We here at saratoga living hope that you’re having a great holiday season. And with Christmas fast approaching, it’s hard to keep your social calendar on track, what with all that last-minute shopping you’re doing—including getting all your far-off family members subscriptions to saratoga living magazine! So instead of just one Editor’s Pick for this week’s Calendar, we have a weekend full of holiday themed fun, cheer, special events and parties for you to choose from.
For Friday, December 21, head up to Lake George for the Lake George Beach Club Christmas Party. The party starts at 6pm and runs until midnight, featuring two great local acts: The Stony Creek Band at 8pm and The Switch at 10pm. In Saratoga, Caffè Lena will be celebrating A Very Leonard Christmas at 8pm with the five-piece, jazzy jam band from Saratoga Springs, Let’s Be Leonard. Friday’s also the first performance of Saratoga City Ballet’s 25th Anniversary full production of The Nutcracker. Catch one of three performances Friday (7:30pm) and Saturday (2pm and 7:30pm) at The Egg in Albany. Also in Albany, the Palace Theatre is doing a screening of It’s a Wonderful Life at 7pm (tickets are only $5 a pop!). And all weekend in Saratoga (Thursday through Sunday) is a local favorite and bit of a tradition, The McKrells Xmas Show, 7pm each night at The Parting Glass.
Still looking for some last minute stocking stuffers? On Saturday, December 22, from 11am-5pm, there will be a Holiday Pop-Up, last minute dash at the Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, offering a wide array of gift ideas and holiday items. As for those who only want a few gut-busting laughs for Christmas, check out the Comedy Christmas Spectacular, 7:30pm and 9:30pm at Proctors in Schenectady. Who better to bring humor to the Holidays than Schenectady’s own Dan Frigolette (HBO’s Boardwalk) and his friends Freddy G and Gus? Fans of painting (and sipping wine) are in for a treat with the “White Christmas Paint Event,” 7-9pm at the Art in Mind Creative Wellness Studio in Glenville. Purchase beer, wine, soda, coffee or BYOB (the studio provides cups and a bottle opener). North of Saratoga, in Hudson Falls, the Strand Theatre will present “The Bluebillies Old Time Christmas Review” from 7-10pm. Expect a concert of holiday classics in addition to some lesser-known Christmas songs performed by the Bluebillies.
And Sunday, December 23, things are a little quieter in and around town, but you can still go to Schenectady’s Winter Market, inside Proctors every Sunday from 10am to 2pm. Enjoy more than 60 local vendors, plus live music and fresh food there.
Following Christmas break, students and faculty of Skidmore College will return to a completely smoke and tobacco-free campus. The liberal arts college announced on December 17 that, effective January 1, 2019, smoking, vaping and any use of tobacco, including e-cigarettes, would be prohibited on the college’s property, even in the campus’s outdoor areas, including the 150-acre North Woods. “We included e-cigarettes and vaping devices in the policy, because nicotine in any form is highly addictive,” says Cerri Banks, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs. “The smoke-free and tobacco-free policy promotes a culture of wellness and provides the community with a healthy, respectful working and learning environment.”
Skidmore’s announcement came out the same day that a federally funded study was released stating that the number of students who said they had smoked e-cigarettes or vaped had doubled since last year. (The findings are based on responses from approximately 45,000 teens in middle schools and high schools across the county.) Although it found that most teen drug use was down, the jump in vaping marks the largest single-year increase of a substance being abused in the study’s 44-year history (it also found an uptick in vaping marijuana). Back in September, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a press release calling the spike in e-cigarette use among minors an “epidemic.” The FDA fears increased vaping will lead to a rise in cigarette use, which for years has slowly been on the decline.
An example of the signage now posted on Skidmore’s campus. (Skidmore College)
In order to create an entirely smoke-free campus, Skidmore partnered with an initiative at Glens Falls Hospital called Living Tobacco-Free. This program, which works to reduce tobacco use by educating and collaborating with community leaders and local organizations, provided the college with resources and information about how to successfully plan and implement its own zero-smoking policy. “We’re extremely impressed with how dedicated, thoughtful and thorough Skidmore has been through this whole process and are thankful to be a part of this initiative,” says Brandi Bishop, Program Coordinator for Living Tobacco-Free.
