Fancy a little extra something-something in your morning cup of joe without having to dip into grandpa’s medicine cabinet? Death Wish Coffee, the national coffee brand that launched in the basement of Downtown Saratoga Springs’ Saratoga Coffee Traders in 2012, has percolated its latest batch of beer, Oat-bituary Stout, through an exclusive partnership with Queensbury-based Northway Brewing Co.
This marks the first time in two years that Death Wish has collaborated with a local brewer to produce a beer, which, as per its punny name, will be an oatmeal stout brewed with Death Wish Coffee, cacao nibs and vanilla bean.
Death Wish first got into the crossover (beer) brewing business when it worked on a line of craft beers with the now-shuttered Olde Saratoga Brewing Company. Northway turned out to be the perfect suitors for a follow-up: The brewery’s current general manager, Max Oswald, worked in the same position at Olde Saratoga. “Over the last few years, we’ve had countless opportunities to collaborate with many great local brewers,” says John Swedish, director of strategic engagement and partnerships at Death Wish Coffee. “The timing just wasn’t right for us. When Max called a few months ago and said members of his team from Olde Saratoga Brewing were coming back together to work at Northway Brewing, we immediately got excited.”
Oswald says that the Oat-bituary team-up will also mark a “new direction” for Northway Brewing, which will maintain its core brands but pivot to “partnerships and unique one-offs and small-batch beers.”
Death Wish and Northway Brewing will be throwing an official launch party for the beer on Friday, January 10 from 2pm to 7pm at Saratoga City Tavern in Saratoga. It’s open to the public. For interested parties, the event will feature free samples and pint specials, as well as a sneak peek at future collaborations between the two brands. The event will also be broadcast live on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio’s Levack and Goz.
Post-launch party, Oat-bituary will be available at Price Chopper/Market 32 grocery stores, area beverage centers and a number of independent retailers, as well as at Northway Brewing Co. itself. The new brew will also get a second coming out party at the Northway Brewing-hosted Broken Resolutions Beer Fest, which takes place from 5pm to 8pm on Saturday, January 18. Proceeds from the event will benefit ACCT Naturally, a local nonprofit focused on off-track thoroughbreds interacting with veterans, first responders and teenagers.
For the night owls and party people, saratoga livinghas learned of a new spot open late in Downtown Saratoga Springs. Taquero Tacos and Donuts is a brand-new eatery located at 68 Putnam Street, which offers, well, you guessed it, delicious tacos and doughnuts, and even more late-night, post-bar-hopping fare. The new Mexican-inspired restaurant officially opened on December 27 and is currently offering online ordering and, in the coming weeks, delivery as well.
“We want to offer late-night food options for locals and people [from] out of town, as well as quick, casual lunch-eating options,” says Corey Melancon, who co-owns Taquero with Ryan Reed and Brady Dillon. “The case was always [to offer] tacos, and we wanted to add a Mexican-style dessert, too.” Those plans changed, though, when the local business trio discovered a state-of-the-art donut maker that could produce nearly 2000 mini-doughnuts every hour. “We thought that was cool, blending the two different concepts together,” says Melancon. “And the donuts sell from morning until the end of the night.”
Taquero’s current menu of house-made mini doughnuts includes blueberry hibiscus vanilla, maple bacon (with real bacon crisps), cinnamon sugar and pumpkin spice eggnog flavors. One could effortlessly eat a half-dozen or more of the bite-sized morsels, and the restaurant plans to change up its doughnut offerings every few weeks.
Also front and center on Taquero’s menu is its choice selection of signature tacos. Melancon says one of his favorites is the Korean Pork tacos, with spicy kimchi and gochujang crema (a type of hot sauce). Other taco recipes include Barbacoa (barbecue tacos with queso fresco), Tinga de Pollo (shredded chicken with crema verde) and a Cauliflower taco for vegetarians. Throw in a rice bowl or some house-made aquas frescas (including creamy horchatas and fresh cucumber limeades), and you’ve got your late-night snack fix covered.
Melancon, Reed and Dillon grew up in Saratoga, and each have about 15 years of experience working in the Spa City restaurant scene. All three met back in elementary/middle school and spent time working at one of Saratoga’s most esteemed restaurants, Siro’s on Union Avenue. “Brady’s father [Tom] owned Siro’s for thirty years,” says Melancon. “The three of us all worked there for over a decade, and that’s how we grew together as a working partnership.” (Brady’s father, Tom, passed away earlier this month; his brother is one of the owners behind nearby Hamlet & Ghost.)
