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CAP NY ACTIVATE : 5 Family Friendly Museums You Must Visit This Summer

June 6, 2022 By Nellie Ackerman-Vellano

As a mother of three children, my boys have always been curious individuals. My middle son is autistic and mentally disabled. Finding family friendly places to take my children that were fun, engaging, and interactive… but also educational and inspiring… was absolutely a challenge with school aged kids and one with special needs.

When my three boys were younger, I was a single mother seeking out places where my creative and imaginative boys could be boys. I had to find adventures that my special needs son could go on, and places that would welcome him.

I found museums and scenic spaces, in cities and towns that had a main street where we could walk, shop, eat, and explore.

These same spaces welcomed my boys as they grew into teenagers, and these spaces still seemed curious enough for them to want to keep exploring.

I’d like to share about five wonderful and curious spaces that would welcome your entire family, in small cities and towns that invite you to explore them.

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

THE FRANCES YOUNG TANG TEACHING MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY
Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY

“The purpose of the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery is to awaken the community to the richness and diversity of the human experience through the medium of art” – the introduction on the Tang website’s ABOUT section.

I don’t know if I can truly express what this museum is about better than that wonderful statement right there.

The Tang is a fantastic museum and art gallery… and it’s also a teaching museum, a space for curious individuals to explore and imagine, and a safe environment for both established and emerging artists.

The Tang Museum does approximately twelve exhibitions each year. Most of the exhibits are originated by the Tang. Faculty and students are involved as curators and advisors for its signature interdisciplinary exhibitions.

These large-scale projects combine diverse objects such as antique maps, scientific equipment, Rube Goldberg cartoons, Hudson River School landscapes, Shaker furniture and dynamic new works of international contemporary art.

Tang Guides, many of whom are Skidmore College students, are trained gallery ambassadors and tour guides. Through this program, they are introduced to the Tang and the museum world, and trained to give tours, while gaining valuable real-world experiences interacting with visitors.

Located in Skidmore college in Saratoga Springs NY, your family can visit the museum in this vibrant little city and spend a few more days exploring all of the downtown shops and restaurants. Make sure you plan enough time on your visit to take a short day trip to the Saratoga State Park or nearby Saratoga Lake.

815 North Broadway | Saratoga Springs, NY
WEB: tang.skidmore.edu
SOCIAL: IG @tangteachingmuseum | FB @tangmuseum

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AT SARATOGA
Saratoga Springs, NY

Are you looking for a fun & interactive day trip to go on with the kids or are you searching for a getaway for a few days with the family and you have to keep them entertained? Then add Saratoga Springs, NY, and of course The Children’s Museum at Saratoga, to your list of places to visit. With many wonderful shops, restaurants, and a lovely park nearby that has a beautiful carousel to ride on, you can easily spend several days and more in this little city.

“Where Learning and Play go Hand-in-Hand” describes what this Museum is about, “Paying it forward‘ and “community giving” are words often used to describe what this museum selflessly does for other organizations. The Children’s Museum at Saratoga’s foundation was created on the belief in inclusivity and equity of all children, including those outside the museum walls where they reach into and positively impact their community.

The mission of this museum is to inspire, spark and nurture children and foster active parent involvement in their child’s learning.

This museum not only offers the opportunity to experience an exhibit when you visit them, but children of all ages can interact in a variety of public programs such as Story Time, Science Explorers, and Art Adventures. This includes toddler & pre-school aged children too. The museum offers Seasonal Programs as well, such as Nature Exploration. Field Trip, Outreach and Hybrid Programs are options too.

The Museum’s hours will shift based on seasonal variations in attendance. Check their website for changes in their hours and to see what days they will be closed.

65 South Broadway | Saratoga Springs, NY
WEB: cmssny.org
SOCIAL: IG @childrensmuseumsaratoga | FB @childrensmuseumatsaratoga

THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Catskill, NY

Whether you are traveling near or far, you must take a detour to Catskill NY…. where you will find quiet, serenity, and the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. “We are still in Eden… Shall we turn from it?” was an expression of how Cole felt about the Catskill Mountain Region.

Thomas Cole was known as the most influential American artist of the nineteenth century. He founded this country’s first major art movement that was now known as the Hudson River School.

Located in the Village of Catskill, in the Hudson Valley at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, The Thomas Cole Site is part of the Hudson River Skywalk. The Hudson River School Art Trail connects you with the places in nature that Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School artists made famous in their 19th-century landscape paintings. The Collection of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site includes over six hundred objects and two research archives. Cole was a huge advocate for the preservation of the American landscape as a national treasure.

