Simply Saratoga Spring 2016

A Saratoga TODAY Publication

Complimentary

SARATOGA

™

THE PEOPLE • THE PLACES • THE LIFESTYLE

Spring 2016

Meet

Tracey Buyce & other locals who live with

PASSION

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SARATOGA

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THE PEOPLE • THE PLACES • THE LIFESTYLE

Owner/Publisher Chad Beatty General Manager Robin Mitchell Managing Editor Chris Vallone Bushee Creative Director Alyssa Jackson Advertising Design Morgan Rook Graphic Design Alyssa Jackson Andrew Ranalli Advertising Sales Jim Daley Cindy Durfey Contributing Writers Tim Blodgett Peter Bowden Nancy Castillo Dave Delozier Ashley Dingeman Jodie Fitz Carol Godette Megan Harrington Dennis G. Hogan Charlie Kuenzel Meghan Lemery Fritz Megin Potter Jordana Turcotte Maureen Werther Photographers Susan Blackburn Tracey Buyce Sue Clark Alice Corey Alice Nash SaratogaPhotographer.com Amy Rockwell John Seymour Rob Spring Photography Upper Hudson Maple Producers Published by Saratoga TODAY Newspaper Five Case Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 tel: (518) 581-2480 fax: (518) 581-2487

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Simply Saratoga is brought to you by Saratoga TODAY Newspaper, Saratoga Publishing, LLC. Saratoga Publishing shall make every effort to avoid errors and omissions but disclaims any responsibility should they occur. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publisher. Copyright © 2016, Saratoga TODAY Newspaper

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From The Editor I have to open with a huge THANK YOU to all the people who stopped by to visit me at the Saratoga TODAY booth at the Saratoga Home & Lifestyle Show. (The Saratoga Rotary did a wonderful job as always!) I really enjoyed talking to all of you and hearing about how much you LOVE our publications!

When I started building this issue, the theme for our feature was to be about LIFESTYLES… How people live, work and enjoy their time off. But as I talked to people and things started to develop, there was a thread that ran through all of these stories. The PASSION these people had for doing what they do was so evident, that became the focal point.

Issues like this one are the REASON we do Simply Saratoga Magazine… we don’t need to report on “the news” of the area - we have our weekly newspaper, Saratoga TODAY for that.

Simply Saratoga Magazine exists to showcase THE PEOPLE THE PLACES THE LIFESTYLES of our community, and for that I am very passionate ….and grateful, since I love my job!

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From our COVER GIRL Tracey Buyce, whom I have loved working with over the years, to Bob Reed, who I just recently met, but am thoroughly enjoying getting to know, there are some passionate people in this issue I want you to meet. The fun starts on page 45.

How cool is this of Tracey?!

I’d call THIS passion!

Yes, it is SPRING… and we are all thinking of warmer days! Our 14 page BOATING SECTION starts on page 90 – enjoy!

One of my personal favorites has always been the Woodworkers Showcase and in honor of their 25th anniversary we bring you six beautiful pages to whet your appetite – see you at the show! Page 104 We hope you enjoy this issue and I must close with a thank you to our advertisers… without them, we wouldn’t be able to provide these beautiful publications, free of charge, to our thousands of readers. Please, mention us by name when visiting them.

Go find YOUR passion!

Chris

Chris Vallone Bushee Managing Editor

Bob sharing his NFL ring ...I think she liked it!

Amazing talent at the NWS!

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CONTRIBUTORS TIM BLODGETT Tim Blodgett and his wife, Rose own Saratoga Tackle & Archery, he can be reached at (518) 584-3952. His store is now located on Route 29, just before Schuylerville. Visit Saratogatackle.com or find Saratoga Tackle on Facebook.

PETER BOWDEN Peter has been the region's go-to garden guy for over 35 years. His knack for practical and concise explanations has served him well during his 20-year tenure as WRGB’s garden guy. He is an artist and avid photographer whose images have appeared in textbooks, magazines and travel guides. Peter lives with his wife, Sharon and their pets in an old house in the country.

NANCY CASTILLO Nancy is a co-owner of our local Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop, located off Exit 15 of the Northway.

She writes The Zen Birdfeeder blog and has had her writing and photography published in BirdWatcher’s Digest and Watching Backyard Birds. You can occasionally hear her answering questions about birds on the WAMC VoxPop call-in program. Nancy and her spouse enjoy watching birds at their feeders from their log home west of Saratoga.

DAVE DELOZIER Dave is known as the eco-local guy around town, as he published the "eco-Local Living mag from 2008-13. Dave and his wife Brenda "walk the walk" having converted their small suburban Saratoga Springs residence into a Permaculture homestead, integrating elements such as edible landscaping, PV solar power & micro-farming. Dave is now a certified Permaculture Design Consultant and looks to help others who are seeking a more healthy, grounded and resilient lifestyle. ecolocal@gmail.com.

ASHLEY DINGEMAN My name is Ashley Dingeman and I can’t deny it – I’m in love with food. As a Saratoga Springs native, it has always been a dream of mine to have the opportunity to do the two things I do best: eat & write.

JODIE FITZ Jodie Fitz is a wife, working mother of three and the creator of the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club.

She will be releasing two cookbooks in 2015; The Chaotic Kitchen; a collection of recipes to help make the lives of busy families just a little bit easier when it comes to mealtime & Cooking Up Fun; designed to get kids taste testing & experimenting with foods.

MEGAN HARRINGTON Megan is a freelance writer who has written for a variety of publications including national magazines, local newspapers, and websites. When she’s not writing, she enjoys training for marathons and coaching fellow runners. After spending the previous seven years in New York City, Megan and her husband recently relocated to Saratoga Springs and are loving their new community at the base of the Adirondacks.

DENNIS G. HOGAN Dennis G. Hogan was born in New York City and his story is a common one: his dad took him to Saratoga Race Course as boy as he’s returned every year since.

He is a writer and photographer with an appreciation for Thoroughbreds. He has previously written for Thorofan and is a regular contributor to Equicurean. He lives in Westchester County, NY.

MEGHAN LEMERY FRITZ Meghan is a native of the Glens Falls/Saratoga region. Her passion is to provide her clients and readers with the tools necessary to live a life full of love, acceptance, truth, peace and balance. She is an author and writer for various publications in Upstate NY and State College, PA.She currently resides in State College, PA where she enjoys spending time with her husband and family. To contact Meghan directly email meghanlemery@yahoo.com

MEGIN POTTER Megin is an expressive writer and artist with work published in books, newspapers, corporate communications and online. A resident of the region for over 20 years, she continues to discover anew the interesting people, places and products it has to offer.

As a mother to her active young son, she is inspired to explore even more.

SARATOGA TOURS Dave and Charlie are co-owners of Saratoga Tours LLC and are both retired award winning educators with a combined 70 years of service to the students of Saratoga Springs High School. Over the last 15 years they have excited and educated thousands of visitors with their depth of knowledge and appreciation for the history of the city of Saratoga Springs.

JORDANA TURCOTTE Jordana Turcotte is a lifelong New Yorker and a Saratoga County resident since graduating from RPI. After staying at home for a bit with her children (now 10 and 8), she decided on the “rest of her life job” as Professional Organizer. Starting Simply You in 2008 fulfills a passion for organizing. When she isn’t organizing, you’ll find her volunteering at her kids’ school, being Mommy chauffeur or hanging out with her two rescue dogs.

CAROL GODETTE Born and raised in Saratoga Springs, Carol Godette’s fascination with neighborhood stores began at age 11 when she frequented Rowland’s. A passionate educator, Godette taught elementary school in the Saratoga School District for 31 years. Carol is a coowner of the local Ben & Jerry’s franchise. Godette and her husband live in her childhood home where they raised their two children. She welcomes your comments and stories/photos on neighborhood stores via email: saratoganeighborhoodstores@gmail.com

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MAUREEN E. WERTHER Maureen Werther is the owner of WHE Strategic Business Solutions, specializing in helping entrepreneurs and small business owners in the areas of business development, brand management, public relations, communications and marketing. She is also a lifelong writer and her articles have appeared in numerous local and regional publications. Currently, she is working on a book about the ongoing opioid and heroin epidemic in upstate New York.

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SARATOGA

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THE PEOPLE • THE PLACES • THE LIFESTYLE

SPRING 2016

S A R AT O G

People Living with PASSION

A Saratog

a TODAY

See Page 45

Eating Out in Saratoga

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Advice from Meghan Lemery Fritz

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Artist Spotlight – Beth Fecteau

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The Springs…

A Saratoga Family

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Redefining Expectations Quad Graphics

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All Outdoors –

by Tim Blodgett

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Pictures of Old Saratoga

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The Original "Mom & Pops"

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Post Time Memories with Dennis Hogan

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Locals Who Live with passion

Architecturally Speaking

Publica

Complim tion entary

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THE P EOPLE • THE PLACE S • TH E LIFE STYLE

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A GOOD READ 15

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HOME & GARDEN 69

Architecturally Speaking

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Entertaining Made Easy with Jodie Fitz

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Peter Bowden

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with Nancy Castillo 84

Garage Clean-out with Jordana Turcotte

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Meet the Cook

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Summer Boating Guide

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Save the Date

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E AT I N G O U T

in Saratoga I'm Ashley Dingeman and

I can’t deny it – I’m in love with food.

As owner of SaratogaFoodFanatic.com, I’d like to invite you, the readers of Simply Saratoga magazine, to join me in savoring everything delicious in Saratoga!

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# Pub Food

Saratoga

A mix between American diner and classic pub fare meet to create the menu at 13 North, a restaurant just outside of the hustle and bustle of downtown Saratoga Springs. Conveniently located near Exit 13 on Route 9, you can expect a new-age rustic interior with a combination of exposed brick and metal decals while offering a comfortable and relaxing ambiance.

Run by Larry and Patti Weaver, you might remember these names from their previous restaurant, D-Line Pub in Ballston Spa. With a similar menu and a few new twists, 13 North is specializing in burgers, steaks, and fish fry.

Between the Thai Chili Wings ($8 for a dozen) and the Irish Nachos ($12) I knew I’d be gleefully

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13 North receiving my fix of the diner/pub experience that everyone craves. The Thai Chili Wings were my ideal wing: crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, just as they should be.

The dressing is at first a bit sweet, but quickly balanced with the spice from chili flakes, adding a little kick at the end of each bite.

If you’re a wing lover, I’d highly recommend these. They also come in chipotle BBQ, Carolina BBQ, mild, medium, hot & atomic, garlic parmesan, and honey hot.

As for me, as soon as I walked in, I knew I wanted a burger. I don’t know about the rest of you, but every once in a while all I want is to take a big bite out of a juicy burger and have a plate of fries that can step up to the plate and offer something besides an added crunch.

Enter the Pub Burger, an 8oz burger topped with provolone cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, and horseradish mayo ($11) and rather than traditional fries I upgraded to waffle fries for an extra dollar.

Now let me tell you about this burger. It was perfectly medium-rare as requested, the provolone was melty and only slightly sharp, the caramelized onions added a little dimension, the bacon was salty and generous, and when you get a bite with the horseradish

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mayo, it’s hard not to find your eyes rolling to the back of your head. Yes, it was THAT kind of good.

Finishing with dessert (of course!) it’s important to note that all desserts are made in house by Patti Weaver, also owner of Patti Cake Creations, specializing in custom cupcake cakes.

With a list of desserts offered every night, on this particular night they were running a s’mores cupcake. Let’s just say this cupcake had everything you’d want/ expect out of the name, and definitely left me wanting s’more at the end. Oh right, and the hand-whipped cream on the side of the cupcake was an added bonus!

When two people are as driven and passionate about hospitality as the Weavers are, it’s no wonder that 13 North is finding success so quickly since opening in December, 2015. From the time I walked through the door to the time I put my napkin on my plate and considered myself full, I couldn’t have asked for a more pleasurable dining experience. And now, I’ll be dreaming about that burger until we meet again…

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Osteria Danny

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#

New Eats Saratoga

Butterflies in your stomach usually indicate something romantic, like the beginning of a relationship or when you see someone you’re madly in love with. But have you ever felt those flutters in your stomach in anticipation of a really great meal?

To recall my first experience dining at a restaurant run by Danny Petrosino, I remember it being nothing less than magical. It was very early on in my food writing career, and I wasn’t experienced enough to have any expectations when I sat at a tiny table in his previous restaurant on Putnam Street in Saratoga. When I left, it was as if I had fallen in love at first sight, understanding the true power of food and how lifechanging it can be.

That’s probably why when I visited Osteria Danny for the first time, those butterflies instantly came rushing back.

The interior of his new restaurant at 26 Henry Street is reminiscent of Mio Posto, but triple (or more) in size, with a full service bar as well. The chalk board on the back wall was 20 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

graced with some of the most meticulous cursive I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and surrounding my table were fellow diners full of cheer and gratification from their meals.

My eyes locked on to the Burrata appetizer on the menu, maplebrook farm burrata, prosciutto San Danielle, Anna Mae’s tomato candy, arugula, bruschetta, olive oil, vin cotto originale ($16). The burrata was as creamy as it was composed. Every element on the plate made sense together, and with each bite of the savory, creamy, milky and salty components, I sunk further and further into the leather lined booth.

As for my entrée, I couldn’t help but order my ultimate favorite dish on the menu, the Seared Sea Scallops with Blood Orange Burro and Lobster Risotto ($34). If you want to really set yourself into a food coma, this is the meal to do it with.

The scallops are served with a picture-perfect sear, leaving a beautiful crust which is simply a mask before hitting the soft and buttery center. The blood orange burro with a hint of sweetness finishes with a minimally tart afterthought. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

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And the lobster risotto? Imagine generous portions of lobster folded into velvety Arborio rice.

Put it all together and you have the perfect meal. Just perfect.

Finally, dessert. Whenever ricotta and cheesecake exist in the same sentence, it’s a sign from the gods that I need to order it. So when I saw the Ricotta Cheesecake on the dessert board, naturally that’s what I did.

The universe told me to.

What I love so much about this cheesecake is how creamy and satisfying it can be while still maintaining such a light texture.

Even though I’m typically the one to hone in on anything with chocolate on a dessert list, this ricotta cheesecake holds a very special place in my heart.

Which brings me back to those butterflies. Maybe I have a crush on this restaurant or maybe I’m just madly in love with the food.

All I know is that at the end of the day, if it’s a memorable meal you’re looking for, Osteria Danny is the place to get it.

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LEARNING TO IN-JOY YOUR LIFE USING THE GIFT OF YOUR BREATH

Do you find it hard to slow down and relax? Are you anxious and worried most of the time? Are weekends hard for you to wind down and enjoy yourself?

MEGHAN LEMERY FRITZ,

LCSW-R

Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing in State College, PA. Email meghanlemery@yahoo.com

W

e are so patterned to be on the go or tune out with unhealthy habits that we have lost the art of truly doing nothing. In fact, the mere idea of doing nothing but sitting can bring on huge anxiety and discomfort for some.

In order to truly be healthy emotionally, physically, and spiritually we need to bring less noise and more mindfulness into our lives. This is a practice that we can bring into our daily lives at any minute and immediately experience the benefits by feeling mentally clearer and more peaceful from the inside out.

