Troy

Opalka Gallery Pop Up Beer Garden and Neighborhood Block Party

September 13, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

Join us for the opening event of our 4th Annual 2022 Pop Up! Beer Garden and Neighborhood Block Party series at the Opalka Gallery in Albany, NY.

This series opener will feature the main reception for the 2022 SCREENPRINT BIENNIAL featuring a curator talk with Nathan Meltz & Josh MacPhee’s GRAPHIC LIBERATION installation. On the hops and barley front we welcome back our good friends at Druthers Brewing and series newbies Shmaltz Brewing.

For those who are hungry, we arguably have the best line-up to date with Meadowlark, La Capital Tacos and desserts by O’Malley’s Oven. The live stage will welcome back series favorites the Graham Tichy Trio and series newcomer Caity Gallagher.

All this and lawn games and great conversation. Bring the family and enjoy what is sure to be an amazing evening.

This is an ACE! (Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy) sponsored event and FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

SERIES CENTER : HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENT

There will be two more dates in the overall beer garden series on each of the following Fridays. The second event in the series will be a HISPANIC HERITAGE month celebration that will be on Friday the 23rd.

Back by popular demand, the second event of our 2022 Pop Up! Beer Garden and Neighborhood Block Party series will be a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The 2022 SCREENPRINT BIENNIAL & Josh MacPhee’s GRAPHIC LIBERATION will be on display in the gallery for review. Pop Up Brew vendors include the dynamic duo of Rare Form Brewing and Nine Pin Ciders.

Come hungry as we will have both Grammy’s Tamales, Oaxaquena Triqui and Mayan themed drinks and chocolate by Primo Botanica.

Finally, get you dancing shoes on for a return of DJ RVMBA and Joe Barna’s Latin Ensemble featuring Stacy Dillard.

All this and lawn games and great conversation. Bring the family and enjoy what is sure to be an amazing evening. Event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

SERIES CLOSING EVENT : A TROY NIGHT OUT

Series Closing Event | Troy Night Out at Sage Park

Our series closing event will be tied in solidarity for the first time ever to the Russell Sage College’s Troy Campus on Troy Night Out. And what a night it is! The ‘unofficial‘ event will be part of the city wide kick-off of the first year of Baccanalia, a SXSW style, distributed music festival.

Beer for the evening will be provided by Frog Alley and Fort Orange Brewing.

On the food front we will be featuring gourmet mac and cheese with the Mac Factor food truck and ice cream with Emac and Bolio’s.

Enchanted City Steampunk festival performers Frenchy and the Punk are back in town with an opening set by Jules Olson.

More to be announced…

All this and lawn games and great conversation. Bring the family and enjoy what is sure to be an amazing evening. Event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

A FREE shuttle will be available from Albany to Troy and back for the duration of the event that will leave from the OPALKA GALLERY parking lot at 140 News Scotland Avenue and return to it after the event.

Shuttle times to be announced.

The Authentic 518 Guide to Speakeasy Bars in the Capital Region

January 31, 2022 By Cabrina McGinn

Cocktail at The Maker — The Lounge at The Maker

Ever find yourself in the mood for some swanky, jazzy vibes to transport you back a hundred years or so? Luckily for us, the Capital Region is home to some actual bootlegging legends (check out @bootleggerbungalow on Instagram, you won’t be disappointed). We’re also home to entrepreneurs who know just how to leverage our rich history into some seriously cool speakeasy-style bars and restaurants. We’ve cherry picked 4 bars that we think exude the turn of the century aura. They’ve got sexy, tactile interior decor, and they reside within 200-year-old buildings. Romance and legend and cocktails. It’s a can’t-miss night on the town.

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

9 Maple, Saratoga Springs

The bar at 9 Maple — The glittering bar at 9 Maple in Saratoga Springs

This speakeasy sure doesn’t make itself hard to find — the address and the name of the bar are one and the same. This self-proclaimed ‘Jazz Lounge’ is in a narrow brick building dating back to the 1880’s. This spot can get pretty crowded on the weekends when Saratogians pack into the space to listen to raucous live jazz bands.

While they’re known especially for their espresso martini, they also offer an impressive menu of 250 martinis. In addition, they allegedly have the largest selection of single malt scotch from Manhattan to Montreal. (We can’t wait to begin fact-checking this). The mahogany bar and iron-cast light fixtures are in keeping with the 1880s aura, while bartenders are dressed in formal attire as they shake two martinis at a time. Stop in early for a quiet drink or head in late-night for a bustling good time.

9 Maple, 9 Maple Avenue, Saratoga Springs, 518-583-CLUB, IG @9mapleave

The Berlin, Troy

This sultry spot in Troy sits on the second floor above the Troy Beer Garden, with an inconspicuous side-door entrance on the left side of the building. Complete with Chesterfield sofas, floor-to-ceiling red curtains, and gilded frames from wall-to-wall, The Berlin doesn’t leave even the smallest details unattended to. Intricate wallpaper, exposed brick, and tall ferns provide solarium vibes during daylight hours, and transition perfectly to mysterious night club after dark. Ten original ‘Haus Cocktails’ and nine wines offer a selection for anyone’s palate. This is the perfect spot for after dinner drinks and optimal mood lighting.

