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Downtown Troy’s Getting A 12,000-Square-Foot Waterfront Food Hall

Sophia Perez
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Downtown Troy’s Getting A 12,000-Square-Foot Waterfront Food Hall

Troy’s $125 million re-development of the Waterfront District just got a little more delectable. As the Troy Record recently reported, the city will be adding the River Street Market, a 12,000-square-foot food hall set to open on the first floor of the Hedley Building this summer. Twelve different farm-to-table vendors will sell their style of food and beverages to Troy’s growing downtown population.

Spearheading the project are Katie and Luke Haskins, who co-own Hooked, a seafood restaurant in Latham’s Galleria 7 food hall. “We were inspired by all the markets we encountered in our travels,” Luke told the Record. “From those in New York City, Redding Market, to Florence, Italy. We wanted to bring that idea to the Capital Region.” The couple will add a business of their own to the River Street Market—a wine, charcuterie and sandwich bar called Lord & Montague, named after the Troy-based inventor of the detachable shirt collar, Hannah Lord Montague.

Entrepreneurs Katie and Luke Haskins are spearheading the waterfront project.

Another vendor will be Sunhee’s on the River, a spin-off of Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen on Ferry Street. “Our bar manager first told us about the space after attending the Hedley Park Place Centennial Event,” owner of Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen Jinah Kim told the Record. “The intended vision of [the space] aligned with what we wanted to achieve in the lower Hudson region of Troy—an opportunity to create something new that also complemented our brand, all while being community-focused. Troy is all about maintaining community. We’re all excited to have the freedom to take on our own character within this collaborative space that understands the relationship aspect [of business].”

And vendors aren’t the only ones excited about River Street Market. Hedley Park Place Project Manager Denisse Grimm told the Record: “Having it will create a great energy and ambiance for the building…Also, it’s easy to get to, it’s right off the exit ramp from the highway and we have ample parking. It’s ideal for anybody looking to stop by quick and grab unique and healthier foods on the go.”

The Calendar: What’s Going On In Saratoga Springs This Weekend

Sophia Perez
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The Calendar: What’s Going On In Saratoga Springs This Weekend

Welcome to The Calendar on saratogaliving.com—our expertly curated list of the top events, live music, readings, workshops and everything else in between hitting the Capital Region on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. As always, The Calendar will be updated every Thursday, so that you’ll have a jump on your weekend plans. You’ll never have to ask “What’s going on in Saratoga?” ever again!

Opera Saratoga’s Winning Preview – Saturday, March 24

This Saturday, Opera Saratoga teams up with the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame for a free, hourlong sneak-peek of Rocking Horse Winner, a Dora Mavor Moore Award-winning opera that’s set to debut as part of Opera Saratoga’s double bill during the 2018 Summer Festival Season. As saratoga living previously reported, the opera, based on the D.H. Lawrence short story of the same name, is geared towards mature audiences, so the viewing might not be suitable for your entire family. (The other half of that double bill? Vinkensport.)

Admission to the event is free, starting at 3pm on Saturday, March 24, with the program, entitled “Saratoga Sings for the Win,” beginning promptly at 4pm. It’ll feature opera and musical theater selections that focus on competition, gambling, sports, risking failure and achieving victory from Rocking Horse Winner. Don’t miss the mastery of Carter Thoil (soprano), Raphaella Medina (mezzo soprano), Jordan Weatherston Pitts (tenor), Nicholas Martorano (baritone) united under the musical direction of pianist Brian Gilling.

For more information on this summer’s performances of Rocking Horse Winner and Vinkensport from Opera Saratoga, click here.

Friday, March 23

March Madness! – 12-11:55pm at Peabody’s – 49 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs

Open Art Studio – 3-6pm at Art In Mind Creative Wellness Studio – 272 Saratoga Rd, Glenville

US Speedskating Short Track National Championships – 9am-6:30pm at Saratoga Springs Ice Rink – 30 Weibel Avenue, Saratoga Springs

Andy Iorio Live – 6pm at Prime at Saratoga National – 458 Union Ave, Saratoga Springs

Jazz Night – 6pm-9pm at The Wishing Well – 745 Saratoga Road, Wilton

Golf Shop Spring Clearance Sale & Discount Voucher Registration – 10am-4pm at Saratoga National Golf Club – 458 Union Ave, Saratoga Springs

Capital District Garden & Flower Show – 10am-8pm at Hudson Valley Community College – 80 Vandenburgh Ave, Troy