Doing fun things and having hobbies is an important way to balance out the rat race of work and daily life responsibilities.

However, sometimes we can be so stressed out and amped up that even the enjoyable things become stale and anxiety provoking.

To truly enrich your life start practicing the art of being present and mindful. You don’t have to go to Bali and meet with a guru to figure out how to do this and you don’t have to drink green smoothies and do yoga every day- (although yoga is a wonderful way to cultivate the mind-body connection). All you have to do is simply start to be aware of your breath.

Next time you are at a red traffic light, instead of being anxious about getting to where you need to go or stressing about the jerk who is too slow in front of you, use the red light as a reminder to come back to your breath. Simply shift your focus from your head to the center of your chest and become

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In an age of where we can zone out with television, cell phones, social media and constant noise, it’s hard to unwind and learn how to de-stress in a healthy way.

Just because you disconnect with some of these behaviors doesn’t mean you are truly finding ways to reconnect to yourself and enjoy the quiet space of mindfulness.

aware of the inhale and exhale of your breath. This simple exercise can lower your blood pressure, improve your mental clarity and make you feel calmer in general.

Using the breath as a tool to create mindfulness is also a great way to help you in an anxiety provoking situation. Years ago I noticed every time I had to go for routine blood work I would work myself up into such anxiety over the needle that I would feel like I was going to pass out. This happened several times over the course of those few years and it became debilitating to me mentally and physically.

I read somewhere that using your breath as a point of focus for this type of situation could dramatically improve peace of mind and ability to get through having a needle in my arm. I started to practice this by closing my eyes and simply focusing on the inhale and exhale of my breath. Guess what, over time bloodwork became a cinch. I didn’t worry or stress I just went into my meditation mode and found a way to become centered and mindful using my breath.

This is the simplest way to become more centered and to teach yourself how to relax in a deeper way. It will, with time and practice, help you feel more peaceful on the inside and less stressed out.

Next time you are having a heated discussion with a colleague, family member or friend, begin to focus on your breath during the conversation. Focus on the inhale and exhale and you will notice that you will immediately calm down. You will be less likely to defend, react harshly or fly

off the handle. You may still be upset, but your approach in handling the situation will be anchored in your self-awareness.

We get into trouble with stress, anxiety, depression and disease when we check out so much that we abandon self-care and awareness. When we use external things to help us de-stress and check out we are only disconnecting ourselves further from our inner-self. In order to experience a deeper peace and connection to ourselves and others we must learn how to go within and reconnect to what truly gives us life, our ability to breathe.

You can practice this when you are getting ready in the morning, driving to work, in a tense meeting, cooking dinner or taking a walk outside. It will immediately feel like someone turned the volume down in your head and the chatter will become less noisy and more peaceful. You will find that you have more patience with yourself and others and that you are more present in your relationships. When you slow down and focus on your breath you will begin to truly in-joy your day-to-day life.

Don’t wait until you get sick to start taking care of yourself. Begin to cultivate daily mindfulness by the simple exercise of breathing in and breathing out. I have a sign in my office that says, “Breathe” and the fact is, it is such a simple tool that it is almost complicated. Don’t complicate this simple life-giving tool, slow down...

AND JUST BREATHE, YOU ARE WORTH IT!

SS

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Artist Spotlight: Beth Fecteau

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WRITTEN BY MAUREEN WERTHER PHOTOS PROVIDED

Nacre noun | na·cre

Pronounced "na-cray" French for "mother of pearl" Strong, resilient and iridescent mirroring Beth's image of modern dance - how it survives, adapts and shines on.

B

Beth Fecteau has been dancing since the age of five. As a young girl growing up in Somerville, NJ, she immersed herself in the world of classical ballet, even leaving home as a teenager to attend a Boston area boarding school for the Performing Arts.

Her love of dance evolved during college, where she was introduced to modern dance.

Realizing that longevity as a performer and classical ballet do not typically go hand-in-hand, Beth saw modern dance as both a beautiful performance art and an opportunity to dance, literally, for her entire life.

After college, Beth danced professionally for several years.

In 1985, she moved locally and opened a dance studio in Clifton Park, where she taught classical and modern dance for 18 years.

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During that time, Beth was introduced to the Director of the Museum of Dance in Saratoga. Soon thereafter, she was asked to join the staff of the Museum. It was here that her true love for and appreciation of the historic significance of modern dance blossomed. “I realized that most people, even dancers themselves, know relatively little about the rich history of modern dance,” and Beth’s focus shifted to include education in her body of work.

Artists like Isadora Duncan, Doris Humphrey, and many other pioneers have had an enormous impact on both the art of dance and on women as artists and performers, she noted.

In 2005, after approaching the Museum’s board of directors about starting a dance program there, Beth merged her Clifton Park school into what is now the School of the Arts.

Four years later, she founded Nacre Dance Company, which “embodies classics as well as new work in modern dance.”

Kailey McCrudden

Beth’s vision for Nacre is to entertain as well as educate audiences about the history of modern dance and its impact on dance. photo by John Seymour

Included in her programs are educational vignettes, designed to enlighten and inform the audience about the works being performed.

Last year, in an effort to add more layers to their established repertoire, Beth created a series called “So You Think You Can Choreograph?!” She invited artists to create performance pieces that were performed locally. The winner was selected by the audience and hired by Nacre to present her work at a special performance this year.

Choreographer Brett Cox

Choreographer Christian Serrano

“Dancers and choreographers so seldom get paid for their work,” noted Beth. “This series is a way to pay the dancer/ choreographer, while also creating a level of audience interaction and participation that hasn’t been present in the earlier dance/education formats,” she said.

This format also allows Nacre to remain fresh and vital by continually adding to its pool of dancers and choreographers. The Company’s annual premiere performance takes place on March 5th and 6th at the Spa Little Theater and will feature the work of last year’s winning choreographer, Kailey McCrudden, as well as works by two of the finalists. The troupe will also perform the World Premiere of a new work by Beth, along with a musical collaboration by renowned musicians Ria Cruley and Chuck Lamb.

Looking ahead to her 2017 season, Beth plans to inject comedy into Nacre's repertoire.

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Just as she immersed herself in the world of dance as a young girl, Beth continues to do so today, bringing versatility, entertainment, and education to local audiences by continually growing and evolving in her art. SS saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

S A R AT

OGA

E D I R B ine Magaz

A Saratoga TODAY Event!

SAVE THE DATE

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& Brida

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SPRING Vapor at Saratoga Casino & Raceway 342 Jefferson Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Thursday, April 14th from 6-9

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The Saratoga Hilton 534 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Sunday, September 11th from 12-3:30

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A GOOD READ

Photo by Amy Rockwell

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The Springs

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a

F a m a g i o l t i es. a r WRITTEN BY MEGAN HARRINGTON, PHOTOS PROVIDED

Whether it’s introducing children to the joys of music, capturing the perfect wedding day photo, or performing cabaret at nearby Fort Salem Theatre, Rob and Rosie Spring are undoubtedly some of Saratoga’s most creative residents.

Rob, originally from Glens Falls, and Rosie, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, met on a national tour of the Broadway show, 42nd Street. After the tour, Rosie returned to NYU to finish her degree. Meanwhile, Rob decided the actor’s life was not for him and decided to pursue his passion for the camera at the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Massachusetts.

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T

he young couple wed and eventually decided to return to Rob’s upstate roots. When looking for a place to settle down, Rosie agreed to move out of New York City, but said, “If we’re going to go anywhere, it has to be Saratoga!”

With plenty of restaurants, museums, and a Starbucks just blocks from their first house on Washington Street, the Spa City made their transition to small town life a bit easier. While Rob’s photography business got off the ground, the couple settled into the area and tended bar at Cantina Restaurant on Broadway.

Soon, the couple was expecting their first child and Rosie began teaching private music lessons. After the birth of their daughters, Dorothy, now age 5, and Evelyn, age 2, Rosie began looking for a way to connect with other moms. Rosie and Dorothy quickly became regulars at the Saratoga branch of Kindermusik. The 45-minute music-based classes are for children age 0-6 and allowed Rosie to meet some of her closest friends. She says, “It gave me roots since I’m not from the area. As a woman and a mother, you really need that support.” As any new parent will tell you, those first few weeks (and months!) can be tough, but participating in Kindermusik made things just a little easier. “It really provided that sense of community that you need when you’re finally ready to leave the house,” Rosie says.

Rob’s business was in full swing (averaging 90 weddings a year plus real estate photography and portraits!) when Rosie was offered the chance of a lifetime. Looking to scale back a bit, the previous owner of Kindermusik, Renee Hostetler, approached Rosie about taking over the franchise. While the business prospect came a little earlier than planned (at the time, Evelyn was only an infant,) Rosie says, “An opportunity like this doesn’t come around that often, it seemed like something too good to pass up.” Rosie took over the business, became trained in Kindermusik, and now handles all of the franchise’s business and marketing. And luckily, Renee Hostetler still teaches Kindermusik classes and serves as a great source of experience. “Miss Renee is absolutely wonderful, she’s been such a big help along the way,” Rosie says.

Now the owners of two successful businesses and the parents of two little girls, life is as busy as ever for the Spring family. They’re members of the United Methodist Church, active with Saratoga Children’s Theatre, and give their time and talent to the Beagle Pre-school. And while they may have traded the bright lights of one Broadway for the subtler charms of another, they couldn’t be happier. “Between the photography studio and the music business, our feet are truly dug in deep in Saratoga,” says Rosie. SS

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Photo by Amy Rockwell

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WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS PROVIDED

Redefining Expectations

Flipping through the slick, glossy pages of a good magazine, it’s easy to forget that the information and images exposed on those pages are only a piece of the whole story.

In the smallest of fonts, on one of those pages, you may be able to find the name of a major local company with the powerful potential to affect change.

The Hum of Progress

Stamped Confidential

The mission has been growing wings, sprouting into more than 1,000 hours of work already donated by nearly 100 of the company’s employees. This time was spent facilitating fundraisers, participating in events, and helping cross off chores such as building, cleaning and painting, from the ongoing list of ways to help out a neighbor.

They are entrusted with the juiciest gossip about the newest celebrity scandal; the expert’s top picks in the lucrative world of sports; and the groundbreaking advances happening in science.

They are the printer of some our favorite magazines, and as such, have access to the information that we so readily devour long before it becomes available to the masses.

For the success of their livelihood, the more than 800 employees of the Quad/Graphics printing plant in Saratoga are entrusted to keep certain information private.

Other types of information they are hoping to broadcast out beyond the factory floor.

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If you help to take care of the community, it will help to take care of you. Since 2014, the Quad/Graphics Community Connection Team has been intentionally striving to give their employees on the assembly line a reason to pause.

They have been exposing them to visitors from multiple charitable organizations, and giving them the opportunity to personally address needs and requests for assistance.

One of the more innovative ways the plant utilized its access to a large number of people on a daily basis was an idea originally suggested by an employee as a way to help increase the quantity of food the group was donating to local food banks. They set up a make-shift grocery store within their cafeteria as an opportunity to purchase food for donation right on-site.

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The Glue that Binds The manpower fueling the Quad/Graphics influence is about more than the number of people they have on their payroll who are lending a helping hand. It’s also about the domino effect it generates.

The plant’s safety coordinator Candy Funk brought her 22-year-old daughter with her when she volunteered to help deliver food to homebound people during the holidays. They witnessed as the people in their own community broke down in tears, genuinely thankful for their care and attention, she said.

When a Quad/Graphics team volunteered to build a shed for the Double “H” Ranch, they experienced the contagious magic of raising awareness, and ended up being joined by others willing to offer help by providing their time and building materials.

The Community Connection Team’s outreach is continuing to spread despite the fact that it’s been a quiet effort relying on word-of-mouth. SS

For more information about the social impact that Quad/Graphics is having, go to www.qg.com

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 33

Nothin’ Doin’ ALL OUTDOORS BY TIM BLODGETT

Whatcha gonna do when it happens to you?

I

It sometimes seems that the rats are winn ing!

Losing daily to the rats in our busy lives leaves us yearning for the weekend or…

A WEEK OFF!

All too often, when those days finally arrive, an unfinished task begs for atte ntion, scribing feline figure eights around your feet. Choosing between drudgery and self reproach can leave you wishing for the circular rou te with the fore mentioned rats. Sometim es though, the stars align properly and conjure the magic of free time.

broached the subject with Rosemary, my long suffering bride of 26 wonderful years (that’s 9,490 days give or take a leap year or two or almost as long as the Vietnam War lasted whichever you prefer) and re-affirmed that we have completely different ideas about how to conduct oneself in the presence of leisure time. She likes quiet, laid back, book reading, soaking in the sun as long as it’s not too hot or windy, “don’t make me sweat” relaxation. Perusing her way through a book store - or three - is right up her alley. Hours spent pursuing these “activities” recharges her batteries and puts her right with the world. I too enjoy those things but after about an hour, I tend to fidget and twitch like Fido when he’s been indoors too long. My idea of leisure involves being outdoors and not coming back in until it’s dark or I’m too exhausted to continue. Recovery from my idea of relaxation often takes days if I do it right. Despite our divergent ideas of how to tackle time off, we do find a lot of common ground and indulge each other’s leisure time proclivities.

My wife does a pretty good job of finding interesting events to attend and participate in throughout the year and we’re fortunate to live in an area that has an amazing diversity of things to do, both indoor and outdoor. While I don’t share her love of shopping for books, both Rosemary and I love to read and will devour prose in large quantities. She’s found great satisfaction being part of several book clubs hosted by Northshire Books and is currently discussing the latest

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selection with the group as I sit here and write.

The book club inspired her to start one of her own with a group of similarly minded friends. I would participate, but like most of my gender, I have an aversion to commitment and am easily distracted by what I think I’m missing outside.

Another thing you can do if you have some free time coming up in April is participate in the National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short. While challenging yourself to write 50,000 words worth of novel may not sound like a very relaxing way to spend ones time, I can guarantee that there’s more time spent indulging in good company than you might think. If you have a story inside you, I encourage you to look into the event.

There’s an abundance of museums and areas of historical significance within an hour of where you are sitting that are worthy of your precious time off. Art, American history, automobiles, dance, horse racing, and bottles are just a few of the curated choices available close by. You can make a fine use of a free afternoon if that is all you have to spare at any of them. My family has always enjoyed spending time in museums and we make it a point to schedule time for a visit whenever possible when we travel. I like to think of museum visits as a great thing to do when the weather is wintery but I won’t pass up an opportunity even if it cuts into my fishing time on a trip to the Cape.

