The Candy Co. of Saratoga at 5 Washington St. is selling a horse medallion with the 150 label on it for only 75 cents each. The candies are available in milk or dark chocolate, and are a great gift for a favor, an after-dinner treat or a hostess gift. The candy store has just started its 16th summer, and owner Dawn Oesch said she is excited to be involved with the 150 celebration.

--Jennie 

At the Hyde Collection’s upcoming 50th Anniversary Luncheon, Laura’s Vintage clothing shop will stage a fashion show called Laura’s Vintage: Inspired Nostalgia. Owner Laura Traudt will display 30 vintage outfits from the 1950s to the 1970s, celebrating the history of the art museum founded by Charlotte and Louis Hyde. 

After a lifetime of collecting women's vintage clothing, hats and jewelry, Traudt decided to open a vintage clothing business at the Glenwood Manor Antique Center in Queensbury. Nearly 10 years later, she relocated to her largest and most beautiful space yet, the shop she named Laura's Vintage at 19 Ridge Street in the heart of downtown Glens Falls. Laura's Vintage carries women's vintage garments and hats dating from the 1920s to the 1980s. A large inventory of vintage accessories--scarves, gloves, lingerie, purses and collectible costume jewelry--complement the large selection of gowns, dresses and separates at Laura's Vintage.

Traudt personally chooses each item in her collection and specializes in vintage restoration, so everything in her store is in mint condition.

Admire the outfits during the Hyde Collection’s 50th Anniversary Luncheon Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Saratoga National Golf Club, 458 Union Ave.

The menu includes a house salad, an entrée choice of herb-baked sole or vegetable mélange, and raspberry lemon mousse parfait with pound cake. The cost is $55 for Hyde Collection members and nonmembers. RSVP by Wednesday, July 31 via 792-1761, ext. 323, or www.hydecollection.org.

--Jennie

 

The Saratoga Artisans’ and Crafters’ Market can now fill up High Rock Park and sell its customers food, thanks to lifted verbal restrictions from the city.

Market founder Frenchy Loeb, who also owns Frenchy’s bead and accessory boutique at 556 Maple Ave., had petitioned the City of Saratoga Springs to give the crafters’ market the same scope as the Saratoga Farmers' Market to use the entire park up to the legal capacity. She also asked for the inclusion of licensed and regulated artisan food vendors. The Department of Public Works acknowledged and approved the expansion, effective immediately.

The market is adding new food vendors each week. Zorbas Gar-La-La offers vegan foods, spreads and beverages. Olivia Vineyards from Fort Edward is a family-owned winery that combines the owners' passion for wine with their love of horseracing.  

The Saratoga Artisans’ and Crafters' Market is located in the High Rock Avenue park, and is open on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

With more space available, the application process for the crafters’ market is again open to interested artisan food vendors who want to join the market for the remainder of this season, through August 30. Vendors may apply online at www.managemymarket.com. Register free and find the market under ZIP code 12866. Call 461-4893 for more information.

--Jennie 

Today, New York City hat designer Christine A. Moore of Christine A. Moore Millinery will attend and donate a hat for the second annual Saratoga’s Finest Fillies, a charity event benefiting Jake’s Help from Heaven, a nonprofit that helps children with debilitating illnesses. Moore will then make a special appearance at the Trunk Show at Saratoga Trunk July 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at Encounter boutique Aug. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. These are great opportunities to have her help choose a special hat for the Saratoga race meets.

Moore is visiting Saratoga Springs to continue her mission of providing elegant fashion for racing. She arrived fresh from the Del Mar races, and from her appearance on “The Today Show” at the Kentucky Derby and her Triple Crown appearances.

NBC calls her “The Milliner to the Triple Crown,” and Breeders’ Cup calls her its “Official Milliner" for 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships. Moore’s hats are available at both Saratoga Trunk and Encounter year ’round. Both stores carry different and unique Moore hats that fit their individual store personalities. Christine A. Moore Millinery is focused on creating wearable hat styles that push the quality of design, craftsmanship and elegance to a new level.  Moore loves Saratoga and is excited to partner with both stores to provide elegant fashion for Saratoga racing. The nation’s eyes are focused on Saratoga for racing and on Christine A. Moore Millinery for fashion.

