When the nonprofit arm of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced on May 18 that it had canceled its classical season for the first time in 53 years—that there would be no summer residency by the New York City Ballet or Philadelphia Orchestra, as there had been since 1967—my heart sank. For one, I was really hoping to see one of my childhood heroes, Yo-Yo Ma, play at SPAC again (I hadn’t caught him there in decades). Also, it was just another in a seemingly endless stream of bummer news stories we had to report over the last few months. This has become the spring of cancellations. And there will be more to come, for sure.
But that was only one-half of the heartbreak: Live Nation, which rents out SPAC each summer and hosts a schedule of mainstream rock, hip-hop and country acts there, has had a number of its top-selling acts pull out, too. The Lumineers, Dave Matthews Band, Bob Dylan and Dead & Company—even Nickelback!—have either outright canceled their performances there or postponed them until 2021.
Which begs the question, with no classical season or Live Nation shows at SPAC in the coming months, will this be the summer the music died?
I don’t think it has to or should be, and there may be a solution. Earlier this month, an old friend of mine, who is the head of music and promotions at the legendary London jazz venue Ronnie Scott’s, shared a link on Facebook to a blog post, which cited a Forbes article about a Danish city that had hosted a live rock concert, drive-in-movie-style. A sold-out crowd of 500 fans watched a popular Danish singer-songwriter perform on a previously erected concert stage, all from the safety of their closed, parked cars. The show was transmitted over FM radio waves—and fans could interact with the artist onstage via the Zoom app. The lot had designated parking spaces for each car, with a “front row” and “back row.” (It’s not clear whether there was tiered pricing for the front-row cars versus the back-row ones.) The next day, the stage was converted into a movie screen, and in came another round of cars. Genius, right?
Apparently, the idea has already made it stateside. According to Billboard, drive-in shows have already been hosted in California, Texas, Tennessee and New Hampshire, and there are a few booked for June in other states. That show in Tennessee featured country superstar Keith Urban, who played a private show for frontline medical workers on May 15.
All of this got me thinking: What if SPAC opened its two, massive parking lots, which sit on either side of Route 50, to a socially distanced summer concert series, with fans sitting safely inside their cars? Performers would have to be either local solo artists or groups that stood a safe six feet away from one another onstage. (I can imagine that there are major recording artists who live in the Woodstock or Kingston area that could make the short trek up to Saratoga and not cause too much of a stir, too.) And it could be any artist, really: singer-songwriters and rock bands; dance troupes and string quartets; hip-hop artists, metal bands and pianists. You name it. It could be the most eclectic summer music series in Upstate New York since Woodstock—without all the bad trips and dumpster fires.
For those concerned with safety, the Saratoga Springs Police Department could have a presence there to make sure people were abiding by social distancing rules, and socially distanced lines could be formed at properly spaced out port-o-johns. SPAC could help recoup some of its lost revenue by selling “tickets” (say, $50 a car or $100 an SUV); and it could fundraise between sets. Local restaurants could partner with SPAC to offer car-side delivery at the show, or socially distanced food trucks, with monitored lines in the spillover lot on the other side of Route 50. And in that same lot, local boutiques could set up properly distanced stalls selling clothing, jewelry and more. On the weeks that there wasn’t a concert, the parking lot could be converted into a drive-in movie theater or host a rotating cast of farmers’ markets or record sales.
Just as shutting down Broadway would, this, too, would take a little creativity and synergy between our local government, small businesses and SPAC. But what we need more than anything right now is unity. And this has that written all over it.
Despite the recent announcement of New York’s horse racing tracks reopening again in June without fans—and a Triple Crown hunt, beginning for the first time in history with the Belmont Stakes on June 20—it’s still been a tough year for racing fans. On May 21, Saratoga’s National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame announced that it would be canceling its 2020 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as its popular Museum Ball. Both events were originally scheduled for August, and the cancelations come out of continued health and safety concerns caused by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
“We’re incredibly disappointed [that] we won’t be able to have these time-honored special events this summer, but the health concerns we’re facing right now take precedence,” says John Hendrickson, president of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame ceremony is an experience we want to be able to share with the fans. With racing at Saratoga this summer likely to take place without spectators, we believe it’s in the best interests of everyone involved and for the integrity of the event to postpone the ceremony for a year.”
The 2020 Hall of Fame class—which includes such racing luminaries as star trainer Mark Casse, who won two Triple Crown races in 2019, and Eclipse Award-winning jockey Darrel McHargue—will be inducted next August alongside the 2021 inductees. As for the 44th Annual Museum Ball, one of the high-end highlights of Saratoga’s summer fundraising gala season, it too will return to the 2021 calendar in mid-August.
