maybe Cleopatra—Cathy needs no further identification. But perhaps she needs an introduction, because if you don’t already know her, maybe you should. The only daughter born to a family with three sons, Cathy has been holding

her own in a man’s world all her life. In high school in New Jersey, she was one of a handful of girls who volunteered for an experimental trimester at the nearby all-boys school, and the only one brave enough to stick around for a second trimester. She majored in economics at Colgate shortly after the school began admitting women, and went on to become a VP at Key Bank at the age of 29, before stepping down to raise her kids. She invested in real estate, helped start a foundation that supports families of children with a rare medical condition, became a realtor, helped

I was originally drawn to Cathy for her unrelentingly positive energy and our shared love of beating men at sports. But once I got to know her better, I realized she’s someone who, for decades, has been working behind the scenes to better the Saratoga community. This fall, I caught up with Cathy and her daughter, Chelsey—who tagged along to make sure her mother wasn’t being too humble about all she’s accomplished. It didn’t quite work.

Cathy, you’ve lived such an impactful life.

Everybody out there has overcome obstacles or been there for somebody. We’re all the same. And these days, there’s too much divisiveness. But what I love about Saratoga Springs is that it really is a philanthropic, kind, supportive community. I think it’s unusual.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

My children and their families, which I would classify as a project.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give?

When asking someone a question, and they give you an answer that you don’t fully understand, be brave and ask for more details until you finally understand the question you want answered.

Do you have any life philosophies?

Just keep going.

Photos by Meri Light Photography

Branigan Weavers Hat & Scarf

CELTIC TREASURES

Straight from Drogheda, Ireland, Branigan Weavers uses a wool/nylon blend to craft warm outerwear available at Celtic Treasures in a variety of beautiful colors. Hat: $59.95 Scarf: $39.95 | celtictreasures.com

Cloisonné Ornament

IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA

Made exclusively by Impressions of Saratoga, this limited-edition ornament depicts a Native American family taking the waters at High Rock Spring and celebrates the rich history of our city. $64.99 | impressionsofsaratoga.com

Michael Malul Scents

BAHAMA ON BROADWAY

This holiday season, shop high-end fragrances without the high-end price tags at Bahama on Broadway, which carries a selection of Michael Malul scents for both men and women.

$95

Gold Infinity Earrings

DEJONGHE ORIGINAL JEWELRY

These elegant everyday earrings are handmade in deJonghe’s downtown studio, and are available with or without diamonds in 14k yellow, white, or rose gold.

$795-$995 | djoriginals.com

Peppermint Pig

SARATOGA CANDY CO.

Would it really be Christmas in Saratoga without a Peppermint Pig? Pick up one of these iconic novelty candy pigs as a hostess gift or stocking stuffer before they’re gone!

$13.99-$29.99 | saratogasweets.com

Christmas Morning Quartet

CAROLINE AND MAIN

Get festive with this PJ set from Caroline and Main, perfect for gifting or holiday lounging.

Headband: $24

Lounge Sweatshirt: $70

Boxer Pant: $64

Nutcracker Slippers: $40 carolineandmain.com

Soy Candle Tin

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING AND HALL OF FAME Shop ’til you drop at the racing museum’s gift shop, which boasts these natural soy wax candles from Grey Horse Candle Company in a variety of equestrian-inspired scents.

$18 | racingmuseum.org

Cangshan Pakkawood Steak Set

COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF

Shopping for a meat-lover? These steak knives combine highquality German steel with ergonomically designed pakkawood handles, all packed in a premium storage chest.

$99.99 | saratogachef.com

Krimson Klover Sweater

ALPINE SPORT SHOP

Apres ski, anyone? This cozy sweater, inspired by the slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo, will keep your loved one warm all the way from Saratoga to Northern Italy.

$219.95 alpinesportshop.com

Holiday Cake Soy Candle

LIFESTYLES OF SARATOGA

Infused with aromas of coconut cake, lemon, and caramel, this candle comes in a reusable rocks glass that’ll raise your loved one’s spirits long after the candle melts away.

$42 | lifestylesofsaratoga.com

Freshwater Pearl Identity Bracelets

LUCIA BOUTIQUE

Brooklyn-based and female-founded, FYB Jewelry uses 24k gold-plated sterling silver and genuine pearls to craft these “charm”-ing initial bracelets, available at Lucia Boutique.

$38 each | luciaboutique.com

Okemo Ivory

Multi Knit Top

BOBBLES & LACE

Sweater weather never looked so good! This button-down knit can be worn as a cardigan or a top, making it a great gift for the fashionista in your life.

$60 bobblesandlace.com