Tomorrow, Saratoga Springs’ doughnut game will be expanding again. Back in December, a new late-night spot, Taquero Tacos and Donuts, opened up on Putnam Street, joining South Broadway’s longtime Dunkin’ location. And now, after a months-long delay due to NY PAUSE restrictions, a third doughnut outpost, Darling Doughnuts, is opening July 29. Previously a pop-up shop selling gourmet, house-made donuts, Darling Donuts will open a storefront at 441 Broadway, making it the only shop fully dedicated to doughnut-making in Downtown Saratoga.
“We had originally intended to open late March, but when NY PAUSE went into effect in mid-March, our construction completely halted,” says the company’s Founder and Co-owner, Natascha Pearl-Mansman. “By the time we finally received our last permit to operate, I had reached the end of my pregnancy. The entire process was a series of unfortunate events.” While Pearl-Mansman had planned to open Darling Doughnuts before the birth of her second child, she’s now going through the opening process with a 3-week-old baby in tow.
So, what can customers expect from this long-awaited artisan doughnut shop? “I’ve developed more than 75 flavors since I started Darling Doughnuts in the summer of 2018,” says the company’s Founder and Co-owner, Natascha Pearl-Mansman. “I currently have 50 flavors on the menu, but we certainly won’t be making all 50 every day!” Instead, Pearl-Mansman plans to offer 10 flavors at a time and rotate through her variegated lineup of doughnut recipes on a weekly basis.
On the menu will be both full-size doughnuts and minis, as well as “doughrogies” (Pearl-Mansman’s own creation, a donut-pierogi hybrid with fresh fruit filling). Pearl-Mansman says that her personal favorites are the fruit-flavored donuts such as Blue Strazzberry and Lemon Poppyseed. “All my flavors are made with real ingredients rather than extracts, so I think you can really taste the difference,” she says. A perennial customer favorite has been Burnt Butter Pecan. “The glaze recipe was actually created by my great-grandmother for her cookies,” she says. “It goes perfectly on a doughnut.” In addition to all that variety, Darling Doughnuts will also offer coffee and tea to pair with its selection of sweets.
Another mouthwatering preview of Darling Doughnuts’ wares. (Natascha Pearl-Mansman)
Born and raised in Glens Falls, Pearl-Mansman went to college in Boston, where she originally studied classical music, dance and fine art. “I actually have no formal training in baking, but it’s always been a passion of mine,” she says. It was after the birth of her first daughter in 2017 that Pearl-Mansman decided to turn her doughnut-baking passion into a business, partly as an effort to earn enough money to stay at home with her daughter. Starting out as a pop-up store at special events throughout the Capital Region, Darling Doughnuts quickly distinguished itself with its equally flavorful and eye-catching doughnuts. In 2019, Pearl-Mansman partnered with another upstate local with doughnut shop dreams, Co-owner Glenn Severance, and about a year later, the two are finally opening their first brick-and-mortar store. “It was a pretty amazing feeling to walk in and see everything completed after so long,” says Pearl-Mansman. “Thankfully, the majority of our staff stood by us during the long wait to open, and we were finally able to get everyone in to train. After doing it all on my own for so long, it’s an incredible thing to have other people to share this experience with us.”
Beginning with a soft opening tomorrow, Darling Doughnuts’ storefront hours will be Wednesday through Sunday, 8:30am-6pm. The doughnut shop might still offer collaborative pop-up events with other area restaurants, too. Pearl-Mansman says that she’s been talking with the owner of Scoop Gelato in Troy about potentially making some special doughnut-gelato sandwiches. “Throughout my two years as a pop-up shop, I’ve been fortunate to meet with many local businesses,” she says. “I would love to be able to do more [with them] once the store opens.”
Troy is being collared for its historic charm again by Hollywood producers. According to the Albany Times Union, HBO’s Gilded Age, a new drama series from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, has been scouting locations in the Collar City, including Oakwood Cemetery, properties near Washington Park, barns, farmhouses and a host of other locations as potential filming locations.
The show, which is set in New York City in 1882, will feature series regulars such as Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Amanda Peet (Togetherness) and former New York gubernatorial candidate and Sex and the City co-star Cynthia Nixon, among others.
According to the TU, staff at the Hart Cluett Museum in Downtown Troy have been informed that HBO production crews will be swinging by later this month to firm up locations; and a New York City-based casting firm, Grant Wilfley Casting, is already setting up a potential casting call for extras in the area.