For years, the Saratoga natives had big dreams of opening up their own restaurant downtown. Melancon says that when the spot at 68 Putnam Street became available about two years ago, the three of them knew that they had to have it. They worked with the property owners to design and build their own space, and the wait for the complete Taquero has apparently been well worth it. “We’ve been staying open until about 2am on the weekends [and] as late as 3am,” says Melancon. “Everybody seems very happy about it.”
Sharon Springs used to be that tiny speck of an Upstate New York village that you’d drive by on the way to bigger and better things in Cooperstown or at Howe Caverns. Then, from 2009-10, reality TV came calling, and it became the filming location for The Fabulous Beekman Boys, a cable series following husband-husband duo, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, who moved from New York City onto a 219-year-old Sharon Springs farm and launched Beekman 1802, a lifestyle brand that sells small-batch artisanal products such as soaps, cookies and cheeses.
Now, through the end of February, the village’s most famous storefront (Beekman 1802 also has a brick-and-mortar in Downtown Sharon Springs) has been transformed into a fictional TV landmark: Rose Apothecary from Netflix’s hit series Schitt’s Creek. For the uninitiated, Rose Apothecary is the show’s characters’ go-to sundries store. The pop-up storefront, which will be “selling” an exclusive Rose Apothecary collection of products in time for Valentine’s Day, is open through February. Beekman 1802 first announced the opening of the pop-up shop earlier this month on Facebook.
“As big fans of the show, we’re so excited to have collaborated with the [Schitt’s Creek] producers to create the official beauty products of Rose Apothecary,” says Ridge, co-founder of Beekman 1802. “The full collection launches on Feb 1 on our website. We think the show demonstrates the importance of kindness and community, two things at the core of everything we do at Beekman 1802.”
The comedy series, which is produced in Canada, stars Eugene Levy (Jim’s dad from American Pie) and Catherine O’Hara (the Home Alone mom) and tells the story of a formerly ultra-wealthy family who suddenly finds itself short on Canadian dollars and living in a motel in a town that they once owned called, you guessed it, Schitt’s Creek.
Never seen the show before? You have five full seasons to catch up on, all of which are streaming on Netflix at the moment. And, as luck would have it, the sixth and final season of Schitt’s Creek lands on the streaming service on January 7 (today).
You don’t have to fly to Madrid anymore to see the Spanish masters. Glens Falls’ The Hyde Collection recently announced its 2020 schedule of exhibitions, which will include an exhibit of rare etchings by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, entitled “Los Caprichos” (translation: “the whims”), as well as an exhibit of works by one of America’s most influential, early African-American artists, Dox Thrash.
Goya’s “Los Caprichos” are a series of 80 etchings that the Spanish artist, known for dark, morbid works such as Saturn Devouring His Son, worked on over a two-year period and published in book form in 1799. As the New York Timesnoted, the works were meant to depict “abuses by the Roman Catholic Church, societal ills from pedophilia to prostitution, and rampant superstition in an age of revolution and terror.” In other words, classic Goya. “I’ve always found Goya’s ‘Los Caprichos’ hard to fathom [and] understand in 18th-century terms,” says Jonathan Canning, the Hyde’s director of curatorial affairs and programming. “But they really do seem to speak to me now, whether I see the creatures as coming from the depth of the modern psyche or Goya’s satires of social pretensions, ignorance and superstitions as a riposte to the attack on reason and rationalism that seems underway at the moment. Great art speaks through the ages, and these prints give me hope in the enduring power of The Enlightenment.”
Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828), ‘Hasta la muerte’ (‘Until death’), etching and aquatint, 8 1/2 x 6 in.
The 2020 schedule will kick off on January 19 with a three-month exhibition of “Los Caprichos.” The Hyde’s full lineup of 2020 art shows is listed below.
Francisco Goya: The Caprichos Etchings and Aquatints Sunday, January 19 through Sunday, April 26
This series of nightmarish and sometimes gory etchings contain some of Goya’s most famous images. An official portraitist of the Spanish monarchy for many years, Goya used his proximity to the aristocracy to create these etchings that are hypercritical of Spanish society in the late 18th century.
