upstatecreative

Freelance Lifestyle Writers Wanted

September 24, 2020 By upstatecreative

ACE is looking for Freelance Lifestyle Writers for a new project launching in 2021.

As a Freelance Lifestyle Writer you will:

Stay on top of and report on Capital Region trends and topics of interest to a diverse mix of millennials and Gen Zs, using existing templates and maximizing content for web, video and social media.
Propose your own story ideas and angles based on your insight and knowledge, as well as receive assignments from editors and managers.
Understand what does/doesn’t work for a story on our site, and demonstrate flexibility and willingness to re-focus ideas.
Dive into research, making use of internal and external links, to show your stories are based on more than just one person’s opinion.
Take a data-driven approach to writing, to gain insights on article performance.
Ability to work in an independent environment.
Consistently deliver high-quality, self-edited, and professional articles.
Work in a fast-paced, ever-changing, and demanding remote environment.

What you will need to be successful in this role:

Experience and background in — and passion for! – writing and reporting on a variety of topics including: Culture, News Trends, Travel, Food, and other Lifestyle topics, as well as a distinctive voice that resonates with our target audience.
A strong grasp of proper grammar and punctuation (e.g., Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style). Knowledge of AP Style is a plus.
The skill to recognize interesting news elements, come up with story ideas, and have these appeal to our audience.
A willingness to learn quickly and adapt to the varying and ever-changing demands of the job.
A working knowledge of search-engine optimization and previous experience using WordPress is strongly preferred.

If this opportunity interests you and you fit the job description, please send resume, articles, and published writing samples to capregionny@gmail.com.

CapNY Essentials: Directory Suggestion Form

June 11, 2020 By upstatecreative

Have a business to suggest for one of our CapNY Essentials directories? Fill out this form and we will review for inclusion. Thank you for your suggestion.

CapNY Essentials: A Guide to Black-Owned Businesses and Black-Led Organizations

June 11, 2020 By upstatecreative Leave a Comment

Support 200+ Capital Region Black-owned business and black-led organizations by shopping, hiring, posting, contributing funds, volunteering, and learning more about what they do. Click on the map, below, and you’ll find restaurants, moving companies, marketing and creative firms, artists, transportation services, and much more. This list is far from complete, and you can help develop it! Use this form to add businesses.

Shout out to Shanekia McIntosh of ItheAbstract, Ashleigh Kinsey of AKDesign, and Ada Harper of 5!8BLK for their help creating this list.

PRINTABLE LISTS

Updated on January 2, 2021

DOWNLOADABLE MAP

NOTES: Click on the square in the upper right to open a larger version of the map.

When you’re in the larger map, you can see a list of all of the businesses by clicking on the text that says “…X more” (to the left of the map graphic). Business names will appear, and you can click to get its information and location.

Header Photo: Mission Accomplished Transition Services

Cap Region Road Trip: Rural Schenectady County

May 19, 2020 By upstatecreative

This drive through rural Schenectady County is a great way to explore Capital Region’s natural beauty and pick up some craft beverages along the way. We are finally seeing some sunshine and warmer temps, which makes it a lot easier to get that vital dose of Vitamin D. While visiting any of our amazing outdoor spaces, please take all of the safety measures recommended by NYS Parks Department.

How To Get There: There are several routes that will take you into rural Schenectady County from US-90 and US-88 to State Routes 20, 7 and 74. We recommend downloading a map before you go as there are some areas without cell coverage. Virtually visit our recommendation with our Google Earth map if you are unable to get out (View that here)..

What To See:

Christman Bird & Wildlife Sanctuary, 3281 Schoharie Turnpike, Delanson, NY 12053. Home to the spectacular Bozenkill waterfall and plantations of locust, cedar, spruce and pine. Explore the two looped main trails and two side trials. Located on the property is a two-story dwelling built in 1868, a stone dairy house, large stone walls, and more.

Schenectady County Forest Preserve, Lake Rd. (County Route 88), Delanson, NY 12053. The Preserve has three trail paths. The pates feature a number of habitats including a native hardwood forest, a red pine plantation and a man-made pond.

Mabee Farm Historic Site, 1100 Main St, Rotterdam Junction, NY 12150. The oldest farm in the Mohawk Valley (1705), Mabee Farm Historic Site offers visitors beautiful vistas and riverside beauty. The buildings are currently closed, but the trails and grounds are still open to visitors.

