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THE HEART OF THE EMPIRE STATE
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Rising
HOW A COMPANY TOWN CAME BACK FROM THE BRINK AS A THRIVING, MODERN-DAY METROPOLIS THAT'S LANDING ONE COVETED "GET" AFTER ANOTHER. BY NATALIE MOORE
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COVER STORY
Schenectady Rising by Natalie Moore
23 BEHIND THE LENS BY S H AO N I PAU L
24 RECIPE
C H A M PA G N E PA L O M A W I T H C U R A M I A T EQ U I L A 34
26 SEBASTIAN WITHERELL’S MOTO MANIA BY K A R E N B J O R N L A N D
31 THE CALENDAR BY H E L E N A B A RT L E T T
42 SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
OLD MILL ROAD MEDIA
34 GALLERY
ADVERTISING SECTIONS
2 1 D AY T R I P S 25 CHEF PROFILES 30 WELLNESS
Summ Yogurt
36 THE EXPERTS
Serves: 8
PETS: BRAD CRANSTON T R AV E L : L I S A A R C E L L A S TA R S : R A C H E L L E B O O T H
Ingredient 1 cup St Pla 1 tsp. Le 1 tsp. Ha 1/4 cup Fre 1/4 cup Fre 1/4 cup Fre Sa
BOOKENDS 10 N EW A N D N OW
41
B E F O R E YO U G O B Y J O H N G R AY
Directions 1. Whisk a medium to serve
BESTIEFEST RETURNS P H OTO G R A P H Y BY T. R . L A Z
ON THE COVER: Schenectady’s Mohawk Harbor, photographed by Nate Seitelman exclusively for CAPITAL REGION LIVING.
(12) NATE SEITELMAN; (34) TR LAZ
12
12
Nutritional Inf Calories 20; Fat Carbohydrate 3 Protein 1 g
Source: Reci
We’r
July 2022_Capital Reg
Simple Summer Salad Dressings Bring summer salads to life with herbaceous, flavorful dressings that come together in minutes. Toss with your favorite greens or whole grains and diced vegetables for a fresh and bright base to a meal.
12
S
Summer Herb Yogurt Dressing
Tangy Garlic Hommus Dressing
Pesto Avocado Dressing
Serves: 8
Serves: 8
Ingredients: 1 cup Stonyfield® Organic Lowfat Plain Yogurt 1 tsp. Lemon juice 1 tsp. Hannaford Pure Clover Honey 1/4 cup Fresh chives, minced 1/4 cup Fresh dill, minced 1/4 cup Fresh parsley, minced Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients: 1 (8 oz.) Container Cedar’s® Garlic Hommus 2 Tbsp. Hannaford Dijon Mustard 3 Tbsp. Lemon juice 1/2 cup Hannaford Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients: 1 Avocado from Mexico, peeled and pitted 1/2 cup Fresh basil, chopped 1 tsp. Nature’s Promise® Minced Garlic 2 Tbsp. Hannaford Fancy Shredded Parmesan Cheese 1 Tbsp. Red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. Hannaford Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt and pepper, to taste
Serves: 8
H
(12) NATE SEITELMAN; (34) TR LAZ
Directions: 1. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl and chill until ready to serve. Nutritional Information (amount per serving): Calories 20; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0 g; Sodium 20 mg; Carbohydrate 3 g; Sugar 2 g; Added Sugar 1 g; Fiber 0 g; Protein 1 g
Source: Recipe adapted from stonyfield.com
Directions: 1. Whisk all ingredients together until well combined. 2. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Chill until ready to serve. Nutritional Information (amount per serving): Calories 160; Fat 15 g; Saturated Fat 2 g; Sodium 190 mg; Carbohydrate 5 g; Sugar 1 g; Added Sugar 0 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 2 g
Dietitian's Tip: Try this dressing with other hommus flavors like Chipotle or Roasted Red Pepper for an entirely new flavor profile.
Directions: 1. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. 2. Thin with water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Chill until ready to serve. Nutritional Information (amount per serving): Calories 60; Fat 6 g; Saturated Fat 1 g; Sodium 25 mg; Carbohydrate 2 g; Sugar 0 g; Fiber 2g; Protein 1 g
Source: Recipe adapted from avocadosfrommexico.com
We’re committed to supporting your health and wellness goals. Our team of registered dietitians offers free nutritional services online and in-store. Thank you to our sponsors for partnering with Hannaford to offer free dietitian services. Visit hannaford.com/dietitians to learn more.
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6 | CAP I TA L R EG I O N L I V I N G | J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
CAPITAL REGION LIVING
THE HEART OF THE EMPIRE STATE
Abby Tegnelia CEO EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF CONTENT EDITORIAL INTERN
HER
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Will Levith Steve Teabout Natalie Moore Helena Bartlett
CONTRIBUTORS
Lisa Arcella, Karen Bjornland Rachelle Booth, Steve Caporizzo Brad Cranston, Francesco D’Amico Samantha Decker, Dori Fitzpatrick Tracy Fluty, John Gray, Audrey Knizek David A. Kubikian, Dustin Lanterman T.R. Laz, Benjamin Lerner Konrad Odhiambo, Nate Seitelman
e Tara Buffa SALES MANAGER PUBLISHER, SARATOGA LIVING CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER SALES ASSISTANT
Annette Quarrier Tina Galante Tracy Momrow
EMPIRE MEDIA NETWORK, INC. Anthony R. Ianniello CHAIR
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(Natalie Moore) NATE SEITELMAN; (Abby Tegnelia) PAUL HENNESSEY
From The Editors
O Director of Content Natalie Moore outside Schenectady’s Frog Alley Brewing Company; CEO Abby Tegnelia at the Van Gogh exhibit
TO SCHENECTADY…AND BEYOND!
ur idea to feature Schenectady’s rebirth on the cover of this issue came about purely because two of us kept finding ourselves making the 40-minute trek from Saratoga to Schenectady—something that would have been unheard of some 25 years ago when Schenectady was in the deepest depths of its depression. Obviously, things in The Electric City have changed—so much so that “The Electric City” isn’t really a fitting nickname anymore. And we aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed; Schenectady-based writer Bill Patrick recently wrote a comprehensive book titled Metrofix: The Combative Comeback of a Company Town on the city’s transformation, cementing what we had theorized anecdotally. Flip to page 12 for a sliver of the story, and pick up a copy of Bill’s book for more (it’s available on Amazon and in several Price Chopper/Market 32 stores around the Capital Region, as well as at The Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady and Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza). This issue also steps outside Schenectady, venturing to a picturesque sunflower farm in Westerlo (p. 23), the area’s top motocross courses with a tough little rising star (p. 26), and Sleepy Hollow for a weekend getaway (p. 38). You can also read about the best upcoming Capital Region events (p. 31), learn training tips from a top local dog trainer (p. 36), and see all the pics from our annual BestieFest awards ceremony (p. 34). Whether you’re heading to Schenectady for Fandom Fest at Proctors or the Van Gogh: Immersive Experience, or enjoying the summer season elsewhere in the Capital Region, you really can’t go wrong. Cheers to another great upstate summer. —The Editors
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photo
NEW NOW AND
From Troy to Voorheesville, here’s everything you need to know about this red-hot summer. BY LISA ARCELLA
PROCTORS’ GAMBLE
This August 12-14, Proctors will debut a brand new event: Fandom Fest, which celebrates fan culture of all sorts. In addition to an e-sports tournament, arcade, cosplay contest and board games, the weekend will feature celebrities including Amber Benson (who plays Tara Maclay in Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Keith David (The Thing, Armageddon, The Chronicles of Riddick), and Rodger Bumpass (who portrays Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants). And, oh yeah—Proctors also announced the shows in its 2022-23 season. Coming soon to Schenectady: Hairspray, Tootsie, Jagged Little Pill, and yes, Hamilton.
What could be better than blueberry beer and Bang Bang Shrimp? All of that plus a giant pretzel, of course! Check out the new Northern Barrell Brewing in Voorhesville for brunch, a date night or a family dinner. The family-run operation is getting rave reviews from locals who love the friendly, clean atmosphere and amazing food. (We’ll take a Grown-up Grilled Cheese with its spicy guacamole, bacon and crunchy tortilla chips, please.) They’re even entering the “mug club” game, so order up.
