SARATOGA
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THE PEOPLE • THE PLACES • THE LIFESTYLE
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CONTRIBUTORS IN EVERY ISSUE... JENNIFER ARMSTRONG
Chelsea Hoopes Silver
Peter Bowden
Meghan Lemery
Chelsea Silver owns Silverwood Home & Gallery in downtown Saratoga Springs with her mother, Charlene. She began writing her blog, The Carriage House Chronicles, in 2012, loving the new opportunity to virtually connect with other designoriented folks amateur and professional, local and afar. With degrees in English and American Fine and Decorative Arts, she is very happy to be combining these two passions in her new endeavor writing for Simply Saratoga.
Jennifer Armstrong had a long career as a children's book author (you can look her up in the library!) before starting "Chapter Two" as a fashion consultant. She loves showing women how to flatter themselves with clothes, and believes that any woman, regardless of size, can look stylish. She does trunk shows at her home and for clients, where the message is that fashion can be fun. You can reach her at armstrongjennifer1@mac.com.
Peter has been the region's go-to garden guy for over 35 years. His knack for practical and concise explanations has served him well during his 20-year tenure as WRGB’s garden guy. He is an artist and avid photographer whose images have appeared in textbooks, magazines and travel guides. Peter lives with his wife, Sharon and their pets in an old house in the country.
Meghan began her career in Boston where she spent five years counseling cancer patients at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She returned to the Saratoga area and started in private psychotherapy practice. She currently has an office in Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls. She is also the author of her first published book, titled “Please Pass the Barbie Shoes” which was published in Spring of 2011.
Arthur Gonick
Arthur takes pride in being a writer, but long before he became a writer he became a human being. His ability to empathize with people at every level of social strata is why he feels he has the ability to not just write, but to communicate. "Too often we send out messages without considering the receiver, or reader," he says. "Readers are the reason why we are here."
CHARLIE KUENZEL and dave patterson
Saratoga Tours
Helen Edelman
Dave and Charlie are co-owners of Saratoga Tours LLC and are both retired award winning educators with a combined 70 years of service to the students of Saratoga Springs High School. Over the last 15 years they have excited and educated thousands of visitors with their depth of knowledge and appreciation for the history of the city of Saratoga Springs.
JORDANA TURCOTTE
Helen writes about other writers, which can be a daunting task. She also writes about education, health care, the arts, and profiles of important and intriguing people she has met along the way. Edelman has been living in Saratoga Springs since 1970, when she arrived as a Skidmore freshman. She is the mother of four children and the extravagently proud grandmother of Cyra Friedlander, a chattering 2-year old who brings out the brightest stars with her smile.
Jordana Turcotte is a lifelong New Yorker and a Saratoga County resident since graduating from RPI. After staying at home for a bit with her children (now 10 and 8), she decided on the “rest of her life job” as Professional Organizer. Starting Simply You in 2008 fulfills a passion for organizing. When she isn’t organizing, you’ll find her volunteering at her kids’ school, being Mommy chauffeur or hanging out with her two rescue dogs.
WRITERS IN THIS ISSUE...
BRIAN CREMO 10 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
CHELSEA DISCHIANO
COLETTE LINTON
MEGIN POTTER saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
CONTENT Home & Garden Issue ~ 2014
A GOOD READ 14 Restaurant Review - Villago 20
Advice from Meghan Lemery
22
Arthur Gonick talks with... Dave Harmon
45
A trampoline park comes to Albany
HISTORY 25
70
Celebrating Saratoga with... John Clarke and the Saratoga Waters
FASHION 29
45
Saratoga Style
36 Meet Caroline Findlay Ochoa 38
Fashion Tips with Jennifer Armstrong
SEASONAL 39
Summer Camp Guide
88
Save The Date
80
14 72
HOME & GARDEN 52
Carriage House Chronicles
60
Traditional Neighborhood Development
62
Jenna Burger - Cover Girl
65
Flower photography with Peter Bowden
52
68 Mosquito Authority 70 Let In the Fresh Air 72
Outdoor Space
76 Maintenance Free Summer 78 Material Pleasures 80
Soroptimist Secret Gardens Tour
84 Walking Past Grief 86 Is Your Curb Appealing? saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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SARATOGA
™
THE PEOPLE • THE PLACES • THE LIFESTYLE
Owner/Publisher Chad Beatty General Manager Robin Mitchell Managing Editor Chris Vallone Bushee Creative Director Jessica Kane Advertising Jim Daley Cindy Durfey Graphic DesignERS Jessica Kane Colleen Sweeney Writers Jennifer Armstrong Peter Bowden Brian Cremo Chelsea DiSchiano Helen Susan Edelman Arthur Gonick Charlie Kuenzel Meghan Lemery Colette Linton Dave Patterson Megin Potter Chelsea Hoopes-Silver Jordana Turcotte Photographers MarkBolles.com StockStudiosPhotography.com Thinkstock.com Published by Saratoga TODAY Newspaper Five Case Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 tel: (518) 581-2480 fax: (518) 581-2487 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com Simply Saratoga is brought to you by Saratoga TODAY Newspaper, Saratoga Publishing, LLC. Saratoga Publishing shall make every effort to avoid errors and omissions but disclaims any responsibility should they occur. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publisher. Copyright © 2014, Saratoga TODAY Newspaper.
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Letter From The Editor Wow, what a great issue to put together… This is our HOME & GARDEN issue, and being a total H&G junkie, this is by far… my favorite issue all year! Having lost my brother a few years back, I was touched by Donna Redgrave’s re-telling of how building the labyrinth garden in her backyard has helped her deal with her son’s death, see page 84 for her story. In addition to wonderful tips and ideas to get you outside and enjoying the sunshine, we’re featuring the Soroptimists of Saratoga and their annual Secret Gardens Tour … See page 80 for a glimpse of some of the beautiful gardens that will be featured this year. This is a MUST DO event each spring! We are proud to introduce you to Saratoga’s very own COVER GIRL, Jenna Burger! Page 62 tells the story of how one of Jenna’s reno jobs made it to the cover of a Better Homes and Gardens® specialty publication. Being a resident of Ballston Lake, I have been waiting patiently for Sandy Foster’s remake on the Old Good Times on the lake to reopen. You will not be disappointed…
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all of your favorites from the Village Pizzeria & Ristorante in Galway have followed them to Ballston Lake. Combine that with the great views and homey atmosphere, Villago is soon to be your favorite DESTINATION restaurant! Check out the review on page 14. Speaking of NEW businesses… we have a Trampoline Park coming to the area, that’s right… and INDOOR Trampoline Park!! See page 45 for all the details! In our fashion section, we have an interview with a local artist, whose work I’ve admired for years. It was such a pleasure to meet Caroline Findlay Ochoa and I hope you appreciate her work as much as I do. See page 36! I’m pleased to announce we have a new regular feature starting with this issue, ARTHUR GONICK TALKS WITH… Wait till you see the lineup of interesting personalities he has planned for our upcoming issues! See page 22 for his first installment. Thank you for reading Simply Saratoga and please support our advertisers… they are the reason you can enjoy all of these wonderful publications, free of charge. Happy Spring! ~ Chris
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Villago Pizzeria & Ristorante Ballston Lake
By Helen Susan Edelman, photos by stockstudiosphotography.com Four o’clock p.m. on a Sunday – kind of a lazy hour, right? People are home, regrouping to start the week fresh, maybe gathered for a family meal, watching a favorite TV show, ironing shirts for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, calling parents in another state.
4:00 p.m.
You would think so, but not in Ballston Lake. At least not since Villago Pizzeria & Ristorante opened lakeside just about two months ago. The fact is, the dining room is busy at 4, busier at 5 and busiest by 6 p.m., with whole families at tables and adults at the large, friendly bar. You definitely wouldn’t know it’s a school night. (By the way, Friday nights the bar is two-deep and the tables are full.) There’s lots of parking, so don’t be frightened off, just be ready for the buzz.
The restaurant is situated the proverbial stone’s throw from the lake and it is easy to imagine boaters tying up at the dock and walking across the street to dine, or being a diner watching a fisherman pull something big and thrashing out of the water for dinner. Either way, whether you’re in or out, one of the customers or part of the view, Villago Pizzeria & Ristorante is the hub.
Owner Sandy Foster – yes, THE Sandy Foster that owns Village Pizzeria & Ristorante in Galway, an area favorite since 1988 – and her daughter Jessica bustle around the place, working very hard, greeting customers by name, explaining the menu and the specials, answering questions about ingredients and the correct Italian pronunciation of food names, supervising the servers and showing off the new space. They have every right to be proud. 14 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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“There was a need,” said Foster. “There are many good restaurants in the region, but there was nothing out here since Good Times Lakeview Restaurant closed after 40 years. You can see looking around that people wanted a restaurant in this neighborhood. There’s a lot of new housing here and we are getting people and groups from Global Foundries, as well.” That’s not all, the restaurant is booking private parties and has an upstairs dining room to accommodate them. Once again, the guest list for dinner was me; the mirthful Kim Beatty; Simply Saratoga publisher Chad Beatty, the instigator of these bimonthly dinners and staunch defender of First Amendment rights; and, for an extra treat, their dapper son Keegan, recovering from his birthday revelry the day before – it’s exhausting turning 10. I was very happy to see Keegan, of course, as he always adds to the conversation, this time extolling the virtues of living in Aruba, a personal goal of his. On that subject, Kim is dreaming of Italy and the Swiss Alps, Chad wants to go to Rome and the Vatican. Nobody asked me, but I’ve never been to South America and would love to go. House swap anyone? We started with a most unusual salad which featured pomegranate, splendid watermelon radishes, snap peas, greens and slices of fresh tuna. It was almost too gorgeous to eat, but after admiring it for an appropriate length of time, we dug in. Keegan had been quite suspicious of the pomegranate seeds, but soon started spearing them with his fork. There was also a plate of delectable bruschetta as an appetizer. Still, Jessica was very excited about the steaming hot, fresh bread and she brought a basket to the table. It was irresistible. Is there a human being alive who isn’t tempted by the scent and sight of fresh baked bread? If so, I have not met him or her, and I would urge a visit
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to Villago Pizzeria & Ristorante as a test of will. Good luck with that. We spent a lot of time looking at the menu and saying, “What are you getting, what are you getting?” All finally settling at the last minute when the wait person was standing there. A crisis came for me when I realized the menu was twice as long as I originally thought, which presented almost too many options. However, the entrees were all super. Chad had sliced sirloin, topped with horseradish sauce, Pepper Jack cheese, finished with crispy onions, served on an onion Focaccia roll and fries drizzled with truffle oil. Wow! He made such a fuss about the fries you would have thought he’d invented them himself! He gobbled up his dinner right away, claiming he hadn’t had lunch and was “just starving.” The truth is, he was deeply in love with his dinner. 16 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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Kim had a special pasta dish with shrimp and veggies in the sauce. She didn’t say much, but it’s impolite to talk with your mouth full, and once she got her first taste of dinner, she was very focused. Keegan had a portion of steak. I suddenly yearned for comfort food and ordered whole wheat penne with meatballs in marinara sauce with a side of kale and lentils. Just the right amount of food-ofmy-childhood combined with something edgier. All of us left with plenty for the next day – you may want to think about having personal appetizers, but sharing an entrée. Or, maybe you like making two meals out of one ordered. You certainly can with the generous portions this restaurant dishes up. I can’t let my simple penne and meatballs dinner pass unnoticed, though it was not fancy, it was absolutely delicious, possibly the best sauce I have ever tasted. A little bit tangy, a little bit sweet, mostly smooth texture with some teaser tomato bits. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmm. I liked it enough to have deliberately left some in the bowl so it could be poured onto the pasta I took away with me. Villago Pizzeria & Ristorante has made it fun to order the pasta – there are many to choose among, including rigatoni, spaghetti, penne, and more (there are gluten-free and whole wheat options), as well as choices in toppings (i.e., meatballs, spinach, chicken, etc.) and sauces (marinara, vodka, pesto, etc.). We were all genuinely happy with our choices – that says a lot for the selection and the preparation. Keegan used the word “scrumptious” for the occasion, I believe. It is worth noting our beverage order. Kim and I each had one glass of wine off the list. Keegan had chocolate milk. Chad, on the other hand, showed his normal nerdiness and ordered only a ginger ale – nevertheless, it was indeed Chad who spilled water all over the table (and me). See Chad, being a goody-goody isn’t going to prevent accidents. There’s a very extensive and creative pizza menu, as well, and Foster says take-out business is already brisk. We were standing in her wonderful new kitchen when she said it – the Good Times kitchen was razed with the sale of the building – and even she seemed saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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a little awed by what was going on, and so quickly. The enterprise hit the ground running, so to speak, and hasn’t slowed down for a second. If anything, it should rev up during the summer, as boaters and summer people notice it from the road. Luckily, an outdoor patio is in progress to expand seating capacity, which they’ll easily need, and enhance the ambiance of this four-season magnet. I hate to put this in print, but we were too sated for dessert. Foster, however, tucked her famous tiramisu into Kim’s hands to take home, that lucky duck! I will be the virtuous one with my kale and lentils. Also on the dessert menu are cannolis and key lime pie. I showed admirable restraint, not ordering one, but now that dinner has had time to settle, I regret it. Back at the table, Kim, Chad and Keegan were busy talking. Keegan is looking forward to volunteering with dogs at the animal shelter. The Beattys have a border collie-shepherd mixed breed, Sky, and she seems to be the light of Keegan’s life. Part of his birthday the day before was
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spent at Dawgdom, on Broadway, in search of the perfect fetch toy. By coincidence, part of my day on his birthday was also spent at Dawgdom, having my own dog fitted for a harness, (the suggestion of Maeve Noonan at Northshire Bookstore, where he was driving me crazy, pulling on his leash). (Shout out to Dawgdom. where the owner took time to help me figure out which brand was best for my dog’s particular build.) I don’t want to miss an opportunity to say that the service was great – timely, friendly without hovering, flexible about special requests. The menu is way broader than pasta and pizza, there’s fish and chicken and steak in many variations, but there is no question – nor is there intended to be – that this is a hard-core Italian restaurant and that means both food and attitude. It’s a lot like going to visit extended family: “Come in, you must be hungry. You’ll eat -- what would you like? I’m just preparing that, as a matter of fact!” This is a go-to, keeper for sure. Cin cin!! 4
V illago Pizzer i a & R isto r ante 175 Lake Rd • Ballston Lake, NY 12019 518- 280-0311
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TRUST Thyself.
