Google the name “Michael Abraham” and you are likely to come up with:
Michael Abraham, Chicago area architect, who designs “high-end residential spaces that look to the past but are decidedly contemporary.” At least, that’s what the brochure says.
Then there is Michael Abraham – Dr. Abraham to you – an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he specializes in procedures like aneurysm coiling, intra-arterial stroke treatment, and tumor embolization. Yeah, he’s a brain surgeon.
Michael Abraham of Montgomery County in Virginia is a travel writer who describes himself as “the Studs Terkel of Appalachia.” Michael Abraham is a professor of music production and engineering at the Berklee conservatory in Boston. And, for sports fans, Michael Abraham is a 6-3, 230-pound all-conference running back with the Fighting Pioneers of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore.
With just a little refinement in the search line, however – something like “Michael Abraham Eclipse Award finalist” – Michael Abraham pops as the man who bred champion Lookin At Lucky to the Awesome Again mare Issues and came up with a foal eventually named Accelerate. That’s the Michael Abraham we’re looking for.
Abraham’s name alongside those of John Gunther and WinStar Farm as finalists for champion breeder of 2018 might come as a surprise to those of us who tend to save the breeding line for last. Gunther was responsible for Triple Crown winner Justify and WinStar bred the winners of more than $8.4 million, so they figured. But as the odds-on choice as champion older dirt male and a finalist for Horse of the Year, Accelerate also had coattails long enough to pull his breeder into the spotlight for the Eclipse Awards dinner at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24.
“It was a surprise and an honor,” said Abraham, a native of New Mexico. “I was in Kentucky for sales when they announced it, and there were a lot of people congratulating me I didn’t even know.”
That happens, but Abraham is hardly a mystery man in breeding circles. He once had a $2.7 million sale topper, and currently has 30 Thoroughbred mares on the boil in Kentucky and another 60 Quarter Horse mares in New Mexico.
Abraham bought Issues in foal to Scat Daddy at Keeneland for $25,000 in 2011, before Scat Daddys became gold. In addition to Accelerate, Issues has produced a stream of good ones and is due to foal a Curlin this year.
“Her most recent foal is a Bernardini colt I repurchased at Keeneland,” Abraham said. “This one I’m going to keep to race. He’s 2, but he’s a June foal, so I’ll take my time.”
Accelerate was a May foal, and after the horse was purchased for $380,000 by Pete and Kosta Hronis, trainer John Sadler took his time. Accelerate’s maiden win – by 8 1/2 lengths – did not come until the summer of his 3-year-old season at Del Mar. Abraham, who markets his horses far and wide, happened to be in town for the race.
“That’s the only time I’ve seen him run in person,” the breeder said. “After he started winning without me there, I figured it was best to just stay away. I’m a little bit superstitious.”
As a result, Abraham was in a Lexington, Ky., hotel room screaming to the rafters as Accelerate nailed down his 5-year-old campaign with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last November. His breeder will continue to maintain his superstitious distance for both Thursday’s Eclipse Awards and the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream on Jan. 26, in which Accelerate will be favored.
Abraham got his first taste of the game at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in his native Albuquerque. He claimed a Quarter Horse with a friend, had some success, then claimed a Thoroughbred named Gaelic Sue and boarded her at a farm north of town that was on its way to going belly up. So he bought the farm, populated it with a few mares, and the rest is history.
Abraham’s origin story is spiced by a father, also Michael Abraham, who made and lost a series of fortunes in the Southwest with oil and gas, saloons, amusement parks, and a cab company.
“My dad was always on the road,” Abraham said. “At one time or another he went from the bottom of the valley to the top of the hill and back again. But I wouldn’t have changed anything.”
Horses, real estate, and sporting art occupy Abraham’s considerable energies these days, although he is quick to point out that “I don’t really have a 9-to-5 job.”
The crown jewels of his art collection are more then a hundred original paintings by LeRoy Nieman, who died in 2012.
“I have his Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, his original Churchill Downs, and one titled ‘The Preakness,’ with Sunday Silence and Easy Goer coming down the stretch,” Abraham said. “I think boxing and horse racing were his two favorite sports.”
In one of those moments of blissful coincidence, Abraham once met Nieman at a University of New Mexico basketball game. The artist, complete with flowing moustache and sketch pad, was sitting nearby.
“I introduced myself, and I told him I had 52 of his originals,” Abraham said. “He looked at me and said, ‘You’ve got a good eye.’”
Talk about a “win” at the right “place.” The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will unveil its inaugural “Photo Finish” photography exhibit on Sunday, January 20, in the Museum’s von Stade Gallery. The show of horse-themed images marks the museum’s first juried photography exhibition in more than a decade, and will feature 45 photos by 33 photographers from across the US and Canada.
Victoria Reisman, Curator at the Museum of Racing, says the popularity of the last juried photography series—”Winning Colors,” which ran through 2004—was a big reason why the museum decided to try the concept again. The name “Winning Colors” was switched to “Photo Finish” to coincide with the museum’s annual backstretch photography tours of the same name. ‘There was an interest in bringing [“Winning Colors”] back, especially among the participants of our ‘Photo Finish’ photography tours,” says Reisman. “So we made a plan to reintroduce it into our schedule to see what the response would be.”