SUMMER: THE SEQUEL
Seeing a movie on a big screen when you’re a kid is the best, and seeing it on the big screen for free is even better. Once again the Palace Theatre in Albany is running its Summer in the City movie series, with eight free, family-friendly movies for children and families from neighborhoods around downtown. Disney’s Raya kicked things off, but keep an eye out for other kid flicks such as Sing 2 July 19, Space Jam August 16, and Encanto August 30. Doors open at noon; go to the box office or palacealbany.org for tickets. There’s even free popcorn for kids 12 and under!
10 | CAP I TA L R EG I O N L I V I N G | J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
Clifton Park’s Send Me Waffles, which, yes, ships waffles all over the country, already knows that the way to our hearts is via one of its Belgian Liege waffles with all its pearl sugar yumminess—but the new Send Me Beer Grain waffles have elevated the treat to an art form. Send Me Waffles takes the grain used to make beer and then turns it into flour to make cake-like treats. Barley, wheat and rye ingredients pack some health benefits, but who’s paying attention when they taste this delicious? You can also feel good about eating them because the milk, honey, eggs and butter are all locally sourced here in the Capital Region.
(Denise Dubois) RACHEL MCNAIR/THE CONTENT AGENCY
A WHOLE BARRELL OF FAMILY FUN
(Proctors) NATE SEITELMAN
BATTER UP!
NEW NOW AND
CALL OF BEAUTY
you
Calling all glam squads—its time to invade the mall! Sephora, a name synonymous with beauty around the world, has teamed up with Kohl’s and has recently added two hot new local locations— in Saratoga (79 Weibel Ave) and Clifton Park (54 Crossing Blvd). And as if that weren’t good news enough for beauty junkies, Sephora at Kohl’s is also adding Murad, Clarins, Jack Black, Living Proof, Versace and Voluspa to the already huge assortment of products. We’re blushing just thinking about how good we’re going to look. Blushing…get it?
ROCK ON, TROY!
Summer wouldn’t be summer without the Capital Region’s longest running outdoor concert series, and Rockin’ On The River is back and better than ever with a new location at River Street Market in Downtown Troy. Local favorite Super 400 will kick things off July 20, and three more concerts have been announced for August 3, August 17 and August 31. Weather permitting, all shows run from 5:30-8:30pm. And did we mention they’re free? There will be food and drink available, and other Troy vendors will be on hand for this family-friendly (but sorry, no pets) rocking series.
COLONIE CENTER GETS “RUFFED” UP
s try, way f
Speaking of pets, the Albany mall is going to the dogs, but in the best possible way. Your pooch no longer has to sit sadly by the door waiting for you to come back from Colonie Center, because now Fido can go re-tail shopping with you at ruff-ly 30 of its stores. Pawprint stickers are located on woof-friendly storefronts, including Nordstrom Rack and LL Bean, to let you know your four-legged friend—big or small—is welcome inside.
are n
(Proctors) NATE SEITELMAN
ns it ike d me ’s hey can ng
(Denise Dubois) RACHEL MCNAIR/THE CONTENT AGENCY
w ffles o an es
GETTING UNDER OUR SKIN (IN A GOOD WAY)
One of the greatest ways to reveal glowing skin this summer is with a visit to Denise Dubois’ Complexions Spa for Beauty and Wellness in Albany or Saratoga Springs. But now you can treat yourself at home, too, thanks to her natural skincare product line, Dubois Beauty. (The line of 13 products includes cleansing milk, antioxidant serum, buffing cream and restorative night cream, with five more products coming soon.) Holistic health coach Heather Thomson, whom fans will remember from her time on The Real Housewives of New York, is the new brand ambassador. “The nice thing about Dubois Beauty is I don’t have to worry about my skincare,” Thomson says. CRL “The products really do what they say they’re going to do.”
J ULY/AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | CRLMAG.COM | 11
Downtown Schenectady
12 | CAP I TA L R EG I O N L I V I N G | SU MME R 2 0 2 2
CREDIT
S
Schenectady Story The
CREDIT
FROM LANDING THE PRESTIGIOUS VAN GOGH IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE AND COUNTLESS TOP-TIER BROADWAY SHOWS, TO HOSTING A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT BOOM, SCHENECTADY IS ON A WINNING STREAK. HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED.
BY NATALIE MOORE SUMMER 2 0 2 2 | CRLMAG.COM | 13
14 | CAP I TA L R EG I ON L I V I N G | J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
CREDIT
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(inset) GE Building 37 in1926, the year it opened; (opposite) Downtown Schenectady
(GE) MISCI; Proctors (NATE SEITELMAN)
O
n a recent late spring evening—a Tuesday, mind you—Downtown Schenectady was humming: Trivia was in full swing on the patio of Katie O’Byrnes, a steady stream of theater-goers filed into Proctors for opening night of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, and the tables were full at The Nest, one of the Capital Region’s trendiest new restaurants. The recently opened and much-talked-about Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience exhibit at the Schenectady Armory was closed for the day, but would reopen the following morning to swarms of art lovers. Just outside of downtown, at the state-of-the-art Mohawk Harbor compound, a pair of kids rolled down the hill leading to the harbor, while diners of all ages enjoyed drinks at waterside restaurants Druthers Brewing Company and Shaker & Vine, and a gaggle of young women relaxed in The River House apartments pool. If you took someone who lived in Schenectady in the ’90s and then moved away, and dropped them in this scene, they probably wouldn’t believe their eyes. “Whether it’s Union College alumni or people who used to be in Schenectady 20, 25 years ago, when we bring them back, they’re floored,” says David Buicko, president and CEO of the Galesi Group, the Schenectady-based development company that’s responsible for Mohawk Harbor as well as many downtown projects. “It’s shocking to them, because they still think of Schenectady in the past.” All Capital Regionites probably have at least some idea of Schenectady’s ups and downs, which have been more extreme than those of any other city in the region. But those who lived in the city in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s remember vividly the time before the “downs,” when Schenectady’s well educated residents served on city and nonprofit boards, shopped in downtown stores, and raised their families. “We were free-range kids,” says Schenectady native Bill Gallagher of growing up in the late ’60s and ’70s. “We were always playing outside. We’d walk home from school every day up Eastern Avenue and had multiple stops—we stopped at two corner stores, the fire house, the shoemaker, a pub (we did not drink), and there were a couple office people that we would wave to in the window and they would come out and chat with us. There were just so many nice people.” To fully appreciate that idyllic time, however, it’s important to go back even further, all the way to the origins of modern-day Schenectady: the birth of General Electric. It all started in 1886, when Thomas Edison chose the site of the former McQueen Locomotive in Schenectady as the home base of Edison Machine Works, the company that, by way of an 1892 merger, would become General Electric. Edison himself had sold all of his shares in the company by 1894, but the business he built boomed over the next three-quarters of a century, producing everything from early refrigerators to jet engines. And as it grew, Schenectady, which came to be known as “The City That Lights and Hauls the World” and “The Electric City” because GE and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) were headquartered there, grew with it. By the early 1940s, the GE workforce in Schenectady had expanded to 45,000 employees, while ALCO boasted 12,000. Alas, as was the case for countless company towns–those whose success was a direct result of the success of a singular major company (or two) headquartered there–throughout the rust belt, Schenectady’s good fortune didn’t last. Between ALCO shuttering its doors in 1969 and GE laying off a whopping 40,000 Schenectady employees in the second half of the 20th century, Schenectady lost one third of its population—and those people didn’t come back. Add in a nationwide migration to the suburbs and their sprawling shopping malls, and by the 1980s, Schenectady was basically a ghost town. “The Proctors block was decimated,” says Galesi Group’s Buicko. “You could walk down State Street and not
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SUMMER FUN 2 0 2 2 | CRL MAG.COM | 15