Albany Business Reviewadded that the HBO show’s filming in Downtown Troy could inject $2 million into the local economy.
Troy is no stranger to the bright lights of Hollywood: In 1992, portions of Scent of a Womanwere filmed at the city’s Emma Willard School and a year later, Director Martin Scorsese used Downtown Troy as a backdrop for his The Age of Innocence.
We’re all about the suds-making here in the Capital Region. Whether it’s Brown’s Brewing in Troy, SingleCut in Clifton Park or Racing City right here in Saratoga Springs, there’s no shortage of vat-to-tap beer. And now Schuylerville’s pulling up its own stool at the bar. Just 20 minutes east of Saratoga Springs, the town’s first microbrewery, Bound By Fate Brewing, is set to open this month. Though a few distilleries have come and gone throughout the years in “old Saratoga,” the historic village’s first brewpubhad its soft opening on January 17 (the taproom’s currently open Fridays and Saturdays) and will be celebrating its official grand opening with a three-day event, February 14-16, just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend.
“We’re a New York State farm-based brewery, but we really focus on making traditional beer styles from around the world,” says Pam Pradachith-Demler, who co-owns Bound By Fate with her husband Brett Demler and his brothers Ryan and Evan. To that end, Bound By Fate’s current offerings may be made with mostly local ingredients, but the flavor notes are inspired by some far-flung brews. These include its “bronz’r,” a dark Mexican-style lager; “boat bridge,” a malty English brown ale; and the “lululion,” a juicy IPA from New England. “Our approach is to keep it simple, keep it local and keep it fresh,” says Pradachith-Demler.
All three of Bound By Fate’s current craft beer offerings. (Bound By Fate)
All three of Bound By Fate’s craft brews are currently available on tap at the family-owned business’ tasting room on Ferry Street in Schuylerville (the actual brewing facility is two blocks away on Broad Street). The taproom will also offer other New York State craft beers, ales, ciders and some wines. Though the brewpub doesn’t have its own kitchen yet, Pradachith-Demler says that Bound By Fate is currently partnering with other Schuylerville-based companies, such as the Revolution Cafe and Cake by Alissa, to offer small bites, as well as popup dining experiences on the weekends. “A cocktail program will also be turning up soon,” says Pradachith-Demler. “So there will be a little bit for everyone.”
Pradachith-Demler, who was born in Laos but grew up in Berkeley, CA, says that the brewery has been a longtime dream of hers and her husband’s (he was born and raised in Schuylerville). “Really, we’ve been planning this for more than a decade,” says Pradachith-Demler. The three Demler brothers and Pradachith-Demler each have more than a decade of experience in the brewing industry, working in breweries from Brooklyn to San Francisco. “We actually relocated to Upstate New York two years ago because we had kids and wanted to be close to the grandparents,” says Pradachith-Demler. “That’s how we found ourselves here all these years later opening our dream brewery in our old hometown.”
Bound By Fate’s grand opening will feature food, live music by local band Shortwave Radio and, of course, plenty of delicious pours.
When The X-Files premiered on September 10, 1993, I was a 12-year-old 7th grader in the first ever class at Maple Avenue Middle School in Saratoga Springs. I’m not sure if I caught the pilot episode, but it didn’t take long for the show to catch on like wildfire in my soon-to-be-teenage boy friend group. There was Derrick, Brian, Phil and Dan—and others I’m sure I’m forgetting—and we’d have sleepovers at one of the guy’s houses on Friday night after school and stay up late to watch the show. And sometimes, it’d be really difficult to fall asleep afterwards (see: Season 1’s “Squeeze,” about a half-man-half-monster that feasts on people’s livers; it still haunts me to this day.)
For the uninitiated, The X-Files, which aired on Fox, was the perfect amalgam of horror, science fiction and alien invasion movie, but within the confines of the small screen, with memorable characters such as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson)—and a host of great recurring characters such as Mr. X (Steven Williams) and the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis). These, of course, were the days before Facebook and pause-able TV, so you really had to be a fan (and watch the show) in real time. Since I was also a collector, I bought everything I could relating to the show—the trading cards, comic books, a special edition magazine and poster, a map of all of the fictional locations in the show and the issue of Rolling Stone magazine that featured Duchovny and Anderson in bed together, naked (it was an inside joke for fans; it took seven seasons for the two characters, who had amazing onscreen chemistry but never got romantic, to actually hook up).