The “Photo Finish” exhibition at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. (Brien Bouyea)
Last August, the Museum of Racing announced a call for submissions, the only requirement being that each submitted photo have some relation to the sport of American Thoroughbred racing. The museum ended up with 159 submissions. From this group, a panel of judges comprised of experts and professionals from the Saratoga arts and racing communities selected 45 photos. Reisman is impressed with the final collection. “The exhibition features a good mixture of both amateur and professional photographers,” she says. “It’s interesting to see how everyone interpreted the theme.”
After the exhibition’s opening this Sunday, the photographs displayed in the von Stade gallery will also be viewable on the museum’s website, in addition to 26 online-only photos. In all, “Photo Finish” represents 59 photographers from 15 states and one Canadian province. The exhibition will be open to the public through Saturday, March 9. Admission to the Museum of Racing is $10 for adults and $5 for students. Seniors (55 and older), museum members and children under 5 get in for free.
Ever since I got my driver’s license at age 16—and had the means to transport myself around—I’ve volunteered some of my time picking up trash like cans and plastic bags off of the side of the road or along my favorite hiking spots. That said, I can’t say that I’ve never used plastic bags, especially for a quick stop at the convenience store or when I just forget my beloved, reusable Aldi bags at home (those things are practically bottomless). When I do get plastic bags, it’s hard to get rid of them—at least in a sanitary way.
To that point, on January 15, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released his proposed 2019 budget, which included a ban on single-use plastic bags in addition to an expansion in the state’s five-cent, recyclable bottle deposit. Efforts to regulate the use of plastic bags have been discussed for years in New York State (Governor Cuomo first proposed a ban last April), and statewide plastic bag bans have already taken effect in Hawaii and California.
Though they’re much cheaper to produce than paper bags, the vast majority of plastic bags aren’t biodegradable, either ending up as litter or in landfills. And like plastic straws, which came under intense (and sudden) public scrutiny last year, plastic bags have a big environmental impact, contributing to the growing amount of plastics in our oceans and global biomes. The New York City Department of Sanitation alone spends around $12.5 million a year on the handling and disposal of plastic bags. But what would a plastic bag ban look like for shoppers here in Saratoga, who depend on these bags to, well, schlep handfuls of goodies and necessities from local businesses to their homes?
For some stores, such as Healthy Living Market at the Wilton Mall, a plastic bag ban wouldn’t mean much of a change at all. The family-owned, Vermont-based grocery store (with a home office in South Burlington, VT) specializes in healthy, locally- and consciously-sourced foods. The Wilton store phased out its plastic bags at checkout around three years ago. “People that shop here generally really care about their carbon footprint, and they’re concerned about the environment as a whole,” says Duane Hendershot, General Manager of the Wilton store. “So I think that the shoppers we have here will be pretty receptive to a [statewide plastic bag] ban.”
In addition to eliminating its plastic bags at checkout, Healthy Living tries to minimize its reliance on plastic bags in other departments, such as meat or produce. All of Healthy Living’s disposable flatware, plates and to-go containers are made from plant fiber and are entirely compostable, and the majority of behind-the-counter containers are plant-based as well. The store also incentivizes its customers to bring in reusable bags by offering a ten-cent discount for every bag. “People need to get into the habit of using reusable bags,” says Hendershot. “It’s really important for the environment, not just from the standpoint of plastic bags but reusing everything and really trying to minimize what we’re putting in a landfill.” However, as Hendershot points out, Healthy Living caters to a customer base that’s already searching for a “greener” shopping experience (and willing to pay a higher price for it).
While Healthy Living has just the two locations, how might a statewide plastic bag ban affect Stewart’s Shops, which operates 335 stores throughout New York and Vermont? “The plastic bag ban would definitely impact Stewart’s Shops,” says Erica Komoroske, a spokesperson for the company. “Our walking customers definitely rely on the convenience of our plastic bags, so for them, especially, it would be a huge detriment.” Like Healthy Living, Stewart’s Shops has already gone to great lengths to try to reduce its plastic and carbon footprint. Komoroske points out that the emblematic Stewart’s white plastic bag is actually thicker than your average plastic bag and is intended to be reused multiple times. Furthermore, all of the bags at Stewart’s are recyclable, and their stores do sell a reusable, tote-style bag for just $0.99 (all shops also offer optional paper bags and a discounted price on coffee for reusable mugs). “We always make a conscious effort to protect the environment and to recycle and reuse whenever possible,” says Komoroske.
However, for Stewart’s to transition over to an entirely plastic-free environment would be costly and likely translate to some higher prices for customers. “If costs do increase, depending on how large the cost is, yes, it could affect the customer,” says Komoroske. Stewart’s Shops wouldn’t be alone in this regard. Many other stores from mom-and-pop shops to mega shopping centers and fast-food chains will be forced to make the same pricing considerations should a statewide plastic bag ban go into effect.
It’s worth noting that Cuomo’s budget didn’t specifically define what qualified a “single-use plastic bag.” The bill that the governor introduced last April had a number of exemptions, including takeout bags used by restaurants and newspaper bags, among others. Until more details are available, it’s not clear how big of an impact the governor’s proposed plastic bag ban would have on the wallets of consumers and businesses. Speaking for this reporter, ban or no ban, I’m going to continue my community service of garbage collecting. And who knows, very soon I might be seeing (and picking up) fewer plastic bags.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has indicated that he wants the state’s gambling regulator to press ahead and authorize sports betting at four upstate casinos, a plan that would, for now, leave a number of interested parties, including the state’s racetracks, on the outside looking in.
