Author: Marisa Scirocco

While life has been turning upside-down, 23rd [and Fourth] has been turning inside out.

“We’ve been doing design work and continuing to focus on clients’ needs; working on the main website and focusing on getting our ducks in a row. We’re rearranging, tightening-up loose ends, and asking, ‘What is the new normal?’,” said Jamie Davies, co-owner of 23rd [and Fourth].

Finding a New Normal

For many, their new normal involves taking walks – a calming, socially-distant way to get out and about. 

Until taking a stroll around the inside of your favorite stores is a normal, fun thing to do again, an old favorite is coming back into style – window shopping. 

Recognizing how perfect the walls of windows and covered patio (at the corner of the Empire Run apartment building, 130 Excelsior Avenue in Saratoga Springs) were for window shopping, they have now turned all their furniture displays to face out. “We want people to know – you can still shop us,” said Davies.

Finding Joy

Window shopping taps into our sheer pleasure for perusing.  It brings joy.

A well-liked pastime for ages, leisurely browsing a physical store is so much more impressive than experiencing it online. 

For a nice day out, combine window-shopping at 23rd [and Fourth], with an excursion on the nearby Spring Run Trail, a handicapped-accessible pedestrian and bicycle loop.

“Everyone needs a project right now. When you’re at your home more, you notice more. You want to feel good about your home. It’s an opportunity for people to do something for themselves.”

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…and a Rainbow

At the front of the store, displays of brightly-colored contemporary furnishings, home décor, accessories and gifts bring out all the good vibes. 

Affordable favorites from the Gus Modern collection join innovative window treatments, area rugs and throw pillow selections. 

See the durability of neat items ideal for the spring and summer, like their Cape Cod inspired doormats woven with lobster nets from The Rope Co. 

Details and prices for some of what you see is now available on their website, email for more info on others. 

All Hands On Deck

Thoroughly rearranging things at 23rd [and Fourth] has involved a lot of brainstorming.

“It’s been an all-hands-on-deck type of thing,” said Davies. 

They keep asking themselves the same question.

“What else can we do to bring a little bit of joy to people?”

On their list:

• A Pop-Up Shop offering home décor and a discount on samples launched at the beginning of May on their website, 23rdandfourth.com

• Virtually answering questions about measurements, styles, color selections and more. 

• Posting drool-worthy designs to their Instagram page @23rdandFourth

Coming Soon!!

An interactive walk-through scavenger hunt in their widow displays… Search for and scan the codes with your phone for a chance to win gift certificates and other prizes. 

Rearranging for the new windows created a lot more space inside 23rd [and Fourth], so once gathering restrictions are loosened for retailers, small gatherings can be held here and still adhere to social distancing guidelines, such as a Girl’s Night Out; a Q&A session where you can pick the designer’s brain.

While life has been turning upside-down, 23rd [and Fourth] has been turning inside out.

“We’ve been doing design work and continuing to focus on clients’ needs; working on the main website and focusing on getting our ducks in a row. We’re rearranging, tightening-up loose ends, and asking, ‘What is the new normal?’,” said Jamie Davies, co-owner of 23rd [and Fourth].

Finding a New Normal

For many, their new normal involves taking walks – a calming, socially-distant way to get out and about. 

Until taking a stroll around the inside of your favorite stores is a normal, fun thing to do again, an old favorite is coming back into style – window shopping. 

Recognizing how perfect the walls of windows and covered patio (at the corner of the Empire Run apartment building, 130 Excelsior Avenue in Saratoga Springs) were for window shopping, they have now turned all their furniture displays to face out. “We want people to know – you can still shop us,” said Davies.

Finding Joy

Window shopping taps into our sheer pleasure for perusing.  It brings joy.

A well-liked pastime for ages, leisurely browsing a physical store is so much more impressive than experiencing it online. 

For a nice day out, combine window-shopping at 23rd [and Fourth], with an excursion on the nearby Spring Run Trail, a handicapped-accessible pedestrian and bicycle loop.

“Everyone needs a project right now. When you’re at your home more, you notice more. You want to feel good about your home. It’s an opportunity for people to do something for themselves.”

…and a Rainbow

At the front of the store, displays of brightly-colored contemporary furnishings, home décor, accessories and gifts bring out all the good vibes. 

Affordable favorites from the Gus Modern collection join innovative window treatments, area rugs and throw pillow selections. 

See the durability of neat items ideal for the spring and summer, like their Cape Cod inspired doormats woven with lobster nets from The Rope Co. 

Details and prices for some of what you see is now available on their website, email for more info on others. 