Along the Border Brown Bag Lunch – 12:15pm-1:15pm at Tang Teaching Museum – 815 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Academy for Lifelong Learning – 10:30am at Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library – 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park

Lisa Aronson: African Photographer J.A. Green: Reimagining the Indigenous and the Colonial – 6pm at Northshire Bookstore – 424 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Saturday, March 24

Capital District Garden & Flower Show – 9am-7pm at Hudson Valley Community College – 80 Vandenburgh Ave, Troy

Sensory Science: Investigating Essential Oils – 9:30-11am at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga – 69 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs

Friends of Rec Craft Beer Bar Crawl – 12:30-5:30pm starting at Henry’s Taproom – 86 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs

Visit the Easter Bunny – 10am-2pm at Lindsey’s Country Store & Sweet Shoppe – 1537 Route 9, Clifton Park

Saratoga Sings for the Win – 3pm at the National Racing Museum – 191 Union Ave, Saratoga Springs

Greenwich FFA Farm Toy Show – 9am-2pm at Greenwich High School – 10 Gray Avenue, Greenwich

Signs of Spring Nature Walk – 11am at Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park – 80 Scout Road, Gansevoort

9th Annual Mac-n-Cheese Bowl – 11am-2pm at Marcelle Athletic Complex, Siena College – 515 Loudon Road, Albany

Capital Region Wine Festival – 1pm at Proctors – 432 State Street, Schenectady

Rebels on Pointe – 4pm at National Museum of Dance – 99 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Fenimore Blues – 8pm at The Parting Glass – 40-42 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs

Sunday, March 25

March Madness! – 12-11:55pm at Peabody’s – 49 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs

Making Connections Autism Program – 10am-12pm at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga – 69 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs

CommUnity Potluck & Music Jam – 5-7pm at Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church – 24 Circular Street, Saratoga Springs

Paint a Light-up Wine Bottle – 1pm-2:30pm at Saratoga Winery – 462 Route 29, Saratoga Springs

2nd Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt – 1-4pm at Nanola – 2639 State Route 9, Nanola

Spring Romp! Musicians of Ma’alwyck – 2pm at Clifton Park Halfmoon Library – 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park

Capital District Garden & Flower Show – 10am-5pm at Hudson Valley Community College – 80 Vandenburgh Ave, Troy

Gore Mountain Maple Day – 10am-4:30pm at Gore Mountain – 793 Peaceful Valley Road, North Creek

Everest Rising – 7pm at Caffè Lena – 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs

Quittin’ Time – 3-6pm at The Saratoga Winery – 462 Route 29 West, Saratoga Springs

Skidmore College Women’s Basketball Player Becomes Team’s All-Time Leading Scorer

Sophia Perez
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Skidmore College Women’s Basketball Player Becomes Team’s All-Time Leading Scorer

Skidmore College senior guard/forward Kelly Donnelly just wrapped up a record-breaking basketball career with the Thoroughbreds. In her four years on campus, Donnelly became the program’s all-time leading scorer (1,823 points), the first player to make more than 1,000 rebounds, and the holder of the single-season scoring record (543 points). The Exercise Science major is a three-time All-American, a preseason All-American, a three-time All East Region First Team player and three-time Player of the Year. She finished off her college career by leading her team to victory in the Liberty League Championships.

“I absolutely love the sport,” Donnelly says. “I love the opportunities it’s given me.” As there’s no “i” in team, she’s a big fan of her team and its coaches, too. “They’re my best friends on and off the court. I wouldn’t have wanted to share these past four years with anyone else.” And when asked about the secret to her success, Donnelly’s quick to share the credit: “I was fortunate enough to have great coaches all around in high school, so they definitely are a large part of the reason I was able to play at Skidmore,” she tells me. “Once I got to Skidmore, it was only up from there. I learned so much more about my game and the game in general, and that is again, thanks to great coaches.”

Kelly Donnelly (center), celebrating with her teammates after winning the Liberty League championship. (Kelly Donnelly)

“The kid is amazing,” says Darren Bennett, Skidmore Women’s Basketball’s Head Coach. “She goes to class and she loves sports. She’s studious, polite and a great person to be around.” Bennett says Donnelly stands out for her capacity to address her weaknesses and make deliberate improvements. “During end-of-year meetings, the conversation would be a review of the season and what we challenged her to do and become as a person and a player for the next season. And sure enough, that is who and what she became during the following year.”