Unbeknownst to young me, fellow Saratogian, collector and X-phile Jim Thornton, ten years my senior, was also worshipping The X-Files and quickly transforming into a fanatic. But instead of coming at the show cold as I had, he’d had some practice hiding under the covers. “I was a huge fan of Darren McGavin and a TV show called Kolchak: The Night Stalker [in the ’70s], which was a one-season show [that had a] monster-of-a-week [format],” says Thornton. “It scared the crap out of me when I was a young kid.” Years later, when he was in his 20s, Thornton watched The X-Files pilot, and it reminded him of the show. “I was instantly hooked,” he says. (Chris Carter, who created The X-Files, has cited Kolchak as one of his many influences for the show.) And just like I did, Thornton started building what would become a much larger X-Files memorabilia collection, which by his estimates, now includes anywhere from 6,000-10,000 items in it. It even has its own official name: The X-Files Preservation Collection.
Jim Thornton’s collection of ‘X-Files’ memorabilia includes screen-used show props, wardrobe items and set dressings. (Jim Thornton)
Thornton would begin building the collection in earnest, circa 1997, after he ended up buying some Topps’ WidevisionX-Files trading cards while on a chance trip to Crossgates Mall. The collection would eventually balloon to thousands of pieces, including priceless screen-used show props, wardrobe items and set dressings. Thornton tells me that the acquisition of the more sought-after items came in “stages.” He started with commercial and promotional items, then started tracking down “crew gifts,” or pieces that the show’s actors would’ve given to various TV crew members working on a variety of episodes. “It’s all networking,” he explains. “You can get something from eBay here and there, but 95 percent of the stuff I get is from [X-Files] contacts.” It makes total sense: Many of the most desirable items among memorabilia collectors, whether they be early book manuscripts or game-worn baseball jerseys, come straight from the source. That’s because they have nearly indisputable provenance (or proof of authenticity). How can Thornton prove that his screen-worn items, say, are the real McCoy? Through a process many high-end collectors and auction houses use called screen-matching. In other words, the item can be authenticated by watching the episode it appeared in and “matching” it to how it looked onscreen. It’s not a perfect science and forgeries have been known to surface, but the process certainly gets validated if, say, the actor who wore a bloody shirt sells the collector that item. To that end, Thornton has acquired some really unique items, including furniture from Agent Mulder’s FBI office; a singed doll from the episode “Chinga,” which was co-written by horror author Stephen King (Season 5, Episode 10); a suit worn by actor Mitch Pileggi, who portrayed Mulder and Scully’s supervisor, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner; and possibly the most valuable item in the lot, an actual film-used “alien cryopod” prop from The X-Files: Fight The Future movie. Thornton guesstimates that he’s spent more than $100,000 on the collection throughout the years, and to celebrate his undying love for the series, he’s even gotten most of his left leg covered in an X-Files tattoo sleeve.
Now, Thornton and his wife, Kelly, who’s also a fan of the show (but not “an obsessed freak like me,” acknowledges Jim) have launched an IndieGoGo campaign to raise money to turn the collection into a museum—in Saratoga, of all places (at press time, the campaign has raised $3,646 toward a goal of $8,000). While one might expect a collection of this type to be housed somewhere in Hollywood or up north in Vancouver, where many of the show’s original seasons were shot, Saratoga—a city primarily known for its historic racetrack and arts venues—now has a chance to become ground zero for a one-of-a-kind X-Files museum, with Thornton’s Preservation Collection taking centerstage. (Parts of the collection have already been displayed at local Comic Cons and X-Fest, an X-Files convention, in Chicago.) And why not? We already have a robust collection of collectible stores in the area and a thriving Comic Con—and well, Saratoga is in sore need of a geek-culture injection, following the shuttering of the Comic Depot last fall. While the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, did acquire its own massive collection of X-Files memorabilia in 2008, who knows the next time any of those items will see the light of day? When saratoga living reached out to the museum, a representative there confirmed that none of its X-Files items are currently on display and the next time museum-goers might catch them on display would possibly be an upcoming pop culture exhibit tabbed for 2021 or 2022. (The rep could neither confirm nor deny that the items would be featured in the upcoming exhibit.) Mind you, it’s also been nearly two years since the last X-Files episode aired, as part of a series reboot that got mixed reviews, so unless there’s an actual alien invasion of Earth between now and 2022 (or the season miraculously gets resurrected again), the museum doesn’t have that solid of a reason to display any items.