Skidmore joins at least 2000 other colleges that have implemented policies prohibiting smoking. Locally, Siena College, Union College and the College of Saint Rose all have smoke-free campuses, and University at Albany announced back in April that, like Skidmore, it would prohibit all smoking beginning in the new year.
At Skidmore, Banks emphasized that there are a number of resources to help students with the transition. “Our health and wellness staff are trained to advise those who are interested in breaking the dependency on nicotine products,” says Banks. In celebration of the new, smoke- and tobacco-free Skidmore, the college is planning a special launch event on January 28, from 11am to 3pm, on the second floor of Case Center.
So it’s getting close to Christmas dinner, and you’re asking about sparking wines, are you? Well, I’m glad you asked. Sparkling wines are made everywhere but not always in the same way. Most inexpensive bottles are filled with wine that has been made in very large vats and fed into the bottle under pressure. Typically, these will cost less than $20, and Prosecco is by far the most popular wine of this type.
Like most sparkling wines, Prosecco is sweeter than its nonsparkling counterparts. Traditionally, it’s made Extra Dry, which is actually quite sweet, with 12–20 grams per liter (g/l) of residual sugar. If it’s labeled “Dry,” then the wine will be sweeter still, with 20-35 g/l residual sugar. And even those bottles labeled “Brut” will have up to 15 g/l residual sugar. But here’s the thing: Mixed with orange juice, no one will notice or care about the difference; mimosas are mimosas are mimosas. And they make perfect sense for holiday brunch.
Pay more than $20 for a sparkling wine, and it’s likely that the wine was made sparkling in the bottle you are holding. All Champagne is made this way, and most ambitious sparkling wine from elsewhere is also made sparkling in the bottle from which the wine will be served. The process is more difficult to accomplish for winemakers, and produces a wine with more complex flavors, and smaller and more persistent bubbles. The extent to which that’s true is a function of how long the winemaker leaves the yeast in the bottle. One reason Dom Perignon is so good and expensive is that the current release is the 2009 vintage: You are paying, in part, for the cost of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey (LVMH) holding nine years’ worth of inventory.
Speaking of which, LVMH is the world’s largest producer of luxury fashion goods and dominates the world of Champagne, where they own Moët et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Mercier, Ruinart and Krug. Unless the recipient is a wine geek, these, and other well-known Champagne brands, are the ones to give as gifts; the “thank you” will be heartfelt. But if you’re giving Champagne to a curious and interested wine lover, you should look for the letters “RM” at the beginning of the serial number, identifying the producer, which appears in small print somewhere on the label. This indicates an artisanal producer that does everything itself, from growing the grapes to making the wine.
Oh, and just as a friendly FYI, it’s “Mo-ette” and “Perrier Jou-ette”.
Confession: I’m obsessed with NBC’s The Voice. For those who don’t watch it on a regular basis, it’s a singing competition/reality series where anyone can audition and get the chance to work with celebrity coaches such as Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Jennifer Hudson and Blake Shelton. (The celebrity coaches personally “choose” competitors to sing for their “teams.”) New and emerging musicians compete by doing fresh covers of current hit songs, all the while training under the tutelage of one of the four star coaches and other famous “guest advisors” (Mariah Carey was a recent guest advisor). As you can tell, I’m deeply addicted.
For the show’s eighth season, local fans got to root for one of their own, as Sawyer Fredericks, who grew up in nearby Montgomery County (about an hour from Saratoga Springs), ended up becoming one of the show’s youngest winners ever. This season, the show’s 15th, locals were able to cheer for a competitor who grew up even closer to Saratoga: Delaney Silvernell, a Queensbury native (just 30 minutes from Saratoga). She was initially picked up by Team Clarkson during the “blind auditions” round, but was later “stolen” by Team Levine (celebrity coaches can poach certain singers for their own teams).