All Hands On Deck

Thoroughly rearranging things at 23rd [and Fourth] has involved a lot of brainstorming.

“It’s been an all-hands-on-deck type of thing,” said Davies. 

They keep asking themselves the same question.

“What else can we do to bring a little bit of joy to people?”

On their list:

• A Pop-Up Shop offering home décor and a discount on samples launched at the beginning of May on their website, 23rdandfourth.com

• Virtually answering questions about measurements, styles, color selections and more. 

• Posting drool-worthy designs to their Instagram page @23rdandFourth

Coming Soon!!

An interactive walk-through scavenger hunt in their widow displays… Search for and scan the codes with your phone for a chance to win gift certificates and other prizes. 

Rearranging for the new windows created a lot more space inside 23rd [and Fourth], so once gathering restrictions are loosened for retailers, small gatherings can be held here and still adhere to social distancing guidelines, such as a Girl’s Night Out; a Q&A session where you can pick the designer’s brain.

“Thinking on your feet is good, but thinking
when you’re not on your feet is even better.”  
~ Author Unknown

I don’t know anyone in the world who wanted to close their doors amid this horrific pandemic. It’s a terrifying thought – to lose connections in the face-to-face retail setting when doors are locked, and ‘closed’ signs are all around you. 

Customers are the lifeline of businesses here in town – the warm and welcoming faces when we enter a store to shop an item are tantamount to a great experience that brings us back again and again. 

This pandemic is relentless in upending our brick-and-mortar landscape, while state-mandated warnings of in-person interactions abound. 

And, as we all know, Saratoga is all about close, personal contact with visitors and residents alike. We love to get to know people – shake a hand, touch an arm, hug a stranger who’s quickly become a friend. 

Unfortunately, none of us knows when things will calm down and return to any sort of normalcy again.

Changing habits during this pandemic is hard – I, for one, love to walk into my favorite shops, pick up a book, taste a sample, try on a dress, handle a crystal, then pull out my wallet.    

On the next page you’ll learn about a few of my go-to local places. The various ways shopkeepers are keeping in touch with visitors and loyal customers are pretty creative. I’m impressed.

NORTHSHIRE BOOKSTORE 
Located on Broadway, is a favorite retail shop of many. The store has already started (or upped their game) with online virtual events featuring various authors. They also offer free shipping countrywide, as well as curbside pickup at their Vermont location.
northshire.com

SARATOGA TEA AND HONEY
This tea and honey shop just hit their five-year mark here in the Spa City. They celebrated with buy one-get one iced tea. Even though they’re not open to inside business right now, Saratoga Tea & Honey takes orders over the phone, with curbside pickup. They have an online event this weekend. 
saratogateaandhoney.com 

IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA
I love, love, love their unique idea of porch packages! A creative way to keep their business going – porch packages are delivered in reusable Saratoga totes, filled with locally made food products and Saratoga-specific items. Impressions of Saratoga offers pre-assembled packages with $25 or $50 price-points, or specialty packages you create yourself.
impressionssaratoga.com

SARATOGA PAINT & SIP
A wildly popular night out with a date, sister, children, or bunch of girlfriends, the shop in Saratoga has come up with a neat way to paint & sip during this time of uncertainty. Take’N Paint Kits include everything you need to create masterpieces at home. They’re paid for online and picked up curbside. 
paintandsipstudios.com

SARATOGA CANDY CO.
This locally owned candy store is a Saratoga favorite. They’re still selling fine chocolates online and offer free shipping. I love that the shop just featured a Candy Co. Car Hop for Mother’s Day, which was a huge hit. Let’s hope they can do this more often – who doesn’t need chocolate, especially now! 
saratogasweets.com

VIOLET’S OF SARATOGA
Whoever thought that social media marketing would be so helpful in times like these? Violet’s of Saratoga has taken advantage of Instagram and Facebook, promoting virtual sidewalk sales. The specialty shop lists items, and customers get in touch when they see something they’d like to buy, picking their purchase up curbside.   
violetsofsaratoga.com

TOGA HERITAGE
Another downtown creator of unique marketing ideas, Deborah has the most wonderful things happening – all the time! – not just during Social Distancing.  Check them out online for curbside or delivery. 
togaheritage.com

TUSHITA HEAVEN
One of my favorite shops on Broadway. What do you do when you have to close a shop like this, though? Thinking outside the box, Tushita Heaven hosts events like live shows on Facebook, Tuesday nights at 7 p.m., where they feature and sell various crystals.
tushitaheaven.com