A Saratoga-based museum could also reap all sorts of rewards for the city. For one, it could add to the already booming cultural tourism scene here. And it could also summon a new crop of celebrities into town—either during racing season or the offseason—who would act as ambassadors for the city. According to Thornton, many former X-Files cast members—many of whom have gone on to star in other series such as Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy and countless others—have viewed the collection and given it the thumbs up. “We’ve met almost all of the stars from the show,” says Jim. Key series actors such as Pileggi (Skinner), Nicholas Lea (Alex Krycek), Annabeth Gish (Special Agent Monica Reyes) and some of the Lone Gunmen are included in the mix. (The Thorntons have even met the show’s main stars, Duchovny and Anderson, without the collection in tow.) One of the most vocal supporters of the collection is actress Karen Konoval, who appeared in the series on three separate occasions between 1995-2018 in three different roles. (Most memorably, she plays the ghastly Mrs. Peacock in the series’ most disturbing and controversial episode, “Home,” which was given a lifetime ban in reruns by the Fox network; I’ll leave it up to you to seek it out.) “[Konoval] has been nothing but the sweetest person on the planet,” says Jim. “She’s been very supportive on social media. She knows what I’m trying to do.” He goes on to explain that The X-Files is one of the longest-running show in TV history. “One thing I don’t like about the greatest shows on the planet is that, when they’re done, people forget about them,” he says. “I can’t let that happen.”
Might I suggest, if all the cards fall into place for the Thorntons, that the new home for their Saratoga X-Files collection be called “The Red Museum“?
All hail the 2020 kings of Chowderfest! Over the weekend, Discover Saratoga has announced the results of this year’s Chowderfest, which was held on Saturday, February 1. Winners were chosen from ten different categories based on how many cups of chowder each sold. The “People’s Choice” for the coveted top-seller category, with 4000-plus cups sold, went to Dango’s Saratoga for its delicious Chicken Wing Chowder.
In all, more than 30,000 festival-goers packed the streets of Downtown Saratoga to sample and vote on $1 cups of inventive chowder creations from area restaurants, cafes, bars and caterers. Ninety-three vendors participated this year, selling more than 140,000 samples of chowder during the one-day event.
While Dango’s may’ve taken home the “People’s Choice” award, it was an altogether close race, with The Parting Glass’ Luck of the Irish Seafood Chowder coming in second place (3000-4000 cups sold); and Courtyard by Marriott Saratoga Springs’ Buffalo Chicken Chowder coming in third (2000-3000 cups sold). Sweet Mimi’s also made the rankings in the dessert chowder category with its Tiramasu Dessert Chowder.
The official results were announced at the end of Chowderfest during the festival’s Annual Award Ceremony at the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center. Take a look at the full list of winners below:
People’s Choice 500 bowls or less: Ribbon Cafe, Southwest Shrimp Corn Chowder with tequila bacon
Another wintry week, another excuse to get out of the house and have a little fun. If that’s your temperature right now, then you’re in luck, because a slew of new fun ice bars and winterfest-y events are blanketing the Capital Region this weekend. Get ready to dance those winter blues away.
Ice bar-hunters can start their journey in the Glens Falls/Lake George area. Take part in the first-ever Doc’s Patio Ice Bar on Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8 at Doc’s Restaurant in Glens Falls, which will feature barbecue grilling, handcrafted cocktails and, at the Park Theater right next to Doc’s, live music by the Villalobos Brothers and local band The Minivans. Or you can enjoy the second-to-last weekend of the Ice Bar (also February 7-8) at the Gaslight in Lake George Village, which will be offering specialty hot drinks, cocktails, wood-fired pizzas and live music on a heated patio. On the same days, and also in Lake George, don’t miss a chance to participate in an annual favorite, the Polar Ice Bar at the Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center. In addition to plenty of warm food and beverages, Shawn Kelly from Q101.7 will entertain attendees on Friday while local favorite Rich Ortiz performs on Saturday.
As for those seeking a slightly chiller vibe, head just 20 minutes south of Saratoga Springs to The Mill on Round Lake, where it’ll be celebrating its 4th Annual Fire & Ice BarFebruary 7-8. For the next two weekends at this local hangout, enjoy ice cornhole and ice shuffleboard, plus lots of cozy fire pits and hot chocolate cocktails to keep warm. Also, about half an hour east of the Spa City will be the Heart of Winter Party 2020 at Gather in Greenwich. This one-day event from 6-9pm on February 7 will feature lots of sweets, glasses of bubbly and a performance by Washington County-based chamber music group Music From Salem.
