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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Bennington Museum Names Martin Mahoney Executive Director

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

BENNINGTON — Following a nation-wide search, Martin Mahoney, Director of Operations and Collections at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachussetts, has been appointed Bennington Museum’s next Executive Director. He will assume his leadership position in Bennington on Sept. 8, 2021.

Mahoney begins his tenure with Bennington Museum with an impressive and progressive track record of more than 20 years of Museum leadership experience. At the Norman Rockwell Museum, Mahoney was responsible for managing the Museum’s national and international traveling and onsite exhibitions as well as supervising Registration, Collections, Facility Operations, and Security Departments. As a member of the museum executive team, he was deeply involved in fundraising and budgeting on the institutional level, managing multiple departments, overseeing the preservation and operational management of the Museum’s historical buildings, and participating as a key stakeholder in the institutional strategic planning for the expansion of the Museum. 

Additionally, Mahoney has curated numerous exhibitions including Journey: David Macaulay (2019), Perspective and Place: Thomas W. Barrett’s Hudson River Valley (2016), and Mort Kunstler: The Art of Adventure (2014. He graduated from Castleton State University with a BA in history and holds advanced degrees from both the State University of New York at Albany, where he received an MA in Public History and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where he completed his MBA. Mahoney also participated in the prestigious Getty Leadership Institute (now the Museum Leadership Institute) in 2019. 

A member of the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Mahoney has served as the chapter vice-chair and chair and has previously sat on the boards of the Williamstown Art Conservation Center as well as the Massachusetts Art Commission at the State House. He is particularly interested in the intersection of history and popular culture, as well as the evolving cross connection of environmental stewardship and community advocacy and how they can be leveraged as economic engines to assist in the revitalization of communities. 

The Sembrich Presents: Soprano Alexandra Nowakowski This Weekend

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich presents Soprano Alexandra Nowakowski, grand prize winner of the 2018 Marcella Sembrich International Voice Competition, in a rhapsodic lakeside performance at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21.

The performance titled “Songs to the Moon: Mad Scenes, Love Songs, and Other Lunar Events,” includes the “Silver Aria” from Douglas Moore’s Ballad of Baby Doe, Dvorak’s beloved “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka, Nanetta’s enchanting call to the fairies from Verdi’s Falstaff, and the renowned “Mad Scene” from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. The program also includes the premiere of a new arrangement of “Moonrise,” prepared especially for this performance, based on the heartbreaking final scene from Richard Wargo’s Chekhov-inspired opera, A Visit to the Country.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at TheSembrich.org/tickets or by calling 518-644-2431. This performance will take place on the lakeshore under a performance tent.

The Sembrich is located at 4800 Lake Shore Drive, Bolton Landing. For more information, visit www.TheSembrich.org or call 518- 644-2431 or email: Office@TheSembrich.org. 

Matt Smith: A Familiar Name Re-Visits the Region

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Last year, Capital District raised, Austin-based artist Matt Smith and 6 String Ranch Records announced the release of 8 new albums, as well as 10 digital re-releases of Smith’s catalog recordings. All the albums are available everywhere music is streamed or bought. 

“Being Human” – the flagship release of the new recordings – was four years in-the-making and features songs that reflect issues of the human condition. The songs address broad themes of love, death and spirituality, along with timely issues such as immigration, narcissism and addiction. Smith is supported on the album by an international cast of all-star musicians. 

Segments of the collection is curated from previous albums and include a volume titled “Upstate NY : 1988-1994.” 

Smith’s upcoming gigs: Sept. 8,9 -Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs; Sept. 10 – The Strand Theater, Hudson Falls, and Sept. 11 – Pauly’s Hotel, Albany. 

Adirondack Theatre Festival Names New Producing Artistic Director

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

GLENS FALLS — After an extensive national search, Adirondack Theatre Festival has named Miriam Weisfeld as its fourth producing artistic director. 

Weisfeld most recently served as Director of Artistic Development for the Tony-winning Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. She assumes the position on Sept. 1 and has been in Glens Falls Aug. 1-15 observing production of ATF’s final show of the season, “Traffic and Weather.” 