get hit by a car because there were no cars on it.” Proctors itself, once a thriving vaudeville theater, had begun showing pornographic films, and by the 1970s had fallen into disrepair and was at risk of being torn down. While a group of concerned citizens banded together to save and restore Proctors, and the theater reopened in 1979, that one victory was no match for the mass layoffs laying waste to the city as a whole. Schenectady’s next few decades were largely characterized by crime, corruption and blight. “When you’ve got a crack epidemic in the ’90s, and you’ve got a corrupt police department, and you’ve got a school system that’s having trouble with internal staffing problems, you get a lot of newspaper articles that turn people off,” says William Patrick, author of the book Metrofix: The Combative Comeback of a Company Town, which tells the complete story of Schenectady’s rise, fall and rise again and was released in December of last year. (The book was funded by philanthropist Neil Golub.) “So if you live in the Capital Region or close to it, and year after year you read these terrible articles about crime and corruption and school problems, you don’t want to move to the city. So there was a terrible perception problem”—a perception problem that endured well into the 2010s. “When I was in college and I’d tell my parents I was going out in Schenectady, they would be like, ‘Are you sure? That does not seem safe,’” says Ballston Lake native Danielle Walsh, who graduated from SUNY New Paltz in 2015 and eventually moved to Schenectady. “My mom was like, ‘Text me every 20 minutes.’” But despite what the rest of the Capital Region may have thought, there were some city leaders who had a vision of what Schenectady could still become. One such man was Golub, who at the time was set to take over the Golub Corporation and its Price Chopper supermarket empire from his father. He got together with Roger Hull, then-president of Union College, and economic development manager George Robertson to form Schenectady 2000, a volunteer organization that would clean up the city, at least aesthetically, in the 1990s. “The three of them organized this volunteer force to paint the bridges, add landscaping and change the lighting,” Patrick says. “But they realized, ‘OK, that’s not going to do it. It’s not enough.’ They really needed an independently financed economic development organization.” Enter the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority, which is just that: an independently funded public benefit corporation dedicated to the economic development of Downtown Schenectady and its surrounding towns, which was signed into law by former New York State Governor George Pataki in 1998. The only entity of its kind in New York State, Metroplex is actually funded by county sales tax—one half of one percent of the sales tax goes directly to Metroplex for economic development—and has broad power to “design, plan, finance, site, construct, administer, operate, manage and maintain facilities within its service district,” according to its mission statement. In practice, that means Metroplex is involved in pretty much every development project and business opening that happens in Schenectady, period. And that gives the Electric City a major edge— and helps explain why “everything” seems to be opening there. Today, Metroplex is a bona fide force, but its efforts weren’t immediately felt; even though the city was on the up and up following the authority’s formation, it would take years before the public’s perception of Schenectady began to shift—just ask Walsh’s mom, who eventually did stop asking her adult daughter to excessively text
16 | CAP I TA L R EG I ON L I V I N G | J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
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her that she was safe. Something that aided in that shift? Philip Morris’ arrival at Proctors in 2002. “He realized that Proctors wasn’t going to be able to compete, unless they did a really major fundraising campaign,” Patrick says. “Because a bunch of big Broadway shows needed to have a larger stage and a larger space behind the stage.” Under Morris’ leadership as executive director, Proctors raised $40 million to expanded its physical space in 2005 and 2006 so that it could accommodate crowdpleasing hits such as Phantom of the Opera and Wicked and, more recently, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and the upcoming Hadestown. Meanwhile, Metroplex had hired Ray Gillen, formerly an economic developer for the state, as its chairman. “When I came in 2004, Schenectady had arguably the most distressed downtown in the state and a dysfunctional economic development system,” Gillen says. “Thirty
different groups in the city were involved in one way or another with economic development. When the leadership in the community changed at the county and city levels in 2004, they unified that from dozens of organizations to a unified economic development team.” In other words, from there on out, Metroplex was a one-stop shop for all things economic development. “We’re a single point of contact,” Gillen continues. “You don’t have to talk to dozens of people to get a project approved in Schenectady.” “The approval process to get projects done here is very streamlined,” adds Buicko, who has worked with Metroplex on most of Galesi’s projects, including Center City, Bow Tie Cinemas and the $500 million Mohawk Harbor project. “You have a quarterback in Ray Gillen and Jayme Lahut.” (Lahut is the authority’s executive director.) Kaytrin Ziemann, coowner of State Street hotspot The Nest, agrees: “They were amazing,” she says
of working with Metroplex to open her restaurant in 2020. “Any road block I ran into, Ray Gillen was all about helping me. Down in City Hall, they step-by-step held my hand. They were so eager for us to get open.” While Metroplex is like a quarterback on one hand, it’s like a cheerleader on the other, touting Schenectady whenever possible. A recent example is when entertainment producer Exhibition Hub came looking for an upstate locale for its uber-popular traveling exhibit, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, which sold out in huge cities such as LA, Toronto and Chicago. “When people come to us and say ‘We’re looking for a spot,’ we’re very aggressive,” Gillen says. “We met them [at the Schenectady Armory] and showed them the property. We move quickly as an economic development organization.” Metroplex’s pitch as to why Exhibition Hub should choose Schenectady as its host? “Proctors is a
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience; (opposite, from top) Galesi Group projects in Schenectady: 433 State Street; Bow Tie Cinemas; Mohawk Harbor; and MVP’s headquarters
J ULY/AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | CRLMAG.COM | 17
Rivers Casino big entertainment venue, so people come here for the arts already,” Gillen says. “We have the casino, which is the most visited destination in the Capital Region. We talked about Frog Alley, the college, parking, the kind of support we can give them…it’s right off the highway. We were able to create a pitch that helped them see the advantages of Schenectady.”(One blight though: Someone didn’t think Schenectady was a big enough name, so the sign at the Armory, the digital ads for tickets, and even the listing on the official website all say “Van Gogh Albany.” Baby steps.) Another example of Metroplex’s outsized influence came when MVP Healthcare was looking for a place to build its headquarters. While a more suburban area may have been an easier choice given the ample surface parking opportunities, Metroplex helped subsidize a Downtown Schenectady parking garage to mitigate MVP’s costs and level the playing field. In the end, MVP chose Schenectady. If you haven’t noticed, the benefits of Metroplex and Schenectady’s economic development as a whole are compounding: Investing in one area brings more business and therefore more sales tax to the city, which gives Metroplex more money and more leverage to win over potential investors. By investing in MVP’s parking garage, Metroplex brought more people to downtown—people that need places to eat, shop and live. It’s projects like those that encourage the development of apartment buildings, such as Mill Artisan on lower State Street, and restaurants such as vegan cafe Take Two and the newest venture from the owners of The
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Nest, Mediterranean restaurant Mila, coming soon to downtown. “During the day, we have lots of large parties during lunch,” Ziemann says of the crowd at The Nest. “GE office lunch, Metroplex comes down, the MVP building, the courthouse—lots of lunch meetings.” Given the fact that Metroplex is self-perpetuating, development and therefore tourism in Schenectady have only picked up speed, though COVID did set everyone back a bit, what with Proctors and Rivers Casino being closed. On the development side, Mohawk Harbor is an obvious transformation. “When you came across Freemans Bridge and you looked at a bunch of closed-down factories and ugly buildings that were falling apart, it was embarrassing,” Buicko says of the waterfront property that actually used to be home to the aforementioned ALCO. Now, that abandoned 60 acres has been transformed into a state-of-theart compound boasting an expansive casino, two hotels, restaurants, offices, stores and a concert venue, and is the proposed home of an ice rink that could play host to Union College’s men’s and women’s home hockey games. “We treat it as a place where you can live, work and play all in one,” Buicko says of the area. “And with the price of gas right now, if people can walk or have a short drive to work, the economics are terrific.” On the tourism side, this year is on track to be unparalleled, what with Van Gogh; Proctors’ upcoming show schedule (Hairspray, Disney’s Aladdin, Hamilton, etc.) and first-ever Fandom Fest (a comic con of sorts); The Alice in Wonderland Experience (an immersive escape room–style team event coming