Though not technically an ice bar, Soundbar Saratoga, a new lounge and live music venue on Caroline Street, will also be celebrating its grand opening on February7, with music by local party band Cryin’ Out Loud and lots of giveaways.
Of course, there’s more than just ice bars this week and weekend. Check out saratoga living‘s handpicked list of must-see events below.
The NY State Writers Institute presents a conversation and Q&A with author and cardiologist Dr. Sandeep Jauhar at UAlbany’s Page Hall
Tuesday, February 4
Donate blood or volunteer your time during the February blood drive for Nick’s Fight To Be Healed Foundation at the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church in Clifton Park
Skidmore College’s English Department has sponsored An Evening with Benjamin Dreyer, author of the New York Times-bestselling book, Dreyer’s English, at the Tang Teaching Museum
Popular singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau will be playing two shows at Caffè Lena in Saratoga
The NYS Writers Institute will present a conversation with National Magazine Award-winning essayist Wesley Yang about his 2018 book The Souls of Yellow Book
For those heading down to Manhattan, catch the latest in fashion during New York Fashion Week presented by The SOCIETY
Friday, February 7
Rick Nielsen, the lead guitarist from Cheap Trick, who will perform at the Palace Theatre this weekend. (John Henneke)
The New Colossus, a play directed and co-written by Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption), portraying 12 immigration tales in different eras, will be at Proctors’ Mainstage Friday and Saturday
The 40th Annual Times Union Home Expo will be offering a little of everything for your home needs all weekend at the Albany Capital Center
John Cariani’s Love/Sick, a play about the highs and lows of romantic love, will be on stage at The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck February 7-16
Don’t miss Matilda The MusicalFriday and Saturday at Maple Avenue Middle School in Saratoga
Vote on which ten-minute play is the best during Art in the Public Eye’s 24-Hour Play Fest (short plays written, memorized and staged in just one day) at Glens Falls’ Charles R. Wood Theater
Sunday, February 9
For National Pizza Day—yes, that’s a thing—Gennaro’s Pizza in Saratoga will be giving away free New York-style cheese slices from 11am to 3pm
Supreme jazz vocalist and five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves will perform at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
The famous Harlem Globetrotters bring their newest gravity-defying basketball show, “Pushing the Limits,” to Albany’s Times Union Center
This is a happy story. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been one of those people who, when I meet someone wonderful—you know, kind, attractive, witty, smart—I want the person they chose to love to be worthy, on the same level, as my friend. So I’m glad to report that such is the case in the decade-long union of NewsChannel 13 morning anchor (and new buddy) Subrina Dhammi, and her environmental and civil engineer husband, Ryan Jendrasiak. To spend time with them, as I’ve had occasion to do a couple of times recently, is to see a functioning partnership full of small kindnesses, silly moments and grand gestures; in short, a couple truly in love. This love was further magnified when Subrina and Ryan became parents five years ago. Sonya, their gorgeous daughter, is the beneficiary of this amazing, generous union.
Ryan says he met the love of his life while working on the Housatonic River Superfund Project in Berkshire County while Subrina was a reporter there at the time. Subrina, a former runner-up for the title of Miss India USA, has begun her ninth year as an award-winning anchor, becoming along the way, one of the most-watched and popular news stars in the Capital Region. It’s easy, of course, to see why.
In the interim, Subrina Dhammi and Ryan Jendrasiak will continue to pave the way as an amazing example of what it means to achieve one’s relationship goals. Well done, you two.
Are you ready for these burning questions, Subrina? Love: For or against? Explain.
I’m for love—100 percent! I believe love is the most powerful force.
“I’m very lucky, since my husband’s very romantic,” says NewsChannel 13’s Subrina Dhammi, seen here with her husband, Ryan Jendrasiak. (Francesco D’Amico)
How did Ryan propose to you and where?
Ryan and I got engaged in 2008 in Costa Rica and will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary in October. We were on vacation, taking a sunset walk along the beach, when he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I was overcome with emotion, and, I, too, immediately dropped down on my knees and said, “a thousand times, ‘yes’.” Here’s the funny part of the story: Later that evening, while getting some dinner at the resort, we started chatting with another couple. We told them we’d just gotten engaged. They said they saw us on the beach during Ryan’s proposal, and when I dropped down on my knees, too, they thought maybe we’d gone to the beach for some “alone time.” We had a good laugh over that!