“Miriam emerged from a great field of candidates partially because of her command of the contemporary issues in American theater around inclusion, audience development and innovation,” said Nancy Fuller, ATF board president, in a statement. “And she also presented the board a clear vision for producing work that is a continuation of ATF’s rich history of entertaining audiences with original stories created and performed by superlative talent.” 

Weisfeld was one of 91 candidates who applied and 44 who were interviewed for the position according to Kate Broderick, an ATF emeritus board member who coordinated the search for the organization. 

There have been only three artistic directors in ATF’s history prior to this appointment: Banta (1995-2007, 2021), Mark Fleischer (2007-2014) and Rabinovitz (2014-2020). 

Weisfeld helped to develop Generation Now, a $1.5 million co-commissioning project for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) playwrights funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, at Children’s Theatre Company, and spearheaded the stage adaptation by Cheryl L. West of “Something Happened in Our Town,” a multigenerational story about racial justice which will be produced in partnership with CBS Twin Cities affiliate WCCO in March 2022. 

The Adirondack Theatre Festival was created in 1993 and presented its first 18-day season of new and contemporary theatre at the French Mountain Playhouse within the Lake George RV Park in 1995. Today ATF is the leading professional theatre in New York’s Capital Region dedicated to emerging artists, new plays, and new musicals. Each summer ATF produces a nine-week season at the Wood Theater in Glens Falls. 

Local Art Show and Fundraiser Showcases Patients and Caregivers

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s called “Art with Heart & Hope” and features a celebration of patients and caregivers who channel complex feelings into expressive creations, using their craft to cope with the many challenges of life with illness or disability.

A pop-up exhibition and fundraiser will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Universal Preservation Hall on Washington St. 

Works are displayed alongside written statements from the artists, who share the ways art helps them move beyond their personal battles with illness or disability. 

Tickets can be purchased online at BeyondMyBattle.org/tickets for $48, or at the door for $50. All proceeds benefit Beyond My Battle, a Saratoga-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping people reduce the stress of serious illness, rare disease, and disability. To learn more about BMB, visit www.BeyondMyBattle.org.

Call for Singers: Saratoga Voices

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Saratoga Springs — Saratoga Voices, formerly known as the Burnt Hills Oratorio Society, invites all singers to join them for their first performance of the 2021-22 season. 

The opening concert is Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, to be performed on Nov. 19 at the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. To take advantage of the hall’s unique theater in the round, the performance will have an interesting twist – a semi-staged concert version of this well-known choral masterpiece. 

Rehearsals are held Tuesday nights, 7 p.m., at the O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills and start Sept. 7. Singers are asked to complete a vocal placement interview beforehand and must be vaccinated. 

Go to the saratogavoices.org website and click on the “Participate” menu for more details and to sign up for a vocal placement interview. Further questions email info@saratogavoices.org or call 518-416-4060.

August 20 – August 26, 2021

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Calendar.

Friday, August 20

Congress Park Walking Tours
Saratoga Springs visitor Center | 297 Broadway, Saratoga Springs | 10:30 a.m. – Noon
Learn about the fascinating history of “The Queen of Spas” with a leisurely walk thru Congress Park. Our experienced guides will tell you the stories of How Saratoga became the “Queen of Spas” in the 19th Century.  The tragic story behind the Trask Family and the Spirit of Life statue. The history of the Saratoga City Museum and it’s notorious reputation as the highest rolling gambling casino in the US. How the city rallied to restore the historic Spit and Spat statues. Tours are given Tuesday – Saturday through October. 

Ghost Tours of the Canfield Casino
Saratoga Springs History Museum | 1 East Congress St., Saratoga Springs
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Is the Canfield Casino haunted? Take a tour with guides who tell their personal experiences of the paranormal in the Canfield Casino. The Canfield Casino was featured on SYFY Network’s show Ghost Hunters and on the Travel Channel’s America’s Most Terrifying Places.  Reservations not required, but tours are limited to 20 people. Adults $15, Kids $9, under 6 free. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through August.

Family Fun Fridays
Brookside Museum, 6 Charlton St., Ballston Spa 
2 – 4 p.m. | Free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. Take a playful trip back in time to the 18th century every Friday afternoon. Children, along with their parents, are invited to join reenactors Erin and Henry in playing with reproductions of centuries-old toys and games. Brookside Museum will be open on those days, 1-5 p.m. There are four new exhibits, including the innovative “Social Life of Hats” display and the exhibition on Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family. Visit brooksidemuseum.org for news and updates. 