The ‘Voice’ celebrity coaches, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Jennifer Hudson and Blake Shelton, who appeared on Season 15. (Trae Patton/NBC)
Though Silvernell didn’t ultimately make it to the season finale, which airs tonight at 8pm (December 18), the local star will be stopping by the Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Falls this weekend for a special “Home for the Holidays” concert. Friday, December 21, and Sunday, December 23, Silvernell will be performing three different sets of original music and holiday classics. Unfortunately, all of shows have already sold it! But saratoga living had a chance to speak with her about the upcoming concert and her time on The Voice.
What do you think of Saratoga having grown up nearby? I love spending time in Saratoga! My dad works there as an Assistant Superintendent for the Saratoga Springs City School District, and my favorite restaurant is Ravenous. So it’s a win/win.
What was it like working with Kelly Clarkson and then Adam Levine? How do their coaching styles differ? Kelly and Adam are very different. Kelly is much more personally connected to her artists and literally loses sleep over her decisions on the show. Adam is much more casual and laid back.
I read that you spent six months auditioning for The Voice before getting to the blind auditions. After all that work, what was it like when Kelly finally chose you? I’d auditioned for The Voice in years past, so as I got further in the audition process, I tried to keep myself in check, because I had already been rejected from the show twice [before the blind auditions]. I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself. When Kelly [chose me], I initially didn’t notice. I opened my eyes, and all the sudden, she was looking at me. That’s when it hit me that it was really, actually happening.
What’s it like returning to Queensbury as a star, even if you didn’t make the finale? I live in LA full time, so I’m so excited to go home for the holidays! It’s much more casual in LA, because 85 percent of the people I know have a similar creative pursuit, so there’s less of a novelty to The Voice. I’m just happy to get to represent such a supportive area.
What’s it like selling out your home venue, the Charles R. Wood Theater? It’s crazy to think that just two-and-a-half years ago I did one night at The Wood and got very close to selling [it] out, but not quite. The first two “Home for the Holidays” shows sold out in a day, and we just sold out the third. It motivates me to put on an awesome show.
What should fans expect next? Are you working on a new album? There’s definitely an album in the works, and a single called “Bow & Arrow,” which will be out in January. I’ll be singing it at the Wood, along with a mixture of other originals and holiday pieces.
Beverage Director/ Mixologist: Peter Wager
Bar: 15 Church
Cocktail: The Saratoga Rose
15 Church’s Peter Wager serves up a ‘Saratoga Rose.’ (Dori Fitzpatrick)
When creating new cocktails, I turn to the classics, and I like to shake them up with a modern twist and local ingredients. The Saratoga Rose is a riff on the original Saratoga Sunrise (i.e. orange juice, vodka and grenadine), combining rose petal-infused Rosolio with local honey and rye whiskey. I’m also using cocktail-making techniques passed down from one of the masters of mixology, Jerry Thomas. It tastes as beautiful as it sounds. Cheers!
The Saratoga Rose
Ingredients
2 oz. Italicus Rosolio
2 oz. Redemption Rye
7 dashes orange flower water
Drizzle of Saratoga Honey
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon St. George Absinthe
Instructions
• Spritz or rinse a cocktail glass with the 1/2 teaspoon absinthe. Lightly drizzle honey on the inside of the glass then sprinkle sugar to give the appearance of a frosted glass.
• In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine whiskey, Rosolio and orange flower water. Stir and strain into cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange peel.
Vermont, in general, is one of those magnificent places that’s just far enough away from major metropolises that many people don’t get to witness (or know about) the town’s year-round splendor. Manchester, at the southernmost part of The Green Mountain State, is just an hour-ish car ride from Saratoga Springs. What are you waiting for? Pack a bag and let’s hit the road.
To many Saratogians in the know, Manchester rivals the fabled East End of Long Island’s Hamptons as a destination. The difference? Let’s just say you could probably pack for this trip without having to spend much time thinking about what elegant outfit you have to bring. Low-maintenance luxury? Yes, please! Manchester, here I come!
That said, whether for glamorous skiing in the winter or lakefront relaxation and berry festivals in the spring and summer, the traveling elite dug in deep here decades ago. And when worldly people with discerning taste inhabit a region, all the trappings that their world requires magically get weaved into the fabric.
