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Author: Jonathon Norcross

New Music Venue Planned in Town of Saratoga, Locals Push Back

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment, Featured.

An aerial view of the intersection of County Route 68/Burke Road. Image via Google Maps.

SARATOGA — A new music venue called the Mostly Modern Arts Center is being planned in the Town of Saratoga near the intersection of County Route 68 and Burke Road.

According to a proposal dated June 2025, the project site would encompass 18.5 acres spread across three parcels located southeast of the intersection. The site is bordered by single-family residential properties and vacant wooded land. Included on the site would be a 10,000 square-foot, three-story “music barn” that would host performances, art shows, and community events. A parking lot with 51 paved spaces would be created adjacent to the venue, along with additional overflow parking of 39 grass spaces along the entrance road.

Two existing single-family homes on the project site will be renovated and used as residences for the project owners and/or as accommodations for guests, musicians, and artists visiting the center. As many as five cabins would also be built, with each one varying in size between 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. Each cabin would be accompanied by parking spaces for up to two cars, bringing the total number of parking spaces to around 100. 7 or 8 acres of wooded or open fields would be preserved for walking trails and sculpture exhibits. Primary access to the center would be on Burke Road, with secondary access on County Road 68.

The proposal was prepared for Robert and Victoria Paterson, co-founders of the Mostly Modern Festival that’s hosted at Skidmore College’s Arthur Zankel Music Center. The Patersons have been looking for a new home for the festival, as well as a venue for small concerts, community events, and art exhibits. Their representatives on the project include the Phinney Design Group and the Environmental Design Partnership. 

According to the proposal, “the proposed project has been designed to maximize the distance from the music and art venue to the existing dwellings while also maintaining existing wooded buffers… The proposed music venue is designed to hold small concerts in a building that is designed to dissipate and absorb sounds. The small outside venue area is designed [for] more small and intimate performances and will be positioned to prevent the projection of sounds to neighboring residences.”

Despite such assurances regarding noise pollution, some locals are resisting the proposed project. As of Aug. 18, a petition on Change.org opposing the music venue had garnered 89 signatures, and a Facebook group called “Keeping Burke Road Peaceful” had 53 members.

“While we applaud the development of the arts and economic development, this commercial project does not belong in our quiet neighborhood,” stated the Facebook group’s “about” section.

A flyer shared with Saratoga TODAY said the project would bring “loud music and noise pollution,” “large crowds into our quiet, rural neighborhood,” “increased traffic,” and “a constant flow of strangers close to our homes and children.” The flyer also encouraged attendance at a public meeting scheduled for Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Saratoga Town Hall.

Doobies and Reefer Blaze at SPAC

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment.

Image via Live Nation.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Yacht rockers, parrotheads, and a whole lot of boomers stormed SPAC on Monday night for a double-header of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band and the legendary Doobie Brothers, featuring the one-of-a-kind Michael McDonald.

The Reefer Band—Buffett’s backing group that has continued touring after the “Margaritaville” singer’s death in 2023—delivered exactly what was expected of them. With images of cheeseburger palm trees and dancing spring breakers behind them, they cranked out Buffett’s signature tunes in the same style as their former band leader. “License to Chill,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” were all part of the predictable repertoire. 

One of the Reefer singers seemed to incorrectly identify SPAC’s host city as “Sarasota Springs,” though, in a sense, this was not entirely inaccurate given the band brought a taste of Florida to Upstate New York. 

The headlining Doobie Brothers then took the stage, playing a setlist that spanned from classic 70s hits to cuts off their new, well-reviewed 2025 album “Walk this Road.” Towards the end of their set, the group strung together a series of tracks that blended seamlessly into one another. The presence of both yacht rock god/keyboardist McDonald and sax player Marc Russo was more than welcome, offering a richness of sound that culminated in a seemingly improvised piano and sax solo during the encore. This jam led into a rousing edition of “Takin’ It to the Streets,” proving the Doobies still got it after 55 years in business.

Some of their latest offerings, such as “Walk this Road,” “Angels & Mercy,” and “Call Me” were surprisingly good, defying the cliche that aging rock bands can’t put out decent new material. “Listen to the Music” was the fitting final encore song that sent the nearly-full amphitheater crowd to the exits.