While she can certainly thank her supporting cast for helping become a great all-around player, it’s also had a lot to do with her own personal drive to succeed on the court. “I think my greatest strength as a player is my competitiveness and desire to win, along with some athleticism and ability to jump,” Donnelly says. “My greatest weakness is definitely handling my emotions. Although I’ve made a lot of progress in that regard, I still get frustrated and lose my head a little.” Head Coach Bennett concurs. “It never held her back in the grand scheme of things, but her biggest area of growth to me has without a doubt been in her own head—to change her emotions into something positive that would benefit her play and our team’s results,” he says. “She did that to the tune of almost 2,000 career points and over 1,000 rebounds. I’m as proud of her as a person and player as I would be for my own daughter.”

Donnelly, who’s a senior and set to graduate on May 19, looks back fondly on her time at Skidmore: “I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

‘Sex And The City’ Actress Cynthia Nixon Announces Run For Governor Of New York

Will Levith
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‘Sex And The City’ Actress Cynthia Nixon Announces Run For Governor Of New York

At 38, I’ve seen a lot of interesting things happen in the political realm from my perch here in Upstate New York. As a young kid growing up in Saratoga Springs, former actor Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States by a landslide, in power for most of the 1980s. Several years later, I got really into what was then known as the WWF—the World Wrestling Federation—which would air on Saturday mornings on our old rabbit-eared TV set. One of the superstar wrestlers, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, whom I saw get thrown around the ring in a skin-tight thong and shout ridiculous things at the camera, ended up being elected Governor of Minnesota. A few years later, I became a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. Commando, which features a well-oiled Arnie carrying a giant log in the opening scene for no apparent reason other than to flex his giant muscles, was my favorite. (In it, he offs more bad guys than in probably any other movie ever made.) We know how that ended up: He got elected Governor of California. And then, of course, there’s our current President, Donald Trump, who wasn’t so much an actor as he was America’s most famous rich guy and then, feared fake boss on reality show The Apprentice. He’s now still really rich and the world’s most feared real boss. In short, Americans seem to equate visibility with electability; fame and charisma somehow trump the need for a formal, political education. And as of yesterday, New York Democrats will get the chance to either cast a vote for the status quo or somebody of the star-studded ilk in the next gubernatorial primary. Somewhat ironically, the candidate’s last name is Nixon, too.

On Monday, March 19, Cynthia Nixon, an Emmy Award-winning actress whom every thirty- and forty-something in the world knows as Miranda Hobbes from HBO’s hit series, Sex and the City, announced her candidacy for Governor of New York, looking to unseat Andrew Cuomo, who’s held the position since 2011. She announced her intentions on Twitter (the tweet has been liked 55,000 times and retweeted 15,000 times).

“New York is my home,” says Nixon in the announcement video, which in less than 24 hours, has been viewed more than two million times. “I’ve never lived anywhere else.” (She grew up in the Big Apple.) She goes on to say that “our leaders are letting us down; we’re now the most unequal state in the entire country, with both incredible wealth and extreme poverty.” If you’re wondering, she mentions Upstate New York just once—but drops a rather ominous piece of data to complement it: “Half the kids in our Upstate cities live below the poverty line.” (Ouch.) The video ends with Nixon riding what I can only assume is one of the Amtrak trains that runs into Albany—that I used to take several times a year myself, when traveling from my home in Brooklyn back to Saratoga (I wonder if Amtrak cleared the train for her shoot, or she got to sit next to one of her loudly snoring potential future constituents?).

If there’s any real takeaway from Nixon’s announcement video, it’s that she’s completely serious about the run; nowhere in it or her new campaign website is there any question that Nixon’ll put up a fight against Cuomo. And with an estimated net worth of $60 million, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Not to mention the fact that she will likely have a number of prominent stars backing her. (Unfortunately not Elton John.) Her second tweet as a gubernatorial candidate? You guessed it: about donating to her campaign.


A graduate of Barnard College, Nixon has long been an advocate for LGBT rights—she’s married to Christine Marinoni, a former adviser at the Department of Education, and the couple has three children. She’s also a breast cancer activist and an ambassador for the Susan G. Komen foundation (Nixon is herself a cancer survivor). Watch the video above, and you’ll see a bit of a clip-reel for her, and you can’t help but note that she has a commanding presence and can make her away around public speaking. After all, actors are unequivocally better at oration than most of us plebes. Is she a formidable debater? Time will tell.

