ACE

Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy

Schenectady County

Rock Star Style with Hair Maven Molly Tremante

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I met Molly several years ago after hearing continuously about her reputation as a hairstylist. At the time I was pretty involved in the upstate fashion scene through my sustainable fashion initiative Electric City Couture. Since then, I have had a number of projects that I was able to work with her on. One was a cool show called REIMAGINED at the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls New York where we did a promotional fashion shoot to support an Alphonse Mucha exhibition and a tableaux vivant fashion event in 2018.

Molly Headshot
Photo: Corey Aldrich

Molly Tremante is a hairstylist & business owner. Her shop, Fur Hairdressing is located in Schenectady, NY on Upper Union Street. Fur is a boutique collective of independent stylists who focus on advanced hair cutting and coloring techniques. They thrive on a passion for hairdressing and cultivating clients authentic true style. The inclusive philosophy: ‘Beauty is for everyone, and all humans are welcome at FUR.‘

As part of her overall passion and retro aesthetic, Molly sells vintage and pre-loved clothing in the shop as well.

Molly Cutting Hair.
Photo: Corey Aldrich

A CAREER IN HAIR

Molly has been working behind the chair professionally as a stylist for 18 years. She has been working in salons for 22 years. Growing up (when she was only 14!) she worked on Saturdays sweeping hair and taking out rollers for weekly wash and set clients. The salon owner at the time was a friend of the family. The opportunity to get a feel for the industry at such a young age got her excited. She knew immediately that this industry was the right career fit for her. Molly ended up going to beauty school at Capital Region BOCES while she was in high school. She started doing hair professionally the day after she graduated.

Molly Tremante Platform LIVE work.
Photo: Glow Optical Photography

When Molly started to find her groove in the industry, she realized that she wanted to focus on hair cutting, editorial styling and sharing her love for the craft. She became an educator for international brand Goldwell / KMS and was able to teach out of their academy’s in LA and NYC. This allowed her to teach classes and do hair shows all over the country. Working for Goldwell also opened doors of opportunity. Working fashion week, creating looks for editorial shoots, being published in and working with various platforms such as American Salon, Modern Salon & Hairbrained. At her peak, she was able to design a hairspray with the brands product development team in Germany. Molly eventually resigned. She was ready to focus on her own vision. To this day though, she continues educating and doing editorial shoots to get her ‘creative fix.’

Sample Cuts by Molly Tremante.
Some recent cuts by Molly.

THE VINTAGE BUSINESS

Molly also branched out into another passion, vintage clothing. A self described newbie to that biz, she is not a new to hoarding tangible pieces of history. She has been collecting vintage furniture, decor and clothing for years. Her mom and sister have always been pickers and trips to the local thrift store was a regular activity for them growing up. As such, she has had a passion for fashion & design as long as she can remember. She has always admired vintage sellers as well. Molly says she currently has way too much stuff, but has a hard time letting it go. So, when her friends put The Vintage Roundup together last summer (Albany’s Vintage & Antique Market) she had to give it a shot.

“I love participating in markets and helping someone find that one piece of clothing or trinket they’ve been yearning for. It is almost as satisfying as someone’s reaction after they get their dream haircut.”

Fur Vintage Clothing.
Part of the mini shop in her salon.

Molly looks to continue in her new entrepreneurial direction.

“I feel like I’ve found my place in the industry and really want to spill that into my shop. Bringing the local hair community together to celebrate inspiration and education is something I’d really like to focus on at my hair home.”

Molly is currently accepting new clients. Make sure to drop in to check out the cool collection of vintage clothes and shoes!

FUR Hairdressing and Vintage | 1702 Union Street | Schenectady, New York

Photo: Glow Optical Photography

CAP Region 5: Vegan / Vegetarian Spotlight

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Susie Davidson Powell | Food Writer and Times Union Dining Critic
Special to the Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy

The plant-based food industry has boomed in recent years with myco-protein chik’n and beet burgers that bleed, branded with names like Beyond and Impossible suggesting we’re scaling new heights. The pandemic only sharpened growth with renewed interest in health conscious eating, efforts to reduce animal consumption (hello, meatless Mondays), and awareness of strained farm-to-table supply chains coupled with new direct-to-consumer options. Suddenly, plant-based options surged on mainstream restaurants’ simplified, post-pandemic menus and customers continue to feed the demand for meatless options when dining out.