The SPAC show closed out the summer leg of the Doobies/Coral Reefer tour. They’ll be takin’ it to the streets once again on Sept. 4 for a show in St. Louis.

Coming to Broadway: Bear’s Cup Bakehouse

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.

An assortment of Bear’s Cup bagels. Photo via the bakery.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Bear’s Cup Bakehouse—an artisanal bakery and coffee shop known for its New York-style bagels, fresh-baked bread, and pastries—may soon be opening a new location on Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs. 

According to the Albany Business Review, Bear’s Cup would take over 543 Broadway, the former home of Jacobsen Oriental Rugs, which relocated to 145 Ballston Ave. 

The bakery is based out of Bolton Landing, a hamlet that borders Lake George and is across from the Sagamore Resort. The company’s bagels were once featured on the “Rachel Ray Show.”

In a video posted to their Instagram account, Bear’s Cup indicated that their Saratoga location could open as soon as this fall. 

Former Dunning Street Station Diner to Become Pizza Shop

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.

Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

MALTA — The former home of Dunning Street Station in Malta is set to become a new eatery named Harvest Grain Pizza, according to a banner hung outside the location on Route 9. 

Dunning Street permanently closed in June after a series of temporary closures. It was sold shortly thereafter.

Harvest Grain Pizza currently has a location open in Clifton Park, where a variety of pies are offered, including whole wheat, square pan, Sicilian deep dish, gluten free, a white “Saratoga” pizza, Hawaiian, veggie lovers, and many more.

Saboor Sekandari of Harvest Grain told Saratoga TODAY that an opening date for the new Malta outpost has not yet been confirmed, but the pizzeria could open sometime between mid-September and early October. 

The diner on Route 9 has a long history of prior owners stretching back to the early 1950s, when it first opened as the Malta Ridge Diner. In the 1970s, it was a filming location for “My Old Man,” a made-for-TV drama about a horse trainer that was based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway.

The Fodero Dining Car Company manufactured many of the stainless steel, art deco-inspired diners scattered throughout the country, including the famous Empire Diner on 10th Avenue in Manhattan.

Short Legs, Big Dreams: Corgis and Wieners Race in Saratoga

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Corgi winner’s circle photo by Adam Coglianese/NYRA.

Photo of Maple Sausage, the wiener dog race champion, via Amy Brannigan/Saratoga Casino Hotel.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It was a dog-gone, paws-itively beautiful night as the warm evening air above the Saratoga Casino was filled with a chorus of barking wieners.

On Saturday, the casino’s harness track hosted a battalion of furrier, much smaller competitors during a wiener dog race that followed the third horse race of the night. Buoyant, bouncing wieners trotted onto the track. Some, clearly, had done this before. Others seemed happy just to be there.

When the race began, three Dachshunds bolted for the finish line, arriving there in about 5 seconds. The victor, Maple Sausage, ran relatively steady and true. The second and third place finishers, Granny and Gus, weaved a bit but ultimately earned their ribbons.

The aptly named Granny was the race’s oldest competitor at 15 years, and her owner is Jack Carpenter, co-founder of the local social media company Two Buttons Deep.

Nearly every bench near the track had at least one racing fan stationed on it, whether there for horses or wieners or both. The event also featured a corn dog contest and a puppy meet-and-greet. The spectacle set the stage for what was to come the following day: a five-race Corgi Cup competition at the Saratoga Race Course.

48 Corgis registered for the event, including a trio dubbed the “Corgs of War,” who were the heavy favorites thanks to prior victories in races held by NFL teams. Ares, named after the Greek god of war and courage, had previously won two Corgi Cups with the Buffalo Bills. Athena, named for the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, was the 2024 New York Giants Corgi Cup champion. And Tails, who apparently does not share a name with a Greek god, won a Corgi Cup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Four qualifying heats took place throughout the afternoon on Sunday. The top three finishers from each heat advanced to the championship round, which featured a 12-Corgi field that went to post shortly after the 7th (horse) race. Each sprint was run at a 40-yard distance, and the action was broadcast on FOX Sports (FS1) for the world to see. Fans were not able to bet on the Corgis via the official NYRA Bets app, though it’s likely some wagers were placed off the books.

