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Author: Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

Babies, Big Kids, and Brightness in the Dark

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Families Today.

I recently found something I’d written when my baby — who is turning two next month — was just a month old, in which I lamented my impatience with my older boys when they constantly clamored to hold the baby, touch the baby, stick their fingers in the baby’s fist, smooth down the baby’s hair (I found this particularly irksome), and put their faces as close to the baby’s as possible. My constant bark was, “Back up!” with, “I need space!” sometimes added. 

I wrote about how much I hated that I had a hard time with their gestures of love for their baby brother. I realized even in the midst of it that much of my impatience was because I was desperate for personal space, due to both the demands of a newborn and the slow and difficult recovery I had after his birth — even while I loved how excited they were and always have been about a new baby, and I so much wanted them to have good memories of having another little brother. (But I only thought those things and felt those feelings when they weren’t invading my space and trying to touch the baby!)

It’s nice to see, two years later, that my hope that they would have good memories of having a baby brother seem to have come true, and continue to come true, despite all of my failings as a mother. The big boys love that baby! I’ve thought many times over the last few months that our littlest guy has brightened up this dark quarantine time with his adorable little self, and other moms I’ve spoken to who have babies, toddlers, and preschoolers have said the same.

He’s just starting to talk, and has started to make attempts to say his brothers’ names. If you want to see big boys melt, watch them realize that their baby brother is calling to them! He recently learned how to jump, and likes to jump around the room with these tiny wobby jumps. He throws his little arms in the air and throws his little body on the couch and laughs and laughs. When he’s in a good mood, he says, “Yes!” and “No!” and “Mom!” and “Dad!” in this sweet, tiny voice. He’s all about animal noises right now and imitates on cue the sounds that horses, dogs, wolves, lions, and dinosaurs make. He’s also all about big trucks, and squeals with happiness when he sees them driving by.

Lest you think he’s cute and cheerful all the time, I do have to say that he’s one of my more high-maintenance children, and likes to scream and tantrum as well. He’s been acting like a two-year-old for months now, which makes things more challenging for me, but his brothers don’t have to deal with that side of him too much, so his reputation as Cutest Baby Brother Ever is intact. Sometimes they (and I!) even laugh when he’s mad, because it’s hilarious seeing this tiny person trying so hard to pitch a fit. He doesn’t like it when any of the others are sitting with me, or even when my husband and I are holding hands—he frowns a funny little frown and comes running over yelling, “Dop! Dop!” (“Stop!”) and tries to push the brother away or pull our hands apart.

But like I say, nothing seems to dampen the older boys’ enthusiasm for their tiny brother. When it’s not immediately obvious where he is (as when he’s down for a nap, or hasn’t yet gotten up in the morning) they ask me where he is. They’re always trying to convince him to hug them or sit with them or play with them. They look at each other and laugh when he does a hilarious thing, even if he’s demanding to have a bite of their food or insisting they move so he can sit in their spot on the couch. I do think part of this love affair is that they’re all so much older than him—the next youngest is four-and-a-half years older than him, so there are no other babies or toddlers competing for attention—it definitely makes a difference!

I’m not entirely sure what the point of all this is — just the meanderings of a mother’s mind as her youngest leaves babyhood, I guess. If I had to sum up, I’d say: babies brighten up hard times (counterintuitive as they might seem), mamas shouldn’t be too hard on themselves when they’re in the thick of it (whatever “it” happens to be at the moment), and big kids love baby siblings. At least, this has been my experience, and I’m grateful for it.

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 15, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, and 1. Follow her at www.facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

Markets and the Election

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Business.

The upcoming election is the most important election of our lifetime, but then that’s been said of every election in my lifetime. With such an important election at hand, why doesn’t the market seem to care?

The simple truth is that the Covid situation has completely overshadowed the election, and is likely to continue to throughout the remainder of the election cycle. The sad truth is that we all know the pandemic is being politicized. What is scary is that we really don’t know which parts. 

For the remainder of the cycle, expect the pandemic, and more importantly how governments continue to react to it, to be the primary force driving the markets. Currently we’re seeing markets approaching or exceeding all-time highs, as economic data continues to show an economy healing from the self-inflicted turmoil caused by rolling economic shutdowns. 

Barring another large-scale shutdown, we expect the economy to continue to improve. In fact, we expect GDP in the third quarter to be about +15%, a sharp rebound from the -34% experienced in Q2. Q3 GDP will be announced on October 29th, and a turnaround of that magnitude could sway some voters.