Even minus its two signature events, the museum still has a busy summer planned, whenever it’s allowed to begin letting fans through its doors again. It’s currently putting the finishing touches on a reimagined, tech-heavy Hall of Fame—slated to be unveiled on July 16, or the presumptive Opening Day at Saratoga Race Course—as well as developing a completely new website in partnership with The Jockey Club, which will also be launched this summer. “The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will be back better than ever,” says Hendrickson. “We can’t wait to share with everyone all the work we’ve done to make our institution something everyone in the sport can be proud of. We look forward to welcoming everyone as soon as it is appropriate and safe to do so.”
The Capital Region has officially begun its phased reopening—and for the quarantine-weary, that translates to: “It’s time to celebrate!” Saratoga’s The Night Owl dance club and cocktail bar, though still temporarily closed to nightly revelers, officially relaunched its cocktail takeout and delivery service on May 9, with a special “Drinks and Dreams of Wild Saturdays” happy hour from 6-9pm. And due to popular demand, The Night Owl has decided to expand “Drinks and Dreams,” starting this weekend, to regularly include Fridays, from 5-7pm, as well as, just for Memorial Day weekend, this Sunday and Monday (12-5pm on May 24 and 25).
“It’s been so successful that we’ve been adding new summer cocktails to our menu,” says Alexander Straus, The Night Owl’s manager. “We had this full, lavish summer cocktail menu that we’d planned to roll out on [Kentucky] Derby weekend, which obviously didn’t happen.” Straus says that he’s OK with the delay, because it’s given The Night Owl time to refine its summer cocktail menu, which the club has become well known for.
One of The Night Owl’s newest menu items, a Frozen Electric Piña Colada. (The Night Owl/Facebook)
Speaking of which, this Friday and Saturday “Drinks and Dreams” will feature six cocktail flavors to choose from, including a smooth Espresso Martini (vodka, Death Wish Cold Brew, limoncello and a vanilla liqueur, with a touch of Saint Lawrence Spirits Empire Cream); the Jungle Bird (dark rum, lime, pineapple, Campari and an umbrella garnish); plus the two new additions, a full bottle of Green Tea Shooters (25 shots of green tea served ice cold), or a Frozen Electric Piña Colada (white rum, pineapple, fresh coconut puree, lime zest and a dark rum float, all served in a carafe or fishbowl). Each menu item also includes its own complementary snack; for example, the La Sandía (a watermelon margarita) includes dehydrated watermelon bites.
In addition to the delicious drinks offered for delivery and takeout, The Night Owl is also hosting a live DJ at their location on Maple Avenue during the “Drinks and Dreams” happy hour. “Our regular DJ comes in and spins from 6-9pm, so when people come and pick up their cocktails, they get a little sample of what we’re all missing,” says Straus. The Night Owl also simulcasts the DJ’s set, so people can listen at home while enjoying their beverages, a kind of self-isolation house party with music complements of the local nightclub. According to Straus, people have really been listening, too. “We’ve had between 200-500 people tuning in for each set and catching the vibe,” he says. “If we can’t offer the full meal that is The Night Owl, we try to offer a taste of it.”
Back in early April, The Night Owl first experimented with the to-go format with a takeout cocktail fundraiser for its employees, raising nearly $2,500 for its workers in just a few hours. The success of that happy hour-themed event served as an inspiration for a gradual reopening process with “Wild Saturdays” (and now Fridays). So far, the weekly event has been a big success, and Straus is looking forward to fully opening the club to patrons by mid-June. “We’ve been able to spend these last few weeks getting ready for reopening,” he says. “With the latest news, now we’re full-steam-ahead getting the patio ready.”
As for a Saratoga summer without concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center or fans at Saratoga Race Course, Straus is surprisingly hopeful. “People are going to be ready to get out of the city—they’ve been quarantined in their apartments for months now,” he says. “All those people in New York City and Boston who’d probably come up for the track will still think Saratoga’s a pretty nice place to go, because they can come up here and enjoy restaurants and enjoy the outdoors a lot more than in the city, and online betting is alive and well. So, they can watch a simulcast of the races and still get that Saratoga experience.”
