Forget the holidays—in Saratoga, Restaurant Week is the most wonderful time of the year. And it’s almost upon us.
Discover Saratoga’s annual week of lunch and dinner specials at participating Saratoga County restaurants kicks off Monday, November 6, and runs through the following Sunday. Which restaurants are participating? Here’s a complete list; be sure to check out Discover Saratoga’s website for more info and restaurant operating hours.
On Wednesday, October 11, Saratoga Living teamed up with Bailey’s and Deep Eddy Vodka to bring back its popular Single in Saratoga series. Check out the gallery of photos by Zach Skowronek below, and read our recap of the evening on Saratoga Living After Hours.
Anne Putnam is mere weeks into her new role as CEO of the Capital Region’s Fenimore Asset Management. And in a way, she’s been preparing for it for most of her life. Not only has she worked for Fenimore for 18 years, she’s in a rare position to usher the almost-50-year-old firm towards its future goals.
“My connection with Fenimore goes back much farther than 18 years,” says Anne, who has worked as Head of Intermediary Business and—most recently—Senior Vice President of Sales, including FAM Funds the firms mutual fund strategies. “My father, Tom Putnam, founded the firm in 1974 and gave me exposure early on to the family business.”
On the eve of the company’s 50th anniversary next year, Anne believes that making plans for the future includes reflecting back. “A lot has changed around us, yet Fenimore remains deeply rooted in the same core values and investment philosophy we started out with—in that sense, we have not changed at all—which is something I am most proud of,” she says. “After 49 years, we’ve been able to adhere to the same mission that was established long ago, including striving to treat our investor relationships with excellence, maintaining that through aiming to deliver on our investment performance, and considering our associates part of the extended family.”
The firm’s principles and approach to investor relations are also hugely important to the new CEO, who started her career at Fenimore as a client relationship manager for separately managed accounts. “We’ve remained independent and 100 percent associate and family owned,” she says. “By being independent, when we provide investment management to an investor, we’re doing that without being on Wall Street. Today, we have a team of 10 credentialed investment analysts who are doing portfolio analysis, building that stock by stock and company by company, and thinking about it like an owner. That is the beauty of intimately knowing what we own in our portfolios.”
While Anne travels nationally to meet with investors and financial institutions, the Schenectady County resident remains focused on the Capital Region, where Fenimore’s presence has grown so much that its Albany office (Putnam also works out of the firm’s Cobleskill headquarters) is building a new office centrally located on Wolf Road in Colonie with plans to open later this winter. “One of my goals as CEO is to maintain our presence locally while continuing to expand our presence in the Capital Region,” Anne says. “We are committed to service and want to meet our investors where they are, so being accessible to our investors in the Capital Region is extremely important to us. We want our investors to be able to walk in and meet with the teams managing their portfolio. That connection helps us build relationships and gives our investors’ confidence.”
To learn more about Fenimore Asset Management and what they’re doing to be a trusted investment partner, visit fenimoreasset.com.
Securities offered through Fenimore Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, and advisory services offered through Fenimore Asset Management, Inc.
This sponsored article about the Firm’s advisory services has been published by Saratoga Living, a non-advisory client that provides various marketing services to Fenimore. Cash compensation was given in exchange for the publishing of this sponsored content. Due to Fenimore’s relationship with Capital Region/Saratoga Living, material conflicts of interest include but are not limited to a financial incentive to promote this sponsored article. These compensated endorsements are intended to objectively showcase the Firm and its services; however, it is important to understand that compensation may have influenced the content of this article therefore we encourage clients and prospective clients to independently research and assess the Firm’s investment offerings, taking into consideration their unique financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment preferences before making any investment decisions.
From an early age, Anne Clare was used to being the only girl in a man’s world. Born in New York City in 1892, she was the only daughter among six children in her family. She studied at the private Ursuline Academy before marrying her husband, Saratoga Race Course superintendent Thomas Clare. Since the role had been held by a member of the Clare family since the late 19th century, following Thomas’ death in 1940, Anne was the one who stepped up and assumed the mantle. In doing so, she made history.