Trading the Voice of Self Doubt for
The
Self Confidence
summer after I graduated from graduate school I attended five weddings. Much to my surprise, I was asked to be a bridesmaid in each wedding. That summer I perfected the ultimate toast and put my brand new counseling skills to use to deal with the over emotional bride and major family dysfunction that only seems to rear its head when a wedding is involved. At that time, it was a pleasure to watch my best gal pals fall in love and take the plunge. Having been the baby of four and having two sisters that married early and started a family, I made the choice to plunge into building a career that I was passionate about...and then I turned thirty. As I stood at the alter for my one hundredth wedding (I felt certain Willard Scott would acknowledge this momentous event by putting my picture on the Smucker’s Jar) I begin to cry. Let’s be clear here Ladies, these were NOT tears of joy. As I fidgeted in my uncomfortable heels and felt the bobby pins poke at my “up do” I begin to panic. I was certain I would hyperventilate during Ava Maria and ruin my friend’s shining moment. Here’s what happened. My mind began racing with the nagging voice of self-doubt, “What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you married? Maybe if you were as committed to finding love as you were to your career you wouldn’t have to do the chicken dance alone….”
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That night as the over enthusiastic DJ announced it was time for all the single gals to line up and catch the bouquet, I bee-lined for the bathroom. Let me assure you ladies, you have never seen a woman in spiked dye-ables and peach chiffon sprint like this. Just as my cold clammy hand hit the door I heard the DJ call my name, “Where’s Meghan??? Meghan, WHERE ARE YOU GIRL??? THIS COULD BE YOUR LUCKY MOMENT….GET OUT HERE”. As I tried to dive under a stall, my friend who I no longer speak to because of this night, grabbed my hand and pulled me out onto the dance floor. The TWO girls and I stood together, a trio bonded together by circumstance, not choice. We stood like women in battle, scarred and bruised as we awaited our fate. My mouth went dry and I thought for sure I would hurl my scallops-wrapped-in-bacon everywhere. THANKFULLY, another bridesmaid covered in lace and bows caught the bouquet and was inappropriately groped by a groomsmen. That fateful night was the beginning of a year filled with self doubt and anxiety. Needless to say, 30 was a REALLY tough year. And then over the course of the next few years, something began to change. My friends who were now married for 5-10 years and raising our future leaders, begin to take a very keen interest in my life. Overnight it seemed that all of my married friends began to
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live vicariously through me. I couldn’t go on a date without having to de brief every detail of the evening. Many of my friends starting asking me about my career path and wishing they had taken the time to pursue their passion before committing to marriage. I soon began to realize that no matter where we are on the path… married, child rearing, career building, (juggling all three!!), dating, single, separated, divorced, or widowed, we ALL hear the same voice of self doubt. This is the voice that whispers to you in your most vulnerable moment….”You screwed up, you’re late, you made a mistake, it’s never going to happen, there’s something wrong with you.” This voice accuses us day in and day out that we have to work harder emotionally, physically and spiritually to accomplish perfection. This voice is EXHAUSTING! What if we as a group of gal pals made a decision to HALT the voice of self doubt… What if, instead of doubt, we executed faith and made the declaration: “Whatever path I chose, I chose it because I believed in it at the time.” The great thing about a path is that at any moment you can change it. You have the option to choose to continue to walk the path you are on, do a U-turn to the last place you felt confident on your path , take a different path altogether, or merge onto a wider path. Let’s quiet the voice of self-doubt with the voice of self confidence that says, “YOU GO GIRL!” Let’s make a pact, that no matter where we are on the path, we won’t kick ourselves, or each other, in the shins for “bad” choices. If you are doubting where you are, or regretting the past, STOP! My dear girlies, you will only end up riddled with an anxious heart, racing mind and exhausted body. Take a deep breath, give yourself a hug and decide what direction you need to take to achieve peace. Believe in this moment, you are EXACTLY where you should be; not late, not early, but right on time. Last May my brother got married. This would be, and I have counted, my one thousand and twenty fifth wedding. I can now sing Ava Maria by heart and quote 1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient, love is kind, yadda yadda yadda. In the past, I would have worked myself up into a panic thinking that yet again I would spend a weekend riddled with self doubt, anxiety and a big ticking clock. Guess What? As I sat in the warm sunshine and stared at the beautiful blue sky to witness my brother and his stunning bride exchange vows, I didn’t hear the voice of self doubt rear its ugly head, rather, I heard the voice of self-confidence that whispered…. “You are exactly where you need to be”. My dear ladies, chose today to stop the madness of self doubt. Find yourself a mirror, look yourself in the eye and SHOUT with all the gusto you have (refer to the over enthusiastic DJ for the definition of gusto) I AM EXACTLY WHERE I NEED TO BE! Wishing you a path that sparkles and brings you joy!
Ms. Lemery is a psychotherapist practicing in Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Visit meghanlemery.com or email meghanlemery@yahoo.com for more information
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arthur gonick talks with…
DAVE HARMON By Arthur Gonick Photos by Mark Bolles and Dave Harmon
Saratoga Springs resident Dave Harmon lives a sports fan’s dream. In addition to co-ownership of The Stadium Store in The Wilton Mall (with his wife of 36 years, Christine), which specializes in sports memorabilia, they also own the two leading sports bars in Saratoga Springs –The Stadium Cafés at 112 Congress Street and 389 Broadway. But what completes Dave’s ‘sports trifecta’ is that he is often invited to have the best seat in the house at some of America’s biggest sporting events. From a prime vantage point, he freezes time with photo imagery that is then transmitted to the outside world. This is particularly true with horse racing’s Triple Crown – where, beginning with the 1997 Kentucky Derby, won by Silver Charm, he has photographed every Triple Crown race for the prestigious magazine The Blood-Horse. Of course, living locally, he is a fixture at the finish line at every Saratoga Racecourse meet. We caught up with “Sixteenth-pole Dave” as he was preparing to venture to Louisville, KY for his 18th consecutive run for the roses: A: When did the racing bug hit you? DH : “It happened in stages. As a boy in South Jersey, I went to a few of the local tracks, like Atlantic City, which had really prime racing at the time… As a fan, I got to see Secretariat’s Preakness in 1973, which obviously had an impact. When I was at Florida Southern College I played baseball and some of my teammates hailed from Louisville. We made the pilgrimage in 1974 to Churchill Downs for my first Derby – won by Cannonade, with Angel Cordero in the irons. That sealed it for me.”
“
in horse racing you never know where the “real action” is going to be
”
A: So this is like saying ‘pick your favorite child,’ but do you have a most memorable Kentucky Derby or Triple Crown race? DH : “For me the most memorable Derby was Animal Kingdom’s in 2011, mostly because I’m very good friends with (jockey) John 22 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome is led to the winner's circle by Assistant Trainer Alan Sherman as Jockey Victor Espinoza celebrates. Photo by Dave Harmon. Velazquez. The most exciting Triple Crown race I ever saw live has to be the 1989 Preakness with Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. “But I guess the most memorable thing about the Triple Crown overall is that I haven’t photographed a winner yet – but I have driven back from Belmont several times deflated because we have come close so many times… Real Quiet, Charismatic, of course Funny Cide and others… I was most hyped up about Smarty Jones’s chances most of all. But of course, it didn’t happen. “Overall, it reinforces my appreciation for what winning the Triple Crown entails—one shot at three races on three surfaces in five weeks – at three different distances!” A: When you go into photographing a big race, are you inclined to just be observant and ready for anything, or do you handicap some likely scenarios while still being ready for what might come out of nowhere? DH : “As you might expect, it’s a little bit of both. Sometimes I play out what I expect might happen, but the preparation extends to things like observing earlier races to see if there’s a track bias — are the early speed horses getting clear and staying in front, the paths winning horses are taking on the turn and in the homestretch. Those things can help. But realistically, you ultimately have to be ready for anything in this sport – particularly in a big race. “The jockeys are a big factor for me. People really tend to forget how hard their job is: they’re up on this massive animal going full out with others often vying for the same space. This can be a very dangerous sport for them and their horses. “But the fact that you have to be prepared for anything at anytime is why this is my favorite sport to photograph. With other sports, say hockey, if you focus on the puck and maybe the goals, you are likely to catch all the major action. “But in horse racing you never know where the “real action” is going to be – the starting gate; before the starting gate even; at the break; around the turns; down the backstretch; at the 1/16 pole – you never know, and it’s different every time. What makes it so difficult to handicap is what makes it so much fun to photograph.” 4 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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Saratoga... July 2 18
By The Numbers
th
Number of miles of hallways in The Grand Union Hotel
Courtesy of: SaratogaTours.net
7,200,000
NUMBER OF GLASS BOTTLES PRODUCED IN 1850 BY OSCAR GRANGER (MOSTLY FOR MINERAL WATER)
Opening Day at Saratoga Race Course!