So what are the chances that Nixon could end up in the Governor’s Mansion in Albany—i.e. 45 minutes from Downtown Saratoga? Slim, so far, reports The New York Times. Just a day into her candidacy, the newspaper’s already citing a Siena College poll that puts Cuomo atop Nixon 66 percent to 19 percent, among Democratic voters in the state. But Cuomo’s had quite a bit of bad press lately, with a former aide being found guilty of three counts of corruption. But something tells me that this primary isn’t over just yet. I can just see it now: A sizable rally mushrooms up somewhere in Albany—heck, even possibly at Saratoga Race Course—lightbulbs flashing hither and yon, with Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Charlotte York and Mr. Big flanking the possible next Governor of New York.

Exclusive: Award-Winning Poet Brenda Shaughnessy On Her Saratoga Ties, Yaddo Residencies

Jeff Dingler
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Exclusive: Award-Winning Poet Brenda Shaughnessy On Her Saratoga Ties, Yaddo Residencies

The first time I read poet Brenda Shaughnessy’s work was during a long layover in San Antonio, TX. An old friend—and excellent poet—had lent me her poetry collection, So Much Synth, and with a couple of hours freshly added to my unplanned stay, I opened it to a random page. “I have a time machine,” the poem began. “But unfortunately it can only travel into the future / at a rate of one second per second.” I laughed out loud; it was as if the poem were reading my mind.

Of course, Shaughnessy’s poem is about a lot more than just waiting. The closing lines—“Strange not to be able to pick up the pace as I’d like; / the past is so horribly fast”—tell us that the time machine is actually the act of aging or even death itself. A preternatural writer, she is known for melding humor with personal tragedy, acerbic rage with acceptance, and pathos with dignity. Shaughnessy earned her BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an MFA from Columbia. (She currently teaches at Rutgers.) She’s a winner of the James Laughlin Award; and her work has been featured in publications such as The New Yorker, McSweeney’s and The Paris Review. When I heard she was coming to Skidmore College to give a reading, I jumped at the opportunity to interview her. Much to my pleasure, we were able to sit down at the historic Surrey Inn right outside of the college.

Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me. Is this your first time in Saratoga?
I visited Skidmore years ago, but I’ve spent some time in Saratoga Springs because I’ve been to Yaddo several times. I’ve written a lot in these environs, but not on campus. And also, I haven’t spent much time exploring the town because I was always holed up in a room—in a beautiful room. But I wrote poems that really were breakthroughs for me at Yaddo. So I’ve always had this gratitude for that space.

Yaddo
Famed artist residence, Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs. (Peter/Flickr)

You said some of these poems written at Yaddo were ‘breakthroughs.’ Which ones and why?
Well, they were a breakthrough for me. I wrote a long poem about my son’s birth there at Yaddo. It’s in the book Our Andromeda; it’s the title poem and it’s the poem that sort of clinched that book. And it’s completely raw. It’s just completely untempered pain and anger that I let myself write, let myself have, and I didn’t think for a second that anyone was going to read it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let myself say any of that crazy stuff.

It was something about being at Yaddo. I was in Katrina Trask’s room, who of course was a mother who lost all of her children, and I was a new mother whose kid was really, really compromised, and really in danger. And I hadn’t come to terms with it at all. I didn’t know what it meant. And something about that space gave me permission to say what I had to say. I had tried to find poetry and fiction, any kind of literature, really, that addressed some of this pain, some of this issue—and I found nothing. So I was basically writing to the me who was trying to find this work.

How much impact does an environment like Yaddo’s have on your writing?
Environment is something that I have to fight really hard to get. Whether that’s a couple of weeks at Yaddo, or just at my own home with the door closed. Because I have these two kids, and I work full time, and there’s just a lot on my plate. So anything I can sort of wrest away from those time-suckers is very precious.

I normally don’t get a chance to write much during the school year, while I’m teaching, because it’s just too intense. And, so yeah, the minute I’m under a canopy of green leaves and have time to myself, I absolutely write. That said, environment’s important to me, but I could never really quite separate myself from the demands of everyday life, even mentally. So I do rely on places like Yaddo and the occasional time away to actually get some deep thinking and writing done. But that’s not something I get to do very often. And a lot happens during those times. It’s a transformation, actually.

Can you talk about that transformation a bit more. Is it like a buildup over the time you can’t write?
Yeah, like clogged pipes, kind of? [laughs] I think if anyone could figure out exactly how creative flow happens—what allows it to happen, what causes it to stop—I think those processes are much deeper; complicated; and probably, simple to understand. I know that I can’t call it up at will. I know that I can’t say, “Okay, the kids are in school, everyone’s gone, you have six hours, go, write.” That doesn’t happen. And I don’t know what mechanism it is in me that’s stopping it.