As Governor Cuomo announced on May 19, the Capital Region has finally reached its benchmark for contact tracers and can now begin its phased reopening on May 20. What had been holding the region up? The number of contact tracers, or people who remotely contact others who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus antibody (or who been infected and since recovered) to “trace” how many people they’ve come into contact with. (The virus has already taken 90,000 lives in the US alone.) As Dr. Lisa Vande Vusse toldSaratoga Living, “As social distancing continues and businesses start to open, we can’t predict what’s going to happen in terms of the transmission of the virus, and there’s a lot of interest in building infrastructure to be able to try to continue controlling the virus through understanding transmission from direct contact to direct contact.” In the last couple of weeks, Governor Cuomo has been preparing an “army” of thousands of contact tracers to assist in the piecemeal reopening of the state’s economy.
But how exactly does contact tracing work from a technological standpoint, and what does it mean to your everyday New Yorker? Saratoga Living reached out to Skidmore College’s Assistant Professor of Computer Science Aarathi Prasad, an expert on contact tracing and privacy-preserving protocols for it, to get some answers.
What does contact tracing technology look like to the average New Yorker? Would it be as simple as downloading an app? For a smartphone user, yes: You’d need to download an app. At some point, you might then receive a notification saying that you’ve been near someone who’s tested positive [for COVID-19], and you would need to follow the instructions given to you, presumably, by public health officials.
If someone doesn’t have a smartphone, would there still be an effective way to trace him or her? One could imagine providing web tools for personal computers that would allow people without smartphones to upload their location history. [This] is similar to what’s done currently with contact tracing without smartphones. Of course, without smartphones to record location history this could be more time-consuming—and potentially less accurate.
Skidmore College’s Assistant Professor of Computer Science Aarathi Prasad is a contact tracing expert. (Skidmore College)
What about concerns over privacy? Would this be any different than many other apps that already track our location?
I developed privacy-preserving protocols for contact tracing as part of my PhD dissertation several years ago. Most location-based apps collect movements for a certain purpose. For example, to find something or someone close to you like a restaurant or a gas station. Additionally, your phone is also capable of knowing your location at any moment—for example, if you misplace your phone, you can use the Find the Phone feature on iPhone and Android phones.
Are there ways for these apps to protect our privacy or mask our identity?
Exposure notification apps that help with contact tracing will need to collect your location or proximity to other phones at all times. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that the app needs to record the specific locations or phone numbers of the smartphones you’ve come in contact with. Instead, it could be a list of numbers that represent locations or phones. There are several privacy-preserving techniques that allow apps to store a representation of your location and list of phones that you’ve been near as random numbers. Additionally, all this information never has to leave your phone unless you test positive.
And how does contact-tracing technology complement the work of public health workers? How does it keep us safer? The technology should make it easier for a public health worker to find contacts of an infected person. Instead of depending solely upon the infected individual to accurately recall where they’ve been in a set period of time, contact tracers could use information from the infected person’s app.
As I said earlier, this information needn’t be the actual location history of the person or a list of smartphones they’ve come in contact with, but instead, it could be a list of numbers that represent [those things]. The health workers can perform contact tracing by sending these numbers out to other apps that understand these numbers; it might not necessarily be the same app, but apps that are built using the same protocol. If there’s a match, the user would get an alert. As soon as an alert’s received, the app user can take the necessary steps to self-isolate or, if they experience symptoms, to get tested.
Do you think that national implementation of contact tracing is feasible in the US? Widespread adoption is possible if the technology is easily accessible (one-click download and install) and transparent, so experts can confirm that it meets privacy standards and individuals feel they can trust it. My prior research suggests that people are willing to share information when they see a value in how the information can be used. I expect people will be willing to share once they better understand how their data will be used and how it can benefit not just them but their friends, neighbors and their community. I refer to this as “altruistic sharing.”
Do you believe that “altruistic sharing” and contact tracing apps will become the new normal? Yes, I hope privacy-preserving contact tracing technologies will be successfully leveraged to help in this public health emergency. There is great potential for them to play a role in reducing the spread of illness.
At last we checked in, the only thing holding up the Capital Region, in terms of beginning its phased reopening, was its number of contact tracers. That number has now been met, and we can begin our phased reopening tomorrow (May 20).
That’s according to the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, who noted during his May 19 press briefing that the Capital Region had been asked to find 383 contact tracers (technically, we only needed 166 as of this weekend), and the region had come through with 430. The contact tracers will be trained today, so that the Capital Region can begin its phased reopening on May 20 (tomorrow).
That also means that, for those industries now allowed to begin work again, the May 28 work-from-home order has been nullified. As a reminder, the phased reopening will look like this: phase one will include reopening of construction, manufacturing and wholesale supply chain, retail (curbside pickup) and agriculture, forestry and fishing; phase two, professional services, finance and insurance, retail, administrative support, and real estate and rental leasing; phase three, restaurants and food services, and hotels and accommodations; and phase four, arts, entertainment and recreation, and education.