SPOKEN SARATOGA
We all look forward to the Pammy Post (to know Pam is to love Pam!) We see the cutest items – and their sizes – and then she offers them at greatly reduced prices! It’s (almost) as fun as shopping the store (but we miss the hugs!) Check her out on Instagram and facebook for curbside or delivery.
spokensaratoga.com

LIFESTYLES OF SARATOGA, CAROLINE + MAIN AND UNION HALL.
Heidi is a force and her three shops downtown are destinations in themselves, (and her window displays are epic!) As of press time, she was prepping for a Virtual Sidewalk Sale… Check them out on facebook and Instagram!
lifestylesofsaratoga.com, carolineandmain.com, unionhallsupplyco.com

You might know these shops well. Or you might have your personal favorites to frequent. Today, this very minute, is the time local shops need us most – and we can help make certain brick-and-mortar stores are still in business when the Corona Virus is a distant nightmare by spending locally. 

Saratoga has always been about caring for the community where we live. We’ve always cheered on the underdogs, celebrated the victories, savored the rich history and culture of our city. 

When the time comes, and it will, for our commercial doors to open again, I think the emotion of 2020 is going to catch us off-guard. I’m voting for tears of joy – gratefulness in knowing there were ways we all jumped in to help flatten the curve and keep our town, our home, alive.     

Stress is a huge factor in having health problems and chronic sleep issues.  It’s easy to get stuck in the quicksand of every-day life and become unconsciously in the habit of constant worry.  This type of thought pattern releases adrenaline into your body and causes you to live in a state of chronic anxiety. 

The key to developing healthier thought patterns is to engage in what I call easy energy shifters all day long.  These exercises will begin to train your mind to be in a place of rest and ease, allowing you more joy in every- day life.

An energy shifter exercise is a short out-loud set of affirmations you can do anytime and anywhere.  They are meant to help you enhance your self-esteem, peace of mind and overall well-being.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Stair Affirmations:

Whenever you go up the stairs in your home, an office building or anywhere, say a positive adjective on each step.  For instance, “I am strong, I am healthy, I am full of joy, I am full of peace, I am blessed.”  This exercise makes you stop and think of positive words which immediately reduces stress in the body. 

Dishwasher Blessings:

Unloading the dishwasher used to be a chore I really did not like.  I would find ways to avoid doing it and would pray if I waited long enough my husband would beat me to the punch.  One day I realized I was creating lots of emotional drama around a very simple task.  The amount of time I spent resisting the task was a waste of time and a build-up of negative emotion.

I now use this time to say (out-loud!) things I am thankful for.  This helps keep my perspective balanced and reminds me of how blessed I am in every-day life.  Dare I say I now look forward to emptying the dishwasher?  That may be a stretch, but I’m no longer participating in energy draining drama over this task.

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Folding Laundry:

Again, this chore can make us feel overwhelmed and immediately drain our energy when we spend time thinking about all the laundry we fold.  Don’t let this task be a burden, use this time to do your affirmations and gratitude blessings! This will immediately give you a skip in your step and help shift your attitude. 

Stop Sign/Red Light – Present to be Present:

Every time you come to a stop sign or a red light, take a deep breath and focus on that breath.  This will turn the volume down on the noisy thoughts that shout at you all day.  Just taking short breaks each day to be present can help lower your blood pressure and

increase feelings of peace overall.  Use these every-day symbols as a reminder to slow down and take a breath.

Deodorant Affirmations:

A friend of mine swears the best time to do daily positive affirmations and intentions is when you put your deodorant on.  This is a task you do daily (hopefully!) so why not use it to enhance the good mojo within you? 

Affirmations and gratitude blessings don’t have to be daunting tasks.  Use these simple energy shifters daily and watch how your energy increases and your stress level starts to diminish!

You are worth it!

In 2017, Jim Calhoun had no idea he was about to embark on a life-changing journey.

He was an outgoing guy who just liked to have a good time. 

The First Down

For 15 years, Calhoun worked full-time as a Human Resources Assistant at St. Peter’s Health Partners, while helping to build bathrooms, porches and decks in his spare time. He loved music, being outdoors, and trying out different craft beers. 

He was taking it easy that Labor Day weekend. He was vacationing with his family at their New Jersey lake house, but his father had just passed away two weeks prior and he wasn’t feeling the greatest. 

Falling asleep at 5 p.m. that evening, he woke at 11 p.m. and went to the bathroom. While washing his hands, he blacked out and hit his head on the granite countertop. It was only a small cut, but his face was badly bruised. 

At the hospital, blood tests revealed that Calhoun had acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“I couldn’t believe it. I felt normal,” he said. 

The Greatest Gift

Jim Calhoun’s life changed overnight. 