In his budget address Tuesday night, Cuomo endorsed sports betting at the four upstate casinos that were authorized in a ballot measure in 2013. That measure included language allowing for sports betting at the new casinos provided federal legislation banning states from authorizing the practice was voided. That happened last May with a Supreme Court decision.
“We invested in upstate casinos,” Cuomo said in his budget address. “Let’s authorize sports betting at the upstate casinos. It’s here, it’s a reality, and it will help generate activity in those casinos.”
Cuomo’s plan would, at least temporarily, sideline the various players in New York that are also seeking sports betting, including the New York Racing Association, which operates New York’s three most prominent racetracks and hosts the most lucrative casino on the East Coast at its Aqueduct property. Other casino operators and the state’s offtrack betting corporations are also lobbying to get authorization for sports betting.
The New York State Gaming Commission, which regulates betting in the state, has been drafting regulations that would allow the four upstate casinos to offer sports betting, but it is not yet clear when those regulations might be presented for adoption. The commission is scheduled to meet Jan. 28.
Cuomo’s plan would restrict sports betting to people who are physically at the four casino locations, and his budget director said this week that the administration believes that a constitutional amendment would be necessary in order to expand sports betting any further afield than the four casinos.
Authorizing sports wagering at the casinos would also likely allow the state’s Native American casinos to offer sports bets, due to state and federal regulations that allow Native American operations to offer any type of gambling that is legal for other operators in the state. There are six Native American casinos in New York.
Last year, a bill that would have allowed sports betting in the state did not proceed to a vote, but legislators are expected to address bills on the topic during this year’s session. On Tuesday, the day of Cuomo’s address, Sen. Joseph Addabbo, who recently took over as chairman of the state Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, introduced a bill calling for a constitutional amendment that would legalize sports betting at racetracks, offtrack betting facilities, and all of the state’s casinos.
Due to New York’s legislative rules, any legislation calling for a constitutional amendment has to pass in two consecutive legislative sessions, so the earliest that an amendment could be placed on the ballot would be 2021.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I wanted to be a rock star. I bought the requisite gear, put an ad up on Craigslist and waited. Eventually, I connected with three like-minded souls—a female lead singer/rhythm guitarist, a badass bassist (he’d lost his arm to a cluster bomb in the Bosnian War) and the best drummer I’ve ever played with, who hailed from Buffalo—and became the lead guitarist/backing vocalist. We called ourselves OFFICERBLUE (after the XTC song), rented a practice space, wrote songs together, played shows all over Brooklyn, did a professional photo shoot and released an EP (you can still find it on Spotify). It really felt like we were going somewhere.
We played our farewell show—none of us knew it at the time—at a buzzing Brooklyn venue, which has since been gutted and is now part of Vice headquarters. But for about 45 minutes that night, I was in rock heaven, playing and singing my heart out to a sizable crowd of hipsters, parents and significant others. And then, just like that, it was over.
Unlike OFFICERBLUE, these local bands and solo artists are still “living the dream.” Did I mention that they’re all either women solo artists or female-fronted bands? I hope they all find success out there in the cluttered world of streaming services and endless touring. And I hope you become a fast fan of their wonderful work, just as I did, putting this list together.
Girl Blue – I caught Albany’s Arielle O’Keefe (a.k.a. Girl Blue) opening for Justin Townes Earle at Caffè Lena this past December, and I was immediately hooked. (In some ways, her act was even stronger than the headliner’s.) The room fell eerily silent during her set, because the gathered crowd knew they were in the presence of something special. At the time, it was just her and a guitar, but if you listen to her growing catalog—say, 2017’s seven-song set, I Am Not a Star, or 2018’s single “Lolita”—you get a better feel for her style: a minimalist electro-pop faux fur coat draped over the shoulders of her powder-keg powerful vocals.
Belle-Skinner – Originally hailing from Upstate New York but now based in Brooklyn, Maria Brosgol, who goes by the stage name Belle-Skinner, plays lushly orchestrated indie-folk, accompanied by a classical guitar. (See Joan Baez, Nick Drake and the depresso side of Paul Simon.) Take some time with her seven-song set, We Shut Our Eyes (2016), which will leave you wanting a whole lot more. As luck would have it, she’s launched an IndieGoGo page to finance for her as-yet-untitled debut album (she’s more than halfway to her goal).
Maryleigh Roohan – If you were one of the lucky ones to get ahold of Saratogian Maryleigh Roohan’s 2014 album Skin and Bone, then read no further. You already know what’s up. But for those of you unfamiliar with the folk-ified/alt-country singer-songwriter, you’re in for a major treat. She followed that first record up with a five-song EP, Living Alone (2015), and has since released dribs and drabs. (Maybe there’s another full-length in the making? Fingers crossed if there is.) So what if she relocated to Los Angeles? She’s still Saratoga’s to boast about.