Cuomo also announced that, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday this weekend, ceremonies would be allowed with 10 people or less to commemorate the day, at a local government’s discretion.
When Governor Cuomo announced this past weekend that the state’s horse racing tracks could reopen, without fans, as early as June 1—and in a separate announcement, fans learned that the Preakness Stakes would be taking place in October (the Kentucky Derby had already been shifted back to September)—it unofficially made the Belmont Stakes, the usual final leg of the Triple Crown, its first. Of course, that was contingent on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) running the race in the first place. And well, how couldn’t they?
On May 19 (today) NYRA has announced that the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont, which will be shortened to 9 furlongs from the traditional 12, will take place on Saturday, June 20 at Belmont Park as the opening leg of the Triple Crown for the first time in history. And as noted above, it will be held without spectators.
“The Belmont Stakes is a New York institution that will provide world-class entertainment for sports fans during these challenging times,” said NYRA President and CEO David O’Rourke, in a prepared statement. “While this will certainly be a unique running of this historic race, we are grateful to be able to hold the Belmont Stakes in 2020. Thanks to our partners at NBC Sports, fans across the country can look forward to a day of exceptional Thoroughbred racing at a time when entertainment and sports are so important to providing a sense of normalcy.”
NBC Sports will present three hours of live coverage from Belmont on Saturday, June 20 beginning at 3pm ET.
Traditionally contested at 1 1/2 miles and held as the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont will this year be run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles to properly account for the schedule adjustments to the Triple Crown series and overall calendar for 3-year-olds in training. (Back in the 19th century, the race was first run at a distance of 1 5/8 miles; it was also run at 9 furlongs 1893-94.)
The Triple Crown legs will now run as follows: the Belmont (June 20), Derby (September 5) and Preakness (October 3). It remains to be seen how this will affect the Saratoga Race Course schedule, particularly the running of the Travers Stakes, which usually falls after the third leg of the Triple Crown has already run.
Check out the new, fully updated schedule for Belmont below.
Week 1
Wednesday, June 3
Beaugay, Grade 3, $100,000
Thursday, June 4
Tiller, $80,000
Friday, June 5
Harmony Lodge, $80,000
Saturday, June 6
Runhappy Carter Handicap, Grade 1, $250,000
Fort Marcy, Grade 2, $150,000
Westchester, Grade 3, $100,000
Intercontinental, Grade 3, $100,000
Sunday, June 7 First Defence, $80,000
Week 2
Thursday, June 11 Flat Out, $80,000
Friday, June 12 Commentator Handicap, $125,000
Saturday, June 13 Ogden Phipps, Grade 1, $300,000
Sunday, June 14 Mike Lee, $100,000
Week 3
Thursday, June 18 Critical Eye Handicap, $125,000
Friday, June 19 Sir Cat, $80,000
Saturday, June 20—Belmont Stakes Day Belmont Stakes, Grade 1, $1 million
Acorn, Grade 1, $300,000
Jaipur “Presented by America’s Best Racing,” Grade 1, $250,000
Woody Stephens “Presented by Claiborne Farm,” Grade 1, $250,000
Pennine Ridge, Grade 2, $150,000
Wonder Again, Grade 3, $150,000
Sunday, June 21 Lady Shipman, $80,000
Week 4
Thursday, June 25 Easy Goer, $80,000
Friday, June 26 Hessonite, $75,000
Saturday, June 27 Just A Game, Grade 1, $300,000
New York, Grade 2, $250,000
True North, Grade 2, $150,000
Vagrancy Handicap, Grade 3, $100,000
Hi there, If you’re reading this column and still have a job, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. If you’re reading it and have recently lost your job, don’t fret: You can go on unemployment, and there are still a number of open positions out there to apply to. If you’re reading this, and you’re already on unemployment, but you’ve been striking out on the job application front, keep at it; you’re doing a great job. Even before the COVID hit the fan, it wasn’t a walk in the park landing a new job, so remember: It’ll take time to secure one—and by that we mean an email, phone-screen interview and possibly, multiple Zoom calls—and in the meantime, you’re learning a new, valuable skillset: How to become an expert job hunter.
Now, this might be an unpopular opinion, but if you can find a part-time job to kick things off, with reduced hours—say, 20-30 per week—that could work to your benefit. That way, you’ll be working a job, which you can put on your résumé, and spending the rest of the time looking for a full-time position. It’s not unheard of. In fact, many freelance writers work multiple part-time positions, with an eye to eventually finding that “unicorn” of a contract.
