Nowadays you can find Dave Powers sipping white wine on the back porch of The Olde Bryan Inn, a place he bought on a whim back in 1979. But behind the mystique is a story of an old life across the Atlantic Ocean, all revealed in his new book, “The Intrepid Spy.” 

Powers was a pilot for Pan American World Airways in West Berlin from 1985 through 1991. During his time in Berlin, Powers befriended an old-world aristocrat, Albrecht Graf von Hardenberg. Powers knew him as a Mercades-Benz salesman. 

But before Powers lived in Berlin, before he met Albrecht, and before Powers received a 2,000-page dossier on his friend by the East German secret police, Powers was 22 years old with a mountain in college loan debt. 

Like every other American male at the time, Powers received a draft notice in the mail after graduating from college. He fulfilled his military requirement by serving in the Air Force for five and a half years and was deployed in Vietnam during his tenure. 

Following his military service, Powers started his first stint flying with Pan American out of New York City. After six years in his new career, he was furloughed.

 Aimless, he decided to move back home to Delmar.

“I just didn’t know what to do with myself. I was not doing very well financially,” Powers said.

Right about that time he was driving around Saratoga when he came across an old building for sale by the Veitch family.

“I just love the civil war and presidency war era, and I saw that old building and a sign out front said for sale. So, I said geez, I’m going to stop in there, it looks like a beautiful old building.”

Upon entering Powers saw the drop-down celling and plaster and lath walls and quickly decided he was not interested; he didn’t have the money for it anyway. 

But like a lot of things in Power’s life, opportunities arose over a cold beer and a conversation.

Veitch and Powers bonded over familiar family friends and American history that evening. After a while, Veitch convinced Powers to take a look at the attic.

“It was the most incredible moment of my life. When I got my head up, I saw the original walls, I could see the beams, the mortis and tenons. And I remember shouting down,

‘You know you’ve got some fireplaces.’”

‘No, I don’t,’ replied Veitch.

‘You got three fireplaces. I can see the chimneys up here.’

I was interested right away,” recalled Powers.

Naturally Powers dialed up his friend from Broad-Albin and convinced him to partner with him in buying the historic building with the vision of opening The Olde Bryan Inn. 

So, Powers embarked on tearing down the interior to reveal the original wooden structure, which dates back to the 18th century. 

There was just one problem: Dave Powers knew nothing about running a restaurant.

“About four months into this I was messing it up so bad, and this little fanny rooster comes up to me one day, Steve Sullivan, hand on his hip and says: 

‘Mr. Powers, you don’t know what you’re doing, do you?’

And I said, ‘No I don’t.’ 

After about two days of him lecturing me, I said, ‘ why don’t you take over as manager?’”

At this point Powers was recalled back to Pan American and was appointed to work in Berlin. So, Powers proposed a deal with Sullivan; he would run the Olde Bryan Inn while Powers flew in Berlin. In exchange, Sullivan would obtain ownership in the business. Sullivan agreed, and Powers went over to Berlin.

Albrecht grew up in what was then East Germany, on his family’s multiple estates. The onset of Hitler’s rise to power saw the German government seize land and money from the aristocratic class.

However, the Nazi government could not capture land owned in foreign countries. Therefore, Albrecht’s father bought 8,000 acers in Denmark, far away from the imminent Nazi regime. 

During Powers’ time in West Berlin, Albrecht obtained a visa to East Berlin to write a travel book for West Berliners who hoped to one day be able to return to the East. 

This got the attention of the East German government. Stasi spy, Colonel Klaus Braun, was appointed to investigate Albrecht’s agenda. 

“Going back to the question I knew everybody was going to ask, Was he really a spy? I don’t know,” professed Powers. “But there’s certain things that led me to believe he was. For example, the day the wall came down, he disappeared for about two weeks. And his wife didn’t tell me where he was. Why? I mean I was his best friend in Germany.”

Albrecht passed away in 2010. 

When Powers returned to Berlin for his funeral, he was met with a different landscape. The wall that had separated a generation had disintegrated, and with it the network of international operatives and black-market profiteers it created.

Friends old and new were waiting to ambush Powers upon his decent into Berlin to mourn his late friend.

All in search of answers.