If getting outdoors and taking in some fresh air is more your speed, there’s plenty of that around here too. I’ve always believed that every hour spent outdoors doing something you love is an hour added to your life. You don’t need to have an elaborate plan, just slip your feet into comfortable footwear and start walking. Leave your pesky electronic device at home so you can see what you’ve been missing while slavishly attending to its digital demands. Even if you only have an hour to decompress, a walk around the old neighborhood can do wonders. When you find yourself with a whole day off, the hard part may be deciding where to begin. Again, within an hour’s ride from here, there are many parks, nature preserves, lakes, streams and mountains to enjoy. Moreau and Spa State Park, Rowlands Hollow and the Wilton Preserve are only a few local destinations where you can hike and enjoy the unique beauty of the area and learn a little about what literally lies beneath your feet and makes this area special. Almost everywhere you look around here you see water that’s full of fish and the promise of adventure. Head north to Lake George and take a cruise on the MinnieHa-Ha or one of her sisters… the views are spectacular. If you have your own boat, trailer it to the Hudson or Mohawk Rivers and take your own cruise. A trip through one of the Erie or Champlain Canal locks is an experience you won’t soon forget and will give you a glimpse of the ingenuity of the people who built the original canal system. All of the locks are maintained by lockmasters who take great pride in the appearance of their facility and they will take time to explain and show you how these feats of engineering operate. A really nice one to visit is Champlain Canal lock 5 on the Hudson River located in Schuylerville. There’s a recreational area with a pavilion, an interpretive pathway, picnic areas and a tour boat there. The walkway along the old canal takes you into the heart of the village where our great country turned the corner to independence. Don’t forget to bring your fishing pole if you decide to visit Lock 5 because some of the finest fishing you’ll find in the region is right there. You’re also a stone’s throw from the Battlefield and the National Cemetery where you can learn about and pay your respects to those who made it possible for us to enjoy the opportunities we often take for granted.

We have barely left what passed for winter behind us and it may seem early to be thinking about what we’re going to do when summer rolls around, but start planning now to do some of the things mentioned above. If you wait until leisure time is sitting in your lap demanding immediate attention, you may find yourself at a loss for good ideas. Maybe a few of the things mentioned earlier will strike your fancy or help inspire you to come up with other excellent ideas. I may just lie back in a hammock and close my eyes if a few unscheduled hours appear in my future and let the rats run in circles without me. SS

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 35

NEVER BEFORE SEEN PHOTOS OF OLD SARATOGA IMAGES FROM THE GEORGE S. BOLSTER COLLECTION WRITTEN BY CHARLIE KUENZEL, PERMISSION FROM SARATOGA SPRINGS HISTORY MUSEUM SPECIAL THANKS TO CURATOR JOHN CONNERS

GRAND UNION HOTEL (BLIZZARD OF 1888) 36 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

Location: Broadway In March of 1888 Saratoga Springs and the Albany area received 36”-50” of snow. This image shows snow removal with horse and human muscle power. This hotel in the 1870 s was the largest hotel in the world covering almost 7 acres stretching from Congress to Washington Street and back to Federal Street. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

CONGRESS THEATER (JULY 1946) Location: Corner of Broadway and Spring Street.

The Congress Theater was one of many movie theaters in downtown Saratoga Springs. The building was originally the ballroom for the Congress Hall hotel on the opposite corner.

UNITED STATES HOTEL (EARLY 1900’S) Location: Corner of Division Street and Broadway.

The United States Hotel was one of the great hotels of the city. The porch on the side of the building was referred to as “Millionaire’s Row”. Only guest with assets of one million dollars and more were allowed to sit on the porch.

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CAL’S GARAGE (TAKEN BETWEEN 1934-38) Location: 46 Lake Avenue on the corner of Henry and Lake Avenue.

Later this was the site of Manle Auto Supply and in recent times Scallion's restaurant.

TO O H YP R E T

MYS

WORDEN HOTEL (SEPTEMBER 1945) Location: Northwest corner of Broadway and Division Street.

The Worden Hotel was replaced by the current Saratoga Downtowner Motel. The Worden Hotel bar in the lower level was a popular watering hole for the rich and famous with Frank Sullivan and Monty Wooley as regulars. SS

38 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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The Original

"MOM & POPS" Take a tour with us through Saratoga's old neighborhood grocers, we will be featuring a different store in each issue of Simply Saratoga Magazine -

Enjoy!

WRITTEN BY CAROL GODETTE, PHOTOS PROVIDED

Ask almost anyone

who grew up in a small town and their face lights up with that ”first kiss glaze” as they recall fond remembrances of their corner store. There existed a simplicity, warmth and sense of belonging that made customers allegiant to their particular neighborhood establishment. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to return to them as they were in their heyday?

Growing up as a baby boomer, I was fascinated by my neighborhood grocery store. Recently I was walking by the little used one-car garage that had housed my favorite neighborhood store. I found myself imagining the thriving neighborhood store that had once existed there and lamenting its demise.

This gathering place represented a way of life in our country and in particular, Saratoga Springs in 1960. At this time, there were 33 neighborhood stores within the city limits. Many were a room in the parlor of a family home, with the family living in the back, but a few were standalone structures. Throughout the city one didn’t have to walk more than a few blocks in any direction to be able to buy bread, milk, canned goods or fortunately for mepenny candy.

Broadway clearly divided the city into an east side and west side. Natives will admit that they rarely traded at stores on “the other side of town”. Some pockets of town were more concentrated with “Mom and Pop” stores than others. John Conners’ paper route on the Westside in “Dublin” stretched from 1 Oak St to West Avenue and all the streets in between. He recalls 11 neighborhood grocery stores in the “Dublin” area and reports that with the exception of two, every family lived in the back of the store. Many of these shop owners supported as many as ten children from their business. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

This map of selected historic neighborhood stores was created by Tom Denny, using information provided by the author.

Names and locations of individual stores were culled largely from the annual City Directory, New York Telephone Company Telephone Directory from the Saratoga Room of the Saratoga Springs Public Library, and some earlier histories of the stores.

Based on Manning’s Saratoga Springs City Directories the number of neighborhood stores peaked in 1911 when 53 grocers dotted the city. The directory index lists another 26 stores under the category of “Markets- Meat, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables.” It is hard to establish the difference of the criteria of the listings as many of the so-called grocers also had a butcher. Nonetheless to have almost 80 small stores service a year-round population of just under 13,000 speaks volumes about our culture. Many of these stores continued on for decades, passing ownership to another family member or selling to other local entrepreneurs. By 1969 the number of these “Mom and Pop” stores within city limits still numbered 25. Saratoga Spring’s population of 17,000 supported these same establishments until 1978, when the number of neighborhood shops listed in the city directory sharply declined to a mere 13.

Nationwide several things contributed to the demise of these stores- the May 1978 launch of the NYS Lotto; the widespread

improvement of credit cards and their magnetic strips in 1979; FDA labeling regulations making it hard to produce and sell your own canned goods; the increased mobility of our population; and large grocery chains increasing their hours of operation. Locally we can’t deny the success of a convenience store chain we now know as Stewart’s Shops. (Today these stores have excelled in filling the void left behind from the closing of many “Mom and Pop” stores.)

And for at least a few local neighborhood stores, Nelson Rockfeller’s establishment of the OTB hurt a few of our local grocers who “ran book” on the side to keep their store afloat. What was the final nail in the coffin of many of our “Mom and Pop” stores is up for debate and speculation.

Many of the stories associated with the stores reflect what was happening in our society. Overall, hard work, extended family members tirelessly working together, and the pursuit of the American Dream prevail.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 39

Although the store was located on North Street, it actually was the garage for the Graffey house on 194 Circular Street.

Rowland's 2 in the series...

#

One typical afternoon on the Eastside of Saratoga Springs, Peg Lynch of 309 Nelson Avenue walked around the corner to purchase a quart of milk.

The store’s owner seemed distracted and she noticed he put her paper sack - counter height - as he put her milk in it.

When she got home, she discovered several paper betting slips along with her purchase.

Peg knew what the slips were and waited for a telephone call.

The owner explained, “I was about to get raided and I couldn’t have those slips in the store!”

40 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

This store in the garage of 194 Circular Street served as a front for a bookie business run by a man named Bill.

According to his son, Dick, “Many Saratoga establishments luncheonettes, pool rooms and a few other grocery stores in town supplemented their income with the ponies.”

Ted Lewis recalls moving to Circular Street in 1968.

“I remember crossing the street and going in the little store to buy a newspaper.

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I startled the man behind the counter who had what looked like $2,000 in bills spread out on the counter. With one swoop, he cleared the bills and dumped them on the floor behind the counter. I put my dime on the counter for my NY Times and left. I thought to myself… some kind of gambling is going on in there.”

Ted continued to buy his paper there everyday and once he became trusted as a regular, Bill stopped hiding the money when he came in.

Photo from olster George S. B ratoga Sa n, io Collect eum History Mus

This house on the corner of Nelson Avenue and North Street was part of the neighborhood that Bill's store serviced. Despite not having a butcher, some of the neighborhood housewives would regularly shuffle over every afternoon to select what they would serve for dinner and also to exchange the day's happenings.

Barely able to see over the top of his Chrysler 3000’s steering wheel, Bill drove around town to collect paper bets that he would store in a cigar box under his car’s front seat. Being a frequent customer must have endeared me to Bill because by the time I was twelve, he would let me tend the store while he stepped out to drive his wife home and then tend to his real business… that of picking up bets.

Occasionally, Bill had a “runner.”

One of these was Earl Reed. As a college student on vacation, Earl ran bets for Bill. This entailed driving his car to pick up bets from the local luncheonette, and a few other grocery stores - a collection of sealed envelopes with slips of paper detailing the sport’s bets were enclosed.

“All I did was pick up the bets. I’d bring money back in an envelope. I never knew how much was in the envelope, but that’s how much they trusted me.

Bill would take care of me. My first car cost $600, which I didn’t have. I needed a co-signer for the loan from the Adirondack Trust Company and Bill co-signed for me,” Ear fondly recalls.

Until the 1990s, racing in Saratoga only lasted for 4 weeks. Bets at the track were fairly basic with a $2 minimum for win / place / show. However, Bill took bets for as little as a quarter and locals could bet on racing from any track in the U.S.

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 41

Due to failing health, Rowland's closed.

Porky Clarke ran a store out of this same location for a short while. After approximately a year, the space reverted once again into a garage.

Clearly, Bill was ahead of his time with his very own off-track-betting-parlor.

Attorney Harry Synder once represented Bill when he was accused of having too much cash on hand. Bill’s defense was that he needed to have currency on hand to cash paychecks for his regular patrons.

The charges were dropped. photo pro

vided by

Bill's fa

Bill kept his store open daily from 8 a.m. until 8 pm.

Neighborhood children were lured by the large glass candy case to Bill's left in this shot.

A mere dime, often obtained by soda bottle returns, could purchase many treats.

mily

Betting was very discreet and took place in a backroom, hidden by a mere curtain. Most customers were unaware of the activity and instead were attracted by the free credit Bill extended. Their selections would be written down in a spiral bound notebook.

Each payday, the customers would put some money on their account. They might owe $40, but only be able to give Bill $30.

Food stamps were very limited at this time and it wasn’t until the Food Stamp Act of 1977 that their use became more common in our area. So during tough times Bill trusted his customers would pay what they could.

Bill and his wife were well liked and respected by the community.

Before becoming a shopkeeper, Bill drove a taxi around town.

After, he and his wife worked hard their entire lives operating a store in three different locations. They attended the Catholic Church and raised two children on a respectable street in a modest, well maintained home. Many people in positions of power knew betting was going on at the store but they turned their back on it. The telephone company would sometimes be asked to tap the store’s phone line, but the phone company workers who’d frequent his backroom always tipped off Bill in advance. If a police raid was going to take place, word got back to him… “Don’t take bets or have any slips next Tuesday.”

Earl Reed, a regular patron, fondly reminisces about Tuttle's Bakery's glazed donuts that he purchased at this once thriving store.

Today the only physical remain of the once vibrant store is a small garage showing its age. Bill ran his grocery store for over 25 years, but due to failing health, finally shutdown operations in the mid seventies.

As Earl states, “It was a little sad when they finally closed.

No it was a LOT of sad.”

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SS

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Cigar holds off Soul Of The Matter to take the inaugural Dubai World Cup

(photo courtesy Dubai Racing Club/ Trevor Jones)

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott

Post Time Memories with Dennis G. Hogan Photo by DGHPhoto

A World Away Jockey Victor Espinoza may be the luckiest man at the racetrack - any racetrack. In 2015, he piloted American Pharaoh, to Triple Crown glory while the year prior he played prince to the Cinderella-like California Chrome, as the pair took both the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes.

“I’ve logged more miles in the last two years than you could imagine,” said Espinoza.

Up next for the frequent-flying jockey: yet another great journey. For the second year in a row he’ll unite with his good friend ‘Chromie,’ to contest the world’s richest race, the 10-million dollar Dubai World Cup. The race was first held in 1996, and it truly lived up to its name as runners from Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and the Middle East all converged on Nad Al Sheba race course for the approximate 10-furlong marathon. Yet the outcome was decidedly American, as USA entrants finished one-twothree. And though this duel in the desert took place thousands of miles away there was a distinctly Saratoga connection.

Third place went to part-time Spa resident Virginia Kraft Payson’s L’ Carriere, trained by the locally residing H. James Bond.

Songman Burt Bacharach’s Soul Of The saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Matter took second though Saratoga Springs again drew black type as Allen Paulson’s super-horse Cigar captured the top spot. The 6-year-old son of Palace Music was ridden

by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, and trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, both Saratoga residents.

Cigar entered the race on a roll. He’d won 13 consecutive races though the DWC was almost his undoing.

“In his previous races he had pretty much circled the field and won going away - and done it quite easily,” said Mott. “I’m not sure this was the toughest field he ever faced but it was certainly one of the toughest situations he was ever in.

“He had a bruised foot after the Donn Handicap, so he missed some training. We got over there about 11 or 12 days in advance and he was pretty tired. It wasn’t until the day of the World Cup that he perked up.”

Cigar was away well at the break and stayed close to the pace throughout; as they hit the stretch jockey Bailey asked for more and Cigar responded though little was assured.

“Soul Of The Matter ran to him in mid-stretch and he had to dig down, he had to fight,” said Mott. “It was the first time in that series of 16 races he won where he’d ever been challenged.

“But Mr. Paulson was a great sportsman he was the one who encouraged me to go to

Dubai. We could have chosen a protected schedule but he wanted to showcase his horse and compete in the world’s biggest races and that’s all we did.”

For the trio of Paulson, Mott and Bailey, Cigar was the ‘big horse.’ He won 19 of 33 starts highlighted by a 16-race winning streak that tied the efforts of 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation. He was the leading North American purse winner until eclipsed by Curlin, in 2008. The multiple Eclipse Award winner was voted the 1990’s Horse of the Decade, and his 2002 first-ballot induction to racing’s Hall of Fame cements his own connection to Saratoga Springs.

“I’ve had some talented horses - but I’ve never had one more consistent or durable.

Most horses don’t change your life but Cigar was definitely a game changer.”

Jerry Bailey has since retired from racing.

Allen Paulson passed away in 2000, and in 2014, we lost the great Cigar; Bill Mott still trains and remembers.

“It was quite an interesting time in all our lives.” said Mott. “Horses take you places you’d never be able to go. How else would I have ended up in Dubai unless Cigar took me there. He took us all there. He took us all on a great journey.”