to the city October 1); and the alwayspopular SummerNight concert (the headliner for the July 22 event had yet to be announced at press time). In addition to what Discover Schenectady’s Todd Garofano calls “the usual suspects” that bring in tourists—Proctors and Rivers Casino, mainly—outdoor recreation in Schenectady has also been booming. “What we’ve seen coming out of the pandemic is that outdoor attractions are doing really well,” he says. “We geofence certain neighborhoods and attractions around Schenectady County to track where the tourists are, and the top five consistently have been Mohawk Harbor/ Rivers, Central Park, Freedom Park, Jay Street Marketplace and the Stockade.” The city and county’s offerings are so diverse in fact, that when asked if “The Electric City” was still a fitting nickname for Schenectady, Garofano laughed. “It’s kind of funny,” he says. “We were looking at doing a little brand refresh, and somebody came up with a play on words and called it ‘The Eclectic City.’ And we said, ‘Gee, it kind of makes sense.’” Buicko has recognized the city’s move away from its industrial/electric roots as well. “Schenectady,” he says, “is actually a very good case study on how to reinvent a city.” That reinvention has made Schenectady such a happening place that it’s drawing in young people— young people who weren’t even alive for Schenectady’s so-called glory days. “We moved in two or three weeks before SummerNight 2019,” says Walsh, the one with the once-worried mother. “We walked outside and it was a madhouse. It was just so awesome to be so centrally located and be able to go to the farmers’
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market, get coffee, go to the movies, go out to dinner.” Ziemann felt the draw of Schenectady too, even before opening her first restaurant there. “We had been eyeing State Street for years,” she says. “We had been dying to get down there because of Proctors, the casino, all these apartments going up. It’s kind of like a rebirth in Schenectady and we wanted to be a part of it—big time.” Obviously, Metroplex is largely responsible for what Ziemann calls Schenectady’s rebirth. But it’s not the whole story. “Put Metroplex aside for a second,” Buicko says. “You had community leaders that really wanted Schenectady to win.” Buicko’s talking about the Neil Golubs of Schenectady— the CEOs of Price Chopper, MVP and location intelligence software company Transfinder that decided to put their headquarters in Schenectady, even when it might have been easier to put them elsewhere. But that mindset extends beyond the city’s corporate and philanthropic leaders to the regular people. “I may have shared with my Schenectady friends, ‘Oh, it’s been sad to see some things aren’t what they used to be in Schenectady,’” says Gallagher, who is employed by Price Chopper, of the city’s darker years. “But I don’t want to hear outsiders say it. I don’t want to listen to people who have lived their whole life in the suburbs trash Schenectady. I still have that pride, and I still try to support it where I can. For me, it’s going to the movies at Bow Tie, grabbing a bite to eat downtown—stuff like that.” And Gallagher’s not alone. “There aren’t a lot of cities that pull together the way Schenectady does,” Patrick says. “It’s unusual in that sense. I’ve never lived in a place where people are, first of all, so friendly, and second of all, so volunteer oriented. It’s kind of remarkable. Everybody pitches in in this city.” Under existing legislation, Metroplex is set to lose its sales tax share—a.k.a. go away—in 2038. But if history is any indication, Schenectady civic pride will continue long after that sunset date. And if hard times ever befall Schenectady again in the future, you can bet there will be someone—more like thousands of someones—ready to reinvent the CRL Electric City once again.
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DAY TRIPS Advertising Section
Day Trips of a Lifetime •
These three New York State getaways are right in our own backyard. Howe Caverns
NY Power Authority’s Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center
255 Discovery Drive, Howes Cave 518.296.8900; howecaverns.com Visit Howe Caverns, the largest show cave of living limestone in the northeast, and the second most visited natural attraction in New York State. Located in picturesque Schoharie County, the property boasts spectacular views of the beautiful Helderberg Plateau. Conveniently located off Interstate 88, Howe Caverns is approximately 45 minutes west of Albany. A popular family destination for more than 90 years, the estate features a 21room motel, café and gift shop, along with a sweet shop offering special homemade fudge and cave-aged cheese. Cave tours are offered daily from July 1 through Labor Day.
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397 Power Plant Access Road, Gilboa 800.724.0309; nypa.gov
The visitor experience at BlenheimGilboa is a triple play. The science of electricity and hydropower is on exhibit at the Visitors Center, open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm. Right beside it, history is preserved at Lansing Manor, a 19th century home listed in the National Register of Historic Places. And it’s all surrounded by trails, boating, fishing and other outdoor recreation. Additional events are held throughout the year at the Schoharie County hydroelectric plant, and admission to the Lansing Manor and Visitors Center is always free, as are year-round events.
Rensselaer County Tourism
Rensselaer County 518.270.2673; ny-rensselaercounty.civicplus.com Year-round activity abounds, with summer offering the best hiking, biking, or fishing. During the growing season, Rensselaer County offers an array of locally produced fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, baked goods, arts, crafts and even a buffalo hide or two! The entire region practically pops at the seams for popular events like the Schaghticoke Fair, free summer concerts held across Rensco, and the multiple Apple Festivals, which are enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors annually. And for those moments when you want to get far from the crowds, the county offers many solitary activities and pursuits.
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Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project Visitors Center 1378 State Route 30 North Blenheim NY 12131
Info 1-800-724-0309 nypa.gov/BGVisitorsCenter
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Flower Power
Where and when to find the perfect sunflower—and how to capture its beauty, even in the blinding sun. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAONI PAUL
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ne of the greatest joys of summer is watching the sunflowers bloom. For the full effect, visit a sunflower field in early or mid-August, like I did last year. I was thrilled when I discovered the perfect local farm for the task, the Golden Acres Charolais Farm that’s owned by the Boone Family in Westerlo, which is just 30 minutes from Albany. They are one of the sweetest families, sharing the beauty of their farm with people like us at no cost. Flowers have always had a special place in my heart when it comes to photography. The texture, beauty, variety and vibrancy of the petals make it very hard to not click, regardless of whether you’re taking an up-close look at one individually or are in a field covered like a blanket. For this sunflower, I used my Sony Alpha 7 Mark 2 with Sony FE 24–105 mm F4 G OSS Lens. Although flower photography is fun, a bright sunny day can make it tricky to photograph these beauties. I used a low ISO, with a higher shutter speed around 1/200-1/500sec and a varied length of aperture from f/5-f12 to manage a close-up shot with a blur background or a landscape view. So, if you love flowers, farmhouses and country roads, this beautiful farm is a must-visit this summer. Enjoy the view—and be sure to bring home some fresh sunflowers and gorgeous photos of your own. Find more of Paul’s work on Instagram at @paul.shaoni.
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Ingredients: 1.5 oz. Curamia Tequila Blanco 0.5 oz. Cointreau 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice 4 oz. Champagne Tajin, for rim
Directions: • Rim your Champagne glass with Tajin and set aside. • Combine everything but Champagne in a shaker and shake lightly to incorporate. • Strain into Champagne glass and top with Champagne.
24 | CAP I TA L R EG I O N L I V I N G | J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
CRL
CHEF PROFILES Advertising Section
Top Chefs Three culinary geniuses dish about being chefs in the Capital Region. other restaurants in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
ul and a.
What’s your favorite part about being a chef? Teaching. The kitchen is a microcosm of this huge world, and I like to use cooking and food to help others.
What’s your favorite dish to eat? I rarely ever get asked what my favorite thing to eat is—it’s always “what do I like to cook?” I love pizza.
Chef Freddie Dumlao The Greens at Copake Country Club
What restaurants have you worked in previously? In the last decade, I’ve worked at Tarry Lodge in Connecticut, as well as
Chefs Roberto Bermejo and Cesar Bermejo El Mariachi
What do you love most about your restaurant, El Mariachi? That it is our family-owned restaurant.
For a little more than 25 years we have been working together to bring out the best of Mom’s homestyle cooking.
What’s your favorite part about being a chef? Pleasing our guests and making them happy.
What’s your favorite dish to make? We have two favorite dishes from our menu that we enjoy making: Paella Valenciana and Pollo Al Chipotle.
What’s your favorite dish to eat? Pollo Al Chipotle and sizzling fajitas.
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AT ONLY 9 YEARS OLD, LOCAL MOTOCROSS STAR SEBASTIAN “SEA BASS” WITHERELL IS RISING IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS OF THIS EXCITING, DIZZYING, MUD-DRENCHED SPORT.
Racing for the 518: Sebastian at Winchester Speedpark in New Hampshire this year; (iNSEt) Sebastian at an upstate track last fall.