The first heat was star-studded. Horse trainer Jena Antonucci, the first woman to win a Triple Crown race, ran her pup Mando. “This is stressful right now,” Antonucci said as she readied her Corgi at the starting gate. Fenway Frank, owned by a Glens Falls resident who used to bus tables at the track, was another popular favorite heading into the qualifier. But neither Corg could contend with the god of war himself, Ares, who flew to the finish in just 5.17 seconds.

The second heat featured a number of local dogs, including Oly from Halfmoon, Spike from Troy, and Finn from Mechanicville. Another Corg of War, Athena, was unexpectedly challenged in this qualifier by Norman, who made his racing debut at the Spa. “Short legs, big dreams,” said Norman’s owner. But the dreamer couldn’t overcome the goddess, and the warrior clan of Corgis secured their second victory of the day, thwarting Norman’s near-Cinderella story.

The third heat featured Abbey, a Saratoga resident whose owner runs the Springwater Bed and Breakfast, and who has wheels attached to her hind legs. Abbey entered the race despite being unable to walk just six months ago. The brave soul took her time wheeling forward, but did so with the support of the spectators, who erupted in applause when she crossed the finish line.

Ultimately, the third qualifier was won by Kona, in a massive upset that left the third Corg of War, Tails, in the dust. Kona recorded a time of 5.27 seconds, the second-fastest of the day at that point. “This boy will run anywhere for his treats,” Kona’s owner said in a post-race interview with FOX Sports’ Maggie Wolfendale.

The final heat featured no Corgs of War, leaving the field wide open. Sam, who had secured the 8th post position, prevailed in dominant fashion, winning in 5.33 seconds. “Sam’s got a little crazy in him so he’s able to go real fast when he wants to,” said Sam’s owners after the race. 

Both Sam and the Corgs of War are members of the Long Island Corgi Club. All of them, familiar with each other’s talents, knew that the Corgi Cup would be a mighty challenge. 

Ares entered the championship as the favorite thanks to his record-setting time. But Sam made it known he would not shrink quietly into the night by relieving himself at the rail on his way to the track. “My stomach turns every time I come out here, very nervous,” said Ares’ owner. The pups were feisty at the gate, barking and yowling with anticipation.

Out of the gate, Sam trailed behind a heap of Corgis, any one of whom could’ve prevailed. But then Sam found within himself a mighty dose of determination. He launched into high gear and secured the Corgi Cup title. Draped in red flowers and hoisted above human heads, as if to suggest his god-like status, Sam was awarded the Corgi Cup, a silver trophy stuffed with red Saratoga tennis balls that was bigger than his entire body. 

101-Year-Old Racing Fan Makes Triumphant Return to Saratoga

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Winner's Circle.


Photo of Sally Sells provided by Erika Austin..

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Sally Sells has seen and done it all. As a Pan Am employee, she flew across the Atlantic with none other than Charles Lindbergh (more on that story later). After seeing the world as a stewardess, she settled down and launched her own travel agency in 1963. But today, the one place Sells really wants to visit is the Saratoga Race Course.

“This will be going down memory lane for me and I’m truly looking forward to it,” Sells told Saratoga TODAY about her upcoming trip to the Spa.

Sells, a lifelong horseracing fan, said she last visited the historic track about 30 years ago. On Aug. 15, a couple of her friends are bringing her back to Saratoga, both because returning to the Spa has long been on Sells’ bucket list, and because she’s hoping to catch a glimpse of Reputation, a horse she co-owns via MyRacehorse. (Reputation won the Tyson Gilpin Stakes at Colonial Downs on Aug. 9 and may be headed to Saratoga next.)

“To own even a minor share in this horse has been an exciting adventure for me,” Sells said.

The former world traveler first saw horse races when she was only five. “My mother said I could read the racing form before I could read ‘Dick and Jane’ in kindergarten,” she said. As a child, Sells would scan the forms, studying horses’ pedigree and past performances, before then taking a trip to the paddock to eyeball them in person. Her passion for the sport has stayed with her for 96 years. “My interest in horse racing and breeding and so forth never waned,” she said.