“My focus was beating it and starting the process to get through it,” he said. 

Because he was 44 years old at the time he was diagnosed, in addition to chemotherapy treatments, doctors told him he was also going to need a bone marrow transplant. His name was put on the Be the Match national marrow registry. 

There was a 30-percent chance of finding a suitable donor match.

Over the next year, Calhoun was in and out of the hospital often, contracted pneumonia, and was battling fevers of 106 to 108 degrees. 

“My birthday is on Christmas and by that point I thought I just couldn’t fight anymore,” he said.

Not long after that, he got a text message saying he had a donor match.

“I called everybody I could think of, I was so excited!”

A Match Made in Marrow

Admitted to the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Care Center on January 26th, 2018, Calhoun spent three days getting high doses of radiation before his relatively painless transplantation procedure. 

A year later, he was able to meet his donor. 

“I was pacing around the house for two hours before I could call him. Once I did, it was like I’d known him forever,” said Calhoun.

Christian Montano lost several people close to him to cancer, so when the football team he was on at Brown University all decided to signup to be on the registry, he did too. 

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That simple cheek swab revealed that he matched all 12 genes for transplant compatibility with Calhoun. Extracting the marrow from his pelvis was much harder. 

The doctors told him afterwards that being a football player made it so tough to get through his muscles. Their drill had worn blisters into their hands. Still, he was in and out of the hospital in a day. 

Unfortunately, the fire alarm at his hotel went off that night and he had to walk down seven flights of stairs to get out.

“Christian said it was the worst pain he’d been in, in his entire life,” recalled Calhoun.

Celebrating Survival

The following year, when Calhoun and his family reached the gate at Montano’s Connecticut home for a “Celebration of Life” party, he had to turn around.

“I left for a little while to collect my thoughts. I was so nervous. Inside, I was crying like a baby. I could never thank him enough for saving my life and making it so that I could spend more time with my wife and children,” said Calhoun.

Now an offensive lineman with Tulane University, Montano is a soft-spoken, humble, kind, generous kid, said Calhoun. Montano’s family began referring to Calhoun as “Uncle Jimmy” and his parents call him “son.”

In this Together

It’s friendship that has made Calhoun’s more than two-year journey through cancer manageable. His niece, Magen Whalen, held a community fundraiser, and local businesses and organizations have pitched in to help Calhoun pay for medical bills and travel expenses. 

Teaming up with others, he’s held several successful blood and marrow donor drives. He’s also reached out to other adult patients with support. 

“I try to help who I can to make them feel better and stay positive,” he said. 

Calhoun’s immune system is still compromised, so other illnesses continue to crop up, but he is trying to stay active and hopes to be able to work again soon. 

“You have to ask yourself, ‘Do I sit here and wait for the cancer to come back or keep on living?”

To offer financial help, donations are being accepted at any Adirondack Trust bank branch to the #CalhounStrong account. 

From high above us, they listen for their prey, swooping and soaring in elegant lines through the sky, focused on their next meal. Some birds – even owls – will fly right into your vehicle looking for a meal.

Whether in need of rehabilitation due to an accident, habitat loss, disease, or unintentionally ingesting poisonous substances, we can thank people like wildlife rehabilitator Trish Marki for their safe return. 

Marki has been caring for animals for as long as she can remember.

“I always had animals. I had everything from mice to horses,” she said. 

Up Close Encounters

Then, 15 years ago, Marki found a grey-horned owl with a clenched foot. She applied for it to become an educational bird, and named her Virginia. 

She’s among a family of raptors that Marki takes to schools, nonprofit groups, and wildlife events as part of the Silent Wings Raptor Rehab and Education program of the Wildlife Institute of Eastern New York. Conducting approximately 200 programs each year, she travels as far as Princeton University with her birds (which include owls, hawks, a falcon and a raven). 

“Working with these magnificent creatures is an honor, I am incredibly fortunate to be able to do it every day and I only hope that I can inspire others to take an interest in them, as well as other wildlife, through our encounters.” 

Understanding Animals

Working with these impressive birds takes a unique combination of compassion, knowledge, intuitiveness, and bravery.

Marki has been injured many times while learning how to care for these animals. Some, like the Red-Tailed Hawk, can be territorial, becoming quite vocal when a stranger approaches. The barred owl has a forceful grip, but it’s the eagle’s talons that are the strongest and possibly the most dangerous. 

Fed a menu of frozen mice, rats, or chicks once a day in the late afternoon, food can also be used as an incentive to train some of the birds. For others, instead of food, motivation comes in another form.