“It’s a unique position she holds, and as far as could be ascertained, the only job of its kind the world over that is held down by a woman,” wrote Dick Boyle in Racing Digest. “There are women executives in racing, just as in many other business, civic, political and other enterprises. But the task of being a man in one place and the sweet essence of femininity in another is the very thing Hollywood biographers try to create because of the scarcity of such a combination.”
Indeed, Anne Clare was approached by scriptwriters and biographers interested in her story as a woman in a position that had been traditionally held by men, to which she said, “I’m not a career woman but simply trying to do a good job and justify the confidence my superiors have placed in me. Yes, I’ve been sounded out by California friends who’d like me to work out a biographical story with all the thrills and pathos of a ‘Who Dun It’ or ‘Lost Weekend’ drama. However, that will have to come later—if at all.”
As Saratoga’s superintendent, a post she held through 1960, Clare’s duties included managing some 150 employees, oversight of the track grounds, and care of the main track and training courses.* She assumed the role during a period of change: In 1940, the track introduced pari-mutuel wagering, necessitating the transition from bookmaking rings to mutuel stalls. The Saratogian said Clare “was more than equal to the challenge. When racing returned to Saratoga that August, Aunty Clare had the plant ready for the impending increase in patronage.”
Almost half a century after her death in 1976, Clare remains the lone woman in the history of Saratoga Race Course to have served as its superintendent of facilities. Our question: Who’s next?
*Did you know the Oklahoma isn’t the only training track at Saratoga? There’s also Clare Court, an active training track on the backside of the main track, and Horse Haven, a part of the Oklahoma area that was the site of the first meet in 1863. These days, Horse Haven is more of a barn and walking area than an actual training area.
Chef/owner Jeannette Liebers and her team at Sweet Mimi’s are celebrating their 10th anniversary with yummy favorites like lemon ricotta and cinnamon roll pancakes, and the Sweet Mimi’s Affogato (dark roast coffee, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream drizzled with chocolate).
“I love inviting our guests into our cozy dining room,” Liebers says. “It is a place where they feel pampered, and impressed with what they’re being served. I have a passion for taking care of my customers.”
Chef/Owner Jeannette Liebers
The New York native first developed her love of cooking by working with her grandmother in her tiny Queens kitchen. Culinary school followed, and she even hosted her own cooking show in the ’90s. After she opened SweetMimi’s in 2013, it quickly became so popular that hefty wait times became expected, and then a 2021 appearance on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay brought Liebers’ business into the national spotlight.
“We now welcome guests who drive hours or even fly in to sample our food,” says the mother of three. “It is fun to arrive to work to see a line that wrapped around the building long before we opened. My life was sweet before that recognition, but it certainly has added an extra layer!”
Why go out when the entertainment’s already at home? That’s what Saratogians will find at 30 Old Stone Ridge Road, a new idyllic, hilltop estate in Greenfield.
“This home was designed for a couple with a large family, so entertaining was the biggest priority,” says Kennedy Taylor of Studio K., a luxury boutique architectural design company that worked on the project with Witt Construction. “We included a living space on all three levels so the party can follow you wherever you are.”
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Speaking of those ultra-fun living levels, the main floor is all swagger with a sunken, curved bar in the living room and extra-comfy leather seating for those large gatherings. A theater room and golf simulator dominate the lower level while the top floor boasts a loft with an enormous L-shaped sectional and custom swivel chairs in cozy teddy-bouclé fabric. And did we mention a hot tub on the balcony with a sweeping view of Vermont’s Green Mountains?