Downstate, we’ve seen a Michelin star and James Beard award nominations for a vegan restaurant, chef and veg-driven hospitality group. Upstate, the Capital District is enjoying its own share of the action with more growth in the vegan/vegetarian dining scene in two years than the last ten. And they aren’t they aren’t doing it lightly. From the growing vegan list, we’ve picked five eateries putting flavor, fermentation and local farms at the forefront of their plant-based creations.

This article is presented through a content collaboration with ACE and CapNY.
Visit us on Instagram at @upstatecreative and @gocapny!

BAR VEGAN | Center Square | Albany

From Lark St. Poke to the Loft 205, sibling owners Will and Mary Phan have opened downtown spots that earn a loyal crowd. But after closing their popular college bar, LAX, during the pandemic, Will was inspired by vegan restaurant Avant Garden in Manhattan and reinvented the LAX space as a vegan restaurant, including an entirely vegan bar. Partnering with a local florist, the place has been beautifully transformed with shiny white subway tiles, leafy planters and trailing vines, and the menu offers shareable plates that won’t break the bank. From a kitchen carefully separated to avoid cross contamination with the Loft restaurant upstairs, try the sweet potato tempura sushi roll, edamame potstickers filled with a luxurious edamame puree (choose steamed or fried), stuffed avocado and bang bang cauliflower florets. All wines and spirits are vegan or organic.

Bar Vegan | 205 Lark Street | Albany NY | Phone: 518.818.0833

Photos: Susie Davidson Powell

TAKE TWO CAFE | Schenectady

Take Two picks up where much missed Shades of Green on Lark Street left off years ago. Owner Chelsea Heilman has created a gorgeous garden-inspired oasis on Schenectady’s State Street where foot traffic is high and it’s hard to miss her hand-painted sidewalk tables. An avid traveler, Heilman serves a chickpea curry, inspired by one from Iceland, along with a replica avocado-pesto-feta-walnut toast and a tofu scramble breakfast burrito with chorizo, chile, and homefries both inspired by cafes in Melbourne, Australia, and Colorado.

Among the most labor intensive ingredients is Heilman’s faux lox salmon. Carrots are given a 32-hour bath in a seaweed, soy and caper brine for umami bite – perfect to pile on a bagel with vegan cream cheese. Stop by and join an all-day crowd pouring in for sandwiches and vegan pastries. Fix your coffee as you like: A counter refrigerator is jammed with all the plant milks from oat to almond.

Take Two Cafe | 433 State Street | Schenectady | Phone: 518.280.9670

Photos provided by Meadowlark / TBG

Meadowlark @ Troy Beer Garden | Troy

As if this stylish, leafy, downtown cocktail bar could get any greener, Meadowlark Catering – from the team behind Wizard Burger (Albany), Burrito Burrito and Takk House (Troy) – has taken over the kitchen reins at Troy Beer Garden. Upping the spice stakes with Nashville Hot Cauliflower, their much loved sticky, battered General Tso’s cauli rivals the namesake original in chili-garlic sauce and white sesame seeds.

But this short menu is designed for sharing so order up Cajun-spiced loaded pub fries smothered in chickpea cheeze sauce, smokey sweet BBQ, and pickled jalapenos and try their seasonally evolving taco trio, mac-n-cheeze or chickpea “all flat” wings. Who cares if the wings look more like fat fingers than boneless chicken when it’s packed with 15 herbs and spices and drizzled in green goddess sauce. While you munch, sip a Fakin’ Bacon Manhattan made from Bulleit bourbon, maple, Antica amaro and capped with a fake bacon spear.