Looking for Food Network-worthy dining? Check. Wide open spaces as far as the eye can see? Lakes? Check and check. Vermont has a historic and well-earned reputation for environmentally friendly practices because the residents demand it. This is why much of our finer dining fare comes from free-range farms in Vermont, nowadays. Skincare botanicals and regulated smoking herbals are grown there, too, because of the purity. In Vermont, to be green is definitely to be in.
A bartender works the bar at Copper Grouse, located in the Kimpton Taconic Hotel.
Let’s check in, shall we? the Kimpton Taconic Hotel is perfect. How’s that for starters? Yes, the public rooms, suites and indoor/outdoor corporate meeting spaces are divine, but it’s the chef’s table at the Copper Grouse that makes it Manchester’s epicenter of haute cuisine. The Taconic is also a great destination option for a whole slew of winter fun (a well-stocked activities page on its website is broken down into seasons). This is where outdoorsy elegant fun is done right. How about a late afternoon après ski or nightcap at the Christmas-themed Miracle Pop-Up Bar November 23-December 31, 2018? I say, yes!
Equinox Golf Resort & Spa is part of The Luxury Collection and is an absolute destination unto itself for wellness and unique snow sports. Though you certainly don’t have to be a wintering NFL player or PGA finalist to indulge here, that’s definitely the vibe. When people of repute patronize a spa resort for weeks, you know you’ve made the right decision. In this case, many people come to be put back together, as a sort of full-on, body/mind/spirit therapy. With a true, state-of-the-art gym and a year-round indoor pool, the spa itself draws return visitors from afar. Historical and grand, the resort features the original 200-room Equinox House, established in 1853. For modern outdoor entertainment, consider its Land Rover Driving Experience through the Green Mountains. Or sleigh riding, dogsledding, snow tubing, snowmobiling and much more.
Amanda Birch Seed To Skin offers signature, two-hour facials using products either formulated by Birch herself or sourced from local farms and nurseries.
If your pampering needs are matched by your must-be-green bonafides, then Amanda Birch Seed To Skin is where you should point your compass. I love that Amanda requires two hours for your first signature facial ($200), which can accompany one of my favorites, Red Light Therapy, for 30 minutes ($80). Ask about her personally batched Hydradermie resurfacing hydrator or other locally sourced products.
If a luxury home-away-from-home is more in keeping with your lifestyle, the super personal Reluctant Panther Inn boasts posh local digs and attentive service in the heart of Manchester’s village. Choose from the Main House, Mary Porter House or Carriage House, and take comfort in the consistent excellence of its namesake dining establishment, the Reluctant Panther Restaurant, which draws patrons from around the world.
Southern Vermont Arts Center is packed with 20th-century artists’ works and houses a great permanent collection, though it’s in fuller bloom after April. But you can see Hildene House, a well-preserved estate built by the president of the Pullman Company and only child of Abraham Lincoln, year-round. Don’t make the mistake I did. It’s easy to overlook it. You could undoubtedly spend an entire day here with your whole family. A solar-powered goat farm, the Georgian revival mansion tour, formal gardens and an observatory are just the beginning.
If you just need to escape to an all-country locale, then how about Mountain View Ranch or Taylor Farms? Make it the perfect boots-and-jeans day for a sleigh or horseback ride. Or, there’s always the Manchester Designer Outlets, a must-stop for many visitors.
Of course, this is just a small sampling of why Manchester is the ideal HQ for winter sport and luxe diversions. Is it any wonder why so many savvy travelers consider our chic Vermont neighbor to be one of America’s great escapes?
While you’re staying in Manchester, be sure to make the short, 15-minute drive to Bromley Mountain for a day on the slopes.
You’re In Manchester: It’s Ski Time!
I went to college in Burlington, VT, for the mountains. I thought, what’s better than an East Coast city that’s less than an hour and a half from six awesome ski resorts? Turns out that Manchester, VT, the ski capital of Southern Vermont, has that beat. In between all your dining, shopping and relaxing, be sure to make a day trip to one—or all seven—of these nearby ski resorts. – Natalie Moore
1. Mount Snow
1 hour, 9 minutes away
Park rats assemble! Mount Snow’s not only known for its whopping ten terrain parks, but also its impressive snow coverage and grooming mastery.