Saturday, August 21

Fly-In Breakfast
Empire State Aerosciences Museum | 250 Rudy Chase Drive, Glenville | 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Enjoy an assortment of pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage, potatoes, juice, coffee, tea, fruit and more. The breakfast is open to the public. At 10 a.m., ESAM 2nd Vice President, Mike Collins will discuss “The Kobe Bryant Accident: Lessons Learned”.  Mike is a local professional pilot with over thirty years of experience piloting various aircraft of New York State aviation and the Army National Guard. Fly-In if you would like. Pilots: Tower Frequency 121.3; Ground 121.9. Land at Schenectady County Airport and taxi to Richmor Aviation North. Tell them you are going to ESAM.

The Saratoga Arts Celebration
National Museum of Dance | 99 S. Broadway, Saratoga Springs | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Stroll the tree lined park viewing the original art and fine crafts booths. The pristine manicured lawn is a gorgeous backdrop for this highly acclaimed event. All works displayed will be original and be handmade by the artist. The show will feature touchless payments and easy access to safely stroll the park and view the art exhibits with space in the open-air mini galleries. The show is on flat lawn. It is accessible and suitable for all ages. Rain or shine with plenty of free parking. The show continues on Sunday, same time.

Outdoor Concert Series
Hubbard Hall Great Lawn | 25 E. Main St., Cambridge | 6 p.m.
Audiences are invited to bring their own blankets and chairs and enjoy a relaxing evening listening to some great music and musicians from near and far!  Audiences may arrive any time after 5 p.m. for the concert. Maximum 100 attendees allowed on the lawn. In case of rain, concerts will be performed inside Hubbard Hall for a maximum of 45 audience members with house opening at 5:30. No reservations. First come, first sit. Masks required for those unvaccinated.  See hubbardhall.org for more information.  This evening’s featured artist is Hot Club Saratoga. 

Sunday, August 22

Pancake Breakfast and Car Show 
Saratoga County Fairgrounds | 162 Prospect St., Ballston Spa | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. |Help rebuild the grandstand! Breakfast will be served from 8-11 a.m., Car Show from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. (registration 7:30 a.m.). 50/50 raffle and basket raffles. All proceeds for the rebuild of the Grandstand. $15 Entry fee for car show participants. Cost for breakfast: $8 adult, $5 children 10 and under. 

Summer Stroll: North Broadway
NW Corner of North Broadway & Van Dam St., Saratoga Springs | 10:30 a.m. – Noon 
Executive Director of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation (SSPF), Samantha Bosshart, will lead a tour of the grand Queen Annes along this famed corridor. All Sunday morning tours last approximately 90 minutes and require walking and standing on varied terrain. Tours will be limited to thirty and tickets must be purchased in advance. The cost per tour is $15 for SSPF members and $20 for non-members. Members who have received complimentary Stroll passes will have those honored for their value of $10 and will be required to pay the difference of $5. Visit saratogapreservation.org or call 518-587-5030 to purchase tickets in advance!

Horse Farm Tour
Several Local Farms in Saratoga County
Noon – 4 p.m. | The community is invited to join CCE Equine for a drive-it-yourself tour. This tour is a wonderful opportunity to personally meet some of the farm owners and horses that make the Saratoga area so unique. It is fun and educational for the whole family. You will meet different breeds of horses and get a behind the scenes look at the horses. The horse farms included on the tour are: Cross Timbers Ranch of Middle Grove, Mill Creek Farm of Stillwater, and Stark Racing Stables of Saratoga. This event is sponsored by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund. For more information contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County at 518-885-8995.  Tour information can also be found at ccesaratoga.org/agriculture/cce-equine/horse-farm-tour. 

Monday, August 23

Completely Different Band
VFW Post 420 190 Excelsior Ave., Saratoga Springs 6 – 9 p.m.  | Food and drink specials. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call 518-584-9686.

The Camp Saratoga 5K Trail Series 
Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park, Parking Lot #1, Wilton | 6:15 p.m. Monday evenings in August.  Registration is $5 day-of or $20 for all five races. This is a low-key, all-outdoors event topped off by light refreshments and unusual raffle prizes.  Please bring your own water. Proceeds benefit the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park.  Current CDC and NYS guidelines will be followed. For more information, call Laura Clark at 518-581-1278 or email laura@saratogastryders.org or visit www.saratogastryders.org.

