Schenectady

Brew Review by Tim Walton of #TimsNYKitchen: Mad Jack Brewing Co.

July 28, 2020 By wordpress

Meet Tim Walton, the mastermind behind #TimsNYKitchen, an Instagram site with over 12,ooo followers. Tim travels, eats and drinks his way through the Capital Region, and we asked him to pick his favorite brewery / restaurant. So — drum roll, please — here’s Tim’s pick: Mad Jack Brewing Co. in Schenectady. Read on to find out why Tim’s mad about Mad Jack.

To find 100+ more CapNY breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries, click here!

The History

Mad Jack Brewing Co. is Schenectady’s first craft brewery, located in Schenectady’s beautiful and historic Stockade District. It opened in 2011. The brewery is tied together with The Van Dyck, a charming building that has hosted many wonderful talents, including great jazz musicians such as Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Mose Allison, Marian McPartland, Coleman Hawkins, Hank Jones and Thelonious Monk.

If the walls could speak I think they would ramble on forever and a day about all the great times and bad times it has experienced throughout its history. The Van Dyck opened in 1947 by Harlem refugee Marvin Friedman and since 2009, has been owned by the McDonald family.

The Beer

Take a seat at the bar and one will find that they have 10+ house taps at any given time. The Master Brewer, Brian Conley puts a lot of love into the brews he creates and is very passionate about what he produces. He’s not afraid to try new things with his ‘Mad Science’ line of brews and collaborations with many local bars/breweries. Some of my favorite’s brews are the Fightin’ Irwin IPA, Mohawk Sunset and Electric Hefe. The Fightin’ Irwin IPA actually has a true fighting story with a happy ending. The beer is named after two McDonald cousins that would fight but shortly after, would patch things up over a beer. I think it’s great that beer can have the positive influence of binding people together even when things aren’t perfect.

The Food

Mad Jack offers some wonderful eats to enjoy as well. They recently have revamped their menu and there’s something for everyone. I recently tried their new buttermilk crispy chicken sandwich. This sandwich consists of buttermilk-soaked tenders, floured and fried with bacon, lettuce, tomato, spicy pepper jack cheese & chipotle mayo for that extra oomph.

The Community

Their staff, from bartenders to cooks, are super friendly and always go above and beyond to assist. Mad Jack supports many positive local efforts throughout the community and is willing to help out whenever they are able. If you haven’t visited here, I strongly recommend it. If you have, you know what I write to be true. Keep your eyes peeled for more articles about local breweries, as I sip and taste my way through New York’s Cap Region.

Mad Jack Brewing Company
Address: 237 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: 518-348-7999
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5 Great Places to Visit in Schenectady

January 21, 2020 By upstatecreative

Schenectady has been undergoing a renaissance over the past few years. There’s something new to explore every time you pop by. From craft breweries and distilleries to dynamic restaurants with authentic flavors, and everything in between, Schenectady has become a center for unique boutiques and retail incubators that house local talent. Go see it for yourself… Here are our top 5 favorite spots:

The Clinton Street Mercantile – 148 Clinton Street

AKA the “Merc,” is the downtown go-to spot to shop for local goods made by artisans all over the Capital Region. Its cozy atmosphere holds everything from furniture, jewelry, photography, clothing, and custom work, all creatively curated by the makers in the space. The idea is to give these artists a chance to build a brand, learn how to interact with customers, and encourages them to realize their dreams of owning their own business. They also offer workshops and classes that are led by the vendors themselves. The Merc has expanded to Lark St. in Albany.

Bluebird Home Decor – 514 State Street

When you walk into Bluebird, you walk into this peaceful, comforting, home-like space, surrounded by beautiful work from over 20 artists and businesses from around the U.S. (as well as six fair-trade companies). They sell many vintage pieces that are one-of-a-kind and in our opinions, really speak to the soul. The shop is truly an experience.

The Schenectady Trading Company – 609 Union Street

The holidays have passed, but treating yourself is always in season. That’s where The Schenectady Trading Company comes in. Schenectady native Caroline Bardwell was so inspired by the creativity of the people around her that she opened her business to showcase local goods and connect the modern consumer to the modern producer. We think she’s nailed it. With products covering almost every genre (including workshops!), you’ll walk away with a load of goodies and an appreciation for the amazing breadth of talent living and creating in Schenectady.

Villa Italia – 226 Broadway

Ain’t no sweet tooth, like a CapGirl sweet tooth, so we couldn’t be happier that Villa Italia exists in this world. When you walk in, both your eyes and your nose are treated to a heavenly array of baked goods from cannoli to rugelach to cupcakes and beyond. Seriously, give yourself a moment to take it all in. Inhale. Exhale. Ahhh… For over 50 years, Villa Italia has been treating locals to delicious sweets, but if you’re feeling something savory, they have you covered too with soup, salads, and sandwiches.

b. Inspired – 104 Mohawk Avenue (Scotia)

We love, love, love this store and its impact on its local community. b. inspired is located just outside downtown Schenectady in Scotia. The owner hopes to use this lifestyle concept store as a catalyst to spark further development of the walkable area it resides in. The goal of the shop is to “inspire” and motivate, to create a lifestyle that tells your story in new and interesting ways using handpicked items with an emphasis on a boho-chic vibe. Oh, don’t forget to stop at the terrarium bar and create your own terrarium to bring home!