Candy Ambulance -A female-fronted grunge band from Saratoga, you say? Sign me right the eff up. Definitely cut from the same cloth as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs—with a hefty helping of distortion à la Nirvana, the Sub Pop years—Candy Ambulance will knock your socks off, pour gasoline all over your bare feet and light them ablaze. The band’s catalog currently consists of 2016’s six-song I Feel Fantastic, a few singles and then last year’s Spray, another satisfyingly scorching six songs.
Julia Alsarraf – Originally from Houston, TX, but an RPI grad who stuck around in Troy, Alsarraf has been making the rounds on the local scene (she played the City Art Fair in Albany last September) and dropped in for a session on local radio station 97.7 WEXT last September. (As far as I can tell, that’s the only recorded music she has online at the moment.) That’s where we discovered her powerful, soulful vocals, which seamlessly cross genre lines. She’s also been part of a duo called Left to Write, which has a number of recorded songs to its name. Click on the WEXT link to hear her wonderful set.
Zan & The Winter Folk – When I was growing up, Troy was known for its hardcore scene (i.e. Troycore). But it’s quickly become a magnet for indie musicians, each of whom bring a different level of expertise to the table. If there were ever a contest for “Best Guitarist Name,” Zan Strumfeld would win, hands down. Her and her bluegrass/folk band, aptly named The Winter Folk, released a delightful three-song EP, Your Girl No More, last year (check out “In the Kitchen”), and the year before, Strumfeld released her own solo debut, Book of Belonging (also worth an e-spin). Plus, she’s a freelance writer during the day, so that tips her over the edge for me (I’m kind of biased).
Taylor Wing – Having returned recently from a two-week getaway in Hawaii, where I came this close to buying a ukulele, I’m now having uke withdrawal. I think I need to get a hold of one. But until then, I’ll be listening to the incredibly talented Taylor Wing (just 22), who strums a mean uke and accompanies it with her cathedral quality pipes. When you listen to Wing’s stuff, I’d suggest investing in a seatbelt for that desk chair. ‘Cause you’re gonna be blown away.
The Sea The Sea – Have you been waiting for the next Phantogram to spring out of Upstate New York? Look no further. Troy’s The Sea The Sea—originally a duo consisting of Mira Stanley and Chuck E. Costa, which has since ballooned into a quartet—is just what the doctor ordered. But unlike the mostly one-sided (female) vocals of Phantogram, The Sea The Sea weaves together a latticework of harmonies between Stanley and Costa that remind me at times of the Civil Wars (when they were still together), and at others, middle aughts indies such as Band of Horses. If you’re wondering about their complete oeuvre, it’s spectacular: Get ready to spend forever with 2014’s Love We Are We Love, 2016’s In The Altogether and 2018’s From the Light.
This Monday, January 21, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (MLK Day). This year would’ve marked Dr. King’s 90th birthday, and in honor of the late Civil Rights leader and American icon, many across the nation will be performing charitable acts and volunteering their time to those most in need in their communities. Saratoga Springs alone has a whole weekend of special events and actions planned to memorialize Dr. King in advance of MLK Day, and saratoga living has the breakdown of events for you below.
For MLK weekend, events and celebrations begin Friday, January 18, with the 4th Annual Dr. King Challenge, an evening of powerful spoken-word performances and songs against social injustice held at the Holiday Inn. The Challenge will feature an hour and a half of free live performances by regional rappers, actors, poets and vocalists, and will close out with world beat jazz band HEARD. There will also be an “invite” reception at 7pm in the Win and Place Room of the Holiday Inn (be sure to RSVP) before the event officially kicks off at 8pm in the Daily-Double Room.
Three events are planned for Saturday, January 19, and they’re all at Caffè Lena. From 3-4pm will be “Shout It Out!,” a historical and interactive program of African-America music with Saratoga singer-songwriter and soul master Garland Nelson. Yaddo will then present “Empowering Artists of Color” from 5-6:30pm. Watch a vibrant discussion about uplifting marginalized voices with Yaddo artist and award-winning poet and writer Kima Jones. Lastly, starting at 7:30pm, will be a 40-minute staged reading of “Our Now.” This one-act play about race, class and gender was written by local female community activists and is presented by Capital Region theater troupe Creative Action Unlimited.
Saratoga’s MLK weekend will close out with two more events on Sunday, January 20. From 2-4:30pm at the Saratoga Springs Library will be a Workshop on Equity, Inclusion, and Understanding Implicit Bias. This informative and interactive workshop is free but RSVP only, so don’t wait to request a reservation. Also on Sunday will be two great performances, back-to-back, at The Parting Glass. At 7pm will be a tribute to Aretha Franklin and her contributions to the Civil Rights and Women’s Liberation movements performed by Penny Meacham, Sister Lucille Taylor and Donald “The Soul Man” Hyman. The Franklin tribute will be followed by the lively, soul-style gospel music of The Heavenly Echoes. The show runs from 7:30-9pm, and dancing is strongly encouraged.
There will also be events on MLK Day, including a Monday Community Celebration, hosted by Garland Nelson, 2-4pm at the Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, in addition to An Evening with Daryl Davis, 7:30pm at Caffè Lena. Davis is an African-American blues musician and activist who’s worked with many famous musicians including Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King.
And these are just the events for MLK Day weekend! Don’t forget to check out these other great happenings in the Capital Region.