Dox Thrash, Black Life, and the Carborundum Mezzotint
Sunday, January 19, through Sunday, March 22
A World War I veteran originally from Georgia, Dox Thrash is renowned for his vivid depictions of African American life in both rural and urban mid-20th-century America. Thrash was an innovator as well, developing his own form of printmaking called “carborundum mezzaprint,” which allows for creating darker skin tones.
Images of the People: Russian Lacquer Painting
Saturday, March 28 through Sunday, June 14
This exhibition will highlight a rare movement of art popular in the waning days of the USSR: miniaturist lacquer paintings of Russian folk tales and heroic Soviet deeds all on decorative boxes.
High School Juried Show
Friday, May 8 through Sunday, June 7
Now in its 29th year, the Hyde’s annual High School Juried Show will feature 100 works of art from artists in grades 9-12 from Saratoga and surrounding counties.
Transformations: The Art of John Van Alstine
Saturday, June 20 to Monday, September 13
A graduate of St. Lawrence University, John Van Alstine creates sculptural fusions of found objects and steel with stone and other natural elements that have been exhibited throughout the United States, Asia, Europe and even at the Smithsonian. (You may remember that selected works by Van Alstine were on display at last fall’s Saratoga Wine & Food Festival.)
J.S. Wooley, Adirondack Photographer
Saturday, June 20 to Monday, September 13
Having lived and worked most of his life in the Adirondacks, J.S. Wooley took now-iconic photos of Lake George and the North Country during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts
Sunday, October 11 through Sunday, January 3, 2021
On loan from the American Museum of Folk Art in New York City, more than two dozen vibrant, American quilts will be on display for this exhibition celebrating a one-of-a-kind art form that blends textiles and storytelling.
The January 2020 issue of saratoga living‘s sister publication, Capital Region Living, marked the magazine’s 17th birthday. To help celebrate the milestone, CRL put together a list of 17 winter road trips within driving distance of Albany. So, the next time you find yourself in the area for a spell, dust off this post. Thank our friends at CRL later.
(Chandler Burgess)
1. Killington, VT
2 Hours 15 Minutes from Albany
Killington, VT, is certainly a no‐brainer for ski and snowboard enthusiasts, and it’s also a hot spot for cold winter lovers of all types. Dogsledding, tubing, ice skating, snowshoeing and fat biking all await in the Central Vermont town.
2. Lake Placid, NY
2 Hours 15 Minutes from Albany
Forty years ago this February, Lake Placid played host to the triumph of the US men’s ice hockey team over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Travel back to that historic day by way of the “Miracle on Ice” exhibit at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum.
3. Jay, VT
4 Hours 10 Minutes from Albany
A stone’s throw from Canada, Jay, VT is home to some of the snowiest winters in the east. Averaging 354 inches of snow per year, Jay Peak is about the closest skiers and snowboarders get to West Coast skiing this side of the Mississippi.
An Igloofest-goer in Montréal. (Sylvain Granier)
4. Montréal
3 Hours 30 Minutes from Albany
Who said music festivals had to happen only during the summer months? The Old Port of Montréal will host a range of acts at Igloofest, the city’s annual outdoor music festival, which takes place January 16‐February 8.
The foot-traffic-only Church Street in Burlington, VT.
5. Burlington, VT
3 Hours from Albany
Take a walk down scenic Church Street, the foot‐traffic‐only main street in Burlington, VT, which each winter transforms into a spectacle of holiday lights. Don’t forget to stop at the flagship Ben & Jerry’s store: The ice cream company opened its first in Burlington in 1978!
6. Niagara Falls, ON
4 Hours 45 Minutes from Albany
A winter wonderland awaits where New York meets Canada. See Niagara Falls in all its icy glory from the climate‐controlled gondolas of the Niagara SkyWheel, a Ferris wheel overlooking the falls.
The ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center in NYC. (Alan Kotok/Flickr)
7. New York City
3 Hours from Albany
What better way to celebrate the new year than ice skating at Rockefeller Center? If you make the journey to NYC early enough in 2020, you’ll still be skating by the light of the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The rink is open all the way through April.
8. Syracuse, NY
2 Hours 15 Minutes from Albany
Beat the winter blues at Syracuse Winterfest, a massive, 11‐day, city‐wide festival, featuring dance parties, outdoor activities, concerts, competitions and plenty of food and drink, going on February 13‐23.
The Equinox Resort in Manchester, VT.