And this is where we have some concern. Normally, we would not expect another shutdown, but with schools about to reopen in various forms, and the rampant politization of the pandemic by both sides, we see the potential for a hyperbolic reaction to the almost inevitable case in which a student becomes sick. 

Make no mistake: in no way are we downplaying the tragedy of a child’s illness. What we are saying is the potential exists for that tragedy to be hijacked in such a way that results in a call to action by media and political groups to further restrict economic activity in ways grossly disproportionate to the actual risk. 

As for the election itself, there are only two scenarios which we think would rattle the markets initially, and those would be that either party sweeps.

We don’t have any proclivity toward one party or the other and, frankly, the market’s don’t much care either. What markets care about is uncertainty, and one-party rule means change. 

A Republican sweep seems highly unlikely, but a Democratic sweep would mean increased regulations and increased taxes which means individuals and businesses would have to revamp the plans they have in place. 

Gridlock is good and, from an economic perspective, the best possible outcome would likely be a divided Congress, regardless of who wins the White House. With Republicans defending 23 Senate seats, compared to the Democrats’ 12 seats, however, it seems less likely the Senate will remain in Republican hands. 

The election is still three months away, and with so much happening on the Covid front, we’d caution against letting the election projections determine your shorter-term investment strategies. Polls are notoriously wrong this far out. 

As always, this article contains forward-looking statements, which can change at any moment. Be sure to work closely with your Certified Financial Planner® professional to help ensure that your financial plan  and investment strategy remain reflective of your goals, and the current economic landscape.

Stephen Kyne, CFP® is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs and Rhinebeck. Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Sterling Manor Financial, LLC, or Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., SEC registered investment advisors.Sterling Manor Financial and Cadaret, Grant are separate entities. This article contains opinion and forward-looking statements which are subject to change. Consult your investment advisor regarding your own investment needs.

Make Every Day a Vacation at Home: Lasting Trade Offs that Make Your Home Better than a Vacation Destination

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Home & Garden.

One thing we’ve learned throughout these challenging times is that there is no place like home. Traditionally, we have had to go away on vacation and come back to really appreciate the safety and security we feel in the familiar space of our homes.

But what if we made our homes so comfortable and added the right amenities that would make everyday at home feel like a vacation? With worldwide travel restrictions in place for the unknown future, staycations are surely here to stay. 

But which ones would make the whole family excited about staying home? Here are some ideas to consider when creating your very own staycation home oasis: 

 1.  Have a family meeting and talk to all members including kids and grandkids and find out what are the most exciting things they love about your vacation spots. You can use those as design inspiration to communicate to your contractor. Maybe the family “chef” wants to be outside cooking in a real kitchen and part of the outdoor fun. Maybe swimming and staying cool is the top priority? Perhaps adding a waterfall could remind them of a trip to Hawaii or installing rock pattern paths might be reminiscent of river rafting trips or a fire pit feels like camping at the lake. You get the idea here hopefully. 

 2. Talk to a reputable builder about what you want to achieve and let them design a customized plan. Then set a budget and secure financing. Most builders have contacts with funding sources and can point you in the right direction.

 3. Consider things like installing an in-ground pool, hot tub, fully equipped outdoor bar, big screen TV and lounging space, and an outdoor kitchen with oven, grills and refrigeration. How about creating a fire pit space? Consider anything that brings that resort life feeling home. 

 4. If you’re having trouble narrowing things down or just don’t even know where to begin because it feels overwhelming, then talk to a builder. Most consultations are complementary and can help you form a realistic plan that can be within budget and produced in a timely manner. 

 Best of luck in your quest to create your dream backyard oasis staycation setting. It will be worth the investment of time and money and you will reap the benefits for many years to come. 

Gardening

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Home & Garden.

I hate to be the one to say it but there are already signs of fall around.  The days are just a bit shorter, the nights are getting refreshingly cooler and the first of the hardy mums have started to arrive at the garden center. 

The many petal shapes and colors that chrysanthemums (mums to you, “kiku” to the Japanese) exhibit have made them a fall favorite for years….many, many years. When you decide to grow chrysanthemums, you become involved in a gardening pastime that spans many centuries.