Courtesy of: SaratogaTours.net
13
75,000
222,133
17
Number of Apple Orchards in Saratoga County Courtesy of: Cornell Coop. Ext
Acres of Land in local AREA working farms Courtesy of: Cornell Coop. Ext
62
Saratoga Number of County’s years the population Number of as of 2012 active mineral Putnam family operated their The highest springs in recorded Tavern and temperature Saratoga Hotel (The in Saratoga Springs County… the Union Hall) year was 2011 in Saratoga. (Later known Number of as The Grand Cows in Saratoga County Union Hotel)
օ
99 8,100
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Courtesy of: SaratogaTours.net
Courtesy of: Cornell Coop. Ext
Courtesy of: SaratogaSignature.com
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C E L E B R AT I N G S A R ATO G A By Charlie Kuenzel and Dave Patterson of Saratoga Tours saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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Celebrating Saratoga Springs • Celebrating Sar
John Clarke: Bottling the Waters
and Sharing Them with the World By Charlie Kuenzel and Dave Patterson, photos provided
John Clarke might be considered the first member of the Chamber of Commerce of Saratoga Springs. Dr. John Clarke, called doctor as a courtesy, was the first person in Saratoga Springs to bottle, distribute and market mineral water, and therefore spread this prized resource to the far reaches of the world, as well as spreading the name “Saratoga Springs”. The yearly economic vitality of the village depended on the number of summer visitors each year and their desire to drink the mineral waters. John Clarke was very important in getting people to consume the waters even in distant locations as well as to associate good health with the name Saratoga Springs. John Clarke was born in Yorkshire England in 1773 and immigrated to New York City, where he opened a soda fountain in 1819. After great monetary success with the dispensing of soda fountain beverages he traveled to Saratoga Springs. By 1823 he had decided to take over and bottle the Congress and Columbian Springs (in Congress Park today) as well as purchase the land adjacent to the springs. The adjacent lands were bought from the Livingston family, who had acquired the land from Isaac Lowe who had inherited the land from the original owner Rip Van Dam. The Congress Spring was discovered by Nicholas Gilman in 1792 while on a hunting trip through that section of a very primitive Saratoga. Gideon Putnam “tubed” the Congress in 1802 and discovered the Columbian in 1803 while making improvements to the Congress Spring. The tubing process was a procedure to clear mud and debris from the source area of the spring down to the bedrock, and affix to the
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source area in the bedrock, a wooden box or hollowed out log that would allow the mineral water to easily reach the surface without contamination. This tubing process provided for a clean water source with a more direct flow to the surface. When in 1823 Clarke went in to business bottling Congress Spring water it was with a man named Thomas Lynch. Together they built a bottling plant for their operation north of the Congress Spring and eventually shipped mineral water over much of the United States, parts of Europe and eventually as far away as China. This business relationship continued until Lynch’s death in 1833. The great thing was that every bottle of Congress Spring water was an embossed bottle that not only said the name Congress Spring but also Saratoga Springs, New York. Our calling card had been produced. In the 1800’s bottles were not returned for deposit as they are today, but were re-used. Therefore after the water was consumed the bottle would last for years as a way to store other liquids and always reminded people where the bottles had come from. John Clarke set forth to improve the Congress Spring by first helping to drain the swampy area around the spring and then by building a canvas awning over the spring to make the drinking of the waters more pleasant on hot sunny days. Later, Clarke replaced the canvas awning with a wooden Doric structure over the spring and added dipper boys to help dispense the waters. John Clarke followed the original “rule” of Gideon Putnam that prevented owners from charging for the waters at the spring. Owners could charge if the waters were bottled, or used for a mineral bath, but never charged for drinking the water at its source. The dipper boys worked for tips only, and helped to quicken the process of dispensing the water in peak times of summer use. Clarke’s greatest impact on Saratoga Springs history was in the bottling of the waters. He set the standard for size, shape and color of the bottles that all subsequent bottlers in Saratoga used. If a person wanted to purchase mineral water the sizes that were available were quarts and pints. The mineral water bottles throughout the 1800’s were made of dark colored glass in browns and greens. The darker glass was usually cheaper in cost to make and helped to promote the idea that the color would protect the mineral water from degradation due to sunlight, not unlike prescription medicine containers of today. This packaging helped to support the idea that true medicinal properties were found in these mineral waters. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
In order to meet the need for bottles as the marketing of the waters soared, Clarke made a deal with Oscar Granger who moved his glass blowing company from Vernon New York to Mt. Pleasant (Lake Desolation area) to meet the growing need. Clarke was required to enter into a twenty-five year contract with Granger for bottles in order to make the move worth his time and money. Glass manufacturing brought glassblowers and their families, but also a need for firewood, sand and other raw materials for the glass production. Bottlers, woodcutters, box makers and wagon drivers were needed to support the business. Not only did Clarke and his associates profit from this business, but many other families in Saratoga Springs were given jobs to support this new endeavor. John Clarke did many other things beyond the bottling of the waters. He planned, laid out and built much of Circular Street. The completion of his plan to have a circular shaped street around downtown Saratoga Springs was prevented when land owners would not sell the needed pieces on the west side of the city. He built his house on Circular Street in 1832 (today it is #46 Circular) with six square pillars that produced a very stately Greek revival style home overlooking his land in Congress Spring Park. On many occasions he bought used furniture and stored it for use by people who had no insurance and who lost their homes due to fire. He also donated money for the construction of a city water tower that would hold fresh water for distribution by a wooden pipeline to a few hotels and buildings in the early village. It was Clarke that proposed that people planting trees on their property in Saratoga Springs would receive a reduction in their highway taxes of 46 and 2/3 cents for each tree planted. This stimulated tree planting and provided Saratoga Springs with a long history of tree lined streets that provided a huge canopy for shade in the summer. Clarke further demonstrated his generosity when he purchased and then placed the twin vases “Day and Night”, produced by famed Danish sculpture Thorvaldsen, in Congress Spring Park. These two works of art can still be seen in Congress Park today near the Canfield Casino. Clarke’s business success can be measured many ways, but upon his death he owned about 1,000 acres of land, making him one of the largest land owners in Saratoga Springs. Looking back on the early years of Saratoga Springs, the village was fortunate to attract visionaries whose talents and hard work guided and shaped the development of this area. John Clarke made great contributions to the growth of Saratoga Springs. He, as much as any other, spread the message of our mineral waters and the name Saratoga Springs all over the globe. Throughout the history of this city there are many examples of individuals that not only followed through with success on a business model but then gave back to the community in large measure. This community spirit still exists, even today, and has helped Saratoga Springs become the great city it is today. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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SS
Fashion: aratoga tyle
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Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN | 29
From lace cocktail dresses to breezy summer dresses and separates, complete your Summer wardrobe at Lucia LUCIA 454 Broadway 587-7890
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No matter who you are, jeans are a staple. Skinny or straight, we are always reaching for our "favorite pair" look. Add a detailed tank for a perfect pairing. Come see all the great "pairings" at Spoken Boutique SPOKEN BOUTIQUE 27 Church Street 587-2772
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THEIA's SPRING Cherry Blossom Topper by designer Don O'Neill. SARATOGA TRUNK 493 Broadway 584-3543
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The Gabby Shift Dress is the Lilly Pulitzer Party Dress you’ll want to wear all summer long! Available at the Pink Paddock a lilly pulitzer signature store PINK PADDOCK 358 Broadway 587-4344
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Butter by Nadia's Signature Wrap Dress can be worn in 12 different ways! Coined by many as the "Miracle Dress," the "Magic Dress," and the "Revenge Dress," it will enable you to get the job done... whatever it may be. VIOLETS OF SARATOGA 494 Broadway 584-4838 34 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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You'll be in handbag heaven as you stroll down broadway clutching this 100% leather Cole Haan Haven Tote in Cherry Tomato. VIOLETS OF SARATOGA 494 Broadway 584-4838
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Meet...
Caroline Findlay-Ochoa By Colette Linton
“...I met Erte. He called me from England and said ‘just keep working on it’.” – Caroline Findlay-Ochoa
The finely drawn delicate figures that parade confidently on Caroline FindlayOchoa's greeting cards, scattered at shops in and about Saratoga County, are the gals of her creative thought. Long inspired by the works of the Russianborn French artist Erte, Caroline, despite much recognition for her talent, still feels lost between the contours of fashion and the fabled, much-longed for success that she thought talent could bring. Unabashed about her spirituality and artistic talent, however, Caroline weaves from her beliefs and values relief from the day-to-day challenges of being an under-funded artist. In any way she can manage, she draws, paints and plays the piano, but mostly… she draws. “Art is when you’re receiving and getting a feeling, and you are feeling very inspired as you move across the paper. Whenever I do the artwork, I don’t think about the world and I love what I’m doing.”
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For someone who is not lacking in confidence, it may seem odd that an individual with so much talent would shy from saying that she has found it herself. It’s as if she is waiting for the rest of the world to realize it too. “If it (inspiration) comes quickly, that's a gift,” Caroline said as her hands quickly took pace to illustrate an incoming artistic whim and applying it with her finger tips to the table at which we both sat. “It took me a long time to develop that, and that's what Erte had. He could design anything very quickly, and for anything. And I have the same ability.” She took up the Erte-esque, sophisticated and delicate figures in her twenties; and later, met the man in person. “I mean I can design anything, anything. I can just think about what it would look like, but to get a job.... It's just difficult,” she said. “And I can do what I want (as an independent artist), but I don't know where that is going to take me.” 4
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KEEP IT
Uniform By Jennifer Armstrong
I once knew
a very glamorous woman who only wore black dresses. She had a lot of black dresses, and they were pretty similar – but she managed to change up her look on a daily basis with a very creative flair for jewelry and accessories. Where she had uniformity in her basic dress, she had variety, whimsy and style in her scarves, belts, hats, shoes, necklaces and so on. I tell you this because many women complain that even with a closet full of clothes they have nothing to wear. Sometimes those same women lament that if only they had a bigger closet, or more closets (woe to the husband who needs a little hanging space), they’d really be able to dress well. Listen, you can be an uber-fashionista with nothing more than what fits in a standard suitcase. They key is in understanding what silhouettes and colors look best on you, and then using that basic “uniform” as a launching pad. It need not be a black dress. Maybe it’s a white t-shirt and a perfectly-fitting pair of jeans that is the foundation of your look. It’s where you go from there that defines your style. One day you layer on a black tailored jacket, a great necklace and a pair of black stilettoes, and the next you top it with a yellow cashmere cardigan and some turquoise bangles and your old cowboy boots. The fashion world would like you to think you need to keep buying new clothes, but you really don’t. You just need different sprinkles on the cupcake! Your lifestyle is the primary factor in choosing your basic look. Whether you are a professional who needs to be client-ready every day, or if you are a stay-at-home mom with a softball carpool, you need to work with what fits your lifestyle. Then the most important consideration for you is “does this feel natural?” Are you dressing like you? If you don’t feel comfortable in dresses or skirts at the office, you will absolutely communicate that through nonverbal cues – and that’s no way to appear professional. If that’s you, find the cut of trousers that looks most becoming to you, and stock your closet with that style in a variety of colors and fabrications. Once you’ve defined your basic style, you can have fun with your cupcake sprinkles. Go ahead and stock up on accessories and baubles to refresh your look as the season changes - scarves, necklaces, earrings and handbags. Don’t feel you have to go all matchy-matchy. You can wear silver and gold together, and your shoes don’t have to match your belt. What really matters is that you love it, and that it all feels like you. My favorite fashion quote (and I never thought I’d be quoting Raquel Welch, but it’s her line) is “Style is about being yourself, but on purpose.”
More sprinkles, please! saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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Festival of Trees Tree Lighting Victorian Streetwalk Holiday Songbook
2014
Summer Camp
Guide Summer
is creeping up and it’s time to start thinking about summer camps! Our Saratoga Summer Camp Guide features everything from art, music, horseback riding, science, sports, and more!
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Camp Saradac,
located at the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center, is a NYSDOH licensed full day summer camp for children ages 5-12. Our camp offers exciting weekly field trips, creative, recreational and educational programs, arts & crafts, weekly swimming, and themed weeks.
Wilton Recreation
offers a full-day summer camp program for children entering grades 1 through 9. With available pre-camp and post-camp care, working parents can ensure their children are having fun in a safe environment before and after the camp’s regular hours, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parents who register their children for before and/ or after camp care can drop off their registered campers after 8:00 a.m. and can pick them up until 5:30 p.m. Busing is available for Wilton residents who register for regular camp hours. This camp offers a full schedule of daily onsite activities, themed events, and exciting trips for those campers registered for off-site adventures. Daily onsite activities include arts and crafts, sports, playground fun, and other
organized group games. This year’s scheduled field trips include: The Great Escape, Million Dollar Beach, Saratoga County Fair, Magic Forest, Valley Cats Baseball Game and at least two swimming days per week at nearby pools and beaches. The 2014 Summer Camp opens on July 1 and runs until August 15. Registration must be done in person at Gavin Park, 10 Lewis Drive, Saratoga Springs, New York, and closes June 13. As there are only 300 spaces available, be sure to mark your calendar! Camp registration forms are available at www. townofwilton.com or can be picked up at the park office, weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any questions, please call (518) 584-9455.