“The moment you witness the breathtaking mountain views from Cole’s porch, you’ll fully understand his devotion to landscape painting” – Times Union

The Museum shared that “He urged his fellow Americans to value and preserve the wild and natural beauty of the landscapes he depicted in his paintings. In his Essay on American Scenery, Cole wrote: I cannot but express my sorrow that the beauty of such landscapes is quickly passing away.“

“Being removed from the noise & bustle of the house is really charming.” He wrote.

Catskill, NY, is also full of places to stay, dine and explore. You can take a hike in the Great Northern Catskills, and find shops and galleries on historic Main Street. There are river activities such as fishing and boating. You can dine at waterfront restaurants. The Thomas Cole website can direct you on how to plan your entire trip around visiting them. I believe you’ll feel what Thomas Cole was trying to express about this region, when you are there in person.

218 Spring Street | Catskill, NY
WEB: thomascole.org
SOCIAL: IG @thomascolesite | FB @thomascolehistoricsite

WORLD AWARENESS CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
Glens Falls, NY

In beautiful Warren County, is the City of Glens Falls, NY, not far from the Adirondack Mountains. This gateway community to the Adirondack Mountain region is a wonderful place to visit with your family… and while there, you must explore The World Awareness Children’s Museum.

A hands on, interactive museum, The World Awareness Children’s Museum is full of Art Exhibits and a variety of programs. This museum houses a collection of pieces from 140 countries and includes 8,000+ artifacts (fashion, musical instruments, dolls, toys and other objects). Their creative learning space features art and artifacts. The museum’s permanent collection that includes 7,000 pieces of original children’s art from 81+ countries.

The World Awareness Children’s Museum’s mission is “To inspire curiosity and foster understanding and appreciation of worldwide cultural diversity.” “Art is truly the universal language“, shared by the museum. This NYS Designated Charter Museum has a passion to bring their diverse world to children, and they do this well.

“Our museum is a place where families can learn about our diverse world, encouraging them to engage curiosity when they encounter diversity in their community.” Bethanie Muska Lawrence – Executive Director

The Museum space is divided into the following hands on, interactive exhibit areas:
World Gallery, Home & Family Life, Animal Preserve Research Center, World Music, Textile Marketplace, World Fashion, Art Studio & Gallery.

WORLD AWARENESS CHILDREN’S MUSEUM : FREE ADMISSION DAYS!
June 11th and 12th from 12:00 am to 3:00 pm

When you do visit the City of Glen Falls NY, make sure you plan time to walk around and visit the restaurants and shops nearby. Plan to day to drive around the region looking for places that welcome you explore Warren County. With several small neighboring towns and cities nearby offering so much entertainment and activities for individuals of all ages, you may have to plan another trip back.

89 Warren Street | Glens Falls, NY
WEB: worldchildrensmuseum.org
SOCIAL: IG @worldkidsmuseum

MUSEUM OF INNOVATION AND SCIENCE
Schenectady, NY

When you visit this museum, you will instantly know and feel that this space was created for the young and the young at heart.

Founded in 1934, miSci has created a space that encourages learning, imagination, and creativity. In 1997, the Museum merged with the General Electric Hall of Electrical History and combined their collections. Now, more than 15,000 science and technology artifacts, thousands of advertising publications, 1,500 films, 400 audio recordings, and two million photographs document the history of electricity, electronics, and the impact of technological change.

The miSci has gallery space that you can wander through. Misci is a 44,270-square-foot facility that also houses The Suits-Beuche Planetarium, and thousands of curious individuals visit the museum to experience what the planetarium has to offer. You will find interactive exhibits and experiences at this creative museum that allow you to have fun and engage with the exhibits. It’s a wonderful space to be in, and this educational museum is for all ages.

The Mission & Vision of miSci :
At miSci, exhibitions, educational programs, and events are designed with our mission in mind: “To inspire people to celebrate and explore science and technology past, present, and future.” The Museum fulfills its mission by preserving and interpreting the history of technological change and its societal impact, helping visitors explore the creative processes that inspire discovery and invention – engaging visitors with interactive exhibitions and programs that encourage them to inquire about science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. (STEAM)

The museum offers programs like the “miSci’s Little Edison’s program“, for kids ages 3 to 5. “A fun way to nurture the curiosity of pint-sized future engineers, chemists, and inventors.” is what’s shared on their website.

Also, If you haven’t had your birthday at a museum before, you can now! Host your child’s next birthday party at this museum too!