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Of course, fun is just one part of the package.This 4-bedroom/5.5-bathroom homealso looks absolutely stunning. Taylor and John Witt, president of Witt Construction, took inspiration from architectural innovators like Jeffrey Dungan and Tony Frazier, whose styles blend traditional European elements with sturdy, classic American designs. This masterful blend is evident in the house’s sharp rooflines, decorative elements on the exterior and an art deco influence on the inside.
“John has a really incredible vision for capturing a piece of property and understanding clients and their needs,” says Taylor. “This home is completely custom from the ground up, and our goal alongside the clients’ was to create a property that was unlike anything else being done in the area.” Spanning more than 7,000 square feet, the sprawling home layout is filled with so many cozy pockets and unique living spaces that Taylor described it as a “dream home to design.”
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Sneak a peek during this year’s Saratoga Showcase of Homes, and pay attention to how the visit makes you feel. “When you walk into a well designed home it’s so much more than what paint colors are on the walls or what pillows are on the sofa,” Taylor says. “It’s how the home feels, what moods it brings when you move from room to room.” And most importantly…how big is that balcony hot tub?
The most popular dish at a restaurant is the most popular dish for a reason: People like it, and they keep coming back for more. So, we tasked Saratogian Shawn LaChapelle with photographing the most in-demand dishes at five of Saratoga’s trendiest restaurants. We’ll stop there—the pictures speak for themselves. Bon appetit!
Osteria Danny
Coconut Crème Pie
The recipe for Osteria Danny’s impossibly fluffy coconut cream pie originally appeared in the 1962 edition of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary cookbook and was passed down from Chef Danny Petrosino’s grandmother Alice. The recipe has been tweaked through the years and has become a famous dish on the Italian restaurant’s dessert menu.
Boca Bistro
Stuffed Dates
A staple tapa in the Basque Country, these dried dates are stuffed with Marcona almonds and Valdeón blue cheese sourced from the Spanish city of León, wrapped in applewood smoked bacon, and drizzled with house-made apple cider glaze. They’ve been a menu favorite since Boca Bistro opened in 2012.
Seneca
Pierogis
The pierogis at Seneca are a family recipe, passed down from owner Shelley Spain’s babcia (grandmother). Made with a filling of farmer cheese and potato and served with caramelized onions, sour cream and fried leeks, they became an instant hit on the menu, even inspiring a Pierogi Shoppe ghost kitchen that operated during the pandemic.
Karavalli
Jackfruit Kofta
Kofta, a meatball-like dish that originated in Persia, is traditionally made with a mixture of ground beef and lamb. At Karavalli, the meat is subbed for potatoes and jackfruit, a fleshy fruit that’s a staple of a plant-based diet. The balls are served in a coconut-pineapple sauce to create a favorite gluten-free and vegan menu option.
Henry Street Taproom
Taproom Burger
Henry Street Taproom’s burger is a classic done right. The 100 percent all-natural beef is a custom blend of chuck and cuts of strip, ribeye and filet. Two patties are topped with American cheese, house special sauce, lettuce and chopped onions on a brioche bun, and served with a side of crispy, hand-cut fries. Like everything else, it’s even better with bacon.
Tom Nardacci still remembers stocking the shelves and sweeping the floor at his grandparents’ corner store in Rensselaer where he grew up. “My grandfather was a butcher, and he and my grandmother owned Nardacci’s Broadway Food Mart,” he says. “There weren’t mega-stores—we were the market. But there also wasn’t a developed food pantry system back then. So my grandparents really became the pantry to the neighborhood. They didn’t turn anyone away.”
That emphasis on community never left Nardacci. This past August, the Capital Region native was named the new CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, a Latham-based nonprofit that provides free food to those in need in 23 counties stretching from the Canadian border down to Rockland County and as far west as Oswego County. Founded in 1982, the food bank does a LOT—redistributing 50 million pounds of food each year (including 2.5 million pounds to Saratoga County alone). That breaks down to 350,000 people served each month, including 100,000 children. And the bank does this with 120 regular employees and a small army of volunteers that number around 18,000 annually.