As for her flight with Lindbergh, Sells once recalled the story to the Independent Women’s Forum (IWF). Many years ago, she was chosen by Pan Am to train stewards for international flights. “We had to ferry an empty plane to Germany,” Sells told IWF. “There was a pilot and a crew but only one passenger…There was no one in this giant aircraft but Charles Lindbergh and me. I sat next to him, and we had dinner together, in this big, big old airplane. It was a wonderful moment. That was one of the most exciting things in my life, that I flew the Atlantic with Lindbergh.”

Though perhaps not quite as memorable as a flight with Lindbergh, Sells will travel from Philadelphia to Saratoga on Friday with her friends, finally achieving a long-held dream.

Jazz Collab Brings Taste of Cuba to Saratoga

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It was standing room only at Putnam Place when a mix of silky smooth vocals and Cuban jazz sounds swirled together.

Caffe Lena presented a seven-person collaboration (including four vocalists) on Tuesday night that featured Lena’s resident jazz pianist Chuck Lamb, Havana-born pianist/composer Jorge Gómez, and singer-songwriter Ria Curley.

After Curley sang with the group for a handful of tracks, Lamb and Gómez performed a series of instrumentals off their “Take 2” album, including the eponymous “Take 2,” which featured a spirited solo on keys by Gómez; “Chabrosa,” a danceable song that included Gómez’s head being smacked by the conga player (presumably for added rhythm); and “Phase 2,” a funky, Dr. John-inspired tune with a blistering tenor sax solo. The ensemble also debuted a new piece from their forthcoming EP (aptly named “Take 3”) called “Estudio.”

Accompanying the sonics was a projected display of Cuban art and photography, showcasing the country’s famous cigars, classic cars, and colorful architecture. The show also included an opening set by the Jazz Pebbles, a youth ensemble from Lena’s School of Music.

Lamb is a longtime member of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, known for his expressive playing and genre-blending compositions that span jazz, classical, fusion, and world music. Gómez is the founder of the three-time Grammy-nominated band Tiempo Libre, famous for their blend of Latin jazz and Cuban timba.

SPAC President Talks Cynthia Erivo, Jon Batiste, Movie Nights, and More

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment.


 “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” coming soon to SPAC. Image via the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

ARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s a busy time of year, to say the least, for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). The Philadelphia Orchestra’s three-week residency is in full swing, a blockbuster star recently canceled her performance, and a seven-time Grammy winner was booked at the last minute. But it’s all in a day’s work for SPAC President Chris Shiley and company.

Movie Nights

SPAC is hosting two movie nights this month: “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” on Aug. 16 and “Back to the Future” on Aug. 23. Both films will be screened while the Philadelphia Orchestra provides a live accompanying score. As these types of events have risen in popularity, movie studios have begun licensing their titles to third-party companies that, in turn, put together music packets that are handed over to venues like SPAC.

“It really all comes together as one of the most magical experiences when you take these iconic movies that everyone grew up watching and are familiar with, and you have these incredible symphonic scores,” Shiley said. “The melding of the two experiences, it’s really an amazing evening.”

In past years, Potterheads have flocked (or flown, if their broom skills are up to par) to SPAC to enjoy, probably for the umpteenth time, another installment of the beloved film series. For “Back to the Future,” which includes a score composed by Alan Silvestri, SPAC will have a bonafide DeLorean on site. (Just don’t hop in and floor it to 88 miles per hour.)

Cynthia Erivo and Jon Batiste

Erivo, who shot to stardom last year as the co-star of the hit movie musical “Wicked,” canceled her Aug. 22 performance due to scheduling conflicts. This meant that the SPAC team needed to find a suitable replacement, and quickly at that.

“You never want to be dealing with a cancellation and we’re certainly sorry to not have Cynthia with us this summer but when you get that news, you’re working as quickly as you can to find a solution and to try to find something that matches the program that you had,” Shiley said. “When I looked at various artists and various projects, and I when thought that Jon Batiste was going to be potentially available on that night, we didn’t know if we could make it work.”

Luckily, it did work. Batiste had been on the SPAC stage before as part of the 2018 Jazz Festival, and it just so happened that he had a new album, “Big Money,” slated for release on the same day as the Erivo show. Thus, SPAC was able to nab Batiste for a one-night-only event with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

“This is a show he’s not done anywhere else,” Shiley said. “It’s going to be a really amazing night. It’s going to celebrate not only his artistry and his new album, but really celebrate an incredible collaboration between two great artists, Jon Batiste and the Philadelphia Orchestra.”