I do know that when I get a chance to go someplace—to really focus and write—it takes me days just to get there, and the entire time I’m pounding my head against the desk going, “You worked so hard to get this time away—why is nothing happening?” You just can’t will it, I don’t know why. On the fourth or fifth day, if I get that much time, something will happen. It might be big, it might be little. And I don’t care. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a big or a little thing. It’s a creative portal opening, and that is always a gift.

And I try not to ever think in terms of projects. Like right now I have a commission to write the libretto for an opera. And that is a big project, but in order to write anything at all, I have to start with the smallest little thing. I can’t be like, “I’m now writing the opera. I’m writing the libretto now.” It has to be just this tiny little word, next to another tiny little word that maybe strings together a cohesive idea or a surprising juxtaposition. And it has to be strung together like beads, like tiny little beads. I can’t make the whole tapestry at once. So a little opening of the portal’s just fine.

Saratoga Race Course 2018: Season Ticket Plans Go On Sale March 20

Will Levith
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Saratoga Race Course 2018: Season Ticket Plans Go On Sale March 20

The fact that Saratoga Race Course is still covered in mountains of snow and ice isn’t helping me shake my nagging case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. But when I think hard about it, I know that just in a few short months, it’ll all have melted away, and in the place of that winter-weather dreck will be throngs of happy track-goers, wearing their finest and clutching tightly onto their Daily Racing Forms; placing exactas, trifectas and pick sixes; and adding to the growing din as horses jockey for the lead. The summer meet in Saratoga Springs is what this town is all about; it’s what we wait for every year; it makes winters like this one bearable.

A little bit of positive news to warm up this cold winter day for you? The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is putting its full-season ticket plans up for sale, beginning on Tuesday, March 20 at 10am. The full-season plans include admission and reserved seating for the 40-day season in the Grandstand or Clubhouse, and can be purchased online here.

Also part of the equation are the full-season plans for guests with a little bit more disposable income at their fingertips. These include plans for premium reserved seating; a limited number of dining tables; and 20 reserved bar seats in the newest section of the Race Course, the Stretch, which is located in the Grandstand at the top of the, well, stretch. (In other words, when Track Announcer Larry Collmus yells, “Down the stretch they come!,” those’ll be the best seats in the house.) It’s worth noting that to purchase Stretch plans, you’ll have to go through the NYRA box office, which can be reached at 1-844-NYRA-TIX; or you can also drop customer service a line at [email protected].

Seating in the Stretch is going fast, though, so make sure you jump on the bandwagon soon. “We are experiencing an unprecedented level of demand for the Stretch which has met with a tremendous response from racing fans,” said NYRA Vice President and Chief Experience Officer Lynn LaRocca in a statement. “All available boxes are reserved for the season and the remaining inventory is selling fast. Whether you prefer the Clubhouse, Grandstand or the Stretch, we have an option available for all racing fans and encourage them to reserve a seat for the season.”

The perks keep coming, too. If you buy into one of these plans, you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Saratoga Season Perks program, which provides track-goers with discounts at on- and off-track locations, including restaurants, shops and entertainment venues.

Other key dates for ticket sales: Weekly ticket plans go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, April 10; single-day ticket sales for the Stretch will be available on Tuesday, April 24; and tickets for the Clubhouse and Grandstand reserved seats will be available beginning on Thursday, May 3.

Not to be confused with the full-season plans, season passes—which include admission only for all 40 days, with no sweeteners—go on sale to the public on Tuesday, April 3.

If you need a refresher on when all the stakes races are being run—in order to plan your plan-buying—click here.

 

What Would Woody Do: March Madness In Saratoga

Joe "Woody" Wood
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What Would Woody Do: March Madness In Saratoga

Hello again from Woody’s Barbershop. March isn’t like any other month of the year here in Saratoga Springs. It’s a month of goodwill, hope, change and optimism—and, of course, March Madness. A number of my customers—including me— have been battling the flu, colds and sinus infections. Not to mention freezing wind chills; giant snowbanks; rotten snowplow drivers that laugh as they fill your driveway back up with snow; and those nasty winter blues that seemingly go on forever during the winter months. Yes, March is a month of hope!