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Camp activities are designed to promote fun and fitness while providing opportunities for campers to grow. Last season’s favorites: the Saratoga County Fair, the Fun Spot, the Great Escape, Tri-City Valley Cats and of course our weekly visits to the Peerless Pool will all be a part of our 2014 field trip line-up. Check our website for a complete schedule of all of our field trips. The 2014 Summer Camp runs Monday through Friday from 8:45am to 4:45pm starting June 30th and continues through
August 15th. Parents love the convenience of our before and after care program. Children who are registered may be dropped off at 7:30am and picked up as late as 6:00pm. Registration is on a first come, first served basis so please don’t wait. Camp registration forms are available at www.saratogarec.com or can be picked up at the Recreation Center. If you have any questions, please contact us. See you this summer!!! Saratoga Springs Recreation Center 15 Vanderbilt Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-3550 ext. 2300 RecReservations@ saratoga-springs.org Find us on Facebook at Saratoga Springs Recreation Dept.
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Saratoga Independent School
Anticipation for our summer programs at Saratoga Independent School is heating up! Conveniently located on Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs, the Saratoga Independent School is situated on 60 beautiful acres including sports fields, wooded trails, gardens, playgrounds, and a 12,000 square foot modern school building, built in 2004.
North Country Horses Day Camp
offers eight summer camp sessions that run Monday through Friday starting July 7th and ends on August 29th. We will be offering beginner through advanced riders‘camp. The rider must be 5 or older by their camp week. Riders will be grouped according to skill level during lessons. At the beginner level, riders will learn how to be safe and comfortable around the horses. Riders will learn the basics of riding including walk, halt, steering, and beginning to work at the posting trot. At the intermediate to advanced level, our campers will continue to work on skills learned in the past including; trotting on correct diagonals, balance of horse and rider, bending of horse, progress to or solidify canter or lope and work on identifying correct leads & jumping if riding level warrants. Our riding lessons during camp will be coordinated by one of our riding instructors. We will also have unmounted sessions to include training of key topics that every rider should know. These saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
This summer we will be offering our weekly half day program to children ages 3-8. Our highly skilled and experienced team is ready to provide an unforgettable
experience for your child. In the half day program, kids will enjoy weekly themed activities centered on the environment, games, science and art. This program is led by caring and talented adults who are a part of our school faculty. Wrap-around care and extended day programs will be offered daily until 5:00 PM for families needing extra coverage. Join us this summer at Saratoga Independent School! For more information, please visit www.siskids.org/programs/ summer-programs
classes are designed to build our rider‘s self confidence while teaching horsemanship safety. The lessons concentrate on safety first, proper grooming, communication skills, body alignment, balance and an independent seat which are the building blocks in becoming a good rider. Of course we will also have lots of time for games and group activities providing fun and entertainment all week long. The camp week is structured to provide our campers with good horse sense‘ while having lots of fun. North Country Horses 438 Clark Rd Gansevoort, NY 12831, 518-441-5959 northcountryhorse@ yahoo.com Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN | 41
SARATOGA CLAY ARTS CENTER
School’s out, summer’s here, time to ramp up the fun at Saratoga Clay Arts Center! Summer 2014 brings an exciting series of programs for ages 7-16, taught by professional local artists/ teachers and ranging in topics and techniques. All classes are open to all skill levels beginning and up. Pinch pots, slab projects, wheel throwing, glazing, and firing techniques come together to provide each student with exciting new experiences, knowledge of a new skill or enhanced techniques, and their creations to take home to use and share with friends and family. What could be better than playing with clay all summer?! Sixteen week-long summer programs run for 8 weeks, beginning June 30 and concludes on August 31st with each student being
invited to participate in our 3rd Annual Kids & Clay Summer Art Exhibition and Ice Cream Social at the center’s Schacht Gallery. Each week brings a different opportunity in clay. Visit SCAC’s website at http://saratogaclayarts. org/kidsandclay/ summercamp2014.php for more details on programs, registration dates, fee details. While you are there, take some time to check out the rest of their site and their Facebook page to view awesome photo albums that offer a glimpse inside SCAC.
SARATOGA CHILDRENS THEATER
introduction to the theatrical arts.
For kids who have a passion for the performing arts, Saratoga Children’s Theatre summer camp is a dream come true. Saratoga Children’s Theatre offers performance camps for ages 4-18 years old. At Saratoga Children’s Theatre we hire dedicated professionals that will enhance your child’s awareness for the arts while enjoying a great summer camp experience, and did we mention… it will also greatly enhance your child’s self-esteem!
SCT KIDS camps (7-10 years) Campers will learn all aspects of performance, and will have the opportunity to perform in two shows at the end, which will be open to the public. Campers will perform on stage at St. Clements Auditorium, Saratoga Springs.
RISING STARS camps (4-6 years) Stars-to-be will learn to explore their creativity through music, storytelling, movement, and arts. Both fun and educational, we have created our Rising Stars program to provide a warm and nurturing environment, giving campers the opportunity to gain a wonderful
SCT TEEN TROUPE (13-18 years) will be performing at Bernhard Theater, Skidmore College. The TEEN TROUPE will perform 4 shows of RENT School Edition, directed by Tony Rivera, music director Alex DiCocco and 4 shows of Les Miserables School Edition, directed by Jim Charles, music director Alex DiCocco.
SCT JUNIOR Camps (10-13years) Campers will learn all aspects of performance, and will have the opportunity to perform in two shows at the end which will be open to the public.
Register TODAY for some messy, exhilarating, creative fun this Summer! Enter to Win a FREE weeklong class! TEXT “kidsandclay” to 22828 to be automatically entered!
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Cutting Edge Martial Arts and The Soul Center
Camp Starhitch
goes E.P.I.C. (Exciting Play-filled Interactive Camp) at our Saratoga Springs Branch! E.P.I.C. runs for 8 one-week sessions, June 30-August 22, 2014. This camp is for children entering 1st grade through entering 5th grade. Campers will participate in games, sports, archery, art projects, team building, nature activities, trips, swimming and more! Experienced counselors will supervise children and a ratio of 1/10 ensures a safe, quality camping experience. All camp staff are CPR and First Aid certified. Campers must bring a nourishing nut-free lunch and drink each day in an insulated bag with an ice pack. Each camper should also bring a swimsuit, towel and knapsack. All items should be labeled. For more information, contact Taraya Ostwald, E.P.I.C. Director, at 518-583-9622, ext. 120 or Paige Minear, saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
Registrar/Recreation Director, at ext. 116. Or join us for an adventure-packed summer at Travel Camp! This program provides campers entering fifth grade through tenth grade an opportunity to travel every day to fun-filled locations. Campers have a chance to explore different summer activities: amusement and water parks, outdoor sports, fairs, and horseback riding. Travel Camp conducts 8 one-week sessions, June 30-August 22, 2014. Join us for one week or for all... it’s your choice! For more information, contact Patti Laudicina, Travel Camp Director, at 583-9622, ext. 110 or Paige Minear, Registrar/ Recreation Director at ext. 116. Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Cutting Edge Martial Art’s A+ After School and Summer Camp Program is a year-round child care solution that provides a positive, structured environment for children after school and during the day in the summer. During the summer, children get all the benefits of our A+ Program, but on a grander scale. We offer seven weeks of full day camps (As well as Winter and Spring Break) and have no minimum or maximum number of days per week or number of weeks that a student can attend. Each week of camp, we have a curriculum of character education lessons, fun games, a Recreation Room with Ping Pong, Foosball, Air Hockey and more and a one hour martial arts class 4 days a week. We watch a movie in the afternoons twice a week with our high def. projector, have a video game/recreation morning on Fridays and take all our campers on an educational outing on Wednesdays to local museums and a fun and exciting outing every Friday. We also try to find time every couple of weeks to go swimming at the State Park. Our average camp size is 25-40 students, and
we have three full time staff working with our campers. Our goal is to provide a family-friendly and fun environment that feels like a home away from home. Our students have fun learning skills that can be used every day of their lives, and we try to provide memories that will last a lifetime. For many, our summer camps are a wonderful introduction to the martial arts. One of our goals from our inception was to create a center for the development of the mind, body and spirit. Our goals became a reality in 2013 with the start of The Soul Center: A Center for Fitness, Wellness, Sports and Arts under one roof!!! The Soul Center is now home not only to Cutting Edge Martial Arts, but also Slugger's Den, an indoor baseball training facility, and CAMP: The Capital Area Music Project, a music studio for group music lessons. We offer Piano, Voice, Guitar and Percussion to start. For the first time, campers can opt to add baseball and/or music lessons to their camps this summer!!! For more information visit www.SaratogaMartialArts. com and www. SoulCenterSaratoga.com or call (518) 587-5501
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The Capital District YMCA
Offers Safe, Affordable Summer Camp for Your Child! We’re convenient! 11 locations: Albany, Bethlehem, Glenville, East Greenbush, Greene County, Guilderland, North Colonie, Schenectady, Scotia, Southern Saratoga, and Troy. Children 3 to 16 will find something fun to do, from swimming lessons to archery to arts & crafts. Best of all, YMCA programs focus on fun activities that help build your child’s confidence and self-esteem.
SAVE TIME AND MONEY! • Sibling discounts!
• Free before and aftercamp care. • Membership not required. All are welcome! Register Today! 518.869.3500. Visit us at www.CDYMCA. org.
OUR PREMIER DAY CAMP
Located on Route 155 in Guilderland, YMCA Adventure Camp is our premier day camp, with out-door pool, pond with paddle boats, zip line, rock wall, covered pavilion, and convenient bussing available. FREE TOURS! Visit www. CDYMCA.org today for tour dates, or call 456.3634.
OUR PREMIER OVERNIGHT CAMP
Camp Chingachgook is located on the shores of Lake George in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, and offers a unique overnight camp experience for your child. Your child will love our day camp (for kids 5-10), overnight camp (for kids 7-15), adventure trip programs (for kids 11 and older), and Counselor-inTraining program (for 16 year olds). FREE TOURS! Visit www. LakeGeorgeCamp.org today for our 2014 tour schedule.
Skidmore College
offers a variety of programs for children of all ages during the summer months.
Camp Northwoods, Skidmore’s day camp for children entering grades 1-6, offers an exciting program of sports, cultural arts, nature study and relaxed play. Our goal is to provide a variety of fun activities that happily challenge the imagination, intellect, and body. The camp's home base is Falstaff's Pavilion on the Skidmore College campus, but campers frequent the Williamson Sports Center, Schick Art Gallery, Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, and Zankel Music Center. The daily enrichment activities led by the qualified staff are supplemented by weekly field trips to recreational and historical sites, and visits by special guests. Children will also enjoy arts and crafts, ceramics, games, hiking, and daily swim time. One and two-week sessions are available from June 30-August 15. Skidmore College also offers a wide array of Sports Camps from June through August for children of all ages. Choose from baseball, lacrosse, swimming, basketball, soccer, volleyball and field hockey. Children
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learn the concept of teamwork while acquiring the necessary skills for his or her sport of choice. Adults, novice or experienced, can participate in a rowing program offered throughout the spring, summer and fall at the Boat House located on beautiful Fish Creek. All other programs are held on the Skidmore Campus at the Sports and Recreation Center and/ or the adjacent fields. For more information, or to register online visit www.skidmore.edu/ summer or call the Office of the Dean of Special Programs at (518) 5805596. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
t h g i l F Take
at Albany ’s New Tramp oline Park By Brian Cremo, photos provided
Albany
is the soon-to-be home of the first Flight Trampoline Park in New York State.