The 2016 Dubai World Cup will be held March 26th at Meydan Racecourse. SS MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 43

44 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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Photo of local photographer, Tracey Buyce and the (four legged) "love of her life" ...Moose photo by Jeffrey Mosier

Passion

Meet so epitomi me local resi dents t ze livin hat They’re g life to the f ullest.. passio their li . festyle nate about s, thei Their Ca reers, a r causes, nd even their do wntime . saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 45

Saratoga's Other Horses

& the People W Dakota & Callie of Goodwin Farm 46 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

love th saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

n of R & M

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Sporthorses

Elizabeth with Waylon & Levi at their family farm in Hagama n

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V

BY MAUREEN WERTHER, PHOTOS BY TRACEY BUYCE

ery early on a recent February morning, I headed in my car to the tiny village of Hagaman, about 15 miles west of Saratoga. My plan was to observe photographer Tracey Buyce as she did a photo shoot for the DeLuca family. Like most models, her subjects were quite tall; however, unlike most models, these weighed in at about a thousand pounds each. I was going to watch Tracey as she captured the magical interaction between horses and the people who love them.

As I drove up the winding hillside to the DeLucas’ sprawling barn, I glanced down at the temperature readout in my car, which had crept down to a bone-chilling minus 11 degrees. Thinking we must all be out of our minds to be outside at 7a.m. on the coldest day of winter, I parked in front of the barn, making sure to grab my warmest gloves off the front seat.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkened interior of the barn, I became aware of four or five horses, some in their stalls, others patiently waiting on lead lines, and I immediately understood why Tracey Buyce has decided to include equine photography in her menu of services.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 47

After she introduced me to the DeLucas and gave me a brief overview of how the shoot would go, I had a chance to get friendly with the huge animals standing placidly alongside me. Each one had a distinctive personality, one sniffing at my coat, perhaps looking for a hidden treat in my pocket, while the other one gazed at me with his luminous liquid brown eyes. For me, it was love at first sight.

Once Sue DeLuca had saddled the horse Tracey would ride on, as she photographed daughter Liz DeLuca, we stepped outside the barn and began walking toward a nearby open field that would serve as a photographic setting. The air was so crystalline and still, you could almost see how cold it was.

Except for the intermittent barking of Kaya, the family’s German shepherd, and the low snuffling of the horses, there was a serenity and quietude as we walked along the trail. As we entered the field, Tracey mounted her horse.

Hoisting a camera with an enormous lens and aiming at Liz and her chestnut horse, Waylon, Tracey happily began instructing Liz on where she and the beautiful gelding should stand.

Hamilton, Maggie & Pele of Rolling Oaks Morgans

"

The sun had made its appearance just a few minutes earlier and was creeping over the tops of the tall trees that fringed

ole h w e e’s a hors f ther o orld d us w n u r e o oth ll ar ttle if a s r y li r love e v with has o t d a o h t ing t bred h t y h an oug r o h t ng. raci

"

Cailin & Paloma of Winterwood Farm 48 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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Rocking Z Ranch Wolf Creek, MT Shot at sunset at Rocking Z Ranch

Billie Marie & Tito Rolling Oaks Morgans

the edge of the field. Leaning forward in her saddle and using the top of her horse’s head as a kind of tripod, Tracey began photographing Liz as she leaned over to caress Waylon’s gracefully elegant neck and mane. The surrounding air was punctuated by the steam of horses’ and riders’ breath as they laughed and exhaled in the subzero weather.

After several minutes of shooting Liz and Waylon in a variety of stances and poses, Tracey asked Sue to walk their other horse, Levi, over to the group. That’s when the magic happened. The two horses began interacting with each other as Liz gazed down at them with amusement and affection. In an instant, the horses had created a tableau that Liz and her family would cherish forever.

“This is why we get up so early in the morning!” Tracey yelled over to me happily.

Tracey Buyce didn’t start out thinking she would have a career in photography. As an undergrad, she majored in speech language pathology. It wasn’t until she took an elective course in black/white darkroom that her creative side began bubbling to the surface.

The darkroom class was just the beginning, and soon Tracey was photographing weddings and engagements on the weekends while

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still working at her other job. She wasn’t as fulfilled in her full-time role as she had hoped and, when her mother died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 2007, the traumatic event proved to be a “game changer” for Tracey.

Realizing how fleeting life can be, Tracey made the decision to quit the graduate program she was enrolled in and pursue her love of photography full-time. “My mom gave me the gift of pursing my dream,” she said with a mixture of sadness and love.

When she told her graduate advisor of her decision, it came as no surprise to him. “Everybody else, except me, seemed to know that photography was what I should be doing full-time,” she laughed. Ever the type A workaholic, Tracey plunged headlong into her new career, giving it her heart and soul. With the blessing and full support of her husband, Pete, Tracey’s business steadily grew.

Then, in October 2012, while attending a photography workshop in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tracey found herself spending all of her free time photographing the horses that lived in the barn on the property. A passionate animal lover all her life, she felt completely at home and in her element with the animals.

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Gracie and

Pearl of An g

el Meadow

Farm

As soon as she returned from Mexico, Tracey enrolled in horseback-riding classes at Rolling Oaks Morgans in Gansevoort. Tracey says that when she stepped inside that barn for the first time, “I found the missing piece of my soul!” It was there that she met Moose, a large, gentle Morgan. It was love at first sight, and later that year, she became a horse owner and made Moose part of her family. Moose has changed and enriched Tracey’s life in ways she did not think were possible.

Then, last year, Tracey crossed another dream off her bucket list. In April, she spent ten days on a ranch in Montana that practices natural horsemanship. Her time spent there cemented her decision to offer equine photography to clients.

“There are so many horse farms and families that own and love horses in and around Saratoga,” she noted.

“While people automatically associate this town with

Maggie & Hamilton Rolling Oaks Morgans

50 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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horses, there’s a whole other world of horse lovers all around us that has very little if anything to do with thoroughbred racing.”

This summer, Tracey plans to travel to Montana, where she will camp and photograph the wild Mustangs of Pryor Mountain. Then, in the fall she will go to North Dakota to capture the beauty of wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Tracey feels that she has a wonderful balance in her life and in her business. The weddings and engagement side of her career are still vitally important to her, and she feels she has the best of both worlds.

With weddings, she has the privilege of becoming part of the couple’s special day and capturing their joy. When she is around animals and the people who love them, she gets to bear witness to and capture the special bond between them. SS

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BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS BY SUE CLARK - SUEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

The

Artist’s Way Just go with the ebb & flow.

Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

To address the problem of how to remain an artist, we must first define what art is.

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News Channel 13's Benita Zahn

What is art?

Art is diverse. It is the end result, as well as the way something is accomplished. It is a comingling of imagination, creativity, and technical skill.

Living an artistic lifestyle doesn’t always pay the bills.

“Parents raising creative kids… it could be a two-edged sword, or maybe not. Sometimes parents don’t get the arts and it scares them, so they bump their kids one degree off,” said filmmaker Roger Wyatt. Wyatt, luckily, grew up in a family of artists… his father was a painter; his brother a sculptor; and his mother, the muse. Because she was also the family’s business advisor, they were able to keep their feet on the ground without being afraid to fly, he said.

Shaped first by his upbringing and college education, and then the U.S. Army, Wyatt learned three things that contributed to his artistic sensibility; “First, I understood that I could push myself harder and further; physically, mentally, and spiritually. Second, I learned the interrelationship between technology and culture. Third, I learned the power of a simple question.”

“Why do art?”

For nearly a decade, a film project addressing this question has been taking shape. It has evolved through the emotional storms of illness and loss, and then the rebirth that followed when, in 2010, Wyatt met follow artist, and now fiancé and film producer Letitia Splain Dayer.

To date, 200 people have been involved in the shooting of the 56 scenes in an emergent film venture titled, “Life on the Run.” It has been filmed locally at restaurants such as Circus Café, Rock Hill Bakehouse and the Parting Glass Pub, as well as at galleries, schools, and theaters, among others.

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The cast and crew have been encouraged to employ Improv techniques to portray the loosely-scripted fictional story of four creative main characters over the various stages of life. Contributors include musician Kevin McKrell, NewsChannel 13 co-anchor Benita Zahn, NPR’s Robert Siegal, and comedian Dion Flynn (who plays President Barack Obama on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon).

They are exploring how to keep the dream of creating art alive, said Wyatt.

Rashomon’s Truth Everyone has their own reason for doing things. As illustrated in the 1950 film Rashomon, a group of people all experiencing the same event can have very different versions of the truth, depending on their perspective, said Wyatt.

“Art creates a path for healing… sorrows and broken places are portals for art,” advises Dayer, whose long resume of artistic contributions includes that of expressive arts painter. Her recent book and painting exhibition, both titled “A Brush with Healing,” explore the healing energy that accompanies creating art.

“Everyone is inherently creative, but not everyone is an artist,” she said.

To help others sail toward their more creative side, the couple will host a Grand Re-Opening on May 21st of their cozy Barn at Bassett House on Hudson as a Community Arts Space and Artist’s Retreat.

The charming bright red building is located on the flowing waters of the Hudson River’s Bassett’s Cove in Greenwich. SS For more information: Search Facebook for The Barn at Bassett House on Hudson [BBH] and Life on the Run Film Visit: www.letitiahealingonhudson.wordpress.com/ Write: info@BBHonHudson.com or call 518-695-4448 MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 53

"

Learning to adapt to t challeng he es the wild i of s part of th all e fun.

"

Men Unrestricted

BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS PROVIDED

M

uch of modern society operates within the strict confines of an indoor lifestyle, disconnected from the natural world and searching for a sustainable balance, but one man is doing things differently.

“The woods are my church,” said Chris Cocuzzo.

They are also his school and his playground. Joined by his son Aidan, and sometimes his father Lou, the Cocuzzo men like to be outside every minute they can. The list of activities they enjoy… camping, paddle boarding, fishing, hiking, archery and bow hunting, rock climbing, and so on.

The reason why? Chris says it’s an addiction.

A Healthy Obsession “My personality is that I’m a very focused person. I’m very, very driven. After college, I got out of wrestling and I needed something new, so I started going out on the weekend. Then I found I needed to do it every day. I wanted to do, learn, and absorb, as much as I could of this new thing.”

For him, going on vacation means throwing the tent into the truck, grabbing a backpack of survival gear, and ending up somewhere out in the wilderness.

He could be gone for one day or for two weeks. Washing clothes in a stream and bushwhacking off the beaten trail are common occurrences, he said.

The added pressure of becoming a single dad didn’t sway him from this chosen lifestyle either.

“My number one concern, obviously, is being a great parent, but at 12 months old, my son was in a backpack and I had to learn how to change diapers while out hiking or at an archery tournament.”

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Adventure Time Learning to adapt to the challenges of the wild is all part of the fun.

Chris and his son have experienced a few hairy situations over the years, including long hikes in tremendously scary thunderstorms and being pinned between a territorial mama bear and her cubs.

Any “inconveniences” (as he calls them) are more than made up for by the great memories. These include hiking to the top of a mountain to see the stars at night, and building makeshift shelters that are still standing strong years later “It’s a game with us; to be prepared for any situation,” said Chris Their trusted companion is a Karelian bear dog, Stos, who drives away “nuisance” bears, moose, mountain lions and coyotes. He helps to make the outdoors a place where they can live by their own rules, their own schedule, and do things their own way, said Chris.

His Biggest Fear Chris said that he doesn’t have a doomsday outlook, but is a prepared person who loves the outdoors. He does have months of food and water stockpiled at home and can survive in many different situations with the skills that he’s already acquired and the lessons he continues to learn daily.

Even in business, as the co-owner of a successful plumbing, heating and air conditioning business; Boyce and Drake, Cocuzzo relies on his innate ability to focus in order to thrive.

Raising a teenager can be a scary prospect, but the hours they’ve spent together - whispering - so as to NOT spook the animals, has resulted in a father and son who are also the best of friends.

So, besides the tremendous power of Mother Nature, what scares this survivalist the most?

“At 45 years old, the only thing I’m afraid of is the thrashing I’m going to get from my own father because he’s worried when we do things off the beaten path,” said Chris. SS

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BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS PROVIDED

The

I

Golden Rule

f a person, at one of the most vulnerable and impressionable stages of their lives, is not treated with honor, dignity, and respect, it leaves a wound.

These emotional wounds are a heavy burden to carry.

Veteran Joseph “One Shot” Spodnick joined the U.S. Navy right after high school. Upon his return, his sacrifice and service during the horrors of the Vietnam War didn’t earn him a warm welcome, and he struggled to find a job.

“No one was there when we came home,” said Spodnick about his experience.

Never Forgotten Over time, Spodnick moved on, and the pain he’d felt was put away, but it was never forgotten. In 1995, Spodnick retired from working as a long-haul truck driver and had time to reflect. With encouragement from his wife Nancy, he was able to find out that being around other Veterans really helped him, and others, to find a measure of peace.

They were the ones who took a stand at funerals against religious protests by members of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Last year, the Patriot Guard counted 330,302 volunteer members among its ranks, and held 10,844 missions nationwide. Missions are shows of support that include being present and displaying the American flag at funerals and homecomings, raising money for financially struggling military families, as well as serving at ceremonial and educational events, among others.

They are simple acts that grow into something great. One such act started in Hoosick Falls with the flying of an American flag deemed “Lady Liberty.” Today, that flag has been escorted, by hand, to sites across the country and will arrive in Canada this Spring.

“I’ve always had that feeling to put other people before me; but it’s not about me, it’s about everybody,” said Spodnick.

Committed to a Certain Code of Conduct

When they got together, it was not so much to talk about what happened to them, but to share in the internal bonds of a type of brotherhood, he said.

Missions help raise awareness. Children at the Schuylerville Central School, for instance, were riveted to learn about the cremated remains of servicemen still sitting on funeral homes’ shelves, left unclaimed.

After spending a few years volunteering as an honor guard member and riding a motorcycle with the American Legion, Spodnick joined the Patriot Guard.

“The kids were amazed, the parents; teary-eyed,” said Spodnick.

“We’re giving them what we never had,” he said about the groups’ mission to honor their compatriots.

What Respect Looks Like The Patriot Guard garnered a lot of media attention when it started back in 2005 with Kansas Chapter 136 of the American Legion Riders.

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When a family requests a mission from the Patriot Guard volunteers, they are there to answer the call, but now, the appreciation felt by all is palpable.

“When someone thanks you with a hug and a tear in the eye, it makes your day, and your year. That’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said Spodnick. SS For more information: www.PatriotGuard.org

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"One Shot Spodnick" tells us about...

The Patriot Guard Riders and their Missions.

• Nationwide… Patriot Guard membership is 330,302 • The Patriot Guard is larger than the active duty components of the US Navy, The US Air Force, The US Marine Corps, and 72 percent of the US Army.

• We participated in 10,844 missions of all types in 2015…

• 9,493 Honor Missions • 33 Missions at Arlington • 97 Memorial Missions • 51 Send Offs • 191 Welcome Homes • 104 Wreaths Across America Missions • 845 Missions for Help on the Home Front (HOTH) • Patriot Guard Riders of New York had 763 missions alone.

Hundreds of hours have gone into the planning all this activity. Many times we were hot and cold, many times we have unrolled and rolled our flags and stood hours in a flag line. All this has been done without one paid employee. Every penny that comes to the State or National Level is used to support the organization. I’m sure not many organizations can make that statement.