One last thing before you get to this week’s job postings: A great way to ideate about new jobs, besides this column is to ask your friends and family for ideas. It sounds so obvious, but many of us forget that we have a pretty amazing network of top employees (or retired ones) right in our own address book. Who knows? One of your friend’s (or weird uncle’s) companies could be looking to hire right now.
Local Job Opportunities
Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Technical Writer
If you’ve been working on a book for the last three years, and you have a bunch of chapters done, but no agent or publisher, you’re technically a writer. That has nothing to do with being a technical writer. What the latter does is create documentation such as how-to manuals, design specs and other (yes) technical writing products for mostly tech-based companies. It’s a niche area in the writing field and could be extremely lucrative if you find the right business. In recent years, there’s been an overabundance of technical writing positions available in the Capital Region, so it’s not some flash in the pan. And Albany-based tech firm, CommerceHub, is looking for a Technical Writer with a minimum of four years experience. Find the job description on Glassdoor, or search for the job on CommerceHub’s jobs page.
Adirondack Studios worked on Lyric Opera Chicago’s onstage scenery for its production of ‘Das Rheingold.’ (Adirondack Studios/Todd Rosenberg Photography)
*EDITOR’S PICK* Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Vice President
A few Design issues ago, Saratoga Livingcovered Adirondack Studios, a full-service design studio that works on scenic and themed environments for everything from touring Broadway shows to theme parks. Based in scenic Argyle, NY, the company is looking for a VP of Creative Arts, who will work onsite and oversee its creative team. Per the job posting: “You will advance and oversee the business activities of ADK Studios as they relate to creative, scenic, and design services and quality art product.” This is an executive-level position, so if you’re just out of college, it’s probably not a good idea to apply to this job (but the studios might have internships, so that could be something you could contact someone over there about). Even though it’s not noted in the story, my guess is the studios will be looking for someone with at least 10-15 years of experience. Maybe more. You can find the job by searching LinkedIn Jobs, as well as on Adirondack Studios’ careers page.
Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Marketing Manager
No, RenderTribe isn’t the name of an obscure ’90s industrial act who toured with Nine Inch Nails (though, it probably could’ve been). It’s actually that of a Saratoga Springs-based customer acquisition firm, with an area of expertise in pipeline marketing for SaaS (Software as a Service) and other software companies. (We’re guessing if you weren’t familiar with what “customer acquisition” or “pipeline marketing” was before checking out this job, you probably shouldn’t apply for it.) RenderTribe is looking for somebody with “experience managing paid search and paid social media campaigns and will be comfortable directly interacting with customers about advanced digital strategy.” You’ll need three to five years experience. (Note: This job can also be worked remotely, but only if you live within three hours of Saratoga, as you would need to attend occasional in-house meetings.) Search for the job on LinkedIn Jobs, or drop the company a line here.
Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Froster
We’re not going to lie: This sounds like it would’ve been our dream job, like, 25 years ago. The Texas-based franchise, Nothing Bundt Cakes, has a Colonie location, and it’s looking for a Froster. Yep, someone that stands around all shift long and prepares different sizes of cakes to order, using a pastry bag and making large batches of frosting. Hours are normally 8:30am-6:30pm (it’s closed on Sundays and major holidays). It’s a part-time position that pays $12-$14/hour. Search for the job on Indeed, or search for the job on the company’s website.
Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Executive Level
Look, some people are qualified to become Frosters (see above), while others have the background needed to become the Chief of Surgical Services at the Department of Veterans Affairs/Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, NY. (Salary estimate: $250,000-$400,000 per year.) Duties include “all supervisory and programmatic oversight for VA Medical Center’s Surgical Service, which includes Orthopedics, Vascular, Urology, ENT, Ophthalmology, GYN, General Surgery, Podiatry, and Plastics, Anesthesiology, Thoracic and Dental Services.” So, in short, it’s a doozy. Only serious candidates should apply. To start an application for the position, click here.
The Coolest (And Most Important) Local Job Opportunity Out There Right Now
Remember how we mentioned in the last Job Hunters column that the Capital Region needed more contact tracers in order to reopen? Well, it turns out that we need exactly 166 to reach our benchmark and begin our phased reopening. It’s entirely possible that that number has already been met, but the region still needs your help; it’s a mammoth task, and not one to take lightly. How can you apply to become a contact tracer? Right here, that’s how.