Who was Albrecht Graf von Hardenberg? Why was Albrecht writing a travel book to communist East Berlin? And to whom had the deed to the 8,000 acers in Denmark gone?

Pick up a copy of “The Intrepid Spy” at the Olde Bryan Inn at 123 Maple Ave to find out. 

All proceeds from the book will go towards the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, which provides mortgage-free homes, specially adapted smart homes, and comprehensive housing services to wounded veterans, Gold Star families, fallen first responders, and homeless veterans. 

The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery are preparing for their next year-long exhibition, “A Feeling of With,” featuring three interconnected explorations of how people understand themselves in relation to one another and the world.

On view August 8, through July 18, 2027, “A Feeling of With” is organized by Rachel Seligman, Assistant Director for Curatorial Affairs and Malloy Curator, in collaboration with six Skidmore College faculty members from English, dance, art history, environmental studies and sciences, mathematics, and religious studies. Across three galleries, relation becomes both the exhibition’s subject and the structure through which artworks, disciplines, and ways of knowing encounter one another.

“Works of art are always in relation—to other objects, to the people who make and encounter them, and to the histories and ideas we bring into the gallery,” Seligman said. “Developing this project with faculty across six disciplines activates the Tang collection as a space for interdisciplinary inquiry and creates new ways for students and visitors to encounter the artworks and the ideas they carry.” 

“A Feeling of With” is the second in a series of three year-long Tang collection exhibitions developed to support interdisciplinary teaching and learning for Skidmore courses and wider public audiences. The initiative began with “All These Growing Things,” an exploration of becoming and belonging.

Drawing from a collection of more than 18,000 objects, “A Feeling of With” includes works recently acquired by the Tang as well as objects never before exhibited at the museum. 

A public opening reception will be held on Saturday, October 17, with additional details to be announced.

The Tang’s galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, from noon to 5 pm, with extended hours until 9 pm Thursday. Admission is free. For more information, visit tang.skidmore.edu or call the Tang Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080.

Saratoga Springs— Richard Cobello, author of the cybercrime thriller set in our own backyard, “The Shady Side of Saratoga” on Saturday, August 1st, from 9 a.m. until noon at Impressions of Saratoga. Rick Cobello is a former Chief Information Security Officer, enterprise IT executive, and cybersecurity advisor with more than four decades of experience securing large-scale systems for Fortune 5 companies, government agencies, healthcare organizations, and law enforcement. He also has significant experience working in the back stretch at the Saratoga Race Course and is a former Saratoga TODAY magazine contributor.

The Shady Side of Saratoga is the first of 5 in the Catherin King Enigmatic Quest. The tale grows directly from Richard Cobello’s lifelong immersion in cybersecurity, history, and the world of horses. Its “polite” system failures, institutional blind spots, and crimes concealed behind flawless compliance reflect a hard-earned truth from his career: the most dangerous breaches rarely announce themselves. They hide inside trusted processes, respectable organizations, and records that appear perfectly correct. Cobello uses his firsthand experience inside complex institutions to write fiction about crime hidden in plain sight.

This August, Spa Fine Art presents “Where Legends Run,” a captivating exhibition of new paintings by acclaimed artist Lisa Palombo, celebrating the enduring beauty, tradition, and excitement of Saratoga Race Course.

Guests are invited to meet Palombo and view her collection during the Opening Reception on Thursday, August 6, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will have a special jockey appearance.

Timed to coincide with Saratoga’s most celebrated season, the exhibition showcases Palombo’s vibrant interpretations of one of America’s most historic sporting venues. Through expressive brushwork, luminous color, and a keen sense of atmosphere, Palombo captures the energy of race day—from thundering thoroughbreds charging around the track to iconic architectural landmarks that have welcomed generations of racing enthusiasts.

Featured works depict the races at Saratoga Race Track where legendary equine athletes have been running for generations. Rather than simply documenting these races, Palombo brings them to life with a painterly style that evokes memory, movement, and emotion, inviting viewers to experience the excitement and tradition that have made Saratoga Springs a legendary destination.

“Lisa Palombo’s paintings beautifully capture the character of Saratoga Race Course,” said Alyson Stryker, Executive Director of Spa Fine Art. “Her work reflects not only the excitement of the races but also the deep sense of history and community that has made Saratoga a treasured summer tradition for more than 160 years.”