26 | CAP I TA L R EG I O N L I V I N G | SU MME R F U N 2 0 2 2
BUCKLEY PHOTOS
BY KAREN BJORNLAND
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otocross racers are tough. They zigzag through rivers of dirt, fly over bumps and soar into the air. Mud and rain? No problem. Meet Sebastian Witherell, a.k.a. Sea Bass. He’s been riding off-road motorcycles since he was 4. Now, at the ripe old age of 9, the Columbia County kid is winning big time at local tracks and is a serious contender at national amateur races. Everyone knows Sea Bass. And they are watching him. Motoplayground, the magazine of amateur motocross, deemed him a “top 100” young rider. In 2019, he took first place in his class at the 50th anniversary Unadilla National in New Berlin, a competition in Central New York that’s considered the “Woodstock of Motocross.” The rising fourth-grader at Ichabod Crane Primary School even has an American Motorcyclist Association plaque from a national race in Englishtown, NJ. “You have to be a top rider to receive one,” says Andrew Witherell, Sebastian’s proud father. And let’s not forget Daytona International Speedway. This past March, at the Daytona Super Cross, a race held near the famous NASCAR track, Sea Bass placed sixth in his class. Sebastian, who lives with his parents in Ghent, is a regular racer at Claverack MX in Hudson, his hometown track. “We were just there the other day and he swept all four motos [individual races] that he entered,” Andrew says. “It’s just very natural to him. His form, his style—he’s a little horse jockey. He goes for it.” Ask Sebastian about motocross and he has a speedy answer. “I love the races, meeting families and making new friends,” he says. On the track, the fun is “battling” the other competitors, and the hard part is “not letting kids get in my head.” Oh, and Sea Bass wants you to know that his motorcycle, an Americanmade Cobra FWE 50, is “really fast.” Next year, when he turns 10, he’ll race on his blue Yamaha YZ 65. For Mom, Dad and mechanic/manager Johnny Lyon, driving to weekend competitions nearly all year round is a challenge, but they enjoy seeing the country together. “We’ve been pretty much from the Canadian border all the way to Daytona,” Andrew says. “We travel wherever the competition is.” Columbia County businesses and private supporters, including Claverack Pump Service and Chatham attorney James Kleinbaum,
J ULY/AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | CRL MAG.COM | 27
(from top) Sebastian (at right) and his cousin Keaton watch a race at Claverack MX in Hudson; Sebastian (at left) and his friends Aiden (at right) and Max; 5-year-old Sebastian washing his motorcycle before a race.
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help the team by paying for fuel and gear. “It’s an expensive sport,” says his mom, Kami Ressler. “Without sponsors, without donations, there’s no way we could do half of the traveling we do.” At competitions, Sea Bass and his support team sleep in tents or campers in the friendly colony that sprouts up at a track, or they bunk at a nearby hotel. “Everybody is like family at the track, and the kids are all playing together,” says Andrew. “He’s met so many friends,” adds Ressler. Riders are classed by age and engine power. Sebastian’s age group rides 50 CC motorcycles with speeds up to 40 miles per hour. Boys and girls race together on a one-to two-mile track, with each race about five to seven laps. Sea Bass and his buddies are young, but they are Northeast tough. They race rain or shine and bundle up when it’s cold. They are masters of the mud and come off the track happily frosted with the stuff. “They grew up riding in it,” Andrew says. Sea Bass, (a nickname given to him by his grandfather) grew up in the motocross world because of his father, who raced when he was in his twenties, and Lyon, his father’s friend, who was a mechanic on a pro-level team in California. “Since he was a baby, we were taking him to motocross,” Lyon says. When Sebastian was still toddling, he learned to balance on a Strider bike, and at age 3, he was riding an electric bike. By 4, he was commanding a dirt bike around the backyard. When he entered his first race, he chose his own race number, the familiar “518.” This summer, Sebastian is training for the Mini Os, the next big amateur event, which is held in November in Gainesville, FL. He returns to Unadilla August 1214 to race on amateur day during the Pro National. In the Hudson Valley, he competes at Claverack MX on August 7 and September 11. Anyone curious about motocross should plan to attend; spectators are always welcome. Prefer to stay home? Search “Sebastian Witherell” on YouTube and take a dizzying GoPro ride as he CRL zooms through the dirt.
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J ULY/AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | CRLMAG.COM | 29
WELLNESS
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DAVE WARNER
Rock T Conce
Rock T Square series August from L
Events Calendar
» A Capital Region summer of arts and entertainment. «
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local artists. Featuring diverse art mediums, Art in the Park invites art lovers to chat with the creators or maybe even buy some early holiday gifts. saratoga-arts.org July 30
Hudson in Concert: Don’t miss out on this annual summer community celebration. Hosted by the Hudson Festival Orchestra and located in Henry Hudson Riverfront Park, the concert will feature a number of diverse area residents as they come together in a cultural celebration of live music. hudsonfestivalorchestra.org August 3
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Now through Labor Day
Tri City ValleyCats Don’t strike out and miss the ValleyCats’ season, which runs from May to early September. There are plenty of opportunities to catch the ValleyCats in action; be sure to check the calendar for what days feature post-game fireworks. milb.com
classics. Be sure to BYOB (bring your own blanket)! ci.cohoes.ny.us July 21-23
Punkintown Festival This family fun fair is stacked with rides, delicious food and games for all ages. Held in Voorheesville for its 78th year, all proceeds support the local volunteer fire department. newsalemvfd.org
Now through August 4
Rock The Block Summer Concert Series
DAVE WARNER
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Join the powerhouse Grammy winner and 14-time nominee for an evening under the stars as she pays tribute to the great singer and activist Nina Simone. Presented as a guest soloist with the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra, Ledisi will perform some of Simone’s most powerful hits. spac.org
Rock The Block is back! Stop by Canal Square in Cohoes for the Thursday night series that runs from mid-June to early August. Drop in and listen to everything from Led Zeppelin to Fleetwood Mac
July 23 & September 17
Saratoga Arts presents Art in the Park Take a stroll through Saratoga’s beautiful Congress Park and enjoy extraordinary pieces from nearly 80 of the region’s
August 4-20
Park Playhouse Stage Company presents The Wedding Singer Take a blast to the past! The Wedding Singer is coming to Washington Park, so tease your hair, pop your collar, and come enjoy this ‘80s-inspired rom-com musical classic! playhousestage.org August 10-18
Lake George Music Festival Head up to Lake George to soak in this summer festival favorite. Featuring newly released works and community favorites, this listen-by-the-lake fest features tons of chamber music and orchestra performances. lakegeorgemusicfestival.com
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IT’S
Events Calendar August 13
OUR H
YOUR H August 26
2econd Saturday Hudson Gallery Crawl
24th Annual Travers Wine & Craft Beverage Tasting
Stop by Hudson for its monthly celebration of the town’s best of the best. Dozens of local favorites will stay open late for the public to celebrate small businesses in town. Stop by Hudson retailers, restaurants, bars and galleries to chat with some local artists. hudsongallerycrawl.com
Come toast Saratoga’s premier horse racing event! Held at Saratoga National Golf Club on the eve of the Travers Stakes the event will feature a number of wine and craft beverage tastings in honor of the track’s big day. lifepathny.org
August 20
Tyler Henry at Proctors Calling all medium fans: The hit Netflix and E! Entertainment Hollywood Medium Tyler Henry will be making his stop at Proctors. For one night only Henry will host an interactive show, explaining the secrets behind his gift and communicating with the other side. Who knows? You might even get a live audience reading. proctors.org August 22-28
Washington County Fair Upstate’s crowd-pleasing Washington County Fair is back! And it returns with all the trimmings for a fun family day: live entertainment, 4-H displays, favorite fair foods, vendors, live music, rides and animals. washingtoncountyfair.com
August 31-September 5
Great Schaghticoke Fair For more than 200 years, this fair has offered the best of end-of-summer entertainment. This big bash packs a punch, featuring everything from demolition derbies and rodeos, to can’tmiss country concerts featuring Tracy Byrd and Ernest. schaghticokefair.com
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September 3-4
Meetings
Annual Lake George Triathlon Festival Looking for a fun challenge? Sign up for Lake George’s yearly triathlon, whose course spanning the base of the stunning Adirondack Mountains. Swim, bike and run, or cheer on the athletes while enjoying the beautiful views. alpha.win
997 New
Lake George Triathlon Festival
September 10
Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival Celebrating 18 years of spectacular performances, Albany’s annual jazz fest is full of jazz giants and up-and-coming favorites. Held at a breathtaking venue located right on the Hudson River, you won’t want to miss out. albany.org September 11
Carrot Festival
Washington County Fair
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Orange you glad you’re hearing about Schenectady’s Carrot Festival? Come for its delicious carrot cake and stay for a day full of live entertainment. Expect everything from crafting tables to fresh produce vendors and, of course, a few activities for the kids! There will also be a ceremony held in commemoration of 9/11 and frontline workers. CRL agudatachim.com
OUR HOUSE,
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TheCenturyHouse.com 997 New Loudon Rd (Rt 9), Latham | (518) 785-0931
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BestieFest’s Big Comeback
Lindsay Krajewski and
CRL’s Tara Buffa handing out complimentary swag bags
While everyone was so grateful for last year’s smaller, COVID-safe BestieFest, it didn’t feel like our annual celebration dinner and awards ceremony was really back until this year, when 2022 Bestie winners showed up in droves to eat, drink and be honored. Held once again at Century House, which served a delicious dinner of mac n’ cheese, tacos and more from fun food stations set up around the Latham venue’s main ballroom, BestieFest also featured complimentary cocktails by Curamia Tequila, tasty confections by Bella Napoli and Coccadotts (both Bestie winners!), and a raffle prize by (Bestiewinning) Breathe Massage Therapy. Throughout the first hour of the evening, guests helped themselves to dinner and drinks, took photos in The Music Man Entertainment photo booth, stopped by the CDPHP booth, and picked up their Hannaford cooler bag stuffed with swag. At 6:30, CRL’s Tara Buffa took the stage to introduce the evening’s emcee, NEWS10 ABC Chief Meteorologist Steve Caporizzo, who won this year’s Bestie for Best Meteorologist and graced the cover of our spring issue. “Cap,” as he’s known around the studio, recognized each of the Bestie-winning businesses in attendance with a plaque, made by Awards by Walsh, before gathering the group together for one big Bestie family photo, taken by (Bestie winner) T.R. Laz.