The Berlin Lounge, 2 King Street, Troy, 518-730-0330, IG @theberlinlounge

The Maker, Hudson

As the prolific city of Hudson continues to put itself on the international ‘map’, this spot certainly hasn’t wanted for media coverage — it’s an exemplary example of historic renovation. Because of the building alone, we’d be remiss not to include The Lounge at The Maker. Built inside of a restored carriage barn, a marble and mahogany horseshoe bar acts as the grand focal point. Tassel-lamps descend from the ceiling. Intricately tiled floors, dark panel walls and heavy velvet curtains erase the last hundred years. It’s a complete the time-travel experience. With their unique and inventive cocktail list and small bites, The Maker lounge is a great stop for a date night or late-night get together.

The Maker, 302 Warren Street, Hudson, IG @themakerhotel

Elixir 16, Troy

Elixir in Troy — The historic building that’s home to Elixir 16

The history of the building at 45 2nd St is the most interesting and unique of any on this list. Originally built as a single-family home in 1822, it was renovated and the bottom floor used as a doctors office for nearly 100 years until now-owner Megan Reavey bought it in 2016. She pays homage to this in a couple of ways. The first is slightly macabre: in the front room sits an old, 1940’s medical bench, complete with stirrups and parchment paper rolled over the surface. She tells us that when she bought the building, this medical bench was still in use! The second homage is in the name. “The definition of Elixir is something the doctor prescribes, or a magical potion,” says Reavey.

The floors, fireplaces and chandeliers are original to the building. The ceiling tile is also of the 1800’s but salvaged from other buildings. Up until just a couple of years ago, there was no signage on the bar whatsoever. Instead, there was just a sandwich board out front that said ‘Curious? Come see for yourself’. They offer a wide selection of craft brews, as well as dumplings and board games. This one is an absolute must for the history buff or the craft beer enthusiast.

Elixir 16, 45 2nd St, Troy, IG @elixir1

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

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

January 27, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

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!

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…

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.

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!

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.

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 4^th 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

January 5, 2022 By Cabrina McGinn

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

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”.

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

Caffe Italia

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.

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

“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.”

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

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

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.

Clowning Around with CCIAC Executive Director Aaron Marquise

January 5, 2022 By Maureen Sager

Just when you thought you knew everything about the 518… did you know that we’re on the brink of becoming one of world’s great homes for Clowndom? Aaron Marquise has worked internationally as a performer and clown, and now he’s working to bring the world — and its clowns — to the Capital Region. Read on to hear what drives his amazing vision.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Round Lake, Exit 11! I left to study play writing and musical theater in New York for a year and half. Then, I moved up to Montreal to study contemporary circus in Montreal for four years. After that, I had the amazing opportunity to work in Switzerland, France, Germany and other places, sharing my time between Europe and the United States. I’ve been back in the area for the past few years now.

What’s the name of your company, and what do you do?

The company is Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (CCIAC). We promote, produce and present contemporary circus. Our vision is to link this incredible art form with American audiences, who have such an interesting relationship with the term “circus.” We want to redevelop people’s relationship with circus.

CCIAC’s performance at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs, a week before lockdown, 2020

How and when did you know that circus – and starting this company — was what you wanted to do?

Growing up, I’d been to Ringling Brothers, and saw Cirque du Soleil in Florida, and thought, “Gosh, this is incredible, I wish I could do this.” But I never knew I could do this for a living, until I went to Montreal. We want to help audiences here experience the amazement and wow of the things that I saw at school, standing in the chapeteau (the French term for circus tent). I want to bring that to our area. We are completely unfamiliar with it.

Aaron’s favorite photo of himself in clown, taken during a performance of his solo show A.Lone, 2017

Is this what you imagined doing for a living, when you were a child?

I’m blessed because I’ve been in the performing arts almost my entire life. I always thought I’d be an actor on Broadway, and I always knew performing was what I’d do. Even as a kid on the playground, I was organizing productions of Peter Pan. So I always had that skill set and desire, but the thought of being in circus — well, that part is new.

Was it hard, as a creative person, to learn how to run a business?

The business part of this was not something I ever saw myself doing. Creative producing has always been in my blood – that part is easy. But payroll and budgeting and marketing and strategic planning is new for me.

I find it so exciting, and I think I understand the long term vision of what we’re trying to do and how we’re going to do it. I’m learning every day. I’m not afraid to say what I don’t understand something, and when I need help.

I heard someone say that show business has two parts to it – it’s the show, and it’s the business. Yes, we can be really good artists, but we have to pay our bills.

What’s your “unique selling proposition”? What is CCIAC doing that no one else is?

No one was focusing on awards for just circus shows, like we see for the Tony Awards or the Oscars. Covid allowed us to do this economically, because the show could be presented digitally. We celebrated work from all around the world, without having to travel.

Clown Aaron Marquise — From CCIAC’s “Behind the Curtain” event in 2021

As a new dad, how do you balance your work and family obligations?

It’s not easy. But I’m a disciplined person, which I learned in school. I love getting up at 4:15 and working out and getting all of my emails done before my son wakes up. That’s where I thrive as a person.

That being said, not every day is like that. There are times where we’re having friends over, drinking a glass of wine, and I’m not into waking up early.

How did the “It’s All Circus” number come about?

I love the opening numbers for award shows, they’re my favorite. So when we were planning the digital ceremony, we thought, “Let’s write a great opening about what circus can be. We wanted to define what it can be, but right now, in contemporary circus, it can be really anything or anywhere. And we wanted a fun way to be able to talk about that.