History traces the origin of chrysanthemum culture to Imperial China over 3,000 years ago.  Chrysanthemums were highly prized by the emperors of China who considered them to be more valuable than gold.  The Japanese also revere the chrysanthemum.  In fact, the origin of Japanese culture is wrapped in chrysanthemum legend.

It seems that one of the early emperors of China became quite ill.  In his quest for a remedy he learned of the “herb of youth” that would restore his health.  The search for the “herb of youth” was entrusted to twelve male and twelve female virgins.  They sailed out onto the Pacific Ocean with a bamboo basket filled with the emperor’s beloved “golden daisies” to trade for the “herb of youth.”

They didn’t make it too far before the quest was ended by a typhoon that left them shipwrecked on a rocky archipelago.  With their journey at an end, the survivors planted the revered mums and set about exploring their new home.  Over the years, the survivors’ descendants populated the islands we now know as Japan.  Their reverence for chrysanthemums continued and they were eventually considered the exclusive property of their emperor.  In 910 AD, the Japanese Emperor displayed his prized plants at the first Imperial Chrysanthemum Show and declared them to be the national flower of Japan.  In 1876, another Japanese emperor created the Order of the Chrysanthemum as the highest honor he could bestow on an individual.  The Japanese word “kiku” represents both the chrysanthemum and the office of the emperor.  The royal crest is a traditional sixteen-petal chrysanthemum design.

European interest in Chrysanthemums budded with the arrival of plants brought back from the orient by Dutch traders in the early eighteenth century.  The Dutch are known to have produced several new varieties from the original plants, but it was the horticulturally adept French Huguenots that are credited with real improvements in flower size and color.  The Huguenots developed “Old Purple” which became a favorite all over the continent.

Chrysanthemums came to North America in 1798 in the hands of John Stevens, a nurseryman from Hoboken.  By 1850 the Chrysanthemum society of America had been founded and they held their first show in 1902 and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Since then, hundreds of new colors and forms have been developed which has only added to their popularity.  They are hard to resist.  Remember, the earlier you get them planted, the better the root system they’ll have established before winter arrives.   

Thanks for the read!

Property Transactions 07-31-20

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Local News.

BALLSTON SPA 

1 Pasture Place, $299,425. Rosetti Acquisitions LLC sold property to Justin and Melissa Barnett. 
135 Ballston Ave., $155,000. Diplomat Property Manager LLC (by Atty) sold property to Sean Eaton. 
8 Willem Way, $706,186. Christopher Naughton and Donna Arini sold property to Kristin and Jason Tucker.
87 Jenkins Rd., $445,000. Charles Morris sold property to New York Development Group Saratoga LLC. 
87 Jenkins Rd., $1,218,000. New York Development Group Saratoga LLC sold property to Michaels and Laraway Holdings LLC.

CHARLTON

657 Sweetman Rd./Birchton Rd., $550,000. Stacy Komorny sold property to Matthew Keyes. 
7 Cornelia Ave., $270,000. Daniel Maynard sold property to Mitchell and Cheryl Reed.

CLIFTON PARK

1 Southwood Dr., $120,225. Carolyn McGrath sold property to Szansa Design and Build LLC. 
9 Skybrook Circle, $437,500. Tae Kim Hyun sold property to Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc. 
9 Skybrook Circle, $437,500. Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc. sold property to Kathryn Jersen.
33 Plaid Place, $254,850. Aaron Schlipmann sold property to Mackayla Schmidt and Zachariah Markowski. 

4 Pepper Hollow Dr., $273,500. Thomas J. Burke (as Trustee and Atty). sold property to Robert Lane IV.
3 Blue Jay Way, $348,000. Nancy Parry sold property to Matthew Clouse.
10 Sage Court, $270,000. Elizabeth Treffiletti sold property to Hot Tran.
12 Orchard Park Dr., $390,000. Daniel and Laura O’Sullivan sold property to Fe Mondragon.
6 Sleepy Hollow Dr., $345,000. Ernest Black sold property to Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc. 
6 Sleepy Hollow Dr., $345,000. Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc. sold property to Mary and Paul Koretnicki.

CORINTH

24 Spruce Mountain Rd., $109,000. Linda and John Price sold property to Andrew and Amanda Beswick.
685 County Route 25, $5,000. Janine Moretti sold property to Fourteen Cardinal LLC. 