“While hawks and falcons can be trained using food as an enticement, most owls would rather starve than do “tricks” for a “treat.”  They are just not as food motivated.  I have developed an understanding with Wyatt and he will happily fly above a crowded room of onlookers and head straight for his perch,” said Marki.

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Naturally Wild

Wyatt, an Eurasian Eagle Owl, came to Marki 10 years ago when he was young, so he’s “imprinted,” meaning that he identifies with her as his caretaker. 

“We have a very close bond. He talks to me. He can sense when I’m near,” she said. 

Owls like these cannot be released into the wild, but the other birds that Marki helps to rehabilitate have been.

“In an effort to not imprint birds that will be returned to the wild we are careful to just feed them, and handle them as little as possible. We’ll put a mirror or a feather duster in their enclosure for them to nestle up against if we don’t have more than one, or an adult to foster them. Being wild is inherent in them, and it comes out,” she said. 

Protecting Birds of Prey

Through the work of wildlife rehabilitators like Marki, the banning of the pesticide DDT in the 1970s, and raising awareness in the public, eagles are no longer listed as an endangered species. 

There are still a number of challenges when it comes to keeping these birds soaring however, including the misconception that large raptors will snatch up babies or small children. 

“There was a video on the internet of an eagle picking up a baby – it was fabricated. It doesn’t happen,” said Marki.

Learning more about these amazing animals is vital to their survival. 

In Case of Emergency

To preserve the numbers of all kinds of beautiful birds in our skies, it’s important that you know what to do if you come across a sick or injured bird.

If you find a raptor in distress and unable to fly, place a box over it, weigh it down with a rock and wait for a wildlife expert to arrive.

For help locally, call the North Country Wild Care Hotline at 518-964-6740. To report a wildlife emergency anywhere in the country, visit Animal Help Now at ahnow.org.

Mark Your Calendar: The 10th Annual Raptor Fest will be held at the Washington County Fairgrounds, 392 Old Schuylerville Road, in Greenwich on May 16th & 17th. For more information on scheduling a program with the live birds of prey for your group, go to SilentWingsRaptors.org

John Bevan’s map (circa 1850) locates 308 Nelson on part of Saratoga’s first cemetery. Originally named the Sadler Cemetery after the land’s donor Seth Sadler, it was also referred to as “First Cemetery”, “Peter’s Cemetery” and in the 1870’s as “Nelson Street Cemetery.” Former long time city Mayor Addison Mallery wrote to our city historian describing ‘Peter’s Cemetery’. He said, “When I was a youngster we played on what was known as Peter’s Cemetery. It halfway down the hill on Nelson Avenue. Occasionally we would find a bone.” The property bordered land owned by J. R. Peter’s thus some referred to the land as “Peter’s Cemetery.”

In a city graced with colorfully painted Victorian houses boasting wide wrap around porches, my cedar shake bungalow appears to offer little historical significance. My family has owned the property since 1964 and until recently my thoughts were, “keep moving, nothing to see here.” I certainly didn’t expect any local or national historical significance for such a basic looking structure. I encourage those of you with similar feelings to look deeper into the history of the place you call home. The results may surprise you.

My parents purchased 308 Nelson Avenue in 1964 from then high school principal, John Sexton. Their deed outlined our parcel of land as “beginning at the southwest corner of the burying ground on Nelson Street (now Nelson Avenue…).”  My parents never gave much thought to this description and filed the deed away.

Instead, we embraced the large backyard, tried to teach my mother how to navigate the steep hilly driveway while we kids overlooked the lack of a flat sidewalk to play hopscotch on. Our house is located at the crest of the hill on Nelson Avenue heading down to High Rock Spring. Little did we realize that these topographical features had played a key role in the history of our family homestead.

When my father, Richard Stone moved to his funeral home at 628 North Broadway in 1984, my husband and I took over the family home.

Beginnings of the house – First FHA Mortgage

The Federal Housing Administration was created in 1934 to facilitate construction and mortgages of houses after the Great Depression. Nationwide, 2,600 FHA mortgages were granted on June 15, 1935. The first home in Saratoga County to be started under the newly formed administration was our house. Mildred and John Sexton were proud recipients of an FHA loan to build a six-room bungalow at 308 Nelson Avenue. Their groundbreaking ceremony was attended by numerous city and county dignitaries breaking ground with red, white and blue beribboned silver spades. News articles and photographs documented the momentous occasion.