Last week in the Putnam Market Wine Room, several cases of merlot and cabernet sauvignon were delivered from the same wine producer—but they arrived in different bottles. One was a little taller and made with thicker glass, while the other, not so much. I weighed the two bottles: The bottle of merlot weighed in at 2.76 lbs and the cabernet sauvignon, at 3.10 lbs.
It seems reasonable to assume that by using two separate weights of wine bottles, the producer would be adding some complexity and cost to its bottling process. One might also assume that there’s a return on investment here, and there is: Consumers actually associate a heavy bottle with higher quality wine.
Professor Charles Spence, in the experimental psychology department at the University of Oxford, says that lightness is associated with cheapness, and even the most expensive wines will give their drinkers less pleasure if they’re served from a plastic container. Speaking at a science festival in the West of England, Professor Spence said: “If you want your guests to enjoy their gin and tonics, then make sure they have a heavy glass. The psychological effect means it tastes significantly better. Lightness is associated with flimsiness, poor quality and cheapness. People feel it is more disposable. People will tend to go for the heavier bottle, as they think it will taste better.”
What about beer? “If you drink beer out of a bottle, it tastes better than from a can,” says Spence. “That is because it is heavier in the hand, and people associate it with higher quality. But if you poured the beer from the bottle and the can into identical glasses, people would say it tastes the same.”
To sum things up, if you want your guests to enjoy themselves as much as possible, serve all drinks in the heaviest glasses you own, and if you’ve bought wine in a heavy bottle, let your guests hold it before you serve its contents. At least psychologically speaking, you’ll be the host of the year.
Eight-year-old Nik Bradigan Ritopecki is a resourceful young Saratogian. During the last few years, Ritopecki saved his birthday money and operated his own small business—a corner lemonade stand where veterans, firemen and police officers drink for free—and managed to amass more than $2000. So, on January 14, with two little silver briefcases filled with cash and rolled coins, the industrious Ritopecki headed to Downtown Saratoga Springs accompanied by his mother, Carly Connors, and grandmother, Laura Bradigan, to open his first-ever savings account at the Adirondack Trust Company on Broadway.
While most of us adults choose banks based on favorable interest rates or how convenient the location is to our place of work, Ritopecki had a much easier time making up his mind about where he wanted to bring his banking business: According to his mom, he’s been more than a little obsessed with the bank’s white marble, Art Deco facade, and that made for a suitable enough deciding factor for him. “He’s always been intrigued with this bank, because he thinks it looks like the White House,” says Bradigan, whose own grandmother opened up a savings account for her at a bank in Albany when she was just eight.
In this age of banking apps, mobile deposits and digital payment options—not to mention the seemingly endless glut of supersized national banks run by branch managers you might never meet—you hear less and less about these types of coming-of-age moments. And Ritopecki’s didn’t come without some welcome pomp and circumstance, which arguably, only a community bank could offer, to add some formality to the occasion: The bank’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Charles V. Wait, met and spent time with the boy, his mother and grandmother at the bank. That’s something a small community bank like Adirondack Trust Company can afford to do for clients, because, well, it’s relationships, like the bank’s brand-new one with Ritopecki (and his family), that will keep the bank open for generations to come.
(from left) Charles V. Wait, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Adirondack Trust Company, meets with Ritopecki, his mother and grandmother. (Gabriella Boschetti)
Needless to say, the kid’s onto something with his choice. The Adirondack Trust Company was founded in 1901 on the corner of Broadway and Church Street, in the exact spot where the current building stands. It wouldn’t be until 1916, though, that its signature exterior, made out of Vermont marble, and interior, of Italian marble, would be constructed (ditto on adding those giant gold chandeliers and original brass tables for bankers’ deposit slips). And it’s been an integral part of Saratoga for decades longer than most of its local counterparts. “The purpose of this bank is to take the funds from the people in the community and reinvest them in that community,” says Wait, who’s a third-generation banker there and whose son also works there. “We give lots of loans to this community, not necessarily because it’s always really profitable, but because it’s going to matter to this community.” For example, in 1997, with a loan from the Adirondack Trust Company, Kathleen and Noel Smith were able to open the Saratoga Arms, turning what was a dilapidated building in the heart of Downtown Saratoga into a profitable and unique hotel.
But the bank’s bread and butter isn’t just in helping to revitalize the community’s businesses; the Adirondack Trust Company also invests in the community by giving out more than half a million dollars a year to local nonprofits in Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties. The bank has even developed its own Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund (ATCCF) in 2009, along with an annual “Autumn of Giving” campaign every October, during which money is raised by the community and is matched by the bank. The funds go towards local nonprofits. The bank also invests in its own employees, providing each of them with shares in the bank. And many of them reinvest their funds (and/or time) in the community, too. “We once put a chart on the wall, and we had more than 100 employees who were actively involved in a board of some sort,” says Stephan R. von Schenk, President and CEO of Adirondack Trust Company. “That includes everything from the local little league to Saratoga Hospital and all the way up to the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where Charles [Wait] served on the board for many years.”
That sense of commitment to the community brings us full circle back to young Ritopecki, who not only successfully opened that first savings account, but also got a tour of the Adirondack Trust Company by Wait and von Schenk. For nearly half an hour, the eight year old got to explore the bank’s lodge-style boardroom, its 118-year-old vault that’s still in use today and even Wait’s office. Given all the important lessons learned and the incredibly warm reception Ritopecki received, would it surprise you to learn that he’s already considering a future in banking?