9. Manchester, VT
1 Hour 20 Minutes from Albany
Experience the historic luxury of The Equinox Resort on a weekend getaway to Manchester, VT. Relax in the Equinox’s award‐winning spa, dine at one of its five eateries and take advantage of those after‐Christmas sales with a shopping spree in picturesque Downtown Manchester.
Take a horse-drawn sleigh ride at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH.
10. Bretton Woods, NH
4 Hours from Albany
For a more remote, equally luxurious Northeast vacation destination, head to Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH. Hit the slopes at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire’s largest ski area, then return to your hotel room overlooking a snow‐covered Mount Washington, New England’s largest mountain.
An ice castle at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. (Mark Kurtz)
11. Saranac Lake, NY
2 Hours 30 Minutes from Albany
Enjoy the outdoors in the Great White North at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, a ten‐day festival of sports, performances, parades and fireworks that’s been held every year since 1897. The carnival is highlighted by a magnificent ice palace built by volunteers on the shores of Lake Flower.
Warren Street in Downtown Hudson.
12. Hudson, NY
45 Minutes from Albany
For a small Upstate New York city, Hudson has quite the arts scene. Explore the many galleries along charming Warren Street, dine in one of the city’s award‐winning restaurants or catch a show at Club Helsinki. It’s all a mere 45 minutes from Albany.
The Mystic Aquarium lit up at night.
13. Mystic, CT
2 Hours 50 Minutes from Albany
Head to the seashore this winter with a trip to scenic Mystic, CT, home of the Mystic Aquarium, a historic downtown and, of course, Mystic Pizza, the setting of the eponymous 1988 film.
14. Newport, RI
3 Hours 15 Minutes from Albany
Another coastal destination that’s great for a winter trip is Newport, RI, whose 3.5‐mile Cliff Walk offers panoramic views. It’s as beautiful in the colder months as it is in the summer (and it’s less crowded!).
15. Stowe, VT
3 Hours 30 Minutes from Albany
Luxury awaits at the base of Vermont’s premier ski mountain. TopNotch Resort at Stowe is home to two to‐die‐for restaurants, an impressive spa, the TopNotch Tennis Academy and the Equestrian Center, which offers horse‐drawn sleigh rides throughout the winter.
16. North Adams, MA
1 Hour 10 Minutes from Albany
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (a.k.a. Mass MoCA), located in North Adams, MA, is home to some of the Northeast’s finest modern art exhibits (it also doubles as a music venue). Be one of the first to experience Gamaliel Rodríguez’s La Traveía / Le Voyage exhibit, opening on January 25.
17. Boston
2 Hours 50 Minutes from Albany
Boston sports are heating up as the temperature cools. Head to Beantown this January to catch a Celtics or Bruins home game. Oh, and an unforgettable trip to Faneuil Hall is certainly in order!
This story originally published in Capital Region Living‘s January 2020 issue.
Throughout 2020, our sister publication, Capital Region Living magazine, will be focusing in on a different city in the Capital Region in each new issue. They’ll be taking you on a tour of all the top restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels in town—as well as introduce you to some of each city’s most memorable residents. In the January 2020 issue, they took a closer look at Schenectady.
Stay
The Landing Hotel at Rivers Casino & Resort. (Jay Ratchford)
For a luxury room on the scenic Mohawk River, your best bet is The Landing Hotel at Rivers Casino & Resort, where after a fun night of gambling, you can enjoy your morning cup of joe on a wrap‐around balcony.
For spectacular downtown views, check out the Parker Inn, a boutique hotel in what was once the tallest building in Schenectady. For that special occasion, guests book the 700‐square‐foot Presidential Suite, a.k.a. “The Penthouse.” The Parker oozes history, and did we mention that it’s nearly next door to Schenectady’s top arts venue, Proctors?
Eat
(Cornells of Little Italy)
Ah, there’s nothing better than homestyle Italian food! At Cornells in Schenectady’s Little Italy, its owners take that hominess up a notch with the chef’s special touch, a red carpet and white linen tablecloths. Homemade cavatelli, monster meatballs, broccoli rabe and sausage and pasta e fagiole are all on the menu. And Cornells is just steps away from other Electric City favorites such as Perreca’s Bakery and Civitello’s Italian Pastry Shoppe.