The cutting-edge fun-filled, familyoriented sports facility offers a place for all ages to jump around and enjoy parties, challenge themselves in individual workouts, or just step back and have some fun. Scheduled to open in late May, the park is on a 33,000-square foot location at 30A Post Road in Colonie off Central Avenue. “Our focus is really going to be an energetic, positive experience with a focus on customers,” said Albany Flight Trampoline Park owner Mark Bigelow. “We want people who are having bad days to come into our park and have good days. We want people who are having good days to have great days. We’re going to do our best and our darndest to make that happen with our employees and the product that we provide.” Customers have many options when deciding just how they will enjoy their experience when they journey to Albany’s Flight. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
Take to the Open Jump and spring around 50 connected worldclass trampolines, including some that are angled on the wall, accompanying launching decks at different heights. “There’s a huge trampoline open-jump area where people can just jump around and do flips and use obstacles to jump off of,” Bigelow said. Go out to the Club Flight event with your friends on Friday and Saturday nights from 9-11 p.m., as the lights are turned off and the lasers are turned on. Looking to do something with the whole family? Family Flight Night happens on Mondays from 6-9 p.m. Families (up to five people) get in for just $35 per hour. Every additional family member is $9 per hour. “Family atmosphere is a huge priority,” Bigelow said. “We will also host birthday parties, which is one of the main focuses, where we will have party rooms available and party packages. You can jump and then use a birthday party room.” Birthday party packages can be reserved and set up with Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN | 45
a party room by going to the Flight website at albany. flighttrampolinepark.com. The birthday boy, or girl, will get a free Flight T-shirt and a free one hour jumping pass for the next visit. Kid Flight is available every Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Anyone 46-iches tall or less, with an accompanying adult who jumps for free, has total access to the park. Whether it’s the main courts or the Kiddie Court, anyone within the height requirement and over the age of 2 years old can call the park theirs.
“
The kid play area—for 6 years old and younger—the younger kids will not have to compete with space or deal with the physicality of the older group.
”
An option for bigger groups is the Flight Slumber Party. Gather your closest friends (maximum 150) and stay overnight at the park from 11:30 p.m.-7:30 a.m. Participants can bring their own custom music and have full access to the large projector and party rooms. Bring your sleeping bags to sleep out on the trampolines and sprawl out. 46 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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For the fitness gurus, or someone just looking for a fun way to get in shape, there will be Flight Fit Boot Camp classes forming that incorporate vertical motion workouts. The vertical rebounding exercises can give those looking for something different a change from their grounded workouts. For parents, they can join the fitness class while the kids play in the Kiddie Court, which will have a court monitor to watch the little ones. Special Needs Night is the first and third Tuesday of every month from 5-7 p.m., as Flight reserves exclusive jump hours for jumpers with special needs. Thursdays will have varying special event themes, allowing those who dress to the day’s theme to get $2 off admission price. Aside from literally jumping off the walls, there will also be opportunities to play organized games on the trampolines, such as dodgeball and basketball leagues and tournaments. If you want to keep jumping off the walls though, there will also be a platform to jump off of and onto an air bag. Bigelow, 34, made his connection with Flight while living out west, where more of the parks are up and running. After talking to a 48 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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doing very well. We’re just thrilled to be here and we’re thrilled for the reaction. The employees and how they’ve heard about us and what they’re talking about with their friends, we’re just really thrilled with the buzz generated from word of mouth.” Sites in Pittsburgh and Bridgeville, Pennsylvania are among the 10 Northeast locations in the works to open as well. For general admission, anyone under the age of 13 needs to be accompanied with an adult and everyone needs to sign a waiver to enter the park. Participants at the park need to have socks for good grip on the trampolines, as shoes are not permitted. Monitors will be on the floor doing their best to keep things within the safety rules and guidelines. “Ultimately, it’s an extreme sport so injuries will happen unfortunately,” Bigelow said. “But we’re here to do our best to minimize that, so as long as people stay within the guidelines it should be OK.”
colleague in the Washington state area, who had started some of the parks, a partnership was born just a year and a half ago. Now, hoping to bring the same excitement to Albany, Bigelow and his family have moved to the upstate area. As the parks continue to rise and gain popularity, the east coast is catching on, with a location in New Britain, Connecticut (where Flight is based out of) and Springfield, Virginia already open. “The reaction has been outstanding,” Bigelow said. “Really unparalleled compared to the other two (new parks) and they’re
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It’s recommended that tickets be purchased in advance because days in the park do sell out, especially on weekends. If buying online, make sure to purchase tickets from the Albany location because the tickets are not universal throughout the different parks. 4 For more information, such as pricing and party packages, visit:
albany.flighttrampolinepark.com (518) 952-0433 • FlightParkAlbany@gmail.com The “Flight Trampoline Park Albany” Facebook is also available
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Photo saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com courtesy of SAS Interiors
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Carriage House Chronicles The
Story by Chelsea Hoopes Silver, Photos provided
The Grounds of Hi, I’m Chelsea Hoopes Silver...
Schuyler Pond
And as some of you may know, I have a blog called The Carriage House Chronicles, where I feature various design, architecture, lifestyle, and art inspirations I find while living in the beautiful and historically rich city of Saratoga Springs. I come by my love of collecting and house obsession honestly—my parents have been flipping and building houses since I was five-years-old and my grandfather traveled the world collecting art and antiques. I also love a nice, “raw canvas” and I would probably never buy a “turn-key” home. My first and current homes were both big renovations and even my store (Silverwood, Home & Gallery; which I own with my mother), was a total renovation. Although I can certainly see the appeal of buying something that is done, I just love a good project! Now I’ve got a new “project”— adapting my blog into a series for the award-winning Simply Saratoga!
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It’s not an unusual story in these parts - city girl moves up to the area, craving a bit of country life. However, not many would take on a 5- acre parcel (home to four very old buildings, I might add) on their own. It was love at first sight when Amanda Crames saw the bucolic Schuyler Pond property, off Route 29 between Schuylerville and Saratoga. And it was obviously meant to be. Amanda wrote a letter to the previous owners asking if they would ever sell and they took her up on her offer. Fourteen years later, she still happily lives and works there (she runs a home and gift store, Schuyler Pond, out of the big, red barn on the property).
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Above: One of Amanda’s adorable dog houses.
Of the five acres...
two are wooded and three are meticulously cared for and manicured by Amanda, with a little help. Her two and a half year- old son, Kellen, also enjoys joining her on yard duty and is “handy with a shovel, wildly enthusiastic about watering, not quite so gentle with flowers, but a devoted outdoorsman and helper." “[The yard-work] occasionally presents some challenges,” Amanda says, “more of time than desire though, because I really do love to do outdoor work, gardening and grooming.” In fact, until pretty recently, Amanda mowed those grassy three acres herself (she now has some help from a service, since play time with Kellen takes precedence). 54 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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Amanda’s gardens are pretty and natural; they feel right on this old farm property. Her favorite flowers? “Iris for Spring, gorgeous! Coral bells. Peonies. And lilies. Day lilies do well here but I try to find more uncommon varieties. As the season goes on, I’m always happy to see the pur-ple salvia and cone flower. And the roses, too. I cut them way back every fall, and I think it helps them get through the winter.” Amanda also praises annuals, flowers she loves in her con-tainer gardens- “geraniums, mandevilla (with a trellis), nasturtium, verbena and potato vines are some of the regulars at Schuyler Pond. These are all readily available and bloom happily into the fall. I also like to mix it up with some thyme (lemon thyme smells great) or even a strawberry plant for interest. [It’s also] great for a snack when watering.”
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Among the gardens, there is a pool and a pond (naturally), giving the place a wonderful sense of calm and respite when the temperatures really rise, and several gorgeous old trees provide just enough summer shade. The outbuildings include the big barn (an old dairy barn that is now the store), the original corn crib and small carriage house, a pool house, and two of the cutest dog houses you’ve ever seen, each featuring their own, tiny, stained- glass window.
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Amanda's Tips for Maintaining a Garden Do something every day, and it won’t get away from you. One bed a day gets tended to in a focused sort of way, for an hour or so. Annuals are watered daily or as needed. Appreciate the “job,” it really is a good one. I missed every aspect of my gardening adventures during this long winter. Let your kids help, many of them really want to. They learn so quickly to be a little more gentle and patient, they love dirt, and, at least in my case, it seems he loves to do my chores with me. Don’t over think it, there’s always next year. If something doesn’t come up this Spring, go to a nursery and try something new. The FIRST nursery you go to. No need for an exhaustive search. If you’re a busy planter (as opposed to a professional or trained gardener), it’s all good in the garden! Watch the weather. I Love to plant right before its going to rain, saves a lot of work!
Stay tuned for the interior of the 1858 farmhouse in the next issue of Simply Saratoga. Just think- if this is what the outside is like, just imagine what it’s like inside! 4
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BACK TO BASICS By Stefany McBrady, photos provided
Real estate trends
are constantly changing, and with the growing popularity of Real Estate TV shows home buyers are becoming savvy on what is out there. So what is the current hot trend? Buyers are trading in the manufactured look and feel of the “McMansion” to revert back to traditional style homes and neighborhoods. Home owners do not want to waste time taking care of an oversized yard but they
still want bigger homes with better craftsmanship, and one that doesn’t look exactly like the one next door. Convenience and safe neighborhoods are essential for families or buyers looking to start a family. A big house on a small lot in a safe neighborhood with everything at your fingertips may not sound like something that is easy to find, but it may be closer than you think. All of these things are available in a traditional neighborhood development, which is why they are popping up all over the country.
For more information on this TND, see the inside back cover
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Traditional Neighborhood developments (TND) are master planned communities that include a variety of residential home styles, commercial components and public recreation areas. Everything you need is right there and a true feeling of community is inherit. TNDs are meant to create distinctive neighborhoods that are pedestrian oriented and have a central public space and civic activity. These developments are based around the idea that a neighborhood should be walkable, accessible, distinctive and attractive. This is the type of place where your kids can go outside to play and you don’t have to worry about a thing. Florida led the way with the Master Planned Community of Seaside, one of the first TNDs to pop up. Since then these types of neighborhoods have been growing in popularity but they still have not made their way to upstate New York. The closest neighborhood that resembles a TND in the area is Oakridge Saratoga. Although it does not contain any commercial elements Oakridge has all other aspects of a TND. The street system is designed to favor pedestrians by slowing down traffic and is well lit with street lamps every 100 feet. The sidewalks are 5 feet wide and the park in the center of the neighborhood is a place for the kids to play while the adults catch up. Characteristic of traditional TNDs the homes in Oakridge have garages in the back of the home taking cars off of the street and allowing for grand front porches.
Traditional Neighborhood developments are popping up everywhere because it is what real estate buyers are looking for. Traditional style homes on small lots in safe neighborhoods may not always be easy to come by. Buying or building homes in a TND will soon be the trend the Real Estate market takes on because who wouldn’t want a harmonious blend of distinctive homes, well landscaped parks and safe streets. 4 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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CoverGirl By Megin Potter photos provided
Jenna Burger of SAS Interiors has her first NATIONAL cover!
Copyright 2014 Meredith Publishing, All Rights Reserved Photo Credit: Laura Moss
How
do you get your work seen by hundreds of thousands or even millions of people?
Saratoga Springs local Jenna Burger is an interior designer who is also a mother, do-it-yourselfer, writer and blogger. Her website receives hundreds of thousands of views a month and her work has been featured in print and online in numerous publications, blogs and websites.
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A different caliber of exposure emerged however, in March 2013 with an article in a national magazine, First for Women®; and again in January of this year when she appeared in the “I Did It” section of Better Homes & Gardens®; a magazine with a circulation of more than 7.5 million. So here’s a woman who has indeed done it, and it’s going to be a busy year ahead as well. Better Homes & Gardens® special interest publications including Kitchen & Bath Makeovers (which is spotlighting her work on the cover of their Spring 2014 edition) and Storage® will be featuring her work. She is also expecting her third child this summer. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
Jenna's Family Room... the photo that started it all!
What does it take to be featured on the cover of a national magazine?