National/Remote Work Opportunities
Cool Internship Opportunity (National/Remote) If you’re interested in getting into the journalism trade, a great way of doing so is nabbing an editorial internship at a magazine or website. If your parents spent the better part of your childhood following The Grateful Dead or Phish around the country, with you in a hippie baby bjorn, an internship at Relix magazine might be just the ticket. Relix, which started off as a fanzine in the mid-’70s, is now a print magazine published eight times a year (it also has a robust set of digital offerings, including a wonderful website and side-hustle, jambands.com). It’s part-time and unpaid, but would be a great foot in the door for any future Cameron Crowe (look up the name if you’re not familiar with him). Plus, we kinda sorta know one of the editors in chief, so we could put in a good word, if you send us your résumé or connect with Editorial Director Will Levith on LinkedIn. Email the Relix staff directly here.
Cool Job Opportunity (National/Remote) – Freelance Writer
Given that the 24-hour news cycle is all but clogged with medical news—yes, you didn’t dream the fact that we’re stuck in a global pandemic—you’ll likely see more medical-related jobs in this column going forward. Are you a talented journalist with experience writing about health and science? Global Health Strategies (GHS) is looking for a Freelance Health & Science Journalist to report on and edit news articles about (you guessed it) COVID-19 science for a policymaker audience. Search “remote jobs” on LinkedIn Jobs, or browse GHS’ careers page.
Cool Job Opportunity (National/Remote) – Director Level
A few columns ago, we mentioned that, over on the Left Coast, the tech job market was still doing quite a bit of hiring, because tech jobs have long been set up to be worked entirely remotely. Tesorio, a Burlingame, CA-based cashflow performance platform, says this in their job description for its Head of Marketing position: “Our team is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we have a diverse, distributed workforce in five countries. We don’t believe that people need to sacrifice being close to their families and where they’d prefer to live in order to do their best work.” Umm, awesome, right? In other words, if you’re a qualified candidate and are able to work California hours remotely, this could be just the role for you. (The company also recently received $10 million in Series A funding, so that’s also a good sign.) To apply for the job, search for it on LinkedIn Jobs, or apply right on the company’s careers page.
Job, Business And Volunteering Resources
Don’t Fall For A Scam, Man!
As Forbes reports, some bad actors out there have decided to try to scam people looking for jobs during the COVID-19 crisis. For example, a scam job description might have “grammatical or spelling errors, and an expected level of niche vocabulary could be missing.” Obviously, some HR departments aren’t as thorough as others when posting job descriptions, so it’s entirely possible that a posting could have a few misspelled words and still be legitimate. But if you have a bad feeling about it, don’t apply. Read Forbes’ list of ways to watch out for scam job descriptions here.
Remote Control
Several columns ago, we posited that some companies might become amenable to hiring someone from out of state, even if one of the job requirements was that the candidate must live in that specific state. While we still don’t have actionable data that this has become a trend, one major tech company has made a move in that general direction. Twitter is allowing some of its currently remote employees to stay that way forever. If that becomes more widespread, the job market could open up in ways that it never has before.
Cool Resources For Kids
Hot Book
In the recent past, we’ve offered up a lot of favorite online homeschooling tools from our parent friends in the Capital Region community. Because, look, if you’re looking for a job and are also a parent, you’ll need some time to actually look for it. We just realized something, though: What happened to good old traditional offline education? You know, like a book. Unless you read Fahrenheit 451 in high school and sided with the book burners, books can open up new worlds for people of all ages—especially kids. Here’s one of the hottest new children’s book titles coming soon: The World Needs More Purple People cowritten by actress, producer and nominee for the world’s coolest parent, Kristen Bell (see: Veronica Mars, Frozen, The Good Place). It hits bookshelves on June 2. What’s it all about? Glad you asked: “A purple person is an everyday superhero! How do you become one? That’s the fun part! Penny Purple will lead you through the steps.” You can preorder the book from Northshire Bookstore here.
Cool Diversions
Live From Home
This past weekend, Jason Isbell and his wife, Amanda Shires, performed his entire new album, Reunions, front to back, at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville. The entire show was streamed on Fans.com for free, and the first 600 fans that logged on and joined the “balcony” or “standing room only” sections of the virtual show (300 in each section) could join a special Zoom meeting, during which their sound would be muted but they would appear live on screens in the venue surrounding the stage, so that Isbell and Shires could see their “fans.” (Many held up signs and danced.) Before and throughout the virtual performance, there were opportunities to donate money to the artists’ crews, who were all out of work, as well as buy merch. That, right there, is what live music is going to look like for the foreseeable future. And you know what? It wasn’t half bad. Watch it above. (Historic Saratoga venue Caffè Lena is also doing something like it, too. Do yourself a favor and tune in!)