Our motto is

“WE STAND FOR THOSE WHO STOOD FOR US”

Seated (l to r) : H. Michael Okby, CRPS ®, Corporate Retirement Director, First Vice President, Wealth Advisor; Tallah Woykowski, Financial Planning Specialist, Financial Advisor. Standing (l to r): Kathleen O’Neill, Senior Client Service Associate; Stephen Aguglia, CRPS ®, Financial Advisor

Helping you preserve your wealth. It all starts with one meeting.

The Okby Group at Morgan Stanley 340 Broadway, Suite 6 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-583-5601 www.morganstanleyfa.com/theokbygroup

© 2016 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

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MECH

CRC1428875 03/16 CS 8515789 03/16

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | 57 SPECIFICATIONS NOTES

JOB INFORMATION 8515789 / 603596305

PROJ. NO.:

JOB NAME:

WM Mkt Chin Okby Wealth LocAd

TRIM SIZE:

3.875" × 5"

FINISHED SIZE:

3.875” × 5” NA

BLEED: POST-PROD.:

odman o G l e o dJ lker an lleagues. He a W t r Mo time co ternational g n o l e ar the in ere in d e d n e has att conference h ber to humor d is a subscri ine. a an agaz Saratog g Matters" m alker W n i e h g m i u t "La second rom that e h t s i This uote f c strip. q a d e has us in his comi ne magazi

BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS PROVIDED

A Dose of Laughter becomes a Life's Work

A

s far as Dr. Joel Goodman is concerned, one could almost say that humor is no laughing matter. In fact, he takes humor so seriously, he has made it his life’s work. It all began in 1977, in the midst of what Goodman describes as a totally “un-funny” event. His father had just been diagnosed with an aortic aneurism, a serious and life threatening condition, and he was being rushed to Texas to be operated on by the world-famous cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Michael Debakey.

Goodman describes his family at the time as “poster children for stress,” which was exacerbated by the possibility that his dad may not survive the delicate surgery. But, as Dr. Goodman and his family were leaving their hotel to be with his father in the hospital, something “magical” happened.

Climbing on board the hotel shuttle, they were greeted by Alvin, the bus driver. According to Goodman, what happened next was transformative.

Alvin was one of those special people with the ability to immediately put people at ease and use humor even in the most delicate of situations to diffuse stress, anxiety, anger, and to help others see the humor in their lives and their situations.

“By the time we stepped off that bus, we were more relaxed, focused, and ready to face our dad.” Because of Alvin’s medicinal dose of good humor, the family was able to allay their father’s fears and reduce his anxiety.

Following his father’s successful surgery, Dr. Goodman continued to think about humor and its impact on our personal lives, our work, and 58 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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on our physical, emotional, and mental health and well-being. He asked himself the question, “Do people have to wait for an ‘Alvin’ to appear in their lives to begin to appreciate the power of humor?”

Thirty-nine years and eight books later, Dr. Goodman is proud to be one of only two professional speakers in the world who has presented on all seven continents and in all fifty states. His program, The Humor Project, has touched the lives of millions of people from all walks of life, and his pioneering focus on the positive power of humor and creativity has made him a much sought after speaker and lecturer.

He is often described as the “first full-time humor educator in the world.”

Goodman talks about humor as a “godsend.” What if, for example we could give people the gift of humor instead of responding negatively to a person or event?

How would it change the way we interact with family, friends, co-workers, even difficult bosses? In fact, one of Goodman’s most popular speaking topics is “Taking Your Job Seriously and Yourself Lightly.”

Goodman says if we all took a mental “time-out” to look at a person, event, or situation and try to find a kernel of humor, we would all be surprised. Even dire situations contain elements of humor, and most of us can recall examples of being in the midst of something very serious, only to have a serendipitous moment of “comic relief ” lighten the mood.

Finally, Goodman cautions against the “myth-conception” that humor is not a serious adult response to situations.

Rather than thinking about humor as childish, we should instead encourage that child-like perspective - the one that allows us to see the world through the eyes of a child. For Goodman, when we open our eyes, minds, and hearts to life’s humor… laughter and life will go hand in hand. SS

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Paula has literally made it her business to perform outreach, advocacy, & support to other parents

BY MAUREEN WERTHER, PHOTOS PROVIDED

Giving it a Voice

F

or Paula Fidalgo Gretzinger, parenting and community service go hand in hand. A single mother of three and a survivor of domestic violence, Paula has literally made it her business to perform outreach, advocacy, and support to other parents through her online program, “Parentology with Paula.”

This past year, Paula took her advocacy and volunteerism roles one step further by entering and winning the National Ms. pageant. This annual event, sponsored by the “Crowns of Inspiration” organization, is geared exclusively towards recognizing and rewarding women who have made a significant impact in their communities through their positive attitudes, volunteerism and outreach.

Each pageant contestant runs on a platform that is near and dear to her, and Paula chose to run on the platform of “Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence.”

“This pageant is a very big deal,” said Paula, and she was thrilled just to be chosen as a contestant. She never expected that she would be crowned the 2015 National Ms. “I competed in order to be a voice for the many people I’ve met and spoken with who have been affected by domestic violence and to raise awareness on their behalf,” she said.

In doing so, she has gained the trust and respect of women from across the country.

In June, she will pass on her crown and title to the next winner. But, her advocacy and volunteerism don’t stop there. Part of the responsibilities of National Ms. included performing two duties in the community each month. But Paula has done and continues to do far more than that. In addition to her work with victims of domestic violence, Paula is involved with the Autism Society in Schenectady, and she also offers outreach and support for people who have lost their homes to fire.

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Paula also received a Bronze Medal Award from President Obama and a Recognition Certificate from Governor Cuomo for her volunteerism in the community.

And Paula doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight. On April 15th, “Parentology with Paula” will be hosting the 5th annual “Parent of the Year” awards gala at the Mohawk Country Club. She created this event as a way of recognizing the tireless efforts of parents in the community.

Awards categories include single parent, grandparent raising a child, adopting parent, and several others. This year, five percent of the proceeds from the gala will be donated to Wellspring, Saratoga, the Autism Society of Schenectady, and Let Hope Live, a partner organization to the Ronald McDonald House. Everyone is welcome to attend and tickets are available to purchase on the Parentology website.

And what do Paula’s children think about all of this? Paula’s passion for family and community service seems to be wearing off on them too. She’s been including them in volunteer activities since day one and Paula sums it up in a nutshell. “They get it!” SS saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

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On The Field of Life Former Pro Football Player, Bob Reed

Continues to Make an

Impact

BY MAUREEN WERTHER PHOTOS PROVIDED

"

stand t ’ n o d You ntil u t h g i stra op to o t s u yo one. e m o s help

"

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Susan Blackburn of Blackburn Portrait design saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Susan Blackburn of Blackburn Portrait design

Susan Bla ck Blackburn burn of Portrait design

While at the Salvation Army, Bob chats with Cheryl MurphyParant, Director of the Code Blue Program.

Susa Blackburn n Blackburn of Portrait design Susan Blackburn of Blackburn Portrait design

I

n of Susan Blackbur it design ra rt Po n Blackbur

n 1962, a young football player named Bob Reed was one of a few free agents chosen to don the uniform of the newly created Minnesota Vikings franchise. In what was to become emblematic of his character and determination, Bob gained a whopping 340 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason game that folks still talk about to this day. Bob had not only broken the NFL record; he crushed it by nine yards.

Bob continues to draw upon that same discipline, determination, and dedication to making a difference in the lives of children and the disadvantaged. But, you’re probably wondering, how and why did Bob Reed get from the Minnesota Vikings to Saratoga and what is he up to these days?

In the 1960’s, football players didn’t make anywhere near the outrageous salaries commanded by today’s professional athletes.

After spending two seasons with the Vikings, Bob moved on to play under legendary coach Bud Grant in the Canadian football league, followed by some time with the Giants in a minor league. Bob recalls that in the 60s and 70s “black players were pretty limited to what they could do” after their athletic careers ended.

But Bob forged ahead.

Working with Muhammed Ali, Willis Reed, and Chuck Elion, they developed a campaign aimed at motivating and inspiring young kids to be their best. Bob marketed their “Champion Is Forever”

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logo-picturing a coat tree with Ali’s boxing robe and a pair of athletic shoes-to the collegiate division of a major manufacturer of notebooks and paper products, contracting with them to use the image on over a quarter million 3-ring binders. Kids everywhere would be able to buy these binders and the logo would be a constant reminder that they could achieve anything if they put their hearts and minds to it.

Bob’s success ultimately led him to become the number one salesperson in collegiate sales for the paper industry for ten years running, while working with Dennison National (now Avery.) His territory ranged from Poughkeepsie to Buffalo and he decided to relocate to Saratoga Springs in the late 90s.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Bob immediately became involved in community organizations in and around Saratoga. Bob’s former teammates had not forgotten his contributions to the game of football and continued to be an important part of his growing network of friends and associates who were also committed to helping others.

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As a member of the NFL Alumni Association, whose motto is “caring for kids,” Bob was instrumental from the late 60s through the 80s in organizing annual golf tournaments as fundraisers for kids. When he moved to Saratoga, his philanthropic efforts presented more of a challenge because the closest professional teams are based out of New York City, New Jersey, and Buffalo.

Bob rectified that problem by approaching the commissioner of the NFL Alumni Association, Frank Krauser. Together, they created an upstate NY chapter of the NFL Alumni Association and tied its fundraising efforts to the August racing season.

This was quite the accomplishment, since there was no NFL presence in this area. Members from each of the four major professional athletic teams in the region came to Saratoga for a day of thoroughbred racing. During the sixth and seventh races, members from the AFC, NFC, and NFL presented trophies to the winning jockeys.

Where it all started… the FIRST STOP for the NFL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION in Saratoga Springs...

Helping to raise funds for the Center for Disability Services and the Double H Ranch.

me of o s t e e M iends... r F s ' b Bo 95

Circa 19

The event became so popular that sponsors actually approached Bob to participate in the event, and an annual black tie dinner and fundraiser at the Desmond was added to the agenda.

Bob’s philanthropic efforts expanded to include membership on the board of the Center for Disabilities, the Rotary Club, and the Double H Ranch. Annual golf events at McGregor Links Country Club and Shaker Ridge continued to attract pro athletes and coaches, in addition to local philanthropists such as Mary Lou Whitney, Ray Mac, Ed Lewi, and even Paul Newman.

Bob also became a familiar face throughout the Capital Region as an emcee with John McLoughlin on the annual Telethon. And perhaps the most visible evidence of Bob’s influence in the region was his work to make Albany home to the NY Giants’ summer training camp.

During his years as a Saratoga resident, Bob has helped raised millions of dollars for the young and the disadvantaged.

As a member of the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club, Bob has worked tirelessly with its Education Foundation, helping to raise more than fifty thousand dollars annually to award eleven deserving students in the community.

Florence Andersen has worked with Bob on the Rotary’s educational initiatives for the last several years. Serving as the vice president of the Rotary’s Education Foundation for fifteen years, she had

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Dennis Weave r children form demonstrating golf mo ves the Center fo r Disabilities. to

n from ob's spa Riggi.

B f o s d Frien ichele ey to M u Whitn

Mary Lo

Chi-Chi Rodriguez at his golf course in Clearwater Florida.

Arnold Palmer hs ap signing autogr e at one of th s McGregor Link s. er is fundra Rich Ko tit head co e, a for the ch Jets.

Even Yogi Berra and Willie Mays helped out.

Bob with ompson, Th y bb Bo yes… “The Shot e Heard ‘Round th World" guy. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

numerous opportunities to witness Bob’s love for children and his level of enthusiasm and “can do” attitude.

“In his first year as part of the Foundation, Bob went above and beyond in obtaining sports memorabilia and items from professional athletes for our annual fundraising brunch and silent auction,” said Andersen. “These things just flew off the tables,” she marveled.

Andersen went on to talk about an eleven-year-old boy who was honored by Rotary for his work collecting money to buy turkeys for needy families. The boy’s personal dream was to become a pro baseball player.

“When Bob heard about this boy, his eyes lit up,” said Andersen. In no time, Bob had arranged for a limo to Yankee Stadium, where the young boy was a guest in the Yankee dugout. continued on page 67

Locals who helped bring the NFL Alumni Association to Saratoga Springs: • Mary Lou Whitney • Roy McDonald • Charlie Wood • Ed Lewi • Mike Dennis • NYRA President • Key Bank President, Victor Riley • Tim Sherwin, from Mechanicville who played for the Indianapolis Colts

an hirs Burm ESPN's C er m aka: Boo saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Bob's s volunte on Robert, er of his d ing at one ad’s eve nts.

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tables o n e m so y you ma . ber.. remem 01

Circa 20

Bob Reed pla yed pro-ball for 10 years with b oth the Canadian Le ague and the NFL before retiring to st art his life of philan th and good wil ropy l.

his son Bob and (on his Robert aring e right) w e “A h f o one t n is io p m a h C s t ” shirt Forever signed de that he ammad h u with M a 1978) c ir C ( Ali. 66 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

(From Left -Right)

• MLB players Phil Lewis (and Bobby Bonds in the back row) former SF Giants Baseball players.

• President & CEO of the NFL Alumni, Frank Krauser.

• Pro Football Hall of Fame Executive Director John Bankert • Bob Reed, Founder of Albany-Saratoga Capital District NFL Alumni Association, the first in a non-NFL city.

• NBC Sports thoroughbred racing analyst and retired American Hall of Fame jockey, Jerry Bailey.

• Bobby Bonds, former ball player and father of Barry Bonds • Carl “Moose” Eller, another member of the Minnesota Vikings’ “Purple People eaters” only missed three games and started 209 out of the 225 he played, before his retirement in 1979. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

• Jim Marshall, a member of the Vikings' famous "Purple People Eaters" and one of 11 players to have played in all four of the Vikings’ Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s.

• Alex “Allie” Sherman, former NFL player & NY Giants Coach.

• Earl Morrall, who was QB for the Miami Dolphins, during the 1972 season… the last team to go undefeated.

• Yes, that’s Anne Schneider Costigan, Spokesperson for the Center for Disability Services! (far right background) saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

“He gives with everything he has. He doesn’t hold back,” said Andersen.

His passion for affecting change in young people’s lives, and their future informs all of his efforts, and his lifelong motto is, “You don’t stand straight until you stoop to help someone.” Just recently, Bob committed his time and accumulated wisdom to the National Museum of Dance, meeting and talking with young dancers about the value of discipline, hard work, and commitment. He also plans to be an active contributor to the Museum’s upcoming April program, “The Dancing Athlete,” highlighting Saratoga area sports and the connection between sports and dance.

In 2013, TJs Turkey's founder TJ Tracy got a surprise meet and greet session with CC Sabathia at Yankee Stadium where he spent an hour in the dugout interviewing the star.

CC attended the same high school as Bob in Vallejo, California. Some other notables from Vallejo are Dick Bass of the Rams and Tug McGraw, former ball player and father of country singer Tim McGraw

Bob is also working with the historic West Side Elks Club, where he will be instrumental in fundraising to secure their charter and preserve the ongoing activities the Elks Club has been offering in the community for more than 80 years.

As part of these efforts, the Elks will hold the second annual Spring Dance on June 3rd, and the Knights of Columbus have graciously offered the use of their facility for the event.

Bob also sits on the local and district boards of the Salvation Army and is active in helping perpetuate its mission of offering assistance and support to the disadvantaged members of our community.

