SARATOGA SPRINGS — Standard Fare will host acclaimed chef and restaurateur Ruby Felix-Curtis of Jersey City’s Next Door Provisions for a one-night-only Filipino menu takeover on Monday, Feb. 23.

For this special event, Felix-Curtis will prepare and present a curated prix-fixe menu designed to immerse guests in Filipino culture, tradition, and storytelling through food. 

“Ruby and I worked together for several years, and I’ve always been in awe of her creativity, her passion, and the heart she brings to her cooking,” said Zac Denham, owner/operator of Standard Fare. “Clark (Clark Gale, co-owner) and I have been eager to bring more authentic, globally-inspired cuisine to Saratoga, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to highlight a culinary gap in our community while sharing something truly special. Ruby has an incredible ability to tell stories through food while staying deeply rooted in her culture and values, and we’re honored to welcome her into our kitchen.” 

The event will feature one seating only at 7 p.m.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Elody Restaurant, owned by Patricia Weaver, officially opened at 54 Phila Street in downtown Saratoga Springs on Jan. 2.

Elody is the relocation and rebranding of the former 13 North Restaurant in Malta, which was renamed in honor of Weaver’s granddaughter Elody.

“The new location gives me the opportunity to expand my restaurant business into the city of Saratoga Springs, which has always been a dream of mine,” Weaver said. “It also allows me to keep my original passion for baking alive and growing, with the addition of a second bar that I transformed into a fun dessert bar featuring all of my homemade desserts and creations.”

A complete renovation of the restaurant was made possible through the support of Weaver’s family, including her husband Larry Weaver, her daughter and son-in-law Trish and Shane Myers, their daughter Elody, and Myers Construction, owned by her son-in-law, which completed the space’s transformation.

Weaver also credited Amy Sutton, Associate Real Estate Broker at Roohan Realty, with providing guidance throughout the commercial leasing process.

Elody is now open Tuesday-Saturday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Empire State University, announced on Monday the return of its Saratoga County Institute of Management program.

Designed for emerging or new managers, the program is organized into two six-week tracks that are designed to rapidly enhance skillsets and complement each other.

Track One focuses on foundational skills, including self-awareness, communication, conflict resolution, and leadership strategies to help participants transition from individual contributors to effective team leaders.

Track Two centers on advanced managerial competencies—such as talent recruitment and retention, performance management, strategic planning, leading change, and financial acumen—to expand participants’ strategic impact and organizational leadership.

Participants have the option to enroll in one or both tracks, as Track One is not a prerequisite for Track Two.

The SCIM program was initiated as a pilot before the COVID-19 pandemic, then relaunched in 2025.

Enrollment is now open. Scholarships are available to support small businesses and impact sector organizations. Each class size is limited to ensure a personalized experience.

For more information or to register, visit www.saratoga.org/scim.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Although January tends to be a slower month for Spa City businesses, much has been happening behind the scenes to launch, bolster, and revise existing eateries. 

First, there is the somewhat mysterious Hi-Note Bar in the works at 63 Putnam Street, the former home of the Adirondack Cigar Shoppe. Publicly available details, including an opening date, are scant thus far, but the interior has a funky 70s-style vibe that is hard to miss when strolling down Putnam.

Next is news that Saratoga Arms’ restaurant has been officially named Three Daughters Kitchen & Cocktails, and it is now open for reservations to non-hotel guests. The restaurant is named for founder Kathleen Smith’s three daughters, each of whom has played a role in the family business over the years. “We always had family businesses, and the girls have always been involved in them,” Smith said in a social media announcement. “At six years old, they were behind breakfast buffets passing out melons. At twelve years old, Amy was making schedules. It’s a tribute to them.”

Standard Fare launched into the new year with a new menu and a new executive chef. The elevated comfort food eatery added Joseph Michaud as its culinary leader. “With years of experience in some of the area’s best kitchens—most recently at The Wishing Well—and as a member of the original Standard Fare opening team, Chef Joseph is the perfect fit for where we’re headed next,” the restaurant said in its announcement. “His creativity, passion, and deep connection to our roots have inspired a bold new menu. Think Standard Fare, just with the volume turned way up.” Standard Fare is also now serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Fillis on Phila launched a new menu on Tuesday that includes everything from wings to deviled eggs to crab rangoon mozzarella sticks—not to mention a dozen varieties of wood stone pizzas. Fillies also revised its hours, with the new schedule also going into effect on Tuesday.