Troy Beer Garden | 2 King Street | Troy NY | Phone: 518.244.5215

Photos: Susie Davidson Powell

WIZARD BURGER | Downtown Albany

It’s hard to overstate the craftiness behind the Wizard’s vegan creations. If you visit the Wiz on social media, you’ll find burger abominations flying off on intergalactic, space odysseys. Go in person and this purple-hued counter service spot has added a line up of boozy and non-alcoholic cocktails and an additional room in which to enjoy them surrounded with curios from plant terrariums to crystal balls.

Whether you go for lunch or happy hour, the team behind Wizard Burger has all their nighttime cravings on the menu. Get the Mumbo Jumbo – an Impossible burger topped with house chili, battered onion rings, tater tots and jalapeno-garlic crema – or a crispy chik’n Raptor, but don’t forget battered pickles on the side. Those with a sweet tooth might choose the Impossible Strawberry Snail with an Impossible patty and raspberry jelly on a glazed donut by tiny Strawberry Snail vegan bakery. Go ahead and sip zero-proof cocktails like the hibiscus-based Unbound, but keep in mind purple margaritas are 2-for-1 every Thursday.

Wizard Burger | 74 N. Pearl Street | Albany NY | Phone: 518.250.9440

Photos: Susie Davidson Powell

THE JUICE BRANCH | Catskill & Hudson | Black-Owned Business

Painted all the colors of a tropical island, it’s no surprise George Salter’s juice bar is an uplifting place to hang out whether you visit his Warren Street, Hudson location for an antioxidant packed smoothie or hop the Hudson river to Catskill. In Catskill, you’ll find Salter whipping up his lunch du jour, teased a day ahead on social media. It might be crisply fried oyster mushroom sandwich or plant-based Smack-n’Cheez. Sink into a barrel chair in the window, dip into a book on juicing or the benefits of tea, and Salter will hand deliver plates. Pick from more than twenty-four smoothie combos, add boosts from ginger, elderberry or MCT shots. Munch on nutella and banana or avocado toast topped with hard-boiled egg, hemp and chia or fuel up with an acai or peanut butter banana bowl. (Note: Cash or Venmo only in Catskill)

The Juice Branch | 65 W Bridge Street | Catskill NY | Phone: 518.947.0920
The Juice Branch | 719 Columbia Street | Hudson NY | Phone: 518.291.2612

Susie Davidson Powell | Food Writer and Times Union Dining Critic
Special to the Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy

This article is presented through a content collaboration with ACE and CapNY.
Visit us on Instagram at @upstatecreative and @gocapny!

Dishing Out the Deets with Susie Davidson Powell

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Pretty sure I met Susie Davidson Powell while enjoying a glass of wine at The Confectionary in Troy a few years ago. Since then, I have had opportunity to hit the road with her and get a front row seat on what its like to enjoy the food life from the drivers seat…and also the passenger seat – in her Porche 911 Targa 4S. Yup, she rolls in style!

Susie Davidson Powell


Many would think that you have a dream job! What is it exactly that you do and for how long have you been doing it?

I’ve been writing about food and drink in the Hudson Valley for close to a decade, first when I moved to Columbia County after living in the city, and then in the Capital Region. I’ve been the Times Union dining critic since 2014, so I write weekly restaurant reviews, critic’s notebook features, The Food Life (a trend-focused digital subscriber newsletter) and a monthly cocktail column. I also co-founded thefoodlife.co for Hearst and wrote and filmed Kitchen Raid, a 6-week armchair travel, cooking and recipe subscription focused on pro tips and kitchen ingredients to make fast plates and amazing cocktails. But it’s not as glamorous as people think…

Susie Davidson Powell with cheese

How did you end up getting into this business? Was this part of your original career path or did you develop this over time?

Not at all! I grew up outside London, England, and was always traveling through Europe, later working in Poland and on a Greek Island. Throughout uni and grad school, I worked as a bartender and cocktail waitress, server and occasional kitchen help. This was a great eye opener in terms of the industry and chef and customer behavior.