Schenectady, NY is full of incredible history that influenced, changed and moved this Country forward. There are many shops, great restaurants, and small locally owned businesses that fill up the downtown and surrounding area for locals and tourists to enjoy. This museum is worth visiting with your family. In the summer, just a short distance from the museum, you can experience the Harbor with live music along the Mohawk River. Schenectady is a great day trip destination, or you can stay for a long weekend.

15 Museum Drive | Schenectady, NY
WEB: misci.org
SOCIAL: IG @misci_ny | FB: @misciny

Nellie Ackerman-Vellano is a freelance brand development professional, writer and photographer who writes for a variety of periodicals including 518 Profiles Magazine. | IG: @FeedMe518 | @BonVivantPhotographe

CAP NY ACTIVATE! : Destination Washington County

May 9, 2022 By Nellie Ackerman-Vellano

I remember being invited to a friend’s bonfire a little over 25 years ago. She had told me it was at her parents house in Shushan, NY. I’m not originally from New York, so I had never even heard of that town before. I was living in Schenectady at the time. We didn’t have cell phones or a GPS app back then. She emailed the directions to me, and I printed them out. I remember thinking to myself, “What place is she leading me to?”, I then got in my car and started driving towards Washington County.

As I was driving through towns like Greenwich and Salem to get to her house, I started to feel gratitude about the time it was taking to get there. I drove past barns, horses, farm stands, and country stores. Living in busy Cities around the world and in other US States, I hadn’t experienced a nice drive through the country since I was a little girl in Korea. It was such a peaceful and scenic drive. The ride seemed to fly by and before I knew it I had arrived at her house, greeted by other friends who also made their way there too.

As the night went on, we ate lots of great home cooked food, we sang songs around the fire led by an acoustic guitar, we told stories that made us laugh, and we made memories that I still think about today. For many of us that met at SCCC, this was our first time experiencing Shushan hospitality. I remember heading home and thinking how lucky my friend was to live in such a beautiful place. I remember that night like it was yesterday.

Since then we both have had children, and I’ve been able to bring my boys out to Shushan several times to play with her boys. Riding horses, playing in the mud, chasing chickens…. while us moms sit inside and catch up over cups of tea.

My family has since become familiar with many parts of Washington County over the years, and we always find new spots to explore and sites to visit with the kids. I’m so joyful to be able to share about a few places, out of so many wonderful places, to visit in Washington County.

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

FORT SALEM THEATER

In June of 2021 a lovely little theater in Washington County opened to the public….new in spirit, but not new to Salem, NY. In order to share about this theater’s promising future, we have to take a quick look back at their inspiring past.

While being constructed as the countries First Presbyterian Church in 1774, it was taken by patriot forces and used as a staging area for troops. It was then known as Fort Salem. Lost to fire in 1777, the church was rebuilt by the Presbyterian, adding the chapel in 1882. In 1972 the building was privately purchased, a stage added, and the very first show in the Fort Salem Theater was enjoyed.

The theater sold again in 1979, and again in 2006 with major renovations taking place. In 2020, the Fort Salem Theater sold to the current owners Kyle and Jared West who had relocated to Salem from Dallas, Texas. In June 2021 the theater reopened with a sold-out show, and is still open today for all to enjoy in the many years to come.

Locals and visitors from all over the Region attend shows throughout the year to see well performed plays and great live acts. This well loved theater welcomes the community, neighboring communities, and anyone from outside of Washington County to visit and enjoy the variety of performances here.

If you’re looking for entertainment to enjoy with your family or friends, whether you’re staying in Salem or not…. I recommend taking a peek at the playlist for this venue and buying tickets to one of their shows. It’s a nice drive to Salem, NY on your way to the Fort Salem Theater.

11 East Broadway | Salem, New York 12865
Web: fortsalem.com | IG: @fortsalem

SALEM ART WORKS

Whether you’re a master of a brush on canvas, or if you’ve never picked up a creative tool before…. Salem Art Works welcomes you and your curiously creative heart. Located in Salem, NY, on 119 acres, artists from around the globe retreat to SAW for stay, community, inspiration, and reflection.

Locals and out of town travelers come to visit this artists retreat center and tour the grounds that are covered with artists workshop buildings & spaces, an artist created tiny home community, and natural gathering spaces. Incredible and larger than life sculptures greet you as soon as you turn off the main road, and escort you all the way through the grounds and up the drive to the top of the hill….where you will find an incredible view and a peace that makes you pause, in silence, as you appreciate the knowing that this unselfish space was created for you and everyone else who visits.

SAW also offers summer camps and workshops for young artists and any one aspiring to be one to learn a trade like welding, pottery, glassblowing or blacksmith. The retreat center has programs where entire families can stay on site and participate in various workshops together or individually. Live music takes place at the highest point on the grounds, overlooking the entire Town of Salem, and all are welcome.