(Inga Hotaling)
At Tara Kitchen, the fragrant aroma of cinnamon, cumin and sweet paprika float from earthenware tagines. Seven years ago, it was the only Moroccan restaurant in the Capital Region, but the owners are spreading the love around. They opened a second location in Troy in 2017, and a third is due this spring in Guilderland. Can’t get enough? Tara Kitchen sauces are sold online and in stores all over the Northeast.
Joseph’s 23 is the new restaurant at The Stockade Inn, a beloved landmark in the Stockade District, one of America’s oldest neighborhoods. (The Stockade Inn doubles as a boutique hotel, with 18 rooms upstairs.) The dining room, with dramatic windows and chandeliers—and an intimate, old‐fashioned barroom—makes it easy to imagine that this was once a bank and then a prestigious men’s club. Joseph’s has food for every mood, from lobster BLTs to rib eyes. Plus, the homemade bread pudding is to die for.
Play
The Shaker & Vine, the Capital Region’s first self‐serve wine bar, has popped up in Mohawk Harbor. With a push of a button, customers can select a 3‐ounce, 5‐ounce or full pour of wine from a stacked wall of 50 bottles. There’s a full‐service cocktail bar, cushy furniture and river views. There’s cheese, chocolate and paninis, too.
(Ashley Brown)
Daley’s on Yates has a Manhattan vibe, and its conversion from beat‐up taxi garage to swanky social hub was praised by preservationists. At the gorgeous bar, one can energize with cool cocktails such as the Careless Hipster and Pink Widow. Good food? The Troy‐based Old Daley catering biz runs this place, so the answer is “yes.”
Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck and Thelonius Monk all did their jazz thing many moons ago at The Van Dyck. Schenectady’s favorite bar/restaurant/music venue is also home to award‐winning Mad Jack Brewing Co. Grab a spot at the bar and sample a draft from the ten‐plus beers on tap or dig into their gigantic IPA‐battered fish fry.
Get To Know…Mitch Ramsey, Owner Of Jay St. Pub
Actor Kelsey Grammer (center) flanked by Jay St. Pub Owner Mitch Ramsey (at right) and his mother.
When 27‐year‐old Mitch Ramsey opened Schenectady’s Jay St. Pub in 2018, the neighborly vibe reminded his customers of the TV show Cheers. Ramsey was unfamiliar with the sitcom, so he watched it on Netflix. Then he ordered a keg of Cheers star Kelsey Grammer’s signature beer. And one day, with only ten minutes notice, Grammer strolled into Jay St. Pub and hung out at the bar. “He was a super‐nice guy,” says Ramsey.
A millennial on the move, Ramsey’s goal is to bring people over to the Electric City. Last year, his pub hosted the city’s first Fall Fest Block Party and SantaCon. A Winter Fest is set to go down in February, and there’s a Country Fest planned for June.
Like a growing number of young people, the Burnt Hills native lives in a new downtown apartment building. He also runs his business, Ramsey Media, from there. And that’s not all. The SUNY Plattsburgh graduate is the youngest person on a 16‐member panel that will tackle a $10 million state grant aimed at Schenectady redevelopment.
Back at the pub, Ramsey loves the laid‐back, hometown atmosphere. “I see a 26 year old having a conversation with a 55‐year‐old couple,” Ramsey says. “And everybody just gets along.”
Get To Know…Nancy Gold, President Of Tough Traveler
Some of Tough Traveler’s most popular items include pet carriers such as this dog backpack.
Wherever people wander, they’ll find computer bags, backpacks, camera bags, luggage or purses made in Schenectady by Tough Traveler. As the company celebrates its 50th year in business in 2020, a “Buy American” sign hangs proudly at its store and factory site. With high‐quality products designed and sewn to last, Tough Traveler is a survivor in a market flooded with foreign imports. EMTs rush to accidents with Tough Traveler medical bags and musicians tote their instruments in Tough Traveler guitar and cymbal bags. “We receive thank you notes from people worldwide,” says President Nancy Gold.
In 1970, the company’s first product was a comfort backpack for hikers. Now packs for pooches are hot. “Our dog carrier backpacks go out throughout the world to Australia and the UK as well as the US,” says Gold. Tough Traveler bags are sold online at toughtraveler.com and on amazon.com. Locals can browse its products in the store or make an appointment for a factory tour.
This story originally published in Capital Region Living‘s January 2020 issue.