Now, for me, I personally have been way, way, way under the weather for quite some time. That’s because I cut the hair of some people, who’ve talked themselves into thinking that, because they’re sick, it’s OK to skip out on work—but totally fine to go infect their local barber. (I’ve learned that that’s just a risk of my profession.) Not that I enjoy working with sick people or catching the cold or flu, but being a barber is a job where I just take the good with the bad (I lost ten pounds these past couple of weeks…yee haw, I’m bathing-suit ready! You see how I turned that negative into a positive?)

But now it’s mid-March, and March Madness is upon us. That, and St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend, when the amount beer consumed won’t be small like a leprechaun. Soon, a couple of great weather days will creep in, and the snow will start to melt away…and away…and away…and it’ll soon be gone from our collective memories completely. We’ll get our golf clubs out and shine them up real pretty, so we can go get them dirty again. And we’ll get the lawnmowers tuned up for the upcoming season and begin cutting our front lawns.

Yes, March is a time for optimism. I have spent the last few days studying the college basketball world and working on my brackets, and gaining all the insight I can gather, because during the first few weeks of March, that’s what the majority of men are thinking about. No, of course, we don’t share all of the fantasies about winning the big bracket full of cash with our wives or girlfriends. That’s barbershop talk! That’s our world; that’s where we give our opinions and insights to one another on who’s winning, why they’re winning and what we’re going to do with the money when we finally win it. None of us ever talk about Jim Bob’s wife, Earle Anne, who’s never watched a single college basketball game in her entire life, and has won the office pool the last five years in a row, just by filling out her bracket with teams based on their mascots’ names. No, she just got insanely lucky. She knows nothing!

Additionally, March also happens to be when all the Kentucky Derby prep races are run (I already know who the winner is, but you’ll have to come in and see me for that kind of info); the NHL playoffs gear up; and the baseball season is almost underway—although I’m pretty sure there isn’t much use watching this season unless you’re a New York Yankees fan. (I’m rather confident that they’ll be winning again soon enough.)

Yes, March is a great month. (Heck, I already feel better just saying that out loud!) Go ahead and try it for yourself: (altogether now) March is a GREAT MONTH! You see? It worked, didn’t it?

One more thing before I sign off: It’s also a busy time in the barbershop right now, because this is when guys like to get their hair that’s grown long during the winter cut for the first time in awhile. And also get their golf haircuts prepped and ready to rock and roll on the fairway. So if there’s a line at the shop, just sit down and relax, grab a beer, soda or coffee and enjoy the latest, greatest conversation. It’s something that is much needed after a long, cold, wet, nasty winter. After all, you deserve a break. It’s March Madness!

As always,

Woody

P.S. Congratulations to my Villanova Wildcats on beating Virginia for the NCAA National Title. Oops, did I just say that out loud?

Saratoga Dermatology And Medical Spa

Special Promotional Section
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Saratoga Dermatology And Medical Spa

Dr. Jean Buhac, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Saratoga Dermatology and Medical Spa in Saratoga Springs, NY, says her intention is to help people, and she aims to do that by providing cosmetic results that look natural.

Dr. Buhac has been serving the Saratoga Springs community for almost two decades. She recently combined her two practices, Spa City Spa and Saratoga Dermatology to create Saratoga Dermatology and Medical Spa, a single location from which she and Dr. Jennifer Smith offer cosmetic and medical dermatological solutions for everything from wrinkles to skin cancer. Their most popular procedures include BOTOX® Cosmetic, fillers, laser skin rejuvenation and laser hair removal.

Saratoga Dermatology and Medical Spa is very much a customer-first business: “Our priority is to treat patients with respect and to provide the best possible results for both medical and cosmetic dermatology patients,” say the doctors. Dr. Smith specializes in skin cancer removal; while Dr. Buhac provides natural, aesthetically-pleasing cosmetic solutions. Their technique is informed by years of training and their unique outlook as female medical professionals: “Our patients also appreciate seeing dermatologists who understand skincare from a woman’s unique perspective.”

Check out Saratoga Dermatology and Medical Spa for all your skincare needs!

Below, read an exclusive interview with Dr. Buhac.

Why open a business in Saratoga?
My husband John and I relocated to the area after finishing our training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. My husband’s family is from Albany, and we were both looking for positions at the time. John is a gastroenterologist in Albany. After holding a teaching position for derm residents at Albany Medical Center, I decided to go into private practice. We lived in Clifton Park at that time, and since I was looking to be associated with a hospital, I chose Saratoga Springs, which seemed like a nice community. I’ve consulted at Saratoga Hospital since starting my practice 20 years ago. It was with the help of Dr. DelGiacco that I rented my first office. Saratoga’s great, because my office and the hospital are centrally located. Patients in many outlying areas that need service can reach the hospital as well as my office. Also, I enjoy living in a college town and providing services for the faculty and student body.