Three things I couldn’t get enough while growing up here in Saratoga Springs? The World Wrestling Federation (WWF), G.I. Joe toys and the Boston Red Sox. Most Saturday mornings, you could find me sprawled out on my parent’s worn-out, mustard-colored couch (RIP), watching soon-to-be-legendary wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, The Fabulous Moolah and Andre The Giant body slamming one another in the ring. You could also find me on the living room rug squaring off with my older brother in an epic battle of G.I. Joe versus Cobra (I always got stuck with the bad guy, and our “wars” usually ended in tears). And when I wasn’t watching wrestling or doing my best Cobra Commander voice, I was rooting for the Red Sox.
Starting in 1985 and running for several years afterwards, two of my favorite pastimes converged: The WWF did a cross-promotion with toymaker Hasbro, adding wrestler Sgt. Slaughter—sort of this maniacal, badass drill sergeant character—to the ranks of the G.I. Joe toy line, giving him, first, his own mail-away action figure in ’85, and then in ’86, one you could buy right in the toy store. Slaughter came by himself or with a few different vehicle play sets. (My preferred point of purchase was Toys For Joy on Broadway in Saratoga; I still dream about its rows and rows of toys to this day.)
That same year Slaughter hit Saratoga stores was also a rather depressing one for us Red Sox fans. The team had won the pennant and was riding the arm of star pitching phenom William “Roger” Clemens (my hero at the time; we shared the same name), among others, into the World Series versus a formidable New York Mets team. And, well, it looked like the Sox were going to win it all—until the 10th inning of Game 6, when the Mets’ Mookie Wilson hit a slow grounder down the first-base line, and it trickled through Buckner’s legs, scoring the winning run. Of course, that didn’t lose them the Series, but it sounded the death knell for the Sox’s momentum, basically icing them in Game 7. It was a lot for a little kid to take in, and I’m sure I didn’t understand why the Sox lost. (Much later in life, I’d get the chance to interview Buckner and Wilson at the same time. I can dig up a copy of the interview if you’re interested in reading it; it never made it online.) At some point, I just went back to playing with my G.I. Joe figures and watching Saturday morning wrestling and forgot the whole thing happened.
Why the big overture? As luck would have it, those three childhood memories will now be Voltron-ing together in nearby Colonie this February. Heroes Hideout, a vintage and modern toy store in Colonie Center, will be hosting an in-store appearance by Sgt. Slaughter on Sunday, February 10, then one with Mets pitching great and ’86 World Series champ Dwight “Doc” Gooden on Sunday, February 17. (Gooden’s also a big deal for the New York Yankees’ faithful, as he pitched a no-hitter for the team and won a pair of championship rings with them.)
It goes without saying that it’ll cost you to see these guys in the flesh. Gooden’s asking $25 for autographs and the same amount for a professionally shot photo (if I were a Mets fan, I’d opt for the selfie; you can purchase both for $40). And Gooden’s also doing inscriptions for $15 a pop, or two for $25. (That means, he’ll write something like “Rookie of the Year 1984” or “Dr. K” on your baseball or 33-year-old Mets underpants.) By means of comparison, Sgt. Slaughter, er, commands a heftier rate, charging $30 per autograph, $40 for a professionally shot photo op and $60 for a combo of the two.
Either way, you know I’ll try to be there. Because, sometimes, things happen for a reason.
There’s a certain bumper sticker that Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), still remembers from her mother’s car when she was growing up in North Carolina. “It read: Truth is one, paths are many,” Sobol tells saratoga living. “I was a young kid, but that bumper sticker so intrigued me that I’ve used that saying during my career.” Sobol feels that creating new and exciting concert experiences is essential for classical music programming these days. “[Nowadays], people come to classical music through film scores, video games [and] all sorts of different ways,” says Sobol. “We have to provide different paths for people to come into classical music.”
In that spirit, Saratoga Springs’ world-class performing arts center is fully embracing a theme of new compositions and SPAC premieres with its 2019 classical music season.The full summer schedule launches today (January 13) and will present a record number of works that have never been performed on SPAC’s stage before, from masterpieces by Mozart to contemporary ones such as the 2015 Anthology of Fantastic Zoology by American composer Mason Bates. “Whoever comes through those doors, I want them to to walk away feeling like they had a gratifying and satisfying sonic experience,” says Sobol.
For the 2019 season, SPAC’s Senior Director of Artistic Planning, Chris Shiley, digitized 52 years of the center’s repertoire. This allowed Sobol and others to analyze how many times certain pieces had been played at SPAC, and which compositions, including some truly monumental works such as Mozart’s Requiem, hadn’t been played there at all. “Twenty-nineteen is the year when we’re really able to bring new programs to SPAC that have never been performed here,” Sobol tells saratoga living. “And they’re works that need to be heard by the SPAC audience.”