History was made at the 77th Golden Globes on January 5, and cinephiles from the Capital Region had an extra reason to take notice. Awkwafina (born Nora Lum), a University at Albany graduate, took home a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in The Farewell. Awkwafina became the first person of Asian descent to win in the leading actress category at the Golden Globes.
“I’d like to dedicate this to my dad,” the actress told the crowd gathered at the Beverly Hilton Hotel during her acceptance speech. “I told you I’d get a job, dad.” The New York native went on to dedicate the award to her grandmother and mother, whom she said she hoped were “watching from somewhere up above.”
Directed by Lulu Wang, The Farewell is a comedy-drama about a young artist who journeys to China ahead of her grandmother’s imminent death. The film is based on a true story first told by Wang on NPR’s This American Life podcast.
Awkwafina grew up in Queens and left her mark on the Capital Region as a journalism major at UAlbany. During her time as a student there, she landed an internship at the Times Union, writing a number of articles for the local periodical. After graduating, she launched her acting career on YouTube, posting comedic rap videos that eventually fetched her acting roles in big-screen successes such as Oceans Eight and Crazy Rich Asians.
It seems like forever ago, but remember that massive snowstorm that hit Saratoga Springs back in early December? Besides making parking even more of a headache in town, it also led to the cancellation of one of Caffè Lena’s most highly anticipated events: the Sons of Serendip, a critically acclaimed classical-crossover quartet, who met at Boston University and gained national attention on reality series America’s Got Talent (on which they placed fourth during Season 9).
The band has released a trio of full-length albums, including a popular Christmas album, over the five years. They most recently released a lush cover of British pop band Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” and an original single, “Love You Still.”
The group will be playing two shows, one at 5pm, another at 7:30pm. For more information on the show and to purchase tickets, click here.
Monday, January 6
Don’t miss an evening filled with dancing during Swing Night at CM Fine Arts in Clifton Park
Saratoga Arts kicks off its first Open Studio Figure Drawing session of the year with classes every Monday
Tuesday, January 7
Going to become a new mommy or daddy soon? Head over to Saratoga Hospital for Expectant Parent Night
The Saratoga Stryders Book Club will meet at the Palette Cafe in Saratoga to discuss Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall
Wednesday, January 8
Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and show up at the Palette Cafe in Saratoga for its True Crime Meetup
Get your trivia on at Brown’s Brewing Co.’s (Walloomsac Taproom) weekly Trivia Night
Every first Wednesday of the month, Caffè Lena hosts its Poetry Open Mic Night, this month hosted by Rana Bitar
New York City’s 2020 Winter JazzFest kicks off with two weeks of the Big Apple’s best jazz performers
Thursday, January 9
Catch Sean Kelly, lead singer of the beloved ’90s alternative band The Samples, live at Caffè Lena
Bring your guitar, fiddle or banjo as Alan Epstein leads a Winer Bluegrass Jam at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls
Fans of theater, musicals and opera won’t want to miss the Prototype Festival, which kicks off this weekend in Manhattan
Friday, January 10
Head over to Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga for an evening in conversation with children’s book author Karen Magnus Beil, who has coauthored a new book, What Linnaeus Saw: A Scientist’s Quest to Name Every Living Thing, with author Steve Sheinkin
Turn back the clock to the ’60s with the Simon & Garfunkel Story on the main stage at Proctors
Ten years ago, tragedy transformed the lives of a local television reporter and his family. Mark Mulholland, who covers Saratoga Springs and the North Country for NBC affiliate NewsChannel 13, lost his wife, Kelly, to breast cancer. Kelly was just 37 at the time and the mother to two young children, Connor and McKenna. Mulholland and his kids decided to turn their loss into Kelly’s Angels, a nonprofit charity that raises funds for Capital Region kids and families impacted by cancer and other serious illnesses. This January marks the nonprofit’s 10th anniversary, and to celebrate the achievement, Kelly’s Angels is throwing a “10 Years of Love Gala” at Saratoga’s Canfield Casino on Saturday, January 18.
“This is going to be a big party,” says Mulholland, who founded Kelly’s Angels in January 2009. “This gala will pay tribute to all of our contributors and friends whose generosity has made possible all of the help we’ve given local kids and families so far.” The 10 Years of Love Gala will feature a cocktail hour, with a signature cocktail, a gourmet dinner catered by Longfellow’s and live music by Capital Region band the Audiostars. Since it’s a kids-focused charity, Mulholland also invited string players from Saratoga Springs High School to perform both classical and fiddle-inspired music during the cocktail hour.