PH OTO G R APH Y BY T. R . L AZ
The Animal Hospital team
NEWS10 ABC’s Ryan Peterson, Christina Arangio, Stephanie Rivas and the evening’s emcee, Steve Caporizzo The Good Karma Studio team
s
T co The Swifty’s Restaurant and Pub team
Staff from the JO Restaurant Group, which won Besties for 677 Prime, Toro and Sea Smoke Waterfront Grill
Denise Dubois of Complexions Spa for Beauty and Wellness
THR
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joi Music Man Entertainment invited guests to snap pics in its photo booth. 34 | CAP I TA L R EG I O N L I V I N G | J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
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The writers of saratoga living invite you to hang out After Hours. T h e m ost s u p er - loca l cover age i n Sa r atoga , by Sa r atogi a n s .
THRICE-WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATES:
Party coverage Saratoga-themed puzzles and trivia What’s really going down on local Facebook pages Trends, drama, “vibe checks” and more! FREE TO SUBSCRIBE
join us right now for our insider’s look at all things Saratoga!
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THE
Pets // Travel // Stars
Experts Training Day
Brad Cranston of Clifton Park–based Great Off Leash Dog Training has unique methods for turning a disobedient puppy into your dream dog. BY B R A D CRA N STON
T
here are tons of questions that every proud new owner of an adorable puppy asks— and every trainer has different answers. I’ve developed my own method for creating a unique and unbreakable bond between dog and dog owner, so let’s get started. First up? Skip immediate training in lieu of some good old-fashioned play time. Here’s why.
What’s the first thing I should do when I get a new puppy? When bringing a new puppy into your home, get to know her before jumping into commands. Simply play and travel to new surroundings, as this is a great way to learn what intimidates and excites her. This can mean taking her to a downtown area where there are people, out to a park where there’s wildlife and a place to swim, or to a dog park to introduce her to other pups for socialization. This will tighten your bond, boost confidence among both parties, condition her to new surroundings, and, of course, give you a good grasp of your dog’s personality. Neglecting this step and sheltering your dog from new surroundings can cause aggression, unwanted behaviors and fear.
What are the key things to keep in mind when starting out? Always address your dog by her name, minimize your words, and start with what I call “come, sit, stay, release.” This means that when you ask your dog to come, don’t just make her run to your general vicinity—make her come all the way to you and sit, every single time. That way, when your dog hears the command “come,” she also associates it with “sit.” Stay consistent with this and it will become routine. If your dog doesn’t come all the way to you, never move to her—stand your ground or take a step back.
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How do I make my dog stay? There’s no need to use the stay command if you teach your dog that “sit” means “sit and stay.” Instead of saying “stay,” develop a release command for your dog. For example, if your dog finally sits for you for the first time, don’t say anything except for your release command, and say the same thing every single time after that. Personally, I say “GREAT! “ in a high-pitched tone. Over time, this will create a sense of urgency for your dog to want to sit, because if she does so, she will be released to do as she pleases right after. Once your dog is sitting on command, simply step in and say the same command, “sit,” and wait a little bit longer before you release. Before you know it, your dog will be staying for you because she’s naturally waiting for her release.
What should I do if I need to discipline my dog? Just as there’s no one way to discipline a kid, there isn’t one simple, easy way to correct a dog. What you really want to do is play around with a bunch of different ways to discipline her. Start by
simply addressing her by her name with a correction after: “Lola, OFF.” When you say “off,” shake some pennies, or use a spray bottle so she associates the word with discipline. The key is to minimize your words, so whether the behavior you’re trying to correct is digging, barking or counter-surfing, use the same CRL word every time.
Brad Cranston is the owner of Great Off Leash Dog Training, the top-rated off-leash dog trainer in the state. He specializes in the professional use of e-collar technology to give his clients control of their dogs without a leash, regardless of distractions. Learn more at greatdogcoaching.com or on Instagram at @off_leash_dogs.
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Pets // Travel // Stars
Experts Leaving a Legacy
The Rockefellers left behind a gorgeous estate that proves there’s more to Sleepy Hollow than Ichabad Crane. BY L I SA A RC E LLA
The Rockefeller Estate, a.k.a. Kykuit
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he name “Sleepy Hollow” conjures up images of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, but while the iconic author Washington Irving does happen to be buried in the Sleepy Hollow cemetery, there is so much more to see and do in this beautiful corner of the Hudson Valley. While living and working in the area for many years, it was too easy to ignore some of the attractions right under my nose (or at least around the corner). But a visit to the stunning Rockefeller estate Kykuit made me realize just what I had been missing, and I was off to become a tourist in my own backyard. To get to the estate, which sits high up on a hill, visitors first buy tickets at nearby Phillipsburg Manor and get transported to the site via mini-bus. The picturesque Manor (that’s, yes, just across the street from the historic cemetery where the infamous pumpkinheaded horseman was spotted) was a gristmill during the 1700s. It’s an interesting spot to learn about colonial history and how slaves labored for the wealthy Philipse family. Once the five-minute ride transported us up to Kykuit, I was in awe of the incredible view that first greets visitors. Patriarch John D. Rockefeller wanted to create a beautiful haven away from the city for his family. The stunning and unobstructed 360-degree view of the valley and Hudson River below looks pretty much the same today as it did when he purchased the Pocantico Hills property in Westchester County in 1893. In fact, in 1934, John D.’s son Junior donated 700 acres of land across the Hudson to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission so nothing that would ruin the vista could ever be built on the land. Four generations of Rockefellers lived here until it was donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation (some
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members of the family, however, still live nearby), and each left their own mark, particularly when it came to their taste in art. John commissioned a huge replica of Giambologna’s fountain, which stands as a monument in front of the estate. Former New York governor Nelson Rockefeller, who was a modern art fan, even commissioned huge tapestry replicas of some of Picasso’s most famous works (with the artist’s approval of course). The works are housed in a subterranean art gallery that was once a bowling alley for the Rockefeller kids. The family’s patronage of the arts even continued to the church they visited every Sunday. No less than Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse created the stained glass windows in the lovely little chapel of Pocantico’s Union Church. It’s open from May through November to the public, but you do have to buy a ticket ahead of time. The huge Rockefeller State Park Preserve in nearby Pleasantville is a great place to hike, but my favorite place to spend an afternoon is at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills. It’s nice to wander around the sweeping organic farm at any time of the year. In your wanderings, you’ll come across literal farm-to-table dining at the property’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant which is consistently given a five star rating (and is also said to be a favorite of nearby neighbor Martha Stewart!). Circling back to Washington Irving, I loved visiting the cottage he lived and wrote in called Sunnyside, which is about a 10-minute drive from Phillipsburg Manor in nearby Irvington. Also don’t miss Lyndhurst Castle and its Tiffany windows overlooking the Hudson in Irvington. Get tickets in advance to all spots you want to visit, and earmark things to return to during the Halloween season— it’s a popular spot around the spooky holiday thanks to that guy with the pumpkin head. By the way, you can look for him yourself at the Headless Horseman Bridge. If you are looking for a place to stay, I’d recommend the Sleepy Hollow Hotel or The Westchester Marriott . Two of my favorite spots to chow down locally are the Bridge View Tavern and Bistro12 in nearby Tarrytown. Go in with an appetite, as the hefty menu includes everything from lobster bisque and grilled octopus to filet mignon risotto and veal scallopini. It’s just what you’ll need after a packed day of sightseeing around CRL the historical and quaint town of Sleepy Hollow.