--Jennie

I

f you’re looking for a casual, fun midweek evening out with a purpose, join I am I can at Strata restaurant for dinner Tuesday, Aug. 13. Strata, formerly known as 51 Front, is at 51 Front St. in Ballston Spa.

The restaurant is donating 15 percent of the evening’s proceeds to I am I can, a program that selectively partners mentors and high school girls who enrich each other’s lives. Proceeds will support I am I can in expanding its programs and outreach.

One of the students said, “I have often heard that knowledge is power. Until recently, I did not know what that meant. Now I understand that knowledge gives you the power to lend a hand to those in need, not only financially, but through support and guidance. I have a mentor who has helped me tremendously with achieving my aspirations and preparing me for the future. I plan to one day follow in the footsteps of my mentor and help other young women. It is my belief that success is of no importance unless you use it for the benefit of others.” 

Learn more about I am I can at www.iamicanachieve.org or by contacting founder Avon Scherff at 688-3010, ext. 102. View Strata’s menu and history at www.facebook.com/51FrontWineBarandBistro.

--Jennie

 

Myriad Productions has donated videos about track history to two Saratoga Springs museums. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and the Saratoga History Museum are both playing a 6.5-minute overview covering the past 150 years of the Saratoga flat track. In addition, the Racing Museum will also feature several "memoirs" from notable horse people. Tom Durkin, Allen Jerkens, and Richie Migliore are among those recalling racing moments and anecdotes from their personal experiences at Spa City. 

“The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is very grateful to Ralph Pascucci and Myriad Productions for letting the museum showcase these outstanding videos of Saratoga’s racing history and recollections from many notable racing figures,” said Brien Bouyea, the museum’s communications officer. “These videos will greatly enhance the visitor experience at the museum.”

Produced by five-time Emmy winner Ralph Pascucci, the videos are a part of a lager project, Saratoga Memoirs,  a Web site dedicated to providing a video resource for Saratoga's rich history. Still in development, the site will be a compilation of reminiscences about living in Saratoga, as well as of other video materials relating to its history. The videos can also be seen at saratogamemoirs.com. 





--Jennie

 

Saratoga Downtown Business Association President Jeff Clark announced that several local restaurants have been given “Wine Spectator” magazine’s Award of Excellence. The award is presented to establishments that offer a well-chosen selection of quality wine producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both quality and style.

“We are proud to have these award-winning restaurants as part of our Downtown Business Association and our local community,” Clark said.

Winners include: Chianti Il Ristorante (580-0025), Longfellow’s (587-0108), The Olde Bryan Inn (587-2990), Prime at Saratoga National (583-4653), Sperry’s (584-9618), Wheatfields (587-0534) and The Wine Bar (584-8777). 

--Jennie

  

 

 

 

 Glenn and MaryAnn Guerriero, owners of Brooklyn Attitude Hair and Body salon at 135 Ballston Ave., like to say they’ve put Saratoga Springs on the map for “health, history, horses and hair!”, and they’ve had 10 years here to perfect their art.

The Guerrieros offer haircuts, coloring, straightening, permanents, fashion updos, makeup consultations, bridal-party services and hair extensions. The salon uses CHI 100 percent ammonia-free hair color; 100 percent ammonia-free perms; and KeraStraight, a formaldehyde-/aldehyde-free semipermanent straightening, smoothing and hair-repair system.

Using their creativity, personality and commitment to education and innovation, they’ve put their salon on the map and built a loyal clientele. Brooklyn Attitude has won such awards as Best Hair Salon in Saratoga, one of the Best Beauty Salons in the U.S.A., and one of the Top Hot 100 Salons in America in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

“We are dedicated to our clients, our community and our profession,” said Glenn Guerriero.