I came to Albany, New York to attend grad school. I worked as a research program director and stayed in publishing/curricula development for several years. I’m so grateful for that experience. I’d be out on the road for weeks, eating my way from L.A. to El Paso or D.C. to Roswell, NM. A real culinary education. After moving with my family to Columbia County, NY, I wrote a weekly newspaper column about country life and started covering the growing farm-to-table scene around 2003 just as Swoon opened on Warren Street, Hudson, and not long after the 9/11 exodus Upstate. The rest is history.

Susie Davidson Powell

What does your job look like on a daily basis? I mean, from a practical perspective beyond all the glamour parts! Ok, maybe some glamour stuff also…

I’m constantly tracking new openings, following chef moves between restaurants, and driving – anywhere from Hudson or Woodstock to the Adirondacks – in search of food. I visit new restaurants once or twice each week and circle back for breakfast, lunch or take out a few times a week. I spend a lot of time on background research too, reviewing current and past menus, and setting up interviews. All this before I get to write. One review with travel, eating, and writing time can take 10 to 15 hours. But I do get invited to talk about food-and-drink on radio and TV and I’m often sent wines and spirits to try. That’s the only glamour part!

Susie Davidson Powell b&W

How has your job changed in the last couple of years with the complications of the pandemic? Any specific examples to share?

The pandemic was brutal on the industry. Heart breaking. Although there is a fine line between critics and restaurants, there is a relationship and respect.

I pivoted my coverage, writing about take out, drinks to-go, Black-owned eateries following the BLM protests, staff funds, and a series of behind-the-scenes Shutdown Dairies with restaurateurs and chefs. It felt important to show the struggle faced by industry people. Also, I rapidly compiled the first 50 restaurants that switched to take out in the initial lock down, which became the basis of a Times Union take out database. I’m proud of that.

I also ditched my anonymity and hosted online Food Life Lives, chatting with restaurateurs, sommeliers, farmers, even a DJ. We wanted to touch on what we were missing, what we could plate or pour at home, and how to recreate that feeling of being looked after that you have when you dine out. Before the pandemic, I used to host a lot of dinner parties and private wine or whiskey tasting events, so during the lock down I was asked to do a few via Zoom for the Times Union.

Susie Davidson Powell with beer

What are your goals for 2022? Anything additional that you would like to mention?

All the Covid delays have made me a little gun shy of setting timed goals but I have a drinks, dining and travel hospitality guide in the works called thedishing.com. You can sign up online for details about its launch!

EDITORS NOTE: Corey here, with a shameless plug. Susie with be bringing a non-alcoholic cocktail series to Arts Bar at the Arts Center of the Capital Region for the first quarter of 2022. The events, are held on Troy Night Out in downtown Troy on the 4th Friday of each month. The first will be on 01.28 from 6:00 to 8:00 at 265 River Street Troy. Come join us for art and a variety of non- and-alcohol based cocktails!

IG: @artsbartroy

The Authentic 518: Old School Italian Restaurants

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Cabrina at Perreca’s

The Italian American community in New York City is as established and historic as the city itself. Luckily for us, many Italian Immigrants also ventured upstate to the Capital Region during the waves of European migration of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These communities quite literally built and shaped the cities we see today.

These once-bustling Italian neighborhoods still exist in pockets all over the 518. We set out to find authentic Italian restaurants that have been owned and operated by the same families for multiple generations, and have become beloved Capital Region institutions.

This article is presented through a content collaboration with ACE and CapNY. Visit us on Instagram at @upstatecreative and @gocapny!

Perreca’s 

Brick bread oven at Perreca's
The 100-year-old bread oven at Perreca’s

We’d be remiss not to start our journey in Schenectady’s Little Italy. This North Jay Street neighborhood was built by the Italian community that you can find here to this day.

Founded by immigrants Salvatore & Carmella Perreca in 1914, Perreca’s is one of the oldest continually operating restaurants in the Capital Region. The original brick oven, built more than a century ago, is still used today.