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(from top) Washington Irving’s house, Sunnyside; Lyndhurst Castle’s Art Gallery; Bridge View Tavern
Lisa Arcella is a travel writer and blogger whose work has been in People, The Wall Street Journal and Westchester magazine, and is a former editor at Rosie O’Donnell’s magazine. You can follow her at passportandticket.com.
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Pets // Travel // Stars
Experts High-Spirited High Jinks
How to channel the season’s energetic imprint for a sizzling hot—yet balanced—summer. BY R AC H E LLE BOOTH
material things, and the natural pitfalls of relationships: codependency and the enmeshment of drama. To keep yourself in balance and get into a sexy rhythm with your own personal summer, use the following action words and self-reflection prompts. They will assist you in understanding your own personal summer energy and what you have to do to align and balance within it. You’ll be sun-kissed, energized and creatively ignited in no time.
Action Words Spark, ignite, warm, start, create, excite, partner, illuminate, revive, rejuvenate, cooperate, engage, play, recreate, enjoy.
Self-Reflection Prompts
I
n the heat of summer would you rather…. • Have a light salad or a heavy, oily meal? • Sit inside by yourself or socialize with friends? • Get out of work early to enjoy the light of day, or stay at work longer? Your answers may be fairly predictable given the specific energetic imprints of summer. She has qualities, psychological needs and motivations. If you know what they are and attune to them, you can be in more harmony and rhythm in your own personal life. Astrological Summer, or Summer Solstice (June 22), is the longest and brightest day of the year. Our social lives, in rhythm with this light, peak at this time. We play, celebrate and gather together more. Food is plentiful, light more colorful
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and vibrant, and we bond through the sharing of food at communal events like festivals, barbeques and parties. During summer, we are fully engaged in life, others and the world. Like summer’s corresponding lunar phase, the full moon, there is a fullness and fertility to life that bubbles with boundless possibility. It is a time where life is in full bloom and magic is at its zenith. After a long, cold, hard winter and spring’s thaw, we welcome and invite summer’s light, strength and co-creative powers to warm, revive, rejuvenate, revitalize and excite us, and to ignite our inner flames. But too much of anything can bring us out of balance. Her shadow nature involves feeling overwhelmed with all the socialization engagements, the tendency to be overly reliant on
• What ideas did you dream up during Gemini season (June) that you can get excited about and initiate? • What do you need to do/get started on in order to feel more vibrant and alive in your body? • Where do you need more courage/fire to set things into motion? • Where in your life can you light a fire, and feel more impassioned and alive with purpose for what you are creating? • What blocks (previously hidden from view) have been illuminated? And how will you take action so they are no longer preventing you from living your most fully engaged life? • What boundaries need to be established in order to not get too overwhelmed or burned out? The summer of our lives is when we are at our fullest and most satisfied. Let’s CRL enjoy it to the fullest while it’s here. Rachelle Booth is a spiritual guide and transformational life coach. To ignite your self-discovery journey and feminine reclamation, visit rachelletrahancoaching. as.me/.
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his is the story of a boy named Marty Magoo. While some contest its veracity, I swear his story’s all true. Summer camp at lake ‘Shake-a-Leg’ arrived with the usual glee. Yellow busses with children all anxious to see, who they might be living with at these castles on the sea. Sixty boys and girls, fresh as the dew, and one thin mint known as Marty Magoo. Soaking wet, he tipped the scale at barely 82.
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The counselors named the cabins after the states, and Marty’s was Oklahoma, the boy could hardly wait. Gents in one cabin, ladies in the other, a rickety groundskeeper named Pappy playing role of a mother.
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There were crafts, sports and swimming galore, all the things one would expect to find at the shore. Yet it was at assembly each day at four, where Marty held the door, waiting for something more, a face he grew to adore.
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Schuyler Tyler was her name, compared to the others, not quite the same. Pretty? Of course, but there was something more, a kindness inside that gave her allure. Every boy sought Schuyler’s attention, but she was not there for that, not seeking detention. She came as children do, to play, have fun, and that meant spending days in the sun. Her brown skin getting browner, her smile growing wider, every boy in the camp still trying to get beside her. The three-legged race was a sight to see, boys jockeying to be her partner, hoping to turn she into a we. And off in the distance, shy Marty Magoo, wishing it was he. But old Pappy was the wiser and kept the boys at bay. When one lad named Chad got pushy, he made him bail hay. That mistake had him swinging a pitchfork all day. Supper was another chance for boys and girls to mix, short tables lined the mess hall, each one holding six. Yet when Schuyler found her seat, they somehow held more. As the boys snaked to get near her, there was Marty still holding the door. He did that for every camper, a kind child for sure. The girls liked Schuyler because she paid the boys no mind. She preferred making bracelets and campfires, singing songs to pass the time. And one other thing, to which everyone was blind. She liked sitting in the meadow, not far from the lake,
watching the butterflies flutter, then land, in the hot sun they’d bake. Then up again they’d flitter, disappearing in the sky, just as the horn would sound and a counselor would stop by. “Daydreaming again?” they’d ask, before turning to go. And scoot to the cabin, Schuyler would, yet one thing she didn’t know, was the boy watching from the safety of the pines, admiring Schuyler’s gentleness and the dream she left behind. Of butterflies dancing and how it made her feel. Marty Magoo got an idea, but he’d have to strike a deal. Each child took turns in the kitchen, helping with the chores. Marty’s plan was to swap jobs, taking him away from the shore. For not two miles from ‘Shake-a-Leg’ was a town that offered more. Stores that is, filled with things not found at camp. It was raining the morning he hatched his plot, no question he’d get damp. Marty made it on his bike in 30 minutes flat, the money his grandmother gave him tucked safely in his cap. It took him six stores and quite a while, but finally he saw it and out came a smile. The gift now in a bag, up the hill he went, if it made Schuyler smile, it would be money well spent. On the last night of summer camp, everyone cheered. Fireworks and pizza, then the moment Marty feared. Could he really go through with it? Oh dear, oh dear. “My name is Marty Magoo and I’ve always wanted to meet you,” he said, looking down. Then Schuyler gently raised Marty’s chin and suddenly his frown, turned into a grin, flipping it upside down. He handed her the gift, brown paper for wrapping, and other children gathered, curious what was happening. She peeled it away and soon there was nothing to fear, for in Schuyler’s eye, was the beginning of a tear. It was a snow globe you see, inside a girl without care, looking up with delight, and dancing in the air, if you shook it just right… butterflies, butterflies, everywhere. Thirty years later, not far from that lake, sits a tiny stone house where two children do bake, chocolate chip cookies for all to partake. And on the mantle, if you give it a shake, sits an old snow globe where butterflies still make, the most delightful sight, when they flutter and take flight. And on the mailbox outside, believe me it’s true, rests a sign with letters, all written in blue, nine simple words with a slight pinkish hue: This is the home of Schuyler and Marty Magoo.