PlayIN for Strings

Returning this year to SPAC’s programming is a PlayIN event, which allows amateur musicians to step onto the main stage and play along with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Violin, viola, cello, and bass players of all ages are invited to participate. 

“It’s really exhilarating for the participants and a great way to have a connection between our local community and those musicians,” Shiley said.

This year’s PlayIN program includes:  

• Grieg – Prelude (Allegro vivace), from From Holberg’s Time, Suite in the Old Style for Strings, Op. 40 

• Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048:

I. [no tempo indicated] 

• Mozart – Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Serenade in G major, K. 525:

I. Allegro 

• Tchaikovsky – Serenade in C major, Op. 48, for Strings:

III. Élégie: Larghetto elegiaco – Poco più animato – Tempo I 

• Holst – St. Paul’s Suite, for Strings:

IV. Finale (The Dargason)

Old World Gourmet Market Closes Temporarily…Again

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.


Photo of Old World Gourmet Market by Jonathon Norcross.

WILTON — Old World Gourmet Market celebrated its grand opening on June 11, only to temporarily close its doors a few days later due to what the business called “technical issues with various service providers.” It reopened on June 24. But now, less than two months later, it’s closing its doors once again, this time due to alleged staffing issues. It’s scheduled to reopen on Sept. 10.

The closure announcement coincided with comments in a local Facebook group alleging mismanagement and problems with payments.

“Employees were only given notice day of and are now left without a job for at least 3 weeks,” wrote one anonymous poster. “We are told that it is for ‘maintenance’ and aren’t given any form of idea when employees are to return to work. I will not be returning for the reopen and neither will many of my coworkers.”

“They also have been paying all of their employees under the table and taking 25% out of everyone’s paychecks as ‘taxes,’” the anonymous poster continued. “We don’t receive paystubs saying what taxes are paid. And not to mention they have told everyone for months that we would be getting direct deposit soon and it never happened from June to August.”

According to the Times Union, three employees said they were paid with envelopes of cash. One of the market’s owners, John Biagini, confirmed that employees were indeed paid in cash but that handwritten deductions were itemized on the envelopes. He also told the Times Union that these employees were “disgruntled” and were “cowards, posting lies online instead of coming to me with their problems.”

On June 11, when the market first opened, customers exiting the store cited a variety of issues with the launch, including employees being unaware of how much certain items cost. At the time, this was explained away as being typical growing pains for a new business. But problems at Old World Gourmet have persisted.

Weather and Horse Racing: How NYRA Keeps Its Eye on the Sky

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Winner's Circle.


A slide from a presentation delivered by NYRA’s Glen Kozak shows weather stations and forecasts at the Saratoga Race Course. Image via the Jockey Club’s “Weather Wise: How Sports and Racing Are Adapting” panel discussion in Saratoga Springs on July 31.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On the turf or off the turf? For horse racing fans, the answer to this question can be more important than Hamlet’s existential query, “To be, or not to be?”

A panel discussion held in Saratoga Springs last week helped shed light on how the New York Racing Association (NYRA) monitors weather forecasts, which can decide whether conditions will allow races to be run on or off the turf (or, in more extreme cases, whether races will be run at all).

Glen Kozak, NYRA’s executive vice president of operations and capital projects, said that NYRA collects its own data via three weather stations on the Saratoga Race Course property. These stations capture data pertaining to moisture, temperature, wind speed, and air quality (the last of which has increasingly become an issue due to wildfires in Canada).

Kozak credited Kaleb Dempsey of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory with designing the equipment that provides real-time data that impacts not only decisions related to turf racing but also the track’s scheduling plans in general.

NYRA also utilizes the services of three on-call weather agencies, allowing them to consult with meteorologists whenever necessary.

“Dealing with the weather services, we’re able to get information on how we prepare the track, what we’re doing with the track; and then it’s the discussions with the racing office and the officials on what we would do for the day,” Kozak said.

Weather (pun intended) horse racing fans agree or disagree with NYRA’s decisions to alter or reschedule certain races, it can’t be denied that such decisions are well-substantiated.