SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) and Discover Saratoga recently announced a new collaborative partnership aimed at bolstering the restaurant and hospitality industries in the county. This strategic initiative will offer dual membership opportunities, making it easier for industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and grow.

As part of this partnership, NYSRA is offering special discounted membership rates for Discover Saratoga hospitality members who are not currently NYSRA members.

“This partnership represents a significant step toward uniting and strengthening our region’s hospitality community,” said Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of NYSRA. “As long-time supporters of the Capital Region, we recognize the incredible momentum building in Saratoga’s restaurant, hospitality, and tourism sectors. By lowering the barrier to entry, we hope to provide more businesses with access to essential tools, training, and advocacy that drive long-term success for both of our organizations.” 

“Discover Saratoga is thrilled to partner with the New York State Restaurant Association

to support the growth and success of our local hospitality community,” said Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga. “Our organizations complement each other in meaningful ways—NYSRA provides statewide advocacy, training, and cost-saving programs, while Discover Saratoga drives visitation and economic impact here in Saratoga County. By offering these discounted dual memberships, we’re making it easier for restaurants and hospitality businesses to benefit from both networks, maximize their resources, and thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — After uncharacteristically remaining open throughout September, Siro’s has decided to extend the party by staying open through October as well.

Typically, the restaurant closes near the conclusion of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet, which wrapped up on Labor Day this year. But thanks to the forthcoming Noah’s Italian Chophouse, which Siro’s has called its “sister restaurant,” Siro’s has decided to extend its stay in the Spa City. Its dining room will be open for business Thursdays through Saturdays, from 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m.

In addition to its elongated schedule, the popular restaurant located across from the track has unveiled a new autumn menu. Appetizers include chicory salad, butternut squash bisque, French onion soup dumplings, pan-seared foie gras, and roasted bone marrow. Entrees include breaded veal chop, brick chicken pimentos, beef short rib, Chilean sea bass, and truffle cavatelli.

The executive chef of Siro’s, Noah Frese, is behind Noah’s Italian, which will be located at 43 Phila Street in downtown Saratoga Springs.  

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is hosting its popular Pints for Preservation Pub Crawl on Saturday, Oct. 18.

The event starts at 3 p.m. at Druthers Brewing Company, 381 Broadway, with stops at bars throughout downtown Saratoga Springs, including Tin & Lint, Saratoga City Tavern, Henry Street Taproom, and The Parting Glass. All proceeds from the event support the Foundation’s mission to promote the preservation and enhancement of the architectural, cultural, and landscape heritage of Saratoga Springs.

Participants will enjoy drink specials throughout the day, as well as light fare at Saratoga City Tavern and The Parting Glass. Participants can take part in an Architectural Scavenger Hunt to win a “Major Award.” Raffle tickets will also be available to win several prizes from local businesses. The crawl will culminate with an after party at The Parting Glass where winners will be announced.

All participants will receive a complimentary pub crawl t-shirt and pint glass with the purchase of tickets, while supplies last. The online registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit www.saratogapreservation.org, or call (518) 587-5030.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Petal + Hive, a clean beauty store, recently celebrated its grand opening at 510 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs during a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

The business, founded by Jillian Ehrenberg, first opened in Ballston Spa in 2020 and then moved to the more spacious location on Broadway this year.

Petal + Hive bills itself as Saratoga’s destination for clean beauty and self-care. The boutique features Ehrenberg’s own Petal + Hive everyday bath and body line and Acta Beauty, her prestige anti-aging brand launched in 2023. Petal + Hive also offers a curated selection of cosmetics and wellness products from like-minded indie brands.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation recently announced that it sold the 1851 Alexander A. Patterson House at 65 Phila Street to Cecelia (CeCe) Bette.

In 2024, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation completed the rehabilitation of the historic property that had been long neglected. After years of advocating against demolition and working with the city to enforce property maintenance codes, the Foundation acquired the building in May 2021 with the assistance of Mark Haworth, a long-time member of the Foundation. The Foundation undertook a comprehensive rehabilitation, including environmental remediation, structural stabilization, and exterior restoration.

Since listing the property in 2024, the Foundation had sought a buyer who would complete the interior of the home and be a good steward for years to come. Upon returning from a job in England, Cecelia Bette knew she wanted to set down roots in Saratoga. 

“When 65 Phila became available, it was clear to me that it was not only a great property in a great location but the perfect opportunity to put my talents to work,” Bette said in a news release.  “I recognized the tremendous job the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation had done rehabilitating the property and knew I could pick up where they left off.”

As the granddaughter of Michael Bette, founder of Albany-based BBL Construction, Cecelia has been surrounded by construction and historic preservation from a young age. Now working as a licensed associate broker at First Columbia and Bette & Cring, Bette was looking to embark on her own project. “I am thrilled to work with the Foundation and do my part in preserving some of Saratoga’s history,” she said. 