Tuesday, August 24

STEM Summer Aviation Camp
Empire State Aerosciences Museum, 250 Rudy Chase Drive, Glenville
8:30 a.m. – Noon | For students ages 8 -16. Size of the class will be limited to 20 students, with appropriate spacing. Several classes will be conducted outdoors which is weather dependent. The program will be fun and instructional as always, and will offer classes on a variety of aviation topics, such as: the history of aviation, the forces of flight, learning the different parts of a plane, how helicopters fly, the US Manned Space Program and more. The program will also feature guest speakers, in-depth tours of the museum, and use of flight simulators. ESAM is committed to serving as a resource for the community and a limited number of scholarships are available. Cost is $120.00 per student for the 4-day session August 24 – August 27. Please call 518-377-2191 for an application.

Summer Concert Series in the Park
Congress Park – War Memorial, 268 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
7 – 8:30 p.m. | Gather your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, find a spot on the lawn, and enjoy some of our area’s favorite performers. The rain location is the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center. This week’s featured artist is Garland Nelson. 

Wednesday, August 25

Meat Loaf Dinner 
Saratoga Wilton Elks Lodge, 1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs
4:30 – 6 p.m. | For curbside pickup only. Call Monday or Tuesday Between 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. to place an order. 518-584-2585. Menu: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, roll, gravy. Dinner for 2 is $25 cash only. 

Thursday, August 26

Concert in the Park 
Old Iron Springs Park, 198 Front St., Ballston Spa | 6 – 8 p.m.
This week’s featured artist is Ballston Spa Community Jazz Band. 

Band “18 Strings of Trouble” 
VFW Post 420, 190 Excelsior Ave., Saratoga Springs | 6 – 9 p.m.
Food and drink specials. Everyone is welcome. For more information, please call 518-584-9686. 

August 20 – August 26, 2021

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Local Briefs.

Diabetes Support Group Online
Zoom Presentation, Noon |Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County will host an informal support group via Zoom for people with diabetes or prediabetes. The program will meet the first Friday of each month. Individuals can join by contacting Diane Whitten at 518-885-8995, or dwhitten@cornell.edu. There is no fee for the support group. Topics will vary and may be based on the interest of the group.

Time to Sing – Saratoga Voices
Saratoga Voices, formerly known as the Burnt Hills Oratorio Society, invites all singers to join them for their first performance of the 2021-22 season. The opening concert is Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, to be performed on November 19, 7:30 p.m. at the newly renovated Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. To take advantage of the hall’s unique theater in the round, the performance will have an interesting twist – a semi-staged concert version of this well-known choral masterpiece. Rehearsals are held Tuesday nights, 7 p.m., at the O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills and start September 7. Singers are asked to complete a vocal placement interview beforehand and must be vaccinated. Go to the saratogavoices.org website and click on the “Participate” menu for more details and to sign up for a vocal placement interview. Further questions email info@saratogavoices.org or call 518-416-4060.

27th Annual Town of Greenfield, Town-Wide Garage & Craft Sale
There will be numerous sales located throughout the Town of Greenfield (including Greenfield Center, Porter Corners, and Middle Grove) on September 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Rain or Shine. Tons of stuff to browse and buy. Free maps of all the garage sales will be available beginning September 10 at the Stewart’s Shop in Greenfield and Middle Grove, the Post Office’s at Middle Grove, Porter Corners and Greenfield Center, the Town Hall in Greenfield, the Greenfield Center Baptist Church, and the Greenfield Lions Information/Silent Auction Tent.   

Sheep Shearing Clinic
Saratoga County 4-H is offering a Sheep Shearing Clinic this fall to youth ages 10 and older. The event will take place at the 4-H Training Center on Middleline Road in Ballston Spa on September 16 at 5 p.m. This clinic will exhibit the art of sheep shearing and preparing wool breeds for show. Participants will be provided a hands-on learning experience from professional shearer Siri Swanson. Siri Swanson is a Shepherd and Shearer of Yankee Rock Farm. Swanson has abundant of background knowledge in the sheep industry and has been shearing for the last 5 years. Siri along with shearing partner, Colin Siegmund, strive to maintain animal comfort and top-quality clipping. Space is limited and expected to fill quickly. Payment of $5/family is required at entry or prior to the clinic. The event is free of charge for 4-H members and their families. Please contact the 4-H office for additional information or to register at 518-885-8995 or email our Livestock Educator at rjl287@cornell.edu.