The proud new owners quickly went to work on the sand-filled, neglected lot. Gardens and a grass lawn were planted.  Original resident Elizabeth Sexton Weiss described her intrigue as she watched a man her father hired walking around the yard with a divining stick. Although city water was available, the Sextons then dug a well in the basement with the idea of pure water. “My job was to pump water for morning coffee. Was told it made the BEST coffee,” recalls Elizabeth. The 88-year-old who recently made a pilgrimage from Cambridge, Massachusetts to visit her childhood home. 

Mr. Sexton was the principal at the High School conveniently located a few blocks away on Lake Avenue. He and his wife raised their four children in the red with white trim home featuring a flagpole in the Northwest corner of the property. One year, high school students pranked Mr. Sexton by setting his beloved flagpole on fire. It survived and still stands today.

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Sadler Cemetery aka Nelson Street Cemetery 1765-1878

The Sextons also disregarded the burying grounds descriptor in their deed.

Neighborhood lore was that our land had been a Native American burial ground.  I incorrectly assumed this was true and believed this was the burying grounds referred to on our deed.

After all, we were in close proximity to the High Rock Spring where Native Americans gathered and even brought Sir William Johnson in 1771 to cure him with the waters.

The well-researched Chronicles of Saratoga by Evelyn Barrett Britten mentioned a cemetery in her chapter “Burying Ground Disappears; Seth Sadler gave land in Late 1700s.” Her short piece spurred more questions than answers. However, it lead me to Greenridge Cemetery. Carol Waldron, Greenridge’s Administrative Assistant, presented me with a binder on our city’s first cemetery- the Sadler Cemetery located on Nelson Street (later renamed Avenue), the cemetery referenced in our deed. 

I excitedly read the binder’s contents. The hill that plagued my hopscotch attempts proved to be unstable for a burial ground.  An account of boys coming across a skull on the Nelson Avenue hill on their way to school captured my imagination. The school Superintendent confirmed it as a human skull. What other stories unfolded on this plot of land? How and why would a cemetery be moved? Wouldn’t people be outraged? Basic facts about the cemetery were limited: the Sadler family donated the land in the late 1700s; 67 people were buried there-the first of whom was Fern Wadsworth, a visitor to the nearby High Rock Spring in 1785 ; the most famous was President Rutherford B. Hayes’ grandfather, Roger Birchard.

I searched the city historian’s records and the Saratoga Room for information on the Sadler Cemetery, but facts were limited. By chance I typed “Nelson Street Cemetery” into the Fulton History website and miraculously 24 articles from 1877 and 1878 appeared, answering many of my questions.

Indeed, permission to move the graves had been granted. A special session of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors was called on July 6, 1877 to ask for “authorization to remove the bodies interred in the Nelson Street Cemetery to some proper cemetery grounds.” Notices were published advising relatives and representatives “you have 30 days in which to remove the bodies of which you are the representatives.” Ads appeared for “written proposals to buy the land and remove the remains from the Nelson Street Cemetery.”

The process was not without controversy. William E. Stone protested “Our graveyards ought to be venerated as holy ground.” Another newspaper account of the relocation process described a “place that had been so neglected for years” and felt it was no wonder that those in the area would have “desired the removal of the remains from there.”

Before dismantling the cemetery, a complete account of the headstone inscriptions was done by historian enthusiast Cornelius Durkee. However, no one seemed to accurately record where the remains actually ended up. Britten stated there was no record of the whereabouts of President Hayes’ grandfather, Roger Birchard. Thanks to ancestry.com, it is documented that he was moved to the family plot in Wilmington, Vermont. 

I continue to be fascinated by the stories of those who have shared the land I live on. It will inspire me to continue researching what transpired on Nelson St. from 1785-1900.

More importantly I hope my story will inspire readers to see what happened “on this spot” they call home. Dive into the internet or hire the Saratoga Preservation Foundation to do a written history of your home. Our area is so rich with history, you never know what you may find!

It’s a common cooking adage that we eat first with our eyes: we build excitement for the meal by creating a beautiful presentation of the food. If that’s true, what could be more appealing than having the colors of the rainbow on our plates? 

“Eat the rainbow” has become popular advice to encourage people to put numerous fruits and vegetables on their plates every day. This not only makes for a colorful presentation, but it also means that a wide range of vitamins, minerals, immunity boosters and cancer-fighting antioxidants are present in the meal. 

Further, by encouraging a rainbow, which requires multiple colors, it’s possible that the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat will increase overall, adding fiber to your diet and filling you up faster. This, in turn, may reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol taken in via animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, fish/seafood, dairy and eggs. Such an increase in dietary fiber and reduction in animal-based food are both positive steps towards reducing one’s risk of certain forms of cancer. 