Be Bold While doing a kitchen renovation consultation, Burger found out that her client’s living room had been published by Better Homes & Gardens® magazine approximately six years before. “Better Homes & Gardens® is definitely a reflection of my style. It is a very relatable, eclectic mix, colorful, that is very me,” said Burger. That client gave Burger contact information for Donna Talley, the upstate New York Regional Editor for Better Homes & Gardens® magazines. In late winter 2013, Burger sent Talley an email casually introducing herself, mentioned their mutual acquaintance and pitched her a story idea; suggesting they cover her own family room and home office in their magazines. With that, and the pictures of the room’s bold navy blue walls, Donna Talley, a busy woman who receives numerous inquiries, was inspired to click onto Burger’s blog; SAS Interiors. “It’s not easy to find locations with fantastic color - and Jenna’s not afraid of color in her rooms. She has a fresh, youthful, yet sophisticated style that came through in her blog,” said Talley.
Jenna's COVER KITCHEN'S "before" shot.
“Jenna's style is both unique and stylish. Bold statement lighting, bold fabrics; oftentimes that is what carries a room into the magazine arena,” said Talley.
Go with the flow Within a month or two, Talley was at Burger’s house doing a three day shoot featuring her kitchen, office and bathroom as well. Discussing other projects that Burger was involved with, she mentioned a “mega awesome” craft room she did for a client, Michelle Brandriss and a small, budget-friendly (under $1,000) makeover for their kitchen.
The design story board
Talley brought the editor of Kitchen & Bath Makeovers®, who was visiting from Iowa, to see the Brandriss home. They found it very relatable to their audience, so selected it for the big $25,000 and under makeover. Burger presented Brandriss with a design storyboard that helped them to understand the changes they were discussing. “It made it flow so much faster and easier,” said Brandriss. “Jenna’s fantastic. She listened to both my husband and I” In late Spring, Talley and Burger took “before” pictures on their phones and digital cameras, construction continued until July, and by September, a photography crew came out to shoot the finished kitchen remodel.
It’s all about what drives you Knowing the kitchen would be in the Spring 2014 issue of Kitchen & Bath Makeovers®, it wasn’t until January that the magazine layout was complete and Burger found out she had made THE COVER! For nearly three months she had to keep quiet about the news however, and wait for the issue to be released on newsstands. Keeping her busy, Better Homes & Gardens® has been out working with Burger on several photo shoots in the last six months, including the Brandiss craft room. “Jenna’s so easy to work with and understand. There are so many projects that would not have happened if I hadn’t met her,” said Brandiss. Burger aims to have your home tell your story by unifying the layers of what makes a room whole so you can fully embrace it.
Jenna's VERY “Whatever your space is, it has to be personal and meaningful. It’s creating a feeling HELPFUL that evokes meaning; who you are and what brings you happiness,” said Burger. blog Talley said she appreciates how Burger is able to work within budgetary parameters and her style is inspirational, aspirational and sophisticated. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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Jenna's “why” is what gives it meaning. People relate to Burger’s genuine desire to be of service. Her smart design solutions and ability to achieve a stylish, finished, tailored, high-end look at a low-cost is a passion of hers. “I can never just sit down and sit around. I know this is my calling,” she said. Burger said she is like her own mother in terms of drive. She remembers waking up in the morning to find her mother had taken an item in the house and spray-painted it another color. It was her “just do it attitude” that Burger found inspirational, she said. “As a kid I was always drawing houses, art and design was innate. I was the only girl in woodworking class but it really interested me. I always aced it because I was
interested,” said Burger. After receiving her degree in Interior Design, stretching her wings at a small firm working in high-end Westchester homes and as a store design manager for a large corporation, Burger moved with her family to Saratoga Springs in 2009. By 2010 she had launched her home resource website and blog, but for a year didn’t make any money from it. “Blog like nobody is reading. Do it because you want to do it. If you’re blogging, do it to share an idea; whether one person is reading or 10,000 are reading. It’s a slow game and you have to be along for the ride and just enjoy it,” 4 . .Words of wisdom from Jenna Burger.
For design ideas, decorating inspiration and D.I.Y. projects check out Jenna Burger’s blog: sasinteriors.net Jburger.design@gmail.com
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Flower
PHOTOGRAPHY
Peter Bowden
AT YOUR
Fingertips!
Frosted Fairy Rose
Hellebore Forget-Me-Not
I’ve been an avid photographer for decades...
Photos and Article By Peter Bowden
Sunflower Heart
Lustre
Back in the film days, macro or close-up photography was highly specialized. It required macro lenses or adaptors to turn your regular lens backwards to allow them to focus closely. These were expensive and awkward propositions for most folks. I kept my eye on the development of digital cameras during the 1990s and decided that, when they made one that could produce a decent 8" x 10” print, I’d jump on board. My first digital camera was only 2.1 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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megapixels and stored the images on a floppy disk...remember those? There were a lot of features to learn about while I was mastering that camera but there was one feature on it I wasn’t expecting…the “macro” button. With a simple push of that button, the lenses realigned themselves so that close…very close focusing was possible.
“It opened up a whole new world” Every digital camera made has this macro button and, for a variety of technical reason, even the simplest point-and- shoot digital camera is capable of taking close-ups that easily equal what those expensive macro film lenses could achieve. Sadly, few people take advantage of this feature. To encourage you, I’d like to offer you some tips to take amazing flower close-ups and inspire you with some examples. The first step is to locate the macro setting button. On most cameras it is on the outside of the camera. It is designated by the universal symbol for “macro”, a flower… how appropriate! Some newer cameras place the setting within the menu under “focus options” but it is still designated with the small flower symbol.
M
AC
RO
° The next thing to master is your shutter button. This is pretty basic but I often run into folks with some pretty expensive cameras who haven’t heard of or mastered the “halfway press” of the shutter button on their camera. Any time you are about to take a picture with your digital camera you need to halfway press the shutter
° SHUTT
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ER
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button. This sets the focus and exposure. If you aren’t happy with that focus or exposure, take you finger off the shutter button and halfway press again until you have the focus you like. Then, when you fully press the shutter, the image is captured instantly. Folks who complain that their camera “takes too long to take the picture and I always miss the shot” haven’t mastered the “halfway press” With the exception of phone cameras, every digital camera from the lowliest point-and-shoot to the fanciest DSLR requires a halfway press to lock focus and exposure. Before we enjoy some of the many images I’ve captured, I have a couple other tips to share. You would think that a bright, sunny day would be the perfect time to take flower macros. While you want bright light, direct sunlight is a little too bright and creates harsh shadows. The ideal time to take outdoor macros is a bright but overcast day. There will be no harsh shadows and the light will be soft and diffused. It also needs to be calm. Shooting macros on a breezy day is an exercise in frustration. Many cameras now have “anti-shake” technology but this will only compensate for your shaky hands, not the bobbing of a flower in the breeze.
Mexican Sunflower
That’s all there is to it really. Now all you need to do is get out there and practice. Practice holding the camera steady… Practice looking for interesting compositions… Practice your “halfway press” technique. The greatest thing about digital cameras is that the learning curve is much shorter than in the film days. You get instant feedback since you can review the shot right away and you can delete the duds with the push of a button. So much better than the old film days. What better time than spring to explore flower macro photography. Your little point-and-shoot is a macro monster…get it out and discover the tiny universe that surrounds you. 4
Thanks for the read and happy “macroing”! saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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Simply... THE BEST
H&G
IDEA
Bite
Taking the Out of the Outdoors By Chad Beatty
We all know the scenario: The burgers are sizzling on the grill, the kids are laughing as they run around the yard, and you are settling into your favorite deck chair preparing to relax and enjoy the scene.
Introducing The Mosquito Authority. I first met owners Brian Whipple and Yoni Moskow at the Home & Lifestyle Show in Saratoga Springs. Brian and Yoni are mosquito specialists who specialize in giving you your yard back.
Ahh, life is good....almost!
Here is how they do it. First they survey your property and find all the mosquito habitat and breeding areas, and either drain them or treat with larvicide. This keeps the mosquitos from reproducing around your house. Next they kill the adult mosquitos in the yard by spraying adulticide in and around all the harboring areas that the adults use to avoid predators and environmental elements. Unfortunately that would only keep your yard mosquito free for 24 to 48 hours because mosquitos will re-infiltrate before you have time to get a nice tan.
Your ears perk up and the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Faintly, in the distance you can already hear them approaching. The faint buzzing sounds like a group of miniature chainsaws as they prepare their attack. As you frantically search for the invaders, you grab the nearest can of ‘Off’ and begin spraying your body as you scream for the kids. But it is too late. Like microscopic kamikazes they launch their attack on your family, and the day is ruined. But worry no longer because I have discovered the solution to Americas biggest PEST.
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Their “SECRET” to ongoing mosquito control is that their ‘adulticide’ is also a very powerful mosquito repellent that mosquitos can’t tolerate. By applying the material to all their resting and hiding
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“
Our job is to give our customers a mosquito free backyard and make cookouts, family gatherings and all other backyard activities more enjoyable
”
A Short List of Diseases Mosquitoes Carry... • Eastern Equine Encephalitis • LA Crosse Encephalitis • West Nile Virus • Dengue Fever • Malaria • Yellow Fever
For more information on the Mosquito authority Contact Brian and Yoni at:
518-313-0009 • BugsBite.com “More r than most othe ito is a qu os m e th living things esn’t e eature. Sh do She self-serving cr ms. or w or ts il like an plants, aerate the so of rtant pollinator rve as is not an impo se en does not ev animal. r like be es. She he ot e m od for so an an essential fo th to urpose’ other She has no ‘p s. ie r spec * perpetuate he e Story of *Mosquito - Th iest Foe. dl Man’s Dea
areas in your yard, the mosquitos are forced to find resting and hiding areas, as well as new blood meals, in someone else’s yard for the next three weeks.
While single treatments are available, Brian and Yoni always recommend a 8x program to keep you mosquito free for the entire season. When I heard 8x I immediately thought big dollars, but I was shocked when I was told the price. For the peace of mind and overall enjoyment you receive, their prices are minimal. Another concern I had was the safety of the treatments. After researching it, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is the same material that’s applied to mosquito nets used around the world to protect children from disease carrying mosquitos while they sleep. The solution is also milder than DEET, the active ingredient found in bug repellents you apply directly to your skin. So if you are ready to reclaim your property and go mosquitofree for the summer, give Brian and Yoni a call, sit back and enjoy your yard. Oh yeah, and they guarantee their work. 4 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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Let IN the
Simply... THE BEST
H&G
IDEA
Fresh Air By Megin Potter, photos provided
The
screen door banging shut echoes in my mind, inextricably imbedded in my memory as an indelible sound of the summer.
“Just go out, or stay in!” “Close the door, you’re letting all the bugs in!” “Don’t slam the door!” Shouts to close the door gently do too, for it was repeated so many times. Saving the summer and the vocal chords is a simple, easy and attractive solution, ‘Phantom Screens’. Phantom screens empower people to enjoy a different kind of outdoor experience. Gone is the ritual of pulling out the dusty screens from the recesses of the attic when spring arrives. Instead, Phantom screens are retractable, opening when you want them to and hidden away in a subtle housing canister when you don’t, maintaining the look, feel and function of your existing patios, windows and doors.
“It’s a unique product that fits a lot of needs,” said Matt Tabone, Phantom Screens Manager for Empire Building Products in Malta. Since 1992, Phantom screens have been enabling customers to screen in areas they never could before. Doors with oversized decorative handles or features, large openings such as garage doors, and double French doors that used to be almost impossible to screen are an easy fit for Phantom. Some of the unique projects Tabone recalled installing included a 22-foot motorized screen that was so seamless it still maintained the home’s gorgeous uninterrupted waterfront view, installing retractable screens on motor homes and even installing them on a customer’s yacht. Phantom screens offer custom solutions to every homeowner and they can be used on both new and existing homes. “Phantom screens are so versatile; Joe homeowner can put it on their house as well. It’s not so over the top extravagant that the average homeowner can’t put it on their home,” said Tabone. The integrated latch and release system on Phantom retractable screen doors allows for one-handed operation leaving the other hand free to carry drinks or whatever else you might need back and forth. Retractable screens allow the breeze to flow in without any of the bugs, are available in a standard insect mesh up to the premium solar style that stops 90 percent of the sun’s UV rays and is a better alternative than curtains or blinds at conserving energy when heating and cooling a home.