GREENFIELD

216 Young Rd., $122,500. David and Janice Morrow sold property to John and Allyson Fox and Norbert and Lorraine Caggiano.
125 Young Rd., $190,000. Michael Mullaney (as Trustee) sold property to Joanne Hamilton.

MALTA

6 Scotch Mist Way, $285,000. Mary Nangle sold property to Katrina Howey.
37 Pepperbush Place, $182,000. Rockie Mullen sold property to Hans and Mary Hoefgen. 
126 Eastline Rd., $350,000. Steven and Kimberly Logan sold property to Andrew Fera and Christina Devantier.
79 Blue Spruce Lane, $275,000. Thomas Scott sold property to Jaime Shaw. 
12 Woodfield Court, $360,000. Dennis Krosky sold property to Edward Gharzouzi. 

MILTON

204 Revere Dr., $275,000. Thomas Henson, Jr. (by Atty) and Cassandra Henson (Ind and as Atty) sold property to Le Minh Thu Nguyen. 
3 Arlington Circle, $618,000. Fair Oaks Milton LLC sold property to Scott Lewis and Meghan Dobroski.

MOREAU

Hatchery Rd., $75,000. Gardner and Gay Congdon sold property to Craig Brown and Alicia Collier.
22 Maplewood Parkway, $70,000. Patten Property Development LLC sold property to Tyrone and Victoria Hall. 
15 Catherine St., $87,750. Wilmington Savings Fund Society (as Trustee, by Atty) sold property to Mary and William Hayes.
268 Clark Rd., $185,000. Wells Fargo USA Holdings Inc (by Atty) sold property to William Pistoccop and Michael Davis. 
176 Ferry Blvd., Jennifer and Esward Sharrow, Jr. sold property to Travis Wylie.
33 Iris Ave., $205,000. Shod LLC sold property to Chad Jorgensen.
8 Maple Ave., $135,000. Kathleen Collins sold property to David Nichols.

TOWN OF SARATOGA

106 Schuyler Hill Dr., $507,750. Cerrone Construction LLC sold property to Douglas and Catherine Flanagan.

SARATOGA SPRINGS

88 Tompion Lane, $235,000. Robert Spellman (as Trustee) sold property to Nicole Ryan. 
30 Collins Terrace, $475,000. Loren and Veronica Brown sold property to Keith Ferrara.
1 Van Dorn St., $420,000. 1 Van Dorn St., $420,000. Eric Stefanik sold property to Neil Cavanaugh. 
20 Bowman St., $299,900. Twenty Bowman Street LLC sold property to Nine Gridley Street LLC. 
23 Underwood Dr., $430,000. Phillip and Laurie Feldhaus sold property to Eric Gentino and Allison Buckley.
289 Jefferson St., Unit 18, $179,000. Blue Star Enterprises LLC sold property to Gisele Errichetti. 
51 Jane St., $482,492. Blitman Saratoga LLC sold property to Craig and Sally Horneck. 
77 Van Dam St., Unit 202, $307,800. Seventy Seven Van Dam LLC sold property to Elva Guiliani and Andrew Yin.
41 Waterview Dr., $835,000. Mary Fisher sold property to Jonathon and Paige Bernstein. 
15 Vichy Dr., $269,000. Cleo Ostrander sold property to Anna Smith. 

STILLWATER

67 East St., $152,600. Rebuilding Together Saratoga County sold property to Andrew Keith.

Saratoga Racing: Saddle Up! Strong Performances and Surprising Upsets at Saratoga

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Winner's Circle.

SARATOGA SPRINGS- No matter how hard current world events have tried to drain the hype surrounding this year’s season of racing, Saratoga struck back with lots of exciting races and powerful displays this past week. 

If you were watching the races last Thursday, you’d probably be quite familiar with the name Irad Ortiz, Jr. Ortiz, Jr. had a tremendous day at the races winning with five out of eight mounts on the days ten race card. While no stranger to success at Saratoga, having been a two-time leading rider in both 2015 and 2018, these wins helped propel him to second place in the jockey standings. Currently, his brother Jose Ortiz sits ahead of him at 16 first place finishes with Ortiz, Jr at 14 at the start of Week 3 of racing. 

When asked about his strong performance, Ortiz, Jr. beamed “When you have the right horses, they make you look good…Days like this are great. To win five races in one day at any track is so special. You work so hard in this business and on days like this all that hard work pays off.” 