Cancer-fighting compounds such as antioxidants, mainly found in fruits and vegetables, assist in halting free-radical damage in the body, which can otherwise lead to cancer development. Fruits and vegetables are rich in protective compounds and immune-boosting nutrients such as beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, and zinc. 

It is important to be generous with a variety of vegetables and fruits as you plan your meals. Studies have demonstrated the ability of diets rich in vegetables and fruits to boost immunity and to reduce the likelihood that cancer will develop in the first place. Enjoy a colorful, scrumptious, immune-boosting meal as often as you can.

What does each color of the rainbow provide and what are some of the common and more exotic options for your plate? Let’s take a closer look…

THE NUTRITION RAINBOW:
Reference: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, www.pcrm.org. 

RED:
Tomatoes, watermelon, guava-
The antioxidant lycopene is associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer.

ORANGE
Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, mangos, pumpkins-
Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that supports the immune system.

YELLOW / ORANGE
Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, papayas, peaches-
Vitamin C and flavonoids inhibit tumor cell growth and detoxify harmful substances.

GREEN
Spinach, kale, collards, other greens-
Folate builds healthy cells and genetic material.

GREEN / WHITE
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower-
Indoles and lutein eliminate excess estrogen and carcinogens, which can help to fight breast cancer.

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WHITE / GREEN
Garlic, onions, chives, asparagus-
Allyl sulfides destroy cancer cells, reduce cell division, support immune systems

BLUE
Blueberries, purple grapes, plums-
Anthocyanins destroy free radicals.

RED / PURPLE
Grapes, berries, plums-
Resveratrol may suppress estrogen activity.

BROWN
Whole grains and legumes (beans, lentils, pulses)-
Fiber from whole grains removes carcinogens from the body.

Does the color brown in this rainbow surprise you? While you don’t see brown in rainbows in the sky, it’s important to eat whole grains and legumes to add fiber to one’s diet along with the energy-boosting power of complex carbohydrates and plant protein.

MAKE IT A MEAL

It’s easy to make a simple meal of many of the above fruits and vegetables by combining them with whole grains or beans in a bowl with herbs and seasonings, slicing them thinly and putting in a sandwich with hummus, or rolling them into a tortilla or wrap. More ideas: morning oatmeal topped with a few colors of berries and chopped fruit; a colorful “rainbow” sandwich and piece of fruit for lunch; and a loaded salad at dinner – these are all easy ways to add vibrant colors and healthy nutrients to your day.

Catherine Hover will tell you that, before moving to Saratoga, she had never experienced what it was like to live in “small town USA.” A native of New Orleans, she and her husband, Mark, came to Saratoga after living and working in New York City.

After being here for nearly 10 years, you can still hear faint wisps of that languid “Big Easy” drawl creeping into her conversation. We are sitting in the comfortable members only Palette Upstairs co-working space, part of her newest venture, Palette Café, which opened last summer.

My goal was to learn more about this spritely young woman with seemingly boundless energy and her latest venture at 493 Broadway. By the way, don’t let her youthful looks, bubbly manner and business title, “Purveyor of Fun,” blind you to the fact that she is a business powerhouse. In the relatively short time she has been here, Catherine has introduced the region to the “paint and sip” phenomenon, and Palette Café is the next step in her journey of what she calls empowering women.

Catherine recalls first moving into town in 2011 with Mark, whose career as a hydrographer had brought them here to work on the Hudson River dredging project.

“We had an apartment on the top floor of the Algonquin building and I remember watching the 4th of July parade on the street below. It was a totally new world to me!”

The couple originally planned to live and work in Saratoga for five years and then return home. Not one to ride on her husband’s coattails, as she puts it, Catherine began searching for an entrepreneurial adventure. Growing up in New Orleans, she and her mother would often frequent paint and sip cafes in and around the city, and she soon realized that there was nothing of the sort to be found in the Capital Region.

“Now, I don’t know one woman who doesn’t drink coffee or wine,” she says in that slow and easy cadence. A year after moving here, Catherine opened Saratoga Paint and Sip Studio on Henry Street, with two more locations in Burlington and Latham opening in the next few years.

“It totally changed the trajectory of our lives.” Today, Mark is her business partner and co-caregiver of their three young daughters.

So, we all know how successful her Paint and Sip Studios have been. But I wanted to know what makes Palette different from other coffee venues and why the focus is on women. 

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“It’s about bringing women together in a safe environment,” she begins. Catherine’s sense is that, for many women, once we get to a certain point in our lives, we forget to try new things and often we become our own worst enemies.