What’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever done for you?
I’m very lucky, since my husband’s very romantic. He’s done so many thoughtful and meaningful things throughout our relationship. One thing that stands out is my very first Mother’s Day. He put together a video with pictures and clips from my first year of motherhood—it brought me to tears.
What’s the ultimate sexiest spot in the Capital Region?
There are so many wonderful and intimate restaurants that I love for date nights: Peck’s Arcade and Lucas Confectionery in Troy; Speakeasy 518 in Albany; 15 Church and Osteria Danny in Saratoga Springs; also Tanglewood in the Berkshires under the stars is amazing…but my true favorite, romantic spot is my own home. Honestly. Sitting in front of our fireplace with a glass of wine listening to some great music is about as cozy as it gets.
The secret to a truly successful relationship is always…
Have fun together! I think most people would say communication is the key to a successful relationship, and while that’s true, I think it’s imperative to make sure you continue to have fun and be spontaneous. Also, don’t underestimate the power of a little note. Sometimes, a few uplifting words written down from my husband can change my entire day!
This guy’s career has literally been built almost entirely out of Rubik’s Cubes. As you might remember, one-time Saratoga Springs street magician, Steven Brundage, who made it all the way to the semifinals on America’s Got Talent and has been featured on Good Morning America and Today, first made a viral splash on YouTube with a video of him getting out of a traffic ticket by doing a Rubik’s Cube-related trick for the cops that pulled him over. Many of Brundage’s tricks, including some that he did on America’s Got Talent, feature Rubik’s Cubes; you might’ve caught Brundage building a life-like visage of Robert Downey, Jr./Tony Stark last summer outside of saratoga living headquarters in Downtown Saratoga, the week that Avengers: Endgame came out (if you’re wondering, we had nothing to do with his appearance; it was all a wonderful coincidence).
Now, Brundage has truly one-upped himself—in honor of a fallen hero (and for a good cause). In a video he originally posted to his Instagram page, which has now gone mega-viral, Brundage is seen creating the visage of late Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, in time-lapse, out of 814 Rubik’s cubes. (The video’s been picked up and reposted by major media outlets, including ESPN, the New York Post and Forbes, among countless others.)
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26. Ever since, there’s been a daily memorial to the National Basketball Association player on social media.
Brundage has since posted that he wants to auction off the Rubik’s Cube-made Bryant visage to help raise funds for the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation.
Throughout this year, saratoga living‘s sister publication, Capital Region Living, will be focusing in on different cities in the Capital Region. We’ll take you on a tour of all the top restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels in town—as well as introduce you to some of the city’s most memorable residents. This month, we’re taking a closer look at Troy, NY—the Collar City.
Stay
The patio at the Courtyard Marriott Albany Troy/Waterfront has a bird’s-eye view of the Hudson River. (First Columbia)
Courtyard By Marriott Albany Troy/Waterfront
The ultra-modern Courtyard by Marriott Albany’s Troy/Waterfront location (est. 2018) has all the accommodations and amenities you’d expect of a big-box hotel, plus an unbeatable location: It’s a short walk from the high-end food court/incubator that is River Street Market, which currently features everything from a ramen restaurant to an upscale burger joint; Troy’s favorite brewhouse/restaurant, Brown’s Brewing Company (see below); and the best barbecue this side of the Mason-Dixon line, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (where you can also catch all of the area’s best tribute bands).
A peek inside the Oscar Wilde Suite at Gardner Farm Inn. (V Owen Bush)
Gardner Farm Inn
Armed with an equally fascinating history and ownership ledger, the Gardner Farm Inn dates back to the 1700s, though it was only reborn as a bed-and-breakfast in 2015 by current proprietor John Hughes. (Not to be confused with the late film director.) With cozy suites named after some of Hollywood’s most whimsical characters, such as Saratoga (the film) actress Jean Harlow and Pink Flamingos director John Waters, the inn daily offers guests to-die-for homemade breakfasts (made by John himself), with ingredients sourced from Troy’s award-winning Waterfront Farmers’ Market.