Then, of course, there’s Bear’s Cup Bakehouse, the super-popular, recently-opened bakery on Broadway that’s had lines out the door on many mornings. The Saratoga location, housed in the former home of Jacobsen Rugs, is now open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. The artisanal bakery and coffee shop—known for its New York-style bagels, fresh-baked bread, and pastries—was initially based out of Bolton Landing, a hamlet that borders Lake George and is across from the Sagamore Resort. After the successful launch of its Spa City location, Bear’s Cup is now apparently interested in adding a third outpost in Wilton.

Last but not least is Bibulous’ new menu, which was revealed a few weeks ago. The restaurant—which focuses on deserts, cocktails, and appetizers—now offers dips, macaroni and cheese, three types of mini hot dogs, bourbon bread pudding, lemon olive oil cake, and more. “With the New Year coming, we are taking your requests into consideration and one of the main asks was for a few more ‘small plate’ options,” the restaurant said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Physical Therapy Associates (SPTA), which has locations in both Saratoga Springs and Malta, recently announced the addition of new staffers.  

Daniel Mackey, DPT, in Saratoga Springs, and Randy Baisy, DPT, in Malta, both of whom hold doctorates in physical therapy from The Sage Colleges, have joined the practice as junior partners and will assume the roles of clinical managers in their respective locations.  

Matthew Raco, PTA, a clinician with SPTA for 20 years, has also become a junior partner and assumed the position of practice manager, and will continue to deliver patient care. 

“Mackey, Baisy, and Raco are determined to help patients overcome challenges and improve their quality of life,” said Michael Cudahy, a founder of SPTA.  

Cudahy and his fellow senior partner Matthew O’Neil will continue to see patients, as well as focus on the growth, outreach, and operations of SPTA.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — 444 acres of wooded forestland within the Southern Palmertown Range in the towns of Wilton and Greenfield have been permanently protected, Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature) recently announced.

Landowners Joanne and Thomas Klepetar, working in partnership with Saratoga PLAN, ensured that the forested property was protected from development.

“Being temporary stewards of this land has given us, along with our four children, the ability to roam it for the past four decades since acquiring the first parcel in 1988,” the Klepetars said. “Our future hope is to work with PLAN to help develop trails for public access.”

Forested parcels of this size are increasingly rare in Saratoga County, the second-fastest growing county in New York State.

“Growth is an important and inevitable part of Saratoga County’s future, but how and where that growth happens matters,” said Robert Davies, executive director of Saratoga PLAN. “When we work together as a community and plan strategically, protecting places like this helps guide smart growth, build more resilient communities, and maintain the character of the region. After all, we don’t want to lose the very reason people want to live, work, and play here.”

The recently conserved property is part of a larger initiative to protect remaining forestland in the Southern Palmertown Range area, a prioritized conservation area spanning 40,500 acres within the Southern Adirondack Foothills. The area provides a critical corridor for wildlife movement and the ability to adapt to changing climate conditions, said Saratoga PLAN.

The newly-protected, 444-acre property has the potential to play a connecting role in the future expansion of the Sarah B. Foulke Friendship Trails, an envisioned network of more than 50 miles of trails with a core trail running from Saratoga Spa State Park to Moreau Lake State Park.

ALBANY — Albany International Airport (ALB) announced last Friday that United Airlines will launch new, year-round nonstop service between Albany and Denver International Airport (DEN), beginning April 30, 2026. The new route will operate daily on a Boeing 737-800.

Denver is one of the nation’s key airline hubs, serving as a gateway to the Mountain West and West Coast.

The new service aligns with ALB’s ongoing Concourse A Revitalization Project, a $13.36 million investment to modernize the gates and passenger areas, which are primarily used by United Airlines.

United currently offers nonstop service from Albany to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Washington Dulles (IAD). The addition of Denver further expands United’s network at ALB.

The announcement follows a record-setting year for Albany International Airport. In 2025, just shy of 3.2 million travelers passed through the terminal, marking the busiest year in the airport’s history.

Tickets for United’s Albany–Denver service are available for purchase through united.com and the United mobile app.