More than four years after purchasing the property, the Foundation’s Executive Director Samantha Bosshart was thrilled to see the house in good hands. “There were times when I thought that 65, and its neighbor, 69 Phila Street, would be lost,” Bosshart said. “I’m so excited to have CeCe finish what took a village to do to get 65 Phila Street to this point. The Foundation is so fortunate to have so many who believed in the project. Welcome to the neighborhood, CeCe!”

BALLSTON SPA — The old Pizza Hut on Doubleday Avenue in Ballston Spa has slowly but surely been transforming into Ted’s Fish Fry’s newest location. And now, the company is looking for employees as renovations wrap up.

Interested candidates can apply online at www.tedsfishfry.com/employment or stop into any Fish Fry location for an application. According to the company’s website, benefits include: 4% 401K match, an employee meal plan, generous PTO, an employee bonus program, flexible hours, and management opportunities.

An exact opening date for the B-Spa restaurant has not been announced, and previous estimates haven’t come to fruition (in March, it was reported that the location would open in late spring or early summer).

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Local nonprofit Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature) held its fourth annual PLAN for the Future fundraising dinner on Sept. 18, drawing a sold-out crowd of supporters who raised nearly $100,000 for the organization.

Kicking off the program, Executive Director Rob Davies announced PLAN’s latest land acquisition, the “Northern Gateway,” a 20-acre property in the Town of Greenfield that will expand Graphite Range Community Forest (GRCF) to the north. Opened in late 2023, GRCF is Saratoga County’s first federally recognized community forest and has already become a recreational hub, serving as an access point to the envisioned 50-mile Sarah B. Foulke Friendship Trails Network (SBFFTN). Once completed, the SBFFTN will feature a core trail connecting the City of Saratoga Springs to the northernmost corner of Moreau Lake State Park.

The vision for Northern Gateway is to offer a second trailhead featuring more accessible walking paths with gentler grades. Saratoga County will enter into a memorandum of agreement with Saratoga PLAN for the addition and development of the Northern Gateway parcels to the Graphite Range Community Forest. Once all improvements are completed, the ownership of the land will be transferred at no cost to the County with Saratoga PLAN as the designated land manager. (Saratoga PLAN and Saratoga County routinely partner on conservation projects to permanently protect agricultural and open space lands including farmland, natural areas, wildlife habitats, preserves, and other important open spaces.)

The evening continued with Saratoga PLAN’s event honorees, who were recognized for their dedication and contributions to local conservation. This year’s honorees included:

• Conservation Hero Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, Saratoga Lake Association, and Stewart’s Shops for their contributions in the permanent protection of Snake Hill, the forested dome on the eastern side of Saratoga Lake;

• Conservation Hero Barry Ostrager, who placed 280 acres of his Stillwater horse farm, Questroyal North, under protection, connecting more than 4,500 acres of protected lands near Saratoga Battlefield;

• Conservation Heroes Jan Kropp and Chuck Rowson, who protected their 81 acres of forestland in the Town of Moreau, creating a protected wooded buffer to Moreau Lake State Park;

• Volunteers of the Year Tom Nelson and Ann Henderson, who were recognized for their commitment to caring for the lands that PLAN protects. The duo has been actively volunteering for over 14 years;

• Conservation Champion Awardee Jim Sevinsky. During Jim’s 40-year legal career with the New York Attorney General’s Office, he led the Environmental Protection Bureau in landmark cases including Love Canal cleanup, acid rain litigation in the Adirondacks, and advocacy to strengthen the Clean Air Act. A lifelong resident of the region, Jim has dedicated nine years to PLAN’s Board and continues to serve on the Emeritus Board.

Reflecting on the work ahead, Executive Director Robert Davies emphasized the ongoing challenges of land conservation in the region. “As many of you know, the work of land conservation is not easy… for every acre conserved in Saratoga County, 1.8 acres are converted and lost to development of some kind. We are losing almost twice as much as we are protecting,” he said. “We are working hard and making the changes necessary to enable PLAN to pick up the pace of land protection and trail connections for the benefit of all. But we can’t do it alone.”

Saratoga PLAN has helped conserve over 14,000 acres of land in Saratoga County.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Bocage Champagne Bar’s recently unveiled menu features 11 global sparklers; still wines from far-flung locales such as Lebanon, Albania, and Slovenia; large-format bottles; and 8 all-new cocktails.

The global sparklers are from France, Italy, the U.S., Slovenia, and Australia. “Each bottle was chosen for its quality and the story it tells about its region,” said Bocage co-owner Zac Denham in a news release. “Alongside them are six Champagnes, including two from our house producer, Champagne Drappier. One of those — Trop m’en Faut! — is particularly close to our hearts. Crafted entirely from Fromenteau (Pinot Gris), it’s a rarity in Champagne and isn’t available anywhere outside France. Drappier makes sure a little arrives here exclusively for Bocage. That wine is as rare and remarkable as Bocage itself — it’s a privilege to pour it for our guests.”

Bocage’s bottle-only list now spans more than 45 selections, including vintages dating back to 1978. “This list,” Denham said, “is about popping bottles, having fun, and discovering something unforgettable along the way.”