Strangely enough, around a year ago on July 31, 2019, he also had a strong day, winning five out of seven races for the day. While not the most races won on single card at Saratoga, it comes awfully close to Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez’s six wins in 2012 and Hall of Famer John Velazquez’s six in 2001. 

To follow up the strong performances throughout the week, in Saturday’s Grade 2 race, Starship Jubilee looked strong as she triumphed in the thirty-second running of the Ballston Spa Stakes. Hall of Famer jockey Javier Castellano rode Starship Jubilee and after an awkward start out of the gate managed to beat out Call Me Love by Neck and Sistercharlie by a length and a quarter. Sistercharlie was favored to win being the 2018 Champion Female Turf Horse, but Starship Jubilee showed that even with age, she hasn’t lost a step. Castellano was very proud of the horse saying, “The way the race developed was phenomenal… She’s such a great horse; to beat Sistercharlie, she’s one of the best fillies in the country…I think we were in the right time and the right place to beat her today. I give all the credit to my horse”

With the strong performances of last week, fans are excited to see what this upcoming week will bring. The Coronation Cup is on Friday slated as the nineth race on Friday’s ten-race card. On Saturday there are three Grade 1 races and one Grade 2 race scheduled: the GI Whitney (BC), the GI Personal Ensign (BC), the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy, and the G2 Bowling Green.

Be sure not to miss out on any of the racing this season by either streaming the race online, listening in through radio, or catching a live TV Broadcast. For the full racing schedule and more information on broadcast times, check out the NYRA website at nyra.com/saratoga. Updated daily, you can find all the race details and stats to stay in the know for this unique season at Saratoga.

Echo Creek: A Growing Family Farm

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

After his first day of work at Pleasant Valley Farm, Mike Palulis came home to his wife Jennifer and told her that he had bought a tractor and wanted to try his own hand at farming. Despite his lack of experience in the field, the efficiency and dedication he saw at the farm resonated with him. 

As the owner and operator of The Sushi Bar at Stratton Mountain, Mike’s work was seasonal, and with a growing interest in where his food was sourced, he decided to spend his off-season working with Paul and Sandy Arnold at Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, NY. Jennifer, a former gardener, while caught a bit off guard, agreed to dive headfirst into this new adventure with her husband. 

Now in their seventh season of farming at Echo Creek Farm and joined by their three children, the Palulis have worked hard to make their small, family-run farm produce top quality, USDA certified organic vegetables that anyone could feel good about eating.

Jennifer speaks very highly of the Arnolds, who also attend the Saratoga Farmers’ Market every Saturday, describing their help as invaluable over the years. The efficiency of Pleasant Valley Farm is what initially grabbed Mike’s attention and impressed him so highly, that it inspired a change in his career and livelihood. The Arnolds have mentored the Palulis over the years on everything from the timing of planting their seeds to new and innovative structures that will improve growing capabilities in all seasons. The mindful manner of farming practiced by the Arnolds has been one of the strongest impressions that influenced Echo Creek Farm over the years.

When asked why Echo Creek chose to become a certified organic farm, Jennifer replied, “we’re a family farm, growing food in a respectful manner is so important.” With their three young children growing up and playing on the property, Jennifer and Mike knew they wanted the farm to be the cleanest possible environment. While it is not an easy process to become certified organic, the Palulis want to grow produce that they can feel good about feeding their children as well as the rest of the community.

Echo Creek Farm attends the Saratoga Farmers’ Market every Saturday, ensuring their natural, organic produce is accessible to all. Along with an assortment of vegetables and greens, Echo Creek also produces honey, eggs, potted herbs, and flowers. 

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter – saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

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Delicious, Delectable, Delightful- Homemade Donut Shop Grand Opening

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The anticipated opening of Darling Doughnuts happened this past Wednesday, July 29. They were sold out by  11 a.m.

The new Broadway shop operates as a grab and go counter with limited outdoor seating. Owner Natascha Pearl-Mansman designed a rotating menu for the new location, which  features ten different flavors of doughnuts each week. 

Pearl-Mansman creates all her donuts from scratch. She uses brioche style dough, which creates a yeast raised donut. The brioche style gives Pearl-Mansman a neutral base that allows her to get creative with her donut flavors. 

“I have really simply natural recipes and there is actually no sugar in the dough itself, just enough to get the yeast to rise. All of the flavor comes from the glazes and the toppings. And all the glazes and the toppings are made with real fruit and real nuts. Even the cake glazes that I do, such as funfetti, has actual cake that’s in the glaze,” Pearl-Mansman previously said.