Currently owned and operated by the third generation, siblings Maria & Anthony Papa still make their famous bread using the Old World technique brought from Naples by their grandparents. Legend has it that, in more than 100 years, this oven has never gone out. Anthony explains that the bricks expand when hot. If they were to cool down and contract, the oven could collapse. He comes into the bakery every single day, 365 days a year to put coals on the fire. “I don’t think I’ve taken a vacation since I went on my honeymoon,” he says with a laugh. 

Perreca's Eggs in Purgatory
Perreca’s signature dish, Eggs in Purgatory

“Okay, I’m gonna give one secret away,” says Anthony Papa. “[The oven] actually has been out, once.” He explains that at one point he had to let it cool and actually crawl inside to attempt a daring cleaning expedition.   

“The history, and the lure of this area is old school Italian food, done right. My thought when I’m cooking is to always honor the neighborhood,” says Head Chef Neil. He should know! A Schenectady native, Neil was born and raised right here in this “Little Italy”.  

Perreca's signs

MORE Perreca’s Italian Kitchen, 31 N Jay Street Schenectady, New York 12305, telephone 518-377-9800.

Caffe Italia

Capellini Dugan
Caffe Italia’s Capellini Dugan: Shrimp, Lobster & Spinach with white wine garlic sauce

Every Albany native knows about Caffe Italia, an institution on Central Ave. In 1974, founder Joseph Romeo opened a small coffee shop on this spot. The local Italian community congregated, drank cappuccino, and picked up an Italian newspaper and other novelties from the Old Country.

Chef Paul Romeo Caffe Italia
Chef Paul “Big Pauly” Romeo in the kitchen at Caffe Italia

Albany’s original “Little Italy” on Madison Avenue was demolished to make way for the Empire State Plaza. As a result, many of those businesses and people were scattered. The Romeos coffee shop stayed where it was, and now and again, Joseph’s wife Jana (Joanne) would make any one of a variety of homemade dishes that were such a hit with customers. Just 6 years later, they bought the Arlington Luncheonette next door and opened Caffe Italia in 1980.

Caffe Italia exterior

For more than 20 years and with no formal culinary training, Joseph and Jana welcomed the larger Albany community and built an institution that their children have carried on today, with Suzanne as accountant, Pauly as executive chef, and Michael & Maria running the front of house. With room for just 40 guests in the restaurants, Maria tells us of how her family has always prioritized their community above all else. 

The Romeo Legacy
Founder Joseph Romeo
Founder Joseph Romeo

“The one thing my [late] father really wanted in this business was for people to relax and have it be an experience, similar to what you would find in your own home or in an Italian home. You don’t just sit and quickly eat. You sit around the table, you have a conversation, you get to know people. Over the years, we’ve built relationships with the people who frequent our restaurant. Now we have generations of families who’ve not only watched me grow but watched my kids grow as well.” 

Caffe Italia sauce

Luckily for our community some of the third generation of Romeo’s, most of whom are teenagers and young adults at the moment, are already learning the trade! And, even better, they’re now bottling their sauce, so you can experience a bit of Caffe Italia at home.

Caffe Italia, 662 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206-1645, telephone: (518) 459-8029

Lo Porto Ristorante Caffe

Carmelo Lo Porto in the kitchen
Executive Chef Carmelo Lo Porto in the kitchen
Crowd at Lo Porto
Lo Porto is bustling, even on weeknights

Across the river in Troy, the Lo Porto family are award-winning 5th generation restaurateurs hailing from Sicily. Brothers Salvatore and Michael Lo Porto opened their restaurant in downtown Troy in the 80’s after having immigrated from Italy in the 60’s. Michael is well-known throughout the community as the face of the business. Until a few years ago, you could almost always find him visiting tables to get to know new guests or catch up with the stampede of regulars that have been coming back for 30-something years. His nephew Carmelo, currently the Executive Chef, tells us that he was in the kitchen when he was just 10 years old.

