Saratoga County

CapNY Small Business: Upstate Coffee Collective

October 12, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Matt (left) and Kevin (right) talk coffee with Nick Furnia (middle) of Knockabout Coffee Roasters.

Sipping on a freshly brewed cup of their flagship coffee blend, All Day ADK, Matt Pfeifer, Co-Founder of Upstate Coffee Collective, said that if he had the opportunity to connect with every single one of the million people that live across CapNY, he would be able to spread the value of drinking ethically sourced, carefully crafted coffee.

Coffee & Community

The small business venture started when Kevin Miner, co-founder of Upstate Coffee Collective, invited his longtime friend Matt to kru Coffee in Saratoga Springs. Kevin worked at kru for free in exchange for learning the ins-and-outs of coffee science & culture. He shared his knowledge with Matt — the science, method, and trial & error behind that caffeine deliciousness. Both passionate about coffee culture, they decided to form a small coffee club. VOILA! The Upstate Coffee Collective community was born.

The Pandemic & The Pivot

The community quickly grew. About 30 people a month were showing up to their gatherings all across CapNY to taste and learn more about coffee, but then Covid hit. They pivoted, developed a website and a podcast where they shine a spotlight on people in CapNY doing cool things through the lens of coffee. They also set up an online retail store with highlights of special roasts and stories of its origins, producers and roasters. Matt said, “So many hands touch coffee on the way to your cup; the farmers are making a living on this agriculture, and we need to tell their stories.”

CapNY Entrepreneurship

When asked what role community has played in the development of the business and concept, Matt said, “Other CapNY coffee shop owners have been very supportive and are happy we’re chasing our dreams. They support us and we support them. It didn’t take much for me to make valuable business connections. People are so willing to hear your story and learn about your startup. I believe CapNY is in its infancy for major transformation in entrepreneurship…what we have now is incredible, but I see the possibility of something greater on the horizon.”

Connect with Upstate Coffee Collective!
Website
Phone: (518) 391-5773
Email
FB / IG

Photo credit: Kieran Mangels and Nick Rovazzini

Want to learn more about coffee? Read their blog, listen to their podcast, and check out their YouTube channel!

Insider Tip: Bear’s Cup Bagel Delivery

September 20, 2020 By Rachel Dunn

The super-cute husband-and-wife Bear’s Cup team

I love bagels. A lot. Like a lot a lot. The crispy… the chewy… the toppings…the variety of flavors… I’m all in! So what I missed most during the shutdown was a fresh bagel with cream cheese, but sadly all my favorite places were closed. Commence the complaining. I complained loudly and frequently enough that my husband actually taught himself how to make bagels. They were delicious, but a lot of work and not something he could do every Sunday. Still the gesture was so amazing that I had to share the sweetness on the socials. And that’s when my public bagel bellyaching paid off in spades…

Bagels At My Doorstep!

Into my inbox came the answer. Jacob Hopper from Evander + Louise, a curated guide to Saratoga Springs with exclusive deals and access for members, sent me the goods: Bear’s Cup Bagel Delivery. Yes! Fresh bagels delivered right to your door. Naturally, I was all over it, much to the relief of my husband whose quest for more yeast could finally come to an end. (Who knew quarantine would create a new army of bakers and bread makers!)

Bear’s Cup is a café located in Bolton Landing, owned by a husband & wife team. They are serving up bagels with artisanal coffees and pastries made in-house daily from scratch. They are currently open for walk-up service Thurs-Mon 7am-1pm. Pre-orders required 24-hours ahead of time. BUT, like Jacob told me, they also offer Sunday bagel deliver from Bolton to Saratoga. Naturally, it was my duty to check it out.

Their weekly menu is posted Instagram (@bearscuptoga). The menu includes bagels, pastries (some of which are gluten-free), several cream cheese flavors and cold brew. Follow the online ordering instructions and – voila! – deliciousness shows up at your door Sunday morning. That alone is worth a round of applause but it really does come down to how everything tastes.

My Expert Review and Taste Test…

It’s all AH-mazing! No really. The bagels have that perfect mix of crunchy outside and doughy inside. The honey sriracha cream cheese blends spicy and sweet effortlessly. But let me tell you the biggest surprise: the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They weren’t scrumptious for a gluten-free cookie. They were scrumptious for a cookie, period.

Do yourself a favor and make your Sunday brunch an at-home hit with Bear’s Cup. You won’t be sorry.