If you’re looking for a unique day trip experience or week long destination vacation, I encourage you to add Salem Art Works to your creative bucket list of places to visit and contact them today to register for one of their workshops. For a full listing of programs and events visit the website.

19 Cary Lane | Salem, New York 12865
Web: salemartworks.org | IG: @salemartworks

JACKO’S CORNER

A real old fashioned soda fountain isn’t something that you see anymore these days… but a working one too, while sitting at a vintage inspired soda shop bar? You’ll find that Jacko’s Corner in Salem, NY, has that kind of “bubbly fun” for you to experience in their restaurant on Main Street.

It’s already well known by the locals that they have a great menu, but what also makes this spot a great destination spot for out of towner’s is that they have great food AND an awesome concert series featuring talented musicians around the region. Described by Jacko’s as “Cozy vibes, flowing wine & beer at Jacko’s”. You can enjoy a nice meal, good drinks, and great live music with your family, friends or even make it a date night.

They have wonderful artwork created by local artists hung around the restaurant too, and for sale. Many of the pieces share the story of Salem, NY and the community that has embraced and inspired them. Jacko’s supports the community and the creatives within it, and enthusiastically shares about them with all of their guests that visit.

If you’re desiring to go on a day trip…. I recommend exploring Washington County, and setting your GPS to stop at Jacko’s Corner Restaurant for a good meal, soda fountain drink, and don’t forget to take some local artwork home as well.

190 Main Street | Salem, New York 12865
Web: jackoscorner.com | IG: @jackoscorner

ANNUAL SASQUATCH CALLING CONTEST & FESTIVAL

Have you ever heard a Sasquatch call out in the wild? Well, if you’re curious about how one might sound, you can hear a variety of individuals share out loud what they think one might sound like.

I attended the very first Sasquatch Festival in Whitehall, NY, back in 2016 with my youngest son who at the time was fascinated by the Sasquatch. A friend who lives in Whitehall messaged me about the new “Sasquatch festival” that was being created by their town. Of course we had to go. Now in their sixth year, this has become a much anticipated annual event.

There are vendor tables around the festival set up who have plaster molds of Sasquatch footprints on display, and photos of Sasquatch sightings. You can even photograph yourself behind a giant Sasquatch cutter, and send it to your friends showing them what you’d look like a giant life sized Sasquatch.

The best part of the event in my opinion, is the Sasquatch calling contest that everyone waits for all year long. There’s an adult contest and even one for the kids to sign up and do their own version of a Sasquatch call. I had never imagined what a Sasquatch sounded like, but now I have about dozens of variations in my mind of what one could sound like. LOL. It’s really just a community gathering together and having a lot of fun.

If you’re looking for a family friendly event to take the kids too in Washington County, or if you’re a serious Sasquatch hunter yourself, I recommend marking your calendar and heading to Whitehall, NY for the day for their annual Sasquatch Calling Contest & Festival.

DATE: Saturday | September 24, 2022 : Sasquatch Calling Contest & Festival
TIME: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Calling Contest at 5:00 PM

Highlights Include: Over 50 Vendors. Over 10 Bigfoot presentations with experts and research, Live Music, Beer Garden, Bounce House and Face Painting for the kids! Bigfoot Calling contest, delicious food, Bigfoot statue Raffle. Fun for all, rain or shine.

Skenesborough and Riverside Parks | 130 Main Street | Whitehall, New York 12887
Web: Whitehall Chamber of Commerce

BLIND BUCK VALLEY FARM

Chickens greet you before you can make it to the front door of the Blind Buck Valley Farmstead House, where you are welcomed in by the Parker family. As soon as you drive up the dirt road leading to the 180 acre farm, you’ll see aged red barns and a big white farm home that invites you to stay. The five bedroom farm house is filled with books and games, and play spaces for children. There’s a spacious living room where adults and friends can gather. Unplugged, so you can enjoy all the memorable moments of the time you spend here.

You can also opt to experience Glamping and stay in a teepee on their teepee campsite.

The Blind Buck Valley Farm offers a beautiful and quiet vacation experience for individual families, couples, groups of friends, wedding parties, and even bridal showers. There are goats and donkeys, and ponies and other farm animals on the grounds that kids and adults can interact with while staying on the farm. There’s a pool in the back of the house, open in the warmer season. There’s lots of ground to walk and explore.

There’s a large hill near the house, that tempted the inner child in me to climb up it and roll down it. I resisted during my visit, but the next time I come to this wonderful family friendly farm, I may have to let the kid in me run free.