Listen to This
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, here’s a wonderfully uplifting song from The Jayhawks, simply called “Smile.” (The album on which it appears, of the same name, just turned 20 back on May 9.) Sometimes smiling helps fix everything that’s broken. And if it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to seek out other means of bringing positivity into your life (read this, if you’re looking for some direction). Nobody should suffer in silence.
Galas, charity balls and fundraisers are a huge part of the spring and summer (social) season in Saratoga Springs, as well as the Capital Region. (Up until mid-March, this website had a booming vertical devoted primarily to party pictures.) But, just as the COVID-19 crisis is preventing people from gathering at Saratoga Race Course and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center this summer, it’s also making in-person fundraisers next to impossible. While some charities and nonprofits have been forced to cancel their fundraising events altogether, some are trying something a little different: virtual galas.
“Every year, we hold a fancy-dress cocktail party at Saratoga National, around the anniversary of when the museum was founded,” says Sarah Smith, the executive director of the Children’s Museum at Saratoga. “This was going to be our 30th anniversary bash.” Unfortunately, COVID-19 touched down in New York State just a few weeks before the event was scheduled to take place, and the museum had to switch gears. “We’d already sent out our invitations,” Smith says. “How do you make lemonade out of your lemons?”
The answer was the museum’s first-ever “Gala to Go,” which, held on April 3, featured an online silent auction, online raffle and takeout dinners from Prime at Saratoga National. It wasn’t the big 30th anniversary bash Smith had envisioned, but it was a success, and the Children’s Museum raised more money than it would have had it not had an event at all.
Fast forward to mid-May, and many other charities have opted to go the virtual route. On May 7, the Albany-based Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless (IPH) hosted its annual Taste of Albany culinary showcase virtually. “We expected a pretty significant loss on the event; we weren’t really sure what type of engagement we would get,” says Eric Guzman, IPH’s assistant director of development. “But we are really pleased with the results that we saw this year. Our online auction is actually the highest yielding auction in Taste of Albany history.”
This Thursday, May 21, the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) will hold its first-ever virtual event, May Day Online, in lieu of its annual May Day fundraiser that was scheduled for earlier this month. Typically a ticketed event held at the Canfield Casino, this year’s fundraiser is free to the public and will be live-streamed on the EOC’s website and Facebook page at 6pm on the 21st. Donations are encouraged.
“Beyond just the fundraiser every year, May Day has been our way to see our supporters and be a part of updating them on how our mission has been at work in the community,” says Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez, the deputy director of the EOC. “This will still be an opportunity for people to hear from us and to interact, whether it’s on Facebook or just sending us notes of encouragement and sending in donations.”
Delmar-based To Life!, an organization that provides education about breast cancer and support to people affected by the disease, also has a virtual event in the works. On June 2, To Life! will host “A Toast To Life!,” featuring a silent auction and program with messages from breast cancer survivors and an awards ceremony. Attendees are encouraged to order takeout from local restaurants that would have participated in a dine-around, had the event happened in person.
Even as New York begins the process of reopening, it remains unclear just how this summer’s gala season will be affected. Saratoga Bridges has already decided to take its popular White Party, which is usually held mid-July, virtual.
“I keep thinking we’re like the little train in The Little Engine That Could,” says the Children’s Museum’s Smith about the way the museum is operating during COVID-19. “You just keep chugging along, and you’re not sure what’s going to happen, but you know it’s important to keep going up that mountain.”
Even though the Capital Region is now on the cusp of reopening, that fact couldn’t save one of Saratoga Springs’ most iconic cultural events. On May 18, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced that, for the first time in the venue’s 53-year history, it would be cancelling its 2020 classical season because of concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The news comes just two weeks after the performing arts center announced that it would be cancelling its annual Saratoga Jazz Fest—also a first in that festival’s 42-year history—and would be turning the two-day concert into a live-streamed event with the help of partner Caffè Lena.
The cancellation of SPAC’s classical season includes programming by its summer resident companies the New York City Ballet (NYCB); the Philadelphia Orchestra, which had a massive Beethoven 250th birthday bash planned, with performances of all nine symphonies; and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The venue’s summer season was also set to feature the popular “SPAC on Stage” concert series, as well as a special performance of Not Our First Goat Rodeo, a bluegrass/classical-inspired album with virtuoso, Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
“So much thought, care, heart and soul go into crafting and preparing for our summer season that we truly think of it as a love letter to our community,” says Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s president and CEO. “To find it necessary to cancel what would’ve been one of the most ambitious and artistically inspiring seasons to date is just gut-wrenching and inconceivable. But the indisputable truth is that even with our park setting and our 5,200 seats, it would be simply impossible to find a way to keep the artists and the community safe.”