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The tightly woven PVC coated fiberglass mesh is stronger than traditional window and door mesh yet remains almost invisible when viewing the screened-in opening from the road, said Tabone. The powder-coated extruded aluminum is available in nine standard colors and is protected with a lifetime warrantee against rust and corrosion. From the time that an order is placed until it is installed is typically between two and three weeks and appointments continue until November. Tabone said that Phantom retractable screen solutions stand apart from competitors because Phantom is focused on creating genuine relationships, offers excellent customer service, a better product made from materials and craftsmanship that stands up proving itself throughout the more than 1,000 installations he’s been a part of during the last three years. Phantom screens let you make more out of the outdoors. 4 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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THE Outdoor Space
Place
By Megin Potter, photos provided
Getting projects done during the summer often starts with the sound of flip-flops clip-clopping as I walk into the local hardware store. Every year there seems to be another home repair needing to be done, another can of paint to be smoothed on somewhere.
Walking
into the new patio addition at the Allerdice ACE Hardware in Malta inspires a total rewrite of that to-do list. From the ground up, they stock everything needed to get a job done right. 72 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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Add a place
to get out to with a cedar, pressure treated or the innovative Trex composite decking materials. An assortment of decorative railings and the hardware to put it all together makes the patio or deck of your dreams possible.
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Next, it’s time to find a seat. With patio furniture in many styles, finding the look you want is possible, even on a budget. Upholstered furniture with water and fade resistant Sunbrella fabric cushions, all-weather resin wicker sectionals and chairs, stackable chaise lounges and modern dining table sets are on display or can be ordered for delivery.
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Adding some shade is easy with 6 to 9 foot umbrellas in a variety of colors, pergolas, window and screen gazebos, or instant canopies.
Then there are the grills. From the tabletop Smoky Joe up to the built-in Summit 670 series, Allerdice carries a full line of charcoal, propane, natural gas and electric Weber grills. “Weber is probably one of the best grills on the market,” said Assistant Store Manager Tom Clark. Weber’s been around for ages, is almost entirely made in America and backs their warrantied products with a telephone hotline number you can call directly and have a technician come out to your home if you are having any problems with your grill, said Clark. Fire pits are the hottest “must-have” in many backyards this year and patio heaters help to spread the warmth around as well. Pop up a hammock, unfold a chair and pass the marshmallows. Add balance to the backyard with a compact water feature, such as a fountain or a birdbath and some storage with deck boxes or even a small shed. Pest control, pool maintenance and landscaping supplies keep your own outdoor oasis feeling and looking its best. “We can cover just about any of their needs, and if we don’t have it, we can certainly get it,” said Clark. It’s that time of year. Time to get out, get it done and get your summer on! 4 74 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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I’m dreaming of…
A Maintenance FREE Summer!
By Megin Potter, photos provided
Spending days out in the hot sun
stripping varnish off outdoor wood furniture is a hard way to spend a summer. That was my first paying job, and although I started out hopeful, the money I was making soon just didn’t seem to be worth it, even to my teenage sensibilities. The bees are attracted to the sticky sweetness of the sealant as is every bit of dust, dander or particle that could possibly be floating around in the air that day. Globs of it dripped and stuck on my skin, my clothes, and glued my hair together. In the summer, I want to be outside enjoying my backyard, not doing chores in it. Luckily, 76 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
with polywood outdoor furniture, none of that maintenance is necessary. Durable, solid and longlasting, polywood gives you the classic look of wood furniture without any of the hassle. Made from 100 percent recycled bottles, Polywood furniture has color that goes all the way through and requires no waterproofing, painting or sealing. It is easy to wash and quick to dry because water doesn’t soak in. It won’t crack, mildew or rot. Resistant to harsh weather, salt spray or other corrosive substances in the environment, it can be put out and can stay out. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
“Hands down, it’s better (than wood) from a maintenance standpoint. Summer’s short, people don’t want to spend time doing maintenance,” said The Wood Carte owner Chris Carte. Anything that can be made from a recycled material is nice too, because it’s made from something that might otherwise be considered waste. Reusing resources is almost always a wise choice. The plastic composite is molded over aluminum framing making it solid and heavier than wood. Because it won’t blow over, people love using it as dock furniture, said Carte. Made in America by quality Amish craftsman, polywood furniture is initially more expensive than wood but since it’s not going to have to be replaced, in the long run it’s going to save folks money, said Carte. Plus there’s the added value of all the time you save by not having to worry about maintenance. With 4,000 sq. feet devoted to outdoor furniture, in springtime The Wood Carte has a full stock of pieces ready to go into the trunk of your car. This is especially easy to do with their most popular item: the Polywood folding Adirondack chair. “That’s the star of the show,” explained Carte. With the wide planks, rounded back and contour seat that gives the Adirondack chair its simple appeal, making it foldable and maintenance free makes it an honest improvement over the original traditional wood version. At just $249 it is affordable as well. 4
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A pair of woven Lloyd Flanders chairs.
Material
Pleasures By Megin Potter, photos provided
From a distance it looks fine; a nice upholstered chair set in a quiet corner, warmed by the heat of the sun. The façade dissolves as you get closer, seeing the horrifying mold spots that have infected the surface of the cushion, hinting at the absolute science experiment that must be taking place underneath the surface. That’s when you’re hit with that musty smell.
Some outdoor furniture often has a hidden secret that can compromise the life of your product. Steel frames can rust from the inside out, but aluminum, even bare of paint, doesn’t rust. The marine-grade polymer in domestically-made furniture is solid and resists mold and mildew, unlike the foam injections used to fill up the frames of the cheaper import brands.
Some upholstered outdoor furniture can start out awesome, but after a couple times of being left outside in a rainstorm can end up being “ewww”. Quality water resistant fabric, materials and craftsmanship are what make the difference between discount furniture and the luxury brands. It can be tempting to buy outdoor furniture online, solely based on a photo and a cleverly worded description, but Jim Podres, a salesman at the Sports Page Ski & Patio store in Queensbury advises against it. “You can look at photos all you want, but when you sit in an uncomfortable chair, you know it,” he said. “Honestly, my outdoor furniture is more comfortable than my indoor furniture,” he said several times. I was doubtful until I sat in the Leeward hidden motion chair by Telescope Casual Furniture. The heat and exertion from the warm spring day melted away and as I sank into the chair, it finally sunk in just what makes the difference between custom furniture and the discount brands. 78 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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The Lloyd Flanders Grand Traverse Collection dining set (foreground) and Nantucket Collection sofa (background).
The Woodard River Run Collection features aluminum frame furniture coated with a textured resin to give it the rustic appeal of birch bark.
“There are just things that work here and stuff that doesn’t, and we’ve learned the hard way,” said Podres. Once you’ve made your outdoors as comfortable as the indoors, you want to enjoy it all summer long. Adding an awning can protect you and your furniture from the elements, blocking out the sun’s harmful UV rays. The temperature under a Durasol awning can be 20 degrees cooler, said Northeast Awning & Window Décor owner Scott Bowersox.
Lloyd Flanders Grand Traverse Collection Awnings made with marine-grade Sunbrella fabric that is guaranteed for 10 years to be fade, mold and mildew resistant come in 300 colors and patterns. Available in 5-foot to 40-foot lengths and able to be mounted in a variety of ways, there is likely an awning to fit your needs. “It means the difference between sitting outside and enjoying your patio or sitting inside and looking out at your patio,” said Bowersox. 4
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Soroptimists The
And their
Secret Gardens Tour
After 35 Years, Soroptimists of Saratoga County Continue Working to Help and Empower Women By Chelsea DiSchiano, photos provided If the whole world is a garden, then the Soroptimists of Saratoga County are working to make it just a little more beautiful every day as they plant seeds of their hard work and generosity into dozens of local and global nonprofit organizations that benefit women each year.
“
If you look the right way, You can see that the whole world is a garden
It is a goal that the Soroptimists of Saratoga County do not take lightly.
The local chapter itself is 35 years old and currently made up of over 65 women who work to invest thousands of dollars each year into local and national nonprofits that help women and girls in a variety of ways. Its two main fundraisers each year are the Cabin Fever The word “soroptimist” is an unusual one. ~Frances Hodgson Burnett, Luncheon in January and The Secret Garden The name is actually combined from the The Secret Garden two Latin words “soror” and “optima”, which Tour, which will reach its 20th Anniversary and when put together mean “best for women.” The take place this July. Nearly 100 percent of the funds Soroptimists of Saratoga County are just one chapter raised from these events are distributed amongst local of an international organization founded in 1921, now consisting organizations, while some of it goes back into the International of 80,000 members in 127 countries, all of which work together to Soroptimists organization and is given out globally. improve the lives of women and girls through social and economic empowerment. 80 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
”
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Elaine & Rich Roberts
The Soroptimists are led by current president Nancy Trimbur and incoming president Marquita Rhodes, who will be inducted by the time of the Secret Garden Tour. Marie Buckley Hoffman, active member and co-chair of this year’s Secret Garden Tour, said the local chapter has seen immense growth just in the past few years.
“In 2007-08, we distributed $25,335 total,” she said. “This year, we gave out $59,171.”
center and health clinic in Uganda’s Kagoma Gate Village. The birthing center is now called the Soroptimist Saratoga Birthing Center.
One of the biggest contributions the Soroptimists make to Saratoga County is a program it formed in 2004 with the Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County, called Project Hope and Power. The program is a recurring sixweek course on economic and financial literacy for women who
$23,000 of that total was donated internationally, while the rest of the funds were donated to local organizations through grants and awards. The Soroptimists give out three awards each year: The Women’s Opportunity Award, a $5,000 award which is given to a woman who is the single breadwinner of her home and is pursuing to further her education; the Ruby Award, which honors women who, through their professional or personal activities, make extraordinary efforts on behalf of women and girls; and the Violet Richardson Award, which recognizes a young woman between the ages of 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. The remaining funds after these awards are given out are donated to local nonprofits who apply for a grant which will help women. In 2013, over $17,000 was awarded to 14 different nonprofits in the area. Some of the common organizations the Soroptimists have provided grants to in the past include Bridging People and Places, which serves children with serious illnesses; Captain Youth and Family Services, who supports and empowers youth and families; Shelters of Saratoga, who provides temporary housing for homeless women; I Am I Can, who mentors girls in grades 9 through 12; and To Life!, who provides breast cancer education and support services. Globally, the Soroptimists have worked to support organizations such as “To Love A Child”, which provides humanitarian assistance to children and families in Haiti; Cinterandes, which provides mobile surgeries in remote areas of third world countries; and The Giving Circle, which used their grant to help build a birthing saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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ic Deb & V Huggard
are victims and survivors of domestic violence develop the skills needed to begin working toward financial independence.
Susan & Ted Collins
“Women can come to one of the classes or all of them,” Hoffman said. “The program helps them by providing tips on things like how to find jobs, write resumes and basically help get them on their feet again.” The program is completely free, offers childcare at no charge, and provides the women who come to all six of the classes a monetary stipend at the end of the program. “So many people have no idea what it takes for these women get back to having financial independence,” Hoffman said. “We often get letters from women who share their success stories with us, and it’s just so great to hear them.” To continue providing programs such as Project Hope and Power, 82 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
The Soroptimists rely heavily on their fundraising events, particularly the Secret Garden Tour.
“This year will be our 20th Secret Garden Tour, and every year people always say, ‘Oh, are you going to do this or that garden again?’ so this year we decided to give it kind of an ‘old favorites’ theme and mix in old gardens with new gardens on the tour this year,” Hoffman said. “Some of the gardens that were on the tour 10 years ago look totally different today because they’ve grown or changed, so it will be very interesting— they’re all beautiful.” There will be 11 gardens shown on this year’s tour, which will take place Sunday, July 13 from 11 a.m.—5 p.m. Mayor Joanne Yepsen will host a ribbon cutting to kick off the event at the Visitor’s Center that morning, and several local sponsors will host promotions leading up to the Tour. Northshire Books will put saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
Meg & Jim Dalton
up a garden book window display and donate a percentage of the proceeds to the Soroptimists; DZ Restaurants will host a Raising Dough campaign; Exposure Saratoga will sponsor a garden photography workshop with local photographer Deborah Neary; Sunnyside Gardens already hosted a “Flower Power” event donating 10% of all sales one weekend to the cause; and a slew of other local businesses such as Stewart’s Shops and Cudney’s Cleaners. The full list of sponsors is available online. “Most people [showcasing their gardens] do all the work themselves,” Hoffman said. “The work they put in is amazing—these gardens are their pride and joy.” Tickets for the Secret Garden Tour are available on the website at www.soroptimistsaratoga.org or in person at any Cudney’s Cleaners location. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of, though Hoffman is encouraging interested attendees to purchase tickets ahead of time, as the event often sells out. Tickets purchased online may be picked up at the Visitor’s Center. The event will take place rain or shine.