CRL
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Dream
An Advertorial, Courtesy of Old Mill Road Media
BUILDING THE
DAVID BARNUM
BRYCE BOYER
Old
DAVID BARNUM
DAVID BARNUM
DAVID BARNUM
DAVID BARNUM
Top Left: The A-Side Control Room, featuring a 48 channel SSL Duality mixing console & custom-built Griffin speakers. Top Right: The A-Side Live Room, featuring a Yamaha C7 Grand Piano. Bottom Row, From Left to Right: Benjamin Lerner records a track for his debut album, CLEAN. TONY® and EMMY® Award Winner Lillias White dazzles on the deck (off of the A-Side Live Room) at Old Mill Road Recording. Dreams come true on Old Mill Road. Jersey Boys’ TONY® Winner Christian Hoff readies for a Jazz ‘n TOST photo shoot. :
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A behind-the-scenes look at Old Mill Road Recording in East Arlington, Vermont
JOSHUA SHERMAN
An Advertorial, Courtesy of Old Mill Road Media
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The riverside view of Old Mill Road Recording.
O
ld Mill Road Recording (OMRR), which opened its doors in November 2018, has quickly built a stellar reputation as one of the most remarkable, unique, and well-designed recording studios in the world.
In-house GRAMMY® Award-Winning engineer, Ben Arrindell has 30+ years of experience recording and mixing for such notable artists as Aretha Franklin, Yolanda Adams, The Temptations, Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson, and Busta Rhymes, to name a few.
Housed in two 18th-Century Townhouses with a barn annex between them, the studio features state-of-the-art equipment, including a 48 channel SSL Duality mixing console, a Yamaha C7 Grand Piano, and custom-built Griffin Speakers. OMRR offers musicians the opportunity to turn their artistic vision into a reality in an inspiring and visually-arresting setting.
And— drawing on his decades of experience as a producer and set designer (having worked with such Broadway icons as Sutton Foster, Donna McKechnie, Judd Hirsch, Elaine Stritch, Jim Dale, Dan Fogler, and Hal Prince) — OMRR’s Owner and Founder, Dr. Joshua Sherman, has created a truly extraordinary studio in East Arlington that is every bit as beautiful as the green mountains and forests that surround it.
Built to accommodate local, regional, and celebrity destination recording, OMRR has lent its recording and mixing services to such high-profile companies as 20th Century Fox, The History Channel, Penguin Random House, and Netflix.
“Ben and I have been collaborators and friends for 20+ years. Over the years, Ben and I worked in many of NYC’s biggest studios. We dreamed of creating something different— a luxurious and inviting space that would allow artists
to relax, rejuvenate, and record without the pressures or distractions associated with recording in the city. That dream is now a reality, right here in East Arlington, Vermont,” said Sherman. Thoughtfully organized for comfort, flow, and versatility, the NAMM TEC® AWARD-Winning space is unlike any other studio around. It provides the opportunity to record pristine sound while overlooking a breathtaking waterfall and river in the heart of the Green Mountains of Vermont.
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Like a vinyl record, the studio has an “A-side” and a “B-side”. The open and airy “Live Room” on the A-side boasts high ceilings with exposed beams that are juxtaposed by a row of stunning and massive glass windows, which provide phenomenal river views. The large “Isolation Booth,” which is directly connected to the Live Room, offers vocalists clean sound - and incredible views of the nearby waterfall.
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Broadway’s Original “Annie” EMMY AWARD® Winner Broadway’s “Rocky” TONY AWARD® Nominee & International Star 3x TONY AWARD® Nominee
Andrea McArdle
Lucie Arnaz
Andy Karl
“Confessions of a Broadway Baby”
“I Got the Job! Songs from My Musical Past”
TONY AWARD® Nominee for “Legally Blonde”
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For tickets:
svac.org
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September 17 TONY AWARD® Winner for “A Chorus Line”
Donna McKechnie in
“Take Me to the World: Orfeh The Songs of are “Legally Bound” Stephen Sondheim” Hosted By “Jersey Boys’” TONY AWARD® Winner
Christian Hoff
All dates and artists are subject to change.
Thank you to our Hospitality Sponsors: Church Street Hospitality, The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, and Kimpton Taconic Hotel.
An Advertorial, Courtesy of Old Mill Road Media
A huge glass panel between the Live Room and the “Control Room” allows musicians to make direct visual contact with engineers and producers during sessions, enabling immediate feedback.
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Directly outside the A-side Live Room is a large deck and riverwalk. The area serves as an ideal location for outdoor creative brainstorming sessions during the warmer months.
DAVID BARNUM
The large B-Side Live Room.
The first floor of the B-side houses a front office, a central kitchen, and a large, well-appointed bathroom, which also serves as a dressing room, allowing artists a space to prepare for video recordings, live performance tapings, videoconference meetings, and streamed performances. The second-floor “B-side” studio serves multiple purposes. It is used for audio recording, photography sessions, as a dance/yoga studio, and as a rehearsal space.
RODIN IN THE UNITED STATES: CONFRONTING THE MODERN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18 WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS CLARKART.EDU This exhibition is made possible by Denise Littlefield Sobel and Diane and Andreas Halvorsen. Auguste Rodin, The Thinker (detail), Original model 1881–82, enlarged 1903. Bronze, cast by Alexis Rudier 1928. The Baltimore Museum of Art. The Jacob Epstein Collection, 1930.25.1
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Exhibition on view: August 20–November 27, 2022 Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum
EXHIBITION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MANCHESTER BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
An Advertorial, Courtesy of Old Mill Road Media
In addition to recording and mixing services, OMRR offers customized packages for creatives that can include a full range of additional amenities, such as lodging, photography, video services, marketing, distribution, indoor and outdoor event spaces, and food services, among others. The studio also features handicap accessibility and a secluded “Privacy Room”, which allows visiting creatives to have private conversations, take private phone calls, or breastfeed. Sherman explains, “Even though the buildings are originally from the 1700s, we wanted to ensure a luxury experience with today’s amenities.”
Ruggles, and fine artist Rockwell Kent.
The studio smartly combines the history of the area with its future. The Gristmill of East Arlington, Vermont (immediately next door to the recording studio) was built in 1764 by Remember Baker, who was a first cousin to Ethan Allen & Seth Warner. The three cousins formed “The Green Mountain Boys.” They were the leaders of the Revolutionary War in Vermont, and The Mill served as a meeting place for them. The area also has a rich artistic legacy. In the mid-20th Century, Arlington, Vermont and its surrounding towns were home to six Saturday Evening Post illustrators (Norman Rockwell, Mead Schaeffer, Gene Pelham, John Atherton, Don Trachte, and George Hughes), Americana icon Grandma Moses, poet Robert Frost, author/influencer Dorothy Canfield Fisher, composer Carl
“The Revolutionaries met here, and in the mid-20th Century, Arlington was an artist colony. Turning East Arlington into a campus for creativity and production facility is a very natural evolution for this community.” Dr. Sherman’s ongoing commitment to artist development and artistic excellence is also reflected in the inhouse projects he produces. In July 2021, OMRR released TONY® and EMMY® Award Winner Lillias White’s debut studio album, Get Yourself Some Happy! to rave reviews. And she’s not the only TONY® Winner recording at OMRR. Christian Hoff (TONY® Winner for Jersey Boys) hosts a weekly radio show on 102.7 WEQX every Sunday morning from 7AM – 9AM, entitled Jazz ‘n TOST. The weekly,
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Located just 3 hours from New York City and Boston (and just 1 hour from Saratoga and Albany!), Arlington has been a destination place— and place of
inspiration— for generations.
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2-hour celebration of jazz music is recorded and engineered at OMRR. In addition to Jazz ‘n TOST, OMRR also produces CLEAN Jams, another weekly show on WEQX, which shines a spotlight on rap, hip-hop, and recovery. CLEAN Jams airs every Thursday Night at 11PM, and many episodes include a guest interview with a health professional, musician, politician, lawyer, or member of the recovery community. The show is hosted by Benjamin Lerner, a writer, musician, composer, and recovery advocate who released his debut album, CLEAN, through OMRR in February 2020. “Building the studio was a dream come true,” Sherman explains, “but creating a space that allows other artists to realize their dreams is the real reward.”
DAVID BARNUM
Best friends and collaborators, Ben Arrindell & Joshua Sherman.
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