The New York City Ballet (NYCB) will kick off the classical season with four distinct and eclectic programs (July 16-20), including the beloved comic ballet Coppélia (an updated version by NYCB Co-founder George Balanchine premiered at SPAC in 1974). There will be a program highlighting three SPAC premieres by 21st-century composers, as well as an evening dedicated to Balanchine and Tchaikovsky, including Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2, a breathtaking work of virtuosity for piano, orchestra and 27 dancers. Capping off the NYCB’s stay in the Spa City will be the annual Ballet Gala with performances of Balanchine’s Apollo, Christopher Wheeldon’s This Bitter Earth and a new, as yet unnamed piece (a collaboration with Oscar-nominated composer Sufjan Stevens) by NYCB Resident Choreographer and Soloist Justin Peck.
Music Director and Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting The Philadelphia Orchestra. (Jan Regan)
In keeping with the theme of newness, the Philadelphia Orchestra’s annual residency (July 31–August 17) will present 19 SPAC premieres ranging from iconic masterworks, such as Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, to inventive new compositions. SPAC’s “Cinema Series” will also be back with an assortment of popular movie scores, including Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Disney/Pixar’s Up and Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights. Fans will be able to enjoy these great movies on the big screen while the Philadelphia Orchestra provides a live soundtrack. And conductor and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns to Saratoga to lead the Philadelphia Orchestra for its last two weeks, including the season finale, an all-Mozart night featuring the composer’s famous and haunting Requiem. Says Sobolof Nézet-Séguin’s return: “Yannick had such an incredible visit last year that he made time in his busy schedule to come up this year.” (In addition to serving as Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Nézet-Séguin took up the post of Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera last September.)
The Chamber Music Society (CMS) of Lincoln Center will close out the classical season (August 4-20) with six programs of nothing but SPAC premieres, 23 pieces in all. The works, which present a range of chamber music from around the world, with a repertoire spanning more than 250 years, will feature 24 artists from nine countries (including debut performances by four artists). Plus, there will be a first-ever performance of The Philadelphia Orchestra with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) for Wynton Marsalis’ Symphony No. 3, commonly known as the “Swing Symphony.”
Tickets will be available online at spac.org beginning on Monday, January 14 at 10am. Check out the full schedule below:
New York City Ballet: July 16 – 20
Tchaikovsky and Balanchine
Tuesday, July 16 (8pm) and Thursday, July 18 (2pm) NYCB’s opening night and Thursday matinee will celebrate the ballet company’s co-founder, Russian choreographer/dancer George Balanchine alongside one of his lifelong inspirations, Romantic-era composer Tchaikovsky. -Serenade (Tchaikovsky/Balanchine) -Mozartiana (Tchaikovsky/Balanchine) -Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 (Tchaikovsky/Balanchine)
SPAC Premieres By 21st Century Choreographers
Wednesday, July 17 (8pm) This night of all SPAC premieres will highlight three incredibly different, contemporary works, including the as-yet-unnamed Justin Peck collaboration with indie rock star Sufjan Stevens. -Varied Trio (in four) (Harrison/Frohlich) -New Work by Justin Peck (Stevens/Peck) -The Runaway (Nico Muhly, Kanye West, Jay-Z, James Blake/Abraham)
Coppélia (Delibes/Balanchine/Danilova) Thursday, July 18 (8pm), Friday, July 19 (8pm) and Saturday, July 20 (2pm) Coppélia is one of the greatest comedic ballets of the 19th century. This revised version by Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova didn’t just premiere in Saratoga in 1974, but it was also co-commissioned by SPAC.
SPAC’s NYC Ballet Gala
Saturday, July 20 (8pm) The NYCB Gala is one of the highlights of SPAC’s summer season and a must on the Saratoga social calendar with incredible food, beverages and, of course, unforgettable ballet.
–Apollo (Stravinsky/Balanchine) -This Bitter Earth (Richter,Otis/Wheeldon) -New Work by Justin Peck (Stevens/Peck)
The Philadelphia Orchestra: July 31 – August 17
Festive Fireworks
Wednesday, July 31 (8pm)
Stéphane Denève, conductor The Philadelphia Orchestra’s residency kicks off with an evening of festive pieces full of beauty, bravado and even some marching. New to the program this year will be the SPAC debut of dancers from the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO).
–Sheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)
–La Valse (Ravel)
–1812 Overture (Tchaikovsky)
Beyond Baroque Thursday, August 1 (2pm)
Stéphane Denève, conductor With this program, audiences will revisit the Baroque Era through the ears of modern composers and arrangers, such as Leopold Stokowski, former Music Director of The Philadelphia Orchestra and famed for his orchestral arrangements of popular classical pieces.
-“Adoramus te” (Palestrina/orch. Stokowski) -Le Tombeau de Couperin (Ravel)
-Suite from Pulcinella (Stravinsky)
–Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (Bach/orch. Stokowski)
–Fugue in G minor (“Little”) (Bach/orch. Stokowski)
–Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Bach/orch. Stokowski)
Songs of the Sea Friday, August 2 (8pm)
Stéphane Denève, conductor Renowned pianist Janice Carissa will make her SPAC debut performing Ravel’s jazz-inspired Piano Concerto in G major.
-“Four Sea Interludes,” from Peter Grimes (Britten)
–Piano Concerto in G major (Ravel)
-“The Sunken Cathedral,” from Preludes (Debussy/orch. Stokowski) -La Mer (Debussy)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert Saturday, August 3 (8pm)
*Conductor to be announced Audiences will be able to enjoy the magic of the first Harry Potter film projected onto the big screen at SPAC while hearing the Philadelphia Orchestra perform John Williams’ Grammy-nominated score.