Eat
Peck’s Arcade has set itself apart as the upscale casual eatery of note in Troy. (Peck’s Arcade)
Peck’s Arcade
It didn’t take long for Peck’s Arcade, a four-year-old casual fine-dining spot with an ever-changing menu of eclectic small plates, to become Downtown Troy’s, um, breadwinner. Open Wednesday through Saturday, Peck’s is actually a three-for-one deal: The restaurant shares a storefront with Little Peck’s, its sister cafe, which serves a hip brunch nearly all day (its Egg & Cheese Biscuit gives New York City’s bodega-made cousin a run for its money); and its second floor is occupied by the Tavern Bar, among the city’s best cocktail/mocktail lounges.
The entrance to Sunhee’s Farm & Kitchen, the best of Troy’s handful of Korean restaurants.
Sunhee’s Farm & Kitchen
Of Troy’s handful of Korean-influenced restaurants, Sunhee’s Farm & Kitchen reigns supreme, with its simple order-at-the-counter menu of small plates and soju-spiked cocktails (make sure to try the kimchi scallion pancakes and beef/tofu Bibimbap). For eaters with their sights set on warmer climes, look out for the Sunhee’s-spearheaded Ferry Street Night Market, a showcase of international flavors from an array of Troy restaurants, which sets up shop Thursdays in a parking lot on Fourth and Ferry Streets, summer to fall.
DeFazio’s Pizzeria is the OG pizza spot in Troy’s Little Italy neighborhood. (DeFazio’s Pizzeria)
DeFazio’s Pizzeria
When it comes to pizza in Troy, the buck stops with DeFazio’s Pizzeria. DeFazio’s has been making the hungry happy for nearly three decades from its perch in Troy’s Little Italy (it sits next door to DeFazio’s Imports, Troy’s OG Italian food and specialty goods store, which first opened in 1951). Serving up 12- and 16-inch pies, DeFazio’s has something for all pizza lovers—and on Saturdays, you can even find the restaurant at Troy’s Waterfront Farmers’ Market. (If you’re looking to fan out a bit, the clear runner-up choice is Red Front Restaurant, also in Troy’s Little Italy [with a second location in Clifton Park], which is known for its “COB” or “Cheese On The Bottom” pizza. Mmm.)
Play
Looking out the front window of Lucas Confectionery, Troy’s top wine bar. (Lucas Confectionery)
Lucas Confectionery
From the same owners of nearby Peck’s Arcade, Lucas Confectionery, which is connected via a not-so-secret passageway to Peck’s, is the wine bar of record in Downtown Troy, serving everything from reds, whites and rosés to sparklings, spritzes and ciders. For the post-work, empty-stomach set, the bar also features a menu full of small plates and other goodies. Like delicious cookies. Which we’ve been known to order along with our wine.
Plumb Oyster Bar Owner Heidi Knoblauch. (Erin Pihlaja)
Plumb Oyster Bar
On any given afternoon (save for Monday), you’ll find Troy’s three-dollar-sign crowd settling into Plumb Oyster Bar’s raw bar and specialty cocktail menu (it also serves up dinner and brunch). Opened by Yale-educated Emma Willard alum Heidi Knoblauch, Plumb has quickly become one of Downtown Troy’s shining stars—so much so that Pioneer Bank recently hired the businesswoman to work with other local startups.
Franklin Alley Social Club
It’s no wonder Troy often draws comparisons to Brooklyn. Take the hip, two-year-old Franklin Alley Social Club (FASC), a cocktail lounge slash karaoke bar slash arcade slash shuffleboard and bocce court that could’ve easily been copy-and-pasted right out of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg or Greenpoint neighborhood. FASC also has a full menu of junk-food gems—and stays open late, Tuesday through Saturday.
Get To Know…Eileen Fitzgibbons And Pat Boyle, Owners Of anatomie Gym
anatomie’s husband-and-wife Co-owners and trainers Pat Boyle and Eileen Fitzgibbons. (Elario Photography)
Troy’s anatomie is the rare gym that’s built its community entirely on inclusivity: “There isn’t an age, size or ability limit,” says anatomie Co-owner and trainer Eileen Fitzgibbons, who runs the gym with her husband, Pat Boyle. “It’s really about ‘Are you willing to work hard, be vulnerable and show up for yourself?’ That’s it.”