Who do you serve, what is your intention and what challenges must you meet?
I provide services to the greater Capital Region and the rural areas of the Adirondacks and as far as Vermont, Poughkeepsie and Plattsburgh. My intention is to provide every patient with the best medical care possible. Our goal is to continue improving the way we practice in order to provide the best dermatological medical care to our patients. That is,  with respect to developing and carrying out a treatment plan for them that is individualized, effective and affordable. Our efficiency is based upon adhering to the HIPPA guidelines and regulations for patient safety and privacy; enhancing communication; and in a timely manner, addressing the needs of our established as well as new patients.

How do you contribute to your community? How do you feel about Saratoga?
I’ve participated in the community actively over the years through financial support and engagement, as well as on volunteer basis. I’ve offered melanoma screening clinics in coordination with Saratoga Hospital and Wilton Medical Arts. I’ve served on the board of the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, and raised money for the hospital. I’ve been a patron of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center for years. We’ve contributed to a variety of causes including the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, the Pinckney farm; I was on the board of the Arts Fest of Saratoga; for years, supported the SPAC annual Ladies Luncheon and the Flower and Fruit Mission, as well as the Saratoga Preservation Society. I’ve also donated substantially to the revival of the Universal Preservation Hall as a live performance venue in the city. My office has also participated in the New Visions program, which has provided Saratoga Springs High School and other area high school seniors the ability to spend time with me in the office to evaluate my field and help make decisions in their life. I’ve also served on the board of the Waldorf School in Saratoga Springs. I’ve volunteered at the Saratoga Rowing Association’s regattas. I’ve provided support to the Museum of Dance. And I’ve also served as a Cornell University ambassador to high school seniors applying there, who might be interested in learning more about it.

Anything else you’d like our audience to know or share?
I would like to thank the community; the hospital; my fellow physicians; and foremost, my patients over the years, who’ve placed their trust in me and my family. I continue to serve with gratitude and don’t take anything for granted. I treat each of my patients for their skin conditions, but make a point to provide care to the individual as a whole.

Ballston Spa Gears Up For Its First-Ever Birdhouse Competition

Sophia Perez
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Ballston Spa Gears Up For Its First-Ever Birdhouse Competition

Sure, the Capital Region’s still getting shelled by weekly Nor’easters and chilly temps. But fear not: Springtime is right around the corner, and that means there’ll be loads of chirping birds hither and yon, flitting in and out of the tiny, free Airbnbs—i.e. birdhouses— we set out for them in our backyards. And while the plain, wooden one hanging in your maple tree might be all your neighborhood birds need to get through the spring and summer months, know that there will be some locals who’ll be bringing their birdhouse A-game to the table.

“Growing up in New Rochelle, I learned how to build a birdhouse from my father, and I don’t think I ever stopped enjoying the fun of building birdhouses and then seeing them used by birds,” says Mark Blech, the artist behind Black Dog Gallery and Studio in Ballston Spa. Blech is spearheading the town’s first-ever birdhouse-building competition. The contest is free and open to all local artists, woodworkers and craftspeople; and birdhouse builders have been instructed to bring their creations to the Ballston Spa Library on April 14.

After that, the birdhouses—with the permission of the artists/woodworkers, of course—become the property of the Village of Ballston Spa, and are installed in and around town and on the Tedisco Trail. The decorated birdhouses will be mounted on trees and lampposts throughout Ballston Spa all summer long, including designated areas on Front Street, in Iron Springs and Wiswell Park and on Milton Avenue. At the town’s Birdhouse Festival on April 21, Mayor John Romano and trustees will determine the winners and award prizes provided by local stores and restaurants. Birdhouse Festival attendees will tour the village with score cards and vote on their favorites. In addition to the competition, children from the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Creative Endeavors and around town will have the opportunity to decorate 150 birdhouses made by Ballston Spa High School’s Wood Technology class with wood donated by Curtis Lumber.