Sandy & Jim Wimet
“This year is so exciting because we are partnering with so many community members,” Hoffman said. “The gardens are truly beautiful and it’s a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.” 4
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WALKING PAST By Megin Potter, photos by MarkBolles.com
Life is like a labyrinth,
it lures us to enter, journey onward, and trust in its winding path. The sun had been blazing blissfully warm for two days before the rain came. The fog settled in and the rain showers came intermittently, hinting at the downpours to come. It was under cloudy skies I met Donna Redgrave at her home in Malta. Donna lost her son Michael Christopher Redgrave on September 10, 2010; he was just 30 years old. Michael, a YMCA trainer, was energetic and adventurous, not afraid of anything, recalled Donna. He was quick-witted, funny, a natural leader and an extreme skier. He was devoted to his chocolate lab named Sage. They were inseparable. Michael was well-liked and had many friends. “When Michael walked into a room, he filled it up,” said Donna. Once, when she was supposed to be attending the parent orientation at St. Michael’s College in Vermont where her daughter 84 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
Grief
Sarah was starting school, Michael instead convinced Donna to try cliff jumping at a nearby quarry instead. “It was exhilarating. He could talk me into anything. His energy was so big and so fun. He didn’t have this effect on just me, he had this effect on so many people,” said Donna, smiling. Given his proclivity to such a vibrant lifestyle, it was all the more unsettling when Michael’s untimely death came as he was painting a ceiling and fell from a ladder. Donna experienced intense grief and suffered health problems. In the spring as the earth was unthawing, the shock and numbness from her grief started to melt away but the prospect of the one year anniversary of her son’s death felt huge and looming. Donna attended a grief recovery weekend held at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY with Michael’s girlfriend Rosanna DiMatteo. On the grounds was a seven circle rock labyrinth. “She looked at it and said, ‘Mike would just love this,’ and I knew right then and there, that’s it, we’re going to build it,” said Donna. She knew just where to put it as well. Michael built blue stone steps saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
leading down into a field before his death. Now those steps would become the entrance to his memorial. It has a heart and a massive field stone as its strong, immovable center. The complex task of creating the labyrinth came together in time for the anniversary. Fifty friends and family placed stones from an ancient rock wall on the property as well as those collected and sent from people around the world within the labyrinth. “We filled up the paths that day,” said Donna.
intentionally slowed my pace, accepting insights and leaving with a feeling of gratefulness. That evening the rains did pour down, turning to ice and then, amazingly, to snow. I was confounded by the sudden change in the weather, but I stayed positive, for I knew, even if it wasn’t today, spring would still come.
Donna Redgrave’s labyrinth is registered on The Labyrinth Society’s worldwide database and is open to visitors by appointment.
LabyrinthLocator.com
For one and a half years, walking the labyrinth while staying mindful to each step was a daily ritual for Donna “Grief is such an intense energy. It’s really important to do something creative with that energy. Build something, do something positive with that energy that is tangible so you can go to it, be with it on a daily basis.” “To have something really devastating like the loss of a child, you have to figure out how to integrate it in a positive way or it weighs you down in a negative one - either way, it changes you.” The labyrinth is a spiritual tool to quiet the mind. It was soft underfoot and meandering along, I
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Is Your Curb
Appealing? by Megin Potter
Spring cleaning isn’t just for the interior of the home; the exterior of the home always needs cleaning too! As an organizer, part of my business has been speaking on and helping clients “stage” their home for a sale. The first impression and area to focus on is curb appeal. Do you know that within 15 seconds potential buyers can have their minds made up on your home?
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Stand on your front lawn and walk from one end to the other, what do you see that you don’t like? This is the time to address those unsightly items and de-clutter as well as tidy up for a more appealing outdoor environment. Consider all these areas for your outdoor de-cluttering and cleanup: driveway, roof, fencing, exterior of the home, front yard, back yard (yards include trees, grass, shrubs and flowers), porches and decks, pools, children’s play area.
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Here’s a good list to get you started: • Get your driveway cleaned and sealed • Edge the driveway • Remove all lawn ornaments that you no longer like/are broken/cluttering the space • Clear and clean sidewalks to all doors • Trim all trees and shrubs and prune perennials • Power wash siding •Touch up paint – siding, trim, door • Repair roof / gutters if needed • Remember the entry – you may not use it but this is the door visitors will try to use (clean, freshly painted if needed, new welcome mat) • Make sure door bell is working • Make sure your house number is clearly visible good safety measure in case of an emergency •Mailbox in good shape and labeled with house number • All lighting has working bulbs • Add fresh, bright flowers to pots and grounds • Go through and organize outdoor toys that are visible – store in the shed or in areas not seen from road • Tidy up pool area – do you have chemicals safely stored? Do you have bins for hoses/cover?
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There are great storage solutions for yard and outdoor items. If you have a shed, set it up like your garage and use similar solutions such as wall hooks, shelving and item specific bins to organize it. Consider what zones you need in there and only have items that fit in those categories; gardening, lawn tools, etc. Consider the type of outdoor item and if it can handle the weather. This should determine if you need item specific storage; outdoor cushions that are not waterproof need a container, hoses left out should have a wall mount or wheel for wrapping up, tools that can rust should be hung in the garage or shed, toys should have something to be corralled in and those larger kid items need a “park them here” zone.
And don’t forget about entertaining! Entertaining items should be easy to pull out when needed – think portable and easy to clean such as handled plastic caddies and trays. Stock them and tuck them in a cabinet or closet ready to go. And then the bug control; create a caddy for citronella candles, bug spray, wipes, sun tan lotion and more and place on the back porch or close to the exit door to easily pull out when heading outdoors. Nothing feels better than driving up to your own house and loving how it looks! Pick a date to have it all done by and map out a few outdoor work sessions to clean, prune, purge and sort out the great outdoors. And then you will have the rest of the season to enjoy the results. 4
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Date
Save the 2014
•11:15 11:45 “Volunteer Infantry” Erika Burke, Crandall Library Archivist •12:00 12:30 “Abner Doubleday and Baseball” Dave Hubbard, Grant Cottage Speaker •12:45 1:15 “Getting Started in Family History” Pat Peck, Town of Saratoga Deputy Historian For info call (518) 587-2978.
Saturday, May 17 3rd ANNUAL HISTORY FAIRE
Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library. 475 Moe Rd., Clifton Park 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Free Hosted by Heritage Hunters genealogy and local history group. The Faire offers programs, activities and over 25 displays for the entire family. There will be early toys, coins and comic books and early mineral water bottles. The Wilton Heritage Society will show early tatting and handiwork. Local historians and historical societies will highlight their collections. Local book vendors will sell historical books and local authors will autograph books between 11 a.m. to noon. Children’s activities will include making a "playdoh" family tree, family portraits and "grave stone" rubbings. Children can get started on family genealogy with free “Family Detective” booklets. The following special programs will be offered: •10:30 -11:00 “Malta Rocket Test Site” Paul Perrault, Town of Malta Historian
M AY - JUNE
60-69, 70+), and also to overall top male/female finishers. Live music and timing clocks along the course; race will be timed by AREEP ChronoTrack B-tag timing device Post-race parties with live music, refreshments and children’s activities. Race proceeds will benefit SPAC’s classical programming and its Vivienne Anderson Children’s Program. For more information, visit spac.org
Sunday, May 18
Saturday, May 24
SPAC's 5th ANNUAL ROCK & RUN
AMERICAN LEGION
Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs Starting at 9:30 a.m., 5K and 10K certified courses through the Spa State Park, beginning and finishing on Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s (SPAC’s) grounds.
34 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs 10 a.m. – 4p.m. (Also on Saturday, June 7) This event features many artisans exhibiting handmade items as well as quality gift items. There's something for everyone in the family. Free admission (518) Kids race at 9:00 a.m. with finisher awards for all pre587-0236. registered participants. 5K / 10K Awards: SPAC tickets to be given to the top male and female finishers in each age category (14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59,
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Saturday, May 24 JACK JOHNSON LIVE AT SPAC
Saratoga Performing Arts Center With Special Guests Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Tickets at spac. org
Thursday, May 29 MUSIC & MINGLING
Saratoga Polo Fields Featuring an open bar, cigar tasting and gourmet foods – all to benefit the Adult & Senior Center of Saratoga. Phone (518) 584-1621 or visit SaratogaSeniorCenter.org
Friday – Saturday May 30-31 DAVE MATTHEWS BAND LIVE AT SPAC
Saratoga Performing Arts Center TWO SETS: ELECTRIC & ACOUSTIC “A Very Special Evening with Dave Matthews Band” will feature the group delivering two sets per evening, performing songs from throughout their career. Tickets at spac.org
Saturday, May 31 EMMA FOUNDATION 5K AND KIDS FUN RUN
Start and finish line at Waldorf School, York Avenue, Saratoga Springs. Race proceeds will benefit The Emma Foundation. Established in memory of Emma Durrant. For more information, visit emmas5krun.org
Sunday, June 1 7th ANNUAL CANTINA KIDS FUN RUN
Congress Park Near The Carousel, Saratoga Springs Bring your whole family to run or walk to support the Pediatric Emergency Services at Saratoga Hospital. (518) 583-8340 or visit SaratogaHospital.org
Wednesday – Sunday June 11-15 SARATOGA ARTSFEST
Various Locations. Visit saratogaartsfest.org for complete schedule. SaratogaArtsFest is a five-day annual celebration of the arts, which delivers the brilliance and energy of art in its many forms—music, dance, visual art, film, theatre, and literary art. First held in 2007, the festival has enjoyed significant growth in its first few years, expanding artist participation, audiences and community support. The SaratogaArtsFest Admissions Package includes an ARTSPASS, which entitles patrons to: saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
• Discounted admission to SAF's signature events and free or discounted admission to all other festival events held during the June weekend, • Arts-related discounts throughout the year as featured in “arts365!” - an annual directory of the arts happenings in Saratoga Springs.
Thursday, June 12 MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY
Saratoga Performing Arts Center Scheduled dances are Appalachian Spring and The Rite of Spring. Visit spac.org
Saturday, June 14 SARATOGA ELKS FLAG DAY PARADE
Begins at noon on North Broadway and ends in Congress Park, Saratoga Springs
Sunday, June 15 THIRD ANNUAL BEEKMAN STREET ART FAIR
As part of SaratogaArtsFest, the Beekman St. Association will present the 3rd Annual Beekman Street Art Fair, Sunday June 15, from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The fair is held outdoors rain or shine and the area is closed to traffic for family friendly events and free admission. 50+ artists will be set up along the street, displaying fine art and craft, including demonstrations. There will be various musical groups under the big tent on Ash and Beekman and street performers will be entertaining the crowds all day. Specialty food trucks and the Principessa Elena Society will be serving meals and sweets. (518) 583-2129.
www.davebigler.com
Friday - Sunday June 20-22 SARATOGA BALLOON & CRAFT FESTIVAL
Saratoga County Fairgrounds *New Location* Enjoy a family friendly event during one amazing weekend. • 20+ hot air balloons with four liftoffs and the “Best Balloon Glow in the U.S.!” • Hundreds of artists and artisans displaying their original works. • Kids activities including face painting, airborne artwork and a tent with games. - Live entertainment, music and ongoing craft demonstrations. balloonandcraft.com Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN | 89
Editor’s Choice
WHAT: 23rd and Fourth WHERE: One Franklin Square, Saratoga WHY: Because their products are AMAZING and their service is even better! 90 | Simply Saratoga | HOME & GARDEN
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