Whether it’s through Rotary, Museum of Dance, Salvation Army, or any of the other many organizations that have benefited from his participation, Bob Reed continues to make an impact on the field of life. SS

Bob would like to thank Safeguard for all their help over the years and the world famous Siro's Restaurant.

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H&G

SaratogaPhotographer.com saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

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cturally

SPEAKING

Follow us as we explore some of the area's unique spaces...

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WRITTEN BY DAVID DELOZIER, PHOTOS BY SARATOGAPHOTOGRAPHER.COM

ABecomes Sacred Space Your New Place!

For many residents of Saratoga Springs, what was once known as the Saint John Neumann Residence at 233 Lake Avenue, has been somewhat of an anomaly. The majestic brick structure nestled within the pine grove has always been a little mysterious - What goes on there? What’s inside? The building has been in its location for almost 100 years, but many people have never stepped through its doors. It has stood like a quiet sentinel as it has watched over the grand old city, decade after decade, observing the ebb and flow of change, while itself changing very little. That is until a few years back, when the Redemptorist Priests decided to sell the property so that it could begin a new chapter in its long, storied history.

The Saint John Neumann Residence began in the early days of the twentieth century as a teaching college for priests – the growing Catholic Church saw the strategic location of Saratoga Springs - being halfway between New York City and Montreal - as an ideal locale for a higher education center for priests. By the mid-century, the building was repurposed to become the rectory for Saint Clement’s Church next door. The next incarnation for the building was as a retirement home for priests of the Redemptorist order.

By the dawn of the twenty first century, there were no longer enough priests to warrant a building of this size. So, the Redemptorist Priests had to make the decision to sell the property. Several developers expressed interest in the property, but saw the old building as somewhat of an albatross. Some suggested that it be demolished and replaced with something more modern. The Redemptorists had no interest in these ideas. They wanted a buyer who would respect the history and architecture while maintaining the building’s integrity.

Prayers Answered Enter local developer Sonny Bonacio. Upon viewing the interior with its large sanctuary and hearing about its storied history, he agreed to repurpose the building in a way that would honor the sacred space that it was. The Redemptorist community was thrilled to have found its perfect buyer.

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Bonacio and his team envisioned this unique property to be a cutting-edge lifestyle community for active baby boomers. Now called The Grove at Neumann, it is designed for empty-nesters who are looking to downsize and simplify their lives without compromising space and comfort. Resident manager Carol Buckley explains: “We fill a void that exists in the current housing market for people that are looking to downsize and rid themselves of the maintenance and responsibility of owning a home. We are in a league of our own… offering high end, luxury apartments and amenities for those looking to enjoy life. We believe The Grove is where life begins!”

Just Don’t Call It an ‘APARTMENT’ Building The property is a fusion of old and new. The historic main structure remains intact, with two new wings added off the rear to make a total of 76 apartments.

What sets The Grove apart from anything else out there is The Great Hall which is a gathering center for the residents. “Many people who see this room say that it is reminiscent of the grand hotel lobbies in Europe or even the grand hotels of Saratoga Springs itself,” remarked Buckley.

The high arching barrel ceiling with gold-accented inlaid panels is breathtaking. Broad windows cast daylight into the cavernous interior, brightening the space even on cloudy days. Marble columns with detailed carved adornments lend a classical feel to the space.

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“The Great Hall is our showstopper,” explains Buckley. “The Academy for Lifelong Learning, Caffe Lena and UPH are a few of the local organizations we are working

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with to enrich the lives of our residents.” Built as a chapel before electronic PA systems were invented, the acoustics are perfect. Buckley adds, “Our residents can reserve this, or any of our amenity spaces for a special use of their own.

We have one resident who is very active in the community and reserves either The Great Hall or one of our porches when it is her turn to host a meeting.” For residents, it’s an opportunity to share some of what they have access to every day.

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Room to Move As awesome as the Great Hall is, it is just one of the many amenities that make The Grove a game-changer in the 55+ active lifestyle rental communities. On the Garden Level of the original building is where residents have access to recreation and fitness opportunities that rival any high-end custom home, all without any maintenance responsibilities. Ever dream of having an indoor swimming pool? Residents of The Grove have that, in addition to a

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hot tub and full locker room. Adjacent to the pool is the fitness center with professional quality exercise equipment, open space for yoga or Pilates, and even a ballet bar for stretching and toning. Want a quiet movie night with friends and family? There is a movie theater at The Grove complete with huge screen, leather reclining seats and the house Netflix account from which you can download any movie your party desires. Want to socialize instead? The Grove has a private barroom with pool table, darts and full wet bar with refrigerator. Just grab some friends, bring along your favorite adult beverages and get the party started! Perhaps a backgammon duel is more to your liking. Head over to the game room where tables are set up for playing your favorite board game – chess, backgammon, Monopoly - or bring your favorite game. The game room is the perfect place to show fellow residents that you are the king of the game.

Spacious and Bright

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OK, so the amenities are awesome. But what about the living space? The original building was built in a time when electric light had yet to be perfected.

The original designers used large windows to illuminate the interior. The Bonacio design team took full advantage of the light by creating open space apartments minimizing walls and maximizing the spaciousness and traffic efficiency. These elements

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were also integrated into the new wing additions, so that each apartment is bright and cheery. And because the whole property is built within a grove of old, stately trees, every window has an enchanting view.

Saving Money, Making Time Living at The Grove is proving to be quite the lifestyle enhancement for those who have already made the leap.

Since opening in the fall, Carol Buckley is quick to point

out that current residents are finding additional benefits to living at The Grove. “Because all of the amenities are included, residents have downsized their bills too!” She adds, “Some of our residents are finding that because they eliminated many of the hassles of maintaining a home, they have more of their most precious thing – time!” Time to visit fellow residents. Time to build relationships. Time to share their new home with friends and family. Time to just enjoy their surroundings. Time to live the active life that we all seek! SS

For more information about The Grove at Neumann, contact Carol Buckley to schedule a tour at 518-587-7600, ext. 15 or carolb@westsidepm.com

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ENTERTAINING Made Easy!

Skewer raspberr fresh add themies and to the martini for a little festive fu n.

Raspberry Martinis (for the adults) • Fresh frozen raspberries, thawed

• ¼ cup triple sec

• 2 cups ice

• ¼ cup Stirrings pomegranate liqueur

• 1 cup cran-raspberry juice • ½ cup Smirnoff light sorbet raspberry pomegranate vodka

• 1/8 cup simple sugar

1. Add the ice, simple sugar, cran-raspberry juice, the vodka, triple sec and Stirrings pomegranate liqueur into a large shaker.

2. Shake well.

3. Pour the drink mixture evenly into four martini glasses.

4. Add ¼ cup of the thawed raspberries with juice into each glass and stir before serving.

Simple Sugar: Put two parts sugar to one part water into a small saucepan and stir it together thoroughly. Heat it over medium to low heat. Stir constantly until the sugar melts into the water and the mixture comes to a boil.

Let it cool completely before adding it to any drink. Simple Sugar can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight/sterile container for at least a month.

Lemonade Drink for the Kids • 4 cups of ice

• 2 teaspoons raspberry extract

• 2 fresh lemons

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups water

• ½ cup honey

1. Cut the lemons in half to create four halves.

2. Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemons. If you have a citrus squeezer simply squeeze it right into a blender pitcher. If you do the lemon squeezing by hand, simply squeeze the juice into a liquid measuring cup so that you can extract the seeds from the juice before pouring the juice into the blender.

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3. Add the ice, water, extracts and honey together with the fresh lemon juice in a blender and blend.

It’s delicious and fresh to serve for Mother’s Day …or all summer long!

Optional: Add 5 – 7 fresh frozen blueberries into the frozen lemonade & the lemonade will turn a beautiful color, which is fun any time. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

HI, I’M JODIE FITZ! I’m so excited to be sharing some of our family favorites with the readers of Simply Saratoga magazine!

I have spent the last six years traveling in SIX (!) states cooking with kids and families…

I can relate to the BUSY COOK : ) As my recipe collection continues to grow, I am starting to share some of the recipes that you will find at our house for meals…

Enjoyed by both family… and friends!

I am always experimenting and creating tasty bites, finding the simplest way to do it and love sharing great flavor and time saving finds along the way.

Meringue Nests • 3 egg whites • 1 cup organic sugar • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Add in the vanilla extract and sprinkle in approximately an 1/8 cup of the sugar and continue to mix with the electric mixer until it has been mixed thoroughly. Continue to add in the brown sugar slowly, 1/8 cup at a time, and mix it until all of the brown sugar has been added.

2. On a piece of parchment paper, scoop the meringue onto the outline of the paper into approximately four-inch circles. Bake the meringues at 325 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes.

3. Turn off the oven, but open it a crack and let the meringues cool in the opened oven for an additional 35 – 40 minutes.

4. Just before serving, fill each nest with a cream filling (see below) and top it off with Cadbury mini chocolate filled eggs with the crisp colored shells or a frozen mixed berries that have been thawed.

Want darker nests? Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Spread the brown sugar on a non-stick baking sheet.

Place it in the oven for approximately eight minutes, remove it and let it fully cool. Run the brown sugar through a mini chopper or food processor to bring it to a dry granulated state.

Need Circle help? Draw the circles by tracing bowls with a

permanent marker onto the parchment paper first & then flip the paper so that the ink is face down on a non-stick baking sheet; you will be able to see the lines through the paper. Then add the meringue and bake as directed.

Note: If you have additional nests and cream, store them separately.

Cherry Cream Pie Bites

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 14 oz. fat-free sweetened condensed milk

• Almonds, slivered

• 8 oz. light whipped topping • 1/2 cup lemon juice

Filling • 8 oz. whipping cream • ½ cup confectioner’s sugar • ½ teaspoon raspberry extract 1. Add the whipping cream,

confectioner’s sugar and raspberry extract together in a mixing bowl.

2. Whip until it is stiff.

• Dark Cherries (frozen, pitted and fresh – no sugar added) • Fillo dough, un-cooked • Canola oil

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• Non-stick cooking spray

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with the non-stick cooking spray. Cut approximately 3 sheets of fillo dough so that you can gently lay a strip in a muffin tin and then cut several layers to fit crisscrossed on top so that in the end you fill the muffin tin. Repeat this process until you have filled all 12 cups. Baste the fillo dough lightly with the canola oil. Bake the cups for approximately 5 – 7 minutes. The fillo will be lightly browned. Let the cups cool completely before removing them from the pan.

2. Fold the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and extracts together until all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Fold in the whipped topping. Let the cream mixture set for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

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3. Remove the fillo cups from the pan and place them on serving dishes. Fill each cup with a scoop of the cream mixture. Top them with the cherries, a little bit of the natural cherry juice and slivered almonds.

Note: The cherries should be completely thawed before serving.

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Flowery Fruit Fun

• Pineapple

• Strawberries

• Blueberries

• 1 cantaloupe • Grapes

• Watermelon • Raspberries

1. Cut the cantaloupe in half. Remove the seeds.

2. Using a sharp knife cut the edges of the cantaloupe like a flower to create a flowered fruit bowl.

3. Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice them into bite sized pieces. Wash the grapes and cut them in half. Remove the exterior of the pineapple and cut it into edible chunk size pieces. Remove the pulp of the watermelon and dice it.

Wash the blueberries and raspberries. Stir all of the fruit together to make a fruit salad.

4. Place the dip (recipe below) in the bottom of the cantaloupe flower and then fill the edible bowl with fruit salad for a delicious serve.

Blueberry Fruit Dip • ¼ cup frozen blueberries,

• 3 oz. plain non-fat

• 3 oz. vanilla low-fat yogurt

• 1 tablespoon honey

thawed

Greek yogurt

1. Puree the blueberries in a mini food processor or blender.

Stir the plain Greek yogurt together with the honey.

2. Fold in the low-fat vanilla yogurt and blueberries together.

You can always catch what’s going on in our lives at www.jodiefitz.com and www.facebook.com/jodiefitzcooks, or check out my new cook books coming soon!

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Gardening WITH

PETER BOWDEN

I

find it amusing how our attitudes toward things change over time. I’m sure that a lot of this has to do with the fashion industry that keeps us in a constant need to be “current.”

Skirt lengths float up and down.

Men’s ties get wider and narrower. The older one gets, the less one cares about these subtleties of fashion. When this happens, there’s always the danger of getting stuck in a fashion time warp and ending up as a middle-aged balding guy with a ponytail and a penchant for wearing Hawaiian shirts.

No, really, it can happen!

You might not realize it, but the same thing happens with plants. Some plants are popular for awhile and then they are replaced with another. Sometimes, just as in the fashion world, plants that were popular in the past enjoy a revival as young gardeners rediscover plants their grandparents loved.

There’s one plant though, that has suffered a fall from grace so complete that few of us are even aware that it was once one of the most beloved plants on the planet…the ubiquitous dandelion.

It might surprise you to know that, at one time, there was NOT ONE dandelion growing on the entire continent of North America.

Even knowing that, you’d probably assume that it was just an unfortunate accident that

they’re here…they must have gotten here along with another plant or as a seed stuck to someone’s shoe.

Actually, the dandelion, that scourge of our lawns we detest so much, was brought here by European colonists… intentionally. In fact, more than one group of colonists brought it with them to their new homes in America.

Germans are known to have brought it with them and Spanish colonists introduced dandelions into Mexico including what is now the American southwest. The reason they made a point of bringing dandelion seed to the New World is because they depended on it to keep them healthy. The dandelion, which is actually a plant native to Asia, has a long history as a beneficial and medicinal plant. In China, it is mentioned in herbal texts as early as the 7th century. We can assume that it was used medicinally in China even earlier. In Wales, it is mentioned in the writing of physicians during the 1200s. A French physician gave us the name dandelion when he called them ‘dent de lion’ or ’teeth of the lion’ describing the ragged shape of the leaf. Other common names for the dandelion have been: Blowball, Cankerwort, Swine Snout, Wild Endive, Sin in the Grass and another French name, pis-en-lit which translates as “wets the bed.” This last name describes the dandelion’s ability as a diuretic. The Latin name for the

dandelion is Taraxacum officinale which can be translated as “disorder remedy.”

Dandelion leaves are a wonderful source of vitamin A, as well as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Common knowledge of our ancestors was that the various parts of the dandelion can be used to treat urinary tract infections, abscesses, eczema, gout, boils, stomach aches and even snakebite. It has also been used to treat high blood pressure and as a liver purifier. The white sap in the flower’s stem has even been suggested as a cure for warts. The list goes on and on. I’m certainly not suggesting that you use dandelions medicinally but it makes for interesting reading. One would think that, since there are references to the benefit of dandelions about as far back in history as history goes, there might be something to all this. One thing is for sure, our ancestors were not going to the New World without the seeds of their favorite cure. It is no wonder that they are everywhere. We may have completely lost sight of the virtues of the lowly dandelion but they are still with us nonetheless.

I’ll have to admit that tender young dandelion greens sometimes make it into the salads at my house. They are a little bitter, but when mixed with all the other greens, they’re pretty good. For some, it is an acquired taste.