Private Room at Lo Porto
The private room at Lo Porto

Between Michael and Carmelo, the two Chefs hold around two-dozen credentials and awards. Unfortunately, Carmelo tells me that his uncle Michael has been sick for the past few years. As a result, he has not been as involved as usual. But even during Michael’s absence and throughout the pandemic, Carmelo says that their priority remains the same. “Our number one joy is putting people in the seats, talking to people and talk about our family. We actually see a lot of new faces now. Lots of people have moved up from the city. We see new faces, then start to see them again and again.” 

Lo Porto exterior

Lo Porto Ristorante Caffe, 85 Fourth Street, Troy, New York, 12180, telephone (518) 273-8546.

Straight Upstate logo

This article is part of our “The Authentic 518” Series done in collaboration with Cabrina McGinn and Straight Upstate.

Born and raised in the Capital Region, Cabrina McGinn started her blog in 2019 to highlight the exceptional bars and restaurants that the 518 has to offer. Prior to that, she had spent many years in the restaurant industry, bartending all over New York State. While the blog was started with the intention of focusing solely on cocktails and craft beverages, Cabrina has expanded the blog to feature food, events, hotels, and other unique and exceptional things that you can only find in Upstate New York. Cabrina lives in Saratoga Springs and enjoys exploring the Hudson Valley and Adirondacks on the weekends. Visit the blog on instagram @straightupstate or online at https://straightupstate.com 

Stay tuned for more of our monthly The Authentic 518 articles – from hidden gems to Capital Region classics, we’re exploring all the spots that embody the authentic 518.

ACE Culinary Road Trip: 5 Amazing Latin-Owned Restaurants!

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Oscar
Oscar at Oaxaquena Triqui, after eating grasshoppers

Welcome to our celebration of Latin-owned restaurants in the Capital Region! Schenectady-based, Honduran-born artist Oscar Bogran and I explored a range of restaurants that are deeply inspired by Latin American heritage and culture. We tried things we’d NEVER dreamed of eating, and met amazing women who are running successful businesses and employing dozens of people. Not many of them would call themselves “chefs.” (They’d likely say they’re the “cook”.) But rest assured, they’re hand making some of the most fantastic artisan food in the Capital Region, at price tags everyone can afford.

Click to read much more about each location:

Casa Latina, Salvadorean and Mexican Cuisine in Hudson

Lorraine and Oscar

Flores Family Restaurant, Salvadorean food in Schenectady

maria lloyd

Empanada Llama, Peruvian cuisine in Albany

Roast Chicken

Angel’s Latin Restaurant, Dominican Cuisine in Catskill

chicken mole

Oaxaquena Triqui, Oaxacan Cuisine in Albany

Griselda and her daughters, Oaxaquena Triqui

“Artisan food” is a term used to describe food produced by non-industrialised methods. It’s often handed down through generations but now in danger of being lost.

And here’s what you get when you eat each of these restaurants:

  • Authenticity — the owners and chefs are dedicated to sharing their rich culture through food. They talked to us about each and every dish, thrilled to share their stories.
  • Affordability — we didn’t spend over $15 per person at any of these restaurants, and often, we spent under $10.
  • Family Operated — every restaurant included family in their operation.
  • Minority and Women Ownership — all are owned by people who were born in Latin American countries, and four out of five are headed by women.
pupusas
Pupusas at Flores Family Restaurant

Our Tips for Exploring Latin American Restaurants:

  • Ask Lots of Questions — Everyone really enjoyed explaining their offerings. Additionally, we often found specialties that aren’t even included on the menu
  • Speak Spanish, If You Know Any — Oscar was able to draw out conversations better than I was, for sure! He was able to engage people who weren’t that comfortable with their English, and he helped me, too, because I’m not comfortable in Spanish.
  • Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover — Many of these settings are very humble. The storefronts are not fancy, the interiors are utilitarian, and they might not be in the “best” section of these downtowns. However, the adventure will be super fun, and the food is fantastic. We guarantee it.

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