“To see creativity and community pride displayed throughout the village is the intent of the birdhouse competition,” says Blech. “The creativity of not just the adults, but also the dedication of the children in our community makes it so special.” The birdhouses will remain in their installation spots through the fall, at which point they’ll be taken down, and people will have the opportunity to claim them and use them at home. “I think the real goal of the birdhouse competition is to strengthen and celebrate our community spirit and community pride,” says Blech. “I was struck with how everyone looks out for one another in this village and how everyone works together for the common good. That sense of community can’t be taken for granted; we have to work together to remind each other and our visitors of what’s so special about Ballston Spa.”

Blech hopes the competition becomes an annual event. Wondering if you should grab a hammer and some nails and join in in the fun? “Do it,” says Blech. “Go crazy with colors. Think how much fun it will be to join this great community event.”

The Calendar: Everything That’s Going On In Saratoga Springs On St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

Sophia Perez
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The Calendar: Everything That’s Going On In Saratoga Springs On St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

St. Patrick’s Day is this Saturday, March 17, and as always, the Spa City is cooking up a number of Irish-tinged shindigs. This year, let saratoga living do the heavy lifting and check out our list of can’t-miss events for St. Patty’s Day and beyond. (We’ve front-loaded this week’s calendar with as many St. Patrick’s Day events as possible, as well as everything else that’s going on in and around town.) Oh, and keep this on your radar: local law firm Uber/Lyft and many other safe transportation options at your fingertips.

Friday, March 16 (Pregame)

Mise Eire Irish Dancers – 10:30am at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga – 69 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs

The Refrigerators – 8pm at Vapor Nightclub – 342 Jefferson Street, Saratoga Springs

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St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Wine Tasting – 11am-6pm at the Adirondack Winery Tasting Room – 285 Canada Street, Lake George

March Madness – 12pm-11:55pm at Peabody’s – 41 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs

Acoustic Graffiti Live – 6:30-9:30pm at Kraverie – 78 Beekman Street, Saratoga Springs

Busy Bees – 10am-11am at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga – 69 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs

Live Music by Third Rail – 6-9pm at The Saratoga Winery – 462 Route 29 West, Saratoga Springs

Murder Mystery Fundraiser – 6:30-9pm at Saratoga Arms – 497 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Nordlys Global Voices Series: Joan Soriano – 8-10:30pm at Caffè Lena – 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs

Saturday, March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day)

St. Patrick’s Day Grind – 10am at Vent Studios – 307 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Kegz n’ Eggz – 8am-4am at Saratoga City Tavern – 19 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs

Kegs and Eggs – 8am-12pm at Artisanal Brew Works – 41 Geyser Road, Saratoga Springs

Female Voices in Irish Music: The Grady Girls & Kara Doyle – 8-11pm at Caffè Lena – 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs

Kevin McKrell, Irish Stepdancers and Forthlin Road – 11:30am-closing at The Parting Glass –  40-42 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner with Live Celtic Music – 5-9pm at The Century House – 997 Loudon Rd, Latham

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Wine Tasting – 11am-6pm at the Adirondack Winery Tasting Room – 285 Canada Street, Lake George

Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Charity Dinner – 7pm at the Holiday Inn – 232 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

St. Patrick’s Day at Nostalgia – 4-10pm at Nostalgia Ale House – 113 NY-9P, Malta

Adirondack Sports Summer Expo – 10am-5pm at the Saratoga Springs City Center – 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Fairy Garden Magic (With a St. Paddy’s Day Twist) – 10am-12pm at Malta Community Center – 1 Bayberry Drive, Malta

Sunday, March 18 (The Morning After)

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Wine Tasting – 11am-6pm at the Adirondack Winery Tasting Room – 285 Canada Street, Lake George

Live Music by Aaron Mittler – 3-6pm at the Saratoga Winery – 462 Route 29 West, Saratoga Springs

Hatha Yoga – Master Class – 9am-11am at Lilananda Yoga – 585 Saratoga Road, Glenville

Adirondack Sports Summer Expo – 10am-5pm at the Saratoga Springs City Center – 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Where’s the Ramp? Family Story Time – 1pm at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library – 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park

The Gibson Brothers Trio – 3:00pm at Caffè Lena – 47 Phila Street, Saratoga

Ty Dolla $ign – 8pm at Upstate Concert Hall – 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park

Glens Falls Symphony: America- Land of Transformation – 4pm at Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College – 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga

Sunday Fun Science Day – 2-4pm at the Candle Collective – 20 Prospect Street, Building 2, Suite 214, Ballston Spa

Open Art Studio – 12-4pm at Art in Mind Creative Wellness Studio – 272 Saratoga Rd, Glenville

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