The genesis of Palette Café came about after Catherine heard of Sky Oro, a co-working community and event space in Bozeman, Montana, dedicated to advancing the personal and professional lives of women.  Catherine realized that, like the paint and sip studios, there really wasn’t anything like Sky Oro available to women in Saratoga.

However, Catherine is quick to point out that Palette Café is open to everyone and kids, guys and puppies are always welcome! Even so, the focus of the space is on helping women in a variety of ways, and the vibe is one of inclusiveness and opportunities that may be lacking in other environments.

 “What Palette offers that no one else does is a community where patrons are encouraged to make new friends, team up for new ventures or learn something new,” says their website.

Catherine’s vision for Palette Café and Palette Upstairs, which opened in November, is to offer workspace to the mobile workforce, as well as programming and classes that will be offered by women (and an occasional dude) from the local community. Workshops are geared to women at all stages of their lives, from early career women, to stay at home moms, or those looking to “re-invent” themselves in a new career trajectory or personal lifestyle.

There are also book clubs, moms meetups, courses in financial literacy, all geared to bringing women together for dialogue, interaction and empowerment.

“Women don’t ask for help,” says Catherine. By creating a space where support systems for women can flourish, Catherine feels she is bringing something unique and necessary to the area. 

Although Palette Upstairs has only recently opened, Catherine held a live event at the Café in July, where people could tour the space and learn more about Catherine’s and her team’s vision for it. Forty-five women showed up for the event, with ten joining that first night. Now, there are 60 founding members, including several corporate founding members who contribute services to the café and its patrons.

Each new member has an hour and a half onboarding session to learn about the features of Palette Café and Palette Upstairs and the opportunities for enrichment, networking and collaboration amongst members. Palette also offers a concierge service for its members. If you’re starting your own business and need someone to run for office supplies, or you forgot to buy a birthday gift for your child’s teacher, Kiki, the virtual concierge is there to get the job done.

Catherine hopes that Palette Café and Palette Upstairs will grow along with the rest of the community and provide the experiential resources necessary for that growth, which she believes is lacking in the lives of so many women. 

“There’s nothing in life that we shouldn’t feel comfortable controlling or taking charge of.”

Children are naturally curious, so teaching mindful eating is a natural fit. Being a mindful eater means paying attention to the food you’re eating and why you’re eating, among other aspects of the meal. If you want your children to grow up knowing where their food comes from, teach them to be mindful of the food they eat. To cultivate a conscious awareness of the food children are eating you can present it as a game. 

Kids will do anything, if you make a game out of it!

You can start simply by pausing at the beginning of a meal, perhaps to recite a blessing or another acknowledgement of the food your family is about to eat. A simple statement such as, “I am grateful for the food I am about to eat,” can suffice. 

Smaller children can be asked about the color of foods and the name of foods that might be unfamiliar to them. A conversation might go like this…

Adult: How did this food on your plate or the milk in your glass get there? 

Child: Mommy or Daddy put it there. 

Adult: Where did we get it from? 

Child: The grocery store.

Adult: How did it get to the grocery store?

Child: Someone brought it there in a truck.

Adult: Where did the truck driver get it from?

Child: The farm!

Older children can be asked questions like:

Does the produce grow on top of the ground, under the ground, on a vine, bush or on a tree?

What part of the plant are we eating: the seed, root, stem, leaf or fruit?

Who took care of the animals whose meat or milk you’re eating or drinking?

Where was the food grown/raised, and how far did it travel?

Did the food go directly from the farm to the market, or was it processed somewhere along the way?

What kind of climate does the food grow best in?

You can see how this can continue through the whole meal, so go ahead and eat while you continue this game digging deeper and deeper into the origin of the food. This can lead to compassion for the farmer who worked so hard to pick the vegetables they nurtured through the growing season, or the dairy farmer who cares for his cows 365 days a year. 

To further your children’s knowledge of where their food comes from, take them to the grocery store or, better yet, the farmers’ market where you can talk to the farmer, or invest in Community Supported Agriculture by purchasing a CSA share. Pitney Meadows Community Farm in the city of Saratoga Springs is offering a
pick-your-own CSA which is a perfect way to connect children with their food, including where, how, and when it’s grown and picked. 

Visit PitneyMeadowsCommunityFarm.org/csa for more information. Bring your children to meet some dairy farmers and their cows at Sundae on the Farm this Father’s Day at Clear Echo Farm in Schuylerville. VisitCCEsaratoga.org for details about this free, family friendly event. 

Through this game of food awareness and mindful eating, your whole family will find appreciation of the food that’s been prepared and placed before them. Eating together as a family is a valuable part of a daily routine, and this game can bring fun and education to every meal!