Connect with Bear’s Cup!
Website
Address
Email
Phone: (518) 240-6086
Instagram / Facebook

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CapNY Insider Tips: Automated Edition

September 14, 2020 By wordpress

Sign up, pay online, get a code, unlock your kayak/life jacket/paddle, ADVENTURE! Upstate Kayak Rentals makes the process of self-service kayak rentals THAT easy and that’s why they’re included in this week’s first edition of CapNY Insider Tips.

The only difficult part of the process was choosing one of the eight paddle locations – many of which I’ve never explored before. My friend Cassie and I chose the Klamstream Kayak Launch in Clifton Park, which allowed us to explore the area of the Mohawk River underneath the twin bridges – making for some pretty cool Instagram pics, as seen below.

Unlock the kayaks with your special code

After I chose our launch spot, I picked a reservation time, paid the $50+tax (for the two of us, total!) for a three hour adventure, and then I got an email with the instructions.

Day of, we met at Klamstream and quickly unlocked our kayaks and went on our way. We loved the fact that we didn’t have to wait in line and could leisurely take off on our own schedule. It made for such a peaceful, serene experience and we were truly able to enjoy one another’s company. It was by far the easiest, most enjoyable kayak experience I’ve ever had. I cannot wait to explore the other seven launch spots.

IMPORTANT NOTE! Sign up for Upstate Kayak’s FREE adventure: Paddle-Pedal the Mohawk: Schenectady and Niskayuna. Learn more here!

If you happen to embark on your paddle adventure at Klamstream launch, pop over across the street to The Klamr Tavern & Marina for DELICIOUS pub food and some craft beers. One of the best buffalo chicken wraps I’ve ever had…

Connect with Upstate Kayak Rentals!
Website / Email / Phone: 518-209-1063 / IG / FB

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Discover Your Inner Pinball Wizard At UPH

August 19, 2020 By Rachel Dunn

Want to spend some time with Elvis, Dolly Parton and Mick? Always thought you could be a pinball wizard just given the chance? Well, you’ll get your chance at Universal Preservation Hall’s “Part of The Machine: Rock & Pinball Exhibit“.The interactive exhibit is on loan from Cleveland’s Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Rock an old-school wooden machine or test drive a spectacular, modern, high-tech model. It’s a super-fun walk through music history by way of pinball machines.

The best part is that you can PLAY the machines as much as you want during your 90-minute visit. Attempt to break the high score solo, or if you’re like my husband and me, you can go head-to-head to see who is truly a pinball wizard. Hint: It wasn’t me.

There are also artifacts from the Hall of Fame including Alice Cooper’s electric chair, a Dolly Parton concert dress and more. It’s such an immersive and fun experience that you won’t want to leave. The good news is that the tickets are just $20, which includes all the pinball you can manage in 90 minutes, so you can go back again… and again… and again. At least until September 26th, when the exhibit moves on.

Side note: If you’re concerned about safety during your visit, UPH has put your health first and created an incredibly clean and sterile environment. I felt absolutely safe the entire time I was at the venue. See details below.

The Details:

Tickets:
$20 for a 90-minute session
Purchase here
Dates:
August 11, 2020 through September 26th, 2020
Times:
Sunday – Wednesday: 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday: 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

COVID-19 Health & Safety Protocols

UPH will follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State safety guidelines in establishing safety protocol for exhibit visitors.

Each visitor, staff person and volunteer will be required to bring and wear a face mask and to wear provided gloves while playing the pinball machines.
All individuals will also be required to maintain proper social distancing.
Staff will take and record each individual’s temperature and procure proper tracing information
Proper sanitization of all surfaces including handrails, light switches, elevators, exhibit pieces, restrooms and common surfaces will occur before new groups are admitted.

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CapNY Video: Four Questions with Artist Takeyce Walter

July 28, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Landscape painter Takeyce Walter lives in Round Lake in Saratoga County, where she has an art studio in sight of the marsh and lake. But don’t let the timeless serenity of her landscapes fool you, because Takeyce knows how to hustle. First off, she is one of the region’s most successful painters and instructors. Second, she’s a mom to three children, with two young ones at home. Third, she works a full-time job as a video producer. Yes, you read that right.

ACE asked Takeyce about how she balances her work and art, whether she had black female artist role models, and more. Plus, watch her in action, as she creates a wonderful pastel landscape in the video, below.

Image courtesy North Country Public Radio.

Connect with Takeyce Walter:

Website: TakeyceArt.com

Instagram: @takeycewalter

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