The new menu offers full size doughnuts for $3.74 each, mini doughnuts for $2 each and a recent addition of “box of holes” that sells 12 holes for $6. Doughnut flavors range from fruity to savory and all flavors can be found online.

Some menu flavors include: café latte, espresso and cream glazed doughnut with a latte art design; banana split, banana glazed and topped with chocolate banana chips; and even a pizza doughnut, topped with san
marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pesto, then baked until bubbly. 

“The biggest compliment that I get from people is that it really tastes like you say it will. My donuts taste like what I say it will because that’s what I used to make them,” Pearl-Mansman said.

Darling Doughnuts can be reached by phone at 518-430-2018 or email at darlingdoughnuts@gmail.com. The shop is located at 441 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Her website is darlingdoughnuts.com. 

Gyms Still Facing Economic Hardship

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in News.

BALLSTON SPA – Nearly a month into Phase 4 of reopening New York and local gyms are still not allowed to open their doors.

For one gym in Round Lake and Ballston Spa, those doors will never open. Global Express Fitness planned to open their doors to a new location in Malta in early January. With less than two months of being opened, the gym was forced to shut the doors at their previous location in Round Lake, with no plans to reopen them.

“We did close our Round Lake location due to the impacts of COVID-19. We appreciate everyone who kept their membership during this time. Unfortunately because of the amount of people who decided to cancel, we just could not sustain both locations,” Express Fitness Owners wrote on Facebook. “Four months without a gym is unbelievable.”

All workout equipment has moved to their new facility built in Malta. Any memberships will be valid at the new Malta location once they’re allowed to open their doors. Vent Fitness, a regionally owned gym, had to close their doors in downtown Saratoga on Broadway. Saratoga Peak Performance, a locally owned gym, wanted to open their doors in Phase 2, when “specialty gyms” were allowed to reopen. 

“For the time being, we will abide by the state guidelines for Phase 4 opening…It’s putting myself and our great staff of personal trainers at great economic hardship and simply makes no sense when you
consider the hundreds going into big-box retail stores daily, yet we can’t open with just eight clients,” Bryan Briddel, owner, wrote on Facebook.

As of July 20, each of NY’s 10 regions have reached the final phase of the four-phase reopening process. To date, movie theaters, gyms, and gatherings with more than 50 people are not allowed. With outbreaks increasing around the country, Governor Andrew Cuomo has not mentioned a Phase 5 when the remaining industries will be allowed to reopen. 

The strength studio called Evolution Strength and Performance moved to the virtual world when the pandemic began, and their online on-demand training portal has been successful since. Not only did the gym change the face of its
company, they also expanded the gym and rebranded themselves to be called Kettlebell Works. 

“Back in May we restructured everyone’s gym memberships. We made the decision to predominantly become a remote based business with minimal in-person work, and that’s our direction moving forward,” owner Chris Abbott said.

The new studio is double the size of the old one, and has been ready to open since April.

For fitness centers and gyms that cannot move classes and workouts online, moving outdoors is another option. The City of Saratoga Springs’ Commissioner of Public Works Anthony Scirocco announced this week that Saratoga Springs based gyms, fitness trainers, and yoga studios are able to use Congress Park, High Rock Park, Geyser Road Veterans Memorial Park, and the Waterfront Park to host workout sessions without paying rental fees. The proposed rental and use policy was unanimously approved by the City Council at their July meeting. 

Gym classes and workout are not the only thing to move outside, as street dining has seen a massive increase this past month. The Village of Ballston Spa, downtown Saratoga Springs and Schuylerville announced this week they will expand outdoor seating options. Moving outdoors allows fitness centers to adhere to the general requirements of reopening and can help more gyms not close their doors permanently. In order for a business to reopen they must meet general requirements such as strict cleaning and sanitation, mandatory face masks for all employees and customers and coronavirus cases must be traced, tracked, and reported to regional public-health officials. 

Kettlebell Works is located at 26 Commons Blvd. in Clifton Park and can be reached at 518-235-3896. Global Express Fitness is located at 43 Round Lake Rd. in Ballston Spa and can be reached at 518-400-1428. Saratoga Peak Performance is located at 30 Gick Rd. in Saratoga and can be reached by phone at 518-505-9542.