If you’re looking for a getaway destination that is a hidden gem, less then 45 minutes from Saratoga Springs, NY, I recommend adding the Blind Buck Family Farmstead to your Salem, NY vacation stay list.

116 Riley Hill Road | Salem, New York 12865
Web: bbvfarmstead.com | IG: @blindbuckvalley_farmstead

Innovative Placemaking Puts miSci on the Cutting Edge

April 3, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

COREY: Please state your name, title and what you do at miSci. How long have you been here?

GINA: My name is Gina C. Gould and I have been the President of miSci for the past four years. Like most museum professionals, we all wear a lot of hats. In my role as president, I mainly focus on big picture things like the care and preservation of miSci’s invaluable archives and collections, ensuring we are creating cutting-edge, place-based educational programs for our audiences. Making new friends in and around the Capital Region.

Historic Archieve Images involving radio and the electric light. — Images from the miSci Archival Collection.

From Innovation to Inspiration

COREY: You oversee a collection that represents so much technological development for our country and the world in general. All this while being located in a city with an important provenance in the tapestry of innovation. How and what do you focus on in a typical day to push that forward? To create meaning from it…

GINA: miSci’s team spends all of its time developing exhibitions and programs that focus innovations. These areas include science, technology, engineering, art and math. We dabble in past, present and future. We want everyone, regardless of their age or interests, to understand and appreciate that these innovations are what change society and the world. For the good, bad and sometimes ugly. Their lives are surrounded, every second of every day by these innovations that dictate how we live our lives. By understanding these concepts, we hope to provide our youth inspiration. It is that inspiration that will help them to change our world. And for adults, we hope to provide them with enough information to be informed citizens of the world.

Archival images of an engine, florescent light bulb and an early x ray machine. — Images from the miSci Archival Collection

Opening Young Minds

COREY: The past establishes a foundation for the future. As such, where do you see yourself taking the organization to make it as impactful as the history it represents?

GINA: For a long time, miSci neglected what is in its basement. This is where there are some of the worlds “first” inventions of the 20^th Century that changed the world. Unlike other science museums that focus on natural history or early human innovation, miSci’s collections focus on a wide breadth of innovation from lighting the world to renewable energy that will save the world. The general concepts that each object miSci houses, from toasters to jet engines, can be brought down to the basics of such things as heat transfer or combustion. All of these phenomena are what children learn in school. Showing them “firsts,” such as the first toaster, or first dynamo, connects the past to the present and makes it real, tangible. It’s something they can touch if not something they have in their homes, albeit is a more modern form.

Images of an old clock, a young girl and a portable record player. — Images from the miSci Archival Collection

A STEAM Collective

COREY: How do you see miSci growing its value proposition to the City of Schenectady and why is this important?

GINA: With our growing partnership with Clarkson University, the City of Schenectady School District, the Schenectady Historical Society, and Union College, together we will become a STEAM learning and research center for people of all ages.

Image of Jay Street in Schenectady. — Jay Street, a revitalized part of downtown Schenectady.

Placemaking In Action

COREY: I am super excited that you will be hosting an onsite event in conjunction with the NEMA 2022 Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit this month that will be held in downtown Schenectady. Maybe we can bring in your partner Lorraine Cox (Co-Producer at NEMA 2022) on that to talk about how that production team came to partner up with miSci.

Lorraine: The summit is both a sharing of the rich creative placemaking activities happening in this region of the country, as well as a space to inspire and empower placemakers to build new and better partnerships, projects, programs and policies. That would include right here in Schenectady and the broader Capital Region. Creative Placemaking is a strategy that can support the goals of miSci making this a great opportunity to further discuss and flesh out what that might look like. Gina has taken her institution to a new level using these collaborative principles. We felt that miSci would be the perfect real world example of the power of this approach.

Photo of a group event crowd. — Photo: **Richard Lovrich**

See For Yourself

COREY: ACE is excited to play a part of what you have coming up later this month! Gina, I have to say, I have been wanting to do an event here for some time. Can you tell us a little more about what to expect from the Creative Networking Happy Hour event on the 21st?

GINA: Attendees will see how miSci is evolving to become not only a Regional Science Museum but also a community-based museum that specializes in place-based, immersive hands-on STEAM learning. Additionally, we are planning on making a special announcement regarding a new national program that miSci will be instituting that will create commission opportunities for regional designers, makers and artists so make sure to be there for that!

EDITORS NOTE:
We are excited to announce the first ACE Creative Networking Event of 2022 will be held at miSci in conjunction with the NEMA 2022 Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit. These events always well supported, advance RSVP is recommended and appreciated.

for more info or to RSVP NOW!

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.