2. Killington Resort
1 hour, 8 minutes away
“The Beast” has both the longest season in the East, thanks to its massive snowmaking operation, and the most skiable acres (1509), which span six peaks.
3. Pico Mountain
1 hour, 1 minute away
A little bit closer and significantly smaller than Killington, Pico gets all the snow its neighbor does, but not the unruly crowds. It’s a big mountain with small mountain charm.
4. Okemo Mountain Resort
46 minutes away
A family mountain boasting Southern Vermont’s highest vertical drop (2200 feet), Okemo has an even distribution of beginner, intermediate and expert trails for skiers of all skill levels.
5. Stratton Mountain
43 minutes away
For a mountain with 72 percent combined beginner and intermediate terrain, Stratton has impressive glade skiing. Plus, at its base, Stratton Village is the perfect place to stroll around after a long day on the slopes.
6. Magic Mountain
27 minutes away
A small, local Vermont ski area, Magic Mountain’s known for its challenging terrain (26 percent of its
trails are labeled Double Black Diamond) and close-knit community.
7. Bromley Mountain
14 minutes away
Another family-friendly mountain, Bromley’s a mere stone’s throw from Manchester, and as it’s the only ski area in all of New England with Southern exposure, you can count on having many more sunny days over there.
Saratoga celebrated a trio of local foundations this fall at a celebration, ball and soirée. On November 1, Gateway House of Peace, a nonprofit hospice home in Ballston Spa, held its 5th Annual Thanks-For-Giving Celebration at Longfellows Restaurant. Gateway board member and Emmy-winning Friends producer Kevin S. Bright served as the master of ceremonies and former WNYT anchor Kelly Lynch was also in attendance. Guests were treated to live music by Tom Choiniere, a wine pull, dinner provided by Longfellows and a silent auction.
At the Veterans Ball on November 4 at the Saratoga Hall of Springs, the community came together to honor local heroes and support the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition, which provides housing and support to homeless veterans. Six vets, representing each branch of the military and various conflicts, served as the night’s honorees.
And on November 7, the community returned to Longfellows, this time for the Saratoga Arts Fall Soirée, which raised funds for Saratoga Arts. Now in its 32nd year, the organization’s mission is to make the arts more accessible. The night’s honorees were Mona Golub and James Kettlewell, who were awarded this year’s Community Arts Leadership Award.
Those closest to me like to call me The Historian, because I’m the resident family history buff: I love whiling away rainy weekends sorting through old pictures and mementos, seeing which ones tell the best stories. One of my favorites is an oil painting of an ages-old Syrian marketplace, which we brought back from my dad’s home city of Damascus in 2006. When I look at it, I’m instantly transported back in time.
New Jersey-based artist James Fiorentino, who’s made a career of painting hyper-realistic watercolors of the biggest names in the sports world, wields that same power with his paintbrush—and he’s become a Saratoga Springs star because of it.
Fiorentino’s been making a cottage industry out of sports art since his teenage years. At the age of 15, Fiorentino had one of his paintings of New York Yankees legend Reggie Jackson displayed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown during the ball player’s induction ceremony. Before he even finished high school, Fiorentino had amassed an enviable portfolio of paintings, including portraits of Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams, the Yankees’ Joe DiMaggio, boxing champion Muhammad Ali and Baltimore Orioles’ icon Cal Ripken, Jr.—for whom he’d later serve as official artist during the player’s record-breaking consecutive games streak. He even had the chance to meet many of his subjects. Fiorentino went on to pursue a degree in Fine Arts at Drew University in New Jersey, where he played varsity baseball. “I paid my way through college, on my own, with painting,” says Fiorentino. “That was really one of the best times of my life.” Was it ever: Famous athletes, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre and Yankees Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, phoned him in his dorm room—and he became the youngest artist inducted into the Society of Illustrators, which includes heavyweights of the medium such as Norman Rockwell and Rockwell Kent.