There’s a flavor for everybody’s taste in Schenectady. Go explore these gems and get lost discovering Schenectady on your own! Be sure to tag us in your adventures, so we can share the love: @CapGirlsNY.

Creative Economy Spotlight: Bear and Bird Gallery+Boutique

January 21, 2020 By upstatecreative

Bear and Bird specializes in vintage and contemporary illustrative arts of all kinds. It’s a colorful shop, offering an eclectic mix of affordable silkscreen prints, original artwork, useful amusing objects and unique gifts.

Don’t miss getting a photo with the store mascot “Barry” – an awesome 8-foot tall bear that once upon a time lived at Magic Forest in Lake George.

They also have another location in South Florida, which opened back in 2007. Check out their Instagram @bearandbirdgallery and Facebook page for current photos and events!

Noshing Around Schenectady with Proctors’ Jean Leonard

January 6, 2020 By upstatecreative

Proctors’ Chief of Staff Jean Leonard has been at the epicenter of Schenectady’s creative scene and redevelopment efforts for over eight years, so we asked her about her favorite places to grab a bite.

If I were going to eat my way through Schenectady for a day, I would:

Have a breakfast sandwich at Katz’s on Jay Street. The owner is the friendliest person in Schenectady. It’s impossible to walk out of his store without a smile, and his sandwiches are delicious.

I’d have morning tea at the Whistling Kettle because I never knew there were so many kinds of tea until I took a look at their tea menu!

For lunch, I’d head to Puzzles Café. I love their mission. Their food tastes wonderful and my heart feels good when I leave. Win-win for midday.

Before I ate again, I’d do a little shopping. The Mercantile, Bluebird Home & Gift, Open Door Books, and The Silver Shop. I’m a fan of local, independent stores with friendly, engaging customer service, and these shops are some of my favorites!

For an afternoon sweet treat, I’d head to Apostrophe Café at Proctors. Sorry, but the best coconut macaroons are right there below my cubicle! THE reason I need to head to the gym more often…

I think I’d land at Daley’s on Yates for dinner. There are SO MANY good dinner options here, but since I can only eat one dinner, Daley’s has delicious food and great cocktail/wine options. In the summer, I love their patio.

Because I am incapable of eating a meal without also eating just a little dessert, I’d finish my time in Schenectady at the Cocobar. As it says on their website, “If the question is chocolate, the answer is yes.” Enough said!

Community Loan Fund Business Spotlight: Coiled, A Textured Salon

February 18, 2019 By upstatecreative

Lavida Barkley began braiding hair at the age of 12, and what began as a hobby gradually became a profession starting with her first “client” at the age of 15 . “I relied on hair braiding off and on for years, while living in the Capital Region, to Atlanta Georgia, and back.” When she returned to the Capital Region to get better services for her son who is on the autism spectrum, she decided not to return to a traditional job position and instead started her own business, called Coiled: A Textured Salon. Lavida says, “I did business development programs and was denied funding in the program. I even went to a local credit union for financial support. The programs had a lack of diversity, it was tough to get them to understand what I was trying to do.”

Typically, natural hair salons don’t do chemical treatments and focus instead on textured hair health. Many times these hair types are neglected in the mainstream industry, but that began to change with the natural hair movement of the 2000s. Statistics show that more women are embracing their natural hair, and the industry has seen a major shift in the past decade.

When Lavida connected with the Community Loan Fund, she said she noticed a difference right away. “They were kind and helpful. They took the time to review my business plan and helped me through it all, from start to finish.” She also mentioned that the team was more diverse than other potential lenders, and had more understanding of what she was trying to do. After a few months, Lavida was able to launch her business in her own space at 1305 Nott Street, Schenectady. For a lot of small businesses, having some sort of financial support is necessary when it comes to achieving their goals. Unfortunately, the community loan fund isn’t available for everybody but small businesses can still use sites like https://l3funding.com/line-of-credit to find a line of credit and fund their dreams. This is useful for business owners. There are so many things that a business owner needs to pay for, so loans and financial support can be really beneficial. Something that would probably benefit business owners would be more affordable access to broadband. In the UK, the Labour government had promised to give homeowners and business owners wider access to cheap broadband, according to this article here. If only the United States would offer their small business owners something similar to this. It could really help some people to chase their business dreams.

“I am blessed to have clients who travel from Vermont, Boston, and western New York to be served because they know the offerings are customized for their curl. I don’t believe there are limitations based on where a business is located or who it’s surrounded by. My salon is tailored for ALL curl types, from coils and curls to waves and my specialty is what sets me apart from other businesses.”

“Having moved away from the area for a year and returning was eye-opening. I can attribute my awareness of my calling to that experience. I know now that if I moved through life with a little more faith and fearlessness that my journey would have started much sooner. I am not where I will end up yet, but I hope to encourage others who may want to make the leap but are paralyzed by fear. I don’t want to look back on my life when I’m older and have ‘should have, could have or would have’ rolling around in my head.”

Lavida says, “If it’s something positive in the capacity of serving others… move without regret.”

The Community Loan Fund offers a variety of lending options and continued support for businesses like Coiled: A Textured Salon. Traditional banks and credit unions would call this a high risk, and it would be highly unlikely that the loan would be approved. The Community Loan Fund offers reviews on a case-by-case basis for its financial viability and positive social impact. If you are looking to expand your business, you can get more information and set up a time to talk with someone at The Community Loan Fund by clicking here.