To help cope with the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and a two-month, statewide lockdown, SPAC recently launched a virtual Learning Library, featuring original, digital content focused on arts and arts education. However, with the official cancellation of its summer season—effectively SPAC’s entire year of programming—the Spa City’s signature amphitheater faces losing millions in ticket sales and rental/sponsorship income. Sobol is encouraging those who already preordered tickets to consider donating all or a portion of their purchase. For fans who converts at least $25 of their ticket purchase into a tax-deductible donation, SPAC has pledged to donate two 2021 tickets to local first responders and healthcare workers. (Ticket donations can be made here.)
“SPAC’s leadership is committed to continuing to provide the kind of inspiring and transformative experiences for which SPAC is known and loved,” says Sobol. “Our dedication to art, artists and community is undimmed. If anything, we feel more galvanized than ever to serve as a sanctuary and cultural convener for our community during this time of uncertainty and darkness.”
SPAC also took the opportunity to announce dates for its 2021 summer schedule with the return of the NYCB, July 13-17; The Philadelphia Orchestra, August 4-21; and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, which will be coming back in August (dates to be determined).
Our entire staff hopes that you and your loved ones are safe, healthy and doing as well as can be expected during these unprecedented and troubling times. And we wanted to sincerely thank you for your continued support for our small, community-focused media group.
We have had some major changes happen at our company in the past few months, and we wanted to share them all with you. Back in January, Saratoga Living, which has published in Saratoga County and the surrounding region for more than 20 years, officially merged and combined teams with Latham-based Capital Region Living, a monthly lifestyle publication that has served the greater Capital Region for more than 15 years. The Capital Region Living team moved up to Saratoga this spring, doubling the number of employees to nine in our small Broadway office. Additionally, we created Saratoga Living Arts, a new division through which we have been helping local nonprofits—the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), the Saratoga Automobile Museum and The Hyde Collection—widen their print, digital and social media marketing efforts. Now, Saratoga Living, Capital Region Living and Saratoga Living Arts are united under the umbrella organization, Empire Media Network, Inc.
But change is never easy. In mid-to-late February, our now-former editor in chief, who also served as president and CEO, left the company to return to NYC. In the days that followed, and as New York State went into lockdown, our local team—led by new CEO Abby Tegnelia, Editorial Director Will Levith and Chief Operating Officer Tina Galante—dove into producing four print publications (a new digest for the Hyde, a special edition car magazine for the Automobile Museum, plus Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living magazines), entirely remotely. To further complicate things, since most of our favorite downtown businesses (i.e. our top distribution points) were temporarily closed, we were forced to pivot how we got our magazines to you, hand-delivering bundles of them to “essential” businesses and local restaurants that generously agreed to include them with takeout/to-go orders. We’re particularly proud of the fact that we’ve been distributing our magazines to area nursing homes from Hudson all the way up to Glens Falls. And we also donated free ad space in Saratoga Living to create a “thank you to essential workers,” and together with a number of our advertisers across town, raised $2,700, donating 100 percent of it to Shelters of Saratoga.
Our staff of local, full-time employees remains committed to providing Saratoga and the Capital Region with the highest quality lifestyle coverage and breaking news. Like many other small businesses in the region, however, we’ve felt the adverse effects of the economic downturn, as the majority of our revenue comes from print advertising sales—something that has plummeted in recent months.
So we are making changes and taking a number of aggressive steps to continue our work in the community, such as launching a series of online events, highlighting many of our fellow local businesses; reporting on important pandemic-related news to keep people informed; and helping to promote our nonprofit partners’ efforts during the pandemic.
In short, the events of the past few months have pushed us to rethink how to deliver our publications to you. We have spoken to you, are listening to you and will continue to dedicate our focus to serving you. We are humbled by the response of the entire community during this pandemic, and our new team is focused on continuing to earn your trust as an important outlet throughout this region’s many neighborhoods.
As we continue to take the appropriate steps to keep our small team employed and serve as a voice of the region, beginning in June, Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living will temporarily be combined into one magazine. The best of Saratoga Living will live on one side, with the best of Capital Region Living on the other.
We look forward to continuing to serve you through our print publications, websites, virtual events and nonprofit partner publications.
Sincerely,
The Empire Media Network team,
Abby, Will, Natalie, Tina, Teresa, Steve, Annette, Tara and Tracy
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