1st Annual Charity Golf Scramble 
The Rotary Club of Saratoga Spring 1st Annual Charity Golf Scramble, sponsored by Saratoga Financial Services and The Adirondack Trust Company, is September 17 at McGregor Links Golf Club in Saratoga. Entry fee of $100 per person ($400 per team) includes 18 holes, cart, lunch, raffle prizes, 50/50 and a chance at hole-in-one-prizes. Registration is at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. Entry forms are available through email at saratogarotarygolf@gmail.com or contact Nathan Towne at 802-734-5154. Return completed forms with payment information via email, or with checks made payable to Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs to Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs, P.O. Box 1307, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

48th annual Adirondack Balloon Festival
The 48th annual Adirondack Balloon Festival takes place Thursday to Sunday, September 23 to 26, in multiple locations. As always, the event is 100% free for the community. Festival Merchandise, one of the event’s biggest fundraisers, will be for sale at select events, with a smaller selection than in previous years. This year, the Balloon Festival cannot allow vendors, children’s activities, or the Open Door breakfast. Pilots can’t take paid passengers this year. At the airport, you can attend a drive-through moonglow to observe 40 tethered balloons on display, lit up from within. There will also be a brand-new event at East Field with a live band, 8-10 balloons, and possibly a fireworks display. The Adirondack Balloon Festival’s launches are subject to weather conditions. Contact the Adirondack Balloon Festival, a registered 501(c)3, to sponsor this free event for the community and make a tax-deductible contribution to keep the festival going. For more information, visit www.adirondackballoonfest.org or follow @adirondackballoonfest on Facebook for updates.

Summer Lunch Program for Children
This summer during the months of July and August the First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa will sponsor a Summer Lunch Program for children living in and around the village.  Nutritious lunches will be made daily and distributed in seven locations.  Volunteers are needed to assemble and distribute the lunches.  Anyone who is interested in volunteering in some way in making a financial contribution, or in obtaining an application or a menu can contact the church at 518-885-8361 or at bspabaptist202@gmail.com or bspabaptist.org.  Please help to impact the children of Ballston Spa in a positive way.

Tour Belgium and Holland with Saratoga Arts 
In April, just as spring begins, leave your daily routine behind and join Saratoga Arts in an art and history-filled visit to Belgium and Holland April 20-29, 2022. We will stay in Brussels and Amsterdam with excursions to nearby treasures and plan to taste as many gourmet chocolates as ten days permit. We will waffle or way through Belgium, learn about the history and magic of the medieval Belgian tapestries, travel to Bruges, Delft and Amsterdam for romantic waterways, revel in the beauty of the Dutch Masters and Van Gogh, and admire the colorful blooms of the seven million bulb flowers of the Keukenhof Gardens. Give yourself a chance to escape just for a while among the cultural and historical experiences of this small group tour. To receive a detailed itinerary, contact: goedventures@gmail.com.   

Food on a Stick

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Food.

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

Grilling in our backyards during the month of August is among my favorite summertime pastimes. Your BBQ, grilling, and outdoor cooking missions can eventually bring you to one of life’s simple joys: meat on a stick. One tool that can help those who are firing up in the backyard is the skewer. Creating food on a stick offers the ability to be creative and to offer various food choices for your family and guests. Serving food on a stick is not only convenient, but it’s also fun! Skewers can be made of bamboo, flexible stainless steel or stainless steel. Finding the right skewer for your grilling mission is key since skewers come in a variety of lengths and shapes, with handle embellishments and smart features. If you’re using a grill with a lid, make sure you choose a skewer length that will allow you to close the grill lid. Metal skewers now come in flat, round, spiral, or square shapes, and some also have double shafts. A square or spiral shape is especially helpful in keeping foods from sliding off the skewer or spinning around the shaft as you turn them on the grill. If you’re already working with spinning skewers (round metal or wooden), you can try using tongs to cradle the foods as you turn them and keep things grilling evenly.