Among other community projects, the salon has sponsored fund raisers for Hurricane Katrina victims; the Women's Shelters of Saratoga; and the Lend a Hand Program, which assists students with limited financial resources within the Saratoga school district.

Looking ahead into the next 10 years, the owners are considering opening a cosmetology school and starting a Brooklyn Attitude product line.

“We want to educate our clients about good healthy hair and give them long-lasting haircuts,” Glenn Guerriero said. “We want everyone to look better going out than they did coming in.”

--Jennie

 

The only business in this particular entry is the Malta Diner, although the story isn’t really about the diner, which was only the beginning. It’s a wonderful diner, though.

The Malta Diner stands on a corner curve of the fourth roundabout heading east from exit 12. It’s a family-owned restaurant, in business for more than 19 years, with a varied menu and a great staff. July 13 at 3 p.m., my son Jesse, 16, and I had a breakfasty sort of meal there. The loaded French fries about conquered us before our eggs even arrived. Delicious.

Notwithstanding how full we were, after this late brunch, we set out to find the Zim Smith trail entrance nearest the diner. In our innocence, we (Jesse) turned right instead of left, and passed several winding lanes on our right, which might or might not have been trailheads. They might have been deer paths. They might have been fire roads. Assuredly we didn’t know.

The one we selected turned out to actually be a driveway, with long lines of cars parked bumper to bumper on the side (it proved to be summer festivities, not a popular trail). When we peered down the curves to see a house and balloons, thereby discovering the actual driveway nature of our randomly selected road, we determined to back out before we became trapped where we stood. So Jesse pressed gently on the accelerator, and…with a small THUNK! we connected with the car right behind us.

Jesse is a very good driver, if new at it. The backing-into problem was really my fault, because I was porting a large and view-blocking chair in the back of my Hyundai Elantra at the time. Jesse peered out over the chair, and I popped out of the car to see how much damage we had wrought.

He and I saw the Mustang logo on the shiny car behind us at the same time. He whispered something inaudible and horrified, and I just stared at the little silver horse.

 

Now imagine, if you will, what the average owner of a silver Mustang might do and say if a 16-year-old boy (in a Hyundai Elantra with his mother and her chair) backed into his car. Jesse and I were cringing inwardly, imagining this extremely unpleasant confrontation lunging our way. Fix the upcoming horrific scene well in your head. Hear the shouts?

And…then a gentleman stepped out of the gleaming Mustang and addressed himself to us in a polite English voice: “Hard to see backing up, was it?” He bent to examine the bumper of his car. I trembled to note there were indeed scratches and scrapes.

“Oh, well, those were there before,” he said calmly. He wiggled the bumper up and down, and we noted rigidly that it did indeed wiggle. “It’s all right,” he determined. “No harm done.”

And that was it. !! No screaming no accusations no calling the police no demands for insurance cards no dread consequences whatsoever.

I thanked the Englishman profusely, explaining about the Zim Smith Trail in a more or less coherent fashion. He pointed us back to the intersection and said to park at the petrol station before crossing the street.

After getting the two cars now parked behind the Mustang to back up so we could turn around and get out, and locating the petrol station (which turned out to be a Stewart’s), Jesse and I found ourselves at last on the Zim Smith trail, where we had an hour’s conversation on the politeness of British people in general and the unexpected kindness of strangers in particular.

 

So…pass it forward. If the scratches—actual or metaphoric--were already there, and no harm’s done, travel on. Be kind to strangers, teach your children well, walk on new paths. Keep your vision clear.

And hey, eat at the Malta Diner, where our waitress was nice enough not to smile at two mere mortals taking on the immense platter of loaded fries.

--Jennie

 

Beat the heat, starting at 4 p.m. today with free samples of juices and smoothies at 382 Broadway, where the Saratoga Juice Bar is opening. The juice bar will offer a variety of cold pressed juices, smoothies, healthy sandwiches and fresh salads daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information and updates, visit www.facebook.com/saratogajuicebar.  

--Jennie