We once served some dinner guests salad with dandelion greens in it without their knowledge. They enjoyed the salad but called the next day to ask us, “What was in that salad anyway?” I won’t go into detail. Suffice it to say, THEY noticed the effect dandelions can have on the digestive system! SS

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird ©Nancy Castillo

Red-winged Blackbird female

Birdwatching

©Nancy Castillo

American Robins ©Nancy Castillo

with Nancy Castillo Harbingers of Spring

Here in upstate New York, the return of the Red-winged Blackbird is the true sign that spring is really on its way.

American Goldfinch spring male ©Nancy Castillo

Blackbirds leave our area each fall but they don't necessarily go too far (they can be seen in winter in southern parts of the state). They can start their northward spring movement in February. In my yard, I expect to see them as early as the second week in March. In prior years with a strong El Niño (like we're experiencing this year), blackbirds have been known to return even earlier.

Watch for the males to return first, sporting their glossy black plumage and flashing red and yellow epaulets when defending their territory from other males. Calls of "konk-ler-ree!" are often accompanied by a spread of the wings and show of the epaulets.

Female red-wings return just a bit later and lack all the flashiness of the males. Female blackbirds are dark brown and heavily streaked but don't mistake them for sparrows. The shape of the female’s body as well as beak shape and color are like the males and will help you differentiate the females from sparrows.

Red-winged Blackbirds may visit your birdfeeders in the spring, especially if there is marshy water fairly nearby. They'll become less frequent as the marsh comes alive with insects and as breeding activities ramp up.

But what about the American Robin as the harbinger of spring? Perhaps they used to qualify, but robins are now seen year-round in our area.

Anytime during the winter, robins may be seen feeding on berries and fruits on trees and shrubs or in yards that offer a heated birdbath.

So keep your eyes and ears open for Red-winged Blackbirds and you will know winter is finally loosening its grip.

Fun Facts about American Goldfinch Molt Another sure sign of spring is when American Goldfinches start to change color or “molt.”

• Males will replace the pale yellow winter plumage with bright yellow plumage.

• A black cap will develop on the male’s forehead.

• Female goldfinches will replace their very pale yellow winter plumage with a gray yellow plumage.

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• The bill of both the male and female will turn pinkish-orange.

• Adult goldfinches molt twice a year. The spring molt is a partial molt, meaning they replace only their body feathers; their wing and tail feathers will remain until the fall molt.

• Even though they molt in early spring, goldfinches are amongst the latest to build a nest and raise young (late August to early October in our area). saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Hummingbirds are on their Way With sure signs of Spring in our sights, we also know that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are on their way!

Our beloved hummingbirds started arriving on the Gulf Coast and the panhandle of Florida in late February. They arrive there famished and fatigued after a mind-boggling 500-mile journey over the Gulf of Mexico. It takes 18-22 hours of non-stop flying for these tiny birds to cross the gulf.

From their Gulf Coast arrival point, they are still another two months away from arriving in our yards. You can follow the progress of this amazing northward migration at www.hummingbirds.net/map.html.

An easy way to remember our local hummingbird season is to think "Mother’s Day to Labor Day." Last year, most customers at our Wild Birds Unlimited shop reported hummingbirds returning the first two weeks of May. At my house, their average return date over the last 10 years is May 7.

The first hummingbirds to pass through your yard are migrating hummingbirds, typically male birds with their beautiful iridescent red throat, stopping in for refueling before continuing on to the area where they were born and will breed. Take their beauty in: these birds are in tip-top shape, both physically and aesthetically.

They molted before they left their winter home in Mexico or Central America, so their feathers are pristine and beautiful.

They have regained the fat lost early in their journey and arrive on their breeding grounds lean and mean and ready to mate with returning females.

To get ready for hummingbirds, I recommend that you hang one hummingbird feeder in late April. I hang a bright red weather guard over it to make it as obvious as possible to overhead birds. Use ONLY clear nectar and remember to refresh it every 4-6 days even if you have no action. You should add additional hummingbird feeders once the females arrive.

Hummingbirds are amongst the most anticipated birds at our feeders. Their stunning beauty and our appreciation for their migratory journey make their presence in our yards a true miracle of nature. SS

Ruby-throated Hummingbird male ©Nancy Castillo

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The Big

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Garage Clean-out

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WRITTEN BY JORDANA TURCOTTE

If there is no organizational systems in your garage, things will go awry pretty quickly.

The garage IS the storage spot for a lot of things. Typically, it holds seasonal items, sporting goods, auto repair / supplies, gardening and yard supplies and equipment, tools / tool bench, garbage and recycling, and chemicals. On top of that could be donations, coolers, an extra fridge, and just more stuff! Delayed decisions accumulate here. How about those half used paint cans from two colors ago, that broken rake you’ve been meaning to get repaired, the old bikes. Stuff.

The key to tackling the garage is to do just that, tackle it in one shot. Block off a day, enlist help and do it. The very first step for any organizing project is to decide the types of functions or zones for the space. Be clear and realistic.

Answer the following: 1. What has to be stored in here? Refer to the items above to make a list.

2. What has to be done in here? Park the car, do woodworking, pot plants; each needs a spot.

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3. Is this space the best possible place for that item? The garage isn’t always the best place due to extremes of heat, cold, moisture, dirt and critters.

Now that you have compiled a list of what categories have to be stored and what activities have to be done in the garage, you need to sort the stuff. Touch each item once and make good decisions on what you will keep within each category.

When you decide, you will place in piles of 1. Keep 2. Toss (garbage, recycle, give away, donate, sell) 3. Another Space – move it out.

Questions for making good decisions: 1. Do I use it?

2. Do I need it?

3. Does it work or is it broken?

4. Do I have more of the same thing?

5. If I let it go, can I get it again or borrow if needed?

6. Does it need to be kept in the garage?

(Is it on your list?)

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With your KEEP PILES, this will tell you how much space you need for that category / activity. I call this SETTING UP YOUR ZONES. The first zone(s) is for your cars, if you plan to park them in here mark off each spot with chalk or tape remembering to include enough space to get in and out. The remainder is all you have left for storage.

Zone the rest based on how much space each needs and the space you have to use. Chemicals go together to make a chemical zone.

Gardening supplies go together to make a gardening zone. And so on.

Remember, infrequently used items such as seasonal items should not be in the most accessible spots, they are better up high on a shelf that you grab down just the few times a year you need them.

Utilize lots of shelving units for storage. Going vertical with hanging shelves or peg boards means you maximize the space and how much you can store there. Bikes can be hung for 70% of the year up and out of the way. And labeling is a must! You should have all bins / boxes / cabinets labeled with contents and store all related bins next to each other. Clear bins are best for visually spotting items.

California Closets has set up a few spaces utilizing the tips above.

As you can see in the gardening layout, all supplies for that activity are together, wall space is used for easy access of frequently used items, and there’s a work surface because it is an activity as well as a storage spot. The tool zone set-up shows great use of vertical space, a closed tall cabinet that could be chemical storage, a surface to work and then another great use of height and short side depth storage for yard tools and sport storage. You can usually find cabinetry or wall systems that will help you place your items in the spot you choose. The designs are endless.

A few last tips. If children and/or pets are in the space, proper chemical and tool storage should definitely be considered. Use lockable cabinets for chemicals and hang tools up high so little hands can’t grab them. Also, some tools can be damaged by moisture or dirt so decide on those and consider a doored cabinet to house them. If you have recyclables that are not pristine, sealed containers or easy to clean items will keep bugs at bay.

With any newly-set-up space, maintenance is as important - if not more than - just tackling the stuff. Routinely clean the dirt, blow the leaves, take the extra trash out. Each season walk around each zone and make sure things are in the right spots and take out any items that have migrated where they shouldn’t be. Purge broken or no longer needed items. Most of all, whenever you bring something into the garage, ask yourself if it is supposed to be stored there? If so, in which zone? If not, walk it to where it should go asap! SS

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WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS BY SARATOGAPHOTOGRAPHER.COM

Meet the Cook Who Uses

that Kitchen

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...in the

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kitchen

with Irene Consolagio Hope can make happiness happen.

To get something amazing, one new couple had to find the courage to take an awesome risk.

I

rene Consolagio and John Orton had separate houses, but as a newly engaged couple, they were scouting out desirable locations for a home they could share together. Driving around, they were attracted to the crowd of people touring through “The Chestnut” built

by McPadden Builders and on display during the 2015 Saratoga Showcase of Homes.

Irene, who was originally hesitant because she had just completed a remodel of her existing home, was dazzled by the structure and found herself jumping up and down in excitement while repeating, “I love it! I love it! I love it!”

Other buyers were interested, so Irene and John put down a deposit and then put her house on the market, hoping it would sell. It was a great risk, as it had already been previously listed…

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for a year and a half! The couples’ worry mounted, and being able to afford their dream home hung in the balance.

Miraculously, Irene’s house sold in less than two weeks!

“We were absolutely elated,” she said. They closed on “The Chestnut” in early December and by Christmas were having a party for 45 people there. The center island’s dual outlets were used to light-up decorative holiday wreaths and the built-in sink hid the dirty dishes out of sight, said Irene.

The home’s open floor plan can accommodate hosting visits from the couples’ combined total of 5 children and 12 grandchildren, but is as equally warm and inviting when it is just the two of them. There are attractive contrasting cabinetry colors and built-in glass doors to display glassware that glistens under the ample light provided by the two big clear pendent globes hanging overhead.

Irene said she is always going online looking for new recipes, and especially likes the moist, tender meat in a nice lamb stew or Hungarian goulash slowly cooked in the crockpot.

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The functional layout of the kitchen allows easy use of the 5-burner gas range, on which Irene likes to prepare one of the family’s favorite dinners; an Italian gravy, or sauce, served with ravioli. The kitchen’s walk-in pantry offers convenient storage, and roll-out shelving easily houses deep pans. John, who retired from working at G.E., has warmed up to the luxury of an automatic ice-maker thanks to the large Frenchdoor Whirlpool refrigerator with bottom freezer, said Irene.

“He’s not afraid to help out in the kitchen. Two people can easily work in the kitchen, without getting in each other’s way.”

“He does a great teriyaki, loves to grill, and even brings me freshly brewed coffee …in bed!”

“We look at each other and say, ‘Isn’t this place great?’” SS

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VisitLakeGeorge.com

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Summer

Boating Guide brought to you by

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content and photos provided by the SLA

Saratoga Lake I

f you think Saratoga Springs is only a summer destination for racing enthusiasts, you haven’t been on Saratoga Lake.

Saratoga Lake is on the eastside of Saratoga Springs and is surrounded by three towns; Saratoga Springs, Malta and Stillwater. The lake is roughly 5 miles long and 1 mile wide; allowing for a big enough canvas for any recreational water activity, without the discomfort for newer boaters of bigger waterways. The deepest area of the lake is about 96 feet. Paddle enthusiasts can travel from the lake to the mouth of the Kayderosseras Creek or north on the Fish Creek

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NY State Boat Launch From I-87 or Saratoga Springs, take exit 14 onto Route 9P south toward Saratoga Lake. After passing over the bridge over Fish Creek, turn left into the NYSDEC parking area and boat launch. The parking fee is $8, or $65 for a seasonal NYS Parks “Empire Passport”.

Waterfront Park at Saratoga Lake Mayor Yepsen officially opened Waterfront Park in the summer of 2015. The park allows visitors access to waterfront picnicking, non-motorized boat launch and fishing. Again, access from I-87 and Saratoga Springs is via exit 14 onto Route 9P south toward Saratoga Springs. Turn right onto Crescent Ave. and the Waterfront Park is about 1/2 mile on the left.

Parking is free.

Brown’s Beach, Stillwater Brown’s Beach re-opened in 2015 and allowed visitors a public swimming beach access to Saratoga Lake. The beach hosted numerous events in 2015 with plans for even more in 2016. The beach will be open from 11 am to 6 pm daily and does have lifeguards on duty. Adjacent to the beach, Dock Brown’s offers a variety of lunch and dinner menu items with a beautiful patio view of the lake.

Above Dock Brown’s is The Nest, a seven-room inn for visitors looking to enjoy the lakeside experience.

Also located at Brown’s Beach is a marina, which offers local residents slips for their motorized watercraft.

Brown’s Beach also offers a large party pavilion available for picnic or party rental and a general picnic area for family fun.

For further information regarding Brown’s Beach, please contact the Town of Stillwater Clerk at (518) 664-6148, extension 2.

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Saratoga Rowing Association The Saratoga Rowing Assocation (SRA) celebrates their 20 Year Anniversary in 2016. The SRA opens their spring regatta season in April with the Saratoga Invitation, boasting over 1,200 entries. The SRA hosts both high school and collegiate level rowing competitions and has become one of the premier regatta locations in the Northeast. The SRA also promotes rowing for adults and has programs for adult, adaptive and junior competitor rowing.

For more information regarding upcoming regattas, or for those interested in joining, please contact the SRA at www.saratogarowing.com.

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Photo by Deborah Neary for MarkBolles.com

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Saratoga Sailing Club The Saratoga Lake Sailing Club is situated on the western shore of Saratoga Lake. This volunteer organization promotes an active racing program, as well as sailing instruction. Regular races are held from May through October, and social events are held throughout the year. The 2016 Sailing School registration is now open for junior and adult sessions. There are also free sailing options for people who are interested in trying out sailing for the first time. For more information, please contact www.sailsaratoga.org.

Saratoga Lake Association The Saratoga Lake Associaton (SLA) is a not-for-profit organization, the purpose of which is to promote and enhance the health, safety, sanitation, recreation and 96 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | MARCH/APRIL 2016

environmental quality of Saratoga Lake and its extensive watershed.

Individuals and businesses that live near or enjoy the lake can become members of the SLA for $20 per year. Membership benefits include access to community service events such as roadside clean-ups; boat and paddle safety courses; informational and annual business meetings; and membership events and gatherings at local businesses like Saratoga National Golf Course, Dock Brown’s and Saratoga Race Track. Membership also includes immediate access to the awardwinning publication, Shorelines, which gives members up to date information about local town and lake happenings. Please visit the SLA website at www.saratogalake. org for information about membership and upcoming events for 2016.

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Photos by visitlakegeorge.com

Lake George

Information and photos provided by VisitLakeGeorge.com and JohnnyMillerAdventures.com

The “Queen of American Lakes” lies in the eastern section of the Adirondack State Park, under an hour drive north of Saratoga Springs. Formed at the end of the last ice age, this majestic lake is a recreational gem that is unmatched in water quality and outdoor recreation opportunity.

Fishermen, kayakers, hikers, swimmers, summer residents, and general tourists migrate to this region during the spring and summer. There are 387 shoreline campsites located on 44 plus state owned islands. Draining to the north, Lake George is 32 miles long from Lake George Village to Ticonderoga, 3 miles wide and 195 feet deep, making a great habitat for lake trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and northern pike. There are two NYSDEC campgrounds on the lake and seven public access points for motorboats and kayaks.

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Note: Visitors to the Lake George Area should be aware of actions they can take to reduce the transport of aquatic invasive species. Please visit Protect Lake George and www. protectlakegeorge.com DEC Fisheries for more information.

Lake George Park Commission also requires registration and decal on any boat10hp or more.