Not a six-packed bro or hard-bodied brosephina? No problem. But make no mistake: You will leave anatomie exhausted and drenched—but in the best shape of your life. The gym offers a range of classes and personal training options to its growing clientele, with three core focus areas: full-body strength and conditioning (think: kettlebells and sleds), in the main gym; indoor cycling, also in the main gym; and yoga/body sculpt, which takes place in its own candlelit, shavasana-tastic studio. Of all the classes on its schedule, anatomie’s biggest draw is the 45-minute body sculpt, “a high-intensity, sweaty, no-excuses, no BS workout,” says Fitzgibbons. It’s a weekly sellout.
A big part of anatomie’s unique community-building exercise has been to partner with other fellow small businesses in the area. For example, anatomie’s been collaborating with candlemakers Collar City Candle—whose Troy-based owners, dynamic husband-and-wife team, Jamie and Josh Wallbank, are anatomie regulars—on signature candles that it sells exclusively at the gym.
anatomie’s also wholly embraced Troy’s veteran community, offering free, walk-in yoga classes to all vets. It’s a particularly personal cause for Boyle, as he’s an Iraq War veteran. “No matter what you did in the military, you’re carrying baggage with you,” he says. “We’re here to create a space where vets can come and connect their breath to body. To help heal people.”
Get To Know…Garry And Kelly Brown, Owners Of Brown’s Brewing Company
Garry and Kelly Brown, the husband-and-wife co-owners of Brown’s Brewing Company in Troy, first opened their brewery-restaurant back in ’93. (Brown’s Brewing Company)
When Brown’s Brewing Company first opened in Troy in 1993—back then, it was known as Brown & Moran Brewing Company—the Collar City was in dire need of a makeover. The 175-year-old warehouse building that husband-and-wife ownership team Garry and Kelly Brown purchased, gutted and renovated, which eventually became their flagship taproom, had been the victim of arson and vacant for a decade. “What I saw in the building was that it was 60 feet from the Hudson River,” says Garry, who grew up in nearby Schenectady. “I’d say to Kelly, ‘There’s only one Hudson River.’”
The Browns’ gamble paid off. While Troy’s true downtown/waterfront renaissance wouldn’t kick into high gear until the aughts, Brown’s brewery-restaurant immediately caught on. “We were busy right out of the gate,” says Garry. At the time, it was a novel concept: a brewery that poured its own product for the public and fed those same hungry patrons at the same place.
That one-two punch of great location and beer eventually led to expansion: In 2010, Brown’s took over operations at Revolution Hall next door, rebooting the music venue into an always-booked wedding/event space. Three years later, right below it, the brewery opened its Malt Room, a private events space—and that same year, unveiled a 20,000-barrel production facility in North Hoosick, NY. By 2014, Brown’s christened that location the Walloomsac Taproom, its second official brewery-restaurant.
These days, Troy’s one of the Capital Region’s fastest-growing areas for business and commerce—and no doubt, the Browns helped make that a reality. We can all raise a pint to that!
A shorter version of this feature originally appeared in the February 2020 issue of Capital Region Living.
This summer, Saratoga Race Course will have a new, booming voice calling all of its races. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has announced that John Imbriale—who worked as a backup to longtime Saratoga race caller Tom Durkin—succeeds Larry Collmus (Durkin’s successor) as race caller and track announcer at Saratoga, along with Aqueduct Racetrack and Belmont Park.
Imbriale is no stranger to the art of race calling. Back in 1979, he won a New York Daily News contest, which afforded him the one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to call a race and work with the NYRA press office. By 1990, Imbriale had become Tom Durkin’s backup and has since joined NYRA’s race-calling team at all three tracks. Imbriale has also worked with Harvey Pack on the Inside Racing program and behind the scenes on roles at NYRA TV, most recently as NYRA’s director of television production.
“John Imbriale is a central part of the fabric of Thoroughbred racing in New York,” says NYRA CEO and President Dave O’Rourke. “Johnny I’s high level of professionalism and flawless delivery are well known to horseplayers and racing fans, and we congratulate him on becoming the voice of NYRA.”
Imbriale takes over for Collmus, who joined NYRA in 2014 and called the American Pharoah and Justify Triple Crowns in 2015 and 2018, respectively.
“In a sense, this is a job for which I’ve been preparing for years,” says Imbriale, who celebrated 40 years with NYRA this past November. “I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by incredible race callers during my career. I learned from all of them, and these lessons live with me to this day. I’m humbled by the trust placed in me by NYRA and look forward to calling races for the best fans in the sport.”