Yannick Returns Wednesday, August 7 (8pm)
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns for an incredible array of Romantic-era and contemporary pieces. -Masquerade (Clyne) -Poème de l’amour et de la mer (Chausson)
–Symphony No. 1 (Rachmaninoff)
American Idylls Thursday, August 8 (8pm) Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor This program will feature three SPAC premieres by American composers, plus the truly phenomenal and effervescent symphonic poem, Fountains of Rome. -blue cathedral (Higdon) -Appalachian Spring (Copland) -Fountains of Rome (Respighi) -Anthology of Fantastic Zoology (Bates)
South American Sounds Friday, August 9 (8pm) On August 9, Peruvian conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya will be making his first-ever SPAC appearance for an evening of South American music. -Danzón No. 2 (Márquez)
–Harp Concerto (Ginastera) -Tangazo (Piazzolla)
–Perú negro (López)
Disney/Pixar’s Up in Concert Saturday, August 10 (8pm)
Constantine Kitsopoulus, conductor The Philadelphia Orchestra is proud to give the animated motion picture Up its SPAC debut on the movie’s 10th anniversary.
Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights in Concert Wednesday, August 14 (8pm)
Kensho Wantanabe, conductor
Chaplin’s famous romantic comedy, CityLights, will come to life when The Philadelphia Orchestra accompanies, performing Chaplin’s score (yes, he composed, too!).
Marsalis’ “Swing Symphony” Thursday, August 15 (8pm)
William Eddins, conductor Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO)
The “Swing Symphony” (Symphony No. 3) by Grammy Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winner Wynton Marsalis, who’s also Music Director of JLCO, will feature a first-ever performance by both JLCO and The Philadelphia Orchestra, following an opening jazz piece by the JLCO.
Jan & Yannick Friday, August 16 (8pm)
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor Making his SPAC debut is 23-year-old Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki with a performance of Edvard Greig’s very popular and dramatic Piano Concerto.
-“Prelude to Act I,” of Lohengrin (Wagner)
–Piano Concerto (Greig)
–Symphony No. 7 (Dvořák)
All Mozart Saturday, August 17 (8pm) Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor Christian Blackshaw, piano
Albany Pro Musica The Philadelphia Orchestra will conclude its three-week residency with a night of Mozart masterpieces, including the Piano Concerto No. 27, K.595 with pianist Christian Blackshaw and Mozart’s unforgettable Requiem with Albany Pro Musica.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: August 4 – 20
Thrills & Chills Sunday, August 4 (3pm) Showing off its musically eclectic nature, the Chamber Music Society (CMS) will begin its season with a little bit of everything, including works by American, German, British and French composers.
–Jeux d’eau for piano (Ravel) –Fantasy for Flute and Piano, Op. 79 (Fauré)
–Sonata for flute and piano (Poulenc)
–Capriccio for cello and piano (Foss)
–Suite for Violin and Piano, Op. 6 (Britten)
–Trio in D major for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 70, No. 1, “Ghost” (Beethoven)
Instrumental Array
Tuesday, August 6 (8pm) On August 6, the SPAC program will feature three undeniable masterpieces:
–Concerto in D minor for Keyboard, Strings, and Continuo, BWV 1052 (Bach)
–Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 (Kodály)
–Grand Nonetto in F major for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass, Op. 31 (Spohr)
Deeply Inspired
Sunday, August 11 (3pm) This program will celebrate those young musical prodigies that left their permanent mark on classical music but were lost to the world too soon.
–Trio in B-flat major for Violin, Viola, and Cello, D. 581 (Schubert)
–Concerto No. 12 in A major for Piano and String Quintet, K. 414 (Mozart)
–Trio No. 2 in C minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 66 (Mendelssohn)
International Voices
Tuesday, August 13 (8pm) SPAC’s audience will go on a sonic journey through North America and Europe in this program that celebrates the music of both cultures.
–Southland Sketches for violin and piano (Burleigh)
–Couple for cello and piano (Adolphe)
–L’Histoire du soldat (“The Soldier’s Tale”), Trio Version for violin, clarinet, and piano (Stravinsky)
-Selections from Suite populaire espagnole for violin and piano (Falla)
–Sextet in C major for Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano, Op. 37 (Dohnányi)
Vienna to Paris
Sunday, August 18 (3pm) Vienna to Paris brings to Saratoga music inspired by these two marvelous cities that, for centuries, have been the crown jewels of Europe’s classical music scene.
–Trio in C minor for Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 9, No. 3 (Beethoven)
–Quartet in G minor for Strings, Op. 10 (Debussy)
–Quartet No. 2 in A major for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 26 (Brahms)
Technical Brilliance Tuesday, August 20 (8pm) The CMS closes out its residency with a celebration of three of classical music’s most brilliant technical craftsmen, composers that left us with works of dazzling virtuosity and imagination.
–Quartet in F major for Strings, K. 590, “Prussian” (Mozart)
–Sonata No. 1 in D minor for Violin and Piano, Op. 75 (Saint-Saëns) –Sextet in A major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Two Cellos, Op. 48 (Dvořák)