Fee is determined by length of boat. Daily, weekly, annual permits available. www.lgpc.statew.ny.us

Lake George Park Commission website has most comprehensive information on mandatory boat inspections: www.lgboatinspections.com Inspections (7 stations) and wash are FREE!

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Lake George Village Million Dollar Beach Boat Launch and Day Use Area

Beach Road in Lake George Village.

*NEW* Boat Launch, opened!

East of Million Dollar Beach. This hard surface launch is open year round.

In-season: Limited to 25 launches per day; limited parking; day use fee applies.

Off-season: No launch restrictions; free.

For 200 cars and trailers. Close to shops and in town activities.

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Lake George Battleground Campground:

Campground with 68 sites is within walking distance to Million Dollar Beach and Lake George Village, and adjacent to Battlefield Park.

There is a self-guided historical interpretive path with educational information at the Battlefield Park from the military activity during the French and Indian War period.

Heartstone Point Campground:

Two miles north of Lake George Village with over 250 tents and trailer sites. No boat launch facility, but campsite and a large beach for daily swimming and playing in the clean and clear water.

Off the lake on Route 9, 1/4 mile south of Lake George Village.

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Bolton Landing Norowal Marina

Located off 9N on Sagamore Road.

(Car Top $12.00, Powerboat $24.00) Northwest Bay/Clay Meadows Located four miles north of Bolton Landing.

(No Fee, Car Top Boats Only) Cartop boat access to Northwest Bay and southern trailhead to the Tongue Mountain Range.

Hague Hague Town Beach and Boat Launch

Small parking area with a nice shallow water beach and playground for the kids.

Located off Route 9N in Hague.

Rogers Rock Campsites 330 sites Located three miles north of Hague on Route 9N. (Day Use Fee of $6.00 per day) Boat Launch, Beach, Small and Large Group Camping, Rock Climbing Gull Bay Boat Launch and Beach Large beach and hard surface boat launch. Parking is limited.

Ticonderoga Mossy Point Boat Launch

Located two miles south of Ticonderoga on Black Point Road. (No Fee) Large parking lot for boat trailers and hard surface boat ramp.

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Island Camping On Lake George There are 387 shoreline campsites located on 44 state owned islands. 85 sites are located in the Narrow Island Group (Mother Bunch Group), 170 sites and 42 cruiser sites are in the Glen Island Group (The Narrows), and 90 sites are on Long Island. The 42 cruiser sites are for large boats with sleeping quarters. 25 sites in the Glen Island Group are located on the mainland but are accessible by boat only.

Most sites are well forested and private. All sites have a dock for one boat, a fireplace, picnic table, and toilet facility.

Cruiser sites also provide a charcoal burner and privy.

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GLEN ISLAND GROUP

In The Narrows east of Bolton Landing, in the central part of Lake George (518) 644-9696

LONG ISLAND GROUP

on the south end of the lake (518) 656-9426

NARROW ISLAND GROUP

in the Mother Bunch located in the northern part of the lake (518) 499-1288

THE WALTONIAN ISLAND GROUP

Consists of 4 islands with a total of 10 sites.

They are maintained by The Rogers Rock Campground (518) 585-6746. They are located in the northern basin near Hague. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Before you go...

Accessible Features:

2 wheelchair accessible campsites with tent platforms, level trail with a natural surface, picnic tables, dock and a privy. Located within the Glen Island Group on Black Mountain Shore Island. Sites #5 and #6

Directions: Lake George is accessible from Route I-87 (Adirondack Northway) using exits 20-25, and 28, then Routes 4, 9, 9N, 8, 22, 74 and 149. Once leaving the Adirondack Northway, caution should be observed as some roads contain steep grades.

Please Note: Dogs are prohibited on any of the islands, docks and on vessels moored at docks.

USER FRIENDLY WEBSITES!!

www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24474.html or newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/

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2016

Save the

Date

M AR CH - APR IL

The 25th Annual Woodworkers Showcase 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2nd & Sunday, April 3rd City Center, 522 Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

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It’s Wood’s Turn to

Shine WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS BY ALICE NASH

M

other Nature created more than 100,000 varieties of wood on this planet. How many of them can you name?

Wood can be a friendly, but complex mystery. Clues hinting of its variety are revealed by its color, texture, and grain, but questions still remain. Knowing what type of wood you are seeing, its properties, and how to best utilize it, is just one of the topics being presented at the 25th Annual Northeastern Woodworkers Association Showcase this April.

“You see a side of woodworking you just can’t imagine,” said the show’s general chairman Ken Evans.

So much to see.

Woodworkers are taking this plethora of raw materials and shaping them into a forest of amazing functional and decorative items. The huge expanse of the Saratoga City Center is not large enough to hold all there is to see and do at this event, which is why it has spread out into the adjoining Saratoga Hilton Hotel.

Only one quarter of all floor space is dedicated to vendors selling wood, tools, equipment and accessories, which is what makes this show unique. The remaining area is used for educational activities and artistic displays that showcase the versatility of wood.

“There will be a huge, huge room with 600 pieces of just outrageous stuff; gorgeous, gorgeous museum quality wooden artwork,” emphasized Evans, describing a 6,000 sq. ft. exhibition area where woodworking is displayed and judged. Pieces will include functional items such as furniture, beds, dressers, jewelry boxes and accessories, as well as more decorative sculpture, carving, scrollwork, wood inlay, intarsia, and marquetry.

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So much to hear.

So much to experience.

A popular feature for visitors are the free (with the price of admission) woodworking lectures running in four classrooms on both days. These hourly sessions are led by woodworking experts and authors whose long list of works include contributions to beloved magazines such as Fine Woodworking and Popular Woodworking, among others.

The NWA Showcase typically attracts an average of 4,000 visitors, but that number has swelled to more than 7,000 at times throughout this show’s long history. From its humble beginnings as a group of eight amateur woodworkers who came together to form an organization dedicated to woodworking, the Northeastern Woodworkers Association grew. Its first public event called the "Woodworking EXPO", attracted 290 entries and 2,000 visitors. The show expanded and was moved to the local Shenendehowa High School cafeteria.

Then, this non-profit, volunteer-only organization, took a momentous risk. At a cost of five times their previous budget, the NWA secured the 22,000 square foot Saratoga Springs City Center in Saratoga Springs for their now annual show. This gamble paid off in increased organizational membership enrollments, exhibitors, and attendance.

Included as part of the NWA Showcase, is the separate "Totally Turning Symposium" which features two days of lectures and demonstrations given by local and nationally known turners and carvers. Exquisite turnings are displayed and judged in another 5,000 sq. ft. gallery exhibit.

Themed exhibits this year include handmade wooden musical instruments. Bluegrass musicians will be performing a concert in the dining area, upstairs at the City Center.

So much to do.

“Most of our customers come as a family,” said Evans. They are delighted by the beautiful artwork, inspired by the useful tools for sale, and glad to have a chance to work with their hands on-site.

In the Toy Factory, children can build their own wooden toys to bring home. In the vendor area, even amateurs can try their hand at making a wooden pen.

“This is our woodworking educational offering to the community,” said Evans.

Of the NWA’s nearly 1,000 members, 630 have volunteered to help make the show a success.

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The name of the show was ultimately changed to the "NWA Showcase", and has remained at the Saratoga Springs City Center since. It is now one of the largest woodworking shows in the country.

Proceeds from the show, after expenses, go directly to the Fiske Fund, a separate educational arm of NWA established in memory of Mylan Fiske, a founding member. The fund provides financial grants to NWA members seeking to expand their woodworking skills through attendance at various woodworking schools.

So much to learn.

Education has always been the NWA’s main objective. The NWA operates a year-round fully-equipped wood shop and classroom where members can learn how to develop their woodworking skills, methods and techniques.

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The NWA has a vast lending library of woodworking resources and a Tool Crib which loans tools to members. Regular meetings are held once a month, and a wide variety of speakers have been invited to share their vast amount of woodworking knowledge with the group.

While the NWA Showcase is a hallmark event for the NWA, their other activities reflect the member’s dedication to serving their community. The NWA Wood Auction sells prime lumber boards at reasonable prices with the proceeds added into their educational fund. The generous NWA members also use their skills to assist local charities. These projects have included making cremation urns for the Veteran Recovery Program, crafting trophies for car shows, carving "comfort birds" for the disabled, and providing youth woodworking programs.

The NWA shop is located in Clifton Park at the Herman Finkbeiner Learning Center, 15 Solar Drive, Clifton Park. For more information go to www.WoodWorker.org The 25th Annual Woodworkers Showcase will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2nd and Sunday, April 3rd at the City Center, 522 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. Tickets are available at the door for $10 and there is FREE admission for children 12 and under. For more information about the Northeastern Woodworkers Association, go to www.nwaWoodworkingShow.org. SS

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COMPOSED BY REBECCA DAVIS

2016

Save the

Date

M AR CH - APR IL photos provided by Upper Hudson Maple Producers

SUNDAY, APRIL 10 5th Annual Autism Expo

Saratoga City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 12 – 3 p.m.

Saratoga Bridges, in partnership with The Parent Network of the Capital Region and in cooperation with the Skidmore College Psychology Department, hosts this event in an effort to connect individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families with providers in the Capital District area. Exhibits include recreational programs, camps, and school programs for Pre-K through college, therapeutic programs, employment opportunities and more. For more information, contact jmarks@saratogabridges.org or 518-587-0723 ext. 2607.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 Furry Fun Run

Warming Hut at Saratoga State Park on Avenue of the Pines, Registration begins at 8 a.m., run at 9:15 a.m.

The 4th Annual Furry Fun Run is a 5k to benefit Peppertree Rescue, a non-profit that rescues dogs and finds them forever homes.

Walk or run with your favorite four-legged friend, your family, your co-workers or on your own. For more information or to register, visit peppertree.org/Furry_Fun_Run.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 ChaseCon Expo

MAPLE WEEKENDS - SEE PAGE 112 SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Make-A-Wish Gala

Hall of Springs, 108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, 6 – 11 p.m.

This 18th Annual Make-A-Wish Gala, themed “Wishes Light the World,” celebrates the nearly 1,600 wishes granted to local children with life-threatening medical conditions since the chapter’s founding 29 years ago. Proceeds from this event will help fund the nearly 100 wishes to be granted this year. For more information and to register, call 518-456-9474 or visit neny.wish.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26 Blue Needs You 8K Run

High Rock Park, Saratoga Springs, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

A community celebration and benefit for Code Blue Saratoga, a regional organization providing shelter and care

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for individuals experiencing homelessness during hazardous winter weather. The event includes the 8K Competitive Run, 400 meter Kids Fun Run, and the Race Day Cheer Squad. For more information or to register, visit codeblueneedsyou.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7 Brighter Days: Shelters of Saratoga Gala

Longfellows, 500 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs, 6 – 9 p.m.

This year Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) will commemorate 25 years of providing homeless services in the Greater Saratoga region. The Brighter Days Gala will feature a cocktail party, hors d’oeuvres and music as we highlight the core reason for SOS’s existence: help, hope and humanity for those who are striving for meaningful change in their lives. For more information or tickets, visit sheltersofsaratoga.org

Saratoga City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 10 a.m.

ChaseCon is Upstate New York’s Comic Convention, founded in 2014 by Samuel Chase. On both April 23 and 24, the City Center will be filled with pop culture and comic book events. There will be amazing talent in the form of celebrities and artists, as well as fun activities including panels, science fiction/fantasy, Cosplay and gaming contests. For more information, visit chasecon.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 American Cancer Society’s Gala of Hope

The Hall of Springs, 108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, 6 p.m.

The American Cancer Society saves lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against cancer. Guests of the Gala of Hope will enjoy a unique, upscale event complete with live entertainment, one-of-a-kind live and silent auctions, gourmet cuisine and bar, and special tributes to cancer survivors and those lost to the disease. For tickets or information, visit acsgalaofhope.org or call Michele Mack at 518-220-6932. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

photos by Alyssa Rose

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 27th Annual May Day Spring Fling Canfield Casino, Saratoga Springs, 5:30 – 9 p.m.

Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council’s (EOC) dinner and auction fundraiser includes dinner, complementary drinks, and silent and live auctions. This is the major fundraising event for the Saratoga County EOC, a non-profit organization that has helped income eligible residents of the county since 1965. Reservations are $80 per person, with various sponsorship levels.

For more information visit saratogaeoc.org, or contact 518-288-3206 or info@saratogaeoc.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 15 Family Fun Day

Saratoga Strike Zone, 32 Ballston Ave., Saratoga Springs, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Includes two hours of bowling, tickets to ballocity, bumper cars, pizza, soda and arcade tokens. Tickets are $25 per person, children under 3 are free. Enjoy the famous wine raffle as well as many other great raffles. Proceeds benefit Jake’s Help from Heaven, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting individuals with multiple medical challenges and disabilities. For more information or to register, visit jakeshelpfromheaven.org.

SPAC Rock & Run

108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, begins at 7:30 a.m.

This family-friendly outdoor race includes a 5K, 10K, kids 1K fun run and new this year, a half-marathon. Runners' energy will stay high with live music along the route by some of the region's best bands and a large, post-race family-day party follows. Start on the path that runs through SPAC, and run the course through the Spa State Park and around the golf course, finishing back on the lawn at SPAC where you started. For more information or to register, visit spac.org.

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Saratoga Book Warehouse presents…

READERS ARE LEADERS!

Every child 18 years of age and younger is invited to the bookstore the first week of every month to choose any children’s book, and bring it home for FREE! 68 Weibel Avenue in Saratoga Springs.

Open Monday - Friday 1pm-5pm Saturday & Sunday 10am -5pm For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ Saratoga1DollarBookWarehouse or email saratogabookwarehouse68@gmail.com John Keefe opened his 3,000 square foot Warehouse back in October 2012 on a 90-day trial run. Keefe had books coming in from colleges, schools, libraries, dumps and landfills. Sending them to companies to grind them up to make paper, and insulation, he thought a bookstore would be perfect for all those “like new” books that he couldn’t fathom just sending to the grinder. Within the first month he had that feeling it was going to be a big hit with the community. Keefe has over 30 ton coming in each month and as much as 100 tons stored up north at his warehouse in Malone, NY. With the expanding developments on Weibel Avenue it has done nothing but help the bookstore grow. Columbia Pictures even got their hands on some books when they were in town filming the movie “Annie.” They purchased a few hundred textbooks that needed to be without the color red, as Annie’s dress was red and they didn’t want the books to clash with her dress. A few weeks later they returned to purchase more books to stage their library in the film. Not a lot of places would be able to accommodate such a specific request.

“A book is a vacation!” Keefe says. As he explains how he wants to continue to make a huge impact on the community and wants to let families know they have access to affordable books. All he asks is that each child comes in the first week of each month and picks out their own book, so they get exactly what they want. After all Readers are Leaders!

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March 19-20, April 2-3 Locations across New York State, 10a.m. – 4p.m.

During Maple Weekend, maple producers from across New York welcome families to their farms to experience firsthand how real, mouthwatering maple syrup and other related products are made. Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy fun, family-friendly activities, taste New York’s freshest syrup and purchase maple products. nysmaple.com photos provided by Upper Hudson Maple Producers

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Maple Syrup Season...

A Gift From Mother Nature!

photos provided by Upper Hudson Maple Producers

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