Shish kabobs, usually just called kabobs, refers to meat and vegetables cut into one inch cubes and put on a skewer. “Kabobs,” translated, simply means a meat dish of Middle Eastern origins. In America, most skewered meats and vegetables have been come to be known as kabobs. Some common ingredients for a kabob is onion, bell pepper, various meats, mushrooms, and a variety of other foods. There are many specialties of various skewered meat dishes from all around the world, but in America, kabob has come to mean any of them. While kabobs are not necessarily always cooked on a grill, they usually are. This allows the meat to take on the smoky grill flavor as well as get a nice char on it. With wooden skewers, the skewer has a nice char as well. The key to grilling great kabobs is making sure they cook evenly. Make sure before you place anything on the grill, it’s at medium temperature. Then, as the kabobs cook, rotate them regularly, so they don’t burn on one side while being raw on the other.

If you’re going to make shish kebabs with both meat and veggies, you must precook the meat so that you’re just heating it. Otherwise, by the time the meat is cooked, the veggies will be charcoal. Also, make sure the foods that take longer to cook (like onions and peppers) are cut into smaller pieces than the quick-cooking foods (like pineapple and cherry tomatoes) so that nothing burns. 

Other skew suggestions: Fruit skewers. Just like above, you can put similarly sized chunks of fruit onto a skewer, chill, and serve. It’s even better if you serve a yogurt or cream cheese dip or chocolate fondue with them.

Fresh veggie skewers. Whether you cook them or not, a skewer makes veggies infinitely more appealing to children. The novelty might get veggies into little tummies where they otherwise would not go. As with the fruit, if you serve a dip with them, they might go over better. Or, forget the kids and make grilled mushrooms to add to a steak.

This summer let the aspiring little chefs’ help create unique and memorable food on a stick. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, for an assortment of skewers to help you create your food on the stick creations. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”

Take Care,
John & Paula

REARDON StrawberryCreamSwissRoll 

Building Community with Bread

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Food.

In February 2021, Leigh Rathner and his wife Cindy Rosenberg moved from Los Angeles to Saratoga Springs, where Rathner had lived earlier in life and raised his children. They had a dream: To feed people and build community. The center was bread. 

Seven months later, their dream has grown into NightWork Bread. NightWork is derived from Rathner’s previous work of logging difficult late-night hours in the film business. Now, those late hours mean care and passion. Rathner makes slow-rising, naturally fermented sourdough bread, often working late at night.

Rosenberg brings the bread to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings, where it sells fast. In seven months, Rathner has gone from making 25 loaves a week to 325. 

Their feat is remarkable. Besides learning the basics of business and the many factors that influence the making of artisan bread, they have had to figure out how to build customer support as newcomers to a place where old loyalties run deep.

The secret is bread.

“I’ve always been a community builder,” Rosenberg says. “Bread is a community builder, too.”

The connection got clear in 2020.

Rathner and Rosenberg lived in Los Angeles in a 145-unit condominium, where they knew three other people. Everyone was working or commuting. The COVID-19 pandemic brought people home, including Rathner who saw making bread as a means of calming the mind after his work dried up. As the loaves piled up, Rosenberg began distributing them. They met more people and in the once-lifeless building, a sense of community formed.

People began stopping in open-air hallways and other spaces to chat. Chats became meetups with food and drink. Neighbors began offering Rathner money to cover his bread-making costs. Then came preorders, and ultimately a product Rathner felt comfortable selling to others. 

“That’s how we lived through the pandemic,” Rathner says. “Bread was a part of it.”

He and Rosenberg yearned to move to a smaller town with a strong farm-to-table ethos. Saratoga seemed like a good fit.

Rosenberg, an acupuncturist, learned how to use Instagram from one of her clients in her last days in Los Angeles. En route to Saratoga, she posted reports via Facebook and began friending people and businesses locally, including me after a mutual friend put us in touch. 

Rathner’s past ties to Saratoga also helped. His children had attended the Waldorf School, and even after he left, his friendships with some Waldorf parents had remained strong. 

NightWork Bread is now available at three farmers’ markets, including Saratoga, and Rathner and Rosenberg hope eventually to open a store. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

FM Panza