Since 2003, Fiorentino’s been lending his artistic talents to the philanthropic world—notably, here in Saratoga. He’s created custom artwork for The Siro’s Cup, an annual event that takes place at the seasonal bar, Siro’s, kitty-corner to Saratoga Race Course, and benefits the Center for Disability Services in Albany. “Whomever gets honored that year picks out the horse they want me to paint, and I present the painting to them live at the event,” says Fiorentino. “Then I make reproductions of the work to raise money for the Center.” This past summer, he produced a stunning action shot of jockey Mike E. Smith aboard his Triple Crown-winning mount, Justify, at Belmont Park. Fiorentino’s impressive paintings for the Siro’s Cup are not only supporting worthy causes in the Capital Region, but also helping to preserve Saratoga’s most beloved sport. And that’s something we can all get behind.
Being the middle child, I learned early on that I had to share with my other siblings. As my mom used to put it, “Sharing is caring.” I was reminded of the concept this past track season when I heard that bettors at Saratoga Race Course could donate a portion of their winnings to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), a nonprofit organization that awards grants to help retired racehorses, at self-service betting terminals.
The initiative was first unveiled in Saratoga Springs at the Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing in August 2017, having originally been proposed by—wait for it—People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA). The concept so intrigued the Stronach Group—the owner of racetracks such as Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park—that it tested the philanthropy-on-the-go idea via a pop-up interface created by subsidiary AmTote International, a wagering technology firm. Giving became as easy as responding to a single screen prompt—and the process was wholly tax-deductible.
The easy-to-use AmTote terminals became so popular that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) installed them at all of its tracks. Maryland’s Laurel Park also bought in, and back in September, Florida’s Tampa Bay Downs became yet another convert. “We try to be very progressive with donations and realize that the sport has to go full circle,” says Margo Flynn, Vice President of Marketing at Tampa Bay Downs. “We have to be able to support the animals that support us, from beginning to end. So we’re pleased and proud to be a part of it.”
The next time I pick a winner at the track, I’ll have to remember what my mom taught me. Because she was right.
My wife and I owned a beat-up Honda the last several years we lived in Brooklyn—and I can’t begin to explain how freeing having it was. That car was our one-way ticket out of dodge whenever we needed a break from city life. And our destination was always the same: somewhere Upstate. We drove to Bear Mountain (hiking), Woodstock (on our anniversary), Haines Falls (Selena’s Diner), Beacon (the Dia), Hyde Park (Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home) and Cornwall (Storm King Art Center)—anywhere where we could get a little slice of quiet and culture.
In 2016, we ended up going on a permanent upstate jaunt, landing in Troy. One of the first post-move day trips we took the following summer was to the Olana State Historic Site in Greenport (maybe we’d avoided it because it sounded too much like our old neighborhood, Greenpoint?). I remember stepping inside of artist Frederic Church’s 19th-century, Persian-inspired home and studio—the main attraction on the sprawling, 250-acre estate—and immediately feeling a kinship with him: He was a collector like me.
The Churches’ collections of objects from the Middle East and Mexico, as well as their old master paintings, are on display throughout the house, as seen in the Studio at Olana.
Each room had its own Metropolitan Museum of Art’s worth of rarities and oddities from around the world—including a number of Church originals—and every inch of space seemed to be accounted for. There was also the majestic view from his porch, overlooking the Hudson River and all the greenery that surrounds it, which I snapped a photo of and squirreled away on Instagram. It was one of the only times in recent memory when I can remember thinking, “I’m going to come back here again someday.”
For Capital Region residents, Olana should be added to your Upstate bucket list, stat. But for those of you who might have to book a train or flight to experience its majesty, allow me to offer a more economical option: the brand-new Frederic Church’s Olana On The Hudson: Art, Landscape, Architecture (Rizzoli, New York), which includes a comprehensive history of the famed Hudson River School artist’s digs, courtesy of Editors Karen Zukowski and Julia B. Rosenbaum, as well as a number of multi-season, panoramic photographs, shot by Larry Lederman both inside the Olana house and on its grounds. My guess is this book will merely act as a catalyst; you’ll make the trip to Olana one way or another. Simply looking at the book is making me want to escape life again, even if it’s no longer from Brooklyn any more.