Great Flats Nature Trail. W. Campbell Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306. The Great Flats Nature Trail is a wetland habitat that offers an easy well-defined path through a wooded area. The path leads to wetlands and a small lake, where you can walk on a boardwalk around the lake. The trail is a circular route that has both a long and short option.

Where to Eat and Drink

Back Barn Brewing, 7082 Western Turnpike, Delanson, NY 12053. Growlers, pints and cans are available for pick-up Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. Check out what’s currently on-tap on their website at the link.

Altamont Vineyard & Winery, 3001 Furbeck Rd, Altamont, NY 12009. While their wine alone is worth a stop, don’t sleep on their full array of good for sale online. From yummy grape jelly to small-batch honey to home decor & more, there is so much great stuff to score. Order ahead of time and they will provide curbside delivery. Don’t miss out on the view of the vineyards as you head up the driveway.

Wagon Train BBQ, 671 Mariaville Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306. Worked up an appetite from exploring all the natural beauty in Schenectady County? Wagon Train BBQ is ready to tackle any sized hunger. We dare you to try and conquer the Train-Wreck Burger (A burger topped with Swiss cheese, ham, roast beef, coleslaw, horseradish mayo and chipotle ranch) or one of their Wagon Train Combos. Check their IG for daily specials including family meals.

Wolf Hollow Brewing Company, 6882 Amsterdam Rd, Schenectady, NY 12302. Don’t miss out on the great brews on tap at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company. Call ahead or order online for growlers and cans. I recommend the Lock 9am Vanilla Coffee Porter. And don’t forget to check the website to see what food truck is on-site serving up delicious eats on the weekends. Click here for pre-order information. I mean because you’ll need to wash something down with all that great beer.

A Chat With SPAC’s Elizabeth Sobol

May 7, 2020 By upstatecreative

SPAC President and CEO Elizabeth Sobol in quarantine

Elizabeth Sobol is the President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. She is also a voracious reader, champion of the cultural arts and lover of the natural world. She recently posted an eloquent letter about life during a pandemic and the impact of Beethoven’s music on our world in the year of his 250th birthday. You can read that here.

We just knew she’d have some great insight and advice for us during New York’s Shelter In Place orders. Please enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth Sobol.

ACE’s Rachel Dunn interviews SPAC’s Elizabeth Sobol

Elizabeth Sobol’s Favorites:

Saratoga PLAN – Saratoga PLAN is dedicated to preserving the rural character, natural habitats and scenic beauty of Saratoga County and provides information on County parks and trails. Includes information on Hennig Preserve.
SPAC “Sparked By Beauty” Facebook Page – Saratoga Performing Arts Center has created an online forum for the sharing of poetry, art, music, dance – things of beauty that bring you joy and light under the dark clouds of uncertainty.
Elizabeth’s Reading List:
- Brian Greene’s Until The End of Time – “It’s a huge book in scope – and he is really looking at both the history of the cosmos – as well as the history of human thought and experience. Kind of like “from the Big Bang to Beethoven”. It sounds daunting, but it is so precisely and beautifully written that it is very gripping. “
- Erik Larson’s The Splendid and The Vile – “[This] is basically a history of Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister – and also the first year of WWII and the Blitz. It’s a timely and powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit – and the importance of honest, powerful oratory – in leading people through times of crisis.”
- Irina Ratushinskaya’s Grey Is The Color of Hope – “A memoir about her many years in the gulags of Russia and how she maintained hope and sustenance through the clandestine writing of poetry on matchbooks.”
- Tracy K. Smith’s Life on Mars – “Our immediate past US Poet Laureate and an extraordinary human being. She also has her own poetry podcast called “The Slowdown”. I listen to it at night when I can’t sleep. It is magical.”
Favorite Beethoven recordings:
- “Because I was an aspiring pianist in a distant past, I always gravitate to [Beethoven’s] piano music. Any recording of any of the 32 piano sonatas performed by Richard Goode, Jonathan Biss or Igor Levitt (representing three different generations of pianists).”
- “Jonathan Biss is also a great writer and has a terrific Kindle Single called ‘In Beethoven’s Shadow’.”