“Every day, we have three shifts of volunteers who come in and sort, and I recently did my first volunteer shift as CEO,” says Nardacci, who worked with the varsity football team from La Salle Institute of Troy to sort three tons of produce in a single shift.
Here’s how the bank works: Expired or overstocked food is donated from local partners, grocers and large distribution centers. Food Bank workers and volunteers sort and repackage the food for redistribution, and everything unsuitable for human tables goes to farmers to feed livestock.
“It’s super sustainable—all these fruits and vegetables that would typically go to a landfill go to either people or farms,” Nardacci says. “Like I told the kids from La Salle, this produce that we’re putting on our dock right now, it’s going to be in people’s houses today or tomorrow.”
Nardacci’s new role is a far cry from how he made his fortune in his 30s—most notably by founding the Troy-based public relations and marketing firm Gramercy. But despite his success, Nardacci felt unfulfilled. So he sold Gramercy in 2021 and did some serious soul-searching. “The pandemic changed my priorities,” he says. “I’ve always been a volunteer—always been philanthropic and on boards. I thought, ‘What if I took all my energies and focused them in one area?’”
Nardacci had previously volunteered at the food bank, and when he saw the CEO position posted online, he immediately thought of his grandparents. “When I got my license, my grandfather was like, ‘I need you to pick up these boxes of groceries and deliver them to these seniors,’” Nardacci says. “I delivered them and never collected a check from anyone. Over my desk for my whole career, I’ve had a picture of my grandfather sitting on the stoop of his store. Now it’s on my desk at the food bank.”
If you’ve ever been hungry in Saratoga at 1am on a Saturday night (technically Sunday morning), you’ve likely found your way into Esperanto, which has been a late-night mecca for Caroline Street patrons for more than a quarter century. And while owner Will Pouch is surely deserving of our collective gratitude for opening a grab-and-go restaurant in the middle of the city’s drunkest street, it’s the man on the ground—honestly, in the trenches—whom we’ve named this issue’s MVP.
“I prefer the late nights because I’m a mover,” says RJ Burtt, who has been working at Esperanto since he was 16—some 17 years. “I like having five things to do.”
For those who’ve never experienced Esperanto after midnight on a weekend, picture dozens of food-deprived, alcohol-soaked 20-somethings clamoring for a slice of pizza, burrito or a chicken-and-cheese-filled Oboy—the restaurant’s claim to fame. The only thing standing in their way? Burtt.
“I’ve seen dozens of fights,” Burtt says of the unfortunate side effect of having swarms of drunk people in a confined space. “We have a secret highlight reel of security camera footage.” One recent magazine-appropriate encounter involved a customer accusing Burtt of stealing his wallet…while he was holding said wallet. “He goes, ‘Yo, give my wallet back,’” Burtt says. “I was like, ‘Oh, my man, it’s in your hand.’ And he wouldn’t drop it. He was like, ‘Stop trying to rob me.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not robbing you—your wallet’s in your hand.’” Next thing Burtt knew, the man was on the phone. “He’s like, ‘Yeah, is this the Department of the Treasury? I want to report a financial crime.’ And the woman on the other end goes, ‘Sir, whatis your emergency?!’ And I was like, ‘Oh, man. Did you just call the cops on yourself, dude?’”
It takes a special person to work in any restaurant, but this particular posting requires next-level customer service. So how does Burtt do it? “I’m able to turn on disassociation,” he says. “Just like tunnel vision—I listen to whatever song I put on and just try to be polite.” Indeed, talking to Burtt in the middle of the afternoon (he does work the day shift, too), he’s much more animated than the stoic, unflappable Saturday night version of himself many of us have come to know.
So, after everything he’s seen, is Burtt himself still able to let loose every once in a while? “Working around drunk people for a long time will put you off booze, and if you spend enough time on this block it just becomes the office,” he says, before pausing and then admitting, “But I still went out last weekend.”