Mark Mulholland, with his late wife, Kelly, and their children, Connor (right) and McKenna (left).
For the past decade, Kelly’s Angels has been helping local children who’ve lost a parent or sibling to cancer with what it calls “Fun Grants.” Potential recipients fill out an application online, and the grants go toward essentially whatever will lighten a child’s heart, whether that be meeting Scooby-Doo at the Great Escape or going on a shopping spree in New York City. “We wanted to put smiles on the faces of kids who’ve endured some dark times, some grief, some mourning,” says Mulholland. “We’ve done that, and we continue to do that.”
Over the last decade, the entirely volunteer-based organization has helped bring joy to around 130 Capital Region kids and families. That figure doesn’t include college scholarships that Kelly’s Angels gives to graduating seniors at area high schools as well. “My late wife Kelly was a teacher in the Saratoga Springs School District, so we thought Saratoga Spring High School would be a great place to start out,” says Mulholland. The local nonprofit now annually gives out $20,000 in scholarships to seniors across the Capital Region.
In recent years, Kelly’s Angels also expanded to include families that are currently battling cancer or struggling with other life-threatening illnesses, too. With “Angel Aid,” the nonprofit provides financial assistance to families, doing everything from helping them make ends meet to paying for family vacations. “We sent a family to a Notre Dame football game, and recently even to Universal Studios,” says Mulholland. “[It goes to] anything that will brighten the lives of people who are really struggling.”
Mulholland’s looking forward to the big gala on January 18. In addition to raising a lot of funds, he’s hoping that the gala will raise awareness for the nonprofit. “We’re always looking for kids and families to help,” says Mulholland. “We don’t like to hang onto the money. We like to send it off and do good things with it as soon as we raise it.”
Caroline Street may be party central in Saratoga Springs, but one new business set to open on the famous stretch is looking to offer a slightly chiller vibe on Friday and Saturday nights. saratoga living has learned that Soundbar Saratoga, a new live music hotspot and hangout lounge, will be coming soon to 6 Caroline Street, where The Reserve Night Club used to be, with an official grand opening planned for Friday, February 7.
“We’re looking for a little bit of an older crowd,” says Brian Miller, Soundbar Saratoga’s marketing director. “It’ll be a place to hang out downtown where people aren’t going to be bumped into, where they can be comfortable in their own skin.”
So what kind of sounds will the new lounge be serving up? The answer is a little bit for everyone. There will be live music every Friday and Saturday from 8-11pm, with a DJ afterward playing mostly “old-school, throwback music,” per Miller. Soundbar will feature the region’s top DJ and party band talent such as Funk Evolution, Cedar Creek and The Refrigerators. There are also already some fun events in the works, including a “Just Beat It” Mardi Gras Party on February 29; a “Parents Night Out” on March 7; and “Crash My Country” nights, a monthly (or possibly, biweekly) series of nothing but live country music kicking off with Skeeter Creek, True Grit and other groups on March 20.
As for victuals and beverages, Miller says that there’ll be quite a bit of that as well. “We’re doing a tiki-influenced cocktail menu: rum drinks, painkillers, Mai Tais and more,” he says. In addition to some rum-rich cocktails, there’ll beer, wine and a signature Soundbar Moscow Mule (vodka, pineapple juice, ginger beer, blue curaçao and fresh lime juice). The live music venue is also considering partnering with a nearby restaurant to offer tasty takeout bites as well.
Miller has been in the bar business for almost eight years now, working at 6 Caroline Street when it was The Reserve and, before that, The Paddock. The Upstate native grew up in Johnstown, about 45 minutes west of Saratoga, with Soundbar’s owner Josh Loucks, who also bought The Bourbon Room, right next door at 8 Caroline Street, in 2016.
“You have to constantly evolve to stay on that street or else the next person will come in and put you out of business,” says Miller of his years in the business on Caroline. “You have to refresh yourself every three years, and it’s nice to be able to do that. As I get older, it’s nice to be able to evolve and provide something that I enjoy doing right now.”
As for the grand opening on February 7, Miller says to expect live music from local premier party band Cryin’ Out Loud, plus a bunch of fun giveaways. A portion of the proceeds from Soundbar’s opening night will also be donated to the Saratoga Senior Center.