Whether a lifelong racing enthusiast, collector, or admirer of Saratoga’s unique charm, visitors will find themselves immersed in a visual celebration of the place where champions are crowned and legends are made.

The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College’s Upbeat on the Roof concert series continues Thursday, July 30, with Carolyn Shapiro.

Music begins at 6 pm on the Tang lawn, with free family-friendly art-making kits starting at 5:30 p.m. Visitors are welcome to bring blankets, chairs, food, and drink, and the Tang galleries will be open before and after the concert.

Carolyn Shapiro is an old-time banjo player and songwriter from the Southern Adirondacks blending a soulful, contemporary edge with deep-rooted traditional style. As a performer, Carolyn uses her music as a tool for connection, education, and inspiration. She brings a joyous vulnerability to the stage, leaving audiences feeling genuinely restored. 

Though originally on the path to law school, Carolyn’s trajectory changed the moment she picked up a banjo at Skidmore College. She found her voice while working at Caffè Lena, honing her craft at their weekly open mics before emerging as a standout in the folk scene. Since then, she has released two EPs and was named Folk Artist of the Year for the New York Capital Region in both 2022 and 2026. Her highly anticipated first full-length studio album is set for release this fall.

Over 300 people attended Schuylerville Garden Club’s annual Flower show titled “America the Beautiful” held in the Saratoga Town Hall on July 11 and 12.  The patriotic theme was colorful, the crowd was enthusiastic and full of friends old and new. 

Design prize winners include Carol English, who received the Award for her “Midwest” design featuring sunflowers. Kathy Perkins won both the Petite Award and the Award of Design Excellence for her entry in the “Jazz” class, part of the “Sounds of America” section; her five-inch floral design included a tiny saxophone. Diane Swartwout and her granddaughter, Paige Phillips, entered the companion class for two exhibitors working together on one parallel design. Their class, “Iconic Cities,” earned them the Mary Seymour Award, a special honor given this year in memory of a longtime active club member who passed away last year.

An Educational Exhibit Award was won by Micki Green and Mary Roberts for their exhibit of “American Oaks: Our Ecosystem’s Keystone Trees” in which they presented the role of the oak trees in the web of life.  A second educational display by Norma Moy and Leona Brownell showcased the “History of the Schuylerville Garden Club” which has existed for 88 years.  

In the Horticulture classes, Eileen Kay-Rymph won the Award of Horticulture Excellence and a Grower’s Choice Award for her combination planter. Eileen also won the Club Challenge Award for her red, white and blue combination planter.  Liz Gee won the Arboreal Award for her branch of rubus odoratus also known as flowering raspberry, a deciduous native shrub valued for its ornamental and ecological benefits.  Awards of Horticulture Merit went to Evelyn Rybaltowski for an annual strawflower, to Mary Lou Baker for the herb, catmint, and to Leona Brownell for a perennial daylily called ‘Ed Murray.’ Other Grower’s Choice Awards were won by Evelyn Rybaltowski for a Chinese evergreen foliage plant and to Regina Hairie for an orchid flowering plant.   

“Young Pioneers” was a youth display created by local area youth led by Schuylerville Garden Club members in collaboration with Schuylerville Public Library in a workshop in which the children created Botanical Arts designs using dried materials. It was enjoyed by the kids and adults alike!  

The photo exhibit had 49 entries which the public voted for. Terry DeCorah from Gansevoort was voted first in the landscape scene taken at Dancing Grain Sunflower Field in Gansevoort and second in the close-up of a single flower. John Presto from Clifton Park took first place with a water scene at Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga. Sam Lucarelli from Rochester won first place in the flower close-up.  Cathy Sgambati of Mechanicville placed second in the water scene taken in her back yard and third in the close-up of a flower. Timothy La Goe from Schuylerville won second in the landscape scene taken in the Town of Saratoga.  Evelyn Rybaltowski from Greenwich was third with her landscape in Weston, VT and Patti Booth of Victory Mills placed third with her water scene at Myrtle Beach, SC. 

To view the pictures from the entire show, go to https://schuylervillegardenclub.com.